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Updated for 2018. The most comprehensive and up-to-date list of how many people use the top social media sites, apps and tools from around the world.
Social Media Marketing Tools and Tips
Here is a collection of the latest Social Media Marketing Tools and Tips. I am constantly adding and updating articles, so be sure to check back regularly!
10 Things You Didn't Know About Google
For over a decade, Google has played a pretty significant role in much of our online activity. Whether we search for something on Google.com, check Gmail, watch a YouTube video, use Chrome to browse, check directions on Google Maps, use an Android device, etc, etc, we are adding to some unbelievable user numbers for Google.
The Top 5 Benefits to Employee Content Sharing (Infographic)
With content marketing all the rage and social media noise at an alarming rate, businesses, especially small businesses, need to utilize any and all content sharing possibilities available to them. Employees can offer a great opportunity to amplify the reach of the valuable content your company is developing to a receptive and relatively targeted audience.
By The Numbers: 10 Interesting Meerkat Statistics
Every year, there is a new darling of the digital world coming out of South By Southwest (SXSW). This year was no different, with the brand new live-streaming app Meerkat taking its place as the clear darling of the digital influencers at SXSW 2015. Despite taking a pretty significant blow just before the start of SXSW, when Meerkat's access to Twitter was limited, their stats coming out of the event show that it didn't slow their growth much.
Whether Meerkat can survive the cold shoulder (and possible competition) from Twitter remains to be seen. In the meantime, here are a few of the more interesting Meerkat statistics I was able to dig up. As always, be sure to check back in the future as I will be updating this post as new and updated stats become available.
How To: Protect Your Social Media Accounts From Hackers
Social media accounts have become as important as email when it comes to communicating. And that has made it a common target in hacking schemes. It's not just celebrities that have their accounts compromised. Hackers can steal sensitive information and photos from businesses and personal accounts, too. Some just want to take control of your account and use it for their own purposes.
Want an unhackable account? It's almost impossible. You have to be careful about how you use your passwords, allow outside access, and use third party apps. It's a daunting task but its worth it to get as close as possible.
How To: Explain the Major Social Networks Using Coffee (Infographic)
Happy Coffee Day! Here is a fun infographic that tries to explain social media in terms of coffee. This is a pretty good pairing since most of us in the social media marketing world are over-caffeinated, coffee addicts.
How Do Teens Use Social Media? (Infographic)
Finding various consumer segments were they congregate and are most comfortable is an inexact and often frustrating science. Just when you think you've mastered the preferences and tastes of a certain demographic, their interests shift and you have to start over. This interest cycle has accelerated significantly with the evolution of digital. Now, what a certain segment of the population prefers for communication channels or even devices changes constantly as technology progresses. Need proof? Just look at the average age of an active Facebook user over the past 10 years to see a pretty sizable shift in preferences.
One of the most fickle consumer segments is teens. They are often early adopters of the latest gadgets and platforms, making reaching them pretty much a moving target, at times. This also makes them a decent bellweather for what we can expect for older demographics down the road.One thing we know to be true about this segment: the are all over social media. In fact,95% of all teens in the U.S. have access to the Internet and 90% of them are on social media.
Here is an interesting infographic that illustrates a digital day in the life of a teen.
Everything Happening Right Now on the Internet (Real-Time Stat Graphic)
You are reading this post, so the odds are really good that you have a little interest in digital stats. Most people who find this site are searching for something specific and then get sucked in by the amount of stats that are available for most digital properties. I enjoy collecting them and try to update each post semi-regularly to keep them relevant and somewhat reliable.
What if you could get these stats in real-time? What if you could find out stuff like how many likes are occurring on Facebook or how many video hours are being watched on YouTube right now? Now you can.
Can Google's Latest Purchase Save Google Plus?
For those who are social media savvy, it goes without saying that Google Plus has struggled. In comparison to some of the biggest social networks, with Facebook being something of a model example, it seemed as though Google's own channel has not secured the scope of audience it desired. However, the company still sees value in the brand. The best way that this can be illustrated, in recent memory, is through its purchase of Polar.
Evaluating the Current Trends of Social Media Marketing in 2014
Unless you have been living under a rock for the past half a decade, you probably already understand how important social media marketing is to your business – it can play a vital role in both generating new leads and building a relationship with your current prospects and customers.
Still, in order to be able to maintain a strong social media presence, you have to stay in touch with the current trends that are developing in the social media world, and in the online world everything does change very quickly.
So for those who want to stay on top of their game and are looking for something new to build their social media campaigns around, here are some of the main trends that are currently seen in the world of social media:
Which Words Get you the Most Social Media Shares? (Infographic)
While social media marketing has changed dramatically over the years, reach and engagement are still two very important metrics to just about any strategy. Whether your goal is raising brand awareness, driving traffic, or just about anything else, getting your content in front of the maximum amount of interested eyeballs is always a fundamental key to your success.
Here is an interesting infographic from Quicksprout that explores which keywords to include (and not include) in your social posts to maximize sharability. The data used for this graphic comes from a compilation of reputable industry sources.
20 Valuable Tips for Building Strong Media Relationships
Reviewing and reinforcing strong media relationships should be an important part of every PR professional's standard routine. Connecting with media professionals is vital for anyone in a press relations role. In order to remain effective, PR professionals must constantly evaluate and re-evaluate tactics and follow guidelines for being tactful. Here are 15 tips for building strong media relationships:
How To: Take the Perfect Selfie (Infographic)
Whether we like it or not selfies are still here and just as popular as ever. The media buzz about them may have been ratcheted down a notch or two, but people are still shaping pics of themselves and sharing their best shots with the world at a good clip.
While I don't condone or encourage selfie-snapping, if you must do it, you might as well do it right. Our friends at Adorama and Nowsourcing recently released this fun infographic that lays out the basics of taking the perfect selfie.
Brands are Taking the Wrong Approach to Social and Here is How to Fix That
Social media is undeniably an integral part of our daily routine and brings huge benefits to both our business and personal lives. As these benefits become more apparent, an increasing number of brands and businesses are integrating social media into their overall marketing strategies. These platforms give brands a free and invaluable way to connect with clients (both current and potential), spread brand warmth, monitor competitors, manage customer service, gain customer insights and drive website traffic….so what's not to love?
Yet, many brands are jumping feet first into the social media realm without truly understanding the basics; mainly, how to post content. This seems like a no-brainer to some people, yet many brands still don't know the most basic and fundamental 'rules' of social media. Yes, social media is integral to your brand, but going out all guns blazing with no planning or strategy may in fact do more harm than good.
Reddit 101: What is It and How Do You Use It???
With 114 million monthly visitors, Reddit is a digital platform that few in the marketing world can ignore. There is a little something for everyone at Reddit, and if you have content to market (good content), you will find it to be a very helpful social channel. When content is posted correctly, Reddit can be a pretty solid source of web traffic.
Since Reddit doesn't fall into the typical social (Facebook) mold of news feed, friends, statuses, etc, it can be challenging for newcomers to wrap their arms around at first. If you are finding yourself scratching your head a bit about Reddit, you are in luck
Assessing the Appeal of Vine
A number of months back, I went through a kick of watching nothing but Vine videos. It was easy enough to do, given the fact that each video does not even reach the ten-second mark, and I found myself impressed by the sheer creativity in many of them. It seemed like if there was any social platform that forced its users to make the most of what they had – keep in mind that it wasn't much – it was Vine. Today, it's hard to meet someone who hasn't, at the very least, heard of Vine.
3 Important Social Media Password Tips
It's still important to keep your social media pages and accounts on various websites as protected as possible. For those who are very much Internet-savvy, the entirety of this list may not apply to you. For everyone else, here are 3 password protection tips designed to benefit you.
Facebook's Teenage Usage and the Solidity of Social Media
As someone who's been involved in social media, for both personal and business use, I've come to learn a number of things. One of the most important is to never expect that anything is concrete. For instance, even though Google search results may be positive one day, they can fall quickly the next day if proper care isn't taken on the SEO side of things. The same can be said for social media networks, Facebook included, and how statistics can shift.
While I was someone who commonly thought of Facebook as a platform that fewer teens have made use out of, it seems as though more teens are using the website again. It was recently reported that Facebook is starting to see more in the way of teenage usage. Specifically, a Forrester Research survey published results which indicated that, out of a total of 4,500 teens, nearly half of them said that they were using Facebook more now than they were a year ago.
How To: Maximize Your Facebook Post Reach Through Proper Timing
It is no secret that Facebook has been putting the squeeze on businesses for quite some time now. Like just about every other online property that is trying to survive financially, Facebook is increasingly becoming a "pay to play" platform for businesses looking to reach its users. Organic page post reach has been dramatically reduced and even the largest of brands are finding it difficult to reach their own likes, let alone new audiences, without advertising it.
So how do you combat this shift and keep Facebook a viable digital channel for your business. The obvious answer is start investing in advertising you posts. Almost as important is to be smart about your Facebook posting to ensure you maximize your free reach.
DMR Directory of Social Networks, Apps and Digital Services
This Directory of Social Networks, Apps and Digital Services is a helpful listing of social networks, apps, games, ecommerce and services that I come across along with helpful info and stats for each.
How Much of a Social Media Expert Are You? (Quiz)
Think you know social media? Well here is a fun little interactive social media quiz that tests how much you have been watching your Twitter feeds and scanning your RSS headlines and keeping up with the comings and goings of the social media world.
Silencer: The Spoiler-Free Tool for Google Chrome
As someone who is in the middle of the second season of "Orange is the New Black," I have been avoiding any and all spoilers. It's easy for key points to be unveiled, before you even arrive at them, on the Internet and that's when your enjoyment of any program dwindles. The Internet is practically a hotbed for spoilers but, to most viewers, it should not matter.
Wouldn't it be nice if you could simply get rid of spoilers altogether? In fact, is it possible that you can filter these sorts of details so that you can enjoy a TV show, movie, or what have you without the risk of them being spoiled?
If you are a Chrome user, the answer to these pleas may have very well been answered.
How To: Get Your Site Found in Google Search Results
So how do you optimize your site to ensure you achieve the best possible search ranking possible? Of course, a majority of your success will come from having quality content, but there are a number of other page features that you need to pay attention to as well. Following the tips in this post should get you some pretty solid results.
Is Twitter the 21st Century Newspaper?
With over 225 million monthly active users sending an average of 500 million Tweets per day, its no wonder Twitter is the first place many people turn to receive up to date news and information . And, you don't just have to take our word for this…there are over 2.1 billion searches run on the site everyday, meaning its hot on the heels with Google and YouTube! However, unlike the other search engines, Twitter allows any individual to post news that will immediately be positioned in the public eye, leaving Google frantically struggling to keep up.
5 Ways to Optimize Your Personal Brand on LinkedIn
When promoting yourself in your given industry, it's possible that you will turn your sights to LinkedIn. Viewed as the social media website with the most to offer in regards to employment, it's easy to not only create your own digital resume but network with those who are in companies or businesses similar to your own. Keep in mind, though, that only the best LinkedIn pages stand the chance of being recognized.
If you want your page to stand out, allowing it to be more marketable, here are 5 elements not to overlook.
10 Things You Didn't Know About Selfies (Selfie Statistics)
So how crazy is this selfie phenomenon? Here are some of the most interesting (and scary) selfie statistics I've stumbled across in my stat-seeking travels. Enjoy!
LinkedIn…The Ultimate Career Advisor for Graduates?
Back in 2009 we were presenting to groups of MBA's, Masters and undergraduates at leading Business Schools about how they should make the most of LinkedIn. Here, we showed them the power of LinkedIn for mapping out their career paths, conducting research, using it as a platform from which to get noticed by potential employers and how LinkedIn will be one of the most powerful tools at their disposal throughout many elements of their careers.
How To: Generate Sales Leads on LinkedIn
In these days of globalization and the daily evolution of technology, small businesses have never had a better opportunity to compete against larger firms in their industry that they previously had no shot against. Digital marketing has played a significant role in leveling the playing field for small business and no tool more so than LinkedIn. Smart and creative usage of LinkedIn has been a key component of a number of aggressive growth plans over the past few years and it costs relatively little to do so.
How To: Repurpose Content for Link Building in 2014
Repurposing content has various advantages. Creating fresh content every time, and in huge quantities, is extremely time-consuming and involves a good deal of hard work. Repurposing steps in here and helps overhaul your content into something new and enhanced which gives a fresh spin to your work. This Infographic shows best resource for content marketing and more methods for repurposing content.
How and When to Use LinkedIn Long-Form Posts in Content Marketing Campaigns
Earlier this year, LinkedIn announced they'd be opening up their publishing platform feature to their 300 million+ users. Essentially, this feature allows you to write a blog post directly on LinkedIn and reach a larger audience than your typical posts would. These long-form posts are seen by your connections like normal posts, and are also suggested to other targeted professionals on LinkedIn based on an algorithmic formula.
Extending the Life of Your Experiential Marketing Execution
Recently, I was at an event where I was totally pumped to see an experiential piece I'd only read about before – the "Hug Me" Coke machine. It's pretty simple – you walk up and hug the Coke machine, and immediately it starts to click and whir. Seconds later, a Coke comes out. It's perfect. As a colleague of mine put it, "I don't like to hug, but that really just felt good."
That visceral feeling is what Coke was looking for – associating their brand with a positive feeling.
3 Talking Points on SnapChat's New Chat Feature
Well, it seems like Snapchat is no longer about sending temporary photos and videos to friends anymore.
Recently, Snapchat incorporated a new tool simply called "Chat" and it does exactly what the namesake lives up to. With Chat, Snapchat users can have text-based conversations with friends and even share live video feeds with the flip of a proverbial switch. Chat is an interesting addition that – more than anything else – adds another layer to an app that many smartphone users get lost in.
How Do You Use Your Mobile Devices? (Infographic)
How do you use your mobile device? Chances are, you have at least one phone or tablet playing a very prominent role in your life. For some of us, our mobile device is the first thing we look at in the morning and the last thing we glance at before bed. I even use mine as my alarm clock.
How Mobile Apps are Changing the Way We Communicate
The way we live and socially interact is now directed through a myriad of mobile applications that permits us connect and share astonishing amounts of info more rapidly and easily than ever. Social apps like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, WhatsApp, Snapchat, etc have changed everything.
Why Social Media and TV Is The All-Important Tandem
Have you ever watched a TV show or a movie with someone and the two of you start adding your own commentary, even if it's at the expense of losing focus on the form of media in front of you? It seems like this matter of thinking has bled into the Internet; more specifically, social media. Is it possible that social media can play into television in the same way?
A Beginners Guide to Google+
If you're still baffled by Google+ then you are certainly not alone! So, we've compiled this handy beginners guide to help you get the most out of it.
Facebook's Nearby Friends Feature and Why You Should Remain Cautious
It's understood that, due to the advent of the Internet and social media thereafter, face-to-face communication is a less common endeavor. While it's easy to become comfortable with something like text messaging, though, sometimes the desire to actually see a friend or family member is stronger than any kind of digital means. Enter Nearby Friends, which is the latest feature integrated by Facebook in order for users to see where their friends are.
The 5 Pillars of Social Media Success for Small Business
Just because you have a small team and don't have a set community manager or digital media department doesn't mean you have to miss out on social media's benefits. Check out these five key strategies that small-to-medium sized businesses can employ to achieve social media success.
Engagement: Is It Twitter's Greatest Problem?
Even though Twitter's definition of an "active" user is clear enough, I'm not too sure how this is going to fare in the long run. Keep in mind that it is because of constant engagement that users will be more inclined to tweet and socialize with others. This is the case for just about any social networking site.
9 Ways Marketers Can Use a Twitter Favorite
We hope this sheds some light on this fabulous feature and shown how the Twitter favorite can be used as an effective marketing tool.
LinkedIn Set to Bid Farewell to Products and Services…
LinkedIn has recently announced that it is to remove its products and services feature from company pages on the 14th of April. No this was not just a rumour…its looks set that all your hard work building up your product history and recommendations is soon to be discarded by the site. So what happens after […]
Your Facebook Friends, For Real
In the eight years since Facebook opened to the general public, how we use the site has changed. Most of us who go back and review our posts from the "early days" see somewhat inane philosophical commentary and updates on the mundane details of life. There are some, though, who haven't quite figured out just how to use Facebook yet. We all know these people…
7 Factors Small Business Should Consider When Using Facebook
For small business, Facebook is an excellent social media network. The platform allows small businesses to directly interact with current and potential customers. However by accidentally misusing the platform, you may be inadvertently doing more harm than good. In some cases misuse of Facebook by small businesses can actually push customers away. Here are some key factors which small businesses should consider when using Facebook.
3 Reasons to Support Facebook's Focus on News Delivery
According to the Journalism Project at Pew Research Center, one-third of all Americans receive their news through Facebook. While the simple idea of people attaining said news from social media isn't exactly groundbreaking, the fact that it makes up for such a tremendous fraction of people cannot be overstated.
Facebook Advertising Targeting – Is It Worth It?
It used to be that organizations would launch a Facebook page, invite some friends, post a little bit, and see organic growth. That was back before Facebook went public. Their main interest was building a user base, and monetizing their user base was secondary. When the user base got into the hundreds of millions and the next logical step was an IPO, Facebook needed to show revenue. And their ad platform has been rather effective in doing so.
Taking Many Steps Back With #FirstTweet
We, as a society, find ourselves preserving the greatest moments of our lives through various means. Some would like to take pictures of a child's college graduation while others could be more inclined to record videos of little Billy scoring the winning goal during his soccer game. What about the first moments that we have spent in the world of social media?
Calling In To Tumblr With Audio
The 90's was an interesting era, to say the least. While technology was not exactly as intuitive as we know it now, there were innovations made that were developed upon. Video games, television, and aspects of that nature were made better during this time and they would only be made better. However, what if I were to tell you that Tumblr was taking a step into the 90's once again? However, this step entails neither gaming nor TV.
Social Media, Multimedia and the Understanding of Content
During my time in the realm of social media – I first joined Facebook back in May of '09 – I've slowly but surely understood what it meant to be engaged. Something kept me on Facebook for close to five years but it didn't take me until just now to realize what it was. Simply put, the content put forth was interesting.
Concerning Twitter's Password Mass Reset
One of the worst fears that anyone should have when it comes to social media is the idea of their accounts being compromised. There are so many important aspects that they can house, whether it is a matter of location, phone numbers, or what have you. You would not want these to fall into the wrong hands. Recently, that's what a good number of Twitter's audience believed happened when they were sent emails prompting them to reset their passwords when they did not trigger them.
275 Amazing Pinterest Statistics and Facts (2020) | By the Numbers
By the Numbers: 35 Important Internet Browser Statistics and Facts (2020)
In this installment of our digital stats post series, we look at the internet browser wars and some of the usage statistics for the major players like Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome and Safari.
How To: Make Your Twitter Followers Feel Truly Special
What's the worst fate that could ever befall your company's Twitter account? High on the list would be a scenario like this one: One of your followers reads a few of your tweets one day and asks himself, "Uh… why am I following this company again?" He unfollows. More and more of your followers start to do likewise.
80 Amazing Reddit Statistics and Facts (2020) | By the Numbers
WhatsApp Voice & the App's Future
WhatsApp announced the incorporation of voice calls today. It's been said that this service will make its way to WhatsApp during the second quarter of 2014, which should be intriguing for those that have commonly utilized this app.
Are You a Digital Hoarder? (Infographic)
Are you a digital hoarder? Be honest. In some sense, we all end up digital hoarders eventually. You don't have to be some sort of obsessive-compulsive collector to have things pile up.
You Need More Than Facebook 'Likes' to Sell Your Services
You Need More than 'Likes' to Sell Your Services. There is a growing urgency of finding ways to convert fans into leads. If you are yet to crack the code, segue to the following points
Five Reasons You Should Write Less and Promote More
Instead of crafting another article, you need to get out there and get your content in front of the eyes of people who matter. Still not convinced? Here are five reasons to spend more time on promotion and outreach.
3 Reasons Self-Hosted Video Is Better Than YouTube
Self-hosting your videos rather than using a third party (YouTube, Vimeo, Dailymotion) brings many benefits that can help any small business, SME, blog or e-commerce website make a return from their investment in video. Here we have listed the main three reasons businesses and blogs are turning to self hosted video….
4 Simple Tricks To Rank Higher on Facebook
Facebook marketing is changing quickly and this recent updated search algorithm is the most revolutionary change so far. Here are a few tricks to help you get your posts seen more…
220 Amazing LinkedIn Statistics and Facts (2020) | By the Numbers
How Addicted to Mobile Devices Are We? (Infographic)
Here is an infographic that offers up a few mobile statistics that you probably didn't know. It is interesting to see just how addicted we are to these devices and how marketers are making the most of this opportunity.
50 Amazing Google+ Statistics and Facts (2020) | By the Numbers
Guest Post: How Print Marketing Can Generate Facebook Likes
If you want to increase Facebook page likes, it might be time to rethink how you use print marketing and see if you can develop a similar strategy for your business.
Guest Post: 9 Tips for Content Marketing Success in 2014
The premise that everyone already engages in content marketing and that there is more and more content out there (2 million blog posts a day) is the most determining factor in 2014. So what can you do to stand out?
96 Amazing Tumblr Stats and Facts (2020) | By the Numbers
75 Amazing Digital Office Gadgets and Toys | Cool Gadgets
Guest Post: 2014 Predictions on Digital Marketing Trends
It's that time of year again where when clients and fellow marketers alike want to know what's going to be big and important in digital marketing in the New Year. Although it's difficult to know for sure without the benefit of a crystal ball, the trends of 2013 are certainly telling where the future is concerned.
20 Important foursquare Stats and Facts (2020) | By the Numbers
Updated for 2019. Here are the most interesting Swarm and foursquare statistics you need to know including number of users and more.
32 Great Mobile Apps to Help You Keep Your New Year Resolutions
There is nothing wrong with trying to keep a New Year resolution going for as long as possible and there are a number of mobile apps that will make your efforts a bit easier.
What the Heck Do Social Media Marketers Do All Day? (Infographic)
Yes, the life of a social media marketer is controlled chaos.
Guest Post: Pinterest Analytics for Content Marketing
Once you find the secret to creating high quality content, your job is only half-complete. Now, you need to figure out how to publish and track the reach of your content. Is your target audience seeing your content? If so, are they sharing it? These are all vital questions that Pinterest Analytics can help you answer.
Guest Post: Will In-Stream Ads Ruin Instagram?
Will advertising help Instagram or make users – and ultimately profits—flee?
Guest Post: Disposable Thumbs: The Facebook Like Button is Gone
Now that Facebook has decided to change the Like feature by removing the thumb, many marketers are fearful that their content will no longer be Liked.
What Should Be the Center of All Activity For a Successful B2B Marketing Campaign?
Your B2B marketing campaigns require a platform that can house your content and enable interaction with your audience that you own and control. Not one that can make wholesale changes overnight just to get a few more bucks out of advertisers and leave you scrambling to adapt.
Guest Post: Basic Social Media Strategies – Increase Your Site Traffic with These Simple Tips
Social media marketing needs several protocols to be followed, it just doesn't happen overnight and generate traffic to your website. If you intend to have your website's existence in the social media, then you have some routine to follow…
Guest Post: 20 Twitter Tools No Marketer Should Avoid
Here is a list of 20 essential Twitter tools and their unique uses to help you grow your Twitter presence and manage it.
20 Interesting MySpace Statistics and Facts Then and Now (2020) | By the Numbers
A comprehensive listing of Myspace stats and facts. Of course, you can't have a MySpace user stats post without mention of what they once were, so I mixed in a few of their impressive stats from back in the day.
Graphic Maps Out Every Social Media-Related Site Imaginable
If you are an agency-type, you are going to want to save this social media list….
77 Mobile Marketing Stats You Need to Know (September 2013)
(September 2013) Here are the Latest Restaurant, Retail & Grocery Printable Facebook Coupons
Guest Post: Leveraging your Social Media Management Strategy
Find a way to track your progress and then tweak your social media management strategies to find quicker and more effective ways to meet your goals.
How To: Embed a Facebook Post in a Blog Post
Today, Facebook announced the launch of embedded posts. This new feature allows bloggers to add a public post directly to their site and includes some Facebook engagement functionality such as liking and sharing.
The State of B2B Content Marketing (Infographic)
Here is an interesting infographic I recently stumbled on that gives us a pretty good snapshot of where B2B content marketing stands in terms of marketer opinions, spending and tactics.
By the Numbers: Who are the Most Popular Major US Sports Teams on Facebook?
This list looks at all current teams across the NFL, MLB, NHL and NBA and compares their Facebook fan base.
Everything You Need To Know About Content Marketing (Infographic)
Just getting started with content marketing and looking for a quick primer? Here is a great infographic that explores what content marketing is, what it does and debunks a few myths about it. I hope you find it helpful as you set out on your quest to create and distribute great content.
Guest Post: Qualitative Market Research and How It Can Be Used To Defend Your Digital Brand
Qualitative market research might seem daunting to many digital brands. However, with improvements in technology, qualitative market research offers a level of access to your market and audience that is hard to beat.
Guest Post: Why Online Integration Is The Future Of Retail
Rather than admit defeat though, retailers need to embrace the madness. They have to renew their marketing strategy to reflect the changing way we shop. Firstly, physical stores need to be fully integrated with websites and social media.
Updated Social Media Map Shows Facebook's World Dominance
The "World Map of Social Networks" is a great visual that Italian social media strategist Vincenzo Cosenza created a few years ago to show what social network dominates where in the world..
Russian Social Network Stats and Facts (2020) | By the Numbers
Here are some interesting stats and facts pertaining to Russian social media including Yandex, VKontakte, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and a few others…
LinkedIn Adds Infographic Support to Slideshare
Content marketing got a little bit of a boost today when LinkedIn announced that Slideshare will now support infographics.
Guest Post: Mobile Marketing Options to Reach Consumers On-the-Go
These mobile marketing options can help you reach tech-savvy consumers on-the-go, whether they're in your neighborhood or across the globe.
Guest Post: 7 Tips to Get the RIGHT Traffic to Your eCommerce Store
You have got to play the following 7 smart moves to attract business to yourself amid all your e-competitors.
A Great Example of Super-Responsive Social Media Customer Service
Good Social Media customer service is tough to come by so we wanted to highlight a brand that is doing it right and identify a few things marketers can learn from it.
Everything You Need to Know About Content Marketing (Infographic)
Here is an interesting infographic that looks at the state of content marketing, why it is important and what to think about in setting up a content marketing plan.
A Handy Reference Chart for Social Media Image Sizes
Here is a handy infographic that offers all of the (current) social media image sizes for Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube. I hope you find this helpful.
Guest Post: How New Software Makers Can Kick Start Their Product with Social Media
These days, new software makers don't need an enormous marketing and advertising budget to compete with the big boys; you just need a great idea and knowledge of social media, how it works and how to move within this realm to save yourself money and compete on a global scale.
LEGO Gets Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader Together for Father's Day
In the latest short video featuring their Star Wars products, LEGO has gotten one of history's most dysfunctional father/son duos to bury the hatchet and celebrate Father's Day together.
MySpace Deletes Old User Content…and Some People Actually Care
You may have missed the announcement, but if you had a MySpace account, the odds are good that your old content has been deleted.
Guest Post: Social Media vs. Word of Mouth
The science and small history behind social media and how it relates to the word of mouth marketing strategies is fascinating. Here is a brief look into how social media and word of mouth collide on the most impressive marketing scale.
Guest Post: 3-point Checklist for a Great Cover Photo on Facebook
Facebook cover photos are all about first impressions.The first thing prospective fans see when they visit your page is your cover photo.
So will they be impressed? They won't be if your cover photo is low-quality, random or out-of-date!
Guest Post: Your Facebook Page Sucks! (for these 5 Reasons)
I could probably list 100 items here — but I'm going to keep it simple and list the Top 5 reasons your Facebook page sucks.
Guest Post: 4 Quick Fixes for a Boring Facebook Page
When your Facebook page becomes just another to-do, it's easy to neglect it. So whether you're a newbie trying to figure out Facebook for the first time or a seasoned "Social Media Manager" — I'm going to try to help you – so take notes !
Guest Post: 5 "Hidden Gem" Facebook Pages You Need to Follow ASAP
My 5 favorite Facebook pages are that no one knows about….
How Do Myers-Briggs Personality Types Use Social Media? (Infographic)
This infographic is based on an in-depth study of the relationship between Myers-Briggs personality type and social media usage. There are some very interesting results included in the study…
18 Basic Tips for Optimizing Facebook Posts (Infographic)
Here is a fun and useful infographic that runs down some of the basics of post optimization. It includes 18 tips for setting your content up for the best chance of engagement and ultimately news feed exposure.
A Key (Overlooked) Component to Content Marketing Success: Quick Decision Making
All to often, great content is produced for a business, internally or externally, and never gets posted- not because of the content quality, but because the business' decision makers were too busy to look it over and by the time they did, it was no longer relevant.
What are the Best Days for Brands to Post on Facebook? (Infographic)
A key to cutting through all the news feed cutter is to know your Facebook audience, understand when they are most likely to be online and target your posts to ensure maximum exposure to your community.
6 Key Elements to Social Media Community-Building Success
Here is a nice little infographic that lays out 6 key elements that marketers need to focus on when building, and then engaging with, a robust social media community.
Dear Agencies: If You Aren't Experienced in Digital Ads, Stop Telling Clients You Are
I know how hard you all fought for your advertising budgets. You deserve an agency that will help you get the most out of those precious ad dollars. With a little due diligence up front, you should be able to find the right partner.
Everything You Need to Know About Social Media Community Managers (Infographic)
Social media community managers wear a number of hats. They are part customer service, part ad content writer, part public relations, part marketing analyst and part brand manager. Because of the diverse set of skills needed to be a community manager these days, a good one is as good as gold to a digital team.
What to Look for in Selecting a Digital Agency
Since everyone and their brother calls themselves digital, it is important that you do your homework when evaluating marketing agencies. Here are a few simple suggestions I have that may help you separate the true digital agencies from the impostors…
What is Your Social Media Personality Type? (Infographic)
Here is a fun little infographic that explores the most commonly found social media personality types.
How Much Time Do We Waste While at Work? (Infographic)
Here is an interesting infographic that breaks down just how much time is spent on non-work activity and what it is that is distracting us.
How Obsessed are We With Social Media and Mobile Devices? (Infographic)
According to this interesting infographic , social media and mobile devices have become a way of life for many of us. Status updates, emails, tweets and texts have all become about as natural as speaking (for some, more natural).
How To: Get Retweeted (Infographic)
Here is a helpful infographic that lays out some of the basic steps Twitter users should take in order to get retweeted.
7 Simple Ways to Add LinkedIn Connections
There is no doubt about it; LinkedIn is a great platform for professional networking. While many businesses view LinkedIn as just a recruitment tool, they are missing all of the sales and marketing good that can come of regular and creative activity on the network
How To: Use Google+ for Content Marketing
Even though it has been with us for almost two years, Google+ is still an enigma to many businesses and some marketers. Because Google+ is so heavily interwoven in everything Google does these days, people know that they need to be present and active on the network. They just don't know how to get started.
How to Tell if Your Business Should be Using Twitter (Infographic)
Here is a fun, sarcastic and slightly helpful flowchart infographic that is "aimed" at assisting individuals and businesses to decide if Twitter is right for them.
RIP Snip.it: Content Curation Network Purchased by Yahoo
Snip.it is now gone. They were purchased today by Yahoo. I was shocked about an hour ago, when I tried to snip my latest post about The Top 50 Most Overused Words in PR and got this pop-up:
30 Ways to Promote Your Blog Content (Infographic)
There are a bunch of ways to promote blog content. Here is an awesome infographic from that lays out 30 solid ways to promote blog posts.
What is Digital Marketing? (Infographic)
The reality is that digital marketing encompasses a bunch of "stuff." Where the field once dealt primarily with marketing that shows up on a computer monitor (websites, some SEO and email), we now need to worry about a bunch of different screens to send our message to…
How To: Generate Organic Backlinks (Infographic)
Here is a helpful infographic from Work that lists the top 5 ways to generate backlinks to your site organically.
New eBook: The Complete Guide to Marketing Your Business on Pinterest
In this eBook, our Digital Team has created a bunch of "How Tos" that walk you through some of the tactics that have worked for our clients, covering a number of areas of Pinterest marketing from creating a Pinterest page and building your community to driving Pinterest traffic to your website.
What is the Top Pinned Thanksgiving Side Dish? (Infographic)
Hopefully this Thanksgiving infographic will entertain you all a bit before all the holiday craziness begins.
How To: Share a Tweet via Email
Twitter announced a new feature late last week that some of you may find helpful. Now, you can email tweets to your non-Twitter friends.
Your Brand's Social Advertisers & Managers Need to Become BFFs Quickly
If your brand or agency still has your social advertisers and managers siloed, it may be time to think about knocking that wall down. Their (and your) social media advertising success relies on very strong inter-team lines of communication and participation.
How To: Protect Yourself From Black Friday & Cyber Monday Scams (Infographic)
Online shopping is about to get crazy, and in light of this morning's wide-spread Target voucher scam, I thought I would share this helpful infographic. Some of the stats may be a bit dated, but there is some solid, common sense advice for both merchants and consumers at the bottom of the graphic.
Pinterest's Impact on Home Decor (Infographic)
Here is an interesting infographic from HSN Home Decor that breaks down the impact that social networks like Pinterest have had on home decor.
LinkedIn Ranks Top "Dream Jobs" (Infographic)
LinkedIn released this fun and interesting infographic this week that shows the top "dream jobs" among their users across the globe.
How To: Convert a Pinterest Account from Personal to Business
Pinterest announced a number of new initiatives today that aim at attracting more brands to the network. These new features will make managing a business page a bit less of the hassle that it has been thus far.
3 Important Benefits of Digital Public Relations (Infographic)
Here is a handy little infographic that my team has collaborated on that lays out three areas of digital marketing that benefit from digital PR integration: SEO, Content Generation and Social Media.
3 Important Benefits of Digital Public Relations. Benefit 3: Social Media
Companies of all sizes and in just about every industry are desperate to figure out social media and find ways that they can stand out from the ever-growing glut of social brands competing for the same news feeds and followers. Building a close relationship between your public relations and social media teams may be that advantage your company needs.
How To: Embed an Instagram Photo in a WordPress Blog Post
WordPress recently added a feature that is sure to be a useful one to anyone looking to show off their photography skills on their blog. You can now embed an Instagram photo on your blog and it is really easy to do.
3 Important Benefits of Digital Public Relations. Benefit 2: Content Generation
First and foremost, when it comes to blogging, you can never have too much quality content. The blogs with the highest subscription rates generally all post regular and often. A lapse in posting for a prolonged period can lead to a drop off in visitors, which will take a while to get back. That being said, it can be really tough sometimes to generate regular content, especially if your company doesn't have a dedicated blogger. This is where digital public relations comes in.
3 Important Benefits of Digital Public Relations. Benefit 1: SEO
Over the next few days, I will be covering three critical areas of digital marketing that a quality digital public relations strategy can directly impact: SEO, Blogging and Social Media. I hope this series of posts will help you understand where we see PR heading and how critical it can be to online branding and lead generation.
How To: Verify Your Website on Pinterest
Pinterest added a feature today that aims at giving website owners proof that they own the site in their profile.
3 Simple Ways to Make Your Tweets More Retweetable
With the content and competition on Twitter, you need to do whatever you can to optimize your tweets and stand out from the pack and boost your engagement. Here are three simple ways to do this each time you tweet.
How To: Build Authority for Your Website and Improve SEO (Infographic)
Staying on top of Google's algorithm changes could be a full time job for marketing managers. Here is a handy infographic that gives a nice summary of some of the measures you can take to build authority for your site.
How To: Translate an Instagram Username to a Twitter @mention
Instagram announced today that they have added a pretty useful feature. Now, when you @mention an Instagram user in a photo caption and the user has a different connected Twitter username, the Twitter name is used when the photo is tweeted out.
How To: Block Another User on Pinterest
Pinterest announced this afternoon that they have added a new feature that allows you to block another user from following you or liking/repinning/commenting on your pins.
The Ultimate Facebook Image Size Cheat Sheet
Here is a super-handy post and infographic that list and show all of the various Facebook image placements and the proper sizes for each.
How to Tell if You Have a Social Media Addiction (Infographic)
All I can say to Marketo's latest infographic about social media is…guilty!
How To: Optimize Your Pinterest Pins (Infographic)
I just stumbled across this helpful infographic that lays out the basics of pinning on Pinterest. Some of these tips are pretty basic, but there are a few good reminders and advanced tricks mixed in.
3 Tools for Creating Eye-Catching Facebook Post Images
Imagery on Facebook has become extremely popular among brands because it works and almost everyone knows it. It's now time to keep ahead of the curve and start creating photos that stand out from the rest. Adding these tools to your social toolbox will help you do just that.
How to Use Reddit for Marketing (Infographic)
Here is a very cool infographic that lays out much of the basics of Reddit. Understanding the content in this graphic will put you on your way to Reddit marketing success.
How To: Pin an Instagram Photo to a Pinterest Board
Fear not, there is a way to pin your Instagram photos to your favorite pinboards. It takes a bit more of an effort, but it is worth it. Instagram photos look great on Pinterest and definitely attract a great deal of engagement.
How To: Use LinkedIn Groups to Build Authority and Drive Web Traffic
LinkedIn groups can essentially be looked at as part seminar/part networking event/part job fair and part industry newsletter. They are a naturally segmented audience and a great place for you to quickly build authority for yourself and your business if you use them wisely.
How To: Create a Shared Pinterest Pin Board (and Why You Should)
One of the lesser-known features of Pinterest is possibly one of the most helpful one for content marketers.Shared pin boards are a great way to introduce yourself to industry influencers and get your content noticed by them.
The 3 Key Components of Building an Instagram Community
Unless your brand is top of mind for the average consumer, Instagram isn't the easiest network to build a large community on quickly, but the value it offers to your digital marketing campaigns makes it an important tool. The good news is that just about every other marketer out there is up against the same challenges. With knowledge of the tools available and a little creativity, you should be able to build a solid, engaged community for your brand.
Why You Should Be Advertising on Facebook (Infographic)
Facebook recently dipped their toes in the infographic world to make a case for advertising on their platform.
The Advanced Guide to Building a Bigger, More Engaged Facebook Community
Our creative suggestions combine page posting tricks with a variety of advanced advertising techniques to help you achieve greater reach and a higher level of post participation.
Which Colleges are the Most Social? (Infographic)
Here is an interesting infographic from TopCollegesOnline.org that ranks the top colleges and universities on a few of the top social networks and gives a few crazy stats that put the social activity of the top dogs into perspective.
Why the Look and Feel of Your Facebook Page Matters Now More Than Ever
As you set out to build your Facebook page through advertising, it is critical that you conduct a thorough review of your page first and make sure you have addressed all of the areas highlighted in this post. Doing this first, should really make a positive impact on your click to like conversion rate and give you the biggest bang for your Facebook advertising buck.
How To: Remove Political Posts From Your Facebook Homepage
If political posts aren't your cup of tea (no pun intended), you now have an option. F.B. Purity is a Chrome Extension that allows you to select specific words to filter out of your Facebook feed.
A CEO's Guide to Pinterest (Infographic)
Here is an interesting infographic from CEO.com that makes the case for Pinterest and includes a few helpful suggestions about how CEOs can use Pinterest to market their company.
How To: Use Facebook Advertising to Easily Increase Page Post Engagement
Facebook has understandably put a focus on increasing advertising revenue since they went public. They have added a number of new ad types and features. Because of this, we now have a full arsenal of ad units that we can use together, with each playing a significant role in increasing user engagement with your posts.
How To: Add a Header Image to Your New Twitter Profile
Twitter updated the look of personal profiles today. You now have the ability to include a "header" image (think Facebook cover) to your profile.
4 Steps to Easily Increase the Reach of Your Facebook Page Posts
It is widely accepted in the digital marketing world that most Facebook page posts will only ever be seen organically by a maximum of 16% of the people who like that page. So how do you combat the increasing clutter and get more people to see your content? Simple, you need to understand Facebook's system and use it to your advantage.
The Best (and Worst) Times to Post on Social Media (Infographic)
Here is an interesting infographic that displays the best and worst time to post on some of the biggest social media- Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest.
How To: Put LinkedIn to Work for Your Business (Infographic)
Here is a handy infographic that will give your business a few tips on what to do with LinkedIn…
How to Use Facebook to Announce You are Expecting a Baby
Now, expecting parents can tell the (Facebook) world all at once that they are expecting a little bundle of joy by adding "Expecting a Baby" to their timeline life events.
How Photos and Videos Dominate Social Media (Infographic)
Here is an interesting infographic that illustrates just how popular photos and videos are on social media and how the social networks are embracing this trend.
The Internet of 2002 vs the Internet of 2012 (Infographic)
Then and Now comparisons are always fun content for infographics. Here is one by Best Education Sites that shows us just how far the Internet has come over the past ten years.
9 Steps to Making Pinterest a Top Referrer of Traffic to Your Website
There is a big misconception out there that Pinterest is only useful to ecommerce sites. This couldn't be further from the truth. Like any other widely-used social network, just about anyone can find success with Pinterest if used creatively.
How To: Use Check-In Apps to Attract Customers (Infographic)
The usage numbers for these "check-in" app are certainly trending upward and businesses of all sizes are now trying to figure out how to work them into their marketing and sales plans.
Creating the Perfect Pinterest Pin (Infographic)
Here is a handy infographic that breaks down all of the elements of a quality marketing pin. A bunch of great information here, so you may want to bookmark this one and reference it when you are pinning.
How Do Consumers Use Social and Mobile to Make Shopping Decisions? (Infographic)
Here is an interesting infographic from consumer survey company Empathica. It explores how social media and mobile are used by consumers in shopping decisions.
A Head-to-Head Matchup of Traditional and Social Media (Infographic)
Here is an awesome infographic that all you digital marketers should have handy. It's created by social media software-maker Kuhcoon and illustrates the pros and cons of a number of marketing media.
How To: Like a Facebook Page Without Seeing its Posts in Your News Feed
Facebook recently added a pretty useful feature that has flown under the radar so far. Now, when you like a Facebook page, a small box pops up that allows you to add the page to a list or you can de-select the option to have that page's posts show up in your news feed.
How to Be Found Easily in Google Searches (Infographic)
Here is an interesting infographic I found from BrandYourself, a personal search optimization service that shows the importance of controlling the information that appears when someone Googles your name and how to do so.
Sick of Seeing Your Friends' Babies in Your Facebook Feed? Try This Out!
Unbaby.me is a Chrome extension that searches your Facebook feed for baby-related keywords and replaces any image in matched posts with images of your choice.
How Restaurants Can Promote Themselves on Pinterest (Infographic)
Here is a handy infographic by the restaurant supply store Instawares, that lays out some of the Pinterest basics restaurateurs should keep in mind when they begin marketing themselves on the social network…
Do People Overshare on Social Networks? (Infographic)
Do you share too much personal information on social networks? Apparently, if the answer is "yes," you aren't alone.
Study: Pinterest Users Spend More than Twice as Much as Facebook Users (Infographic)
Online fashion boutique, boticca.com, recently conducted a survey of 50,000 visitors to their site from Pinterest and 50,000 visitors from Facebook.
The Ultimate Pinterest Cheat Sheet (INFOGRAPHIC)
Pinterest marketing toolmaker Pinerly has created this handy cheat sheet infographic that I though all of you Pinners might find helpful.
The B2B Marketing Guide to Instagram (INFOGRAPHIC)
For B2B businesses, Instagram is kind of like Pinterest- everyone thinks they need to be there, but have no idea how they can use, or benefit from, the social network.
How to Write the "Perfect" Marketing Blog Post (INFOGRAPHIC)
I recently found this helpful infographic from Social Triggers that dissects the "Perfect" blog post. There is a bunch of good stuff in here that gives you insights into the psychology of blogging.
How Social Media Users Handle Their Friends' Political Views (INFOGRAPHIC)
This research is interesting because, although many social media communities and friendships are becoming more and more interest-based, Facebook is still a bit different. Since its launch, people have used Facebook to reconnect with old classmates, friends, neighbors, coworkers, etc. Many of these people that we reconnect with have developed political views long since we last spoke to them.
Atari's 40th Birthday Timeline Infographic
Atari celebrated their 40th birthday this week (specifically, on June 27th) and to commemorate the milestone, the video game maker offered up new games, Facebook giveaways and a little digital marketing geek porn, I mean, an infographic.
How To: Target LinkedIn Company Status Updates to Specific Followers
LinkedIn recently started allowing company page admins to target page status updates to specific users. The targeted updates show in only the LinkedIn homepages of the targeted groups but still show up on your company page for all users to see.
App Helps You Create a Facebook Photo Collage for Your Cover Image
Pizza restaurant chain California Pizza Kitchen recently created a pretty cool Facebook app that uses your photos to create a collage for your profile cover image.
Is Social Media Making Us Socially Awkward? [INFOGRAPHIC]
Here is an infographic from Schools.com that pulls together stats to attempt to answer the question "Is Social Media Making Us Socially Awkward?"
How and Why Corporations are Using Social Media [INFOGRAPHIC]
Most alarming here to me is the drop-off in corporate blogging. only 23% of the Fortune 500 companies maintain a blog. In this age of content sharing, blogging is a critical online activity for all B2B companies and most B2C.
Should Social Media be Allowed in the Workplace? [INFOGRAPHIC]
Here is an interesting infographic that explores various opinions on social media usage in the workplace. The graphic includes stats reported in the report "The Rise of Social Media for Professional & Personal Use" by the staffing agency, Kelly Services.
User Demographics of the Major Social Networks [Infographic]
In doing a little research for a new client pitch, I stumbled on this cool infographic from GO-gulf.com. There is some good info on social network user demographics in it.
How To: Quickly Add Text to an Image for Facebook or Pinterest
I am sure you have seen them in your Facebook news feed or on Pinterest- Images with inspirational or funny quotes written on them. People love this type of image and they usually tend to rack up the high like, share, comment and repin totals.
So how does the average Facebook or Pinterest user create such an image? It's actually really simple. You can create one in about five minutes and don't even need Photoshop.
14 Tools You Should Be Using to Generate Blog Traffic
The old cliché "Content is King" has never been more true in the digital marketing world. New, fresh, sharable website content not only builds your brand and generates potential leads, but it also keeps your consumers engaged and connected to your brand.
Generating your content is tough, but once you come up with the killer blog post or case study, how do you let people know about it?
How to Build an Engaged Facebook Fan Base
It's actually easier than you think, providing you are willing to invest a bit in your efforts. Without a doubt, with all the noise and competition on Facebook these days, a combination of incentivizing likes and advertising the offer are the best way to build a quick following.
How To: Add a Google+ Share Button to Your WordPress Blog
Google launched the "share" button today, which is exactly what it sounds like- a way to share a page or post directly with your Google+ circles.
How To: Embed Spotify Music in a WordPress Post
In case you wanted to spruce up your blog posts with a song, album or artist, Wordpress announced recently that you can now embed Spotify and Rdio music.
A Handy Instagram Android App Video Tutorial
With so many new Instagram Android users (1 million downloads in first 24 hours), I thought it would be good to share a "How To" video.
[Update] Spotify Extends 6 Month Free Trial Indefinitely
Spotify has announced that the free 6 month trial period has been extended indefinitely.
How To: Change the Name of Your Facebook Page
For years, admins have been stuck with whatever page name they selected when they created the page. They have had to make-do with misspelled business names, name changes, etc since Facebook gave them no way to edit the page name.
Page owners rejoice! Now you can be liberated from your erroneous page names.
Resource: A Comprehensive Guide to Successful Tweeting
ReadWriteWeb polled a number of industry leaders and put together a guide to making your tweets readable and retweetable. A must read!
App Turns Site Text into an Image So You Can Pin It
Quotes are popular on Pinterest. Very popular. Now you can make you own quote images to pin just out of plain old text on a website.
How To: Display Your Pinterest Pins on Your Facebook Business Page
Here is a fun way to display your Pinterest pins onto your company's Facebook page.
Pinterest Insider: 4 Ways to Build Up Your Business' Following on Pinterest Quickly
Ok, so you've set up your Pinterest business page and started pinning away. So how do you get other users to follow you?
What is Second Screen Marketing and Why Should Brands Care About It?
The marriage of television and web is becoming closer and more integrated by the day. Second screen marketing is an excellent tool for anyone, network or brand, that wants to extend the life of their production and get a bit more bang for their investment. By bringing your viewers online, you open up all kinds of new avenues on which you can market to the viewer well after the event, show, video or ad is over.
How To: Be a Public AND Private Individual on Facebook
Many people who use Facebook for personal and work reasons struggle to find the balance between sharing somewhat personal info with friends and sharing with the world. Creating and maintaining a separate page is a boatload of work and, depending on the size of your following, may not be worth it.
In the past, you pretty much had to make the decision- do I make my life public? or do I just shut out everyone I don't actually know? Most people elected to keep their friend list to those individuals that were close friends and thus, they were not able to enjoy some of the business benefits of growing your network and personally branding yourself.
Is it Illegal for Employers to Screen Candidates Using Social Media?
I just read a piece on the Scottish news site, Scotsman.com, that discusses a study on the legality of employers looking up job candidates on social media sites during the hiring process.


text:
A new collaged tarot deck from spiritual artist Lisa McLoughlin, creator of the popular Plant Ally and Tree Wisdom oracle cards.
"Welcome to The Textured Tarot.
The creation of this deck sprung from a desire to make something for personal growth that is accessible to understand and fashioned in a way that felt more in keeping with my values around Nature, inclusiveness, compassion and kindness.
With a beautiful mix of visual ideas of what it means to be human– it is an eclectic fusion of traditional, contemporary, symbolic and quirky illustrations. I approached this project with an open heart, as an artist interpreting the information before me. The effect is created by digitally collaging fragments of digital images, layered textures, digital art, hand-drawn art with stitched textiles. The figures within the deck are not deliberately created to look like any specific person.
This tarot is loosely themed around the Rider-Waite-Smith deck. If you start at the Major Arcana, flow into the Court cards and then end up at the Pips, you'll notice the subtle variation in style that evolved during my journey creating this deck. I love that about them!
This deck taps deeply into my vulnerability which leaves me with the sense that many people will benefit from this source of inspiration. I like to think that it is an approachable gateway for people new to tarot (particularly those who fear it), or a collectors deck for the tarot card lovers. I can also see it complimenting many other tarot and oracle card deck readings.
It's up to you how you use the cards. I don't think it's my place as the artist to suggest what you do with reversal cards, energy clearing, and any recommended spreads. It's open to you and your own experiences with using tarot cards. There are many rich resources around that have thorough explanations.
The 78 card deck is printed in full-bleed colour, plastic coated, 395um, Zanta Box Board and matt laminated. Each card is of Standard tarot size at 120mm x 70mm. The deck and mini booklet fits into a fully printed tuck box.
The mini booklet included provides researched word prompts and phrases behind the meaning of each card. This will help ground you in their illustrated intention. For this particular deck , I took a different approach using collaged pieces of digital photography mixed with textures, digital drawing and re-usable stitching on textiles."
– Lisa McLoughlin
- 78 full-colour tarot cards measuring 120 x 70mm, on matt-laminated 395um card.
- Mini booklet with card descriptions.
- Presented in a custom tuck-box.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Imagine if the benefits of exercise were available in pill form – with little to no effort, your medical costs would be lower, you would sleep better at night, your mood would improve and your risk of developing chronic diseases would drop.
Americans currently spend more than $3 trillion in healthcare and the majority goes towards treating preventable diseases. Fortunately, the key to living a longer and healthier life is as simple as moving your body! Research has shown that regular exercise can lower blood pressure as well as lower risk of stroke and heart attack, meaning it prevents heart disease – the number one killer in the U.S.
Other benefits of exercise include lower rates of anxiety, depression and memory loss, and is the most effective known way to prevent Alzheimer's disease.
Just keep moving!
While exercise may not be available as a magic pill, you may be surprised that you can drastically improve your health and lower risk of disease by exercising just 30 minutes, 5 days a week, according to the American College of Sports and Medicine. If that sounds like a daunting task, you can even split your activity into two 15-minute sessions, 15 two-minute sessions, or anything in between! And there's a lot of options out there to introduce activity into your lifestyle – take a look at our 10 Simple Ways to Sneak More Exercise Into Your Daily Routine for some great tips.
What happens to my body during those 30 minutes of exercise?
- Physical activity keeps blood flowing to the brain which is essential for removing toxic compounds that can cause the aging and early death of cells.
- People who regularly exercise report that "the stronger [they] kept [their] muscles, the fewer aches and pains [they] had in [their] hips and knees."
- Exercise produces growth of new blood vessels and cells in the brain – this has been linked to less depression, better memory, and quicker learning.
- Lifting light weights for more reps improves your bone density – making it a good alternative for heavy lifting and a great benefit for healthy aging.
- Exercise releases feel-good hormones called endorphins – triggering feelings of happiness and bliss and enhancing overall quality of life.
- Aerobic exercise combined with weight training (such as cross training on a Freestep) lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.
Any amount of exercise, regardless of difficulty or duration, can help produce these benefits. Once you feel the workouts getting easier (that's a good thing), you can increase the intensity or length as you grow stronger.
Make sure to stretch frequently, especially before and after longer or more extensive workouts. Stretching helps you loosen up to prevent injury during your workout, and reduce muscle soreness afterward. Not sure where to start? Download our FREE Stretching Guide for Knee and Joint Pain Relief.
At Teeter, it's our mission to make fitness and recovery easy and comfortable for all ages and fitness levels, that's why we designed the Teeter FreeStep – a stress-free zero impact home exercise machine.
Click below to learn more about the unique features and benefits of the FreeStep that you won't find with any other cardio options.


text:
It seems to be a completely innocent example (
void main() { int a;; int b; }
Compile (in С mode, there is no
cl vs_double_semicolumn.c
The result:
vs_double_semicolumn.c(3) : error C2143: syntax error : missing ';' before 'type'
The result of Codegear/Borland is roughly the same (though the error message is more clear):
CodeGear C++ 5.93 for Win32 Copyright (c) 1993, 2007 CodeGear
Error E2140 vs_double_semicolumn.c 3: Declaration is not allowed here in function main
*** 1 errors in Compile ***
The problem hides behind an accidental typo of the doubled
; character. By the way, this example is absolutely real from life. Just one misprint raises a lot of questions.
It turns out that the second
; character is treated as an empty statement but not as an empty variable declaration. The compiler decides that declarations of variables are finished and a block of statements begins, therefore it reasonably complains on the
b declaration expecting statements.
I've checked it on gcc and native compilers of AIX, Solaris and HP-UX. All of those have eaten this example without any problems.
Related posts:


text:
New study links emergency C-sections with a higher risk of postnatal depression
New United Kingdom research has found that women who undergo an unplanned caesarean section, or C-section, could be more likely to suffer from postnatal depression.
Carried out by researchers at the University of York, the new study looked at data from 5,896 first-time mothers taking part in the UK Millennium Cohort Study, which is a study representative of the U.K. population.
The women were interviewed when their babies were 9 to 11 months old about the circumstances of their pregnancy and birth, as well as the health conditions of the family.
The findings, published in the Journal of Health Economics, showed that mothers who give birth via an unplanned C-section appear to be 15 percent more likely to experience postnatal depression.
The authors say the findings are significant as numbers of C-section deliveries, usually carried out because of complications during labor, has increased dramatically across the world in recent years, becoming one of the most frequently performed surgical procedures.
In England, 165,000 C-section deliveries are performed every year, and among these about 25,000 are unplanned.
The research also included a larger sample size than previous studies in this area, which have often been based on small sample sizes from single hospitals, with study author Dr. Valentina Tonei commenting that "The findings of this study are striking because they provide evidence of a causal relationship between emergency C-sections and postnatal depression."
"This has important implications for public health policy, with new mothers who give birth this way in need of increased support," said Dr. Tonei. "The effects of postnatal depression can be far reaching, with previous studies suggesting that it can have a negative effect, not just on the health of the mother and her relationships with her partner and family members, but also on the baby's development. Mothers who experience postnatal depression are also less likely to go on to have more children."
"Unplanned caesareans may have a particularly negative psychological impact on mothers because they are unexpected, usually mentally and physically stressful and associated with a loss of control and unmatched expectations," explained Dr. Tonei, adding that, "We hope this new evidence brings the impact on mothers' mental health into the spotlight." JB
Pea-sized pill delivers insulin shot from inside the stomach
Children's exposure to air pollution at school linked to higher risk of obesity
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text:
Throughout the years it's been a big deal for a college football player to come out, make an NFL squad and become a starter. The reason that athletes supposedly receive scholarships in the first place is for that individual to receive formal athletic and academic training; all while not being paid and even being prohibited from receiving compensation from any other source.
There remains little doubt that NCAA football serves the same function for the NFL that the minor leagues do for Major League Baseball, except that, from the day that they are signed, baseball players are considered pros and are paid as such, even if they never make it to the "big leagues." When NCAA football players are drafted, they have to sit and wait around for the combines, pro days, OTAs, mini-camps and all other sorts of activities before they even get to training camp. Are football players hailing from NCAA football programs sometimes forced to sing, "Here we go 'round the mulberry bush" as opposed to traditional alma maters and fight songs? Would all of you recent graduates of "Google U," google where "Here we go 'round the mulberry bush" comes from? That will at least partially explain the indentured servitude culture of NCAA football.
According to usatoday.com, "Of the 253 players drafted in 2016, 33 will start in Week 1." If the college coaching profession is competent, then players exiting the college ranks should be ready to perform on the professional level because they have had four years to prepare their athletes.
One of the reasons that NCAA players are not as prepared to evolve to the pro ranks is that there is an insidious and devious system to devalue and denigrate the backgrounds of many college football players so that a few of these so-called, "institutions" of higher learning can glean as many economic advantages from the performance of these athletes as long as they perform under the banner of these schools. There are all sorts of penalties in place to stunt the growth of many of these young men. If you transfer from a school, you have to sit out a year, as well as lots of other nonsense. Many times, these devaluation systems are thinly disguised as disciplinary methods. Once draft day rolls around, many of these "considerations" dilute the "money pool" of some of the athletes, many that are from the inner-cities of America.
Let's rewind "le clock" back to MLB. I am going to list a few Pirates players that have "graduated" from the Pirates AAA "undergraduate school," the Indianapolis Indians. First baseman Josh Bell was signed in 2011. He made his MLB debut on July 8, 2016. Outfielder Andrew McCutchen was drafted in the first round in 2005. He made his walk down the graduation aisle of Indianapolis in 2009. My point is, while most of the Pirates players were being coached, groomed and prepared for their promotion to Major League Baseball clubs, they were being paid as well.
Many of these NCAA football participants that I mentioned at the beginning of this article may have been "bright-eyed and bushy-tailed" when they signed their letters of intent, making them the "beneficiaries" of these "pseudo-scholarships" when they left high school to "attend" college. However, after they are drained by these schools of almost anything of intrinsic moral value, many of these young athletes are confused economically, emotionally and intellectually. Their state of being at that point, boys and girls, is no accident.
Why aren't they being paid?
I've written about this subject many times and those of you that continue to give this column your attention have read my past vow to showcase this issue at least once every 365 days until many college athletes that are part of major athletic programs are compensated. In the event that the issue of compensation lingers and remains unresolved, the least that should be done for these "young economic assets" is catastrophic insurance policies of $1 million or more taken out on any player starting two or more years for their school with the affected player the beneficiary. Thus, if that player is injured and unable to resume his or her athletic career or finish their undergraduate studies, he or she won't be stuck behind a counter at a fast food joint with a smile on their face, asking, "May I help you?"
(Aubrey Bruce can be reached at: email@example.com or 412-583-6741.)
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My director requested a meeting with local elected officials to brief them about a controversial project. I had no experience briefing elected officials and wanted some advice. "No fear, Google is here," I thought. However, I only found communication tips for advocates and citizens, nothing for urban planners. Based on my experience, here's what I learned:
- Anticipate Questions and Concerns from the Public
Local elected officials are keen on public engagement and making sure their constituents feel their best interests are heard. Anticipate questions or concerns the public may bring up to the elected official and provide a response to that question or concern. How? Use previous public meeting summaries or inquiries received from the public. Research politics in the local area from news articles or on public organizations websites.
2. Remove Jargon
Planners and engineers use a lot of jargon in their day-to-day internal communication to make processes and working together more efficient. Remove all jargon from meeting materials and practice not using it during the meeting. And spell out acronyms! Jargon confuses the elected official and your message will not be received. If a technical term must be used, communicate its definition. Ask someone outside the agency or in a separate department for a fresh set of eyes to quickly review the meeting materials to receive feedback on jargon they don't understand. An intern helped us identify jargon she couldn't understand and clarifying our message.
3. Call their Assistants
Assistants work with the elected official daily and knows their communication style and what they care about. This may take require to build a relationship first with the assistant, however, it doesn't hurt picking up the phone and at least asking questions to prepare. Use the information you gathered from the first point above and check if your on the right track in anticipated questions and concerns.
4. KISS – Keep it simple, stupid
I started with a 30-slide Powerpoint presentation that went over "important" details of the project. My director challenged my team to only have a 5-slide Powerpoint. 5 slides! This was stressful, how could I put this together? I realized I had a lot of fluff in the slides and ensured I only had slides that would contribute to the objective of the meeting. For example, a Sea Level rise slide showing how our project may or may not be affected is important, but distracts from the main purpose of the meeting. Delete it!
5. Create Win-Wins
Elected officials generally want to be out in front on issues their constituents care about to show they are listening and working to solve problems. Create a win-win by giving them an active role in the project and receiving help on communicating with the public. For example, we scheduled public meetings around the officials attendance and had her speak at the beginning to get some face time with the public. He in turn, she helped us communicate to the public effectively by giving us insights on the best communication channels.


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Lifetime Subtracts Division
Lifetime Television is canceling its original drama, The Division, after four seasons.
The network says it is time to offer viewers new options, like another cop drama. The Division's ratings have been slipping. In season three, it averaged 2.5 million viewers and in the fourth season dipped to an average 2 million.
Lifetime has ordered five more episodes of psychic detective drama, Missing, starring Vivica A. Fox, bringing the full-season order to 18 episodes. In its second season, Missing is averaging 2.2 million viewers.


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The "Right" Way to Meet Someone for the First Time
Keep an open mind
If you cannot help forming expectations, make sure you expect that your first date can go one way or the other. If you feel disappointed at first, give your date a little time to warm as he/she might only be nervous, just like you.
Arrange a short date
Since you are meeting someone for the first time, it is possible that you will not hit it off right away. If that is the case, a short date is ideal because you have given yourselves the chance to get to know each other without being forced to spend an unnecessarily long time in each other's company.
If the date is going well, you can always extend your time together or arrange another date.
Be yourself
This sounds trite but putting your best foot forward just because you are meeting someone new is not easy nor is it honest. Of course, you should be polite and you need to observe proper decorum. However, do not pretend to do things just because you think it will impress your date. If you end up liking each other, you may have a hard time living up to the expectations.
To go or not to go Dutch
There is always the question of who will pay for the meal or the drinks. It is a nice gesture for men to offer to pay for the meal, if they have the means. Women may suggest that they pay half. Either way, dealing with this part in a straightforward manner is the only way to go.
Follow your intuition
A blind date should be like any first date. It should be about fun. If you are having a good time with the person, do not be stressed about how to keep the conversation going. Let things take its natural course. On the other hand, if you do not feel comfortable do not ignore the feeling. It may just be paranoia but it is still better to be safe than sorry.
Plan a graceful exit
The end of the date is one of the crucial times when you need to be as honest as you possibly can. If you truly enjoyed the company of your date, you can let him/her know that you are interested in seeing them for a second or a third time. You can be subtle by saying how you enjoyed your date or you can be straightforward and suggest another date.
On the other hand, if the date did not go too well it only fair to tell your date the truth. Be polite and explain why you think you should not see each other again. After all, it is better to be honest now than to give false hopes.
Going on a blind date can be stressful even before the date itself. However, if you know what to expect you may be confident enough to actually look forward to meeting a stranger.


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This is the full afternoon tea including a variety of delicious cocktail sandwiches, assorted cakes, shortbread teapots, meringues, award-winning chocolate brownie, plump scones, clotted cream, tea and jam.
Fresh Hampers are delivered Tuesday - Saturday (excluding Bank Holiday Tuesdays).
We take the delivery of these chilled Fresh Hampers very seriously and someone needs to be at the delivery address to sign for the deliciousness on arrival! If this is not possible, why not send a gift voucher instead.
A perfect afternoon cream tea treat hamper with scones, cakes + sandwiches and more, freshly made for your order! Price INCLUDES delivery in a lovely chilled hamper box to your chosen mainland UK door, delivered Tues - Sat (excluding Tues after Bank Holiday). We take delivery of these Afternoon Cream Tea Hampers seriously so someone must be at the delivery address to sign for the deliciousness on arrival! If not possible, just send a gift voucher instead. Any questions or website queries: CALL US on 01279 876661 and we'll process your order by phone! PS See below for why we don't offer TEA FOR ONE.
This is the gift of fun, games and delicious treats to create happy memories. Good times in a hamper box: share with friends or family - perfect for weekend gatherings, seaside retreats or caravan breaks!


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Create your personalised kit wishlist
Shift 4 stocks an unrivalled range of cameras for hire with tripods, gimbals, lenses, monitors, matte boxes, camera accessories and data storage to complete your kit.
To discuss your requirements, get advice or make a booking, call us on +44 (0)20 8809 8680 or email firstname.lastname@example.com
These Zeiss prime lenses cover over full frame and boast a fast aperture of T1.5 across the set. The Supremes have a very pleasing sharpness that is crisp but gentle achieving subtle detail rendering.▶
The Metabones FZ > EF T Cine Lens Adapter allows popular Canon EF lenses to be attached to the Sony PMW-F5 and PMW-F55 cameras.
This IB/E Optics PL x2 Extender doubles the focal length of the lens it's used on. It's PL mount and is compatible with most PL prime and zoom lenses as well as any PL mount camera.
This Vocas E Mount to PL Mount Lens Adapter is for mounting PL mount lenses on Sony E mount cameras (for example the NEX-FS700, PXW-FS7 and a7s)
This optical adapter allows B4 mount lenses to be used on PL mount cameras by stretching a B4 lens image over a super35 sensor. Also available as a B4 to EF adapter.
Adapts the Sony PMW-F5 and PMW-F55 from FZ to EF allowing the use of Canon EF lenses whilst maintaining full iris control and image stabilizer powering.
A lightweight 35mm tilt lens with ball swivel mount for EF mount cameras.
Lens adapter for mounting ENG B4 mount lenses on the Sony PMW-300.
An EF mounted adapter used to double the focal length of EF telephoto and telephoto zoom lenses.


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Often times, the hardest thing to do is to keep things simple. Not just in game development, but with everything else in life too. For reasons unknown, all of us seem to have a penchant for adding on complexity whenever we can – I certainly have.
My counter-strategy against that penchant is simple. Every now and then, I ask myself: "Do I really need this?" I do this with everything. Food (certainty, but no to a lot of things), sleep (definitely), reading (yes), Netflix (no), shopping (no). Most recently, I asked myself: what things in work that I don't need or want? Turns out there was some low hanging fruit I could cut to make my work life simpler and better:
My website had a custom WordPress theme that aped features from fancy pants websites. It supported things like full-screen images and video backgrounds. I spent a lot of time building the theme, yet I never got around to actually using those fancy pants features… and the landing pages for Privacy and Stable Orbit each needed custom HTML to work around things that my fancy theme didn't support.
So, I've made a new theme that strips away all the fat and retains just enough to, you know, run the actual website. The new theme also does some commercially sensible things, like have a newsletter signup form at the bottom of every page.
You didn't even know I had a mailinglist, did you?
Social Media
I dutifully created social media accounts for all of my "brands": @jimofferman, @CodalynNL and @Privacy_Game. Why? Because that's what other people do. Okay, so not all brands… I missed out on creating @StableOrbit. Still, I have three different Twitter accounts to manage, which is frankly ridiculous! To keep up with everything, I need to use this:
No more! Going forward, I'll stick to a single account: @jimofferman. That's the one to follow if you want to keep up with me.
This last one is a little bit ongoing, since I haven't fully figured it out yet. But a recent GDC talk got me thinking. You see, whenever I talk about my games, I always make an effort to point out that Codalyn is just one guy. I don't want to people to mistake my studio for some big outfit with hundreds – or even just tens – of people working on each games. I make games alone. So… why then am I hiding behind a company name all the time?
At the same time, I am very attached to that name. Did you know I chose company name that started with a C as an homage to a certain studio I admire very much?
So, for now, I'm going to walk the middle ground on this one and stick my name in the new tagline:
Codalyn. Games by Jim Offerman
What do you think?
Oh, and in case you were wondering: the image up top is a variation on an ad design I'm testing for Privacy.


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While advances have been made regarding gender balance, companies still are not fully satisfied with gender balance particularly in the higher roles in the organization. This session will focus on how Sanofi is addressing the acceleration of female successors for Sr. leader and Executive roles by developing a targeted leadership development journey. Hear from Christine Vaccola who will review the progress Sanofi is making towards its ambition of 50/50 gender parity by 2025. She will review how the program got started and share key learnings that can be applied to organizations.
– Learn how Sanofi leveraged selection to ensure that the right candidates were nominated for the program
– Understand key challenges of developing a global female talent program
– Identify key areas of focus for your organization


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- 1 Success Factors Training Course Content Details
- 1.1 What is Success factors
- 1.2 Success Factors Course Content
- 1.2.1 01.Introduction and context
- 1.2.2 02.Key concepts
- 1.2.3 03.Effective e-learning
- 1.2.4 04.Can e-learning enhance student learning?
- 1.2.5 05. Examples of blended tertiary courses
- 1.2.6 06.E-learning and indigenous peoples
- 1.2.7 07.Mäori and e-learning
- 1.2.8 08.Eight issues and challenges for teaching and learning in e-learning environments
- 1.3 Success Factors Training Demo
- 1.4 Contact Us for Success Factors Online and Classroom Training
Success Factors Training Course Content Details
What is Success factors
SAP SuccessFactors is Associate in Nursing yank international company headquartered in South point of entry, California, providing cloud-based human capital management (HCM) software package solutions mistreatment the software package as a service (SaaS) model.
SuccessFactors was supported in 2001 by Lars Dalgaard.
In Gregorian calendar month 2007, the corporate went public on the NASDAQ international Market beneath the symbol SFSF. In July 2008, SuccessFactors with success completed the move to the big board (press release), big board Euronext (press release), and also the Frankfurtexchange (Deutsche Boerse), turning into the primary triple listed technology company. it's its services translated into thirty two languages and presently has over vi,000 customers with over thirty two million users in sixty industries in over 185 countries. for more info click here.
Success Factors Course Content
01.Introduction and context
- Key points in this chapter
- Context for this report
- Objectives of the report
- Scope of this report
- New Zealand's tertiary education sector
- The Tertiary Education Strategy (TES)
- Tertiary education organisations
- Developments to support e-learning in the tertiary sector
- The E-learning Advisory Group
- E-learning projects
- Interim tertiary e-learning framework
- Mäori participation in tertiary education, and e-learning
- Statistics on tertiary e-learning
02.Key concepts
- E-learning
- Distance and online education
- Blended or hybrid learning
- Flexible learning
- Other terms
- Critical success factors
03.Effective e-learning
- Key points
- Learner-centred e-learning
- The role of prior knowledge in learning
- The brain as a dynamic organ shaped by experience
- Learning as an active process
- Learning for understanding
- Adaptive expertise
04.Can e-learning enhance student learning?
- Main messages about e-learning effects for learners
- Overviews
- Blended learning—courses with modest changes
- Blended approaches aiming for deeper learning
- Student situations and expectations
05. Examples of blended tertiary courses
- The Mixed Media Programme (MMP) Teacher Education at Waikato University
- Structure and features of the programme
- Biochemistry 111—Flexible course development—Otago University
- Structure and features of the course
- Summary of this example
- Developing first-year students' e-learning skills at the University of Wollongong
- Structure and features of the course
- Content of the CIVL196 course
- The role of teachers in the course
- Students' experiences of learning in CIVL196
06.E-learning and indigenous peoples
- Introduction
- Indigenous e-learning programmes
- Benefits of e-learning
- Barriers to access and participation
- Cultural concerns
- Further barriers Description of examples of indigenous e-learning programmes
- Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education
- Open Learning Australia (www.ola.edu.au/)
- Edith Cowan University
07.Mäori and e-learning
- Introduction
- TES priorities and Mäori
- E-learning Advisory Group recommendations for Mäori
- Interim tertiary e-learning framework and Mäori
08.Eight issues and challenges for teaching and learning in e-learning environments
- Introduction
- Identifying the needs of the learner—challenges and issues
- Motivation
- Relative IT expertise of teachers and learners
- Designing experiences that efficiently meet objectives
- Efficiency issues
- Communication issues
- Choosing appropriate technologies and creating motivating learning designs
- Measuring learning outcomes
Success Factors Training Demo
Contact Us for Success Factors Online and Classroom Training
venkat: 9059868766
email:[email protected]
Address: PlotNo 126/c,2nd floor,Street Number 4, Addagutta Society, Jal Vayu Vihar, Kukatpally, Hyderabad, Telangana 500085


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Last week I had the opportunity to attend the United Nations (UN) Food and Agriculture Organization's (FAO) Committee on World Food Security (CFS46) in Rome, Italy as a Global Dairy Platform Ambassador. Here are my biggest takeaways.
1. Farmers need to be a part of these discussions.
At these UN committee meetings, policy is being set that affects all farmers across the globe. And yet, many of the people creating the policy have little to no experience with actual on the ground farming practices that are unique to each farmer, region, and type of farming. Farmers need to have their voices heard. We can understand better than anyone what our fellow farmers need and the support we can give them. We need to be our biggest advocates. Farmers need to be at these meetings, sharing our actual experiences.
2. Over the last 4 years, there has been a significant increase in the number of people who are food insecure. Now totally more than 820 million people.
After several years of a decline in the number of hungry people, these numbers are now on the rise. Making the goal of Zero Hunger by 2030 seems further away than ever before.
3. Rural Communities are some of the hardest hit by food insecurities.
And specifically, farmers and their families, are among some of the most food insecure in our population, especially between harvests. The very people growing our food, don't have enough food to feed their families.
4. The International Day of Rural Women
If rural women farmers were given the same rights as their male counterparts, there would be 150 million less hungry people in the world today. As a mom of two young daughters, I couldn't help but think of the future generation of rural women. The rural girls of today in developing nations. We need to make sure these rural women farmers have basic rights: food, healthcare, owning their own land, gaining an education, access to technology, ability to receive a loan, etc.
5. Ending hunger is a more complex issue than I could have ever imagined.
From the causes of food insecurity to the aid provided to the food grown. It is a complicated issue with no easy solutions. But I do believe the key to this global issue lies with farmers. We need better resources for farmers in developing nations. Helping them maximize yields while improving productivity.
6. To feed our growing population sustainably, we need to check our emotions at the door and rely on sound science to make our decisions.
We will need all types of farming and all sizes. We will need every resource and technology available to us. Farmers need to be able to make the best decisions for their land and cattle with the most up to date information.
7. Dairy Farming can be a part of the solution to fighting hunger.
Hunger isn't just about calories. It's about high-quality foods that are nutrient-rich and affordable. Milk provides some of the highest quality protein. It is important for us to share the science and research behind the health benefits of dairy. And at the same time, dairy farming can create a strong local economy and jobs and income for a community.
8. Agriculture can be a part of the solution to our climate change challenges.
Often times, people point the finger at agriculture in the discussions about climate change. But when looking at the science agriculture can help us be more sustainable. We need people to understand the research and data on agriculture including on the impact healthy soil can have on carbon sequestration and the role livestock plays in a sustainable food system.
9. The UN FAO is celebrating the Decade of Family Farming.
It's worth reminding the global community of the diversity and importance of farmers. ALL farmers are important and produce 80% of the world's food and can contribute enormously. We, farmers, are on the front lines of climate change, rural development, and – in a disturbing volume – also poverty and hunger.
New Mexico Milkmaid