Mike’s Points

Whenever I get asked about the “future of social media,” one answer I often give is about the real emergence of tools that let you update once, and then you can communicate through all of your networks. That would be a real time-saver so you don’t have to go to Facebook, to Myspace, to Twitter, to your blog, to your __________ and post or update your $0.02.

A one-stop, social media aggregator.

Those aggregation or integration tools are growing. Tweetdeck let’s you do the update Twitter, Facebook and Myspace, for example.

And, this week, LinkedIn and Twitter announced an integration so you can post status updates on both networks.

After mulling that over in my head for a day or two, I thought: One tweet doesn’t always fit all.

How you use one network doesn’t mean you use another network the same way. I view LinkedIn different from Twitter different from Myspace and even a bit different from Facebook, as well as other networks I belong to.

LinkedIn is definitely professional focused.

Twitter is mostly professional-focused but enough personal.

And, Facebook, that seems about split 50-50 of late.

So, just because the future is becoming the now, what you share on one network is not always something you want to share on another.

Fortunately, none of the tools I’ve seen are automatic. You do have control over — and are responsible for — what you say.

While the tools offer you control, just make sure you know how — and when — to use them.

-Mike

During the last couple days, I looked at using search — or better, social media monitoring — to help with blogger outreach, and search to help improve one’s Twitter community.

Today (yes, I know I’m very late with this post), let’s take a look at LinkedIn for building business prospects. This can be used for various objectives, but, in my example, I’m looking at it as a small agency or solo practitioner using it in business development.

LinkedIn has many great ways to find people within your community — professionally and/or geographically — that are open to business relationships. While LinkedIn offers many ways to search, you do business with people, not “companies,” right?

So, use the advanced people search: see right.

While there are many ways to filter your search, I want to point out a few key ways:

Keywords: You can search for prospects based on terms related to vertical industries you have experience in. Sure, you can filter by Industry, but using keywords allow you to refine your search around specific industry terms.

Geography: Looking to do business near you or in your favorite city? LinkedIn has a lot of flexibility to help you search by geography.

Open to potential: The bottom box highlighted is the real key: It shows you who on LinkedIn is interested in what. I have the “interested in: Consultants/contractors” option. There’s also:

• Potential employees
• Entrepreneurs
• Hiring managers
• Industry experts
• Deal-making contacts

And, the ever-there: all option.

Once you get your results, you can sort various ways, from relationship to you, recommendation, keywords and relevance.

So, what are your good LinkedIn tips?

Since business is all about relationships, be sure you are networking with local Social Media Breakfast groups, Social Media Clubs, PRSA, chamber groups, etc. And, be sure you check out LinkedIn to see who is closely connected to you — but you don’t yet know.

-Mike

If you’re interested in learning more about how you can use social media to build business — either having me talk with your group or help your social media marketing efforts — I would appreciate it if you’d contact me.

During the past several months, I’ve been professionally and personally involved in and have watched online contests and events that one way or another involve social media. During that time, I’ve learned a thing or two about what to do to help make them successful.

Before

Contests: As with any outreach project, plan how to promote your contest to help others spread the word. Include promoting the contest on your own online locations (blog, Twitter, Facebook Fan Page, etc.). Research those bloggers who have a passion and blog about the subject or geography connected to your contest. Also, there are A LOT of contest blogs — some bloggers I’ve gotten to know a bit include ContestforMoms (@PetiteMommy) and AContestBlog (@Valmg). As with any other blogger you engage, be sure that you know their audience, know them and DON’T OFFER THEM JUNK PR.

Also, if Twitter is any part of your contest promotion, decide on and promote the hashtag.

Finally, as you start to develop and promote a contest, if the actual contest process changes from the initial process you promoted — tell people about the change.

Events: Facebook and LinkedIn are two social networks that come to mind with easy event tools. If your event is a Tweetup or related to Twitter, check out Twtvite. If it might have news value, don’t forget to draft up a news release and send it to the appropriate contacts at the media that would be be interested in it.

Also, if the event is tied to a geographic community, many have event listing sites, like this one in Toledo.

Again, as with a contest, if Twitter will play any role, develop and promote a set hashtag for the event.

During

Contest: If it’s news worthy, give updates via the previously-researched outreach channels. If you have a Twitter account, give updates there (but still mix in plenty of community-oriented info.). Blog updates. Communicate with those who have entered. Still, reinforce your hashtag if you’re using Twitter in any way.

Events: Encourage attendees to send Twitpics or other Twitter-related picture and video tools. If possible, consider broadcasting it via a service like Livestream or UStream. Also, check out Twubs (a neat event-aggregator I’m also checking out).

After

Contests: Reconnect with those media outlets who expressed interest in or mentioned your contest (either the first announcement or any updates). Promote the contest on your own online media (blog, Twitter, Facebook Fan Page, etc.).

Event: Post a recap — blog, Flickr, etc. — of who attended, amount raised (if it was a charity event), thank your sponsors, attendees and others involved. Depending on the type and size of the event, the previous will vary. Definitely publicly thank others who do any recap or Tweet a congrats on a well-run event.

So, any other to-dos if you’re organizing a contest or event?

And, of course, if I can be of any assistance in brainstorming or helping to develop, organize and promote your event or contest, please don’t hesitate to ask.

-Mike

Image: Courtesy of Janeile Cudjoe. It’s of Mark Pannell recording during the first ever Tattooleetup that he and Sara Lopez organized. See more of Janeile’s images from the event on Facebook.

On Thursday I had the great opportunity to take a short drive north and attend Inforum Michigan’s Jump Start! Social Media Event in Detroit (specifically, Dearborn).

More than anything, the half-day event reaffirmed that there is great regional social media talent right in our own backyard. Who needs Boston, Austin or the West Coast?! While those locales have their own talented professionals, Detroit and the Midwest — including Toledo — can easily hold our own.

Ford’s Scott Monty, global digital and multimedia communications manager for the automaker, was the keynote speaker. I had heard Scott talk at the Module Midwest Digital Conference (a/k/a Module 09) in April, and again, he did not disappoint (not that I was expecting it!).  He talked about his role and that of social media with Ford. He reaffirmed that social media is so much about connecting with people, communicating with them (not to them) and proper upfront planning with goal-setting. I was fortunate to spend a few minutes with Scott in April, and again was glad I had the opportunity to spend a few minutes with him Thursday before the conference began.

The panel and the entire program was moderated by Angela Wisniewski, Web producer at WDIV-TV Local 4 and producer at her AngelasEye.com culture and shopping blog. She did a very fine job introducing the speakers, and asking good questions submitted by attendees.

The panel focused on SEO and various tools in social media.

Pure Visibility Co-Founder & Catalyst Catherine Juon focused on solid basic SEO information. I had met Catherine before as well as mutual following on Twitter. It was great to touch base again and learn more about Google (first known as Backrub, which I now know, thanks to Catherine). Her presentation was mostly low-tech (using a stick up board to talk about good SEO; sorry, no picture), but one that definitely was memorable.

Ingenex Digital Marketing CEO Derek Mehraban focused on Facebook and microsites. I’ve only recently been following Derek (after I registered for the seminar) and it was good to see and hear him first-hand.

MSU Director of Alumni Career Services John Hill focused on LinkedIn, and how he is using it to connect with alumni. He also showed how you can use the same processes for business development, job hunting and searching for potential job candidates.

Finally, there was the dynamic duo of Terry Bean, chief networking officer and founder of Networked Inc. and Motor City Connect, and Charlie Wollborg, chief troublemaker and co-founder of Curve Detroit Advertising, Marketing & Design. Terry and Charlie focused on Twitter. I had briefly met Terry and watched him emcee at Module 09, and was glad to touch base with him again. I also had the pleasure to finally meet Charlie — who is very much like he is on Twitter and in his vlogs.

If you want to check the Twitter stream about #Inforum, do so. I also Twitpic’d a few other images during the event.
Here are some tidbits and information I found of value, of interest and/or just plain memorable:

Scott Monty: Social media needs the support of company leadership. He praised Ford CEO Allan Mulally for his strong support and involvement.

Scott Monty: According to the 2009 Edelman Trust Barometer, 77% of the population trust corporations less this year. But, the public trusts people more.

Scott Monty: In comparing traditional broadcast media with the more one-on-one nature of social media: Would you rather have 1% of 1 million viewers, or 100% of 10,000 viewers? “[Social media] is a chance to bring it (the world) back down to a personal level.”

Scott Monty: Social networking is about how you help others achieve their goals; how you give value to people. People care about themselves and they want to have an impact.

Scott Monty: The tools of social media are irrelevant. Focus on strategy, focus on business goals, and then find tools that fit them. “Tools will always change.”

Scott Monty: In talking about ROI, “What’s the ROI of putting your pants on in the morning? What’s the ROI of using the telephone?” (He also used that comment at Module 09 — still great!) That came up when he was asked about ROI in social media. Essentially, he said, you develop ROI when you set your goals, and then find out how to measure them. Scott also had a great line in talking about the often-quoted site metric of hits: It is “how idiots measure success.”

Scott Monty also gave a pretty good Bill Cosby impersonation in a response to a question of when and how to deal with some types of complaints and criticisms online. Essentially, he said, there are some that you just don’t reply to because you can’t please them. “Social media is like cocaine,” he said, it amplifies who you are. So, you won’t have to respond to some complaints because others will see them for what they really are.

Catherine Juon: Google spiders on your site like words (the best), as well as video and graphics (but those tend to be like dairy to lactose-intolerant Google spiders). (Sorry, I missed what Catherine said one should do to improve those showing up in rankings.)

Catherine Juon: Google, in determining rankings, emphasizes “wisdom of the crowds.” That’s determined by inbound links and how much and what is shared on sites.

Catherine Juon: Google tools include Google Analytics (which I use on this blog) and Google Webmaster Tools (which can help you improve your SEO; that’s a new one for me).

Derek Mehraban: Facebook Groups v Pages: Pages better because of more functionality (similar to CMS), but can’t send a message to all fans like you can with Groups. Derek sees that functionarly being added to Facebook Pages. To get around that in the meantime, become “friends” with all of your Pages fans, and then you can send a message to all of them at once.

Derek Mehraban: Facebook Pages should contain unique content, and be sure to tag photos and videos, as Pages are appearing in natural search results.

Derek Mehraban: Facebook will allow Pages to add to the username rush as of 12:01 a.m., June 28. (See here for details.)

John Hill: 85,000 of the 460,000 MSU alumni are on LinkedIn. John gave a great demonstration of the various ways you can use LinkedIn. I mostly watched and learned; and didn’t take a lot of notes. Just go to LinkedIn and take time to explore, see how you can search for people within your 3rd level network by topic, company, position, geography, etc.

Charlie Curve/Terry Bean: No one really cares what you are doing via Twitter. When you tweet, give value, be a resource, “shine the light” on others (like by retweeting), ask for help.

Charlie Curve/Terry Bean: Grow your followers by following the followers.

Charlie Curve/Terry Bean: If you use a nickname, be sure to include your real name in your bio/profile. It’ll help people find you who are searching for you by your name. Same thought was noted in other social media sites like Facebook: Use your name as your profile; and be consistent with it across all tools.

Charlie Curve/Terry Bean: To find other twitterers in your area or industry, use sites like Twellow, NearbyTweets, WeFollow and Twibs. Another Twitter-related site is Twittionary (which will help you learn Twitter terms).

Like John Hill, Charlie Curve and Terry Bean gave a lot more information than what I took notes on. They did a great job of entertaining while educating.

Again, thanks to Inforum for organizing the event, and all the speakers — who spoke at no cost to Inforum.

-Mike

In the pictures:

Above right: L-R: Derek, someone whose name I didn’t get, Catherine and Angela, listening to Scott’s talk.

Above left: Charlie addresses the audience about Twitter. Terry is to his right.