Is it really social media if …

A recent move by an online site/service that has received many accolades for being a great “social media tool” for PR professionals and journalists recently underwent an upgrade. (Caveat: There are some who say the tool, while enormously helpful, never embodied the true meaning of social media because it did not include a way for community members to communicate with each other as a group. Please feel free to debate that point, as well, in the comments section of this post, though it's not the direct topic.) Now, let me just say that I’m all about making products, services, social media tools, etc., better; however, the recent upgrade to this service left me a little bit baffled.

The particular service in question helps reporters find sources. In the “1.0 version,” the site sent out emails that included what story a reporter was working on and the reporter’s contact information. The new version – and those of you familiar with the service can debate amongst yourself whether or not it’s truly improved – now masks reporters’ email addresses and instead provides end users with temporary email addresses that stop working after a query deadline is reached.

Which left me wondering…

Is it really social media if the site/service not only keeps its users from knowing who one another are and how to reach each other but stymies future contact between its members? Isn’t the whole point of social media to facilitate conversation? And does this “cloaked email” feature prevent the spirit of social media from being realized?

Weigh in below with your thoughts.

UPDATE: For those of you who know the service I'm talking about, if you have any issues with the new service, make sure you express them at the service's GetSatisfaction site.

The Twitter-LinkedIn Connection

I've seen a lot of tweets today about how you can now feed your Twitter updates into your LinkedIn profile. (Here's the Reuters piece on it.) And a lot of people sound excited about this new development.

I'm not.

I also don't like that you can link your Twitter and your Facebook account. (Is it blasphemy to say that?)

Here's the thing... Yes, I often post very similar updates to one, two, or even all three sites. But I also often post Twitter updates that, to me, aren't "Facebook worthy." And I post Facebook updates that never make it onto Twitter. Ditto, LinkedIn.

For me, the three outlets -- and their uses -- are distinct, though sometimes overlapping. That said, in many cases, I'm friends with someone on Facebook, connected to that same person on LinkedIn and follow his/her tweets on Twitter. And especially in the Facebook-Twitter connection, having the same updates to both locations can be overwhelming.

I think one reason I feel this way is because Twitter seems like a much more "now" phenomenon. I may tweet updates from an event I'm attending. Or post random updates about what I'm doing or something I just read. In contrast, I look to Facebook status updates to promote events, post random thoughts, etc. I think of Facebook status updates as being a little less frequent because it's not as easy to stay up-to-date on new posts. (New tweets pop up in the bottom right corner of my screen. I can read them, click on them, ignore them, etc., while continuing with what I'm doing.) So when people link their Twitter and Facebook status updates, I often find that my "status updates" on Facebook become overrun with one person's updates at the expense of everyone else. And it's frustrating.

What say you? (Oh, and by the way, if you want to follow me on Twitter, it's @rferrier. As to Facebook and LinkedIn, I have to have some noticeable connection to you to connect on LinkedIn. And Facebook, well, that's for people I really know.)

-- Robin

NON-CCG EVENT: socStardom 4 with Jason Alba

Don't miss this opportunity to hear social media superstar Jason Alba talk about how to use social media to grow your business!

Jason will talk about how he's used social media to grow his business, and share examples of success stories with Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, blogging, Yahoo Groups, etc.

DATE: Tuesday, September 22
TIME: 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
LOCATION: Johns Hopkins University Montgomery County Campus, 9605 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, MD 20850

Read more about why you don't want to miss this opportunity to chat with Social Media Superstar Jason Alba

(Psst... if you don't know who Jason is, here's the quick version: Jason is the creator of JibberJobber -- an online tool that can be used to manage job searches... and your entire career. He is also the author of I'm on Facebook -- Now What?? and I'm on Linked In -- Now What??)

Let us know if you're planning on attending. (We want to make sure we have enough food!)

Day 29-30: Nurturing My Professional Network concludes...

Day 29 (Aug 13):

• Forwarded media query to a colleague.
  

Day 30 (Aug 14):

• Forwarded media query to non-MCC JHU colleague.

And tomorrow, I'll do a wrap up. What I thought of the experience. Lessons learned. All that good stuff.

-- Robin

Days 20-28: Nurturing My Professional Network

It's been a busy few weeks for me so I haven't been updating on my "nurturing your professional network" challenge. Sorry! Here's the latest:

Day 20 (July 29):

• Forwarded media query to non-Hopkins colleague for colleague's pro bono client

Day 21 (July 30):

• Forwarded media query to non-MCC Hopkins colleague
• Got a call from an MC businessperson looking for Hopkins connections re: an event she was hosting. Connected her with two colleagues. (If she wasn't part of my network before, she is now. She was extremely appreciative of my help!)
• Helped a friend/colleague with a personal issue by calling on an "expert" I knew in a particular area to lend some advice. (Of course, I would have helped her even without this project being underway!)

Day 22 (July 31):

• Met someone at an event at the Washington Business Journal offices. She heard I was connected to Hopkins and asked if I knew of anyone looking for engineering work. Gave her my card. She sent me the job descriptions. I forwarded them to a colleague in JHU's Whiting School of Engineering. (Again, expanding my network by doing this woman a favor...)
• Colleague asked for a connection in another part of Hopkins. Made that connection for her. (And was happy to do so! She's done so much for me in the past!)

Day 23 (August 3):

• Worked for my "pro bono client" on their print newsletter (Does that count?)

Day 24 (August 4):

• Forwarded colleague some intel I read in a local publication that might have significance for his job
• Sent a friend a link to an online article that will help her with a grad school class she's currently taking
• Forwarded two media opportunities to colleagues

Day 25 (August 5):

• Set up a dinner for later in the month so a friend of a colleague can "pick my brain"

Day 26 (August 6):

• Forwarded media query to a colleague

(I was out of the office on August 7 and 10.)

Day 27 (August 11):

• Forwarded a friend's resume to someone who may be able to help him get a job... or at least connect him with some people in the industry
• Made a lunch date with a colleague's colleague who'd like to "pick my brain" on some PR/promotion ideas
• Forwarded media opportunity to a colleague

Day 28 (August 12):

• Forwarded a media query to two colleagues
• Helped a colleague respond to a media query
• Connected a friend with a colleague who may be able to help him with an event he's planning
• Provided some insight on a media-related matter to a colleague

So there it is. The latest. I'm in the home stretch. Two days to go. I can't wait to reflect back on the month when I hit Day 31...

(P.S. -- to my reader who commented via Twitter on liking this series and taking on the challenge herself, it's nice to know I have readers who appreciate some of my theories, thoughts, etc. Thanks! And let me know how the challenge goes for you!)

DAY 3: Nurturing my Professional Network

Day 3. 8:30 a.m.

• Came across a query from someone who is working on a documentary about Artomatic and looking for sources to interview. Happen to know someone -- a recent connection via a neighbor -- who is involved with the event. Sent her an email this morning so she can contact the filmmaker and potentially be in the documentary.

The good news? So far, everything I've done are things I would have done regardless of the challenge. Does that make this challenge any less worthy? No. After all, it's only Day 3. There's no guarantee it will be quite so easy to continue at this pace...

DAY 2: Nurturing My Professional Network

Day 2. Day 1 made it look so easy. I had four items on my list!

Then I started wondering... what counts as "doing something for someone." Does it count if it benefits me as well? And relates back to my day job? Or does it only count if it's more selfless. (And this made me think about the Friends episode where Phoebe and Joey are debating the idea of the "selfless" good deed...)

Regardless, here's what I've got so far that falls within the more "selfless" category:

• Coordinated a visit for some South Korean students to JHU's School of Advanced International Studies. One of my on-site corporate partners asked if we could help make this happen. Technically, it's not something that directly benefits me... but I made it happen. Everything was confirmed this morning. Yay!

I think that's a good start for Day 2.

Nurturing My -- and Your -- Professional Network

I read the Washington Post Jobs section every Sunday, but I don't read it for the classifieds. I read it because I enjoy the Jobs column. This week's piece was about fostering your professional network, in this particular case, your alumni network. (Particularly fitting since I work for a university, but not really my point here...)

What caught my eye the most from this article -- and what stuck with me and inspired me to write this post -- was the following sentence:

"'You have to do something for someone every single day. That's how you maintain and keep expanding your network,' said [Lee] Dudka, [president of the Princeton Club of Washington and a pharmaceutical and technology consultant] who's finishing a book on networking."

I'd like to think I follow the spirit of this advice. I make referrals for colleagues I respect. I run this group and help coordinate monthly lunches. But do I do enough? Do I do something every day? Probably not.

So in the honor of Dudka's sentiment, I thought I'd try a little experiment for the month of July... plus today. Each day during the work week, I'm going to aim to "do something for someone" to help maintain and expand my professional network. And I'm going to post here about what that something is. (If it goes well, maybe I'll keep doing it through August... or expand my self-challenge to a whole year. But sometimes it's better to start small and succeed before promising something bigger.)

So, in the spirit of this post, I'm happy to say it's 8:40 a.m. and I've already done two things for others:

1. Sent a media query on to a (non-Hopkins) colleague I know through the Leadership Montgomery program that could result in some nice media coverage for him and his business.
2. Sent a media query on to a Hopkins colleague (who isn't on my campus) with an offer to help him fine-tune his answer before he responds to the reporter.

I think those two activities should count as today's "good deeds."

Come back here each day to find out what that days "somethings" are. (And I'll post updates as to any results of my efforts.)

In the meantime, happy networking! (And wish me luck!)

-- Robin

The Beauty of Twitter: Being Human

I'm inspired to write this post after reading "What's the Point of Twitter" on (non-DC based) communicator Sarah Morgan's blog. I hear people complaining all the time about Twitter... "what is it?" "why should I use it?" "why do I care what you're doing?" "people write about so many mundane, stupid things" and on... and on... and on...

Sarah captured the point of Twitter beautifully. With one word.

"Human"

Her point...

With Twitter, we see the human side of our colleagues, co-workers, and perhaps online-only friends. It allows us to see sides of people that make them who they are, not just what they do. It's relaly no different than the small talk you make when you attend a networking breakfast, formal dinner or other work-related event. Or one of our CCG lunches. Does your every conversation in these forums revolve around work topics? Probably not. You talk about what's going on in your personal life, a good book you read, a movie you disliked, a recent recipe you tried out and loved... any number of things. And after the lunch, you probably remember better the personal connections.

The point? If you're on Twitter, be human. Talk about your life, not just your work. People will remember you for it. And appreciate the "human" in those you follow. (It's a sentiment I've heard talked about not just by Sarah, but by our own CCG social media guru, Denise Graveline of don't get caught.)

socStardom3 w/Ten Golden Rules CEO Jay Berkowitz

I just realized that I never posted to this group about our upcoming socStardom3 event with Web Marketing and SEO expert Jay Berkowitz. Here are the details:

WHEN: June 1, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
WHERE: JHU Montgomery County Campus, 9605 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, MD
COST: Free

Wondering what Jay is all about? Trying to decide whether or not you're attending socStardom3? Listen to this podcast with Jay!

More details about the event.

Please RSVP if you plan on attending!!

Twitter: Follow Me? Follow U?

So I saw an interesting twitter trail today and I'm curious what others think. To explain the situation, i'll call my two twitter peeps @PR1 and @PR2.

@PR2 is following @PR1.
@PR1 isn't following @PR2.
So @PR2 asks @PR1 to follow her, and says if @PR1 doesn't start following her, she's going to stop follow @PR1.

I guess what's interesting to me is what people think of this whole debate. And it goes back to why people use Twitter. I use Twitter for three reasons: (a) to let people know about interesting events, articles, blog posts, etc.; (b) to quote Dave Evans, "I'm looking for people who could possibly answer questions I don't know I have yet; and (c) I'm looking to learn about what others are doing or recommending.

By that token, I follow those people who I find interesting. If someone starts following me, I'll go look at their updates and decide if I want to follow them back. And if I start to follow someone and they choose to follow me back, great. If they don't, their loss, right?

But am I alone in this mentality? Do others feel like it's a slap in the face if people they choose to follow don't follow them back? Is reciprocity necessary in this forum? What do others think? And where does ego come into play on this issue?

NON-CCG EVENT: Social Media for Government Training

Social Media for Government Training: How To Engage Your Employees And Citizens By Using The Latest WEB 2.0 Technologies To Drive Communication Results
July 13-16
Hyatt Regency Crystal City, Arlington, VA

Hear practical advice from leading government agencies and organizations — from the Department of State to the U.S. Army to the NIH — who are already using social media for better communication results, including:

Topics include:

• How To Maximize And Manage Your Blog: Promoting Your Organization's Message And Keeping Current With The Trends While Staying Within A Budget
• How To Use Podcasting To Engage Your Audience - - Even When Your Resources Are Limited
• Web 2.0: From Strategy To Implementation In 60 Days - A Roadmap For Success
• How Twitter And Other Social Media Tools Can Keep A Community Informed And Bring Citizens Together
• Harnessing The Power Of Social Media To Get Your Message To The Hard To Reach Communities
• How To Build And Leverage An Online Community To Foster Your Organization's Mission And Goals - While Protecting Your Online Reputation
• How To Maximize Your Mission's Mandate By Using The Latest Social Media Tools To Engage Your Audiences

And our own Joe Balintfy will be presenting on “How To Make The Audio To Video Jump: Getting Started With Vodcasting”

More agenda details or to register.

#socStardom2... a much belated recap

So... a few weeks ago my campus (Johns Hopkins University Montgomery County Campus) hosted #socStardom2, a "fireside chat" with SocMed superstar Dave Evans. I had every intention of writing up about the event the next day... but things at my day job have been crazy busy. (First rule of social media: Don't do a blog if you're not going to update it regularly. And I fail at that rule ALL THE TIME. So if any of you readers are also CCG members and you'd like to submit some guest posts on relevant issues, send them my way. Please!!)

Anyway... some highlights from our chat with Dave. (And no promises that any or all of my "takeaways" are revolutionary. In many cases, they're merely reinforcements of what we should already know.):

• People today want to be left alone to figure things out on their own. They want to talk with people who've done it, used the product, etc. [MY TAKEAWAY: Cultivate your faithful followers and give them not only a reason to talk you up, but a forum in which to do so.]
• The social web changes purchasing dynamics. It used to be: be aware – consider – buy. Not, after buy, people form their opinion and talk about the product, which folds them back into the purchasing cycle as they can influence others at the "consider" phase. [MY TAKEAWAY: Your interaction with your customer isn't done after they purchase the product.]
• Some of today's biggest eAdvocates are those in the 50- to 60-year-old range. This community actively follows legislation, and when anything happens, they are the people who are advocating at the local levels, who show up at courthouses, etc. [MY TAKEAWAY: This generation is important and you'd better have them on your side.]
• Why enter this realm? If you don’t know what people are saying, how are you going to manage it? Plus, the conversations are going on without you. [MY TAKEAWAY: You can't afford to not be there.]
• LinkedIn: You'd better have a complete profile. You'd better put thought into your default message. You'd better put thought into who you accept as your friend because everyone you add is a reflection of you.
• Honesty is key. You must be genuine. 'Nuff said.
• If you're out there, you'd better be telling people who you are. Richard at Dell always tells people he's with Dell. You can write from the biased POV of being with a company, as long as you tell me you're from that company so I know how to read your blog or your comments. You must take the extra step to ensure transparency. (This one is kind of a subset to the bullet above. And while it seems obvious, we all have heard the stories about people who ignored this rule. And every time, it came back to bite them in the a**.)
• Make sure your company has a social media policy that prevents the above from happening. (Your SocMed policy should require people disclose who they are when they're in the SocMed world, whether they're there in their personal time or business time.)
  
• When trying to convince the C-suite that the social media world is important, always lead with the business objectives and then tie the social media activities to those objectives.
• Have a personal networking strategy for your use of social media (just like your business has a business strategy for use of social media). Don't use it just to use it. Don't be somewhere because you think you have to be there. Be on the sites where you think you'll benefit.
  
• Dave on Twitter: "On Twitter, I'm looking for people who could possibly answer questions I don't know I have yet."

For other primers on #socStardom2, try these sites:

• Dave's column on ClickZ
• Mayra Ruiz's Marketing Misfit blog, part 1 and part 2
• Network Solutions recap

If you're interested in hearing about future #socStardom events -- and there will be future events -- your best bet is to follow us on Twitter at @socStardom. Or let me know and I'll add you to the mailing list for future invites.

-- Robin

NON-CCG EVENT: Fireside Chat with Social Media Superstar Dave Evans

WHAT: Fireside Chat with Social Media Superstar Dave Evans

WHO? Dave Evans. He writes a social media marketing bi-monthly column for ClickZ.com and is the author of Social Media Marketing: An Hour a Day.

WHEN: Monday, March 9 from 6-8 p.m.
WHERE: Johns Hopkins University Montgomery County Campus, 9605 Medical Center Drive, Room 121, Rockville, MD 20850

Read more about why you don't want to miss this opportunity to chat with Dave at the Mayra Ruiz's marketing misfit blog.

You must register to attend this event.

I've Been Delinquent. Sorry!

OK. I've been delinquent about posting. Sorry, everyone! Things at my day job have been crazy. I hope to have up a post about yesterday's CCG lunch later this week or early next week... if the lunch happened. (I couldn't go thanks to ... surprise, surprise, my day job.) In the meantime, since I don't have a heck of a lot of time to post, thought I'd just post some interesting links.

Recaps of "If You Build It, Will They Come?" event with superstar bloggers Frank Warren (PostSecret.com) and Rohit Bhargava (Influential Marketing blog)
Marya Ruiz: 1 pic = 1,000 words ... therefore, 65 pics = 65,000 words
Joe Loong: Event: If You Build It, Will They Come (Yeah)
Heidi Moon: (Blog) Post Secrets, or: A Report from #socStardom

Kevin Rose: 10 Ways to Increase Your Twitter Followers
Great advice from Kevin. Retweets: Good. Twitter Bio: important. People use it to determine whether they want to follow you or not. Links: Good. I've definitely gotten new followers off of links I've posted. #hash tags: Also good. Definitely got new followers early on when tweeting (and hash tagging) events.

Too Much Noise On Twitter? Filttr Will Tell You What’s Worth Reading
Information about a new Twitter app that helps you filter the tweets you receive. Especially helpful if you're following a lot of people.

What to Blog About When You Have Nothing to Blog About
If you blog, you've been there. Bloggers block. Some good tips.

Sneak Peek: If You Build It...

Before New Year's, I posted information about a non-CCG event with two Blog superstars. Just thought I'd provide a teaser Q&A with FrankWarren of PostSecret.com for those of you who may be on the fence about whether or not to attend...

--------------
Q: What do you think is the "secret" to PostSecret.com's success?
WARREN: I think most of us are interested in people's authentic lives and Blogs create an opportunity to tell untold stories in ways that make strangers seem like intimates.

Q: What do you think are 3-5 of the best blogs out there? 3-5 of the worst blogs out there… if you’re willing to comment on that.
WARREN: The worst Blogs I would not want to bring attention to. Three popular Blogs that I like are Boing Boing, Mashable and Huffington Post. Two less popular site I like are Wooster Collective and Found Magazine.

Q: What is the best piece of advice you can give to someone looking to start a blog?
WARREN: Here is my concise, self-contradictory advice: You won't make any money Blogging, so you might as well create something that you will enjoy even if you never get a single visitor. When you get a ton of visitors and build a community, listen to their criticism more then their praise. And finally, when you start getting rich from your Blog, it's time to start thinking about your next one.

--------------
Still wondering whether or not to attend? Well, consider this: Frank Warren is among the top 20 bloggers in the world and Rohit is among the top 5k of the 133 million blogs that exist and among the top 50 marketing bloggers in the world. Not too shabby!

If You Build It, Will They Come?

I know many of CCG members are interested in social media, so through my day job -- as Communications Manager at the Johns Hopkins University Montgomery County Campus -- I've teamed up with Network Solutions to arrange an event in January focusing on just that. Details are below:

Event Title: If You Build It, Will They Come? An exploration of social networks, including what's working now and how to build and nurture a community

When: January 14, 6-8 p.m.

Speakers: Two local bloggers who have achieved Blog Stardom...

• Frank Warren of PostSecret.com
• Rohit Bhargava of http://rohitbhargava.typepad.com/

Hear their story on how they succeeded... What Social Media tools they used for their success... What worked and what didn't... And learn how communities are created.

Where: Johns Hopkins University Montgomery County Campus, 9601 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, MD. Building 3, Room 121. Building on far right when you enter campus from Medical Center Drive. FREE PARKING.

Find out more about this event or register to attend.

Social Media & Science and Health Communications

I just read a great blog post from Aimee Stern about a recent meeting for public information officers held by AAAS’ EurekAlert! news service. Aimee shared some great highlights and lessons learned... and the information is helpful for PR and Comms folks in any industry, not just those spreading the word about science and health topics.

(By the way, for those who can't get enough of social media, CCG's February lunch will focus on this topic. So keep an eye out for notices about that lunch in early February. Our last SocMed lunch sold out within 24 hours.)

-- Robin

Do you BigThink.com?

So today's New York Times featured an article about a new social networking web site called BigThink.com (tagline: We Are What You Think).

Read the NYT piece. It's a cool idea: A social networking site for the discussion of "big ideas." It started with the site creator uploading "hundreds of hours of direct, unfiltered interviews with today's leading thinkers, movers and shakers." His hope is that you'll watch the videos and then respond, either with a video of your own, a slideshow, or just a simple text answer. And, eventually, he wants you to upload interviews with the leading "thinkers" that you know.

But will it succeed? I venture to say yes... and not just because of the buzz that I'm sure will be built by the NYT piece. I say "yes" because of the experts they've managed to get on-board -- everyone from novelists and CEOs of large companies to professors, politicians, and (yes, really) yoga masters.

But I say "yes" with a caveat... he's got to get the viewers. One suggestion: Reach out to colleges. Hope university professors will integrate projects dealing with this site into coursework. Get some buzz going in these environments that naturally deal with "big ideas."

I'd love to do a Q&A with the BigThink.com creator for this blog, but first I have to show him that I have the readership to do that. We've got 600+ members in this group. Those of you reading: encourage the other members and other PR and communications professionals to come here and post a comment saying they'd like to hear more from Peter Hopkins. If I get enough support on the site, then maybe I can convince him to answer some questions so I can give you the inside track on BigThink.com.

(And if you think BigThink.com is destined to fail, please let me know why. And comment. For the love of all things holy, comment!)

Linked In...

Since we launched this blog in response to our lunch about Web 2.0 and new media and the like, it only seems fitting that the next topic to inspire a post is, in fact, again about this topic.

I've been on LinkedIn for a few months now. I've been slowly and methodically collecting friends... or whatever it is you call your contacts on LinkedIn. I know a lot of people like to go out there and link up with everyone, but I've been much slower in doling out invitations. (I've also found it very interesting to watch who proactively tries to connect with me.)

That said, I have my first story of seeing some action come from my LinkedIn membership. I got an email this week from a colleague. The colleague recently heard about a very promising job opportunity at a local company. So what did he do? Well, he didn't just send in his resume.

Instead, he surfed through the networks belonging to his LinkedIn contacts, and saw that I was connected to someone at that company. He sent me an email asking if I would be willing to make an introduction to my link so that he could find out more about the job. He also graciously said he totally understood if I wasn't comfortable doing so.

Are you kidding me?! I was happy to do so, and not only because I think highly of him and his work ethic. This was the new social media at work... The first time I'd been able to actually get involved in a real LinkedIn transaction. I'm excited. And I hope the connection works for him.

Maybe there really is something to this whole LinkedIn phenomenon after all...

-- Robin