Social Media Marketing: Stats and Figures

See this Social Media Stats and Slides presentation courtesy of HubSpot which enables one to realise the importance of social media and how effective it can be in an online marketing campaign.

Change colour of comments in Microsoft Office Word 2003

I colleague of mine asked me if there was a way to change the colour of comments in Microsoft Word 2003.  It took me a while to figure out how this is done, but it’s easy once you know how.

From the top toolbar in Word, click on Tools -> Options -> Track Changes tab.  Then under the Markup section, simply change the Comments color to whatever you desire.  See the screen shot below:

Business Process Map Symbols / Flowchart Symbols

Flowchart symbols actually have their roots in the data processing diagrams and programming flow charts. So, not all the flowcharting shapes shown below may be relevant to your needs.

Flowcharts are excellent for explaining complex business processes and can showcase complex processes and decisions visually. Business Process Map aka flowchart diagram is widely used in the corporate world as a tool which can speak and explain complex business decision on a single piece of paper.

The flowchart symbol names in parentheses are common alternates for a given shape. Sometimes a flowchart shape can have more than one meaning, as with the Circle shape, which depicts a jump node in flow charts and inspection point in business process mapping. Other times, there are just multiple names for the same flow chart symbol – such as Terminator and Terminal Point. See here a sample flowchart diagram.

You can also see this helpful guide on how to create a process map flowchart diagram.

Symbol	Shape Name	Symbol Description
Process / Operation Symbols
	Process	Show a Process or action step. This is the most common symbol in both process flowcharts and business process maps.
	Predefined Process (Subroutine)	A Predefined Process symbol is a marker for another process step or series of process flow steps that are formally defined elsewhere. This shape commonly depicts sub-processes (or subroutines in programming flowcharts). If the sub-process is considered “known” but not actually defined in a process procedure, work instruction, or some other process flowchart or documentation, then it is best not to use this symbol since it implies a formally defined process.
	Alternate Process	As the shape name suggests, this flowchart symbol is used when the process flow step is an alternate to the normal process step. Flow lines into an alternate process flow step are typically dashed.
	Delay	The Delay flowchart symbol depicts any waiting period that is part of a process. Delay shapes are common in process mapping.
	Preparation	As the names states, any process step that is a Preparation process flow step, such as a set-up operation.
	Manual Operation	Manual Operations flowchart shapes show which process steps are not automated. In data processing flowcharts, this data flow shape indicates a looping operation along with a loop limit symbol (which is not supported by Microsoft Office, but a Manual Operation symbol rotated 180° will do the trick.)
Branching and Control of Flow Symbols
	Flow Line (Arrow, Connector)	Flow line connectors show the direction that the process flows.
	Terminator (Terminal Point, Oval)	Terminators show the start and stop points in a process. When used as a Start symbol, terminators depict a trigger action that sets the process flow into motion.
	Decision	Indicates a question or branch in the process flow. Typically, a Decision  flowchart shape is used when there are 2 options (Yes/No, No/No-Go, etc.)
	Connector (Inspection)	Flowchart: In flowcharts, this symbol is typically small and is used as a Connector to show a jump from one point in the process flow to another. Connectors are usually labeled with capital letters (A, B, AA) to show matching jump points. They are handy for avoiding flow lines that cross other shapes and flow lines. They are also handy for jumping to and from a sub-processes defined in a separate area than the main flowchart. Process Mapping: In process maps, this symbol is full sized and shows an Inspection point in the process flow. [Just to confuse things further, some people will use a circle to indicate an operation and a square to indicate an inspection. That's why it's important to include a symbol key in the flowchart.]
	Off-Page Connector	Off-Page Connector shows continuation of a process flowchart onto another page. When using them in conjunction with Connectors, it’s best to differentiate the labels, e.g. use numbers for Off-Page Connectors and capital letters for Connectors. In actual practice, most flowcharts just use the Connect shape for both on-page and off-page references.
	Merge (Storage)	Flowchart: Shows the merging of multiple processes or information into one. Process Mapping: commonly indicates storage of raw materials.
	Extract (Measurement)	Flowchart: Shows when a process splits into parallel paths. Also commonly indicates a Measurement, with a capital ‘M’ inside the symbol. Process Mapping: commonly indicates storage of finished goods.
	Or	The logical Or symbol shows when a process diverges – usually for more than 2 branches. When using this symbol, it is important to label the out-going flow lines to indicate the criteria to follow each branch.
	Summing Junction	The logical Summing Junction flowchart shape is shows when multiple branches converge into a single process. The merge symbol is more common for this use, though. This symbol and the Or symbol are really more relevant in data processing flow diagrams than in process flowcharts.
Input and Output Symbols
	Data (I/O)	The Data flowchart shape indicates inputs to and outputs from a process. As such, the shape is more often referred to as an I/O shape than a Data shape.
	Document	Pretty self explanatory – the Document flowchart symbol is for a process step that produces a document.
	Multi-Document	Same as Document, except, well, multiple documents. This shape is not as commonly used as the Document flowchart shape, even when multiple documents are implied.
	Display	Indicates a process step where information is displayed to a person (e.g., PC user, machine operator).
	Manual Input	Manual Input flowchart shapes show process steps where the operator/ user is prompted for information that must be manually input into a system.
	Card	This is the companion to the punched tape flowchart shapes. This shape is seldom used.
	Punched Tape	If you’re very good at stretching all the life out of a machine, you may still have use for the Punched Tape symbol – used for input into old computers and CNC machines.
File and Information Storage Symbols
	Stored Data	A general Data Storage flowchart shape used for any process step that stores data (as opposed to the more specific shapes to follow next in this table).
	Magnetic Disk (Database)	The most universally recognizable symbol for a data storage location, this flowchart shape depicts a database.
	Direct Access Storage	Direct Access Storage is a fancy way of saying Hard Drive.
	Internal Storage	Used in programming flowcharts to mean information stored in memory, as opposed to on a file.
	Sequential Access Storage (Magnetic Tape)	Although it looks like a ‘Q’, the symbol is supposed to look like a reel of tape.
Data Processing Symbols
	Collate	The Collate flowchart shape indicates a process step that requires organizing data, information, or materials according into a standard format or arrangement.
	Sort	Indicates the sorting of data, information, materials into some pre-defined order.

Search Engine Optimisation – Simple Steps

SEO can be considered a very complicated and full of processes that can not be understood by normal users or owners. For this reason it is usually overlooked as its potential is not fully understood. Here are a few steps which will help in making you understand different aspects of a SEO campaign step by step:

First Step

The first step when carrying out SEO on your website is to define which keywords or search terms you would like to be found under. We help you with the keyword selection and you approve the final list of search terms you want to target for your seo campaign. Keyword sources generally tend to include search tools such as Google adword keyword checker, overture and obvious keywords relative to your business.

Keyword selection is imperative for SEO and can often decide how effective your seo promotion will be long term. If the right keywords are targeted you will receive better conversions through your website.

Step 2

Keyword grouping involves an analysis into the keywords which have been agreed you for the SEO package. This SEO process is to define which keywords are to be targeted on certain pages within your website. An old method many SEO companies use is to create a new page targeted for each keyword. Due to Google algorithm changes a more efficient way is to group keyword variations together and target these phrases across one optimized page. This reduces the risk of content repetition across a website which is essential for successful seo promotion. It is important to target key phrases on website pages with a relevant theme. For example if a keyword ‘marketing’ was optimized on a web page called ‘web design’, it will be a lot more difficult getting to page one in the organic search for ‘marketing’. Try and call the web page a top phrase that variations can be written up in the body of text to compliment the web page name.

Step 3

We create unique content based on the agreed keywords for your SEO campaign. The content generated is then placed onto relevant pages on your site. We ensure not to spam the keyword density of the keywords targeted as over optimizing can have an adverse affect on your search engine ranking. Unique content plays an important part in SEO as should the content appear anywhere else on the internet Google refer to this as ‘mirroring’ and could result in no positioning depending on how much content is copied on your website.

Step 4

There are areas with your web page layout to please the key terms you are targeting that makes your web page layout stronger than if they were not in place.

These areas are titles tags, meta tag descriptions, meta tag keyword placements, alt tags, headers (h1 h2). Ensure you do not repeat yourself page to page when placing in the coding of your web pages. To be stronger than the competition it is essential that every page in your website reads differently. The more specific you are when implementing these seo techniques the easier it is not to repeat yourself.

Step 5

Backward links are internal links and external links. Internal linking is favored by the search engine spiders as they know they can trust the source, your own website as opposed to external linking. External links are governed stringently now by Google due to all the link farms used by unethical programmers and the difficulty in governing them. To appear high in the search results is not about budget, it is about what clever seo techniques are implemented for your website. Backward keyword anchor text linking plays a fundamental part in your website appearing on page one in the natural search results.

Website development is key for long term success in the search engines. Using the seo tips provided, you will need to keep adding new web pages, building folder structures around your targeted search terms and linking them together with the key phrases is key for seo to be a success.

Customise MAC Leopard Dock and Desktop Wallpaper

Are you bored of your MAC Dock? Do you have many app icons but its sometimes hard to find them as you can customise the MAC dock or add space to the dock icons? Then the best and free solution is here my friends.

I found these two free and very useful tools to customise the dock for any OS 10.5 and above MAC computer. I was bored with my dock and having it full with many documents I wanted to add spaces in between icons plus customise it with some texture etc. Well I ended up with three tools which I think are the best if you are looking to customise your MAC Dock. Here is the list of free dock customising software + plus an additional very cool wallpaper app:

1. Docker

Docker offered all the things I wanted adding spaces, 2D/3D dock icons but above all ability to add spaces in between icons and a very handy lastest applications folder. If you are feeling creative, you can easily select your own images, or a vast array of download able styles.
With Docker, we can organize icons and shorcuts easier. It is also now possible to prevent users from accessing certain Dock settings from the Finder, and hide or remove the menubar and Dock. And its FREE

Download here: (http://www.blocksoft.net/docker/Docker.dmg)

2. Dock Library

Dock Library offers a more easier styling option and a really sleek one. You can download styles from websites like Jack Rebel also has a few nice options.    and then import the downloaded .zip file to this software. Once imported you can simple implement it and your dock style will change. Look at some samples below:

Download here: (http://www.dativestudios.com/docklibrary/)

Ok now for the MAC wallpaper and desktop:

03. Backlight Screensaver to Wallpaper

This nifty software just does one job convert your MAC screensaver into your wallpaper. Simple but very effective even cost effective for it being FREE. You cant imagine how beautiful the desktop of your MAC will look, specially with MAC screensavers. Its free simple and very easy to use and does add life to the desktop. Enjoy!

Download here: http://mac.rbytes.net/cat/mac/utilities/backlight/