My primary purpose, my manifesto, is to help you connect with the right people. That could be consumers, media, trendsetters, thought leaders, bloggers, texters, vendors, analysts…you name it.
To help you do that, I research and recommend a variety of tools–typically online and mobile-oriented–that help you join the conversations that are already happening. A few ways I do that:
Web Presence
- Web 2.0-enabled site design. I can build a site from the ground up, but I usually recommend building it on an existing publishing platform. I’ve developed many sites with the Drupal, Movable Type, Wordpress and blogger.com platforms.
- Integration of Web 2.0 tools in existing sites. Most businesses don’t need to totally redesign their sites to enable social media/Web 2.0 tools. I can help you add features such as blogs, commenting and feeds.
- Search engine optimization. Some basic strategies, such as meta-tags and keywords, can improve your search engine rankings.
Social Network Presence
I can create pages/profiles, track comments/posts, manage friend requests, and integrate your social media presence with your main web site on a variety of social networks such as:
- MySpace
- Bebo
- Hi5
(These are only a few of the available social networks–there are literally dozens and dozens of networks I track, including many aimed at vertical audiences, ie, last.fm for music, LibraryThing for reading, Flixster for movies, etc.)
Social Bookmarking
I’ll help you build contacts and find new conversations through popular social bookmarking sites such as:
- Del.icio.us
- Digg
Social Network Creation
Hundreds of new social networks are born every day. And while it’s a definite uphill battle to launch your own general interest social network (we don’t recommend it), creation of a social network within your company, or within your vertical market or specialized industry, can be an opportunity.
Social Newsroom
I can help you create a “Social Newsroom” as part of your website, dedicated to releasing relevant news releases and information with embedded social media content (web video, commenting features, rss feeds, etc.)
Social Video
Video should be a regular component of any social media strategy. I can help you create new video (it doesn’t have to be fancy or high-cost; in fact, it probably shouldn’t), or convert existing video for use in your social media efforts.
- YouTube
- iPhone/mobile video
- Viddler
- Veoh
Once again, there are several web video sites aimed at more vertical markets, some of which may be perfectly suited to your business.
Content Management and Creation
I can help you create and deliver blog posts, status updates, online events, and more.
Social GPS™ Report and System
I’ve developed Social GPS, a six-tiered system that can help you create a social media strategy–and stick to it. Social GPS is a framework for ongoing management of all your social media efforts.
Monitoring, Research and Reporting
Every month, I monitor the web, social networks, forums and groups for mentions of your company, your products, your competitors, and your industry. I notify you of new developments and opportunities, and help you take advantage.
Online Crisis Communication
Perhaps one of the greatest uses of social media is the ability to communicate with end users in the unfortunate event of a crisis. I’ll help you put together an online crisis communication plan that helps you respond quickly.
