So much is made of Twitter as a platform for conversation, it’s powerful search qualities are often overlooked.

Twitter provides marketers with the ability to micro-target based on geography, keywords and phrases, subjects referenced, content and even sentiment shared.

The increased ability to search necessitates a deeper understanding of your target audience. It also enables marketers to create an ongoing focus group to obtain it.

Use search.twitter.com, wefollow.com and other tools to find your brand’s target consumers.

If you follow 100 people from your target audience, you’ll notice trends. You’ll see who your target audience really is, what they read, think and share.

Your ability to market to them will greatly improve, too. You’ll stop seeing them as just statistics and more as real people.

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Worldwide Delivery Service (from Japan)

Originally uploaded by *yasuhiro

Here are five learning lessons I arrived at this week, most involve social media.

1. How can I use FriendFeed effectively? I recently reignited my passion for Facebook after importing Delicious, Google Reader, Pandora and other feeds into the account. I like sharing all my links in one place, especially if all my friends and colleagues are there. Now that I use Facebook for that purpose, why should I use FriendFeed? Especially considering that I can have conversations on Facebook walls and many more of my friends use Facebook. Right now I use FriendFeed to read comments from social media experts I respect. What am I missing?

2. Diagrams. Have you read 360i’s social media handbook.. It’s a good social media primer. Check out the diagrams on page 17. Note to self: use shapes to express social media concepts. Often, it’s so much more effective than words.

3. Dashboards. My company reviewed many reputation management tools in the last few weeks. These companies offered their dashboards as key points of differentiation. Before getting too excited about a dashboard, ask yourself what information is essential for your research. It’s easy to get crazy excited about all the ways powerful tools can slice and dice data, but I’d rather answer essential questions with boring tools than using slick tools and miss the point. BTW, check out this cool data visualization link.

4. Connecting my online world. This week my inner geek came to life. I went to LinkedIn, where I have a few hundred contacts. Then I clicked “contacts,” then “export connections,” then export to CSV file. This exported all my contacts to my desktop. I then went to Google chat, click “add contact,” and copied and pasted all my LinkedIn contacts. The result enabled me to chat with all my contacts on LinkedIn via Google chat.

5. We reveal different aspects of ourselves on different social networks. We show one glimpse of who we are on LinkedIn, another on Facebook and another yet on Twitter. When you are connected with the same person on multiple social networks you see a very dynamic picture of them. My favorite thing to pay attention to is the different status updates a friend has across a social network. When you connect the dots, you can see a complete picture. For example, take “Fred.” Fred’s LinkedIn status update is: “despite being tired, the presentation went exceptional well.” Take Fred’s tweet at 2 am, “Should get some sleep? No. Must party in Austin,” and then his Facebook status update: “a picture of Fred singing on stage in Austin.”

These are a few things I’ve learned last week. How about you?

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If you work in midtown Manhattan, you’re likely to know the food cart I’m talking about. It’s the one on 53rd and 6th with 30 people waiting in line. They’re waiting to eat middle eastern food sold from a cart the size of a mini-copper. And they wait at all hours. When I passed by at 10 pm at least 50 people were in line. When I asked them if the food was “that good” to merit the line, they responded, “well, I saw the line, so it must be.”

I believe the same psychology of lines applies to Twitter. So often people use following / follower ratio to determine who they want to follow before actually “trying the food.”

There are many ways to cause lines to form, yet far fewer to cook a great meal.

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Meet Biba Milioto. She’s the creative inspiration behind the social media fashion campaign that has women chasing hidden bags all over New
York City.

Here’s how it works:

Brooklyn handbag designer Rachel Nasvik is luring New Yorkers to her twitter account and blog offering clues as to where she will “loose”
her next bag. Each bag is stuffed with the essentials for a night on the town including a summer mix of music and a mysterious key. The bag
includes a note to the lucky finder which instructs them that the bag is theirs to keep. Finders are encouraged to log on to the blog and
post the story of how they found it under the corresponding picture of the bag’s location. The campaign has been very successful
in getting users excited and eager to participate in the hunt. It’s a great example of how to use social media creatively and effectively.

1. What was the creative inspiration for the campaign?

A few yards of neon pink leather and a desire to create something that was purely fun, and completely tailored to the target market—something that would delight them and engage them in the story of the Rachel Nasvik brand.

It’s actually two separate ideas that happily fused together, amazingly enough. Rachel and I conceived of the bag-hunt aspect separately from what we’re now calling ‘phase two’ which is launching this weekend.

Michael Hastings-Black of Desedo cooked up this fantastic idea of joining forces with street vendors in NYC and getting the bags to have some full-on street level face time- his inspiration was trying to further tease out the totally dedicated relationship that the Rachel Nasvik brand has with New York City, since the brand is so rooted here, where it was born. I love that it has brought the two separate ideas into one cohesive campaign. It’s been great, great fun.

2.  You mentioned there’s a second phase. What can fans expect to see?

Well- that’s where Mr. Hastings-Black comes in. He conceived of this great idea where we hook up with some street vendors (the guys that sell the knockoffs) and slip some of the Rachel Nasvik bags into the mix. It’s meant to be surprising, funny, and irreverent, and also meant to be a bit of a love letter to New York- so much of Rachel’s brand is inspired by the New York lifestyle. What’s neat about this second phase is that since we’re cutting out the middle man of the retailer, there will be maximum street-level presence. We expect to roll that out this weekend.

3. What results have you seen?

The reaction has been overwhelming- on the first day we picked up about 700 followers on Twitter thanks to some web press from DailyCandy.com- that number has grown to nearly 1,000.The blog we set up www.wherethenighttakesyou.blogspot.com has seen lots of commenting and clicks.  And the media loves the idea as much as the NYC audience does- we’ve had such great coverage, which has continued to spread the word. It seems to have offered everyone a reason to smile and pay attention. We’ve also witnessed girls running down the street to be the first to grab the bag!

4. How have you used Twitter to promote the brand and the campaign?

The Twitter account is the lifeline of the campaign- we use it to drop clues, to ask questions, to post pictures. It’s the bridge that is directly connecting us to our rapt audience.

5.  What is the most surprising aspect of the campaign?

How constantly evolving it is- and how because it’s small and tightly managed, it can change every day to up the ante. If Michael has an
idea, or Rachel wants to try something different, we can just go for it and see what happens. It’s exhilarating, and really gratifying. The flexibility of the web and the immediacy of the Twitter feed has totally changed the game in terms of interactivity.

6. What did you do to make sure this campaign truly represented the Rachel Nasvik brand?

I had worked with Rachel previously when I was the Marketing Director at Ravinstyle.com. So I had a very precise idea of where the brand was positioned, and since I live in New York, where there are lots of RN fans, I usually spot at least one bag on the subway each day (full disclosure- I have a closet full of them myself!). So I know there’s a street style, an edginess, and a spirit that is very specific to her customer. She’s the kind of girl who knows where the get the best cocktail in the city, who peruses the smartest bookstores, and eats at the coolest new restaurant- you know, the one that doesn’t have it’s liquor license yet? She’s also not flashy or showy and appreciates subtlety in design.

So- I knew we had to be fresh and smart and that dreaded word: cool. And cool here in New York has an atmosphere & an address- we figured if we showed up where that girl was, with a gorgeous bag and a neat strategy, we’d embody the essence of the brand perfectly.

7.  You called this an “experiment.” What were you testing?

We were testing the waters of interactivity and looking to see how far people would follow us into the game. Will they trek all the way across town for a bag? Will they use a password and ask for what they want? We were experimenting with removing most of the boundaries that usually exist between a brand an it’s audience—we are directly interacting with them in a way that usually doesn’t happen. I’m happy to say it worked!

8.  Can you provide my readers with any advanced clues to where the next bag may be dropped?

That would ruin the fun of the anticipation! Follow the Twitter feed!

**Recognition: Special thanks to @JennMorales for recognizing the campaign and support all aspects of this posts.

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(Image from National ACademic ADvising Association) 

I asked several people how they found what they love to do and if they always knew what that was.

Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos, told me:

“I don’t think you’ll always know… Some things may seem glamorous and you’ll find out that you don’t actually enjoy it, and other things that you might have never thought of may actually end up being really enjoyable.  I think it takes a lot of trial and error… you may end up loving underwater basket weaving, but you’ll never know until you try it! I would just try to meet a lot of people from all different backgrounds and try to do a little of everything… and also read a lot of different types of books. The more people and perspectives you are exposed to, the more likely you’ll end up figuring out what you love to do!”

I respect Tony’s advice. He practices what he preaches. His speech on happiness at SXSW gave many people, myself included, Goosebumps. If you weren’t there, check it out below.

Zappos - SXSW - 3-14-09

View more OpenOffice presentations from zappos.

I asked Guy Kawasaki. He told me:

“I stumbled upon it. There wasn’t a plan at all. “

He advised those looking for what they love:

“Keep your eyes and ears open and pursue living with abandon. It’s a numbers game: try a lot of things to discover what you love.”

I asked the question of Marc Girolimetti, a friend and founder of Green Grotto Studios:

“It all depends, because personally I love many things… If it’s someone like my wife, well we found each other. Neither was seeking the type of companionship  that we ended up fostering, but we recognized the significance of the situation and ran with it. Then we go and start a family and you have an automatic mechanism to love your dog or your child. However, I do believe in the ability to attract things that you love…”

I’ve thought about the question for several months and continue to revisit it with friends.

I found what I love by trying to understand what people and companies were really trying to communicate–and helping them do it more effectively. When I started, it wasn’t a job—it was a practice — something I did as a daily habit. I found its relevance to my career when I observed the importance of clarity in improving marketing as well as in how people work together. The practice of seeking clarity is something which I do in my own life every day. It’s not a job. It’s a practice. My advice for finding what you love is to ask yourself what you want your “practice” to be.

Well, what do you want your practice to be?
What advice do you have for those seeking what they love?

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Most of those sites also consider other factors, of course; Mashable provides a detailed analysis of them.

I prefer to use three other metrics in addition to those tools:

1. Number of retweets: Retweetist
2. Number of times the Twitter user’s bit.ly links are clicked. If you have 200 followers and tweet a link that is clicked 120 times, that’s a pretty good sign your network is listening to you.

3. Offline identity. Hundreds of reporters who are new to Twitter have few followers, low influence scores and Twitter Grader grades. And yet many of them can influence millions.

Influence plays an important role of social media marketing. We live in a world where brands buy tens of millions of impressions to reach the right tens of thousands of people. Online influencers create trends and inform buying decisions, so it benefits these companies to invest time and resources in cultivating them.

Significant literature supports this premise, from Malcolm Gladwell’s “Tipping Point” to scholarly studies in the Harvard Business Review.

About a year ago, Duncan Watts argued against influencer theory, suggesting trends are a result of society’s readiness for them, rather than the power of an elite group of tastemakers.

“If society is ready to embrace a trend, almost anyone can start one–and if it isn’t, then almost no one can,” he writes. Succeeding with a new product is less about finding the perfect hipster to infect and more about gauging the public’s mood. There will always be a first mover, but the contingent nature of that move makes the person in question an “accidental influencer.”
I am more inclined toward Gladwell’s model than Duncan’s. Regardless of society’s readiness for a new trend, I believe the means and messenger of its introduction shape its impact.

I actually am less interested in influencers themselves than I am in those who influence the influencers. I believe that Twitter offers average marketers, even those without sophisticated tools, a unique ability to find out who is influencing each other. One simple way to do this is to use tweetstats to see who an influencer @replies the most.

No matter what tools you use, the influencer campaign’s success depends on how you relate to the influencers once you locate them. If you intend to launch a campaign targeting influencers, the Word-of-Mouth Marketing Association’s site is a must read:

“Influencer programs are, by definition, long-term, multi-year commitments designed to build a relationship; they are not marketing campaigns. Campaigns can augment influencer efforts to help find, activate, or engage influencers in particular activities (like a product launch), but influencer programs need to level out the roller coaster of connections provided by campaigns.”

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1. Steal. Take ideas without citing the source. You can do this by not linking to a blog you’re quoting, or lifting someone’s tweet and re-tweeting without giving them credit.

2. Sell without establishing a relationship. Here’s how: tell me how much money you’re making on Twitter in your autofollow DM, or start promoting yourself, your accomplishments, your blog constantly.

3. Remain hidden. Don’t put up a profile picture. Don’t use a real bio. Better yet, don’t use a bio at all.

4. Constantly ask for help without providing any value. There are hundreds of millions of people on social networks—and they are all there to help you figure out how to subscribe to a feed, find a great website and use Twitter. Feel free to ask them daily. They’re waiting for you.

5. Lie. Tell people you’re a guy when you’re a girl. Claim to have a PHd when you have a GED. Pretend you’re a Star Trek fan when you’ve never seen it. Embellish on your accomplishments. People will never know.

6. Abuse the poking, nudging features on social networks. We all forget that you can poke people on Facebook and nudge on Twitter. A daily reminder should be sufficient.

7. Be inconsistent. Update your blog every day for a month and then don’t blog for a year. Try the same approach on Facebook and Twitter.

8. Be “that guy.” Comment on every picture your friends post on Facebook with an inside joke that only you and two other people understand. CC the entire email list to respond with a 1 or 2 word answer to a question intended for the group. Whine.

9. Use punctuation to express your enthusiasm!!!! Often!!!

10. Remind everyone that you’re an expert. Every day someone forgets. It’s your duty to not let that not happen.

What did I forget?

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When you follow a company on Twitter, who do you think you’re following? Do you visualize a person? And if so, is it an intern, a brand manager, a spokesperson…? Do they have the authority to speak on behalf of the brand?

Put it this way, if you were to invite the brand you’re following to a tweet up, who exactly is it that you want to attend? When I follow a brand I expect that they are paying attention—that what happens on Twitter matters—my feedback matters. What do you expect from the brands you follow? And who, specifically, do you think you’re following?

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Executives can use social networks as professional development resources. Follow subject matter experts on Twitter to benefit from articles and opinions even before they are written in trade publications. Pay attention to status updates in Facebook and LinkedIn to gain perspective into what colleagues are thinking.  Participating in social networks provides even greater opportunities. These include generating new business, speaking engagements, interviews with reporters and personal branding as a subject matter expert.

Of all the compelling reasons to be on social networks, I believe the most compelling is enhancement. Executives make mistakes assuming
social networking is an end, rather than a means to end. Here’s what I mean. If you are an executive whose sales strategy involves learning
about a new industry, a social network will provide unique insights. If you are a seasoned executive looking for speaking engagements, there are many ways to use social networks to achieve this end. My advice to you is to articulate the goals you wish to achieve for yourself and your business first and then determine which social
networks and what strategies and tactics will enable you to realize them.

Here are 5 articles I’ve found useful in demonstrating the power of social networks and social media:

•    Forbes: Yes, CEOs Should Facebook and Twitter. The importance of CEO’s and companies participating in business, new media requires a different way to do business.

•    WSJ.com: The Art of Making Online ‘Friends.’ Builds a strong case for building up your social networks, including your “weak ties.”

•    BusinessWeek: Social Networking 101 For Businesses. Businesses need to embrace social networking as a part of doing business.

•    NYTimes: I’m So Totally, Digitally Close to You. Article centers around the relationships people form through social networks such as Twitter and Facebook. It centers around the concept of “ambient awareness” which helps explain the appeal of constant updates from these social networks.

•    BusinessWeek: Are Social Networking Sites Useful for Business? To get the most out of social networking sites, small companies should set concrete business goals, then start experimenting.

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• Beware of changing near windows. Zoom in on any picture in this collection to see what a billion megapixels looks like. Here’s a hint: it contains 150 times more detail than a 6 megapixel camera. See here.
• Looking for what domain and twitter names are available. Check it out.
• An analysis of Brooke Hogan’s Twitter.  I like the concept of twitter account analysis a lot.
• @tweetmeme I’m excited to follow this account which spotlights twitter trends.
• Cool article i’m reading write now: Anthropology: The Art of Building a Successful Social Site

What are you reading right now? Who are you following on Twitter that you really enjoy?

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