Social Media – 2012 in Review
What were the biggest stories in social media and communication this year? Plenty to choose from. We saw theemergence of Pinterest, which in a few short months went from a hobbyist site to a major player and one that individuals and brands now develop strategies around. Facebook bought Instagram for a cool 1 billion dollars. In just the past few days,Instagram’s new privacy policy highlighted just how much we mistrust Facebook. It has truly become the network we love to hate, and the one we are not even close to cutting loose. LinkedIn revamped it’s site and added many user-friendly features. And it’s not surprise that with the popularity of Twitter, that the platform reached 200 million users this year.
But the rise of visual social media is key, in that we saw that more people want to look at video and photos versus reading blog posts. Even tweets, at 140 characters are too long to hold our attention. I suspect we will see visual apps rise in popularity in 2013, based on the significance gained this year.
Social media has also infiltrated the hiring process with 92% of employers using social media to find talent. That’s a staggering number, but what’s even more significant is the number of hiring managers who use social media for candidate background checks. These trends are leading us to believe that our online reputation will grow to act more as our social currency in what some have called The Reputation Economy.
In terms of sports, we’ve seen Major League Baseball establisha fan cave and social media nights in most ball parks. The NFL allowed players to tweet live during the Pro Bowl. The LA Kingscontinue to set standards for sports brands. And athletic programs across the nation struggled to keep their student-athletes in-line, as many teams and players landed in hot water for inappropriate tweets or posts. My work of providing social media and reputation management education, could not have come at a better time!
What was evident this year is that no matter what people may say about Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, YouTube, Instagram, Tumblr, Google+ and more, social media will only continue to evolve. It certainly will not disappear. With more people integrating these networks into their daily lives, it’s no wonder brands and businesses are scrambling to find ways to reach out to customers and even urging their top executives to start tweeting.
Amidst all of this, I find myself working to help people and businesses better communicate with you. My goal is to infuse communication with positivity and purpose. Positivity, because goodness knows we need to receive more uplifting messages against the negativity that seems to be ever-present in the media today. And Purpose, because I want people to really think about what we say to each other. If there is no point in sharing that photo, making that comment or sending that tweet, then why do it? Why? It’s a question we should ask ourselves more often, and one which was not asked enough in 2012.
We learned a lot in 2012 about the limits and boundaries of social networks and what we need to do to encourage more meaningful interaction online…communication that will nurture your reputation and allow you to build a strong network of stellar people. I can only imagine what will happen in 2013. Buckle up!
My 5 Favorite TEDTalks
If I’m at my home office for the day, I find that I’m more likely to make myself a lunch and enjoy a meal then when I’m on the go or traveling. What I also do during my lunch at my home office is watch the previous evening of The Daily Show and browse through TEDTalks to boost my creativity for the afternoon. I am totally a morning person and find it most difficult to function 3-5pm. Someone posted recently on Twitter (cannot remember who – sorry!) their five favorite TEDTalks, which made contemplate my favorite. It’s super difficult to narrow this to five. Anyone who knows me will likely understand why these five are my favorite. May I have a drum roll please…
5. This may very well be the first TedTalk I ever watched. I caught this one during one of my “Social Media Sundays” when I lived in Vietnam. Not only did I fall head over heels for Simon Sinek (I seriously have a crush on this brilliant man), but I would say that Simon’s Golden Circle philosophy played a small role in my wanting to establish my own business once I returned to the States. So… thank you Simon. I’m glad I found my Why!
Simon Sinek – Start With Why
4. Having lived in small spaces all my life, and having lived out of a backpack for five months, I can appreciate the value in having less stuff. In fact, when I first moved to Japan, part of my personal theme was, “simplify my life.” I appreciate Graham Hill’s ability to do less with more and understanding that bigger houses and more stuff does not equate to happiness.
Graham Hill: Less stuff, more happiness
3. I’m always inspired by people who wish to connect others and with others and who genuinely wish to make the world a better place. This project also focuses on what and how we communicate, and the benefits of more open communication. For that, I’m a huge fan.
Candy Chang: Before I die I want to…
2. This 11-year old boy renews my belief that 5th graders should rule the world. I strongly believe that we should have a special UN council made of of 10 and 11 year old kids from around the world. They are brilliant and creative and they care about our Earth. Birke gives a terrific presentation.
Birke Baehr – What’s Wrong With Our Food System
1. Louie is not only an inspirational speaker who forces you to hit the pause button, but his new project, featured in a short video within his Ted Talk, is a clip I’d like to wake up to and meditate with every single day. If we all approached our world in this way, we would live in a much brighter universe.
Louie Schwartzberg – Gratitude
Save The Date
Calling all coaches, parents and student athletes! The Role of Social Media in College Athletic Recruitment returns to the San Diego Hall of Champions on Tuesday, February 12th at 6:30pm. Don’t miss this terrific opportunity to hear from experts in branding, social media, and athletic recruitment. We want to provide you the knowledge you need to use these tools for your success! You can easily register through our Eventbrite site by clicking here: http://socialmediaathletics.eventbrite.com
Participation is just $10 per person for full program and goodies galore! Here’s more info:
Tailgate with the Chargers and WISE!
For those familiar with WISE Los Angeles, I am so happy to let you know that they are expanding into San Diego. I’m so pleased to have the chance to sit on the committee and help launch this great organization in America’s Finest City. I’m really excited about our event with the Chargers on December 2nd. We’ll tailgate before the game and meet Chargers Executive VP/CFO, Jeanne Bonk. There is also an NFL Fit For You Style Lounge that day and participants receive a 15% discount on purchases. We’ve got great seats reserved in the stadium at the Endzone View Level. Have a look at our invitation on Eventbrite. You can reserve your seats right from there. I am impressed with this great group of WISE women! I highly recommend your involvement. See you on December 2nd!
Update Your Twitter Profile Images
One of my go-to sites, The Next Web, which is a great online and social media resource, posted THIS article about updating Twitter profiles. It’s a clever little tutorial that shows you how to update your background, header and profile images. It seems it was needed, as many celebrities, athletes, brands, teams – you – have yet to take advantage of what I like to call, social “real estate.”
I cannot get over how few high profile individuals and brands have updated their Twitter profiles to include the new header image. There is a lot of room for creativity here!. Two athletes I wish would update their profiles? Hello @TimTebow, and Apolo Anton Ohno! I’m surprised at Apolo who is normally very socially savvy. Here are the few athletes, celebrities and brands I did find who have made great use of the header image. They’re all linked, so click away to view their profiles…
ATHLETES
@FranklinMissy USA Olympic Swimmer
@LarryFitzgerlad NFL, Arizona Cardinals
@karrileewalsh USA Olympic Volleyball 
@Matt Barkley USC Quarterback
@NastiaLiukin USA Olympic Gymnast
ATHLETIC DEPARTMENTS
@HarvardCrimson The background is fan-centric, the header image is seasonal and the profile image is simply their logo. But it all works well together.
@BaylorAthletics Love the use of the header image to point to other social sites.
@UWAthletics Nice motto to go along with that bio and images! Background images features coaches – Sweet!
@TechAthletics Simple but effective. Lots of red!
@Brutus_Bukeye Great use of Mascot as official account and answers the question, “What IS a buckeye, anyway?”
ATHLETIC BRANDS
@BrooklynNets (I’m not sure I love this one, except that it is consistent.)
CELEBRITIES (Hard to find celebs who have updated!)
@RyanSeacrest (Probably the best of all with the most thought put into it.) 
@richardbranson ( i suppose he’s a celeb too!)
@MariahCarey (I don’t love her so much, but her Twitter profile looks cool)
When people find you on Twitter, your background and header image can help you make a good first impression. Here’s some ideas for different individual use of the header image:
Student-Athletes: You can use your header image as a rotating billboard to promote yourself. Try posting your team’s stats or your batting average or that you got an A in chemistry. Post a team photo or one of you in action. You have to be strategic about your photo here.
Students: You might use the header image to highlight what is important in your life. You can put up a photo of your family or beloved pet, maybe your group of friends at the beach or all dressed up at the school dance. College students might post a photo of yourself at a famous spot on campus. Your header image can match your Facebook cover photo so that you present a well thought-out personal brand.
Coaches: Throw up an old photo of you when you were in the pros or in college. Current and prospective players will get a kick out of it, but it also gives a hint of your story. Get the athletic department to help you with a graphic that has your team schedule for the month. Spotlight any of your team members who make Athlete of the Month or achieve other awards. This shows you are focus on your players’ personal achievements, too.
Brands: You have so much opportunity here. Highlight your product. Give some face time to the hard-working employees who make your company a success. Give a shoutout to your favorite customers. Take a pointer from @BaylorAthletics and give your followers reason to click on another social site.
Professionals: Here’s a chance to tell people what you are all about. Are you artistic and creative? Do you love sports? Are you musically inclined? Do you love inspirational messages? Take this opportunity to showcase the best of you so that when that hiring manager or prospective client find you on Twitter, they are WOW-ed the moment they land on your page. (Writing this blog post actually inspired me to do more with my background and header images – even without fancy software, I can create something nice. My current photos are part of my brand design, but the backgrounds are too busy.)
Many social sites, like Twitter, continue to add features to improve the user experience and provide opportunities for visual appeal. It’s easy to understand from first glance who you are and what matters to you when someone sees your Twitter profile. Give them something great to look at and something that will drive their attention to what you are tweeting. If you see a great Twitter header image, leave a note in the comments so we can all see! Now watch this video and then take advantage of the image “real estate” on Twitter – Make it work in your favor!
San Diego Signing Party
This morning I attended a great event at the San Diego Hall of Champions. It was the Letter of Intent Signing Party for HS athletes all across San Diego. The event began at 8am, but many of the excited parents and athletes were there quite early. It was fun to see them wear sweatshirts and hats from the universities they’ll be attending next fall. Today was the first of seven days in which athletes who play basketball, volleyball, swimming, tennis, golf, lacrosse, girls water polo, baseball, softball and wrestling can officially commit to college scholarships. (Lots of golfers in attendance today!)
After a welcome from the Marketing Director, Jesse Lovejoy, our own San Diego Padre, Carlos Quentin took the stage to deliver an inspirational message to the families. Carlos is a San Diego native and played baseball for University High School (now known as Cathedral Catholic High School). He went on to play baseball at Stanford before going pro.
His message was very simple, yet profound. “Continue making the decisions you are already making.” He elaborated that the student athletes have already put in hard work in school, made commitments to their team and sport, and made difficult choices along the way to get to a point where they are signing intent letters for some of the finest universities in America. He warned them that they were joining an elite group of people – for some they will be teammates with Olympians and national champions. He even mentioned that they might feel intimidated by their fellow athletes or the geniuses in their classes. But he encouraged them that if they continue making the tough decisions in the fashion they have to date, that they will be the best, they will be elite and they will continue to pave the path to achieve their dreams.
Carlos is a great example for local athletes to follow. He mentioned that San Diego grows great athletes and smart students. He actually graduated in 3 1/3 years at Stanford. That’s pretty impressive. And as a San Diegan, he’s living his dream playing for the San Diego Padres.
After his motivational speech, each high school was called onto the stage and the student athletes had the opportunity to say their name, sport and what university they will play for and attend. There were local news channels there to interview select athletes and I’m sure we’ll see many on the evening news.
Hats off to the team at the San Diego Hall of Champions. It was a very special day for parents and their students and the moment was made even more special by bringing the community together to celebrate the achievements of San Diego’s high school athletes. Congratulations to all of the families. Well deserved recognition and honors today! I look forward to attending the next signing in February!
LinkedIn Updates
LinkedIn has made several upgrades lately. Have you noticed? Not only has LinkedIn changed the total design and function of the website, but they have been adding more features over the past few months in order to make the site more interactive. Here’s a few of the big updates to note:
LinkedIn Today
When you land on the page, you’ll automatically see the news feed. This is similar to your Facebook Timeline or Twitter feed. You’ll see the header above the feed called “LinkedIn Today” which entices you to click on various news pieces and share articles with your connections. This is so that we can enjoy a more interesting feed than Sally Smith is now connected to Joe Jones.
Once you click “LinkedIn Today” you’ll be taken to a magazine layout of news articles for your perusal. World news and business articles await your discovery. It’s a great resource to share on LinkedIn and your other social sites, too.
Follow
You’ll notice that you can now “follow” business and thought leaders who write articles just for the LinkedIn audience. It’s tough to get directly to the list, though. There is no ability to click from the menu. There is no section on the sidebar. I think I discovered this feature because it showed up in my news feed. I went to the LinkedIn Help Page and found this comment:
Visit http://www.linkedin.com/today/post/whoToFollow to see the initial list of thought leaders who can be followed. Currently, only a small, hand-picked set of thought leaders can be followed from their LinkedIn profiles.
Not so user-friendly, but once you do land on this main page, you are treated to a wonderful list of influencers.
Follow the people you want to have show up in your news feed or just browse through the articles on offer. Underneath the header, you can click on the word “Following” to manage who you already follow. I’m not quite sure why LinkedIn would make it so difficult to get to this page. Great feature, but not completely thought out.
Endorsements
One of the features recently added was “Skills.” LinkedIn did this to assist college graduates who perhaps don’t yet have the work experience to fill out a resume. In addition, they now allow you to “Endorse” those skills for any of your connections. Have you noticed that when you view a profile, this box appears to encourage you to endorse specific skills?
This is a nice feature which somewhat replaces “Recommendations.” Previously, you had to ask for people to recommend you, and it was a letter your contact had to write on your behalf. That feature is still available, but now they can go into your profile and just click on the skills they want to endorse. This saves time and is very user-friendly. It also gives greater opportunity for your contacts to endorse you without a request.
Make sure you take the time to add skills to your profile. This will help you get found when hiring managers are doing searches. On top of that, take a moment to go through your contacts and endorse their skills. Perhaps you are working on a project with someone … give them a boost on LinkedIn. If you get off the phone with a business contact, head to LinkedIn and endorse some of their skills. In order to play nice on LinkedIn, it’s a good idea to take a look at who has endorsed some of your skills and then go onto their profile and endorse them right back. Good professional karma.
New Profile
Finally, LinkedIn is rolling out new profile designs. I’ve requested mine, but have not yet received the upgrade. So stay tuned for more information soon.
I would love to hear what features you are enjoying most on the re-vamped LinkedIn. Are these new features making the site easier to use? Are there certain features that are helping you do business better or increasing your contact base? Please share with me. I’m happy to provide updates on my blog or in next month’s newsletter.
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