Credibility in the Social Media World – It’s okay to be Imperfect!

According to a recent trend by social media experts Mari Smith and Guy Kawasaki (http://marismith.com/7smtrends) it is okay for business to be imperfect. As they go on to say in their article, “being flawed and open about it can lead to a huge spike in brand sentiment” …by being transparent, consumers become empathetic.

Much of this can be related to what we have learned this semester about gaining and maintaining customer loyalty.
What happens in Vegas (behind companies closed doors), stays on Facebook/Youtube/Twitter/etc… Business need to be honest in the 21st Century to avoid a negative experience/comment from going viral.

DeeK

“The rise of the Information Society itself, more than even the parallel development of formal information theory, has exposed the centrality of information processing, communication, and control to all aspects of human society and social behavior.” [1] “As societies achieve higher degrees of organization, mechanisms of social control will inevitably expand.” This statement in the article by Susan B. Barnes on Social media and its affect on our privacy brings up some food for thought.  There is a theory of a “Ponoptic” Society.  The term Ponopticon came from Oscar Gandy to describe the architectural structure for the monitoring and surveillance of prosoners.  Gandy states that we as a free society are in the same sort of Ponoptic society and don’t know it.  Or we know it and don’t admit it  “the panoptic sort is an antidemocratic system of control that cannot be transformed because it can serve no purpose other than that for which it was designed — the rationalization and control of human existence.”  Two other well known contributors in this same article, Katz and Rice (2002) view the premise of the panopticon is a “constant view of individuals through parasocietal mechanisms that influence behavior simply because of the possibility of being observed.” [17] Internet software can be used as parasocietal mechanisms for the observation of online interactions. Online social networks allow for high levels of surveillance. In addition to marketers, college officials and parents can access social networking sites. Students may think that their Facebook or MySpace journal entries are private but they are actually public diaries.

We are really just at the forefront of just how and in what form Social media will in fact create huge shifts in the way society operates.  Sure, businesses have adapted to social media along with technology, but what does this mean for the generations that only know a life “inside” of social media?  Communication is the foundation of society.  We are now using a whole new building process that can only be measured with time.

What do you think about Social Media and it’s “democratic” exhistance?

 

BM

 

 

Social Media: The New Propaganda

During times of war propaganda has always been at the forefront. From Joseph Goebbels to Tokyo Rose propaganda as always been a rallying point for both troops and civilians. Through speeches, films, fliers, and word of mouth, propaganda and war have always gone hand in hand.

Today, a new kind of propaganda is being used on the battle front, and social media is the big player. The battle for Damascus and Aleppo are prime examples of how social media is being used by both sides.

The battle for Syria is raging on the ground but also on social media, where people on both sides of the conflict are hacking, posting and spamming in a frenzied propaganda war.

The Twitter feeds of news organizations have been hacked by pro-regime elements, videos purporting to show atrocities in Syria are regularly posted to YouTube and pro- or anti-government messages often flood Facebook pages.

“People are using all these social media platforms to influence audiences outside their country to support them; they’re getting quite aggressive with it,” said David Bailey, an expert on social media and the military.

http://www.news24.com/SciTech/News/Syria-propaganda-social-media-war-frenzy-20120812

As we have learned in class, social media is a powerful tool. It was once said that the pen was mightier than the sword. Today, social media is the pen and it has made its presence known in several areas. The use of social media during war time is just one example of how far ranging this medium has become. No longer is a specific rallying point needed. All one has to do is post something on a social media network and the world has now becomes your rallying point.

As the war continues to rage on in Syria the use of social media will only increase. Social media will play an important part in determining the outcome of the war in Syria.

Michael

 

Cancer: It Sucks

I’ve been sitting here a while and wondering if I should write about this subject or not. There’s another organization that needs adrressing and that is the American Cancer Society.

Diabetes and cancer are two of the major causes of death in this country. I pray the day comes that a cure can be found for both. I have already lost a friend and my mother to cancer so it’s not just a word for me, but reality.

If you go to Facebook and type in the word cancer site after site will show up. I have pasted in a couple of sites below for your information. These sites are invaluable to anyone who is either fighting this or family members who are going through that battle with a loved one.

This, to me, is where social media really shines. If social media had been available 20 or 25 years ago, to make connections witn specialists and others who might have been  experiencing the same thing, some outcomes might have been different. Of course that is just my opinion, but I think I am allowed that.

Both the diabetic and cancer organizations are doing the best job they can, and social media has given them a big boost.

http://www.cancer.org (American Cancar Society)

https://www.facebook.com/cancersucks?ref=ts

Michael

NBC: The Olympics Big Loser?

Now that the Olympics are over, or almost over, NBC is the big loser and social media the bigger winner? Wrong.

Don’t get me wrongl. Social media had a big part in the 2012 Olympic games. A fact that cannot be denied. People could see their favorite athletes win their medels hours before it was broadcast on TV here in the states. We also heard a lot about the misuses of social media by some the athletes as well. Who was the big winner then?

NBC seems to be taking all kinds of griefover its Olympics coverage because of tape delays in the age of live-streaming, so its ratings must surely be suffering, right? Not so much. In fact, these Games “have blown away the most optimistic projections” and will rank among the top 5 television events in history, reports theLos Angeles Times. The network has drawn an average of 32 million viewers in prime time, and more than 210 million people have tuned in to catch at least a portion of the competition.

“Social media has really been driving the engagement,” says one ad agency exec. “Everyone thought digital platforms would take audience away from television, but what it has done is given us extended engagement and reach.”

It will be very interesting to see how social media is used, and abused, in the winter games of 2014. Social media is here to stay, and it’s only to get bigger.

Michael

http://www.newser.com/story/151907/nbcs-ratings-defy-expectations.html?utm_source=part&utm_medium=united&utm_campaign=rss_12_15

Diabetes: An Epidemic

By the year 2050, one in every three Americans will have diabetes. At the current population numbers for America that would figure to around 1 hundred million people. As the number stands today, there are over 25 million people with diabetes in this country, and that number is growing everyday. Why? We eat too much of the wrong things and not enough ecercise.

The American Diabetes Association has a great Facebook page. One post opinions, receipts, upcoming events around the community, and many more things.

Pinterest also has a great site for diabetics. It also lists receipts, diabetic groups, as well as other things.

If you know someone who is diabetic or boardline share this information with them. There are many social media outlets for people with diabetes. Please pass this information on.

Michael

https://www.facebook.com/AmericanDiabetesAssociation

Card Muncher

After your new business card has been created, and you’re exchanging them with friends, use Card Munch to scan and store their business cards electronically!

It’s a Free Ap, and it’s endorsed by LinkedIn…check it out at: cardmunch.com

–DK

Business Card Unleashed!

Check this out!!!
Stand out (non-verbally) by placing a QR Code on your business card.
http://vimeo.com/21228618

-David K

Starbucks: A New Way of Paying

In the next couple of months Starbucks will begin to use a new payment application that will allow its customers to pay without using cash.

Starbucks will be the first national chain to use Square’s payment application. Square was founded in 2009 by Jack Dorsey, the creator of Twitter. Users of Square mobile payments app are currently mostly small businesses and individuals, meaning the partnership with Starbucks could significantly raise the company’s profile.

When it comes time to pay at the register, they open the app and wave their phone in front of the scanner. Starbucks will invest $25 million in Square as part of the deal, and CEO Howard Schultz will join Square’s board of directors.

As technology advances the world’s need for having cash on a person grow less. How interesting.

Michael

http://www.newser.com/story/151714/starbucks-to-take-mobile-payments-via-square.html?utm_source=part&utm_medium=united

 

Homeless WIFI

What do you think about attaching wifi hotspots to homeless people and paying them to be stationed in certain areas? Some have thought of this is disgusting. How is this disgusting? These people have it all wrong. Giving the homeless work is the idea, isn’t it? Is strapping on a router any different than strapping on a Lunch Board and standing on a corner? NO!
BM

Me too buddy. Me too!