This is a great text provided by my Twitter friend Jayme Soulati who contributes for Higher & Higher for the second time already. I totally agree with her point that social media helps us find global connections. May be this is the charm of social media? May be this is the reason that 80% of the Internet users visit social media sites and blogs… That’s the reason why every business should consider social media as a big opportunity…
The world is becoming smaller every day; yet it always surprises me when someone from another country writes a comment on my blog, or asks a favor.
I recently wrote a post about the suicide of a social media influencer in the States that rocked our social media network. One sentence I wrote didn’t sit well with a reader, and she asked me to change it. I concurred out of respect as she said she was a close friend. When I asked if she knew anything about a memorial for the children, she said, “No, I’m actually in Cambodia.”
A podcast I did with Jon Buscall of Jontus Media in Sweden recently (my second) was done via Skype, and the audio is perfect. He tells me our first session was his most popular with listeners from all over the world.
On occasion Robert Dempsey jumps on Skype in Thailand, and we chat usually without video as his family is invariably asleep. My best pal in Hong Kong, Roy Grubb of WikIT and Topicscape found me early. (In fact, he’s my agent, promoting me all over the place…just kidding.)
Once when Petya asked me to comment on a question about PR that would appear on her blog in Bulgaria, I was surprised to see it appear on a Ragan Communications website stateside. (Why I was surprised is beyond me.)
And, my last example, is my most favorite — I got invited to join Triberr, and as a result launched my own tribe called Globe Spotting (Petya was invited to join…nudge, nudge!). This network of 10 bloggers from 10 countries brings everyone together onto a platform that automatically tweets blog posts of that specific tribe to each other and essentially their extended networks. (There’s been a ton written on Triberr, if you’re not familiar. And, if you want an invite, let me know.)
So what does this mean for any of us? Read the first sentence one more time…the world is getting smaller. Indeed. As a blogger, social media influencer, or business owner, you can no longer dig a tunnel to China without intersecting Bulgaria, Sweden, Australia, Cambodia, Brazil, Canada, and, etc.
When you write, it’s customary to write for readers in your own region; however, know that those in other countries are reading. When I write about politics, my colleagues in Canada write a direct message to say, “Hey, I’d like to comment, but I don’t understand U.S. politics.”
You never know when you’re being watched…half kidding. Let me rephrase — you never know when you’re being considered for a position — whether employment, contract work, a guest blog post, or something else. Ensure you’re aware of this when sticking your neck out.
If you want to gain influence and enhance your brand in another country, then go to a blogger’s house who works in another country. Simple. Develop relationship with that person and their community, and you’ll begin to get invites to participate.
I love this kind of interaction on the global scale. For sure, these connections are valuable for business, too. When there’s a campaign that requires a connection in another country, the first people I ask are those I’ve developed rapport with on social media channels.
It seems Google+ is rapidly becoming an international network. I’m getting more peeps adding me to circles from India, the Near East and other Arab-speaking nations. Whether I engage with them all, though, is another question.
I much prefer to develop Twitter relationships and then a deeper community via my blogs. Facebook has not been my best medium, but I see many, many peeps using this channel extremely well. LinkedIn groups are amazingly international, in my opinion. Not sure, though, how well relationships are built on this channel.
So, what do you think? Do you have any global reach stories you can share or a tip about your preferred social media channel? Once you engage as deeply and broadly as I have, perhaps you’ll feel just how small the world truly has become.
Jayme Soulati is an organic Twitter tweep who doesn’t chase the numbers but enjoys the numbers game. She’s president of Soulati Media, Inc., a small shop in the States blending core public relations with social media and marketing. Follow her @Soulati, on http://Facebook.com/SoulatiMedia and LinkedIn or Google+ and just about anywhere else but Tumblr.
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Nine Global Bloggers You Should Know | Soulati - 'TUDE! // Sep 15, 2011 at 3:32 pm
[...] Petya Georgieva, in Bulgaria, has invited my comment about PR and again today in a guest post. (Funny how I selected a similar topic today, [...]
Gosh, where are all the commenters? LOL? Thanks, Petya, for the opportunity to write for your community.
I enjoyed thinking more broadly about how social media affects me.
Cheers!
Jayme Soulati recently posted..Nine Global Bloggers You Should Know
Twitter: ventrsomekrysia
// Sep 15, 2011 at 6:32 pm
I agree with you 100%. I too, have made so many connections through blogging and Twitter. My first guest post on Mark Schaefer’s {Grow} is due to be published soon; this is so exciting for me because I am newly graduated and want to make a career out Blogging and Social Media. Having connections with you and Mark has been so helpful for me on my journey.
My personal blog is about rock climbing and I have met folks from all over and have the chance to meet some of them in Tweetups. I feel really lucky to be alive and in this field right now, at no other time in history has the world been “this small”.
Let me know if I can help you on your journey! It’s an exciting one, and the people you meet empower your path!
Jayme Soulati recently posted..Nine Global Bloggers You Should Know
Twitter: ventrsomekrysia
// Sep 15, 2011 at 10:13 pm
Thanks Jayme!
Twitter: ventrsomekrysia
// Sep 15, 2011 at 6:35 pm
*out of Blogging and Social Media :)
Twitter: rdempsey
// Sep 16, 2011 at 8:50 am
Your podcast episodes with Jon were fantastic Jayme and our conversations have been fun. I look forward to many more.
In 2007 when I started blogging I didn’t fully realize the massive global cultural shift that the Internet would bring about. I had traveled to a few countries and immersed myself in local culture but keeping in touch with those folks was less than easy, and it was slow. That barrier has been gone for many years.
And we’re only in the beginning.
It’s amazing what’s going on all over the world with more and more people being connected. Control systems are being destroyed, people have greater access to vast amounts of information, and they are seeing the potential for themselves and their people.
For everyone who never leaves their town and gets nothing but the news fed to them on a daily basis, they can now get a first-hand account of the world by the people living in it.
I think we’re going to see more and more cultural shifts and blendings as a result of this.
Thanks again for including me in your Globe Spotting tribe and connecting me with more awesome people the world over.
Robert Dempsey recently posted..Google Click Tracking: Is Your Site Click Worthy?
I so totally agree, Robert! And, as today is Saturday in US still, I still can make deadline for my GP for you! For sure by Sunday (in US!).
Twitter saved me from a slow death in a dark basement in Dayton Ohio. Seriously. I came alive with global banter and everything has changed drastically for the better.
Thanks for podcast commentary!! I love doing that stuff!
Jayme Soulati recently posted..Is #FollowFriday Still Cool, Twitter?
Twitter: pgeorgieva
// Sep 18, 2011 at 1:38 pm
Hi Robert, couldn’t agree more with you. If we travel, social channels help us stay in touch with the people we meet. And if we are not’ able to travel that much, we can still explore the world, if we have the desire and the passion to learn – internet can be a great teacher because of its main function to connect people.
Internet Marketing Is Dead, Social SEO Reigns, Women Dominate // Sep 16, 2011 at 11:17 am
[...] I want to tell you about a blog post by Jayme Soulati on the Higher & Higher blog titled “Social Media Makes The World Smaller.” I’ll link to the post so you can read it but what’s underlying this is what’s important [...]
Hi Petya! So nice to see your blog and to find my buddy Jayme here! She makes, of course, most excellent points about the global reach of our online world, particularly social media. I am lucky to be able to Skype with Robert in Thailand, direct message w/ folks in Lebanon, and gather comments and traffic from around the world. Those Canadians, I must say, or quite active in this realm and seem to really understand the global reach and potential, as well as the complete erosion of borders in doing it. I joke that it’s one particular group or country; but I’m serious in the impact we can all have on one another when we reach across the borders and share.
I would like to echo Jayme’s point about being mindful that you’re always “on” and the appropriate mindset to have when putting yourself out there. Social media is a balance; putting too much of our personal into the business mix can be detrimental. Not putting enough, and you’ll not build true, lasting relationships that will further your business efforts.
Great post, Jayme!
Erica Allison recently posted..Focus on Content for Real Influence
Twitter: pgeorgieva
// Sep 18, 2011 at 1:36 pm
Hey Erica, it is nice to meet you! :) Thanks for the great comment – I totally agree with you – especially about the fact that we can all have on one another positive, effective and useful impact. Social media helps us learn a lot because it gives us the opportunity to broaden our horizons, to meet new people, to explore different worlds, to communicate with amazing people from all over the world…
I appreciate you coming to Bulgaria to have a cuppa with me courtesy of our fine hostess, Petya. Erica, you and I both know the value of our new relationships with our global friends.
It’s an exciting time, and if we can continue to think positively and smile every day, we’ll win.
Jayme Soulati recently posted..Is #FollowFriday Still Cool, Twitter?
Twitter: pgeorgieva
// Sep 18, 2011 at 1:45 pm
Jayme, thanks for writing this fantastic post and for inviting your friends here :) It’s always great to meet new people with common interests, so I really appreciate your support. Hope that one day we can meet somewhere, have a coffee and talk about the new world of no borders :)
I just want to add that I apology for my delay in replying to all of you here, but recently I am really busy and can’t cope with all the stuff I have to do :/ The lack of time is the biggest obstacle for blogging, I don’t know how you cope with that and will be interesting for me to hear some tips from you!
Brilliant Jayme! I love the international engagement that we have in our community. And there’s plenty of room for others!
Twitter: pgeorgieva
// Sep 18, 2011 at 1:41 pm
Hi Jon, nice to meet you, thanks for stopping by :) Do you blog?
Roundup of Global Guest Posts | Soulati - 'TUDE! // Sep 29, 2011 at 5:15 pm
[...] ## My public relations colleague from Bulgaria, Petya Georgieva, invited my topic on whatever I wanted (always a pressure-filled endeavor to pinpoint a topic) so I wrote on Social Media Makes the World Smaller. [...]
I couldn’t agree more to the fact that social media has made the world a very smaller place. Apart from bloggin, sites like facebook and twitter as well video and voice services like skype enable me to get in touch with other people far away from on daily basis.
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this world became like a small village with
those social media networks , all people have relations world wide .