How to? « umennet

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03
Jun
2009

Get more out of Facebook

People have often asked me how to grow network in Facebook. Most of the people think, adding friends is growing network. No. Adding friends just grows your friends list. Not network. So here i am, pointing some steps to grow your network.

Here are the tips to maximise your Facebook experiance:

Complete your Profile: Dont leave your profile uncomplete. Uncomplete profile looks like a fake profile. Facebook users generally look in the profile and then add friends.

Integrate: Integrate your other online presence such as blog, twitter etc to your facebook account. It should be such that, if you update twitter or blog, it should automatically get posted in Facebook. For example when I upload any video on my Youtube channel, it automatically reflects in my Facebook Profile. Same with my Blog.

Interact: Interact with people. Start with commenting on friend’s status message. Comment/tag the pics/videos you like. Dont forget to wish on Birthdays. Dont hesitate to visit other’s profile and post on wall. Just introduce yourself and start the conversation rolling.

Respond: Respond to the comments, messages you get. By responding to such messages you are making sure that the person gets to know that you really care for the comments and responces. It also shows you are active.

Share: Share the pics/videos you like. Share the links you bookmark. People generally like to see interesting stuff, be it video or images.

Applications: Look out for some applications which interest you. Some of them can be horoscope, Music, Youtube etc. Applications are a great tool to interest your profile visitors.

Groups: Join groups and Fanpages which interest you. For example, if you like the Mumbai city, Join the group of Mumbai. But check out if the group is active or not. Look out for the Discussion boards. take part in the discussions.

Be Active: For any network to grow, you must be active. if you are not active on Facebook, logging in just once in a week, people will loose interest. Socail networking needs active involvement.

Update your status Messages: With the realtime updates, status messages have suddenly become important. Regular updates in your status message shows how active you are.

These are the basic steps to start off with Facebook.

Note: Thses steps are for personal Profile. Although Brand/corporate profile/accounts would also follow more or less the same steps, but would certainly be more extended ones.

Did I missed out some? Have any other thoughts on this?

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Tags: Facebook, fan pages, groups, interact, social networking
Posted in How to?, Social Media

29
Apr
2009

Google yourself | Egosurfing | Vanity Search

3 Comments

Man has always been liked being popular, being known by people. And in this Google era, he wants himself to be on the top in the results of his name search.

Searching ones own name is termed as Ego Surfing. Searching about self is called Vanity Search. This practice of self googling can be a reason for rise in Narcissism [the trait of excessive self-love, based on self-image or ego] in people but also a strong reason to identify their online presence/ Brand Presence.

“The reason people search for themselves is that they’re curious about what other people see when they search for their name,”

“One problem is they don’t have any control over the search results. Either they don’t like the search results, or what happens most of the time is, they’re not listed on the first page. If your name is Brian Jones and you’re not the deceased Rolling Stones guitarist, you don’t exist.“

Joe Kraus, Google’s director of product management.

So, What can be done to be on the top in the search results of your name. Some of the basic steps would be:

Get a social life: By this I mean have a presence in Social networks. Social Networks play an important role in getting your profile in top search results. With Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter etc. now having your name in the title of their pages, make you searchable.

For eg: Earlier my Facebook profile url was: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=626836269

But now it has been changed to: www.facebook.com/people/Sudhindra-Rao/626836269

Same is the case with titles too: Facebook title has been changed to
Facebook | Sudhindra Rao

Same is the case with Twitter too. Twittler title of your home page shows something like:

Google Profile: Seems now, Google is also taking Vanity search Seriously. Last week they launched Google Profiles. Google profile is like an online sheet of all your personal infromation, your pic, your online presence, your address, companies you worked for, your bio, and even your nickname!!!

The Google profile pages, appears in a box on the first page of the search results for their name (presently in US, Strangly mine appears!!)

For eg: Click here to see My Profile.

You can also have your own profile. Just choose your name to be appeared, carefully. Choose a name which you think people would search you by. And to have your own click here.

The more detailed your profile, the higher your page is likely to be ranked on a Google search for your name and associated keywords.

Happy Ego Searching!!!

Tags: ego search, google, name search, social network, vanity search
Posted in Branding, How to?, Social Media, Technology

17
Apr
2009

umennet – Redesigned!!

3 Comments

People have been asking me, why did I shifted my blog, why a new design?

If you’re reading this via the RSS feed, please come take a look!

I had a thought of shifting my blog to my own Domain, but was not able to do so, due to some reasons like:

I was an amateur blogger
Less Technical know-how about blogs
was still experimenting on my writing skill

But as I continued blogging, I noticed that people are reading my posts, even commenting on it. I attended some blogger meetings, got introduced to some influential bloggers & Social Media professionals, my blog even received the Best Mumbai Blog award!!

Now it was time to shift. My blog needs to have an independent identity.

I had many doubts, misconceptions, confusions. I consulted many people before shifting to my new domain. Some of them were Bhanu, Deepak, Dinesh Soni, Netra and many more . . Thank you, guys for your support.

I have shifted to my new blog, although my old blog was enjoying:

An acceptable Google Pagerank of 3
Huge number of visitors
Considerable number of subscribers
Already famous
Bookmarked at many a places

And I was about to lose all these!!!

But still I chose to shift to new domain, cos I had more strong reasons for that:

It was time to have an own identity.
The day I took blogging seriously, I always dreamt of having a blog on my domain.
I wanted to have a more sophisticated & professional blog.
I wanted to Experiment with the looks and widgets.
I want to make it BIG someday!!!

As a result of all this going through my 1300 gms brain (with much more doubts than I mentioned here ), I’ve updated the domain & design of umennet with something that I hope works well, and liked by everyone.

I’ve tried many themes, asked everyone from friends to family to Special people . And at last selected the present theme.

My biggest worry with making the move was losing anyone in my community, and newcomers as well. It was crucial that the design be nice, inviting and open. I think I have achieved these with my new theme. Have I?

I’ve still got a bit of fine tuning to do in a few places, but I’m ecstatic & curious to know how it turned out.

Now here’s where you play an important role, tell me —What do YOU think?

Take a look at some Posts, Pages, Widgets etc. and let me know your thoughts!

Majorly I want to know about:

Design Related
- Your feedback
- What would you like to be added
Posts Related
- Do you like my posts?
- What else would you like to read more & on which topic?

And regarding the posts, yes I know there has been a bit slowdown (No no, It’s not due to recession!!). I will surely try to get back to my pace.

Tags: blog, New, pagerank, shifting, subscribers, umennet, visitors, wordpress
Posted in How to?, I like it!!, Me, Technology, blog

16
Mar
2009

Reality shows – Too Real For Comfort

2 Comments

Is an ambitious, dare-devil, high-flier youth breed a figment of our imaginations? Or a hope we harbor to console ourselves that the world will be handed over safely into better, more able hands? The conditions are all facilitating and the opportunities galore! The world is our oyster and together we can….or can we?!

MTV roadies umennet If the latest shown through Reality TV was to offer us a window into what the next generations have in store for us, I believe we could be in for a rude shock! Either channels look for the kind who should not be permitted to breed, let alone be aided in the process of getting them together and finding perfect matches! Or then… THIS IS IT!!! This is what the crux of India’s youth consists of…. Badly brought-up, selfish brats of low intellect who have zero sense of loyalty or integrity.

To begin with, I strongly feel that INDIANS CANNOT DO REALITY. It just doesn’t fit the frame. We’re too conscious, with no wit and atrocious senses of humour. That’s a fact. When a camera is put in front of us, all these qualities assume gigantic proportions and due to insecurity woven into the very fabric of our beings, the result is anything but candid. To further develop on the idea, Reality shows involving typical Indian youth is even more unbearable… I have nothing against any TV channel but the fact that shows such as Splitsvilla and Roadies originate from the similar shed, is hard to miss. Yes, it’s the same TG…agreed. But what are we trying to project to the impressionable lot?

That’s it’s quite alright to live your life oblivious of any social or civic responsibilities?

That I can cheat and lie as long as no one finds out. Even if they do, it’s their bad luck?

That I can get fame and money by being a total B*&^% ?!

I don’t need to have respect for ANYONE, let alone any elders. When I’m rich and famous, none of this will matter in any case!!

That abusive language sounds cool and peer pressure is to be bowed down to?

I have no family that matter. The friends I make because of this show are those who will be by my side throughout!

You get the drift, I’m sure.

The dismay according to me however is manifold. Primarily, I worry about the motivation that lures the youth into aspiring to be associated with these programs. I have managed to sit through a few episodes in which starry eyed juveniles claim that it is their dream to be on “so and so…” program. How does a platform where you will be subjected to embarrassing and aggravating situations appear as a dream to you? Where are those ambitions that aim to lead with innovative yet honest ways?

This reminds me of one episode which I must mention here, no names, no references but more real than reality itself… The teams were offered laxatives after a heavy loaded meal. Post consumption, anyone who could not ‘hold it in’, would get out and let his/her team down. The rest is up to you to imagine… I know that the brainstorming department of this particular episode, must have been mighty pleased with itself, but how is this of interest or entertainment to anyone….I fail to understand. And what is it a test of? The most constipated bowels?? I don’t get it! Maybe I am getting too old…

Another aspect is that of the viewer – It’s the youth who watch of course (right on target with the TG) but why? Some think that they’re so much better that the idiots on TV and so are highly amused! Others are just like them and so can identify totally. The shows, mind you, don’t really require any qualifications except a good face and or body for camera. They also tend to make special efforts to select those who possess the power to aggravate the viewer the most!

Overall, my worry however is the tendency of our society to take part in and then watch these shows, week after week. According to me, they encourage ‘wrong’ and validate it. As Indians, we are known to put one another down and revel in another’s defeat but the behavior being displayed in these programs takes disgust to the next level. I’m sure the families of the participants cannot be watching and encouraging their children, and if they are, God help us all! As such are the families from which those that can go to the extent of murder in the name of ragging originate.

With a youth potential of almost 50% of our total population, there are some important questions we should be asking apart from which of Satan’s creations will win this week’s episode!

It’s not the show concepts that are faulty, it’s more the bi-products and after effects that need to be given due attention to….as the TRP’s keep rising….!!!

Note: This write-up has been authored by Barkha Prabhakar, who is a Guest Author at Umennet.wordpress.com.

Tags: Channel V, Disgusting, India, Misdirection, MTV, Realty TV, Shows, youth
Posted in Guest Post, How to?, India, Movies, News

02
Feb
2009

Bollywood embraces Social Media

10 Comments

Recently got a mail from twitter saying: Shahrukh Khan is now following you!!! It may be a real one, but chances are more that it is fake one. Whatever, but it really seems that Bollywood is turning towards Social Media. And that too in a big way. Its giving Bollywood a whole new platform to interact directly with the audience.

Blogging: Blogging bieng the simplest and a direct medium to reach the fans, Bollywood fraternity is turning towards Blogging. It all started with Amitabh Bachchan. With his blog He has found a direct way to reach his fans, by sharinghis stories, his experiances, even the pics clicked by him with his mobile. He also Microblogs thru his mobile. Aamir Khan Also has blog & many others have followed, Karan Johar, Shilpa Shetty, Farhan Akhtar and many more. It has always been a question whether these celebrities post themselves or some other person/agency has been given the task to write on their behalf. Whatever may be the actual story, but Star bloggers are getting a Overwhelming response. Many of them are not as regular as Mr. Bachchan. No wonder his blogs get as many as 16000 hits per day, with 700+ Comments on an average for a single post!!!

Social Networking: Bollywood biggies are also present on social media. Though many are fake profiles, but some like, Farhan Akhtar, Abhishek Kapoor are original ones. Many Bollywood technicians are also present on Social medianetwork. Sites such as Facebook & Orkut are the next midium to promote movies. Many Production Houses are on these sites. Major ones being UTV, PVR Pictures, Eros Multimedia etc. Some of the recent films which have been promoted thru Social Networking are: Drona, Rock On, Dostana, Luck By Chance, Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, Delhi 6, Dev D etc. The Promotional Materials such as posters, Movie stills, Audio/Video Clips etc are shared with the members. Drona even released the promotional Videos first on Facebook then on other TV Channels!! Some Groups/communities have more than 3000 members. And even the Biggies related with the movie interact with the members!!

Videos: You tube is the biggest social medium for bollywood to reach to audience. Its being exploited in a big scale. Companies such as Rajshri, Eros etc have set up their own channels through which they release Videos. Although the same videos are uploaded by numerous other users but these original channels have a upper hand in releasing the videos first and so have more views.

Websites: The movie websites are now being made web 2.0 compatible. The Movie’s social presence is being shared in the websites. Recent example being Dev D. It has mentioned its presence on Facebook, Orkut and even in Perfspot, whcih is not so popular in India!! Even Farhan Akhtar’s Show Oye, Its Friday has a website in which Farhan Hosts his blog.

And last but not least . . . Saawariya was the fisrt in Bollywood to start twitterring and after noticing it, Twitter team started short code for India!!!

Got something more interesting to share, which i missed out… Do share…..

Tags: Amitabh, bollywood, Dev D, Drona, Eros Multimedia, Farhan Akhtar, Karan Johar, Luck by Chance, Rajshri, Rock on, shahrukh, Shilpa Shetty, UTV
Posted in Branding, How to?, I like it!!, Movies, Music, Social Media, Technology

08
Jan
2009

What a Social Media Manager does?

7 Comments

At some point or other we have always been inolved in Social Media. We are in all leading Social Networking Sites, Interacting with others, Discussing, Posting, Sharing etc……

Some of us are in to serious business of taking Social Media as a career. So before applying for any Social media job, get to know what is expected from a Social Media Professional. Here’s a list. . .

1. In love with Social Media – You should be in love with Social Media. You should be active in Social networking sites like -Facebook, My Space, Orkut etc. Being Active means, Rather than Number of friends, Interaction Matters. Linkedin, Plaxo etc also count but not so much.

You may have to: Build Strategies and Implement them for the company/Client on these platforms.

2. Writing Skills – You should have a blog. You should be possesing good writing skills. Optimize the articles, for Search engines, with keywords.

You may have to: Blog, Prepare presentations, write for Podcasts, Communicate with others, write weekly/monthly columns

3. Knowledge - you should be possessing knowledge about Internet marketing. PPC, SEO, SEM, Keywords should not be new to you. Knowledge of HTML, RSS, PHP, Flash is a plus.

You may have to: Prepare marketing strategies for company/client, Optimize the Site, Articles, Content as the requirement arises.

4. Hardworker - Social Media is a 24 Hours active profession. your target audience are scattered allover the world. If you are dealing with news, Updates etc. you need to be active. very Active. Should be high in energy!! So, dont expect a 9-5 job.

You may have to: Post updates as and when required, be online for maximum, skip your holidays.

5. Know how of Conferences/Podcasting/Webinars – You may not be practising but a knowhow would be useful.

You may have to: Podcast on regular basis, conduct Webinars, Conferences.

6. Searching Ability – You may not be a Sherlock Holmes or Byomkesh Bakshi, but certainly you need to have a flair for search engines/tools.

You may have to: Do an extensive search & research on Company/brand/product or its compitition.

7. Hunger for Knowledge updation – Social Media is ever growing and ever changing. You need to keep yourself updated.

You may have to: Adapt to new technologies/ideas, think out of the box to utilise fully.

8. Interaction – Earlier internet was used as a tool to hide ur identity and interact. But Social media is compltly opposite. You need to Interact, share, gain.

You may have to: Engage, Interact, and find new ways to do the same.

These are the basic requirement for any Social Media Job. Besides these your experiance with Brands/ Clients also count a lot.

Any more requirement you can think of??

Image: Courtesy – Imagesbazaar.com

Tags: Job, Podcast, Requirements, RSS, Search, SEM, SEO, Social Media, Social Media Manager, Strategies, Webinars
Posted in How to?, Interviews, Social Media, Technology

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