Tag / Social Media

Facebook or Google+

This simple, off the cuff comment got me thinking that it might be the best metaphor for platforms yet. Some people love to get on the new shiny thing – Get a Facebook page, Google+ Page, Tumblr Site, Flickr Account, 500px Account, and the list goes on and on and on.  Maybe you suffer from Fear of Missing Out on something super important in the social media space or maybe you actually want to stake your claim for your brand (even personal brand).  In my eyes, the issue shouldn’t be where you’re posting but ensuring that you have something to consistently share.

Thinking of the situation differently, we can see that it might be a relatively good idea to get your brand open in NYC and Chicago.  These high traffic cities will drive more activity and brand recognition than only being open in one.

Don’t feel like you have to choose. It’s cool to update your profile on a number of different channels.  I couldn’t agree with Trey more and I can only hope to see article response the way he does!

The Power of Verbs and Context

New Custom Verbs – Like and Recommend are no longer enough – Facebook announced that brands will be able to introduce new custom verbs such as “cook” “watch”, “read”, “hike” and “listen.” Do Facebook users really need more ways to say what they are doing, perhaps not, but brands will likely see this as a creative way to get more engagement and build campaigns around sharing using specific verbs in conjunction with the nouns of the brand.

[dropcap]More[/dropcap] creative ways to engage are on the way with Facebook. I don’t use Facebook too much or with much gusto, but I do like some of these ideas they’re rolling out.  I’m interested from a point that I like to see the response of people.  I love when social platforms change and people react in total disgust.  It’s not that angry people fascinate me, but the amazing notion that the anger comes as people user the site for free.  I sometimes sit and wonder if there are people trying to call Facebook to complain about something.  You know in the sense that people call companies like Rogers or a TD Canada Trust to complain when there is a change to the way a bill looks or how someone was not nice to them in the store.  Unfortunately, I bet there are and I hope you’re not one of those people.

I didn’t even know about the custom verbs were something new for Facebook.  I had only heard about the Timeline as people mock it. I’m a pretty graphic and visual person, making me quite interested in a feature like the Timeline.  Hate me know if you want; however, I want to see how it works out.  I love these moves because it’s becoming clear that competition is pushing innovation in the social platform space.  Funny enough as I look to build my sanctuary within my own domains, digitally.

Do custom verbs really allow for brands to create more possible engagement? I totally think so.  The Like and Recommend were never enough.  Sure it’s great to Like something but context is powerful to me.   With a photography website, I might want a verb that says to “look” at a portrait just posted.  Like vs Look might not seem like a big deal to you right now but how will you react when you see this in your stream? This is the power of verbs.

When creating to do lists or planning out my day, the way to go about this is to use verbs with the items I need to do.  I learned this back from reading Making Ideas Happen by Scott Belsky  and his Action Method.  Verbs help you to take action.  For example,

[unordered_list style="star"]

  • Read for 45 minutes
  • Reply to flagged e-mails
  • Process 50 photographs from wedding
  • Provide support to 50 Members on the WooThemes Forums
  • Write about the power of verbs and contexct

[/unordered_list]

This is much more powerful than a list of stuff.  Adding verbs and context to the list helps me take action.  Just the same as when you see a verb that uses context in your news stream, you will be interested to also look, read, watch, or cook something that a friend did. This is beyond the like and recommend because it directs someone to take action. That’s at least how I see it.  I’m interested to see how the power of verbs and context will play out with Facebook.  I thought it was worthy of talking about instead of harping on the Facebook Timeline.

Are you interested in the ability to use a custom verb? Let me know :)

 

Peace Out Linkedin

I’m finally done with Linkedin. It was a “social network” that I never used or found any value within. Perhaps I didn’t find that value because I never used it. It always felt so real estate like. Not that there is anything wrong with real estate agents. If you want my credentials, they’ll go up here and in a format that I’m much happier with soon. Also, a Google search for my name will bring up a huge amount of information – information that would mean much more than a stuffy Linkedin account.

The final nail? Default settings wanting to use their users information and photographs for advertising. Not that I think I’d be someone that Linkedin would want to snag and display, but the fact that they’ve done this and I don’t think I got an e-mail regarding this desire of theirs. Weird? Yea, it’s totally weird because Linkedin is notorious for constant e-mail spam.

I won’t get any more (at least I hope not).

In my mind, Google is still a much better place to search for a specific person or to find a someone local in a specific field.

Peace Out Linkedin!

Social Media “Do-Over”

I haven’t even read Mitch’s full article yet.  I read this part of the article and I jumped here to share it as a quote.  I instantly connected with the idea of Google+ as a new social network that lets people start fresh in the social media space. Mitch goes on to talk about how Facebook profiles have turned into a mess and people never really understood privacy settings or sharing capabilities.

Now with Circles in Google Plus, everyone has the “do-over” as they rebuild connections.  I think it’s a pretty interesting psychological event happening right now.  You can now place people (connections) into specific social circles and instead of cleaning up the Facebook profile, your following list on twitter, and your old connections in Linkedin (the ones you probably might not want to run into again).  You have the ability to communicate only with specific circles.

This makes actual sense on an instantaneous level. If I want to share some wedding photography only with my family, I can select my family circle.

If you still work that job you hate and don’t want to sit in your cubicle tomorrow, you can share that you’re feeling sick with only your work circle (a circle full of only colleges at your office).

See what I mean?

Let’s get real: Is Google+ interesting to you because you get to start fresh?

P.S If you want to connect on Google Plus follow this link –> Scott Webb on Google+