Social Media Icons Explored – A Guide To Social Networking Sites and Tools

Social Media is all the rage – but what do all these icons represent? As in any other business an icon or logo is used to represent the product or company without having to see the verbiage written out. Most people relate visually and these symbols have become commonplace. We thought we'd share a rundown of some of the most popular with you to help get you up to speed in the terms and symbols of this ever-increasing medium called Social Media.

RSS Icon

This is the standard RSS feed symbol. Short for Really Simple Syndication or Rich Site Summary, RSS has not been adopted by the masses as was thought when it originally came out in 1999. It does however have many uses such as data aggregation and news reader updates that go on behind the scenes. When a website offers an RSS feed this icon will appear in the address bar to the right.

Facebook Icon

Facebook is, as of the time of this post, the number 1 website for traffic in the world having passed even the almighty Google. Facebook is a community based social networking platform that allows users to become fans, add friends, and create groups. The website currently has more than 400 million active users worldwide and growing.

Twitter Icon

Twitter is the 140 character at a time posting and microblogging wonder that allows users to follow other users and send and view their text messages. Users can add other Tweeple to lists and follow lists as well. This is an open API platform social networking site which has increased it's exposure rapidly due to the rapid exchange of information and openness of it's ability to share information.

Digg Icon

Digg is a social news website made for people to discover and share content from anywhere on the Internet, by submitting links and stories, and voting and commenting on submitted links and stories. If you enjoy a story you vote it up, or digg it. If you're not so favorable to a story or photo, you vote it down.

LinkedIn Icon

LinkedIn is the premier business social networking tool in our opinion. Gathering a following is harder and more lucrative as well. The quality of business class connections is stronger in our opinion. The site is all about business and that's why it made our list – professional networking at its finest. LinkedIn has more than 60 million users worldwide, of which about half are in the United States.

YouTube Icon

YouTube is a video sharing website on which users can upload and share videos about just about anything. Originally founded in 2005 and bought by Google, YouTube changed the Social Media landscape forever by introducing streaming video and video sharing capabilities that have evolved with the technologies and data capabilities we take for granted now.

These are but a few of the vast number of social media sites out there now. Many are sure to disappear and many more are sure to appear. Do you have a favorite we have not mentioned? Leave a comment and we'll try to include it in a second version of Social Media Icons Explored.

Blackball Online Marketing provides Pittsburgh Online Marketing Services to small business and home based business. We wish to acknowledge Wikipedia, Top Ten Reviews, and Find Icons for their outstanding sites and great information.

Pittsburgh Online Marketing Communications - Keeping a Clear Message

Not long ago I read a post about Mr Rogers and attached to it was this video . Growing up in Pittsburgh and watching Fred Rogers and Mr Rogers Neighborhood daily it made me reflect back to simpler days. This got me thinking about why Fred Rogers was so successful in communicating his message.

Never did the man interfere with the message. He was just the medium. There is definitely something to be learned from this quiet unassuming approach. Consistency and trustworthiness play an integral part in his message. This is straight from the “Fred Rogers School of How to Treat People”.

Fred Rogers was a master communicator. Every so often someone comes along with a timeless message. Passion and a firm belief in doing the right thing or sending the right message are two trademark traits of a Mr Rogers episode and of the man himself. I wonder how many children still watch Mr Rogers on YouTube. Better still I wonder how many parents know about Mr Rogers and the vitally important message he delivered and continues to deliver to us daily.

At Blackball Online Marketing, we try to use sound and fundamental advertising with a clear message as well. The difference is the medium we use to deliver this message, from blogs like this one to YouTube and Social Media. The communication channels have changed but the message remains. Part of his message was to ask questions about ourselves; and what we want to achieve. Mr Rogers always had a direct and nonjudgmental way of looking at difficulties or feelings or problems. There is something genius about the way he handled such personal communications.

As an Online Marketing Firm in Pittsburgh and as a people in general, we are always interested in how we can communicate more effectively. As a business we promote many small to medium size businesses and are constantly looking to improve the clarity of our communications. As people, we try to achieve the same things. When in doubt we just ask ourselves, “What would Fred Rogers Do Or Say?”

Fred Rogers is gone now but his message endures through all the people he taught and through the Internet. That is very powerful and THAT is effective communication with a crystal clear message. Thanks for all the lessons Mr Rogers.

Toyota painstakingly built the heart of its brand on reliability. It’s now smashed to pieces. But pieces it still does have – so far. We’re an Online Marketing, SEO and Social Media company, so, how can Social Media help out a vaunted company like Toyota in the dilemma that they have now found themselves in?

You Better Be Good To Me

Toyota cannot have a representative at each customers home holding a hand, but Social Media can provide that “next best thing.” Social Media and other Online / Web 2.0 outlets provide Toyota a 24/7 tool set to let their customer know that they “worship the ground Toyota customers walk on.” Obviously just fixing things, saying we’re sorry and we like you then sending customers on their way isn’t going to be enough to salvage what little customer loyalty they have left. It’s going to take an almost super human effort of action, words and deeds by Toyota to preserve something of their customer base and to hopefully start to rebuild their brand.

Toyota can begin by using Social Media to keep their customers relentlessly informed with quality, timely and relevant information. Help them. Toyota customers are very, very confused now. So, I’ll repeat that - help them, hold the customer’s hand and don’t let go. A “slight” has happened, and Toyota customers are feeling very betrayed. In order for Toyota to take their best shot to keep and win some customers back, (and it’s a very tall order) they must first impart some sense of comfort – the kind of comfort that says Toyota is not taking the customer relationship for granted, that Toyota is doing everything, and then some, to make things right for you, the loyal Toyota customer. They have the resources, at least right now they do, and Toyota needs to be relentless in their usage.

Monitor the Online outlets. Through smart and vigorous Online monitoring Toyota can address, inform and respond in real-time on just about a one-to-one level globally by using Twitter, Blogs, YouTube, email, SMS and customer-centric Micro sites.

This is as big as it gets. Toyota’s fighting for its very life and there is no tomorrow, probably a bailout by us and the Japanese after both countries do a little scolding and finger-waving, but no tomorrow. They may already be doing some of these things, and maybe not. First and foremost Mr. Toyoda needs to be continuously with the customer through this crisis. Without customers a walk-up to Capitol Hill by him really doesn’t matter much.

One thing is pretty clear; a half-measure approach won’t do and it may cause more damage. We’ll know shortly how much Toyota truly values the people who butter their bread – their customers.

The Microsoft - Yahoo deal which was on again - off again in different forms is on. Details of this deal in a broad stroke are these:

• Microsoft's Bing will be the search engine for Yahoo
• Yahoo will handle all advertising on both sites

Time will tell what levels this merger will achieve. Thought we would pass this on. The Wall Street Journal story link is below:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703315004575073310211929520.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_sections_business

Pittsburgh Online Marketing Services - Blackball Online Marketing

Pittsburgh Online Marketing Technologists - How To Choose One

Pittsburgh businesses are fortunate in the fact that there are many talented Internet Marketing companies locally. As the Internet marketplace becomes more diverse it is important to choose an SEO consultant or SEO Search company that best fits your needs and budget.

We have been writing for some time about the need for businesses operating in the Pittsburgh Internet Marketing field to handle many aspects of Online Website Promotion. Many factors weigh into your choice for an Internet Marketing Engineer. Here are a few questions to ask of your Pittsburgh Online Marketing candidate.

Factors To Consider When Choosing an Online Marketing Pro:

First things first. Ask if the Internet Marketing Company or consultant you interview has any experience with your industry. This can eliminate a lot of research and you should be able to communicate freely with industry specific terms. Do they ask about the scope of your project and budget? These are good questions to begin with as they allow for the conversation to define your needs and expectations.

You should be able to tell whether the internet promotions specialist is resourceful by the questions they ask you as well. Are they merely reading a script? Or are they asking questions which relate to the current topic in your conversation?

Do they understand the fundamentals of On Page SEO?

Is there a clearly defined procedure they follow or do they evaluate your site or blog to determine the best course of action for your business? Both methods can be correct for certain situations. The key is to know which method to use and when.

Do they ask about the importance of keywords and how they relate to your business and overall online marketing strategy? Keywords drive what you want to rank for; they are the lifeblood of your site; and your business’ success or failure in the digital world.

Do they understand the fundamentals of Off Page SEO?

We define Off Page SEO as encompassing all forms of listing your business throughout the Internet not directly related to your website.  Off Page Search Engine Optimization includes preparing relevant Press releases to promote your new venture or publicize your current online marketing efforts. If you are in an established industry this question and strategy can easily be answered by some online recon on your competition. Sites linking back to yours with relevant keyphrases are called Backlinks and they are very important as well.

Traditional Media could also be termed as Off Page SEO or Branding. A comprehensive marketing plan will allow you to reach potential customers in other areas. Why limit yourself to just one form of advertising?

Do they understand the fundamentals of Social Media and its value?

The secret of Social Media is that it is "social. Wow, shocker right? The real value of social media when it comes to your business really depends on if your target audience uses it. Secondary to this is the brand reputation management piece. Direct selling on social media sites like Twitter, Facebook, Etc. is not near as effective as passive selling and information dissemination. Helping people is good business! It helps define your business as an authority on your marketing niche and allows for another great source of lead generation.

Does the SEO or Online Marketing Company have a Social Media component to their business? How many Twitter followers do they have? Do they know how to use them to further your Internet Marketing goals or are they Ttweeting for the sake of Tweeting? Can they communicate this to you and your customer? In short; are they making the most of their Social Media influence?

Are they short sighted when it comes to alternative methods other than Google?

Many businesses are unaware of the existence of Bing and Yahoo when it comes to comprehensive coverage in an overall online marketing strategy. Google still dominates the Search Engine Market but why exclude the other percentage of potential customers. We believe that failure to explore all avenues of revenue generation is like leaving dollars on the doorstep.

Do they have the ability and resources to combine all theses skills into a cohesive Online Marketing Plan?

Knowing how to perform all these tasks is meaningless unless your chosen Online Marketing Technologist can deliver. All these techniques require resources and time. A combined commitment from the business and the Online Marketing Technology Company are necessary.

Whether you ultimately choose Blackball Online Marketing or another Search firm or consultant, we would like the opportunity to speak with you regarding your business and its Online Marketing needs. Contact Blackball Online Marketing for your small business website promotion and speak directly with a Pittsburgh Online Marketing Technologist to assess your needs and give you a solid evaluation. Our initial consultation is always free.