The Power of Social Media - #FelonCrushFriday

If you're still not "sold" on this social media stuff, check this out:

A few days ago, a picture of this guy pops up on the Internet.

His name is Jeremy Meeks.  He's 30 years-old and he's absolutely gorgeous.  Those piercing baby blue eyes. That golden caramel skin.  His chiseled bone structure and those lips?  Tattoos?  *blank stare*  Yes.   

I know what you're thinking - "He's a model, right?" Weeelllllll, hold on there.

See, Jeremy is a convicted felon who is currently locked up in a Stockton, California jail on a felony weapons charge (he spent nine years in prison on a grand theft charge).  The picture above is his mugshot and it has gone viral.  Super viral. The Stockton police department posted Jeremy's picture on their Facebook page and in less than 48 hours, it has garnered over 76,000 "Likes" and over 21,000 comments (mostly women, of course). And the Internet has exploded with a #FelonCrushFriday hashtag - all because of Jeremy.  Jesus.

What does that mean?  Simple.  Social media is powerful. It has a way of connecting people (strangers) like no other form of communication.  It removes annoying barriers & boundaries (cultural, regional, age, etc.)

*Side Note:  Trust me, there are stay-at-home moms who live in midwest suburbs drooling over Jeremy at this very moment.

When you think about it, it's pretty amazing.

Does that make Jeremy a hero?  Absolutely not.  He's just a handsome criminal who's become a pseudo-celebrity because of the power of social media.  If that doesn't make you say "Wow," I don't know what will....
  

So You've Asked People To 'Like' Your Facebook Page, Now What?

I have a lot of friends who are small business owners.  Unfortunately many of them haven't included social media tactics in their overall business strategy. *sigh*  But, THAT's another topic for another time.   

Back to the subject at hand... 

So...you've asked people to 'like' your new Facebook company page.  Now what?   First and most important, look at your company's business goals.  Remember: 

Social Media is Not a One-Off  =  Your social media strategy shouldn't have its own agenda.  It should align with your overall business strategy.  For example, if one of your key issues as a company is to raise the level of awareness around a new product or service, then your social media efforts should support that.  

Create An Editorial Calendar - An editorial calendar is basically a daily listing of posts that will go on your page. Relevant, consistent, engaging content is super important on Facebook.  Sure, being spontaneous is a part of social media.  But remember, you want to focus on your overall business goal(s) too.  An editorial calendar will help you do that.  It will help you stay on track.  

Keep Your Posts Short & Sweet - No one has time to sit and read a thesis about your product and whatnot.  Keep it short.  The shorter, the better. 

Add Images - A post without an image is like a cupcake with no icing.  Blah.  Content is moving fast on Facebook. People are seeing all kinds of things in their feed.  You want to grab someone's attention quickly.  Great images can do that.    

Real Time Engagement - Not only do you want to add fans to your page, but you want to interact with them too. You want to answer their questions, respond to their compliments and assist them if they have a problem.  If you can't do these things personally, hire someone who can. 

Understand & Utilize Facebook Insights - Insights is sooooo valuable!  This tool will show you who your fans are, where they live, what posts they like, what times of day they're online, etc.  Get familiar with Insights.  It will help you find out which content works best for your audience and how you can improve. 

Scheduled Posts - You can schedule posts on Facebook.  In fact, you can schedule posts up to six months in the future.  How cool is that?!  With this feature, you'll be able to post more content without being strapped to a computer all the time. 

I know this seems like a lot, but if you really want your business/brand to have a successful Facebook page, you have to take it seriously.  Start with these things first.  I think you'll be pretty impressed with your results.  

Unwritten Twitter Rules - What They Don't Tell You When You Sign Up (Vol III)

This is my third installment of "Unwritten Twitter Rules."  Click here to read Volume I.  And here for Volume II.  You know above all, I'm here for the people so please let me know if I've missed anything.  :-)  

Sweet Dreams Twitterville - You don't have to tell Twitter goodnight...you can just shut up.  (Ditto for Facebook.)

Following Folks - Following people only because they agree with you is sooooo boring.  Mix it up.  Take me for example.  I follow Sarah Palin.  Not because I agree with her thoughts.  NOPE.  But, I do think she's funny.  BOY is she funny!   

Sarcasm - If you're sarcastic like me, you gotta be careful.  A lot of folks are too sensitive for Twitter.  The issue is...sarcasm gets retweeted and subsequently offends someone who's cat just died or something.  *sigh*

Twitter Beefs - It's pointless getting into arguments with people on Twitter. Too much flawed logic to even know where to start.

The Infamous Subtweet ("Subliminal Tweet") - Listen.  If you think everyone is subtweeting about you, you got issues - real talk.  And Twitter will only make them worse.  So, stop tweeting and get some help. (Sounds like a public service announcement, right?)  :-)

Twitter Friends - Twitter is a great place to meet interesting, fun people who share common interests, BUT....it's NOT healthy to only have Twitter friends.  Go forth & find real-life friends whose personalities don't originate in a 140-character field, K?

Your Twitter Civic Duty - Careful.  Before you jump on the civic duty bandwagon...hold up.  Twitter is THE place for short lived civil campaigns.  Remember the huge KONY campaign of 2012?  No?  My point exactly!  

Calm Down, Breathe...It's Just Twitter - If EVERYTHING someone says on Twitter makes you hop on the defensive and go off on a tirade, then maybe--just maybe....you should just stay off of Twitter.

You MIGHT Be A Tech Snob If....

Disclaimer - I may or may not be a tech snob.  Spend some time with me (about an hour will do) and you'll know the answer.... *whistles and walks away* 

• You think the new Twitter app "Vine" is stupid, hilarious AND fantastic!
  
  
• You feel sorry for people who are super active (& thriving - in their mind) on Facebook.
  
  
• You judge people by their cell phone.  (If you're under the age of 50 and you have a flip phone?  *sigh* )
  
  
• You judge people by their cell phone provider. (T-Mobile users....)
  
  
• You defend Apple products profusely - as if you own stock in the company.
  
  
• You own stock in Apple.
  
  
• You'd rather drop cold, hard cash on your tech accessories than buy groceries.
  
  
• You put serious thought into your profile name (and picture) on social networks.
  
  
• You have little to no patience for people who refuse to embrace technology.
  
  
• You sleep with your cell phone on your night stand - next to your bible, a bottle of Fiji water and a picture of Idris Elba your momma.