Archive for November, 2012
Does it pay to be honest on Twitter?
Nov 25th
Does it pay to be honest on Twitter? Increasingly, the answer may be “no.”
In the past, I’ve written a blog post about my life in social media each time I hit a milestone on Twitter. 10,000 followers, 20,000 followers, etc.
Last week I hit 50,000 followers so I thought I would reflect on one of the philosophical issues I’m dealing with. Maybe it will help and support you in your journey too.
I hit this milestone exactly one year after I hit 30,000 followers. If you do the math, that’s 400 new followers every single week. And actually, it has been a lot more than that because I still cull all the spammers out of my stream (with the help of my wife). So, to the best of my knowledge, all 50,000 of those folks in my Twitter audience are real people.
I’ve gone back and forth about whether it is worth the effort to evaluate every Twitter follower. In the long run, who cares if I let spammers in the door? So far, I have taken some pride and comfort in knowing that there is nothing fake about my Twitter audience. It is real, it is organic, and it is a very engaging and supportive group. So if I follow you, it means something. I am not “automated.”
But is worth it the time I put into it?
Why spammers help your business
This may sound counter-intuitive, but taking the time to cull spammers might actually be hurting my business and online reputation.
If I were not blocking spam Twitter accounts, I estimate I would be approaching 100,000 followers by now. I’m convinced that the social proof of numbers like “likes,” “followers,” and yes, even a Klout score matter in our online world. Few, if any, people are going to take the time to examine my career and accomplishments before deciding to follow me, read my blog, or even buy my books. But they may look at 100,000 Twitter followers and decide that I am an authority. It is just the way of the world.
I was recently introduced at a speech like this: ”I’d like to introduce our keynote speaker Mark Schaefer. He is the author of Return On Influence
Being honest. A fool’s errand?
So, in review, I am probably wasting resources by cleansing my Twitter account. Nobody really knows or cares about it, I’m probably the only blogger doing it, and it might even be hurting my business in some way.
But I’ve decided to keep doing it.
Sometimes it doesn’t matter what other people think or know. It matters what I think and know. I’ve come this far without “doping” my Twitter stream with fake accounts to inflate the numbers. I just can’t quit now. If somebody asks me how many Twitter followers I have, I don’t want a voice in the back of my head saying, “yeah, but most of them are not even real.”
In 2009 I wrote a little manifesto called “Why I Block on Twitter.” I still believe in this:
1) My Twitter Tribe matters. If I follow you, I choose to do so. No auto-follows, ever. Before I follow, I have read your bio, some of your tweets and probably clicked your link. I have a quality audience and it’s staying that way.
2) I want an audience to be proud of. This probably sounds old-fashioned but I don’t want to do anything in my life that I wouldn’t be proud to disclose to my children. And if they examined my Twitter audience, I would not want them to see a bunch of nymphs peddling their videos. Anybody can see who you’re following. What does your audience say about you?
3) I want to protect you. If I block the spamaholics I keep them from my tweets and I keep them, in a small way, from you. I see so many of these folks who copy “Follow Friday” lists trying to lure followers. No. Stay away from my friends dammit.
4) Because I just do not want to play that game. I’m not going to be passive and imply that what they’re doing is OK.
Blocking sends a message. If we ALL blocked them, they would have to go away, right?
What do you think? Would you spend the time to go through 400 new Twitter followers every week?
Black Friday Deals on Groupon Stock! A {growtoon}.
Nov 22nd
Join the growtoonists each Friday for a humorous take on marketing, social media, and current business events.
Kacy Maxwell is a guy who loves his work, family and a good challenge. See more of his cartoons at EverythingIsMedia.com.
Twitter through a fresh set of eyes
Nov 22nd
I’ve been very fortunate in that my book The Tao of Twitter
It was fun seeing Twitter again through the fresh eyes of these students. Here are excerpts from some of the student papers as they experienced Twitter for the first time. I also wanted to help them out by giving them some link love to their own student blogs so check ‘em out!
Ren Yi – “Mark Schaefer uses conversational tones and easy reading format to write the book, which makes it very easy to read, especially for someone whose first language is not English, just like me. In fact, I am very inspired by the book since I was not a big fan of social media before I took this social media class. I am definitely amazed by how business can be done and how professional relationships can be formed over Twitter and I hope I will accomplish those later. But now, the most important thing for me is to have a good start on the Twitter journey.
“The reason I wasn’t a big fan of social media is because I think the information on there is too personal and all about some random stuff. It never came to my attention that we should intentionally manage our accounts toward the professional direction. Now everything seems clear to me and that I should really post on a variety of topics which interest me and engage with people by reading and responding to other people’s posts.”
Morgan Neal – “I am mostly a self-taught Twitter user and the only part I have not used at all is the list feature of Twitter. I am still finding it daunting to even begin the list process. However, Tao of Twitter’s step-by-step guide and helpful hints on how to effectively use lists to boost followers and credibility as a “tweeter.” I am challenging myself to learn how to utilize this feature to provide more meaningful content to my followers.
“The part I enjoyed most was how Mark shows how his connections formed through social media and then how those connections built more connections that led to a job in Paris. Who knew?
“Although I still probably include too many personal tidbits, with The Tao of Twitter to go back to and reference I will be able to more effectively use it to network for my future career.”
Maggie Wallace – “I have been a regular user of Twitter for over three years now. However, it wasn’t until I read The Tao of Twitter that I realized the power and influence a person or a brand can gain by using Twitter.
“There were two particular phrases that stuck out to me: “Authentic Helpfulness and Meaningful Content.” While yes, a brand can use Twitter to gain followers, they will not see any return on their influence unless they use that account to connect with others on a personal level. Even simply “retweeting” a follower makes them feel more special and more connected to you.
“The anecdotes of authentic helpfulness Mark uses throughout the book are truly inspiring. Making one genuine connection through Twitter can cause a snowball effect and create strong personal and professional connections.”
Lauren Mackey — “The Tao of Twitter opened my eyes to something I had thought about, but was never able to put into words — The real purpose of Twitter. This helped me discover the reason why Twitter has become such a big part of my day — it is unlike any other platform in that users share constant, easy to read content with each other and connect with people all over the world.”
Meg Foster – “I will admit it: I have had trouble keeping up with my Twitter account. I always seem to be on Facebook, and Twitter is just something for me to pass the time while in line or some other event that requires waiting. I read the witty things other people have to say and I enjoy checking up on the news. But as far as my personal tweets go, I believe I have less than 50. And that includes the responses I have made to other people. I have trouble composing a tweet. Let me rephrase, I have trouble composing a tweet that other people care about.
“Although I may not be very good at it now, I believe that reading The Tao of Twitter was a huge step forward into the Twitter world. I feel that now that I have Schaefer’s insights, I will be more likely to use them in the upcoming weeks. Hopefully, these tips will help me feel more comfortable so that I am able to get my message out among all the clutter.”
Ashley Harris – “The Tao of Twitter changed my mentality and thought process. Now when I am on Twitter, I think about every message before I tweet it because I know that there could be a brand or company viewing me as a possible consumer or candidate. Therefore, watching what I tweet and tweeting valuable information can possibly benefit me and a potential company in my future.
“This has completely transformed my view about social media and how to use it to benefit myself as a potential employee to organizations in the future.”
Matthew Busby – “It took me a while to get into the Twitter scene because, like most people, I did not see the benefits of it. I was completely wrong. The main thing that I can take away from this book is that how different my mind set is about Twitter for my future career. I need to stop thinking like a college student and I need to begin to understand that what I follow and who follows me actually does matter.
“Since reading this book, I began to follow people who I deem important in the social media and advertising world. The main thing I have noticed is that those major companies and influencers will actually follow me back. I am able to see them and they are able to see me. These followers have also told me that my blog could be beneficial to my career if I keep it up. They are actually reading my content and the best part about it is that I am getting feedback from people who never knew I existed.”
Shannon Drew – “While reading The Tao of Twitter, I experienced a lot of “a-ha” moments. I had created a Twitter account about a year before I read the book and I never understood the appeal. When I sat down to read the book, I finally got it. Twitter is an excellent medium to connect with others from around the world. As short as 140 characters seems, Mark taught me that a tweet can convey so much meaning.
“Reading The Tao of Twitter is the reason I have immersed myself in this medium. I now understand the benefits I can receive from Twitter, and know that I have to put in some work in order to receive them!”
(Many thanks to Dr. Courtney Childers of The University of Tennessee for the assist with this article!)
Why your social media plan needs gurus and storytellers
Nov 21st
By Srinivas Rao, Contributing {grow} Columnist
A few weeks ago Laura Click wrote a really interesting post questioning “who really is a social media expert?“ I’ve never been a big fan of the term and the self-proclaimed ninjas, rockstars, and gurus cause the social web to seem like a giant pyramid scheme. But Laura’s post hit on a key point that organizations and individuals should consider:
“Yes, the “gurus” may have a keen understanding of the tools or know-how to build large networks for themselves, but many don’t know how social media fits into an overall marketing strategy or how to tie their efforts to real results.”
I’m a storyteller, not a strategist
Anytime I get on the phone with a business who wants to hire me to do some social media work and they ask me about, analysis, measurement tools and anything that has to do with numbers I tell them “I’m an Indian person who is lousy at math. Contrary to popular belief we’re not all good with numbers.” My strength is the ability to tell great stories, and create content. Does that mean I’m useless? Absolutely not … and it’s because there is a digital divide emerging.
The Digital Divide
In the digital divide I see two distinctly different and valuable groups. The first group consists of people who really understand how social media fits into an overall marketing strategy (but may lack the storytelling/creative abilities). The second group consists of content creators who may not have the analytical business background but can masterfully deliver an experience that makes people hang on their every word. I think the future lies is in connecting these two groups.
Look to “Gurus” for guidance not gospel
You shouldn’t follow anybody’s advice to the letter. Formulas are designed to manufacture the same thing over and and over again. Following a social media formula or playbook is a recipe for mediocrity.
You could eat the same cereal Seth Godin eats for breakfast, drink the same coffee, and do your writing on the same computer, and you’ll never be Seth Godin. This is because you’re not Seth. Look to the experts for guidance, not gospel.
There’s a difference between tribe members and cult members. Cult members never question anything and follow advice blindly. They drink the “Kool-aid.” Tribe members support the leaders but are also capable of thinking on their own. They bring new ideas and insights into the tribe.
Hire a Strategist and a Storyteller
The person who wrote the movie script is not responsible for putting together the trailer, spreading the word online, and the driving ticket sales. The job of the screenwriter is to do what he or she does best, write an amazing script. The job of the director is to translate that script into an amazing story. Nobody would call Steven Spielberg and say “hey, do you mind sitting down and analyzing the ROI of our social media efforts on this film?”
Most corporate blogs are awful while many personal blogs (written by us starving artists) are amazing. The solution to this problem is obvious. Marry the two. Hire a strategist and a storyteller. Bring in a seasoned marketer who really gets how to tie social media to an overall marketing strategy. Then hire somebody who understands how to tell a story without making an audience want to gouge their eyes out.
I think that key to getting value from blogs and other social media properties is combining strategy and good storytelling. Right now most organizations are only focused on the strategy, and if they happened to be good at storytelling that’s probably what is setting them apart.
Individuals have a voice like never before and if organizations want to reap the benefits of these voices, then let them tell their stories. Free your story-tellers from the red tape that turns corporate blogs into digital graveyards. If brands can learn to embrace the amazing storytellers on the social web and connect them to an overall marketing strategy, I believe the value of an organization’s social media efforts will increase dramatically.
Agree?
Srinivas Rao writes about the things you should have learned in school, but never did and his the host-co founder of BlogcastFM. You can follow him on twitter @skooloflife
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Grow your company, reputation, customers, impact, profits. Grow yourself. This is a community that will help. It will stretch your mind, connect you to fascinating people, and provide some fun along the way. I am so glad you’re here.
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