Facebook: Who you know; Twitter: What you know

Are you utlizing videos on your website or blog? Then here's an interesting stat for you from the folks at Social Media Today.

Videos promoted with links from Twitter are viewed much longer than from Facebook and Digg. Social Media Today says, "Users clicking onto videos links sent via Twitter spend significantly longer watching those videos than those arriving from Digg or Facebook, according to a new study by video stats site TubeMogul.

"The methodology (below) seems fairly robust, so it may offer a real insight into current Twitter usage: On Twitter you can follow interesting people, not just your friends."

Check out the full article and the study details here: Facebook: Who you know; Twitter: What you know

Facebook's billion dollar revenue forecast; it's THE media, social or not

As we see advertising revenues dwindle in traditional media, particularly magazines and newspapers, we'll be soon seeing an opposite shift in the form of a tipping point happening in new media, particularly the social networks such as Facebook and Twitter. In this story from Reuters on July 6th, Silicon Valley entrepreneur and Facebook board member, Mark Andreessen, tells Reuters that while Facebook's revenue is at $500+ million this year, it is forecast for several billion in the next five years. "Privately held Facebook...has never disclosed its revenue except to say it expects 70 percent growth this year," the article quotes.

And did you know the high profile Web start-up, Twitter, while not making any money at the moment and instead establishing the user experience first (unlike mySpace), was asked by the U.S. State Department to reschedule planned maintenance during the Iran election crisis, because it "considered Twitter a vital communications channel for protesters?"

We're all beginning to understand more fully that Facebook and Twitter are destined to not just be social media channels used by some, but to become mainstream media channels used by most. The New Media isn't so new these days and media properties like Facebook and Twitter are becoming viable ways in which we receive our news in our beloved sound bytes and at a rate of speed that our minds crave. They are this generation's version of USA Today, bringing news to us where we connect with family, chat with friends and engage with those our businesses serve. Even the word "news" is being redefined because on the social networks, we get to choose and even create our own channels.

Engagement is such a key premise to understand more fully as people use the social networks because it's not about shouting messages from the rooftops, or treating the social media like more traditional media in one-way communication. To be successful in engaging others, one must first engage IN others. The old saying of WIIFM has never been more important than now -- your message must be about your audience, about each one in particular. One-to-one communications lives on, here and now in every moment. Remember those books we all read from Rogers & Peppers?

And the only question is how many moments can you catch with authentic relevancy? There are several definitions of engagement and my favorites for social media application are to interlock, mesh, involve, engross, pledge oneself and to deal with someone especially at length. The social media are long-term engagement tools not advertising tools, and the sooner we change our thinking, the better. Brands, whether your personal or company, will be built on engagement, authentic relevancy and thoughtfulness of others.

If you have questions about how to best to utlize the social media or how to consume or create content, please contact Sally Witzky for consultation.

A quick view of the stats: Facebook, Twitter and mySpace

This graphic came from Joel Comm's twitpic account. It shows the growth relationship of Twitter, Facebook and MySpace. It may be difficult to read in this graphic (although you can click through to his twitpic and view much larger). But the green line is Facebook and you can see the incredible volume there. Twitter is the orange line at the bottom -- while the numbers aren't as big, the % growth is huge. And MySpace, as you know, is declining but still has moderate volume.

A quick recap:

Facebook: 122+ M unique visitors, 8.5% growth last mo, and 250% annual growth.
Twitter: 23 M unique visitors, 16.5% growth last mo, and 1,164% annual growth!
MySpace: 61 M unique visitors, 7% growth last mo but 5.6% annual decline.

When building a personal or business brand utilizing the social networks, you have to be where the people are, where the eyeballs are congregating. Kind of difficult to pass up 122+ million unique visitors on Facebook. So it's extremely important to have both a personal brand and business brand strategy for Facebook and Twitter, and I would add LinkedIn because of the demographics. And if you're in the music field, particularly an artist, MySpace is still a must.

If you have any questions about growth of social media or you feel you're not using them to the best of your advantage, shoot me an email and I'll be happy to answer you.

Every moment of every day, choose.

I ran across this wonderful reminder this morning that was printed in one of Stephen R. Covey's "portable" books entitled "Choice: Choosing the Proactive Life You Want to Live" and thought it was well worth sharing. A reminder that our lives are a series of choices we make every day in each moment. What are you choosing, right now?

Choose to do the right thing, the tough thing -- not the familiar easy thing. Choose the way of the warrior or the way of the coward. Make your choice out of love instead of fear. Choose from the heart. Choose to live fully, not to sleepwalk through your life. Choose to respond with the way you really feel, not the way you're supposed to feel. Choose the mineral water over the soda; choose the lemon juice and olive oil over the blue cheese; choose the walk in the park over the ride to the mall. Choose simplicity over extravagance. Choose conversation over the television. Choose to talk things out rather than stew in your anger overnight. Choose compassion and generosity. Choose to smile instead of frown. Make your own choices in your own time and choose to stick with them.

~ Rachel Snyder

Is your Google Profile Up to Date? - Internet Marketing Tips from Denise Wakeman

This is an excellent article sent to me by Mari Smith about updating your Google Profile and a great reminder for us all to take ownership of our online brand and reputation, as well as to increase search engine results.

Click on the link above for more information and to see the NY Times article on "how to manage your online reputation." Excellent read.

Don't forget to use the Tell-A-Friend button below.

The FASTForward Blog » The Return On Investment in Interaction (ROII)

The FASTForward Blog » The Return On Investment in Interaction (ROII) - Using Twitter for Purposeful Contextual Social Search in Social Medical Networks: Enterprise 2.0 Blog: News, Coverage, and Commentary

One of the most interesting and thought-provoking articles I've read in a while about the use of Twitter and Social Media Networks, particularly Social Medical Networks for Enterprise 2.0.

Take a read and let me know what you think. I get asked all the time about how to monetize social media but few understand the power behind the social networks and social interaction that are often difficult to measure but perhaps more valuable than a company, large or small, may realize.

If you own a small business or have started utilizing social media but not sure how to maximize the opportunity, please email me to have a discussion about how to create a ROII for your business.

Here's to your success,

Sally Witzky

FastCo Blog: Dan Schawbel on Personal Branding

I've been keeping up with Dan Schawbel on Twitter but hadn't had a moment to grab his book -- so it was great to run across a quick summary of Me 2.0 on Fast Company blog.

Whether it's GenY or Boomers, personal branding is becoming so critical these days -- especially with people losing their jobs and having to start their own consulting or freelancing businesses, as I've witnessed so much lately. So many are in a bit of a desperate mode they jump on the social networks fast and get started quickly without any regard to what is that going to look like? Or what is my personal branding strategy?

I occasionally recommend that a client spend some time with a business or life coach before getting to me for social branding, as often the person isn't clear on how to maximize their strengths. I might recommend they see a coach like Carroll King Schuller of Organic Blueprints to help them get on track first. It is only then that I can help them take that direction and build a brand out of it creatively and authentically.

I agree with Dan when he talks about the job boards. If that is all someone is doing to look for a job, they'll be out of work for a long time. People are much more assertive, even aggressive in their job search -- and competition for many of the very good jobs is fierce. If one doesn't have the perfect blend of education, experience and zeal needed for that particular job, then there's often someone else who does. Using the social networks and keeping your name and your strengths in front of your connections will go a long way toward not only getting a job but in starting your own business as well.

I've seen many people spend months -- two, three, even 6 months -- looking for a job only to become depressed and frustrated with the so-called system. If they were to put that same energy into building a business or partnering with someone else who is looking for work, they could be building an income stream very quickly. Again, thanks to Fast Company for providing Dan's perspective.

I'll be glad to answer any questions you may have about developing or marketing your own personal brand. Just shoot me an email anytime.

Twitter: Building Businesses Tweet by Tweet - BusinessWeek

"Entrepreneurs are finding the fast-rising microblogging site to be a useful tool for reaching out to customers" ~ Business Week Small Biz Tech

As a marketing strategist and personal branding director for both small businesses and speakers/authors, I've found Twitter to be invaluable to my clients. Not by itself, but in conjunction with other social networks like LinkedIn and Facebook, along with fresh content on their site and especially their blog(s).

If used correctly as part of a business owner's overall marketing strategy, Twitter can quickly and easily create awareness and consideration from those both outside and inside their target market with no media cost. There is still a cost, of course, in either time or paying someone like me to manage their social networks but it would be similar to paying for an ad to be created without paying for the media cost to run the ad on TV, radio or in print.

Twitter can be used (carefully) to drive qualified traffic to websites and blogs - and even make the phone ring. I've heard some pretty cool first-day stories. And it can support current online marketing efforts such as SEO, Google Adwords or banner ads in significant ways. If you're already committing marketing funds to those efforts as well as writing blog content, then Twitter with the social networks can put those efforts on steriods. You know, make the flywheel turn faster. Or get to the tipping point quicker.

Best of all, it helps businesses build relationships with current and prospective customers, as long as the business adds value along the way. The more value the company brings to the game, the higher the reward.

The businesses I work with who are using these tools effectively are quickly setting themselves apart from the competition and creating both their current and future success through relationships and referrals. Twitter is the new CRM tool and more. Business owners are getting attention and receiving opportunities they didn’t get before, because they are finding a way to let people know they are the go-to expert in their particular field by helping others in a very present, moment-to-moment world.

There are plenty of people who are getting on the social networking or twittering opportunity, making money from how-to seminars and getting everyone all hyped up, but very few who understand it from a branding and direct response perspective. Few who understand that the social network platforms (and there are many too numerous to mention) are simply new and inexpensive tools for customer acquisition, retention, lead generation, cross-sell, CRM and viral/WOM marketing.

If your "teacher" doesn't fully understand or can't speak deeply about those business and marketing strategies that have always been a staple to a company's success, then they're not the person who will help you build your brand and your business over multiple touch-points for the long-haul. Anyone can write a tweet but few who know how to write tweets and content that will pull customers in through the purchase sequence and keep them engaged for the long haul.

If you have any questions about Twitter or how to develop an effective social network strategy, call or email Sally Witzky, or find me twittering at http://twitter.com/sallywitzky. In the meantime, the Business Week article provided some interesting perspective on Twitter itself as a social networking/micro-blogging medium and the effect it has had for business.