It has become one of the world’s most popular online educational catalogues

Over 800 universities throughout the world have active iTunes U sites.

With over half of those public from universities in China, Hong Kong, Japan, Mexico and Singapore.

It is no wonder that iTunes users now have access to over 350,000 audio and video files from educational institutions around the globe.

“iTunes U makes it easy for people to discover and learn with content from many of the world’s top institutions,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s vice president of Internet Services. “With such a wide selection of educational material, we’re providing iTunes users with an incredible way to learn on their computer, iPhone, iPod or iPad.”

When you couple this knowledge with Apples content partner program, big opportunities exist as this emerges into mainstream

No doubt this was Apples plan all along. But now it presents big opportunities for those in business, as a channel to educate markets.

According to chief executive Dennis Crowley, since the launch of Places, Foursquare saw its “biggest day ever in terms of new signups.”

Both are available as mobile handset applications, which make use of a phone’s built-in GPS chip. Foursquare, currently the most successful has a rewards system in place with local businesses.

Both services allow users to ‘check in’ bars, restaurants or local attractions. Users can become ‘mayors’ of select locations, and be reward them with free or discount goods.

Facebook Places does not currently have a rewards system in place with local businesses.

At present, Facebook Places only functions as a tool to let other friends within a social network know where to find you.

In addition, Places has only infiltrated specific areas of the United States, Foursquare is available in locations worldwide.

However, as the Places feature matures, the web world could be faced with yet another David v Goliath battle, as the 150 millioon mobile users of Facebook, dwarf the number of subscribers to the Foursquare service.

In the meantime owners of pubs, clubs and hotels should take note and sign up to this new phenominon that is set to only get bigger, now Facebook is getting its act together.

To apply, click here:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/396D8V9

We all know that the best way to treat social media is to engage. I see so many people still broadcasting. There is a fine line, as I certainly use Social media to tell people about certain events and even on this occassion (by no means all) I have let my Twitter ‘followers’ know about this article.

My problem is when someone sends you an encoded link ( I do this ) and that link is an affiliate link (I do not do that). In other words people are just tell selling – i.e. they are not talking to you, they are not bothering to engage, they are just promoting an affiliate link.

Just in case there is any doubt: The way to do it is to invite people to do something that sounds like it may, if even in small fraction have some good, valuable, useful content in it.

The essence of social media is to extend a hand to help people out, to share information, to educate, to enable a two way communication. Not ‘tell sell’.

I appreciate that my way may be more time consuming. For my part, reaching, through engagement I have made genuine friends and developed some serious business relationships this way. I would love to hear from people who have succeeded both ways. Maybe both is correct???

It always makes me think when I see ‘tell selling’ in action – “there goes someone who does not know what they are doing”. Or is it me? Have I got something to learn. I would love to hear of your results because I bet there is something I am missing here. I am always willing to learn. In pursuit of success, glad to be wrong even.

This is an area that I really do not fancy testing, as it just feels wrong. Tell me your experiences?

For more top tips in Affiliate Marketing, come visit Affiliate Top Tips.com

This Video was fun to produce although it has a serious message. I was marooned in Miami on my way back from Costa Rica.

Apart from the really nice people that I met, I found I was hearing the same stories, stories of business failure and difficulty. I also heard yet again how at least one of these businesses was saved. A familiar story to me, but I realise that so many people have not heard it so it is worth recalling.

On this occassion I also had the wonder of some fabulous backdrops. Also I found just a little bit of footage on YouTube that you just might recognise

Well, I told everyone where I was and how I was stranded as a result of the Icelandic volcano erruptions. Rjon responded with an email lifeline to let me know I was not alone and there were friendly natives in the area.

First thing: I checked out his website and it is top of the range. RJon arrived in his huge car with his wife Alee to pick me up. We had an afternoon of lunch and brainstorming, so much fun.

Before our meeting up I had just got off the phone from a client who has had 300+ visitors in the last 8 weeks all from a Tweetmaxi Squeeze page. Great case study, 11 opt-ins. That’s 3% and out of those at least three have led to further conversations. Huge value. So I was buzzing with excitement and it was great to explain this to Rjon and his wife.

Before we move on, let me Introduce you to Rjon in this short video:

Click here to view the embedded video.

We had a great time, talking about all the latest in Social Media. What we were doing for our clients and all the successes they are having as a result.

Now you would not get that if you were nothing but authentic. The numbers are small, but when the quality is high, the results can be big.

Wow! Long story short: Lunch lasted all afternoon in the warm Miami Sun. It was all business – we even talked about running an impromptu seminar on Friday, to take advantage of me being in town – and I this would help them develop their business too.

Now I have introduced you to Rjon let me whizz through his site for you too. One look at his site and you will see why I had to meet up.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Rjon’s site is such a great example of a squeeze page built for professional services – it is based on a WordPress theme. No wonder he is the Happy Lawyer.

Well it turns out that Coconut Grove is Miami ‘village’ – you know the cool part of town. I have landed on my feet here. Some one made the comment that I seem to have the habit of being able to make lemonade out lemons. Don’t you just love that phrase – all american.

Can’t wait to get back, but meantime it looks like I have a gig brewing for Friday, here in Miami. Then, hopefully I will get on the plane and head back or no doubt, they will have me run another, maybe virtual next time, but great to be here in person, fantastic hosts.

BA, take your time.

Take a look at Kiva where you will see through an through social media working toward providing real support for people suffering the effects of poverty being helped by Social Media.

The site itself deserves inspection, rather than a description here, the best thing you can do, is visit the site – and you can follow their success and fun on Twitter @kiva

When we look closely at the TPS (Tweets per second) chart it reveals that about only six months ago the number was less than 10m Tweets Per Day, just half a million per hour.

By anyones count that is massive growth and just goes to demonstrate that you have to be in it to win it.

But of course, there is more to it than that. The TPS (Tweets per second) measurement does not account for Tweet deliveries which are a much much higher number because once created, each Tweet is delivered to multiple followers.

Then there is search, monitoring and so many other ways to measure and understand growth. watch this space folks.

Quix is the latest in a generation of bookmarklet tools. Looking just like a bookmark on your browser, the tool offers integration with your Social Media and favourite bookmark software as well as SEO and Webmaster insights on any site you visit. It even offers a ruler, so you can measure things on screen, should you need…

It is easy to install and if you ever get stuck you just type in help and it takes you to a page that shows you all the commands that you can use.

Even I managed to install it, it costs nothing and has to be a hit! Find out more: Your Bookmarklets, On Steroids