Read the related article at http://www.websearchsocial.com/67

It’s Freduary! No, we didn’t forget the spellchecker. While the rest of the world goes about their business this February, we here at the Web.Search.Social Marketing Podcast are going to be celebrating Freduary.

What’s Freduary?

Well, it’s an entire month dedicated to all things SuperFred. And if you don’t know what a SuperFred is – or I should say who a SuperFred is, then you’ll have to listen in and join the army.

With special thanks to SuperFred Colleen Conger for kicking us off. It was her brilliant idea and we just ran with it. You’ll find all her links below and I encourage you to connect with her because she’s smart, fun, kind and has a sense of humor that will surprise and delight you.

There are also some additional notes below about some of the things we discussed that took on a life of their own after the mics were turned off. We may come back to some of them in our next episodes but we wanted to keep you in the loop in the meantime.

Welcome to Freduary! Send your messages and tweets tagged with #superfred and we’ll be sure to connect!

In This Episode We Talk About

• What Freduary is, who SuperFreds are and why we’re celebrating
• Why we decided that content curation isn’t a marketing tactic for us and isn’t one that we recommend to our clients or audience
• What we DO recommend instead
• What it means to be an “influencer” and why it may not be what you think
• How to connect with people online and build an audience of superfans even if you’re just starting out and don’t feel like you know anyone
• What we think of a new tool that lets you place a popup with a call to action on websites that don’t belong to you
• What it takes be “be awesome” online and why it matters
• Plus we add “pixel alchemist” and “elixir of goodness” to our vocabularies, tell a story of meeting our very own “online celebrity” for the first time and make the global, exclusive announcement of the title and release date of the first episode of Alisa Meredith’s new podcast!

Links & Resources

SuperFreds

If you message or tweet them, add the hashtag #superfred so they know you’re part of the army!

• Visit and follow Colleen Conger, the official Chief Executive Friend Manager of the Web.Search.Social Marketing Podcast. Colleen is the mastermind behind the idea of Freduary.
  • Visit her personal site at colleenconger.com
  • Visit her digital marketing agency website at thinkwebgo.com
  • Visit her digital photography and design site at digitalphotoanddesign.com
  • Follow her on Twitter
  • Friend her on Facebook
• Visit and follow SuperFred Krithika Rangarajan (also known s Kit Rodgers). She inspired us to talk about superfans and what it means to be and connect with “influencers” online
  • Visit her website at dialmformarketing.co
  • Follow her on Twitter
  • Go directly to her comment about superfans and check out the great responses from some of our superfans
• Visit and follow Ian Anderson Gray, the official Chief Executive Research Dude of the Web.Search.Social Marketing Podcast. He inspired a conversation about content co-opting that has since mushroomed into quite a debate. If you want to find him on more social networks than we can list here, just go to his website below!
  • Visit his website Seriously Social at iag.me
  • Follow him on Twitter
  • Find him on Google Plus
• Visit and follow SuperFred Tammie Rampley. She is now an official NEW titled SuperFred but we’re not announcing her official title until next week. As a fellow Hello Kitty fan, she’s also rumored to be hand crafting a Hello Kitty purse for us.
  • Visit her etsy shop TrampLee Designs and grab one of her awesome purses for your daughter, granddaughter, best friend, or heck, even yourself
  • Follow her on Twitter
  • Visit her at Tramp Lee Designs on Facebook

Other Stuff

• Save the date! Wednesday March 4 marks the official release date of Superheroes of Marketing, Alisa Meredith's new podcast.
  • Sign up at superheroesofmarketing.com so you'll be notified of all the goodness coming up
  • Visit Alisa at Scalable Social Media
• After we talked about a tool called snip.ly a lot happened!
  • Start by checking out what snip.ly does.
  • Grab a serious cup of coffee and a snack if you want to catch up on the conversation that happened over at Google Plus
  • If you’re not into the idea of someone using snip.ly on your site you can download the free snip.ly buster plugin developed by the team at Warfare Plugins to prevent it.
  • While you’re there, take a look at their Social Warfare sharing plugin. We just started using it here and it’s the best one we’ve tried.
• Thank the team for their hard work.
  • Find Jason T. Wiser on Google Plus
  • Find Nicholas Cardot on Google Plus
  • Find Dustin Stout on Google Plus

More Other Stuff

We always remind you that you can find us on iTunes at websearchsocial.com/itunes but now we’ve made it easier to find us on Stitcher, too. Visit websearchsocial.com/stitcher to listen there!

And while you’re there, we’d love an honest rating and review. You, our SuperFreds have kept us going, provided inspiration and pointed out the places where we could improve. Keep it coming, we appreciate you!

Subscribe to be notified whenever we publish new content and to stay in the loop on some new podcasts and other fun stuff that’s coming up.

If you listen to our podcast you may have heard us mention Triberr at least once! Seems like it’s about time that we talk with Dino Dogan, founder and CEO. But that’s not all. We’ve got our first in-studio visit by a SuperFred, also known as Dino’s prettier other half, Jillian Jackson. They came for the arroz con pollo and stayed for the podcast. We had a lot of fun and a great conversation about blogging and content.

In This Episode We Talk About

• Whether or not it’s sexist when a man shortens a woman’s name and why interpersonal relationships are about calibration
• The importance of building relationships AFK (away from keyboard)
• How we can tap into our storytelling nature as human beings to blog for business
• The difference between sharing, stealing and curating content (it’s not always as clear cut as you might think!)
• Where platforms like scoop.it and paper.li fall on the strategy spectrum
• Why blogging gets a bad rap (think Doritos and basements)
• Why traffic doesn’t matter and what does
• One super blogging strategy that will help you close business
• Where Triberr fits into this conversation about blogging and content
• Plus we crunch chips, talk about guacamole, make up the word “flignark” and ask ourselves, “WWDD?”

Links & Resources

• Find Jillian’s “to mom” blog at thingsareokay.com
• Follow Jillian on Twitter and say hello. Tag it with #superfred so she knows how you found her! 
• Find Dino at dinodogan.com
• And of course visit triberr.com and tribe up with like-minded bloggers so you can help each other reach new audiences

Your Marketing Action Item

Start a blog! If you have a blog, start an experiment. Choose one person you want to reach, one person you want to convert into a customer and write a blog post for that specific person. You don’t have to name the person, but you do have to answer a question or tackle a topic that matters to them.

Or, experiment with other people’s content (or OCP as Dino calls it). Try embedding their videos into your blog posts to enhance and support your own content (and build those relationships!)

Subscribe to be notified whenever we publish new content and to stay in the loop on some new podcasts and other fun stuff that’s coming up.

Read the related article at http://www.websearchsocial.com/63

Show Notes

Did you buy the BMW of websites then park it in the driveway? Do you sit there now, watching it go nowhere? Well we’re here to tell you that it’s time to change that! Today we tackle the question of whether we, as a company even want to build websites anymore unless we can provide real marketing value and not just a “one off widget”. And we share our thoughts with you on how you may need to change your mindset about your own web presence.

In This Episode We Talk About

• Whether Facebook limits the posts you see on your newsfeed from friends and family vs brand pages (great question asked by #superfred Betty)
• What we’re adding next to the Marketing Game Changer Kit (thanks to #superfred Greg)
• Why having a website isn’t enough and may actually diminish your authority
• The importance of having a “big picture” mindset when it comes to your website
• And more about iterating and getting the most out of your web presence

Your Marketing Action Item

1. From Carol Lynn: look around you right now and find something in your environment that looks interesting. Keep an open mind about what “interesting” means – even a paint splotch has character! Snap a photo of whatever you find, add a caption (describe the photo, share a thought or comment, make a joke) and post it to all your social networks. Don’t forget to add the hashtag #superfred!
2. From Ralph: spend less time on email. Decide which emails are high priority and deal with those - save the rest for later. Don’t answer every email, especially if someone hasn’t asked for a reply. Only check your email twice a day so you can be more efficient. If you can, delegate the email to someone else to answer. And if it’s something you can do or answer in a few seconds (or minutes) then do it now and don’t delay!

Subscribe to be notified whenever we publish new content and to stay in the loop on some new podcasts and other fun stuff that’s coming up.

Show Notes

It’s a banner day on the Web.Search.Social Marketing Podcast! On this episode we talk with Ian Anderson Gray, a SuperFred with an official Web.Search.Social title, otherwise known as our Chief Executive Research Dude. And Ian doesn’t disappoint. He not only brings real research to bear on the conversation but he inspires us to be authentic (and successful!) on social media.

In This Episode We Talk About

• What you should – and shouldn’t – be talking about on social media (and where politics falls on the spectrum)
• How to be your authentic self and why that doesn’t mean that you need to be the same person on every network
• Whether a Facebook personal profile or a business page is the best place to do business
• Why you need to automate while recognizing the dark side of automation
• Plus we ask tough questions like, “Should you be positive online?” and “Is it ok to accept a LinkedIn invitation from everyone?”

Links & Resources

• Follow SuperFred and recovering content curator Brett Cohrs on Twitter, and thank him for helping us achieve our goal of world domination (and leaving the marketing status quo behind)
• Visit Ian’s website and get his take on social media (plus connect with him from there on about a billion social networks)
• Find him on his favorite social network, Twitter
• Find Ian on Google Plus
• Read Ian’s article 6 Answers to Common Social Media Questions
• Visit SoundCloud to listen to Ian’s amazing baritone
• Try Friends Plus Me to share on Google Plus
• Check out Commun.it to help manage your Twitter following and engagement

Your Marketing Action Item

Learn to use Twitter lists! Think about how you can segment your followers (or even people who don’t follow you) so you can connect more effectively. Try Ian’s idea: create a list for prospects, customers and influencers.

Subscribe to be notified whenever we publish new content and to stay in the loop on some new podcasts and other fun stuff that’s coming up.

Read the article at http://www.websearchsocial.com/60

To read the article visit http://www.websearchsocial.com/59

Today it’s all branding all the time… well, except for the other stuff about hosting and avatars and clones and SuperFreds. But it’s mostly branding! More specifically it's about the visual identity component of your brand, why it’s important and what you as a small business person need to think about.

In This Episode We Talk About

• What you need to think about when you’re developing a visual identity
• When obsession with your brand is helpful and when it goes overboard
• The importance of consistency and why it’s ok to iterate instead of taking on a major overhaul
• Plus we name a new SuperFred position and thank her for helping us get one step closer to world domination

Links & Resources

• Watch Miranda Sanchez talk about the Game of the Year on IGN
• Visit SuperFred Colleen Conger, aka the official Chief Friend Manager of the Web.Search.Social Marketing Podcast
  • Colleen Conger, writer
  • Colleen Conger Digital Photo and Design
  • Colleen Conger ThinkWebGo Digital marketing

Subscribe to be notified whenever we publish new content and to stay in the loop on some new podcasts and other fun stuff that’s coming up.

Show Notes

If you don’t know Janet E. Johnson yet then you’re in for a treat. She hosts her own video podcast called Social Media Hangout Time but it’s not just any old podcast – it’s a podcast with a puppet! What better way to make social media lessons memorable than to tell them with a little… panache?

Janet knows more than puppets, though. She’s a social media whiz who gets real about strategy and results. Just the kind of thing we love to talk about! Tune in for great advice and a good time, too.

In This Episode We Talk About

• The best way to deal with the inevitable technology snafus that happen when you’re doing a hangout, webinar, video or producing other live content
• The increasing importance of video in your social strategy and what you need to be doing to make it effective
• Why you can’t expect a real social media return without an ad budget
• How to be successful with social media without curating content and even without directly promoting your business
• When it’s time to hire a professional to help or guide you
• And more about using social media to your advantage even if all you’ve got to share is a photo of a paint splotch on a wall

Links & Resources

• Visit Janet’s website for info about her services and links to all of her social profiles
• Watch Janet and Kimmy the Puppet talk social media on Social Media Hangout Time (Click on “blog” on the menu to get to the shows – you may want to check out episodes 34 and 37 in particular!)
• Show some love to Lisa Saline, the very strong bicep and voice behind Kimmy the Puppet – shoot her a hello on Twitter and visit her website
• Get Janet’s free content guide to growing your business through social media
• Get in on Janet’s Social With Video workshop so you can make the most of video in your online marketing strategy
• Read Janet’s take on how to deal with your lower reach on Facebook

Subscribe to be notified whenever we publish new content and to stay in the loop on some new podcasts and other fun stuff that’s coming up.

Read the article at http://www.websearchsocial.com/56

To read the accompanying article visit http://www.websearchsocial.com/55

Show Notes

Do you have the right marketing mindset? Before we can talk tactics and even before we can talk strategy it’s important to start with the right mindset. What does that mean? Tune in and we’ll tell you!

In This Episode We Talk About

• Why you shouldn’t be afraid of the competition and how your competitors can help you instead
• What you should pay attention to – and not pay attention to – when it comes to metrics
• The dangers of getting too comfortable with your marketing
• And more about getting “outside your box”, smiting bad guys and other helpful tips
• Plus we christen the second official Web.Search.Social villain, aka "Other Dude". Unlike our original villain "Some Dude", Other Dude is solely focused on stealing your content.

Links & Resources

• Visit Alisa Meredith’s website and find her online (if you ask nicely she might just be your running buddy, too!
• Read Ralph’s article…. What Happens When Your Web Developer Dies And Other Such Musings
• Watch Jason T. Wiser’s clip about getting the cash register to ring
• Read the Google Plus thread with Brian Shea about hosting complexities

Subscribe to be notified whenever we publish new content and to stay in the loop on some new podcasts and other fun stuff that’s coming up.

Show Notes

SEO sends shivers down many spines and when it comes to search optimization, lots of small business people have one of two reactions: they either obsessively chase down the latest Google rule or they put their heads in the sand and opt out entirely. Well, we’re here to say that you don’t have to do either! Listen as we talk to Pam Aungst of Pam Ann Marketing about what you need to know to make good SEO decisions.

In This Episode We Talk About

• What SEO means in 2015 (it may not be what you think)
• The importance of practicing SEO as one component of a holistic marketing strategy
• What red flags you should be looking for if you’re thinking of hiring an SEO company
• How you can do SEO even without doing SEO
• What you can take on yourself and what you definitely should not
• And more about WordPress SEO, the opportunity costs of learning SEO and why SEO still matters

Links & Resources

• Visit Pam’s website at pamannmarketing.com to learn more about her business and how she can help you generate more web traffic
• Check out some of her live events and sign up in the sidebar to be notified of upcoming events
• Follow Pam on Twitter
• Like Pam Ann Marketing on Facebook
• Circle her on Google Plus
• Connect with her on LinkedIn
• Watch Pam’s interview on the Brown Bag Business Chat that Ralph raved about

Subscribe to be notified whenever we publish new content and to stay in the loop on some new podcasts and other fun stuff that’s coming up.

To read the full article or leave a comment, visit http://www.websearchsocial.com/52

To read this article or leave a comment, visit http://www.websearchsocial.com/51

Show Notes

Crack out the champagne because we just hit episode 50 of the Web.Search.Social Marketing Podcast! And we’re here thanks to our audience, Fred, who keeps us going with challenges and ideas and some fantastic feedback. We look forward to another year of challenging the status quo and helping you successfully market your business. With some cocktails and chocolate on the side.

In This Episode We Talk About

• What’s new on the Web.Search.Social Marketing Podcast, including the first Super Fred Shout Out
• Why we don’t make new year resolutions… except for the few we made
• The importance of being positive in your communications with customers and how to do that without being either fake or “Pollyanna-ish”
• Plus we christen a brand new Web.Search.Social position: the Official Pronunciation Teller, bestowed on Super Fred Tammie Rampley

Links & Resources

• Visit Carol Lynn’s Instagram (check out December for cocktails and Christmas presents)
• Visit Ralph’s Instagram (check out December for more cocktails and Christmas presents)
• Find us on Runkeeper and keep us in line with our treadmill resolutions. We promise to be good running buddies!
• Visit Tammie Rampley’s Etsy shop, Tramp Lee Designs for some super fun purses and wristlets
• Check out See’s candy for Scotchmallows and some of the yummiest nuts and chews we’ve eaten
• Read Ralph’s WordPress article that was translated into Spanish by a fan. In the show we mentioned that it was about hosting but it was, in fact, about the cost of building a WordPress site. You can also read the Spanish translation here.
• Visit McCormick Reinmuth Insurance Agency and ask for Justin Reinmuth - he manages our business insurance and we recommend him highly

Subscribe to be notified whenever we publish new content and to stay in the loop on some new podcasts and other fun stuff that’s coming up.