BLOG.TARAHUSBAND.COM

Why Do People Need to Hire a Social Media Strategist?

tara@tarahusband.com (Tara H.) — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 06:48:00 GMT

Business owners really seem to understand Social Media is the way to go these days. I say this because people are always excited to talk to me and work is coming my way rather fast. There is buzz everywhere.

Last night I went to Barnes and Noble and I found the new Social Media book for Dummies. The big yellow and black book explores the basics of the main social media outlets in 818 pages!

I am a business owner and developer before a social media consultant so I understand the limited time constraints of learning an entire new technology that never ends.

You begin with a website and next they tell you about search engine optimization. You understand that you want to be found when people search for you so you trust your web developer to do some tricks. After a year, you sigh, wondering what business came from where - maybe you received a printout or two you don't quite understand or believe.

Then comes facebook. Well, you signed up for it at some point but never really used it much although it was kind of fun to find buddies locate you.

Now, somehow it's important to use it for your business? Plus, you need to use your phone in some smart way? This twitter thing - is that just for Hollywood people or kids? And what is youtube exactly?

The exciting news is our company has most of it figured out and the majority of it is free! It's just our time involved and we work FAST! As a business owner, I have weeded out what works, what wastes time, and how to stream-line work. It is a very exciting time for customers, business owners and new ideas.

Take a deep breath...your future customers are waiting in anticipation.

All the Best
Tara Husband

Power of Plausible Perceptions - Step 2

tara@tarahusband.com (Tara H.) — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 22:22:00 GMT

Being pulled in many directions? Maybe it's not such a bad thing.

Goal #1
Goal number one in the Social Media, Building a Business Plan and Dream Building is writing down your goals; Making it specific. Cut out a picture and put it before you so you know what you want. I have been there and a specific goal does not equal the dream!

A New Approach
Over and over I am watching business people online "Go Fishing!"

I'm using this terminology for a metaphor for business, of course. We start a business, get an idea for another one, start it, and then another, and then another. It reminds me very much of watching my dad dropping lines into the water waiting for the fish to bite.

In a normal store front operation it's too expensive to fish for every idea; however, online almost everything is free. Open up another business on etsy.com, a blog or wordpress and see if you get "bites". Whatever inspires you.

The niche business is new, honest, creative and real. It flows differently than business did ten years ago. Check out Fishin' Chix - a fishing sisterhood ninche from Florida (click on image).

Power of Plausible Perceptions - Step 2 is Don't Be Afraid to Wander! You may just catch a big one while you're "wasting time" online!

All the Best!
Tara

Coffeehouse Cool Stuff

tara@tarahusband.com (Tara H.) — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 15:15:00 GMT

I Can Make an Awesome Latte!

I used to own a coffehouse in Miami called The Warehouse Cafe.
While we switch from one Social Media category to the next
I'll add a much needed coffee receipe break and picture!

How I made this Latte:

Always make sure to have 2% or light milk - it froths better
Make sure the milk is COLD
Keep the STEEL frothing pitcher in the fridge so it also is cold
Use your favorite espresso (today I used PILON) because I live a long time and am still a fand of Cuban coffee
I have a Via Venezia from Starbucks Cappuccino maker and it does the trick
I add the espresso pressing it in pretty hard - enough to make two shots (I like it strong)
I steam my milk - emptying the shaft of water first - some machines you have to. Keep the steamer down at the bottom at first and then bring it towards the top. Spinning the milk is a kiss of death for the froth. Don't do that.
I tap the froth container making sure my froth is nice and strong once it is finished.
Pour your milk in about 1/2 way.
Spoon in your froth.
Lightly pour in your espresso. It helps if you have a mini milking frother because there is a ledge to pour from - not a sloppy pour. A sloppy pour of espresso won't layer.

Yummy!

I tell you what, going from having a store-front operation to an online company that you can promote with many online Social Media outlets for free blows me away! I'm very excited. Please visit and subscribe to this blog and visit my new one at www.SocialMediaGoneWILD.com !

Our Next Social Media Blog will be Twitter with Me!

All the Best!

Tara

www.tarahusband.com

Blog with Me! Adding Ads to Your Site!

tara@tarahusband.com (Tara H.) — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 06:02:00 GMT

jillian michaels

Why is there a picture of Jillian Michaels on my Blog?
Some lame attempt to use Jillian Michaels name to catch visitors?
Actually, not at all. I'd have to have a fan site before visitors make it here, however...

ADVERTISING ON YOUR WEBSITE

i've just worked all day on adwords and my brain is fried and i'm hungry
forgive the lack of punctuation

i have spent the last 7 years working with www.google/adwords .com
(i hired google to create ads around my search words for my products and paid per click as people clicked on the ad)

today i developed ads using www.google/adsense
a remarkable product that allows be to earn money from my website by placing other peoples ads on my webpage

It would behoove you to look around at least google adsense if not google sites.

i also advertised my own products

Finally, I'm now an affiliate for Go Daddy products.
I adore their products, have been using them for years.
PLUS, they have 24 hour customer service with all techs being from the USA! Oh!
And customer service is FREE

Where does Jillian Michaels fit in?
Well, she has the only show on tv (kickboxing) I actually work out to - love it!
PLUS, This week she became the new REP for Go Daddy!

Go see more of Jillian and Go Daddy Products by clicking below:

Domain Sale! $7.49 .com at GoDaddy

We're also excited about doing a "Reciprocal Link" meaning they advertise my blog and I do the same for them
for an Edgy & Cool Website. Plus, they have interesting elements on their site. Check them out!

The Budget Fashionista
www.thebudgetfashionista.com

All the Best!
Tara

www.tarahusband.com

Blog with Me! Buying Your Domain Name -- READ FIRST!!!

tara@tarahusband.com (Tara H.) — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 03:40:00 GMT

I have been registering domain names for many years now with www.godaddy.com.
I’ve even bought them for other people as gifts.
I’ve lost an important one to me because I forgot to renew it but that isn’t what this is about.

Recently, I was told “Buy your domain names for as long as possible because it helps with Search Engine Optimization.” I had no idea. Honestly, I didn’t believe it because nobody ever told me this.
Why doesn’t www.godaddy.com have big signs promoting this?

Google's Patent of 2005
Looking back into web history (2005) Google received a patent “Information Retrieval Based on Historical Data.” It was reviewed by different sources all claiming that the patent stated:

1) Valuable (legitimate) domains are often paid for several years in advance, while doorway (illegitimate) domains rarely are used for more than a year.

Experts in Search Engine Optimization (having your website placed high in the search engines) believe that it plays a part in the algorithm of the spider web we spoke about in yesterday’s blog: http://blog.tarahusband.com/2010/09/15/blog-with-me--spiders-are-good-for-your-blogs.aspx It definitely makes sense.

On the other side, quirky names that are relevant now may not be relevant in a couple years. I just bought a domain name with “Social Media” in it which is hot right now – I'm sure something else will be relevant in a couple years - in 10 years Social Media will probably be a history lesson!

The way I see it, I can always sell it!

Read More on Age of Your Website at http://www.webconfs.com/age-of-domain-and-serps-article-6.php

All the Best!

Tara

www.TaraHusband.com

Blog with Me! Cool Widgets!

tara@tarahusband.com (Tara H.) — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 02:55:00 GMT

Many times widgets will be your clocks, daily weather
or even games like PAC-MAN!

Definition of a Widget:

A widget these days has many definitions because it has now crossed many technological borders. However, on the web it is code installed in a particular way that can be "reused."

On the blog program I use I go under settings and they give me a variety of widgets to choose from and they instantly appear on my blog. I could easily add a notepad, calendar or Google search. I have added the twitter feed down at the bottom.

Outside of my blog program there are thousands to choose from and it is pretty easy to imbed them into your blog or website. I have found a video that explains it step by step.

Have Fun!

All the Best

Tara

www.TaraHusband.com

Blog with Me! Spiders are a Good Thing!

tara@tarahusband.com (Tara H.) — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 22:17:00 GMT

Blogs are One Place You Want Spiders Crawling All Over!!!

There are a couple of points about spiders and blogs -- completely relevant!

How SEO works:

There are electronic spiders or “bots” at work all the time checking out your site, following links and heading to the next. They copy links, record information and it never stops. This is how the search engines like google and bing have such incredible databases. The bots also read information in a certain way, that’s why tags, links and using certain words over and over in a certain order can be crucial. The bots like a road map!

Do your research:

My website www.tarahusband.com is really a big resume for me. It is not a very good website for SEO. If you look at www.lowmilksupply.com my other website with products, that is a website that has a specific niche market. I search google adwords and find people searching on words such as “fenugreek” which is the main ingredient in my product. However, on www.tarahusband.com when I look for people searching for “communications strategist” I get 0 people searching. It would behoove me to think ahead and change it to something in social media or find a more specific area to promote myself.

Do your research and collect the words that people are searching on around your target subject you want to write or sell. Google adwords is a great place to find them. Use those words in tags over and over, so the bots can pick it up. Label you pictures, videos and pods with these words. Keep linking even within yourself as you see me do now: http://blog.tarahusband.com/2010/09/08/blog-with-me--have-you-lost-your-way--linkinglooking-back.aspx. Bots like it!

When I make another website for my lowmilksupply tea products, I will have a page on each subject that they are searching on with links, videos, and all kinds of relevant information on each page.

Aaron Wormus host of the meetup on Clematis St. (love it) http://www.meetup.com/webmonday/. Make sure to join some kind of technical group to find answers and gain new ideas! Carolyn, the speaker gave us an entire list of ideas.

All the Best!

Tara

www.tarahusband.com

Blog with Me! Bad, Bad, Bad Linking!

tara@tarahusband.com (Tara H.) — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 00:58:00 GMT

Being Authentic in a Blog!

How to be as real as possible!

Watch my next attempt at a video.

Sitting in my kitchen, no makeup and I'm talking to you about

Link Spamming and BEING REAL in a blog. YIKES!

This is real, guys!

LINK SPAMMING!

BTW, this is obviously not scripted nor professionally video taped. I wanted to just talk to you.
I have also been advised to begin amateur (which I am) then we have a starting place to see how far we can go with this.
Watch and see. Should be fun!

All the Best!

Tara

www.TaraHusband.com

Blog with Me! Linking - Outgoing Trackbacks and a Little Honesty!

tara@tarahusband.com (Tara H.) — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 22:58:00 GMT

Truly Connecting - Trackbacks!

HONESTY FIRST
This blogging thing is not going so well and it's the simple things that are holding me up. I will investigate and write a blog, save it and it will disappear. Or, the fonts will take me an hour. I'll have to work in HTML trying to delete and add headings from the wrong places. But I'm LOVING the rest of it. Just minor details.

TRACKBACKS
Trackbacks are a way for people to link to your website or for you to give credit to someone elses. Rowse and Garrett write in their book PROBLOGGER "Though some bloggers hate them (trackbacks) due to spammers taking advantage of the free link back, blogs utilize them to further conversations and as notification of what others are writing about you."

In my quickblogcast program that I utilize to write this blog we have a field called Outgoing Trackbacks. I'm now going to link this blog to their website www.problogger.net so they know a reader of their book and tweets has spoken of them.

As we track back and forth a great deal of the magic happens. It's the part of technology that makes me fired up and in love with this work! Connections are made. Personal connections. Twitter me at www.twitter.com/tarahusband

All the Best,

Tara H.

www.tarahusband.com

This blogging thing is not going so well and it's the simple things that are holding me up. I will investigate and write a blog, save it and it will disappear. Or, the fonts will take me an hour. I'll have to work in HTML trying to delete and add headings from the wrong places. But I'm LOVING the rest of it. Just minor details.Trackbacks are a way for people to link to your website or for you to give credit to someone elses. Rowse and Garrett write in their book "Though some bloggers hate them (trackbacks) due to spammers taking advantage of the free link back, blogs utilize them to further conversations and as notification of what others are writing about you."In my quickblogcast program that I utilize to write this blog we have a field called I'm now going to link this blog to their website so they know a reader of their book and tweets has spoken of them. All the Best,Tara H.

Blog with Me! Have You Lost Your Way? Linking/Looking Back

tara@tarahusband.com (Tara H.) — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 01:53:26 GMT

GOOGLE INSTANT - SAVES YOU 2-5 SECONDS PER SEARCH

In the recent release of Google Instant www.google.com/instant making everything faster
than ever before (even though I use www.bing.com - love the graphics) today's post will be quick!

LINKING

It's important to link within your blog and keep your blog active. Search engines like this. It makes your content resuable. Search engines don't like it when you copy or duplicate content.

For example, just in case you have just joined us or have lost your way in this blog I'm going to "link back" to several of my favorite and some of the most important blogs.

Adding Color
http://blog.tarahusband.com/2010/09/02/blog-with-me--adding-color-and-pictures.aspx

Adding a Podcast
http://blog.tarahusband.com/2010/08/25/blog-with-me--whats-a-podcast-2.aspx

Search Engine Optimization
http://blog.tarahusband.com/2010/08/29/blog-with-me--seo--search-engine-optimization.aspx

And that's just a few of them! The rest you can find to the right of this blog under "Recent Entries." I'm learning so much and have exciting information to share. More to come on LINKING, Widgets, Settings, and we have to start ADVERTISING soon! Google is knocking at my door. Yours too. Let's do this thing!

All the Best!

Tara H.

www.tarahusband.com