Happy Birthdays are worth a lot on Facebook

You wouldn’t think it, but sending your friend a happy birthday message on Facebook foreshadows what is to come to really call social media social media. As social network developers become more attune to what is valuable or who is valuable in your circle of influence, you’re going to see less and less updates from your 500+ friends on Facebook. Chances are you have around 10 friends you actually want to hear from on a regular basis.

Peter Shankman, in an address to the Minnesota Public Relations Society of America, said “you only send a happy birthday message to the people you’d like to stay in contact with, or you care about.” The ability to say happy birthday—it’s on the your Facebook’s home page and it only takes 5 seconds.” Enter the new world of social media.

If you’re not saying happy birthday to the people you care about, do it and see if they get a warm fuzzy and have more likelihood to like you. The same goes for those brands you represent that people want to hear from. Go ahead, tell consumers you hear them and know what they need, so they can have a truly special day that goes beyond their birth.

What do you think? Are social networks going to become more focused like the "5" you see on T-Mobile?

No Comments? You’re Such a Journalist!

Are you in bitter angst over never receiving a single comment on your latest blog post, good or bad? Thinking like a journalist might have something to do with it.

Observe the blogs that generate 210 comments on a post. TechCrunch comes to mind in one of its recent posts about Twitter being a news source. I was riveted by Arrington’s comments within the post and I resonated with it. But rather than bury myself among those 210 commenters, I’ll revel in the glory of it here by offering some valuable information.

Blog content should be original, not regurgitated unless it’s a HUGE topic. The best kinds of bloggers are ones who think like “publishers” not journalists—something I learned from social media guru David Meerman Scott. Journalists are entirely known to regurgitate. All we ever read in newspapers anymore is the same mumbo jumbo that Joe Schmo covered the night before--- or even weeks earlier!

To better say it, think like a salesperson and how you can offer the highest quality product. In this case, and in every social media case, it’s content. Comments are the sales and indicate whether or not people buy what you are saying.

Traditional Media ROI - Just As Hard To Quantify?

We put a lot of value on landing a mention or story in a big newspaper like USA Today. Once we make it into a big newspaper, we have hit the jackpot. Everyone will hear about us. Millions read that paper everyday, which translates to lots of exposure for our brand or product. There has been a lot of talk about the ROI of social media lately and yes, it is hard to measure, but is it harder to measure than that of traditional media?

Consider the following funnel: I subscribe to the newspaper > I actually read the article with your brand name > I actually remember the brand name > I use the info in the article to make a purchasing decision.

My argument is this: it is just as hard to measure true ROI in traditional media as it is with online or social media. Sure, lots of people subscribe to USA Today, but everyone does not read and soak in every single article or advertisement. They skim. They pick and chose. They filter. A newspaper readership with 100,000 subscribers does not mean that 100,000 people saw your brand name, let alone used the info to make a decision that effects your profit.

Are we too comfortable accepting the ROI measurements for traditional media?

Stay in Character for Blogging's Sake

No one knows yourself better than you, so why second hand your content, or “ghost write” it? Companies and icons attempt to cut corners when it comes to building community online—simply by using another’s voice.

Kanye West blogged… somehow behind bars. (Funny - I didn’t know guardsmen allowed laptops). Is Britney Spears really on the microblog Twitter? You be the judge based on the content.

Brand deficit may be a realization for Mr. West, but Britney will be just fine. A poster child for ChumbaWumba’s “TubThumpin,” Ms. Spears is a perfect example of brands never being kept down, those only leading to more fame and fortune.

I’ve come across a lot of social platforms with great attempts at brand tenacity, though I have to say _S_A_R_A_H_ on Twitter stays in character, thanks to some great PR brains. Part of the hit Sci-Fi series “Eureka,” _S_A_R_A_H_ can hold a brand identity all her own and needn’t apologize for her @ replies to marriage proposals. We can all learn a valuable lesson from _S_A_R_A_H_. Stay in voice whether you’re a celebrity, avatar, or a Self Actuated Residential Automated Habitat.

Take The Next Step

While this post may not be entirely about social media, it may be just the thing you need after returning from a holiday break. Seth Godin is offering a unique opportunity for a 6-month unpaid internship in New York. The idea is to give a valuable experience and education for people who want to push themselves forward. Please go to Seth's blog and Squidoo page for more details.


These days, I'm agreeing more and more with Gary Vaynerchuk's musings on pursuing your passions ("You are a loser if you don't like your job").

Maybe this internship is just what you need to take that next step.