Buzz and Brilliance: Week ending Mar 23

Over the week we go through a lot of content - news and blog posts, how tos and conceptual posts on the state of the internet.  Every Sunday we share some of our favourites with you.

Check out the links and let us know in the comments if you have any questions or if you read any great posts this week!

Lara

I’m always trying to learn more, and always looking for the time to do it.  That’s why I love podcasts - they’re perfect for when you’re driving or cleaning.  Amy Porterfield has a relatively new podcast that I’m really enjoying, am learning from and being inspired to action by. Check it out. 

Why should you have a blog and be creating niche content?  It’s one of the best ways ways to increase visability for what you do.  Add search engine optimization and measuring and reacting to that information and you have the top three online marketing action points in this article by Lee Frederikson

Are you fairly certain you’d have nothing to say if you had a blog?  Here are some great ideas on generating ideas for content that people will find really interesting on Copyblogger. 

Karen

Twitter turned SEVEN this week!!! Hard to believe it’s been that long since the network got its start, but it’s true. I loved reading this Twitter story on Social North from Craig Silva. Be sure to share your twitter story in the comments!

There are some interesting insights in this article from Ilana Rabinowitz on Social Media Explorer. The clear message in traditional advertising seems to be (from her limited viewing) a move to more personal. So, now we need to apply that to social network interactions. My personal view is that we can indeed offer a personal touch. It’s simply a matter of altering how you communicate.

Hashtags might be on their way to Facebook and it’s got everyone talking about what this means, whether it will work and if it’s a valuable addition. In light of graph search, I’d say hashtags are going to make Facebook incredibly powerful. It will also mean (again) that people need to be careful of what they post.

Any time I see a post about social media and small businesses, I have to read it (Inkling Media). I think this one is particularly poignant for me because I’ve rarely met a small biz owner who wasn’t passionate about what they do. So, even if they aren’t passionate about social media, sharing about what they do online shouldn’t be a hard sell. Right?

The Media Mesh

Case Study: The facts about buying Twitter “followers”

Facebook Page Guidelines: The rules have changed for cover photos…again

How to set up or change your Facebook vanity URLs

App of the Week - Discussion

There’s a new app from Google called Keep - it’s essentially another version of Evernote (or One Note, Springpad or a number of others out there.) I’m inclined to agree with Om Malik that I won’t be using it. Even if I have to pay $50 a year to ensure Evernote sticks around, I trust them to do so more than I ever will a free Google service. This, my friends, is why I’m happy to pay for apps that are valuable to me. ~Karen

Leave us a comment and tell us what some of your favourite reads were this week!