Eagle Strategies Blog

How Social Media has Taken Over the Academy Awards

2012-02-27T11:59:00.000-06:00

Remember when you and your family would gather around to watch award shows which were shown on your television? While that may still be the same, you can now live tweet your own thoughts throughout an award show (“What is she wearing? “ and “He shouldn’t have won that award Clooney was a shoe in!”) and follow celebrities who are live tweeting throughout the show to feel like you’re getting the inside scoop.

The Oscars, which were broadcasted live this past Sunday on ABC was no exception to the insanely large amount of social media buzz surrounding the show, the celebrities and the awards. According to mashable.com, there were 4.2 social mentions and activities that surrounded the Academy Awards last night, with 3.9 million surrounding just the preshow.

56% of those who helped drive this social media buzz were women and 44% were men who participated. A majority of the feedback was positive and most of the online chatter was done on a smartphone or tablet this year. The top five busiest moments, according to mashable.com, that occurred during the award show on social media were:

1. Octavia Spencer wins Best Supporting Actress: 31,216 mentions per minute.

2. Opening montage: 30,488 mentions per minute.

3. Cirque du Soleil performance: 30,102 mentions per minute.

4. Meryl Streep wins Best Actress: 29,978 mentions per minute.

5. The Artist wins Best Picture: 28,645 mentions per minute.

The top three states with the most Twitter chatter going on were California, New York and Texas. The top three cities with overall social media chatter were California, New York and Chicago. The top two mentioned actors were Jean Dujardin and George Clooney, while Meryl Streep and Angelina Jolie took the actress mentions. The Artist was the most talked about move and McDonalds, “She loves me not” ad was the most interesting commercial.

While some of these stats may not be too much of a shocker, it is still interesting to know that we don’t have to wait till the next morning to hear and see all the exciting moments before, during and after an award show. We can now all watch and hear it in real time without leaving our couch.

Lauren Miler

@untlaurenmiller

Mashable article link: http://mashable.com/2012/02/27/oscars-2012-social-media-stats/

Will QR codes last????

2012-02-26T23:58:00.000-06:00

Will QR codes last?

While eating at a local Subway last week I came across a sign advertising a sweepstake to win free Subway for a year. I looked closer to the sign and realized something unusual about this promotion, this one required interaction with a QR code. I have heard of QR codes before but honestly had never used one. I then downloaded the QR app to my I-phone and scanned the QR code at the top, while doing this I thought, wow has technology came such a long way. I was entering a contest that seemed to take ten seconds opposed to the traditional old school way for entering contest, by pencil and paper. Shorty I found that I was not a winner that day but I was now really interested in the idea of scanning a code with my phone. Later that week I saw another QR code on my slurpee at the movies. To me this seemed fascinating and I began looking everywhere I went to see if they promoted a QR code.

I then researched more about QR codes and found that they might not be around to much longer. According to Jon Barocas, CEO and founder of bieMEDIA he does not believe QR codes will be around much longer. bieMEDIA is listed as a Denver-based online marketing and media solutions company that specializes in video content production and distribution, mobile visual search, technology platforms, SEO,VSEO and more. QR codes drive traffic to websites, they are placed on product packaging to help advertise the product. Barocas says that QR codes seemed to open a world of opportunity and potential but after using them for a length of time, he shifted his perspective. He shares a recent study from comScore, stating that less than 5 percent of Americans have interacted with QR codes. He points out the reason why he believes QR codes aren’t very popular with people, he said because humans are like “visual animals”.

“We have visceral reactions to images that a QR code can never evoke; what we see is directly linked to our moods, our purchasing habits and our behaviors.” Barocas said.

Now I know my experience with QR codes is different from the opinion Barocas has but I wonder why other people aren’t using this fascinating, easy and convenient technology.

Why is cyber bullying such a HUGE problem?

2012-02-26T23:47:00.000-06:00

by Kellie Hill

Cyber bullies outnumber victims on a 4:1 ratio on Facebook alone, apparently. All you have to do these days is visit almost any YouTube video and see people being rude, derogatory and hateful towards other people, all the while never divulging their true identity. This behavior isn't only exhibited on YouTube either. No blog, forum, or social media outlet is safe.

Because more and more kids have smart phones that allow them to use social media any where at any time, away from parental supervision, parents are only aware of half the incidents of cyber bullying involving their children.

Maybe they aren’t aware… or maybe they’re turning a blind eye because they’re involved in cyber bullying as well, to a certain extent.

The other day I watched a video of a father who shot his daughter’s laptop. Some of you might have heard of this video.

Below the video, there was a war between parents who agreed with his actions, and parents who didn’t. Some of the parents were just as nasty to one another as the children and teens who engage in the same behavior.

I set out to find out why some people appear to have two personalities--online and offline--and how they can be so terrible to a stranger.

Psychologically, when people exhibit cruel behaviors online, it could be referred to as toxic disinhibition. People feel distance between them and the people they are hurting because it’s a connection shrouded in anonymity. According to a study on cyber bullying done by Dr. John Suler at Rider University in New Jersey, “When people have the opportunity to separate their actions online from their in-person lifestyle and identity, they feel less vulnerable ... about acting out. Whatever they say or do can’t be directly linked to the rest of their lives.”

Other factors that contribute the disinhibition effect are invisibility and asynchronicity. In the two-faced online world, people do or say malicious things because they cannot be seen by others and do not interact in real time, thus feel protected.

While I now have an answer for my questions, it doesn’t make me feel any less uneasy. There is no obvious cure for the problem, only things to make the symptoms of the disease more bearable. Thank goodness for people like Dan Savage and his partner Terry, who started the It Gets Better Project to reach out to teens who are bullied for being gay, both on and offline. The uplifting part is that if the online world is the problem, it can also be part of the solution. Kids and teens who are treated poorly online can Google search “online bullying support” and have a wealth of resources at their fingertips.

Brands rush to Pinterest, but is it worth it?

2012-02-26T23:39:00.001-06:00

Just when I thought the media was getting carried away with the #Lincredibly annoying Jeremy Lin puns, bloggers discovered how Pinteresting the marketing mix has become because of Pinterest.

Pinterest is a social media website that allows users to share content by the use of “pinning” pictures to their online clipboards. It’s extremely easy to “pin” something, so it almost goes without saying the activity also happens to be incredibly addicting.

Since TechCrunch announced Pinterest reached the 10-million-user mark faster than any other social media website, Pinterest has exploded. Not just in terms of users, but also in terms of buzz from bloggers, social media gurus and even news organizations.

If you’re like me, though, you’re more annoyed with the claims your company and/or brand needs to be on Pinterest more so than the Pinterest puns in headlines. Just a quick search of “Pinterest” in Google, and four articles that pop up for me are as follows:

Should A Small Business Be Pinning on Pinterest?

Is Pinterest the Secret to Your Web Domination?

The Pinterest Marketing Guide for Small Businesses

New Site Sparking Brands’ and Businesses ‘Pinterest’

Now, I’m not saying it’s a waste for companies searching for effective ways to use Pinterest, I’m just questioning the claim Pinterest is the next big thing for social media marketing. Wasn’t it just two weeks ago we were just finding out about Pinterest?

While it certainly has potential to become just that, I’ve yet to hear of brands and companies breaking through the threshold in such a way that justifies the buzz Pinterest has received about marketing. After all, there’s still a lot we don’t know about using Pinterest – let alone about Pinterest.

In my quest to find information about Pinterest, I found a few unsettling articles. Namely, Pinterest and the Intellectual Property Conundrum, in which the author points out Pinterests’ terms of agreement is akin to what the controversial SOPA bill aimed to accomplish. TechGrab also posted a similar article entitled How Your Business Could Get Sued for Using Pinterest.

Sure, Pinterest exists, and people are using it –– but brands and companies shouldn’t rush to market on Pinterest simply because it exists and people are using it. As always, there should be a plan, and plans require research. In this case, research might not be a bad thing for a brands compelled to sign up for Pinterest in figuring out whether it’s the right avenue for them.

What are your thoughts?

@ValerieElisse

#untj4210

The Use of Fake Names Online

2012-02-26T23:26:00.000-06:00

The entire point of any social media platform is to share your life with those around you. Whether it is people you know personally or “friends” that you only speak with on the internet. Social media allows you to make genuine connections with those in similar “tribes” as you, as well as with anonymous faces from around the world.

A question I came across today was: Does using a fake name hinder people from making a genuine connection?

I know when I was younger and first exploring on the internet I was always harshly warned by my father to give as little information about myself as possible when posting things on the internet. Every screenname and email I created was never to be self-identifying in any way.

However now it seems that using your real name on social media sites is almost a necessity. Everyone wants to be known for their ideas or original content that is posted on various sites. Even on Twitter, your handle may be a nickname you like to use or a shortened version of your name but your real name is still attached to your account.

I read a blog recently on hubze that discussed how Google+ is trying to change its harsh restrictions on the use of fake names. They now allow users to add nicknames to their profile and then choose how their name is displayed to everyone else. The link to the article is here: http://hubze.com/2012/01/google-changes-its-mind-about-fake-names-kinda/

I honestly think that Google+ is doing the right thing by not allowing people to use fake names on their site. It helps create a more genuine connection with the people you want to add in your circles. With as many dangers and creepers that you can find on the internet, I feel as though flagging any suspicious names helps keep their site a safer place for everyone. I wish that Facebook would do the same so that I can stop seeing some of my friends who attach their ridiculous self-imposed nicknames onto their actual name. I even have friends who will periodically just change their name completely and it always throws me off. I want to know more about the actual person not the image you are trying to create for yourself.

Rashynda Whitworth

@rashynda

Social media helps TV ratings

2012-02-26T22:59:00.002-06:00

Followers and friends who have never watched the Oscars prior to the social media revolution are watching tonight. Before Twitter and Facebook, the only way to tune into a national event was to choose to watch it on television. Now, a simply tweet intrigues followers to watch an event they normally would not. Even if someone cannot watch an event the people they follow can keep them informed.

Last week over 40 million people tuned in to watch the Grammys. http://allthingsd.com/20120213/near-record-ratings-for-the-grammys-cbs-credits-the-web/?refcat=social credits the surprise death of Whitney Houston and the new social media trends for the success. In my opinion, Twitter and Facebook gives viewers a chance to have a dialogue with people who are interested and watching the same thing as them. A trending topic lets people engage in conversation about topics.

I have friends that tweet just for social status. When did Twitter become the place to prove who you are to a mass of people? Having the most followers or being retweeted to most can give individuals social status. I hear so many people say they have not met most of their followers and most don’t even make an attempt to meet their followers when they see them in public.

Now that I understand social media can be measured, I understand individual’s eagerness to have followers and retweets. Television shows and programs can really benefit from using social media to promote new seasons. I have seen several TV series whose co-stars tweet about the upcoming season.

@ARTatePR
Adrienne Tate

JCPenney ignores conservative mommy bloggers

2012-02-26T22:02:00.002-06:00

Although I initially planned to write about the Oscars and the show’s use of social media, I’m rethinking that as I watch it right now.

Hopefully you’re all noticing the JCPenney commercials during each break, which are something we don’t typically see from the company, which has historically been more dependent on catalog sales and direct mail than almost any other.

Nearly every marketing textbook contains a case study about JCPenney, including the one I’m reading now. Although the company’s inclusion in these textbooks may not change, the story might. JCP is currently undergoing a massive rebranding in an effort to return to its roots as a company devoted to its customers.

As part of its strategy, the company announced its partnership with Ellen Degeneres, but were welcomed by a social media firestorm spearheaded by the conservative-minded mommy bloggers from OneMillionMoms.com.

The group describes itself as a “network of Christian moms who have joined together to stand up for our children and families.” Along with denouncing JCP’s choice of spokeswoman, they contacted the company and requested that it choose a more more neutral spokesperson.

But OneMillionMoms.com was met with a counter protest from the popular blog Sweetney, who organized a nation-wide “shop-in” to support JCP and its commitment to standing behind Ellen Degeneres.

We always talk about always having your hand on the pulse of social media and being as much of a listener as you are a brand promoter. It is important to know your audience and listen when they’re collectively sending you a message, but in this case, I think we should commend JCP for NOT listening. There are so many companies that immediately shy away from a decision when they are met with any sort of widespread disapproval.

OneMillionMoms.com is an extremely popular blog and is seen as an important influencer among companies like JCP, but the company chose to ignore OMM’s one-sided views. I for one think JCP’s decision will work in its favor as it continues with rebranding plans.

Diamond in the Rough

2012-02-26T21:50:00.000-06:00

A.k. Iyer
@akiyer

With the Oscars going on, most of the world isn't aware of anything else. Another annual event, in no way more glamourous than the Oscars, the NBA All-Star game is on just a few channels up. And the biggest name in basketball right now is, if you haven't heard, the newest and most unexpected addition to the NBA, Jeremy Lin. Yes, Jeremy Lin. Lin has exploded onto the NBA with a 9-2 record in his first 10 games. The funny thing is, he was living on a couch just 2 weeks ago. Nobody saw this "Diamond in the Rough", sitting at number 15 on the New York Knicks roster. Only because of injuries to the team's key players did he get some game time. And in that game he ended the Knicks losing streak and started the phenomenon called "Linsanity". And 3 games later he would go on to score 38 points on Kobe Bryant, one of the greatest players in the league. Winning game after game, Jeremy Lin's jersey quickly jumped to the highest selling jersey in the NBA right now. Goes to show how much hype, performance, and luck go to creating an internationally recognizable face.

Sourced:

http://www.nba.com/playerfile/jeremy_lin/

http://www.cbsnews.com/2300-400_162-10011310.html

Re-inventing the entertainment industry

2012-02-26T21:37:00.000-06:00

By: Clare J. Cawley

For years, my generation has been enjoying reality entertainment shoes such as American Idol, Survivor, Big Brother and The Real World. Moreover, for the past few years, since the rise of social media, their number of viewers slowly dwindled. In my opinion, the reality series the Voice is creating a fine example of how the entertainment industry will have to step up their game.

The Voice is a singing show somewhat like American Idol. However, the contestants are already established artists, and the judges, Christina Aguilera, Cee-Lo Green, Blake Shelton and Adam Levine, build teams of their favorite artists.

Let us back track for a minute. Since Twitter became the popular medium for actors and artists to connect with their fans, we have seen more and more publicists and agents requiring their clients to participate on the social media website. I believe seeing the impact their tweets have is causing them to realize what their participation can do for their viewership. Consumer trends indicate that the more a consumer feels to an artist the more often they develop a loyalty to that particular artist.

Getting back to my original point, The Voice is incorporating this evolutionary social media trend into their production. The judges tweet during the show, and their tweets show up at the bottom of the screen for the viewers who are not following them on Twitter. Therefore, I am under the impression that the producers require the judges to tweet. However, Blake Shelton and Adam Levine are avid “tweeters” anyway.

Another element the Voice incorporated is a communications liaison, Christina Milian. She is a personal correspondent for the audience. She goes back stage, interviews the judges and artists throughout the competition. Therefore, when the viewers are able to see what goes on behind the scenes and monitor the progress of the artists.

On top of this awesomeness, viewers are able to go online and read the personal blogs of each artist. This allows the viewers to feel like they are on this journey alongside the artists. In addition, the Voice’s website provides a social media feed, links to its Twitter and Facebook, as well as further information on the Voice’s mobile application. This smart phone application allows you to build your own team and act as the “fifth judge.”

I am of the belief that the innovation this series is taking to accommodate the growing connection the population has with social media will influence the entire entertainment industry. I hope that these types of changes inspire producers, actors, artists and the like to evolve the way they connect with their audiences. Especially after seeing the reaction viewers have to these trends, it will be for the benefit of the audiences and the entertainment industry to revolutionize their social media practices.

www.clarecawley.com

Social media affects our personal relationships

2012-02-26T20:16:00.001-06:00

This week has been rough on me, because my boyfriend of 2 years and I broke up. It got me thinking about how social media might affect relationships, with significant others, friends and strangers. I feel that social media plays a role in my personal relationships, but not to the extreme that it potentially could.

Social media is not the reason that I am single, but I feel that it spreads the word quickly, whether you want it to or not. Also, it is a good way to stay in touch with people you may not see often.

It is not just the relationship being affected, but how we communicate with each other, as well. You may talk to people you do not know personally sometimes on these sites. This can be dangerous but it can also help you to get a different view and new insight on certain subjects.

Many people spend far too much time having conversations on social media instead of in person. This is detrimental to our personal relationships. You do not get the same satisfaction from online communication and face-to-face communication.

More information is shared online that people wouldn't be willing to share in person, which makes no sense because anyone and everyone can see it. Also, smart phones are in almost everyone’s hands these days so they are able to connect to these social media sites anytime they please. People need to find balance between how they are communicating and what they are communicating.

People are seeing everything you are doing when you are constantly updating your Facebook, Twitter, and other social media sites. This can sometimes cause problems. It can end relationships or cause them to blossom. It can also be used in court, for or against you, in cases involving divorce for example.

Social media plays a huge role in our lives and the relationships we have. Sometimes theses impacts can be negative and sometimes positive. Overall, I think the most important thing to do when on your social media sites is to remember anyone can see and use this information and there is always a possibility that it will be on the internet forever. Always be careful about what you are sharing. I also, think it is extremely important to find a balance and not to spend too much of your time on these sites.

Sources:

Here are some articles I found that go into more depth about what I was saying. They provide some interesting insight, and statistics about how social media affects our relationships.

http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/4-ways-social-media-is-changing-your-relationships/

http://www.sociableblog.com/2012/02/24/social-media-impact-on-relationship/

http://socialimplications.com/is-social-media-killing-personal-relationships/

http://www.9news.com/news/article/249171/188/Social-media-can-both-help-and-hurt-real-life-relationships

Post by: Emily Peek

2012-02-26T20:13:00.002-06:00

Google+ vs. Pinterest for Brands

By: Caitlyn Childers

So lately as we’ve all seen, there’s been a lot of talk about Pinterest being used for Social Media Marketing. Brands are really starting to get creative and utilize Pinterest to market to their consumers. In my personal opinion, I think Pinterest is going to be a really awesome marketing tool for brands to use, but it does make me wonder about Google+. I mean, last summer they were saying it was going to be so big that it would shut down Facebook. Close to 9 months later, Facebook is still the winner. That doesn’t mean Google+ has run it’s course though. I think eventually there will become a unique use for it but until then, it’s just a prettier, cleaner version of Facebook. My question is which new and upcoming Social Media outlet will go big first: Pinterest or Google+?

From what I’ve seen, Pinterest will have a great use for brands who want to use Social Media Marketing through pictures. I know Facebook wants to become “The Scrapbook of your Life” but Pinterest just may become the Scrapbook of your brand. Why do I say that? Well for one, it’s a great way to really show and not tell people what you have to offer. Take Bread Winners Café for example. They’re using Pinterest to showcase all their different food items that they offer. If you go to their Pinterest page, you can see all the different types of sweets that they offer, plus some of their brunch items. Just a warning: if you do go to their page, expect to want to go there the next morning and eat everything in the store. But that’s one way that they’re really using it to bring in customers. They use food that looks absolutely mouth watering in hopes that you’ll want to go in and try it. If more restaurants would pick up on this, it could be big for them. Really big.

Fossil is another good example of a brand utilizing Pinterest to build their Social Media presence. On their boards, they have different looks for different seasons, styles, etc. It’s pretty much, you name it they’ve got it. Like Bread Winners, it really intrigues the consumer to buy something if they see it. The only down side is, what if there’s not a Fossil store near them? Something that Fossil hasn’t done but I would recommend is when someone clicks on the outfit or “look” their website would pop up to where they could pick and choose what items they wanted and then order online from there. Possibilities for brands on Pinterest seem endless to me. Everyone wants to be shown and not told and I think Pinterest is a great way to do that.

Google+

So I have to admit that I was one of the first people who were very skeptical about Google+ and even to this day I still am. Reason being is because besides the “Hang Out” part of it, there’s not much difference in it and Facebook. Don’t get me wrong, I think it could one day be huge. Just, today isn’t the day. If Google+ really wanted to out do Facebook, they would allow for contests that didn’t have to go through a third party app. Little known fact about Facebook: if you want to run a contest on Facebook, you have to go through a third party app and most of them cost money. Didn’t know that? Read the Terms and Conditions when you make a brand page. It’s in there and it really sucks (pardon my language) because you could do so much with contests on a Facebook page. If Google+ wanted to go one step above and beyond, they would allow you to run contests like that.

The “Hang Out” part of it has potential for brands, but I haven’t seen nor heard of anyone doing something with it besides President Obama. It could be really cool for bands because they could run a contest and then pick 10 people to “Hang Out” with them either before a show or just in general to chat. That’s just one way they could use it. If you were a restaurant, you could have an employee meeting that way. Granted only a few people at a time would be present but if you were to have a few bartenders that you needed to talk to remotely, there you go. One more use for it. I just really think Google+ hasn’t found it’s purpose in Social Media just yet. If they could and they did it well, that would be huge for them.

In the end I have to say that right now, Pinterest has the most use for brands through Social Media. Not to say that Google+ doesn’t, they’re just a little behind. The only thing is this is now not later on because later on, who knows what the next big thing will be. This is just my opinion though. Feel free to agree/disagree make comments or suggestions as you wish. I’m open to hearing them and thinking of more creative ideas to use both Pinterest and Google+.

Oscar Online

2012-02-26T19:55:00.001-06:00

By Ashton Phillips

Social media marketing is used for many brands, manufacturers, individual product awareness, etc., but have you seen how awards season is leveraging social media? With a huge online presence on Oscar.com, the 2012 Academy Awards has created buzz of its own these past couple of weeks. With traditional media queuing viewers to visit their site in advance, viewers can submit their picks and advertise them on both their Twitter and Facebook. Also, after your picks are submitted, there is a button that lets you challenge your friends on social media outlets by arguing different picks. By creating challenging hype, viewership is sure to go up.

Also, its website is running side banners showing the top Oscar trends on Twitter, exposing site visitors what nominees are being talked about most in the Twitosphere. Knowing that viewers no longer solely watch programs, but seek the Twitter community discussion, The Academy Awards are informed and leveraging this promotion tactic.

Along side many of these social media plugs are also streaming advertisements for viewers to engage with the Oscars on a more personal level by offering red carpet viewings upon star arrival, back-stage looks at the show, and online streaming of the show. By allowing its viewers the opportunity to engage through more exclusive touch-points, the viewer feels ‘let in,’ flattered by their involvement and elitist knowledge of the event. Even though these opportunities are provided to all, the one-to-one feel of the online vehicle deduces the mass-media feel of the television broadcast, providing the viewer with a personal connection.

With other social media outlets such as GetClue promotions and awards, as well as its own iPhone app, the Oscars are pushing for multiple medium and vehicle engagement, creating incentives for the viewer and measurable metrics for the production. The Oscar efforts are a win-win for both itself and the viewers.

Also, as the winners are unveiled, the viewers’ picks will populate in a correlating manner, showing the progress of their selections. With so much interaction, the viewership electronic word of mouth is guaranteed to pull in higher ratings for this year’s awards.

Another piece to consider, with such a small world between viewer and celebrity, bridged by Twitter, the connection with the artists are even greater year-to-year, and create an ever-growing fan base for such productions as The Academy Awards.

Sources: Oscar.com

Hope you are all watching, cheers!

Ashton Phillips

About Me
@ashtonphil89

Foursquare: Social media game/great marketing tool

2012-02-26T18:46:00.000-06:00

By Brooke Noble

I am new to Foursquare. I just unlocked the newbie badge on Jan. 21, 2012, and it’s been slow going ever since. I always forget to check in wherever I go. Not that I’m apprehensive about stalkers; I just don’t feel the need to announce to the world where I am at all times. It seems like the badges and mayordom are all just a big game. A game that is catching on like wildfire.

I’ve been reading up on Foursquare, and I think it has incredible potential. Not only do many companies currently offer incentives to customers who check in frequently, at specific times or under specific circumstances, but cellphone technology is about to evolve in their favor. Cellphone companies are working on the technology that will allow consumers to use their mobile devices to make purchases on site. As soon as that technology is available, companies will have the potential to use the Foursquare application to track customer purchases and create incentives based on the customer’s specific buyer behavior. Companies will soon be able to tailor their customer incentives based on the individual’s actual on-site purchases. For example: as is, if a customer checks in multiple times at a coffee shop, the company offers an incentive, such as 25% off purchase every five check ins. With the new technology, the coffee shop will know that the customer buys a hazelnut latte more than any other beverage. A coupon for a hazelnut latte would feel a great deal more special to the customer, creating a customer loyalty that is stronger than the Foursquare game.

Keep an eye on this stuff, folks. It’s going somewhere.

JOUR 4210

Blog 3

Sources:

“Investors Bet on Payments via Cellphone,” by Claire Caine Miller and Matt Richtel via The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/22/technology/22pay.html

New Finds

2012-02-26T16:18:00.001-06:00

Bot or Not
Today I found an interesting tool that can help you decipher whether or not a Twitter account is being managed by a human or a computer.

It's called Bot or Not and it was created by none other than a journalism class like ours at the New School. You simply type in the twitter handle you want to survey in the search bar and you get immediate results for free.

I tried it with my own account and it said that I am "probably human", but with "bot tendencies". Interesting.

So what's the big deal, right? It's nothing you couldn't probably figure out on your own, but it definitely is a time saver. I mean, it's not revolutionizing social media or anything, but it is a good and easy way to determine whether or not the handle you are dealing with is a person or machine.

Check it out: Bot or not

Flavors
Flavors is a lot like About.me, but better!

It's basically a splash page where you can host a link to your twitter, linkedin, facebook, etcetera. However, Flavors is upgradable. It has a slew of free fonts and themes to choose from, but it also has many more plus the option to turn it into your own website for about $20 a month.

It's nothing all that new, but I find it to be superior to About.me.

Check it out: Flavors

-Charlie Rall
charlierall@me.com

Sports teams winning on Pinterest

2012-02-26T14:40:00.002-06:00

Pinterest is quickly shooting up on the social media buzz and hype-factor lists. The newest social media startup "stuff" sharing platform is making its mark on the Internet world, specifically with women (re: wedding dresses and floral arrangements, decor and children's crafts - enough said).

So what motivates a sports team to join the female user base-driven website? In an article that originally appeared on Mashable, "marketing and engagement managers say [Pinterest] offers new ways to connect with and reward fans and provide different social opportunities."

According to Mashable, “What intrigued us initially was that the platform seemed to be dominated by women. We certainly thought it was a great way to engage with that demographic and offer a different type of content than can be found on Facebook, Twitter, Google+,” wrote Nilay Shah, director of digital media for the New York Giants, in an email.

This is a perfect example about how certain social media platforms reach different audiences, and how (as we learned when we went over communications plans) maybe one platform is better for a specific target or audience. Pinterest, in this case, is the best outlet for a male-dominated market can reach women.

DISCLAIMER: Of course, I'm definitely not saying women can't like sports. I mean, c'mon, I co-anchor a weekly sports show on DCTV weekly. I constantly have my ESPN alerts turned on for my teams of choice. But as of Feb 16, UncommonThinking reports (numbers have increased since then):

Genius. Absolutely genius marketing.

Some teams are using Pinterest to display their own merchandise, photos of past and present, tailgating culture and fan art. Others, according to Uncommon Thinking, are thinking more cleverly, and using Pinterest in new, innovative ways.

Here's how:

1. Anaheim Ducks: integrating snapshots of memorable posts from their fans on Facebook and Twitter as a recent top Tweets/Facebook board. This keeps fans engaged. They want to Tweet and post on Facebook about the team so they have a chance of appearing on this board. It helps keep the excitement of this NHL team relevant. It's a way of creating dialogue on a non-dialogue-heavy network.
2. Contest-worthy boards: The Pittsburgh Pens have a board of art related to the Pens, which could lend itself to an interesting contest, perhaps for kids. The Tampa Bay Lightning also has a board of lightning photos, which is an interesting way to tie the name into real-life, which has potential to grow in popularity if a contest were introduced.

2a. The Seattle Seahawks were the first team to successfully run a contest on Pinterest. In december, they asked fans to start a Seahawks themed board with pins tagged with: #favoriteseahawk, #favoriteseahawksphoto, #musthavegamedaygear. The promo was showcased on Facebook and 12 winners received prizes. Extra points for the Seahawks integrating their Pinterest into Facebook.

3. College Athletics: University of Washington uses Pinterest to show prospective student athletes what their next four years could look like to show off student culture and the Universities location.

Do you think Pinterest is a useful platform for sports? What about sports teams using Gentlemint, the ever-growing "Pinterest-for-men"? What other ways could Pinterest be used for sports teams?

kalani @KALANIGORDON
KALANIGORDON.COM

Am I Pretty or Ugly?

2012-02-26T14:38:00.000-06:00

This is a question, posed by pre-teens, that’s circulating around the YouTube community right now. Adolescence is a difficult time in life. Your body is going through awkward changes, you become attracted to others, and there’s a struggle to transition into adulthood. When you combine those troubles with access to the World Wide Web, you have teen insecurity reaching a digital extreme. A recent trend on YouTube has some parents and psychiatrists worried about pre-teen’s self-esteem.

It’s natural to want acceptance and approval by your peers. Everybody wants to feel connected and find someplace where they belong. Some pre-teens are resorting to YouTube to ask complete strangers about their appearance. If they are bullied or outcasts at school, they’re looking for reassurance from anonymous viewers. We all know YouTube isn’t always the friendliest place on the Internet. When you hide behind a computer screen you feel like you can say anything without repercussions. The comments posted as responses to the videos are mixtures of words of encouragement and lewd replies. This new trend has transformed the initial problem of classroom bullying into cyberbullying.

Tweens are vulnerable during this stage in life. These videos on YouTube reflect on their desire to feel accepted and their need for instant gratification. Even when the responses to the video are negative, the tweens get a “high” from such an immediate answer. These kids need to keep in mind that what’s posted online is there to stay and for the world to judge. The parents need to monitor computer usage more intently. Lastly, pre-teens need to realize that beauty isn’t defined by looks alone.

-Tiffany Burlingame

@TSBurlingame

Source:

http://abcnews.go.com/US/teens-post-insecurities-youtube-pretty-ugly-videos/story?id=15777830&page=2#.T0qQPJi1mJo

The FBI's Concern with Social Media

2012-02-26T14:15:00.000-06:00

Everyone seems to be using social media to their benefit these days. It can be a useful networking and career-enhancing tool. Many people use it as their primary and breaking news feeds. And social media can now potentially help with anti-terrorism and criminal efforts. On a larger scale than my previous post about police using Facebook to track criminals and gather evidence, the FBI is now using Twitter and Facebook to find information regarding possible threats and security concerns to the United States.

In recent news, the FBI is attempting to put together an app that will gather data from social media platforms for intelligence use in investigations. The bureau is looking for an app that will give them breaking incidents and threats rapidly, by monitoring specific keywords in several different foreign languages, all from social media.

By pulling information from Facebook, Twitter, blogs and other sites the FBI could then cross reference this material with other databases to help identify any threats. The FBI wants to not only deal with current threats, but hope to predict future ones with the help of social media. As with any data monitoring, there are privacy concerns.

Data mining has been a highly discussed topic lately, and a law enforcement app which would monitor anybody and everybody in the social media world could be controversial. People feel they have a right not to be monitored when using social media, sometimes especially or even more so by the government or the FBI. But if anyone else can monitor these social media posts, why should federal agencies not be able to? Especially if it regards keeping the country and its citizens safe.

So I guess be careful what you say online. It might not be just your employer watching over you. It could be the FBI.

https://threatpost.com/en_us/blogs/fbi-looking-app-monitor-twitter-and-facebook-threat-data-012712

http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9224235/FBI_seeks_social_media_monitoring_tool

Graham White

JOUR 5350/4210

How H&M successfully uses Google+

2012-02-24T22:43:00.000-06:00

Tell me if this scenario sounds familiar: you’re on your favorite clothing brand’s website, and you find “the” outfit. You scour the website trying to find the pieces and accessories, only to come up one cardigan short of the perfect first-date ensemble.

Frustrating, huh?

Take a scroll on over to H&M’s Google+ page, and what the Swedish manufacturer has smartly developed is a well-executed and visually appealing fan page, where you will find the name of that particular item listed for your convenience (Note: I had attempted to search through the albums but I kept getting an error message, so I will have to come back and confirm whether or not this feature works).

But that’s not all.

Follow the page for a few days, and you will see that H&M provides its fans “exclusives”, especially to contests, more so than on Facebook, Twitter and its website. There is definitely an appeal to being one of the firsts; just ask anyone at the grand opening of the Dallas North Park Mall location who stood in line for hours just to walk through the store.

Going through the page myself, I was really impressed. I think it’s the first time I’ve really seen a brand successfully brand itself through Google+. My employer has a Google+ page, and I’m sorry to say, but H&M’s is way better. It’s engaging (an important aspect to creating the social media conversation between brand and fan), it’s visually stimulating (I had to hide my credit cards in a block of ice in the back half of the freezer), and it’s informative. I see H&M truly connecting with its audience, so much so that I had to have them in my circle (which, by the way, H&M has smartly hidden all of the fans in its circles).

Well done, H&M. Now, please open a store in Fort Worth. Or at least in Arlington.

Jewlz Todd
JOUR5301/JOUR4210
http://www.prdaily.com/Main/Articles/03e0b4fb-d570-4868-a4e4-bca113a85715.aspx?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

https://plus.google.com/115900903196483234016/posts

This is Just Absolutely Linsane.

2012-02-24T22:32:00.001-06:00

Jeremy Lin, New York Knicks breakout point guard, has caused much #Linsanity over the past few weeks as he is the topic of all things social media.

Forbes staff writer Mike Ozanian couldn't have said it any better.

"No athlete has ever illustrated the power of social media so quickly and as much as New York Knicks guard Jeremy Lin."

Not only has he been the topic of conversation online, this guy has managed to build a brand behind himself that has exceeded the expectations of many. Although Lin's game performances have been very interesting to watch, the media is coverage is quite interesting as well. Basketball fans have elevated Lin into an overnight celebrity all through the power of social media. Even celebrities such as director Spike Lee and boxer Manny Pacquiao have expressed much enthusiasm over Lin.

As a huge fan of basketball, I have been following Lin's story as it continues to develop on an even bigger platform. Basketball fans and Twitter users have coined various hashtags in relation to Lin (#Linsanity being the most popular). Reading a little bit on the history and evolution of Lin through an article posted by The New York Times, Lin's background represents a very inspirational story that people, especially athletes, can relate to. A lot of media have compared his story to that of NFL star Tim Tebow.

However you choose to look at it, you better brace yourself for the future of Jeremy Lin. This kid isn't going anywhere. With the power of social media and individuals weighing in on all things Lin, it will be very interesting to see what's next.

Oh, by the way, Ben and Jerry's have officially released the Jeremy Lin flavor. All of a sudden I'm craving ice cream. Too bad it's only currently available in Boston. Now that's Linsane.

Until next time.

An Ad Major

Brittani J. Wilkins - Follow Me @BrittaniWilkins
Connect with me
JOUR 4210 - Samra Bufkins

Facebook Tips for Small Businesses

2012-02-22T13:51:00.000-06:00

Annie Wood

February 22, 2012

With 870 million worldwide users and 157 million U.S. users (thanks to Steve Lee, APR for the social media stats), Facebook is growing in popularity for both personal and business use. Organizations have started to realize the potential of integrating social media into their business and marketing plans and are reaping the rewards of what was once considered a trend. Social media is no joke and is certainly not a trend!

PR Daily News featured an article this week discussing Facebook tips for small businesses. According to the article, General Manager of Social Media for Constant Contact Mark Schmulen, said, “When we look at what platforms our small business customers are using for social media marketing, 94 percent of them are on Facebook," Schmulen says. However, "Most small businesses are doing Facebook without knowing why they're doing it."

Creating a Facebook page to feel like you are participating in social media is one thing, but getting repeat traffic to your site is another. There is simply no sense is social networking if you don’t plan to continually network and engage with consumers. According to Forrester Research “fewer than 15 percent of people who click a like button ever visit the page again.” That being said (insert cliché), there is an obvious need for some social media help. Below are five tips (via PR Daily News) for small business to better engage with consumers through the use of their Facebook page.

1. Know your goals. What are you trying to achieve through social media? Companies who have a plan and written goals are more likely to be successful. Whatever your goals are, it is important to feature offers that properly align.

2. Make your offer shareable. Don’t just simply provide an opportunity to share an offer, give your customers a reason to do so. This is a perfect opportunity to include those hipster creative types and think outside the box!

3. Keep the welcome page simple. How many times have you heard about the power of simplicity? Anyone recall KISS from a marketing or business class? Well it works here too. Don’t clutter your landing page with too much information.

4. Promote your page. Don’t assume people are just going to happen upon your Facebook page … tell them about it and invite them in! Social networking site and e-mail campaigns are a great tool to share.

5. Measure your results. How will you know if something is or isn’t working if you don’t measure it? The answer is, you won’t. Take advantage of online measurement and analytics tools to discover how to improve your social media image.

Facebook is the new scrapbook

2012-02-22T02:15:00.002-06:00

I am sure the class is well aware of Facebook's newest feature, Timeline. Currently users have the choice to adopt the new timeline layout for their profile, but soon it will become mandatory. Timeline is much more intricate than the older layout, which was just a chronological feed of updates.

As Steve Lee, APR told UNT's social media strategies class last week, Facebook is an online version of a personal scrapbook. The timeline documents your check-ins, photos, status updates, likes, friends and anything else you can imagine since the day you were born. Of course none of us have updates from that long ago, but Timeline allows us to go back and add content. With Timeline, you can post videos, photos and text to any year, month and day. The ultimate digital scrapbook.

What is special about a scrapbook is that it can be physically seen, felt and shared. Facebook Timeline is all digital. So how can we convert and organize a digital scrapbook into something physical? As more people adopt "digital scrapbooking," I believe more tools will be developed for this purpose. As of now, Timeline for Facebook is still fresh. Facebook and Definition6 paired up to develop an application that begins to explore this concept.

It's called the Timeline Movie Maker. The only reason I made the switch to Timeline is to see what the movie maker would do. With Timeline Movie Maker, you simply log in using your Facebook username and password and the application pulls content from your Timeline to make a short video of your life in Facebook updates. I encourage you to make your own, but you can view my movie by clicking here.

I wasn't too impressed by the final result, but its cute and fun. There aren't many ways to customize your Timeline movie other than choosing one of five soundtracks and controlling the pictures that show up. It would be nice if you could upload your own soundtrack and have more control over speed and content. I can't think of a real need for something like the Timeline movie maker, but I love the concept of it. I think the application is a marketing tactic to get more people to make the switch from regular Facebook to Timeline.

If you make a Timeline movie, please comment with your opinion. Do you think the ability to pull content from our Facebook into sharing applications like Timeline Movie Maker necessary? Relating this application back to our class, how can brands benefit from something like this? Or even Facebook Timeline in general?

Thanks for reading. I look forward to reading your thoughts.

Megan St. John
@meganstjohn

Facebook gets Hacked

2012-02-21T19:38:00.000-06:00

           A 26 year old computer nerd is doing jail time for hacking Facebook. The computer nerd hacked Facebook from his parents computer in Britian. The FBI showed up at his house and arrested him. His reply to the accusations was that he was helping Facebook discover holes they had in thier security systems. He stated that he didn't mean any harm he just wanted to help. Some poeple aregue that Mangham was an ethical hacker and should not be punished. However, he is sentenced to serve 8 months of jail time, which I think is a little harsh.

     Facebook had to spend $200,000 worth of expenses to find the hacker, which is probaly nothing considered Facebook is worth millions of dollars. Judge McCreath says "I acknowledge also that you never intended to pass any information you got through these criminal offences to anyone else and you never did so, and I acknowledge that you never intended to make any financial gain for yourself from these offences."

      With that said you would think the Judge would let him off easy and not stick him in jail for 8 months,"But this was not just a bit of harmless experimentation. You accessed the very heart of the system of an international business of massive size, so this was not just fiddling about in the business records of some tiny business of no great importance," says McCreath.

       I personally do think Mangham did do Facebook a favor and they should actually hire him after he serves his sentence to help them with ther security issues. However, unauthorized use of websites should be taken seriously and his punishment was necessary but a little unreasonable, but what he did is infact illegal.

Sources: Mashable
              TheGuardian

Written by Amber Bertrand
@amberelizabeth9

Cell Phones, Social Media and Pre-Teens

2012-02-19T17:20:00.001-06:00

My 11-year-old nephew recently got his first cellphone. An iPhone. Yes, he has a nicer phone than his uncle. But he was just trying to keep up with his fellow fifth-grade peers. In large numbers, teens and pre-teens are using cellphones for text messaging, social media and downloading games and apps at increasing rates.

Texting is THE current form of teenage communication, and cellphones are enabling a new outside world to these users. I don't think this is necessarily a bad thing, cellphone use just needs to be regulated, especially with age. The younger the teen or pre-teen, the more the parent should pay attention to how the phone is being used. But before people think it's ridiculous for younger kids to start getting phones, it can be a mutually beneficial-cell phone relationship with the parent and the child.

Parents want to contact their children after school. Kids want to let their parents know they're eating dinner at a friend's house. And nephews want to text their uncles, "Sup." (That's the complete transcript from the first text my nephew sent me.)

For myself, and probably most of the people in the class, this is a different world. I didn't get a cell phone until I was almost a senior in college, working on my undergraduate degree. I'm in the older half of this class, so I must explain it was pretty commonplace in the early-to-mid 2000s not to have one. Shocking, I know. Modern cell phones were still relatively new, but were starting to become a necessity, as opposed to a luxury. Home phones were dwindling, cell phones were not resembling Zach Morris-sized phones anymore, and the convenience was quite handy. So I got one. And I was quite proud.

It is starting to become that way around the teenage years now.

I think parents also want their phones back. Prior to my nephew receiving his first phone, my sister was constantly having to look for her phone because one of her sons was playing a game or surfing the web on it.

Much like learning a foreign language or any difficult subject early is easier for kids, technology seems to work the same way. My parents can't figure out a DVR but kids can communicate in differing online platforms through cell phones. I guess it's just a sign of the times.

And I continue to look forward to more captivating text conversations from my nephew.

Graham White

JOUR 4210/5350

Is Pinterest becoming too revealing?

2012-02-18T00:14:00.000-06:00

A few weeks ago, you all learned from the oh-so-fabulous Amber Freeland that my Pinterest boards where some of the funniest she had ever seen (thanks for the compliment, by the way). And yes, after hours of assuming the “chin in left hand, mouse in right hand” position in front of my keyboard, I have cultivated a collection of a few laugh-worthy, if not off-the-cuff and slightly inappropriate, pins for my followers.

Obviously, not every single one of my boards is meant for humor. I have your typical fashion and home improvement pins, but the “meat” of my Pinterest surfing comes from finding boudoir photography shots. There are some pretty provocative pins in this board, though I do pay special mind to leave off anywhere the model is exposing her breasts or completely nude (1 word: co-workers). I actually make it a habit NOT to check this board while at the office.

There’s definitely not a shortage of T&A on Pinterest, and community members are strongly urged to report any imagery that fall outside of the website’s pinning policy. Pinterest says self-policing has been extremely effective and the pins that have been reported is the appropriate kind of inappropriate that can be removed. But how do you make the judgment call for those that (pardon the word) straddle the line between artful self-expression and well, just plain ol’ self expression?

And really, are the nude images on Pinterest already even that big of a bother? Should Pinterest be a no-naked flesh kind of website?

My response? No and no. To be honest, the pins that have the “F” bomb somewhere bother me more than an image of a woman's tush. I won't start flagging every single pin that has that word though; it's just more of a pet peeve.

How about you, fellow Pinners? Does nude imagery have a place on Pinterest? Is it getting to be a bit much? Or do you find other types of pins to be more offensive?

Jewlz Todd

JOUR5350/4210

http://mashable.com/2012/02/17/pinterest-porn-naked-people-art/

Abusing Twitter

2012-02-16T14:15:00.000-06:00

Catherine Paneral

February 16, 2012

Blog Three--Abusing Twitter

There was an issue with spammers abusing the #untj4470 hashtag on Wednesday evening so as it was happening I made a Storify about it. In a matter of just a few hours, spammers were attacking the hashtag and crossed the line over to harassment. The whole situation was brought on by an immature act of a student who didn't take the course or "one tweet per week" assignment seriously. While the situation was unfortunate for some, students in the class were able to monitor Twitter and see first hand how an easily an issue can be created and escalate in such a short amount of time. It was a learning experience for all, thanks to the kid who thought he could get away with it. Enjoy...

Contrary to popular opinion, not all UNT students are so smart

UNT student posts class hashtag to reddit "calling all trolls", results in serious trouble.

Once upon a time, on a Wednesday night actually, a student, believed to be an advertising major decided to be "funny" and post a widely used hashtag for a journalism class on Reddit. Ironically enough, it was an ethics class that the hashtag was tied to. The silly student thought he could get away with what he had done, but little did he realize that when you post something on the internet, someone is ALWAYS watching, and in this case, numerous people were watching.
Share
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http://www.reddit.com/r/funny/comments/prikl/attn_all_trolls_now_is_your_time/ One of your students is a straight-up idiot. #untj4470
Scott Dixon
18 hours ago
Reply Retweet
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@RyanMelson @AbigailGlavy someone posted our class hashtag on there and spammers have pretty much been abusing itreddit.com/r/funny/comment...
Shely Vargas
14 hours ago
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“@scottmale24: reddit.com/r/funny/comment... One of your students is a straight-up idiot. #untj4470” @Samjb this is the link some guy posted
Tori Nation
15 hours ago
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After numerous tweets from the spammers, after being asked to stop multiple times, the Denton Police Department stepped in...
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If u r n @Samjb #untj4470 class follow her instructions. If u r not there's a chance either @UNTPolice or us will b contacting suspect soon
DENTON POLICE DEPT
14 hours ago
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@Samjb can & will file a police report for Harassment if you continue to contact her after she has informed u 2stop calling her #untj4470
DENTON POLICE DEPT
14 hours ago
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Contacting someone over & over after they told you to stop is harassment and is against the law. #untj4470 @UNTPolice
DENTON POLICE DEPT
14 hours ago
Reply Retweet
Not only did the spammers fill the twitter feed up with mostly random cat facts, they also crossed the line even more by tweeting out the professors phone number (which I will not share) which resulted in the police being involved.
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In addition to pest control cats are capable traffic controllers. However they consider such menial work below them. #untj4470
Jared Cramm
18 hours ago
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Cats are only capable of feeling two emotions, condesension and disdain. If a cat is content then it somehow caused you to fail. #untj4470
Jared Cramm
18 hours ago
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Cats come in varieties of colors and patterns. But these are physical properties and should not be confused with a breed of cat. #untj4470
Chase Cvancara
15 hours ago
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#untj4470 the domestic house cat is a small carnivorous mammal. Its most immediate ancestor is believed to be the African wild cat.
SpiffyPatrick
17 hours ago
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@steezballer I don't think using a #hashtag is harassment, besides this is an old inside joke of ours #untj4470
Josh Fanzo
14 hours ago
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Using a public hashtag on a public social network. SOME1 STOP ME, PLZ CONTACT THE CYBER POLICES!tinyurl.com/29a6p49 #untj4470
Ash Katchum
14 hours ago
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The spammer agreed to stop spamming the class if one of the students (me) would agree to a date with the creep....
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Definitely NOT ok! #untj4470 http://pic.twitter.com/3fNRFrV3
Catherine Paneral
14 hours ago
Reply Retweet
She pondered about what to do: agree to the date so the spammer would leave the class alone or tell him to back off and get a life. Luckily her fellow classmates were there to defend her from the creep spammer so she wouldn't even have to respond to him...
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leave @cat_pan12 out of this she doesn't want anything to do with you and she didn't do anything to you #untj4470
Lindsey Young
14 hours ago
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Obviously @cat_pan12 isn't interested CREEP so leave her alone and go find a hole to crawl into #untj4470
Shannon Raymond
14 hours ago
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On the bright side, at least the spammers knew quality when they saw it.
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the professor is hot #untj4470
John Ehn IV
15 hours ago
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The spammers tried to defend themselves,
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#untj4470 We definitely didn't do anything wrong. Plus, you got to learn some fun feline facts!
Lachende Katze
14 hours ago
Reply Retweet
...but when you go up against a class of educated PR majors, you don't stand a chance.
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I love how people think that just because you do something online, that there won't be any legal repercussions. #untj4470
Tyler Dunson
14 hours ago
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Students in the class made note of how immature this student was for sharing the hashtag with reddit...
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@monicanatalie3 out class twitter account is being spam due to someone posting the hashtag on reddit #untj4470
Lindsey Young
14 hours ago
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I can picture it now: "back in college when I was feeling crazy, I spammed hash tags." #cooooool #untj4470
Kelsey Brewer
14 hours ago
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Students did stay positive and realized that we could definitely learn a lot from this issue.
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#untj4470 i see an in-class case study forming...
Emily Edwards
14 hours ago
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Ironic: this all started about someone having to use Twitter (because it's powerful). #untj4470
Brooke Noble
14 hours ago
Reply Retweet
Overall, we learned how fast social media moves and how much can happen in such a short amount of time, in addition to probably 33+ tweets about cats. The point of students being required to use Twitter was not a punishment. It was and is supposed to be a fun way for students to engage with the app, not just be lectured about how useful it is. The situation last night was nothing short of an average night TweetChat. The news feed hardly stopped moving with updates so the students who were aware of the issue were able to see it develop in real time, not just hear about it on Monday. I believe this story will serve as an example for future classes and express to students that it is not a joke. Social Media can turn on you real quick when you decide to misuse it.

Students in the class are also quite anxious to attend the next class meeting to see their fearless professor rip this student a new one!

Common Social Media Mistakes

2012-02-16T10:51:00.001-06:00

Annie Wood

February 16, 2012

Social media news and updates come at us from every direction, every day. It is constantly evolving and trying to keep up can be a daunting task, but there is one thing that remains consistent – common social media mistakes.

We’re all guilty of committing these sins but by being more aware of them we can make an effort to avoid them in the future. The Social Skinny (www.thesocialskinny.com) posted an article this week highlighting the top 10 social media mistakes because, as the author put it, “people just need to know what they are doing wrong.” Social media users, please take note!

1. 1. Making it difficult to leave comments on your blog. Nothing is worse than reading a blog and wanting so badly to leave a comment and then not being able to find the thread! What is the point of blogging if you’re not willing to accept feedback?

2. 2. Ignoring, deleting or getting defensive about negative comments. Social media is exactly what it is…SOCIAL. If a company is going to put themselves “out there” they have to be willing to hear it all, good and bad. And although the good comments make one feel warm and fuzzy, the bad comments provide an opportunity to fix what needs to be fixed.

3. 3. Retweeting compliments about your brand or posting testimonials. You’re good at what you do, we get it. No need to pat yourself on the back every time someone gives you kudos.

4. 4. Creating Facebook profiles instead of pages. The key to remember when creating a Facebook page: profiles are for people, pages are for companies and brands. Period.

5. 5. Expecting that ‘if you build it they will come.’ Simply creating a social media presence is not enough. Again, what is the point? If you don’t plan on being active and engaging with your customers then just don’t bother.

6. 6. Not allowing people to post to your Facebook page. This social media sin goes back to number one on this list. Social media is about engagement. So let them engage!

7. 7. Not making your website sharable. If people are willing to read your content and share it with others, make it easy for them. Make sure you have social media share buttons that are easily found on your site. This type of publicity can’t be bought, so take advantage it.

8. 8. Consistently posting long Facebook posts and/or Tweets. Guilty as charged! Because Twitter only provides room for 140 characters, it is easy to feel the need to use every last one. Not necessary. Say what you need to say and be done with it.

9. 9. Providing no incentive for people to connect with your brand. By providing useful content, offers and news to your customers they will have a reason to follow you.

1010. Creating a presence on every social media channel, but doing none well. The author refers to this as “over-excited-social-media-channel-disorder.” Before jumping in, think about your business goals and what you expect to get out of social media and then choose one or two channels to engage with your customers. Better to be good at one than good at none.

Guerilla Marketing and Social Media

2012-02-13T00:00:00.000-06:00

Recently everyone has been raving about the new Chevy Sonic. Many recognize this car from its successful Super Bowl commercial and the perfect song that captures the millennial generation. The buzz about the music and commercial made me want to see what else Chevy has done for the launch of the sonic. The scenes from the current commercial include events that Chevy had done through social media and other media outlets. The Chevy Sonic Bungee Jump was a social media campaign that had users log into the Let’s Do This social media campaign website. The users then clicked a button to help launch this car off a 100-foot platform.

Talk about being interactive with your target market through social media.

What did we learn from Chevy?

Think out of the box. WAY out of the box.

Crazy stunts intended people are now used for cars.

Who would have ever thought to have a car bungee jump?

Use social media to ENGAGE your audience.

This is a prime example of guerilla marketing that engaged the audience to a brand through social media.

And I’m not going to lie, I kind of want a Chevy Sonic now.

Marjorie Giraldo

@mjgiraldo

2.12.2012

Using Instagram to promote brands

2012-02-12T23:59:00.006-06:00

My friend Paul recently became the proud owner of an iPhone. I also work with Paul at the NT Daily and it’s not a rare sight to see him, iPhone in hand, taking a picture that will inevitably make its way from Instagram onto Facebook.

Instagram is an app for the iPhone that allows the user to capture a photo (or upload a photo from the phone’s gallery) and enhance it with different filters. Once the photo has been loaded and edited, users can share it on various social networks as well as Instagram itself.

I recently read that Instagram photos now flood Facebook with 6 photos per second. As it turns out, Instagram has more than 15 million users, and the application only launched in Oct. 2010.

This got me wondering what opportunities there were for a company to interact with its consumers and reach their target audiences. After a Google search, and this Hubspot article, I discovered several companies have already started using Instagram to promote their brands. This is my favorite example:

Click on photo to enlarge.

“You'll see more than light bulbs on GE’s Instagram account. Its main objective is to show off GE's work in different industries like energy, transportation, and aviation. By following GE on Instagram, fans get to see larger than life engines and turbines that are used to drive innovation in these spaces.

GE also uses its account to run a contest to find its next ‘Instagrapher.’ The winner will be flown to Wales to photograph an aviation facility. Almost 4,000 Instagram photos were submitted with the designated hashtag #GEInspiredMe and then posted to Facebook, where fans voted for the finalists. Not only was GE able to get fans involved with multiple social platforms the company was also somehow able to get people excited about turbine engines.”

General Electric is taking an mundane product, yet reaching new audiences by the innovative way it uses Instagram.

The Boston Celtics, Ben & Jerry’s, NPR and Nike are just some of the companies that have registered an account with Instagram in the last year, according to its website. Even President Obama has an account.

What are your thoughts? Do you have any examples of a brand using its Instagram to reach new audiences?

@ValerieElisse

#untj4210

Spotify and Social Media

2012-02-12T23:26:00.000-06:00

I have always been a music lover, player and advocate for as long as I can remember. However, the way we listen to music has changed over the last decade. First it was burning music on CD-R's. Then came mp3 players and iTunes. Now, we have streaming music services.

One of those services at the forefront right now is Spotify. Pretty much everyone knows what this service is by now. For those who don't, it's basically an iTunes like platform where instead of owning the actual music files, you are streaming them from Spotify's enormous galaxy-of-music library. I use Spotify quite a bit, and it's quickly taking the place of iTunes on my computer.

Sure I love being able to use the search query to find any song I want to, but the best part of Spotify is it's integration with Facebook. Users can accept a feature where when a song is played, the title and artist are posted as a status update. With this in place, everyone can know what everyone else is listening to. Spotify users can also create playlists and send them to their friends over Facebook. This is a really great feature for music fans to find out and hear music they may have not heard before.

What's really interesting is the advertising aspect of this. Because of this integration, researching target markets for Spotify users could be a cinch. It could be very easy to target someone just based on a playlist they made for themselves, or a song they have played a number of times. I can see Spotify becoming a pretty big medium for advertisers in the near future.

Here are some links on the subject:
http://paidcontent.org/article/419-spotifys-levick-facebook-integration-will-help-drive-ad-strategy/
http://briancarteryeah.com/blog/facebook/how-the-spotify-facebook-partnership-wins-the-social-media-war/

-Adam Bertholdi

2012-02-12T23:18:00.000-06:00

Although it’s a little morbid, it’s also completely surreal to experience in real time the death of a public figure with the rest of the world. It happened in 2009 when Michael Jackson died, but it happened on an even larger scale Saturday when it was reported that Whitney Houston died.

When a friend texted me with, “WTF, Whitney Houston died?!” I immediately jumped on Facebook and Twitter to read the reactions, not to mention check CNN.com for confirmation. I was able to type in hashtags to find out what the rest of the world was saying about her death as they were saying it. People weren’t just connecting with their followers on Twitter or friends on Facebook, they were reaching out even further.

I can’t help but think of the summer of 2009 when Michael Jackson died. Twitter existed, but not on the level it does now. We heard about his death, for the most part, through live TV. Now, I’m having conversations with friends about what everyone on Twitter is saying about Houston’s death.

What’s more is that I have been hard-pressed to find a news story about Houston’s death that didn’t include Tweets from other celebrities. Twitter seems to have become a reporting tool in these situations when it’s difficult or seems inappropriate to call people for a quote.