50 Reasons Why People Use Social Media

Blogging, Facebook, LinkedIn, Social Media, Twitter, YouTube
Since I included a list of 50 reasons why people don’t use social media in my most recent post, I thought it only made sense to follow up with a similar list, only this time focusing on the opposing point of view, the reasons why people do use social media. Sure, as I wrote in that last post about those who are reluctant to jump on the social media bandwagon, “there are still plenty of skeptics, detractors and naysayers among us, especially in the corporate world, where cautiousness and conservatism abound.” But as I also pointed out, there are more than 800 million users of Facebook, over 120 people on LinkedIn and more than 200 million accounts on Twitter. There's certainly a critical mass of people using social media today,…
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50 Reasons Why People Don’t Use Social Media

Blogging, Facebook, LinkedIn, Social Media, Twitter, YouTube
With more than 800 million users of Facebook, over 120 million people on LinkedIn and more than 200 million accounts on Twitter, you might say the tipping point’s been reached as far as social media usage goes. Yet despite such a large critical mass using these social media properties, there are still plenty of skeptics, detractors and naysayers among us, especially in the corporate world, where cautiousness and conservatism abound. As someone who’s been talking to anyone and everyone within earshot about the benefits of using social media since I launched my own blog in 2004, I know this for a fact: Unless you’re preaching to the choir, the life of a social media practitioner and proponent is often a lonely, uphill battle. At this stage of the game, those of us with significant…
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Social Media: It’s Personal

Blogging, Facebook, Social Media, Twitter, YouTube
Don’t tell me social media isn’t personal. Sure, it’s not the same thing as actually sitting down and talking to someone in person, face-to-face. But it’s often the next best thing. And in some cases, it’s the only thing. Using Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and the like is a great way to connect with people who otherwise might not give you the time of the day because they’re either too busy or have reason to believe they have little in common with you. Social media is also perfect for keeping in touch with people who it’s impossible to meet up with in person because they simply live or work too far away. For example, my friend, Amelia, is situated some 3,000 miles away from me in Seal Beach, California. We’re both…
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10 Ways to Succeed in Social Media, Parts 1-10

10 Ways to Succeed in Social Media, Parts 1-10

Blogging, Facebook, LinkedIn, Social Media, Twitter, YouTube
If you've been reading my blog for a while, you already know about the  "10 Ways to Succeed in Social Media" series of posts I started writing on January 13 of this year and recently concluded on April 5. But what you wouldn't know is how much I've been looking forward to stringing these posts together into one exhaustive guide on how to communicate effectively via the blogosphere, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and other such Internet-based platforms. In this 2,700-word series, I took a long view of social media, focusing on the principles that people in this space need to keep in mind, not necessarily the day-to-day tactics. After all, despite the widespread adoption of social media, it's still very misunderstood. As I wrote in the introduction to this series... ...social media isn’t rocket science. But it’s definitely a BIG departure for those who have been dependent on traditional marketing, advertising, PR and communications methods up until…
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Blog Post on Video: Don’t Just Scratch the Surface of Social Media

Blogging, Facebook, LinkedIn, Marketing, Social Media, Twitter, YouTube
This “blog post on video” was recorded on May 1, 2010. It’s the video version of a post I wrote and published on February 23, 2010 called “10 Ways to Succeed in Social Media, Part Six,” which you can read in its entirety here. If you can’t see the video on this page, you can check it out on my YouTube channel by clicking here. Bob Cargill is a copywriter, creative director and social media marketer who helps brands to strategize, develop and implement successful new marketing programs. He is always interested in new speaking, consulting and freelancing opportunities. To contact Bob, click here.
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My Upcoming Presentations on Social Media for NEDMA

Blogging, Direct Marketing, Facebook, Fundraising, LinkedIn, Marketing, Social Media, Twitter, YouTube
          It's that time of year again. The New England Direct Marketing Association's annual conference is just around the corner -- May 12 and 13 at the LaCava Center at Bentley College in Waltham, MA. And just like year, I'm happy to have the opportunity to speak not just once, but twice on social media, this time around on "Understanding Social Media, from Theory to Tactics" (9:00 AM-3:30 PM, May 12) and "10 Ways to Succeed in Social Media" (8:30 AM-9:45 AM, May 13). "Understanding Social Media, from Theory to Tactics" In my all-day workshop on May 12, I'll show participants how to attract attention, pique curiosity, stimulate engagement and develop new business opportunities via Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube and the blogosphere. From the mechanics to the principles…
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10 Ways to Succeed in Social Media, Part Ten

Blogging, Facebook, LinkedIn, Marketing, Public Relations, Social Media, Twitter, YouTube
10. Don't take yourself too seriously. Your success in social media may be dependent in large measure on what you have to share with others, but how you come across – your online persona – is also very important.     Whether you're on Facebook or YouTube, tweeting or blogging, you need to be as affable as you are knowledgeable, as charismatic as you are smart. You need to lighten up. Sure, many of the most effective social media practitioners are opinionated and authoritative, natural born leaders at the top of their fields. But if you take a closer look, you’ll find that they’re also easygoing and deferential, not afraid to share some of their personal lives with their professional peers. They’re approachable and responsive, people who are comfortable having impromptu, informal conversations with a diverse range…
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10 Ways to Succeed in Social Media, Part Nine

Blogging, Facebook, LinkedIn, Marketing, Public Relations, Social Media, Twitter, YouTube
9. Measure the results of your activities. If you’re serious about using social media, not just in it for fun, then you need to measure the results of your online activities so you know where you stand. If you publish a blog, you can use such tools as Technorati to see how it compares to others in your industry or Google Analytics to find out which posts people are reading, where they’re coming from and how long they’re staying on your site. But that’s not all you want to analyze. You also want to look at how many readers are subscribing to your blog, how many comments you’re receiving, how many other blogs are linking back to yours and how often it’s turning up in search engine results. And that’s just…
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Blog Post on Video: The Importance of Content in Social Media

Blogging, Facebook, LinkedIn, Marketing, Public Relations, Social Media, Twitter, YouTube
This “blog post on video” was recorded on March 20, 2010 in my own back yard in Sudbury, MA. It’s the video version of a post I wrote and published on January 27, 2010 called “10 Ways to Succeed in Social Media, Part Three,” which you can read in its entirety here. If you can’t see the video on this page, you can check it out on my YouTube channel by clicking here. Bob Cargill is a copywriter, creative director and social media marketer who helps brands to strategize, develop and implement successful new marketing programs. He is always interested in new speaking, consulting and freelancing opportunities. To contact Bob, click here.
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