Jim Markunas

**Readers!!! Today's post is interactive. I'm going to teach you how to manage multiple social media profiles for labels and artists. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to follow my links and instructions.... I promise there's a pay-off!

I can tell you for a fact that one can and should effectively have and manage as many social media sites as possible. A lot of industry peeps and bands have complained that there's too many social media sites and not enough time to effectively manage them all.

A main staple of my New Media Plan is effectively managing social media in a span of 5 minutes. Yes... 5 minutes.

For this exercise, you'll need profiles on Ping.fm, Twitter, Myspace, and Facebook. Follow the links above if you aren't on the aforementioned sites.

First let's discuss Ping.fm. Ping is a brilliant and revolutionary site! Everyone in new media and otherwise should be a member. Ping.fm gives users the ability to manage 30 or so social media sites from one place (or in my case via text message). With the click of a button labels and artists can post news and links all across the internet.

Most importantly, one post can simultaneously update your website (provided you were smart enough to embed an RSS feed), your Myspace blog, Facebook status/news, and your Twitter updates.

Now that you've gotten all your profiles in order. Go to Ping.fm and log in.

You should find yourself in the "Dashboard section. Go to the middle of the page and click on "Add More Networks."

We'll start with Twitter. Find the Twitter icon, and click "Add Network."

You'll be prompted to enter your username and password from Twitter.

Enter the login information, and select the appropriate boxes under the "Use For" section on the right. (Check whichever box or boxes you feel are appropriate.)

Repeat the process for Myspace, Facebook, and any other sites you happen to have profiles on.)

Now... you have 3 different social media profiles set up on Ping.fm. Great! I'm going to explain how to make it all work.

Option 1 - Using the Ping.fm site to update your profiles.

Go back to your Dashboard. You'll notice a giant white box. Click the drop down menu and select "Status Updates." Type a short messge and a link to a website (preferrably yours if you're an artist).

Viola! You've just updated your status on Facebook, Myspace, and Twitter.

It's also possible to update your blog using the "Blogs" option, your Myspace blog using the "Micro-Blogging" option, etc. The sky is the limit. Just be sure not to use the same update for "Statuses" and "Micro-Blogging."

Option 2 - Updating via text message, e-mail, iPhone or Blackberry.

Updating by E-mail

Quite the useful function if you're a publicist with a Blackberry or iPhone. You can write a blog article in full HTML and update your sites by sending a simple e-mail.

Each Ping.fm user is assigned a unique e-mail address to send updates to. To find yours go to your Dashboard and click on the "E-mail" link just below where it says "Services/Tools."

Updating by Text Message

If you're a band on the go and you want to be able to update your sites without being tied to one of those pesky laptops, this option is for you.

Go to your Dashboard and look for the "SMS/Text Messaging" link under the "Services/Tools" section. You'll be asked to enter your mobile phone number. Once you've entered the number and established your phone, save Ping.fm's posting number into your phone.

When the urge strikes, text the number your news, and it will update all your statuses.

Updating Via iPhone or Blackberry

Use the internet as you would on your computer.

Or... Get one of the apps found here.

Congratulations, readers! Go out and "network."

Jim Markunas is a music industry futurist and editor-in-chief of Chicks With Guns Magazine. Jim has a decade of new media and music industry experience, he's run highly successful new media campaigns and has worked with James Brown, Miles Davis, The Walt Disney Company, Truckee Brothers, Mick Fleetwood, and Minty Fresh Records. Currently Jim's focus is monetization strategies for record labels and digital business development. He's a free agent available for hire.

Find Jim Online: Twitter - Linkedin - Facebook - Website - E-mail Jim