1. Not having strategy – social media are a great tools to reach your audience but thats simply what they are – tools.  Without a marketing strategy you will end up spinning your wheels.
2. Time sucker – social media can be a real distraction.  Don’t let it suck up your time.  Schedule it into your day and keep to the schedule.
3. Adding people willy nilly – don’t do this: if you do you risk looking like someone who is only out to be spammy.
4. Expecting instantaneous results –  building an effective social media presence takes time and effort over a period of months and sometimes years depending on what you are trying to achieve and how you are going about it.
5. Only looking to promote never to share – if you don’t give in social media you won’t get back.  Always look to contribute and add value for others.
6. Becoming overwhelmed – there are hundreds even millions of social media tools out there.  You can’t be on all of them and do so effectively.  Cherry pick the tools that are right for your business and focus on those.
7. Narcicism – don’t blow your own horn too much about inane drivel – no one cares what you had for breakfast and it  certainly won’t help your efforts to grow your network.
8. Too much information – be selective about your contributions to social media, always ask if what you are posting is appropriate.
9. Not branding – always consider your personal or company brand and use it to build your online presence in these forums.  And remember to link back to your site too at every opportunity.
10. Jumping on the bandwagon – don’t just set up a blog or Twitter because its the in thing to do.  Do some research in advance and decide if its right for you or your business (are your customers or target audience using it?)  and if you can do it consistently.  If you can’t then a dead blog or Twitter account doesn’t look good for your company.

With the bleak weather and economic outlook we’re all in need of some reasons to be cheerful this month.  Thankfully there are many social media reasons to be cheerful.  Here are our discoveries of the month (and we have more than usual so enjoy!):

Intranet Connections – a great tool for any company looking to put the benefits of social media to use internally.

Pipl – wondering about your on line profile?  Use Pipl yourself and see.

In my constant search for tools that help me Twitter more effectively I found Twhirl, Tweetscan and Brightkit this month although none of them effectively manage Twitters from different times zones or auto replies (if you know of another share it please!).

Want to create a vector – try Vector Magic.

Blippr, Second Brain – new social media sharing sites, one for organizing media (books, music and movies etc) the other for online content.

Gliffy – create flow charts and diagrams.

These days the media is a buzz with stories about Twitter, Facebook and other social media tools.  But what exactly is social media?  

Social media are tools or sites on the Internet where people and companies go to congregate, communicate and collaborate.  They include: blogs , podcasts, video sites (BlipTV), social networks (like Facebook, MySpace), micro blogs (like Twitter and Pownce), photo sites (Flickr), bookmarking sites (Stumble Upon, Digg) or any other site where you can ineract and share with others in real time.

I am from Britian so I like to use the real world pub analogy.  A pub is a place where people go to get together over a drink with others and to make new friends, to share their exploits, to show their stuff and to talk about whats happening in world around them.

Social media hubs are the same concept but in the virtual world: places online where people go (via their computer or smart phone) to get together with people they know, tell them about what they are doing, show what they can do, meet new people and to share their knowledge.  

From a business perspective, social media is a great marketing tool as it gives you access to millions of people across the globe but as with any other tool you use to grow your business, it is important that you know what you are doing, that you understand who you are trying to reach, what your goals are from using these technologies, which technologies to use to ensure maximum impact.  In short, you need a strategy.  Don’t just run around like a headless chicken trying to maintain a presence in every social media you hear about.  Plot your own course.  Know why you are using the tool in question and what you want to achieve from doing so.  

If you don’t take time to consider your social media strategy in advance and implement it correctly you can end up wasting a lot of time or worse you can seriously damage your marketing efforts.

I wrote this article to submit to article sites with the goal of driving traffic, spreading awareness and further establishing Out-Smarts expertise. Its longer than our usual blog posts and contains lots of juicy details on micro blogging for anyone wondering how to best use it for business purposes.  Enjoy!

Microblogging is quickly becoming one of the most popular technologies on the Internet with adoption of tools like Twitter growing at an exponential rate.

As the number of people using these technologies grows, the way people take advantage of them is becoming more sophisticated: they are being used more and more as a business tool. This article explains what microblogging is and introduces the most popular microblog sites. It discusses how these are being used from a business and marketing perspective and provides tips on safe and effective use of these forums.

What is a Microblog?
Microblogs are very simple internet technologies that allow users to post short statements or sentences, usually limited to 140 characters on a central site. The post can be made available to anyone or only to a chosen audience. Much like the Facebook status box these services were used initially as a forum to share triviality (like what was for breakfast) with a wide audience but people quickly tired of the banality and now the way microblogs are used is becoming more sophisticated.

Sometimes seen as a factor in the evolution of blogging, micro blogs are, as the name suggests, like mini blogs in that they allow you to post information and streams of consciousness and make these available to the world over the Internet. Unlike a blog, however, a microblog doesn’t have unlimited room for creativity – you are forced to get to the point.

Which Microblog?
By far the largest microblog is Twitter (according to Hitwise in Australia alone the popular microblog grew by over 500% new users in one calendar month this summer). Twitter was founded in 2006 and quickly gained attention by winning a prestigious South by South West Blog award in the spring of 2007. Although the site is growing at a tremendous rate, the user volume is still very small in comparison to social networking behemoths like MySpace. Using a simple clean interface, users can get set up and start Twittering really easily.

Another microblog technology that is growing in popularity is Plurk. Plurk differs from Twitter in that it provides a more visual “timeline” interface showing your “Plurks” and those you are following on a time sheet-style screen. Just launched in May this year, Plurk is a little more complex than Twitter to use but once you get the hang of it, it definitely appeals to those left brained people among us.

The omnipresent Google of course has its own version of a microblog which they obtained in late 2007. Jaiku has since been closed to new users as they beta test the latest version (which seems very visually appealing with a nice map interface). Request a beta invite to try it out.

The other major player in the microblog scene is Pownce. This one is very similar to Twitter in its look and feel but it has more capabilities in terms of being able to share files and events. Also Pownce doesn’t limit you to 140 characters so you can add more detail to your posts.

Newcomers in the field Spoink promote microblogging by phone from wherever you happen to be. Nothing new in that since most of the other offerings allow you to post from your mobile but what is different about Spoink is that it features the ability to podcast from anywhere. This is one to watch.

Microblogging for Business
Now that we know more about microblogs and the tools in this arena, let’s take a look at how companies and individuals are using microblogs to benefit their businesses.

The first thing any company or professional should do is to ask themselves: is a microblog pertinent to my business? are my peers using this service? and, more importantly, are my customers either using or listening (monitoring these forums) to microblogs? The early microblog adopters tended to be the youth market and the tech community but more and more mainstream professionals and companies are becoming active as time goes on. If you decide that your audience is applicable then the benefits of microblogging actively are numerous:

• A microblog presence is a stellar way to establish expertise and build awareness of what you or your company does. Build your brand by regularly posting on your subject area. Remember to add your logo and branding to the design of your microblog page and link to back to your blog if you have one so that your microblog contacts are aware of it and can click to read more. Threadless, the T shirt company that has made social media marketing an art form uses Twitter (@threadless) to update their audience regularly in this way.
• Microblogs are a great way to expand your network and build your contacts. To do so share neat links and always add value for your followers, if you do this effectively you can sit back and watch your contacts expand.
• Microblogs provide a good source for the latest information in your industry – if you’re following the right people, that is. Be cognizant of this as you add friends. Check out posts and look for those that add value, are industry luminaries or are using the forum in innovative ways. Network with peers in your industry to develop your knowledge and to build better partnerships.
• Microblogs are shorter than blogs and more concise so if you only have a few moments you can hone in on the juicies more readily. If you don’t have time to blog but still have something pressing you want to share, microblogs are a great way to do this quickly and effectively.
• Microblog technology can be used to expand the reach of your service and spread word quickly. An example is the police and fire services using Twitter to get the word out in emergency cases. The Los Angeles Fire Department (@LAFD) uses Twitter to spread fire related Tweets to interested parties.
• By linking or announcing new articles or changes to your site from a microblog you can drive more traffic to your site. Twitter is now the 4th largest driver of traffic to the Out-Smarts blog.
• Use microblogs for research by monitoring what’s being said about your product or industry so you can keep ahead of the pack. It’s also an excellent medium to elicit feedback on an issue you need more information on or are in the dark about. Tweetscan is a very simple tool that facilitates listening.
• Some companies are using microblog technology too collaborate on projects with decentralised participants or colleagues in short blasts. The CBC recently did this to great effect on Twitter during the Canadian federal election and were able to incorporate feedback from Twitterers on the ground in many constituencies.
• While direct selling on microblogs is discouraged, many companies use it to bring awareness of the existence/benefits of their products and services to new markets or to provide customer service updates. Whole Foods (@wholefoods), an organic food chain headquartered in Texas does exactly that whilst adding value by Twittering on community events and organic topics too.

Effective Twittering Tips
I have it on good authority that the Twitter microblog site is this year’s web 2.0 tool of choice for net savvy professionals to communicate with and grow their networks. Here are some tips for you to use to tweak your “tweets” and get more out of your Twitter presence:

1. Add value – don’t just spout off about boring stuff. Nobody is interested in what color shoes you are wearing (maybe your underwear but definitely not your shoes!).
2. Use TinyURL or a similar url abbreviation tool to shorten the length of url links in your Twitter posts so they fit in the 140 character limit.
3. Don’t spam or sell.
4. Friends and Followers – be selective about who you follow. Before you follow someone, check out their recent Tweets to see if they are of interest to you before you add them (they may not be of interest at all). If someone starts following you, don’t automatically add them and follow – take a look at the number of followers they have compared to their following If someone is following way more people than they have followers then it may be best to avoid them. They could be “Follow Spammers” more interested in gaining exposure than in finding interesting Tweets.
5. Don’t let Twitter suck up too much of your time – it can be very distracting. Instead schedule it in to your week and spend a few minutes each day updating and enjoying.
6. Limit the number of people you follow to avoid Twitter information overload. If you’re following too many people, you might miss that gem of information.
7. Use Twitterfeed to feed your blog to Twitter.
8. Monitor the Tweetosphere and make sure you are aware of anyone who mentions you so that it comes to your attention and you can be ready to counter any adverse Twittering. Use Tweetscan to monitor what is being said about you or your company on Twitter.
9. Don’t click on a link from anyone you don’t know or trust. Many Twitterers use TinyURL or similar to shorten URLs (I do) but this camouflages the true source so you don’t know what you’re clicking on. These could be disguised links to potentially dangerous sites or viral downloads so be careful.
10. Read the Twitter blog for updates and information on malware and spam issues.
11. Secure your Twitter name. Get a Twitter profile in your business name before someone else does.
12. Use common sense when Twittering and remember that most of these announcements can be seen by anyone and everyone. You don’t really have to announce that you’re away from home.
13. If someone you’re following overloads you with spam then use the Twitter block at the right of the side panel to block them and let Twitter know too.
14. Call on the community. If something adverse does happen then make your community aware of it. You will be amazed at the support, advice and action of the collective.

Conclusion
If you decide that your business can benefit from microblogging, participation in these sites can really impact your online marketing efforts, drive more traffic to your site and increase brand awareness. Before you start microblogging, take some time to check out the different offerings to find out which is best for you. Once you choose, schedule time to microblog and grow your contacts and always look to add value and tell your community something they don’t know. If you decide to hold off on microblogging for now, keep this on your radar: with its speedy user adoption rate. It’s only a matter of time before, like social networks, these become mainstream.

Follow Out-Smarts on Twitter: @Outsmarts.

With the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver coming up on us quickly the media circus is already gathering steam.  Recently members of the traditional press came to Vancouver for a World Press briefing by the Olympic Committee.  Absent from their midst according to an article in today’s Vancouver Sun were new media and social network journalists  - despite the efforts of Raincity Studio’s Dave Olson who published an open letter to the committee on their blog requesting representation.

Its no surprise that the Olympic committee is shirking this question.  Many organisations especially large traditional companies (those that vet each and every public communication to ensure it reflects the corporate line) view social media as a quandary  and even a threat to their brand.  They think that encouraging community participition  leads to loosing control of that branding process.  But the fact of the matter is that brands are out there in the public forum anyway. Isn’t it better to be part of the conversation to learn adapt and grow because of it than to be on outside throwing out press releases.  

Social media journalism is undoubtedly going to be part of the Olympics in Vancouver with an army of bloggers, social network participants and online journalists all giving their perspectives.  Rather than stick their head in the sand the Olympic committee should be embracing this new way to entrench its brand with new generations and different communities.

In this Out-Smarts podcast we talk with James Wells. James is the Commercialization Officer at BCIT working with innovators and investors to take their ideas to market), he is also a comedian and founded a peer to peer financing company. Learn about the challenges of peer to peer financing and listen to James’ take on social media.

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Podcast: Download

Amid all the gloom and doom of the economic world its difficult to see the silver lining these days. However, we have discovered so many reasons to be cheerful this month that we may have another Reasons To Be Cheerful in mid November so that we can share them all with you.

Our number one reason to be cheerful is that amid all this turmoil and recession we know that Internet and Social media marketing will prevail. Why? Because its more effective, less expensive and easier to track than traditional marketing efforts.

Now to our new media reasons of the month:

Caught the Twitter bug? Then you’ll be interested in your Twitter statistics perhaps. TweetStats reveals your Twitter habits. I’ve been on Twitter (@outsmarts) since March 2007 and it interesting to see how my interest waned then waxed.

Another great tool discovered this month is Ping.fm. Ping lets you post once to any number of social networking tools (Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, LinkedIn and the list goes on). Very handy if you are trying to be everywhere at once.

Another most excellent discovery this month is the social advertising community AdHack – this is people powered advertising at its best.

Another great resource is HARO – Help A Reporter Out. Its a service that connects reporters with people who have content to share. Its a great way to share your material but watch out for email overload.

GivenGain is another site we came across this month. They facilitate giving. If you are a charity looking to set up a donations stream or if you are looking to give then check this out.

Lastly, WigglyWigglers - a fantastic example of how one company harnessed social media to the max.

Until next time – stay cheerful!

Our podcast today looks at a serious alternative to gift giving – Dreambank. We had the pleasure of talking with Dawn Bowles who is the CEO of Dreambank, a local Internet company that truly offers a different way to make dreams come true, to give and receive gifts and to donate to charity. Its a unique and innovative service that really gives you an alternative to the sock and underwear dilemma.

[audio:http://www.out-smarts.com/podcast10.mp3]

Podcast: Download

Where did the month go? Despite the hot and balmy weather, fall is definitely on its way and the leaves are a tumbling. There were many new media reasons to be cheerful this month including:

I’ve been looking for an online equivalent to Illustrator for a while now and I think I’ve found it. Inkscape is an open source graphics editor.

Another gem I discovered thanks to Mary Boles of Virtual Business Solutions is GIMP an image manipulation system similar to Adobe.

A local company is helping people achieve their dreams – non materialistic ones that is. Dreambank allows people to post their dreams and have others in the community contribute towards fulfilling them. What a great way to make a difference in the world.

Our hunt for a great online invoicing system is over. Blinksale is the one. Its easy to brand and use and allows you to send invoices via email or to print them out. I like the neat thank you generator too.

Finally check out MusicLinkUp a great on-line music resource aimed at connecting music teachers with students. Way to go Voya!

Out-Smarts has been working on a really exciting podcast project with local branding evangelists and business coaching firm LeapZone Strategies.

The podcast is called Rise and it tackles the issues companies and entrepreneurs face as they grow their company and establish their brand.

Each episode is short and to the point and covers pertinent issues such as getting more done in less time, effective time management and learning tolerance. Even more important, the podcasts are entertaining and well worth a listen so visit the site and subscribe via iTunes or your favorite podcast reader for some valuable insights that will help you raise the bar in your business endeavours.