f you recall, there was huge excitement in the tech world between 1995 and 2001 in the era known as the Dotcom Bubble. But then came the crash and many shattered dreams as well as empty bank accounts. Watching what is happening less than a week after Snap’s IPO may well be an echo back to that era. We’re not a finance show, but the strength and sustainability of social media sites has direct impact on us as business owners and marketers. That’s where we will start today’s Social Solutions...

We’re back from our mid-winter break and tons of great (and not so great) things have been happening in the social media digital world. Let’s start with LinkedIn. Okay, we can agree it was time for facelift but why on earth copy Facebook? Perhaps that wasn’t the plan but it is certainly the outcome and according to many social channels, the reaction is not good. We love to talk about video and Bravo to Instagram for being the first to really stretch the envelope on what you can do in a...

We’ve been talking for some time now about the enormous value of the Pinterest Buy button, but they are working on a project that will totally upend retail as we know it today. Can you imagine being able to see an image on Pinterest, tap on it, and be immediately directed to where you can buy it? It’s coming! Facebook is serious about video – in ways that even Facebook never imagined. For starters, bringing sound to videos in your News Feed – no more silent movies! And what about the...

For a long time, you have heard us say to avoid polarizing topics on social media lest your business risk alienating half of your potential market. Topics typically include gun control, religion, abortion, and of course, politics. But these are new times and maybe the rules have changed. Especially if what is happening in politics is impacting your clients and in turn, your business. Less polarizing but equally exciting is the world of sports and of course, with the Super Bowl VI now a...

The beautiful thing about the Super Bowl is that you don’t have to have $5 million to spend on a 30-second ad. But you must be ready to take advantage of the action through social media and become part of the conversation. We’ll share tips on how to play and what traps to avoid. Have we talked about video recently? The evidence continues to stream in supporting the use of video in your online marketing. Whether you prefer Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Snapchat or any other...

When was the last time you were on the playground scrapping it out with a rival? Probably a few years ago. That proud tradition of ‘dukes up’ has not lost its punch (pun intended) in the digital world. Rivals clash every day but this week the news is all about how Snapchat is taking its pound of flesh our of Instagram’s hide. How and why? For those answers, you’ll have to listen to the Social Solutions Show with your hosts Carol McManus and Ken Herron. There is so much more to learn during...

The simple answer is sometimes they are. One thing we know we can count on is that they respond in real time and make a genuine effort to answer our questions – without putting us on hold or passing us off to another person. This is only one of the topics on today’s Social Solutions Show. For businesses, they can be a dream answer to saving payroll and at the same time providing better customer service. This is a big news show as much is happening in social media this week. You may be...

Today’s Social Solutions Show is all about new technologies that were unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas last week. Ken Herron was there in person and his jaw is still not fully in place after seeing what’s coming and what’s available now! Get ready to learn more about IoT (Internet of Things), AI (Artificial Intelligence, VR (Virtual Reality), AR (Augmented Reality), and MR (Mixed Reality). But the device who won Ken’s heart was Kuri, a cute beyond words robot who will...

If you are like most small business owners and entrepreneurs, you are overwhelmed with the options to market your brand. Traditional options like newspaper, local radio or direct mail are still viable but expensive. Digital options like email marketing, social media or online advertising are highly recommended but confusing. Where do you start? How much should you spend? Who will do it? How will I know if it’s working?

Are you ready for Social Solutions? Today is our last live show of the year and it promises to be chock full of important news and information to help you in your marketing for 2017. Your hosts Carol McManus and Ken Herron have been as busy as the elves filling your stocking with goodies all designed to make you more efficient, more competitive, and more profitable. On deck is the latest news about Vine soon to become Vine Camera. Important? Yes, because it looks like it’s here to stay and...

Steve Lee, owner of Modern Life Network, is the quintessential entrepreneur. Quiet by nature, but undeterred in his quest to start new ventures where he sees a need and where he can make money. The diversity of his ventures is impressive, but the stories behind them will inspire you to start the New Year by launching your new business.

Sudha is an instructor at Stanford continuing education school. She is a champion for girls who code and hosts mentor programs for girls at devcamps and hackathons. She has been a venture mentor at MIT and Director at Bay Area, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Google+ Meetups. She also actively contributes to Techcrunch, Mashable, Gigaon, and Venturebeat. Sudha also serves on the advisory board for Blockchain University and Barcelona Technology School. The author of The Internet of Things...

The popular review site Yelp may have just fixed two problems – a better way to manage fake reviews and a new and creative way to use Selfies! On today’s Social Solutions Show Ken Herron and Carol McManus will tell you all about Yelfies and what they can mean to your business. In the spirit of the holidays, Periscope has themed hears again this year! Start including hashtags like #Christmas #Snow #NewYear and #Hanukkah and watch the magic unfold during your live stream video. Instagram is...

It’s a special day for Carol McManus and Ken Herron. We are smashing up our two shows into one this week. We have combined the LinkedIn Lady Show with Social Solutions to bring you a special broadcast that incorporates hot news and solutions to a chronic problem. The news on deck is (no surprise) about video. If you are looking for something new and fresh to upstage your competition, then Spectacles from Snap may be just what you have been waiting for…and just in time for holiday...

The election is over and the mandate of the American voter has been heard. Donald Trump will be the next President of the United States. Regardless of your political stand, there is one clear winner that cannot be disputed and was equally supported by Democrats and Republicans alike and that, of course, is Twitter. One could argue that Twitter is now more important than CNN, NBC, Fox, ABC and CBS combined. So what does it mean for the future of Twitter and their users? Perhaps there are some...

What do you do when a tool or a platform you have been using for your marketing disappears? Well, hopefully you didn’t put all your eggs in the Vine basket, because that is exactly what is happening. Twitter announced the demise of this popular 6-second video feature. We can speculate why, but the real issue is what do you do when you lost a valuable resource? Are you prepared to shift gears or do you already have a comprehensive social media plan in place that it would only represent a speed...

For a long time, users and viewers have questioned the validity of endorsements on LinkedIn. Who are these people? Why are they endorsing me? Is this feature helping or hurting my reputation. Well the answer lies in the middle. Chances are you will be pleased with the new ‘endorsements that matter’ enhancement that LinkedIn just rolled out. Want to know more? Have a listen. We will also cover the exciting news about Pinterest topping 150 million users and the growing shift in demographics...

Just because you can doesn’t mean you should. What on earth are we talking about? Well mixing politics with social media, of course. Facebook announced a new feature this week allowing you to publicly endorse your Presidential candidate on your profile and page. But before you hit the button, tune in to Social Solutions for some sobering things to consider. Today, Carol McManus and Ken Herron (without political bias) will move on to topics that include live-stream on Periscope without...

Join Carol McManus and Ken Herron for a rollicking time as we discuss how Presidential tweeting has impacted brands and how they are managing damage control – it happened to Skittles, TicTac, Oreo, and Ford, and yes, it could happen to you! Have you heard about Workplace by Facebook. Truth to tell, it’s Facebook at Work with a new shade of lipstick, but something to consider because your employees are already using social media at work and this may be a solution or a curse to this...

What do we love about Craigslist? It’s free! What do we love about eBay? It’s the world’s largest garage sale! And what do we love about Facebook Marketplace? The over a billion users and a new way to spike engagement along with sales! That’s just the tip of today’s Social Solutions iceberg. When Ken Herron and Carol McManus kick off the show, we’ll bring you up to date on Twitter Moments and why this will be a genuinely useful marketing tool. While we were off air last week, Spectacles...

Just when you thought you had it figured out, Twitter yet again changed the rules! But the good news is they keep stretching 140 characters without really changing the maximum. How? Tune in to Social Solutions with Ken Herron and Carol McManus and we’ll explain. Other hot topics on deck for today include the uproar over iOS 10 and making sense out of why there are now TWO Apple App Stores instead of one. Unnecessary or a bonanza for marketers? Have you checked out the facelift on LinkedIn...

Carol is off today, and before you start worrying about what trouble I’ll get myself into on today’s show without adult supervision, joining me today is my very special guest, author Karen Dimmick.   Karen is the author of the upcoming book 47 Mind Hacks for Writers and is the co-founder of Bookthority.com, where she helps authors to make their businesses more profitable. Helping authors for more than eight years, Karen works with everyone from first-time writers to an established,...

Today was another big announcement from Apple with the anticipation an insider leaks about the new Apple Watch and the iPhone 7 but did the hype live up to expectations? And what do these introductions mean to your business? That’s how we start today’s Social Solutions Show. But get ready to learn about Peek-a-moo. Instagram has introduced zoom for photos and videos and this is already a game changer for smart marketers. Are you up to date on what your Likes are expecting from your...

Today was another big announcement from Apple with the anticipation an insider leaks about the new Apple Watch and the iPhone 7 but did the hype live up to expectations? And what do these introductions mean to your business? That’s how we start today’s Social Solutions Show. But get ready to learn about Peek-a-moo. Instagram has introduced zoom for photos and videos and this is already a game changer for smart marketers. Are you up to date on what your Likes are expecting from your...

What super-premium French luxury retailer missed the marketing opportunity of a lifetime recently? Answer: Goyard. What did they do? Well, tune in to Social Solutions to hear this incredibly stupid, shortsighted, and probably costly example. (Do you think we have a strong opinion on this one?) Tons to talk about today including the return of Ben Forta, our returning guest from Adobe to bring us up to date on all the latest news and innovation to make you more productive. In addition to...