Monday, 28 May 2018
What's the Big Deal With Social Media Marketing?
By
Jonathan G Andrews
Submitted On August 29, 2008
The inspiration for this article lies in a fantastic slide
presentation I saw fairly recently. Over 74 slides, one is just hit with
fact after fascinating fact - initially about the reach and penetration
of social media, and then how to converse with audiences. It's truly
inspiring stuff.
Wikipedia broadly defines social media as the use of electronic and Internet tools for the purpose of sharing and discussing information and experiences with other human beings. Kagan sums it up nicely saying "social media is people having conversations online".
The mechanisms for these conversations include a number of mediums - some are communicative, others collaborative and others include multimedia or a combination of all three. Social media can take many forms, but one element that consistently sets all of its incarnations apart from "traditional" media, is that it is produced to be shared.
There's more to social media than social networking sites. While extremely popular (Time magazine wrote in October 2007 that social networking sites are officially more popular than porn!), they are not the only way people connect online. Other media include wikis, microblogging (like twitter), blogs, social bookmarking (like del.icio.us and StumbleUpon), photo sharing (like Flickr), video sharing (like YouTube), pod casts and many others.
How big is this phenomenon really?
There are over two and a half million articles in English on Wikipedia. 75% of Americans watch at least one video online a month. YouTube alone has hundreds of millions of videos being viewed daily. There are over 200-million blogs on the internet. Just under 60% of the people online have joined a social network.
And these are just some of the staggering numbers that get thrown around. This just serves to prove just how powerful and wide the reach of social media is.
What's the difference between social media and traditional media?
The main difference is that social media is not a monologue. It is a dialogue that the brand sometimes does not lead. People are talking online right now - and this is an aspect of social media marketing.
Research has shown that 90% of people who can skip television adverts do just that.
A 2007 Nielsen report entitled "Trust in Advertising" showed that people trust referrals from their friends and other customers far more implicitly than one-way company messaging. Fundamentally, people don't care what a company or brand thinks, they care what their friends think.
So, how do you harness this?
The short answer is: subtly. You can't always lead the conversations - and you need to be honest. Don't bombard the audience with noise and marketing messages - they will just switch off, or you'll be lost in the din - neither are optimal situations.
Create personas and communicate. You need to allow your customers to feel ownership of the brand. You need to enable, engage and inspire people. A flat one-sided message is not going to get anybody excited about a brand or product, and this is how to start a buzz.
There's no real "trick" to social media marketing. What it comes down to essentially, is listening to your customers and participating with them.
Wikipedia broadly defines social media as the use of electronic and Internet tools for the purpose of sharing and discussing information and experiences with other human beings. Kagan sums it up nicely saying "social media is people having conversations online".
The mechanisms for these conversations include a number of mediums - some are communicative, others collaborative and others include multimedia or a combination of all three. Social media can take many forms, but one element that consistently sets all of its incarnations apart from "traditional" media, is that it is produced to be shared.
There's more to social media than social networking sites. While extremely popular (Time magazine wrote in October 2007 that social networking sites are officially more popular than porn!), they are not the only way people connect online. Other media include wikis, microblogging (like twitter), blogs, social bookmarking (like del.icio.us and StumbleUpon), photo sharing (like Flickr), video sharing (like YouTube), pod casts and many others.
How big is this phenomenon really?
There are over two and a half million articles in English on Wikipedia. 75% of Americans watch at least one video online a month. YouTube alone has hundreds of millions of videos being viewed daily. There are over 200-million blogs on the internet. Just under 60% of the people online have joined a social network.
And these are just some of the staggering numbers that get thrown around. This just serves to prove just how powerful and wide the reach of social media is.
What's the difference between social media and traditional media?
The main difference is that social media is not a monologue. It is a dialogue that the brand sometimes does not lead. People are talking online right now - and this is an aspect of social media marketing.
Research has shown that 90% of people who can skip television adverts do just that.
A 2007 Nielsen report entitled "Trust in Advertising" showed that people trust referrals from their friends and other customers far more implicitly than one-way company messaging. Fundamentally, people don't care what a company or brand thinks, they care what their friends think.
So, how do you harness this?
The short answer is: subtly. You can't always lead the conversations - and you need to be honest. Don't bombard the audience with noise and marketing messages - they will just switch off, or you'll be lost in the din - neither are optimal situations.
Create personas and communicate. You need to allow your customers to feel ownership of the brand. You need to enable, engage and inspire people. A flat one-sided message is not going to get anybody excited about a brand or product, and this is how to start a buzz.
There's no real "trick" to social media marketing. What it comes down to essentially, is listening to your customers and participating with them.
Jonathan Andrews is an eMarketing Strategist at AlterSage, an Internet marketing
consultancy based in Cape Town. AlterSage's online marketing services
include social media marketing, affiliate marketing, search engine
optimisation and pay per click campaign management, among others.
To view the original slideshow by Marta Z Kagan on which this article is based, click here
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Jonathan_G_Andrews/254509
To view the original slideshow by Marta Z Kagan on which this article is based, click here
Friday, 25 May 2018
How to Make Money Buying and Selling Wholesale Electronics
By
Olushola George Otenaike
Submitted On November 22, 2012
If you really want to make money dealing in wholesale electronics
like DVD players, digital cameras, MP3 players, mobile phones, HDD
media players and so on, there are certain steps you must take that will
guarantee success for you. It is possible to succeed in this business
but you must play the game according to the rules.
The first thing you must do is to carry out a market research to determine the hot electronic devices in town. This will give you an insight into the type of device to deal in as you wouldn't want to buy products that won't sell which will eventually tie up your capital. You can make use of online resources like Alexa, Wordtracker, etc, to discover products that people are passionate about. Remember the adage, 'if you cannot beat them, you should join them'.
Moreover, determining your location is very important in this business. Do you want to use a physical location or you want to go online? Determining your location will influence your approach and capital outlay. If you are going to use a physical location, you should choose a place with reasonable amount of traffic so that more people will be able to notice your store. In addition, you should choose a place with enough space to contain your proposed inventory.
The first thing you must do is to carry out a market research to determine the hot electronic devices in town. This will give you an insight into the type of device to deal in as you wouldn't want to buy products that won't sell which will eventually tie up your capital. You can make use of online resources like Alexa, Wordtracker, etc, to discover products that people are passionate about. Remember the adage, 'if you cannot beat them, you should join them'.
Moreover, determining your location is very important in this business. Do you want to use a physical location or you want to go online? Determining your location will influence your approach and capital outlay. If you are going to use a physical location, you should choose a place with reasonable amount of traffic so that more people will be able to notice your store. In addition, you should choose a place with enough space to contain your proposed inventory.
Types of Mass Media
By
Francis Lloyd Sauza
Submitted On July 09, 2008
These days, there are already numerous types of Mass Media. This
includes Audio recording and reproduction (records, tapes, cassettes,
cartridges, CDs), Broadcasting Media (Radio, Television, Cable) Film
(Cinema, DVDs), Digital Media (the Internet, Mobile Phones, Satellite),
Publishing or the Print Media (Books, Newspapers, Magazines) and Video
games.
The Audio recording and reproduction pertains to the various music and sound media. Back in the day, there are only basic kinds of audio equipments such as microphones, recording devices and loudspeakers. Then, it was followed by tape recorders, and the legendary vinyl LP record. The invention of compact cassettes as well as music cassettes paved the way to the groundbreaking and innovative form of music entertainment which is still used in this day and age by numerous music aficionados worldwide. Next, it was followed by Sony's Walkman which further advanced the degree of music entertainment spread. The invention of digital recording and compacts disc (CD) produces exceptional quality of sound reproduction. The most recent developments have been the digital audio/music players such as the MP3 player and Apple's i-Pod. Which allows you to download songs of your favorite artist/s in the Internet in a digital music format and subsequently upload it to your digital music player.
The Audio recording and reproduction pertains to the various music and sound media. Back in the day, there are only basic kinds of audio equipments such as microphones, recording devices and loudspeakers. Then, it was followed by tape recorders, and the legendary vinyl LP record. The invention of compact cassettes as well as music cassettes paved the way to the groundbreaking and innovative form of music entertainment which is still used in this day and age by numerous music aficionados worldwide. Next, it was followed by Sony's Walkman which further advanced the degree of music entertainment spread. The invention of digital recording and compacts disc (CD) produces exceptional quality of sound reproduction. The most recent developments have been the digital audio/music players such as the MP3 player and Apple's i-Pod. Which allows you to download songs of your favorite artist/s in the Internet in a digital music format and subsequently upload it to your digital music player.
Sunday, 20 May 2018
Electronic Voice Phenomena
bmitted On August 27, 2009
Electronic Voice Phenomena - or EVP, as it is more commonly
known in the paranormal world - are sounds of static noise on the
radio, or electronic recording media, that are interpreted by
paranormal investigators as voices speaking words said to be uttered by
ghosts or spirits of the dead. In other words, EVP's are unexplained
voices captured on audio cassette tape or digital recorders that could
not be heard at the time of the taping. Over the years, there have been
many cases of such mysterious voices and sounds being captured on tape
all over the world.
The general quality of the electronic voice recordings varies tremendously. Occasionally it is clear speech and perfectly audible; more often, it is faint and/or distorted. The EVP recordings often need to be amplified before anything can be made out at all.
It is a stark fact that many people have been shocked to learn that the so called "dead" - or "discarnate entities" - have been communicating with the living world through electronic devices since the early 1900s. Paranormal history is full of cases where certain individuals and psychic investigators claim to have heard mysterious "voices" speaking to them through such everyday electronic objects as a tape recorder.
The general quality of the electronic voice recordings varies tremendously. Occasionally it is clear speech and perfectly audible; more often, it is faint and/or distorted. The EVP recordings often need to be amplified before anything can be made out at all.
It is a stark fact that many people have been shocked to learn that the so called "dead" - or "discarnate entities" - have been communicating with the living world through electronic devices since the early 1900s. Paranormal history is full of cases where certain individuals and psychic investigators claim to have heard mysterious "voices" speaking to them through such everyday electronic objects as a tape recorder.
Calculating CPM For Social Media Marketing is Like Pounding Square Pegs Into Round Holes!
By
Granton D. Criddle
Submitted On September 28, 2009
Almost every medium and marketing platform has been tagged as
"new" at one time. Newspaper ads, Radio, then TV spots, Billboards,
Electronic signs, fliers, direct mail marketing, newsletters, hot air
balloons, vehicle wraps, specialty items, trade shows, sponsorships,
telemarketing... the list goes on. Online marketing entered the fray in a
big way starting in the early '90s.
Most marketers and advertisers have generally always sorted and rated the plethora of mediums by applying a "cost-per-thousand" or CPM to each. CPM is a commonly used bench marks in the advertising industry and is mathematically formulated to state an ad rate at the cost per 1,000 views, for either individual mediums or for entire marketing campaigns utilizing multiple mediums. You may have also heard this referred to as the cost of "impressions."
It took some time to figure it out and lots of new terms were coined in the process, but CPM analysis was soon easily applied to most internet marketing methods. Banner advertising, pop-ups or pop-under ads, email or list marketing, search marketing, AdWords, etc can all be measured for CPM, albeit in a little more detail - click through rates and other such stats now adds CPA or "cost-per-action" into the equation.
FACT: Try as you might, you can't fit a square peg into a round hole! Also a fact: you can't make decisions about new media if you're measuring it with old media metrics!
The majority of marketers (including me) have been taught that CPM forms the building blocks for decision making. If you have a budget and know your CPM, then with just a little spreadsheet work you can develop an entire media plan. It's the metric that most advertisers know, understand, and negotiate on.
Most marketers and advertisers have generally always sorted and rated the plethora of mediums by applying a "cost-per-thousand" or CPM to each. CPM is a commonly used bench marks in the advertising industry and is mathematically formulated to state an ad rate at the cost per 1,000 views, for either individual mediums or for entire marketing campaigns utilizing multiple mediums. You may have also heard this referred to as the cost of "impressions."
It took some time to figure it out and lots of new terms were coined in the process, but CPM analysis was soon easily applied to most internet marketing methods. Banner advertising, pop-ups or pop-under ads, email or list marketing, search marketing, AdWords, etc can all be measured for CPM, albeit in a little more detail - click through rates and other such stats now adds CPA or "cost-per-action" into the equation.
FACT: Try as you might, you can't fit a square peg into a round hole! Also a fact: you can't make decisions about new media if you're measuring it with old media metrics!
The majority of marketers (including me) have been taught that CPM forms the building blocks for decision making. If you have a budget and know your CPM, then with just a little spreadsheet work you can develop an entire media plan. It's the metric that most advertisers know, understand, and negotiate on.
Friday, 18 May 2018
Why the iPod Excels in the Small Electronics Market
By
Elton Henry
Submitted On October 01, 2009
In days gone by, when you wanted to listen to music, you cranked
up a rather large stereo or phonograph in one of the rooms in your house
possibly driving your parents and the neighbors crazy. Nowadays, you
have a choice of where you want to listen to music.
Many people are comfortable using a portable radio, tape player, or even cd player, and that's fine. But deep down inside, they would rather have one of the latest mp3 players everyone keeps talking about. They didn't think they could afford one, but With advances in technology, prices for many of the mp3 players have started to drop and now ownership is within reach.
Smaller in stature than any of the previous mentioned media players, the new mp3 players host a myriad of advantages like being lightweight and easier portability. Mp3 players don't require any of the extra paraphernalia like tapes,CDs, music can be downloaded right onto the player's hard drive. If you look around you, you'll find that the most popular mp3 player would have to be the Apple iPod.
This cool small electronic gadget is by far ahead of the competition, and here is why:
1) iPods come in a variety of sizes, from 2GB of storage space, or about 500 songs, up to 160GB of storage space which gives you 40,000 songs or 200 hours of video.
2) The newest iPod shuffle has a cool feature, it talks to you! All of the Apple iPods are compatible with either a Windows operating system or a Mac operating system and also upgradeable, no more worrying about it becoming obsolete before you get home from the store.
3) There are all kinds of cool accessories that are available for the iPod.
Many people are comfortable using a portable radio, tape player, or even cd player, and that's fine. But deep down inside, they would rather have one of the latest mp3 players everyone keeps talking about. They didn't think they could afford one, but With advances in technology, prices for many of the mp3 players have started to drop and now ownership is within reach.
Smaller in stature than any of the previous mentioned media players, the new mp3 players host a myriad of advantages like being lightweight and easier portability. Mp3 players don't require any of the extra paraphernalia like tapes,CDs, music can be downloaded right onto the player's hard drive. If you look around you, you'll find that the most popular mp3 player would have to be the Apple iPod.
This cool small electronic gadget is by far ahead of the competition, and here is why:
1) iPods come in a variety of sizes, from 2GB of storage space, or about 500 songs, up to 160GB of storage space which gives you 40,000 songs or 200 hours of video.
2) The newest iPod shuffle has a cool feature, it talks to you! All of the Apple iPods are compatible with either a Windows operating system or a Mac operating system and also upgradeable, no more worrying about it becoming obsolete before you get home from the store.
3) There are all kinds of cool accessories that are available for the iPod.
Having all of these exciting features has made Apple's mp3
players a top item on many people's "wish" and "gotta-have" lists.
Looking back at where music has evolved from and to over the years, it's
no surprise the iPod is now at the top of the list. Add in the fact
that it can now talk to you, and you definitely have the latest and
greatest in small electronic gadgets
[http://www.small-electronic-gadgets.com].
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Elton_Henry/436048
Thursday, 17 May 2018
Electronic Press Kit or EPK - Why Do I Need One?
By
Yvonne Roberts
Submitted On January 31, 2013
The Electronic Press Kit or EPK has been around for some now, and
for an emerging artist to obtain an EPK seems totally out of reach,
either they are too costly, they simply don't where to get one and why
do I need one?
Whilst all serious artists and stars have had electronic press kits for a long time now, you don't need to be a super star to own one, nor do you need to think it is only for superstars, EPKs are accepted as standard whatever level you are at. Email your promo kit locally, nationally and globally to get on a tour, be in a festival, play at a gig or contact any industry professional, as quick as wink.
With the upsurge of social media artists can market themselves, communicate and connect with fans, grow their fan base, keep in touch with fans, make their music a reality to fans through videos, as well as being able sell or download their music online, in other words they are promoting and branding themselves online as well as trying to do business online. The keyword here is doing business online, whilst all artists are getting online are they using it to their best advantage?
Being part of a music company to receive emails from unsigned artists containing a whole barrage of online links to find out about the artist and their music e.g. soundcloud, YouTube links, social links or any other online links is very frustrating. This would be time consuming for any industry professional whether it is a potential gig organiser, booking agent, venue, festival organiser, label, manager or whoever in the music industry, to be flitting back and forth again to this email is out of the question, so these online links are ignored by the music industry professionals that unsigned artists are trying to catch the attention of, impress and to get a foot in the door with.
Historically, artists would simply send their traditional printed press kits via the general postal system to the key people they wanted to target and still exists today as a system of sending their music CV. However, for an unsigned artist it is very costly to update and to send to their printed press kit locally, nationally and even more so internationally in volume, so with this in mind an unsigned artist needs to have an extremely large budget to showcase their press kit and contact a variety of potential influential people, whatever level you are at. The music industry as with all industries has moved forward and the majority of music business is achieved online whether you are just starting out or verging on super stardom.
Whilst all serious artists and stars have had electronic press kits for a long time now, you don't need to be a super star to own one, nor do you need to think it is only for superstars, EPKs are accepted as standard whatever level you are at. Email your promo kit locally, nationally and globally to get on a tour, be in a festival, play at a gig or contact any industry professional, as quick as wink.
With the upsurge of social media artists can market themselves, communicate and connect with fans, grow their fan base, keep in touch with fans, make their music a reality to fans through videos, as well as being able sell or download their music online, in other words they are promoting and branding themselves online as well as trying to do business online. The keyword here is doing business online, whilst all artists are getting online are they using it to their best advantage?
Being part of a music company to receive emails from unsigned artists containing a whole barrage of online links to find out about the artist and their music e.g. soundcloud, YouTube links, social links or any other online links is very frustrating. This would be time consuming for any industry professional whether it is a potential gig organiser, booking agent, venue, festival organiser, label, manager or whoever in the music industry, to be flitting back and forth again to this email is out of the question, so these online links are ignored by the music industry professionals that unsigned artists are trying to catch the attention of, impress and to get a foot in the door with.
Historically, artists would simply send their traditional printed press kits via the general postal system to the key people they wanted to target and still exists today as a system of sending their music CV. However, for an unsigned artist it is very costly to update and to send to their printed press kit locally, nationally and even more so internationally in volume, so with this in mind an unsigned artist needs to have an extremely large budget to showcase their press kit and contact a variety of potential influential people, whatever level you are at. The music industry as with all industries has moved forward and the majority of music business is achieved online whether you are just starting out or verging on super stardom.
Social Media and Its Scope in India
By
Absar Ahmad
Submitted On August 18, 2013
We are in the era of new media with many social networking sites
in existence having millions of members from all over the World. People
are now spending a good amount of their time on social networking sites
in their "online social life". The global connectivity has increased to a
great degree today. Just a decade ago there were only a handful number
of social networking sites whereas that number has grown now
considerably. The best way to define social networking sites is to say
that they gives you an opportunity interact with people through texts,
pictures and videos. All this by just a click on your electronic device
be it personal computers, laptops, tablets or mobiles. Some of the best
known Social Networking websites are Facebook, YouTube, Google+,
LinkedIn, Hi5, Flickr, Twitter, Academia.edu, MySpace, Vkontakte, Tumblr
and Orkut etc.
The potential scope for Social Media in India is huge as it is the world's 10th largest economy (in terms of GDP nominal as per IMF-2012) and also has world's 2nd largest population. But when it comes to internet usage only about 13% of Indians are internet users and even less than that use any kind of social media but this number is rising steadily. In fact social media can be used in India very effectively in the fields of education, digital marketing, publicity, social activism, research, political awareness, governance etc.
The potential scope for Social Media in India is huge as it is the world's 10th largest economy (in terms of GDP nominal as per IMF-2012) and also has world's 2nd largest population. But when it comes to internet usage only about 13% of Indians are internet users and even less than that use any kind of social media but this number is rising steadily. In fact social media can be used in India very effectively in the fields of education, digital marketing, publicity, social activism, research, political awareness, governance etc.
Sunday, 13 May 2018
It's Time for a Social Media Vacation
By
Dr. Daisy Sutherland
Submitted On August 28, 2013
The alarm goes off at 6am and the first thing you reach for is your phone to check your email.
You get out of bed after 15 mins and take your phone into the bathroom and while sitting on the commode, proceed to check Facebook statuses, Twitter, Instagram and the latest Pinterest pins...
Whew! Nothing new... now it's time to brush your teeth, take a shower and oh yeah..check social media one more time before getting dressed...
Does this scenario sound familiar?
If you are like most folks you will check the various social media platforms at least 30 or more times throughout the day and that is a safe estimate. Perhaps it's time to take a social media vacation.
This age of technology has people connected 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and although many may feel that is a wonderful concept; the majority of the public is suffering from stress and more.
It is simply NOT healthy to be constantly connected!
It's wonderful to have online connections but at the risk of losing your 'real life' connections; it is truly not worth it.
As a parent of teens, I am to set an example to them. What message am I sending them, if they see me connected to my cell phone or computer instead of connecting with them? The 'real world' is passing you by while you are sitting in front of your computer or have your face in front of your cell phone. This may be a harsh way of putting it but sometimes reality is harsh and it hurts to see and realize the truth.
You get out of bed after 15 mins and take your phone into the bathroom and while sitting on the commode, proceed to check Facebook statuses, Twitter, Instagram and the latest Pinterest pins...
Whew! Nothing new... now it's time to brush your teeth, take a shower and oh yeah..check social media one more time before getting dressed...
Does this scenario sound familiar?
If you are like most folks you will check the various social media platforms at least 30 or more times throughout the day and that is a safe estimate. Perhaps it's time to take a social media vacation.
This age of technology has people connected 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and although many may feel that is a wonderful concept; the majority of the public is suffering from stress and more.
It is simply NOT healthy to be constantly connected!
It's wonderful to have online connections but at the risk of losing your 'real life' connections; it is truly not worth it.
As a parent of teens, I am to set an example to them. What message am I sending them, if they see me connected to my cell phone or computer instead of connecting with them? The 'real world' is passing you by while you are sitting in front of your computer or have your face in front of your cell phone. This may be a harsh way of putting it but sometimes reality is harsh and it hurts to see and realize the truth.
Blog for Money and Link It Up With Social Media
By
B. Boyd
Submitted On December 29, 2013
Nowadays, social media is probably the most used and popular
aspect of the entire World Wide Web. Millions of Internet users have
accounts in Facebook and Twitter as well as in other platforms that
allow them to connect with their friends and relatives. Aside from that,
many more have their own blogs that let them post about their
experiences and thoughts in a diary-like manner. While some people blog
for fun, there are also others who blog for money.
In ensuring that your blog has a full potential of letting you earn a good sum, you can link it up with your social media accounts. You can post in your social media accounts whatever you have published in your blog in a shortened version. Or you can market your blog through social media. For this to be successful, you can use some tips that are known to work both for potential sponsors, business partners, and of course, clients.
In ensuring that your blog has a full potential of letting you earn a good sum, you can link it up with your social media accounts. You can post in your social media accounts whatever you have published in your blog in a shortened version. Or you can market your blog through social media. For this to be successful, you can use some tips that are known to work both for potential sponsors, business partners, and of course, clients.
Thursday, 10 May 2018
Social Media Marketing - How Can Social Media Help My Business? (3 Great Ideas For You)
By
Carla McNeil
Submitted On January 31, 2014
I attend a number of local Chamber of Commerce events on a
regular basis and I am consistently asked; "Do I really need to be using
social media?" My answer is always yes. However the amount of time,
money and effort you need to invest depends on the business, the same
goes for your business.
Let's start with exactly what is social media marketing. Here is the definition from Wikipedia
Social media marketing refers to the process of gaining website traffic or attention through social media sites.
Social media marketing programs usually center on efforts to create content that attracts attention and encourages readers to share it with their friends and family. The resulting electronic word of mouth (eWoM) refers to any statement consumers share via the Internet (e.g., web sites, social networks, instant messages, news feeds) about an event, product, service, brand or company. When the underlying message spreads from user to user and presumably resonates because it appears to come from a trusted, third-party source, as opposed to the brand or company itself, this form of marketing results in 'earned media' rather than 'paid media'.
Let's start with exactly what is social media marketing. Here is the definition from Wikipedia
Social media marketing refers to the process of gaining website traffic or attention through social media sites.
Social media marketing programs usually center on efforts to create content that attracts attention and encourages readers to share it with their friends and family. The resulting electronic word of mouth (eWoM) refers to any statement consumers share via the Internet (e.g., web sites, social networks, instant messages, news feeds) about an event, product, service, brand or company. When the underlying message spreads from user to user and presumably resonates because it appears to come from a trusted, third-party source, as opposed to the brand or company itself, this form of marketing results in 'earned media' rather than 'paid media'.
The Clinching Advantages of Electronic Diaries
By
Yong Guo Yin
Submitted On February 09, 2015
To the users of applications that make possible the concept of
diary software, this relatively new notion of recording and storing
ideas and notes in a digital format, its advantages are obvious and
crystal clear. They are a variant of the personal management system and
enjoy significant advantages over their older written counterparts. This
shift has resulted in the possibility of having data that is highly
secured yet having the ability to make it prominently public. This helps
in integrating the diaries with the actual life of the individual.
• Secure
In terms of security, electronic diaries make available to the end user a new level of security which was previously not available to users of paper centric physical diaries, if the folks from the University of Surrey are to go by. The physical or written diary must be hidden away if the wish is to maintain security. While the digital user may put into effect security that is electronic and highly secure. From the good old humble password to advanced methods of encryption for materials that may be sensitive or even classified in nature, the realms of technology are truly brave. This security may be further enhanced by traditional methods such as keeping the files on removable media and locking it away even more securely than its physical form.
• Secure
In terms of security, electronic diaries make available to the end user a new level of security which was previously not available to users of paper centric physical diaries, if the folks from the University of Surrey are to go by. The physical or written diary must be hidden away if the wish is to maintain security. While the digital user may put into effect security that is electronic and highly secure. From the good old humble password to advanced methods of encryption for materials that may be sensitive or even classified in nature, the realms of technology are truly brave. This security may be further enhanced by traditional methods such as keeping the files on removable media and locking it away even more securely than its physical form.
Wednesday, 9 May 2018
How Social Media Can Be Used Effectively in a Business
By
Amy Anderson Lee
Submitted On February 16, 2015
The prime concern of any business house or a new venture is to
promote or propagate their business amongst the masses so that more and
more people are aware of it. It becomes all the more important to do the
promotion in a manner which is unique and different, so that people get
attracted to it and do not miss out on making the purchase. Initially,
all the promotions were done with the help of advertisements which were
played regularly on the radio and television. Now with the advent of
social media like email, Twitter, blog,whatsapp and Instagram, it has
become very quick and convenient to promote any new business, on either
electronic, paper and social media. There are various ways in which
social media is used effectively. These can be listed as-
Sunday, 6 May 2018
Maximize Your Social Media ROI
By
Kim L. Clark
Submitted On February 25, 2015
Like nearly all Solopreneur consultants I engage in social media
for professional reasons, but I have yet to obtain a client solely
through social media interactions. My business is 100% referral, since
basically no one hires business strategists or marketing consultants
without a personal endorsement. Nevertheless, I must keep up appearances
and so I keep my profile in good shape and post relevant updates to
keep things fresh.
The experts say that like all marketing campaigns, what and how you communicate through social media must appropriately reflect your brand and appeal to current and prospective clients. To achieve the desired return on investment, it is imperative to deliver the right message to the right sites. To accomplish that, you must know the customer. Who hires you and what type of social media might they trust and follow?
The experts say that like all marketing campaigns, what and how you communicate through social media must appropriately reflect your brand and appeal to current and prospective clients. To achieve the desired return on investment, it is imperative to deliver the right message to the right sites. To accomplish that, you must know the customer. Who hires you and what type of social media might they trust and follow?
Violence in Media and Its Effect on Behavior
By
Faiza Khan Yousafzai
Submitted On February 28, 2015
One of the noteworthy changes in our social environment in the
20th and 21st centuries has been the infiltration of our culture and
daily lives by the mass media. In general, researchers define violence
in media as visual portrayals of physical aggression by one human or
human-like character against another.
Violence is unfortunately one of the most popular forms of entertainment; over 60% of our prime time television shows contain some form of violence in a way or more. Most studies show that the relation between media violence and 'real' violence is interactive: media can contribute to an aggressive culture; people who are already aggressive use the media as further confirmation of their beliefs and attitudes, which, in turn, are reinforced through media content.
Violence is unfortunately one of the most popular forms of entertainment; over 60% of our prime time television shows contain some form of violence in a way or more. Most studies show that the relation between media violence and 'real' violence is interactive: media can contribute to an aggressive culture; people who are already aggressive use the media as further confirmation of their beliefs and attitudes, which, in turn, are reinforced through media content.
Saturday, 21 April 2018
Students Prefer Video Lectures for Understanding Electronics Better
By Eshika Roy Submitted On December 18, 2015
Many are skeptical that implementing video lectures will only make the students lazy to attend real lectures. Many also ask if students of electronics engineering even want educational lectures be delivered to them via media. They pose an important question that if a student is offered with an option to either watch a funny video of a cat dancing, and a video lecture of 15 minutes in length which one will they choose?
But those who are advocates of video classes are of the viewpoint that the assistance to students via video tutorials and tutorials can be additionally useful for students to grasp the subject as complicated as electronics. This will help the students learn better with constant guidance so that they can study at their own pace. Also with the availability of video lectures it will be especially helpful for students who couldn't make it to class once, or for those who do not speak English as their first language.
Digital Photo Frames - An Amazing Electronic Gift Item!
By Julia Lops Submitted On November 10, 2016
What would be the perfect gift? This is the question that becomes glued to our minds when ever there is an important event or occasion coming up. Although, we have plentiful options available but in this age where technology rules every department and aspect of life, would you go for mundane gift items? Probably not!
You would definitely want to gift your special someone, your sibling, or anyone from your family, friends and/or acquaintances a gift that is unique, adorable and worth gifting. But what could be so unique and worth gifting? That's what we are going to tell you now.
Social Media - Do You Have a Strategy?
By Jennie Gorman Submitted On December 13, 2016
Social media has the same principles as face to face networking and is the most important part of your marketing. It not only enhances your relationship building but reinforces the outcomes you want from your business. We need to have strategies for our social media to help us achieve what we have created by making sure it is in both our business and marketing plans.
Most small businesses are not aware of how important it is to have both a business and marketing plans so that they are moving in the right direction. If we do not know what we want our business to be in the future, we can't create it, so the clarity of our VISION for our business is very important. Social media gives us the opportunity to market ourselves to a wider group of people and businesses whom we would never have the opportunity to connect.
Generating Publicity - Will The Media Be Interested In My Product or Business?
By Todd Brabender Submitted On February 20, 2005
When it comes to launching a new business or product, some marketing consultants might say that EVERY product is appropriate for a publicity or media exposure campaign. That is true to a degree, but as a PR/publicity professional and former media person, I would qualify that statement by saying that although new products would benefit from a solid publicity campaign, not all businesses or products and their pitches will grab the attention of the media.
Wednesday, 11 April 2018
Cross-Media Publishing - One True Media Is Here
By
Nicola Deiana
Submitted On December 02, 2007
Cross-media publishing is the ability to publish the same content
to multiple channels including books, journals, electronic CD,
wireless, and the Web. If you hear about One True Media for the first
time, you must know that it lets you work and create fantasy multimedia
slide shows with audio and music through simple tools that put in
action.
Provides all solutions that should make it easier for pubblisher to create variety of media with few clicks. In this article I walk you through the key features of what looks to be a very promising platform with rich potential.
Provides all solutions that should make it easier for pubblisher to create variety of media with few clicks. In this article I walk you through the key features of what looks to be a very promising platform with rich potential.
Monday, 9 April 2018
Social Media Newsrooms - The Ultimate Web 2.0 Tool for Your Business
By
Deltina Hay
Submitted On April 22, 2008
Imagine having just one place to send the media, prospective
clients, book reviewers, or anyone who wants to know all about you, your
business, or your book-a place where they can:
* View all your major media coverage.
* See all of your past and present press releases.
* Look up all of your past and future events.
* Read and link to all of your book reviews.
* Download multimedia material like photos, company logos, podcasts, vidcasts, etc.
* View bios on each key person in the company, along with links to their social or business networking profiles like LinkedIn, Facebook, Myspace, Second Life, etc.
* Check out your own purpose-built del.icio.us page linking to other sites relevant to your business.
* Subscribe through RSS feeds to any portion of information on the site.
* Share any content of the site with their friends or colleagues, via email or by posting to social bookmarking indexes like del.icio.us or Digg with one click.
* Send you an instant message using AIM, Yahoo Messaging, MSN, Skype, etc.
* Link directly to your latest blog posts.
* View all your major media coverage.
* See all of your past and present press releases.
* Look up all of your past and future events.
* Read and link to all of your book reviews.
* Download multimedia material like photos, company logos, podcasts, vidcasts, etc.
* View bios on each key person in the company, along with links to their social or business networking profiles like LinkedIn, Facebook, Myspace, Second Life, etc.
* Check out your own purpose-built del.icio.us page linking to other sites relevant to your business.
* Subscribe through RSS feeds to any portion of information on the site.
* Share any content of the site with their friends or colleagues, via email or by posting to social bookmarking indexes like del.icio.us or Digg with one click.
* Send you an instant message using AIM, Yahoo Messaging, MSN, Skype, etc.
* Link directly to your latest blog posts.
Saturday, 7 April 2018
Social Media Explained
By
Brenda Williams
Submitted On August 19, 2008
Social media, according to Wikipedia, "is the use of electronic
and Internet tools for the purpose of sharing and discussing information
and experiences with other human beings." In laypersons terms, social
media is about socializing; it's about finding various ways to connect
with other people for the purpose of sharing information; and in the
past decade or so, social media marketing has grown exponentially,
continually changing and evolving even as we speak. This is why it is so
incredibly important to keep up with the latest techniques and
happenings.
You're Probably Using Social Media Without Knowing it
For those of you who think that you haven't heard of social media before or are not entirely sure what it looks like, chances are that you have seen it and are probably using it without even knowing it! When it comes to social media, there are a plethora of programs and sites available at just the click of a button. The following is simply a smattering of some of the more popular social media sites:
Facebook
MySpace
You're Probably Using Social Media Without Knowing it
For those of you who think that you haven't heard of social media before or are not entirely sure what it looks like, chances are that you have seen it and are probably using it without even knowing it! When it comes to social media, there are a plethora of programs and sites available at just the click of a button. The following is simply a smattering of some of the more popular social media sites:
MySpace
Thursday, 5 April 2018
Employee Communication Via Social Media - Overcoming Internal Resistance
By
Sarah Perry
Submitted On November 11, 2008
'Digital natives' and 'digital immigrants'
What differentiates the 'digital native' generation, who grew up with the Internet from those who didn't?
Typically, many older workers, or 'digital immigrants', talk about their comfort zone. They find comfort in a hierarchical, command and control management structure. They are good communicators, who like to think, plan and do - in that order. They favour a top-down approach and generally like to play safe. Many of our senior managers fit into the digital immigrant generation.
Digital natives, on the other hand, prefer a guiding and nurturing environment. They do not want instructions handed down from on-high. They are great communicators and great networkers. But they do it differently. Digital tools and social media are like extensions of themselves. This emerging generation thinks acts and communicates quickly. They like engagement and like to try things out. They harness their team's collective experience and skills in order to find solutions. It's all about communicating. Many of the people now joining the workforce are digital natives.
The old way and the new?
The old way uses intranets or websites as static sites. Staff can search and find, but have limited ability to contribute. The new way is interactive and collaborative and uses social media such as Social networks (e.g. Facebook), Blogs, Discussion Forums and Wikis. Social media tools definitely add value to employee communications. They can help build relationships, increase collaboration, improve productivity, reduce silos, and build engagement. They also offer an excellent means to share ideas and gather qualitative feedback. So why is social media sometimes so hard to implement as an internal communications tool? Communicators understand the power of social media but their senior managers, who are often digital immigrants, remain wary and unconvinced. Are these the arguments that you are hearing?
'It's not a priority"
A CIO magazine's study,Top Technology Priorities found that even IT professionals don't consider Web 2.0 a priority. They're focused on network consolidation, outsourcing, CRM, and security. This would seem to back up management's assertion that Intranet 2.0 needs to take a back seat.
The response
Point out that Web 2.0 tools are already commonplace. Innovative companies are already leveraging the power of these tools. Many social media tools are easy and relatively cheap to implement. They don't need to compete with major IT plans.
Don't make sweeping claims when you are proposing social media tools. Managers don't want to hear about social media democratizing the organization. They want to know how business goals will be supported. So use language the CEO will understand and focus on concrete goals where possible.
Spot opportunities and start with small simple projects. Provide evidence of success before proposing a wider implementation.
Do your homework. Support your proposal for a wider implementation with case studies. IBM, Sun Microsystems and the hundreds of other Fortune 500 companies are already successfully wielding these tools.
Tips
Choose web 2.0 channels that have been specifically designed for employee communication. Use low cost communications channels that are quick and easy to implement and manage. Use a platform that is easy for IT to implement and has little need for ongoing IT support. Choose a platform that allows access rights to be targeted to specific staff groups. Ensure centralised reporting allows you to easily quantify the value of the web 2.0 channels and demonstrate their strategic communications value to senior managers.
Try a free trial or low cost pilot to test concepts out prior to a more comprehensive commitment to social media as an internal communications channel.
"We don't have the time, money or resources"
Management quite rightly recognizes that communicators are already overworked. They might also voice concerns about the cost of the tools and the lack of support resources.
The response
Explain tools that assist internal communications assist you. As for the tools being hungry on money and resources, explain that generally these tools are relatively inexpensive and require little time to set up. Rather then worrying about the return on investment in financial terms the focus should be on what can be gained from making them available. To keep costs down, lease a Web 2.0 solution. This allows you to leverage developments based on learning from other organisations. Study less and do more:
Choose web 2.0 channels that have been built only for employee communications purposes, they are not a 'one size fits all' solution with a confusing array of set-up options.
Use a solution that is authenticated back to employees computers which means it is very secure but staff also do not need to remember a user name and password. Just one click and staff are able to participate.
Select a user friendly, intuitive solution that allows staff to participate with little or no training. Use a low cost solution that can fit within existing employee communications budgets. Utilise free trials to test out small deployments and evolve the use of staff social media channels based on staff feedback and learning. Increases in productivity facilitated by improved information flow can easily cost justify the use of social media for employee communications. For example, an interactive Helpdesk channel provides effective real time support channels for staff by allowing them to ask questions in interactive online helpdesks. This means that answers can be made available almost immediately and become part of an evolving searchable repository of knowledge. It doesn't suit our culture
"These tools aren't a fit with our culture. It's not the way we do business..."
The response
Do you have a young, tech-savvy workforce in an organisation with a flat structure, or is the structure hierarchical with predominantly older workers who may feel uncomfortable with new technology.
It is important to recognise your culture, and to work out what will work and what won't. It is true social media fits better where the culture is democratic and open, rather than hierarchical and paternal. However, even conservative companies are finding increasing numbers of digital natives joining their ranks. Collaboration and team work are here to stay. Knowledge-sharing enables the whole company to benefit from an individual's expertise, and ensures that this knowledge doesn't exit the organisation when the individual leaves.
Explain that providing additional channels for sharing information does not equate to loss of control or a decline in standards. It should lead to increased productivity and innovation. It may be helpful to encourage knowledge-sharing and collaboration by assisting executives to lead by example. You could also workout a system of rewards for champion bloggers and networkers.
Tips
Select a platform with a range of moderation options. Simply select the setting required for a specific employee blog, staff discussion forum or online helpdesk. Even the most risk adverse managers should feel comfortable with a communications channel that requires every post and comment moderated.
If possible set up moderators to receive desktop alerts notifying them of the need to approve content so that approval (or not) can be fast and seamless.
In time, as managers become more comfortable with the social media as an employee communications tool, it may be appropriate to reset the moderation level to only anonymous posts and comments or even to switch moderation off altogether.
For organizations that are really adverse to social media, why not consider an electronic magazine fomat that permits 'user generated' content.
This will enable you to distribute 'safe discussion' directly to the employee's computer screen.
"It will open a can of worms"
"Employees will say inappropriate things. People will complain, or insult management. Bad language will appear on comments..."
Management may express concerns that the 'rumour mill' will take over, or that staff will spend all day complaining. Management may also be concerned that knowledge-sharing via staff forums or blogs sets a dangerous precedent. This informant is 'unofficial' as no-one has authorised it.
The response
Gossip and staff complaints were around long before Web 2.0 came on the scene. If social media channels do throw up unpleasant surprises, you have at least identified that there are issues which you can address, rather than having a seething undercurrent. Where engagement is low and/or guidelines and policy are not stated, staff may not know how else to communicate worries or causes of dissatisfaction.
Define what social media tools can be used for as part of your strategy and communicate the policy. For example, some companies allow comments to go live without being filtered, whereas others insist that comments go through the editor. Some organizations allow anonymous posts while others don't. Some even have a forum entitled 'Rumour Mill' to flush concerns and gossip out into the open to be addressed.
Not all information needs to be official. Tacit knowledge is still shared around the water cooler, or sent via a memo or email. It may never be captured in a form that can be shared. Management agree that this is a huge disadvantage when knowledgeable staff leave, taking their 'unofficial' knowledge with them. Online tools, on the other hand, capture this know-how. Your staff will easily recognize the distinction between opinion and authoritative content.
Tips
Specify a 'Code of Conduct' clearly at the top of each page view. Implement a range of moderation levels which allow you to monitor and approve posts if required. For example, moderators could be set to receive a desktop alert when an anonymous post or comment is made.
Use multiple interactive channels. Setting up a specific, moderated helpdesk, for example, around an organisational change, can help keep inappropriate content out of other staff discussion forums. 'Risky' discussions, where sentiment might be negative, can be targeted securely to only those affected. This means that negativity does not need to 'infect' the rest of the organisation.
"It's too risky, too uncontrolled"
Management may equate loss of formality with a decline in standards. The idea that staff can write what they want runs counter to the command-and-control structure of many organisations. Considerable time, effort, and money go into crafting a strong brand image. CEOs may fear that the company's image will suffer if they make it easy for staff to say anything they want about the organization or their colleagues and managers. They may also worry about leaks to outside world.
The response
Just because communication is taking place online doesn't mean that professionalism and respect will be forgotten. Most staff already know that inappropriate use of email is not acceptable, and will transfer this knowledge automatically to social media tools.
Don't forget that Management have legitimate concerns about the need to keep some information confidential. You can offset Management's fear of losing control by implementing appropriate security measures and guidelines for these channels, just as you do with email and Internet use. There is no 'one size fits all' when it comes to setting the policy. You know your organisation and whatever works best for your organisation is the best way to go. IBM's solution was to create a wiki and to get its staff to create the policy themselves.
The fact that blogs and online discussion are visible is more likely to deter inappropriate comments.
Tips
Choose social media channels that have been built specifically for secure employee communication. Use a solution with a Client applet that resides on staff computers. Only staff who have the applet and have been targeted with access rights can view these channels. This means that the risk of leaks to the outside world is dramatically reduced.
Code of conduct and moderation options mean that if it possible to keep a close eye on conversations that are considered high risk.
Desktop alerts can inform moderators when new content is added to blogs, forums, Q&A spots and staff helpdesks. This can allow moderators to check that information is correct and amend posts if necessary.
What differentiates the 'digital native' generation, who grew up with the Internet from those who didn't?
Typically, many older workers, or 'digital immigrants', talk about their comfort zone. They find comfort in a hierarchical, command and control management structure. They are good communicators, who like to think, plan and do - in that order. They favour a top-down approach and generally like to play safe. Many of our senior managers fit into the digital immigrant generation.
Digital natives, on the other hand, prefer a guiding and nurturing environment. They do not want instructions handed down from on-high. They are great communicators and great networkers. But they do it differently. Digital tools and social media are like extensions of themselves. This emerging generation thinks acts and communicates quickly. They like engagement and like to try things out. They harness their team's collective experience and skills in order to find solutions. It's all about communicating. Many of the people now joining the workforce are digital natives.
The old way and the new?
The old way uses intranets or websites as static sites. Staff can search and find, but have limited ability to contribute. The new way is interactive and collaborative and uses social media such as Social networks (e.g. Facebook), Blogs, Discussion Forums and Wikis. Social media tools definitely add value to employee communications. They can help build relationships, increase collaboration, improve productivity, reduce silos, and build engagement. They also offer an excellent means to share ideas and gather qualitative feedback. So why is social media sometimes so hard to implement as an internal communications tool? Communicators understand the power of social media but their senior managers, who are often digital immigrants, remain wary and unconvinced. Are these the arguments that you are hearing?
'It's not a priority"
A CIO magazine's study,Top Technology Priorities found that even IT professionals don't consider Web 2.0 a priority. They're focused on network consolidation, outsourcing, CRM, and security. This would seem to back up management's assertion that Intranet 2.0 needs to take a back seat.
The response
Point out that Web 2.0 tools are already commonplace. Innovative companies are already leveraging the power of these tools. Many social media tools are easy and relatively cheap to implement. They don't need to compete with major IT plans.
Don't make sweeping claims when you are proposing social media tools. Managers don't want to hear about social media democratizing the organization. They want to know how business goals will be supported. So use language the CEO will understand and focus on concrete goals where possible.
Spot opportunities and start with small simple projects. Provide evidence of success before proposing a wider implementation.
Do your homework. Support your proposal for a wider implementation with case studies. IBM, Sun Microsystems and the hundreds of other Fortune 500 companies are already successfully wielding these tools.
Tips
Choose web 2.0 channels that have been specifically designed for employee communication. Use low cost communications channels that are quick and easy to implement and manage. Use a platform that is easy for IT to implement and has little need for ongoing IT support. Choose a platform that allows access rights to be targeted to specific staff groups. Ensure centralised reporting allows you to easily quantify the value of the web 2.0 channels and demonstrate their strategic communications value to senior managers.
Try a free trial or low cost pilot to test concepts out prior to a more comprehensive commitment to social media as an internal communications channel.
"We don't have the time, money or resources"
Management quite rightly recognizes that communicators are already overworked. They might also voice concerns about the cost of the tools and the lack of support resources.
The response
Explain tools that assist internal communications assist you. As for the tools being hungry on money and resources, explain that generally these tools are relatively inexpensive and require little time to set up. Rather then worrying about the return on investment in financial terms the focus should be on what can be gained from making them available. To keep costs down, lease a Web 2.0 solution. This allows you to leverage developments based on learning from other organisations. Study less and do more:
- Start the dialogue and keep listening to the comments
- Spot opportunities in the business where social media could provide a good fit
- Start small and simple and use an iterative process
- Predict concerns and solve problems early
- Create an army of evangelists
Choose web 2.0 channels that have been built only for employee communications purposes, they are not a 'one size fits all' solution with a confusing array of set-up options.
Use a solution that is authenticated back to employees computers which means it is very secure but staff also do not need to remember a user name and password. Just one click and staff are able to participate.
Select a user friendly, intuitive solution that allows staff to participate with little or no training. Use a low cost solution that can fit within existing employee communications budgets. Utilise free trials to test out small deployments and evolve the use of staff social media channels based on staff feedback and learning. Increases in productivity facilitated by improved information flow can easily cost justify the use of social media for employee communications. For example, an interactive Helpdesk channel provides effective real time support channels for staff by allowing them to ask questions in interactive online helpdesks. This means that answers can be made available almost immediately and become part of an evolving searchable repository of knowledge. It doesn't suit our culture
"These tools aren't a fit with our culture. It's not the way we do business..."
The response
Do you have a young, tech-savvy workforce in an organisation with a flat structure, or is the structure hierarchical with predominantly older workers who may feel uncomfortable with new technology.
It is important to recognise your culture, and to work out what will work and what won't. It is true social media fits better where the culture is democratic and open, rather than hierarchical and paternal. However, even conservative companies are finding increasing numbers of digital natives joining their ranks. Collaboration and team work are here to stay. Knowledge-sharing enables the whole company to benefit from an individual's expertise, and ensures that this knowledge doesn't exit the organisation when the individual leaves.
Explain that providing additional channels for sharing information does not equate to loss of control or a decline in standards. It should lead to increased productivity and innovation. It may be helpful to encourage knowledge-sharing and collaboration by assisting executives to lead by example. You could also workout a system of rewards for champion bloggers and networkers.
Tips
Select a platform with a range of moderation options. Simply select the setting required for a specific employee blog, staff discussion forum or online helpdesk. Even the most risk adverse managers should feel comfortable with a communications channel that requires every post and comment moderated.
If possible set up moderators to receive desktop alerts notifying them of the need to approve content so that approval (or not) can be fast and seamless.
In time, as managers become more comfortable with the social media as an employee communications tool, it may be appropriate to reset the moderation level to only anonymous posts and comments or even to switch moderation off altogether.
For organizations that are really adverse to social media, why not consider an electronic magazine fomat that permits 'user generated' content.
This will enable you to distribute 'safe discussion' directly to the employee's computer screen.
"It will open a can of worms"
"Employees will say inappropriate things. People will complain, or insult management. Bad language will appear on comments..."
Management may express concerns that the 'rumour mill' will take over, or that staff will spend all day complaining. Management may also be concerned that knowledge-sharing via staff forums or blogs sets a dangerous precedent. This informant is 'unofficial' as no-one has authorised it.
The response
Gossip and staff complaints were around long before Web 2.0 came on the scene. If social media channels do throw up unpleasant surprises, you have at least identified that there are issues which you can address, rather than having a seething undercurrent. Where engagement is low and/or guidelines and policy are not stated, staff may not know how else to communicate worries or causes of dissatisfaction.
Define what social media tools can be used for as part of your strategy and communicate the policy. For example, some companies allow comments to go live without being filtered, whereas others insist that comments go through the editor. Some organizations allow anonymous posts while others don't. Some even have a forum entitled 'Rumour Mill' to flush concerns and gossip out into the open to be addressed.
Not all information needs to be official. Tacit knowledge is still shared around the water cooler, or sent via a memo or email. It may never be captured in a form that can be shared. Management agree that this is a huge disadvantage when knowledgeable staff leave, taking their 'unofficial' knowledge with them. Online tools, on the other hand, capture this know-how. Your staff will easily recognize the distinction between opinion and authoritative content.
Tips
Specify a 'Code of Conduct' clearly at the top of each page view. Implement a range of moderation levels which allow you to monitor and approve posts if required. For example, moderators could be set to receive a desktop alert when an anonymous post or comment is made.
Use multiple interactive channels. Setting up a specific, moderated helpdesk, for example, around an organisational change, can help keep inappropriate content out of other staff discussion forums. 'Risky' discussions, where sentiment might be negative, can be targeted securely to only those affected. This means that negativity does not need to 'infect' the rest of the organisation.
"It's too risky, too uncontrolled"
Management may equate loss of formality with a decline in standards. The idea that staff can write what they want runs counter to the command-and-control structure of many organisations. Considerable time, effort, and money go into crafting a strong brand image. CEOs may fear that the company's image will suffer if they make it easy for staff to say anything they want about the organization or their colleagues and managers. They may also worry about leaks to outside world.
The response
Just because communication is taking place online doesn't mean that professionalism and respect will be forgotten. Most staff already know that inappropriate use of email is not acceptable, and will transfer this knowledge automatically to social media tools.
Don't forget that Management have legitimate concerns about the need to keep some information confidential. You can offset Management's fear of losing control by implementing appropriate security measures and guidelines for these channels, just as you do with email and Internet use. There is no 'one size fits all' when it comes to setting the policy. You know your organisation and whatever works best for your organisation is the best way to go. IBM's solution was to create a wiki and to get its staff to create the policy themselves.
The fact that blogs and online discussion are visible is more likely to deter inappropriate comments.
Tips
Choose social media channels that have been built specifically for secure employee communication. Use a solution with a Client applet that resides on staff computers. Only staff who have the applet and have been targeted with access rights can view these channels. This means that the risk of leaks to the outside world is dramatically reduced.
Code of conduct and moderation options mean that if it possible to keep a close eye on conversations that are considered high risk.
Desktop alerts can inform moderators when new content is added to blogs, forums, Q&A spots and staff helpdesks. This can allow moderators to check that information is correct and amend posts if necessary.
Article by Sarah Perry. Questions and comments to info@snapcomms.com. Visit http://www.SnapComms.com for innovative internal communications channels, tips and tools.
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Sarah_Perry/235800
Monday, 2 April 2018
Electronic Design in 2009
By
Nick Schofield
Submitted On November 18, 2008
Electronic designs in 2009 are following current trends of
smaller more powerful electronics. The goal is to make virtually
anything, small enough for it to be completely portable and as
technology advances there is no reason why it should not change from
phones and mp3 players to a wide selection of various media electronic
devices, the smaller the better. The actual PCB circuit boards in some
of these electronics are so small though that there is no real way to
repair them.
However, as technology advances, the prices for these smaller and more powerful electronic devices drop. While the prices have not fallen significantly enough for the devices to be considered disposable, within time they just may. Keep in mind though that this is a long ways off and for 2009 you can expect many great, sleek and very powerful designs when it comes to a plethora of popular electronics.
However, as technology advances, the prices for these smaller and more powerful electronic devices drop. While the prices have not fallen significantly enough for the devices to be considered disposable, within time they just may. Keep in mind though that this is a long ways off and for 2009 you can expect many great, sleek and very powerful designs when it comes to a plethora of popular electronics.
Saturday, 31 March 2018
The Best Consumer Electronics For Gift Giving
By Billings Farnsworth Submitted On December 03, 2008
Consumer electronics have continued to enjoy a large boom, despite economic slowdowns across the retail board. This year, there are even more gadgets to choose from, with more features than ever before. If you are in the market for consumer electronics this gift giving season, we've got you covered with some of the latest and greatest ideas for everyone on your list.
Of course, gaming systems are still one of the most popular consumer electronics when it comes to gift giving, with all the major players providing updated versions of their systems. Another fun gift idea is a karaoke machine that is guaranteed to be the hit of your holiday get-togethers for some time to come.
Today's karaoke machines even offer an iPod dock for customized song lists that players can practice at home before bringing to the big bash. These machines are reasonably priced and loads of fun for all ages, making them one of the best consumer electronics this holiday season.
Webcams are another fun choice in consumer electronics, and some are more fun than others. You can find items in this category that are as cute to look at as they are easy to use, making them a decorative addition to the media center while filling an important purpose at the same time.
Personal navigation systems are also still the rage, with many upgrades that allow the user to get from point "A" to point "B" quickly and easily. With so many fabulous consumer electronics to choose from, you are certain to find something for everyone on your list.
Spectacular Sales ([http://onsalefordays.com]) the place to go for consumer electronics in Chicago [http://onsalefordays.com]. Billings Farnsworth is a freelance writer.
Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Billings_Farnsworth/240741
Thursday, 29 March 2018
Building Lists Electronically
By
Beverly Mau
Submitted On March 19, 2009
This isn't our grandparents generation, where list building was a
slow and tedious practice. Your web developer can design your business
website to securely capture those precious visitors first name and email
via an opt-in selection on one or more of your web pages. It's
recommended, actually, by multiple different reputable companies - as
well as expected by visitors to your website - to have this bit of code
embedded. Don't worry, I'm not going to talk code in this article, but
read on to discover why building lists electronically is a wise step for
business growth.
Have you ever entered your first name and email
and then clicked the submit button for a newsletter sign-up or a free
report or just to get in contact with the owner of a site? Those are
three examples of good uses of building lists electronically. From the
perspective of the owner of the website, when a visitor enters his or
her first name and email, they receive the newsletter or free report or
whatever else you're giving away; however, from your perspective,
every time a visitor clicks submit, the first name and email are looped
into your email inbox or into a database, where, one by one, you are
growing your electronic list. Over time, the potential capacity of
growing your electronic list has expanded by untold numbers, and
maximizing capacity is part of what business is all about, right?
Building Lists Electronically and Marketing
So what the heck does any of this have to do with marketing?
A lot.
The beauty of what your talented web developer, (you do have a talented web developer, right?) can do with this first name/email opt-in, is design the code to give the visitor an autorespond page upon hitting the submit button, all decked out with your best products and services, displayed with sexy copy and a few good graphics or other multi-media components.
Not only did you:
Building Lists Electronically and Marketing
So what the heck does any of this have to do with marketing?
A lot.
The beauty of what your talented web developer, (you do have a talented web developer, right?) can do with this first name/email opt-in, is design the code to give the visitor an autorespond page upon hitting the submit button, all decked out with your best products and services, displayed with sexy copy and a few good graphics or other multi-media components.
Not only did you:
Wednesday, 28 March 2018
Why Do People Buy the Kindle Electronic Book Reader?
By Billy Jean Submitted On May 04, 2009
Many ways have been explored in regards to making reading better and more convenient. Once again, prominent online book retailer Amazon has stepped up. It has brought us an innovative eBook reader with extraordinary features as compared to the conventional way of reading books and other media. The most ingenious thing about it is the way the reading content can be acquired and loaded. If you want to buy eBook reader, look no further than the Kindle.
This wonder of a product was launched as the Amazon Kindle electronic book reader. The handy reading device has the capability to download books, blogs, magazines, and newspapers in pioneering the new-wave reading. Before the dedicated e-book devices, reading used to be done through thumbing the pages of a book. Readers today have the electronic option which is mobile, flexible and user-friendly.
Monday, 26 March 2018
When the Media Calls, Don't Let a Blabbermouth Respond
By Brian R. Salisbury Submitted On July 24, 2009
Most organizations know they should authorize only one individual to handle media encounters during routine situations and especially when emergencies strike.
This designated spokesperson -- your media relations "quarterback" -- can best:
* Consult with other members of your company to determine the best answer to provide in response to media inquiries;
* Make sure your company responds to all inquires in a timely fashion;
* Maintain the continuity of information, particularly when dealing with multiple media calls. A single spokesperson would be most familiar with how your company presented certain information in the past and can prevent contradictory responses;
* Avoid confusion caused when two or more voices speak for your company -- even when presenting the same information;
Sunday, 25 March 2018
How To Create Successful A Social Media Call To Action Button
By Praveen Kaur Submitted On February 18, 2017
Today social media has become such a powerful tool that there are everyday 2.3 billion active users doing business. But to run a successful business you need to optimise your social media with your main goals. The best technique to optimise your social media goals is to create a compelling call to action which will have a great impact on the reader who will read your content.
Before going ahead it's important to make it clear what a CALL TO ACTION means?
It is clear by the name CALL TO ACTION means something that encourages the user or reader of your content to take some action in the form of signing up a form for your mailing list or to encourage them to visit your website. Basically it is a region of the screen that drives the reader to click to get engagement with the brand. It can be in the form of a button or an image but mostly it is in the form of button. An effective CTA can be extremely successful on any social media platform. Like on Facebook adding a CTA button can help you to increase the click through rate by 285%.
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