Leslie Trosset:.Internet Marketing Albany NY

Is Your Age Stopping You From Embracing Technology?

Chances are if you're over the age of 30, you may be a bit scared of trying new things, especially when it comes to technology.

It could be anything from cell phones and iPod's or computers to the Internet.

If you're 40 or older, you definitely know what I'm talking about. As technology changes at such a fast pace and new gadgets and Internet services abound, many reject trying these new things.

Lisa, a 50-year old mother of young twins says, "I forced myself to get on Facebook because everyone was talking about it and I hadn't a clue what it was." Last year, Lisa was still trying to get used to email. "Being out of the workforce for 10 years really curtailed my computer skills," she said. So now, Lisa enjoys reconnecting with old friends and no longer has that blank face when someone asks, "Are you on Facebook?"

As more people are becoming familiar with Facebook, they're still in the dark with Twitter. I hear, "What's Twitter?" with a puzzled look - almost daily.

Twitter is this great online networking site where you create a profile and give and get updates within seconds using no more than 140 characters at a time. It's also known as micro-blogging; instead of writing big long posts on your blog, you condense what you want to say in short, succinct messages. Twitter is perfect for the blog-writing procrastinator. I wrote about Twitter for Business on my blog the other day.

My point is...technology and internet technology is evolving at a rapid pace and it's not slowing down any time soon. Embrace it. Learn it. Be conscious of your feelings to want to push new technology away because you don't understand it. For better of worse, things will never go back to the way things used to be.

Try something new. Hey, you might just like it.

Twitter for Business

I've been hearing and reading about Twitter for a long time now. And then a few weeks ago I read a really negative report on it. The report basically said that unless you're marketing to teens and 20-somethings AND you have a gazillion people following you, then it's a waste of time.

As with most things, I try and come to my own conclusion - especially when it comes to Internet Marketing because there's so much hype out there.

What is Twitter
Twitter is a micro-blogging service. Basically what that means is instead of writing a long blog post that can be anywhere from 200-500 words, you have 140 CHARACTERS to answer the question, "what are you doing now?"

That question may leave you thinking "what's the point of that?" While there are those who write about mundane things like what they're having for dinner, you can carefully choose people worthy of following so you won't get that nonsense.

What to Twitter About
Try to add value to Twitter by tweeting something insightful or helpful. For the most part, I've chosen to tweet about my line of work - internet marketing and web design. I provide a bit of what I'm working on for a client and then offer a tip associated with the task. I've also referred people to a web site or a blog by providing the url which Twitter turns into a tiny url. 

Who to Follow
There are all kinds of tools for people to find you on Twitter and you'll quickly see, right after joining that people will start to follow you. It's a nice courtesy to follow them back, but certainly not a requirment. Clicking on their profile will allow you to see what they've tweeted about and you can decide whether they look worthy or not. Some people probably don't care about quality and instead go for the quantity approach. Click "follow" under their profile picture to begin following a new person or business.

Twitter Tools
When finding people or subjects to follow on Twitter, visit http://search.twitter.com.

To find twitterers near where you live, visit www.nearbytweets.com.

Conclusion
Spend a few minutes each day Twittering and see what comes of it. As with most things, you have to give it time. Twitter is one tool I definately recommend because of its ability to connect you with thousands of people on a relatively personal level.

Have a good Twitter story to share? Write me and we'll talk about it here.

Looking for Internet Marketing advice? Follow me at http://twitter.com/leslietrosset.

Linkedin - What You Need to Know

LinkedIn is an online social networking site where over 30 million users exchange information, ideas and opportunities.

Are you using it to your advantage? 

What is LinkedIn?
LinkedIn is a powerful online networking tool that helps you connect with people

you know and people your friends know. You can set up your own profile, similar to a resume, where you list your education, all your past employers and positions, and groups to which you belong.

This resume-type information is what helps drive LinkedIn to suggest people you may know. For example, LinkedIn combs through their database looking for people that worked at the same company you did during the same time period. Then they list people you may know in the sidebar. It's up to you to send them a connection request.

Building Connections
So the connection goal is to try and make as many solid connections as you can by searching for people you know and requesting a connection with them. They can either decline or accept.

A network is defined as a group of LinkedIn users that can contact you through connections up to three degrees away. You are at the center of your network with the following degrees of connections:

1. Direct connections make up the 1st degree of your network.
2. Connections to each of your direct connections make up your 2nd degree.
3. Connections to those in your 2nd degree make up your 3rd degree.

This chain of trusted connections gives inside access to a network of professionals, companies and industries across the world. Relationships that you can use to help one another as you advance your own career.

Find People, Jobs, Companies, Groups, and Ask Questions
LinkedIn isn't only about finding people. You can also search for jobs, companies, groups and ask questions.

Let's say you have a business-related question and want to poll a few million people. You can post your question - to only your connections, or all people on LinkedIn - and you will see a response within minutes! Now that's powerful! Imagine how much time could be saved if you were writing an article or doing some research.

Search Engine Results
If you're on LinkedIn and someone searches for you in Google, or any major search engine, chances are your LinkIn profile will come up at or near the top of the search engine rankings. All they need to do is click on the link to see your profile - if you've made it public - and then they can contact you.

Who knows what the possibilities are - whether it's a job offer, a new client or reconnecting with an old friend, it makes online networking all the more powerful.

Make a Connection
Go ahead and check out my profile at http://www.linkedin.com/in/leslietrosset. If we know each other, or you feel as though we should connect for business purposes, send me a connection request.

If you're not yet on LinkedIn, I encourage you to sign up today and start making connections. Go for it! Visit www.linkedin.com.

Just in case you're wondering, I have no affiliation with LinkedIn and do not benefit in anyway from people signing up for their service.