Network Solutions – Small business conversations and working together for small business success

Do You Practice Safe New Media Etiquette?

During the most recent NewComm Forum in San Francisco, I had a chance to speak with the Society for New Communications Research Executive Director, Jennifer McClure about something she’s given some presentations about: new media etiquette. Many of us may think that it’s pretty simple to jump in on the latest and greatest craze of [...]

Roundup: Things Most Normal People Don’t Care About

Here’s a summary of social media happenings from the week that most normal people couldn’t give two hoots about:
* Twitter switched its URL-shortening service from TinyURL to Bit.ly: Perhaps coincidentally (then again, perhaps not), Bit.ly is now the #1 URL-shortening service on the Internet. At least, for the period of time before URL shorteners destroy [...]

Luxury vs. Necessity: Would You Give Up Twitter or Facebook for Lent?

In case you’re still recovering from your Fat Tuesday celebrations, we’re now in the Lenten season, and for those looking for a non-traditional sacrifice for your abstaining pleasure, you can always try a Facebook fast. [Wall Street Journal article, via lots of different places]
The idea of a Facebook fast for Lent isn’t a super-new idea [...]

Yes Means Maybe, Maybe Means No, No Means Hell No

Coming off a few DC local tech-ish events this week, I’m thinking back to the intersection of social media and real-world meetups. (I go there a lot, because social gatherings are what really put the “social” in social media.)
To riff on Howard Rheingold, you know an online community is truly a valuable part of your [...]

Going Viral by Embracing Mutation?

Over at Slate, Chris Wilson has a look at the spread of the 25 Random Things” meme on Facebook. [link via Slashdot] The meme (a meme is essentially an idea that spreads, taking on a life of its own), which simply asked users to write 25 things about themselves, and then tap 25 of their [...]

Most Powerful 2008 Solutions Are Power Blog Entries

If there’s one thing that’s carried over from old media to new, it’s the tradition of year-end “year in review” and “best of” lists, to help fill the slow times between Christmas and New Year’s.
(In much of the publishing, business, and corporate world, things just flat out shut down between Christmas and New Year’s. As [...]

You Need Social Networks

In this next video segment from the Solutions Stars Video series, we’ve got 10 social media luminaries in 5 minutes, telling you, the small business owner, some reasons why You Need Social Networks. Check out the video (and see the full series on available on Blip.tv):

Here are some recaps of what they said:
Guy Kawasaki, [...]

Of Course Facebook Doesn’t Make Reunions Obsolete

A couple of days after Thanksgiving, there was an article in the Boston Globe that posed the question: Have online networks rendered reunions obsolete?
Since Thanksgiving is usually a time for homecomings and high school reunions, it was a particularly timely question — even if it was one of those leading questions meant solely to provoke [...]

Social Media and Mobile Media in Real-World Get-Togethers

Last week, I happened to catch a Twitter post (petulantly, I refuse to call them tweets) from fellow blogger Jill, about a local Tweetup (Twitter user meetup) in Bethesda later that evening. Although there’s a Facebook group for this particular bunch of DC Twitter users,  I hadn’t known about it, so it was new to [...]

Relationship Marketing for Everyone – Part 2 – An Interview with Mari Smith

Mari has been called the “Pied Piper of Facebook” but that really just scratches the surface of her talent and knowledge of social media and its application. Her specialty is called “Relationship Marketing”. She is also an Internet Marketing Consultant and Facebook® Business Coach. Everything she does, according to her “revolves around people and relationships [...]