Women are on Pinterest, Men are on Reddit

While much of the online world is fairly evenly balanced between the genders, it’s good to note where your target audience is spending time alone. Instagram, Facebook, Yelp, and (by a landslide) Pinterest are all attracting more women than men.

Here’s a lengthy comparison of sites by gender. And no, you aren’t expected to be using all of these sites. Pick the few that suit you and your business best and concentrate your best efforts there; just make sure that’s where your customers are, as well.

See how it compares to 2009 data.

Making the Image Fit the Facebook Space

With Timeline coming to all Facebook Pages by the end of the month, it’s time to start working on a cover photo. You can, of course, use one of your stand-by photos, but there’s no reason not to make it extra special. You can make a unique image, using a collage of photos or a single photo, whatever works best for you.

The image takes up nearly half the screen when visitors land on your page, so use the real estate wisely and give visitors (and potential fans) an immediate idea of what your business is all about. Just make it the right size, so you can control exactly how it will look.

But what is the right size? Check out this infographic from Jon Loomer for all the specs.

Need a little nudge of inspiration? Check out this gallery of 46 business Timeline Pages!

Social Coupons: To Try or Not to Try

The question has passed through the mind of most every small business owner: Should I try group/social coupons?

Karen Montgomery, owner of The Quilt Company, took up this question in the January 2012 issue of WebCents. Her article “Old School vs. High-Tech: Group Coupon Wins Out,” shares her reasoning for both giving group coupons a try and her strategies to make it as profitable as possible, including to be sensible in what your offering for a steep discount.

Not everyone agrees that they are worthwhile for businesses, but it’s an important decision for each shopowner to consider themselves, weighing the benefits and potential pitfalls.

Check out Karen’s article in the current issue, read Inc. magazine’s pros and cons, and watch the Huffington Post’s small business guy, Ask Rod, share his thoughts on the service.

Then you can make your own decision whether you try it, or not.

What has been your experience with social coupons?

How To Make the Most of your Google+ Biz Page

So you got your Google+ account all set up. You have a page and have filled out the profile with photos and tagline. Now what?

The important (and so-easy-to-neglect) aspect of setting up profiles on social networks is to actually use them. Make it work for you, by doing something with it. Let’s start here:

1. Click +1 on other posts that you like. Comment. Share posts that are appropriate to your followers. It’s a social network, so be social.

2. Keep in mind that the goal is to share content and information. Use relevant keywords and links, but don’t overwhelm your page with links to your website. Be social.

3. Add new people to your Circles and follow other Google+ pages that have content that you enjoy and can learn from.

4. Be sure to include your Facebook, Twitter and website URLs to your page’s Recommended Links.

Adding Managers

1. Log in to your Google+ account. Click on Settings (the cog shape in the upper right corner.

2. Click on Managers (on left side of screen). Add managers by typing in their email addresses, one at a time.

3. Invites will be sent and when they accept, an email notification will be sent to you.

Don’t let your page get set-up and sit idly by. Be social and share the duties, it’ll make it more enjoyable (and profitable!) for everyone.