“Clicking on the link increases my ‘influence’ and gives you the chance to have more of your own.”

At least that’s their premise.

When I first heard about Fast Company’s Influence Project nearly a month ago, I scoffed. Actually, I nearly choked. The concept of judging one’s online influence by seeing how many people they can get to click on their personalized link was never going to work.

It worked. Over 22,000 people have created profiles. At least 2 out of 3 of those people have generate clicks since upon clicking once I was in the 33rd percentile. Assuming that many up at the top of the list have generated hundreds, even thousands of clicks, let’s put the average at 50 clicks per profile.

That’s over a million visitors.

Laugh all you want. Blog about how silly the idea is. Tell your friends that popularity does not equal influence. Predict that 4chan will win in the end. It doesn’t matter.

People created accounts. More people clicked.

Heck, I created an account for “research” just now. A month late? I’m not worried. Even if I started on time, I could never put in the time to win the “prize” (which I’m still unclear about).

They will end up with millions of page views (not including the blogs and sites ripping on them, then linking to the project) and then get ripped on by marketing companies for doing it wrong.

Right or wrong, Fast Company won.

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Read more about social media campaigns on this Social Media Blog.

Tumbr is quickly emerging as a major social media force. It’s being talked about in blogs, on other social media sites, and even by mainstream press.

Are you buying into the hype?

I really want to know. As an early adopter, I’ve always enjoyed Tumblr, but it was only in the past few months that it’s truly become part of our overall marketing efforts. So far, we’re seeing decent results, but it appears as if Tumblr is reaching a tipping point that is reminiscent of Twitter in late 2008.

Here’s one we created at TK Carsites.

What are your thoughts? We’re compiling a full feature post on Tumblr, but I really want to hear what you think. Do you have a tumblelog? Do you know of any that you visit often? Where is Tumblr going to be in 6 months? A year? 2 years?

Let me know and we will include your thoughts in our feature post.

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Learn more about social media on this social media blog.

After 5 years of sharing videos, YouTube is the undisputed heavy-weight champion of the LOL world. Everything from video marketing to funny personal videos make their rounds through YouTube at a breakneck pace on a second-by-second basis.

This infographic below compiled by Website Monitoring and found via Viral Blog puts all of the tremendous information that went along with building the site over five years into perspective.

Will YouTube be here for another 5 years? When it comes to the Internet, there’s never a notion of “too big to fail”. Just ask AOL or MySpace, two giants that are having to change their very fabric as a company despite nothing but blue skies at one point in their existence.

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Find more amazing data on this Social Media Blog.

The use of Social Media has become so common that it has been integrated into our Social Norm. Even the way we speak has changed and the English language is conforming to words such as unfriending, retweeting, and a wide range of other terminology that may surprise the unknowing anti-cyber space spectator.

We have come to accept that our mom and dad’s are using the same form of entertainment as us; and have watched the evolution of spaces, cluttered in glitter and auto-played tunes such as MySpace – to days of blue and white with an array of accessibilities and faces with the “you have no reason to leave” Facebook look.

In this new aged society that is ever populating itself online, us friendly humans have made a declaration of saving each other’s cattle in Farmville, conforming to 140 characters of “What should I have for breakfast? I am thinking eggs and bacon or some jelly on toast…no maybe some cereal or perhaps an English muffin ..Help!” and watching videos of a cat playing a keyboard.

For us salivating socialite’s we yearn for two way conversations – a way to be acknowledged of our online identity. Gone are the days of hiding under an alias and asking “a/s/l?” We have opened ourselves up to the notion that sharing is caring and are even making our offline worlds collide with our online ones.

It is an amazing transformation of communication that has aligned the world just so, that we can tolerate our neighbor, friend a person based on their personality and not on a picture and allow the Internet to invade our personal stash of information. Social Media has shown that kindness can be shared amongst a stranger in a tweet, possibly the same one which whom we would never speak to on the street. Celebrities will now interact with us common folk and other Media’s rush to earn their dollar while information on Social Network’s are given away free.

No longer do we fret over a friend updating their status while we eat, or fear that connecting with another human online soul will make us out to be a creepy old man wearing boxers in his mother’s basement. We are from all walks of life and have birthed a nation of conversationalists, which has taken a global effort, perhaps the only global collaboration we may see in our lifetime.

So I raise my mouse to yours and celebrate our ever-growing project of human interaction, to erasing unheard messages, liking shared wisdom and answering what I should have for breakfast. This is an intertwined love affair with Social Media, for no matter where we roam; we will have access to our online home.

Cheers to all you social savvy inventors who contribute to social networks of the Webisphere, you have taken the me out of Social Media and turned it upside down; and have arisen what I like to call, Social WEdia.

Since the evolution of communicating online and the formations of social networks, many businesses have shut down the access from their locations. Some might say it is due to the prevention of wasting time and improving time management. Others might be weary of hackers or phishing scams that could possibly be associated with the social networks. Regardless of the reason, blocking access to social sites is hurting your business.

Why It is Important to Establish your Business Online

You need to begin branding your name. Branding is a way to reach various audiences and demographics that may be interested in what you have to sell. Firstly, you must remember that they are people, not customers. Establishing your name on social networks will already alert your fans of who you are and since the various social sites provide places such as info tabs, bios, hours of operation and more, there is no urgency to then turn your social networks into a constant feed of what it is you do. Just make sure that you have filled out all the information areas that each social network provides and those keywords will help people find you online. More importantly, in order for them to find you, you must exist and you must be active.

Why it is Important to Maintain your Social Networks

Many businesses think that if they have the links out there then people will come. This is not only wrong but can hurt your business. Yes, having Social links with your business’s name on them will have your name stretched across the internet and of course people will be able to find you. However, once they do and all they see are empty shells of what they thought would be a community, they will be disappointed and move on. People aren’t impressed with ghost accounts; they want interaction, knowledgeable information, and life breathing from these sites.

That does not mean that pushing links that are related to your business 100% of the time is going to be anymore effective than the empty accounts. Many businesses lose the fact that social networking is to relate and communicate, not to advertise like a pest, and than hope for the best. If you truly want your business to be valued you have to provide value.

Create a welcome video, find article’s online that pertain to your industry and not just your products (even write articles yourself), create a dialogue by asking questions, questions at the end of everything you share is one of the best things you can do. This way people have a choice to engage the page or not, and more so than not, they will.

Opinion’s Matter

The people that you are interacting with are those that could potentially be your current or future customers. They can even possibly be an advocate for your business if they like what they see. You must remember to listen to what they have to say and take the time to respond. The only time you should ever delete a post by a fan is if something is posted to your social sites that have nothing to do with your business. Other than that, whether it is positive or negative feedback you must respond to that customer whether you believe that they are right or wrong. Do not continue the problem by making excuses, choose your post response wisely and always with a solution in hand. Do not just post and not respond. As a fan of whatever social sites you are on, they will want to be heard and the only way they can verify this is by you responding. Remember, their opinion is of great value to you, so you need to be invaluable to them by always putting them first which will validate that you are in fact paying attention.

Let go of the ego, diminish the sell, stop thinking in numbers, and start talking with people, sharing with them and listening to what they are saying to you. The page can be fun and creative and certainly not always about the business. Find a balance between social and professional interactions and success will ensue.

Be Genuine.

Don’t fake it to make it. Share your personality, devote time and effort into the content that you share and find out what it is that your fan base wants. Businesses often lose site of being authentic while utilizing their social networks to push onto people what they think their fans want. Instead ask them. Don’t be afraid to take some risks or to follow through with some suggestions from your fans. Be fearless with ideas and prepare for their failure if that is the case, as the cliché goes “it is better to have tried than not at all”. Your sincerity will be seen and your ability to try again will be appreciated. The only time you can fail is by not giving it a try at all.

It is vital to spend more time on the fans you have (especially the loyal ones) than spending time on luring new fans. If you have a special offer, allow the loyal fans to know first. You can even create a fan of the month to show them how special they are. New fans will find you, maintaining the ones who have stuck by you should always be a priority. Be genuine and honest with your fans and you will earn their respect and build credibility within a long lasting community for your business.

Commit, Don’t Quit

As you can see, a responsibility comes with setting up, maintaining, and monitoring your social networks. It is imperative that you make the choice to commit and to set a plan in motion that you are able to update your pages at a minimum of 1-3 hours a week. Devotion is important and taking the time will work in your favor, as long as you work it into your day. No matter what products you sell people will most likely look for it online prior to approaching your business offline, so it is not only important to create social sites for your business but even more critical to remain as active as you can and to never quit. If you get busy and distracted by other things, remember to always go back and continue the relationship with your fans, even explain where you have been, or have another employee take the control of the sites if you are not available.

Take Control, by Losing Control

Fearing social networking at work is bad for business. You need to lose control. Trust that the same employees that you hired to help run and maintain your business can do so online too. Allow access for your business’s location to social networking sites so you can implement a strategic plan with your employees on how to brand your business online. You can’t do it alone, you need their help, and it will look inviting to your potential fans to see that you have a strong community within your business already. Allow your employees to post, comment, and share opinions. Incorporate them onto your social networks as you do everyday at your company. Make the process and transition between offline branding and online branding easier with allowing access and by encouraging your employees to take part and share the sites with people they know.

Adapt or get lost in the Shuffle

The change has happened. The way we communicate is no longer the same and this goes for businesses as well. You can not stand by and not take part in the new medium of Social Media; it will impair your business. You need to adapt and perform accordingly to be an effective part of this communication shift. You must take time to research, incorporate your employees, maintain your pages, and be genuine. If not, you will get lost within the shuffle.

Take Action

Social Media is an outstanding opportunity to connect and build relationships with your fans. It is of significant importance for you to establish yourself on the variety of social networks that are available to you. Resistance is never helpful when change has occurred and can ultimately damage your hard earned reputation. By not taking action, you run the risk of being over shadowed by your competition, so don’t be idle, get out their and get social. Embrace the change that can now allow you to embark on the new form of relationships between business owners and their customers, not to mention exposing your business’s name to the world, but also a chance to demonstrate just how great your business truly is.

Do you think Social Media is important for business?

Erin Ryan has a passion for Social Media and is currently working within the industry as a Social Media Specialist. Contact Erin on Twitter @4u2wear2

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Read more on this social media blog.

Why Businesses Should Create a Partnership with Social Media

You are not alone if you are confused by the overwhelming social media take over. Many businesses feel like they are being held hostage by the variety of networks that are integrated into their news, spoken word and old-fashioned inbox. It being 2010, it is time to jump aboard the Social Media train and collaborate with the communication revolution.

Social media has become an important key player in the way we live our lives. For most, it is about Tweeting in the morning instead of reading the comic section in the newspaper, or about updating their Facebook status to ask their friends what they should even have to eat. It is a constant stream of input, crowd sourcing and connectivity that is unlike anything before its time.

People have demanded a faster way to meet others and to have a homeroom that incorporates people they knew or know as well. It is about sharing moments that would have been left unsaid, about being a fly on the wall from reading other peoples walls, literally.

Social Media is a town hall meeting that never ends. People get to voice their thoughts and receive instant feedback. They also get to find other like-minded people and have the influence to begin trending topics and form pages dedicated to animals, businesses, and people. It gives a comfort that there are more people out there like them and so people attach themselves to a particular social network they feel as though they fit in the most.

This is why it has become a necessity to begin a partnership between your business and Social Media. First and foremost, it is where the people are. Secondly, it is where your competition is and thirdly, it is where you’re company’s future lies.

Whether you decide that now is the time to get on board with social media or not, you must realize that in order for your business to remain successful, there will be a time in which you will have to decide. Television and Radio are not going to disappear; however, they have become secondary to the power of social networks. Why is that? It is due to the ability to share with others instead of shoving something in someone’s sight. Advertisements are still valid and don’t see a forth coming end in sight, although their effectiveness may have dimmed. People have made it clear that they want a dialogue and to have questions or inquiries answered in a reasonable amount of time.

With that said, there still lies confusion on how to use social media for business and even harder to take the sell out of the salesman. Even if you begin to use social media for your business, keep in mind, there is a right and wrong way of using it to your advantage. As difficult as it may seem at first glance, it really comes down to two things, using common sense and displaying credibility.

Making Sense of Social Media

The best way to communicate with potential buyers is to first ask yourself how you would like to be spoken to. After evaluating the answer, I am sure your conclusion does not resolve into long links of inventory…right? Instead, I am sure you would rather be acknowledged as a human being, perhaps wished upon you a good day, a knowledgeable article about the products of the company you have interest in or even an incentive to entice you to not only become a fan but to want to share with your friends the great business you have joined. It truly is that simple. It is about switching off the sales pitch and turning on a smile. Customer service has always led to customer satisfaction and this is where your social media success will begin.

Social media is not about setting up links and wishing for the best, or getting to it when you can; it is about integrating this medium into your business as a partnership, until then it won’t make sense. You need to come up with a Social media plan that incorporates your employee’s time, social abilities and then unleash them onto your social networks. You need to keep current and relevant information at the finger tips of your acquired fans and earn their respect by sharing the people within the business. The fans will readily have your contact information within the page so they don’t need a constant stream of what there is to be purchased, unless you come up with a clever or creative way to share it.

Your business’s social networks need to be implemented into your business meetings and daily routine in order to keep on top of them and not letting them go to the waste side. As time consuming as it may sound it is crucial to building an online community that will have the possibilities of turning into leads.

What the heck is Socialbility?

It may surprise you to know that by being social, and dividing up fun facts, informative articles, community events and employee activities will be what earns your business’s credibility. People like businesses that show a good mood within their text and by keeping their page actively enjoyable more so than sharing what is on sale or what new product they have. Yes, those are important too, but not if that is all you have to offer. Be social and credibility will evolve, hence socialbility. Don’t hide behind your business, in social media; it is like hiding behind a window, your fans will see right through you.

Your presentation is of importance as well so be creative with what you are allocated and to use URL Shortner’s to keep your site looking clean and fresh. If you stick to the two words in Social Media by being friendly and sharing content that is in a variety of formats, you will make sense to your fans and earn sociability in no time.

Erin Ryan has a passion for Social Media and is currently working within the industry as a Social Media Specialist. Contact Erin on Twitter @4u2wear2

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Read more on this social media blog.

Those who have embraced social media have, for the most part, truly embraced it.

Those who haven’t, haven’t.

This great video by timetogetsocial gives an “in your face” version of reasons to care about social media as a business. Watch the video and then see the transcript of the reasons after the jump.

Here is a breakdown of the reasons listed in the video:

1. Social media is now the number one online activity, beating porn and personal email to the top spot.

2. Because 2/3 of the global Internet population visit social networks.

3. Because time spent on social networks is growing at 3X the overall Internet rate, accounting for 10% of all Internet time.

4. Because online, including social media, has become the most influential source in helping consumers make purchasing decisions.

5. Because millions of people are creating content for the social web.

6. Because the next 3 billion consumers will access the Internet from a mobile device.

7. Because Facebook is now the operating system of the social web.

8. Because Twitter believes it will have 1 billion users by 2012.

9. Because one way marketing has had its day.

10. Because in almost all cases social media is free.

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Read more about being social on this social media blog.

This Social Media Infographic from Flowtown really tells the story, visually and through words. It is one of the best representations of social media that I’ve ever seen.

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See more amazing Social Media Infographics on Soshable.

The debate has been raging for ages (at least in Internet time).

Facebook was once the “contender” against MySpace. That didn’t last too long, but soon Twitter emerged as a pseudo-social-network-competitor-thingy to Facebook and the competition heated up again.

Whether or not that competition is valid is arguable since:

1. Twitter incorporates the communication and sharing aspect of social networking but is in many ways easier defined as a microblogging news aggregation site, sort of.
2. Facebook has nearly 10 times more users, hundreds more features, and thousands more apps.
3. Twitter has a clear business model, but only a dozen people in the universe know exactly what that is, while Facebook has dozens of business models, but nobody in the universe knows exactly what they are.

Still, these and many other glaring differences do not take away from the human need to compare the two and argue about them since they are the biggest “buzz” in social media right now (sorry Google).

Here, you will find several pieces of content that take the argument in one direction or another. Some bring up MySpace, LinkedIn, or other social networks. Rather than rehash them, I’ll give them to you to decide what goes where. Why rehash when we have the power of “link and regurgitate”? After all, that’s the way of the Internet today.

Facebook vs Twitter Infographic

(via Flickr)

Articles that (attempt to) Answer the Question of “Twitter vs Facebook”

• Web Strategy Matrix: Google Buzz vs Facebook vs MySpace vs Twitter (Web Strategy by Jeremiah Owyang)
• Moving Pixels: Facebook vs Twitter (Pop Matters)
• Facebook vs. Twitter Clickthroughs: More Bang For Your Buck (htmlist)
• Twitter Versus Facebook, A Comparison Of The Top Users (AllFacebook)
• Sharing on Facebook vs. Sharing on Twitter (Digital Inspiration)
• Buzz vs. Facebook vs. Twitter and Us (The Relationship Economy)
• Fight: Facebook vs Google vs Twitter (iTWire)
• Web Faceoff: Twitter vs. Facebook (Mashable)
• Twitter vs. Facebook Analysis: What Users Want (Internet News)
• Twitter vs. Facebook – Battle of the Social Goliaths (Inventor Spot)
• Twitter versus Facebook: Should you Choose One? (Twitip)
• Facebook vs. Twitter: How will you stream your world? (CNet)
• Twitter vs. Facebook: Who Will Win in Real-time Search? (Mashable)
• Tools of choice: Twitter vs. Facebook (Social Media Today)
• The Coming Facebook-Twitter Collision (Business Week)

Twitter vs Facebook Cartoon

(via Hubspot)

Facebook vs Twitter on the iPhone

Another Facebook vs Twitter Infographic

(via TheNextWeb)

It doesn’t really matter. At the end of the day, it’s all a matter of preference. Most Twitter users use Facebook. Most very active Facebook users are on Twitter now or will be sometime this year. Whatever it takes to enjoy, share, learn, and engage, that’s what is important. Who will win in the end?

Us.

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Read more about Twitter and Facebook on this Social Media Blog.

Sorry guys. In social media, girls have what it takes to dominate.

Digg is the only male-dominated social media site amongst the several profiled in the Infographic below.

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Read more social media news at Soshable.
Via WebDoctus