ΘΕΛΕΤΕ ΒΕΒΑΙΩΣΗ ΤΑΠ ΑΠΟ ΤΟ ΔΗΜΟ ΑΘΗΝΑΙΩΝ; - ΥΠΟΛΟΓΙΣΤΕ ΜΟΝΟΙ ΣΑΣ ΤΗΝ ΟΦΕΙΛΗ ΓΙΑ ΝΑ ΞΕΡΕΤΕ ΤΙ ΣΑΣ ΠΕΡΙΜΕΝΕΙ

Αν γνωρίζετε excel μπορείτε να χρησιμοποιήσετε αυτή τη σελίδα για να υπολογίσετε το ΤΑΠ που θα πρέπει να πληρώσετε για να μεταβιβάσετε ένα ακίνητο που ανήκει στο Δήμο Αθηναίων.

Κάθε δήμος έχει τους δικούς του συντελεστές.

Προετοιμαστείτε και αποφύγετε εκπλήξεις τελευταίας στιγμής.

Το αρχείο βρίσκεται εδώ και μπρείτε να το χρησμοποιήσετε online ή να το “κατεβάσετε” στον υπολογιστή σας αν έχετε κάποιο πρόγραμμα όπως το Microsoft Excel ή Numbers (Mac).

Rebranding de mídia social em 2022 - Como alterar seu nome de perfil, nome de usuário e manter seus seguidores

Em janeiro de 2022 concluí com sucesso um projeto de rebranding de mídia social para um cliente. Meu cliente é uma empresa que possui 10 perfis sociais nas seguintes plataformas: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, Linkedin e TikTok. O objetivo era rebrand todos os perfis sem perder os seguidores. Neste post, vou compartilhar com vocês minha experiência e dicas de como minimizar o estresse e evitar surpresas indesejadas.

Quando você pesquisa na internet por "rebranding de mídia social" ou por "como alterar o nome do seu perfil em várias plataformas de mídia social", como Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, Linkedin e TikTok, muitos resultados aparecem, mas raramente informações completas oficiais de cada plataforma e, em vez disso, e bits aleatórios provenientes de indivíduos que tentaram. Além disso, grande parte das informações disponíveis está desatualizada ou imprecisa devido a mudanças recentes na política de cada plataforma.

Neste post, incluí tudo o que você precisa saber em termos de preparação e planejamento, mas também o que você pode esperar e como garantir um resultado final consistente em todas as plataformas de mídia social ao fazer o rebranding em 2022.

Antes de nos aprofundarmos, vamos começar com duas definições básicas e importantes .

Seu  nome de usuário (ou @handle)  é um nome exclusivo que você tem em cada plataforma e é aquele que aparece no final da URL da sua página de perfil. Assim, por exemplo, quando estamos nos referindo a uma página do Facebook, o nome de usuário será a parte que segue facebook.com/ this_is_your_username 

O nome de usuário é a parte complicada do processo de rebranding, que requer mais pesquisa e preparação, pois é único em cada plataforma, portanto, se o que você tem em mente for escolhido, você deve optar por outra opção. Vou explicar em detalhes mais abaixo.

Seu  nome de perfil  ou apenas nome, são as primeiras palavras que aparecem em seu perfil e geralmente são mais fáceis de alterar sem problemas, já que você não viola nenhuma das políticas definidas da plataforma.

Quando se trata de branding, a consistência é fundamental, então escolha cuidadosamente a melhor combinação de letras que melhor descreve o nome da sua marca para usar exatamente a mesma em todas as plataformas.

Escolhendo um novo nome de usuário para rebranding de mídia social em 2022

Em geral, você pode ser criativo ao escolher seu novo nome de usuário, mas leve em consideração o seguinte se desejar usar o mesmo em todas as plataformas:

Mantenha até 15 caracteres

• Se você tem uma conta no Twitter, já sabe que o comprimento máximo de caracteres de um nome de usuário é 15, portanto, manter seu nome de usuário com no máximo 15 caracteres garantirá que você possa usar o mesmo nome de usuário em todas as plataformas (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter , Pinterest, YouTube, Linkedin, TikTok)

Pesquise a disponibilidade do nome de usuário (de preferência em um computador desktop ou laptop)

• Faça login em todas as plataformas e use a barra de pesquisa fornecida para testar a disponibilidade do nome de usuário. Durante esse processo, você encontrará resultados que também oferecerão uma indicação dos nomes das páginas que podem estar usando nomes de usuário semelhantes, portanto, tome nota e evite-os também.

• Como uma segunda etapa confirmatória, digite o endereço da plataforma na barra do navegador seguido do novo nome de usuário, clique em pesquisar e observe o que você obtém, por exemplo, facebook.com/novo_nome_de_usuário. Repita o mesmo processo para as outras plataformas que lhe interessam.

• Por fim, faça uma pesquisa no google pelo novo nome de usuário e observe o que você obtém. Se você obtiver muitos resultados das plataformas que lhe interessam, é melhor modificar o nome de usuário e repetir o processo.

IMPORTANTE: mesmo que as etapas acima não produzam resultados de pesquisa e seu novo nome de usuário escolhido pareça estar disponível e não seja usado por ninguém,  no Facebook ele pode estar sendo usado em uma  página não publicada,  e é por isso que você precisa de um plano B (significando uma segunda versão aceitável do nome de usuário, para usar nesse caso).

Limites de caracteres de nome de usuário de mídia social e caracteres permitidos

Nome de usuário do Facebook	50	chrs max, letras, números, pontos e sublinhados permitidos
Nome de usuário do Instagram + nome	30	chrs max, letras, números, pontos e sublinhados permitidos
nome de usuário do Twitter	15	chrs max, letras, números, sublinhados permitidos
Nome do perfil do Pinterest	30	chrs max, letras, números e sublinhados permitidos
Caracteres de nome de usuário do TikTok	24	chrs max, letras, números, sublinhados e pontos permitidos
nome do canal do YouTube	100	chrs max, URL permite letras e números
Nome da página da empresa no Linkedin	100	máximo de caracteres

Eu montei um arquivo de planilha para ajudá-lo a organizar as informações que você precisará ter disponíveis durante sua jornada de rebranding de mídia social , que você pode compartilhar com colegas e usar como quiser. Você pode baixar o arquivo aqui e enviá-lo para o Planilhas Google para trabalhar em colaboração com os colegas.

Considerações de tempo - Decidir sobre uma estratégia de troca de nome de usuário de mídia social, sem perder seus seguidores

Ao fazer o rebranding nas mídias sociais, você deseja manter as coisas confidenciais para evitar que alguém pegue sua nova marca online antes de você . Então, no dia do anúncio do novo nome da marca, todos os perfis de mídia social devem mudar para o novo nome de usuário. Quando se trata de como você deve abordar a mudança, você tem duas opções, mas certifique-se de que toda a equipe esteja a bordo.

Opção A : Faça sua pesquisa de disponibilidade de nome de usuário, mas deixe a opção de nome de usuário para o último momento, sem garantir os nomes de usuário com antecedência

Opção B : Faça sua pesquisa de disponibilidade de nome de usuário, proteja os nomes de usuário desejados com antecedência e libere-os a tempo para a troca.

Cada opção tem prós e contras que devem ser cuidadosamente ponderados, dependendo dos parâmetros da situação real que você está enfrentando e dos recursos disponíveis:

A opção A, na minha opinião, funcionará melhor quando houver muito poucos e altamente confiáveis ​​indivíduos envolvidos no rebranding, e o novo nome de usuário for bastante particular e não uma combinação de palavras e/ou nomes comuns do dia a dia

A opção B  lhe dá mais tranquilidade de que seu nome de usuário estará disponível quando você quiser, mas requer mais tempo para planejamento e execução, e uma pessoa designada para estar no comando e responsável por todo o processo.

Prazos de entrega por plataforma ao renomear seus perfis de mídia social em 2022

Confira na lista abaixo os prazos de troca de nome de usuário por plataforma, desde que um nome de usuário esteja disponível e você tenha acesso aos perfis: 

FACEBOOK (Acesso de administrador necessário) Até 3 dias de tempo de revisão pode ser aplicado

(Supondo que as páginas não tenham limites e NÃO sejam páginas regionais que se enquadram em uma página global.)

As alterações de nome de página e nome de usuário (usado para URL) podem ser solicitadas no local, se disponíveis (no nosso caso, a alteração foi instantânea, embora tenhamos recebido uma notificação de "revisão de até 3 dias")

Se você tem um nome de usuário e planeja liberá-lo: demora 30 dias para excluir um perfil. Depois disso, o perfil e o conteúdo são excluídos e o nome de usuário é liberado. Durante os 30 dias, se você fizer login novamente, o perfil será reativado (assim, o nome de usuário permanecerá reservado por mais tempo, até você excluir o perfil novamente). 

INSTAGRAM

Se um nome de usuário estiver disponível, você poderá fazer a alteração instantaneamente (podem ser aplicados tempos de revisão de até 3 dias)

Se você tem um nome de usuário e planeja liberá-lo: demora 30 dias para excluir um perfil. Depois disso, o perfil e o conteúdo são excluídos e o nome de usuário é liberado. Durante os 30 dias, se você fizer login novamente, o perfil será reativado.

Ao contrário do que muitos sites e postagens de blog afirmam, os nomes de usuário excluídos do perfil do Instagram NÃO ficam disponíveis após 14 dias, mas somente após 30 dias!

Segundo as instruções oficiais do Instagram: “Lembre-se de que, se sua conta atingir muitas pessoas, sua alteração de nome de usuário pode precisar ser revisada. Nesse caso, você será notificado quando concluirmos uma revisão. Caso contrário, seu nome de usuário será alterado imediatamente, se disponível. Seus seguidores podem ser notificados sobre sua mudança de nome de usuário.” 

Além disso: “Se um nome de usuário que você deseja está sendo usado por uma conta que parece inativa, você pode escolher uma versão disponível do nome de usuário. Você pode adicionar pontos, números, sublinhados ou abreviações para ajudá-lo a criar um nome de usuário que ainda não esteja em uso.”

TWITTER - Instantaneamente

Os nomes de identificador liberados ficam disponíveis imediatamente

As alterações de nome de usuário/identificador são efetivadas imediatamente

LINKEDIN - Até 3 dias

Segundo as instruções oficiais do LinkedIn: "Se sua organização estiver sendo renomeada e sua LinkedIn Page e Showcase Page(s) exigirem um nome completamente diferente, entre em contato conosco com um comunicado de imprensa compartilhado publicamente indicando a mudança de nome, bem como o motivo da o rebrand. Forneceremos as próximas etapas após analisar os materiais fornecidos."

Minha experiência foi diferente. Pedi à empresa que estava fazendo o rebranding para me tornar um super administrador da página da empresa. No dia do anúncio fiz todas as alterações e elas foram salvas imediatamente e apareceram na página renomeada. Não precisamos entrar em contato com o Linkedin com um comunicado à imprensa. (a página da empresa tinha menos de 10 mil seguidores)

PINTEREST - 14 dias para nome/identificador reservado ou Instantaneamente para os disponíveis

Uma mudança de nome pode ser imediata se um nome de usuário estiver disponível.

Nomes de usuário excluídos exigem 14 dias para ficarem disponíveis (de acordo com relatórios, eu não tive a chance de confirmar isso).

YOUTUBE - Imediato para nomes de usuário disponíveis (ou 30 dias devido à disponibilidade da opção de URL personalizada) 

A renomeação pode ser instantânea se o nome de usuário e a URL estiverem disponíveis. Mesclar canais não é uma opção. Portanto, não há como reter seguidores se você criar um novo canal.

Caso você decida criar um novo canal e não renomear o atual:

Segundo as instruções oficiais do YouTube: “Para criar um URL personalizado para seu canal, sua conta precisa:

• Tenha 100 ou mais assinantes.

• Ter pelo menos 30 dias.

• Tenha uma foto de perfil carregada

• Tenha uma imagem de banner carregada”

Lembre-se de que o YouTube  oferecerá URLs personalizados  (opções de nome de usuário) para seu canal,  com base no nome que você escolher para seu canal. A parte do texto é derivada automaticamente do nome escolhido e você só pode modificar adicionando números no final.

No nosso caso, o nome do canal tinha o símbolo “&”, mas queríamos que o URL fosse “e”, então o que fizemos foi o seguinte (exemplo)

1. Entramos no nome do canal como “Nick and George” e clicamos em salvar e sair do modo de edição.

2. Entre no modo de edição novamente e agora que a opção de URL personalizada apareceu como /nickandgeorge, selecionamos isso e clicamos em salvar.

3. Agora mudamos o nome do canal para “Nick & George” e clicamos em salvar

Caso você não veja as opções de URL personalizadas, talvez um dos requisitos mencionados acima não seja atendido.

Dimensões do recurso de imagem por plataforma para rebranding de mídia social em 2022

Abaixo está uma tabela com as dimensões oficiais da imagem de perfil e foto de capa ou imagem de banner para você poder planejar seus recursos para rebranding de mídia social.

PLATAFORMA	IMAGEM DE PERFIL (logotipo) pixels	TAMANHO DO ARQUIVO	FOTO DE CAPA pixels	TAMANHO DO ARQUIVO
o Facebook	182x182		Arquivo sRGB JPG com 851 pixels de largura, 315 pixels de altura	Recomendado para carregamento mais rápido com menos de 100 KB
Instagram	320 x 320		N / D
Twitter	400 x 400	máximo 5 MB	1500 x 500	máximo 5 MB
Linkedin	300 x 300	máximo 4 MB	1128 x 191	máximo 4 MB
Pinterest	165x165	máximo 10 MB	N / D
YouTube	800 x 800		2.048 x 1.152 (a área segura para texto e logotipos: 1235 x 338 px. Imagens maiores podem ser cortadas em determinadas visualizações ou dispositivos)	6 MB ou menor
TikTok	200 x 200		N / D
Tipos de arquivo JPG, PNG funcionam para todos

CONCLUSÃO

A decisão final é sua. Proteger um identificador e excluí-lo a tempo da alteração é uma opção para Twitter, Pinterest, TikTok, Instagram e Facebook e garantirá que o nome de usuário esteja disponível quando você precisar. No entanto, sinto que, se o nome for incomum, e as chances de serem tomadas até o anúncio do dia do rebranding forem pequenas, você pode optar pela mudança direta no dia do anúncio do rebranding.

Idealmente, você deve ter direitos de acesso de administrador a todas as plataformas pelo menos um mês antes do anúncio e uma pessoa de contato com quem você possa entrar em contato para receber os códigos de verificação, caso seja necessário.

© 2022 Apostolos Mintzis | APOSTOLOS MINTZIS CONSULTORIA EM MARKETING LTDA

Social Media Rebranding in 2022 - How to change your profile name, username AND keep your followers

In January 2022 I successfully completed a social media rebranding project for a client. My client is a company that owns 10 social profiles on the following platforms: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, Linkedin, and TikTok. The goal was to rebrand all the profiles without losing the followers. In this post, I will share with you my experience and tips on how to minimize stress and avoid unwanted surprises. 

When you search online for "social media rebranding", or for "how to change your profile name across various social media platforms" like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, Linkedin, and TikTok, many results show up, but it's seldom official information from each platform, and rather random bits from individuals who have tried. On top of that, a big chunk of the available information is either outdated or inaccurate because of recent changes to the policy of each platform.

In this post, I have included everything you need to know in terms of preparation and planning, but also what you can expect and how to secure an end-result that will be consistent across all social media platforms when you are rebranding.

Before we dive-in let's start with two basic and important definitions.

Your username (or @handle) is a unique name that you have on each platform and is the one that appears at the end of your profile page’s URL. So, for example, when we are referring to a Facebook page the username will be the part that follows facebook.com/this_is_your_username 

The username is the tricky part of the rebranding process, which requires more research and preparation, as it is unique in each platform, so if the one you have in mind is taken, you have to go for another option. I will explain in detail further down.

Your profile name or just name, is the first couple of words that appear on your profile and is generally easier to change without problems, given that you don’t violate any of the platform’s set policies.

When it comes to branding, consistency is key, so carefully choose the best combination of letters that best describes your brand name in order to use the exact same one, on all platforms.

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How to choose a new username for social media rebranding in 2022

In general, you can get creative around choosing your new username, but take into account the following if you wish to use the same one across all platforms:

Keep it up to 15 characters

• If you have a Twitter account, then you already know that the maximum character length of a username is 15, so keeping your username to a max of 15 characters will ensure that you can use the same username across all platforms (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, Linkedin, TikTok)

Research the username availability (preferably from a desktop or laptop computer)

• Log onto every platform and use the provided search bar to test the availability of the username. During that process you will come across results that will also offer an indication of the page names that may be using similar usernames, so make a note and avoid those too.

• As a second, confirmatory step, type in the platform address on your browser bar followed by the new username, hit search, and see what you get, for example, facebook.com/the_new_username. Repeat the same process for the other platforms that interest you.

• Finally, run a google search for the new username and see what you get. If you get many results from the platforms that interest you, then it’s better to modify the username and repeat the process.

IMPORTANT: Even if the above steps produce no search results, and your new chosen username appears to be available, and not used by anyone, on Facebook it may be in use from an unpublished page, and that is why you need a plan B (meaning a second, acceptable version of the username, to use in such a case).

Social Media Username Character Limits and allowed characters

Facebook username	50	chrs max, allowed letters, numbers, periods, and underscores
Instagram username + name	30	chrs max, allowed letters, numbers, periods, and underscores
Twitter username	15	chrs max, allowed letters, numbers, underscores
Pinterest profile name	30	chrs max, allowed letters, numbers and underscores
TikTok username characters	24	chrs max, allowed letters, numbers, underscores, and periods
YouTube channel name	100	chrs max, URL allows letters and numbers
Linkedin Company Page name	100	characters max

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SOCIAL MEDIA REBRANDING | INFORMATION SPREADSHEET

I have put together a spreadsheet file to help you organize the information you will need to have available during your social media rebranding journey, one that you can share with colleagues and use as you please. You can download the social media rebranding spreadsheet here and upload it to Google Sheets so you can work collaboratively with colleagues.

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Timing considerations - Deciding on a social media username switch strategy, without losing your followers

When rebranding on social media you want to keep things confidential to avoid someone grabbing your new brand name online before you. Then, on the day of the new brand name announcement, all social media profiles should switch to the new username. When it comes to how you should approach the switch you have two options, but make sure the whole team is on board.

Option A: Do your username availability research, but leave the username switch for the last moment, without securing the usernames in advance

Option B: Do your username availability research, secure the desired usernames in advance, and release them in time for the switch.

Each option has pros and cons that should be carefully weighed depending on the parameters of the actual situation you are facing and the resources you have available:

Option A in my opinion will work best when there are very few and highly trusted individuals involved in the rebranding, and the new username is quite particular and not a combination of mainstream everyday words and/or names

Option B gives you more peace of mind that your username will be available when you want it to, but requires more time for planning and execution and a designated person to be on top of, and responsible for the whole process.

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Lead times by platform when rebranding your social media profiles in 2022 (OR HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR A USERNAME TO BECOME AVAILABLE AGAIN)

Check the list below for lead times for the username switch per platform, given that a username is available and you have access to the profiles: 

FACEBOOK (Admin Access required) Up to 3 days review time may apply

(Assuming that the pages don’t have limits and are NOT regional Pages that fall under a global Page.)

Page name and Username (used for URL) changes can be requested on the spot, if available (in our case the change was instant even though we received an “up to 3 days review” notification)

If you hold a username and plan to release it: It takes 30 days to delete a profile. After that, the profile and the content are deleted and the username is liberated. During the 30 days if you re-login the profile is reactivated (so the username will remain reserved for longer, until you delete the profile again). 

INSTAGRAM

If a username is available, you can make the change instantly (up to 3 days review times may apply)

If you hold a username and plan to release it: It takes 30 days to delete a profile. After that, the profile and the content are deleted and the username gets liberated. During the 30 days if you re-login the profile is reactivated.

Contrary to what many websites and blog posts state, deleted Instagram profile usernames DO NOT become available after 14 days, but only after 30 days!

According to official Instagram instructions: “Keep in mind that if your account reaches a lot of people, your username change may need to be reviewed. If so, you'll be notified when we've completed a review. If not, your username will change immediately if available. Your followers may be notified of your username change.” 

Also: “If a username you want is being used by an account that seems inactive, you can choose an available version of the username. You can add periods, numbers, underscores, or abbreviations to help you come up with a username that's not already in use.”

TWITTER - Instantly

Released handle names become available immediately

Username/handle changes are effective immediately

LINKEDIN - Up to 3 days

For Linkedin I do not have information how long it takes to delete a company page in order to hold a username and liberate it after deletion..

According to official LinkedIn instructions: "If your organization is being rebranded and your LinkedIn Page and Showcase Page(s) require(s) a completely different name, contact us with a publicly shared press release indicating the name change as well as the reason for the rebrand. We’ll provide next steps after reviewing the provided materials."

My experience was different. I asked the company that was rebranding to make me a super admin of their company page. On the day of the announcement I made all the changes and they got immediately saved and appeared on the rebranded page. We did not need to contact Linkedin with a press release. (the company page had less than 10K followers)

PINTEREST - 14 days for reserved name/handle or Instantly for available ones

A name change can be immediate if a username name is available.

Deleted usernames require 14 days to become available (according to reports, I did not have the chance to confirm that one myself).

YOUTUBE - Immediate for available usernames (or 30 days due to custom URL option availability) 

Renaming can be instant if username and URL are available. Merging channels is not an option. So there is no way to retain followers if you create a new channel.

In case you decide to create a new channel and not rename the current one:

According to official YouTube instructions: “To create a custom URL for your channel, your account needs to:

• Have 100 or more subscribers.

• Be at least 30 days old.

• Have an uploaded profile picture

• Have an uploaded banner image”

Keep in mind that YouTube will offer custom URLs (username options) for your channel, based on the name you choose for your channel. The text part is automatically derived from the chosen name and you can only modify adding numbers at the end.

In our case, the channel name had the “&” symbol but we wanted the URL to read “and” so what we did was the following (example)

1. We entered the channel name as “Nick and George” and hit save and exit edit mode.

2. Enter edit mode again and now that the custom url option appeared as /nickandgeorge we selected that and hit save.

3. Now we changed the channel name to “Nick & George” and hit save

In case you don’t see custom URL options maybe one of the above-stated requirements is not met.

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Image Asset Dimensions by Platform for Social Media rebranding in 2022

Changing the name is part f the rebranding process. You will then need to upload new image asset and update the About/Bio information in every single profile. Below is a table with profile image and cover photo or banner image official dimensions so you can plan your assets for social media rebranding.

PLATFORM	PROFILE IMAGE (logo) pixels	FILE SIZE	COVER PHOTO pixels	FILE SIZE
Facebook	182x182		sRGB JPG file that's 851 pixels wide, 315 pixels tall	Recommended for faster loading less than 100 KB
Instagram	320x320		N/A
Twitter	400x400	max 5 MB	1500x500	max 5 MB
Linkedin	300x300	max 4 MB	1128 x 191	max 4 MB
Pinterest	165x165	max 10 MB	N/A
YouTube	800x800		2,048 x 1,152 (the safe area for text and logos: 1235 x 338 px. Larger images may get cropped on certain views or devices)	6 MB or smaller
TikTok	200x200		N/A
File types JPG, PNG work for all

CONCLUSION

The final decision is yours. Securing a handle, and deleting it in time for the change, is an option for Twitter, Pinterest, TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook and will ensure that the username will be available when you need it. However, I feel that if the name is unusual, and chances to be taken until the rebranding day announcement are slim, you can opt for the direct change on the rebranding announcement day.

Ideally, you should have admin access rights to all platforms at least a month before the announcement and a contact person you can be in touch with to receive the verification codes shall this be needed.

© 2022 Apostolos Mintzis | APOSTOLOS MINTZIS CONSULTORIA EM MARKETING LTDA

How you can use a PDF letterhead on your iPhone to send out letters, notes, memos, prescriptions.

Letters, notes, prescriptions, etc look professional and more official once they are printed on letterhead paper bearing with your signature at the bottom.

When you are on the go, and you don't have access to a laptop or desktop you can use a PDF letterhead stored in your iPhone, following the steps below. (The process has been tested on an iPhone XS Max running iOS 13.7.)

You can use a pdf letterhead you already have that's any paper size like Letter, Legal or A4, A5, etc. If your letterhead is in another file format, use the software you created it with to export it to pdf.

I'm going to use as an example one which I'm attaching here in case you'd like to experiment. Its size is A5 (half A4).

You can download the example file here

• Send it to your phone using Airdrop, iMessage, or any other App of your choice or directly download it to your files. 

• Save the file in your Files folder (locally on your device or in iCloud) in a folder that you can easily access.

• Pull up the file and click on the little pen nib icon in the upper right corner.

That will bring up a choice of writing instruments at the bottom of the screen, including an eraser. You can use any one of the choices, to write, draw, and you can also add shapes, Text, a signature, or a magnifier by tapping on the + icon in the bottom right corner. (a drawback of the text tool is that the text is middle aligned)

• Once you're done editing, you can hit "Done" in the upper left corner. You can then share the saved file with anyone using any of your favorite apps.

To delete the content of the letterhead and re-use for another purpose you have two options:

1. Just pull it up from your files, use the eraser (pixel and object) to delete the content, and hit done. Your file is saved to its original form and ready to be re-used. 

2. Pull up the pdf from your files, tap on the plus sign at the bottom and draw a white rectangle over any previous text, and hit done.

Purchase (Gifts) With Purpose - The List

Every day we make purchase decisions based on several product attributes, depending on the category we are shopping for. Habitually we mainly pay attention to the price and characteristics listed on the product label like ingredients/materials and place of provenance. Nowadays though, we have access to way more product information, and as evolving, better informed, and conscious consumers we have the opportunity to choose based not only on the physical product attributes, but also in what ways it contributes, or not, to a better tomorrow for our planet.

So what do we need to look out for if we want to be mindful consumers and make socially conscious purchasing decisions?

In an ideal world, we would need to make sure that the production process creates a positive impact on society and the environment. Ethical sourcing, fair wages, sustainable practices, supporting the welfare of local communities and reversing problems caused so far would be some contributing factors. However, since the world we now live in is far from ideal, for the time being, we can opt for those products and services whose production process creates a minimum or no harmful impact on our planet. 

How/where do we find those virtuous, natural, organic, non-gmo, with no harmful ingredients, ethically sourced, eco-friendly, fair trade, producing zero-waste, energy-efficient, promoting conservation, job equality and local communities supporting products?

The inspiration to compile the list below came from my need to buy a graduation present for a girl that already has everything any girl her age wishes for. I've chosen gifts from several of the sites below in an attempt to inspire her to be mindful of the power that stems from her shopping decisions and the multi-faceted positive impact she can have in the lives of people and the environment.

I will keep the list updated as I'm always on the lookout for the best possible product options when it comes to supporting positive change with my every purchase. I do not receive any monetary or other form of compensation from the featured sites. The links are pointing to the about/mission/impact page of every store so you can proceed with only what resonates with you.

I hope you enjoy the list and please send me your comments and suggestions to make it better. 

books, maps & globes, travel & gear, clothing, home decor, kids

accessories, social enterprise

jewelry, fashion, home

accessories , social enterprise

bags, accessories, home goods

bracelets

products sold through amazon

blankets, home goods

home, office, pet, baby&kids

men’s apparel

apparel, patches

apparel marketplace

accessories, candles, home goods

jewelry, accessories, home, kids

perfume

clothing, accessories, home decor

bracelets

apparel, gifts, home goods

8 things every 501(c)(3) non-profit should do

Working for non-profits is a joy. Whether it's paid or pro bono work, it fills my days and nights with purpose and a great sense of having contributed in my own way to some of the causes I care about.

While there are quite a few large non-profits who have managed to build a huge following and hence receive more attention and funds to use toward achieving their goals, the majority of the smaller ones are on a constant struggle to raise funds to cover their expenses, get the word out and support their activities.

The good news is that are many more ways non-profits can connect with their audiences,  get their work known and ask for help.

From my experience so far, I made a list of 8 simple things that are worth of your time investment and are guaranteed to benefit every non profit organization in the long run.

1. Sign up for Google Grants. You may get up to $10,000/month on Google Ads credit to advertise your cause and drive more traffic to your website or app. Google One Today now comes as a part of the Google grants account.

2. Sign up for Give Lively a free platform that give you all the tools you need to better fund-raise online

3. Sign up for Facebook Fundraising Tools. Once you get approved your friends and followers will be able to setup fun fundraisers to benefit your organization. It's awesome and fun.

4. Apply for Stripe’s for non-profits reduced processing fees for donations (2.2% + 30 for non American Express transactions and 3.5% for American Express transactions)...because every little help counts.

5. Sign up for Amazon Smile. It doesn't cost anything to your supporters and you still get a (small) percent when they shop through smile and choose to support your organization.

6. Apply for the BBB accreditation and enhance trust to your organization while standing out from the crowds. Anyone who is ready to contribute will recognize the BBB logo and will be sure the money will end up where it's supposed to.

7. Populate your Guidestar.org profile, it's another very popular place that your funders might visit before they take out their checkbooks. Currently transitioning to a collaboration with Candid

8. Check the details in your idealist.org profile and post jobs or volunteer opportunities. A place where every idea which aims to make the word a better place should be listed. I'm pretty sure your organization has one if you are a 501c3 and reading these lines right now.

I will update this post every time I come across more ideas and ways to help non-profits raise funds, get more volunteers, followers and supporters online. 

My favorite FREE digital marketing educational resources

UPDATED

The digital world is unpredictable, exciting and transforming itself along with our daily lives in so many ways, depending on how we choose to interact with it and how much time we devote to it. We, marketers, are trying to make the best out of those interactions by delivering value and creating meaningful relationships between brands and their fans, in order to produce sales, build trust and loyalty. To help us stay up to date and align us with best practices in order to optimize the online performance of our clients, the last few years, there has been an increasing amount of free high quality educational content coming from internet companies and online marketing tools . Most of them keep their blogs and content fresh and also offer free certifications to document the acquired  knowledge. So if you are starting out on a digital marketing adventure as a marketer or small business owner make sure you check out my favorite resources. My advice is to focus on something you like most and not get lost in the vastness of truly useful content out there. After all there's a certain amount of detail one can absorb and be able to recall at any given point. You can always bookmark, keep screenshots, print as PDFs or add to your favorite app like Pocket or feedly to save the pages you feel you'll need to look up for reference in the future.

Google Digital Garage offers now a comprehensive list of 23 topics and 89 lessons towards your first digital marketing certification. The best place to start!

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More Google certifications through the Google Academy far Ads  will definitely come in handy for anyone  wishing to build a strong online presence and understand how to keep improving for their target audience.

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HubSpot Academy (Inbound, Email, Content marketing) HubSpot is an inbound marketing and sales software platform that helps companies attract visitors, convert leads and close customers. The courses will get you up to speed with the whole process from attracting visitors to your site, up to making them your loyal advocates. 

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Hootsuite academy (Social media marketing) by the tool that most social media managers cannot live without, will teach you -among others- how to manage multiple social accounts from one dashboard, discover content, plan your posts and "listen" what is being said about you on social media.

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Twitter Flight School Certification

Master the art of tweeting and create engaging content and conversations with your followers. 

Don't take my word for it. Click and start learning :)

Boost your healing with Vibroacoustics (In search of calm)

With the holidays around the corner, it's time to focus on the things that matter most, reach out and reconnect with the people we care for and spend some quality time on ourselves so we are our best around the people we love.

On a personal level, my move to another continent and a fresh professional start were followed by a very stressful adaptation period which was topped off by a family member loss and a very demanding travel schedule to take care of loose ends. I found my -usually very together- self, helpless, disoriented, weak, discouraged and seriously hindered in dealing with the simplest everyday tasks. I tried to meditate, but couldn't get myself to even do that, not to mention my reluctance to workout, which has been my go-to daily routine to clear my head and feel good for more than 20 years. That's when I realized that this time, I could not do it on my own, and I needed help. 

I'm a firm believer that -in most cases- the strength, the solutions, and the answers are within us, and we just need some magic to bring those to the surface, when we cannot manage ourselves. That is why I decided to follow my gut, and try something different: Vibroacoustic Sound Therapy -sounded like the magic I needed- is a treatment that I was lucky to have been introduced to through a few good friends I made since I arrived in New York.

I will spare you the technicalities, you can get the details from their website tournesolwellness.com. What I will try to do, is describe in a few lines my experience from the sessions and what I feel the outcome was, for me.

I didn't need much convincing on what effects different sound frequencies have on our bodies and minds. I already knew all that from my DJ mixing/sound production studies and my personal experience of how I could "manage" club crowds with my selection of music, when I was up in the booth, spinning. What I was about to find out though, was that floating on isolated sound frequencies -that is exactly what a vibroacoustic sound therapy session feels like- coupled with some energy work by Carey Davidson, would help me get rid of all the black and darkness in my head and surface all the green, the blue and the light, which was the exact visual I had during the session with my eyes closed.

So, imagine being reposed on a waterbed mattress, in a quiet room, dark, -as I chose- or dimly lit if you prefer, with your eyes shut. Some ambient relaxing music comes from a set of surround speakers, adding to the -floating in sound waves- setting. The heart of the process is a device below the water pad emitting sound waves which gently go through your body, restoring the path along their way. A while into my session I started meditating, surrendering all my senses on a mission to absorb every little detail the experience had to offer. It was the first time I was able to initiate -from within my stillness- a controlled shiver upon my entire body that felt so good, lifting the weight, relieving stress, tension and leaving me relaxed and happy. That was a pretty cool feeling/sensation.

Three things worth noting here:

1. The device can be set to focus on certain parts of the body (to address muscle pains or specific issues on body parts) and also has multiple intensity levels from mild to intense.

2. As I was being set up, Carey asked about the sound level for the ambient music and when I said “I prefer it loud enough so I can...” and we finished each other’s phrase with the same words "...go towards the music". I knew just then that the treatment would be right for me.

3. During the first few minutes, I had some energy work (my first time) done by Carey which I, later on, realized set the foundation for the transition from dark and black to colorful and bright blue, greens, etc. Yes, you will see colors, no substances involved, just a discreet lavender essence in the air)

My description might tempt you to think that I was tripping, but I wasn't. My second session, a couple of days later, was equally amazing and fulfilling and I'm already looking forward to my next one. I got the kick I needed and have found the strength to get myself back to my workouts and -slowly but steadily- I am regaining control of my days. I'm very grateful I had the option to try this alternative treatment as I didn't want to burden my organism with anything involving medication. 

I know that many can be skeptics when it comes to new, alternative treatments, but it's always a great idea to try for yourself and see what it can do for you.

Check out their website for seasonal promotions or specials. Even if Vibroacoustics is not what works for you after all, at Tournesol Wellness they offer a variety of modalities by a team of professional practitioners that Carey has put together. I know all that because I helped them redesign and organize the content for their website and had the chance and the pleasure to meet a few of them in person. 

W magazine featured tournesol in their holiday special roundup of best places to prevent and treat stress.

Happy holidays everyone! All the best in health and love! 

Thinking of starting an e-shop or fashion blog?

I've recently moved to New York from Athens, Greece and constantly looking for ideas that could help -professionally- my friends back home. Despite the difficult economic situation the country has been into for almost 10 years now, there are lots of talented young people who are determined to succeed and they deserve every bit of help they can get.

The online marketplace concept -where one can place and sell  products- should not be new to those of you who make their own -and if it is- start here by reading this article. If you still -for whichever reason- haven't joined a marketplace and don't have your online store up and running, here comes Tictail. Clean, beautiful design, looks amazing on desktop and the mobile app. You can set up shop FREE and start selling your products right away. You will not pay any commission on the sales coming from shoppers who discover you and make their first purchase through your store, however you will pay a 10% on sales coming from those who discover and make their first purchase of your products through Tictail's marketplace. Payments are handled by external applications like Klarna, Stripe and Paypal and those usually charge a separate fee, keep that in mind. (Update: Tictail was acquired by Shopify, a great platform to build your eshop on)

What's also cool about Tictail is that a curated selection of products listed on their marketplace gets the chance to be exhibited in Tictail's physical store on 90 Orchard street in New York. I know what you are thinking... time for your local brand to go global.

And for all my friends in fashion, stylists, bloggers, creators, here's something to get you even more passionate about what you do: RewardStyle is a platform that makes sure fashion bloggers will be compensated for their commitment to quality blogging, from the brands and products they love. Watch the presentation it is very interesting and eye-opening. They also came up with the brilliant liketoknow.it which produces clickable links-to-buy for fashion items on Instagram posts.

No doubt we will be seeing more platforms from now on, businesses that create value and get paid by making it easier for buyers, influencers and sellers to interact. As e-commerce continues to grow there is definitely huge potential in bringing supply and demand under one -digital- roof.