Social media, or Social Business has really been on my mind lately. Not because its a hot topic now-a-days, or because its buzzy…but I don’t feel like Businesses (overall) are really benefiting for the “social” side. Don’t get me wrong, becoming a social business can help, but it takes more work than just launching a blog/forum.  This post will first define terms like society, talk about common themes, and provide some incite on how to start a successful program.

First, let’s take a look at some key terms: Society, Social, Networking, and Business. (I’m trying to figure out how these can compliment each other) …I got these definitions from Dictionary.com (which uses the American Heritage Dictionary too):

• Society: a body of individuals living as members of a community
• Social: living together or enjoying life in communities or organized groups
• Networking: a supportive system of sharing information and services among individuals and groups having a common interest
• Business: the occupation, work, or trade in which a person is engaged

All of these definitions involve people - like you - which make up society, networking, and business. This is not new information and does not come at a surprise, but in a lot of businesses today there’s still some missing links. Several other pieces to the puzzle must come together to successfully intertwine business and community.

The next common denominator in the definitions above is community. Again, not a surprise, but its a bit more complicated than just community. Simply finding a community, creating tools, and expecting them to embrace it is NOT enough. If I were to start my own community, I’d take these steps:

1. Define my community, including all sub-communities and groups.
2. Live/Engage with my community - wear their clothes, eat their food, talk/eat with them, think like them, and go to their events.
3. Research what’s missing - why they need it - how they should access it
4. Welcome the community to help you build their tools - especially with (beta testing)
5. Encourage feedback - they are your customers, do what they say (but with your unique twists)
6. Reach out to the community and business world - let them know you’re out there, build trust, build relationships, build a support system, and build a community
7. Find a sponsor - someone who benefits from your tool, but has a presence in your community. Make them your success story - brag about them and they’ll brag about you

Understand that your community program is living, it’s growing each and everyday. As more and more users engage themselves, the community grows and the support system grows…but keep this focused with your company, strategy, and competition. What else is happening in your market? Incorporate that too into your program.

Be the leader, be the innovator. This is not about being first, its more than that. It’s about staying on top of competition by moving ahead of the industry and anticipating your user’s/community’s next moves. This is why living their life and knowing your customer inside and out is vital. Evolve with the users as they evolve with the world.

This is WHY businesses are not captivating and reaping the rewards of a community marketing program. Deploying tools is not enough, there’s several months worth of research and planning that need to take place before hand. It’s okay if competition rolled their stuff out, your’s will be better!

If you’ve started a community marketing program (like Jeremiah Owyang), or are currently managing one (like Mario Sundar, Robyn Tippins), please let me know how you’ve done it! I want to know from YOU, the expert!

I just finished reading an interesting blog post about what matters most to bloggers by Darren Rowse, and I can’t help but put my own two cents. Keep in mind though, some of the topics might overlap (note: ive only read the bold bullet points, I have not read his full explanation yet, I want to see if we are similar or not)

I’ve been blogging for a little over a year now and I’ve seen the ROI. It might not be monetary in my case, but my network has definitely grew and I’m left with a feeling of fulfillment. However, there’s several tips I like to follow on my own when writing blog posts; similarly, this is how I look at other bloggers/blog posts as well.

The 4 C’s of Blogging

1. Content: the content of every blog is key in attracting an audience and retaining loyal readers. A good way to narrow down the blog content is to establish a foundation/purpose for what content will be published; whether or not its general topics, industry-specific, or who the target audience is. I’ve seen many good examples of this, here’s one; I picked this example b/c Marc has managed to generate a great amount of traffic/comments/ROI in just a few short days. Although, the key is to stick to it and not drift off to far from the overall purpose (unless you’re evolving with time/industry/users).
2. Clarity: this has probably been the hardest obstacle; often, I have trouble conveying my thoughts clearly and instead some blog posts are full of unnecessary text. So I’ve adapted a motto that less is more. If I could, I’d go back and revisit some of my old blog posts and rewrite them just for kicks. I’m sure (at least I hope) that I’ve improved as a writer/blogger…if so, then that’s all the ROI I need.
3. Cost: there’s no real, tangible cost for blogging, at least for what I do. However, the opportunity cost is very clear as time plays a big factor. If I wasn’t blogging, I could be doing other things like Tae Kwon Do, Salsa dancing, working (hahaha!), or even watching TV. But, I have a passion for blogging and thats what counts. To me, its not a cost, but a privilege to have somewhere to express my thoughts and have others add in their own input.
4. Conversation: the phenomenon of blogging. Engaging others in a conversation about something you’ve started is very rewarding. These conversations are almost like reading a text book with commentary b/c on the surface there’s opinions, but when you dig deeper the facts arise. Through the research you gain so much more than what you started for and it almost leads you to another topic/journey of knowledge. Its a never ending conversation.

• BONUS - Customer: this is really a bonus, because not many people get this. Believe it or not, your readers are like customers…you have to shape your posts according to the audience. This will help keep your blog posts focused and it will keep users coming back. As a user, I like bookmarking a site that I know will always have relevant information to me. It actually makes me feel good that someone out there cares about my interests, cares about what I’m reading, and cares about me.

I hope I’m pointing in the right direction…if not please let me know. I’d love to hear your thoughts as well. Later, I’ll update this post with Darren Rowse’s/ProBogger’s thoughts.

Of course MySpace is going to acquire a few enemies here and there. It’s possible and expected. Yet, if you are going to hate MySpace, please have some valid reasons…

Social Media is something I’m passionate about and love. The idea of forming your own communication, vocalizing your views, and showing your true colors is very intriguing. However, some people don’t share the same passion, which is okay, its not for everyone.

AC The People’s Media Company, posted their top 8 reasons why they hate MySpace. You can read up on their article, although, I have to admit, most of the reasons are why I like MySpace, isn’t that ironic? I’ll tell you why…reason by reason (their claim is in bold, my response follows):

1. You are not an HTML programmer/page takes too long to load - The complaint is that MySpace users are not tech-savy and have to rely on tools/widgets to update their MySpace. As a result, it takes too long to load a page. Let’s face it, MySpace users are not tech-savy, in fact, the majority of the users are my parent’s age! So these tools, although they might create html/css errors, it helps users customize pages to their own liking! Besides, the number 1 reason why pages take too long to load is because they are filled with loads of pictures, videos, sound clips, etc…and thats a good thing!
2. Who decided 8 was the limit? - Granted this post was made a while ago, but users now can add a Top 16 list. Although, his argument wasnt the number, it was the whole idea of a Top “something.” Actually, this is kinda cool! So cool, that T-Mobile is “copying” this idea, with their Fave Five! Seems to me, people like this idea!
3. Your music sucks - Sorry that my music sucks, but its a way for me to express myself and my interests. Not everyone has the same taste in music. In fact, b/c of MySpace I’ve taken a new interest in alternative rock (result from visiting my friends’ myspaces a hundred times a day). And, im completely happy…I’ve found a new genre of music to explore. Be open to others’ taste in music, and its okay to not like my music, I probably dont like yours either. (only kidding).
4. Those stats aren’t you. - Some people do put bogus ages and interests, but its okay. Why? I typically only accept invitations from my friends, so I already know how old they are, religious affiliations, and their likes/dislikes. It’s only a problem if you start surfing into the realm of stranger-ville…but I don’t. Its mainly a tool I use to keep in touch with friends only…I know them already!
5. Those pictures of you with a tan are a lie - Like I said, the majority of MySpace users are my parents…they have a life, they work, and their pictures are real! So what if lighting makes you look a bit more tan, its not MySpace’s problem. Geesh, pictures are pictures…and most people post pictures of themselves. Besides if you are my friend, I know what you look like, I know what pictures are real…so its not that big of a problem for the other 1% that post bogus pictures, they aren’t my friends.
6. Your dad is so proud - Facebook, Flickr…all other image hosting platforms have pictures of partying…so what? If thats how you want to portray urself, go ahead, its a choice. MySpace isn’t pulling your arm! MySpace provides users with tons of freedom! Here’s to “freedom-space”
7. We’re not friends - Again, MySpace gives you the opportunity to approve friend requests. Why not just approve your real friends? It’s as simple as that. Sure there’s spam, but spam is everywhere…I get tons of spam here on this blog. Just ignore it. Just keep a network of your real friends…its okay, if its only a few, hopefully it will grow some.
8. You are a loser - I guess they think all MySpace users are losers! Having a MySpace is the same as having a facebook account, linkedin account, or even a webpage. Again, its a form of expression, its a way to show your creativity, show who you really are. If anything, its a way people will remember you. Your right, MySpace does live on…and thats a reason in itself to have one that documents your interests, friends, and key events in your life.

I’m not sure if their post was a joke, or if they really do hate MySpace. But I hope my short analysis has shed some light. As I said before, their top 8 reasons why they HATE MySpace is almost my top 8 reasons for LIKING MySpace. This is just to show that its not for everyone.

Here’s what other people have to say about social media:

• More Presidential Battlegrounds; Facebook and Ustream
• Developing Rules for your Online Community
• Facebook Polls | Market Research meets Social Networks?
• Community 2.0 - Meeting your users

Take a loot at some of my other posts about social media:

• Can Facebook win the battle over MySpace?
• Top Five Reasons why Social Media Works
• Video isnt whats most important about YouTube
• Facebook is using feeds now

Marshall Kirkpatrick announces that eBay is set to integrate blogs and wikis in the already successful platform. It sounds like a good idea, especially since it’s already community driven! They are just becoming even more sticky, I suppose, but will users really benefit or even use them?

Steve Rubel makes a convincing argument that users can actually use these blogs to talk more about products, sellers, collectibles, and even listings. I’m an avid eBay user and seller, so I think this is a great idea. On the side, my family and I sell and collect rare oldie music (link to our eBay seller profile)…I’ve even started a blog for us to promote our newest release. Perhaps it will be a bit easier to engage users if we had a blog on the eBay platform, but here’s my feelings:

• Will users even participate? I’m sure a great deal of them will, but for all the others, is blogging a value-add service?
• Its good for research purposes. You can tell a lot about a person from their blog. Are they nice to other users? Do they have a loyal fanbase? Do they even respond to users?
• eBay’s global community will be broken down into several micro-communities. This is good, b/c each community can create its niche. I know my dad would love this…he’s passionate about oldies, and whats better than to talk with other passionate people?
• Easy for advertising. Ah ha! I know once we have our next CD out, i’ll be scouring the blogs on eBay and commenting like crazy advertising our new release. Yep, ill be using it for commercial purposes…is that what eBay wants?
• How flexible will the platform be? Can I post pictures, sound clips, and videos? How will the comments workout (i.e. will there be a spam blocker?).
• MOST IMPORTANTLY - Keywords will come up in Google Search. Yes, this is the primary reason why I’d start a blog. Already eBay listings come up pretty high, but adding a blog will just make my chances of attracting outside customers even higher! My google ranking as a seller will sky rocket to the top! Thats of course, if im the only blogger. =)

Believe me, I’ll be keying you in on my experience with my new eBay blog. Who knows maybe I’ll even see you there!

Here’s how eBay is already embracing social media:

• eBay Chatter
• eBay Developer’s Wiki

This is a very interesting topic that I would like to take a closer look at and see if there really is a difference. Jeremiah eludes to the relationship between journalists (old media) and bloggers (new media), but what is really happening? I’m sure some journalists absolutely hate blogging/techmeme and what’s its evolved into. But, truth is, its the NEW media. I check techmeme at least 5 times a day, how often do I go read news articles online…close to never!

Its happening, online users are evolving and the gap between bloggers and journalists is increasing. Instead, these two mediums should connect with each other and become “journoggers” (rebecca’s term). Why don’t journalists talk with bloggers and include them in news? This way, journalists can let out some real facts, instead of filtered media.

At this point, I believe that bloggers ARE more connected than journalists. Before you doubt my statement (if you do), consider the following:

• Blogging is community-driven: It’s a fact…bloggers are connecting with other bloggers to form a conversation. Conversations drive the blogosphere! Its the back and forth arguments and “pats” on the back that keep blogging interesting and “real.” Nothing is held back, everyone blogger is in for his/her self.
• Relationships are built: No matter what happens (disagreements or not), relationships are still between as two bloggers converse with each other. In most cases, these relationships carry on to future discussions. But, each person brings their own community and own relationships to the table.
• Communities grow and grow: As I read other posts and talk about them on my blog, im bringing my community into the discussion. So what do we have now? Now we have my community, plus the original blogger and his community all talking and conversing. We’re left with one BIG community that will continue to grow.
• We’re a global neighborhood: Shel has become the innovator of this term, but its true. No longer are we having “naked” conversations, now its bigger…its global. Everyone (globally) is talking with each other. It does not matter where you are in the world, nothing stops bloggers from meeting new people
• Bloggers breathe openness and transparency: I’m sure for 99% of the bloggers out there, this is their oxygen, its their food that keeps them typing along. It’s really what this platform is for…be completely honest, let everything hang out. There’s nothing stopping you and most of the time at least someone out there will feel the same way you do
• Bloggers are real people who accept both criticism and praise: If you are putting yourself out there and expressing your thoughts, there’s going to be some people who do not agree. Thats ok! Be open about it, stay close to your blogging enemies, it keeps the conversation going…oh and it probably will attract more users too!

I admit that it sounds like I’ve been praising blogging to be some remarkable practice, but its not. It’s rather simple: be honest, be open, engage others, and build relationships.

Should journalists go away? Nope, in fact I believe journalist can become great bloggers, just with some fine tuning of course. There should be no battle between bloggers and journalists, instead…embrace each other for what you offer. Here’s my recommendations on what journalists should do:

• Use your credibility: Some journalists have far more credibility than bloggers, so why not use it BUT engage the bloggers too! Help us! We’ll help you in the blogosphere
• Be open to criticism: Despite being criticized, don’t stop what you’re doing! You are doing something revolutionary…it’ll pay off.
• Stay away from the fluff: Sometimes, I can’t trust everything journalists write (of course not everything bloggers say is right either), but at least other bloggers will clear things up!

Take a look at what other people are saying about journalists and bloggers:

• Farrell Kramer - he talks about how technology is changing how journalists work, but not what they do; and he also comments about a question asked of how it would be like if a bunch of bloggers got together to write about something
• Jay Small - he argues that technology can be both a friend and an enemy; and perhaps adoption is a keyword for journalists
• Dan Rosenbaum - talks about why newspapers aren’t dead yet

Facebook seems to be a hot topic everywhere I look. Right now, Im sitting at my old school library, and it’s amazing how many people are on facebook when you look around. This is just an observation, but its a trend that I’m seeing more and more! But is it a fad? Will it just fade away…Im guessing that Facebook is here to stay.

Yet, its main competition, MySpace, could prevent Facebook from being the leader! Now, Im not too concerned about number of users or even how much money they bring in compared to MySpace, but instead, what value they add. Are they serving a greater purpose than MySpace? Let’s try to bottle down the key features of both facebook and myspace to see:

Provides a legitimate social networking platform

• MySpace: Yes, but who is part of the network? Probably, friends you met at a party, someone who is in your class, someone you think is cute, or spam.
• Facebook: Yes, and although the network could be any of the above, it also includes colleagues and business professionals. That’s the difference! The network on Facebook is a lot more professional and older. Obviously, MySpace has its own niche, but will this survive the rapid popularity of Facebook?

Provides an opportunity to show one’s personality

• MySpace: Yes, all power is in the hands of the creator. This is something MySpace has mastered! And the younger generation loves it! But, does it get old? Well, I know my sister loves MySpace and so do my parents, but what about my generation? Where do we go? FACEBOOK…but can facebook keep my generation for long?
• Facebook: No, theres not much room for creativity. Of course this is the intention, but is it the right strategy? I know its great for my generation, but will it withstand the generation swings? Can Facebook keep people like me interested?

Web 2.0?

• MySpace: Although, I’d say that MySpace has some good web 2.0 widgets, its just not up to par. Then again, this might not be their strategy. But, this could put them significantly behind competition if they dont keep up because their users are evolving…and they need to be aware of this.
• Facebook: Absolutely! I like the whole idea about the Feeds (although some think its a bit invasive). Plus now you can import flickr photos directly to facebook!

Here to stay?

• MySpace: Yes, but for who? I feel like MySpace is very niche, either you like it or you dont! Can this keep them the top social networking site? Im not too sure
• Facebook: Face it, we are all on it or at least talking about it. Even the Community Evangelist at LinkedIn, Mario Sundar, has a facebook account. AND even Jeremiah, who asked the question if he really needs it since he already has LinkedIn and his blog, signed up and is adding friends.

What does everyone else think?

I’ve been talking about Social Media lately, now here’s an awesome opportunity to meet Mario Sundar and his team at LinkedIn for Lunch 2.0 on May 23rd

My last lunch 2.0 event was at Hitachi Data Systems, where Jeremiah hosted the unforgettable Web Expo + Lunch 2.0! So I’m excited for my next lunch 2.0 experience.

Here’s the details on the upcoming lunch 2.0 party at LinkedIn:

Location: LinkedIn
Address: 2029 Stierlin Court, Mountain View, CA 94043
Date: Wednesday, May 23rd, 2007. 12:00PM - 1:30PM

Please RSVP here or you can use Upcoming

Bring your digital and video cameras! I hope to see everyone there…I’m sure some of you will be live streaming!

 Can we say “Lunch 2.0 May Madness”?

Not one, but two lunch 2.0’s this month. First, we have LinkedIn, and second we have NetGear’s Lunch 2.0

What interests me about NetGear is I haven’t really seen them reach out to the community and the blogosphere. So I’m anxious to see what they have in store for us.

Here’s the details:

Location: Netgear, Inc.
Address: 4500 Great America Pkwy, Santa Clara, CA 95054
Date: Wed, May 30^th 2007
Time: 12:00 – 1:30 pm

It’s been told that we will have an opportunity to see some of their new products as well as being treated with some good BBQ!

Please RSVP here

I hope to see everyone there at this NetGear Expo! Who knows you might even get interviewed or be caught on candid camera since PodTech will be there taping all the action!

Update:  Jeremiah is going to lunch 2.0…he’ll probably be the one streaming live video!  You can’t miss it! 

Before we continue any further, I need to first make a disclaimer: I admit that I’ve somehow joined the social networking internet craze, starting from Xanga, leading to MySpace, then to my blog, and now I’m pretty interested in Facebook.

In fact, this is precisely what has got me wondering about the MySpace generation. Yes, the majority of them are still using MySpace, but I’m not worried about them, I’m most interested in those early adopters who are moving drifting away into something else.

Now, what is happening exactly? I’m not too sure, but first lets take a look at how MySpace is evolving (from 2005 through 2006).

Below is a table depicting the trend in users by age group (numbers are percent of users):

*Source: comScore

Interestingly, the so-called “MySpace Generation” group is not the age group adding the most users (instead the number of users if actually declining). MySpace is actually adding more users who are around my parents’ age.

From the ages 12-24, MySpace is experiencing a 14% decline in users. What’s this due to? Where are they going? Here’s what I think…

• Some users are just dropping off. They just completely lost interest or got too busy for MySpace. It’s not for everyone, so this is expected.
• Facebook came along. Facebook has always been around since MySpace, but perhaps these users want a more sophisticated social networking site. Facebook provides an opportunity to network with fellow classmates and in the future fellow co-workers.
• The rise of LinkedIn. This really takes Facebook to the professional level because its mainly used by business professionals to stay connected with people they’ve worked with or friends/family. Users can post resumes, job experiences, post job openings, and in some cases apply for job positions. My buddy Mario, as the Community Evangelist, started a LinkedIn blog, check it out.
• The Blogosphere. There might be a select few who have transitioned to blogs, although, its not one of the more popular choices.
• There’s something I’m missing. As always, some users are on to the next BIG thing. But what is that? Could it be video?

I’m very curious to see where the MySpace generation will end up…including where I’ll end up.

Some interesting stories on social media:

• MySpace is kind of the new Microsoft
• MySpace took Photobucket from Google (Google chose Video-YouTube instead)
• Facebook believes in the marketing power of Social Media

I’ve been thinking a lot about Social Media and why its so valuable. So, I’ve noted the top 5 reasons why I think Social Media works today.

Top 5 Reasons Why Social Media Works

1. Normal, everyday people are given the opportunity to reach out of their comfort zone and explore new areas of interest, meet new people, and take risks
2. Users have control over what they do and accomplish online. Their destiny is in their own hands; they can be who they want, when they want
3. Its not a fad, but a trend that works. Its a concept that attracts users and will continue to until social media 2.0 comes out
4. Possibilities are endless. Who would of thought MySpace would have been so successful? What about YouTube? These platforms are just the beginning, and soon users will have the tools to do just about anything.
5. Social Media is easy. Its easy to use, easy to set up, and if done right, easy to make money.

Social Media is growing and is continually being used by businesses to attract new users. But, I think what’s most important is this marks a change in how the internet is being used. The internet has evolved, businesses have evolved, and users have evolved.

Internet, Businesses, and Users are the key to Social Media

Social Media is the one platform where all of these three aspects can come together and converse. Now that they’ve started interacting, we need ways to enhance their communication. The relationship and foundation has been built, but now is when creativity and technology need to interlock. As we discussed earlier, the possibilities are endless, but executing these ideas is key.

What’s Next for Social Media?

I definitely believe video is the next best, not just video recording, but live streaming. People want instantaneous change, they want to see things on the fly, right when they happen. We’ve come a long way, but I think we still have a few more steps to take.

Just imagine if the first people to walk on the moon had live streaming, how awesome would that be? Or how about the presidential election? Ah ha, there’s an idea!

What does your top 5 list look like?

For some reason when I think of eBay, the first thing that comes to mind is Community. Looking at what they’ve done over the past (acquiring companies, branching off), each move has been community based. Take a look at Craigslist or even StubHub…community is the central driving force.

Now, eBay is going back to the community giants — bloggers. But, this actually makes sense; its not something put together at the last minute just to be like everyone else. It fits with their company, it fits with ebay users, and it fits with bloggers.

What am I talking about? Well, eBay launched widgets that can be put on a webpage/blog to advertise or link to their listing. This is a perfect way to cross-reference listings with blogs to keep the commmunity involved.

eBay is doing a great job at keeping its users glued to their site. They arent just worried about hits per day, but rather returning users per day. They’ve provided a platform + the glue to keep the users coming back. They’re sticky!

What would I like to see on ebay?

• Why not add widgets to ebay listings which link to other blogs/sites who talk about the specific product being sold (i.e. link to cnet news, video blogs, tech crunch, etc).

I’m curious to see the reaction from the blogging community.  This stuff really excites me!