Archive for the Category »Social Networking «

May

Anyone who has blogged for any length of time will admit they enjoy the sense of community they find online.

In blogosphere we quickly find others with whom we identify.

People who think like us. People who listen. People who don’t judge. People who show praise.

In fact, blogosphere and most online social networking sites are becoming melting pots of like minded people congregating in their own circles to discuss topics of the heart, with each person having compassion for the other.

Today’s Lesson

Online “community” is hard to explain to someone who doesn’t blog or spend time on social networking sites. We may joke and say we need to connect with “our peeps”, but in our heart we take that communication pretty seriously.

After all, we have “relationships” with our online acquaintances and don’t want them to feel neglected.

It’s not that we’re giving up on real life.

We feel we can have both.

When Late Night Mum left a comment on the “Are Blogs Dying?”post, she said, in part,

I have been exploring how its easier to be honest online and think blogging offers that outlet, ….

I replied:

That’s true. Many bloggers are voicing opinions on topics they may not even discuss with their friends and family. Although that can make for good “therapy”, it makes me wonder if by doing so, we lose touch with the real world.

And she added:

I agree there is a very real risk we can lose touch with the real world. Equally the real world can be very judgmental and by blogging anonymously I get to explore my real feelings with people. I am getting fed up with my real life so called friends playing games.

Late Night Mum raises a good point. When we feel let down or judged in the real world. it’s easier to turn to the internet for communication, support and friendship.

And…with the internet, we can choose who we communicate with.

Then, if we don’t like what they’re saying, we can click off or just “unfriend” or “unfollow” them.

In real life, we may not have those options.

But on the flip side, in real life we can have so much more.

Today’s Assignment

Do you think people are using blogs or social networking sites as a way to communicate with others because real life is letting them down?

Have you ever encountered this?

Care to share?
.

Category: Archives, Blogging, Blogging Lessons, Social Networking 46 Comments

Jan

Don’t Shoot Me

Barbara Swafford

A lot of bloggers consider themselves to be private people. In fact, for various reasons, many don’t even publish a photo of themselves online let alone their real name.

However, with blogs and social networking sites like Facebook or Twitter, our privacy could easily be invaded.

Today’s Lesson

It seems like everyone has access to a digital camera and with the ease of their use, snapshots and videos are being taken at an alarming rate.

We see them on Twitpics, Facebook, MySpace, YouTube and on blogs; often with a description of who is in the photo.

These days it appears anyone is fair game for having their picture published online.

But, what happens if someone shares photos or videos of us without our permission? Is that an invasion of our privacy?

Although there are laws which are suppose to protect that which is published, it makes me wonder, due to the internet and all of the social networking sites, are we losing what we once held so sacred?

I’m thinking “maybe so”.

What say you?

Today’s Assignment

How would you feel if someone posted photos or videos of you online without your permission?

Would you feel your privacy was invaded?

Would you ask them to remove them?

Or is this even a concern for you?

Category: Archives, Blogging, Blogging Lessons, Social Networking Tags: Add new tag, Blog, Digital camera, Facebook, MySpace, Privacy, Social network, Social network service, Twitter 52 Comments

Jun

Do “They” Have The Right To Know

Barbara Swafford

In case you haven’t been following the news, here’s a story that has been raising a lot of controversy.

The name of the article is, “Town Requires Job Seekers To Reveal Social Media Passwords”, by Aba Journal. In part, it says the City of Bozeman, Montana is requiring the following information from it’s applicants:

“Please list any and all, current personal or business websites, web pages or memberships on any Internet-based chat rooms, social clubs or forums, to include, but not limited to: Facebook, Google, Yahoo, YouTube.com, MySpace, etc.”

The city form then offers three lines for applicants to list websites, their user names and log-in information and their passwords, Montana News Station reports.

Today’s Lesson

In a previous lesson we discussed how then President Elect Obama required those who would be working in his administration to list all of their online personalities/activities, etc. Some of the information he requested was,

(10) Writings: Please list and, if readily available, provide a copy of each book, article, column or publication (including but not limited to any post or comments on blogs or other websites) you have authored, individually or with others. Please list all aliases or “handles” you have used to communicate on the Internet.

(58) Please provide the URL address of any websites that feature you in either a personal or professional capacity (e.g. Facebook, My Space, etc.)

(61) Have you had any association with any person, group or business venture that could be used – even unfairly – to impugn or attack your character and qualifications for government service?

(63) Please provide any other information, including information about other members of your family, that could suggest a conflict of interest or be a possible source of embarrassment to you, your family, or the President-Elect.

Although he wasn’t asking for log-in information and/or passwords (to my knowledge), he did want documentation of the applicant’s online participation.

Having read both the Aba Journal article and “City to Job Applicants – Facebook, MySpace Log Ins, Please” by Arstechnica.com, the biggest issue is the fact this employer is asking for login names and passwords.

Many who commented say this is an invasion of privacy, as well as a breach of the TOS (terms of service) for some sites, whereas,

City Attorney Greg Sullivan is quoted as defending the policy: “We have positions ranging from fire and police, which require people of high integrity for those positions, all the way down to the lifeguards and the folks that work in city hall here. So we do those types of investigations to make sure the people that we hire have the highest moral character and are a good fit for the city.”

What do you think?

Today’s Assignment

If you were applying for a job and they asked you the same, what would you do?

Do you want to know what your governmental (City, State, Federal) employees are doing online?

Considering the fact our tax dollars pay their wages, is it our right to know? Or, should the personal life of governmental employees be exempt from scrutiny?

Let’s talk about this one.

Category: Archives, Blogging Lessons, Branding, Search Habits, Social Networking 62 Comments

May

Enhance Your Brand Name Recognition by Nurturing Others

Barbara Swafford

Good Day Class.

Today we have the honor of having Kevin from the Florida Mortgage Blog as our substitute teacher (guest writer). Like tending to a garden, Kevin will be teaching us how to apply that same nurturing to social media.

Please take your seats and have a listen to what Kevin has to say.

Without further ado, I’ll turn the class over to our substitute teacher.

Welcome Kevin.

The floor is yours.

Hello Class

It’s great to be here. Today’s lesson is longer than normal, so let’s get started.

Today’s Lesson

I’ve long believed in the idea that we need to cultivate and nurture our customers and clients in order to foster natural, meaningful, organic relationships.

Social media marketing – using websites like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and the like – is the perfect vehicle by which to achieve this – to tend our social garden, if you will.

We’re all in this blogging and social networking gig for some sort of personal gain, but it’s important to remember that there is real and measurable value in taking time to place the needs, interests, and strategic goals of others before our own – at least some of the time. I say “some of the time” because we should of course always remain mindful our own interests.

We just need to be sure that we take time to keep the social part of social media alive and well.

Hey, Thought You Might Like to Read This…

Remember back in the “good old days,” when the “How to Climb the Corporate Ladder” Gurus would suggest that we clip out newspaper or magazine articles our higher-ups or customers might find useful, and then offer them as a means of building our reputation as intuitive, informed, and valuable individuals?

This is pretty much the concept we need to using to drive our social media efforts, only now we can send links through services like Twitter! Pepper these links with the right hashtags and we can increase our following because some folks out there felt they received some benefit from the little golden nuggets we’ve found!

Each “hey, thought you might like to read this after our last conversation”-type Tweet brings us one step closer to clients and customers thinking “Hey, that person is a darned useful member of my network!”

Never forget that people do business with people they like.

The Post-Man May Only Ring Twice, But You Should Deliver News and Tips More Often…

I am, at times, all over the map with my social media efforts. However, one thing that’s kept me in line (as if that’s possible) is a blueprint I’ve set up for managing my days. As we move ahead with our respective Search Engine Marketing and Social Media Marketing efforts, I really feel that a key to ongoing success is developing some sort of repeatable process – a routine.

I like to look at my social network as a neighborhood. On a flexible but orderly schedule, I pop by and say “¡Hola!” to folks, leave some useful tips, news and information, and then get the heck out of their way.

Remember: It’s never about making the sale. At least not overtly. You’ll develop your book of business over time.

For now – just plant a few seeds in quality soil (carefully selected / targeted contacts) – fill up your watering can with useful and nutritious info – and drip, drip, drip your presence in front of your audience.

In closing, take time to weave into your brand a helpful bit of occupational Umami – a subtle and fresh sense about you that says I’m a helpful and valuable member of your social network! Make this a key part of your brand, and you’ll land on the must-follow and must-know list of more and more people as you go along.

Today’s Assignment

When using social media, are you also marketing yourself and/or your blog?

Has it worked?

Have a story to share?

Comment here so we can all learn together!

Kevin Sandridge is a social media enthusiast and Florida Home Loans Specialist based out of Winter Haven, Florida. He blogs regularly over at his Florida Mortgage Blogger blog discussing topics ranging from mortgage news and trends to online social media efforts.