Each week, we share five articles that will help you stay up-to-date on the tools, resources and news in social media. Use this weekly Wrap-Up to get tips and ideas to use in your business’ social media marketing.
Two announcements this week that could have an immediate effect on your marketing:
Facebook has abandoned the 20% Text rule for Cover Photos.
Now there is no limit on how much text you can place on your Page Cover Photos. This is a big relief for page admins who were struggling with font size, placement and graphic design.
Note that the 20% Text rule still applies to Ads and if your Cover Photo is part of an ad, the 20% Text rule will apply to it there.
Twitter is now banning automated and bulk following (a controversial terms-of-service update highlighted at Media Bistro).
I’ve already received an email from Social Oomph, that their automatic follow-back feature is being turned off for now. It’s a shame that automatic follow-back is included in the update, because this was handy: it meant that when someone followed you, you automatically followed them back immediately, instead of possibly taking several days to go through all your new Followers and click on “Follow” for each one.
It was a time-saver for me, especially since I manage several Twitter accounts for myself and the business. (With auto-follow-back, I knew that I reciprocated the “follow” right away and then would use ManageFlitter several times a week to weed out any users who stopped following me or were not in my target audience.)
On the positive side, maybe this will lead to more targeted connections for most users, since you’ll have to look at every new Follower more closely before returning a follow. Look for future posts and updates on this topic, as we (and software Apps) adjust to the new terms.
Now on to this week’s top articles:
(1) Ridiculously Big List of Google Reader Alternatives – from Duct Tape Marketing
Google Reader has shut down (but you can still retrieve your data until July 15th) and if you haven’t found an alternative, then check out this terrific list of options!
(2) The Beginner’s Guide to Evernote – from Mashable
I love Evernote and use it all the time to keep resources organized! If you are thinking about trying it (or want some ideas on how to use it more effectively), here’s a great guide.
(3) The Best Content Marketing Guide on Slideshare You’ll Ever Read – from SteamFeed
A very helpful resource for using Slideshare, with tips on how to use it and ideas for what to share.
(4) The Getting Started Guide to LinkedIn Advertising – from Unbounce
A comprehensive guide to start an ad program on LinkedIn. Great tips for B2B marketing!
(5) A Beginner’s 4-Step Guide: Delicious PPC Tips for Small – from Bruce Clay Inc.
A great resource for any business trying to optimize PPC advertising! Businesses
Bonus: The Anatomy Of A Tweet [INFOGRAPHIC] – from Media Bistro
A great visual for the features that make up a Tweet. Share with someone new to Twitter!
We hope these resources give you some great ideas for your social media marketing! If you found any great resources and want to share, please do so in the comments below or visit our Facebook Page.
About Terry League