#SMKzoo Chat Transcript 2: Google+ Integration

* Raw transcript prior to formatting and in reverse chronological order. Start from the bottom and work your way up.

wplayford: Thanks again to @IronShirtMedia @jpacoleman @sarahlwlee @dandiggler @stephencaggiano and other #lurkers. #smkzoo

SarahLWLee: +1 RT @wplayford: Just because were out of time today, doesnt mean we cant keep the conversation going. When you get an idea tag it. #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: RT @samfiorella: “PPL Who Owe Me Money” ~ #1 used name for Google+ Circle?? ~> http://bit.ly/rdY3ra #UsGuys #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: @jessicanorthey I think we are all still figuring out how to use it. cc: @samfiorella @swonderlin #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: RT @jessicanorthey: hmmm I have to figure out how to use it but am very happy to keep google separate from stuff #smkzoo

wplayford: Just because we’re out of time today, doesn’t mean we can’t keep the conversation going. When you get an idea, tag it. #smkzoo

StephenCaggiano: #Thanks! @IronShirtMedia @jpacoleman @sarahlwlee @dandiggler @wplayford #SMKzoo

DanDiggler: RT @ironshirtmedia: Thanks @jpacoleman @sarahlwlee @dandiggler @stephencaggiano and our host today @wplayford #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: And we are out of time. Thanks @jpacoleman @sarahlwlee @dandiggler @stephencaggiano and our host today @wplayford #smkzoo

DanDiggler: @sarahlwlee Outsourced lost voice: If that happens the agency isn’t doing its job! #smkzoo

wplayford: @SarahLWLee I think it will eventually be integrated into other CS and marketing channels. #smkzoo

DanDiggler: @ironshirtmedia I agree. The personal nature of G+, its ability for targeting, makes it perfect for individuals of all sorts. #smkzoo

smkzoo: Thank you everyone who participated this morning’s #smkzoo tweetchat! Join us again in 2 weeks & follow @smkzoo for future topics!

SarahLWLee: @DanDiggler Furthermore I find personality behind the sm platform helps drive engagement and development #smkzoo

smkzoo: Today’s #smkzoo tweetchat transcript will be posted later on this evening on @smkzoo twitter – follow us for the low down!

JPAColeman: @SarahLWLee depends on the industry, some types of business will rely on #sm, some will just want a presence #smkzoo

SarahLWLee: @DanDiggler Wouldn’t this affect the voice that comes from these sm platforms if outsourced? #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: Nah let everybody who wants use it. could be very cool for creatives to collaborate RT @smkzoo: Is G+ better left to SM “experts?” #smkzoo

SarahLWLee: @JPAColeman There is big ROI potential for small businesses however capital for full time sm person is scarce to begin with #smkzoo

DanDiggler: RT @smkzoo: Forgot to tag it- Question 4: Is G+ better left to SM “experts?” #smkzoo #googleplus #gplus #socialmedia

apt2labs: RT @smkzoo: Forgot to tag it- Question 4: Is G+ better left to SM “experts?” #smkzoo #googleplus #gplus #socialmedia

JPAColeman: @smkzoo Q4: G+ is still in field test – once they open to the public (and biz), then it might be a different question #SMKzoo

IronShirtMedia: @SarahLWLee I think the answer is it depends on the organizations needs. not all Need or benefit from full time Social media peeps #smkzoo

DanDiggler: @sarahlwlee I say yes. But harder for smaller businesses. That’s where agencies can pick up the slack. #smkzoo

smkzoo: Forgot to tag it- Question 4: Is G+ better left to SM “experts?” #smkzoo

JPAColeman: @SarahLWLee depends on the organisation – if the platform has the potential for a big ROI then by all means full time #smkzoo

SarahLWLee: A question begs to be asked then: Should there be a full time social media person in an organization – big and/or small orgs? #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: @JPAColeman @wplayford To solve this, Learn which channels fit your message and only participate where you have time to do it right #smkzoo

StephenCaggiano: @IronShirtMedia If You have a rigid #socialmedia framework, crossposting may INCREASE Your #SEO. #SMKzoo

DanDiggler: Until #socialmedia marketing is accepted as a true profession and given its due, laziness, hubris, and ignorance will prevail? #smkzoo

wplayford: @JPAColeman I can see that. You framed it more positively than I did #SMKzoo

JPAColeman: @IronShirtMedia convenience mixed with misunderstanding the platform/audience then #SMKzoo

IronShirtMedia: @JPAColeman @wplayford without a doubt time shortage can contribute to cross posting but it is not an excuse for bad behavior #smkzoo

JPAColeman: @wplayford depends on the role – if #SM is a part time responsibility, you might not have time – convenience perhaps? #SMKzoo

wplayford: @IronShirtMedia He’s already sick of reading about G+ cc: @StephenCaggiano #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: @wplayford @JPAColeman igno-lazi-rus #smkzoo

DanDiggler: Good One! RT @SarahLWLee Perhaps that’s what all sm integration should aim towards, an enhancement instead of just repeating a post. #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: @StephenCaggiano how so? #smkzoo

wplayford: @JPAColeman Is cross posting born from laziness, ignorance, or hubris? #SMKzoo

StephenCaggiano: #Thanks! #Lurking for the most part. @IronShirtMedia @parissab @heidicohen @paulbiedermann @mediasres @PegFitzpatrick @TobeyDeys #SMKzoo

IronShirtMedia: @SarahLWLee agreed. SM integration should be about adding to the social experience not just repeating content out of context #smkzoo

StephenCaggiano: Depends upon Your message, and continuity. @JPAColeman @IronShirtMedia #SMKzoo #SEO

wplayford: Spot on! RT @SarahLWLee Perhaps that’s what all sm integration should aim towards, an enhancement instead of just repeating a post. #smkzoo

SarahLWLee: @IronShirtMedia Perhaps that’s what all sm integration should aim towards, an enhancement instead of just repeating a post. #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: What up! welcome to the chat @StephenCaggiano @parissab @heidicohen @paulbiedermann @mediasres @PegFitzpatrick @TobeyDeys #smkzoo

SarahLWLee: +1 RT @JPAColeman: if you want integration, use @HootSuite – otherwise, keep your platforms separate and tailor your messages #smkzoo

wplayford: FYI: My tweet stream is being throttled right now #smkzoo

JPAColeman: @IronShirtMedia best way to be – I’m very much against cross posting. It’s bad for SEO too if thats another consideration #SMKzoo

IronShirtMedia: @JPAColeman I use @HootSuite for managing replies and sending timed messages but I still can’t bring myself to cross post from there #smkzoo

StephenCaggiano: #Thanks! G’Morning Michiganders! @JPAColeman @parissab @heidicohen @paulbiedermann @mediasres @PegFitzpatrick @TobeyDeys #SMKzoo

IronShirtMedia: Google thinks all our data belongs to them anyway RT @smkzoo: Is there more of a concern about your information being aggregated? #smkzoo

JPAColeman: @IronShirtMedia if you want integration, use @HootSuite – otherwise, keep your platforms separate and tailor your messages #SMKzoo

IronShirtMedia: #foursquare and #getglue are getting some love for integration because they enhance the fb + twitter experience #smkzoo

JPAColeman: @parissab @StephenCaggiano @heidicohen @paulbiedermann @mediasres @PegFitzpatrick @TobeyDeys great chat going on at #SMKzoo #UsGuys

smkzoo: Question 3: Is there more of a concern about your information being aggregated? #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: so If none of us are fans of Cross posting what benefit would integration provide? #smkzoo

JPAColeman: A good example of cross posting that works is #GetGlue – establishes shared interests, again drives conversation #smkzoo

SarahLWLee: Agreed, not so much on FB RT @JPAColeman: Exception being #4sq, Im ok with updates going out on twitter – its a conversation starter #smkzoo

DanDiggler: Good point! RT @sarahlwlee: Cross posting not using the platform to its fullest capability. #smkzoo

SarahLWLee: Cross posting sometimes puzzle me – it’s not using the platform to its fullest capability. Some have good outcomes but not many. #smkzoo

JPAColeman: I’m even more annoyed when FB updates go out over Twitter, why drive people away from the platform with on.fb.me links #smkzoo

wplayford: @IronShirtMedia @JPAColeman Right on. I’ve also seen +1′s on FB recently. #smkzoo #useless

IronShirtMedia: @JPAColeman foursquare helped me find some friends at a bar last night when we had not planned to meet. so I agree with that #smkzoo

DanDiggler: @jpacoleman Agreed! But I will admit to getting lazy and leaving them in there when I want something to cross platforms. #smkzoo

JPAColeman: @IronShirtMedia to me that shows laziness – with FB, deliver a more detailed message, take advantage of the tools you’re given #SMKzoo

IronShirtMedia: @JPAColeman great point it is annoying when I see hashtags and twitter id’s in fb posts because I can do nothing with them there #smkzoo

JPAColeman: Exception being #foursquare, I’m ok with updates going out on twitter – it’s a conversation starter #smkzoo

DanDiggler: @sarahlwlee Welcome! Good to have you with us. #smkzoo

smkzoo: @JPAColeman @SarahLWLee Glad you could make it! #smkzoo

JPAColeman: #smkzoo I wouldn’t cross post at all, FB users don’t get hashtags, G+ still it its infancy, needs to establish its niche then tailor message

SarahLWLee: Sorry I’m late! Morning meeting ran a little longer than expected #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: @jpacoleman we are asking RT @smkzoo: Next question: Should you have redundant content across all three platforms? G+ Twitter and FB #smkzoo

JPAColeman: ok – G+ integration. For now, I’m going to say no. Google+ needs to become it’s own platform with it’s own message #SMKzoo

IronShirtMedia: @JPAColeman thank for joining us. #smkzoo

wplayford: When you go to LinkedIn, do you want to see a #4square check-in? #smkzoo

DanDiggler: @ironshirtmedia Agreed. But if you have the same goal the content may be similar. Consistency and solidarity in voice. #smkzoo

JPAColeman: Sorry I’m late to the party at #SMKzoo – what have I missed?

wplayford: G+ has a certain virginal quality of unique content. I hate the fact that Twitter integrates with everything. #smkzoo

DanDiggler: RT @smkzoo: Next question: Should you have redundant content across all three platforms? #smkzoo #socialmedia #business #b2b #b2c

BSKzoo: But for business, it’s even more important. Businesses need as much reach as they can get #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: @smkzoo I say hell no. Some will probably overlap but spamming everything to all three streams would be annoying as hell. #smkzoo

BSKzoo: @IronShirtMedia Yep I think you hit it on the nail right there. It’s the same reason why 100 apps exist for communication on one SM #smkzoo

DanDiggler: @smkzoo I think you gear the content to the audience of a specific platform. But the campaign is all about one goal. #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: RT @smkzoo: Next question: Should you have redundant content across all three platforms? #G+ #FB #Twitter #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: @DanDiggler Integration seems like a third party need not a G+ native function #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: @DanDiggler I think the conversation will always be spread across multiple platforms, humans like variety of options. #smkzoo

TheOfficialNika: @DanDiggler unable to join in on the fun today. I’m sure i’ll get the run down from participants later #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: Would you use G+ as a platform to send tweets and fb updates if you could? #smkzoo cc: @samfiorella @JessicaNorthey @swonderlin pls retweet

BSKzoo: I think like @IronShirtMedia mentioned before, when “one SM rules them all” it won’t be necessary but for now I do it with HootSuite #smkzoo

DanDiggler: If the conversation I am in spreads over multiple platforms I’m going to want integration #smkzoo PART 2

DanDiggler: @ironshirtmedia Is inefficiency the only reason we use multiple platforms? I think its more about where the conversation is.#smkzoo PART 1

smkzoo: Next question: Should you have redundant content across all three platforms? #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: Yes they do RT @wplayford: @IronShirtMedia @DanDiggler Doesnt Twitter own Tweetdeck now? #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: Twitter management apps make sense ‘cuz twitter as an interface to it’s content is inefficient. G+ is very efficient #smkzoo

wplayford: @IronShirtMedia @DanDiggler Doesn’t Twitter own Tweetdeck now? #smkzoo

BSKzoo: @wplayford Haha, touche! #smkzoo

BSKzoo: @DanDiggler I LOVE the idea of having different G+ huddles open in columns like I do with Tweetdeck #smkzoo

wplayford: It would take the “tweet” out of it RT @BSKzoo: We could be having this tweetchat in a G+ huddle and have it better advertised. #smkzoo

DanDiggler: @theofficialnika Good morning! Will you join us? Do u think G+ should integrate and let you tweet and fb from their interface? #smkzoo

BSKzoo: We could be having this tweetchat in a G+ huddle and have it better advertised. I think G+ already has twitter beat in that aspect #smkzoo

DanDiggler: I don’t think Hootsuite or Tweetdeck are integrated with G+. Are any of the dashboard managers? Integrating would mean easier mgmt #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: @mayhemstudios thanks for the link. we are talking integration of G+ with FB and Twitter in #smkzoo tweet chat. would you use G+ to tweet?

wplayford: If the channel is KEPT different RT @BSKzoo: I mean, G+ hit 10m users in 16 days… Why embrace a competitor? #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: RT @mayhemstudios: Facebook to Tame Google+ with ‘Facebook for Business’ su.pr/2Izh0r by @douglasi via @smedio #smkzoo

DanDiggler: I would enjoy the integration. It keep me from using multiple tools to manage my networks. #smkzoo

TheOfficialNika: forgot that #smkzoo tweetchat was this morning. that explains why my twitter feed is being blown up by @DanDiggler and @IronShirtMedia

IronShirtMedia: RT @BSKzoo: G+ hit 10m users in 16 days, compared to 2 years for twitter and FB. Why embrace a competitor? http://bit.ly/p1knbd #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: @dandiggler welcome to the party. What do u think would u want G+ to integrate and let you tweet and fb from their interface? why? #smkzoo

BSKzoo: I mean, G+ hit 10m users in 16 days, compared to 2 years for twitter and FB. Why embrace a competitor? http://bit.ly/p1knbd #smkzoo

DanDiggler: RT @ironshirtmedia: #smkzoo tweetchat NOW join us and talk G+ should it integrate with facebook + twitter or stay separate? #socialmedia

Apt 2 Labs: RT @ironshirtmedia: #smkzoo tweetchat NOW join us and talk G+ should it integrate with facebook + twitter or stay separate? #socialmedia

smkzoo:#smkzoo tweet chat HAPPENING RIGHT NOW! Today’s topic: Should Google+ integrate with Facebook & Twitter or stay separate? Join us!

IronShirtMedia: @wplayford “one SM tool to rule them all” seems nice but a set of diverse tools fosters specialized interaction on each platform #smkzoo

wplayford: @SarahLWLee @DanDiggler @BowerGulley How do you use G+? #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: @wplayford G+ enables rapid idea sharing in circles that stay private. I don’t see how integrating with twitter or fb adds any value #smkzoo

wplayford: @IronShirtMedia Wouldn’t make sense to be able to import all of your other social channel contacts into G+ for easier management? #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: @wplayford I use G+ differently because I can more easily manage private group conversations with G+ than any of the other tools. #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: @BSKzoo I think we are talking on integration not merger #smkzoo

wplayford: @IronShirtMedia You just hit something. Why do you use it differently? #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: I think facebook is scared of G+ taking over part of their share of web users time online RT @wplayford: FB already blocked a G+ API #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: The way I use G+ is significantly different than the way I use Twitter or FB so what would the benefits of integration be? anyone? #smkzoo

BSKzoo: I had no idea, but it makes perfect sense in my eyes. RT @wplayford: FB already blocked a G+ API #smkzoo

BSKzoo: From a business perspective I don’t really understand how any sort of merger would make sense. Just integration of features #smkzoo

wplayford: FB already blocked a G+ API #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: I’ve seen a ton of buzz about G+ vs Facebook vs Twitter, very little talking about them getting into one sandbox. #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: Good morning ALL thanks to @wplayford for hosting todays Tweetchat! who is on so far say hello! #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: @jpacoleman will you join us again for #smkzoo tweetchat? loved your input last time and we are starting the chat right now! #smkzoo

wplayford: RT @smkzoo: #smkzoo tweet chat HAPPENING RIGHT NOW! Today’s topic: Should Google+ integrate with Facebook & Twitter or stay separate?

IronShirtMedia: #smkzoo tweetchat starts NOW join us and talk G+ should it integrate with facebook + twitter or stay separate? #usguys #smkzoo

smkzoo: #smkzoo tweet chat HAPPENING RIGHT NOW! Today’s topic: Should Google+ integrate with Facebook & Twitter or stay separate?

smkzoo: Who’s ready for some tweet chat? #smkzoo

#SMKzoo Chat Transcript 1: Google+ For Business

* Raw transcript prior to formatting

_EricSchmidt: @IronShirtMedia My bigger Q is: is it time to take G+ seriously, or is it just a toy for early adopters? #smkzoo

wplayford: Circles in G+, for me, is the killer app #smkzoo

KalamazooMuseum: @IronShirtMedia How would using Google+ be a plus for a non profit? #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: use it to collaborate for program dev/ feedback RT @KalamazooMuseum: @IronShirtMedia How would using G+ be a plus for a non profit? #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: @mobilejray , @_EricSchmidt @sarahlwlee tell us about your circles on G+ what kinds or people are you segmenting? #smkzoo

_EricSchmidt: I scrambled for a G+ account. Once I got one, I didn’t do anything with it. No time. Anyone else? #smkzoo

SarahLWLee: @joannacr are you joining us for #smkzoo this morning? #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: would love to hear you guys chat about Circles for aminute. what kinds of circles are you building? are you segmenting leads? #smkzoo

SarahLWLee: @_EricSchmidt oh shenanigans, you know you wanted to be here #smkzoo

mobilejray: Anyone else here? Echo… Echo…echo… echo… #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: many of us have been on Google+ for a while so lets talk about what we’ve learned. @wplayford what can you share? #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: @wplayford, @_EricSchmidt what up welcome to tweetchat #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: we are talking g+ for business in our frist ever #smkzoo tweetchat LIVE right now join us and bring your brain #usguys #tweetupkzoo #smkzoo

wplayford: RT @smkzoo: Join our first tweetchat #smkzoo TODAY at 10am on Google+ for business. Our host @ironshirtmedia will be moderating.

IronShirtMedia: #smkzoo tweet chat starting right now. Bring your thoughts in G+ LETS GO!

_EricSchmidt: @IronShirtMedia Social media hipsters(TM) are going to the new flavor of the month. Not sure G+ is anything more than that – yet. #smkzoo

JPAColeman: @IronShirtMedia “Curated” works as long as it’s opt-in. Privacy over Functionality, sometimes functionality will win #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: I think G+ is seeing a big uptick because twitter has become so mainstream that the thought leaders will jump to G+ for intimacy #smkzoo

SarahLWLee: Does G+ solve the problems that each of the other popular social media platforms have or is this just another Google app? Thoughts? #smkzoo

JPAColeman: @SarahLWLee for example – a hosted list of #usguys members – so we don’t each have to set up a circle and keep track of new members #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: @JPAColeman what do you think about how “curated” balances with privacy? #smkzoo

SarahLWLee: @JPAColeman Can you elaborate more on that? #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: interesting idea RT @JPAColeman: @_EricSchmidt @SarahLWLee Circles will come into its own when they allow curated/shared circles #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: I’ve started dividing customers into circles by the kinds of content I know they are interested in. It lets me share relevant stuff #smkzoo

JPAColeman: @_EricSchmidt @IronShirtMedia @SarahLWLee Circle’s will come into it’s own when they allow curated/shared circles #smkzoo #usguys

SarahLWLee: @_EricSchmidt @IronShirtMedia That’s a great question. For example @jaras76 is planning on ditching FB, 4sq and Twitter for G+ #smkzoo

_EricSchmidt: @IronShirtMedia My thoughts on circles reflects @SarahLWLee’s experience. I’m playing the waiting game. #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: @_EricSchmidt Early adopters are leading the charge but I think there are enough early adopters that it is relevant #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: @wplayford Circles and +1 are the big wins for me. Using +1 to catalog stuff online that i want to review later beats using @digg #smkzoo

SarahLWLee: @IronShirtMedia The circles I have so far have been more dependent on who is on G+, slowly curating people into different segments #smkzoo

MyAgenda: RT @JPAColeman: Hey #UsGuys interesting chat about #googleplus for business taking place – use hashtag #smkzoo to contribute @OhMyJet @ty_sullivan @MyAgenda

SarahLWLee: I foresee that as long as you’re in a public #sm space you’re always going to be exposed to crap but u have choice to filter/ignore #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: You can have Google+ Circles for each model of its vehicles. That way, customers can receive tailored messages http://cot.ag/oQkYbF #smkzoo

wplayford: Circles has basically allowed me to combine Twitter and Facebook. It allows me to create separate channels to share valuable info. #smkzoo

JPAColeman: @RyanLBoucher huddles and hangouts are great for collaboration – sure, other tools are available but some are at a cost #smkzoo

JPAColeman: Google are listening to us early adopters – it’s a good time to be involved and shape it – I feel the success relies on our feedback #smkzoo

RyanLBoucher: i hear the circles are the big things with G+, but what other other things are there for businesses? #smkzoo

SarahLWLee: @IronShirtMedia @jaras76 I think you’re going to get that regardless of the #sm platform because ppl will continue to post that #smkzoo

wplayford: Sorry, business called #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: Thanks!!! RT @JPAColeman: Hey #UsGuys interesting chat about #googleplus for business taking place – use hashtag #smkzoo to join #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: @wplayford tell me about your big wins with circles so far #smkzoo

SarahLWLee: @IronShirtMedia Funny you should mention that. Check out article “Why G+ Could Be Twitter on Steroids” http://cot.ag/oQkYbF #smkzoo

JPAColeman: Hey #UsGuys interesting chat about #googleplus for business taking place – use hashtag #smkzoo to contribute @OhMyJet @ty_sullivan @MyAgenda

IronShirtMedia: @SarahLWLee @jaras76 the only reason we are considering bailing on other #SM tools is over use by the cat picture posting public #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: G+ is a better ways to use circles vs lists and integration of images and video in feed is a huge upgrade. #smkzoo

_EricSchmidt: @IronShirtMedia What I mean by that Q: I can see how G+ is a FB killer. But Twitter? Twitter is 1-to-1 at its most pure. #smkzoo

JPAColeman: @SarahLWLee Facebook don’t have a suite of products like Docs – integrating Docs with Circles would make a great collaboration tool #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: @MyAgenda Right on time jump in!!! #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: Awesome question RT @_EricSchmidt: @IronShirtMedia Can someone explain to me the difference btwn Circles and Twitter Lists? #usguys #smkzoo

MyAgenda: Just joined…how late am I? #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: @SarahLWLee @JPAColeman because it integrates with the rest of the google apps it could eclipse competitors. it’s too early to tell #smkzoo

_EricSchmidt: @IronShirtMedia Can someone explain to me the difference btwn Circles and Twitter Lists? #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: RT @wplayford: Circles has allowed me to combine Twitter and Facebook. It allows me to create separate channels to share info. #smkzoo

SarahLWLee: @JPAColeman Couldn’t the same be said of every social media network – always evolving and improving? or at least that’s the hope #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: @MyAgenda welcome to the chat glad you could join us!!! #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: Yo @newmindgroup you got a minute to add some cred to our #smkzoo tweet chat on #Google+ for biz #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: @JPAColeman @RyanLBoucher I use Huddles to collaborate with team, and circles to share content by segments: customers, partners… #smkzoo

SarahLWLee: @newmindgroup should be here in this chat, they’re an authorized rep for Google products and would be very helpful to this convo #smkzoo

SarahLWLee: @RyanLBoucher It’s suppor to be interconnected with all the other Google apps typically used for business. #smkzoo

JPAColeman: With Google+ don’t consider it a social network, but a platform of tightly integrated products – always evolving and improving #smkzoo

natepeck2000: I see opportunities to cater our messages to groups, but our goals are somewhat different at the paper than other businesses #smkzoo

_EricSchmidt: @SarahLWLee “Sounds like it eliminates the intimacy of a conversation.” –> Perfect phrasing. And why I have my doubts about G+. #smkzoo

mobilejray: RT @IronShirtMedia: We are half way into #smkzoo tweetchat & ideas are flying about circles in G+ for biz get in here #tweetupkzoo #smkzoo

wplayford: @SarahLWLee @IronShirtMedia @_EricSchmidt You can add or subtract as many folks as you want. How is that a bad thing? #smkzoo

SarahLWLee: @wplayford @JPAColeman Exactly. Still soon to tell on that regards, I see potential of a monopoly but ppl are creatures of habit. #smkzoo

_EricSchmidt: @IronShirtMedia Perhaps. But levels of complexity will lower adoption and acceptance. FB, Twitter – pick it up and use it. #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: @SarahLWLee @_EricSchmidt I thikn it can increase intimacy of idea sharing because of the ability to better segment the sharing #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: OK we are half way into #smkzoo tweetchat and ideas are flying about circles in G+ for biz get in here #usguys #tweetupkzoo #mmchat #smkzoo

SarahLWLee: @IronShirtMedia @_EricSchmidt sounds like it eliminates the intimacy of a conversation and more mass sharing from what you’re sayin #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: RT @JPAColeman: Cirles controls the flow of information – lists merely filters the most relevant, the info is still public #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: @_EricSchmidt @IronShirtMedia 1 to 1 has limitations. G+ can shine by being a hybrid focused on niche content sharing between users #smkzoo

wplayford: @JPAColeman @SarahLWLee I think Google knows the convergence of its products (if executed well) will make it a winner #smkzoo

JPAColeman: @_EricSchmidt Cirles controls the flow of information – lists merely filters the most relevant, the info is still public #usguys #smkzoo

SarahLWLee: @JPAColeman That’s true it’s almost like Apple’s iTunes as an infrastructure to support its myriad of iPods iPhone products etc #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: RT @samfiorella: Ford revs up for Google+ marketing campaign: http://bit.ly/ppAmzJ (expand) #SocialChat #MMChat #BizForum #SMkzoo #smkzoo

natepeck2000: I just question whether G+ can bring enough new functionality, or integrate enough, to make it worthwhile. #smkzoo

MyAgenda: @SarahLWLee Circles allows you to specifically target and you can speak directly to them {only} no in broadcast sense @_EricSchmidt #smkzoo

SarahLWLee: @natepeck2000 @ironshirtmedia the same could be said of academia in syllabus regarding new technology and business #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: @natepeck2000 slow adaptation to new realities has been the problem for many businesses in Michigan…also for dinosaurs #smkzoo

SarahLWLee: @natepeck2000 glad to see you join us here! #smkzoo

JPAColeman: RT @MyAgenda: on the contrary it allows more intimacy #smkzoo <– allows privacy certainly, something you wouldn’t use twitter to discuss

natepeck2000: @ironshirtmedia That has been part of the problem with journalism — slow adoption/reaction to new market realities. #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: @MyAgenda vs @_EricSchmidt Sounds like we have a battlle brewing do G+ Circles increase communication intimacy or kill it? #usguys #smkzoo

_EricSchmidt: @MyAgenda I hear what you are saying, but I think it’s a mistake to confuse privacy and intimacy. #smkzoo

SarahLWLee: @MyAgenda @_EricSchmidt Please do elaborate further on how it contributes otherwise. #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: @MarisaBeauduy welcome to #smkzoo

MyAgenda: on the contrary it allows more intimacy RT @_EricSchmidt: @SarahLWLee “Sounds like it eliminates the intimacy of a conversation.” #smkzoo

MarisaBeauduy: RT @myagenda allows for “control convo” <Love it! RT @JPAColeman: @_EricSchmidt Cirles controls the flow of information – #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: @natepeck2000 I think any business that fails to realize it needs to cater information to groups fails to understand humans #smkzoo

MyAgenda: allows for “control convo” <Love it! RT @JPAColeman: @_EricSchmidt Cirles controls the flow of information – #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: @natepeck2000 ad revenues don’t support anything they are an add on. content and value to customers supports everything #smkzoo

MyAgenda: @IronShirtMedia allowing people in multiple circles just allows them to join various ‘sharings’ from you @JPAColeman #smkzoo

JPAColeman: @SarahLWLee but is broadcasting a question not still engaging? even with a group? #smkzoo

JPAColeman: @webstaurants we’re talking about Google Plus for business using the hashtag #smkzoo – feel free to join

IronShirtMedia: @_EricSchmidt @IronShirtMedia @natepeck2000 nut is this “shiny” actually better? or just “shiny” that is what we are here to discuss #smkzoo

natepeck2000: @ironshirtmedia Yes, the problem with SM and the move to adopt online business models is that ad revenues don’t support journalism #smkzoo

SarahLWLee: @MyAgenda @_EricSchmidt If it’s a dozen people who are getting the same info you’re sharing, it’s still broadcasting. #smkzoo

wplayford: RT @IronShirtMedia: @natepeck2000 slow adaptation to new realities has been the problem for many businesses in Michigan…also for dinosaurs #smkzoo

_EricSchmidt: @IronShirtMedia @natepeck2000 And chasing the new Shiny causes some biz to lose focus. It’s about the people, not the tech. #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: RT @JPAColeman: the argument about intimacy is interesting, but doesnt allowing people to reside in multiple Circles negate this? #smkzoo

SarahLWLee: @natepeck2000 absolutely, btw he’s on twitter too at @edwardschad #smkzoo

natepeck2000: @SarahLWLee I completely agree. Props to C. Edwards for upending the apple cart there and adopting new delivery methods #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: G+ = Better group sharing for that reason RT @JPAColeman:<– allows privacy certainly, something you wouldn’t use twitter to discuss #smkzoo

SarahLWLee: @IronShirtMedia @natepeck2000 not only Michigan, it’s generally across the country and world. Half the battle is adapting to change #smkzoo

JPAColeman: #smkzoo the argument about intimacy is interesting, but doesnt allowing people to reside in multiple Circles negate this argument?

SarahLWLee: On one hand I can see keeping personal engagement private might be a good thing but for a biz, u want to show you’re able to engage #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: personalization may be a bit of misnomer I think it’s segmenting. delivering content that feels personalized to a group works best. #smkzoo

_EricSchmidt: @RyanLBoucher @IronShirtMedia Exactly my point. When moms are signing up, that’s when general biz really needs to take it seriously. #smkzoo

natepeck2000: There’s been little success among news orgs who generate new content, paywalls don’t work. #smkzoo

natepeck2000: @ironshirtmedia Journos let the content cat out of the bag when they put everything up for free. Can’t unring the bell #smkzoo

RyanLBoucher: @ericschmidt, I could not see my mother, or grandmother for that matter getting on facebook when it came out either #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: @_EricSchmidt I didn’t expect my mother to get facebook but she did so what does my expectation matter #smkzoo

MyAgenda: definitely! RT @SarahLWLee: @MyAgenda @_EricSchmidt so I can see how the personalization can come across #smkzoo

_EricSchmidt: @IronShirtMedia Let me ask you this: can you see your mother getting a G+ account? #smkzoo

JPAColeman: @formulists there is a difference – everything on twitter other than DM is public – things shared within a circle are private to it #smkzoo

SarahLWLee: @MyAgenda @_EricSchmidt so I can see how the personalization can come across #smkzoo

_EricSchmidt: @IronShirtMedia Is the tech of the Shiny is better? Prob. But for biz, time invested is only worth it if there’s adoption. #smkzoo

SarahLWLee: @MyAgenda @_EricSchmidt but I can see that people are not aware that they’ve been grouped into a particular circle… #smkzoo

natepeck2000: @ironshirtmedia – Well said. #shiny #smkzoo

formulists: @ironshirtmedia Circles I think are like private twitter lists because you can’t see the name or members of it @_EricSchmidt #usguys #smkzoo

_EricSchmidt: @SarahLWLee @IronShirtMedia I hear you & it’s an argument I can buy. My point is we need to wait and see a bit. Take the long view. #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: For the last few minutes of #smkzoo do you think +1 feature will influence your search results + make Google a more personalized SE? #smkzoo

DanDiggler: @jpacoleman even if contacts reside in multiple circles its like segmenting an email list. You’re able to target! #smkzoo #smkzoo

SarahLWLee: @IronShirtMedia @_EricSchmidt It becomes more for monitoring than to be influenced about product/svcs purchasing #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: +45 RT @DanDiggler: @jpacoleman even if contacts reside in multiple circles its like segmenting an email list. Youre able to target! #smkzoo

SarahLWLee: @IronShirtMedia @_EricSchmidt moms don’t adopt because a business told them to, it’s because grand/kids talk about it #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: @_EricSchmidt Waiting for main street adoption is being behind the bell curve! #smkzoo

MyAgenda: +1 RT @DanDiggler: @jpacoleman even if contacts reside in multiple circles its like segmenting an email list. Youre able to target! #smkzoo

RyanLBoucher: i think by making it closed they focus and change what needs to be changed by the power users and then get the moms on board #smkzoo

SarahLWLee: Hence using Twitter in business engagement is much more optimal. It’s not just info sharing, it’s a PR/branding aspect too #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: @_EricSchmidt General biz should be looking for influencers, leaders and decision makers. they will drive moms to adopt. #smkzoo

wplayford: Back to the biz part, I wouldn’t be surprised if Google tries to put blocks in place. Google is about gathering info (your info) #smkzoo

JPAColeman: @SarahLWLee that’s why Circles can work well – you can engage personally and privately as well as to a larger audience #smkzoo

_EricSchmidt: @RyanLBoucher @IronShirtMedia But until then, I think biz needs to be more focused on the big 2. Depends on the biz, of course. #smkzoo

DanDiggler: @jpacoleman even if contacts reside in multiple circles its like segmenting an email list. You’re able to target! #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: We are 2 minutes from the end of our first ever #smkzoo Tweetchat THX to all who participated today and shared some #awesome ideas #smkzoo

_EricSchmidt: @IronShirtMedia Need to do more homework on +1. But if G makes +1 part of overall SEO, I worry about abuse. #smkzoo

DanDiggler: RT @IronShirtMedia: @BSKzoo seeing how adwords could apply to G+ could breathe some life into the medium for advertisers #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: @BSKzoo interesting idea. seeing how adwords could apply to G+ could breathe some life into the medium for advertisers #smkzoo

DanDiggler: @MyAgenda I switched over to tweetchat.com from hootsuite. #smkzoo

joevdb: I mentioned Google+ at a meeting yesterday and half the 6 people had never heard of it. #smkzoo. Marketing people.

BSKzoo: It’s been a great business model for them with their searches #smkzoo

BSKzoo: Why wouldn’t google sell advertisements to businesses that show up on a sidebar based on the content of your personal circles? #smkzoo

DanDiggler: @IronShirtMedia +1 feature will only help results if content of value is shared. I don’t need to see grand kid photos #smkzoo #smkzoo

natepeck2000: All the more reason to take the long view #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: RT @joevdb: Im following #smkzoo chat abt Google+, thanks for contributing lots to think about all! <—-thanks for following! #smkzoo

MyAgenda: @DanDiggler I’ve been double posting too. There is a disconnect between Twitter and Hootsuite this morning! Ugh! #smkzoo

natepeck2000: @_EricSchmidt @SarahLWLee @IronShirtMedia It all depends on how Google adjusts its algorithms to take into account +1 for SEO #smkzoo

joevdb: I’m following #smkzoo chat abt Google+, thanks for contributing lots to think about all!

DanDiggler: #smkzoo sorry for double posting..I keep getting errors of overcapacity. #smkzoo

formulists: @jpacoleman True. You can’t make circles public. Do you think people should be able to? #smkzoo

mobilejray: @MyAgenda @RyanLBoucher @joevdb DM me your email addys for invites. #smkzoo

wplayford: Great tweetchat guys. Thx for the enthusiastic participation. Wish I wasn’t on the phone through most of it #smkzoo

BSKzoo: @DanDiggler None of the SM networks technically support each other as they’re competitors. Many apps are updating for this though #smkzoo

MyAgenda: I have invites but thought it was open now, no? RT @RyanLBoucher: @joevdb G+ is very exclusive right now. I cant even find invite #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: Successfull tweetchat thanks to great insight and input from @natepeck2000 @MyAgenda @JPAColeman @mobilejray and more you guys rock! #smkzoo

_EricSchmidt: @DanDiggler There are, but arguments persist on whether the tools are malware or not. I’d be patient. #smkzoo

joevdb: Reply @IronShirtMedia @_EricSchmidt Waiting for main street adoption… <– I wonder if GOOG has a plan for promotion? #smkzoo

mobilejray: @DanDiggler There are some integration but some of them have questionable coding (built on CrossRider) #smkzoo

natepeck2000: @RyanLBoucher I worry that Google+ will become the next Wave. Never got out of beta. #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: thx for an amazing tweetchat @_EricSchmidt @DanDiggler @wplayford @joevdb @bskzoo @SarahLWLee @ryanLBoucher @formualists #smkzoo

DanDiggler: Anyone know if there are #Sm integrations yet? Links btw #FB and #twitter etc, to post across from G+ into other networks? #smkzoo

RyanLBoucher: @joevdb Google+ is very exclusive right now. I can’t even find an invite so now wonder people don’t know about it #smkzoo

MyAgenda: @MostHeather doing well, attending a god chat this morning about Google plus #smkzoo

DanDiggler: @_EricSchmidt @IronShirtMedia I agree about SEO worries. #smkzoo

MyAgenda: Glad to have joined RT @smkzoo: We will be posting the transcript of this chat later on via @smkzoo and also on @tweetupkzoo FB page #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: Starting a meeting with @cakeskzoo re #socialmedia gotta run! thank you all for having me as the first moderator for #smkzoo

DanDiggler: @natepeck2000 Great insights about the journalism industry. The ad support is the kicker unless new rev streams are created. #smkzoo

smkzoo: We will be posting the transcript of this chat later on via @smkzoo and also on @tweetupkzoo FB page #smkzoo

IronShirtMedia: Want a transcript of this chat follow @SMkzoo we will be posting later today! Thx to all who participated can’t wait for next week! #smkzoo

DanDiggler: @_EricSchmidt Agreed! Hats off to @IronShirtMedia for moderating. Great discussion! #smkzoo

smkzoo: Thank you for joining us on our first tweetchat and big thanks to @ironshirtmedia for moderating today’s chat! #smkzoo #smkzoo

natepeck2000: Thanks for the insights, guys. Looking forward to continuing the convo. #smkzoo

Needy Business Messaging A Turn Off?

Recently I watched How to Lose A Guy in 10 Days again, yes the movie with Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey. One of the things that Kate Hudson’s character talks about is how guys don’t like needy girls. In this case I am not suggesting your followers are jerks as stereotyped in the movie or all girls are needy, however those characteristics are often an instant turn off and doesn’t invite any further enticement for engagement or conversation.

At one point or another I am sure you have read a tweet or saw window displays that seemed extremely desperate and not even in an ironic funny way. There is a time and place so to speak for needy messaging but with a compelling argument or proof to back up your reasoning. For example, fundraising for a cause. Asking people to donate on a one-on-one basis is very personal, often you are at that point where you are saying, “I need you to do this for me because it’s important.” It has a needy feel to it because you need people to support your cause monetarily or in kind because clearly you can’t do it all by yourself. This is what I would consider a good needy messaging because you’re presenting a sound reason for why you are doing what you are doing.

A bad example of needy messaging is when you keep wanting your fans or followers to keep doing things for you with no pay off or recognition, similar to a young bratty child jumping up and down saying, “Mommy, mommy! I want that toy now!”. After gratifying that want, your fan/follower feels used and eventually reacts to it by becoming uninterested and losing loyalty towards your brand. Of course I am not suggesting irresponsible parenting by walking away or becoming uninterested in your child, but rather allow a feedback process to occur from both sides so that you can tweak your messaging accordingly. If what you are putting out there is giving off the wrong impression, tweak it! This is one of the things I love about social media strategy, it is a constant work in progress towards greater improvement (hopefully, if you research and respond accordingly to feedback you received).

Perhaps the examples I am drawing from for the needy messaging is very simplistic in nature however I hope you see the intent behind it. In this case when attempting to get followers to take action on your messaging, be it to retweet, donate or to buy something, to remember to recognize or reward them with a positive pay off that is worthwhile for their actions. This doesn’t mean you have to give prizes away all the time because it gets expensive, but you can do little things to make your faithful followers feel valued. Some easy examples I have seen include acknowledging them in store for their feedback and being a great customer or even creating a wall of fame in store or online with pictures of your top Foursquare user check-ins (with their permission of course).

Found  social media cartoon above that illustrates my point on Twitter via @eric_andersen and @rpgoldenberg. Check out more social media cartoons at  Noise to Signal Cartoon.

Why Authenticity?

As a social media user and cheerleader (read about this cheerleader thing in the new About the Author section), I have talked about being authentic and many other social media experts as well as aficionados would agree that when it comes to social media you have to be authentic in who you are. People see you for who you are and if there is an ounce of deception, well then… that’s a different blog post in itself. Being authentic is one of the simplest ways to build a relationship with another person on a very basic trust level.

I’m going to avoid saying, “Well I’m just trying to keep it real” – that just sounds overly pretentious of me and it’s just not my style. If you have conversed with me in real life or on any of the social media platforms that I’m on, you will know that I wear my heart on my sleeve. When I’m sad, I am down in the dumps. However I am able to rebound and share about matters that are important and valuable as well as talk intelligibly about a variety of topics.

Throughout my conversations with various people about social media and authenticity, it’s easy to speak your mind on social media however you find yourself catching yourself saying things that you shouldn’t have. So how do you define authenticity in the social media context? One thing to keep in mind, you don’t have to give everything away on social media just as you would in real life. It is after all another avenue for communicating and not the be it all – that’s why you have in real life conversations (for everything you don’t want published to the world and a more intimate conversation).  Furthermore it is easy to call ourselves a hypocrite when we are trying to attempt authenticity on social media – “you say one thing but you do another”, doesn’t that remind you of your parents or as a parent saying that to your kid? Especially when it is easier to manage what you’re saying more strategically via social media than in person.

Honestly I can say you can try and keep trying to be as authentic as you can be. Attempting authenticity is almost akin to achieving perfection and that will be a constant challenge.  At some point your social media persona and real life have to align.  Consistency about who you are becomes your personal brand. It is what makes you authentically you.

So in my personal attempt for authenticity, I have themed and branded this blog as my efforts in being authentic in my professional and personal pursuits. I guess you could say I am just being honest with my opinions and myself on issues that matter to me. Not too long ago I lost a friend who I found myself not being authentic towards – a friendship lost and that was a lesson well learned. This revamp I would say is to an extent commemorative of that incident and a commitment to never do that again.

I hope to bring you more engaging blog post entries in the future and would love to hear your feedback on any of them.

Restructuring & Revamping My Blog

I apologize for my post absence. I’ve been thinking for a long time (yes many months) about the content that goes into this blog. I don’t want to just write a blog about social media just like everyone else nor do I just want to comment on random things. This is an interesting challenge I’ve come across and it is important to note that as all good bloggers know, you should always publish compelling content. So far what I’ve published isn’t as compelling as it should be. Furthermore, who are my targeted audience.

As you can see I’ve yet to figure some of these seemingly hard pressing questions. If you have suggestions or feedback, would love to hear it. At the mean time, stay tune as I work on revamping this blog.

Convince Me About Why Social Media Matters

Today I had the opportunity to speak to the Downtown Kalamazoo Restaurants and Retailers Association about social media but more specifically about how they could use it to collaborate and cross promote the events that they put together as an association. What I learned from our conversations was what they were struggling with is beyond just utilizing the social media tools. Picking up social media and learning how it works is truly hands on which all of them seem to have a decent grasp and great interest to pursue. Furthermore all of them have some form of social media presence, at the minimum a Facebook page, and they see the value in getting involved – I don’t need to convince them otherwise. It’s everyone else that they need convince.

This is a constant challenge that has been talked about and will continue to be talked about because there is no right answer or solution to getting your bosses and coworkers on board using social media for the organization’s strategy. Keeping in mind that you have been enlightened on how to use it as a business strategy however the rest don’t necessarily see it from your perspective, but rather from an individual user viewpoint in terms of how it would be invading their space; their personal lives. Social media is social in nature and very personal for many. Eventhough they don’t own the business Facebook, there is a great sense of ownership over their individual profile accounts. Also we are creatures of habit and that plays a huge role on how the conversation will go with everyone else in the organization. It is in our nature to resist change. As the common phrase goes, “We’ve done this a million times and it has worked well for us, why do we need to change and do this now?”

One interesting challenge that came up in this regards was framed around generational resistance. The assumption that social media tends to be of a younger crowd, the older clientele are not as eager to involve young prospects into the clientele base via these newer innovative strategies. Yet the organization wants to attract more younger audience because participation is dwindling down overall. One example was how the older clientele love the way how things are and want to maintain the status quo. It’s true you can’t please everyone and yet you don’t want to lose your loyal customers. I can completely understand that challenge because many arts organizations are struggling with this same problem. Older clientele vs. new younger crowd, how do we solve this problem? Here are some thoughts…

First of all in every good marketing strategy you have goals to achieve and you develop strategies to obtain those goals. As a good marketer you do your due diligence and research of finding where your targets are and then coordinate your plan of attack accordingly, right? However as simple as that is, you spend more time negotiating the concerns and factors that stakeholders see would change the overall organizational culture and image. I guess some of the common misconception I have noticed is the older crowd feels that these new strategies is a dumbing down of the cultural arts which loses its luster and prestige. Furthermore the idea that social media will take over all means of communication/marketing and they would be left out because they are not a part of it – isolated from their all time favorite interests. Once again how do you manage these concerns? There is no right or wrong answer but strategies to consider and perhaps try:

1. Create two separate strategies: one for existing customers and one for new prospects. Hopefully by now you understand the needs of your existing customers and are able to cater to their wants, if you don’t then it’s time to do your research again. Find out who are your resistors and truly listen to what their concerns are about – read between the lines. Perhaps they can offer you some insight about your existing customer base that you never knew about. It’s an arduous task but with how things are rapidly changing in technology, economy and people, there is no better time than right now. In terms of your strategy for new prospects, start small – do a test pilot. The beauty of social media strategy and planning is its always a work in progress. Its flexibility allows for trial and error at $0 cost with several dedicated hours per month on your end to plan and then execute, which enables you to tweak your strategy freely as you go along.

2. Show, don’t just tell it. You may be the lone wolf in your organization managing social media, talking it up on top of everything else that you do and you are having a tough time dealing with people who are hesitant. Bring in other social media people into the mix, both users and experts – users help make a case for demand and experts provide credibility as well as a different insight into its importance. For example if you have a lot of customers requesting for Foursquare specials and management is hesitant to get on board, show them not only the numbers but what people are saying. If you have this huge group of people who are your loyal customers and brand ambassadors,  claim the Foursquare venue and pull the analytics that tracks how many people are checking in and host a Foursquare meetup. Encourage these customers to write reviews and leave tips on Foursquare. Present to management the bottomline of how Foursquare is beneficial to your business and also how if more resources/effort is dedicated to it, we would be able to draw more customers in and we would improve our brand perception. Any good customer-based business would definitely jump at the opportunity to meet their customers demands because it truly is about retaining your loyal customers who in turn are your draw for new prospects. Nothing beats peer influence.

Those are the two key things I can think of at the moment in terms of addressing the situation. Sometimes resistance help us re-evaluate how we are communicating to others and how receptive we are to others feedback. As absorbed as we are in marketing, first and foremost we are communicators. It is a life long learning process to be an effective communicator that we need to constantly monitor eventhough we are caught up with the stress and demands of our job and life. So I will leave you with these thoughts and if your organization is struggling with getting social media kicked off, please feel free to strike up a conversation with me and I would gladly brainstorm with you on how we can get you going as well as helping the rest of your coworkers feel energized about it.

 

 

 

Thoughts On Social Media For 2011

* I wrote this as my two cents for Business Review West Michigan, which I’m sure only a few good lines will be pulled. Who knows…

Within the past several months I’ve observed a gradual increase in local businesses becoming more visible in terms of integrating social media into their overall organizational strategy. More specifically they are following me @SarahLWLee or the Chamber @kazoochamber on Twitter. The increased amount of followers on Twitter is just the tip of the iceberg of what is in store for social media in Kalamazoo.

In 2011, we will continue to see more businesses leveraging social media beyond just securing an account but actually engaging with their customers to gauge their feedback on products/services. After talking to a few local businesses downtown and getting a feel for their thoughts on social media, they are very much aware of the opportunity that lies with these different social platforms but they are at a point where they need to decide what type of resources they need to allocate to support it – be it a staff member or an intern dedicated to it, or even financial resources to support social media campaigns/activities.

Furthermore, we will continue to see more smartphone usage especially with integration of social media in businesses (Thanks @ironshirtmedia for this insight via Twitter). This creates a significant local impact where users are now actively seeking retail or restaurant promotions and more so as a means to explore their local community. Where there is a growing population/audience, local businesses will grow in its offerings and opportunities to harness this avenue as a way to communicate. Each social platform have analytics available to businesses who subscribe to them that provides greater insight into their customers habits and interests, such as Facebook insights and Foursquare analytics.

The beauty of social media is its an ever growing platform and there is no ultimate guide book that will tell you right from wrong of what you are doing but there are several rules of thumb that you stick to as guidelines. However, the best way as we continue to grow with social media is to learn from the various trial and errors and tweak accordingly. This is a fundamental strategy for any business – the tweaking of marketing or branding messaging to fit your target audience, etc – the only difference is it’s on social media and the response is much more immediate.

One last thought for social media in 2011 is the potential collaborations amongst different social media groups in Michigan. For example @SocialMichigan is an effort spearheaded by Erik Granning in Detroit with collective support of other local social media groups from Kalamazoo, Grand Rapids and Detroit to pull together the various events, meetups and more that are taking place in Michigan into one central website. Several avid social media users began talking about efforts to do more collaborations, however one city doesn’t know what the other city is doing in terms of social media events and found various overlaps. In that sense @SocialMichigan will be a good start to get everyone on the same page while planning for future strategic collaborations to connect social media users as well as build a stronger online community that is eager to share and learn together.

With these inter-city collaborations, I hope to see more businesses tapping into local online communities such as TweetUp Kalamazoo or even Foursquare Kalamazoo to aid in these inter-city collaborations, whether it is through meetups/events, and make Michigan a thriving social media community. It is a mutually beneficial relationship that can only lead to greater things and to a much more positive business environment for all to grow.

Twitter’s Year In Review – Revealing or Not?

Twitter came out with an interesting site dedicated to review what has happened in the past year specifically on trends, memorable tweets, who’s new on Twitter and two more sections to come. What I found fascinating was the Top Twitter Trends in 2010 and the eight categories they picked out to highlight.

Most of those key words were part of most of my conversations on Twitter at one point or another. Is this revealing that I’m one of the masses? Just another statistic that proves that the trends are accurate? Or perhaps Twitter has become the go-to platform for such discussions. For example, the top trend under Television category was MTV Video Music Awards. I remember watching it on TV while having my laptop on my lap commenting with the hashtag #VMA of how amazing the set was and the various amazing commercials that a fellow tweep had a hand in making that possible.

One of the key things I wanted to highlight was people probably tweeted more about the VMA’s because there was such heavy promotion to actually tweet at the event or about the event. In fact there was a constant tally running on the big screen of how many tweets there were for VMA or the various music artists. To an extent it was a popularity check on how hot a topic you are on Twitter, in this case the emphasis was on the music celebrities. I feel that it is not true assessment of a top trend because of the heavy promotion, however it does show how successful the event’s execution to garner this amount of publicity and attention.

Looking down further on the Television category list, we have: Pretty Little Liars, True Blood, Walking Dead, Grammy Awards, Glee, Family Guy, CSI, MTV Movie Awards and American Music Awards. Out of all listed, I watch Family Guy and sometimes Glee. Glee I can see why it would make one of the few top because of the social media tie-in it has with GetGlue and others, but Family Guy? I don’t recall Family Guy ever having a major social media tie-in, heavy promotion or such, and yet here they are one of the top trend talked about topics. Now that to me is truly fascinating. Could this be a good reflection that Family Guy without any heavy social media promo is a great/horrible show in itself that people naturally would talk about it on Twitter? Of course this is an assumption and I have not done much research on whether Family Guy has a significant social media presence or not. It would be interesting to see if there is a true correlation between the two.

Somehow I find the trends highlighted are a passive forced act of habit. We tweet/talk on Twitter on specific topics because we are gently persuaded to do so – in this chaotic stream of tweets we are forcing order with labels and hashtags, rules of the game if you will, to participate and be counted in a conversation. From a PR/marketing standpoint, successfully getting people to engage in conversation constantly about your brand/product is an achievement. Furthermore you are able to gauge the demographic and habits of who is talking about you. Where as from the user standpoint, what does it tell you about your twittering habits? Are you persuaded to use the medium because that is the only way you will be able to engage with others on a favorite topic in real time or do we use it because of the potential perks or even rewards that could come with participation and competition (i.e. badges, discounts, talking to your favorite celebrity/author, networks hear your suggestions, etc) ?

Food for thought definitely. As the trends and informative graphics Twitter has provided in its year review, it is definitely something to take with a grain of salt but also to ponder on what is the gap in our understanding of social media data. Or even what is in the data that we are overlooking?

When you get a chance, check it out for yourself at http://yearinreview.twitter.com and see if the findings show you anything revealing.

Social Media with Restaurant Managers and Students

I was invited to speak to two different groups of people about social media: a group of restaurant managers and a class of marketing students. Two very distinct crowds but one thing I knew that was important was to get them to engage in a Q&A with me. I find answering questions they have makes a much more valuable discussion as well as engaging presentation.

One thing I used across the board was the popular metaphor comparison for all four major social media sites:

• LinkedIn – The Boardroom
• Facebook – The Office
• Twitter – Water Cooler
• MySpace – Bar or the Strip Club

Both groups got a laugh out of it, which proved a good start for my presentation…

Round 1: Restaurant Managers
They were an excellent crowd, approximately 12 or so of them were in the room. The goal I was invited to speak to them was to share some enthusiasm on the importance of social media and how they could leverage it for their respective restaurants. I shared with them the top three key points I shared with them was: Branding, Customer Loyalty and Viral Content.

Branding
Social media doesn’t push people to make a decision immediately to buy your product or run to your restaurant immediately. However you remain at the top of their minds when they think about where to eat for dinner or lunch or for a specific dining experience. I believe people enjoy having choices or at least the illusion of choices. Your competition is every other restaurant who has equal amount of variety as you do to meet every single diner’s palette and experience they are seeking – so what makes you so much more special than the others? The experience people have with your brand. If a customer has a positive engagement with your brand or restaurant, they become your brand ambassadors. In the social media world, “brand ambassadors” is not an uncommon term and it has been used many times by various social media experts. I agree that having other people talking about your brand positively helps build the priority list in people’s minds and hearing from a friend or peer makes that suggestion a significant imprint vs a passing comment. In addition it builds up customer loyalty which leads to my next point…

Customer Loyalty
Customers love being treated as VIPs or have that feeling that restaurants care about them – of course in addition to indulging in delectable food and savoring a delicious beverage. I shared my personal experiences with the restaurant managers, specifically my experiences with Wine Loft of how whenever I walked in everyone knew who I was and they knew my favorite wine selection, but more so that we have collaborated on numerous social media events that have exhibited the engagement they’re able to provide to their customers from varying levels. The managers understood this concept very well in terms of treating the customers well, the difference was this is on social media and news on such a platform travels virally.

Viral Content
To put it into perspective, when you have a customer complaining about your restaurant, what’s the first thing they do? Well most of them would start complaining about what a horrible experience they just had with the restaurant and proceed to tell their friends as well. If they are proactive, more than likely they would complain to the restaurant manager. With social media it is easier to share their bad experiences instantly to their network of a hundred to 500 friends in seconds.

Interesting Feedback Questions from restaurant managers

• Is it  okay to respond to comments on Yelp or Urbanspoon? Would it seem like a faux pas?
• Can I respond back to the customers in the same tone that they wrote it?
• Should I get the employees involved, for example the bartenders?
• Would it be possible to post more pictures of food and drinks or even video of our chefs prepping a dish?
• We have so many restaurants and having multiple people accessing these social media sites, wouldn’t that be troublesome or even hard to coordinate? (Talk to them about management tools)

Some of the questions here are more about protocol and how to’s, which are excellent questions. They seemed eager to try and experiment with social media. I walked in with an assumption that they may be resistant to social media, as I left the person who invited me to speak said, “I think you reached them.” The presentation was positive and I was glad I was able to provide them with some ideas as well as general directions that would work best for them. I’m eager to see how they will implement the ideas we talked about.

Round 2: Students
The undergraduate students were definitely a different crowd on many levels, however we were able to engage in some good conversation and interesting questions. On the day of the presentation, the professor informs me that the students need to incorporate some form of social media strategy into their group project. I shared with them the three key points above and showed them two social media management tools that I use on a regular basis: CoTweet and HootSuite. The two are great examples to illustrate different features that various management tools are able to offer. Check out my previous post on #tweetupkzoo conversation about social media management tools. Students seemed intrigued at the possibilities through social media, however I could tell immediately that the only platform that clicked immediately for them was Facebook. Twitter and LinkedIn not so much.

What I found interesting was the questions they had for me. My first reaction to their questions was, “They are not thinking about social media from a business perspective… .” However a good friend of mine later on brought to my attention that perhaps they don’t have the right frame of reference to understand the concepts that I am trying to communicate. It was not frustrating, but I did want the students to walk away with something useful. Here are the interesting questions:

Interesting Feedback Questions from students

• What are your thoughts on Facebook privacy issues?
• I heard business/third party people can view my profile even though I have it private?
• Is it true that HR people or prospective employers can view my Facebook account even though I have it private?
• What is the first thing you do with Facebook if you wanted to promote a new product?
• How effective are the Facebook ads on the side of your profile?
• What’s the point of Facebook ads if people don’t see it? I requested to have the ads removed and now I don’t see them on my profile.

As you can see, it was more about Facebook and privacy issues. At the time when this presentation took place, several changes had occurred to Facebook’s privacy policies too, so I can see how this could be a timely discussion topic. However the issue at hand was about social media strategy for marketing. The following day I received an email from the professor saying that he received positive feedback from the class about my presentation. I guess I can conclude it went well and I am encouraged that social media education still prevails in the classroom.

Social Media Battle – Which side will you pick?

* Written originally for TweetUp Kalamazoo Facebook page on October 25, 2010.

The Social Media Battles was developed by @danzarella. Each battle will be composed of 2 people representing opposing viewpoints on a social media topic. They will each be given 2 minutes to make their case, and 1 minute rebuttals to their opponents, then the audience will decide the winner. Fast, simple and honest.

Battle topics:

1. Personal vs. Business Profiles. There has been a lot of talk about having separate profiles for personal and business on Twitter. However, everyone has polar opposite opinions on it. Why is it important or even necessary? Will it make a difference? What if you are the business/brand?

2. Checking in at Work/Home. Foursquare has taken off dramatically as one of the most popular geo-location mobile application. In addition to it’s popularity, many questions that have led to heated debates have been brought up as to whether checking in to your work place or home is a valid location to check into. Some have commented that checking in to your home or work place is not in the spirit of what Foursquare was intended for. Furthermore, what if your work place doesn’t have the feature where staff checks in separately? Should checking in to your work place or home count as a valid mayorship to claim major 4sq badges such as “Super Mayor”?

3. Followers: Quality vs. Quantity. One of the major questions, every business or online personality has asked is “How do I grow my followers on Twitter?”. Truly the better question is do you want quality or quantity from your followership? Indeed the more followers you have, it affects your Klout score dramatically, but your influence score is not solely dependent on the number of followers. It is in the conversations that you have with your followers – the social engagement. However, many social media aficionados do not always agree on this topic. On one hand having a larger followership leads to greater influence and also perhaps a larger engaged knowledge bank to draw from. The flip side, how do you manage all these conversations and have meaningful interactions with thousands of followers?

(Recent Addition 11/1/2010)
4. Twitter RT Classic v. New. Twitter is constantly wowing us with a variety of experimental features and many of which we have taken a stand to say which one is better than the other. Or at least to define the ups and downs of these features. Based on recent recommendation by @danieldpeterson and @jdhowa2, we have decided to put this on the slate to be battled out as well! Retweet Classic gives you the ability to edit the tweet you are planning on retweeting prior to posting, where as Retweet New does not give you an editing capabilities. How important is it to have a tweet that has been edited to include your comments? You could easily attribute to the tweeter in a new post or hit the reply button and respond. At the same time, Retweeting the whole tweet without editing would simplify the process of tracking the depth and influence of that particular tweet. Is this truly a question of preference or does either one have an upperhand that we are unaware of?

Which side will you pick? Come check out the battle at #tweetupkzoo Nov. 19 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Wine Loft Downtown Kalamazoo. RSVP today at http://tweetupkzoo.eventbrite.com/