Emerging Media As I See It

Grow your Blog

gotnvols — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 17:55:54 +0000

As I head to my 20^th emerging media blog, I reflect on what I have learned.

A blog is like a baby, it takes time to nurture your blog. Don’t expect to have a large following with the first blog you post.
Post your blog on a regular schedule to attract daily readers.
Pick one subject matter and keep your blog focused on this area in order to attract the target audience you are seeking to find.
Take action and respond to reader’s comments in a timely manner to show you are listening to them.
Make your page as pleasing to the eye as possible and easy to read.
Titles should be as catchy as possible in order to draw more readers.
Don’t forget to tag your blog with important words from your storyline in order to drive more readers to your site.
Ask your social friends to read and post comments to your blogs in order to increase readership.
Send out a mass email to everyone in your address book telling them about your blog.
Ask friends and associates to subscribe to your blog.
Include applicable links, photos and videos for a better presentation.
Discuss current issues that relate to your audience.
Be interesting and unique with your topic and writing.
Pick a blog mentor and find out what they are doing right.
Research, Research, Research. The internet is full of blogging tips.
Don’t forget my last tip, have fun with your blog!

Pepsi Skips Super Bowl and Turns to Social Media

gotnvols — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 01:32:19 +0000

Emerging Media strikes once again and this time its big stuff. Drink Giant Pepsi declines Super Bowl advertisement after 23 years. Where are they putting their 20 million dollars you ask? In social media! Social media is all about connecting with the consumers on a personal level and that is exactly what Pepsi is trying to do with their advertisement dollars.

Pepsi will be giving away millions of dollars in grants with this cause-related project to individuals, small groups, companies and organizations. Anyone can submit an idea beginning January 13. The website even provides some ideas to get you started. The public will be able to cast up to 10 votes per day for their favorite projects beginning February 1, 2009. What a great idea getting people, companies and communities involved with Pepsi to make positive things happen and give the public that warm fuzzy feeling when it comes to voting, winning and Pepsi in general!

Grant categories include the following:

Health
Arts & Culture
Food & Shelter
The Planet
Neighborhoods
Education

It will be interesting to see how this new media plays out. This is just another example how television/traditional advertisement is loosing its clout to emerging media in the social world.

Chick-fil-A Knows Social Media

gotnvols — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 23:54:33 +0000

Chick-fil-A was created in 1946 by Truett Kathy and boasts 1,428 restaurants in 43 states. It is now the second-largest growing fast-food chicken restaurant in the United States. I’ve always admired creator Truett Kathy for his values and the way he runs his company, not to mention his food is great! I’m not the only one that thinks so. Just take a look at their Facebook page and you will see what I’m talking about.

Many businesses wanting to create buzz with lots of fans on Facebook. If you want to learn more, you should take some lessons from Chick-fil-A. As of December 27, 2009 Chick-fil-A has 1,241,628 fans. What makes their fan page even more unique, it was started by customer Brandy Bitzer who loved Chick-fil-A. With 25,000 fans on board, Ms. Bitzer agreed to share administrative rights with Chick-fil-A.

Here are just a few points that have increased fans on Chick-fil-A’s Facebook page. Chick-fil-A hired a digital agency to create their social media strategy. They listen to what customers have to say on your Facebook page. They also gave away 25,000 coupons for a chicken sandwich on their page. This helped increase their fan base. Chick-fil-A’s fan page is loaded with information: Downloads, menu, location, forums, links, video and photo page. The events page tells about new grand openings and giveaways at the grand openings.

Chick-fil-A’s facebook page has it going on! Are you a Chick-fil-A fan?

Source:

Chick-fil-A’s Strategy: Give Your Fans Something to Do retrieved on December 14, 2009 from http://www.brandweek.com/bw/content_display/news-and-features/direct/e3i505f5fdeedc76b4237de91eeaa942834?pn=1

Save Money with Online Coupon Sites

gotnvols — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 19:31:08 +0000

I can’t manage a blog about emerging media without discussing all the wonderful sites on the internet that lead shoppers to daily online deals. In fact, there are too many to mention so today I will focus on my favorite sites. Before you make that next purchase, make sure you check out these recommended sites!

Coupon Cabin

The Coupon Cabin team keeps you in touch with the best deals by searching obsessively for deals released to “special customers.” The site is updates three times daily and is easy to navigate. A weekly email newsletter is also available. This site is packed with information and a must see.

Fishing for Deals

Fishing for Deals is known for the friendliest deals website on the internet. Users share many deals online and in brick and mortar stores. There are many discussion forums so it is easy to make friends on this site while finding a deal or getting advice.

My Bargain Buddy

This site was developed by Karen Hoxmeier which is a stay at home mom that loves to share bargains. Her site is updated daily and you never know what she will find. There is also a page for stores with free shipping, forums and a newsletter.

Retail Me Not

This is a great site where you can find and share coupons online. You can currently shop for deals on 40,000 stores and 90,000 printable coupons. They also provide a social community.

Wow-Coupons

This site boasts the best coupons whether you are looking for online or in-store coupons. I always check this site before heading to the mall or restaurant. You never know what you might find.

Sharing Christmas Memories with Emerging Media

gotnvols — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 19:08:48 +0000

I remember the excitement of Christmas when I was a little girl. If I wanted to track Santa, I would have to watch our local news (on one of the three channels we had to choose from) or watch the information scroll across the bottom of the screen. Writing Santa a letter required a paper and pen, then we mailed the letter via the USPS. To share our Christmas memories with family far away, we used a mail order service to develop our film and then mailed the pictures to our family. We either ordered our gifts from the Sears catalog or spent many of a day shopping with mom looking for the perfect gifts. Did I just tell my age? Oh how times have changed.

Now if children want to track Santa, all they have to do is log onto Norad’s Santa tracker or a similar program. They send their Santa letters via email. No longer do we have to go from store to store looking for the perfect gift. With the technology of the internet and shopping sites that drive us to the deals we can stay in the comfort of our own home. According to ComScore, online sales increased to the biggest online spending week ever at 4.8 billion dollars partially due to the wintery weather on the East Coast.

Want to share your family memories? With sites like Flickr and social media, families are sharing pictures and creating digital greetings instantly on YouTube. In order to keep up with the fast paced world, emerging media is making it easier to stay in touch with the people we love.

Here is an example of my Facebook friend’s YouTube page (Frank Ockteby) as he shares the beautiful scenery at Christmas in Rugby, Tennessee.

You need to also visit his YouTube video trying to hula hoop using the grandchildren’s Wii.

Even Fugitives Facebook!

gotnvols — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 04:41:45 +0000

Even fugitives can’t live without their social media these days. It seems Craig Lynch an escaped convict close to Suffolk, England has escaped from the police. With the help of emerging media they have been watching him on Facebook since September as he updates his profile which includes topics such as what he is doing, what he is eating and how he is trying to decide which gal he will start out with in 2010 according to CNN.

Police are working with Facebook and investigating his profile for clues. After the news broke that police were watching his Facebook he posted a more humble post:

“well what can i say fellow friends. The run is nearly over. Sorry some of you had to find out like this. I know some of you might take offence that i never told you personally. But you know me. I Trust No One. Its the only way to be.”

His popularity is now growing and it looks like he is making more friends than ever. His post 13 hours ago reads via Mobile Web:

“just got a four foot winnie the pooh teddy from bluewater for my little princess. You should of seen her face. Made it worth every second x”.

Along with added friends and support (1170 to be exact) there is also a new Facebook critic fan page for Craig with 1707 fans. Discussions on this page include one forum trying to guess his location. The second discussion wonders if he will get out alive.

Will Craig Lynch be captured through technology of emerging media? If he keeps adding friends and leaving profile comments where will it lead him? Will Facebook be able to help the police find Craig Lynch? Only time will tell.

What Can YouTube Do for You?

gotnvols — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 02:55:43 +0000

YouTube is an exciting place people can post videos regarding their business and their personal life. Who would have thought a wedding video would get over 35 million views just from posting the video for their family? Jill and Kevin Heinz went viral with their wedding entrance and the video is now one of the top ten videos of 2009.

This viral phenomenon also assisted Chris Brown in climbing the charts with his Forever song which was played as the entrance of the wedding video. A day after the wedding video appeared, Chris Brown went of YouTube to issue a statement regarding his relationship with Rihanna and alleged domestic violence.

With the negativity of the song and problems with Chris Brown, the newlyweds have decided to turn the song into a positive light and request donations on their YouTube page for Sheila Wellstone Institute to support violence prevention. As of December 1, 2009 almost $27,000 dollars have been raised.

If a YouTube video can make this big of a presence, put a song on the charts and raise money for charity. What can you or your company accomplish on YouTube?

Reach Out With Mobile Media

gotnvols — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 18:46:11 +0000

I can’t discuss emerging media without discussing mobile media. My Palm Pre which is a growing part of my life that I can’t do without. In fact, I think I’m addicted to this little device. My alarm on my Palm Pre wakes me up every day. I then check my email, Facebook and MySpace account just in case I missed anything while I slept. Next I click on the link to read my local news and weather before beginning my day. If I want directions, GPS, watch television or shop, I still turn to my mobile device. If I get bored, all I have to do is search for the newest application to download. Mobile banking is another convenience I love.

As you can see by the above example I spend more time pulling information from my mobile than reading a newspaper, listening to the radio, or watching television. I’m not the only one reaching for my mobile device. According to Facebook, 65 million users are signing into Facebook regularly. Mobile users also access Facebook 50 percent more often than non-mobile users.

Many sweepstakes now involve the use of mobile devices in one way or another. While watching Housewives of Orange County last Thursday night, I noticed they were promoting a text sweepstakes. “Who do you think would win in a mud wrestling match?” For .99 you can text your answer with a chance to win a $5,000 shopping spree with the Orange County gals. Marketers who aren’t including mobile media in their marketing plan are missing out on a great opportunity.

You Can’t Say Love Enough

gotnvols — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 17:37:12 +0000

Emerging media comes in many forms. Now it is nothing for a charity to promote their fundraiser online. One example of this fundraising technique is the country music group MJ2. The group is made up of not one twin but two twins. Both sets of twins have one twin named Jackie and one Twin named Mollie and they sound amazing! They recorded a song with celebrity friends and are donating the money to Charity.

The release of, “You Can’t Say Love Enough,” is a musical event brought to you through SweetSong Nashville. The producer of the song and president of SweetSong Nashville is also my brother. The all star single, featuring Dolly Parton, Wayne Newton, Heidi Newfield and many more will raise untold dollars for Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and Diabetes Research and Outreach.

Both the younger Mollie in the MJ2 group and my brother Dennis Money has Diabetes. So MJ2 along with SweetSong Nashville have created the Diabetic Angels organization to raise money for diabetic research.

Help this worthy cause by downloading the song “You Can’t Say Love Enough” for .99 cents and provide your feedback on the iTunes. iTunes has promoted the song as “new and noteworthy” in the country section which is a big accomplishment for MJ2.

Please visit http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/you-cant-say-love-enough-jdrf-celebrity/id338847573 and buy the song, its only $0.99! Also, you can learn more about the song here: http://grahamgrid.com/mj2/index.htm.

Are Print Ads and Radio Dead?

gotnvols — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 02:05:17 +0000

Will emerging media take the place of traditional media such as print ads and radio? Viral media, social media and buzz marketing provide wonderful opportunities for companies and brands to spread the word about their products or services. But you can’t depend completely on in the internet in order to get the word out. There are still benefits in print ads and radio.

While viral media reaches out to customers and relies on them to pass the message along. Social media requires more communication with the customers. They are both excellent tools and ad value to your marketing plan.

Blog Author Robin Proffitt (center) Taking Advantage of a Live Remote with WTNQ

But don’t rule out the power of print and radio advertisement since it is still alive and well. There is still an audience and an added value for print and radio. In order to get your message out simultaneously, you should spread your message to all avenues possible including viral media, social media, television commercials, billboards, print ads and radio according to your budget and the target audience you want to reach. Bottom line: the internet is a wonderful place to advertise, but don’t make it the only place you advertise.