Wikis, Blogs and Online Social Networking

Mark HeckelInformation Technology Training Specialist

ITS Training Services

WHAT IS SOCIAL MEDIA?

Social Media In Plain English

• The type of media that is based on conversation and interaction between people online.

• They use highly accessible and scalable publishing techniques.

• They turn monologues into dialogues.

WHY SHOULD I WANT TO USE IT?

• Networking in new ways, with new people, in new situations.

• Get access to leaders in your profession or area of interest.

• Provides a platform for developing and marketing your personal brand – you!

• Can allow YOU to become a leader in your field of expertise.

• Gives you the opportunity to be heard – if you are willing to listen.

• Get to information faster, easier, in real time, at any time.

HOW CAN I MAKE SOCIAL MEDIA WORK FOR ME?

• Reputation management• Customer service• Public relations – either business or

personal• Customer/client loyalty• Thought leadership• Networking

WHAT CAN I GAIN FROM SOCIAL MEDIA?

• Reduced email volume• Reduced costs• Wider audience• More contacts and resources• Expanded network

WIKIS

Confluence

• Well-established wiki

• Allows for multi-media inclusion

• Easy to use• Good security• Usually server

based at the local site

PB Works

• Free and premium• Web-based• Has multiple tools• Easy to share

access with others

Zoho

• Free and premium sites

• Web-based• Includes multiple

tools (a suite)• Some tools have

limited capacity

MediaWiki

• Popular tool• Base tool for

Wikipedia• Easy to add and

edit content

Penn State WikispacesPenn State’s tool

BLOGS

Blogger

• Part of the Google family

• Free• Allows for creation

of multiple blogs• Allows for

customization of look

WordPress

• Very popular• Easy to use• Customizable with

some work

Moveable Type

• Subscription service

• Base tool for the Blogs at Penn State

• Easy to use• Customizable• Shareable with

other authors

Live Journal

• Free and premium• Not overly

customizable• Free version has

ads

Blogs at Penn StatePenn State’s tool

OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA

Facebook

• Leader in social media

• Based on “friends”• Includes Twitter

type updates• Can join and

create groups and fan pages

delicious

• Online bookmarking and bookmark sharing tool

• Searchable for bookmarks from others using same tag

• Free• Plugins for Firefox

and IE

LinkedIn

• “Professional” cousin to Facebook

• Groups can be formed

• Twitter type posts• Can subscribe to

digests of posts

Twitter

• Microblogging tool• Limited characters• People “follow”

each other• Searchable by

hash tag

digg

• Content rated by users

• The more people “digg” something, the more popular it becomes

• Peer evaluation of content

Skype

• On-line audio and video calls

• Premium• Requires a small

download• Not a true web 2.o

application

Meebo

• IM aggregator• Private chat rooms• Completely web-

based• Some ads

YouTube

• Video site• Upload videos and

watch others• Commenting or

video commenting• Creates channels

Slideshare

• On-line slide shows• Upload

PowerPoints to the web – share with some or all

• Shows available from any web browser

Ning

• Used for creating communities of practice

• Several tools built in, including chat, email and blogging

Netvibes

• Start page• Customizable• Free• Has several

“widgets” to make it more useful

flickr

• On-line photo streaming and sharing

• Part of Yahoo!• Creates photo

streams• Allows for

mashups with other programs

Google Wave

• Enhanced email – microblogging – instant messaging client

• Creates threads of conversations

• Allows for real-time dialog – you can see what others type as they type