Firstly, an apology – blogging on here has been sporadic at best recently for a number of reasons, but mainly because things have been very, very busy of late. Whilst busy is good, I intend to try and blog on here a bit more frequently too!
Secondly, a big ‘hat tip’ to Ben La Mothe and his new weekly social media cheat sheet; it’s a fantastic overview of everything ‘social media’ you need to know and may have missed in the last week.
Lastly, to prove just how useful Ben’s sheet is, I’ve pulled out this post which he referenced, as it is a great summary of how social media works. We are often asked about the pros and cons of having microsites versus a presence on social networks etc.
This overview from Michael Hyatt is one of the most concise and clear descriptions I’ve seen:
- A Homebase. This is a digital property you own and control. It is where your loyal fans gather. It can be as simple as a blog or as complex as a self-hosted community. Regardless, it is where you direct all internet traffic. Why? Because this is the place where you can best sell your ideas or products. You control the borders and determine who has access.
- Embassies. These are places you don’t own, but where you have a registered profile. In other words, you have a regular presence on someone else’s property. You engage in conversations with those who congregate there. Examples would include Facebook, Twitter, Linked In, or even other blogs you follow. You generally need a “Passport” (verified credentials) granted by the site owner to maintain residency or participate in conversations.
- Outposts. These are places you don’t own nor have a regular presence. Instead, you simply listen into conversations about you, your brand, your company, or topics that interest you. For example, I have search columns in HootSuite that monitor mentions of both my name and my company. I also have Google Alerts that monitor the same information wherever it may occur on the Web.
