Social Network

Social NETWORKing

A. The Players

“Must See” Social Media

1. Facebook.com

“I know you; you know me”—perhaps a little too well?

HR’s best source for job candidate disqualification. “You did what?”

a) Create and advertise “Fan” Pages

2. LinkedIn.com

The “Who’s Who” of social networking. How big is my net?

HR’s primary source for job candidate info. “Who are you and who do you know?”

a) Boost your ranking:

(1) Join Groups

(2) Complete Interests

(3) Complete Specialties

(4) Answer Questions from other Users

3. Twitter.com

“Latest and Greatest” News and views in 140 characters, delivered NOW!

HR’s first source for prospective job candidates. “Are you tech savvy and an ‘early-adaptor’?”

a) Announcements

b) Breaking news

“Film at 11”

c) Go read/look at/listen to/watch this

Links to the web

d) Interpersonal communications

Conversation—14 word banter

e) Invitations

“Hey Baby, wanna hook-up?”

4. YouTube.com

If you liked my product demo, you’ll love my version of “Proud Mary”!

“That’s a bit more of you than I really wanted to see!” –HR 

5. Foursquare.com

I’m the Mayor of Munchkin land?!

“So, just how many bars are you the Mayor of exactly?” –HR 

6. BoothTag.com

“I met you at the trade show last week and I wanted to follow-up.”

The next “Big Thing”?

“So easy my phone can do it—all by itself.”

B. The Aggregators

Collect; organize; search; respond.

1. HootSuite.com

2. Seesmic.com

3. TweetDeck.com

C. The Utilities

1. Ping.fm—post to anything and everything in “Spamalot”

2. Xobni.com—get connected through Microsoft Outlook

3. TwtBizCard.com—like vCard for the Social Network

4. Meetup.com—it’s everywhere; are you?

5. TwtVite.com—don’t just invite—connect!

6. TwtPoll.com—instant feedback = instant gratification

7. TwtSurvey.com—collect market data demographically

D. The 13 Commandments of Social Media

The Do’s ‘n Don’ts’s of social media…

1. Do answer the 6 Q’s of journalism in 140 characters (120 leaving room for the recipient):

a) Who?

b) What?

c) When?

d) Where?

e) Why?

f) How?

2. Do give me a reason to follow your link, not just because you said so.

3. Do be sure to enter links correctly and with preceding and following spaces. Use URL shorteners whenever necessary.

4. Do spell check unless abbreviated, then make sure it’s understandable to the reader. Good grammar counts too.

5. Do remember that your Followers probably didn’t see the question you are answering, but may be interested in the same subject.

6. Do be respectful of the reader’s time and patience.

7. Don’t assume that the world revolves around you.

8. Don’t share the banal. I didn’t want to know what you had for breakfast yesterday; I don’t want to know what you’re having for lunch today; I’m not going to want to know what you’re having for dinner tomorrow.

9. Don’t share the sordid either. If you’re gettin’ busy in a bar, how does that make me more confident of your professional acumen?

10. Don’t say anything you wouldn’t want quoted on the front page of tomorrow’s paper (even if the paper no-longer exists, the internet is for-e-ver).

11. Don’t feed the pigeons. Don’t follow Followers unless they have something worthwhile to contribute to your life, it only encourages list builders. And don’t allow them to follow you in the first place. 

12. Don’t feed the bears either. Regularly purge your Followers of undesirables.

13. Do be ubiquitous, complete, and consistent.