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Guide to SEO Terminology (infographic)

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Social Media Today

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H ave you put together a social media marketing plan for your business?

Are you finding it difficult to formulate a social media marketing plan?

Though most companies now understand why social media is important, not all of them are able to create successful social media marketing strategies for their businesses.

In this post, I'll share seven practical, essential steps towards building an effective social media marketing plan for your organization.

1. Know Your Target Audience

Are you sure that you've chosen the right social media channel/s to invest your time and resources in?

Selecting the right social media platforms is a must in order to create a successful social media marketing process for your business.

So how do you pick the best social channels for your brand?

You need to know your target audience.

Find out which social media platforms your potential customers use, how much time they spend on social media, what times they're most active, and how they interact with each other.

The more you know about your target audience, the better you can plan a social media marketing strategy to reach them.

Here are some key steps in learning more about your target audience on social media:

Create a 'marketing persona' of your ideal customer/s

Start your research with the social media giants, such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram

Use the search functions on each to get a better idea of engagement levels and activity

For more tips on determining where your audience is most active, Andrew Hutchinson, head of content and social media at Social Media Today, has provided three ways to find your target audience on social media in this post.

2. Set Goals

What do you want to achieve through your social media marketing efforts? Do you want to raise awareness for your business, or do you want to sell your products? Or maybe you're looking to enhance connection with your fans.

Goal setting is the cornerstone for any successful social media marketing strategy - if you don't know what you're trying to achieve, you have nothing to measure your performance against.

So how do you define your social media marketing goals?

Your social marketing goals should be 'SMART', which is an acronym for:

Specific - Your social media goals should be clear and defined

Measurable - You need to be able to measure the progress of your goals

Achievable - Set goals that you can actually achieve

Realistic - You should set goals based on your time, resource, and marketing budget

Time sensitive - Set goals that you can achieve in a definite time-frame for reporting and tracking purposes

You should also make sure that your goals are aligned with your company's over-arching strategic objectives.

Most businesses aim for a mixture of the following goals in their strategies:

Some businesses set different goals for each social media network, which can also be good practice. Based on the needs of your organization, you should consider 2-3 goals per network.

3. Identify Key Success Metrics

After determining the goals of your social media marketing strategy, next you need to identify your key success metrics to measure their effectiveness.

You need to look for simple, straightforward metrics to track the success of your social media strategies - here are five measures to consider:

Not all of these metrics will be useful for your social media marketing plan - you need to pick the metrics that are aligned with your overall social marketing goals.

For example:

If selling through social media is your main motive, you should focus on referral traffic to your website and subsequent conversion. Measure sentiment if building your brand image is your key objective.

4. Audit Your Current Social Media Presence

You've outlined your target audience, you've set clear goals for your efforts, and you've identified your key success metrics.

Now you need to audit your current social media marketing presence to see how it lines up.

Without knowing where you presently stand in the social media space, you can't construct an effective, realistic marketing plan for your business.

So how do you go about auditing your current social media presence?

Here are a few areas you should look to when auditing your position:

You should always audit your current social media presence according to the goals of your social media marketing plan. Make sure you check every element that'll have an impact on your end goals.

5. Pick the Best Social Media Management Tool

Tools make difficult tasks easy to complete, and social media marketing tools are no different.

Picking the best tools for social media management will not only make the various tasks easier, but it'll also save you a boatload of time.

However, selecting the right tool can be a daunting task, as all social media tools claim to be super effective.

So how can you choose the best?

You should ask yourself these questions to pick the best social media tool for your business:

Most social media marketing tools come with a free trial, and it's advisable to test out a few tools before making any final decision.

6. Create and Curate Content

The success or failure of your social media marketing strategy will come down to the content you create and curate.

Here are a few types of content that your social media audience generally respond best to:

When you're creating or curating content for social media, the key is to ensure that the content you share is audience-specific. This will help you maximize engagement and boost brand awareness.

7. Analyze and Optimize

Even the best social media marketers formulate their social marketing plans through a level of trial and error - analyzing the data to optimize social media strategies is critical to the success of your social media marketing plan. Also, by tracking and analyzing the key elements, as denoted in your social marketing plan, you'll be able to boost the ROI of your efforts.

How can you analyze and optimize your social media marketing plan?

You need to measure the performance of your strategies according to the key success metrics you outlined in the beginning, then tweak your plan for optimal success.

You can use tools like Buffer or Sprout Social to track and analyze your social media marketing activities, then measure those metrics against your KPIs.

Remember, an awesome social media strategy is never set in stone. As with the social platforms themselves, it's a work in progress.

Conclusion

Creating a social media plan for your business shouldn't be a tedious, tiresome task. If you follow these steps, you can easily formulate a successful social media plan, which, ideally, will help put you ahead of your competitors.

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7 Key Steps in Creating an Effective Social Media Marketing Strategy

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Have you put together a social media marketing plan for your business? Are you finding it difficult to formulate a social media marketing plan? Though most companies now understand why social media is important, not all of them are able to create successful social media marketing strategies for their businesses.

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This mock meeting is a simulation exercise for students to practice taking meeting minutes. Students can also watch the video and develop a meeting agenda from it.

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Learn English | Let's Talk - Free English Lessons

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05 Etiquette Rules For Business Meetings for Every Professional  - Business English Lesson

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Quizlet is a lightning fast way to learn vocabulary.

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World business cultures

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Are you a Small or Medium-sized Enterprise (SME) or a student thinking of successfully establishing yourself in another European country and require assistance with cultural difference in business? If so, businessculture.org is here to help! The Passport to Trade 2.0 project brings you extensive training in international business culture awareness and business etiquette.

Passport to Trade 2.0 is a multiple award winning resource ( European Search Award 2014, Big Chip Little Chip 2014), it provides up to date business culture knowledge to help you with your social media marketing in 31 countries. This will enable you to engage more effectively with new business opportunities and help SMEs expand into new territories. Students also get an opportunity to access free resources to inform their work & study placements abroad.

According to Business culture, countries studied as part of this project are:

How can you benefit from Business culture resources?

Read more about the recognition of Passport to Trade 2.0 project through industry awards:

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International Business Culture and Business Etiquette

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Are you a Small or Medium-sized Enterprise (SME) or a student thinking of successfully establishing yourself in another European country and require assistance with cultural difference in business? If so, businessculture.org is here to help! The Passport to Trade 2.0 project brings you extensive training in international business culture awareness and business etiquette.

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Guidelines to Conducting Effective Meetings

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Get a basic guide to conducting effective meetings on this page from the Free Management Library.

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TED talk

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John McWhorter: Txtng is killing language. JK!!!

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Does texting mean the death of good writing skills? John McWhorter posits that there's much more to texting -- linguistically, culturally -- than it seems, and it's all good news.

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Building your personal brand on social media

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Building your personal brand on social media

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TED ed, Jacob Cass

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Marketing Yourself: Building a Personal Brand

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All of us one day dream of marketing the next BIG thing. However, before that we need to market ourselves. The question we all know but hate answering in interviews is "Tell me about yourself?" Impress these potential employers and become a marketable commodity by building your own personal brand.

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From journalism to digital marketing to the finance or business fields, nearly every industry's hiring managers are clamoring for talent who know the golden rule: Content is king.

Having a comprehensive view on digital media, then, and being able to produce and disseminate such content - whether SEO-optimized blog posts, internationally aimed articles, or photo essays - is a huge advantage for job seekers across the board.

And while impressive internships or undergrad degrees are certainly necessities for scoring a dream job, an advanced degree from a reputable university such as the American University School of Communication can give your resume the oomph it needs to stand out among the competition. And there's data to back it up: Just six months after receiving a master's degree from the AU School of Communication, 92% of graduates are either working or completing another advanced degree.

Whether you're a recent graduate looking to further your education, a professional amid a career shift or a budding entrepreneur considering launching a startup, an advanced communication degree can help kick-start a long, lucrative career. Below, we've outlined three key career skills you'll gain with a master's degree that can help you build a particularly enviable resume.

1. Digital-first communication skills

Being able to effectively communicate is perhaps the most valuable skill for the modern workplace; being able to do so in a digitally savvy manner is particularly impressive. According to a 2014 MBA.com study, the top four skills employers seek in new hires are oral and listening skills, followed by written communication and presentation skills.

Are one or all of these checkmarks missing from your resume? Have you already mastered some but still need to know how to effectively translate them to a digital, online presence? If so, you may have what hiring managers call a "skills gap." While many believe communication abilities are innate, the truth is that the type of communication required for today's workforce is a learned skill - and one that can be honed.

Social media, which is a key marketing cornerstone for nearly any company, is another skill that many job seekers - particularly millennials who tend to be digital natives - may think they've perfected. But being able to choose the perfect Instagram filter is a far cry from being able to run a social media strategy for a huge corporation with millions of social followers, or write engaging Twitter copy for a startup building its online presence from the ground up. Writing skills apply here too, and students pursuing a master's degree in most communication fields will learn the ropes regarding online brand management and much more.

For professionals lacking a few key elements when it comes to written and verbal skills, continued education may be the perfect way to fine-tune these sought-after strengths. Degrees that may make sense include an MA in strategic communication, or for a more niche focus, an MA in journalism and public affairs. With courses like visual storytelling and multimedia storytelling, students learn the ins and outs of communication skills that extend far beyond the classroom.

Image: American University School of Communication

2. Ability to leverage interactive media/video expertise

Entrepreneurs and innovators who learn to not only embrace, but also capitalize upon the new media landscape are already several steps ahead. Video and visual content is a crucial part of many brands' marketing plans for 2015 and beyond. Even outside of media roles, possessing video skills can be a major boost to nearly any resume in a creative field. If you're a young professional who believes that his or her natural habitat is behind the lens of video or photography equipment, a master's degree that explores video or film in depth may be the perfect fit.

Image: American University School of Communication

For the creatively inclined, learning the fundamentals of visual journalism, documentary making, photography and more can provide insight into a wide spectrum of career options. In a media and brand landscape where storytelling is the trend of the hour, these skills will certainly provide a competitive advantage for any professional who can list them on a resume.

3. Knack for nurturing connections

The old mantra "it's not what you know, it's who you know" still rings true in the modern career path. In an increasingly globally focused, competitive career landscape, making and maintaining a carefully constructed web of professional connections is paramount. You never know where a dream job lead will come from: A communication studies class may be a doorway to a valuable mentor, or even a potential business partner. Graduate school is the ultimate time and place to learn and fine-tune the ability to effectively network, a skill that's not only advantageous but also indispensable for any career.

Master's programs can provide fertile ground for forging professional connections: From nationally recognized work and projects to student-organized campus initiatives, there's never a shortage of intelligent minds amongst which to connect and create. Many of the relationships built in this manner extend far beyond the classroom, for many years to come.

Networking while getting a master's can pay off even while students are still obtaining their degree. It's wise for students to have an internship or two under their belt before graduation, and striving toward an advanced degree is the opportune time to explore internships in any number of fields. The connections that students make through faculty and peers during graduate school can open doors for such prestigious opportunities, many of which aren't openly advertised or available for application via LinkedIn.

Image: American University School of Communication

These skills are huge advantages for candidates seeking full-time roles in a wide array of career paths - particularly media, marketing or communication. But they're also valuable for entrepreneurs or anybody interested in launching a business. A good idea doesn't become a great business model without the right dose of communication acumen. Knowing how to effectively write, tell stories, nail the intricacies of visual content and market yourself is key - and an advanced degree may be the optimal way of not only gaining these skill sets, but also developing an invaluable professional network.

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From journalism to digital marketing to the finance or business fields, nearly every industry's hiring managers are clamoring for talent who know the golden rule: Content is king. Having a comprehensive view on digital media, then, and being able to produce and disseminate such content - whether SEO-optimized blog posts, internationally aimed articles, or photo essays - is a huge advantage for job seekers across the board.

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It's easy to feel intimidated by the prospect of selling in another language. According to research from the British Council, around three-quarters of British people don't speak another language well enough to have a basic conversation, let alone sell a product or negotiate a deal. But it's well worth getting over that language barrier. A recent report from the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) found that the UK is losing out on an incredible £48bn a year in lost exports as a direct result of its lack of language skills.

"A lot of SMEs see languages as a cost and it's absolutely not a cost, it's an investment," says Roy Allkin, co-founder of translation company Wolfestone. "We need to change the perceptions that the language barrier is too big to get over, that it's too difficult to compete with native speakers and that ultimately, everyone out there speaks English - which is absolutely untrue."

A problem you're likely to encounter when exporting is getting documents translated - everything from customs forms to your website content. But there are plenty of options. If you don't want to spend a lot of money initially, or you're just testing the water in a new country, you could try using students and people on work experience to translate simple texts, as Neil Westwood, co-founder of Magic Whiteboard, has done. Exports currently make up around 20% of their sales, to countries as diverse as Japan, Romania and Mexico.

"We got a lad on work experience from Germany, and he translated our webpage into German for £700," he says. "We were smaller back then, and we were experimenting with these markets, so we wanted it done cheaply. A Peruvian student I met when I visited my old university, Canterbury, did it in Spanish for £500. We get a lot more enquiries from these markets now."

Google Translate is free, of course, but it doesn't always have the nuances necessary for correct translation, says Richard Brooks, founder of translation company K International. "It's hard enough to find the right words in English if you're not a communications expert - and expecting a computer to do it might be an expectation too far."

Westwood found this out when he translated his business cards into Japanese using Google Translate and presented them at a trade show in Tokyo. "I translated 'clings using static' as that's what our products do, and that didn't translate very well, apparently. They looked puzzled and said 'who have you got to do this?' Luckily, we turned it into a laugh, saying we were crazy English people."

It's important to remember that just being able to speak a language doesn't qualify a person - or a computer - to translate it accurately. Relying on the cheapest methods could prove a false economy, particularly when there's a lot at stake and you need an expert not just in a language, but also in a specific area such as contract law, software development or HR. The next step up is to use a freelance translator or translation agency - but still make sure you check both their credentials and experience. "There's a common misconception that anyone who can speak more than one language can translate," says Karin Nielsen, founder of Fluently, an online marketplace which connects companies directly with translators with relevant experience.

"A real translator has six years' worth of academia behind them to back up their skills. Translating is not easy and that's why all the translators on our platform have professional translation qualifications. In addition to that, a lot of them have extra qualifications - so we have lawyers, HR people, developers, people with technical knowledge. In order for a translation to be really good, the translator has to have a really good understanding of not just the subject matter but also the brand that they are translating for."

Support with business communication

There's help available from UK Trade and Investment (UKTI), which runs the Postgraduates for International Business scheme. This matches postgraduates with language skills who are currently at university with companies who need their skills on a temporary basis. It's up to the company to specify what help it needs, which could be anything from selling over the phone in a different language to emailing clients or internationalising websites.

UKTI can also assist with more general cultural understanding, which goes hand in hand with language skills. Emma Sheldon is group marketing director of health products company Vernacare, which is currently enjoying success in the Singapore market and is looking to expand further into Asia. A UKTI language and cultural representative came in to look at Vernacare's business strategy and advise on communication and business etiquette - which can be very different in Asian countries. "For example, the number four is unlucky in China, so just by having that on your phone number you could be putting yourself at a disadvantage," says Sheldon. "People might not want to ring it."

Going beyond translating documents to communicating directly, it's worth looking specifically for new employees with language skills, says David Howden, co-founder of The Tartisan Bakery, which sells tarts with customisable packaging online. It's only a month old but they've already shipped to Switzerland, Germany, Chile, North America and Thailand.

Although he only speaks English, Howden's partner Jess Morteln is a native German speaker who also speaks Spanish."We've always wanted to export and I don't believe that as a startup we could have done it without one of us having other languages," he says.

Sheldon agrees. "When the company is looking to enter a new market, Vernacare will use agencies for interpreting during trips abroad and translating, until there's a permanent need," she explains. "Once we know we're entering those markets, then we start to think about getting multilingual sales and marketing staff who can support us in translation, order taking and suchlike."

And don't be afraid to have a go yourself when you meet people face-to-face. "If you can say please and thank you and order a beer, people think you've made the effort," says Allkin. "We think everybody speaks English but it goes both ways - there's an opinion out there that nobody in the UK bothers to learn languages as we're arrogant and we think everyone speaks English. Knowing a few words yourself can absolutely make the difference."
Sign up to become a member of the Guardian Small Business Network here for more advice, insight and best practice direct to your inbox. Topics

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Don't rely on Google - invest in languages to grow your business

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It's easy to feel intimidated by the prospect of selling in another language. According to research from the British Council, around three-quarters of British people don't speak another language well enough to have a basic conversation, let alone sell a product or negotiate a deal. But it's well worth getting over that language barrier.

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on Country Navigator

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Understanding the local negotiation style is key to getting the business outcome you want

If you've ever tried to buy a carpet in a Turkish bazaar, you'll know the ritual. The seller mentions a ridiculous price. You (if you are bold enough) make a ludicrously low offer. The seller expresses outrage. You haggle for a while. If your nerve is strong, you walk away. If the seller still has some leeway in their selling price, they'll chase after you, with a better 'final price'. You leave with a new carpet.

This is one of the most extreme forms of negotiation. But understanding the local culture and bargaining style will help you get the best price for your carpet. The same applies to any cross-cultural business transaction. Of course, every individual is different, but cultures around the world certainly display an element of consistency in their negotiating style.

USA

Americans tend to prefer a zero-sum result approach and information is used as power. Each side has a limit and it is hoped that common ground will be found where these bargaining zones overlap. The transaction is the focus; speed, cost and efficiency are useful bargaining chips. An action plan is desirable; Americans do not like vagueness.

Canada

Canadians usually aim for a win-win outcome, in which information sharing and problem solving lead to gains for both parties. Expect negotiating style to be polite, direct and efficient and for hard fact to be seen as more important than the relationship.

China

The Chinese are renowned for their tendency to be tough, canny negotiators. Large groups are always used for negotiations, never individuals, with one spokesperson per group. Chinese negotiations are characterised by a soft sell and a hard buy; initial offers will be extreme and generous concessions need to be made. Watch out for certain tactics. These may include controlling the meeting venue and schedule; withholding information; threatening to do business with a competitor; displays of mock anger (very disconcerting in a country where saving 'face' is so important) and pure attrition. Your counterparts may invoke the 'guanxi' argument, too, calling in favours from their business network which, for the purpose of the deal, includes you. Be thoroughly prepared, patient, reserved and always dignified.

Norway

Norway is almost the complete opposite. Negotiating meetings are collaborative, direct and efficient. Do not play games. Avoid hype or threats and on no account go in with a high-low gambit - starting with a ridiculous price and expecting to reduce it. The Norwegians (and other Scandinavians) will aim for consensus in the group. Your goal should be a win-win outcome.

United Arab Emirates

In the Arab world, negotiations are driven by two things: price and personal relationships. Although selling benefits are critical, they are not the primary factor. Expect a negotiating meeting to be fluid, with constant interruptions. Although much of the emphasis of the discussion will be on your relationship and happy future together, it will still all come down to price. Know your bottom line and don't waiver. Know when to walk away - your counterpart will often call you back. A seller will start off very high with a much, much lower actual price in mind. Keep a few cards up your sleeve for last-minute concessions. Arabs expect a win-lose outcome to negotiations and you must show that you are prepared to give a little.

Australia

Hype-fuelled arguments and high-pressure techniques will not impress Australians and are most likely to provoke some caustic comments. Derisory remarks about others or competitors can be viewed also with suspicion or as not being 'fair play'; this is a nation that favours the underdog. What is said will be taken literally, and Australians expect you to take what they say literally as well. Storming off in a mock fit of indignation will make you look foolish. Australians do not have the same tradition of bartering as, for example, their Asian neighbours, and expect an offer to include only a small margin for compromise and focus on a win-win outcome.

Zambia

Zambians, along with several other southern and east African cultures, aim for a win-win outcome so if your potential partner demonstrates flexibility and willingness to commit, try to do the same yourself. Expect a degree of haggling, which is part of everyday life. Instead of giving you a price, your counterpart may put you on the spot by asking what you want to pay, which can un-nerve the inexperienced negotiator. A starting price on any deal may be unrealistically high but the goal of any deal is to get this to a level that is acceptable to both parties.

Boost your ability to work effectively across cultures with our online intercultural training tool. Organizations, individuals and trainers across the world use Country Navigator to:

Help their employees work better with their international counterparts

Improve relationships with overseas customers and suppliers

Enable multicultural and virtual teams

On-board expatriates for global assignments

Are you ready to improve your global business success? Click here to get started.

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How to improve your cross-cultural negotiation style - Country Navigator

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If you've ever tried to buy a carpet in a Turkish bazaar, you'll know the ritual. The seller mentions a ridiculous price. You (if you are bold enough) make a ludicrously low offer. The seller expresses outrage. You haggle for a while. If your nerve is strong, you walk away.

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intercultural competence

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Blog: The Country Navigator blog delivers regular CQ articles

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The Country Navigator blog delivers the latest industry thinking, sharing insights and advice to help develop your cultural intelligence.

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Ideas to make a better world (Canada, cbc.radio)

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Many of the things we take for granted in Canada -- universal health care, public pensions, a five-day work week -- were once considered utopian pipe dreams. The same is true of a lot of current ideas to make a better world and improve our quality of life: they endure ridicule and pushback until some brave souls flout conventional wisdom and try them out. This month on the Enright Files, ideas to improve our communities, our countries and our quality of life.

Listen to the full episode 53:59

Guests in this episode:

Rutger Bregman, the author of Utopia for Realists: The Case for a Universal Basic Income, Open Borders, and a 15-Hour Workweek.

Janette Sadik-Khan, the former Transportation Commissioner for New York City and the co-author of Street Fight: Handbook for an Urban Revolution.

Pasi Sahlberg, the Director General of the Centre for International Mobility and Cooperation in Helsink and the author of Finnish Lessons: What Can the World Learn from Educational Change in Finland?

Karyn McCluskey, the Director of the Violence Reduction Unit of the Glasgow police.

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The Enright Files - Ideas to make a better world | CBC Radio

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Many of the things we take for granted in Canada -- universal health care, public pensions, a five-day work week -- were once considered utopian pipe dreams. The same is true of a lot of current ideas to make a better world and improve our quality of life: they endure ridicule and pushback until some brave souls flout conventional wisdom and try them out.

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Social Media Today
10 Jan 2017

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Although there is a lot of uncertainty going into 2017, one area in which analysts remain consistently bullish about is the world of social media. With an astonishing amount of people using Facebook and other platforms, there's no surprise that advertisers want to capitalize upon that traffic.

Paid advertising has been skyrocketing within the past few years, which comes as no surprise to many marketing departments. Social media - and its legions of influencers - have changed the game. Another game changer has been Instagram, which, in 2016, skillfully created a Stories feature that rivals that of Snapchat. Giving rise to a lot of buzz about AI - and its implications for the world of social media - these moves have grabbed the attention of many people inside and outside of the industry. With new features that can even track a social media user's mood, companies stand poised to learn more about their customers than ever before. And, when it comes to marketing, knowledge is truly power. As we move through 2017, this power will be unleashed in full force.

Here are six key trends, complied by sproutsocial, marketers should keep an eye on in 2017.

This post originally appeared on Irfan Ahmad's blog.

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6 Social Media Trends that Will Take Over 2017 [Infographic]

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Although there is a lot of uncertainty going into 2017, one area in which analysts remain consistently bullish about is the world of social media. With an astonishing amount of people using Facebook and other platforms, there's no surprise that advertisers want to capitalize upon that traffic.

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Harvard Business Review, May 2012

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Reprint: R1205H

Like it or not, English is the global language of business. Today 1.75 billion people speak English at a useful level-that's one in four of us. Multinational companies such as Airbus, Daimler-Chrysler, SAP, Nokia, Alcatel-Lucent, and Microsoft in Beijing have mandated English as the corporate language. And any company with a global presence or global aspirations would be wise to do the same, says HBS professor Tsedal Neeley, to ensure good communication and collaboration with customers, suppliers, business partners, and other stakeholders.

But while moving toward a single language at work is necessary and inevitable, Neeley's research shows that implementing such a policy is fraught with complications. English-only policies can create job insecurity and dissatisfaction and generate strife between native and nonnative English speakers in cross-national teams.

Companies can anticipate and plan for inevitable challenges and resistance when adopting an English-only policy. Using Japanese internet services firm Rakuten as a case example, this article outlines guidelines for proper implementation.

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Reprint: R1205H Like it or not, English is the global language of business. Today 1.75 billion people speak English at a useful level-that's one in four of us. Multinational companies such as Airbus, Daimler-Chrysler, SAP, Nokia, Alcatel-Lucent, and Microsoft in Beijing have mandated English as the corporate language.