Tag Archives: Social media

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(VIDEO) Neil Young: on music, social revolution and social media

On December 14th of last year Neil Young (my favourite music artist by the way) was invited to speak at a Salesforce conference in Japan.  During this short appearance, Neil talked about the power of social media and its ability to inspire change.  He compared it to the 1960s and 1970s and the impact music and radio had on society at that time.

Enjoy the video.  It is well worth watching.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t70S0jHSjEg&w=560&h=315]

What are your thoughts on Neil’s comments? I would love to read your comments below.

(If you liked this blog post feel free to share it by clicking one of the share buttons below. You can also get my blog posts delivered to your email’s inbox by clicking the follow button under “sign me up” to the right of this blog post. Thanks!)

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i enjoy using Path and you will too

There’s a new social network amongst us. Path.  To find out more about Path take some time to read this Forbes article.  

Path was started by former Facebook-er Dave Morin.  He was recently on Jason Calacanis’ show This Week in Startups.  I suggest you give it a watch/listen for some amazing insights into Path as well entrepreneurship in general.

I could go into detail about what Path is and what makes it unique but I won’t.  What I will say is that at the moment, it’s a mobile social network (Path calls itself the Smart Journal) which limits its users to a maximum of 150 friends.

This blog post is why I enjoy Path.

I remember joining Path sometime last summer. And I was not impressed. At the time it seemed as a limited social network.  And I was also very hot on Google Plus. But this past Christmas I was re-introduced to Path when it seemed everyone at a party I was at was using the newly released Path 2.0 on their iPhones and Androids.  So I did what anyone else in my shoes would have done:  I crapped all over Path and then proceeded to download the new version.

And I have been impressed ever since.

Beautiful User Experience

From the simplicity of the product to the unique “posting” system, there is no social network quite as easy on the eyes as Path.  Path is very intuitive with very few steps in order to use it.

Replacement for BBM?

I own a BlackBerry Torch and also use an HTC Android smartphone.  The Torch is the phone I primarily use as it has the number I’ve been using for 15+ years.  And BBM is an app that I really like to use.  But using Path on my HTC makes me question whether I really need to use BBM anymore?  I just need to convince/wait for my brother and sister to get an iPhone, Android or other device that Path supports.  (We use BBM to “chat”. No other messenger service has appealed to us yet.) Then I won’t really have an excuse for using BBM/BlackBerry.

Everything that I use BBM for I can use Path instead.  And Path offers so much more!

Music sharing and discovery

One of my favourite things about Path is the music sharing and discovery feature. On Path you can share thoughts, location, photos (and video on iOS), when you wake up and go to sleep, and music.  (Now, remember, I’m a longtime BlackBerry user so excuse me if this sort of feature has been around on other devices and products.)

As many of my friends will tell you, I love my music.  And my music consists of U2, Neil Young (including his stuff with Buffalo Springfield, CSNY and Crazy Horse), Aerosmith (their old stuff mostly), Colin James, Black Dub, Led Zeppelin, Broken Social Scene, Rush, etc…

So I love sharing what I listen to.  And I can also see what my other friends (up to 150 only. It’s another great feature of Path that you should learn more about) are listening to. Or at least that’s what I thought I could do.  Until I clicked on a song icon a few days ago.

Baaam! I proceeded to have about 15 seconds of a song I’ve never heard play on my phone. Path actually allows us to “share” what we’re listening to like nothing I’ve ever seen/heard before.

Anyways, that’s my take on Path.  Do you use Path?  I would love to read your comments below.

(If you liked this blog post feel free to share it by clicking one of the share buttons below.  You can also get my blog posts delivered to your email’s inbox by clicking the follow button under “sign me up” to the right of this blog post.  Thanks!)

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the problem with Klout (and other online influence measurement tools)

Earlier this summer I wrote a blog post about the importance of influence. And while I still believe in the idea of Klout and what they are trying (or hoping) to achieve they are still a little way off from a perfect product.  

Don’t forget context

I have come across a number of professionals and agencies who use Klout scores in the creation of influencer programs and strategies.  (Full Disclosure: I am a managing partner and co-founder of a social media and community management communications agency. We haven’t used Klout for our clients.)  And it astounds me that brands pay good money on account of a Klout score with no context.

Here’s what I mean.  What does a Klout score of 40, 76, or 29 (pick any number you want) actually mean?  Nothing in my opinion.  What does matter is context.

Market

What market is a brand targeting? For argument’s sake let’s say that the product is a fluoride-free kids toothpaste.  The brand wants to give away 250 tubes of toothpaste to parents of young children.  The hope is to generate valuable word of mouth buzz to help the toothpaste maker (and their agency) earn some online media mentions.  Does it make sense for the agency of record to work with Klout to identify 250 people with high scores? What if Klout could identify which Klout accounts were parents in a specific target geographic area?  Even if Klout could identify parents who love trying toothpaste and want to use a floride-free brand.

Influence doesn’t end (or begin) online

And herein lies the real problem.  Most parents concerned about floride-free toothpaste are not concerned with their Klout scores.  And this is wildly assuming that these parents are even registered on Klout.

Wait Karim! If these floride-free advocates have high Klout scores won’t that help the toothpaste maker generate valuable online mentions? Maybe.

Influencers

There is greater value, I think, in directly engaging in conversations with these people.  Here’s an idea: Connect directly with a dozen or so popular parent or mommy (even daddy) bloggers.  Find out what their needs are.  Find out what their readers (and community) are interested in. Work with them to create a program that benefits all parties involved: The blogger (or influencer), the blogger’s community, and the client.

During this process you may even find out that the influencer and their community you are engaging with are not interested in the fluoride-free toothpaste. Which allows you to move on to another influencer and engage with them.

Moving forward

The simplicity of measurement tools like Klout is that they tend to make people who work with brands’ communications and marketing programs lazy.  It’s too easy to take a bunch of influencer scores and blast them with messaging.  What’s not as easy, and therefore more rewarding in my opinion, is taking the time to properly engage with potential influencers.  Take the time to deliver a quality product and service to your client.  Don’t take the shortcut.

What is your opinion on Klout?

If you liked this blog post feel free to share it by clicking one of the share buttons below.  You can also get my blog posts delivered to your email’s inbox by clicking the follow button under “sign me up” to the right of this blog post.  Thanks!

blog, digital media, social media, twitter

UFC uses Social and Digital to rule Sporting Universe

Earlier today an article I wrote was published on the website Web Not War.

On the weekend of December 10th Dana White’s UFC settled in Toronto with Sunday’s UFC 140 anchoring their activities. Over the past 10 years, Dana White, his partners the Ferenzzo brothers and their MMA athletes have created one of the most popular and fastest growing sporting and entertainment brands in the world. The reasons are manifold: the demise of the boxing industry and the need for fresh and new programming for this 200+ channel universe being just two of them.

To read the rest please visit http://www.webnotwar.ca/ufc-uses-social-and-digital-to-rule-sporting-universe/

digital media, social media, twitter

Social Media Masters: Toronto

Unlike traditional events that attempt to satisfy the needs of all levels of practitioners, the Social Media Masters Series goes beyond typical introductory courses, and provides advanced social media sessions for practitioners from true social media Masters. With the Social Media Masters Series, we are progressing the social media dialogue from the “why” to a more technical understanding of how to execute social media programs in key areas with an emphasis on engagement marketing.

Produced by Social Media Club, the world’s leading association of social media professionals and Sensei Marketing, a firm specializing in customer acquisition and social engagement for the enterprise, Social Media Masters is a premium event for leading brands and social media strategists.

The event takes place this Friday, October 7th in Toronto.

If you are a Social Media Professional wanting to take your skills to the next level, or an online marketer expanding your capabilities, this program is your chance to go beyond a typical introductory course and get advanced training from true Social Media Masters. This conference is a unique opportunity to develop your own mastery of social media for Marketing and Communications, with an emphasis on engagement. Whether you are in charge of a department in a large organization, you are responsible for multiple clients within an agency, or you are an independent professional deepening your skills and knowledge, this event will help you advance your career and accomplish your goals in key areas of social media marketing.

Produced by Social Media Club, the world’s leading association of Social Media Professionals and Sensei Marketing, a firm specializing in customer acquisition and social engagement for the enterprise, Social Media Masters is a premium event for leading brands and social media strategists.

Register today and save 20% by using code ‘karim’.  Social Media Club is also hosting a cocktail party the night before. You can register at http://www.eventbrite.com/event/2275211218.

See you there!

digital media

Growing at GROW

Atlantic Canada Entrepreneurs @ GrowConf
Image by bmann via Flickr

I’m typing this blog post on my Dell Inspiron Mini on a West Jet flight some 40,000+ feet over the Canadian Prairies.

I don’t usually use this space to blog about my professional life. So I hope you don’t mind if I make an exception today.

This week I’m proud to represent thirdocean and XConnect at Canada’s top technology and start-up conference in Vancouver: GROW Conference.  If you’re a regular here you probably already know that I am a co-founder and partner of both thirdocean (which is a social media and community management agency) and XConnect (which we’re building into Canada’s top technology and new media resource).

Both companies are less than one year old. Which makes this trip all the more important from a business perspective.  Not only am I in attending GROW in order to learn from some of the top entrepreneurs and business minds across North America but I’m in Vancouver to network and solidify some professional relationships.  The goal, obviously, is to grow both of our businesses.

So I hope to be able to share some good news with everyone soon after I return from this trip.

For the rest of the week I’ll be blogging over at XConnect.  I’ll be sharing my thoughts on both what I’ve learned and whom I’ve met.  If you’re a fan of our XConnect Show (live every Wednesday at 11am EST) this week we’ll be chatting with Alyssa Richard and Matthew Slutsky.  Both Toronto-based entrepreneurs are disrupting the national real estate industry.  Rachel McConnell (our Community Manager) will be filling in for me as host of the show.  I hope you’re able to watch.

If you want to receive this blog post in your email click on the button on the right hand column that says sign me up under the Email Subscription header.  In the meantime, please feel free to register on our communications system.  You will be able to easily follow my journey here in Vancouver as well as everything else we’re doing at thirdocean and XConnect.

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digital media, social media, twitter

Google Plus: new kid on the block

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Google Plus logo
Image by Bruce Clay, Inc via Flickr

You know I like relevance right? Well, I do. And I’m suggesting you probably like relevance, too.

The Importance of Relevance

We now understand that numbers don’t mean everything.  You might have thousands of followers or likes but how many of these people actually interact with you and your brand? How many people are you interacting with? Who are you interacting with?

Those who continue to re-visit your Facebook page or tweet with you are people who find your content relevant. The goal now is to figure out a way to interact with as many people as possible. Providing relevant content to the right people is the way to get this done.

Google Plus Addresses Relevance: Circles:

More than any other social network, Google Plus addresses relevance like Facebook doesn’t and Twitter can’t.

Now, Google Plus doesn’t yet support brands or businesses but Circles (the Google Plus product) is ingenious.  And if you as an individual consider yourself a brand then you should take advantage of Circles.

Circles allows you to organize the people in your social graph according to how you define each relationship.  Is someone your friend? Family member, co-worker, associate or customer? You get to decide because not everyone is your friend.

Increased Engagement:   

What does this segmentation and relevance lead to for you? Increased engagement.  Why? Because now your messages are going to specific people. For example, a note about Robbie Alomar’s induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame can be directed to people you know will be interested in this specific piece of news.

As long as you keep the value of the “Circles” sacred, your community will come to know exactly what to expect from you.  Everything individuals receive from you will now be of value to your community.

You can even go one step further and set which circle(s) you want to watch. Unlike Twitter, the issue of relevance is now controlled by both the sender and receiver of information. I can choose who I send information to and who I receive information from.

Why does this lead to increased engagement?  Put yourself in the seat of a consumer.  If you got to choose the type of messaging you would receive from your favourite brands (and you could be specific as you wanted) would you be more likely than not to at least read the message?  Of course you would!

Now put yourself in the brand’s position.  Are you just interested in “likes” or do you want true engagement in these online spaces?  Likes may result in an increased email database but the issue remains the same:  For online and social media communications to truly succeed the magic pill is and always will be relevance.

Google Plus addresses this issue better than any other social tool out there.  And this is why Google Plus will continue to grow and force Facebook and Twitter (and email marketers) to change.

As always your thoughts are appreciated.

If you want to receive my blog in your email (and only if) feel free to click on that “sign me up!” button in the column on the right.

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blog, digital media, social media, twitter

Why Klout (aka influence) is Important

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Like it or not influence matters.  And chances are you’re not sitting on the fence on this one.  Especially when it comes to online influence. You either love Klout or you hate Klout.  

You love Klout because you either understand what they are trying to achieve.  Or if you’ve received a free bag of chips.

You hate Klout because you’ve never “won” anything in your life or your score is lower than 50. Or you don’t believe in what Klout is attempting to build.

But if I asked you if influence matters you would have to agree with me.  Think about it for a moment:

  1. have you “liked” something on Facebook?
  2. ever “retweet” something on Twitter?
  3. have you ever forwarded an email or online article?
  4. do you refer products or services you enjoy to your friends?

You answered yes to at least one question above.  And by doing so you’ve exerted your influence over someone else.  And I believe this is what Klout wants to capture:  The influence you, others and myself have in comparison to others.

Is Klout perfect just yet?  Of course not.  And it may never be.  But here’s the question you should ask yourself:

Will you stop forwarding good content to your sphere of influence?  Of course not.  And that’s why Klout is important.

What say you?

digital media, social media, twitter

5 Questions with Mitch Joel

Marketing Magazine dubbed him the “Rock Star of Digital Marketing” and called him, “one of North America’s leading digital visionaries.” In 2006 he was named one of the most influential authorities on Blog Marketing in the world. In 2008, Mitch was named Canada’s Most Influential Male in Social Media, one of the top 100 online marketers in the world, and was awarded the highly prestigious Canada’s Top 40 Under 40. Most recently, Mitch was named one of iMedia’s 25 Internet Marketing Leaders and Innovators in the world.

Joel is frequently called upon to be a subject matter expert for Huffington Post, BusinessWeek, Fast Company, Marketing Magazine, Profit, Strategy, Money, The Globe & Mail and many other media outlets. His newspaper business column, New Business – Six Pixels of Separation, runs bi-monthly in both The Montreal Gazette and Vancouver Sun. His first book, Six Pixels of Separation (published by Grand Central Publishing – Hachette Book Group), named after his successful Blog and Podcast is a business and marketing bestseller.

You can hear him speak tomorrow in Toronto at the Science and Art of Social Business conference.

What motivates you to do what you do on a daily basis?

A love and a passion for marketing, communications and new media. While others watch dance competitions on TV, I love to read the Blogs, tweet the tweets and fumble around on Facebook. Some call it work… I call it love. I also wake up every morning and I’m thrilled that I’m back

If you had 30 seconds to impart your wisdom on a classroom of soon-to-be graduates, what would you say?

I would tell them to read this:

http://www.twistimage.com/blog/archives/what-advice-would-you-give-yourself-as-an-industry-rookie-given-what-you-know-today/

In your opinion, what has been one of the most important technological developments over the past 12 months?

The growth of tablets and iPad in particular. Now, we just need the usability and new marketing excitement to catch up!

If you had a crystal ball, what would you say will be the most important technological development over the next 12 months?

The continued growth of touch and I’m hopeful we move toward complete connectivity (a hybrid of wi-fi and an even faster LTE network).

Who is one of Canada’s tech stars and why?

I think the folks at Radian6 deserve a big standing ovation.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zQnfnKBZLg]
blog, digital media, social media, twitter

creating community: part 2

Money Mart
Image by Thomas Hawk via Flickr

Just over a month ago I blogged about creating community: part 1.  The beginning of this story was a refresher on my experience with GREENtuity and my first lessons in creating communities online.

The next step of my journey brings us to a company I used to work for called RealCash.

RealCash was a finance company in the residential real estate space.  They factored a portion of an agent’s earned commissions.  In short, RealCash was the Money Mart equivalent for real estate agents.

My role with the company was in marketing.  I put together email campaigns, trade show strategies and even set-up strategic partnerships with major real estate companies across Canada.  After a while, due to market conditions, I was forced to slash our budget and look for creative ways to market for free.

Enter social media.  Here are some lessons I learned:

Blogging:

Almost everyday I blogged.  And the results were phenomenal!  Searching for “commission advance in Canada” on Google resulted in RealCash moving from the 5th page to the 1st page.  Not bad I’d say.  Remember, we had a zero budget for marketing at this stage.

Active Rain:

Active Rain is the social network for professionals involved in the real estate space in North America.  After leaving RealCash more than six months ago I STILL receive calls from people finding the RealCash profile online through searching online.

Facebook:

Would you ever tell your professional friends, family and close friends that you use “Money Mart”?  Neither would I.   Facebook didn’t result in any community traction at all.

Twitter:

A great tool that RealCash used to promote itself as a thought leader in the real estate social space.

Overall, RealCash had success at creating an online community online.  So much so that potential clients called alot.  How much?  Too much. RealCash advanced more financial resources than they had access to.  Now they’re out of business.  Yikes!

What’s the overall lesson:  Don’t make promises (on social media or otherwise) that the company’s bank account can’t cash.

To be continued…

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