The default Google+ profile URLs are U-G-L-Y. There’s just no getting around that. Here’s mine, for example:

https://plus.google.com/104751726946258140372

It’s easy to see these are not sexy URLs, like those on facebook, twitter, or LinkedIn.

Fear not, there is a solution. Check out Google Plus Nick, http://gplus.to/. You can enter in what you want your nickname to be, add your Google+ ID, and viola! A custom, pretty, sexy Google+ URL. So now, I can be found on Google+ at gplus.to/HilaryBrooks.

Dana White, President of the UFC, announced yesterday that they will be giving quarterly twitter bonuses out to fighters who have the most followers, the largest percent of increase in followers, and the most creative tweets.

To make it fair, they will be placing the fighters into four different categories (can we call them Twitter weight classes?) depending on the number of twitter followers they currently have.

So what does this all mean? Why is this important news?

Dana White is a marketing genius. Although UFC has been around since 1993, almost 20 years, it’s really only been until the last few years that UFC (and the sport of mixed martial arts, aka MMA) has become mainstream. White had to not only market the sport effectively, but also override the negative preconceived notions that used to exist about the sport.

With well over one million followers, Dana himself already knows the importance and effect twitter has on building awareness of their brand. With the fighters already being competitive by nature, Dana’s new bonus structure for fighter’s twitter activity is a win.

What can small biz owners take away from this? Simply put, if you’re not on twitter — you should be. Engage and interact with your audience and not just shove sales pitches down their throats. Use twitter to create awareness and buzz about your brand, while building your community and following. If you don’t have enough time in a day, or don’t know where to start, we can help with social media management services.

Fighters, get ready to impose your will on twitter!!!

Shout outs to some of my favorite fighters on twitter:

@GeorgesStPierre	@KennyFlorian	@followace	@UrijahFaber

So you have finally figured out SEO and figured you were in the game now, right?  Wrong!  Like technology, online marketing has one up on you again!  The latest buzz is SMO – Social Media Optimization. Social media networking, when done correctly, can drive huge amounts of targeted traffic to your website.

The good news is that many of you may already be doing it.  SMO is the use of Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and other social networking sites to promote and draw attention to your company and your services or products.   Why social networking? Because the old ground rules still apply, people buy from people they know, like and trust.

If you’re a Facebook user, you know that there are tons of groups and fan pages on the site to become a part of – and the user does so at will.  For instance, on my profile you will see I’ve added WordPress, Microsoft Office and newegg.com – among others on Facebook.  They are companies whose products I enjoy, who I trust and who I want information from to see what is new with their products. 

As entrepreneurs, we can do the same thing.  Most of us are not as big as Microsoft or even newegg.com – but we can invite and offer something to those who may be able to use our services.  We can offer something new, something exciting and something different – right there in the moment!  Those who are listening to the buzz we create will be doing so willingly (unlike the Facebook ads that pop up beside our friends and family on our Home page).  This is the same for Twitter, Digg and the other social sites out there that help us connect with our target market. 

Social media can be a successful component in your marketing plan. The key in this is not to get followers on a social site and then hit them in the face with your product or service!  And you need to participate! Give them something so that they want to get to know you better and along the way, they will want to see what else you have to offer.  Engage with them and then they will get interested in you and what you are selling!