7 Days in Social Media: A guide to planning your week in 2010 (Part 2 of 2)

Is Craig David on Twitter? Reckon he'd fancy penning a remix of '7 days' - the social media version? Nah, me neither, so let's go with this instead...

The following is the second part of The Comms Corner's 'social media time management in 2010' series.

Part one looked at the "5 S's" (Scan. Select. Schedule. Share. Sweep) - which is the daily process I use to stay on top of things as best I can (view original article here).

Part two (below) looks at a possible weekly social media time management process / template...so, here goes...

7 Days in Social Media, By Adam Vincenzini

Social media in 2009, for me, was very much about knowledge acquisition.

Social media in 2010? More knowledge acquisition coupled with an aim to increase the application of this knowledge.

And this is reflected in the template I’ve developed regarding how I plan to structure my weekly social media activity in 2010.

Now, before I get into it, I am a firm believer in the 'one size DOES NOT fit all' approach to this kind of thing.

This particular structure is based on my specific needs in my role as a PR consultant who in increasingly looking at ways to blend old techniques with new ones.

Come February, this might turn out to be completely impractical - but I hope the key guiding principals (outlined below) will remain intact - and if you do indeed take anything from this post, it is the adoption of a 'needs based' approach to social media.

The push vs pull of social media

Which really translates into give vs receive (acquisition) and collect vs create (application).

These elements (and attempting to get the balance right) underpin my personal approach to social media, but are also relevant (perhaps more so) if you are representing clients in this space.

As with any marketing / communications discipline, clients really only want three things: Strategy, creativity and delivery. This approach can help arm you with the ability to provide these things (to a degree).

The 2010 weekly planner

Monday aka Monitoring Day (collect)

According to Viveck Sharma, there are four pillars of social media monitoring: Analysis of competition, product improvement, management of reputation and outreach (full article here)

So whether you are acting on behalf of a client, or simply in your own ‘knowledge acquisition’ phase, make Monday the day you set up your monitoring for the week.

Here are some tools to help.

Tuesday aka Toolsday (collect and give)

The most important day of the week. Assign Tuesday to researching the latest tools and viewing demonstrations of the latest apps (and don’t forget share the ones you think are worthwhile).

For your clients, knowing what tools / infrastructure exists is critical, and on a personal level they can make your life a helluva lot easier.

A number of Blogs are dedicated to showcasing the latest tools and apps. So, ensure you have a couple goodies in your RSS feed.

Wednesday aka Community Day (give)

The day to ‘contribute’ i.e. comment on blog posts, connect with new people, contribute where possible – do your bit for the community.

The importance of taking the time to comment on other people’s opinions / thoughts / work in this space cannot be underestimated – assign 20 minutes each Wednesday to go through your favourite blogs and leave constructive comments. Only positives will result.

It would be great to go to this effort every day, but it’s simply not practical – but one solid day of ‘additional giving’ is mandatory in my opinion.

Thursday aka Press Day (create and give)

The day to release your content / opinions etc via your blog / channel.

Why Thursday? Well, several studies (including this one here) suggest that it’s the best day to push content out.

Although only limited, my own data regarding my Blog also corroborates this theory…so I’m sticking to it!

Also, assign a portion of follow up time to this - if people comment on your post, acknowledge and comment back as best you can.

Friday aka Freestyle Day (receive / give / collect)

A day to let your hair down a bit and have some fun / get involved in topics you wouldn’t normally – too much formality can take the fun out of things, so this day is just as vital as any other in relation to achieving a balance.

People are generally also more receptive to ‘fun’ topics on a Friday so if you are thinking audience first (which is my biggest belief in communications) then you’ll probably also make others feel just as good as you do by adopting this approach.

Saturday aka Silent (Day and) Night

I’m (going to try) and make Saturday’s my 'day off' in 2010 – leave all the gadgets and tools behind and give myself a break from it all. Just like in any other endeavour, rest and recuperation play a role in keeping you fresh.

Sunday aka Super Sunday (create)

After a week of mostly 'collecting' Sunday is the day to apply it all.

Write that week's Blog post (you won't be short on ideas).

Apply some of that week's learning's to some practical examples - perhaps even list ways you may have conducted a campaign / activity differently.

Use it as a day to formulate strategy and 'big picture' thinking.

Practical tip: review your Twitter feed for the week (and your favourites) on Sunday...amazing what you find when you take a look back.

Now what?

As I mentioned up top, this approach may be completely inappropriate for you...or you might think that a weekly planner like this is unnecessary.

To be completely honest, I don't know the answer - all I do know is that there are certain things I want / need to do each week and time simply doesn't allow for them to eventuate every day.

Even if you don't take every single tip / recommendation on board, I think you'd find it hard not to consider adopting a few of them...no matter the day or time.

This type of structure, in addition to he "5 S's" should keep your time investment per day within a manageable level...or at least have other believe there is SOME method to your social media madness!

Do you have a weekly time plan?

Or think that some tasks take precedence over others?

Share your thoughts in the box below.

AV

P.S An extra special thanks goes out to Steve Farnsworth and Mari Smith for their thoughts and tips in relation to time management...I'll collate some of this thinking in early 2010.

Social media time management in 2010 (Part 1: "The 5 S's")

"The 5 S's" - Part one of a two part series looking at how to best manage your time when it comes to social media in 2010.

Part one: The daily routine.

Scan. Select. Schedule. Share. Sweep.

The following takes place between 7.00am Monday and 10.00pm Sunday, starting from 4 January 2010...tick, tock, tick... events occur in real time.

You think Jack Bauer's got it tough?

Granted, a normal day for Jack is governed by a ticking clock, but so is the average week for a social media enthusiast.

The deeper I delve into this space, the more I'm convinced that time management and productivity processes are just as important as knowledge and experience.

With that in mind I thought it would be useful to share my 'template' for fitting social media into an average week.

Now, this approach may not be possible / right for you (for a number of reasons), but you never know...so here goes...

The 2010 social media daily / weekly planner

There are two distinct parts to my approach:

- Things I do on a daily basis, with a focus on how I use Twitter (the subject of today's post)

- Things I assign to certain days aka the heavier lifting (part two of this series, to be posted soon)

The routine I (attempt to) follow daily is based around The Five S's"

Scan. Select. Schedule. Share. Sweep.

As mentioned up top, knowledge is paramount in this space as things tend to develop and change so quickly...and, I get a kick out of learning new things, so it's a win / win.

The following structure permits for the push / pull balance that works for me.

Scan (step 1)

There are a number of sources I subscribe to / like to review on a daily basis, so I tend to spend 15-20 minutes in the morning scanning through my RSS feeds and favourite aggregators / sites.

These sources are specific to the areas I'm interested in, and include several 'vertical' subjects i.e. retail (in addition to general Social Media, PR, Marketing and Communications sources).


Select (step 2)

Post scan, I select the posts / articles I'm interested in and give them a read (for the more detailed posts, I file them away and read them when I have more time).

Of the posts I do read / review, I'll flag up a handful that the members of my 'community' might find useful.

Schedule (step 3)

I then log in to Hootsuite (a Twitter client which allows you to schedule your Tweets) and line up my flagged content that I want to share for the day.

This is probably the step that saves me the most time, but creates the most value for me and the people I'm connected to (Hootsuite also doubles as a great filing system, keeping all your sent items within the application).

There are tens of tools that can help you do this. In fact, just this week QuickOnlineTips posted a great list of 15 tools you can use to schedule tweets - worth bookmarking.

You might want to put these links in other places as well i.e. Facebook

Share (step 4)

Hootsuite facilitates 'structured sharing' - it allows me to send out the links / posts that I think are interesting at the times of the day I see fit (all done at the start of the day, limiting the 'business' hours impact) - it essentially means, I can do my bit for the community while (attempting) to keep my employers happy.

It also means I'm giving more quality time to the content I'm sharing, as opposed to treating it as a a chore / afterthought.

Sweep (step 5)

This is the best example of push / pull.

Scheduling some content frees up time to conduct a handful of 'sweeps' during the day (this is where I check Twitter, my RSS, emails, replies etc).

As a general rule I assign 4 or 5 slots a day to 'reacting' to content coming in.

Other tools like TweetDeck, Seesmic and Monitter can help ensure nothing slips through the Twitter cracks via keyword searches / notifications.

Another great tool for Twitter (that I wish I used more) is the 'favourites' function - if something pops up you like the look of, hit favourite and come back to it later in the day.

I normally like to finish the day with one final sweep to make sure I haven't missed anything...again, time permitting.

The outputs of this approach

In essence, this enables the time I allocate to social media to be split pretty evenly, and hopefully productively - 50% of time spent on the proactive 'pushing out' of content, and the other 50% spent on the reactive 'pulling in' of content / dialogue (and interacting where appropriate).

Some general principals

- Quality over quantity (in both push and pull facets) - the big one for me, volume doesn't necessarily equate to value

- Think about your audience - I tend not to forward stuff by sources like Mashable because most of my community follows that feed already, but am more inclined to share something that people may not have seen

- 'Find' time to say thanks - if someone sends around something you really liked, drop them a little note at the end of the day (for the really time stretched, do this on the bus home from work - use 'dead' time to your advantage)

- Don't be robotic - on one hand its ok to be organised, but don't just be a bot and fire stuff out 'broadcast' style all day - it comes back to balance - people want to interact with people, not tools / machines

- Be flexible - some days this approach works a treat, on other occasions 'forgetaboudit' - the great content you want to consume will still be there at the end of the day...and the day after that...

What else?

This is just one element of the mix.

In the next post we'll get a bit broader and look at how you can split your week up to make sure you're doing the other things that add value.

We still haven't looked at things like:

- When to write your own content (and when to distribute it)

- When to (thoughtfully) comment on other people's content

- And five other things that are worth including in your weekly social media mix

BUT, the daily routine is paramount. It sets up the 'push' part of the equation...and permits for the 'pull'.

An analogy?

I liken it to exercise.

There's no point going to the gym five times a week if you're not eating well most days.

The daily routine, in essence, is your meal plan.

So, that's part one...hope it was helpful...part two is where we start the heavier lifting.

Your routine?

Do you have a routine / some tips worth sharing?

Post your comments in the box below.

Cheers
AV

P.S I wanted to say thanks again to everyone who read / shared the recent top 99 posts of 2009 feature...it was great to see / receive so much positive feedback.

Dude, where's my social media?

A look at some of the services / sites trying to consolidate our multimedia content...

How many online accounts, log ins and passwords can one 'supposedly' sane person have?!?!?

A very quick review and I 'belong' to the following: YouTube, Flickr, Facebook, Blogger, iGoogle, LinkedIn, Twitter, FriendFeed, Vimeo, bit.ly, Last.fm, Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo, Digg, Reddit, StumbleUpon, Delicious, Ready2Beat (new one, just signed up yesterday), AllTop, Mixx, Hootsuite, TweetDeck and hundreds more....arrgghhh...

This little dilemma has been gently bugging me for a while now and then came the straw...you know, the one that renders a camel useless for life...yep, that one was delivered this week.

Cutting a long story, short...

As much as I'd like to waffle on, the whole point of this post is to identify tools / techniques that can be used to consolidate content. That's today's task, because, well...

Video? That HAS to go on YouTube

Images? DEFINITELY Flickr, no, wait, Picasa ...no, no Flickr.

Audio? This is where I got frustrated. I tried Odeo - a 'leading' audio sharing site - and I hated it.

Presentations? Mr Slideshare has that covered.

Text? Often forgotten, but it's pretty damn hard to tell a story without a little bit of that in the mix.

Our job and the dilemma

I know I bang on about this, but as communicators our job is really very simple: think audience first (in my case the audience is normally either the media or the consumer).

And then, we make our message(s) easy to find, easy to comprehend, and easy to pass on to others.

But where do we 'put' it all?

If I was the 'receiver' I'd want everything in the one place.

But, my audience 'gets' YouTube...in fact, they live there.

And Flickr, well, you help my SEO.

And the list goes on...and on...and on...

So, what's a boy to do???

Well, it appears this dilemma is a long way from being solved because upon further investigation I can't really say that any single portal / site 'does it all'...yet...but here are some that are trying...

Content Consolidation & Sharing Tools

LiveMediaShare (http://livemediashare.com/)

Positives: on the surface it looks great, one central spot to house all your video, images and audio...and in a channel format that feels very similar to YouTube.

Negatives: feels and looks 'half-finished' (including a blank 'about us' page) and the active community using it is minimal.

LimeLinx (http://www.limelinx.com/)

Great for storing documents / files in any format, but that's simply all it does - and then allows you to share that specific file by a quick link i.e. Twitter - but it doesn't 'house' everything in the one, easy to navigate place.

GalleryServerPro (http://www.galleryserverpro.com/)

A cross between the first two - but that's probably it's downfall, it does 'too' much and it feels like something Bill Gates might use / like.

Ovi from Nokia (http://www.ovi.com/)

Nice and easy to use...but it's just for images and video (and it doesn't say it wants to be anything else) but would it hurt to add audio and a couple other features in there???!?!?

Ziddu (http://www.ziddu.com/)

I have nothing nice to say about the 'world's most popular media sharing site' - sorry.

Where does that leave us?

I'm hoping that my blind loyalty to YouTube, Flickr, Slideshare and the like has meant that there is a complete solution out there...but I'm too blinkered to see it.

If you have found it, please drop it in the comments box below.

In the meantime, I guess it's business as usual...

AV

My picks for the 99 most useful Social Media (and PR) Blog posts of 2009

Compiled by Adam Vincenzini, London.

(Note: 2010's most useful posts are available here)

If I was given a pound for every post I shared via Twitter in 2009, I would have made £901. True story.

Sadly, my sponsorship team couldn't secure such a deal...plus the majority of these posts have been produced by other people...and it'd be slightly wrong to profit as a result, no?

Nevertheless, it's been profitable for me, and hopefully others, in another area: learning. Yep, that's right, being a sponge rules.

So, without further ado, I present 99 posts from 2009 that I've absorbed and shared which in my opinion have been the most useful / helpful in the areas I'm passionate about (PR and social media)...hopefully you find them as worthwhile as I did / do.

(It also means that if I did have a 'pound-per-post' arrangement in place it'd take me up to a cool grand...nice!)

NOTES:
- Posts marked with an 'asterix' are the 'favourites of my favourites'
- Information regarding credits are featured at the bottom of this post

(A condensed version of this post, 'the 9 essential posts of '09' will be up on the site next week)

Also, to finish with, there are a handful of posts by yours truly. They may vary in degrees of usefulness, but I hope, that at the very least, they're entertaining!

Social Media (General) (20)

1. 30 top Blogs for social media updates
2. 20 social media best practice tips*
3. 33 hot social media tips
4. 5 ways to fan the viral flame*
5. 10 reasons why you should use Hootsuite
6. How to make time for social media*
7. 3 quick tips to connect your website to social media
8. Top tools for social media monitoring*
9. 10 ways to improve your social media karma
10. 3 Tips for better social media management
11. Video: Social Media Revolution*
12.Social Media tactics for non-profit organisations
13. Why foursquare is the next big social network
14. 5 ways to make your site more social
15. 10 essential social media blogs you should follow / bookmark
16. Top 10 Freebies for Social Media Marketing
17.Simon Mainwaring's special interview with Rishad Tobaccowala On Advertising's Digital and Social Media Future
18. What you need to know about running a social media programme - The client*
19. What you need to know about running a social media programme - The product*
What you need to know about running a social media programme - The audience*
20. 25 Social media marketing tips from Dell, HP, Ford and more

Twitter (10)

21. 10 Twitter tools to help you track and perform better*
22. The ultimate Twitter applications list
23. 5 Twitter rules for business
24. Discover who 'favourites' your Tweets
25. 8 photo and video sharing tools for Twitter you may not have seen
26. The three E's of Twitter*
27. 5 must do Twitter style tips
28. A twitter mini guide: 60 useful twitter resources (basics)
29. How to be a useful Twitter user and receiver
30. 62 ways to use Twitter for Business

Blogging (10)

31. 101 ways to promote a new blog*
32. 11 ways to increase your RSS subscriptions
33. 58 ways to build a better blog*
34. 10 ways Blogging will simplify your marketing programme
35. Why guest Bloggers are great for a Blog
36. 10 great corporate blogs
37. 9 vital statistics for tracking site traffic
38. How to put your blog / website on google news
39. 101 blogging tips I learned in 2009
40. 10 ways to think up new post ideas*

PR (10)

41. 15 ways PR can help social media*
42. How to pitch to Mashable
43. A media relations tool for Twitter
44. The best social media tools for PR professionals*
45 PR: From begging to earning attention
46. 15 ways to measure return on engagement (ROE) of Social Media
47. 6 PR Facts Every Marketer Must Know
48. 6 indicators of hope in PR measurement
49. 5 new online tools for PR pros
50. The top 100 PR websites of 2009

Facebook / LinkedIn (10)

51. 20 facebook tips and tricks you might not know about
52. 10 steps make your facebook page shine
53. How to create the perfect facebook fan page
54. 5 tips for optimizing your facebook page
55. 5 tips for getting more from facebook*
56. 5 tips for getting more from LinkedIn*
57. 6 ways to use LinkedIn
58. 33 ways to use LinkedIn for business
59. 8 tips for managing LinkedIn Groups*
60. A collection of ten more great Blog posts about LinkedIn

Case Studies / In Action (10)

61. Case studies of four brands using social media
62. 9 marketing lessons of the pink ribbon Cancer campaign
63. Video: Burger King Whopper Sacrifice (Facebook Campaign)*
64. Video: The clever launch of the Seat Ibiza in Israel
65. Social Media Policies of 113 Organisations
66. Video: Cannes PR Lions Finalist: The £10m Tongue (Costa Coffee)*
66. 30 UK Social Media case Studies*
67. Dairy queen: how it uses social media
68. 6 Social Media Marketing Case Study Lessons
69. HBO's integrated campaign for True Blood
70. Peter Kim's comprehensive Wiki of social media marketing campaigns *

Mobile / Content / Measurement / SEO / Other (20)

71. 50 top creative Blogs*
72. How to determine your internet marketing budget
73. The 75 best business blogs of 2009
74. 5 easy ways to optimize your site for Bing
75. Companies Engaging in Social Media Have Higher Financial Performance
76. Ways to influence people online
77. 5 ways to beat the SEO competition in Google
78. 100 useful bookmarklets for better productivity (ultimate list)*
79. 40 Search / SEO Case Studies
80. 10 Tips for Writing bokkmarkable content
81. 15 best places to get free stock photos online*
82. 5 simple ways to create a content culture at your company
83. The five factors of compelling content
84. The benefits of the very under-rated DABR mobile Twitter app
85. 30 iPhone apps reviewed
86. An early look at Foursquare and Gowalla
87. A 'B' listers first thoughts on Google Wave
88. 3 financial dangers of social media
90. How to achieve audience participation in 2010 (customer engagement research report)

Finally, some stuff from me... (9)

91. 10 things I've learnt about social media
92. My top 29 communications blogs /sites of 2009
93. 10 top Twitter / Social Media Apps for Comms pros
94. Video: The World's Most Well Crafted Brand
95. 10 most over-used words in press releases.html
96. Social media adoption curve / life stages: The report
97. 5 Italian traits that Brands / People should adopt for social media success
98. Why 'So What?' is the most important question in PR...and always will be
99. 10 Celebs you wont see fronting PR campaigns in 2010

As you'll see when you click through on the links you'll arrive at the host site for each piece of content. That is is where you'll find who was responsible for the great stuff you're checking out.

A few people make several appearances in this list and I wanted to single them out for a special mention, including: Matt Singley, Sarah Evans, Simon Mainwaring, Dave Fleet, Francisco Rosales, Daniel Honigman, the guys at Econsultancy, the guys at Spotlight ideas, the excellent Entrepreneur.com, my pals at Paratus Communications...and there's a heap more. If / when you do click through to their content, be sure to thank them for their hard work.

My last tip, before I go and never look at my laptop ever again is this: file, file, file! There are so many ways to be organised and be productive when it comes to this area (including many excellent tools listed here).

As always, if you'd like to get in touch about anything to do with PR / Social Media, or how we're blending the two at Paratus Communications, feel free to drop me an email at: adam@paratuscommunications.com

Or follow me via Twitter: @AdamVincenzini

Finally (seriously) I hope you found this useful.

AV
P.S If you fancy linking back to this Blog, please go ahead.

In social media, nothing great can ever be achieved on your own...

I very much subscribe to Emerson's 'nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm' mantra.

It's my favourite quote, shared with me by one of my favourite people (he knows who he is).

That quote, and the evolution of social media in 2009 has since led to the creation of another mantra which I think we should all consider adopting / recognising.

"In social media, nothing great can ever be achieved on your own."

Sure, it's up to you to be great, but you can't do it without some help along the way.

This year, as I've become increasingly enamoured with Social Media (both professionally and personally), I wanted to take time out to recognise one person who has helped me immeasurably, and without embarrassing her, is one of the brightest and most switched on people I've ever come across.

If you subscribe to the fact that social media is, at its core, about being useful and helpful (as I do) you probably follow her already.

Her name is Gemma Went - the director and founder of Red Cube Marketing.

Red Cube has only been in operation for the last 12 months but thanks to her hard work (and that of her extended team) it has already established itself as agency worth keeping a 'proper' eye on.

Gemma truly embodies the 'nothing great can ever be achieved on your own' mantra (actually, if anyone can, she probably could!) but thanks to her selfless approach to her craft, thousands of people have learnt bucket loads from her in 2009, including me, consequently making an incredible impact on the way many of us do things in the social media space.

I won't embarrass her any further, but if you have learnt a bit from Gemma this year, it's not too late to send her a gift, and if you haven't been following her, hop to it immediately...she rocks.

Gemma's details:

http://twitter.com/gemmawent

http://www.redcubemarketing-blog.com/

Merry Christmas all, and have a great 2010.

AV

10 Celebs You Won't See Fronting PR Campaigns in 2010

By @AdamVincenzini.

1863. That was the year brand endorsement by celebrities was born.

Pope's Leo XIII and Pius X, and a certain Queen Victoria 'endorsed' what was the Coca-Cola of the 1800's - Vin Mariani (which was also known for containing significant levels of Cocaine...coincidence?)

Now, nearly 150 years later, and with celebrities dominating the media more than ever before, I'd like to nominate ten high profile names who you WON'T see fronting PR campaigns in 2010.

Why? Well, that'll be pretty obvious (I hope) as you read this post.

And, as always, there's a moral / lesson associated with anything produced on The Comms Corner...feel free to grab it at the end.

The Tainted Ten of 2010

1. Tiger Woods - AAA LICENCES: Learn to drive (a car) like Tiger. Umm, can't see these guys (or a million others) queuing up for Tiger in 2010.

2. Michael Jackson - Sadly in 2009, that 'was' it for MJ. Strangely though, a 'not alive' Michael would probably be safer bet for a brand than an alive one. Still, I can't see him being that 'active' in 2010, can you? (RIP by the way, I miss you)

3. Kanye West - Mr West has clearly decided that the 'just being talked about strategy, no matter the context' is the one for him. Unfortunately, that approach would cause most PR people to go into cardiac arrest...we all like a challenge, but...

4. Gordon Ramsay - F**k, f**k, f**k. No Gordon, it's not your swearing that scares me in 2010, it's the fact that you might go off and do just that with someone you're not married to.

5. Marlon King - For those who aren't aware, Marlon (the nice chap) is a football player (Soccer to some) who decided to punch a woman in the face after she declined his sexual advances. Yep, sign him up in 2010...if he's not serving time.

6. Kerry Katona - Kerry, who for a long time has been the 'face' of the Iceland brand in the UK for the last few years has made the life choice to spend more time 'off her face' which isn't usually the recipe for success when selecting a name to align with a campaign.

7. Pamela Anderson - One of my favourite nominations. Another one who 'allegedly' prefers to operate in fairy land as opposed to the real world, which also makes her a 'questionable' spokesperson in 2010. I hear she is taking panto offers though...

8. Silvio Berlusconi - Does this one need an explanation?!? Really?!?!?

9. Chris Brown - Poor R&B star Chris Brown had a tough year. So tough that in 2010 I'd go far as to say that not only will brands avoid him like the plague, but if he was caught in the driving rain he wouldn't even be offered an umbrella, ella, ella...

10. Blank - I've purposely left this one blank so you can help pick the final one (and perhaps a handful more) - here are some of my additional recommendations to help you get started...

- Amy Winehouse
- Christian Bale
- Jonathan Ross
- Russell Brand
- Bobby Brown
- Heather Mills
- Jodie Marsh (who is she again?)
- Jordan / Katie Price
- Lindsay Lohan

(Just drop any thoughts you have into the comment box below)

Oh, back to the moral of the post.

Nothing can elevate a brand / product like a celebrity tie-up can.

However, as we've seen of late with Tiger Woods, nothing drives fear into brands more than a very public scandal.

So think long and hard about your strategy involving celebrities in 2010, because although the negatives and positives haven't changed, the speed in which both can occur these days has.

AV

P.S Thanks to the people who helped contribute to this post.

Top Twitter-related Google searches of '09 (UK, USA, OZ)

Do the top 'Twitter-related' Google seraches of 2009 tell us much about the social media habits (and approaches) by people in the UK, US and Australia?

Well, potentially yes...and potentially no.

At the very least, it does provide some indication as to where people in these countries are fixed in relation to the 'social media adoption curve' (for more on this subject, click here).

While 2009, for most people, was about getting their feet wet and keeping tabs on celebrities, there is enough anicdotal evidence to suggest 2010 will signal the start of the mass movement towards 'needs-based' usage of Twitter (and Social Media).

Top UK Searches geographical reprsentation available here

1. twitter facebook

2. twitter uk

3. twitter search

4. twitter stephen fry

5. twitter katie price

6. twitter blog

7. peter andre twitter

8. peter andre

9. katie price


Top US Searches geographical reprsentation available here

1. twitter facebook

2. how to twitter

3. what is twitter

4. twitter search

5. twitter blog

6. twitter wiki

7. twitter iphone

8. twitter app

9. miley twitter

10. miley cyrus twitter


Australia geographical reprsentation available here

1. facebook twitter

2. search twitter

3. what is twitter

4. twitter wiki

5. twitter pink

6. twitter miley cyrus

7. miley cyrus

8. twitter mobile

9. lance twitter

10. lance armstrong twitter

What on earth do these tables / stats mean?

Google's top searches facility (Insight) allows users to search terms with the most significant level of interest.

These terms are related to the term that you enter (in this case, "Twitter").

The Google system determines relativity by examining searches that have been conducted by a large group of users preceding the search term entered, as well as after.

In short, it allows us to see what the world is searching for in relation to "Twitter".

But, I must stress, the data / output is very basic and goes back to the point I made up top: perhaps it tells us everything...or perhaps it tells us nothing.

You decide.

AV

TwitCritics.com serves up real time movie reviews from Twitter

Paranormal Activity. 2012. District 9.

Not only are they some of 2009's biggest movies but they have also been some of the world's biggest trending topics on Twitter this year.

So, surely there must be a clever app / service that aims to capitalise on this fact?

There is, and it's called http://www.twitcritics.com/

What is it?

TwitCritics automatically gathers tweets about new movies, then determines if those collected tweets are positive or negative, before finally delivering a rating and critique - clever eh?

How do you add a review?

Just tweet your comment about a movie, including it's title. You do not have to DM the service or use a hashtag, but you can if you'd like to (#TwitCritics).

TwitCritics does the rest.

Why is it worth a look?

TwitCritics shows you the opinions of real people, not just professional movie critics. These 'real' reviews count towards a film's rating as soon as they are shared on Twitter.

The main page shows you the overall rating for each movie. This rating is the percentage of tweets that are positive of all the collected tweet reviews.

My review of TwitCritics

TwitCritics is still in beta and definitely feels that way.

The site is a bit clunky and aesthetically isn't that pleasing.

However, if they get it right, it could be a very nifty and helpful service (which now is also available on your mobile).

AV

VIDEO: Tiger Woods learnt 'too much' from Michael Jordan

Poor Tiger. His biggest mistake wasn't what has transpired over the last few weeks.

His error came in trying to out-do Michael Jordan as this generation's most recognisable and marketable athlete.

Track the Jordan brand evolution here with a video I compiled recently.

UPDATE: His only gone and followed Michael by taking an 'indefinite break from the game' - sound familiar?

5 conversations to avoid having with your boss at the office Xmas party

It's Friday. It's December. So, this week, I'm combining my usual 'fun Friday' post with an element of Christmas. Yep, party season.

Now, this Blog is dedicated to communications and conversations (still trying to justify this post, clearly) so I thought it was worth looking at the top five conversations YOU DON'T want to have with your boss at this year's Christmas party.

Without further ado, here are my nominations...

1. "It's true, all I do is mess about on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn all day long. It's not research. It costs you more money than I'm worth. And LinkedIn is the greatest job search tool ever invented. Fact."

Only use this one if you want to have a moderately uncomfortable night.

2. "OK, I admit it, that taxi receipt for £85 was not legit."

Tisk, tisk. Once signed off, bury your feelings deep (plus it was legit!!). If you do happen to make this mistake, quietly remind yourself: "NEVER AGAIN!"

3. "Sure. I'd love to take on that role next year. Awesome."

This breaks one of the classic rules of communication: Agreeing to something when you're suffering from distress and /or stress, or when you're simply in a mess.

Alcohol is not a truth syrup. (Also, never bring a pen to a Christmas party. Verbal agreements can usually be brought into question. A signature, not matter how wonky, is a little tougher).

4. "You know 11 months ago, when I sent that email out? The one with all that confidential company information? Yeah, I kinda, hit the 'send to global address book' button too..."

Arrgghh! The fundamental rule (and the one not to adopt if you want to be a transparent and sound communications professional) is 'deny til you die.'

5. "I hate my Secret Santa gift. Whoever got it clearly put no thought into it."

Now, I think you should always adopt the 'Fight Club' approach to Secret Santa the minute after gifts have been exchanged: "There was no Secret Santa."

That brings this week's 'tentatively linked to communications' post to a close.

As always, however, there's usually a moral to the story and this week is no different.

"It's not a lie if YOU believe it."

AV

NOTE: The more useful / serious stuff will return next week...depending on how tonight's Christmas party goes...

5 Italian traits that brands / people should adopt for social media success

Yep. Vincenzini. A good old fashioned Irish name.

OK, a little lie, it's Italian, but I don't consider myself Italian per se after growing up in Australia, but I did grow up with very Italian values instilled in me.

Take all ‘comedic’ stereotypes out of the equation for a second and you're left with some pretty compelling evidence to suggest when it comes to Social Media, ‘Italian’ might be the way to go.

I've looked at five typically Italian traits and characteristics and explained why they could / should be adopted by everyone.

1. Italians invented sharing. You pop around for a coffee and you'll probably leave with a new car. Tip: Be a 'giver' on social media platforms, your generosity will be appreciated and reciprocated...even if that's not your aim.

2. Passion and enthusiasm. If you could bottle this stuff you'd be rich. The most compelling brands, people and products are the ones that exude passion. Tip: Be real, be passionate but know your boundaries...too much can also be suffocating.

3. Real connections. The most wonderful and annoying thing about having an Italian family is that they know everything about you, they genuinely care and have an interest in you. Imagine a brand who was able to do that? That brand would essentially be a member of the family. Via social media this could possibly happen. Tip: Care about your network and listen to the people you are connecting with!

4. Italians don't believe in scoreboards (apart from at Football matches). By that I mean they don't squabble over having favours returned and they're not concerned with meaningless numbers. As long as the important people in your life are collectively happy, the details are irrelevant. Tip: Don't keep score.

5. Italians are creative. Not only some of the most creative artists and designers come from “il bel paese” but Italians learn to be creative in their daily life! From creative ways to find a parking lot to all the different ways you could drink your coffee in an Italian bar. Tip: Creativity is a key ingredient for a successful social media communication campaign.

So, be a giver, passionate, connect with people, don’t keep a scorecard and be creative. That’s the real Italian social media recipe!

Cheers
AV

Also a big thanks to this post's co-author @ChiaraCosenza who added in all the sensible / helpful bits.

Who will ultimately win the social media land grab?

The answer is INCREDIBLY obvious.

No-one.

The reason is even MORE obvious.

Social media is underpinned by many principals, but two are particularly important, especially in relation to this issue:

Collaboration and sharing

And 'land grabbing' undermines these core values.

Frustratingly, the stumbling block lies (no pun intended) with everyone involved in the process, caused by a combination of fear and a shortage of knowledge / understanding.

And, the tough year that many agencies have had to endure is also a factor.

But, is every disciplined equipped for every brief...really?!?

Personally, I think it comes back to using the right people for the right job, and as social media activity can take the form of many guises, the entire communications industry has a role to to play in assisting clients with strategy, creativity and delivery.

In fact, social media can be THAT broad that in many cases each discipline will be required to work SEAMLESSLY TOGETHER to maximise the investment for clients.

I could make a case for each discipline (and I'm sure some will make a case for dedicated social media agencies), but seeing as that I come from a PR background I thought I'd bring my argument to life with the following example.

One element of the mix: compelling content

I truly believe the discipline best equipped to help brands create 'compelling content' is PR.

Now, before you get too excited, I'm just looking at one element of the social media mix to highlight how everyone can and does have a role to play.

Why PR? Well, of all the marketing disciplines, PR is the only one that creates content designed to be adopted by a third party i.e. the media.

For everything else, you must pay to have your message communicated to your audience.

Now, in no way am I saying that PR is the single 'custodian' of content - I'm simply saying that the best PRs can adapt / craft content in a very efficient and effective way.

Clearly, in the case of social media, a different approach is required compared to the one adopted for 'traditional' media.

It needs to more intimate, it needs to speak the language of the people using the tools, and it must never 'sell'.

But, I truly believe (and have seen it in action) that the good PRs can make a serious claim of being best equipped to create content of this nature (and this is not 'land grabbing' btw, hopefully illustrated by what you've read so far and the next sentence).

But comes back to my initial points: in order to deliver the best results for the client, agencies MUST collaborate and share and do the things they are good at doing...and again, the 'good ones' are doing just that.

Compelling? Maybe. Common sense? Definitely.

What do you think? Is one discipline better placed than the other? Is it a matter having the right people, with the right experience in place depending on the brief? Does anyone really know the answer?

Drop your comments in the box below.

Cheers
AV

PRESENTATION: Mixing traditional and digital PR

Today, I'm giving a presentation to some 2nd year marketing students about the impact social media and new technology has had on PR.

Below is the final presentation as featured on SlideShare...thought it might be useful.

NOTE: There are videos embedded in the presentation - if you'd like to view them, click on the corresponding YouTube link featured below each box.

Mixing Digital And Traditional PR - An introduction

View more presentations from Paratus Communications.

An extra special credit / thanks - I''ve credited a few sources at the end of this presentation but wanted to highlight that good portion of the 'What is social media?' section is courtesy of the head honcho at Red Cube Marketing, Gemma Went - her blog 'The Cube' is listed here and is always worth checking out. For more visit http://www.redcubemarketing-blog.com/

AV

"So What?" - The most important question in PR for all eternity

I'm giving a talk to some PR / Marketing students tomorrow about the impact new media / technology has had on PR (I'll post the final presentation up on SlideShare tomorrow).

The strange thing is, the most simple, old, tried and tested slide is still the most powerful of the whole deck.

That slide is 'the criteria for what makes news.'

And from that, the main message I want them to take out of the session tomorrow is: "So what?"

Why? Because, that is the foundation for compelling content.

No matter the medium.

The "so what?" test is just as applicable to the Editor of a Blog read by 300 people a day as it is to the Editor of The Sun which is read by 3 million people a day.

I won't give away the whole presentation now (swing by tomorrow for that!), but here is the criteria for what makes news.

NOTE: We use this as a 'filter' at Paratus. Unless we can confidently say that the majority of the criteria have been satisfied, we won't let it fly.

TOPICALITY - What is the relevance, today, of the story?

PROMINENCE - Is the story extraordinary?

PROXIMITY - Is it relevant to the area the media covers?

CONSEQUENCE - So “whatness” (the big one).

CHANGE - What’s not the same anymore, does that matter?

ACTION -Is something actually “happening” of interest?

CONCRETENESS - What is tangible about the story?

PERSONALITY - Is there a human face of interest?

RARITY - Is it bizarre, unusual?

CONFLICT - Does the story cause a change / drive debate?

Thanks for dropping by The Comms Corner.

AV

Only a 5% chance of 'committing' to Twitter?

Twitter and the five stages of a committed relationship - the investigation...

I was shown a diagram this week which said I was likely to experience three stages of social media adoption.

First up, addiction, followed by ambivalence before finally adopting a 'needs-based' approach.

(There's also another school of thought which suggests it follows the five steps of 'grief' i.e. denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance)

But the first one struck more of a chord.

I've been (and in many ways still am) in the addiction phase, I've experienced the love / hate period, and of late social media has increasingly become a 'tool' that I use when required.

But, as we're talking about 'social' media I thought it was missing something.

It took a bit of thinking but then it hit me...almost as if Cupid had shot an arrow at me: Social media adoption and 'actual' relationships face virtually (no pun intended) the same challenge(s).

What?!?

OK, let me explain in brief.

According to the five stages of a committed relationship model by Sarah Shultz, we typically experience the following journey.

Stage One - The Romance Stage

Everything about that person is intriguing, fun, interesting, new and exciting.

Now, think to your first dalliance with Twitter (or Facebook, or any other social media vehicle) - some similarities? I think so.

Stage Two - The Disillusionment Stage

Also known as the 'adjusting to reality' stage - and it's exactly that, the 'newness' wears off a touch and that all-consuming 'drunk' feeling is replaced by a few doubts / questions.

Again, I think I experienced this with Twitter. I got over-excited, thought it was something it wasn't and therefore it wasn't being as good to me as it was to begin with.

Stage Three - The Power Struggle Stage

Also known as the 'distress' stage and naturally follows on from stage two, but the fallout becomes harder to deal with.

More than anything, you're aware of the differences between you and that person - which presents several challenges - and compromising / making adjustments is tough, but necessary.

This definitely occurred in my Twitter adoption phase. Did I really want to bend / not be 'me' to make it work? It turns out (as it often does in a relationship) that you don't change per se, you just become more self aware, allowing the evolution to continue, setting you up for the next stage.

Stage Four - The Stability Stage

Restful and peaceful compared to stage three. You've been through some challenges but you survived, allowing you to thrive on the fact that you came out of that difficult stage in tact.

I had some serious doubts about what role, if any, I wanted Twitter to play in my day-to-day life but once I got past that, I saw its benefits and actually grew to appreciate the lessons it was teaching me i.e. sharing, listening and all the other things that go with it.

Stage Five - The Commitment Stage

Also known as the acceptance or transformation stage. You make a conscious choice to be with that person in spite of all the things that annoy you because overall, that person make you better and vice versa - you become a much more potent team.

Now this is the tricky one for me, mainly because I don't think anyone on the planet can say they are committed to Twitter.

Well, they can, but there's no proof. If in 10 years time Twitter and I are still 'together' then yes, I can more confidently say that we are / were in a committed relationship.

Want to know the scary thing? It estimated that only 5% of couples make it to the commitment stage.

Now, if our individual and collective relationships with Twitter follow the pattern outlined above (which I think there's enough evidence to suggest it has so far), is there only a 5% chance that it will be part of our lives in 10 years time?

Perhaps it will have been replaced by something else long before then?

Perhaps it is just a fling?

No matter what, human beings follow patterns.

And on a social level, those patterns are even easier to predict because our personality and connected emotions play such a huge role in how we respond / act.

I hope that 5% prediction is wrong.

But I also look at my relationship history, and well, perhaps 5% could be incredibly generous. I am human, after all.

What do you think? Could Twitter follow the same pattern as a relationship? Drop your comments in the box below.

Cheers
AV

Has Twitter (and social media) made the PR industry more friendly?

So, hands up, how many new 'friends' have you made this year? Lost count? I have.

And you know what the scary thing is (God, I hope no-one reads this) a lot of them have been people that I'm not supposed to like. I know, I know, ssshhhhh!

Well, that's a little lie. It's just that in the PR industry it's an unwritten rule that you don't really fraternise with the competition...let alone say anything nice about them.

But you know what, and hold on to your seats, there's a reason why we all work in this crazy game: Yep, we have a sh*t load in common.

And its taken a little thing called Twitter and the rest of the social media explosion to make 'connecting' happen (albeit on a very gentle scale).

Now, someone suggested to me that it's our naturally narcissistic nature that lends itself to broadcasting our daily tidbits to the world...yeah, ok, I buy that (some more than others!), but I also think we just like to communicate...we're chatty...we can't keep our mouths shut...you get the picture.

The big question remains: do we mean it...all the niceness and sharing...is it for real?

I think yes, definitely.

Perhaps this new found fondness toward each other will translate outwardly and society will like us just a tad more and then we can all retire happy, knowing that God might let us through heaven's gates...one day.

Be nice now ;)

NOTE: As someone who has been on the client side (although I'm back to being an agency boy now), only three things mattered to me when I was searching for agencies and it's the same for every other potential client: Strategy, Creativty and Delivery. That's it. The whole 'b*tchy' side is fun to watch, but just get on with worrying about how my brand is being perceived...not your own (that was me being the client btw, not me, yep).

5 Reasons Why You Should Follow @MattSingley and his Blog

A couple weeks back, I compiled a list of my top 29 communications blogs of 2009.

The aim was pretty simple: share my 'discoveries' and create a useful tool / resource for other people.

Now, without giving @MattSingley too big a head (or give him the impression that I'm stalking him!) he really is one of the best people (in my very humble opinion) to follow on Twitter and subscribe to via RSS.

You can find out more about Matt by clicking here but in a nutshell, Matt's one of the very few people I've come across who can translate social media strategy (which he has a great handle on) and make it digestible for the average Joe.

Anyway, enough of the 'why Matt rocks' stuff (kinda), here's five reasons why I think you should add Matt Singley's Blog to your reading list.

1. His posts are useful and helpful - check out the recent what you need to know about running a social media program from a client perspective post to get an idea of what I mean (only part one of a six part post in the series btw, first two have been great....rest to follow today)

2. Tool Time - Productivity is one of Matt's main area's and in an industry which is as much about time management and effective use of tools as it is about anything else, you'll find a bunch of great tips and resources by clicking here.

3. He has an opinion / position - helps eh? Well it does for me. In what is still a relatively new area, it's quite hard to come across people who have the confidence to actually 'say something' - Matt does it, but generally in a constructive way, and that in turn gives me confidence in what he's saying.

4. Know now, no, now...now! With things moving so quickly, it's hard to stay on top of every new development, but I've found that the important stuff that 'you must know' Matt covers off at the right time and in the right way - check out his post on why Foursquare is the next social network. That'll help.

5. He just seems like a decent guy - for me, the most important one - in my little foray into social media this year I've found the people / blogger's I warm to the most are incredibly socially aware (funny that!). But Matt is, and it translates in his activity online.

Now the disclaimer / my two pence: Matt hasn't paid me to write this post (in fact I think I've probably embarrassed the hell out of him).

I just think it's worth highlighting the people who really know their stuff - I've learnt a helluva lot from Matt of late and I don't see why you shouldn't too (if you're not already!!)

Are there any other Blogs / Blogger's you really admire? Pop them into the comments box below...no harm in sharing :)

Cheers
AV

2009 Social Media Year In Review Video: Call For Contributions...

Howdy

It's been a big, incredible, groundbreaking year in social media...in fact there isn't an adjective that really does it justice. True story.

In reflecting on what the highlights of the year have been I've really struggled to narrow things down...primarily because there has just been so much stuff to take in.

So, it's pretty simple, I'd love you to send through your suggestions for what social media has meant for you in 2009.

It could be something very personal or it could be something very universal.

The aim being that in the lead up to Xmas, I'll edit together a video capturing a collection of this feedback.

You might want to send a link to a your definition of social media through, a YouTube video, an article, a blog post you've written, your favourite Tweet - seriously, anything and everything is welcome.

Simply send your suggestions through to: adamcvincenzini@hotmail.com

The 'deadline' is 15 December 2009.

Cheers
AV

Blogger's Co-Op Update: 2 December

Slowly but surely pulling together the foundations for the Blogger's Co-Op - a spot for anyone who blogs to come and share...anything and everything.

Two groups have been set up which you're welcome to join and contribute to:


Blogger's Co-Op Group on LinkedIn

Blogger's Co-Op Group on Facebook

And for the first time, some of the week's most useful posts about blogging have been brought together and listed below for easy access.

Unblocking Blogger's Block via adesblog.com

5 Questions you should ask yourself each week in relation you your blog via SimplyZesty.com

Top 5 blogging misconceptions via dailyblogtips.com

Tips on how to blog faster via DavidRisley.com

And for something different 6 stretching exercises for bloggers via blogdesignstudio.com

About The Blogger's Co-Op

The recently launched Blogger's Co-Op is a group for people who wanted to trade ideas, thoughts, challenges etc in relation to their blogging exploits.

Hopefully this will open doors to other opportunities such as content sharing, backlinking, guests spots and much more.

Cheers
AV

NOTE: The pic - yep - if you're a fan of The Wire you'll know that is Jay Landsman, McNulty's boss...of sorts.

The Blogger's Co-Op originated (in part) from the Co-Op run by Proposition Joe in The Wire (if you're not familiar with the show, get in there, it's great)