Technology Toolkit

This is not some new marketing fluff or propaganda to get companies involved in social networks. Social networks provide a rewarding environment for companies to connect with great talent before they hit the payroll. Companies using viral content in social networks will be the first to get Gen Y’s attention and the pick of the talent crop. In the Web 2.0 world creativity, content and community rule and companies need to dance to the new beat.

Before Web 2.0 and social media networking companies used their websites and job boards to attract and recruit talent. Many were ignorant to social sites crammed with some of the best corporate talent and suffered the penalty. Until now.

Social networks house large, precious databases have massive popularity and very low implementation costs. But the swing to Web 2.0 technologies by corporations has been painfully slow, even though it makes sense to use to these sites for their next corporate hire and lunacy to ignore them.

Gen Y, the early adopters of social media networking, are now 88 million strong. Neglecting, even throwing away opportunities to get the best talent money can buy without paying ludicrous hiring or transfer fees is counter intuitive.

Companies wanting top candidates to join their ranks should advance recklessly towards Web 2.0 strategies, embrace social networks and grab hold of the wealth of talent roaming the landscape. And it’s absolutely free.

Positioning themselves where their potential employees spend time and learning the local language is a necessity. Anything else defies common sense and would be a mistake. That means developing and exploiting links in Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or blogs. It also means becoming social media literate, understanding Gen Y’s recruiting goals, being generous with time and information and participating in a meaningful way. Just getting social network accounts not only isn’t enough in fact it would look trivial and shallow. If companies want Gen Y to arouse interest in them they need to be active.

Company pages in Facebook pages and Twitter accounts should bring companies to life. This should include videos of employees being transparent about their daily corporate lives, their failures, successes and eccentricities. More like in-house diaries and less like scripted advertisements. The best way to connect with Gen Y is by engaging in conversations already happening online.

Web 2.0 and social media networking have blasted the doors wide open for companies to get creative. People want more than ever to connect with others with the same values and interests. Even in the current downturn talent still needs to be won. Web 2.0 is the perfect place to meet without putting resumes or reputations on the line.

It’s not a trick. Becoming peers through social networks is an unexpected and invaluable way to connect to elite talent. Companies with viral videos and ripping good content for Gen Y will get their attention and will work for them. In this new digital frontier, creativity, content and community will triumph.

A major challenge of the internet is how to use it to get all the free Web 2.0 traffic everyone keeps talking about. You can instantly dominate free traffic without spending a cent when you know how to use Web 2.0 and social media networking sites. Online communities contain hundreds, thousands and even millions of likeminded people who collect and share information, experiences and data that they identify as valuable, even crucial, to their niche or special interest category.

Used cleverly social media sites can slash into a target market and mine highly valuable traffic all meeting in the one location. Social bookmarking and networking have become secret codes for internet marketing success. Blogs, web sites, and even affiliate pages are pieces of the easy to implement puzzle helping internet marketers.

Driving web site traffic is easy once you know how. And it’s free. Do you have a web site or blog but no traffic? Web 2.0 can redirect targeted visitors to your site. But how do you get pockets of easy traffic from YouTube, Friendster, Zimbio, OYAX, Ask/Jeeves, Xanga and MSN Spaces?

Got a pen? First, make a list of five high-traffic forums that relate to your niche. Google or Yahoo or MSN can help you find the top five forums in your niche. Next, submit fresh content to these forums regularly. You need to become well known. Start stockpiling some trust with forums members, and don’t forget to sign off with an enticing signature ear-marking your website. Invite people to visit with an offer a free gift, mini-series or e-book. Traffic will come. But will it be sooner or later? That really depends on the quality of what you have to say, how you say it and what’s to eat or drink at your place since you’re doing the inviting.

Next, submit high quality videos to YouTube and Google Videos. This is another easy way to get the attention of absolutely f.r.e.e. traffic to your web site. But it doesn’t stop there. Create unique articles and submit directories and free online e-zines. Remember, the word is unique.

Search engines boost quality informational content over “sales” websites everyday with their rankings. Get a blog if you don’t already have one. They rank very well with search engines and the higher your ranking the more exposure you’ll have to searching traffic. Your blog will need lots of postings with strong articles using your niche’s or target markets keywords.

The emphasis is not necessarily on ‘long’ copy but unique or fresh copy. Every method you use to get your name out there is a trail back to your site. The world is a circle and the internet is no different. You start in one place and before you know it you’re back again – posting more content and a few more friends. Rinse and repeat.

Remember, only must read or see content will generate free web traffic. Without it visitors may visit your site once but they’ll quickly lose interest and chase some other shiny object.

Don’t forget your offer. Sites often get visitors and forget a call to action. Visitors at your site must be clear about why they’re there. If you want them to “Bookmark this site now”, “Enter Your Email” or “Click Here for Your Free E-Book”; tell them, you may never see them again. Blow their minds with shortcuts, valuable content, free stuff and hidden tools and before you know it you could have a virus on your hands, lots of visitors and faithful followers.

If traffic is visiting your site; pay attention. Keep an eye out for what people are talking about the most. Look for themes and trends and deliver content on those themes.

Write for humans first, computers second, and connect with your audience.

The sooner you get plugged into Web 2.0’s social marketing the faster you’ll have amazing amounts of traffic coming to your website.

Hacker attacks on Web 2.0 social media networking sites are likely to come more often and be more creative and complex. This couldn’t come at a worse time for corporations who are finally open to joining others in the Web 2.0 social networking media world and reap the benefits from all Web 2.0 has to offer.

Hackers and cybercriminals commando skills are increasingly leveraging the Web. Their aim is to maim Web 2.0 applications and social networking sites. Organizations waddling into the Web 2.0 stratosphere need to listen up and re-assess their defensive mechanisms to protect users from hidden threats lurking on legitimate sites.

Hackers are driving and distributing unrelenting malware perpetrating identity theft, financial fraud, and corporate espionage. As a growing number of Web 2.0 applications are routinely adopted into the business world they bring with them confronting security concerns.

Unless these are addressed many corporations will continue to live outside Web 2.0 cut off from membership sites, crowdsourcing benefits and marketing benefits.

Almost two-thirds of businesses use at least one Web 2.0 application while in constant dread that Web 2.0 could lead to data loss from hackers gaining access through the back door. Easy and inexpensive Web 2.0 applications implementation make it a natural shortcut to high consumer demand for more transparent and smoother on line experiences.

The tremendous popularity of Web 2.0 social media networking has virus writers and hackers crazed with hunting down and claiming popular and valuable Web 2.0 sites, targeting the greatest number of users as their own. With so much money at stake Web-based attacks are becoming more lethal, malicious, and crushing. The challenge to protect confidential information will become the greatest threat to enterprise security.

Hungry hackers and malware developers have ‘drive them insane’ tactics ready to compromise and devour popular Web 2.0 sites and install intimidating code to dupe personal and business confidential information out of users and systems alike.

Likewise spam, combining spyware, viruses, and other malware are on the rise. Web 2.0 social networks are further threatened with the chilling use of encryption to gain access through the back door without being detected. Seeds of doubt around security grow like weeds as spyware flourishes as constant security and management threats.

Improvised and focused theft of private information, disarmed desktop, increased downtime, chewed up bandwidth and fanatic help desk calls are overwhelming call centers and IT departments.

On the other side, security companies are riding the wave of Web-based attacks into greater market share for their white knight services. Cynics are even citing that these attacks are originating from security companies themselves as a way of pocketing easy money. Don’t laugh. Who’s to say it’s not true. After all, who would be more equipped to put out fires than those guarding the matches? Everyone has budgets.

Businesses eager to simplify security and all the associated costs of hardware, administration, management reporting and call center headaches may soon abandon ‘old ways’ and run to ‘cloud’ technology without fuss or fanfare if they can finally figure out issues around cost, security and delivery and before they’re totally unhinged by hackers.

It’s said that Generation Y collectively invented Web 2.0 social media. Friendster came first but was replaced when Facebook unexpectedly took things to a new level. Everything changed. Offline friends were stashed away safely in one place online. Guys rummaged through networks to find the cute girls and photos from festivities, frolicking and football games were posted on huge pin up boards.

It changed again. Second Life created a virtual world for people to stroll around with their alter egos, LinkedIn claimed shortcuts for older white-collar professionals and then Twitter blasted on to the scene. While Gen Y is still active, the real developers of the new web are older. And there are a lot of them. The new web is about spending a lot of your time online. And mainstream twenty-somethings are walking away.

TWITTER

The majority of Twitter users worldwide are 35 or older. Just over ten percent of Twitter population in the US is between 18-24 and tweet less often. Why isn’t Gen Y biting?

LINKEDIN

Gen Y is not on LinkedIn. LinkedIn profiles do two things. They sneeze out to the world all the great things you’ve accomplished and they connect people in your industry. Not surprisingly most LinkedIn users are 40 years and over since Gen Y hasn’t stockpiled a heap of things they want to shout about; they’re still discovering what industry they want to be in and their connections aren’t that connected.

LinkedIn did a major marketing push offering grads their premium service for a three month free trial; even pitching the site as a way to get jobs. It doesn’t seem to be working.

So who doesn’t get who? Has LinkedIn failed to get Gen Y or is Gen Y too busy trying everything that there’s not a lot to put on the table?

FACEBOOK

Facebook is growing with chilling speed. New adopters are between 35 to 54 years old which grew at a rate of 276% over the last six months and the 55 and over demographic grew by almost 200% for the same period. Meanwhile, 18-24 year olds only grew 20%. Over 35’s are also joining Twitter where it’s all about real-time updates.

In fact, when Facebook made design changes comparable to Twitter astonishingly the angry mob wasn’t older demographic groups shaking in fear of change but from the long time Facebook users; Gen Y.

Those aged over 45 years are actively taking up Web 2.0 social media consumer technology including blogs and podcasts almost 20 times faster than younger generations. Gen Y consumers are reversing their bull charge away from social networking, blogging, podcasting and internet videos.

What happened and Where are they going?

It’s possible that Gen Y has decided that too much is too much. Gen Y may have liked flirting with Web 2.0 but are no longer interested now that the wrappers are off. Maybe when the lights came on it just wasn’t what they expected. After all, chatting over a glass of wine wins hands down over a hot screen and mouse.

Unexpectedly older users have scratched the social media surface and found new strategies beyond the cool PR fog that early Gen Y adopters ran looking for.

Even Chris Cox, Facebook’s Director of Products says, “The people who started the company weren’t cool. I’m not cool, if you look at the people who work here, it’s much more nerdy and curious than cool… Cool only lasts for so long, but being useful is something that applies to everyone.”

He’s right. Gen Y are chasing cool not useful. Others have found useful and are devouring it. Will Gen Y get left behind or have they already found new toys to play with?

Demand for website marketing services is exploding while offline businesses all around the globe can’t escape the jaw dropping downturn. Businesses are shrinking expenses wherever they can during this economic downturn. But the reverse is happening in the online world. In fact, online marketing activities are stronger than ever. This is not only because companies want to flex and tone their competitive muscles but consumer online spending is increasing which is a red flag in this current market.

An economic downturn is a great time for companies to rethink and refocus their brands, costs, positioning, market share and competitors. Sure, there’s blood on the floor but when the axis stops its high voltage spin, companies everywhere take a collective sigh and work out their place in the world. And then it’s time to get out there and talk about their new generation of products or services as if they were Lazarus reborn.

A cocky advantage internet marketing has over print and other media is its extremely affordable, making it the logical choice whether every dollar counts or not. A collective sigh is one thing but if you snooze, you lose. Smart companies are improvising. They can’t afford to not market. They need is affordable, cost effective, good returns on investment and sustainable platforms they can build on. Web 2.0 social media marketing provides it all and more.

Hundreds of companies all over the world of every shape and size offer website, blogging, article writing, video and marketing services as well as pay per click and search engine optimization (SEO) services to stimulate and secure links back to their sites for solid search engine rankings. Costs are low, turnaround fast and outsourcing reliable. Traditional marketing services are still in demand but until delivery costs can be significantly reduced to compete they must wait patiently until budgets expand to permit expenditures that have fallen into the luxurious ‘you must be kidding’ category.

Social media marketing has an unfair advantage. It’s very affordable costing only a fraction on other marketing and advertising channels despite its enormous reach into cyber space. It also has high value, long term engineering elements that crank and build interest and trust in companies, products, people and culture by stimulating vital ongoing virtual conversations unlike the usual one-way company shake and rattle delivered by other mediums.

It’s also measurable. Highly measurable. Trial runs, tests and experiments are all easy to measure allowing you to see what works, what doesn’t, who makes up your demographics and where they live. Most of these results are free allowing you to improve your campaigns with laser–like focus until you get it right.

Internet marketers will no doubt spoil the fun of, and possibly humiliate, traditional marketing as they tear away like rockets snatching budgets from those who refuse to believe that things have changed. Right now Web 2.0 social media marketing can’t lose. But the tables could turn in a blink if traditional media does something crazed and unusual to get everyone’s attention. It’s happened before.