The Social Media Journey
Social Media And SEO – Why Bother?
May 23rd
Guest Post by Charlotte Waller – SEO Consultant “Social media is now an integral part of business; indeed firms can outsource such work to manage this aspect of their company. It’s influence on modern society? Inescapable. Sites such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Reddit, MySpace, Blogs and countless other media are growing in momentum and their quest for the global domination of cyberspace. In conjunction with the powerhouse that is social media is SEO, experts are delving into the search engine algorithm to decipher how to work with it, for it and occasionally against it.
Backlinks, keywords, link distance, images, canonicals, cloaking, do’s, don’t’s and controversy all make up components of SEO. Similarly, followers, friends, likes, hashtags, notifications, connections, discussions and disputes all contribute to the world of social media.
So why are they both so necessary?
Rather obviously, with regards to SEO you can publish the most wonderful, elaborate website in existence; if no one knows about it…#epicfail 
. Absorbing the true and complete benefits of SEO is too great an ask of a beginners blog such as this, however I don’t believe many would argue that with a myriad of businesses and websites out there, there is a definite need for effective SEO. The generation of leads, brand management, promotion, and increase in accessibility to services are all immediate benefits good SEO can bring to your business. Something to ignore? Not anymore.
Similarly, an obvious example to demonstrate a benefit of social media is shown perfectly through Twitter. Sharing knowledge and information across networks, fulfils perhaps the most integral social media purpose – something businesses can no longer afford to ignore. Information is no longer sacred and very rarely private. To effectively maximise information sharing for business needs therefore, social media mediums now provide the perfect route through which SEO can deliver.
I’ve also had discussions that social media is not easily quantifiable and so not as important; how do you effectively track the impact of a campaign and explore its tangible benefits? Is it possible to attribute a retail sale to a Facebook like or a Twitter retweet? There are reports Facebook is working hard on integration into eCommerce and other industries, also evidence that LinkedIn is working to a similar effect via website integration tools aimed at improving their tracking capabilities. These two initiatives point to another benefit of social media; networking. Having arguably changed the face of networking forever, the worth of social media should now be beyond question.
Finally, perhaps another obvious point in favour of social media is its distinct lack of cost - it costs precisely zero to set up a LinkedIn account, yet with the wrong management this may prove detrimental to a company. Someone looking at an incomplete profile may be put off doing business with an organisation or individual and it’s now increasingly common for companies to browse an individuals Facebook account when hiring. Social media should be treated with caution in addition to common sense.
Despite mounting evidence to the contrary, I still come across individuals who remain stubborn in their belief that if they ignore SEO and social media, it will simply disappear. Given that you are reading this, it’s very unlikely you’re of this view however with a number of businesses being run using more traditional methods and even with growing acceptance, there is still a considerable way to go until social media and SEO are wholly accepted as an essential tool of business.”
Thank you for such a great guest post Charlotte. I would also like to add that the evolution of innovation of Google search means that it’s not just the most heavily optimised site that is getting visibility. With the implementation of ‘Real-time’ search it has become more and more imperative that you continue to work on the consistency and relevance of your content to be seen. Having a blog, website and social channels are great for your SEO if done in the right way.
Please make sure you follow Charlotte Waller on Twitter @charlottexana
Treat Social Media Like A Friend
May 3rd
I and those around me have been using social media platforms such as Facebook for years to connect with one another and share updates. For those yet to grasp the concept of leveraging social media to enhance their business the disconnect has come when migrating their attention from using social media for pleasure to social media for business. Quite simply, they just cannot understand how using these platforms can make for credible relationship builders and open doors to opportunities and relevant information.
The challenge that I have found has been finding the best way of explaining the benefits and the psychology behind the execution that does not overwhelm someone but can leave them buzzing with the prospects it could hold.
I, myself got how social media could serve me from day one; I understood how I could learn from it and how to connect with the right people to grow my business. In fact, I got it so much that I built my entire network and business organically from it and feel totally passionate about helping others to do the same.
Anyone can learn how to tweet, add a photo album or record a winning Youtube video but the thought behind the action is where you will find the real value once understood. Understanding your audience and landscape while going in with a purpose of why you are there not just what you are going to say will set you apart from the casual explores and be able to maximise your efforts.
Knowing the simple math behind the social facade should help you to be more productive and in a nutshell help you get and give more value.
An example that I have used for some time now that seems to help people turn a corner and start thinking differently is the mindset of treating social media like a friend.
What makes a good friend?
A good friend to me is someone who is always there when you need them, is fun, interesting, share common interests and aspirations, like minded with the same moral values, supportive, trustworthy and loyal. Building relationships with people wether that is for business or not always starts with sharing these attributes, interests and expertise. Once you know and like someone or a brand who encompasses all the qualities that you see as important and you learn and like them or their business not only will you be more likely to buy from them when the time is right but also become an evangelist for them within your own network.
Take Twitter; you start following someone as they seem to be a real expert in an area that you care about. They share great content but only post every now and again and also don’t like to share anything else about the person/company behind the account. This is the same as if you had a friend who you had lots in common with but never seem to really be around or committed to your friendship and also is very guarded about telling you who they really are.
How would you feel about that friend?
When it comes to organising that BBQ in the summer that might not be the friend that you think of straight away to invite, if at all, as you will be too busy inviting your fun, like minded and open friends who add value to your life.
You see when nurturing a friendship or a business relationship on or offline it is just the same yet social media now gives us the platform to be able to do this in real time and has improved the process and experience. You can, listen, learn, network, engage, share and grow using these platforms personally and as a business by creating an environment where people will be interested in what you communicate on a platform where they can respond and share with their network.
Most people are visiting these networks every day, you must Identify your audience then understand how they would like to be spoken to and also who you would like to learn from.
Once you know this your communication will improve and your network will become stronger. It’s only then that you will start seeing real results for your business but acquiring brand evangerlists, new prospects and smart business connections for future collaborations
My favourite Youtube videos of all time
Feb 19th
Video is a wonderful way to capture your imagination, share knowledge and spread laughter. I spend a lot of time watching some great online channels such as Ted.com but what has kept me smiling, in the know, up to date and reaching for the share button are some of these great videos below thanks to a clever little invention calledYoutube. There is a variety for all occasions and moods so sit back with a cup of tea and enjoy…
Earth – The Pale Blue Dot
My favourite line from this short video is ‘we humans are capable of greatness’.
Coca Cola – ‘Holidays are coming’
The first time you hear this advert (which is usually mid November) you know that Christmas is coming. It makes you feel happy and Christmas would not be the same with out it.
Sir Ken Robinson: Do schools kill creativity?
Sir Ken Robinson is a thought leader of our time. When discovering this talk via Ted.com I was blown away not only by his exceptional observations but by his wit and charm. Finally someone who believes in Education in the same way as I do.
World Airline Traffic (24-Hour Time Lapse)
This is fascinating, being able to watch the distribution of aircraft all over the world in a 24hour period with this unique time lapse. You really get to see just how busy London is!
Teddy’s Story ~ Told by Dr Wayne Dyer
Dr Wayne Dyer is one of my great teachers in life. He can captivate and audience and talk with true conviction and belief like I have never seen before. In this video he tells a story about Teddy which will leave you reaching for the tissue box at the end and with a strong lesson to never judge another person on face value.
Steve Jobs – Connecting the dots
Steve Jobs is a master of innovation and one of the greatest geniuses of our time. Here Steve talks about connecting the dots in your life and how everything has, had and will have a place and a meaning in the journey of your life. This was filmed at Stanford University in 2005.
2010 Cheerleading World Championships – Top Gun All Stars
As some of you may know I am a Cheerleader and have been since I was 13 years old. It’s my passion and the real love of my life. I get goose bumps watching this video with what I consider to be one of the most creative and visually stimualting teams in the world.
Kuroshio Sea – 2nd largest aquarium tank in the world
This video was brought to my attention by one of my Twitter followers @jonrawlinson who filmed this video at Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium in Japan. The song is ‘Please don’t go by Barcelona’.
John Lewis Ad 2010 – Fyfe Dangerfield ‘She’s Always A Woman’
John Lewis certainly got it right when they made this advert showing how special is the journey of life.
Please share some of you favourite videos below ….
Getting A Buzz From Social Media
Dec 16th
I would like to share a great story told to me by one of my followers James Biggin. James is the Managing Director of Steel City Marketing, a wonderful promotional gift company, who are exploring new media as a way to learn, connect and engage with their customers and prospects. Like all of us, James is on a journey and his experiences online are formulating the foundations of how social media can play a role within his companies infrastructure. Here is James story with a celebrity twist…
“When I first started dipping my toe into the social media pool, I didn’t have a plan or even the slightest clue as to what I was looking to achieve or how I was going to do it. I was officially dabbling.
I was quickly converted and now consider myself fully immersed, swimming in the social media sea! I don’t have this fully worked out. What I do know is how I can best manage this for my business and social life “for now”. This will constantly change and evolve.
Social media for my company now forms part of the daily routine. Meet, learn, engage, discuss, contribute, inform, promote and using only “the big 3”, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. I treat them separately as I am acutely aware of the different “audience” each has.
Every day, the aim in the back of my mind is of posting the “dream tweet” or the “blog of gold” – something positive that is picked up on, read by and used by many. Essentially to achieve the results it was intended for.
Something close to that happened on the 3rd December…
Although principally a business twitter account, I have always felt that it should be used to show more about the people and the personality of the company, so I thought about one tweet that was based around my little girl’s birthday. Snow had affected her day (not that she was upset), but there was no post, a main present hadn’t arrived, a meal out was cancelled and her party was looking unlikely. I tweeted just those facts, but rather than making it a sob story or a rant, I asked at the end if anyone could ask a pop star to call her at 5pm that day, the time specifically chosen as I was leaving work early to spend time with her and thought it might be great if I made that happen. I didn’t seriously think it would, I was “just tweeting”.
A 30 second tweet, then back to work. Looking back up at my screen 10 minutes later, I saw things I had never experienced. The RT’s and replies were coming in by the second. I mentioned this to a colleague and carried on working. I left work an hour after the tweet and I could see a serious amount of people had picked up on it and were getting involved. I told my wife (we nervously laughed at the possibility of a pop star phoning). Shortly after leaving the office, I received a tweet to say my account was UK trending. I burst out laughing and my little girl asked what was wrong. I replied, “Daddy has done something on Twitter”. By the time I arrived at home, Radio 5Live had called to find out more and to confirm they would interview me live on air that evening. I discovered my account was briefly the 2nd trending UK topic. A young actress had picked up on one of the RT’s and asked me for my mobile phone number. She later confirmed that Pixie Lott would call my daughter at 6pm! She did, it was amazing and Pixie knew nothing of the “tweet gone viral”, she was doing her friend a favour.
There are no words to describe how I felt; it was a true buzz.
Since that phone call, the local press ran the story, it was in the Metro (online and print) and was on Daily Mail online, the latter as a result of Pixie Lott’s press people realizing the size of the story and using it in interviews. By the end of all of this, a certain 6 year old was “tired of being famous”!
Why did this happen, at that moment, to me? Primarily because I wasn’t intending to make something go viral. The wording of the tweet was focused toward people I regularly engage with, hoping one or two would respond and reply. It wasn’t a sob story, I wasn’t feeling sorry for myself. It was factual. It was a normal tweet from my account in the same tone as always.
The message “hit the mark” with people I don’t know, people that don’t know my little girl, or me. They liked the idea, the sentiment and the reason for posting it. They did something about it, without being forced, without it being a hassle or a chore. And a lot of people did just that!
Had I put the same message on Facebook, “out there” to people I consider closest to, they would have just commented or “liked” the post. Nothing more. My Facebook post might not have asked “if a pop star could call her”, few friends would be able to help. This has demonstrated the different way people would see this type of content on Facebook. My separation of Facebook and Twitter is key to how I post and whom I post to. A message of this type would have had no place on LinkedIn, and to have tried would have confused that audience or weakened my position with that audience.
For a long time I have been clearly aware of the importance of embracing social media, but I hadn’t experienced it’s power first hand! It has proved to me that this has a serious place in my promotional gift business. There is no quick win or return. I have realized that for my company a measurable return on investment maybe some time off. It is about building relationships, something of a long-term strategy that I am happy to work on and do believe it will pay off”.
….James’s story is a great example of just how companies and individuals are learning and exploring the social space. Actions and outcomes equals lesson that can be applied to all aspects of your online journey and it could even make a little girls birthday
Marc Koska, The Entrepreneur Who Saves Lives
Dec 9th
You know when you meet someone so remarkable that their story and aspirations knock you for six making you question what is really important in life? Well Marc Koska was one of those people who has had this effect on me.
I was supporting one of my lovely non-profits called Peace One Day at an event in London ran by Triumphant Events, who, may I add, are the creme de la creme of successful business events. Speaking that day was Sam Roddick founder of Coco De Mer and Dr Rohan Weerasinghe one of the most inspirational mentors and speakers in the UK to name but a few. Marc Koska was also one of the speakers who, from the moment that he stepped on to the stage, captured the hearts and the attention of the entire room. His ongoing story of how he created the first ever One Use Syringe and his campaign to save lives is one that will not only change our world for the better but will inspire you.
In 1984 Marc Koska was sailing around the Caribbean working part time making models for murder scenes (to be used in court) when he read an article about how unsafe injections would soon be one of the biggest killers in the world. He decided there and then that he was going to do something about it and set about learning and obsorbing everything he could about the idustry.
There are three main reasons why Syringes cause a real threat to many lives by transmitting blood which could cointain the HIV virus, Malaria and other life threatening infections:
1) Re-use - By using the same needle, passing extracts of blood from one person to another
2) Recycling - Kids make money out of Recycling by washing them, repackaging and selling them on.
3) Mis-use – Kids use syringes as toys like we use water pistols and are sold in stores alongside toys
One of the heart aching realities of unsafe injections is that children are thrown out of their homes after contracting HIV which their parents took them too.
Marc knew that he had to do something and as an inventor he ventured in to the world on syringes to see if he could create a safer product. By not changing the look, feel and way it was used by using the basics of exsisting equiptment it would mean the adoption of the safer syringe would be a lot smoother and quicker. With that he also knew that there had to be no price increase (3p per syringe) and the only diffireciator between a ‘safe’ Syringe and a ‘not safe’ Syringe would be that it will save lives.
In 1996 along with Rupert Lywood, Koska founded Star Syringe to licence the first ever K1 auto-disable syringe technology to manufacturers around the world. It took Marc seventeen and half years to see his first Syringe being used. Here is the K1 Auto-Disable Syringe in action
Marc travelled to India, positing the Star Syringe team as Syringe experts to meet Dr Anbumani Ramadoss who is the Union Minster of Health and Family Welfare of the Indian Government. Unfortunately Ramadoss refused a meeting yet undeterred Marc went to the press who jumped on the headline;” Ramadoss does not have time for Syringe expert”. This embarrassed Ramadoss immensely and sure enough Marc eventually got his meeting and has now travelled to India 37 times. The result was 11 states out of 26 are now using safe syringes.
There has now been over 2 billion safe syringes created with 10 million safe injections to date. The number of days spent in hospital has also dropped from 7 days to just 3 days because needles are now safer and doctors and nurses now make efforts to wash their hands as they feel that they are using safe equipment and it will make a difference.
What can you do?
By sharing the message and information on to your network, friends and family it will help raise awareness and educate people about safe injections. Here is a gripping video that you can share
Marc’s journey has spanned nearly three decades. His unshakable belief and fighting spirit is something to be admired. Marc talks at many events all over the world including TED You can see his talk here; Marc Koska: 1.3m reasons to re-invent the syringe
