4 Reasons Your Customers Aren't Sharing Your Content on Social Media

Content marketing and digital media strategies often (if not always) include social sharing as a metric for success. Creating highly engaging, widely relatable content is a crucial step towards earning an audience's attention. But while pageviews are important, marketers need a deeper understanding of why people share it to create content that will reach further.

To learn more about sharing motivations, we surveyed more than 1,000 adults and asked them about the aspects of their identities that matter most when they share online. Combined with some research on why users hesitate to share, we now have a better understanding about how audiences use content to talk to each other, and about themselves.

1. 71% of users are reluctant to share content.

71% of Facebook users censor the comments or posts they compose, according to a recent study by researchers at Facebook and Carnegie Mellon University. Over a 17 day study period, they found that 15.3 billion comments and posts were written but deleted before being shared.

There are many considerations that factor into this censorship process. One is a user's concern for how a comment or piece of content may reflect on themselves. Another is the appropriateness of a message for the various social circles--ranging from friends to family to employers to clergy members--who may all be a part of the same contact list, and will thus all see the same post.

Regardless of the cause, the widespread act of self-censorship is a flag to content creators that audiences are highly selective about what they share and actively review and consider the content
they amplify to their friends and followers.

2. Salient identities prompt us to take action.

According to social science, five broad categories encompass the aspects of ourselves that help determine how we behave:
Relational Identity
Personal Identity
Social Identity
Superficial Identity
Collective Identity

We assess the importance of each factor in every social situation we encounter, and prioritize these aspects according to our current circumstances. Collective identity, which focuses on groups we are a part of, may be the most salient identity at a soccer game, but personal identity (which revolves around values and goals) is likely more important during a job interview.

The ranking of these identities is important to understand when it comes to online sharing. The aspects that are most salient when users are on social media determine the type of content they are most likely to share.The more your content can help them amplify the way they want to be seen, the more shares your content will earn.

3. Users want to be seen as being a good friend.

84% of respondents in our survey said that "being a good friend to those I care about" is an important factor they consider when they use social media; 20% said that their relationships are "extremely important." These concerns for relational identity were the most salient across every generation in our survey, but strikingly so among those in the 65 age group.

Content creators will gain the most traction by building campaigns that help people relate to one another when they share it. BuzzFeed has found unique success online by tapping into this very insight, according to Ze Frank, head of BuzzFeed video, and focusing on content that encourages users to share and say "I know you, I like you."

4. Sharing goals and values.

After their friendships, 63% of social media users said that their values, goals, and dreams--aspects of personal identity--were the next most important concerns on their list. This was particularly true for younger generations; both younger and older Millennials ranked personal identity factors higher than older groups.

It's important to note that while values were highly ranked, religion was ranked as the least important factor in this study. In fact, 55% of respondents ranked this factor as "not important" when they consider whether to share content. Content marketers may want to broach content relating to personal identity from angles of inspirational quotes rather than from a standpoint of religious or political affiliations.

http://www.inc.com/kelsey-libert/4-reasons-your-customers-aren-t-sharing-your-content-on-social-media.html

5 Tips to Optimize Your Time as an Entrepreneur

Each morning people wake up and choose how they will start the day. For some, this may mean a quick workout before heading to the office and for others it could mean spending some time with their kids, reading the morning news or catching up on work-related emails.

In reality, everyone is making personal and professional trade-offs -- spending time here versus there. But ultimately being effective is not a matter of finding a balance between two spheres, but rather it's optimizing how you spend your time across the board. It's time that people embrace the notion of time optimization and put the idea of attaining work-life balance to bed.

The secret lies not in weighing opposing priorities, but in planning ahead so as to have time to spend it where you wish.

As 2015 quickly approaches, entrepreneurs should aim to set intentions for each and every day to fully optimize your time throughout the year.

Here is my approach to optimizing time in 2015:

1. Don’t follow a one-size-fits-all system.

Recognize that everyone optimizes time differently. My priorities and the demands on my time will differ from yours, another CEO’s or even those of someone in my family.

The key is to create an individualized plan that works for you based on all the factors at hand -- available minutes in the day, amount of sleep required and work commute. I believe there is no one-size-fits-all approach and that people need to optimize all aspects of their lives on an individual basis.

2. Make time for in-person communication. 

Often, there are lapses in communication over text, email or even the phone. While people think these digital forms of communication are making them more efficient and social, they are actually wasting time deciphering mixed messages and clarifying points of view.

Constant interaction through digital technology prevents people from stepping back and engaging in physical reality. People often forget how much more efficient they can be by stepping away from the computer, meeting with someone in person and working through a task or issue. It’s not just comical when people seated at the same table send texts to one another. It’s sad. 

3. Create a log.

If you feel that your time isn’t being allocated efficiently or are unsure of where the hours in your day are being spent, it's time for a log. Creating a log will help you identify what activities take the most time and will help you identify where you can cut back or shift priorities.

To optimize my time I have been keeping a log for the past 15 years of my life. I can tell you approximately how many hours I’ve spent working, networking, exercising, playing guitar or taking part in social activities. Yes, you can even make time for your social life.

A log, which can be as simple as a well-kept electronic calendar, also provides an honest view of where someone is spending his or her time and is a good way to assess if adjustments should be made. From personal experience, I can say it's far too easy to spend time on activities that preclude you from making the most of every moment of your day. 

4. Plan ahead.

I suggest planning way ahead. I had most of the major milestones of 2015 in my calendar before carving 2014's Thanksgiving turkey. Scheduling big work events such as board meetings or conferences in advance provides anchor points to build the year around. Be transparent in communicating the master schedule so that colleagues can plan vacations and maximize time in other parts of their life.

Integrating these tips as you consider your outlook for the new year can be a defining point in your professional and personal success. Remember, no one is perfect and even if you follow these tips, there will always be distractions pulling your attention away from what really matters.

It's easy to become wrapped up in the highs and lows associated with daily tasks at work or home. Taking a step back to reflect when this happens is an important activity to embrace. In the end, it’s not about counting the minutes of the day but rather optimizing your time across multiple activities and leading a fulfilled life.

http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/240850

4 Tips for Making Millions Quickly Marketing Through Infomercials

Most of us have heard of the ThighMaster, the Snuggie or the Ginsu Steak Knives as overnight success products that have amassed millions of dollars selling directly to consumers through Direct Response Television (DRTV) commercials.

Warren Tuttle, president of the United Inventors Association of America, has been working within the DRTV industry for decades. He was the person behind the television direct response mega-hit Smart Spin that generated nearly ten million units through a series of successful infomercials. I sat down with Warren to get his top four tips to getting your product to launch through DRTV and be the next mega wonder.

1. Rapidly create national brand recognition

The biggest advantage of DRTV is the ability to create, very rapidly, brand recognition through significant exposure on today's most dynamic advertising medium. Consumers are more likely to shop for a product they have seen six to eight times, through repeated TV ad exposure. Successful DRTV programs can drive significant sales volume and eventually provide retailers with very high sales, rapid stock turn, strong gross margins and increased bottom line profits.

2. DRTV companies focus on different niches

DRTV companies are no different then other industries when focusing on specific niches or areas of differentiation. Some are house and home oriented, while others focus on exercise or personal care. Even the length of commercials are different, as some companies are excellent in developing two-minute short forms, while others better at the 30-minute long format.

Keep in mind, though, that not all products are well suited for DRTV success. It is a rapid roll out process, where a product generally moves through a short selling life cycle at a highly accelerated pace. Some products require a slower burn to get to market and succeed, while other products are more platform oriented with a line up of SKUs that need to be appropriately showcased. Products need to be highly demonstrable. Not all successful products are, so it may be better to introduce some types of products to market through a traditional retail roll out and avoid the DRTV model altogether.

3. Do your homework interviewing DRTV companies

Each DRTV company needs to be researched and vetted. Inventors need to do their homework and find out what success stories each DRTV company has been responsible for, in what industry they specialize and how they have treated the individuals who have brought them products in the past. Inventors need to fully vet each company's history and reputation, since there are companies that have scammed inventors in the past.

Make a point to attend one of the industry trade shows such as The Response Expo or the Electronic Retailing Association Tradeshow as these shows can provide a great opportunity to find resources and build connections for your product launch.

4. Avoid upfront costs launching your DRTV product

Many successful DRTV companies will provide the necessary capital, along with creative production and manufacturing resources to test products and roll out successes and simply pay the inventor an ongoing royalty. Patents are generally helpful and typically command a higher royalty but are not always necessary. It depends upon the product and the DRTV company, so it is critical to align correctly. Working prototypes that prove function are also of value and can also be used to film an audition video.

The other items that are important is the creation of a professional pitch and a descriptive sell sheet. Royalties typically run from 2 percent to 6 percent of wholesale. A successful TV roll out will generally last about 18 months.

In an ever increasing competitive environment where capital is often a deal breaker to launching a product, DRTV can be the perfect solution.

http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/240328