Facebook: UnLike

A number of people have asked me today to weigh in on this article from Dangerous Minds that went 'viral' this week in the Social Media sphere, so I'll try. Richard Metzger is undeniably angered and frustrated by what Facebook has done by forcing the sponsored posts business model: 

“I despise it.” Hear that beleaguered holders of Facebook stock? That kind of talk would make my blood run cold. How many companies can you name that you actively despise?

For online publishers who depend on “page views” to sell advertising against—and who have invested considerable time and effort courting Facebook fans—the company’s new policies are particularly galling: Imagine losing 85% of your inventory and then being asked to pay a daily king’s ransom—more than it’s even worth to you—to get it back!

Netflix was only trying to soak you for another $6 a month, not starve you to death!

First, for the $2000 Dangerous Minds spent on promoting this article, I believe they certainly got their money's worth considering the reach this has had already and is still going strong. Obviously they can't afford that cost on a daily basis however, but in this instance it worked quite fine actually.

Second, Facebook is 'free' for the majority of us, and one side of me says that nothing is ever free and therefore these changes should have been expected someday - maybe just not to such exorbitant rates. (I won't get into Big Data in this article and its value.) As mentioned in the article, the pricing scale needs to be adjusted and fast. Small businesses shouldn't be paying the same as Ford or Nike when deciding to promote posts on Facebook. And Facebook, not exactly hurting for cash presently or anytime soon, should be content with the hundreds, or thousands of dollars smaller businesses will throw their way yearly with a different cost structure, like the one mentioned by Metzger: 

But make no mistake about it. Had Facebook debuted the Promote “option” with a more reasonable rate card that would apply to frequently updated blogs and media outlets—something akin to “book rate” at the post office—we’d have been willing to pay between $7 to $10 a post. Facebook WOULD have made around $2500 to $3000 a month from Dangerous Minds, every month. That’s around $30,000 a year, but apparently the price of a new car is not enough for Facebook to want to cultivate Dangerous Minds as a customer! 

It believe it is true, though, that pulling this 'bait n' switch' on your customers as Zuckerberg has done without sufficient notice or properly disseminated information, is a huge, mind-boggling blunder that is already having unwanted ramifications on a company whose IPO tanked spectacularly. When you have Google+ hot on your tail, what Facebook has done is simply not smart.

Finally, although I have empathy for those small businesses who are now screwed by this new sponsored post deal, I also want to state that even just 8 years ago these same businesses were paying for ads in newspapers, magazines and possibly radio without much complaint as it was simply part of the cost of doing business. The fact that brand page promotion has been mostly free all this time is frankly a miracle. (Again, leaving Big Data out of the equation.)

So, is what Facebook is doing wrong? Partly. Should it be surprising? Not for a publicly traded corporation in a capitalist world. Should small/er business like Dangerous Minds jump ship? No. They might creatively try to provide content that gets spread around without needing to pay simply because their fans love it, and them. There's always a solution, isn't there? 

Twitter Value: Part 1 - Customer Service

I am being asked daily about the 'value of Twitter' and why I bother to use it. Which doesn't surprise me since the top Twitter users are celebrities and comedians who don't really provide much value in my opinion.
I believe that Twitter has provided me with lots of value, therefore I will expand on a few areas in the next three posts and see if I can convince the skeptical crowd.

In the past week, I have again been very pleased with the customer service aspect of Twitter and how it has helped me. It is more immediate, direct and faster on Twitter to connect with brands and companies and their respective customer service reps. Take Cuisinart for example:

While making myself a green smoothie the other day, I realized it's time for a new sealer gasket. I thought, 'Where in all of Toronto am I going to find one?' This being the reason I haven't really bothered to search one out before. Then, of course, I thought, 'Why not tweet Cuisinart and find out?' So, as you can see, I did and was rewarded with an answer within a couple of hours and can now order what I need online with ease.

The same day, I had questions for Downcast, HootSuite and HashTracking, and they all responded well and helpfully. I got what I needed, and fast without having to be put on hold or write a lengthy email and then check my inbox for the next few days for a response. Examples below:

Smart companies and organizations have realized the power of Twitter when it comes to better customer service, and we -as customers- should take advantage of the succinct, quick and easy way that Twitter provides in getting our questions and issues resolved.

I encourage you to try it out for yourself with any customer service issue you currently have and let us know the outcome in the comments below. If you've already had experience(s) using Twitter for customer service with a brand, also let us know.

Learn with Me chat: Oct. 22, 2012

On Monday evening at 8pm EDT, I hosted my first Learn with Me chat! The focus was on Twitter, and along with helping participants learn how to use the platform better and participate in Twitter chats, we also discussed its value in the workplace.

I provided tips on using TweetChat.com in order to participate in the chat easily, and I also explained common and useful acronyms. I hope you find them helpful, too. 

There was a nice discussion on why organizations still aren't embracing Twitter and how we might convince them to hop on board. It was nice to have that discussed honestly and take a look at the real value of Twitter, something I'm going to do in my next series of posts. 

Please have a look at the partial transcript on Storify. I have tried to organize all the tips toward the beginning and gathered the focused conversations together as well. 

Join me on Mondays at 8-9pm EDT/EST for Learn with Me - #learnwme - and Let's Learn Social! 

How-To: #Hashtags and Twitter Chats

I have to say that some days I feel like I'm #getting #hashtagged #to #death. It seems like they are being used for anything as a kind of a side comment or sarcastic jab. This can be funny and clever at times, but the overkill is unfortunate.

And yet every week someone asks me, "What's a hashtag, and what's it used for on Twitter?" Well, I had the same question a few years ago, so let's answer it.

When I sought out the answer, I went right to the source: Twitter. And they have a great explanation:

Definition: The # symbol, called a hashtag, is used to mark keywords or topics in a Tweet. It was created organically by Twitter users as a way to categorize messages.

All clear? I wasn't either, so I encourage you to read the rest of that page before going further if you need more clarity. Kelly Clay also gives some good info here and mentions one of the uses I'll be utilizing in a couple of weeks at the annual CSTD Conference:

Using a hashtag is useful for conferences and events to keep all mentions on Twitter about the conference or event searchable and accessible in a stream for those using third-party apps. 

Basically, hashtags help you keep track of conversations centred around certain topics and events. The #FirstWorldProblems being a good example. A hashtag can also help you do research or find like-minded individuals when you combine it with a search on Twitter.

One recent example of how a hashtag on Twitter benefited me was the day of the inaugural 'First Thursdays' event at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO). I neglected to buy my ticket in advance and it was sold out with a rush line that evening. I wanted to go, but I didn't want to head down there just to stand in line for over an hour and then not get in to the party. So, I headed to Twitter, searched for #AGO1st and was able to follow the discussion thread, connect with others attending or waiting in line and eventually decide whether to make the trip down there or not. I did go, got in quickly, and loved the event!

My favourite use of a hashtag is for Twitter chats, which are explained here by Janet Fouts. I have had wonderful discussion via Twitter chats, networked and met great people and learned a lot from them. Using TweetChat.com makes it easy, fun and rewarding.

I like Twitter chats so much, in fact, that I'm hosting my own! Please join me and learn with me at #learnwme to discover more about Adult Learning and Development and Social Media! They will be held Mondays from 8 - 9pm EST with the first one happening this Monday, October 22, 2012!

I will begin the #learnwme chats with one that helps those of you who may be Twitter novices. So, this first chat on October 22 will focus on three things to help you learn and practice:

1. How to participate in a Twitter chat. (I'll be instructing and answering questions as we go along while you practice simultaneously.) 
2. Why Twitter is a valuable tool worthy of your engagement. 
3. What some of the most popular Twitter acronyms are and how to use them. 

Please join me and let's have some fun learning together on Twitter! Any questions or comments? Please add them below. 

Social Media and Backchannel Learning

When I got my iPhone, one of the very first apps I put on it was Evernote which I still use every single day. It often serves as my own personal Wikipedia of articles and learning. And the iPhone itself has become a tool I rave about because of how it has helped me increase productivity, connect with others and learn new and wonderful things.

Therefore, I am always disappointed when a trainer or facilitator begins their session or workshop with this request: "Please turn off your phones and mobile devices before we get started."

In Dave Kelly's article, Backchannel Learning in an Organizational Setting, he confronts this common occurrence and explains why these trainers and facilitators should stop fighting the technology wave that has already arrived and embrace it instead. And I completely agree.

He writes,

Many teachers, trainers, and presenters have been resisting the use of mobile devices during their sessions. To quote a famous Star Trek line, "Resistance is futile." The influx of smart phones is only going to continue, so resistance only delays the inevitable. It is also shortsighted, as the usage of mobile devices during sessions is not a risk at all; it is an opportunity.

Simply put, learners are now walking into your session carrying the ultimate engagement tool right in their pocket.

He goes on to relate another common occurrence that I personally partake in when attending conferences and workshops - using Social Media platforms during the sessions to relay what is being learned to others not in attendance. I adore Twitter for this reason (among many others). This fantastic interaction is referred to as 'The Backchannel'.

Coming up at the end of this month, I will be tweeting for and from the Canadian Society of Training and Development's 2012 Conference and I can't wait. I, along with many others, will be tweeting the gems we learn for anyone to see via the hashtag, #CSTD2012. As Dave Kelly points out in his article, this backchannel learning is an amazing opportunity despite all the unfortunate resistance to it.

In addition to the content shared by those organizational employees in attendance, non-attendees can also learn from the content shared by everyone else attending the conference. For larger conferences, there could be hundreds of people sharing their learning via the backchannel.

It is in this open sharing that the true power of the backchannel emerges. You can definitely get an understanding of the themes, trends, and concepts being shared at a conference by reviewing the postings of attendees shared through the backchannel.

I embrace and encourage the use of smartphones, Social Media and backchannel learning whenever and wherever possible. How about you? What experiences have you already had and what were the outcomes?
Please leave your comments below.