Social Media Track Changes (28 December 2011)

Do you find it hard to stay across all the changes that are constantly being made to the key social media platforms?

I know I do.

So, I'm introducing a new feature to my blog in 2012 which should help.

The weekly post is called 'Social Media Track Changes' and it will do what it says on the tin - track all the changes made to the most popular social media channels over the previous seven days.

Here is the first edition...

Social Media Track Changes (28 December 2011)

1. YouTube Slam - a new 'viral' video sensation discovery game where you vote for new content against similar videos. Full story here.
2. Facebook's 'Check Out This Idea' function - Facebook is in the process of testing some new call-to-action functions to add to sponsored stories and 'likes'.
3. Google+ upgrades aplenty - A bunch of updates were announced this week, including the ability to have up 50 administrators per Google+ page.
4. Connect blogger to Google+ - This makes it easier to share your posts direct to your circles. Nice one.
5. DropBox upgrades its Android app - DropBox, everyone's favourite file sharing service, has added some new features to its Android app including a 'favourites' function.

This was a bit of a test post to see if it is a worthwhile thing to do.

I'm hoping it will become more robust now that I'm on the lookout for these updates / upgrades.

If you have a suggestion for 'Social Media Track Changes' please drop me an email.

Three slides that can make or break an online community

The art of community management and building has often been regarded as a very difficult one to master (predominantly due to the fact that each community has its own DNA).

However, there are three key pillars which can make or break online communities driven by brands and businesses.

The three areas of focus are:


Content balance – what should you be talking about
Community building – getting the right people to interact with you / your page
Brand output – the types of activity that should characterise your presence

Over the course of the last 12 months, I've regularly referred to the slides that follow to help explain each area.

Slide one

Explanation:

All this slide is saying is that if you just feed your community ‘salesy’ product or marketing messages you won’t appeal to hem as much as you could. The key to any community, online or offline, is to identify shared interests. Once you have  your bucket of shared interests / passions, you can connect on more than just a product level. If you can be useful within this context, you will generate an even greater rapport.

Slide two

Explanation:

A very common sense slide but getting the balance right is often difficult. Yes, communities thrive on great and relevant content, but the actual end-product needs to be something that encourages interactivity. And, if you don’t promote your community, there won’t be anyone there to interact with the environment you are creating.

Slide three

Explanation:

Balance, again, is key here. By using each of these different types of consumer engagement techniques you can keep your destination fresh (and followed).

While there is a lot more to successful community building and management, these three slides play an integral role.

Download these slides

These slides are available for download via Slideshare.

10 UK brands making the most of the Google Chrome web app store

Google Chrome, the web browser from Google, continues to increase in popularity around the globe.

In fact, a recent report has Chrome in 2nd place overall, only behind Internet Explorer (and ahead of Firefox and Safari).

This is an important development for brands and businesses who are constantly looking for the most efficient ways to infiltrate the consciousness of existing and prospective customers.

It is also why I have often wondered why more brands haven't developed apps and extensions for Google Chrome - it is a very easy way to increase daily interaction and engagement as long as you create the right platform.

A small amount of UK businesses are making the most of this opportunity, including the following examples:

10 UK brands with a presence on the Google Chrome web app store

1. Tesco Food - a weekly meal planner
2. Chelsea FC - A bespoke version of ChelseaFC.com
3. Mail Online - An extension that notifies you when a story of interest has been published
4. Top Deals London - A 'deals' aggregator
5. BBC Good Food - A bespoke section of BBC Good Food
6. Sky Guide - A simple bookmark
7. Watch ITV - Quick access to the main ITV channels
8. Aston Villa FC App - A carbon copy of the Chelsea FC destination
9. The Guardian - Similar to the Mail Online version
10. Invisible Hand - A clever way to compare prices within standard web pages

Resulting observations / questions

1. Media brands dominate the list (as you'd expect)
2. Many of the 'destinations' aren't that different from regular web experiences
3. Why aren't other brands / businesses making more of this opportunity?
4. Which international or US-based brands are leading the way?
5. Are Google Chrome apps a necessity or a 'nice-to-have'?

This post is not the most in-depth investigation into this subject, but rather a conversation starter - will we see more brands develop a presence on Google Chrome in 2012?

And, what experience can brands deliver to add value to existing properties around the web?

Over to you...