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Interesting reads for the week

I read a vast amount of web content. I try to convince myself that it is all for work, but the internet is a rabbit hole and sometimes I start with a bit of research for an article and end up following an interesting trail of links, landing up somewhere completely different.

Here are a few fascinating pieces I’ve stumbled upon recently:

The psychology of social media

This was a great (although fairly long) read with lots of pithy insights into why we do what we do on social media. Snippets:

“Humans devote about 30–40% of all speech to talking about themselves. But online that number jumps to about 80% of social media posts.”

“A survey of more than 7,000 consumers found that only 23% said they have a relationship with a brand. Of those who did, only 13% cited frequent interactions with the brand as a reason for having a relationship.”

“A survey of 7,000 U.S. mothers revealed that 42% have “Pinterest stress”—they worry that they’re not crafty or creative enough.”

Three apps to help you record audio and phone calls

This is a very useful and quick piece from ijnet – ideal for journalists or journalism students who want to use a phone (or computer) to record interviews.

30 ways to find your first clients

Whether you’re a freelancer / independent contractor or you’re starting or have started a business, there are some great ideas (some obvious and some less so) in this comprehensive list of strategies to consider.

My favourite: ask for feedback when the answer is no.

5 ways to grow online giving

I do a lot of work for non-profits, so I’m always interested in how we can improve our communications to boost our donations. This is a quick and useful checklist for charities wanting to increase online donations.

10 practical ways to change your country for the better

South Africans can get very caught up in the doom and gloom of news headlines, so with all the talk of currency woes and politics, this is a refreshingly positive and practical two-post series from Brett Fish (although it seems aimed mainly at white, SA Christians. But then, maybe we do the most moaning?).