Tag: Twitter

Goals 2014: 5 Questions For People Using Social Media To Connect With Others

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Social Media Activity

Just Some Of The Ways To Be Active On Social Media

How many different channels do you use to pursue your social media goals and present your brand online to the world?  As I researched this post I realised just how many social media channels there are, and how little time there would be to make the best use of all of them.  That’s why I’m referring to just a handful of platforms.

US versus UK Social Media Statistics

US data from 2013 undertaken by the Pew Research Centre (a non-partisan ‘fact tank’) is relevant here.  They have broken down online activity to identify who is using social networking (73% of US adults are apparently) and where they spend time: Would you say your strategy is to form links with 16% on Google +, or the 22% of adults on Linkedin (which celebrates its 11th birthday on 5 May)?  Connect with the 18% of adults using Twitter?  Or do you relate more with the 71% of all adults using Facebook?

According to Ofcom in the UK 55% of adults owning mobile web enabled devices use them to visit social networking sites, or networking apps.  That’s a hefty segment of users who you could be reaching.  Assuming you can find the right channel to engage with the demographic you have

Google+ How Is It For You?

It is a timely question as JP Mangalindan, writing online for CNN Fortune and Money, has speculated about the platform’s future in a recent tech article   How productive a space is Google+ for you?

Site Statistics

We’ve all visited sites where the most recent post was six months ago.  Perhaps the site’s owner looked at their site statistics, felt it wasn’t getting enough traffic and abandoned it for that reason.  I wonder what signal that sends to visitors and to corporations like Google who created the site?

5 Questions For People Using Social Media To Connect With Others

So there is high take up with social media in general, although some platforms are more popular than others.  All of this  prompts me to ask the following:

  • What story do your posts tell about your brand (well established leader in your sector, or attention worthy new entrant)?
  • What timing strategy do you follow when you post to your social media sites (Weekly, or less often? Midweek, or weekend?)
  • How many new visitors are you adding by posting?
  • What do your visitors gain by looking at your site (insight from material you create; engagement with other peoples’ posts which you curate and repost; more information about your work)?
  • When visiting your site on mobile devices do people miss out on some of the desktop content (or could they browse and even buy in both places)?

Your answers to those questions can help you assess the return on the time you invest, in creating and curating social media posts.

Feel free to browse the other ideas relating to your work and life goals in the Archive section here, on Facebook and Google+ too.  Or if you are a Linkedin user you can View Roger Dennison’s profile and connect with me there.

Goals 2014: 2 Action Points To Add Value To Your Professional Social Media Strategy

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How LinkedIn Are You?

How LinkedIn Are You?

How often do you update your LinkedIn profile, compared to your professional Blog, Facebook, or Twitter content?  Go on, be honest.  Here’s another question: What goals are you addressing by using social media for professional purposes?

Don’t worry, you are not alone if you said you: refreshed your LinkedIn presence much less frequently than your other profiles; have no specific outcome related to your social media posts.  With the sea of media out there to dip into focusing on creating content can be difficult.

Recent coverage of professionals use of social media

This week two writers, Paul Boag* and Ross McGuiness** have separately pointed out that LinkedIn can be a real asset to advancing your work life goals, if you use the platform strategically.

Writing as part of the In Focus section within the Metro  Ross’s article highlights the value of building up an organic network of connections, via LinkedIn.  Connecting with people outside your immediate circle, can mean you get to offer your talents to an ever widening pool of curious people, who are already interested in your skill set.  Those connections can be in another city, country or continent.  You get attention in Denver, Delhi or Darlington if you want it.

The blog post Paul wrote reminded me of the advantages in keeping profile content fresh.  Your connections and other visitors like to dip into fresh material.  Your well-presented comments about your latest project, or newly acquired skills are valuable.  So are your contributions to discussion threads.

What actions can you take to sharpen your social media use?

I think there are two actions for you to add to your schedule this year (or focus on if they haven’t had too much of your attention before now).  These actions will help you if your goal involves consolidating your professional reputation on LinkedIn, or other social media platforms in 2014.

  • Update your content on a regular basis, to reflect your recent achievements, your newly acquired skills, or freshly gained qualifications.
  • Connect where possible to others with shared professional interests.  If that is not an option contribute regularly to online discussions about current key topics affecting your work area.  Perhaps you could even start a new conversation, based on your knowledge of upcoming trends?

Good luck with sharpening up your goal and turning your LinkedIn presence to your professional advantage.

Do check out the Archive section for more thoughts on work and life issues and feel free to look at the further ideas relating to your work and life goals on Facebook and Google+ too

 

*Paul is @boagworld on Twitter

** Ross tweets as @McGuinessRoss

Goals 2014: Three Key Posting Tips

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Happy 10th birthday Facebook!  It is a long way from an audience of Harvard students in February 2004 to a global audience of 1.23 billion in 2014.

All those users face a dilemma: how do I achieve my goal of representing myself well online?  I’ve blogged (in the related tweet above) about the challenges of managing a credible personal brand on social media before, most recently after 2013’s Business Show.

How will you manage your brand this year?

When it comes to your 2014 posts, how will you manage your personal brand?  From what I can see it helps to keep posts:

  • Professional – bearing in mind regularly posts about getting wasted the night before might not impress a future employer
  • Succinct – staying on point, in fewer than 500 words, helps your reader focus on your message
  • Visual – readers appreciate eye-catching elements

How do your posts reflect your values?

It also helps to be mindful of your key values when posting.  What story are you telling about yourself?

If you are looking to make an impact on a wider community from a position of knowledge your advice and commentary could attract a strong following.  Posting on a regular schedule would make you an important presence in others’ lives.

How are you managing your data?

How mindful are you about data protection when you are online?  A bit of thought probably helps, as more and more of us contribute to the pool of Big Data being waded through by large organisations.

The goal of the European Data Protection Day (on 28 January) – branded as Data Privacy Day in the US – is simple: to inform the public about how their online data is collected and processed; helping to protect their privacy and control their digital footprint.

So, taking all of this into account, would today be a good day to start managing your digital self more thoughtfully?

Click to Visit me on Facebook

What Are The Three Main Benefits of Being Coached?

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Audio Resources Available Here

Audio Resources Available Here

If you are wondering about the key benefits which you get from being coached – and the Frequently Asked Questions don’t quite give you what you need – this post is for you.

To make the post stand out I have turned it into a podcast.  Keep an eye out for the microphone graphic across the site in future, as it will signpost audio resources.

This post includes an interactive section calling for you to write down your responses.  You will therefore need to have pen and paper handy and to pause the recording to allow yourself thinking time.

(NB Keep hold of your written response though, as it will help you prepare for your first coaching session).

Having found out about the three key benefits of being coached tell me – via the Contact page – what else you would like to know, before you decide to book a coaching programme.  I’m happy to supply the final details you need to reach your decision.  I look forward to supporting you on your journey.

A Reminder: Your Goals Matter

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Just three hours left of 2013.  Keep an eye our for two further posts before midnight.

Meanwhile, in case you missed it, this is another chance to see my recent Tweet poll about 2014 Goals.

Get in touch, if you want to start 2014 with my professional coaching support on your side. I look forward to learning about your goals.

Well-Being: Inspirational Thinking

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Candle Flames

An Inspirational Thought

With less than 12 hours until 2014 arrives, in the UK at least, I think some inspirational words from the US are in order.

The inspiration message was offered at last summer’s May 30th 2013 Harvard commencement ceremony.  It’s available in full online, if you want to Google it.  The speaker was the hugely successful entrepreneur Oprah Winfrey.

The key take away messages?  Well-being matters.  Goals can be hard to reach.  You will be OK if you follow the direction of your own inner voice.

Enjoy this extract.  Feel free to share it, or contribute your own inspirational quote too, via the Contact page or Twitter @RogerD_said.

 

Oprah Winfrey

“…From time to time you may stumble, fall, you will for sure, count on this, no doubt, you will have questions and you will have doubts about your path. But I know this, if you’re willing to listen to, be guided by, that still small voice that is the G.P.S. within yourself, to find out what makes you come alive, you will be more than okay. You will be happy, you will be successful, and you will make a difference in the world”.

Well-Being: Three Steps To Having A Happier Christmas

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Here’s a Tweet that combines a coaching strategy, mindfulness, and a Christmas present you can give yourself.

Remember, in the coming months there will be newsletters, more podcasts, and blog posts to help you achieve more in the coming months.

Use the Contact option now, if you are ready to develop yourself with the support of a coaching programme starting in January 2014.

Tis The Season To Be Coached

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The Guardian newspaper‘s Work blog has published the dilemma of a 23-year-old who seems to lack focus in his life.  Follow the link above to learn more.

I think everyone could benefit from self-awareness about what is the best life they could be living.  I have Tweeted my view of the situation, based firmly in my approach to coaching.

Regardless of the life stage you have reached how much improvement in your professional or personal situation do you want to achieve next year?  What support could a coach provide for you in 2014?

If you are ready to make the progress you deserve get in touch with me, before 24 December.  I’m here to help.

Workplace Goals in 2014

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A 2014 Goal Increasing Workplace Skills (c) R Dennison December 2013

A 2014 Goal Increasing Workplace Skills (c) R Dennison December 2013

James Sproule soon takes up post as chief economist and director of policy at the Institute of Directors (IoD).  He has a vision of the UK economy in 2014.

Interviewed on the IoD website by the outgoing chief economist, Graeme Leach, Mr Sproule talks about cautious increases in consumer spending next year.  This new spending will trigger a response from companies that can demonstrate they offer value to consumers.

Companies that can respond in an agile way to digital, tech, or big data innovation will do especially well, Sprouse believes.

If this is even partially true then there will be a premium on staff with computing, coding, or analytical skills in the coming months.  It might also mean enlightened employers will encourage their staff to be flexible in gaining those broad skills, whatever their background.

I was thinking about the issue of confident and skilled staff when I read a call for advice from a demoralised 51 year old in the Guardian newspaper.  He is a strong performer in a hostile working environment.  His health is suffering; he is looking for other work options, and doubting he has skills to offer.  I believe he’ll do fine, once he embraces his opportunities.

I Tweeted my views on the situation as follows (by the way, how are you going to take action on your workplace goal for 2014?)

Contact me – by Friday 20 December – to discuss the coaching support you need to achieve your goals from January 2014.

The Business Show: Part Two – Connections

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Here is the follow-up post I promised you, inspired by last week’s Business Show at Olympia (that’s #TBS2013 if you fancy looking at the coverage on Twitter).

TBS2013

Brochure from The Business Show 2013

The event was web heavy, naturally enough, since the internet is such a significant part of business today.  People without tablets, netbooks, smart phones seemed to be in the minority.  Most people seemed to be connecting to the world outside the event.

Felicity McCarthy, Facebook’s Head of Small and Medium Business Marketing Communications made a point which re-enforced the idea of connectivity.

Felicity noted that brands with an online presence are consumed by people who have developed a respectful and loving attitude towards the brand’s products and services.  A brand’s Facebook, or other, online profile helps to build warm relationships.

I was mulling that thought over yesterday, in light of two news stories.  I think the stories capture how the public’s feelings about a corporate and a personal brand can be affected by events.

The corporate story concerns the online banking offer from RBS.  This has, once again, failed to provide the level of seamless service customers expect.  The timing of course could not be worse.  People with Christmas shopping to do really don’t need to have their card transactions refused.

Ross McKewan – RBS Chief Executive – today said “…It will take time but we are investing heavily in IT systems our customers can rely on…”  I wonder how much respect, love, or loyalty the bank will receive from customers in 2014 whilst those IT systems are developed?

On the other end of the scale from the corporate brand there is 19-year-old Olympic medalist Tom Daley .  He has managed a change to his personal brand impressively, according to a piece in the Guardian today* by PR Consultant Mark Borkowski.   The consultant believes that by using his own Youtube channel to affirm his new relationship, and his bisexuality, Mr Daley has demonstrated “strategic control” over his brand.  That is a lesson to other and bigger brands Borkowski reckons.

As everyone – from corporations to individuals – has a story to tell; support to generate; and a reputation to manage perhaps the question is this:

What single step can each of us take to manage our brand better in the connected age?

* Tom Daley Youtube Video