Legal Social Media at Work

Although 10 min in length, this video is worth a watch!

Party busted, charges laid

It's happened again.  Social Media has landed people in hot water. 
A student group had planned a huge St. Patrick's Day party and had purchased 4400 cans of beer.  Tickets to the event were being sold and the beer was going to be offered for sale at the party.  The problem is, these students did not get a permit for selling alcohol.  Now these students are facing charges related to the illegal sale of alcohol.  While Social Media definitely helped spread the word about the party, it also enlightened the police about their beer.  Needless to say, those students missed out on their celebrations.
For more info, read the article.
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2014/03/16/st_patricks_day.html

Miley Cyrus - "Adore You" (Dan Talevski Acoustic Cover)

Here is an example of Dan Talevski using Social Media to his advantage.  Notice the Facebook and Twitter links at the top of the screen.  One click and you are taken to his other Social Media sites.  As well, you are able to share his YouTube video a multitude of ways. 

Dan has kept his Social Media sites tasteful and appropriate for all audiences.  All of his Instagram photos, Twitter tweets and Facebook posts remain professional.  He only posts what needs to be said.  People could learn a lot about a positive Social Media presence from this talented singer.

The "Share" button

Nowadays, with just one click you can update different platforms of Social Media at once. 


I'm sure most of you have seen or at least heard of the famous share button/link.  This button allows you to take content from a webpage or Youtube video and share it to your Facebook page, share it on twitter, email someone a link, share something on a blog.  It's now faster than ever to share your life and interests.
You can get your tweets from Twitter to update your status on Facebook.  You can post a picture on Instagram, share it to Twitter and still have it sent automatically to Facebook.  You can even update your BlackBerry BBM status from your Twitter post!  Social Media is incredible!
Responsible Social Media users think about what they are going to say before they post it.  As well, whenever you share a video or picture, remember who your audience is.  A smart user will only post and share things that are appropriate to been seen by the world.  A good rule of thumb to follow is if you have to question whether someone might get offended, don't post it.
Take advantage of all the ways to connect on Social Media safely and professionally and enjoy!

Mirza Baig, Social Media Strategist - IT World Canada (SMBP Guest Speaker)

Social Media for Business Performance Certificate

Did you know that there is an online course offered by the University of Waterloo, Ontario entitled "Social Media for Business Performance Certificate"??
For $990 + hst, you can register for this 8 week program.  It commences on May 20th, 2014!


This is a highly interactive program that introduces you to the professional side of Social Media.  Through weekly online discussions, you will learn how to engage and involve customers and employees alike.
If this is something that appeals to you, why not look into it?
For more details and registration, please visit: http://professional.uwaterloo.ca/Social-Media-Marketing-Certificate-AW1/Overview-224FP-224882.html

Anger and Social Media

NEVER, EVER, EVER post anything to Social Media in the heat of the moment!! 


We've all been there.  Something has happened that has left you livid..  All you want to do is rant and rave, incorrectly assuming that you will feel better after.
The problem with doing this via Social Media is that you are going to leave a permanent record of what you have posted.  The words you choose may not necessarily be how you still feel in an hour.  Even if you immediately delete it, the damage has been done.  Its out there and it's never going to disappear.


Here's some advice, whether it be a friend, foe or company who has wronged you:


Breathe.  Count to 10 and tell long deep breaths. 

1. Calm down.  Relax yourself.  Stabilise your emotions.
2. Write down what you want to say on a piece of paper.  Express your anger as much as you want!
3. Reflection time.  Time to ask yourself some questions:  What benefit will I get from posting this?  What are the negative implications of posting what I want to say?  Can I pick up the phone instead or have a face to face meeting?  How will this person react to my post?  Am I going to regret it once it's sent?
4. Wait a few hours.  See how you feel after you have calmed down.  Is there a better way to handle the situation?

Just remember, be cautious of what you post.  As tempting as it is to tell someone off with instant posting capabilities, sometimes we need to just relax and not let our emotions get ahead of us, taking a bad situation and making it worse.


Cheers!