I am still amazed that people maintain their LiveJournal accounts, but when you really think about it, if that is the blog/community that someone started with, it is understandable that they would stick with that level of comfortable useability that they have become used to over the years. Especially  toting their 62.3 million journals and communities, which is not too surprising when you consider the fact that there is also the Russian counterpart Zhivoy Zhurnal(Живой Журнал), or ZheZhe (ЖЖ). I myself never joined, but you have to appreciate the staying power; founded in 1999 and surviving the dotcom crash before social networks were even common place in society. Coincidentally, 1999 is when Caterpillar® introduced their knowledge sharing network. I was using a 56k dial up modem connecting through America Online from a Macintosh Computer mainly for school research or socializing from home.

We have all grown up a bit since then. These days many people, usually self-proclaimed ‘experts’, will argue that Social Media engagement is necessary in the business world today. Case and point you are reading this on WordPress about social media. Hodge Products, Inc. is currently using: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+; with plans to branch out and expand into Pinterest and Stubleupon. Mainly in the realm of brand enhancement and strengthening for MasterLocks.com @TheLockPeople and BuildALock, but our company is growing in more ways that one. HPISafety.com is a great resource for Industrial & Workplace Safety Products; yet most of our customers just think of us as The Lock People. The only Social Media promotion our Safety brand is currently receiving is through our Hodge Products, Inc. LinkedIn Company Products Page. But we are going to change all that.

Social Media and Marketing is about increasing market place visibility and engaging with your audience; so we are crowdsourcing, to use the parlance of our time. The new Social Media Marketing wave for 2013 is all about Content. At least that is what everyone is talking about, #Trending. So I put this charge to you: if you cannot find us on your favorite social media site let us know, if you enjoy a certain kind of content share it with us, and at the very least if you engage in social media at all come find us so that we can engage with you and share the new and exciting things that we have going on here; not just in cyberspace, but in real life as well.

Hodge Products, Inc. (LinkedIn)

Hodge Products, Inc. (Google+)

The Lock People® (Facebook)

Build a Lock® (Facebook)

Hodge Products, Inc. (Facebook)

@TheLockPeople (Twitter)

@BuildaLock (Twitter)

@HodgeProducts (Twitter)

The Lock People (Google+)

Hodge Products, Inc. (Google+ Local)

Hodge Products, Inc. Headquarters CA (Manta, Business Listing)

Hodge Products, Inc. Southern Distribution TX (Manta, Business Listing)

Hodge Products, Inc. (Pinterest)

Thank you for taking the time and I do sincerely hope you enjoyed my ramblings,

Matthew T. Ginsberg (Personal LinkedIn Profile)

Social Media Director

Hodge Products, Inc.

The Lock People Google+