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10 Awesome Ways to ROCK Mashable’s Social Media Day 2014

Best Ways to Celebrate Social Media Day

Addison Social Media Day Proclamation 2014, Dallas Social Media ConferenceSo are you wondering “What is Social Media Day and why does Lissa keep talking about it”? Social Media Day is an annual celebration of social media and the impact it has made on how we do business. Through the power of social media EVERYONE from all walks of life can connect, do business and compete with the top brands.

In 2010, technology giant Mashable successfully received the first Social Media Day Proclamation from Victoria, B.C., Canada. Cities around the globe quickly followed suit.

BTW … Addison, Texas made a Social Media Day Proclamation this year to honor Social Media Day and the DFW Rocks Social Media Conference. [Read the story]

Businesses and individuals from around the world and I mean literally the world gather together at meetups, tweetups, conferences, events, and happy hours to celebrate June 30 – Social Media Day. No matter what day of the week June 30 falls on; this is the official day everyone around the world will be celebrating the power of social media. Enough about the history of Social Media Day, as promised . . .

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What does Social Media, Rebels and Doritos all have in common?

Photo Credit: Scott Bratt

So, I am browsing my Facebook Newsfeed, commenting on others updates, giving out some “Like” love and posting status updates when I happened to notice a picture that came up in my Newsfeed from my nephew!

It was a bag of Doritos that had been opened from the side of the bag vs. the top.  He included this phrase:

We’re Rebels

It immediately inspired this blog post … BTW, he was at school when he posted the photo – don’t worry, I doubled check he was on lunch break!

I have never been considered a “Rebel” by my family or friends! I’m a rule follower for the most part. Just ask my clients that want to have a Facebook Contest that breaks their Terms of Service or my mom who has accused me all my life of “starching my underwear”.

There is one thing I always do rebelliously – I tell it like it is! No ifs, ands or buts! I am a bit more tactful then I was in my early twenties. Thank goodness!  You want the truth – ask Lissa. I don’t worry with what people want to hear, but rather what they may need to hear! This is how I live my life and manage my business!  People trust me because I am bluntly honest!

Find the rebel in you and capitalize on it … a little bit of rebellion can go a long way in achieving success.

Here are 5 things you can do ONLINE to “Be a Rebel” and get social media results:

Take up a cause. Not a cause that everyone else is doing, but something that is perhaps a little different, but has meaning for you.

Blog about your cause and ask others to comment and share about their cause on the post. The more interaction you get on your blog post, the more people that will share the post on their social media profiles, which will mean, more people will see, read and comment on your blog. (Just look at RedHead Writing. It worked for her.)

Give your opinion. Share the good, the bad and the ugly. People want feedback.  Do it nicely though!

When you share your opinion with others they usually appreciate it, thank you, ask you for future opinions, plus when others want an opinion, you’ll get recommended.

Ask for feedback. Take a poll, ask others what they think! People want to share and help you. It’s in their nature.

When they comment / interact with you providing their feedback others will see it, wonder what they are commenting about, click to go read and usually comment also. Now you have made a new connection.

Share photos that make people think. Don’t post the same photo that everyone else does. Be unusual.

Take photos of stuff around your office / in your home. Weird things you see at places when you are out and about. Example: Post a photo of a USB cable that you took with your iPhone and add the caption “Name 10 things you can do with this cable besides hook up your printer”.  You’ll get comments back like hook up the scanner, take photos off your phone, tie myself to the desk, strangle the UPS guy if that package doesn’t arrive, etc.

When you post something different than every one you get comments and shares! Comments / shares equal interaction, which means higher preference in the Newsfeed of your friends / those that “Like” your page, which gets you a further reach on Facebook.

Stand out in the crowd. Easier said than done? Not really. All you have to do to be different is BE YOURSELF.

No one person is alike. We all think somewhat different and look somewhat different. Stop worrying so much about what everyone else thinks and be who you are! I practice this day in and day out and it has got me to where I am today. The more you are unique the more friends you will attract. They will have conversation with you / about you that their friends will see / hear about and want to know YOU!

“Be A Rebel” and start a cycle which goes viral for you, which will in turn go viral for your business!

I can’t wait to hear your thoughts,  but one last thing first:

If you live in / near Dallas, Texas – Check out the DFW Rocks Social Media Day Conference on June 30th. Some of the who’s who in Social Media is speaking, which includes Andrea Vahl aka Grandma Mary, co-author of Facebook Marketing All-In-One for Dummies, myself of course – Lissa Duty, Robin Moss, Patty Farmer, J.R. Atkins, Fred Campos, and to end the day – a Social Media Q & A Panel featuring Giovanni Gallucci, Neil Lemons and Mike Merrill. Social Media Day Conference is $30. Register NOW!

This all day social media event will be followed immediately after with a Mashable community event – Social Media Day Happy Hour at 4 pm in Addison, Texas. Social Media Day Meetup is FREE! RSVP Now!

It’s your Turn … tell us about the “Rebel” inside you! Comment below.

Why should I use social media?

I was inspired this morning when reading a CNN Special Report by Pete Cashmore on Privacy is dead, and social media holds the smoking gun. In an excerpt from the article he says “But what about the cost of not sharing? In the online realm, that might mean you simply don’t exist.”

Unfortunately, he is right about this. You will probably still exist on some level, someone could possible Google your name and find your phone number or were someone else might have mentioned your name. Better yet, another person with your same name might show up. I don’t know about you, but when someone Google’s my name I want to be in the running to pop up, vs. who knows might show up with my name, but they may represent something I wouldn’t want to be associated with. Just a thought for you to consider . . .

Pete Cashmore also says “We’re living at a time when attention is the new currency: With hundreds of TV channels, billions of Web sites, podcasts, radio shows, music downloads and social networking, our attention is more fragmented than ever before.”

Why You Should Use Social Media

Which is why we must regularly go to Google and other social applications and see who is out there (1) using our identity and (2) talking about us. We can’t defend ourself if we don’t know what they’re saying.

“Those who insert themselves into as many channels as possible look set to capture the most value. They’ll be the richest, the most successful, the most connected, capable and influential among us. We’re all publishers now, and the more we publish, the more valuable connections we’ll make” is the statement he made that really triggered this blog post for me.

This is exactly why I have designed my Standard Social Media Package, which focuses on the major Social Networking sites that everyone is currently using.  I have other packages I customize for my clients, but I always keep in mind that branding is my major objective.  I want my clients name to be recognized when someone hears it and I want them to think that person is really smart and shares great informaton.  I need to learn more about them.

My advice to you to stay up with the times is:

  • Follow others that use and study social media via Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter (and any other social network you like).
  • Attend social media events when your schedule permits
  • Network with social media people
  • Retweet the expert’s post so they want to read more about  you

I have one other thing to add:  If you want to secure your social networking reputation across all the platforms I would recommend you go to NameChk.com and reserve your username on the Social Networking Platforms before someone else gets it and isn’t as honorable as you are when using it. (A special thanks to @AJ_Wood for teaching #DFWSM Meetup about NameChk.com)

Please leave your comments on this post and any added thoughts.