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Christian Businessman, father of two, husband of one. Expertise in digital marketing, graphic / web design and email marketing

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Mar 05

Over zealous moderation of a LinkedIn group

Recently I had a post removed from the Graphic Design Professional Group on LinkedIn (Link to the group) that I am a member of and wanted to share about it here.

[UPDATE: Now I have been kicked out of the group... See a screenshot of my post on the forum asking for feedback on this]

My post on the group is detailed below:
- - - 
I wanted to ask the group about this... 

I am a graphic designer and part of this group, interating with many members almost daily as social media is a core part of where I get my business, collaborate with others and grow my business. 

This group is one of the most valuable to find talented guys and girls to work with and long do I want this to continue. 

I have never posted adverts or spammed this group with promotions to my services or any other. 

From my experience in growing my twitter following to over 3,500 is to provide content of real value to those that are following me. 

The post that was recently removed was a video posted on the internet by an internet marketer that offering a second video for free also (no sales here, no one other than the person watching would have benefitted from it). 

It was an external link to a free video about internet marketing yes, but I clearly stated that the principles outlined could be applied to ANY business. 

My understanding of the group is that almost all graphic designers on this forum are self employed or run their own business. 

In the moderators removing the link to the video, one that would help them understand how to position themselves for business and become attractive to potential customers, I feel that they have done a dis-service to this group. 

If you had watched the video, you would see what I mean. I normally run a mile from these internet marketing videos and free sign ups because they are never normally totally free like this video - you will normally have to pay $4.95 or some other small some. Not this time. 1hours 18mins of free video training to help you understand how to be attractive in the best possible way to your target audience. 

Having previously run my own business and employed staff I know that this is one crucial activity that every person in business needs to do to make their business a success. 

Maybe I should have given much more info about it and the reasons why I think that people should have watched this and what it would do to benefit the graphic designers on this group. And the way in which you can take what is shared and apply to ANY business. 

I have seen many comments about working in the industry and the business side of graphic design - why was my post any different? 

I think that in you removing it shows that the group moderators don't really understand the value of social media interaction or the principle of trying to develop an understanding for your target audiences core identity. 

I would like to see my post re-unstated please with a public apology, but I have already had a reply saying that this isn't going to happen. 

Please do not remove this post... If the interests of some 14,000 members are really at the heart of the moderation of this group then let the members reply to this and give their feedback. This is also going on my blog for others to give their comments...

- - -
I would be interested to hear your thoughts on this my friends.

Filed under  //   LinkedIn   Social Media  
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Nov 13

Linkedin and Twitter - a marriage made in heaven or hell?

OK - I've linked my Twitter account to my Linkedin account so that I can keep people I'm connected to on Linkedin up to date and my followers on Twitter at the same time.

Is this a good thing?

I have already had a comment from a good friend of mine suggesting that I keep them separate, and another comment from someone else telling me it's good to hear that I'm still alive. Their different opinions have got me thinking about why two people that I know, like and trust implicitly would suggest different approaches?

One thing that I have learned over the years is that when it comes to marketing, advertising, social media - communications of any sort - the way that people respond to them and engage with them differs hugely.

I was at a Business Link meeting a few months back where I heard Andy Poulton (@andypoulton) talk about how on the internet people live in little walled gardens. Some people love Linkedin and will only use linked in, forgetting about twitter, myspace, facebook etc - and vica-versa, all because that is what they are comfortable with, that is what they like and that is what they will respond to best. Like my friends mentioned above - one uses both and one only uses Linkedin. The one that thought I was dead uses Linkedin only, because I was living in my little walled garden of Facebook and Twitter.

Tapping into all of these networks in business helps you get noticed, followed, respected, connected and trusted to a much wider audience. From a business perspective, this marriage surely has to be a good thing?

I guess the time commitment you need to give to Linkedin to make it work and the noise, reliability issues and platform limitations of Twitter make each platform useful in their own ways and cause people to sit on the lawn on their walled gardens too - not wanting to leave the comfort that they find there and wanting to ignore the other platform entirely.

Linkedin is seen mainly as a connecting tool ideal for service providers and industry associations. Twitter on the other hand is a microblogging and creative platform useful for service industry type of businesses in the main.

Can you use either tool for the purposes that the other exists for? I believe you can. I have had business through both, chatted to people through both, published through both.

Twitter has become my default networking tool (tweetdeck more like), and with the advent of Google wave (when I get my invite), I am sure that it may event take a back seat then for collaboration and networking purposes.

What do you think of this joining of forces between these online networking super powers?

Will your Linkedin homepage become flush with 100's of tweets and updates, causing you to miss vital connections with other businesses?

Let me know your thoughts... I think for now at least I will leave them intertwined - "What therefore God has joined together, let no one put asunder." Mark 10:9

 

Filed under  //   Andy Poulton   Business Link   Google Wave   Linkedin   Social media   Tweetdeck   Twitter  
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