HootSuite has introduced a tab in personal profiles called “Insight”. The tab was meant to give you more information about either your account or the account you were following. Unfortunately, it also made information public that you had no intention of providing through your Twitter account. Apparently, HootSuite grabbed information available online (likely matching it to your account address) and automatically linked it to your profile. Make sure you know what’s in the Insight tab regarding you. My advice: Opt out immediately or be committed to checking it several time per day. You just never know what will show up.
Don’t be intimidated by social media
If you have a company or are an individual who’s thinking of starting an online business, a blog, or diving in to the social media sphere, do yourselves a favour: just do it. When people point out mistakes, fix them and move on. The online world is not a place for perfectionists. Typos on websites can be fixed in 10 seconds and no one will ever know the difference, but not having a blog because you’re afraid of typos is like not driving a car because it might get a scratch. It’s going to happen. Just accept it and move on. You can correct typos and factual errors in a heartbeat – just own up to them.
Tweapsave: New online coupon service can increase your customer base
If you love coupons for free stuff and discounts – and who doesn’t – and you have a computer or an iPhone, then Tweapsave could be for you! If you’re looking to increase your customer base, then using tech-savvy people into your establishment by offering exclusive online savings may give you an edge on the competition!
Social media-friendly business cards growing in popularity
Using social media links on your business cards is definitely a good idea if you want to appear to be ahead of the game!
Is the Apple iPhone 4 worth the trouble?
I’ve never been much of an Apple person, but recently acquired an iPhone 3GS – mostly because of the hype and reviews and because I needed a new device right away and couldn’t wait for several weeks in order to get my hands on an iPhone 4. I’ve only had the 3GS for about 10 days and am getting more and more used to it. So far, so good!
This week’s Social Media Matters column
In this week’s Social Media Matters column, I write about the iPhone 4′s problems and whether or not consumers should bother waiting for one if they don’t already have it. I also write about how social media is impacting traditional business card design.
Plan a tweetup for your Twitter friends
Organize or attend a tweetup in your area and increase the value of your online relationships by meeting in person.
Consumer research website does the work for you!
Find out which website is my favourite for online consumer product and service reviews. Also, when doing your research, remember to use the keywords “comparisons” and “reviews” in your online consumer-related research.
How to use ALT codes to add some jazz to your updates
Using ALT code symbols from time to time can certainly get your updates read more. They can also save valuable space on Twitter (i.e. “I love ♫” versus “I love music”). Also, if you’re writing in a language other than English (i.e. French), it’s a good way to impress your readers by ensuring that the proper accents are used on words. Remember, if a special symbol or accent isn’t on your keyboard, look it up in ALT codes! You’ll be pleasantly surprised at how easy it is to insert special characters in your updates and other documents.
Online political endorsements carry some risks for employees
If you’re thinking of publicly endorsing a political candidate in any location — and if you’re lending your work title or organization to your endorsement to lend credibility — be sure your employer is OK with that first. If you’re a candidate, make sure your endorsements are on solid ground before posting them online or you may have to remove them at a later date, causing potential embarrassment to both parties.
