Social media marketing is gaining in awareness and acceptance by businesses all over the world. According to a recent report published by Burson-Marsteller… 67% of Fortune Global 100 companies use Twitter to directly engage with consumers. This is a 78% increase over the previous year. And, 9 out of 10 companies are talked about on Twitter. When you think about social media and customer engagement, luxury brands are viewed upon through a different lens. The question is, are buyers of…
Engage 2.0 is Now Online and in a Bookstore Near You
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.Ā I took this opportunity not because…
Social Media and the Need for New Business Models
Who owns social media? Is it marketing, customer service, public relations? Looking at a recent study conducted by the Pivot Conference, the top four departments where social media is currently run are as follows: 1. Marketing 2. Public Relations 3. Sales 4. Customer Service Perhaps, it’s the wrong question to ask however. It’s not unlike asking who owns email. But, here’s another question and as we think about it, let’s broaden our perspective as the answer may not appear immediately….
Report: Brands Pursue the Social Consumer
The Pivot Conference is unique in its focus of seeking and dissecting brandingās next revolution: The Rise of the Social Consumer. In October 2010, the inaugural event took place in New York, uniting brands, agencies, and industry experts to share insights, best practices and also explore the horizon for relevant emerging technologies and methodologies. At the end of 2010, the research team at Pivot conducted a survey among its 700-plus attendees to reveal 2011 challenges, opportunities and the plans to…
Opportunity Clicks: Social Media and Converting Clicks into Action
Social Media is celebrated for its power to cultivate influential relationships and foster viral conversations. As consumer attention shifts away from traditional mediums and migrates to the golden triangle of mobile, PC, and next generation Web appliances, businesses are racing to engage in the hopes of capturing fleeting awareness and igniting affinity. Social media, as practiced today however, largely represents a means, not a means to an end, or said another way, social media is missing actions where the purpose…
The 2011 Twitter Brand Bowl: And the winners are…
Super Bowl XLV is now in the history books. 2011 is the year that the Green Bay Packers reclaimed the NFL Championship. And, it is also the year that now holds the record for the most viewed television broadcast of any kind in U.S. history, attracting an audience of over 111 million viewers. While many watched the game, it is the advertisements that spark conversations online and offline. Going back to Appleās 1984 commercial directed by Ridley Scott that introduced…
When Will the Social Media Gatekeepers Arrive?
Guest post written by Ian Greenleigh, Social Media Manager at Bazaarvoice. Follow him on Twitter: @Be3D – This is not a commercial post, but solely the views of Mr. Greenleigh Imagine it is 1881, three years since the printing of the first phone book and the founding of the first telephone exchange company. Youāre one of the fortunate few with access to a telephone. Some have been grumbling that the device is a mere novelty, a passing fad. Others predict…
Malcolm Gladwell, Your Slip is Showing
Solidarity Time is always limited, but in these historic times, I wished to add perspective in the hopes of moving this important conversation in a productive direction. Malcolm Gladwell continues his march toward dissension with his latest installment in the New Yorker about social media vs. social activism. Honestly, Gladwell is more than welcome to share his thoughts as it is a democratized information economy after all.Ā I do find it alarming however, that he is wielding his influence through…
Best of 2010: We the People
There’s an old saying that I think about more and more as I study technology and its impact on behavior…technology changes, people don’t. But nowadays, I’m not so sure. I think technology is indeed changing and us along with it. Whether it’s through social networks or digital lifestyle products such as iPhones and Kindles, we are adapting and perhaps evolving as a result. Through social networks such as Facebook, Twitter and Foursquare, we are learning to live our lives online,…
A Conversation About You, Social Currency and Social Capital
In February 2011, I have the privilege to speak at the lift conference in Geneva. But this isn’t about the conference as much as it is about an important subject that I’ve been asked to address. While this idea is nothing new to economists, theorists, futurists and other intellectuals around the world, my focus is on those who are unfamiliar with the role they play in an underground, but vital economy. I’m going to explore the undercurrent of social economics,…
