Is Social Media Crap for Business?

I've had a few heated discussions with my marketing mates down the pub about social media. Some say it's all meaningless BS and I quote, "Nobody I want to sell to wastes their time on Twitter".... puleease......

That's not how I see it - I get more hardcore, relevant information that I need by listening and contributing on Twitter and linkedin than anywhere else. I hardly bother with my old corporate email address any more because it's so much easier to Skype. I can find all the leads I can handle and I can't imagine not being part of this many-headed Hydra (now, now, no comments about which head i am....or was that medusa?)

I'm interested to find out other opinions - from diehard social media addicts and those who simply loiter.

Shamless Self Promotion: Do Australians need more of it?

Shameless self promotion is un-Australian but I reckon we need to get over it. I've just spent some time in the US and it's like talking a different language: everyone who sells anything online, namely anyone with a website, seems to know why they need proactive SEO (eg, to be first page in Google organic search) and SEM (eg, google adwords).
But I talk to many companies here in Australia and there is a profound suspicion of what is widely regarded as a 'black art'. People don't want to pay someone else to do it because they suspect they could do it for themselves - but then they never find the time. Get it straight - SEO, SEM and constantly updating your online content are no longer optional. If you want to survive the recession, invest a larger proportion on SEO, SEM, and social media - the only promotion you can really control. That means talking yourself up online at every opportunity. Shamelessly self promoting.

Will SA Government lead the pack with social media strategy?

Will the South Australian Government lead Australia with a multifaceted social media strategy and embrace folksonomies, blogs and wikis. ? Interesting to see if the 200+ public servants who attended the Digital Media Revolution conference will respond to the industry's presentations.

The audience was told that citizens are expecting more from their governments and governments need to give their constituents a say in pretty well everything. But did you know that South Australia was ahead of its time when it launched an online talkback service called ‘Talking Points’ in around 2002? The idea didn’t take off basically because most of the chat was boring.. and maybe over-moderated? But now we have communities that are used to baring their souls online, we can expect to see the human face of the SA Govt.
The good news announced at the conference is that local providers will now have an opportunity to apply for a DFEEST-run grants program to help establish some innovative social and interactive media programs.
Thanks again to Ann Clancy and the AIMIA SA committee for making this happen.