Facebook vs. Google + - What's Your Preference?

There is a fascinating debate going on, mostly on Google +,  about whether G+ will replace Facebook. I can't for the life of me see how some people will ever connect with G+. Right now it is populated with early adopters, techies, syndicators and curators, geeks, gadget freaks, and social media types. It seems to me almost like a combination of Facebook and Twitter, with a little Skype thrown in. Don't even know what I am taking about?

Exactly.

This poll was created by Brian Solis, possibly in response to a poll of PC Magazine readers in which fully 50% said they would abandon Facebook. I am reluctant to make a sweeping generalization about FB versus G+ based on that since most people (my age, particuarly) are not that technically inclined. I think it is a little like polling only the members of the NJ Education Association and then making a sweeping generalization about whether NJ Gov. Christie will be reelected.

I just don't see Great Aunt Millie who just figured out Facebook migrating to Google Plus. Many of my readers are not especially technically inclined, so I thought I would ask you. I don't mean to be insulting, it's just that you represent the person who is online but doesn't use, or know about, or care about all the bells and whistles. The person who likes to read blogs, but may be experiencing social media overload and is a little sick of the whole thing.

Kind of a reverse poll of the PCMag readers.

Be sure and comment on this post and let me know how you voted.

The poll ends in about 5 days, and Brian Solis will be writing about the results of the poll. Let your non-tech voice be heard! I will update you when he writes about it. 

8 Hot Social Media Marketing Tips You Need To Know

This is a little different from my usual post, but today I want to showcase a free webinar entitled "8 Hot Social Media Marketing Tips You Need to Know."

This free live event is this coming Tuesday, April 6.  The webinar will feature social media experts Mari Smith (author, Facebook Marketing), Chris Garrett (author, Problogger), Denise Wakeman (founder, Blog Squad) and Michael Stelzner (founder, Social Media Examiner) , who will talk about what's new and what you need to know about social media marketing.

Social what?

The "in-the-know-marketing-guru" name for how to leverage Facebook, Twitter, Digg, Mixx, MySpace, blogs, mobile, and other platforms to grow your business.

Who cares?

The reason this matters to me, and I think it will matter to you, is that one of the things I have been doing over the last year to move my own business forward is to participate in a certification course through the International Social Media Association (ISMA), the completion of which entitles me to call myself a -ahem- Certified Social Media Specialist.

No kidding.

Anyone who is a friend on Facebook or follows me on Twitter has probably bumped up against my challenge of combining my personal and professional interests.  I joined Facebook to connect with my daughter and her friends, which quickly spread to friends from church, then youth ministry, then eventually politics, pro-life interests, old friends from a million years ago, and then marketing.

As an old MLM'er, I now had to figure out whether to continue to promote network marketing companies, or my newfound "legitimate" status as a social media professional.

I still have not quite figured it out. My marketing peeps still get their share of Bible verses and blog posts about homeschooling, and "my kids" get invited to opportunity meetings.

Whatever. I am who I am.

The last six months I have been so busy doing social media consulting, I have not had a lot of time for personal blogging, or network marketing either, for that matter.  Internet marketing has taken an exciting turn in the road, and social media is a big part of that.

The webinar is limited to 1000 seats, so if you have ever wondered how to take your home business/small business to the next level online, this is the event for you.

And don't think it isn't for you because you are a stay at home mom who is somewhat the other side of 40 (50?) with a little home business. Did you know that most social media marketers are aged 30 to 60 and have only been using social media for a few months?

In fact, even traditional businesses like Ford Motor Company, Clorox and State Farm Insurance are heavily focused on social media.  This is not some "young kids" phenomenon.  As a matter of fact, most young people don't "get" Twitter at all. The most successful users of Twitter are over 40.  And the fastest growing group of Facebook users (at least it was a few months ago, not sure if that is still the case) is women over 55!  Go figure!

There will be a recording of the event for those who are registered.

In the spirit of full disclosure, the webinar is a promotional event for the Social Media Success Summit, for which I will receive a commission if you should decide to attend.

But I guarantee you, you will walk away with plenty of useful information even if you just attend the free webinar.  The four social media experts who are running the webinar are tops in their respective fields.

I will be there - if this sounds like something that will benefit you, join me.

If not, catch me later when I am talking about homeschooling again. I still have not addressed the "Titus 2" part of the question about whether homeschoolers ever really retire.

Because at the end of the day, I am still a homeschooler.