Nowadays, social media is one of the main channels used by companies to reach their target audiences. But with so many different social networks available, how do you choose which will work best for you?
It's not a one-size-fits-all solution.
While setting and working towards personal goals is often hailed as a way to stay motivated and productive, the science behind goal-setting paints a different picture.
For starters, a study from the University of Liverpool revealed a connection between depression and setting generalized, abstract goals. It turns out that when we don't have precise criteria for what it means to achieve a goal, it's difficult to ever feel a sense of accomplishment.
As if anti-LGBTQ laws aren't restrictive enough, some people are now taking bathroom-policing into their own hands.
This was the experience of Jessica Rush, a Texas woman who attempted to use a woman's restroom at the Baylor Medical Center in Frisco this week, only to be followed into the bathroom by a man.
Rush said the man, who she estimated was 6'4" compared to her 5'3", followed her all the way inside the bathroom, and she said it never occurred to her that he wanted to make sure she was a woman until he said so.
We here at Mashable are obsessed with Snapchat — the filters, the live stories, and of course, the Discover channels.
But of course, it's not perfect. In addition to a confusing, non-intuitive interface — Snapchat makes you work just to find that black drawing tool — there's a lot we wish it had. Plus, there are older, now-removed features, we want back too, like the "best friends" feature which highlighted who you snapped with the most.
See also: 7 hidden features in the latest Snapchat update
While the app is always improving and adding new features, we've rounded up our wish list of Snapchat features, from an eraser tool to different fonts. Let's take a look. Read more...
Mashable sat down with Pretty Little Liars actress and social media goddess Shay Mitchell to help teach moms how to become the social media queens of their squads. Here are her top 11 tips
You can catch Mitchell in her new movie Mother's Day alongside Julia Roberts, Kate Hudson and Jennifer Aniston. Maybe your mom even shared the trailer on your Facebook wall.
More details: http://on.mash.to/1NYNQhw Read more...
We've all heard how important it is to make a good first impression. Show up late for a job interview? That's a bad first impression. Eat a ton of garlic and forget to brush your teeth right before a first date? Also a bad first impression. Go to meet your significant others' parents for the first time dressed in Crocs and sweatpants? That might also result in a bad first impression (depending on prevailing fashion sensibilities).
Anyone who do not realize moms are built to be social media queens are in denial. Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter — these are tools for sharing pictures and distributing unsolicited advice.
So Mashable asked Pretty Little Liars actress and all-around social media superstar Shay Mitchell to help us teach moms how to be the fiercest smartphone-carrying, oversharing warriors they can be.
SEE ALSO: Who runs Instagram? Girls.
Your mom might not have 11 million Instagram followers yet — or ever. But she probably only cares about your faves, anyway.
You can currently catch Mitchell in Mother's Day alongside Julia Roberts, Kate Hudson and Jennifer Aniston. Maybe your mom shared the trailer on your Facebook wall. Read more...
Over time, you’ve collected a wealth of data on your members. That’s because your members are engaged with your organizations for reasons that are beyond materialistic. They care about your mission and work. They’re regularly reading your content. They’re giving you donations to do what you do best and expect nothing but goodwill in return.
Stress and anxiety -- to some degree -- are natural parts of everyday life. Think about it: You get that feeling when a driver cuts you off on your way to work, or when you have a looming deadline, or when you spill coffee on your shirt.
These stressful moments can range from uncomfortable and annoying (even motivational) to completely debilitating.
Last week, we challenged our Instagram community to experiment with perspective and shoot upside down photos. We saw a handful of creative shots, ranging from flipped cityscapes and sunsets to reflections in puddles
The world looks completely different upside down, and these photos prove it. Scroll through our selected #MashPics_UpsideDown images below.
Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments. Read more...
More about Photography, Instagram, Social Media, and Mashable Photo ChallengeWhen it comes to designing or re-designing a website, it can be easy to get hung up on the aesthetics. "That shade of blue just doesn't look right .... Wouldn't it be cool to have the logo on the right side of the screen? .... How about we put a giant animated GIF in the middle of the page?"
Many schools send out blast emails. Any email address in their contact databases, no matter how the address got in there, receives every email the schools send out. In the early days of email (the '90s), this was an awesome marketing tactic because it worked. No longer.
When I first started editing articles for HubSpot's Marketing Blog, I didn't quite realize how much time each one would take.
Depending on length, topic, author, and other variables, it can take anywhere from twenty minutes to an entire afternoon to edit a single blog post.
Loyalty rewards programs are a staple of retail and ecommerce brands, but what if they’re doing more harm than good? At their most basic, loyalty programs allow customers to accrue points or punch cards until free items or discounts are earned. But what if sometimes a simple “thank you” is all you need?
Sore neck. Blurred vision. Difficulty focusing. The feeling that your eyes are being burned into oblivion by your computer screen. If you've been experiencing any (or all) of these symptoms, there's a good chance that you're suffering from a terrible affliction known as "working a desk job."
Even if you love what you're doing, sitting and staring at a screen all day can take a toll on your well-being.
On Tuesday evening, after winning all five primaries at stake, Republican presidential candidate Donald J. Trump took a celebratory swipe at Hillary Clinton's credentials.
“Frankly, if Hillary Clinton were a man, I don't think she'd get 5% of the vote. The only thing she's got going is the woman's card,” Trump said during a news conference.
His audience barely applauded the controversial comment, which became a top-10 trending hashtag in the U.S. on Wednesday.
Twitter users, many of whom identified as Clinton supporters, began pointing out that the so-called #womancard actually isn't worth much because of historic and persistent gender inequality. Read more...
Anyone who regularly uses social media will have had the experience of feeling envious of the fun their friends all seem to be having. This might especially be the case if you’re sitting at home on a cold wet evening, feeling bored while everyone else is partying or having a glamorous holiday in the sun.
But is it possible that these feelings could be the start of something worse? Could using social media actually make you depressed? A recent U.S.-based study, sponsored by the National Institute for Mental Health, identified a “strong and significant association between social media use and depression in a … sample of U.S. young adults.” The study found that levels of depression increased with total amount of time spent using social media and number of visits to social media sites per week. Read more...
You’ve noticed a dip in website traffic. Your email marketing, social media and content strategy are all on target, so what’s causing a decrease in visits, and what do you do?
First thing: Don’t panic.
It used to be that Snapchat was seen as a platform geared mostly toward teens and pre-teens. But over the last several years, Snapchat has added features and made changes that have helped to move it into a much broader space.
No longer are they a niche photo-messaging service -- they've become an established media platform valued at over $16 billion and with over 100 million users.
In the early days of HubSpot, I wore a lot of different hats -- some of which fit me pretty well.
How did I know this? Well, I started getting more and more offers for speaking engagements. People wanted to hear from me. And when your company wants you to be a public-facing spokesperson for the organization, how can you say no?
Look out, Internet. The new Peach has arrived — and we have Taylor Swift to thank.
A new text messaging app called Talkshow became the buzzy new social platform du jour on Tuesday for its quirky concept: it’s like “texting in public.”
The iOS-only app lets users host message-based “Talkshows” about various topics, from sports and politics to TV and music. People notify followers when a Talkshow is live, encouraging anyone who’s watching to send messages, post reactions and GIFs or even join in as a co-host. It’s like Periscope for texting.
SEE ALSO: How apps like Peach go viral
Founder Michael Sippey said in a blog post that the concept is inspired by a conversation posted online of Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran. Read more...
“People don’t shop for our products online.”
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been told this by sales and marketing leaders at B2B companies that make obscure, highly complex technology and products. They tend to resist inbound marketing and lead generation because they don’t make “click to buy” products. Most have expensive custom products with long sales cycles and apply to a very narrow customer base. They figure few people are searching online for their products, so they don’t try too hard to attract them. I call them “superniche” companies.
That vocal bunch known as ad block users are quickly becoming one of the most sought after audiences on the internet. This untapped audience, if you can reach them without trivializing their concerns, is a massive opportunity for marketers.
By now, you probably know that today's buyers hold all of the power when making a purchasing decision. You're also probably aware that they're doing some of their research online. But have you really adapted your marketing plan to match the way today's customers shop and buy?
LONDON — Some things never change. On Monday night a sex and relationships blogger inadvertently pointed out that the age-old double standard when it comes to men and women's sexual behaviour still exists.
London-based blogger Oloni asked women to share their "hoe stories"; but some men weren't quite prepared for the consequences.
"Have you had sex with two guys in one day?" wrote Oloni on Twitter last night.
"Fucked your girls man right under her nose? DM me. I'm intrigued."
Oloni's followers rose to the challenge, messaging her their tales of threesomes and having sex with multiple partners on one night, which she promptly shared with followers. The stories were trending on Twitter in the UK for hours. Read more...
Every marketer knows that a successful inbound marketing strategy includes a blog. But not just any blog -- a blog that boasts relevant, consistent content that's optimized for both the target audience and search engines. That's the kind of blog that drives results.
Trouble is, finding time to balance quality and quantity is tricky.
Facebook may be working on yet another Snapchat clone.
The social network is developing a standalone camera app meant to "encourage its 1.6 billion users to create, and share, more photos and videos," according to a new report in The Wall Street Journal.
The report, which credits unnamed sources familiar with Facebook's plans, says the app is being created by a team in London and is "similar" to Snapchat. The unnamed app reportedly launches on the camera — like Snapchat — and will reportedly integrate with Instagram and other Facebook-owned apps. It will also allow users to share live streamed video back to Facebook, according to the report. Read more...
“I feel stuck. Where should I go from here?”
It’s not uncommon to feel like there’s no obvious next step in your career. It’s hard work to guide yourself, especially when you’re walking into the unknown.
So what do you do when you feel stuck? Do you jump ship? Apply for a new role within your company? Or just stick it out?
When you nestle into your warm bed, shut your eyes, and slowly drift off to sleep ... do you think your mind and body are shutting down for the night?
Not the case, my friend. While our bodies might remain (relatively) still when we sleep, our minds are hard at work. During these critical hours, a lot of that processing, restoration, and strengthening that's so important to our bodies and minds is taking place.
