Archive for October, 2007
88% of businesses expected to increase social media spending in 2008
October 17th, 2007
I’m a bit short of time this week (as you’ve probably gathered from our lack of posts!)…but this survey by community content management system provider Prospero is really worth checking out.
The research is US-focused, but the findings seem equally applicable to the UK market, and is very encouraging for digital communications consultancies like ourselves.
Key findings:
“59 percent of respondents reported that social media performance in 2007 met or exceeded their marketing objectives, boosting future spending expectations — with 31 percent planning to spend significantly more on social media applications in 2008.”
Full findings here.
Technorati tags: prospero, social+media, business, communications, survey
October 12th, 2007
I’m in the process of moving house at the minute and one of the many tasks I need to take care of is to set up my new broadband connection. This has put the ongoing broadband speed saga into real perspective for me and I’m getting increasingly frustrated by the lack of progress.
Fear not though, this post isn’t going to be an aimless rant, it does have some relevance.
The whole saga has taken a step closer to some sort of public resolution, or at least further naming and shaming, this week with Ofcom entering the fray.
After Stephen Timms threatened action from the government last month, with a date for the intervention summit still to be named, now Ofcom has written to the UK’s top six broadband providers asking why they fail to provide the connection speeds that they so often flout in the media.
Hurrah! Some action at last! While we’re at it can we also ask about the extortionate pricing and rubbish service? Okay, one thing at a time Gofton.
In PR terms the broadband providers need some much needed positivity around them at the moment, and it simply isn’t happening. Why? Because instead of coming up with a new strategy to deal with the issue at hand they are continuing to follow a trend of ignorance. Ignoring the major issue and trying to distract the consumer with shiny new offers of anything other than the actual performance we are paying for.
According to Rick Wray’s article on Technology Guardian yesterday, O2 is going to take a different approach with the launch of its broadband service next week by…get this…testing a customer’s line before they sign up to estimate the likely speed they will be able to receive, and then placing them on a relevant package. What’s this? Actually testing before promising, surely this is buffoonery of the highest order!
But no…there’s more…O2 will then test the line again a month later.
Simple, transparent, obvious. Hopefully O2 have shown the way forward. Smart communications!
And another thing…
Technorati tags: 02, broadband+speed, broadband+providers
Give your UK support to Global PR Blog Week 3.0
October 11th, 2007
US blogger Constantin Basturea, of PR meets the WWW and Converseon, has announced early details of the next Global PR Blog Week. As far as I know it’s been two years since the last one.
In his own words, “It’s an event that will present the best articles, interviews, debates, case studies, and essays on how social media continues to change the Public Relations and Communications theory and practice, its relationships with other disciplines, and our roles as practitioners, students, and teachers.”
It’s a free event and will happen online, at globalprblogweek.com. Initial discussions are happening here.
Without having been involved in the first, early details indicate that this is looking like a very worthwhile event. Liberate Media will definitely be showing its support!
Technorati tags: pr, pr blog week, social+media, blogging
October 9th, 2007
It’s been a busy day in the world of Google. First of all, news reached us this morning that Google shares have risen above the $600 mark for the first time. Not bad considering Google’s stock launched at $85 a share in 2004.
Then came the news that Google will be allowing websites in its ad network (AdSense) to embed videos from some YouTube content creators. This offers Google a new source of ad revenue, which will of course need to be shared with the content creators and sites that embed them.
However, the news that interested me the most broke this afternoon, when Google announced that it had acquired the Finland-based SMS and microblogging service Jaiku, competitor to the better known Twitter.
This is another telling move, proving the all-encompassing Google development arm is now focusing on mobile and social networking…and everything in between. Mike Butcher at TechCrunch has the full story.
Interestingly, Steve Rubel is giving Twitter 45 days to be sold, and he thinks Yahoo! will be the most likely suitor.
Oh and while i’m doing a Google news rundown, I should also mention that Google and IBM are partnering on a university project to provide data centres holding 1,600 computers that students will be able to use to learn cloud computing.
Or as Eric Schmidt put it: “In order to most effectively serve the long-term interests of our users, it is imperative that students are adequately equipped to harness the potential of modern computing systems and for researchers to be able to innovate ways to address emerging problems.”
Now the weather…
Technorati tags: google, jaiku, twitter, ibm, news, cloud+computing, social+networking, mobile
October 8th, 2007
The blogosphere is a wonderful place for circulating rumours, and today news that Facebook is looking to launch an artist platform to compete with MySpace is spreading like wildfire.
According to reports, the social network is planning to integrate with iTunes enabling users to buy music through the Apple store, as well as offering special profiles and widgets for bands wishing to promote their music and tour dates within the Facebook interface.
However, according to NME.com, counter-rumours are claiming that Facebook is infact planning to launch a competitor to iTunes.
Music has always been a great differentiator for MySpace, and Facebook has a big challenge ahead if it wishes to seriously compete in this space.
However, should it prove successful at securing an exclusive album launch, along the lines of the Radiohead initiative last week, then the tables could turn more quickly than we think.
I’ll keep my ear to the ground and let you know if I hear more!
Technorati tags: facebook, myspace, music, nme, itunes, apple, radiohead