Magic and Mashcon

Mickey and Pete Cashmore, CEO of Mashable

This past weekend I had the fantastic opportunity to attend the Mashable Connect 2011 conference at Walt Disney World.  The brightest minds in the social media gathered to network, learn from one another, and definitely have a lot of fun for two full days.

There were so many takeaways from the speakers, that I hardly know where to begin.  One of the very best speakers was Craig Engler, the general manager and senior vice president of Syfy Digital.  This piece from Sarah Skerik is a great summary of Craig's best points.  I loved learning about how he has refined his Twitter communication strategy over time.  It is a great testament to the need for adaptation in the social media world.

#Mashcon was a great event.  I am so blessed to work for a university that places a high priority on professional development and lifelong learning for its faculty.  Over the next several weeks I know I will continue to process all I learned and be even more amazed that I was able to participate.

Blogs Where You Least Expect Them

I'm getting ready for a business trip this week.  It will be my first time flying with my Nook color.  I was curious how the screening rules applied for the e-readers so I did a quick Google.  My search led me here - the TSA has a blog!

Actually, it makes sense.  The TSA is perceived as distant and adversarial.  Trying to connect with travelers on a personal level takes away some of the "us vs them" mentality.  However, one quick perusal of the comments section on the e-reader post makes it clear the some people don't perceive the blog as genuine.  More proof that the TSA is a brand, not just a government agency, and subject to the same rules as all others--be genuine, be consistent.

Having representatives from the TSA open up and share information is a step in the right direction.  However, until all TSA representatives demonstrate compassion, understanding, and a genuine desire to help and protect travelers, all other efforts to do so in social media and elsewhere will ring hollow.

A Big Social Media Event

It's not often the President schedules a press conference late on Sunday evening.  I wondered but dismissed it.  Then I started watching my Twitter feed.

What an amazing chain of events unfolded--Osama Bin Laden dead. 

I saw one person say that they'll remember where they were when they heard the news of Osama Bin Laden's death - they were on Twitter.  I can heartily concur.  This is the first big event where I heard the news via Twitter and watched details unfold little by little. 

What occurred to me in watching the various posts was how organic the whole thing was.  We've talked in class about some big social media events like the Super Bowl and the Oscars, but you don't really see the power of this tool until events like today.

What an amazing night!

Social Buying

This Tuesday, in class, we'll be discussing social buying.  Take a look at this infographic from Flowtown, shared by Techi.com for a great graphic on the size and history of some of the sites.

How to Make LBS More Than a Blip

This piece from Fast Company discusses some of the first measurements companies are taking after introducing location based social networks into their promotional campaigns.  Apparently, mosty companies find little lasting impact from such campaigns.

Key takeaways:
First, it is more important than ever to tie the LBS efforts to a larger campaign in order to sustain  the positive impacts that do occur. 
Second, there is little risk in trying some of the events and tactics to see what does happen.  A little bit of the guess and check model in action might be appropriate.

FourSquare

During class this week we will begin discussing the use of location-based social media and how brands are successfully using these tools to further their marketing efforts.  You know I love an infographic and here's a great one about FourSquare and who's using this network. 

Do you FourSquare?

More LinkedIn Fun

LinkedIn is making the most of its 100 million plus members.  I love the idea of the LinkedIn truck to promote the other services that LinkedIn provides beyond an "online resume".  The incorporation of Twitter to draw the truck to different neighborhoods is also a fun twist.

Reaching 100 Million

Next week we'll be discussing professional networks in class.  It turns out to be a pretty timely topic.  Recently, LinkedIn surpassed 100 million users.  While that number is small compared to other networks like Facebook and Twitter, the characteristics of LinkedIn members make it a rich marketing environment.

You know my love of numbers plus a visual and this piece from Mashable is no exception.  Take a minute to check out this infographic about who is using LinkedIn.

See you in class on Tuesday!

Influence

We talked at length in class, today, about the importance of influence, especially when it comes to Twitter.  This post from Flowtown does an excellent job of explaining the concept of influece on Twitter, but also how to use it.

Who can you influence today?

This Is a Game Changer!

We talked in class about major leagues sports and NBA's position as the frontrunner when it comes to social media.  This post outlines some of the terms of a proposed relationship between the NBA and YouTube for broadcast coverage of games with live streaming video.  Clearly the NBA is not ready to relinquish its title as Social Media Champion.

The possibilities for other social media tie-ins in the arrangement are tremendous.  The comments, the integration to other forms of social media, the connections to a long-distance team for a long-distance fan, and on and on.  This brings the essence of what it means to be a fan and why people like sports--competition, socializing, recliner coaching, everything.

Can not wait to see what happens with this one! 

My Kid Will Be The Only One. Again.

I suppose I should sit down with my daughter right now and explain that she has a mean mom who will not let her do the things all the other kids do.  She might as well get used to it, because she's going to hear a lot of "No" in her lifetime.
 
This article from Forbes outlines Disney's purchase of a social network for kids called Togetherville.  The network allows parents to establish accounts using an adult's Facebook account and then establishing log-ins and controls for the child(ren).

This just does not feel right to me.  It's not that I'm against my daughter using a social network.  That's inevitable.  However, I want her to learn to make real-world relationships before she focuses on virtual-world relationships.  I want her to swing, run around playing tag, play with Playdough, read books--actually do something.

There's a lot out "there" about childhood obesity and children getting too much screen time.  I don't think Togetherville is going to improve those trends.  I think kids are paying the price because it's easier for parents to plop them in front of a screen and say "it's educational so it's okay".  The video clip, above, does a great job of showing active kids, but there's nothing active about using these social tools as a child. 

One more thing, doesn't this seem like the next perfect avenue for Cyberbullying?

Blogging About Blogs

This feels a little strange to do, but I'm writing today about the change in blogs and blogging behavior.  I feel a little funny about posting this, because I'm going to make the case in class that blogs are still highly valuable.

I think the point from this NY Times article is about how all social media continues to reflect our changing behaviors.  New tools necessitate adaptation.  We are using social networks for the shorthanded stuff, and still using blogs to deliver a greater volume of original content and thought.  Not everything fits in a soundbite or 140 characters.

I also think there is a lot to be said for the interaction that can occur between social networks and blogs.  I read a lot of blogs on a variety of different topics.  A few of those writers I follow on Twitter, but not all.  There some people I want an occasional check-in with, but not a constant stream of information.  In other instances, there are people that I found first on Twitter or Facebook before I jumped to their blogs.  I like the ability to have different streams of information in different channels.

P.S. Thanks to Dr. Ed Bond for forwarding this link to me!

NBA Social Media All Stars

In class last Tuesday we talked about the NBA and it's terrific use of social media.  This post from Ogilvy calls out specific "Social Media All-Stars" . 

I love seeing what players are doing with their personal brands and connections.  Good stuff.

Personal Branding and Twitter

This is kind of a funny column from Joe Posnanski. (Yes, my husband saved this for my class.) 

Athletes are very active on Twitter as are many celebrities.  Twitter has been used to announce professional news (LeBron James) and personal news (Lance Armstrong). 

From Famecount today:

How do you think athlete/celebrity Tweeting helps build personal branding?  Is it as effective if there is a ghost Tweeter involved?  What celebrity types do you follow?  Why?

Which Comes First?

Not chicken or egg, but tweet or blog?  This post by Best Blogging Tips Online is an interesting comparison of different bloggers and how they got started.  Some started with a blog and use Twitter to promote what they are writing.  Another started on Twitter and then expanded their Twitter relationships through the blog. 

What say you?  Are you Tweeting your blog or blogging your Tweets?

Super Bowl Stats

Here's an interesting wrap up of the Super Bowl in social media. 

This can't be good...

Sometimes it seems as though the speed of social media marketing makes us forget who we are, what we represent, and the implications of what we say.  It's easy to throw out a Tweet or FB post and then realize much later that someone might take offense or misunderstand what has been said. 
In our personal life, such occurrences can put a damper on a friendship or lower the respect someone has for us.  For organizations, such poorly thought out remarks can have long-lasting negative impacts on the brand.  Read this post from Scott Monty about recent Tweets from Kenneth Cole.  When I first read with KC wrote it seemed very callous and opportunistic.

Your turn...
Do you think fans of the brand will notice?  Will it change how they view KC products?  Are there any ethical implications in this instance?

The Hardest Thing

One of my greatest challenges is maintaining my social media presence.  Although it doesn't happen often, there are times where I just don't feel like I have a lot to contribute.  At other times, my introverted self shows up and I retreat. 

As much as this makes me a boring Friend, Connection, Blogger or Tweeter, this post from Flowtown points out how social media fatigue can actually create a negative image for businesses.

What do you think, how should businesses keep their social media fresh and valuable?  What are some valuable sources of content they could use?

Do you ever find yourself tired of being out there?

A Great Reminder

This post from Danny Brown on the Real Cost of Social Media is a good reminder for everyone.  Just because social media can be simple and cheap doesn't mean it always will be.  There is integration to consider, as well as human resources and technology.

As with every other trend and phase, social media is not the perfect answer.  It's just a better way to answer in some cases.

Fresh from the Oven

I'm a sucker for new products.  They call my name on just about every grocery shopping trip.  I don't, however, tend to spend much time in the frozen pizza aisle, so this post on Boing Boing caught my attention.

Now, I'm all for hot from the oven pizza and freshly baked cookies, but something here scares me a little.  You know the smell that eminates from a frozen pizza container when you open it?  The part tomato sauce, part cardboard box, part plastic smell?  I just can't imagine that goes well with cookie dough.

What do you think?  Do you smell sweet success for Nestle?

More Simple Points

Andy Sernovitz always puts things in terms that make sense to me.  I like that there are only three points and that each one is doable with just a little thought and motivation.

What has motivated you to "friend" a business?

The Basics



I love the simplicity of this post from Michele Miller.  Of course, Facebook can be much more than these five steps.  These steps, though, are the perfect way to start.

Sears Enlists Bloggers to Build Consumer Electronics Buzz

This piece about Sears is an interesting bridge between friend recommendation and celebrity endorser. Sears expands the firm's current social media presence by partnering with prominent consumer electronics bloggers. Do you think consumers will find value in this added feature from the Blue Crew?