Turn your Twitter feeds into a radio show… tool number 41

Now I havent tried it yet… but will do this weekend, but think some people would love this app that I came across on Springwise today.

This app, the Social Radio reads incoming tweets aloud, enabling you to listen to updates in much the same way as you would listen to a radio.

Argentina-based The Social Radio made its debut late last year with an Android app, but versions for the web and for other mobile platforms are in the works, as is Facebook integration. For now, users begin by signing in via Twitter. The app then works in the background, with automatic language detection for each tweet. Users can listen to their Twitter timeline, lists, trending topics, hashtags and searches; during the breaks, they can listen to music from their playlists as well.

Sounds like fun???? let us know if you give it a try, could be good for travelling, well for me, if I am on a train, I get travel sickness from trying to reading while I travel.

Two really good articles on using Pinterest with great effect.

With the great growth and interest in Pinterest I have come across two articles that I thought were really worth a read:

How Big Brands are using Pinterest

One from Simply Zesty “Ok, so I know what you’re probably thinking, “Not another news story about Pinterest”. But this isn’t another post debating whether or not the burgeoning social network is here to stay or just a fad – rather, we will show you how brands can take advantage of Pinterest’s image rich layout.

As you may be aware, Pinterest isn’t just a collection of lovely images (although it definitely is that too). It can be used as a massive online store for brands, something which is just beginning to take off and many more big brands will surely follow suit.

Read more….

And another great article from the Copy Blogger :

56 Ways to market your business on Pinterest

In case you’ve been living in a mountain cave in Bhutan for the past couple of months, Pinterest is a relatively new social networking site that allows users to create online image collages, then quickly and easily share those collages — called “pinboards” — with other Pinterest users.

It’s fun, easy, and catching on like wildfire right now.

Part of Pinterest’s appeal is that it’s beautiful. Enter the lovely world of Pinterest, and all the troubles of your day-to-day life just seem to slip away in a stream of perfect little black dresses, baby otters, and cherubic children who never seem to get dirty or mouth off to their parents.

Read More …

 

Tool number 40, how to share videos with one click!

Since I joined Video Expression as Marketing Director, where we build amazing Sales and PR Channels for businesses, I am on the lookout for easy ways to share the videos we create.

I used to like Tube Mogul, but the have changed their game plan, so on my search I came across One Load, from free to business packages, it will suit everyone. (that is everyone who makes video)

Now I also suggest that if you are not including video as part of your marketing, you should, and here are a few facts why, and an infographic to illustrate the points.

• People spend more time viewing videos on computers than TV. This is clearly obvious by the amount of time spent streaming the internet.
• In a Social Video Advertising Report, it explains how social media video views have more than tripled within the past three years. Companies need to hurry and catch on.

  

   

   

Google+ has the Power!

Last night I set off to attend the second Digital Berkshire get together, it was held in the lovely venue Southhill Park, Bracknell.

Digital Berkshire is the brainchild of few people,  they have put together a non for profit event, where anyone interested in all things digital can meet once a month, network and listen to a good speaker. They hope to have a sponsor for each event, to sponsor one round of drinks, and I think  it would be money well spent.

About 60 people attended the event last night, and the speaker was Thomas Power ….. He was there to discuss the growth, benefits and potential future of Google + Versus the other tools including Twitter, Facebook and Linked In.

The numbers are impressive for Google + has already got 100 million users, and anticipate it will have over 300 million by the end of the year. (I wonder how many of them are just like me, I do add stuff, but really have not used it well yet.) Google + will be putting in place many “ incentives” to get us using  it.

I was someone who was excited when it launched, and used it a bit before running out of steam, when I realised that I didn’t really know anyone else on it. And the numbers in the room last night reflected this … when asked who used what channel, Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook all had equal amounts of users, while Google+ had only 1 other person using it as their main channel in the room. That person didn’t really use it for marketing either, rather as a good research tool.

But I have to say as Thomas Power continued his talk, I felt more and more inspired to start getting to grips with Google +, so I will share my tips and tribulations with you as we start the journey. Thomas is one of the top users and he admitted he still felt he didn’t fully understand it, but perhaps it’s because it’s very much a developing site.

Some of the features that look great on Google + include the search and search+, the live feeds are like Twitter updates, you can easily add video on Google+ and in fact You Tube has added a Google+ button.

A hot Tip…Thomas Power pointed out the “Hangout “ up to 9 people can join this, he suggested getting a few experts together, recording the session (you can do this on Google+) , then selling it on or give it away to members of your website.

Three people he suggested we all follow include:

• Louis Gray, the product manager for Google+, so we stay up to date with developments.
• Thomas Morffew, a UK person who really has good insights into Google+
• Denis Labelle, will help you see how you can monetise Google+

Well I will follow all of them and you, Thomas Power will be added to the list. I was impressed with the content and tone of the talk last night, so thank you to both Thomas and Digital Berkshire.

The next Digital Berkshire event will be held on the 15^th of March, keep an eye open on Linked In and Twitter for details…. As in the words of Arnie… I will be Back.

Embedding Tweets a new Twitter feature

Twitter has made some great changes … and I am trying them all out, and one I like is the Embed service, its a way to let website developers and bloggers embed tweets onto their sites and then visitors can reply, retweet and favorite without leaving the page. So brilliant – a great way to create content too.

Twitter has made it easy too you will simply need to click on one line of code. A single-click action also lets visitors follow the creator of a tweet.

Here’s an example embedded tweet from my Twitter account:

Feedback on our new website please videoexpression.co.uk—
  (@HelenTonetti) February 16, 2012

And here is a how you do it

Select a tweet – can be yours or anybody you follow

Press open the message (on bottom next to retweet etc)

Double click and then see the “embed this” text, I used the link for my blog…

 

 

For more information 

2 More Great uses for QR Codes

Restaurants’ takeout menus made interactive via QR codes

It’s become increasingly common for restaurants to build and offer custom, branded mobile apps that let patrons place orders by phone, but it’s still up to consumers to go to the bother of downloading and installing them. Enter Paperlinks, a Los Angeles firm that has created a service that lets restaurants embed their takeout menus with QR codes for quick and seamless mobile ordering.

Read More

 

In Australia, QR payment system delivers food direct to moviegoers’ seats

The list of uses for QR codes appears to be endless. We’ve seen them used to teach vocabulary and track employee hours, and now we’ve discovered QkR — a mobile app and QR code system that enables cinemagoers to order and pay for food and drink from their seat.

Read More

Tell us if you are using QR Codes, and how are you using them?

 

Share all your video’s and images in one place…Tool number 39

I first came across this a few weeks ago, its a lovely new site called  Pinterest, its so easy to use and great fun. Its still at invite only stage, but really easy to get an invitation, so go ahead and give it a try.

Initially you may wonder how you can use it as a business, so here is a lovely article written by e-Zanga – about 3 ways to use Pinterest to get followers.

I have followed a discussion on LinkedIn and people are being very innovative and found another article 7 ways brands are using Pinterest 

I know friends and clients it would be fantastic for, from chefs, interior designers, clothes shops, art galleries and more… I  have just started, and think I will create a vision board, a travel plan and put up some great video’s and infographics…would love to hear how you are using it and if you have any amazing ideas we should all listen too.