Business Beginner

YouTube is an incredibly powerful and still often underestimated platform for versatile digital marketing. Video marketing is getting better and more common every month and it's obviously here to stay. Look at the success of the almost purely visual platforms such as Instagram , Snapchat, Pinterest , Tumblr, and even the recently deceased Vine. Even Facebook and Twitter have been growing much more visual each year, with video becoming more prevalent each day. YouTube may be "old news" to some,  not as shiny and new as Snapchat or Instagram, but it can still be a game-changer. I happen to also strongly believe it has much greater monetization potential, when in the hands of the right marketer. It's a staple for comprehensive digital marketing strategies, but it can also be a primary platform for many successful businesses. Unique and high quality video content is also growing and in further demand. We are all aware that there are many "YouTube Celebrities"...

Pinterest has been a popular social media platform for many years now and it has been successfully adopted by hundreds of thousands of businesses and entrepreneurs during this time. But not all marketers have gotten on board or fully utilized this versatile medium.  In fact, Pinterest seems to be one of the platforms that many companies choose to skip in favor of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn , YouTube, and even our mediocre friend Google Plus! I'm not saying you should ditch any of these tried and true platforms (except perhaps the lowly Google+ ... even though I personally use it almost daily to cover my bases), but you should give Pinterest a fair shot and maximize its potential. When most people think of Pinterest they usually think of DIY projects, design ideas, weddings, fashion, and fitness... but that's kind of like thinking  YouTube is just for cat videos, or that Instagram is just for Selfies (wait it's not?). Don't let this close-minded perspective...

No I didn't hit my head and imagine I was back in 2011. We all know Google+ never materialized into a serious competitor for social media supremacy with its past and current rivals of Facebook , Twitter, or LinkedIn. I'll also admit Google Plus should never be the cornerstone or even a focal point of any sort for any social media marketer. In fact, over the last 6 years I've mostly used G+ as an undiscriminating dumping ground for all of my content. And honestly I could care less about Circles and Google Hangouts.  So why am I writing about using Google Plus marketing to help grow your business? Because it works!! It can help support your digital efforts and it provides a strong ROI (no cost and minimal time). It really comes down to the ease of connecting, minimal time investment, and SEO benefits that G+ can provide. It also fits with my overall theme of using every free weapon at your disposal in an increasingly crowded and competitive social media marketing landscape. ...

A big marketing budget is no longer necessary to produce quality video content. Even if your financial resources are limited, you can use the countless benefits of the most efficient type of content when it comes to audience engagement and conversions. You will just have to be creative, do a lot of planning, and pay attention to marketing your videos . Read ahead to get the scoop on how to master video marketing on a shoestring budget.  Plan Ahead  Before you start producing your video content, it is important to have a clear and well- planned video marketing strategy , especially when you are working on a limited budget. Decide whether your campaign will be based on one impactful video or you plan to publish videos regularly. Think about goals you want to achieve and decide which type of video content is best for your particular needs and your target audience. Having a video marketing plan will help you identify all the necessary steps in video production and determine the ar...