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March 31, 2009

Whale Spotted on Twitter

By Eden Litt

It’s on T-shirts. Parties have been thrown in its honor. And now people are getting it permanently tattooed to their bodies.

It’s Twitter’s infamous “fail whale.” You know, the icon you see when the site fails to load. It’s a burly whale being hoisted out of the water by a flock of tweeting birds. Its image is becoming even more popular as the site becomes overloaded by more and more daily users. In fact, Twitter has grown more than 1,300 percent in just the past year. In comparison, Facebook grew only 228 percent during that same time.

While some have grown to love the whale watching, others find it utterly annoying. Read more about the phenomenon and Twitter’s growth here.

Posted by staff at 10:41 AM
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March 27, 2009

Babble Establishes Itself as the Magazine and Community for a New Generation of Parents

With celebrity backing from Cheryl Hines and Megan Mullally, Babble has created an online destination to "tell the truth about parenting, to bypass the clichés and dig into the magical and maddening reality. Our commitment to readers is to explore the world of parenting on a daily basis with ruthless honesty, and with the humor and lyricism natural to the subject." View more here.

Posted by staff at 05:22 PM
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March 26, 2009

Facing Change: Why Brands Should Appreciate the New Facebook

By Nichole Mrasek

Many users have been protesting the latest changes to Facebook. Unhappy with the Stream and Publisher changes. But clients and brands should be thrilled and paying attention.

If you’ve recently checked out a Facebook fan page, you’ve probably noticed that the pages now resemble profiles. The Wall tab is the main profile page and highlights the latest updates and Wall posts. Custom applications and content has been placed on a Boxes tab, while some applications can also be placed on the wall or on a separate customized tab. You can read more from Facebook on the changes here.

Facebook’s reasoning for the change: "Just as you connect with friends on Facebook, you can now connect and communicate with celebrities, musicians, politicians and organizations. These folks will now be able to share status updates, videos, photos or anything else they want, in the same way your friends can already. You’ll be able to keep up with all of their activity in your News Feed."

This means brands have a fantastic opportunity to bring more awareness to their activities through the news feed. Some of you may update your status multiple times a day, and now fan pages also have a status box. When your brand has information to share you can go a step further than posting to the fan page by updating the status.
Brands are now in your Friends list and daily interaction. When users view their Facebook homepage, they see the page’s status update without even going to the fan page. Essentially this free marketing becomes another driver for the brand. Be cautious, as you don’t want to spam fans of your page with status updates. Updates to the page should be meaningful and provide value for your fans. Pages are destinations, not mini corporate sites.

According to Mashable, “Users aside though, there is one audience that appears to be benefitting greatly from Facebook’s new design: brands. Not only are Facebook Pages – the network’s competitive play against celebrity Twitter users – revamped and more social, but their updates are taking up space on member’s homepages, and in turn, as our data shows, driving lots of traffic and engagement for brands.”
Call it a Twitter rip-off, but Facebook has proven it can conquer the criticism. Read the full feature from Mashable “You Might Not Love the New Facebook But Brands Should” here.

Posted by staff at 04:16 PM
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March 25, 2009

Skittles Tweets the Rainbow

By Nichole Mrasek

Skittles.com has sweetened up its site. Visitors going to Skittles.com view a small overlay that hovers over its Twitter page, directing users to the Skittles Facebook page, Twitter chat, Wiki entries, YouTube and Flickr pages.

When the revamp launched a few weeks ago, the homepage was posting tweets featuring Skittles search results from consumers almost every 30 seconds, but just a day after the launch and a number of racy tweets later: “The Twitter backlash forced Skittles to change the primary landing page to its Wikipedia page. Further criticisms were made of the user experience and for Skittles’ failure to filter the Twitter search results, which resulted in competitor links, profanity and prank tweets.”

Several sites, including MediaPost’s Marketing Daily, are applauding Skittles for actually listening to users and adjusting the site to better serve visitors. In turn, the Facebook page now features more than 600,000 fans, 5,000 plus blog posts and numerous tweets.

Read the full story, Tasting The Social Media Rainbow and see what all the buzz is about at Skittles.com.

Posted by staff at 05:03 PM
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March 23, 2009

Finding a Separation Between Personal and Professional Social Media

Want to join Facebook or Twitter but worried about what colleagues or clients might see? Louis Gray’s has tips for you in his article "How To Cleanly Separate Personal and Work Social Media Personalities." Try creating separate browsers for your work and personal use and remember to take extra precautions before acting on behalf of your client. More advice can be found here.

Posted by staff at 05:20 PM
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March 22, 2009

Social Networking Popularity Grows, Changes Age Assumptions

By Alicia Dorset

MediaPost recently featured an insightful article focusing on the continuous growth of social networking in the social media landscape. According to The Nielsen Company’s “Global Faces and Network Places,” social networking, referred to as member communities, together comprise the fourth most popular online destination, just ahead of e-mail.

The full report cites numerous factoids, but the latest on ages and social networking is particularly interesting: “The biggest increase in visitors during 2008 to “Member Community” Web sites globally came from the 35-49 year old age group.”

The article then goes on to discuss the growing 35-49 demographic within social networks. When working with projects that have social networking components, it’s important to remember sites like Facebook now host millions of members ABOVE college age. How you reach out to that audience is definitely different that you would the 18-24 age. Take a look at the full article here.

Posted by staff at 04:56 PM
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March 19, 2009

Facebook Updates Its Relationship Status with iPhone

Another reason for iPhone users to geek out: Facebook announced the Facebook Connect application for iPhone, allowing users to hold the Facebook platform in the palm of their hands. Facebook users now can have their full identify on their iPhone - from basic profile information to photos, events friends and more.

iPhone users can now have an enhanced experience on Facebook, as they are not just logging in, they are not connecting to let other applicaitons exchange information as part of a larger social network. Described as "embedding social context to an iPhone app,” Facebook Connect for iPhone enables users to:
* Seamlessly "connect" their Facebook accounts and information with your site
* Connect and find their friends who also use your site
* Share information and actions on your site with their friends on Facebook

More from Facebook. Read what the Wall Street Journal says about Facebook Connect here.

Posted by staff at 05:09 PM
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March 17, 2009

Technorati’s “State of the Blogosphere” 2008: From Cutting Edge to Mainstream

By Marian Short

Following its 2007 overview of the blogosphere, Technorati provided a more in-depth account of blogging in 2008. The findings of the current State of the Blogosphere are derived from a randomly issued survey to 1000 + bloggers within Technorati’s 1.2 million registered blogs. Bloggers shared their thoughts about the role of blogging in their lives and what resources bloggers are using in association with their sites.

We all know blogs are burgeoning, but to what extent? Technorati says 7.4 million blogs posted in the last 4 months; collectively, blogs post approximately 1 million posts per day. What about crossover into traditional news outlets? Over 95% of the top 100 U.S. newspapers have reporter blogs to supplement their online coverage.

Technorati characterizes bloggers as savvy and self-sufficient. Most bloggers have blogged 3 years on average and the majority use at least 5 approaches to drive traffic to their blogs. The top reasons cited for blogging were self-expression and the desire to share. The largest indicator of a “successful” blog was personal satisfaction.

Over half of surveyed bloggers reported heightened visibility in their industry due to their activity. One in five have been on TV or the radio in connection with their posting. One third of bloggers have been approached to be brand advocates.

Enough food for thought? This is only the tip of the iceberg. The Technorati State of the Blogosphere 2008 is well worth the read. Check out the full feature here.

Posted by staff at 04:56 PM
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March 15, 2009

In Order to Save Itself, Newspaper Industry Enters the Social Media Fray

By Marian Short

According to social media strategist and Web architect Woody Lewis, the term “newspaper” may soon carry the same quaint undertones as “record album” does in a land of CDs, mp3s and iPods. While these traditional news outlets are undergoing painful changes industry wide, Lewis theorizes newspapers could still viably function in today’s world – as long as they begin to embrace social media.

To this end, Lewis compiled a list of ten ways newspapers are utilizing social media to bring life into the ailing industry.

Social media actions newspapers have taken include:
* Twitter feeds of headlines
* Acquisition of a social media service provider
* Hosting online events
* User generated content (promoting and monetizing)
* Hosting live blogging/forum discussions on breaking stories
* Customized news delivery
* Creating branded communities
* Going virtual – ceasing paper service

See Mashable for more here.

Posted by staff at 05:53 PM
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March 13, 2009

Everyone’s A Twitter

By Nichole Mrasek

We aren’t surprised at the amount of buzz Twitter has been receiving, or the number of brands that continue to have a presence on the microblogging service each week. Trend Central has compiled a cheat sheet for Twitter to help you navigate the Twitter landscape if you are unfamiliar to the service.

* You don’t have a to pick up People mag to get your celebrity fix. Check out Celebrity Twitter Streams, “Of course there is always the chance you're following an imposter, but the blog Valebrity verifies the genuine high-profile users.”

* Get the brand buzz from Twitter Tracker, which “compiles real-time updates from companies using the service, such as Whole Foods, JetBlue, and Starbucks.“

* Prevent ‘epic fails’ by staying up-to-date on the latest lingo for tweets. Read all about Twitter Slang.

Posted by staff at 05:44 PM
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March 11, 2009

Digital Mom: A Growing Segment

By Charlie Kondek

"The Today Show" revisited the topic of digitally connected moms, an oft-covered trend that is by no means fading away. Thanks to technology and the connections made through technology, Digital is more online than ever. "My iPhone is attached to the hip at all times," says Chastity, a mother and community manager for popular mom social network Cafe Mom. "I never leave home without it."

She’s not alone, as the segment points out: an estimated 30 million moms with children under the age of 18 are online. At least half of them are on social networks like Cafe Mom, according to a study by Cafe Mom and Razorfish.

And they’re blogging in ever increasing numbers, according to Heather "Dooce" Armstrong, who says moms like her like to blog "because we’ve sort of lost that village that used to help us raise children, and we’re recreating that village with our readers and our friends and our social networks."

To see the segment in its entirety, click here.

Posted by staff at 04:36 PM
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March 10, 2009

Absnickerlutely Nuts!

By Eden Litt

Snaxi. Snaxophone. Nutilligence. Nutopia. Nougetaboutit…huh?

Snickers is officially speaking in its own language: Snacklish. During these hard economic times, Snickers has launched this lighthearted campaign, which includes outdoor advertisements, commercials, a feature on snickers.com and a Facebook Fan Page. In an effort to humorously dominate cybertext entirely, an online Snacklish translator is also in the works.

Read more about the iconic candy brand’s campaign featured on “The Nougat York Times” here.

Posted by staff at 04:29 PM
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March 09, 2009

What You Should Be Learning from Social Media

By Nichole Mrasek

The social media landscape can make or break an individual user - or even a large corporation.
Mashable’s Ben Parr has a list of social media blunders that we should read and remember so as not to repeat others’ mistakes.

Two notable flubs and the lessons learned from them:

* Facebook News Feed: Facebook launched news feed as a complete surprise, throwing off many users. Now Facebook rolls out new features gradually.
* Motrin Moms: Had Motrin done some research, it probably would have anticipated such a backlash. People don’t mess around when you talk about their kids.

Read the full feature here.

Posted by staff at 04:24 PM
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March 05, 2009

MTV Twitter-Style Celebrity Death Match

MTV’s Celebrity Deathmatch has been revived. The animated clay show was comically referenced on a recent Twtpoll . The question up for debate, “Who would you like to see in a good 'ol MTV Twitter-style celebrity death match?”

So, which social media gurus would you want to see duke it out? Vote below .

Posted by staff at 03:56 PM
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March 03, 2009

Is Your Brand on Twitter?

Peruse the more than 5,000 brands on Twitter here.

Posted by staff at 02:05 PM
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Brand Guideline Tips for Social Media

By Nichole Mrasek

The face of your brand is crucial to establishing your identity. Mashable’s Sarah Evans provides a quick list for establishing your brand identity in “Social Media for Business: The Dos & Don’ts of Sharing.”

Tips discussed include:
* Be transparent and authentic. Be human. If you don’t want the worst day of your life to be played over and over, don’t talk, share, Tweet or write about it via social media.
* A profile pic is worth a thousand tweets.
* Make a short list of what you WILL talk about via social media.
* A relatively easy approach on Twitter: use the search function and type in the keywords associated with your brand.

Read more helpful advice here.

Posted by staff at 02:00 PM
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Rocky Mountain News Folds, Takes to Twitter

By Alicia Dorset

It came as a huge surprise last week when Colorado’s Rocky Mountain News announced it was printing its last edition on Feb. 27. The paper went up for sale back in December 2008, but none of the staffers or Rocky readers saw this coming.

The Rocky did a fantastic job covering their paper’s final moments by way of online photo galleries, video montages and staffer reactions and thoughts via blog posts. However the hardest-to-read, yet most-compelling, component had to be the staff’s Twitter feed, as they sent out real-time updates from the newsroom as staffers wondering what would happen to their e-mail, how they would receive severance packages and where to hand in their press badges.

Hopefully the feed will be used to get the latest from the staff, as the paper’s Web site, rockymountainnews.com, will no longer be updated. See the Twitter feed for yourself here.

The Rocky’s closing is not the first newspaper to go under in the current digital age and it definitely won’t be the last. Instead, the Rocky’s closing reminds us that just because a paper product is no longer offered and a Web site goes dark, the spirit of a group of people can still live on online.

Posted by staff at 12:57 PM
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March 02, 2009

Congress Caught Tweeting In Front of the Boss

Congressional members were a-tweet last week during President Obama’s national address. Check out some of their tweets, including one from Rep. Jeff Flake, "One tele-prompter appears broken. Still 1.5 hours to go but I bet they are nervous,” and other thoughts from the evening here.

Posted by staff at 02:07 PM
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March 01, 2009

The Best of the Internet

If you are a viral video fanatic, chances are you have seen a majority of the videos on Greg Rutter’s list of the 99 best videos and Web sites. View all the greats here at YouShouldhaveseenthis.com.

Posted by staff at 02:09 PM
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Promotions Influence Online Impulse Buying in Slow Economy

By Ann Stofflet

According to a recent JupiterResearch Consumer study, online consumers have changed their research and shopping habits to weather the difficult economy, and they are frequenting opinion and recommendation sites more often to help save cash. The study reviews how economic conditions affected consumer spending, and tracks changes observed in consumer online purchase behavior.

Due to the slowing economy, 48 percent of online consumers have stated they will reduce their spending on a variety of products in both online and traditional stores. That includes everything from automotive to travel, and from consumer electronics to health care.

This money-saving mindset provides retailers with an interesting opportunity to influence consumer purchase decisions. The number of online shoppers, who have purchased items that were not on their shopping list when offered a promotion has risen since 2004.

It appears that when consumers are in this frugal mindset, the offers become more appealing and they are more easily influenced. The study also shows that online shoppers have become more comfortable shopping online. Here are some of the study results:

* 42 percent who plan to reduce spending researched their purchase on three or more sites
* 33 percent decide in advance on a max price they are willing to pay for an item.
* 31 percent performed advance research and decided on the item they would purchase
* 16 percent knew where they would make their purchase and 13 percent knew when they would make their purchase
* 89 percent use Web sites to find their items
* 86 percent rely on search engines to find their items
* 78 percent use manufacturer sites to find their items
* 77 percent depend on ratings and reviews

Based on these statistics, the majority of consumers are not planning their purchases in advance, so retailers have an increased opportunity to influence purchase decisions. Read more here.

Posted by staff at 12:51 PM
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