Or, “Yes, Virginia, there really is a business use for social media.” Many professionals still wonder if social networking is worth their time. Social media IS an important business asset for both individuals and companies. So I visited AWC Houston to show members how they can sift through the myriad options and get started on just a few networks to help enhance their professional lives.

1. Becca Taylor – Enterprise Business Social Media Manager @beccataylor | www.linkedin.com/in/beccataylor Presented to AWC Houston March 17, 2010 Social Networking: Work or Play? Or, “Yes, Virginia, there really is a business use for social media.”

3. Show the changing media landscape

4. Highlight business successes

5. Weigh risks and benefits

6. Set goals

7. Choose your networks

8. Remember profile basics

9. Get started on

10. Twitter

11. LinkedIn

14. Magazines

15. Broadcast TV

16. Cable TV

17. Radio

18. Billboards

20. Magazines

21. Broadcast TV

22. Cable TV

23. Online TV

24. Satellite TV

25. Radio

26. Satellite Radio

27. Billboards

28. Events

29. Webinars

30. Kiosks

31. eMail

32. Internet banners

33. Streaming video

34. Search

35. Blogs/Micro blogs

36. Mobile Internet

37. Online Videos

38. Podcasts

39. (SMS) Short Msg Svc

40. (IM) Instant Messaging

41. Social Networks

43. Magazines

44. Broadcast TV

45. Radio

46. Billboards

48. It’s a Vast Landscape

49. Before Taking the Plunge

51. How do I make time?

52. Should I mix personal with professional?

53. Can I hurt my company or my own reputation?

54. What if I say the wrong thing?Weighing Risks & Benefits Enhance your professional image & brand Build a skill set Expand your network Solve business problems (and help others solve theirs)

55. Setting Your Goals What do you want to get from social networking? How much time can you (or are you willing) to spend on it? Who do you want to connect with? What image do you want to project? Are you comfortable mixing personal updates with professional ones? Can you be flexible and accept that you’ll learn as you go?

56. Reviewing Some (Simplified) Options

57. Choosing Your Conversations Pick one network, develop it, then add another: Save time & make the most of your investment My recommendation for newbies: Twitter: your conversation lounge LinkedIn: your digital portfolio and contact list Facebook: your personal playground

58. Jumpstart Tips for Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook

59. First Things First: Your Profile Always fill out your profile! Make it easy to find you by using Your real name so colleagues can easily find you The same e-mail address you use for everything else A bio that includes important key words for the audience you want to attract Upload a photo of yourself Link to other network profiles or your company web site

60. Twitter Don’t forget your profile! Listen first Understand who’s talking about topics that interest you and see what they’re saying Enter the conversation before following a lot of people You might get only one chance to convert a browser to a follower, make sure you’ve posted tweets already that represent you and your contribution to the conversation Find people to follow and add them slowly Search keywords and hashtags Browse follow rosters Search and subscribe to Twitter lists (www.listorious.com)

61. Twitter Optimize your tweet practices Use hashtags to connect your tweets to an ongoing conversation Re-tweet often Follow the 80/20 rule Follow your followers (www.friendorfollow.com), but! Be selective about who you follow Don’t be afraid of blocking Do not use auto-follow or auto-DM apps Test drive Twitter apps like TweetDeck (www.tweetdeck.com) or HootSuite (www.hootsuite.com) Utilize RSS feeds to help tame the content flow when you follow a lot of people

62. LinkedIn Don’t forget your profile! Keep in touch with connections Ask for and offer recommendations Demonstrate your expertise by participating in the community* Join groups Browse and participate in LinkedIn Answers Connect LinkedIn to other networks and apps (like Twitter or blogs) *Your mileage will vary—content quality is hit-or-miss and watch out for spam!

63. Facebook Find your comfort zone with personal info “Split personality” is common approach New privacy settings make combined approach easier than before Limit “fun” stuff if using for professional contacts Know your audience & use those privacy settings

64. Putting it all Together Connect traditional networking with social networking Contribute to (as a writer) or create a blog Follow the same steps: listen, establish, engage, repeat Follow, read, and engage social media gurus That’s a very subjective and context-sensitive definition, but a few general resources: Chris Brogan (www.chrisbrogan.com) Seth Godin (www.sethgodin.com) Problogger (www.problogger.net) Twitter Tips from TwiTip (www.twitip.com) Social Media Examiner (www.socialmediaexaminer.com) Social Media Today (www.socialmediatoday.com) Read Groundswell for great business groundingin the social phenomenon

65. Outcomes that matter.