I often wonder what was the tipping point for social media? Why is it receiving more attention now than ever? It has always been there and those in the know — whether they are the tech savvy or the digital youth — saw its benefits much sooner than the rest of us. But now it’s really gone mainstream:

• Every radio station, newscaster, broadcast media has a Twitter account. My late night TV news station uses it as a crowd-sourcing mechanism to gauge immediate opinion on key news issues;
• Charities/causes are popping up and its organizers are wising up to the fact that they can raise awareness and donations within hours of launching their campaign;
• The newspaper industry is dying as consumers increasingly look online to find their news and information for free. As a result, a large scale shift in ad spend is expected in 2009 away from traditional print and broadcast to online. eMarketer verifies this transformation:

• Marketers have been told that this channel not only offers true measurability but it results in strong customer engagement and sustainability;

For someone like me, whose marketing roots have evolved from traditional mass to direct and database; then to online display, search and now social media –> my profound learning comes in understanding that it is a medium that continues to evolve and has yet to establish standards for marketers. I continue to hear that no one should have the right to call themselves “social media experts” and while I believe that is absolutely true, I will place my bets with those marketers and organizations who are using this medium everyday to establish their brand, and create a true understanding of their customers. These guys practice what they preach. Other industry notables have gotten their names because they’ve seemingly held the answers to a space that was virtually untravelled by the mainstream. But I have yet to see any validation of their preachings.

Could it be that the new US President Barack Obama will be known as a key instigator in bringing this whole notion to the masses by his very acknowledgement of the pervasiveness and influence of technology and its ability to shape consumer perception and build incredible momentum? The strength of Obama’s campaign and his revolutionary move into office are based on the ideals set by the Founding Fathers: Election for The People and By the People…. and NOT by the lobbyists or constituents who have traditionally influenced policy and government spend. He has seemingly abolished this practice and has brought on a new idealism of transparency (as per the video: White House 2.0: Social Media and Government Transparency)

As I evolve Ammo Marketing in Canada, the social media space is exciting and yet daunting. I have been able to convince some clients that traditional research does not compare to the unfiltered, unmoderated insights they will get from social media. The very research has opened clients’ eyes who become keenly aware of the honest commentary on their brands: the good..the bad…and the ugly. This immediately creates a sense of urgency to jump into the conversation and clarify misperceptions and diffuse detractor comments. Little by little, participation in this new media is slowly revealing its true worth: as a true engagement device that leads to a sustained dialogue and eventual impact on revenue.

One of my staff came to me today and was so excited to be in a ground-breaking and evolutionary space. As someone who supports client initiatives by participating in relevant discussions, she is delightfully surprised by the willingness of people to embrace corporate presence and engage with them peer to peer with no strings attached. It’s amazing how much people are willing to tell you if you give them the platform to speak. The results we’ve seen have been immediate. But be warned, it will take some time to fulfill that ROI. Effort must be consistent and committed. Consumers will become your advocates if you continue to maintain that connection and you openly respond to their concerns.

Christopher Barger, Director of Social Media, General Motors (http://twitter.com/cbarger) said it best: Look for the return on conversation…not immediately…but when it comes it will sustain itself long-term.

To reference my previous post I am somewhat of a newbie to social media. I’m on Twitter and other online applications and I proudly fancy myself “A blogger” (this will be my fourth ever post). The question becomes what now? I’m out there is that enough? Some may say yes, but many will argue no. The end all goal is networking, forming trusted relationships with those who share common interests. People choose to invest in building a relationship with you based on your online personality. Personal branding is the process by which we market ourselves to others. The best way to do this is to connect online with people on a human level and offer real value. Your brand is similar to a corporate or product brand in the way that it’s a promise of the value customers will receive for investing their time in you.

A recent survey conducted by MSN Canada and Ipsos Reid found that four of ten Canadians don’t know how to use the Internet to promote themselves or career. That’s a lot of people and companies out there possibly harming their reputation simply by not knowing right from wrong.

I quote Mitch Joel, President of Twist Image and an expert in personal branding online, “If managed incorrectly [your personal brand] can have negative consequences when it comes to getting a job, advancing your career or maintaining a positive reputation.” Your personal brand includes everything from alias, e-mail names and photographs. If you post a comment on a reputable site under your Luv_2_Partay alias will it be taken seriously, likely not?

A study in 2006 done by ExecuNet found that 77% of recruiters use search engines to check out potential job candidates. How much do you think that number has increased in recent years? Everyday there are between 25 million to 50 million proper name searches in search engines. Here’s a tip for finding out what’s already out there about your personal brand, Google your name or alias. It’s a great method for finding out what other people see regarding the brand that is you.

Below I’ve attached some links to insightful articles regarding personal online branding:

Personal Branding 101

Personal Branding 102

Image is Everything

Hello all. The name’s Nikki and I’ve just started interning at Ammo North. I feel lucky to be starting at a company with established clients and thriving divisions, it’s a great opportunity. Influencer marketing wasn’t a category I knew too much about, but I was intrigued and excited to see the potential it held. Before starting here I knew very little about blogs and RSS feeds. I was on Facebook and msn, but I’ve recently discovered they are just the tip of the iceberg that is the social media universe.

I felt like I’d arrived on a different planet, new lingo, new references and far too many acronyms. Can you say overwhelming? Besides coworkers counsel two applications helped to guide me through the vast never ending universe of social media; Delicious and Twitter. Apart from standing on my chair and yelling, “What’s going on?” I’m able to quickly find out what’s new, exciting and most important relevant.

Before starting at Ammo delicious was just an adjective I used to describe something yummy. I now appreciate its awesome potential for organizing bookmarks (organizing is kind of a weird passion of mine). Categories, subcategories, links, tags…I get excited thinking of all the endless organizing possibilities. Delicious lets me to spend my time reading interesting articles rather than searching for them. Reviewing the bookmarks coworkers have tagged has probably been the most insightful. It’s a great way of discovering the latest news and finding out what interests them.

My “following” list on Twitter is growing. I’m taking the cautious approach, reading each bio and weighing their posts as relevant to my information quest. I’ve been following people who are influencers in social media; through their posts I’m able to find interesting articles and opinions that are relevant to my new job. It seems that every time I log in there’s a new Twitter service available. Do I understand how to utilize most of them? Not yet, but that’s what Twitter applications are for; explaining other Twitter applications. The lingo has been the biggest struggle, but I’m sure there’s an application for that too. So now I have just one question; is it normal to think of your life in the context of your next post? Find me on Twitter here: twitter.com/nshik

One article at a time I’ve become addicted to finding out what’s going on, who’s doing what, and I can’t seem to get it fast enough. I’d love to hear about your initial encounter with social media or any insights you have now that you are a practiced social mediator (let me know about the correct term for that too).