Just Because We’re Social Networking “Friends...

Where did the romance go? When did we stop asking, "Tell me about yourself," "Do you like to take long walks on the beach?" or even the tired old line, "What's your sign?" Suddenly, upon meeting someone new, they immediately try to score and ask me to go over to their place to seal the deal.

Social Networking Friends vs. Real Life Friends...

While many of us use social networking tools differently, most of us struggle with similar questions and challenges. Should I connect only with family and good friends on Facebook and only business contacts on LinkedIn? How secure should I feel when using Facebook's privacy settings to determine which groups of friends can or cannot see particular photos? Should I be concerned when someone tags me in a photo or I comment on someone else's post?

Helping Kids Stay Safe Online. Is SocialShield the Answer?...

There have been many moments in my life as a parent where I considered locking my child in a closet. It would have been for her own safety, mind you. And, I would have let her out when she was, say 30 or so. I realized that I may have some legal entanglements to deal with along the way, but there were still those moments when I wondered...

Who Influences You? (Plus, get a free book)...

One of the best ways to learn is to watch others; see what works, what falls flat, what suits your style and what doesn't. Learning how best to communicate and influence others is no different. Don't we all hope to influence others? Whether it is to market our business, persuade a client, motivate an audience or capture the attention of potential employers, influence is important.

I Don’t Care Where. You. Are. Right. Now....

Hey, you! Yeah, you standing in line at Starbucks using your phone to check-in while waiting to get your daily latte. We need to have a word. We've been connected for awhile on Twitter and Facebook. I like you, really I do. I enjoy getting to know you better through our connection. I appreciate the information you've shared about your interests and news in your area of expertise.

Happy Holidays! Please Enjoy This Spam...

Over the last few weeks, I have been inundated with holiday cards and greetings of all types. While this is typical at this time of year, this is the first time I received so many automated cards and emails, most of them from people I don't really know.

Hey, Facebook, It?s Me ? Really! (Just Ask the Goat)...

OK, people, who tagged the photo of the goat on Facebook? You know who you are. Stay right there; I?ll deal with you in a minute. So, here I was doing my usual social media evening check-in to see who?s doing what and what?s news. I happened to see some news of yet *another* virus of some sort spreading throughout Facebook, appearing to come in the form of a status update from your Facebook friends. After reading a bit about it, I went straight to Facebook to post a warning to the AlmostSavvy fan page and to my own profile letting others know to avoid clicking on certain links.

Moments and The Power of Not Laughing...

I didn't know what to expect. The guy was a complete stranger, yet here we were having a delightful and very natural conversation. We talked about our kids, observations about life and social media. A few days prior to our meeting, I saw a tweet from this guy saying he'd be in the Bay Area and asking if anyone wanted to get together.

Help Me Help You – When You Have Questions...

If you are online using any sort of social media, you know that it has been a wild roller-coaster lately. The primarily networking platforms which many of us use - Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn - have all undergone huge changes, seemingly at a breakneck pace. Some have been communicated in advance, many weren't. Some have been well-received, many have led to frustration. A few have worked well immediately upon launch, most seem full of bugs and perform inconsistently.

Use Social Media to Be Human: Tips from Michael Brito...

Sure, we've seen big brands using social media. We see them online on Facebook and Twitter, though we're not always quite sure what they're doing there. Are they there to sell products? Reply to customer complaints? Monitor our conversations? More importantly, if they are using the tools and platforms sucessfully, is there anything that those of us with small businesses can learn from them? Are the strategies applicable to small businesses without the same brand recognition?