Recently there has been an onslaught of Twitter Phishing scams that has been causing problems for users of the popular social network. Phishing is basically when an evil doer tries to obtain usernames, passwords, or other secret information from a social network user. In the case of with Twitter, the phisher sends a private message to users that requires them to act on a link – asking them to enter information related to their Twitter username and password into a landing page purportedly to get some information about the link. The link is often a vanity link or “Is this photo of you?” or perhaps, “Is this blog post about you?”. They appear to be from trusted friends in the network and many of us – yes, I too, have scammed in a phishing incident – click through, offer up our user name and password to a Twitter-appearing site, and wait for the link. When nothing happens, we come to the conclusion it must be a bad link, or it might have been a wrong user name and password, or many other variations. In the meantime, you have just turned over your password and user name to the Phishing scammer and that person now has access to prey upon your network. WhatGives!? Read more »
Posts Tagged ‘Twitter’
Twitter Phishing
04
Mar
2010
by Genuine
Recently there has been an onslaught of Twitter Phishing scams that has been causing problems for users of the popular social network. Phishing is basically when an evil doer tries to obtain usernames, passwords, or other secret information from a social network user. In the case of with Twitter, the phisher sends a private message to users that requires them to act on a link – asking them to enter information related to their Twitter username and password into a landing page purportedly to get some information about the link. The link is often a vanity link or “Is this photo of you?” or perhaps, “Is this blog post about you?”. They appear to be from trusted friends in the network and many of us – yes, I too, have scammed in a phishing incident – click through, offer up our user name and password to a Twitter-appearing site, and wait for the link. When nothing happens, we come to the conclusion it must be a bad link, or it might have been a wrong user name and password, or many other variations. In the meantime, you have just turned over your password and user name to the Phishing scammer and that person now has access to prey upon your network. WhatGives!? Read more »
Taking Out The Twitter Trash
02
Mar
2010
by Genuine
I challenge anyone to say that title three times and not end up sounding like Elmer Fudd or my 4 year old son. We all have to take a moment to clean out that closet or sweep out the garage after winter; spring cleaning season is right around the corner. Cleaning out your Twitter account and organizing some of your followers into lists is a must to keep on top of that social network and to be able to follow the social stream it produces.
I have not had an opportunity to clean out my stream for quite some time. It’s time to go through each of my followers to see if it’s necessary to follow them back and watch their conversations on my Twitter stream. Since October, I have gained nearly 2000 Twitter followers who I have yet to investigate and either follow back or trash. What do I mean by investigate? I look at every single follower or person interested in following my Twitter stream of messages. I do this because I want to know who is listening to my messages, and I want to find other like-minded people and those I might be interested in following. For that reason, I don’t turn on any “auto-follow” features. I want to know the followers I have and want to make sure my stream of information I read on Twitter is the best it can be. Many of highly-followed Twitterers do not go through this process. They end up having a large number of spammers, multilevel marketers, and those that just want to inflate their Twitter follower counts. I don’t want my own stream polluted with that type of follower. Let me give you a tour of what I do to keep my Twitter stream clean and my stream of Twitter info free from the debris of spam and meaningless messages. WhatGives!? Read more »
Gravity Summit
22
Feb
2010
by MjM
EVENING UPDATE: See our slideshow below featuring the Twitterstream response to keynote speaker Ramon DeLeon.
AFTERNOON UPDATE: See our post below about using Twitter to connect with mainstream media…
Today WhatGives!? will be attending Gravity Summit on the University of Southern California Los Angeles campus. It is described as an event that can “help bridge the gap between the new Social Media Marketing tools and the business community.” Created by Rodney Rumford and Beverly Macy, this gathering has a jam-packed agenda that promises an interesting and informative day.
We admit a prejudice as there will be a panel that includes our president, Chris Noble. The session – titled Social Media Meets Social Good: Cause Marketing Case Studies and Strategies – hopes to provide useful information for both corporate and nonprofit attendees on “building an audience using social media, and about the intersection of social media and social good.”
You can follow along on Twitter (#gravsum) or Facebook. We’ll be updating this post throughout the day as well.
.
AFTERNOON UPDATE:
An informative presentation by Brian Dresher Marketing Manager of USA Today included some excellent points on how to best use Twitter to not only share info and reach out to your existing community but also to get new people to reach back and connect with you.
Recognizing the importance of Twitter, the 27-year-old publication actually holds training sessions for their staff so that Twitter becomes a tool for creating and expanding stories. They’re actively seeking leads and additional info for their online and traditional publications. This can really be useful for any savvy nonprofit trying to get out the word about their cause.
Listen to Brian talk about how you can connect with mainstream publications like USA Today.
Brian Dresher talks about Twitter (audio only)
Brian encourages everyone to:
- Use WeFollow to find people who are interested in or covering topics that connect with your nonprofit.
- Look for related hashtags and follow those conversations.
- Follow other internal Twitter feeds, industry experts, major brands, clients, competitors, etc.
- Optimize tweets so that they’re easily retweetable. Fewer characters means people won’t alter your message when they retweet.
- Don’t be afraid to experiment in this new communication form. A few stumbles shouldn’t stop you; participation is what matters.
.
EVENING UPDATE
Ramon DeLeon is the COO of a Dominos Pizza franchise in Chicago (5 stores). He was the keynote speaker this afternoon and completely took the crowded room by storm. His ability to stir up passion about pizza using social media clearly demonstrates the power of speaking directly to your customers.
Our attempt to take even semi-coherent notes was abandoned about 4 minutes into his whirlwind presentation. No worries. See it all here. Plus, there are dozens of YouTube videos featuring Ramon preachin’ the gospel of social media. Take a look, be inspired, and don’t hesitate to contact Ramon with questions. He’d like to meet you. He really would.
Meanwhile, here’s a sampling of the Twitterstream that was red-hot while Ramon was speaking…
Is Your Nonprofit An Early Adopter? Try Google Buzz…
11
Feb
2010
by Genuine
Recently, it seems as if all anyone’s talking about in the world of technology and social media is the latest social network craze called Google Buzz. Google rolled out this new social tool this week, and people and businesses are scrambling to see how it works and how it might benefit them.
Part of being an expert in your field is being an early adopter of the newest applications and tools. If you are a photographer, having the latest technology in the world of lenses, or that new digital camera is essential to being on the cutting edge. As a nonprofit you should consider being be an early adopter of Google Buzz in order to add to your social networking expertise.
Many people are comparing Google Buzz to Facebook and Twitter, and are trying out the application and working it into their daily routines. I myself have been testing it and seeing how it works by adding users and people to my Google Buzz community. Anyone with a Gmail account can check it out. The application automatically connects with your email and chat friends. From there you can expand your network of friends and jump into the testing phase with the rest of the early adopters.
By learning with Google Buzz as it grows, you will be the expert regarding what is possibly a game changer in the world of social networking. This will allow you to be on the ground floor and you will be the thought leader in your space.
.
.
[Editor's Note: For more info see PC World's article on Buzz pluses and minuses.]
Crowdsourcing Your Cause
28
Jan
2010
by Genuine
The wisdom of crowds can be a powerful thing. I often rely on my community to help me with some of my day-to-day questions. You may also look to your group of friends to help you make decisions. We all do this when we want to get an opinion on what we think is the best movie to see on date night, or if we want to get a recommendation for that sushi restaurant that offers the best price for the best food. The only time crowdsourcing does not seem to work is when you want to move and need help carrying furniture, or when it’s time to change the baby’s diaper! For the most part however, people want to do what they can to help, and when you have a large number of those people to rely upon you can usually accomplish your goals just by asking.
In my case I have a number of people to ask for help when I need it. I have 10,000+ followers on Twitter, and 1,000+ friends on Facebook, and hundreds of readers of my blog everyday. That is the crowd I can reach out to for help or for answers. You, too, can grow your community and create a place for finding help with your cause. It does take a little time and effort. Social networks have made it possible to have the ability to ask for help or for specific information from a very large group.
Take a few minutes everyday to grow your network. Reach out and follow people on Twitter or find a new fan or follower on Facebook. Start by seeking out people in your region. If you are a non-profit organization in Portland, why not start with people in your own backyard? Do a search using a tool like Twellow.com to find fellow Portlanders on Twitter. Follow them and perhaps they in turn will follow you back. If you only gain three followers, no problem. After all, “three’s a crowd”!
Photo via Mararie
How Do I Find Your Cause or Non-Profit On Twitter?
27
Jan
2010
by Genuine
How do you find things on Twitter related to your interests or your business? I am often asked this question by companies and individuals wanting to expand their network or to find like-minded people using Twitter. There are a few Twitter applications that provide this service and I will get into those in another post, but first we need to understand how those applications work.
Key Words
Some if not most of the Twitter applications use key words and key phrases as their search function model. If I want to find someone on Twitter who likes to talk about food and wine, I use those two words as key word search terms in the applications. If those search terms are cross-referenced in the person’s or company’s Twitter bio – whether it’s as a wine connoisseur or a wine lover; a food nut or a food critic – using those key words of food and wine in my search means I will find you.
As a cause or a non-profit organization, you want to be found by people looking for a group with your goals or mission. So your Twitter bio needs to reflect your particular genre or category. If you provide clean drinking water as a cause, make sure your Twitter bio reflects that. If I did a search right now for clean water (or food banks or HIV/AIDS or…) in any of the applications would your company appear in the appropriate results? Many people know my mantra that we live in a Google world, and that we cannot do anything without first consulting and searching Google. The same applies to those wanting to find people on Twitter. How can I find you? What keyword describes what you do? Is that keyword located in your Twitter bio?
If you are asking yourself right now, “What is Twitter?” You can Google it. Leave us a message, we can help.
Two Apps Enter, One App Leaves: CauseWorld Takes On Foursquare…
06
Jan
2010
by MjM
I read the recent TechCrunch post about the new CauseWorld app and was instantly intrigued. I love my iPhone and already make use of apps like The Extraordinaries, that lets me do a little “volunteer work” while I’m waiting in line or otherwise killing time. And I’m a fan of MassiveGood on Facebook. Fingers crossed that it’s another truly simple, effective way to microgive. The idea of being able to do something “good” without altering my daily routine too dramatically is very appealing to me, and I suspect to a lot of people.
So, I did what any self-respecting editor would do, I called my boss, Mr. Chris Noble, also known as the king o’ gadgety app thingies. He’s an early adaptor poster boy, with a TweetDeck that looks like a NASA mission control panel and enough foursquare badges to make him some kind of BlackBerry Eagle Scout.
He, naturally, had many opinions – for and against – the CauseWorld app, but he seemed mainly against. He sides with the folks who think this independent app won’t win out over a potential “one stop shopping” app like foursquare (assuming foursquare wises up and adds a cause option to its app).
I’m not so sure. Foursquare st
arted with the “where am I” idea and earning badges. They’ve now added “prizes” like free pizzas and t-shirts for Mayors. That method of creating a community attracts a certain kind of user. Even as foursquare adds more geo-related options, including a cause angle, will the user who likes games and challenges stick around or go looking for the next new game?
Similarly, CauseWorld is just the first of what promises to be many aspects of Shopkick. But it’s an activity specifically designed to do good. This beginning point attracts a different kind of user; a user who doesn’t just want a freebie, but who wants to effect change. That’s a motivated, involved user – one that is potentially more likely to be converted into a regular shopper at a store that backs her cause. CauseWorld/Shopkick are planning to expand as well. So it might be who expands more quickly and more intriguingly that determines the “winner” of this portable shopping connectivity experience.
Of course, it all gets a little crazy if our weighty pals at Facebook and Twitter decide to provide a simple, fun geo aspect to their huge communities. As usual, it all comes down to where companies feel their dollars – whether donated to a cause or used to provide promotional products – are best used. Let the games begin…
[Publisher's note: When Mj called me about this topic, I pointed her to the blogs of Beth Kanter and Joe Waters - both cause / social media experts in their own right - who have great insights into the cause geo-location biz. Check them out here and here. They're smart folks and worth a look. CFN]
From Local to Global: Tweeting for Hunger Relief
03
Nov
2009
by kerriebrynn
From Hunger To Hope is a World Hunger Relief effort intended to raise awareness, volunteerism, and funds online –with Christina Aguilera as the campaign’s Global Spokesperson. World Hunger Relief is the largest private sector hunger relief effort in the world, spanning over 110 countries, thousands of participating restaurants, and over a million employees. They’re doing amazing things, both online and off, to fight hunger across the globe.
So what about the rest of us? How can we join the fight against such an overwhelming problem?
For Tim Blair, all it took was one simple but powerful a-ha moment after hearing an alarming statistic on worldwide poverty from World Vision President Richard Stearns.
“I’ve got to do something. Today!”
The #TwitterforFood Badge.
And so he did. Tim has taken TwitterForFood from idea to action using the new way of way of implementing social action: urging people on Twitter to help a cause by doing one simple thing. His ask? Skip a meal! Each month, you skip a meal on a designated date, and use the money you saved to fund local and global hunger relief. Over the past few months, his Twitter network of supporters has grown enormously; he has food banks and hunger relief organizations writing to him almost daily; and the #TwitterforFood badge has made its way around the world.
So WhatGives!? with Twitter, you ask? Tim told me he likes the simplicity of Twitter. Its brevity, continuous interaction, and flood of information teaches you how to make your message interesting enough to engage people over a long period of time, which can be challenging for NPO’s fighting to spread a single message or cause.
Follow Tim’s advice to start making Twitter work for your cause!
Tim Blair a.k.a. @HungerNoMore & @KerrieBrynn at coffee to talk Twitter.
1. Find your Tribe of Followers. Don’t wait for one person, one big donation, or one event to make a difference. Use Twitter to find your group of people who will consistently and willingly give something to your cause.
2. Be Real. Your blog posts and tweets should come from a real person, not some robotic-twitter-ghost-writer with no personality. Being down-to-earth and interesting will motivate real people to really help your cause.
3. Pay Attention. You never know what opportunities will come your way through Twitter. Choose your followers wisely, recognize when people are doing something good (retweet, retweet!), and always be on the lookout for opportunities to engage with people.
Hunger relief organizations have begun to appear on Twitter worldwide and make use of other social networking tools.
How has Twitter helped your cause? Do show and tell! 
World Hunger Relief
It’s All About The Metrics… But What Are Metrics?
Metrics in the sense of social media usually have to do with page views of a blog, Twitter followers, re-tweets of your tweets, or Facebook fans, or many other measuring sticks to see if your efforts are effective. This is an important first step when implementing any strategy for social media. We have talked before about social media strategy and what that means. Metrics are an essential element to see if your strategy is working. How do you measure success? WhatGives!? Read more »
Posted in Getting Started, Other Stuff, Tips & Tools, social media | 2 Comments »