Social media, explored and explained at #140ConfHV

Rich Kleban and Stephan Hengst spoke together on how they originally used social media to simply share information on gay and gay-friendly events and how that eventually bulged into an entire dedicated website.

Different platforms, different uses
Though the convention was largely oriented to Twitter including use of everyone’s Twitter handles on their name tags, the more personable and visual Facebook was not altogether ignored. Nor was Skype or new-kid-on-the-block Google Plus. LinkedIn, Skype and even YouTube got honorable mentions as being of relative use as well. “I’m going to use all those, and anything else they come up with,” laughed speaker Sueanne Shirzey, who also laid out much-needed social media etiquette for those who “didn’t seem to know” in her self-describing workshop entitled, “Everything I Needed to Know About Building a Business in Social Media I Learned in Kindergarten.”
Sean Mahoney of 33 Delivered, a digital development center located at Seven21 media, said he prefers Twitter for work-related posts and Facebook for personal interactions. Mahoney pointed out that people moving to rural Ulster are often doing so to “unplug” from a hectic Gotham lifestyle and welcome a digital slowdown.
David Parmet, a Westchester-based marketing consultant talked about social networking’s new kid on the block. “That’s why I like Google Plus — because I know who I am talking to. I can friend someone on Google Plus and no one can see what we are saying unless I am following them.” Google Plus received high marks among the discriminating crowd for its multiple layers of privacy and information filters.
Conference host and DragonSearch Marketing social media marketing guru Ric Dragon tossed in his virtual two cents on the spectrum of social media options. When questioned, “Why, above all, Twitter?” which is seemingly limited by 140-character tweets and a minimalist profile, Dragon responded, “Yes, a lot of people just do self promotion: me me me. But a lot of other people are creating impromptu communities — built on nothing more than a hashtag — and when you see community-building in action — all the attributes of group formation — that’s cool. For instance in some groups you see the four stages of group formation in action: [forming] norming, storming, [performing] etc. and you see people vying for leadership, and others decrying the effort, wishing for a true non-hierarchical group.”
Dragon said that the instantaneous rapid-firing of information on Twitter is one of its most consuming appeals. Like the infamous Twitter slam that the now-notorious snotty Starbucks barista suffered at the thumbs of Alec Baldwin, Dragon insists that Twitter moves information faster than a hallway full of seventh-graders hopped up on Pop Rocks. He also appreciated the ability to so easily grow a community of people with something to offer a distinct common thread through “Twitter chat.”

Advanced techniques
Dragon was fond of Google Plus’ youthful stature gifting new users the unique ability to access and dialogue with “influencers,” as Google Plus’ now-small community is filled with edgier marketers and “people who influence.” Dragon said that not oft-thought on Linked In remains a handy way for businesses to network. “Professional profiles, businesses can also enhance their business pages with it by uploading their businesses,” said Dragon. “I can ask someone to introduce me to someone else that people are linked with. It’s a critical tool for human resources as a way of reaching talent and seeing into their history and experience.”