In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, I’m featuring Latina and Latino leaders in my Social Networking blog. I asked my friends, who, actually feel more like my primas y primos (cousins) than “just” friends, to contribute their thoughts on Social Networking with Twitter.
We’re kicking off the celebration of our heritage with Claudia Goffan, president and CEO of Target Latino.
Today, September 16, 2009, LISTA (Latinos in Information Sciences and Technology Association announced that it named Target Latino as its Agency Of Record. Congratulations, Claudia! And congratulations, LISTA, on choosing a smart, creative, thought-provoking Latina to market your organization.
1.Why do you use Twitter?
I started using Twitter after a good friend of mine, a total SEO genius, asked me to give it a try. I was horrified at the fact that I had to limit myself to 140 characters but I gave it a shot. About one day later, I was hooked. Not only did I see its value for me and my consulting firm but also for my clients. Everybody has a different social media goal, Target Latino’s social media goal is to inform and educate onLatino Marketing, Advertising and Latino issues.
2. How is Twitter different than other Social Media websites, such as Facebook?
Twitter has a sense of urgency that other social media
sites don’t have. Everything happens now. And you need to know how to take advantage of that.
3. Describe your niche and please share how long it took you to find it, after joining Twitter (or perhaps you knew what it was before you joined).
See #1 – My social goal and the ones for my clients is well defined before entering the social media arena.
4. What are your top three tips for our readers as they begin to build their Twitter tribe?
First tip: Define your social media goal. What are you
about? What do you want to share with the world? What are you trying to accomplish? Second tip: Always be courteous and return the follows – If you do not want to follow somebody, don’t but don’t follow them and then unfollow for the sake of getting followers (that’s being a tease) Third tip: Be patient. Imagine you are at a party. Not everything happens on your schedule, right?
5. What are your top three “never, ever do this” tips?
Never, ever spam. Never, ever tease. Never, ever get carried by emotions and say the “wrong” thing.
6. When do you take your Twitter relationships to the next level, either through actually meeting in person; or collaborating.
I usually follow my instinct. And usually you have a pretty good chance of seeing who the person is by following their tweets. You don’t get this opportunity, even in dating sites!!!
7. How do you manage your time for tweeting?
I like my tweets to be personal so I rarely schedule them (unless I am trying to help advertise a good event or worthwhile cause) I try to tweet first thing when I start my computer and then go back when I have a few minutes to spare. Same thing before going to bed. On the weekends, I try to prepare information as articles or postings on my blog to share through the week.
8. What are your top favorite tools to use that help you efficiently and smartly manage your brand through Twitter? For instance, do you do research by using search.peoplebrowsr.com to search the biographies with keywords? Seesmic or Peoplebrowsr or Tweetdeck? A virtual assistant?
I love Hootsuite. I can see my tweets and create a stream of my friend’s tweets so I can find out what they are up to. It really helps me bond!!
9. How are you monitizing Twitter?
It was never my intent to monetize Twitter for Target Latino, but I have been getting people asking for my expertise and consulting engagements. As far as my clients, I can tell you they are very happy with their results!!!
10. What or who influenced you in a positive way, earlier in your life?
My mother. Youngest daughter of immigrants to Argentina. She is a retired dentist now but she always used to say to me: “Claudita, nothing in life is certain. But if you have a diploma under your wing you may not end up rich, but you will always have job security.”
11. Recently, a study done by MALDEF came out that proved that 41% of Latinas drop-out of high school in the U.S. What is your best advice to young Latinas, in middle school, high school?
You may not think it’s important. You may see many people getting rich with no studies. Not everybody gets so lucky. And think of it this way, if you are already brilliant, imagine how much more brilliant you will be if can back it up with knowledge. Keep on studying. Be a proud and accomplished Latina.
12. What is your best advice for teen-aged Latina mothers who dropped out of high school?
Having a child is a lot of work and you may not find the time to do anything else but take care of him or her and work to support yourselves, but this is 2009, you can enroll in school via the internet – take some short courses in things that interest you. You never know where it may lead and you may be pleasantly surprised!!!
