By: Gregory Pride
Photo credit: www.nicolassolop.com
Observing the Share of Ear report, the obvious takeaway is that podcast listening and awareness are all significantly on the rise. This year, more than half of the survey respondents knew what podcasting is, and that is very important. What that means is that now is a better time than ever before for a company or individual to start developing a brand via podcasts. There are a few possibilities for how a brand could be grown through this medium, but they require dedication and a great deal of patience.
The first, on the individual side, comes from the information about education. Podcast consumers are starting to become more and more like mainstream America, according to the study, so podcasts about very mundane or specialized topics could actually have an audience now. Shows about video games, movie reviews, or other aspects of pop culture could allow an individual to reach out to the market and gain a wider audience.
The biggest value for businesses is that podcasting allows them to reach out to consumers in a venue where they can’t easily grab their attention: the car. By creating a weekly or monthly show about topics of interest to their customer base, they’ll be able to expose consumers to their products while they’re just driving around. As long as the show is actually on a topic that the customers enjoy, this will be a great opportunity for businesses.
Most importantly, podcasting is a venue that’s constantly growing. The trend is rising upwards in every aspect, and individuals building themselves up or businesses growing their brands need to hop on the trend before the market is too flooded for them to gain ground.
Share of Ear
So what’s alluring about vanishing photos, videos and filters? Unlike the ever-lasting portal of Facebook and Instagram, Snapchat holds content that cannot be scanned by Googlet least not yet, we’re watching you Google +). To follow a brand that is not paying to play on the main page, one has to manually enter the exact name or scan a barcode. Snapchat takes more effort than traditional social media networks to engage with, meaning those who do engage feel a much stronger connection than just scrolling through a curated feed. Since a user can switch from plastic surgery cuts to CNN breaking news through a simple swipe, the options become limitless for what brands can offer.
Twitter chats are a great way to help establish your brand as an expert in a particular area and interact directly with your customers. With a small investment of time, you can generate a broad awareness and increase engagement with your target audience. Planning is key to a successful chat. Here are five common mistakes you’ll want to avoid as you put your chat together. 
Recently, my alma matter was named a top 5 business school in the United States. While I wasn’t particularly surprised by this fact, I found myself surprisingly disappointed. I have been out of college for a little under two years and I resent my university for being praised on being a “#
By: Christina Scott
LinkedIn Groups…ugh. Most people have a Love/Hate relationship with them. They love the “promise” of a group and the value they get from one that’s well-managed, but they hate the spam-y-ness and irrelevant chatter that some groups spew. However, done well, LinkedIn Groups can be an invaluable tool to growing your business-to-business endeavor. 
