5 reasons Ricky Gervais is a social media genius.

Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais on Twitter), is known for being irritating, funny, and extremely intelligent, when he isn't playing pranks on bald Mancunians with spherical shaped heads.

On Twitter, he is at his opinionated and egotistical best. But it is genius, and he knows exactly what he is doing. Brands can learn a lot from the way he uses social media because he just gets it.

Allow me to explain.

1)     He is human. Some influential brands and figures on social media use it primarily as a marketing tool and to plug and promote their latest product. Sure, Gervais does this too. But fundamentally, he uses Twitter in the same way as the everyday person would. People can relate to  him because he shows he is human, not just another celebrity trying to flog their autobiography or whatever it is they delude themselves into thinking we want to buy.

2)     He has personality. This kind of links in to the above point, but is slightly different. An important part of a social media strategy is to get the tone of voice right. Obviously, on this occasion the tone of voice is his natural use of the platform, but he shows a unique side to his personality. An example for you: one minute, he is boasting that he’s just going to “pop to L.A,” and posts a selfie of himself clutching a glass of expensive champagne on his private jet. The next Tweet, he’ll be promoting animal welfare charities. Between all that, he'll post one of his infamous “bath pics.” More on those later. My point is, individually, he probably wouldn't get away with doing any single one of these and would chase away all but the most committed of his fans because they’d get sick of it. But he can get away with it because he’s honest, he’s refreshingly blunt, and he simply doesn't care about offending people in a way that causes no harm. People love that.

3)     He knows his audience. This is probably the biggest point. He knows what kind of people follow him. He knows what they want to see, what he can get away with. He also knows what will provoke the most reaction. Have you seen his incessant comments about religion? He knows exactly what he’s doing. He probably does feel that strongly about religion, but his primary reason for it is for a) his own entertainment when he gets abuse and b) because he knows it will induce engagement, which is exactly what he wants.

4)     He engages with his audience. This is something so many influential Twitter users get wrong. If you click on his profile, you will see so many replies to his fans, even if they are simple smiley faces or him saying “cheers” for a compliment about one of his tv shows. People appreciate that. He understands that people will follow if they think they can engage with him. It shows he “listens,” so to speak, and people will flock to someone who pays attention to them.

5)     His content is unique. He posts a lot of stuff on Twitter that a lot of celebrities wouldn't dare or dream of doing. The most obvious instance of this is the bath pic that he posts on a scarily regular basis. For those who haven’t seen these, I’m not going to try and explain. I just suggest you check out his photos on Twitter…or use the hashtag #bathpic…but I’m not responsible for any eye burning, or mental scars that may be incurred by doing so.

As well as this, his awareness of what people want from him is outstanding. He might plug his latest movie or tv show, but he also entertains on Twitter in a unique fashion. For example, he brought David Brent back for a series of Youtube videos where the famous figure from “The Office” teaches the audience the guitar (although there’s not really any teaching involved). People were all over this, and it has led to David Brent performing around the country. He used those videos, I believe, as market research to see if it could work. It’s a genius stroke, and he must be feeling very good about himself.

It is fair to say that Ricky Gervais gets Twitter. He understands it, and uses it to the best effect he can. This is why he won a “lifetime achievement” at the Shorty Awards. Even he found it amusing that he was awarded this within a few months of being on Twitter. I’m a fan of Gervais, I loathe him, but most of all, I admire his genius use of his online space.

Progress, progress and more progress.

What I am about to say will not shock you. 

I love it here at West Midlands Fire Service.

I have reiterated this point over the course of this blog, and I want to do it again right now.

A lot of these posts have been about social media in general, my views of things going on and stuff like that. So, I thought it was about time I caught up with you all about what is actually going on.

If you haven’t read my good friend and colleague Jess’ blog yet, I suggest you check it out here. It’s a great read and provides a fresh perspective of what happens here at HQ!

It seems insane that we have been more than a month already. It feels like only yesterday that I was getting lost on the short (and, in fairness, extremely simple) walk between Duddeston Station and the fire service’s headquarters here on Vauxhall Road.

I was confident at that point that this was the right decision for both my personal life and my career, and I am happy to say my confidence was founded upon sound logic. I have loved every minute and still look forward to getting in every morning! A lot of people have that feeling for the first couple of weeks and then lose it as they settle in, but I still get excited every morning (even though my energy is usually lacking! I’m not a morning person).

I wanted this post to be a balanced point of view, and be able to say “well, this could be better.” The simple fact is though, this job is perfect for what I want.

I have always wanted a job with variety, the chance to get away from my desk every now and then, and most importantly, a great team who make the day enjoyable. This is exactly what I have been given with this role.

I consider myself extremely fortunate to be given this opportunity (not least because of the sheer volume of applicants for The Juice Academy’s course). Already I can feel myself being more clued up about how to make the most of social media for my business.

So, what have we been doing?

Well, as I have already said, we don’t spend the whole day at our desk. There are a number of days where we have been out covering events for both Twitter and our #smavlog. We have also been around the building in different departments, finding out more about what the fire service do, which has been a valuable experience.

 Jess even had the fantastic chance to spend a day with White Watch at Aston fire station to see what they do on a day to day basis, in the first of many #SMAdays. 

 The most important thing for me is that I have been given the chance to develop into someone who doesn’t just “do a job,” but into someone who can be a valuable asset to any company.

Our line managers are not content with us using our strengths to complete tasks to the best of our ability. They are keen for us to use each other to learn and develop the skills we are less adept at in order to make us well rounded and more capable individuals.

This is why I am more than content with my current position in life. I look forward to work, I look forward to home and most of all? I look forward to, and I am very excited about, my future career.

The standard response.

“We’re sorry to hear this. Please call this number and they will try to help.”

I think we’ve all received one of them on social media at some point, haven’t we? When we’re not happy about a service we have received, it seems like a natural reaction (these days, anyway), to take to Twitter and rant about it.

Or maybe that’s just me.

I don’t know about anyone else, but when I make a complaint, I want the person listening to my irritating whinging to care, or at least to PRETEND to care. So when I get the reply “we’re sorry to hear this,” it actually makes me feel even more contemptuous toward that company.

Here’s my problem:

-        I KNOW that this is sent to EVERYONE who makes a complaint. That makes me feel like my complaint has not been digested by the company as a problem. It feels like I am a number, not a valued user of their product or service.

-        They make no effort to try and solve the problem. Sure, they probably have a separate customer services department. But social media officers have, in effect, a customer service role. In that sense, they should at least try to appease me until the issue is processed by the relevant department, right?

It looks like some companies who use social media well still even send it. For example, Aldi tend to do very well with what they do on Twitter. They run regular competitions, use current trends and hashtags to maximise their reach, and when they engage with their followers, they do it well. But, then you see this:

Sigh.

It just grates on me. The great thing about social media is that it is ideal for building relationships with your customers. Is that really what is going to work? Do they really think that people are going to appreciate being sent a copied and pasted response?

How about this then?

THIS is more like it. Even if the sympathy shown is false, at least an effort is made. The person who responded to the complaint is trying to sort it out rather than palm it off on someone else, which is always good to see.

I just think companies have a responsibility to respond to complaints in the right way. At the moment it seems like little effort is made and that the managers of social media simply don’t care. The tweet above is what, personally, I would like to see more of.

Do you have any negative experiences of customer service on social media? Let me know in the comments section below!

Moving Out, Moving On...

It’s been a pretty hectic weekend. I have finally moved out of the Coventry Foyer, which is the supported housing I have been staying in for the last nine months.

It was a fantastic day for me, not only because it’s the beginning of a new chapter in my life, but also because I have now already fulfilled two of my goals for 2014!

I am extremely goal orientated. Whenever I set myself an objective, I expect myself, and put pressure on myself, to achieve it. So to already have successfully completed two them (the first being to find a job) in the first quarter of the year, makes me very excited at the prospect of what is achievable in this 12 months.

I’m actually in trouble with the Foyer for posting a tweet a few weeks ago. I expressed my opinion about the Midland Heart takeover and they weren't impressed. The tweet (seen here) was nothing defamatory, abusive or unprofessional, yet I've been called in to apparently explain myself.

I'm tempted to go into a rant here. But I will restrain myself, for your benefit. Suffice it to say that moving out of there is a very positive move for me.

In any case, since this post is about moving on, it’s probably about time I do so!

Today marks a month since I started here at West Midlands Fire Service. I'm extremely happy with the way it’s going; it has surpassed even my expectations.

The best thing about working here is the working environment. In my previous work experience at a housing association, which I have mentioned briefly in previous posts, the atmosphere in the office was negative and tense, meaning every day felt like a month (helped by having nothing to do every day of course).

But here – we have a laugh at every opportunity, and we talk as well as work. This offers the chance to be ourselves, rather than just employees. I only recently discovered this more confident and outgoing version of me, and I welcome being able to flex that whenever I can. It’s fun to be at work, which, in my opinion, is as important as the job satisfaction itself.

Yesterday marked a new and exciting chapter in my life. As mentioned in the previous post, I have been through some trials and tribulations over the past year, and to be able to officially say I am back on my feet fills me with a fierce pride usually reserved for Oscar-winners and Olympic gold medallists. Slight exaggeration but you get the idea.

I am lucky enough to get to start again. This apprenticeship with West Midlands Fire Service is a springboard for me and I intend to jump onto it as hard as I possibly can – and who knows? Maybe pull off a couple of fancy looking twists and flips on the way into the pool that is my career.

Why you should never give up...

From 11^th March 2013, my life came crashing behind my ears.

Before then, I had everything I had ever dreamed of. I was living happily with my girlfriend of the time, we had a beautiful cat, my job prospects were looking good, my confidence was higher than it had ever been. On top of this, I was doing what I love (singing and playing poker) on a regular basis and enjoying some success.

On 10^th March, I was playing a poker tournament in Birmingham. It was the regional final of a league that I had qualified for. I came third of about 200, and I was over the moon. I couldn’t wait to get back and treat my girlfriend, as I had wanted to do for a while but had a lack of money.

The next day, she ended the relationship and kicked me out of our flat. This was swiftly followed by multiple job rejections, being unable to live at my mum’s place, or my sister’s.

I ended up at the Chace Centre in Coventry, which, if you didn’t know, is worse than prison. I was sinking deeper and deeper into depression. I was then viciously attacked and was hospitalised with fractured ribs and a punctured lung.

A few weeks later, I was diagnosed with a tumour in my stomach. I admit, I was close to giving up at this point. I sat in my small, dingy room feeling sorry for myself, torturing myself with thoughts about what I wanted life to be like.

I started an intense course of treatment for the tumour, which made me feel constantly fatigued and ill, and also had a severe impact on my already fragile mental health. I was referred to the Coventry Foyer, another supported housing establishment, where I was offered fantastic support.

Why am I telling you this?

Well, because almost a year ago, I was drained of my positivity. There was no light at the end of the tunnel for me, and I didn’t believe that anything would get better.

The Prince’s Trust Team Programme was the turning point for me. For those who don’t know, Team is a 12 week course aimed at developing the employment and personal skills of young people. It was the best thing that has ever happened to me, and it had a real impact on my life. It offered motivation that I had been lacking for months, and gave me hope that I could get back to happiness.

On 6^th September 2013, I was given the news that my tumour had cleared. This was incredible news – it was remarkably quick, I had been expecting a much longer struggle than the one I faced. This was a catalyst for me, and I became determined to live life to the maximum. However, issues with my long-gone ex girlfriend still held me back, and I let her keep me down, much to the frustration of my new friends.

If I fast forward to where I am today – I’ve started a fantastic and exciting Apprenticeship with the Juice Academy, I’m due to move into my new place, I’m finally happy to be single, and I’ve rediscovered the happy, lively me that was brought out during the Team Programme.

The reason for this is my stubborn refusal to give in on life. I was tempted, many times to do so. But it is ingrained upon my mind to keep on going. What else could I do? I knew I had abilities, strengths that not everyone necessarily had. I was wasting them, and I knew it. I have fought, and struggled throughout all this adversity, without really knowing why I was bothering.

Now I know why I kept going. I simply had to. I was placed on this earth, to have a story and share it. I have been through more in the last year than a lot of people will go through in 10 years. I came through it, and now I’m in a better position than ever.

I have learned so many lessons from it. I won’t go for the cliché “every cloud has a silver lining.” But I will tell you that throughout any hard time you may go through, you can come through it. If problems are clouds, then remember that clouds dissipate.

My plea to you is never to give up. Whether this be on your dreams, or even on the crossword in the paper – keep going and you’ll get there. My sheer determination got me through an uncountable amount of pain and suffering. Be determined. If you want to get through it, you will.

Forget what anyone tells you, even if they’re trying to be positive and tell you “everything will be ok.” Focus on yourself, on breeding your own positive attitude and on facing your problems face on. Most importantly of all: know that you are amazing. You were built to survive, and you can survive if you believe it.

I overcame a messy break up, homelessness, being attacked, life threatening illness, unemployment and depression. Now I'm smiling a broader smile than I ever have. I'm a stronger person, and for that reason, I feel no bitterness and everything I've been subjected to.

What inspires you to keep going during your hardest times? Let me know in the comments section below.

The Social Media Explosion

Social media has seen a meteoric rise in the last few years. It seems a long, long time ago that Facebook, MySpace and Bebo uttered mere whispers in the murky corners of the internet.

Today, social media is everywhere. Literally, you can’t go anywhere without seeing evidence of it. Even if you stop scowling at the people glued to their phones and their Twitter timeline as they walk blindly down the street, when you move your eyes elsewhere you will see hashtags, pleas for “Follows” and “Likes.”  Social media has taken over the world.

Of course, the problem for businesses is that it has evolved so quickly and become such an important tool for marketing and building relationships with customers/clients, that they haven’t had a chance to react to it. This is why there is a huge skill gap in the digital industry.

This is where people like myself come in. I have grown up around social media, and therefore without studying for a single second, I know more about it than some of the older generation.

You can still see it evolving, every month. It used to be a mainly text based sharing model. Now, you can share photos, videos, music, webpages, anything you like. With sites such as Snapchat, you even have the option of creating what is called “disappearing media.”

The simple fact is that we have become a society built around it. For better or worse, whenever something happens, we instantly think about social media. Can we post this on Facebook or Twitter? How can we make it so we can get more “likes” or “retweets?”  In essence, we have all become marketing agencies for ourselves. We all want the world to love what we share, and more as many people to see it as possible.  Does it not seem crazy then, that 30% businesses don’t have social media in their marketing strategy?

I wish I knew the logic behind not having it in your strategy. It is more cost effective, can reach a global audience and allows you to build relationships with both your customer and your competitior. (For an example of competitor relationships, check out the @ThreeUK and @tescomobile Twitter interaction).

What, then, is the reason for neglecting it? My opinion is that it is a lack of understanding of the huge benefits and, in fact, the sheer importance of the new marketing trends. It is such a new concept that there just isn't a widespread ability to be able to comprehend the potential.

I'll give you an example. On the train home from a session at The Juice Academy yesterday (19th February), I was speaking to a guy who was looking to set up a new business. We had exchanged pleasantries etc about what we do for a job, the usual for us polite Brits, and he wanted to know how he could incorporate social media into his advertising and marketing.

He saw sites such as Facebook and Twitter purely as sites to communicate with family and friends.

This, I think, is the ingrained view among entrepreneurs, or at least the 30% who don't intend to use it. This is something, that as a Social Media Apprentice, I will in the future need to try and change. I offered him some advice as to the channels he should probably look into using, but impressed upon him the importance of having a purpose. 

There can be no comparison of social media now, to even just five years ago. Where will it be in another five years? What will be the latest craze then? Wherever it is headed on the congested motorway that is the internet, it is clear that social media will be around for a long, long time.

What are your views on the future of social media? I would love to hear what others think is going to happen in the near and distant future. Leave your comments below.

No Rain, No Gain: The Highs and Snows of Commuting to Work

Well, hasn’t this weather just made everything delightful. Being a very strong minded person when it comes to punctuality, I usually find the morning and evening commutes to and from work stressful as it is, as one of my biggest hates is to miss a train I promised myself I would catch.

Couple that with the worst rainfall this country has seen in years, and it makes for a very grouchy young Social Media Apprentice indeed. Imagine my panic when we had that rather intense snow flurry.

The job is going fantastically well so far, and I am enjoying every second. I am busy all the time, my employers are allowing me to flex my mind and come up with my own solutions to problems, and I get on with everyone extremely well.

The thought of commuting to work was something I was actually looking forward to – it makes me feel very adult-like and mature, something my sense of humour lacks the ability to do, so getting on the train in my shirt and trousers everyday made me feel like part of a well-knit (or well-suited) community.

I say community – but the morning commute is very much a free-for-all every man for himself situation. There’s me, using my manners as I always do, allowing the professional looking guy in the seat opposite to disembark before myself, and all I get in return is a non-committal grunt of acknowledgement. This was then swiftly followed by a blow to the back of the head (accidental I hope) as someone else decided to barge past, in a rush to get to the already packed escalator that would halt their morning sprint anyway.

I find it quite sad that the pressure of getting to work on time, and the emotional trauma of being on the way to work before dawn, has led to a startling decrease in the impeccable manners us Brits stereotypically have. I am a pretty old fashioned person when it comes to manners and etiquette, so I generally tend to feel a pang of frustration when people forget the simple “excuse me please, I’m in a rush to catch another train,” that I so optimistically expect.

That said, this is something worth tolerating, purely because everyday, I look forward to getting to work. In my previous work placement, I wasn’t challenged in the slightest, and in fact, I barely did anything the whole month I was there. So to be tasked with a few things everyday is something I’m making the most of, much like one savours the taste of Ben and Jerry’s as it slides nonchalantly down your throat.

I honestly expected a slow start to this job. I thought we would be observing more than anything. I was proved wrong immediately. After the initial induction, we were straight away asked to start brainstorming ideas for various upcoming projects, and by Day 3, we had been given events that we would be sent to cover, representing West Midlands Fire Service.

It feels like the Corporate Communications department we are in WANTS us here. In fact, the Strategic Communications Manager has been asking us questions, and been wanting to learn about social media from us, which is a very uplifting feeling, as quite clearly they view us as having something rather valuable to offer their organisation.

This is what makes me proud to be here. I am here for a reason, not to fill up numbers. I’m here because I, and my fellow apprentice Jess, have skills that this company both needs and desires. We can be the future of their social media drive, and this makes being concussed on a regular basis something I can look forward to if the reward is the enriching experience we are already having.