I’ve some great news to share with you! One year after its official release Engage 2.0 is now available… If you just bought the original Engage, don’t worry, this book doesn’t replace it. Engage 2.0 is a different book with a different purpose. When it came time to release Engage in paperback I was asked if there were any changes I wanted to make before going to press. The answer was an emphatic yes. I took this opportunity not because…
Behaviorgraphics: Discovering the “Me” in Social Media
Social media is a deeply personal ecosystem that I lovingly refer to as the EGOsystem. As such, there is a “me” in social media for a reason. It is quite literally a world in which we are at the center of our online experiences, a place where everything and everyone revolves around us. Placing ourselves in the role of this emerging social consumer for a moment, brands, businesses, and media aren’t sure how to see or reach us directly yet….
At the Pivot of Business, Marketing and Media
I am certainly no stranger to the conference circuit. Over the years, I’ve helped many friends organize conferences, advised organizers on programming and positioning, and presented at or attended scores of others. It is at these conferences where I am fortunate to meet and support many friends and new friends alike while also learning from the wisdom of my peers. Nothing will change…I’m passionate about all of the above. But, I do have some news to share with you… As…
In Social Media, Failing to Plan is Planning to Fail
I’ve received many inbound requests for comments based on a report from Gartner, an IT analyst firm, that estimates as many as 70-percent of social media campaigns will fail in 2011. There are a series of discussions hitting the blogosphere and the Twitterverse exploring this very topic, some elementary and others on the right path. I contacted Gartner earlier this week and the problem is, that this data isn’t new at all. In fact, these discussions are fueled by information…
The Best of 2010: Hybrid Theory and the Future of Marketing
Jeremiah Owyang, industry analyst at Altimeter Group, published a report that sent shock waves throughout the global creative industry. For large agencies, it represented a harbinger of change. For specialized groups, the report was a declaration of validation. In his report, “How Social Media Boutiques are Winning Deals Over Traditional Digital Agencies,” Owyang documents the disruption facing traditional agencies. For those businesses already advanced in social media strategies and needs, budgets are turning to boutique shops as much as 8x…
Introducing Your Friends, Fans and Followers
Social Media is among many things, our gateway to discovery and interconnection. While social networking may seem trivial, truth is that we get out of it what we put into it. But this goes beyond the time and energy we spend on day-to-day participation. Our investment in social media earns its largest dividends when intent and purpose meet personification and engagement. We are defined by what we share and who we know and in the world of business, media, and…
The Future of Advertising Has Been Promoted: A New Study
For years, Twitter focused on building a fervent community while other established and burgeoning social networks attempted to do so while fueling growth with advertising dollars. 2011 will go down in history as the year when Twitter was officially promoted from a micro blogging network to a full fledged interest network, with each of its denizens expressing their likes and dislikes Tweet after Tweet. Combine a highly engaged interest network with the ability to introduce relevant promotions or brands in…
(R)evolution: Frank Eliason on the Social Business and Customer Service
Welcome to the (R)evolution, a new series that connects you to the people, trends, and ideas defining the future of business, marketing, and media. In episode 8, I proudly welcome Frank Eliason, senior VP of Social Media at Citibank. Frank is recognized as one of the fathers of modern customer service. Prior to joining Citibank, Frank was known to many as the voice behind @ComcastCares, one of the earliest examples of how a business could use social networks to proactively…
The 5th C of Community, Social Commerce
Brands are racing to create a social presence on Facebook, Twitter and the hottest social networks of the moment. The initial goals, of course, are to increase brand awareness and build community. To do so however, takes a holistic approach that extends beyond the regiment of broadcasting messages to silent audiences. Now, brands must establish a social equilibrium whereby the 4C’s of community drive measurable and mutually beneficial activity and engagement through the thoughtful introduction of content curation and creation,…
The Business Guide to Facebook Part 2: From E-Commerce to F-Commerce
Facebook Founder and Chief Executive Office Mark Zuckerberg describes Facebook as a social utility that helps people communicate more efficiently with their friends, families and coworkers. Indeed, Facebook is so much more than a social network. As a social utility, it changes the dynamics of relationships, how we communicate with one another, and how we discover, share and learn. Facebook and Social Media are redesigning the information super highway, forever altering how information travels and how people connect. The world…
