The Weekly Rap for March 15, 2013

Google Reader is being retired on July 1st. The speculation is that Google Reader usage has declined due to Google+, and the company decided now is the time to re-focus their software teams.

When it comes to the efforts you put into corporate identity, branding and web marketing, are you conveying a truly cohesive message? Possibly overlooked and often misunderstood, your logo, identity and brand make up the visual and emotional perceptions of your business and, while they are all deeply inter-related, they should not be confused with each other.

Yesterday one of our new clients asked me “How do I post an article on LinkedIn?” It occurred to me that I haven’t written about LinkedIn too often here, so it seemed like a good time for a post on how to use LinkedIn.

What if there was a social media tool that could tell you:

• The best keywords to use in your social profiles?
• Who the likely influencers are are how to get in touch with them?
• The exact companies you should be targeting with your particular skill set?
• What kinds of groups you should join for optimal relationship-building?
• What companies you should work for and who you know at those companies?

That would be pretty cool, huh?

With more than half of mobile searches resulting in a conversion within one hour, marketers need to be prepared to quickly serve users a full spectrum of information once a search has been made, according to a new study from Google and Nielsen.

Senior living providers won’t argue with the power of the Internet to drive leads, but most are still wary of interacting with social media.

You’re a content marketer, and you care about connection and collaboration. But you live in a remote village in Alaska, and you can’t just hop down to the local Chamber of Commerce when you need to pick up a little extra business.

SlideShare Best Practices: Content Marketing Tips from Top SlideShare Marketers

At TopRank Online Marketing, we’ve been singing SlideShare’s praises for years. With over 50 pieces of content shared through the platform, some closing in on 100,000 views, we’re well aware of its power and potential.