Companies are STILL dragging their asses trying to decide if it’s worth the investment.  The longer they weight, the farther behind they’re going to get.

Businesses are still wrestling with the concept of integrating with social media, and it’s completely understandable.  Despite the many reports that can be found online, along with case studies that speak to the success of social media being used for business there are still a number of questions being raise

People consider the marketing power of geo-location apps and tracking software as they become more popular, but how often do we consider the implications of such a technology on our personal (and business) info that we don’t want to reveal.

Even Twitter has jumped into the mix by adding your geolocation information (you can opt out of it) that allows people to find you as you tweet away.

Be Proactive

Listen

.  People are now, more than ever, voicing their opinions online to thousands of people through social media channels like Twitter – and they expect companies to respond.

Social media is win-win.

Everything you say can be used against you, especially if you offend someone.  Be on your best behavior and interact from a professional position, not a personal one.

Interact and maintain dialogue.  If someone messages you, reply – take part in open discussions. Take the time to show appreciate for all manner of feedback, whether it is positive or negative.

The Pepsi Refresh Project

but social media is bigger than other media channels at this point and is so amazingly diverse there really isn’t one single “basket”. 

Push strategy

Pull Strategy

Push-Pull in Social Media

BACKCHANNEL DISCUSSION TOOL High school students can sometimes be quite introverted and shy in the classroom, but outspoken online. Additionally, some high school classes move through discussions quickly, and not all students find the opportunity to speak up in class. Both of these issues are addressed as high school classes encourage a Twitter backchannel discussion, in which quiet, shy, and unable-to-get-a-word-in-edgewise students are able to speak up in class without actually speaking up in class, sharing their comments, insights, and even relevant links through Twitter as the discussion goes on. Educators have found that Twitter backchannel discussions provide for more interaction not just in the classroom, but beyond, as students often enjoy further carrying on the conversation even after class time is over.

BACKCHANNEL DISCUSSION TOOL High school students can sometimes be quite introverted and shy in the classroom, but outspoken online. Additionally, some high school classes move through discussions quickly, and not all students find the opportunity to speak up in class. Both of these issues are addressed as high school classes encourage a Twitter backchannel discussion, in which quiet, shy, and unable-to-get-a-word-in-edgewise students are able to speak up in class without actually speaking up in class, sharing their comments, insights, and even relevant links through Twitter as the discussion goes on. Educators have found that Twitter backchannel discussions provide for more interaction not just in the classroom, but beyond, as students often enjoy further carrying on the conversation even after class time is over.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Twitter makes the education world smaller, connecting principals, teachers, and other education professionals across the U.S. and even around the globe. Principal Sheninger at New Milford High School in New Jersey started using Twitter to keep in touch with parents, but found its real value in reaching out to other educators and collaborating with them. He is able to use the tool to find new ideas, new resources, and ideas for professional development

20 Coolest Augmented Reality Experiments in Education So Far

TweetDeck: Easily one of the most popular tools for Twitter, period, TweetDeck will help you organize feeds, find focus, even schedule tweets and manage multiple accounts.

Twitpic: A popular tool for sharing photos on Twitter, you can’t go wrong with Twitpic.

Bit.ly: So much more than just a URL shortener, bit.ly is a great tool for tracking and analyzing your links.

From an instructor’s perspective, Twitter offers the ability to prompt students throughout the learning process by asking them to reflect on learning strategies and time management, which ultimately raises metacognitive awareness.

While the use of Twitter only shows a slight increase in grades (about .5 percent), it substantially improves engagement and motivation

Twitter enhances the social presence outside of the classroom, which leads to overall course satisfaction.