Dreaming of Social Media Success – Thoughts from #Sreeattle 2015

"Can you make me Twitter-famous” or as referenced occasionally by the younger crowd “Instafamous?” I often hear this question from friends and some brands. The rise of social media platforms in the last few years has spawned the idea of instant validation and a podium to express point of views and beliefs. While there is a bit of validity to this idea, taking a step back and examining social media closer, the truth is much like other communication platforms – success doesn’t happen overnight and the “gurus” and “mavens” of the digital world often obtain their status after months if not years of dedicated cultivation and practice.

Last week I had the opportunity to listen to "Sleepless in Sreeattle - A Night of Social Media," a lecture hosted by UW Comm Lead at the Seattle Art Museum. The talk featured renowned social media expert Sree Sreenivasan, Chief Digital Officer at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and former professor at the Columbia School of Journalism. He’s been named one of AdAge's 25 media people to follow on Twitter and one of Poynter's 35 most influential people in social media. In his current role Sree oversees a team of 70 people on the digital side - video, apps, mobile, social, geolocation, web, data, e-mail, and more. Sree describes his current role as telling “a million stories about a million pieces of art to a billion people.”

The talk focused on how to get the best use out of time invested online and how to build more fans and followers and how to do so in a smart, strategic, and sustainable manner. As Sree joked near the beginning of the talk, the premise alone is enough to warrant a hefty conference fee type of price tag. Yet thanks to Hanson Hosein, Sree, SAM, and UW Comm Lead it cost less to attend than a drink at Starbucks.

Wide spread use of social media has created an interesting challenge, how do you get heard in the midst of all the shouting? Sree provided a powerful answer to the question, “Where everyone is a content generator, those who are trained will rise to the top.” Social media has created an unprecedented opportunity to be heard but it’s not as simple as turning on your smartphone and snapping a few pictures on Instagram or sending some tweets. To get to the expert level, consider Sree’s ABC and SAA rule: Always be collecting; share as appropriate.

An excellent example of sharing as appropriate arose early in the talk as we all paused for a moment of silence to open up the lecture in honor of those who lost their lives in the Charlie Hebdo shooting. This brief act of respect stemmed from Sree’s earlier pledge to temporarily stop tweeting and posting following the shooting. His intention was to do his part to reduce the amount of “noise” being produced that day and allow the truly important information to rise to the top. As he put very eloquently during the talk, “don’t promote yourself when the world is falling apart.”

It’s no secret but social media similar to a resume should always be up-to-date and reflect the best most current you. Relevant accomplishments or tasks even if temporary should be part of your digital footprint. For photographers this might mean highlighting one of your best photos or for writers it might be a link to your most recent post. This tip applies to all social networks but is particularly important for sites like LinkedIn or Twitter which are often used as a basis for your digital identity.

Whether it’s Anthony Weiner’s dick pic or the epic lewd tweet by US Airways. Social media provides users the power to engage with larger audiences but it can also be the gateway to trouble.

With this in mind, it’s important to be deliberate, strategic, and smart in all social media usage. Sree mentioned during the talk he spends 3 to 6 minutes composing his tweets. Why? “It’s the only thing that could potentially get him fired or divorced,” Sree joked.

Social media at times seems much removed from reality but as we’ve seen countless times since its invention, it has real world impact and consequences.

It’s tempting after signing-up for your first social network to jump atop the soap box and start spouting your perspective and point of view. Social media is powerful beyond its broadcasting capabilities however. One of the elements which has made social media such a unique medium in modern day is its ability to facilitate listening and create conversations. With this in mind it’s important to consider those on the other end of your bullhorn. Pausing for a second you’ll notice everyone all of a sudden has a bullhorn similar to yours, even if it’s spouting a point of view which deeply conflicts with your own.

Here lies the true challenge of becoming a social media “expert” or “guru,” it’s all tied to authenticity and people.

Often what’s common sense in real life is common sense on social media. Like the real world, social media has etiquette. Sree spent a good portion of his talk commenting on it and how it affects your performance online. One of his most salient tips, “don’t be an ask.”

Similar to how in real life, you can’t walk up to someone and just start asking for favors or requests. You can’t do it on social media either, despite the countless random LinkedIn invitation requests you might get that say "Since you are a person I trust, I wanted to invite you to join my network on LinkedIn.” To avoid being an “ask” on social media consider the following Sree tips:

• Don’t just cold call or ask for favors
• Build relationships with people online
• Reshare and Retweet (RT) other people’s content but also add value
• Don’t just promote yourself; be a pointer to other people’s content

Instead of being an “ask,” strive to be authentic and connect. As I’ve personally experienced, sometimes you can meet people who will transform your life and perspective. A few great folks I’ve met online include @bethevans, @seattletallpopp, @lukobe, @leah_motz.

Sometimes connecting for no particular reason is the best way to start and can lead to unlocking opportunities and conversations you never considered.

Ultimately social media is an exercise in being human and continuing to learn and grow from interactions with others. As someone who’s been active on social media for a number of years, it was refreshing to hear Sree share tips on how to succeed on digital platforms and most importantly for my point of view be a better communicator and person. So while it’s possible to become “Instafamous,” social media at its core is about so much more than being an internet celebrity, it gives people the power to connect, engage in meaningful dialogue, and create relationships outside of their immediate network.

Special thanks to UW Comm Lead, SAM, Hanson, and Sree for the presentation. Curated tweets from the presentation below along with a link to Sree’s presentation.

Sree's Slides

Which Way is the Gayborhood? Seattle’s Capitol Hill

Earlier this month I attended "Evolution of the Gay-borhood" co-hosted by the Greater Seattle Businesses Association (GSBA) and Out for Sustainability. The event focused on defining the notion of a Gayborhood and had voices from around the community to speak about various topics related to retaining the neighborhood's identity and sense of place. 

One of the standout presenters was Louise Chernin, CEO of the GSBA. She articulately defined the meaning of a Gayborhood. Her definition is as follows, a Gayborhood is a place where LGBT people historically have lived in large numbers. Their presence usually has a noticeable impact on the surrounding community values and businesses. Today these places retain cultural history and are important destinations to celebrate key milestones in the fight for LGBT equality.

Louise was quick to point out however that Gayborhoods shouldn't be thought of as the only LGBT place in the region. Historically Seattle's gay population has called a variety of neighborhoods and cities home; we're beginning to see members of the LGBT community live in places far outside of the historic center. Two notable hot spots include West Seattle and Vashon Island. Louise went on to stress the fact that neighborhoods develop and retain identities tied to their "founders." Similar to ethnic ghettos long inhabited by Jews, Blacks, or Asians, Gayborhoods will always retain a sense of history and place of importance to the community.

Michael Brown, a geography professor from the University of Washington followed up shortly after Louise and added a few noteworthy points to consider. Like many items in Seattle, Capitol Hill is a place heavily infused with mythology and hyperbole. He challenged the audience to think about the fuzziness and ask, "Where are the blurred lines and what's being left out of the discussion." His point behind this statement was Seattle's gay history when reviewed as a whole is actually more complex than just a single place.

Looking not too far back into the city's history, Michael noted that Seattle's Gayborhood was actually birthed in Pioneer Square and has shifted a number of times since to accommodate new tastes and demands. As he jokingly put it, "No one wants to go to their parents' gay bars." The visibility and scale of the community also added pressure for it to move to a new location. It first migrated up to the upper portion of Capitol Hill – roughly between 12th St to 15th St (west-east) and East Mercer St to Pine St (north-south), and has since migrated back further down west to encompass a larger swath of land, arguably - like all Seattle neighborhood boundaries, I-5 to 15th St (west-east) and East Mercer St to Pine St (north-south).

The future of the neighborhood is increasingly unsure. With the city as a whole doing well economically, there is increased pressure to further develop the neighborhood which is leading to some changes in the built environment and community. Tom Rasumusn, Seattle City Councilmember, spoke first on this point. He highlighted the city's growing commitment to retaining the neighborhood’s diversity and character by preserving "auto row" style buildings and encouraging small businesses to develop over big chain stores. The Pike/Pine Corridor has even gained special protection under the Pike/Pine Conservation Overlay District which dictates what types of development can take place. In terms of preserving LGBT community within the area, there is a big push being backed by Capitol Hill Housing and GSBA to support the creation of a LGBT community visitor center within the new Capitol Hill light rail station. The center would serve all members of the community but would also place heavy emphasis on supporting LGBT youth and elders - a segment of the population which is considered ignored by many experts.   

Washington state and Seattle specifically is fortunate to have Capitol Hill. It's a major local economic engine and has become an international beacon for the LGBT community. Moving forward it will be increasingly important to continue dialogue about maintaining the character of the neighborhood while still allowing for growth. Gayborhoods and other ethnic ghettos will always continue to evolve and change, the most important question however is how.

[Photos Courtesy of Out for Sustainability, Seattle Times, and City of Seattle]

Job Hunting Tips from Northwest HR Experts

While the Great Recession is quickly becoming a distant memory, a number of people are still caught up in its wake. Many still struggle to find balance and get back on their feet. Optimism is on the rebound however with new opportunities beginning to sprout up daily.

To help improve my own job hunting skills and get a better understanding of the market's conditions, I recently attended “Career Insights event: What Are Employers Looking for Today?” hosted by UW Professional & Continuing Education. The event was focused on empowering job seekers and equipping them with tools and advice to be successful in their job hunt. Below are a few key takeaways. 

Why Companies Hire?

From the hunting perspective this formula can often seem like rocket science but it’s actually a simple equation. It comes down to two key components.

1) Can the person do the job?

2) Is the candidate a cultural fit?

The first question is rather simple to answer; it’s about ticking off boxes related to the position. For example, if a job requires knowledge of Excel and HTML, you won't be considered for the role if you don't have these skills. In today's fast paced work environment employers are reluctant to hire employees who want to "learn on the job." Thanks to a plethora of traditional and online education options today, it’s expected that if you want a skill, you'll obtain and perfect it on your own.

The second question is a little harder to answer and is a bit more subjective. "Fit," as often termed by recruiters, is about how closely a candidate’s values align with the companies. “Values” is large bucket but usually contains issues such as work/life balance, source of professional satisfaction, and long term goals. These items aren't often apparent on the surface. Recruiters usually get these answers by asking candidates questions about “work preferences.” While there is not a check box per se. Eyes light up, stars align, and things just click when its present. In this regard, it's sort of like dating. If the spark is there, both the recruiter and candidate will know it.

Networking - Laying Tracks for Success

Ask a recruiter about job hunting tips and they’ll most likely share the golden rule, "Network." The web may have made the job application process easier but don't be fooled, hours spent in front of a computer submitting job applications is worth far less than a few minutes meeting a new or established contact to speak about your job hunting goals. A general rule of thumb to keep in mind during a full-time job hunt is to conduct 2 - 3 meetings a week. 

Networking is often misrepresented as people looking to quickly climb the career ladder without putting in "dues." While this is a definition you could use to describe the activity, I've found it’s a tad inaccurate; highlights the negative aspects of networking. When defined positively, networking is the act of meeting people (established or new contacts) in-person (ideal) or via communication tools - phone, video chat, or email (less ideal). These meetings should be focused on getting to know people you're generally interested in professionally. Think professional "blind date."

Discussion during the meeting can vary but it's best to bring questions to keep the conversation flowing. It’s also good to be prepared to talk about your professional goals and companies you'd like to work for. Many jobs are still found through  Six Degrees of Separation (arguably less thanks to social media). Your contact may not know someone but their friend's brother's coworker may be the executive assistant to the CEO of your dream company. Connections are hidden from direct view but easy to dig up when actively searching.

Show Me the Money!

Long held as a sacred topic to be excluded from dinner conversations and family gatherings, money is an inevitable topic during job hunting. Surprisingly during the event, the HR professionals laughed off the question and cited it as a minor component of the interview process.

"It's merely a data point," Anne-Marie Archer, CEO of Archer and Associates said. "We use the number to determine if you fit within the pay range we've established for the role." 

All the HR professionals at the event noted it’s important to exude confidence in your “ask” however. To get comfortable making the “ask” they recommended checking out government salary data or increasingly accurate tools such as Glassdoor or PayScale. This information will help you understand your market value.

After you’ve conducted research, they advised attendees to keep two numbers in mind. The first should be tied to how much money you NEED to pay your bills. While the second number should be ideal; it’s what you'd LIKE to make. The key difference being the first is tied to survival while the latter is more abstract and tied to increasing quality of life.

The compensation number is important for a variety of reasons but for the job hunter, it will later connect to job satisfaction and security. Ask for too little and you'll feel undervalued. Ask for too much and you may feel trapped without room to grow or leave because of fear of finding a similar salary elsewhere. There's no perfect formula but it’s important to do your research and understand your value.  

Finding Direction in Your Career

Often one of the most challenging aspects of career planning is determining direction. Unlike schooling which is affixed to a specific "rail," career paths have many spur lines and can take various turns. Determining the correct path can seem difficult, if not impossible at times but can be achieved with a bit of reflection. David Hardick, Director of Recruiting & HR at Context Relevant gave this advice for finding direction in your career and life in general.

"Often I ask clients to pause and review their life for guidance," David said. "Start in childhood and walk forward. What points do you notice the greatest feeling of joy and accomplishment? What moments created awkwardness or proved to be difficult? These moments will help you determine what your strengths are and where to focus." 

Surviving Unemployment

Easily one of the most difficult experiences for adults, unemployment can be challenging emotionally and mentally. It's not a situation to be entered into lightly; it has its own set of special challenges. When I entered the job market in the middle of 2009 during the end of the Great Recession, I quickly found myself confronted with this reality. While challenging, it’s possible to overcome the difficulties and come out stronger from the experience.

Below is some general advice shared by the HR professionals at the event relating to conducting a full-time job hunt.
"Network in the morning. Your energy will be higher than in the afternoon." "Act like your best days are ahead of you, not behind."
“Be an employer’s aspirin; present yourself as problem a solver.”
“Have four solid success stories you can talk about and adapt during an interview.”
“Quantify past job results.”
“Resume style is subjective; find one which works for you and make sure it has 0 errors.”

"It's not what you know but often who you know."

A family friend also shared an important tip I always keep in mind when job hunting.

"Unemployment is ultimately a game. There are a set of rules with a handful of financial parameters. It's up to you as a job seeker to determine how you spend your 'free time' - education, vacation, networking, job hunting, etc. You must keep in mind however that the clock will eventually run out; your job is to beat the clock. Find a job before you're mentally, physically, and financially exhausted. Life gets more difficult when the clock runs out." - Holland Family Friend  

Final Words

Kudos to UW Professional & Continuing Education for hosting “Career Insights event: What Are Employers Looking for Today?” The HR professionals provided a wealth of knowledge and tips on how job seekers can obtain work in the US' recovering economy. Be sure to check out its website for future events and educational opportunities. You can also relieve the event via the tweets I curated on Storify.

Job hunting is challenging but it's important to keep in mind it's possible to be successful when enough time and energy is devoted to the endeavor. I also can't stress this final point enough. After you land a job, #PayItForward! Help someone else. Pass on a job posting. Review a resume. Sit down for coffee with a stranger. The economy is a human invention. Don't let it lose its human connection.

[Photos courtesy of eriwst, cta_web, 401(K) 2013, tqhh, andjohan, and Kanu 101]

Searching For Better Content

 

In a quest to expand my knowledge about content creation I attended Better Content Marketing - a Meetup hosted by Distilled Seattle. While I have a basic understanding of best practices for content creation, the event explored some of the deeper issues surrounding the process. This month focused on the growing importance of data-driven content. Using my notes I compiled an outline highlighting the night’s key takeaways below.

Understanding Content
Crap content is everywhere on the web. Whether it’s "10 ways to…” or best lists, information such as this holds little value and is rampant across the web. Brands serious about enhancing their online presence and reputation should focus on creating content that speaks to expertise. While there are a variety of avenues to reach this point, one effective way is to focus on data-driven content.

Facts Are Worth More Than Opinions
Data-driven content is fueled by information, making it harder to challenge and copy. That being said, it's labor intensive to collect information and piece together a compelling story using data. Examples of data-driven content include:

Infographs –  Seattle to San Francisco via Private Jet
Data Heavy Blog Posts – Mapping the San Franciscome
Interactive Graphics – How Search Works  
Data Heavy Sites – Charity: Water
Mini Graphs – Kindle Fire (see comparison chart near the bottom)

Building a System to Collect and Create Data-driven Content
The initial challenge of setting up framework to gather data may seem daunting but it has benefits. Once setup and executed it’s easy to share results across various platforms. Competitors also won't be able to replicate your content easily due to the steep entry cost and particular data you have access to.

For content creators with more of a technical background or friends well versed in computer languages, APIs also serve as a fantastic way to further your expertise through data. The overall goal of this endeavor is to take unused information and make it accessible. Foursquare offers a good example. Originally focused primarily on gathering location information from its users, the popular location service now exports its data to third-party applications including Path and Instagram. The location app has done a great job of making location data accessible to developers.

Paint a Story with Data
With this approach in mind brands can examine what type of data they have access to and piece together a compelling story. If unsure about a concept it’s best to crowd source potential topics via social media or take data from an established audience  - i.e. sports or politics, and repurpose it in a new way. Approaching content creation from this perspective allows brands to showcase expertise and create a strong point of view supported by data.

Kudos to the Organizers and Presenters
Thanks to Distilled Seattle for organizing and Adria Saracion  and KaneJamison for sharing their expertise during the event.

Kane's Presentation

Data Makes Your Content Harder, Better, Faster, and Stronger from Kane Jamison

[Photo courtesy of kidsturncentral]

Discovering Sparks of Brilliance - Ignite Seattle 19 Recap

Presentations are an art form. When done well presenters can captivate an audience and inspire action. On the flipside however, poorly executed presentations often bore and frustrate those within earshot. This past Wednesday I had the pleasure of checking out  Ignite  – a Seattle born educational event focused on highlighting stellar presentations. Ignite prides itself in harnessing “condensed creativity.” The organization accomplishes this goal by implementing a five-minute stage rule for all of its presenters and limiting them to only 20 slides, which automatically rotate after 15 seconds. For anyone who has sat through a dry and long drawn out slide presentation, these rules seem like a gift from God.

Topics at the event ranged from motivational speeches about overcoming life challenges to acquiring new skills. There were also a few quirky ones such as “Mapping the United States of Starbucks” and “How I got seriously hurt at summer camp, and ended up meeting Donnie and Marie instead.” While there was not an official grand narrative that connected the presentations, most of the talks centered on the importance of human connectivity and discovering your passion. A few of my favorites included:

Jonathon Colman - Surviving as an Introvert in an Extroverted World
Wendy Hinman - We’re Gonna Die
Lindsay Sharma -What do Swaziland, Papua New Guinea and the United States have in common?
Adam Philipp - NETWORKING, the RPG
Forest Gibson - How to make a viral video (and why it’s not easy)
Kate Bergstrom - Online Dating Tips I Have Learned After Meeting Over 100 Men
Andrew Dumont - Projects: From Idea to Launch and Beyond
Sara McNally - How the downturn made me a small business owner (and why it was a good idea)
James Davenport - Mapping the United States of Starbucks
Geraldine DeRuiter - Sharing Personal News Online

Overall the event was outstanding. It showcased some of the region’s brightest talent and highlighted the essence of great storytelling. To relive the magic, check out some of the  tweets I curated from the event. Videos of the presentations will also be available online in the coming weeks on Ignite’s video page.

For all the latest info about Ignite Seattle, visit www.igniteseattle.com and follow them on Twitter at  @ignitesea. The next Ignite Seattle is May 16th. See you there!

[Photo courtesy of Ignite Seattle]

Adding Another Thread to the Web

Call it silly but I'm a believer in fulfilling childhood dreams. Unjaded by constraints of the real world, they often offer up a true look at the person we're meant to be and contain a grand narrative which helps inform the person we become as adults. Looking back at my own dreams, a few main themes emerge including technology, communications, storytelling, and helping others. This post explores my love for the web.

My fascination with the internet started in the 90s when my mom got our first computer. The amount of information available and ability to connect with others to exchange ideas resonated with me instantly. Shortly after discovering the web I began collecting Dragon Ball Z (DBZ) photos from sites and dreamed of creating a website to share my collection with friends and fellow DBZ enthusiasts around the world.

Like many things of the 90s, my full-time devotion to DBZ fizzled out in the 00s. After I entered Orting High School, my passions changed. I became interested in new activities like track, cross country, driving fast cars (see part 2 about my Maxima), and choir. Don't get me wrong, I'm still a HUGE DBZ fan; I could talk to you for days about the deep history and mythology of the series but given the year, I decided to reconfigure my dream to fit contemporary interests.

Thinking about my dream of creating a website through the lens of 2013, I decided it would be good to focus on my love for social media, networking, and photography. The site will serve as a central hub for me on the web and be an additional platform to share my thoughts about digital life and the vast world of communication. To accomplish this goal, I enrolled at the School of Visual Concepts (SVC) where I learned about copy writing in 2012. What drew me back to the school was its commitment to practical education and gritty real world vibe which made it feel accessible.

Despite not having touched HTML since I was an 8th grader at Sagahlie Middle School – formally Sagahlie Jr. High School, the language felt oddly familiar and was easy to pick up. After a month of developing the site, I'm excited to hit publish later this week! I'm also looking forward to continuing to learn more about HTML and other coding languages.

I never imagined myself wanting to learn more about computer languages but I'm slowly finding I actually enjoy the challenge of connecting the various pieces of code and appreciate the way it connects people with information. It's not the path I'd envisioned taking but like most things in life, it's sometimes better to take the long way around and enjoy the sights.



[Photo courtesy of Flickr user johnkay ]

SMC Seattle Looks Ahead at Social in 2013

SMC Seattle started off the year with a bang on Tuesday by hosting "What's Hot a Look Into Social and Digital Media in 2013." The event took place at the Social and offered Seattle's social media community a chance to reflect on the past year and discuss what was in store for 2013. To help with the conversation, SMC had a panel featuring representatives from Microsoft, Amazon, REI, the City of Seattle; PwC monitored the event. I've provided a list of the speaker's names and twitter handles at the end of the post.

2012
In a 1,000 Words
Taking a look back at the past year the panelists unanimously agreed that 2012 was the year of image based social media. Over the course of the year we watched the rise of two networks, Pinterest and Instgram. Both were notable for two different reasons. Pinterest came out of nowhere but became widely popular with women and retailers who found the site to be a perfect digital storefront. Instgram began its life as a well kept hipster secret but officially became mainstream after Facebook purchased the service. Image driven social media changed the digital landscape and allowed organizations to effectively deliver messages to audiences through photos. REI mentioned during the event that Pinterest has now become one of its top 10 traffic sources.

2013
An Expanded Tool Box
Social media measurement will continue to be vital for businesses in 2013 as they decide how to allocate  resources. With new social sites like Vine emerging frequently, it's becoming more important for community managers to be able to quickly analyze conversations and determine what's an effective platform for their brand. During the event PwC predicted that 2013 would be the end of "shiny object syndrome," hinting that many companies would be taking a step back to listen and optimize their digital efforts. The City of Seattle brought up a good point during the conversation stating, it's often impossible to be on every network out there. It's becoming increasingly important to understand where your audience is and the most effective means to deliver your message.

Organizations are also becoming less reliant on third party tools. Amazon mentioned its a strong believer in creating in-house social tools to help customers. REI is also a believer in developing tools internally. The outdoor retailer just recently developed its own social network titled REI 1440. The site is focused on user generated content (UGC) and integrates seamlessly with other networks. REI believes that UGC will become increasingly important for companies in the future as they further cultivate relationships with customers.

Creating Connections
People are increasingly interacting with brands online to receive support. This unique touch point is providing brands with the opportunity to market themselves and cultivate relationships with customers. Microsoft mentioned that relationships are important with customers because it increases the level of trust and authenticity. When done correctly, this type of interaction can lead to better services and sales.

As the only government representative on the panel, the City of Seattle offered valuable insight into how its using social to help citizens. An early adopter, the city has seen its efforts evolve from blasting content to fostering dialogue and listening to citizens about their concerns. The city hopes to utilize social to allow for people to engage with government abroad and personalize it.

What's Next?
With new networks and expanded services already on the horizon, 2013 is shaping up to be an interesting year. Issues that I'm currently keeping my eye on are social search, video sharing, and influencer measurement tools For other great recaps, be sure to check out posts from Beth Evans and Kelsey Kaufman.

What are your thoughts for social in 2013 and what are you excited to see?

Panelist Info:
Sabra Schneider: Director of Electronic Communications, City of Seattle
@sabrak

Lulu Gephart: Manager of digital engagement, REI
@lux2

Lourdes Orive: Director of Community and Online Support, Microsoft
 @lorive

Moderator Info:
Dustin Johnson: Managing Director in PwC’s evolving Digital Change and Social Business practice
 @dustinjo


[Photo courtesy of Flickr user Emily Marsden]