Whether you are a college student who wants to explore his/her career options or are considering a change in your current career path, you may be wondering what entails a social media manager’s job and how to find a managerial position that pays well.

According to Glassdoor, the average base pay of a social media manager (as of September 2020) is $50,473 per year in the US. This establishes the financial viability of starting a social media job.

Now the big question is: “How can an amateur social media enthusiast become a social media manager who is highly paid?” That is where this article comes in. So, sit tight and let us brief you about everything you need to know about how to get a job in social media and the required skill set for the job.

Duties of a social media manager

A social platform manager’s primary job is to help businesses establish and grow their digital presence and build online communities. The components of their employment are

• Crafting and scheduling posts
• Posting advertisements
• Interacting with fans and followers
• Handling queries
• Designing graphics for posts
• Analyzing social media trends
• Marketing the business on social media

Companies may give social media managers some additional duties, depending on their job description, expertise, and time. But the essential functions remain the same.

How to become a social media manager?

After getting useful insights from experienced social platforms experts, we devised some tips on how to get a job in social media as a manager. Let’s dive in.

• Get a degree in marketing or communications

This tip applies to only those who have not pursued a professional degree or are considering any short-term professional degree. According to Alice Fuller, a social platforms strategist, 

“If you truly desire to be a really good social media manager, learn the fundamentals of marketing and writing first. Learn as much as you can … then put what you learn into practice for yourself, then work with others for free or [a] low fee so you can get some real experience under your belt.”

A professional degree would enable you to see things from a different perspective, analyze the challenges facing your company, and devise strategies to make the most out of challenging circumstances. It is not a compulsory requirement but certainly a good thing to have.

• Build your own online community

One thing social media managers are good at is building and expanding social media presence and communities. What’s a better place to start practicing your skills other than yourself? 

Most successful social media managers have thriving online communities where they market themselves before marketing their clients. You should set up accounts on all major social platforms and start practicing blogging, search engine optimization, e-marketing, and graphic designing. It will serve two purposes. Firstly, it will polish your skills and give some practical experience. Secondly, it will expose you to your community, maximizing your chances of getting contacted by potential clients or employers.

• Actively look for opportunities

After developing the required skill set and setting up your own community, you need to actively look for opportunities. Various marketing and advertising agencies regularly offer social media manager positions. Moreover, many individual organizations and companies also hire in-house Instagram and Facebook managers. You need to be prepared for both types of job opportunities.

The popularity of working as a freelancer and providing services on-demand without any permanent association with any organization is increasing exponentially. According to the World Economic Forum, COVID-19 has surged the demand for work from home jobs, and social media managers are among the beneficiaries. So, keep an eye on your LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and other social media platforms. There will be opportunities on their way.

• Make a perfect resume and cover letter

It is immensely important to have an impressive and persuasive resume and a well-crafted cover letter to get a social media manager job. These two things are the lens through which your potential employer will judge your personality, abilities, and expertise. 

Your resume should demonstrate your skills as a social platform manager and your experience related to this particular job. Even if you are a newcomer to this field, our tip of creating your own social media community will enable you to list it as an experience to impress your potential employer. 

Writing a unique and persuasive cover letter is always a challenge for everyone. Most people make one general cover letter and send it to every job posting regardless of the nature of work or the company. But this is a bad strategy. Your cover letter should be specific to every company you apply and connect your passion and skills with its business. Only then will the employer know that you are passionate about this job. Have a look at our skillfully crafted social media manager cover letter to get started.

• Acing the interview

Now that you have created your resume and cover letter, the next step for any job is to prepare for the interview. The same goes for getting a social media job. By definition, their job is to be ‘social,’ but being social in person and the digital world are very different things. You need to develop a different skill set to communicate effectively and efficiently on social media. Similarly, the interview skills required for social media managers differ from those needed for any other job. 

Given the post-pandemic circumstances in 2020 and the nature of a social platform manager’s job, your interview would most likely be online. You need to familiarize yourself with communicating effectively during online interviews and practice it a few times with your friends or family members. 

Things to do when you get the job

Getting the job is just the start. Your real challenge will begin the moment you sign the contract with your employer or the client. To be successful at the position of a social media manager:

• Practice time management;
• Ensure proper money management;
• Develop a rapport with your clients
• Create an online fanbase;
• Build connections;
• Be comfortable working on your own;
• Develop advanced skills and keep learning. 

In a nutshell, a social media manager is a highly paid job, and the job opportunities are increasing day-by-day. In 2020, while most sectors have been getting cut, social platform manager jobs have increased significantly. If you have the required skillset and the passion for being a social platform manager, all that’s needed to do the job is a computer, a mobile phone, and a reliable internet connection. Create a community of your own and get hands-on experience for your job. Build a unique resume and a persuasive cover letter to convince your potential employer that you are the right person. Develop the interview skills specific to your field and start applying for jobs. Finally, practice time and money management, build connections, and keep learning once you get the job to be a successful social media manager.

The post How to Get a Social Media Manager Job [Best Ways in 2020] appeared first on Social Media Explorer.

OK, I admit, social media has influenced me. I can’t recall the last time I purchased something because of an advertisement I’ve seen or heard. Every decision seems to be influenced by conversations I’ve had or overheard from social media channels.

Think about how social media has influenced you. What was your last purchase? How about the last new restaurant you ate at? What was the last thing you read? What was the last electronic gadget you bought? Have you purchased a car recently? If you think about it long enough you agree that most things you do and buy have been influenced by conversations you’ve had both offline and online.

While on vacation last week, I began to take note of the things I was using that I have been influenced by because of social media. I thought I would share my list with you, as well as who brought it on my radar.

iPhone Apps:
BrightKite – Brightkite is a location-based social network. In real time you can see where your friends are and what they’re up to. (@chrisbrogan)
Loopt – Loopt shows you who’s around, where to go and what to do. (@geoffliving)
Gypsii – Gypsii allows you to create places, locate people, explore the world around you. (@jasonfalls)
iTalk – iTalk allows you to turn your iPhone into a high quality-recording device. (@cc_chapman)

Tools:
Feedly – Feedly takes the content from your Google Reader and weaves it into a magazine style start page. (@hallicious)
Seesmic Desktop – Seesmic Desktop is an application that allows you to follow and converse with your Twitter and Facebook friends all in one place. (@loic)
Friendfeed – FriendFeed enables you to discover and discuss the interesting content your friends find on the web. (@scobleizer)

Gadgets:
iPhone 3G S – Do I really need a description?? It’s the ultimate phone on the market.
Kindle 2 – Amazon’s wireless reading device that allows me to read books, blogs, magazines and newspapers all from one portable device.

Books:
The Power of Less by Leo Babauta – The Power of Less is a blueprint for taking our lives back from the clutter, noise, and unnecessary work that fills a modern day. (@jasonfalls)
Ignore Everybody by Hugh MacLeod – Ignore Everybody takes you through the process of how new ideas emerge in a cynical, risk-averse world? Where does inspiration come from? What does it take to make a living as a creative person?
Emergency: This Book Will Save Your Life by Neil Strauss – Amazon describes this book as, “It’s one man’s story of a dangerous world-and how to stay alive in it.” (@justinlevy)

It’s pretty amazing when you begin to make a list of the things around you that you began to see the effectiveness conversations and social media can have.

Where have you been influenced? What tools, books, gadgets, applications, food, conferences etc has social media been influential to you? What brand has influenced you because of their involvement in social media?

Leave a comment… You could influence me!

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The post How Social Media Influences appeared first on Social Media Explorer.

Social media is more than just a buzzword. There are opportunities and measureable results that it offers that can be extremely beneficial to companies of all sizes. While Facebook and Twitter may be included it’s more than that.

Many times people get so caught up in the tools that little time is spent talking and strategizing and about what social media can actually do. Tools are great if you know how to use them, but at some point the tools need to have purpose. It’s where there is no purpose that abuse becomes the end results.

I often hear small to mid-size companies ask to help implement social media strategies into their overall marketing plan with a skewed outlook of what social media is and what its benefits are. However, if you know what social media isn’t, than it’s a lot easier to grasp what it can do.

If you have a good product, a detailed business plan, and customer service policies in place and willing to invest time, here are a few things that social media can do for your business.

Benefits that Social Media Could Provide

• Gives you the opportunity to begin listening to what others are saying about your company online.
• Allow you to have one-to-one communication with your consumers.
• It can be used to gather feedback about new products.
• It personalizes your corporation/brand
• Provides channels to produce and distribute exclusive content that can be shared which in return extends the voice of your brand.
• Can be used to share exclusive information and offers to your loyalists.
• It’s an extension to your public relations strategies
• Provides platforms to build communities for your brand enthusiasts around your product and company.
• Offers opportunities that will bring exposure to your company.
• Provides potential opportunities for word-of-mouth buzz about your company and products.

While I know that this isn’t the end all list of benefits, it is a good place to begin thinking about the benefits that social media provides. Once you know what it can do, building strategies is your next course of action.

What has social media done for your company? Leave a comment! I would love to hear your story.

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Social media is a bridge that gives you access to people, stories, and companies that at one time you didn’t have access to. It facilitates conversations that previously came by invitation only. It tears down walls and allows you to see and participate “behind the curtain.”

This whole thought of the “What Social Media Can Do for You,” has really been at the forefront of my thinking and conversation this week. Watching and listening through multiple social media channels of the ground conversations taking place around the Iranian elections has been extremely interesting, as it was during the Mumbai terrorist attacks.

We often get so engrossed in the ROI, measurements, and tools of social media that we forget real life examples of how social media can work. For example, can you recall what your world was like before social media compared to now. I guarantee it has changed.

It’s changed for me. Here’s my list and something you can build upon.

What Social Media Can Do for You

1. Allows you to participate in networks that at one time you didn’t have access to.
2. Gives you access to thought leaders
3. Connects you to employment opportunities
4. Grants you an opportunity to have face-to-face conversations with brands
5. Brings the world closer to you
6. Allows you the ability to build a global network easier
7. Provides a platform to build and promote a personal brand
8. Increases the opportunity to become a thought leader in your area of expertise
9. Provides income opportunities
10. Gives you access to raw journalism often times not available to mainstream media outlets
11. Connects you with business opportunities – partnerships and funding
12. Gives you a platform to be heard, if you’re willing to take time to listen to others.
13. Give you access to information faster, easier and in real time.
14. Makes it easier to share information with your networks
15. Through technology and social media channels you have instant access to communities and networks at all time.

OK, there’s my fifteen. What would you add to this list? What opportunity has social media provided for you? What has changed for you?

Leave a comment and share your story.

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The post 15 Things Social Media Can Do for You Today appeared first on Social Media Explorer.

Social media is everywhere and for a lot of businesses they approach it likes it’s the magic wand that’s going to be the savior to their business. When you begin to talk to them, usually the conversation starts like this. “Can you help us with that Twitter thing and that Facebook thing, not to mention it’s vital if you can produce for us one of those viral videos. Second, this has to help our business look hip and cool and last but not least, we don’t have the time to really be involved in any conversations.”

The other component that comes out in this conversation isn’t just what they want, but also what they don’t want. I’m still amazed when I hear the fear factor about the potential of negative comments being made about their brand or products. Which I wonder, if it’s really fear about negativity or it’s fear of being in a conversational space and having to deal with negative feedback.

These conversations have led to think not just what social media is, but what social media isn’t. Perhaps if social media was presented first by what it’s not, just maybe companies would truly consider what they want out of their activity in the social space versus just jumping on the band wagon because it’s what everyone is buzzing about and it’s the new shiny thing.

Here’s are my thoughts on what social media isn’t.

It’s not a short term fix. To really benefit from social media it has to be a long term commitment. It’s more than just a three month campaign. It takes time to first listen to what’s being said about your business and brand. It takes time to build trust with your customers as you publicly practice your willingness to listen and converse back. It’s more of a process than it is a press release or a campaign.

It won’t fix a poor business plan. Business basics are still business basics. It you don’t have a strong business plan adding social media to your plate isn’t going to solve the issues if this foundational piece of your business isn’t solid.

It won’t hide a poor product. If you really want to know what people think about your product you’ll find out as you begin to listen to what you customers are saying. However, if your product isn’t good, social media isn’t going to fix that. It doesn’t matter how many blog posts, Twitter posts or videos on YouTube you produce. If your product isn’t solid, social media isn’t going to bring you the results that you’re looking for.

It’s not the answer for poor customer service. Experts say that businesses spends six times more to attract new business than it does to keep their current customers. If you don’t have a strong customer service plan and practice in place, social media won’t fix that. You must have specific plans in place to engage your customers, listen to their requests, answer their questions and help facilitate a positive experience. Don’t forget most people buy products that they have been referred to more than what has been advertised.

It all goes back to the basics, but I’m always intrigued by businesses that haven’t mastered the basics and think social media will be their night in shining armor. Quick fact: It’s not going to happen.

What are your thoughts? If you’ve read this blog for sometime, I’m sure you know what social media is, but what would you add to this list of what it’s not?

Leave a comment and add to my list.

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The ability to think bigger is what separates the average idea from the cutting edge. It’s what builds successful businesses and causes campaigns to generate buzz. Thinking bigger is the difference between a creator and a consumer.  It’s the difference between a thought leader and cheerleader.

Within the last few days the buzz has been around Google Wave and Microsoft’s new search engine, Bing. My inbox and feed reader have been filled with more than one review praising these latest creations. Web sites such as Mashable, ReadWriteWeb, and occasionally here on Social Media Explorer you’ll read reviews of the latest and most current tool or application that will make it easier for you to connect, streamline your social presence, monitoring what others are saying etc. etc. etc.

However, when was the last conversation you had with someone and you heard, “I have this idea” or “Wouldn’t be cool!” Mine was yesterday and before today is over I’m sure I’ll hear more. The challenge though is to make sure that you don’t fall into a rut, especially when you’re talking about social media, that you just don’t pimp tools and forget about developing strategies around building online communities.

It can become easy to present stale strategies because you haven’t rebuilt your seedbed of ideas. Pushing yourself to think bigger is just as much preparation as it is discipline. Your creative preparation is often times impacted by your level of exposure. The more your exposed to variety the more easier it can be to push past boundaries and enlarge your ability to think bigger than you have in the past.

Below are just a few things that I have done to help me to think bigger and stimulate creativity. They may work for you.

“The ability to think bigger is what separates the average idea from the cutting edge.”

1. Read and study books and blogs outside of your area of expertise
2. Broaden your worldview and read newspapers from around the world
3. Tour and study manufacturing companies to be able to grasp the importance of process
4. Travel internationally to enlarge your worldview
5. Visit art galleries and try to visualize the artist’s creation through the eyes of the artist
6. Study musicians and watch the process of new music from conception to performance
7. Read military history to be able to visualize strategy and execution
8. Study martial arts to be able to embrace mental and physical discipline
9. Study graphic novels so that you can see how stories can be visualized
10. Explore the gaming community and then consider what your idea would look like if it were presented in a gaming format.
11. Visit the areas in your city where businesses have moved out and windows are boarded up and then ask the question, “What could have been done to prevent this?”
12. Become a student of trends
13. Think portable or mobile
14. Build a collection of case studies ideas and strategies that got it right.
15. Read magazines from a vast array of topics

While I know this is just one person’s approach, knowing what you do to stimulate creativity would be just an educational as the techniques I have mentioned above.

That being said, “What do you do?” How do you push yourself to think bigger instead of just repackaging old ideas?

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It doesn’t matter what venue you choose to attend, there’s a common question that someone will be asking, “how do I get more traffic to my web site?” Which is often time followed up by the second question, “how can I make more money with my web site?”

The answer to these types of questions aren’t found hidden within the hard drive of your favorite influential blogger, but are revealed from a core of principles and disciplines. If you’re consistent in these practices, you can watch your readership grow and traffic increase.

Here are 10 ways you can begin immediately to maximize your online distribution channel.

1. Provide Killer Content
The reason why people keep coming back to a web site is because the content that is provided is original or has a spin on it that makes it unique to the author. Providing killer content is what causes others to share it, tweet it, bookmark it and even email it.

2. Leverage Social Syndication
Share your content on social media sites, bookmarking sites as well as ping directories within your niche. Make your content easy for your readers to share with others. Utilize tools that allow your content to be submitted to Digg, Reddit, Stumbleupon, Facebook, Twitter and even emailed. Don’t wait for people to come to your content, allow your content to be accessible where the audience is that you are trying to reach. Make sure you don’t forget the basics. Allow your content to be read via an RSS feed or by email subscription.

3. Provide More Than One Format
Don’t limit yourself to just text. Utilize video, audio and even eBooks. Realize that everyone consumes information differently. There are those that will never grasp the content from a blog post, but immediately understands it when they can see it or hear it.

4. Make Sure You Understand Basic SEO
Search engine optimization for some seems overwhelming, but there are a few things that you can do to rank for the keywords you want to rank within Google, Yahoo and Live Search. There are also basic things you can do with your content creation with H tags and ALT or image tags that can help your content become more search friendly.

To learn more about SEO check out SEOmoz.org.

5. Follow an Editorial Calendar
One of the biggest challenges for many content producers are consistently generating ideas and producing content that people want to read and link to. One of the ways that you can help facilitate this is by developing a content calendar for 1-3 months and producing the content you’ve scheduled. This doesn’t mean that if something news worthy arises that you cant write about it because of your schedule, but the editorial calendar is a guide that keeps you on tract and focusd.

6. Incorporate e-Newsletters
Provide exclusive content that is only made available to your e-newsletter subscribers. Offer them content that isn’t just a rehash of your previous blog posts, but provide tips, tricks and insights that is specifically created for them.

Blue Sky Factory and Mail Chimp are great options to consider when using email marketing.

7. Provide Downloadable Content
Develop free content such as eBooks, video and even audio podcasts that can become portable and downloadable. eBooks are another way for you to distribute your content to another group of readers. It’s also another way for your content to reach places that it never could with just another blog post.

Here is a great tutorial on how to create a PDF eBook.

8. Don’t Forget Offline Strategies
Write for other outposts that don’t publish online. Trade journals, local newspapers and magazines are just a few ways to get exposure to your web site.

Providing simple “mini billboards” like free schwag that promote your site. The more creative you are here the better the chance it doesn’t end up at the bottom of a trash can.

Another offline opportunity is to make yourself available for public speaking. These are great venues to share your content, position yourself as an expert and gain exposure to your online initiatives. While public speaking isn’t for everyone, if you can communicate an idea and keep an audience engaged, you may want to incorporate it into your distribution channel strategy.

9. Build Relationships
The bottom line is that there are no such things as lone rangers. There’s a reason why people succeed and it’s because they know how to build a network of relationships. What may start as a comment on a blog or an exchange of business cards at a conference could prove beneficial if your willing to incorporate all the networking disciplines it takes to build a strong and vibrant group of people around you.

10. All Roads Lead Back to Home
The final key to maximizing your online distribution channel is to make sure that everything points back to home. Make sure ever social profile, your email signature, business card etc. points back to your site. Push your content to where the crowds are gathering, but make sure you leave a trail back to your site. Keep in mind that not everyone will come to your site, but for those that do it’s another opportunity for your content to be consumed and a new group loyalists to become fans to your site.

I know that there are other additional strategies you can do to jump-start your content distribution channel, but the 10 ways mentioned above will get you started and pointed in the right direction.

Feel free to leave a comment and let me know what you are doing. What would you add to this list?

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I was sitting in a meeting a few days ago and made a statement on how it would be nice if someone could clone me and then send my clone to attend my next meeting. It seemed comical at the moment and everyone chimed in on how productive it would be if they had their own clone as well. Who wouldn’t like to have a personal clone to sit in at meetings, attend jury duty and take care of basic responsibilities? However, within the social media space it has become easier to clone someone else’s ideas and even tone than it is to use the tools at hand to become an extension of the REAL you.

I would imagine the reason why is because it’s always easier to be a copy than it is to be an original.  That’s why every auto-responder message sounds the same – Copy, Paste and Publish, The motto of every clone.

It’s my belief that every person has something to give that’s of value, but if they give in to being just another echo they lose the opportunity to make an impact.

Here are 7 ways to help you escape the cloning chamber.

1.    Begin publishing original content.
2.    Develop your own voice. Not everyone can be a Chris Brogan, Jason Falls or Robert Scoble.
3.    Be human – Social media is about building relationships
4.    Be willing to give your opinion even when everyone doesn’t agree.
5.    Be confident in who you are and what you bring to the table.
6.    Be a connector – Connect people to other people, their ideas and networks
7.    Avoid gimmicks, they only signal desperation

If you notice a clone will never gain attention or stand out from the crowd. The individuals that are doing incredible things are people that are creative, innovative and know how to be OK within their own skin. If you struggle with it, try it! You may be surprise what idea or concept that you can bring to the table.

What would you add to this list? What creative things are you doing with social media?

Leave a comment – I want to learn from you.

The post 7 Ways to Avoid Being a Social Media Clone appeared first on Social Media Explorer.

If you’re active on Twitter, you need to check out Seesmic Desktop. Over the past few weeks, I’ve been experimenting with my Twitter desktop applications. I will admit from the start that I have been a huge fan of Tweetdeck from just about their beginning, but I always check out the latest apps to see if there is anything I would want to add to my toolbox. Usually what happens is the new shinny app doesn’t hold up to what I’ve been using and eventually I migrate back to what I’ve become accustomed to. However, that’s changed when I started using Seesmic Desktop.

Seesmic Desktop Features
My initial thought when I first download Seesmic Desktop was, OK it’s another attempt to be like Tweetdeck. It has similar features such as multiple panels, search, groups or what Seesmic Desktop calls “Userlists.” It also has the ability to integrate multiple Twitter accounts, Facebook, as well as the ability to sharing images and video.  To be perfectly honest, when I started using it I didn’t like it. It seemed a little clunky to me, but after a few days of giving it a chance I began to get won over.

The selling point for has been the ease in which I can switch between user groups without having to scroll to the hidden panels off screen. I also like how I can set up multiple search queries for all the brands and keywords that I’m monitoring. Currently, I’m switching between 9 user groups and 7 search terms. The simplicity for the user is once you set them up, there just a click away. The cool thing about it is that I don’t have to keep all my userlists (groups) and search term on the main panel. I can switch back and forth to the ones I want to engage and monitor at the time.

Seesmic Desktop Client Preview

I think Seesmic Desktop has put out the challenge to Tweetdeck. I’m also looking forward to see how quickly Seesmic Desktop responds to feature requests from within their community of users.

Are you using Seemic Desktop? What are your thoughts? Try it and let me know what you think.

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One thing I could guarantee growing up in a small Midwestern farming community was that in our house there would always be two daily newspapers and RC cola. The newspaper for our family was the door into another world. It contained entry into distant lands, humor, games and even advice. It sparked conversations and influenced our view on the world. It shaped our politics and brought us closer to our heroes. It was more than a news channel it was a daily experience.

That daily experience has influenced the way that I consume the news. It’s very common for me to receive 2-3 newspapers a day, not to mention the global papers that I read online. There is a difference how I approach the two: The hard copy is a daily event. The online version is nothing more than a task – scouring for facts and ideas.

Will it be the Kindle?
On Wednesday, Amazon released their latest version of the Kindle that many are touting as the device that will save the newspaper. Larger screen, more memory, sharper images and text. It’s being branded as the perfect device for reading magazines and newspapers. It is also being pitched as a greener way to consume information. While all the things mentioned above are true, there’s one thing the Kindle can’t replace and that is the user experience.

It will take more than Twitter updates?
The latest trend is for newspapers to “tweet” their headlines that point their Twitter followers to their online articles. It’s very common to see headlines, but no conversation between the newspaper and the follower. To the newspaper industry, itâ€s nothing more than a broadcasting tool that announces the latest story. Itâ€s an old idea in a new car trying to take you to the same old place. While I follow many news outlets on Twitter, I seldom click on their links, unless a friend has referred it to me.

Woody Lewis, social media strategist and web architect listed 10 ways newspapers are using social media to save their industry in a recent blog post at Mashable.com Here are a few ideas he mentions:

• Creating online events to attract readers
• Promoting and monetizing user generated content
• Story-based communities
• Collaborative outsourced news services
• Customized delivery

While newspapers are stopping the presses and letting go of staff, there are those that are trying to incorporate some of the strategies that Woody mentions. However, in my opinion I think you’ll see more newspapers close their doors when they don’t see the return as quickly as anticipated.

The general pressure from within the newspaper industry is the loss of subscriptions, as well as advertising dollars. While I seldom hear anything in regards to the reader, there is plenty being said about the loss of revenue and how it is affecting the industry at large. It’s a race against time and a quest for more dollars.

It will take more than social media to save the newspaper.

Recreating the user experience
The day the newspaper industry recreates the user experience will be the day the newspaper is once again the talk of the town. If it is just looking for new channels then the future is grim, because I can find the news anywhere. The reason I read the newspaper is not because what it contains, but how it makes me feel and the memories that it invokes.  It connects me with my past while I read about the daily events.

Perhaps, the newspaper as we know it must die, not because its content isn’t relevant, or its attempts to use social media has failed, but because the consumer no longer identifies with it.

In my opinion, it’s just a matter of time, but until then I can guarantee you can find me every weekend with a cup of coffee, the New York Times, and my favorite jazz artists in the background.

What are your thoughts? Are you still reading newspapers? Do you think social media can save the day? If you had a chance to advise your favorite newspaper, what would you suggest?

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Tomorrow all eyes will be focused on the 135th running of the Kentucky Derby: The fastest two minutes in sports. Here in Louisville, this event is not just a horse race, but a two-week celebration that ends with a spectacular event. This event is an opportunity for guests who visit the river city to experience southern hospitality, see the most creative array of hats and consume everyone’s favorite, the mint julep.

However, at the crux of all of this is the challenge to pick the winner. If you’re feeling really lucky then you’ll try to pick the top two horses, known as the exacta bet. If you think your handicapping skills can see beyond the top two finishers, then you bet on the top three horses, known as the trifecta. The trifecta is a fun bet and if you win it usually has a nice payoff.

A Day at the Social Media Track

As social media becomes more accepted by the masses, there are a lot of different approaches on what it means, how it looks and how to measure its success. If you don’t believe me monitor how the last 100 of your Twitter followers are using it.
Here’s my social media trifecta and how I’m engaging the communities I’m a part of.

Listening
My first pick is the art of listening. I was taught at a very young age that I could learn a lot more by listening. This has carried over to how I approach both my online and offline world. I’m always more interested in what you are doing and thinking.

Whether you’re monitoring your personal brand or a major corporate brand you can learn more about your community and your consumers if you’re willing to listen and learn. I’ve discovered that the more I’m willing to listen, the easier it is for people to trust and connect. For me personally, this is #1 for me.

Sharing
For whatever reason sharing is not something that comes easy for many. Personally, the number one sign for me when I watch others embrace social media is their willingness to share something that hasn’t been created by them. One way to gauge someone’s “share-o-meter” is by watching his or her Twitter stream. If it’s all about their company, their blog post, their latest book etc. etc. then you know that they haven’t bought into to the sharing aspect of social media. They see the value of promoting themselves, but limit themselves by not promoting the creativity of others.

Exposure
Social media and social networking has to ability to put you in front of individuals that you would never have the opportunity to meet no matter how many networking events you can attend. With this exposure can come recognition, if you’re willing to except the fundamentals of listening, sharing or adding value to the community.

With this exposure must come respect for those that have been willing to become a part of your community. For me, it’s a must that I respect their opinion, their time, and their differences and hopefully it provides an opportunity for a face-to-face meeting.

These are my social media trifecta picks. What are yours and how are you using them to build relationships and trust?

Leave a comment. I would love to hear your feedback.

The post The Social Media Trifecta appeared first on Social Media Explorer.

At some point in our engagement in the social media space we step out on a limb and push the buttons of those within the community. The push back of the community can be unbearable if you are not prepared.

It begins as a brilliant idea that sparks an emotional response. These emotions ignite a fire that spreads throughout the community.  With a comment on a blog, a stream of Twitter messages and even a video reply on YouTube the fires rage to what you thought was a good idea. Your good idea backfires and now you have to deal with the consequences of what happens when good ideas go astray.

Here are five simple steps to embrace your social media grief.

Denial
The first thing is to deny that the event has never taken place. We reread the comments and review what we’ve said, swearing that this couldn’t be happening to us. This denial can cause you to want to isolate yourself hoping that if you go away so will all this unsolicited pain. This stage has no time limit, however, it can last for just a few minutes or as long as you want to stay in the state of denial.

Anger
The next step of the grieving process is anger.  It’s at this phase that you start to feel victimized and angered that anyone would twist your idea or blow out of proportion the things that you’ve said. The anger can go two ways, both at the idiots that didn’t like your idea as well as blaming yourself for letting this happen.

Being angry can be good unless you hold on to it to long and then it becomes defeating. Enjoy being angry for a moment, but let it go and move on.

Bargaining
It’s at this phase that you try to work your used car salesman skills and start bargaining and negotiating. It’s also at this point that you begin to call your peers, send them direct messages and frantically search for your network of insiders to try to work their magic to help you make all this pain go away. Reality then steps in when you realize that your connections can only help so much.

Depression
This is the phase when you realize that you can’t pull enough strings to make it go away and all you can see is your social media currency losing it’s value and the social media community labeling you as the one who launched the brilliant idea that backfired. It’s at this point that depression sets in and all you see is helplessness.

However, if you can work through this phase the light at the end of the tunnel is closer than it has ever been.

Acceptance
The final step in this social media grieving process is accepting your action. It’s at this point that you’re no longer denying the fact that it happened. The anger levels have tapered off and depression has lost its grip on your thoughts and emotions.

This is when you accept that you can’t go backwards, but you can help clarify and rebuild any levels of trust that have been broken. It’s at this point that if you are honest and transparent you’ll regain respect even if the community never accepts your brilliant idea.

This is a process that no one wants to have to go through. However, if you live outside of the echo chamber and position yourself as a voice rather than an echo, the chance of being misquoted, misunderstood and misrepresented are more then likely to happen.

Having a response plan in place will help you tremendously and hopefully keep you from having to work through the five steps of social media grieving.

How have you dealt with enraged consumers that have deemed a piece of content controversial? Do you have a plan in place to deal with damage control?

What are your thoughts?

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