Is Social Networking Right For You?
May 19, 2008
With booming sites like MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, FriendFeed, etc., many of my clients have asked for my help in the social networking space. Many are surprised when I suggest that they shouldn’t do anything at all. Sure, its a very powerful area to participate in, and has far-reaching capabilities. The ability to build online communities and manage them from central locations is truly something marvelous. However, to truly take advantage of the benefits that these sites and services offer, it takes time. More specifically, its not enough to just create a MySpace or Facebook profile and say you’re an active participant in the social networking world. Quite simply, you have to live in it and make it a part of your daily routines in order to see the benefit of that space. Nobody wants to see an abandoned MySpace or Facebook profile. No one is going to follow you on Twitter if you never post. No one is going to subscribe to your RSS feeds if you don’t have anything to say. So before you take that leap into the social networking space, consider for a moment if you’re willing to shift the way you work and communicate.
Phaseous Phact: If you want to dive into social networking, designate one person in your company to monitor the pages daily. This is an ideal task for interns!
Why You Need Your Own Website
April 28, 2008
Some might wonder what’s the point in having your own webiste, when there are so many free options out there. With all the benefits that Facebook, MySpace and the rest of the social networking sphere have brought to the internet, keep in mind you’re using a free service and you don’t really own what you’re working with. To that point, you don’t have complete control to steer your messaging and influence whatever discussion you’re participating in. This is why I suggest all my clients that want to participate in the social networking space first and foremost establish their own personal websites with professional branding and design. We’re not talking about the glorified online corporate brochures of yesteryear. Rather, this is your platform for begining and controlling the discussion you wish to have. Add all of the SEO benefits of a personal blog site or the like and you’re well on your way to steering the discussion your way. Just be sure you properly optimize your content.
Phaseous Phact: Get your own brand and website first. Then hit the social networks to further enhance your web presence.
