An excellent book for those looking to get started in social media, gain a better understanding of it, or understand why it is important. The examples that Kerpen gives are spot on as to the value that lies in the new, but oh so old, form of interaction.
At its base, social media is not much different than all the communication that we have all been doing for years; that the human race and consumers have been doing forever. What is different about it is the immediacy, the permanence, and the reach. Kerpen illustrates this very well with examples of how social media has been used to help companies and causes, or ignored to the peril of those on the wrong end.
As one saying goes about social media, “your customers are already talking about you, don’t you want to be part of that conversation?” Likeable Social Media helps you to understand how to be part of that conversation without being a pushy salesperson or an overpowering know-it-all. You want to be liked. You want to be the person that others gather around at the cocktail party instead of the one they all avoid.
You don’t have to read this book cover to cover, in fact your don’t even have to read the chapters in order. In that way it is a great desk or bedside reference to just pick up from time to time to get a quick bit of inspiration.
If social media bewilders you at all, this book is highly recommended.
What do you see when you see the name “therapists”? Well, depending on the context, you may see the profession “Therapists” or you may see the more dangerous and derogatory “TheRapists”. This is one of the things you need to think about when choosing a web identity such as a Twitter name.
Too often we get caught up in the excitement of a new name discovery or something we think is cute without considering the long term ramifications. We will hold a personal example until last, but lets next consider a friend of mine who came up with a great social media identity – Social Sass. But wait, when we put those words together as a domain name or Twitter ID, that great title can quickly become “SocialsAss”. Most likely not what the selector had in mind.
In addition to the odd double meanings of names, you also need to beware of names that are either hard to spell or confusing. This applies to plurals, multiple words that repeat letters, and the odd spelling form. Think about this – if your Twitter name is read on a radio program or podcast, would people be able to find it without doing a search or having it spelled out for them? The word “skool” may seem cooler to you that “school”, but how many prospects are you going to lose because they can’t find you.
And if your name is Tess, and your run a school, how many people would be able to find “TesssSkool” or even “TesssSchool”? How many “S”s are in that? And remember you can’t put in the apostrophe, so what are you going to do? Even if you don’t make it possesive, you get “tessschool”. Again, how many people would put in the correct number of “S”s?
On a mechanical note, beware of easily lost characters. The underscore for exacmpe, “_”, can easily be lost on forms with underlines. And not just lost in print, but lost on devices. What that means is beware of any character that is hard to enter on a cellphone’s keyboard. The more mobile platforms become a part of everyday life, the more we need to be aware of how hard it can be to enter special characters on those devices.
Finally, lets just look at my own example. Palmettobug. That was my business name. I was enamored of it. Little did I know that lots of people, especially women find the reference to bugs “icky”. So, after having that brought to my attention, and then having to come to grips with it, I am rebranding myself – as myself.
So, choose your name carefully. And for more on this subject, check out my colleague Cheryl Smithem’s post on the rest of this subject. Her post, Social Media Names, speaks to the heart of branding and is the partner post to this post.
It was with this sunny outlook that I arose Sunday morning and checked in on Twitter. I love Twitter, and regard it as one of the most useful social media tools, which you already know if you read my last Blog post. Coffee in hand, I logged in, ready to do all the things Twitterphobes and Social Media Managers love to do.
And there it was – and I admit to a bit of hyperbole here – what I now affectionately call the Red Text Rectangle of Death. This Twitter account had been SUSPENDED.
Friends, it gets better – this was a CLIENT account.
For the rest of this story, and more importantly some great pointers on what to do if it happens, head on over to the Social Media Strategies site by Liz DeLoach. Let me tell you this – I was right there with her during the process and it was something you need to prepare for.
So you’re using Facebook, but you’re still not sure about Twitter? A lot of people think that because of their Facebook presence, Twitter would be redundant for them. I think I know why they feel that way. I believe it has a lot to do with Twitter’s status update prompt: “What’s happening?” They see a few folks who use those precious few 140 characters to share the mundane details of daily life and they think, “Wait, don’t I already do that on Facebook?” And they’re right. Except that this isn’t what you should do on Twitter. Twitter has a higher calling, as it were, which is great to be a part of once you understand a few key points. Make no mistake, I don’t THINK you should be on Twitter. I KNOW you should be there.
Much as I love and use it now, I readily admit at first I didn’t “get” Twitter. I don’t think most people do, initially. If you joined Facebook first, then Twitter may seem limited by comparison. Yet, Twitter in my opinion is by far a better medium to get really useful information from reliable sources on just about any topic of interest quickly and efficiently. Its brevity, which novices can find limiting and even frustrating, is its best and most valuable feature. Each tweet is easy to digest, can be easily shared, and the short bursts of info enable you to cover more “ground” quickly. The symbols and shorthand are easy to learn and use once you visit the site a few times. I use it both as communication and research tool. By following those individuals, organizations, and companies who have content of interest to you, you’ll find it an invaluable and virtually unlimited resource platform to use for your personal and professional benefit and that of others. Have a complaint about a company on Twitter? You’ll likely get a response in hours, if not minutes. Want to stay abreast of current events? Often the first place I learn of breaking events is Twitter. Other mediums are slow by comparison. Have insights to share? Tweet it. Looking for a job? Post a link to your resume. The possibilities are endless. Continue Reading »
Research published by analyst firm Access Markets International Partners shows that almost 70 percent of small and medium businesses actively use social media sites such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn to promote their companies. But simply posting what your CEO had for lunch isn’t going to do much to help move your business forward. Smart companies are tactically using social media tools to increase their exposure to potential customers.
We’ve compiled ten of the most compelling reasons that you should consider using social media tools to promote your business.
Brand Recognition: Using social media allows your company to reach the highest number of potential customers possible. Getting your name out there is incredibly important – studies have suggested that customers need to hear a company’s name at least seven times before they will gain the trust and respect needed to become a customer.
Brand Monitoring: Having a social media presence allows you to better understand what current and potential customers are saying about your product or services. Through active social media monitoring, you have the opportunity to address negative comments and correct false or inaccurate information about your brand.
Be Forward-Thinking: Your target audience is becoming savvier when it comes to the using social media sites in their daily lives. If you want to appear relevant and in-step with the latest advances in technology, your potential customers will want to see you on these sites as well.
I hope you enjoyed the presentation and the resources provided. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions about what you would like from future episodes of this podcast, please just email, leave a comment, or call the listener line at 843.628.6379.
The second half of this presentation will be posted shortly as the next in this series of podcasts. In the meantime, please let me know what you think of this half and also if you have any questions.
The slide presentation for my April 13th talk at the Charleston County Library’s Small Business and Not-For-Profit Networking Lunch entitled “Talking Twitter” is now one at The Social Media Monster. The audio of the presentation will be posted shortly as the next in my series of social media podcasts.
I want to thank everyone who attended the presentation for coming and helping to create a great discussion.
These are the slides from my April 13th talk at the Charleston County Library’s Small Business and Not-For-Profit Networking Lunch entitled “Talking Twitter”. The audio of the presentation will be posted shortly as the next in my series of podcasts.
Note: If you click on “View on SlideShare, the slides will be larger and you can also download the presentation.”
I seek to empower people by making technology a vehicle for driving businesses and communities. Just as you drive a car without worrying about how the engine operates, I will take care of your information systems as a data mechanic. This lets you drive the technology, instead of it driving you. I provide social media, web development and PC and Macintosh support services for small businesses and not-for-profits in Charleston and the surrounding South Carolina Lowcountry.
Likeable Social Media: How to Delight Your Customers, Create an Irresistible Brand, and Be Generally Amazing on Facebook (& Other Social Networks)
So you’re using Facebook, but you’re still not sure about Twitter? A lot of people think that because of their Facebook presence, Twitter would be redundant for them. I think I know why they feel that way. I believe it has a lot to do with Twitter’s status update prompt: “What’s happening?” They see a few folks who use those precious few 140 characters to share the mundane details of daily life and they think, “Wait, don’t I already do that on Facebook?” And they’re right. Except that this isn’t what you should do on Twitter. Twitter has a higher calling, as it were, which is great to be a part of once you understand a few key points. Make no mistake, I don’t THINK you should be on Twitter. I KNOW you should be there.
