The Changing World of Social Media

Take a glimpse at the live statistics of one person's view of social media:

This visual representation stresses the importance of understanding your purpose online and the tools available to measure your ROI.

Are You Ready for 4.0?

The Economist magazine's Media Convergence Forum is being held next month in New York City to discuss the rapidly changing media landscape: decrease in the traditional forms of media, increase in online social networks and the adoption of digital/mobile technology by consumers.

This promotional video for the event certainly sets the stage for a lively debate among the confirmed speakers, which includes:
Barry Judge, Chief Marketing Officer, Best Buy
Bonita Coleman Stewart, Managing Director, U. S. Sales, Google
Terry Davenport, Senior Vice President, Global Marketing and Brand Strategy, Starbucks

Are you ready for the next innovations in media and technology?

I Want My Life Back

Do you feel like all of the social media networks are taking over your life? It can feel overwhelming. At the end of the day, do feel like you just spent a lot of time online and didn't accomplish anything?

The social media tools that I use save me time, instead of wasting it. You can create a work/life balance using social media.

Here are some basic time management tips for the major social media sites:

Twitter - Let's face it. The public Twitter stream is full of noise. Use TweetDeck to set up filters, groups and searches. Focus on the industry leaders and potential clients that can advance your professional growth. Plan time to tweet and stick to it.

Facebook - Check Facebook after normal business hours. I use Facebook mainly for personal use. It can be a distraction from my professional goals. It is easy to start a click fest and forget what your purpose was by checking Facebook in the first place. Become a fan of any important company or group pages, so you will be notified of updates or upcoming events.

LinkedIn - I have always had a free account and have over 17,000 first level connections. Many people wonder how I was able to do this. It's simple. I set specific goals to grow my network. Every day I would send out a specific amount of invites and spend 30 minutes on revenue producing activities in LinkedIn.

Be sure that when you are working online that you are not randomly checking for updates to your social media networks. When using any social media tool, you must focus on your reason for being there and determine your action plan to reach your goals.

Your Recommended Daily Allowance of Social Media

Review your social media activities.  Are you committed to producing quality content?

Your social media strategy needs to use the correct tools and focus to gain long-term, nourishing and healthy relationships. For example, stop treating Twitter like a conversation you have while you are in a drive-thru talking to a speaker and ordering fast food.

It may be time to upgrade your social media and digital methodology. The choice is yours.

Kudos to the talented  Valeri Gungor who created this graphic and for the original blog post by the Chancellor of Social Media University - Global,  Lee Aase.

Say What You Need to Say

The true beauty of social media is that we can harness its' powers to generate win-win opportunities. You will see a better ROI if you do more than just monitor the social media activities of your customers and competitors.

The song, "Say", by John Mayer is my social networking anthem. It inspired me to stop lurking in social media communities and start contributing. It is a bonus that John Mayer has over 2 million followers on Twitter from his authentic tweets.

Is it time for you to take a leap of faith, continue to listen and finally participate in the online conversations about your industry or company?

You Are What Google Says You Are

When I first read the phrase above, it truly upset me. This isn't fair. I was born and raised in a small town in Iowa with a strong sense of community. Your reputation and values determine one's professional worth. It is comforting to go home where everybody knows your name, just like in the sitcom, "Cheers".

Online you are judged by what is found when someone views your social media footprint by googling your name or your brand. The good news is that we have the ability to contribute and influence what is indexed by Google.

If you are interested in growing your professional network and reach, first analyze your current social media impact, digital strategy and areas for improvement.  It all starts with a goal and a Google search.

Social Media Revolution

Are you ready for the social media revolution?

With the support of my professional colleagues, family and friends, I have decided to follow my dreams and launch a social media consultation firm.  It is an honor to have the opportunity teach individuals and companies how to pay-it-forward using digital tools to reach their goals.  Thank you for your interest in my new venture as the Chief Enthusiast Officer (CEO) of Social Precision.