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Twitter now has TV?

May 2, 2013 — Leave a comment

This is a guest post from Preston Meier, University of Nebraska Kearney BMIS student

Since the beginning, Twitter has been seen as second to Facebook in social media. That is why Twitter is trying to create new interest to all of its online followers. Twitter recently started airing 6 second video clips to improve advertisement, and they have found great success with this.

Twitter now sees the next step as airing TV episodes that can only be seen on Twitter. The first TV station to accept Twitter’s innovative idea was Comedy Central, which will be airing a five day comedy fest starring Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner, and Amy Schumer. Also, viewers will be able to tweet with some of the performers and read their jokes during the comedy fest.

The future of our social interactions are quickly changing and I have begun to wonder if new ideas like TV for Twitter will help them compete with Facebook for the leader in social media. Even if Twitter has the newest and most fun events on their site I don’t think they can compete with Facebook in the short run. Facebook has too much staying power with their large number of users. On the other hand, if Twitter stays on course and strives daily to take over the number one spot I think they have a shot in the long run.

Do you think Twitter’s new ideas will stand a chance against Facebook?

In #Social Leadership, Social Media , , , , , , , , ,
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Why your Personal Brand needs an Update

February 7, 2013 — Leave a comment

I wish there was a reality TV show called “Extreme Makeover, Personal Brand Edition.” At least we could better ourselves by watching reality TV. The new generation of graduate and young professional seems to believe that a social presence is connected to reading Facebook updates. I think Facebook is a great tool for staying updated with friends and family, but it has very little structure for building your personal brand. We live in a world of networks and networking, why not spend energy strengthening those networks with viable contacts. Social media offers us the ability to clarify ourselves as professionals in any area we choose. If done correctly if also offers us the opportunity to research a subject of choice (expanding our knowledge), and develop skills that are most needed in today’s competitive arena. Three easy ways to better your personal brand:

1. LinkedIn: This social site was created with the business professional in mind. Posts are related to industry news and self-enrichment articles, rather than videos of dancing cats. This site also allows us to connect with individuals and use those connections to find opportunities. LinkedIn is essentially your digital resume, what does your’s say about you?

2. Create a Blog: A blog is the foundation of your personal brand. This is your opportunity to write about what you are passionate about and to differentiate yourself from peers with value added information. It’s amazing at how many times an interesting opportunity can present itself from a well written and publicized blog. It’s also a great example of your professional work for any future employer. Check out wordpress.com or wordpress.org for easy steps to create your blog.

3. Expand Your E-Signiture beyond your name: This is an easy one, but just as necessary. Create consistency with your personal brand. Every email or memo sent out is a branding opportunity, check out a basic example

Your Name
Website: wwww.myblog.com
Facebook: wwww.myfacebookaddress.com
LinkedIn: www.myLinkedInaddress.com
Twitter: @Twitterhandle

What does your personal brand say about you?

In #Social Leadership, Leadership, Social Media, Strategic Planning , , , , , , , , , ,
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Want more Twitter Followers? Try this…

February 3, 2013 — Leave a comment

Twitter is an excellent tool for reaching millions of hopeful opportunities.  Wouldn’t it be great If only Twitter worked that well.  In actuality Twitter can be a helpful tool for following people/information in a popular topic or to connect with thought leaders in your industry.  Use these three easy ways to garner more followers:

 

1.  Hybrid Follow – Begin your Twitter journey by following approximately 150 people with similar interests.  Use the “People to follow…” tool that Twitter integrates within the platform.  You may also search for people of a specific topic using the Twitter filters.  Also, keeping in mind the equal ratio strategy and follow back any individual that may follow you.

 

2.  10/1 Rule – The primary goal of social media is to provide value for your followers.  For every 10 Value-Added-Tweets, you have an unspoken permission to promote a product, service, or website.  Keep your tweets short and engaging.

 

3.  Your Headline Matters – The headline is important whether its your “About” summary or the title to first tweet.  Followers will decide within seconds of reading your “About” if you are worth following.  Make it simple, specific, and value oriented for your potential followers.

 

What’s the best Twitter headline that you have read? 

In #Social Leadership, Leadership, Social Media , , , , , , , , , , ,
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College Students = Failure?

Great article on the importance of a personal brand using social media and the connection to a successful career path.

Posted on January 29, 2013 In #Social Leadership, Leadership, Social Media, Strategic Planning , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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How to Create a Social Media Marketing Goal

January 23, 2013 — Leave a comment

Determining the return on investment of social media is a question that many will ask when integrating social media into their business plan or personal brand.  The first step towards developing a tangible ROI on Social Media is setting up and understanding what your social media goals will be.

According to a CMO Survey, the popular uses for social media marketing includes, but is not limited to, brand awareness and brand building, as well as retention of current customers or followers.  I will highlight a few popular goals:

  • Build the Brand
    • Increase your brand awareness 
    • Develop your brand perception
    • Expand the loyalty of your brand
 
Every brand needs positive a association whether it’s your personal brand or company brand.  Social media can influence individuals to recognize your brand as an expert opinion, or perhaps as an individual an employer needs on their team.  Consider Home Depot and their “How to…” videos.  Their website and YouTube channel are dedicated to helping an ordinary individual become a reliable handy-man.  Their brand is dedicated to helping us build a better place!
 
  • Drive Word of Mouth and Recommendations
 
I always find it funny that I will consider the recommendation from a complete stranger on Amazon.com before I make a purchase, before I consider the product marketing material.  Organizations and individuals must understand what the external environment is saying out either their product or themselves.  It is becoming increasingly important to generate recommendations as well as positive buzz on social media outlets.
 
  • Handling Crisis Management more Effectively
 
Social media allows for the quick response to any issue that may arise.  Many organizations have developed better customer service because of an effective Social media implementation, specifically focused on crisis management.  Great examples could be Starbucks or IBM.  Poor crisis management could be directed to the online viral video “United Breaks Guitars”, which focuses on the cruel luggage treatment outlined in song about United Airlines.

 

Did you create a set of goals prior to establishing a social media foundation?

In #Social Leadership, Leadership, Social Media, Strategic Planning , , , , ,
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*Infographic by- Shanghai Web Designers

Posted on January 19, 2013 In Social Media , , , , , , , ,
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Really?!? 3 Myths of Social Media

January 13, 2013 — Leave a comment

Social media has been around for over the last decade, but with the invention of Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc… social media has gained popularity quickly. Here are 3 quick myths about social media:

Social Media is Free: It’s true many social networking sites do not charge a fee for usage, but we need to consider the intangible costs of social media. First, consider the value of your time and resources, especially the opportunity cost of using your resources for something else. Second, if an individual or business is going to get serious about developing a lasting brand on social media, professional resources will be needed. This could include money spent on content production and creation as well as professional consulting from individuals or businesses who can help eliminate common social media pitfalls with the use of best practices.

Social Media takes a lot of time: As I mentioned above, a big cost of social media is the amount of time it takes to use social media effectively. The largest amount of time spent in social media should be developing a target market and a content strategy for that market. After a strategy is developed the time commitment on each social media platform can be drastically reduced by utilizing available resources. Automation tools are available to help cut the platform delivery and creation time. Consider HootSuite, SocialOomph, TweetDeck, and TweetPages to help create brand continuity and content scheduling. Mobile has grown 10-fold over the last five years. Utilizing a tablet or mobile device will help deliver content quickly and frequently, as well as help you create brand loyalty by connecting to your followers in real-time.

I don’t need Social Media for my personal brand: For many celebrities and high-profile athletes this is probably true. For the rest of us, social media can help develop our opinions and ideas and broadcast them to a large audience (some of which may have an opportunity for us). When someone Google’s your name, what is the first result shown? Most likely it will be a social media platform connected to your profile. Develop your personal brand in a positive way by posting meaningful content that is a value to your connections. You may be surprised at what opportunities present themselves when you have a positive and developed personal brand.

How do you develop YOUR personal brand on social media?

In Social Media , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Why Social Media Matters to You

January 11, 2013 — Leave a comment

Social Media Mareting ¿Qué es Social Media Marketing ?

To put it simply, Social Media is here to stay. Many will mention that it is a fad or that it is made for the younger generation. Social media is based on the simple desire of communication with others, ex “Social”. We as people have a basic need and want to communicate with each other, Social Media gives us the platform to do so. One of the fastest growing markets of Facebook is 65 and older. Not to mention that over 50% of people over the age of 55 have a Facebook account. Social Media has grown outside of the “youth” generation.

Why should you care about social media, three reasons:

Network Yourself: It’s amazing how social media allows an individual the opportunity to network with an infinite amount of connections. Consider that Facebook is great for connecting with friends, Twitter is a great resource tool for quick information, and LinkedIn allows you to connect with business prospects that can enhance your career.

Our Attention Span: The attention span of a human being has been compared to that of a goldfish. We want information as quickly as possible. The Twitter business strategy was built around that fact, 140 characters to make your point. Be Quick, Be Precise, Be informed.

Personal Brand: Social media provides all of us with the opportunity to create a lasting personal brand. Having a recognizable personal brand can open opportunities for career advancement or personal connections. Just as a company depends on their brand for recognizing customer trust and integrity, we depend on our personal brand as an image of our desired self. Michael Hyatt writes a great book Platforms: Getting Noticed that elaborates on the importance of a personal brand, check it out!

What purpose does Social Media serve for you?

In Social Media , , , , , , ,
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“Wisdom is what you learn after you already know it all” – Unknown

One Sentence to Better Your Career

Posted on January 6, 2013 In Leadership ,
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3 Ways a Farmer can Benefit from Social Media

January 6, 2013 — Leave a comment

This past week I attended the Farm Futures Business Summit in St. Louis MO. I attended with my father-in-law who farms in North Central Kansas. I am technically not a “farmer”, but I personally enjoy bettering my knowledge and looking for ways to utilize my business skills. The business summit was excellent, and I began thinking of how social media could help grow the opportunities of the modern farmer. I came up with three:

1. Networking – Social media connects us as individuals to the opportunity of creating dialogue with millions of people. I observed that many farmers are very keen at developing relationships with people, why not take that same skill to social media? Social media can and will continue to be an outlet to connect business peers, as well as farming peers. Perhaps a potential buyer or land tenant could develop from the initial connection on a social media platform.

2. Communicate Meaningful Information (Instantly) – With social media a grain farmer in rural Kansas instantly has the ability to share and receive best practices from a grain farmer in Indiana via a social media platform, which could give them both a sustainable competitive advantage of utilizing what is working and what is not working. We are always learning, why not expand the boundaries and platforms of where we find the information?

3. Connect with Key Opinion Leaders – Key Opinion Leaders (KOL) are sought for their information in any industry, and it is no different in farming. Being connected on a social media platform to a KOL of grain marketing or weather forecasting could provide a farmer with instant information to make a more informed decision, not to mention connect them with informative blogs and relevant news articles.

Who knows maybe at next year’s conference, in addition to asking for a business card we ask for a Twitter handle too!

What other ways can Social Media impact the farming industry?

In Leadership, Social Media , , ,
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