Social Media Column: Social media has its perks!

Published in the October 9, 2012 issue of The Edmonton Sun.

Linda’s social media column can be found every Tuesday in the Edmonton Sun.

Social media has its perks!

Last Wednesday, I “tweeted for hope” with 15 other local Twitter users at Hope Mission. It was part of a special social media campaign for Hope Mission’s 2012 Hope for the Hungry Radiothon raising money to provide meals for Edmonton’s less fortunate.

We answered calls and tweeted out our cause to the local Twitter community during the lunch hour, urging them to donate. Our goal was to raise at least $5,400 to provide 2,000 meals for the homeless. We were supposed to take calls and tweet for just one hour but when the hour mark came and we hadn’t reached our goal yet – our group decided to stay until the goal was met.

It took an extra 30 minutes but we tweeters surpassed the goal and raised enough to feed 2,060 men, women and children at Hope Mission. We also became a trending topic on Twitter in Edmonton and our tweets reached nearly 27,000 people.

The total tally for all three days of Hope Mission’s radiothon was $131,000.

I can’t tell you how great it feels to have been able to contribute to that number.

I’m so grateful for the opportunities that present themselves through Twitter.

Tweeting has its perks

There are some friends that I’ve been trying to get on Twitter for years and they still haven’t signed up. The talk of great community connections and knowing the latest news as it happens just isn’t enough of a draw for people. So how about the perks?

Much like some bloggers get sent free products, if you tweet enough – there are some pretty sweet perks that can go along with it.

Last week I was invited to the Big White Top for Cavalia’s “Tweet Night.”

Twenty VITs (Very Important Tweeps) and their guests were invited to check out the show (for free).

We were encouraged to take pictures and tweet about the night – which also included a backstage stable tour, free food and drinks and unbelievable seats. The horses in the show were literally steps away from me! What a spectacle, what a show and wow, what a night. It’s not the first perk I’ve received due to my presence on Twitter, but it’s definitely one of the bigger ones.

Holidays with no social media

This is my last column before I go on holidays to Cuba. High roaming data rates and rumours of slow Internet connection have me worried as I may actually be forced to “sign off” and go “dark” on Twitter. My next column will be on Oct. 30. I’ll let you know how I managed without social media then.

Wish me luck!

Some Tweets of the Week

@StephanSutclif: A memo to my car: Remember when I didn’t have to use your heated seats, wasn’t that nice? #yeg

@RyanHoltz1: Is thinking of a great thing to do for someone random! #LetsBeSelfless @Yeg #Deeds

@YEGAudi: Happiness is: hitting every green light on 127 St from 127 Ave to 153rd Ave & getting home in 7 minutes, no speeding!! #yeg @yegtraffic

@SRoseP: So. Much. Music. I love living in this city. #yeg

@ReidistheDUDAR: You have to press the button at crosswalks!!!!!!!!! #yeg #stupidpeople

Click here to read the column on the Edmonton Sun website!

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