Social Media

The 5 C’s of Social Media Dominance – Part 4

Blogging/ Social Media June 25, 2012Comments

(This is part 4 in a 5 part series, read parts 1, 2 and 3.)

Last week, we talked about the first three C’s of social media dominance: content, context, and clarity. Today let’s talk about:

4. Consistency

Two years ago, the readers of my blog Stuff Christians Like raised $60,000 to build two kindergartens in Vietnam. It was an incredible experience, and it firmly cemented in my mind the power of what a generous community can do online.

The Atlanta Journal Constitution wrote an article about the first kindergarten, and the headline was, “Blogger raises $30,000 in 18 hours.” Technically, that headline was true, but the headline should have actually read, “Blogger raises $30,000 in 18 months.”

That’s how long it really took to raise the money. For 18 months, I consistently wrote Stuff Christians Like. I poured in a million words of the best ideas I could think of into the conversation with readers. Day after day, post after post, with consistency, I jumped into the discussion happening on Stuff Christians Like.

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The 5 C’s of Social Media Dominance – Part 3

Quitter/ Social Media June 22, 2012Comments

(This is part 3 in a 5-part series. Read parts 1 and 2 for more background.)

Earlier this week, we talked about the first two C’s for Social Media Dominance, Content and Context. Today let’s talk about:

3. Clarity

A few months ago, I had dinner with a friend of mine. He’s a social media consultant. He gets paid thousands and thousands of dollars to help companies with their social media strategies. During the middle of the meal, he leaned forward and confessed something quietly, “I know I’m supposed to be using Google +, but I just don’t know what I’m supposed to be doing.”

And as silly as that might sound, I feel the same way.

I’m pretty sure it’s awesome. I mean it’s Google, after all! Who doesn’t love Google? But whenever I check in or log in or whatever verb you use when interacting with +, I don’t really know what I’m supposed to do.

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The 5 C’s of Social Media Dominance – Part 2

Social Media June 20, 2012Comments

(This is part 2 in a 5-part series, read the first part here.)

On Monday, we looked at the role “Content” plays in Social Media Dominance. Today, let’s talk about:

2. Context

I think it was the brilliant Gary V who first said, “If content is king, then context is god.”

Dramatic? Of course, but he makes a great point. Context changes everything, and I learned that in a maternity ward in Boston almost 9 years ago.

My wife had given birth to our first daughter L.E. in Brigham and Women’s, a hospital right near Fenway Park. As I was returning to the room with ice chips, the only real value I was able to provide in those first 24 hours, I noticed something out the window. I walked over to the edge of the waiting room and couldn’t believe what I saw.

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The 5 C’s of Social Media Dominance – Part 1

Quitter/ Social Media June 18, 2012Comments

Lately I’ve been spending a lot of time helping leaders navigate the waters of social media.

I don’t consider myself an expert, especially since I haven’t put in the 10,000 hours of expertise yet that folks like Malcolm Gladwell talk about. I still end sentences with prepositions for instance.

But I have been swimming for a few years, and I’ve learned a few things. Lots of them by failing, some of them by floating into the right wave at the right time, a few of them on purpose.

So this week, as I work on creating the most intensive guide to social media I’ve ever built for the upcoming Quitter Conference, I thought I would share the 50,000 foot view.

There are only 5 words you have to understand in order to dominate social media. Here’s the first one, with the next four coming in the days to follow:

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How to get the most amazing retina technology ever invented.

Social Media June 4, 2012Comments

Last Christmas, my family and I went to Opryland to watch a Shrek live performance.

Truth be told, I was there to see the Penguins of Madagascar. I would watch that show even if I didn’t have kids. If you think I’m missing Madagascar 3, you’re crazy.

While I was there, I took some photos. While reviewing them on my phone, I noticed there was something hidden in the bottom of one.

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Three Reasons Why Now Is the Best Time to Build a Platform

Blogging/ Social Media May 23, 2012Comments

(This is a guest post from Michael Hyatt, a friend, top business blogger, and Chairman of Thomas Nelson Publishers. Michael just released a new book called Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World.)

What do most successful people have that others wish they did?

A platform.

It’s the thing that elevates you so that your voice can be heard. And, these days, getting heard in a noisy world is easier said than done.

But if you’re someone with something to say or sell, building and expanding your platform is more important than ever.

Unlike a stage in the theater, today’s platform is not built of wood or concrete or perched on a grassy hill. Today’s platform is built of:

• Contacts

• Connections

• Followers

Your platform is going to be a combination of your online/social media presence (Blogging, Twitter, Facebook, Google Plus, etc.), public appearances, and possibly appearances in traditional media like radio, magazines, and newspapers.

But why build a platform…and why now? There are three reasons:

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Does your business need to understand social media?

Social Media May 18, 2012Comments

I get that question a lot.

When I speak at conferences or to businesses they say two things to me:

1. “You sure are taller than you look online. What are you, 6’ 5?”

2. “Our business hasn’t done much with social media yet, should we?”

The answer to the first question is simple, “Yes, thanks for noticing.”

The response to the second question is surprisingly just as easy, “Not unless your business involves people.”

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How to be a rock star.

Quitter/ Social Media May 14, 2012Comments

It’s easy. Here’s all it takes.

Spend more time practicing your dream than you do promoting your dream.

That’s it.

The Internet has made it ridiculously easy to promote your dream, your craft, your passion, your whatever. As someone who writes books and throws events, that is awesome. But that ease comes with a consequence.

The temptation is to spend more time on promoting what you’re doing instead of practicing what you’re doing. Honing your skills, putting in the hours to improve, working hard while no one is watching. Promoting makes people think you’re great. Practicing actually makes you great. There’s a huge difference between those two things.

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Are you ready for the next Internet?

Leadership/ Social Media May 11, 2012Comments

Two weeks ago, my friend Santiago told me something shocking.

He said, “In June of 2011, people spent more time using their mobile apps than they did their desktop browsers.”

This was the first time that had ever happened, but it’s not that surprising. That same month, combined sales of smartphones and tablets were greater than the sales of desktops and notebooks for the first time ever.

That’s not really shocking information. The idea that people use apps a lot won’t knock you over. Small surprise. Thousands of articles have predicted this. What is shocking, though, is how many people missed the arrival of the next Internet.

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conTENT not CONtent

Blogging/ Social Media May 4, 2012Comments

(Today we’ve got a guest post from Matt Chambers, the director of SafeWorld! You can follow him on Twitter @chambers_matt, or read his blog http://ethoshift.com.)

conTENT not CONtent by Matt Chambers

I have a confession to make.

I’m a…contentaholic.

Never heard of it? That’s because it’s probably not officially a “real thing.” (Not yet anyways)

But I promise I have it. It’s self-inflicted, easily enabled, and I’ve been struggling with it for years.

Basically, it’s a mental filter that stops enjoying moments of reality for what they are and processes them according to what kind of tweet I could create as a result, or how amazing it would look on Instagram.

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