1. Social news sites like Reddit are useful because the push time sensitive nature.
2. User generated content from sites like YouTube allow variety. Users can share anything and everything!
3. And of course, social networking sites like Twitter.

What’s the best thing about blogs? They have the ability to cover the span of these three categories. Wes and Francis talk about the difference between internal and external blog sources. It’s important to keep track of the analytics and they really delve into the details – besides their company is an expert in the field! The guys also talk about how you can use paid search to boost your viral campaign efforts. In these ads, you want to point users to a very specific place and get them to participate. Whether it is to comment, retweet, or vote, a call to action is crucial.

Very insightful stuff. I also like Tech Crunch’s look into more so-called secrets behind viral campaigns.

1. Multitask at your own risk! Most resources argue that multitasking is inefficient because it leaves you distracted. Sometimes your best work may come when you’re in the middle of something else. It’s not ideal but I certainly wouldn’t avoid multitasking all together.
2. Schedule your social media time. It’s easy to get distracted on Facebook or Twitter. I find myself crawling for more tweets, especially if I’m looking at something in particular or a trending topic. Instead, you can schedule 5 or 10 minutes every other hour to check up on your social media profiles (if it’s necessary at all).
3. Take notes – don’t let good ideas slip away. Maybe you utilize your Google Reader or have a specific email folder. Even an old-fashioned moleskin will do. At the end of the day, you can skim your notes and see how the good ones stick.
4. Stop obsessing over things that don’t matter. This seems easier said than done but it is possible. Before you get too involved in a task, ask yourself if it’s really necessary at the moment. There are many time management tools that focus on the priority of each project.
5. Limit your time on a specific task. If you’re stuck on something, move onto something to clear your mind. It’s easier to see what you’re doing wrong or what you need to do when you come back to it at a later time.
6. Learn to say no. Whether it’s saying no to telemarketers, co-workers asking you favors, or clients who bug you, you need to learn to find the ‘no’ point that works for you.
7. Take a break. Avoid spacing out on your computer and you’ll feel refreshed… which hopefully means that you’re ready to be more productive!

It’s March and we all know that that is – National Reading Month! Whether you read a little or a lot, there’s so much we can learn by reading. I’m currently reading Hypnotic Writing: How to Seduce and Persuade Customers with Only Your Words by Joe Vitale.

Not something I would usually read “for fun”, but he offers a lot of helpful tips for blogging and writing in general:

• Repeat, repeat, repeat. The best writers can get their point across through repetition without sounding boring.
• Sprinkle in a little intimacy in your writing. Your readers want to know why they should be reading your blog, book, etc. Don’t make it all about yourself and take the time to help them out.
• Imitation is the best form of flattery. Comedians “borrow” jokes from their heroes. Athletes watch footage of sports legends. What’s wrong with aiming high? You’ll develop a style that is uniquely your own.
• Drunk as a sailor? As fit as a fiddle? As mad as a hatter? Use similes sparingly. Maybe, you can come up some more interesting ones.
• Don’t aim for perfection: If you edit too much and scrutinize the details, your work won’t have the same feeling that you originally intended it to. Don’t be too harsh on yourself but instead, try the best you can and then move on.

What are you currently reading? Have any recommendations?

Get Educated
Sometimes, a little education can go a long way when you’re trying to engage your audience. There are free webinars and seminars every day, so find a topic that interests you. PRWeb often sponsors webinars that are beneficial for small business owners, bloggers, and more. You can do some live blogging, or participate in real-time discussion via hash tags on Twitter. Search Engine Watch always features interesting topics with great speakers.

Staying in the Loop
Webinars are a good way to get your social media news, but it also helps to stay more current. Like any other news room, it can be too cluttered to really stay focused. This is where newsletters and weekly wrap-ups can come in handy. Marketing Profs has a free daily newsletter which will help you stay in the loop and stay inspired. Remember, it’s easy to get distracted, but stay on the watch for credible sources for your social media news.

Some wise words from The Ramones. Don’t wait for a next time – start today! In other words: listen to your heart, but rely on the experience to get the best results. This holds true for almost everything in life. Fashion, love, your personal values, and even your marketing mix. Just because everyone is doing it, doesn’t mean that you should. This can go both ways but today, we’ll take the latter approach.

Here are some ways your social media presence can benefit when you take the time to listen to your heart and share your passion. Have any others you’d like to add?

1. People want to know more. This article from Social Media Today shows that the most common retweets are actually “bites of wisdom”.
2. Establish your unique voice. There must be thousands of mommy bloggers, but only one Jessica Gottlieb (@JessicaGottlieb).
3. It makes you interesting! It doesn’t matter if you’re right or wrong, taking a stand will help you stand out.
4. Helps you remain consistent. Are you an avid sports fan or film buff? Your readers will probably never get a chance to meet you, but will grow to know the social you that you put forward.
5. Even if you make mistakes, you can learn and try better next time :]

How exactly does this work? If you have good content that your audience can relate to, you can use social media to bring them in the spotlight again. This can happen via Digg, Reddit and even email. After going through your own articles and stories that best resonate with your audience, take the time to make them relevant again. Carol tells us that most of her clients have had success with content that was written months to even one year ago!

Come up with a realistic content plan. Recognize relevant keywords and track their position as you release content that should bring more traffic. Although content marketing is a slow and steady process, it has very real results. Get ready to focus on your content plan today. There are many free research tools that you can use to get started you keyword research that will strengthen your content efforts: Word Vision, SpyFu, Compete, Quantcast, MajesticSEO, SEOToolSet, LinkVendor, Marketleap and PageGrader.

Here are some tips to help you get unstuck:

Use pictures
Who likes reading chunks of text without white space or pictures? If your blog features text on end, you’re just asking to put readers to sleep. Many sites feature inspirational photos, just look into some in the field you’re interested in. If you’re into fashion, Polyvore is great to help you visualize things. Flickr and DeviantART are also useful for general purposes.

Get inspiration
Go for a walk, listen to some of your old favorite tracks, or just pick a nice place to do some people watching. You’ll be surprised at the things you come across. Sometimes, it just helps to step away from the keyboard and clear your mind. If that doesn’t help, it’s time to do some reading. Subscribe to some  interesting blog feeds. It just helps keeping up with the current news. Some of my go to sites: Technorati, LA Times, Wired and even movie quotes!

Keep notes

Throughout the day, you may come across many things that would make for an interesting topic. Did you see a stupid commercial or bite into a raw hamburger? Why not write about it? Subtle insight and your personal experiences make the best topics. Instead of tweeting every single thought that comes to your mind, take note of some good ones. You don’t have to spend a lot of time thinking about it, but just pick some that you would like to elaborate on. Good luck in your blogging adventures! As for me… I just found a way to get over my own blogger’s block.