Learn how to leverage content and social media to build strategic advantage.
“Find your sweet spot: the intersection between what you know and what your customers need to know.” Joe Pulizzi

Dionne Lew
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How to ensure your LinkedIn address matches your name
When you first set up a LinkedIn profile you get a default address (also called an URL) that looks something like this linkedin.com/in/janesmith-l76kk587. To create a clean look you can get rid of the random string of letters and numbers and create an address that is as close as possible to your real name. On[…]
Time for a social media spring clean?
I recently participated in a poll by @Brandle to identify apps linked to my Twitter account. How many Apps are connected to your Twitter account? Navigate to https://t.co/4W0I5b3XHo to see the list and please select a range below: — Chip Roberson (@chip_roberson) October 1, 2020 I found 11, all authorised by me originally but which[…]
Why leaders should really, really care about social media
There are a couple of problems here. While this can be true (and often is) a personal anecdote obtained under different circumstances can’t be extrapolated to understanding trends. More importantly, it fails to take into account that there are billions of consumers who have never lived without social media. Social media is 18 years old.[…]
Linked In Masterclass
Signing up to LinkedIn without doing anything is like going to a networking event and standing in the corner. To make it work, you’ve got to do something once you are there. LinkedIn is a powerhouse of data, connections and content that you can use to position yourself and your business, all of which starts[…]
How to make your content stand out from the crowd
This post will have its hand up today with 2 million others and 27 million pieces of content yelling ‘pick me’. Enormous figures and they’re growing. According to Mark Schaeffer, the amount of web-based content we consume is doubling every 9 to 24 months so if you’re feeling overwhelmed, fasten your seatbelt. There’s so much[…]
Scrub up, stand out and explode your personal brand
But signing up to LinkedIn without doing anything is like going to a networking event and standing in the corner. To make it work, you’ve got to do something once you’re there. The problem? Many professionals are not sure what to do or where to start. Just as people are anchored by what they see when[…]
Why CEOs should use social media
A social CEO positively impacts perceptions of trust and improves a company’s reputation and engagement. According to surveys: Weber Shandwick – in 2013 found 76% of executives want the CEO to be social, up to 81% in 2015. Brandfog – two thirds of customer’s trust companies more if the CEO is social. Statista – 82%[…]
Use Twitter lists to hone in on strategic influencers
Despite this, reports show low levels of adoption of Twitter by leaders. Some who adopt it use it well but most leaders simply post links to content about themselves or their businesses. While there is a place for that, it’s in a mix of content that includes sharing interesting information from others. Then there’s the[…]
Strategic, stackable, shareable micro-content
Our audiences are time poor and as communicators, so are we. We need to reach people without interrupting them or making huge demands on their time, while still cutting through and remaining memorable. It’s a hard ask and getting harder all the time as noise increases and tolerance drops. However, as much as people want[…]
Understand time constraints when creating content
You may find it alarming or exciting, from a business perspective it means almost half of every day you can reach people through tech or media. There are other ways that remain important, but that’s the carve-up of the time pie. And although there are still only 24 hours in a day, our attention is[…]
How should professionals in regulated industries use social media?
When you help someone, you put the focus on them, not you. This forms a relationship that strengthens as your advice is shown to be credible. The same principle applies on social media, with the difference that you release content to millions of people rather than just individuals. This is achieved by using platforms with[…]
Should the decline in trust in social media influence business use?
These online conversations, mostly on Facebook but also Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn, are markets, influencing purchasing and other decisions. Over the last 18 years, Edelman has shown an almost continuous decline in trust across business, government, NGOs and the media; with trust, high and growing peer to peer and in third-party experts, like academics. That[…]
Is your content strategic content?
People are constantly pummelled with content; many are tuning out, switching on ad blockers or scrolling fast through feeds not bothering to click on that interesting, funny video you spent a day creating, that has nothing to do with them. At the same time, they value useful information on issues that matter to them personally.[…]
It’s Official – This week in social media – 24 June 201
Your weekly summary of official social media news from the major social media platforms. You can listen to or read this post. FACEBOOK Coming in 2020: Calibra Big news with Facebook announcing Calibra, a newly formed Facebook subsidiary whose goal is to provide financial services that will let people access and participate in the Libra network. The first[…]
It’s Official – This week in social media – 17 June 2019
Your official social media news from the major social media platforms. You can listen to or read this post. There’s quite a bit of news this week from the major social media platforms. In summary: Facebook has introduced blood donation features in the US, extended its Watch offering (that’s watching videos together as opposed to[…]
It’s Official – This week in social media – 10 June 2019
Your weekly summary of official social media news from Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Google. You can listen to or read this post. TWITTER Inclusion and Diversity Report 2019 Twitter released its inclusion and diversity report on roles at the company by gender and race. Twitter found that the data and insights were too US-centric[…]
It’s Official – this week in social media – 3 June 2019
Your weekly summary of official social media news from Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Google. You can listen to or read this post. FACEBOOK, LINKEDIN & INSTAGRAM There’s no official news from Facebook, LinkedIn or Instagram since last week. TWITTER Twitter launched two special emojis #EP2019 and #EUelections2019 for the recent EU elections, aiming to drive engagement across[…]
It’s Official – This week in social media – 27 May 2019
Your weekly summary of official social media news from Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Google. If you’re interested in how the platforms are tackling the difficult issue of removing offensive content, then this is the update for you. The major platforms have all recently reported on initiatives or policies they’re using to create a safe[…]
It’s Official – This week in social – 20 May 2019
This week in social – 20 May 2019 Your weekly summary of official social media news from Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Google. Facebook Facebook is working with health partners to create detailed, AI-driven maps that pair health system information with data on human mobility to yield insights about diseases spread by human-to-human contact. This[…]
How to use Twitter lists to boost visibility, influence and trust
Twitter is to my mind, the most powerful social media platform for building visibility, influence and trust; and the only truly open, global platform that allows you to connect with anyone who is there simply by reaching out to them. Despite this, reports show low levels of adoption of Twitter by leaders. Some who adopt[…]
Time – the most important strategic insight you need to power social media
Around this time most communicators are thinking about how to balance their typically competing priorities and limited resources to deliver the best results for the business. Given that in the last months: The most powerful leaders in the world tweeted personally and/or using online armies; and usurped planned media in favour of live broadcasts on social media; or that[…]
Why you shouldn’t treat or measure social media like Amway
We all know what happens to that network marketing evangelist at the party who sees every guest as a sales opportunity and pounces to sign them up for some or other scheme within minutes of ‘hello’. They stop getting invited. Few people like to be seen as sales prospects or consider meeting someone as synonymous[…]
How to make your content stand out from the crowd
How to make your content stand out from the crowd This post will have its hand up today with 2 million others and 27 million pieces of content yelling ‘pick me’. Enormous figures and they’re growing. According to Mark Schaeffer, the amount of web-based content we consume is doubling every 9 to 24 months so[…]
What the #panamapapers taught me about social media & how we consume news
I’ve been watching #panamapapers play out in social and other media this week and it’s reinforced that we need to stop talking about social versus other media. It’s medias. Most people are sampling a global information smorgasbord and developing a point of view. This is how I followed the story. I first heard about the #panamapapers on Twitter,[…]
Why leaders really, really need to care about social media
The future is social A common sentiment I hear echoed when I speak with senior executives about the importance of social media for business is that ‘well I’m successful and so are my peers and we don’t use it.’ There are a couple of problems here. While this can be true (and often is) a[…]
How to manage the blurring of personal & professional brand on social media
When I spoke at the Social Media Risk Reputation forum the most frequently asked question was how to manage the blurring of professional and personal brand. Specifically, delegates wanted to know if they should ‘allow’ C-suites or internal experts to engage on platforms and if so, whether to do so from personal or corporate accounts. Although there are[…]
Social media influences investors & that influence is growing fast
Investors are influenced by research they find on social media and its importance will grow as younger players inherit, work and look for opportunities to invest. According to Cogent Research of the 90% of high net worth people who use social media, 73% spend it on LinkedIn, Facebook, Google+ and Twitter making up the rest. They use[…]
LinkedIn is an economic & influence powerhouse, not a place to put your CV
If you think LinkedIn is just a good ‘place to put your CV’ than you are missing out on the platform’s huge business benefits and potential. LinkedIn is a powerhouse of economic data that can predict and fill skills gaps, uncover rare, high-demand talent and is now one biggest publishing houses in the world. With[…]
How one Aussie CEO used LinkedIn to expand into 27 countries
A leader who actively engages on social media platforms is good for business and with 7 million Australian and 380 million global users LinkedIn is a strategic fit those seeking to tap into global professional networks. One such CEO is Craig McDonald, head of software security company MailGuard, who was recently announced as one of Australia’s[…]
What top business journalist Alan Kohler can teach business leaders about social media
If you know that social media is mission critical yet are still having trouble convincing the executive, take some cues from how business journalist Alan Kohler thinks. With his finger on the pulse of business, his questions mirror those you can expect so use them to pre-empt concerns and provide answers about enterprise and personal use. Talking to[…]
CEO, COO & CFO key to unlocking social media benefits
What makes a great leader? Different times demand different skills and styles. So what does leadership look like in a world in which 3 billion people are online and where mass adoption could add 6.7 trillion to the global economy? It’s a different mindset. Social leaders ‘get’ how deeply interconnectivity impacts relationships and are hungry to leverage it.[…]
Should the CEO be social?
Chief executives may not want to be on social media but their people, customers and shareholders sure wish they were there. Numerous reports confirm that a social CEO positively impacts perceptions of trust, reputation and engagement. According to surveys: Weber Shandwick – in 2013 found 76% of executives want the CEO to be social, up to 81%[…]
Is lack of social media know-how in HR negligent?
It’s odd that some professionals wear a disinterest in social media as a badge of honour; given its ubiquity, understanding the business, governance and legal impacts should be a requirement. Social media impacts the employment life cycle from pre-employment to recruitment, training and dismissal and every tier of business strategy from product development, marketing, sales[…]
5 practical ways to gain real social media skills
The social web continues to proliferate and impact every area of our lives creating a demand for social talent that will grow as organisations recognise the impact at every level of the business from Boards (which will want oversight on governance to manage market impacts for example) to marketing, customer service, and recruitment. Right now there’s a skills gap that some have[…]
11 key reasons to make social media a part of business strategy
Social media is integral to business success but competing priorities and a lack of understanding about how it fits into strategy mean it’s often not on the agenda. Because of the way that social media plays out when things go wrong, in particular through traditional media, business owners are disproportionately aware of its risks. On[…]
Why businesses should allow Facebook@Work
The rumour Facebook is building Facebook@Work is a further sign that social media is maturing but will bring the gap between its 2.5 billion users and near absence of senior executives into starker relief. For this kind of enterprise-wide social network to work, these are the people to convince and convert. It can be difficult[…]
Technology creates connection
I smiled at How technology is increasingly isolating us from each other and stifling creativity on tech zombification because it brought a number of people together, in part contradicting it. Let me explain. A week after this Twitter exchange I was coffee-ing with one of the tweeters, futurist Chris Riddell. How did I know Chris? Well, many moons ago when speaking at CeBIT I[…]
When starting in social media pare back and pair up
With 74% of adults online using social media, businesses increasingly understand its importance for connecting with customers, but don’t always know where to start when implementing a social media strategy. The hundreds of choices of social media networks can engender a sense of overwhelm about where to best invest limited resources. Even though it’s possible to narrow the[…]
Why decision-makers must take social media serious
Nearly 2 billion people use social media; evidence shows online engagement converts to sales; yet up at the top, leaders are still lagging when it comes to using or resourcing it. Only 15-30 percent of CEOs have a presence, but most just sign up and don’t use it, a bit like going to a business[…]
Social media influences investors & that influence will grow fast
Investors are influenced by research they find on social media and its importance will grow as younger players inherit, work and look for opportunities to invest. According to Cogent Research of the 90% of high net worth people who use social media, 73% spend it on LinkedIn, Facebook, Google+ and Twitter making up the rest. They use[…]
Businesses that don’t close the social media gap could face a gaping hole
It seems no amount of noise about social media is enough to motivate leaders to take it seriously. Although some individuals are adapting their leadership style and business strategy to leverage social and manage potential impacts, as a segment the participation of C-suites and in particular CEOs remains disturbingly low. The DOMO Social CEO report[…]
What you say on social media influences how people invest
Investors are influenced by research they find in social media—and companies that reach out can create relationships and a competitive advantage. Moreover, this strategy is likely to become more, not less, important as younger digital natives become wealthier, because they rely on and are influenced by social media more. Having said that, it’s a myth[…]
How to develop a social media first mindset and why it’s important
Twelve years, two billion people and countless case studies on the business benefits of social media later, professionals get that it’s important. This is a step in the right direction but a far cry from having a social-first mindset. So what does it take to make a deeper shift? Professionals must: Understand the value of[…]
Can you bequeath your iTunes collection in your will? (& other digital life & death issues)
Can you bequeath your iTunes collection in your will? Does anyone know you have Bitcoins or money in a PayPal account? If you’ve accumulated virtual wealth in a massive multiplayer online game is that part of your estate and can you be cashed out? Can loved ones get copies of your Facebook photos and videos? What happens to your wedding[…]
Privacy vs sharing in social media (there’s no technical fix for judgment)
Many professionals steer away from social media because they’re concerned that sharing socially means giving up privacy. Fortunately, social sharing and privacy are not the same thing. We share constantly with other people whether at school, work, when we’re buying lunch, or just checking out of a store without worrying that we will inadvertently blurt out commercial-in-confidence[…]
A tweet can cause the share price to plummet. Who’s responsible for social?
If a single tweet can cause a company’s share price to plummet then who is really responsible for social media? Arguably, not the marketing intern. Board directors and senior executives need to update any preconceptions they may have about social media being a distraction for kids and get serious about where responsibility for managing it[…]
Why trust is the new bottom line & how social media drives it
The current focus on social media has many leaders wondering about its impact for their careers and businesses, they are asking: 1. Is this a structural change, or just a fad? 2. Does it impact the whole economy or just particular industries? 3. Does it apply across a business or just to sales? 4. Is it the right time to invest in[…]
Are executives who don’t invest in social media negligent?
Are executives who don’t invest in digital and social media negligent (I don’t mean this in the strictly legal sense)? This provocative question is directed at the governance obligations some executives may have around social media but also their duty to know what is coming over the hill and be ready to deal with it.[…]
Three critical reasons to secure your social media assets
Even if your organization is not ready to ‘go social’ there are three critical reasons you should secure your name, business name and close variations of it across digital and social media platforms. They are – Defensive – to prevent parody, spoofs, impersonation and hijacking. Online reputation management (ORM) – to build reputation and manage[…]
Debunking social media myths for professionals (podcast)
In this Social Media for Small Business podcast, respected thought leader and pioneer in social executive leadership, Dionne Lew, debunks the common social media myths that could be costing your business. Listen to this interview with Dionne Lew to learn: How social media continues to have significance in our business and personal lives Why ‘human moments‘ are what social[…]
Why you can’t avoid social media even if you want to
Even if you want to avoid social media you can’t. Its pervasiveness and power to reach global audiences instantly creates dramatic impacts. Here are 3 reasons you can’t ignore it 1. You can be drawn in If you are a brand you’re already involved. I could pick any number of examples to illustrate the point, here’s one.[…]
Six damaging myths about social media & the truths behind them
Boston Consulting tells us social media will be worth $4.2 trillion by 2016, a jointCapgemini-MIT Sloan study shows digitally mature business are 26 percent more profitable than less mature peers and according to the Sensis Social Media Report of the searches Australians do online and in social media networks, nearly 70% convert to a sale. Yet as I[…]
These executives are leveraging the connected economy using social media
There’s a new kind of leader who ‘gets’ that when over two billion people use social media, it fundamentally transforms connection, communication and the way we do business. They are taking to the airwaves on Twitter, LinkedIn and other social media platforms, building global networks, leveraging online opportunities and listening directly to what their customers[…]
380 million reasons to be on LinkedIn & 10 things to do when you get there
In today’s age of algorithms, who you are is in part determined by your digital footprint, which means that if you network for business then you will need to network online at LinkedIn. Why? Because while business is in some ways the same as it ever was (based on mutually beneficial relationships), social media has[…]
The next billion consumers will have always had social media
If you’re an executive who’s still uncertain about using social media for business, here’s a compelling reason to consider it: almost two billion consumers already do. And that trend shows no sign of abating, with social media having grown by around 18% in 2013 with predictions it will reach 2.55 billion by 2017. Still not convinced? Reflect on the[…]
Five things leaders can learn about social media from my layoff with appendicitis
It’s hard to rearrange life from a hospital bed but that is what I had to do when I was admitted without warning for an appendectomy. As well as handling the practicalities of suddenly becoming an ‘offline’ online company, being in hospital reminded me of the human face of business and the importance of ensuring[…]
‘I don’t know’. Using uncertainty as a platform for growth
When ‘leadership’ is confused with ‘the need to know everything’ it can lead to cultures of bluff where people feel it’s more important to give a response (including a wrong one) than acknowledge doubt. Instead, these three simple words from a leader can establish a very different context: I don’t know. “I don’t know” puts the[…]
Who owns your social media accounts?
Many smart companies are using social media to generate business outcomes. But who owns these accounts when a person moves on? If the face of your brand builds a Twitter following does it stay or go with them? If you employ someone because of their online Klout what right do you have to their previous relationships?[…]
Why listed companies must monitor social media
Whether you love it, loathe it or simply fail to get it, the Australian Stock Exchange says social media is something you can no longer ignore. Working closely with the Australian Securities and Investment Commission, the ASX recently updated its guidance on disclosure, advising companies to monitor online for sensitive information to ensure that the market[…]
Why deferring to ‘expertise’ is dangerous
I was recently at a workshop where a participant introduced himself by listing his Ivy League credentials; while impressive, his doctorate was in a discipline unrelated to the discussion and the act was out of context. Notwithstanding this, many people subsequently looked to him to lead or tacitly sought his approval when speaking. What he[…]
Is digital literacy the new financial literacy?
Legal decisions in the wake of corporate failures like Enron, WorldCom and, in Australia, Centro continue to reinforce financial literacy as imperative for business leaders. But we are yet to demand the same of arguably the biggest game changer of all, technology. The impact of emerging technologies, including social media platforms that allow instant global[…]
Disagreement is not disloyalty
It might seem counterintuitive, but formal processes are not a panacea for good governance. Post-mortems of Enron and WorldCom, or closer to home Centro, reinforce that these companies failed despite entrenched controls. What leaders can learn from these high-profile failures it that risk-taking is a cultural issue and that, with respect to decision-making, a culture[…]
Are digital currencies the future of money or is everything old just new again?
Leaders of smart companies are keeping an eye out for how deeply digital disruption is changing the shape of our lives and the many opportunities this presents for doing things differently. And there are no sacred cows. Take money-as-we-know-it and the institutions that manage it on our behalves, banks. Love them or hate them what[…]
Stop pointing the social media finger at leaders
I have written a lot about senior executives being slow to adopt social technologies but what surprises me more is a lack of know-how across many heads of function who should be positioning it within the organisation. Many senior managers are not up to date with game-changing developments that could derail their companies or bringing[…]
Political impersonation, fake Twitter accounts & owning your social media assets
In 2013 in Australia hours after the shock resignation of Ted Baillieu and emergence of Denis Napthine as Premier of the State of Victoria he announced “at least I’m not burdened by high expectations.” At least, the fake @DenisNapthineMP “not currently the Member for South West Coast in the Victorian Parliament and Premier of Victoria” did.[…]
Want the boss on board with social media? First get your own house in order
Over the years I’ve been talking about the importance of social media the most common question I get asked is: how do I influence the boss? I used to respond to this by sharing how I’d influenced a conservative regulator to enter the space years before social was considered a legitimate channel. My advice was:[…]
Is social media a waste of money or a savvy investment?
The hype around social media is intense: eight new people are coming online a minute and there are predictions that by 2016 the internet economy will be worth $4.2 trillion. There have been calls for executives to get online and talk to customers, suppliers, employees. (That’s in their “spare time”, right?) Meanwhile, those same leaders are scrounging for[…]
Don’t leave social media out of the productivity debate
Hardworking executives may have been surprised at research last year that found Australian leaders lagging on many of the key management indicators correlated with productivity. Among the gaps highlighted by an Ernst & Young reportwas a deficiency in people-management capability, particularly with respect to instilling a “talent mindset” across business. The report, called Productivity Pulse, showed that[…]
Become a cutting-edge leader who knows how to innovate
Innovation is touted as a ‘must have’ future capability and there’s a lot of evidence that suggests innovative leadership is critical to success. As leaders we need to know how to adapt to keep pace with technology as it influences everything that we do. This requires both creativity and resilience. The speed of change is[…]
Value expertise and don’t defer to it
I was at a workshop recently where a man introduced himself like this: when I did my doctorate at Insert Ivy League University Here. Now there’s nothing wrong with establishing credentials in particular when they are relevant to the discussion, which in this case they were not. What he had done was to anchor the rest of[…]
Technology is about people not tools
That technology impacts every area of our lives from the way we meet to how we learn and work hardly needs to be said. From innovations such as a zero liquid discharge that oxidizes and evaporates sewage to apps that regulate our bodies; the crowdsourcing of funding, news or health, the benefits are well known and embraced. But it’s the insidious colonization of daily life[…]
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