For this week’s SM 10X30 Q&A, I’ll answer questions about using LinkedIn for business. With all the attention Facebook has been getting for overtaking Yahoo!’s No. 2 position as most popular website in the US and Twitter’s announcement of 50 million tweets a day, LinkedIn is still one of the most relevant social media networking sites around.

As a reminder, all questions are welcome, whether you are new to social media or someone who is already very familiar. I love to help and chat about social media.  Join other social media gurus, ninjas, experts professionals on the Social Media Corner group.

Q:  I represent a business so how can I take advantage of LinkedIn?

• The first thing you need to do is to create a LinkedIn profile, which in essence means you are creating an online resume. This automatically exudes a more professional persona than Twitter or Facebook.
• Because you don’t want to hide your identity on LinkedIn, you should begin by adding connections. By doing so, you are increasing your network visibility as in 1st, 2nd and 3rd degree connectability. If they are out of your network, it becomes more difficult to get in contact with them, and other people.
• Join LinkedIn groups relevant to your industry and profession.  Share interesting articles, but more importantly, DO NOT SPAM.
• Take advantage of LinkedIn Q&A and do a search for your keywords. Answer questions to show expertise and to show that you are more than a person wanting to sell; you are a person who is a reliable resource.
• Use the Q&A to ask questions (think of it as a free focus group).

Thanks to all the SM10X30 participants who submitted their questions. Your dedication and willingness to learn are much appreciated!  Keep your questions and feedback coming!  Send me an email at nshin [at] marketwire [dot] com.

If you are part of the SM10X30 program, comment or @ me on Twitter to be included in the #sm10×30 Twitter list. Here is a link to follow those who are as dedicated to social media as you are.  Also, be sure to join the Facebook group dedicated to SM10×30 participants.

In this installment of “Tips,” I answer questions submitted by SM 10X30 participants about some more advanced topics involving Facebook.
As a reminder, all questions are welcome whether you are new to social media or are already very familiar. I love to help and chat about social media. Get exclusive tips, photos, and videos by joining our Facebook page.

Q. How does a (Facebook) fan page become a fan of another page?

• I know of the favorite fan pages box, but I have never used it personally. Here is a link to install the “favorite pages” application.

Q.  I really like Marketwire’s page and I noticed that Marketwire has customized its Facebook page.  How do I do that for my business.

• Thanks for the compliment! I’m glad you asked this question. What I did to customize Marketwire’s page was basic compared to what others have done to theirs, but by doing so, our page stands out and it has seen an increase in user engagement.
• To begin, you need to install the “Static FBML” application.  FBML stands for Facebook Markup Language.
• Once you ADD TO YOUR PAGE, go to your Facebook page and click EDIT PAGE. Scroll down to APPLICATIONS >> find the FBML app and edit. In order to add a clickable image (for example), insert this code:

<a href="http://INSERT LANDING PAGE LINK"><img src="http://INSERT LINK TO PHOTOBUCKET-FLICKR DOES NOT WORK FOR THIS.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

• Once your page is created, you can either move it to a tab or to the wall where you can see it in the left sidebar.
• Recommendation: For the FBML box to appear on your tab, use a width of 500-600 px. For the box to appear on your wall, use a width of 180 px.

Q. How do I add more FBML boxes?

• Go into EDIT PAGE of your page and locate the FBML box you created. Click on EDIT >> ADD ANOTHER FBML BOX.

Thanks to all the SM10X30 participants who submitted their questions. Your dedication and willingness to learn are much appreciated!  Keep your questions and feedback coming!  Send me an email at nshin [at] marketwire [dot] com.

If you are part of the SM10X30 program, comment or @ me on Twitter to be included in the #sm10×30 Twitter list. Here is a link to follow those who are as dedicated to social media as you are.  Also, be sure to join the Facebook group dedicated to SM10×30 participants.

In this installment, I’ll answer questions submitted by SM10X30 participants about Twitter lists and retweeting.

I am now following @marketwire. I saw the post asking if followers were on the #sm10×30 list. How would I go about getting on that list? 

Note:  The post to which this participant refers is: http://twitter.com/Marketwire/status/8242441735 (Currently updating #sm10×30 Twitter List. Are you in the SM fitness program? RT to be included)

NS: I can add anyone to the sm10×30 list. Only the creator of a Twitter list can add users. However, let’s say that I did not know what your Twitter handle was and you saw my tweet, you would simply retweet it like this: “RT @Marketwire Currently updating #sm10×30 Twitter List. Are you in the SM fitness program? RT to be included.”

When I search for people using #sm10×30, nothing comes up.  I was going to retweet info on #sm10×30, but can I just RT something from @marketwire Twitter posts?

NS: In order to do a search for #sm10×30, you can go to Twitter search – http://search.twitter.com/ and type in #sm10×30.  The Twitter search function does not keep tweets older than a couple weeks. You can also click on #sm10×30 whenever you see it in a tweet. If you do, this is the link you will be directed to, which is essentially the same method I explained previously: http://twitter.com/#search?q=%23sm10×30

What exactly is that “#” symbol? It is called a hashtag. Hashtags are used as a way to organize and manage searchable groups.  They are automatically linked so that when a user clicks on a hashtag, every tweet incorporating that hashtag will show up. If you don’t utilize the hashtag, it will not show up as part of that group when searching.

When you retweet, can you type an intro/comment and, if so, how is that done?

NS: Absolutely, but it depends on how you RT. There are two ways to RT:

1. You can use the “retweet” button. If you click that button, a “retweet to your followers” message pops up. This method does NOT allow you to add a comment.
2. You can use the original way of retweeting where you add a “RT @[username] message” and you can add a comment before or after. This requires more of a copy-and-paste process.
   Example: “RT @Marketwire Currently updating #sm10×30 Twitter List. Are you in the SM fitness program? RT to be included”

If you are part of the SM10X30 program I’d love to hear from you, so comment or @ me on Twitter to be included in the #sm10×30 Twitter list.  Here is a link to follow those who are as dedicated to social media as you are: http://twitter.com/#/list/Marketwire/sm10×30-rockstars.

In this weekly series, SM 10X30 fitness trainer and resident social media specialist Nick Shin answers selected questions from program participants, offering tips and insights to help you make the most of your training.

Hi folks.  In last week’s Tips from the Trainer, I answered questions about username availability and how limiting your profile affects your social networking.  This week, I decided to answer questions specific to Twitter and Facebook.

How do I change my username on Twitter? Why would I want to change my username?  How do I cancel a Twitter account so I can reuse my email address?

NS: If you want to simply change your username, you do not need to delete your account.  Simply log in and click on SETTINGS, then ACCOUNT, and then find the EMAIL field to change your email address.

There are several reasons why you might want to change your Twitter username:

• Branding Opportunities: You want to change the way your name/business is branded.  For example, if you are a PR firm or a PR consultant, consider the initials “PR” as part of your username.
• Length: You feel your username is too long — shortening the username provides more opportunity for retweets.
• Professionalism: You feel your username is inappropriate for professional networking, especially if you want to start using Twitter similarly to LinkedIn.

If you want to delete your account permanently, log in as explained above.  However, before you continue, change your email address so that you can reuse the email address you want to use. Once logged in, go to SETTINGS, then ACCOUNT, scroll to the bottom and click DELETE MY ACCOUNT.  It takes about 24 hours for the account to be deleted.

Do you have a personal Facebook page and a professional one? I can’t even find the time to keep my personal Facebook page up-to-date, let alone a professional one.

NS: I keep a personal Facebook page and also manage Marketwire’s fan page, so it can be done.  Many people create a personal Facebook page meant solely for friends and family members while also maintaining a fan page for business purposes.

If you create a fan page, make time to update it often enough so you don’t lose your fans.  As long as you are providing links to resources and relevant articles, as opposed to spamming your fans/followers to promote your products and services, you will continue to gain a steady stream of fans.  In terms of priority, business before pleasure, they say! Friends and family will understand your week-old updates, but clients won’t tolerate stale content.

Hope that helps. Thanks to all the SM10×30 participants who submitted their questions. Your dedication and willingness to learn are much appreciated!  Keep your questions and feedback coming!  Send me an email at nshin [at] marketwire [dot] com.

Frustrated with Facebook?  Troubled by Twitter?  LinkedIn got you feeling locked out?  For many PR professionals, the social media landscape remains uncharted territory –   fear of entry seems to outweigh the benefits of taking part in online conversations and engaging in social networks.  But you know social media is important to you and your clients.  It’s more than just a fad, and it’s changing the way people interact with one another and with organizations, and the way they get their news:

• 70 percent of companies are utilizing social networking*
• 62 percent of companies are microblogging*
• 75 percent of journalists are reading blogs for story ideas**
• 46 percent of adults are active on social networking sites***

Not up to speed on social media? Don’t despair.  With the right coaching and plan of attack, you can enter the social space and strengthen your social media skills.  Introducing Marketwire’s Social Media Fitness Program  – a free, online training series dubbed SM 10X30 (two tracks, 10 workouts, 30-minutes each) that targets PR, IR and marketing communications practitioners, from those brand-new to social media to those with intermediate social networking skills.

How does SM 10X30 work?

SM 10X30 participants can follow one of two tracks and, upon registration, receive 10 HTML workouts by email each day:

• Basic Training Track: Need social media basics?  Sign up to learn how to set up profiles, build networks, learn to listen and take part in social media conversations.
• Core Conditioning Track: Already active in social media, but hit a roadblock?  Sign up and learn how to strengthen and better manage your social media networks, promote your company and/or clients, generate metrics and engage in best practices.

Who will benefit?

Everyone can benefit from the SM 10X30 program – PR, IR and MarComm practitioners across large and boutique agencies, communicators working in public companies, private and not-for-profit organizations, consultants and private practitioners. These days, it’s getting tough to find a professional discipline not impacted by social media.

What will you learn?

SM 10X30 workouts include essential ways to boost social media skills. And, with easy-to-follow, practical instruction, you will learn how to:

• Pump up your social network
• Find people online
• Connect with media in the social space
• Scope out the competition
• Manage the time you spend participating in social media

In 2010, you can become stronger and more successful in social media.  Commit yourself to just 30 minutes a day for 10 days and impress yourself (and your clients and peers!) with your newly toned tweets, fabulously fit Facebook page, and leaner LinkedIn profile.

Sign up today, and continue to watch the blog for updates, tips and feedback.

* 2009 Digital Readiness Report: Essential Online Public Relations and Marketing Skills
**Brodeur Worldwide Survey
*** Pew Internet and American Life Project