One of my (growing) beefs with blogs, is despite the ability for us all to publish that doesn’t mean we should. No-one is stopping us if we want to, and I am the first to encourage people to do it. However, we are all at different stages of knowledge, learning and requirements. For me, talking in my own echo-chamber isn’t what I want. I have been blogging publicly for nearly ten years now and it doesn’t give me the buzz I need or want any more. If anything, it restricts my ability to be fun, informal and friendly contributing to an established network.

I also ‘must’ play lots in order to learn so I can serve my clients better, that means… something has to give.

I’d rather sacrifice my own blog (and ego) in order to do that.

In the meantime, if you want to follow my thoughts, add me on Twitter or eavesdrop on my public LinkedIn group:

Exploring Social Media for Business

I will be back here from time to time, but it’s certainly not a priority

Mark

You have knowledge right? You need an excuse to show it. Comments can do that for you. You should not look to embarrass yourself, or your competitor, by being ‘narky’ on their blog etc, you should look to leave all visitors and viewers of that content with a clear understanding of why you differ from another service provider and leave your stance on the topic.

It’s called healthy discussion in the sector that both you and your competition enjoys.

You will also leave a digital business card (of your name and website address) on someone else’s website and they may have a much bigger readership than yourself.

Readers aren’t stupid, some will like your tone and advice and follow the links back to your website. You win. For the competitor who you are commenting, they will benefit from your knowledge on their space and adding to their Google ranking and have an interesting conversation on their blog. They win.

Win / Win… oui?

Think you’re going to rattle some cages and stir up trouble? Contact them in advance and warn them that you’re going to add a comment which might present a different perspective on their business offering. Then show them this blog post to highlight the benefits of commenting as a social strategy.

So if you get pointed in the direction of a blog post and think ‘no’, they might steal my business… lighten up. You’re unique, you’re good at what you do and there’s enough business out there for everyone. Leaving a good sample of your knowledge and a digital business card out on the web is the best thing you can do online, next to fixing Pete Cashmore’s motor.

Get over it, believe it, embrace it and start commenting today as part of your social strategy!

The End.

Hugs – Mark

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The Bombing Campaign and why I stole Matt Barnaby’s photography without asking him. 

Dull blog posts need great pictures to catch your eye and to entertain you in thought. It does not have to have anything to do with the blog post topic you are reading. This leads to pathetic clichés in your picture choices. I wanted a picture for this post, so I called upon my flickr contacts for a suitable image. Matt had one. I went to grab a copy for here and saw that it was copyright restricted for distribution. This is not good. Matt’s BombingCampaign business is new and need lots of eyeballs… the more people that see his stuff the greater chances that he will find a customer. It frustrates me to see an opportunity lost (sharing great content) because someone isn’t aware of the way social media distribution helps us first and foremost… and rarely creates a  problem, unless we are the (unintentional) instigator of that very problem. Therefore, knowing that I will always credit Matt for anything I ‘use’, I grabbed it and published it. If Matt has a problem with this, he is an idiot. (He isn’t btw). Use this example to think about how and why you use, or refuse to use other peoples content. If you’re spreading their name and business about with a credit, it’s called free advertising and should be encouraged at all times.

So without further ado, I present: Presentations!

First grab yourself a look at version 1 of my social media principals talk. All the nuts and bolt of what falls out of my face, without any of the travel expenses! Hoo-raa. Consume. Like? Share and let me know.

Next up.. a brand new presentation, in its (almost) complete form on the topic of digital self publishing! Wooo! Again, this is version 1, so it’s as rough as a bike on a building site covered in barnacles. Swallow in chunks and regurgitate as rose petals in the faces of angels.

Finally, one last supermodel of social media proportions… I bring thee… a Book! Albeit another version 1, but who’s counting here? “Release early & release often” – someone much more intelligent said somewhere. This is the format for the layout, flick through the pages, the text will change but the design is good. What do you need to know in a fancy little book all about social media? Tell me and I’ll design it specifically for you!

Don’t re-read, don’t edit, don’t spell-check, just hit publish!

Mark

1: Google+
No-one cares about it yet. No-one understands it yet. It’s the Toyota Prius of the web world. Everyone likes the idea, no-one can be bothered to jump ship for something trendy.

2: LinkedIn
It’s a business space that has completely lost its direction and now no-one even knows why they are on it anymore.

3: Flickr
Everything Yahoo owns is clunky as hell and free photo-hosting is everywhere. Thank god, Delicious.com is out of Yahoo’s hands.

4: Youtube
Despite the masses having access to video creation tools (laptop cameras, still camera video modes & mobile phones) still we are not prepared to turn a camera on ourselves and show who we are (unless forced to). Youtube is like a party where all the ego’s stand inside shouting and prancing about whilst all the normal people stand outside looking through the windows thinking ‘I’m not going in there’.

5: Blogging
The word is dead. No-one blogs anymore, no more than anyone shouts about sending an email. It’s now called ‘the Internet’.

6: Foursquare
Location based services like foursquare never took off because it is a feature of the obvious – I can already tell people I know, where I am and where I’m going to be instantly through a phone text message. Foursquare is more like a fun dating channel than a powerful business tool.

7: QR codes
By the time I’ve opened my QR app and taken a photo, I could have domain dipped the brand and found what I needed. Pointless.

8: Twitter
140 characters says it all. Twitter is a bit like a Microwave oven. You don’t need it, you existed before it, you’ll exist and live quite happily without it for decades.

9: Facebook
The great thing about FB is someone else can create a page about your business and run it. Let them. It’ll save you the time and hassle.

10: Email
The ‘spam collection tool’ otherwise known as Email, has no place in the todays world. You’re simply using it because everyone else uses it.

Conclusion:
In a nutshell. If you’re in business. You don’t need any of the above to sustain your sales and grow. Stick to meeting people, the phone and having a good product or service that people actually want. Am I being flippant here? Yes & no. Even though I’m am up to my ear-balls in social media tools. I am not blinded by love enough to admit that this is all secondary to doing real business. Hence shaking hands and locking eyes in the real world. However, once the business is rolling, you’re going to need the help of some of the above tools to monitor and react to what is going on out there.. if you care. You seriously don’t have to.

Why this blog post?
As of right now. Google has not indexed any website other than this one for the heading entitled: ‘can I ignore social media?‘. In writing this post, my hope is to claim the top spot on Google for that term, and pull in all the traffic that is searching for the answer to that question. If you click the above link in future and find this post in the top slot, you’ll know it will have worked.

If you want a dozen #1 results on Google, long term with no threat from other websites. Then we need to have a conversation, before your competitors do.

Have you seen it? If not, take a look. Whilst browsing the data, I questioned why this wasn’t available to me when I took out my 3 mobile Internet dongle package 6 months ago. The guy in the store, presented me with a similar map and I had to wander around all the shops gather my own picture of the areas of the country I travel to decide which mobile company to go with. In a word: nightmare.

Whilst this is just a mobile coverage map. Businesses can learn a lot. How do you think the mobile operators feel about having their good / bad coverage publicly available for all to see and compare under such a memorable (BBC) brand? I imagine a lot of people will be cancelling subscriptions because of this.

Now consider your own industry. Where is the data map? Is there one? Are you on it? If it doesn’t exist, could there be one? If it did, do you know how your business would be performing?

It could be a map of:

• Cool Accountants.
• Receptionists tone of voice.
• Arts venue events.
• Solicitors fees.
• Architects recommendations.
• Consultants performance.
• Hoteliers hospitality.
• Customer service dealings of complaints.

You might be thinking, this already exists? And if it is available, is it in an easy to see visual format? Lots of people have generated forums of feedback and ratings, or reviews, but they very often ask for too much info to create one simple map. The one showing what we want to know. This is the strength of collaborative data visualised: anyone can do it.

Now lets consider if data on your sector was being collected right now. Not from the service deliverers, but from your clients past and present. Would you be happy with the response given?

This is most companies worst nightmare… all their clients being able to get together and chat about the same service delivered. What would they say and share and would they choose you again next time?

I suggest collecting that information now. Before someone else does.

Mark

Do we? Do we really? What if that transparency actually holds people back from contributing?

namesake.com provided this post and great graphic called ‘Are You Who You Say You Are?‘, to raise the issue about online identity, comparing Facebooks stance on using real names, with 4chan’s stance towards anonymity. Who is 4Chan? You might ask. Don’t ask. Let’s just say they are a very influential (and somewhat powerful when mobilised) sharers… who happen to like remaining anonymous.

I digress.

What I love about this graphic is the balanced argument for anonymity.

Check out the positive benefits for anonymity above. Depending on your objectives, your business may actually benefit from encouraging community members to select a different name to their own. Whilst this flies against everything I generally tell people, I can see the need to remain anonymous too. How? Lets break the ‘benefits’ down:

Allows Expression Of Opinions Without Repercussions. 
Many companies I work with, have trouble getting other staff or external contacts to do anything social. The fear of repercussion, or pointing and laughing when someone gets something wrong is high. Maybe anonymity could be an option for those lacking confidence? At least until they feel OK about their contributions.

Fuels Creativity And Experimentation
Once we know our revealed identity won’t lead to us getting laughed at, we relax, contribute more and do so without fear. This is why Samaritans operate anonymously. This is why Doctors practice in complete confidentiality and why some people want to exercise in the dark.

Encourages Authentic Content Sharing
People will share content based on their strength of feeling, knowing that they won’t be judged for it.

Focuses on Content not Creators
Think about how influential certain individuals in the business are. If a CEO sends around something, who is going to disagree with them? If a receptionist (or cleaner) sends around a great idea, I’m guessing many will not take them seriously. Job title has weight. Removing the name, changes the balance of influence one has on others.

Collaborative Thinkers That Want A Shared Experience
If the one above refers to individuals, this point refers to teams of people, groups or departments (maybe offices on different continents?). In fact any ‘collaboration’ whereby the interpretation of that ‘experience’ could be swayed by the individuals in it. Eg.: HR coming up with a tech solution as opposed to the IT team. Or a situation whereby the effect, or end result becomes the focus instead of the individuals involved. Eg.: Humanitarian efforts like Search and Rescue, whereby identity becomes irrelevant.

Whistle Blowers Who Want Protection
This is a no-brainer. Why? Because we’ve all seen and used those anonymous feedback forms in hotels, or suggestion boxes at venues. Sometimes we want to tell people something, but do not need to be identified.

(I’m not going to explain the benefits for using real names, as I think the text speaks for itself, however lets remember many web ‘guru’s’ started out being anonymous first on forums and sites, before all this ‘real name’ stuff came in. No wonder I/we/they find it so easy to adopt.)

OK, now to address what most people reading this will think.

‘Surely anarchy will ensue without identity?’

My answer? Just because you can think it, that doesn’t mean it will happen. Make decisions out of research and testing, not out of fear and assumptions. In some cases, anonymity may be the solution to your problems.

What Can We Do?

1. Encourage people to use their real names first and foremost & tell them why.
2. Permit people to just use a first name if you sense discomfort at the first option & encourage change over time.
3. Allow people to operate anonymously if they wish & encourage first name usage over time.

They want more business. People buying. Traffic will just give you a headache.

As people talk to me, they mention SEO. I then hold my head in my hands and tell them the difference between SEO and sharing knowledge.

SEO is about numbers. SEO works. SEO will give you traffic and get you to #1 on Google.

Sharing Knowledge, will provide searchers with answers. If you provide an answer to your market, you will gain the right attention to convert into business. Share your knowledge in an article for the web, Google will index it, people will find it, people will thank you for that knowledge, Google will increase your Google ranking. Simple.

I currently have eighteen #1′s on Google and they are growing everyday.

So ask yourself. Do you want traffic? Or do you want business? Then start sharing your knowledge quickly.

Does she not realise that in 10-15yrs time, that the Internet isn’t going to be functioning the way it is now?

And… businesses who will (stupidly) be wasting their time by Googling employees searching for ‘perfect angels’ are going to incredibly disappointed at having to turn away decent workers for something they did a decade ago!

Is she mad? Or just not thinking enough?

Check out this clip from the article:

There will come a time when people will not be bothered in searching for a ‘blip’ on our personal records because everyone will have a ‘blip’. What’s shameful about having ‘blips’ on your personal record anyway? Didn’t someone once say ‘He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone’? There’s another phrase about ‘people in glass houses, shouldn’t throw stones’ etc too. Pick whichever one you prefer, they’re both the same to me.

Joellyn has failed to consider a world where so much information will be available to anyone, that we will get smart with how to deal with that information. Employers will get smart. Kids will change over time and we will archive our past actions as ‘that stupid thing we did back then’ and the world will continue.

The only people who are afraid here, are the people that don’t know how to handle the change that is inevitably arriving for all of us.

Don’t get me wrong there’s nothing bad in telling kids to behave themselves online, but there’s a lot of adults which need advice on how to conduct themselves, and what to advise the young on, before starting to dish out their own fears on to others.

There’s nothing to see here…. carry on.

This is the advice I give to others, but have failed to follow myself. Why? Because I’m like the Window Cleaner with the dirtiest windows in the street. Or the Car Mechanic that scoots about in an old wreck. OK, a bit of an exaggeration there, but the point still stands… I’m out ‘doing social’, exploring new things and experimenting with ideas I can give them to my clients. However I have completely forgotten to keep my own house in order.

Why? Well probably for the same reason that you struggle to blog frequently:

• You will have spent money on a good design that follows some formatting guidelines.
  Stop: Too much formatting delays posting content. Formatting is fine, but cater for a ‘reaction’ post as well.
• You will not have enough ideas to fuel your blogging.
  Stop: Focus for a hour to search & save things that connect with your blog objective… and do that in spaces which are not the usual hangouts.
• You will decide on a posting schedule.
  Stop: Blogging should be emotional – as is being truly social. Emotional reactions do not have a schedule.
• You write for your Customers, Clients, Market & Audience.
  Stop: You write for you! The blog simply serves as the proof for what you believe.

That is all. Now go write a blog post with the brakes off… and link to it in the comments below.

——————-

About the post title: Don’t write one to describe the content; Don’t write one to be SEO friendly; Write one which will match what a person may type into Google. This post title reflects that.

This one about community managers floats my boat, as it gives a tiny indication of how far a role penetrates into a company… rather than just assuming it’s the job of Marketing or Customer Service. 28% of participants said community management covers multiple internal departments according to their free 2011 report. If that’s the case, why aren’t more marketing professionals steering some of the load onto customer services, IT, the receptionist and operations? In fact, anyone can contribute. It’s certainly not the job of one any more.

Oh, another point, most of these graphics I find, don’t give credit to the illustrator. Why? They have an audience too, and credit where credit is due is only fair surely? A faux pas, I think. Leverage other peoples audiences at every turn, I say. Who created this GS? C’mon

Lovely eye candy, me thinks… there’s loads more on the blog as well.

Carry on – Mark