What’s Up Social Media?
A series of blog posts discussing new things in social media and how Chapters can take advantage.
Number One: LinkedIn Gets a Makeover and YouTube Allows Easier Editing
LinkedIn has recently released its first major enhancement since the introduction of “Groups” in August 2008. The new features are intended to make the look and feel of the entire site more enticing, as well as make it easier to use and understand. This video provides a visual overview of what’s new. This blog post from LinkedIn goes over the features in greater detail.
What does it mean to you? Your Chapter (or Firm) can take advantage of the Groups because all the updates encourage participation. There are options to “like” a person’s comments and see who has contributed the most in the past week. Users can keep track of discussions chronologically or based on popularity.
Use this as a professional atmosphere in which to foster discussions and decision-making when real-life meetings are hard (i.e. during the summer or holiday breaks). LinkedIn is a great way to have virtual executive board meetings, or just keep in touch with the Chapter in general. As you begin to participate in Groups based around your Chapter and Firm, also branch out into industry groups and discussions where you can learn and contribute.
YouTube
YouTube is adding a few updates of its own in the form of a new editing tool (Note: You will need to sign-in to YouTube to view the tool). Whereas video editing has previously required (expensive) software, now all it takes is a browser. You can trim up the beginning and end, add music and publish multiple clips together with a few simple clicks.
What does it mean to you? YouTube is a powerful way to include as many members as possible in everything you do. Not everyone can make it to Conference? Take some video and put it on your Chapter’s YouTube channel. (Just be sure to ask permission before filming presenters or other students.). Or if you plan a great event for one of your student-run firm clients, record it and post it to the client’s YouTube, blog and Facebook page.
These new editing tools won’t make major transformations or add wild effects, but they allow almost anyone to make basic changes and improvement. To be a part of more new and exciting things from YouTube, take a look at their test tube.
This is a guest post from Vice President of Professional Development Therese Kuster.
