Just a Pinch Away From Pluto

By guest blogger, Joe Pacheco:


Growing up, I loved looking at maps of all kinds: The world, my nation, roadmaps, topography and even the occasional treasure map.  The trusty AAA roadmap, perfectly folded in the glove compartment, was a treat to the eyes and an opportunity to be the navigator on family road trips.  These maps were a memorable part of how I learned about the world around me.  Today I see the same excitement in my children, but the Rand McNally is now a touch screen tablet.  

With a flick of the finger I can zoom out to see the solar system or pinch my way back to a satellite image of my back yard, I’ve even spent a few hours identifying planes at the Airplane Graveyard on Google Maps.  This process of how we learn about our surroundings is called GeoCognition and increasingly, our electronic devices are an important part of it.  Of particular interest to me are Social GeoCognitive tools.  

These are applications like FourSquare, Yelp, Zillow and new entrant Echoer, where rich data can be layered onto a specific geographic location to supplement the user’s perception of where they are and who’s been there before them.  As a result, this rich data is dynamic and consequently perishable, in other words, data left to sit out without social interaction becomes less relevant over time until eventually it can be considered spoiled.  

For example, let’s say you've launched an application that allows users to tag their favorite Christmas light displays around town.  This data is most ripe between the point it is collected and the New Year.  In January, when the lights begin to come down the data is less relevant, or it is spoiled.  Zillow, a real estate portal, is another example; while historical sales prices might be valuable to some, most of us are interested in today’s availability and cost.  

What data spoilage creates is unwelcome noise on the explorer’s expedition, and less likelihood that they will use your map next time.  As social media expands further into geocognition the leaders will not only have good content, but will protect their relevance by adding a temporal component to the dynamic layer of data.  In the meantime, those that are eager for social media to drive results for them should get on the map and keep the data fresh.

Joe Pacheco is a father and a husband. He is habitually curious and always looking around the next corner. He is in perpetual pursuit of understanding the "why" behind the "what" in industries, organizations and individuals. He tweets as @Capitopolis

Mob Mentality

If you haven't heard about the Spike Lee tweet involved in the Trayvon Martin shooting take a second and read that link.  Don't worry, this isn't about to get political or anything of the sort.  In fact, it's a much different post than most here, but one that this story has me thinking deeply on.  I pose this question today, "Is social media just a digital mob?"  

We hear every day about people getting news from Twitter or other online sources faster, and in more real time, than ever before.  In most cases, people see the news happening instead of reading about it after.  Think back to the Egyptian situation last year or the Libyan battles being told in real time.  The masses hear something, make a judgement call, and move on.  I personally, as mentioned in my "One Word" post, tend to lean towards truth and honesty, with integrity above all in my postings and online activities.  I'm the skeptic, the one who reads and asks "how" or "why" before making a judgement call.  Sadly, not everyone ever even wants to get to either of those.  They are happy being informed, be it truth or rumor, and moving forward with their initial assessment.

If you have never been involved in a "mob mentality" type situation, believe you me, they are frightening and amazing at the same time!  They've been like that since the days of the Roman Colosseum, and it's with that thought that I ask, has anything really changed other than the medium?  Are we still making judgement calls as they did so many years ago in those arenas, just through Twitter or Facebook providing the "cheering" to egg us on.

One of the nice and amazing things that LinkedIn has done is make us honest about our work history.  No more fiibbing and fudging saying that you graduated top of your class or that you held a vice presidents job at a manufacturing company (no one has ever heard of).  If you do that today on LinkedIn, someone in your network will cry foul.  The same goes for pretty much every social platform out there actually.  The "green curtain" that may have been up for some is now down, and everyone can see "your inner wizard".

Yet, for all the good that can come form this level of transparency, the same level of malice can be wrought as well.  This is why I stress so heavily that it is a great differentiator to have, and manage, a personal branding strategy.  If I post something filled with malice and malcontent, similar to me saying I was VP of Ford, most people would cry foul and not believe it.  Most would, and should, call me crazy.  In addition, they would immediately call me out publicly on it through my social networks.  

In this case, this post doesn't appear to have done any damage initially, but in the long run, who knows?  Is this any different than someone running into a theater and yelling "Fire!" at the top of their lungs?  Some people, believe it or not, believe everything they read, even on the internet.  I know, it's shocking.  Yet centuries removed from the gladiator battles, we still tend to give that which we read the "Caesar Treatment" of "Thumbs up or down" at first pass.  Heck, we're even prompted to do so on almost every page of the internet in print, with the famous "like" button staring us in the face.  Add into that the potential size of the mob being ten fold with someone's social reach and the results could be staggering.  

The only question left, is will your actions and strategy lead you to do good things with this kind of power?  With that, I leave you with a famous quote from someone well aligned with this article: 

"Men are nearly always willing to believe what they wish." - Julius Caesar.

Tool Tuesday - Klout

Clout:  noun pull; strong influence; muscle, especially political power

Klout: noun a tool designed to measure one's clout in social media

By now, you may have heard of Klout.com.  It's an amazing thing.  At it's core, it's a combination of mathematics and algorithms that is supposed to display your reach, your presence, and your influence in social networks that you connect to Klout.  But, when you lift it up to a closer inspection, there is a lot more than a simple score.

First thing is first, if you don't have a Klout account, you can set one up at Klout.com or you can log in with Facebook or Twitter.  The first thing you will do is add networks to your Klout account.  You can add any combination, or one of, Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, LinkedIn, Foursquare, YouTube, Instagram, Tumbler, Blogger, Wordpress, Last.fm, or Flicker.  Whew, I'm tired just listing them.

After you connect your accounts you are then greeted with your first summarized Klout score, which will look like this:

Now, first I must say, the mistake everyone makes, self included, is thinking that the higher that number is, the better things are.  This could not be further from the truth!  There are some key indicators though, and here's how you can, once knowing said number, see if your personal strategy is reflected in your actions.

The first thing I like to look at is my Klout Style.  This is found by clicking on your name in the upper right and then on Klout Style on the left hand menu of the new page.  Style uses a similar method to a magic quadrant and shows you a varying scale of where you land, based on your activity.  For example, here is mine:

This alone can immediately tell you if you are aligned to your strategy.  In my example, I am "Focused" and "Consistent" which directly aligns to my strategy for my connected platforms on Klout.  I personally have LinkedIn, Google Plus, Facebook, Twitter and Foursquare connected only.  As such, I tend to ensure that what and how I talk about things on those platforms is steady and similar, and in this case, Klout confirms that.  If I saw myself at the Consistent end but maybe a box higher, I may become concerned I'm roaming too much on my topics.  

Perhaps yours shows you in the upper left or lower left corners?  Neither is bad, in fact none of this is bad, which is myth some people need to be made aware of.  If I'm new to social media, this should show me as more Casual or Listening than anything else.  If it said I was Focused and Consistent, well, it wouldn't carry much Klout now would it?

So now we know a bit more about Style, what about Topics and Influencers?  Topics are interesting to me as at times, I've seen Klout mark a topic in my "top 5" and I've made only two or three comments on it.  Sometimes it seems that "recency" can trump "actual volume" so buyer  beware on this.  So if you are a game manufacturer and you see "dog walking" in your top 5 Topics, double check you haven't made a few comments recently about walking Fido around the block, or you can do what I do, which is just delete the "randomly" added Topics that don't align to your strategy.  No worries, it won't impact your score, but it could make managing your account a bit simpler.

Influences is a very interesting menu as well.  This will have two tabs, and show you both who you influence and who is influenced by you.  Now, similar to the "secret sauce" I don't have a direct feed into the math behind this, so I take Klout at it's face value, but for the most part, it's spot on.  People who retweet me, or comment on my postings on my platforms tend to show up in my "you influence" menu.  While at the same time, those I retweet or comment on show up in the "your influencers" menu.  In either case, I find it an interesting review to see what I know about those people's styles, and if them being an influencer for me is something I'd say aligns with my persona strategy.  

If you have other friends or colleagues on Klout, you can give them +K points in specific topics as well, which is a very nice way of showing the world, "Hey, this guy knows what he is talking about.".  At times, yes, it can be gamed, like any other system similar in nature, but I stand by my moniker that it is really hard to trick the internet, and even harder to trick those connected to it.  Sooner or later, gamed accounts can be seen a mile away.

This is only the tip of the iceberg with Klout as well.  There is a lot of useful information in the tool, if you are inclined to check it out.  I will defiantly warn you not to get number envy though.  It's easy, it happens, we're human and for some reason, human's like big numbers, but in Klout's case, it's more of a baseline than an actual grade.  So as you add a potential new tool to your tool box, remember what it is used for, what it can be used for, and if it will help you achieve your goals!

One Word

Truth be told, today's post will be a lot more than one word, but at the root, the goal from our "conversation" here will be for you to find your "One Word".

I talk a lot about personal branding.  Actually, it seems like a lot of people do.  However, I find not many people really take the time to stop talking and actually think about it.  Let's face it, no one just creates a brand, they develop over time.  If I could snap my fingers and be the perfect person in everyone's eyes, I'd be selling that in a bottle, somehow!  In fact, in most cases, people "end up" at their brand, rather than strategically designing it, let along understanding how they got there.

With that, today, I'd like to challenge you on something that may sound very simple, but trust me, can be a  challenge, albeit, one worth completing!  Today I would like you to think very hard, and very deep internally, as to what you stand for.  What do you want to project as a brand?  What are the beliefs that you want visible in your brand?  Then, I want you to think about what one word, a singular word, that describes that brand, those values, and that image.

Sounds easy right?  Well, mine took me almost a decade to figure out, so don't think this challenge is a one time, one session, sit down and crank it out thing.  No, this is more of a starting point, with the journey really being the joy, and yet the destination being just as rewarding.

My brand?  I focus it around my one word.  Trust.  I manage all my communications, all my discussions, all my interactions online, and in person for that matter, with one thought in mind, "Am I being honest and received as trustworthy?"  

This one question is something that runs through my head every day, in every meeting, blog post I write, topic I discuss, everything.  I've developed it over time as I said, in fact my original word was 'Dedicated'.  Over time I started to realize that I never liked posting in what I call "Clintonisms", which is where you give only enough info to lead someone in a specific direction.  I also realized I never liked giving out so much information that it may impact anyone involved.  It was slow, and I have had several different words, none bad, but all increasingly better than the last, to help focus me as a person, but also as someone interacting online.

Social Media extends conversations and networking opportunities.  If we try and "act" like someone online, sooner or later people will see through that and see who you really are and what you really stand for as a person or brand.  If you are not true to yourself in these cases, well, frankly, not many will be true back to you and you'll find your image, your brand, and your reputation hurting for it.

Finding your "One Word" will help you more than you think.  It'll become the basis for you your interactions online.  It'll make you think about what you are posting and if it would be perceived as that word.  It'll then bleed into your interactions in person, and soon, it'll be truthfully, who you are, what you stand for, and how other's perceive you and your brand.

Existentially, sure, this could be a discussion on "find out who you really are", but as most people tell me, "I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up", and they are in their forties!  Take time today to think about what you would like people to describe you as, what you would like people to say about you, and then think, if they were asked what your "One Word" was, what word would they choose for you?  If it doesn't align with what you think today, then the question is how can you change that?

If it does, bravo to you, as you are well down the path to perfecting your personal brand!  Believe me, while I feel I'm in a good place with mine, I know I'm not even close to done evolving, as a person, or as a perceived brand.  It is a lengthy journey, but with a singular focus of "One Word" to keep you on track, it's a journey worth taking!

Pinteresting Pinformation

Pinterest.com is without a doubt, the new Shiny Ball!  It's not often the average Joe gets excited when you start talking about different platforms, but when it comes to  Pinterest, everyone who is anyone seems to perk up, light up, and want to talk about their "boards" their "pins" and the projects.  The later of which, is the crux of my question today; "Have you bought anything because of Pinterest?"

Why would I ask that and what do I exactly mean?  Quite simple.  Has anything you have seen on  Pinterest made you buy the product you saw.  Has any click on any pin that takes you to the originating site caused you to purchase that exact object?  My bets are, for the most part, the answer is going to be "No."

No don't get me wrong, I like Pinterest a lot.  In fact I think it has staying power as I've talked about before, with it being so visual and so engaging because of the way they pull off the visuals.  That said though, I am beginning to develop and solidify the opinion that Pinterest is not a place where you can drive massive amounts of revenue from a business perspective.  The majority of people I know who are on Pinterest at least once a week always say the same type of thing, which usually sounds like this, "Oh, I saw the coolest thing on Pinterest the other day!  I'm going to make one this weekend!"

Even I have fallen victim to Pinterest consuming my "honey do" list.  No one is safe.  For that matter, I'm not really complaining either, as it isn't costing me as much as if I were buying the things my better half has decided we should now make directly from a business.  We are buying some supplies mind you, but at a fraction of the cost had we bought the finished good from a manufacturer.

I'm sure several people can prove me wrong and show me examples of corporations or businesses driving revenue through Pinterest, and I'm sure they are there and doing well! I just don't believe they are the majority.  I have come to the determination that Pinterest is just that, Pins to gain your Interest, and as such, they are musing more than marketing. They are providing more self-inspiration than monetary investment.

Is this bad?  Not at all, it's quite a good thing in my opinion.  It's actually quite refreshing when you think about it given the propensity for social sites to immediately "have" to drive revenue.  However, when the next person tells me how much potential Pinterest has to drive said revenue, I will more than likely remind them that it is just that, only potential... for the moment.

BiG Ideas!

Today I had the pleasure of volunteering some time to teach a class at BiG Austin on social media platforms and basics through the eyes of an entrepreneur!  BiG Austin is a not-for-profit agency designed to help small business owners with micro-loans and business acumen training.  What more, they are about to have their "BiG Idea" day very soon!

What's BiG Idea day?  I'm glad you asked!  As BiG austin's site says:

BiG Idea day celebrates local small businesses that have made Austin America’s No.1 “Boom Town” according to Forbes Magazine.  BiG|idea day is the largest annual fundraiser for BiGAUSTIN with over 300 attendees made up of small business owners, financial institutions, corporations and community leaders. Attendees have the opportunity to witness what small business owners are doing to “Keep Austin businesses competitive and profitable” in today’s marketplace.  This event will provide a diverse arena for businesses to network and share valuable information with all in attendance while showcasing the finalists of our annual business plan competitions and shopping with local vendors in the BiGMarketplace. 

Here is a recap of BiG Idea day 2011 below.  I hope if you are local and involved in the community, you can join in the celebration and networking!

Tool Tuesday

Last week we spoke a bit about Manageflitter.com and how it can help you be in more control of your Twitter account.  This week on Tool Tuesday, I'd like to review something called MediaFeedia.com, billed as "The business tool for Facebook!"  Let's face it, being the most powerful social media platform, Facebook is a goldmine for businesses!

MediaFeedia.com is a tool that allows you to manage multiple accounts at once, receive email from pages, easily set up administrators for your pages, as well as protection, and can schedule posts for users.  The later being one of the more powerful tools for a brand or business on Facebook.

The conversation is happening, the only choice is are you going to be a part of it.  Today, with 800+ Million people on Facebook, and over 480+ Million being active daily (1), there is a lot of discussions happening and a lot of potential customers talking about... well, you!  Sure, you may not have the biggest, most robust business out there, but you have customers, and chances are, they are on Facebook.

Let's take a look at an example of MeedFeedia's offers for instance and what it can do for your business:

Easy to see the power of managing deals and offers from your page and connecting with your fans.  The possibilities are endless!  In addition though, MeedFeedia.com allows you to manage multiple pages fro one hub.  If your business has multiple pages, or if you are coordinated with several businesses together, this is a great way to share the same content to the different audiences you want to reach, through all your pages, at once.


And the scheduling, well, let us face it, we're all not online ALL the time.  Good marketers know when their targets are looking at them.  Just like TV advertising, there are more prime time slots than non-prime, and when it comes to ensuring in the constant steam of media that you and your business get seen, having the capability to release your posts into the wild, at the prime times your customers use social media is very valuable!


Even more, they have a new feature that allows you to not only schedule your posts, but repeat them!  What's this mean?  Well, it means you can run the same offers or same news items at specific intervals to ensure consistency.  Run a coffee shop and want customers who are fans to always get notified of the "Flavor of the day" on Friday's at 7 am?  Can do.  And as you remember, consistency, well, she is the Queen!

There is quite a bit to like to about MeediaFeedia.com, but I will caution you that it truly is a business owner's tool!  That said, as an entrepreneur and small business owner, this can take your business to the next level in Facebook integration with your fans!


Notations:

(1) http://newsroom.fb.com/content/default.aspx?NewsAreaId=22 

It's all fun and games...

I have a friend, who shall remain nameless, who has a Facebook page for his dog.  Yes, his dog.  All four legs and cute wagging tail of him.  And no, he’s not alone.  Notwithstanding the four legged invasion, the smaller two legged invasion is happening as well.  Today, 15% of the total population of users on Facebook and Twitter are under seventeen!  So my question today is what age is right to get your kids into social media platforms?

In full disclosure, I have an eighteen year old daughter, and six and four year old sons.  When setting up my daughter on Facebook, I think it was a harder decision and process than the cell phone one!  Conversely, my boys mostly interact socially through xbox games or ipad games, not in actual conversation platforms. 

It was about three years ago that we got my daughter on Facebook.  We gave in to her pressures, but with rules around it.  Password control, friends rules, scheduled time, etc.  I’ll give you a bit hint here, there is no right answer to the posed question in paragraph one, but whatever is the answer for you and yours, it is best when wrapped around rules!

I think about my two boys and how they are growing up with Social Media interlaced in everything they do.  While my 6 year old may only think of being “social” as his time at baseball practice, he sees Facebook every time he boots up the Xbox to play a Lego game, and has a small group of friends he can play with online.  At the same time, he understands leaderboards, as does our four year old, and how he can ping those people who are higher up than him.  When you think about it, it’s not too far of a leap to social sites like Facebook and Twitter from there.

Kids my boys’ age today are going to grow up with Social Media sites and networks as much of a normal part of their life as you and I did with TV.  To them, their generation may very well be the most “open” or “connected” generation ever.  But if we don’t teach them about being “open”, how to manage these things, well, it’ll just be like me going through high school and looking back now wishing there was a stock market class!  No teaching means unskilled use of tools!  (And trust me, I’m not blogging because I’m an investment millionaire who is bored… well, not yet at least!)

Don’t get me wrong either, this is hard stuff.  We had friends call us “Fuddy duddies” for all the rules we put around our daughter’s use of Facebook.  Name calling aside, my wife and I know we helped her understand the impacts of good and bad “social behavior” and helped her think about the image she projects, which at her age, being seen as responsible and reputable is a huge factor for college bounds kids!

Now when it comes to my boys, I have yet to see a benefit for them, at this point in their lives.  While many schools have teachers on Facebook to help answer kids questions, or groups to help, that is still geared at the teen ages and not the elementary level.  That said, I’m a big fan of positive social connections in this manner, as if I had a direct line to my teachers, I may have passed a few of my tougher subjects with a higher grade.

Depending on your situation, you may be ok with your six year old on Facebook, and for that matter, they may be comfortable with it as well!  Nothing is wrong with that in my opinion, providing you are involved and engaged with them.  There is no right or wrong answer, but as long as you know the rules, and more importantly, play by them, there are benefits to be found.

Yes, I know the underlying discussion here is parenting and parental involvement.  No, I’m not going to preach to you about what I think you should do.  Only you can determine what’s best for you and your family.  That said, most things are good… in moderation.  This is true in social media as well, be it six or sixty.  The key is finding the balance, where the benefits are, and if the benefits out weight the risk, especially when we are talking about our children’s safety!

Speaking of, here are some great resources for parents with connected kids:

Kids Rules for Online Safety (for pre-teens), from Safekids.com:
http://www.safekids.com/kids-rules-for-online-safety/

Netsmartz information for kids of all ages:
http://www.netsmartz.org/Parents

FBI Parent’s Guide to Internet Safety:
http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/parent-guide

I highly recommend this to be one of the “talk” opportunities for you and your kids.  It’s both a positive chat, one that’s laced with technology (which will make you look cool to know this stuff) and will help keep them safe, which is the most important part!

Sonar - Ambient Social Networking

If you read my post on Highlight last week, you're familiar with the concept of "Ambient social Networking"  Todya, I'd like to share with you a short clip on a new application in this line called Sonar.  This video highlights (pardon the pun) the founder of the company, Brett Martin taking the time to be part of the series, "Elevator Pitch" with Alan Meckler.

What do you think so far of the "Ambient Social Networking" rage?  Have you tried it?  If not, why?  Would you invest in Sonar?  Whatever the future holds for apps like this, I think this is 4 minutes well spent for an individual involved in social media, or for entrepreneurs.

It's not if you win or lose, but how you play the Gamification!

With the recent announcement of Gowalla closing it's doors the term Gamification is rolling around in my head a lot.  Gowalla, especially being close to home in Austin here, did a good job of both competing with Foursquare for Geo-Locaiton Check-Ins, but also making it pretty and fun to compete for badges and honors.  But is this type of offers something good for business to be involved in?  In short, yes, if managed right!

 

Now, make no mistake, while Gowalla looked slick, and three years ago had a great run with South by South West (SXSW), Foursquare crushed it.  Now, while many people will mention Facebook Places, the trouble with nailing down how well that is doing is that they don't seem to provide numbers on "consistent" users, rather, leading to "number of people who have tried Places".

In the end, unless we all know a LOT of people out in the wild, who are always out and about, Geo-Location services are really not a necessity of life, hence the term, Gamification.  Some people love gamification, others think the worst of it.  Essentially, looking at Foursquare and Gowalla, they used the fun and bragging rights for badges and "mayorships" to instill a competition system, and thus, turn "where you hang out" into a game.

Some businesses have adopted using these services very well while to advertise their business and to reward their clients.  One that comes to mind is Chili's restaurant.  When you check in on Foursquare with two others in your party (so three total check-ins at the same time) you get a free appetizer.  Now, for people familiar with these services, that's a nice bonus.  For the restaurant, it's word of mouth ads and a salty starter that could ensure more beverage purchases at a good margin.  However, the only bad part is when you do that, and your server has no clue what Foursquare is and spends the next 15 minutes trying to get a manger that does, assuming they do, for help.

Corporations, small businesses, and brands have a great tool with Geo-Location Game-based apps out there today.  Maybe you have a business that, well, honestly, isn't too much fun in it's normal surroundings.  Let's say, a laundromat.  I mean, what's fun about doing your clothes right?  Ok, maybe some of you like that, and more power to you, but for me, it's a bore.  But, if I were to go to a local Laundromat and check in Foursquare, it sure would be nice if the Mayor of that location got, say a discount coupon once a month, or even free soap or something.  Rewarding consistency and loyalty, getting your name out there, and making people want to come and check in if they were just stopping by before.

Another example you say?  Ok, let's get more powerful. You own a gas station, or manage one.  Anyone ever walk into a gas station, or stroll up to the pump lately and say, "Man, I'm so HAPPY to be here!".  No, usually it is, "What!? It's how much per gallon now!?".  Well, you see things like, "Free car wash with 8 gallons or more purchase" all the time, so why not a "Mayors get a free car wash" or "$0.05 per gallon off when you check in"? The latter would be very powerful these days!  And, when three's a gas station on every corner in some places, it's a deferential that could get people to come to your corner first!

More powerful you say?  OK, what about plumbing?  Anyone get a drain snaked lately?  If not, let me attest, it's expensive.  But how can you check in to a business that comes to you?  Well, with a bit of creativity, the owner of said plumbing company could make a generic spot on Foursquare, let their client check in (so as not to give away their home location if not desired) and then provide a 5% or 10% discount for checking in when they arrive at your house.  Creative, discounting something that's helpful, and you can't say that being the Mayor of "Generic Guy's Plumbing" wouldn't start a conversation next time you are with your social friends!  This alone is word of mouth gold for the creative businessperson behind it!

I warn you fair reader, that while this all sounds positive, as with most of our discussions here, your personal and professional brand can be impacted greatly if the people you hire are unaware of these things.  When that server walks away with your phone (you'd be surprised how many do when you show them the ad in the app), or when the customer service rep at the counter looks at you like you have three heads, it's game over!  As with any other social strategy for a company or person, if all the players in this game aren't aware of the rules, well, it's not a very fun game.  So take the time to ensure everyone knows the offers, rewards, and the apps involved.  A short review and continued (remember consistency!) reminders, goes a long way when we are talking about experiences!

Whatever your reward system, we're living in an age where instant gratification spells great reward for those willing to play the game well, and with a focus on their customers.  The more creative you are with these opportunities, the more you will build brand loyalty and see it spread rapidly as well!  So go on, get your game on and don't forget to check in so you can get checked out!

Tool Tuesday - Manageflitter

Starting this week I am going to dedicate Tuesdays to a focus blog on a specific tool, or tools, that help us all be better at social media.  This week, I've chosen one of my favorites.  It can be as cheap as free, or has professional features as well, but not matter your choice, ManageFlitter.com is a must have for Twitter users of all types!

Why ManageFlitter.com?  Simple.  In one online application, you can manage who you follow and who follows you, as well as identify not only who has been inactive for several days to a month, but also see who has unfollowed you! Mind you it can't read their minds and tell you why they unfollowed you, but it's still good to know if you see yourself drop from 240 to 237, who the escapees are.

After clicking on the link above, you'll see the below splash screen.  Be sure you are logged in with the Twitter account you prefer to link, and then click on start.

Once connected to your Twitter account, you'll see something like this (Click to enlarge):

Like most new tools, the looks can be deceptive and confusing, but we'll walk through them a bit to familiarize ourselves, and by the end, we'll be comfortable... sit back and enjoy!

Here is a run through of the left vertical menu and it's uses.  Of note, each menu has the same sort options at the top:

1.) Not Following You Back: Those you follow who aren't following you.  When hovering over a profile here, you get this handy view, which I like to use to see how many lists someone is in, as well as their average tweets per day:

2.) No Profile Image:  If the profile doesn't have a picture, then you'll find them, and usually their Egg Head here.

3.) Inactive: Probably the most helpful bit of information around, next to who unfollowed you.  This tab shows the people who have not tweeted in over 30+ days.  You'll be surprised how many their are on your list!  Do you want to stay connected with them?

4.) Talkative and 5.) Quiet:  People on both ends of the spectrum.  Again, good info to know when "spring cleaning" your followers list.  At the top of both of these tab's lists, you'll see how many people you follow that tweet more than 5 times per day and those who tweet less than 1.  Again, the numbers may surprise you.

6.) Show All:  I don't think this needs much explanation, pretty straight forward here.

7.) Bio Search:  Allows you to search bios of those you follow with any keywords.  For instance, if I wanted to do a search for "UT" I could see how many of my connections have that in their BIO.  This is very handy for searching for co-workers, classmates, or anything you have in common.  It's also a great way to find those you want to group together in lists.

8.) Tweet Search:  Similar to the Bio Search, this allows for Tweet searches, which can find specific things people are talking about.  Again, very quick and handy to identify groups or single out folks you need or want to connect with.

Now, you'll also notice on the right of all the menus is a single option "Right Menu Option" called "Unfollow X selected".  This allows you to select people with check boxes (on the right) and with one click, unfollow them all.  Ease of use without the mess of a breakup!

There are professional features that are helpful as well, along the top.  These include Follow and Track, both of which offer paid subscription services and offer more flexibility, but for the terms of our reviews, we'll be looking at the "budget" side of the tools.  That said, the power these options offer are valuable, and the price is reasonable.  I for one, could never argue with value for the dollar.

In all, Manageflitter lets you see quite a bit more about your Twitter profile, followers and followees.  It's a tool I highly recommend, and since you can test drive it for free, it's even all the better.  What do you think of ManageFlitter.com?  Do you have an alternative you prefer, and if so, why?  

Whatever you use, we hope these sessions help you learn more about how to manage social profiles and "be better" at social and controlling your platforms.  If you have any questions, please feel free to leave them in our blog comments, on our Facebook Page, or, of course, feel free to Tweet me.

You + Me = Us / The Business's Brand

I'm very much like you, my day job keeps me very busy!   So much so that many people often ask me how I find time to manage everything I have up in the air at once, let alone manage the Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc, accounts that I own.  Well, aside from having access to this pretty sweet DeLorean... ok, truth be told, I don't sleep much.  You probably work with someone like me, or maybe even you are like me!  Either way, the lives we lead, both on social media platforms and in "real life" seem to be always on a collision course or are already merging and bleeding the lines.

Many employers have some type of social media training program, or even a certification system set up, that will not only train you on social media, but will lay out the company's strategy for social media usage along with the guidelines they expect of you when you speak on behalf of the company.  For as many companies  that do have this in place, there are many more who have never done this, let alone have even thought about it!

Today, on SocialTimes.com, there is a great inforgraphic about this very topic.  With more statistics than you can shake a digital stick at, it's almost too much to take in at once.  But like all good infographics, there is a story behind it, and a chapter to be written still ahead.

Every day we have choices to make on how we will represent ourselves, our brand, our family, and our employer.  For some of us, we are the boss and owner!  In every case though, the internet and social media, are always on, and as you may have heard, nothing, nothing, is ever deleted from the interwebz!  This means we should be careful with what we post, when we post it, and to whom we share it with.  I know, it seems like a very simple principal doesn't it?  Yet there are countless blunders every day.

This means as an employer or business owner, well, quite frankly, how can you not be terrified that someone  will commit said blunder and tarnish the reputation you have worked so hard to build for your company?  Especially with a small business!  Quite simply, you have to be terrified.  Ok, not terrified, but aware at least!  Not to the point that it impacts your health of course, but to the point that it motivates you to put a strategy into place for your company, for your people and let us be honest here, for your customers!

Whether you listen to the inforgraphic, this blog, or any other sources out there, the truth is, without direction, any destination is acceptable.  So if you are ok with anything that can happen, all my best to you and yours.  But if you know where you want to end up, then plan today to take the right roads to get you there.  

Invest in guidelines and principals that lay out your expectations for how you suggest employees should use social media on behalf of the company.  Enlighten them and entertain them on ways to engage with customers, partners, and each other, that extends the values your company stands for.  Listen to them about what is working.  Let me say that again, listen to them about what is working... and more importantly, what isn't!  As front line soldiers, they'll know!

If you are the employee and this type of strategy isn't in place, challenge your employer as to why not!  Ask if they are ok with you speaking as if you were them.  Odds are, they won't be.  Now, some of you may work some place that doesn't allow social media use on computers during the work day/night.  To these people I have two words for you to share with them, "Smart Phones".  Ignoring the problem won't help anyone.

Of course, if you are ok accepting the risk, and let's face it, there are a lot of risk takers out there, then there is the alternative of just "winging it", but as always, buyer beware!  In today's world, everyone is striving for a work-life balance, and more often than not, we see the same type of struggle between work-life social media.  Taking the time today to plan for the destination you want to end up at tomorrow will reap rewards both for you and your people... and even, dare I say it... the customers!

BiG Austin - Social Matters Class!

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BiG Austin is Central Texas’ single-source solution for entrepreneurial education, tailored business counseling and flexible loans. This organization has helped many local business owners fulfill their dreams and achieve their goals and I'm pleased to say that they have allowed me to volunteer some of my time to lead a class focused on  social media from the viewpoint of an entrepreneur!  

In this class, we’ll discuss time management, the impact of social media on business, how to understand and navigate the different platforms and most importantly, how to make it work for you!  This class will encourage open discussion on real world social media challenges and will be focused around Facebook, Twitter, and the LinkedIn platforms.  Looking at social media through a business lens, you’ll learn how to develop strategies as well as how to listen, participate and engage with your clients, customers, and colleagues to maximize your return on investment in social media!  In addition, there will be a deep dive to take a look at, and review, several online tools, tips, and tricks that can help you when managing your online presence!

The class is free, and if you are interested, you can sign up by clicking here.  We hope to see you there!

Ambient Social Networking

One of the fun things about being involved with Social Media is being in a community that usually has jargon and buzzwords being thrown around in manners that could make you think they are industry trends or possibly the latest cocktail to order at the most upscale bar!  Today I heard one of these said terms and had to share.  Ambient Social Networking.  What is it?  Well, before continuing, I suggest you read this to familiarize yourself.

Highlight, a new application that says it is "a fun way to learn more about the people around you" is the focus of this article and after just a short time reading it, it's easy to come away inspired, and thinking about what may be in the not so distant future.  It's also easy to be pretty concerned, and quick!

Now, essentially what Highlight, or this "Ambient Social Networking" is suggesting is good for us (and more importantly, that there is a market for) is an app running all the time, and by proximity, will use GPS to let you know when you are near another user you may know, have a connection with, or have something in common.

This is both extremely interesting if you are a people person and totally terrifying if you are not.  Let's face it, most of us heavily involved with social media are social butterflies and have little issues with public displays of self.  However, as a lover of odd things, like having more professional wrestling trivia locked in my brain than most people I've met, it would be a bit awkward to start up a conversation with someone, after having been alerted by Highlight, and saying, "Hi, excuse me, I see you are using Highlight, it just alerted me that you were nearby and were a huge CM Punk fan, me too!  I'm Scott..."  See, just seems odd.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for sharing the intricacies that make us unique, but I'm not sure I want anyone randomly capable of coming up to me anywhere I may be and starting the conversation off like that... I mean, I may be with my boss who could think professional wrestling is deplorable, and he has no idea I like it... and this is a tame scenario!

The term itself though , Ambient Social Networking, opens up possibilities, aside from what Highlight brings.  Imagine if you will, in a land far, far away, where the machines can tell us who we are near, what they like, if they are single and maybe even compatible.  A world where we know who roots for the Yankees or the Sox even if they aren't sporting the colors, or where you can simply be alerted that hey, the person you met last night who you thought was really interesting is 3 blocks away.  

See, all this time we've been concerned from Hollywood scripts and science fiction writer's dreams, that the government was going to tag us someday, track us, follow where we've been.  Meanwhile, as we've been worrying, the cell phone companies have accomplished it, and what more, with the advent of Facebook and others, we jumped off the cliff willingly!

I've seen movies like this... and they usually end with machines having to be destroyed and the Human spirit having to take control again.  However, we never do get to see the ride on the way to this destination in those movies, and from what I've learned in life, the journey is more important than the destination.  Perhaps if we are careful along the way, the destination may not be that bad at all!  At least, that's what my friend Skynet tells me.

What do you think of Ambient Social Networking?  If the data is out there, is it a good thing to serve it up this quickly, and if done so, can it bring value to your life?  So far, we have only touched on personal items, but think of the endless possibilities for businesses to see their clients coming into their store on an app like this, know what they like and direct their purchasing habits to the right products!

I like to think of this as Indirectly being Direct.  Using data to influence without making waves so that the boat knows not where you are pushing it.  And yes, even for someone who loves adopting early and seeing the brighter side of the possibilities, it can scare the dickens out of you.... but I'm sure Highlight may have already told you that when it said I was right around the corner anyway. 

A Dollar (Shave Club) for Your Thoughts?

It seems ever since the Old Spice phenomenon, everyone wants to "make" a viral hit.  In reality though, most of us understand it's rarely "made" but rather, like it's name, Viral happens as things get spread, slowly at first, and then passed worldwide through it's carriers.

Today, I was privy to the below, and I warn you, in the first 20 seconds there's the mother of all cuss words, albeit, bleeped out, so don't expect to see this during the next commercial break of CSI... but, if you aren't easily offended, here is the pitch that's taking the internet by storm:

Now, at noon CST today, this had just over 550K views, and by the time I'm typing this (10 PM CST) it is fast approaching 750K!  I even know folks lining up to create their profile and get their blades!  While not yet the most successful thing ever, it's making waves!

Why though?

Well, like most successful viral ads, it's the perfect storm.  It gets your attention, makes you laugh, but is grounded in things that hit home with the majority.  In this ad alone you have:

• A smack in the face with the swear word in the beginning, daring you to take notice.
• The poke at what is almost everyone's opinion that sports celebrities are overpaid, or at least, paid more than you!
• It then appeals to your family side, mentioning your "handsome" pop-pop while keeping him tough.
• An immediate jump to the "job" issues plaguing America during the never ending election year we're in.
• Then finishes with the thing most everyone likes, money being thrown around.

What's not to like?  More importantly, for a product and service aimed at men, what's not targeted at their audience?  Let's look at that list again with a slight tweak:

• A smack in the face with the swear word in the beginning, daring you to take notice, something most men won't mind, and will immediately laugh at and share with their pals.
• The poke at what is almost everyone's opinion that sports celebrities are overpaid, or at least, paid more than you, something most men always wanted to be growing up in the first place.
• It then appeals to your family side, mentioning your "handsome" pop-pop while keeping him tough, someone most men had or have a good relationship in their family, heck I loved my Grandpa and while a base set of many men are at odds with their father's, very few speak ill of "Pop-pop"
• An immediate jump to the "job" issues plaguing America during the never ending election year we're in, something most men have been affected by, know someone it's effected, or in a position of it at least being a worry from time to time, so it hits home.
• Then finishes with the thing most everyone likes, money being thrown around, something no man in their right mind would complain about.

What does it all add up to?  Marketing that is targeted, funny, and most importantly for a successful viral ad, share-able!  This is the most important part of not just identifying with your audience, not just making them interested in what you are hocking, but to do so in a way that makes people want to talk about it with their friends.  Viral breeds viral through this one simple act, making it "share-able".

Kudos to Dollar Shave Club!  This thing is making the rounds, and after you peel back the layers to see the genius behind it all, the only thing I'm left asking is... when does the Dollar Shave Club for women's razors start up with the same style of marketing, but for the ladies?

Drawn to Life

Infographics are an interesting lot aren't they?  As social media activists, we are more often than not, drawn to them (pardon the pun there) like moths to a flame.  We stare bewilderingly at the creative shapes, colors, lines, connections, and designs as though we're reading tea leaves and our future hangs in the balance.  With that, I thought I would share some of my favorites, along with a link to a new one.

First, Be The Match, a bone marrow matching service, has a new application for Facebook, that will uniquely present a view of your profile as well as provide stats on their services and connections that may line up through it all.  Called My Social Strand, it gives a good amount of info in a nicely wrapped package.

Here's my output below.  I personally like the portion about me being a thrill-seeker.  While I'm not so much climbing Mount Kilimanjaro,  it asked me to pick four pictures from a grid that stood out for me, and it nailed it for my personality in terms of the "I'll speak in front of any crowd" piece.  Just remember if you do yours, these things are usually subjective... for instance I know I have friends who are Democrats, even though it doesn't list them. (and yes, that's me and Weird Al Yankovic)

Now, in terms of some of my favorite infographics... here are some examples and reasons why I like them (in no particular order):

1.) Technology Enhances Learning:  Colorful, informative, and taking the simple pie charts and making me want to know the data behind them.

2.) The Non-tuition Costs of Education:  Who doesn't like Monopoly?  Well this infographic, again on education with a spin, looks at the average costs of non educational related costs for students living away from home but does it in a way that makes you think games and money! (well, at least I think money with that shade of green)

3.) Car A?  Yeah, it's that guy's fault!  I like how this one takes the way we all feel and wraps it up in one package to explain why we all enjoy working from home from time to time.

4.) The Startup Eco System... well done, somewhat long, but right on spot in every facet.  If you have never worked at or run a start up, share this with someone you know who has and enjoy their reaction.

5.) The Psychoogy of color... hm, wonder if that's why so many tech companies choose blue?

The Shiny Ball

We all know this one.  When we were kids, little Tommy or Little Brenda down the road came over and had “The” new toy with them.  Maybe it was the Millennium Falcon, the Pose Me Pretty Barbie, or the new Huffy BMX, we all remember that feeling of someone else having that “oh so cool” item and we didn't.  What was your first reaction? “I need that!”  “I want that!”  Did you get it?  If you did, did it continue to fill you with joy and awesomeness?  More often than not, no, it did not. 

Some of us still do this today with tech gadgets.  The newest Apple falls from the tree or the latest Sony whatchamacallit comes out and we yell, “I need that!”  The same happens in Social Media, it’s what I call “The Shiny Ball”, and it seems like every new platform, every new site, reconfirms this.

What is the Shiny Ball Syndrome for Social Media?  Simple; “Given the launch of a new, and pretty, social site, the masses will flock to it like a Shiny Ball.  However, know that balls, no matter how shiny, can bounce or roll away, and quickly.  Only through time, and said masses usage (or more importantly ‘continued usage’) can we really know if something is a ‘shiny ball’ that is bouncing away or a ‘bright star’ that truly shines.”

Google Plus.  These two words are pretty much synonymous with Shiny Ball Syndrome.  When Google Plus came out, you heard, “Dude, it’s Facebook, but it looks good!” Or, “No, really, I’m moving and never looking back!”  My favorites were all the avatar icons that said “I’ve moved” and had the Google Plus logo on it.  People were leaving Facebook like it had the plague and touting all the healing qualities of Google Plus.

Fast forward to today, and we see this.  The Wall Street Journal’s piece that has probably the most sobering fact about Google Plus I've seen or heard.  “Visitors using personal computers spent an average of about three minutes a month on Google+ between September and January, versus six to seven hours on Facebook each month over the same period, according to comScore…”

Three Minutes!?  Wow.  That means the average user is probably less than that, since it’s somewhat safe to assume the Googlers on Google Plus are using it more than the average user.  One would hope at least.

Today, you know the Shiny Ball that’s in play.  Pinterest.  I first heard of Pinterest last year, probably fall timeframe, when my wife started having these “ideas”.  I say that in quotes because her creativity on things like this translates to a “honey-do” list for me.  I remember watching the Saints/Lions NFL playoff game with my friends while our wives were chatting about, yes, you guessed it, Pinterest.  It was literally like their lives have been swallowed whole by it.  Pinning, repinning, searching, capturing ideas from this or that… it was all they could talk about.

Today, Pinterest is still growing.  Ridiculously growing!  And, for the moment, doesn’t look to be slowing down much at all.  Even my male friends, who have tried Gentlemint are talking about having a Pinterest profile now, so that stereotype is falling quickly.  But, is it a “shiny ball”, or a “bright star”?

Many will tell you that it’s still to be determined.  They won’t prop it up like the second coming, nor knock it down and sentence it to an early death.  I think though, Pinterest has a unique differentiator that other ‘Shiny Balls’ haven’t captured well.  The look.  Pinterest is an almost completely visual site.  And humans are a visual bunch. 

You hear it all the time… “I learn better when I see it.” Or, “can you draw it out for me, I’m just a visual person.”  So Pinterest hits home on this mark, and while yes, Twitter has twitpics and Facebook has photo uploads, Pinterest has done an excellent job of bringing the visuals to the forefront to capture emotion and more importantly, take sharing and inspire and provide muse for its audience.

I’ll close with this, “Be careful with Shiny Balls, they tend to smudge sometimes.”  This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t adopt early or experiment, but it does mean you should temper your excitement for that new toy, as more often than not, it will smudge up.  That said, it’s a pleasure to truly find the Shiny Ball that becomes the Bright Star, and continues to provide enjoyment and most importantly, value!

Hmm, I think I should pin this right now actually since I’m thinking about it… 

PS - no cats or kittens were harmed in the posting of this blog's animated gif above :)