Visual Personal Branding: How to Build a Loyal Following With Images

Want to create a strong connection with your followers? Wondering how to capture photos that authentically tell your brand’s story? To explore how to develop your visual personal brand on Instagram and beyond, I interview Jenna Kutcher. More About This Show The Social Media Marketing podcast is an on-demand talk radio show from Social Media [...]

This post Visual Personal Branding: How to Build a Loyal Following With Images first appeared on .
- Your Guide to the Social Media Jungle

December 08, 2017 at 12:00PM http://bit.ly/2Anyzv6
read more...
from http://bit.ly/2AENCgN
via IFTTT

65 Photoshop Shortcuts to Help You Edit Photos Like a Pro [Bookmarkable]

Have you ever accidentally wasted an entire day in Photoshop?

I have. It's not like you start out aimlessly. You have a simple goal in mind, like cropping a photo, improving the resolution, or changing the size of the canvas. But then, you look at how many options there are -- and trying to figure out which buttons to press to execute a single task suddenly turns into an attempt to solve The Riddle of the Sphinx.

Wouldn't it be nice if you could just press a button, and magically, do what you wanted to do? Well, we've got good news for you: It turns out there are a wealth of Photoshop shortcuts that pretty much work just that way.

By pressing a few keys on your computer keyboard at the same time, you can select tools, manipulate images and layers, and even make adjustments to your project's canvas. But if we're being honest, if you're just starting out with the software, there might be far too many Photoshop shortcuts to remember them all. That's why we created this guide -- for you to bookmark and return to next time your design project leaves you stumped.

Note: All of these shortcuts can be accessed on PC and Mac, but sometimes, they're different on each operating system. We've included both types below, and in the cases where they might be different, Mac instructions appear in italicized parentheses. Also, in these formulas, the plus sign (+) is present only to represent the combination of key commands. On occasion, it might be part of the command itself, like when you press the plus sign to zoom into a part of an image, but otherwise, don't press the plus sign between commands.

65 Photoshop Shortcuts to Save You Time

1. Getting Set Up
2. Choosing the Right Tools
3. Using the Brush Tool
4. Using the Marquee Tool (for Slicing/Selecting)
5. Using Different Blending Options
6. Manipulating Layers & Objects
7. Saving Your Work for Later

Getting Set Up

You'd think setting up your content in Photoshop would be second nature. But sometimes, the shortcuts to change the background size, or zoom into your project aren't what you think. Here are some of the most crucial fundamental shortcuts to know:

1) Control + Alt + i (Command + Option + i ) = Change the image size.

2) Control + Alt + c (Command + Option + c ) = Change canvas size.

3) Control + + (Command + + ) = Zoom in.

4) Control + - (Command + - ) = Zoom out.

Control + ' (Command + ' ) = Show or hide the grid, the automatically-generated horizontal and vertical lines that help align objects to the canvas.

Choosing the Right Tools

These shortcuts will activate different groups of tools, like "Lasso," "Brush," or "Spot Healing Brush." Within these tools, though, there are different functions. Under the "Magic Wand" tool group, for example, you have the option to execute a new selection or add and subtract from a current one.

Each one of these tools has a keyboard shortcut, and we've outlined some of them below.

5) v = Pointer, a.k.a. Move Tool  

6) w = Magic Wand

7) m = Rectangular Marquee, a.k.a. the Select Tool

8) l = Lasso

9) i = Eyedropper

10) c = Crop

11) e = Eraser

12) u = Rectangle

13) t = Horizontal Type

14) b = Brush

15) y = History Brush

16) j = Spot Healing Brush

17) g = Gradient

18) a = Path Selection

19) h = Hand

20) r = Rotate View

21) p = Pen

22) s = Clone Stamp

23) o = Dodge

24) z = Zoom Tool

25) d = Default Foreground and Background Colors

26) x = Switch Foreground and Background Colors

27) q = Edit in Quick Mask Mode

28) x = Change Screen Mode

Using the Brush Tool

With the brush settings, you can change the size, shape, and transparency of your brush strokes to achieve a number of different visual effects. To use these keyboard shortcuts, first select the Brush tool by pressing b.

29) , or . = Select previous or next brush style.

30) Shift + , or . = Select first or last brush style used.

31) Caps Lock or Shift + Caps Lock (Caps Lock) = Display precise crosshair for brushes.

32) Shift + Alt + p (Shift + Option + p) = Toggle airbrush option.

Using the Marquee Tool (for Slicing/Selecting)

When used correctly, the marquee tool will let you select individual elements, entire graphics, and determine what is copied, cut, and pasted into your graphics.

To use these keyboard shortcuts, first select the Marquee tool by pressing m.

33) Control (Command) = Toggle between Slice tool and Slice Selection tool.

34) Shift + drag = Draw square slice.

35) Alt + drag (Option + drag) = Draw from center outward.

36) Shift + alt + drag (Shift + option + drag) = Draw square slice from center outward.

37) Spacebar + drag = Reposition the slice while creating the slice.

Using Different Blending Options

Blending options include a number of features to enhance the look of your graphic. You can always choose a blending option by going to the top menu bar, under Layer > Layer Style > Blending Options. Or, you can double-click any layer to bring up the options for that particular layer.

Once you open blending options, you can use keyboard shortcuts to select them without moving your mouse. To use the shortcuts, select the Move tool ("v"), and then select the layer you'd like to use the blending options on. Below are some of the most popular modes.

38) Shift + + or – = Cycle through blending modes.

39) Shift + Alt + n (Shift + Option + n) = Normal mode

40) Shift + Alt + i (Shift + Option + i) = Dissolve

41) Shift + Alt + k (Shift + Option + k) = Darken

42) Shift + Alt + g (Shift + Option + g) = Lighten

43) Shift + Alt + m (Shift + Option + m) = Multiply

44) Shift + Alt + o (Shift + Option + o) = Overlay

45) Shift + Alt + u (Shift + Option + u) = Hue

46) Shift + Alt + t (Shift + Option + t) = Saturation

47) Shift + Alt + y (Shift + Option + y) = Luminosity

For more niche blending shortcuts, check out these tips from Adobe.

Manipulating Layers & Objects

If you want to modify an object or get complex with multiple layers, here are some shortcuts you might like to know:

48) Control + a (Command + a ) = Select all objects

49) Control + d (Command + d ) = Deselect all objects

50) Shift + Control + i (Shift + Command + i ) = Select the inverse of the selected objects

51) Control + Alt + a (Command + Option + a) = Select all layers

52) Control + Shift + E (Command + Shift + e) = Merge all layers

53) Alt + . (Option + .) = Select top layer

54) Alt + , (Option + ,) = Select bottom layer

Note: In shortcuts 55-57, the brackets ([ ]) are the keystrokes in the command, and "OR" refers to the actual word -- as in, press one bracket OR the other, not the letters "o" and "r."

55) Alt + [ OR ] (Option + [ OR ]) = Select next layer down or up

56) Control + [ OR ] (Command + [ OR ]) = Move target layer down or up

57) Control + Shift + [ OR ] (Command + Shift + [ OR ]) = Move layer to the bottom or top

58) Shift + Control + n (Shift + Command + n) = Create a new layer

59) Control + g (Command + g) = Group selected layers

60) Control + Shift + g (Command + Shift + g) = Ungroup selected layers

61) Control + e (Command + e) = Merge and flatten selected layers

62) Control + Shift + Alt + e (Command + Shift + Option + e) = Combine all layers into a new layer on top of the other layers. Note: This step gets you one, combined layer, with all elements of that layer in separate layers below -- which is different than a traditional merge-and-flatten layers command.

63) Control + t (Command + t) = Transform your object, which includes resizing and rotating

And Finally -- Save Your Work for Later

Congratulations -- you've finished working on your project, and now, you want to share it with the world. Save time saving your project by using these simple shortcuts:

64) Control + Shift + s (Command + Shift + s) = Save your work as ...

65) Control + Shift + Alt + s (Command + Shift + Option + s) = Save for web and devices

http://bit.ly/2slXXtG

How to Get Started With LinkedIn's New Website Demographics

I don't know about you, but I have an odd fascination with LinkedIn's "Who's Viewed Your Profile" feature.

There's a natural curiosity about who's checking it out, and why. A fan of my writing? My manager? An ex-boyfriend who’s feeling remorseful as a result of seeing all the great things I’m doing with my life?

Regardless of my own profile viewers, the fact remains that LinkedIn has always served as an interesting platform to digitally network, share information, recruit, and advertise.

It's that last part where one of the newest developments have taken place. LinkedIn has provided helpful insights and ad tracking for some time now, allowing advertisers to view details about the composition of who this promoted content has reached. But now, LinkedIn has developed new tools for marketers who want to see that same information about the users visiting their websites.

Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to introduce you to LinkedIn's Website Demographics.

What Is LinkedIn's Website Demographics?

LinkedIn's Website Demographics is a free tool that allows advertisers to monitor and analyze which LinkedIn users are visiting their websites. In other words, it sheds light on which types of professionals are visiting the site, to help you better target content and ad campaigns. It filters this audience according to eight criteria:

1. Job title
2. Industry
3. Job seniority
4. Job function
5. Company
6. Company size
7. Location
8. Country

Getting Started With LinkedIn's Website Demographics

1. Make sure you have a LinkedIn Ads account.

Website Demographics are only available to those who already have a LinkedIn Ads account. If you don't have one, check out this beginner's guide to setting up and running LinkedIn Ad campaigns.

2. Generate your Insight Tag and add it to your Website.

Once you've established an Ads account, go to your Campaign Manager, and click "Website Demographics."

If you haven't previously set up Website Demographics, you'll receive this message prompting you to set up an Insight Tag:

The Insight Tag is essentially a short blurb of JavaScript code that allows Website Demographics to track visitors to a page, as well as conversion and analytics that are crucial when evaluating the performance of a LinkedIn ad campaign. In other words, without it, Website Demographics won't be able to track any visitor behavior or insights.

Copy and paste this code, and it to every page on your domain. According to LinkedIn, the optimal placement for the code is right before the end of the <body> tag, in the global footer.

Once the code has been added to your web pages, add your domain (or domains, if you added it to multiple pages) to the area to the right of the code, where it says "Domains," as per the image above.

LinkedIn will have to verify that the tag has been added to these URLs correctly, which could take up to 24 hours, but once that's done, each URL will have the word "verified" next to its name in the domain list.

Be careful: According to LinkedIn, domains must not include "www" when you're adding them.

3. Build your audience.

Once your Insight Tag has been added and all associated domains have been verified, you'll need to create a website audience. Don't let the name of this step fool you -- rather than customizing the desired composition of your audience, you'll actually just be segmenting different URLs for which you want to analyze visitors.

It'll look like this:

Source: Distilled

For example, you might want to drive a different audience to a specific landing page than you do to a certain blog post. That's where segmenting audience analytics becomes helpful.

You'll need a minimum of 300 LinkedIn members to visit a given domain that you're tracking -- until you do, there won't be any data available in the Website Demographics section of your Campaign Manager. How long that takes really varies -- it depends on each page's average traffic.

4. Monitor and analyze the data.

According to Distilled, "LinkedIn developed and released Website Demographics because it anticipates that with this new information, companies will be more likely to spend on their platform." That makes sense -- the demographics available to track within this new tool match the same targeting criteria available for LinkedIn Ad campaigns. 

That said, the purpose may also be to help LinkedIn advertisers spend more effectively. Let's say, for example, that prior to setting up your Website Demographics, you already have a LinkedIn Ads campaign running. Once you're able to capture more detailed data on which types of users are visiting your web pages -- according to job title, industry, and more -- you'll be able to see if that information aligns. Does the Website Demographics match the targeted audience criteria you used in your Ad campaign? If not, you now have the data to better inform your audience targeting.

The best part is that this information isn't restricted to your promotion efforts within LinkedIn. Now, you're newly equipped with details about the actual human beings visiting your website (with respect to member privacy, says the platform). And while every social media channel has its own trends and patterns of users, having these insights can help you gain a better idea of who's clicking, and why they might be seeking information from your brand.

I'll be keeping an eye on the results as more advertisers begin to use and track the results of this tool, but as always, feel free to reach out on Twitter to share your own experience with it.

 I

http://bit.ly/2jphTss

Influencer Marketing: New Research for Video Creators

Are you a video creator looking to get into influencer marketing? Wondering whether creating sponsored video content is a viable moneymaking option? In this article, you’ll discover insights from new research that reveal how influencer marketing has grown in the last year and how other video creators are planning to pursue relationships with brands. #1: [...]

This post Influencer Marketing: New Research for Video Creators first appeared on .
- Your Guide to the Social Media Jungle

December 07, 2017 at 12:00PM http://bit.ly/2AyWHtE
read more...
from http://bit.ly/2jo33Th
via IFTTT

Brainstorming: You’re Doing It Wrong [Video]

http://bit.ly/2nxRWeN

7 Phrases That Indicate You Might Be in a Toxic Work Environment

It's a situation familiar to many of us: That moment when something just feels off.

You have a less-than-great feeling about your work environment, and then, someone utters a phrase that gives you a sinking feeling.

It's a feeling that makes that "off" sensation feel even worse -- a feeling that makes you think, "Hmm. Maybe it's not me."

That's the feeling that indicates you might be in a toxic work environment.

But how can you be sure, exactly? What do these signaling phrases sound like?

We collected the seven that we've heard the most -- outside of HubSpot, of course -- and compiled this list to help you figure out if your instincts are correct.

7 Phrases That Indicate You Might Be in a Toxic Work Environment

1. "You won't believe how late it was when I left the office last night."
2. "I would love to help you, but ... "
3. ”Thanks, that was my idea."
4. "Oh, I can't even remember the last time I took a real vacation."
5. ”That's not my fault."
6. ”I’m sick (again)."
7. ”Where are you going?"

1. "You won't believe how late it was when I left the office last night."

When you work hard, it's no surprise that you might occasionally have to stay at the office past your typical "quitting time" -- like when you're on the verge of launching a new product, campaign, or event. 

But when you hear about colleagues doing this regularly -- especially when they speak boastfully about it -- that's a sign that there might be something not-quite-right with the workplace culture, and its approach to work-life balance.

Take a survey conducted by Staples, for example. It showed that 55% of employees feel like they can’t leave their desks for a break. Sure, 86% also said that these breaks would actually help their productivity -- and yet, more than half are hesitant to take them.

So what's stopping us?

When we hear our peers, colleagues, and managers habitually speaking of late nights at work and industrious weekends -- the opposite of taking time to breathe and recharge -- it sends the message that it's expected of everyone, perhaps even implying that breaks and time offline are discouraged. And that, in a word, is unhealthy.

In situations like these, it helps to ask for clarifying information. If there's a colleague you trust, or if you have a good relationship with your manager, try asking if these hours are expected, or if it might be possible to disconnect on a given evening and weekend for a special event. It might turn out that this lack of work-life balance is not encouraged, and that what you've been hearing is the exception -- not the rule.

2. "I would love to help you, but ... "

I'll never forget something my boss told me on my first day at HubSpot. “To help you be more successful, I’ll help you with whatever you ask me for help with. The most successful people ask for help when they need it!”

I wish everyone's managers and teams led with that sentiment. After all, as human beings, we're already disinclined to ask for help -- so when we do and that request is met with a "but," it's not exactly going to encourage us to ask for support in the future.

In these instances, I've found that it helps to lead by doing -- even if this vocabulary or behavior is coming from someone who works above you. Many times, these phrases reflect someone feeling overwhelmed, in which case, it can be beneficial for you to proactively offer help. By actively displaying behavior that discourages a mentality of, "That's not my job," you may inspire others to take a similar approach.

3. "Thanks, that was my idea."

This one, for me, might be the worst phrase on the list. Is there anything worse than someone else being given credit for something you did -- and then, that person accepting it without mentioning your role in the accomplishment?

That's one of the top signaling behaviors of a toxic work environment. It somewhat aligns with the tendency to have the negative parts of your performance pointed out, with little-to-no mention of the positives. When someone -- whether it's a colleague or a manager -- takes credit for things that he didn't accomplish alone (or at all), it can further reinforce a detraction from the things you're doing well at work.

While it may not result in a sustainable resolution -- and can be very difficult to do -- it can help to be honest about the situation with the person from whom this behavior is coming. Try saying something like, "I was surprised by your response to the praise received for Project X. While I felt that I contributed a lot to that work, it sounds like your perception may have been different. Do you have any suggestions for how I can improve my contributions?"

That way, you're not pointing it out in a way that comes from a defensive or finger-pointing manner. Plus, the response you receive to this conversation may indicate just how toxic the situation is. If, for example, the person didn't even realize his error but retroactively recognizes it, you can work together to change that behavior.

4. "Oh, I can't even remember the last time I took a real vacation."

Have you ever heard the term "vacation shaming"?

It's exactly what it sounds like.

According to research from Alamo Rent A Car, 47% of workers feel shame or guilt at work for taking time off -- and 28% are reluctant to do it at all, fearing that they'll appear less dedicated to their work.

This phrase is similar to the first one we listed about working late, or not taking breaks. When the people around us at work brag about burning the candle at both ends, it reinforces the idea that that behavior is rewarded and that, therefore, we should be doing the same.

But ultimately, that approach is detrimental. In fact, the top 10% most productive employees using business time-tracking software DeskTime have been found to take 17-minute breaks for every 52 minutes of work they put in.

In other words -- time off improves the quality of our work. A work environment that dictates otherwise gives us pause.

5. "That's not my fault."

Okay, so maybe it's not phrased exactly this way, but here's the point: the blame game is never a good sign.

When someone appears to be unable to admit their role or accountability in things going wrong, it can instill fear in those around them -- fear that they might be expected to accept blame in a situation for which they didn't actually do anything wrong. 

And while studies show that many employers believe up to 50% of their respective workforces are comprised of unaccountable individuals, we've got news: Managers are responsible for being accountable, too, and for leading by example with it.

In order to create a culture of accountability and eradicate the blame game, it's important to begin by exhibiting that behavior yourself. You could write an entire book on accountability at work, for example, and if you don't practice it yourself, no one will take that directive seriously.

If this is new territory for you, start by asking what role you may have had in a less-than-desirable situation -- and if the answer if something other than what you want to hear, take a moment to consider the feedback you've received, before reacting defensively.

6. "I'm sick (again)."

If all of the above phrases pointed to a single underlying result it would be: stress.

When you're facing a wave of discouragement to take time off, work reasonable hours, or have confidence in your performance, your lifestyle can start to suffer. You might not allow sufficient time to eat healthy foods, work out, or sleep. And when you combine those factors, the typical result is getting sick.

Before my life at HubSpot, I once worked for a very small company where, every week, at least one employee was sick. And while I didn't recognize it at the time, I know now that it was a sign of a toxic work environment. It might be normal for there to be an outbreak of a cold during a seasonal change or, say, flu season. But if people in your work environment are regularly and frequently falling ill, it's a sign that their immunity has suffered -- that can stem from an unhealthy lifestyle, which is easy to fall into when the aforementioned items abound.

7. "Where are you going?"

I'll cut right to the chase. According to a study performed by researchers at Indiana University's Kelley School of Business, employees working under a micromanaging boss have a higher mortality rate.

I wish I were making that up. But, seeing as we've already discussed the impact of stress and a lack of workplace flexibility on the ability to maintain a healthy lifestyle -- it doesn't exactly come as a surprise, then, that those working in these conditions die younger than their peers who are allowed more independence and balance in their jobs. 

Micromanaging is typically a sign of distrust. Constantly tracking your team's behavior and disallowing autonomy communicates that you have little faith in its ability to succeed, which can result in a lack of confidence and motivation brought to tasks and responsibilities.

If you find yourself in this type of situation -- on either side of it -- look to the results for next steps. Is your team's performance lacking? If so, and your manager exhibits this type of behavior, it could be helpful to have a conversation about how this approach is negatively impacting your performance.

For the other way around, look inward. Ask your team how you can help, and if stepping away might boost productivity.

 

http://bit.ly/2BO5ZzV

Influencer Disclosure Guidelines: What Marketers and Creators Need to Know

Do you work with influencers? Wondering how best to comply with disclosure guidelines? In this article, you’ll discover how to properly protect your business when participating in influencer campaigns. #1: Use Built-In Disclosure Tools for Top Social Platforms One positive result from the efforts of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to increase transparency is that [...]

This post Influencer Disclosure Guidelines: What Marketers and Creators Need to Know first appeared on .
- Your Guide to the Social Media Jungle

December 06, 2017 at 12:00PM http://bit.ly/2jkY2dX
read more...
from http://bit.ly/2zWcUpm
via IFTTT