Foursquare Isn’t Just A Kid’s Game

I know I’m a little late in joining the social media tool Foursquare, but that’s because I didn’t fully understand it until recently. I had always thought of it as shared GPS where everyone in the “foursquare world” knew exactly where you were at all times. A little creepy if you ask me. Then in my COMM 3309 class, one of my peers shared that there are deals that are exclusive for Foursquare users. As a college student there aren’t many things that I enjoy more than staying up all night writing papers. But do love a good deal.

Since one of my majors is business, I am prone to looking at things from a business perspective; and Foursquare is no different. I think it is a great tool in driving new customers to your business. This social media tool, allows exclusive specials that could persuade a new customer to try the service, and hopefully create repeated business. I know that if I was thinking about a place to eat, I would be more inclined to try the restaurant that would give me a 10% discount.

Since this technology isn’t widely used yet (I’m the only one out of my closest friends that uses Foursquare) specials are not offered at every business. But if we all started to use this technology, do you think that more companies would be inclined to offer specials?

The New Media University

As the presence of social media grows, so has organization participation. According to Brian Solis in his book, Engage, “building and organizing a social media program can be incredibly powerful.” However, creating a presence on a social media site can be difficult; because information flows both ways and that customer engagement must be earned. In chapter 4, the author examines how organizations should utilize the following media: Blogs, Podcasts, Wikis, and Virtual Worlds.

Blogs:

According to a report conducted by Forrester Research, corporate blogs were at the bottom of the credibility list. “Only 16% of consumers who read corporate blogs admitted to trusting them” (Solis, 41). I do not find these findings to be particularly surprising; since I would expect a company’s blog to be filled with marketing materials (such as press releases) in order to get me to buy their products. Also, I don’t think that a company blog would engage with their audience, because that’s what the customer support team is for.  Solis states that in order for a blog to receive recognition, it needs to not only post relevant information for the customer but also needs to link to other sites, and comment on other blogs. One blog that he highlights is Southwest Airlines. This is because it exhibits the company’s fun attitude and also posts relevant information about the company and information about their frequent flyers.  This gives the blog a personal touch, and ultimately leads to its success.

Podcasts:

Podcasts are an easy way to provide company information to your customers, because they are portable and can be placed on websites. This medium has been growing in awareness and use by the public and allows a company to discuss just about anything. A few of the podcasts that I listen to on a daily basis are the “New York Times Front Page” and “Marketplace”. This is because it is a quicker way to keep up with current events, while I’m rushing to class.

Wikis:

“One of the most successful and influential websites in existence is a wiki” (Solis, 47). We all know how wikis function, due to Wikipedia, users can upload and edit information though any web-browser. Wiki pages are highly influential for a company because a customer will likely read a wiki entry first; the first result on most Google searches will be the Wikipedia entry. Of course, this can be a problem for companies because users who have strong opinions against the company will likely post biased information. Therefore, a company needs to watch what is being posted and make corrections when necessary.

Virtual Worlds:

A virtual world, such as Second Life, creates a new environment for the user. Some brands pay for product placement in these worlds, whereas some are trying to create their own unique programs. For example, IMB has a green data center in Second Life, this connects users to the brand and builds a relationship with them through a real staff of employees.

James Franco Predicts End of Social Media

If you have every logged onto a social media site (such as Facebook or Twitter) you probably have noticed their popularity with young celebrities. These stars cannot seem to get enough of social media…until now. Our favorite 127 Hours actor, James Franco, has declared that the “phase of social media is over” upon deleting his own Twitter account.

“Social media is over. Still up there. Going down. You heard it here first.”

Let’s look at his reasoning.

1.)    1. He claims that we waste too much time on social media sites.

This is understandable; because we have all done it. We have all gotten sucked into these sites for hours without even knowing that time has passed until we realize that its 3 a.m. and we signed in at noon.

2.)    2. He has gotten some poor (let’s face it ­–negative) responses to how he used his Twitter account.

“My thought was, 'This is my Twitter. I can do whatever I want.” Sorry, but it doesn’t work that way. Sure, using Twitter to promote himself hosting the Academy Awards was a good idea. However, since then, he had been posting pictures that aren’t appropriate from an Oscar nominated actor, but rather from a Lindsay Lohan or Charlie Sheen type of celebrity. Due to his higher credentials, production companies will not want the face of their new film to post obscene images on the internet. This could result in the consumer not purchasing movie tickets—a nightmare to any producer.

Do I think that social media is “going down.” Not a chance. People like connecting with one another and social media is a constantly transforming medium that allows us to connect with ease. Sorry to the actors out there who have had a bad experience with social media, but it’s not going anywhere. It should be used with caution if you are in the public eye, unless you don’t care about your career.

Listening to the audience

If there is one piece of knowledge that I think is essential to social media: it is how social media has changed the direction of information. Now, information travels from the customer to the company. And it has made all the difference. This can be seen

In chapter 1 of Engage by Brian Solis, he illustrates the importance to listening to an audience. Even if a company wasn’t a part of a discussion, it still happened. For instance, the twitter storm that was created from the KC scandal would have still happened even if KC didn’t respond. Therefore, it is more important now, than ever before, for a company to monitor what influencers are saying about them. Because now, Twitter storms can be created within hours, this is a record pace that most companies are not used to or even ready for.

Chrysler drops the F-Bomb

As we all know, Twitter has hit a few bumps in the past couple of weeks. First there was the KC scandal, then there was the Red Cross incident, then Charlie Sheen got a Twitter account. Recently, Chrysler has had a problem on-line. Last week, the company released the following message on Twitter: “I find it ironic that Detroit is known as the #motorcity and yet no one here knows how to f#king drive.” 

The company quickly reacted by deleting the message and posting an apology. Chrysler then connected the slanderous message with their New Media Strategies account representative. Even though this employee mixed up their personal and professional Twitter accounts, they were fired anyway.  Also, Chrysler cut their ties with New Media Strategies and is currently looking for a new agency to manger their company. 

This seems a bit harsh since other companies that have social media mishaps do not fire every employee. However Ed Garsten, Manager of Electronic Communications for Chrysler writes on the company’s blog: “So why were we so sensitive? That commercial featuring the Chrysler 200, Eminem and the City of Detroit wasn’t just an act of salesmanship. This company is committed to promoting Detroit and its hard-working people. The reaction to that commercial, the catchphrase ‘imported from Detroit,’ and the overall positive messages it sent has been volcanic.
“Indeed, as an automaker that went through the roughest of times just two years ago, we appreciate the challenges Detroit faces in reclaiming its place as a vibrant, world-class city. Inside Detroit, citizens are becoming even more proud of their town, and outside the region, perception of Detroit is rapidly improving.”

Since the company wants to rebuild their image, they are willing to do whatever it takes to keep a positive image.

What do you think? Was firing their New Media Strategies employee the best thing for the company?

*Nadia Ibanez. "Chrysler f-bomb social media flop, cuts ties with New Media Strategies". March 13,2011

The power of people

In the book Groundswell, the authors discuss the importance of the word of mouth. According to the authors, word of mouth campaigns succeed more than media campaigns because they are more believable, self-reinforcing, and self-spreading.

This impact of word of mouth campaigns made me think of influencers and their similarities. This is because both are built around people’s “desire to share with others” (page 13).  But what separates these two are influencers on websites might be company employees where as “word of mouth” campaigns come cannot be faked.

If I’m going to try a new product or service it is always helpful if a friend of mine has tried it out first and enjoyed it. I prefer reviews from my friends because it is a more believable response than from a stranger over the internet. I know that I when I have had a good experience at a restaurant or store, that I tell everyone I come across. Of course, I’m not sure of how much new business I have brought in but at least they will have repeat business from me.

*Li, Charlene, and Josh Bernoff. Groundswell: Winning in a World Transformed by Social Technologies. Boston, MA: Harvard Business, 2008. Print.

Is Sheen a winner on Twitter?

First, there was Ashton Kutcher. He was the first celebrity to have over a million followers on Twitter, back in 2009. Then the Kardashian sisters obtained over 11 million followers combined. Now, there is Charlie Sheen, who gained his first million followers in less than 26 hours.

Now, Charlie Sheen is planning on selling his tweets to companies for advertising purposes. I’m sure that, due to Sheen’s current popularity, companies will be willing to pay thousands for dollars for him to say, “Company X is for winners!” However, if consumers know that these are paid endorsements, will they be more or less inclined to buy the product? Will the return on investment be high enough for these companies to be in business with the tiger’s blood enthusiast for the long-run?

I personally do not pay attention to celebrities who are trying to sell products over social media outlets (such as the Kardashians twitter spamming their followers for Quick Trim). And therefore, I do not foresee Sheen’s Twitter advertisements to last very long. What do you think about Sheen on Twitter? Do you follow him and do you think that his paid messages will add to his popularity?

*Ron Callari. Social Media Stars are a Million to One.