Rank our experts with vouches

Among the changes made to the website recently, you may have noticed a new little button to the side of users' names, or under the heading of their articles. This is our new vouch feature.

When you vouch for a user’s expertise, you’re helping people sort through who’s really providing valuable information. You can vouch for friends, family members, or just users that you think are doing a really great job.

You’re not just vouching for a person, you’re vouching for their knowledge in that particular expertise- so don’t worry if your brother claimed a cooking expertise, you can vouch just for the expertise you want to support him in.

You’ll find the vouch feature all over the site, the speech button with the ‘V+’ will vouch, and a user’s vouch count will appear just beneath it.

We think that these new features can help us as we move toward a user-powered site. Allowing readers to decide the quality of the information they are reading, or the credibility of an expert helps us all in finding the best information possible.

You’ll see that where Top Experts are listed in a specific category, they are ranked by the number of vouches they have received and then by the number of likes they have received on their articles. This allows you to find more information on each topic from the best of the best without sorting through the articles blindly.

Nominations on experts123

Introducing the newest feature of the experts123 site, nominations.

In our efforts to recruit the best experts to the site, and create opportunities for the best social experience, we have launched a nomination feature. This feature doesn’t just allow you to invite other people to the site, it allows you to invite users to be experts in specific topics.

You can nominate experts by just entering their name, email address, and topic of expertise. They will then receive an email from us with an invitation to join the site, who nominated them, and what they have been nominated for. You can also nominate current users to add to their topics of expertise. You’ll find more details about this feature on the nominate page of the site, and you’ll find forms for this option on question pages as well.

Why is this important? Because part of our mission is to bring you the best information possible and we can’t do this alone. As we work to improve the site, we need the help of users like you to bring even better and more qualified experts to the site. We know it can be hard to find the information you need, and why should you trust it to whatever you find on a search engine? So your participation can help us help you put together the best information possible on just about anything.

We will be continuing to add to, and improve the site in the next few months, and are looking for your feedback. Do you have a question? Did you notice something a little funny about one of the new features? Let us know! You can email us anytime at customerservice@experts123.com, or tweet at us, at @experts123, or even drop us a line on Facebook. We promise you’ll hear back from us, and most likely also make a new friend.

Thanks, and we hope to hear from you!

Follow Your Interests, Claim Your Expertise

You may have noticed a few changes to the Experts123 website recently, and we’ve been happy to receive some feedback. One small change we’ve made to users profiles is the appearance of ‘Interests’ listed just below a user’s Expertise.

Experts123 users have always had the opportunity to follow their interests, and if you don’t already, you should start. On each individual topic page, in the upper right hand corner, you will find a green button labeled ‘Follow Topic.’ You can follow as many topics as you want and the top articles in each topic will appear in the ‘Following’ tab on your user profile.

This is a great way to keep track of the newest articles in the topics you are most interested in without searching keywords each time you log in.

Welcome...

Welcome to the new and improved Experts123 Blog.

We know, this blog isn’t new at all actually, and many of you have been here before, but today marks a change in theme and topic.

Previously this space has been reserved for articles and pieces written by the Experts123 team that didn’t make it to the Experts site. We are now shifting the focus of this blog to keeping users up to date with the developments and changes being made to the site.

As the Experts123 site continues to evolve, we realize that it is important to keep users up to date with what changes are being made and why we are making them. We want users to have a better understanding of our mission and what we are trying to accomplish. We are currently testing new features for the site that will be released in the coming weeks, so keep your eyes peeled, and don’t forget to provide us with feedback.

You can reach our team anytime at customerservice@experts123.com.

We Have to Admit: We're Obsessed with Pinterest

 

Pinterest is the hottest social network right now, and here at Experts123 we can't get enough of it. Whether you like it or not, it seems that Pinterest is here to stay and with all of the options to monetize Pinterest for brands and consumer products.

The Experts123 brand is flowing over to Pinterest as well.  We have boards for holidays, for food, and for everyday tips. We can't get enough of the design and know that the evolution of this network will be a fun one to watch and participate in.

Our contributors are also jumping on the Pinterest train with many great articles on how to use the site to its utmost potential. For the Pinterest fledgling, read Jump on the Pinterest Bandwagon and How to Get Started on Pinterest. For the more experienced Pinterest user, try Promote Your Blog with Pinterest and How to Be a Power Pinner.

Predicting Future Online Social Trends

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Recently Track Social put out a report listing Instagram, MyYearbook, del.icio.us, and Pinterest as the fastest growing social networks in terms of audience size. This may be able to predict the "next big thing" in terms of social online interactions and communities.

"Social growth measures how many new connections a brand is making across the already well-established social media platforms."

The key behind a lot of these up-and-coming social networks is that they are leveraging their brand names and services through huge social networks like Facebook and Twitter. Smaller platforms like Instagram (potentially the best platform for sharing photos) and Pinterest make it incredibly easy to share through these larger social networks, which attract non members to sign up for their services.

These social networks can predict future trends for online activity.

Most of these top growing social networks have similar characteristics: (1) photo-sharing, (2) broadcasting through large social networks (Facebook and Twitter), and (3) there is something uniquely perfect about each of these networks.

MyYearbook is so unique because it is a dating site that stands behind the saying "friends first." Instagram has perfected the art of the photo filter that other "hipster" apps have yet to perfect (however, there are still top Instagram alternatives). Pinterest is unique because it allows you to "pin" photos that also create links and branding opportunities (plus it's incredibly fun - learn how to get started on Pinterest).

But who knows - what's popular today may be gone tomorrow.

Tips on Planning Your Summer Vacation

It's warming up and the sun is finally coming out of hibernation. April showers will lead to May flowers and summer will be underway (unless you live in coastal cities where you have to push through June gloom). With the current state of the economy, summer vacations are less possible for a lot of people, but there are ways to cut corners and still have that little summer vacation to get out of town and beat the heat.

Viva Las Vegas

Las Vegas used to be known for gambling, clubbing, and sinful behavior, but it really has cleaned up its image recently to make it more family friendly. There are plenty popular things to do in Las Vegas, including amusement parks, zoos, shopping malls, and shows to see that even makes Vegas the perfect family destination. Before you go, make sure to check out the 10 things you need to know before traveling to Las Vegas.

Experience the Great Outdoors

Camping is a great alternative to visiting a different city and staying in a hotel because it's a lot less expensive. California has a great array of national parks including Yosemite and Redwood National Park. You can see Yosemite's highlights in three days (part 1, part 2, part 3) or even try your hand at tent camping outside of Yosemite. Another great destination (which our expert deems "California's unappreciated treasure") is Redwood National Park which is neither hot nor dry and a fantastic place to witness some wilderness firsthand.

Singletons, Try Your Hand at Jamaica, Man.

If you're a single pleasure-seeker, try going to Jamaica. From the nature to the indulgent activities to the salty water of the Caribbean, Jamaica is a great retreat from everyday life. We recap where to stay in Jamaica if you're single (don't get us wrong, you can still visit if you're attached).

Other Great Spots to Hit Up this Summer

You don't have to limit yourselves to the spots that we feature, but if you are going there, we have a lot of great content that can help you make your vacation the best it can be. Miami Beach is another hot spot (10 things you need to know before traveling to Miami Beach) with beautiful people, hot sandy beaches, and delicious food. It also hosts a great nightlife and music scene.

If the Canadian Rockies are more your style, you can always visit Banff, Canada where popular activities include hiking, skiing, and sightseeing. For more details read popular things to do in Banff, Canada.

For more travel tips check out the travel section of Experts123 where you can ask questions, read answers, and get more info through our travel articles.

Best Saint Patrick's Day Cocktails

For many of us, Saint Patrick's Day is an excuse to have a party and grab a keg of beer. The consumption of alcoholic drinks is highest on this holiday than any other - so why not drink the most real Irish drinks? From mixed cocktails to novelty drinks, this holiday beckons for creative, tasty, and green drinks. Let's all be Irish for a day!

Green Beer

Green beer will be sold at each single bar this year on Saint Patrick's Day. Lots of places use organic dye to drip into beer bottles, or fill up pints with green frothy beers. To get the greenest beer possible , it is suggested to drink a lighter beer as the green will show through more. But if you're looking for that real Irish beer, look no farther than a tall pint of Guinness. The green will barely color the beer, but it will turn the froth green.

Irish Car Bomb

This drink is threatening as it calls for your mates to stand around you in a circle and yell "Chug! Chug! Chug!" Take 3/4 of a pint of room temperature Guinness, and a shot of 1/2 Bailey's Irish Creme and 1/2 Jameson Irish Whiskey. Drop your shot into your 3/4 pint of Guinness and drink it as quickly as possible (otherwise it will curdle).

Emerald Isle Martini

An important part of Saint Patrick's Day cocktails is transforming everyday cocktails into glowing green cocktails. The Emerald Isle Martini takes a basic martini, but instead of adding vermouth and olives, you add creme de menthe which should give a fresh flavor and turn your cocktail green. Rather than a tart, salty drink, you'll now be drinking a smooth, minty drink that is also green!

Irish Cactus

Are you an ardent tequila drinker, dreading Saint Patrick's Day because tequila is a long way from anything Irish? Never fear , the Irish Cactus is here! The Irish Cactus mixes tequila with a smooth Irish cream liqueur to make a delightful after dinner sipper.

Connect with Us Through Social Media

Experts123 is really working hard to create an online community, a network so to say. We're excited to expand our brand to multiple social networking sites to keep you connected and hopefully spread the information that you're looking for. While we love connecting with members of our Experts123 community, we also feel like we have a knack for keeping our finger on the pop culture and news pulse! Find out the multiple ways to connect with us through the different social networking communities:

Twitter
Start a conversation with us! From our most recent articles, to our favorite findings on the internet, our twitter account is starting a community of it's own. We aren't shy to retweet any gem you may send us. Follow us, tweet us, and we'll share the love with you.

Tumblr
Want to get more out of us than a 140 character tweet? Our tumblr account also shows off our favorite, most well-written articles as well as highlighting some treasures that we find on tumblr. We love to share interesting photos, and to engage with interesting people. If you tumble interesting content, we will definitely follow you and reblog some of your content. Just follow us, send us a message, and we will take a look at your blog!

Pinterest
Pinterest is a new venture for us, but we think that it will be the perfect platform to share with you recipes, reviews, and even how-to's. Not everything will be from the Experts123 website, but we definitely will add a lot of the content that has great graphics and photos.

Google +
Google + is the newest addition to our social media platforms. To start, we are utilizing Google + as a way to spread information in a more interactive way. We will add photos and fun facts that we find online, as well as highlighting important news events from the Google + community. We're excited to start diving in to Google + since it arguably is the least explored large scale social media platform.

Help Us Help You: Tell Us What You Think

We are thrilled to announce that we are figuring out more ways to make content even better on Experts123. You may have noticed under each question a box asking if the page was helpful to you that looks like this:

And when you hover your mouse over the box, it will transform into this:

The Goal

Here at Experts123 we are constantly trying to find more ways for us to make your experience better by enhancing the content and helping you find the information you seek. By offering this completely anonymous voting process, our users can tell us which pages they like (and don't like) with a click of their mouse, and without consequence.

With this automatic feedback process, we can make content better on pages that need more information, and we can help to redirect you content that can better assist you.

Since we can't be in one million places at once, and since we get so much content, it is impossible for us to filter out all of the less useful content without the help of our trusted community. So please, tell us what you think! Send us your votes on pages that you visit. Together we can make it better!

It's Tebow Time

America has a new obsession: Tim Tebow. Beating out the Green Bay Packers' QB Aaron Rodgers, LA Lakers' shooting guard Kobe Bryant, and Indianapolis Colts' QB Peyton Manning, Tim Tebow is officially America's new 'favorite' athlete according to an ESPN poll.  But why?

Is it because people think Tim Tebow is the next John Elway? Bronco fans and sports commentators agree that Denver hasn't had such an exciting quarterback since the likes of John Elway, and the Broncos haven't made much traction in terms of victories since Elway lead the team to a Super Bowl win in 1999. The Broncos win over the Pittsburgh Steelers has really turned heads.

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Is it his righteous "Tebowing" move? Forget planking or owling, Tebowing is the new move where he goes down on one knee, rests his forehead on his fist, and prays. Has 'Tebowing' gone too far?

Was it his homage to his favorite Bible verse during the Steelers win? Tim Tebow's favorite Bible verse is John 3:16, and Tim Tebow happened to throw a total of 316 yards during the first round of the play-offs.

It does make you wonder if Tim Tebow can take the Broncos all the way to a Super Bowl victory. Considering his record for pulling out a win in overtime, and his connection with the masses, Tim Tebow is one of the most interesting sports stories of 2011-2012. Catch the second round play-offs this weekend (the Broncos play on Saturday against the Saints).