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Sep 26 2011

The Lively Art of Twitter Language

Too Much Facebook Lately? Let’s Talk About Twitter!

Three trends on Twitter, discourse, language and engagement that are worth taking a look at. Here goes:

Trend 1: Brand Hijacking of Trending Topics

When a topic is talked about by lots of people on Twitter, it is called a “Trending Topic.” Sometimes, this trend can be one word and have a “Hashtag” or pound sign in front of it.

Oftentimes, these Trending Topics can be rather risque. Sometimes, they can be in poor taste.

TODAY: the number one “un-sponsored” Trending Topic is this phrase:

Trending Topics
Twitter.com, Sept 23, 2011

So, no matter where you stand on this particular topic – whether you think it’s promoting violence or you think it’s all in good fun – you can choose to ignore it if you would like.

You don’t have to be part of the conversation if you don’t want to. You can stay far, far away from it.

In fact, if you’re a brand marketer, we’re going to recommend that you stay away. You don’t want to be associated with the types of discussions that might be happening on Twitter right now around this topic.

Then there’s Radio Shack.

If you’re a brand with money to spend, you can pay to “promote” your tweet – so that anyone who clicks on the term and searches for the latest commentary on that topic can see your message.

Like this:

 

Radio Shack
Radio Shack Says What?

 

What’s the Takeaway? The brand is out of your hands. So think twice before “hijacking” a sponsored topic that could get you in trouble.

Trend 2: Blue Language and Twitter

I like to point fingers at glass houses, so why not use myself as an example here?

Fact: When checking keywords during a recent Twitter session – search.twitter.com is HIGHLY recommended – I decided to say that the assertion that a certain site (Klout) sending gifts to people was not, contrary to a tweeter’s belief, evidence that “Social Media Works.” I used the word “bull—-” which may or may not fit your definition of “Blue Language.” However, I was admonished:

Offending Tweet
I started this

Rather than this becoming Twitter War Three, I was able to have some polite off-line discussions with the person offended, and, yes, I apologized for using that term. Then I started following her on Twitter.

What’s the takeaway? You’re not going to make everyone happy anywhere you go on the web. What’s okay to you is over the line to others. You can’t win every time.

BUT: Should You Clean It Up?

Here’s where authenticity is key. I would only use that sort of language in a public forum in rare occasions – giving a speech, it depends on the audience, and it’s not “part of my act.” Some writers, bloggers, consultants and speakers CAN get away with this: Danny Brown, Erika Napoletano and Jason Falls all come to mind.

The question you need to ask yourself is this: if you’re the kind of person for whom Blue Language is part of the fabric, great. For me, upon further review, it’s not, and I’m much better sticking to my “nice guy, no potty mouth” persona.

Trend 3: Being Okay with Automation

If you want to have a lively discussion about the use of Twitter, talk about “Automation.” In some worlds, it’s completely bogus. In other worlds, it’s completely necessary.

In my world, it’s (to borrow from above) part of the fabric. And it’s also tough to tell where it’s actually happening these days:

Shelly Kramer
What is automated?

Looking at the above snapshot of  Shelly Kramer’s  Twitter stream from over the weekend – you can’t totally tell.  The “via”, the “twrt.me” links, any and all of it could be part of an automation program, or NONE of it could be part of an automation program.

These are four sample tweets – do these four mean she doesn’t engage with people? (NO, she DOES.)  Is she always engaging with people? Does she have a team of interns? Is she up at all hours?

What’s the Takeaway? There are uber-tweeters with 100,000-plus followers and absolutely no automation. There are others who automate some, and still others who can’t be bothered with tweeting themselves but have a team doing it for them.

You need to make your own decision, and you don’t have to make an absolute decision. It might make total sense, or no sense at all.

As long as you’re actually having conversations with people, you’re on your way to real engagement.

Coming Full Circle: Can You Still Be “Lively” on Twitter?

I’ll admit to falling a little off the wagon of late when it comes to Twitter: I used to spend all hours on the site, then I was down to a few minutes a day “checking in.” I’m back a little more because it is in line with my business objectives – and I’m in a “Relationship Business,” so building relationships on Twitter is of strategic importance.

You need to make the decisions based on what’s right for your business – and choose the style and tone that makes the most sense.

Want to hear more “thinking” like this? Check out our Holistic Social Media Lesson – part of the 12 Minute Marketing series. It’s free to watch that, and four other sample lessons, using this link. And no “opt-in” necessary…ah, that’s a subject for another post.

Written by Dave · Categorized: 12 Minutes, 5 Categories, Twitter · Tagged: tweet

Dec 22 2010

How To Be Readable

5 Categories of Holistic Social Media
(c) 2010, Area 224
We’re far from the “Must Read” status with our blog and website – but we have gotten some decent traffic this year, and it has led to business. Some tips on being readable…

First of all, read others. If you’re in the business of asking for people to visit your blog – or read your book – you need to give. That means spend some time looking for interesting things.

Doesn’t totally matter what business you’re in, or where you’re looking. But take some time to read other blogs. Which brings us to the next thing…

Comment. This will not only make you cool, it will enable you to connect with more people – bloggers, business folks, potential tweetup attendees, whatever.

There isn’t a rule of thumb – see our post yesterday on “You’re Doing It Wrong” – so just go with the flow. Seriously, if you find something you agree vehemently with, comment on it. If you find something you disagree with, comment on it.

Be Prolific. You need to write OFTEN. Daily? Maybe that’s too frequent for you. Weekly? That’s not frequent enough.

This third point leads to questions about “finding your voice” – and specifically whether you need to find your voice before blogging. I cry bulls**t. The best way to find your voice is to start blogging. Start writing.

We have had a point this year — blog often about topics that are in the vein of business communications, social media, startups, and the intersection of thinking, planning, strategy and getting stuff done. To some, we’ve been all over the map – but it has helped us find our voice AND given rise to the concept of Holistic Social Media – which became much, much clearer in the past few weeks.

Final Thought: Don’t Call Them Ramblings. Not everyone can write easily. But the last thing you want to do is tell people your blog is “a bunch of ramblings.” They may be good ramblings, but the quickest turnoff for this reporter is a blog with ramblings from a [insert age group] living in [insert city] trying to [insert industry where you want to make a name for yourself].

Now, be readable!

 

 

Written by Dave · Categorized: 5 Categories, blogging, Holistic Social Media · Tagged: readable

Dec 17 2010

Canadian Indie Rock – How To Mix Killer Product with Holistic Social Media

Trying to figure out why Dave from Area 224 is obsessed with Canadian Indie Rock? So was Dave…until…

At some point, you’ll start to figure out what exactly defines you. Then you become the target customer, and you want to discover more stuff like what defines you. Like this, from Constantines.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30yEWwQEYIk

So this video got us thinking: why them? How did we “discover” them?

Well, it actually goes back to these guys: Arkells.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFrTZe-wQPI

Who we discovered when we saw them, in Chicago, opening for these guys: Tokyo Police Club.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1yS7Jnq7qw

Which leads us back to our Holistic Social Media concept.

Here’s that photo again – my, this is a rather visual post, no?

 

 

5 Categories of Holistic Social Media
(c) 2010, Area 224

See how “your business” is in the middle? Well, in the case of these three bands, replace the word “music” in the middle circle.

Then make it bigger, and tilt the other circles around…

Inbound Marketing FTW.

These guys have a presence on the social networks, there are blogs from their record labels, and there is a tiny bit of concert-oriented geo-sharing going on.

And, since we link above to the Twitter accounts of all three, you can see that there’s SOME Twitter activity.

But the winner, here, is video. AND the keywords associated with the videos – specifically on YouTube.

And the recommendations attached TO the videos – of other songs to check out.

AND THE COMMENTS.

In-between the obligatory “Justin Bieber” comments (positive and negative), you can find other recommendations. “I heard these guys live, but you should also check out Constantines.”

So, is there a “Right Way” to do Holistic Social Media?

The Canadian Indie Rock acts we’ve mentioned today are there on all the platforms – but the product seals the deal. There’s no right way – but having something that people like as the core of your business – That. Is. Vital.

 

 

Written by Dave · Categorized: 5 Categories, blogging, brand communications, Facebook, Geo-Sharing, Twitter, Video · Tagged: Canadian Indie

Nov 29 2010

Why We Created the ‘Holistic Social Media’ Course

We’ve actually used the term “Holistic Social Media” for awhile now. But, does it warrant its own course?

Answer: YES.  Here’s why:

 

5 Categories of Holistic Social Media
(c) 2010, Area 224

Holistic Medicine treats the whole person. We’re talking how the head feels, whether nutrition is in line, whether the spiritual or social being is out of whack. Herbs might be right, acupuncture might be right.

But one thing interacts with another thing that interacts with another thing. One’s off-kilter, the whole body might suffer.

Yeah, but “Holistic Social Media?” Sounds like hooey.

Well, treating the “whole” organizational body through social media – that makes a heck of a lot more sense than just pumping a whole lot of medicine into one part or another. See that diagram up there? If it looks like a person to you – a Social Media Stickman – that’s fine. Your business might be the heart, or the stomach, or both. Blogging may be your brain or nerve center. Take either away and the whole exercise is pointless.

So, why you guys at Area 224?

Another good question – we’ve trained Corporate Communicators, Realtors, Insurance Industry professionals, Energy Industry people and a variety of brand marketers on How to Use Social Media to Get (THE RIGHT) Stuff Done.

We developed this course because, frankly, there’s a lot of crap out there – and we wanted to cut through it in a way that you can put to good use LIKE RIGHT NOW. Use this button, get it for just $90.

 





Written by Dave · Categorized: 5 Categories · Tagged: Holistic

Nov 23 2010

NEW: 5 Categories of Holistic Social Media

Fitting that this is Post #100 – gives us a chance to premiere some stuff that, while not groundbreaking, may be groundbreakingly simple.

5 Categories. Holistic Social Media.

Not too too difficult if you think about it. There are new sites, new tools, new ways of looking at the same old stuff launching seemingly every day. But, as we shared – and learned – during BOOM Camp 2010, big charts and graphs are great if you’re knee-deep in analytics all day. Most people aren’t.

So, to borrow from Lloyd Bridges’ Admiral Benson character in Hot Shots:

“Give it to me straight, Ted. Dot every comma.”

 

5 Categories of Holistic Social Media
(c) 2010, Area 224

So, behold. The 5 Categories of Holistic Social Media.

You can argue with the categories if you’d like – for instance, we expect to have a few darts thrown our way when we talk about “Microblogging,” as that category also includes “Sharing” and “Bookmarking.”

Oh, and we think that Geo-Sharing – the Foursquare, Gowalla, Yelp, Facebook Places landgrab that’s going on – well, it deserves a category of its own.

A couple other things to let y’all know about before we begin our javelin-catching exercise:

1. YOUR BUSINESS is at the center. Duh.

That does mean, though, that the whole thing may not make sense for you – maybe you’re B2B and Geo-Sharing seems like a wasted exercise. Fine. You don’t need to do it. Because…

2. It sorta kinda resembles a body for a reason.

Blogging is the head, the nerve center. Your business is the heart.

If the Video leg or Micro-blogging hand don’t add up to that much for you – well, these are not the most critical components.

Happy to take any darts or comments from the peanut gallery.

 

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Written by Dave · Categorized: 5 Categories, Facebook, Geo-Sharing, Holistic Social Media, Twitter, Video

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