How Do You Measure Power/Influence In Social Media?

The impact of technology is...

Two thoughts to share with you regarding the video production and content.

  1. People like to throw around numbers but if you don’t know why they are important and what makes them significant they quickly lose value.
  2. My video production skills are rough. I am using a basic webcam and it is clear the lighting isn’t what it could or should be.

I’d love to hear your thoughts about the content of the video and what you think about metrics in social media. Please share them in the comments.

Now About That Video

I almost pulled the video down because I am not satisfied with the production work here but I opted not to because I see value in tracking my progress. The way I am doing that is by watching the videos I have made and continue to make to conduct a general evaluation.

The video series began because YouTube can be used as a giant search engine and I wanted to take advantage of that and because video can be a very powerful tool. It didn’t make sense to me to not try to take advantage of it.  So I am learning by doing and reading about how to create effective videos.

In the beginning I found it difficult to look at the camera and talk. I kept wanting to look elsewhere but I decided the only way to get better was to work at it. So the videos you see here are tools I use for multiple purposes including practice.

Power and Influence in Social Media Meet Storytelling

Part of the way we build power and influence in social media is through storytelling which is why I am sharing this with you. It is why I opened up on the video about a mistake I made and why I have shared some thoughts about what I am trying to accomplish here.

I love stories. I like reading them and I like telling them. I know how to do it in writing, but I am working on getting better at in video. I feel like I am making progress and that makes me happy.

And with that I want to invite you to do a few things.

  1. I would like to continue this discussion in the comments. Please feel free to comment on the contents of the video and or talk about making videos. I am interested in what you have to say.
  2. If you haven’t become a fan of my Facebook page I would like to invite you to click on this link and do so. The community here is growing and I don’t want you to miss out on becoming a part of it.
  3. Also, if you aren’t following me on Twitter and Google+ it would be wonderful to connect with you there too.

Thank you again and I look forward to seeing you in the comments.

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By Joshua Wilner

Hi, I am Josh Wilner and I am happy that you have decided to visit my corner of cyberspace. I am a writer/marketer/friend and family man. My professional background includes more than twenty years in working with businesses to help them do a better job of connecting with their existing and prospective customers. More specifically I have worked with companies of all sizes from the Fortune 500 to the new start up to help them build, develop and grow their social media and marketing plans. I love spending time with my family and friends. I enjoy music, reading, writing, playing sports and laughing.

10 comments

  1. Hey Josh,

    I have been here two years and now people ask me how I do it – the comments and all. Well I work for it. I don’t buy tweets, I don’t buy shares, I don’t tell people I will follow them only if they follow me.

    I read, I comment, I have conversations and I make sure I do it as often as I can. Blogging and social media in general requires work. And if people think they will get a hundred comments on day one and worry too much about reaching hundred comments every time, then they probably will have a hard time doing anything remotely big!

    As for Twitter, I am not much active there and I am just glad people follow me if they like my work!

    Reply
    1. TheJackB – Someone complained that this page doesn’t tell you what to expect to find here in this blog so I aim to rectify this with the next line. I am a father who writes about life, parenting, business, politics and fiction. I don’t use an editorial calendar because I don’t map out what I am going to write that far in advance. The primary focus will be on things that relate to children and parenting. But the nifty thing about that is that encompasses a wide range of things. Sometimes I work with companies on their PR/Marketing efforts. If they provide products or services I will disclose it. Here is an incomplete list of companies that I am currently or have recently worked with: Nintendo, Philips Norelco, Subway, Frigidaire and Mattel. Want to know more about me, keep reading. If I wanted to provide a professional description it would looks similar to this: Jack has a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism from California State University Northridge. He has been writing for print and web publications for more than twenty years, covering a wide range of topics including: business, technology, parenting, politics, education, sports and religion. That is far too serious so I prefer to use something like: The Jack B. is a writer and author of 39 unpublished books and three screenplays. A former athlete and would be superhero he still fights for truth, justice and the American Way. Though he may look like a grown man, don’t fool yourself he is still a boy at heart. When he is not engaged in Walter Mitty like fantasies he is a husband, father and friend and blogs at TheJackB. Hmm…obviously I have since moved from Random Thoughts over to this place, but that is ok. This page is a work in progress which is a good description for me. I’ll probably tweak this on a regular basis so feel free to keep checking back in because you never know what might show up. I am a prolific writer and update frequently so don’t forget to scroll down the page to see what nugget of wisdom you just might have missed. Here is a short selection of posts to get you started. A Father Describes Parenting A Father’s Burden How Sister’s Helped to Train A Father of “Daddy’s Girl” Inside the Blogger’s Studio- A Dream, Er Nightmare The GermoPhobe What I Dream About I am In Love Becoming a Dad Dad’s Most Important Job A Decade of Dad Grandpa Donuts Why Your Post Sucks and Everyone Hates Your Blog A Letter To My Children- Things That Matter A Letter To My Children-2011 Dad Balances Fear Versus Reality Q&A With Daddy Blogger JackB Save The Last Dance For Me- 75 Years of Marriage An Uncertain Certainty Four Generations & A Wedding The Best Thing My Father Ever Said To Me 1 Foolproof Way To Become a Better Writer The Story Of A House- The Final Days He Died A Hero Twenty-Five Links That Will Make You A Better Writer/Blogger Thanks for coming by, I hope you like it. If you want to reach me use the contact form or try talk-to-jacknow-at-gmail-dotcom You can also find more information by clicking About Me and reading my profile there. Also, I encourage you to sign up for my newsletter using the form on the top right hand side of the page.
      Josh says:

      A 100 comments usually means you need to make time for a 100 responses. That really is a lot of work. Oy, but in theory it is worth it. right.

      Reply
  2. Adrienne – Houston, TX – Adrienne Smith's passion has always been to help others. She started having tremendous success with her blog in early 2011 and over time she's built an awesome community. She teaches others how to do the same in her course, “Build a Blog Community”. She currently consults with entrepreneurs to help them understand what's missing and why they aren't succeeding.
    Adrienne says:

    Hey Josh,

    I made the same mistake in the beginning as well but once I finally learned I went back and kind of started over I guess you could say.

    On Facebook I had gotten up to the limit but realized that there were no relationships being built there so I started deleting people like crazy. I’m a little over a thousand now but I actually enjoy the people I’m friends with for the most part.

    On Twitter I had done the same and started deleting a lot of people so I’m definitely following a whole lot less people then are following me.

    One thing I’ve learned from this is that unless you’re building relationships with your friends and followers those numbers really aren’t going to help you in the long run. When you build relationships with these people, then you’ll start seeing the numbers n the back end. Oh yes, they will start buying from you because they trust you and that’s the main reason the majority of us are here.

    I think you’re doing great with your videos because it’s the message that we’re interested in. I’m jealous because you can wear the baseball cap. Heck, I have way too many bad hair days my friend.

    You’re doing a fabulous job.

    ~Adrienne

    Reply
    1. TheJackB – Someone complained that this page doesn’t tell you what to expect to find here in this blog so I aim to rectify this with the next line. I am a father who writes about life, parenting, business, politics and fiction. I don’t use an editorial calendar because I don’t map out what I am going to write that far in advance. The primary focus will be on things that relate to children and parenting. But the nifty thing about that is that encompasses a wide range of things. Sometimes I work with companies on their PR/Marketing efforts. If they provide products or services I will disclose it. Here is an incomplete list of companies that I am currently or have recently worked with: Nintendo, Philips Norelco, Subway, Frigidaire and Mattel. Want to know more about me, keep reading. If I wanted to provide a professional description it would looks similar to this: Jack has a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism from California State University Northridge. He has been writing for print and web publications for more than twenty years, covering a wide range of topics including: business, technology, parenting, politics, education, sports and religion. That is far too serious so I prefer to use something like: The Jack B. is a writer and author of 39 unpublished books and three screenplays. A former athlete and would be superhero he still fights for truth, justice and the American Way. Though he may look like a grown man, don’t fool yourself he is still a boy at heart. When he is not engaged in Walter Mitty like fantasies he is a husband, father and friend and blogs at TheJackB. Hmm…obviously I have since moved from Random Thoughts over to this place, but that is ok. This page is a work in progress which is a good description for me. I’ll probably tweak this on a regular basis so feel free to keep checking back in because you never know what might show up. I am a prolific writer and update frequently so don’t forget to scroll down the page to see what nugget of wisdom you just might have missed. Here is a short selection of posts to get you started. A Father Describes Parenting A Father’s Burden How Sister’s Helped to Train A Father of “Daddy’s Girl” Inside the Blogger’s Studio- A Dream, Er Nightmare The GermoPhobe What I Dream About I am In Love Becoming a Dad Dad’s Most Important Job A Decade of Dad Grandpa Donuts Why Your Post Sucks and Everyone Hates Your Blog A Letter To My Children- Things That Matter A Letter To My Children-2011 Dad Balances Fear Versus Reality Q&A With Daddy Blogger JackB Save The Last Dance For Me- 75 Years of Marriage An Uncertain Certainty Four Generations & A Wedding The Best Thing My Father Ever Said To Me 1 Foolproof Way To Become a Better Writer The Story Of A House- The Final Days He Died A Hero Twenty-Five Links That Will Make You A Better Writer/Blogger Thanks for coming by, I hope you like it. If you want to reach me use the contact form or try talk-to-jacknow-at-gmail-dotcom You can also find more information by clicking About Me and reading my profile there. Also, I encourage you to sign up for my newsletter using the form on the top right hand side of the page.
      Josh says:

      Hi Adrienne,

      Those relationships are critical and it is clear from your blog that you more than understand that.

      I felt a little bit foolish when I realized I was trying to compress time and rush things because I know better. There is no way to just point-and-click a relationship into existence.

      It takes time to build them and there is nothing wrong with that. I let impatience and excitement move me and, well here I am.

      The most important thing to me is making sure we learn from our mistakes and take action so that we don’t repeat them.

      Reply
  3. TheJackB – Someone complained that this page doesn’t tell you what to expect to find here in this blog so I aim to rectify this with the next line. I am a father who writes about life, parenting, business, politics and fiction. I don’t use an editorial calendar because I don’t map out what I am going to write that far in advance. The primary focus will be on things that relate to children and parenting. But the nifty thing about that is that encompasses a wide range of things. Sometimes I work with companies on their PR/Marketing efforts. If they provide products or services I will disclose it. Here is an incomplete list of companies that I am currently or have recently worked with: Nintendo, Philips Norelco, Subway, Frigidaire and Mattel. Want to know more about me, keep reading. If I wanted to provide a professional description it would looks similar to this: Jack has a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism from California State University Northridge. He has been writing for print and web publications for more than twenty years, covering a wide range of topics including: business, technology, parenting, politics, education, sports and religion. That is far too serious so I prefer to use something like: The Jack B. is a writer and author of 39 unpublished books and three screenplays. A former athlete and would be superhero he still fights for truth, justice and the American Way. Though he may look like a grown man, don’t fool yourself he is still a boy at heart. When he is not engaged in Walter Mitty like fantasies he is a husband, father and friend and blogs at TheJackB. Hmm…obviously I have since moved from Random Thoughts over to this place, but that is ok. This page is a work in progress which is a good description for me. I’ll probably tweak this on a regular basis so feel free to keep checking back in because you never know what might show up. I am a prolific writer and update frequently so don’t forget to scroll down the page to see what nugget of wisdom you just might have missed. Here is a short selection of posts to get you started. A Father Describes Parenting A Father’s Burden How Sister’s Helped to Train A Father of “Daddy’s Girl” Inside the Blogger’s Studio- A Dream, Er Nightmare The GermoPhobe What I Dream About I am In Love Becoming a Dad Dad’s Most Important Job A Decade of Dad Grandpa Donuts Why Your Post Sucks and Everyone Hates Your Blog A Letter To My Children- Things That Matter A Letter To My Children-2011 Dad Balances Fear Versus Reality Q&A With Daddy Blogger JackB Save The Last Dance For Me- 75 Years of Marriage An Uncertain Certainty Four Generations & A Wedding The Best Thing My Father Ever Said To Me 1 Foolproof Way To Become a Better Writer The Story Of A House- The Final Days He Died A Hero Twenty-Five Links That Will Make You A Better Writer/Blogger Thanks for coming by, I hope you like it. If you want to reach me use the contact form or try talk-to-jacknow-at-gmail-dotcom You can also find more information by clicking About Me and reading my profile there. Also, I encourage you to sign up for my newsletter using the form on the top right hand side of the page.
    Josh says:

    Hi Tim,

    Some of those people purchased their “likes,” “fans” and “followers.” I know people who have done it. Visit Fiverr.com and there are lots of listings for these services.

    Several people suggested that I consider partaking of these services too and I will admit I thought about it. There is an argument that can be made for how perception affects reality and more followers can impact perception.

    I decided against it because I wanted the challenge and opportunity to grow things on my own. It is a lot of more fun to engage and build organically.

    Tweepi is a good idea. Can’t hurt to use it.

    Reply

  4. Hi, Josh. First time here. We’re tribemates at Social and More.

    You made an excellent point in your video: the engagement of a small group is more important than a large, yet inert following.

    Tim Bonner, in the comment above mine, says he feels suspicious about accounts with thousands of followers, and mentions those companies that sell you fake followers.

    Well, I hit 2950 followers recently, and I can tell you how I did it.
    1. I followed people like myself. Humble people who were starting out, with similar interests to mine.

    2. I’ve been tweeting and retweeting interesting content day in, day out from day one. When I say interesting content, I mean interesting to me. Why? Because I can’t fake passion. If something doesn’t seem valid to me, I don’t care how popular it is. I don’t follow trends; rather, I look for that which is always useful or awe-inspiring. This is why, Triberr posts aside for the moment, I tweet a fair bit about scientific breakthroughs, astronomy, and articles on writing/publishing. Triberr provides me with an excellent source of marketing/social media posts.

    3. Come January, I’ll have been on Twitter for 2 years. So my following has been growing steadily but not explosively.

    4. I do all my #MM, #WW and #FF shout-outs from memory. I’ve noticed a good many people “automating” that. It’s nice to be remembered, but not so nice if you’re remembered as part of a list. I don’t keep lists of social media friends anywhere but in my head.

    5. I’m not afraid to flaunt my weirdness.

    See you around.

    Reply
    1. TheJackB – Someone complained that this page doesn’t tell you what to expect to find here in this blog so I aim to rectify this with the next line. I am a father who writes about life, parenting, business, politics and fiction. I don’t use an editorial calendar because I don’t map out what I am going to write that far in advance. The primary focus will be on things that relate to children and parenting. But the nifty thing about that is that encompasses a wide range of things. Sometimes I work with companies on their PR/Marketing efforts. If they provide products or services I will disclose it. Here is an incomplete list of companies that I am currently or have recently worked with: Nintendo, Philips Norelco, Subway, Frigidaire and Mattel. Want to know more about me, keep reading. If I wanted to provide a professional description it would looks similar to this: Jack has a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism from California State University Northridge. He has been writing for print and web publications for more than twenty years, covering a wide range of topics including: business, technology, parenting, politics, education, sports and religion. That is far too serious so I prefer to use something like: The Jack B. is a writer and author of 39 unpublished books and three screenplays. A former athlete and would be superhero he still fights for truth, justice and the American Way. Though he may look like a grown man, don’t fool yourself he is still a boy at heart. When he is not engaged in Walter Mitty like fantasies he is a husband, father and friend and blogs at TheJackB. Hmm…obviously I have since moved from Random Thoughts over to this place, but that is ok. This page is a work in progress which is a good description for me. I’ll probably tweak this on a regular basis so feel free to keep checking back in because you never know what might show up. I am a prolific writer and update frequently so don’t forget to scroll down the page to see what nugget of wisdom you just might have missed. Here is a short selection of posts to get you started. A Father Describes Parenting A Father’s Burden How Sister’s Helped to Train A Father of “Daddy’s Girl” Inside the Blogger’s Studio- A Dream, Er Nightmare The GermoPhobe What I Dream About I am In Love Becoming a Dad Dad’s Most Important Job A Decade of Dad Grandpa Donuts Why Your Post Sucks and Everyone Hates Your Blog A Letter To My Children- Things That Matter A Letter To My Children-2011 Dad Balances Fear Versus Reality Q&A With Daddy Blogger JackB Save The Last Dance For Me- 75 Years of Marriage An Uncertain Certainty Four Generations & A Wedding The Best Thing My Father Ever Said To Me 1 Foolproof Way To Become a Better Writer The Story Of A House- The Final Days He Died A Hero Twenty-Five Links That Will Make You A Better Writer/Blogger Thanks for coming by, I hope you like it. If you want to reach me use the contact form or try talk-to-jacknow-at-gmail-dotcom You can also find more information by clicking About Me and reading my profile there. Also, I encourage you to sign up for my newsletter using the form on the top right hand side of the page.
      Josh says:

      Hi John,

      Good to see you here, glad to be in the same tribe again. I like your approach. It makes perfect sense to me and there is much to be said for having a smaller group. It makes it much easier to engage and have discussions.

      Steady growth is good for that too. It says a lot and merits more.

      I like lists in the head and not on paper. It helps bring and provide value. Look forward to continuing to hang out.

      Reply
  5. Jayme Soulati Blogging at Soulati-'TUDE! – Jayme Soulati is a hybrid PR professional blending digital, content and social media marketing with core PR and message mapping. She is an award-winning professional blogger and author of Writing with Verve on the Blogging Journey.
    Jayme Soulati says:

    K, so leave it to me to give you what you want…caszh Saturday night video with baseball cap backwards and lemon yellow lighting?

    It clashes horridly with your content. You’re an expert in social media marketing, but your presentation of brand doesn’t match up. The visual isn’t doing you justice.

    May I suggest a button down open at the collar? But, I love the fact you’re able to look at the camera; that’s the hardest thing to do!

    All in love…

    Reply
    1. TheJackB – Someone complained that this page doesn’t tell you what to expect to find here in this blog so I aim to rectify this with the next line. I am a father who writes about life, parenting, business, politics and fiction. I don’t use an editorial calendar because I don’t map out what I am going to write that far in advance. The primary focus will be on things that relate to children and parenting. But the nifty thing about that is that encompasses a wide range of things. Sometimes I work with companies on their PR/Marketing efforts. If they provide products or services I will disclose it. Here is an incomplete list of companies that I am currently or have recently worked with: Nintendo, Philips Norelco, Subway, Frigidaire and Mattel. Want to know more about me, keep reading. If I wanted to provide a professional description it would looks similar to this: Jack has a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism from California State University Northridge. He has been writing for print and web publications for more than twenty years, covering a wide range of topics including: business, technology, parenting, politics, education, sports and religion. That is far too serious so I prefer to use something like: The Jack B. is a writer and author of 39 unpublished books and three screenplays. A former athlete and would be superhero he still fights for truth, justice and the American Way. Though he may look like a grown man, don’t fool yourself he is still a boy at heart. When he is not engaged in Walter Mitty like fantasies he is a husband, father and friend and blogs at TheJackB. Hmm…obviously I have since moved from Random Thoughts over to this place, but that is ok. This page is a work in progress which is a good description for me. I’ll probably tweak this on a regular basis so feel free to keep checking back in because you never know what might show up. I am a prolific writer and update frequently so don’t forget to scroll down the page to see what nugget of wisdom you just might have missed. Here is a short selection of posts to get you started. A Father Describes Parenting A Father’s Burden How Sister’s Helped to Train A Father of “Daddy’s Girl” Inside the Blogger’s Studio- A Dream, Er Nightmare The GermoPhobe What I Dream About I am In Love Becoming a Dad Dad’s Most Important Job A Decade of Dad Grandpa Donuts Why Your Post Sucks and Everyone Hates Your Blog A Letter To My Children- Things That Matter A Letter To My Children-2011 Dad Balances Fear Versus Reality Q&A With Daddy Blogger JackB Save The Last Dance For Me- 75 Years of Marriage An Uncertain Certainty Four Generations & A Wedding The Best Thing My Father Ever Said To Me 1 Foolproof Way To Become a Better Writer The Story Of A House- The Final Days He Died A Hero Twenty-Five Links That Will Make You A Better Writer/Blogger Thanks for coming by, I hope you like it. If you want to reach me use the contact form or try talk-to-jacknow-at-gmail-dotcom You can also find more information by clicking About Me and reading my profile there. Also, I encourage you to sign up for my newsletter using the form on the top right hand side of the page.
      Josh says:

      Yeah, the light didn’t work out quite the way I want it to. I’ll fix that next time. This is all a process and I feel pretty good overall.

      It has taken some effort to learn to look at the camera and not feel silly. It wasn’t easy to stare into it and pretend I was having a conversation, at least it wasn’t at first.

      I feel like I have moved over that hump. The next big step is working on some production issues, but I am confident about overcoming those.

      Thanks for the feedback, it is always appreciated.

      Reply

  6. Hey Josh

    I see so many Twitter accounts with thousands of followers and it does make me suspicious of how these were gained.

    There are many companies these days that are all to happy to take your money in exchange for Twitter followers or Facebook likes.

    That is surely not the point of social media though. Engaging with others and creating a relationship is what they should be about.

    In terms of tracking, I tend to use bit.ly to measure how effective my social media exploits are getting on. I don’t track things too much though as I’d rather just get on getting to know more people!

    You could try Tweepi to sort out the balance of your followers on Twitter. You can get a free account and it allows you to see who you are following that is not following you back, when people last Tweeted etc.

    Thanks for sharing Josh.

    Tim

    Reply

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