7 ways to keep people interested

Rich or poor, there will always be one item everyone needs more: TIME. The inevitable suffocation of email, text messages, voicemails, newspapers, TV have streamlined the methods of communication. For both the everyday consumer and businesses, it is increasingly important to be as concise and relevant as possible in messages to both one another and to target audiences. This concept, of course, is not just relevant to the Social Media guru. It applies to virtually every available avenue of communication delivery.

7 ways to keep people interested in what you have to say:

1. It's not about you. Define your message and stick to it. EXAMPLE: If you wish to be followed on Twitter because you fancy yourself as legitimately knowledgeable in a particular category, 90% of your tweets should be relevant to that concept. A fellow Tweeter may originally chose to follow you because they find the links you post are helpful - not because they want to know your favorite and coffee and "are ready for Friday to be here." Analyzing any social media profile is an easy way to find the narcissists traversing the Earth.

2. Avoid abbreviations. It just makes your message sound amateur. No one wants to take the time to decipher your invented hieroglyphic language of shortened words. Similarly, sEnTeNcEs LiKe tHiS aRe eNdLesSly oBnOxIoUs. If you passed the 8th grade, use proper grammar. If you feel it is absolutely necessary to abbreviate, chances are, there is a more concise way to get your point across.

3. Headlines are king. (particularly in microblogging and texting) Your content may change the course of history, but if the headline is trash, your own mother won't even both reading it. Imagine scrolling down a list of hundreds of headlines all pertaining to the same subject... which link would you care to read? Use that formula for your own headlines.

4. You are not the CNN army of one. Message blasting is ego-tastic. Think of the little boy who cried "wolf". Don't be the little communicator that cried "everything I say is important, because I say so." Screen how much you share. Avoid the self-proclaimed experts, and don't become one. Timely, relevant and succinct messages sell themselves. Throwing up fifty new posts, headlines and press releases an hour will not earn you a big following... much less will it do much for your credibility. Peter Kim makes an excellent point regarding the building and maintaining of relationships through social networks.

5. Your brand is not your alter ego. This ties directly into credibility. If web authority is what you want, don't create a false identity. Be your brand - it's not your turtle shell.

6. Listen, listen, listen, jump in. You must give respect to receive it, but ALWAYS be willing to listen first and speak second. A target audience is a small town and people know immediately if you are new to the area. Don't immediately try to be the life of the party or you will become the new neighbor who wasn't invited to the 4th of July.

7. Expect the expected. Consciously build your brand, or people will do it for you. Contrary to guerrilla marketing, it it can always help to appear where your audience EXPECTS to see you. Call it the gray area of permission marketing.

If you have an insight or thought to share, please feel free to comment or drop me an email at pauljmatson@gmail.com. Find me on Twitter @PaulMatson.

The Best Twitter Applications

Before you read this entry, consider how you use Twitter. The following information is most useful for the moderate to more advanced user. For a quick background, read the provided links:
- What is Twitter? click here
- What should I Tweet about? click here

Twitter is not only a streamlined method of communication between people, but a way for users to obtain news, ideas and information not previously available. However, finding the right users to follow (aside from your little buddies) can be a difficult task. A short user bio simply does not provide an accurate assessment of who you might want to keep up to date with.

There are thousand different ways to use Twitter to search for topics or relevant information, find users, and manage your own account. If you have not been able to try out at least one of these applications, now is your chance to catch up on more efficient technology! This is your invitation to come out of the Twitter stone age.

To be clear, there are countless applications. These are a few I have found to be some of the best.

Desktop and mobile applications: Stop going to Twitter.com!
1. Twhirl - The most popular and convenient desktop item. Similar to an IM box.
2. Tweetdeck - The most useful and efficient, includes a subject and keyword filter, separating information of interest without staring at the Twitterfeed all day.
3. Twitteriffic - The application for the iPhone and iPod Touch only - download it if you own either!

Search: Only read what actually matters to you.
1. TwitterSearch - Search by username
2. TweetScan - Search by tweet and keywords
3. Twitterverse - See tweets appear on a world map, by location
4. JustTweetIt - New, but is a self-selected submission directory organized by categories

User Information: Wonder what kind of Twitter users people are?
TweetStats - Get the rundown on peak usage times, what people Tweet about and to whom. Just enter their (or your) username.
TweetWheel - Find out which of your friends follow each other on Twitter

Make money on your account
WhatsYourTweetWorth - Find out how much your Twitter account is worth, literally.
TwittAd - Sell the background of your Twitter profile page to advertisers, or advertise on other's pages

A Complete List of Twitter applications: By platform (Windows, Mac, Linux, etc.)
TwitterFan

Want to add more to the list? Thoughts on which application works best? Leave a comment or drop me an email at pauljmatson@gmail.com.

Five ways to keep up with Social Media

Web interfaces such as Twitter, Facebook and Google have been stealing news headlines left and right, and there are now enough Social Media phrases to fill a modern dictionary.

If you chose to go on a social media binge, it can be a challenge to keep four personal profiles updated with accurate information. Much less, do most people have time to stay ahead of new trends and tools that become available. How does one stay on top of social media without inducing a coronary or aneurysm?

Five simple methods that require little effort:

1. Stop watching Lost. Obviously, you have to make SOME time to learn. One can only begin to fathom the amount productive free time possible if one stops watching mindless TV.

2. Start an RSS feed. Instead of surfing web sites, simply set up Google Reader (it takes 60 seconds or less, proven) and start following relevant blogs, sites and developers. Each day, check it once for new content and read what appeals to you.

3. Google Alerts. This is how it works: type in a few key phrases (Social Media and Web 3.0, for example) and have Google do the research for you. You will receive emails, at an interval of your choosing, listing links and sites where your key phrases have appeared. Companies also use this method as a way to keep track of who is talking about them in the blogosphere.

4. Del.icio.us and Digg. You're not going to find everything by yourself. Social bookmarking provides an enormous advantage to peer into what others have (dugg) up. The Internet is too big for anyone to navigate solo.

5. Talk to others and pose questions. Word of mouth is still one of the most effective communication tools. Start conversations with people who are interested in similar topics and ask questions. Even if you don't think they would know the answer, brainstorming is the first step toward original ideas!

Three blogs to add to your RSS feed (these are all PR, marketing and social media pros):
Seth Godin
Brian Solis
Todd Defren

There couldn't be a more appropriate video for this post:


Helpful? I hope so. Send me an email at pauljmatson@gmail.com or leave a comment!

Cyberspace to Face-to-Face

This Friday, three other PRSSA members and I will be attending our first Tweetup in Cincinnati. I was turned on to this concept by head hunter, blogger, and "research goddess" Amybeth Hale. By loose definition, a Tweetup is a face-to-face gathering of people who have connected via the Twitter community. It is, simply put, placing a face with a tweet, and a fantastic way to enhance the networking process.

It is utterly astounding the number of ways that one can communicate and be introduced to people around the globe via the internet and social media. With the advent of the digital generation, however, the value of traditional modes of communication has increased. Three examples come to mind:

1. Letters and thank-you notes. Specifically, those written by hand. I wonder if my own children will even be taught how to hold a pen, or rather learn the "home keys" on their laptop. Maybe they'll be taking an iPhone typing class. When was the last time you sent a hand-written letter to someone... not on a holiday or birthday?

2. Phone calls vs. texting. Some of us spend enough time on the phone already, but simply calling someone versus emailing them can go a long way. Not to mention the response time is diced in half. Texting isn't always the answer. Podcasting and Utterz are also a nice way to make online connections a littler more personal.

3. Intra-office emails vs. face-to-face conversation. One consistentcy I have seen at several professional experiences - there is always atleast one person who would rather email you 10 feet away than get up and talk to you. There are exceptions, of course ('reply all' emails, invitations, the person is busy, and so on), but there are far more opportunities to stand up and approach them.

In any case, the concern should be in preserving the authenicity of online conversation and interaction.

Call it learning to shake hands and smile in cyberspace.

Comments and emails are read and appreciated. Leave one here, or please don't hesitate to email me at pauljmatson@gmail.com or message me twitter.com/paulmatson

What (and) When to Twitter

As a senior PR student, it has been exciting to watch so many freshmen and undergraduate students get into social media. Even though I have been studying public relations since day one of classes, it took me two years to begin to understand why social media matters.

I frequently receive questions about what some social media tools are and what purpose they serve. Some still say that they think Twitter is "creepy" and that blogging "does not make any sense."

Sounds like a generation that has been jaded by Myspace.

Somehow I doubt we'll be watching a Dateline episode of "To Catch a Tweeter" any time soon. On the topics of Twitter and blogging, the two most frequent questions I hear are usually either:
What do I Twitter/Tweet about? (or) What should I blog about?

The most succinct answer I have about Twitter is this: use the 70-20-10 rule. (Thank you, Angela Maiers) Generally speaking:

--> 70% of your tweets should be about sharing articles, tools or helpful links;
--> 20% should be a personal thought or insight;
--> 10% should be personal conversation or responses

If you ever need to send someone a message that applies ONLY to them, a direct message is more appropriate 100% of the time. Simply type "d + their username" followed by your message.

The best advice I've ever heard about blogging comes from Seth Godin (granted, he is host to one of the most widely-read marketing blogs on Earth). Read it here. This was the last article I read before I began blogging in 2006.

Got a question? Please drop me an email at pauljmatson@ gmail.com or follow me on Twitter username: twitter.com/PaulMatson. Please subscribe!