Social Media Toolkit
Thomas B. McClintock
The success of Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn is based, in part, on their simple, inviting interfaces. But simple and inviting aren't enough – not for busy "tweeple" who need wherever-whenever access to their social-media world. Naturally, the cool kids have already come up with both hardware and software solutions.
Hardware Solutions
The need for easy, fast and frequent Internet connectivity can be met by the right hardware. Apple's iPhone has revolutionized mobile browsing with its touch-display interactivity, but even the iPhone can't easily manage multiple social-media accounts.
Enter the netbook, the very lightweight computer you can balance in one hand. Manufacturers once feared that netbook sales would cannibalize laptop sales, but buying patterns show that netbooks are being purchased in addition to – not in lieu of – laptops and other electronic devices. While netbooks lack the horsepower of their larger cousins, they offer many advantages:
-
connectivity through wireless providers: offered for netbooks by AT&T, Sprint and other vendors, paid monthly plans ensure that netbook users can find a secure connection wherever cell service is available, without needing to find wifi-equipped cafes or hotels.
-
small, light, ergonomic designs: netbooks are born travelers, even around town (allowing you to capitalize on unexpected delays with quick online sessions).
-
affordability: netbooks are cheap (many in the $300-$400 price range), and now cell carriers are reducing upfront costs to $199 (or sometimes even less) to induce more clients to sign up for the monthly internet service, an investment that will pay off by making you more available to business queries. (Tip: Replacing your netbook if lost or damaged could cost $300 - $400, so sign up for the carrier's hardware insurance policy.)
-
state-of-the-art battery and hibernation capabilities: your applications, including browsers open to your favorite social media platforms, are usually available right when you pop open the lid.
Prepare for business trips by purchasing a car charger for your netbook, and then be certain to rent a car with more than one cigarette lighter or charging outlets to handle multiple devices (netbook, cellphone, etc.). Keeping your devices charged will ensure that you can post an insightful tweet or blog update, or respond quickly to an important email, during those slivers of time between meetings.
Software Solutions
Many twitterers find themselves juggling two or more Twitter accounts: a corporate account they share with colleagues; a professional Twitter account that identifies them as an individual associated with the corporate account; and perhaps a personal account used with family and friends. Additionally, they might also be managing a Facebook fan page, LinkedIn contacts, and other social-media profiles.
There are several online tools available to manage multiple Twitter accounts, and even a Facebook profile. Twhirl, Tweetdeck and Seesmic are familiar to many, but the most capable tool (for the moment) is Peoplebrowsr. Peoplebrowsr handles multiple social-media accounts on a single platform featuring customizable “stacks,” search windows and the ability to assign posts to colleagues.
As important as it is, easier management of public platforms such as Twitter and Facebook won’t solve all your social-media needs. Your organization also needs a private social platform for collaboation and updates. These can be paid solutions, like Higher Logic's Community Social Networking or CZ Marketing's CommunityBuilder™, or they can be low-cost or even free, like SocialCast or Yammer. The folks back at the office need to know the details of your trip even more than your tweeps or Facebook friends, and a private platform lets you elaborate as needed.
To maximize the ease of managing your social-media life from the road, reset your browser's home page to open PeopleBrowsr and any other collaboration platforms (such as SocialCast) in multiple tabs, and load the browser into the netbook's auto-boot menu. This gets you into the social-media realm with a minimum of clicks.
I use and demonstrate social-media platforms frequently while on business trips. Using Peoplebrowsr on my Verizon-connected HP netbook makes these demos quick and hassle-free, and shows clients the ease of communicating through social media.