I just have to say it. If you ever run into a social media guru who tells you that social media consists of Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, or they can't tell you instantly the difference between social networking and social media....run for the hills...FAST.
Social media and social networking are not the same. Social media are the tools and social networking is what you do in the communities. You can use one to enhance the other, but they are not the same. It's common sense. Any expert who doesn't define that for you from the beginning isn't an expert.
I've been inundated with free tele-seminars and high cost training programs on how to harness the power of social media to build your brand. There are classes for beginners, executives and everything in between, but they mostly focus on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
Don't get me wrong. They are the front runners in social media. Twitter leads the way in micro-blogging, Facebook dominates "community" and LinkedIn still holding it's own (barely) in the professional arena. But social media is so much more comprehensive than those sites.
In fact, it's not about those sites. It's about a cross section of community sites, blogs, bookmarking sites, photo sites, sharing tools, audio and video tools and some even more advanced tools that are used in conjunction with one another to have a robust social media experience.
There are so many sites out there that it's hard to keep them all straight. They change constantly, and you have to keep that in mind when building your brand using social media.
Everyone thought Myspace was going to rule the world. Like any other community, forum or tool, it lost its luster. The teeny boppers and entertainment set took over. And let's not forget the creepy weirdos.
But I digress. The point is every site, no matter how popular, has a shelf life. I was an early adopter of some of the sites and tools, scoping them out trying them to use as part of my branding and recruiting arsenals. Some grew, some changed, some faded away. I always made sure that I was diversifying my resources.
I'm pretty well trained in spotting trends for using the Internet as a recruiting tool and as branding opportunities. I did it mostly because I had no other choice. As a small business, I didn't have the resources of a top company like Amazon or eBay. I had to get creative. Times have changed, but even now I'm, always scoping out new and exciting sites.
Facebook, Linked In and Twitter are the holy trinity of social networking strategies for individuals and recruiters alike. But what happens if they stop being the "cool spots" for the "in crowd"?
Where will you go then? Where else are you looking to help build your brand? Are you listening to or using podcasts or Internet Radio stations? Are you tapping into video and live streaming sites? Are you paying attention to how people are using various blogging and forum platforms to showcase their knowledge, talent and expertise? What about international sites like Viadeo or Xing? What about the social networking forums like Ning and Collective X?
Are you paying attention to what's being said (or not said) about you, your company or brand? Are you tapping into mobile marketing? Are you reaching people in real time where and how they want to be reached? I say continue using LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook. Use them until you can get nothing more from them. BUT don't sleep on other sites and tools.
I would be wary of any expert shopping their class to you where they only focus on the Big Three. To be successful at establishing your brand, you need a comprehensive social media plan in place before diving in. Without a strategy, you will wander aimlessly around on the Internet.
If you need to, find an expert who truly understands social media who can help you define your goal, create your plan and implement your strategy. Anyone else is just talking noise. Be sure they are teaching you the correct way to use these tools. For example, you can't just set up a Twitter account and start blasting tweets with the hopes of people embracing you.
You have to be engaged. Are you engaged? If you're not engaged, how will people know you exist, or worse, feel compelled to pay attention to anything you have to say? Think about these points as you create your plan. Get out there and tap into the power of social media.
