If you’ve logged into Facebook in the past few weeks, you’ve probably noticed that it looks different. Dramatically different. So how are you supposed to navigate through your favorite social media website with these newly integrated features?

To better understand the new Facebook and continue to connect with friends in social media, here is a quick tutorial that you can use to navigate through the changes:

1. Understand the new Newsfeed. With the major changes made to the Facebook newsfeed recently, users have been complaining that they want their old newsfeed back. Most recently, Facebook has decided to come to a compromise. They’ve made a small change in the newsfeed to let users check out recent stories in reverse chronological order, just like in the old days of Facebook. The good news for Facebook users is that Facebook is listening to your feedback and will take action if enough people are unhappy. Facebook will now have a new drop-down menu for the newsfeed with either Recent Stories or Highlighted Stories first – user’s choice.

2. Get acquainted with the Ticker. At the right side of the page, you will now find a real-time Ticker that tells you exactly what friends are doing, similar to the real-time updates on Twitter. This real-time Ticker is a live feed of all Facebook activity in your group of friends. All you have to do is click on any post in the Ticker to see activity and comment – without ever leaving your home page. If you find this annoying, you are not alone. Many Facebook users feel that the new Ticker makes the page too busy and distracting. But it also provides you with the opportunity to stay connected to all activities that your friends engage in every second of the day.

3. Use the Subscribe Button. If you are like most of the world, you have quite a few Facebook friends that you would rather not hear from on your newsfeed. Maybe they talk too much about themselves, maybe they shamelessly promote their business, or maybe they post a picture after picture of their baby. Whatever the reason, using the new Subscribe button will let you determine how much information you want to see from a specific friend. You can use this Subscribe button to weed out friends you don’t want to hear from as often and keep tabs on close friends in the newsfeed.

4. Change your friend settings. If you are going to send a friend request to a new friend, hover over the Friend Button on their profile first. This will give you options to add someone as a Close Friend or Acquaintance, determining how many of their posts that you will see in your feed.

Guess Author:  Joel Newman is a freelance writer experienced in Internet marketing and social media marketing. For more information on top registry cleaners to speed up your PC, you can visit Joel Newman’s Registry Repair website.

I wanted to share this amazing infographic about social media usage in the United States.  Check out these astounding stats, share away, and leave your comments below.                                          

Source:  AgentGenius is a rapidly growing real estate social media, tech, news, and opinion site built and designed by and for the on-the-go agent. Their mission is to be a positive force in the industry, led by people inside of real estate. They aim to keep you up to date on trends that we study closely in order to forecast what’s next on the horizon.

What do you think of these astonishing stats?  Please leave your comments below.

Social media marketing is a booming trend, so it’s no wonder that it’s easier than ever to find all of your favorite brands on popular websites like Twitter and Facebook. Businesses of all sizes are relying on social media to improve customer communication since social networking is much more efficient and cost effective than communicating via the telephone or e-mail.

If you’re a customer that has a concern, question, or a comment, you can reach out to the majority of brands through social media in a matter of seconds. On top of that, since brands are relying on social media for marketing purposes, many top businesses are giving their customers rewards for following them on Twitter or liking them on Facebook.

Here are a few top benefits you can receive from following your favorite brands in social media:

1. You can be heard. Rather than sending an e-mail to a business or even participating in a survey, you can post your comment or tweet a response in just a few seconds. Since most businesses are new to the social media plunge, it’s likely that you’ll receive a response within a few hours or even a day to your question or concern.

On top of that, since Twitter is a public website, a business won’t want other customers to see a public customer concern that hasn’t been dealt with. If you’re posting on a public social media website, a business is much more likely to respond to you than if you just send an e-mail.

2. You can find out about special deals and contests. Brands are more excited than ever to use social media to promote specials, giveaways, and contests. Even mega brands like Verizon have leaned heavily on social media by using hashtags on Twitter to promote a series of giveaways to drum up sales from new customers.

If you have a favorite brand, it literally pays to stay in the know and use social media to take advantage of discount offers you can’t find anywhere else.

3. You can eliminate confusion. If you’re confused about a company’s new product or how to take advantage of a coupon, you can post a question on Facebook to receive a near immediate response. This is much more effective than visiting forums with answers from other Internet users.

Why rely on another customer’s speculation or perspective when you can go to the horse’s mouth and get your answer directly from the brand through social media? Even better, you won’t have to worry about staying on hold with a company for minutes on end to get the help you need.

4. You can become part of the bigger picture. Starbucks is one of the leading brands in social media, and they have taken the next step by introducing the forum My Starbucks Idea. The amazing thing about this forum is that customers are allowed to post their ideas and suggestions, and Starbucks actually listens.

This is a brilliant strategy on behalf of Starbucks. Customers everywhere are impressed that they are being heard by a large corporation, and Starbucks is getting great ideas for free that they can use for product development.

Guest Author:  Bethany Ramos is an expert in Internet marketing and social media marketing, and she also co-owns her own e-commerce website, The Coffee Bump.

Hands-down, Google is the most popular website on earth. Yet they seem to be worried about their stiff competition coming in at a close second – none other than Facebook.

This is precisely why Google has decided to introduce their own social network as Google +. Google has tried to make a number of different social media channels over the years, like Google Buzz and Google Wave. Yet nothing has caught on so far…

But now we can consider Google + for a second. Google + makes no bones about the fact that it is supposed to be just like Facebook with a few enhancements. Maybe we could call it “Facebook with a facelift”? Instead of opening up Google + to the public, Google has decided to create a little bit of buzz, so to speak.

Upon its introduction, you can’t sign up directly for Google + just yet. Initially, you have to be invited by someone else who is a member in the beta stage of this social network. But even with this type of exclusive appeal, Google + has managed to gather 10 million members as of July 2011. This is nowhere near the mega benchmark set by Facebook at 750 million members, but it seems to be off to a strong start.

Google + versus Facebook

At first glance, Google + looks like a copycat of Facebook. You can post your thoughts and updates, just like you can to the Facebook wall. There is also something called a Stream, which is exactly like the Newsfeed on Facebook. And to compete with the “Like” button on Facebook, Google + offers a +1 button so that you can show that you are a fan of a post, picture, video, or what have you.

But the big, shiny difference between the two is that Google + has a little something called Circles.

If you’ve ever had the thought when using Facebook that you’d love to say something a little more inappropriate, a little more private, or a little wackier than what you would share with all of your friends, Circles may be the answer. You can create circles of friends, family, acquaintances, and following, which is similar to Twitter. You can also create your own circles with specific members, like Grandparents or College Friends, where you can share private jokes or special stories to your heart’s content without boring everyone else on your Stream.

And when you decide to share something, you are able to specify which circle that it is sent to. Of course, you can choose to send the information to all of your circles or just one to keep a bit of news private. This minimizes much of the fuss surrounding social media, like teachers getting fired for posting pictures of a drunken party or saying something inappropriate. If you want to post something that you don’t want your boss to see, then don’t post it to a public circle, plain and simple.

Although this may be a subtle difference between Google + and Facebook, only time will tell how the Circles feature attracts users to this new social network.

Guest Author:  Bethany Ramos is an expert in Internet marketing and social media marketing, and she also co-owns her own e-commerce website, The Coffee Bump.

Please vote and include any additional opinions in the comments below!

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One of my favorite authors, Bob Burg let me borrow this great post.  Remember, the same applies to social networking and anything else we do online as well.  God did give us two ears and one mouth for this reason!

Yes, I heard it again; while a young kid talked endlessly, a person nearby, with a wink in his voice, commented that “he’ll be a good salesperson one day.”

As I grow older and wiser (first one a definite; second one debatable) I find there are fewer and fewer phrases that elicit within me a visceral negative reaction. That statement always does though.

I mean, think of it…it is based on the premise that a person who just incessantly talks and talks and talks…is a good salesperson.

I’ve asked countless people, “do you tend to buy from salespeople who simply yap non-stop about their product?” They always – yes, always (and often emphatically) – tell me “no.”

Yet, I still hear it.

Recently, on my Facebook page, I posted the following:

Those with the “gift of gab” can be good salespeople…providing they are willing to lose, or at least misplace, their gift of gab and listen. Really listen.

One friend wrote, “Yes, so true! I had a sales manager once who said the challenge many potentially great salespeople had was knowing when to shut up.”

While that is indeed true, that wisdom is often given within the context of “after” the presentation…in other words, to shut up and not “talk past the sale.” And, that is certainly very valid advice. I believe the real point of the quote, however, goes far beyond that. It’s an attitude from the outset and throughout the sales process.

My good friend, presentation and communication expert, Felicia Slattery commented, “Listening is the other side of the speaking coin. To be an effective communicator you must do BOTH well.” She then suggested listening twice as much as talking. Good idea.

As any professional salesperson knows, listening more than talking during the presentation typically results in a much better outcome, both for the salesperson and the prospect who will then get to enjoy the benefits of that which they purchased.

Listening; focused, active, caring listening allows you to direct your attention on the prospect and understand their needs. Only then can you build value because, after all, it’s the prospect who determines what the actual value is.

So sure, can that young kid with the “gift of gab” grow up and become a top-notch, professional, value-creating, high-income earning salesperson? Sure he can. But only if he loses that “gift” along the way.

Guest Author: Bob Burg is coauthor of the International bestseller, “The Go-Giver.” To download Chapter One visit www.Burg.com.

When it comes to social media, psychology has a lot to do with the success or failure of a business. This greatly affects how business owners market their services. Social media communities are increasing in popularity, and there is no end in sight to this trend. Because social media is prevalent in marketing, there are ways to take advantage of the psychology connection.

The Success of Social Media

Social media channels flourish because society needs them. They allow individuals to connect with others on personal levels. This provides a person with a sense of belonging. The concept of group membership is what social media is born from. Contributing to an important group discussion can make a person feel important and valued as a part of a community.

Creating interesting and enchanting content is the key to success in social media. The most effective content reaches people on emotional levels. An individual should feel a sense of connection to the product or service being presented. Marketing information should be engaging, relevant, and uncomplicated. It should also be displayed in a clear, simple, and logical manner.

Why People Need to Connect

It’s human nature for people to thrive on socially engaging with others. Interactions between individuals is the core of modern society. Most people want to establish relationships with others whether the contact is physical or virtual. A social forum is the best way for people to share passions and beliefs as well as share personal pieces of themselves.

People connect through social media because:

- it provides acknowledgement from a group or individual
- it gives a person a sense of belonging in an exclusive group
- a group member feels important in an open venue
- most people can be in the spotlight at some point
- it makes a person feel special, valued, and indispensable

Taking Advantage of Psychology in Social Media

Most marketing campaigns focus on large target audiences. An effective way to gain customers in social media marketing is to acknowledge the individual. Many people enjoy interactive social media communication because it gets them noticed. Internet or mobile-based businesses that employ social dialogue are effective because they recognize each contributor.

One way to benefit from the psychological effects of social media is to include each member in all communications. Allowing people to express opinions is a critical step in building a business. It creates the opportunity for discovering new ideas and strategies. If a person feels included in the marketing process, he or she will want to have share information with potential customers.

Elevate Emotion to Increase Marketing

Because psychology plays such an important part in social media marketing, the best way to succeed is to heighten emotions. This can be done in a number of ways. An effective method includes putting the customer in the spotlight. Many people delight in getting noticed in a group. A business owner who focuses on the opinions of each customer can find long-lasting success.

Spotlighting the customer includes:

- approving or acknowledging each person’s ideas
- sharing a person’s contributions with other community members
- expressing gratitude for a contributor’s opinions
- placing extra focus on new customers
- responding to individual concerns in a group discussion

The psychological components involved in social media marketing can make or break a campaign. A business owner who wants to promote a product or service can find great success by implementing a few emotion-based tactics. When a customer’s emotional needs are met, he or she is more likely to speak highly of a business. This is what creates future relationships and long-term success.

Social Espionage?

The very term “Social Espionage” gives rise to images of an Orwellian future, or a really cool new John Le Carre novel. It could be imagined the book received funding solely on the creation of the term, which would be not too far from the truth. The term comes from Umberto Milletti, the CEO of InsideView.

InsideView, in business since 2005, just announced a $12 million round of funding. However, most are quick to point out that they are using the term to describe high-level sales executives gathering information on potential sales contacts, who don’t have the time to waste in letting a salesperson get to know them, being busy CEOs and all. Get all the inside scoop-hence the product name, InsideView-on your target before you strike; learn from twitter posts that he’s against continued fossil fuel production, or the current administration’s policy on such-n-such.

It’s Not That Kind Of Spying

While CRM’s stated purpose is to codify business intelligence with regard to sales prospects using social networking, it is hard to imagine a sales person that wouldn’t be tempted to keep tabs on the key people at his or her’s nearest rival for signs of what they may do.

Hey, if it is out there why not use it? This could lead to a blackout of information and the use of social networking for many business professionals in an effort to avoid giving their competition too much information. Which many do already. There has been a controversy boiling over default business policies regarding social networking and its proper use. Employers have fired employees, and even sued them over the use of social networking in the work place. This is not going to help.

The kind of high-level tool that this new start up represents has been in the hands of enterprise level executives for a while. Business is war and in war, intelligence rules. The difference here is that salespersons and small companies all over the place will be spying on each other and making that first contact with the prospect count by already knowing the answers and the questions. Maybe, as most people in business use social networking for business and sales prospecting is already an online experience. What this package does is use semantic search and online information aggregation to make it a lot easier.

What about real Espionage?

Could this be a tool in the hands of governments to conduct real spying? No, as it would be a step backwards for the government, since our government is orders of magnitude beyond this. “Social Espionage” is the beginnings of the trend for real business intelligence to be packaged and sold as a product for those who cannot afford the bigger one. The explosion of social networking and its use has made the market ripe for these kinds of start-ups.

Social networking is already the new background check for prospective new employees and most professional employment consultants know that your online profile is your resume. Tracking the buzz on twitter for this or that keyword is the insider secret to what’s really trending, and Facebook information is the most sought after of all. This trend is here to stay. Of course, “Social Espionage” has yet to become an industry buzzword and it may never, but it is even more exciting to the John Le Carre novel fans that real business insiders use it.

Guest Author: Jon T. Norwood is a managing partner at High Speed Internet, a site dedicated to providing information on Internet providers and technology.  Jon can be reached at jon@webexordium.com.

Some people think just because they are behind the computer, etiquette rules do not apply. But, online image and etiquette are just as important and may make a huge difference with how you build and nurture relationships.

The Internet can be one of the most ambiguous channels of communication. However, it is also one of the fastest and greatest ways to communicate. Nowadays, many of us find it hard to survive without email or social networking sites.

Networking online is an art; building mutually long term relationships requires the same quality of professional courtesy and dual respect as any other means of communication. Inner wellness can be expressed in many forms through social networking sites and email.

Netiquette is a code of ethics for the Internet. Unlike the code of professional conduct of accountants, lawyers or doctors, which is supported by legislation, the code of conduct for the Internet requires high levels of self discipline that is ultimately dependent upon our inner quality. When no one can see what we are doing, what else do we have, but our soul, to keep our decorous behavior?

The suggestions below are a basis of good universal code of conduct for email and online networking:

Email

- Never contain too much personal opinion, emotional elements, cartoons, slogans or jokes when sending formal business email.

- Learn to use the emoticon chart (below) as they are all appropriate for informal business emails to keep us up to date:

- Do not show a humorous character that may be offensive to others as we have no way to support our humor with proper body language or to see if our message is being interpreted correctly. Even self depreciating humor could cause others to see you as a low esteemed person.

- When forwarding appropriate jokes to co-workers or friends, do not send them too often. Also, be careful of sending attachments with huge file sizes.

- Forwarding should not be sent to everyone in your address book. One good principle to remember is that no one has the ability to stop the mail delivery once you click “Send.” So, make sure you choose wisely before sending a forwarded email.

- It could be rude to use BCC on personal or family emails. “Season greetings” messages or e-cards for special events should be sent individually. For some people, the CC function is marginally acceptable.

- Do not forward any unverified warning or urgent assistance to others. Experts claim that currently there is no way for anyone to count the number of copies of an email in circulation on the Internet; nor can the number of times something has been forwarded be counted.

- Keep flaming at a minimum. Flaming stands for deluge of critical e-mail, the directing of a large volume of abusive and insulting email at somebody, often as part of a flame war.

However, flaming also describes a situation in which a person or group of people express their criticism or negativity about something. It could be news, current affairs or world events. When a flaming is directed toward a country, a race, group of people, a person and his/her beliefs, prejudice and offensive elements are hard to avoid.

This kind of flaming should be minimized as much as possible. Unnecessary confrontation is a target of avoidance on the Web. When you find that you are inevitably involved in flaming, notify your readers and maintain your objectivity. A professional individual maintains their professionalism, even when he has to fight or confront it.

Social Networking and Online Forums

You do not have to travel to meet interesting people from different places of the world because now, we have Facebook and other social networking sites.  There is nothing more fascinating than talking with interesting friends from around the world or joining insightful forums without having to pay entrance fees.

However, it pays to remember some basic rules to remember when talking to your global friends:

- Netiquette itself has no legislative standards at the moment and is different in other countries. Do not expect everyone in your discussion group to follow the same rules. Stay positive and keep an open mind.

- While you are free to express your opinions, do not expect everyone to agree with you or to share your beliefs.

- Never jump to conclusions, especially when you join a forum that is in the middle of a discussion. In such situations, be patient to observe and catch up in the discussion– before posting any comments.

- When posting your point of view, be sure that it is a constructive and informed one. Sending premature messages gives people negative feelings and may even lead to flaming. It is very immature to be discussing something that you know nothing about.

- Utilizing FAQ is a good way to avoid asking stupid questions. In reality, more than 85% of your questions are answered by the preset FAQ.

- Finally, remember that you are actually talking to human beings. Your computer is no more than a tool to communicate; it is a tool of technology and limitation at the same time.

In conclusion, email and social sites are here to stay. Every day, there seems to be something new “popping up” for us to decide to join. So, we always have to remember to maintain a professional image and practice common etiquette rules anywhere we decide to network.

Do you have any other suggestions for online networking and communicating?  How about any stories to share or comments to make about maintaining a professional image online?

Guest Author: Since 1985, Dr. Joyce Knudsen, AICI CIM (Certified Image Master) has been President of The ImageMaker, Inc.® and has been an International Trainer, Author, and Mentor. For more information, go to www.imagemaker1.com. You can also read inside her new book here: http://amzn.to/a92p7V

It is fair to say that most consumers consider Google and Facebook the Internet in its entirety.  While they may be aware of other sites, when they think about the Internet, what they are thinking about is one of the above corporate giants. Social networking has been around for a long time. One of the first online communities was “The Well,” which still exists and was created in 1985 as an extension of the “Whole Earth Catalog.” MySpace, Xanga, and many others were very popular until the Facebook juggernaut took over the entire Internet. So will there be only one search engine or a single social network in the end?

The Faceless Book

It was not too long ago that Facebook was, while successful, just one of a number of social networking sites that people used to keep track of friends, communicate, and post pictures and messages. Friendster, MySpace, Xanga, Classmates, and others all served different demographics and markets.

Facebook on the other hand was originally a social network strictly built for Harvard students, and because exclusivity breeds desire, it led to Facebook expanding to include all Ivy League students. It later expanded again to include all college students of any school, and, finally, anyone with an Internet connection. This “forced scarcity” and tiered rollout created a huge demand and now we have the Facebook of today.

Facebook now claims to have 500 million users, which, if true, constitutes 25 percent of all Internet users. The other social sites have faded fast and while some have survived, many are no longer in business. With the social networking side of things well in hand, and Google the largest gateway to the web, Romulus and Remus rule us all and we are experiencing the end of the Internet. Or is it?

The Little Guys Strike Back

Like Twitter, Facebook has become awash with companies and individuals seeking to make a name for themselves, generate sales, and drive traffic to their sites; however, nothing could be more annoying. A certain amount of that is to be expected, but when the party population is more networkers than friends, it starts to go flat, and for this reason, other sites are starting to strike back.

Angie’s List is a good example. The website serves as a clearinghouse for reports and reviews on services rendered by contractors in order to aid others in finding good help and avoiding bad service. The company’s recent television ad campaign is proof that it is not fading. Recently a rush of sign-ups for Quora and Aardvark exploded; these websites provide question and answer services in which people can ask a question and get answers from other people on the network.

Increasingly, other social media efforts are gaining back the ground that Facebook claims to own. Actual social networking sites like Path and CollegeOnly are gaining momentum by limiting membership and limiting the number of friends a user can have; up to 50 in the case of Path. These sites are indications of a trend; people are looking to get away from the giant crowd and to a more personal place.

Create Your Own Social Network

SocialGo and Ning are not social networking sites, but they could be the beginning of the end of Facebook’s domination. With services ranging from free to $150 a month, anyone can create their own social network. Do you really want a stranger watching you share pictures with your family in Oregon?  Why not create a social network for only your family and friends and end the problem. Facebook has many privacy issues and this is a clear answer to most of them. Are you an avid Fly Fisher? There is a site for that called Troutpad, as a site exists for just about any hobby or interest.

Facebook may have created the social network as a popular new “Killer App” for the Internet, but the future may not belong to them. History buffs will remember that at the turn of the twentieth century, America fought back against monopolies and won. Maybe it is time for that to happen again only this time users can do it for themselves. There are many alternatives out there and users are starting to find them. The social networking monopoly, or claimed monopoly, will be temporary and people will begin to break off into more exclusive, “walled communities” that are private and safer driven by the increasing security threats and information privacy issues. Teens used Xanga as a way of keeping away from parents eyes. Perhaps the adults are doing the same thing.

Guest Author: Jon T. Norwood is a managing partner at Broadband Internet, a site dedicated to providing information on Mobile Broadband News.  Jon can be reached at jon@velocityguide.com.

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As many of you a while back I won a seat on the SmartBrief on Social Media Board was awarded the role of poll analyst. Let me tell you, time really flies when you are having fun because I have already written 20 analyses.  Where are the weeks going?

Below, I gathered the synopsis of all 20 analyses for my readers (Please click on the title to be taken to the full analysis). I would love to hear which analysis was the most helpful to you.  Please share in the comments below.

Do consumers want to be treated as individuals?

This was the analysis that helped me win the SmartBrief contest.  Do consumers want to be treated as individuals? Treating consumers as individuals by engaging them through social media and outstanding customer service, combined with amazing products or services and revenue-generating initiatives, can help make the relationship between a company and its customers a more powerful experience and a win-win for both.

Is social media better executed in-house?

Is social media better executed in-house? There isn’t one right way to organize your company’s social media marketing management, but which way is right for you?

5 reasons why market research comes before social media

Do you need to do market research? Two-thirds of our readers say they didn’t do any market research before launching their social-media initiatives. I argue that companies that do their research are more likely to find a social media strategy that works for them.

Does social recruiting make sense for your company?

The recruitment process has unsurprisingly shifted to the online world, and social media seems to be the right fit for recruiting qualified job seekers.  There isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution for every company, but there are many obvious benefits to be had.

Social media and tablets: A perfect duo?

Tablet devices can put the Web at your fingertips, along with a broader range of features than a smartphone. These devices are poised to make social networks an even bigger part of users’ day-to-day lives.

What are the benefits of opening the door to social networking in the workplace?

About 57% of SmartBrief on Social Media readers say companies should place restrictions on social media access for some or all of their employees — but I am not so sure that’s such a great idea. Social media has many benefits to offer a business, many of which rely on everyone having access.

Is Facebook Insights a powerful tool for tracking engagement?

About 37% of SmartBrief on Social Media readers say Facebook Insights has helped them understand and analyze trends and improve engagement. I agree that while Facebook Insights does have its flaws, it’s the most sophisticated data I have seen on a social network.

What makes social-media followers flee?

While about 44% of SmartBrief on Social Media readers say they’ll unfollow someone for posting too often to a social network, I argue that having too little to say can be every bit as bad.

Will 2011 be the year we achieve social-media integration?

Integrating your social media campaigns and expanding your presence beyond your marketing and public relations departments are the most important things you can do to improve the effectiveness of your social-media efforts in the coming year.  Do you disagree?

When it comes to social networks, how much is too much?

Should you worry about scaring away followers by posting too often? And how can you figure out where your audience’s threshold lies? I tackle one of the thorniest problems.

Does social media affect consumer complaints?

Social networks give consumers a way to publicly shame corporations into responding to a problem. But this trend doesn’t have to be all bad news for businesses if they’re willing to get out in front of potential crises.

Is Facebook worth all the attention it’s getting?

Almost half of the SmartBrief on Social Media readers who took the poll say Facebook receives too much attention. Facebook is on top now, but its position may be more tenuous than it appears.

How much time should be spent on social media?

Rather than focusing on finding the correct number of hours to devote to social media, you should be looking for ways to increase the yield of the time you do spend. How much time do you spend on social media? Is there an optimum time commitment?

Are social-buying sites part of social media?

Group-buying networks such as Groupon and Living Social may not qualify as social media yet, but they’re headed in that direction. And with the advent of features such as Facebook’s recently announced “Buy with Friends,” the convergence of group buying and social networking may be just around the corner.

Would a premium social-networking model cause users to flee?

If your favorite social network decided to start charging its members, would you pay the fee or delete your account? More than half the SmartBrief on Social Media readers who took our poll indicated they’d walk away before they’d pay for social networking. But I posits that users might rethink the question if they were faced with the loss of their network.

Are question-and-answer forums an untapped source for business leads?

Results are split among social media users, with about 27% indicating they haven’t used such forums but were open to it, about 21% saying they had no plans to use them, 22% saying they have answered questions on forums to build their profile as an expert and 22% trying it out but not getting results. Positive participation in such forums “can create high-quality experiences for both businesses and prospects because a dialogue quickly forms between people seeking answers to important questions and ‘experts’ or professionals who have useful (non-spammy) answers to those questions.

How social media is making companies rethink recruiting

Social tools offer businesses a wealth of recruitment advantages. Have you used social networks to search for new employees?

Is there value in buying display ads on social sites?

Display ads on social networks are increasingly popular, studies suggest, but SmartBrief on Social Media readers don’t seem to be too keen on them. Here, I question the value of display ads on social sites and points to some storm clouds on the horizon for the sector.

Are search and social media really adversaries?

It would be a mistake to ignore the power of search engines. Rather than asking which technology is more powerful, we should be looking for ways to make them work together.

What does social media mean for the future of journalism?

Many journalists were skeptical of social tools at first, but now social media is a vital part of how reporters do their jobs. Social media journalism has its fair share of problems, however, meaning that traditional reporting is unlikely to disappear anytime soon.

What do you think of these polls and analyses?  Which one caught your attention?  What other polls would like to see posted on SmartBlog on Social Media?

In October 2010, I was invited to speak in Mexico at Tweet to be Heard, the international social media marketing conference.  It was my first time in Puerto Vallarta, and what an experience it was.  Rightly, this is now my favorite spot in Mexico, and I still haven’t stopped raving about since my return.

Last year’s conference was an absolute blast and extremely worthwhile for all attendees who voiced that they wanted another conference.  I also walked away with some truly wonderful life-long friendships.

Well, the excitement continues! I am enormously flattered to be invited back for Tweet to be Heard 2 on May 12 – May 15, 2011 in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico. Again, I will be sharing the stage with some exceptional speakers:  Guillermo Perezbolde, Trey Pennington, Victor Garcia, Marco Ayuso, Richard Snyder, Jay Handler, and William Michael.

Like last year, I am treating it as another well-needed vacation.  If it’s time for you to take a break the routine and want to learn about social media, then this is “the” conference to attend.  I hope you consider joining us for a remarkable learning experience, fun in the sun, and some great adventure. And if you do decide to attend, please reach out to me for a VIP discount code that I can offer to special guests.

I interviewed conference originators and founders of Vallarta Escapes, Robert Dry and William Michael, to get the scoop on their thoughts of social media after gaining more knowledge from the first conference.   I also wanted to learn more about their plans for the upcoming conference.  Check out what they had to say below:

Despite Mexico being the 2^nd largest Internet country in Latin American after Brazil, its Internet penetration at 27.2% is lower than many other countries, but growing at a faster pace due to many early adopters.  What do you think the future of social media will be like in Mexico?

Social media is the largest adjunct to traditional marketing in wide use today.  Mexico, which lagged behind in the past regarding mail and telephone marketing has embraced Internet marketing and is soaring!  Not having the prejudices of older marketing ways allows Mexico to speed ahead of other countries still bound to archaic methods.  Social media will be the cutting-edge marketing tool for Mexico’s strength in the world economy.

Do you see many businesses in Mexico embracing social media?

Businesses in Mexico embrace youth and the young at heart; therefore, they are positioned to embrace social media.  Mexico is a hidden force that is ready to compete with the world on the Internet, regarding marketing and business.

Although you don’t work in the social media industry, you were one of the early adopters to launch a social media conference in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico in October 2010.  What prompted your decision to hold an educational conference?

No, we do not work in the social media industry.  Vallarta Escapes as one of the leading agencies in Puerto Vallarta for vacation rentals and real estate sales.  After embracing social media and online marketing for our business and found success in them, we realized the lack of social media education in Mexico.  It made sense for us to bring qualified speakers to learn and share the knowledge with our friends in paradise.

What made you decide to launch Tweet To Be Heard 2 coming up in May 2011 and will only the residents of Mexico benefit from this conference?

At the end of the first conference, we asked the attendees if they would return the next year.  Not only did they say yes, but strongly encouraged us to do it in six months and have it as a continuous bi-annual conference.

We also conducted a survey after the conference that reinforced that we were doing the right thing.  Additionally, we learned how to improve the Tweet To Be Heard conference to make the upcoming event even more exciting, enlightening and well worth everyone’s time.

Since social media is on the World Wide Web, we naturally invite people from around the globe to join us in our tropical destination while learning from incredible international speakers.  This conference is structured to benefit everyone who uses a computer for business.

The first day, the speakers cover Facebook and Twitter for beginners; the second and third days are for attendees who know the basics of social media and want to graduate to a more advanced level, so they can truly leverage the power of social media in their business; the final day is designed for business and marketers that wish to walk away with a sustainable plan, which will help maximize business results.

What changes have you made with your online presence or social media efforts after the first conference, and what were the most important takeaways of the conference?

After the first conference, we created our long-term plan and applied search engine optimization with social networking tactics to increase our rankings in Google.  Our detailed marketing plan included integrating social media into the entire marketing mix.

The most important takeaway of the conference was the social media marketing plan as well as the incredible life-long friendships we garnered.  We are looking forward to seeing last year’s attendees again as well as meeting many new ones.

In a recent SmartBrief poll analysis, I mentioned one of the growing trends of the future will be recruiters and staffing firms scouting prospects through social networks. Do job seekers need to get social too because of this shift?

In today’s competitive job market, job seekers are certainly jumping on the social bandwagon and doing whatever it takes to get the attention of recruiters by launching short-term social media campaigns to set themselves apart from other candidates.

It is becoming the norm for people to go beyond sending their resume to a company.   Many job seekers are using innovative tactics to capture interest and create buzz.  Some of these tactics include sending video cover letters, uploading video pitches to YouTube, designing creative infographs instead of text resumes, purchasing Facebook social ads, or even tweeting their way into a job.

A tech-savvy job seeker, Meetu Singhal of Las Vegas took the creative approach and recently launched a social media campaign on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube to try to obtain a job interview for a social media position at Zappos.

I was able to get the inside scoop from Meetu.  Let’s see what she had to say:

1. What is your professional background?

I have extensive experience in marketing and communication – conventional and online media. With an overall experience of 11 years and the last five years in providing consulting services to U.S. and Canada based start-ups on online marketing, social media marketing, conversational marketing, community building, crowdsourcing, e-commerce, and analytics.

I have a deep understanding of the latest web technologies and how to leverage such technologies for social commerce is what I bring to the table.

2. When did you first discover you had a passion for social media?

In 2006, I was recovering from some health complications and surgery, and I was working from home for a U.S.-based start-up that was engaged in building community for professionals in the Insurance and Finance industries. My duties included setting up virtual conference events, webinars, email marketing, etc.

After just a few days of working there, I realized that there was a need for doing something that will enable them to generate content collaboratively, and that is when my social media journey began.  I helped the founders launch their online presence by setting set up their community blog, podcasts, etc.  As you know in 2006, not too many people knew how to set up a blog or how to engage a community for that matter.

Later, I was a part of creating an online community for thought leaders, which can now be seen at www.33voices.com.

3. How long has it been since you sent Zappos your resume? This was for a social media position, correct?

The second week of February, I sent my resume to Zappos for the Facebook Marketing Assistant position. They were asking for 1+ year experience, and I thought Facebook for business has only two years old, so applying for this position would not be a bad idea.

After waiting a few days for a response, I decided to reach out through a social media campaign on February 14. The story of the birth of the campaign is shared by my avatar in a video on YouTube. If you are wondering why I used an avatar instead of me speaking the story, please check Zappos’ 10 core values. The goal is to be creative, add weirdness and fun.

4. I am sure many people are dying to know how you came up with the “Zappos Hire Me” campaign since this is not how anyone would typically try to get capture company’s interest. Why did you think this would get Zappos’ attention and set you apart from other candidates?

This is very simple. Since they needed someone to assist with social media efforts, a social media campaign is the the best way I can present my credentials. Don’t you think?

I’ve had Zappos on my radar since I started my job hunt in December 2010.  At that time, I was renewing the domain for my blog, and it struck me that I should also get http://zapposhireme.com in case I needed it if the opportunity were to arise.  I suppose it was the law of attraction; here I am two months later trying to grab their attention for a position I am really interested in.

5. How long did it take for Zappos to react after you launched the campaign? What was their reaction?

Since it was a social media campaign, their Facebook and Twitter teams got the news first because of tweets and posts on their Facebook page. On Facebook, the reaction was complete silence, which made it very clear that they did not want to acknowledge the campaign on Facebook. On Twitter, the communication has been on and off.

The reality is that it took a phone call from me to get them to actually respond (watch video). And believe it or not, it was not until yesterday (February 22) that a Facebook employee acknowledged the campaign on Zappos Facebook page with a reply to a really encouraging comment.  As you can see, this created an interesting trail of comments.

I also wrote an email to Zappos asking them a few questions, and I am still waiting for a response.

6. Do you feel this campaign benefited you in other ways as well?

There has not been a benefit in terms of a job offer, and I think it is too early to see any major benefits because it’s only just been over a week since the launch.  However, I was contacted by a couple of recruiters after launching the campaign, so it is getting the attention I anticipated.

Some bloggers, including a Dutch blog contacted me for blog interviews, and Fox 5 News in Las Vegas is covering my story today. And of course, I get an opportunity to tell my story on this awesome blog, which is a huge social media benefit.

Also, a big brand in India just asked me to be on their board of consultants, which will be a contractual job.  However, my heart is still with the “Zappos Hire Me” campaign because I would love to be given an opportunity to at least interview with them.

In addition, it has also been nice to see all the Google Alerts that show me where the campaign is making its footprints.

7. How do you feel social media is changing the way job seekers communicate with companies? Do you see these kinds of campaigns as a trend of the future?

Personal branding is extremely important whether you are working for yourself or for someone else.   It is not easy to carry out such a campaign by yourself.  After starting the campaign, you really must look to the community and influencers to help you spread the word.

In my case, there has been tremendous support from many people who have tweeted and posted on my behalf, endorsed me, wrote testimonials, etc.  Thus, SOCIAL equals YOU ALL and not just ME, if this makes sense.

Technology gives you the opportunity to be creative, but the human element inspires you to spread the word.  Social media is the best tool available to showcase your personal brand.  It does not take much to start using social media to share your work.  You never know what opportunities may arise, such as a recruiter knocking at your door.

In addition, companies should be prepared to handle such events.  In my case, the Zappos’ Facebook team was surprisingly inexperienced on how to respond.  It took one full week for them to respond and express their opinion of the campaign.  This stunned me since Zappos is one of the talked about brands that use social media.

Thus far, it has been a great experience, and I am going to continue till I get that interview with Zappos.  I know I cannot do it without the help of the community.  Please join me in my journey at the links below and let’s prove the power of social media together.

Facebook Page: http://facebook.com/zapposhireme

Twitter handle: http://twitter.com/zapposhireme

YouTube: http://youtube.com/meetusinghal

What other creative ideas can Meetu come up with to grab Zappos’ attention? Do you think Meetu’s campaign will play a party in starting a new trend for job seekers?

After several decades of authoritarian rule, the courageous people of Egypt finally spoke loud and clear that they will no longer go on without ending the suffering of their country. For several weeks, the world watched online and offline while a groundswell of fearless protestors fought for freedom and democracy, achieving one of the greatest historic victories – the fall of the Egyptian president, Hosni Mubarak, and hopefully the termination of brutality and anguish.

Like the millions of people around the globe who were following this powerful people’s revolution, I was glued to all the social networking and news sites, restlessly watching the movement. Certainly, I had a special interest in what was happening not only because the social Web was key in all of the events, but also because I have many valued Egyptian friends.  I also vacationed in beautiful Egypt several years ago.

During my visit, I sadly observed the torment of the hungry children and adults on the streets of Cairo, while Mubarak and his family slept soundly in their palace.  So at last, I was thrilled to see so many enraged Egyptians finally wake up from the fear to fight for the liberty they so longed for and deserved.  Without this new age revolution and the commanding voice of the people, the world would not have known about the 30-year distress that Mubarak caused the people of Egypt.

Mubarak’s greediness was sucking the blood out of the country by stealing billions of dollars, leaving the people to endure massive unemployment, appallingly low-paying jobs, starvation, homelessness, and wrongful treatment of innocent individuals.

There is no doubt that full credit goes to the bravery and perseverance of the people for the uprising and for the toppling of their corrupted government.  Although it was the power of the people that forced this selfish egotistical leader out, I was impressed how the Internet, social media and mobile devices played such a significant role in this strong movement.  The use of technology was one of the greatest examples of our increasing interconnected world, and the opportunities we now have to shape the world.

If it wasn’t for social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter as well as YouTube and Google, the voice of the heated Egyptian people would not have been heard so loudly around the globe.  We also would not have seen the revolution take off as quickly and reach as many people as it did.

Here are just a few ways how the Internet, social media, and mobile impacted Egypt’s historic triumph:

• Gave the demonstrators the tools they needed to launch the uprising at a newer pace and scale (i.e., Wael Ghonim’s Facebook page and video)
• Helped easily gather and mobilize the tech-savvy people for protests
• Enabled the world to share their perspective across different channels and contribute to the news as it happened
• Allowed journalists to report from the ground and post or tweet in real-time as well as link to their blogs, videos, and photos
• Enabled journalists to record audio and video through phones when video cameras were taken away by government
• Made it possible for people to use third-party apps like Hootsuite to post to Facebook and Twitter when they were blocked
• Facilitated coverage and recognition for Middle Eastern channels like Al Jazeera
• Assisted in popularizing the emergence of content and news curation
• Proved that authoritarian leaders may no longer have control of media and events
• Frightened a tyrant enough to cause his regime to suppress access to the Internet and mobile phones
• And, thanks to Google and Twitter for creating Speak2Tweet, which helped make it possible for the Egyptian people to continue tweeting by enabling them to dial a phone number and leave a voice mail that was posted to Twitter.

Of course technology did not make the revolution, but it did have a vital function.  Again, it was energy of the people online and offline that created a momentous change. Congratulations to all Egyptians around the world.  You made the world proud and proved that “Yes we can!”  I am looking forward to seeing transformation and visiting the new Egypt soon!

What do you think of the innovative use of social media I described above? How do you think the use of technology during this event will impact future significant events?