It's happened. You knew it was coming. The Like-Gate Ban. As of November 5, 2014, the policy is now in effect. No longer can you require a user to Like your page to gain access to contests, content, apps or anything else. And you know what? I'm a big fan of this change. At Marketing Ninjas we've always said that the quality of your fans is much more important the quantity of your fans. Here's the thing: Facebook did this because they want people (A.K.A. your fans) to like your page because, well, they like you (and your company and your brand). Not because they like the contest you happen to be running.

Have you ever done a Google search, found what looks to be a great link, clicked and it's a post from two years ago and the content isn't relevant anymore? So you head to the home page of that particular site thinking there may be some more up-to-date info and nothing? They haven't put up a new blog post in months? Blogging isn't a trend or a fad. You don't just jump on the blogging bandwagon. It should be a key part of your marketing strategy. And nothing says "we don't care!" faster than a blog that isn't active. You leave a bad taste in the mouth of your visitors and can pretty much guarantee they won't be coming back. And by active, we mean at least one post a week, but two or three is better.

What makes someone leave a website? That a great question, and one you need to ask in order to optimize your own website. The goal is to drive more traffic to your site, not scaring potential customers away because they had difficulty finding what they were looking for or you had no new content to offer them. The great folks over at KISSmetrics have created the valuable infographic below that covers the eight reasons why traffic may be leaving your website and how you can fix it.

You've realized how important a business blog is and are churning out some great content for your audience. That's awesome! But you ask yourself, "Why are my views and engagement levels not where I want them to be?" The answer may seem simple, but it's crucial to the success of your blog. Knowing the best time to post a blog will boost traffic and you'll see more engagement, people commenting and sharing your post. The great people over at KISSmetrics have created the infographic below from their "The Science of Social Timing" series to help you optimize your posting times and reach your business blogging goals.

The marketing industry is very competitive and marketers are always looking to evolve with new skills they can add to their repertoire. Formstack has created the valuable infographic below that highlights the seven skills marketers need to be successful in their position. Don't get left in the dust - a marketer with a diversified skill set is in high demand, especially in today's digital marketing age.