Infographic: How responsive are retailers to consumers on social?

Are retail brands ready for the social media holiday rush?

Will they keep pace with their customers' expectations and respond on social quickly?

The stakes are higher than ever for retailers this holiday season, with the National Retail Federation estimating that holiday sales will increase to $656 billion this year. Lithium Technologies' State of Social Engagement 2016 study for the retail industry uncovers how well Fortune 1000 retail brands are engaging with consumers across social platforms. The study reveals that the retail industry did well in interacting with their consumers, providing insights into the products they sold, posting content about getting the most from those products and often linking to promotions that can drive sales. As retail brands seek to garner attention from consumers during the holiday rush, it is crucial for them to engage, listen and respond to customers on social media. In fact, Twitter found that customers are willing to spend up to 20% more with a brand if that brand responds to their social media activities.

25 Ways to Learn Faster (Infographic)

So little time, so much to learn... but worry not! If you need to prepare yourself for an exam or need to learn something new for your daily tasks at work, taking a look at this infographic is a great idea. It will help you smarten up on a particular topic in a short time, by only taking into account these 25 smart tips for your mind and your body.

There are so many experts researching the brain and even learning about how to learn can seem a Herculean effort in itself. That's why the work of all these researchers has been distilled into this handy infographic produced by Writemypapers. The infographic runs through 25 of the most effective ways to set your body and your mind to the task of learning new things.

Have you ever thought that your brain also needs a warm-up before a learning session? Do you use a learning agenda and different learning tactics? If your answer to all these questions is no, it's time to read these 25 tips to learn faster and better. You'll learn how to build up practical experience and splitting your learning schedule into chunks. You'll also read about the importance of giving yourself plenty of time to absorb the information before a deadline. And as you've fine-tuned your mental efforts, it is also time for taking care of your body, as this can also boost learning. Studies have shown that getting 15 minutes of exercise can improve your memory and the ability to think clearly...wait no more and take a look at it!

7 Social Media Hacks Every Marketer Should Use

If you want to do well on social media, it will require a colossal amount of time, a lot of patience and a treasure of knowledge. If you're able to master these three characteristics, there's no reason you can't separate yourself from the rookie social media marketers.

To make sure you're using your social media time wisely, here are seven social media hacks you should know about:

Content Marketing Rookie to Super Hero in 12 Steps - #infographic

Any modern marketing strategy will have some component of digital marketing.

With the amount of time spent by consumers on social media and the world wide web, it is only fitting to do so.

One big component of digital marketing is content marketing. This process sounds very simple and straight forward. Businesses create, publish and distribute content online so their target audience can see this valuable content.

Businesses may be trying to increase brand awareness, expand their customers, increase sales and bottom line through their content marketing efforts. The piece of content itself can be in various forms as in a blog post, web page, video, pictures, infographics, white papers, ebooks, email newsletters or podcasts.

Since it hardly costs any money to create simple content online there are many people doing it; some professional and some mediocre. Professional content creators are traditionally very good at promoting their content, they learn with experience and refine their strategy by removing the dead weight. After all, any marketing effort should be defined by the outcomes it produces.

Follow this infographic, created by SocialMediaMarketo, to get more than 50 content marketing ideas.

App Encryption: Is Your Data At Risk?

Many people today consider sending a text message to be easier and more convenient than making a phone call, but are those digital messages safe from prying eyes? If you use iMessage or have followed the locked iPhone drama in the San Bernardino terrorism case, you may be aware that iMessage uses end-to-end encryption, but this isn't the norm among messaging apps or other data-heavy apps. Both Snapchat and Skype, for example, don't offer message encryption and most Android phones don't have any encryption software.

Due to a lack of encryption regulations, many apps leave your messages unprotected, which can be a serious problem if you're using them for any professional communication – or just don't want anyone peeking at your private chats. Luckily, iMessage isn't your only option for safe communication.

With these apps, you can feel certain that your data is protected.

A Complete Guide About Community Management - Everything that You Need to Know!

In the hierarchy of a social media marketing team, the role of a Community Manager is impeccable in spreading awareness of the business. Many businesses usually think that there is no difference between a Community Manager and a Social Media Manager. I feel sorry for this misperception. And here in this article, I'm going to give a clear idea on everything that you need to know about community management and community managers.

How to Build a Holiday Display Shelf Unit - Today's Homeowner

This foldable shelf unit is a great solution to display holiday decorations, but the design can be used for a variety of purposes. Watch the video for project details.