Posts Tagged ‘social media’

Facebook Unveils Plans to Take Over Mobile

Posted on: April 5th, 2013 No Comments

by Bobbie Jo Stuff

facebook-mobileThursday Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced software that aims to put Facebook messages and friends right on the home screen of your smart phone, in a similar fashion to how we receive text messages.

Facebook Home is a family of apps that will fuse within Google Android operating systems.

“We’re not building a phone, and we’re not building an operating system, but we’re building something a whole lot deeper than any other app,” Zuckerberg during an event at Facebook’s Menlo Park headquarters.
Facebook demonstrated the software, which will be available for download to a limited number of Android phones starting April 12, and invited partner HTC to reveal the HTC First, the first smartphone to come with Facebook Home pre-installed.

This is a serious step forward in bringing social and mobile closer together.

facebookmobileFacebook Home’s refitted functionality offers users an outlet to have conversations with a single tap, and features “Chat Heads,” interactive profile pictures that you can alter and play with.

Chat Heads deliver message previews and give the option to start a conversation with just one tap. The heads are a part of the entire mobile experience; you’ll be able to interact with Chat Heads sitting atop the screen as you do other things. The flying heads, which you can flick around with wild abandon, work with both Facebook and standard text messages.

Though ads will not be involved in the initial launch, ads will appear on the app eventually. What could this mean for the future of social and mobile marketing, or the future of Facebook? Time will tell.

 

 

Twitter Celebrates 7 Years

Posted on: March 25th, 2013 No Comments

by Danielle Byrd

The first Tweet from @jack was sent seven years ago. And apparently seven is a big year for Twitter because they shared in their blog this old English quote: “Keep a thing seven years, and you’ll always find a use for it.”

What did we do before Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, really any social media platform? I’m sure we can think of something, but now it is an integral part of our daily lives. Even those not on social media are discussing topics that originated from a tweet the other person saw that day. So no matter how much one indulges, or refuses to join in, the social media phenomenon will continue to touch our lives.

Congrats to you Twitter for being one of the big dogs in a competitive social industry. I personally use you for news, industry headlines, and comedic therapy. What do you use Twitter for?

Twitter shared this interesting, yet simple video of a look back at the past seven years.

To view Twitters blog celebrating seven years click here.

Hey, Read This! (5 Lessons Through Quotes on Advertising, Strategy and Leadership)

Posted on: February 20th, 2013 1 Comment

by Robyn Walters

Everyone in the advertising industry will need advice at some or multiple points throughout their career. Here are 5 key life lessons through quotes on advertising, strategy and leadership from the best-of-the-best.robyn

On Advertising:

1) “The objective is to create the impression that the agency has a proprietary methodology for understanding and explaining consumer behavior. It is a way to hide the ultimate advertising truth: creating advertising is largely precision guessing.” – Bob Hoffman The Ad Contrarian

Advertising has never been a science, so do not come down on yourself too hard when a pitch does work. Go back to the drawing board and try again.

2) “The only people who care about advertising are the people who work in advertising.” – George Parker Confessions of a Mad Man

Always ask yourself “what motivates my client?” and speak to that intention.

On Leadership:

3) “Trust is built on credibility, and credibility comes from acting in others’ interests before your own.” – Stephen Denny Killing Giants

Trust and credibility are traits that will take your entire career to build and only seconds to destroy. Act carefully.

4) “The goal in life is not to attain some imaginary ideal; is it to find and fully use our own gifts.” – Gay Hendricks The Big Leap

Never be afraid of your talents, use them to their fullest capacity and be true to yourself. You will land on top.

On Strategy:

5) “If dogs don’t like your dog food, the packaging doesn’t matter.” – Stephen Denny Killing Giants

Advertising is not the solution to poor quality issues. It is an aid, but if people are not willing to voluntarily talk about a product it is time to reevaluate.

Hope these insights help to build and enhance your careers. I am always happy to talk and offer assistance, please feel free to reach out at any time, robyn@robynwalters.com.

Twitter, Something Old, Meets Vine, Something New

Posted on: February 8th, 2013

by Bobbie Jo Stuff, Ad 2 Tampa Bay Intern


vineVine, Twitter’s new app, being coined the “Instagram for video,” is a video sharing app that allows users to upload six-second video clips embedded directly into their tweets. Twitter did not want to follow in Instagram’s photo upload craze. Instead, they designed Vine as a video upload service that stays true to Twitter’s 140-character mantra by restricting upload time. 

Vine launched Jan. 24th and is positioned to be the next great social media platform. This will not be just another hub for cute cat and baby videos, but an app that has potential to bring a new meaning to journalism and news gathering (imagine if hurricane Sandy victims could show videos of the damage instantly.)

Brands are already starting to launch their six-second ad campaigns. Big named companies like General Electric, Red Vines, Urban Outfitters, Malibu Rum and many more have already joined.

Can a six-second ad be effective? Is it the future of advertising? Will more people/brands become a part of this new app? What does this mean for your clients? Only time will tell what this new outlet can do, but it might be a good idea to spend some time learning about Vine now so you’re ahead of the curve.

Vine can be downloaded on iTunes and is compatible with iPhones, iPad and the iPod touch. The app is optimized for the iPhone 5.


Get to Know: Sarah Buckner

Posted on: January 2nd, 2013 1 Comment

Courtesy of Dylan Melcher

The Ad 2 Tampa Bay board is comprised of young professionals throughout the community. Get to know Ad 2  Social Media Director Sarah Buckner. Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn.

Name: Sarah Buckner

Board Position: Social Media Director

Hometown: Born in Tampa but grew up in Tucson, Arizona

College Attended: University of South Florida – Go Bulls!

First Job after College: Marketing Internship Asst. Supervisor at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay

Current Employer & Position: Account Manager at Bayshore Solutions

Favorite Spot in Tampa: So many to choose from! I love Oxford Exchange and Ciro’s, but my most favorite place to be is on the water.

Favorite Ad 2 Event/Memory: I had a blast at the Ad 2 Mid Year Retreat this fall, it was great to meet Ad 2ers from all over the country. And I love a good reason to dress up, especially if it’s in 90′s gear!

Worst Job Horror Story: When I interned for Busch Gardens, one of my responsibilities was to visit the local hotels that sold tickets to the park. After only working there for about a month, I pulled up to the front of one of the hotels I visited regularly and something strange caught my eye so I waited a minute before I got out of the car. The next thing I know, this man runs in front of my parked car and is shot to the ground by a bunch of under cover US Marshals. Yep, I witnessed a wanted fugitive get shot (in the butt, no kidding) by US Marshals while sitting in a SUV wrapped with giraffes and roller coasters.

Anything Else to Share: “In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun. You find the fun, and – SNAP – the job’s a game!” – Mary Poppins

Ad 2 Tampa Bay Hosts Engaging AdTalks: Making Networking Work for You

Posted on: August 8th, 2012

PRESS RELEASE

Ad 2 Tampa Bay Hosts Engaging AdTalks for Young Professionals

Making Networking Work for You
——
TAMPA, FL, August 8, 2012—Ad 2 Tampa Bay has offered emerging
advertising professionals the chance to become successful leaders since 1947. The organization has been recognized for its work in public service and won the national public service campaign last year. With the upcoming Republican National Convention and the organization’s successful June event, “AdTalks, Branding Tampa Bay”, Ad 2 Tampa Bay hosts another engaging program to motivate Tampa’s up and coming leaders.

The upcoming event will be held on August 14th at local favorite, Mangroves SoHo, from 6-8pm and includes valet parking for only $2. The AdTalks program focuses on “How to Make Networking Work for You” and features a discussion lead by Marla Lucas, the Governor of the American Advertising Federation’s
4th District.

“We want to give other young professionals in this industry the chance to shape the community in a positive and impactful way through professional development,” said Ad 2 Tampa Bay President, Amanda Fisherman. “Ad 2 Tampa Bay will give them a platform to do it.”

In addition to an engaging discussion, guests will receive firsthand knowledge on the benefits of participation in a young professional organization. Admission is free for Ad 2 members who RSVP in advance and $5 cash at the door. Non-members who attend the event may receive an exclusive $5 discount for annual Individual Membership and have their admission fee waived. Otherwise, non-members pay $5 in advance and $10 cash at the door. To find out more about Ad 2 Tampa Bay or to purchase tickets in advance visit www.ad2tampabay.org/adtalks

About Ad 2 Tampa Bay:
Ad 2 Tampa Bay is the unified voice of Tampa Bay’s emerging advertising professionals. By combining the Tampa Bay area’s brightest developing talent while working in conjunction with the American Advertising Federation’s national network of over 50,000 members, Ad 2 Tampa Bay seeks to raise the profile and prestige of the local advertising industry through education, legislation, and public service.

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The Best of Social Fresh East 2012

Posted on: February 13th, 2012

The best of Social Fresh East 2012.

Social Fresh was held again in its third year in Tampa, FL and one again I had the privilege to attend. Chances are you may have missed the 2 day conference on social media. Since social media evolves very quickly there always is a lot of information to cover. This time around the hottest thing around is Pinterest. Social Fresh always manages to stack the line up with great speakers that have plenty of information to share helping give attendees and edge in their social media marketing efforts. This year’s social fresh included: Hubspot, Red Hat, Ford, Nordstrom, Intuit, AOL, eMarketer and more. Presentations covered  some of these topics:  Pinterest, Connecting Facebook & Email, Where Does Social Fit? Social Media Lead Generation, Digital Trends for 2012, Google +,  and plenty of other side topics. Again this was a great conference attending Social Fresh provides a great opportunity to hear experts from some top companies speak about their social media strategies.

 

The Best of Social Fresh East 2012 Day 1

The first speaker Jesse Catlin from eMarketer gave a really interesting presentation on Digital Trends for 2012. He started out by demonstrating the power of social media. It can cause a person to commit suicide, it can topple a government, it can elect a president, it can raise funds and even start a virtual protest.

He presented a great mind hack in the sense that if you feel you know everything you will not have space to let in new information. He suggested reading two books per month for self-enrichment. Online Video will be one of the top emerging trends in 2012 as people adopt more powerful mobile devices connected to faster networks. He mentioned the reach of Facebook. There are more than 2/3 of the US population on Facebook. It would be the third largest country behind China and India. In Latin America 84% of internet users are on Facebook.

Keep humanity in your content and remember that most viral content is humorous. Eraders will die off hence the Amazon’s KindeFire, a really nice ereader or crappy tablet. Mobile commerce is poised to really grow. Personally I think mobile commerce in the form of Square, and Intuit’s new device makes it easier than ever to accept credit cards and this new type of commerce will drive the mobile revolution in mobile commerce.

Create magnetic content. He used BlendTec and their “Will It Blend” series of YouTube videos, and Ford’s sock puppet as an example. Think of social media marketing in the broadest sense. Some keys to becoming effective include: building trust, having transparency, and listen. How are you speaking to your customers?  Remember to be humble, and add value. Recruit form your core, and target the coveted individuals.

Video advertising and content curation will become hot trends in 2012 as well. The business is the business of people. If you know what people are doing you can capitalize on it.

Be sure to check out his Slideshare it’s packed with useful charts and graphs detailing the anticipated growth in social: http://www.slideshare.net/socialfresh/jesse-catlin

@JHCDigital

 

Listen Launch and Leverage

Chuck Hemann of WCG spoke about the importance of using social media to listen. When you listen it can help will all of your efforts from social media including, marketing, public relations, reputation management and social conversation.

Use this Wiki to pick a listening tool: http://wiki.kenburbary.com/social-meda-monitoring-wiki.

You want to know who is looking at your brand, where are they talking about it, when are they talking about, and why are they talking about it.

“In 2009, more data was generated by individuals than in the entire history of mankind through 2008” Andreas W.

By listening you can gain business intelligence, market through conversation, learn about product issues, and foster a better customer experience. Check out his Slideshare for some flowcharts and detailed bullet points: http://www.slideshare.net/socialfresh/chuck-hemann

@Chuck Hermann

The Best of Social Fresh East 2012 Day 2

Shauna Causey talked about the current hottest website in social media….Pinterest! If you haven’t seen or used Pinterest check it out. Currently Pinterst had over 11 million unique visitors last month. They have achieved this feat faster than any other website. The largest demographic on the website are 25-54 females making 25 – 75k per year with some college(60%) or a degree(19%). Think of Pinterest as a place where women organize and share all of the beautiful things they find on the web. Shaua organized a Pinterst campaign for Nordstroms.

Some reasons business should consider Pinterest include low maintenance for brands, a strong sharing component, and it fosters aspirational actions around someone’s interest graph. Not to mention the fact that it drives a ton a traffic to websites.

The top uses for Pinterest:

1. find and save recipies
2. fashion ideas
3. inspirational quotes
4. news updates
5. home ideas
6. research and trip planning
7. funny photos
8. kid photos

Some brand examples of effective Pinterest use include: Whole Foods, Etsy, West Elm, & Land’s End.

Pinterest, An Expression Engine by Shauna Causey from Social Fresh

@shaunacausey

Here is a free Joomla Pinterest module.

 

Chris Moody from Red Hat talked about five ways to harness the power of community. Chris was another really great presenter to talk at social fresh. He was very concise and engaging.

1. Market research – tap into an existing community. Find ways to learn form them.
2. Give others a voice, tackle critics or turn them into advocates.
3. Get customers involved. Ask one question a month engage with your audience.
4. Host collaboration…find ways to make your product better through a community and host that. Freezerburns.com was a great example of a self-hosted niche community.
5. Expose the thought leaders in your organization….voice your point of view and innovative ideas.

Chris Moody from Social Fresh

@cnmoody

Rounding out the day was Matthew Knell the Social Media Director at AOL speaking to the issue of fragmentation. Started out by stating he felt that Facebook has peaked. Personally I think it’s more of a plateau than peak. Interest networks are all the rage currently.

Tumbler had an 130% increase in unique visits from Nov 2010 to Nov 2011. Pinterest jumped 1125% in UVs form May 2011 to Nov 2011. Instagram only took 9 months to reach 150 million photos and one year to reach 10 million members.

People are the vehicle and content is the engine…you have to be more interesting than ever. The shopping mall is being replaced by the boutique store. Facebook may be overcomplicating the process of marketing on their website. Interest networks have limited paid options. Build your own museum of content. Networks like Pinterest and Tumbler are ideal to curate original content. Be sure to visit Matt’s Slideshare for the complete list of idea: http://www.slideshare.net/socialfresh/matt-knell

@matthewknell