Blogging Conferences

I read a lot about blogging conferences such as  Blog Her or Bloggy Bootcamps like this one. Finally, a conference is literally in my own backyard, the Bloggy Conference so I could not resist attending. In fact, I will be tweeting live on Friday, July 15. The speaker during this session is Debba Haupert of Girlfriendology. 
About Girlfriendology...
Online community for women to inspire you to appreciate and celebrate female friendship. Our goal is to make the world a better place one friendship at a time.

Have you attended a blogging or conference about social media? I cannot wait to give a full review later in the month. 

Link Within

One of my favorite ways to increase traffic on a blog is to add the simple widget, Link Within. By creating prompts at the bottom of your blog post that link back to previous posts, you keep your visitors engaged longer and encourage them to click around and stay awhile.

I have Link Within installed on my personal blog and it is very successful at the Brides Buddy blog.

Now that you are aware, chances are you will recognize it used quite liberally. Not only is it effective, it is also FREE: Visit Link Within. I am not a programmer and I don't know HTML and I have successfully installed this widget many times. I encourage you to explore this option and as always, if you need help, contact me.

klout-do you have it?

Last night, as it often happens, I got taken away on a journey of clicks and links as I was browsing the internet. This time I was being introduced to Klout. What is Klout?

"The Klout Score is the measurement of your overall online influence. The scores range from 1 to 100 with higher scores representing a wider and stronger sphere of influence. Klout uses over 35 variables on Facebook and Twitter to measure True Reach, Amplification Probability, and Network Score."

To understand many of these terms better, visit Klout and poke around. I also encourage you to sign up and learn your own Klout score. The breakdowns are amazing and it shows how other people in your networks compare. Here is an example from my own Influence Report:

I am an admitted newbie to this site and have a very limited grasp right now on what it can offer and what it can do. I do know I want to learn more. One more tidbit from the Klout blog...


"Today, we’re proud to announce that we’re partnering with Involver to allow brands to provide customized experiences to their Facebook fans based on Klout Scores. Besides the number of fans, brands know surprisingly little about who those people are, their potential reach, and have little ability to message them individually. Now, with this partnership, brands can choose to give different offers, promotions, or messaging to fans based on their Klout".

Wow. You had better believe I have my eye on this.

What's your Klout score?

Facebook Business Profile Picture

If you have a Facebook business page, it is important to make use of every inch (er, pixel) of space allowed. One great place to start is the profile picture. Here is an example (from one of my clients), Receptions Inc.

By using the extra space, Receptions is able to share their logo plus some key information regarding their business. Their picture measures 180x452. You can visit and like this page ::HERE::. 

Another local business who has also updated their profile is restaurant, El Coyote. Below is their profile:

You can visit the El Coyote Facebook page ::HERE::.

By comparison, the Cincinnati Museum Center is using the old "square" photo, which measures 180x180 pixels. While their building is certainly easily recognizable, they are missing the opportunity to say and show more.

Do you have a Facebook business page? Do you need help updating your profile? I can help.

using social media "buttons" correctly

Today, when checking out a prospective client's webpage I noticed that their Facebook button linked me to Facebook directly, not to their business page. Be sure when using tools like this:

that the attached link goes to your specific, business page like this:

When you click the second button, you should be taken directly to CatScrap Designs (one of my wonderful clients!). Be sure if you are intentionally sending a customer away from your website or blog, that you are sending them directly to your brand on a social media site, such as Facebook. If not, you run the risk of them clicking away from you and your product for good.

Do you need help understanding how to install buttons, attach links or establish a Facebook account for your business? If you answered yes to any of these questions, please contact me.

#Twitter Tip

A quick tip:

Vary the times of day that you Tweet. Don't choose the same block of time, like say 9-11am. You may be missing a valuable part of your audience who instead check in on Twitter after 5p.

Something to think about!

Follow my tweets @simplsoclmedia and @tracykuethe.

Fantastic Friday

How about on Fridays I highlight a small business owner (and/or savvy blogger) who is doing lots of things RIGHT!

First up, the Pleated Poppy. I have been following Lindsey for two years or so. I love her personal blog...her decorating sense, fashion sense and attention to detail are just fab. Right now she is featuring her daughter's Art themed birthday party....

By becoming a fan of her blog, I was introduced to her products. She seamlessly, nearly effortlessly, connects the two which is a wonderful advantage of social media outlets like blogging and Twitter when they are done well. In my opinion, people are drawn to authentic business owners who share the right mix of personal and professional. Again, Lindsey is a master at this and her success is a reflection of it.

Pleated Poppy Shop....

I Pod Case available at the Pleated Poppy.

Please visit Lindsey to enjoy more of her personality and wonderful, handsewn products.

 If you would like to recommend a person or business to be highlighted on this blog, please leave a comment or send me an email.

about simply social media

I have maintained a personal blog for several years and highlighted my social media clients, ideas and strategies over there but the time has come to make my professional work a bit more official.

Introducing Simply Social Media.

I plan to showcase my clients, share my own ideas and also pass along helpful information that I find online and elsewhere. I hope you will add me to your list of "must read" blogs and join me as this passion of mine evolves.

Today's takeaway...
If you have a Google Blogger blog, you can show a mobile version of your blog to those reading on a mobile device. Here's how:

Go to SETTINGS-->EMAIL & MOBILE-->and check YES for Show Mobile Template.