You've taken the beginning steps to creating an online social presence. You've started "tweeting" a bit on Twitter, you have a page set up on Facebook and your business profile is on LinkedIn. You've even added your colleagues and friends to some of these sites as contacts. But there is new information and Web 2.0 applications for online networking daily, it seems, and you don't know if you should spend the time learning it all. You also don't know if you are using it like you should. Here are some suggestions on ways to keep this process easy and enjoyable for you.
FriendFeed is a social networking site that consolidates all of your other sites into one. This includes MySpace (if you have it), Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Flickr and more so you can see your contacts' activity across multiple sites (IF they have taken the time to join Friend Feed). Many people want to limit their online activity to one or two sites so it may be difficult to encourage them to join yet another.
Ping.fm is a must! This Web based app (www.ping.fm) allows you to update your status across platforms. Log in and you can update your status on the "big three": LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter, all from one spot. It supports many other sites as well. This allows you to be active without being logged into all the sites. Plus it is an easy and effective way to spread the word when you have a new blog post or business venture.
TweetDeck and HootSuite are similar except TweetDeck is a downloaded desktop application that allows you to manage Twitter more effectively, while HootSuite is a Web based app. Both have great user interfaces and allow you to have a more in-depth visual experience, viewing your direct messages and @replies while watching live feeds. In TweetDeck you can set up groups. If you are following a large number of people, you can separate the ones you really want to watch by theme. Both applications allow you to manage multiple "personalities" which is helpful if you have more than one business for which you are using Twitter.
There are ways to find appropriate people to follow and interact with on Twitter. The first is to do a simple search on Twitter's main page. To get better results, use a hash mark (#) in front of the word, i.e. #soccer. This will reveal 'tweets' in which the word "soccer" was mentioned allowing you to do research or meet new people. Using WeFollow.com as a tool can save time as well. Members on this site list themselves under three keywords ("runner", "chef", "artist") and you can do a search based on these for appropriate people.
Remember, across all of these platforms, engaging and supporting fellow members is the only way to build a loyal following, which is the reason for social media. On Twitter, you can do this by "retweeting"-in essence, sharing what someone said with a larger audience, replying publicly (using the @ symbol and their Twitter ID and involving them in a public discussion) or "DM-ing"-sending a private message to them. Do the same with blogs, crediting the author. Tweet a great post you've read and you will have a smiling new contact!
On LinkedIn, you have the option of joining and participating in themed groups. Do a search in the Groups section for subjects or professions you are interested in and join. There are groups for attorneys, accountants, consultants, HR professionals...and many more. Once you have joined, start connecting with other members through group discussions and inviting them to join your network. Also check out the Answers tab at the top of the main screen. People post questions that they seek either opinions on or answers to. Answering questions can define you as an expert.
Remember, always, that social networking online is not much different from networking in person. The goals are to connect and contribute to those around you. If you always seek opportunities to serve others, you will automatically find that others are excited to serve you in return!
FriendFeed is a social networking site that consolidates all of your other sites into one. This includes MySpace (if you have it), Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Flickr and more so you can see your contacts' activity across multiple sites (IF they have taken the time to join Friend Feed). Many people want to limit their online activity to one or two sites so it may be difficult to encourage them to join yet another.
Ping.fm is a must! This Web based app (www.ping.fm) allows you to update your status across platforms. Log in and you can update your status on the "big three": LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter, all from one spot. It supports many other sites as well. This allows you to be active without being logged into all the sites. Plus it is an easy and effective way to spread the word when you have a new blog post or business venture.
TweetDeck and HootSuite are similar except TweetDeck is a downloaded desktop application that allows you to manage Twitter more effectively, while HootSuite is a Web based app. Both have great user interfaces and allow you to have a more in-depth visual experience, viewing your direct messages and @replies while watching live feeds. In TweetDeck you can set up groups. If you are following a large number of people, you can separate the ones you really want to watch by theme. Both applications allow you to manage multiple "personalities" which is helpful if you have more than one business for which you are using Twitter.
There are ways to find appropriate people to follow and interact with on Twitter. The first is to do a simple search on Twitter's main page. To get better results, use a hash mark (#) in front of the word, i.e. #soccer. This will reveal 'tweets' in which the word "soccer" was mentioned allowing you to do research or meet new people. Using WeFollow.com as a tool can save time as well. Members on this site list themselves under three keywords ("runner", "chef", "artist") and you can do a search based on these for appropriate people.
Remember, across all of these platforms, engaging and supporting fellow members is the only way to build a loyal following, which is the reason for social media. On Twitter, you can do this by "retweeting"-in essence, sharing what someone said with a larger audience, replying publicly (using the @ symbol and their Twitter ID and involving them in a public discussion) or "DM-ing"-sending a private message to them. Do the same with blogs, crediting the author. Tweet a great post you've read and you will have a smiling new contact!
On LinkedIn, you have the option of joining and participating in themed groups. Do a search in the Groups section for subjects or professions you are interested in and join. There are groups for attorneys, accountants, consultants, HR professionals...and many more. Once you have joined, start connecting with other members through group discussions and inviting them to join your network. Also check out the Answers tab at the top of the main screen. People post questions that they seek either opinions on or answers to. Answering questions can define you as an expert.
Remember, always, that social networking online is not much different from networking in person. The goals are to connect and contribute to those around you. If you always seek opportunities to serve others, you will automatically find that others are excited to serve you in return!
About the Author:
With 30 years of consulting experience, Steven Schlagel offers training and coaching for startups, entrepreneurs and small business owners. Check his site for more articles to increase your success!
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