This week in social media….
A few weeks back I talked about how TV networks are looking to capitalize on social media by integrating it into their regular programming, now called social TV. Networks are increasingly in synch with the social viewing and sharing habits of their target audience, and are coming up with some pretty creative real-time ideas to get viewers tweeting and posting about their favorite shows to wider audiences. One of the biggest players in social TV is Trendrr, a company that helps studios, brands, and media agencies understand points of attention and value in social TV data. They just created this new infographic depicting the social TV “ecosystem”, and wow, it’s pretty confusing. But underneath all that are 4 main trends in social TV: open platforms (including some by archaic cable/satellite/telephone providers); AirPLay (technology that lets you instantly play iPhone/iPad content on your TV); niche genres (social TV is making generic genres like comedy and romance obsolete because of the sheer number of channels and shows); and lastly expect to see TV loose some of its industry power as more startups and new technology steal consumers.
I unabashedly love TV and am guilty of watching a lot of really, really bad TV. That said, here are Mashable’s predictions for the best /most social TV this summer: True Blood, Breaking Bad, Anger Management (Charlie Sheen “comeback?”), Dallas (!), Storage Wars, America’s Got Talent, and A&E’s Hatfields & McCoys. So will you be watching (or tweeting?)
Sweden’s Got (Twitter) Issues
Sweden received harsh criticism this week for its new national Twitter project, which lets different citizens tweet from its national Twitter account (@Sweden) each week, free to say whatever they want. The project (a collaboration with the country’s tourism department) is intended to show the different walks of life of Swedish people. A tweeter by the name of Sonja, whose profile states “Holy mother of two. Grew up side by side with awesome nature. 27 years old. This is exciting.” came under attack for making anti-semetic and foul-mouthed comments, but representatives have claimed the project will not be disabled because of her remarks.
For comparison, consider a similar project in the U.S, Army Strong Stories, that gives soldiers an opportunity to blog about their experiences, unfiltered. If you don’t have a social media liability policy in place, transparent social media may not be the best bet. Either way, these cases illustrate how difficult it is for countries, organizations, and businesses alike to find a balance between authenticity and professionalism.
Promising Partnership
Businesses using Constant Contact will be pleased to learn that the email marketing pros acquired SinglePlatform,a startup which helps small businesses get their information listed online and in search. Businesses will be able to quickly update their info to local review websites, search engines, online directories, and social media sites, and will also be integrated into Constant Contact’s online marketing tools. This partnership also plays right into new changes at Foursquare- pricing menus, personalized recommendations, and more rewards for customer loyalty. These changes make it more important than ever that businesses have clear brand identities, consistent business info with SEO optimized key words, strategic discounts and campaigns, and vibrant communities on other social media platforms.
E.T’s New Home
Lastly, I bring you HÜB. Planning a company conference anytime soon? Try holding it in these new giant inflatable pods. HÜB is a 30 x 50 foot dome that will “display content that’s happening from the panelists, as well as the conversations throughout the event — all of which will be hand-picked by a team of people” (via Mashable) in addition to trending activity online. HÜB is designed to get people to have inter-personal interactions instead of scrolling their mobile phones for info. Makers of the HÜB are currently accepting submissions from startups who want to host their event in this inflatable brain. Pretty cool, but do you still get the complimentary shrimp salad at lunch? Watch this video for a virtual tour of HÜB.
HUB@Northside from Überangst on Vimeo.
