10 Ways For Entrepreneurs To Build Brands Online

Everybody needs to get their name out there on the social web. For entrepreneurs, however, it’s an even more critical aspect of the job. A social presence gives you the credibility to attract clients, partners and investors by making yourself available and demonstrating your personality and experience.

Building your online brand in a meaningful way is no easy task, and there are many tools available to get you on the right path. Below, we’ve picked 10 tested methods and highlighted some of the best web tools to help your brand gain momentum in a crowded online marketplace. Read More: 10 Ways For Entrepreneurs To Build Brands Online

Business Listing Management

"There is one fundamental element that connects your ability to tap local, mobile, and social advertising: your business listing. That's right, the simple name, address, and telephone number information that you've had forever is key to ensuring customers and prospects can find you and learn what differentiates you from your competitors.

Seems simple, but inconsistent and inaccurate business listing information is a real problem for the local search business. In fact, the problem is so large in social media websites, that one in three abandoned their local search because they cannot find accurate information during the local search process

Read More: Business Listing Management | ClickZ:

5 Ways to Optimize Images on a Website or Blog

Here are 5 things to keep in mind when working with images on your website and blog.

1. Pick an Appropriate Image

When selecting an image for a website page or blog post make sure that your image relates to the content, topic and theme. An image can help to visually relay a message and at the same time draw in your readers. The image doesn't necessarily have to relate to the content literally, it can serve as a creative interpretation, a way to generate curiosity. So next time you add an image, give it some extra thought.

2. Name the File Appropriately

Read more: http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/12272/5-Ways-to-Optimize-Images-on-a-Website-or-Blog.aspx#ixzz1LHxrJTnS

The 5 Qualities of Highly Effective Community Managers

Less than three years ago, community managers were a rare group of employees most often found at technology startups. Today, the role of community manager is common at companies of all sizes — from startups to multinational corporations. Despite their ubiquity, there is still a lot of confusion around what a community manager actually does and what employers should look for when hiring one.

Read More: The 5 Qualities of Highly Effective Community Managers

Six Social Media Best Practices Made Easy

Social media might intimidate business owners. It is a relatively new technology wherein they do not have full control over what’s going to happen and where everything leads. Most businesses understand how a website works, and they appreciate that they can have an online store that can take customer orders, sell their products, and allow their customers to get in touch with them or get to know their products or services better. But with a website, where communication is one way, everything is under their control.

Moreover, hype around social media tends to discourage a lot of business owners. They set up a Facebook page, and then wait for new customers to pour in, just as what the hype promises. But when it does not happen, they immediately forget about their Like pages. But here are the best practices that we at hubze always implement in any social media effort.

Read More: Six Social Media Best Practices Made Easy | the hubze blog

Social Media for Small Businesses: 6 Effective Strategies

Many small business owners are either too busy for social media, or they don’t truly understand Facebook, Foursquare, or Twitter. So they choose to delegate these tools to interns or specialists. This may not always be in the best interest of the company.

I’m not a social media expert. Far from it. I haven’t ousted any mayors yet, and probably won’t anytime soon. But I am a small business owner and entrepreneur who truly embraces the unique opportunity that social media offers. Nothing else gives me such a direct way to “talk” with my clients and community on a daily basis. And people are what brought me into business in the first place.

Over the past few years, I’ve made it a point to explore and understand the social web around me. And while I’ll be the first to admit there’s a lot left to learn, here are a few key lessons I’ve discovered so far.

Read More: Social Media for Small Businesses: 6 Effective Strategies

How the Real Estate Industry Is Using Social Media

The real estate industry has seen a number of social media innovations over the past few years. Real estate pros are using social media to provide online property tours, schedule showings and showcase local expertise.

Alexis Lamster, VP of customers at Postling and creator of the infographic below, told us that the company analyzed more than 500 Postling accounts specific to real estate and more than 7,000 small business accounts to extract information on how the real estate industry is using social media.

Read More: How the Real Estate Industry Is Using Social Media