Info on Social Networking

Here is a great video on the power of Social Networking.

Time Spent on Social Networks up 82% Around the World

February 24, 2010

Original Article with graphs at (http://www.briansolis.com/2010/02/time-spent-on-social-networks-up-82-around-the-wrold/)
Nielsen recently released a new report that officially documents what many of us already know, just never substantiated through data. According to a study published at the end of January 2010, Nielsen observed the online social activity of consumers around the world and discovered an 82% increase in time spent on social networking sites in December 2009. On average, users spent more than five and a half hours on popular networks such as Facebook and Twitter in December 2009. In December 2008, users clocked just over three hours on social networking sites.

The audience for Social Networks also increased year-over-year for the last three years, reaching an estimated audience of over 300 million.
Specifically, online visitors concentrated their time on social networks and blogs, placing them ahead of other forms of engagement and interaction including online games and instant messaging. Facebook led the way for all social networks however, with over 200 million visitors, representing 67% of all social media users in December 2009. As such, Facebook earned the number one position as the top global social networking destination with users spending nearly six hours per month on the site.

In the U.S., time spent participating in social networks and reading blogs increased 210% year-over-year and the average time per person grew by 143% year-over-year in December 2009. Media darlings Facebook and Twitter captured the greatest volume of attention and engagement, outpacing the overall growth for the category at 200% and 368% respectively. And despite the grim reports that portray a leveling-off or possibly a dwindling of visitors, depending on which data you source, Nielsen reports that Twitter continued its reign as the fastest-growing social network in December 2009 as measured by unique visitors. With 18.1 million uniques, Twitter’s audience increased 579% year-over-year, from 2.7 million in December 2008. However, Nielsen also observed a decrease of 5% in unique visitors when viewed month-over-month.
Facebook and Twitter were alone in the competition for attracting visitors. MySpace, Classmates, and even LinkedIn realized year-over-year declines in unique visitors.
Social Networking is a global phenomenon and while the largest audience resides in the U.S., Australia boasts the highest amount of time spent in social networks per person (6:52:28), followed by the U.S. (6:09:13), the United Kingdom (6:07:54), and Italy (6:00:07).
When reviewing the size of the audiences for social media around the world, we see a substantial, but expected divergence between each country.
Country Unique Audience (000) Time per Person (hh:mm:ss)
United States 142,052 6:09:13
Japan 46,558 2:50:21
Brazil 31,345 4:33:10
United Kingdom 29,129 6:07:54
Germany 28,057 4:11:45
France 26,786 4:04:39
Spain 19,456 5:30:55
Italy 18,256 6:00:07
Australia 9,895 6:52:28
Switzerland 2,451 3:54:34
Source: The Nielsen Company
As brands and marketers seek guidance and inspiration to engage customers, influencers, and stakeholders, their efforts only increase in importance. User attention is going to continue to focus on activity within social networks, and their potential reach is far greater than any one country.
Users celebrate the democratization of information sharing and discovery and they’re taking to social networks to cast their voice. The art and science of true engagement is measured by our ability to connect with people for greater durations and at deeper levels over time. And, it’s not as easy as it sounds. The competition for attention is substantial and therefore requires an increased sense of awareness, empathy and intelligence in order to conceptualize creative yet meaningful content and programs that captivate the people we hope to reach. It’s the difference between activating the social web and inciting consequential action and response that’s directed, measured, and memorable. In social media, we are defining and shaping experiences that either increase affinity or simply earn attention.
As I believe, in the race for relevance, we earn the relationships we deserve. And as such, we must choose between visibility and presence. In the attention economy, presence is felt.
Connect with Brian Solis: Twitter, LinkedIn, Tumblr, Google Buzz, Facebook

Social Media

Here are some notes that a friend of mine, Shante- the Mona Vie Web Czar, recently took at a social media seminar.

Here are a few notes from my most recent social media seminar.

What is Social Media?
• New generation of tools where content is created and driven by a huge number of contributors
• About relationship building
• More back and forth communication, less forced messaging
• Values longer standing relationships
• Hybrid of communications, media relations and community relations
• Also referred to as direct media (person to person)

Tools - most are free...time is not
• Tools are less important than how you use them and the relationships you build
• Online and offline integration is key
• Focus on the basics first!
• Don’t get overwhelmed, focus on what you’re good at
• Earlier you get started, the better as you accumulate contacts and build relationships over time
• It’s about rapid response and sharing of information
• Blog is a conversation
• Website is a monologue
• Each serve a purpose
• Comments are currency
• Start to comment and others will comment back
• Build relationships

Where Americans spend their time: 44% TV; 37% Internet; 15% Newspaper and Radio

Forget surfing, what are the “hubs”
1. Google
2. Facebook
3. YouTube

Interacting on Social Media platforms
• Similar rules of a backyard BBQ
• Authenticity beats polish
• If you can’t say it person to person, don’t post it online
• Stop selling
• Stop spamming (it’s selling)
• Act transparently
• Leave footprint of deleted comments, explain why you are deleting
• Elevate the discussion
• Do not attack
• Present a voice
• Be humanizing
• Do not alienate (it will go viral)

Know your audience – follow these steps to elevate the conversation
1. Pay attention to what they’re saying
2. Comment
3. Compliment
4. Ask questions
Then start with #1 again…


Thanks @monavie

CEO Coaching Lesson: The Conference Room

The CEO of a large financial services company used to hold meetings of his leadership team twice a week. He held them in a small conference room on the third floor of their San Francisco headquarters. The room was too small for the 14 participants to fit in comfortably. Ironically, there was a much larger conference room on the same floor near the CEO’s office.

One day, a member of the team asked the CEO, “Bruce, why do you continue to cram us into this conference room twice a week. Why don’t we move the meeting to the bigger conference room down the hall?”

Bruce replied, “This is a high profile conference room. A lot of people walk by. I want them to see who’s in charge and that we’re working together.

If nothing else comes out of these meetings, that will be enough.”

Brilliant, the team member thought to himself. “Thanks,” he said to the CEO. “I get it now.”

Related blog: “Executive Leadership Coaching“

Originally posted at http://ow.ly/SJ47

Are Your Poor Listening Skills Hurting Your Career?

Posted on January 26th, 2010 by Keith Ferrazzi ( Original Link Below)
Failing to listen well is rude. I don't care whether you're talking to the Queen of England or your intern. It very loudly communicates, Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn. And as a master relationship builder, it's your job to care.

Ready to assess how well you listen? My colleague Dr. Mark Goulston has four categories for how we listen, the Four R’s: removed, reactive, responsible, and receptive listening.

Here's the breakdown:

1. Removed listening is just what it sounds like: removed. It’s the kind of listening you do when you’re actually engaged in something else, like using your BlackBerry. You may parrot back what I’ve said, but you aren’t really paying attention. You’re mind is elsewhere and you risk letting me feel like I’m being ignored or like what I say doesn’t mean anything to you. It’s a lot like talking over someone else’s words in a conversation—but in this case you’re “listening over” my words.

2. With reactive listening, you’re being somewhat more attentive than removed, but still not wholly attentive. If I ask you a question, you reply with a straightforward answer but not a lot of thought. You’ve heard me, but you aren’t really mulling over what I’ve said. Reactive listening takes away from the value of our conversation.

3. You engage in responsible listening when you not only react to what I have said but reply with further action or elaboration. Responsible listening is the basis of all good conversations. It’s the equivalent of talking with someone, as opposed to talking at them or over them.

4. Receptive listening is the deepest form of listening. With this kind of listening, you let me know that you empathize fully with what I have to say, and are trying to feel what I am feeling. This is the level of listening we all want to achieve in sparring. Receptive listening conveys generosity and respect.

Relationship masters should spend most of their time being responsible and receptive listeners and a lot less time being removed or reactive listeners.

Feel like you don’t have enough time to be responsible or receptive?

Then a) consider having the conversation later, b) explaining the situation and asking the person to bottom-line it for you, or c) realize how much time you’ll save in the long run by listening carefully the first time around and exercise some patience.

I’ll admit it: I’ve been called out for poor listening a few times in my life. (OK, maybe more than a few.) That’s why I always encourage my employees to tell me when I'm not in the zone. I so appreciate the opportunity to correct my behavior immediately.

Has someone called you out recently for “removed listening”? How did you react?



Are Your Poor Listening Skills Hurting Your Career?

Banish Approach Anxiety and Make the Sale!

Here is an article I read this morning on Keith Ferrazzi's Blog
Posted on January 12th, 2010 by Sara Grace
The hardest challenge is to be yourself in a world where everyone is trying to make you be somebody else. - e. e. cummings.

I don’t care how good you are: If you’re in sales, you struggle with approach anxiety. There's been a time where you've psyched yourself out of a successful meeting because of self-doubt.

And we’re all in sales, whether you’re selling paperclips, companies, or ideas. Are you dating? You’re in sales too!
Here’s a five minute mental routine that you can use before calls, meetings, networking events, and presentations to calm your anxiety, get yourself grounded and ready to be your best self.

1. Create an authentic environment around you. How? Take a deep breath. Relax. Prepare to let the other person see who you are and what you have to offer—your concern, your interest, your passion, your intelligence, your skill. Listen to that authentic inner voice. Meditate for several minutes or just take a few deep breaths.

2. Suspend your prejudice. This is a mindset shift. Prepare to walk into every situation with as few assumptions as possible. Look for ways to express your interest in and concern for the other person. It means opening your mind to the possibility that the person or people you’re meeting are individuals you could care about.

3. Project the positive. Once you’ve found your inner voice and know you’re speaking authentically, from there it’s a simple step to projecting positive feelings onto other people—the kinds of feelings that will help to bridge the gap between you and establish a welcoming, safe environment for the other person. Expect the best!

Take five minutes to walk through these three steps before your meeting or event. Bring a cheat sheet if it helps!

CES 2010: Laser Pico Projector, Netbook E-Reader Combo - Video - Wired

The small laser Pico projectore at the front half of this video is awesome. Think of the possibilities these Pico projectors will offer us. The last half of the video is lame, in my opinion. Perhaps you'll disagree.

CES 2010: Laser Pico Projector, Netbook E-Reader Combo - Video - Wired

Posted using ShareThis