Image via Wikipedia

Pinterest is the hottest new social platform, according to everyone on the internet – from my mother to Mashable. So… what should we do with it? What works best for businesses? How do brands even use Pinterest – can users log in under multiple accounts? Can you make private boards? How often should you promote your own content versus sharing others’ content? With all of the wedding dresses, high heels, and fancy handbags on there, can guys use Pinterest?

We’ll be talking Pinterest in a roundtable format this month. We want to hear from you: what’s the best thing you’ve found on Pinterest? Have you tried TheFancy.com yet? What brand is sharing content that you LOVE? Do you have a strategy for sharing content, or are you just pinning whatever and whenever you feel like it? Have you had more success with a certain type of content? What questions do YOU have about the site?

Join our conversation at 6:30 on Thursday, March 8th to talk about the hottest new platform. We’ll be meeting in the OC room at GannettLocal’s downtown Phoenix office, on the 10th floor just down the hall from our usual meeting spot. SMCPhoenix hopes to see you there!

Related articles

• Pinterest vs. Fancy (womma.org)
• Pinterest: Why should you be interested? [infographic] (methodshop.com)
• The Marketer’s Guide To Pinterest [Infographic] (socialtimes.com)
• A Pinterest for men: MANteresting.com (thestar.com)

For our February session we are going to be taking a hard look at one of the fastest growing, most important, and possibly least understood social networks – Google+

In spite of just hitting 100 million users, a lot of people are not sure what to make out of Google’s offering. Is it a competitor to Facebook? Does it drive traffic? How should people build their Circles? Should I even care?

The answer to the last question is a definite YES! We will talk about how Google+ can benefit both individuals and brands, and we will discuss:

• Why Google+ needs to be taken seriously
• Why circles are incredible and how to build them effectively
• 5 pro-tips for building your brand on Google+
• 5 pro-tips to build your business or clients on Google+
• Using and loving Google Hangouts

Join us Thursday, February 9th from 6:30pm – 8:30pm as we dive into the world of Google+. The discussion will be led by Jeff Moriarty, Evo Terra and Daniel Moran, but we are encouraging everyone to share their tips and ideas for this exciting new platform.

Circle SMC Phoenix on Google+

We couldn’t really have a chat about this topic and not have a Google+ page, right? So add the SMC Phoenix Google+ page to your Circles and we will add you back.

Image via Wikipedia

If using videos either personally or professionally is something you want to do more of in 2012…then don’t miss out on this month’s topic!

Please join us at social media club as we discuss how to use videos to help drive traffic to your site. We’ll start by finding out how much you all know about video and production. Then dive into how our panel members got involved with video, what their favorite tools and tricks are for making videos, and end with tracking the success of a video campaign.

Our panelists are:

• Krys Vansylke
• Clintus McGintus
• Merlin U Ward

Our moderators are:

• Samantha Leopoldi
• Jerilyn Kruger

We’ll see you at our usual hangout on January 12^th at 6:30pm at Gannet Local.

Socially yours,
SMC Phoenix

Other Social Media articles:

• DECEMBER SMC: The good, bad and ugly of 2011 (smcphoenix.com)
• Updated Chapter Guidelines & Stricter Requirements on New Chapters (socialmediaclub.org)
• Social Media Club Seattle: What more can we accomplish in 2012? (heidi-miller.com)
• Are there cultural differences in social media? (socialmediaclub.org)

Image via Wikipedia

In October, the Social Media Club Phoenix crew will be bringing in a panel comprised of journalists who use social media for more than simply broadcasting the news.

Journalists today are relying on Twitter and Facebook for story sources, feedback and an array of other purposes. Join us as we talk about how to use engagement to make stories better, when social media is most useful. We’re going to focus on using social media as a resource, beyond broadcasting.

How do journalists look for sources or information about a story? What’s the appropriate way to attribute and cite quotes gleaned from social media? When is it not appropriate to seek comments via social media channels? Is social media a more rich resource for some topics than others? Why? Is social media really paving the way to a more open newsroom, or do these interactions merely create an illusion of a two-way street?

We’ll be meeting at the same Bat-time, same Bat-channel (6:30 PM at Gannett Local) on October 13th. Don’t miss out!

Blogging Platforms Compared – WordPress vs. Posterous vs. Tumblr

Image by Anise Smith via flickr

If you’ve ever wanted to start a personal or business blog, join us for the August 2011 SMC Phoenix meeting. We’re going to talk about why you might want to start and maintain a free blog, along with which platform might be best for your purpose.

Panelists will describe the unique features and drawbacks of three platforms:

• WordPress.com
• Tumblr
• Posterous.

NPR, The Atlantic, and the LA Times. What do these news outlets have in common? Each of them uses Tumblr to share behind-the-scenes stories, reblog news and information reported by other outlets, and to interact with their readers. Total Wine corporate uses Posterous to share posters and advertisements.

While blogs based on paid hosting services with dedicated URLs are growing in use, a free blog can have many advantages for personal, small business, and even enterprise use. A first-time blogger can get a free blog set up and running in minutes, without all of the complicated options and questions involved with setting up a paid blog. All three of the platforms we will be examining have the capability to be updated and managed via mobile phones, commenting/liking systems, and visual themes that are easily customized.

We’ll talk about the advantages and disadvantages of each platform, and why you might use each platform for your specific need.

Please come ready to share your experiences with these types of platforms and learn from the experiences of others. You can also RSVP on Facebook and please share it with others you think are interested.

Topics in the months to come…

We’ve also set topics for our next two meetings, though we don’t have the detailed info and Facebook events created.

September 8^th: What’s Your Social Media Score: Can your social media knowledge, skill, and reach be reduced to a single number? The people at Klout think so. Join us for a discussion of the impact and pitfalls of trying to measure social media influence.

October 13^th: Evolving Face of Journalism: Journalism is evolving radically under the reach and tools of social media. Explore where it is struggling, succeeding, and what the future may bring.

Don’t forget…Friday, August 5 at 2:00p.m. is our twitter chat on the hottest trend to hit the social space – Google +! You can RSVP on Facebook or check this post for more information.

Social Media 101

Due to scheduling challenges, we are changing the format of SM101. Instead of the monthly pre-meeting sessions, we will be holding larger SM101 boot camps every few months. More information to follow soon!

A big thanks to Susan Beauchamp @SusanEBeauchamp for facilitating our Twitter or the Beginner session last month!

Image by niallkennedy via Flickr

Are you ready to discuss how you built your community online or are you in need of some help on what to do with the community you built online…if so please join us on July 14^th!

Building your online community – we will be sharing different views on community including tribes, communities of practice and other types of communities to open the conversation…then we will discuss the following questions:

1. Why build a community in the first place?
2. What kind of people do you actively try to attract to your community, and what types of people typically join?
3. What helped you get your community to where it is today?
4. Once you grow your community then what do you do?
5. What are the biggest challenges you encounter in your community, and what strategies have you used to overcome them?
6. How do you evaluate the success of your community?
7. What advice would you give to someone who is looking to build a community?

Towards the end we will take a few minutes to share our thoughts and experiences so far on Google+

Please come ready to share and learn about community building. You can also RSVP on Facebook and please share it with others you think are interested.

Topics in the months to come…

We’ve also set topics for our next two meetings, though we don’t have the detailed info and Facebook events created.

August 11^th: Blogging Platforms Compared – WordPress vs. Posterous vs. Tumblr – Compare three blogging platforms, focusing primarily on blogging for personal use. We’ll discuss the pros and cons of each platform, briefly touching on RSS, SEO, mobile blogging, and plugins.

September 8^th: Pranks and Flash Mobs – Tips, tricks, and tales from guerilla events and shenanigans.

Social Media 101 is back!

This takes place right before the Community Building session at 5:30pm. This month’s topic is Twitter for the Beginner – a basic class for those who want to learn how to use Twitter to promote their business, look for a job or keep in touch with what is going on in the world today.

Topics include:

• Setting up an account and your profile
• Sending out tweets re-tweets and direct replies
• Hash tags and trending topics
• Getting the right people to follow you
• Safety basics: What not to tweet and people you should block
• Top 5 Twitter do’s and don’ts

Taught by SMC member, Susan Beauchamp @SusanEBeauchamp

Don’t forget…Friday, July 8 at 2:00p.m. is our twitter chat on finding the balance between your professional and personal life online. Social junkies will come together to share their experiences, advice and problems—so be prepared to share! You can RSVP on Facebook or check this post for more information.

We look forward to seeing you in July and wish you a fun and relaxing 4^th of July!

Image via Wikipedia

Join us for Social Media Club Phoenix this Thursday, May 12th, for a discussion on Social Media for Business to Business (B2B) companies. This is a requested topic from our SMC Topic Request List, and is a follow-up on the B2B Twitter Chat this past Friday led by Cheryl and Daniel Moran. We hope to have a recap of the chat posted soon, but you can view the archive.

Social Media for Consumers or for Business?

Many companies, especially Small Businesses, don’t have their own physical store to sell their products in, but rather sell to other retailers. What are some effective ways to use Social Media to market your business and promote your products when you don’t have your own store to try and channel your customers into?

We will explore what makes Social Media important for small B2B companies, and what platforms/channels work best (Facebook, LinkedIn, blogs, etc). We will share what has worked best for each of us, and what differences there should be in developing a B2B social media strategy.

New Location – GannettLocal offices

We were not able to get space at SkySong this month, but the gracious people at GannettLocal in downtown Phoenix have volunteered to host us. GannettLocal helps local businesses with digital marketing and social media, and have been contributors to several past Social Media Club sessions.

Address: Arizona Republic Building, 200 E Van Buren Street, Phoenix (NE corner of 2nd St and Van Buren)
Parking: Free parking in Arizona Republic Garage, at 487 N 2nd St (SE corner of 2nd St and Taylor) – Say you are there for Social Media Club hosted by GannettLocal

Go the Arizona Republic employee entrance on the north side of the building and someone from GannettLocal will check you in.

We get started at 6:30pm, and run until 8:00. You can also RSVP for SMCPhx on Facebook. Come on down, learn from your peers, and share your own insight on making Social Media work.

Related articles

• Join our Twitter Chat on Social Media for Business to Business Companies (smcphoenix.com)
• B2B Social Media: 4 Ways to Sell the Value to Management (convinceandconvert.com)
• Social Media Clubhouse News (May 2011) (socialmediaclub.org)

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This month at Social Media Club we will be covering not one, but two of the most requested topics from our Uservoice forum. Yes, even the Peanut Butter Cup cannot match this great combination of flavor!

Part 1: How To Learn Social Media

The most requested topic is How To Learn or Train In Social Media, and I don’t have the answer to this and I don’t think our normal panel format would either. So to try and answer the request we’re going to do this as an open audience sharing – discussing what tools, resources, and classes we all know about to help each other learn.

We will run through some common topics to give some structure to the discussion, like Content, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Blogging, etc., and ask everyone to share what they know in that area.

There should be something for everyone, so if you’re looking for new ways to expand your social media skillset then come down and join us!

Part 2: Running Contests

The second most popular topic is running contests online. How do you run contests that engage your audience, and don’t just attract moochers?  How do you prevent your whole community from evolving just around the idea of free stuff? What works and what doesn’t?

This is an interesting but very focused topic, so we’re not sure it will take a full hour either. We’ve invited a few people with contest experience to share their ideas, then will also open this up for discussion.  If you have some experience in this area, please leave a comment on this blog post or from us an email and I’ll include you in the discussion.

This Friday is Social Media AZ

Don’t forget that this Friday is the Social Media AZ conference (a.k.a. SMAZ) in Tempe. Featuring great speakers like Jay Baer and Pam Slim, if you use digital media on a professional basis this is a great place to network and learn about the industry. If you are thinking about going, use the code “NowRevolution40″ to save 40% off your SMAZ tickets.

No Social Media 101 This Month!

Since half the main topic will be on where and how to best learn Social Media, we are going to skip the Social Media 101 session this month. Don’t be sad – the main session will be packed with excitement.

The main SMCPhx session starts at 6:30pm at the the Jobing.com offices. Please help spread the word, and send us any questions you would like covered via Twitter @SMCPhoenix or email at smcphoenix@gmail.com

Related articles

• What a Wonderful World to Learn, Share and Connect (socialmediaclub.org)
• Monday’s 5 Social Media Must-Reads (firebellymarketing.com)
• Brilliant Bloggers #1: Contests and Giveaway (blogworld.com)

Image via Wikipedia

The January 13th topic is going to kick off the year in style with a discussion about how to create and reuse good content – which is currently the most request topic on the SMC Uservoice page.

If good content was easy, everybody would do it

People scream that social media is all about content, but how do you make all this content in the first place? Can you reuse it like leftovers, or is it one shot and done?

This month’s SMC meeting will focus on planning your content strategy and coming up with creative ways to reuse your content across different platforms. We’ll talk about deciding what content your audience wants, how to find the right frequency and volume for your content, and when to schedule your posts on your blog, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube — or wherever. We’ll also talk about how you can make one piece of content work multiple ways across multiple platforms–make sure you get the most out of all your hard work!

Panelists

• Chad Swaney (facilitator) - Instructional Designer and Communication Strategist - @chadarizona
• Nick Bastian - Head Honcho, RailLife.com - @RailLife
• Charlene Kingston - Social Media DIY Workshop - @SocialMediaDIY
• Kevin Spidel - Community Architect for GannettLocal - @kspidel
• Jay Thompson - Broker/Co-Owner – Thompson’s Realty. Founder – phoenixrealestateguy.com - @PhxREguy

The session starts at 6:30pm. Please help spread the word, and send us any questions you would like covered via Twitter @SMCPhoenix or email at smcphoenix@gmail.com

Social Media 101 – 5 Effective Blogging Tips

Setting up your blog isn’t very hard. Writing effective posts to keep it alive is a different matter. Want 5 tips and ideas for keeping your blog content interesting and engaging? This is the topic of Evo Terra‘s Social Media 101, starting at 5:30 — sharp!  It’s a free, open format discussion so come on down with your questions!

Because we only have about 45 minutes for the class plus a Q & A session, please be on time. The class will end at 6:15, giving everyone plenty of time to make it to the main SMCPHX meeting that starts promptly at 6:30.

Both discussion are open to anyone interested, join in at the Jobing.com offices!

Related articles

• New Social Media Club Member Benefits to Kickoff 2011 (socialmediaclub.org)
• Social Media Masters Workshop in San Diego, Presented by Social Media Club (socialmediaclub.org)
• Social Media Clubhouse December 2010 Highlights (socialmediaclub.org)