Daily Archives: February 14, 2012

How can a marketer use Pinterest differently than they would Facebook or Twitter? | Pound Ridge Realtor

How can a marketer use Pinterest differently than they would Facebook or Twitter?

Posted February 13th, 2012 / By Francis in Social, Social Links, Trending
There is certainly no shortage of social networks on today’s internet. In addition to Facebook and Twitter, there are also hundreds of other options, most of which you’ve probably never even heard of. If you are an online marketer, one service you may want to make yourself familiar with is a friendly new site called Pinterest. Perhaps the best thing about this little tool is that it can be used much differently than the usual suspects, yet still deliver good results.
Showcase Your Products
You have to be very careful when marketing your products and services on sites like Facebook or Twitter. Not only are there rules you must abide by, you also don’t want to be so aggressive that you scare potential customers away. Pinterest on the other hand, seems like it was carved out for this very purpose. This social network is great for pinning up the items from your store and letting users see what you have available in the catalog. The cool part about Pinterest is the targeted element that allows you to create different categories, meaning you can segment your items in sections that accommodate groups such as Kids, Adults, Gadgets, Designs, and so forth.
Sell Yourself
From a visibility perspective, social networking is great for companies and individual entrepreneurs alike. However, the rich visual aspect of Pinterest offers unique opportunities for establishing your presence. For instance, if you are a photographer or website designer, you could use the site to create a digital portfolio showcasing your best work. Thanks to a nice collection of user-friendly tools, you don’t have to worry about needing to be an expert programmer just to put together a presentation that looks nice and professional. Include a link to your website, blog, or social hangout, and this could be a highly effective way to boost your traffic numbers.
Optimize Your Presence
Facebook and Twitter are both vital for SEO to a degree, but not as important as they could be due to competitive issues with Google. Pinterest brings tremendous SEO value to the table. When users pin your content to their board, or you pin your own stuff, you are creating quality backlinks that can help you rank higher in the SERPs. Of course, good rankings bring traffic, and traffic is necessary for conversions. When optimizing your presence on Pinterest remember that the same SEO rules apply – use relevant keywords and encourage your connections to help you create quality links.
We know who’s on top, but Pinterest is arguably the hottest ticket in town as far as social media goes. Statistics show that the site has grown by an incredible 4000% over the past six months. As far as keeping users engaged, it comes in at number three behind Facebook and Tumblr, yet ahead of both LinkedIn and Google+ with an impressive 88.3 minutes spent on the site per visit. Anything can happen in the unpredictable social space, but Pinterest is definitely the train to watch.

Francis Santos is a best practices activist and an advocate for free email marketing and html email. Francis can also be contacted via Twitter.

via fuelyourblogging.com

Holland could regulate homes’ windows, doors; Realtors say no – Holland, MI | Bedford Hills Real Estate

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Should the city of Holland prevent home owners from reducing the number of windows on the front of a home?
Some Realtors in the area have come together to say no.
In fact, they’ve likened the city’s proposed ordinances regulating exterior renovations of homes to a runaway train, said Dale Zahn, CEO of the West Michigan Lakeshore Association of Realtors
“The city may be going too far,” Zahn said, and people are expressing their concerns about that.
If you go
WHAT Holland Planning Commission public hearing
WHEN 5 p.m. today
WHERE council chambers, Holland City Hall, 270 S. River Ave.
ONLINE cityofholland.com
The Planning Commission discussed windows last month when the board learned of two homeowners on East 17th Street who had renovated enclosed front porches. City code enforcers were concerned by the remodels.
The two owner-occupied homes took what were three-season enclosed porches and reduced the number of windows, turning the rooms into extensions of the houses. Neither home appears to have a front porch now.
“A man’s home is his castle,” Zahn said, adding the homeowners in question didn’t do a bad job of renovating. “The homeowners bought the property and made the investment.”
There’s is no evidence that reducing the number of windows will bring down property values, he said.
The Planning Commission will conduct a public hearing today on the amendment to the zoning regulations that apply to certain “in-fill” districts within the city.
The proposed change is one piece of a more in-depth proposal that would allow the city to oversee many exterior renovations and modifications. Because that proposal met with opposition late last year from Realtors and homeowners concerned about personal property rights, it has been indefinitely tabled.
The amendment proposed now would require homeowners in the central city neighborhoods affected by in-fill rules to have changes to windows and doors reviewed. If approved, the rules would ban homeowners from reducing the number of windows.
Currently, the city doesn’t have the authority to do anything about windows and doors, Cindy Osman, assistant director of the Community and Neighborhood Services department, said in January.
The city’s responsibility is to “Keep (properties) safe, sound and sanitary and leave the rest up to the homeowner,” Zahn said.
Zahn questions the idea that a single member of city staff reviewing requests would know what is best for a neighborhood and should be the person to look at each home on case-by-case basis.
“What’s good looking and nice to one is not going to be to another,” he said.
Realtors are more in touch with what’s going on a city neighborhood and are better at marketing the city, Zahn said. The Realtors need the city, but the city needs the Realtors to promote and market the city also.
“It’s a two-way street,” he said.