Studmuffin Media

Social Media Influence: Have You Got It

Gerry Michaels GettysburgGerry, Social Meida (Studmuffin Media) — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 11:32:29 -0700

Is There Such a Thing

But of Course

Of course there is such a thing, we all influence somebody in our own ways. However this article is more about a culture, how it perceives influence, and most importantly, can that influence be measured correctly, and what weight should be applied to it. The inspiration for this article comes from a wonderful piece by Mark Schaefer “Reflections on social media power and influence”, so first off…thanks Mark, always appreciated that you make me think. I suggest all read Marks article prior to reading here for context.

I’ve Grown Tired

I have to say that the whole influence score debate has become a bit weary, worn out and

Image via CrunchBase Social Media Klout

tattered. This constant discussion surrounding the work of Klout,PeerIndex, and Kred has become, well, in a word…inKredulous. Ah, see what I did there. Seriously, this debate has been going on longer than the Apple/PC debate, and it really doesn’t matter any longer. There are those that approach this debate with the attitude, here is my opinion, you can agree or you are wrong. That coming from both sides, the lovers and the haters. In all honesty, there is a middle ground. As Mr. Schaefer points out the playing field has changed with the introduction of the ability to publish on a broad scale, personal power is no longer for those with pedigree. A lowly serf with a laptop can rise to the social media crème at the top if he/she manages their social presence effectively. While there is bad information, as well as good information to be weaned from a Klout, Kred or PeerIndex score, putting substantial weight on the scores true meaning is, well silly. Influence scores do have value, but beware to overvalue them, and certainly do not use a these scores as your sole source of decision. “Like credit scores, social influence scores are imperfect and not necessarily an indicator of future behavior”.

Don’t Stop the “Noise”

When I made my entrance into the social space, I did so with wide eyes, wanting to learn

A segment of a social media network (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

all I could. What I learned was, like all things in life, with the good comes the bad, and that the social space is not black and white. There most often is some common sense middle ground to be found however. When I approached people with my “newbie” take on how I saw the social space, I was met with quite a bit of nose in the air, silly man your doing it all wrong attitude. I was lectured often about “noise”, and how I should be be careful to not burden the social space with trivial posts, only quality content, do “it” this or that particular way. Instead of listening to the unsolicited advice, I formed my own plan of engagement, (sorry it just slipped out), working more on building relationships, meeting people from all over the country and the world, involving myself in the different social platforms. What became clear over time was this, those “social snobs” as I like to refer to them, many are gone from the space, refusing to be flexible and grow with the change that is social media. Still many others who lectured me about “quality” posts only, are now happily letting me know what lunch consisted of, or what their cat is up to, all extreme quality content, no? Here’s the though, in it’s own way it is. I still follow a lot of those that continued to engage, because along with those posts about Fluffy there are also some extremely creative thoughts and ideas that come shining through. I am interested in their ideas, as well as their lives. When I am with my IRL friends there is no rule, quality conversation only please, that’s a crazy expectation, why, because there is a relationship there. The same applies to the social media space, in the end it all comes down to the relationships. That lies at the center in being happy in the social media space. Plain and simple.

The Gift of +K and the Social Media Hierarchy

What does all this have to do with social influence scores one might ask. Well, here goes.

Vector image of User:BrendelSignature’s breakdown of U.S. classes. I changed a few things to try and make it a bit easier to read. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The social class hierarchy is crumbling down, the social media Berlin wall is coming down, those elitists who follow only those with a certain social influencescore are being drowned out by a large majority who see the social space for what it is, on one hand an enormous and powerful business tool, and on the other, a powerful personal connection machine, BOTH driven by honest and sincere interaction. Many are realizing that those with scores in the 60’s, 70’s, & 80’s wake up every morning, fire up the computer and right click and left click the same as rest of us. Elevated social influence scores happen when you interact consistently, when you care more about your social community more then your personal stats, when you act like a good social media community citizen. It is healthy to have an interest in a good social media influence score, I get it, but it is unhealthy to base your social media worth around it. The Klouts of the world aren’t going anywhere, learn to coexist, they are not the big bad wolf, nor the golden road. I have been known to give the coveted +K for any number of reasons, serious in nature, as well as silly. Seriously, why would I do that if I obviously put little credence on the score itself, because Klout (as well as Kred, PeerIndex) are here to stay, and giving someone a +K is like giving a little gift, a pat on the back, it is a nice thing to do, and it feels good. It helps build relationships, which is what it is all about, if you don’t build those relationships, your not going to go anywhere in the social space…in my humble opinion.

The Real Rules

Pay no mind to the social media snobs out there, if you make an effort to connect and are rejected because you are deemed unworthy of a seat at a particular persons social media table, move on there are literally millions of fun, smart, creative folks out there to connect with. It is about growing those relationships, giving, taking, being a part. Honestly for me, there are only two rules, #1, don’t spam me, I don’t want to be inundated with tweets with links to Uncle Peters Penis Projector Pill, and #2, something for which I am known for repeating often across all social media platforms…be nice or be gone…I have zero tolerance for bullies.

Like Sand Through the Hour Glass

Social Media is an ever changing environment, what was here yesterday, might not be here tomorrow. While I do not agree with all of Mr. Schaefer’s opinions, I agree with a vast majority, it is reality. One thing is sure, while the social space shifts and changes, the pendulum is going to swing over time, but I would bet that the likes of Klout, Kred, and PeerIndex will still play a part in the coming years. Be aware of such things, but don’t get caught up, if Klout says you are influential about grapes, then blog about grape jelly, or better yet…wine.

About the author:...

Gettysburg Gerry is a Social Media Astronaut in the Gettysburg Adams County Pa area, exploring the limitless expanse of the Social Media Universe. He is owner and Principal for the firm Studmuffin Media. Gettysburg Gerry promotes all things Gettysburg, just google Gettysburg Gerry for more info.

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Content, Are You a Creator or a Consumer

Gerry Michaels GettysburgGerry, Social Meida (Studmuffin Media) — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 06:33:07 -0700

Tips for Both…

As with most things there are two sides to every coin, social media and the platforms that

Image via CrunchBaseContent Alerts

surround it are no different. In the social space there to two kinds of people when it comes to content, consumers and creators. Most often the usual arrangement consists of social media professionals on behalf of themselves or on behalf of a client creating content for the consumer. It is always a challenge for those that create to find the content that the consumer is looking for, hence the “listening” and strategy sessions so commonly talked and written about in the social space by social media professionals.

You never know what is going to fly…

I can tell you from personal experience that you never really know what content is going to hit home, what content is going to hit a nerve with that ever so precious target audience. Many a time you find something that you believe is awesome and put it out there for the consumer and nothing….crickets. Then when under the gun, and scrambling to get some content up, you put out something that you feel is clearly not your best work, and whammo….it goes crazy with attention. Many of my fellow social media friends will attest to this I am sure….

Does the consumer know how much work it is to get great relevant content, does the consumer even care? Finding consistently good content takes work, great tools, and patience. It takes time and analytics to understand what your audience is looking for, in the beginning it really is something like putting something up on the wall and seeing what sticks. Of course in a much more precise manner, with a plan for what you think that audience is looking for, but again, you don’t really know for sure. Many times you just have to play it by ear, and go with the trial and error method.

Tips for Creators:

So how, once you know what you want to use to fill the that precious status space where do you get it, well here are some tips.

Pictures: Nothing can grab someone’s attention immediately better than a great photo. Best advice, take your own photos if possible. You don’t have to be a perfect photographer, but if you feel you need some improvement utilize any number of options to improve. Books, magazines, local colleges, local photographers, there are so many options available, you just have to get out that comfort zone and ask for help. I use a high pixel Samsung with wide angle abilities, those pics need to be downloaded so when attending a live event I always have my trusty Galaxy Note Smart phone to take pics for immediate uploading. I like to use teleportme to add 360 degree photos, it is different and always get’s peoples attention.

Videos: Please keep this in mind. You don’t need to be Francis Ford Coppola. I use a

Image via CrunchBase Content Video

Kodak Play Touch, and am happy with the results. I use Windows Movie Maker to edit and add little extras. Works just fine. I also love using Animoto, it is really getting things together and giving us social media folk an awesome tool to create with. I have been with Animoto from the beginning and love where they have taken it. You can also utilize Bambuser or Ustream for live video sharing. I am currently using drones to get aerial videos of events, it is different.

Articles: Okay, there are soooo many resources to find quality content.

Google Alerts: set up an alert to trigger utilizing keywords or phrases.

IFTTT: You can set up just anything in the known universe with this tool.

Flipboard/Zite: I use these from my smartphone all the time. Use it in connection with Hootsuite and you can send relevant content while on the run. Thanks to my buddy Anne Reuss for turning me onto these.

Stumbleupon/Digg: these content curating sites open up a whole world of content possibilities.

Scoop.it: get creative with your content sharing with Scoopit. Great site and oh so easy to navigate.

Bottom line is don’t be afraid to experiment with new things, if it doesn’t work perfectly the first time, give it a few more chances. When my wife and I go out I am usually towing along a complete array of electronic gadgets to get as much content recording of the event as I can.

Tips for Consumers:

The most important thing a consumer can do in relation to content is, if you like the content, share it, comment on it, like it, let the creator know you appreciate their work. It is a nice thing to do. Besides it helps the creator better understand what people want to see, and hear whatever the case may be.

So that do you creators utilize to get your word out, what creative ways do you use to increase awareness, connection?

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Tips on Choosing a Social Media Manager

Gerry Michaels GettysburgGerry, Social Meida (Studmuffin Media) — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 13:52:19 -0800

Thinking about hiring a Social Media manager?

With all the buzz surrounding all things Social Media, it is no wonder there are so many social media “experts” and “guru’s” invading the social media space. For someone like myself who works daily in the social space this is major concern. As I see the numbers of individuals proclaiming themselves “Social Media Managers” I find myself worrying about the small businesses out there who have little experience with social media that are spending hard earned money on what can best be described as “snake oil” salesmen. It just boggles my mind when I look at the social footprint of some of these so called social media ninja’s. With that in mind I thought I might share some tips that business owners can refer to when looking into hiring a social media manager.

> One of the first things to look for is what social media footprint does your candidate have. Are they active in the social space, do they have a presence? I can’t tell you how many times I have seen individuals teaching classes on how to “do” SoMe who have absolutely no presence in the social space. Business owners need to ask themselves, if they can’t build a social media community for themselves, how are they going to build one for my business?

> Are they offering social media “package” deals? One of the biggest red flags is the packaged deal…for $59.99 we will handle all of your social media needs…Package deals often equate to nothing more than bots bothering people in the space with outbound only interaction. Run away, run far away. Building a solid social community takes interaction, with the emphasis being on a two way communication process. If your perspective candidate talks mostly about what they are going to be broadcasting on your behalf, they are in the wrong business, and likely have little actual experience in the social space.

> Are they promising pie in the sky social media immediate results? Another huge red flag. Reference any book, blog site (I recommend Steamfeed.com) authored by in the trenches social media professionals who are doing the job every day and you will see that one of the consistent messages is “patience”. It takes an ample amount of time to build an engaging social media community, anyone who tells you otherwise is “selling” you social media snake oil.

> Read the contract. Especially if you are working with a firm that is online. I once had a client show me a contract for a company that was offering Social Media services for $79 a month. Upon reading the contract fully, it was stated that they “did not reply or respond to any Twitter tweets or Facebook posts”. Really, are you kidding me, that is the whole point entering the social media space, interaction and engagement.

> Are they charging for the initial consultation to evaluate your social space presence? This one is a pet peeve of mine. Why would a competent social media professional charge to do an initial consultation for a potential client? If the initial consultation is costing you, be aware that you aren’t going to be “nickeled and dimed” for add on services. A good social media manager will usually go the extra mile to make sure your SoMe campaign is rocking and rolling. The social media professionals that I am connected with (and there are many) take the job personally, they want to see your success more than their own.

In the end, the message is do your homework, don’t believe everything you hear, ask some questions. Don’t be afraid to spend a little money, a good social media manager will be able to help your business in a variety of ways.

Do you have any secrets that might help others who are thinking about hiring a SoMe manager? Please share.

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The Post Office May be on to Something

Gerry Michaels GettysburgGerry, Social Meida (Studmuffin Media) — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 08:34:31 -0800

Maybe they finally got it right.

But They May have it Backwards

I have been seeing from all the media world that the post office will no longer be delivering mail on Saturdays coming this August. I have seen posts on Facebook, Twitter, Linked In,heard it on the radio, and now just a minute ago on 3 differentTV news reports. We all know the post office has been a completely mismanaged institution since it’s inception in 1775 with Benjamin Franklin as the first postmaster general. The institution has changed over the years, but much like the LIRR it has been a money pit since that first day. In it’s latest move theUSPS is shutting down postal delivery on Saturdays beginning in August of this year. While this move is designed to save money, I think we as a culture have an opportunity to really change our culture as Americans, and put the post office in a positive place.

Hear Me Out

So the post office is shutting down letter delivery for Saturdays, package delivery will remain the same. Before we go too far, let me ask a simple question. When you go to your local post office to pick up your daily dose of mail, or maybe you get your dose delivered straight to your home, free of charge. When you open those gems of information, (bills) do you pay them immediately? I would presume that like myself, many place those bills in a basket or some other caldron to be dealt with later, usually at least a week later or more. After all, most of the important communication that comes your way these days comes via electronic delivery,email, text etc. I cannot tell you the last time that I received a letter, or important business document via “snail mail”.

Does Your Business Operate via the USPO

So how much “business” does your business do via the traditional post office model. Is the post office even necessary anymore. The only thing that really comes through that pipeline in my business is bills, in fact there are two varieties of mail that dominate delivery these days. Advertisements, (junk mail) and bills. As explained in a previous paragraph we all pretty much handle the bills portion the same, but what about the adverts? I am willing to go out on a limb and bet we petty much all deposit those in the same file, the round file next to our desks. Like most my pile is separated right there, advert (trash) or bill (deal with later). So there you have it, either put aside to be dealt with all at once at a later date, and tossed into the burn pile. Neither very necessary.

How About we Reinvent the Wheel

So lets do something crazy, lets rethink the whole operation. I think we are missing a great opportunity to not only make the USPO a profitable operation, relieving the American tax payer of at least one Government program that doesn’t work, but more importantly…a chance to affect our culture in a very positive manner. These days we all talk about finding that balance, balance between the consistent work, work, work, mode that is a requirement for business success in this on demand technology induced society, and the all important family, or me time. There is so much talk in todays business circles about the need to de-stress from the business environment this technology driven world places us. The need is there, and we have an opportunity right in front of us, lets take it….

Stay With Me

Here is the proposal seen through the mind of this social media astronaut and digital junkie. How about we turn the whole thing around. How about the USPO delivers mail ONLY onSaturday, you heard right. Deliver packages Monday thru Friday, but only the mail on Saturdays. Personally, I would love to get my bills delivered all at once as opposed to trickling in little by little all week. The majority of us are doing the same thing with those bills anyway, placing them in a pile to go through and pay on Saturday, the only day we have time to correctly deal with them. Think of the increase in business productivity that can occur when we are focused on making money all week, instead of being constantly reminded that we owe money. Think of the positive mental effective this would have on your personal life as well. Instead of coming home to a pile of daily bills, and a loving family, (that order is very often mis-prioritized). Yes instead, you come home to only a loving family to think about. Think of the positive impact that would have on your productivity as a human being. We are always talking about working smart these days, being productive as opposed to being busy. I know for me, this would increase my productivity in a business sense without a doubt, but more importantly, I know it would increase the quality of my life, what about you?

Crazy, Really What do you Think

So what do you think, think it could work, are you willing to step completely out of the box? We could make this happen, we the people have a lot more influence than you might think. I invite all comments either pro or con, because without the con, we can’t fine tune it and make it happen.

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Social Media Fail: Not Being Social with your own Client

Gerry Michaels GettysburgGerry, Social Meida (Studmuffin Media) — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 13:03:35 -0800

Social Media Fail: Not Being Social with your own Client

Posted on January 10, 2013 by Gerry Michaels

One of the biggest Social Media fails that I see regularly is a social media manager not being “social” with the very client he/she is working with. In almost all of my initialmeetings with perspective clients I hear about the SoMe manager that is employed currently who does little more than send a bill each month. I spoke with one business owner who shared that they had not heard from their SoMe manager in over 6 months. If that were not bad enough, it took that individual over a week to respond to a request for content to be shared on the different sites. To that I can only say run, run fast and hard away from that firm.

For the life of me I cannot figure out why someone would get into the Social Media business and NOT be social with the very people they are representing in the social space.

What do I mean by being Social with clients.

Funny Drivers No Texting, No Talking Sign (Photo credits: www.smartsign.com)

I mean just what it suggests. If you have not a had some sort of communication, phone call, meeting, digital meeting, face to face….something in over a month I believe you are doing your client a disservice. Don’t we all preach that Social is best served with a healthy helping of “taking the connection deeper”? So why would you not apply that to your clients. Often I will drop a call on a client just to “touch bases”, invariably I learn some valuable piece of information during the conversation which in turn helps me to serve that client more efficiently. Besides, I actually like my clients, their success is my success, and tackling a challenge or campaign together is rewarding. The bottom line is this…if we work together and succeed, it is a win-win. Mind you I am not suggesting that you become social circle buddies, but you have to communicate.

What if schedules are an issue.

Lets take a look at the many ways in which technology gives us no excuses.

> Cell phone, everyone has one, everyone is available

> Face to face, if you are in the same geographic area, there is no better communication method then face to face

> Texting, while not the optimal choice for business communication, it is an option

> Skype, a great solution for the long distance client. Technology has made the world smaller and doing business over long distances is pretty much a norm these days.

> Google Plus hangouts, an outstanding option for a small business meeting. The video and audio technology end of the hangout is awesome.

> Email, many of you that read my blog regularly know I am not a fan of the monthly client report with arrows, pie charts etc. However that does mean that I do not share analytic’s with my clients. I, like all good SoMe managers are constantly checking performance metrics, and it is great to share trending success. I also share the bad news as well, it is all value based information that will only assist us in our goals.

However you accomplish your communication goals, make sure you make the effort to be a resource for your clients. Take the time to go the extra mile and listen to what they issues they are seeing from their end. Working together is a much more effective practice…

What communication tools do find effective when communicating with clients?

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What can a TV Show About India Teach Us about Social Media

Gerry Michaels GettysburgGerry, Social Meida (Studmuffin Media) — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 16:03:13 -0800

Social Media, what does a TV show about Indiahave to do with social media? If you are like me, going into it I didn’t think anything, but was I ever wrong. This morning much like a lot of Sunday mornings in the fall, my wife and I start the day slowly with a cup of coffee, the Sunday paper etc. Old school, no social media involved. This morning we were watching a show about India, a cable show with a gentleman that travels the county looking for the missed paths that many overlook when traveling. You know those interesting sights, and people who are only found when traveling the path least taken.

Many people in India are very “connected” within the social media world, but this is post not about social media sites and Indian interaction. This post is about how in a country of close to 1.3 billion people, it is possible to stand out from the crowd, a lofty challenge to say the least. Something that social media managers, community builders face on a daily basis. Think about it, social media giant Facebook is talking about reaching 1 billion active users, yet that is a drop in the bucket compared to the population of India. How many blogs have you read with social media instructions and tips about how to stand out in the Facebook crowd. How about standing out in the crowd period in a population that is soon to be the largest in the world. Is it possible to understand what it means to be an individual in such circumstances?

This particular episode followed the story of a doctor who worked with people to show

India At Its Best (Photo credit: the opoponax)

them the importance of being good at something, anything, to create a sense of individualism. A common goal in a social media sense. The value was in the knowledge that you were exceptional at something, you were a unique individual. It was on such a primal level, so amazing how he worked with people to hone their Frisbee throwing skills, or jumping rope as one guy showed. What was interesting was how many people were there to share in the joy of a particular accomplishment. They appreciated the effort and more importantly the “reason” for the effort on clearly a whole different level. The doctor spoke about the importance of being an individual in such a crowed playing field (country) such as India. The piece went on to show an artist that did his paintings with the brush in his rolled up tongue. When questioned about why he approached his art so differently, he explained that creating in this way let him stand out from all the other artists. As things progressed it became so obvious that this was something very important in Indian life.

That really got me thinking about what we as social media managers and digital community builders are tasked with. Many times we are faced with the issue of taking a business that is just another business in a large sea of comparable businesses, and make them stand out. How do we make what they do, and how they do it, different? I can say that myself, I will be thinking not only out of the box, but also within the box more often. All too often I think we tend to overlook the fact that the pure nature of doing something, anything, no matter how small, just doing it “well” really matters. How can we utilize that 140 character Tweet to make an impact? It is important to take the time to look past the big ROI numbers, and maybe focus on just one life, one moment that whatever it is that “we” do, made a difference and celebrate that moment, and it’s impact, together….

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Is Social Media the Kerosene of our Times

Gerry Michaels GettysburgGerry, Social Meida (Studmuffin Media) — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 02:43:35 -0800

Is Social Media the kerosene of our times? The other evening I was watching a show on the history channel about “The Men Who Built America” and it was interesting to learn the role that Kerosene played in the building of this country. I was unaware how much change took place from just one product. One product changed the way that our entire country went about it’s business. It has affected how we all live our lives. Why, it made night-time business possible.

NIGHT-TIME BUSINESS

Contrary to popular belief, social media is not where the 24/7 business concept began. Up until the discovery of oil, and then the production of Kerosene (kerosene

Kerosene Lamp (Photo credit: Krebs’ Class)

is highly refined oil) all business and daily life for that matter, was done in the daylight hours only. When the sun went down, that was pretty much the end of the story for pretty much all functions in the daily routine. Candles were the only form of night-time light before that. Think about that, with the addition of kerosene in everydayAmerican life we could now conduct business in a much more efficient and productive manner. Business could now be done almost 24/7…sound familiar? Isn’t that exactly what we are saying today about social media and the advances in thetechnological field?

BUSINESS 24/7

Today I hear business people talk all the time about how with the advent of social media they can run and conduct their

Galaxy Note paired w/Freedom Pro Keyboard

business almost 24/7 if they so choose. With the introduction of social media and it’s utilization of technology, the face of business has changed. In fact I am typing this blog on a mini fold out keyboard (Freedom Pro), utilizing my Samsung Galaxy Note smartphone, using Evernoteto capture the text. Evernote lets me input text and it is available to me on any of my devices from my desktop, to my tablet, and even my smartphone. In all actuality I carry my office in my pocket, I can conduct business from just about anywhere, not just have access, but accomplish almost anything I can attempt in an office, on devices that fit into my pocket. Pretty amazing when you think about it.

IN RETROSPECT

In retrospect, it really all started with kerosene, not technology, or social media. Those things merely enhanced the business 24/7 idea. The actual fact is that doing business round the clock began long before the 2000′s and social media. We are merely
building on the work around the clock concept, pushing the limit to the next level. With that in mind, it makes me wonder what is on the horizon, where are we going to take this business around the clock concept? How far can social media and technology change our business landscape?

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Social Media Tools To Help You Succeed

Gerry Michaels GettysburgGerry, Social Meida (Studmuffin Media) — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 15:55:30 -0700

Social Media is a tough, time consuming business. I know many people think thatsocial media managers and community builders spend their time playing angry birds and words with friends. The reality is however that the majority spend an immense amount of time in “front of the monitors” so to speak. Some common traits among those in the social media industry is a intense addiction to coffee, lack of sleep, and a friend community that spans oceans, continents etc. Any tools that can help make the job more effective and or more fun is always welcomed. Today I wanted to introduce you to 5 tools that I use personally that enhance my social media activities. Tools that I have found to be helpful in achieving my clients desired results, as well as goals that I have placed on my own social media presence.

Before we take a look at any of these social media tools, let me first say that the most important thing with these and any social media platform is setting up your bio and all fields in the “profile” section in the platform. I cannot stress enough the importance of setting up that profile correctly AND completely. That being said….

Lets take a look:

LinkedIn:

I know that many of you who are familiar with social media have heard of LinkedIn, and still many more probably have a

Image via CrunchBase

LinkedIn profile. What I am talking about is utilizing that account to maximize your social media experience. It is a must in the social media space. First off as I mentioned set up that profile, and keep it updated as things in your career change. Keep in mind that LinkedIn is the largest professional network out there, over 175 million users. HR managers use LinkedIn extensively when hiring, and having a complete and up to date profile is what they are seeing first. By utilizing LI you will be able to establish yourself as a professional in your field, social media or not. As with any other platform, you need to stay on it, keep it updated, and yes, work it! Personally I didn’t utilize LI for some time after setting up a profile, however my Twitter friend Steve Cassady who hosts a wonderful Twitter chat Tuesdays at 8pm dedicated to LI, helped me change that situation. If you want to learn to enhance your LI account, join in to LinkedInchat and learn from some of the best folks in the Twitter/social media community.

List.ly:

Listly is an incredible social media tool that is essential for bloggers, whats that your not blogging, better start is all I have to say. That is another blog however, so lets get back to listly and what it can do for your social media experience. On the surface Listly is a way to create and share lists. Lists that can be easily placed into blogs, websites etc. They have aWordPress plug in that I utilize, I absolutely love listly. What I think is most interesting is that you can create lists that others can add to. So think about that for a moment, when you create a post, it lives it’s lifespan fairly quickly and eventually falls off the social media landscape. A list that others can contribute to lives on and on, it never really falls off, and continually grows. That is awesome, and a cool social media assest. People love lists because two thing happen when someone reads a list. 1) they know something on the list, and you feel good knowing that they knew the info presented on the list, and 2) they learn something they didn’t know. Both very positive and healthy experiences. I cannot urge you enough to get on over to Listly and of course get that profile filled out correctly and completely.

Pinterest:

Before I say anything else let me say, NO Pinterest is not just for women. There is a good reason Pinterest is the fastest growing social platform in the social media space. I can say personally Pinterest has helped me get traction with accounts that I was previously having trouble getting started. When something gets “pinned” to a particular board, there is almost always an immediate response. Pinterest allows you to complete a number of different things, wedding planning, selling widgets, planning a vacation, you name it. Real Estate agents can really utilize Pinterest as can just about any other industry. The fun part, you don’t have to own a company or use Pinterest for solely business use. However, be warned, it is addicting, very addicting! For info and ways to better utilize Pinterest be sure and join another of my Twitter buds Kelly Lieberman on Wed evenings at 9pm in Pinchat. A great chat to join, with some of the best that social media has to offer.

Scoop.it :

Haven’t heard about Scoopit, you need to check it out. Scoopit is a great way to curate

Scoopit View Interface (Photo credit: puptoes74)

quality content for social media sharing. In short Scoopit is a wonderful publishing platform. I honestly do not use Scoopit enough, I really need to get it on my calendar and get to using more often. The name itself explains the platform, content is “scooped” from the internet by topic and put into a centralized place. Any topic is open game. Scoopit integrates well with other social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Tumblr at this point, and seeing it’s success I would not be surprised if that number of social media platforms is not larger as of this writing. Scoopit is easy, fun and highly effective. Definitely worth checking out and utilizing.

Chill:

Chill is one of the best places for people to discover and share video content.Social media is becoming more and more video based. Chill is great because it is compatible with Youtube,Vimeo, Hulu, Livestream, Ustream and Justin.tv to name just a few. I like Chill because it is a central place that a large variety of video content is available. I personally use Chill regularly for my social media content. You can search by topic, and come across an incredible collection of video content. People can also suggest video that you may like on the platform. I head to Chill before I go elsewhere for video content.

These social media sites all have a free option and can be utilized quickly, easily, and are all stable platforms. Anybody who follows my blog knows that I love to look for that quirky, not the next big deal social media site on the internet. There are so many different platforms available these days that it is hard to distinguish which are worth it and which are not. I believe these 5 are effective and worth the effort.

About Gerry Michaels

Principal at @studmuffinmedia, I am no different than you, no better/worse. I'm an astronaut exploring this social media space.FB as well http://goo.gl/wOuGC Gettysburg Pa · http://gettysburggerry.com

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Is Social Media & Technology Scaring You?

Gerry Michaels GettysburgGerry, Social Meida (Studmuffin Media) — Thu, 17 May 2012 04:17:02 -0700

This morning I gave a presentation to a local community organization, the group consisted

Skype-Call (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

of people of all age groups, backgrounds and business orientations. The topic was what I always talk about anymore,Social Media. I went through my presentation and could see some faces smiling, some looking confused, and some kinda lost, pretty much the usual. What stuck me most was a retired couple that approached me afterward. While the gentleman was excitedly telling me about the technology that was available in “his day”, the wife immediately said, “wow, you scared the heck out me!” She was serious, very serious! It was, in the end a perfect ice breaker to the start of a wonderful conversation about the breakneck speed at which SoMe is changing. That woman’s fear became very apparent to me when I was discussing how they might want to try and use Skype to keep up with kids and grandkids, while the husband was intrigued, the wife immediately dismissed it, for no real reason other then the fear of the technology. I have given many presentations about SoMe and have encountered many folks who displayed an uneasy feeling towards where and how the world of communication is evolving, but I was not prepared for this woman’s out and out fear.

During one part of my presentation I tell a story about a conversation that I had a while

Foursquare (Photo credit: Sean MacEntee)

back with a Sci Fi author friend of mine, Thaddeus Howze. Thaddeus and I often discuss where SoMe is headed, and it’s relationship to what we as children remember as Sci Fi. Recently we discussed the advent of Social Discovery, a direction that SoMe is taking combining sites like coupon sites such as Groupon with Geo location sites likeFoursquare, as well as the ability of apps like Google walletinteracting with our purchase information, and where we physically are or might be headed. It works along these lines, say you are in the vicinity of a McDonalds and your phone knows that you buy a weekly 2 cheeseburger meal deal. A message pops up on your smartphone and asks if you are interested in purchasing a meal deal at the upcoming McD’s. You hit “Yes“, the money comes out of your account, the McD’s is sent the order, you just drive thru and pick it up…simple as that.

I find the concept interesting, and quite “cool” if you will, Thaddeus on the other hand is greatly concerned about the amount of control the devices have on our everyday lives. Not time spent manipulating a particular device mind you, but device control of information. A valid and interesting thought. Machines communicating with machines without any human interaction. An interesting approach that doesn’t necessarily scare me, but it certainly has my attention.

So I ask my question again, is the path that SoMe is so swiftly going down scary to you?

Social Media’s Impact on Internal Communications Management (radian6.com)
A healthy look at social media (jflahiff.wordpress.com)

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WHATEVER IS WORKING FOR YOU!!

Gerry Michaels GettysburgGerry, Social Meida (Studmuffin Media) — Thu, 10 May 2012 03:43:32 -0700

Yet again another social media “guru” feels the need to tell us all how “not” to engage in

new guru (Photo credit: Bopuc)

social media, their way is the correct way to engage and manage YOUR social media. Okay folks lets get this straight, anybody who calls themself a “guru” or “expert” in the social media space immediately identifies themselves as anything but. Social media is not a “my way or the highway” proposition. Let me tell you what works in social media….WHATEVER IS WORKING FOR YOU!!!

Time and time again I hear so called social media experts telling people how to manage their social media applications, time, and a whole closet full of other social media tasks and behaviors. The only real rules to interacting in the social space is common courtesy, respect, and engagement. When you attend a presentation from someone in the social media field you should walk away with idea’s, excitement and enthusiasm, not do’s and don’ts. If you are doing something that is providing you positive results, don’t stop doing it because so and so social media guru tells you it is not “the” way to do it. It may not be the way THEY do it, but it is working for YOU, so keep doing it!

Let’s take a look at some oddities in the social media space.

How is it that some so called social media “experts” can include in their presentations

a entire section about being social, getting out there and interacting, yet deliver that information in a downright nasty manner. Being nasty and confrontational is not the way to engage me, when someone approaches me IRL(in real life) with a nasty and confrontational attitude I remove them from my “engage further” list. Why just because someone has 100,000 followers on twitter/FB or whatever would I change my social interaction expectations? If you feel the need to be a jerk and confrontational, I don’t want to hear from you…period. I don’t care how big your SoMe community is.

Which brings me to my next SoME oddity. I constantly hear from people that the

Social Media Related Events Icons (Photo credit: ralphpaglia)

number of followers/friends one has in their community is not important, it is the engagement that matters, (I do agree with that). Why then when someone with a large following spouts out some nonsense do those same people take that statement for SoMe gospel? Well so and so says that is how it is done and he/she has a huge following so it MUST be the way. I thought size didn’t matter….(you ladies stay step away from that statement).

Look folks, there is a reason some people have a large following, usually because they have good stuff to say, but by all means do not approach your SoMe interaction with any rules or stay within the lines mumbo jumbo. If you have found something that works with your SoMe community and is giving you positive results, then by all means, keep doing it. WHATEVER IS WORKING FOR YOU! That is what you should be doing. Yes, attend events that feature speakers, but be inspired by them, not scolded. A good social media speaker should be inspiring you to find your own voice, experiment with things in YOUR way, find what works for you.

Okay, stepping down from the soapbox…

Gettysburg Gerry

Gettysburg Gerry is principal for Studmuffin Media and can be reached at Studmuffinmedia@gmail.com

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Pinterest should be shot, shot and shot some more...

Gerry Michaels GettysburgGerry, Social Meida (Studmuffin Media) — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 13:10:40 -0700

and if you have time, shot some more. This week has seen Pinterest under the microscope on a large-scale as well as a local scale here in South Central Pa. I was at a few different social media gatherings, both as an organized event, and a smalldiscussion group with local social media friends. One of the comments that has had my mind going was mentioned in a small group discussion. The statement, “businesses should be careful because Pinterest is not for all businesses” was made by someone and I immediately agreed with the statement, however over some time I have had the opportunity to think further about that. Instead of approaching it like, what business would it be good for, I approached it as, what business would it not work.

Now let’s agree that there are some businesses that Pinterest is a natural fit for, such as cooking, food, style, fashion, jewelry, and the like clearly are a custom fit. So I began to approach from a different angle, what about say drywall installers, well boards about different types of dry wall, best way to paint the different types, how to’s on tricks and tips, and so on. Maybe, heart surgery, surely that would not be a good fit, but then I thought, causes of heart disease, what to expect when going into a heart surgery situation, what about healthy diet to keep your heart working well after surgery, scar reducing techniques, etc etc. Alright, a mortician, nah, floral arrangements, different caskets, grief counseling, and so on and so on. Plumbing, nope works there, auto mechanic, nope, Police, nope works there too.

I have to say that over the last few days, I have not been able to come up with a single

Pinterest (Photo credit: stevegarfield)

business application for Pinterest that did not work. You really can apply and utilize for anything. I have come to the conclusion that if your Social Media manager or ad people tell you that Pinterest doesn’t apply for your business, they are either not thinking out of the box, or they just don’t like Pinterest. I guess there is good reason that Pinterest is growing at such a rapid rate, I know I like it, and I know there are just limitless applications.

I would imagine that there is a business or two out there that Pinterest is not a good fit for, but I have yet to come across it….Happy Pinning

How does Pinterest work for you? (sillyfrogsusan.wordpress.com)
Distilled Marketing: The Kotex Pinterest Campaign(stringingwordstogether.wordpress.com)
Getting Creative With Pinterest (smallbizlabs.com)
The 10 Most-Followed Men on Pinterest (mashable.com)

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The Social Studmuffin scores a hit.

Gerry Michaels GettysburgGerry, Social Meida (Studmuffin Media) — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 12:22:16 -0700

Posted on March 23, 2012

Image via CrunchBase

This weeks episode of The Social Studmuffin was by far one of the best shows I have ever done. My guest Margie Analise absolutely rocked it. “Big picture thinking & strategies for womenentrepreneurs who want it all.” This woman is amazing and powerful, if you are a woman entrepreneur and want to take your business and your life to next level, you need to follow Margie’s blog and follow along with her success.

I am so lucky to be able to have guests as wonderful as Margie, as well as a co host as learned as JK. This show is really getting it’s legs and I see lots of great things on the horizon. Listen in, enjoy and don’t be a stranger, come back again.

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The Social Studmuffin First Show was First Rate(thesocialstudmuffin.posterous.com)
The Studmuffin Makes the List…ly (studmuffinmedia.wordpress.com)
Interested in Pinterest…Listen In (studmuffinmedia.wordpress.com)

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Twitter Chats - Knowledge @ 140 Characters

Gerry Michaels GettysburgGerry, Social Meida (Studmuffin Media) — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 06:48:10 -0700

Anybody that knows me, knows I am a twitter chat junkie, yeah I like a Facebook group, maybe a LinkedIn discussion, or even a G+ hangout, but for my money, the Twitter chat is one of the most versatile, information tools at our disposal. For those not familiar, a Twitter chat is a block of time dedicated to a particular subject. The attendees can follow along and clean out the twitter stream with use of a hashtag (#). Anybody participating in the chat places the chat name with a # before or after, example #blogchat. Many apps such as Hootsuite or Tweetcaster allow to isolate the hashtaged phrase so that following the chat is much easier.

What is amazing about twitter chats is how many of them there are, everything from blog writing, to cooking, to how to better get a job, to sci fi writing. If you can think of it, there is most likely a chat for it. The wealth of knowledge encased in the world wide twitter community gives participants a knowledge base second to none. Participants include everyone from CEO’s, to people brand new, to people just a casual interest. Chats are a great opportunity for networking, I have been referred to some wonderful clients from connections I have made in a twitter chat. That’s networking!

Chats are usually a weekly thing, with many returning participants. In fact I have been contacted by twitter friends when missing a chat that I am a “regular” with, just to be sure everything is okay. There is most often a guest, someone who can offer a wealth of knowledge in the particular chat subject matter. The guest is guided through a set of questions by a moderator and the ensuing discussion never disappoints. If you are looking to increase your knowledge of just about any subject in the world, try joining a twitter chat. You will be glad you did.

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Your Most Powerful Social Media Tool

Gerry Michaels GettysburgGerry, Social Meida (Studmuffin Media) — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 06:25:32 -0800

All too often in Twitter chats, LinkedIn discussions, Facebook groups, etc the subject of social mediatools comes up. It is a broad subject which usually brings a myriad of

Image via Wikipedia

different answers. There are many different wonderful tools to assist and enhance one’s social media experience, whether it be on a personal or professional level.

For me however, the one answer that stands out above all the best tools, apps, and software is an age old one. The most important in one’s social media tool kit is one that we were taught as young boys and girls by mom’s and dad’s all over the world. It is really a simple one at that, manners. Yes, manners! If you are looking to build a healthy interactive community whether for a business or an individual it is essential that approach the social media with courtesy and respect for others in the space.

Making friends and building a social media community is no different from approaching the same exercise in the IRL world, (In Real Life). Remember those rules we learned as youngsters, treat others how you would like to be treated, and, you attract more flies with honey, and apply them in the social media space.

I have built a wonderful, interactive, caring, community of some of the smartest, nicest, helpful people in the social media arena. I consider each one a true friend and colleague. We go through the same challenges day in and day out as I do with my off line friends. We respect each other, and are there to support each other through the good and bad. There is most definitely a mutual respect, and that my friends is your most powerful social media tool.

Maximizing Networks – Deon Gordon Discusses the Power of Social Media in the Entrepreneurial Journey (TrendHunter.com) (trendhunter.com)
Social Media in the Community College Classroom: Why go Social?(carolhbates.com)
Be social: How to prevent social media issues arising – part one(marketing.yell.com)
Is Social Media A Strategy or A Tactic? (bloombergmarketing.blogs.com)

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The Studmuffin Makes the List...ly

Gerry Michaels GettysburgGerry, Social Meida (Studmuffin Media) — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 08:46:09 -0800

A few days ago I had the pleasure of interviewing Nick Kellet, Co Founder of List.ly on The Social Studmuffin radio show.

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For those that are unfamiliar withList.ly, let me give you some background. List.ly is based on the concept that lists = life, think about it, most of us are born into this life with a name that was…..gotten from a list of names. Our lives are so interconnected and based so often on a list of one type or another that it is hard to get away from the concept.

We list our dreams, we list our goals, we plan with lists, we make decisions based on a pro/con list, heck we even make abucket list of things to do before we die. The simple act of reading a list does two powerful things to those reading it, 1, it validates that we are intelligent by the items on the list that we know, and, 2, in the items that we didn’t know, we learn something new. Both experiences are pleasant and validating for us humans. So, the attraction and familiarity with lists is a natural one.

The Social Media and business power of a list is well, limitless. Think about it, top ten Restaurants, attractions, places to stay, people, things to do, lotions that I sell, top shoe companies….do I need to go further? What makes List.ly so powerful is that people are invited to vote on items within the list, it also gives the list creator the option to allow people to add to the list. Let me say that again, people visiting your list, are invited to add to and become a part of the list. What does that mean you ask, think about it, you are creating something that can become a continually growing thing, the list is no longer static, it doesn’t stop growing the moment it is posted, it can grow with visitor participation. That is some powerful magumbo…..

Talking with Nick I realized I was exposed to how powerful the world of lists can be, and how using List.ly can greatly enhance my communities experience on my social sites, as well as my website. I will be doing much more listing in the future, and I encourage all of you to do the same.

Happy Listing….

Who Is On Your Human Bucket List? (personalbrandingblog.com)
I Just Did It (futurefocused.wordpress.com)

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Are You in This Video?

Gerry Michaels GettysburgGerry, Social Meida (Studmuffin Media) — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 10:42:58 -0800

I did this video back in Dec of 2010, what a difference some time makes. The pic of Irene Kennedy and Santa really got to me. Thought I would share and remind all of my AR friends and family that you all still mean the world to me.....Enjoy

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The Power of the Twitter Hashtag

Gerry Michaels GettysburgGerry, Social Meida (Studmuffin Media) — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 09:26:03 -0800

The Power of the Twitter Hashtag

Posted on February 24, 2012

In my everyday work pattern I touch bases with a number of social media sites, among

Image via CrunchBase

them, are Twitter, Facebook, G+, and Linkedin. Although my day usually has me on many different sites I definitely spend the bulk of my time onTwitter. Twitter offers something that the other sites do not in that it is fast paced, and the information flows very quickly. Through the use ofhashtags (#) the information can be narrowed down to specific categories.

What is interesting is that the # was created organically by Twitter users themselves. Used before relevent keywords in a tweet, the hashtag singles the word out for easier searches

The famous Twitter "Fail Whale"

of that category. Clicking on a hashtag in a tweet displays only tweets with that hashtag in your stream. Many times in very popular situation those hashtags become trending topics within the twitter communication stream. Think along the lines of Tim Tebow after the Broncos beat the Steelers in the playoffs. Mr.Tebow nearly shut down the Twitter servers that afternoon.

The # in reality is merely an organizational tool used by Twitter followers. It very useful when tweeting about a conference for example. Many times people who cannot physically attend a conference can gather information and follow along via hashtags from tweets from those at the conference. The non attending person can search the subject via the # and follow the action live from there. There are many tools out there to help you organize and follow hashtags such Hootsuite, Tweetdeck or Tweetcaster. More on those tools in a later blog.

Using hashtags is easy and you will catch on pretty quick if you jump in and start using them. However, be cautioned that it is not recommended that you overuse hashtags. That is considered spam, and very heavily looked down upon in the twitter social media space. It is recommended that you use no more than three hashtags per tweet. Twitter is an awesome tool, and the hashtag only enhances the experience.

An example of a tweet containing a hashtag “My family and I just got back from a vaca to #Gettysburg.” The subject being highlighted is clearly Gettysburg Pa.

My advice, as always, get out there and join in that social media community. It’s where the people are…..

Hashtags for the Publishing Industry (aplaceforwriters.wordpress.com)
Twitter Hashtags – What & How (mjmonaghan.com)
Twitter Hashtags for Writers (saratoolemiller.wordpress.com)
Twitter Hashtag for Researchers Made (webpronews.com)

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A Beer Lovers Paradise in Lancaster Pa

Gerry Michaels GettysburgGerry, Social Meida (Studmuffin Media) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 05:42:09 -0800

This past weekend was a special one for Gettysburg Gerry. While we have a wonderful craft

Spring House Brew House

brewery in the Appalachian Brewing Company right here in Gettysburg, I occasionally get out to Lancaster for the weekend and am able to enjoy two gems in that area. Well actually three, as many of you who know me know that I love the productions at the Fulton Theater, and this month was no disappointment. However this post is about the other things that we get to experience in Lancaster Pa.

One of the best parts of living in Pa is the fact that there are more micro breweries in this state then any other, and there is nothing this old man loves more than a well made craft brew. My bride of 34 years and I have a routine when we arrive for our weekend getaway. First stop is always the Lancaster Central Mkt, the most delicious, delectable goodies can be found there. Fresh produce, meats, cheese’s, flowers, seafood, coffee, herbs, you name it, and all of it the highest quality. That place is just a joy to grab a coffee and wander, and enjoy the array of offerings.

Next stop is lunch at the Spring House Brewery Taproom right next door. The Taproom has a wonderful menu of well made items, all with the freshest and finest ingredients. There is always a lively, friendly crowd on hand, and the beer selection is awesome. While my bride enjoyed the 7 Gates Pale Ale, I made my way from the Peanut Butter Choc Stout to the, cask Keplunk Stout. Talk about heaven, truly a craft brew lovers paradise.

Next stop, the Cork Factory Hotel, which is another gem in the area, when you stop in, be sure

Lancaster Brewing Co

and say hi to Ron & Matt in one of the most beautiful, and well stocked bars in Lancaster. After a quick hello it is down the street to the Lancaster Brewery Cofor some outstanding food and beer this side of the pond. I have never had a beer there I didn’t care for, but I can never leave before enjoying one of the best Milk Stouts in the business. One of the smoothest, creamiest, stouts around. The food doesn’t disappoint either, the lamb burger, fish & chips, and pizza’s are among our favorites.

Brew masters Bill Moore (LBC) and Matt Keasey (SHB) are truly masters in their craft,

New Growler for the collection

and I get to enjoy the fruits of their labor. Lancaster is a wonderful place to spend a few days, and these two establishments are examples of why.

Spirits of Gettysburg Gerry-The Virtual Pub (kybo43-iggt.posterous.com)
Ballard’s booming beer business (myballard.com)

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There is no Magic Social Media Pill

Gerry Michaels GettysburgGerry, Social Meida (Studmuffin Media) — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 14:56:48 -0800

One of the hardest things for businesses that are new to social mediato understand is that

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there is no magic pill. As with any social venture, things take time. I often get clients that don’t understand that even though it has been a month, they still don’t 2,000 followers or friends. Just like blogging, social media takes consistency, quality content, and time to be successful. This is precisely why I require a 6 month commitment.

I think having a human handle your account is a very important aspect of any social media campaign. What many don’t stop to think about is that social media starts with the SOCIAL. You cannot have a social media presence if you are not being social. So what does being social mean, it means retweets, thanks for mentions, interacting, being a trusted member of your online community. Sharing idea’s, successes, failures and helping each other.

As with any social encounter, time is a main ingredient. When you attend a businessnetworking event you don’t gauge the events success by how many sales you made during it, you understand that the reason for networking is to build relationships. It’s the same thing with social media, just in an online space. When attending online conferences with other social media managers there is always discussion about manners, do’s and don’ts, and how social media is no different from face to face behavior standards.

The magic pill of social media is getting in the race, if you are not in the race, you are on the

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sidelines with all your potential clients watching your competition running down the track. You need to get in the race, but you also need to understand that a social media campaign is not a sprint, it is a marathon, that requires time, endurance, and consistency.

If you’re looking to start a social media campaign please feel free to contactStudmuffinMedia.

We can give details on how we can help you create a positive social media presence. We have the tools, passion, and we are humans….

Social Media Shorts: Just Do It (literarygadabout.wordpress.com)
Does social media just mean Facebook and Twitter? (marketing.yell.com)
Social media & social business in small enterprises [Mike Morrison] (ecademy.com)
Be social: Why does your business need social media? (marketing.yell.com)

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My Most Powerful Success Tool

Gerry Michaels GettysburgGerry, Social Meida (Studmuffin Media) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 09:12:30 -0800

Wanna succeed in whatever endeavor you are pursuing? Let me let you in on one of my personal success tools. I watch this video each and every morning. Puts everything into perspective right off the bat.

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Blogger, Writer, Author - Which One are You

Gerry Michaels GettysburgGerry, Social Meida (Studmuffin Media) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 18:53:57 -0800

The question is, are you any of the three, or areyou all three, or maybe your just one or

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two. Recently a friend wrote a post blog post about the world of blogging andwriting. My question to him was, does being a blogger automatically make youwriter, does being a writer mean you are an author? His response was a good one and pretty much to the point, which I have no argument with, however I feel the topic is worthy of further discussion.

Let me start with my own history, I am a blogger first, and foremost, personally I do not believe that makes me a writer, I have over a thousand blogs in my portfolio of writing, but I don’t think by any stretch of the imagination that I am a writer, and certainly not an author. In my humble opinion I believe that with each step comes a certain amount of responsibility to ones audience, as well the craft or art if you will.

Lets take a look at all three individually:

Bloggers, how many are there now, just about every body and their brother claims to be a blogger these days, sitting down and putting pen to paper so to speak does in fact make one a blogger, whether that you makes one a good blogger, or a well read blogger is another story. I think blogging is the first stage in the “writing” world, it is where most today get there taste for putting thoughts into words. I have read some awesome blogs by wonderful writers, however I have read some poorly written blogs as well. Good or bad it doesn’t change the fact that one is blogging.

Writer:

I think being a writer is a whole next step in the process, in time a good blogger becomes a writer simply by the act of continuing to express thoughts through words. As with most things, when one continues they want to, and seek out ways to improve what they are doing. Blogging is no different. Again, being a writer does not default you into a good writer, there are some great writers putting out some awesome material and then there are writers that will just never hone the craft.

Lastly, lets talk about being an Author:

When talking about being an author it takes on a whole different context. Author infers that your work has been published, whether it be an article in a local mag, newspaper, or a whole book, being published simply puts you in a different space than the other two categories. Those that have been through the process of getting ones work published knows the ordeal that encompasses.

So where do you place yourself, what are your thoughts about whether you are a blogger, writer, or author? I think wherever you place yourself in the mix, you should keep going, keep learning, look for that voice inside you that you are working to get out. If it wasn’t there you wouldn’t be writing in the first place. Go with it…

Why I Blog: Seven Reasons (kateschannel.wordpress.com)
Ten things I`ve learnt from being a WordPress blogger (karenslatte.wordpress.com)
3 Things That Some News Bloggers Never Learned In Journalism School(blogherald.com)
“You Like Me, You Really Like Me!” (ajrokin.wordpress.com)
Writer, Professional, Good (cynthiaswanson.wordpress.com)

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This Weeks Episode of The Social Studmuffin

Gerry Michaels GettysburgGerry, Social Meida (Studmuffin Media) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:20:53 -0800

This weeks episode of The Social Studmuffin featured our very own Marilyn Boudreaux from Lake Charles, La talks about integrating social media tools into your Real Estate arsenal. Then my half time co-host JK and I discuss what the effect the new wave of visual communications sites like Pinterest have on the future of blogging. Feel free to join us live Tuesdays at 4pm EST or catch the archive episode on blogtalkradio or itunes. Connect, engage & enjoy....

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My First Thought, How Boring

Gerry Michaels GettysburgGerry, Social Meida (Studmuffin Media) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:46:21 -0800

This morning I was reading a post that came through on my Active Rain Daily Drop, a daily

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distribution of some of the best blogs in the world of real estate, from some of the best blog writers in the country. Active Rain is a gathering place for some of the best and most forward thinking people in the business world. Real estate brokers, and agents, home inspectors and staggers. Mortgage professionals, social media astronauts, advertising guru's, you name it. They hang their hats on the AR hook. The daily drop collects some of the best of the day and puts them out for all" Rainers" to see.

This morning I came across a blog by Paula Hathaway, Senior VP, LBA with Prudential Douglas Elliman Real Estate in South Hampton, NY. Nice post, well written and engaging. Paula talks about the constant challenge of being able to "keep up" with all the social media and technology necessary for business in today's fast paced world. As soon as I read the words "keep up" I thought, how boring, and immediately realized that I was in the right place in my business world.

Being a social media manager takes an awful lot of time finding and working with hundreds of different apps, platforms, and programs. I don't ever want to be caught up with technology, that would mean nothing new is coming out, nothing is advancing. I get invited to many beta groups, working with developers and engineers "playing" with their "babies". Just this week alone I accepted 3 beta invites, and that is just a drop in the bucket. The majority of the things I work with end up not "catching on", but hey, the bright spot is that people are trying to get to the next level, push the technology space even further. Think of how boring it would be if we all of a sudden decided we had enough of everything and all development of new technologies stopped, how boring.

So I say thanks to Paula for helping me to narrow my focus, and understand that my change in careers was the right move for me. Studmuffin Media has completed its foundation building phase, we have crossed the lobby and are getting ready to step on the elevator. In the next few weeks I have a number of meetings that if fruitful will have Studmuffin Media riding the elevator to a much higher floor. Like all small business owners

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I am hoping it goes fast enough to keep building, but slow enough to not scare the heck out of me.

My life has become anything but boring, and I know I will never be "caught up". You know that saying, "step our of your comfort zone" That is my world everyday, I have learned that it is the nature of the business, and, I am loving it.

Is Social Media Management a DIY Affair (studmuffinmedia.wordpress.com)
How to Manage Social Media for Your Property (apartmentguide.com)
Can Social Media help you Sell Homes? (librarealtygroup.wordpress.com)
Real Estate Online Marketing - Social Ads vs Banner Ads (prweb.com)
Boring days (aasthachaurasia.wordpress.com)

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Evolving/Devolving Communication

Gerry Michaels GettysburgGerry, Social Meida (Studmuffin Media) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 12:55:59 -0800

Funny how things turn around and techniques of doing things runs in a big circle. We talk about that happening in fashion all the time, I wish I would have kept those clothes, who knew they would have come back into style.

Communication (Photo credit: P Shanks)

That seems to be happening in thecommunication world to a degree as well. In a wonderful Twitter conversation the other evening the discussion revolved around the ever-changing face of internet and social mediacommunication. The trend for 2012 is clearly towards faster, visually based, interactive communication. The world of communication has definitely changed in the last year or so with the introduction of sites such as Visual.ly,Pinterest and YouTube. Look at Youtube for example, have you ever witnessed a 16 to 22-year-old bring up a Youtube video, more often than not the first thing they look at is how long is that video, if it’s longer than two minutes they are most likely on to something else rather than waste two minutes getting to the point.

The next generation of consumers, our potential clients wants their information in a visual, to the point, hopefully interactive format. Considering the speed of which a site like Pinterest has taken the world by storm, one could make this argument all day long. However, getting back to my original premise, I find it interesting that communication while digital and high-tech in todays format, is returning to a caveman esq pictorial form. On it’s surface at least, I mean, cave dwellers didn’t have the option to further expand the picture with a link to limitless data with a simple click as we do today, but the opening form of communication is there.

The discussion gets really interesting when one thinks about not just the immediate

Image via Wikipedia

future of it all, but the distant future as well. What is that going to look like? It is the job of our science fiction writers to lead the way into our future, not the shoot em up plasma gun toting sci fi we see so much of today, but a return to the “makes you think” type of sci fi in the essence of Bradbury, and Asimov. Will communication evolve/devolve into a series of grunts and snorts, or we will argue telepathically, who knows. We are already raising a generation of “abbreviated” students using text and twitter character limitations to get their point across. I think there is a possibility that future term papers will be delivered in the visual form, with actual text being just a piece of the overall presentation.

In whatever form it takes on, we return to the point being that social media and technology are rapidly shaping and creating changes to our world, and as business people we need to be at the front of the train, not holding on for dear life to the caboose.

The Future of Social Media: Social Bookmarking (rachelhelen.wordpress.com)
How to Make Your Company More Social (mashable.com)
Pinterest rivals Twitter in referral traffic #pinteresting (briansolis.com)
Why I Like Being a Pinhead, You Should Too (studmuffinmedia.wordpress.com)
Is Social Media Just a fad or is it here to stay?(socialmediaspectrum2010.wordpress.com)

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My World of Bits, Bytes, & Pixels

Gerry Michaels GettysburgGerry, Social Meida (Studmuffin Media) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 09:28:57 -0800

I guess it is no secret, I am not letting anything out of the bag here, but I spend a lot of time in front of a computer screen. A lot of time conversing, learning, laughing, living in my digital world of bits, bytes, & pixels. All too often I am asked why I would spend so much time “online”. Well let me say that I do not spend my day playing angry birds, orFarmville, or tweeting what I am doing every second of the day or night. I am working, and living and working within the social media world is no different from any other job. Granted I love what I am doing, but it does have its “grind” factors like anything else.

I spend a lot of time looking for and finding new apps or platforms that any of my clients might benefit from. Any that look promising require more time and digging to understand how they might best be utilized in its application. Imagine if you went to your doctor and was told, I am recommending this procedure, I am not all that familiar with it, but trust me, it’ll be fine. Same thing here, if I am going to recommend, I better know the in’s and out’s of how it works. Writing for clients is also something that is time-consuming, doing research and learning more about the subject matter so as to be able to produce a quality piece that has the desired effect. Not to mention the dreaded “writers block” that inevitably rears its ugly head from time to time, and stops you dead in your writing tracks. Let’s just call them challenges of the job.

I have to say however, that my favorite part of what I do is the networking, the connecting, the learning, sharing of ideas, it’s awesome. With the internet there are no boundaries as to subject matter, geography, or time for that matter. Between the connections I have made from ActiveRain, Twitter, G+ as well as a host of other’s it is amazing how much data, friendship, business experience and all around knowledge has been shared. All in a bit, byte, & pixel format. Truly no borders….and a very unique way to make a living. Not for everybody, but definitely for me.

Can You Build Trust in a Digital World (socialmediconsulting.posterous.com)
Beauty Byte: Stila Has Been Saved! (bellasugar.com)
BPF’s and Bit Masking (jeffsoh.blogspot.com)

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