This document provides an overview of social media tools for business networking. It defines social media, discusses popular tools like LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and blogs. It also provides examples of how different companies use these tools, tips for using them, and statistics on user numbers. The document concludes with key points about experimenting with different tools and using social media to complement other marketing.

1. Social Media Tools
Business Networking
Online
Soulla Stylianou
27 October 2009
© 2009

2. Who Are We?
© 2009
www.daden.co.uk
 Full
service virtual worlds & virtual character
consultancy
 In
virtual worlds & characters since late 1990s, and
Second Life since 2004
 World-class expertise and innovation in integration,
AI and virtual worlds
 SLGold Solution Supplier
 Member, Serious Games Institute
 Based in Birmingham UK, and Second Life

3. Definition - Wikipedia
© 2009
www.daden.co.uk
 “A social network service focuses on building
online communities of people who share interests
and/or activities, or who are interested in exploring
the interests and activities of others...
 Most social network services are web based and
provide a variety of ways for users to interact, such
as e-mail and instant messaging services.
 Social networking has encouraged new ways to
communicate and share information. Social
networking websites are being used regularly by
millions of people.”

4. What others say – social media
© 2009
www.daden.co.uk
 Paparazzi for the
masses
 Modern grapevine
 Includes web 2.0
technologies
 Includes face to
face
 Not governed by
physical space
 Uses the power of
the crowd
http://ash10.com/2009/02/help-me-define-social-media/

5. Nielson et al
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www.daden.co.uk
http://en-us.nielsen.com/main/news/news_releases/2009/june/time_on_facebook&
http://blog.compete.com/2009/02/09/facebook-myspace-twitter-social-network/

6. Social Media
© 2009
www.daden.co.uk
http://brynmorgan.blogspot.com/2009/10/there-was-once-wall.html

7. The big picture
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www.daden.co.uk
http://webmove.org/2008/09/conversation-is-art-of-listening.html

8. Number crunching
© 2009
www.daden.co.uk
LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Ning Plaxo Hi5 Ecademy Myspace Netparty Xing
50m+ 300m+ 44.5m 36m 15m 80m 450,000+ 263m? 100,000+ 8m+

No correct answer

Who's your target audience

What's right for you

Experiment

It takes time

Bigger doesn't mean better
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_social_networking_websites
Stats in bold are direct from org. website

9. LinkedIN
© 2009
www.daden.co.uk

Created private profile

Just created Daden group profile

Not upgraded to professional

Good for networking

Join/create groups

Post events, slides etc

Participate in discussions

Add discussions

Email

10. Facebook
© 2009
www.daden.co.uk

Private profile

Use it for events/interests

Create/Join groups

Email

Can use apps (e.g. twitter) to update page

No plans to date for Daden

11. Ecademy
© 2009
www.daden.co.uk

Business to Business

Email, groups etc

Post events

You either love it or hate it

Not really using it

For SME's?

12. Blogging
© 2009
www.daden.co.uk

Very popular

Website = information

Blogsite = opinion

Choose tool that's right for you

Daden's MD David Burden blogs

13. Twitter
© 2009
www.daden.co.uk

Popular

140 characters - “mini blog”

Used by individuals

Used by organisations

Powerful search tool

Set up searches using tools such as tweetbeep

Monitor urls in tweets (e.g. tr.im)

Daden gained customers, raised profile

14. Uses for twitter
© 2009
www.daden.co.uk

Point people to website/blog/event

Gather support

Ask for help

Complain

Feedback

Answers

Customers

15. Posting a twitter question
© 2009
www.daden.co.uk

“Socialmedia for serious business. My question
to you is which tools do you use,why,how
successful what's ur favourite? Which one
works for u?”

16. @JiMage
© 2009
www.daden.co.uk

Im an arch student and Twiter has allwed me 2
establish a 3d design firm now wrking on
projects in saudi, Auz and the uk

i'v won three very large contracts direct from
twitter none in the uk!

i tried facebook but not found it as succesfull
but twitter (tweet deck) tripled the amount of
people visiting my site!

17. @NivenArchitects
© 2009
www.daden.co.uk

We use facebook & twitter, both r successful for
increasing the company profile, twitter has
generated some inquiries ....

...but no concrete projects as yet, both have
resulted in a doubling of our website traffic.

18. @others
© 2009
www.daden.co.uk

@steve_nicholls - twitter is fave cos it's more
instant. LinkedIn feels more grown-up and pro.
FB is a good way to reach many contacts

hemminac @SoullaStylianou I'll be using them
all...because people trust people they know
more than any other form of advertising
http://bit.ly/Q30up

cybrum @SoullaStylianou Not sure they count
as socmed tools but old-fashioned eMail is
business no.1. Skype too for cutting costs.

19. @lornaparsons
© 2009
www.daden.co.uk

Corporate website – glossy brochure

Practice blog - (http://bryantpriestnewman.wordpress.com)

Twitter - supports the blog – informal

LinkedIn – not had any business leads

Trying to decide on an intranet – Basecamp vs
Woobius

20. #media140
© 2009
www.daden.co.uk

Social media
no1
requirement

Everything we
do has a social
media element
http://www.rubberrepublic.com/blog/200
9/10/twitter-is-like-word-of-mouth-on-
crack-the-peperami-animal-and-other-
tales-from-media140/

21. #media140
© 2009
www.daden.co.uk

“We created lots
of different
points for
consumers to
discover us
through”
http://www.computerweekly.com/blogs/edit
ors-blog/2009/10/using-social-media-to-
market-y.html

22. In the news
© 2009
www.daden.co.uk

Social networking sites cost the UK £1.38bn a
year – 26 Oct 09

Google rushes out social search tool – 27 Oct 09
http://www.ashdowngroup.com/news/social-networking-sites-cost-the-uk-pounds1-38bn-a-year--news-19427116

23. Ten points
© 2009
www.daden.co.uk

Experiment with different social media tools

Choose what suits organisation & you

Make time for it

Bigger doesn't mean better

Should complement other marketing activities

No wrong answer

No right tool

Keep it up to date

Keep it simple

Ask questions – community will help

24. Web: www.daden.co.uk
Email: soulla.stylianou@daden.co.uk
YouTube: www.youtube.com/dadenmedia
Twitter: SoullaStylianou
Second Life: ImmortalitySou Ballinger
Second Life sim: Daden Prime
© 2009