October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Last year, non-profits employed social media to raise awareness by asking girls and women to update Facbook statuses and share where they like to leave their purse, which inevitably led to sexual innuendos, thanks to sentences such as “I like it on the floor.”
This year, rethink Breast Cancer has taken to YouTube to spread the message about the importance of check-ups and my, have they done an *ahem* charming and entertaining job at that.
Bell Social Portrait
Bell has introduced a very exciting contest, Social Portrait, which creates a word cloud of your Twitter or Facebook posts in a creative portrait!
My social portrait is here and I would really appreciate your votes! Please click the link to help improve my chances of winning the grand prize, which includes my portrait featured on a billboard in Toronto!
As nepotism and personal connections continue helping people land employment, taking the initiative to introduce oneself to others can be highly beneficial. Blogging may not establish the same connection as shaking someone’s hand, but it’s a great way to introduce yourself and share your opinion. With sophisticated search engines, it is ignorant to think that any online diary or website is too obscure to be discovered, especially as more companies acknowledge bloggers’ social capital.
In the realm of social media, people who utilize online tools well are taken seriously regardless of their birth date. New graduates and mommy bloggers alike are considered coveted influencers by major media corporations and brands who distribute advance copies of books, cosmetics samples and even gadgets like iPads to people who comment on consumer goods online.
If that media-savvy librarian wearing glasses hanging from her neck posts book reviews online in her spare time, there’s a good chance publishers are asking her to preview upcoming releases. Don’t underestimate who’s the best candidate to receive free stuff for promotional purposes – someone with the power to influence their social network is someone who marketers want to contact.
Whether it’s a rant or rave, blogging about the smartphone you just upgraded to will probably catch the attention of its manufacturer’s marketing department because scouring the net for buzz about their products is in their job description.
Keeping in mind the likelihood of being discovered online for writing about certain keywords, it remains crucial to be cognisant of online behaviour in all forums, especially for job hunters. For people who rely on social networking websites as an alternative to attending professional networking events where strangers strike up conversations in person, there is no excuse for carelessly sharing content online.
If you wouldn’t want to give a wimpy handshake, then don’t be negligent about the impression you can make online either. Regardless of your Klout score, expect to have some unexpected (and anonymous) followers and post accordingly.