social media Archives - Page 25 of 31 by Mark Murnahan

Stop Stealing in Social Media

We have all seen a blog post with an interesting video or a link to a news story that comes through by a third party. You know, the person who writes something up and includes additional content that they feel may interest you.

Sometimes it is as simple as if I added a YouTube video in this post and you liked it, so you share it with your friends with the YouTube link instead of sharing it in the format and with the comments I was trying to share.

Sure, you can say that you are passing along the message of just what you wanted to pass along, and sometimes that is fine. However, when you do that, there is sometimes a value added purpose for the format in which you received it that is missed. Sometimes it is because the author of the blog, Digg account, or FriendFeed wanted to start a dialog with you. Maybe they really wanted your comments. Maybe they earn their living based on the content that they provided, and not just the third-party link you passed along. The matter of advertising is not the case for me, because I have not sold links on my Websites since the mid-1990’s. However, advertising is a pretty common practice on websites, and one that really does not hurt most people. When the traffic is stolen, it really does matter to the operator of the site.

When I see this sort of “stealing” as I call it, I am not pointing fingers at you. I am simply saying that a little bit of consideration for why and how you received the interesting tidbit is often in order. For those people who do earn their living by the traffic their Website receives, do not think for a moment that they are not fully aware that you have done this. The Internet is a highly trackable place, and the professionals know that you have retweeted, Facebooked, blogged, or otherwise passed their hard work along and cut them out of the equation. Count on it! Oh, and by the way, Twitter even addresses this in their Terms of Service. They will suspend your account for retweeting without attribution to the author of a message.

This just came to me as I considered the blog post I wrote tonight on the blog for my latest book, “Living in the Storm” where I included a video of “We Are the World” by USA for Africa. I saw that the video was getting a sudden spike in plays after I wrote the blog. I looked, and sure enough, people who read my work had passed it along without any consideration for the thoughts and words in my post. I should not need to mention that as an author, I found it troubling because I have worked very hard and I deserve every bit of attention I have produced for my book.

The question this begs is in how can it possibly hurt to pass along content in the context with which it was presented? Just think of it as just a little piece of respect for the author. Authors and content providers often work very hard and deserve it.

I know I am not the only guy who feels this way, so speak up and give me your comments here on the blog.

If you just must pass along something without any attribution or guilt, here you go: Take Rick Astly with you. 😉

Director of Social Media Instrumental in Blunders

“Get to the point!” was my reaction as I read the article from a “social media expert” bragging about this and that, blah blah, “instrumental in”, yada, yada, “leveraged” that, and etcetera.

Attempting to gain respect by adding ambiguous terms or unrecognized titles is losing ground. It has a lot to do with making people feel smaller than you by using bigger words than they do. Do you speak to people that way? Do you speak to friends that way? People like friends.

Welcome to the human era of communications!

As I read the article, it did not take more than a single line to realize I was reading some garbage filled with a bunch of fancy word plays to distract me from any meaning. What do people really get from a bunch of language that sounds like a resume? I can tell you, but if I did, my language may not be as eloquent as this 1990’s throwback hoping to create allure with a bunch of impressive blather. Do not get me wrong, my linguistics are fine. I can do that, too. I have authored countless marketing articles over the past two decades and three books just this year. I can blow you away with a bunch of word plays, but will you admire my work more if I do?

I am not going to say that you should curse like a sailor and use a bunch of slang, but if you are writing to general public like it is your resume, don’t bother. They probably wrote that same line of junk in their resume, too. If they didn’t, then they likely have a better job than you, and if they did, they have probably held their job for a while.

Maybe it is just me, but I get a little tired of false impressions and a lack of the human aspects in communication. Sure, the “experts” will tell you that if you polish it with some glittery words and make it look really shiny that it does make a difference. That was true, way back then, but then is in the past. People want people, and they want real people they can relate to on some level. Some people will still look at the shiny things and go blind and be fooled. Most of us are smarter than that. I know this because I did the research. I know the people. There are still opportunities to puff out your chest and be the “impressive” one whom everybody will linger on your every word. Those days of false impressions with big titles and clever phrases are fading. Being reliable, having integrity, and being human are more important again … as it once was.

My hands are cold from standing outside where I just smoked a cigarette. I printed the particular article I am referencing so that I could pace my driveway where I could smoke and thump my finger on the pages as I read them with disgust, without carrying my laptop around. I am a real guy … a guy with a brain of my own. I guess I just don’t see a whole lot of value in building myself up to gain your respect and admiration. Sure, I know a whole lot more about marketing, the Internet, and Internet marketing than most of my readers. I got that by working in my industry for a very long time. I was here before Al Gore released the Internet to the rest of the world. I was here when yahoo was not “Yahoo! ®” and I remember when RFC 1939 (POP3) was established. I became successful in my industry by working hard and not showering until I learned that new craze called HTML. If I ever need to be a “Director of Social Media, Instrumental in Blunders” in order to impress you … count me out. I am just not that guy. I evolved. If you want your resume written, I can send you to some swell writers, but I wouldn’t suggest using it as your marketing “hook”.

History is repeating itself, as we knew it would. The people who came up with terms like “instrumental in leveraging” and “received awards for” without telling you that the award was given by their mother are greats in history. They are right up there with the piano keyboard necktie and the Delorean automobile, which both get a lot of chuckles. Maybe that fashion will return, but for now, it is a whole lot more acceptable to just say it clearly and stop trying to impress everybody. Be yourself! Then you can come have a beer and a cigarette with me.

If you have ever felt as if you are not in their league because of the words they so cleverly crafted, do not be fooled! They are probably the ones writing their resume and “seeking a fulfilling opportunity”, which really means they want a job that pays them to be somebody completely different than what it said on their resume.

Why Do You Use Social Media … Be Honest!

I said in the title, “Be honest” and I meant it. I conducted a poll a while back that reflected that a huge number of people were using social media for business. This is true! It was funny to also find a huge number of people using social media just for fun and friends. This is true, too! Can they not mix with a reasonable expectation of results for both purposes?

The truly pathetic fact about both of the numbers I received is that many people were lying. The fact is very clear that although many people use social networking “strictly socially” the majority also have a business agenda. The sickening part is that so many of the people claiming to use social media “strictly socially” are the ones hiding their business agenda behind being social. I mean what in the world is wrong with business, anyway? If you are in business, should you be ashamed that you want more business? Should you spend 24.5 hours per day to be social, only to be let down that everybody hates a business agenda?

To me, this is a complete and utter lie! So many “experts” keep saying to send out 90% social content and 10% business content and suggest that people spend all of their time finding “interesting” quotes or news articles to send, and then only a fraction of their time actually doing what feeds them. How does this make sense? If you believe them, you should probably grab your toothbrush to clean out the poop they just fed you.

Sure, I agree that a bunch of advertising is an annoyance. However, to say that we are all here just for fun is a complete misrepresentation. Looking at the true number of hours spent with social networking leads anybody with the ability to add two plus two correctly to figure this out. Really, if people are working an average of eight hours per day, but yet you want me to believe that they spend ninety percent of their time at Twitter “just for fun”, you are hitting my gag reflex.

If you keep spending all of your time hoping that somebody will take enough delight with the content you found at some other Website that they will come to your Website to spend a bunch of money, you will do better to rub a lamp and hope for a genie.

Your comments are welcome … as long as you are honest!

Related article:

Most Influential Twitter Users

I have noticed, and perhaps you have as well, that in order to be one of the “most influential” Twitter users, it requires that you take your days and nights to tweet every last piece of social media “news” that you can get your hopeful little retweeting paws on. It really helps if it is about the latest geeky Twitter application by some big named company promising that it will be their huge social media savior and make them squillions of dollars by knowing this “secret” tidbit of wisdom you have to share with them. Even better … maybe being one of the first to retweet something by Mashable.com or TechCrunch.com. Heck yes, anything by Cashmore or Arrington must be worth dollars in the bank!

Is anybody else out there using Twitter sick to the top of their throat with this phenomenon? I am! In fact, I think I need to go gargle to get that vomit taste out of my mouth. I mean, what is this all about? The people who are purportedly at the top of their Twitter game seem to have nothing but a bunch of journalistic crap about social media to preach, sell, and warn you about. What in the heck is it all about if not for the geeky crowd telling you what to do with it? Do you really not know how to communicate? Do you really not understand that it is important that people like you? Do you really not already know that if you retweet something about Twitter that it makes you a part of the “popular crowd”? What are you really after?

This whole thing has me about sick to the top of my throat, and that is coming from a guy who wrote a book to actually help people understand Twitter and the best use of it. The insane thing about all of this is that if everybody is such an expert, who the hell is actually saying anything useful. I mean, if it is all so damn useful, why do people keep tweeting all of this crap to tell people how it really “works” this week? Ask them if they really get paid for this or if they are just doing it to be the one waving the biggest shiny object to lure the next big sucker.

That is my piece for today. Maybe, since it is a Friday, you may like to learn why in the heck people keep sending all of those damn usernames along with a #ff or #followfriday. Yeah, they are usually waving a shiny object to attract suckers. I am sorry if you don’t like it … unfollow me if it hurts too much. 😉

If you wonder what I have to say about it, I have a couple options. Either take the time to get familiar with my blog, or go buy my book, “Twitter for Business: Twitter for Friends” and find out that there are others who care more about the people than the game of looking popular. Otherwise, maybe a few more thousand tweets about the next jQuery plugin, Twitter application, or other social media advice from the person starving for attention will somehow be useful to you. In that case, good luck!

Tell Me About Your “Fantastic Opportunity”

It seems that I am presented with another “fantastic opportunity” nearly every minute of my day. I receive “opportunities” by email, Twitter, Facebook, telephone, fax, Skype, postal mail, and face-to-face. The most popular way these opportunities seem to spread is by way of social media.

Since there are so many people out there sharing their latest “fantastic opportunity”, I figured my readers may want to share theirs. Before you get me wrong and assume that I am only being a smartass, I am sincerely open to hear what you have to say. Sure, your opportunity will probably not interest me in the least, and may not interest most of my readers. All the same, I am offering you this chance to share your “fantastic opportunity”. Somebody may love your idea … who knows? Plus, maybe this will give you some practice in how to present your idea with greater impact. Try to impress me … try something new … give me your best shot! If you have something to share, let me be your sounding board. Add your comments here!

I really am open for opportunity. I seek the positive side of most everything. The biggest problem I find is in the method of presentation. I mean, who really enjoys sifting through a bunch of totally irrelevant opportunities? I am sure that some people do, but I really only look for things that pertain to my interests in some way. For example, if you present an opportunity that will benefit my present business interests as a Web hosting CEO, social media consultant, and book author, I will read it and you will hear from me!

If your opportunity sounds similar to the message below … I am not interested. Maybe somebody is interested, but it is like nails on a chalkboard to me. Of course, my opinion is not the only one here.

“You only have to share this fantastic opportunity with three friends. Yeah, that is right, just three friends who will set you up for life with a huge mansion, fancy cars, fine food, world travel, and a better looking mate than the one you’ve got!”

I am just not an MLM kind of guy, but they are out there and they read my blog. To me, most things that sound like this are opportunities to part with more of my hard-earned money in trade for hope that I can find three friends to build up hype and make the same pitch to. I care about my friends too much for this kind of “opportunity”.

I am asking for your enlightenment. This may sound just a little bit snarky but with all of this opportunity, maybe I am the guy who just doesn’t quite “get it” yet. If you have a message that needs to be shared, I want to give you an opportunity to share it right here on my blog. This is your chance to reach others, and in a way that it is invited. Add your comments here!

Then maybe if you reach enough people, you can send me one fewer email or one fewer tweet about how much money people are making with your latest fantastic opportunity.

Once you have your presentation polished and ready to go, talk to me about targeting the message to the right recipients.