FaceBook User Name - Vanilty URL's June 28, 2009

According to FaceBook:

Eligibility is limited to anyone who joined FaceBook before usernames were publicly announced at 3 p.m. (EDT) on June 9, 2009. These users will have the chance to claim usernames at 12:01 a.m. (EDT) on Saturday, June 13, 2009.

This limitation is temporary. All verified users who joined Facebook after the cut-off will be eligible to claim usernames on Sunday, June 28, 2009 at 11:59pm. Verification may require mobile phone authentication.

The original time to claim a FaceBook username for those who did not have 1000 followers was 12:01am ET on Sunday, June 28, 2009 so there has been some confusion as noted on Twitter comments.

You should be able to go to http://www.facebook.com/username/. You'll see a screen like this:

Capturing Market Share & Driving Revenue Online: Effective Internet Marketing Strategies for Recessionary Times

As a member of the HSMAI Travel Internet Marketing Special Interest Group, I'm pleased to present the first of a ten-part series of white papers, as part of the mission of the group - to increase members' awareness and understanding of emerging issues, opportunities and trends.

Click here to view the first paper in the series:Capturing Market Share & Driving Revenue Online: Effective Internet Marketing Strategies for Recessionary Times

Facebook to Launch Video Chat?

May 15th, 2009 | by Pete Cashmore

Telltale signs in Facebook’s code suggest it might be testing a video calling feature. Notification messages visible in Facebook’s code include “Waiting for your friend…”, “Video call denied”, “Incoming call” and “Loading video call…”.

The clues, first spotted by AllFacebook, point towards a likely move for the website. We’re open, of course, to the possibility that other developers are able to host their code on the Facebook CDN, but assuming that AllFacebook’s assumption is correct and this is an upcoming product, there’s a strong case to be made for Facebook moving in this direction.

Facebook() wants to be the single place for all your online communication - from messaging to photosharing to status updates and instant messaging. Adding video chat, then, would seem like a logical next step. The revelation follows news this week that Facebook was adding Friend lists to chat.

It’s difficult to assess the impact of such a move. When Gtalk added support for video chat within Gmail(), it seemed like a blow to video chat leader Skype(). Except that the functionality wasn’t entirely web-based - it still required a download - and your email client isn’t a natural place for video chatting, which is more of a social experience than a means of productivity.

Facebook, however, may be able to play on its advantage: the social site is a natural venue for video chat, and if they can make it function without a download, there’s likely a huge market for video chat in schools and colleges that block downloaded software like Skype.

What do you think? Would you use Facebook video chat?

Getting the Most Out of Twitter and LeBron James

Let's say you are watching the Eastern Conference Play Offs....

You can use Tweet Deck and the filter tool to get just the info you want to see about LeBron James.

1. Go to www.tweetdeck.com to download.

2. If you love LeBron, set up a LeBron Filter. Go to the bottom of a column and click on the icon that looks like a little arrow pointing down. Whatever column is on the far left (usually your “All Friends” feed) will have this icon 1st on the left, all other columns will have it 2nd on the left. Click the “Filter This Column” icon and you will be presented with a few choices. First, make sure that your filter type is set to “Text”. Then type in the word that you want to see... #LeBron.

3. If you are tired of seeing LeBron (very unlikely), you can use the reverse play. Maybe you don’t want to see tweets that are talking about LeBron James. Leave LeBron's name in the filter but change the plus sign to a minus sign.

Pretty nifty.

Go Cavs!

26 Charities and Non-Profits on Twitter

What is it about social media people that make them just so darn generous? Every day I read my Twitter stream and come across one or two people who are creating awareness or trying to raise money to help one cause or another.

Step back and you can certainly see how it makes sense. Social Media people are, well, social. We care about our fellow man (and woman and children and animals and environment). We exist in a system that is supported by the camaraderie and sharing of others.

It’s no small wonder then that non-profits abound on Twitter(). With the free and easy-to-setup interface, a potential to reach a vast audience, the ability to engage with people in conversation directly, and the possibility to garner an audience more open to causes than advertisements, it seems a no-brainer for any organization seeking philanthropy and recognition for their mission. Like a cadre of superheroes, these organizations are on the spot, helping people with disaster recovery, health and human services, or just to get a dog a nice home.

As Director of Communications at @ALSofGNY, I have embraced the benefits of Twitter. I follow a number of other non-profits to keep up with best practices on using the medium and to share ideas. Below are 26 charities and non-profits that are on Twitter. Tell us about your own charity in the comments.


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1. The 1010 Project

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Name: @the1010project
Website: the1010project.org
Mission: “The 1010 Project is a nonprofit organization that provides income-generating grants to indigenous development partners in Kenya and raises awareness in the United States on behalf of the global poor.”

Denver is a long way from Kenya. The 1010 Project seeks to make that span seem a little bit shorter. On their Twitter account you’ll find info on the ins and outs of working for change in Kenya. They’re really hooked in to social media and some of their staff Twitters on their own. They use Twitter to engage followers on issues of global poverty in general by publicizing advocacy events as well as interesting facts about poverty.


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2. American Cancer Society

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Name: @AmericanCancer
Website: cancer.org
Mission: “The American Cancer Society (ACS) is a nationwide, community-based voluntary health organization.”

Taking the fight against cancer to the social web, the American Cancer Society tweets about cancer research, specific types of cancer news, and information. They also connect to @RelayForLife, a Twitter account that provides updates on one of the American Cancer Society’s largest fundraising and awareness events.


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3. American Red Cross

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Name: @RedCross
Website: redcross.org
Mission: As part of a worldwide movement that offers neutral humanitarian care to the victims of war, the American Red Cross distinguishes itself by also aiding victims of devastating natural disasters. Over the years, the organization has expanded its services, always with the aim of preventing and relieving suffering.

Do you know of an unfolding catastrophe or just want to find out about some terrible event happening around the globe that is affecting the lives of millions of people? As the official account for the American Red Cross, @RedCross uses Twitter to warn and interact with people about situations that may require their help. Wherever disaster strikes, @RedCross is there to lend a hand, and they’re Twittering about it to let you know what you can do as well.

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4. Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology

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Name: @anitaborg_org
Website: anitaborg.org
Mission: “The Anita Borg Institute seeks to: Increase the impact of women on all aspects of technology, and increase the positive impact of technology on the world’s women.”

@anitaborg_org aggregates content from around the web relating to women and technology into their Twitter account to further its mission. They also promote the people and organizations that help to promote women in tech.


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5. Appropriate Infrastructure Development Group

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Name: @aidg
Website: aidg.org
Mission: “Boston-based nonprofit working in Guatemala & Haiti to get communities affordable renewable energy, sanitation, and clean water. Friend us. We’re nice.”

Another city that hosts a non-profit dedicated to helping specific poverty-stricken regions of the world. They educate on the issues that affect Guatemala & Haiti, some of them emanating from our own backyard.


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6. Cradles to Crayons Philadelphia

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Name: @C2CPhilly
Website: cradlestocrayons.org
Mission: “To provide, free of charge, low-income and homeless children from birth to pre-teen the basic essentials they need to be safe, warm, ready to learn, and valued. We also set a foundation for lasting change through the meaningful, tangible volunteer opportunities we provide to thousands of youth and adults each year.”

This non-profit uses Twitter to let followers know what they’re up to and where users can donate materials. If you have extra supplies and want to know how and where to donate, then follow @C2CPhilly. People! Kids need crayons. It’s that simple. They also need paper and scissors and clothes and books and shoes and…


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7. Create The Good

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Name: @createthegood
Website: aarp.org
Mission: “Create The Good is the network to connect AARP members, friends and families with ways to make a difference. Founded in 1958, AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization that helps people 50 and over improve the quality of their lives.”

With their Create The Good Twitter account, AARP uses its network to point out members of the organization who are making a difference in the world. They also help promote other organizations and the media channels making a positive impact on the lives of others. You can also learn about regional opportunities to get involved with good projects.

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8. Exploratorium Museum

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Name: @Exploratorium
Website: exploratorium.edu
Mission: The Exploratorium stands in the vanguard of the movement of the “museum as educational center.” It provides access to, and information about, science, nature, art, and technology. The Exploratorium is a leader in the movement to promote museums as informal education centers.

How can you not be intrigued by the name of this Twitter feed? @Exploratorium features updates from the museum on exhibits and other cool fun stuff, like giant bubbles! Follow along and you’re bound to learn all sorts of interesting, educational tidbits from them. Alex Smith, their social media liaison, encourages the conversation and invites followers to ask questions and send comments. To follow along with the conversation they encourage people to tag their tweets with #explo.

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9. Greenpeace

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Name: @Greenpeace_Intl
Website: greenpeace.org
Mission: “An independent global campaigning organisation acting to change attitudes and behavior, to protect the environment and promote peace.”

Greenpeace has a storied and controversial past. On Twitter they continue their in-your-face operation, challenging the status quo and then challenging the agents of change to the status quo just to make sure they’re keeping it real. If you think live tweeting a conference is cool, follow them to get live updates, photos and video as they inform about the actions of activists all around the world. Knowing their history, they’re probably somewhere on the cyber seas protecting the Twitter Fail Whale as we speak.

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10. Hemp Industries

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Name: @HempIndustries
Website: thehia.org
Mission: “Non-profit trade group representing hemp companies, researchers and supporters.”

According to a recent tweet by @HempIndustries, the paintings of Vincent Van Gogh and Rembrandt were regularly painted on hemp canvases. Follow them on Twitter and you’ll find out all kinds of interesting facts. Like the fact that there even is a hemp industry. Plus, they use the most dingbats and symbols of any Twitter account I know.
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11. The Humane Society of the United States

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Name: @humanesociety
Website: hsus.org
Mission: “The Humane Society of the United States is the nation’s largest animal protection organization — backed by 11 million Americans, or one of every 28. For more than a half-century, The HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education, and hands-on programs. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty.”

If there’s a chimp in a clinch, they’ll be there. If there’s a turtle in turmoil, count them in. And if someone’s hassling a hippo, they will stop it. The Humane Society is spreading the word and motivating their constituents to action through Twitter. They engage by asking for feedback and reactions on issues in the media that affect animals.

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12. Kramden

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Name: @Kramden
Website: kramden.org
Mission: “Dedicated to bridging the digital divide by awarding computers to hard-working, underprivileged children.”

This newbie non-profit to Twitter has been pretty active so far and their mission should inspire all of us here. They are using Twitter to let the world know how important it is to connect underprivileged children to the Internet and about both their successes and their needs.

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13. The LAMP

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Name: @thelampnyc
Website: thelampnyc.org
Mission: The LAMP (Learning About Multimedia Project) provides basic media literacy skills to the inter-related groups of youths, their parents and educators throughout New York City. Free media literacy workshops and events demystify the constant flow of media these three groups encounter, bridge the gap between generations, and provide workforce development skills for future generations.

These guys help out with something close to all our hearts: New Media. They tweet about issues where media and learning come together all in the name of nurturing media literacy. The LAMP also uses Twitter to engage followers in conversation about the best ways to use Twitter and what the implications are of Twitter’s popularity.


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14. LCA Trust

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Name: @preserveland
Website: lcatrust.org
Mission: “We provide emergency funding and legal support to preserve open spaces and natural resources, and promote smart-growth ideals that foster land conservation.”

Steve from LCA Trust uses Twitter to ask the community to share ideas about the areas of the world they work to preserve. He updates on the status of conservation efforts the organization is involved in.


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15. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

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Name: @llsusa
Website: lls.org
Mission: “The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is the world’s largest voluntary health organization dedicated to funding blood cancer research, education and patient services. LLS’s mission: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families.”

@llsusa is a great resource for patients, their families, and supporters. They regularly provide information about blood cancer, research and events that readers can get involved in.

This is Team Mashable’s charity of choice in the Social Media Smackdown for Charity.


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16. LIVESTRONG

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Name:@livestrong
Website: livestrong.org
Mission: “At the Lance Armstrong Foundation, we inspire and empower people affected by cancer. We believe that unity is strength, knowledge is power and attitude is everything.”

This group single-handedly started a nonprofit fashion trend with colorful rubber bracelets. Just like the awareness they built with those bracelets, they strive to inform the public about cancer and provide people with the tools they need to “live life on their own terms.” They’ve also used Twitter to encourage and support patients and teach people how to Live Strong in the face of this terrible disease.


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17. The Mid-Atlantic Great Dane Rescue League

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Name: @magdrl
Website: magdrl.org
Mission: “Mid-Atlantic Great Dane Rescue League. All-volunteer org. We rescue, rehabilitate and find homes for lost, abandoned or neglected Great Danes.”

Talk about a specific mission. They use Twitter to post updates about the dogs they help, including twitpics. They also send good wishes to the animals that have been rescued because of their efforts. If you want to find some pet friendly apps for your iPhone or find out the latest dog-related event in their region this is where you’ll find it.


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18. National Peace Corps Association

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Name: @pcorpsconnect
Website: peacecorpsconnect.org
Mission: “We are citizens who served in communities in more than 134 developing countries since the Peace Corps was created in 1961. That global experience defined our lives and changed our views of the world and of our role in that world. We are teachers, community activists, business leaders, government officials, members of Congress, ambassadors, social entrepreneurs, and other members of the Peace Corps family.”

The NPCA is the national association to connect, inform, and engage people impacted or inspired by the Peace Corps. Following @pcorpsconnect is the next best thing to being there. They tweet about the work and living environment of volunteers throughout the world. You can get the latest news about the work the Peace Corps is involved in right now and the issues that they seek to advance.


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19. The National Wildlife Federation

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Name: @NWF
Website: nwf.org
Mission: “The National Wildlife Federation works to inspire Americans to protect wildlife for our children’s future.”

Not only has The National Wildlife Federation embraced Twitter by tweeting under some of their own brands like @greenhour and @wildlife_watch, they’ve mobilized the troops to tweet under their own identities to help promote the mission. They also have a Twitter search stream on their website for people to see what other wildlife watchers are twittering about.

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20. Nature Conservancy

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Name: @nature_org
Website: nature.org
Mission: The leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people.

@nature_org provides a good summary of their blog posts, enticing you with a controversial or interesting question along with a link instead of cutting them off in the telltale sign of an RSS dump to their Twitter account. They also retweet other people’s tweets when those others reference the Nature Conservancy’s projects, which shows that they’ve got the antennae up.


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21. PETA

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Name: @officialpeta
Website: peta.org
Mission: People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is the largest animal rights organization in the world. PETA focuses its attention on the four areas in which the largest numbers of animals suffer the most intensely for the longest periods of time: on factory farms, in laboratories, in the clothing trade, and in the entertainment industry.

PETA tweets the word about animal rights, making themselves heard, and evangelizing the cause. Learn who they will be protesting against or what kind of action needs to be taken. Also, get recipes for vegetarian dishes. They will go to any length to let others know about the animal rights cause. Even questioning the manhood of Twitter users to prove it.


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22. Save the Children

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Name: @savethechildren
Website: savethechildren.org
Mission: “Save the Children is the leading independent organization creating lasting change for children in need in the United States and around the world.”

@savethechildren provides readers with information on what they’re up to, issues affecting children around the world, and how users can make a difference.


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23. Share Our Strength

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Name: @sharestrength
Website: strength.org
Mission: “Share Our Strength is a national organization that works hard to make sure no kid in America grows up Hungry. We weave together a net of community groups, activists and food programs to catch children at risk of hunger and surround them with nutritious food where they live, learn and play.”

Jeff Wiedner tweets from this account on behalf of Share Our Strength, sharing great information and resources about the cause, but also partaking in conversations. @sharestrength even recently took part in #followfriday, suggesting other “hunger fighters.”

This is Team Elevenmoms’ charity of choice in the Social Media Smackdown for Charity.


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24. Stand Up to Cancer

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Name: @su2c
Website: standup2cancer.org
Mission: “Stand Up To Cancer is a new initiative created to accelerate groundbreaking cancer research that will get new therapies to patients quickly and save lives. SU2C’s goal is to bring together the best and the brightest in the cancer community, encouraging collaboration instead of competition.”

@su2c Provides helpful links to articles relating to cancer, links to celebrity fundraisers to benefit the charity and its cause, and much more.

This is Team Corbin’s charity of choice in the Social Media Smackdown for Charity.


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25. UNICEF UK

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Name: @unicef_uk
Website: unicef.org.uk
Mission: “UNICEF UK is one of 36 UNICEF National Committees based in industrialised countries. UNICEF National Committees raise funds for UNICEF’s worldwide emergency and development work. In 2007 UNICEF UK raised £41.3 million for UNICEF’s work with children worldwide. UNICEF UK also advocates for lasting change for children. For example UNICEF UK’s Public Affairs Team works to change government policies and practices that are detrimental to children’s rights in the UK and internationally.”

@unicef_uk tweets about their programs and provides calls to action, instructing readers about how they can help UNICEF create lasting change for children around the world.


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26. WWF

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Name: @WWF_Climate
Website: panda.org
Mission: To stop the degradation of the planet’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by: Conserving the world’s biological diversity; ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable; promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.

They have a cute logo. And they protect the homes of cuddly little creatures. Keep track of everything the World Wildlife Federation does. One tweet at a time, they talk about the issue that matters to us all: Protecting the Earth. From their account you’ll read about how to help save the earth, global warming and scientific reports.


Lon S. Cohen is a writer and Director of Communications at @ALSofGNY. He is @obilon on Twitter.

25 Twitter Apps to Manage Multiple Accounts

It may seem like an impossible task to keep up with all the Twitter apps that have come to market as of late. Even though you have plenty of directories to help with the process, we noticed that it’s still difficult to ascertain which apps support multiple accounts.

As more and more people are using Twitter() for personal and professional reasons, the demand for a Twitter client to match those multifaceted needs is rising. Here are several options to help you tweet now or later from different accounts on your desktop, via the Web, and while on the run. We’ve also included a few browser add-ons and business-specific clients to help you find the right application to suit your Twittering needs.

More >

Digital Charity Toolbox: 50+ Ways to Get Your “Give” On

As the economy goes, so goes giving to causes that need donor dollars to keep doors open. While we bemoan sacrifices of luxury goods, our global social sector is faced with shortening the line or thinning the soup – neither of which are acceptable options.

Because charities are rising to the challenge to engage us online, it’s a breeze for us – the cash-strapped consumers – to meet them halfway.

Why not buy gifts that give back when shopping online, or take a minute to sign and forward a Facebook petition? Those of us who have a penchant for technology and digital matters can go one further by integrating the “social” good into our “social” media discussions.

If you have a few dollars – or minutes – to spare in the next couple days, kick it to one of the digitally-adept causes listed below. Micro-giving trends prove that a little goes a long way, so you can rest assured that whatever you invest – time, talent or treasure – will yield a return. And of course, you get what you give: By changing the Web, you actually are helping to change the world.

More >

Social Media and SEO: 5 Essential Steps to Success

by Lee Odden
CEO of TopRank Online Marketing and editor at Online Marketing Blog.

Now more than ever, company marketers are charged with improving performance with fewer resources and shifting marketing budgets from traditional to digital tactics like SEO and social media. There are significant benefits from combining search engine optimization and social media marketing tactics ranging from increased social network discovery via search to the ability to attract links for improved SEO.

Making the most out of combining SEO insights with social media marketing tactics can be accomplished with a roadmap that identifies the audience you’re after, the goals you’re trying to reach (and can measure) as well as a strategy that sets the stage for the tactics you’ll use to execute your game plan. Read on to get a better understanding of how SEO and social media complement each other and a step by step guide for creating a social media roadmap.

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The benefits of SEO and social media

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From a marketing standpoint, you can look at the benefits of SEO and social media two different ways.

First, implementing a social media marketing program without optimizing content is leaving money on the table. Useful social content (blog, video, images, audio) that cannot be discovered via search is a lost opportunity to reach an audience that is looking.

For example, The Student LoanDown, the popular blog about student loans and college financing from Wells Fargo, identifies 29 keywords in its Keyword Meta Tag and doesn’t rank in Google’s first page for 26 of them. Those that do rank are variations of the blog’s name.


While there is a generous amount of cross linking within posts, a basic blog template optimization effort leveraging keywords and other minor adjustments could improve search traffic for this site substantially – without any compromise in content quality or user experience.

Social interactions and media sharing amongst social network participants create the kind of content that can improve a brand’s visibility within search results through profiles, videos, blog posts, or other media. A good example is Stormhoek wines’ first page Google rankings including blogs, Facebook and Twitter.


On the flip side, implementing SEO programs without leveraging the content distribution and linking benefits of social web participation makes link building for SEO an uphill battle. The nature of the social web encourages participation: sharing, voting, commenting and linking. Popular social content gets exposure, traffic and can result in a substantial number of relevant inbound links.


The famous Blendtec iPhone video has attracted over 6,000 links resulting in a top ten ranking on Google for the word, “blender.”


Content + Links = Search Engine Success.

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Social media roadmap

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However you look at it, SEO and social media work well together as long as there is a framework for doing so. One way to build SEO and social media programs efficiently is to follow a social media roadmap:



1. Find the audience; understand their behaviors, preferences, methods of publishing, and sharing. Most companies that are involved with the social web in the channels where their customers spend time have a good sense of where to start. Many companies are ahead of the game by tracking their audience via social media monitoring software that identifies keywords, conversations and influencers such as those pictured in the Radian6 screen shot below.


2. Define your objectives. Objectives are often driven by marketing or sales, and SEO has long been directly accountable to substantial improvements in web sales. Social media is not direct marketing though, so different objectives and measurements apply. The role of SEO in a social media effort is to directly influence discovery of social communities or content via search. Do a search for Zappos on Google, for example, and you’ll easily find more than shoes: Twitter, Blog and a YouTube channel are all on the first page of search results.


Indirectly, social content can boost links to website content, improving search traffic and online sales.

3. Establish a game plan. The game plan for reaching objectives in a combined SEO and social media effort will often focus on content and interaction, since it is content that people discover and share. Whether a keyword-focused strategy for reaching goals means publishing new content or creating an opportunity for consumer-generated content, it must involve proactive promotion and easy sharing amongst members of the community.

4. Create a tactical mix. The tactical mix for a social media marketing effort is based on doing the homework of finding where the desired audience spends its time interacting with and sharing content. Whatever the tactical mix is, it’s an investment in time and relationships – not a short term “link dump” to promote optimized link bait. Much of the content creation and promotion for a social media marketing effort happens within the tactical mix and, of course, that means optimizing content for keywords.



Whether content is created by marketers as part of a social destination like a niche community or a promotion vehicle such as an interactive ad, keyword glossaries become useful for writing headlines, deciding on anchor text for links and outreach activities like blogger relations.

5. Measure your goals. Goals measurement should roll up to the specific objectives, both direct and indirect. Leveraging both social media monitoring services as well as web analytics can provide marketers with the insight to improve results. Radian6 and Webtrends have recently announced a partnership that will bring web analytics and social media analytics together all in one interface. In the meantime, marketers can use specific measurement tools to monitor the effect of their social web participation as well as the search engine performance of SEO efforts.

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Extend the value of your investment

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By involving SEO insight in a social media marketing effort and vice versa, marketers, public relations professionals and advertisers can extend the value of their investment. Well optimized social media content marketing efforts can attract new network participants via search. News content that experiences distribution via social news and bookmarking channels can facilitate links to company website content directly and indirectly. Advertisers that fund social media campaigns can continue to realize the traffic benefit from keyword-optimized interactive content long after the campaign has ended.

Tweet Sistas

Are you in woman in business? A gal trying to learn the ropes on twitter? Want to connect with other like minded women? Add #tweetsistas to your tweets... and remember to retweet all of your "sistas" tweets. Follow others who include #tweetsistas in their tweets.

The simplest way to retweet is to use the Tweet Deck and simply click the retweet button. If you haven't downloaded this great tool yet, you can do it now at www.tweetdeck.com/.

On the Tweet deck you can set up a search for #tweetsistas and easily follow other gals on the twitter journey.

Follow me @webadvocate

The Rise of the C-Tweet

Points to Consider for Twitter-Friendly CEOs and CMOs
by Jonathan Paisner

Social media has obviously given voice to employees in ways that never existed before. Early corporate bloggers were often brand enthusiasts themselves and tended to "get" the brand a gut level; soon enough, voice and tone guidelines became more actively put in play to govern blog writing. But Twitter is different. The nature of the medium encourages users to transmit an interchangeable mix of musings about life, work, daily observations and whatever else. Employees on Twitter are either designated brand ambassadors or simply have personal accounts -- and these lines of distinction help offer guidance. But that line grays with the advent of the "C-Tweet." C-level execs are part-lead ambassador, part-celebrity. Twitter accounts can build a cult of personality and extend a dynamic that has long existed for top CEOs into a broader set of C-level executives.

Zappos CEO Tony Hseih has come to be considered the gold standard for CEO tweeting, thanks to a comfortable style that leverages both the brand he helped create and his own personal voice.
Photo Credit: Bryan Haraway

Among C-level execs, Twitter holds an allure as a seemingly simple vehicle to communicate thought leadership while staying connected to the market. Yet a daily supply of profundities in 140-character increments is a lot harder to pull off than it sounds. One natural obstacle blogs offered was the demand to actually have to write. Twitter is much less intimidating -- and the immediacy and ostensible intimacy of the platform may suggest that it is perfectly alright for executives to say things ranging from "Wow that was a delicious hamburger! Jalapenos, yum" to "Holding firm in my negotiations with Yahoo right now." And herein lies the greatest challenge of the C-Tweet: Where does the voice of the brand end and the voice of the individual begin?

Notable tweeting CMOs include Jeffrey Hayzlett of Kodak (@jeffreyhayzlett) and Barry Judge of Best Buy (@BestBuyCMO) -- each of whom ties his account closely to his brand. And each interprets the boundaries between the personal voice and the voice of the brand a bit differently. Of course, each brand has different social-media agendas that these executives are trying to push forward -- with variables ranging from the brands themselves and the strategic objectives to the audiences they serve (and aim to serve) and the styles of these individuals. Is there a blueprint for doing this right?

Tony Hsieh (@zappos), Zappos CEO, has come to be considered the gold standard for CEO tweeting, thanks to a comfortable style that leverages both the brand he helped create and his own personal voice. And he has gained a reputation for responsiveness and accessibility via Twitter that has come to epitomize the entire Zappos aesthetic. Padmasree Warrior (@padmasree), Cisco CTO, has also built a successful account on Twitter, finding that balance between business and personal that offers some good, relevant insight into the Cisco brand while putting a very human voice on a heretofore more removed role. While Hsieh's efforts are overtly endorsed by the Zappos brand, Warrior's does not carry the official endorsement of the Cisco brand.

As we see more such accounts in the rise of the C-Tweet, three things to think about:

1.The objective
An executive's objectives for a Twitter account are likely a mix of the brand's interest and self-interest. A simple rule of thumb here: If it is conspicuously endorsed by the brand (via the account name or use of the logo, for example), then the objectives should directly align with the vision and mission of the brand. If the brand is merely a description of the executive's occupation, there is more room for flexibility. And, with an endorsed account in particular, have a discussion with internal counsel to set up some basic legal guardrails before you jump in.

2. The commitment
Twitter is a hungry beast. If you're truly in it, you've got to tweet. Conventional wisdom seems to have it at somewhere between five to 10 tweets per day as the minimum for an active account with a healthy following. Generating 30 to 50 compelling, pithy statements (or links or retweets) each week may sound simple, but it can easily turn into a chore. Carve out time in the day to address this need -- to feed the beast without turning this into a distraction.

3. The exit strategy
Admittedly, this is a tough one -- considering the lifespan of Twitter itself and the questions that may exist around its own future. At the end of the day, an executive's account will be more of a reflection on him or her than it is on the brand. Executive impermanence is a fact of life -- and while creating deeper connections between a brand and its key executives can have tremendous value for partners, customers, analysts, employees and investors, an executive's inevitable departure along with several hundred thousand Twitter followers is likely to sting a bit. A strong Twitter following is becoming a brand asset -- and succession planning for the future of this asset is an important consideration. It may be worthwhile to try to mirror an executive's Twitter following within a more overtly corporate account. Or perhaps encourage junior executives to build their own followings, assuming this does not conflict with the points above.

Twitter is yet another example of where brands have to accept a loss of control. In this case, it is not about putting the brand in the hands of the market but in the hands of the people for whom the brand is their livelihood. A certain amount of letting go is a necessity. We will undoubtedly see a few missteps in C-tweets, and we'll learn and move on. Ultimately, the medium may change but basics of branding still apply -- both for the brands themselves and for their executive stewards: Be true, be relevant, be transparent, respect your brand and your customers, don't make a promise you can't keep.

~ ~ ~
Jonathan Paisner is brand director at CoreBrand. He works with Fortune 500 clients in areas of brand architecture, strategic alliances and brand messaging. CoreBrand clients have included Cisco Systems, AT&T, Internet2, ADP, TV Guide, American Century Investments and BearingPoint.

Was it Something I Said?

Wondering if a Tweet made folks STOP following you?

Try Qwitter and catch those Twitter Quitters.


Qwitter e-mails you when someone stops following you on Twitter with a message like this:

Joe Blow (jblow) stopped following you on Twitter after you posted this tweet:

Texas is the greatest state to live in.

It's not associated with Twitter, but seems to be a neat tool.

How to Use a Hashtag (and what in the world is one?)

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by Katherine Huske

When Did Hashtags Gain Popularity?
Hashtags were popularized during the San Diego forest fires in 2007 when Nate Ritter used the hashtag "#sandiegofire" to identify his updates related to the disaster.

What is a Hashtag?
Hashtags were developed as an easy means to create "groupings" on Twitter.

How To Use Hashtags
Using hashtags is a way to add additional context and metadata to your tweets. You create a hashtag by prefixing a word with a hash symbol: #hashtag. Easy as that!

How can I Track Hashtags?
You can go to hashtags.org and see real-time tracking of Twitter hashtags. Or you can load a Tweet Deck and use the filter to pull the hashtags you are interested in. You can also Opt-in and follow @hashtags to have your hashtags tracked and see real time hashtag activity. It’s amazing site.



Twemes offers real-time tracking without the necessity of following a specific Twitter account.

How To Be A Smarty Pants Using Hashtags

1. Follow @hashtags on Twitter. They will follow you back automatically, and your hashtags will be tracked.

2. Start using hashtags in your tweets, preceding key words. Research first, to find out if the subject you're tweeting already has an established hashtag.

3. You can track other tweets on the subjects you're interested in (ie: those containing the appropriate hashtags) by browsing/searching at Hashtags.org or TwitterGroups. You can set it up with RSS feeds as well.


Follow me on Twitter @WebAdvocate... and add a hashtag #huske. : )

5 Elements of a Successful FaceBook Page

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by Samir Balwani

Samir Balwani is a social media marketer who helps businesses create effective web strategies. You can follow him on Twitter and get his newsletter.

For many companies a Facebook reviews fan page is an integral part of their social media campaign. But, what elements help fan pages build up large followings and what can brands do to emulate the success of others? I’ve put together a list of specific elements that I believe have helped create fan pages with large, engaged, followings.

1. Networking with other platforms

Building a large following requires a network of other platforms, working in conjunction to drive visitors to your fan page. One brand that does that well is Victoria’s Secret with their PINK line.



As you can see, on their PINK landing page they have a link to their Facebook fan page and their MySpace profile. Victoria’s Secret leverages the traffic their home page gets and pushes them to their Facebook fan page.

Many companies lack this level of dedication, expecting their consumers on Facebook to find them automatically. However, that’s not usually the case.

When is the last time you went looking for a brand’s Facebook fan page? More often than not, a consumer will stumble upon the page, either through a friend or from a hub, similar to Victoria’s Secret’s PINK page.

Understandably, the fact that the demographic targeted by Victoria’s Secret PINK, aligns exactly with the demographic that is most active on Facebook, has helped grow the group as well.

Key Takeaway: Connecting multiple social platforms and a hub from the brand website, can help funnel consumers throughout the network.



2. Creating a resource

Some pages are used as connection hubs, but others offer information pertinent to their consumers. They use the information as added value to have consumers create a connection with the brand.

Dell has done a great job with their social media resource for small businesses. Understanding that small business owners buy computers, by offering them this resource, small business owners interested in social media keep Dell top of mind.

Although, Dell can’t explicitly gauge the success of this program in ROI, it is a branding exercise. Also, since they offer deals and updates on new products on the page - the page does have a chance to convert small business owners into Dell consumers.

Key Takeaway: Offering a resource page allows a brand to target a new demographic, outside of those that already know and love the business.



3. Creating contests that include participation

For brands that want fan pages to have added value (a reason for users to join the page, aside from brand loyalty), but don’t want to become a resource portal; offering contests and coupons specifically to Facebook users can entice consumers to join.

Sears offered fans a $10 coupon to use in stores, giving consumers a reason to join. Clicking on the coupon takes you to a page where Sears collects your information and sends you information about the coupon, deals, and offers. There’s no way to make sure the coupon is given to only Facebook fans, however like Sears, brands can require an email before receiving the coupon.

Key Takeaway: Offering something to consumers to join can help build a large community. Some examples of things to offer: Coupons, free shipping, weekly deals.



4. Empowering pre-existing pages

One of my favorite stories about social media involves the Coca Cola Facebook page. The fan page was created by two users who liked Coke. What started as a fan page for fun, turned out to be the largest product fan page on Facebook.

Coca Cola, instead of taking over the page and making it their own, rewarded the fans by bringing them to Atlanta and giving them a tour of the Coke facility. The fan page remains theirs, but now they have the blessing and help of Coca Cola.

By empowering the fans to keep their fan page, Coke ensures a passionate page owner.

The Coca Cola marketing team was also smart enough to realize that letting others know what happened here would work in their favor. The fan page creators were told to make a video of the history behind the fan page, and how Coke had reached out to them and rewarded them for this.

The video shows future ‘brand enthusiasts’ that creating successful groups around Coca Cola can result in rewards and recognition.

Key Takeaway: Taking over unsanctioned Facebook fan pages isn’t always the best idea. Instead, rewarding dedication can inspire others to do the same.




5. Targeting the proper demographic

Sometimes no matter what you do, your Facebook page won’t grow. This can simply be a side effect of Facebook’s demographic. There are just some brands that will not have a strong presence on Facebook.

Understanding the demographic present can help you decide if Facebook is worth it for your business.

From Quantcast estimates, we can tell that Facebook skews towards female youths. Interestingly, 53% of users have kids and a majority make over $60k a year salary. Obviously, over 50% are college kids. The demographics that make up Facebook are changing quickly, as more moms have begun to join and the college market has become saturated.


Armed with this knowledge, Seventeen Magazine jumped on to the Facebook fan page bandwagon. Their brand targets the demographic most prominent on Facebook, meaning a fairly quick and organic growth.

For companies whose brand does not target the optimal demographic, finding a specific line that does, works.

Consider the brand mentioned earlier in this article, Victoria’s Secret. Instead of putting the entire brand on Facebook, they targeted the PINK line, a line for college students.

Key Takeaway: Some brands cannot expect huge followings on Facebook. Brands or product lines targeting the demographic most prominent on Facebook tend to see the quickest growth.



I purposely did not talk about using advertising to increase the size of a fan page, because although it can be useful to jump start a fan page, organic growth can help build a more engaged group.

Creating a Facebook fan page is simple, but getting it to work well takes time, dedication, and some planning. Don’t expect to create a page and then have a huge following instantaneously. Build good content, make it easy to share, and let people know about it, and over-time the community will grow.

A Walk Down Memory (1MB) Lane

The Apple Lisa
1983
A mere $9,995 (1MB)

Where were you in 1983?

HOW TO: Use Social Media for Travel Research

<
by Ben Parr

Whether you’re traveling to another city, state, or continent, putting in a few hours to do your homework can mean the difference between a great vacation and a week full of headaches. Finding great local restaurants, comfortable sleeping accomodations, and hidden gems should be on the top of your travel list, no matter if it’s a one day business trip or a permanent move to Thailand.

In the past, this type of information was exclusive to travel agents and generic travel books. However, with the rise of social media and stronger interconnectivity, you can get the real story, avoid the tourist traps, and meet real locals. This guide provides an overview of tips and tools for using social media as a travel research tool.

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Step 1. Utilize Wikis and Blogs for Travel Education

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A wealth of information and tips are available in blogs, user comments, and wiki articles. These will provide you with the information found in most travel books, but in a condensed and searchable format. Blogs and wikis have a more human element to them as well - the debates users have on these articles helps combine the best information from multiple minds, instead of relying on the opinions and advice of one or two authors. Some places to visit:

Wikipedia reviews - Wikipedia goes without saying, but make sure to read the discussion on the cities and countries you are traveling to; these reveal some great information.

Wikitravel - Wikitravel is an impressive collection of user-generated guides to destinations across the world. It covers food, hotels, events, and even the safety of different locations.

Gadling - Gadling is a popular travel blog, part of the AOL Weblogs network. It is filled with a wealth of travel information

Concierge - Concierge is a Condé Nast magazine, but also has a great series of blogs for those interested in smart traveling, learning about new destinations, or even culinary delights.


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Step 2. Scope Out Locales Using User Reviews

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Picking out the best restaurants is tough, so let others do the work for you. Social media is a great way to share reviews of restaurants, tourist destinations, and local businesses. You can pick out some top destinations beforehand or at least avoid locations with bad reputations.

The most common user review website for travelers are YelpYelp reviews, and Tripadvisor. But when you’re on the ground, be sure to use Where To? for the iPhone. Where To? connects to Google MapsGoogle Maps reviews and your GPS to find points of interest.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Step 3. Connect With Locals

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You’ve found information on the location you’re visiting, and now you’ve read user reviews of top restaurants. Now what? It’s time to really use social media to your advantage. Make new friends in the areas you are going to visit using social networks and social media.

Social media is entirely about people and the information they have. You’d be surprised how willing they are to share their first-hand knowledge. Some useful tips:

@reply locals using TwitterTwitter reviews: Twitter is the perfect platform for open conversations about locations. Use the near:location Twitter Search command to find recent tweets near any major city. And then just introduce yourself and ask some questions.

Search your FacebookFacebook reviews friends by location: Take a look at your existing network to see if any of your current friends grew up or currently live in your destination. You would be surprised to find out how many different and unique locales your friends have lived at.

Meet up with the locals you connect with: If it’s within your comfort zone, it’s always an interesting time when you actually meet the locals you talk to. Have them show you the ins-and-outs of the city or the countryside. But do your research on the people you meet for your own safety. Read their blog, their tweets, and friend them on Facebook.

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Step 4. Share Your Travel Experience

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None of this information would be available to you if it were not for the hard work of others to put it in digital form. So return the favor and add your experiences to a wiki, tweet about the attractions you visit, and be open to answering questions about your own hometown.

Social media is a great research tool, especially for things as subjective and personal as travel destinations. Utilizing the reviews and thoughts of others can make your trip a lot more exciting and a lot less stressful. Travel to get away from the stress, not to add to it.
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Facebook May Be Traffic Driver, but Won't Reap Search Dollars

Why Social Media Is Complementary to SEM

Posted by Peter Hershberg

I'm a big believer in the notion that search marketing and social-media marketing go hand in hand with one another. I've seen firsthand how they interact on search results pages and how insights from one channel can have an impact on the marketing efforts for both. What does seem odd to me is that some marketers and observers seem to view search and social media as oppositional either-or propositions.

Now, knowing the growing impact of social media, it was only a matter of time until we started seeing headlines like the recent Ad Age article titled "Facebook Sending More Traffic Than Google to Some Sites." It's an interesting article and well worth reading, but what really got my attention right off the bat was this sub-headline, "Will Search-Marketing Dollars Also Shift to Social Media?"

The answer to that question is no, they will not -- at least in the short term. However, SEO may become a bigger factor in maximizing social media's impact in a search environment as the channel begins to mature and find a way to successful monetization through marketing.

Granted, the massive number of consumers using social media platforms presents a huge opportunity for marketers. The problem right now, however, is that most social networks currently offer advertising programs that do little, if anything, to align the interests of consumers, advertisers and the platforms themselves.

Social networks do drive huge amounts of traffic, but the campaigns we -- and many other marketers -- run typically don't involve paying a site money, largely because the paid ad programs they have offer no real incremental benefit to our clients (through data, targeting, etc.) above and beyond what we'd get for reaching out to people in a more direct fashion.

It's a phenomenon that can be seen in the latest Forrester Research report on social media. Forrester found that social media marketing budgets are currently incremental at best (though they are expected to increase substantially.) The real spend on social media occurs in places that can't be measured by looking at money coming into social platforms. Rather, it's in budget that's used to optimize brand profiles, initiate and monitor conversations, and to spread access to other assets like television ads on sites like YouTube.

To see just what I mean, I think it's illustrative to add context that tells us why some sites are benefiting from visibility on Facebook in comparison to Google. The specific sites the article highlights are PerezHilton.com, Dlisted, CafeMom, Evite and video site Tagged.com. As the article notes, there are a variety of reasons why Facebook has turned into a big traffic-driver for each of them compared to Google.

CafeMom has a Facebook fan page, which undoubtedly drives traffic back to its site. As for Evite, it seems fairly obvious that people don't typically visit a search engine like Google or Yahoo to see what events they've been invited to. More likely, Facebook is being used to bring a group of people together around a single event (there are currently 413 of them that show up when doing a search for "Evite" on Facebook events) and then clicking-through from Facebook to an Evite page to RSVP after they've learned about the event. Lastly, Tagged.com benefits from the popularity of video clip posting and sharing within Facebook – many of those users ultimately end up visiting the site where the original video was posted.

I suspect Perez Hilton and Dlisted appear on this list for similar reasons. People who are fanatical about celebrity gossip know what sites they're going to visit every day (or many times a day) for the latest news. And when they see something of interest, they're undoubtedly sharing links across Facebook, which ultimately drives some of the people they're connected to back the original site to read the full story.

In comparison, when it comes to generating organic search traffic, gossip sites suffer from the same problem as other news tabloids do -- specifically, witty headlines that resonate with users (e.g. "Life's a Beach" headline for a post about Paris Hilton and some guy named Doug Reinhardt on the beach), but mean nothing to search engines trying to determine relevant content. As a result, these stories typically struggle to rank well organically on sites like Google which in turn does not send significant volumes of visitors to these sites.

With all that in mind, if you agree that the Facebook traffic the article is referencing was primarily driven by shared links, then Facebook isn't benefiting from it in any way. There is no paid media component to talk about and therefore, no dollars currently being spent in search that could possibly go towards this effort in social media. Outside of fees that could have been paid to an agency, it's basically free traffic. I don't believe that Perez Hilton, for instance, is making media buys on Facebook, but people share links to his stories like crazy and significant traffic is being driven to his site as a result.

I would also bet that there is some percentage of traffic that was ultimately driven by Facebook, but actually originated from a search engine. In other words, someone went to Google, found a link to a Facebook profile, and then clicked on a posted link and ultimately through to a company's website. In this instance, search and social media are complimentary, not competitive.

Ultimately social media properties like Facebook and Twitter will be indexed by the major search engines on a more regular basis, filling the need for "real-time" search and offering more relevant content. As this happens, the traffic these sites drive across the web will be much, much greater than what we've seen to date. In the short term, I don't believe that will ultimately equate to media dollars being reallocated from search to social-media properties, but you could make a case that it leads to a greater investment in initiatives like SEO to tie these together in an more meaningful way.

In the long term, all of this might change as social media platforms discover ways to monetize that brings marketers and users together to the benefit of all of the parties involved.

~~~
Peter Hershberg is managing partner at Reprise Media @hershberg on Twitter)

How to Get Things Done with Twitter

Post written by Leo Babauta. Follow him on Twitter @zen_habits

Let’s face it: a growing number of people are using Twitter these days, spending a lot of time on Twitter, and still need to get things done on Twitter.

If you want to spend a lot of time conversing with people on Twitter, that’s great … but many people still need to get their tasks done. Let’s take a look at how to do that.

Why use Twitter to get things done? Twitter isn’t necessarily the best platform for getting things done … but if you’re already using it a lot, it might be easier or faster for you to do things while still in Twitter. Note: I don’t take responsibility for any of these services — if they don’t work well, check with them! :)

Here’s how:

1. Reminders. Need a quick reminder that you have an appointment, or need to follow up on something later? Follow “timer” on Twitter, and send it a direct message with a reminder time and it will ping you at that time. For example: “d timer 30 pick up Chloe”.

2. To-do list: A couple of popular to-do services are on Twitter: Remember the Milk (on Twitter) and Nozbe (on Twitter). Follow them and send them direct messages to add things to your to-do list, or to check the items on your list.

3. Calendar. If you use Google Calendar (gCal), go to Twittercal, then follow gCal on Twitter and add events by sending direct messages to gCal. For example: “d gcal meeting with paul tomorrow at 7pm”.

4. Delegate. If you’re going through your to-do list or email and find a task that’s better suited for someone else, sending that person a direct message (assuming they’re on Twitter) can be quicker and easier than sending an email or making a phone call.

5. Follow up. The same applies to following up. I’ve done it a bunch of times — instead of opening up your email program, composing a new message, typing in the person’s address and the subject line, and then writing the email … you can just direct message them on Twitter: “d zen_habits don’t forget to answer my interview questions, you berk!”

6. Accountability with goals. Want some extra motivation to achieve your goals? Announce through Twitter or on your blog that you’re going to post your progress updates every day on Twitter. For example, if you’re trying to eat healthier, you can post everything you eat on Twitter. Trying to exercise? Post your workouts on Twitter. It’s great motivation, and you can get some support and encouragement from your Twitter friends.

7. Get info or ideas quickly. If you have a good Twitter network, you can ask a question and usually get a few responses quicker than many other methods. I’ve gotten website and service recommendations, ideas for a post I was writing, restaurant recommendations, people interested in a job, and more.

8. Do real work. It’s possible to do real work on Twitter — people have written stories or posts by writing them in little chunks in Twitter. It might be worth a try. But if that doesn’t work, my strongest recommendation is to turn Twitter off when you need to do some real work. Then, when you’re done, reward yourself with 10 minutes on Twitter.

Other useful Twitter services:

Tweetbeep: A service to keep track of keywords through alerts that you set up. You’ll get an email notification if anyone mentions you or your brand or your blog posts in their tweets. Note: It looks like this service is down right now but they say they’ll be back soon.

StrawPoll: create a poll. Your Twitter contacts can participate in the poll by simply sending an @reply message.

TwitResponse: allows you to schedule delivery of your tweets — very useful if you want to set up a bunch of tweets in the future.

Zen Habits: Yes, you can get updates on the latest Zen Habits posts, as well as The Power of Less Tips of the Day, and more.

TwiTips: An excellent blog with dozens of tips for using Twitter, from one of the great Twitter power users, Darren Rowse.

How to Sign Up for Twitter

1. Twitter.com Click on the "Join the Conversation" button in middle of the page.

2. Fill out basic information. This will include your full name, preferred user name, password and e-mail address. Remember that the user name is what people will see with an "@" symbol in front of it.

3. See if your friends are on Twitter. After you fill out basic info, you'll be prompted to look for friends in your Gmail, Yahoo, MSN, Hotmail or AOL accounts so you can begin following them if they're already on the service.

4. Twitter's suggestions. Twitter will suggest some people for you to follow as well. Check to see if anyone of them are relevant.

5. Setting up your profile. Click on "settings" in the upper right hand corner of your Twitter home page. You'll be brought to a tab-based menu that helps you build your profile and adjust settings.

6. Fill in the fields. Of particular importance is the "one line bio" under the "Account" tab. You have 160 characters to present yourself to the Twitter community. Many people choose to state their profession, and then maybe something outside of work that interests them as well. My bio for instance is @WebAdvocate Recommended by 9 out of 10 people who know me. Optimist. Business Owner. On Line Marketer.

7. Start looking for followers. Regardless of how many people you found through e-mail search and Twitter's suggestions, start looking around for people you might find interesting. Use search.twitter.com.

Selective Twitter

If you don't want EVERY tweet to show up on your faceBook account, try Selective twitter.

Selective Twitter Status lets you update your Facebook status from Twitter - BUT you can choose which tweets you want - just end a tweet with #fb when you want to post it as your Facebook status - simple!

Sign up at Selective twitter.



This helps to avoid confusing your Facebook friends, and you don't swamp your FB profile with too many updates.

More Twitter Tools

Twitter Grader: Learn your Twitter grade, your local Twitter Elite, and find new people to follow through Twitter Grader.
Twitterholic: Check out the top Twitter users and find out your Twitter stats on Twitterholic.
TweetStats: TweetStats offers a graphical analysis of your Twitter stats.
Twitter Friends: Carefully measure your Twitter conversations using Twitter Friends.
Twinfluence: Twinfluence will measure your Twitter influence based on reach, velocity, and social capital.
Tweetwasters: Find out how much time you and other users waste on Twitter.
Retweetrank: Find out how many retweets you and other Twitter users have through this service.
Information Gathering

Time Management in the Age of Social Media

David Allen talks about ways you can make Facebook and Twitter work for you on the job

These days I'm asked frequently about the role of social media in personal and organizational productivity. The question is timely, as the major social media applications have millions of users and are still growing fast. Also, the phenomenon is closely tied to e-mail, which itself has presented major challenges to professionals in time management and keeping an appropriate focus in their work and life.

The most obvious issue about social media: Is this a useful way to spend your time, or is it a sinkhole of attractive distraction? It could very easily be one of those one minute, and the other the next! It all depends on why you're doing it, and this must be evaluated moment to moment. It's an important distinction to make for yourself, because focus is probably your greatest asset that you can control. You must be judicious about where you place it and what you let grab it, thus reducing your effectiveness.

Bear in mind that the most potentially productive activities (e.g. meetings) can undermine your control and focus if they're not carefully managed. And some pursuits that are commonly viewed as "time-wasting," such as random Web surfing or Facebook socializing can be productive, if you use that term in the broadest sense of achieving something you want.

Someone noticed that I was now on Twitter and said: "How can you be productive on Twitter?" My simple answer: "If I want to have Twittered, then it's productive!" I wasn't trying to be facetious. The truth is, if you're taking a vacation to relax and you don't relax, then it's an unproductive vacation.

Why would I (or anyone) want to "have Twittered," or be involved with any of the social media at all? There is inherently some sort of magic between the lines in much of it that seems to have struck a chord in so many of us. I attribute this to the transparency, connectedness, and immediacy that social media offer, which are key attributes of quality relationships—something humans crave at a basic level.
Looking at if from a more tactical, practical perspective, it seems there are three main reasons that it can serve people well:

You're an incorrigible extrovert, and you just love to schmooze.

If so, social media may be right up your alley. You simply need to be careful with balance, and whether your virtual social life is detracting from your physical one, or from your other responsibilities. You may need a prenuptial agreement that it's O.K. to disappear for hours away from your real-life partner to chat with people you'll never see. But if you're wired to get inspirational juice from multiple relationships in that way, it can be productive.

You have an agenda that is supported by this kind of connection.

If you need to know what's new and what's happening, moment to moment, social media can provide a competitive advantage. If you are building a global brand, as I am, and leveraging your personality and having a following is part of that strategy, playing in this arena is smart. I've only been on Twitter for a couple of weeks, but already it has invigorated lots of great discussions and a sense of connectedness with thousands of people in and around my network.

If having some sort of immediate communication from me helps reinforce the best practices that my methods represent for people's work and life, then there's lots of goodwill as well as good ideas spreading virally and quickly. Or, if you're in a business that excels with its "now-ness" in the market and culture, such as entertainment or consumer high tech, you'd better be on board. Or if you're out of a job, this hugely expanded Rolodex may be your best resource for your next opportunity.

You're researching.

You're intrigued, maybe a little intimidated by the early adopters and the popularity in the media about these media, and you're curious about what all this is about and want to find out whether and how you should engage. That's probably the majority of us, and I think there is still much to know about this world. You'll be in testing, trying-out mode. I'm still very much in this space, attempting to not miss out on whatever opportunities might lie waiting while at the same time not letting myself get too sidetracked along lines that start to require more energy than they deliver back.

It's not an easy call, because I've discovered that the proof is in the pudding. That is, I've got to participate in order to really know what's going to pay off and what isn't. The experience in Twitter was unexpected; and it took quite a bit of experimentation to get a feel for what was going on, and how to find a groove there.
The big key is to stay very clear about what your agreements with yourself are, relative to your engagement with such things as LinkedIn, MySpace, Twitter, and the like. The opportunity that the various social media offer is the ability to quickly communicate, collaborate, and get feedback from a large and previously inaccessible number of people, with varying degrees of filtering capabilities.

The challenge is that each of those social media involvements can represent another virtual in box, with an implicit assumption that you should think about and deal with what lands there. If "processing" those additional streams of input is simply a matter of scanning to see what's of interest to you, that may not take much time; and you can simply drop in and out on a whim. That's no different than channel surfing, other than the added seductiveness of interactive rabbit trails to pursue.
But if you are expected—by yourself or others—to be more familiar with the content, or to contribute and respond to content directly, you're going to have to be judicious in how you manage your social media commitments. It's not as innocuous as another cable station, unless you have specifically downgraded your expectations of how you're going to be involved.

Depending on your personal and professional interests, you can choose from the variety of social media the ones that fit for you. If the productivity best practice is to target your social media very precisely to attain your goals, then the productivity worst practice would be to indiscriminately hook into multiple sources of poorly defined static. To use social media effectively, just be sure that you aren't putting more effort in than the result you're getting.

David Allen is the internationally bestselling author of Getting Things Done, Ready for Anything, and Making It All Work. He is the chairman and founder of the David Allen Company and is a leading authority on developing personal and organization capacity.

Finding the Right “Brand Voice” on Twitter

March 9th, 2009 | by Kai Turner

Kai Turner is head of Information Architecture at Agency.com – London.

When businesses open an account on Twitter, they must consider the right “Brand Voice.” One that is appropriate for what they want to say, and who they want to reach. This is a different sort of voice than the one companies have been familiar with in their traditional print and broadcast media channels, as it’s a more open and authentic form of communication.

While there is no established roadmap for launching a brand on Twitter, I’ve made some observations about some approaches to follow and pitfalls to avoid.
1. DO see it as a branding exercise

Companies already understand the importance of creating a strong brand identity for marketing and advertising. However, it is the expression of the brand identity that needs a new approach when working with Twitter.

Typically, when a company is planning a marketing campaign for broadcast, print or the web, the brand identity will have travelled from its conceptual and strategic origins through a process of formalization until it arrives as clear and well-defined guidelines to be put into a brief. This can be effective in carefully crafting a static piece of communication but, much like bringing a script to a dinner party, formal rules can’t be applied to casual conversation.

Instead, companies should return to an earlier exercise in developing their brand identity – that of describing their brand personality. These are the human characteristics of the brand. Many brands fall at the first hurdle on Twitter, which is, simply: sounding human. A company’s “Brand Voice” should reflect the personality traits of the brand. If your brand personality is meant to be “refined and sophisticated”, does it sound refined and sophisticated, or does it sound like a door-to-door salesman?

The Brand Voice of Starbucks is the voice of Brad, who posts on Twitter for them. Here he’s posting a picture of himself with some colleagues, just as any group of friends might do on Twitter.

2. DON’T imitate the voice of the community

What makes people interesting is that everyone is unique, and everyone has their own voice. Brands often go wrong on Twitter by thinking that in order to appeal to a certain demographic segment they need to somehow imitate that group. This is most obvious when brands go after the youth market and awkwardly pepper their language with outdated slang and a tone that is meant to sound ‘trendy’ or ‘urban’.

Companies make the wrong assumption– they believe that they need to wear a disguise in order to speak naturally to people. In fact, people want an authentic conversation with brands that speak as we would expect them to. People don’t want brands to be their friends, or to be overly familiar with them, but they do want a dialogue with brands whose products or services they enjoy using. Brands that feel the need to adopt a false persona, in some ways, are using it as a defense mechanism. After all, you can’t criticize the brand, you can only attack the false persona.

This post is both conversational, and informative. It’s what you would expect from Capgemini.

3. DO let it all hang out

The hardest thing for large companies to accept is just how exposed they are on Twitter. If there has been something negative in the press, your press conference begins as soon as the news breaks amongst the Twitterati. There is no time to prepare a statement.

Again, however, the rule is that the Brand Voice is a human one. And just as people have their own foibles, and make mistakes, a company on Twitter needs to accept its flaws, own up to them, and then it can begin repairing its mistakes. Hiding away from this conversation only makes matters worse, because then it becomes a one-sided argument without any representation from the company.



You can’t hide. Motrin had a PR disaster with their Motrin Moms campaign. The problem was only compounded by not having a voice on Twitter. In this example someone, pretending to be Motrin, continues to make jokes at the company’s expense.

4. DON’T just use Twitter as an RSS feed

The Twitter audience is a tech savvy bunch. They know how to read RSS feeds, so repurposing an RSS feed for Twitter isn’t adding value. You can post links to recent news and updates, but have a real person contextualize it. The link is interesting only if the person posting it is credible, and making a judgment call about what is or isn’t worth posting.


This Adobe developer posted about the product he’s working on, and since we’re getting a behind the scenes view of his work, it’s much more compelling than just having the link on its own.

5. DO define your communication channel

Before you can find the right voice, you need to know what it is you want to talk about. Is it a brand awareness and engagement channel? Is it a news and information channel? Is it a customer support and response channel? Each of these would need a different tone of voice.



DELL has over 20 distinct, and well-defined Twitter channels. Notably, the authors behind each account have been named so that a connection can be made with a real person.

6. DON’T just talk about products & services

Again, think of the real world. A person who speaks about one thing, and one thing only, is either incredibly dull or clinically insane. If you are passionate about your business, industry, products then share your passion. I was recently working on a project where I was told about a tech specialist who constantly improves the image quality of a camera lens. He could explain all the little details that go into creating a perfect image with such enthusiasm that you would be drawn into his world, and a topic you wouldn’t have guessed would be exciting– suddenly is.



Adam Denison, “A PR guy at Chevrolet,” talks about cars without always directly promoting Chevrolet products.

7. DO have a casting call for your Brand Voice

So you know what you want to say, and how you want to say it – but the biggest question is: who will be saying it? Most likely it will be someone from the marketing or the PR team. Maybe even a junior intern who has been given a list of things to post on Twitter.

A more successful tactic would be to find someone, internal or external to the company, who is already on Twitter and speaking naturally in a tone of voice that matches your Brand Voice.



An online travel agent or airline could benefit from having a serial traveler like the TwitchHiker working as their brand evangelist.

8. DO have a voice on Twitter, but first have a listen

If nothing else, big brands need to get on Twitter and start following people. Test the water. We don’t bite. Usually.