Archive for March, 2010



The Wire: Innovative, Interactive News

March 24th, 2010 by Erin Posted in Technology | No Comments »

Okay, it looks confusing but it’s very cool and oh so innovative.

Amid news that the TV news industry is dying a slow death comes The Wire, an interactive news website affiliated with WCCO-TV that lets users track, comment on, and contribute to developing stories.

While it’s pretty simple at the heart, there is A LOT going on at this site.

There is a searchable three-day timeline with pop-up boxes for news, events and comments from both WCCO-TV newsroom staff and users. Users can click on an entry for more information, including text, photos, video or behind-the-scenes notes from reporters. Then they can add comments or share them with their social networks.

The Wire lets users watch in real time as news stories unfold. Whenever information comes in on a story the station adds a new post, so users can scroll back and forth to see what happened when.

The timeline also includes tweets from WCCO staff and from other local news sources, including competing television stations.

The Wire also has potential for added revenue with brand integration.

WCCO plans to allow organizations and business to buy a spot on the site’s timeline which, according to the TV station, will be the online equivalent of product placement on the air.

This is ingenius to say the least. Perhaps The Wire’s only downfall is its use at the local TV level.

In my opinion it needs a bigger platform, something at a national level.

Let’s hope that people do use it, and that it can turn a profit.

The Wire could very well be the lifeline that saves TV news.

 Tags: , ,

Google Buzz for Small Business

March 17th, 2010 by Erin Posted in Small Business | No Comments »

I was skeptical when Google Buzz launched last month.

I thought – and wrote – about why the world would need yet another social networking site… especially one that is so similar to Twitter and Facebook.

I gave it a shot and hated it.  I found it muddled, disorganized, confusing and just plain odd.

I guess Google Buzz’s own saving grace, for me, was its integration with Gmail – easy access.

While Google Buzz hasn’t found a place in my loyal heart yet – social media experts are touting its unique subtleties. According to some, Buzz is a great small business marketing vehicle.

Who knew, right?

According to American Express Open Forum, here are 5 reasons why people should use Google Buzz for small business.

1. Gathering Customer Feedback

Like Twitter, Buzz lets you post a message to a group of “followers” that subscribe to your updates. However, there are a few differences, namely that messages can be longer than 140 characters (and include supporting images and links) and that replies are all grouped under the original message.

This makes conversations easier to track and follow up on. -

2. Engaging With Others

If you use Gmail, there’s a good chance you already have a built-in network on Google Buzz. The service helps you get started by letting you connect with those you e-mail or chat with frequently.

Once you’re following some people, clicking the “Buzz” link from Gmail’s main navigation will let you see their most recent updates. You can comment on them, “like” them, or follow up personally with an e-mail or chat message.

3. Collaboration

Buzz can be used both for broadcasting a message to all of your followers and to select groups of them. If you’ve already set up Groups in Gmail, they’re already available in Buzz. If not, you can create new ones on-the-fly.

Posting a private message on Buzz works exactly the same as posting a public one – you just select the Group you want to be able to see it, and then only those people will be able to view and comment on it. It’s instant, private collaboration.

4. Marketing

It’s too soon to tell whether Buzz will have the type of impact for brick-and-mortar businesses that services like Yelp and increasingly Foursquare have had, but it has a very similar feature set. Users can “check in” at business locations, in turn notifying their followers of their whereabouts. Thus, encouraging your customers to check in on Buzz (and other location-based services) can be a way to drive free word-of-mouth marketing for your business.

5. Sharing Content

Just like Twitter and Facebook, Buzz has the potential to be a powerful medium for sharing content. You can use it to share blog posts, special deals, or interesting links related to your niche. Just like other social media services, you shouldn’t overdo it though – you want to mix promotional messages with a balance of other useful information and conversation for your followers.

The downside to Google Buzz for business?

There are no business accounts and it’s not mobile.

Nonetheless, experts suggest you get familiar with Buzz’s features and functionality… because the site could become immensely valuable in the future.

 Tags: , ,

Foursquare Not So Square After All

March 10th, 2010 by Erin Posted in Business, Small Business | No Comments »

There has been a lot of talk about Foursquare lately. People are saying how the new location-based social network is going to change the world; how it’s redefining what it means to be just a Joe Shmoe establishment; how it’s pioneering a “deeper connection” between patrons and place. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Me? I’ve been on the fence. I’ve seen my friends Foursquare “check-ins” and have wondered…. what’s the point? Do people really want to know where I am having lunch or getting coffee?

Yesterday, I discovered that the answer is yes. While my average Twitter and Facebook followers could care less about my whereabouts… businesses care.

In fact businesses care so much, Foursquare has created a new dashboard that will soon be rolling out to business owners across the country.

The dashboard is still an alpha product… but word is that it will be able to make the distinction between staff and customers, and track check-ins on a daily, weekly, 30/60/90-day or all-time basis.

The new Foursquare business data will also include:

-Total check-ins

-Unique visitors

-Male-to-female ratio

-Social media-sharing (i.e. showing how many users are sending their checkins to Twitter.)

-Top visitors

-Check-in time breakdown

Foursquare reps have also confirmed the possibility of correlating check-ins with weather patterns, a feature that may prove beneficial to businesses that offer rainy day incentives.

I think this all sounds very innovative… and it will certainly help put some small businesses on the map (emphasis on the word some). I don’t see Foursquare doing much for companies like Stature Software, or even big businesses like McDonald’s or Wal-Mart.

I mean, c’mon, why would you ever want people to know that you’re shopping at Wal-Mart?

We’ll have to see where all of this goes at Foursquare. My gut says though that it’s a flash in the pan.

 Tags: , ,

5 Things I Didn’t Know About LinkedIn… Until Now

March 3rd, 2010 by Erin Posted in Stature Projects | No Comments »

Perhaps I’ve been living in the dark ages, but only now have I discovered what LinkedIn can do.

Sick of the mindless nonsense on Facebook (and endless FarmVille notifications from friends), I decided the other week to revisit my LinkedIn account.  I’m glad I did.

LinkedIn really is an extraordinary site – and one that seems to have stood the test of time in the world of professional social networking. Sure LinkedIn is slow at times, but its connections, recommendations, jobs features are all great stuff.

Now as I dig deeper into LinkedIn’s world, I’m discovering my profile can be so much more than just a glorified resume.

Here are five things I didn’t know about LinkedIn… until now.

1. Video. Add video to your profile with LinkedIn’s video application. Reel Social Media has step-by-step instructions for those who are technically-challenged. This is a great feature for anyone who wants to showcase speeches, presentations. It can even be an unique way to add recommendations.

2. Tag your contacts. Give your contacts unique labels so you can remember who they are and where you met.

3. Reorder your profile to highlight your best attributes. Again, don’t think of your profile as a resume. Think of it as a mirror image of yourself.  LinkedIn just introduced this new reordering feature and there’s a handy video guide on the company blog.

4. Who’s viewed your profile? Stroke your ego and stay on top of who’s paying attention to YOU. LinkedIn let’s you see who’s viewed your profile, a feature the other guys don’t have – yet.

5. Get traffic. This may seem like a no-brainer, but people don’t take advantage of this feature as much as they should. Everyone should use LinkedIn to drive more traffic – especially targeted traffic – to their website. Do this by first linking yourself to people you know, then by answering the questions of people you don’t.  Also, join and participate in groups that cater to your niche.

Admittedly, I’ve only begun to scratch the surface at LinkedIn. I’ve spent way too much time away.

I’m back now and excited to see what the site can really do.


 Tags: , , ,