July Franchise Social Media Roundup

Google+: What's It All About?

The new Google+ network has debuted. The social media community is scrambling to figure out what it's good for and where it may be going. Facebook haters hope it's a Facebook-killer, for example. Twitter lovers fear it may displace Twitter. Google Buzz suddenly gets useful. Here are some comments on Google+ from around the web. Chris Brogan writes a list of 50 things about Google+ that are interesting to think about. Jay Baer calls it a "...Facebook Twitter hybrid with outstanding ease-of-use and eye-popping potential." And for businesses looking for something like Facebook's Fan Pages in Google+, that feature will be coming "soon."

Founding Fathers Offer Web Advice

For July 4th, Hubspot shared inbound marketing secrets from the Founding Fathers. Benjamin Franklin has this great advice for content creators learning how to engage their communities on the web: "Either write something worth reading about or do something worth writing about." George Washington had this to say about who to friend on Facebook, follow on Twitter, or connect with on LinkedIn: "It is better to be alone than in bad company." Read more: Hubspot: Marketing Advice From Our Founding Fathers.

Facebook Ads: Worth a Look

Interested in Facebook Advertising? It's growing in popularity among businesses of all sizes and types. Facebook Advertising presents a cost-effective way to get your message out on the premier social media network. Facebook Ads are inexpensive, easy to get started with, and can be closely targeted by demographics and geography. Because Facebook knows so much about its members' interests based on what they Like and post about, you can target your advertising very precisely to people who are likely to be interested in the goods and services you're offering. Here's Facebook's official Guide to Facebook Ads.

Fox Hackers Provide Lessons for Business

On July 4th, a group called The Script Kiddies claimed responsibility for hacking Fox News' Twitter feed and posting a series of tweets announcing the assassination of President Obama (false, obviously). David Meerman Scott, author of the excellent New Rules of Marketing & PR, wrote a valuable post filled with advice about what to do if any of your digital channels are hacked. The big takeaways: 1) social media channels are instant communication tools, and 2) crises happen when you least expect them. Social media monitoring is not a luxury any more, it's a necessity. Web Ink Now: Lessons from the Fox News Twitter Hack.

LinkedIn: The Ultimate Guide

LinkedIn.com is expanding fast again after its successful IPO. Membership is rising, and LinkedIn has been releasing new features. For a collection of up-to-date, practical information for getting started on using LinkedIn effectively, visit The Thesis Statment's Ultimate Guide to LinkedIn Marketing.

Video: The Socialnomics Revolution, v.3

A new version of the classic Socialnomics Revolution video has been released. If you haven't seen it before, you have an eye-opener ahead of you. If you have, you'll enjoy the updated material. This is a short (2 minutes), visually exciting introduction to social media trends and how they're changing the world for all of us. Recommended for showing to bosses and other people who may not "get it" yet. Video: Socialnomics Revolution.

Video Marketing: A Business Insider's Guide

Speaking of video, one of the most effective ways for businesses to market themselves on the web today is to use video. Setting up a channel on YouTube or Vimeo is free. They host your videos for you and provide easy ways to embed videos on a website, share them in social media, and make them available to the search engines - so you can be found through your video marketing by people searching the web for interesting, relevant video content. This article takes you through the basics and provides a great set of links to more information. Business Insider's Small Business Video Marketing Guide.

Death by PowerPoint, or Awesome Presentations?

Ever have to do presentations? If you do, you definitely want to work hard to avoid creating "Death by PowerPoint" slide decks. One great way to make your presentations more fun and interesting is to always remember to tell a story. Read more about how to do it and other tips about making presentations that you can be sure will get noticed and get your point across. Hubspot: 3 Secrets to AWESOME Presentations.

Facebook: Get Your Fan Page Working for You!

Facebook Fan Pages build engagement with your business, but sometimes you need some new ideas about how to improve them. Here's a collection of six tips from Hubspot about how to get your Fan Page working for you. For example, many Facebook Fan Page owners don't allow comments on their pages, missing an opportunity for people to get involved with the brand. Page owners have had a lot of success by starting discussions and asking questions. And don't forget to link to your YouTube or Vimeo videos on your Facebook Fan Page. Hubspot: 6 Ways to Instantly Improve Facebook Fan Engagement.

Daniel Lieberman is the founder of Daniel Lieberman Digital ("I speak Geek - You don't need to."). Based in Shelburne, Mass., he helps companies, organizations, and individuals learn to use the Internet to communicate, market, and brand themselves using the most up-to-date tools and techniques. Contact him at 413-489-1818 or daniel@daniellieberman.org.