Take for example you are working in your garage. You need to hang some shelves up so you can neatly organize your tools or whatever it is that you need to organize. Now to hang these shelves you most likely will need a tool to put some nails on the wall. Your tool in this case is going to be a hammer. Your work in this case is putting the shelf up. You see, although hammer is no doubt required to complete the job, it’s only a tool that facilitates the completion of this particular job. You might be able to do without the hammer, but it sure is a must in order to achieve great results (hanging the shelf securely).

The hammer (tool) in the example above is social media. Completion of hanging the shelves up is your work (building a community, viral marketing, sales, etc.). Social media is a tool, a tool that is a must in today’s fast paced world but it definitely isn’t work. Work depends on what you are using social media for. So next time you feel the urge to update Twitter, Facebook or anything else keep this in mind.

Click here if you can’t see the video.

The internet has turned men into boys and women into girls. Harsh statement? Yes. True statement? Yes.

The whole issue surrounding Facebook and privacy policy is getting just out of hand. Everywhere you freaking go it’s “I am gonna quit Facebook, if they don’t fix this.” Well, guess what? You should. I understand the way they rolled out things weren’t wise, but there has been so much talk about it that by now if you still don’t know how to hide your shit, you don’t deserve to be on it anyway. Besides, what makes you think your stuff is private anywhere? Half of you people who whine and moan are the same people that have handed Nigerian scammers your email and physical address in hopes of getting a couple million dollars, and here you are talking about privacy? Bite me.

The same people that talk about privacy issues surrounding Facebook are the ones putting videos of their toddlers on YouTube for the world to see. Images of them laying on bed with their other half on Flickr and what not, and you guys are the ones touting about privacy? Facebook at the end of the day is a business and as a business there goal is to dominate the world cause well, it’s Facebook and they are well on their way. The privacy issue is blown way out of proportion and since half of you don’t have anything better to do, it’s time to join all the hate filled page ON FACEBOOK. Here’s the kicker, you need facebook to bitch about facebook!

Privacy on the web is dead. No matter what you do, how you do…there is someone who knows how to get that info out in the public. Don’t make it a big deal, take a big boy/girl pill and suck it up. Huffington post called Facebook privacy issue as bad as the oil spill, I don’t know how the two can be compared but I guess they can be, I fail to see it.

And finally, if you are going to take a shit in the middle of the road and expect the world not to point fingers at you, you are dumb. If you have something that private, don’t share it on Facebook, simple. Web is open, web is transparent whether you want it to be or not is a different thing. We all have our opinion. I am sure many of you have a different opinion than mine and I respect it.

My frustration isn’t related to Facebook alone, it is related to web as a whole and Facebook just happens to be the center of it all. Privacy is dead.

The whole privacy issue surrounding Facebook’s new feature is starting to get a bit old. People are talking how they hate it on Facebook, Twitter, Blogs and everywhere else. Might as well start a fanpage called “Anytime Facebook Releases Something We Are Gonna Bitch and Moan.” I think it’s about time we should all realize that there is no such thing as privacy on the web. It’s a thing of the past (maybe present) but it certainly won’t be a thing in the future. Come on, let’s face it guys.

Another thing that really surprises me is the fact that people are ok letting others know where they are at all times using services such as Foursquare, Gowalla, etc. but they are not ok having someone else know what they are doing on the web. I know, it’s crazy. It’s ok if your boss sees your tweet that says “I am at Broad Street Brothel” via foursquare but it’s not ok for them to see what you like on the web?

We gave the right to privacy ourselves. No one forced it. Yes, I agree that Facebook is trying to take over the web and what not, however, if you were Facebook, wouldn’t you? You bet your ass you would.

Anyways, if it made me write here it certainly has been bugging me a lot.

Get used to it people …. there won’t be no such thing as privacy on the web. We handed the keys a while back and they have figured how to open the door.

Here is what the old design looks like (the one many people are currently seeing). I have marked the areas that have changed so you can expect what areas of the old design are being changed.

Now compare the old design and new design (below) and see what the changes look like. This is quite a drastic change as far as design goes and I am sure Facebook is going to get slammed by users once again. They are used to it though. Kudos to Facebook once again for trying out things.

What do you think? It’s pretty different huh?

I honestly am not in the mood to write an intro for this post. I have something to share so without any fluff and all that “formal” crap, I will get right to the point and start talking about what social media isn’t.

Social Media…..

Isn’t Work

That’s what pays the bills and here I am saying it isn’t work! Something is definitely wrong with me, right? Well, let me explain. You see there is a difference between work and tool. Social media is a tool and not work in itself. What are you using Twitter, Facebook, SlideShare, YouTube, Flickr and thousand other platforms for? To reach out, engage and hopefully be a part of the community. What is your ultimate goal? Maybe it’s increasing the readership of your blog, boosting the sales, building community and so on and so forth. Now, that’s work.

If I were to put a shelf up in my garage, I need a hammer to put nails in the wall. My work is to hang the shelf up and hammer is the tool. You see what I mean. Social media in this case is a hammer and it’s a tool. If social media becomes work, you are doing something wrong.

Isn’t Your “Ego Outlet”

This is one of the things that many have talked about. All these social media platforms are increasingly becoming a place for insecure assholes. Pardon my language but seriously, whether you are on Facebook, Twitter or whatever platform it is, I can vouch that close to 50% of people are bragging about themselves. Ohh and not to mention the social media experts. I work in this field and I start each day as a rookie. There is so much to learn when it comes to creative marketing on the web that being an expert is out of question.

It’s like giving birth to a baby and telling a mom of 21 year old you are expert in raising a kid, I mean come on. So if you are one of those who brags themselves on these platforms, do us all a favor and close your account. We’ve had it with you.

Isn’t Genie In a Lamp

What do you do when sales are down and business isn’t going all that good? Of course, dive into social media and either handle it yourself or have someone else do it. If you do it, it’s very likely you’ll screw it up cause well the business is already suffering because of you. If you end up hiring someone you are going to expect that person to do the unthinkable.

The business was down for a year, you hire a “social media expert” and two months down the road, the graph still isn’t looking like a hockey stick. Well, no matter who you hired, remember social media isn’t a genie in a lamp. Things take time to happen. Especially when you start out from the bottom. Businesses and individuals need to realize this so every one can have reasonable expectations.

Isn’t Going To Replace Traditional Media

“Social media is going to replace traditional media!” Give me a freaking break. You think social media is going to shut down television networks, billboards and all that stuff? Come on now, you know it, I know it…it’s not going to happen. Sure, newspapers are going down the hill but they are just stubborn.

What businesses and people need to realize is the fact that social media and traditional media should live in harmony, together. It’s a powerful combination when both are combined. Next time you tell anyone or anyone tells you that social media is going to wipe out traditional media, give them a finger and say “you moron.” Social media isn’t going to replace traditional media. Yes, it may have more impact in some areas but is it a replacement? Heck no!

Isn’t About You or Me

Sure, everyone is going around chanting it’s all about giving. I agree that a community is built upon trust but it isn’t just about you. If there was nothing in it for me, I wouldn’t be doing all that I do and I wouldn’t be where I am at. For example, one of my clients wanted a presence on Facebook. What do you think his answer was when I asked why? Ohh yeah, he said he feels like being generous and “giving” to his target market on Facebook. No! He wanted to tap into that market cause he wants more people flocking to his site, more interest in his products and ultimately more dollars. Can you blame him for that?

Next time someone says social media is all about giving…well, I don’t know, tell them the truth. Let’s be honest here…it’s about us. I give a little, you give a little and we meet in between and reach our goals.

Isn’t All About Reading/Learning

It’s about sharing thoughts and exchanging ideas. So go ahead and say something rather than being a snub and leaving. Let’s hear your thoughts on what social media isn’t.

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Facebook might shut down the fanpage soon cause I think the creator is utilizing the numbers to boost a bit of a profit through affiliate links. I am not sure, but it does looks like affiliate links to me, if that’s the case Facebook may shut it down pretty soon cause they have done so in the past with fanpages that had millions of fans. I think it depends on what the fanpage is about and what they are trying to promote. In this case the links have nothing to do with the fanpage “pants on the ground.” We will see.

I am sure there are many who use iGoogle to centralize information that relates to them. Although many use it to add unnecessary gadgets and games, if used properly it can be quite effective to stay up-to-date on things. I have been using it to subscribe to some of the best social media blogs out there and wanted to share my tab with you. This allows me to keep up-to-date on social media without having to open my feedreader or having to visit that particular site.

Since iGoogle is set as my home, I keep it open on my second screen and as things happen it just pops up, without me having to do any extra work. The cool thing about it is that you don’t just get headlines, you can read the article within iGoogle by simply clicking the “+” button next to each link.

Since I’ve already done all the work, I thought I would share this tab with the rest of you. If you are like me looking to see what’s new on social media space, I can assure you this is quite handy way to stay up-to-date. If you want to add the “social media” tab to your iGoogle, all you have to do is click on the link and click on Add to iGoogle : Add the ultimate iGoogle Dashboard for social media enthusiasts.(note : you need a google account)

If you want to learn how to create iGoogle tabs that fits your needs, be sure to check out this tutorial on FreelanceFolder.

What do you think? Did you find it useful? Share your thoughts.

When it comes to social media marketing, Facebook is the “it” platform. If you are going to dive into reaching out to your customer/reader base, it’s a platform that just can’t be ignored. The sheer number of users alone is a good enough reason to get into it and the fact that it’s almost certain that the demographic you are going after will be there. However, we often see many brands and blogs finding it hard to engage their user base. Remember, number is not the main issue when it comes to fanpage, it’s easy to boost numbers, it’s the participation that matters the most.

I will highlight the most effective way of getting fans to participate in this post.

Questions, Questions : All Kinds of Questions

Can it get any easier than this? What does a question require? An answer, and this is one of the most effective ways to get your fans to participate. Don’t use your fanpage as just another platform to post your blog posts or simply update with company news. If you are a known brand such as Starbucks, Dell, etc. you might get away with those tactics, but if you are a small brand or blog you have got to engage your fan base with questions.

Your questions doesn’t always have to be something related to your business. It can be personal. It’s ok to get out of your comfort zone and just ask your fans something that is very off topic, something that almost everyone does…for example : how was your lunch today?

You see, we all want to think of ourselves as someone who knows our stuff. If you have a fanpage that is related to web design, your question related to web design will almost certainly get someone to answer. Simply because they want to share the information with everyone else and be seen as someone “who knows his stuff.” It’s a tried and true method, asking question works! The only thing is be careful of how you do it and what you ask.

Get your fans involved in your internal decisions. I am not talking about something that is too secret of a thing to discuss publicly, but more like ask for feedback. If you are planning on starting a podcast, ask your fans how the intro should be played out, or ask them how you should set apart from everyone else, etc. Try and get them in the decision process. Make them feel they are a part of your community and that they matter. Make them feel that you realize that the 4,511th member of your site who comments on your update matters!

Get personal with your fans. I am not talking about sharing things that are meant to be shared behind closed doors with your spouse. I am talking in general, make them feel they are not just a target market but a friend. As I mentioned before, once in a while it’s ok to ask questions that are not related to your business or blog. Just get out of your comfort zone and take that risk. Ask a question that almost everyone might have an answer. If your fanpage has 200 members and no one answers when you ask “How do you like your coffee – with sugar or without?” then there is a problem. These kind of questions kind of breaks the barrier between brand or blog and the fans. It makes them feel comfortable cause it shows the other side of your business or the person behind that fanpage – the personal, human and friendly side.

Here’s an example of getting personal and up close with fans by asking questions that are out of topic but very personal. Here is the screenshot from the fanpage of FreelanceFolder, a community of freelancers on Facebook

I’ll talk more about Facebook on this blog as we go on. Before I end this post I just want to tell you one thing you shouldn’t do with your Facebook fanpage

Don’t just use it to update with blog posts. What’s the point? If they want to read your blog post they can either subscribe to your feed, visit your blog,etc. I understand some like to stay updated through Facebook feeds, but I am sure they would appreciate a lot more if you said hi and showed that they are not just a “market” you are trying to reach out to.

So there you have it. Share your thoughts. If you have any questions related to Facebook fan pages, feel free to ask.

Disclosure : I am on FreelanceFolder team as community manager.

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Voyeurism.

Although the term “voyeurism” is usually related directly to sexual interest, these days we use this particular term to define other behaviors as well. Here is the definition of Voyeurism according to Wikipedia,

In clinical psychology, voyeurism is the sexual interest in or practice of spying on people engaged in intimate behaviors, such as undressing, sexual activity, or other activity usually considered to be of a private nature. In popular imagination the term is used in a more general sense to refer to someone who habitually observes others without their knowledge, and there is no necessary implication of any sexual interest.

So all of you getting all excited and defensive cause of the word “voyeurism” can relax.

The ever growing social networking platforms have given us an opportunity to connect with friends and families. However, many of us use it not just for that purpose but to keep tab on people just to see what they are upto. For example, Bill Gates ended up joining Twitter today and within hours he has well over 100,000 followers. Of course, he is Bill Gates but thousands are following him for one reason and one reason only, to see what he is going to tweet next, to know what’s going to come out on his stream next. You bet, it’s an act of voyeurism.

Another example is that of Ashton Kutcher showing his wife Demi Moore in her underware. Ohh yeah, thousands of you clicked it and so did I. Now tell me that’s not an act of voyeurism. You bet your ass it is.

I wanted to point this mostly untouched aspect of social networking because social networking activities has now surpassed the porn activity on the web. Yup, it’s true. People watch porn to satisfy their sexual desires. Some want full blown action and some want to tickle their fantasy with bits and pieces. Social Networking gives you way more than porn if you fall under the “tickle my fantasy bit by bit” category. Whether through profile images, their updates and tweets, we are constantly engaging in an act of voyeurism and often we don’t realize that. That’s one of the reason why porn is being pushed down by social networking cause it fulfills people’s fantasy in just many ways rather than simply through sensual images and videos. Words and not knowing what might come next can have quite an impact on someone’s fantasy and social networking has all the element for that.

We as humans have a common tendency of peeking into other people’s lives. Whether it’s peeking into someone’s window who forgot to close their curtain or following someone on Facebook or Twitter. It fulfills our desire and curiosity. And often we find one of those things that just makes our world go merry round, whether it’s in the form of tweets, Facebook updates, twitpic uploads or whatever it is.

Yes, the reason we are on board the social bandwagon is to connect but don’t tell me you connect with every single one of them on these platforms. There are quite a few we have chosen to connect just so we can keep tab on them. Are you one of those tech guys? I am sure you are following every move Robert Scoble makes. Are you a someone who wants to know what the social media rockstar is upto next? I am sure you are keeping tab on Chris Brogan. See what I mean?

It’s simple. Of course, you knew what you were doing but if you ever wondered how social networking can drag porn activity down, remember it’s because we are all voyeurs.

Share your thoughts. Feel like throwing rocks if you don’t agree? Grab some and throw it at your screen, I am sure it will hurt me.

image credit : Cult Gigolo