– Since we often hear from people questioning social media’s value, we should mention five “surprise success stories” using Facebook and Twitter for business detailed by Rick Burnes of HubSpot His list includes an equine dentist, a manufacturer of prefabricated steel buildings, makers of specialized paint and paper and an aircraft maintenance and support company. And there are plenty more to come.

– It’s now possible to “follow” companies on LinkedIn. This new feature, quietly introduced in late April, enables users to keep up with companies, whether one is looking for a job, looking for b-to-b-opportunities or just wanting to follow business developments. It’s a primitive, one-way system compared to Twitter and Facebook, in which you can interact directly with a company. Nor can companies offer timely status updates. However, you can see the status updates of key employees as well as promotions and other company news, assuming employees and the company are updating their accounts..While LinkedIn has a lot of work ahead to keep pace with the major social networks, this is still significant step in the right direction.

–Are you a job seeker? Since we regularly work with a local jobs networking group to assist the unemployed, we thought we’d share 13 “essential tips” for finding a job using LinkedIn from author and former pro athlete Lewis Howes. Howes offers solid advice, particularly for those who are new to the business networking site. One follow-up comment: If you add your blog or Twitter feed to your LinkedIn profile — as Howes correctly suggests you should do — make darn sure what you write on those places is professional. Otherwise, you’re asking for trouble.

– We know a lot of folks — of all ages— who don’t “get” Foursquare. Many of these same people also still remain openly skeptical of Twitter (We’re trying!) While the business potential of Foursquare has barely scratched the surface, consider this: Foursquare founder Dennis Crowley told Business Insider’s Henry Blodget last week that the service is adding 15,000 users a day. Not exactly Facebook numbers, but numbers that can’t be ignored.

When starting a three-part series on Twitter several months ago I vowed to prove that Twitter isn’t fading, it’s not just noise and that it is, in fact, good not just for big businesses, but smaller companies as well.

What happened? A bunch of people suddenly asked me to help them use Twitter to meet their business goals. I am now working with businesses, non-profits and professional associations every day, coaching them or tweeting on their behalf and achieving objectives. While a few months isn’t nearly enough time to provide thorough case studies, I can report immediate results through Twitter. Such as:

– A group supporting environmental causes wanting to add new chapters asked me to launch a Twitter campaign less than three months ago. In the first week, they received a request for a media interview. They are now quoted regularly in national publications, building their brand awareness. A new chapter is about to form in a coveted area because tweets about the group caught the interest of a Twitter follower there. More chapters are on the horizon — thanks to Twitter and the dedicated followers it can generate.

– A writing coach hoping to expand his business is now connected to a large number of young, inexperienced writers and is now connecting to his ideal client — executives of large companies interested in writing books.

– A start-up that is licensed to sell a safety product in Georgia wants to expand its market. In just two weeks, response to the company has been remarkable.

It’s too early to document the details and name these groups/companies, but that day will come soon enough. These clients — and others — are already convinced of the power of Twitter to target those they most want to reach. More important, they have learned that the road to success is through building relationships and sharing valuable information with their followers.

That’s a sound business strategy anywhere and Twitter is just the tool to help them make that happen.

Compete and comScore, Web analytics firms, both released figures showing a drop in average monthly Twitter visitors from July to December 2009. Imagine that? Fewer people used Twitter during December — a month with two big holidays (and plenty of days of downtime and travel surrounding them). Does that really surprise anyone?

Also, anyone who seriously follows Twitter knows that tracking site visitors requires going down the rabbit hole of all the third-party apps — from desktop to cellphone — that people use to connect with Twitter. Many critics question the reliability of numbers related to Twitter’s traffic because of the numerous ways to tweet without ever visiting the site.

When I read the word “peak,” I normally think a decline is around the corner. Curiously, some less prominent numbers in CNN’s article don’t suggest that at all. Web analysts HubSpot find average Twitter users now:
• Have more followers: From 70 in July to 300.
• Follow more feeds: From 45 in July to 170.
• Tweet more: From 120 tweets in July to 420.

HubSpot also found that Twitter is becoming more international. The U.S. represented under 51% of Twitter users in December, down from 61% in June. That number rings true personally as more and more overseas social media and marketing people are connecting with me.

So, let’s see, Twitter users are more engaged than ever. And people around the world are joining every day. Not exactly a “peaking” scenario, is it? Maybe Twitter is, gasp, maturing.

OK, business folks, you now know Twitter is neither a) all noise nor b) peaking. Next, we’ll show you how it can benefit your business, no matter the size.

They say it’s a bunch of noise. Some say they don’t want to know what folks had for breakfast (More about that in a minute). They don’t see any tangible business benefit from using it.

I understand some of their concerns. There are plenty of idiots on Twitter. I love the idiots who look at the Trending Topics and then try to fit as many as possible into 140 characters. I love the idiots who have 5,000 followers and have yet to post a single tweet. And I especially love the idiots who spam about such exciting things as all-natural teeth-whitening.

I could go on. But there are idiots everywhere online. Locally, all you have to do is check out some of the comments on ajc.com’s sports or political blogs to know there are plenty of people who need an outlet for whatever venom or half-truths they need to share.

Why should Twitter be any different? Yes, there’s a lot of noise. Yes, there are hucksters. Yes, there are annoying Justin Bieber fans compelled to make him a Trending Topic several times a week. (Note to Justin: Can’t you just take them with you back to MySpace? Please?)

But there are other qualities that make Twitter a necessity for me, and should make it essential for many, if not most, business people. We’ll keep it simple today and not go into all the specific ways Twitter can help your business.

First, you have complete control on Twitter over who you follow and — very important — who follows you (once you get them to follow you, that is.) Don’t want to read the idiot offering whiter teeth? Block them.

Second, no matter what your profession, you will get access to the most cutting-edge and current information through Twitter. I promise you, while there may still be a few good discussion groups on LinkedIn, you will find superior information on Twitter. Why? Because that’s where the best minds are. After reading Twitter, LinkedIn seems so . . . 2005. I subscribe to countless RSS feeds, so that I can keep current on different subjects, including, obviously, social media. Yet every day Twitter brings me a new, and timely, information source — a blogger I haven’t read or a point of view I hadn’t considered. I wouldn’t have the competitive edge in my business without the intelligence Twitter users provide each day.

Third, Twitter users are more receptive to business messages, far more than on other social platforms. Studies indicate that at least 20 percent of the messages on Twitter relate to branding. Think you could get away with 20 percent of your Facebook status updates related to your business? I think not.

Now about that tweeting about breakfast complaint. What have been the top topics on Twitter this week? President Obama’s State of the Union speech hit 9,000 tweets per minute, while the iPad launch reached 7,000 tweets per minute, according to Retrevo’s Tech Buzzmeter. By comparison, topics such as Britney Spears get about 10-20 tweets per minute.

So much for breakfast, or celebrity, tweets. Next, we’ll take a look at another Twitter misconception — that it is peaking. Then we’ll delve more into some not-so-well-known ways Twitter can help your business.

Hope you had a great week. Have questions about Twitter? Give us a shout.

Then came the punch line. The job was for two hours a day, $10-$12 an hour, depending on experience.

Evidently, this “cool” company doesn’t expect much ROI (Return on Investment) from social media.

A lot of business owners I’ve met in recent months are probably not that different than whoever runs this “cool” company. Small businesses and professionals are intrigued by social media, but a) don’t have the time to get involved or b) don’t see the ROI of hiring a professional to help.

So I’m going to give you not just one, but three simple examples of ROI in social media.

1. An Atlanta executive coach (Disclosure: a client who also happens to be my wife) who works with engineering firms was in a lull in signing new clients. However, the coach recognized that LinkedIn could help her open doors. She used the Advanced Search feature of LinkedIn to identify companies that were clearly doing well during the tough economy (e.g. hiring). Working through mutual connections on the business networking site, she was introduced to executives who then contracted to work with her.

2. Charles Nelson, president of Sprinkles Cupcakes, has a company that apparently makes great cupcakes. His cupcakes are so good that he has amassed 70,000 fans on a Facebook business page. The “Beverly Hills baker to the stars” announces a secret word each day, and the first 25 or 50 people to show up with that word at any of his five stores gets a free cupcake. The ROI: A booming business and highly effective word of mouth. Nelson has not spent a dime on any other advertising or marketing in five years.

OK, you say, that’s Atlanta and LA. Those are big, highly wired cities. Well, let’s turn to:

3. The New York Times In July featured mom-and-pop shops around the country making money through Twitter. Consider just one: Silver Barn Antiques in tiny Columbus, Texas. Even before launching a Web site, the owner was able to find both suppliers and customers nationwide. “Twitter has been a real valuable tool because it’s made us national instead of a little-bitty store in a little-bitty town,”  she told The Times.

So what is the value of social media to your business? Consider your goals. What is the value of a new customer or client? You know how many leads you generally need before you attract one customer. What is the value of generating a lead for your business?

My guess is it’s worth more than $20-$24 a day. Or even 25 cupcakes.

I try to show them that people of all ages are adopters of social media. Facebook alone has had dramatic growth this year at nearly all age levels, none more pronounced than women over 50.

Now there are new numbers available on social media users. The median age of a Facebook user has now risen to 33, seven years older than in May 2008. That’s not far behind LinkedIn, the business networking site whose 50 million-plus users have a median age of 39. The median age of a Twitter user has dropped to 31, which shows that Generation Y, which was not an early adopter, is now turning to the microblogging service. There had been numerous articles earlier in the year that Gen Y thought Twitter was pointless. Apparently, that’s changing.

Facebook getting older? Twitter getting younger? What does this mean? It means the old adage is no longer true that only the young are the early adopters of technology. And new social sites designed to attract the young away from Facebook and Twitter are reportedly not having an impact. The young are willing to use the same social media now used by their parents.

So much for age creating a digital divide in social media. (Yes, MySpace remains decidedly young — a median age of 26 — but its focus has shifted to mostly music and entertainment. And it’s certainly not the dominant influence it once was.)

While we’re debunking myths, let’s burst another bubble. Remember the study which found people were becoming more socially isolated because of technology, especially mobile phones and the Internet? Not so fast, according to a new study from the Pew Internet & American Life Project. Pew found that these technologies do not have a harmful social impact upon people.

In fact, Pew found social networking sites provide an outlet for “discussion networks that are more likely to contain people from different backgrounds.” In other words, people have digital contact with a more diverse group of people.

Boomer business owners, isn’t that one of your company goals? Don’t you want to expand your reach to new people, new contacts outside your regular sphere?

Can’t wait for the next business owner to bring up age, or dismiss the merits of social networking. I’ve got some new research to share.

That sentence from a new Wired piece by Steven Levy sums up perfectly the history and growth of Twitter. The simple microblogging service has grown from the work of its users. Users created its conventions — @ symbols with names, retweeting and hashtags. Developers created countless third-party applications to boost the functionality of the simple product — many with names playing off the Twitter name. (Tweetie, Twazzup, Twellow, anyone?)

However, Levy’s article also clearly states the challenge Twitter faces as it wrestles with becoming a mature business. He points out that changes suggested by the company have historically drawn fire. For example, Twitter created a Suggested Users List in February, with about 200 recommendations for celebrities/companies/etc. that new users could follow. As Levy correctly writes: “Outrage ensued.”

And behemoths Google and Facebook don’t help Twitter’s business planning by adapting similar real-time functionality into their services.

Small-business owners undoubtedly could look at Twitter’s history and say this is no way to run a business. However, any business owner can recognize the company, despite its early lack of clear direction, has enormous potential if it can keep the “mob” somewhat happy as it evolves.

Will Twitter be its own worst enemy?

We won’t know that for some years to come. In the meantime, Levy’s piece is a great reflection on how Twitter got to where it is today.

The subject? People, especially celebrities, getting into hot water for posting tweets without thinking through the consequences beforehand. (The # symbol in the headline, for non-Twitterers, is a hashtag, which is a means to make a user’s post more searchable.)

Today, a lot of people expressed outrage over President Obama getting the Nobel Peace Prize. Twitter’s servers were pounded this morning. Some of the outrage turned into humor, some of it clever, some extremely disrespectful. A lot of tweets from leading conservative bloggers, such as Michelle Malkin, gained a wide audience. Yesterday, before the nearly three-hour Twitter downtime, a large number of people were angry with the rock group U2’s singer Bono because he recorded a video shown at the Conservative Party conference in Manchester. A lot of those critics apparently forgot that Bono had done the same thing for the earlier Labor Party conference.

So, right or left, there are going to be people who get carried away with their political emotions.

Where does business fit into this? Regrettably, many of the people engaged in the snarkiest Obama remarks were business people, many of them using their business name as their Twitter ID. Their companies may have policies on social media, e-mail or Web usage in the workplace. If so, these people certainly violated them.

Did these people stop and think before they tweeted, or were they “Stuck in a Moment” (a U2 song) and had to get something off their chests? Did the New York financial person who I unfollowed because of some very offensive remarks really think it was a wise business move to assume all his followers shared the same political worldview?

Debate is a foundation of our democracy, and social media provides a great opportunity for people to get their voices heard. However, few businesses have ever succeeded by politicizing the company and polarizing their customers.

Business people using social media: This is yet another reminder. Think before you tweet. Think before you put up that party picture on your Facebook profile.

Keep the lines clearly drawn between your private and professional lives. Don’t let your emotions dictate posting things that could hurt you and your business.

It’d been almost a month since the last major Twitter outage, and those lyrics came to mind this morning when millions of people (and companies) could no longer follow the timelines of those they follow. Twitter users could tweet to their heart’s content, but no one could read what they had to say. Now many users are gamely trying to catch up on 2-3 hours of downtime, checking on what they might have missed.

Depending on how many people you follow, that could be a lot of tweets to cover.

Recent news focused on Twitter being valued at $1 billion. Those valuations, of course, were based upon business analysis, as it should be. Today, there are reports Twitter is negotiating deals with Google and Microsoft to sell them feeds of Tweets into their respective search engines.

But what was the cost of today’s outage to millions worldwide? Consider the businesses who have cut back on customer service staff and let users interact with a live Twitter account. Consider the corporations who use Twitter to promote and discuss their products. What about the numerous small businesses and professionals who use Twitter to promote their services — and themselves? Or the marketers paid to promote businesses through social media?

That’s the business cost. Hard to put a price tag on it. Then there is the social, political and entertainment cost. U2 frontman Bono kicked up a storm on Twitter with a video presented at today’s Conservative Party conference in Manchester, England. Many Brits apparently felt he should not associate with such an event and had rather harsh things to say. Suddenly, that vent was closed and the angry were left without a voice.

On a far more frivolous level, not even the outage could stop Twitter’s current No. 1 Trending Topic — teen sensation Miley Cyrus apparently killed her Twitter account at her boyfriend’s request. Her fans want her back. At this writing, the top topic is #mileycomeback.

There are plenty of people who will laugh and say I need a life when I ask these questions — What did the Twitter outage do to your day? What did it mean for your business?

It meant a lot to Brits, especially in London, the world’s largest market for Twitter users, who suddenly — right or wrong — couldn’t complain about Bono’s video. I’ll bet it also meant a lot right here in Atlanta, the world’s 10th largest Twitter market.

A lot of people don’t understand Twitter, but after today — and other too frequent outages and fail whales on the site — many know they’ve lost something when it’s gone.

Thursday, we had all kinds of news about Facebook. It’s adding @mention functionality to Status Updates, meaning those updates can target a specific user by putting the @ in front of a user name. The update then willl appear on @thatname’s Wall.  And they officially rolled out Facebook Lite in the U.S.and India. In both cases, the blogosphere had a field day describing the moves as steps to become more Twitter-like. Barry Wise at Social Media Today likened Facebook’s moves to a “hostile takeover” of Twitter.

Today, Biz Stone, Twitter’s co-founder, e-mailed users about changes in the microblogging site’s Terms of Service. The Twitter blog reports, to no one’s surprise, that “we leave the door open for advertising. We’d like to keep our options open as we said before.”

So, Facebook wants to steal Twitter’s thunder. And Twitter wants to start making money, like Facebook is starting to do. So this means a Facebook-Twitter war, right? Wrong.

Facebook is adapting some of Twitter’s features, recognizing people want more real-time communication in social media. There are reports that Facebook will make hashtags possible, another Twitter feature, so that a post could be searchable. In other words, if a bunch of friends attended, say, a U2 concert, someone could search for all the comments with the hashtag #U2concert.

But, remember, the @mention and hashtag concepts were not created by Twitter. Both practices came from users trying to get the most out of a site with limited usability. Facebook simply recognized users like these practices and will adapt them. Twitter, in turn, will carefully try to make money without alienating users, following in the footsteps of … Facebook.

Facebook and Twitter are competitors, but only in the very narrowest of senses. They really are quite different. (Facebook friends who automate their tweets to Facebook, please note. Marketers who want to use Facebook for business, also please note.)

I’ll spare you all the differences today. Business Week offers this quick summary:

“Facebook is the private party. Twitter is the public square. This line has been drawn and there’s no reasonable change either site can make to step across it.”

Words to remember next time you’re reading dispatches from the social media industry battleground. I expect Facebook and Twitter both to flourish without stepping on each other’s toes.