New Year’s Resolution December 5, 2009

Shana’s post on New Year’s Resolutions and goals got me thinking about what I plan on changing in 2010 (which is literally around the corner!) Sure, there’s the usual past failed resolutions such as working out, loosing weight and eating healthy, so this year I may try something totally different.

I will still try to workout more and eat healthier, but I think that I’m going to dedicate more of my time in 2010 to brushing up on my Polish. I’m fluent in the language but my reading and writing skills are still at the elementary level at best.  Ideally, I would like to sign up for a language class or maybe purchase Rosetta

Stone and see if I really get my money’s worth. Classes are offered at the Polish school through the Polish Embassy here in DC, so that might be an option.

Reviews for the Rosetta Stone are impressive and people are pleased with their products so maybe it’s worth investing in. These days, knowing another language fluently is a valuable asset in many job sectors. Maybe before I dish out money for a class or the Rosetta Stone, I should first try some free and cheaper resources that are out there on the web.

For example, xLingo is an online community for the exchange of foreign languages where you can register to offer yourself as an instructor of the languages you speak, as well as finding others that can teach you other languages. Mango is a site that lets you take language lessons for free and the interactive slides allow you to click on words to hear them spoken. I also found WizIQ, an online collaboration tool for teachers and students where you can create profiles and sessions for online tutoring. You can even find local tutors in your area and set up a meeting date.

I hope that in 2010, I finally get serious about brushing up on my Polish, at the very least take advantage of the free E-learning tools and Social networks that are out there.

The Rise of Social Media December 2, 2009

I recently came across an interesting post on the future of social media and the importance of the value that we can derive from it. The author goes on to say that the online social media revolution is similar to the Industrial Revolution, which I think is a valid comparison. Social media has transformed that way that we interact with people, maintain dialogue and communication, form relationships and communities and send/ receive key messages. The opportunity for people and businesses to access and use various social networking sites and platforms, has increased visibility, messaging, and brand associations.

Today, on average, people are exposed to almost 5,000 ad messages, and as social media continues to develop that number will surely increase. Businesses need to continue to listen and learn about media. A new study by AD: Tech found that found that “almost half of twitterers who have been introduced to a brand on Twitter have subsequently gone on to search for more information about it.” I find that news to be really exciting and encouraging. It shows the close correlation of the growth of messaging and brand association by using social media effectively. The study also showed that 44% of people have recommended a product on Twitter, and 39% have discussed a product on Twitter. 46% of respondents said they would talk about or recommend a product on Facebook and 40% of online users use YouTube. This study shows that the growth of social networking/ media platforms, like Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube are a valuable resource to increase brand awareness, association and loyalty.  

Take a minute to look at the chart below on Effective Social Media Tactics from eMarketer.com. The statistics that show that blogging and social network advertising is accurately measured at 32%. The stats also show that some of the very effective social media tools to use are user ratings/reviews, forums/discussion groups, company blog, and blogger/online journalist relations.

 

 

 

So what does all this mean for businesses and the ongoing social media revolution?

I think that these statistics and studies prove that in order to be successful and remain a competitor in the market, businesses need to utilize these social media platforms and embrace the ongoing changes in the ongoing social media revolution. They also need to listen and maintain dialogue with their customers.

Response #8 November 11, 2009

Last week’s class lecture on crowdsourcing and open source software offered good insight to how these platforms work and their rise in popularity. Two great examples that we examined in class were Wikipedia and Threadless. I had heard about threadless before and we have also talked about it in my branding class. I think it’s really cool that people can display their own designs, that people have the option of voting for their favorite design and that you can also purchase your favorite t-shirts. The top selling t-shirt designs were the ones with the most votes and it’s the threadless community that drives these t-shirt sales.

I did some exploring this week to see if i could find some other crowdsourcing networks that have strong communities and where the communities votes can turn your design into a top seller! On Minted, a recently launched site that sells stationary and paper products, allows designers to submit designs where they are voted on.  The top designs get to become part of the inventory, similar to the way threadless works. Another interesting site is Designbyhumans, which is also another t-shirt site where people submit their designs and the community votes on their favorites. It’s also a community that discusses art and Design by Humans holds contests to find the best t-shirt design in exchange for a cash prize.

Online Merch Table launched on Nimbit, is a place where you can sell your songs and merchandise such as t-shirts, hats and posters. You can also create a bio page for fans to find out more about you and  your fans can sign up for your newsletter. At spreadshirt, users set up online shops to sell t-shirts, hats, and mugs. Users can also browse by topics such as humor and holidays or by products such as bags, caps and aprons. Users can also leave feedback on products they like.

There are many sites out there (i just mentioned a few!) that encompass the elements of crowdsourcing and it’s really interesting to see how these interactive communities work and how they have the ability to essentially change someones life by making their design into a top selling t-shirt or stationary paper. There are also many open source applications out there that are pretty cool.

Response #6 October 28, 2009

My Brother is a Gamer………

Personally, I’m not into video games but i do know someone who is, my younger brother in college. Growing up, i played the occasional Nintendo (old school) with my sister but i never really got into it. That’s probably because i never made it past level 2 and if i did, it most likely took me most of the day to get that far. We all can’t be pros!

The industry, that has become multiplayer online gaming and international gaming tournaments is a really interesting phenomenon to me. The gaming industry is huge and the gamers are really dedicated to their craft. I admire that.

In 2007, total sales were $18.85 billion which almost $10 billion of that being sales from games. It’s one of the fastest growing industry, surpassing many along the way. I think one of the reasons that the gaming industry is so popular and successful (technology and graphics aside) is the rise of the online gaming community. Gamers have developed successful niches within their community and their dedication to anything game related is astonishing.

Take my brother for example, he’s your average 20 year college student who loves video games and knows everything about what games to play, what codes to use, and what blogs to follow. He has found gaming buddies online who he plays with on a regular basis. He’s been participating in this ongoing relationship with the online gaming community since he was a teen. I personally never understood how he could spend hours playing these games and why he would beg my parents to buy him the latest and greatest game on the market, i mean it’s just a game right?!

I think that the future of online gaming is promising and i don’t think it’s just a trend that will fizzle away in a few years. It is indeed a fast growing industry that has already been incorporated into other industries. Although, it’s not something i follow on a regular basis, i am curious to see the what will happen and will definitely follow it.

 

Online Shopping October 21, 2009

Social Shopping! Time to explore

One of my favorite pastimes has always been shopping (!!) and recently I have been doing a lot more online shopping. I love reading the customer reviews, product ratings and receiving personal recommendations. At first, I just ordered books and used textbooks but recently I have really branched out and purchased a wide spectrum of items and have been generally very satisfied with my purchases. There are many online shopping networks and communities and it’s important to learn about these sites so that its less overwhelming.  It also depends what you’re shopping for, different networks appeal to different interests. We also know it’s about the deals and special offers too!

There are also a lot of good search engine and price comparison sites that can save you both time and money when you are look for something specific. Online shopping thrives on user generated recommendations, product blogs and the social aspect of the online shopping community. I want to know what’s in, who bought it already, what they though about it and if there is a deal on it.

I have really come to like ThisNext which let’s you do all the following; explore product recommendations, receive personalized suggestions, read product reviews, create lists of similar product, and create a personal profile, to name just a few. Another good shopping community is Kaboodle where you can view groups, products, featured stores and featured Kaboodlers (consumers). You can also vote on products to help people decide what to buy. Many of these social networks site are similar but each one does have something different to offer. I also recommend checking out Etsy if you are interested in handmade and artistic products. It’s more of an artistic community but there is a really neat blog. Wists is also really interesting where consumers can install the Wists browser button and create picture bookmarks for any page. Stylehive connects people to fashion, beauty, home and style by offering a variety of blogs, reviews and tips. They also post videos, a deal section, forums and fashion polls.
You no longer have to stick to amazon,ebay or your favorite online department store, because there is a plethora of social shopping networks that have strong communities and that can truly be beneficial to your online shopping experience. So go out there, explore, and go shopping!