What Is Twitter? A Quick How-To In Plain English
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy Labels: community, Media Trend Watching, sharing, social media, social networking, Twitter
Did you know that of all adult Internet users in North America, one-in-three maintained a social networking profile last year (according to Nielsen Media Research? Despite its sudden rise in popularity, lots of people are still asking "What is Twitter?" (now the #3 social networking site on the web).
Twitter, as twitheads know it, is a micro-blogging website where ideas can be shared with friends (or "followers"), 140 characters at a time -- from your computer or smart phone. Some think of it as a tool that bridges the gap between your social profile (like UnHub, Facebook, MySpace or LinkedIn) and your blog. Others think of it as something that shares "behind-the-scenes" thoughts in real-time (where I'm at, what I'm doing right now).
So, what is twitter to me? I see it as the today's smarter form of old-school "water cooler talk".
It's collaboration and shared conversation, like seeing and participating in Seth Godin's "Tribes" concept as it happens.
And a great way for brands to take care of customers (by listening).
Additional media trend watchers even think Twitter could challenge Google in the search business, because Twittering is real-time search.
In business, it can be a great way to boost your company's online brand reputation, build your business and establish a closer interactive link with your customers.
However, advertisers still view social as an experimental business model, which means traditional media remains a little slow embracing it.
Twitter is whatever you want it to be. A public "instant message" forum, a professional marketing or PR tool, a job hunt assistant, or a buzz monitor on what's hot right now. It all depends on the network you build of people you follow and who follows you.
Most major news sources (both national and local) are there for breaking news and web updates (@CNN, @ABCnews, @CBSnews, @NBCnews, @CBCnews, as well as online sources like @DrudgeReport, @HuffingtonPost, @The Daily Show, @The Colbert Report, @The Onion, @Gawker, etc.).
Celebrities are doing it (@Aston Kutcher, @Demi Moore, @Jimmy Fallon). Celebrity impersonators are doing it (a sexy fake @Megan Fox or a drunk @Lindsay Lohan). @Paris Hilton doesn't use it as much lately; maybe that's because gossip blogger @Perez Hilton is now there (with 240,000 followers).
Marketing gurus (@Guy Kawasaki, @Chris Brogan) are doing it. AOL's founder and creator of the Instant Message is tweeting instead of IMing (@Steve Case). Major brands are doing (@Skittles). Even @Barack Obama was doing it on the campaign trail, helping him build up grass-roots support.
So what exactly is Twitter? View this simple explanation video below and get twittering:
Even NBC's The Today Show shows you how to do it:
posted by Unknown @ Thursday, March 19, 2009,
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Radio in the White House: Example of Radio Seizing Opportunity
Labels: Barack, community, Connection, Hot 99.5, Kane, Obama, Opportunity, Radio, Robert Gibbs, White House
Yesterday, we posted on how radio needs to listen more to its fans and give them what they need and want. The need to grow interaction opportunities. To be opportunistic.
Well, a station just did an excellent job doing exactly that. When it was reported earlier this week that Barack Obama didn't even own a radio (not exactly sure how that is even possible in today's world where radios are naturally part of several common products), radio station WIHT (the top-notch station Hot 99.5) came to the rescue, delivering several different kinds of radios, including an iPod with a radio adapter, a new HD Radio device, a new iPhone with ClearChannel "iheartradio" streaming app, and even a traditional counter-top radio.
Hot 99.5FM's morning man is Kane. Kane, you've done it again. Kudos for another outstanding example of reacting to news and turning it into a major opportunity to connect with your audience!
As reported by Radio and Records's Kevin Carter (hey, that's two straight days of referencing you, buddy...good work!):A few days ago, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs casually remarked that he didn’t own a radio ... which immediately opened up a whole world of promotional opportunities for certain enterprising radio types who generously wanted to help remedy Gibbs’ dire situation — with full brass-band press coverage, of course.
Yesterday afternoon, it was WIHT (Hot 99.5)/Washington morning personality Kane to the rescue! With the help of Clear Channel Communications Queen Lisa Dollinger, Kane organized a motorcade to the White House to personally deliver to Gibbs an assortment of gadgets and doohickeys that pick up radio signals, including an iPod with radio adapter, HD Radio and Clear Channel’s iheartradio app for the iPhone. Before the motorcade departed, Kane explained his bold actions: “Radio played a crucial role in getting Mr. Gibbs his current job. The Obama campaign outspent all others on radio and ran more ads than any other campaign. And while we realize that government salaries don’t always match those in the private sector, Clear Channel Radio believes that’s no reason to be without the most ubiquitous form of media in the country.”
Kane was one of several alert media types, including Ann Compton of ABC Radio News and WTOP/Washington’s Mark Plotkin, who were able to evade the Secret Service long enough to deliver their radios to Gibbs.
posted by Unknown @ Friday, March 06, 2009,
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aMap: Can Radio Get Better?
There are some great graphic visualization tools available on-line that give a whole new way to interpret comments, news, speeches and more. One great tool I found is from aMap. Using their free visualizer, you can ask any question you like, type in some logical answers with supporting comments. Then you can email your argument or position to your friends or blog readers to have them extend the argument and add in their own answers. Labels: aMap, blogging, community, sharing, social networking, tools, visualization, Web 3.0
It's a cool way for a social community to get in the conversation.
Here's an example. Click on it to add in your own comments or answers:
posted by Unknown @ Wednesday, February 04, 2009,
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Radio Finally Realizes It Can Do Social Networking, Too
Labels: Clear Channel, community, Internet, Jointblog, MySpace, Online Marketing, Radio, social networking, website
The success of MySpace has spun off an emerging trend of new social networking startup site based on specific themes and custom labels. And now radio is joining the online marketing action.
Billboard.biz reports today that America's largest radio company Clear Channel is starting up its own radio-branded social networking websites, with plans to get them up and running throughout this summer.
The concept? "Mini-MySpace" sites associated with a major market's radio brand logo targeting that stations' local community audience, allowing users to create and customize their profiles, upload their user-generated content and viral video, form friendship links, post comments and generally connect with other like-minded people.
At the same time, the radio stations with have a new opportunity to promote its activities and contests as well as community events, gossip, new music releases and even on-air podcasts.
Finally.
It's only a decade late.
But at least it finally getting done.
How about the other radio groups?
Some Clear Channel example sites launched today: The Wild Space for Rhythmic CHR Wild FM in San Francisco; The Mob for Top 40 Kiss FM in Chicago; The Z-Zone for New York's Top 40 Z100; Kiss Nation for Top 40 Kiss FM in Dallas; and many more to come from stations across the country based on new music formats.
Will they just be LateSpace?
What took radio so long to wake up to the social networking phenomenon of the last decade? The Internet started as a community connector to share information (digitally) back when it was bulletin board Dos-based postings accessed via slow-baud dial-ups -- long before AOL IMs, or even chat rooms in CompuServe or Prodigy.
Radio could have -- and should have -- established online social networkings long before MySpace, Facebook, Friendster, Bebo, Zanga, Eons, UrbanBaby or any of the others popular places online today. Radio already had (and still has) established built-in interactive communities, including local fans as well as listeners who've relocated to other cities who remain fans.
Clear Channel's plans will "monetize the sites with targeted online spots from local advertisers" while helping people connect with others locally. Meanwhile, users will be able to click on the user profiles in the chat area to enter and explore the social network.
According to the news release:Each social network will have a user experience similar to that offered by MySpace, Facebook, Bebo and others. Users can create and customize profiles; upload photos, music and video; blog; and add friends. Users will also be able to enhance their profile pages with videos from Clear Channel's catalog of over 6,000 music videos licensed from major and independent labels.
Yes, social websites are one of Top 10 things teens love to do. The timing is good for radio to step in and offer something fresh, especially since MySpace is turning more and more into a junkyard mess.
But it's not just teens that want to socially network online.
It's grownups, too -- GenXers and Boomers alike. Adult Contemporary, Classic Rock, Oldies and other adult music formats should also be included.
There's lots of competition among the most active social networking websites. Breaking through will be tough. Corporate Radio is slow joining the bandwagon when it comes to online social networking...perhaps its expertise in formating and its built-in on-air audience can help radio stations get the word out while creating a unique online community destination.
Just help users cut through the clutter!
It does lead to an interesting modern-day question: How many online profiles can a person possibly have and keep up-to-date while still keeping up real-life responsibilities? Three? Five? A dozen? More? How many multiple personalities are we all living every day?
And another question: what will radio do about mobile social networking (like Twitter, etc.)?
posted by Unknown @ Monday, April 30, 2007,
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Connecting Radio To Digital Music Fans
Labels: buzz, community, Connect, Digital, Internet, Music fans, music sales, Radio, social networking, User-Generated, Web 2.0, webart
Music fans are passionate. They talk music. Download, upload, swap, and playlist music. Participate on and start their own fan sites, go to shows, create/buy custom cellphone ringtones and fan wallpaper, serve as street marketers building up the buzz, blog it, and more.
These are great days for interactive music fans ...radio, are you listening?
They live the music of their favorite bands everyday.
Remember those days, Gen Xer? Sound familiar, Boomers?
Despite all the doom and gloom of industry indicators (album sales, retail sales, ticket sales...all down 15-20% from a year ago; weak debuts on the charts that don't stick; weaker TV ratings for music programming; etc.), there never has been a better time to be a Music Fan.
Radio is still figuring out how to connect with them. Some in radio are getting it, many others aren't.
What do teens want?
Radio has to program better to young music fans.
Radio has to understand their language, their various cultures. Value them. Be a place to connect with other like-minded people.
Radio can still do it.
Radio has always been an important social gathering filter. The "secret language" of rock n' roll delivered through transistor radios creating generation gaps between teens and parents back in the '50s and '60s is exactly the same kind of social networking we see today. Only now, it's through digital communication using multiple gadgets and devices in more interactive ways.
How will radio deliver more interactive opportunities for its listeners to form fresh social networking communities?
I stumbled upon this digital artwork (above) from a music fan in Germany. It's a great way to express creativity and be a fan, sharing it with the world.
Music Radio Website Idea: Create a custom digital webart community for Music Fans to express their creativity...it's a great way to participate in youth culture, acknowledge their contributions and connect with their music passion...the very essence of your music format. Then, convert the listener graphic art into a station/artist music gateway, where users/listeners simply click on the artist name -- leading music fans deeper into the site, allowing the radio station to showcase the music.
And be a music fan, too.
posted by Unknown @ Wednesday, April 18, 2007,
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