Social media has been getting a bad rep lately. What’s being said you may ask?

Oh, just that social media is causing teens to have high depression rates and drug usage. That social media is killing intellectual conversation and decreasing productivity.

It’s said that it’s causing people to be narcissistic and creating a false sense of self. That social media is even creating a false sense of reality.

And along with all of that, social media may not even be worth it, based on opportunity cost.

Many of these claims can be simply refuted though.

Anything without moderation can be harmful. Temperance is not only a virtue, but necessary to avoid becoming too involved or obsessed with an object.

According to this study, there is a connection between social media and drug usage. BUT this is a classic case of implied causality. Read more here. They said that SMS texting would kill spelling, but intelligent conversations still continue today. Before the internet and social media, it was normal to have very few like-minded people or good conversations in a year. Now, we can find a like-minded individual and have an intellectual conversation basically whenever or wherever we want (Source). Google Plus is a hub for intellectual conversation; we just might have to put up with a few cat pictures in the process.

Studies have proven that, in general, multitasking is actually less efficient than simply focusing on the task at hand. The act may result in time wasted due to human context switching, or worse may cause more errors due to insufficient attention. Multi-tasking is common even without social media. Many employers list it in their qualifications. With any computer software or program, any class or conversation can be interrupted at times by mobile devices and our own restlessness.

Narcissism in social media can be attributed to two factors. Social media allows individuals to express themselves and sometimes people are egotistical, whether we like it or not. Second, social media gives individuals an outlet for creativity that they might not feel comfortable voicing or showing in a board meeting or in a conversation in-person.

Just as actors portray different characters in each movie (besides Will Ferrell), sometimes we as humans like to present ourselves as something other than our true selves. This can be for coworkers, parents, family members or even our friends to give each what they want. Humans are naturally inclined to please others and sometimes mold themselves depending on the situation they are in.

For example, a normal teenager is almost an entirely different person when hanging out with friends, compared to when he/she is with his/her parents. The social media platform is no different.

With these concerns over social media and its effects, educating children (and adults) on how to effectively use social media will be extremely beneficial. Now, I’m not saying that social media education should be taught along with math or science, but it should be taught to keep children (and companies) from using it in a negative way. Learning how to manage social media, such as time spent using it, is also important.

Institutions such as public relations and advertisements have improved based on consumer feedback and up-to-date info provided by social media. The medium allows us to have a near instant conversation, whether it be through the use of video, audio or text.

Along with that, travelers use social media to stay in touch and update their friends and family. Social media also helps them to keep a personal journal or photo album that will be a complete and detailed record of their trip for years to come.

Social media inspires normal human beings to be creative. In order to receive a lot of “likes” or “+1′s”, the content we post has to be interesting and thought-provoking (for businesses and individuals).

But more than that, it has to be creative and original. Status updates and tweets …push the internet-at-large to improve their writing (spelling errors are mocked within an instant) and encourage everyone to let their creative juices flow.

Furthermore, Twitter and Facebook make us more connected to each other, in ways that we never thought possible! (Twitter is now available in 17 different languages).

Now after hearing those claims, some may say it would be easier to do away with social media. Whether you like it or not though, social media is here to stay. Like a tiny cell, it is developing and evolving ever-increasingly as we tweet, blog, post or speak!

Some related articles and videos: Social Network Analyst James Fowler
How Social Media Affects Children’s Brains and How it can be Used Positively
Travelers Use of Social Media
Complaints Against Social Media

Related posts:

1. Answers to Google+ FAQ’s What is a Field trial exactly? Why a Field Trial...
2. True Life: Social Media Landed Me a Job There are still some people out there who think that...
3. Social Media Terrorism: How to protect your business through PR & Social Media Strategies Everyone makes mistakes, but it’s not very often that those...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

With G+ being toted as an identity service – combined with Google Wallet I think it has the potential to change the business  intelligence landscape. These technologies pared together have the ability to provide an incredibly high level of insightful information about user behavior to business owners, analysts, marketers, advertisers, and the like. Can you imagine a world where you could track from the time a person clicked on your ad – to the time they entered your store and made a purchase? I think with NFC technology and the G+ platform the potential is here. Now what will be done with it?

Related posts:

1. Social Measurement…People vs Tools It probably doesn’t come as a surprise, but social media...
2. What’s the deal with Google+? Being in the social media world, I expect changes. Everyone...
3. Social Media Terrorism: How to protect your business through PR & Social Media Strategies Everyone makes mistakes, but it’s not very often that those...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

• What is a Field trial exactly?
• Why a Field Trial first?
• How can I get into the Field Trial?
• Who is in the Field Trial?
• How long will the Field Trial last?
• What does it mean to Hangout?
• What’s a circle?
• How does Sparks work?
• What does Google Plus do?
• How does Instant Upload work?
• What’s a Huddle?
• How do I invite friends to Google+?
• What about Blackberry?
• What about the Palm Pre?
• Does G+ interact with Google Docs? Can you send and share documents within Google+?
• Can you export your contacts (Circles) like you can on LinkedIn?
• Is there product tagging in G+ like Facebook has now?
• In terms of SEO and SEM, how does +1 interact with G+?
• Are they able to remove the Spark if they do not want this on their feed?
• Do Sparks emulate a Twitter feed like on TweetDeck?
• How do I add +1 to my website?

What is a Field Trial exactly?

Google has been testing Google+ extensively, and have continuously iterated the product based on internal feedback. They’re now ready to gradually open the Google

Why a Field Trial first?

The goal of the field trial is to see how Google+ works outside of Google’s walls. They are planning on gathering user feedback and working quickly to improve the product before publicly launching it.

How can I get into the Field Trial?

Unfortunately, you can only join the Field Trial by invitation. If you receive an invitation in your email, you were nominated to be part of the Google+ Field Trial. Friends can be invited by sharing a post with their Gmail address, and thus, inviting them to join.

Who is in the Field Trial?

See above answer.

How long will the Field Trial last?

How long the testing phase lasts, and how the product evolves, will really depend on how it goes. Google does not have a set amount of time.

What does it mean to Hangout?

Hangout is a group video chat. You can hang out with up to ten people at once. You can also only invite select people, like those in your Circle of colleagues or family members.

What’s a Circle?

A Circle is a custom group of friends. You can put people you know or are interested in into one or more Circles – friends, family, clients or whatever you want. You can share things publicly, to specific Circles, or even extended Circles (People in your connections’ Circles).

How does Sparks work?

A Spark is a topic you follow. Interesting and new info will be shown to you based on the topic you choose.

What does Google Plus do?

It’s a social network, like Facebook and Twitter. It’s a video chat application, like Skype. It’s a feed to show what you’re interested in, like Tumblr in a sense, but more like an RSS feed of news alerts. It allows for things to be shared with a small, select group of people, like Path. You can check in, like Foursquare. Plus, other cool stuff!

How does Instant Upload work?

Once you take a photo on your mobile device, it is instantly (except for iPhones) uploaded to your Google+ Profile. Then, you can choose whether or not to share it.

What’s a Huddle?

Group chat designed to work with your Circles.

How do I invite my friends to Google+?

Click on share, add their Gmail address for who to share your content with and then click “Share”, once they get the email, they should go to plus.google.com and sign up!

What about Blackberry?

Google Plus is not entirely functional and compatible with Blackberry mobile devices at the moment since they had a nasty bug and it is still in a Field Trial.

What about the Palm Pre?

Google Plus is not able to be utilized on the Palm Pre at the time of this writing.

Does G+ interact with Google Docs? Can you send and share documents within Google+?

G Docs does not interact with G+ yet. You cannot send and share documents at this time, but will hopefully be able to integrate the two in the future (i.e. collaborative docs and published Google Docs on G+).

Can you export your contacts (Circles) like you can on LinkedIn?

It is possible to export contacts TO Google Plus but it is not possible to export contacts FROM Google Plus yet!

Is there product tagging in G+ like Facebook has now?

Certain companies and every person can be tagged at this point in the development of Google Plus, but products cannot be.

In terms of SEO and SEM, how does +1 interact with G+?

SEO and SEM are affected only by +1′s from members of your circles. +1′s from members of your circles appear next to related search topics that they have previously +1′d. A +1 from a Google+ acquaintance to your site will make your site rise in your acquaintances’ Google search ranking. In other words, your site will appear higher on their list of search results, because you publicly +1′d your website.

Are they able to remove the Spark if they do not want this on their feed?

Sparks can be removed/added at any point in time.

Do Sparks emulate a Twitter feed like on TweetDeck?

They are similar to TweetDeck.

How do I add +1 to my website?

To place a +1 button on your website, go here: http://ow.ly/6mY57

Related posts:

1. What’s the deal with Google+? Being in the social media world, I expect changes. Everyone...
2. Tell All Your (Facebook) Friends Although Facebook may already catch on to this by the...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Being in the social media world, I expect changes. Everyone here expects changes. New rules, new features, new game; we see them every single day. Every now and then there comes a change that further revolutionizes the social sphere – and you know it’s going to be good one.

I’m talking about Google Plus.

So you’re thinking now, “Come on, there was Google Buzz which was an epic failure, social platforms come and go, what’s the big D?”

Trust me, I’ve had the same feelings; especially about new platforms. Being a data guy, I always like to start with the numbers. So what can I tell you about Google Plus? The service launched on June 28th, 2011, and was open for “field testing only.” Users who were granted access, were given the ability to invite others. However, this invite privilege was suspended, because of “insane demand” according to Google.

People have a very hard time understanding exponential growth. Where’s the proof you ask? If you fold a piece of standard letterhead paper in half 50 times, how thick would it be? The answer? It would reach past the moon. Don’t believe me? Google it. This is why predicting where Google+ (or any social platform, for that matter) will go is very difficult.

Luckily, we don’t need to fold a piece of paper 50 times for this one… Let’s put Google+ into perspective.

On July 11th, it was estimated that Google+ had roughly 4.5 million users. On July 12th, new estimates put that number at 10 million users.Within the next few days, they’re estimating that number to be well over 20 million. (These numbers aren’t official or from Google, but the model for calculating this is sound)

Now, let’s put the Google+ stats into perspective:

According to a source, Facebook received 160.9 million monthly US visitors in June. LinkedIn saw 33.9 million US visitors in June. Twitter saw 30.6 million US visitors in June.

Google+ is expected to be at 20 million in it’s first 2 weeks of existence. I don’t know about you but if Google+ was a race horse, I’d be all in.

And it’s not just the users who are adopting it, the top websites in the US have already adopted and integrated the Google+ plugin. In fact, more top websites have adopted Google+ on their websites than Twitter’s website plugin.

We’ve all seen Social Media, the Facebook’s, Twitter’s, and LinkedIn’s, change the world. And Google+, when you look at the data, looks to change the world again. I don’t believe Google+ will kill Twitter, or Facebook (But there are plenty of people who believe it will).

Facebook, in my opinion, didn’t really kill MySpace – it still exists after all. All we know, is Google+ is growing fast, and the majority of the feedback on the service has been positive. Google+ is here to stay.

And if you want to be part of Google+ growth, check out our Fan Page and we’ll send you an invite to see what it’s all about. Some are even claiming Google+ ends Social Media Fatigue, which we know we all have. Oh, and when you join, feel free to +1 this article, okay?

Related posts:

1. Tell All Your (Facebook) Friends Although Facebook may already catch on to this by the...
2. Downloads Businesses can utilize various social media platforms for a number...
3. Baby’s First Birthday, Baby’s First Tooth, and Baby’s First URL?! Expectant mother: “What do you think of Alexander or Alexis?”...

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

LinkedIn’s main focus is to allow users to interact with other professionals and businesses to help increase career opportunities and raise brand awareness by participating in groups, discussions and following businesses’ profiles.

With a little over 50 million users worldwide, creating a LinkedIn Business Profile allows members to instantly connect and follow organizations’ online activities.

Below are the top 5 reasons why your company should be leveraging this powerful tool.

Reason 1: To promote your business and brand

Creating a Profile allows members to find your company on LinkedIn when searching for keywords, specialties, a specific location and/or company size. By doing this, you are ensuring that members do stumble upon your Profile which in turn leads to exposure for your business and brand. It is worth also mentioning that Profiles appear in Google search results.

Reason 2: To connect employees personal profiles to Business profiles

When employees indicate their employer on their personal profile, LinkedIn connects the two pages together. This feature allows those viewing a specific person’s profile to click through and learn more about the company.

Reason 3: Connect your Tweets and Blog Posts

You can now also incorporate your company’s blog posts along with Twitter feed which in turn enables followers and those who search for your profile to read your most recent news & updates. Another reason for interested viewers to start “Following” your Profile.

Reason 4: Connect with your businesses followers

Another great feature recently rolled out is the option of following Business Profiles. When you “Follow” a company, you receive their recent news, job opportunities as well as new hires and departures. From a businesses’ perspective, it’s interesting to view those who have opted in to receive your updates and initiate InMails and Introductions to take the relationship one step further.

Reason 5: Post Job Opportunities

Have a recent departure and looking to hire? Profiles allow you to add job opportunities and vacancies available within your business through the “Career” tab.

Now, your turn! Share with us other ways you are leveraging your Profile.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

People frequently tell me they plan on taking on an intern to manage their social media. An inner part of me cringes every time I hear this because I know I have failed to explain the importance and power of social media to them in a way they can understand.

Yes, I am a biased opinion. I am convinced though that social media is one of the most effective ways of reaching a large audience. Additionally, social media represents a new twist in Marketing, everything said on social media is permanently archived forever in an easy to search manner. Talk about what a PR nightmare it could turn into! Every piece of content said is permanently attached to your brand image.

When I hear people say they are excited that they found an unpaid intern or low-paid intern to manage their social media and help them get into the 21^st century, I know it is already too late to educate them on the dangers this provides their business. The primary question I wish I had the opportunity to ask them point-blank one month prior:

When you think about your company brand that you’ve worked so hard to establish, how do you want to continue it? In a concentrated professional manner, or in a haphazard way that might occur with a low paid (or free) intern who might leave you in a few weeks. Most companies say they want consistency of message and of delivery. They want to be confident that the words that go out about their company are well-thought out. Because social media is quite new to a lot of companies, many don’t know that there is no “undo button” in social media?

How much do YOU want to risk? With SMCPros you can be confident every move is planned and focused on making you look good to your customers and prospects. Our methods are tried and proven successful. We are way past guessing what works. So I ask again: How much do you want to risk?

Having said this, please, be careful.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Many of our clients have yet to explore LinkedIn and understand it to its fullest potential. Many of you ask yourself the same questions, without finding accurate answers for them. I have put together some FAQs that will help answer some of your questions.

Q: Is there a limit to the number of InMails I can send out?
A: In order to send InMails, you need to upgrade your account. There are 3 different packages which have different features that you can upgrade for. Of course, it’s directly proportional to the amount you want to spend. InMails start from 3 per month and go up to 50.

Another alternative would be to purchase InMails without upgrading. InMails are for $10.00 each and you may purchase up to 10 at a given time.

Q: Is there a certain number of Open Introductions I can have at a time?
A: You may have up to 5 introductions open at any one time. If your introductions run out,  you can either wait for the recipient to take action or upgrade your account.

Q: How many connection requests can I have opened?
A: There is not a limit to how many people you are connected to, however, rumor does have it that you are allowed up to 3,000 invites to connect with others. Each time you are prompted to invite someone from your own personal e-mail and they do not join, you have, in essence, wasted a contact.

Q: When I want to add someone to my network and click on I don’t know this person, what happens?
A: LinkedIn will not allow you to send out the invitation. A warning pop up appears telling you that you are not allowed.

Recipients can indicate that they don’t know you. If they do, you’ll be asked to enter an email address with each future invitation.

Q: Can I search a group for a specific member without going through entire list?
A: Yes, there is a search bar available within the group under ‘more’ tab.

Q: Can I see the groups my connections are on?
A: Yes, if you go into their profile, it is displayed towards the bottom of the page. It does not however show common groups you share.

Do you have more questions? Or have answers? Share!

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Numerous marketing approaches are being used nowadays, how do you know which one is the most appropriate for your organization?

We usually start by breaking down each approach before analyzing and making a decision as to which route to proceed with.

Ask yourself not only what your target market is, but also WHERE they are at. Are they on social media platforms? Are they listening to the radio, watching tv or perhaps just reading the newspaper? Any campaign you decide to run with needs to be carefully thought through. Brainstorm your objectives and set your direction.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

I watched a TED video this morning. Gary Vaynerchuk, CEO of Wine Library TV, reminded me once again that everything we do today is digitally recorded. Our children and grand-children are going to have access to so much about our lives. When I think about what I know about my great grand-parents, I know their names and I know the few stories I have time to hear from my grandparents. But my children are going to have access to what I said on twitter even today, March 15th, 2010. They will be able to see that I missed the last 3 episodes of 24 because hulu broadcasts that.

Robert Stephens, founder of Geek Squad, spoke at an EO event this past week at the James J Hill library on the topic of Social Media. He also stressed the importance and power of the web. As technology evolution continues to accelerate, more and more of what we do is going to be digitally recorded and archived. In the near future, life will be video-recorded and broadcasted everywhere we go (as it already can be). What does this mean in the privacy debates, speed of life issues, the ADD surge in young people? I don’t know. But technology is quickly and gracefully macro-evolving the way life works.

I am very interested to know your thoughts on whether these things concern you, excite you, and what you plan on doing with this.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

If you have specific questions and are looking for various answers, why not use LinkedIn Answers? With this feature, you can ask questions within different industries and be sure to find an answer that will satisfy you! Thought-provoking questions that relate to others sharing knowledge they have is always great. This also gives SME’s (Subject Matter Experts) a chance to share their knowledge and will improve the quality of others’ answers.

How do I earn expertise when answering questions on LinkedIn?

This is what LinkedIn has to say:

When you see a green box with a white star on a Profile, you know that person has proven their expertise by answering questions posed in the Answers forum. They have had answers selected as the ‘Best’ answer and are given expert status. Answer experts can be found at the bottom of the Answer home page. To earn expertise:

1. Find questions in the areas you know.
2. Browse questions to find categories familiar to you and answer those questions.
3. Every time the questioner picks your answer as the ‘Best’ answer, you gain a point of expertise in the category of the question. The more points of expertise, the higher you appear on lists of experts. Private answers don’t count toward expertise.

Once the question is closed the member can rate the answers that came in. Answers is a good way to share and exchange information.

What do I benefit if I am listed as an expert?

It is a great way to add value to your Profile by displaying your writing style, personality, organizational abilities and subject matter expertise to those viewing your Profile. If your answer is voted ‘Best’ it is hoped that it was because you provided the best information in a way that helped the member to resolve their query.

This will help you stand out amongst the crowd and will also draw attention to your business. People will keep you in their mind and will know who to not only go to for answers but for services!

Still not sure?

Start by trying to ask a question, yes, you are entitled to ask up to 10 questions per month and see what/how people respond back. And note the amount of time it takes! You will be surprised by the amount of people who are offering their knowledge.

Depending on how specific your question is, you will receive responses. One question I asked received 5 different answers within an hour time span while another received 10 within half an hour!

Keep in mind that questions you ask can also be flagged, reported and removed if they are inappropriate which might lead you to become blocked by LinkedIn from asking any more questions.

Best Practice- Make sure to thank the person who’s answer you ranked as best.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.