What about me. Twitter can be a great communications tool. It’s been great for me personally and professionally. Caveat: knowing that everyone’s not using Twitter. Knowing who’s using a tool is equally as important as knowing who’s not. Don’t forget who isn’t here to contribute to the conversation – they may have something amazing to contribute, but are voiceless.

And it’s not just Twitter. There are plenty of platforms and tools where folks are missing. For instance, Facebook, yes, there are millions upon millions of users, but who’s missing. For example, me. I don’t have a Facebook account (…really, I don’t). I might have something valuable to say.

Aligning audience and means of communication. Are there voices being left out of the conversation that could add exponential value to your organization, goal or community? Twitter can be used in the execution of a portfolio of communication means to tap into a range of audiences, but that should only happen once audiences have been identified. Have you taken a moment to determine who your audience is – and where they are?

Who’s making the decision. What happens when you don’t take the time to identify where your audience plays, well, you miss an opportunity. Someone misses the message, the chance to be engaged or an invitation to participate (either physically or virtually). Case and point, my ten year high school reunion, the reunion invitation was only sent via Facebook. As I said earlier, I’m not on Facebook. Meaning, I found out about the reunion only after it took place. The point isn’t that I missed the reunion, it’s that I never got a chance to decide for myself if I wanted to attend or not. The means of communication decided for me.

Take the time, do the work. Don’t let voices go unheard or leave communities ignored just because you missed the mark. Take time to understand your audience and then communicate to them in the space where they play. Why should they come to you? If they are that important, then you should go to them. In time, that may reverse, but you have to reach out and cultivate the relationship first.

Tools are going to change, audiences will change too – and where they intersect is going to change. What shouldn’t change is critical thinking around how best to link the two.

Remember, 80% of Twitter accounts are inactive. That’s whole a lot of people not paying attention to those thoughtful, value-filled, community building tweets you’re spending hours crafting. Make sure your audience is where you’re focusing your attention, before you start trying to get the attention of an audience that may not even be there in the first place.

[Image: The empty playground #1 courtesy of soulholder, Flickr]

The result was the realization that social media was only one component of a much larger picture, a much greater need. The question that surfaced was where does social media fit within the organization’s strategy? Was it appropriate to develop a social media strategy, if other critical strategies hadn’t yet been pursued?

Sequence of Execution. Sequence of execution is an approach to strategy development that leads organizations through a hierarchy of strategy development. The result: a more successful and sustaining implementation. Furthermore, it puts social media into context. Meaning that it ensures that any social media strategy is integrated and derives its purpose from the organizations larger mission and goals.

Sequence of strategy execution:

• Develop your organizational mission
• Develop and align your marketing communications strategy/plan
• Develop primary messaging to go across all channels
• Identify your target audience or audiences
• Develop a social media strategy that supports the mar/comm strategy

Social media strategy is a powerful opportunity for an organization, but only when it’s been implemented in the right order. I am increasingly convinced that social media is not intended to live inside a vacuum, but rather as a piece of a much larger ecosystem. How can an organization implement social media tools, like Twitter and Facebook, if they don’t have a social media, communications, or organizational strategy to drive the success use of such platforms?

The actual deliverable offered to the FSA was a comprehensive presentation that included an in-depth needs assessment, recommended actions, training documentation, and best practices in communication and more specifically social media. Most importantly, the guide started with a step-by-step review of how to best develop an appropriate and effective strategy for the organization given their intended mission, audience, and goals – and later concluded with a look at social media integration.

Recently, Colin and I transformed the outcome of that project and took this same ideology to create something that could benefit an even greater community of nonprofits. The following presentation is the marriage of that work (no pun intended), which Colin offered to Cambridge area nonprofit organizations last week.

[Image: Jump on the social media bandwagon courtesy of matthamm, Flickr]

Twitter = is like information snacking

I can nosh on tidbits of information all day and night. It’s a great way for me to maximize my information intake in small doses through even the busiest of moments. The reciprocal is also snack worthy. I can share resources, thoughts and ideas throughout the day. Satisfying my need for continually knowledge consumption.

Blogging = is like sitting down to some good comfort food

Snacking is great, but there’s always a slight gnawing for more. No matter how much I tweet or read there’s always an insatiable craving. A craving and hunger that can only be satisfied by sitting down to an awesome blogging session.

As a blog reader and consumer of information – there comes great satisfaction with reading thoughtful, intelligent and original blog posts. It’s like reading Pride and Prejudice or Jane Eyre. It takes time, thought and focus – but the end is a stimulating satisfaction that stems far greater than the context of 140 characters.

It’s not a matter of one or the other, it’s a healthy balance both. Tease me with your tweets – but also open my eyes and mind to links that lead to well thought out meals that will keep me coming back for more!

Photo courtesy of matas.p via flickr

• What Web 2.0 applications do you use? Use the most?
• What do you see as the benefits (personal, professional) of using Web 2.0?
• What are the challenges. restrictions, downsides to Web 2.0?
• Where do you think Web 2.0 is headed?
• How would you recommend a business make use of Web 2.0?

The exercise of responding was cathartic. It was reminiscent of one of those “What the 4th of July Means to Me” essays that were so popular in fifth grade. Oh you know the ones – with complimentary drawing that used a haphazard mix of crayon colors [usually whatever hadn’t yet been snatched up] to depict stick figure families, hot dogs and fireworks.

The point being that everyone drew the same picture – they all wrote the same thing.

They created what was expected – what they thought they were supposed to draw. To me, it sounds all too familiar. Web 2.0 or social media [whichever is your preferred term] is being depicted in a similar fashion. By now, most folks are working diligently to create what looks like the same picture perfect social media strategy. Facebook fan pages, check, Twitter, check, digital video, check, …

Too much thought is going into what appears to represent a “good” social media strategy. It’s not coming back to the audience. Yes, I’ll be the first to tell you that you should not ignore social media, but it can’t be hastily implemented in a disconnected, tool centric fashion.

Get social. Get messy. Don’t give them what you think they want or expect from you. Listen. Wait. Participate. Then give them what they ask for – in innovative new ways. If there was ever an opportunity to color outside the lines this is it.

Heck, break out the finger paints!

Create your own way. Definitions, frameworks and rules aside. Remain mindful of the fundamentals, but be creative and innovative. Time is precious – for both the creator and the audience. It should be fun. As a creator you want to be challenged to provide value in new, unique ways. As part of the audience, we want our attention grabbed. We don’t want the same templated execution, but rather something that doesn’t fit the model – provide bright excitement and raw honesty.

What Social Media Means to Me – by Vanessa Rhinesmith
Please note: this is raw and unedited [grammatical savvy is out with this one]

What Web 2.0 applications do you use? Use the most?
Right now, Twitter, my blog [WordPress] and I’m a HUGE fan of Delicious [social bookmarking is far from dead for me]

What do you see as the benefits (personal, professional) of using Web 2.0?
This is a loaded question. It depends on the company and/or the person. Either way it can be a great way to connect and collaborate with others – remember it’s about collaboration.

What are the challenges. restrictions, downsides to Web 2.0?
The challenges and restrictions are human centric – not everyone wants to listen or participate in the conversation – nor do folks have the means. Remember that not everyone has a computer or access to the internet. The additional downside, is too much hype around Web 2.0 – people aren’t thinking it through they are too wrapped up in the buzz word…[I'll get off my soapbox now].

Where do you think Web 2.0 is headed?
It will become Web3.0, Web4.0…until it’s replaced with a new word. Seriously though, Web3.0 – it’s going mobile and don’t think that virtual is dead. It’s not, oh, and cloud computing.

How would you recommend a business make use of Web 2.0?
First ask, are they ready to LISTEN to their customers and/or employees. Secondly, are they ready to JOIN the conversation in a transparent and collaborative way? Can’t even bring in the tools if you don’t know the actions.

Box of crayons photo courtesy of turbojoe via flickr

You are working at the edges of a lot of this stuff, and your experiences, reflections, and wisdom is very important to share. The currency of human relationship is really evolving here. Its possible to know a gazillion people online, but how does this impact our truest sense of community and our deeper desires for authentic connections and real relationships. I would love for you to say more about why you chose to do this now in this way, and your observations of what has changed for you since making this shift.

There are several pieces to which I wanted to publicly respond, starting with the statement, “the currency of human relationship is really evolving.” Human relationships are evolving. The greatest question that arises is how do we define the currency of human relationships: is it reflected in the quantity of those relationships or is it found in the quality. Right now it would appear that quantity is the preferred currency with individuals being judged by the number of connections via Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn.

If quantity is becoming the universal measure, or currency, then we may in fact be looking at the de-evolution of human relationships. To me quantity of online relationships alone is shallow and hollow. It lacks the substance critical to a sustaining relationship. It forgoes true community and lacks authenticity. Though this is largely an argument based on perception it does in fact resonate with the way most of us approach our physical relationships, but not always synonymous with our digital ones.

The evolution of community, relationship and communication lies in quality. It’s about the blending of technology and fundamental community/relationship building. The web, and our online connections (ten or ten thousand), aid us in achieving impact of that quality, whether personal, mission or business centric. All of which are therein rooted in an association with a community that can be represented in something as simplistic as an online community/website (such as Etsy) or a brick and mortar institution like the Berkman Center. By the nature of our online habits, many of us are associated with communities even if we don’t recognize or vocally associate with that community.

I chose to define my personal online presence to live what I believe. I was being spread way to thin across the web and all incarnations of my relationships were feeling the strain. Concentration of my efforts and connections to my more intimate relationships can in fact have a far greater impact. I think this is key. Concentration of intention – the ripple will be huge. This is where I love the web, it enables the ripple to be manifested in a wide range of mediums, inclusive of both digital and physical means.

Doyle asked me about my observations, “what has changed for you since making this shift.” Personally, I feel lighter. I’m able to take the time to process and refocus my attention and energy. Professionally, I feel refreshed. I’m able to further develop an understanding of what’s needed in order to achieve the goals of both the organization I strive to support and the community I work to nurture.

Intellectually, I feel calm. I’m able to observe and digest the sociological shift in a way that focuses in on the foundation of such a technological revolution. Too soon do we forget that it’s about mindful, intentional and quality implementation of technology – and that community and authentic relationships require nurturing beyond the paradoxical limitations of the internet.

Pure and simple is something that I not only crave on daily basis, but strive to achieve. Am I always successful? Of course not. I work full-time, attend graduate school part-time, am a devoted wife, daughter, sister, and friend. I’m an advocate for digital literacy, a seeker of infinite information, a lover of art and music (oh, and let’s not forget food and wine). However, the day does not simply allow for mindful, intentional implementation of all of the above. It’s hard enough to squeeze it all into a month.

The internet, the web, social media, technology, new technology, web 2.0, whatever you call it, is the conduit for my true passion: communication, collaboration, access to information and an ability to share stories, experiences and knowledge on a global scale. That’s truly what I love about the internet.

I’m finding it all becoming way to intermixed – my personal, professional and academic lives, my purchasing behavior and my constant knowledge consumption. To some, this is the point and opportunity within the context of the web. I don’t want to be an opportunity. I want to present opportunities to others, be attentive to those around me, the missions I hold dear and the stories I wish to share – perhaps all in the altruistic hope of changing the world.

To do this, I’m setting boundaries – digital ones.

Facebook will be for my personal relationships of fairly direct connection. Twitter, that’s still to be determined. LinkedIn, is the place to continue to connect with me as is my blog. My blog was the space that first spoke to me and this is where I return. The increasing constraint of character restrictions is not me. Anyone who knows me knows this and knows the my thoughts are far too verbose.

The question that lies is my profession and career aspirations involve the web and it’s infinite platforms. Am I less knowledgeable of the web, social media or technology, because I’m no longer juggling 100+ social networks at a time. No, in fact, it’s just the opposite. Expect more from me, so much more, because that’s the point of establishing boundaries. There will be more of me, my true self, to go around. I’m carving out a space to breathe, think about it, when’s the last time to carved out space of your own to reassess, re-energize and to simply be.

Interns Needed for Health Social Media Startup
WEGO Health seeks passionate, super-sharp interns to work in our Boston office. You’ll contribute meaningfully to a variety of community, editorial and market-research projects that support and grow our community of health activists – leaders across dozens of health and wellness areas.

WEGO Health interns are major players who make big contributions. Our atmosphere is relaxed, our hierarchy flat. This is a great place to grow and learn.

Please be:
• A great writer and researcher
• Passionate about and fluent in social media tools (i.e., blogs, facebook, twitter, etc.)
• Have a deep personal interest in health and wellness topics
• Full of positive attitude and high energy
• Known for your sense of humor
• Able to bring a laptop to the office

You must work at least 12-16 hours per week for course credit (or just an amazing resume line!); this is an unpaid internship.

About WEGO Health:

WEGO Health is an exciting new company exploring ways to give consumers a voice in health care. Learn more at http://www.wegohealth.com/about-us.html
Location: Downtown Crossing

*Prefer undergraduate students, but not restricted to (especially if you make a compelling case).

deborah909 Thanks for following me on Twitter! You’re also welcome to visit my blog: www.cyber-yenta.org 9:49 AM yesterday

Thumbs down: Pandora commercials. Ugh! Could this be the end of Pandora? It will be interesting to observe since Pandora could be walking a fine line – and I’m eager to witness user response. In regards to my own threshhold, I can stand the one commercial every five or ten songs, but it definetly interfers with my listening enjoyment – and deviates from the whole reason why I use Pandora (i.e. uninterrupted, commercial-free music).

Clearly I’m not the only one who thinks so, Stop Twitter Spam. Not only am I being inundated with Christmas catalogues (such an unfortunate waste), but also being spammed big time via Twitter. The good news is that Twitter has recognized the issue and with a little effort we can all help to clean up the clutter,  making Twitter a happy , spam-free place once again.

Twitter Blog: An Ongoing Battle

Posting links to Twitter is great and we encourage people to do so. However, spammers are posting links on a whole different scale and they’re doing something else we call Aggressive Following. This behavior entails following thousands of other accounts in the hope of reciprocation and it really peeves Twitter users because many of us are sensitive to our Follower count—we don’t want email notifications triggered by spammers and we don’t want to see our avatar on their profile page.

Those who have created thousands of accounts, posted thousands of the same link, or aggressively followed way too many people, stand out like a sore thumb to our support team because they are usually blocked by hundreds or thousands of well behaved Twitter users. This simple feedback is one of the ways we detect and delete spam accounts but there are also preventative measures and more we could be doing

As I noted in a previous post (space: public v. private), I’m not only juggling my online presence and relationships, but also my physical ones. I’m trying to wrap up the semester, check in with my mother about various holiday related items, squeeze in coffee with a friend and have dinner with my husband.

For me, intentionally is key in all of my relationships, virtual or other, which means at some point I’m going to reach my personal quota and will be forced to reassess. This is what I’m doing now, and this is what more and more folks will do as new online opportunities and social engagements fight for their attention. As a consumer, participant and human how do we decide what activities are important to us? As a organization, website or producer how do we ensure that our objective provides the most value, community and experience that it’s worth spending what little time we have?

Seth Godin perhaps sums it up best:

The internet isn’t full, but we are.