Category Archives: Facebook

How to fit social media into everything else

  By Nathalie Trepanier | May 21, 2013 - 10:47 am | , ,
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Many people are intimidated by social media because they fear it will consume too much of their time and resources. While it’s true that an instant response is desirable, it is not always practical – particularly if you are a very small business or a business of one. To address this issue, you can indicate up front when or how often you are able to respond. This will ensure that expectations are met. This strategy works particularly well for individuals who are very regimented. They can set their own expectations and work their schedules around social media. If you don’t set those expectations up front, practice will invariably do it for you. Those who follow you regularly will come to know when to expect a new blog, tweet or response. They will also adjust their responses accordingly.

If you want to be strategic about your timing, Business Insider has conveniently identified the best times of day to post on each social network.

Ultimately though, individuals or businesses will invest the time and effort if they feel there is a real return on that investment. We know that social media is not going away and the longer you wait to get on board, the more effort you will have to make to capture, keep and grow your audience.

For those who have come to embrace social media, the effort is no longer how to get on, it’s how to get off.

Take a breath and slowly move your fingers away from the keyboard

  By Nathalie Trepanier | April 17, 2013 - 12:24 am | , , , ,
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I have to confess, I am often the first to get drawn into a futile battle. While that can be frustrating in verbal exchanges, it can be really counterproductive if not downright stupid online. Nothing is private anymore. Everything can be shared on Facebook, Twitter…just pick your weapon. I recently read an email exchange between a merchant and a customer that was subsequently pasted onto Facebook with the merchant lambasting the customer and calling her stupid because she failed to read the full add and request information that was obvious in the ad. Who’s feeling stupid now?

Politeness, good manners and simple courtesy are always important but perhaps no more so than now, when everyone can potentially be a witness. That is both the danger and the beauty of social media. While social media does encourage quick responses, never, EVER give in when feelings, or rather, bad feelings are involved. Step back. Think it through and be strategic. Perhaps you ask a colleague who is more objective (read calm) to respond. Maybe you leave it for a day or don’t respond at all. There is a whole discussion that could be devoted to how to respond to negativity and I will leave that for another time. The point here is not to let your feelings overrule your good judgment. You might regret it but social media will never let you forget it.

Helpful links:
Anger management

You can’t escape the media

  By Nathalie Trepanier | April 16, 2013 - 12:09 am | , , , , ,
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internet marketing

 

Large companies and organizations often rely on corporate spokespeople to address the media on various topics. In many instances, they are often the only people authorized to speak to the media on behalf of the company. The prevailing logic suggests greater control over the message. Media relations experts undergo extensive media training and develop messages that are often vetted through formal approvals. It makes sense and often works well but it today’s global networking context, it is a limited approach.

 

Thanks to Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and so many other forums, everybody now possesses the ability to broadcast an encounter, a conversation or an event to a very wide audience. The starkest example is the 2012 leaked video of Mitt Romney addressing guests at a private fundraiser. The video exposed some very controversial remarks that would continue to be used against the candidate throughout his campaign.

 

Regain control

 

This new dynamic can be both an opportunity and a danger. Social media has empowered us all to be truth seekers and reporters. It is a tool that should be used responsibly and respectfully. For companies, it also has very serious implications. Perhaps most notably, it implies a certain loss of control. There is one way to regain that control, however. Companies and organizations should ensure that all staff have access to the right message and information. There are all kinds of tools to help share consistent, up-to-date and factual information with staff. Internal websites are very conducive to this approach and should be used to that end. You can no longer always pick your spokespeople and you will not always know when you are on the record. One could debate what effect it will have on genuineness and that should perhaps be left for another discussion. For businesses, the point is to be aware and to be prepared. Whoever is speaking, be certain that he or she is well versed.

 

Will the real @nattrep please come forward

  By Nathalie Trepanier | April 8, 2013 - 1:42 pm | , ,
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I recently ran into myself on Twitter. I came across Nathalie Trépanier – from L.A., apparently – with the same profile and virtually same handle. Fortunately, there was no picture of me accompanying the profile.

My initial surprise was followed by outrage. Oh, the injustice of it. This must be resolved immediately, I vowed. But then, I started to think about it. This sort of stuff happens to celebrities all the time. There are countless political, film and music star posers all over the social networking sphere. Obviously, this is not exactly a novel occurrence. Except (while my husband might argue the point;) I am not a star – not even close.

Was my relative anonymity the draw? The other Nathalie Trépanier was too lazy or time strapped to come up with her own profile and handle? Should I be flattered that my profile was just too good to beat? Whatever the rationale, it was not a welcome development. It made me consider a friend, who is actually famous, with a similar experience but in that case, the impersonator stole his whole identity on Facebook and started to post fictitious activities and scenarios with his family. It left him with a strong aversion to social media.

According to Twitter, impersonations are not allowed, unless intended as parody. Their definition: To pretend to be someone on the internet that you are not. Impersonation that is intended to deceive is prohibited under the Twitter Rules, it notes. https://support.twitter.com/articles/18366-impersonation-policy#

One way to counter concerns over impersonations, of course, is to be present. Twitter does offer options to authenticate a user, assuming he or she is famous. This way, followers will know if famous person X is in fact expressing an opinion or, if X is not. Not so much if you are not among the rich and famous.

The bigger question for me, though, is why do it. The only answer that I could come up with is a desire to express opinions with impunity. That lacks guts, as far as I’m concerned. It also goes against the principles of the Internet. If you have an opinion, own up to it. The Internet has been adopted so overwhelmingly in large part because it offers such incredible potential to share. We become better people when we learn from each other. To hide behind a false identity is doing yourself and the world a disservice. You have years of experience and lessons-learned to impart. Have the courage to stand behind them. If you are too ashamed to back them, they are obviously not worth sharing.

As a final note, I just changed my handle.