One such example is BranchOut, which has grown into the largest professional networking app on Facebook. After launching in July 2010, it now has around 25 million users. [...]]]> At BlueSky PR we recognise the value of social media and are constantly looking at opportunities with emerging platforms. We know how important it is to utilise new sites, but we also need to remember that the ones we already have are constantly evolving, and we have to keep up-to-date with any changes.

One such example is BranchOut, which has grown into the largest professional networking app on Facebook. After launching in July 2010, it now has around 25 million users. So, how can it benefit you?

If you upload your CV you can search and apply for jobs from over 3 million opportunities. After finding a role that looks appealing, you are able to see your own connections to the company as well as your friends’ connections. The aim is to add contacts to build up your network so that friends can help friends to find and secure a job.

It’s a nice idea, but undoubtedly it has been compared to LinkedIn as a professional tool. Given LinkedIn’s popularity, the common consensus seems to be that LinkedIn is better and, as they have around 150 million users, I don’t think BranchOut can be seen as a true competitor just yet.

Having said that, it took LinkedIn 65 months to reach 25 million users, whereas BranchOut did it in 16 months. In addition, Facebook has around 850 million users, so there is definitely an audience for BranchOut and it has the potential to expand.

As BranchOut is a Facebook app, it has been suggested that it is attracting first time job seekers rather than professionals. Although businesses do use Facebook, it still has a perception of being more for personal use by the younger generation, whereas LinkedIn has much more of a formal feel. However, perhaps this makes BranchOut more appealing to a wider audience who feel that LinkedIn is just for managers and executives. What do you think?

It’s clear that the two are going to be compared, as they are both using social media in order to achieve career goals, but I’d say there’s space in the market for LinkedIn and BranchOut at the moment. If you already have LinkedIn and aren’t a keen Facebook user, then the chances are you’re not missing out on a great deal. However, if you’re looking to use social media in your job search for the first time, why not give BranchOut a go?

You may wonder if you have the time and resources to manage another social media account but Pinterest seems to have many unique attributes. Unlike other platforms, [...]]]> Launched in 2010, Pinterest is now the third most popular social network worldwide after Facebook  and Twitter . Unique users doubled from 2m in January 2012 to 4m in March 2012 and Public Relations is number six in the top ten audience interests. So can this fresh new platform add value to your business?

You may wonder if you have the time and resources to manage another social media account but Pinterest seems to have many unique attributes. Unlike other platforms, Pinterest doesn’t allow direct contact which positions it as a ‘buzz-building’ tool rather than a direct networking device. Pinterest’s mission is to “connect everyone in the world through the ‘things’ they find interesting”.

The site is incredibly user friendly. Install the handy ‘Pin It’ button on your browser and grab images from websites to add to you Pinboards automatically. And when you pin from a website Pinterest automatically grabs the source link which enables you to credit the original creator. Although the site is overwhelmingly visual, you can describe your pin using 500 characters and it’s simple to integrate your Pinboards with Facebook and Twitter accounts. According to www.mashable.com 20% of Facebook users are on Pinterest daily.

So what opportunities could you create by embracing the latest online phenomenon? Businesses are able to create pinboards for each employee; recruiters can create boards for particular vacancies and organisations can visually document their achievements.

Pinterest is unlikely to replace Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn, but used alongside established channels it has the potential to add colour and diversity to your online presence. Use your imagination and discover what you can offer the Pinterest community today.

Have you explored it yet? Let us know by commenting below.

There’s little doubt that Google+ has had a phenomenal start with over 90 million members and it looks like it’s set to stay. With the launch of Google+ business profile pages, all companies from small start-ups to large corporations will be [...]]]> In our last newsletter, we handed out some tips on how to use Facebook as a great way to find and engage with both clients and candidates. This time we’re looking at how Google + can help to grow your recruitment business.

There’s little doubt that Google+ has had a phenomenal start with over 90 million members and it looks like it’s set to stay. With the launch of Google+ business profile pages, all companies from small start-ups to large corporations will be utilising these profiles to build their online connections. The latest social media contender gives companies a platform to share and connect with  existing and potential customers in more creative ways such as photo and video sharing, blogging as well as status updates.

Circles

Google + provides you with ‘Circles’ to help group together people to share content and engage with based on common interests.  This has a huge benefit for the user as they can divide content between personal and professional interests. From a brand perspective, this is an incredible opportunity — the more specific you tailor your message to a group, the more likely that group will respond and engage with you.

Host a ‘Hangout’ session

Google + allows you to host a ‘hangout’ session in which you can connect with a group via a webcam for feedback or conversations. This interactive option gives you an opportunity to reach your connections on a more personal level.

1+ button

The 1+ button can be added to your websites and blog and is excellent for increasing your ranking in Google search. It is similar to the ‘like’ button in Facebook but with the added benefit that this Google plus one button will help your articles and blogs to rank and come top in the search engine results.

Maximise sharing

Sharing is easier in Google+ so you need to share good quality content in your profile in order to thrive in this social networking site. Share news and information about your company through videos and photos and other engaging formats.

Engaging

Unlike Facebook, Google has prohibited the use of contests or promotions on its business pages resulting in the need for a higher level of engagement. This adds even more value to engagement with your connections, so make sure you interact with your groups.

If you want to appear in searches, be accepted as a group member or connection then an incomplete profile is not the answer! It’s that simple.  Take for instance [...]]]> It’s all very well registering on LinkedIn, but if you don’t use it correctly then you may as well have saved yourself the time and not bothered at all.  It still amazes me how many people fail to spend the time filling in their profile properly.  So why is it so important?

If you want to appear in searches, be accepted as a group member or connection then an incomplete profile is not the answer! It’s that simple.  Take for instance a group. You find one, it has people in it that you want to connect and discuss industry topics with. You request permission to join.  You’re not accepted. More often than not it’s because the moderator can’t see who you are, and what you do from your profile headline. They don’t want to have to click on every potential member’s profile to see this so they don’t accept you and move on to the next person.

So what’s the answer? Here are a few tips to make sure your profile is optimised:

• Make sure your headline includes your specialism.  Tell people what you do, and for whom – it is this information that someone will initially see, so make sure it persuades them to connect with you! And remember, your job title is not necessarily the best option. Here’s an example.

►Specialist in PR and communications for the recruitment sector ► social media for recruiters ►stephanie@bluesky-pr.net

• Use keywords in your summary and specialities section – think about what words people will use when searching and include these. This also a good place to really sell yourself as an individual or business so add as much information as you can.
• Use your status update regularly. These are very search engine friendly and will also appear on the news feed of your connections, as well as second and third tier connections if others ‘like’ it. This will highlight your profile amongst many industry professionals.
• Use the website area. Link to different areas of your website, this might be testimonials or a case study section.
• Photo – add a picture of yourself. People like connecting with a person, not a logo or a blank space.

Follow these simple steps and you’ll be in a much better position. You’ll show up more often in searches, you’re more likely to be accepted as a group member, and you will help link up all aspects of yourself or business.

To find the answer to this question I turned to Twitter itself and less than a minute later I had found the Twitter silence hashtag along with various supporting account profiles. Reading through the discussions I found [...]]]> Today marked the 93^rd anniversary of the the first Armistice Day, and as people across the UK prepared to pay their respects in the annual two minute silence, I found myself asking colleagues a rather odd question: will there be a Twitter silence as well?

To find the answer to this question I turned to Twitter itself and less than a minute later I had found the Twitter silence hashtag along with various supporting account profiles. Reading through the discussions I found people across the UK pledging a Twitter silence, and the BlueSky PR team did the same.

I was amazed when I logged back into Twitter to find that the silence really had happened online too, and it really made me think about the power of the online world. We are now more connected than ever and the majority of the population are never far from a tool to access the digital community. As people use new technology to be more social, I find it truly inspiring that it is also being used to unite people across the nation.

Ten years ago I stood with a few friends to observe the Armistice Day silence; today I did the same with thousands across the UK through Twitter. If that doesn’t show how much our lives are affected by social media, just watch the Twittersphere next week to see how it is used to support Children In Need.

I have attended two recruitment in social media events recently and although I thought I was fairly social media savvy – I definitely learned some interesting new stuff showing that you can indeed teach an old dog new tricks!

The first was the UK Recruiter and  HB RIDA Directors’ Networking Event. The first presentation was from Sophie Relf the Head of Marketing Strategy at Guardian Jobs.  While I didn’t actually agree with a lot of her comments (‘social media is a walled [...]]]>

I have attended two recruitment in social media events recently and although I thought I was fairly social media savvy – I definitely learned some interesting new stuff showing that you can indeed teach an old dog new tricks!

The first was the UK Recruiter and  HB RIDA Directors’ Networking Event. The first presentation was from Sophie Relf the Head of Marketing Strategy at Guardian Jobs.  While I didn’t actually agree with a lot of her comments (‘social media is a walled garden, for example’ – don’t get Andy Headworth started on that!), there was one phrase she did use which really struck a chord and that was “mobile is the remote control of people’s lives.”
This was a theme that Andy Headworth of Sirona Consulting picked up when he asked “How many of you have a mobile website”? The answer of course was everyone– it’s just that most look crap!  Andy then went on to (in his own words) take down the wall brick by brick and gave some great examples of how powerful the platforms have become.

Next up was Steve Evans of NetNatives who gave some really interesting insights into how Facebook pages are changing.  Likes will no longer be the be all and endall – but visitors will able to ‘recommend’ or say ‘I work here’ – think aboutthe potential branding for a temps recruiter around that!

Will Winch of Mishcon de Reya scared everyone to death (only joking Will) by giving the legal perspectives around data protection, data theft and cyber bullying

The other event was #RTSM11 run hosted by Recruitment International.  Andy Headworth (yes him again) talked about how Facebook is a content management platform – not a social network and so your content has to be relevant interactive and interesting – not just a page of jobs!  He also told us that Google+ is now the fastest growing social network in history and there are certainly some really interesting applications for recruiters.

Patrick Traynor from LinkedIn highlighted the new company status update function and pointed out how few organisations were using the free
products and services tab on company profiles. And a really interesting nugget – mobile searching on Linked In is up 400% year on year!!

Jorgen Sundberg from Link Humans gave his top five tips on putting together a strategy for your content marketing while Dave Martin from Brave New
Talent told us that mobile will overtake desktops and laptops by 2013 and gave us a brand new buzzword – SoLoMo ( Social, Local Mobile).

Steve Ward from Cloud Nine shared a great story about his social media journey and then Oracle occupied the graveyard slot by aptly telling all
the recruiters how they recruit everything in house through social media !

All in all two great events – and I learned a lot !

On my way on to [...]]]> You only have to glance online to hear nightmare stories of poor customer service, and like most of us I have had my fair share. Only last week I had the ‘pleasure’ of flying Ryanair and experienced its awful service. Whilst I understand the phrase ‘you get what you pay for’ – surely speaking to customers with no respect, or worse still, rudely shouldn’t happen regardless of whether you are flying on a low cost airline?

On my way on to the plane, I was forced to prove that my hand luggage bag was the right dimension – fair enough. But it didn’t end there. I was then told I was delaying the flight. Why?  Because I couldn’t get my case out of the baggage size checker. My bag may well have been on the large size but it did fit – I had measured it beforehand! I was then subject to a rant from a representative of Ryanair saying I was delaying the flight (the flight was not due to take off for another 20 minutes) and they would close the doors if I didn’t get on the flight immediately. No offer to help remove my bag which, of course, would have sped up the process – just a barrage of abuse.  Of course I made the flight – in fact we didn’t take off until the scheduled departure time!

It’s experiences like this that make examples of good customer service that much nicer, and surprising.  But should you be shocked when you receive a good service? No, but it appears that in a society where poor customer experiences are rife, to feel surprised is somewhat common.  I shop at Sainsbury’s each week, I like the produce, the staff are helpful and it is convenient.  However, like most organisations they make mistakes – but it is how they are dealt with that is important.

And in an age where the likes of Facebook and Twitter are regularly used to voice grievances about bad experiences, it is even more important for brands to deal with complaints properly. Following a recent complaint, not only did I receive a call immediately from head office, but I was sent a gift voucher and a letter apologising about it. Well done Sainsbury’s – customer service does still exist.  I tweeted Sainsbury’s thanking them for the good experience, and again got an immediate response acknowledging it. But it could have been very different. If I had not heard anything I may very well have taken to Twitter or Facebook but with a different, more hostile message.

This got me thinking about how other businesses have dealt with negative comments posted online.  The very fact that these complaints are in the public domain should, you would imagine, prompt a brand to acknowledge them and act accordingly. But it appears that this is not the case in many instances. Instead the ‘ignore it’ or ‘delete it’ approach seems to be favoured.

The decision to do so speaks volumes about a brands customer service policy. By doing this rather than acknowledging and rectifying the mistake goes to show how ill informed and unorganised a business can be. Take the recent Blackberry fiasco – poor customer service at its best. By not responding to comments on social media made the negative feeling towards the brand that much worse.

So is customer service dead and buried? And has social media made businesses change their policies? It appears some have, but for those who have chosen to ignore it – the decision may well prove costly.

What I hadn’t thought about until recently though was how my social media footprint may affect my opportunity at a first impression. During a [...]]]> Having spent my first few weeks in a new role meeting new colleagues and clients I have had a lot of time to think about first impressions, particularly the old saying “you only get one first impression”.  In the business world first impressions are vital, mess that up and you could lose important opportunities in the future.

What I hadn’t thought about until recently though was how my social media footprint may affect my opportunity at a first impression. During a social media marketing course earlier this year my lecturer said 5 simple words which drew a chorus of nervous laughter around the room; “Anything uttered online stays online.” Ultimately once you post something online whether it be a comment to a blog, a photo from a company party or a video of you doing karaoke at your 21^st birthday party, that information will always be available somewhere on the web.

With business social networking sites such as LinkedIn, it is possible to know the full career, education, skills and network of a person without having met them. A quick Google search can give you access to photos from FLickr, YouTube videos or personal blogs. Ten minutes of simple searching and it’s possible to make a judgement on a person without giving them the opportunity of a face to face first impression.

My advice then? Before you react to anything online, pause before you click ‘publish’ or ‘post’ and think, “Would I say this to my ideal client?” If the answer is no don’t post it – it could come back to haunt you otherwise.