Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube are three of the top social networking sites. Building your social network following in these sites is critical in your social networking success. Let’s examine each of these social networking sites and some tips on how to build a quality social network following.

View YouTube Episode on Building your social network following.

Facebook is the most popular of the  top social networking sites, and now has over 350 million active users, and growing rapidly each day. It is very important to have a Facebook Strategy, and build a quality facebook following of friends.

Twitter is a super popular and rapidly growing social networking site that allows users to post and follow updates called tweets. Tweets are the way twitter users communicate with each other, and are limited to 140 characters. Twitter Users are called followers and you can both follow other twitter users and build your own following. Twitter Users can also communicate via direct messages to other twitter users, to allow for private communications.

YouTube is the most popular video sharing site and allows you to upload and share videos. YouTube is a free service that lets you connect via video to your audience. Video is very powerful and an important part of the social media marketing mix.

What is a Social Network Following?

A social network following is called different names in different sites, in  Facebook it is a friend, twitter is a follower, and in YouTube it is a subscriber, they all make up your online community in a particular social networking site.

Tips to build your social network in these sites?

•   First and most important is that it is not about the quantity of your social network, it is about the quality of your social network following.

•   Having a complete and focus profile is critical as it helps define what is a quality connection.

•   Putting together a plan of action will help focus on your target audience.

•   Start by adding friends, co-workers, business contacts, etc. to your following. If any of your contacts know someone you would like to meet, ask them for a referral to this contact.

•   Remember it is very important that you give value and education to your following; also be available to help people in your following. People become eager to help their social networking buddies who offer help.

•   Joining relevant social networking groups and social networking fan pages are excellent ways of growing your social network following. Make sure to be active in these groups by adding post, links articles, etc. Remember when reaching out to someone you do not know, it is important to write a personal note outlining why you want to connect. Some reasons are particular interest in a group or fan page, knowing mutual contacts, etc.

•   Make sure to stay educated as to new ways to add quality contacts to your social network following.

•   Feel free to reach out or connect to me if you have any questions.

View YouTube Episode Building your social network following      

         Jim Farrell Social Networking Contact Information

http://www.facebook.com/JimFarrell194
http://www.youtube.com/user/jimfarr194
http://linkedin.com/in/jimfarrellbusinessbits
http://twitter.com/jimfarrell
Internet Marketing Consultants

  Business Bits YouTube Episodes

Breast Cancer Prevention

Conquering Your Fear of Public Speaking

Jersey Shore Entertainment at the Historic Strand Theater

Meet Your Next Marketing Director

The 2009 Champions The Lakewood BlueClaws

The Video Job Interview

Your Business Card Strategy

As a hiring manager I think it would be valuable to see a Video Job Interview of my candidate, prior to the actual interview. Reviewing resumes and phone interviews are part of the interview process, but actually seeing the candidate being interviewed on video and responding to questions would add a valuable element not previously available.

Some advantages of viewing a Video Job Interview for a hiring manager are:

1. More valuable information with minimal time requirements.
2. A test of the candidate’s ingenuity and ability to use current technology.
3. The advantage of viewing the candidate answering questions in a somewhat stressful situation.
4. The ability to see what a candidate deems important and an idea of what type of end result (The Video) the candidate believes is a job well done.

For a job seeker there are many advantages to creating a video being interviewed for a job opening. Most importantly it would show great ingenuity, as I have not seen anyone do it yet. Here a few other advantages that comes to mind:

1. Showcase your ability to use current technology.
2. Your Video Job Interview can be produced to highlight your strengths and accomplishments, and targeted to impress hiring managers.
3. The advantage of marketing the video to hiring managers via social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.
4. Your video link can be marketed in your e-mail signature.
5. Gaining a competitive edge.

Below is the link to the Video Job Interview I created with Amanda Zabriski. Amanda is in the job market and will use her Video Job Interview in her job search.

Video Job Interview of Amanda Zabriski.

This is where I need some help. Is this a good idea? Can it be improved on? Please make comments, and do not be afraid to be critical. I am the Chairperson of the Monmouth/Ocean Chapter of the Financial Executives Networking Group (FENG) and am testing the Video Job Interview for the group. Any feedback will help us improve on using YouTube Videos in your job search.

Jim Farrell Social Networking Contact Information

http://www.facebook.com/JimFarrell194
http://www.youtube.com/user/jimfarr194
http://linkedin.com/in/jimfarrellbusinessbits
http://twitter.com/jimfarrell
Internet Marketing Consultants

Business Bits YouTube Episodes

Breast Cancer Prevention

Business Card Strategy

Conquering Your Fear of Public Speaking

Jesey Shore Entertainment at the Historic Strand Theater

Meet Your Next Marketing Director

The 2009 Champions The Lakewood BlueClaws

The Video Job Interview

Other Resources

Job Interview Videos

Job Interview Tips

How To Ace A Job Interview

Job Interview Questions and Answers

Live Hire

Tips and Strategies For Successful Interviewing

Video Job Interviews

We have covered Social Media For Health Care Professionals and Facebook Strategy For Business with Dr. Jennifer Walden in prior blog post. The New Jersey Medical Group Management Association NJMGMA has asked for my help in setting up its Facebook Fan Page. Let’s take a look at NJMGMA and examine how the Facebook Page will help to promote the organization.

NJMGMA provides a forum for its members’ to exchange ideas and information among medical practice professionals in all levels of medical practice management.

There are many benefits in joining NJMGMA including networking with other medical professionals, educational conferences, job posting for medical practice managers, and much more. NJMGMA also has education seminars throughout the year at various members’ locations.

NJMGMA now has a Facebook Fan Page, where it can update information, post events, members can also have their pictures included in the group’s member album. The Facebook Fan Page has a discussion tab, where members can respond to or start discussions to help with any problems or issues facing the practice manager. The Facebook Fan Page also serves as another resource in posting job openings for practice managers. We will have a video explaining NJMGMA mission available soon. NJMGMA members can now upload and share pictures, educational links, etc. The NJMGMA Facebook Page is open to all by going to http://companies.to/njmgma/. 

Remember when the question was What is your Internet Strategy? Was your company late in adapting? If so, hopefully a lesson was learned. So today’s question is What Is Your Facebook Strategy?

What is Facebook? Facebook is the most powerful of Social Networking Sites For Business, and growing rapidly each day. If you don’t have a Facebook Strategy, it is time to start to put one together, and integrate into your overall Social Media Marketing.

Facebook was launched in 2004 and was originally for College Students. In 2006 it was open up to anyone with an e-mail address over the age of 13. Facebook has grown dramatically and evolved to where it is today, the premier Social Networking Site, with business marketing use booming. Here are a few key points in the latest Facebook Statistics: 

More than 140 million active users The fastest growing demographic is those 25 years old and older 

2.6 billion minutes are spent on Facebook each day (worldwide) 

More than 13 million users update their statues at least once each day 

More than 15 million pieces of content (web links, news stories, blog posts, notes, photos, etc.) shared each month 

More than 2 million events created each month 

More than 19 million active user groups exist on the site 

Setting up a successful Facebook Strategy is critical today. Things to consider in addition to putting together a facebook profile are joining and creating groups, fan pages, finding friends, communicating with your facebook community, and so much more.  Do a simple facebook search, you will be surprised at the results of companies marketing online in Facebook.

Ok, are you convinced that Facebook is a place you need to be to market and brand your company online? Want to know how to use facebook, what is Social Media Marketing, and how can social media benefit my business? 

To answer these questions, let’s examine an actual Facebook Strategy. I have selected a friend I met on Facebook and will examine her Facebook Strategy in a question and answer format. 

Jennifer Walden, M.D., F.A.C.S., is a Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon who is fellowship-trained in aesthetic surgery and board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. 

Dr. Walden is a premier Manhattan Plastic Surgeon, and is often asked to comment, as a medical expert, on CBS, ABC, Fox News, and other media outlets. Dr. Walden has covered issues including current cosmetic surgery, breast augmentation, prevention of breast cancer, and many other topics.

JF: Hello Dr. Walden , and thanks for answering some questions on Facebook Strategy. 

JW: My pleasure.

JF:  How long have you been using Facebook and what other Social Media do you find beneficial. 

JW: I have been using Facebook for about a year, and have connected with many of my friends and contacts. In addition to Facebook, I participate in MySpace, Linkedin, Twitter, some medical specific social networking sites, blogging, television and media interviews.  

JF: I have noticed your profile on facebook , and was impressed with the great information, including links for anyone interested in plastic surgery, breast cancer awareness, and your volunteer work. Tell us about setting up your facebook profile , especially why you seem to make patient education a priority. 

JW: Orignally, I set up my facebook profile  to connect with friends, family, and contacts. I have subsequently added information and resources for people interested in plastic surgery. Patients now have so many choices to research medical issues, while I believe it is important to do research and read articles, it is also very critical to consult with your Doctor, to make an informed decision.

JF: Dr. Walden , you belong to a Facebook Groups that I admin, You Tube Contest , and one that I set up for a Health Care Attorney, Legal Issues Affecting Doctors , tell us how do you decide which Facebook Groups to join and participate in?   

JW: I look for relevant facebook groups, where I can get good information, either for my business or personal interest. The Legal Issues Affecting Doctors is a great resource for keeping current with medical legal issues. I am a University of Texas football fan, and love to use Facebook to stay in touch with the team and school.

JF: Tell us how to search for a person on Facebook, and how you go about adding Facebook Friends. 

JW: I like to connect with friends, family, and contacts, or anyone interested in cosmetic plastic surgery. Facebook has a very user friendly friend finder to help you connect with friends and contacts.

JF: I also noticed you have posted links to news and articles in the Facebook Posted Items section, I found them very relevant to your specialty, how do you decide what links to post? 

JW: I believe strongly in patient education and look for items that include relevant information on cosmetic plastic surgery.

JF: Dr. Walden , tell us how you decide what photos to upload. I noticed some very cool photos of you in the operating room, and some very nice and appropriate personal photos. 

JW: Personal photos are great for family and friends, medical related photos are great to reinforce patient education.

JF: Tell us about Facebook Fan Pages.

JW: Facebook Fan Pages are great for topics you have an interest in, in my case Texas Football, and Fashion Issues. I also have my own Facebook Fan Page, for people interested in cosmetic plastic surgery.

JF: Dr. Walden , you have done a great job of implementing a successful Facebook Strategy, including integrating with your overall Social Media Marketing . This is critical, and something we always advise our clients to do in setting up their Online Marketing Strategy. How important do you see Facebook, and Social Media for online corporate marketing in the next few years? 

JW: I see Facebook and other Social Media increasing in popularity. Facebook will be a must for online corporate marketing. Companies will need to balance their need for a powerful Online Marketing Strategy, with the desire of facebook users to have quality Social Networking Experiences.

JF: My favorite TV reporter is Megan Kelly of Fox News, I enjoyed your interview with Megan on new cosmetic procedures, tell us a little about being interviewed as a medical expert on news shows. 

JW: The news shows are a great way to educate patients and is something I enjoy doing. I agree with you about Megan Kelly, she is awesome, and is always prepared and sharp.

JF: Dr. Walden , thanks so much for taking your time to answer some questions on Facebook Strategy. On the blog post for this episode, I have listed some very informative links on your Web site, including your various media interviews on current cosmetic surgery issues. Any closing thoughts or advice for people looking to join or improve their Facebook experience? 

JW: I would suggest that you have fun in using Facebook, and other Social Networking Sites. If you treat people like you would like to be treated, you will have a rewarding experience.

JF: How would someone go about contacting you? 

JW: I can be reached at 212-288-9009; my Web site is www.drjenniferwalden.com, e-mail drjenniferwalden@hotmail.com

JF: Thanks again Dr. Walden , I look forward to staying in touch with you on Facebook. 

JW: Same here Jim. 

Dr. Walden Video Links

Dr. Walden Video Introduction

Dr. Walden Breast Cancer Prevention Tips

Dr. Walden in the Media

Listen to Podcast Episode with Dr. Walden

Jim Farrell Social Networking Contact Information

• http://blog.business-bits.com
• http://www.business-bits.com
• http://profile.to/jimfarrell
• http://www.youtube.com/user/jimfarr194
• http://linkedin.com/in/jimfarrellbusinessbits
• http://www.myspace.com/jimfarrellnj
• http://twitter.com/jimfarrell

Facebook Groups

• http://groups.to/youtubecontest
• http://groups.to/podcastmarketingforbusiness
• http://groups.to/professionaldevelopment

Business Bits YouTube Episodes

Breast Cancer Prevention

Business Card Strategy

Conquering Your Fear of Public Speaking

Jesey Shore Entertainment at the Historic Strand Theater

Meet Your Next Marketing Director

The 2009 Champions The Lakewood BlueClaws

The Video Job Interview

You Tube Video Contest are increasing being used by both large and small companies to build online brand, create online visibility, drive relevant online traffic, and sell more online products. You Tube Videos quickly become viral and spread to users e-mail and blogs.

Today’s youth is spending more time online than watching TV and look to sites like You Tube, Facebook, MySpace, and many other social media sites for information, entertainment, and fun.

You Tube Video Contest lets your audience decide if your content is viral, and is less costly than most other forms of marketing.

Online Consumers are doing more than watching the You Tube Videos. You Tube Video Contest Entries are downloaded to video clips on to handheld devices like the video iPod, Sony’s video game console, the PlayStation Portable, and now cell phones. Cell phones are increasing being used to view You Tube Videos.

Doing a search on Google for You Tube Video Contest will allow you to view various video contest of all types.

Example of a You Tube Video Contest

Acer Aspire One Video Contest

Win a portable mini note book from Acer! Ready to showcase your video making skills? Then enter the Aspire One online video contest and strut your stuff for the entire world to see! The Aspire One portable mini note book online video contest goes beyond what other video contests offer. Besides the chance to win the new Acer ultra portable note book - the Aspire One - and other fabulous prizes, people around the world will view your creation and judge you on your creativity and video making skills!

• Aspire One Video Contest
• Enter The Contest
• Aspire One Video Contest Winning Tips
• Aspire One Media Gallery
• Aspire One Video Contest Rules
• Submit You Video Entry For The Contest

Aspire One Reviews 

• NotebookReview.com
• Bit-Tech.net
• Hardware Central
• Skatter Tech
• Laptop Magazine
• Geek.com

Jim Farrell Social Networking Contact Information

• http://blog.business-bits.com
• http://www.business-bits.com
• http://profile.to/jimfarrell
• http://www.youtube.com/user/jimfarr194
• http://linkedin.com/in/jimfarrellbusinessbits
• http://www.myspace.com/jimfarrellnj
• http://twitter.com/jimfarrell

Facebook Groups

• http://groups.to/podcastmarketingforbusiness
• http://groups.to/professionaldevelopment

Social networks all require a new user to sign up with a login and password and then create a social network profile. A social nework profile is information on the user, which include the basics of name, gender, contact information and if the user desires can include as much detail as you can think of.

Social networks revolve around the friend’s concept. A friend is someone you can trust and ask for recomendations. Friends are approved by the user and allowed to access information and features that can be prohibited to non friends. A friend can be someone you know, has similar interest, someone you found interesting, and anyone that you decide to approve to give certain access to your profile information.

Friends can be found in one way or another in all Social Networking Sites. Search features allow you to look up an old college buddy, a former co-worker, someone with similar interest, and so on. Social Networking Sites also allow users to join groups, which is another way to find friends and build “your community”. There are groups for virtually everything, including college alumni, sports teams, music, personal interest, and much, much more.

Groups are a great way to meet new people who share an interest with you. Groups are also useful for education on a particular topic or interest, with sometimes thousands of experts available to communicate with. 

So now you know what a social networking profile, a friend and groups are, let get you Social Networking. Below is a list of three of the more popular social networking sites that I belong to. If you join, make sure to look me up, and check out my group Podcast Marketing For Business.

Not only has Social Networking exploded with individuals, but we are finding many of our clients asking us for help in setting up a professional corporate social networking site. Nicole Bailin of Move Ahead 1 will be setting up a series of seminars on using social networking for business. Business Bits will  make sure to keep you informed of the upcoming seminars.
 

FaceBook

MySpace

Linkedin

Ever since I was in High School I always read newspapers to keep current on news. New York Times, Wall Street Journal, NY Post, etc. The day did not feel right, until I read the paper, besides it was something to do on the subway to work. Ever notice today that not many young business executives are reading the print newspaper. Where are they getting their news? The answer of course is the internet, in the form of Web pages, blog post, schedule updates on PDA’s and yes business people are using Podcast to keep current on news.

News today has adapted to an on-demand society. Want it right now, it’s available, want it tomorrow, it’s available, need to read, hear or see it next week and it is available. People are continuing to abandoning Print News for internet news. Statistics released by the Newspaper Association of America reveals that the decline of print newspapers is much more rapid than previously thought, with total print advertising revenue in 2007 plunging 9.4% to $42 billion compared to 2006, the biggest drop in revenue since 1950, the year they started tracking annual revenue.

Tonight’s question is “Can you get quality news from podcast?”

We are going to take a look at what Podcast are available on both CNN and Fox to answer the question. Both CNN and Fox are major sources of news both online and on television. Lets take a look at what is available via Podcast News on these two networks.

Both CNN and Fox seem to have virtually every one of their shows available for Podcast Listeners. The quality for both was excellent. Shows can be searched for in many ways, by title, topic, popularity, etc. As expected, news on both networks was readily available, easy to listen to, and of high quality. Sorting and searching of Podcast quickly narrowed your news demands and got you listening to what you wanted in a matter of seconds. Great Job of Podcasting News by both networks, and I am quite sure other networks also have high quality Podcast News available.

A Podcast is an audio show that can be downloaded from the Internet and listened to using an audio helper application, or subscribed to via and RSS feed and listened to either on your computer or with an Apple iPod.

Corporations are increasingly using both Podcast and Blogs to communicate with their customers. The use of Corporate Podcasting is only limited by one’s creativity. I have my own Podcast Show “Business Bits With Jim Farrell” and have found it to be an excellent tool in communicationg the business educational messages defined by my show. We often recommend and create Podcast Shows for our clients, as it can deliver a consistent, regular, and relevant message to the Show’s Listeners. One of the great benefits of both Podcast and Blogs is the fast immediate statistics available to analyze. This allows for adjustments to better serve your listeners.

Corporate Podcast should include the following minimum characteristics:

• Always remember, it’s about the listener.
• Podcast should be consistent in theme and always produced for the listeners’ needs.
• Podcast time length should be optimal for your subscribing listeners; my recommendation is 10 to 20 minutes. Remember over 70% of Podcast is listened to on computers and attention span is generally very limited.
• Podcasts should be considered a long term tool for delivering a message to listeners. Doing one Podcast is not an effective Podcast Marketing Strategy. Doing Podcasts on a regular schedule, one a week, one a month, is an effective way of bringing a consistent, and relevant message to your listeners.
• Podcast must interesting and on relevent topics for your listeners.

Please visit our “Podcast Marketing For Business” group on both FaceBook and MySpace to communicate with me and other business professionals interested in corporate podcast.

For more information on Corporate Podcasting visit our business only podcast directory www.timbremedia.com.

Audience For Audio and Video Podcasts

I have created my own Podcast Show “Business Bits with Jim Farrell,” a series of Podcasts about various issues that affect business professionals of all levels. Podcasting is the perfect marketing tool for our “on-demand” society.

Podcasts are in essence, radio shows on demand, time shifted to fit your audiences schedule. The combined strength of your compelling content, and the syndication systems associated with Podcasting, make it a superior method for those wanting to instruct, attract, and market to a wider audience of potential and existing customers. After posting more than 10 episodes, I am amazed at the responce and effectiveness of the show. Each episode is recording more than 100 unique users a month. Also, I am receiving request from as far as Florida to appear on my show. This leads me to the question, What is the trend for Podcast Marketing For Business?

In an article written by James Lewin, in the April Edition of Podcast News, the following are some trends in Podcast Marketing For Business:

The audience for podcasts is way up, according to the latest research by Arbitron/Edison Media Research.

Their study, The Podcast Consumer Revealed, found that:

• The audience for audio podcasts grew 38% in the last year;
• The audience for video podcasts grew 45% in the last year;
• About 30% of regular Internet users have downloaded a podcast;
• Awareness of podcasting has leveled off at about 37;
• People listen to or watch podcasts primarily on their computers (about 75%).

Podcasts Offer Marketers New Opportunity To Reach Listeners

Edison also found that podcasting was creating new opportunities for marketers to reach listeners:

• Podcast listeners spend nearly 25% more time listening to Internet audio than average;
• Podcast listeners spend an average of 7 hours and 50 minutes per week listening to Internet audio, compared to the overall overage of 6 hours and 20 minutes.

“Users continue to prove that they want to consume radio on their terms,” said Tom Webster, vice president, Edison Media Research. “On-demand media and a wealth of portable devices are creating listening occasions that were previously either unavailable or under-utilized, which is increasing the overall demand for audio content.”

Portable Media Player Ownership Continues To Rise

In related research, Edison reports dramatic growth in portable media player ownership:

• iPod/Portable MP3 player ownership continues dramatic growth. Nearly four in ten (37 percent) own an iPod or other brand of portable MP3 player;
• This is up from 30 percent in 2007 and more than two and a half times the number in 2005 (14 percent).
• Nearly three-quarters (73 percent) of those age 12-17 own a digital audio player.

As a result, Internet audio is gaining on radio as the medium to learn about new music:

• In 2002, radio was mentioned by nearly two-thirds of consumers (63 percent) for this perception, while only nine percent mentioned Internet;
• In 2008, radio is mentioned as the medium “you turn to first to learn about new music” by about
  half of consumers (49 percent), with Internet at 25 percent

“Advertisers who want to go where the trends are pointing need to be more involved with the new forms of audio media as they continue to expand,” said Pierre Bouvard, president, sales and marketing, Arbitron Inc.

Sources: Edison Slide Presentation; Edison site