Jonathan Crow of ThinkFree recently conducted what he calls The Great Social Experiment where he tested and practiced the art of online social networking as a strategy for helping his company join the conversation across popular online communities and in turn, evaluate the business implications for doing so. Crow assembled a roundtable of those active in the Social Media landscape to offer feedback, commentary, constructive criticism, and advice for the good of all marketing. Those joining the conversation are Chris…
The Art and Science of Social Media and Community Relations
This post is in memory of Marc Orchant, an amazing friend, father, and geek, whom I will miss dearly. Marc was supposed to participate in this discussion. His unexpected passing has us all devastated. Our prayers and support are with his family. Social networking, and social media specifically, have been painted as the new marketing landscape for businesses to engage with their communities of customers wherever they congregate. In my view, we’re starting to hit a ceiling of discussion versus…
Twitter is a Conversation Hub, But It’s Only One of Many
Jeremiah Owyang has concluded that some conversations are moving to Twitter. He’s right. According to Owyang (who’s a good friend, so it’s strange to refer to him in the AP format), has experienced 2,000 referrers from twitter to his blog in last 30 days. Obviously, it’s a very popular topic as his comments have skyrocketed to over 200 and it’s not slowing down. Some conversations are also migrating to Facebook, Pownce, Jaiku, and across other social networks and micromedia communities….
The Blog Council, Intentions vs. Execution
Behind these closed doors, a virtual council of big business marketers will meet to discuss how to best engage with people through blogs and all forms of social media. The Blog Council exists as a forum for executives to meet one another in a private, vendor-free environment and share tactics, offer advice based on past experience, and develop standards-based best practices as a model for other corporate blogs. Founding members include the leading companies from a diverse range of business…
Social Media Releases – Everything You Ever Wanted to (or Should) Know
The social media news release is rallying support. And more importantly, examples and discussions of usage are percolating throughout the blogsphere among PR practitioners and bloggers alike. It’s no longer a matter of if, nor when, but now a matter of practice and evolution in order to determine success and failure. As a recap, the Social Media Release has been pushed by many influencers, including Tom Foremski’s public outcry for the death of crappy press releases; Todd Defren who offered…
Attention Traditional PR, Step Away from the Social Media Release – aka hRelease
I came across a post that really smacked me in the face with a stinging sense of reality. You can’t help everyone grow; only those that realize they can. We just have to do a better job of reaching everyone else to help lay a more informative foundation for people to cause change. Regarding the Social Media Release, it’s not social media. The Social Media Press Release still adheres to the antiquated notion that public relations means appealing to the…
Thank You for Bringing Attention to the Need for Change
The conversation regarding the need for evolution in PR still rages on (with the SMR aka hrelease at the center of the controversy.) Some bloggers “get it,” others are forcing us to do a better job explaining what we’re actually doing, while some (and the people who read their blogs) completely miss the point. If anything, this conversation demonstrates why the blogosphere (and most importantly, people) will chew-up and spit-out traditional PR and corporate marketing types – without thinking twice….
Enough Already: Getting the Social Media Release All Wrong
After spending a week writing “Social Media Killed the Press Release Star,” which painstakingly explains in great detail the need to improve the content and overall relevance of PR and press releases as well as putting a microscope on why the hell a social media (or let’s just call it “an overhauled”) release WILL exist, people still don’t get it. Good friend, Stowe Boyd wrote an interesting post that I’m afraid is drawing the wrong kind of attention to an…
Social Media Killed the Press Release Star
A New Year is upon us and I think I’ll start off the New Year with a rededication to the Social Media Release (SMR), the Social Media Club, and why the hell all of this will matter to marketing, communications and PR professionals this year. The truth is that somewhere along the way, a few of those who “got it” embraced it as their own, those who are just now learning about it are “not getting” it, and a few…
CES Welcomes Bloggers – Changes the Future of Event Marketing
CES is celebrating its 40th anniversary and the enthusiasm and energy are at its greatest levels ever. Why? Because for a 40 year old show, CES is still making headlines – and I’m not just talking about the latest in electronics or gadgets either. This year, CES recognized bloggers as legitimate media. Finally…a huge validation for citizen media. This year, CES contracted the folks behind the behind Business Blogging Summit to screen and qualify bloggers for official media credentials. Why…
