Social Suicide

The Web 2.0 Suicide Machine essentially deletes any Social Media presence you may have. Not only does it sign you out of and change the password to social networks, it also deletes, one by one, all of your connections, claiming to "improve your relationships" and "get rid of stalkers."

"My internet life is dying, my real life is starting."

Social Media as a Headhunter

Social Media: "The Biggest Shift Since the Industrial Revolution" (via)

Note: at 1:04, 80% of companies use LinkedIn as their primary tool for finding employees. At 45+ million users, it has become an essential networking tool. This is why it is absolutely VITAL to have an impressive, current LinkedIn profile.

"YouTube Moment"

It seems every major pop culture gathering has the "one thing" people will be talking about the next day.

1) Janet Jackson's wardrobe malfunction at Superbowl XXXVIII
2) For Obama's Health Care speech back in July, it was his "stupid cop" remark
3) For the MTV Movie Awards, it was Bruno's graceful descent onto Eminem

4) And, for tonight's VMA performance, it was Kanye West's rude outburst during Taylor Swift's award for Best Female Video:



Except, interestingly enough, "the next day" has really come to mean "for the next hour on twitter as #teamtaylor becomes a trending topic instantaneously." Thank you, Web 2.0.

Consumers Digesting Media

"U.S. consumers last year for the first time spent more time with media that they paid for than with advertising-supported media, according to the annual Communications Industry Forecast." - AdWeek

Hmmm, so what does that mean for us? In my opinion, either:
1) Since branded digital efforts are difficult to trace, their media may have been free, but not free of ads.
2) "Room for growth"
3) Consumers are willing to pay more for something as long as we don't get in the way.

Social Media and Relationships

Communication builds relationships.

Relationships build trust.

As creatures of habit and consistency, we as consumers generally lean towards what we have already experienced - what we trust.

When it comes down to it, that's why social media is so important and influential. It allows the brand to communicate with its fanbase, and ultimately build more trust through communication. It's not about trying to reach more people, it's about trying to form a long, beautiful relationship.

What's the point?

Why blog? Good question.

"Social Media" and "Web 2.0" are big buzz terms both in the agency and client side of the biz. A lot of the bigger, more conservative clients still hold on dearly to their safe, traditional :30 and :15 spots. Thanks to the infamous recession, though, many are trying to optimize their budgets and funnel their money into more traceable, accountable media channels. Namely, digital.

Since, for the most part, social media manifested is free, it makes sense, right? So why has it taken so long for behemoth companies to hop on board? Well, it's unfamiliar, difficult to maintain, and the content needs to attract a large audience in order to be effective. So why all the trouble?

In my opinion, the internet is more of a communication platform and than an information platform. Connecting people in order to share information has become its main purpose. I check my email and facebook at least three times an hour (no joke). Also, blogging is a hybrid between Advertising and Public Relations. It has the potential to be highly branded content, but can still be organic and natural. Bloggers share their own opinions and are more trustworthy than paid content. I trust CafeMom's opinion on Cheerios much more than that bee they have in their commercials.

In short, it's word of mouth, 2.0, and we've already passed the "early majority" stage. Get on it already!