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7 Social Media Trends in 2014

It’s 2014. The world is changing. Some of the trends we saw in 2013 will continue, but others will fall by the wayside.

Content Will Continue to be King image

Content Will Continue to be King

This is blog about seven social media trends to expect in 2014. The trends are in no particular order.

1. Content will continue to be king.

Just as we have seen in 2013, content will continue to rule in 2014. Businesses will be built on content. Content plays a huge role in search engine optimization, which gets people to your site to learn about your business and your products. In 2014, content marketing will change the way we communicate with customers.

Potential customers are looking at your blog, your website, and your customer reviews.

It is not about just putting out any content. In 2014, content will become more personalized to  the customer’s taste and interests.

Images and infographics will continue to be important  visual content especially with the rising popularity of Pinterest, SlideShare, Google+, and  Instagram. The key is to find a topic that connects with your readers.

2. Video marketing will continue to boom.

Customers look to videos to learn about products and businesses.

The popularity of mini-videos like Vine and Instagram’s video sharing feature will rise. Instagram allows
3-15 seconds per video and Vine allows 6 seconds making it super easy to share videos in real time from your smartphone.

The world will continue to shift their television viewing habits online. Customers will be drawn to good video advertising.

3. Mobile will move to the forefront.

While mobile continues to press forward, the strategy will be to get your content easily readable on any screen. According to Forbes, more than half of us have smart phones.

4. Niche sites will grow.

Niche sites created around common interests will thrive. Businesses will continue to choose different platforms to build their businesses. Building online influence within your niche increases business success.

With so much activity going on in and around the web, people will look to niche sites to help them find information that is interesting to them and to filter out the irrelevant noise.

5. Spammy content will be eliminated.

Google will continue to develop sophisticated algorithms to measure link quality and identify spam. As a result, building links will be more difficult. Link-building will continue to move toward a relation-based process.

6. Google+ will become a major player.

Google+ uses verified profiles. Verified profiles are made up of all the sites a person creates content for via their Google+ profile. Traditional SEO is evolving. Instead of relying on inbound links, keywords, etc., Google will rank results based on people who are established content creators – people that have written articles and blogs for people rather than algorithms. To learn more, read Social Media Trends 2014 Part III by Kamber.

7. LinkedIn will become a major player for business growth.

LinkedIn is already the number one social media networking site for professionals. But LinkedIn will become the largest source of content for business professionals. To learn more about LinkedIn, see my article 7 Extremely Useful LinkedIn Optimization Tips.

What have I missed? What social media trends do you expect in 2014?

You may also be interested in reading

Top Digital Marketing Trends in 2014 (Anita Loomba)
The Top Social Media Marketing Trends That Will Dominate 2014 (Jason DeMers)
2014: The Year Content Marketing Finally Grows Up? (Andrew Davies)
Taking Content Marketing to the Next Level: 2014 Predictions (Brent Gleeson)
9 Big Trends for 2014 (You Won’t Believe #9) (Pascal-Emmanuel Gobry)

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How to Create a Presentation from a Microsoft Word Outline

Don't reinvent the wheel

Don’t Reinvent the Wheel – Photo by Riley_Brooklands

If you already have text in a Word outline or another word-processing program, there is no reason to reinvent the wheel.

Learn How to Create a Presentation from a Microsoft Word Outline

You can start with your Word outline and open this data in PowerPoint to create your presentation.

Even if you do not already have your outline created in Word, you may choose to create the text for your slides in a Word outline and then open the outline in PowerPoint (import your outline to PowerPoint). Then add photos and other visual elements to your slide to create an impressive presentation.

PowerPoint can create slides based on an outline created in Word, another word-processing program, or even a web page as long as the text is saved in a format that PowerPoint can recognize.

Let’s briefly discuss file types.

Microsoft Word 2010 and 2007 uses the .docx file extension. When you use an outline created in other programs, save the file  as a Rich Text Format (.rtf) file or plain text (.txt). Web pages that use the .htm or .html extensions can also be imported.

How Does IT Work?

When you open a Word outline or a Rich Text Format document in a presentation, PowerPoint creates an outline and slides based on the structure or heading styles of your outline.

  • Heading 1 of the word-processing document becomes a slide title in PowerPoint.
  • Heading 2 of the word-processing document becomes the first level bulleted text on the PowerPoint slide.
  • Heading 3 of the word-processing document becomes the second level bulleted  text on the PowerPoint slide and so on.

If your word-processing document does not have heading styles, PowerPoint creates an outline and slide titles for each new paragraph.

Let’s get started. Follow the written instructions below or view the video.

How to Create a Presentation from a Microsoft Word Outline

1. Open PowerPoint and Click File on the Ribbon to open Backstage View.

Open PPT and click File on the Ribbon to open Backstage View

Open PPT and click File on the Ribbon to open Backstage View.

2. Click the Open Command to display the Open dialog box. Navigate to find your outline file so that you can open the file. Click the File Type arrow and choose All Outlines.

Change the file type to All Outlines image

Change the file type to All Outlines

3. Click Open to Create the slides and outline in PowerPoint. To see the outline click the Outline tab in the Tabs pane.

Click the Outline tab to view the outline in PowerPoint image

Click the Outline tab to view the outline in PowerPoint

Format Your Slides

Now that you have imported you outline into PowerPoint and have the basic structure of your presentation, you are ready to make it look great. Change your theme, layout,  and add beautiful photos.

Check out these tips for great presentations.

How to Create a Presentation from a Microsoft Word Outline | Video Tutorial

Were you able to follow the steps to create your presentation? What questions or comments do you have? Do you prefer the written instructions or the video format? Add to the Comment Section.

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How to Make a Selection with The Magic Wand Using Pixelmator

Do you have a Mac? If so, you will love Pixelmator.

Pixelmator is a full-featured image editing app for the Mac.

And it is very affordable! Only $29.99. Isn’t that amazing?

You can download a 30-day trial and get started right away.

I plan to deliver a series of tutorials on how to use Pixelmator.

In this tutorial, you will learn a few basic editing skills.

How to Make a Selection with The Magic Wand Using Pixelmator.

You will also learn how to add cool special effects using Favorites from the Effects Menu.

Watch the video or read the written instructions.

OK, dear hearts, let’s get started.

This is the image we want to edit.

Flag image

Flag

This is what the finished product will look like

Edited Image in Pixelmator image

Edited Image in Pixelmator

Step 1: Open an image in Pixelmator

Open an Image in Pixelmator image

Open an Image in Pixelmator

 

Step 2: Select the Magic Wand

From the Tools Menu, select the Magic Wand. Click on your image and drag slightly in the area you wish to select. Make sure the Add to Selection button is selected. If you mess up, use Command Z to unselect your last selection.

Magic Wand Tool in Pixelmator image

Magic Wand Tool in Pixelmator

Add to Selection image

Add to Selection

To deselect part of an image, choose the Subtract from selection radio button.

Subtract from Selection button image

Subtract from Selection button

Step 3: Choose an Effect

  • Choose an effect from the Favorite menu. If you don’t see the menu bar choose View, Show Effects. Only the selected part of your image will be changed. Change All Effects in the Effects Browser to Favorites. You can double click on the effect or drag and drop the effect icon on to the image. Click OK when you get the effect you want.
    • Change All Effects to Favorites image

    Change All Effects to Favorites

  • Choose Zoom Blur. Experiment with the amount of blur by dragging the slider. When you are satisfied with the effect, click OK.
    • Zoom Blur Effect image

    Zoom Blur Effect

  • Under Color Adjustments, Choose Brightness. Drag the slider down just a tad bit. Increase the contrast. Click OK.
    • Under Color Adjustments, Choose Brightness image

    Under Color Adjustments, Choose Brightness

    When complete, choose File, Export, and export your image to a .jpeg or other type file of your choice.

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21 Mind Numbing Google+ Facts, Figures, and Statistics

Mind Numbing Statistics Image

Mind Numbing Statistics – Photo by Microsoft

Google has made amazing strides in computing. We enjoy most of these technological benefits, but some of these facts, figures, and statistics reveal how much Google can potentially know about you.

Consider photos on Google+. Based on the photos you upload, if you search for “beach” or “sunset,” Google’s pattern recognition can find all of your pictures with a beach or sunset in the image.

And you probably already know that Google searches the content of your private emails to present relevant advertising to you.

The brilliant engineers at Google are always trying to find out about you so they can decide from your online behavior what you are willing to buy.

Check out these Google+ facts, figures, and statistics. Some  may make you angry. Like how the NSA (National Security Agency) secretly tapped into Google. Allegedly, the NSA subverted the law by intercepting communications between Google’s various data centers.

21 Mind Numbing Google+ Facts, Figures, and Statistics

Which ones benefit you? Which ones concern you? Do any surprise you? Do any make you angry? Please add to the Comment section.

  1. 60% more users than Twitter.
  2. 500 million monthly active users.
  3. 625,000 people join Google+ everyday.
  4. The majority of users, 67%, are male.
  5. 1.5 billion image uploads per week.
  6. 2nd largest social media site in the world.
  7. Offers “Helpouts” for getting face time with experts on all different kinds of topics.
  8. Provides Photoshop-like set of tools for enhancing photos.
  9. Ability to combine images, videos, and licensed music into a single video clip.
  10. Offers custom URLs (also called vanity URLs) to the average user.
  11. Automatically analyzes home videos taken on smart phones and uploaded to Google+.
  12. Incorporates SMS text messaging into Google’s messaging service.
  13. Location-sharing capabilities.
  14. YouTube comment system is now integrated with Google+ and comments are sorted by relevance rather than date.
  15. Live-streaming Google Hangouts which operate like broadcast television.
  16. Ability to use text searches to find images in photos.
  17. Connected classrooms enables students around the world to take virtual field trips.
  18. NSA has been getting confidential information from Google.
  19. The Chinese have hacked Google sites.
  20. If you share a video on your Google+ Page, it will link back automatically to the original YouTube page.
  21. YouTube comments now requires a Google+ Login.

Sources:
Time Magazine asked Brian Solis About the State and Future of Google+
Google Will Soon Display Your Google+ Photo When You Call an Android Phone (Matt Brian)
The Beginner’s Guide to Google+ (Ryan Lytle)
5 Reasons Helpouts is Good Business for Google (Jolie O’Dell)
Google+ Brings Massive Upgrades for its Most Loyal users: Photographers (Jolie O’Dell)
Google+ Rolls Out Movie-Making Features (Alexei Oreskovic)
New YouTube Comment System Integrated with Google+ Now Available (Andrew MartoniK)
You’re Just Too Monetizable for Google+ to Ever Go Away (Marcus Wohlsen & Ryan Tate)
Google+: Explore the Word, Right from the Classroom (Google Official Blog)
How We Know the NSA Has Access to Internal Google and Yahoo Cloud Data (Barton Gellman)
Google+ Adds new Privacy Controls for Business (Barry Levine)
NSA Secretly Monitoring Google, Yahoo Servers (FoxNews)
Google Overhauls YouTube Comments, Now Requires Google+ Login (Mike Flacy)

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Presentation Tip: Enhance your Credibility with the Power Pause

Napoleon Bonaparte image

Napoleon Bonaparte

You can enhance your credibility by the way you act. In his excellent book, Speak Like Churchill, Stand Like Lincoln, James Humes recommends that you enhance your credibility with the power pause.

Enhance Your Credibility with the Power Pause

Humes uses great historical speakers to demonstrate the importance of the power pause.

Napoleon Bonaparte was a master of the power pause. Napoleon was only 5’2″ tall and yet he was admired and feared throughout Europe.

Napoleon would stand silent for a full 40 to 50 seconds before he would begin his speech.

A long pause can help command attention and generate audience anticipation. Use the power pause to draw the attention of your audience.

Pause before you begin your presentation, and force the audience to react to your silence. The audience will perceive that you are in control and self-confident. While you may not want to pause as long a Napoleon Bonaparte, pause for at least five seconds before you begin your presentation. Five seconds of silence will seem like a long time, but force yourself to remain silent. Every second you wait will strengthen your presentation.

Pauses help command attention and respect

A power pause can be used to amplify your authority. If someone asks you a question, pause before you talk. Your pause will add weight to your answer. Before you answer look directly in the eyes of your questioner.

Queen Elizabeth was short and sometimes had to stand on a stool to reach the microphone. She paused before she began speaking forcing the audience to pay close attention to what she would say.

The power pause can be used as a psychological equalizer.

Men as well as women can gain respect through the power pause.

Humes suggest that you stand silently and lock your eyes on each of your listeners. Remain silent while you say in you mind each sentence of your opening statement.

Pauses replace filer words

Too many filler words (um, er, uh, ah) can damage your credibility. Instead of trying to fill up your talk with filler words, use pauses to help you think of your next words.

Nehemiah, the central figure of the Book of Nehemiah in the Bible, used the power pause. Nehemiah was cup-bearer to the king of Persia, King Artaxerxes. Nehemiah needed to ask the king a favor. But before he responded, he said a quick prayer.

A quick silent prayer before your presentation would be the best way to stage a power pause and pray for calmness, wisdom, and success at the same time.

Pauses give your audience time to process your ideas

Master the power pause. Pause longer and pause more often. Stage your silence and make sure that the silence appears authentic.

The audience needs time to process your ideas. Capitalize on the power of silence by allowing your audience time to absorb what you have said and formulate pictures in their own minds.

The next time you give a presentation, capitalize on the power of silence. Talk less, pause more, and the audience will be amazed at your self-confidence and composure.

Now it’s your turn. Have you tried using the power pause in your presentation? Was it effective? What other public speaking tips have you found beneficial. Please add your thoughts to the Comment section.

You may also be interested in reading:
Speech Pauses: 12 Techniques to Speak Volumes with Your Silence (Andrew Dlugan)
Powerful Pauses in Presentations (Michelle Mazur)