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Compromise said to be likely in India, providing go-ahead for Apple’s planned retail stores
Times of India is reporting that a compromise is likely to be reached that will allow Apple to proceed with plans to open retail stores in the country despite rules that currently prevent this. If confirmed, it will be an important step for Apple in what Tim Cook expects to become a huge growth market over time.
I sort of view India as where China was seven to ten years ago from that point of view. I think there’s a really great opportunity there.
There are currently no official Apple Stores in India because of a rule that requires companies to manufacture at least 30% of their products within the country before they can open a single-brand store. Products are currently sold via a network of authorised retailers …
Filed under: AAPL Company
How to Find Great Writers: 6 Places to Start Your Search
Most content managers are always on the lookout for new guest bloggers — especially those struggling internal bandwidth.
Oppositely, those dealing with a packed editorial calendar can still benefit from making room for a fresh perspective every now and then.
In short: Working with guest contributors can deliver a ton of benefits. It serves as a great way to start a new relationship or further an existing one. It frees up your time to create other content. And if you’re working together to create a piece of co-marketing content, you can count on some added attention once it goes live.
Here’s the thing, though: All of that is only possible when you’re working with the right contributor.
Where do you find writers that can bring new value to your audience? I’ll walk through a handful of options below.
How to Find Great Guest Bloggers
1) Check out forums and communities.
Participating in online communities, industry forums, and social bookmarking sites will introduce you to different people creating content in your niche.
When it comes to finding suitable guest contributors, you’ll want to look for two types of community members:
- Content creators: These are people — typically other content marketers — already writing blog posts on other sites. Those posts are then shared and discussed in the communities.
- Discussion starters: These are the people that create engaging, long-form posts on forums and discussion sites themselves. They know how to write something that prompts a reaction, and can convey their ideas clearly and intelligently — even if they’re not a professional writer.
These people can pop up anywhere on those sites, and regularly participating will make it easier for you to build relationships with them.
For Mention’s blog, I regularly browse Inbound.org for possible contributors. I like to look at popular shared posts, popular comments on “Ask Inbound” posts, and trending discussions.
2) Sift through your blog comments.
Another way to identify people with both smart ideas and great writing skills is to look at blog comments — both on your own blog and others in your industry.
Few marketers still take the time to write thoughtful comments. These days, most of us take the conversation to social media with short commentary. So you can bet that someone who puts work into making a blog comment impressive will add the same effort to a blog post.
If a commenter shares an idea that sounds like it could translate into a valuable post, invite them to write it with you.
This is actually how I ended up writing a post for HubSpot a few years ago:
As a blogger, it’s pretty flattering when someone brings up something small you randomly shared months ago, so this guest blogging invitation tends to stand out in a writer’s memory.
And as the blog’s manager, this strategy works great for creating related or interconnected content. The guest blogger’s post will relate (and link) back to the one they originally commented on, and you can develop it further into a guest series.
3) Keep in touch with HARO connections.
Help a Reporter Out, or HARO, is a PR service dedicated to making connections. Journalists, bloggers, marketers, and PR pros can sign up for free.
Through a few daily emails, HARO helps writers find sources or quotes for upcoming content. It’s a great resource for getting press coverage, but that’s just the direct and immediate benefit. There are other ways it can help you out, too.
When you connect with people — either as a source or as a content creator — keep track of everyone you’ve successfully interacted with.
Then, instead of letting your relationship end with that “Hey, I used your quote!” email, keep things going. Bring up further collaboration or guest posting, or suggest they write about a related topic to promote the work they used HARO for.
4) Keep tabs on PR coverage.
You also want to keep in mind anyone who has mentioned your company in a great piece of content before. The fact that they’ve mentioned you before gives you an advantage.
One caveat here: Remember that this isn’t about your product. When you’re browsing through old coverage, you should be looking for great writing and insights, not just how good they made your brand sound.
Once you’ve found a few pieces, reach out to the authors. They’re already writing in your niche, so they know the ropes. And if they’ve mentioned you specifically, they might also be familiar with your product and audience … meaning they’re equipped to write a post that your readers will love.
This is probably the #1 way we find writers for the Mention blog. I’m always on the lookout for blog posts talking about our platform. And any time I come across one that really impresses me, I’ll try to get in contact with the writer to let them know they have a standing invitation.
5) Follow Quora questions.
Great content is supposed to answer questions, right?
Well, that’s literally what Quora power users spend all their time doing. And the Quora users that are really devoted to the platform toil over answers the way content marketers obsess over headlines.
Take a look at this answer from Chandan Trehan, one of the most viewed writers of answers about digital marketing:
It’s over 1,000 words, is divided up into different sections, and includes in-depth explanations, as well examples.
Sounds a lot like a blog post, doesn’t it?
6) Follow your favorites closely.
It’s likely that you already have a handful of blogs that you read on a regular basis. Start there.
Do they accept guest posts? Which contributors do you enjoy reading the most? Do they guest post for other blogs?
Start paying attention and monitoring the guest authors on popular sites, as well as your niche favorites. That way, when you write your email pitch, you’ll be able to better talk about their business and recent content.
Building Your Contributor List
It’s always great to have a bunch of close relationships with writers in your niche. Guest blogging can be convenient and beneficial, and can often lead to more collaboration opportunities. Who doesn’t want more ways to build their network?
How do you find guest bloggers for your company? Share your ideas in the comments below.
How to Target Your Facebook Ads to Business Locations
Do you want to get your Facebook posts in front of an audience at a specific physical location? Have you considered targeting people based on where they work? Using workplace targeting makes it easy to get your content in front of the right people at the right company. In this article, you’ll discover how to […]
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– Your Guide to the Social Media Jungle
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How to Create Twitter RSS Feeds for Better Prospecting
Do you use Twitter to find prospects? Looking for a better way to organize relevant conversations? You can use your favorite RSS reader to monitor customized Twitter searches, Twitter lists, and hashtags that relate to your business. In this article, you’ll discover how to set up RSS feeds to easily monitor and manage a steady […]
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Apple commemorates Muhammad Ali with homepage tribute
Apple is today commemorating the life of boxer Muhammad Ali with a fullscreen homepage tribute, who died in hospital on Friday at the age of 74. The quote reads: ‘The man who has no imagination has no wings’. Apple executives Tim Cook and Phil Schiller have also shown their respects on Twitter.
Filed under: AAPL Company
How-To: Drive a 4K display at 60 Hz on the 2016 MacBook
The 2016 MacBook is capable of driving a 4K display at 60 Hz via a single USB-C cable. Such a feat is achievable via an easy-to-apply IOKit patch.
One of the great things about the new Intel hardware inside of the 2016 MacBook is that it’s capable of supporting 4K resolution at 60 Hz. The jump in refresh is a big deal, as anyone who’s tried to put up with running a 30 Hz refresh rate can attest to.
Operating at 30 Hz results in jerky and choppy cursor movement, and in some cases can induce headaches after prolonged use.
Sadly, the MacBook only supports 30 Hz out of the box for 4K resolution. It’s not immediately clear as to why this is, but on its support page, Apple makes it known that 4K resolution is limited to 30 Hz.
The good news is that it is possible to enable 60 Hz at native 4K resolution and 1080p (HiDPI/Retina) resolution on a 2016 MacBook. In fact, I just did so on the LG 27UD88 4K USB-C monitor that I recently reviewed. Watch the step-by-step process in our video tutorial for the details. more…
Filed under:
How-To, Mac Tagged: 12″ MacBook, 4k, 60hz, how to, MacBook, video
This week’s top stories: What to expect at WWDC 2016, iPhone 7 leaks, Apple’s Back to School deal & more
In this week’s top stories: iPhone 7 leaks, more on the rumored upcoming MacBook Pros with OLED touch bar, what’s in store for WWDC 2016, and much more.
Apple also launched its Back to School promo for 2016, and designer brand Coach started preparing for a launch of its Apple Watch bands next week. Head below for all of the handy links to these and our other top shared Apple stories this week.
Filed under: AAPL Company, iOS, Mac Tagged: Apple pay, coach, Display, iMessage, iPhone 7, MacBook Pro, MacOs, OLED, OS X 10.12, Thunderbolt, top stories, WWDC 2016
Review: LG’s USB-C-enabled 4K Monitor lends single cable simplicity to 12″ MacBook owners, but not without some compromises
If you’re looking for a 4K display that can be paired with your 12″ MacBook via a single USB-C cable, then your options are fairly limited. It seems that LG is one of the few display makers that has such a monitor available for sale.
LG’s 27UD88-W is a 27″ USB-C-enabled display. Its USB-C port allows MacBook owners to connect a single cable to drive the display, charge the machine, and facilitate data transfer.
As I alluded to in my recent 2016 MacBook post, the 27UD88-W isn’t perfect, but it’s one of the only games in town if you desire a 4K monitor with USB-C connectivity in tow.
If you’re a MacBook owner, should you consider purchasing one? Have a look inside for the details. more…
Filed under: Mac, Reviews Tagged: 12″ MacBook, 27UD88-W, 4K Displays, Display, lg, monitor, review, USB-C, USB-C Dock, video
Instagram Launches Business Profiles: This Week in Social Media
Welcome to our weekly edition of what’s hot in social media news. To help you stay up to date with social media, here are some of the news items that caught our attention. What’s New This Week Instagram Announces New Business Tools: Instagram unveiled new business profiles, which feature a Contact button, access to insights, […]
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WWDC 2016 Preview Rumors: No new hardware but plenty of Siri, iMessage may get money transfers via ApplePay
Recently departed (but still friend of the site!) Mark Gurman went on the Jay and Farhad Show this evening and gave his predictions for WWDC 2016 and beyond. Most of the conversation material was either posted previously on 9to5mac or elsewhere but there were certainly some new “whispers”… more…
Filed under: iOS Devices Tagged: App Store (iOS), Apple Inc, Apple Worldwide Developers Conference, iOS, iPhone, Mac OS, OS X
Former Father of the iPod Tony Fadell is leaving Nest, moves to ‘adviser’ role
Tony Fadell hasn’t been able to shake the bad press as CEO of Nest since Google (now Alphabet) acquired his smart home accessories company, and today that story’s coming to a close as Fadell announced publicly that he’s stepping aside and ‘leaving the Nest’.
Filed under: Tech Industry Tagged: Tony Fadell
OS X 10.12 & Mac: What will Apple show off for Mac at WWDC 2016?
Apple’s WWDC 2016 will be light on new hardware announcements this year, but that will give the company plenty of stage time to show off big new releases on the software side. Siri for Mac, a Siri SDK for developers, an Apple Music and iTunes refresh, Touch ID features, and possibly a first look at new Macs, Apple has a lot of interesting in-development projects it could show off for Macs and OS X 10.12 at WWDC 2016. Below we roundup the rumored features for the next release of Apple’s Mac operating system and explore some of the possible new hardware we might see at the event later this month.
Filed under: AAPL Company, Apps, Mac Tagged: 10.12, Apple Music, Mac, MacBook, MacOs, OS X, Siri, Siri SDK, Touchscreen, WWDC 2016
Comment: Customers deserve a proper response after service outages and botched software updates
It’s been a rough couple of days for Apple’s services. Apple Music took a lengthy hit on Wednesday with subscribers being signed out, then a widespread outage hit multiple services including iCloud on Thursday for several hours. All this during a quarter when Apple is selling itself to investors as a services company, not just the iPhone company, but these outages are way too common.
And it’s not just services. Apple had to re-release iOS 9.3.2 for the 9.7-inch iPad Pro, a minor bug fix update that bricked the company’s latest tablet for a lot of customers. Mistakes happen but it’s Apple’s response after everything is resolved that bothers me…
Filed under: Opinion Tagged: Apple Music, icloud, iOS
Apple updates WWDC app with dark theme, first Apple TV version ahead of June 13th conference
Apple has updated its WWDC app for iPhone and iPad with a new look and feel ahead of the annual conference later this month. The updated version of the app also includes tvOS support for the first time. This means video content and session information can be accessed from the fourth generation Apple TV.
Filed under: iOS Devices Tagged: WWDC
9to5Toys Lunch Break: 12.9-inch iPad Pro from $550, Transcend JetDrive 256GB $125, Bluetooth Car Kit $20, more
Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.
TODAY’S CAN’T MISS DEALS:
Best Buy is taking up to $249 off 12.9-inch iPad Pro: Wi-Fi 32GB from $550 w/ .edu (Reg. $799), more
Save $429 on Apple’s 12.9-inch 128GB iPad Pro Wi-Fi + Cellular by going w/ a refurb for $650 shipped
Apple’s 12.9″ 128GB iPad Pro Wi-Fi + Cellular is all the way down to $800 (Reg. $1,079)
Put an extra 256GB of storage in your MacBook Air for $125 shipped (Reg. $155)
Smartphone Accessories: Aukey Bluetooth Car Kit with 3-Port USB Car Charger $20 Prime shipped (Reg. $28), more
Apple’s latest 11-inch MacBook Air is on sale from $600 shipped w/ .edu, 13-inch 128GB as low as $800, more
Apple 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro (latest version) 2.7GHz/8GB/256GB $1,200 shipped (Reg. $1,499)
VPN Unlimited: Lifetime Subscription for $29 ($500 value)
World Class Mac Bundle: 8 outstanding apps for $25 w/coupon (Orig. $401)
App Store Free App of the Week: Sago Mini Road Trip goes free for the first time in over a year ($3 value)
NBA 2K16 for iOS now matching lowest price ever in celebration of NBA Finals: $4 (Reg. $8)
MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY:
Loopy HD, Jimmy Fallon’s favorite iOS music app, goes free for the first time (Reg. $4+)
- Daily Deals: Yamaha 2-Way Outdoor Speakers $95, more
- Grab a 27-inch HP 1080p HD Monitor for $140 (Reg. $250), more
- Add a Pebble Time Steel (cert. refurb) to your repertoire for $130 shipped (Orig. $250)
- Games/Apps: Dark Souls 3 PS4/Xbox One $50, iOS freebies, more
- Remix combines the best of Android and desktop in one tiny PC: $65 (Orig. $90)
- Today is National Doughnut Day. Now go get your free doughnut!
- You can make the switch to electric lawn tools for as little as $24 Prime shipped
- Bag a free Burrito at Moe’s Southwest Grill this weekend
DJI Phantom 3 Advanced Quadcopter Drone w/ 2.7K HD Camera: $599 shipped (Reg. $799) wp.me/p1xTlR-Rjj https://t.co/BJHgqNVmDE
—
9to5Toys (@9to5toys) June 03, 2016
MORE DEALS STILL ALIVE:
Best Buy’s 3-Day Sale includes Beats Solo2 On-ear Headphones for $80 (Reg. $120), more
Raspberry Pi 3 bundle has everything you need to get started: $70 shipped (Reg. $90)
- AmazonBasics Felt Sleeves for MacBooks up to 15-inches are on sale from $8 Prime shipped
- Philips Smart Lighting: Hue Go Portable LED $80, Wireless Hue Tap Switch $50
- Green Deals: 4-pack Recessed 65W Dimmable LED Lighting Kit $30 (Reg. $50), more
- Bring HomeKit control to your lights w/ Philips’ 2nd Gen Hue LED Starter Kit: $170 (Reg. $200)
- Lacoste’s Semi-Annual Sale is packed with deals to get you looking right this summer
- Get in shape for the summer with the Body Rider Fan Exercise Bike for $80 (Reg. $120+)
- Tackle all your home DIY projects w/ DEWALT’s Cordless Drill for $179 (Orig. $369)
- Upgrade your old garden hose w/ Stanley’s heavy-duty 50-foot FatMax for $40 (Reg. $50+), more
- Grab 3 years of Bloomberg Businessweek Magazine for half the price of one: $20 ($120+ value)
- Give open-air headphones a try with Audio-Technica’s ATH-AD900x for $115 (Reg. $150)
- Here’s how you can score a free Chick-fil-A Sandwich throughout the month of June
- Smartphone Accessories: Aukey Bluetooth Speaker $22 (Reg. $28), more
- Ditch your computer’s speakers for the best-selling Mackie CR3 Studio Monitors: $85 (Reg. $100)
- Kindle First eBook freebies for June: Intrusion, Cold, Journey’s End, more
- Samsung 55-inch Curved 4K 3D Smart Ultra HDTV w/ 4 HDMI inputs: $1,199 (Reg. $1,600)
- Dump your old backpack for Timbuk2’s Ace 15-inch Messenger $45 (Reg. $70), more
- Take your summer parties up w/ a Hawaiian Shaved Ice/Snow Cone Machine Kit: $45
- Keep your kids learning with two Kindle Fire Kids Edition Tablets for $110 (Reg. $160)
Review: Pelican’s impressive Elite Luggage is built like a tank, but is it worth the price tag?
NEW PRODUCTS & MORE:
The Star Wars Ultimate Collection brings incredible recreations of movie props to your home
- SodaStream gets tipsy with its new Beer Bar homebrew beverage maker
- This gorgeous $1,100 SmartBike cannot be stolen according to its creators
- iDevices’ latest creation brings HomeKit control to nearly any lightbulb in your house
- This record player has Don Draper-style, AirPlay connectivity and a secret bar
- Olympus wants you to beat the hell out of its new Tough TG-Tracker 4K Action Camera
- Grado Labs latest Brooklyn-made set of headphones blend mahogany & maple woods
- Xiaomi’s first drone records 4K video, lasts 27mins, costs $460
- LG’s new OLED 4K Ultra HDTVs are still lustworthy, just as expensive
- Jaybird’s new Freedom Bluetooth earbuds have an Apple-inspired metal design
- The second generation Boosted electric skateboard promises longer range
- National Streaming Day: I finally cut the cord and haven’t looked back, here’s how I pulled it off…
Filed under: Tips and Tricks Tagged: 9to5Toys, Amazon, Apple, Best Buy, iOS, iPad, iPad Pro, Lunch Break, Transcend
Yahoo Sports app for Apple TV 4 launches w/ free live streaming, news, & highlights
Yahoo is today launching a Yahoo Sports app for Apple TV that lets users access free sports news, live streams, and video highlights that the service already offers via an iOS app and across other platforms.
Filed under: Apps Tagged: App Store, Apple TV 4, highlights, live, live stream, MLB, NBA, NHL, Sports, video, Yahoo, Yahoo Sports
Apple staff voting on new community themes, including making Apple products affordable
Apple is inviting staff to vote for one of 20 different ‘community themes,’ a list of worthy projects ranging from using technology to boost environmental sustainability to empowering the elderly. One of the projects is geared to making Apple products more available to those who would not normally be able to afford them.
Our themes are a result of global collaboration, innovation, and passion. They’re rich with intention and supported by detailed ideas. Each one reflects our belief that we can leave the world better than when we found it.
The internal document references Apple’s approach of ‘a thousand no’s for every yes’ and says that votes will determine which themes go forward into further development and testing …
Filed under: AAPL Company Tagged: Apple
PSA: Many UK retailers now allowing unlimited-value Apple Pay transactions
Apple Pay is arguably more useful in the UK than in Apple’s home market of the U.S. as contactless terminals have been in widespread use for many years – at least, in the bigger cities. But the standard £30 ($44) limit on contactless transactions has so far mostly been applied to Apple Pay too.
We knew a year ago that this was going to change over time, and it seems that rollout of the upgraded payment terminals has now reached many major retailers …