Social Media: Measure or Not To Measure?

Being a PR professional has it's challenges. You're always chasing new business. You're always looking to get "hits" for your clients (whatever that means these days). And you're constantly being measured on success and failures. In the PR world, clients fire on the lack of success and measurement.

This is a tricky, tight-rope walk, especially in a media environment that is so fractured that the reporter you're targeting today could be taking your order at the drive through the next. Throw social media to the mix and traditional media relation programs are out the door. You either are leading a trend and are littering the pages of top tier publications (and when I say littering, I mean a clip or two every other month) or you're saturating your trade publications (more likely a viable option, especially for B2B companies).

At the end of the day however, PR programs need to be measured. They have to. How else can an executive justify 100k fee retainer to his/her bosses by answering the "did we reach our goals?" with an answer like, "did you see our Facebook page?"

Ah, no. Not what the hire-ups want to hear.

So the question remains. Can you measure social media? Some say yes. Some say no.

I say yes, sorta. It's not brain surgery, but it's not rocket science either. It's somewhere in the middle.

First off, the naysayers will jump down my throat and say that you can't measure a conversation or engagement. I agree, however, you can measure that conversation and engagement IF your brand has some sort of call to action fused into that conversation, i.e. signing up for a free trial of a new software product, signing up for a survey/focus group, reviewing a product, suggesting a website to a friend, etc. All that stuff can be measured by traditional means, i.e. click-throughs, website visitors, downloads, sign-ups, etc. Obviously brands need to ask the question, "how did you come to visit this site" or "what did you think of our product offering" or something to that effect. While you can't measure the conversation around a brand, a product or an issue, you can measure the end result of that conversation IF there is some sort of call to action. This is true whether your company is B2B, B2C, non-profit, government, etc. Real, business-driving, brand-embracing, call to actions are key to measuring social media campaigns.

However, to measure the conversation or engagement, you have to look at the content produced over the span of your social media program and through each channel individually and collectively. The conversation has to be monitored constantly. Yes, you can track things like retweets or followers, but the real juice is in the opinions of your audiences. What are they telling you that will help you develop a better product or service? How are they referring to your brand vs. how you THINK your brand is known in the market place? Is that perception different from yours? If it's positive and seems to "fit" with your audience's needs, do you go forth and change your positioning in order for your messages to resonate more? Measuring the conversation and engagement takes time, patience and an internal interrogator to ask the tough questions that your brand must address to "ebb with the flow," so to speak.

So while you can measure social media programs that have actionable items for your audiences to move on, you really can't put a dollar figure on the conversation and engagement. That intel, as they say, is priceless. Read more!

Branded Content (via @stevegarfield)

If I'm ever in a meeting like this, please shoot me.

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Why Brands are Hesitant to Utilize Twitter

I hosted and presented during a webinar for PR News yesterday about Twitter. It was a great line-up of social-media-minded folks from various industries. According to the organizers, there was over 400 location's signed up and on average, there are three to five folks listening in per site. The list of participating organizations ranged from government types, non-profits, consumer brands, b2b brands, etc.

As the moderator of the event, it was partly my job to answer questions on the fly and interact with each of the speakers. As the webinar began, the questions started flying in. They were all across the board, to specifics per the industry of the participant to the basics like online resources to further education on social media.

However, five questions came through loud and clear that made me take a step back and think, "so, THIS is why there doesn't seem to be a large adoption of Twitter by brands."

Those questions were:

1. How do I use Twitter for marketing purposes?


2. Who from my organization should be doing it?


3. How much time should I spend on Twitter?


4. How do I measure it's effectiveness?


5. Who in our organization should own it?

There are various schools of thought as it relates to all these questions, but here are my thoughts:

How do I use Twitter for use it to marketing purposes?
Ask yourself this? Does your organization have audiences it markets to? I'm guessing the answer is yes. Well, your audience is online and more often than not, are on Twitter. Simply put, use Twitter to build stronger relationships with your audiences. You can use it to address customer service concerns. You can use it to cultivate new sales prospects. You can use it to connect with media influencers. The audience connection opportunities are endless.

Who should be Twittering for your organization?
This is probably the easiest question of the lot in my opinion. Just like with your media opportunities, you should know who are the "voices" of your organization. Whether it's your CEO, CFO, PR Director, Admissions Director or Customer Service rep, each have their specific audiences that they can interact with on Twitter. I suggest segmenting your Twitter marketing per audience and determine who is the best person from your organization to have those conversations.

How much time should I spend on Twitter? I find this question almost comical. I'd answer that question with another question. How time should you spend marketing to your audiences? Get the point?

How do I measure its effectiveness? This is a little tougher to answer. It is not as cut and dry as say, website visitors. Yes, you can measure followers. However, the real juice is engagement. How many Twitterers retweeted posts? How often are your followers replying to your Twitter posts? The one to one engagement is where the rubber meets the road and can get customers to take action more so than any direct mail piece can.

Who in our organization should own it?
This is also an easy question in my opinion. Everyone should own Twitter. The key here is that whomever is Twitter on behalf of your organization, it should be done in a coordinated way and through the messaging prism you have set up for the rest of your marketing initiatives.

These questions - almost two years since Twitter's launch - show the uncertainty that brands still have in embracing it as a marketing and communications tool. My answers should get you asking, why aren't WE on Twitter? Read more!

Can Newspapers Break News Anymore?

I recently got into an argument (if you can call less than 140 characters long an argument) over whether or not newspapers can still break news due to the explosion of social networking, specifically Twitter.

At this point, everyone should know what Twitter is all about or maybe at least know that it exists and all the tech geeks, PR-types, marketing gurus and journalists are salivating over it. If not, you're way behind the eight ball. Step your game up. Seriously.

The argument stemmed from some Twitter chatter at the "Change dot gov" event at MIT yesterday, or better known as #smcboston in the Twittersphere. The event was about the government's use of social media and the information sharing that should and does go on between citizens and those that run this state. Long story short, one of the panelists was an editor for the Boston Globe who apparently was complaining about the pressure to get news out faster and how that pressure eats into follow up time (probably a subliminal message to all the PR folks in the room saying that, "yea, I got your email/voice mail, but sorry dude, I can't call you back. I'm too busy twittering").

Regardless of realistic or unrealistic time constraints to push out news, I still believe that newspapers can "break" news, specifically in two ways:

1. The first is through investigative journalism. We still need news outlets to be our watch dogs. We need them to ask the tough questions; do the longer, three-part series on government corruption or financial shadiness by big companies. These are the "gotcha" stories. These are the stories that truly showcase a reporters talents - writing and reporting (not to be confused with one another because each is different from the other and are unique skills). My point is that news can still be "broken" in the long form. Yes, I agree that it's tougher to do, but it is still a viable option.
2. The second way outlets can break news is how everyone else is doing it these days - social media channels. News outlets need to stop pushing out headlines just to drive website traffic. Yes, that has a place, but man up guys. Get real people behind your social media brands. Hire young, aggressive news-minded journalists who are social media geeks and can become the first "Social Media Reporter" for the Boston Globe, for example. Instead of pumping out Twitter headlines, why not assign reporters to be your online news voice, pushing out breaking stories, interacting with readers, cultivating sources, gathering news intel for your longer-lead writers, etc. News outlets need to stop using social media channels as content marketing tools and put real resources behind them in order to break news via Twitter for example.

Part of the reason I think newspapers and magazines are struggling to survive is because they were too late to the social media party. They are still outside the club, waiting at the back of the line, 100 people deep. They assumed their product would stand the test of time - similar to the print business and the threat of TV news. I really do think the opportunity exists for the print medium to survive. Old school print cronies need to take off their blinders and push the envelope aggressively in terms using technology to create, deliver and market their content to readers and advertisers.

Photo courtesy of Flickr user Girla Obscura

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There are Social Media "Experts" and People That Just Know Their $@&*$

The social media space is filled with lots of "conversations." It's a bunch of talk about talking, about interacting, about socializing, about nothing really.

The recent conversation has been about the relaunch of Facebook's interface. Some people like it. Some people hate it. I'm indifferent really. However, my colleague poses a great question about what the new design means for the front runner of micro-blogging, Twitter. He calls it the Twitterfication of Facebook.

Dave just gets it. He doesn't come across like an "expert." He's the Coach Bobby Knight of social media if you will:

For you social-media-minded peeps out there and fans of Facebook and Twitter, this Twitterfication of Facebook post is a must read.

Read more!

How to avoid being a new media DB

Am I am new media DB?



Hope not. I hope I'm creating content that people WANT to read instead of just pumping out content to gain more followers on Twitter.

What's truth telling about this video is the fact that it's pretty much dead on with about 85% of the new media "experts" out there. Lots of talk. Lots of tagging. Lots of posting. Lots and lots of lots of stuff. Volume, volume and more volume. Those actually something of relevance to you or your company are the ones to pay attention to. Then again, not all content speaks to everyone and as such, not all new media "experts" are "experts" in the eyes of all.

So what does all this mean? Why all the double talk? Well, most of what I read comes across as double talk. This isn't brain surgery here people. Simply find relevance for your content and read people that provide relevance to you. That's how you avoid being a new media DB. Provide value to SOMEONE (preferably groups of people) and you should avoid being labeled as such. Read more!

5Qs on SM: NHL's Mike Dilorenzo

I am going to be running a “five questions on social media” column from time to time on this blog. The idea is simple - pose five questions regarding social media as it relates to that person's role in their organization.

The idea here is to interview a cross section of professionals from a variety of industries and try to find common threads, best practices, insights, etc. for social media.

The inaugural 5Q on SM post is with Mike Dilorenzo, Director of Corporate Communications for the National Hockey League.

TBG: The NHL has made great strides in engaging fans over the past few years. With the explosion of social media, especially for consumer-facing brands, what role do you think SM will play in that engagement?

Mike: Social Media will become another important tool in the toolbox when it comes to listening to and engaging fans - a "CRM" application, if you will. There are several reasons that I am betting on Social Media as a CRM strategy. First, it's like a virtual suggestion box. Where else can you find in one place a few dozen - if not many more - consumers publicly talking about your brand, good bad or indifferent? Second, there's immediacy. In seconds, I can be reading a fan's idea and be corresponding with him. Third, it's a great place to get instant consumer feedback on an idea.

TBG: While you are not officially blogging or twitter for the NHL, what rules of engagement do you follow (by rule or self-directed)?

Mike: No matter where and how I communicate, my professional role is to position the League favorably in the hearts and minds of fans and media. So, I suppose that's my one Golden Rule. Sometimes that means posting a link to a press release. Sometimes it means listening to a fan complaint or tending to a customer service issue, and hopefully creating some goodwill by hearing people out. And I am also hopeful that our mere presence in the Social Media ecosystem will reinforce that the League is working to innovate. I am still quite new to all of this, though, so other "rules" I am figuring out as I go. For example, I am trying to do a better job responding to every single message I get. Where it's reasonable, I also try to communicate in the first person (for example, my trip to Chicago for the NHL Winter Classic). It's really a great question, though, because the most compelling blogs and Tweets often have a healthy dose of personality.

TBG: What are the real opportunities for the NHL and social media? How can it be fused with traditional marketing and PR?

Mike: I covered this very question in a blog post called, "My Two Cents On
Twitter," where I position Social Media as more of a CRM tool than a traditional PR program. I think a smartly executed Social Media plan will supplement the use of traditional PR and marketing as primary conduits to the consumer. Of course, there are smarter, more experience Social Media mavens who know even more than me; and I am seeking their opinions.

TBG: The Winter Classic was a fantastic event. The media coverage was abundant and the social media coverage probably out-paced the traditional media coverage (at least on twitter). What professional lessons did you learn from your role at the Winter Classic and how do you think the NHL can utilize SM better to promote events like the Winter Classic and the All-Star game?

Mike: The NHL Winter Classic was a really fun and informative personal experience for me vis a vis Social Media. Before the game, I was able to guage the interest level and plans of other fans, and it got me excited to hear from so many people that were looking forward to the game. I suppose it should not have been such an unexpected outcome, but I still found it energizing. And when I got out to Chicago and was Tweeting my firsthand experience (especially photosof places at Wrigley Field most fans couldn't get to or see), the lightbulb went off for me - that keeping it first person and authentic is a really critical component to engaging. Moving forward at our special events, I can make a good case for "grassroots" efforts like those, and I intend to keep bringing my iPhone with me so can take fans to places they couldn't get to otherwise.

TBG: What plans can you share about the future social media plans of the NHL? What can fans look forward to in the coming months, especially with the Stanley Cup Playoffs on the distant horizon?

Mike: In terms of 3rd-party social media, I think we'll continue to improve as we learn, listen and engage more. I'd like to use some of these platforms to build greater fan activation at our events - trading deadline, NBC Game of the Week, playoffs, etc. Which is a perfect segue to say I'd love to see more players using Twitter to engage with the fans. I think the fact that the Capitals worked with us to get Alexander Ovechkin Tweeting for the NHL All-Star Game was amazing. In less than two weeks he attracted almost 2,000 followers.

Thanks to Mike for playing along. For those puck fans or social media geeks who want to connect with Mike, check him out on Twitter.
Read more!

#NGOSM09 Recap

As previously posted, I attended a Council on PR Firms event today titled, "Thriving and Surviving in Uncertain Times: Digital Marketing Techniques for Non-Profits."

Here are my observations, take-a-ways, etc:

- Not many NGOs are using Twitter. Geez guys, talk about missing a MASSIVE opportunity to network with like-minded people, cultivate better relationships and put your organization's message right under their nose...all day long.

- When thinking about utilizing social media, NGOs should determine first if a social media strategy right from them. Secondly, if it is, prioritize your efforts because you can't do it all at once. Thirdly, make sure you have the right resources. Lastly, integrate social media into your existing marketing initiatives.

- Search Engine Optimization should be the best friend of every NGO. When people search for things on Google, they don't search for brands. They are searching for something specific like energy efficient windows vs. Harvey Windows. Getting in-tune with how the web views and delivers your content via search engines is critical. Be sure that your blog posts are titled correctly so that it can be found. Do not use "click here" with your links because your content won't be found. NGOs need to work with their marketing team and their web development team and make sure they are on the same page, using the same terminology, etc. The terms you use in SEO should be driven through the prism of your mission.

- NGOs should be using Twitter as a discovery tool. Use it to connect to people generating content that is aligned with your organizations mission. If your posts are compelling enough, they will follow and in turn, exposing your content to their network...and so on and so on...eg the social media ripple effect.

- Should NGOs create a Twitter for the organization or should someone Twitter on behalf of an organization? The group was torn on this. There are reasons to use Twitter under the protection of a brand, i.e. HomeDepot (promoting sales, giving tips, etc.) and there is a reason to Twitter under your name but on behalf of your organization. The key to both is on-message subject matter and transparency.

- Interesting stat of the day: In 1997, total donations accepted via mobile devices was $300k. In 2009, that number is projected to be $5 million. Great mobile giving tools include mGive, Mobile Giving Foundation and MobileActive.

- Before an NGO dives into social media, be sure that your Web 1.0 presence is in tact. If your organization's website is static and hasn't been updated since 2001, how in the world are you going to take advantage of social media?

- If you are creating video, be sure to hit your audience hard with your message within the first 13-15 seconds as that's the average viewing time for videos on YouTube. Wow, talking about the LACK of attention span, huh?

All in all the event was great for newbies, of which there were a ton, to social media, Folks from NGOs walked out thinking that social media is a legit marketing tool and nothing to be scared about. It's effective in reaching audiences in a sniper sort of way versus shotgun. And the best part and probably the most attractive to NGOs is that these technologies are available to them at little to no cost.

The biggest thing I hope NGOs got out of today's session was to try and learn. Develop your strategies. Hone your messaging. Know your audiences. Then utilize any and all social media tools that match up with the content needs of your audience.

Try and learn. Read more!

Using Social Media for Development

This morning I will be live Twittering (#ngosm09) and blogging from the Council of PR Firms event at the Museum of Science, called "Thriving and Surviving in Uncertain Times: Digital Marketing Techniques for Non-Profits." Before the event though, I wanted to share my thoughts on social media's role in fund-raising and development marketing.

Disclaimer: I've spent six years working in public relations roles that had an impact on development initiatives.

The "conversation" as of late on the social media scene has been around how social media should be the main source of marketing for companies. The world is a different place than it was in 1950. Loud speaker marketing/advertising doesn't work. Consumers don't want to be talked to. They want to listen. They want to learn. They want to engage. The best part of it all is that they want to listen, learn and engage with YOU (you being a Fortune 500 company, a non-profit, an executive, etc.)

Consumers are digesting content daily by terabytes (actually probably much more). They are smarter and know how the advertising/marketing game works.

Enter in social media, which has enabled brands to interact with consumers like never before. They are engaging with consumers in real-time and are addressing and talking about real issues that both sides are interested and invested in.

So, how does social media play out for non-profits and development programs? It's very simple actually.

Social media enables non-profits to build stronger relationships with those they are cultivating for fundraising and mission support. At the end of the day, raising money can't be done without those relationships in place. For capital campaigns, 90 percent of what needs to be raised typically will come from the top 5 percent of that organization's donor base - 5 percent, not really a lot of people.

This means that relationships with that 5 percent NEED to be nurtured and grown. How then, does a development officer in Boston for a college prep school cultivate a relationship with a donor who lives in LA? Back in the days, that development officer would be racking up the frequent flyer miles going from Logan to LAX. However, with mainstream use of services like Twitter and Facebook, keeping in touch with those campaign-moving donors and fostering those key relations are a mouse click, wall post or 140 characters away.

Social media is the cheapest investment that non-profits can make in terms of their development marketing. Most of the services available are free. NGO's need to stop thinking traditionally and embrace social media because it'll help them circle the wagon's like never before. The key, like with any marketing campaign, is to figure out what your audience is interested in; what do they want to hear from you; how do they want to receive that information; and, what value can you add to their social media experience? Once you have those questions answers, it's time to jump in on the convo. Read more!

Who is going to "own" social media in 2009?

Doing a little social media reading this morning and I came across a post that outlines who is going to take control of social media in 2009.

The four groups that are said to have an opportunity to control social are (grossly going to summarize here):

Advertising - they create tons of content that is viewed by millions and can have a huge impact on brand awareness, ad reps should control social media.

Digital - because social media is ALL online, the gear heads should control social media.

Public Relations - PRs help clients yap to their audiences so the PRs should control social media because it's all about the "conversation."

Client - in the end, the other three are working on behalf of the client, the client should own the conversation. consumers want to interact with the brand, not the Ad/Digital/PR hacks.

All great thinking here. However, there's one group that's missing and is THE most important - the audience.

At the end of the day, content is created for consumers. At the end of the day, if you're a mommy blogger, a hard working dad, an entrepreneur or a c-suite type, you're a consumer. Social media content IS created for the consumer. Consumers drive brand loyalty. Consumers can smash the marketing dreams of a client with a popular blog post. Consumers create and maintain the "buzz." Consumers are in the drivers seat and will be in control of social media in 2009.

The question is, however, how to ad/digital/pr/clients plug into the consumer control?

Well, here's my two-cent opinion:

Advertising: Consumers know what they want and don't want to be talked to. Advertising will have to plug into this mentality and reinforce what consumers want - an affirmation or reinforcement. Rarely will consumers make a purchase decision based on advertising alone.

Digital: These are the gear heads creating all the cool content on the web. They will be creating and launching the tools for which the message will be delivered - widgets, blogs, micro-sites, video, etc.

PR: Us PRs will help develop what the key messages are. We will continue to evaluate the message and if it's resonating with consumers and help clients stay above the curve, driving the conversation.

Clients: Clients will control the other three groups because they have the budget. They will rely on the other three groups for guidance, but will have some good opinions as to execution because they are starting to get more in-tune with the entire social media scene. They will also remain hesitant because social media is still the wild wild west. They will need good advice and real case studies to help them make purchasing decisions.

At the end of the day, the four groups will have to work in-sync in order to meet the content needs of consumers. Additionally, these groups will band together to propose new ideas, new products and new "conversations" that will be tested against needs of consumers. It'll be like a rolling focus group, but instead of 50 people in two groups, it'll be billions of people, everyday, all day...always changing, always being tweaked.

There will be more FAIL concepts in 2009 than WIN concepts. However, those that WIN, will be big because they will rise to the top of the convo clutter and really engage consumers and activate them. They will take off like the popularity of Facebook in the last half of 2008.

It will be an exciting year for consumers on the social media scene. The four groups mentioned above will be at the mercy of consumers, a group that can crush a brand in 140 characters or less.

Just my $.02. What do you think? Read more!

Convergence of Social Media and Entertainment

For those in-tune with the social media scene, you probably know about those celebrities that are on Twitter and/or blogging.

One such entertainer is Jimmy Fallon. Jimmy seems to get it more so than others. He's using all mediums and interacting with fans unlike any other celebrity.

Here's a great video with Jimmy Fallon and Vlogging Veteran and Bostonian Steve Garfield at the 2009 Consumer Electronics Show.

This is the convergence of social media and entertainment at its best!

Read more!

Hello Facebook, you're now "commercial"

There's this term in hip-hop that labels artists that are continuously on the radio, labeled pop-rap, are used in commericals, etc. Basically, if you're mom is listening to Ne-Yo, then it's commercial.

That is where Facebook has landed. As we all know, FB was all the rage for teens and college kids. Now moms, dads and even grandparents are on Facebook.

Facebook has gone commercial.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

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Social media can be a leg-breaking collector for the mob

Imagine this scenario:

You work for a professional services firm. You do great work for your client. The program goes on for a year with good results all around. At some point, the client stops paying the bills.

What do you do?

First thought is to get lawyers involved. Then again, you can take a page out of the mob's handbook and break some legs. Finally, and maybe the most threatening collection tactic of them all, you throw down...social media style.

This is yet another example of how social media can impact a brand - positive or negative. Read more!

Obama Weekly Address, Dec. 6, 2008

I enjoying watching President Elect Obama's weekly address...on YouTube.

How strange is to say those two words in the same sentence - President-Elect and YouTube?

Obama's use of social media is a case study in the making. Twenty-five years from now when weekly addresses via web 10.0 are the norm, we'll be looking back at Obama's ground-breaking strategy to use every communication channel he can to get his message out there.

This week he hits on critical issues like the economy, technology in the classroom, infrastructure and healthcare - all issues that no matter what side of the isle you are on, you can resonate with.

He talks about the importance of upgrading all schools in this country so they are state-of-the-art. Now, I know that's a very tall task, but imagine an infusion in cash that rebuilds all schools in your city/town? There would no longer be a battle by parents to get their kids in to the best looking schools from a brick and mortar perspective (though what's happening inside is probably more important). However, Obama also talks about putting the best technology in the classroom possible. I couldn't agree more. He states that in order for our kids to be competitive in this global marketplace, they are going to be tech-saavy - and when I say they, I mean everyone - not just privileged kids.

Watch the video. It's short and to the point. Not that I want to fast forward time, but I am looking forward to seeing how this man will impact our country and, in turn, history.

Read more!

If you're using Facebook...

...you'd probably like Twitter. I won't get into the details here, but I've mentioned my use of it from time to time. It's another way to keep in touch with family, friends, business associates, high school buddies, etc. It has personal and businesses uses and is still a relatively "unknown" in terms of it's power.

In recent months, I've noticed more and more people migrating to Facebook from MySpace. The same will happen with Facebook to Twitter. Don't let me tell you I told you so. At the end of the day, social media is about connecting with people and while passing a drink to your buddy is fun, it really doesn't provide value to that relationship - the conversation does. That's what's happening on Twitter. There are a slew of competitors, but they will all face the wrath that one did earlier this week purely because Twitter has a stronghold on the micro-blogging market for sure.

Lots of people are using it: celebs, musicians, athletes, moms, social media experts, advertising personalities (the "I'm a PC" guy), actors (dude from Hero's) and brands that you might like, etc.

Thanks to @ecmsl for the plug on this story that basically gives you the Twitter 101. Read more!

Pats vs Colts, Cover It Live

Pretty cool post over at Reiss' Pieces about the Cover It Live service which Globe reporters will be using during Sunday nights game:

Hoping to enhance the user experience, Boston.com will experiment with a different form of live blogging during Sunday night's Patriots vs. Colts battle in Indianapolis. The format, pioneered by a company called Cover It Live, allows our football writers to better interact with readers during the game, while disseminating information faster given its instant-messenger like format.

Pretty cool if you're a football but and are into the whole social media thing. Read more!

Need a job? Check with your peeps...PeopleAhead

I have a friend of mine who launched a job search firm called PeopleAhead. They have their typical start-up pains, i.e. no budget for a blow-out marketing/PR campaign like some of their bigger competitors. However, they are doing things the way it should be done in today's overcrowded, consumer-minded media landscape and that is diving head first into the social media scene. They are launching some very creative videos to promote their business via YouTube.

Here's one clip that I thought worked well:



Check out their YouTube page and heck, if you're looking for a gig in this crappy economy, why not let PeopleAhead find you a gig. Read more!

Ebay Seller Threatens Buyer With Suit Over Feedback

We all know about eBay and most of us have bought something through the service. You hope that the transaction goes well so you can get your hands on that rare collectible, Halloween costume or latest tech gadget at a steal of a price. If all goes well, you throw the seller a little feedback love.

However, what happens if the transaction was botch in more ways than one and you end up not getting your item, it doesn't come as promised, or you felt you were jacked by $100 in shipping charges? You'd do what many have done - leave negative feedback on the seller's profile.

Be careful though, you might get sued. Read more!

Globe's Alex Beam Hates Twitter. He just doesn't get it.

Trolling the interwebs today and I came across a twitter post about Alex Beam's article in today's Boston Globe about Twitter. To sum it up, Alex basically hates it. He doesn't understand the 140 character thing. He doesn't understand why I would want to read short blurbs on my cell phone as to what people are doing at that exact moment.

I think Alex just doesn't get it and is one of those 50+, old scribe types that doesn't understand the real use of today's internet and socialnet tools like Twitter.

So Alex, if you're reading this, here are some practical examples of Twitter that supports the use of the service.

- @comcastcares: you promptly crapped on Comcast (rightfully so), but, this is an attempt by a company (that has reputation management issues) to work closer with their customers. Case in point...I was having some digital signal issues and I sent a note to Frank @comcastcares. He immediately checked into it and helped me schedule a tech to visit the house. The service is so popular that @comcastcares has had to expand it's staff. It's chipping away at that bad reputation, one twit at a time.

- @jimrattray: Jim is a client of mine. I never worked on his piece of business because it's a smaller scale account, led by our MD. However, Jim was interested in Twitter and the use of it. We started chatting over Twitter about socialnet and have build a relationship that has been fruitful for both him and I. Client service is a number one priority with our firm and working with Jim over Twitter has been a pleasant experience, one that contributes to his engagement with my firm.

- @magichat: I'm a big fan of Magic Hat beer. I recently discovered that Magic Hat was Twittering. Since then, I've had a conversation with them about their socialnet site for Magic Hat beer loves. Where else can a consumer interact with a popular brand and provide feedback that they will actually listen to? This sort of feedback is extremely helpful to businesses. The best part is that there is no real cost to the company. They are getting my (and others) raw feedback without having to spend money on surveys, mailers, phone calls, etc.

- @espn: These days, when I hear about breaking news, it's mostly on Twitter. Twitter is basically a global AP feed - not only comprised of journalists who use twitter, but also civilian journalists. Whether it's espn, the NYT, US News & World Report, I'm reading about breaking news well before it hits YOUR Boston.com or is on TV.

These are just a few reasons why Twitter is here to stay. So Alex, just because you don't see any practical use for it, doesn't mean that it's not useful. I would guarantee you that 90% of the people on Twitter would support me in my argument. My guess is that you HAD to write this story because it's trendy. You couldn't ignore it anymore. You might have signed up for an account and spent about 10 mins trolling around.

I expect more from the Globe and more from seasoned journalist like yourself. Do your homework. Talk to both sides of story and report what you hear, not what you see in 10 minutes.


P.S. If you want to continue this conversation, I'll be @bigguyd. Read more!

Funny Rick Rolling video (seriously)

If you don't know what Rick Rolling is you've been under a rock because it's SO 2007. Regardless, I was chatting with some friends on twitter today and the subject came up again. Of course I had to YouTube the subject and came across this:

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