Developing a social media strategy is a tedious task. It doesn’t necessarily involve a few social networking sites and eventual posting of things on the web page thinking people are taking in everything. In today’s world, thinking unique always helps a company or a firm to go up the rungs of popularity. And to top it, the internet and technology have changed the way we look at things and the way we think and would want to execute things. Therefore, it’s always advised to first form a proper strategy for the social media marketing taking into consideration yours goals and needs that have to be achieved. Once a plan is laid, it’s always easier to start implementing it.

Determine your objectives

The first and the foremost issue would be to ask yourself as to what do you want to achieve? How many people do you want to reach out to? Who would do the financing? Should you do it in a phased manner or is it a one-time strategy? Are the goals short termed or long termed?
All these questions have to be answered first and only then you can proceed to the next step.

Research! (The only way to figure out a solution)

Find information about things and compile them in a proper way. Check the internet tools on the internet to see which one suits your needs completely. Ask people what they would want. Make a survey and see what you find in the results.

Plan out! (Think out of the box!)

The next step would be to plan your strategy and eventually implementing the same in whichever way needed. See what you can do with new technology. Smart phones are used by every other person nowadays. See if you can go mobile and spread your message in a more subtle way. There are other ways on the internet like the social networking sites and other relationship building sites.

You can also use video blogging sites or any video uploading website to post a video and urging people to watch it and then eventually share it. This is a form of marketing called viral marketing. This wouldn’t cost you a penny if you can do it right.

Connect! (With your audience)

It would all depend on how well you planned out everything. Now go public and see what they think on the larger platform. You’ll get positive and negative views, but it your choice if you want to change the negative mindset of the people by trying to understand what they want and trying to accommodate their issues, and eventually bring in a few amends. People watch and they judge you by what they see. Therefore, you should know how to talk with your audience.

Keep ONE Identity!

It’s easy nowadays to get confused with different names of the same company. And this is what leads to audience losing interest in what you have to offer. Always remember to have one identity on the social networking scenario to avoid such confusion.

After connecting, ReConnect!

Customers are your sole agenda. Therefore, you should always remember that you are the one who should be following up with them and communicate. Make yourself crystal clear. Make your customers feel they are heard. Make them feel important. That is how they’ll eventually respond back effectively.

Lastly, the most important thing about social media marketing is, understanding the people you want the market your product with. If you know the people, you would obviously get to know how such people respond. This would give you an insight into how your strategy should be and what tools should you use to achieve your goals.

About the author: Brianne is a blogger by profession. She loves writing on technology. Beside this she is fond of gadgets. Recently an article on esata vs usb attracted her attention. These days she is busy in writing an article on eboard for her blog.

I briefly caught up with Vladimir Oane, founder of uberVU – uberVU is an end-to-end social intelligence dashboard which is used to track and monitor all social media platforms in real-time.

In our conversation, I ask Vladimir a few questions on his journey so far as an entrepreneur and running uberVU, and how his business has changed over the years.

Hi Vladimir, Thanks for doing this interview with me.

It’s my pleasure.

Can you give you some background information about yourself, were you the entrepreneurial type growing up?

Not at all, I grew up in a small Romanian town. My mom was an engineer and my dad was an history teacher and if I think about it now there was no one around me who started or owned a business. To this day my dad tells me to stop calling myself an entrepreneur because it’s not a proper job and it makes me look jobless.

During my time in high school and university, I studied computer science and never thought of starting a business, I was just passionate and more into computers. My dream job back then was to become a coder and work for Microsoft, it’s funny how things end up.

In my second year of college I decided to start up an interactive agency and later partnered with 3 friends (2 of which are still my cofounders at uberVU). We had no idea what we were doing but we had 3-4 years to learn all about it so why not?. Learning business seemed more interesting than learning how to wire a network.

Tell me how the idea for uberVU came about?

We had an CMS called Bluo (5 years ago everyone had a CMS) and while working on version 2 I had an epiphany moment, at the time we were doing a lot of social media for the company and our clients so I figured out the personal website is loosing its importance.

Facebook and Twitter + all the platforms who were popular back then (remember Delicious or FriendFeed?) were about to steal the thunder of the personal website. So we said: let’s build a CMS for the social web. That was the seed of what has grown to become uberVU.

What is uberVU?

uberVU is an social media intelligence platform. We are a comprehensive end-to-end social media solution helping our clients to monitor anything that’s being said about them, their products or their competitors, to measure and report on key metrics and to engage with their customers or top influencers. Our clients love how easy they can use our services especially the fact that we are a full-package

Talk me through the first few months of running the business? What would you say was the hardest part of starting the business?

I guess we had no idea what we were doing. You can see this is becoming like the theme of the interview, But we persevered, started talking to clients and 2 years later we got something people really wanted to use. So I guess this is the hardest part initially: coming up with something people need.

Would you say the initial idea for the company, or that your business model has changed since its launch in 2008?

Yes. Many, many times. We moved from B2B to B2C, then we had an API strategy, etc. We had no idea so everyday we brought another crazy idea to the table and kept persevering.

How big is your team now?

We are almost 30 people.

What is your business model?

We are a SaaS business. That means companies buy access to our software by paying a subscription fee.

Is the business profitable?

Yes.

What was the experience being one of the winners of seedcamp in 2008 and how have things change since then?

Seedcamp changed everything. They helped us transform an idea into a business by putting us into the limelight, exposing us to the right investors and charter customers.

What could you say has been some of the key things you’ve learnt so far as an entrepreneur?

Everything takes longer than you estimated. So you need to have patience.

What pieces of advices could you give to aspiring entrepreneurs out there?

Start charging for whatever it is you’re building.
Start now!

What can we be expecting from you and uberVU in 2012?

We will be expanding in the US. We already have a very cool office in Boston that we opened in 2011. From a product perspective expect some revolutionaries features and a lot of polish. We hope to disrupt the industry.

Where do you want the company to be in five years?

We will be one of the most important players in this space. If not the most important one.

Search Engine Optimization is the way for businesses to be found online. Search engines use complex algorithms to determine what websites should correspond to the search queries users type in. Cracking the search engine code is extremely difficult, however, the whole idea is that the most relevant website always wins. If a company can become the most relevant website in its field, then it doesn’t really need to crack the code. Here are some powerful tips to help boost a company’s website’s relevancy.

Social Media & Buzz Generating

Social media/online marketing (finding an online/social presence and also branding a name for your company through marketing) provides a business with an approachable voice. It’s difficult for a company to get conversation going on a website. But conversation is easily created on a social media platform. In fact, that’s the point of social media. In respect to Search Engine Optimization, social media helps a company extend its reach. By reaching out and eventually funneling users to their sites, companies are carving out a bigger presence for themselves on the Internet. Social media also creates buzz. You want your brand to be discussed as many times as possible across the Internet.

Community Building & Traffic

Connecting directly to other, relevant places is extremely beneficial for Search Engine Optimization. When you link to powerful places on the web, then you get some kickback from their success. The deals website Tanga.com is a good example. They have an affiliate program. If users promote and link to Tanga, then they can benefit from Tanga’s page ranking as a deals and online coupon website. Users should also be interested in guest posts. If a blog owner gets to post somewhere else then they will surely put a link on their blog. This creates a bridge between the two sites and they can share relevant traffic. Having a popular site will boost your reputation with search engines and help your page’s ranking.

Clout Creation & Focus

No website can be relevant for everything. It’s necessary to focus your content so that a search engine can easily identify how to rank it for certain topics. Instead of a myriad of words, make sure you limit your work to a few themes. If your goal is to show-up when someone searches for “pocket watches” then topics surrounding pocket watches, links to pocket watch-relevant websites and the phrase “pocket watches” should all appear on your site very frequently. Use social media and strategic linking to further build your reputation as an expert on your subject matter.

Putting a lot of energy in one direction should help your website to drift from the pack as an authority on the topic. If a particular page seems to be the hub for all things “hub caps” then it will turn up at the top of the page when someone searches “hub caps.” It can sometimes seem repetitive to continually push the same idea, but brand consistency will only help your reputation as an expert.

Combining all three of these techniques will help a business to harness a relevant website. If a business chooses what it wants to rank for, and really pursues becoming an authority in that niche, then it can certainly boost the company’s ranking on search engines. There are also many SEO firms that can provide this service.

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Written by Holly Watson

Nowadays blogging is such a must do for every business, it sounds insane when you tell someone you don’t blog, especially when you’re trying to run a start-up, sell a product or create a service, let’s not even mention when you’re trying to brand yourself. It’s like saying you haven’t seen the social network.

Anyways, I recently had the opportunity of interviewing the founder of Mscareergirl, Nicole Crimaldi. Mscareergirl is a website whose mission is to empower women through their careers, technology and business.

In our interview she discusses about how she turned her blog into a business, the opportunities, the adventures and possibilities that blogging gives to an individual at no cost, of course you have to buy a domain, build the website or get someone to build it for you or just use of the growing number of blogging platforms available online and of course your time is needed, your dedicated attention like catering to a new born.

Anyways, enough of my rambling, this is what we talked about.

Can you give us some background information about yourself?

I graduated from Miami University (Ohio) with a finance degree (and an entrepreneurship minor!) and spent the first 5 years of my career in commercial banking. Thanks to my blog, I was then recruited to build out the marketing department of a start-up where I helped them create marketing partnerships, managed social media efforts and planned new market launches. I was there only a short time before I was laid off along with a third of the company and now I’m a self-employed marketing consultant and host women’s networking events.

What inspired you to start mscareergirl.com?

I started my blog 3 years ago at age 24 to address the issues young professional women face after college. I had always loved writing and always wanted to be an entrepreneur but didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do. Therefore, I started a blog simply as a “passion project” and as a way to use the creative side of my brain after using my logical side all day at work.

Once I started blogging, it opened up a whole new world for me. I had found something I realy loved doing! I learned as much as I could about social media and internet marketing. I read so many books, took courses at the University of San Francisco, attended workshops and took so many people to coffee who were smarter than me to learn as much as I could. I also did lots of free consulting work to build up my resume.

How important do you think blogging is to one’s business and what opportunity has it added to your professional career?

Blogging has been SO huge for me in so many ways. It led me to a whole new career path, it has given me so many opportunities to network with new people, be featured in the press, and was my saviour when I got laid off.

A lot of people might say it’s too time consuming (Blogging) and they might lose focus on their proper business, how were you been able to combine both your job and the mscareergirl project?

These people are right- it is VERY time consuming! If you aren’t cut out for focusing on blogging and being consistent, then blogging might not be for you. You must make time for your blog if you really want to do it. When I was working a “day job,” I blogged before work (yep this might mean waking up at 5am). Sometimes I would bring my laptop and go to a coffee shop at my lunch break too or do it for hours after work. It’s a time commitment like anything else in life.

How do you keep motivated and focus?

Passion keeps me focused- I love my blog, my readers and the topics I discuss.

How important do you consider networking? A lot of people might understand how networking works but don’t understand how to implement it? Can you give the readers some tips on networking or how you network?

Here’s a few things people are missing the boat on when it comes to networking:

1. It’s about finding commonalities and making a conversation about those things. Note: this doesn’t mean talking about what you do, what you are looking for professionally, or what product you are selling. If people like you and have made a connection with you, those details will come out later. Networking is more about making great conversations and friendships. The business comes once people like you.

2. Social media isn’t a magic bullet for networking… UNLESS, you take it offline. A lot of people say to me, “Ok if I just set up a Twitter account and start a blog, that’s how I”ll get new customers- right?!” WRONG! Use social media to help you meet new people and start up conversations. Then once you’ve built some rapport, send them an email and try to meet for coffee if possible.

How do you decide when it’s time to get quit your job and be your own boss, I guess a lot of people get excited with the prospect of being their own boss rather than the reality of things, what’s your take on this?

I had fantasized about being my own boss for years before it actually happened. It was a very long process and required me to slowly make changes and take risks that would get me closer and closer to my goal. Ultimately, I had to switch industries first, which required taking a big pay and benefits cut. Then once I got laid off, I felt it was the universe’s way of telling me it was time. I was so thankful that I had a blog with an audience who I had never sold anything to. It allowed me to have the credibility and respect I needed to start getting advertising and paid classes/events.

Now that I’m here, I can tell you that it’s fantastic working in my yoga pants all day with my dog at my feet. BUT this lifestyle is also slightly terrifying and can be lonely. You don’t always know where your next dollar is coming from, you don’t have co-workers to collaborate with and you can get in your own head about if what you’re doing is good enough. Being self-employed isn’t for everyone, it’s tough!

What would you consider some of the most important lessons that you’ve learned so far?

Get uncomfortable. Every time I was willing to get uncomfortable, positive changes occurred. There are a few key situations that really gave me the most momentum.

Honestly, it started with just becoming a blogger. I was worried about what people would think about my writing, I wondered if people from high school would be reading my articles, I had NO clue how to use WordPress and then when I had to upgrade to a self-hosted site I was REALLY uncomfortable (and frustrated because I had never seen any of this technology before and had no clue how to use it).

The next time I really got REALLY uncomfortable was leading a 4-hour Social Media 101 workshop. It was my first public speaking gig, and I was soooooo nervous! I left that day realizing that speaking gives me a “high” and I love it. I accepted volunteer speaking gigs for a few years after that and now I’m getting paid to speak! I come alive when I’m speaking and had I not accepted that first workshop, I never would have guessed that about myself.

The next moment of serious discomfort was when I decided to host my first “Ms. Career Girl Connect” event. So many people had been asking me to host an event but I was worried no one would come or that it would be a flop. Finally I decided to do it and 2 weeks before the event I got laid off. I was SO thankful that that event was on the calendar. I got up in front of the 80 women who attended my first event and told them how scary this was for me. I was met with an outpouring of support and a huge sense of accomplishment. I’m now planning our 3rd event and am working with women across the country to bring these events to their cities!

Switching industries from the safe and cushy world of commercial banking was very uncomfortable, as was being laid off and now I am uncomfortable every single day being self-employed.

I think the difference between successful people and average people is their willingness to get uncomfortable. If it’s not uncomfortable then you aren’t growing.

What plans do you have now to expand your mscareergirl.com further?

As for Ms. Career Girl’s expansion, my Ms. Career Girl Connect events and Ladies Launch Pad incubator programs will be slowly brought to new cities across the country in 2012. Both the event and the incubator program are beneficial for women everywhere. After so many women reached out begging me to bring these to their cities, I figured why not give it a try.

Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?

I hope to be a six-figure earning Mom. I own the domain name MsCareerMom.com and could see starting that blog & community. I also see myself writing a book and doing a lot more paid speaking.

What are your hobbies?

I love reading, Italian food and my city (Chicago). My yellow lab Giada is the center of my life and since I’m engaged, wedding planning has become somewhat of a forced hobby lately!

What has been your most memorable moment since starting on your journey?

Being a guest on Oprah’s XM radio channel was a huge honor for me as I’ve always admired Oprah and loved her XM station. It was also cool to see myself quoted in a front-page Chicago RedEye story, get flown across the country to speak at a conference and also to be offered to write 2 books.

What advice can you give to anyone reading this interview, looking for some kind of inspiration or someone thinking of starting a part-time project while working?

Do it! No job or industry is 100% secure. Everyone should have a passion project or a “side hustle” in case something doesn’t go as planned. If you don’t know what you want to do yet, then devote time to figuring it out by testing new things every few weeks. Life without a passion or something that is yours to grow just isn’t the same. The rewards are not always financial, but they do so much for you as a person. Make time for this side project and I’m sure you’ll see that the rewards are huge.

Thanks for your time Nicole.

This is a guest post from Holly Watson

Choosing the right marketing campaign for your audience type can make or break a young company. If you’re in the business of selling denture-bonding cream, a mobile and/or social media based marketing plan is probably not the wisest choice. But, if you’re offering college textbook rental services, text marketing and social media advertising would likely be effective. But, what if your company’s marketing strategy could go either way? What if your business isn’t so cut and dry, one way or the other? How do you know if you should go the mobile marketing route or stick to commercials during The Price is Right?

It’s all about knowing your target audience and choosing the right type of mobile marketing to reach them.

Different Ways to Market via Text

1. SMS Marketing

If your business falls somewhere in the middle between marketing to grandparents versus marketing to teenagers, you’re not alone. You can utilize different facets of mobile marketing in order to maximize your potential revenue.

Sure, the younger generation texts like there’s no tomorrow, but the numbers show that people of all ages take thumbs to keyboard on a daily basis, especially moms. Over 66 percent of moms are using their smartphones to make lists, find locations and scout deals. With their involvement in smartphone technology already so extensive, catering an SMS marketing plan to their needs is an excellent resource for them and a source of revenue for you.

A typical SMS marketing plan can include a wide range of services. Mobile keywords like “textbooks” can be sent to a text marketing provider to let them know that the user is interested in receiving deals on textbook purchases and rentals. Short codes function in the same way, but use a series of 4-6 numbers instead of a keyword. When a customer sends a short code text, it can trigger an automated response from your business that will link users back to you.

SMS marketing is a tool for serving a wide range of customers–from teens to older moms. However, you might want to stick to older forms of advertisement for the denture cream.

2. Bluetooth Broadcasting

If your audience is young, on the go and constantly connected, Bluetooth broadcasting, also called proximity marketing, might be a good choice. Though Bluetooth use is less widespread than texting, a lot of people still wear a Bluetooth or have their computers Bluetooth enabled. Bluetooth broadcasting allows you to communicate with customers within a certain range, who consent to be contacted by your business.

This form of advertisement is ideal for events at convention centers or other high traffic locations, allowing the transmission to project to a large number of people within a small range.

3. QR Codes

QR codes are essentially barcodes version 2.0. They are two-dimensional bar codes that allow users to access product or service information with ease and quickness.

The user downloads an application to read QR codes, takes a picture of the code with a smartphone and instantly can view all of the necessary information for any good or service. This is convenience at its finest.

As QR codes become more widespread in their use, more businesses will catch on to the trend and begin linking their products to specific codes. This type of mobile marketing is easy to use and requires little effort on the part of the consumer.

Keep Your Audience in Mind

Your advertising dollars are precious. Spending money on direct mail or PPC advertising can be expensive and ineffective. Mobile marketing offers the option of reaching consumers with a specific interest in your product. Take your target audience into consideration when choosing a form of mobile marketing. Go for it, and don’t look back.

Remember teenage serial entrepreneur Mark Bao?

Well he added ThreeWords.me to his long long list of ventures, but has just put this side venture up for sale. The app is a simple one that allows you to solicit three-word responses from your friends around the web. All your friend has to do is go to your unique ThreeWords.me URL and enters three words about you.

A simply idea that is bound to find fans within the younger social media community. A simple interface allows you to upload a background and profile pic too. It even has anonymous comments so expect plenty of negative comments as well as positive.

College Freshman Mark Bao hasn’t found a way to monetize the app, but is has been getting users and is spreading through social media channels pretty darn quick!

He is now looking to get rid of it as he concentrates on other projects, most notably his main venture, Avecora.

Read more about Mark here.

Follow me on Twitter!

The Ability to get a following or showcase your talent has being made easier with social media, especially youtube, i recently got the chance to speak to her about her music career, especially leveraging the power of social media.

Check out the interview, hope you it encourages you!

Hey Maria, How are you doing, welcome to YHP?

Hi Joseph thanks for having me!

Can you give us some brief background information about yourself?

I’m a Greek-American singer/songwriter/producer. Sometimes I go by MZ and I’m a piece belonging to the future of music.

So how did you get into music?

Music was always the one thing that kept me consistently excited and intrigued growing up. I was the happiest when I was singing, even reading or watching anything that had to do with music! So I just kept myself involved and surrounded by whatever related to it.

Who was your musical inspiration growing up?

I had a lot of vocal inspiration more than anything-strong, emotional vocalists like Celine Dion and Mariah Carey. Musically it was everyone from Aerosmith to Luciano Pavoratti.

Who would you say has been influential in your musical career so far?

My partner Gabriel Santiago. He’s been with me every step of the way. He challenges my ideas and pushes me to be a better artist. My family and friends also motivate me and influence me in ways they may not realize.

How would you define your music as an artist?

Eclectic! I’m not genre-specific. My music is very emotionally driven so if I’m feeling a specific vibe I keep that momentum going without stopping to think, “is this my style?” But you will definitely hear a soulful-European influence somewhere along the way.

How did you get involved in posting covers of songs on youtube?

I wanted to be a hands-on artist and take initiative in my career. Myspace was actually the biggest music site around the time I first posted, but it put a lot of pressure on young musicians to upload polished, studio records. I loved that youtube was giving artists the ability to expose their talent in such a raw form!

What has been your most memorable moment so far?

Transcending the virtual world to actually meeting fans in person and having the opportunity to perform for them live rather than through the lens of a camcorder.

What would you say the impact of youtube has had on your musical career so far?

Huge. I’ve met incredible people and it’s given me a platform to showcase what I can do to literally the entire world.

How do you pick a song to cover?

I like to choose a song that’s hot at the moment and that I connect with. I have to love it!

How would you say has been your technique in growing your fan base?

Everything I do is very organic. I’ve really just been uploading videos/music and letting them take off on their own. Maybe later I’ll develop an actual “technique” but for now I’m loving the process of letting people find me on their own and allowing their discovery to be very natural. I love knowing that someone stumbled across my work and liked it enough to stay.

What should we be expecting from you in the next couple of months?

Diversity. This is my time to play, grow and develop myself as an artist. I’m very concerned with expanding my creativity-from covers to the release of originals and performing! Sometimes, I don’t even know what to expect from myself!

What has been your favourite cover you’ve done so far?

“Tik Tok”! It’s such a fun song! And “Empire State of Mind” I really love it the electric guitar sliding through, gives it a gritty feel. (I know that was 2, I cheated) haha!

In the youtube world, who are your inspirations and why?

Youtube is flooded with talent these days! I find a new inspiration every time I search through videos.

If you had a chance to work with one person, who would it be and why?

This is an impossible question! There are too many songwriters, producers and artists I’ve always admired that I need to work with!! I’ll list one from each category for now: Claude Kelly (songwriter), Darkchild (producer) and Kanye West (artist).

What advices do you have for any newbie looking to start their musical career or perhaps starting posting covers on youtube? Any tips? Any techniques?

Be fearless. Believe in yourself more than 100% and always try to step outside of your comfort zone! For anyone looking to utilize youtube I’d say don’t be intimidated by how you compare to others.

The key is just to make sure you are consistently growing and getting better. And be kind!! That’s just an important human quality in general, but is taken for granted in this industry.

Thanks for your time maria, hope to chat up with you very soon.
Check out her page on youtube and don’t forget to follow her on twitter.
Check out her facebook fanpage

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I’m sure if you enjoy going through youtube, listening to music covers of your favourite artists, then im sure by now you will be very familar with nick pitera.

I decided to catch up with him to ask him some tips for upcoming music artist, especially those using youtube for some kind of promotion.

If you dont know Nick, quickly check out his youtube page, before you start reading this interview.

Ok, now with that out of the way, check out what we talked about.

Hi Nick, it’s great to finally have you here on YHP, How are you doing?

I’m doing very well thank you!

Tell us a bit about your background, how did you get involved in music?

I have been singing my entire life. I don’t remember a time where I wasn’t running around attempting to belt out whatever song was currently stuck in my head.

So how did you get involved in making videos on youtube?

My first YouTube video was a contest entry. A fellow classmate sent me a link to a Disney singing contest that required you to submit your entry via a YouTube video. I thought it would be fun, but never thought very much of it. To my surprise the video view count started to rise rapidly. My friends then told me I should record myself singing a duet, and post that as well.

I decided to post “A Whole New World.” That video then went viral. After that I thought YouTube would be a great musical outlet, and decided to continue posting videos.

Since you’ve started, what are some of the advantages, opportunities or edge uploading your videos on youtube has given you?

YouTube has been an amazing experience. Since first posting I have had the opportunity to travel the country singing at various venues and colleges. I was also lucky enough to appear on the Ellen show twice this past year as well as a couple other local and national TV spots.

What are some of the tips that you can an upcoming singer/songwriter that are just getting into the youtube world, what are some of the tactics that worked for you?

Since I sort of stumbled on the YouTube world. I’m not sure what advise to give. A lot of it depends on timing and luck. I think the best thing to do, is make sure you are creating content that is true to you and that you are proud of. If it’s good, and people like it, hopefully it will get spread around and receive some exposure.

What is your source of inspiration, what motivates you to write or sing each day?

My inspiration comes from a variety of places. I get inspired by films, musicals, play, musicians, other YouTube singers. I credit the Disney films of the 90′s for teaching me to sing, and artists like Mariah Carey, Michael Jackson, and Whitney Houston, for showing me how to belt out a power ballad.

How does 23 years old get himself working at Pixar animation studios? That’s kind of a big deal right?

Lots and lots of hard work.

I know you get a lot of critics attacking your voice, how do you deal with it?

I don’t pay attention to it. I am too grateful for all of the opportunities that singing has brought me to focus on the negative. Thankfully the shock value of how I sing seems to have worn off a bit. Now those that view my videos do so because they genuinely like it and want to hear more.

Do you think getting a record deal is as important has it was couple of years ago, you know we’ve seen people leveraging the power of social media and making it work for them? How can an upcoming really leverage the power of social media?

I still think it helps quite a bit. That being said, with the Internet providing people with the means to self promote, I feel self produced and released projects will continue to increase.

What tools do you use to brand yourself and promote your materials?

I use YouTube, Twitter, a Facebook music page, and occasionally a blog to promote my music.

Can you share with us some of the mistakes you’ve along the way and how upcoming singers/songwriters can avoid that?

I am just now getting into my own original music, and really starting to shape who I am as an artist. I think it’s important to know what you want to do, and not be a cookie cutter version of someone else. I’ve learned that finding your own sound and voice is extremely important.

What do you get up to during your me-time?

Since I work full time in the animation industry, I spend a lot of my me time working on music.

What have been some of the key lessons you’ve learnt so far?

I’ve learned how to deal with negativity. I’ve also learned the importance of constructive criticism. When people feel safe and distanced on their computer they tend to be very honest. It’s important to know what your audience wants and likes. Posting online has really brought that to my attention.

What has been the highlight of your journey so far?

Appearing on the Ellen show as a guest was extremely exciting and and experience I’ll never forget.

What should we be expecting from you next?

I just worked on a cover of Taio Cruz’s Dynamite with some produces from the UK. That track is now up on iTunes and Amazon. I am now working with them on an EP of covers being released to iTunes sometime in October. I am also working on original music which will hopefully soon follow.

Thanks nick, hope to chat up with you very soon, good luck!

Thanks so much joseph!

Dont forget to also follow nick on twitter @Nickpitera

Support his cover of Taio cruz’s Dynamite on iTunes

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Calum Brannan owns quite a few startups and is only 21!

To some people, he is perceived as UK’s version of Mark Zuckerberg (The facebook guy), Calum got into the social media when he was only 15.

Like most teenagers, he started his first business in his bedroom in coventry, his desire to create a social network for young people has always been on his mind, eventually leading him to start PPLParty.com in 2005.

The site contains information regarding the best nightclubs within the uk and interaction for all members from different areas.

After improving PPLParty.com which eventually morphed into a new name “ Youmeo” during late 2007, the website still didn’t turn out to be as successful as he had hoped it would be, however all hope was not lost.

He eventually went to his new project, starting a social media consultancy business called “Social Helium” for social networking experts.

He has also started a new type of advertising agency for the present days social media world, this business is named “Spendengo”.

Mr Brannan works in teams who has helped well known organisation with in-depth discussions and consultancy, organisation such as Bebo, Vodafone, Yahoo, Christian Vision and many more.

Falling down is highly predictable within the entrepreneurial world as illustrated via Mr Brannan’s entrepreneurial years, however his persistent kept him striving and aiming high.

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Hey Guys, I had the opportunity to interview the beautiful and multi-talented media artist Sheena, Sheena has used social media to share her passion for music, TV and film.

She just finished her new video on youtube, check it out!

Hope you enjoy the interview.

Hi Sheena, How are you doing?

I’m doing great thank you!

So can you quickly give us some background information about yourself?

That’s an easy question (laughing)! In a nutshell I would say I’m a Media Artist, with roots as a singer-songwriter. In today’s digital age, I find myself attracted to various areas along with music, like TV/Film, and of course the Internet has been good to me as well!

How would you describe your style of music?

My music is really an amalgamation of many different styles. I’ve been fortunate enough to have been influenced by different corners of the world. I grew up in Canada, studied jazz, and opera and always loved R&B/Pop music.

My grandfather, who was a composer in India taught me to appreciate Indian classical music from an early age. And, to add to the mix, I lived in Tokyo a few years ago and that really opened my ears and my heart to a whole new musical world.

What type of music do you listen to?

I love any kind of music that speaks to me. The message can be found in a catchy beat, a beautiful storyline, or even something weird and quirky that catches my attention. I love music that is moving.

Doesn’t matter what the style is, as long as I can feel the passion behind the beat or words, I’ll keep listening.

Who are your musical inspirations?

I cannot just name one or two people who have inspired me. I am really lucky that way because my inspiration stems from everything and everyone around me.

We all have music in us. Of course, my family and friends contribute the most to my songwriting, because I write from my experiences (or theirs!); and, in terms of inspirations to sing, the list starts with my first choir director and range to my favourite singers and songwriters today.

A person can be inspired just about anywhere and I think the trick is just to be receptive to it. I once heard that songs are already written, we just have to find and share them. I believe that 100%.

At what age did you realise that singing was a career path you wanted to pursue?

I’ve never really wanted to do anything else to be honest. Of course, I’ve had bad days, weeks or even months, but when music hits me hard I shift my focus to screen projects (nothing that I can reveal yet I’m afraid!) or to the SheenaMelwani.com world! How can you really complain when you do what you love every day?

What will you say has been some of the benefits of posting your videos online, especially on YouTube and the power the internet has given individuals and talents to be able to share their passion with the world?

I was in Japan when I posted my first video on YouTube, and thought it would be a good way to stay connected with my friends back home. It was my way to share my voice and music with my circle of friends and family (and I thought a few others might watch as well, and that was fine by me).

Now, two years and over 10 million hits later, people from all over the world are encouraging me every day to finish my album, to sing another song on SheenaTV, to help guide their own budding careers. I get messages in English, French, Spanish, Hindi, Japanese, German, Portuguese – the list goes on and on!

The internet has literally brought us all together and it’s thanks to YouTube, Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and such sites that independent artists now also have direct access to a worldwide fan base.

Why did you decide to start SheenaTV?

I first started SheenaTV because I was contacted by Yahoo! to be one of the very first broadcasters for a beta project called Yahoo! Live. I thought it would be a nice way for people to get to know the real me and agreed. Ironically, the Yahoo! program died but SheenaTV went from an average of 50 viewers an episode to close to a 1000 – thankfully not everyone chats at the same time!

People enjoy connecting in ‘real-time’ and SheenaTV allows me to do so directly with my fans. Apart from playing the part of the ‘Human Jukebox‘ (people don’t seem to care if I know all the words to their favourite songs), I also sample some original music, discuss issues the group wants to discuss and sometimes give everyone a ‘behind-the-scenes’ view of a video being filmed.

What do you outside music, what other projects are you involved in?

I’m into a lot of things other than music! Music may be my heart, but it is not the only thing in my life! I spend almost every morning at the gym, enjoy practicing yoga, love to cook, and most of all – love to eat!

What should we be expecting from you in the near future?

Many wonderful things I hope! I have an album in process, an iPhone app in the making, some screen ideas somewhere in the mix and I’m just going with the flow. Its not about the destination, but the journey, right?

What has been your greatest challenge?

When you handle everything independently, it really takes discipline and motivation to keep moving forward. I think this has been my biggest challenge thus far. Somedays, you can wake up and feel like you’ve moved backwards, and that’s not a nice feeling!

Lucky for me, that doesn’t happen too often, and when it does the people in my life are great at getting me back on my feet. And, when that doesn’t work I just get on SheenaMelwani.com or Facebook and seeing people commenting from around the world, at all times of the day and night reminds me immediately why I do what I do.

What advice do you have for those who want to pursue a career as a singer?

Don’t take no for answer. If you want to be a professional singer, then keep singing and don’t be afraid to put yourself and your music out there. Not everyone is going to like your voice, but you have to keep pushing. And in this day and age, with all these social media tools right at your fingertips, there really is no excuse anymore. Sing because you want to sing, not because you want people to listen!

Where do you see yourself five years from now?

A lot can happen in five years! I hope I’m doing more of what I’m doing now. Working on various media projects for a wider audience. I am a big believer in destiny, so I too am excited about what destiny may have in store for me!

Any last words for your fans and the readers of YHP?

Of course, I always have something else to say! Thank you for watching me, listening to my music, visiting my website, and simply for believing in me. It makes all the work much easier to do when you see people enjoying the final product, so a big “Thank You” – from the bottom of my heart for making my experience such a wonderful one.

Thanks for your time Sheena

You are very welcome. Thank you for your time as well!

Connect with Sheena

SheenaMelwani.com
Facebook.com/SheenaMelwaniMusic
YouTube.com/SheenaMelwani
Twitter.com/SheenaMelwani
Myspace.com/SheenaMelwani