On the front side of the social media explosion, the visionary author and keynoter Peter Shankman (@petershankman) anticipated the impact of this movement, which has fundamentally altered our personal and business interactions. As the founder of the indispensable Help a Reporter Out (@helpareporter), he made incisive observations during a talk years ago, which continue to resonate.
Observations From a Social Media Visionary
Here are some of Peter Shankman‘s key points:
- Come up with great ideas that are more difficult to steal: “There are no new ideas. Everything we do is a steal,” he said.
- Build a following by sharing others’ news: “The art of tweeting is re-tweeting.”
- Figure out how you are relevant to your audience: “If not, you will go away…. Your job for your business and personal brand is to maintain relevance. Make sure that you do something better than others.”
- Focus on brevity and worthwhile information: “Connect through short, relevant bursts of information.”
- Learn to write to get attention: “Get your message across in less than 20 seconds.”
- Help others remember your name: “It just takes 10 seconds to help someone remember your name” (e.g., send a birthday message or note showing that you’re thinking about others).
- Recognize the power of social media: “Social media will not save the world but change it.”
Additional Social Media Tips and Resources
Here are some other key players who have shared helpful social media resources. We’re tipping our hat back to those who extended a helping hand and took the time to make a personal connection:
@jeffbullas
Jeff Bullas in Sydney, Australia, is a Forbes Top 10 Social Media Influencer. As a respected social media marketing strategist, content marketing pro and speaker, he shares a steady stream of tips on Twitter and a wealth of resources including information about blogs, photos, videos and more.
@jaunblanco76
John White, a columnist for Inc. and Forbes, helps companies grow via social media marketing. Based in Fort Collins, CO, the founder of Social Marketing Solutions works with Fortune 500 clients, mid-size firms, startups and high-profile entrepreneurs across the world to improve their online presence.
@michelleh
Michelle Harris, an expert social media practitioner in London, helps businesses with social media branding. She shares tips in an informative blog, along with social media tools to schedule Instagram updates and increase engagement with prospects and influencers.
@KonradSanders
The founder and content strategist at The Creative Copywriter in London reached out to share the company’s free eBooks and resources. Some of these include The Fluff-Free Guide to Content Strategy, The Waffle-Free Guide to Social Media Marketing and 25 Customer-Converting Copywriting Secrets.
@MadalynSklar
Based in Houston, this leading Twitter marketing guru follows back and shares tips in videos, fostering strong personal connections. She hosts the #TwitterSmarter chat on Thursdays at 1 p.m. ET and #SocialROI chat on Tuesdays at 5 p.m. ET. Pick up more tips listening to her podcast http://bit.ly/twittersmarter.
@SMediaXplosion
SocialMediaXplosion specializes in social media marketing tips and strategies on how to use Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn for your business. You can download a FREE Social Media Marketing Ebook titled “The Guru’s Social Media Secrets Revealed” at socialmediaxplosion.com/free-ebook.
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