Social Networking 101 Curriculum

Target Audience

• Workshop is intended for entry level social networkers. Attendees will have minimal experience with any social network. Most likely have a LinkedIn account but rarely use it. Some have Facebook accounts but those who do use Facebook do so socially, not professionally. Very few use or understand Twitter.

Guidelines

• What is your current use of social networks?  Blogs, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, niche social networks? Listservs? Listservs are the early iteration of social networks and they still hold value.
• Think of social networking as electronic versions of chatting with
  a neighbor in the grocery story and meeting a colleague at a coffee
  shop.  The difference is that:
  • You choose whom you happen across at your virtual grocery store, and
  • In that virtual coffee shop you further develop relationships with multiple folks, at the same time, when you choose.
• Get to know folks online that you originally met offline.  This is
  particularly useful for folks geographically spread out.  Advocates who
  meet at a conference can use social networking to provide practical and
  emotional support to each other while spreading their message.
• The number of social media tools can be overwhelming.  Find a few
  that meet your needs and do not feel guilty for not using the latest
  and greatest.  Unless you love experimenting with new tools, let the
  early adopters work out the kinks and promote the greatest new tools.
• Mix your personal and professional lives in a conscientious
  manner.You define your online persona. Interact online the same as you
  would with a new colleague in a coffee shop.
• The more an organization's representatives understand how to use social networking professionally:
  • The more easily each can integrate not only promotion of the organization into their social networking but also,
  • The more easily they can encourage their network to become actively engaged in the organization.

LinkedIn

• Structure - based upon individual professional profiles.
  • Profile - you
  • Home - your network
• Purpose - To be found, to find, & warm introductions
• Profile creation
  • Basic Information
  • Summary
  • Picture
  • Experience
  • Additinal Information
  • Personal URL
  • Status Updates
• Connecting
  • Who?
    • Quality over quantity
    • Connections reflect upon you
  • How to Build Your Network
• Recommendations
  • Giving
  • Receiving
• Searching
  • Individuals
  • Keywords
  • Groups
• Applications
• Settings
  • Add all email addresses

Facebook

• Structure - based upon the individual.
  • Profile - you
  • Home - your network
• Purpose - Deepening existing relationships
• Profile
  • Basic information
  • Picture
  • Facebook networks
  • Box below picture
• The wall
  • What to post
    • Useful information and references
    • Who you are - what you do, what you feel, what you believe
    • A mix of personal & professional
    • Unobtrusive
  • Text, Links, Video, Notes
• Chat
• Search
  • Keywords or individuals within your network
  • People, Pages, Groups, Events
• Controlling information overload
  • Settings Notifications
  • Create Friend List
  • Rearrange hierarchy of News Feed content
  • Remove posts (from specific Friends)
• Privacy Settings
  • Contact Email - Add all email addresses
  • Privacy Settings

Twitter

• Purpose - expand your network
• Structure - based upon 140 character micro-blogging
• Tweets
  • Networking
  • Conversation
• Privacy
  • Comfort level
  • Mix personal and professional
• What to post
  • Seeker of information
  • Provider of information
  • Who you are
• Connecting
  • To folks you do not know
  • Not reciprocal
  • Search.twitter.com to find folks to follow