Archive for September, 2009

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DR. WHAW? – September 29, 2009


2009
09.29

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Posted in Branding, DR. WHAW?, Marketing, Measurement, Social Media, Twitter | View Comments

I have to say that today was just about one of the hardest days for DR. WHAW?  I looked through my list of favorite blog posts for the day and then whittled it down to those that were actually relevant to measurement, and I was still left with 11 posts.  Ugh!  It was a tough choice, but here they are: the top seven posts I Didn’t Read While Hard At Work (but wanted to)!

DR. WHAW? – September 29, 2009

1. Brand Measurement: Analytics & Metrics for Branding Campaigns by Avinash Kaushik — There are lots of different metrics and measurement tools out there these days, and I liked that this post focused on branding campaigns.  This is a great for those seeking to understand the outcome and influence of a branding campaign.  It doesn’t necessarily focus upon specific tools, but it helps further understanding of how to quantify and calculate outcomes.

2. Google’s YouTube Find Money in Analytics by Laurie Sullivan — Content ID has become the way to bring analytics to YouTube.  This new system is essentially like Google Analytics, but for video content uploaded to the YouTube Web site.  This will be a big step forward for marketers, how will you use this?  How will this be a benefit to you?

3. What Is Your ‘R’ for ROI in Social Media? by Liana Evans — I’m on the fence on this post.  On the one hand, I’m all about every company trying to find a way to measure their campaigns or projects in a meaningful way.  On the other hand, I want to be a stickler in the sense that ROI is meant to be a term reserved for monetary returns.  I know, that may seem silly.  But why always use the term ROI?  Why not simply call a metric or a measurement what it is?  Either way, this post is great and has some valuable insights.  So read up!

4. Are You Cherishing the Wrong Trophy by Jay Baer — I really encourage you to read this post because it’s a great reminder as to why measuring the wrong things can be just as bad as not measuring at all.  Measuring  just for the sake of having measured is no way to measure at all.  OK, I’ll stop.  But you see my point, right?

5. Google Search Results Now Show Hot Trends by Ben Parr — Google has officially copied Twitter and introduced hot trends to it searches.  While this may seem like a big deal, it probably won’t make a huge difference.  The map of trends will be at the bottom of the page when most users never look past the first few results.  Also, it will only show up for users in the United States and Japan initially.  What do you think?  Will you use this?

6. Google and Facebook show their scale advantage by copying Twitter by Nic Brisbourne — Google (as noted above) has now introduced its own version of trending topics, and it has put Twitter to shame.  Why?  Because Google is such a colossus that it can copy cat Twitter and still come out the victor.  It doesn’t have to do it better, but it can sure as heck do it bigger.  This author argues that in the long run, Twitter will lose because it just doesn’t have the grand scale that Google does.  Facebook has been copying Twitter by trying to be a microblogging Web site of sorts, and again, Nic Brisbourne thinks that Facebook will be the ultimate victor because of its size advantage.  I’m not so sure about that, but he makes a good point about how technology really plays out in the open these days.

7. Marketing Trends Report 2009: Where does Social Media Stand? by Jeff Bullas — In case you still need some reassurance, here’s another study that tells us social media is not, I repeat, not a fad and here to stay!  Beyond this fact there are some interesting statistics about how social media fits and will fit into general marketing trends.  There are also insights about the barriers still remaining in regard to social media.

And so another day has come and gone.  I’m settling into a new routine, and I’m feeling happy.  How is your week shapin’ up?  How am I doing on my picks?  Tell me if I’m gettin’ it right or not, I really want to know.

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DR. WHAW? – September 28, 2009


2009
09.29

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Posted in DR. WHAW?, Marketing, Measurement, PR metrics, Social Media, Twitter | View Comments

And so another Monday flew by with barely any time for me to think, and I actually forgot to eat until well past dinner time!  Just one of those manic Mondays!  Through it all  a massive pile of blog posts stacked up, and this is the best of what I Didn’t Read While Hard At Work (but wanted to) yesterday.

DR. WHAW? – September 28, 2009

1. The metric that’s killing Web innovation from SmartBrief — You know me, I’m all about measurement, and this post caught my eye because it’s important to understand the assumptions behind measurements as well as the implications.  Shelby Bonnie argues that measuring the success of campaigns online by the cost-per-thousand impressions is stifling innovation.  Because this metric makes it seem as though impressions or eyeballs are the most important thing, it stops marketers from engaging with consumers online, which can be a very valuable practice.

2. Random metric names and symbols is not an equation from Random Acts of Data — I can’t express enough how awesome this post is.  Absolutely brilliant!  I’m all about finding ways to measure what has yet to be measured, but this a great step-by-step breakdown as to why some measurements are just not accurate or logical.  I encourage anyone who is still new to measurement or just starting to look through this post.  It will take some time, but it’s really worth it.  It will help you learn and better understand what works and what doesn’t.

3. Making sense of Twitter’s influence on the corporate world by David Gelles — If you haven’t yet heard about Shel Israel‘s book Twitterville, I sincerely recommend you at least check it out.  This is a great (and honest) review of the book, which uses simple case studies from Twitter to explain how the Web site may benefit others.  I started reading this book on my daily commute last week, and I am already three-quarters of the way through it, and I struggle to put it down every day.  While some of it is a no-brainer if you’ve been around Twitter for long, there are plenty of great lessons to be learned.

4. Orwellian Nonsense At The Washington Post: Reporters, Shut Up! by Stowe Boyd — The Washington Post announced recently that it has new guidelines for its employees regarding the social media space.  As Stowe Boyd explains it, reporters are no longer allowed to have independent lives online.  He includes an entire memo sent out to the staff of the paper, and it’s pretty clear that he isn’t just overreacting.  On what level is this true for all companies?  How many times have we heard about firings due to something Tweeted or linked on Facebook?

5. Media Outlook 2010: Crawling From the Wreckage from MediaWeek — This year has been a tough one for just about everyone, and the media industry is by far no exception.  The editors at MediaWeek foresee 2010 as a year to slowly help the industry grow and evolve.  I will be interested to see where the industry will go now that social media has truly become an ever-growing force.

6. Budgeting for social media is a tricky – but critical – process by Paul Gillin — I was so glad to see this post!  I feel as though a lot of the reasons for companies to take on social media have to do with its low cost.  It seemed to me that many corporations were ready to assume social media was free, but Paul Gillin is willing to step up and remind us that nothin’ is free!  He explains the ins and outs of budgeting for your social media work, and it’s really not as easy as you might guess.  I recommend giving this one a read!

7. ‘Flocking’ behavior lands on social networking sites by Sharon Jayson — This is one of those articles I feel inclined to bring you because everyone was Tweeting about it and because it’s really quite interesting.  There is a lot of good analysis in here about why social networking sites really are naturally a good thing for us, mostly.  It’s a bit of a long one, but I think it’s definitely worth it.

So what was on your plate?  Did you make it through your Monday unharmed?  Here’s hoping y’all are doing well and the rest of the week looks even brighter.

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"You're right on track."


2009
09.27

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Posted in Growing up, Job search, Life as an intern | View Comments

The economy sucks. Majorly.

Growing up I had certain expectations for myself. I expected to graduate from high school, go on to college, graduate and get a job. Until the past year, all of these expectations were both reasonable and well, expected.

As economic outlook plummeted, so too did my expectation of having a full-time job upon graduation with an undergraduate degree. Last fall when I began my job search in earnest, I had to completely rethink post-graduation plans. And, to be honest, it felt like settling.

I’ve always done all the “right things.” I studied, I went to class, I had internships in the summers and got to know my professors. So why am I only an intern? I went to a good school (a great school!) , took all the right courses and have great experience. Why doesn’t anyone want to hire me for a full-time, permanent position?

Does this sound familiar to anyone else? I’ve struggled not to take this personally. Perhaps I’m too sensitive, but after having expectations of employment for 21 years, it has been a hard transition to accept that I am still just an intern. A former professor and great mentor turned my mindset upside down with these four simple words:

“You’re right on track.”

We’re all right on track. This economy changes everything, and we all need to realize that our expectations have to change, too. Maybe all I needed was some reassurance. Maybe I needed a reality check. Maybe I needed to learn to be patient.

Since hearing those four words, I’ve tried to talk about my situation with as many people as will listen, and you know what I’ve discovered? My professor was right. In today’s world, I am right on track. As are you.  That track may have taken a sharp left since the economy hit rock bottom, but that track can still take us where we want to go.

I hope I’m preaching to the choir, but in case you couldn’t help but take this whole thing personally:

You’re right on track. And don’t ever forget it.

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DR. WHAW? Sunday Digest – Week-ending September 27, 2009


2009
09.27

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Posted in DR. WHAW?, Marketing, Measurement, PR metrics, Social Media, Twitter | View Comments

And so another weekend comes to an end.  What do you have to look forward to this week?  I have more of the same in my future, and I’m just excited to continue to bring you what I Didn’t Read While Hard At Work during the week.

DR. WHAW? Sunday Digest – Week-ending September 27, 2009

1. ComScore, Omniture join up to measure audiences by Barbara Ortutay — ComScore and Omniture are two giants in the Web measurement world have decided to join forces to analyze digital audiences.  The two companies hope to be able to provide more accurate, stable numbers for Web traffic as well as valuable insight into audiences.  By combining their services (or powers?), users will be able to gain more information about not only how many, but who exactly is visiting their Web site.  Also, companies will be able to see who visits more than once and who never comes back.  How else will you use their new services?

2. Scoring with Social Media: 6 Tips for Using Analytics by Alexandra Samuel — As with many things, Alexandra Samuel argues that with analytics less is more.  However, the solution isn’t to run and hide either, but there is a simple solution.  I highly recommend this post if you feel overwhelmed by all of the many analytics available for social media Web sites like Twitter.  Focus on an answerable question and use only those tools which address this question.  Read more, you’ll be glad you did.

3. Nielsen, Facebook forge alliance: Social networking as consumer attitude tracker by Larry Dignan — Nielsen and Facebook has decided to join forces to use the social networking site as a research tool to track the attitude of consumers.  This could provide incredibly valuable insights to both companies, and I’m eager to see how this will all play out.

4. 84% of Social Media Programs Don’t Measure ROI by Christina Warren — While it was found that 86 percent of professionals (from various fields) have adopted social media in their work.  The same study found that 84 percent of these professionals are not actually measuring the outcome of their social media use. Come on now, y’all.  And almost half of those professionals reported that they would have no idea how to measure their ROI if they wanted to. Ugh, I guess this only shows that we still have a long way to go. How do we make professional more aware about the benefits and necessities of measurement?

5. PostRank Analytics: Missing Link Between Social Media Engagement and Web Analytics by Dave Fleet — PostRank is a new tool that Dave Fleet feels is much needed.  Why?  Because previously there was a gap between Web analytics (how many people view your Web site) and social media engagement (how many people are engaging? how often? how much?).  PostRank fills in this gap by combing the two metrics in one convenient tool.  I think this will definitely provide some new insights, what about you?

6. Social Media Metrics: Requires a Different Conversation by Tara Deville — I love this post because it very clearly explains something that I think many professionals are still struggling with: social media metrics.  You cannot simply treat this research like you would any other!  Social media is new and very different from other media, and therefore it really does require a completely different mindset and conversation.  Understanding that is a big step towards effective measurement, and this post will definitely move you in the right direction.

7. Four Avenues to a More Focused Social Media Monitoring Strategy by Chuck Hemann and Ken Burbary — In this brilliant post, Chuck Hemann and Ken Burbary offer tips to narrow your monitoring for social media.  I am a big proponent of measurement when it comes to marketing and public relations campaigns, and one of the biggest obstacles to effective measurement can be data collection.  If you try to catch everything, what will it really tell you?  This post gives a great start to anyone looking to begin a daunting monitoring or measurement project.

Were there other favorites you had this week?  Ever wonder how I pick my favorites?  Ask me!  Tricked ya, huh?  I’d love to hear your feedback and answer any questions you may have, so leave it in the comments!

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DR. WHAW? – September 25, 2009


2009
09.27

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Posted in DR. WHAW?, Marketing, Measurement, PR metrics, Social Media, Twitter, public relations | View Comments

I don’t know what it is about Friday!  I can never seem to bring you what I Didn’t Read While Hard At Work on Friday night.  But I never fail to bring it, eh?

DR. WHAW? – September 25, 2009

1. Four Avenues to a More Focused Social Media Monitoring Strategy by Chuck Hemann and Ken Burbary — In this brilliant post, Chuck Hemann and Ken Burbary offer tips to narrow your monitoring for social media.  I am a big proponent of measurement when it comes to marketing and public relations campaigns, and one of the biggest obstacles to effective measurement can be data collection.  If you try to catch everything, what will it really tell you?  This post gives a great start to anyone looking to begin a daunting monitoring or measurement project.

2. Google Offers New Keyword Research Tool by Barry Schwartz — Google released another research tool in their AdWords console, which will eventually replace the current tool.  This new keyword search integrates a bunch of other tools that Google has been releasing, like their Insights tool, which allows you to better understand demographics as well as the sheer number of hits.  I recommend checking out this new search, it may effect how you do your searches in the future.

3. Social Media Metrics: Requires a Different Conversation by Tara Deville — I love this post because it very clearly explains something that I think many professionals are still struggling with: social media metrics.  You cannot simply treat this research like you would any other!  Social media is new and very different from other media, and therefore it really does require a completely different mindset and conversation.  Understanding that is a big step towards effective measurement, and this post will definitely move you in the right direction.

4. Case Study and ROI of a Twitter Engagement by Connie Bensen — This is a presentation that Connie Bensen gave this past week at Marketing Prof’s Digital virtual marketing conference about Techrigy’s use of Twitter for lead generation.  Even if you don’t want to look through the slides themselves, there is a great commentary beneath the presentation which gives a great overview.  You may be surprised how many other business goals can be realized using Twitter and other social media sites.  I strongly recommend taking the time to read this presentation.

5. Personal Branding from 9-5 by David Spinks — I noticed this post first thing on Friday morning and knew I had to comment on it right away.  David Spinks explores the use of Web sites like Twitter at work.  When is it appropriate?  Is it at all?  There is some great discussion in the comments as well, and I think this is something we all need to think about.  Gen-Y professionals especially need to consider this post because we have grown up using Web sites like Twitter and it may not seem to be inappropriate to check them during work.  But what would your boss think?  How would your client react?

6. Traditional news media still 1st source on big stories by Gene Policinski — This is incredibly interesting.  Earlier this month there was all sorts of chatter because very few Americans say that they believe newspapers are accurate and objective.  But this study shows that when it comes to big, ground-breaking stories, most Americans still turn to traditional media sources for their news.  There are some other very interesting results, and I think this is telling us that the evolution of traditional and social media is not quite finished.

7. That Strange Light you’re seeing is the future of magazines by Rex Hammock — This past Wednesday, a huge sand storm swept over parts of Sydney, Australia, turning the city a shade of amber.  While we’ve become used to citizen journalists being the ones to report first on events like these, this sand storm produced a new magazine, Strange Light.  What?  There was no huge outpouring from Twitter?  There wasn’t much discussion on Facebook?  What a strange concept.  This is an interesting read with a different takeaway.  Maybe it’s not quite time to give up on traditional media?  Or was this just a fluke?

There was some amazing coverage to round out the week, and I hope you were able to read through at least some of it!  Enjoy your weekend, folks and leave comments on how I’m doin’.

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DR. WHAW? – September 24, 2009


2009
09.24

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Posted in DR. WHAW?, Marketing, Measurement, PR metrics, Social Media, Twitter | View Comments

Thursday, sweet Thursday!  It means the weekend is almost here.  What’s on your agenda for Friday and the weekend?  I’m excited for some relaxation, and I’m hoping to write a few blog posts so I can keep you entertained again next week.  In the meantime, here’s what I Didn’t Read While Hard At Work today.

DR. WHAW? – September 24, 2009

1. The Dangers of Google Sidewiki: Complete Brand Invasion by David Teicher — Google launched a new tool called Sidewiki.  It’s part of the toolbar and allows users to leave a comment on any Web site which other users can then view.  There was a lot of talk about what this would mean for both marketers and consumers. As I was very involved in this discussion, I want to leave it to you to form your opinions.  I recommend you read this post from David Teicher, as well as those from Jeff Jarvis and Search Engine Journal.  Oh, and know that at least one blogger has already been punked.

2. The Web Analytics Headache from eMarketer — This post very clearly verbalizes the incredible confusion that Web analytics can cause.  There are a bunch of tools and different techniques, and it can often be overwhelming.  This post proves, though, that measurement is extremely important and there is a way to break through all the clutter.  Give this one a read, I promise you will learn something.

3. Microsoft launches Looking Glass – Social Media Monitoring tool by Ken Burbary — And Microsoft is back in the game!  Or at least, they’re in the game now.  Microsoft has announced their new tool Looking Glass which allows users to listen, participate and analyze social media.  I”m eager to see how this will be different (or similar) to other tools and how Microsoft will fare in this market.  What are you first thoughts?

4. PostRank Analytics: Missing Link Between Social Media Engagement and Web Analytics by Dave Fleet — PostRank is a new tool that Dave Fleet feels is much needed.  Why?  Because previously there was a gap between Web analytics (how many people view your Web site) and social media engagement (how many people are engaging? how often? how much?).  PostRank fills in this gap by combing the two metrics in one convenient tool.  I think this will definitely provide some new insights, what about you?

5. Measuring the roi of social media… or not by Robin Hamman — I really enjoyed this post because in it Robin Hamman describes a recent experience he had while lecturing at a IE Business School.  He was asked to give hard proof that the ROI of social media could be measured effectively, and he struggled.  This post explains his reasoning and why he thinks that it’s still a slippery subject.  What do you think?  Is social media ROI a lost cause?

6. The Wisdom of Crowds? by Brian Solis — I enjoyed this post because it reminded me of the agenda-setting theory.  Brian Solis explains that there is a great difference between the trending topics on Twitter and the most popular headlines of the day.  What does this mean?  The headlines do not represent all of the things that we are talking about and discussing online.   I think this is a very important knowledge for all of us to understand.

7. Brain Scans Reveal What You’ve Seen by Brandon Keim — I know this has nothing to do with measurement, but darn it! It’s just cool!  This study has shown that scientists can understand what you have seen based upon a scan of your brain.  Soon they may be able to quite literally read our minds!  This could have some pretty darn incredible implications, and I think it’s definitely worth keepin’ your eye on.

And with that, I bid thee goodnight! It was a long day for me, and I’m lookin’ forward to my weekend.   How about you?

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DR. WHAW? – September 23, 2009


2009
09.23

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Posted in DR. WHAW?, Measurement, PR metrics, Social Media | View Comments

Wow, wow Wednesday!  It was another doozy for me at work, but luckily I was able to fend off my urge to nap when I got home.  I’ve finished a kick butt workout and now it’s time to share with you what I Didn’t Read While Hard At Work today!

DR. WHAW? – September 23, 2009

1. 84% of Social Media Programs Don’t Measure ROI by Christina Warren — While it was found that 86 percent of professionals (from various fields) have adopted social media in their work.  The same study found that 84 percent of these professionals are not actually measuring the outcome of their social media use. Come on now, y’all.  And almost half of those professionals reported that they would have no idea how to measure their ROI if they wanted to. Ugh, I guess this only shows that we still have a long way to go. How do we make professional more aware about the benefits and necessities of measurement?

2. How to calculate your social media influencer value by Christopher Penn — In this post, Christopher S. Penn explores how best to estimate your social media value based upon your influence on others.  I think this is a great starting point for any professional wondering how much they’re really “worth.”  He gives a great step-by-step guide to find a good estimate of how much value you have, which is a great first step toward understanding fully the ROI of your social media work.

3. 4 Ways Social Media is Changing Business by Soren Gordhamer — As social media is becoming more and more widespread, it is having an effect of every aspect of our lives.  And now there are four big shifts that are occurring in the business world because of the popularity of social media.  The big ideas are corporations are no longer focusing on the big picture but instead on individuals, and companies are suddenly more available.

4. Google’s Latest Ambition: A Universal Commenting System For The Web by Joseph Tartakoff — The newest feature of the Google toolbar allows users to comment on any Web site that they visit.  Other users can then see these comments with their toolbars.  I think this is so cool!  I’ve always wanted to make comments on pages that don’t allow non-users to comment or don’t allow comments at all.  What a great way to create even more connectivity.  How will this effect you or your work?

5. Is this Fish Bowl Half Empty? by David Spinks — David Spinks decided to come to the defense of social media and its biggest names in response to Mark Schaefer‘s post about the country club of social media. He argues that while sometimes there is some group-think and there are downsides to social media, there is also a support system that can be found no where else.  What do you think?  Which side are you on?

6. Everyone gets paid on commission by Seth Godin — A Washington Post columnist was recently fired because his blog did not get enough Web traffic.  Is this crazy?  Well, not really.  We’re all expected to get results, but before it was hard to tell whether journalists were really getting readers or not.  Just because 20,000 people bought the paper, does that really mean all of them read your column?  With the technology to measure traffic, it is not more important than ever for all of us to be able to demonstrate our value.

7. How To Measure The Value Of A Fan Or Follower In Social Media by Kelsey Childress — In case I didn’t bring you enough measurement today, here’s another one!  While this isn’t by any means an exact science, this is a great look at how you can begin to understand the value of each follower or fan on social media Web sites.  What do you think?  What else do you consider when you think about the value of those who interact with you online?

And with that, I’m off to get some more work done.  What’s on your plate tonight, folks?  Leave me some love in the comments and make sure to tell me how I’m doing!

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DR. WHAW? – September 22, 2009


2009
09.22

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Posted in DR. WHAW?, Marketing, Measurement, PR metrics, Social Media, Twitter | View Comments

I must say that I am in a rather rambunctious mood today!  We had a great day in the intern room and had some great laughs.  Then I was able to come home, relax for a bit and get in a good work out.  And now finally I can bring what I Didn’t Read While Hard At Work today!

DR. WHAW? – September 22, 2009

1. Disconnect between news providers and consumers from Alltop — This is pretty shocking.  This post gives some statistics about news organizations and what they believe about their readers and paid content.  Then there is a link which shows young users discussing how they really intend to use news products.  Why aren’t newspapers listening yet?

2. The Problem With Facebook (For Marketers) by Todd Defren — Lately there has been all sorts of talk about how marketers and public relations professionals need to use social networks like Facebook to reach out to their customers and publics.  Todd Defren asks us to pause for a second and realize there are flaws with Facebook.  One of the problems, he argues, is that the rules of the site are often changing and there is nothing that a marketer could do to help that.  What do you think?  How important will Facebook be to your next campaign?

3. Scoring with Social Media: 6 Tips for Using Analytics by Alexandra Samuel — As with many things, Alexandra Samuel argues that with analytics less is more.  However, the solution isn’t to run and hide either, but there is a simple solution.  I highly recommend this post if you feel overwhelmed by all of the many analytics available for social media Web sites like Twitter.  Focus on an answerable question and use only those tools which address this question.  Read more, you’ll be glad you did.

4. Can You Predict Twitter Trends? Use Your Skills For Virtual Cash With Pretweeting by Robin Wauters — This is a really cool new way recently started to monetize Twitter.  Essentially the idea is that Twitter trends are like stocks in the stock market.  You buy words or phrases and as they are used more, your “stock price” increases.  Get the idea?  This is really cool and also an interesting way to predict Twitter trends.

5. NYT Explores Twitter Search Products by Mike Shields — The New York Times may not be so behind the times after all.  The newspaper has begun looking into using Twitter streams to aggregate commentary on certain topics of interest.  The NYT will build aggregators to track opinions about various niche categories and products.  There’s not much I can say besides, “way to go, NYT!”

6. Nielsen, Facebook forge alliance: Social networking as consumer attitude tracker by Larry Dignan — Nielsen and Facebook has decided to join forces to use the social networking site as a research tool to track the attitude of consumers.  This could provide incredibly valuable insights to both companies, and I’m eager to see how this will all play out.

7. Trendsmap — This isn’t a post but just a new and cool Web site. This site allows you to view which topics are most popular on Twitter by geographic location. The uses for this information is endless.  What more could I add?  How will you use this new-found power?

It was another measurement-heavy day today, eh?  I’m definitely lovin’ it!  How was everyone else’s Tuesday?  Tell me that in the comments if you refuse to tell me how I’m doing.

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DR. WHAW? – September 21, 2009


2009
09.21

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Posted in DR. WHAW?, Marketing, Measurement, PR metrics, Social Media, public relations | View Comments

Just another manic Monday!  Seriously, was everyone else workin’ this weekend?  I finally took some time to really relax.  For the first time in months, I didn’t do any work for my internship or anything else.  I had a real weekend, and it was glorious.  But apparently everyone else was busy thinkin’ and writing some great content because there was a lot to choose from today.  So here it is: what I Didn’t Read While Hard At Work today!

DR. WHAW? – September 21, 2009

1. The social media country club by Mark Schaefer — This post generated a lot of discussion early this morning, and I think it’s worth sharing with you for this reason alone.  Also, it’s the first of its kind and a topic that needed to be addressed.  Mark Schaefer describes what he calls the social media country club.  There are social media “elites” who seem to have influence and pull over, well, just about everyone.  If you’re new to the social media game, you want to get on their good side, right?  What does that mean?  Does it take away from the whole point of social media?  Weigh in here.  Believe it or not, the conversation is still raging.

2. 6 Social Media Marketing Case Study Lessons by Ellie Mirman — This post provides six very good tips for using social media marketing, and there are some great case studies to back these tips up.  Not only will you learn some best practices, but you can better understand how to but these practices to practical use.  Which tips mean the most to you and your business?

3. ComScore, Omniture join up to measure audiences by Barbara Ortutay — ComScore and Omniture are two giants in the Web measurement world have decided to join forces to analyze digital audiences.  The two companies hope to be able to provide more accurate, stable numbers for Web traffic as well as valuable insight into audiences.  By combining their services (or powers?), users will be able to gain more information about not only how many, but who exactly is visiting their Web site.  Also, companies will be able to see who visits more than once and who never comes back.  How else will you use their new services?

4. HOW TO: Make Facebook Your Company Newsroom by Josh Peters — As more and more companies realize how important the online community is to their business, some have begun to pay more attention to their online newsrooms.  While some use their own corporate Web sites to serve as a one-stop for bloggers and journalists, this post gives a pretty convincing argument as to why you may want to consider using Facebook to inform all those covering you and your company.

5. The world is changing. Is your brand adapting by Arik Hanson — Our world is rapidly changing.  Arik Hanson gives some good examples of how, and I’ll add one of my own: two of my friends recently got married and informed their closest friends of their engagement via our group e-mail listserv.  Consumers are changing the way they talk to each other, so why not adapt the way your company communicates with them?

6. GOP Clashes With FCC on Net Neutrality by Ira Teinowitz — The Federal Communications Commission announced today that it intends to move forward with a net neutrality rule which would ban service providers from limiting video downloads or offering only certain Internet content a faster path to the desktop.  Some Republican congressman argue that this will prevent investment and innovation of new technology.  What do you think?  How would this affect you personally?

7. Conversions are a “User-Defined Event” for Search Marketers from MarketingSherpa — What is a conversion event?  If you’re unfamiliar with search marketing (like I am), then you’re probably not sure.  This post helps to explain what a conversion event is and how it should be defined.  I like this post because it teaches lessons for any online marketing public relations campaign.  The more metrics you have in the place, the easier it will be to define whether or not you have reached your goals.

So, folks, what do you think?  Did I catch the biggest posts from today or is there a glaring omission?  Tell me!  I love your feedback.

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DR. WHAW? Sunday Digest – Week-ending September 20, 2009


2009
09.20

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Posted in Branding, DR. WHAW?, Marketing, Measurement, PR metrics, Social Media, Twitter, public relations | View Comments

After a long work week and some serious relaxation, it is time to once again bring you the top reads I Didn’t Read While Hard At Work this week.

DR. WHAW? Sunday Digest – Week-ending September 20, 2009

1. Trust in News Media Falls to New Low in Pew Survey by Richard Perez-Pena — The Pew Research Center just released a new study about trust in news media, and the numbers are at an all-time low.  I don’t think I need to explain to you the gravity of this discovery.  Why do we trust media less and less?  Who do we trust?  This study is full of valuable insights that we all can and should learn from.

2. FCC advances on social media, lags on broadband access by Richard Hartman –The Federal Communication Commission is not only thinking about regulating social media, but now they are using it themselves.  The commission is still largely ignoring broadband, though, and this article explains why that is important.  This is definitely we should all be paying attention to!

3. Twitter Analytics – Advanced Twitter Metrics by Ben Foster — I bet you can tell just from the title of this post that this is a post right up my alley.  I love this post because it asks some really good questions, similar to those I asked in my own post about measuring Twitter influence.  Read this through and think seriously about it.  Twitter is becoming increasingly important to lots of companies and campaigns, so measuring it is just as important.  What would you add?  What do you think isn’t important?

4. One small step for P&G, One HUGE step for our profession by Katie Paine — Proctor & Gamble announced that they would not longer be paying advertisers based up previously-coveted “eyeballs.”  Advertisers will not pay based upon how much engagement there is on a given Web page.  Katie Paine predicts this is a huge win for the measurement industry because where P&G goes, the industry tends to follow.  This is a great post to read if you’re at all interested in measurement now and where it’s headed.

5. GraphEdge, Tracking Trends Among Your Twitter Followers from Boston.com — Holy cow!  This is such a cool new tool!  Among it’s features, GraphEdge will be able to tell you who among your followers are spammer and who are genuine people.  Also, this Twitter analytic tool will be able to tell you just how quickly (or not) you’re gaining followers.  I can’t wait to hear more about this tool and understand how it determines these measurements!

6. PRSA Seeks Industry Agreement on Measurement Standards from PRSA Newsroom — And to show that I’m  not trying to hate on PRSA, I wanted to include this truly amazing piece of news!  PRSA is leading the way by setting metrics and approaches for public relations measurement, and not only that but they’re encouraging feedback.  They could not have done this any better!  They collaborated with experts in the field to come up with the standards and are seeking feedback from all members.  Only more validation for measurement and its importance.  You know I’m lovin’ this!

7. Presidential Adjectives by Alan Kelly — I chose this today because The Playmaker’s Standard is something I have been interested in for a while now.  It’s a very interesting way of breaking down influence strategies into their most basic (or elemental) parts.  Each day a “play” is chosen as Play of the Day, and today it was a Label.  In this article about President Obama, reporter Charles Krauthammer describes the president as cool, distant and imperial.  Check out what a Label is and decide for yourself, is this a true Label?  Do you think these characteristics will always be associated with President Obama?

Although I think I’ve picked some good ones here, I strongly encourage you to check out my other picks from this week.  It was tough to choose the best seven because the week was full of some seriously great and insightful reads.

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