Social Media for Professional SuccessTina Lambert, CAE, VSCPA Vice President

VSCPA WebinarOctober 2, 2009

What the heck is Web 2.0 & social media?

BlackPlanet.com, Flickr.com, Reunion.com, aSmallWorld, Bebo, Blue Dot, Bolt, Broadcaster.com, Buzznet,

CarDomain, Consumating, Couchsurfing, Cyworld, Dandelife, DeadJournal, DontStayIn, Doostang,

Ecademy, eSPIN, Facebook, Faceparty, Flickr, Flirtomatic, Fotki, Friends Reunited, Gaia Online,

Geni.com, GoPets, Graduates.com, Grono.net, Hyves, imeem, Google, Infield Parking, IRC-Galleria, iWiW,

Joga, Bonito, Last.fm, LibraryThing, LinkedIn, LiveJournal, LunarStorm, MEETin, MiGente.com, Mixi, MOG, Multiply,

My Opera Community, myYearbook, Netlog, Nexopia, OUTeverywhere, Passado, Piczo, Playahead, ProfileHeaven,

Pownce, RateItAll, Reunion.com, Searchles, Sconex, Shelfari,Soundpedia, Sportsvite, Studivz, TagWorld,

TakingITGlobal, The Doll Palace, The Student Center, Threadless, TravBuddy.com, Travellerspoint, Tribe.net, Vampire Freaks,

Vox, WAYN, WebBiographies, Windows Live Spaces, Woophy, XING

The Social Media Landscape

SOCIAL MEDIA IS AN UMBRELLA TERM THAT DEFINES THE VARIOUS ACTIVITIES THAT INTEGRATE

TECHNOLOGY, SOCIAL INTERACTION AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF WORDS,

PICTURES, VIDEOS AND AUDIO.

http://www.wikipedia.org

More simply put:

“Social media is people having

conversations online.”

• Blogs

• Online Chat & Listservs

• RSS

• Widgets

• Wikis

• Social Networks

• Social Bookmarks

• Message Boards

• Podcasts & Videocasts

• Video Sharing Sites

• Photo Sharing Sites

• Virtual Worlds

The conversations are powered by…

Why should I care aboutWeb 2.0 & social media?

Is Social Media a Fad? Socialnomics.net (Qualm)

Reason #1

SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES ARE MOST POPULAR SITES NEXT TO GOOGLE AND YAHOO – AHEAD OF PERSONAL E-MAIL.

75% of all Americans have joined a social networking site (MySpace, Facebook) > 99% of 18-24 year olds

7 million users > 1,382% increase in one year > largest age group is 35-49

200 million blogs in 2009 > 77% of active online users read a blog > 45% have started their own blog

Social Media Usage is Exploding!

YouTube has 100 million videos (65,000 new videos per day) > 83% of internet users watch video clips

39% of internet users subscribe to anRSS feed

55% of internet users have uploaded photos online

Social Media Usage is Exploding!

69% of businesses allow employees to use social media for business

63% use social media to build and promote their brand

61% use social media to improve communication and collaboration

REALITY: IT’S A MOBILE WORLD>>>

Social Media Usage in the Workplace

Social media is changing the business of employers, long-standing industries, marketing and communications

People trust the opinions of other people as much as, or sometimes more than the “experts” – and definitely more than spokespeople

RELATIONSHIPS ARE CRITICAL TO TODAY’S COMMERCE>>>

Social Media is a Business Changer

• 54% are on LinkedIn

• 48% are on Facebook

• 21% are on Twitter

• 61% attend webinars

• 36% read blogs

• 28% listen to podcasts

What about Social Media and CPAs?

Reason #2

IN 2008, IF YOU’RE NOT ON A SOCIAL NETWORKING SITE, YOU’RE NOT ON THE INTERNET.

IBM, April 2008

IT’S NOT A FAD. IT’S A FUNDAMENTAL SHIFT IN THE WAY WE COMMUNICATE.

The old communication model was aMONOLOGUE.A >>> B

The new communication model is a DIALOGUE. A<<<>>>B

Reason #3

SOCIAL MEDIA HAS BECOME A FUNDAMENTAL PART OF GLOBAL BUSINESS AND WILL CONTINUE TO ALTER THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCE.

John Burbank, CEO of Nielson Online, March 2009

Welcome to the future…

McCann Study on Social Media Trends, April 2008

They already wield $350 BILLION/ YEAR in direct spending power.

By 2010, MILLENIALS/GEN Y-ERSwill outnumber BABY BOOMERS.

Over 64% of students in grades K-12 are online and accessing the internet regularly

Downloading music is #1 recreational activity by middle and high school students

Meet your FUTURE EMPLOYEES.

What are some of the advantagesof Web 2.0 & social media?

• Transparent/open

• Inclusive

• Authentic

• Vibrant

• Consumer-driven

Old way… New way…

• Controlled

• Organized

• Exclusive

• One sided

• Product-driven

Only 14% of people trustADVERTISEMENTS.A >>> B

78% of people trust RECOMMENDATIONSof other consumers.A<<< >>> B

For the first time, it’s all about ME!

• What I want to talk about

• Who I want to talk to

• What I want to say…about them

Our relationships! What we want to say!

And it’s also about US!

• Cheaper than traditional media

• Stickier than traditional media

• Viral nature

• Highly interactive

• Highly visible

• Global

• Can quickly change, morph and respond to environment and feedback

Some more ADVANTAGES…

And more ADVANTAGES…

• Enhance your professional networks and competency

• Get information faster and in more digestible formats

• Connect to other CPAs

• Connect to other business colleagues

• Connect to your professional associations

The NEW MATH…

Social Networking (OLD)

+ Social Media (NEW)

------------------------------------------------------------

= A change in the way we BUILD RELATIONSHIPS

Perceived BARRIERS…

• Fear of “the negative”

• Legal

• Time

• Return on investment

• Measurement

Overcoming BARRIERS…

• The negative conversation is happening WITH you or WITHOUT you

• “Direct” response in crisis

• Start slow and build –monitor at the very least

• Set goals for followers, friends, etc.

• Set goals/plans for social media tool you are using

How do I get on theWeb 2.0 & social media train?

A. Listen

• Immerse yourself in conversations

• Visit social sites to observe

• Ask your coworkers, kids who…

• Remember it’s a dialogue not a monologue

• Set up a profile

• Friend 25 people you know

• Begin to converse

B. Participate

C. Getting Started

D. Traffic Signs

• Privacy: Customize what the public and your 'Friend' lists can see about you (professional v. personal)> Create ‘Friend’ groups

> Edit privacy settings

• Etiquette: Once you’re riding the social media highway, remember to obey common internet traffic rules of thumb

• Policy: Obey or set company guidelines for participation

www.facebook.com

www.facebook.com

www.linkedin.com

www.twitter.com

www.mystarbucksidea.com

www.amazon.com

How is the VSCPA involvedin Web 2.0 & social media?

New MULTIMEDIA & ONLINE OFFERINGSto enhance membership

> RSS

> Podcasts

> Blog (CPACafe.com)

> Microblog (Twitter)

> Photo sharing (Flickr)

> Video, Videocasts (YouTube. Coming Soon!)

> Social networking (LinkedIn, Facebook groups)

> Online communities targeted to different practice areas, including e-mail listserves

> And more! Visit “Social Media” section of www.vscpa.com

VSCPA RSS Feeds: www.vscpa.com/rss

VSCPA Podcasts: www.vscpa.com/podcasts

VSCPA Blog: www.cpacafe.com

VSCPA Twitter Account: @VSCPANews

VSCPA Flickr: www.flickr.com\photos\vscpa

VSCPA Facebook and LinkedIn Groups

Once logged in, visit “groups” and search for “Virginia Society of CPAs”

VSCPA Online Communities: www.vscpa.com in “Members Only”

OTHER social media for CPAs

• Wiki: www.wikicpa.com

• Blogs: www.cpacafe.com > www.cpablogger.com > www.cpasuccess.com > http://bigfouralumni.blogspot.com/

• Videos & Media: www.financialfitness.com > www.aicpa.org/Media+Center/ > www.feedthepig.com

• Learning: www.cpalearning2.com

RESOURCES on social mediaBlogs•www.TypePad.com

•www.WordPress.com

•www.BlogLines.com

Microblogging/Tracking•Twitter: www.Twitter.com

•TweetDeck: www.TweetDeck.com

•TwitterBerry: www.orangatame.com/products/twitterberry/

•HootSuite: www.HootSuite.com

•Tweetie: www.atebits.com/tweetie-iphone/

•Hashtag: http://hashtag.org

•Google Alerts: www.google.com/alerts

RESOURCES on social media

Social networks•Facebook: www.Facebook.com

•LinkedIn: www.LinkedIn.com

•Plaxo: www.Plaxo.com

•HubStreet: www.HubStreet.com (a new one for CPAs and lawyers)

Multimedia sharing sites• YouTube: www.YouTube.com (videos)

• Flickr: www.Flickr.com (photos)

• Picasa: Picasa.Google.com (photos)

• SlideShare: www.Slideshare.com (slidedecks)

RESOURCES on social mediaPodcasting

• iTunes: www.apple.com/itunes (for finding and listening to podcasts)

• Audacity: audacity.sourceforge.net (for recording / editing podcasts)

Wikis• PB Wiki: www.PBWiki.com

• WikiSpaces: www.WikiSpaces.com

Virtual worlds• Second Life: www.SecondLife.com

CONNECT with me/us

Tina Lambert, CAE

VSCPA Vice President, Member & Public Relations

• Phone: (804) 612.9416

• E-mail: tlambert@vscpa.com

• Web: www.vscpa.com

• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/tinalambertwww.linkedin.com and search for “Virginia Society of CPAs”

• Facebook: www.facebook.com/TinaLambert1www.facebook.com and search for “Virginia Society of CPAs”

• Twitter: www.twitter.com/TinaLambertwww.twitter.com/VSCPANews

THANK YOUvery, very much!