What Reddit Life Is All About

Founded in June of 2005 by Alexis Ohanian and Steve Huffman, Reddit has become one of the top entertainment social networking websites in the world. Reddit’s global presence contains content of text, photo, video, and direct link posts.

The name Reddit (sort of) sounds like, “I ‘read it’ on Reddit.” Reddit has users in  over 190 countries with over 5 billion total page views and over 114 million visitors per month.

At first, I was a bit perturbed by how validated the content is and who was posting, thinking to myself that anyone and everyone is on the web, so how do you know what is being shared is legit?

I went to post in the Ask Me Anything (AMA) subreddit and I had to provide a link providing confirmation that I was actually who I said I was. That made me feel better, especially when I was inspired to write my first AMA post after reading a post from USA Today reporter and American astronomer Seth Shostak, known for his extensive research for search for extraterrestrial intelligence.

Tips from seasoned Reddit users:

·      User temporary17: “If you criticize someone's post, do so constructively. Never attack the person behind the post, even if they deserve it.”

·      User greyclocks: “Don't just stay subscribed to the default subs. Find subreddits that you like or interest you. There's a subreddit for everything.”

·      User Mexican_mudkipz: “Reposting is not bad! If gives you free karma!”

·      User sheymyster: “You can pick up a lot of software super cheap. I recently built my first gaming computer and I picked up a Windows 7 ultimate key for $19, I think it's usually like $200 retail. I believe the subreddit is/r/softwareswap.”

Great tips, but what is all the talk about a “subreddit”? A subreddit is a forum dedicated to a specific topic. You can even create your own subreddit, but let’s not get too ridiculous that nobody would think to search for a keyword linking to your subreddit. These titles are not hashtags. Some of the popular subreddits are: Funny, Pics, Gaming, AskReddit, WorldNews, Politics, and Random. There are also unique subreddits like: TodayILearned, ShowerThoughts, AdviceAnimals and NotTheOnion.

If you really get into Reddit, you can work on your karma. Fellow Redditors can upvote or downvote a post, link, photo, or anything else you might share. Reddit states, “If you think something contributes to conversation, upvote it. If you think it does not contribute to the subreddit it is posted in or is off-topic in a particular community, downvote it.”

Reddit’s community has grown far and popular, offering something for everyone to read or laugh about. Reddit is an interactive community that can help get things accomplished!

Retro Logo Attracts Home Buyers

Branding is all about imagery. The colors, the shape, texture, even the layout of the images all have cognitive induced responses influencing customer’s reactions. There are certain logos that appeal to the building family more so than others. Triggers that work well for building companies are images that evoke a feeling for strong relationships, reliability, and personal interactions.

An old-school theme shows results. The new “grandpa graphic” has a 1940’s retro-styled feel and construction companies are taking advantage of how much their clients love the new look. The building and home improvement audiences like to see a logo they are familiar with.

This greatly improves upon the diversification of a construction company, as it is difficult to emerge against competitors when rivaling on a platform with the only real differences is between the products available and prices offered. The image your companies see should align with your services as well though. Do not commit to a visual upgrade if the services you provide lack in quality. Make an overall change if you are going to pledge to the change.

There are 5 prime ways to successfully brand yourself:

Know your audience

The construction industry is middle-aged. These people like what is easy, familiar, and low-cost-friendly. Look into the demographics of your customers. Know if they watch television for the news, or listen to the radio more. Are they conservative or like to live on the edge? Where your company is based will also be a factor to consider.

Uniqueness

Stand out! Even if this is giving away a free wrench with every service provided. The roofing and construction industry is a niche market since it is so technical. What is your unique product or service? What makes you different from the next contractor? If you are speechless, than some branding strategy may be in order.

Passion

Passionate people are educated people. If you are not passionate or educated learn to fake it. Make sure you can fake it for the long-run though as customers might lose interest if the short-run flair fades quickly. Think about influencers like Steve Jobs who are very passionate about their products and services. They don’t just tell you what the product or service does but describes it and will sell you on it on the simple fact that Steve Jobs is passionate.

Consistency

When customers receive a service and come back for more, they expect the same service when they return. With the saturation of the industry being filled with so many competitors consistency is something the customer can rely on. Take McDonald’s for instance … the customer knows he or she will receive the same Big Mac in Florida as in China.

Exposure

Posting on social networks helps, but posting to the right social networks has a greater effect. This relates back to the demographics of your customers. Know if he or she spends more time on Linkedin and Pinterest than Twitter and Facebook. Offer deals for customers who share your page. And remember, interacting with people is the social aspect of social networking … talk back to your patrons!

The retro logo speaks to a generation of people as well as gives light to a company in a niche market. Find a way to stand out in such a memorable way someone will have to fall through a roof to remember!

Ello - why you should support this private social network

Ello.co is the ad-free social network said to be the ‘anti-Facebook’ website gathering all who want to post – critic-free. This invite-only site was started by a small group of designers and artists on the quest seeking creative freedom.

The creators of Ello.co wanted a place unburdened by the usual advertisements stricken displays smeared across the sides of each landing page. The site is an advocate for keeping personal information private and the collection of data non-existent. A site where people can actually feel safe? Hopefully! But an anti-Facebook page? Not so much.

Ello.co is a mixture of Tumblr and Facebook. The only discrimination against Facebook is that Zuckerberg has a new competitor. Who isn’t sick of all the rules and regulations online communities enforce from the implementing process stimulated by power struggling moderators. Social distortion screams confinement concerned with what content is permitted and what is not.

The media has desensitized our youth to the point where Nicki Minaj reaches the ears of middle schoolers, so why should our social media platforms not separate posted content into appropriate censored-genres?

Ello.co allows the posting of adult-level content acting as a site for adults, created by adults. Being provocative can empower women and relinquish artistic vision upon people to influence and motivate others. Reddit promotes confrontational works in a section known as ‘NSFW’, but that doesn’t mean vulgarity is flashed for all to witness. NSFW settings are coming soon to Ello.

The beta version of Ello.co took on so much attention that the creators were not expecting that the site now updates its users throughout the building process. Blocking and muting along with @mention pre-population on user profiles and improved error handling were completed in the last beta test. Soon to come highlights will feature fluid grid noise post, enhanced user discovery, in-line emoji integration and image compression.

Black and white themed pages and simplistic-styled text make navigation through Ello relaxed for now but there will be add-ons available to enhance each user’s page starting at only $1. Users will also be able to access multiple accounts at once. First on the agenda is keeping up with the 34,000-per-hour requests to join this new social media mega takeover.

Find Ways to Cozy Up As Temperatures Drop

As the tree leaves start to change with the approaching seasons so should your home décor. It is always pleasant to walk into a comfortable home infused with warm, welcoming colors and style. Find ways to cozy up as temperatures start to drop.

Aroma Appeal

Candles are great to add smell and to be used for another heat source to any room. Yankee Candle usually has a fall sale where you can stock up all the seasonal scents at once. Cinnamon and Pumpkin are festive holiday smells to have floating in the air. Wrap a bow of ribbon around the top edge of the candle for flair.

Collective Color

Spice up any room with popping accents. Replace the couch pillows with friendly colors like burnt orange or deep-forest green. If you prefer a pattern rather than a solid color you can never go wrong with plaid or a leaves theme for fall! Earthy themes and tones have a simple, nurturing appeal.

Accentuate

Liven up any room with accents. This is easy to do on a nickel and dime! Set a chic bowl on your dining or living room table and fill with ornamental leaves and vegetables that match fall color schemes. Put some throws across the couch making it easy to bundle up during relaxation time. Rugs are also great to sink your toes into; lay rugs on the bathroom floor in front of the sink or in high-traffic hallways.

Restoration Recycling

Reinvent an item’s purpose. Recycle items by thinking of new ways to use them. Sheets can be turned into curtains since keeping the heat out is not an issue during cooler weathers. Use wooden crates to hold books, toys, or kitchen supplies, giving off a rustic feel. Chairs with sturdy frames are commonly refurbished. Spruce up a current chair color with peacock blue creating a visual contemporary meets classic charm piece.

Door Design

Don’t forget the most visually welcoming presence in your entire house: the front door! Paint or stain your front door a deep red with a matte finish and add a countryside looking wreath. Hanging a large empty photo frame is an alternative to the conventional wreath option. Update lighting fixtures and sweep the front porch too.

Staying warm is key to getting through the colder seasons, but mental warmth is always the most important and self-satisfying factor.

How To Shoot Video Like A Pro

A photo is worth a thousand words but a video is worth a million. Maybe this is why the media is streaming web content in video format over the traditional image content. Videos are the new thing in marketing generating an increase in conversions, clicks, and impressions.

Videography requires attention to particular aspects and a bit of know-how goes a long ways. Follow these tips to easily improve your video skills and look like a pro at home.

Know your equipment

A good videographer knows what angles create which concept being desired. Having an expensive video camera helps, but the real talent comes from knowing how to position your content or model to get the perfect shot. Read your manual to know about the tools on your video camera. One should always study before the big test just like a videographer should know where the ‘on’ button is.

Be ready for anything if you shoot on location

Always have your gear ready to go! Here is what you should pack for a shoot:

• A fully charged backup battery
• Extra memory cards
• A cleaning pen or cloth for your lens as dust or raindrops stick to your glass like glue. This will also help minimalize your post-production work
• A tripod, make this your new best friend
• Battery charger or power pack
• Accessories: different lenses, laundry clips (technical term is c-47), duct tape, microphones, stool or chair, bounce board
• An extension cord for your power packs

Tripods are a god’s gift to videographers

Do you want to hold that heavy camcorder for the entire shoot? Do you want a clean shot without shaking seconds you can’t remove in after effects? Use a tripod! If your video is shaky it will look cheap and as though you shot it at home. Image-stabilization won’t correct everything. Using a tripod also helps scanning and moving in and out of a certain shot.

Lighting is where it’s at

Lighting is everything. Lighting sets the mood of your shot from edgy to lifestyle or any other concept you hope to achieve. Know how this works! Practice at home. Put a teddy bear on the couch and see how you can make it look. If you are shooting outdoors, shoot on a cloudy day. This will remove the automatic sheen and shine that the sun overproduces. Let your lights cast straight towards your subject or below the chin line. If you raise the lights this will create unwanted shadows that make your subject look old and tired. Clean natural light is always the best option for optimal exposure.

Shoot B-roll

B-roll is the secondary footage you capture and use as fillers in-between main content. This could be raindrops, people laughing, or cars moving in traffic. Close-up shots work great as well. Whatever content you choose, as literally anything falls under the B-roll category, mix in with your final footage.