Adventures in Visibility Hangout – Hellobar vs Foobar

AiV-HangoutsIn this episode of Adventures in Visibility, I take on two notification bar tools: Hellobar and the Foobar plugin for WordPress.

You’ll also witness me in all my experimental glory as I was distracted by my own voice coming in to my headset with a 10 second delay. At the moment, I couldn’t figure out how to turn off the audio so I carried on. A strange experience. And, that’s why I call these Hangouts “experiments” and “adventures” in learning how to use visibility tools. I’m learning right along with you.

Back to notification bars: Hellobar vs Foobar

As I discuss in the video, I’ve used Hellobar and I currently use Foobar. Both are excellent tools to use on your site to build visibility:

  • Display time-sensitive notices
  • Invite readers to opt in to your list
  • Invite visitors to follow you on social media
  • Promote specific blog posts
  • Promote your products and services
  • Promote a your new book and/or a virtual book tour
  • Promote a sale
  • Promote webinars, teleseminars, Hangouts and other events
  • and more…
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The possibilities for the notification bars are only limited by your imagination.

If you are using a notification bar or dive in to try one of these two tools, feel free to post a link to your site in the comments below so I can check out how you’re using it.

To get reminders about when Adventures are scheduled and when replays are posted, you can get on the list and/or follow me on Google+. Be sure to let me know you want to be added to my Adventures in Visibility Circle so you get the invitation directly through Google+.

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Adventures in Visibility Hangout – What do You Want to Learn?

AiV-HangoutsWith two Adventure Hangouts under my belt, I’m moving forward with the experiment. The next Hangout is scheduled for Friday, May 17 at 1 pm Pacific Time.  The first two covered a visibility tip for Pinterest and a short interview with Dr. Rachna Jain about visibility vs. profitability.

Now, I need your help. I could easily come up with visibility topics to share with you. However, I’d like to know what you want to know and learn about regarding increasing your visibility on the Web.  Some suggestions that have come are:

  • Using Foobar and Hellobar
  • Using Listly for visibility
  • Speakpipe

What online visibility or marketing topics would you like to see on the list? Please let me know in the comments and be as specific as possible.  For example, you want to know how to create a community on Google+ vs. how to use Google+ in general. Make sense?

If I see a theme developing or a specific topic being posted by several people, those ideas will go to the top of the list.

To get reminders about when Adventures are scheduled and when replays are posted, you can get on the list and/or follow me on Google+. Be sure to let me know you want to be added to my Adventures in Visibility Circle so you get the invitation directly through Google+.

Subscribe to Adventures In Visibility

Adventures in Visibility Hangout – Dr. Rachna Jain [video and contest]

Rachna-Jain-book2The joys of technology. In the second Adventures in Visibility Hangout, I invited Dr. Rachna Jain of Profitable Popularity, to talk about visibility vs. profitability.

We were a few minutes into the conversation when the Hangout crashed. We scrambled to get back online and carried on.  Like I said in the first hangout, it’s an adventure and an experiment.

Rachna Jain is the author of Internet Marketing for the Rest of Us: Your In-Depth Guide to Profitable Popularity. We addressed some of the issues around focusing too much on building a web presence without creating a path to profitability.  And, Rachna talked about the concept of becoming a “category of one” and how that can help you with both popularity and profitability.

The video is about 22 minutes and has some important nuggets of wisdom from Rachna.

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Enter to Win a Book

I have two copies of Internet Marketing for the Rest of Us, that Rachna has generously given me to give away to two lucky winners.

At minute 8:20, Rachna talks about Jain’s  Hierarchy of Business Needs which is illustrated below:

Jain-Hierarchy-of-Business-Needs

If you would like to enter the contest to win one of the two books, tell us in the comments below at what level you’re currently working, on the Hierarchy of Business Needs. You may be in the early stages of your business and at the second level of building a financial reserve. Or, you may wondering how you create a lasting legacy. What do you need to do to move to the next level?

If that’s too much info to reveal, go ahead and post a comment about why you want to win a copy of Rachna’s book. That’ll get you in the contest too.

We will review your responses and pick two winners to receive a copy of Rachna’s new book. The winners will be selected on Monday, April 28. If you don’t want to wait that long, you can get either a digital or physical autographed copy of the book right now.

Don’t miss the next Adventure in Visibility. Sign up now to get announcements and replays. 

Adventures in Visibility Hangout – Pinterest Tip [video]

Adventures in Visibility HangoutsTa da! Introducing the first Adventures in Visibility live hangout…

In this Hangout, I experimented with the screen sharing tool to demonstrate a simple way to promote your events on Pinterest, and the one mistake you do not want to make with your images. There were also questions about using Google+ Hangouts which I answered in the second half of the video.

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Sites mentioned:

What tips and topics would you like to see covered in future Adventures in Visibility Hangouts? Post them in the comments below. Thanks!

Join Me for An Adventure in Visibility

Are you ready for an adventure? Next week, I’m launching a new series of trainings done via Google Hangouts. They will be short and sweet and live. You’ll be able to ask questions about tools, strategies and tactics about boosting your online visibility so you can step and serve the people whose lives you can help transform.

If you’d like notice of when and how to join (they’re free), you can either (or both) join the advance notification list at Adventures In Visibility or add me to one of your Circles on Google+ and then tag me and say “hi” so I know to put you in my Adventure Circle.

Adventures in Visibility Hangouts

Can’t wait to connect with you!

(Questions? Post in the comments and I’ll respond.)

Google Plus Hangouts On Air – What’s Not to Like?

Google+ Hangouts On Air are unbelievably cool.

While prepping for my webinar on how to use Google+ to boost your visibility and your business, I was preparing a slide with a list of ways you can use Google Hangouts for your business. I came up with 10 ways, though I’m sure there are many more.

3 Ways to Boost Your Visibility and Business

Sneak peak at what I’m talking about on the Google+ webinar.

I confess I’ve only done a few hangouts, and I see huge potential and benefits for your business. So far I’ve done an interview Hangout with Bob “The Teacher” Jenkins, a panel discussion Hangout for The Future of Ink, a guest speaking gig for Prosperity’s Kitchen, and I experimented with doing Brag About Your Blog Day as a live Hangout.

They were all fun, and relatively easy to manage. What I love about them is that they are FREE (you need a Google+ account and and YouTube account if you want to do Hangouts on Air) and you can make a big impact streaming live on Google+ and YouTube simultaneously. Talk about taking online visibility to new heights!

The challenge I found, is that so many online entrepreneurs aren’t actively using Google+ despite the huge SEO benefits.

And that is why I’m hosting a webinar on March 28 to introduce my community to Google+ and show you three ways you can boost your visibility by using the social platform. I invited two colleagues to join me and share their expertise with you as well.

gplus-panel5MaAnna Stephenson, of BlogAid, is known as a geek who speaks plain English. She’s going to show you how to optimize your blog and Google+ profile so you show up better in search results.

Stephan Hovnanian, owner of Shovi Websites, is a designer who understands online marketing and conversion. Stephan is going to guide you through the complexities of designing a G+ cover image that works as a marketing and lead conversion tool. [Stephan also designed my new G+ cover image]

I’m your lead guide and I”m going to show you how Google+ can help your business as well as why you need to start using Hangouts. I invite you to join us [get the webinar replay on demand now]!

And, speaking of Hangouts, I’m so excited about them, that I’m starting a new series of free, short, training sessions called Adventures in Visibility.  The first Hangout will be April 19. Learn more about the Adventures and join the list to be notified when they’re happening. We’re going to have fun!

I have no doubt that someone reading this post, maybe you, is already using Hangouts in their business. I would love to know how you’re using them and whether you do public or private, and if you record the private hangouts. Please post your answers below and feel free to include a link to a Hangout you would like to share with other readers. I find it useful and instructive to study how others are using online tools so I can improve my skills as well.