Resource List

PoolShak Resource List: Pool Service Technology Tools & Social Media Sites

For those pool service company owners ready to get your feet wet with social media marketing, this resource list will undoubtedly come in handy. Each category includes our preferred solutions. We highly recommend the solutions marked with an (r).

NOTE: This is a list in progress and will be updated as needed.

Blogging Platforms- Create your own blog with any of the following solutions. All are hosted solutions with the exception of WordPress.org.

  1. Blogger.com
  2. MovableType.com
  3. TypePad.com
  4. WordPress.com (r)
  5. WordPress.org (r) – self hosted w/ the most features

Blog RSS Feed- Feedburner helps you track how many readers you have (via RSS). Standardize your feed, add common creative license and more.

  1. Feedburner (r)

Blog RSS to Newsletter- Blog plugins that will automatically send email newsletters of your blog content to your email subscribers.

  1. Feedblitz.com
  2. MailChimp.com

WordPress Plugins- Enhance your blog with additional features to support your content.

  1. Admin Dropdown Menus
  2. All in One SEO
  3. Comment Relish
  4. NextGen Gallery
  5. Simple Tags
  6. Sociable
  7. SRG Clean Archives
  8. Twitter Tools
  9. WP Polls

Micro-Blogging- Also referred to as micro-sharing. These sites mix up text messaging and blogging to create mini-blog updates. Updates are usually made in 140 characters or less. Phenomenal broadcasting tool for your pool service tips, blog posts, interesting experiences, etc.

  1. Jaiku.com
  2. Plurk.com
  3. Twitter.com (r)
  4. Uterli.com

Swimming Pool Industry Blogs- Stay current with these leading industry blogs by subscribing to their RSS feed or email newsletter. (Shortlist to get you started.)

  1. Pool Center Blog

Pool Service Company Blogs- A few (that’s right I said a few) great examples of pool service companies making the most of their blogs. Jump in and join the conversation. (Again, a very short list.)

  1. Lake Nona Pools

Social Networks- Online communities where people interact socially using the Web tools offered by the site platform. These sites can be large like Facebook, or very niche oriented like PGN.

  1. Facebook.com (r)
  2. LinkedIn.com (r)
  3. Yelp.com (r)

Swimming Pool Industry Social Networks- Smaller niche community centered around swimming pool topics.

  1. Pool Genius Network

Social Aggregators- Mashup of your online activity. Aggregators pull together your activity on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, your blog, etc.

  1. Alltop
  2. FriendFeed.com (r)
  3. Power.com (r)
  4. Regator
  5. SocialMedian.com (r)
  6. SocialThing.com
  7. Strands.com
  8. Tumblr.com

Social Bookmarking and News Sites- Consider these your online reference rooms. Packed with articles from around the globe on various topics. You can easily scan, bookmark, and share your favorite Web articles and resources.

  1. Delicious (r)
  2. Digg (r)
  3. Furl
  4. Ma.gnolia
  5. Reddit (r)
  6. StumbleUpon (r)
  7. Simpy
  8. Technorati

Photo Sharing Sites- Online networks where photos take the center stage. Upload and share your pictures with your network.

  1. Facebook (r)
  2. Flickr (r)
  3. Photobucket
  4. Picasa
  5. Zooomr

SlideShows- Upload and share your resourceful Power Point slideshows. Or search for and learn from other great presentations.

  1. Scribd
  2. Slide
  3. SlideShare (r)

Article Sharing Sites- Share your market and industry expertise by writing compelling articles that are useful to many. Submit your best articles to the following sites.

  1. ArticleCity
  2. ebooksnbytes
  3. ezinearticles (r)
  4. IdeaMarketers
  5. searchwarp
  6. workoninternet

Video Sharing Sites- Create a profile or channel, upload your professional videos or record transparent messages to share with your network.

  1. Blip.tv (r)
  2. Current (r)
  3. DailyMotion (r)
  4. MetaCafe (r)
  5. MSN Video (r)
  6. Revver
  7. Seesmic
  8. Veoh
  9. Viddler (r)
  10. Vimeo (No Commercial)
  11. YouTube (r)

Video Syndication- Upload your video once and send it to all the above video sharing sites.

  1. TubeMogul.com

Live Video- Conduct a live tutorial, event, or even a demonstration.

  1. TinyChat
  2. Kyte.com
  3. Mogulus.com
  4. Qik.com
  5. UStream.tv

Creating Online Ads- Need to create your own marketing media, check out these affordable, do-it-yourself options.

  1. Animoto (for business)
  2. SpotMixer

Event Sites- Schedule, manage and promote your event online.

  1. Eventbrite.com(r)
  2. Eventful.com
  3. Facebook.com (r)
  4. Meetup.com (r)
  5. Upcoming.com
  6. zEvents.com

Web Monitoring - Monitor your Web presence, in particular the media that you share on the Web.

  1. Google Alerts (r)
  2. BudURL
  3. SocialMention

Web Analytics- Measure your blog traffic, bounce rate, reader interaction and more.

  1. Clicky
  2. CrazyEgg (r)
  3. Google Analytics (r)
  4. Woopra