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Be the change you wish to see in the world – Gandhi

Change is a good thing, even when it sometimes can be hard.  But if you wish to see change, it starts with you.

What’s best for you, may not be best for someone else, but the bottomline is if you can begin with the change that you would want to see elsewhere, start within.

== 

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Top 10 Social Media Predictions for 2010 – Online Reputation Leads List

Image representing Google Alerts as depicted i...
Image via CrunchBase

In an article by Michael Fertik, CEO of ReputationDefender, he lists the Top 10 Social Media Predictions for 2010. I believe that online reputation management, both on an individual personal level and on a business or company level, will be more prudent, now more than ever.  Do you have Google alerts set up for your name? Do you simply at least do online searches of your name, your family members, children and/or your business or company you work for?

Make sure you have an online reputation policy and plan in place, to be able ward off any negative information and also to help “push” up positive information as well. There are ways to do it yourself, but services for a very nominal fee exist as well, to help with daily and monthly monitoring of your brand.

Here’s Michael Fertik’s Top 10 Social Media Predictions for 2010 in its’ entirety below:

2010: The year of Atomic Branding

Source: ZDNet Date: 12/29/09
By:
Michael Fertik

2010 will see the arrival of what we can call Atomic Branding. Thought leader predictions tend toward the conclusion that we will see a personal brand renaissance in 2010. But let’s expand that. Atomic Branding is a concept that captures the many-layered and concentric-circled features of human brands.

You have a personal brand. You have a professional brand. Your family has a brand. Your neighborhood has a brand. Your small business has a brand. And all of them are tightly connected. At its most atomic level, atomic branding starts at the unit of the individual human.

I predict that 2010 is the year of Atomic Branding and the “business of one” — the birth of and focus on the individual’s personal and professional brand in the world — that will require a new type of digital promotion, control, and security. Individuals will yearn for online privacy, something that is under increasing threat as social media sites gather and publish more detail about us every day. We will all need to manage our online reputations.

Here are my Top Ten Social Media Predictions for 2010:

1] Resumes will become obsolete: Job seekers will be evaluated in part as brands who live online, rather than as bullet points on a page. Hiring managers will rely little on submitted resumes and will instead Google their candidates, expecting to find a solid Web history that includes a LinkedIn profile showing work history, accomplishments, references and networks.

2] 100% of hiring managers, universities and potential dates will use search to evaluate candidates. 100% of them will choose, at least once, not to hire, accept or go out with someone due to negative search results.

3] Teens will have an average of 2.5 social profiles–with distinctive usernames and even real/fake names–and adults will have 1.25.

4] Social network privacy settings will be 90% ineffective: Recent changes to social networks’ “privacy” settings are the most significant contribution to digital security since warrantless wiretapping.

5] Spam will represent 30% of all social media communications: People will continue to receive tweets and messages from people in their social networks that carry a virus, encouraging them to open a bank account in Vladivostok. Security for social media sites isn’t strong enough yet

6] 2010 is the year of the online reputation score. The death knell has sounded on old-school credit scoring, which is seen as both data poor and outdated. The race for the new, more useful score is on.

7] Social media will start and propagate at least five major rumors about politics, arts, finance, or sports that old media will report as real news before realizing they got hoaxed.

8] The rise of teen suicides from cyber bullying will become a major nationwide news discussion.

9] At least 1 Fortune 1000 CEO and one member of Congress will resign due to a social media controversy.

10] Celebrities will stop using Twitter: Chris Brown, Lil Wayne, and Miley Cyrus have already leapt off the Twitter bandwagon.

Original post at Link: http://blogs.zdnet.com/feeds/?p=2264&tag=trunk;content…

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Finding time for paradise Does automation free our schedules?

Aruba - From Ed Bisquera PostSo I stumbled upon this idyllic photo of a beach in Aruba. Back in the early 1990’s I worked and lived aboard a cruise ship, playing music for passengers and one of my favorite spots was Aruba, an island in the southern Caribbean. Why am I reminiscing about this island getaway? Because it got me thinking about how little time we have now and I wonder with the advent of the Internet and automated tools, etc, has it really helped us or are we more distracted than ever? 

I spent the last few days constructing a better system at publishing content online for all my clients and using some suggested “best practices” on how much the content delivery can be automated through the use of RSS feeds and a few social network syndication tools. My goal was to create a work flow system that allowed for semi-automated distribution and fully automated as well. My goal was to also find a way to do updates via audio and/or a phone call. [Update: read below; found a service that takes a phone call and converts voice to text. Read update below.] 

A few things I discovered was that while http://Ping.fm could deliver to multitudes of social networks, and to my favorite posting service http://Posterous.com I also noticed that http://HelloTxt.com had some better ways of dealing with syndication that I liked. In addition to these free online social networking tools that connect and allow for simple syndication of your content marketing, I employ http://Twitterfeed.com to take my blog RSS feeds to auto post. 

Will saving time posting and updating to my social networks really save me more time, enough to enjoy my family and friends more? Maybe, and maybe just enough to get back to Aruba someday! :-)  

– Update – 

After searching for a safer way to create and update content online while driving (no longer do I text while driving; so dangerous I know!) I found that http://Dial2Do.com let’s me call a number, say “reminder” to take my voice recording and dictate or “email” to send an email from with voice-to-text or “Twitter” to do the same. I have added the commands “hello text” and “ping fm” as well, to experiment with posting. Apparently http://Dial2Do.com also allows to post to a blog via a phone call as well. Stay tuned while I try this service out! Aruba, here I come! 

Ed Bisquera 

Vancouver | Auburn | Washington
(360) 597-8283 cell
http://SocialMediaNetworking101.com
http://Twitter.com/edbisquera
http://Activerain.com/edbisquera 

Sent from my iPhone

Posted via email from Ed Bisquera

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Trying an experiment with Posterous.com Does this work?

For today’s post, I’m experimenting with using http://Posterous.com and creating a blog post, with attached audio.

If everything works out correctly, clients should be able to automate about 40-50 % off their social marketjng online and still have accurate control of what is posted and where. In addition, different media can be uploaded and posted, including pictures, video, Powerpoint and PDF’s.

Hopefully this works. Please let me know if you see this and also can hear the attached audio.

Thanks!

Ed Bisquera

Vancouver, WA 98664
(360) 597-8283 cell
http://SocialMediaNetworking101.com
http://Twitter.com/edbisquera
http://Activerain.com/edbisquera

Sent from my iPhone

Posted via email from Ed Bisquera

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NOW official: Homebuyer $8000 Tax Credit ($6500 for existing homeowners) to be signed by Obama today

Well, it’s nearly official folks; President Obama is poised to sign a bill today, it IS OFFICIAL, Obama signed a bill that extends the homebuyer tax credit that passed Congress this week (the Senate and the House of Representatives, for those that a quick reminder in government civics lesson) that will extend the First Time Homebuyer Non-Refundable $8000 Tax Credit to April 30, 2010. UPDATE (8:55 AM):  Looks like it’s official. Tax credit extension, plus more to help unemployed & small business owners http://ping.fm/gprxx

The quick skinny on the new bill:

  • The bill, awaiting for Obama’s signature, will extend a non-refundable homebuyer tax credit to existing homeowners as well
  • In addition to first time homebuyers, as long as homeowners looking to purchase their next home have owned and lived in their current home for 5 years, they too will qualify, but for $6500
  • First time homebuyers will still qualify for the full $8000, in relation to the new income limits, which has been increased…
  • Income cap has also been increased from $75,000 for individuals to $125,000 and for joint filers from $150,000 to $225,000
  • New Deadlines:  Contracts need to be signed by April 30, 2010 and the sales need to CLOSE (and likely need to FUND, meaning money from buyer/lender needs to arrive in escrow’s hands) by June 30, 2010.

What does this mean for Washington and Oregon homebuyers and homeowners?  The government just agreed to “print more money” in an effort to continue to stimulate the housing industry.  If we continue to see housing sales increase through the 4th quarter of 2009 and now through the first half of 2010, the government hopes we can move a just a little quicker out of this recession.  Time will only tell, though…

On a sidenote, it has been a little disappointing to see so many mortgage and real estate professionals spreading news earlier this week on blogs, Twitter, etc, that this bill had already passed and the tax credit had been already extended to homebuyers. Well, these real estate and mortgage professionals were a little incorrect in spreading the news of the tax credit being extended, when in fact, it takes the President to sign the new bill OFFICIALLY into effect.  Yes, it’s likely to be passed, but let’s not spread incorrect news and information to consumers, until it’s official.  Don’t spread news or incorrect information until it OFFICIALLY HAPPENS.  I think it can mislead the consumer and our clients when I think we should be sharing information that is accurate and helfpul.  Just my two cents…  :-)

At least there were some folks like @jaypapasan (official trainer with Keller Williams) & @PhxREguy (Jay, Real estate agent in Phoenix, AZ) that had the news correct, on the potential passing of the tax credit.  Hopefully I can amend my blog post and make it official, that President Obama has signed this extension for homebuyers today (November 6, 2009).

For a reminder of how a bill makes it into law, here’s a video from our friends at Schoolhouse Rock.

Schoolhouse Rock- How a Bill Becomes a Law

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BJ’s flag football game near Ft Vancouver Library Vancouver Washington

Another winning game day for Benjamin’s flag football team, “The Seahawks!”

Picture taken October 31, 2009 at fields adjacent to Ft Vancouver Library.

I forgot what the score was, but at least they won! :-) And it didn’t rain!

Ed Bisquera

Vancouver, WA 98664
(360) 597-8283 cell
http://SocialMediaNetworking101.com
http://Twitter.com/edbisquera
http://Activerain.com/edbisquera

Sent from my iPhone

Posted via email from Ed Bisquera’s Posterous

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How to catch the latest news via YouTube Video

How to Catch the Latest News on YouTube

Demand for information and news in the quickest, smallest form on the web is ever increasing and YouTube offers a way to fill that need. Their major role in shifting where we get our news is evident and the video sharing site allows for searching nearly every news outlet and has daily featured news content. Many reputable news organizations have channels and you can subscribe to them for video updates. To learn more, watch this YouTube video on how news can be delivered to you.

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Facebook Manners And You – What NOT To Do

Facebook Manners And You – What NOT To Do

If you would like to see a humorous take on Facebook etiquette, via a video filmed like it was circa 1956, you’ll enjoy this video.

I first saw this video earlier this year, but just stumbled upon it again and have experienced what Facebook can do to friends of mine who used to date. A few of my online and offline friends have also expressed that it may be time to “clean house” of Facebook friends and really only be connected to those that are truly friends.

I’m sure you’ll enjoy this video; what do you think of Facebook Manners And You?

P.S. Visit me on Facebook

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Content Marketing Best Practices or “Why does my company really need a blog?!”

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Image by MyEyeSees via Flickr

I was recently retained by a few companies, one being a real estate firm and the other an attorney.  I’ve also been fortunate to be retained by a mortgage loan officer, to help with creating a social media strategy and one of the top questions or concerns I receive is, why does one need a blog and what is this all about content production and content marketing?

I thought I’d spend some time in this post discussing all the benefits of being a content publisher as a company or individual brand, but I think it’s best summed up in the following posts.

From Hubspot.com comes two blog posts, the first “Survey Shows Increase Use Of Content As A Marketing Tool” reveals statistics from a recent survey on what companies are doing now in the digital marketing arena and compares it to other marketing tactics companies are using. A great post that showcases the power of content marketing.

The second, “A Lesson From La La Land – Create A Content Portfolio” discusses how companies can think like major motion picture studios, by releasing multiple pieces of content, to “amortize” risk and to have multiple opportunities at what the public might connect with.  In other words, multiple pieces of content allows you to have multiple opportunities at seeing what will “resonate” with readers and viewers. And you never know which piece of content will turn into your “blockbuster!” :-)

Additional posts that discuss blogging best practices (blogging is one of the easiest ways to create and publish content online for companies):

Business Blogging Mistakes
The Small Business Blog

And from my own blog, some past blog posts regarding blogging as a company:

A List of Blogging Best Practices via SocialMediaNetworking101.com Blogging Category

I hope that these blog posts/articles brings some awareness to the validity and strength of adding content marketing to your overall marketing mix and that combining content publishing with your social media marketing efforts, can yield you and your business, long lasting results.

How do you feel about content publishing and content marketing as a small business? What are you doing now to provide quality content that resonates best with your readers/clients/prospects?

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How to share great content online

blogging

Image by Mexicanwave via Flickr

Inspired from Mashable’s Top 20 Ways to Share a Great Blog Post

I thought I’d offer up a synopsis of how I share great content online and in this case primarily blog posts I find compelling or interesting.

Building trust, authority and conversation can be via sharing great content, so I often share this across my social media spaces.

Sometimes I just comment on them and that is enough for me.  When I comment on a blog, such as this one from Chris Brogan or on AttentionMac.com, it automatically gets saved to my Disqus.com account.  What is Disqus? I talk about it on my Day One of my Social Media Workshop where I have a recorded video of what is and how it works.  One thing it does when I make a comment, is it automatically sends out a “Tweet” to my Twitter account that attributes the author and provides a link back to the original post and comment.

Some of the time, I use Ping.fm to share across multiple social networks (automagically posts to my Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Delicious, etc) and I usually try to post content that is informative, educational, entertaining or helpful.

And if you’re looking at more ways to post and share great content online, I recommend reading the Top 20 Ways to Share a Great Blog Post originally found at Mashable.com.  This post reveals a bunch of great tools, including a few I mentioned above.

What ways do you share great content online? Email? Word of mouth? Via your Facebook wall? Or through Twitter?  Which method do you prefer most?

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