Oprah: My Social TV Goddess
Let’s be clear, asking me to merely “like” your show on Facebook is not social television. Additionally, slapping a hashtag on a television commercial doesn’t make you social either. For the last few months, a business partner and I have been griping together about the many missed opportunities in the social television arena.
What do I want? I want a complete incorporation of social media in my television watching experience. Think-The Voice.
What Grinds My Gears
- Lack on integration. Engage with me!
- Winning badges.They’re flat and one dimensional. Maybe it’s just me but I don’t care about winning them…and more importantly I don’t care if you’ve won a badge.
- TV watching social networks a.k.a, a glorified YouTube page. If you can’t chat with others who are watching the show, what’s the point? It just looks cool but it’s still flat.
Just when I was just about to give up on social tv, Oprah came.
If any of you’ve watched OWN, you may have seen clips for the big O’s new show, Oprah’s Life Lessons. I will admit, I was a little skeptical about a workshop on television and the Internet. But I should have known, the woman who made book clubs a television phenomenon, could pull off a virtual workshop with millions.
- You can watch the show live
- You can submit questions to Oprah
- You can see live comments via Facebook and Twitter
- Last but not least, you can chat with Oprah Live
ALL AT ONCE!
I can’t wait for Social TV to take over. It’s clear from the Twitter frenzies during television events like the Royal Wedding, it was bound to happen. I’m sure with copyright laws and budgets that not everyone can attain to the social savvy-ness of the Big O. Dare to dream people!
Ragu Sauce: Feeling the Heat via Social Media
If you can’t take the heat, don’t step into the kitchen. Good advice, unless you’re talking about social media. I’m always shocked when I meet people from organizations/brands that are made for social media but they either don’t utilize the medium well or back away from it completely. Newsflash people, in 2011 – you can close your eyes and ears but you can’t stop anyone from talking about you. Actually, even before social media, you couldn’t do this, but you had the luxury of not knowing about it unless the news media caught wind of the issue. Don’t believe me? Let’s take a lesson from Ragu Pasta Sauce.
Situation:
Ragu wanted people to know that with their products, the home cook can create a variety of scrumptious, family friendly meals. They decided to target Daddy bloggers, encouraging Dads to shake up dinner. Not a bad idea, since everyone focuses on mom.
Problem:
The video and tweets the public relations team sent to the Dads were perceived by the bloggers as condescending and sexist. Ragu assumed Dads are all thumbs when it comes to matters in the kitchen.
The Saga Continues:
Moms aren’t the only ones who can pitch a fit when they’re mad. The Dads used their social media platforms to put Ragu on blast.
What was Ragu’s response? <Crickets> aka silence.
So what was the point, Ragu? Yeah, you made a mistake, big deal. You can’t please everyone. However, you could show folks that you’re HUMAN. Yes, I know, Ragu is not a person. Note- people aren’t pissed at the sauce, they’re upset by the seemingly lack of empathy of the people who represent Ragu.
What they could have done?
- Tweeteing apologies would be a great first step. However, it’s important to note that you cannot fix an action with words.
- So the next step should be to ask what the Dads would like from Ragu, what do they need in a product.
- Maybe Ragu could position itself as an ally to the Dads helping them dispel the myth that Dads are dopey in the kitchen.
Irony
Ragu cared about the opinions of these bloggers. If they didn’t, why would they bother to reach out to them? However, Ragu’s lack of response showed that they only care about the opinions of these bloggers, when the bloggers and touting positive sentiments. Some bloggers felt the Dad bloggers overreacted.
Quite frankly, that doesn’t matter. People respect these bloggers and perhaps other Dads look up to them. If Ragu sauce is $2.99 and Prego is $2.99 as well, which sauce do you think they will pick?
Social media embodies what public relations is all about. You don’t have to wonder what people think, they’re SHOUTING it, they might have even tagged you in the post or tweet. Stop avoiding social media! Social media forces organizations to realize they’re not always so awesome. That’s probably a good thing.
You Can’t Spell Social Media Without Steve Jobs
What does Apple have to do with social media?
I’ve been in many brainstorming sessions where co-workers and I will look at social media savvy companies in order to get some bright ideas for future client recommendations. Inevitably, someone would always mention Apple as a possible example of a social company. Almost immediately, the room erupts with conflicting opinions. “They have no official Twitter presence!” “They don’t even have a Facebook!” After all the griping, one co-worker shook his head in confusion and asked, “Why does everyone think Apple is such a social media phenomenon? They have no social media presence.”
The answer? Steve Jobs.
Still not following me? Don’t worry; I’ll break this down for you.
Think about the premise behind social media. It’s an innovative medium that allows individuals to connect with others like never before. The impact of social media revolutionized how we share, discover and devour content. Social media is a revolution. It’s a form of democratization. These social media principals are what made Steve Jobs and Apple so successful.
Apple has been a major driver behind the social media revolution. No, Apple doesn’t tweet out its product news or have a Facebook page where it asks you questions about what features you would like included in the iPad 3. Steve Jobs and Apple create the products that enable social media to be so prominent.
Here are some examples:
iPhone: Changed the way we Connect and Share Information
Al Gore took the first steps of changing how we receive and share information by creating the Internet (joke) but Steve Jobs’ invention of the iPhone allowed us to access and share information anywhere, anytime. How many of you had the Internet on your cell before the iPhone? I know I didn’t. Now you can’t imagine a phone without it! The mobile Internet allowed us to feed our Facebook addictions and connect with people in new ways.
Now we play games like Words With Friends with family and friends who are spread throughout the country. How could a game like this be possible without the innovation of the iPhone and now the iPad? Phones are not just for talking. Steve Jobs changed how we connect with others. Have a problem? I’m sure there’s an app for that! Who knew what a mobile application was before Apple?
iTunes: Integral to the People’s Revolution- ItTransformed the Music Industry by Giving the Power Back to the People
I’m always saying how social media allows us to “stick it to the man.” For example, Hollywood can spend millions of dollars on a movie promo telling the world how great their movie is. However, if it does suck, best believe their money will go to waste after the first wave of moviegoers and I tweet that the movie is garbage.
Social media forces “the man” to create better content.
iTunes does the same thing to the music industry. No longer will I spend $15.00 for an album that only contains one good song. I’ll gladly pay $0.99 or less. If you want the rest of my money, record execs need to ensure their talent is creating QUALITY content.
I could go on and on, but I’m hoping you get the picture. Steve Jobs revolutionized and redefined everyday technology and communication. You can’t spell social media without Steve Jobs. As a social media enthusiast and Apple fanatic, I’m grateful that Steve Jobs lived his life hungrily and foolishly.
I am not the creator or owner of any images featured in this article.
Everything you wanted to know about Google+ but were afraid to ask! (DCWW Event Recap)
How many of you hustled for that coveted Google Plus invite? I know I did! After you got that invite, what did you do with it? If you’re anything like me, after the chase, you went back to business as usual. Despite my apathetic and/or laziness towards Google Plus, I know it had potential. Thankfully the phenomenal organizers of DC Web Women thought so too!
For those of you who didn’t have the opportunity to attend, here’s my event recap for DC Web Women’s stellar September event, “Everything you wanted to know about Google+ but were afraid to ask!”
The event took place in Google’s awesomely, amazing DC office. After being distracted by the colorful chairs and candy, I re-focused and listened to Google’s Public Sector Manager, Ginny Hunt. Although the crowd had a few critiques of Google +, such as the lack of a search option within the network, everyone seemed to have a great time and learn a lot about the fastest growing social network.
Here’s The Low Down on Google +
The objective: Unlike other social networks, the masterminds behind Google + wanted to create a network that allows users to share with people online the same way they share things in real life.
After looking at some fundamental sharing principals: (i.e.)
- Who do you share with (friends, colleagues, industry professionals, etc)
- What do you share (videos, blogs, news, etc)
- How do you share (mobile devices, laptops, etc)
They then created a network that…
- Allows users to control what they share with both their professional and personal networks
- Makes content easy to share
- Allows users to see only the relevant information choose (think circles)
How Google+ integrates with a Google search
Would you like a little more control over what people find on the web about you? If you add links (you can link to your blog, company, articles, etc.) those results will have a higher search ranking. Basically, Google + allows you to curate your own content and to put your best virtual foot forward.
Although Google + is all about control, keep in mind that a +1 on the Internet and sharing within Google+ are completely different. If you do a Google search and you choose to +1 an article, the whole world will see that. So if you don’t feel comfortable with the world knowing your views on sensitive topics, +1 cautiously. However, if you want to share something like a family photo within your Google + network, share without worry, the world won’t see that unless you make it public.
I could write for days about Google +! I encourage you to test it out, I know I will!
Are the Fluffy Perceptions of Social Media Making Your Job Hell?
On a sunny day, I met a new friend for lunch. As she plopped down in her chair, she let out an exasperated sigh before groaning about how her company’s lack of understanding of social media was making her job hell. I marinated on this topic for a while before tweeting, “What do you think the biggest misconception people have about individuals who work a social media job?”
Here are few of the responses:
Although these responses gave me a chuckle, I realized some of these opinions, if shared by clients and employers, can negatively impact a social media practitioner’s work experience and productivity level.
How? Well, if somebody thinks an intern can handle your job, how many resources are they going to give you? How much time are they going to allow you to finish a project?
These perceptions can cause dilemmas such as:
- Having too small of a budget. I was pushed off a project because the organization wanted an unpaid intern to do it. What as the end result? They wasted money. They paid me to start the logistics of the project but the intern was never able to execute it for various reasons. Hopefully, they learned that a young person does not automatically equal a social media guru! (You also get what you pay for.)
- Undercharging. Perhaps because social media is considered fun and frivolous, some companies are afraid to charge their clients correctly. For example, I hate when people recommend blogs as a common social media solution. I also hate when people think you can write a quality blog post in under an hour. Blogs are very time-consuming and difficult to maintain. In the age of instant communication, you need to ensure not only that you have fresh content, but the facts need to be accurate. Anything strategic that requires quality is going to cost money. Think of the logistics and time that go into a project before low-balling the price.
- Facing impossible deadlines. People severely underestimate how much time it takes to research the web, create a blog, find bloggers and manage a social network. Since so many people use social media for fun, many don’t think of it as work. This could lead to managers allotting minimal time for employees to complete deadlines.
These factors can lead to lackluster results. Once I was tasked to grow a Twitter following but the budget was so small, I could only research and tweet an hour a day. Did I mention they didn’t have a website or ANY original content. Unless you’re a sexy brand, that time frame for building a following is no bueno. Building takes time, strategy, content and creativity.
What can you do to avoid feeling you’re in the eighth circle of hell at work?
- Be the authority! Know how long it takes to do things. If you and your team are constantly struggling to make deadlines, it might be because someone’s not putting enough time in the budget.
- Be transparent. When I’m working with a social media virgin, I like to check in with them on the first project. One thing I do is set a 5 hour check in. I’ll show them my progress in 5 hours so they can get an idea how long a task takes. That helps sets everyone’s expectations.
What are some other common dilemmas?
Want to join in the conversation in person? Come to I Heart Social Media DC’s Sad Summer’s Over Social on 9/28.
Event Recap: No More Boring Charts! Or Data Visualization
As a non-infographic savvy person, I was a little hesitant about going to the DC Web Women’s, No More Boring Charts! Or Data Visualization in DC, event. I can’t draw to save my life and would prefer to look at well-designed infographics over discussing them. However, the impressive line up was enough to put my reservations to rest and actually get up and check out the event.
Check out this amazing panel:
Leslie Bradshaw – Co-founder, COO and President, JESS3
Aaron Murphy – Associate Creative Director, Ogilvy PR Digital Influence Group
Will Carroll – Principal and Founder, Geoill
The first speaker, Aaron, was like my Infographic 101 dream teacher, covering the essentials in an easy to digest format. He gave the audience the much needed background information about infographics. For those of you who are unaware, infographics represent complex information and make it easy for people to understand. Aaron explained that there are 5 different types of infographics.
1) Statistical data
2) Timeline (Shows information over time)
3) Process/Flow/System (Progression of something)
4) Geographic (Map)
5) Conceptual (Shows & teaches you something) ***This is the most popular type of infographic.
Next, Will gave us some great insights on how to represent data. Will explained that pie charts, bar graphs and bubble charts are all forms of infographics. In order to illustrate your point, choose the data visualization that best articulates your message. For example, if you really want to show disparity levels, perhaps choosing a bar graph will do your message better justice than a pie chart.
Other great emphasis tools include:
- Fonts
- Colors
- Animation (Check out his site, these bullet points don’t do it justice)
Want to learn more? Check out the sources that feed Will’s inspiration!
The last but certainly not least speaker, Leslie offered the audience a historical context for understanding infographics. She explained that infographics are in our blood and a part of our heritage. Everything from early maps to bumper stickers on a car is a form of an infographic. I bet you thought infographics were new!
Interested in creating an infographic? Check out Leslie’s tips.
- Don’t create an infographic for infographic’s sake. Create what you’re passionate about!
- Check your facts. Be prepared to verify!
- Give people information that saves them time and resources. If you can assemble facts that have never been put together, you’re providing folks a valuable resource. Also use information that can’t be easily be found, this increases your infographic’s value.
Leslie also stressed the importance of being able to update your infographic. “As soon as you hit publish it’s out of date,” she shared.
Incredibly, all three infographic speakers brought valuable insights from a fresh perspective. Each portion of the event complimented one another and there wasn’t a lot of repetition. After hearing these three talented speakers, I’m an infographics expert! Okay, maybe not quite, but I learned a lot.
Check out the #infographicsDC hashtag before it disappears from Twitter!
I Heart #DCStartups: Social Tables
When I sat down with Dan Berger, the co-founder of Social Tables, I knew the interview would be far from boring. My first clue was when he candidly asked me if he could bring his dog to the interview. If I had known his dog was a part of the reason his start-up got started, I would’ve snuck the dog in the building!
Background info on Social Tables:
Social Tables is a seating chart utility. Event planners come to the site, design their floor plan and upload their guest list. If they want, they can publicize their seating chart to their guests. Attendees can interact before or follow up with each other after.
Although Dan did not choose DC to be the headquarters for his start-up, I’m happy DC chose him! Check out my interview!
I Heart Social Media DC: Where did you get the idea for your start-up?
“So Social Tables is an idea I had three years ago when I went down to Miami for a childhood friend’s wedding. I realized I’m not going to know anyone there because I haven’t seen the kid in years. I thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be cool if I could meet some ladies before I got there?’. And then I thought, ‘What if there was a social networking utility for events with assigned seating?’. In other words, be able to see who I’m seated with before I get to the wedding.” Dan marinated on his project until he found the answer one fateful day while walking his dog. His neighbor, and answer to the tech portion of Social Tables, was also walking his dog. They turned the idea into a start-up that day.
IHSMDC: Why did you choose DC?
“I didn’t choose DC, I chose to stay in DC. I came to get my MBA at Georgetown, worked at a large firm and realized that was not for me!” Dan then listed three reasons why it was best for him to stay in DC.
1) DC is the most social media networked city
2) There are a disproportionate amount of assigned seating events in this city
3) He likes to be a part of new movements. DC is a young, budding tech community. Now is a great time to be here to watch it grow!
IHSMDC: How supportive has the DC area been for your start-up?
“People have been supportive in the fact that they love the idea.” However, Dan explained that there are four different support levels.
- The first level is when people listen to your pitch and give you a pat on the back
- The second level involves people starting to connect you with others
- The third level involves getting advice from mentors
- The fourth level of support takes the form of investment
“As the community matures, you will move up the levels.” Dan explained.
IHSMDC: How was social media played a role in your success?
“Social tables addresses one of the biggest pain points of anybody who plans an event with seating has… and that’s finding the right seating arrangement for people. Because it’s such a pain point, people go on social networks to bitch about it. In at least ten tweets a day, a bride will complain about her seating chart. We start a convo with those brides, telling them about our product.”
In addition to brides, Social Tables reaches out to event planners.
Dan also understands the importance of bringing valuable content to his audience. “Just like we seek out people on Twitter, we disseminate relevant information on event planning. “This is so we can become a thought leader in the industry.”
IHSMDC: Why should the DC community support you?
“Because we’re new and we’re growing in the DC tech community. We’re all in it together. We want to challenge and push the bigger organizations. We also intend on having a social impact. One day, we want to give our profits to the charities and galas that use our service.”
Know anyone planning an event in DC? Be sure to have them checkout Social Tables! If you want to get more start-up info? Check out I Heart #DCstartups, on Tuesdays.
Follow Us on Twitter…on Twitter?
A few times last week, I’ve seen organizations (who shall remain nameless) post on Twitter, asking their followers to follow them… on Twitter. Pause. Think about that. I’m praying that some of these souls just used a tool like Tweetdeck or Hootsuite to update their Facebook and accidentally left the Twitter box checked. Even if we took the Twitter posts out of the equation, this plea is still counterproductive. Why? Simple. Your whining doesn’t give anyone any incentive to follow you.
Sure, you’d want more followers on Twitter. Many of us would. Here’s a better way to get them, without being scoffed by the social media enthusiasts and your audience.
- Create good tweets. People will ideally reweet your content. If it’s intriguing people will want to get your content firsthand.
- Use a hashtag. This helps people who aren’t looking for you find you.
- Crosslink. If I really like what you have to say on your website or other social networks, I would be happy to follow you on Twitter for more. Simply supply the link near your amazing stuff.
I’m not the only person who noticed the Twitter blunders last week. A few people in my network actually made fun of these organizations I’m writing about. Yes, we all make mistakes, especially when we’re using applications. However, simply asking people to follow you on Twitter, anywhere (Facebook, television commercials, website, etc.) is not enough. You must give people a reason!