Get Rich Quick with Web 2.0 (Part 1): Network & Chat at the Watercooler – A How-To Guide on LinkedIn and Typing (I mean, Twittering)
I’m simply boggled by the multitudes of articles out there that are dedicated to teaching people how to use “social media 2.0.” If people take the time to sign up for the site, enter their name, their e-mail, create a password, verify that they’re human(ness)…don’t you think they should be smart enough to know how to use the website?
Judging by the literature that’s out there, it doesn’t look like it. Instead, it looks like marketing professionals need to learn how to use these tools for marketing. Human resource professionals need to learn how to use these tools for sourcing and recruiting candidates. PR professionals need to learn how to use these tools for feeding information. And, the casual, narcissistic user needs to learn how to strategically gather more followers, connections, or fans while staying true to his or her casual, narcissistic self. (Note: a few of those blog authors would learn a few things if their links were a little more user friendly, don’t you think? It’s a little lesson we learned awhile ago thanks to evil beet!)
Therefore, in this series of articles, nonpretentious will be your meta guide through the guides as we take a look at what the “pros” can teach us on how to use these so-called “social” media sites…the first two we attack? Well, obviously LinkedIn & Twitter!
LinkedIn: The professional networking website.
Facebook + Monster = LinkedIn
Amateur LinkedIn: Enter your resume, enter your contacts, join groups, ask your groups for recommendations, share your expertise, ask for expert advise, find a job, tell the world what you’re working on, enter more contacts (Oops! Actually, the LinkedIn PR manager says not to enter all of your contacts…)
Over at Mashable, you can learn “How to Get the Most Out of LinkedIn.” This How-to guide includes tips such as use LinkedIn to look up the profile of the person who you will meet next for a business meeting. Really? I would have never thought to use a professional networking site for basic professional networking or business purposes. I can’t believe I had my secretary call the police to run a background check on my business colleague. I could have easily used LinkedIn.
And why stop with the stalking benefits of LinkedIn? Because, seriously, if you’re not using LinkedIn to make money, you’re not using LinkedIn. Stop being so web 1.0. As the USA Today reported back in, like, 2007, LinkedIn’s business is business.
And, don’t worry ‘Tweens. Thankfully, LinkedIn is like a grownup version of Facebook. You’ll totally jump on the LinkedIn bandwagon as soon as you get your first unpaid internship (I mean, c’mon, haven’t you already gotten your first unpaid internship? I hope you have if you ever wanna score a job in this economy!).
Twitter: The site that proves no one has time for long-talkers anymore.
Blogging + Text Messaging = Twitter
Amateur Twitter: Spit. It. Out. 140 characters.
When someone told me that I could send messages to my network but only limit them to 140 characters, well, the first thing I did was scratch my head and say, “140 characters? How can I use that for gainful purposes?” Oh wait. That was the second thing I said when I scratched my head. My real first reaction was, “I created an account. Now, how the hell do I use this?”
If you haven’t heard of Twitter, don’t feel too bad. According to Time, it’s most likely because you’re old.
Thankfully, there are plenty of guides out there that describe the basics of this social media tool as well as guides that tell you how to use it (and how not to use it), how to use it for marketing, how to use it for public relations (slide show included), how to use it for business, how to use it for law. Seriously, folks! Get with it! If you’re not using Twitter to cash in, well, then you’re pretty much like Twitter’s investors (for now).
Duh! There’s much more to this site than simply posting a short blip of your daily ruminations (which, really, is totally different than the UK of the day, isn’t it tough_love?). I mean, how else would nonpretentious connect with ?uestlove? MySpace? Fine, you’re probably right.
?uestlove's my friend!
I will say, however, that this article at Marketing Profs Daily Fix Blog really made me think. It was refreshing to see that the web in all of its 2.0 glory can still be a place to evolve. Who knows…maybe I like it because it fits my personality.
Then again, MetaGrrrl also made me think…
Never met her. Like her attitude.
One end of spectrum: Use the web to network with people you’d never meet in real life but should or would like to…
Other end of spectrum: Use the web to keep in touch with people you know in real life ONLY…
….I’m guessing there is a such thing as a happy medium.
Author’s bio: I’m no expert whatsoever but I am geeky enough to have quite a web presence – LinkedIn, Google Sites, Goodreads, Friendster, MySpace, BizNik (great tagline, by the way), Facebook, Twitter, Last FM, Pandora, Flickr, Blogger (as I said), and if you’re really good you may find my password-protected Xanga page. I get my news from Slate or I peruse Fark, The Onion, The Drudge Report, or other things on my Google Reader. I’ve been blogging since early 2004 (which means that I’m middle-aged) and I’ve had my gmail account since June 29, 2004 (thanks, JDL!).
Oh yes, and I’m plenty cynical…I mean, heck, we did need this:
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Hi,
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Many thanks,
Fred