The hype, rave, excitement and novelty around social media sites and all they can do has worn thin. The Novelty has given way to Normal.

Are they less capable of doing what it once did (technically)? No. But without the attached hype, excitement and novelty I think social sites / services like Facebook and Twitter have moved into the realm of Normal.

I remember one of my first Nokia mobile phones in the 1990′s. Big, yellow, 5110. This baby even had a snake game on it. It held like 100 phone numbers. I hung that sucker off my belt loud and proud.  Then they become normal. Smart phones emerged about a decade later – ‘Ahh, 3G, colour and touchscreen!” Now, as wonderful as smartphones like the iPhone are, they are pretty ubiquitous too.

I’m wondering what’s next?  What will ride off the back of Normal to be the next Novelty?

I get the feeling that the Sunshine Coast economy is picking up and businesses are making the most of the “New Beginnings” that a fresh calendar year brings. A lot of my clients are bringing fresh ideas and concepts to me. It’s great!

As my web design and graphics business “Brainspace” comes into the new year, we have already started branching out into some new areas.  What I am most excited about is creating iPhone Apps.

I’ve just completed one for Pastor Steve Penny who is using the iPhone App to allow people a ‘single click’ into his life and ministry as he travels the globe speaking to churches and leaders.

From his App you can:
Read his Blog
Read his Twitter
Listen to sermons
Watch video sermons
View his Bio, Photos, Links and more

The App has been so popular that it overloaded the server that hosted the media files yesterday! (All good now)

Feel free to check it out via the link below or search for ‘Steve Penny’ on your iphone App store. Let us know if YOU or someone you know would like an App or website built as well!

According to Forrester Research the figures point to a definite ‘YES’.

The below chart categorizes techonology users into several categories.  Most interestingly is the difference between Creators (25%) and Spectators (62%) and this spread varies depending on demographics.

In short, a lot more people are into consuming online media from sites like Facebook, Twitter, Blogs, News Sites, Youtube and others.  Less than half of all consumers are Creators…

The other day I ran into a successful journalist who said he surprised that tools and sites like Twitter and Facebook and personal blogs had not faded away and were in fact gaining popularity.

People, companies and groups of all types are seeing the value in being Creators… because it’s not really that hard to Create nowadays. Given the right tools, training and time, anyone can have a voice, a published video or song and be heard.  Gone are the days of needing a print press, expensive direct mail or a TV station to get your message heard.

So what’s it going to be?  Want to Create?

We like fresh websites with new content – that’s why most people spend time on social media sites like facebook and youtube and twitter- because there is always something new and fresh on the site.

One of the biggest challenges many of my clients face is being consistant and creative in writing new content on their new-media enabled websites.

I suggest my clients write an interesting article about their passion / industry / ideas at least once per week if they want to be fresh, engage their reader and stay top of mind.

In Ken Robinson’s new book ‘The Element‘, he says of creativity:

Imagination is not the same as creativity. Creatvity takes the process of imagination to another level.  My definition of creativity is “the process of having original ideas that have value.” Imagination can be entirely internal. You could be imaginative all day long without anyone noticing. But, you would never say that someone was creative if that person never did anything.  To be creative you actually have to dome something. (Pg 67)

It’s not for lack of imagination that people are challenged by writing – it’s creativity. Actually doing it – then doing it consistantly.

Here’s what I suggest you do if you are looking to be creative in writing articles and blog content:

• Some R & D – For some of you that means Research and Development. For others it means Rip-off and Duplicate.   I don’t care, as long as it’s fresh and you’ve added your creative flare and passion to the articles (and you haven’t broken copyright laws).
• Sit down with a person who is NOT from your industry and spend time talking about your business and explaining what you do. Allow the other person to interject on anything that is new, confusing, fresh or interesting to them.  Write those things down and write on them, no matter how simple they may seem to you.
• Use some old newsletter material that you may have written – just make sure it’s still relevant and doesn’t have any obvious bad timing. e.g “Just last month when the planes hit the twin towers…”
• Get a writer in.  This might sound a little absurd but bigger companies do it all the time. I’m lucky that I like writing but it might be a grind to you.  I know a few good writers and I’ll often suggest that my clients get one in – the clever ones do.
• Give yourself a weekly deadline. I know that Thursday afternoon at around 2:30pm my mailing list server comes to my websites and looks for a new article.  If there is nothing, my mailing list subscribers get nothing that week – whether they read it or not, I want them to be getting something of value from David Tensen to their inbox. Some fresh bread home delivered to their inbox!

Any other tips? Feel free to leave a comment.

They love the flexiblity and engagement that my websites bring them. They are getting great traffic and love the fact that they get to create and tweak the content as much as they want – when they want.

The great thing about working with authors and speakers is that they are proffessional communicators and there is no easier way to reach out and connect with the world than through the web.

Here’s how simple it is for authors and speakers to ‘connect  with their tribe’

They log in to the web based back-end of their site (like I’m doing right now). They write a heading, the body of their article or newsletter and even add a photo and some links if they like.  They click one PUBLISH and automatically:

• The article appears on the front page of their site/blog.
• The content they’ve written goes to Facebook and posts a note against their profile for their friends to read.
• An automatic Twitter notification is created with a link to their article.
• Anyone subscribed to receive their articles via email will get it within 24 hours.

It’s so simple and easy.

Here are some of my clients I’m blessed to work with:

Amanda Gore – The Gospel of Joy www.thegospelofjoy.com

Mary O’Dwyer – Hold it Sister www.holditsister.com

Jodie Hedley-Ward – The Motherhood Study www.motherhoodstudy.net

Steve Penny – Where’s the Miracle www.stevepenny.net

Ken Wright – The People Pill – (site coming soon)

The important thing to remember in all of this Social Media talk is that we are not talking about tools that “needs” to exist.  Mankind, for thousands of years, has existed without computers, the Internet, email, international flight, the telephone and social media tools like twitter and facebook.

So when these things hit the scene and gain some momentum with a critical mass of the online population, it may stir up some great conversation and allow us to find long lost school friends – but it’s nothing more than a communication tool (and a great one at that!).

Our need for love, acceptance, relevance and knowledge are still at the heart of humanity – and social media is just another tool to help us get those things.

Where I tend to agree with Bono on all of this is that it’s still very much in the refinement and emergent phase.  Which to me is exciting.  It’s digital, organic, consumer driven and we are still very much at the stage where, unlike telephone and email, you can very comfortably exist without knowing anything about it or being signed up to twitter, facebook, linked in or myspace…

because it’s social…

and it’s a medium…

and I prefer coffee face-to-face than facebook or myspace…

but then again, I might have met you first online… which brings us to the revolution that is happening.

On a commercial level, the most exciting things I see being developed are wonderful communication tools. Fantastic, fast, live, fresh, dynamic and flexible ways to interact, communicate and listen to people, staff, customers and fans.   Everyday there’s something new, exciting and crazy developed.

What are you thoughts? Feel free to leave a comment or ask me a question on social media on www.thebusinessadvicepanel.com

More than 30 million baby boomers now connect on LinkedIn, and even more are on Twitter. And it doesn’t stop there. According to recent data from Inside Facebook, the number of U.S. Facebook users over age 35 doubled in 60 days–and is still on the rise.   more…

The important thing to remember if you’re considering bringing your business in the to social media space is to not waste your time in the wrong areas.  Getting a critical mass of people on board in paramount to a Social Networking Service’s success.  It seems that Twitter and Facebook are dominating that space.

Why?  Seth Godin says that sites like Twitter and Facebook fulfill these 5 social needs.

Why people choose to visit online social sites:

• Who likes me?
• Is everything okay?
• How can I become more popular?
• What’s new?
• I’m bored, let’s make some noise

None of these are new, but in the digital world, they’re still magnetic.  more…

Big questions I’m asking are.  What’s next?  What’s the next thing and is there space for is and will it come at the expense of others?  Where is the busines-centric one? …and don’t say eCademy, it’s below average.

69% of Australians read other people’s blogs, on average two to three times a week. While this is also considerably lower than many Asian markets, it is still a big number, indicating the interest Australians have in user-generated content.   …more

Yet, very few people that start blogging or writing online, continue. They just tend to fade out.  And, like most activities, if you can’t sustain and gain momentum, you’ll just frop to the bottom of the pack… and search engines know this too.

Last week I spoke at a seminar for mortgage brokers about web 2.0, blogging, social networking services, RSS etc and although most people in the room used and consumed a lot of these mediums, they didn’t create a lot of their own content – why?  I think it’s all a bit overwhelming for most people.  “Where do I start?” is a question I’m often asked.

That depends on where you want to go…  one thing’s for sure though, there is no harm in starting. Twitter is a great introduction. If you can keep that up for a few months, you might just find you have something to say.

If you need help, please let me know.

I have over 50 twitter followers.

I have around 200 facebook friends

Out of all those people I reach online, I’d say maybe 10% care, read, follow listen to what I have to say about business and new media marketing.

Good numbers, but limited.  Here’s a great way to increase your exposure and influence to people who care, listen and follow OTHER business experts.

Aaron Parkes from www.fixyourownbusiness.com and I just launched a great initiative that leverages the collective influence from a group of respected experts from different fields.

The Business Advice Panel is a collection of 7 like minded complimenting business experts on the Sunshine Coast who are offering free business advice to those who write in.

I’ll be honest with you, it’s a great idea. Less than a week old and it’s already gaining search enging ranking – and more importantly, it’s leveraging influence from the contributors and building great credibility for everyone involved.

It’s great business practice, great networking and generous.

Dave’s Links:

The future of the Internet - Ever wonder where it is headed. Get some sobre insight her

What sort of entreprenuer are you? Be sure to read the three pages of the document and then, if you are up to it, take a 10 minute test here to see where you fit . TEST

On twitter using twitter and other SNS’s for marketing – something I wrote earlier this week might be of help to those interersted in internet based marketing through twitter, facebook and more.

Staff Schedules and Notifications – got a lot of staff to manage.  Here’s a new and afforable approach using emails, SMS and more.

Restaurants can now convert fat into electricity and hot water - What a great and green idea.  This from the US.

Who’s converting web traffic into sales? – The top 10 online retailers by conversion rate

**Spotlight on Sunshine Coast Businesses**
At the moment this newsletter goes out to around 85 people per week.  I’d love to help promote your business and product.  Everyweek I’ll have a spot open here for one or two Sunshine Coast businesses to say a little about themselves in 25 words or less.  Email me with your 25 words and link to your businesses website.

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SPONSOR: This newsletter is made possible by sponsor LOEX – Your local media and promotion company.  www.loex.com.au
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