Scott Berkun | uber.la

Jan 12 2010

Does LinkedIN Create Business via Social Media Networking?

Category: career,community building,connections,lifestreaming,social media,teaming & leadership,tech opinion,trust & reputation — jmacofearth @ 10:47 pm

If you've just joined us from the LinkedIN group system, welcome.

The question on everyone's mind is does social media pay dividends or is it cSM as we've come to call the shenanigans of Kevin Conway and Robert Henslee on the LinkedIN discussion forum. Definitively and brilliantly revealed as Social Media for Business is CRAP. (the thread has been deleted)

But Kevin's not buying the idea that other have had success with social media. He's not happy when a new poster comes along and says, "I've had some success." Because he's not seeing the success with his business (or at least that's his line on the post) even if he's so busy he can't really help you with yours.

And so Kevin, ever the drunken sailor, comes out swinging for another round even when he's got nothing to swing at.

So he's taken to calling names again. Accusing me of being "off my meds" and writing at a 6th grade 9th grade level.

But I can't really do it justice by quoting Kevin. Let's just share his latest three posts in toto!

And a few minutes later, there's even more…

And then after more careful consideration, once more, this time with feeling.

What I'm really wondering as I watch Kevin ratchet it back into gear, is how long will it take him to understand that CRAP and "exploit" are negative words. And his entire scatological vocabulary says more about his upbringing and professionalism than I could ever hope to expose.

So, with that, I bid new visitors a welcome. Thanks for stopping by. Tell Kevin how much you agree or disagree with his perspective. On social media, on the value of relationships online, on what makes a good platform for growing your business. cSM it is not. Lose the exploitation Kevin, and quit accusing visitors of drinking, drugging and attacking YOU. It's usually the kettle that's calling someone else black. Off to your own group. You're not welcome with the civil professionals.

One of the great things about social media, is the empire cannot be built in one day or one month even. Being a participant in social media means being in for the long haul. While some will come and claim to be "experts" at many things, swindlers online are the same as swindlers on the used car lot. You cannot gain 100 Twitter followers in a day, nor would you want them if you paid for their following.

You cannot develop a LinkedIN bio along with endorsements and connections, without doing your work, helping others and being an honorable professional.

I guess you can build recommendations by doing the old LinkedIN back scratch. "I'll say how smart you are if you'll say how smart I am. Okay cool. Let's do this social media thing! And we'll exploit this whole thing and call ourselves experts.

I'd like to hear what people think about the power of Twitter in building reputation. And what about Twitter Lists, will that become a new currency in personal brand management? People are not going to add you to their Twitter lists, which tend to be professional associations, if you are claiming to be an expert and then saying but it's all crap in the same breath. So does having followers and being included on peoples professional lists become a measure of one's reach and influence?

And last, has Technorati lost significance, or is the old grande dame of blogs and social media coming roaring back into the "influencing" business? If you are not a social media person you may not have heard of Technorati, but back in the day, it was the only "blog-centric" search and reporting site. I would argue has earned it's stripes and is surging back in importance.

If you are a blogger, you might check and see if your site is listed. http://technorati.com It's good to know if they have assigned your work with AUTHORITY. As page rank is to search Authority is for social media. So if someone has a claim to being a social media expert and doesn't even have a presence on Technorati, well… Same thing about SEO, if an "expert" has a page rank of ZERO or ONE on their most important sites, you might look elsewhere for your search support.

You cannot build a social media reputation in 6 months. And you cannot uplift your negative persona by claiming away the negativity you surround yourself with. It does not work. It is not the truth. Calling yourself an expert [which I don't think I have done in the last 5 years] is not the best way to do business. Show your results. And there is no ROI in lying. In fact lying and defamation might actually get you sued. (grin) I'm just sayin…

@jmacofearth
permalink: http://bit.ly/do-you-link

I just keep asking myself as I browse the LinkedIN thread, "Seriously, did Kevin just write that?" And again I am amazed. "Yes, yes he did."

[As a response to some of the comments here, and more so the comments I got as part of the LinkedIN viral discussion, I have launched a NING community site to rally around the best ways to deal with TROLLS who attack. And more importantly the Trolls who threaten. Please join us at Social Media is Not Hate (Ning) You might be member #2!]

The whole post thread. Watch for Trolls along the path, cause they are hoppin mad today!

Nice Shot – How long's it been since you've seen the Matrix?
Social Media Proves Successful as ROI for Business, LinkedIN Group Flames On
Challenge ROI, Challenge the Model, but Social Media Means Real Business
Social Media Being Challenged: CRAP? For Business? Really?
A Bit 'o Humor at the Experts Expense: The SEO Expert said to the SM Expert
The Red Badge of Courage: Haiti Needs Everyone's Help (JAN 19-10 update 5)
My MLK Manifesto 2010: I have a dream… I wish social media could be used to…
A Pirate's Life for Meeeee: Now about this Duck Song Thing? (Waddle Waddle Waddle)
Crazy Little Thing Called Love: If You Can't Say Something Nice… Well, Shout It
Drawing the Circles Around LinkedIN Contacts – Social Media for Business of Any Size
Does LinkedIN Create Business via Social Media Networking?
LinkedIN Gets Social: Is it Viral or CRAP? You Decide.

Tags: "expert", antagonist, boston emarketing, boston eMarketing Solutions, disagreement hierarchy, emarketing, exploit online assets, Exploiting Online Ass-ets, Exploiting Online Assets, flame wars, go viral on your ass, going viral, heated linkedin discussion, hero or villain, hierarchy of disagreement, is it crap, is it vira, is it viral or crap, kevin Conway, kevin conway gets mad, kevin conway goes viral, kevin conway is crap, kevin Conway on linkedin, kevin conway talks crap, kevin conway talks crap again, link bait, linked in dicussion, linkedin, linkedIN flame, linkedin gets social, linkedin goes viral, linkedin viral, NING, protagonist, robert henslee, robert henslee on linkedin, scott berkun, seo expert, social media, social media for business, social media is bullshit, social media is crap, social media is not hate, social media marketing, social media marketing expert, That’s #$%!@in Funny, this comment has been deleted, viral dicussion, viral linkedin, viral linkedin post, viral social media thread, virtual director, virtual director of search llc

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Jan 11 2010

LinkedIN Gets Social: Is it Viral or CRAP? You Decide.

Category: community building,social media,tech opinion — jmacofearth @ 6:31 pm

I hear it again and again, don't go negative. But dang*t, it's hard not to sometimes. Sometimes…

Well, sometimes I let the heat of the emotion get the best of me. And I fire back where ignorant comments are hurled at people entering a discussion with a different point of view than the "author" of the discussion.

Thus is the case with the first Viral Flamewars post in the history of LinkedIn. Nearing 2,000 comments, a self-styled "SEO expert" and "social media marketing expert" Kevin Conway, not the NASCAR driver mind you, has ignited hearts and minds with a call to arms.

Social Media for Business is CRAP! (thread was deleted)

Mr. C has now launched a new discussion group on LinkedIN called, you guessed it, "Social Media for Business is CRAP."

I have become a primary antagonist, not really on purpose, but I have to say I take some joy in seeing these boys wrap themselves around their statements, attack newbies, and now focus their mis-guided rants at me. They definitely needed a target. I am happy to play along.

@jmacofearth
permalink: http://bit.ly/linkedin-viral

POV: Sometimes social media needs an antagonist. I am often happy to slip into that role:

An antagonist (from Greek ἀνταγωνιστής – antagonistes, "opponent, competitor, rival"^[1]) is a character, group of characters, or an institution, who represents the opposition against which the protagonist(s) must contend. In other words, 'A person, or a group of people who oppose the main character, or the main characters.'^[2] In the classic style of story wherein the action consists of a hero fighting a villain, the two can be regarded as protagonist and antagonist, respectively.^[3]

The whole post thread. Watch for Trolls along the path, cause they are hoppin mad today!

Tags: "expert", 1491+ comments, antagonist, boston emarketing, boston eMarketing Solutions, disagreement hierarchy, emarketing, exploit online assets, Exploiting Online Ass-ets, Exploiting Online Assets, flame wars, go viral on your ass, going viral, heated linkedin discussion, hero or villain, hierarchy of disagreement, is it crap, is it vira, is it viral or crap, link bait, linked in dicussion, linkedin, linkedIN flame, linkedin gets social, linkedin goes viral, linkedin viral, NING, protagonist, scott berkun, seo expert, social media, social media for business, social media is bullshit, social media is crap, social media is not hate, social media marketing, social media marketing expert, That’s #$%!@in Funny, this comment has been deleted, viral dicussion, viral linkedin, viral linkedin post

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Jan 09 2010

Disruptive Innovation in a Single Character: If the * Came to the URL (a social media stimulus plan)

Category: code is poetry,lifestreaming,social media,speed the web,tech opinion — jmacofearth @ 4:39 pm

So what would turn the online world upside down in a fundamental way, be very simple and a cause a flurry of business and prospecting, goldmining and domain squatting?

Imagine if we were allowed to add a new non-alpha character to domain names. (You think the .me or .tv spaces got heated up?) So what if, starting in July 4, 2010, the powers that be at the domain services servers determined that we could start buying domains with * asterisks added within them? (Suspend for a moment the objection that the * is a programming symbol and would never be allowed as part of a domain name.)

So on day one, second one, I register about 1,000 *-enabled domains. (*nike.com, *coke.com, *dell.com, *microsoft.com) While those domains would eventually be legally transferred back to the rightful brands, domain squatting is not legal, many new domains would be legal and unique and immediately valuable. (*socialmedia.com, even social*media.com) The sports industry, porn idustry, branding and entertainment industries would have a nearly infinite number of new domain possibilities.

So the asterisk is probably not coming to a domain name near you anytime soon. We can still use "-" and "." in some circumstances, but a totally new character could generate millions in new revenue for the domain hosting companies, the design and branding companies who would come up with and design new brands and visual identities around the new use of the * symbol. I think it's a good idea.

@jmacofearth
permalink: http://bit.ly/bs-socialmedia

Tags: asterisk, bullshit, calling bullshit on social media, coke.com, dell.com, Disruptive, Disruptive Innovation, Dissruptive Innovation, domain name, domain squatting, don't bullshit a bullshitter, flamewar, flamewars, innovation, iphone, kevin Conway, linkedIN flame, linkedin flamewar, linkedin flamewars, LinkedIN groups, linkedin thread, linkedin viral, linkedin viral discussion, massive linkedin thread, microsoft.com, nascar driver, nike.com, no bs, no bullshit, online economic stimulus, scott berkun, seo expert, social media for business is crap, social media stimulus, social media stimulus plan, socialmedia marketing, viral linkedin, viral linkedin thread

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Jan 06 2010

A Discussion on LinkedIN Goes Viral: Claiming "Social Media for Business is Crap"

Category: community building,social media,tech opinion,trust & reputation — jmacofearth @ 8:30 am

(Update 1-11-10: the conversation continues on LinkedIN and still no Kevin or Robert here on uber.la. Do you think they Google themselves? It's rather funny if "social media experts" don't monitor their brand enough to pick up discussions about them. I'll have to try harder. ;-)

Did Kevin Conway just put "Exploiting their Online Assets" in his bio? Yes, yes he did.

Robert Henslee claims to be the Founder *of* Virtual Director *of* Search, I've asked him to explain what of of means, but thus far he has not responded.

(Update 1-10-10 the discussion has 1,780 comments as of this morning.)

It has the making of a great social media story. Except the author of the original discussion, now over two months old, did not preach what he practiced. Or that's what it looks like if you read his LinkedIN bio where Kevin Conway says things like:

"Since that time I have created several successful e-commerce businessed employing cutting edge technologies including shopping carts, payment gateways, SEO, Web Analytics, Social Media marketing, email campaign programs and multiple online marketing strategies."

And down a little further Kevin lists his specialties.

"Certifications: CNE, MCSE, CCNA, PMP, eMarketing Professional. Ebay Powerseller & Certified Ebay Instructor. Certified Google Advertising Professional, Founder of several e-commerce sites. Internet Marketing Strategy PPC paid search advertising, internet marketing online, Internet marketing Consultant, Internet Marketing Business, Internet Marketing Company,search engine optimization, google ranking, SEO Expert, SEO Consulting, landing page optimization, social media marketing expert"

But if you examine his motto closely you can see the cracks in his logic. Kevin says that he is the "President – Boston eMarketing Solutions – "Helping Organizations Grow by Exploiting their Online Assets."

"Exploiting" I agree, that is probably his approach. But if you are "President" of an "eMarketing" group how can you then claim that Social Media is CRAP? How is that possible? Unless you are cruising to get some attention and business through a link bait campaign.

Well along about three days ago the post picked up some steam and as of this writing, the post has 1,491 comments on LinkedIN. And contains to some real zingers from both Kevin and other "experts" that swoop in participate in… (what's it called again?) social media.

This is the comment from Kevin that really caught my eye. Here is Kevin's response to why he does not put his professional links in his flaming hot posts. .

Isn't it always the peeps who call themselves "experts" who attack others calling them "experts." Kevin I have a news bulletin for you, credibility does not dissolve, credibility is built by years of being honest and clear in your actions and intentions.

@jmacofearth
permalink: http://bit.ly/linkedin-flame

Related Information:

A Discussion on LinkedIN Goes Viral: Claiming "Social Media for Business is Crap"
Bungle in the Jungle or What's In a Snipe: Graham's Hierarchy of Disagreement
That’s #$%!@in Funny Awards on the TwitterJoker Network.

1-7-10 Update and final comment on Kevin Conway's CRAP thread on LinkedIN

While I agree with JulieJ's sentiment, she is wrong on a couple of things. Kevin was hyping social media just as he is trying to create Link Bait with his headline. (for that he did a good job, if that was his intention.)

The top 10 list of Kevin's Social Media Experiment Gone Bad

1. Kevin's "business" is e-marketing. He even lists himself as an SEO "expert" and a Social Media "expert." #KevinFail1

2. Now if you go to Kevin's e-marketing website, he's trying to make a blog out of this thread. Which came first the CRAP and failure of social media or the amazing power of social media and heated discussion to give Kevin the illusion that he is a thought leader in this space. #KevinFail3

3. And when intelligent people respond to the content of Kevin's writing, both in his initial post, his follow ups and his fascinating blog, he resorts to calling them names, and "experts" and attacking them personally. #KevinFail3

4. Kevin's vision of social media to "exploit the online assets" of his customers rings true to HIS vision of what this "social media" thing is. It's not working for Kevin, thus, case studies to the contrary, "Social Media for Business is Crap." #KevinFail4

5. The failure in Kevin's repeated statements is "his experience shows that social media has NOT earned KEVIN a dime in conversions or customers." But if you look at Kevin's sites, I think you might get a better clue as to why he's not doing so well in Social Media for Business. #KevinFail5

6. Exploiting is an accurate word for what Kevin is doing here. Baiting the discussion, pestering the people trying to have an intelligent decision and then trying to launch a Joe-the-Plumber-like blog based on the success of this "social media" discussion that won't earn Kevin a dime unless he does something. #KevinFail6

7. As this discussion grinds on, well intentioned conversationalists, or "participants in social media on linkedIN," come to this discussion to try and learn something about what people are arguing about. And time after time Kevin posts the same response… "his experience" … "his expertise" … "what he knows about" … and in the same screen he is advertising himself as someone who "exploits online assets." BRILLIANT. #KevinFail7

8. People are pinging me "privately" asking what Kevin's problem is. And when Kevin is asked publicly on the thread if he DELETED any comments, he admantly denies having "the power" to make any changes to the conversation. But when I see a line in the thread that said — this post was deleted — I'm wondering if Kevin is being honest. Trust is the number 1 commodity in social media and doing business online. Trust DOES NOT equal "exploiting online assets." That's what Kevin is trying to do here. It's not working. #KevinFail8

9. Expect Kevin to either ignore this post and pester other new arrivals. #KevinFail9.

10. Despite Kevin's questionable "leadership" or "well thought out discussion points in his initial post," this is merely a grandstand for Kevin to try and make some money off social media. FINALLY. I can hear (or imagine I hear) his $money$ mind working on the exploitation of this gold mine of… Well, what exactly is the gold mine, the opportunity, here? I believe it is honest and clear intentions and expression of ideas. #KevinFail10.

While I continue to enjoy seeing the emails of this thread pop up in my personal email box, I can no longer pay so much attention to Kevin's rants. I was hoping to learn something from him. What I am learning is that people are the same all over. Those of us trying to engage and dialogue about business and social media are often overrun by those trying to squeeze (see "exploit") a quick buck out of the hyped-opportunity of the moment. #BonusFail1.

I hope the discussion rages on. I hope Kevin "gets" 5,000 comments and launches his "CRAP" blog. (I can't even imagine listing my intentional work as CRAP, but that's not me.)

(I would guess that Kevin will never make it to this blog to see this post. I guess that's fine. No need to exploit my digital assets. Comments are OPEN if you do arrive KEVIN.) TAG SPAM: Kevin Conway, social media for business is crap, kevin Conway on linked in, viral linkedin discussion (I'm trying to help Kevin Conway find this post!)

Update 1-9-10: In an interesting development Kevin Conway suggested we google "social media is" and see what comes up.

So then clicking on "social media is bullshit" I came to a post by one of my most esteemed leaders in all things online, Mr. Scott Berkun. And his post, "Calling Bullshit on Social Media."

And then, much to the contrary to Kevin's claim that he cannot edit or moderate any of the posts on the LinkedIN discussion I came across this.

Heck maybe it's not KC. Perhaps it is the owner of the group.

Tags: "expert", emarketing, exploit online assets, Exploiting Online Assets, flame wars, going viral, heated linkedin discussion, link bait, linked in dicussion, linkedin, linkedIN flame, linkedin goes viral, linkedin viral, scott berkun, seo expert, social media, social media for business, social media is bullshit, social media is crap, social media is not hate, social media marketing, social media marketing expert, That’s #$%!@in Funny, this comment has been deleted, viral dicussion, viral linkedin, viral linkedin post, viral social media thread, virtual director, virtual director of search llc

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uber.la

Does LinkedIN Create Business via Social Media Networking?

LinkedIN Gets Social: Is it Viral or CRAP? You Decide.

Disruptive Innovation in a Single Character: If the * Came to the URL (a social media stimulus plan)

A Discussion on LinkedIN Goes Viral: Claiming "Social Media for Business is Crap"

∴ A Collaborative Space: WebEx, Go-To-Meeting, Skype, Basecamp (Teaming/Meeting Tools) ∴ Twitter Problem: How do you find enough interesting people to follow? Then how do you keep up with them? ∴ The Agile Mind: Construction, Evolution, Care, and Feeding Instructions for Mental Flexibility

Contact John McElhenney - All content ©2006-2010 - Theme by Tommaso Baldovino - Mod by Rick B | my flavors connector

∴ A Collaborative Space: WebEx, Go-To-Meeting, Skype, Basecamp (Teaming/Meeting Tools)
∴ Twitter Problem: How do you find enough interesting people to follow? Then how do you keep up with them?
∴ The Agile Mind: Construction, Evolution, Care, and Feeding Instructions for Mental Flexibility