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Archive for the ‘Social Networking’ Category

This new update to Thexyz.in allows users post ‘Status Updates’ on their user profile page. These status updates are similar to the micro-blogging features that sites like Twitter and Facebook offer. They are designed to allow users to quickly post a general comment, usually about what they are currently up to. This module was designed to let users communicate with each other in a public forum and gives friends (or followers) a way to see what that user is up to.

Check out this update and create your own free profile page and news feed, visit Thexyz.in to get the word out!

User Directed Updates

Similar to how Twitter and Facebook allow users to direct messages toward other users, this site allows users to use the Status feature to send messages to friends. To direct a message and for them to see that message appear on their profile they must set your account as a ‘friend’. This requirement is to reduce the chances of status update spam appearing on user profile pages. Once the user has marked you as their friend they will see all of your status updates appear on their profile page, unless they select to disable this from their profile settings page. You can then direct a message to the user by adding the @ symbol before their username anywhere in your status update. For example I could type the message ‘Hey there @johndoe’ and it would direct a message to the user ‘johndoe’. If ‘johndoe’ has set his account to receive email updates whenever someone directs a message to him he will be emailed a notice that someone has mentioned them. The status update may also appear unique from other status updates on that user’s profile page if the site has configured a special style for directed messages. One last note is that the username will be converted into a link to that user’s profile when you direct a message.

Similar to Twitter (only better), you can post a message to a permalink feed on your profile page.

God Level People Features

We wanted to give ‘God’ level users the ability to mass-post status updates on every profile so that they could send out site updates or announcements easily. A feature has been into this module that allows you to send messages to either different user levels or all users. See the table below for instructions on how to send messages to these user levels.

• Send message to ALL users: *all
• Send message to NORMAL users: *normal
• Send message to ADMIN users: *admin
• Send message to GOD users: *god

A few final notes about sending user level status updates. If you set it to send messages to *all or *normal you will not see the *all or *you in the message body. You are also limited to sending status updates to 1 user level (and user group) at a time.

‘God’ level accounts are also able to insert HTML into their status updates, which lets them add links or media to their updates. This is very useful if you would like to place an image banner across all profiles to advertise a contest, site update, or other announcement. ‘God’ level users have no HTML tag limitations so you can embed just about anything in your status update posts without having to edit anything.

Group Status Updates

Just like username and user level directing messages, you can direct a message to group members. This requires first that the user sending the message to the group belongs to that group. This is a requirement to prevent users from abusing the status update module and sending a large number of messages. If a user tries to submit a message to a group that he does not belong to he will see an error message. To use this feature just add an exclamation mark in front of a group name. For example ‘Hey there members of !Johns Group, what’s going on?’ will send a message to all of the other members of ‘Johns Group’. It will also convert the group name into a link to that group’s page.

The most requested module for Thexyz.in has finally arrived! The Facebook Module lets users login using their Facebook credentials and post stories to their Facebook Wall. Users now have a simple way to promote their stories on your website.

Existing users can use the Facebook module to link their account to Facebook. New members need to fill in some new account registration details and are then able to login to Thexyz.in using their Facebook credentials. Once they are logged in using Facebook Connect they can post stories to their Facebook wall by following directions during the story submission process.

Thexyz.in now connects directly with your Facebook account.

After speaking with a client recently about a new major player in the world of social networking, I was lead into doing some research on LinkedIn as I way to inform our clients and readers of this valuable professional networking tool.

LinkedIn has the potential to replace the Resume/CV one day.

Chaker Khazaal, International Director Loons Can Learn

LinkedIn is a business oriented social networking website. It was launched in May, 2003. The number of professionals registered with LinkedIn now reaches over 43 million active users.

The present CEO of LinkedIn was Jeff Weiner who previously worked as Yahoo executive. This business networking website was founded by Reid Hoffman and he is the former CEO of it. While other social networking websites such as Facebook, MySpace target teenagers, this focuses on professionals networking.

The website was officially launched on May, 2003 when five of its founders invited 350 of their contacts to join. After a month, the members reached 4,500 and started growing fast. LinkedIn had its headquarter based in Mountain View CA, USA. Sequoia Capital, Greylock partners and others purchased 5% stack in this website for $53 million.

LinkedIn development:

• LinkedIn launched first premium membership feature called as LinkedIn Jobs which helps its members to find employment.
• The mobile version of this was launched on February, 2008 which allows user to access it through mobile phone. This website also launched ‘LinkedIn DirectAds’ to display advertisements. LinkedIn enabled other online services to be embedded through applications platform on October, 2008.
• Examples of applications that can be displayed on your profile are Amazon Reading List-displays books they are reading. By the end of 2007, the members of this website reached 15 million.

Current usage:

• LinkedIn is mostly used for business networking and will help you increase your business connections. At present, this website has more than 170 industries listed. The people in your list (like friends) are called ‘connections’.
• Users can invite anyone even if he is not a member to join his contact list. You can also get answers to your question through LinkedIn Answers.
• You can use profile to search for job openings or references from users in your connections. Users can join groups on LinkedIn Groups. These groups can include communities such as alumni, specific industry. Any user can create groups on a specific industry or subject.
• Users can embed applications such as Amazon Reading List, display latest blog entries from WordPress and TypePad on your profile. You can now also add your Twitter feed to your LinkedIn profile page. Developers can integrate services of this website in their applications using the OpenSocial API by any developer.

Future developments:

LinkedIn may change in the future to include more features to users and also make better use of the technology.

The following features are expected from LinkedIn in future:

• This may turn into a full featured job portal where companies post job openings and employees post their resume. It may work similar to other job portals out there.
• Availability in multilingual: The website may be available in different languages for different regions.
• Social connections: LinkedIn may develop the social nature of the connections. That is a user can know his friend’s status at present similar to other social networking websites.
• LinkedIn may become a common place where you can search for people as many people use to display their business profile.
• Your profile may serve as your identity. In future companies may hire people based on their profile rather than a traditional resume.

User benefits:

LinkedIn can be used to manage your business contacts and can be used to boost your professional network.
The following are the benefits from LinkedIn:

• LinkedIn is a free service so anyone can use it to their benefit.
• Can be used to show your professional experience, qualifications and your education details.
• Can be used to gain professional contact which you can use to gain employment opportunities.
• You can join groups which have people from similar industry or profession at one place.
• You can post questions regarding your career which can be answered by experts from relating fields.
• Using LinkedIn Events, you can post about events that take place.
• Companies using this website can use to promote their service or product by LinkedIn DirectAds.

Social networking is about making real connections with people, LinkedIn is a powerful and useful tool for the job.

Technical explanation:

Users can create a profile very easily. Registering at this website simply needs an email id. During the registration you need to provide details: the first name, last name your email id and desired password.
After you registration is complete, you need to setup your profile. Your profile should reflect your professional experience such as your work experience and education qualification.
You can search for people, jobs, and companies through the search feature from your profile page. The people from company associated with this website will be your colleagues you can invite them to be in your connection.

Worldwide usage:

LinkedIn members reached 43 million. The average age of its user is 41 years. Users with over 45 years form 31 percent of profiles. Users of this website have about 80% of its users reside outside of US. LinkedIn is now used in about 200 countries.

It seems as if everyone is jumping on the social media wagon these days trying to become an overnight success story. The are many successful businesses and individuals alike building a reputation and improving their reach, utilizing the social media frenzy. For most, however, their social media strategy might be failing simply because they don’t fully understand it.

Personality Matters – Are You a Human?

I hear it over and over again “Show your personality, be human. Don’t just go out there trying to sell something”. Everyone is so focused on numbers, they forget about the fact that social sites and microblogging platforms are communities where the main goal is to form connections. Whether it’s personal or business connections you are forming, you need to be human. So show your personality, get involved, contribute to the community, share and converse. Your main goal should be to form relationships. That will build trust between you and your audience, your potential clients.

Let’s say there are two identical home improvement stores that stock the same products for the same price and they are both located near your home. One of them has a friendly, customer service oriented staff. People working at the other store are never helpful and always pushy to sell you their products. I bet you will shop at the friendly store quite more often. People there show they care about you and seem genuinely interested in what you need. You feel more comfortable and trusting.

Don’t Sell – Create Meaningful Relationships

If the only link you share is one pointing to your websites, you’ll only drive your audience away. If someone wanted to read your blog, they’d subscribe to your RSS feed. A better strategy would be to slowly build trust and authority. Once your community understands your value, they will automatically go to you first. Pushy and intrusive advertising will cause more harm then good. Instead, listen to what those in your network want and give it to them, if possible.

Social media is all about making real connections.

Stop Obsessing With Numbers

Numbers are meaningless and can be very misguiding. So what that you have 50k followers if they don’t translate into a single sale. You will surely feel good about yourself but your ROI will be another story. Too many times people judge the effectiveness of their social media campaign by numbers (followers, diggs, etc.). But that means nothing if your audience is either not interested in what you’re offering or you are not reaching them with your message. Learn to focus on quality over quantity.

Figure Out What Works.. And Where

Your social media strategy should also include figuring out which platform works best for your agenda. It’s again quantity over quality, but taken one step further. Instead of joining every imaginable social media platform there is, understand which one works for you and which one will be just a waste of your time. There is only so much resource (time and money) you have at your disposal. Make the most of it by analyzing where your potential clients are and become most active there.

Recently, I imported my email contacts into both LinkedIn and Twitter. It became very obvious that while a few of my clients were on Twitter (10%), many more used LinkedIn (55%). It made sense to me to adjust the time I spent on these networks.

Social media is all about making real connections, beyond any marketing agenda. That’s not to say that you shouldn’t utilize it to your advantage. Focusing on the social aspect, however, will get you there faster. Otherwise you are doomed to fail.

It is the first page you see when you open your web browser of choice so therefor it should be good. If you prefer an extremely simple, yet stylish start page with yummy 3D graphic icons, then give ico.thexyz.org a try. It’s your favorite search engine and a very cool selection of links at the bottom, infront of a simple background. You can also search via the new web 2.0 live search powered by leapfish. The site as been designed to keep it simply and fast loading with more relevant and clicked links placed at the top of the page. The icons were inspired by the iphone icons preloaded on the phone itself. Great plus: no need to sign up! http://ico.thexyz.org

Browser start page from Thexyz - ico.thexyz.org