Posted by Rachel Wollersheim on Fri, Jul 31, 2009 @ 01:54 PM
Today's guest blogger is Thomas Clifford, or tommytrc as his followers know him as. Red Shoes PR first met tommytrc via Twitter during the fall of 2008. Tommytrc regularly ranks as one of the top three Twitterers in Wisconsin and top 100 in the world. Tommytrc's presence on Twitter skyrocketed after tweeting throughout the birth of his son. We asked him to share his passion and expertise on social media. Thank you tommytrc!
I come from a very heavy Italian background. My grandfather on my mother’s side was born in Sicily, so eating and food preparation took a major role in my social upbringing.
Social media is like the recipe for Mom’s favorite spaghetti sauce or chocolate chip cookies. Everyone has a recipe and each is a bit different than the next, though the purpose of the finished product remains bringing smiles to the eater’s face!
Like every good recipe, you start by throwing a few key ingredients together, season to taste and Voile! your masterpiece takes shape. The key ingredients to social media engagement are really simple. Your mileage may vary as everyone’s social media engagement “strategy” is different. Here are my five key ingredients to social media success:
Interaction
It’s next to impossible to be involved in social media without interacting with others. Interaction is one of the main ingredients to a successful social media experience. Regardless of if you are using Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn, the base for each of these social media services is interacting with others. This may be the hardest work you do. You must get out there and meet people, strike up conversations and do some old fashioned “networking.” People can tell if you are genuine or not, and in social media, the one thing you cannot fake is interaction. While some people may find it hard to strike up a conversation on social media sites, I say just like the first dip into the pool, just do it! Once people start replying to your questions or comments, you will get the bug. And it’s infectious. Interaction feeds on other interaction, and before you know it, you will be a social media butterfly.
Share
As you build your social media recipe, it’s next to impossible to go through your day without seeing something that is worth repeating. Whether it’s a post on Twitter or a comment on Facebook, if you like it, spread the word. Like a telephone operator in the old days, if you see a comment that you feel your network of friends will like, “patch it on in” and pass the good 411 around. On Twitter you would retweet it, or on Facebook you comment on it. That way people in your networks can be exposed to valuable information and find people they normally would not cross paths with. In the Twitter world, the sincerest form of flattery is to be retweeted by someone else. Sharing is critical for true social media engagement.
Listen
Many times, the most important ingredient for your master recipe is also the one that you are most likely to leave out. Kind of like the salt in your mom's favorite chocolate chip recipe, “Why does something sweet need salt??” You may think that skipping this all-too important ingredient will not make any difference, but have you ever tried chocolate chip cookies sans salt? You get the picture. In social media, the top engagers are also the best listeners. Its one thing to want your message heard, it’s totally another to listen to other’s messages. Like a great parent, favorite teacher or counselor at school, what makes them great are their listening skills. Many times it’s not what you say that is important, it’s the fact you give someone a listening ear.
The same holds true to social media. Just like an IRL (In Real Life) conversation, listening is one of those ingredients that can make or break the interaction. A conversation without listening is just like mom’s chocolate chip cookies without salt. Do not forget to listen.
Moderation
A great cook knows when to hang up her apron and leave the kitchen. Likewise, in social media sometimes you just need to log off, shut down and spend some quality time doing something else. I’m not talking about just going to bed either. You cannot be a top engager in social media if you are not engaged in real life. You cannot neglect your local friends. Things like local tweetups, local Twitter meet-ups, are great opportunities to network and build new friends, while also feeding your hunger for social media interaction. Locally, we have a pancake tweetup every other Friday at 7 a.m. This is a great way to put real faces to the Twitter avatars and talk more openly about issues and situations. These local interactions actually strengthen our Twitter relations because now you are true friends with these people.
Family
Like moderation, family time is one thing that you may not expect to hear in a social media engagement “must have” list. But, family is one of those ingredients that will add so much pizzazz to your social media experience. Looking for content to share on Twitter or Facebook? Look no further than family oriented stories and experiences. Nothing builds more credit on the social media networks then someone who shares true blue family interaction. You can’t build good family interaction if you are on Twitter or Facebook all day, which is why the family ingredient goes hand-in-hand with our moderation ingredient. Showing family pictures and stories not only warms the heart of your friends and followers, but also shows you are a real person, which in turn builds your followers and friends. It’s a vicious circle that works.
Now, just because you talk about your family, does not mean you need to give up their identity. Privacy is one thing we all need to be careful of. I talk about my wife online all the time, but instead of giving up her name, she is referred to as “mrstommytrc.” This makes it fun, while also keeping your privacy level high. You can experiment to see what works for you.
Now remember kids, if your initial blend of herbs and spices isn’t exactly right, no need to worry or fret. Social media is your creation and you make it what you want. I know from personal experience that mom’s special sauce was always a work in progress. A little more of this, or a little less of that. Like all great cooks, experimenting to get the blend just right takes time and practice, but once you hit it, you will be a social media engagement gourmet!
Connect with tommytrc:
Twitter: @tommytrc
Posted by Maria Heim on Thu, Apr 02, 2009 @ 08:50 AM
One of my favorite aspects of social media is its approachability. The majority of the platforms are free and Web-based, and with a little instruction, they become easy to use. The more people I meet and talk about social media with, the less I’m able to guess who has already integrated social media into his/her life – my best friend makes fun of my Twittering, yet a 60-year-old friend of my father’s has taught me a few things about Facebook’s capabilities.
It’s this “by the people, for the people” spirit that has got me hooked, and also makes me want to look out for my Tweeples’ best interests. I recently heard about an in-person networking event for people who connected online. (I recommend these beneficial events as a way to extend your online networks.) What made me pause about this particular gathering was the fact that the organizers were charging attendees.
It’s important to look at different online opportunities and evaluate them based on what they offer:
• Who has been invited?
• How many people are planning on attending?
• Is there going to be programming offered?
• Are there additional enticements (free drinks, etc.)?
I’m a fan of the informal, spur-of-the-moment meet-ups and the more organized Tweet-ups. I think this is what social networking is all about: finding like-minded people online and furthering your interactions by meeting off-line.
Like paying for anything, it’s important to remember “caveat emptor” and to discover what benefits will come with your payment (time, money or both) to attend social networking events. As social media continues to become more mainstream, it’s important to hold true to its foundational tenant: to provide networking and idea sharing forums within everyone’s reach.
Posted by Karen Buckoski on Thu, Mar 12, 2009 @ 08:42 AM
On a typical day, I log onto Facebook to find friend requests from old high school and college friends, people I meet after networking events, colleagues and clients. But recently, I was caught off guard after logging in and seeing a friend request from my… grandma?!?
At first, I was surprised by the request. My grandma, at 72 years old, was on Facebook? But, that feeling quickly changed after realizing that this was my grandma’s way (who lives eight hours away) of keeping in touch with her children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews and cousins through photos, status updates, and real-time interaction.
Obviously, Facebook is not just for college and high school students anymore. In a study recently completed by istrategylabs, the fastest growing demographic on Facebook is 35-54 year-olds. This demo has not only continued to grow the fastest, but has grown at a rate of 276% from June 2008 through January 2009. The 55 and older demographic is not far behind, growing at a rate of 194%.
People, young and old are finding Facebook valuable to grow their social networks as much as their personal networks. They are looking to become part of a community where they can gather together to support a cause or become a ‘fan’ of a local restaurant or business. In a down economy, people are using their networks of “friends” to help seek out leads to their next job and stay connected.
In February 2009, Facebook turned five years old. Happy Birthday Facebook! You have come a long way in helping connect the more than 150 million people around the world. And as for Grandma, I think she chose the perfect profile picture. She doesn’t look a day older than 25.