Social networking has evolved quite a bit since I became involved circa 2003, and my amusement in tracking the trends over the last several years grows and grows. My first experience with the movement was www.friendster.com. I had never heard of a website to keep track of friends, look at pictures and all the other inane things we as people love to follow online. In time Friendster became old news, but interest and pseudo-addiction to social networking blossomed in my consciousness. About six months later, a good friend suggested www.myspace.com. Once I created an account, there was no turning back. I stayed on myspace for quite a few years until upgrading to www.facebook.com, which I covered in an earlier entry. So why am I spending valuable words and time explaining websites to catch my eye over the years? Why bother explaining trends?
Well just like people, the internet tends to mature with age. Things a person found interesting six years ago are definitely not the same as what they would now. For instance, I look at myspace as quite juvenile in terms of communication and website satisfaction. I associate it with a part of my life more focused with dating and drama, than actual clean fun and keeping up with friends. And so my focus and goals are now more on professionalism and making an impact in my chosen field of work. Though I still continue to use facebook in a variety of capacities including business functions, there is a new website introduced to me fitting a better capacity based solely on professional networking. Though www.linkedin.com is not very new, it offers great options to those wanting to extend their career with another muscle in the long arm of social networking.
The premise is quite similar to facebook, but where one puts personal information, a user instead details business and work highlights. Instead of friends, it is wise to hunt for coworkers from the past and present to add “direct connections” to your “network.” By adding to your network, you then gain what is called “secondary connections,” or people in your direct connection’s networks. The network can help find jobs, but also has many other functions. Keep in mind this is not a simple job website! Yes, your resume does have information integral in completing your Linked-in profile, but there is a lot more to it. Also remember many businesses are searching this website to see if potential employees have a profile. With information actively available about professional history, it makes you more marketable!
Linked-In also provides great opportunities for professional branding. Many businesses have their own company profiles, and the site even allows direct question/answer sections; quite a good tool for building good reputation. The website also allows members to form groups for specific communication between specialists in a given trade. This can create a good place for “inbound marketing,” something any product-based business should take an active interest in. For the novices like myself, inbound marketing is permission-based marketing, or hooking a customer without making him feel pushed into making a purchase. Using the group, other professionals promote the brand for you; at least on paper, anyway.
Regardless, I am still working on my Linked-In profile and building my network. It’s slowly becoming a great tool to add to my public relations drawer. Take a look and judge for yourself!
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Friday, November 13, 2009
Tweeting Like a Bird: A PR Professional’s Best Tool (Part 4)
Oh Twitter! How I have such a love/hate relationship with you. You are quite young, Twitter. No one really knew you existed until the bigwigs like Oprah, Ashton and Demi held your hand, bringing you up to the equivalent of a great white shark on the proverbial social networking food chain. Your tweets are more numerous than even the morning birds who love to wake me up on Sunday mornings; even if you have to learn a shorter version of the English language to fit the 140-character limit. You sing your tweets to the tune of almost everything, from portraying corporate messages to our favorite celebrities’ inane daily routines. You’ve come a long way, and are only getting bigger. What’s next Twitter? How more could you affect social networking as a whole?
In a nutshell, that is my sarcastic view of one of world’s most popular websites www.twitter.com. Now all sarcasm aside, Twitter is probably the hottest of all when it comes to social networking. Started in 2006 by Jack Dorsey, the site’s usership grew exponentially, up 1500% in 2009 alone! Twitter is the easiest website to use in real time, with many users “tweeting” from their cell phones and laptops. In fact, several world events have had coverage on Twitter long before newscasters were on scene. Good examples are the most recent coverage from tweeters on the tsunami to hit Samoa, and even several like disasters of plane crashes.
Well how does it work? Twitter is probably the easiest to use of all social networking websites. The main function is writing a 140-character “tweet” (message) of what you are doing. This could be anything from doing the dishes, to the trials of running a business. Tweets are visible on your profile and accessible by others if they choose to “follow” you. You can follow others, and their tweets are available to you through a simple time-descending newsfeed. Though its sounds boring and pointless, it is quite the opposite. Twitter has a search function that allows access to almost anything people are tweeting about. You can then follow fellow tweeters who have similar interests as yourself across the globe, making for an interesting exchange of ideas.
So how does this relate to PR? In a business capacity, Twitter quickly takes the cake in showing brilliance for public and customer relations. A person can start an entity or business profile, and start tweeting about products or news. Then Tweets in direct relation to your business or product subject matter are found by using the search function. This allows instant access to customers, and even trouble-shooting if people are tweeting negative reactions. The profile then gains followers etc., creating a mini-community for your business. This dominates the most important aspect of social networking: conveying a positive entity or business message! Over time it builds a great reputation and trust. Major companies like Dell Computers and TechirgySM2 Software have completely turned around their customer service efforts by using this strategy. Twitter applications are endless for anything needing a direct message to the masses. Its good business practice!
Now keep in mind, there is more to twitter than just the aforementioned tweeting. The best way to learn is by opening an account and starting to explore. I see Twitter as more a business application than for personal use, though many probably disagree. Regardless, it’s quite a sharp tool to put in your drawer marked “public relations.”
Next update covers Linked-In; something I am still quite new to. Stay tuned!
In a nutshell, that is my sarcastic view of one of world’s most popular websites www.twitter.com. Now all sarcasm aside, Twitter is probably the hottest of all when it comes to social networking. Started in 2006 by Jack Dorsey, the site’s usership grew exponentially, up 1500% in 2009 alone! Twitter is the easiest website to use in real time, with many users “tweeting” from their cell phones and laptops. In fact, several world events have had coverage on Twitter long before newscasters were on scene. Good examples are the most recent coverage from tweeters on the tsunami to hit Samoa, and even several like disasters of plane crashes.
Well how does it work? Twitter is probably the easiest to use of all social networking websites. The main function is writing a 140-character “tweet” (message) of what you are doing. This could be anything from doing the dishes, to the trials of running a business. Tweets are visible on your profile and accessible by others if they choose to “follow” you. You can follow others, and their tweets are available to you through a simple time-descending newsfeed. Though its sounds boring and pointless, it is quite the opposite. Twitter has a search function that allows access to almost anything people are tweeting about. You can then follow fellow tweeters who have similar interests as yourself across the globe, making for an interesting exchange of ideas.
So how does this relate to PR? In a business capacity, Twitter quickly takes the cake in showing brilliance for public and customer relations. A person can start an entity or business profile, and start tweeting about products or news. Then Tweets in direct relation to your business or product subject matter are found by using the search function. This allows instant access to customers, and even trouble-shooting if people are tweeting negative reactions. The profile then gains followers etc., creating a mini-community for your business. This dominates the most important aspect of social networking: conveying a positive entity or business message! Over time it builds a great reputation and trust. Major companies like Dell Computers and TechirgySM2 Software have completely turned around their customer service efforts by using this strategy. Twitter applications are endless for anything needing a direct message to the masses. Its good business practice!
Now keep in mind, there is more to twitter than just the aforementioned tweeting. The best way to learn is by opening an account and starting to explore. I see Twitter as more a business application than for personal use, though many probably disagree. Regardless, it’s quite a sharp tool to put in your drawer marked “public relations.”
Next update covers Linked-In; something I am still quite new to. Stay tuned!
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Twitter and a Bio: A PR Professional’s Best Tool (Part 3)
As we enter this installment of a blog that evolves as I write and gather information, I want to take a little time to talk about myself. Now I promise it won’t be much. I am not one of those super-ego types who just can’t get enough of themselves. I just want to throw a little info out there so people know where I am from, and then hit my second topic of the sensationalized website www.twitter.com.
My name is Ed Mekeel. I am 30 years old, and am desperately trying to break into the realm of public relations. There, I said it. It sounds like I am going to AA for the first time, if you were to hear me speak it out loud, that is. My experience starts with joining the U.S. Navy in 1998, and working in public affairs. I did this for almost ten years. Though I was in for too long, I am quite proud of my service, as I am sure others probably tire of hearing my incessant ramblings over Navy “sea stories.” I will leave those off this blog due to their “colorful” nature. Regardless, I ended my career with the military in January, 2008, on not the best of terms. My head wasn’t in the game, and the military does take its toll. I wasn’t ready to sacrifice anymore: simple as that. And so I did what any prior servicemember who enlisted at the age of 18 must do, returned to school. I started with community college, and then worked my way up to a real school, Tulane University. I am proud and pumped to say I graduate with a Bachelor’s in December.
Bored yet? Well there is a point to this. Since I ended my active duty service to the military, I have fruitlessly tried to find a job in public relations. No one seems to want to hire me! I know the biggest issue was not having a college degree, but I also think military public affairs experience doesn’t directly equate to civilian PR experience. I am not bitter, but I truly didn’t understand for the longest time. Over the last few months, I was lucky enough to have a mentor who is an extremely talented PR professional. She has opened my eyes to a number of websites and practices that I knew nothing of during my time in the Navy. The military hasn’t embraced practices like social networking in their training process. Oh sure, there is a presence, but they don’t teach it in the curriculum. It’s something you MAYBE learn later. Thankfully that same mentor is a professor, and made it a point to teach cutting-edge methods of communications to her students. Learning about social networking web 2.0 websites, the first she taught was Twitter.
If you have no experience with www.twitter.com, you are way behind the power curve. I don’t mean that in a bad way, but seriously, get out of the Stone Age. I have heard the growing concerns of my senior peers who think too much information over the internet is not good, but we are in an information age. The kids coming into the fold ten years younger than myself spend more time on the internet than any other, estimated at 31 hours a week. The most harmonious website for direct information with quickness is Twitter. Even though that annoying 140-character limit is a drag, it’s still the best way to find information about people, products, businesses and entities.
How, you ask? I will cover it in my next update. I am sure the suspense will kill you. : )
My name is Ed Mekeel. I am 30 years old, and am desperately trying to break into the realm of public relations. There, I said it. It sounds like I am going to AA for the first time, if you were to hear me speak it out loud, that is. My experience starts with joining the U.S. Navy in 1998, and working in public affairs. I did this for almost ten years. Though I was in for too long, I am quite proud of my service, as I am sure others probably tire of hearing my incessant ramblings over Navy “sea stories.” I will leave those off this blog due to their “colorful” nature. Regardless, I ended my career with the military in January, 2008, on not the best of terms. My head wasn’t in the game, and the military does take its toll. I wasn’t ready to sacrifice anymore: simple as that. And so I did what any prior servicemember who enlisted at the age of 18 must do, returned to school. I started with community college, and then worked my way up to a real school, Tulane University. I am proud and pumped to say I graduate with a Bachelor’s in December.
Bored yet? Well there is a point to this. Since I ended my active duty service to the military, I have fruitlessly tried to find a job in public relations. No one seems to want to hire me! I know the biggest issue was not having a college degree, but I also think military public affairs experience doesn’t directly equate to civilian PR experience. I am not bitter, but I truly didn’t understand for the longest time. Over the last few months, I was lucky enough to have a mentor who is an extremely talented PR professional. She has opened my eyes to a number of websites and practices that I knew nothing of during my time in the Navy. The military hasn’t embraced practices like social networking in their training process. Oh sure, there is a presence, but they don’t teach it in the curriculum. It’s something you MAYBE learn later. Thankfully that same mentor is a professor, and made it a point to teach cutting-edge methods of communications to her students. Learning about social networking web 2.0 websites, the first she taught was Twitter.
If you have no experience with www.twitter.com, you are way behind the power curve. I don’t mean that in a bad way, but seriously, get out of the Stone Age. I have heard the growing concerns of my senior peers who think too much information over the internet is not good, but we are in an information age. The kids coming into the fold ten years younger than myself spend more time on the internet than any other, estimated at 31 hours a week. The most harmonious website for direct information with quickness is Twitter. Even though that annoying 140-character limit is a drag, it’s still the best way to find information about people, products, businesses and entities.
How, you ask? I will cover it in my next update. I am sure the suspense will kill you. : )
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