Can one audacious idea turn around your brand from failure to success? Find out how it did for one startup in today's episode!If you enjoyed this, please share....and here's how to subscribe to never miss an episode:? iTunes: stonet.co/TTOiTunes (thanks for your five star reviews there too!)? Subscribe on the Stitcher Radio app. Search for "Traphag…

Can social media help you land your dream job and build your career? It worked for me, and it can for you, too. In this episode I share two actionable tips for optimizing the career-building power of your social profiles.Mentioned in this episode:? Craft Beverage Jobs: http://www.craftbeveragejobs.com/? My Craft Beverage Jobs Hangout interview: htt…

When it comes to content, context will always be king. Find out why in this episode!Mentioned in this episode:? How to Cheat at Creating Great Presentations for Tech Marketing Audiences, by Rand Fishkin: https://moz.com/rand/how-to-cheat-creating-great-presentations-tech-marketing-audiencesIf you enjoyed this, please share....and here's how to subs…

No matter how much you think you've mastered marketing, you'll always get better if you never stop being a curious student. Find out why in this episode!Mentioned in this episode:? Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon stonet.co/1N0LeQ0? My article on mashups for content ideas stonet.co/ContentEyes? My wife's Stay Curious blog www.stay-curious.com/I…

We're seeing more and more sites that are no longer creating outbound links. Why is this happening, and why is it so wrong? Find out in this episode!If you enjoyed this, please share....and here's how to subscribe to never miss an episode:? iTunes: stonet.co/TTOiTunes _(slowly creeping up New & Notable - your reviews SO appreciated!)_? Subscribe on…

What's the difference between merely "doing" social media marketing and really getting it? In this episode I let David Kutcher explain the difference.Mentioned in this episode: Google+ post by David Kutcher http://stonet.co/1MLbizfIf you enjoyed this, please share....and here's how to subscribe to never miss an episode:? iTunes: stonet.co/TTOiTunes…

Too many businesses market and sell out of desperation...and they look like it! Their campaigns beg for someone, anyone, to please buy their product or service. So what does it look like to market and sell only to customers you EXPECT to delight? Find out in this episode!Mentioned in this episode: “Hubspot Culture Code” http://www.slideshare.net/af…

Most site owners understand the importance of SEO (Search Engine Optimization). But more and more it's just as important, if not more important, to be optimizing for user experience. Providing a top notch user experience on your site not only creates happier users who are more likely to become customers, it has SEO benefits as well. Find out more i…

Healthcare these days is about treating the whole person. And these days social media is more and more a part of people's lives. Learn why that's important to healthcare providers...and your businessMentioned in this episode: www.scenttrail.com/social-patient-social-media-tips-healthcare/If you enjoyed this, please share....and here's how to subscr…

Our kindergarten teachers wanted us to learn to play nicely together. Our social media channels need to do the same. Find out why in this episode!If you enjoyed this, please share....and here's how to subscribe to never miss an episode:? iTunes: stonet.co/TTOiTunes _(slowly creeping up New & Notable - your reviews SO appreciated!)_? Subscribe on th…

Conventional wisdom tells you, "You MUST do it this way!" But there's only one real way to know what actually works, and you'll learn it in this episode.If you enjoyed this, please share....and here's how to subscribe to never miss an episode:? iTunes: stonet.co/TTOiTunes _(slowly creeping up New & Notable - your reviews SO appreciated!)_? Subscrib…

If you want to keep growing as a marketer, a business person...or even just as a person, then the more you know you don't know, the more you know. You know? OK, just listen!Mentioned in today's episode: Jim Burns of Avitage on G+ plus.google.com/+JimBurnsAvitageIf you enjoyed this, please share....and here's how to subscribe to never miss an episod…

Too many treat their content like bullets from a gun. Once the gun is fired (post published), they watch to see if it hit the target (social shares, comments, etc.). At that point they see the bullet as spent. But in reality, your best content has just begun a potentially long an fruitful life as an asset for many goals of your business.Mentioned i…

Learn how two easy-to-use tags can be used to help your brand stand out on search result pages for those niche buyers who would love you if they only knew you!If you enjoyed this, please share....and here's how to subscribe to never miss an episode:? iTunes: stonet.co/TTOiTunes (your reviews SO appreciated)? Stitcher Radio app: stonet.co/TTOStitche…

Find out what a symphony orchestra conductor can teach us about the importance of trust in marketing...and why trusting your audience is as important as gaining their trust.Link from today's episode:NPR TED Radio Hour "Trust and Consequences": www.npr.org/programs/ted-radio-hour/If you enjoyed this, please share....and here's how to subscribe to ne…

If you're a contractor or a home handyperson, you know it pays to have the right tools for the job. In today's episode I share a life lesson from my friend David Kutcher that applies directly to how we view social media marketing.Links from today's episode:David Kutchers original post: stonet.co/1EKQfYuChris Brogan's personal view on social media p…

Being validated by others has been documented as having a strong therapeutic effect on the human psyche. Find out how your brand can make use of the power of validation to turn your audience into fans who love and share your brand.If you enjoyed this, please share....and here's how to subscribe to never miss an episode:? iTunes: stonet.co/TTOiTunes…

If you aspire to doing anything creative, every day is another battle in the war against Resistance. Resistance is everything that fights against you doing the work. In today's episode I'm going to inspire you to get a weapon for the war on Resistance!If you enjoyed this, please share....and here's how to subscribe to never miss an episode:? iTunes…

Google link spam penalties have made webmasters frightened of descriptive anchor text. But should they be? Google actually wants and needs topically specific anchor text. In today's episode, find out how to build links that build your site's topical authority without putting it in danger.Link from today's episode: "How Does Google Determine the Top…

User Generated Content (UGC) can be a great way to fill in the gaps in your content marketing. But can it have a downside. Listen to this cautionary tale.Link from today's episode: "My Failed Attempt at Content Marketing and What I Learned" http://stonet.co/1crpykrIf you enjoyed this, please share....and here's how to subscribe to never miss an epi…

Find out why I think developing a healthy skepticism is one of the most important skills a marketer can possess.Link from today's episode: "No Need for Men to Get Flush Faced About Beard Feces" stonet.co/1E95xFTIf you enjoyed this, please share....and here's how to subscribe to never miss an episode:? Follow my Traphagen's Takeout Order Collection …

How--and why--did Dominos find a way to make the pizza delivery process more personal and human? Find out in this episode, as well as why humanizing your transactions might be a competitive advantage for your business.Link from today's episode: "New Dominos App Will Track Deliveries" http://stonet.co/1F1AUbnIf you enjoyed this, please share....and …

Why go through all the trouble of putting on a local marketing conference? Marty Weintraub, CEO of aimClear, shares with us why the Zenith conference aimClear co-sponsors in Duluth MN is such a passion of his.Link from today's episode: http://www.zenithconference.com/If you enjoyed this, please share....and be sure to follow me on Soundcloud!Chat w…

Customer retention actually begins before the customer uses your product or service. In this episode, find out what it means to roll out the red carpet for your customers.If you enjoyed this, please share....and be sure to follow me on Soundcloud!Chat with me at twitter.com/MarkTraphagen or google.com/+MarkTraphagen. Theme music by Audionautix.com…

We tend to treat our own websites like a novel that people will read from cover to cover. But that isn't at all how visitors see sites these days. In this episode find out why understanding "dynamic semantic clusters" is essential to taking people from "just visiting" to permanent audience.Link from this episode:"Dynamic Semantic Clusters: Where Us…

You might not think that building a great brand reputation has anything to do with SEO...but you'd be wrong! Find out why in just 3 minutes in this episode.Link from this episode:"Why SEO That Used to Work, Fails" bit.ly/whyseofailsAlso relevant: "Thinking Beyond the 10 Blue Links" goo.gl/rgokC3If you enjoyed this, please share....and here's how to…

If someone at your company starts building a powerful personal brand online, will that take attention away from your company's brand? Get my take in just three minutes in this episode!If you enjoyed this, please share....and be sure to follow me on Soundcloud!Chat with me at twitter.com/MarkTraphagen or google.com/+MarkTraphagen. Theme music by Aud…

A secret that bartenders use to turn a regular bar into a great bar that people want to come back to can revolutionize the way you build online community.If you enjoyed this, please share....and be sure to follow me on Soundcloud!Chat with me at twitter.com/MarkTraphagen or google.com/+MarkTraphagen. Theme music by Audionautix.com…

How is developing an effective brand presence in social media like making homebrewed beer? Find out in this episode!Thanks to David Kutcher for the use of his story, originally published at http://stonet.co/1IyBvP3If you enjoyed this, please share....and be sure to follow me on Soundcloud!Chat with me at twitter.com/MarkTraphagen or google.com/+Mar…

Building a vibrant community around your brand is one of the fundamentals of social marketing. But there's a danger that something called "evaporative cooling" will begin to sap that community's effectiveness. Listen to learn what that is and how to prevent it.Links mentioned in this episode:The Evaporative Cooling Effect stonet.co/1NKCDppHow to Us…

Building a vibrant community around your brand is one of the fundamentals of social marketing. But there's a danger that something called "evaporative cooling" will begin to sap that community's effectiveness. Listen to learn what that is and how to prevent it.Links mentioned in this episode:The Evaporative Cooling Effect http://stonet.co/1NKCDppIf…

Many journalists and bloggers have been predicting Google+'s death for over two years now. In this episode I explain reasons why I think Google is far from finished with Google Plus.Links mentioned in this episode:Real Hard Numbers on Google+ http://stonet.co/GPlusRealNumbersIf you enjoyed this, please share....and be sure to follow me on Soundclou…

Personal brands for business can be very powerful, but there's a dark side, too. Find out what it is, and steps you can take to avoid it, in this episode.Links mentioned in this episode:Personal Brand Punch: The Power of Personal Brand Representtves http://moz.com/blog/personal-brand-punchThe Power of the Personal https://www.stonetemple.com/the-po…

Find out why I think what I call PBRs (Personal Brand Representatives) are powerful connectors that can be the bridge between your brand and your potential customers.If you enjoyed this, please share....and be sure to follow me on Soundcloud!Chat with me at twitter.com/MarkTraphagen or google.com/+MarkTraphagen. Theme music by Audionautix.com…

It's easy to dismiss your critics with a flippant "hater's gonna hate," but the wise content creator embraces critics as their very best friend. Find out why in this four minute episode!If you enjoyed this, please share....and be sure to follow me on Soundcloud!Chat with me at twitter.com/MarkTraphagen or google.com/+MarkTraphagen. Theme music by A…

Find out what Jay Baer of Convince and Convert taught me about the power of going beyond "this happened..." to "...and therefore."If you enjoyed this, please share....and be sure to follow me on Soundcloud!Chat with me at twitter.com/MarkTraphagen or google.com/+MarkTraphagen. Theme music by Audionautix.com…

The winners and losers at content marketing are beginning to emerge. Content fatigue, experienced by both creators and recipients, is real. And therein, I believe, is a great opportunity. Listen to find out why!"Why More People Are Sharing Less on Facebook" (link mentioned in this episode) http://www.newsroompost.com/184001/people-sharing-less-face…

If you feel stuck in your marketing, your business, your life, maybe it's time to take a blue route.If you enjoyed this, please share....and be sure to follow me on Soundcloud!Chat with me at twitter.com/MarkTraphagen or google.com/+MarkTraphagen. Theme music by Audionautix.comBy Mark Traphagen

As a content marketer, I like to build content that has lasting value. So what possible value could live streaming video apps like Meerkat and Periscope have for me? Listen and find out!If you enjoyed this, please share....and be sure to follow me on Soundcloud!Chat with me at twitter.com/MarkTraphagen or google.com/+MarkTraphagen. Theme music by A…

Sometimes I give away my knowledge and expertise for free. Which is a strange thing to do, given those things are the only product I have to sell. Or is it? There's more than one way to be paid.If you enjoyed this, please share....and be sure to subscribe to my channel!Follow me at twitter.com/MarkTraphagen or google.com/+MarkTraphagen. Theme music…

At Social Media Marketing World 2015, I asked Copyblogger founder Brian Clark to share his unique take on the topic of "personal branding." What he has to say might surprise you, considering that he himself is a well known personal brand.If you enjoyed this, please share....and here's how to subscribe to never miss an episode:? iTunes: stonet.co/TT…

At Social Media Marketing World 2015, I asked social marketer Brian Fanzo (http://twitter.com/iFAnzSocial) to share his insights about the value of live streaming video on Twitter, after the rollout of Meerkat and now Twitter's own Periscope app.If you enjoyed this, please share....and be sure to subscribe to my channel!Follow me at http://twitter.…

You become the content marketer who successfully gets the interest and respect of your prospects the day you start learning to ask, "Why?"If you enjoyed this, please share....and be sure to subscribe to my channel!Follow me at @marktraphagen on Twitter or google.com/+MarkTraphagenTheme music by audionautix.com…