I have been writing and teaching most of my life -- and have enjoyed both vocations. However, the advent of the Social Media Revolution has turned my life around in the most exciting fashion. Rather than think about retirement, I want to help change the world -- particularly the business world -- into a "kinder," more ethical, transparent, and authentic place to help solve people's problems.
The Beauty of TweetDeck for me is being able to see several different columns of Tweet topics, lists, and followers constantly on view. And here is how to “Do It”:
Three icons to right of TweetDeck logo on main tool bar
1) Yellow dialogue box: click to post update
2) Plus sign: ADD A COLUMN [read below]
3) Red pointer on white cylinder allows you to search for a Twitter profile Four icons below the Tweet update posting area
4) Auto URL shortener – toggle On or OFF
5) Tweetshrink: this will abbreviate wherever possible
6) Translate Tweets: a pop up box to select language
7) Search for recent hashtags you tweeted
Using the ADD Column option
The Pop Up box displays six icons in the top left corner.
The first one on the left is for Twitter searches.
The other five boxes allow you to add your Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, Buzz, and Foursquare update streams.
Re: Adding a Twitter column
a) In the white search box, list keywords or phrases you want to see mentioned in a Tweet.
b) You can check the list under “Shari’s Previous Searches” for examples.
c) To the left of my previous searches, you will see the list: Search; Groups/Lists; Core.
d) If you click on the “Groups/Lists” option, you can create a list of Tweeple that will all appear in your new column.
3) The “Core” gives you all the Default columns including these: TweetDeck Recommends, New Followers, and Scheduled Updates.
Questions on columns? . . . or other Tweetdeck features? Next post I’ll be looking at Settings [the wrench in upper right hand corner].
Twitter is an amazing communication platform, but the Twitter.com interface is limiting — you can only see ONE twitterstream at a time. TweetDeck is the software application I use to customize my Twitter experience. It allows me to see several columns on the screen at one time:
all the people I follow
a select list of tweeple
a column of tweets that mention my twitter name
keywords that I want to continuously search for like “Twitter and Journalism”
and more
In addition, the photo, or gravatar, of the Tweeter is divided into four buttons: One to send a reply, one to retweet something, one to send a direct message and one that has multiple uses.
There are two other similar applications that people like, i.e., Hootsuite and Seesmic. You are more than welcome to check them out for yourself, but this lesson is strictly for TweetDeck.
1, Before installing TweetDeck, make certain you have a Twitter account. Then access TweetDeck.com.
2. The top most menu gives you options for where to download the software. This tutorial will take you through a download to your desktop [which also works for a laptop]. You may download to your phone and/or Ipad . . . and even to your Chrome Browser, but you are on your own for those downloads.
3. After you click on the word Desktop [on above screen], this screen will appear:
4. Click on the Download button on the middle right side of the screen.
5. Downloading may take several moments. You will be asked to Save the file, and you can either choose the default or save it to whatever file you choose. After saving, agree to the terms of use and then click on Run. The next screen Welcomes you to Tweetdeck:
6. Click on the top button that reads Sign in to TweetDeck. And you will see this screen:
7. Chances are you do NOT have a TweetDeck account, so you need to click on the line that reads: Don’t have a TweetDeck Account? This next screen will appear:
8. Here is where you actually get to Register your TweetDeck account. When you click on the Create account button, you may get everything you see below . . . or some of it:
9. This is where some of this week’s “play” comes in. Take some time and investigate Tweetdeck. If you have a question, please post it as a comment below. But do not worry or get too frustrated. The best way to learn TweetDeck is to experiment. Read the various sections on the screen you see above. Click on the various options on the top and bottom of the columns. Oh, yes, one thing it took me time to find was the “slide bar” on the bottom to move between columns if you have more than fit on one page view.
Let the fun begin!
Note: You can minimize TweetDeck and easily pull it up again to keep track of tweets and searches. There is an “annoying” little noise that sounds when new tweets come in. I turned mine off. You’ll have to check out the settings function [the wrench in the top right hand corner] and click on “Notifications” from the list you will see on the left. GOOD LUCK!
The beauty of our Social Media Revolution is that every one of us can become a publisher . . . and spread our opinions, insights, and wisdom.
Though we’ve only had two weeks of classwork for the online Social Media for Journalist course, several of the students have shown their passion, intelligence, and leadership in helping us all co-create the New Normal, i.e., the way to communicate, learn, interact, and act — Now, and in the Future.
One of the outstanding students has been Suzzanna Matthews, who grew up in Boston and studied English Lit at Goldsmith’s College in the UK and at Mills College in Oakland. She currently resides in Oakland and is studying Journalism and Social Media. Here are her thoughts on the explosive situation in the MidEast and the role of social media.
The Internet Shutdown in Egypt:
How the Definition of News is Changing
GUEST POST by Suzzanna Matthews
On January 27th, 2011 – after days of disruptions in internet service, most internet connections went down in Egypt. This shutdown targeted social networking sites Facebook and Twitter. This was an unprecedented event in history, a country in protest and a government shutdown of all major social media communications.
Why? Because, social media sites are viewed as dangerous. These sites were being used as a primary means of communication to rally people to protest. News of these protests was able to reach thousands of people at the stroke of a key.
If an entire country’s government has such a great fear of what social media can do. then you have to concur that it is indeed powerful.
SPEECH is powerful, and these social media platforms are important in letting people’s voices be heard uncensored.
In various articles I have read about the situation, journalists are reporting that there was and is misinformation being reported about the protests via Twitter and Facebook, but that there is also much more information available to them — and many more leads that they are able to follow up on because of Tweets and Posts. Particularly information coming out of locations that maybe unsafe for foreign journalist travel.
The social media platforms also allow us to read the news from Egyptians living in the midst of the turmoil and to get a sense of what is actually occurring without perhaps a government veil or ‘toned down’ diplomatic version of the events.You can see why it would behoove a government with waning power to halt these types of communications that they may view as damaging and, yes, dangerous.
Even with the shutdown, the people’s voices still found a way to be heard on the web with google’s Speak2Tweet. News of what is happening is being reported by the people — most are not trained journalists and many are just expressing their frustration.
Are the voices of Egyptian Tweeters and bloggers less newsworthy as they are not professional journalists?
Does the misinformation being reported via social networking sites outweigh the viable information?
There is no question that the way news is being related has changed, but as we move away from traditional forms of reporting, how do we need to re-think what ‘news’ actually is?
That’s one of the reasons Twitter is so powerful and popular, and it’s also the reason why this post will include only Ten Twitter vocabulary items. You can find dozens of twitter words and definitions in the wiki Twictionary, and in my earlier article Twitter Basics — Workshop “Cheat Sheet” where I defined 12 common twitter jargon words. This post, however, is designed to provide a deeper understanding of the terms you really need to “work” Twitter and make Twitter “work” for you.
Here’s your “Annotated” Word Introduction to Twitter
1 – TWEET – The 140-character post on Twitter. It is also called a Microblog, i.e. a condensed and concise statement that often links to blog articles. Live Tweeting is practiced at events — both face-to-face and online — where participants contribute an ongoing report of the proceedings. You can even find Live Tweets at events like actual hospital surgeries.
2 – FOLLOW – You follow people to read their tweets — to keep up with the latest news, trends, entertainment, and happenings of friends, celebrities, and knowledgeable people. Unlike Facebook where you must be accepted — and where there is a limit to how many friends you can have — you can follow anyone you want to. See previous posts for tips on Whom to Follow.
However, you can block someone from seeing your tweets OR, of course, someone can block you. The difference is that you don’t request permission to follow someone. You just do it. And if you are not a scammer, a robot, or in some other way intrusive, you probably won’t be blocked.
3 – TWITTERSTREAM [or Stream of Tweets] – It you access Twitter via the actual site Twitter.com, then you will see a “stream” of posts from the people you follow. These would be the most recent statements they posted in reverse chronological order, i.e., the newest posts are up at the top. If you select PROFILE from the top menu, you will see your Twitterstream, i.e., what you have posted in reverse chronological order.
This stream of posts is what someone else would see if they searched Twitter for your handle [your Twitter name]. For example, click on twitter.com/sharisax and you will see my twitterstream. If you liked what you saw, then you would follow me by clicking the FOLLOW button below my photo [your photo is also called your avatar].
As stated in the previous postTips to become a Twitter Pro BEFORE your first post, I suggested that you plan your Twitter strategy before you write your first post: know Why you are on Twitter and What Twitter image you hope to accomplish. Your Twitterstream will be How you accomplish that image, i.e., your “personal brand.”
4 – FOLLOWERS [those who read your Tweets] – Influence and/or popularity seems to be measured by how many followers one has. You can find out the 200 most followed Tweeple [a person who Tweets] on a site like Twitaholic.com: as of this writing, celebrity Kevin Smith has 1.7+million followers.
“So What?” That is a common question asked by journalists when any extraordinary statistic is thrown at them. If numbers are your sole objective, there are automatic, robotic means of accruing a slew of followers. My suggestion, however, is that you grow your follower list organically. That means the list of people who follow you develops naturally, i.e., people either follow you because they like reading what you Tweet OR, in many cases, they follow you back automatically when you follow them. [Hint: that is one typical way to gather followers.]
5 – DM or Direct Message – Once you follow someone and he or she follows you back, you may DM the person, e.g. D sharisax [by using a Capital “D” and a space and the person’s twitter handle]. This is NOT a Tweet to everyone, but a private text message to one person. Personally, I do not text very often on my cell phone, but I do DM lots of my Twitter friends — and these relationships have grown faster and deeper than others because of the ease of communication. Engagement and building relationships is what the Social Web is all about. More than a few technology/Internet pundits have predicted that Twitter will replace much, if not most, of email in the future. [Who likes to read all the previous messages and other extraneous verbiage on emails.]
6 – RT or ReTweet – This is the action of re-posting someone else’s Tweet with attribution, e.g. RT @sharisax Sometimes more is more, and sometimes less is more. [Use the “RT” and then a space and then the “@” sign in front of the person’s handle — all this in front of what they tweeted.] When someone RT’s what you have posted, you feel recognized and appreciated. Many people make it a practice of Thanking those who RT them. Of course, once you are so popular that 100’s of people RT you, then you might not have time for much else other than thanking people if you stick to this practice.
All that being said, the practice of RT-ing is one of the reasons that you don’t need to worry about missing much of the good stuff on Twitter. If it truly is “good stuff,” then it is surely likely to be RT’d.
7 – SEARCH.TWITTER.COM – Searching Twitter [now integrated on the Twitter interface] offers “real-time” results, i.e., What people are Tweeting at the moment you input your keywords . . . unless your the terms are obscure, i.e., no one but you is interested. This is one of the best methods for finding people to follow — by inputting topics of interest and finding like-minded people. Read their streams and then follow them if you like what they have to say. You might want to reply or retweet, so they will have an additional incentive to follow you back. And you might even find someone who becomes one of your face-to-face friends. [I have 🙂 ]
You can narrow your search through operators like these two examples [complete list]:
news 🙁—– search contains word “news” and with a negative attitude
8 – Tweetdeck.com – This is the desktop application I use to more fully engage with my followers and topics I follow. I will post a complete article explaining how to download and use this valuable tool.
9 – Tweetchat.com– Twitter can be used for chatting real-time. The way it works is that everyone in the chat is using a certain keyword (called a hashtag) in all their tweets. The applications are then grabbing all the tweets with that hashtag (defined below) from Twitter and displaying them for the people who are part of the chat. Be careful though because your tweets are also going out to all the people who are following you.
PS I just remembered URL shorteners like bit.ly. Most people use a site like bit.ly to reduce the number of characters in the URL. This site also has functionality to track your shortened URLs to report on how many times people click on them.
PPS How could I forget to define Hashtags? Tweeters use the number symbol # in front of a word [e.g., #journ65] to identify a topic that makes it easy for people to (a) search for and (b) contribute to the discussion — whether the discussion is happening real time or just “over” time. One example of a real time hashtag discussion would be live tweeting during a webinar. The hashtag could be as simple as the name of the moderator; George Kao happens to be one of my mentors, and when he holds one of his Q&A sessions, I would tweet using the @georgekao hashtag, so people can follow the discussion and add to it.
Which terms would you add to this list, and what would you say about them?
Getting started on Twitter is not difficult and could be a “No Brainer” for some of the more than 600 million Tweeple now signed on. But getting started the right way takes some thought and strategic planning in advance.
Here are your first Pro Steps:
1. Your Twitter name: Authenticity is essential in the practice of journalism, so the name or “handle” you use to post your tweets should be as close to your own identity as possible. With 600+ million Tweeple, getting your own exact name is unlikely, but you can add numbers, initials, or something creative to your actual name.
Keep in mind, however, that each Tweet must be limited to 140 characters AND that includes your name [preceded by the “@” sign]; therefore, shorter is better.
2. Your BIO: Credibility and trust can be more easily established when you describe clearly and concisely who you are and why your followers should believe you and want to hear more of what you have to say. When preparing this bio, you should think of the phrase “Personal Brand” and try to write something that you can consistently post throughout the web to establish exactly who you are.
3. Your first tweets: Before even thinking about gathering a following, you should give serious thought to how to begin your Twitterstream, i.e., what you will say. After all, most people will only want to follow you if they believe you post valuable links and insights.
My own blog has several articles on what to tweet, and here is a link to What to Tweet to Stand out from the Masses. At the close of that post are other links for more what-to-tweet tips.
4. Whom to follow: You can find lists of experts on a host of categories, as well as lists of the oldest Twitter users, most followed Tweeters, etc. My own article Be choosy when selecting Tweeple to follow offers a few more suggestions including links to Twitter directories and a way to find individuals who share your interests by checking search.twitter.com.
PS I just discovered that Twitter has added a new feature called “Who to Follow” on the top menu board. If you click on the link, you will see a list of recommended tweeple based on whom you already follow “and more.”
Social Media Common Wisdom: Take baby steps. Don’t try to do too much too soon. Have fun!
Whether it’s violent protests in Egypt, character assassination of the Chicago Bears’ Jay Cutler, surprising new talent discoveries, or natural disasters, the “NEWS” is reaching us faster — intersecting with us where we are.
photo by Susan Ambrosini
At the forefront of this evolution/revolution is Twitter, the social media platform where simplicity is part of its brilliance. Twitter has changed the way we define news. Having to keep messages to under 140 characters, tweeters are breaking news and defining trends — getting out information to the world that in the past might never have been reported.
By the time many journalists can get in to cover a story, it has broken on Twitter, been discussed, and passed off as old news. Therefore, today’s print and broadcast reporters must provide analysis and perspective to add value to the conversation. They can use Twitter to do just that: Journalists have access to a real time people search engine that can tell them what millions of people are thinking about one single topic in any country around the world.
In mid-2010, Twitter had 100-200 million users (depending on the stat source). On a daily basis, they posted 26 million tweets and searched the site 600 million times. More than 300,000 new users were joining every day as well.
Below you can read how six online journalists describe the impact of Twitter on their careers and their evolving definitions of news:
I am journalist and I do read newspapers, watch news etc.. but I notice that more and more I get my “Breaking News” from Facebook/ Twitter… Sometimes you just don’t have time to turn on the TV or read an online newspaper. I predict that consumers will subscribe to news via services like this that operate only on Twitter, Facebook etc.. and that perhaps this services will be linked to the major news-services of the world. Posted by Mayra Rocha-Fernandez
Working at a twice-weekly community newspaper, Twitter has helped us keep a more “daily” feel to our product. We’re able send out short bursts providing some info (game scores, council decisions, etc.) while at the same time leading followers to either our print or e-editions. Of course, at the same time, we’re competing with others (fans, parents, bloggers) who tweet such information. Posted by Michael Gresham
I am a veteran political reporter covering Canada’s Parliament and the use of Twitter by MPs and cabinet minister has exploded over the past couple of years. We have even had MPs had to rise in the House of Commons to apologize for tweeting the proceedings of an in camera committee meeting or for commenting on another MPs weight. For me, twitter has become a valuable source of tips about breaking news on Parliament Hill, another way to communicate with sources and a way to call attention to stories we report. Posted by Elizabeth Thompson
I think you’re right, but I don’t see that as a good thing. As a lifelong NJ (National Union of Journalists) member, I believe that this drive toward social media, etc., is dangerous. Sometimes you need more than 140 characters to explain the important issues, but “people” are too busy to consider the larger picture or the background. No one has the time to listen or read the full story and what happens is that people beleive they know about a particular matter, when they haven’t got an idea about what’s going one. Thank you for your post. Posted by Greg Smith
I use twitter and fb to promote my articles or when there’s breaking news that I see in the sports world, mostly with the Chicago Cubs. I use it to receive other breaking news, but it can really get out of hand. I have started to cull names from who I follow. There are some people who use it and it seems like nonsense to me. It is a valuable tool for taking and receiving info related to your business… at least it is for me. As for limiting things to 140 characters, I agree that’s not always enough, but that’s where you can link to longer articles. In our busy lives, sometimes we don’t have enough time to read everything in deptth, so 140 characters to let us know what’s going on is more helpful than being in the dark about an issue. Posted by Miriam Romain
If used correctly social media is an important and valuable tool needed to reach the masses and those not attracted to news. It is not a fad and if used in the right effective way is not dangerous either. I teach journalists how to use social media “correctly” and once they realise the right way, it’s amazing how hooked they are. However, there are many, especially management who seem wary of it. Posted by Emma Lingard
Join the conversation: How has Twitter changed your work life? What do you predict for the future of news and journalism?
[Correction: an earlier version posted 600 million Twitter users, but the source seems to have vastly overstated the case]
Long ago, business was all about building a better mousetrap and force-feeding it into homes. Long ago, publishing was all about dollars and cents (don’t mistakenly read “sense”). Long ago, free speech was easily regulated — and not particularly “free.”
Today’s technology advances are creating a New Normal, and intelligent folks who want to work and prosper in these revolutionary times must accept and embrace the challenges and opportunities.
How does one do this? How does one keep up with — and even stay ahead of — change.
My online course Social Media for Journalists [beginning today, January 24] will offer a roadmap, i.e., GPS turn-by-turn instructions, to a variety of destinations from a selection of career paths to a better understanding of today’s world.
In preparation for the course, I posted a Discussion Topic on a number of LinkedIn groups where online journalists congregate. I asked them what topics, issues, and skills they would emphasize in a course teaching student journalists about social media. Below is a listing of their responses.
My students will be asked to choose one of the responses and write a comment below. I invite all my readers to do the same.
What online journalists say about social media and the future:
The way to revitalize the journalism “industry” is to use the new technology to build community, connections, and most important — solid relationships.
Publishing today is not just about offering something of value; you need to know what people really want and how they want to receive it.
Integration is key: we are losing separate distinctions between journalism, PR, marketing, and advertising.
Journalists are the storytellers and disseminators of news — they connect people to information, and social media is the newest means to accomplish this.
Media outlets are using Foursquare and other local apps to find people at the sites where news is breaking.
Cheap, high speed internet access and social networking has broken up the mass audience into social, economic, geographic, and business “niche” communities.
Search engines, blogs, and social networking have made everyone a publisher.
Twitter and Foursquare have become valuable tools for sourcing and feedback; the impact of instant public feedback in the writing/creative processes of the journalist.
Students will help create knowledge and process.
Journalism and the stuff that looks like it is less reliable and requires more consumer skepticism.
When access to social media both as a contributor and reader is so easy, what value can a journalist bring to the mix?
Posts on social media become news.
Stories can be updated throughout the day on social media sites.
Social media is not a one-way street; you must listen and engage, not just post.
One problem with social media is that it has convinced people that they have superior observation and analytical skills as well as original ideas.
Interacting with people on a one-to-one basis helps grow relationships, spread information, and gather new facts.
Missing from online blogging is the filter between the writer and the public — the copy editor or news editor.
Visual and audio media convey emotion in a way that print never could. In fact, when using multimedia, it may be extremely difficult to separate the emotional content from the informational content.
Traditional news values and techniques are valuable and should be studied. There are some things the internet should never change.
Ideally “old school” and “new school” news sources will challenge each other to do a better job. A competitive news environment benefits all.
Do any of these statements resonate with you? If so, please write a comment telling us which one and why.
Bloggers do like I’m doing right now — write my thoughts just after they come to me.
Journalists research . . . and then write.
OK, now that we got my “answer” to the title question out of the way without any introductory fanfare, let’s chat for a moment about the context of this post:
1) I’m pumped up about beginning to teach my online course in Social Media for Journalists this semester.
2) I just got back from a winter break vacation during which I published three posts prepared in advance and one that “came to me” after I’d commented on Adam Singer’s article “The Critical Few”; click on HOME page to see all three [below this post].
3) It’s the new year and I’m trying to publish more often, which is one reason I started “Briefly Stated” posts. Sometimes More is More, but lots of times Less is More.
4) There’s buzz about Chris Brogan’s program to supply bloggers with blog topics, and there’s an equal amount of buzz from bloggers saying they have plenty to talk about, but not enough time to do it.
So here’s some of my thinking:
Long ago in a creative writing course I was told that any writing worth reading can stand the test of time; Homer reportedly taught that one should put away a piece of writing for nine years; if it was still important, interesting, and useful after that hiatus, then one should refine it and publish it.
Blog posts can be “evergreen,” i.e., relevant beyond the day of publication. Many bloggers publish their Best of the Year posts. Book publishers look for works that will continue to resonate with readers. Withstanding the test of time is a critical component to quality.
But what does all this have to do with the One Difference between Bloggers and Journalists?
Well, first off, the only reason for a title like that is to encourage discussion — beginning with the fact that lots of journalists are bloggers. The terms blogger and journalist are not mutually exclusive. The main point I wanted to “put out there” was that when a journalist blogs as a journalist he or she ought to adhere to solid journalistic principles, which include a degree of objectivity; adherence to fact not opinion [unless quoting someone else’s opinion]; and writing that is concise, clear, and as free from error as possible.
Stripping a sentence down to its barest essentials is great advice, but building a community requires more than a Bare Bones effort.
My online friend and blog role model Adam Singer, whose creative thoughts have always inspired me, just wrote a post entitled “The Critical Few” in which he advocates paring down, rather than ramping up, the number of online touch points you (or your company) uses.
Here was my comment to that post:
As an English/journalism/marketing professor, I always tell my students: “Sometimes Less is More, and sometimes More is More.”
When it comes to any one “sentence,” then YES, stripping a sentence to its cleanest, most essential components is necessary for the clearest communication — which SHOULD be the first objective in writing.
However, sometimes — in fact — More will be More; one example would be that More Engagement with community members will reap better results than simply “putting something out there,” even if that something is stated concisely
The next time you have the opportunity to meet and mingle with “strangers,” why not come prepared. Plan to ask questions, not sell anything. In today’s business world where selling is being replaced with engagement, your best bet is to find new clients through genuine conversation.
Ivan Misner, founder and chairman of BNI, the world’s largest business networking shares tips on a weekly podcast. Episode #183 discussed ten questions you should think about asking at your next networking event.
Memorize a few of these questions for your next networking event
How did you get started in your business?
What do you enjoy most about your profession?
What separates you and your company from your competition?
What advice would you give someone just starting out in your business?
What one thing would you do with your business if you knew you could not fail?
What significant changes have you seen take place in your profession through the years?
What do you see as the coming trends in your business?
What’s the strangest/funniest incident you’ve experienced in your business?
What ways have you found to be most effective in promoting your business?
What one sentence would you like people to use in describing the way you do your business?
The terms web (or online) presence and website are often used interchangeably but they are very far from being the same thing. Web presence is the collective existence online of a company or individual. A website is one example.
So began an excellent article by my blogger colleague Michael Cohn, who serves clients by building a content-rich web presence, applying Internet marketing techniques, and utilizing blog and social media technologies.
Michael’s blog CompuKol Connection is a treasure trove of social media Best Practices, and I’m honored to be one of his Guest Posters. Here is one of his recent articles that should be required reading for anyone wanting to establish a business online.
Many businesses have websites with their branding and customized look and feel. There are millions of websites that range from simple and small to much more intricate and interactive. Everyone understands what a website is and what purpose it serves. So, what is an online presence and how do you go about establishing one for your business?
There is so much that can be a part of your web presence. An online presence is any existence of an individual or business that can be found via an online search. An example of an individual who is not active on the Internet but who has a online presence is one who is a member of an association that has a member directory listing online. Another example is an individual who only has a LinkedIn or Facebook profile. How do you leverage and enhance their existing web presence to boost their exposure and reputation and market themselves and/or their business online?
One way is to design and build a compelling website or a blog. Once the concept of the web presence has been established, it is time to start building it, including the all-important keywords that are essential to that market. Without keywords, the website will not be successful and will essentially stagnate. It is important to understand that it takes a lot more than a beautiful-looking website to cultivate the success of a particular business through its online presence. Another way is to capitalize on their existing web presence and enhance it with additional social media marketing interactions. A third option is a combination of the two.
Targeted keywords: Well-placed keywords are critical for both options. You might ask how you go about identifying the most effective keywords that will be recognized by the search engines and that will continually drive more and more online traffic to your web presence. Careful research is very important because finding the best keywords for your niche must be the absolute first thing that you do. That is your initial step in establishing your web presence.
Once you have built the foundation, you can begin to build your web presence. Of course, the information must be presented in a way that is visually appealing and compelling. However, there is a great deal more that goes into it. It is well beyond merely designing and creating a web presence. If the content in your online presence is presented correctly, the result could potentially be huge regarding your success at selling your products and/or services.
Web presence visitors: Once you have established your web presence, the next critical element is getting people to visit. The more traffic you are able to drive to your online presence, the better it will be for your business. Of course, this ties back to when you were choosing keywords and key phrases. If you have placed them effectively, the people will visit and visit often.
Capturing and converting leads: Your online presence has an important job to do. It needs to effectively capture leads (leads are people who have the potential of eventually becoming your clients). Once the leads have been captured, it is important to go through the conversion process in a manner that is appropriate and sensitive. An important part of the success of converting leads lies with the design of the web presence, the compelling nature of the content, the aesthetic appeal of the graphics, etc.
Interacting through social media: Having interaction with your online connections is extraordinarily important and it adds a deeper layer to the relationship that you will be establishing through your online presence. The more you interact with people, the more they will start to trust you and to find you to be credible and knowledgeable. You will start to understand how much the interaction contributes to the success of your business.
So, how do you enhance your web presence?
The following are elements that will help you to improve your web presence:
A clear market definition
Understandable and appropriate keywords
Website and/or social media pages that are properly optimized for the search engines
A website and/or social media pages that are aesthetically appealing and properly organized so that any of your visitors immediately understand what your business offers
Complete social media profiles
A clear focus on your target connections and target market
A strategy on how to gain fans, followers and business connections
A strategy on how to promote yourself and/or your business and disseminate your marketing messages
Compelling content and effective calls-to-action
An effective social media marketing campaign for your business
A high volume of traffic on a consistent basis
Effective lead capture and conversion strategy
If you review this list and find that any of the concepts are missing, in all likelihood, you just have a website and not a web presence. With some adjustments, you can make your web presence more effective.
Conclusion
Now that the distinction between a website and a web presence has been carefully explained, you will be able to analyze what you have and what you need when it comes to your online exposure and reputation. Your web presence is an entire suite of online elements that should be used together to create a successful marketing campaign. The more you share of yourself and of your business, the stronger your presence will be and the greater your success and the success of your business will be.
Many of my friends and business acquaintances are coming around to recognizing the inevitability of “The Social Network” as key to their future business success. Whether it’s the Facebook movie and Mark Zuckerberg as Time’s 2010 Man of the Year or the predictions of everything going mobile, the time to Get Connected is NOW.
So today’s First-of-the-New-Year post will list my recommendations for becoming part of the Social Nation.
Five 1st Steps to Join the Social Media Revolution
____ 1. LinkedIn:If you have not already joined LinkedIn, then do so ASAP.
LinkedIn is an amazing platform for finding prospective clients as well as information, jobs, suppliers, and partners. Before you can reap the rewards from this site, however, you MUST take some time to optimize your Profile for maximum “find-ability”: check relevant links below.
____ 2. Blogging: If you still feel uncomfortable with the word “blog,” then get over it.
Short for Web Log, a blog is the best example of how every individual and every company can now become a publisher with very little — or no — expense. (A) Writing a blog gives the author an opportunity to establish an online presence as the Go-To Source for an area of expertise, in addition to giving companies a platform for engaging with customers and other publics. (B) Reading blogs has become routine for business people seeking current facts and opinions on news and trends in their industries, as well a the newest “mass medium.”
____ 3. Facebook:If you are still worrying about privacy on the most popular web site on the globe, then you need to understand the business value of Facebook and how to engage with “friends” and “fans” to build and protect your online reputation.
Begin with the knowledge that scores of your prospective customers as well as possible new employees are chatting, gaming, posting, searching, and buying via Facebook. Keep in mind that although we hear about changes and hints of changes on an almost daily basis, getting started with a profile and experience interacting with Friends will prepare you to “roll with the punches” as Facebook continues to evolve into the Place To Be online.
____ 4. Twitter:If you still think Twitter is Stupid, think again.
It may be hard to remember how resistant business was to allowing employees to email in the mid ’90s — and that’s because many of us today depend on letters via computer rather than via post office and messages online where we can access at our leisure rather than phone calls which we either miss or are too busy to answer. Many prognosticators are telling us that email will be going away, or at least will become less useful as people discover the many applications of “microblogging.”
____ 5. YouTube:If you haven’t checked for a YouTube video to teach you how to do something you hadn’t known how to do, then DO It.
And consider buying a flip video or simply take a video with your cell phone and post it to YouTube. You will build your skills as you see how powerful videos are for spreading messages, establishing your expertise, and discovering almost everything you need to know — as well as entertaining you and your friends.
Sharing, not selling, is what the Social Nation is all about . . . and 2011 is a great time for you to start. Remember one important tip, and that is to Take Baby Steps. Start slowly, but start.
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