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Section 508 Compliance, Social Media, and You

March 13, 2018 By Carol Stephen Leave a Comment

Section 508 Compliance, Social Media, and You

Of many obscure terms in social media, Section 508 compliance might top them all. That is, unless you’re in federal or state government. For those webmasters and the like, 508 is second nature.

Photo by smswigart

Electronic and IT used by the Federal Government Must be Accessible

Not simply put, Section 508 is an amendment to the U.S. Workforce Rehabilitation Act of 1973. It mandates that all electronic and information technology developed, procured, maintained or used by the federal government be accessible to people with disabilities.

Photo by xxnu

Social Media Must Be Available to Those with Handicaps

That means social media must be equally available to people with sight, hearing and other handicaps. Add sound or captions to content. Make posts compatible with braille readers. Write hashtags so they’re clear to everyone.

Photo by CityofStPete

Benefits of Using Social Media Tools

Outside the government, you might follow the same practices. See if these benefits of using social media tools sound familiar:

Overcome organizational challenges–access to files and conversation streams anywhere, any time
Enhance communication–tailored discussion forums, social networking features and collaboration tools
Increase productivity–manage document sharing, tracking, storage and versioning
Save money–online vs. in-person; re-usability of outreach processes
Increase inclusiveness of outreach–national dialogues and online discussions for engagement with federal partners and stakeholders

Photo by jijake1977

Section 508 Compliance Is Good Practice

With that in mind, the March 13 #DigiBlogChat will review Section 508 compliance. Not all aspects will apply for you, but you might get good ideas.

For information about tweetchats, you might want to read Tweetchats: How to Participate.

See You on #DigiBlogChat!

Does Your Social Media Manager Need to Be Nearby?

March 8, 2018 By Carol Stephen Leave a Comment

Does Your Social Media Manager Need to Be Nearby?

Here’s another frequently asked question that I get all the time. People want to know whether I need to be nearby. And I’d argue that you probably want someone who’s culturally close to you, brand attribute wise. But as far as being geographically close? That depends!

Creating Strategy

Although I could probably create strategy for your brand in another country, unless we have the same cultural interests, I might not know the day-to-day struggles of your audience. So, for instance, if you’re in the middle of Africa, since I’ve only visited and never actually lived there, that might not be the best fit. But if you’re in another part of the U.S. or Canada, that would probably work.

Do You Need Someone Onsite to Create Images/Video?

If you do need someone to be there to take pictures or to create video, then you’d probably want someone onsite. But not always! So for instance, I have clients in other parts of the country, who create their own images. That works. We can share those images or video in a variety of ways, such as Google Docs.

Writing and Posting Can Be Done Anywhere

Writers can work from practically anywhere. They can create content and help you boost your SEO by keeping your website fresh. They can make help drive brand awareness and schedule posts for you. Here’s an article you might like: Hiring a Professional Blogger? What You Need to Know First.

Using Conference Calls to Communicate

If you’re in another part of the country, it’s easy to have group meetings online and share screens using Zoom, GoToMeeting, or any number of other screen-sharing video conferencing services. Here’s a comparison of the two: GoToMeeting vs Zoom.

Outsourcing Doesn’t Have to Mean Another Country

If you’d like to outsource your social media, you don’t have to send it to another country. You could hire someone in your state, but maybe in another county. Or in the state next door! So long as they’re reliable, it doesn’t matter so much where they are. And you might want to read How to Outsource Social Media That Will Help You Have More Time.

In-House vs. Outsourced

Maybe your company isn’t big enough to hire someone in-hour just yet. In that case, you might like to have someone help out. Or you might need strategy so that when you do hire someone, you know which direction they should take.

Have Questions?

I’d love to talk to you! Leave me a comment and I’ll answer as best I can.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: conferencing services, creating social media strategy, GoToMeeting, posting from anywhere, Zoom

Maslow’s Unbelievably Strange Hierarchy of Social Media Needs

March 1, 2018 By Carol Stephen 4 Comments

Maslow’s Unbelievably Strange Hierarchy of Social Media Needs

Few know about Maslow’s unpublished work on social media (for his published work, see the Wikipedia). And most people doubt that he wrote about social media, since it had not yet been invented. But c’mon! Leonardo da Vinci wrote about flying machines and a simple visit via the Wayback Machine can give us all the info we need. Right?

By the way, if you like this article, you might like What Nikola Tesla Said About the New iPhone Will Blow Your Mind!

Physiological Needs

At the bottom of Maslow’s Hierarchy is a category called Physiological Needs. These needs include food, water, shelter, etc. If we apply that to social media, that would be barely surviving on social media. That is, before doing anything else on Instagram, you need to be on Instagram. You’ve seen all those accounts with NO posts and yet 147 followers, right? What is up with that?

Safety Needs

After the first needs are met, a person needs to be safe physically, financially, etc. On the Interwebs, a person needs to feel safe from spam, government shutdowns, and trolls. They need to be able to tweet peaceably without fear of repercussions. They need to be able to talk about their vacation without a meddlesome relative stepping in to insist that they spend all their vacation in some god-forsaken part of Northern California without Internet. Oh, wait–that’s just me. But it still applies!

Photo by andersfrick

Social Belonging

According to Maslow, humans need to feel a sense of belonging and acceptance among social groups. For some introverts, the sense of belonging might only apply to befriending a couple of cats and a duck. Extroverts are happier with a larger party–say ten ducks–and five cats.

On social media, this sense of belonging could apply to Facebook groups, Twitter chats, or Instagram video. People post pictures of their babies, their dogs dressed as cats, and their cats dressed as sheep. Somehow that makes them feel like they belong. Dogs dressed as cats are not so bad–but cats dressed as sheep? That’s just wrong! As Maslow himself said, “Popular with whom? Perhaps it is better for a youngster to be unpopular with the neighboring snobs or with the local country club set.”

Esteem

Recognition, status, importance, and respect are all things we need. And people gain all of these by posting on social media. Often the things that they post are, shall we say, in the fantasy realm. The pics of their cats dressed as sheep are photoshopped to appear more sheeplike. Their vacations are edited to sound more fun. People only show their best side so as to appear happier and elicit jealousy from their friends. Nobody talks about the time they got fired, or drank too much and woke up in a strange city, asleep in bed with a platypus.

Self-Actualization

When a person can realize his or her full potential that is self-actualization. On social media, your results may vary drastically. There has been a lot of talk about transparency lately. Maslow was probably talking about social media and transparency when he wrote the self-actualization stage of the hierarchy.

For the self-actualization on social media, Maslow includes the following:

When you post a question on Twitter, you get a reply 100% of the time
Every post on Facebook is met with smiley faces, never angry ones
People think you’re awesome on Instagram, and each picture gets hundreds of comments.

Self-Transcendence

Maslow talks about generosity of spirit, about giving to some outside organization. On social media, only a couple of people have reached this goal. Non-profits sometimes make the leap. The only person who has reached this lofty level, though, is the Dalai Lama.

Have You Met Your Basic Needs on Social Media?

If not, give me a call. I can move you to your next level.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Maslow's Hierarchy of Social Media Needs, social belonging

How to Use Network Analysis to Help You Understand Social Media

February 25, 2018 By Carol Stephen Leave a Comment

Marc Smith on #DigiBlogChat

This week on #DigiBlogChat, our Twitter Chat every Tuesday at 1:00 p.m. Pacific Time, our special guest is Marc Smith, of the Social Media Research Foundation. The chat will take place Tuesday, February 27, 2018. Here are some preliminary vocabulary and ideas.

The Shape of #DigiBlogChat

The Shape of Social Conversations

Marc looks at the shape of social media conversations to see who’s connecting, conversing, or broadcasting. Did you ever think about social media having a shape? Me, neither. Not until recently. The graph above shows the shape of the #DigiBlogChat hashtag.

Measuring the Shapes

“Networks are collections of connections. Social media allows people to author connections with one another – by liking, linking, following, friending, favoriting, rating, reviewing, replying, and sharing. In aggregate, these collections of connections have a shape. Network analysis is about measuring that shape as well as calculating the position of each person within the larger structure.” ~ Marc Smith

How is a Network Approach Different?

“There is a difference between volume and structure. Today, most tools focus on the volumes of things: followers, likes, retweets, etc. In contrast, a network approach has a focus on the structure that is created when people connect with one another. People often connect, but they do not do so in the same shape or structure – even if there are the same number of people.” ~ Marc Smith (emphasis mine)

Network Vocabulary

What are the core concepts and terms in networks?

Vertex = “the thing”
Edge = “the connection between two things”
Group = a collection of vertices
Centrality = a position of a vertex “in the middle of things”
Bridge = a vertex with an edge that connects to a vertex in a different group
Density = how interconnected everyone is to everyone
Centralization = how connected everyone is to just one or a few others (“hubs”)

Wikipedia for More Information

These definitions from Wikipedia may help provide more information:

Want to Learn More?

Learn with us on #DigiBlogChat on Twitter, Tuesday at 1:00 p.m. We’re on Twitter every Tuesday at the same time if you miss this chat. It’s a big, friendly group, and we’d be glad to have you join in!

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: bridge, centrality, centralization, density, edge, group, social media and network analysis, vertex

Is it Strange to Expect ROI from Your Social Media?

February 22, 2018 By Carol Stephen 8 Comments

Is it Strange to Expect ROI from Your Social Media?

This is probably the #1 question that potential clients ask. They always want ROI (Return on Investment). But gaining ROI is a tricky business, and there are a number of factors to consider. For instance, what if I drive customers to your website, and it’s a mangled mess of spaghetti where they become lost for hours?

Photo by Schezar

Social Media Managers Can Only Do So Much

As social media managers, we can only do so much. We can’t fix your badly damaged website. Sorry to be so blunt, but a bad website will make users leave immediately, with a bad taste in their mouths. You might like this article: What Can a Social Media Manager Do for You?

What is the Customer’s Journey?

The customer’s journey must be considered when thinking about social media and the ROI. Here’s an example. A friend of mine recently tried to order medical supplies on a website. She received a message to order over the phone. She ordered over the phone, supposedly with success. One week later, she received a text that her doctor had not written a prescription, immediately before a four-day weekend! She still has not received her supplies, and she is not only frustrated, but she pities the people who have to work at the medical supply company. If you’re looking for a better website design, hiring a designer like my friend Karen Sielski’s Level 10 Creative could really help.

What Do You Sell?

Another consideration is what you’re selling. So driving traffic from a tweet to buying a car? That’s a huge leap. But we can make your potential customers aware of your business, and perhaps lure them with an open house or a special offer (for brick and mortar stores). For online businesses, driving traffic to sign-ups for classes is also possible. We can help create trust and rapport through social media engagement. The sales part is up to you for the most part. Here’s a guide to social media engagement that you might like: How to Engage on Social Media: the Complete Guide.

Measuring ROI Is Possible

That said, measuring ROI is possible, as this article Ultimate Guide to Measure Social Media ROI outlines. And notice the modest goals chosen to measure (email list sign-ups, for instance), transforming a casual user into a lead.

How Do You Measure Success?

I’m certain that I’ve left something out. What ways do you measure your success? Leave me a comment! And thank you!

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: driving traffic with social media, Return on Investment, ROI and Social Media, sales, success on social media

What Can a Social Media Manager Do for You?

February 15, 2018 By Carol Stephen 2 Comments

What Can a Social Media Manager Do for You?

This is a question that I get all the time. If you’re a social media manager (“SMM”), maybe you get it, too! Every SMM is a little different, as far as their skills, and we refer to each other all the time if something is out of our league. That said, here are a few common things that an SMM can do for you.

Research

We can figure out what things might interest your audience based on knowing your ideal demographic. Your audience is interested in more than just your product or service. For instance, say your non profit works to save the redwoods, like Sempervirens does (one of my favorite organizations). Their followers would probably like to hear about parks that have redwood trees, educational events, and articles about redwood trees. They might also be interested in the animals, insects, and people who visit redwood groves as well as which climates support redwood groves.

Photo by Elsie esq.

Decide Where and When to Post

We figure out where you need to be on the internet–that is, which platform, and when. If you’re a brick-and-mortar store, we would probably focus on times that your local audience is online. There are a lot of behind-the-scenes tools that we use to figure out this stuff, and the post is really just the tip of the iceberg. By the way, you might like this article: Ten Simple Ways to Choose the Best Social Media Platform.

Choose Hashtags

We can help you come up with hashtags for your business, and how many we should use (and where, too!). Because not every platform is hashtag-friendly. Hah! #HashtagFriendly would be a great hashtag, don’t you think? If you like hashtags, you might like this article: How to Catapult Your Tweets Farther? Use a Powerful Hashtag!

Photo by jbolles

Engage Online

The biggest problem for most businesses is having the time to engage online. Most SMMs do this for you (not all of them, though). And since Facebook’s algorithm is changing once again, engagement has become more important than ever so that you appear. Engagement is such an issue for many people that I’ve written a series on Engagement.

On Overwhelm?

Then you might need a social media manager! If “I’ll never get this done” is your constant companion, as Linda Hardenstein says in this Forbes Article, Five Simple Steps to Stop Feeling Overwhelmed at Work, then you may need some help. A social media manager can get you out of overwhelm and let you get back to the business of running your business!

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: help you decide where to post, research, what can a social media manager do for you

Hiring a Professional Blogger? What You Need to Know First

February 8, 2018 By Carol Stephen 4 Comments

Hiring a Professional Blogger? What You Need to Know First

You’ve heard the idea before that anyone can write. True, anyone can write. But not everyone can write well. And not everyone can keep your business and your interests at the top of their mind. Since I’ve been blogging for awhile now (over five years), I’ve learned a few things. Here are some things to keep in mind if you’re looking for someone to hire for blogging. By the way, I’m available!

Education

Not everyone cares about formal education, but some do. So you might want to ask where the person you want to hire went to school. Do they have a degree in something related to writing? For instance, my degree is from U.C. Berkeley, in English. Also, do they have any other writing experience, such as technical writing, that could assist them in their (and your) blogging efforts?

Experience

How important is experience? That depends upon what you’d like your blogger to write about. Would having someone inexperienced be better? Who will be reading your blog posts and will that reader care if there are mistakes? Would you care if there were mistakes? Probably yes and yes! So consider someone with some experience. And of course real-world experience counts, as this article from Inc. Magazine outlines: Why Your Company Needs to Hire a Writer (And How to Find the Right One).

Photo by numb3r

Deadlines and Punctuality

You probably want someone who’s a self-starter and can make deadlines, right? You don’t need to be babysitting the person who writes your professional blog. You’d like the posts to be scheduled on time so you can do your job, which means running your company. What kind of track record does your blogger have? Can he or she write to a deadline? How can you tell if they’ll be punctual? Were they on time to the meeting with you? You could ask their references.

Photo by dou_ble_you

Creativity

Do you have to come up with all the ideas for your blog yourself? Or would you rather have a blogger who can come up with optimized headlines and ideas for you, once she knows what you do? Speaking of headlines, they can sometimes be a pain in the asterisk! Of course, the best is to have a team approach where everyone decides on the blog ideas together and then the blogger can be set loose to do what she does best–write.

Photo by See-ming Lee (SML)

Confidence

Would you prefer someone who consistently has writer’s block? Or would you rather have someone who can sit down and write without a lot of prompting? Ha! I thought so! Writing is work. It’s not waiting to get prepared to sit down to write. No. It’s actually sitting down and writing. Every day. If your would-be writer carries a notebook around, that’s a big clue that you’ve got someone with passion as well as confidence.

Photo by Karen Roe

Engagement with Blog Readers

Will your blogger know how to engage with those who read the blog? Or will you be expected to do that? Personally, I recommend that bloggers engage with readers directly. Another good skill to have is to comment on others’ blogs besides yours, if possible.

Top-Notch Imagery

Without interesting images to draw readers in, a blog can be a simple wall o’words. And you certainly don’t want that!

Do You Have Someone Like This in Mind?

If not, then I have a suggestion for you. Give me a call. I would be happy to give you a free consultation. Maybe we can work together!

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: How to engage with blog readers, how to hire a professional blogger

This is What Happens When You Disconnect from Social Media

February 1, 2018 By Carol Stephen 8 Comments

This is What Happens When You Disconnect from Social Media

Everyone seems to like to talk about their goals and dreams during the first part of a new year. Then, about the first week in February, all those goals seem to fly out the window. The goals of working out and losing weight are forgotten. Gym memberships go unused and giant tubs of ice cream make their way into the shopping carts once again. What about balance? How is it possible to have balance year round when work eats up all your time and energy?

Is Balance Even Possible?

On the topic of social media, is it really possible to unplug? And I’m not asking just because I have the answers–it’s as much an issue for me as for anyone else. But here are some things that have helped me. Maybe they’ll help you, too.

Buy a State Park Pass

The State of California has an annual pass to all the parks. You might not think you need one, but trust me, you do! (Or maybe the pass for your own state parks, if that exists.) You can’t always easily walk into any park. Sometimes, parks have miles of roads past the entrance, and a pass allows you to really explore a park’s interior without first walking in (at least that’s how it works in California).

Henry Cowell Park in the Santa Cruz Mountains

Addicted to Social Media?

Last year, I bought a park pass and it seriously changed my life. And, if you’re addicted to social media, you can always use the excuse that you need pictures so you can post them to your Instagram later. My personal Instagram is full of images from these forays into parks, by the way. Henry Cowell Park, above, is a personal favorite.

Blackmail Yourself

You could also blackmail yourself into disconnecting from social media, as Reyna Gobel explains in her article: How to blackmail yourself into achieving your goals.

Or Not

Or, you could just get outside, breathe in the fresh air, enjoy the sunshine (or the fog, where I live), with the promise that you’ll feel like a new person when you get back. Isn’t that enough?

How Do You Disconnect from Social Media?

Leave me a comment if you’re not too busy hiking in the park!

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: disconnecting from social media, social media addiction, state park pass

Social Media Marketing: What Does it Do? In a Nutshell.

January 25, 2018 By Carol Stephen Leave a Comment

Social Media Marketing: What Does it Do? In a Nutshell.

A friend of mine, David Stucker asked: what does social media marketing do? (Follow David Stucker on Twitter) Why is it so great or effective? And I had to step back for a moment, because the advantages seem so clear to me.

Social Media Marketing Definition

From Technopedia: “Social media marketing (SMM) refers to techniques that target social networks and applications to spread brand awareness or promote particular products.”

Why Is Social Media Marketing Effective?

Social Media Marketing is effective for many reasons:

SMM can be used to target a particular demographic
Business owners can spend nothing (but their time) on up to millions of dollars to create brand recognition
Cleverness is rewarded
You can increase leads
Let potential customers know about events
Increase brand awareness

For instance, if your business is targeting people who fish in the state of Minnesota, it’s possible to find that audience through social channels.

Is Social Media Marketing Better Than Traditional Marketing?

SMM can definitely be more targeted. For instance, if you’re in the construction trades, you can follow others in the construction trades and then market to them and also share their posts, since your target markets will probably overlap. Or, if you’re a brick-and-mortar store, you can follow those in your immediate area. A billboard might hit some of the people in your target market, but not with the precision of SMM. Also, you can’t engage with a billboard, whereas with SMM, you can definitely engage.

Benefits of SMM Over Traditional Marketing

Now, I’m not saying people should give up on traditional marketing. But they should definitely know what the benefits are of reaching people electronically.

SMM is more targeted
Engagement is greatly increased with SMM
Bigger reach with SMM
Much better ROI with SMM (excellent article with chart from The Social Observer).

Why Do You Use Social Media?

If you prefer social media over traditional marketing, let me know. If you don’t, let me know that, too! And thank you for stopping by!

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: SMM, social media marketing, social media marketing versus traditional marketing

Sick and Tired of the Same Old Content? Create Evergreen Content!

January 18, 2018 By Carol Stephen 4 Comments

Sick and Tired of the Same Old Content? Create Evergreen Content!

Have you been chasing down every holiday, trying to jump on every trending hashtag, only to be worn out by the chase? Why not try creating evergreen content? Here are some ideas for you.

Same Questions, Different Day?

To you, that question about why you should not wear stripes and polka dots together seems obvious. After all, you’ve been a fashion designer for 20 years! But to your clients, not so much! Explain to them in a blog post why stripes and polka dots clash. Not only that, show them pictures! You might even have one great idea that could be turned into a series.

Photo by European Southern Observatory

Share Widely

Now that you’ve written that article, share it all over! And then after a decent amount of time (five days? one week?), share it again! People will probably not remember that they saw that article the first time. Even big brands share their content more than once! Of course, you can probably get away with more sharing on Twitter than say, LinkedIn. So mind where you share. For more ideas about recycling your content, see How to Recycle Content: 10 Best Ways.

Photo by hernanpba

Rinse and Retweet

Continue sharing, scheduling, and repeating articles. After all, you’ve taken a lot of time to write that article, haven’t you?

Don’t Forget to Share Others’ Posts

While you’re at it, share others’ articles and content as well as your own. Your audience doesn’t want to see just your own content, after all. Unless you’re the New York Times or a big media outlet, that is. While we’re on the subject of sharing others’ posts, here’s an article about engagement that you might like: How to Engage on Social Media: The Complete Guide.

What to Write?

I’ve found a very good place to start is with those frequently asked questions that you hear all the time! Start with those. Have an outsider ask you questions about your business and if the answers aren’t already obvious and easy to find on your website or social media, answer those questions with an article. Here’s a good article about finding things to write about, from CopyBlogger: 50 Can’t-Fail Techniques for Finding Great Blog Topics. By the way, the tip to write about pain is a great one. Pain points are where your product or service can step in and provide a cure.

Have a Favorite Way to Find Topics?

How do you find topics to write about? Do you have a simple way to discover new content? Let me know in the comments! Thanks!

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: article sharing, evergreen content for blogging, sharing content, writing evergreen content

Section 508 Compliance, Social Media, and You

Electronic and IT used by the Federal Government Must be Accessible

Social Media Must Be Available to Those with Handicaps

Benefits of Using Social Media Tools

Section 508 Compliance Is Good Practice

See You on #DigiBlogChat!

Creating Strategy

Do You Need Someone Onsite to Create Images/Video?

Writing and Posting Can Be Done Anywhere

Using Conference Calls to Communicate

Outsourcing Doesn’t Have to Mean Another Country

In-House vs. Outsourced

Have Questions?

Physiological Needs

Safety Needs

Social Belonging

Esteem

Self-Actualization

Self-Transcendence

Have You Met Your Basic Needs on Social Media?

The Shape of Social Conversations

Measuring the Shapes

How is a Network Approach Different?

Network Vocabulary

Wikipedia for More Information

Want to Learn More?

Social Media Managers Can Only Do So Much

What is the Customer’s Journey?

What Do You Sell?

Measuring ROI Is Possible

How Do You Measure Success?

Research

Decide Where and When to Post

Choose Hashtags

Engage Online

On Overwhelm?

Education

Experience

Deadlines and Punctuality

Creativity

Confidence

Engagement with Blog Readers

Top-Notch Imagery

Do You Have Someone Like This in Mind?

Is Balance Even Possible?

Buy a State Park Pass

Addicted to Social Media?

Blackmail Yourself

Or Not

How Do You Disconnect from Social Media?

Social Media Marketing Definition

Why Is Social Media Marketing Effective?

Is Social Media Marketing Better Than Traditional Marketing?

Benefits of SMM Over Traditional Marketing

Why Do You Use Social Media?

Same Questions, Different Day?

Share Widely

Rinse and Retweet

Don’t Forget to Share Others’ Posts

What to Write?

Have a Favorite Way to Find Topics?

Follow Carol!

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