It’s Foursquare Day. Does Anyone Care Where I Am?

Happy Foursquare Day, Social Amateurs. Have you checked in yet? I haven’t. And the truth is, it’s been a little while since I fired up Foursquare on my phone. I guess I understand the appeal of Foursquare. The badges, the deals, discounts for frequent check-ins, reading/writing little reviews and tips, perhaps engaging in conversations about places and/or events. I check in at events, where I can see where people are, plan meetups, discuss happenings, etc. (Although the truth is that a relevant hashtag on Twitter often goes a lot further in terms of connecting me with other people at events.) But on a regular, everyday basis, in my regular routine, I’m not checking in. I guess I figure that nobody really cares if I’m getting coffee again, or shopping downtown or eating at Chili’s. (Perhaps my life just isn’t all that exciting. Haha.) I don’t really care about the gaming aspect, and aside from coffee houses, I don’t think I go anywhere often enough to get any great deals. I’m bored. And I’m overloaded. It wasn’t all that long ago that I wrote “Why would a professional use Foursquare?” Re-reading that article, I realize that perhaps it isn’t the platform that is boring me – perhaps it is the way I’m using it. Or not using it, as the case may be. But with Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, Pinterest – these are platforms where I can let people I know where I am and real conversations often follow. And really, aren’t the conversations the point? **Note: While I do not check in often, I do occasionally pop on to see where other people are checking in and to see if anyone I know happens to be where I am. I use it to “find” other social media people and see what kinds of events they are attending. And I would absolutely attend Foursquare events, like the one being held in Burlington tonight. I haven’t uninstalled Foursquare or deleted my account or anything. And I still use it a bit as a marketing tool for companies with a physical location and regular customer traffic. But as a user, the thrill is gone. What about you? Do you check in regularly? As much as you used to? Why or why not?  

Post via Social Amateur

I Listened, I Learned and Then I Forgot All Of It

I never intended to take a little hiatus from Social Amateur. I thought I had the blog and all the social media accounts organized enough that I’d be able to maintain them while I went and created a whole new blog. I was wrong. Very wrong. I love this blog. I love the people I’ve met and conversations I’ve had because of it. I love writing for it and I love going out and reading and finding new inspiration for it. But a few months ago I realized that this blog was only part of the “real me.” (Perhaps I read too many posts on the value of authenticity. Haha.) Anyway, I began thinking about all the things I was really passionate about, and how I could create something new to share the “other” side of me. And then, just more than a month ago, I had the the idea for my mommy blog. A mommy blog that focused on moms (not our kids), and developed specifically for Vermont moms. I started getting excited. I talked to my girlfriends, started formulating a plan and got to work. And on April 7, 2012, VTmommies.com launched. Stuck in the Time-Suck Building a website takes some time – even if it’s in WordPress and even if you purchase the theme. There’s branding, content strategy, menu planning, widget trials, writing, etc. There’s setting up social media accounts, finding relevant people to follow, starting up conversations, etc. And then there’s life. Work. Kids. Family. Friends. House. Dog. Exercise. Sleep. Shopping. Spartacus on Starz. I’m not making excuses. Or maybe I am. In either case, I should have known better. I knew the time commitment required to keep active here. I listened when the social media people talked about the necessity of maintaining an everyday presence. I learned that it worked only when I really did “live social.” But for a moment, I just forgot. I forgot to give this blog the same attention as the other one. I wasn’t writing for Social Amateur, having those conversations I love or reading all of the wonderfully creative and inspiration posts you were writing. (I did read some, but not nearly enough.) The wonderful thing is that the traffic to this site remained relatively steady in my absence. I was actually kind of shocked. I am so grateful to those who visited, who continued to comment, share and contact me. Free to Be Me Now, both sites are up and running. Both sides of me are represented. I can be both a “social media geek-wannabe” and a “mommy blogger” and I finally feel like this combination is the “authentic” me. I think launching VT Mommies has made me think about my blogging goals. And then I read this article by Stanford at Pushing Social, and it all seemed to click for me. (More on that in an upcoming post.) Anyway, I’m not quite as concerned about the quantity of posts on this site any more, and I won’t be freaking out if I don’t have time to write for a few days. You may see some layout changes in the near future as well. Don’t be alarmed – it’s just a part of the evolution of this side of me, and I think (hope) the end result will be a better resource for you. And if you’re interested in the other side of me, you now know where to find it. I can’t wait to dive back in.  

Post via Social Amateur

9 Small Business Blog Ideas for Spring

This winter has been quite mild in Vermont, but it’s still nice to know that spring is just around the corner. I always feel inspired and enthusiastic at this time of the year, and so it is a great time to write positive and fun blog posts. Here are a few ideas for spring-themed blog topics that will hopefully perk up your readers after a long winter. Base a Post Around a Fun “Holiday” Did you know that March 22nd was “As Young As You Feel Day,” or that April 19th was “Get to Know Your Customers Day?” Who cares if it isn’t a real, official holiday – Find a few of these days that somehow tie into your business and have some fun with them! There’s a fun list of days here. Get Graphic People love (and share) a great infographic. Create or hire a designer to create a fun infographic telling the story of your company or product statistics or the results of a customer survey. Make sure it is full of information and yet bold and easy-to-read. Debunk an Industry Myth Everyone seems to love a good myth debunking, and there are probably dozens of myths about how things happen or where things came from in your business. Find one that you’ve heard many times before, talk about where the myth may have originated and then explain why it’s not true. Spring Means Growth Give an overview of how your business did in the first quarter, how that compares to the same time period in previous years and how you are positioned at this point in the year. Be honest and talk about factors contributing to your growth and/or how you plan to grow the business during the remainder of the year. Get Inventive Have you ever had an idea for a new industry-related product or service? You know.. they often come to us right as we’re falling asleep or in the shower or while driving. Share one with your fans, and ask them to share their inventive ideas! Promote an Event Whether your business is part of a big community event or just holding a special “Spring Sale,” your readers want to know about it. Give them details and provide an enticing reason for attending. Show your Community Support As a small business, your role in the local and regional community is important. You have the power to make a difference, and you can get your readers/fans in on it. Talk about a non-profit you work with, share photos of your employees at fundraisers or tell your readers why giving back to the community is so important to you. Provide a 5-Tip List Lists are always a big hit, and you know five tips that will help your readers do something better this spring. Pick a very specific topic so that you can write multiple five-tip lists throughout the year, and make sure each tip is valuable and concise. Share the Love What blogs do you read for inspiration? Share your favorites – Explain why you enjoy the sites and what kinds of articles/resources readers can expect to find on each. Discuss a recent article you read on one of these blogs (link back to the original blog post) and elaborate on one particular aspect of the topic. For more topic ideas, check out: 20 topic ideas for your small business blog 24 Small Business Blog Ideas for Winter and the New Year    

Post via Social Amateur

Is That Guest Author Right for Your Blog?

Whether you’re just starting out in social media or have already started to make a name for yourself, one of the best ways to get your name out there is by guest blogging.  It can help forge important relationships with other like-minded bloggers, drive traffic to your own blog, highlight your expertise, grow your audience base and create backlinks to your site. While guest blogging requires more effort then blog commenting, if you do it well, it can certainly pay off in the long run. Host Your Own Guest Blogger Having a successful blog depends greatly on the quality of content you post on your site.  One way to get quality content for your site is to host guest bloggers.  A guest blogger can offer fresh content and a new voice for your site.  Again, it seems like a win-win situation.  However, while it may initially seem like a great idea to agree to host each and every potential poster, it’s really in your best interest to take a close look at who you allow to write on your site. It’s important to look at both the quality of their written work and also the links that they want to include in their post. When someone contacts you to guest post on your site, it may seem like the perfect opportunity to create a new relationship, fill your editorial calendar and offer your audience a new point of view.  Before answering with a resounding YES, however, please take the time to ask yourself these important questions about who your guest blogger is, what they write about and what their motives are. You can ultimately save yourself a lot of time and trouble if you consider these questions in place before sending out the call to blog. Who Is Your Guest Blogger’s Audience? In social media, it’s all about who you are connected to and the relationships you forge with other like-minded individuals.  One main reason to host a guest blogger is to broaden your audience base, but if you are not comfortable with your guest blogger’s fans and followers, it may not be in your best interest to further the connection. Do You Have Similar Goals and Values While social media is about broadening one’s mind and increasing your connections, you should always be mindful of the fact that you will be judged by the content of your blog. If your message, standards, values and goals are not the same as that of your guest blogger, you will likely be judged harshly for it. As a rule of thumb, check out your potential guest blogger’s social media presence before agreeing to host them on your site. Is Your Guest Blogger A Good Writer? It’s very likely that you set very high standards for yourself when writing on your own site, so why would you lower those standards when inviting guest bloggers. And while editing is an option, there is a difference between editing for grammar and spelling and re-writing the piece so that it would fit with your high writing standards.  Make sure the voice your guest blogger uses is a voice you want heard from your site. Does Your Guest Blogger Have a Strong Social Media Presence? One reason to host a guest blogger is to widen your reach. Ensuring that your guest blogger is well connected online is important if you are hosting in order to drive traffic to your site. The more mentions, retweets and posts other people share about the content on your site, the more it add to your own reputation.  It’s one thing to push your own stuff but it works even better when others do it for you with their own social media network. However, it may also be to your benefit to host a new guest blogger, because you like their style, content and point of view.  After all, creating quality content for your audience is still key. What Sites Does Your Guest Blogger Want to Link To? It’s happened before, and it will likely happen again. You’ve connected with a guest blogger, seen a sample of their writing, checked out their social media presence and you think you’re all good to go when they send you their piece with the sites they want you to link to and…Ugh. They only sites they choose are “spammy, salesey” sites that you definitely do not feel comfortable bestowing the “link love juice” on.  While it’s sad to say, it’s easy to be conned in this way, I know I have been.  It’s just good practice to always know to what you are linking. There are always many things to consider when you host a guest blogger. Length of the post, type of content, duplicate material should all be things that you have already considered by the time someone contacts you wanting to write a guest post for your site.  In social media, we all realize the importance of being genuine and honest so we often go into new relationships trusting that those we connect with are as open and honest as we try to be. Unfortunately this is not always the case. It’s best to be prepared with what your expectations are and whether hosting a guest blogger will be both in your best interest and your audience’s. Interested in guest blogging on Social Amateur? Check out our submission guidelines.

Post via Social Amateur

Inspiration Overload – Are You Empowered or Just Busier?

Social media is an amazing thing. It allows us to connect with people we may have never met in real life. It provides a simple way to share wonderfully creative ideas. It can be entertaining, informative, exciting and empowering. But can you be TOO inspired? I Had a Great Idea! At least once a week I come across an article, blog, community or online tool that is so creative that I think to myself, “Wow. Why didn’t I think of that?” Whether it is something big (like a product/brand/website) or something small (a one-off project or nifty trick for doing something you already do in a better way), these ideas get the wheels turning in our heads. Most of the time, we appreciate these ideas, contemplate how we could reinvent them for use in our own lives, mentally pat the backs of the idea creators, and then we move on. But sometimes, we are inspired to act. Often these new ideas of ours are spawned from a collection of many things we’ve seen and read. They’re based on our history within our niche, and our conversations along the way. Our ideas make perfect sense, and we find ourselves thinking about the implications for our communities, our customers and our industries. And so we dive in. Research, planning, implementation, maintenance. It’s so exciting! The Reality of Inspiration The truth is, as we all know, new endeavors take time, energy and often money. Inspiration put into action can fundamentally shift the way we run our businesses and the way we manage our lives. (That’s kind of the point, I guess.) When I began blogging a few years ago, it started with a fairly anonymous personal blog. It was basically just a diary of me whining, actually. I had social media accounts, wrote daily posts and spent quite a bit of time keeping it going. But within a year, I got tired of bitching and tired of listening to others whining about the same things. I shut the blog down. That’s when I got inspired to take what I do every day – social media marketing – and create something that could help small business owners just starting out. I could answer the types of questions that I got every day in a public forum, and by doing so, hopefully I could inspire others. And so, Social Amateur was hatched. Since the creation of this blog, I have been inspired to develop something big many, many times. So inspired that I have probably wasted a great deal of time & energy researching and planning, only to recognize that the idea wasn’t actually going to work for me. If you’re on Pinterest, perhaps you know exactly what I mean. “Hey – that home decor project looks awesome! And it’s so easy. I could do that!” Ten hours later, with $100 worth of supplies purchased and strewn about the house, it dawns on you that you’re not at all crafty and the finished piece was not only a giant headache, but it looks and/or functions like it was created by a team of toddlers. And a similar item was available for purchase on Amazon for $12.  I’ve been that person, banging my head on the wall, admitting that I should have never taken that inspiration to the next level. I’ve also taken inspiration and turned it into something wonderful. Something real and creative and useful and wonderful. For all the times it didn’t work, there have been times when it has. And it is for those victories that we keep looking for inspiration. My New Inspiration Inspiration has struck once again for me, and I’ve been in the research and planning phase of a new project. It has taken my time away from Social Amateur, but I’m still here. I haven’t been as vocal, but I’m still listening, reading and paying attention to you. I’m still engaged and I’m still so incredibly inspired by the social media community every day. What I have learned, however, is that it is sometimes ok to admire something without wanting to make it my own. It is sometimes ok to see an opportunity and pass it by. It is sometimes ok to have an idea and not follow through on it. I have OCD, and I get fixated on ideas and projects. I know myself well enough to know that once I cross a certain point, it’s on. I will live and breathe this “thing” for months or years. It is therefor very important for me to NOT act on every idea. I am learning to appreciate without coveting, to let inspiration be a feeling more than a project and to let ideas empower me more than they direct me. What does being inspired teach you?  

Post via Social Amateur

Take Your Social Relationship Offline

Nowadays, more than ever before, it’s easy to lose our perspectives of human relationships. We’re migrating more and more of our social lives, particularly networking interactions, to online forums such as Facebook, Twitter, and even instant messages. While these can be wonderful tools that can help us advance our careers, there is a downside. They don’t allow us to make the all-important personal connection. No matter how prolific your online presence, there is still a need to take your social network offline. It’s there, in face-to-face situations, that we can make connections that allow us to grow as people. Of course, we can start the process online. In fact, social networking services have made it easier than ever to break the ice. But if we’re to gain anything from our relationships, and if we’re to add value to others’ lives, it’s simply necessary to take life offline. Building Relationships Online For online relationship building, Twitter provides all the tools you need. It’s not an intensely personal service, such as Facebook, so people are generally more willing to socialize with strangers. Also aiding the general social atmosphere is the one-way follow policy. On Facebook a “friendship” has to be mutual. On Twitter anyone can follow anyone, and no one has a technical obligation to follow anyone else. It makes for a more open environment. Mentions and retweets also make Twitter a great way to grow a network. Social circles there are akin to venn diagrams: you might follow a certain group of people, but each of them has a similar, but different, circle. When they retweet someone in their circles, you are informally introduced to others. This can lead to interactions, which can in turn expand your social circle. Believe it or not, it’s possible to make a lasting connection with someone purely through Twitter. I’ve seen people do it on several occasions. It turns into something of a pen pal relationship. This might lack actual human contact, but there are people who make it work. But in most instances it’s not enough. Taking Relationships Offline If you have a large enough social circle, and enough of your follows also follow each other, you have the makings of a social gathering. No, this doesn’t mean a Google+ hangout. It means an actual get-together at a bar or other gathering place. This might not be possible, depending on your specific circle. But if you have enough people living in reasonable proximity, a meet-up can help you forge those connections. Before taking our relationships offline, I considered many people on Twitter to be acquaintances. We’d talk and joke, and we’d share observations. Yet there wasn’t that feeling of friendship. It’s not that I didn’t want to go the extra mile for them. Given the right circumstances I might have. But there was no real personal connection there. We knew each other for superficial reasons — sports fandom — and the relationships only strayed briefly from sports narrative. Now, though, many of these people have become genuine friends. We meet up when there’s not a big gathering. We go to games together. We hang out at each other’s apartments. None of this would have been possible had we kept our relationship strictly online. It wasn’t until we actually met and person that these relationships took off. But now they’re friendships that will last far longer than Twitter will. The Ultimate Step: Conferences Of course, you might not get the opportunity to meet many of the people with whom you interact on Twitter. They’re from all parts of the country and world, so there are clear logistical issues there. But there is one place where you can meet up with any number of them: at a conference or a convention. There are certain limitations to this, but the benefits can be astounding. Conferences and conventions work best for business relationships, but it’s easy to take them beyond that. It’s a chance to meet people in your industry whom you follow on Twitter, but perhaps haven’t developed a strong relationship. If you’ve done your work, you’ve responded to some of their tweets and they know who you are, at least in a vague sense. That makes for a perfect convention encounter. If you can approach someone, that’s usually enough. Introduce yourself, mention your Twitter handle, and the conversation can go from there. You wouldn’t believe the number of relationships that grow this way. It wouldn’t be possible without that human connection. Successful people can be particularly leery of random people on Twitter, especially people in the same field. They don’t want to be used. But having that personal interaction, especially at a professional event, can forge a relationship that benefits both of you, professionally and personally. There are drawbacks to conferences, of course. The first is the cost. There is usually a decently steep admission charge, in addition to accommodations. While you can usually find cheap flights and even hotels, it’s still a considerable cost. That is to say, you’re not going to a convention merely to expand your social circle and make friends. You’re going for professional reasons. But the relationships you do build there can provide a return on your investment. Today’s online interactions aren’t like the guarded AOL chat rooms of the past. Social networking sites, particularly Twitter, allow people to create close personal relationships. Yet these relationships rarely grow solely online. It’s important to take our relationships offline and give them that personal touch. It’s how we grow as humans. Thankfully, now that process is easier than ever. What begins online can flourish offline. Image: Kookkai_nak / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Post via Social Amateur

This Week’s Tweets Worth Repeating (#FF)

It’s Friday! If your week was as busy as mine was, you may have missed some great tweets and articles shared on Twitter. Here are a few of the ones that really stood out to me this week. Enjoy and have a wonderful weekend! As many of you know, my “regular” job is as the communications manager at a professional trade association. This week I taught a class on LinkedIn, and so I was particularly drawn to LinkedIn tips and articles this week. TrueSmallBiz Tweeted: How To Build a Rockin’ LinkedIn Presence bit.ly/xDBSRY #smallbusiness I thought this article did a nice job of presenting steps that small business owners should take after creating a company profile on LinkedIn. The tips and to-do’s were simple and easy to understand, and provided a great framework for discussion. kuno Tweeted: LinkedIn Marketing Cheat Sheet (download) - dld.bz/aGBP3 Everyone loves a good cheat sheet, and this one was the perfect handout at a LinkedIn 101 class. I am sure that participants will be referencing this sheet as they dive into LinkedIn.   Pinterest was also a hot topic this week for me (and millions of other people). I spent a little time pinning, setting up new profiles and reading about how people are already using this booming network. Here are a few of the Pinterest-related tweets I saved. BerryMeansBiz  and SmallBizLady Tweeted: Pinterest the next big thing is social media for small business. Learn how it can benefit your business. t.co/zYmE8UJ6 Jason Falls has an amazing ability to get to the heart of the social media topic at hand in ways that are engaging, entertaining and incredibly useful. This post really stood out to me because it touched on how people are using Pinterest and clearly outlined the reasons small businesses might want to consider getting on board. Pinterest: Quietly Making Money From Your Pins? vsb.li/5eksFj via @ShellyKramer There had to be a catch, right? Pinterest may be the social media darling of the moment, but it is one that is experiencing its first blemish. It was recently revealed that Pinterest is modifying all ecommerce links with it’s own affiliate code, and thus getting a cut of any sales made as a result of the promotion on Pinterest. Shelly Kramer explains it all in this post, and talks about what it all means – for users, for businesses and for the future of Pinterest.   Among the many other tweets I saved this week, these next two really made an impression on me. JohnAguiar  Tweeted: 5 Essential Qualities of Growing Your Blog Quickly in a Crowded Niche -bit.ly/zqxlna by @thesaleslion via @kikolani As a relatively new blogger (and a fairly inpatient person in general), I often have moments of frustration and times when I wonder if all the work will pay off some day. But then I read something like this, and it’s like a bolt of energy going through me. The tips are honest and inspirational, and I’m a better blogger for keeping them in mind. DabneyPorte Tweeted: For all the bad that may happen on social media…there is so, so, much good here. #smgirlfriends Ah, my post of the week. It wasn’t a link to an article or a great infographic. It simply these words from Dabney that remind me of the reason I love social media so much – the people…. Those that consistently give back, in the form of advice, answers, opinions, sharing, to anyone – regardless of their “status” in the community as a whole. These are the people that inspire us every single day, and I am grateful to be reminded of their kindness. Thank you, Dabne.

Post via Social Amateur

Is Facebook Subscribe Replacing Twitter?

The biggest names in social media are Facebook and Twitter. Last year, the two were comfortably growing their user bases without much head-to-head competition due to the different nature of the services. Facebook has always been about connecting with friends and family, whereas Twitter has functioned more as a platform for shouting whatever is on your mind. This all changed last fall when Facebook launched its Subscribe feature, which seemed to be a strategic move that positioned Facebook and Twitter in direct battle. Subscribe, which was designed with celebrities, reporters, and other people in the media in mind, gave public figures an easier way to connect with their fans on Facebook. Like following on Twitter, Subscribe makes sharing non-reciprocal. If someone subscribes to you, you don’t have to subscribe back. Message Length and Network Popularity Key to Subscribe Success According to Facebook, journalists are embracing the Subscribe feature. One of the biggest reasons for this is probably due to Subscribe’s key difference. On Twitter, the maximum Tweet length is 140 characters, whereas Facebook’s limit is 63,206. Yes, 63,206. In nine posts, someone could publish an average length novel. On Facebook, it’s much easier to broadcast a message when you’re length is virtually not restricted. Another reason journalists are using Subscribe is because of its growth and popularity. The average journalist is seeing a dramatic increase in subscribers – around a 320% increase, in fact. Social discovery is largely aiding this increase. Facebook users are finding new people to Subscribe to through stories in their News Feeds. Additionally, Facebook has a recommendations engine, which looks at who you’re friends subscribe to and what your interests are, and then suggests other users for you to subscribe to. Twitter May Take a Hit When people are finding this much growth and attention on Facebook, it’s surely something for Twitter to worry about. Obviously, Twitter is very established, but with time Facebook’s Subscribe could grow just as large as its competitor. So, yes, for journalists and public figures, Facebook is gaining ground on Twitter as a means for immediate sharing with a large, growing reach. What Facebook really has going for it here is its massive number of users. Whereas Twitter has around 300 million users, many of which are bots, Facebook has over 800 million users and is on track to reach 1 billion users late 2012 summer. The user base may be the deciding factor to bring more journalists and celebrities over to using Facebook as their key form of outreach.

Post via Social Amateur