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61% of survey respondents say their personal blog helped Them Win Their Latest Job. My personal blog launched my new career in digital marketing strategy and analytics.
My last post shares why our professional and digital identities shouldn’t be beholden to a single social media platform. Do more than the herd. A personal website or blog differentiates you from other job candidates by showing how you go the extra mile. (more…)
Yesterday, The Wall Street Journal broke the news that Apple acquired Topsy, the Twitter Social Analytics Firm. First-gut reactions from the tech pundit community are questioning the deal's merits and objectives:
Mashable. Christina Warren described her initial reaction to the acquisition:
"Topsy is an interesting acquisition for Apple because unlike its past purchases of startups, such as HopStop and Locationary, there isn't a clear product application."
"With Topsy, the purpose is less clear. The Journal posits that it could be useful for iTunes Radio — a product that already has direct integration with Twitter Music — or its flailing iAd product. Still, the purpose of acquiring an analytics firm that is so focused on one specific social network is, in a word, odd."
TechCrunch. Matthew Panazarino voiced his skepticism about the Apple-Topsy deal, and he also speculates why Apple pursued it:
"Given that Apple is a Twitter partner already, and hosts login and posting features for the social network on its iOS and OS X platforms, this seems like a confusing deal if all that it's after is the Twitter data firehose. It seems more likely that Topsy has technology or engineers (read: acqui-hire) that can parse trends in a way that Apple wants to incorporate into one of its products."
"If I had to hazard a guess, this might be related to Apple building out the relevancy engine of its App and iTunes Stores. Adding social signals to the search algorithms of its stores could help to improve the relevance of search results and help Apple surface apps that are hotter and more interesting to users. Tracking app trends across social networks would allow them to fine tune categories and collections of apps, and surface apps that are gaining steam more quickly."
Apple Literally Wants to Get Inside Our Heads. Their strategy doesn't just apply to selling more Apple stuff (e.g., apps, music, books, movies off of iTunes). In my opinion, they literally want to get in our heads about EVERYTHING.
David Meerman Scott's November 26th blog post, Big Data, Rich Data, provides key insights and greater detail on how Apple (and other firms) can convert the real-time data into revenue. Apple acquiring Topsy for a "mere $200 million" is a steal. And, since Apple holds $147 billion in cash on hand, they're not even breaking a sweat.
Capturing Real-Time Data and Converting the Insights into Revenue is Topsy's Business. Here's a screen shot from Topsy's "About Us" webpage:
The Big Data, Real-Time Marketing Implications are Huge. Samuel Greengard's great CMO.com article, Real-Time Marketing: The Reality Ahead, reinforces why Apple gobbled up Topsy. Ironically, CMO.com published Mr. Greengard's article the same day as the Apple-Topsy announcement:
"Today the Holy Grail is to deliver the right message at the right time in the right place. Of course, that's easier said than done–and breaking through the glut and getting a message to a consumer who is receptive is nothing less than daunting. Nevertheless, the tools and techniques exist to migrate to a real-time framework. "In the past, marketers had to conduct a massive amount of research to understand consumers and behavior," Vivaldi's Joachimsthaler said. 'It's now more about developing methods that allow consumers to draw a map to their doors. It's critical to capture their footprint.' "
Mitch Joel Describes It Best From his book, CTRL ALT Delete. The rationale for the Apple-Topsy acquisition comes straight from this section in CTRL ALT Delete: The One Screen World – The Shift From Four Screens Down to One (pages 90 -109).
The entire chapter describes how consumers operate in a one-screen world environment. The only screen consumers care about is "the one currently staring them in the face."
Mitch further makes a compelling argument: The most important consumer screen resides on their smartphones.
Twitter Is Mobile, Untethered, and One-Screen Savvy. It's a social media platform focused on telling Apple WHAT We're Thinking WHEN We're Thinking AND WHERE We're Thinking It. This November 2013 Bloomberg-Businessweek article describes how the Twitter API, its meta data, and tweets provide rich consumer data.
Here are Mitch's thoughts on Twitter and the one-screen world (from page 99 of CTRL ALT Delete):
"Twitter's metoric rise and continued success have less to do with how many followers Lady Gaga has and much more to do with the fact that it was the first-ever online social network that worked better on mobile than it does on the Web. The sheer simplicity of those 140 characters of tweets makes it that much more workable and easy for consumers. Twitter's focus (from day one) was on connecting people as they were on the go. To this day, everything that Twitter does — from acquisitions to business strategy — is driven by a one-screen-world philosophy."
You May Not Agree With Me. What do you think about Apple acquiring Topsy? Does the deal make sense? Maybe, it still seems odd?
Either way, please comment with your thoughts. I'd love to hear from you.
Tony Faustino is a marketing and corporate strategist. He writes about how The Internet reinvents marketing strategy for organizations and individuals in his marketing strategy blog, Social Media ReInvention. Follow his tweets @tonyfaustino or circle him on Google+.
Have you seen the cool infographic Mashable published in the article, What Makes the Modern Media Agency [INFOGRAPHIC]?
Lisa Waananen wrote the article and created the infographic describing important trends, data, and priorities of modern media agencies and their clients.
My 8 Takeaways. What are Yours?
#1 Digital Media as a Priority. Media buyers still prefer TV over digital by a 2:1 ratio.
#2 Trivializing Social Media (Not Smart). Public Twitter snafus at Kenneth Cole and Chrysler highlight why all brands need social media guidelines.
#3 Mobile Marketing. Digital Agencies are betting bigger on mobile applications versus their clients (e.g., 75% digital agencies versus 62% of advertising clients).
#4 Measuring Buzz for Data. Measurement is important but the biggest challenge is turning all that data into meaningful action.
#5 The Static Newsletter. Static emails aren't enough. They require compelling content (i.e., video) with social sharing buttons to increase engagement and click-throughs.
#6 Using Social Media – Part 1. 65% of executives feel emerging technologies and Web 2.0 tools increase marketing effectiveness.
#7 Using Social Media – Part 2. 25% of Fortune Global 100 companies use ALL four (4) of the most popular social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and blogs.
#8 Recession Cutbacks. 2011 advertising spending will increase (even in TV).
Conclusion
Infographics are becoming more important in the art of storytelling. I love them because they communicate a lot of data in a visually compelling format. To learn more about infographics, I suggest this post by Adam Singer: Data Visualization and Infographics to Tell Your Story.
I especially like Ms. Waananen's infographic because all the data sources for her research are cited at the bottom of the infographic.
What do you think of the infographic? What are some of the key takeaways you learned? Or, what do you think of using infographics as a storytelling tool?
Will the iPad save the publishing industry? How can the iPad help traditional publishers reinvent themselves?
At the 2010 SXSW Conference, Bloomberg interviewed Pete Cashmore, the CEO and founder of Mashable. The interviewer asked Cashmore about his opinions on the iPad's potential impact on social media (the question is posed with around 1:37 left in the video). Although he wasn't directly asked if the iPad would save the publishing industry, I found Cashmore's response very telling:
* Besides consumers, the greatest beneficiaries are current publishers of books and magazines
* He mentions how the magazine, Wired, is creating a special edition for the iPad
* The iPad introduces an opportunity to charge consumers for content particularly because iPhone owners are used to paying for apps
Who's Developing Applications and Content for the iPad
Major publishers and magazines reportedly developing applications and content for the iPad include:1,2
* Penguin
* HarperCollins
* Simon & Schuster
* Macmillan
* Hachette Book Group
* GQ
* Vanity Fair
* Wired
* Glamour
* The New Yorker
* The Associated Press
These organizations are literally banking on the opportunity to charge consumers for online content. But, what I find most interesting is Cashmore never mentions:
1. If Mashable is creating content specifically for the iPad or
2. If Mashable will ever charge consumers for its online content
Who Isn't Developing Applications and Content for the iPad
Why didn't he? In my opinion, it's because new media players like Mashable don't need the iPad or a paywall to succeed. Mashable doesn't carry the high cost structure of traditional media firms. Unlike these larger companies, Mashable can sustain it's business through online advertising. Cashmore thinks Mashable has the opportunity to become a media powerhouse. They've competitively positioned themselves and have already gained considerable traction and critical mass with their audience.
This is the case Mark Andreesen (former founder and CEO of Netscape) makes to Erik Schonfeld in the March 2010 TechCrunch article: Andreesen's Advice to Old Media: "Burn the Boats.":
1. The "new media" companies aren't investing a lot of time and resources to create iPad-specific content
2. It's the "old media" companies who are focusing on the iPad opportunity
3. Technology companies deal with and adapt to constant disruption (and he provides examples the succesful ones confronting it head-on)
We'll see who survives. This quote from Arianna Huffington in a February 2010 Inc. Magazine article sums things up perfectly: "I don't think that newspapers are dying. I think there will be fewer of them, but there will always be newspapers."
1iPad to Feature Apple's iBook e-Reader App by Philip Michaels from MacWorld.com
2Publishers Make Way for the iPad by Serenity Caldwell from MacWorld.com
Ross Kimbarovsky, co-founder of crowdSpring, wrote a phenomenal Mashable article titled, 10 Small Business Social Media Marketing Tips. Every professional marketer should read this article for his fantastic advice that readily applies to any business thinking about social media marketing execution. The article shares both "beginner" and "advanced strategies."
A Case Study in Audience Engagement
More importantly, I'm genuinely impressed by the personalized responses Kimbarovsky provided to the reader's comments. After reviewing about 45 of his responses, I stopped counting. These personalized responses ranged from "I'm glad you found the article helpful" (for the commenters who provided quick "thank you-type" comments) to longer and thoughtful replies.
I think we could learn a lot about genuine audience engagement by studying his responses. Kimbarovsky demonstrates the importance of listening and individualized treament. If I could ever generate comparable numbers and types of responses for my content, I would be overjoyed.
But generating the responses or initiating the conversation is only half the story. The other half is carefully listening to each individual — and isn't that really the art of great conversation …
If you think I'm full of it, read this eMarketer article, Consumers Demand Brand Interaction. One of the study findings shows that new media contact with companies and brands fosters goodwill in a majority of users with at least 70% of the respondents reporting positive impressions, stronger connections and a greater willingness to engage with the company.
Great Examples We All Could Learn From
Check out Kimbarovsky's personalized responses here — it's a clinic in genuinely listening, responding, and engaging an audience:
I love Twitter, and I’m a proud and devoted user since March 2009. The 140-character or less micro-blogging service is an important aspect of my online personal branding or online personal reinvention strategy. I utilize Twitter like it’s a blog and link my tweets to news content relevant to M&A activity in the pharmaceutical and biotech industry, new trends in social media / digital marketing, and important developments in technology.
Looking back, if I only knew then what I know now, here are three pieces of advice I wish I someone would have shared with me before using Twitter for the first time. These three learnings focus on:
· Selecting What to Tweet
· Understanding Twitter Etiquette and Writing a Compelling Twitter Headline
· Simplifying Tweeting
Lesson 1: “What Are You Doing” Really Isn’t the Question You Should Be Answering
People ask me why don’t I consider Twitter a tremendous waste of time. After all, who really cares about random strangers sharing what flavor of cream cheese they put on their bagel for breakfast. I agree that tweets of this sort hold zero interest for me. To be fair, there’s nothing wrong with using Twitter as a real-time Facebook status update. This June 2009 USA Today article titled, There's an Art to Writing on Facebook or Twitter – Really, is an excellent example of this phenomenon.
However, if you desire to thoughtfully and consistently demonstrate your knowledge or opinion of a specific industry, industry event, or other business-related content, “what are you doing” is not the question you should be answering. David Meerman Scott addresses this very topic in his blog post titled: Hey Twitter: What are you doing? Wrong question! The comments generated on David’s post provide very diverse opinions on this subject (including my own comment) and provide a representative glimpse of how people utilize Twitter.
Therefore, the litmus test question I ask before publishing a tweet is: “Will this information personally or professionally benefit another person today?”
This is why I consistently link my tweets with news or online content. I invest significant time researching and selecting what type of industry or business content I share with my Twitter Followers. My motivation is to deliver content that mutually benefits a fellow follower. Marc Meyer’s blog article, Do Twitter Users Have an Obligation to Provide Value, is a great example of this personal motivation. My comment and Marc’s kind reply are included in his article. One of the best articles I've read about what makes a Tweet valuable comes from this recent Mashable article titled: Twitter Talkback: What Makes a Quality Tweet. The author, Soren Gordhamer, provides his analysis of four (4) categories of Tweets. The examples I provide in this post focus on Mr. Gordhamer's Category #1 called Informative: Help Us Learn …
The trusted folks I follow on Twitter are often a better source of professional content or personal learning than my own Google Search. I’ve carefully selected the individuals and organizations I follow on Twitter and 90% of them graciously follow me back. It’s my hope that they’ve stuck with me for the past 4 months because I’m “giving something valuable back.”
Okay, time to put my money where my mouth is. Here are four personal examples of tweets I composed, and I know a trusted follower found useful. How can I validate or quantify that statement? The ultimate Twitter Compliment or “Shout Out” — A follower retweeted / RT’d the example tweet (e.g., she/he forwarded the tweet to their Twitter following).
· STILL THINK TWITTER'S A FAD-THINK AGAIN; Dell Generates $3M in new revenues via Twitter|Bloomberg http://bit.ly/Po3VE
· NPR'S 3-PRONGED STRATEGY: Local-Social Media-Ubiquitous Access; Why NPR is Future of Mainstream Media http://bit.ly/13ejaL
· For Sales Growth, C-Suite Worries Most About Opt Mktg Mix ; C-Level Execs on Mktg Success | eMarketer http://bit.ly/3Hv0a
· Celebrity Patient's Backing Turns Sour for Drug Company | WSJ http://bit.ly/12xHAL
Lesson 2: Review Trusted Resources on Twitter Etiquette and Writing a Compelling Tweet
There are multitudes of “how-to” blog posts and articles about effectively writing a tweet or Twitter Headline. Here are two trusted, online resources I still refer to when I need to get back to Twitter basics:
· The Twitter Book Sneak Preview eBook by Tim O’Reilly and Susan Milstein: My favorite resource in Twitter Etiquette particularly in how to build a loyal and relevant following through the use of the retweet / RT. Heard about positively influencing co-workers’ egos with the power of the e-mail cc: or forward? The Twitter RT is Web 2.0’s powerful equivalent of the email cc: or forward, and O’Reilly and Milstein share their advice in an enjoyable and easy-to-understand format.
· Everything I Need to Know About Twitter I Learned in J School by Ann Handley: Want to learn how to write compelling Twitter headlines and content – read this article now. Ann is a journalist, author of the Annarchy blog, and the Editor-in-Chief of MarketingProfs.com. When it comes to great writing and compelling tweets, Ann knows what she’s talking about.
Lesson 3: Download and Learn How To Use TweetDeck
TweetDeck makes using Twitter so much easier. You can download TweetDeck and it’s a free application. It’s very intuitive and highly user-friendly. Key features that make "tweeting" simpler include:
· One-click “retweeting or RT’ing” that automates forwarding another person’s tweet
· One-click URL shortening so you can link your tweet to useful online content (i.e., a news article or blog post)
· Multiple column viewing or an executive dashboard view that allows you to categorize the tweeters you follow (i.e., industry, discussion group, news)
For iPhone users, the TweetDeck app is fantastic. If you haven’t already downloaded it, go to the App Store today. I’ve been using this app since its release and highly recommend it.
TweetDeck is just one example of a Twitter application that simplifies tweeting. For a general overview of helpful Twitter Tools and apps, I also recommend these two articles:
· Software That Makes Twitter So Much Tweeter by Katherine Boehret of The Wall Street Journal’s All Things Digital
· Top 5 Twitter Applications by David Meerman Scott of WebInkNow.com