“Parting is such sweet sorrow,” said William Shakespeare. In a sense, parting is what I’ve decided to do with my business.

For years, I’ve been known as the “Social Media Handyman,” a moniker given to me by a friend who said she needed a “handyman” to help her set up a blog. I volunteered, the title was conferred, and because I’m somewhat blue collar, it felt like a good fit, so I adopted it.

However, both social media and I have taken a turn. Social media is now more or less an accepted part of an integrated marketing approach. It has found its place among SEO, PPC, email, demand generation and other forms of online marketing.

I’ve tried to evolve along with it and am now to a point similar to where I was back in 2005, when I formed a boutique agency known as Radiant Marketing Group. In those days I referred to myself as an “Internet marketing consultant” and darned if I’m not doing so again, yet with a slight twist.

Much is being made these days of content marketing. Clearly, content is what drives the Internet and my approach over the past few years, though focused primarily around social media, was very content-centric. That’s the direction I want to take what I’m now calling Chaney Marketing Group.

From a business development standpoint, it’s a step beyond seeing myself as a subject matter expert and individual resource. That got me this far, but in 2013, I feel compelled to grow my business into something that’s bigger than just me as an individual.

At the same time I didn’t want to take my name completely off the shingle; hence the new brand, which builds on my personal brand reputation combined with a description of what it is I do – marketing. (The “group” will evolve over time, or so I hope.)

Needless to say, this decision was not easy in coming. I wrestled for a long period over whether to retain my current standing or strive to build something bigger. The latter won out and I’m glad the struggle is over. I know what I want to do, who I want to target, and some idea of how to get there. I succor your support and encouragement.

It will take a few days (dare I say “weeks”) to make the necessary changes to this site in terms of design and content (mainly it’s my services that will change), so please be patient.

In the meantime, consider this a “soft launch” of the new Chaney Marketing Group!

“Parting is such sweet sorrow,” said William Shakespeare. In a sense, parting is what I’ve decided to do with my business.

For years, I’ve been known as the “Social Media Handyman,” a moniker given to me by a friend who said she needed a “handyman” to help her set up a blog. I volunteered, the title was conferred, and because I’m somewhat blue collar, it felt like a good fit, so I adopted it.

However, both social media and I have taken a turn. Social media is now more or less an accepted part of an integrated marketing approach. It has found its place among SEO, PPC, email, demand generation and other forms of online marketing.

I’ve tried to evolve along with it and am now to a point similar to where I was back in 2005, when I formed a boutique agency known as Radiant Marketing Group. In those days I referred to myself as an “Internet marketing consultant” and darned if I’m not doing so again, yet with a slight twist.

Much is being made these days of content marketing. Clearly, content is what drives the Internet and my approach over the past few years, though focused primarily around social media, was very content-centric. That’s the direction I want to take what I’m now calling Chaney Marketing Group.

From a business development standpoint, it’s a step beyond seeing myself as a subject matter expert and individual resource. That got me this far, but in 2013, I feel compelled to grow my business into something that’s bigger than just me as an individual.

At the same time I didn’t want to take my name completely off the shingle; hence the new brand, which builds on my personal brand reputation combined with a description of what it is I do – marketing. (The “group” will evolve over time, or so I hope.)

Needless to say, this decision was not easy in coming. I wrestled for a long period over whether to retain my current standing or strive to build something bigger. The latter won out and I’m glad the struggle is over. I know what I want to do, who I want to target, and some idea of how to get there. I succor your support and encouragement.

It will take a few days (dare I say “weeks”) to make the necessary changes to this site in terms of design and content (mainly it’s my services that will change), so please be patient.

In the meantime, consider this a “soft launch” of the new Chaney Marketing Group!

“Parting is such sweet sorrow,” said William Shakespeare. In a sense, parting is what I’ve decided to do with my business.

For years, I’ve been known as the “Social Media Handyman,” a moniker given to me by a friend who said she needed a “handyman” to help her set up a blog. I volunteered, the title was conferred, and because I’m somewhat blue collar, it felt like a good fit, so I adopted it.

However, both social media and I have taken a turn. Social media is now more or less an accepted part of an integrated marketing approach. It has found its place among SEO, PPC, email, demand generation and other forms of online marketing.

I’ve tried to evolve along with it and am now to a point similar to where I was back in 2005, when I formed a boutique agency known as Radiant Marketing Group. In those days I referred to myself as an “Internet marketing consultant” and darned if I’m not doing so again, yet with a slight twist.

Much is being made these days of content marketing. Clearly, content is what drives the Internet and my approach over the past few years, though focused primarily around social media, was very content-centric. That’s the direction I want to take what I’m now calling Chaney Marketing Group.

From a business development standpoint, it’s a step beyond seeing myself as a subject matter expert and individual resource. That got me this far, but in 2013, I feel compelled to grow my business into something that’s bigger than just me as an individual.

At the same time I didn’t want to take my name completely off the shingle; hence the new brand, which builds on my personal brand reputation combined with a description of what it is I do – marketing. (The “group” will evolve over time, or so I hope.)

Needless to say, this decision was not easy in coming. I wrestled for a long period over whether to retain my current standing or strive to build something bigger. The latter won out and I’m glad the struggle is over. I know what I want to do, who I want to target, and some idea of how to get there. I succor your support and encouragement.

It will take a few days (dare I say “weeks”) to make the necessary changes to this site in terms of design and content (mainly it’s my services that will change), so please be patient.

In the meantime, consider this a “soft launch” of the new Chaney Marketing Group!

This is a guest post from Alex Clifford, Content Marketing Executive at Virally, a company that empowers marketers to run hosted content marketing campaigns, make content more social, and gain deeper insights when their content goes viral.

Alex Clifford

The internet is an ocean. It’s full of people to catch and as a marketer, you’re the fisherman. Ads used to bait loads of customers into your net, but you now have to use better bait – content marketing. You’re producing blog articles, guides and videos to help bring them towards you. But how can you make your content marketing more effective?

Put on your overalls, start up the boat, and let’s head off on a voyage. Let me show you why your content marketing needs to be more social.

1. People aren’t on your website, they’re on Facebook

Your customers spend their time on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, not your company website. You company website is unlikely to be a hub of traffic. So if your content doesn’t reach social networks it’s like fishing in an empty pond. You’re limiting your reach.

2. People trust their friends more than you

Fish swim in schools to thwart their predators. They trust each other. They’re likely to follow the moves of their friends if they’ve recommended something. Social networks are how your customers communicate with each other. It’s how say “the coast is clear”. If your content is recommended by their friends, they know they can trust your company.

3. Your content needs a viral reach

If you only promote your content on your site, it’s a drop in the ocean. Literally. It’ll go nowhere. Once you have social tools embedded into your content marketing campaign, people can pass it on. Then their friends can pass it on. Then their friends can pass it on. Suddenly your content can ‘go viral’.

4. Some of your contacts have more influence than others

The Codfathers. These are the people you need to be talking to. People listen when they speak. They’re trendsetters. They’re the fish at the front of the school. They lead. By having content which spreads via social networks, you can find the key influencers and talk to them directly, about issues among their school.

You can build relationships with these key influences to get more sales.

5. You need to nurture your leads

People will take your bait of great content. But how do you turn them into customers? You need to nurture them along. You need to feed them more and more great content, until you catch them as a customer. With your content spreading socially, you can continue to deliver valuable content. Then convert them.

Use social networks to catch more customers with your content

Content marketing is immensely powerful. You can win a lot of attention, leads and new customers with it. However if you want to catch more people, you need your content marketing to use social networks more.

This is a guest post from Alex Clifford, Content Marketing Executive at Virally, a company that empowers marketers to run hosted content marketing campaigns, make content more social, and gain deeper insights when their content goes viral.

Alex Clifford

The internet is an ocean. It’s full of people to catch and as a marketer, you’re the fisherman. Ads used to bait loads of customers into your net, but you now have to use better bait – content marketing. You’re producing blog articles, guides and videos to help bring them towards you. But how can you make your content marketing more effective?

Put on your overalls, start up the boat, and let’s head off on a voyage. Let me show you why your content marketing needs to be more social.

1. People aren’t on your website, they’re on Facebook

Your customers spend their time on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, not your company website. You company website is unlikely to be a hub of traffic. So if your content doesn’t reach social networks it’s like fishing in an empty pond. You’re limiting your reach.

2. People trust their friends more than you

Fish swim in schools to thwart their predators. They trust each other. They’re likely to follow the moves of their friends if they’ve recommended something. Social networks are how your customers communicate with each other. It’s how say “the coast is clear”. If your content is recommended by their friends, they know they can trust your company.

3. Your content needs a viral reach

If you only promote your content on your site, it’s a drop in the ocean. Literally. It’ll go nowhere. Once you have social tools embedded into your content marketing campaign, people can pass it on. Then their friends can pass it on. Then their friends can pass it on. Suddenly your content can ‘go viral’.

4. Some of your contacts have more influence than others

The Codfathers. These are the people you need to be talking to. People listen when they speak. They’re trendsetters. They’re the fish at the front of the school. They lead. By having content which spreads via social networks, you can find the key influencers and talk to them directly, about issues among their school.

You can build relationships with these key influences to get more sales.

5. You need to nurture your leads

People will take your bait of great content. But how do you turn them into customers? You need to nurture them along. You need to feed them more and more great content, until you catch them as a customer. With your content spreading socially, you can continue to deliver valuable content. Then convert them.

Use social networks to catch more customers with your content

Content marketing is immensely powerful. You can win a lot of attention, leads and new customers with it. However if you want to catch more people, you need your content marketing to use social networks more.

This is a guest post from Alex Clifford, Content Marketing Executive at Virally, a company that empowers marketers to run hosted content marketing campaigns, make content more social, and gain deeper insights when their content goes viral.

Alex Clifford

The internet is an ocean. It’s full of people to catch and as a marketer, you’re the fisherman. Ads used to bait loads of customers into your net, but you now have to use better bait – content marketing. You’re producing blog articles, guides and videos to help bring them towards you. But how can you make your content marketing more effective?

Put on your overalls, start up the boat, and let’s head off on a voyage. Let me show you why your content marketing needs to be more social.

1. People aren’t on your website, they’re on Facebook

Your customers spend their time on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, not your company website. You company website is unlikely to be a hub of traffic. So if your content doesn’t reach social networks it’s like fishing in an empty pond. You’re limiting your reach.

2. People trust their friends more than you

Fish swim in schools to thwart their predators. They trust each other. They’re likely to follow the moves of their friends if they’ve recommended something. Social networks are how your customers communicate with each other. It’s how say “the coast is clear”. If your content is recommended by their friends, they know they can trust your company.

3. Your content needs a viral reach

If you only promote your content on your site, it’s a drop in the ocean. Literally. It’ll go nowhere. Once you have social tools embedded into your content marketing campaign, people can pass it on. Then their friends can pass it on. Then their friends can pass it on. Suddenly your content can ‘go viral’.

4. Some of your contacts have more influence than others

The Codfathers. These are the people you need to be talking to. People listen when they speak. They’re trendsetters. They’re the fish at the front of the school. They lead. By having content which spreads via social networks, you can find the key influencers and talk to them directly, about issues among their school.

You can build relationships with these key influences to get more sales.

5. You need to nurture your leads

People will take your bait of great content. But how do you turn them into customers? You need to nurture them along. You need to feed them more and more great content, until you catch them as a customer. With your content spreading socially, you can continue to deliver valuable content. Then convert them.

Use social networks to catch more customers with your content

Content marketing is immensely powerful. You can win a lot of attention, leads and new customers with it. However if you want to catch more people, you need your content marketing to use social networks more.

When was the last time you watched a video online? Whether it was a feature-length movie on Netflix, a sitcom on Hulu, or an offbeat short clip on YouTube, for most of us it hasn't been more than a few days, if that long. Face it, video is hot! Consumers love it. Your customers and prospects will too. 

When was the last time you watched a video online? Whether it was a feature-length movie on Netflix, a sitcom on Hulu, or an offbeat short clip on YouTube, for most of us it hasn't been more than a few days, if that long. Face it, video is hot! Consumers love it. Your customers and prospects will too. 

Blogging is hard work. It takes much time to research a topic, write copy, and find useful images, videos, and infographics.But writing a post is only the first step. For content to gain greater visibility, syndicate it — making it easier for search engines and people to find.Here are 10 ways to syndicate content in hopes of getting it seen, read, and shared by others.1. Share Content on Social NetworksThere are many ways to do this. Here are three.Include social sharing buttons in your blog posts. This makes it easy for others to share your content. It can help grow readership. Read "Top 10 Social Sharing Buttons for Your Website," where I recommended sharing options. Create social network profiles. You likely have profi...

A new report from e-commerce platform provider Demandware has identified a new kind of shopper. Called the “Digital Diva,” she owns more than two-thirds of fashion purchasing power and is a force fashion retailers will need to reckon with.

Based on a survey of more than 7,000 shoppers in the US, UK Germany and France conducted in partnership with the Univeristy of Arizona, the report revealed that this group, which comprises 22 percent of the fashion market, is highly engaged with fashion merchandise, extremely brand conscious and avidly uses multiple digital technologies including smart phones, tablets, laptops, in-storie kiosks and points-of-sale.

Digital Divas by the Numbers

Location

• The majority (27%) are in the US
• 23% hail from Germany
• 18% are UK-based
• 15% reside in France

Gender

• 53% female
• 47% male (I suppose these guys could be referred to as “divos.”)

Other Demographics

• 64% are 25-44 years old
• 68% have children
• 71% are the primary wage earners

Purchasing Power

What makes this group most significant is that, though they make up only 22% of the market, their purchasing power represents 69% of all fashion spend in Europe and the US. Further, they heavily influence purchase decisions by others, and both report on and curate their own shopping experience for the benefit of others.

Their shopping is not online only. In fact, they are hardly immune to brick-and-mortar shopping as they value the tactile nature of the in-store experience. Don’t be surprised, however, when you see them using a mobile device to comparison shop while in the store. They are two times more likely to do so.

They are knowledgeable – “information omnivores” is how the report describes them – extremely active on social networks, and brand loyal. However, they can be swayed by brands that appeal to what these divas consider important.

The report contains much more information that is included here. See the infographic below, which summarizes the key points.

Today’s article is sponsored by Payvment: The #1 Social Commerce Platform