There’s no doubt that social media has had a profound impact on how businesses market themselves. Just about everyone has a Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest or Google account now, and businesses are following suit.
Social media is an effective and affordable way for a business to reach out to a lot of people and stay connected with them.
However, one valid criticism of social media and dependence on the Internet in general is that people could start to lose their personal social skills and the value of networking face to face.
As people spend more of their time online using social media, browsing websites and shopping online and less time with people, what happens to the human connection?
Bringing back a human connection
The truth is that in many ways in-person networking can actually enhance social media and online networking.
When someone can put a face -not just a photo -to a name, the connection will be much stronger and more authentic.
Blindly friending everyone in the virtual world then takes a back seat to connecting with someone you’ve met personally and with whom you share a genuine connection.
These social networking connections will be given precedence over less personal connections. They’re also more likely to lead to sales and ongoing, mutually beneficial professional relationships.
Why is face-to-face communication so significant? Needless to say, much more information is exchanged when people are meeting in person.
However, much of it is non-verbal. From facial expressions and body language to their tone of voice and even how they dress, these nonverbal cues can communicate a lot about a person.
All of this leads to your level of comfort (or discomfort) felt with someone, and all of this information influences the future of your relationship.
Offline Networking
Offline networking can take many forms. You can attend organized networking events and professional groups, go to Meetups and attend conferences and conventions.
You don’t have to concern yourself with promoting your brand at a tradeshow or convention, particularly if you have a booth or tent prominently featuring your logo.
You want people to remember your name and keep track of your business card, not to just think of you as a rep for your company.
You can even make impromptu connections while out in public running your errands or sipping a latte in a coffee shop. These social events and interactions can ultimately help your social media campaigns as well as improve your brand’s image both online and offline.
Getting back into in-person networking can seem daunting at first, especially if you’ve become heavily reliant on social media to the exclusion of meeting with people in person.
If this is the case, ease back into it gradually. Start with people you already have a rapport with, and don’t meet with too many people at once. Be organic and go with the flow. Let things unfold naturally, and above all, be yourself. Be genuine and authentic, and present yourself and your business in the most accurate light possible.
Blending social media networking with in-person networking can be a powerful marketing solution, and each method can enhance the other.
What it boils down to is that it is not an either-or situation; both social media and face-to-face networking have distinct value and advantages. Each method of marketing and making connections is highly useful and often a blend of both is the most effective solution.
"));} //OBEND:do_NOT_remove_this_comment //-->This article originally appeared on Brandwatch and has been republished with permission.
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Sunday, August 26, 2012
Where is the Best Place to Network? | Business 2 Community #SoucialMe
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
have two Facebook Pages for the same thing. Can I merge them? #SoulcialMeTips
- Go to the Page with the most likes. This will be the one you'll keep.
- From the top of your Page, click Edit Page
- Select Update Info
- From the left sidebar, select Resources.
- Click the Merge duplicate Pages link. This link will only appear if you admin two Pages with similar names.
- A dialogue will show Pages you admin that qualify to be merged. Select the Page(s) you wish to merge. If you're merging Pages with a location, they must have the same address information.
Top 10 Things to Avoid on Pinterest ~ Geeky Stuffs #SoulcialMe
Pinterest is the new social network in town and is growing quickly. Be a part of the fun, but don’t be a pain! There are a few do’s and don’ts if you want to really be a part of the community online.
Pinterest has grown massively recently going from something that no one had heard of the becoming the third most popular social network in its own right. It has attracted millions and everyone is now pinning their photos and images for their followers to see. The virtual pin board is used for many different reasons; some just posting random photos to keep up with their friends, some even to plan their weddings! There are plenty of great pin boards to browse for inspiration and ideas, but there are some things that are becoming the things that shouldn’t be done and that regular users don’t want to see…Top 10 Things You Should Never Do On Pinterest
Credit where Credit is Due!
If you are looking to post an image to your board, for your wedding for example, of a flower arrangement; link it back to the person who has done this and not just the place where you found the picture, i.e. Google. Linking to the original source is only fair and it means that others can really benefit from your board.
Incorrect Links Are Not Welcome
If you are looking for free advertising then do it properly and link from relevant images. Putting your blog or site link on any random images is misleading and, although many be beneficial to you, is annoying to others. Link to relevant content or you will see those followers disappear quickly!
If you want someone to click on your image then make sure you give them a bit of detail as to what it’s about. A proper, clear caption can be beneficial if you are using your Pinterest pin board for traffic and followers want communication, not advertising.
Pinterest is Fun, Don’t Overdo It
If your pin board is started for one intention, like to plan your wedding or to show your talent, then stick to this and don’t get too crazy! The site can be addictive but your followers will be more inclined to stick with your journey if your content is relevant. If you are a business or looking for traffic to your blog then this is an important point to follow.
Syncing Your Pinterest, Twitter and Facebook Account Can Be Annoying
When you consider this, also consider if the people you are sharing with are going to find your posts relevant to the cause and are going to be interested in what you are sharing. You can keep up with all of your social networks anyway without being irrelevant to your followers and friends of different social networks.
Also Check :The Complete Guide to Pinterest
Why You Should Avoid Pinterest
Don't Ignore the Interest of Your Followers
Social networking in this way is a different level of communication; try to keep a bit of the old fashioned communication there as well. Acknowledge comments and others' attempts; interact and find things you might not have otherwise.
Don't Be Disrespectful to Fellow Pinteresters
The idea behind the network is for users to share what they like; insulting others and their board's is a big no no. If they like it, then leave them be. If you don't, then don't follow them.
Don't Dismiss Objectionable Content
Pinterest users want to enjoy their experience and sometimes it is necessary to report a pin. If you come across content that is offensive or objectionable, then report it and don't leave it for someone else to find.
Don’t Be a Complainer
Everyone has problems, but don’t be one of the ones who air their laundry all over the web. Complaining to a certain extent is fine, but don’t go too crazy and start posting images and videos showing the depression of you because that is not what your followers are there for. They are not there to hear negative rants…
Also Check :Facebook vs Pinterest (Infographic)
HOW TO: Find the Original Source of an Image on Pinterest or Any Website
Don’t Pretend to be More than You Are
You don’t have to be an expert to use these sites so don’t like or try otherwise. Be honest to yourself and don’t try and portray your pins as anything more because you won’t get credit for it.
Lastly, Keep it Relevant.
Don’t share images and info that is part of a private joke, for example. Keep it real and share things that every one of your followers can enjoy and understand. There is no logic in asking your followers to check on the different prices to find the best SIM only deals here if they are interested in painting and photography.
Pinterest is new and fun, so keep it real so you can enjoy it and so your followers can too.
Sunday, August 5, 2012
Social Networks Are Not All Created Equal - The Social Ballot #SoulcialMe
With the growing trend in social media, there has been a sharp spike in the number of social networks available. Many of us have multiple social profiles, and utilize a variety of social networks, each for a different reason.
Take Pinterest, for example. Pinterest recently exploded in popularity, transforming the way in which we plan events, keep track of trends, and advertise our products. And while the majority of Pinterest users are women, who likely have at least one board devoted to fashion finds, adorable animals, or whimsical weddings, there is the male counterpart.
'', 'clear' => '', 'margin_top' => '', 'margin_bottom' => '', 'padding_top' => '', 'padding_bottom' => ''), array(), array()) -->So which social network takes home the gold? Well, it depends what you’re looking for. Ignite Social Media recently released an infographic comparing social media platforms, looking at statistics about gender, demographics, interests etc.
Some key findings:
- The overall number of men using social media is the same as the overall number of women using social media, with the male/female ratio evenly split at 50/50.
- Pinterest hosts the highest number of women users, followed by Habbo, IMVU, and Flixster. Surprised?
- Wealthier users tend to populate social networks like LinkedIn, Yelp, and Quora.
What’s hot
- Tumblr
What’s not
- Taringa (wait, what?!)
- Digg
- Bebo
- Friendster
- MySpace
Take a look over the 2012 findings and share with us your thoughts. Any of the findings surprise you? What’s your favorite social network?
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Tags: Ignite Social Media, infographic, Pinterest, Social Media, social network, Twitter
Google (GOOG) Rages Ahead In Social Ads With Wildfire Buy | iStockAnalyst.com #SoulcialMe
(By Mani) Google, Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG: 641.33, 12.58) has its extended its foothold in social media advertising by acquiring Wildfire, which helps firms deploy marketing campaigns on social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook (NASDAQ:FB
The deal comes as the proliferation of social media, and an increased demand by consumers to engage with brands across multiple social channels is driving chief marketing officers (CMOs) to look for an integrated social marketing platform. These platforms helps them to publish their ads and marketing campaigns on social networking sites but also helps in monitoring their campaigns.
The four-year old Wildfire powers social media marketing for over 16,000 businesses, including 30 of the top 50 global brands. Selected as the two-time winner of Facebook's fbFund, Wildfire now offers a complete Social Marketing Suite.
In early 2012, it became the first social media marketing company to have a software platform that integrates directly with Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn (NASDAQ:LNKD
The acquisition is timely for Google
as businesses around the world are embracing social media to share information and forge stronger relationships with their fans and customers.
Google could integrate Wildfire's
On the strategic perspective, the deal makes sense for Google as it generates about 90 percent of its revenue from advertisements. Google makes most of its money from keyword advertising that is shown based on the type of search a user conducts. Advertisers on Google bid for keywords to display their advertisements on the Google search page.
Google AdWords allow advertisers to display advertisements in Google's search results and the Google Content Network through cost-per-click – a key metric for investors' focus.
The pricing of keywords, the inventory of keywords available, and the frequency of user search impact how much money Google makes on search.
If Google manages to club Wildfire with its social platform Google+, the acquisition should help the search giant to boost its targeted ads and increase revenues for the company's search platform, thereby making Wildfire as another revenue generating machine for Google.
Google should be able to reap the above benefits of the deal pretty quickly as it integrated Google+ with the Google search engine earlier this year. This means that if a person in a user's circle has +1'ed a search result, the same would shown as one of the top results in new searches.
Meanwhile, the current advertising environment also favors the economics of the deal. Advertisers are cutting ad dollars from Facebook and Microsoft Bing, and increasing the advertisement spend in Google search. In a tough macro environment, advertisers are cutting advertisement dollars in experimental category and increasing the advertisement spend in Google search.
The search giant will continue to benefit from a strong secular shift towards more accountable advertising spending, which should help insulate the company from the economic downturn. Google's long-term fundamentals continue to remain strong with YouTube, Android, Chrome and Google Analytics continue to gain customer traction.
As a result, the Wildfire deal has the potential of not only generating revenues on Google+, but also would improve the Search product.