Archive for Social media
Understanding Social Media – Plain and Simple
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Through conversations with many people, I have come to realize that there are many who do not understand social media, or what it is all about. Some have the perception of this being a new phenomenon that was just created the day before yesterday.
Now we can get into an in-depth discussion about this that could go on for hours but for me, it simply means that two components of life have been melded together. You have the social component, where people can share ideas by networking and you have the media component, which is the publishing of content.
Together you have the networking of people and the sharing of published content, social media.
Am I oversimplifying this and have missed the point myself, or is it really that plain and simple?
Maybe I’m just simple. 
In any case, people from around the globe meet up at social networking sites, like Twitter and Facebook, and share published content and ideas which create and extend conversations about specific topics.
Even greater, there is the opportunity to expand or otherwise add to the published content, blogging being a prime example.
Now I realize that social media is also used for marketing which then makes it a tool, but what I have described above is the very essence of the term and the tool.
The offline life has comes online
When we go to a party or social event at a nice banquet hall or other venue we mingle with others and share all sort of ideas and stories.
As you walk around the room, stop and join various conversations. You don’t just stand there, you add to the conversation. Most times people add something positive, and sometimes controversy is introduced. But just like a blog post, the conversation has been extended by the input of others.
Continuing with the party analogy;
- There are those in attendance who will tell you what they do for a living and pass you their business card in hopes of attracting you to their list (product pitch).
- Some will even pass out those business cards to everyone in sight (spammer).
- You may tell a friend about a problem you are having in hopes of finding a solution (search engine).
- As mentioned above, networking and adding to conversations (comments).
- Too many cocktails may lead to negative and unruly behavior (malware).
- You return to your original guest and rejoin that conversation (backups)
Okay, not all gatherings are like that, but hopefully you get my point.
The online version has no physical constraints because you can move on to another venue with the click of a mouse. But the party is a good example of meeting people, answering questions, sharing knowledge and helping others.
Social media is just the online version of the same, except it’s BYOB!
At the end of the day, it is all about being a member of the community, gaining the trust and respect of those you encounter and sharing a positive experience.
In an upcoming article I will talk about the different types of parties social media.
Keep Blogging!
How to Get Started Using Social Media
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This article assumes that you have already launched a website or a blog for your business and if not, you need not go beyond this paragraph. Instead view these 10 free videos on how to get that accomplished.
In the beginning the task of establishing an online presence and building a recognizable brand may seem a bit daunting, but it is important to understand that life online is very much like life offline, things take time and you must be both persistent and patient.
You’ve likely heard all the buzz about Twitter and Facebook and how everybody is online now, so you’ve decided to join the league of internet users and carve out a little space for your business. This decision is a good one, so let’s get started.
Establish a dedicated email account
If you’re like most people, you probably already have an email account, but you should not use that one. You need to keep your business activities separate from your personal life. As online business activities ramp up, having all of those communications in one central account will be a major advantage for managing and organizing the various messages.
View this as an electronic file cabinet where you can establish separate folders for each entity. It’s very important to start off organized as they’ll be little time for coming back to straighten things out later.
Recommendation: Get a Gmail account, it’s free, provides plenty of storage space and is easy to navigate. You can open an account here at Gmail.com.
Get a photo
In the business world people like to know who they are dealing with so you’ll need a nice passport style photo to use as your personal brand. Be certain that it shows your face, preferably smiling. No need for a visit to the professional photographer’s shop, just something that represents your likeness. This photo should be no larger than 80 x 80 pixels and will become your online identity, as it will eventually appear in many places. Plan to keep this photo in place for an extended period of time as your goal is to gain instant recognition.
Let’s get out there
The time has now arrived for you to establish your first online presence on one of the many social media sites. It is important to avoid over-reaching and trying to be in too many places at once, leaving your profiles incomplete. Start with one site, complete that profile then move to the next. You will be building profiles for some time, but there is no rush.
Recommendation: Sign up to these three sites as starters, completing a profile on each before moving to the next. Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn are critical to your online success.
When you begin to use these sites, be observant and get a feel for how things flow. You have but one opportunity to make a positive first impression so go slow and enjoy these environments. Remember, social media is all about interaction with others, sharing knowledge and gaining trust. Be a contributor to these communities.
The signup screen looks like the image below and can be found at Twitter.com
You’ll have all sorts of options once you sign up, but here is a short 4 minute video on how to use the site.
Note: The signup screen in the video has since been updated to look like the one above, but the general functionality of the site remains accurate.
Sign up for a Facebook account at Facebook.com. Here’s another quick video to get you started.
How to Register & Join Facebook — powered by eHow.com
A visit to the eHow site will provide you with a series of videos covering additional uses of Facebook’s Homepage, how to build a profile and a host of other helpful features.
LinkedIn is a professional business oriented networking site that is a must for anyone in business. Here you will build a network of professionals and have opportunities to join various business groups of interest. Like the other sites, you’ll build a profile, but here you will include information related to your specific business. You can sign up for an account here at LinkedIn.com.
Conclusion
These are but three of the many sites that you can establish a presence on and build your global image. The overall strategy is to establish outpost around the internet so that you are where your potential customers are. These outpost will all lead back to your blog or website, which is what makes this process so powerful.
As pointed out earlier, do not spread yourself too thin in an attempt to cover too many sites at once. The result will be shoddy or incomplete and unprofessional looking profiles, so complete one before moving on to another.
There are more places on the internet than you could ever cover, so be judicious in your selections of sites to use and build your brand.
Be a contributor to these communities and avoid being perceived as a spammer who has only their own interest at heart. A reputation like that will be difficult to shake and must be avoided at all cost. Yes, you are marketing but this must be done in a strategic manner.
I hope that you’ve found this article helpful and that it serves to jump-start your online business career. Good luck with your future endeavors.
Readers of this article may also find interest in;
Why Start an Online Business in a Down Economy
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