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	<title>IronMonk - Enlightened Web Solutions</title>
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	<link>http://www.ironmonk.net</link>
	<description>Web Development, SEO, Social Media Marketing, Article Marketing and much more!</description>
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		<title>3 Tips to Give Some Life to Your Fan Page</title>
		<link>http://www.ironmonk.net/2012/05/3-tips-to-give-some-life-to-your-fan-page/</link>
		<comments>http://www.ironmonk.net/2012/05/3-tips-to-give-some-life-to-your-fan-page/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 03 May 2012 18:30:49 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>IronMonk Blogging Team</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Content Optimization]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Facebook Marketing Tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Small Business Tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Social Media Optimization]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[business fan page]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[facebook]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fan page]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ironmonk.net/?p=3887</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Acquiring fans is tough, but keeping them constantly entertained, engaged and interested is even tougher! If you have tons of fans but are struggling to create engagement, here are 3 tips that will definitely help you liven things up! Post Relevant Images, Videos or Infographics...]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Acquiring fans is tough, but keeping them constantly entertained, engaged and interested is even tougher! If you have tons of fans but are struggling to create engagement, here are 3 tips that will definitely help you liven things up!</p>
<h2>Post Relevant Images, Videos or Infographics</h2>
<p>Articles are great, but if that's all you're sharing on your fan page, your fans will get bored. It has been proven that images/videos/infographics generate more engagement in the social sphere. (engagement = comments, likes, shares)</p>
<p><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-3893" title="Like Thumb" src="http://www.ironmonk.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/like_thumb.png" alt="" width="220" height="202" /></p>
<p>If you don't have any images/videos of your own, consider producing some. If you don't have the budget nor the expertise to do this, you can always go on websites like <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.reddit.com">Reddit</a> and search for popular images within your industry, then post them on your page. This will definitely get you a couple of Likes &amp; Shares. You can also search on <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.youtube.com">YouTube</a>, <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.Vimeo.com">Vimeo</a> or <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.Dailymotion.com">Dailymotion</a> for some videos with viral potential and share them with your fans.</p>
<p>There is a lot of multimedia content out there that you can use to improve your brand awareness and show your fans that you are worth "Liking". You can also invite them to share their own multimedia content for an even better engagement level.</p>
<h2>Launch Occasional Contests or Giveaways</h2>
<p>The sad truth is: <strong>People on Facebook don't usually "Like" brand pages unless they feel like there is something to win out of it.</strong></p>
<p>How do you think brands like GAP, Starbucks or Coca Cola acquired hundreds of thousands of fans? Short Answer: By giving away stuff! Remember, Facebook is a social network for <strong>friends</strong> to keep in touch with each other. Businesses are only "tolerated", for as long as they provide an added value that people can't get from just going to their website.</p>
<p>That said, remember to reward your fans on a regular basis and make them feel like they're part of an "exclusive club". Once in a while (at least once a month) launch a contest, quizz or giveaway on your page. If you can do it once or twice a week, it's even better! The prize could be a discount code, a free product or a gift certificate. Doing this will get your fans to always be aware of your posts, as they will constantly be waiting for you to launch a new contest. This strategy minimize "Unlikes" and will improve your engagement score guaranteed.</p>
<p>While this strategy doesn't apply to any type of business (it's hard to give away products or discount codes if you're a real estate agent or insurance broker!) it is certainly a great fit for online retailers and for anybody selling physical products at a low/medium price point.</p>
<h2>Don't be Too Self-Promotional</h2>
<p>Your fans are willing to look at your content and read your blog posts for as long as they feel like you're not trying to <strong>push your marketing message down their throats</strong>. If they ever feel that way, you can be guarantteed that one of these 2 things will happen:</p>
<ul>
<li>They will "Unsubcribe from your feed"<strong> (bad!)</strong></li>
<li>They will "Unlike" your fan page <strong>(very bad!)</strong></li>
</ul>
<p>As we pointed out earlier, Facebook is not meant for businesses like LinkedIn. People don't log in on Facebook expecting to see your company's latest hirings. They want to see what their friends are up to and maybe see a few funny images or videos that will help them kill their boredom. If once in a while they see one of your blog posts or one of your latest product announcements, that's fine, but remember to not flood their news feed with your content.</p>
<p>Focus on sharing content that is interesting and adds value. It doesn't always have to be from your own site. Sites like Digg, Reddit and YouTube can help you find tons of great content you can share.</p>
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		<title>Google Penguin Update: 3 Things You Should Work On</title>
		<link>http://www.ironmonk.net/2012/04/google-penguin-update-3-things-you-should-work-on/</link>
		<comments>http://www.ironmonk.net/2012/04/google-penguin-update-3-things-you-should-work-on/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 27 Apr 2012 18:10:34 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>IronMonk Blogging Team</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Content Optimization]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[SEO Tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Social Media Optimization]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Web 2.0 News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[google penguin]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[panda update]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[penguin update]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ironmonk.net/?p=3851</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Google recently unleashed one of the most powerful algorithm updates of the year. This update, known as the Penguin Update, targets "spammy" sites and websites that have used questionable link building tactics to propel themselves to the top of the search results. This update has been extremely...]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="size-medium wp-image-3859 alignright" title="Penguin Update" src="http://www.ironmonk.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/penguin-update-250x300.jpg" alt="" width="250" height="300" /></p>
<p>Google <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://insidesearch.blogspot.ca/2012/04/another-step-to-reward-high-quality.html">recently unleashed</a> one of the most powerful algorithm updates of the year. This update, known as the <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://searchengineland.com/the-penguin-update-googles-webspam-algorithm-gets-official-name-119623" target="_blank">Penguin Update</a>, targets "spammy" sites and websites that have used questionable link building tactics to propel themselves to the top of the search results.</p>
<p>This update has been extremely effective at bringing down spam sites so far, but if you believe that your website has been unjustly punished, you can always use <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dEVxdmdRWFJRTjRoLWZVTHZkaTBQbkE6MQ&amp;ndplr=1">this form</a> that Google's Search Quality team set up specifically for this matter. Fill out the form with as many details as you can about your website, and Google shall investigate further.</p>
<p>That said, here are 3 things you should work on if you want to minimize your risks of getting hit:</p>
<h3>Improve Your Content Strategy</h3>
<p>It has been said since the beginning of SEO that <strong>Content was, is and will always be King</strong>. With Google's Penguin Update, the main goal is to reward websites that offer compelling and useful content and to penalize those that provide spammy, plagiarized and/or irrelevant content. Simple huh? Here a few points to work on when it comes to content:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Produce useful content and <span style="text-decoration: underline;">produce more of it</span>!</strong> if you have a static website that hasn't been updated for months, you can be guaranteed that your competition will outrank you. The days of static websites are over. Today, Google wants your website to be dynamic, content-rich and engaging if you want to be ranked high.</li>
<li><strong>Share your content across all your social media channels &amp; beyond</strong>! Social signals are more important today than ever before. If you have been avoiding social media marketing for whatever reason, it's time to change your mind and embrace it. You have no choice really. You don't have to spend your whole day posting on Facebook/Twitter/Google+, but at least share your new content and encourage people to Like it and Retweet it.</li>
<li><strong>Link to Authority Sites in your Niche</strong>. Your OBL (Outbound Link Profile) is just as important as your Inbound one. Linking to authority sites in your niche from your articles will show Google that the information you're providing is accurate and trustworthy.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Clean Your Backlink Profile</h3>
<p>If you have some unnatural backlinks pointing to your site, even if it's a small amount, you can be <strong>guaranteed</strong> that the Penguin will eventually hit you. (if it hasn't hit you already!)</p>
<p>Using a tool like <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://ahrefs.com/" target="_blank">Ahrefs</a>, you can see who's linking to you. Kindly contact the webmasters of those untrustworthy sites and ask them to remove your links. Don't attack them, threathen them or accuse them of being evil spammers! That won't get you anywhere and can actually backfire. Instead, act professional and thank them for wanting to link to you.</p>
<p>If they have no contact page, you can always try to find the owner of the domain by searching on the public Whois. If their information is "private" on the Public Whois, consider using the form that we talked about in the 1st paragraph to let Google know that those backlinks are sending you negative SEO and their owners are refusing to remove them.</p>
<p>The Penguin Update wants to make a point that <strong>Google will not tolerate anything but Pure Whitehat</strong>. Grey, Blue, Green or Pink hat is just as bad as Black for Google. Even if les than 10% of your backlinks are from spammy or untrustworthy sites, you are at risk of getting hit by the mighty Penguin.</p>
<h3>Enhance Your User Experience</h3>
<p>Remember that any update that Google deploys is meant to please the <strong>Google Search users</strong>. Google doesn't care much for marketers and SEO's. Their main goal is to stay ahead of the search game and avoid losing parts of their market share to Yahoo and Bing.</p>
<p>If you are using a tool like <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="www.google.com/analytics/" target="_blank">Google Analytics</a>, you can be certain that Google is taking those numbers into consideration in their ranking algorithm. For instance, if you have high bounce rates or a very low amount of pageviews per visitor, this is telling Google that users aren't finding your website useful or relevant to their search terms. Why else would they spend less than 30 seconds on your site?</p>
<p>High bounce rates can also mean that your website's layout/design is hard on the eye. Do a quick survey amongst your clients. See what they think of your design. If the opinions aren't great, consider re-designing and re-structuring the site. If you are using a CMS like WordPress or Joomla, consider getting a new theme. There are millions of them out there!</p>
<p>You also want to make sure that your website's navigation is intuitive and easy to follow. You don't want your visitors to get lost in there. Consider adding a breadcrumb to your pages so that your visitors always know where they are and how to get back. Make sure your navigation is a standard as it can be! Keep it simple, too fancy isn't always the way to go.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Top 3 Alternatives to Google Analytics</title>
		<link>http://www.ironmonk.net/2012/03/top-3-alternatives-to-google-analytics/</link>
		<comments>http://www.ironmonk.net/2012/03/top-3-alternatives-to-google-analytics/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 30 Mar 2012 15:00:25 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>IronMonk Blogging Team</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[General Info]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[SEO Tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Small Business Tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[alternativates to google analytics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[google analytics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[web analytics]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ironmonk.net/?p=2772</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[If, like many webmasters, you're unhappy with the new version of Google Analytics, panic not! There are today many 3rd party web analytic applications that you can use to effectively monitor your web traffic. Not too long ago the market was still largely dominated by...]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>If, like many webmasters, you're unhappy with the new version of <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.google.com/Analytics">Google Analytics</a>, panic not! There are today many 3rd party web analytic applications that you can use to effectively monitor your web traffic. Not too long ago the market was still largely dominated by Google, but the Big G has slowly been losing parts of their marketshare due to many new applications hitting the market.</p>
<p>We have reviewed dozens of Web Analytics applications/tools and we were very impressed with 3 of them. We believe these 3 Web Analytic tools are perfect for small &amp; medium businesses. Simplicity, User-Friendliness and Efficiency were the 3 elements we looked at. Here are our Top 3 recommendations:</p>
<h2><a href="http://www.ironmonk.net/GetClicky" target="_blank">GetClicky</a></h2>
<p><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.ironmonk.net/GetClicky"><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-2777" title="GetClicky" src="http://www.ironmonk.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/get-clicky-logo.gif" alt="" width="125" height="125" /></a>GetClicky is our personal favorite. If you're looking for speed, efficiency and simplicity: GetClicky should be your choice without question! This tool has every feature you could possibly ask for if you're a small/medium business: Live Monitoring, Rank Tracking, Goal/Conversion Setup, Visitor/Content stats and much more. GetClicky also states that their Bounce Rate calculation is <a href="http://getclicky.com/blog/214/why-clickys-new-bounce-rate-is-the-best-in-the-biz">the best in the industry</a>.</p>
<ul>
<li>Price: <strong>Free</strong> plan (1 website) then 4 plans ranging from $9.95/m to $29.99/m</li>
<li>Mobile App: yes (iPhone)</li>
<li>Real-Time Data: yes</li>
</ul>
<h2><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://piwik.org/" target="_blank">Piwik</a></h2>
<p><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.piwik.org"><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-2778" title="Piwik" src="http://www.ironmonk.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/piwik-logo.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="77" /></a>Piwik is an entirely open source web analytics tool that you’ll have to host yourself. Piwik is a great tool since it offers everything from real-time tracking to mobile apps for iPhone and Android. Piwik is also one of the only web analytics in the industry to be offered in over 30 languages! It has been designed to be an alternative to Google Analytics and does a pretty good job at it.</p>
<ul>
<li>Price: <strong>Free</strong> but has to be self-hosted</li>
<li>Mobile App: yes (iPhone and Android)</li>
<li>Real-Time Data: yes</li>
</ul>
<h2><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://www.reinvigorate.net/">Reinvigorate</a></h2>
<p><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://www.reinvigorate.net"><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-2779" title="Reinvigorate" src="http://www.ironmonk.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/reinvigorate-logo.png" alt="" width="127" height="137" /></a>Reinvigorate's main strength is their desktop application. When you install this app, you can view live traffic to your website and see conversions "as they happen". Also, Reinvigorate introduced a new heatmap technology that shows you what areas of your website are the most popular. Reinvigorate does not have as many features as GetClicky or Piwik, but definitely has everything you need to monitor your traffic in real-time.</p>
<ul>
<li>Price: 3 plans from $10/m to $100/m</li>
<li>Mobile App: no but they have a desktop app</li>
<li>Real-Time Data: yes</li>
</ul>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>The Science of Fan Retention: 5 Tips to Help You Keep Your Facebook Fans!</title>
		<link>http://www.ironmonk.net/2012/02/the-science-of-fan-retention-5-tips-to-help-you-keep-your-facebook-fans/</link>
		<comments>http://www.ironmonk.net/2012/02/the-science-of-fan-retention-5-tips-to-help-you-keep-your-facebook-fans/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 14 Feb 2012 21:29:41 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>IronMonk Blogging Team</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Facebook Marketing Tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Small Business Tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Social Media Optimization]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[how to keep facebook fans]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[keep facebook fans]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[keeping facebook fans]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[stop fans from clicking unlike]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[stop fans from unliking page]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ironmonk.net/?p=2749</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Click on the graphic to enlarge Acquiring targeted fans is tough, keeping your fans interested and engaged once they've liked your page is even tougher! In fact, it turns out that 2 out of every 5 fans eventually click the "Unlike" button. If you are...]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="mceTemp" style="text-align: center;">
<dl id="attachment_2753" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 310px;">
<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a class="highslide img_2" href="http://www.ironmonk.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/facebook-fans-unlike.jpg" onclick="return hs.expand(this)"><img class="size-medium wp-image-2753" title="Facebook Fans Unlike" src="http://www.ironmonk.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/facebook-fans-unlike-300x195.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="195" /></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd">Click on the graphic to enlarge</dd>
</dl>
</div>
<p>Acquiring targeted fans is tough, keeping your fans interested and engaged once they've liked your page is even tougher! In fact, it turns out that <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.allfacebook.com/facebook-unlike-report-2011-09">2 out of every 5 fans eventually click the "Unlike" button</a>. If you are closely monitoring your fanbase growth, you probably already noticed that you are losing a few fans every month.</p>
<p>Here are a few tips to help you keep your fans engaged and minimize the amount of "Unlikes" every month...</p>
<h3>#1 - Reward Them... Regularly!</h3>
<p>Chances are the reason why you got so many "Likes" in the first place is because you launched some kind of Giveaway or Contest for fans only. It is no secret that people love to win stuff online and millions of brands are taking advantage of this natural human behavior by offering people a "chance to win something" in exchange for a "Like". The problem is: many businesses do this <strong>only once</strong>. If you want your fans to stay, you have to launch contests and/or giveaways on a regular basis. The frequency is up to you and how much you can offer... it could be daily, weekly, monthly or even yearly! When a contest is over, remind your fans that more contests are coming up! You can be certain if there is always a chance to win something, people will stick around.</p>
<h3>#2 - Publish Highly Relevant Content</h3>
<p>Take the time to know your audience. Who are they? How old are they? What are their interests? Where are they located? Are they married or single? Once you have a good idea of who they are, try to share content that is highly relevant to them. It could be funny pictures or videos, interesting news articles or just fun facts and quotes. The more your content is targeted and interesting, the less "Unlikes" you'll get!</p>
<h3>#3 - Don't Be Too Promotional</h3>
<p>This is one of the mistakes that many businesses are making. Remember: people go on Facebook to connect with their friends. If their news feed is flooded with commercial messages, you can be certain that they will unlike you with prejudice. Launching the occasional commercial message is fine, but make it interesting and relevant. Measure the reactions of your fans after you post a commercial message. Did they like it? Did it generate any traffic to your site? Did they comment on it? Adapt your future messages based on what worked and what didn't.</p>
<h3>#4 - Don't Post Too Often</h3>
<p>This is another fanbase killer. In fact, this is the worst mistake you can possibly make. No one can tell you how frequently you should be posting. Some large brands post a few times daily, others post a few times weekly. It all depends on your brand/industry/audience. If you are a small business just getting started on Facebook, start by posting once per day and measure the reactions. If people are being receptive and enthusiatic, gradually increase the frequency.</p>
<h3>#5 - Surprise Them!</h3>
<p>This is a tip that we have successfully used in the past with many of our clients: occasionally, launch a quick <strong>time-sensitive giveaway or promotion</strong> on your wall! (e.g. "<em>the first 5 fans that comment on this post will get a 50% discount code for our new product", </em>"<em>We are thinking of a number between 1 and 100, guess this number and win a free "product-name-here</em>"). This will basically make your fans highly aware of your posts as they will constantly be waiting for another surprise giveaway.</p>
<p>That's it folks! Remember, Social Media Marketing is not rocket science. It's all about Monitoring, A/B Testing and Trial &amp; Error. There is no magic formula that you can apply and be certain to succeed. It's all about getting to know your audience and building a relationship with them over the long term. Most importantly, don't be afraid to test new things and don't be afraid to occasionally fail!</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Top 3 Websites to Find High Quality WordPress Themes</title>
		<link>http://www.ironmonk.net/2012/01/top-3-websites-to-find-high-quality-wordpress-themes/</link>
		<comments>http://www.ironmonk.net/2012/01/top-3-websites-to-find-high-quality-wordpress-themes/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 25 Jan 2012 19:44:55 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>IronMonk Blogging Team</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Wordpress and CMS Development]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Buy High Quality WordPress Themes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[High Quality WordPress Themes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Quality WordPress Themes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Top Quality WordPress Themes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Where to Find High Quality WordPress Themes]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ironmonk.net/?p=2715</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[If you launched your website in the past 3 years, there's a high chance that you chose WordPress as your CMS. WordPress is the most popular free CMS platform since 2010. One of the great things about WordPress is how easy it is to change...]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>If you launched your website in the past 3 years, there's a high chance that you chose WordPress as your CMS. WordPress is the most popular free CMS platform since 2010. One of the great things about WordPress is how easy it is to change the look of your site! In fact, installing a theme is as easy as putting on a new sweater. Download the theme, Upload it to your /Themes folder and Activate it from the Appearance menu in your WordPress Admin Panel. If you've been struggling to find High Quality Themes, you might want to look in one of these two places...<br />
<a href="http://www.ironmonk.net/ElegantThemes" target="_blank"><br />
<h3>ElegantThemes</h3>
<p></a><br />
<a href="http://www.ironmonk.net/ElegantThemes" target="_blank"><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-2721 border="0" src="http://www.elegantthemes.com/affiliates/banners/125x125-2.gif" width="125" height="125"></a>The beauty of ElegantThemes is that you only pay a one-time fee of $39, and that gives you access to ALL their premium themes. Your membership also gives you access to all the future themes they will develop. Definitely worth the price since they already have dozens of beautiful themes to choose from. All their themes include a unique administrative interface called ePanel, which allows you to customize the look &amp; feel of your theme in minutes!<br />
<a href="http://www.ironmonk.net/ThemeForestSite" target="_blank"><br />
<h3>ThemeForest</h3>
<p></a><br />
<a href="http://www.ironmonk.net/ThemeForestSite" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.ironmonk.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/themeforest-wordpress-themesjpg.jpg" alt="" title="ThemeForest" width="125" height="125" class="alignright size-full wp-image-2721" /></a>This is probably the largest WordPress theme database on the web! If you can't find anything you like at ElegantThemes, you should check out ThemeForest, they have thousands of amazing themes to choose from. That's right, thousands! The world's best WordPress designers post their themes for sale in this marketplace, so you can only expect top quality. However, unlike ElegantThemes, you will have to buy each theme individually. Prices generally range from $30 to $50 per theme.<br />
<a href="http://www.ironmonk.net/WooThemes" target="_blank"><br />
<h3>WooThemes</h3>
<p></a><br />
<a href="http://www.ironmonk.net/WooThemes" target="_blank"><img style="float: right;" src="http://woothemes.com/ads/125x125a.jpg" alt="" /></a> Another Top Contender when it comes to High Quality WordPress Themes. WooThemes has been delivering premium quality themes for years now. With over 122 themes to choose from (as of January 2012) you will certainly find a theme you like. They have more themes than ElegantThemes, but they are more expensive. Expect to pay around $70 for each theme, more if you want a developer license.</p>
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		<title>Top Tips and Plugins for a Secure WordPress Site</title>
		<link>http://www.ironmonk.net/2011/12/top-tips-and-plugins-for-a-secure-wordpress-site/</link>
		<comments>http://www.ironmonk.net/2011/12/top-tips-and-plugins-for-a-secure-wordpress-site/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 22 Dec 2011 17:40:12 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>IronMonk Blogging Team</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Wordpress and CMS Development]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ironmonk.net/?p=2686</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Did you know that WordPress today hosts more than 8.7% of independent website globally? This year only, 83% of new websites are powered by WordPress. The reason that there is a steep growth in the number of WordPress users is its policy of being an...]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-2705" title="Secure WordPress Tips" src="http://www.ironmonk.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Secure-WordPress.png" alt="" width="189" height="288" />Did you know that WordPress today hosts more than 8.7% of independent website globally? This year only, 83% of new websites are powered by WordPress. The reason that there is a steep growth in the number of WordPress users is its policy of being an open source tool. In fact, "open source" means millions of developers worldwide are contributing to the WordPress project by creating plugins, themes, widgets and other tools to make WordPress an even better CMS.</p>
<p>Because of its exponentially growing popularity, WordPress also became one of the main targets for hackers and spammers alike. If you are running a WordPress site, it is your responsibility to take all the measures to secure both your server and website to minimize the chances of being hacked. Below are our <strong>top tips for a secure WordPress site</strong>:</p>
<h3>Backup Regularly</h3>
<p>This is THE most important tip of all. Despite all the security measures you can take, a serious hacker can always find a way in if they try hard enough. Backing up is generally something that should be done outside of WordPress. If you are using a large hosting company such as <a href="http://www.ironmonk.net/HG">HostGator</a>, you should have access to a cPanel or any other type of administrative interface to manage your hosting account. From there, you should have an option to backup your entire site. Sometimes you will have the option to set automatic backups to be executed every day or every week. Make sure you are doing FULL backups (Database &amp; Files) at least once a week. If you have a very active website that has new content daily, consider running full backups a couple times a week or even daily.</p>
<h3>Always Update</h3>
<p>Now this is something that many website owners ignore. They're probably thinking: why should I upgrade when everything is running fine? Yes we all know the proverb "Don't fix it if it's not broken", however in the case of WordPress, it is extremely important to keep updating your core WordPress engine AND your plugins, as many security holes are being fixed with every upgrade. Earlier WordPress versions have a much higher chance of getting hacked than newer ones.</p>
<h3>Do not use "admin" as your username</h3>
<p>Make sure you don't use "admin" as your username. It is much harder for a hacker to run scripts to find both your username AND password, rather than knowing the username already and having to figure out the password only. Simply create yourself a new admin account with your name or nickname, and delete the default admin account. You can do all this through the "Users" menu in your WordPress admin panel.</p>
<h3>Move your wp-config.php file one level higher*</h3>
<p>This is one of those secret tips that most people don't know about. the wp-config.php is the most important file of your WordPress website. It contains your database name/password and a bunch of other details that would allow a hacker to totally take control of your site and even delete it entirely. The wp-config.php file is always located on the root directory of your WordPress installation. (~/home/user/public_html/). We recommend that you move it one level higher (~/home/user/). It takes one minute to do through your favorite FTP program (we like using Filezilla). You can even ask your Hosting support to do it for you. WordPress knows to automatically look one level higher if it doesn't find it in your root folder.</p>
<p><strong>*Note:</strong> this tip only applies to those that installed WordPress in the root of their domain name (www.domain.com). It does <strong>not</strong> work if you installed WordPress in a sub-directory (e.g. www.domain.com/blog)</p>
<h3>Top WordPress Security Plugins to Consider</h3>
<ul>
<li><strong><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/wp-recaptcha/">WP Re-Captcha</a></strong>: Re-Captchas are one of the most secure captchas out there. Originally invented at the <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.cmu.edu/index.shtml">Carnegie Mellon University</a>, it has since then been acquired by Google. the WP reCaptcha plugin will automatically insert strong captchas in every form of your WordPress site (login, comments, registration, etc...) which will block 99%+ of spambots from publishing content on your site.</li>
<li><strong><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/limit-login-attempts/">Limit Login Attemps</a></strong>: this is a very useful plugin that can help you set a maximum amount of login attemps before blocking the IP address that is trying to connect. By default, WordPress will allow you an unlimited amount of attemps to login to the admin panel. This is a problem because most experienced hackers can code scripts that will automatically attempt to login using different combinations of numbers and letters every milli-second until the proper combination is found!</li>
<li><strong><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/wordpress-file-monitor/">WordPress File Monitor</a></strong>: Oftentimes when your website is hacked, the hacker was able to get into the file system and make changes to one of your key files such as wp-config.php or .htaccess. <strong>WordPress File Monitor</strong> is a very useful plugin that will automatically email you whenever a change occurs in one of the important files on your server.</li>
<li><strong><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/wp-db-backup/">WP DB-Backup</a></strong>: Earlier in this post we recommended that you execute regular full backups of your website. However, if your host doesn't allow you to achieve this easily, you can always install the WP DB Backup plugin and do a backup of the database locally. However, keep in mind that this won't backup your files, so if you made any modifications to your theme, consider doing a full backup as explained in our first tip.</li>
</ul>
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		<title>Color Psychology in Web Marketing</title>
		<link>http://www.ironmonk.net/2011/11/color-psychology-in-web-marketing/</link>
		<comments>http://www.ironmonk.net/2011/11/color-psychology-in-web-marketing/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 16 Nov 2011 18:09:14 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>IronMonk Blogging Team</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[General Info]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PPC and Online Advertising]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[colors and web marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[online marketing best colors]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[what colors to use for web marketing]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ironmonk.net/?p=2650</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Marketing is both art and science and web marketing is no exception. The appearance of your website or landing page can draw a potential client into your process or send them elsewhere. Color is a major aspect and is very much a part of your...]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-2651" title="Web Marketing and Colors" src="http://www.ironmonk.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/web-marketing-colors.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" />Marketing is both art and science and web marketing is no exception. The appearance of your website or landing page can draw a potential client into your process or send them elsewhere. Color is a major aspect and is very much a part of your image and branding. You want to select a color that truly conveys the message you want to give to a prospective customer.</p>
<p>This is a guide to help you choose a great color so you send the right message to your visitors.</p>
<p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Black</span>:</strong> This is the color of strength and power, authority and intelligence. Ideal for government institutions &amp; security firms. However, use this color with caution because  too much black can overwhelm.</p>
<p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;">Blue</span></span>: </strong>This is a calming color, related to blue seas and skies. It is restful and is associated with dependability, loyalty and wisdom. Think blue uniforms. Blue enhances focus and can actually make people more productive. Ideal for any type of business!</p>
<p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="color: #800000; text-decoration: underline;">Brown</span></span>:</strong> This is the color of earth so stability, natural and organic is what you are communicating. In India this is a color of mourning so avoid it if that is your market.</p>
<p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="color: #ffcc00; text-decoration: underline;">Gold</span></span>:</strong> As expected this color conveys prestige and excellence. Ideal for luxury websites, jewelry stores, financial advice websites and the such.</p>
<p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="color: #999999; text-decoration: underline;">Gray</span></span>: </strong>When you want practical, solid and timeless information this should be your choice. Use sparingly, if overused it has a dull numbing effect. Choose the shade carefully as darker gray will look more academic than light/silver gray which is more light and casual.</p>
<p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="color: #008000; text-decoration: underline;">Green</span></span>:</strong> This is a calming color that can be related to money, nature and growth. It is also associated with envy, good luck, fertility, masculine, wealth, peace, harmony and generosity. Ideal for ec0-friendly and health websites.</p>
<p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="color: #ff6600; text-decoration: underline;">Orange</span></span>:</strong> When you want to convey fun, happy and flamboyant this is a good choice. If you have organic products this should be in your web marketing. This is an energetic color associate with ambition; there is nothing calm about this color.</p>
<p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="color: #800080; text-decoration: underline;">Purple</span></span>: </strong>This color is related to royalty, dignity and spirituality. Keep in mind that this color represents death in Brazil, so avoid using it if that's your target market.</p>
<p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="color: #ff0000; text-decoration: underline;">Red</span></span>: </strong>This color is an attention getter. People around red can find themselves out of breath and have their heart beating a bit faster. Red is to be used sparingly, but a bit of red can draw interest. <strong>Never</strong> use it as a background color as it will make your content hard to read.</p>
<p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">White</span>:</strong> This is a color of purity, safety and cleanliness. White can also project neutrality and the absence of color and creativity. This is the color of death in China. White is the most versatile and therefore the most popular color on the web.</p>
<p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="color: #ffff00; text-decoration: underline;">Yellow</span></span>: </strong>This one is a cheerful color and is optimistic because the human brain actually releases more serotonin when people are around this color. It should be used sparingly. This conveys sadness in Greece and jealousy in France.</p>
<p>As you can see each color conveys a different message in people's subconscious minds. Depending on your niche/products, use the proper combination to instate the ideal climate for your visitors to take action. Since this is no rocket science and everybody is different, we recommend testing a few different combinations to determine what works best for you. Good Luck!</p>
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		<title>Top Steve Jobs Quotes on Life, Business and the Internet</title>
		<link>http://www.ironmonk.net/2011/10/top-steve-jobs-quotes-on-life-business-and-the-internet/</link>
		<comments>http://www.ironmonk.net/2011/10/top-steve-jobs-quotes-on-life-business-and-the-internet/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 06 Oct 2011 15:31:56 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>IronMonk Blogging Team</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Web 2.0 News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[best steve jobs quotes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[steve jobs quotes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[top steve jobs quotes]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ironmonk.net/?p=2638</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The world has lost a great man. Steve Jobs opened the doors of innovation in a Tech world that deeply needed it at the time. His views on the internet, business and life in general truly inspired millions of young people worldwide. To pay tribute...]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-2639" title="Steve Jobs RIP" src="http://www.ironmonk.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/SteveJobs-RIP.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="311" />The world has lost a great man. Steve Jobs opened the doors of innovation in a Tech world that deeply needed it at the time. His views on the internet, business and life in general truly inspired millions of young people worldwide. To pay tribute to this visionary man, we wanted to share some of his best quotes...</p>
<p><strong>‎"Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn't matter to me … Going to bed at night saying you've done something wonderful … that's what matters to me."</strong> - <em>Wall Street Journal 1993</em></p>
<p><strong>"You have to trust in something – your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life."</strong> - <em>Stanford commencement speech 2005</em></p>
<p><strong>"That's been one of my mantras: focus and simplicity. Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it's worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains."</strong> - <em>Business Week 1998</em></p>
<p><strong>“Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones that do” </strong>- <em>MACWorld Conference</em></p>
<p><strong>"My position coming back to Apple was that our industry was in a coma. It reminded me of Detroit in the 70s, when American cars were boats on wheels."</strong> - <em>Fortune magazine 2000</em></p>
<p><strong>"The most compelling reason for most people to buy a computer for the home will be to link it to a nationwide communications network. We're just in the beginning stages of what will be a truly remarkable breakthrough for most people – as remarkable as the telephone."</strong> - <em>Playboy 1985</em></p>
<p><strong>"My model for business is The Beatles. They were four guys who kept each other's kind of negative tendencies in check. They balanced each other and the total was greater than the sum of the parts. That's how I see business: great things in business are never done by one person, they're done by a team of people."</strong> - <em>Interview with 60 Minutes, 2003</em></p>
<p>We also would like to share with you one of Steve's greatest speeches, the 2005 Stanford Commencement Address:</p>
<p><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/UF8uR6Z6KLc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
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		<title>Buying Fans &amp; Followers, is it worth it?</title>
		<link>http://www.ironmonk.net/2011/09/buying-fans-followers-is-it-worth-it/</link>
		<comments>http://www.ironmonk.net/2011/09/buying-fans-followers-is-it-worth-it/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 09 Sep 2011 22:02:57 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>IronMonk Blogging Team</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Facebook Marketing Tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Social Media Optimization]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Twitter Marketing Tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[buying fans]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[buying followers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fan buying review]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[is buying fans and followers legit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[should we buy fans and followers]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ironmonk.net/?p=2587</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[You probably stumbled on one of those websites that claim they can get you thousands of "targeted" fans or followers for ridiculously low prices (generally under $300). Now, in case you do not read this whole post, we would like to make our position clear...]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="size-medium wp-image-2607 alignright" title="Is it worth it to pay for Fans &amp; Followers?" src="http://www.ironmonk.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/buy-fans-followers-300x202.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="202" />You probably stumbled on one of those websites that claim they can get you thousands of "targeted" fans or followers for ridiculously low prices (generally under $300). Now, in case you do not read this whole post, we would like to make our position clear right away: <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Buying Fans &amp; Followers is wrong</strong></span>, and we'll show you why in the next few paragraphs. This is basically what we like to call <strong>Blackhat Social Marketing</strong>. Yes! The Blackhat tactics have made their way from SEO to SMM. <strong>$59 for 1000 targeted fans?</strong> Sure, sounds like a great deal! Too good to be true maybe? Let'se see...</p>
<p>Since many people have been asking us about this by phone and email, we decided to do our own case study and test these services out with a newly created Facebook Fan Page. We went ahead and optimized the page, added relevant info, photos and even added a custom landing page (set as the default tab) that has a link to the corresponding website. We tried 2 different providers (which we won't name to avoid trouble. We're a peace &amp; love company!). The details/results of our case study are as follows...</p>
<table style="border-width: 1px; border-style: double;" border="1">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="font-size: 18px;"><strong>Service Purchased</strong>: 1,000 Targeted Fans (US-based)</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h3>Provider #1<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal;">(a popular website that sells Fans, Followers, YouTube Views and Google +1s)</span></h3>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Amount paid:</span> $59</p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Delivered</span>: 1,123 Fans total within a week.</p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Turnaround Time</span>: about 4 days.</p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Observation</span>: Odd thing we first noticed was that 90% of these newly acquired fans had profile pictures of highly attractive women.  Now, if the fan page was about make up or fashion, perhaps this would have made sense, but in this case the fan page was about Finance/Investment. Nevertheless, we sent a message to about 10 of them to ask them how they found out about our page. No response.</p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">ROI:</span> (1 week after delivery)</p>
<ul>
<li>Wall Interactions: <strong>0</strong>.</li>
<li>Web Traffic from Facebook: <strong>0</strong>.</li>
<li>Sales/Leads: <strong>0</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Conclusion</span>: those were 100% dead accounts. Either they were generated using a blackhat profile generator, or they were created by someone whose job is solely to create Facebook accounts all day long for the purpose of mass-liking. Regardless, this was $59 thrown out of the window in this case.</p>
<h3>Provider #2<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal;">(a highly-ranked website that sells Fans &amp; Followers only)</span></h3>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Amount paid</span>: $79</p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Delivered</span>: 1,007 Fans total.</p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Turnaround Time</span>: about 1 week.</p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Observation</span>: Looking through the accounts, we noticed that a lot of them seemed to be young kids/teens. We also noticed quite a few foreign profiles (India, Pakistan, Philippines, etc...) despite the fact that we requested US-based profiles only. Just like in the previous case, we sent about 10 messages to ask them how they found our page and we got 2 responses: 1 saying "dont know" and the other one saying "click here to learn how to make $50,000 per month". Not very convincing, is it?</p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">ROI</span>: (1 week after delivery)</p>
<ul>
<li>Wall Interactions: <strong>3</strong>. (all "spammy" posts, none of these posts were relevant to the fan page)</li>
<li>Web Traffic from Facebook: <strong>5</strong>.</li>
<li>Sales/Leads: <strong>0</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Conclusion</span>: these accounts clearly had no interest in our page or product. These were people that are probably paid by a third party to massively "like" hundreds of pages every day. Not only will such accounts not give you any kind of ROI, but they can actually <strong>damage your brand/reputation</strong> by posting offensive, self-promotional and/or off-topic content on your wall. Stay away!</p>
<p>As you can see, this was a total waste of money in both cases. Although this was for Facebook Fans, you can imagine that it would be a very similar scenario &amp; outcome if we had purchased Twitter Followers, YouTube views or Google +1s.</p>
<p>You simply cannot buy real fans. Getting a genuine fan or follower is no easy task, but it's definitely worth it. 10 genuine &amp; targeted fans/followers are a gazillion times better than 1,000 fake/dead/untargeted ones. A genuine fan/follower will not only buy from you but will also interact with you, refer you to their peers and share/like/tweet your content. A thorough <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.syncapse.com/media/syncapse-value-of-a-facebook-fan.pdf ">study conducted last year by Syncapse</a> determined that the average annualized value of an individual fan is $136.3.</p>
<p>Large brands like GAP, Coca Cola, HP, Apple, etc... have spent (and continue to spend) millions of dollars in their Social Media Marketing efforts to strengthen their online presence and acquire large amounts of targeted fans/followers. These budgets have been spent mainly on Advertising, Launching Contests, Offering freebies/giveaways/discounts and engaging fans with quality content daily. If there was an easier (and cheaper) way to do it, don't you think they would be all over it?</p>
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		<title>Top Status Updates Ideas for your Fan Page: Keeping your Fans Engaged!</title>
		<link>http://www.ironmonk.net/2011/09/top-status-updates-ideas-for-your-fan-page-keeping-your-fans-engaged/</link>
		<comments>http://www.ironmonk.net/2011/09/top-status-updates-ideas-for-your-fan-page-keeping-your-fans-engaged/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 06 Sep 2011 19:13:42 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>IronMonk Blogging Team</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Content Optimization]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Facebook Marketing Tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Small Business Tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Social Media Optimization]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[facebook fan page status updates]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[facebook status updates ideas]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fan page status updates ideas]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fan page wall posting ideas]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[posting ideas for fan page]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[status updates ideas]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[what to post on the wall ideas]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.ironmonk.net/?p=2555</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Attracting targeted fans to your page is tough enough, engaging them with useful and interesting content everyday can be even harder! To create brand awareness and generate more interactions and traffic from your fanbase, you need to post on a daily basis! For those of...]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-2563" title="Generate Likes for your Status Updates" src="http://www.ironmonk.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/facebook-like-status-updates-300x191.png" alt="" width="300" height="191" />Attracting targeted fans to your page is tough enough, engaging them with useful and interesting content everyday can be even harder! To create brand awareness and generate more interactions and traffic from your fanbase, you need to post on a <strong>daily basis</strong>! For those of you that are running out of ideas on what to post on their business page, here is a dose of inspiration...</p>
<h3>Post the latest content from your blog</h3>
<p>If you have an active blog or website, you should let your fans know about it. Where you just added a blog post or a new product, your fans would certainly be interested to know about it!</p>
<h3>Post Product Pictures</h3>
<p>Do you have a high quality picture of one of your products, or a a picture depicting a creative use of one of your products? Post it on your wall! Easy way to generate Likes. You can even ask your fans to post pictures of themselves using one of your products.</p>
<h3>Post a picture of your team during a recent event</h3>
<p>Fans like to know that they are dealing with humans behind the brand. If you went on a golf trip with co-workers, or simply to a restaurant for someone's birthday, take pics and share them on your wall!</p>
<h3>Post a famous quote relevant to your industry</h3>
<p>Great way to generate Likes! People love quotes. Find quotes that are relevant to your industry/services and share them on your wall. Simply search "XXXX quotes" on Google (XXXX being your industry) to find some ideas.</p>
<h3>Post a question related to your industry</h3>
<p>A great way to generat interactions is to post a question! If your industry is Photography, as your fans what kind of camera they prefer (DSLR vs Point &amp; Shoot). Take advantage of Facebook's recently launched Questions feature.</p>
<h3>Post a positive Testimonial</h3>
<p>Did you recently receive a positive testimonial from one of your clients? Post it on your website and share it on your Facebook Fan Page. This will generate brand awareness and reinforce your brand's public image.</p>
<h3>Share Multimedia Content, Not just Text!</h3>
<p>You can search on <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.google.com/imghp?hl=en&amp;tab=wi">Google Images</a> and <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.YouTube.com">YouTube</a> for pictures and videos relevant to your industry. There has been a recent study by eMarketer showing that people are <strong>33% more likely</strong> to consume multimedia content than textual content.</p>
<h3>Share a recent news article about your industry</h3>
<p>Look for interesting news relevant to your industry on the major newspapers and media outlets. You can look at Google News if you're not sure where to start. You can do this on a daily basis if you're in a vibrant industry.</p>
<h3>Post a Question of the Day or Week</h3>
<p>This is a great way to generate interactions with your fans on a regular basis. Choose a day of the week (<strong>Wednesday and Thursday</strong> are the days where people are the most active on social networks) and post a question every week on that day.</p>
<h3>Ask for LIKES!</h3>
<p>Plain and simple. There are many ways you can generate Likes. Examples: Hit Like if you're happy it's Friday, Hit Like if you're in a good mood today, Hit Like if you had a great week-end, Hit Like if you're excited for Halloween, etc...</p>
<h3>Ask fans for suggestions/comments about your products</h3>
<p>Sure, you might  be afraid to get negative feedback, but negative feedback is actually good! It'll help you improve and it'll show your fans that you aren't afraid to take negative criticism and improve. Making your fans feel like their opinion matters is the first step to social media success!</p>
<h3>Answer a FAQ (Frequently Asked Question)</h3>
<p>If you often get the same question asked over and over by email or phone, post it on your fan page. Great way to answer a bunch of people all at once! You can even take advantage of the situation by asking your fans to post their own questions.</p>
<h3>Post a limited-time fan-only special or discount</h3>
<p>Great way to make your fans feel like they're part of an exclusive club! Give them a limited time discount code for one of your products. Take advantage of holidays when you do this. You can even do this during your company's anniversary, CEO's birthday, etc...</p>
<h3>Launch a Giveaway for your fans only</h3>
<p>If you can afford it, launch a giveaway once in a while for your fans only. The format is up to you, here are a few examples: "the first person to comment on this post will get a free ----.", "the last 3 people to comment on this post will get a free -----" (this last one will make your fans go crazy, try it!)</p>
<h3>Post a Trivia/Quizz related to your industry</h3>
<p>Everyone loves Trivias. Look up online for interesting Trivia questions relevant to your industry. You can even ask a question related to your company or services. Great way to generate some traffic to your site.</p>
<h3>Post about an event you are hosting or participating in</h3>
<p>If you are planning to be part of a local, national or global event in the near future, let your fans know. Tell them the exact day, time and location of the event. You can even use Facebook's native Events tab to publicize your event.</p>
<h3>Share updates on your future projects</h3>
<p>Keep your fans updated on what you're working on. If you are planning to release a new product or service in the future, they should be the first to know! Ask for their feedback before your launch.</p>
<h3>Think Holidays!</h3>
<p>And not just the major ones. There are holidays observed <strong>every single day</strong>! Use <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://www.earthcalendar.net">EarthCalendar</a> to find out what holidays are observed Today throughout the world. Share the ones relevant to your audience, or simply share a funny one that might generate some Likes.</p>
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