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Big ideas usually flow freely in strategy meetings, however articulating clearly defined, expected, outcomes many times remain elusive.  You can recognize early on in these meetings that you probably won’t leave the meeting with a single objective that will later measure success.

Be assured you will leave the meeting with a long to-do list mostly related to how to better brand positioning and identify audience segments. While this is all good stuff, it doesn’t leave you with a feeling of urgency to accomplish something that generates measurable results.  Just another feel-good meeting where we generate more to-do lists without clearly articulating how we could measure the success of our efforts.  If we could have only decided a couple of measurable objectives; 1) how do we grow the email list, 2) add more fans to their FaceBook page, 3) increase revenue by an additional 3% by end of next quarter.  These are all specific objectives whereby you apply your expertise toward immediate results that are measurable.

The fact is, we are all paid for results.  Although much time should be spent on strategy and generating big ideas, we need to be reminded that our worth and value is really based on generating results for the brands we represent.  That is what makes the cash register ding.  Interestingly, we feel the best about our work when we are not just accomplishing a to- do lists but rather working toward measurable results that affect change.

Remember, the urgent always trumps the important. Resist that urge!

Unfortunately, with your head above water it’s too easy to hear the conversations about the economy and what potentially went wrong.

I am wondering what role the advertising and marketing world played in all of this?  All too frequently we hear the excuse, “I was just doing my job”.  This excuse is no longer reserved for those who will now be held accountable.

Your “job” in fact might have contributed to this mess. Marketers are ranked near attorneys, and not too far off from Members of Congress, when it comes to those professions least respected.  Ask most marketers and they will be quick  to tell you they only represent the client and are just an agent; a lowly messenger.  It’s time to quit blaming the client and walk away from those clients who contribute to the confusion and insensitivity, or with no concern for the greater good.

And don’t bother blaming the market either. The market is too short sighted. It moves and changes and reinvents itself and will ultimately leave you with nothing to point your finger at.  How ridiculous will you look when you stand alone?

Take responsibility for your clients and your actions! Only then will you have a greater impact on the market.

Organizations that drift aimlessly on the sea of narrow margins are distracted and obsessed by the fact they have no direction.  It is the overwhelming realization of narrow margins that have paralyzed leadership and now fear has set in. Most leaders are parked at status quo. Every effort is given to simply maintain or attain that which was once status quo (a.k.a  a perceived stability).

You might expect that those who sail these waters feel isolated and alone.   However, the opposite is true, these leaders actually see themselves as very busy and are scurrying about the boat examining every opportunity for what they perceive as any potential for change.  Truth is - they are now highly vulnerable as they find themselves over-committed to finding their way back to status quo.  And yet they are blind-sided when mutiny occurs and they are forced to walk the plank.

“You will either step forward into growth or you will step back into safety.”  Abraham Maslow.

The solution is found by sailing vigorously and passionately directly through the narrow margins.  Do whatever is necessary to increase the margin and only then will you find stability along with the space and time for true insight and innovation.  Have you been sucked in?  Are you, or those around you, unwilling to right-size, down-size, up-size, trial-size…?  The solution rarely is found in identifying ways to increase revenue.  Instead, focus first on increasing your margins.  As a result, increased revenues will follow.  We are taught to view the bottom-line as simply “the result of our efforts”.  It is actually the beginning.  And by which all things will ultimately be measured.

PS.  By the way, for-profits and non-profits are no different when it comes to margin, they only differ by what they do as a result of their margin.

At first I thought he was joking ar0und when he asked me, “what is mobile marketing”?   I wanted to snap back with a quick one-liner but couldn’t get my head around anything humorous to say.  Instead, I quipped back, “it’s taking brands to where life happens”.  It’s really that simple.

I was actually in Haiti filming the relief effort a few weeks ago when I was asked this question. What was so real to me was that everywhere we went while in Haiti, people had cell phone in hand.  Remember, this is one of the poorest nations on the earth reeling from a devastating earthquake and everywhere I looked people clasped their mobile device.  Although still without power or running water, street vendors quickly set up portable generators, and for a small fee will charge your cell phone.

One of the first tasks of the outside military relief efforts was to set up portable cell towers and get communications back up and running.  And I had great cell service everywhere we went.  I actually used several iPhone apps for translating and GPS updates of the earthquake area.  It really was spectacular.  While interviewing one Haitian I asked him about his cell phone, he told me “people will go without food to ensure they have cell service”.  I wouldn’t have believed it had I not been there and seen it for myself.

Maybe mobile devices could play a crucial role in helping to rebuild Haiti.   It’s certainly the best way to reach those in Haiti where life is happening.

What comes to mind when you think of Nike?  A swoosh… Michael Jordan… Tiger Woods?  And what about Apple?  Do you envision an apple missing a bite… or Steve Jobs?  Examples of brand icons and corresponding iconic figures are endless.  My question is what happens when the later takes precedence over the former?

The recent Tiger Woods saga may shape your initial opinion, and for good reason.  There has never been an iconic figure more impactful on the brands he/she represented or the industry as a whole.  And though this example represents an extreme, there are countless accounts of brands suffering at the expense of those who misrepresent them publicly.

But where’s the application for smaller to medium brands?  They aren’t participating in major endorsements and aren’t often in the mass media space…  so what’s the relevance?  Enter social media.

As more brand leaders participate in social media, the line between the brand and its people continues to blur.  In many ways this is a positive thing as brands are now demonstrating more personality and authenticity than ever before.  And though it’s not an endorsement, there is a parallel in that brands leaders are becoming the faces of brands.

Whenever people become brand icons it creates a risk in sustainability.  Brand image is a mainstay, but people may come and go.  And if they go what implications does this have for the brand?  Could it effect the organization like an endorsement deal gone bad?

I’m not advocating against social media.  Brands cannot afford to not participate in the social space.  But a balance must be created between a brand and its representatives.  Those brands continuing to take the laissez-faire approach miss opportunities to shape the face of their brand.

“If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted or Beethoven composed music or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, ‘Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.’”

- Martin Luther King, Jr.

Corporate and individual donations are a must with any natural disaster. Responding to the need is the moral thing to do. Haiti is no exception and daily newscast seem fairly balanced between reports of the disaster and requests to donate.  It is no doubt a good time for air time for those corporations with a conscious.  In years past the loudest voices were that of relief agencies like American Red Cross, OxFam, and Heart to Heart International who took to the airwaves with little requirement of news agencies to do their bidding.  Today relief agencies reach out to existing donor networks and rely on news agencies via “good” PR engines to do their bidding.  And it seemed to work well for a few years. Nothing better than news media agencies growing a conscious. ENTER SOCIAL MEDIA…

The intentions were good and the information initially posted was correct, but similar to telling a secret to the first person in a line, by the time the secret passes from person to person on to the back of the line it changes and adapts to something that is close to the original, but still incorrect.

This is what has happened in the days following the Haiti disaster.  Company after company has spent countless hours correcting inaccurate data shared through social media sites.  Wouldn’t if be great if it all could be true.  For example, UPS announced a $1 million cash donation and in-kind donations to several relief organizations but was surprised to later hear via Twitter that it was also offering free shipping to Haiti for any box with a postage fee of $50 or less.

American Airlines offered bonus miles to consumers making donations.  250 bonus miles for a gift of $50, or 500 miles for a $100 gift.  American Eagle immediately sent planes with 30,000 pounds of water, food and supplies each day. But many Twitter users were told the airline was offering free flights for doctors and nurses to Haiti. The company rushed to set the record straight letting Twitter followers know that free flights weren’t being offered.  Talk about running the risk of diminishing its original generous offering. Not to mention bad PR.

I’ve given much thought to what might be in store for 2010.  And for more reasons than I can list here, it certainly seems as though the digital wave has finally hit the shore.  Imagine, we just might spend more time this year getting back to the basics of “Building Brands People Love” and thereby spending less time experimenting with ‘digital’.  No doubt digital is now the lifeline for most things social, and I pity any brand manager who has yet to walk through the door. But much is yet to be said about how best we can communicate with customers in 2010.

Here is my conclusion…  “Treat new customers like old customers, and treat old customers like new customers”

In 2009 social media became the great equalizer; and not necessarily for a purpose of fairness.  It remains very difficult to touch, converse, and sustain authentic relationships between brand and customer.  And no matter the number of unique audiences your brand might reach, all customers fall into two categories; existing customers or prospective customers. This is where your attention should be focused.

Make sure there is a chair for each at the table… Now, what can your brand do for them?

Early last year I shared 9 suggestions for ‘09.  It was amazing how many times throughout the year I referred back to these suggestions.  I reviewed them recently and, although they needed a few tweaks, they remain relevant for 2010. I also added one more suggestion so the title was a bit more appropriate for 2010…

Here are my 10 suggestions for 2010.

1. ARRIVE EARLY  - Expect that 2010 will be shorter than all  years before.  Don’t succumb to the temptation to procrastinate.  Be the first to arrive at everything; not just meetings.  Be early for new initiatives, new thought leadership, new campaigns, new ideas, etc.
2. MORE MARKETING. LESS ADVERTISING. -  With each new initiative, ask yourself the question, have I ‘been there; done that’?   If you could be certain that this recovering economy was solely to bring about change in consumer behavior (and I am still convinced that it is), what would you consider for this year as opposed to last years approach?
3. REVIEW YOUR RELATIONSHIPS.  - Are you certain of the value you receive from your relationships?  Are the painful clients/customers profitable?  Are your vendors circling around to ensure they can retain your business?  Dismiss clients/customers that aren’t profitable.  If they do value your services, they will seek to rectify the problems.  Look at where you spend money and how you receive money, ask yourself the question, do I really feel value from this relationship?  If not, replace it.
4. MAKE A DECISION AND MOVE ON.  -  Years ago I received some simple advice, “always look at mail only once (paper or electronic).”  Not a day goes by that I am not reminded of that great advice.  Very few issues in life (including mail) require more than a first review.  Read it once, decide, and move on.
5. READ MORE THAN EVER BEFORE.  -  I was recently challenged by a friend to read ‘a-book-a-week’ this year.  While I thought I read as much, in hindsight it’s actually more like 30-35 books a year. 52 books in one year is really not that much, only about 45 pages per day.  You might need to quit surfing and reading so many useless articles and blogs (uh hm).   It’s a worthy goal!  (personal note: I did not read my quota in 2009, but came close. I did introduce the Kindle into my life which created many more opportunities to reach my goal - maybe this year.)
6. QUIT MAKING ASSUMPTIONS.  - One of the most pathetic symptoms of ‘average’ is ‘making assumptions’.  I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, “Never assume, it makes an ASS of U and ME.”   It’s really true; when so few people are offended by questions.  In fact, most people appreciate and enjoy someone who takes interest and asks questions of them.  It’s okay to ask.  If you want fewer mistakes, quit assuming, ask more questions.
7. STAKE YOUR EXPERTISE.  -  Last year, I read ‘Outliers’ by Malcolm Gladwell.  His main point is that it takes 10,000 hours of practice to become an expert at anything. The real point for me was “you are or you aren’t”; an expert that is.  At Premier Studios we often define an expert or professional as someone who is capable of calling upon their talent at a moments notice and producing an outcome within a defined, reasonable, time frame.   What are you good at?  Do you have 10,000 hours of practice?  If not, how close are you?  This could be your year. Know your expertise.  Stake your claim.
8. IMPROVE YOUR MEMORY.  - There are numerous tidbits of advice out there for improving your memory.  Some suggest improving your sleep habits. The latest study shows more exercise might help.  We’ve heard it all.  However, the secret to improving your memory is very simple.  Never lie about anything.  So often I see people subtly manipulating others into perceiving situations as they would like them to see.   I believe this trait comes from a lack of energy or interest (laziness) for communicating clearly and completely with others.  Or they hope to prevent an assumed response from someone (refer to suggestion #6) , so they adjust the facts instead.  Whatever the situation, don’t do it.  Honest communication will improve your memory dramatically.
9. PAY IT FORWARD.  -  Many of us are hoping and praying that 2010 will be a better year than 2009 and the economy will cross the wake, gaining a much-needed momentum.  We each have endured our share of financial uncertainty as the re’a'cession (yes you read that correctly) changed everything. Much of what needed to be corrected is now underway, however many are still in great need; without employment and struggling to get by.  Let’s not forget this reality.  If you are alive and well in the USA, you are very blessed and most likely have something to give. Find someone in need and ‘pay it forward‘.
10. MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH DEATH.  -  Sounds a little strong I know.  But it’s too important not to state strongly.  Life is a vapor and time moves so quickly.  It is appointed unto men once to die (Hebrews 9:27).  Along with taxes, it is inevitable - right?  I recently looked at the average life expectancy for American males (77.8 years).  I went immediately to the calendar, did the math, and November of 2041 suddenly had a new meaning for me.  Of course, that’s all things being average.  Which I doubt most would say about me - or you.  So, if 2010 were your last year, what would it need to be?   I love the old Irish proverb, “work like you don’t need the money, love like you’ve never been hurt, and dance like no one’s watching”!

I love the Christmas holiday season and this Christmas is certain to be the best I can recall.

This year our all-company Christmas gathering was a great party as usual.  It included the typical food, fun, & fellowship. This year the staff voted and chose a private bowling party, and as expected it was a blast.  And yes, it included that awkward moment for me where the staff presents me with a Christmas gift. Don’t get me wrong I am very thankful, humbled, and blessed each year.  But honestly, I am much better at giving than receiving and in reality I receive my best gifts everyday of the year with the opportunity to work with such great people at Premier Studios.

But this year was much different.

At a church service weeks ago, one of our staff had been challenged to make a personal difference in the life of someone in need.  And by demonstrating this effort in-turn try to encourage others in his community to do the same.  The deal was this, unlike the usual offering where people place cash into the offering plate at church, that particular Sunday the offering plates had been previously filled with envelops and each person was supposed to take an envelop out of the offering plate. In each envelop was cash to be used as seed-money to bless someone else.   Yes, very unusual but brilliant.  The envelop he selected held $30 dollars in it.

After much thought, he determined a simple concept; a personal-care-kit for the homeless.  The kit included items like a bar of soap, toothbrush, towel, sanitizer, toothpaste, and other very basic everyday items that we all take for granted.  He then brought his kit to the office and showed it to a few others on the team, many of whom responded saying, “I want to do the same”.  It was through this process that someone suggested that a great Christmas gift for me this year would be a “gift of giving” and that simple suggestion set into motion Premier Studios’ employee’s reaching into their pockets and multiplying that initial seed-offering by some 1,900%.

The monies were then used to buy many more supplies and employees spent their own time after-hours, both at the Kansas City and Nashville offices assembling personal-care-kits for the homeless.  A few weeks ago several days were selected and Premier Studios’ team members took to the streets of Kansas City and Nashville distributing these kits to the homeless.

What’s most important here is that I knew nothing about any of this.   At our annual Christmas party the story was told as you have heard here, and I was presented with one of the personal-care-kits and the greatest Christmas present ever; they gave me a gift of giving.  They gave of their time, resources, and from hearts of compassion for those less fortunate. Others have been blessed. I have been blessed.

To everyone at Premier Studios, thank you from the bottom of my heart! You are amazing people!

Gerald Smith

President | Premier Studios

 

 

 

 

Considering hosting a webinar to promote your company?  I would recommend against doing it yourself.  Why?  Because this medium offers significant opportunity for failures.

While webinars have gained momentum recently, consider all of the points of contention that need to be navigated.

First there is the technology aspect.  The presenter is not only dependent on the presentation technology, but is also hostage to whatever technology deficiencies there might be on the viewers’ side.  If these technologies aren’t cohesive it makes for an inadequate experience.

Throw into the mix that audio may be received via the phone or the Internet, that videos, polls & slide presentations may be included in the delivery and that connection between the user and the viewers isn’t guaranteed; there are a myriad of technology pitfalls to avoid.

Next consider the presentation components.  This includes the content being distributed, the flow in which it’s distributed and the presenters ability to distribute.   Because webinars have a captive audience the content needs to be narrowly focused and pertinent to each viewer.  It needs to be organized in a manner that is easily digestible, but is interesting enough retain attention.  And after these two objectives are achieved it is up to the presenter to thrive in the medium and distribute the message effectively.  There is no “reading the audience” when using this platform.

Got a check mark by everything so far?  What about feedback?  Typically a webinar presentation is followed by Q&A.  Ready for the tough questions?  Prepared to make your answers public?

I have participated in quite a few webinars over the past year or so.  Each time my perception of the presenting company has been change, but rarely for the better.  Brands need to treat this dynamic communication medium for what it really is - a live event.  Continue treating it like an online powerpoint and risk losing the advocacy of those who volunteered to engage your brand.  Its simply not worth it.

So you want to build a mailing list?  Looking for creative ways to do that?

Maybe BIG is the new creative.  At least that’s what Coke Zero thinks with it’s new Facebook digital campaign inviting everyone to upload a photo of your face into a new facial recognition database, and then they will match your face with others around the world.  Maybe a bit bizarre, but hey, what was your great idea?

In the ad they specifically say they “will not release the results until the “database” is filled”.  No one really knows what that means, but everyone knows databases are not friendly concepts to ‘joe public’.  Is this just another way to capture your private data?  Well maybe - but then again, it might be just a great way to suck you in to the brand - in a BIG way.

The point here is that the technology exist, and building & launching a database site is really not that difficult.   The brilliance here is in the distraction whereby an experience and value exchange are compelling, and the consumer and the brand engage (both get what they want).

What’s most amazing is that I’m talking about it.   A win for Coke Zero!  (Anything’s better than those lame broadcast ads of the two supposedly ‘brand managers’ pitching the idea that Coke Zero stole the taste of Coke.)

FRIENDS ARE TO FACEBOOK WHAT CUSTOMERS ARE TO BRANDS

If you Twitter or Facebook, you are faced with the same dilemma several times a day; “what to write next”?  Social Media has introduced a new phenomena that I consider to be nothing more than “personal marketing”.   I am continually surprised at friends on FB who unknowingly degrade themselves by what they post (okay, yes I’ve done it too.).   FB, as with email, cannot express the emotion that is sometimes needed to communicate effectively.  And this can be dangerous to friendships (and/or customer relationships).   Just as you would update your FB or Twitter status, a brand needs to create an effective amount of ongoing content to remain relevant, and thereby hopefully brand champions find it interesting.

BUT WHY IS THIS MUCH MORE DIFFICULT FOR BRANDS?

Social media has certainly attained greater traction for personal application than it has for commercial or corporate brand use.  Why?  Because it’s easier to accomplish at a personal level.  Brands are too caught up in legalese for fear of saying or doing something wrong.  Sound familiar?   Individuals don’t worry about a “corporate legal department” when contributing content to their FB page; although I wish some  had the benefit of legal counsel, save they look so stupid by what they post.

The web is and will remain your best tool for ongoing message distribution?  It is now more important, valuable, and effective than any medium before.  Random, interrupting advertising is just not that attractive or convincing enough anymore; becoming less and less about “buy now” and more about brand awareness that begins a conversation which could result in a purchase or “opt in”.   And to do this effectively requires interesting content placed into the middle of ongoing consumer conversations.

In the last 10 years I have watched two significant business crafts become available to the masses.

1) Video.  With the advancement of technology, quality Video production is affordable to virtually anyone.  I have seen the million dollar editing suite reduced to a few hundred dollar investment.  The barrier to entry has been annihilated.  Some cell phones now shoot better quality than what broadcast cameras accomplished in the 1980’s.

2) Marketing.  With the onslaught of social media, Marketing is a reality for everyone.  The internet was supposed to be an open platform available to everyone, but in reality the barrier to entry did not fall until the introduction of Social Media sites, where anyone that can setup a free account has a personal marketing tool.

My hometown recently completed a new state of the art complex including soccer, football (American), and baseball fields.   The complex is stunning. The turf is no less equal to anything found in a NFL stadium. How is this possible?  Simple, it’s more affordable to accomplish now that it was 10 years ago.  Advancements in technology and efficiencies of labor makes it so. All of this is the result of innovation.  And if so, why not.

So what happens if everyone suddenly realized they could build their own house, or car, or ____?  What happens when something becomes more affordable and technologically attainable?  Right - we do it.

What’s next?

Social media has done a lot of good things for brands.  It’s provided an avenue for interaction, established a place for community and assisted in building credibility… but geez has it created a lot of work!

Remember when brands were the destination?  Consumers went to brand properties to communicate and interact.  Brand managers reminisce fondly of those days as now they are the ones doing the trekking.  And while it hardly seems fair that brands are required to scour the Internet for what’s being said about them, this is the new reality.

The good news is there are plenty of tools available to help brand managers monitor what’s being said about their brand.  So with the myriad of solutions out there which one will provide you with the most utility?  Here are a few considerations that will point you in the right direction.

1. Every social media aggregator subscribes to a slightly different methodology.  They use unique algorithms in determining which information is important.  You should start the process here by finding the tool the makes the most sense for your brand.
2. Each social media analytic platform will pull information for different data sets.  They cast their nets and harvest information in varying pools.  Make sure the platform you choose is monitoring the right online spaces for your brand.
3. As being able to process the data efficiently and effectively is key for success, make sure the application you select provides reports and graphical representations that can be customized and easily consumed.  The platform should help you sift through the data to hone in on the information that matters.

Utilizing these considerations to evaluate which tool is aligned with your situation and intended application will ensure a more successful social media monitoring program.

Of course you could always engage the services of professionals. 

With the updating of a three decade-old rule of ‘truth in advertising’ by the FTC, bloggers everywhere were given the highest honor by the Federal Trade Commission this past week; REGULATION.

“Given that social media has become such a significant player in the advertising area, we thought it was necessary to address social media as well,” said Richard Cleland, assistant director for the division of advertising practices at the FTC.

At the core of the updated ruling is that bloggers must disclose all monetary gifts and payments for promoting brands and products via their social media channels.  Failure to do so can result in a fine of up to $ 11,000 USD.

The greatest outcome is that social media now moves one step closer to the credibility enjoyed by traditional media outlets (TV, Print, etc.).   Bloggers and celebrity endorsements appear to be the two most singled-out voices for testimonials.  The most visible change will result in re-crafting those late-night infomercials promising to shed pounds, clear up acne, and grow hair.  You can no longer report on the best results measured without first disclosing the results that consumers can generally expect from the product or service.  Ouch, the truth hurts.

Good for the consumer? Yes.  Difficult rules for the advertiser to follow?  Most definitely.  Capable of making testimonials evermore scripted and difficult to understand?  Absolutely.

Full disclosure:  No products were provided during the writing of this blog-entry.  

Whoever first coined the phrase “making memories” was a genius.  Why, because it’s high-value.  Everything we do as marketers should attempt to create an extended memory in the minds of those we try to reach.  I realize that seldom do the actual experiences live up to the hype.  Sure, we always remember the experience in a grander way than it actually occurred.  Modern marketing methods are much too focused on reliving memory-making moments.

Coca Cola comes to mind with its attempts to insert a bottle of coke into the best memories of life; Christmas, high school graduation, your first time to ride a bike, etc.  I don’t suppose they are suggesting that we should only drink their products on special days?  Today’s audiences are too sophisticated for these methods.

In reality, the high value is the memory itself.  Show me how your product can make new memories.  Think original and authentic.

I enjoy browsing reading books from when I was child.  You remember the one’s with illustrations on every other page?  It brought the story to life.  And it’s still a great idea; combining books and illustration.  Did we ever call them bookustrations?  Or illustrooks?

I saw the term Vook used for the first time this week.   Publishers have been rolling out mobile and browser-based apps that integrate text and video for some time.  But to go so far as to call it a Vook?  It’s seems about as strange as the first time I heard the word Blog.

So what is a Vook?

A Vook is a concept for combining a book, a video and the internet into a continuous experiential event.  You read the ebook, watch videos that enhance the storyline, and connect with others via social media all in one application, on one screen without switching mediums.

Verdict?

This could be just anther gimmick; exploiting the natural progression of integrating technology with traditional human interest, or is it a viable progression which demands such strange new nomenclature?  Will readers or watchers be called vookers?  Is anyone else bothered by the fact Vook rhymes with crook?

If you haven’t seen some of the new technology combining print and video, like augmented reality, you just might not be keeping up.  Combining print and video was certain to happen.  Or did it already happen.  CDRom’s combined text and video via the small screen in the 90’s.  I thought the original value of the world wide web was all about the ability to combine text, graphics, and video into navigable pages?  Sounds like a Vook?  A world wide Vook?

Surely, the real issue here is both mobility and ability.  Mobility in that you can take it with you via a mobile device.  And Ability in that you can combine mediums.  Sound like just another bet placed on a paperless society to me.   With or without Vooks, a paperless society will be a reality once our planet is covered in wireless bandwidth. Load’s of it.  Give me that and I will call it anything you like.

First there was SixDegrees.com… then came Friendster.com… and shortly following was MySpace.com.  You probably see where this is headed already…

MySpace is on a fast track to the same fate that those social networking sites suffered before it – it’s in process of being replaced.  Maybe that’s a harsh statement considering the network still receives some 120 million unique visits monthly. 

But to put it in a different perspective, consider that MySpace and Facebook were approximately the same size, in terms of unique monthly visitors, a year ago.  Today MySpace ranks less than half the size of Facebook, as the younger rival is receiving upwards of 275 million monthly visits.

So where did MySpace go wrong?  Here are a few ideas to consider:

Too much user control – Just check out some of the crazy user profiles on MySpace… and what’s with the music auto play?

Ease of customization – MySpace does allow for customization… but requires you to work with html.  Facebook’s open source applications allow it to be more nimble and easier for those less technically inclined.

User demographics – While MySpace users skew younger, Facebook’s fastest growing demographic sector is women 55 and older.

Privacy – Whether it is perceived or real… Facebook is much more trusted.  In fact, according to research conducted by TRUSTe, Facebook was named one of the top 10 trusted sites by Americans in 2009.

Staying connected – Facebooks’ “news feed” allows users to stay connected with friends via a single source more intuitively than MySpace “status and mood” updates.

Many continue to argue that social networking sites are just passing fads, to which I have two responses.

•  SNS sites have been around since at least 1997…13ish years is a long fad!
•  That argument mistakes implementation for application as it’s the execution of past technologies and models that are failing, not the concept of online social interaction.

So is Facebook next in line to suffer this fate?  Only if another portal emerges that does everything they do…only better.

Of recent, Broadcast networks, sporting leagues, and governments share a common concern, similar view and reaction toward social media.  Many organizations are now regulating, and in some cases completely banning the use of social media by their employees.

ESPN, the NFL, the PGA, and even the country of China have all participated in banning the use of social media.  Reasons range from liability issues, the dissemination of misinformation, security concerns, and in some cases a concern for “slander”.

It really comes down to two issues…

1.    A lack of trust in a level playing field. Social media is becoming the great equalizer, whereby individuals within an organization can build an audience-reach equal to that of the organization itself.  And with individual ability to reach out further, and in many cases faster than the organization, it’s left these governing bodies wondering whether they can trust the conversations taking place which determine their future.  Many social media guru’s suggest we let the conversations happen, let the chips fall where they may.

2.    A shift of power and wealth. From a small segment of society to one now of being distributed equally to an entire global population. History shows this redistribution begins with access to information (e.g. education).  This concept is nothing new.  Has social media become the new Socialism?  For now let’s save that discussion for a future post.

Throughout most of the last century, success for most organizations and brands was attained by their ability to use resources, capacity, and proprietary information to their advantage.   The challenge of retaining proprietary information, let alone talent and unique capabilities, in a ‘social media’ world has changed the rules forever.  Social Media has become a catalyst for connecting a new generation in ways that are daunting for organizations everywhere.

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