I guess I'm a technologist because I love technology and have a bottomless appetite for it.

The glamour of new products no longer dazzles me. The underlying technology behind a new platform is definitely more interesting than the platform itself. But dig a little deeper, and you'll see the reason behind the underlying technology. Now that's where the excitement is.

Take Twitter for example. On the surface, it is a social communication vehicle. Kind of like an evolution of text messages that you can share with the world. But why would you want to share your text messages with the world? Where's the value in that? Dig a little deeper.

The technology behind Twitter is really a two-way communications channel (although I think most people use only as a one-way broadcasting channel.) But the really amazing thing about Twitter is what else it can do for you, especially when you combine it with other technologies. There is an incredibly powerful network running wild right now and it is just waiting to be harnessed. How?

1) Use it as a listening tool. Real-time conversations are happening about your brand, or asking questions you can answer. Beat your competition to the punch and engage with your audience immediately.

2) Like it or not, recognize that Twitter has HUGE adoption. That means access to a huge audience — if you have something relevant to say.

3) Imagine if you could combine short quick messages with say — a home appliance. You could know exactly when your ice maker is overflowing in your fridge, when your clothes are dry, or when the oven is preheated. Combine Twitter with a moisture sensor in your plants and you'll be reminded to water them. How about car maintenance needs, library book reminders, or even a daily tweet of the lowest gas price within 3 miles of your home?

My point is, if you think past the conventional uses, unexpected and innovative solutions will emerge. I still love the fact that the Typewriter was developed to allow the blind to write. Who knew it would be required in every business office for decades to come?

We're seeing innovation on all platforms with the rapid adoption of location-awareness, text-to-speech, and cross-application sharing of information. Where will the technology take us next?

Labels: emerging technology, innovation, social media

According to a recent article on TechCrunch, the Associated Press is broadcasting news stories via Twitter. But they're linking to their Facebook page instead of their website. Why is this important?

Its important, because they're doing it. Its important because we're asking that question. Why is one of the largest news agencies directing the public to a social media site rather than their own?

Here's my take on it. Web sites are for reading. But social sites are for sharing.

Is sharing important? Google thinks so. They've been adjusting their algorithms to include social sites more. Shared information is recent, relevant, and trackable. And anything that helps you get found online is beneficial.

Besides, marketing and professional networking is evolving. People don't want to be told, they want to be empowered and a be part of the conversation.

If you still don't believe in the importance of social media, keep watching who does.

Labels: associated press, facebook, social media, social networking, the next twitter

One question I've been asked a lot recently is "what's going to be the next Twitter?" The quick answer is, it doesn't matter. I know that sounds flip but hear me out before you think I'm just another social media basher (you'll know this is not the case if you read my blog). I say "it doesn't matter," not because I don't love Twitter and all the other social networks but because it assumes that the concept of "social" can be limited to a single tool.

To that end, comparing the phenomenon of "social" to a tool is somewhat akin to thinking that a good website is strictly about a great logo or a slick header graphic. Obviously those things help but they aren't the end all to be all. It's the concept of great usability and design coming together meeting the needs of a stated business objective that makes a site great. Oh yeah, the site damn well better meet the needs of the customer too. Otherwise, you're dead in the water.

Getting back to my rant about Twitter and why limiting "social" to the category of a "tool" is such a pet peeve of mine... Well, it's not dissimilar to thinking that the discipline of marketing could be confined to just e-mail or advertising. While some companies might concentrate their efforts on a particular tactic, most good businesses also leverage other tactics to help accomplish their goals. They also realize that at the end of the day, "marketing" isn't limited to one tool because it's a more about a philosophy and a thought process than it is a bunch of tools.

The difference between good marketing or even site design is that while "social" can be important to helping a company get in touch with its customers, it can also be a transformative power within an organization helping companies:

• Share ideas — both internally and externally
• Co-create with its customers
• Energize its customer base by creating a launch pad for word of mouth marketing
• Deepen loyalty and increase referrals by giving customers something of value

I guess the next time someone asks me what the next "Twitter" is, I'm going to tell them that it's the wheel, or the printing press. Or a turbine engine. Or the Internet. Maybe then they'll start to think about this brave new world of "social" as something more than just a tool.

Labels: online marketing, social media, the next twitter, transformative, twitter, Web design

It's very trendy. Companies of varying size and type are exposing their brand and messaging via social media marketing. These organizations are having cocktail parties online! They are establishing and maintaining real-time conversations with customers, colleagues, industry peers, thought leaders and management. Throughout the conversations, brand loyalty is being garnered. Messaging is being spread. Stories are being told. The exposure is immediate, smart, savvy and contagious. "Social media creates a solar system for a brand with multiple satellites of interaction channels, some large, some small." - Derek Showerman, Director of Social Media, Authority Domains.

Use your website to first explain your message/brand and then have direct links to your social media sites (i.e. Facebook, twitter, online community, etc). But be sure to keep the design of your messaging, and overall identity consistent!

Expose your brand to social media and reap these benefits:

Online conversations and increased SEO
Thought provoking and news worthy content is contagious. People tell people. Conversations will build a community of loyal followers (customers).

Immediacy
Hitting a front page of major social video, news and bookmark sites will send you large amounts of instant traffic while simultaneously building your keyword optimization.

SEO
Conversations and linking will dramatically boost your rankings in search engines.

Peer Power
Gain peer recommendations, attract influencers, comments from bloggers, etc. Initiators and influencers decidedly play an important role in decision making.

All Natural
Receive natural links without any discernible pattern! Your website will be exposed to large groups of people in a spontaneous fashion. This differs from paid advertising which can be conceived as commercial efforts.

Quite Complimentary
Social media optimization and marketing is usually community-specific. It doesn't interfere with any other methods of getting traffic to your website. It can and will fit perfectly with an advertising campaign targeting other websites or search engines.

The bottom line is social media has created a way for people and businesses to become transparent. Social media can be a great way to find and establish followers, but like in real life, friendships require time, understanding, honesty, and the occasional greeting card. Before exposing your brand via social media, step back and take a look at all of your marketing components (logo, website, calls-to-action, etc). Make sure that all of your messaging is consistent and accurate before you expose your identity. Ask for help.

In the spirit of being social, join us for a live presentation about social media communities. A complimentary and informative networking event with appetizers, drinks and even pool. June 30, 2009, FELT Boston, 6-8:30PM. Sign up here.

Labels: bad branding, facebook, SEM, social media, social networking, twitter, Web Strategy in Search Dominated Environments

Everyone knows social media tools like Twitter, Facebook and blogs can drive traffic to your site and help build your brand. And nowadays, every marketing conversation has some component of social media. Last month, my team stepped away from the fodder and physically DID something - face to face.

On April 29th, Metropolis Creative engaged hundreds of marketers through social media by having an Extreme Website Makeover party . This was our most successful marketing effort to date (I founded the company in 1999). We harnessed the power of social media, partnerships, networking and free booze into one brand building and socially engaging campaign that stirred a contagious buzz (before, during and after the event). Nearly 150 marketing professionals came off-line to shake hands and interact by using more than 140 characters.

The campaign served its purpose of strengthening the Metropolis brand, engaging face to face interaction, and also was a helpful experiment in demonstrating how to plan, deliver and measure a social marketing campaign.

Social Media Reach

The campaign’s impact, influence and reach were measured by these tools:

• Google Analytics: Site-side analytics measured the traffic back to Metropolis' site and the referring social media properties
  


• WordStream: Keyword analytics and organic visits


• RatePoint: Outreach to their network (and email marketing tool)


• Twitter: Followers, tweets, retweets, frequency and interaction


• Facebook: Extreme Website Makeover and Metropolis Creative pages (become a fan!)


• SHIFT Communications: Outreach to their clients and prospects via twitter


• Social Media Breakfast group and Bob Collins socialized the invite via twitter and facebook


• Groupon: Email to Boston opt-in database


• STUFF@Night/Boston Phoenix: Multiple emails to opt-in database


• MA High Tech News, Galen Moore article

Congrats to American Public Television for being awarded the Website Makeover winner and props co-sponsors SHIFT Communications and RatePoint.


Ready for Extreme Website Makeover 2010! But how can Metropolis make it more extreme…?

Labels: extreme marketing, social media, twitter marketing, web site design, website design, website redesign