If you have yet to play in the world of social media, then prepare to be overwhelmed at first. The number of websites, options and users in the field is astronomical and the figures continue to grow exponentially. Though overwhelming, the rapid growth of social media demonstrates its popularity in the modern world, as well as its importance for businesses and consumers.

Businesses, brands and personalities that have grasped the concept of social media are experiencing wild success. They receive real-time feedback from their customers and fans about their products and services, while providing their customers with an experiential marketing experience, rather than simply providing a basic service or product. When used correctly, social media can enhance the relationship between businesses and their consumer and enforce brand loyalty.

Which Social Media Application is Right for Your Business?

Once you decide to enter the world of social media, your next decision is to determine your placement. Just the fact that a dozen different applications are available doesn’t necessarily mean you should be involved with all of them. Here are brief descriptions of the most popular social media techniques:

Blogs

Think of a blog as an online diary. Users create written entries filled with their thoughts, comments, expertise and opinions on particular issues and situations. A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other research or other blogs. Most blogs also allow readers to leave feedback and/or comments, becoming involved in the topic on a personal level. Some popular blogging sites include LiveJournal, Open Diary and WordPress.

Social Networking

Perhaps the most popular and widely used form of social media, social networking sites allow users to form, build and develop social relationships online. Within a social networking site, a user generally has a profile that can be shared and viewed by other viewers. Individuals gather and communicate with one another based on their common interests and shared networks. Some of the more popular social networking sites include Facebook, LinkedIn, and MySpace.

Micro-Blogging

Micro-blogging is similar to a regular blog (described above), but the content, size, and scope of a micro-blog is generally much smaller and less detailed. Microblogs may consist of simply a sentence or a few words. Twitter is currently the most popular and highly used micro-blogging site.

Multimedia

Multimedia comprises a number of social media applications, including photograph sharing, video sharing, livecasting, and music- and audio-sharing. Within the sphere of social media, multimedia applications allows users to share personal media files with friends and/or complete strangers. Popular multimedia sites include YouTube, Flicker and Skype.

Different social media applications will be appropriate for some businesses, yet irrelevant for others. Most businesses do not need to be involved in all applications, but rather should identify which applications will help them achieve their goals, based on the customer base that uses each specific application. As a general rule of thumb, a business should begin using a new social media application only if it has valuable, entertaining, timely, or informative details to share with a particular market. Simply filling up online space and sharing “fluff” will not increase the credibility or likeability of a company using social media.

What are the goals of your business’s marketing department? Do you seek to share detailed information with prospects and customers? Do you have outstanding knowledge of a particular subject or topic? If so, then developing a blog will be an effective way to share this information. Users seeking information on a particular topic will be led to your site through search engines and, over time, will begin to trust and rely on you as a valuable resource. Be sure that blog entries always include a link to your website, and publish your blogs on your site.

If your business or brand has frequent updates to share, then participating on Twitter, or “Twittering” may be a good solution. As stated previously, Twitter is a micro-blog. The service allows users to send brief updates and messages out to those users who have subscribed to follow them; they receive these updates either on their computers or phones. Twitter postings can also include links to other websites, which can drive website traffic further. Twitter presents an excellent platform for a political candidate, celebrity or any fast-paced business trying to develop and promote a distinct brand.

On social networking sites like Facebook and LinkedIn, a user creates a free profile which provides a platform for sharing information and/or identifying your business or brand. This profile can be viewed by others, who can become fans or friends of your business. Within your profile, you can provide information, photos, updates and feedback that can be viewed easily by other users. Some businesses use these applications to drive traffic to their site and increase sales, perhaps by posting a sale or giveaway on their social networking site. Other businesses work to build dialogue among their online friends about a new product or service being offered and thereby develop public relations buzz. Social networking sites tend to be a good match for consumer-based products, new product introductions and event-based applications.

Multimedia sites, and particularly YouTube, are fantastic ways for companies to share commercials and videos that viewers may find informative or entertaining. Numerous individuals have begun a successful business simply by posting “how-to” videos that focus on their area of expertise. Their viewer base grew and eventually allowed the individuals to turn their once free videos into a successful income-generating enterprise.

Beginning to use any form of social media requires an initial investment of time, although the requisite length of time will vary based on the particular application. It takes only minutes to open a free account on YouTube and begin uploading videos. However, building a Facebook account requires more time, depending on how much information you plan to share. The critical factor, however, is the amount of time that you’ll commit to the social media applications after you’ve established your initial presence. All social media applications should be used consistently. If you choose to participate in Twitter, share approximately the same number of messages each day; avoid being silent for a week and then bombarding users with hourly messages. If you choose to blog and want to be regarded as an expert in your field, then research and compose a new blog on a weekly or bi-weekly basis so that your readers can rely on finding new material at predictable intervals.

It is also absolutely necessary to inform your customers and clients about your new social media applications and then drive users to them. Be sure to post notifications and links on your site to inform website visitors that you now have a Facebook or LinkedIn page. Vice versa, drive traffic to your website through the use of social media. When entering this arena, take advantage of the free website analysis offered by Design Industries for an evaluation of your complete online marketing strategy and an assessment of how social media application can complement your other marketing efforts.

Social media has proved very effective for companies ranging from sole-proprietorships to giant corporations. It allows businesses to stay current, reach new markets, and develop loyalty among existing customers. With the correct placement and dedication, social media can be an effective piece of your marketing strategy and build on the success of your business or organisation.

Interesting article by Wired discussing how there is a push to re-engineer the net to assist US Government to spy on all users.

This article shows how there is a world push by Governments to censor and spy on the web, as mentioned in previously Di articles the time is now to save the net.

Do you recall the days before the Internet existed? When you may have spent a quality afternoon getting to know your next-door neighbours, rather than chatting with strangers or blogging the day away? Those days are long gone, and today there’s no shortage of social-media sites in which users can introduce themselves, their ideas and their thoughts to anyone who will listen, view or read. You can share whatever you like – within legal limits – with the rest of the world. Perhaps your ideas will be received, or perhaps they’ll be lost in cyberspace. With all the communication, you won’t ever know.

But now a new site is changing things by allowing you to interact with total strangers at random. If they find you interesting and worthwhile, then you’ll continue chatting. If they find you dull or a waste of time, they’ll click on to a new stranger – no hard feelings. ChatRoulette simply requires a webcam and at least two interested parties. Jump onto their very basic site (http://chatroulette.com), and as soon as you press Go, you’ll be connected to someone else in the world. They could be across the globe or across the street. You may become great friends, or you may simply chat for ten seconds. As soon as one party grows uninterested, he or she clicks “next” and is connected to a new stranger to try to make a match.

ChatRoulette provides a basic new medium for online users to connect with others. In a society where human contact and personal interaction is slowly fading away, ChatRoulette provides another channel for people to meet, share and discuss whatever suits their fancy. Unlike blogs, Facebook postings or Tweats, ChatRoulette is a two-way, interactive space to see and speak with others in real time. If you want to meet interesting people, and you don’t mind a few false starts, this is the place for you.

However, like any social media site, users are responsible for monitoring the personal content that they share and post online. ChatRoulette is not without its potential hazards; be aware that anything shared over webcams could be recorded and posted elsewhere. As with any public site, don’t share too many personal details or other private information. The site does its best to monitor content. It requests that users report inappropriate videos and it does not tolerate obscene or pornographic material, but all users should be aware of the potential for abuse. During these current controversial times of potential internet monitoring by different governments such as the Australian and Chinese, we can’t help wonder whether ChatRoulette will be banned in the near future. What a shame if we are cut off from this opportunity to interact with other internet users around the world.

The bottom line is that ChatRoulette provides a unique and innovative way to meet new people and connect with others. But, as with all social media sites, proceed with caution. Be sure to monitor yourself and others on the site, and don’t take offence if someone clicks “next”.

We are extremely pleased to announce the launch of a recent website – AMSF  – Australian Motor Sport Foundation

View more photo from Michael Tuni

Love the graphics, love the voice, just love it…..

As previously mentioned Di is a big supporter of an Australian and World  free net, with no government censorship. The percentages stated below are encouraging, however we need to push, hollow and shout as the Australian Government has proven to not stop because of negative survey results; they will attempt to ram the law through and then use spin to deal with the backlash.

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Electronic Frontiers Australia (EFA) today welcomed the results of a recent survey that found Australian Internet users do not support the idea of mandatory Internet filtering.

The preliminary results of the Australian Broadband Survey 2009, conducted by Whirlpool (whirlpool.net.au), found that 91.8% respondents did not support the idea of mandatory Internet filtering.

The survey also found 83.4% of respondents said that the introduction of mandatory Internet filtering might affect their vote at the next Federal election.

“The results highlight widespread community disagreement with the Government’s plan,” said Peter Black, EFA’s campaign manager. “These results also show that Australians believe the Government would be better off focusing on increased education and law enforcement, instead of an impractical and costly policy of Government censorship.”

When asked what the Government should focus on in terms of internet safety, 81.8% supported educating parents, 63.9% said educating children, 43.7% said law enforcement, 42.1% said subsidising desktop filter software, and 33.5% said subsidising ISP-level opt-in filters, with only 3.2% supporting mandatory Internet filtering.

These preliminary results from the Australian Broadband Survey 2009 only include respondents aged 18 years of age or older. The survey was successfully completed and verified 21,775 times by respondents aged 18 years of age or older. The full results of the Survey are expected to be published soon.

“These results confirm that people who understand the issue overwhelming oppose the Government’s policy,” Black said. “The big challenge now is to win the hearts and minds of ordinary Australians, who perhaps aren’t particularly computer or Internet savvy.”

That is why last week EFA launched the Open Internet campaign, centred around a new website, OpenInternet.com.au, blog, and Facebook fan page, that together will act as campaign hub for all the different individuals and organisations that are campaigning against the Governmentb s mandatory Internet filtering policy.

The Open Internet campaign marks an escalation of opposition to the Government’s policy, which will continue throughout the year. “Our goal is to ensure the Australian public know what they’re in for,” said Black. “It’s important that such a major and expensive policy gets the public scrutiny it deserves. And we believe that Open Internet portrays a positive and understandable message that will resonate with Australians who are yet to form a strong opinion on the Government’s policy.”

Don’t Allow the Australian Government to Limit Internet Usage

The Australian government recently announced plans to introduce Internet filters that will block access to various websites throughout our country. Which websites? Those that our government has deemed illegal, however arbitrary that designation may be.  Such action is a blatant and unacceptable attempt to control the content that we Australians are able to view online legally.

All of us at Design Industries strongly oppose this censorship. We believe that each individual should have full freedom to browse the Internet and, in doing so, express free speech and encourage others to do so.  We believe our fellow Australian citizens possess the integrity and personal responsibility to manage and control their own Internet usage and to monitor the Internet usage of their children – without government involvement or handholding.

The Australian government has promised that the proposed Internet filters will block only those sites deemed illegal, such as child pornography sites.  In principle, this may be a defendable position. Yet the government has introduced such vague definitions that nearly any site could fall within the government’s viewing restrictions. A leaked list of proposed sites for banning included both straight and gay porn sites, gambling sites, euthanasia sites, various YouTube videos, and religious sites, among many others.

Fellow opponents of the proposed government policy claim that this move mimics the actions of the Communist Chinese government, which has already put such filters in place.  In that country, only those citizens who have been approved by authorities are permitted to post information to the web, and heavy filters are used to monitor websites and access to those websites.  Opponents of the censorship in China and the proposed censorship in Australia believe that the proposed filters will not necessarily protect children from inappropriate material, nor will they prevent criminals from accessing and distributing materials related to the sexual abuse of children, despite the government’s claims.

Google has also sided in favour of freedom of expression and does not anticipate voluntary compliance with the broad scope of restrictions proposed by the Australian government.  Such broad rules would be difficult if not impossible to enforce, especially on YouTube, which already forbids videos that portray sex, drug use, and violence.  Although Google has complied with censorship laws in China and Thailand in the past, the company recently threatened to pull out of China because of continuing requests for further censorship.  In its defence, Google has stated that the topics covered in videos on YouTube express freedom of speech, are related to important topics, and are potentially vital for democracy.

The anti-Scientology group Anonymous recently demonstrated to protest the proposed Australian filters. The organisation attacked and shut down the main websites of the government and parliament.  The group is currently planning an upcoming street protest known as Project Freeweb.

Here at Design Industries, we stand for freedom.  We are against tyranny and we believe that the Internet is and should be a neutral environment that allows for the universal expression of free speech.  Introducing Internet filters and monitoring Internet usage will limit that freedom, infringing upon the civil rights of all Australians.  Censorship by the Australian government is the precursor to a greater push for control of the Internet by corporations. The proposed actions must be nipped in the bud before they have an opportunity to take root.

We encourage our employees, clients, vendors, and other supporters to join us in taking a stand in this important cause. Become involved in the fight to maintain our freedom of expression via the Internet.

We do not support hacking and shutting down government sites. However, we do encourage like-minded supporters to contact members of parliament and support Electronic Frontiers Australia (EFA), which is a non-profit organisation committed to maintaining and protecting our online freedoms.  EFA has launched a new website to serve as a campaign hub for those fighting against the government’s mandatory Internet filtering policy. You can find it at www.openInternet.com.au.  EFA has also launched a Facebook fan page for users to show their support for the cause.  Please get involved in this battle to maintain our freedom and encourage others to do so as well.  Our collective freedom of expression and the future of Australian democracy depend on it.

This article below is from the EFA which is an organisation that Di support in its attempt to stop the Rudd Government from censoring the net, it is the last free speech platform available and needs to be protected in order for all Australian citizens to have a free voice.

EFA welcomes widespread opposition to the Government’s mandatory Internet filtering plan

Electronic Frontiers Australia (EFA) today welcomed the widespread opposition to the the Rudd Government’s mandatory Internet filtering plan.

“There are dozens of organisations and groups that are working against the Government’s plan to censor the Internet, highlighting the depth of community disagreement with the plan,” said Peter Black, EFA’s campaign manager.

EFA has launched a new website, OpenInternet.com.au, blog and Facebook fan page, to act as a campaign hub for these different groups.

“We hope that the Open Internet campaign will help unite all these different groups, so that we can work together to stop the Government’s plan,” Black said. “The big challenge for all of the opposition groups now is to win the hearts and minds of ordinary Australians, who perhaps aren’t particularly computer or Internet savvy.”

EFA is concerned that the actions of Anonymous are only hurting the movement’s cause.

“EFA condemns the denial of service attacks orchestrated by Anonymous, as they damage the cause by playing to stereotypes of filter opponents as juveniles motivated by a desire to ensure the availability of Internet pornography,” said EFA Vice-Chair Colin Jacobs. “They serve no purpose but to give the Government the moral high ground, and distract from arguments about the ineffectiveness of the policy and its ramifications for free speech.”

EFA also rejects any attempt to legitimise the actions of Anonymous.

“We are aware that Anonymous is now organising street protests on 20 February, dubbed Project Freeweb,” said Black. “However, EFA does not support these protests. Any attempt to legitimise the actions of Anonymous only makes it easier for the Government to dismiss the opposition to its filter as fringe extremists.”

“While we understand the frustrations that the Anonymous members feel, we would instead encourage people to contact their local Member of Parliament, or participate in the National Day Action activities being planned by Block the Filter and Stop Internet Censorship on 6 March,” said Black.

The Open Internet website has a list of 10 practical things that people can do to oppose the filter.

The Open Internet campaign marks an escalation of opposition to the plan, which will continue throughout the year. “Our goal is to ensure the Australian public know what they’re in for,” said Black. “It’s important that such a major and expensive policy gets the public scrutiny it deserves. And we believe that Open Internet portrays a positive and understandable message that will resonate with Australians who are yet to form a strong opinion on the Governmentb s policy.”

Background:
* EFA’s Open Internet campaign
- http://openinternet.com.au/

* Electronic Frontiers Australia
- http://www.efa.org.au/

About EFA:

Electronic Frontiers Australia Inc. (EFA) is a non-profit national organisation representing Internet users concerned with on-line rights and freedoms. EFA was established in 1994, is independent of government and commerce, and is funded by membership subscriptions and donations from individuals and organisations with an altruistic interest in promoting online civil liberties.