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10 Things That Should Matter More in 2012 and Things I Was Semi-Right About Mattering More in 2011

December 27th, 2011 by Arnie DiGeorge, Executive Creative Director

Back in the beginning of January 2011, I made some predictions about things I thought would be important in that year.

Well, that year is over. Let’s see how it went.

I talked about the power of the personal brands. If you look at last year, the Personal Brand was in full force. From the Kardashians to Steve Jobs, to Zuckerberg to you. Yes, you. Due to Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and blogs, you are out there as a brand whether you like it or not. Everything you do is being looked at and scrutinized, to a degree, by others. You are, in essence, forming a relationship with the world. Individuals are looked at as much as their companies are. Even with mass movements – individuals and their tweets and status updates stand out. YouTube has given millions the ability to become brands with nothing more than a video camera. And these brands are making money … lots of it. Take Randall and Honey Badger for instance. I happen to know he has an agent and a brand.

Another was the Power of the iPad. OK, so the iPad was an easy guess. But just how much of a game changer is it? Well, it’s now replacing airline flight manuals. It’s used in hospitals, restaurants and offices everywhere. It’s the new children’s book. It’s the new art gallery. It’s the new canvas. It’s every presentation. But more important, it’s what the next generation will grow up on and that is the real game changer. iPad kids will have a whole different perspective on what mobile is and will be in the future.

One of the things that will play this year as well is Real-time Interactive experiences that went past the computer and into the real world. Take a look at these wonderful examples of that. This year, the HYBRID of real and digital will continue to grow.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/18/sunday-review/the-internet-gets-physical.html

Then there was Crowdsourcing. It’s not just for advertising anymore. It is now helping us discover new products and help get them on the market. It’s also helping to publish books. But, best of all, it’s working toward discoveries in health care and science.

http://unbound.co.uk/

http://www.kickstarter.com/

I talked about how digital still wasn’t getting what TV has mastered. And that is still the case in my book.

Digital hasn’t figured out how to showcase its great content. And, in many ways, still isn’t providing great content to showcase. Digital needs to look at TV and learn some things. TV spends the money on content. TV promotes content. TV makes content an event even with TIVO. And TV still has more resources. But most of all, too many digital agencies spend their time talking about usability, wireframes, click-through metrics and half a dozen other digital buzzwords. That’s all well and good, but I am going to spend two minutes on your Web page if you are lucky. Meanwhile, I will spend more than four hours watching TV. Stop bullshitting me and put more on the Web that I need to see as much as I need to see the season finale of Homeland.

We were all wrong about Foursquare. I don’t use Foursquare much anymore and I don’t do a lot of checking in. I have also tired of watching my friends check in from different dive bars. So, from my perspective, I have lost interest in Foursquare discounts and I don’t want to be an imaginary mayor. Plus, my coffee place went to a frequency card.

It looks like Foursquare only figured out consumers and it didn’t even figure them out that well. It left companies to figure out the business portion.

And since the economy is getting better, the companies decided they don’t care about Foursquare as much either.

The consolidation battle between Facebook and Google rages on and on and on. Who will win your soul? Google. No, Facebook. No, Google. It’s hard to decide. Consumers seem locked in to Facebook. However, Google keeps throwing stuff against the wall hoping it will stick. Maybe something that helps individuals stand out more will be the key for Google along with all the customizable friend and privacy settings.

But the best prediction of last year was the Power of the Disenfranchised. The Occupy Wall Street set and whole countries decided they didn’t like the way things were going for them and moved on it. Social media was a conduit for these movements. This has empowered a great many to think they can cause the CHANGE that politicians have been inept at bringing. And if these movements get more organized with stronger leaders and missions, the sky is the limit. This may be the new system in 10 years. It’s pretty obvious the current political party system DOES NOT WORK (see Herman Cain and a host of Republican contenders).

However, the banks will never change. Greed wins over common sense the majority of the time.

All in all, not a bad year. So, what about 2012? Here are some thoughts on what will be more important in the coming year. (Not in any particular order.)

1. The Need for Privacy

Simply put, we don’t have any. Facebook, Google, your iPhone and the nation’s security issues have taken most of it away. With Facebook’s suicide button, you can report a friend who seems too depressed. How far away is that from reporting a person who seems like they might commit a crime? With Facebook’s Timeline, you can look into the history of friends and coworkers. You can look at a relationship status. You can stalk. It’s a window that is always open. With Foursquare, everyone knows you are out while your valuables are home alone. Your iPhone is tracking your movements. Cameras are everywhere. Phones can take a picture and post it to numerous social networks in seconds, tagging you forever. What happens when local cameras are automatically linked to phones? Watch out, terrorists. And what about the social index that can map when large groups are happy, sad, hungry, etc., from their social interactions? Can’t the same be done searching the key words used by individuals? Maybe I want to be sad ALONE.

It seems nothing is sacred anymore. We recently put a campaign together within Vegas asking people to Protect their What Happens Here, Stays Here moments by tweeting and posting discretely when on vacation here. It’s just the beginning. In the next couple of years, the privacy issue will provide a host of apps and a ton of conversation.

2. Transcending YouTube

YouTube celebrities have been showing up in the mainstream for a long time. Someone gets a ton of hits and you see them on a talk show or they get a TV deal. This year, however, brands will hook on to them like fine cheese at the wine tasting. Because the sheer number of fans is so appetizing. From Randall for Emerald Nuts to DJ Dave for Hyundai, the brands are taking notice of the number of hits on their videos.

As well they should. The tie in to Web videos for the brand should be easier since that is the original home of the celebrities in the first place. And if you think there are only a few of them getting the really big numbers of viewers, think again. For instance, try Nice Peter’s Epic Rap Battles – millions and millions of views. Just one of the many.

3. Putting a Brand Worth on Friends/Followers

What are those 600,000 Facebook friends really worth? What kind of ROI can I put to them? How can I spur them into action? How can I turn then into Brand Ambassadors, Brand Evangelists and, eventually, Brand Instigators? Because, as we all know, the key is not those people, but the people they will eventually influence. As more companies start building these groups, they’ll want to know what they’re really getting for the money. They can look at sales, do surveys or follow an online promotion setup for that very measurement, but this is really a small part of the picture. A lot of this is on the “come” as they say. Your Brand Instigators could have already influenced someone to use your product or service – someone who will never become your brand’s friend or tell you how they were influenced on a survey. That’s the nature of social and why it is so successful. Social still feels like an authentic suggestion from a trusted friend. How often is that happening and converting to sales? It’s a big question that will be on more companies’ minds than ever before.

4. The Online Content vs. Risk Dilemma

As more companies get a digital knowledge base, they will take less risk online. The Web is becoming less new and ambitious and more usability and content-driven. This has been happening for the last few years. That isn’t to say there aren’t wonderful sites to see. There are. They just happen to look and feel like what already works. The new mentality is that we will work on original content instead of originality. This is not a bad thing as long as the content is great. If it isn’t, then you just have another site. What does this mean for next year and beyond? Two things: 1. Content is going to get more and more competitive. 2. True originality will stand out like a sore thumb for better or worse.

The bottom line is that originality moves things forward while content makes what is working watchable and engaging. Originality will take a back seat this year on the digital front.

5. Screen Integration

Putting the TV screen, iPad screen and smartphone screen together will be paramount this year. Apps like Yahoo’s IntoNow listen for the audio signature of the show you are watching on television and provide you a unique second-screen experience to go with it. Well, a somewhat unique experience. In other words, the experience could use more content. Content is the key again here.

First off, the app is 100 percent accurate when it listens to identify what you are watching. Better than Shazam by a mile. And if you like to watch TV in a social manner, nothing will beat this. You can discuss with others who are watching the show, watch tweets connected with the show, get information about the episode and season, even buy the show ION iTunes. It’s all on one screen. If you are watching a sporting event, the stats are right there along with a lot of other great information.

What the app lacks is extra original content from the network. However, this will come in the near future. Think of the extras that can be made available to someone watching a show like LOST.

And that’s just the beginning of shared-screen experience. There’s already an app where you can paint over what you’re seeing on your iPad’s camera screen. It’s called Composite.

Couple that with augmented reality and who knows what will happen when you hold your iPad up to a television someday. Hidden characters? Hidden clues? Where to buy the outfits they’re wearing? Alternate endings? What’s to the right of picture where the screen ends? Games? Think of the possibilities.

6. The End of Talking to Anyone But Siri

Talking is out. It is a lost art. Texting allows you to interrupt at any moment. You don’t have to stop what you’re doing to do it (well, driving, finally – you have to stop driving – or you should stop driving). It allows you to put something out there with less risk of rejection. It’s casual even when it’s serious. It’s immediate. There are no awkward silences. When you text, you can attribute those silences to anything. Maybe they got hit by a bus or their phone went dead or they’re in a meeting on a bus that hit someone. No one ever has to believe that they are the reason for the silence. And, most of all, it’s just easier than talking.

Siri is perfect for the texting age. Siri is also immediate. Now you don’t even have to type. You can teach Siri to text someone. You can teach Siri who your wife is or who your best friend is.

And Siri is easy to talk to. She basically just does what you say. The only awkward silences are attributed to Siri not working. Which has happened to me a couple of times.

As Siri learns more and more apps learn to work with Siri, the dream of never having to talk to anyone real may become a reality. I look forward to the day when Siri starts to want stuff from me. Then I will know she is really learning.

7. Backstories

For those on the constant search for authenticity, this will be the year of backstories. In the world of art, the backstory is everything. The “provenance,” as it is called, should be able to trace the past of any great painting or sculpture. Companies and their products will start telling these stories more and more to today’s untrusting consumer. You will see the Web filled with videos showing how boots are made by hand; inspiration that led to that craft-brewed beer you like; the history of your jacket, and the individuals behind it all. It’s the year of pulling back the curtain. Even bankers will give it a shot, but who will believe?

8. The Gospel of Jobs and the Spread of Apple Innovation

The Steve Jobs love affair is just beginning. Pretty much everyone has read the Steve Jobs book (not me yet, but I have it on my iPad at the ready). They have seen his rules for innovation. They have felt his world-changing power. Now they all want to be a part of it. They like spreading the gospel of Jobs. They want to be Steve Jobs. For all the people who say there will never be another Steve Jobs, there are millions of inspired people and companies that will be trying to become the next Steve Jobs. And that will lead to Apple innovation and simplicity in a host of new and exciting products that cover a wide spectrum of our lives. Like the one below.

http://www.nest.com/blog/

I think there will be a number of Steve Jobs in our future. If not, at least some products he would be proud of.

9. Newsjacking

http://www.twistimage.com/blog/archives/newsjacking-turns-you-into-the-expert/

It’s not new, but it will become a bigger story this year. With search engines, blogs and the ability to target consumers like never before, the ability to make your brand part of breaking stories is easier than ever. Ad campaigns will follow closer to trends and often be built around them. In a world where “there’s an app for that,” marketers will have to move fast. These days, consumers have a thought and they want it taken care of. They want things that make sense for the times because they live current and interconnected. The river of information is in constant flow. It can’t hurt to jump on one of the big logs so that someone might notice you before the falls.

10. The Clouds

Consumers will discover the cloud this year. If you asked most of them last year, they would say, “What is that?” or “You mean the fluffy thing in the sky?” Most consumers look at the cloud as one, main place. This year, they’ll understand the cloud is Amazon, Dropbox, Facebook, Evernote, iCloud, Google and many more. The cloud is about as fragmented as it can be. As more consumers start to understand the cloud and what it means, they will look for ways to consolidate their information. This is the big hope of Google. Google has a place for all your stuff in the cloud under one account. Right now, it may be the easiest, but Apple is close behind with iCloud. And then there’s the personal cloud where you own the memory and the location of your personal server and access your information from there (R&R client Western Digital plug here).

If you’re using the cloud, get ready. Because the cloud wars are just heating up.

I hope some of this has been interesting to you. I certainly don’t know everything, but I would like to. So if you want to tell me what I’ve missed, argue one of these points or just call me an idiot, feel free. I am @arnied on Twitter.

Have a great 2012.

Tags: Apple innovation, Composite, crowdsourcing, Digital Marketing, DJ Dave, Facebook, foursquare, Google, Honey badger, Hyundai, IntoNow, ipad, iTunes, linkedin, Occupy Wall Street, online content, Personal brands, screen integration, Siri, Social Media, Steve Jobs, The Clouds, the social index, Twitter, yahoo, youtube
Posted in Advertising, Creative, Digital Marketing, Media, Research / Planning, Social Media | No comments yet ›

Social media enlightenment

October 19th, 2011 by Jimmy Keown, Social Media Specialist

Social media, marketing, and creative advertising have come a long way since my first venture into the business world (and that wasn’t all that long ago). Likewise, I’ve seen decent companies bring revolutionary ideas to the table, only to disappear within months or a couple years after launch. In the frantic race to simultaneously prove return on investment and justify innovative direction, many existing marketing giants are feeling pressure to adapt and simply avoid becoming an industry laggard. These conflicting needs are a daily challenge for brands and businesses alike.

So, how can a company quickly and efficiently change its perspective on social media? The answer may be “enlightenment through creative and strategic risk.”

A majority of business professionals understand that communication pathways have changed, and so have the vehicles. Only a few years ago, brands were able to gain instant market share simply by creating a presence within a social network, throwing some funding behind seeding the network, and then reaping their successes through earned media and elevated community traffic. In the current state of social media, a brand is extremely lucky to break through all of the chatter armed only with an integrated social media presence. The new world of digital and social marketing requires brands to look at their business through a completely new perspective.

First, I’m a firm believer that business objectives should come first and should never be put at risk purely for the purpose of social buzz. Now, how can you compliment your business objectives through social media? I’m guessing GM doesn’t plan on selling a car because of a tweet, or a truck through a Facebook post. But I do believe that a tweet or a post can help solidify relationships with your existing customers, facilitate new relationships, and create brand loyalists. The value of these relationships and conversations is a variable as diverse as the audience and network they occur on.

Remember, social media is a platform for conversations and a vehicle for sharing new, personal, and unique content. The space was not meant to drive direct sales. With this in mind, you can now explore your tactics through a new lens; one that is dedicated to some basic guidelines of “new, personal, unique and social.” If you were to explore all of the strategic pathways that consumers communicate with online through this lens, you’re bound to discover campaign direction with social steam power. But what good is building steam without the potential to see explosive results? This is where many marketers find themselves stuck – with every entrepreneurial venture comes risk, and risk sometimes results in unconquerable challenges. If you’re able to predict accurate ROI then it’s probably already been done. However, this is precisely the point in social and digital campaigns where you reach innovative enlightenment. You are attempting to explore the path to become an “entrepreneur” of sorts, creating a whole new idea with the tools and unique offerings that your brand or business has to offer. This is your adventure into the unknown marriage of a new strategy, innovative tactics, and an audience that can talk back.

Social media can be the catalyst for a plethora of marketing ideas, and sometimes these ideas can generate explosive movements. In the end, a social media movement requires the right creative lens, a healthy dose of considered risk, and an enlightened organization to be supportive – win or lose.

If you’re interested in further investigation of some progressive social media brands— check out the short list below.

Skittles:

Virgin America

Zappos:

Coca-Cola

Volkswagen

Domino’s

Livestrong

White House

Levi’s

Tags: Coca-Cola, communication pathways, Domino's, Levi's, Livestrong, Skittles, Social Media, social media marketing, Virgin America, Volkswagen, White House, Zappos
Posted in Advertising, Digital Marketing, Media, Social Media | No comments yet ›

Social media’s effect on Super Bowl ads

February 4th, 2011 by Lindsey Patterson, Senior Media Planner/Buyer

With the “Big Game” just a few days away, it’s hard to escape the hype of this year’s Super Bowl ads, no matter how hard you try. Ads have already been previewed on morning television, leaked to the web and radio hosts chatting. Most notably this year though, is how social media will impact these hefty spending advertisers.

Social media news source, Mashable.com, offers a great analysis as to how brands are taking a number of different approaches to their social strategy with the Super Bowl. Frito-Lay for instance has continued their “Crash the Super Bowl” contest while Mercedes is running a campaign called “The World’s First Twitter-Fueled Race.” Others are advertising their advertisements. E*Trade for instance is releasing outtakes on their YouTube channel from their iconic talking babies, all in an effort to generate buzz leading up to the new spot’s release during the game. In another positive sign for the economy, a record number of automotive advertisers purchased spots this year. However, Volkswagen on the flip-side seems to be taking a more standoffish approach – just putting it on their YouTube channel. Within just 48 hours, their “The Force” ad was a trending topic on Twitter and had 1.5 million views on YouTube.

During a segment on the Today Show this morning, Matt Miller reported that 15% of Super Bowl viewers will post something on Facebook during the game. Of those, most say they’re more likely to post about an ad versus the game itself! Knowing the vastness of Facebook and how quickly one person’s post gets released into a feed, which is then commented on, shared, liked, etc. suddenly one commercial has garnered exponentially more impressions online.

For that reason, Sally Hogshead, featured on the Today Show, says a three million dollar TV spot in the Super Bowl is the best bargain in advertising. I’m sure there are varying opinions on her statement but one thing is certain – your ad better amaze, inspire or illicit great laughter. With such emphasis put on Super Bowl commercials, it sure would be horrible if those billions of social media impressions were buzzing about a ‘let down’ of a spot.

Tags: E*Trade, Frito-Lay, Mashable.com, Social Media, Super Bowl, Super Bowl ads, Today show, Volkswagen
Posted in Media, Social Media | No comments yet ›

Social Marketing News 8/11/10

August 11th, 2010 by Rachelle Houle-Maisner, Interactive Producer

Here’s your weekly recap of recent Social Media News.

Google Wave waves goodbye. In a blog post last week, Google announced that it will no longer continue to develop Google Wave as a standalone product, citing low user adoption. Instead, Google will utilize some of Wave’s functionality in other projects and maintain some features as open-source code. The ill-fated online collaboration tool was extraordinarily innovative, however many users were at a loss for trying to find practical uses for the technology and how to integrate it into everyday life. This blogger was an early adopter of Wave and an outspoken supporter, however even I found the tool to be worthless when majority of my social contacts were not Wavers themselves. Google Wave had a lot of potential, but with so many existing technologies that allow users to share and collaborate already ingrained into our normal web habits (like email and social networks), there was never a strong enough need for Wave. Further, Wave was not an easy tool to adopt quickly: many users faced a large learning curve in understanding Wave’s functionality, and limited Wave invites at its launch presented a barrier to entry that may have stunted adoption from the onset.

Warm and friendly wins in social. Researchers from Relational Capital Group have studied the science behind making brands more people-friendly and offers strategic insight for social media. Chris Malone writes in a recent Ad Age article about his team’s psychological study in perception and brand loyalty, and offers three actionable customer service strategies for social media. For more tips on how to connect with your audience in a warm and friendly manner, also check out 5 Ways to Build Your Blog’s Voice from ProBlogger.

MySpace just won’t die. One month after its profile redesign, MySpace is rolling out a new homepage to provide users with more utility and better access to MySpace’s best features. The former social media giant is focused on growing its user network, which includes luring back users that haven’t signed in for years, and specifically targeting 13-34 year olds. The homepage redesign is available to some users in beta, and will be rolling out across all users by August 16. The most important addition to the homepage is the new MySpace Stream, which functions much like the Facebook News Feed providing a feed of friends’ activities, media content, and events. Screenshots are available from Mashable.

Rachelle Maisner is an Interactive Producer for R&R Partners, and writes about social media at FiveFeetOfDynamite.com.

Tags: customer service, google wave, MySpace, social marketing, Social Media, Social Media News, social media strategies
Posted in Advertising, Digital Marketing | No comments yet ›

Trust Me … I’m the Mayor

June 14th, 2010 by Elizabeth Flippin, Account Executive

With the emergence of location-based social networking, I’ve achieved the ultimate political goal: I am the mayor of 13 locations (via foursquare anyways). I know what you’re thinking. It’s a bit of a monopoly at Flippin’s Fantastic Desk, but rest assured that I earned that mayorship fair and square. After all, I’m highly decorated having earned 16 badges on my ventures including the coveted Douchebag, Crunked and I’m on a Boat badges.

Location-based social networking is a hot trend in social media, but with 50 new cities, millions of user-generated content, various free cell phone applications, and high-profile sponsorships this seems to be more than a trend. Foursquare, probably the most widely spread and recognizable location-based social network, describes itself best as “helping users meet up with their friends on the go and discover exciting things to do in their communities.” Foursquare also just surpassed the 40 million “check-ins” mark, 1 million users mark and reportedly adds 15,000 users per day.

Recently, foursquare “mayors,” those who check-in most frequently at one location, have been subject to rewards and special offers. For example, during the month of June, mayors of Starbucks are invited to enjoy $1 off Frappucinos. Another way foursquare is leveraging the mayorship functionality is to host or gain access to special events. Foursquare “TweetUps,” or Twitter gatherings, seem to be gaining some momentum. Here’s a foursquare mayor exclusive TweetUp.

With all the hype surrounding location-based social networking, the next step of brand engagement (and foursquare profit) has begun. Some brands actively using foursquare are Zagat, Lucky, TLC, Bon Appétit, History Channel, Bravo and VH1. Having a good idea of what foursquare sponsorship price tags look like, companies aren’t seeing any ROI from logo placement and minimal recognition on their dedicated foursquare page. It’s a mere branding effort at this point.

The challenge for brands buying foursquare placement is they are not changing users’ habits. Users are “checking in” to someplace when they are already at a location. Badges received are typically stumbled upon, not sought out. Consumers are not changing habits to engage with brands. There’s a slim chance anyone will purposely travel to the History Channel’s “to-do” list items in order to win History Channel prizes (read as swag bag) or unlock superficial badges that only other foursquare users can see. Zagat’s foursquare page offers no incentive to follow them apart from one-sided tips and ongoing offers in exchange for the coveted digital badge.

Consumers like to feel as though they are receiving exclusivity and privilege through social media, which sponsorships on foursquare could easily create. Brands could offer incentives for additional locations nearby or partner with multiple companies to create a brand network. For example, if a user checks into a movie theater, an offer for an ice cream cone or free cocktail with your ticket stub could appear. Another example is if someone unlocks the Zagat’s badge or completes 10 of their to-do’s, the user receives a free Zagat’s guide to their city. Or Bon Appétit could partner with restaurants to create “Bon Appétit Menus” only available to those who check-in. The consumer needs a tangible reward for using the foursquare service and a reason for users to keep seeking out offers and engaging with a brand.

While branding opportunities for foursquare are still in its infancy, users should look forward to growth and additional perks. In the meantime, I will enjoy my 16 badges and 12 mayorships and be silently bitter that no one stays mayor for long … not even at Flippin’s Fantastic Desk.

Tags: foursquare, networking, Social Media
Posted in Advertising, Digital Marketing, Pop Culture, Social Media | 1 comment so far ›

Social Marketing News 4/12/10

April 13th, 2010 by Rachelle Houle-Maisner, Interactive Producer

Twitter ads are here. Just launched last night, Promoted Tweets is a platform that allows advertisers to push messaging within Twitter search results. Twitter is expected to expand the ad system beyond search, one day allowing advertisers the ability to push paid tweets directly to user streams. User acceptance is critical, and Twitter has stated that branded messages will be “clearly labeled” as advertisements, according to AdWeek.

The Promoted Tweets vehicle isn’t the only new development currently brewing at Twitter. Recently, the micro-blogging service had acquired Atebits, the developer of Tweetie for iPhone and Mac. This move signals a vital shift in Twitter’s evolution: Twitter will now compete directly with third party developers and produce its own proprietary software. Notorious as an open platform, Twitter couldn’t be what it is today without the programmers who have built over 70,000 applications that have made Twitter more accessible to many users. With dollar signs in their eyes, Twitter is bringing some of that development in house and is putting itself at odds other developers.

On that note, friction also continues to rise between Apple and Adobe. Hostility has reduced these multi-million dollar corporations to childish antics and name-calling. Read for yourself: Apple Gives Adobe The Finger With Its New iPhone SDK Agreement; and Adobe Flash evangelist: ‘Go screw yourself Apple’. Can’t we all just get along?

Out with the old, in with the new. In the midst of ever declining market share, Palm is rumored to be looking for a buyer. News of the possible sell coincidentally come the same week that Microsoft unveils two new social media centric phones, Kin 1 and Kin 2. No word yet on whether Microsoft will pay royalties to Dr. Seuss for the names of the new devices.

Social Media: Strategy

How to Develop a Sound Facebook Fan Page Strategy: Step 1 - Ignite Social Media

Remember Google’s Super Bowl Search Ad? Now You Can Make Your Own (this is an awesome viral campaign)- TechCrunch

Twitter Launches A New Guide For Media Organizations – Tech Crunch

Yahoo Opens New Firehose of Social Media Data to Developers - Mashable

Zappos CEO on How To Deliver Happiness with Social Media [INTERVIEW] - Mashable

10 Essential Social Media Tools for B2B Marketers - Mashable

Social Media: Consumer Electronics

Adobe Flash evangelist: ‘Go screw yourself Apple’ - cnet news

Verizon CEO: U.S. Tops in Cellular Service - PC Mag

Sharp to launch advanced 3D panels for mobile gear - Reuters

Palm Said to Tap Goldman, Quattrone to Find Buyers - Bloomberg

Next, a Kin: Microsoft to try new consumer phones - Washington Post

Microsofts Project Pink phones now official, known as “Kin 1″ and “Kin 2″ – TechCrunch

Digital Advertising

Yelp makes two major changes in the way reviews are posted - LA Times

Source: Twitter’s Ad Platform Launches Tonight – TechCrunch

Twitter Starts ‘Promoted Tweets’ Ad System – AdWeek

The Multi-Billion Dollar Question: Will Users Click on Twitter Ads? - Mashable

Into Hand: Jobs Unveils iAd, Says ‘Search Is Not Where It’s At’ - Media Post

Internet Trends

Google Docs Overhauled, Microsoft Should Be Worried - Fast Company

Tensions Rise for Twitter and App Developers - New York Times

Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” in Twitter twist - Reuters

The Real Reason VCs Think Foursquare Is Worth $100 Million – Business Insider

HuffPo Launches Separate ‘Twitter Edition’; More Focus On Real-Time News - Paid Content

Apple Gives Adobe The Finger With Its New iPhone SDK Agreement – Tech Crunch

Rachelle Houle-Maisner is an Interactive Producer for R&R Partners, and writes about social media at FiveFeetOfDynamite.com.

Tags: Social Media, social media marketing, Social Media News
Posted in R&R News & Notes | No comments yet ›

Social Marketing News 3/29/10

March 30th, 2010 by Rachelle Houle-Maisner, Interactive Producer

It’s iPad Week. The new Apple tablet will begin shipping this week, and iPad has been at the center of a media frenzy. The articles below are what I found most interesting in iPad news, including speculation about Apple’s mobile advertising platform called iAd, and rumors that Best Buy will stock the iPad later this week (if only a very small supply of them…).

In early February, Google announced a new endeavor to build an experimental fiber network and asked state, county and city officials across the US to respond to a RFI to be a part of the program. The selected communities would be eligible to become partners with Google in building the new broadband network. Everyday citizens were invited to participate by nominating their community for consideration. The deadline for responses was last Friday, and Google announced this week that they received over 1,100 official applications. You can learn more about the project at Google Fiber for Communities.

Just when you thought you knew all the ins and outs of Facebook, Facebook changes something. This week, Facebook sent a memo to advertisers that “Become A Fan” will change to “Like” within Facebook ads and Fan Pages. The decision to change apparently comes from data testing “Like” buttons against “Become A Fan” buttons within Facebook ad units, in which users were twice as likely to click on the former. When this goes into effect, users that click “Like” on a Facebook ad will become a Fan of that advertiser’s Page and receive News Feed updates. There could be a very large backlash from users on this change (after all, there’s always some kind of backlash when anything changes on Facebook.) The question is, will users blame Facebook, or blame the advertisers? See the memo from Facebook, or read this article from RWW.

iPad Week

MTV Developing ‘Co-Viewing’ Apps for the iPad – AdAge

iPad Out to Prove Itself as Gaming Platform, but Will Users Play Along? – AdAge

iPad App Store Preview Leaks: App CoverFlow – Fast Company

Apple posts up iPad Guided Tours… lots of Guided Tours – Engadget

Best Buy’s iPad supply: 15 per store – CNNMoney.com

Apple’s iAd Could Bite a Chunk Out of Google’s Mobile Ad Business – Fast Company

Social Media: Strategy

Viral Complexity (a review of ROI from 2009’s most viral videos) – Brandweek

Social Media Boosts E-Mail Marketing – Brandweek

Lessons From Leno and Twitter Bombers: 3 Rules for Next-Gen Marketing – Fast Company

The Two Most Important Questions in Social Media Marketing – Ignite Social Media

Social Media: Consumer Electronics

This Is What Cars Might Look Like On Your Next Kindle – Gizmodo

Android Devices Crave Google’s Attention - Wired

CTIA End-of-Convention Roundup: Android, 4G, and Even More Android – Fast Company

LinkedIn for BlackBerry Released [SCREENSHOTS] – Mashable

Digital Advertising

What Type Of Social Media Ads Are The Most Effective? – MediaPost

Apple’s iAd Could Bite a Chunk Out of Google’s Mobile Ad Business – Fast Company

Do You Like Us Or Like Like Us? “Become A Fan” Changing To “Like” On Facebook – RWW

Internet Trends

Facebook Will Rule the Web During the Next Decade – AdAge

Google Receives More Than 1,100 Official Applications for Fiber Broadband Network – Fast Company

Gowalla + Foursquare + Brightkite + Yelp + Google Maps=Checkin Mania – Fast Company

Rachelle Maisner is an Interactive Producer for R&R Partners, and writes about social media at FiveFeetOfDynamite.com.

Tags: Facebook, facebook advertising, facebook changes, google fiber for communities, ipad, ipad week, Social Media, social media marketing, Social Media News
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Social Marketing News 3/22/10

March 22nd, 2010 by Rachelle Houle-Maisner, Interactive Producer

I read about a really interesting study reported by ReadWriteWeb about influence and the number of followers you have on Twitter. Per the research findings, the number of followers you have on Twitter is an almost completely irrelevant metric for measuring influence. Read the RWW recap here, and see the actual report here.

Facebook hasn’t formally announce this yet, but the company has began to send weekly emailed reports on Facebook page metrics to their respective page admins. These reports include only metrics that are currently available to admins, so the weekly reports serve more as reporting summaries than anything else. Read more about this story at MediaPost.

Apple began to accept pre-orders for the iPad last Friday, with the promise that the first iPads will be arriving in the first week of April. Rumor has it that over a hundred thousand iPads have been pre-ordered, and some are speculating that more iPads will be sold in the first three months than iPhones sold in its debut. With all the attention the iPad is drawing, some are wondering if an iPad Killer is emerging… could it come from Palm? Or from HP?

YouTube and Viacom are in the mists of a copyright lawsuit, which has revealed a few embarrassing details about both companies in recently unsealed court filings. Among other interesting tid bits, Viacom had tried to buy YouTube just before Google’s acquisition was finalized. Read more of the story here.