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Twitter is one of my favorite social media platforms because it is simple to use, and we get information fast. There are people we can connect with 24/7. Since I’ve been on Twitter for almost 3 years now, I’ve noticed a difference in how the site is being used by the community. I remember back when we only sent links of information. Conversations back then were minimal, and retweeting was not yet the norm. Twitter has evolved, and it has become a great tool for communicating and learning.

Conversation is so important on Twitter. Did you know that aside from the one-on-one conversation, there is also a bigger conversation you can join if you participate in Twitter chats? What is a Twitter chat? It’s a platform wherein two or more people organize a conversation based on a topic or a theme. A hashtag is used so that people can view the participant’s interactions, questions and answers which are being discussed. I have joined several Twitter chats in the past, and I have enjoyed it very much. I follow friends who have organized thought-provoking topics relevant to my interests. If you have not participated in a Twitter chat yet, here are 5 reasons why you should try it at least once.

1. Your opinion will be heard – Twitter chats allow you to voice your opinion on different topics. Just follow the hashtag of a particular chat that interests you, watch for the questions asked, and send a reply tweet with the hashtag. Most chats are also documented, so if you participate, people will also learn from you that way. Your opinion will definitely be heard.

2. You will learn from people who have more experience than you - Most people who start the chats have vast knowledge on the topic being discussed. Joining chats will enable you to learn from the experts in that particular field.

3. You will gain friends – Most chats are informal, and you will notice that they are people you have seen in your Twitter stream for quite some time but have not had the chance to interact with very much. By joining the chat, you get to interact with people in a deeper conversation and have fun in the process too. The best part is that if you continue the conversation even after the chat, you will gain more friends in the process.

4. You will gain insight on topics far beyond what you can read online – I always believe that experience is the best teacher. People are encouraged to share their personal experiences when they respond to questions in Twitter chats.

5. You can use it as a poll - Aside from joining chats, you can organize one too. Use it as a personal or business tool to get opinions from people you interact with everyday. Get their views, share with their experiences, and get valuable insight on topics relevant to your brand or personal endeavors.

I encourage you to try it. Here are some of the chats that have been put together by my friends on Twitter. #CMchat “Where Country Music Meets YOU” is the first and only registered LIVE “Country Music Chat” on Twitter. It is hosted by social media Twitterati @JessicaNorthey. Each week #CMchat has different topics like getting an album played on radio, social media strategy, and of course getting the inside scoop from country music musicians, radio personalities, radio and label executives and fans alike! This community in an open-forum, and you are always invited to come chit-chat on twitter with country music’s best!

Another chat is the #FitStudio chat with various fitstudio bloggers as guests hosts, among them @joycecherrier .  FitStudio hosts a dynamic weekly chat each Wednesday night  from 7:30-8:30pm CST on Twitter. Topics vary, but they always include an element of health and fitness while incorporating a support community. Every week there is a new chat “sponsor” or leader who brings their unique perspective to the FitStudio community. They are always open to new ideas and product offerings. Perhaps you have a new product coming out, and you’d like them to feature it with a giveaway. Feel free to invite your followers to join in these fun chats! 

Another interesting one is hosted by @LeoWid called #ToolsChat. They discuss how you can make the most of Twitter with various Twitter tools. These are just a few examples of chats you can join. If you have been active in a Twitter chat, maybe you will share which one with us and our readers. We would love to hear from you!

Image Credits: [David Castillo Dominici / Shutterstock ] [VojtechVlk / Shutterstock]

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The latest buzz lately is all around Google Plus. I was very fortunate to be one of the first ones to get a beta invite, and it was quite easy to setup. If you have been active on the different social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, you will most likely find it easy to use. I’ve come across a lot of posts with people comparing the different social media sites. Many are sharing that they prefer Google Plus over Twitter and Facebook.

One of the beautiful things about today’s social media sphere is that people can now dictate which networks to use, instead of the other way around. Many people have been lumping the most popular social networks together, but I believe each one of them has its own advantages and functions that are unique. I am still learning about the many features of Google Plus, but I wanted to share with people who have not gotten on there yet 5 reasons why they might want to consider it.

1. You can hang out with friends - Hang Out is one of my favorite features. If you like to video chat with your friends and discuss things all at the same time, you will like Hang Out.  You can even watch YouTube videos together. I believe this is a great function for businesses since people can hold forums, meetings and collaborations.

2. You can add people in circles - On Twitter, you have lists, on Google Plus, you have circles. Here you have a choice to place people in different circles so you will be able to independently choose which stream you want to look at. This allows you to manage your account efficiently, especially if you have many people adding you to their respective circles.

3. You can + posts you like – Similarly to Facebook’s likes or Twitter’s retweets, on Google Plus, if you want to give props to a post you particularly like, you can just click the + button. 

4. You can huddle with friends in your circle - I recently added the Google Plus app on my iPhone, and alas I had several huddle requests from people who are in my circles. A huddle is a private group chat where you can discuss anything by topic or just find out what is happening among your friends privately. 

5. You can have another social media outlet when Twitter goes down -  Of course, I saved the best for last. When Twitter goes down, you will now have another venue to share and get information. If you are as active on Twitter as the majority of people I know, you will really appreciate having a way to connect with friends and share everyday. Now even if we see the fail whale, we won’t be worried at all.

Image Credits: [Alvin Thong on Dribble] [MaleWitch / Shutterstock]

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When I first got on Twitter, I never realized that I would get so much out of the social networking site. I am active on Twitter everyday, and the experiences have been very rewarding for me. Not only do I get valuable information, but I also get to meet people who I wouldn’t get the chance to meet if it weren’t for Twitter. According to an article on PR Sarah Evans, “It took 3 years, 2 months and 1 day to hit 1 billion tweets. Now it only takes 1 week for Twitter to syndicate 1 billion tweets.” ~Brian Solis This really shows how Twitter has grown in the past few years, and how powerful it has become as a communication tool.

Twitter allows people to connect with just 140 characters. I know a lot of people have had their lives changed so much in those characters on Twitter, and I am one of them. So many opportunities have come my way because I have learned to harness the power of engaging with the right people, and I’ve learned from their experiences everyday. For those who still don’t get Twitter but would like to get into it and experience what we have, I have listed some life lessons we can experience just from tweeting.

1. Be yourself, it’s the only way to go – Online or offline, being yourself is the only way to be successful in life, and in every endeavor you put your energy into. I love this quote from Steve Jobs, “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.“

2. Be Kind - Kindness goes a long way. It is a quality that most people I connect with everyday posses. Kindness on Twitter is shown through retweets and sharing. It sometimes bothers me that I see kindness more on social sites than in real life. The world could be a better place if people just learned to be kind.

3. Never forget to say please and thank you – Please and thank you may be simple words, but they are quite powerful. If you are active on Twitter, you’ll see that they are some of the most tweeted words by people who share info, kind words and quotes everyday.

4. Never stop learning, it’s fun! - I know most of the people who join Twitter do it because they know it’s the best place to learn new things from different people from all over the world. You can learn about design, technology, social media, tips and tricks, etc… 

5. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness - You’ll see people tweeting questions and asking for recommendations and help on Twitter. I believe people online and offline should always try to ask for help when they need it. It is never a sign of weakness. People are not mind readers, they won’t know you’re drowning if you don’t yell for help. 

6. No one can bully you into doing anything - Bullying is not tolerated on Twitter, so it shouldn’t be tolerated in your personal life either. Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do something or try to control your actions.

7. Don’t be afraid to express yourself - Creativity and self expression are very much welcome on Twitter. If you are active on the site, why not carry that over into your offline life?  The thing that I love doing on Twitter and in my personal life, in which I find so much fulfillment, is getting people to open their door to possibilities. I enjoy helping them become aware that the world is for them to conquer. They just need to find out what it is they love to do and express that.

8. Sharing is caring – Giving is always encouraged on Twitter. Sharing information and recommendations is encouraged everyday. If you can bring that into your personal life and share with the people close to you, believe me, your world will change. Sharing is the best way to show you care.

9. Use your influence for the greater good – The majority of the online influencers are active on Twitter. They get the message out, and they share information on causes that need support. They make people aware of the issues. Even if you are not a big influencer, you can still impact change. Every little action helps. The important step is to make the first move.

10. Your online friends are human too – Respect is the important word here. The avatars that you see on profiles represent human beings who live and breathe like you and me. I am very lucky to have so many people on Twitter that I have been tweeting with for a long time. I’ve even met some of them in real life. I respect them even more after I have had the opportunity to jump from an online conversation to a real life connection.

Image Credits: [Ints Vikmanis / Shutterstock] [alexskopje / Shutterstock] [Patryk Kosmider / Shutterstock]

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Social media allows us to interact with so many people from all walks of life everyday, anytime. You can exchange information, greet friends, and even share memories through photo sharing and music. However, I know there are some people who simply wonder why they are not getting any reactions to what they share. What I’m referring to are retweets and @replies on Twitter, and likes and comments on Facebook. You may wonder, is this even important? Well, in some cases it would be great to know if what you say or share is being heard, especially if you are a brand or a service trying to get your message across. Let’s be honest, it’s a good feeling to know that people like and share the things that we put out there because they are the things that interest us.

It’s amazing to me how some people get so many retweets, likes and comments. As they update, people respond in an instant. Did you know that there are no secrets to getting reactions to whatever we share on our favorite social networking sites? Just check out the following tips, and hopefully you will get the reactions you desire.

1. Share a variety of content - Don’t be boring. There are a variety of tools that you have access to. You have lots of different ways to share your feelings and thoughts. Share original content also, if you can. What I mean by that is tweet stuff that you find online. You never know, that simple piece of interesting information you found could be a gem to another person.

2. Give back – There are so many ways you can give back to those who have been interacting with you on a regular basis on the different social sites. You can thank them personally on their wall, tweet them, or you can even DM them or PM them a quick thank you if you are shy. If you see something you like, go ahead and like it and share it on Facebook. That is why they are called social sites, you need to be social. 

3. Engage - If someone either sends you an @reply or comments on your Facebook link, it is always good to give a comment back when appropriate. When I like something on Twitter or on Facebook, I often times share it on my stream and my wall, and I give credit to the original person who shared it. I believe this is a great way to show appreciation, and also allow others to benefit from what you have learned. Friendships can develop too because of constant engagement and interaction, so why not try it out?

4. Listen - Whether it is Twitter, Facebook or even another social site like Instagram, you need to listen to the people you follow and the people who like your page. Make sure you pay attention to what people are sharing with you, and notice what they are reacting to. Don’t just blast messages to them, instead, listen and respond accordingly.

5. Be yourself - The best way to get a reaction is to actually share the real you. Don’t pretend to be someone you are not. In the end, people will figure out if you are genuine or not. Just share the stuff you like to share, and don’t be afraid if at first people don’t respond. If they see that you are real, you will soon hear from them in one form or another.

Image Credits: [ra2 studio / Shutterstock] [Rufous / Shutterstock]

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Blogging has become a mainstream form of self-expression. It is also a great way for businesses and brands to get their message out to their customers. If you want a detailed review of a product or would like to learn the latest trends in design, for example, you can search the Internet and find the best articles written by bloggers all over the world. Like most social networking platforms, there are more and more people interested in creating blogs, whether it be for personal or professional use. You can check out some of the statistics here and you will see that there are about 150 million active domains for blogs.

I know a lot of people have been very successful with blogging, while others are struggling to get their blogs noticed. I have heard some people say that there are secrets you need to learn in order to be successful at blogging. In my personal opinion though, I disagree. I feel that there is no real secret to blogging, although there are some questions that you might consider asking yourself before taking the plunge into the wonderful world of blogging. Blogging may seem simple, but it requires a lot of your time and effort so before you take the first step, ask yourself these 5 questions.

1. Why am I doing it? This is the most important question to ask before you setup your blog. You will need to set goals about what you want to achieve. Many people fail to see the importance of creating a master plan at the beginning of their venture. Setting goals will allow you to measure your success and benchmark your progress. Once you have determined your goals, it will be easy for you to manage and plan your content. 

2. Who will listen to me? The second most important question to answer is who will your audience be? The only way you can be sure that the message you send is relevant is by making sure you are targeting the right readers. These are the people who will be receptive to your posts. 

3. What platform will I use? This question is important because you must be able to sustain your blog in order for it to become successful. Will the platform you choose make it easy for you to post? Do you understand which plugins to use? Do you have basic knowledge when it comes to creating and editing the HTML and CSS codes inherent to the platform you’ve chosen so you can enhance and optimize your site? 

4. How many times should I post? Some bloggers make the mistake of creating a blog and then publishing a post right away, without having a content plan for the next post. As we all know by now, content is key to the success of any blog, and making sure you have a plan or strategy well in advance can really help you churn out quality materials every time.

5. How will I promote my site and measure its success? Once you have everything covered and your site is finally ready for launch, you will now need to make sure you know how you will get your blog noticed by the world. This is a very tricky process and will take a lot of patience and commitment on your part. Not only do you need to promote your site, but you must also know what metrics you need to have in place to measure it against the goals you have established at the beginning of your endeavor.

Blogging requires a lot of commitment, time and sacrifice. Make sure you answer all these 5 basic questions so you will be able to see the fruits of your labor!

Image Credits: [David Gilder / Shutterstock] [FuzzBones / Shutterstock]

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I really love this quote from Philip Adams, “Unless you’re willing to have a go, fail miserably, and have another go, success won’t happen.” I had the opportunity to hear a talk about how Disney works in terms of their thinking when it comes to strategy. I must say, they follow simple rules yet you can see the impact in everything they do. Some people I know have dreams and goals that they know can be accomplished, and yet they hold back and tell themselves to wait for the right time. I am not saying that we shouldn’t plan the things we want to have happen, but waiting for the right moment can sometimes be the factor that holds us back.

Our attitude in life is what will allow us to make our dreams come true. The way we think and see things can be the guide for us to really focus and succeed in anything that we do. When I was younger, I made a list of the things I wanted to accomplish in life, and little by little I see them being fulfilled, and that allows me to continue to add to the list. Goals and dreams are different for everyone, but in order to make them happen, we all need to follow some simple steps. Here are my personal tips to hopefully help you to make anything happen in your own life, whether it be personal or professional.

1. Don’t just list them, do them - Sitting down and making a list of the things we want to achieve in life is great. It allows us to contemplate on what we want for our immediate and distant future. However, sometimes the list just remains a list forever. Check your list daily or monthly and make sure at some point in time you get that goal accomplished and crossed off. Then move to the next one in line.

2. Don’t let people tell you it can’t be done – In this crazy world we live in, we will always encounter people whose goal in life is to bring other people down. These are usually just people who are insecure about themselves, and they criticize or try to influence us in order to make themselves seem better than us. A wonderful person told me just last week that we will encounter this type of individual, and we should never let anyone tell us that we can’t do something!

3. Don’t be afraid of hard work - Hard work and perseverance go hand in hand with success. Most dreams and goals will require us to work harder than we may have ever worked before. We may need to make some sacrifices, and we may even lose some sleep. However, once you reach that goal, I can guarantee you the good feeling will definitely outweigh the hardships you went through to get there.

4. Think of it as an adventure not a task – This tip is my favorite. I always make sure that I am having fun while accomplishing my goals. Once you look at something as a task to be accomplished, rather than a journey to be experienced, it makes it more unreachable and daunting. 

5. Be with people who you know will support you – It is always good to have people you trust around you. These are people who you know have your back and push you to do your best. These are people you know you can ask for guidance and help when things are hard, and you feel uninspired.

Image Credits: [Ersler Dmitry / Shutterstock] [Warren Goldswain / Shutterstock]

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If you are active in social media, I am sure that you have at some point seen the now famous Twitter fail whale. For those new to Twitter, the fail whale is the signal we get when the site is down, which usually happens due to overcapacity or maintenance. For many Twitterholics, seeing the fail whale can be brutal because it forces us to take a small time out from tweeting. People react to the situation differently, which is quite interesting to see.

Some people just wait for the site to restore itself back to normal, while others rant about it and share it on Facebook. Some people even write posts about it! Would you believe many articles have been written because Twitter was down. However, since I’m a Twitterholic, the fail whale has never stopped me from tweeting for long. I think it would be great to decorate my apartment with this cool Three Foot Fail Whale Wall Graphic.

This fun design is printed on space-age, self-adhesive, repositionable fabric paper with eco-solvent digital inks. You can remove and re-post it 100 times. This poster costs around $49.99. Failure never looked so good! So for those of you who want to add a geeky social media element into your home, I think this is a perfect addition. Not only do you not need nails or a frame, you don’t have to worry about damaging your wall. That definitely makes a geek like me really happy!

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Twitter has had a big influence on me. People who follow me on the site know that I tweet a lot, and that I enjoy meeting and tweeting with friends and new followers everyday. Those who are new to Twitter might say that I am crazy for writing this piece because how can a social networking site change someone’s life? However, I know those who have been on the site and have enjoyed the experience like I have will agree that it can be life changing.

Twitter has been around for quite some time now, and it has changed the way we communicate and share our thoughts, feelings and our everyday experiences. Twitter celebrated its birthday recently, and during that time, it was reported that at least 460,000 accounts are created per day and 140 million tweets sent per day. Those numbers show us that people are realizing that Twitter has become a mainstream form of communication. Some people say it’s a time waster, and it can be if you don’t benefit from it. I am proof that Twitter has value because it has truly changed my life. If you want to have a positive experience using Twitter, here are ways it can change your life too.

1. You become more bold – I am an introvert by nature, and it was very hard for me to share my thoughts and my ideas with strangers before Twitter. Thanks to the encouragement of my Twitter friends, and the belief in me that my Twitter and blogging mentor @Minervity had, I was able to start writing and designing again. If you have a passion that you want to pursue, try to find people whose interests are similar to yours. Believe me, they can be a great source of information and inspiration.

2. You can hone your creativity – I always believe that everyone has their own particular talent. Some people can draw, others design, some are great in the kitchen, others are creative thinkers and problem solvers. Often times people don’t realize their talents until someone else teaches them how to unlock their creativity. Twitter is a great site for honing your talents. You can get a lot of encouragement and information, you just need to follow the right people.

3. You can be an inspiration to others – Never under estimate the power of Twitter. I know some people feel like nobody reads their tweets. When I started using Twitter, I thought no one was listening to what I had to share either. However, that did not stop me from sharing and making sure that what I did choose to share was something relevant to the people who follow me. After quite some time, people started sending me @replies to share with me that they had just started blogging, or designing, or whatever because they felt inspired by my tweets. So just continue tweeting and sharing, don’t be afraid.

4. You learn to be kind – One person I enjoy tweeting with is @MartyMcPadden. He shares content that I learn from everyday. Since I’m an Apple fan like he is, his tweets are very useful. He gives tips that have helped me when I needed to figure out problems with my Mac or iPhone. What strikes me the most about him is that he never fails to give a kind word, a thank you, and a warm hello to all his followers. When I saw one of his articles, Five Simple Words, I understood why. I am just glad that the majority of people on Twitter know the 5 simple words (thank you, you’re welcome and please). Kindness can be contagious.

5. You become aware of the world that exists beyond your backyard - On Twitter there are no time zones. You can tweet with anyone anywhere in the world. If you can’t travel, you will get the chance to see the world through the conversations and pictures that people share on Twitter. @EarthXplorer is a world traveler you might want to follow.  Through his Twitter lens, I have seen Egypt, Alaska and many other parts of the world.

6. You learn to give – One thing that I particularly love about Twitter is that it has taught me to be more giving. I’ve learned that it is always good to think of others more than you think of yourself. There are so many compassionate people you can meet on Twitter. You just need to explore and really listen. The best example is my dearest friend @adamsconsulting. Throughout the year, she leads groups of people who all contribute to feed the homeless. I think that is one of the most selfless acts a person can do to give to people who do not have anything.

7. You become more open to learning - I know a lot of people have expressed that they have become smarter because of Twitter. One thing to consider though is that you need to learn how to follow the right people.

8. You can build lasting friendships with your Twitter friends - If you have not read the article The Proof That Social Media Friendships Are Real, it is a must read. Diana and I originally met on Twitter, and meeting in real life has further strengthened that friendship even more. If it were not for Twitter, I would have not gotten the chance to meet her. Not only that, but since I have now moved to the States, I can still keep in touch with my Filipino friends on Twitter. We tweet our hellos, and share our stories. 

9. You can influence change - Twitter influencers like @Lotay, @Iconic88, @2morrowknight, @jowyang, @mayhemstudios, @AskAaronLee, @kim, and @JessicaNorthey are just some of the people who have thousands and thousands of followers. They use their influence to make sure we are all informed of the many causes that we can help and support. You too can make a difference. If you know how to give and you are passionate for a cause, share it and explain to people how they can support it too. Most people are open to helping when they can.

You don’t have to have as many followers as us Twitterholics to realize the value of Twitter. Maybe you are still contemplating about joining Twitter. I hope this article has helped to convince you to give it a shot. For those who are already on Twitter, if you have anything to add to the list, we would love to hear from you!

Image Credit: [Ralf Juergen Kraft / Shutterstock] [Mile Atanasov/ Shutterstock]

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Social media brings us closer to the brands that we use. If you are on Facebook, aside from “liking” pages that you want to be updated with regarding their promotions and fun activities, you can also find some brands that allow users to give virtual gifts to friends and family. If your friends like donuts, coffee or even hugs, you can easily access gifts for them through the different Facebook apps.

In addition to Facebook, there are a lot of other apps available through the app store that allow you to give virtual gifts if you have an iPhone. One cool one is called My Starbucks. With this one you can create a customized drink and share it with your friends via Facebook or email.

Another brand that is taking online gifting to another level is Pepsi with their Be Social Vending System. It allows Pepsi drinkers to gift their friends with real Pepsi products. One really neat feature on this interactive touchscreen machine is that it enables customers to review nutritional information about the products before they buy them or gift them to their friends. So how does it all work? You simply choose the beverage you want to gift, enter your friend’s name and mobile number, and add a short message. A code will be delivered to your friend, and now that friend can use the code to redeem the drink. I have included some screen shots below and a video to help you see how it all works. I can’t wait till they roll this out in stores!

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I grew up playing with a lot of kids on the streets. I was fortunate that my brother and sister were both close to my age, and we always ended up spending our summers together playing street games with the other kids in our neighborhood. My parents would yell to us when it was time to come inside, which usually happened when the sun got too hot to play in. We loved playing tag, hide and seek, street football and of course, a childhood favorite, dodgeball. I usually ended up going home with scratches and bruises from all that playing, but I didn’t mind.

It was a lot different when I was growing up than it is now. We did not have computers and game consoles to play with, so we loved playing outside with the friends we made because they enjoyed the same games that we did. However, it would have been more fun if we had the 5″ Angry Birds Plush Toys. You can trigger the unique sounds that each angry bird or pig makes by tapping on their heads. Now you can play dodgeball geek style. After you’re finished playing, you can wash them and get them ready for the next fun day with your friends. I have included a video on how you can truly play with these plush toys to the extreme! You can purchase the different birds and pigs for $9.99 each.