Media Bullseye

Finding success in social media often involves a confusing or intangible array of attributes, as well as (sometimes) plenty of luck--but Larissa Fair reminds us of one of the most important ways to get what you need from this space: be yourself. Also: Twitter for Disney enthusiasts and the work-life balance.

My guests on the Roundtable this week are Jennifer Zingsheim, VP here at CustomScoop, and Aaron Strout. Aaron is the VP of New Media Mzinga, a white label community provider out of the Boston area. He recently appeared at Social Media Breakfast 7 in Boston, discussing social media and the hiring process, and he shares those thoughts here.

There are two camps on Twitter: those who follow back everyone that follows them, and those who are a bit more choosy. Mitch Joel (and myself, for what it's worth) falls into the second camp. Which one are you? Also: personal branding issues on social networks, and getting blog placements (or not).

Today's Jots feature some good advice for young people coming out of college into the work force. Building a personal brand is not just about selling yourself and getting a job, it's about building personal relationships and then using your network to find the right place for you. Also: More Earth Day news, and the nuances of internal and external communications.

Is there no such thing as a "bad" viral? As long as people are talking about your video and your brand, should you not concern yourself if the talk is somewhat negative? Nike doesn't think so, following its new Kobe Bryant YouTube offering. Also: Panic in the Twitterverse, and social Earth Day.

Blogger, social media guru and all-around nice guy Chris Brogan joined the program this morning, in part to discuss the upcoming Podcamp Boston 3 but also to share some thoughts on some of the other stories coming out of the social media space this week. He joins CustomScoop CEO Chip Griffin and VP Jennifer Zingsheim on the show this week.

Following the recent lawsuit filed against Blockbuster Video in the aftermath of the Facebook Beacon debacle late last year, online privacy is a hot button issue. Jonathan Trenn promotes a service at MyDataIsMyData.org that allows users to download a plug-in that helps them determine how much information they'd like to disclose online. Also: Customer service tips, and more on privacy and reputation management.

The challenge continues in this space to figure out just what social media is, how to use the new tools to make a profit, or whether social media is connecting or disconnecting us. Young professionals, a majority of whom are considered digital natives, are in a position to not only contribute to the conversation, but to use social media to its fullest degree. Most of us are just beginning our careers as social media is being defined.

Occasionally, the "big stories" that get everyone talking have nothing to do with the communications business, and everything to do with personalities; gossip, really. Instead of discussing an interesting case study or the latest hot new web application, we end up, as Eric Eggertson aptly pointed out this week, "navel gazing." Is this sort of activity helpful to the cause of social media evangelists?

More and more, mainstream media sources are relying on user-generated content for stories, particularly online sources. Dan York reports on a local news station in Vermont which has been very active on Twitter. Also: Citizen journalism and defining news, and signs you need to pay attention.