What to do if your Facebook page is hacked

People frequently contact me when they find out their Facebook profile is sending out updates that they haven't written. An example of this where people unknowingly tag their friends into adverts for fake sunglasses.

This usually happens when you've allowed an app access to your Facebook profile without realising it. Many quizzes and interactive pages ask you to "log in with Facebook". It's worth taking the time to see what permissions the app is asking for. Nearly all will want to know who your friends are and where you live. They'll take this directly from the information you've provided on your profile. In order to post the results, from quizzes and similar content, the app will need to be able to publish stuff onto your wall - which means it can write things on your behalf. A lot of the time this isn't a problem, most apps you use are "only" after your data so they can sell it. It's when the odd rogue app starts posting advertising onto your wall that problems arise.

So if your page is suddenly trying to sell viagra or acai berries to your friends, what do you do?

The first, and most important thing to do is to change your password! Please don't recycle passwords that you use elsewhere. A shiny, new password is what is required. Try and include a number or some non letter characters to make it more secure. Oh, and just putting a number 1 on the end of your password (or an exclamation mark) is too easy to guess - get a bit more creative.

The second thing to do is to check what applications have access to your Facebook account. If you're a keen quiz taker you may be shocked at who can see all your information!

The second, and far less frequent, issue I see with Facebook pages is when they are "cloned". This means that someone has copied your profile picture and information onto a new account and then they start sending friend requests out to loads of other people - often including your own Facebook friends. These cloned accounts are most often used in "like farming", but they can occasionally be used maliciously. By pretending to be you, the person in control of the cloned account can make it seem as if you are posting offensive and upsetting content. This can be particularly problematic if they do things like using the cloned account to leave offensive comments on your employer's Facebook page....

What can you do if you find someone has cloned your account?

You need to report the rogue account to Facebook. This can be a long and drawn out process. You will often need to provide scanned copies of documents to prove your identity.  Perseverance is key here!

In conclusion:

• Be careful where you click. 
• Change your password regularly. 
• Check what apps have access to your account.

Seven years in business

I passed another milestone recently - 7 years in business with Ariadne's Thread!

Everyone says that running your own business is a rollercoaster ride. I can only agree. There have been times when I've been ready to throw in the towel and crawl back into employment. (Easier said than done at my age!) At other times there's the heady combination of new contracts and great clients.

The flexibility and freedom I get from being self employed is something I would never want to lose. I frequently work long hours so that  I can fulfill a contract - or just because I'm enjoying the work. The key point here is that it's my choice when and where I work, which is what makes all the difference.

A few people have asked me what I've learned since my start-up days so here are my top 3 tips:

1. Be wary of working for free.
Many people will ask you to give your expertise for free. In return they'll offer "exposure" or that their event will help you "to establish your credibility". Weigh up what is being asked of you very carefully. I still talk on local radio and contribute quotes to newspapers for free because it really helps with my PR and search results online. The occasional talk at a networking group is often ok as well. I soon learned not to give away my core business (social media training, writing and marketing) for free. You'll soon learn the people that always want something for nothing and start to avoid doing business with them!


2. Watch your cashflow
It's said that cashflow problems kill more businesses than anything else. Even though  I don't need a premises or stock to run my business, I've not been immune to the effects of stifled cashflow. It really only takes one key client to default on their payments, or a contract to end before you planned for your finances to take a major hit. This is particularly true in the first couple of years. Keep an eye on your accounts, update them regularly and chase any late payments promptly. You can't always avoid a cashflow crisis but you can often see it coming and plan to survive.


3. Don't be afraid to say "no"
You will not suit every client and they will not always suit you. Sometimes you are better off saying "no" and moving on to people that actually value what you do. It's particularly difficult to do in the first few years as the aforementioned cashflow can be a problem. However, as soon as you can, be selective about who you work for and who you team up with. In the long run, it'll give you a more sustainable and productive business.


Here's to the next 7 years...!

It's time to drop the distinction between online and offline

I read this piece by Clementine Ford and it got me thinking.


When I first started "going online" it was using a ZX Spectrum and accessing Prestel. It was a time when email was in its infancy and Bulletin Boards were all the rage. Because so few people were able to access the internet community, there was a clear distinction between what you did online and what you did IRL (In Real Life). That distinction should now be consigned to history - along with 300 baud modems!

Taking the UK as an example, 78% of adults access the internet every day. We use the internet as an integral part of our lives, both for business and for leisure. Whether we're shopping online, paying our bills or posting on social media, our "real life" is now inextricably linked to our virtual presence. There is no longer a clear line where one starts and the other finishes.

The sometimes caustic culture of the early digital communities is being rapidly diluted as more and more people discover the advantages of being connected online as well as offline. We are online both at work and at home. Our digital presence is an integral part of our lives. It's not about spending an hour on a Bulletin Board via dial up any more.

What happens online is no longer separate from our "real world" lives - it's intertwined to the point where the difference has all but disappeared. Convergence has already happened for most of us. Shrugging off bad behaviour online as "just the internet" is no longer acceptable. Sites such as Twitter, Facebook (and other social platforms) need to up their game when it comes to addressing anti-social behaviour.

Equally, we need to consider our own behaviour now that our digital selves are far more visible, What was acceptable, even expected, amongst some regular posters in the early days is no longer appropriate.

The internet has evolved. Our online behaviour needs to evolve too.

5 key behaviours for social media

Whichever platform is your social media favourite there are 5 key behaviours to adopt to ensure that you and your business get the best results.

Broadcast (Sell)
Just not too much! As a business, we need to say what we do. We may have special offers available, or want to promote our next batch of courses. Whatever that broadcast content is, bear in mind that it's akin to advertising and that's not the content people want to consume all the time.

Engage (Listen)
Good quality engagement starts with the online equivalent of listening, which is reading what other people write. This means actually taking time to read/watch their content and not just retweeting or liking everything your business buddy puts out without critical thought. Nor is it about reposting everything that mentions you - especially if the post was automatically generated in the first place. Taking the time to read what other people write and responding to them thoughtfully and appropriately is a skill that you should cultivate. The dividends are worth the effort.

Support
Again, this isn't about mindless retweets/likes/shares of insubstantial content. Be helpful. Solve someone's problem online and they'll know you can help them in their offline business too. Make an effort to raise someone else up, you'll reap the rewards too.

Question/be curious
Ask genuine questions, which means avoiding the faux market research style. Crowdsource information for your next business hire or purchase.

Add value
Find and share good quality information. Create compelling content. Be authentic. Think about who you want to talk to and then search for great articles that'll really help them. Research a catalogue of great content providers that are respected and publish regularly. By adding real value to the people reading your updates, you'll be building up your own reputation too.


Start to behave like a successful, thoughtful person online. Your business will benefit and so will you.

How to check who can send you Twitter DMs

A couple of years ago Twitter announced it was introducing a function that enabled accounts to receive Direct Messages from people that weren't following them. It was met with general apathy and seemed to be dropped. It's now back in action.

The initial worries I've seen expressed are that it would open the floodgates to being spammed by all and sundry. It's worth noting that you have have to opt in to the new service.

If you're concerned and want to check, then just go into your settings and select "security and privacy". At the bottom of the page there will be an option like this:

If you don't want to receive DMs from people you don't follow, just make sure the box is unchecked.

A few people have questioned why anyone would want to get DMs from complete strangers. If you run a busy customer service feed then I can see that it would be advantageous to be able to get DMs from people without having to ask them to follow you. Other than that, the uptake seems to be limited.

What do you think? Will you be opting in?

Social media is mainstream - now what?

When I started Ariadne's Thread in 2009, social media was seen as new and untested by a lot of businesses. Now that its value and effectiveness is proven, it is an essential part of any marketing and PR plan. People have realised the value social media can bring to both promotion, sales and to customer service. It's critical not just in attracting new customers, but also in keeping your existing ones happy. I no longer have to sit with people for hours and "talk them into it", It's straight into the good stuff. Who should they target? How much time will it take them? What sort of content do they need? How will they create that content?

There are a couple of tactical issues that come as baggage alongside this broad acceptance of social media.

Firstly, there's a lot more "noise" to compete with. Some businesses are still under the impression that it's OK to treat the medium as paperless advertising, or as solely a mechanism to improve their Search Engine Optimisation. The rolling streams of automated updates can get overwhelming and the opportunities for meaningful engagement can be missed. Your content needs to be interesting, relevant and well targeted to rise above this inane cyberbabble.

Secondly, the range of social media platforms has greatly increased. Make sure you know the type of people you want to influence and research where they are likely to congregate online. Your decisions will be heavily influenced by your business sector and your ability to produce appropriate content.


So what can you do?

• Select your social media platforms with care.
• Create content that is useful to the people you want to reach and relevant to your business.
• Take time to make a content plan, it really does help improve the results you'll get.
• Evaluate the results you're getting and adjust your plan if you need to.

Getting started on social media as a business

It's been a while since I wrote about where to get started on social media. As you'd expect the technology has advanced and the platforms have developed so the advice has to change to keep up!

If you've not got any social media presence - at all - for your business there are 2 "must haves":

1. A personal profile on LinkedIn

• Use it to build up your online network of business contacts to complement your offline activities.
• Research which of your contacts knows the people you want to connect to. 
• You can be found by name online and can be easily contacted

2. A Google+ business page and up to date "map" information

• Critical if you have a premises. Important even if you don't!
• Google+ is an integral part of your maps presence so make the most of it!
• It's Google - of course you want your business information on there!

How much effort you put into maintaining these profiles will obviously have an effect on how well they work for you. Having said that, a little can go a long way on both LinkedIn and Google+. A few minutes a week can really make a difference.

Try looking at LinkedIn at least once a week (Yes, I know keen users will feel that's too little!) Here's a checklist of activities that'll take you no time to do:

• Like a few updates
• Find some new contacts
• Accept the contact requests you feel are valuable to you
• Put out an update that's business related

Ten minutes and you're done... Once you feel at home, look at who you can recommend and who can recommend you too.


With Google+ 5 minutes a week is all you need to get started

• Find people to put into circles
• Put out a business update - use a picture if you have one
• +1 a few updates
• Check your profile for reviews

Of course there is a lot more you can do with both these platforms. But you need to start somewhere, so what's stopping you?

Too many #hours in the day?

The phenomenon of local #hours on Twitter has increased steadily over the last couple of years. It's a great idea and I use appropriate geographical and subject themed #hours for my own business and for my clients.

There comes a point, however, where several #hours coincide or follow on from one another. At this point I'm seeing the same tweet from people 4 or 5 times in a couple of minutes - each with a different #hour on it. This is then repeated every 10 minutes until the #hour is over. This makes for very repetitive and boring content! It's also a wasted opportunity in my opinion.

I had a debate with a particularly enthusiastic #hour frequenter. Their response to their followers that were getting bored with all the "noise" they were generating was...

...use the mute feature.

Really!?!

Do you really want to be the account that encourages your followers to mute your output? Seems like an exercise in self defeat to me!

Using loads of scheduled tweets to cover multiple hours may seem like a cost effective solution, but you'll soon hit a brick wall. I think that a training company local to me summed it up nicely:

@followthethread That's true. It's a bit like not going to a networking event and sending a flyer instead! #staffordshirehour
— abv Training (@abvtraining) May 28, 2014

Well said...!

The other major issue with #hours is over zealous retweeting. You've probably come across the "retweet everything that moves to try and get new followers" gambit. It can create just as much noise as the sales tweets. If you want to curate good content for your followers to keep them engaged then you don't want them turning off your retweets on your profile page.


Here are 3 top tips to keep you involved with your #hour of choice without boring the rest of your followers:

1. Interact with people on your #hour of choice (i.e. start your tweet with an @)  You're still visible on the hashtag and it limits the #hour fatigue generated amongst the rest of your followers.

2. Retweet selectively. Target businesses that are good suppliers/clients or ones that you'd like to talk to. Or, of course, tweets that say something relevant to your followers' interests!

3. Looking desperate is not a good sales tactic. Concentrate your efforts on a couple of #hours and try actually talking to people instead of just broadcasting. You'll get better results.




TL;DR
Don't annoy the followers you've already got.

5 key points to consider when outsourcing your social media

If you're a really busy business person (or if you just don't like "doing" social media) then outsourcing is always an option. Here are 5 key points to consider when deciding which social media company to work with:

1. Who owns the feed?
If the company you are considering doesn't instantly come back with the reply "you do" then walk away!

Also, which email account will the feeds be tied to? It's vitally important to have access to that email account should you and the outsourcing company ever go your separate ways.

2. Who are you trying to reach?
If there's no discussion or advice forthcoming on this aspect you may want to consider if the company you're talking to is the right choice to handle your social media. They should be clear as to what audience they are targeting on each platform and how the content they produce will attract that audience.

3. How is the content to be generated?
A rough guide to this is that the cheaper the price for this element, the more automation is involved.

It doesn't take an experienced social media person long to set up a piece of software that trawls various newsfeeds for "industry related content" and then periodically spits it out on your social media platforms. Once it's set up, there's little or no interaction required by the outsourcing agency. Be clear what a monthly retainer fee actually includes for this type of service.

The risk with this much automation is that if the keywords used to select your content aren't well thought out then you can end up posting the same tired stuff that everyone else in your field does. There is another risk in that automated content pickers can occasionally be tricked into selecting inappropriate content. It only needs to happen once for your online reputation to take a major hit.

The more direct human involvement you have in your social media, the more it will cost you (as you'd expect). The benefits, however, are worth thinking about. If you'd prefer someone to handpick your content, select the most effective time for it to be broadcast and select the most appropriate platform then you'll be far more certain of attracting the right audience to your output. But I reiterate, it'll cost more.

4. How will the overall effectiveness be measured?
Here comes the science... Well, it should do! Many companies will send you a automatically generated file that their management software produces each month. Unless you decide, beforehand, what it is you're actually aiming for these reports can have little value.

Don't get too hung up on numbers of followers/likers/circlers. Here are a few ideas for you to track: mentions, retweets, website visits, customer footfall, awareness levels... and so on.

5. Service Levels
Nail down the specifics:
How accessible are the company to you if you have a query?
Exactly how many updates will you get on each platform?
Will the company talk to people for you on your feeds?
Do you want/need them to interact or will you do it?
Will those updates be identical across all platforms, or is some form of selection used?
Is the content generation entirely automated?
What happens if something goes wrong?


One last thought. Even if you outsource all your social media then take time out to check what's being said in your name. Your digital footprint is part and parcel of your overall reputation and you need to make sure it stays in tact.

The perils of a mishapen digital footprint

If you had easy access to several leaflets about a company and they all had different phone numbers or different addresses what would be your opinion of that company? Chances are you'd feel unsure which number to call or which address to visit. At which point, it may well feel "safer" to use another company altogether...

In this increasingly online age that feeling of consistency and currency  - and therefore trustworthiness - is still vital. Your brand isn't just about the visuals, although I'll agree that's an important part of the whole.You can post the most fabulous content, but if it's lost in a sea of historical online noise it will lose it's impact.

I've been working with companies recently that have either ignored the state of their online presence, or simply haven't had time to audit where they appear on the web.

One business was quite shocked to realise that they were still on many of the free directories from their start-up days. Not only had their base of operation changed 3 times, but their phone numbers had too. The contradictory information that was appearing in their search engine results was confusing people that wanted to use their services.  They're currently trawling through the entries, tracking down log-in details (not as easy as it sounds!) and generally tidying up their digital footprint.

Then there's the business that has accumulated web addresses over a period of about 10 years. Not all the web addresses have content, some don't have redirects to the latest website and others have redirects that are not advantageous to SEO. It's also very confusing and off-putting to someone looking for them online. Needless to say, they're now on the case.

Then there's social media to add to the mix as well. Several popular platforms perform well in search engine results and may still be picked up even if you've not looked at them yourself for years. It's still a part of your digital footprint. Unused and unloved social media feeds don't make a business look good. This is especially true when it's Generation Y doing the viewing.

So, when did you last read your own bio on Twitter or update your profile on LinkedIn? Is there a blog sitting unloved in a corner of the internet that hasn't been updated for months? You get the idea.

Go and do a search for your business online. Take a look at the results as a whole, not just the one place your preferred website appears. Think about what that list of results says about you to potential clients. Then, start shaping your digital footprint into something that adds real value.

3 rules of 3

So many people I come across are reluctant to use social media because they "don't know what to say".

Here are 3 rules of 3 to get you started.


This first one is featured in more detail in a blog by Daniel Cadden that I contributed to:

Social media small talk

1.  Seasonal
2.  Regional
3.  Topical

Have a read of the original blog to get some ideas of how to put this into action.


Non-sales business ideas

1.  My diary today

• Within reason of course! If you can name-check someone in your post so much the better.

2.  Tasks in progress

• What are you actually working on right now?

3.  Projects completed

• With a link to any website information there might be about it too

More than just a business

1.  Social good

• Charity fundraising
• Community projects, 

2.  Helping hand

• Answering questions
• Sharing good quality information from other people, 

3.  Personal

• Choose a couple of things that you are happy for your business clients to know about you. (Mine are that I like coffee, cats and chocolate) Whether you like gardening, running marathons, dog walking etc the occasional mention will humanise your business. 
• Being social on social media is vital!

Of Cows, Physicists and Spheres

Yes, this is about social media, bear with me...

I was browsing my Twitter stream recently when this tweet caught my eye:

How does a physicist model a cow ? They start with a sphere and add complexity #conferencequote
— ian tracey (@iantracey) October 7, 2013

The source of the quote is Cristiana Bordeau (Thanks to Ian for asking so I can give credit where it's due)


It got me thinking about being in business and how we construct our online/offline networks out of a myriad of component pieces.

Having an online presence is not just about the solitary, static website anymore. Most businesses are also active on several social media platforms. Our digital footprint is comprised of a mass of tweets, likes, comments updates and shares. Individually they may not seem like much. Collectively, they are a powerful testament (for good or for bad) of how we interact and behave.

Businesses often construct their social media "cow" without any thought for the overall effect. They concentrate on the day to day, but not on the overall impression they are creating. How much more effective could the overall result be with a little planning and strategy? (Answer: a lot!)

Take a step back and consider what sort of "cow" you're constructing.

Can Twitter really affect your employment prospects?

Up until fairly recently there was a limited pool of information available to the potential employer. There was the CV, the covering letter, candidate appearance, their interview performance and their references.

Today there is an added source of information about candidates and that is their digital footprint. Your online presence can give an employer huge amounts of information about you, particularly if you have low privacy settings on Facebook or an unprotected Twitter account.

Even if an account doesn't use your real name, it doesn't always prevent people finding out who you are and forming opinions about you from the content you post.

People are incredibly open about their lives and their feelings on social media. On one hand, it's what makes it an interesting and vibrant medium. On the other hand, it can provide anyone that wants it with an unedited overview into your world. It's important, so I'll mention it again: Make sure your privacy settings are set up properly.

Although I have been involved in the recruitment process in previous roles, it was before the widespread adoption of social media. To get a more up to date view I asked Kerri-Ann Hargreaves from WWB Recruitment for her opinion.

Personally I use social media and never thought my personal comments would be looked upon negatively. Thankfully they haven't and I give no cause for them to be. My Facebook page has strict privacy settings and I don't use twitter to chat with friends, it's a medium for me to exchange information, chat professionally, seek out new products and work peers.

However, in my role as a recruitment consultant I have experienced quite the opposite. Recently a candidate was declined an offer of employment because of the content on her twitter account. On reviewing it I completely understand although believed that the said individual was behaving in a naive manner. She was conversing with friends as if in a private text message with the use of profanity, aggressive and slanderous language. Although at times we all enter into conversations which are not meant for others to hear, these should not take place out in the social space for others to see and judge.

I believe in the traditional method of judging an individual, a face to face meeting, a gut feeling and of course references. Sadly the restrictions businesses put on references have pushed business leaders to search for further information.

So there you have it: It's not just an urban myth. The practice may not be widespread, but it can mean the difference between  a successful and a failed application.

If a potential employer was to look at your social media output over the last month, what impression would they form of you?

For better or worse...

I've been watching a couple of news stories unfold over the last week or so. Both stories centred around an individual in the public eye and concerned their personal lives. It must be a tricky being both a human being and a brand simultaneously. I have every sympathy for the person at the centre of the spotlight, it wouldn't be a place I'd want to be! However, I was struck by how the subjects of the news stories conducted themselves on social media.

One appeared to handle the situation personally through their twitter feed. A couple of tweets and a web link calmed the furore sufficiently that the interest moved on quite quickly.

The other is just carrying on with what are, seemingly, pre-scheduled posts. There's not even a nod towards the situation by varying the content even slightly. It's perhaps a sign of the times that it's now "news" when someone doesn't pass comment on Twitter!

Sometimes refusing, or forgetting, to acknowledge what is happening in the world outside of social media is a real mistake. Managing media storms is not a new problem, but social media makes it a far more urgent issue. When everyone is aware that a response could be posted immediately, there's an expectation that it should be posted.

I'm not advocating that people should feel an obligation to share their personal lives on social media if they choose not to do so. However, a status update to that effect during a period in the spotlight is better than no response at all.

Undoubtedly the media circus will move on, but there are lessons to be learned for all of us:

1. Don't ignore offline media storms on social media
2. Address the issues politely & firmly (regardless of how you may actually feel!)
3. An update that says "it" is too personal to talk about on social media is better than nothing.
4.  Take care not to get drawn into an acrimonious exchange of tweets/updates
5. If people are abusive then use your block button and report them
6. Say thank you to the people that support you

Setting Boundaries or Dictating Terms?

 Is it OK to demand certain types of behaviour or content from the people that you choose to follow/friend?

I don't mean:
"This is my feed, I can say what I like. unfollow/unfriend if you don't like it"

The sort of thing I'm talking about is:
"If you send me a game request I'll unfollow/unfriend immediately"
"Any content sourced from this publication means I will block you"
"I don't like people talking about sex, so don't do it or lose me as a friend"

... and so on.


One of the great advantages of social media, particularly Twitter, is the ability to alter who you're following with the minimum of fanfare. There's always a degree of fluidity involved when you're interacting with people. I've learned to accept "unfollows" as a part of being on social media. It happens. People unfollow me - I unfollow people. No big deal or drama.

If someone posts something I disagree with then it's either the opportunity for a calm debate, or time to have a cup of tea until the feed has moved on a bit.

On the very rare occasions that an individual has posted something I find upsetting, then a quick click to unfollow/unfriend sorts the matter our very quickly.


So why do some people want to dictate terms to the people that they've chosen to interact with? Why not just unfollow people that infringe your personal rules?

Do I need to start posting things like:
"If you dictate behaviour and content for the people you follow, I'll unfollow you"?

I think not...

Managing customer expectations using authenticity

Managing customer expectations? Authenticity? I thought this was a social media blog...

It is!

Consider the old business adage that exhorts us to "under promise and over deliver". I expect everyone has come across at least one company that has reversed that and under delivered on what they said they would do. We are so much more disappointed in a company if they promise us the earth and then let us down.

Like any form of communication, your social media needs to reflect what you actually do. However, unlike the traditional communication channels, social media can bite back - and hard - if you get it wrong.

I'm not talking about deliberate misrepresentation here, which is a whole other can o' worms, but about a mismatch in your online business persona and your face to face one.

So, how do you avoid getting it wrong? By being authentic.

Here are some points for you to consider about your authenticity on social media:


Consistency of customer experience
Are your social media "tone of voice" and service levels aligned with your website, email and face to face communication?

Will people feel that they are still talking to the same company when they telephone you or get and email response from you?

This is particularly important if the customer is dealing with several different people from your company. (It's not always the social media that needs changing!)

Being human
Your conversion from social media interaction to customer satisfaction will be far more effective if your communications appear to come from a human. Standard letters and emails are a boon to the busy business, but they don't have to be sterile and boring. Put some effort into your templates and add a personal touch.


Response speed
If you answer your tweets immediately but your answering machine is always on then, there's a mismatch in experience.

Make sure you have enough resource to cover the interaction across all your channels. If you can't afford the resource, then you should think carefully about having a presence there.


Crisis management
Sometimes, things go wrong. It happens to all businesses at some point. How you handle the incident will reflect on your reputation both on and offline. You may not want to play out the whole scenario on social media, but your response and handling will be noted by other people.

Bear in mind that emails can be copy and pasted onto blogs and even phone conversations find their way into the blogosphere.

If you're nice as pie on Facebook and apparently dismissive on email, it'll backfire on you. Have a response plan that includes social media, emails, phone calls, face to face,  PR etc.


Don't fudge (unless you're a confectioner!)
If you don't know or you aren't sure about a question you've been asked then say so. Of course, follow up with the fact that you're going to find out and come back to them. People would rather wait a short while and get the correct information than be fobbed off.

Can you get too involved...?

I write a lot about engaging on social media and getting to know the people that follow you. It has huge benefits if you're a business and is also enjoyable, which is a real bonus. A recent event has made me think about whether it's possible to get too emotionally involved.

Let me explain...

I run a Twitter feed for a company that produces the most beautiful products. (I may be a little biased!) It's really a pleasure to engage with their followers. They're a warm, funny and caring bunch. I've grown very fond of them over the last year or so. Yes, there's been a demonstrable business benefit for my client but that doesn't preclude the fact that I've been thoroughly enjoying representing them.

Something happened to one of the followers a week or so ago. It was the most awful, gut wrenching and dreadful tragedy. (No, I'm not going to feed the ghoulish and explain. The person concerned already has enough to cope with.) Acting on behalf of the client I sent an appropriate message. The other followers of this person rose to the occasion magnificently and are continuing their support.

What caught me unaware was how personally invested in the account I had become. Not just for the business aspect, but that I have become genuinely attached to the people I was talking to. I found myself lying awake in the small hours of the morning wondering what else I could have done. I'll also admit to crying over the situation the person is dealing with.

Once the initial emotional reaction passed I started to think about whether my reaction was appropriate or, indeed, warranted. After all, I was communicating with this person online as a representative of another company. Should I have tried to keep more emotional "distance"?

My conclusion is that the enjoyment (and the business benefits) of engaging with people, whether as myself or as another company, comes with getting to know them as people. That's the key word here I think - they're people, not remote avatars. As with any relationship, the ride is not always smooth and the bumps that come with it are part of the package.

I suspect I get more emotionally invested than some other consultants in my client's businesses and in their social media. I get great results and I have an enjoyable time doing it. The balance to that is when one of the people I talk to hits an almighty rock on their journey. I can't "not feel"for their pain.

So, am I too involved? What do you think?

Care about your content!

Imagine this as a scenario:
You're thinking about how you market your company. You have a decision to make. Should you:

Take a little time and handpick the messages and content you send out?

Issue content that hasn't been vetted and is not certain to be relevant or good quality?

Most people would choose the first option.

Why then do many businesses rely on total automation for their social media marketing? Their feeds spit out regular updates only loosely associated with their business. It's bland, soulless - and ultimately ineffective. It's also quick, easy and cheap!

Companies brag that their feeds are fully automated and require "no contact time". To my mind it gives the impression that here is a business that doesn't want to take time to talk to or listen to its customers. They're saying that, as someone who spends money with us, you're not worth the effort it would take us to communicate with you.

I'm not totally against automation. Strategically scheduled updates can be very helpful - as long as the content is appropriate and well thought out.

Another question for you.

Would you use the same content for a local advertising paper as you would for a national newspaper? Would you then use exactly the same content in a glossy magazine, or in a parish newsletter?

Again, most people would want to at least modify the content so that it had a chance of appealing to each audience.

Why then would you duplicate the exact same update across multiple social media platforms? (Sometimes, it'll work, but not always by any means!)

The old axiom that "content is King" has never held truer than it does on social media.

A little effort pays huge dividends. Care about your content!

The new 4 Ps?

The 4 Ps of Marketing (product, place, price and promotion) have been drilled into most people that have read up on marketing, or attended courses. How about an updated version for the new world of social media?

Here are my suggestions:

Patience
Social media isn't instant. Like any networking, it takes time and planning to build good relationships that lead to business benefits. Playing "the long game" has distinct and long lasting benefits.

Persistence
If you're playing the "long game" then stopping trying after a few weeks isn't going to get you the results you want. If you think it's not working, look at how you're coming across. Have you got the content and frequency right for your chosen platforms?

Politeness
One of the great attractions of social media is that it allows people from all over the globe to see what you're saying and to interact with you. This is an amazing opportunity to show how fabulous you and your business are. It's also worth bearing in mind that any "bad behaviour" is very public too. Every time you post something be aware that anyone could read it. Think long and hard before posting in anger - or even in irritation.

Planning
Integrated communications is the way forward. Your online presence will encompass information, opinion, customer service, complaints, marketing, PR, sales... You may well do a reasonable job using social media and be happy with the results with no planning at all. Just imagine how much more you could achieve if you gave it some serious thought!


What would your suggestions be?

You may not "like" it, but it's here to stay

"You can't beat picking up a phone and just talking to people." If only I had a penny for every time a social sceptic has said that to me!

There's a couple of issues here that are worth thinking about.

The first thing is that there have always been late adopters for any new technology (although social media can hardly be called "new" any more). I can remember companies declaring that they'd never use email as a letter was "far more personal" and that if they'd wanted to talk to someone they'd pick up the phone. Sound familiar?

Eventually, all new fangled technology either becomes mainstream or dies out. The problem for a business comes when there's a refusal to adopt "new" ideas that their customers consider mainstream. That mismatch of communication styles can be fatal for a company.

You don't have to like social media, but you do have to take it seriously. If you wait until your lack of engagement affects your bottom line then it may be too late to recover.

There are still a number people I meet when I'm out networking that only want to talk to people in person. This brings me on to my second issue...

Only using one form of communication severely limits your reach and influence. We all have our preferred methods whether that be face to face, phone, print, email or social media. However, to broaden our customer base then we need to have a presence on as many communication channels as we can manage effectively.

Of course social media won't replace meeting people in person, the telephone didn't do that either! What it does give you is a very powerful tool to use in your business that works with all your other activities.

Generation Y is growing up. They are your new customers. Make sure you're there to meet them on their own ground.