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Anchor>> Twitter is testing out a new design that makes it look like it's rival Facebook.
Several Twitter users including an editor from Time Magazine report finding their homepages
looking more like this. Twitter has not commented on the redesign, but in a blog post from last
September the company said it is constantly testing changes on select users. And if I
was going to select a user to test a change on, it would be Mike Johansson from RIT.
Anchor2>> Mike is here this morning to talk with us about how to get started on social
media. Maybe you are not on social media at all - so he has got some great tips for us
as always. Thank-you for joining us.
Mike>> Sure, good to be here. Anchor1>> A lot of people are saying ... yeah,
I missed that boat... I can't jump on now. But they can?
Mike>> Sure. Anytime. And in fact I think the numbers astound me... it is a little over
20% of women and nearly 30% of men are not on social media - at all. And frankly it is
never too late to join the party. Anchor2>> So if you were going to get started
today, which would you suggest is the most, maybe beginner friendly of the different platforms?
Mike>> I think probably Facebook. And probably that is the place that most people would want
to start. That is where most of their friends are. The thing about being on social media
is, you want to be where you can be social with people you know. So just ask friends
and family what networks are you on? Where should I keep in touch with you?
Anchor1>> In the blog you wrote about one of the questions you posed that someone might
be asking is: Am I missing something important if I am not there?
Mike>> I would say that is a real possibility these days. My father back in New Zealand
for instance, doesn't have a Facebook page. It drives the rest of the family nuts because
so much family stuff - photos and goings on - is shared on Facebook. And someone in the
family - it ends up being my sister who lives near him, ends up printing it out to take
to him. Anchor2>>Printed out, how cute! Now for people
who are starting out... they may be intimidated by the number of rules that there are, or
the little nuances. The little things. How do you suggest that they learn? Trial and
error? Or is there someplace they can learn how to actually interact with people on social
media? Mike>> Well there are tons of postings. You
can just do a Google search on "How to start a Facebook page". "How to act on Facebook".
There are tons of good advice out there. Probably the best thing is to find someone in your
family or a friend that you trust and just ask them for a little bit of help to get a
page set up. And just ask what do they do? Start slowly.
Anchor1>> You posed the other question: Am I willing? Am I willing to be part of the
give and take that comes with social media? Some people just soak it all in and don't
really participate. So that is a question you have to ask yourself. And it might help
you decide where you want to spend most of your time - whether you are going to be a
Twitter user, Facebook user or something else. Mike>> Sure. So if you are wanting to give
and take a little bit... probably Facebook is a good place to start. If you are more
of just a taker - you just want to be a fly-on-the-wall... probably Twitter is a good place to start.
You can follow a lot of interesting people and get a lot of information. You really don't
have to do much. So maybe that is a difference. Anchor1>> Sometimes there are people on social
media - this is no surprise to any of us - who are there to incite or excite or aggravate.
And sometimes that stuff can almost suck you in, and on my postings (no offense) I don't
read comments. Ever. And I shouldn't say ever. Depending on what it is. I just don't want
to deal with all the negative stuff. I feel my life has enough of that in it. And that
is something you have to be prepared for in social media - but you can guard against it.
Mike>> Sure. Simply don't connect to people who are on the negative side of things. Or
if you have connected to them you find they are being negative and not your kind of people...
disconnect from them. Unfriend them. Don't follow them.
That kind of thing. Anchor2>> With all of these, people learn
a lot when you come on this broadcast or when they read you blog. Where can they find the
posts in which you discuss this issue? Where can they find you?
Mike>> Well: forfreeblog on Blogger and Blogspot. I think we are seeing an image of it now.
I have a little post there. People might want to share that with people that are not on
social media already as a way of encouraging them - to say "why not get on it?". I am also
all over social media - all kinds of networks - just as : MikeJNY.
Anchor2>> MikeJNY - easy. Easy to remember. Which is also the other part: make sure your
Twitter handle is something people can remember you by.
Mike>> Short, sweet and relevant to you. Anchor1>> So you don't have to spell Johansson
for everyone... Mike>> Every teacher's nightmare when I was
growing up! Anchor1>> Trust me... Doug Embridge knows
from which you speak. We'll be right back with your entertainment headlines. Thanks.