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How Does Social Media and Networking Work?
When I received a scholarship to one of the Knowledge Communities' conferences, I was given the task of utilizing and assisting in the promotion of the online networking tools that the AIA has developed. These tools include blogs, Twitter, Facebook and the forum pages. With the exception of Twitter, I had used all of these previously, although very infrequently, to interact with others for personal purposes. When I attended the CRAN Symposium this past weekend, I found that once it was announced I would be using these tools I began to get a few inquiries from fellow attendees. This was all emphasized a bit more thanks to our great session on sucessful websites.

The thought of social media/networking for buisness use has been tumbling around in my head for the past two days. While social networking wasn't on the official CRAN agenda, it was part of the casual conversation during the entire symposium. Questions which I heard included "How do I use facebook to grow my business?" and "How does Twitter work?" among others. I can't really answer either of those (I need a code book to understand a "tweet" and I've never ran my own business).  What these comments/questions have done for me is shatter a few previous thoughts on social media/networking, reinforced a couple of others but most importantly created a whole lot of questions.

I'd like to share this list with the CRAN group, mostly because I met several of you in person and these questions were formed from our conversations, but I believe that they are valid questions for every member of our profession.  I hope that you'll consider sharing your thoughts and further questions on this topic as it seems to be one that remains a mystery. As you read these questions, please think of them as they relate to Facebook, Twitter, online blogs, online forums, LinkedIn and other sites which are similar in nature.

1. Are you familiar with the functions or use of each social networking site/tool?
2. Do you think that one tool is enough to use or would you consider using a combination?
3. If you're using these tools already then:
    a. Why/how did you get started?
    b. What is the frequency with which you use them?
4. Are the people you interact with in person using these tools?
    a. If so, are they your targeted client?
5. Is your purpose to generate clients, promote your work, get published or a combination of these?
6. Can a website accomplish the same things that other social network tools are designed to do?
7. Which of these best describes you:
    a. Multiple internet sites and tools/I see this as a way to broaden my exposure.
    b. One internet site with multiple ways of communicating. (see the CRAN homepage as an example)
8. Do you welcome the challenge of maintaining internet connections or consider it too time consuming?
9. Would a tutorial on how to use these various sites be of interest to you? 
    a. If yes, what format should that tutorial be in?
10. If you currently use these tools, are you only connected with people you've met in person?

I tried to edit this list just to get us started, but I'm certain that it will generate more specific ones as we start sharing ideas. Perhaps together we can figure out how to best use social media! I'm looking forward to your comments and questions.
Created By: Brenda Nelson, Assoc. AIA On: Mon, Oct 17, 2011 10:33 PM

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A. Lira Luis, AIA October 18, 2011 10:18 am
This might be of interest to your group. I presented this during the 2011 AIA National Convention in New Orleans. How to leverage social technologies for a sustainable practice: https://live.blueskybroadcast.com/bsb/client/CL_DEFAULT.asp?Client=990767&PCAT=3184&CAT=3274

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