The competition for attention is focused on social networks as brands vie for awareness and consideration. Establishing a presence in Facebook and Twitter is as necessary as it is trivial. In the great social land grab, many organizations are missing true opportunities to connect with the fifth P of the marketing mix, people. It’s less about communicating with those individuals who are already following you online and more about those who aren’t. To excel in social media, engagement has its…
Video: The New Influencers, Does Old School Media Get It?
In part seven of a series of conversations exploring the state and future of social media, Chris Beck, founder of 26dottwo (@26dottwo) and I review the rise of the new influencers (you and me) and how traditional media can adapt to the democratization of content creation and curation. As new media creates a bottom up (r)evolution, the top-down methodologies of publishing are forced to adapt. Consumers are now in full control of defining their own experiences, with whom they connect,…
Social Media’s Critical Path: Relevance to Resonance to Significance
If Social Media warranted a mantra, it would sound something like this, “Always pay it forward and never forget to pay it back…it’s how you got here and it defines where you’re going.” This intentional form of alternative giving is referred to as “generalized reciprocity” or “generalized exchange.” And, the idea of giving something to one person by paying another is credited to Benjamin Franklin, which contributes to the definition of “pay it forward.” The capital of this social economy…
CRM magazine Influential Leaders: The Engager
Reprint of CRM magazine, August 2010 Influential Leaders: The Engager by Joshua Weinberger (@kitson) Brian Solis blogs circles around you. He also posts, updates, and twitters faster than you can, helps develop graphics prettier than yours, and analyzes patterns in public discourse long before you ever see them show up as a Trending Topic. In short? Solis—as principal of consultancy FutureWorks, cofounder of the Social Media Club, speaking-circuit fixture, and best-selling author—is a content and communications machine. But Solis is…
Video: Checking-in as a Form of Social Currency
In part six of a series of conversations that explore the state and future of social media, Chris Beck, founder of 26dottwo (@26dottwo), and I check-in with FourSquare and other geo-location networks. We review how these location-based networks open new channels and dynamics for online and offline connections. We also examine the nuances of “checking-in” as a form of social currency and implied endorsement. Essentially, there are cultural and economical aspects with tying your “personal brand” to the locales you…
Video: Is Social Media Burnout Imminent?
In part four of a series of conversations discussing the state and future of social media with Chris Beck, founder of 26dottwo (@26dottwo), we review the prospect of social media burnout or social network fatigue (SNF). We also explore the evolution of privacy and the willful exchange of what used to be private or sensitive information and content for the semblance of value and rewards. Those rewards could be as simple as reactions, responses I discuss these issues a great…
5 Not-So-Easy Steps to Managing Your Brand Online
Unless you literally run your business with your ears plugged and your eyes covered, you are aware of the importance of social media and its impact on both brand and bottom line. However, while social media is the topic du jour in mainstream news, on blogs, in books, at conferences and at your local Starbucks, we may still underestimate its overall promise and potential. The socialization of business is comparable to the rabbit hole in Alice in Wonderland or the…
Tweet This! Twitter Pushes Its Own Button
It’s no longer a matter of answering the micro riddle, “to tweet or not to tweet.” Twitter helps you simply Tweet everything that moves you. While this capability has existed through third-party services over the years, Twitter is rolling out a dedicated function to harness the power of the “interest graphs” that you weave. Not only can you share links with those who follow you, Twitter is extending its “Suggestions for You” feature to assist in the curation of your…
Video: Media Consumption vs. Usage and the New Role of Digital Sociologists
In part three of a series of conversations discussing the state and future of social media with Chris Beck, founder of 26dottwo (@26dottwo), we review media consumption and usage and how in social networks, individuals are in control of defining their own experiences. As such, organizations are now required to study the cultures of each community in order to learn how to best establish a presence to equalize the dynamics of engagement. The idea of a digital sociologist is discussed…
Please Repeat: Influence is not Popularity
…and popularity is not influence. In social media, influence has taken center stage. With the spotlight perfectly fixed on the “me” in social media, a large shadow is now cast over the “we” that defines the social web. As individuals begin to realize the possibilities and benefits that surface as a result of building connected social graphs, a very public exploration to find the balance between influence and popularity unfolds. What’s clear in this chapter of the ever-evolving Web is…
