Category Archives: Social

#SocialMedia: Can We Cleanse Our #MediaDiet?

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I just couldn’t do it.

I couldn’t tear myself away from what seems like my only portal to the outside world.

Who would ever think of leaving the one place where all your interests and relationships are at your fingertips?

I was going through social media withdrawal.

I couldn’t complete the ‘media fast’ I set out to tackle a few days prior.

I consume too much media for my own good. It’s to the point where I think I should take a minute every now and then to ask myself if I have anything insightful to say instead of relying on the insights of others.

It would also probably help if the Spotify commercials blasting in both eardrums didn’t startle me as I search for that one song to inspire my need to write.

This is asking a lot out of someone. With Facebook, Twitter, and a multitude of other social media channels bombarding our psyches everyday, cutting out all forms of social media for an extended time is like asking someone to retreat to Mongolia and hangout with Tibetan monks.

However, there is value in disconnecting ourselves from the daily din of life and the thousands of thoughts that flash across our minds. At this point, it’s time for me to rip out my SkullCandy earpieces and dig in.

The only way we can seek mental clarity is to simply focus on the task at hand and eliminate extraneous thoughts. By not concentrating on the past, we can create the desired outcome in whatever pursuits we choose. This might be a better way to make progress concerning the things we value most. While social media allows us the ability to be anywhere and communicate with anyone, we tend to underestimate the value of what is physically present.

According to the World Unplugged study, most students found it immensely gratifying to untether themselves from all media channels. It gave them a peace of mind and a greater appreciation for the simple activities social media has replaced, such as playing board games, having more face to face interactions with friends, family and roommates, going for walks, reading and painting.

One response perfectly summed up the irony of social media: “I have legs, which I now believe are underestimated as a social tool, as they allowed me to go and see people and communicate with them wirelessly.”

Social media is, without a doubt, very efficient. Its sophisticated algorithms can seamlessly match and connect people with similar interests in order to create worthwhile relationships. However, it’s important to purposely seek out activities and relationships, which do take more time, precisely because sometimes wasting time is actually the best option. It gives you time to smell the roses and relax. By taking a little extra time, we can find more meaning in these tasks and relationships. These can lead to more significant and stimulating social interactions.

Internet marketing companies may not take to the idea of social media users partaking in a consensual worldwide fast, but they can help users make better use of their social media time. People will be able to devote more time and energy to the interests and relationships they value offline. Our “legs” are the best “social tools.” Let’s just try to make an effort to use them more often.

#Serena: Not Done Serving on the Court, Nor on Twitter

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Let me just get this out of the way: I have a girl crush on Serena Williams.

Her badass physical and mental power catapulted her to her first French Open win in over 11 years and 16th overall Grand Slam title, only further cementing her place among the all-time tennis greats. As a fellow female athlete, this is more than enough to make me swoon. Her powerful, muscular physique is symbolic of the new wave of female athletes.

At, 31, Williams is playing possibly the best tennis of her career and even clocked her fastest ace at 120 mph – prompting her opponent, Maria Sharapova, to excuse herself by saying, “I think if I was built like Serena I hope I’d be able to hit a big serve like that, too.”  The force of her serve is only one part of the enormous cultural power she holds as an iconic female athlete – she’s also avid social media user (Forbes even dubbed her one of their fifteen Social Media Overachievers).

The above photo from Sports Illustrated encapsulates the ecstasy, exhilaration and elation of winning as well as the sacrifices, frustration, and disappointments of past losses. Simply put, it is a beautiful and moving portrait of a lifetime of work captured and expressed in a singular moment in time. A picture really is worth a thousand words.

I hope the photo will go viral and help disabuse people of the notion that female athletes are too masculine or not worth watching. The awesome physical and emotional power displayed is inspiring. Social media allows us to not only record moments such as these, but comment on them and pass our thoughts along. It makes us less passive – we fancy ourselves participants, not observers.

I’m not alone in this sentiment either. Among the many Twitter reactions to Serena’s win, @niketennis had over 1500 retweets of the post below:

With over 3 million Twitter followers, Williams has been steadily increasing the value of her social media stock. Her fandom has reached the point where she has instituted @Serena Friday, a separate Twitter account dedicated to a weekly Q & A session for followers wanting to inquire about her game, her personal life, and even pictures about her conversations with fellow competitors.

This weekly meet ‘n’ greet has helped her build a rapport with some of her most devoted Twitter followers and she acknowledges the benefits of social media: “I don’t know why I chose Friday, but it became a huge hit. That’s what I like about social media. I can connect directly with fans.” It’s this kind of engagement that is key to building and maintaining a relationship with fans and followers. Her successful upkeep of this relationship is now pretty crucial for her own brand management – especially as she is solidifying her status as a legendary player on and off the court.

According to Forbes, as of this month, Williams is among the world’s highest-paid athletes, reeling in over $45 million in career prize money and accruing endorsement deals with Nike, Gatorade, and Wilson. Apple has also taken notice of her star power, as she and her sister, Venus are a part of their iPhone 5 advertisement from earlier this year.

Internet marketing companies should take note of her widespread appeal on the tennis court and in the court of public opinion. (Her victory speech in French on center court should be a big plus from a marketing standpoint: she knows how to woo the locals. Her Parisian apartment and embrace of the French lifestyle doesn’t hurt, either.)

There’s no doubt Serena will have a lot to say during this week’s #SerenaFriday, as followers recap her recent win at Roland Garros. Williams shows no signs of slowing down physically, technologically or culturally – and doesn’t want to be disturbed anytime soon.

Why ‘Game Of Thrones’ Characters Should Have Used Social Media

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Twitter and Facebook exploded this past Sunday night with tweets and statuses surrounding the shocking ending of this week’s episode of Game of Thrones. I missed the episode and watched it a day later, so I cut myself off from the social media world to avoid any spoilers. However, after watching the episode, I saw what all the fuss was about.

Game of Thrones is one of the most popular shows on television right now. Many of the characters on the show have encountered problems at some point, but many of them could have easily been avoided had they logged into these social media accounts.

Arya Stark – Foursquare

Young Arya Stark has been on quite a journey since leaving Winterfell. After being captured by the Brotherhood Without Banners, and being held for ransom by the Hound, Arya has been traveling all across Westeros. If Arya had a Foursquare, she would be leading all characters by far in terms of points. She might even be the mayor of a few places. If she posted her locations for her mother and brother to find her, perhaps she would have made it back to them before their tragic deaths.

Daenerys Targaryen – LinkedIn

Daenerys Targaryen has been moving closer and closer to capturing the Iron Throne. However, she’s needed a lot of help along the way. Daenerys started with only a small group of Dothraki soldiers and dragon eggs. Since then, her dragons have hatched, she has found soldiers and a commander, but she’s gone through a lot of unnecessary trouble in doing so. Had the ‘Mother of Dragons’ simply gone on LinkedIn, she would have discovered soldiers and a capable commander without having to travel out of her way and partake in unnecessary battles. As for her dragons, they may be obedient to her but they are still young and untrained. Just by searching ‘dragon trainer,’ she could have found somebody to prepare her dragons for battle rather than have to wait until they grow and learn on their own. Maybe the Khaleesi should have learned some social media marketing skills before heading into war.

Robb Stark – Google+

Robb Stark had a valid claim to the Iron Throne and was working his way closer before he was murdered in the Red Wedding Massacre. However, if he built up his circle to gain support from other kingdoms, he could have completely avoided the event. He would have still been alive to wage war against the Lannisters. Also, if Robb used Google+, he would have already been in Lord Walder Frey’s circle from their previous partnership, so he might have been able to sense a vicious attack beforehand.

Joffrey Baratheon – Twitter

King Joffrey is not favored by many. However, maybe by tweeting to the citizens of King’s Landing, he could have gained some support. The young king is also quite a little brat and loves to complain. What better way to vent to the world than tweet? Celebrities do it, so why not the King? #DaddyIssues

Jon Snow – Instagram

Okay, so Jon Snow may not NEED an Instagram, but he would definitely have a ton of followers. This guy has a beautiful pet wolf that would appeal to animal lovers, has a hot girlfriend who I’m sure would get plenty of likes and could definitely take some beautiful landscape shots from the top of the Wall. Snow really has seen it all and I’m sure the world would love to see what he saw.

Tyrion Lannister – Facebook

“The Imp” is obviously not a huge threat on his own. But after the battle with Lord Renley, Tyrion gained quite a bit of support. If he had been on Facebook, his page likes would have skyrocketed! Just like social media agencies use Facebook to gain popularity, Tyrion could have done the same. With Facebook having over a billion users, I’m sure Tyrion would have quite a large fan base (especially since not too many people seem to favor his other relatives). I’m sure he’d also have some pretty witty Facebook status updates.

All in all, this just goes to show that even characters in a fictional world could benefit from social media.

Social Media is the Leader in Disaster Response

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What is the first thing that pops into your mind during or after a disaster? Well during the course of each and every year 800,000 people are affected by these disasters and some people don’t know where to turn to for help. When phone lines are damaged and electricity delivery is interrupted, where should the people turn for help? Did you ever think of using a social network for help? Well, in this tech savvy world, social media is becoming the leading form of contact during an emergency.

The quick and efficient way to look for help is to turn towards the Internet. It’s important to check social media marketing sites if you have questions about what’s happening. It’s also the best way to comb for news during a time of crisis. According to the infographic created by the University of San Francisco, 76 percent of people used social media sites to connect with a loved one to determine if they are safe after a disaster. Twenty-five percent of people during this time of crisis engaged in downloadable disaster apps to check the changing news and information.

In fact during Hurricane Sandy, FEMA actually advised people to let their family members know they were ok by updating various social networks.  This just goes to show how effective social networks are becoming in today’s age. A couple years ago, if the phone lines were down, there was no other way of contacting family members or friends. Social networks are becoming the go-to source for help, even replacing 911.

The booming social media scene is very beneficial whether you’re in the disaster or you’re trying to help others who were affected by a crisis. For example, during the horrific Haiti earthquake, there were 2.3 million tweets saying either Haiti, or Red Cross. Out of these tweets, 189,024 contained the number “90999.” If you texted that number, it sent $10 to the Red Cross relief funds for Haiti. Social networks helped to save countless lives in Haiti.

It is very clear that social media is becoming one of the leading ways of contacting people and it shows it here that social media can come up clutch in key situations such as during disasters. This form of communication is quickly replacing the original disaster response which was calling 911. “From raising money to locating survivors, it’s clear that’s social media is quickly becoming the most efficient outlet for managing disaster response.”  So as the days go on, always remember that if you’re ever stuck in a disaster or trying to reach a loved one, you’re only a click away from reaching them through social media.

Don’t Knock Social Media: It’s More Beneficial Than You Think

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It seems like social media sites either receive great reviews or horrible reviews—there’s no in between. Critics cite Facebook, Twitter and Instagram as the causes for poor social skills in children and adults. They also say social media produces false information and it’s the cause for people losing focus at work.

Now, while some of the arguments hold validity, social media sites deserve a little more credit. Sites like Facebook and Twitter have brought people together in times of need. After the Oklahoma tornados, a Facebook group was set up to help victims get their belongings back. This enabled people to not only locate belongings, but find pictures and help each other out during this tragedy. This wasn’t the first time Facebook was used to help people during natural disasters after the after math of hurricane sandy it was beneficial for raising money for victims who lost their home.

Social media has also been beneficial for all types of events as well. Think about all of the marathons you’ve ever heard of, or raced in. Most of these fundraisers’ were linked to social media marketing. Media sites were essential in giving vital information to participants, like where the fundraiser was taking place and the time.

What’s great about social media sites is you can target a large amount of people in a very short period of time. They give you the availability to keep people informed at all times, and this can be great for directors in charge of any organization or fundraiser. The fact that social media marketing sites can target a mass amount of people in a very short period of time gives you the ability to make a large profit since you are able to advertise on such a large scale.

While social media has been noted for causing procrastination, it’s also been largely beneficial in the work place. According to the Society Of Human Resource Management, social media “facilitates open communication, leading to enhanced information discovery and delivery.” This creates a free-flow environment where everyone is informed about what’s going on. It enables ideas to be flow more freely and builds a better community in a work setting. Not only that it enables companies do a lot of research on what their competitors are doing as far as how they are targeting their audiences and consumers. It becomes a great resource in that sense, because it puts smaller companies on the map and let them compete

Work groups can also be made on Facebook. These groups create a friendly atmosphere for all employees and can keep them up to date on staff events and staff gatherings. Obviously, there should be some caution when using these groups, but they are efficient communication tools.  They also create a sense of belonging since everyone is being taken accounted for.

Social media has become quite integrated in our lives and in many ways has revolutionized how businesses do things. In many aspects, the influence of social media has connected us all and we can now accomplish more goals than ever before. Hopefully in time some of the kinks critics bash will be worked out. This way we can take this social media marketing to new horizons.

Today’s Internet Proves You Can Find a Needle in a Haystack!

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Yelling out your life story in the middle of a crowd is a sure fire way to catch some looks. It’s not a very common sight to behold, but this type of scenario is exactly what most Internet users attempt to accomplish on their social media outlets of choice.  Essentially, your tweets and Facebook posts are an extension of your own voice in a digital landscape. So what makes some people stand out better than others? Why is it that some people seem to have an electronic voice that just seems to have more authority than others?

The answer lies in content.

Show people what you got

Content is the life-blood of the Internet. The social media sites are the nerves that control the flow of this “Internet blood.” Even if you use every social media site in existence today, your presence will not mean anything without something to offer. According to an infographic by VisualEconomics, 42 percent of Internet activity is based on viewing content. This statistic alone gives those who wish to grow their online presence the mission of generating novel content to distinguish themselves from others.

What kind of content matters, though? Well, for one, the content that matters most on today’s web is that which is shareable. Often times, the stuff that people want to see is that which they can increase their own reputation by passing it along to their friends and family. According toThe Web Citizen, the five most effective types of content on the web today include:

  • Photos – give direct visual representations of your message.
  • Videos – are an engaging way to showcase products and in general, people tend to simply enjoy viewing videos over other types of content.
  • Voting Poles – People love to voice their opinion and see what others think as well. It also give the polling party invaluable information on consumer preferences.
  • Contests – Let’s face it, we all want to be number one. Contests are a great incentive become a loyal consumer of your product/service.
  • Exclusive Content – This is content that subscribers have exclusive access too. Everyone wants to feel important, and offering exclusive content is a great way to make your followers feel special.

Generating compelling content on the Internet is easy. At the core, everyone has unique aspects of their own personality that are appealing to receptive audiences. It’s finding that audience that often becomes the conundrum in today’s online world. The Internet is young and still forming, just like the universe after the theoretical “big bang.” As easy as it is to find whatever you want, it’s also very hard to find exceedingly novel content unless you know specifically where to find it.

Ok, where is this going?

This brings about a tricky situation. It can be frustrating when readers and content generators can’t find ways to reach each other. This is where optimization of search keywords (SEO or Search Engine Optimization) comes into play. Blogging helps to increase traffic to a website when it includes links which are embedded into certain key words. Any content which includes these keywords becomes an opportunity to associate that content with another reputable source. The more reputable the source is that a site is paired with, the more reputable that site becomes in turn. Press releases help companies appear familiar with current events and associate them with causes or organizations they support. With adequate content, an optimized site can reach top spots in search engine results. Companies and individuals alike have increasingly turned to online marketing companies to ensure that their content is found in preliminary searches of their keywords.

Aside from a little confidence in the non-digital world as well, the right social media marketing strategy makes a world of difference when it comes to your online presence. It is important not to overlook where you are linking to and who is linking to you in return. When used correctly, these tools and techniques essentially give you a microphone and podium to recite your message, rather than leaving you yelling over the crowd.

That’s The Way The Taco Shell Crumbles: Taco Bell’s PR Nightmare

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Over the past few days I keep seeing the same story: The Taco Bell PR nightmare.

The whole situation started when an unidentified Taco Bell employee posted a photo of himself licking a stack of taco shells on his Facebook page. What started out as little more than a prank has exploded into a PR mess for Taco Bell.

Taco Bell reps have been very vague when commenting on the situation as a whole. Instead of formulating individual responses, Taco Bell representatives simply respond with the following text whenever people post the photo to the company’s Facebook page:

“We have strict food handling procedures and zero tolerance for any violations. We believe this is a prank and the food was not served to customers. We are conducting an investigation and will be taking swift action against those involved.”

In recent developments, Taco Bell released an official statement informing the public about the termination of the employee in the photo. The notorious photo has been plastered all over Taco Bell’s Facebook page, with a new one being posted every few minutes.

The problem for Taco Bell is more about brand practices, than the actual brand. In a recent USA Today article, Erika Napoletano, a brand strategy consultant, said, “It’s not a brand problem — it’s a brand practices problem.”

If the company wants to prevent situations like this from popping up again in the future, it needs to rethink its practices and hire people who have the same amount of respect for the brand as executives do. Without some sort of change, problems like this will become even more prevalent.

All people involved in a business, from low-end workers to CEOs, become attached to a brand whether they like it or not. Social media sites have provided a viral highway for incidents like this to blow up like never before. Employees need to know that when they join a company, they become a representative of the brand. The consequences for their actions on social media sites are much more dramatic than in past years simply because their accounts are more accessible.

The Taco Bell incident is very similar to one from mid 2012, wherein Ohio Burger King employee posted an incriminating photo on the image-based bulletin board, 4chan. He was standing on two tubs of lettuce with the simple phrase, “This is the lettuce you eat at Burger King.” Users at 4chan managed to track down the poster through GPS data and get the employee fired. However, Burger King took swift action and the incident was forgotten.

4 Ways Social Media Could Electrify Tesla

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I hope it won’t disappoint my readers to discover that this article addresses the social media potential of Tesla Motors, not the 19th century inventor. It has, however, dawned on me just how enticing an imaginary Twitter battle between Nikola and Tommy Edison would be, so stay tuned. For now, we must consider how the hottest vehicle on the planet could elevate its brand to even greater heights.

By most market indications, Tesla Motors and its line of pure electric vehicles is among the most progressive auto manufacturers in the world. Its stock spiked 14 percent last weak to breach $100 for the first time. Both Motor Trend and Automobile magazines named the newly launched S Sedan Car of the Year for 2013.

Reservations are still required to purchase the crazy cool vehicle, and Tesla now refuses to disclose hard numbers about demand. It explained that demand is “no longer a meaningful metric.”

The company’s stock climbed 25 percent after that statement on May 8. Yeah, Telsa is that cool.

The overlaps between social media users and prospective Tesla drivers are evident. Hollywood’s lust for green initiatives is only rivaled by its Twitter obsession. LinkedIn profiles have become as valuable to business people as stock quotes and tie clips. It’s only fitting to pair the car of the future with the prime communication vehicles of our time. Here’s how Tesla can become the first-ever social media car.

  1. Sync Twitter and Facebook FeedsThe Tesla S makes good use of its mammoth 17” screen, but there’s plenty of leftover real estate to display live feeds continually. Automating the vehicle to vocally read back incoming messaging would keep one’s eyes on the road and ear to the social grindstone.
  2. Auto Check-InsUsing location services on Foursquare, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram can actually be more tedious and error-prone than convenient, and cars should really start to pull their weight on these tasks. Prompting the driver to digitally check in each time a Tesla is placed in park would best utilize the vehicle’s GPS.
  3. Share Spotify PlaylistsI can’t name many cars that don’t offer CD players at all, and Internet radio is Tesla’s prime medium of entertainment. If we could have inter-vehicular Spotify sharing, we’d also get an insightful glimpse into the speeds at which our friends are driving (my I-495 playlist would be flooded with Muse and Metallica jams). So while I’m be cruising, my friend might be speeding as he blasts Swedish House Mafia.
  4. Share Rear-View Camera PhotosIncorporating software that captures and shares images from vehicles’ rear-view cameras could plausibly become the next photo sensation. #backitup.

The possibilities for Telsa are endless, and any auto-aware Internet marketing company would be drooling at the chance to market these cars to the global community while optimizing social media integration. After all, what’s the use of a car that can’t vocally update my Facebook status?

In its embrace of social media compatibilities, Tesla the car could take many cues from Tesla the man. The latter did not invent electricity, but is credited for harnessing and reapplying its capabilities in the form of his alternating current system. Facebook and Twitter encourage firms of similar ingenuity and imagination to utilize their products. I’m not suggesting a Google Glass windshield just yet, but the opportunity is ripe for Tesla Motors to introduce social media to the automotive world.

YouTube’s 8-year Anniversary: The Evolution Into A Major Media Giant

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Since 2005, YouTube has transformed itself from a small website where the average person could share home videos to the MTV of the 21st century.

Its first video was uploaded by YouTube co-founder Jawed Karim in April of 2005. It showed that the site was originally meant for amateurs to post videos about their daily lives. However, since 2010 the most-watched videos on the website have been from signed recording artists like Justin Bieber, Carly Rae Jepsen, Bruno Mars and South Korean pop sensation, Psy.

But how did this happen? Even after Google bought the online video service back in October 2006 for 1.65 billion dollars, it still was relatively the same until a few years later. Google gave YouTube the resources it needed to become a social media giant, but it was the experiments with big corporation that made them thrive.

An article by Business Insider, which shows key turning points in the history of YouTube, said that the website showed the potential to become an important promotional tool for businesses as early as September 2005 when a Nike commercial became the first video to hit 1 million viewers. As a result, Nike became one of the first major companies to use YouTube in their marketing campaigns.

A well-publicized dispute between YouTube and NBC in early 2006 was also a turning point. NBC asked YouTube to remove a Saturday Night Live clip called “Lazy Sunday” due to copyright infringement. In October 2007, YouTube introduced the Content Verification Program to help businesses find and remove videos that infringe on copyrights. Shortly afterward, NBC put aside their differences and became one of YouTube’s first partners by allowing them to promote the fall TV lineup.

The deal YouTube made with NBC marked the beginning of the website’s many partnerships with content providers. The website launched its Partner Program, which pays users for their viral content in 2007. It became possible for businesses, as well as everyday people, to make money off of the videos they upload on YouTube. Recently, they have allowed members of the partnership program to charge customers for yearly subscriptions.

Despite it’s success, YouTube had some pitfalls along the way. For instance, the site spent over $100 million on the creation of 100 channels, some of which were owned by original YouTube creators while others were owned by mainstream celebrities. The celebrity-built channels, such as Shaquille O’Neal’s comedy “Shaq,” and Ashton Kutcher’s “The Thrash Lab,” failed to reach expectations. This showed that YouTube audiences would not just watch a show because it had a celebrity’s name in the title. Instead, they wanted to watch people like themselves uploading their own original content.

Whether their clients share videos on site or not, it is crucial for Internet marketing companies to know what is trending on YouTube. Like MTV before it, YouTube is the key to finding out what’s going on in pop culture. However, YouTube displays view counts and allows viewers to make comments, making it even better than MTV. By searching through the highest rated videos, these Internet marketing companies can see what works and what doesn’t. They can find inspiration for their own advertising endeavors.

Nobody knows how YouTube will evolve next, but one thing’s for certain: it’s not going away any time soon. On its blog, the video-hosting site announced that more than 100 hours of video were uploaded every minute, and that number is expected to grow. So here’s to eight more years!

App.net: Facebook Without The Baggage

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More and more people are deleting their Facebook and Twitter accounts because of all the advertisements that flood the page. What if I told you there was FINALLY a way to interact with your friends online completely ad-free? Facebook and Twitter both have tons of spam, annoying games, and basically garbage thrown onto your screen.

Since Facebook went public, this problem has only gotten worse. App.net (ADN) provides users with a purer social media experience, one free of spam, advertisements and invitations to play Candy Crush Saga. The Twitter-like website allows users to follow one another and share their thoughts, but without the hassle of digging through spam and unwanted posts.

ADN was launched in August 2012 and cost users $50 for a year-long subscription. Recently, ADN lowered the price to $36 a year or $5 a month. But now, the company is providing a way for those desperate social media users tired of all the garbage on their feeds a way to get on board for free.

After reaching 100,000 registered, paying users (a huge milestone in and of itself) the website announced that it would be providing a free tier of invite-only accounts for its paid members to share with friends. These free members can follow up to 40 users and receive 500MB of storage – not quite as good as the unlimited number of users and 10GB of storage available to paying users, but not a bad technique to try and draw in new users.

For those who don’t know anybody with an ADN account, ADN is offering 5,000 free invites to Mashable, who is sharing these accounts with their readers. ADN’s is a pretty unique social media marketing strategy in a world where many companies offer “free” services in exchange for the right to bombard them with ads.

Is it worth the money to avoid the filler ads and other trash we see on other social media platforms? That is for users to decide, but I’m glad to have the option.

For more information on ADN, check out this video from its founder and CEO: