Social media diary 27/2/2009 - UK National Museums

Nine museums in the UK launch Creative Spaces

This week in the UK saw the beta launch of Creative Spaces. An online community and federated search project across nine National Museums, part of the National Museums Online Learning Project (NMOLP) and involving the Tate, V&A, British Museum, National Portrait Gallery, Natural History Museum, Imperial War Museum, Royal Armouries, Wallace Collection and Sir John Soanes' Museum. The core idea is to provide a way for people to find, discuss and be inspired by the collections of all these museums.

The project really has two components:

1. A federated search, allowing users to search and explore the collections across all nine museums in one place, online.
2. An online community, allowing people to create notebooks (their own collections combining objects from the museums with their own content), create and join groups and review and add comments to objects that they like (or otherwise, of course).

It's been an ambitious project, running for a number of years and the outcomes are exciting. The ability to search across and explore the collections is of huge value. But the social elements of the site allow individuals to essentially curate their own experience. Bringing objects from the different museums together with their own content, annotating them and making their own notebook - an exhibition for others to view and comment on.

So what can we learn from this?

This is a great example of using social media and online communities in a museums context. But it is also a great example of When thinking about how to use social media and online communities, it is important for brands and organisations to explore what it is they can uniquely offer. What do they have that they can share with people, and why would people come to a site that they were running to interact.

With Creative Spaces, I think these nine museums have got it right. They have not just launched an online community, asking people to talk about art - there are many places you can do that. What these organisations can offer that is different is access to their catalogues, and by coming together to make Creative Spaces they are offering something even more unique - the ability to search the collective catalogues of some of the leading museums in the UK. They have something unique and of value that they can offer to people with this search, and also with the online community they have built to support this.

One problem with some online communities is that they focus too much on forums and verbal communication. Other media can sometimes be a more effective way of communicating: video can be a great way to engage some people, others want to express themselves with images or objects. In a museums context this becomes even more important. I may not want to discuss my reaction to an object, but I might want to upload an image of my own as a reaction to it. Creative Spaces lets you do this, and indeed let's you curate your own collection (they call it a notebook) with objects from the collections alongside your own content or content you've got from elsewhere. This is clever, allowing people to react and respond in whatever medium is most appropriate to them.

Creative Spaces is a great idea, it brings social media to a museums context and creates a social experience online that centres on the unique content these museums have - their own collections. It's easy to set up a site and expect people to come and engage there, but this rarely happens. You need to build a site that meets a need and offers something new, leveraging your own position to give a real reason for people to come and engage on your site rather than elsewhere.

If you decide to join up, feel free to add me as a contact: Matt Rhodes.

(In interest of open disclosure, I should say that FreshNetworks has done some strategy work with the NMOLP to help them launch and grow Creative Spaces. But it would always have been a great example of social media!)

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February Community 2.0 RoundUp

Here's the February edition of the newsletter we regularly send out to our Community 2.0 LinkedIn group members. Remember to join our Community 2.0 LinkedIn group if you haven't so already in order to receive these communications on a monthly basis. Enjoy!

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More Interactivity is now available on YouTube

I came across this post from Adam Ostrow on Mashable in which he highlights some new social features that YouTube has recently added. If you haven’t noticed yet when you login to YouTube you can now view activities like commenting, favoriting, and information on uploading videos from your friends. It’s taken a while for YouTube to get on board with this, but glad they have!

New way to measure online communities

Are you having trouble tracking the progress of your online communities? Lithium Technologies announced the software Lithium Insight, a new technology which will help businesses measure and benchmark the health of their online communities. The software comes with two key features: Lithium's Community Health Index and The Lifestyle Benchmark Service. For more on the product, read the article here.

Why Social Networks Are Good for the Kids

Sarah Lacy of TechCrunch.com, contends that social networks are good for kids. Her theory that sites like Facebook and Twitter are more about extending your real identity and relationships online and that's what makes them so addictive: The little endorphin rushes from reconnecting with an old friend, the ability to passively stay in touch with people you care about but don't have the time to call everyday. It seems Ms.Lacy looks to social networks as extensions of 'real life' personalities--but then again, what is real life? As far as her theory on social networks being okay for kids--its a new way to grow up, and for many parents, teachers and professionals, that can be difficult to accept. We'd like to hear your thoughts.

How to Deal with Social Media Conflicts

I came across this post on Mashable today that discusses how to handle disagreements and criticism one might encounter on Facebook, twitter, or even a blog. The article highlights 3 perspectives to remember when you respond to these comments. Here they are:

1. Don’t take it personally
Most negative comments are about what you wrote, and not you. So don’t take it too personally, they just don’t agree with what you wrote.

2. Process before responding
Think about what you write before responding back. Sure you might be tempted to write a quick rebuttal but it is important to understand the other person’s opinion as well.

3. Find something to agree with
Finding a common ground (even if its small) to agree on can break the ice in many occasions.

Do you have any more tips on dealing with social media conflict?

Facebook Goes Back to Old Terms of Service

It seems that Facebook’s new Terms of Service didn’t last too long. According to this post on Mashable, days after the new terms went into effect only 6 percent of Facebook users supported the changes while 56 percent opposed it. This was enough for Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg to pull the plug on it.

From now on, Facebook plans on taking in more input from their community members and have even created a Facebook Bill of Rights and Responsibilities Group. Looks like Facebook is stepping in the right direction here.

Community 2.0 Speaker Profile: David O. Sacks

With the Community 2.0 event coming up in May, we're going to take the few months before that to introduce you to our keynote speakers for this year's event. Twice a month, we'll share with you one of our featured key note speakers. Community 2.0 is May 11-13 in San Fransisco, California at The Palace Hotel. This week, we're featuring keynote speaker David O. Sachs, founder and CEO of Geni Inc and Yammer, and former COO of Paypal.

Sachs was the founder of Paypal, and created a company worth $1.3 billion when sold to eBay in 2002. He then moved to Los Angeles and produced the movie Thank You for Smoking.

You can see David present his keynote speech "How Micro Sharing Tools Make Enterprise Communication More Efficient" on Tuesday, May 12 at Community 2.0.

Listen to David O Sachs' podcast with Venture Voices here.

Watch the trailer for Thank You for Smoking:

Facebook's "25 Random Things" Phenomenon

By now you may be among the hundreds of thousands who have shared "25 Random Things" about yourself to your Facebook community. The "25" phenomenon has spread so quickly that now its being picked up by major news organizations. The Washington Post's online webmag, Slate carried an interesting take on the 25 fad in their piece, "Charles Darwin Tagged You in a Note on Facebook, The evolutionary roots of Facebook's "25 Things" craze." Writer Chris Wilson suggests, that the "25 Things" was an evolutionary exercise from the original "16 Things." States Wilson, "Late last fall, a chain letter titled "16 Random Things About Me" began to chew its way through Facebook. The author of one of these notes would itemize her personality into "16 random things, facts, habits, or goals," then tag 16 friends who would be prompted to write their own lists. And so on and so on." Read the rest of his article here. We'd like to hear your thoughts--if not, 25 at a time.

Social media diary 13/2/2009 - Agent Provocateur

Image via Wikipedia

Agent Provocateur engages women consumers across multiple platform

Appropriately for the day before Valentine's Day, this week saw lingerie brand, Agent Provocateur, launch a social media campaign to promote its HelloAgentProvocateur blog. As you might expect from a lingerie brand, the blog includes a range of posts from the relatively tame advice on relationships and dating, to the more provocative (appropriately enough). One recent post, for example, included a post featuring a chart of exciting and mood-killing things to say during sex.

Alongside the blog post, they've launched a Facebook page and also a Twitter stream allowing micro blogging from MsProvocateur. The idea, according to Scott Goodson, CEO of StrawberryFrog, the agency working on the project,

...is the first time a luxury fashion brand has launched a provocative social media campaign tying together their various data-linked platforms, like a multi-entry daily blog, Twitter feed and Facebook

With a launch tied into a new ad campaign (itself designed to coincide with Valentine's Day), this looks like a real attempt for a co-ordinated marketing approach. Using traditional and social media and then tying together online activities with a central micro blog.

So what can we learn from this?

We wrote earlier this week about the continued growth of social networks in 2008, and in particular the tremendous growth for both Facebook and Twitter. What Agent Provocateur appear to be doing is to use the different social network tools and online community platforms to engage people in different ways.

• The blog is being used for regular posts that discuss issues of relationships, dating, and Agent Provocateur's products in some depth. They run news and features alongside it and this really capitalises on the role that a blog can play as a content-rich information source.
• Facebook is being used to showcase content and ideas from the blog and the campaign, and to gather friends. It capitalises upon the networking aspect of Facebook by encouraging people to connect with it. This is much softer than some of the activities that take place on the blog and reflects the difficulty that brands have marketing directly in Facebook (and other social networks).
• The use of Twitter allows Agent Provocateur to bring together all of this activity and to broadcast what they are doing and saying on a regular basis. They can capture contacts in a way similar to in Facebook, but Twitter offers something really different. It's not just a medium for releasing content (as is the case with the blog) nor on for accumulating friends and showcasing the best of what's going on (as is the case with Facebook). Twitter allows them to actually engage.

It is rewarding to see that even with only 351 followers on Twitter, MsProvocateur is starting to engage and respond to people directly. When one follower tweated about the gifts their boyfriend had bought them, MsProvocateur responded with some thoughts on gifts that are good to buy in return.

The real value of Twitter is both in acting as a central portal to bring together and point to all social media activity, and also a true engagement tool. In fact, when brands use Twitter, it really is a case of the more you put in the more you will get out. It is worth finding people who are talking about your brand or the topics and subjects you discuss and following them. Do respond to people, give advice and suggestions. And make this not just an overt marketing message. Really engage people and you will then reap the benefits of this activity in sales.

It's not the use of Twitter that we like of Agent Provocateur's campaign (although it is good), nor the topical nature of the subject. Rather it is that they are using a range of social media tools to engage people in different ways. A sensible approach.

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Social Networks to Grow Dramatically as 3G Expands

The latest trends from eMarketer shows that the number of mobile subscribers with a 3G-enabled device in the US has dramatically increased from 35.7 million users in June 2007 to 64.2 million users in June 2008, an 80% increase! Take a look at this chart below to see the percentage changes across the globe.


With mobile internet browsing becoming very similar to viewing web pages from home, there is no doubt that we will continue to see growth in consumers using their mobile phones for social networking.

Supply chain management gets new social network

Inovis Social Network is a new online community specifically for those in supply chain management. This new software is a way for those in the supply chain to have direct access to those individuals involved in the supply chain, which could prevent delays. Big Lots is one of the first major corporations to use this secure social network.

Katy Keane, the vice president of transportation services, had this to say about the network:
"The Inovis Social Network proved valuable in the development and monitoring of our vendor compliance initiatives. As a retailer with over 1,300 stores, accurate and timely inventory flow is critical to our business and our vendor compliance program is one of the key tools we use to help us achieve our goals. We've benefited from the speed and visibility the online community provides, and it has helped us improve how we collaborate with partners and quickly resolve issues."

Source: MarketWatch

Bob Dylan and Social Media

What is in common with Bob Dylan and the New Age Conversation Marketing Paradigm? Lots apparently. Dylan is a change poet. He has thrived on poetic escapades about pop culture and the changing society. If you listen carefully, he might have some profound thoughts on your business.
I created a construct from his songs- about the New Age Marketing.

Just a light hearted way of putting the point across- and Dylan Fans (Who isn't?) will love it.

A sneek Peek here:

Here is a dialogue construct between a audience, a traditional thinking marketer (TMM) and a new age engagement Marketer (NAM)- if they had to talk only through the lyrics of Bob Dylan songs (song links indicated- so you can enjoy the songs too!)

TTM: (What advertising says to the audience):

Baby let me follow you down, baby let me follow you down
Well I’ll do anything in this godalmighty world
If you just let me follow you down.
Can I come home with you, baby can I come home with you ?

Audience: Not again. Been seduced enough. Something’s not right. Not again.

Not one more night, not one more kiss,
Not this time baby, no more of this,
Takes too much skill, takes too much will,
It’s revealing.

NAM to TTM: Look brother- She won’t just listen just because you are talking. Engage her.

TTM to NAM: Hello? What the hell is that? Where’s the control? Where’s the quantifying of reach and frequency? How about GRPs of conversation? And how do you measure any of this?

NAM: Sigh!
How many years can a mountain exist
Before it’s washed to the sea?
Yes, ‘n’ how many years can some people exist
Before they’re allowed to be free?

Read on for more on ChasingTheStorm

Actually come to think of it- we could do this more often- Can we take a musician and a topic and build a conversation using the musician’s songs and the situation?

Examples: Economic crisis and Mark Knopfler; Retrenchments and Rihanna (!), Environmentalism and Creed, etc (Bad examples- but I know you can be more creative than that)

Cheers!

Shalabh

Facebook Isn’t So Safe Anymore

Facebook compared to MySpace has a pretty squeaky clean reputation, but when Facebook has over 150 million users to date, then security becomes a much bigger concern. This latest post on TechCrunch details a few things that allowed Facebook to get to this point, and what it needs to do to change it.

When Facebook initially launched, users needed an .edu address in order to login, but now highschool students can create Facebook accounts and even the general public. Each group still belongs to a certain network, but it is still possible to overcome these challenges. MySpace has a pair of human eyes viewing every single picture that is uploaded to the site, to make sure that nothing inappropriate gets put up. Facebook relies on its users to flag inappropriate content. This is one thing that Facebook will have to improve as the number of registered users increase by the day.

Even with rules and regulations put into place, is it possible to stop every single threat? What have businesses done to ensure that their content does not get into the wrong hands?

Social networkers want TV airtime

According to CNET, social networkers (a whopping 36%) would like to see their social networking access on their televisions. The survey of more than 1,000 households found that younger consumers are most interested in chatting and messaging with friends while watching TV. Middle-aged adults want a more passive experience, such as the ability to check on status updates via their TV sets. And those over 50 are most interested in knowing what their friends are watching. Now it seems that people not only want status updates on the minute details of their friends lives, they want to know what they're watching on tv. Do you think this will catch on?

Gaining Readership by Joining Niche Social Networking Sites

I came across this post on ProBlogger that highlights a few simple ways to increase your blog circulation and readership by joining niche social networks. Here’s a summary of the recommendations posted on the blog.

1. Interact with members of community sites for about 10-15 minutes a day, people will stumble upon and discover your blog.
2. Share your knowledge with smaller more niche social networks and you can be considered a guru quickly.
3. Make sure to fill out your profile in the social networks, and include your blog links there! You will be surprised by steady traffic it can bring to your blog site.
4. Join social news voting sites and forums like Digg and Redditt, research shows that for these sites conversion from visitor to subscriber is high.

These are just a few recommendations to helping improve your blog’s readership. What are some other tips that can help boost traffic?

What does an online community manager do?

Dawn Foster, a Community 2.0 guest blogger, has a great presentation on what community managers are and what they do. Take a second to look at the presentation. There's also a great analysis of it at the Web Worker Daily blog.

Online Community Management: Yes, it's really a job

View more presentations from Dawn Foster. (tags: job career)

Do customers really want to engage with the brands?

The year began on a not so high note for the economy. But the digital media folks are bullish-as-usual.

I had a brainstorm featured on ChasingTheStorm. We were discussing Digital Media trends in 2009- specifically for Asia-Pacific. What came up were some really cool observations, some strong views and some star gazing.
Though the entire brainstorm could be viewed here - here is the sneak preview:

• We need to recognise that commerce in APAC is conservative, and that in the words of Deng Xiaoping we’re “crossing the river by feeling the stones”
• We could see a doubling of digital’s share of the marketing spend to 4% in APAC
• Rise in spending on 'Social media' marketing
• Figures say that in China alone, the share of marketing spending on Social Media is about 20% of all digital marketing spending.

And some comments that the community here in particular could respond to-

• Other than SMEs running PPC campaigns on Facebook, social networking sites seem to be normally no more than bit players on display advertising schedules
• I haven’t seen evidence that corporate profiles receive much traffic, and I’m not sure that modern media-savvy audiences really want to engage in conversations with their brands, they have better things to do
• The landscape is unnecessarily blurred by social concepts such as twitter
• Twitter’s like a social event where everyone’s talking and no-one’s listening. I simply don’t think that sufficient numbers will read it. Since this is a marketing cornerstone, it’s a non starter.

What are your thoughts on the above? Let us contribute to the discussion.

Subway Launches Text Message Ordering In NYC

Now you can "Text Fresh" thanks to the Subway's unveiling of text message ordering in NYC. Hungry cube dwellers need not waste precious time away from the office waiting in line--they need to simply text and enjoy. According to The Consumerist, it sounds convenient once you've jumped through the registration hoops, although the clear downside is you're storing credit card info on a third-party site, which is the sort of thing that always seems to come back up as a bad idea when a company's database is breached. If you're comfortable with that risk, however, have at it.

Do you see more companies doing this in the future? What about using social media networks to order food? Let us know your thoughts here or on Twitter.