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How We Blog: A Labour of Love

In keeping with the spirit of Labour Day, I thought it might be interesting to provide some insight into how we write the Sysomos blog, which is now nearly two years old.

When we started the blog, its focus was unclear. This wasn’t a surprise because Sysomos had just launched MAP, its social media monitoring and analytics service, and we were trying to determine how to effectively communicate what we did and what insight we had to offer. Many of the early posts were focused on our technology and new features.

In time, the blog evolved to offer insight, perspective and information about social media – an editorial approach that seems obvious given what we do. We mix this type of content with occasional posts about new features, as well as our popular reports on the social media landscape.

One of the questions people ask is where I get ideas for blog posts. Here’s some of the “buckets” that I dip into every day.

1. Read a lot of blog posts and articles about social media companies, trends, services and technology. Although the list is too long to include everyone, some of the bloggers that provide insight and inspiration include Mitch Joel, Jason Falls, Seth Godin, David Armano, Francisco Rosales (aka SocialMouths) and Social Media Examiner. Sometimes, I’m looking for information, and sometimes it’s perspective that provides an opportunity to offer a different or additional perspective.

2. Check aggregators on a regular basis as a way to quickly see a lot of information. Some of my go-to sites include TechMeme, Social Media Today and Hacker News. These sites make it easy to get a lay of the land for ideas and new trends and developments. I also have a long list bloggers within my Google Reader account.

3. Talking to people. As much as I spend a lot of time reading online, a lot of ideas materialize after conversations – short and long – with people about what they’re doing, the things they are interested in, and the companies that they work for. The trick is keeping a mental checklist of all the interesting items. This is why I usually carry a pen and a piece of paper in my pocket, which is a holdover from my days as a newspaper reporter.

4. Playing with other social media services. I’m an application junkie who’s happy to check out anything that sounds interesting or intriguing. To me, it’s social media candy; some is sweet-tasting chocolate that becomes part of my social media arsenal, while others are like those orange and black Halloween candies that everyone seems to hand out but no one eats.

5. Doing something else other than being focused on social media. It may sound strange but some of my best ideas emerge when I’m bicycling, playing hockey, out with friends, watching TV or reading a book. By giving my brain a social media break, it lets me focus on other things, which sometimes are an inspiration for blog posts.

Where do yo get your inspiration for blog posts?

By Mark Evans - September 7th, 2010 - 2 Comments »
Tags: blogging, blogs, ideas, inspiration
Posted in Social Media

Five Keys to a Vibrant Corporate Blog

It should be no secret that I’m an enthusiastic advocate for corporate blogs.

While they do involve resources, commitment and a lot of work, a corporate blog can be an invaluable way to provide information, insight and perspective to a variety of audiences.

They let companies have public conversations, and provide them with social media credibility by showing they can talk the talk about walk the walk.

Blogs are also terrific content “engines” that can feed other corporate activities such as social media, newsletters, Webinars and case studies.

Corporate blogs can come in all kinds of shapes and sizes. They can be fun, entertaining, engagement, enlightening or serious depending on what a company does and the audiences it wants to reach.

Regardless of what kind of blog a company operates, there are some key elements to ensure success. (Note: “success” depends in many ways, how a company wants to define it – be it pageviews, leads, comments, tweets, etc.)

1. Be consistent. Take a realistic view of how often posts should and can be written. Whether it’s one post a week or five times a week, the key is selecting an editorial schedule, and then sticking to it. This sets expectations for readers so they know what’s coming and when.

2. Avoid being too corporate-centric. A good blog not only serves multiple audiences but serves up different kinds of blog posts as opposed to constantly churning out posts about new products or services. If there’s no variety, people will tune out pretty quickly.

In an ideal world, posts can be about nearly anything as long as they are relevant and connect in some way to what a company does. Mint.com, for example, recently had a post on making homemade sauces, jams and preserves. What does this have to do with personal finance? Well, if you’re trying to save money, making your own sauces, jams and preserves makes complete sense.

3. Strive to become an industry resource. One of the things we’ve tried to do with the Sysomos blog is generate a steady flow of information and insight about what’s happening within the social media landscape. Often, these posts have little or nothing to do with Sysomos’ social media monitoring and analytics services…and that’s okay.

So what’s our goal, and why do write so many posts? We’re hoping to become a valuable and interesting resource for people looking to learn more about what’s going on with social media. At the same time, we’d like to become a vibrant member of the social media blogosphere. If, in the process, we get people interested in what we’re doing, that’s definitely a bonus.

4. Don’t operate in a blogging silo. While it’s important to write posts to attract readers, there is also a lot of people writing great posts as well. It’s important to not only recognize these efforts but “reward” them by writing posts that provide perspective or commentary on other peoples’ ideas. This not only sparks a conversation but it’s a way to put the spotlight on compelling content, regardless of where it comes from.

Another key to avoid the blogging silo is commenting on other peoples’ blogs. It not only adds to conversations on other blogs but provides another opportunity to show your insight and thoughts.

5. Give your blog lots of love. Let’s face it, the blogosphere is a crowded place with lots of voices battling for attention. This means it’s important for a company to blow its own horn about its blog.

Rather than expecting people to discover the blog, the blog needs to have a prominent position on the Web site, other social media services, email signatures, business cards, letterhead, marketing collateral, and videos. In other words, the blog should be promoted everything given its role as a key part of a company’s communications, marketing and sales efforts.

What are your suggestions for making sure a company’s blog is vibrant and successful?

By Mark Evans - September 1st, 2010 - 1 Comment »
Tags: blogging, blogs, mint.com, Social Media
Posted in Social Media

Older People Will Change Social Networks

Anyone who suggests that social networks are dominated by young people will slowly, but surely, discover this is no longer the case.

According to a recent Pew Internet study, the number of online users over 50-years-old using social neworks nearly doubled to 42% in May 2010 from 22% in April 2009, while social networking usage in the 50-to-64-year-old demographic soared 88% to 47% from 25%. Meanwhile, social networking use among users ages 18-29 grew by 13%—from 76% to 86%.

“Young adults continue to be the heaviest users of social media, but their growth pales in comparison with recent gains made by older users,” said Mary Madden, a senior research specialist and author of the report.

“Email is still the primary way that older users maintain contact with friends, families and colleagues, but many older users now rely on social network platforms to help manage their daily communications.”

While the numbers suggest the demographics of social networks are starting to even out, a far more interesting angle is how the growing number of “seasoned” social network users will change how social networks operate and, as important, how advertisers and marketers approach social networks.

One of the changes that might happen is how social networks attract and retain older users. Rather than touting new features, some social networks may target older demographics by putting the spotlight on straightforward benefits.

There may also be an opportunity for third-party service providers to offer services that are strong on usability and user-friendliness as opposed to having lots of frills. For example, a new wave of services could tap Twitter’s API to create Twitter Lite.

For marketers, the increased presence of 50+ social networking users means more people with disposable income. This could boost the attractiveness of social networks for advertisers looking to reach consumers in different ways.

Another offshoot could see more companies climb on the social media bandwagon because senior executives will no longer be able to claim that social networks are only for young people.

The “greying” of social networks is a natural part of how the market is evolving. There is little doubt it will have a major impact on how companies and advertisers operate and make money.

By Mark Evans - August 31st, 2010 - 2 Comments »
Tags: 50+, demographics, pew internet, social networks
Posted in Social Media

Will Social Media Kill Traditional Advertising?

In the scheme of things, social media marketing is a small drop in the bucket compared with the $450 billion global advertising market and the $50-billion online advertising market.

But given the growing interest in social media marketing as a powerful and effective way to connect and engage with consumers, does this mean seismic changes in the advertising world are only a matter of time?

Here’s another take: if social media advertising let companies:

- engage and build strong relationships with consumers
- gives consumers ways to share information, content and recommendations about products and services
- makes it easier for companies to measure the impact of their efforts

…..does this mean it’s only a matter of time before social media rules the roost?

We’re starting to see many companies (include large players such as P&G and Uniliver) allocate more of their advertising budgets to social media, although in the scheme of things, it’s still a small piece of the overall pie.

But there’s little doubt social media will become a bigger part of the pie. So the question is what other advertising vehicles will surrender turf?

Newspapers are already suffering as more advertising dollars move online while television advertising is under threat by the a fragmented universe that includes a growing number of online competitors.

Ironically, one of the strongest traditional advertising mediums is one of the oldest – radio, which continues to hold its own.

It would be unrealistic to suggest social media and online advertising is going rule the global advertising business any time soon but as more people get their entertainment, content and education online, more dollars will flow to social media marketing, and away from the old guard advertisers mediums.

For another take on the impact of social media on advertising, check out this post, which argues the outdoor ads will be the only platform to survive social media.

By Mark Evans - August 30th, 2010 - 1 Comment »
Tags: advertising, marketing, radio, Social Media
Posted in Social Media

Does Social Media Monitoring Need to be 24/7?

We live in a world that never sleeps. On days when I need to drive someone to the airport for an early-morning flight, the highway is teeming with traffic, which makes me ask: “Who are these people and where they going?”

Within the social media world, the same kind of frenetic 24/7 activity is alive and well. People are blogging, tweeting, updating and uploading at all hours of the day and night. You fire up Twitter in the morning to discover that someone who lives in your city has been happily tweeting away at 3 a.m.

One of the strange offshoots of this non-stop activity is that it’s being monitored on a 24/7 basis. It is not unusual for someone to receive a response from a company to a tweet or blog post at any time of the day or time, often within minutes of something being posted.

While there are companies with social media teams that monitor activity, in many cases social media monitoring is being done by one person. This can only mean they are monitoring social media activity pretty much all the time.

It raises the question about whether this is a healthy or necessary thing. Is it really necessary to monitor and respond to social media activity on a 24/7 basis?

Sure, we live in an instant-gratification world but does that mean that social media never sleeps? Is it possible to respond to someone in a few hours rather than a few minutes. Will the world end if a tweet goes unanswered for a little while?

In the short-term, I think it’s a far-fetched to think that social media monitoring will stop being a 24/7 activity. There are too many companies scrambling to establish themselves as social media leaders so they want to be seen as engaged to create a competitive edge. The last thing they’re going to do is take their foot off the gas at this point.

In time, there are are a couple monitoring scenarios that could emerge:

1. Social media monitoring will embrace the call-centre model in which large teams will work in shifts to provide a company or companies with the services they want on a 24/7 basis.

2. Some companies will realize that social media doesn’t needs to be monitored but not all the time. They will devote resources for a large part of the working day but have a period of time in which social media activity happens without them watching. When the working day starts, they will deal with any issues then.

By Mark Evans - August 26th, 2010 - 7 Comments »
Tags: 24/7, monitoring, Social Media
Posted in Social Media

Why Some Companies Still Don’t Get Social Media

For those of us in the social media, digital marketing or online service worlds, social media is pretty much a no-brainer. It’s a new and different way to connect with customers, employees, partners, the media/bloggers and investors. The various social media tools let companies expand their marketing, communications and sales arsenal to support their strategic and tactical objectives.

Given the potential of social media, it is surprising that many companies are still reluctant or downright dismissive of it. As hard as it is to believe, some companies believe there is no need for social media, including companies that directly deal with consumers. As far as they’re concerned, there’s no role for social media even as a new way to supplement their existing activities.

In a recent blog post, Mitch Joel suggested that one of the keys and challenges for companies considering social media is determining if there’s a cultural fit.

It’s an interesting thesis because it explains why social media can be so difficult for companies to embrace. Social media is the new kid on the block but many decision makers, who play a key part in establishing corporate culture, are not that social media savvy. As a result, they have difficulties understanding the benefits of social media and how it could become an integral part of their company’s operations.

As Mitch pointed out, corporate culture is difficult to change because many companies don’t want to change. In many respects, social media means you have no choice but to change your stripes. Companies need to be willing to be more transparent and open about who they are and what they do, which can be a challenging exercise.

It is important, however, for companies to realize that social media is changing the business landscape, and will continue to do so as the tools and practices evolve and become more mature. There is a danger in dismissing social media simply because it doesn’t look like a good fit.

A lot of things seem uncomfortable when you first put them on but after awhile they become more comfortable. So think of social media as a new pair of leather shoes: For the first few days, your feet ache like crazy. But pretty soon, you’re walking around pain-free and loving how you have become so fashionable.

By Mark Evans - August 25th, 2010 - 2 Comments »
Tags: change, corporate culture, Social Media
Posted in Social Media

Is Tumblr the Perfect Social Media Service?

A year ago, Tumblr was a solid micro-blogging service with some noterity, including the fact that one of its investors, Union Square Ventures, was also an investor in this thing called Twitter.

In many respects, Tumblr was a Web 2.0 success story that didn’t get as much credit as it deserved. The New York-based company had more than two million unique visitors a month and a loyal following but it didn’t get anywhere near the attention of Twitter, Facebook, Linked or Foursquare.

That was then, this is now.

For whatever reason, Tumblr has become the belle of the social media ball. According to Compete.com, the number of unique visitors has more than tripled in the past year to 8.5 million. As well, Tumblr has attracted glowing coverage from high-profile publications such as the New York Times.

So, what happened? Why has Tumblr emerged as one of the hottest social media properties, while Foursquare has failed to live up to all the hype and bullish expectations.

This is just a theory but Tumblr may be the perfect social media service.

It’s a hybrid between a blog, Twitter and Facebook. Tumblr can be used as a blogging platform but it is also designed to showcase photographs, videos, links, quotes, chats, and audio.

Tumblr fits nicely into how a growing number of people like and want to use social media because it doesn’t require as much work as a blog but, at the same time, it provides a larger and more satisfying canvas than writing short updates or tweets.

In other words, Tumblr lets you eat your social media cake and have it too.

Amid the growing attention on Tumblr, I decided to dust off my account to see whether the fuss was justified. What I discovered is that Tumblr is a different and unique social media service.

The most compelling aspect is it can be used to do just about anything depending on your interests or mood. Tumblr is user-friendly and a way for people to create and distribute content in a way that feels satisfying. It’s like having a meal in which you feel like you’ve eaten just enough.

As an enthusiastic blogger and Twitter user, Tumblr has taken some adjustment, as well as time to figure out how it fits into my social media portfolio. To be honest, it’s still work in progress.

Right now, I’m feeding Tumblr with content from other blogs but this doesn’t seem like the right use for Tumblr. Instead, Tumblr strikes me as a place for different kind of social media activity – photographs, a place to put the spotlight on good content, share music or video.

The other thing that is interesting about Tumblr is how it enjoyed steady growth until it finally burst into the spotlight this year. The company focused on providing a useful, user-friendly service while avoiding the hype that has probably damaged Foursquare’s prospects.

Now, the stars and moon are starting to align for Tumblr to the point where it may be poised to join blogs, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube as the top-tier social media services.

By Mark Evans - August 24th, 2010 - No Comments »
Tags: micro-blogging, Social Media, tumblr, twitter
Posted in Social Media

Why Social Media is Like Going to Gym

Social media is sexy and glamorous but the reality is it involves a lot of hard work behind the scenes.

There’s the creation of content such as Facebook and Twitter updates, blog posts, videos and photos, as well as engaging with other people on social media, and monitoring social media activity.

This “blocking and tackling” doesn’t get a lot of love or attention but it supports and fuels social media activity, including campaigns that capture the spotlight.

In other words, behind every successful campaign is a team of hard-working social media soliders.

These efforts are often overlooked by companies exploring the idea of using social media. Even companies that have moved into social media sometimes lose sight of the importance of having people who drive their campaigns and day-to-day activities.

Here’s how social media is like going to the gym:

1. You have to work out on a regular basis. Just like working out for a week and then deciding not to exercise for two weeks is a recipe for failure, companies need to work on their social media efforts pretty much every day (although weekends tend to be slower).

2. Success can take time. Just like you can’t get into great shape overnight, it also takes time for companies to see the fruits of their social media labours. I often tell companies to give themselves three to six months before deciding whether social media is working or not.

3. Doing a variety of activities keeps things interesting. If you do the same kind of exercise all the time, it eventually gets boring, and the benefits start to decline as your body gets accustomed to it. In the same way, social media thrives when there’s a variety of activity – photos, videos, blog posts, etc. – and topics covered.

4. Be careful not to over-train. Working out too much can lead to injuries and fatigue; while generating too much social media content can burn out employees and, as important, cause readers, followers and friends to feel overwhelmed.

5. When starting, it helps to have a personal trainer. There are social media courses but it’s really something you learn through trial and error, as well as watching what other people do. When getting into social media, it does help to have a trainer or coach provide some guidance and tips about best practices.

6. Celebrate your successes and learn from your setbacks. While it’s important to put the spotlight on the good things such as winning races or reaching personal goals, it is also helpful to get insight when the expected results don’t happen.

Sometimes, social media works such as having a blog post that attract a lot of traffic or having a tweet retweeted a lot. At the same time, social media efforts fail to resonate or attract much attention. The key is figuring out what happened to see how things can be improved.

By Mark Evans - August 23rd, 2010 - 6 Comments »
Tags: gym, Social Media, tips
Posted in Social Media

The End or the Beginning for Foursquare?

Foursquare has been one of those social media “baubles” that are shiny and glittery but, for whatever reason, has never been wildly embraced despite a lot of attention and more than $15-million of venture capital.

Once thought to be the next Twitter, Foursquare was supposed to catch fire a couple of years ago the popular SXSW conference but it flamed out instead.

Sure, it has two million registered users but who knows how many of those are active. Heck, I have a Foursquare account but it’s been collecting dust for months.

There has been a lot of conjecture about Foursquare’s future in recent months over whether it is anything more than a novelty that lets people broadcast their location. The biggest weakness has been that Foursquare has no other features. It’s a one-trick pony.

Heck, if you want to use a service that makes Foursquare interesting and useful, check out our Fourwhere service that shows comments from users on a map in cities around the world. For what it’s worth, Fourwhere also displays comments from Gowalla and Yelp.

If there were clouds on the horizon about Foursquare before, then it’s fair to suggest dark clouds are now rolling in as Facebook has launched a new service that lets people broadcast their location to friends using a mobile phone.

Facebook’s service looks and smells a lot like Foursquare. Facebook is even using the term “check-in”, which has been Foursquare’s catch-phrase.

The question now is whether Facebook’s move into the location-based services market is the beginning of the end for Foursquare. Given Facebook’s dominance and Foursquare’s precious foothold, it could see many of Foursquare’s users flee to Facebook. After all, why use a service with a single feature when there’s another option with multiple features.

The other school of thought is Facebook has now validated the location-based services market, which means that Foursquare and other start-ups such as Gowalla could thrive based on the rising tide lifts all ships theory.

My take is Foursquare’s prospects have become a lot more dim.

If Foursquare had been enjoying Twitter-like success, Facebook’s entry into the market would be significant but not earth-shattering. The fact that Foursquare is still a small player likely means it is about to take a major hit as people migrate to Facebook in significant numbers.

By Mark Evans - August 19th, 2010 - 7 Comments »
Tags: facebook, foursquare, fourwhere, location-based services
Posted in Social Media

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