Tagged: social media

April 22, 2012

My pitch for a new Facebook feature

This idea came to mind on my birthday last year. I was anticipating to scroll down through pages of fabulous birthday wishes on Facebook. Such long list of greetings are a phenomenon that didn’t happen before (at least not to people who didn’t have the starlike status of Justin Bieber). So I thought to myself, “How wonderful would it be if these friends could attach to their messages contributions to a common birthday gift!”

Now, I realize you might see me as a wildly ego-centric person. Yet I am certain I am onto something here. Yes, I am talking about a Kickstarter project for making birthday wishes come true through Facebook.

Let’s do the math together. A November 2011 research shows that the average friend count on Facebook is 190. Ok, maybe not all of these people are true friends. They probably include a few acquaintances, peers you small talk with during coffee breaks in the office or distant relatives you have never really met in person. Let’s say half of these 190 people will be willing to send you a few dollars to purchase a birthday gift that you have longed for. Here again, Facebook would not expect them to contribute the same amount of money. Your best friend from high school might contribute $35, while a colleague you get along with could just send $5. Let’s be super conservative and assume the average sum per friend would be $5. Then you have $475 which you can use to buy a bicycle, get on a hot air balloon or even go on a mini vacation somewhere!

Aside from being utterly delighted with big birthday gifts, I am fascinated with the scale of something like this. On Facebook, you have a network that cares about you (or so we hope) and that is now coordinated to achieve a common goal. Various social movements have demonstrated the power of coordination through virtual social networks. Why not take this in a direction that can bring us joy on a very personal level?

Photo credit: marjoleinknuit

September 22, 2011

Facebook Marketing Gone Wrong

You know a company isn’t doing Facebook marketing right when someone else clicks the “Like” button on your behalf. It’s actually surprisingly invasive and upsetting. Or at least that’s how it felt when it happened to me.

Earlier this summer, I had the chance to attend Identity Fest, an electronic music festival sponsored by a whole bunch of popular brands, among which Skullcandy, Rockstar Energy Drink and Heineken. These companies were trying to attract the attention of the audience in different ways–by giving out free stuff, displaying large posters near the stage and placing their logos all over the place.

There were also a lot of booths, but my friends and I were instantly drawn to one that was promoting the movie “Our Idiot Brother.” The two promo girls inside were busy. They were offering folks the opportunity to get their photo taken against, what I assume was, a movie-related backdrop. You could put some accessories on and make faces at the camera. It seemed fun! What is more, after the photo was taken, you could post it on Facebook, thus making sure all your absent friends regretted not being there.

So we went for it. After our picture was taken, and we laughed over our ridiculous poses and faces, we got a little bit upset. Using an iPad, we posted the picture on Facebook but were strictly guided by one of the girls (the other one was busy taking other people’s photos).

“So you can post it on your Wall,” she told me. “And then if you could just ‘Like’ our page, that would be great,” she added.

I had posted it on my Wall, which was my original intention, but I hesitated to “Like” their page. I hadn’t seen their movie. What if I didn’t actually like it? I am not going to lie to my friends, family and co-workers.

While these thoughts were running through my head, the lady rushed to press the “Like” button for me. It’s not a big deal, one would think, but for some reason I felt exploited. I knew that the first thing I was going to do once I got home was to un-Like their page. And guess what, I don’t want to watch their movie at all.

In this case, the border between creative and obtrusive marketing seemed pretty thin. Have you had similar experiences with Facebook?

February 25, 2011

Start the Presses: From Content Management to Social Media

There is at least one place in Boston where you can immerse yourself in both journalistic terminology and engineering language—the Hacks/Hackers meetups. That is exactly what a roomful of new media enthusiasts did this week at the Boston Globe.

On Feb. 22, Hacks/Hackers Boston held a panel to discuss the future of news sites with some of the people building cutting-edge technologies. The panel participants included Dries Buytaert, Drupal’s creator, Adam Gaffin, founder of Universal Hub, Andrew Phelps, reporter for WBUR, and Austin Gardner-Smith of Pinyadda. Muckrock.com’s Michael Morisy was moderating the session.

Content Management Systems (CMS) and their evolution was the first topic the four entrepreneurs and journalists tackled. What has changed about CMS and how can it better address our needs? Gardner-Smith pointed out the importance of better distribution and integration of more social features in the content creation process. The panelists spent some time discussing the current CMS inability to manage ad-hoc content production before Buytaert took the conversation to another realm: mobile. He emphasized the importance of building your site for different viewing experiences. “If I was to start Drupal from scratch,” Dries said, “I would built it for mobile first.”

The question of mobile was on the table for a big portion of the panel. The consensus among the publishers was that one needs to first examine how viewers were accessing the content. While WBUR is making strides on the path of mobile content optimization, for instance, it is very aware of the fact that their audience is still very much visiting the site in the traditional way. The majority of WBUR’s traffic, Phelps noted, was not coming from smart phones and iPads yet. Their visitors were predominantly using computers and that was the reading experience WBUR would focus on improving.

Once that idea of how people access your content was brought up, it was hard not to mention one of the biggest referral sources for news organizations, Facebook. The discussion quickly jumped to social media and its usage not only for distribution purposes, but also for generating a conversation. The panelists agreed that Twitter was not great for threaded conversations between more than two people. Many mentions, retweets and no hashtags make it hard to follow an ever-evolving story. On Facebook, Phelps said, a story sticks around longer. If people “like” it or comment on it, it will surface to the top of the news feed and become relevant again. “People are likely to participate if they see someone else is participating,” he said. In that way, Facebook has become their preferred platform for building a dialogue based on shared stories.

Clearly, the panel tackled a range of topics, starting with CMS and shifting to mobile optimization and social media. But ultimately, there was one overarching question the panelists were trying to wrap their minds around. “It is all about keeping up with the Web,” Buytaert said. “And the Web as we know it is exploding.”

June 8, 2010

The Times’ Scoop perpetuates gatekeeping power

We are made to believe that we are the gatekeepers of new media—the ones who blog, upload videos and share on social media. It is all up to us! Or at least until editorial power crawls in through the cracks of the wall separating old and new media.

Last week, The New York Times announced that it is launching The Scoop, a free iPhone application through which Times will recommend favorite restaurants and bars. Some argued that this application will create competition for Foursquare, the leader in location-based social media. “The New York Times Fights Back against Foursquare and Yelp,” read an article in The Next Web.

But can this Times product really compete with loose social platforms like Foursquare? No, I would argue. Innovative Web 2.0 environments open themselves to community judgement. You go to a place, you recommend it, you write the review, and thus you add a personal flavor to your network’s experiences. But who is going to write the recommendations for The Scoop? A New York Times restaurant critic and a dining editor.

I am not sure how people will react to the Times’ new tool. Loyal readers will probably dig it. Others might notice the gatekeeping element in the service and approach it with caution. Why caution?

Because it is a step backwards. The Times will let readers contribute to the application by submitting events to thescoop@nytimes.com. Sounds a lot like a letter to the editor. But why go through a gatekeeper when now you can make direct recommendations? How is this application leveraging the opportunity to better use feedback channels?

I am sure many will enjoy reading the well-written lines of The Scoop. But if you read between the lines, you might get the real scoop— gatekeeping will continue to be part of the new media realm.

Photo Credit: DaveAustria.com

May 30, 2010

A doll within the doll: Landing pages on Facebook

Companies expanding their business pages within Facebook remind me of Russian nesting dolls—corporate sites bustle within the social network, while the social network grows within the larger Web. And all dolls look the same.

Have you noticed how identical Facebook business pages have become to company websites? The structure of your typical corporate site—an About Us page, a Contact Us page with FAQ and an eStore—seems to overlap with the now typical Facebook business page. This phenomenon proves that existing formats inevitably dictate the direction of development for new tools. So, it wasn’t too long before we saw landing pages emerge on Facebook.

Landing pages, or also known as lead capture pages, call the reader to action—they might ask you to fill out a form, visit a Web page or make a purchase. Landing pages present a technique for companies to attract leads and convert them into customers. That is why the experimentation with landing pages on Facebook, a topic tackled in a recent LinkedIn discussion, greatly intrigued me.

Kristin Warner, a social media strategist at Brand Tango, was asking members of the LinkedIn Group Social Media Today for examples of good Facebook “Become a Fan” landing pages. The comments that followed in the thread offered some valuable recommendations and marketing takeaways:
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Harris FloteBote & Audi: Enter to Win a Contest

Harris FloteBote, a marine craft manufacturer, has set up a Facebook page for photo contests. Its simplicity gives readers a sense of clarity and provides them with three ways to take action: enter the competition, vote for photos or invite friends. Audi has developed a similar contests’ page, asking the community to upload photographs and win a prize, to invite friends or to vote.

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MidWest Laboratories & Coca-Cola: Interactive Lay-out

The Facebook page of MidWest Laboratories asks people to simply “like” the company and its mission. The page is designed in a creative fashion with an arrow pointing to the Facebook Like button on top. Such interactive lay-out can be fun for people to respond to. Coca-Cola has developed a similar approach—a red bar on top of the Coca-Cola Facebook page, reads “Like us? Click “Like” above.”

Most online businesses are increasing customer conversions through landing pages on their company sites. That might no longer be enough, though. With the call-to-action format shifting to another platform, businesses will have to quickly adapt to the new environment. Please, do this creatively—sameness can only go that far.

Photo credit: John ‘K’

April 6, 2010

How the digital ecosystem redefines our perception of time

One thing my friend’s aunt who has cancer has been talking about recently is how people measure time based on their work schedules. You are either at work or off work, and this seems to be the only way people define time. Until today, that is.

With an increasing number of people working and finding entertainment online, our perception of time is rapidly changing. Technological innovation has tempted us to take up work tasks in the small hours of the night and engage in non-work related activities during regular work hours. In other words, the artificially erected barrier between time for industrious occupations and spare time has be shaken.

According to a 2004 research published by NIOSH, employees in America work the highest number of hours annually compared to those in other countries. In the U.S., one would work about 350 more hours per year than one would in Europe, the study showed.

Yet that doesn’t mean all Americans work from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m on weekdays. In fact, a 2004 Work Schedules and Work at Home survey showed that about 30 percent of wage and salary workers “have flexible schedules on their primary jobs.” The digital ecosystem contributes to this elimination of strict work schedules and reinforcement of a different perception of time.

The continuously blurring line between fixed work hours and leisure activities is one reason that newspapers are facing a crisis. As economist Hal Varian noted in a blog post for Google, news is increasingly consumed in a work environment while the print press remains an activity for one’s leisure time. In the past, readers flipped through their papers in the mornings and evenings, outside of the professional space. But today, when breaking news stories and controversial Op/Ed pieces are only a click away, readers can scan them duirng work hours.

Social networks have also helped redefine our notion of time and space. Facebook and Twitter, for instance, definitely contribute to the intersection between one’s professional and personal identities. For many, it has become increasingly harder to keep one’s private persona at home.

The work bars emerging across the U.S. today have become a spatial demonstration of this redefinition of time. They illustrate the blurring line between home and work, leisure and work in a very palpable manner. The coffeehouse, a place historically associated with recreation and casual chats, now hosts visitors engaged in work projects. Thus, the work bars remix the traditional office environment with spaces for relaxation.

The digital ecosystem, redefining established work habits and familiar spaces, is undoubtedly changing our perception of time. The question is, how do you like this change?

Photo credit: ToniVC and T ART

March 20, 2010

Three Ways to Nurture Evangelism Marketing

Look around carefully and you will probably see that evangelism marketing seems to be sprouting like snowdrops in March. People recommend services and products to one another all the time. But how do businesses leverage these opportunities?

As in another evangelism marketing experience I recently had, yesterday a friend of mine introduced me to a local acupuncture center. She essentially became a salesperson for the People’s Acupuncture Clinic in Amherst, MA—she told me all about their service (multiple times), scheduled an appointment, drove there and back and was even willing to pay for my visit.

It is a funny feeling to recognize such evangelism marketing in your friends. But that is the way friendships work—people who are close to you recommend personalized services and products to make you happy. Yet it is curious to see how businesses take advantages of such word-of-mouth opportunities and build on that human impulse to share positive messages.

Here are three ways in which the People’s Acupuncture Clinic nurtured its existent evangelism marketing:

Bring A Person, Get A Free Service

The acupuncture center had a policy according to which each patient could bring a friend and get her/him a free treatment on Fridays. That is what my friend and I did. As an existent visitor to the clinic, she brought me. So the acupuncturist inserted filiform needles in my hands free of charge. It was a pretty relaxing experience, actually!

Pay Extra Attention to The Newcomer

I received twice as much attention from the receptionist and the medical practitioner as my friend did. Probably due to the nature of their work, they explained the procedure in detail and encouraged me to ask questions. Above all, they made me feel welcome and important.

Create a Platform for Conversation

On our way out, the receptionist pointed out to the whiteboard hanging on the wall with a Facebook logo drawn on it. “You should check it out,” she said referring to The People’s Acupuncture Clinic Facebook fan page. They use this platform to generate dialogue among patients, give healthcare tips and receive genuine recommendations.

So how do other businesses nurture evangelism marketing to create a positive buzz around their brand?

Photo Credit: ben matthews :::

March 13, 2010

Evangelism marketing in action

“Those pancakes had better be worth it,” I thought as I left home at 8 a.m. on Saturday morning to get breakfast at the maple farm in Shelburne, MA. A friend had convinced me and three other students that the Davenport Restaurant offered the most delicious, fresh breakfast nearby.

My friend, who is a deal hunter by nature and an opinion leader among fellow students, has been asking us to visit Davenport since the beginning of last week. She told us the restaurant offers the best pancakes and home-made maple syrup. It was enveloped by trees and nearby there were cows.

Yesterday, she followed up on her suggestion and organized the trip. She set up a time, designated a driver for the two-hour drive to the farm and back, and checked the restaurant’s open hours on their Facebook fan page. But, most importantly, she got four people really pumped up about this breakfast.

For all these things that my friend did for Davenport, companies hire salespeople. She pitched a product in a personalized way, explained it to us multiple times and followed up on her suggestion. She made all the arrangements for us to try the product. She did it genuinely and with passion because she was confident we would love the place.

And we did. As soon as we set foot there, we were happy customers. We saw how maple syrup was produced, browsed through the local brochures pasted on the walls and took photos. Then, we ordered huge cups of coffee, Finnish pancakes and large chocolate chip pancakes. Upon leaving, as curious 20-somethings, we explored the farm and found the cows. On our way back in the car, we talked about how great the place was.

Thanks to my friend, Davenport just attracted four loyal customers. As soon as we got back on campus, we shared with other friends about our pleasant experiences at the farm. I, for instance, tweeted about it, added the restaurant as a tip on foursquare and uploaded some photos of it on Picasa.

This, my friends, is evangelism marketing in action.