Business Record - Iowa Biz

Why corporations block social media sites: Security and productivity

Image by luc legay via Flickr

Recently, The Des Moines Register reported that the Iowa DOT (Department of Transportation) blocked the use of Twitter, MySpace, Facebook and other social media applications among its employees, citing security concerns.

So, how unsafe are social networks, anyway? In my opinion, social technology is no more or less safe that any online destination and function (Web sites, e-mail, et cetera).

As an individual user, there are many precautions you can take, including using a safe browser: Firefox and Chrome get high marks for their advanced safety features, while Internet Explorer is frequently full of holes and security exploits.

You should also have some form of security software on your desktop machine or laptop that scans for viruses, malware, spyware and phishing apps once every 24 hours.

Thirdly, and probably most importantly, have some common sense. Don't click on anything that looks suspicious sent from someone you don't know, whether it comes to you in the form of an e-mail message, a tweet or a Facebook post.

Now, to the other issue, is the Iowa DOT really concerned about security issues, or is this a smokescreen to ensure that employees remain productive? I truly believe social networks (when used properly) can enhance a business or organization, and blocking them may simply result in missed opportunities.

Security and productivity should be addressed, in my view, with proper educational training, internal policies and employee culture. It's up to each individual company to talk to their employees about what goes and what doesn't go.

In the Iowa DOT's case, I'd recommend keeping these applications open for marketing and communications staff as a start. These are the people who will need to make use of social media tools and channels right now. Other employees, especially those on machines with access to sensitive data such as social security numbers, can remain closed-off and perhaps activated on an as-needed basis.

For a good analysis of what an internal social media usage policy might look like, here's a Mashable article on the topic including examples from Ford and Zappos.com.

Nathan T. Wright

The Iran elections and citizen journalism via Twitter

Above: Image by sharif via Flickr.

News reporting on the recent presidential election protests in Iran have been neutered by the country's government - in some instances, telephone, text messaging and Internet services were restricted, and journalists have even been banned from attending "unauthorized" demonstrations.

Thus, many Iranians have turned to Twitter to do their own citizen reporting, and also to receive news. A quick search on the micro-sharing network for the hashtag #iranelection or #gr88 brings back a barrage of updates. (While writing these first two paragraphs, the search brought back 2,192 more results since my first query only minutes ago.)

While the United States is steering clear of the election chaos, they are actively working with Twitter and other social networking sites to make sure information is flowing freely to and from Iran. Case in point: The State Department asked Twitter to postpone scheduled maintenance that would have impacted the site's uptime in Iran.

Any time a trending topic gets popular on Twitter, it runs the risk of being diluted (and sometimes polluted) by the masses jumping into the conversation and retweeting rapidly-changing information. That's why I love this blog post by BoingBoing's Cory Doctorow that gives Twitter users a playbook for constructive participation. He even suggests a trick to help protect the Iranian bloggers using Twitter: Changing your Twitter location to Tehran and your timezone to GMT +3.30 might help thwart security officers in their hunt to locate and censor bloggers.

While many criticize Twitter as a platform for mundane updates from the self-obsessed, the Iranian elections prove that it can be a valuable tool for quickly distributing (and retrieving) information in a de-centralized method that surpasses government or organizational control.

Nathan T. Wright

Social networking users aren't as young as you might think

In Twitter's infancy, the micro-sharing social network was largely perceived as a gathering place for hyper-connected, digitally-inclined twentysomethings. Sure, Twitter's early adopters were comprised of the younger "tech elite," but recent months have proven that the network is now more mainstream that you might think.

A couple of facts have recently jumped out at me:

1. According to Nielsen Online, the largest age population on Twitter is 35-49, making up almost 42 percent of the site's audience. 
2. A new survey from Pace University and the Participatory Media Network says that 99 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds have profiles on social networks, but only 22 percent are on Twitter.
3. Switching gears to Facebook: The fastest growing demographic is females 55 and older. 

So what does this tell us? A couple of things: Youth culture has not yet gravitated to Twitter. There could be many reasons for this - one being that the 18-24 age demographic grew up within Facebook's walls, and simply don't have the need or want to migrate to another social network. Also, the Baby Boomers have finally arrived.

Marketers love to put their targets into age and gender buckets, but meanwhile I'm reminded of something Mike Sansone once said: Adoption of social networks is attitudinal, not generational.

We've moved past the age where social networking is a world occupied only by Millenials. Social networks are ubiquitous, utilitarian, mainstream - they are all around us and they are diverse. There will always be a small population that resists social networking, but they'll be less and less defined by age.

Before the end of the year, your parents will be on Facebook (if they aren't already). We're getting closer to the day that the term social media goes away forever, and all this stuff just blends into everyday life.

Nathan T. Wright

Tracking hashtags on Twitter

Image by Search Engine People Blog via Flickr

If you're new to Twitter, you may be wondering what all those strange words are preceded by the # symbol. These are called hashtags - basically, it is a method for adding context to your Twitter updates. Similar, in concept, to tagging videos on YouTube or photos on Flickr.

On the right-hand side of your Twitter screen, you'll notice an area called trending topics. These change every day and can reflect upswings in stories being covered in the media, or even Twitter-specific events, such as the popular #followfriday meme.

Every Friday, certain Twitter users will give shout-outs to some of their favorite "tweeps," making it easier for their followers to discover other interesting people on the social network. They tag these updates with the #followfriday hashtag.

The # symbol makes all the data easier to aggregate and track. There are even Web properties solely devoted to tracking and defining hashtags, such as Des Moines' own WTHashtag.com. This site is built upon wiki technology, making it easy for visitors to create their own definition entries for certain hashtags.

Here's one I created: #CarpeDM - use this hashtag any time you're sharing news about something cool, new or innovative happening here in the Des Moines metro area.

So, why would a business be interested in any of this? Let's say that your organization has an entrenched interest in food production and safety, and you want to listen for what's being said on Twitter about the swine flu outbreak. You can easily review real-time chatter by searching for #swineflu on search.twitter.com, or pull trending graphs from services like WTHashtag or Twist.

Listening leads to business intelligence, competitive advantage and new opportunities, so remember to fine-tune your radar to include Twitter hashtags.

Nathan T. Wright

How far away is wearable social technology?

Every day I think more and more about the emergence of wearable social technology. To most people, this may conjure up such silly images as the Scrolling LED Belt Buckle. (Now imagine if you could hack it with an always-on Wi-Fi connection and access to your Twitter feed!)

But seriously, we're just now seeing practical applications of this in a very early form. Take Tweetup Badges, for instance. These ID cards have QR codes on the back which, when scanned by a mobile device with a QR reader application, launch a Web address or SMS message.

Okay, so let's say you're at a social event. You meet someone, you scan their badge, and suddenly their Twitter profile (and feed) launches in your mobile web browser. Rich Drake, Founder of Tweetup Badges, explains the benefit of this technology below:

Admittedly, we're still a long ways off from the concept of wearable social technology achieving maturity and mainstream acceptance. The above scenario assumes that:

1. Everyone at the event participates in some form of social network like Twitter.
2. These people all have QR badges or mobile devices able to read QR codes. Or both.  

Events like this do exist today, in the form of tweetups and tech conferences. The interface between a human with mobile device and a human with scannable badge exchanging some form of digital information isn't so different than the concept behind Poken, which has already launched in Japan and Europe.

Over time, this interface will become more seamless and invisible. Very soon, mobile devices will have face recognition software coupled with a ubiquitous social network (like Facebook). You'll be able to scan someone's face (simply by getting them in the viewfinder of your phone camera) and the device will fetch that person's public social network profile information. In essence, your face becomes the QR code.

Beyond that, the device itself will evolve past mobile phones, and may come embedded in a pair of eyeglasses, or even a contact lens.

Today, we interact with social networks in a very limited fashion - the computer or mobile screen. Imagine the possibilities when we become unshackled from those machines and our lens into layers upon layers of information is our own eyes.

Nathan T. Wright

How Facebook's interface change effects businesses

Recently Facebook made some dramatic changes to it's user interface, and I wanted to take a moment to explore what specifically changed for companies using the application.

Essentially, branded profiles for companies called pages now look, act and function similar to individual user profiles. Here's what's new and exciting:

1. You may now publish your company's "status" and it will show up in the individual front-page news feeds of all the users who have declared themselves fans of your page. In the past, updates were restricted to the four walls of the page itself.
2. You'll now notice tabs across the top of your company's page. This allows you to organize and segment your page's content in a way that makes more sense to your visitors. Previous Facebook pages were highly unorganized and chaotic in terms of design and aesthetic. You may also customize these tabs.
3. "The Wall" (an area for fans to leave comments on your page) is now enhanced with multimedia, meaning that visitors can post videos and photos along with text content. 

However, not everyone is happy with Facebook's UI changes, as Jennifer Leggio explains in this blog post on ZDNet.

If you're looking for more detail about Facebook's re-design and how it impacts businesses with a presence there, watch Hillary Brown's video below:

Nathan T. Wright

Why aren't more real estate agents on social networks?

Today, my co-pilot (Hillary Brown) and I gave a presentation to a group of real estate professionals about social networking tools that they can add to their existing marketing toolbox.

We've presented to groups of agents a few times before, and we're always surprised by how few have embraced social media as a lead-generation and networking tool.

Here's my paraphrased, outsider perspective on the business of being a real estate agent: There are two critical components - your network and reputation.

Participating in social networks in an authentic way can greatly enhance both of these things, so it seems like a no-brainer that agents should be harnessing these tools. However, some are still stuck in "broadcast marketing" mode, so I wanted to share a few examples of local agents that are doing interesting things.

Amber Salmon and Justin Volrath are active on the social network Twitter and frequently attend tweetups (meetups for Twitter users) where they build digital and real-life social and business connections. This is smart - they don't just rely on chamber of commerce luncheons and a Rolodex to build their network.

Amber is also a prolific blogger. Notice that the title of her blog is LiveinDesMoines.com, which is great for search engine optimization because these are the terms humans use when researching real estate communities online. Sure, Amber promotes her listings on the blog, but she also provides value to her potential clients with posts like What is Des Moines, Iowa like? and What do I really need to know when I buy a home?

Also, do a quick Google search for either one of them. The top results will bring back their individual presences on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Every day, more and more real estate buyers are doing their homework and checking out agents on social networks, so it's critical to have some form of presence out there. It's OK to blur the lines between personal and professional a little bit, so don't stress over that.

Your clients will want to know that you're a human being, after all!

These are just a few quick examples of what agents could do, but the possibilities on the social Web are endless. What else could they take advantage of? Please feel free to add your thoughts below.

Nathan T. Wright

Why college students need LinkedIn profiles

This post is an open letter to college students of all ages: If you aren't on LinkedIn yet, get out there and set up an account today. Here are a few reasons why:

1. Previous employers, co-workers and professors can recommend you, and these recommendations are attached to your public profile/resume. How powerful is that? Potential employers can then check your references and follow up efficiently. 
2. By posting your resume online, you're expanding your own "reach." Why limit yourself to a few pieces of paper buried under dozens of resumes in an HR office?  
3. Employers will look you up online. It's better to have content waiting for them, instead of nothing at all.  
4. Having a LinkedIn presence shows you're serious about getting hired. I'm always impressed by the college students who have taken the initiative to build out a LinkedIn profile, over their peers who haven't.  
5. This also establishes that you know a little bit about social networks - knowledge that many employers are looking for right now. 

Also, don't be afraid to include the URL (web address) of your LinkedIn profile on your resume's contact information. Recent grads are entering a competitive market right now, so don't be afraid to set yourself apart, be exceptional and be awesome. 

Nathan T. Wright

Who should manage your social media efforts?

Let's say you're a business. Any size - from a small retail shop to a large corporation. You're intrigued by social media and its possibilities, and you're ready to dedicate a staff member to these efforts. Now the question is: What staff member should have these responsibilities? What qualities should you look for when hiring for the position?

Conventional wisdom would say that this person might need some sort of Web design, information technology or marketing background. While those skill sets certainly don't hurt, they don't need to be requirements.

An effective social media manager should have the following traits:

• Curiosity - He/she will be curious about new mediums and new technology. You won't need to tell them to check out the newest social network - they'll already be signed up, playing around with it and determining whether or not it has any relevance to your business.
• Immersed - This person will not only have Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter accounts, they'll be activate participants. If they aren't familiar with these tools, they're probably not a good fit for you.
• Personable - By engaging with customers in social mediums, he/she will immediately be thrown into a customer support role. This person must be able to pleasantly and patiently interface with your business audience on a daily basis.
• Willing to teach others - A social media manager will constantly be educating their co-workers and superiors on the latest technology. 
• Ability to write - So much of digital communication takes the form of the written word. Despite it's inherent immediacy, any social media effort is an extension of your company's brand and should reflect professionalism. A firm grasp of spelling and proper sentence structure is a must!

Another great resource that I frequently refer back to is Jason Falls' April 2008 blog post about what he was looking for in a social media co-pilot at his employer, Doe-Anderson.

If you've recently hired - or identified - someone to champion social media within your organization, I'd love to hear your thoughts below on what traits you looked for.

Nathan T. Wright

Who owns your social graph?

I'm hearing lots of people freaking out today - in blog posts and Twitter - about Facebook's recent changes to their Terms of Service (TOS) and how this impacts your privacy and the content you post there.

Essentially, Facebook removed this phrase from their TOS:

You may remove your User Content from the Site at any time. If you choose to remove your User Content, the license granted above will automatically expire, however you acknowledge that the Company may retain archived copies of your User Content.

Essentially this means that any content you upload there is Facebook's property, forever. Yup, they own it, and they can do whatever they want with it in the future. Even if you cancel your account, according to this snippet from the TOS:

The following sections will survive any termination of your use of the Facebook Service: Prohibited Conduct, User Content, Your Privacy Practices, Gift Credits, Ownership; Proprietary Rights, Licenses, Submissions, User Disputes; Complaints, Indemnity, General Disclaimers, Limitation on Liability, Termination and Changes to the Facebook Service, Arbitration, Governing Law; Venue and Jurisdiction and Other.

I'm not as panicked about this (or even surprised) as some people are, because I believe you should always understand the Terms of Service implications of social networks as you explore them. I understand, it's asking a lot to read all that legal verbiage before you sign up. Inside Facebook, you've never actually owned your Social Graph - the company does.

Blogger Chris Brogan points out in a recent post that both banks and health insurance companies own your records, so it should come as no shock that Facebook owns what you put on their servers. Brogan also reminds us that every Web service owns our data to varying degrees, whether it's Facebook, Google Docs, Twitter, Dopplr, et cetera.

In summary, if you're really concerned about the change of verbiage on Facebook's TOS, go out and research the terms of every social application you interact with. Another general rule: Don't upload anything you wouldn't want them to own.

What are your thoughts? Are you less inclined to share on Facebook after this news, and will it impact your social networking habits?

Nathan T. Wright

Photo credit: adactio via Flickr