So Genius | That Instafamous Guy

Apr
11

Stay Thirsty Friends – Be the Most Influential Man in the World

Category: So Genius Tags: empire avenue, influence, influence in social media, klout, return on influence, so genius, social media, what is influence 44 Comments

No one in Social Media cares if you are the most interesting man in the world like the Dos Equis Guy… We want to see the most influential man(or woman) in the world! A few names come to mind for that title; but it’s not like Ann Handley, Scott Stratten, & Gary Vaynerchuk need any more accolades. This term influence has become quite the buzzword lately. Who do you influence? How many people do you influence? What is influence? If you’re anything like me, you’ve become nauseous due to influenza from the influence epidemic. Did we break a record for saying influence 7 times in the opening paragraph? Let’s call Klout,since they’re the “standard” of influence( that’s #8!). But before we do that, here are a few ways that you can immediately increase your authority in Social Media

INFLUENCE FOR $200, ALEX.

Alex Trebek “The number of Timothy Snow’s Klout Score”

You “What is 82”

Alex Trebek “That is correct”

It’s like a game show sometimes, isn’t it? As much as we hate to be poked & prodded, or don’t want big brother watching our every move online, it’s what the people want to know. Like it or not, the measurement apps aren’t going away and you’re always being rated by someone, somewhere. There’s never going to be a perfect assessment of one’s influence, they all have flaws. They often measure your superficial influence, not real influence. You’re not more influential because the cute puppy picture you posted gets shared 30 times or 10 people retweet your retweet of a Mashable story. Real Influence goes beyond an action… beyond the shares and retweets. Influence is the power to persuade, the ability to change people’s thoughts, and sway their pre-conceived beliefs. It’s tricky to measure, but you’ll know the feeling when you’re doing it right.

PERCEPTION IS REALITY

It’s not necessarily how successful you are, it’s how successful others think you are…and I’m not talking about your mom. When you convey a sense of importance, you instantly become more significant. Successful people don’t ask other people to like their fanpage or retweet their blog post. In other words, there’s a fine line between self-promotion and being labeled as a spammer. When you utilize tools like Empire Avenue and Triberr where people promote your content, it makes you appear in-demand. It’s far more effective when others are doing the promotion for you. Also, winners in social media do not clutter their feeds with negative commentary. Remember, winners find ways –losers find excuses. If you’re not getting the desired results, change your tactics.

NETWORK: QUALITY > QUANTITY

While it’s possible to have a marriage of both quality and quality, only a small percentage of influencers will achieve this. Not to say that can’t be you, but I highly recommend building your network through known commodities rather than going for the quick score. There are services that will get you a bunch of twitter followers. You can send friend requests to everyone with a pulse and maxout your 5000 connections in a jiffy. That’s all fine and dandy, but what good are thousands of people who ignore you? Or, what if you don’t relate to what their most talked about topics are? Bottom line, when expanding your network, it’s ok to be picky about who you chum with. It will pay dividends to bring value to those who are more influential than you are. Start supporting them, and you might be surprised how many will start supporting you.

PARTING SHOTS

Before I ask for your thoughts, I didn’t an interesting Twitter experiment that plays into this topic. For the first time, I was approaching a symmetrical number between those I was following and those who followed me right around 1867 last week. Although a bit shallow, one of my own “metrics” when I observed other people was that same follower to following ratio. It’s just human nature, it gives the perception of importance when someone has more followers than they tweeps they follow. So I decided to trim the fat and unfollowed 40 or 50 not-so-active accounts that weren’t following me. In the last few days, I’ve gained 125+ additional followers without doing anything else different. Might be worth considering if you’re in a similar spot with less than 10,000 followers.

Here’s what I’m interested in hearing about – What’s your definition of Influence? Who Influences you most and why do you think that is?

Apr
6

By So Genius Blog

Blast Off!! Save the Space Program by.. Legalizing #Marijuana?

Category: So Genius Tags: Legalization of Marijuana, Legalize Marijuana, Marijuana Movement on Twitter, National Deficit, Save The Space Program 10 Comments

After careful deliberation, I’ve opted to speak my mind and invite the readers to chime in on the issue. Those close to me already know about my intention to run for political office in the future, so this is a risky subject to write about. This post could either garner mass support for, or crush, the Tony Bennett for Senate campaign before it even starts. It’s a gamble worth taking because the benefits of legalizing marijuana clearly outweigh the negative aspects that my counterparts bring up. Sadly, we’re skipping the So Genius Award this week because I should have had the cojones to publish this Wednesday instead of switching to a PC topic that I ended up scrapping as it was just “Eh.”

With all the crime and violence in our society, doesn’t the government and law enforcement have bigger fish to fry? More and more we see innocent children being killed, houses being burned down, shootings at schools, and Tide Detergent being stolen off the shelves; yet there are still hundreds of thousands of cases involving reefer that continue to drain our already extended resources. While it would be foolish of me to argue that the decriminalization of Cannabs would alleviate all the hostility, an old saying does come to mind… there’s a thin line between love and hate, it usually starts halfway through a joint. We’ll save that debate for another day, though. We’re going to focus on how the is government turning a deaf ear toward the people’s calls for reform and how it will help our economy, both financially and socially.

IGNORING THE ISSUE WILL NOT MAKE IT GO AWAY

Similar to the perceived approach to our national deficit, it seems the lawmakers on Capitol Hill are ignoring the problem. The example highlighting this most is the “Twitter Town Hall Meeting” that took place last July. Tweeters were encouraged to #AskObama questions that would be answered in the stream. Dan Holowack and his team at TwitSprout did an INCREDIBLE analysis to reveal the most twopular topics that were tweeted about. Their findings were featured on Mark Schaefer’s {grow} blog. Would you believe me if I told you that questions concerning the legalization of Marijuana outnumbered all the other topics like taxes, jobs, and the economy… COMBINED? Granted, twitter doesn’t accurately measure the sentiment of the whole country; but I find it peculiar that the president didn’t even address the most popular question that twitternation wanted to know. I wouldn’t be surprised if our site is flooded with support once the Marijuana Movement on Twitter (#mmot) gets wind of this because they are such a dedicated bunch. I’m interested to see what reaction we receive from the other side.

SHOW ME THE MONEY

Quick Fact – According to the .pdf report issued by The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, over $26 Billion dollars in revenue was generated from taxing these two products. With our deficit still spiraling out of control, I find it hard to believe that the government cannot use an additional revenue stream. Sure, Federal and State gov’s earn monies in relation to penal fines when offender’s are prosecuted, but that’s a pittance compared to what it could make on a Marijuana tax. I’m all about safety and placing restrictions on its use just as much as the next guy, but the excuse I’ve heard about the government not being able to figure out how to tax it is absurd. To put it into perspective, even if the Marijuana tax only generated 75% of what the tobacco tax does, that would be enough to send 5-6 rocket ships back into space. That fact inspired the title for this, but I’m not actually sure that’s the best use of the money (but good to know we’d be able to send a ship into orbit if Aliens ever threaten us). Alternatively, $8 billion split up amongst our 50 states would yield $160 million per state. Come on people, we’re talking about money for education… money for roads… money for healthcare. Isn’t that what it’s about?

CAN’T WE ALL JUST GET ABONG

World Peace might be a long shot, but the simple truth is Marijuana smokers are less likely to commit violent crimes. And it’s not like a law legalizing it forces you to smoke it if you don’t want to. In fact, even if you were a registered smoker, there are plenty of people who SHOULDN’T smoke dope. If weed makes you paranoid and you go crazy, DON’T SMOKE IT. If you abuse weed habitually in an attempt to permanently escape your reality, DON’T SMOKE IT. If you’re unemployed and lazy because you partake so often that you’ve become a sloth, DON’T SMOKE IT. But for Pete’s sake, if someone, like many of successful people I know who are closet tokers, wants to hang out with a few friends and enjoy the pleasure of smoking herb to gain a different perspective, LET THEM DO IT. The debate about drinking vs smoking has been hit pretty hard and I tend to agree w/proponents that Mary Jane has fewer dangerous side effects than alcohol. So why do we still not have a choice? I have my own conspiracy theories, but I’d rather hear from you. What do you think are the main forces behind keeping marijuana an illicit substance?

Mar
30

By So Genius Blog

Myth: Nice Guys(and Gals) Finish Last – See Exhibit A @JessicaNorthey

Category: So Genius Tags: #cmchat, Academy of Country Music Awards, Jessica Northey, so genius, social media, Twitter 71 Comments

You’ve heard it before; “Nice guys finish last.” A good number of you probably still believe that philosophy but that argument comes to an end TODAY. We’re debunking that myth using this week’s So Genius Award Winner, Jessica Northey, as evidence…. that is, unless you consider being a top Social Media Influencer with hundreds of thousands of twitter followers (including top music talent) as finishing last. But if that we’re the case, I certainly wouldn’t mind bringing up the rear! A genuine interest for helping others is quickly becoming an extinct quality in this “me-first” society. It’s refreshing to see someone as compassionate as Jessica achieve such great success without employing the backstabbing or mudslinging tactics that some people resort to.

Before we get too much further talking about the awesome sauce Jess pours onto everything she touches, I want to congratulate her (along w/Amy Howell) for having the opportunity to be backstage covering the Academy of Country Music Awards this Sunday night (live from the Reaction Room). I know they’re both super pumped, as they should be, and want to wish them both a grand ole’ night! Jessica is the Kred leader for the music community and you can check out the nice write-up they did on their blog to get the 411 about all the tags & details on the event.

WHAT MAKES JESSICA SO AWESOME?

I asked a few of our mutual friends that same question, here’s what they had to say.

Reg Saddler

Geez, where to start. I’ve known Jess for what seems like an eternity in ‘Social Media’ time. Some people write amazing books about our industry, others speak at conferences. What sets Jessica apart is she does some serious heavy lifting. The girl’s moving eyeballs and you don’t have to squint at a chart to see her industry prowess. Every Monday night the beast known as CMChat is ripped out of its slumber and into the twitterverse. Greats like the Oakridge Boys and Charlie Daniel step into the stream to pay homage to her mastery of the domain. Her charm and grace, paired with a strong history in radio add a polished professionalism to a still sometimes green industry. Beyond all that I consider her a dear friend, who support knows no bounds. If you don’t know her already, get to know her. She’s an amazing person to have in your corner.

Amy Howell

They broke the mold when they made Jessica —one of social media’s key influencers and personalities. Jessica has built a powerful platform for herself in the country music industry and is recognized as leading one of Twitter’s largest chats: #cmchat where she hosts selected country music icons and facilitates a Q & A on Twitter each Monday night. The quality people Jessica attracts and the diversity of the chat is one of the best things about it as it increases in popularity and reach. Jessica has an amazing gift of wit and attracts fans and followers through her constant engagement online and her gregarious personality. I have had the pleasure and honor of working with her on several events and can tell you that she is as real, generous and even more wonderful in real life.

Stephen Caggiano

I retweeted Jessiica’s arrival in Las Vegas for the CMA Awards. I noticed that She gave no mention of the Red Carpet access She would be given. Nor did she mention the Celebs She would be rubbing elbows with. She never even mentioned why She was going. Jessica is the voice of the Country Music Industry, in Social Media. from the Fans perspective. Her profound impact was magnified by the Country Music audience, whom She won over, one at a time. Her 300K+ following on Twitter, would rival 6 of the Nations largest Concert stadiums, all filled to capacity, tuning in on Monday Nights for #CMChat on Twitter. Jessica is a Celebrity in Her own right. What really defines Her, for me, is one humbling moment a while back. I told Her I had a question that was too long to type out. Moments later, She called. I am still humbled. She’s impossible not to love. Go get em’ Girl! #Boom

SHE’S THE PEOPLE’S CHAMPION

The 3 testimonials probably say more than I can but I have a funny story. I recently had a back-and-forth conversation with Jessica about whether she embodied Social Media. She tried telling me while she’s knowledgeable about Radio, Broadcasting, Celebrities, and Musicians, she doesn’t think she’s “mainstream” or influential about social media. But that’s Jessica, always grounded and unpretentious! I countered by saying that if you’re in with the Twitterati and clearly influence other “top” influencers, YOU ARE SOCIAL MEDIA. When your twitter chats generate millions upon millions of impressions, YOU ARE SOCIAL MEDIA.

It boils down to the simple fact that she’s a people person. You’d think someone who was so popular would be more caught up in what others think about them but her upbringing and perspective simply won’t allow it. Her Grandpa Bill, an accomplished stock car driver, always told her “don’t drive by the rearview mirror.” It’s apparent that she took his advice, as she’s running her own race – and WINNING it. When I’m looking for guidance, I look for #TrueNorthey on my social compass and her blog always points me in the right direction.

She’s great at building us up and making us feel good, now it’s our turn to show appreciation for our beloved Social Media Celebrity. Tell her what an inspiration she’s been to you, below, and then stop by her Klout and Kred pages to make her head spin with more +K(red)’s than she can handle!!!

Mar
27

By So Genius Blog

What #SEO really means to bloggers – So Effing Overrated

Category: So Genius Tags: blogging, community, Marketing, search engine optimization, SEO, SEO is bullshit, SEO is overrated 35 Comments

This is an open invitation for all of the SEO evangelists to come and purge the anti-SEO sentiment from deep within my soul. What’s the worst that could happen? It may turn out that I’m wrong, which happens up to twice a week, so I can live with that. What I have trouble living with is all the articles, tweets, and posts that claim Search Engine Optimization(SEO) is the holy grail of blogging. I don’t know about you, but I’ve already accepted the fact that I’m not going to bump Mashable, Social Media Today, or Alltop from the top results when someone searches for Social Media on Google. While SEO isn’t completely useless, it’s SO OVERRATED for most bloggers

PEOPLE TRUMP KEYWORDS

I’ll admit that if your website sells products or services, SEO would play a more important role in getting noticed. But what about blogs? Are people really starting their Social Media or Marketing blogs with the expectation that SEO will magically deliver millions of hits and put them on the first page on Google? Get Real, it’s a pipe dream, unless you have tens of thousands of dollars to invest. Even then, there’s no guarantee that you’ll reach the promised land. Maybe it’s worth considering when you’ve already become established with hundreds of thousands of visitors, but don’t buy into the hype before then. Instead, find a better(and less costly) way to grow your community.

Here are a few suggestions:

Spend time creating meaningful relationships with other bloggers

Focus on adding value to other successful blogs by becoming a part of their community

Find a niche market and build credibility through your content

Get to know your audience – go beyond saying “thank you for commenting”

DARTH SEO vs LUKE SKYGOOGLE?

Last time I checked, the purpose of SEO is to optimize your website in order to rank higher on search engines. Sounds innocent enough on the surface, but when you dig deeper into the technicalities of SEO, it gets creepy. Who wants to deal with the likes of robots, spiders, and crawlers…be tempted to engage in cloaking or spamdexing… and be able to differentiate between white hats and black hats? No, stop, I know what you’re thinking – this is not the description of a Star Wars Movie. There is no Darth SEO that fights Luke Skygoogle in an epic battle of good vs evil. If that were the case, SEO would be easier because at least you could tell good from bad. In the SEO saga, the line between is fuzzy, at best.

There I said it – I’m more concerned about building the so G community from the ground up with quality people, rather than rely on search traffic, backlinks, and 5 second page visits for cool stats. Let the outcry begin, am I completely off base here? Am I missing the boat or do you agree? Lastly, do me a favor and include a link to your twitter profile if I don’t follow you already.

Mar
23

By So Genius Blog

Meet the International Man of #SocialMedia Mystery – Reg Saddler AKA @Zaibatsu

Category: So Genius Tags: Reg Saddler, so genius, social media, Zaibatsu 17 Comments

So what is it exactly that Reg and his company do? Ahem… the first rule of fight club – you don’t talk about fight club. I can’t believe you already broke the first two rules! My bad, I kind of led you into that trap. Look, I’m not even entirely sure what Reg does. What I do know, however, is that people listen when the man speaks. First, let’s take a historical look at the meaning behind his nom de plume, Zaibatsu, to give you a perspective on what he’s all about.

According to Wikipedia – Zaibatsu is a Japanese term referring to industrial and financial business conglomerates in the Empire of Japan, whose influence and size allowed for control over significant parts of the Japanese economy. So, basically, he’s the Godfather of Social Media.

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING

“If Howard Stern is the King of All Media, Reg is the king of SOCIAL Media. The guy just gets it, is always ahead of the curve, and happens to be a quality person to boot. If you want to know the first thing or the last thing about social media, if you want to know what is coming next, or if you want to understand how to succeed in the digital era, then find Reg- track him down and just try to get a little karma off of him!”
- Chris McGill, CEO of Mixx.com

“Reg’s knowledge of social media, it’s uses and potential, and his deployment of strategy on all channels, is unparalleled. He generously uses his extensive reach to help others. I don’t think there is any other person at his level of social media who gives as much (or as freely or as often) as he does.
I’m fortunate to call him a friend and feel great joy whenever he receives the recognition he deserves.”
- Terri Nakamura, Author of Confessions of a Graphic Designer

“Having moved 100 million pairs of eyes to content all over the Internet, Reg knows the 18 to 49 demographic like the back of his hand. Though part of his superpower depends on complete discretion about both his clients and his methods, a brief conversation with anyone who has used his services quiets any doubts immediately”
-Tinu Abayomi-Paul, Owner of Leveraged Promotions

A TRUE SOCIAL MEDIA MOGUL

Reg is a guy you want to know, to say the least. I’ve been privileged enough to be an acquaintance of his on FB, Twitter, and G+ so I’ve seen him in action. Many of you already know that he’s appeared in the top 10 on numerous Social Media Influencer lists; which he absolutely deserves to be. What you might not know, and what I find to be one of his most endearing qualities, is that he engages with people from all walks of life. He’ll still reply to your tweet even if you just barely made it into the top 50,000 social media influencer list! I’ve seen the how the other Twitter Powerhouses flock to him, pick his brain, and value his advice. He’s a man of the people and, as you read in the testimonials, he just makes things happen. So, on behalf of everyone in the socialsphere, I’d like to thank Reg for all of his contributions. And for the So G readership, after you leave a comment giving Mr Saddler a shout out, I encourage you to head over to his Klout profile and make it rain +K!

Mar
20

By So Genius Blog

20,000 views our first 2 Months – The 3 Keys to Success

Category: So Genius Tags: blogging, community, empire avenue, MARK SCHAEFER, Marketing, Michael Q Todd, so genius, social media, triberr 31 Comments

This will be a short post with a very simple strategy to execute… just bribe people to come read your blog. It’s easy, pay everyone between $1000 – $2000 to read and comment on every post you write and BOOM – you’ll get 20,000 visitors in no time. That’s all, thanks for coming. Problem Solved, right? Well, if you’re like me and DON’T have hundreds of thousands of dollars to budget on your blog, don’t worry, there’s still hope.

Before I reveal my 3 secrets and go all infomercial on you, I want to extend a HUGE Thank You to the So Genius readership. If it weren’t for you, I probably would have already joined the blogging graveyard with an epitaph that read “another boring blog that no one cared about.” Fortunately, the personal stories that you’ve shared and thoughts you’ve conveyed over the last two months have allowed me to further develop my craft. It’s a two way street and hopefully these 3 strategies will inspire someone who is considering a blog to get out there and DO IT. It’s a very rewarding (and therapeutic) experience)

AVOID THE POPPYCOCK

My first mildly successful post was “No One Wants to Read Your Mindless Poppycock – It’s time to {grow} up.” It was both a tribute to Mark Schaefer’s world famous {grow} blog community mixed with the key ingredients necessary for creating an entertaining blog that will keep readers coming back. Ultimately, if you’re still writing poppycock that any old Joe Blogschmoe can write, the rest of the keys won’t help you. After you finish writing every post, ask yourself this crucial question. “Is this something only I could write?” Oh, and be honest with the answer because guess what? You’re not Mashable or Spin Sucks, the world will continue to spin if you don’t publish that post. It’s better to post once or twice a week and wow your readers than throw-up on them every day until they just don’t come back anymore.

TRIBERR

If you’re wondering what the heck Triberr is, you’re not alone. I am surprised at the number of bloggers who still either haven’t heard of It or just plain don’t utilize it. Big Mistake for a couple of reasons. Triberr is a loose-knit community on the surface but has hundreds (if not thousands) of micro-communities that are composed of like-minded bloggers called tribes. It’s based on reciprocation like I scratch your back and you share my blog post. Roughly a quarter of all the traffic I’ve generated on this site has been a direct result of Triberr shares and that’s only counts what is measured. Also, you’re going to be exposed to oodles of other blogs to read and comment on – which is key to building foundations for relationships with other bloggers.

WALK THE AVENUE

I’m such a Houdini. At the beginning of this post I talked about bribing people to read your blog and you thought I was just kidding…. But I’m not! I don’t care if your name is Blog God, you can benefit from Empire Avenue’s mission system and gathering of the most passionate engagers on the social web. Where else can you offer virtual currency as a reward for engagement on your site? No where else that I know of! Even more important is the relationships that you’ll build. I estimate the liklihood of establishing a MEANINGFUL connection on EAV to be 500% greater than any other Social Media site. For more info regarding the in’s and out’s of how to “play” Empire Avenue, I recommend checking out Michael Q Todd’s blog as he has written dozens of articles that highlight what I’m attempting to explain in one paragraph.

Your Turn

What do you brings you back to certain blogs? Is this the design, format, or schedule? Share your thoughts with the audience on what you like to see or let me know whether you found these three tips useful.

Mar
16

By So Genius Blog

HOW TO: Change the World two Words at a Time #YOUMATTER

Category: So Genius Tags: Angela Maiers, Dan Gilbert, Jure Klepic, so genius, So Genius Award, social media, You Matter 13 Comments

Originally, this post was intended to be a one man show that features our latest So Genius Award winner, thus kicking off a new weekly segment. No need to worry, though, as we’ll still unveil Jure Klepic’s So G Award; but there’s a movement going on that’s bigger than any one person. Jure epitomizes this mission so deeply, that I actually thought he started project. As it turns out, however, someone else gave birth to the two words that are helping to change the world – YOU MATTER.

WE MATTER

When was the last time someone said that you mattered? For many, it’s been far too long. Some may not even remember the last time. However, If you are friends with Angela Maiers, creator of the you matter project, it’s rare that a day goes by without her reminding you of how important you really are. Need some inspiration to fuel your potential for the upcoming week? Please watch Angela’s AMAZING Ted Talk to get your fix. Really, this isn’t just about words… it’s a message that can change the way you look at the world.

THE MORE YOU GIVE

It’s human nature to want to belong, to feel appreciated for what you do. This is a two way street, my friends. Dan Gilbert, a successful Midwest businessman, once told me his key to success. “The more you give the more you get” is the mantra he lives by. That, in itself, is not a new concept but most people seemingly have it bassackwards. Many first wait for someone to help them before they help someone else. Some expect an affirmation of their own contributions before they appreciate the things people do for them. I’m sorry to inform those people that YOU HAVE IT WRONG. Angela has laid the groundwork, but it’s up to us to set aside the me-first attitude that prevails in our society and start paying it forward. So, your mission for the rest of today and through the weekend is find a way to acknowledge the people that make a difference in your life. When enough of us buy into this philosophy, we really will change the world.

SO GENIUS AWARD: DIFFERENCE MAKER

Jure is a difference maker

I sure hope Jure doesn’t mind getting buried at the end of this post. Actually, nevermind, I know he won’t care because he is more concerned with others than himself. I remember my first interaction with Jure, it was shortly after the first time that I retweeted him when he didn’t just thank me, but actually asked how my day was. While this probably shouldn’t have been so astonishing, it was on a few different levels. I had been on Twitter for maybe four months and it was the first time that someone I didn’t know actually cared enough to ask about me. It says a lot about someone’s character when they ask about you for no ot than to acknowledge you. Initially, I thought jure just had a thing for superheroes, but it so happens that he lets EVERYONE know that they matter. He is a true difference maker; and for that, he deserves our praise. Now it’s our turn to tell Jure how much we love him by leaving a shoutout below.

Mar
12

By So Genius Blog

The Queen is King of Social Media – Part II – Be the Change

Category: So Genius Tags: Gini Dietrich, Glass Ceiling, Michele Price, so genius, social media, Women in Social Media 19 Comments

This photo was taken on March 8^th, 1975 during an International Women’s Day(IWD) march in Australia. Fast-forward 37 years and, regrettably, women are still fighting against the same stereotypes, discrimination, and sexism that have plagued them since Adam blamed Eve for making him eat the apple. In the first post, we clearly established that there is still a glass ceiling in social media. In this post, I asked two of the strongest women I know – Michele Price and Gini Dietrich – to discuss how we’re going to breakthrough it.

PROLOGUE

Before I turn it over to my guests, I want you to look at the picture again. Look at the passion that these women displayed while standing up for a unified cause. It’s rather inspiring if you ask me, but where is this fervor from the women in today’s society? I think it’s largely absent. We just celebrated IWD, but quite frankly, I saw a bigger buzz on national talk like a pirate day. That’s arrrrrghregious.

So where did all of the strong feelings from women go over the last 20-30 years? Search timelines for the Women’s movement – I dare you. Google says nothing has happened in the movement since the early 90′s, unless you dig to page 2… and who ever gets THAT far? Ladies, don’t give up – stand up – and create some new search results for our Googling pleasure!

MICHELE PRICE @prosperitygal

What I find amusing is before Chris, Scott, Jay, and Scott were popular as they are now, conferences put them in the line up. Had these same events taken a more balanced perspective in thinking about their audience, they would have served them a different variety of speakers. Instead they take the easy way out and continue to bore us all with the same Men-ummhh excuse me -people.

WHO is in the audience? Are they really 100% men? Why would the same business principles be different for conferences? “Serving your customers well.”

Being willing to be unreasonable is where breakthroughs originate. If conferences feel having women are unreasonable-wonder what the breakthrough results might be for the conference that made a point of having it’s keynotes be MORE women. Imagine the social media impact that would occur -generating more buzz.

“The reasonable man adapts himself to the world, the unreasonable adapts the world to him. All progress depends on the unreasonable man” George Bernard Shaw.

Who will be the catalyst and make a commitment to to “BE” that progress. Good gracious women of the early 1900′s are turning in their graves seeing us relive the same things over and over. Where is the progress? Women submit when there is a call for speakers.

I am going to have a nice strong cup of coffee now as I am thoroughly disappointed that we are even having to have this conversation in 2012. Thank you for having the courage to say it out-loud and point out where the Emperor has no clothes.

GINI DIETRICH @ginidietrich

Sheryl Sandberg, the COO of Facebook, gave a compelling commencement speech last May. She talked about how women tend to take our foot of the career pedal because we “think” we might get married and have babies someday. We feel guilty for pursuing the corner office or climbing the corporate ladder because we might not be there in a few years.

This is crazy. Yet she’s right.

So many of us are taught, since we’re very little, that getting married and having a family ismore important than our careers. Sure, we also grow up thinking we can be President of the United States or doctors or lawyers or business owners. But hardly any of us grow up thinking we’re going to do both.

Because of that mentality, the glass ceiling still exists. Business leaders find it difficult to put women in positions of power, especially if they’re engaged to be married or expecting. They just don’t know what will happen once we get married or that baby is born. So they don’t give us a shot. And the gender doesn’t matter. It can be a male or female boss.

There is only one way we can get past this. Put your foot on the pedal. Go as fast as you can. Climb the ladder. Start a business. Become a leader. Author a book. Go on the speaking circuit. And worry about what happens when it happens, not before. As it turns out, women are really good at multi-tasking, especially if they’re doing several things they love to do. Cross that bridge when you come to it.

THE FUTURE IS NOW

Michele and Gini are highly successful, motivated women making a difference TODAY. We need to start another movement – the women in the Women’s Day march 37 years ago only had handmade signs and their voice. We have Twitter, Facebook, and Google+ to raise awareness. Just last week, on our fanpage, we recognized nearly 50 women for their greatness in Social Media. We’ve done something, now the question is, what are you going to do?

Photo courtesy of The National Archives of Australia

Feb
23

By So Genius Blog

The Queen is King of Social Media – So Where’s Her Spot on the Throne?

Category: So Genius Tags: Ann Handley, Jessica Northey, Mari Smith, New South Digital, Sexism, so genius, social media, Women, Women in Social Media 5 Comments

Content is King – have you heard the news? Of course you have! It’s been trumpeted loudly for the past 6 months, usually by men. We go beating our chest and tweet out infographics, statistics, and articles – Mmm content, yummy. Content is King we say – but is it? Our battle cry might just be a coping mechanism to compensate for what men are lacking, kind of like the guy with really a BIG truck. If Content is King, then an engaging community is Queen.. and we know who REALLY runs the kingdom, don’t we? Oh yes, that’s right, the Queen IS King of Social Media, both figuratively and literally.

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