It’s Ad-Free

The most notable aspect of Ello is that it’s entirely free of advertisements. It does not sell or show ads and users’ personal data is not bought or sold. Ello is also a USA Public Benefit Corporation, which means that it’s highly unlikely they will ever be able to sell ads or user information. Different from the services offered by networks like Facebook, Twitter and the like, you can check out their policy here.

It’s Free-Free

Ello is free to use and users will never have to pay anything. However, the creative team frequently offers special features and, if you like them, it costs a small amount to have the feature added to your account. This money goes to support the continued improvement of the network.

How Do I Join?

At this point in time, Ello is invitation-only. If you know someone who is currently using the social media network, you can ask them to invite you. You can also request an invitation code via the site’s home page. Once you’ve received the code, you can enter it here.

Design

The layout and style of Ello is simple, clean and minimalist. Though the site is relatively stark in comparison to much social media, it is easy to use and uncluttered. Individual profiles feature a header and profile photo, username, short bio and links.

How It Works

Similar to many other networks, Ello users can follow and mention one another, and also comment on one another’s posts. The homepage is divided into two panels – one displays the Control Panel (which gives users access to the site’s many features) as well as users being followed. Followed users are divided into two groups – “Friends” and “Noise.” The second panel displays a timeline of posts from the users in the selected group that can be scrolled through and interacted with. To learn more about the nitty-gritty, check out this user manual.

Now that you know what Ello’s all about, it’s time to take the plunge! Sleek, stylish and secure, it’s the new “it” thing for individuals looking for an ad-free experience. Try it out and let us know what you think on Facebook or Twitter.

Keep Up On LinkedIn

Despite your best intentions, it’s possible you haven’t been keeping up with your company’s LinkedIn profile. This year, dedicate yourself to regular maintenance – following others, posting status updates, interacting with other users and more.

Try Something New

Get off on the right foot by trying a brand new network! If you’re already on Facebook and Twitter, check out newcomers Yo or the ad-free Ello or launch an account on a popular photo sharing site such as Instagram, SnapChat or Pinterest. Stay tuned for more in-depth posts on these new networks.

Change Your Passwords

Keep your accounts secure by changing your passwords frequently (if you don’t already, commit to changing them at least a couple of times a year – more is even better!). Opt for a combination of letters, numbers and symbols and record it somewhere safe just in case you forget. Having a different, secure password for each network is often recommended.

Engage More

Engaging and interacting with others puts the social in social media. Get on there and get active ASAP – you’ll be surprised by what you learn about yourself, your business and your potential and current customers.

Use Twitter’s Mute Function

Twitter added the ability to mute users in 2014. This means that you can follow as many users as you like, including courtesy followbacks, without having to scroll through their tweets in your feed. Win-win.

If you make one of these 5 social media New Year’s resolutions, you’re guaranteed to boost your business’s online presence in 2015. From keeping your accounts secure to trying out new functions and networks, engaging with users and keeping up on LinkedIn, you’ll want to follow through.

Image Credit: Resolving to Write More – A Worthy Thought by Carol VanHook, via Flickr, CC License, no changes made

Vibrant Visuals

It’s all about the visuals, and Facebook itself has confirmed a decrease in the distribution of text-based statuses. Many social networks are encouraging businesses and users to embrace visual content, which, according to Social Media Examiner, receives an astounding 94 percent more views. The same article states that visuals are processed 60,000 times faster than text by the brain, making it no question why viewers prefer images. Visuals also contribute to brand growth (think logos and advertisements) and, in turn, a more widespread audience.

Living the Life

It’s time to shift focus from promotional posts for the sake of sales to touting how your products and services influence customers’ lifestyles. Selling what your business stands for, as opposed to the products themselves, engages users in a natural, organic way. Content can be more creative and rewarding, both for the reader and the writer. For example, why not start a blog series that offers readers a relevant freebie, such as Urban Outfitters’ #MusicMonday playlist downloads? That’s surely more interesting than another dress description.

Podcasts

Still an emerging medium, a podcast is a digital audio file made available for downloading. New and novel, they capture the attention of audiences in a genuine, engaging way, ideal for viewers who prefer listening over reading. Easy to digest, this tool is bound to become more and more valuable as 2014 progresses; according to Huffington Post, while only 5 percent of marketers are currently involved in podcasting, 24 percent plan to incorporate it into their strategy. Examples of businesses who have achieved podcast success include WEBS, Greenfeet.com and Copyright Clearance Centre.

Social media is here to stay, and we’re sure you didn’t need convincing. Staying on par with today’s trends, from visual content’s growing prevalence to audio files and a leaning towards lifestyle posts, is key to shining bright instead of fading into the background. Looking to learn more? Click here.

Image Credit: Miami Agent Magazine

Inconsistency

Consistency is key when it comes to social media. If you’ve fallen into a rut of posting at off-times, forgetting to schedule content in advance and cycling between periods of high activity and falling off the face of the Twitter-planet, you’re going to appear unreliable and undedicated. Find your footing by crafting a plan for posting and sticking to it. You can even use one of those nifty publishing platforms, like HootSuite or Sprout Social, to make it even easier.

Cookie-Cutter Content

Standing out on social media requires innovation. Customers are much less likely to like and follow businesses that think within the box instead of outside of it. However well written and researched, blog posts, infographics and other content must offer something unique and tailored to the audience in question. Before you post, ask yourself: is this different than everything else that’s out there?

Too Much Horn Tooting

Twitter and Facebook are not simply channels for self-promotion. While the occasional tweet describing your services, advertising a sale, boasting about a completed project or linking to your website is welcome, users don’t follow companies that post only about themselves. Follow the golden “80/20 Rule” – 80% of your posts should be about generating and maintaining interest (think industry news, product releases and insightful, useful blog posts) while the remaining 20% can be used to, you guessed it, toot your own horn.

Too Little Personality

While it’s (sometimes) okay for big box brands to post generic, bland updates, start-ups and smaller businesses don’t get anywhere if they don’t let their personality shine. Instead of sticking to strictly a professional voice, which can come off as stuffy and boring, humanize your brand to generate interest and build loyalty, which in turn boosts website traffic and more. Make a goal to connect with your audience in a personal way; create an authentic voice your audience can connect with.

Lack of Conversation

Social media is one of the best ways to interact with your audience. Genuine interaction generates likes and follows and fosters a positive environment; potential and current customers feel like you’re listening, which builds trust and credibility. If you’re posting great content regularly but not conversing with others, boost your presence by replying, tweeting, sharing and commenting.

Image Credit: AdBuzz

If you’re a business owner whose website has lost traffic as a result of these algorithm updates, you’re likely not concerned with the technicalities behind the drop, and more with how to fix it ASAP, however, understanding the basic inner workings of SEO is key to mapping out a recovery strategy. Here are some tips to help get you back on track:

Understand The Difference Between On-Page & Off-Page SEO

This may sound obvious to those already aware, but you’d be surprised at how many small business owners with websites don’t even know what SEO stands for (it’s Search Engine Optimization, by the way). The two main types of SEO are on-page and off-page. In a nutshell, on-page SEO refers to changes made physically on your site (eg. writing new copy, assigning meta tags), whereas off-page refers to how many other websites, social media platforms and blogs are linking back to your site as an indicator of quality content. To be clear, Penguin 1.0 and 2.0 affected peoples’ off-page SEO significantly more than their on-page (if at all) because the algorithms’ main purpose was to punish websites who engaged in black hat back linking techniques. By running an on-page SEO checklist for your own website, you can officially rule out the issue being an internal problem and focus on what’s really keeping you down.

Be Prepared To Write & Reach Out

With the Penguin updates, Google has essentially backed business owners into and corner and forced them to reevaluate their existing traffic-driving strategies. If you were buying links pre-penguin, that’s now a no-no, so you should be prepared to dedicate resources to things like blogging, social media and link exchanges with reputable websites. The new SEO revolves around content, content, content, and it’s your responsibility to produce and market the kind of content that is both interesting to your target audience and relevant to your business. Run a sports shop? Write a weekly blog about the latest equipment or industry trends and encourage your readership to comment on it. Own a restaurant and want more customers? Start a Facebook page, regularly update it with your daily/weekly specials and encouraging people to click through to your website for a deeper look at the menu. Want to expand your link portfolio in an honest, white-hat way? Reach out to other local businesses and encourage them to do a link exchange with you (it’s win-win). Always be thinking of new ways to write intriguing copy and reach out to your clients and/or potential customers.