One of my favorite things about LinkedIn is that it hasn’t succumbed to spam. With the larger social networks, it’s difficult to manage user spam and preference abuses. I’ve been on Linkedin for a couple years now, and I’ve yet to receive a spam message in my inbox. Everything on the site seems genuine and professional. Restricting users from sending cold messages to people they don’t know is a great way to reduce spam and avoid overflowing inboxes. If LinkedIn is able to maintain this solid structure, we’ll definitely see more effective networking and collaboration online.

I was inspired to write this post after reading Fortune Magazine’s story in May’s issue entitled: “How LinkedIn Will Fire Up Your Career.” Writer Jessi Hempel emphasized the importance of having a LinkedIn profile and how more and more companies are looking to the 7-year old site for future employees. Accenture, one of the largest private consulting companies in the world has said it will be hiring 50K new employees in the next year. Head of Global Recruiting for Accenture John Campagnino announced that 40% of those new hires will be from Social Media. (Hint: If you’re looking for a job, it might be a good idea to create a profile on LinkedIn). Even if your not looking for a job, it’s good to have a presence on a site that spotlights your professional talents.

Coming out of college I had no idea about LinkedIn. Granted it wasn’t as big then as it is now, LinkedIn quickly became my “go to” site for jobs, networking and potential connections. Before I knew about LinkedIn, I would often use the career office at my schools to find future employment. The problem with this was that the choices were so limited and rarely offered any appeal. I’ll admit I did find a few jobs utilizing the school’s database, but the options were bleak. With the help of LinkedIn, we are no longer boxed into certain careers or job opportunities. We can now research those people in the positions we want to be in and find out how they got there. The resources are limitless and definitely worth exploring.

I can honestly say that I didn’t start reading for recreation until I graduated college. My reasoning behind this? “Why would I want to read for fun, when I have 3 textbooks and 2 chapter books to read for my other classes.” I never felt like reading outside of my classes mattered. Not in middle school, high school or college.

In retrospect, I think this was a big mistake. By abandoning recreational reading, I was missing out on ideas, thoughts, and all the other cool revelations we get when we read. The question I often ask myself is, why is reading so unpopular to the younger generation? In the past twenty years, we’ve seen a wealth of multi-million dollar projects aimed at emphasizing how important reading is. From the NBA’s “Reading is Fundamental” program to the NAE “Read Across America”, large organizations continue to push the “reading movement.” I can definitely admire their intent and concern, but I wonder what other avenues we can propel to activate reading amongst the youth.

In recent weeks, we’ve seen the buzz from Apple’s iPad take over the web and popular media based on its futuristic innovation. As we continue to progress through next decade of this century, we will see more content turn digital. How will this change reading for our youth? I think it has the power to redefine schools, institutions and the traditional model of reading. Textbooks will be in the next 10 years and teachers will be forced to revamp the traditional lecture/note-taking style that is currently taught today.

Being that I’m an advocate for new technology and embrace most innovative new techologies, I may be biased in my outlook for the future. But, I definitely think that in the near future we’ll start seeing new behaviors in the way we read, annotate and consume the written word. I’m optimistic that this new way of consumption will not only “save trees,” but also make reading fun for the youth.

Mashable, the popular social media news site, reported that companies utilizing social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter are earning higher ROI’s than those that don’t. The study, conducted by Chadwick Martin Bailey and iModerate Research Technologies, found that 67% of consumers following their favorite brands on Twitter were more likely to buy their products. Facebook users were 51% more likely to buy products from brand pages they “fanned.” And if you thought the brand loyalty stops there, think again. Word of mouth marketing is increases as well. How much you ask? Well, 79% of Twitter followers refer a friend to follow, while 60% of fans on Facebook refer their cohorts.

Social Media Marketing sometimes gets dismissed due to its unorthodox approach and questionable ROI. However, as consumers continue to embrace the web and utilize it for more of their purchasing needs, all brands must start establishing an online presence. The study also showed that those companies NOT active in social media are actually suffering from a loss in sales.

The study is another sign that social media is becoming a competitive advantage for those that are participating, and an increasingly major weakness for those that aren’t

Does this mean every company will soon have a Twitter and/or Facebook page? My guess is yes. I’ve talked to some business owners and they say that they’re still hesitant in jumping on the Social Media bandwagon. Some feel their businesses won’t benefit from the exposure due to the fact that they are more B2B than B2C. Granted this is a valid concern, I would argue that transparency and online relevance in one’s brand is important. Regardless of one’s business model, creating a presence online, is almost as important as having a company website. It gives your brand authenticity and allows your clients, users, or customers to contact you through avenues they are comfortable with.

As social media continues to grow and expand, we will see more ways companies are utlilizing this medium to produce higher ROI’s. It’s only a matter of time, if it hasn’t happened already , that every business, firm and sole proprietorship will need to embrace Social Media. Why not start now and put your company on the map!

The advantage of being today’s most influential demographic is that we have the ability to start and stop trends. In Malcolm Gladwell’s best selling book “The Tipping Point,” he talks about the power of trends and how certain phenomenon’s tip. He describes the tipping point as the time in which a product, idea, or trend hits the masses and suddenly becomes popular. One of the major factors making something tip is what he calls the “Law of the Few.” He defines this law as “Social epidemics controlled by a handful of people with strong social connections.”

So how does this all relate to making money in the real world? Well, companies all over the country are seeking out community leaders and social organizers. Whether you know all the skateboarders in the area or you’re a regular chess playing champion at the park, you’re social network now means something. Companies understand that they can no longer pitch commercials and get the same return they used to. They are now going out into the field and pairing up with influencers to sell their brand. This could literally be anyone of us. The important thing here is to be the connector between big brands and small communities. Once you’re able to show the benefits for each group, you’ll be able to get paid consulting for these larger companies.

In theory, this idea sounds great, but it might be more complicated for some. The fact that their isn’t a blueprint for these types of career opportunities, might be a bit discouraging. Being persistent and having a strong passion for your community is what companies are really looking for. They want brand ambassadors who care as much about their product as they do. Mazda USA is one of the pioneering companies to embrace social media and enlist brand ambassadors. As one of the 22 chosen, I can tell you that Mazda has definitely made great progress in the social media game. Initially, they called on Mazda enthusiasts, bloggers and social media professionals to share their stories online. By tapping into their core market, Mazda was able to grow their marketing efforts by spending less money.

In the end, it pays to be a trendsetter. Whether you’re doing it for fun or need some extra cash, the value in spotting trends is growing. We’ll definitely start seeing more campaigns utilizing this new route and hiring more Generation Y’ers.

Another company I’ve found that incorporates this strategy well is American Express. In their “Open Forum” online ads, they interview influential captains of industry that utilize American Express in their companies. This is a great way to show future or potential customers that this product is actually being used by iconic companies and is available to them. The inspirational aspect of these talks are also effective because it lets them know that by associating with this product, they are one step closer to the implied success.

By incorporating social media into their ads, these companies are tapping into their established network of users, fans and potential consumers. Instead of throwing a celebrity on TV and having them use their product in a random situation, companies are now shifting focus to their more targeted demographic. This has proven effective for larger companies such as Dell and Cisco because the integration of Social Media allows them to easily connect with their users.

Before the inclusion of Social Media, online advertising simply took the traditional model and applied it to the web. Basic banner and sidebar ads were among the original strategies of online advertising, but these aren’t driving the same traffic they once did. Users have become more intelligent in blocking these ads out and clicking on only the content links. With the new socialized ads, I notice myself paying more attention to the dynamic sidebar ads. Granted, some of them are automatic playing videos, the content is still able to grab my attention, especially when shown on related sites.

So what does the future hold for socialized advertising? Will we start seeing related twitter updates on Hulu commercials? Or real-time virtual ads on Google Maps? Whatever may evolve, will likely include social media and the I think that the sky’s the limit with online advertising and as long as the user stays in control, it will only get better.

1) Market Research

Who’s consuming your brand? Who is your target demographic? What are you competitors doing different than you? Each of these questions can be answered utilizing the social web. For instance, let’s say you own a clothing line and would like to drive more potential customers to your website. You already have a Twitter account and Facebook fan page, but you don’t feel like they’re growing fast enough. You look at your competitors and notice that they’re fan pages and Twitter activity are growing exponentially. Why is this the case? I don’t the answer, but I can give you the solution. Do a competitive analysis between your pages/accounts and the others. Now, look at how your competitors fare against even larger brands. I guarantee you’ll notice similarities (contests, games, fan interaction etc…) that will give you insight on how to improve your social brand. I’m not saying blatantly copy your competitors Social Media strategy, but utilize these networks to discover untapped research.

2) Social Marketing

So the real reason businesses are so intrigued by social media is the marketing aspect. Being able to talk directly to your customers (and potential consumers) instantly is amazing. Companies are literally shifting their marketing dollars from traditional to new media marketing relying heavily on Social Media. Often times, the amount of spend is lower and more efficient than traditional billboards, magazine ads and TV commercials. When designing Social Media Marketing strategies, it’s important to keep in mind the process is ongoing and won’t without interaction. Simply setting up a Facebook and Twitter account doesn’t mean you’ve embraced Web 2.0.

3) Customer Relations

We’ve all heard that “Content is King,” but I’d like to add that “Conversation is Queen.” At the end of the day, we’re basically just talking to our customers. The worst thing you can do is ignore your customers. It’s almost the equivalent to asking them not to buy your brand. When companies reward their consumers and acknowledge their loyalty, we start to see brand allegiance. Consumers will then start to go out of their way to make purchases with your company. Amazon.com has proven this theory successful in their attempts to socialize the online shopping experience. Offering solid recommendations and rewarding frequent users has become a staple to their success. Jeffery Gitomer put it best in his book: Customer Service Is Worthless, Customer Loyalty is Priceless.

4) Reputation Management

Social Media makes every company accountable for their transparency, therefore it’s imperative that you start thinking about reputation management. What are people saying about your company online? How are you perceived by your customers? How do I get rid of that negative stuff about my company on Google? Each of these are valid questions that exist when thinking about reputation management. Social Media Monitoring is one of the most important tools when dealing with reputation management (Lucky for you I made a list of 7 superb monitoring tools) They alert you whenever your company or brand is mentioned online. Staying on the pulse of your online presence will allow you to be the first to respond to your brand. Rapper Kanye West has managed his personal brand effectively this way. Most of his fans turn to his blog to get the real answers, instead of listening to whats reported about him on the news. The fact that he’s built up this authentic rapport online has allowed him to be his own publicist.

The understanding we have in social networks, media and technologies are important skills that should not be overlooked. How can we correlate our understanding of new media with our career? The best answer I can come up with is Personal Branding. One might argue that without any experience, how can one substantially brand themselves. The simple answer. Be Authentic! There are positions out their that aren’t asking for 10 years of experience. You don’t have to be an expert on a certain subject to attain a job. However, you must be confident in knowing that every skill you do possess is effective and indispensable.

As we begin to practice perfecting our strengths, our confidence will grow inevitably and we’ll start seeing more positive results. One great way to embark on our ambitions and passion is through internships. Whether we’re graduated or are still in school, working in the environment of the profession that interests us is the first step in practicing our strengths. As an intern, we might be tasked with menial jobs and monotonous assignments that don’t really relate to the actual job. But this could be our opportunity to prove ourselves and go above and beyond the norm. Internships are also a terrific way to network and break into the industry.

The options of doing what we want in this lifetime are endless. The most important factor in deciding your future is finding out what your passion is. That’s it. Once we figure out something we like to do, it is up to us to see how we can monetize it. If we can’t get paid right away, then we try out an internship. Once we attain a position, personal branding is the next step. Granted the process may take time, we must remember that setting goals and following through with action is necessary. We were each put on this earth to do something special. The opportunity is there and it’s up to us to go after it.

What are your followers saying about your brand? How can you better interact with those die-hard fans and include them in future promotions? The understanding of “community” is huge here. It’s not about having 100,000 followers on Twitter, but more about what those followers are saying and how they’re responding (Retweets, Mentions, Sharing etc…)

Most of us get caught up in the numbers because that is what are clients ask of us. How fast can I get 50,000 followers on Twitter? I’ll pay you X amount to get my fan page to 5,000. These demands are inefficient and miss the point of Social Media. By taking this approach, you’re not only losing your voice, but also your authentic followers.

As we continue to move forward with Social Media and Social Networks, I think we’ll begin to see better techniques evolve and utilize sites like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Instead of just trying to grab followers and fans, companies will need to focus more on the content and distribution models. There are plenty of tutorials and lists out there that explain social media etiquette and how to get the most out of your followers. These are extremely helpful and need to be employed by brand strategists.

Quality over quantity basically comes down to playing by the rules and allowing your content to speak for itself. Making strategic alliances is also important and shouldn’t be overlooked. But simply spamming for more followers, fans and irrelevant links won’t help in the least.

1) Monitoring Online Presence-

This is probably the most obvious measure of success in social media. Improved online presence can mean a lot of things, but for the sake of argument we’re looking at numbers. Twitter followers, Facebook friends, @Replies, Retweets etc… “>By tracking these numbers and setting goals for what you’d like to see improve, you’re defining the foundation of your growth measurement. This is important because, as time goes on, you can look back and see how much you’ve improved your presence. Often times people get obsessed with these numbers and put too much emphasis on “getting more twitter followers.” This shouldn’t be the case. I’m simply saying that you should keep track of these numbers and use them as indicators for your online presence.

2) Conversion Rate-

In order for social media to be a viable business model, one must track the conversion rate of what people are doing after they come to your website. Whether you have an e-commerce site or you utilize Google Adsense, conversion rates are the key factor in quantifying social media success. Without knowing who’s clicking content to product, it becomes difficult defining what content works and what doesn’t. By understanding the conversion rate of an article, we’re able to identify the important content and replicate it in the future.

3) Referral Sources-

Where are your customers coming from? It’s important to know how your customers reached your homepage because it lets you know what’s working. Whether it’s Twitter, Facebook, Stumbleupon or Digg, by identifying the source, you’ll be able to ramp up your efforts on the network bringing you the most traffic.

4) Subscriptions and Email Lists

Whether you publish online greeting cards or viral videos, identifying your core audience is an important factor in social media success. No better way can this be done than through subscription or email lists. These lists show factual data on your core audience and those loyal to your brand. Although there will always be stragglers that simply sign up for the free swag, maintaining a growing list of your audience is important in quantifying your success.

The four options I listed above are not meant to be the only factors that quantify social media success. Often times success in social media can’t be quantified. Improving the customer/audiences’ experience is the overall goal. Once companies are able to understand this concept, their social media efforts will begin to mirror their goals.

The obvious answer as to why traditional marketing is lagging is due to the change in consumer behavior. People are no longer combing through the pages of once popular newspapers and magazines for their information. The real-time aspect alone makes newspapers and magazines outdated the second they hit the shelves. It no longer makes sense to take out 1-2 page ads in the New York Times because no one is going to see it. By redistributing a bulk of their marketing dollars to social media, traditional marketing companies are eager to embark on new campaigns and strategic efforts.

We can all agree that since more and more social networks are proving successful in social media marketing, everyone wants to integrate their brand into this space. Yes, the power of social media is stronger than ever, but companies are still trying to figure out how to couple this beast with traditional marketing strategies. The best example of a company’s successful transition from traditional to social is Pepsi. They made headlines a couple months back for pulling their name from the Super Bowl commercial lineup. Instead of spending the $20 million on a few 30 second spots, they decided to invest in the money into Pepsi’s Refresh Project. This groundbreaking endeavor by Pepsi utilizes social media by allowing prospective participants to pitch their ideas on how to improve their community and the world. Pepsi then allows users to vote the project up and rewards those with the most votes cash to start their new endeavor. By reconnecting with the community and involving users to participate in this project, Pepsi is reestablishing their brand as caring, innovative and fun.

Some skeptics feel that social media doesn’t have the viable ROI that traditional marketing once had. They argue that with all the buzz around social media, companies are blindly spending their money on social media campaigns that promise little to no ROI. However some companies have proved this theory wrong. Larger corporations like Dell, who made $6.5 million dollars over two years via Twitter. Or Lenovo, another popular computer manufacturer that saved over 20% in call center reduction after building a web community assisting in customer service requests. Yes, these are only two examples, but they remind us that social media marketing works and is here to stay.