All aflitter about twitter: answers to your social media questions

Judging by the number of Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace and other social networking questions I’m receiving from Mediator Tech readers, it sounds like online networking is on your mind. Here are the answers to the questions I’m asked most frequently, followed by additional resources to help you learn more.

What social networking tools do you use?
I primarily use Twitter and LinkedIn, though I keep a Facebook profile too. Why the first two? They’re the spaces my market hangs out in, I find their annoyance factor pretty low, I have fun with them, and I learn something when I’m hanging out in them.

What social networking tools should mediators use?
It’s not for me to say. The right social networking sites for you will be determined by what you want to achieve, where your target market hangs out, and how you like to interact with the web. I recommend getting clear on your goals for social networking (help on this below), picking one or two social networks, and experimenting over a period of 90 days.

How do I get the most out of social networking?
What you get out of social networking is in direct proportion to how much you put in. The more of a resource and participant you are, the greater the outcomes for you, generally (assuming you’ve invested the time to learn how to use it well).

Do people who use social networks online have lives? They seem to have way too much time on their hands.
Yes, we have lives. Most of us, I hope. I can’t speak for others, but I am judicious in how much time I spend and very clear what I want to accomplish when I am on Twitter and LinkedIn. Except when I’m eating lunch and want to be entertained, when I do act like I’ve got more time on my hands than I really do!

How do I get started?
Good that you asked. Here are some resources to guide and inform you. And if you have other questions, be sure to leave a comment on this post and I’ll follow up with some thoughts in reply.

Recap of select social media articles here at Mediator Tech

• Twitter 101 for mediators (be sure to scroll down to see the resources list below the video)
• Build a business network with LinkedIn
• Networking online: using LinkedIn to make connections with clients
• Social media: join the shift from monologue to dialogue
• Micro-blogging goes mainstream says Wall Street Journal
• Blog commenting as a mediator networking activity
• 4 reasons online networking is valuable for mediators even if your market is local

New Twitter and social media resources elsewhere

If you take the Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace or other social media plunge (go ahead, pick one and just try it out), check out these tools and pieces of wisdom:

• Twitter and personal branding: The BIG mistake I see people make every single day – Superb advice from marketing thought-leader David Meerman Scott.
• Twitter alerts – TweetBeep, a useful tool for tracking Twitter conversations you’re interested in.
• How I use Twitter at volume – Chris Brogan answers the Twitter question everyone asks eventually.
• How not to be a jerk in Facebook – more smartness from Chris Brogan.
• Twitter, the soundtrack – Smart and funny list of music inspired by and for Twitter use from my friend Terry Starbucker.

Happy tweets,

Build a Business Network with LinkedIn

In a recent article on Mediate.com, I suggested that tapping into online social networks may create the kinds of connections that help build practices: “Social networks are the big technology buzz for 2006. While the jury’s still out as to whether the more than 200 social networking sites have anything to offer beyond buzz, they do seem to have potential for business networking and referrals. SNAs (social networking applications) can help you connect with people who share an interest, have a business need, or have some other purpose that links you. It’s the six degrees of separation idea, online.”

LinkedIn is one of those SNAs. While I’ve been a member for a couple of years, I’ve not bothered to do much with it. I think I’ll start experimenting and see what happens.

If you’re unfamiliar with LinkedIn and how it can be used, take a look at LinkedIn in Three Steps and be sure to visit the “read some examples” link at the foot of that page. I also recommend Dave Taylor’s recent primer, Getting Started with LinkedIn. In addition to advice for creating your own free account, he provides two creative examples of the ways that LinkedIn can be used.

If you’re a veteran LinkedIn user and have some usage examples to share, I hope you’ll leave a comment here!