I just had lunch with a writer friend who wanted to pick my brain about social media. Social media–does anybody talk about anything else these days?
Almost two years ago, I made the decision to stick my big toe into the muddy stream of social media while listening to a teleseminar by an “older” woman promoting its value. I thought, “Hmm, if she can figure it out despite her aging brain, then why can’t I?” That was the day I realized that technology would continue to be my foe because of my fear of it; if it learned about it and then jumped in, my fear would disappear and I could make Web 2.0 work for me.
Today I continue to be a student of internet marketing, website building, and book promotion, and I try to soak up information about what’s going on with social media and technology. Or at least as much as this aging brain will allow!
I’ve concluded that social media is a powerful force to befriend. Particularly for writers who are struggling to promote their writing, their books, or their brand. As I look back over the social media influences in my life the last week or so, I find many examples of its influence.
Last week I attended a writing networking group and author Marcia Reynolds shared how she created a buzz for her new book Wander Woman: How High-Achieving Women Find Contentment and Direction
In Oregon over the weekend, I checked out Yelp reviews before deciding on a restaurant and then visited the restaurant’s site to check out its web presence and menu. In one hotel room without—horror of horrors—internet connection, I resorted to acquiring restaurant information the old-fashioned way by letting my fingers walk through DEX. Since Google became my best friend, I can’t remember when the last time was that I’ve touched the yellow pages other than to put them in the recycling bin as soon as they’re delivered to my front door.
Back in Phoenix after I posted photos of my trip on Facebook, my parents invited me to dinner at Grapes, a little Italian restaurant and winebar a mile from my house that I had driven by ever since it opened. They had heard about it through social media for old folks–word of mouth, friend-to-friend. Of course, I “Yelped” it prior to our arrival and learned there was a happy hour, which was not advertised on the restaurant’s very basic site. I complimented the manager on the food and wondered how he was promoting the largely empty place. Social media, I wondered? Then today I saw how Facebook saved a dying Florida restaurant. If Facebook can rescue Betty White from retirement, why not use it to save a restaurant in danger of closing or promote an eatery that deserves a loyal following?
As we lunched today, my writer friend fired up her wifi and questioned how the “average” grandparent will use social media. Some will get it and some won’t, I said. And some will have to hire people like me to help them get it, I explained as I demonstrated how a Facebook fan page works. And some will be too old (in their attitude) so that they’ll never even bother to get it, although my oldest Facebook friend is a computer savvy 85-year-old grandmother and old family friend. On Facebook I just learned her grandson’s tumor had dramatically shrunk and shared this news over dinner with my non-Facebooking parents. For once my mother didn’t bemoan “you people and your computers” after I delivered the news flash.
I told my friend that social media is about building connections as well as trust, especially if you’re promoting a business. Facebook fan pages are a great promotional tool, which is why I created a Wise Women Write fan page that can be accessed via Google by even non-Facebook users. It’s just another way to be….well, social, I guess, while at the same time building a brand. I know my fan page count is but a tiny rhinestone speck compared to the fan base of someone like Lady Gaga—could it be the way I dress?—but I’m happily getting my voice out there as I build my little Wise Women Write fan group and have fun.
Fun. Yep, I’m pretty sure that’s why social media is catching on. People find sites like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube fun. And rather addictive. Must be why the latest Facebook statistics say that more than 400 million active users spend over 500 billion minutes per day roaming around the site.
So should you make friends with social media or not? Whether you’re the average grandparent my friend mentioned or a business struggling to be competitive, social media can help you connect to others. If you need “Social Media in Plain English,” check out this YouTube video I stumbled onto by the Common Craft folks explaining social media using ice cream. (My kids have rolled their eyes when I’ve warned them to try a lot of flavors other than vanilla before you find the flavor/guy you like.) In this case, the ice cream analogy works very well in this video. And who doesn’t like ice cream?
So what flavor of social media is your guilty pleasure? Make mine two scoops of Facebook please.
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Social media has brought me closer to family and friends who live out of state. I think it’s one of the best benefits there is. I’d love to see things streamlined for those afraid to jump in or who don’t use a computer very often (like my mother who is still on dial-up. Seriously, they still make that).
ps: I LOVE a good ice cream analogy!