Facebook Places round-up

August 23rd, 2010

There has been plenty of conversation surrounding Facebook places over the last week. So, to help you access the discussion around Facebook’s latest launch, The Liberate Media team have put together a collection of their favourite posts in this single “round-up” style blog post.

First off here is the official Facebook Places Check in video.

Facebook Places: how it works

How to Use Facebook Places

Facebook Places Launches with Bing’d Out Maps

How To Use Facebook Places For Your Business

Facebook Places vs. Foursquare: Who Has the Business Edge?

Week in review: The fallout over Facebook Places

A Field Guide to Using Facebook Places

Facebook Wants Advertisers To Help Build Out Its Directory of Places

Will Facebook Places revolutionize location-based mobile advertising?

5 Ways B2B Companies Can Use Facebook Places

Do you know of any more fascinating Facebook Places blog posts worth checking out? please let us know in the comments section.

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Apple is on course to become the world’s most valuable technology company

July 20th, 2010

As a brief update to the earlier post about Apple winning the PR battle around iPhone 4.0 – Apple is rocking! If there were any doubts that the concerted attack on the handset’s accepted shortcomings has had no significant effect, then the financials would lay these to rest.

More than that, they would run a shiver down the antennas of Android-based competitors. As of today, Apple is very, very close to overtaking Microsoft as the world’s most valuable technology company.

You can listen to the financials here.

I’m a reluctant Apple evangelist. The company’s retentive communications are plainly weird and its elitist brand persona jars with what I believe – but it continues to innovate and sell in a unique and very beautiful way.

You could say that Apple is Steve Jobs in corporal form. His genius is to find the very best people and ideas – and then build these into objects of desire. Apple expresses – it lives – this genius.

Despite the iPhone 4.0 issues, we are lucky to have this unique talent moving the mobile space forward. Think of the Sony Ericsson, Nokia, Motorola, Samsung strategies over the past five years. They just seemed to be dealing with mobile commodity decline, and not the enormous potential of the handset as a Smartphone.

Apple shook the market and Google responded. The Droids are a serious and ongoing threat to the cultural dominance of Apple in the marketplace. That’s really welcomed and if HTC, Motorola or any other handset company can deliver a device that monsters the iPhone, then what’s to worry?

Meantime, have we seen news of the iPad sales? HP is saying it won’t deliver this year on its original Slate and Microsoft is scurrying. Is the price point beyond the desire-pain threshold for the iPad? Will we see newspapers offering free giveaways (contract-based, naturally) of the iPad in the late summer, early autumn? They need to move – and quick.

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Location based compendium: The services, resources, Foursquare case studies and stats

July 19th, 2010

If you’re a little behind the times and want to understand more about location-based services and related subjects, read on. We have broken this resource down into the following sections; services, general help, case studies,  and to round it off, some helpful statistics and facts.

The Services:

Foursquare: http://foursquare.com/

Foursquare is a location-based social networking website, software for mobile devices, and also a game. Users “check-in” at venues using a mobile website, text message or a device-specific application. They are then awarded points and sometimes “badges.”

Gowalla: http://gowalla.com/

Gowalla is a location-based social networking game created by Alamofire. Users ‘check-in’ at spots in their local vicinity, either through a dedicated mobile application or through the mobile website. As a reward users will sometimes receive items from check-ins. Items have developed to become a promotional tool for the game’s partners

Rummble: http://www.rummble.com/

Rummble is a bit like your social network, but based upon trust (or lack of) in people’s recommendations so you can discover things from thousands of people, not just your friends or immediate trusted connections.

Its the best to Rummble when you’re actually at a place that you love or loath, then you can add a photo and if you want, share it straight away on Twitter, Facebook, Bebo or more.

Google Latitude: http://www.google.com/intl/en_us/latitude/intro.html

Google Latitude lets you see your friend’s location on a map.

Loopt: http://www.loopt.com/

Loopt provides a mobile-based GPS sharing system that allows users to visualize one another using their mobile phones and share information. Loopt also enables users to explore the world around them by connecting users with integrated content from Citysearch, Zagat, Bing, Zvents, Metromix, SonicLiving and others.

In addition to the core features of Loopt, users also have the ability to integrate Loopt with other social networks, including Facebook and Twitter. Loopt also offers a Journal widget that displays a user’s latest updates and photos visually on a map, which they can easily install on their blog or other site.

Whrrl: http://whrrl.com/

Whrrl  is a mobile network that lets you aggregate information as you visit different places. It’s generally like a location review service that’s wrapped up in a map mash-up and a social network.

Brightkite: http://brightkite.com/

Brightkite allows registered users to connect with their existing friends and also meet new people based on the places that they go. Once a user “checks in” at a place, they can post notes and photos to that location and other users can comment on these posts. Users control the privacy of their updates and can choose to share them with their Twitter and Facebook accounts, while also having the option to share their geo-tagged photo posts to Flickr.

Burbn: http://burbn.com/waitlist/

Is a web-based location app where people can share rich media about their whereabouts.

Hot Potato: http://hotpotato.com/

Hot Potato makes it easy to share what you’re doing with friends and connect with others who have similar interests. You and your friends can connect around the question, “What are you doing?” First choose a verb - for example, “I’m attending.” Then select the name of the activity - “I’m attending the Superbowl.” Confirm the activity update, and you’re connected to everyone else attending the Superbowl on Hot Potato. Ask questions, and share your photos and videos.

CauseWorld: http://www.causeworld.com/

CauseWorld is a mobile application that lets you help the world while you shop!

This is the easiest way to give back to your community! Best of all, in these tough economic times, it costs you nothing.

All you need to do is walk into one of the many stores you most likely frequent anyway, such as common groceries, hardware stores, department stores, and many others. Pull out your phone, open the app, and check in. No purchase is required. By checking in, you earn karmas from our sponsors. Donate those karmas for specific actions to improve the world. Some of the many actions in the CauseMall include donating to classrooms in need, planting a tree, providing a meal for the hungry, or helping an injured animal.

Plancast: http://plancast.com/

Plancast is the easiest way for you to share your plans with friends and discover what others are doing in the future. We offer a lightweight way to keep tabs on what people are doing in real life.

MyTown: http://www.booyah.com/

MyTown is a GPS game about buying and owning your favourite local shops, restaurants, and hangouts on your iPhone.

First, Check-in at real-world locations to unlock rewards. Then buy and own your favourite real-life places. During the day, you can collect rent when people Check-in to your shops. The more visitors that come to your stores, the more it raises your properties’ total value.

Foodspotting: http://www.foodspotting.com/

Foodspotters earn recognition for sharing foods they love enabling Foodseekers to find whatever they’re craving and see what’s good wherever they go.

Foodspotting is a visual local guide that lets you find dishes instead of just restaurants. It’s powered by Foodspotters, who can share their food photos and expertise while building a rich collection of foods and where to find them.

Become a Foodspotter by sharing a food that you love! You can post sightings on the website, mobile or email them to food@foodspotting.com!

Fire Eagle: http://fireeagle.yahoo.net/

Fire Eagle is an open platform that helps users take their location to the Web while giving them the ability to easily control how and where their location data is shared.

General Resource:

The Beginner’s Guide To Location-Based Marketing http://www.businessinsider.com/the-beginner-guide-to-location-based-marketing-2010-6

Location-based marketing includes a diverse array of tactics–from simple local advertising to more complex location detection using GPS and triangulation technology, 16 tips to get you started.

9 Killer Tips for Location-Based Marketing http://mashable.com/2010/03/15/location-based-marketing/

9 killer tips to help you get to grips with your marketing efforts around location-based networks and relegated issues by Mashable. First tip; get to know the platforms!

Foursquare vs. Gowalla vs. MyTown: Which Is Better for Business? http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/foursquare-vs-gowalla-vs-mytown-which-is-better-for-business/

The contenders battle it out for title of the best business platform, 3 guesses who comes out on top!

The Widening Gap: Can Gowalla Catch Foursquare? http://thenextweb.com/us/2010/07/12/the-widening-gap-can-gowalla-catch-foursquare/

This post examines if Gowalla can catch Foursquare judging by the partnerships and numbers Foursquare has posted at this moment in time, it’s looking unlikely.

How the Fashion Industry Uses Location-Based Marketing http://mashable.com/2010/03/22/fashion-location-based/

Post on how location based service are used in fashion, including the Marc Jacobs, Foursquare and New York Fashion Week case study.

Location-Based Marketing, Resources and Tools Location-Based Marketing, Resources and Tools

Post by Search Engine Journal outlining the major payers on the location-based scene.

Some Privacy Ground Rules For Location-Based Marketing: Why ‘Geofencing’ Goes Too Far

http://moconews.net/article/419-some-rules-for-location-based-marketing-why-geofencing-goes-too-far/

Matt Silk is the SVP of Waterfall Mobile; a San Francisco-based digital-messaging company goes into detail about the privacy issues surrounding location-based networks.

Foursquare specific:

6 Tips for Getting the Most out of Foursquare http://mashable.com/2009/12/10/fourquare-tips/

Basic post over viewing how to use Foursquare and get the most from it.

Foursquare Mayors Get 25% Off at Ann Taylor http://mashable.com/2010/07/13/ann-taylor-foursquare/

Mashable post on the retailer Ann Taylor using a Foursquare promotion.

Domino’s UK Social Media Initiatives Help Increase Profits by 29% http://mashable.com/2010/07/12/dominos-uk-social-media/

Dominos claims to have used Foursquare to great success and help raise its profits.

History Channel Turns Foursquare Into A Real World Pop-Up Video http://techcrunch.com/2010/04/22/foursquare-history-channel/

Techcrunch post centred on the Foursquare partnership with the History Channel

Case studies:

Chevy Case Study: Using Mobile, Location and QR Codes to Inspire Brand Engagement (Gowalla) http://www.emarketer.com/blog/index.php/chevy-case-study-qr-codes-mobile-location-inspire-brand-engagement/

Gowalla case study based on Chevy using quick research codes and location-based technology.

More than 20 unique “Location Based” case studies from Foursquare, Gowalla, Whrrl, and MyTown http://blog.makeastartup.com/more-then-20-unique-location-based-case-studi

Great resource full of location-based case studies from a variety of platforms.

Gowalla x Nets Case Study: Underdogs Teamed Up on Geomarketing Campaign with ROI http://www.mobilebehavior.com/2010/04/22/gowalla-x-nets-case-study/

Small case study on the use of Gowalla with the basketball team the NY Nets.

How to use Foursquare to draw a crowd into a restaurant http://blog.steffanantonas.com/case-study-how-to-use-foursquare-to-draw-a-crowd-into-your-restaurant.htm

Another case study showing the power of drawing a crowd to a local restaurant via the use of Foursquare.

Statistics and Facts:

Location Based Services are Up and Running, Statistics Prove (April 30^th 2010) http://stasgeomarketing.wordpress.com/2010/04/30/location-based-services-are-up-and-running-statistics-prove/

Brief post outlining the facts from the Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) in which one in four U.S. adults use mobile location-based services.

7.5 Foursquare facts you need to know http://prashantpatel.com/social-media/75-foursquare-facts.html

Some brief Foursquare facts from back in April 2010

Foursquare v Gowalla [FACTS] http://www.socialmedianews.com.au/foursquare-v-gowalla-facts/

More up to date facts focusing on the two major players Foursquare and Gowalla

Foursquare Is Five Times Larger Than Gowalla And Growing 75 Percent Faster Every Day

http://techcrunch.com/2010/07/07/foursquare-gowalla-stats/

RJ Metrics present data on the manor of Foursquare’s impressive growth vs. that of Gowalla

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Weekly Social Media sites, tools and posts round-up (02-07-2010)

July 2nd, 2010

Welcome to another instalment of the ‘Weekly Social Media sites, tools and posts round-up’.

1. eType is a fantastic free spell checker that helps you spell as you type. As you type the spell checker pops up with a handy visual box to correct your content.

2. Launchlist is a handy tool that runs through a whole check list of items that are essential for creating a well-rounded website, you can check them off as you go.

3. Historypin is essentially a Google map that you can update with historical images of buildings, roads, basically anything that has changed over the years.

4. Feedingo is a clean, easy and fun Feed reader that saves you time by publishing your online content in one place. You can also import OPML files.

5. Pluggio calls itself a helpful Twitter app and with its multitude of features you can see why. Check out the large amount of feature videos here.

Social Media post of the week:  LinkedIn SuperGuide -Tutorials, Tips and Tools

SEO post of the week: A Comprehensive Guide to Link Building via Blog Commenting | Search Engine Journal

More of the same next week.

Check out previous issues of the ‘Weekly Social Media sites, tools and posts round-up’

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Facebook and Twitter facts

June 22nd, 2010

The Next Web has published a post/infographic titled Some facts on Facebook you probably didn’t know- see below. I thought it would also be interesting to combine this with some facts about Twitter.

Here are two of my favourite facts from the below infographics:

Facebook: Women aged 50 and up are the fastest growing demographic.

Twitter: 10-11 pm is the most active hour on Twitter.

Twitter facts

Do you know of any other interesting Twitter or Facebook facts? Let us know via the comments section.

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Tweasier review

June 16th, 2010

Tweasier the new Twitter management application, and brainchild of Chris Norton, launched last week. I’ve been having a play around and wanted to share my experiences with you.

First of all, what is Tweasier? Well, over to Chris to explain:

“The idea for Tweasier came from an idea after I started blogging specifically just about useful Twitter tools . The Tweasier blog started to grow in stature and popularity and I started to think that maybe a tool should be developed which has some really great features. I suppose you could say it’s because of you guys.

“The application is only in beta testing (so please be gentle) but we are hoping you guys (its users) will help us find the nasty bugs so we can eradicate as many as possible before we launch this tool to the world.”

So, what’s the difference between Tweasier and the other Twitter management applications? Surely Chris has missed the boat and been beaten to the punch by other Twitter clients? Well, no, Tweasier is much more than a client. Tweasier’s brilliance is in the features it offers, and specifically the analytics suite.

Yes, i know there are other free Twitter analytics packages, but Tweasier is well…easier. It’s an all in one package, and the Tweasier team has obviously put a lot of thought into exactly what the user wants from their Twitter application, including simple but effective search and suggestions features.

To offer you a quick rundown of the features, i’ll revert back to the Tweasier launch post:

The new Tweasier application is packed with helpful services, allowing Twitter users to do any of the following:

• Run, save and clone Twitter searches based on location, keywords and personal biographies so conversations can be monitored.
• Receive personalised email notifications informing the user about their activity within the Twittersphere
• Visit Tweasier’s fully equipped analytics suite - providing more than 30 different up-to-date statistics on any Twitter account. Some of the graphs and data can also be exported for use in future presentations or reports.
• Sort an account’s friends or followers by more than 20 different criteria such as: people that haven’t tweeted in the last 30 days, people that didn’t follow the user back and also prune your friends to clear an account up if necessary.
• Users can take a quick peek at Twitter conversations between two people to get both sides of the story.
• Users can read messages, tweet, direct message and even shorten long URLs using Tweasier’s dedicated Twitter client.
• Scheduled tweeting - users can write and save several tweets until later in the day
• Users can use Tweasier’s own in-house ranking system which easily shows whether a user is worth following or not

Take my advice, when you go to Tweasier, check out the Analytics package, and have a play. I think it’s a real triumph of useful data displayed in a simple and readable format. The dashboard offers 30 different types of stats, including network features that show who of your followers is most influential. Some stats can also be exported, which makes my life so much easier!

Tweasier is currently in Beta and i’m sure it will improve, but it’s already excellent, and although i’m sure the last few weeks before launch have been tough for Chris and his team, he can rest assured that it’s been worth it. I’ve already shown the package to a few clients and they all love it.

Well done guys!

Posted in Blog, Blogging, Content, Digital communications, Digital media, Emerging technology, PR, Social media, Social media site inspection, Trends and research, Useful resources | 2 Comments »

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Don’t fear the Ad guys, embrace integration

June 4th, 2010

If you’ve seen PR Week this week, you’ve seen the news that the Ad guys are coming, but what does that really mean?

The headline on the front page said it all: Top advertising agencies creep into PR territory as Karmarama has hired Shine Communications’ director Chris McCafferty to set up an integrated PR agency, and Beattie McGuinness Bungay is in the final stages of staffing up its in-house PR agency, BMB PR, not long after Resonate’s co-founder Graham Drew’s moved to sister advertising agency VCCP.

There’s also an interesting PR Week post on the subject from Adam Clyne.

So, does this mean the end for the PR agency, are advertising budgets stretched so far that Ad agencies are looking longingly at the comparatively small budgets awarded to PR agencies? Well no, I don’t think so. You can sleep safe in your bed PR boys and girls, for now…

However, what should be keeping you awake in your comfortable traditional PR world is that the rest of the marketing community is thinking bigger, much bigger. They are thinking integration.

Not just advertising with PR, but digital with PR and advertising, and marketing with digital and PR and advertising. This is far from a new move, and it’s certainly not the first time I’ve been banging on about it on the pages of this blog. The digital world has been going through this integration for some time, but this was just the beginning.

Yes, budgets are shrinking but I don’t think that’s the main force behind this move. Yes, the skills required to do our jobs effectively, whether that’s the job of an advertiser, PR, digital marketer or traditional marketer are coming closer together. And yes, the clients are working this out and developing briefs accordingly that call in a range of skills, but without the need for separate agencies that are expensive to hire and manage.

So, if you thought it was just the ad agencies that are after a slice of the PR market, I think it’s time to wake up, we’re all after a slice of each other’s market, not necessarily because of a strategic objective to take over another sector, but because the consumer doesn’t care where the message comes from. They’ll choose to consume the media the suits them best (and none of the above will cut it alone), the client doesn’t want to complicate agency management, or pay for it, and the bottom line is we should all have a range of skills that reflect the requirements of our clients and more importantly - their clients.

If you feel safe in your PR/Ad/marketing/digital environment enjoy it while it lasts, because like it or not, the move towards integration is coming, not just because of economic pressures, but because it simply makes sense.

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Welcome Cynthia, the first artificial life form created by Craig Venter and his team

May 20th, 2010

I was going to write about HTML 5.0 and Flash, how the Semantic Web would sweep away obsolete standards and other things that get me, an old man, excited beyond belief.

But that can wait - today we can celebrate one of those defining moments when things change dramatically, for all time. It’s all about Cynthia - the first artificial life form - created by US geneticist Craig Venter.

This is stupendous. Beyond words. I can’t embed the video but you can see it on the Guardian.

I’m off to dance the night away and normal service will be resumed as soon as possible. Enjoy!!

Posted in Blog, Emerging technology | 1 Comment »

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Corporate social media, walking-the-walk

May 20th, 2010

I read an interesting article by Tom Foremski on ZD Net yesterday, titled: ‘Corporate social media is not social - it’s sales media‘

As you can see the piece is focused on the issues of corporate social media efforts that are really just focused on selling, or as Tom says: ‘When it comes to corporate use of social media I have problems with the use of the word “social” because it’s not accurate. It’s not social it’s all about sales.’

On the whole I agree with Tom’s conclusions, the simple truth is; direct sales tactics do not work in social media. However, I don’t believe corporates should not engage via social media at all, they simply need to understand the medium, adjust their approach and get involved where they can be useful. They have to understand the rules have changed; social media isn’t a broadcast medium nor is it a sales channel.
Fundamentally, this is a difficult issue for many corporates to grasp. Sure, the theory of listening, understanding, developing a conversation and engaging usefully sounds good, but the next question is usually; ‘When do we get to the part where I make money?’

There-in lies the problem. The part about listening, understanding your community and developing conversation is the key, and those that walk-the-walk, quickly discover the many new opportunities that social media offers if done right. After all what price would you place on real engagement and feedback from your customers, understanding their real needs and opening a constant flow of feedback - isn’t that valuable? Doesn’t that lead to reputation development, and yes eventually the coveted sale?

The value here is in the conversation and learning, something marketers have been trying to develop with their audiences for many years, and now have the opportunity to achieve relatively easily.

The difficulty comes in the mindset, i.e. helping a corporate to understand that social media isn’t a direct sales channel. In my experience, part of the problem is that social media has been hyped up to such a degree with many corporates, that it’s like showing a child a huge tub of ice cream, telling them it’s the best they’ll ever have, but then saying they can’t eat it in the same way they’ve eaten ice cream before, otherwise it’ll react badly with them. The natural reaction is to ignore such advice and dive in with spoon at the ready, and later discover the error of their ways when the stomach pains begin.

Getting back to Tom’s piece, I can appreciate that many corporates have jumped straight in, tried to apply non-social approaches and this has not only failed to deliver sales, but probably only served to damage the brand.

However, the same isn’t true for everyone, there are many examples of brands engaging in social media in an honest and open fashion, and getting their just desserts (excuse the pun). I also think these examples are on the increase, even if it’s up for debate whether the bad still outweighs the good, at least at the moment.

So, should we be surprised that corporate’s first few shaky steps into the world of social media are not always in the right direction? No. Hopefully the more case studies we see of positive results from social media (not necessarily sales-related), the more corporates will be willing to walk-the-walk about social media theories and strategies, as well as talk-the-talk.

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iPad expert review by Publishing Perspectives, Frankfurt Book Fair

April 25th, 2010

Hannah Johnson from the Frankfurt Book Fair publishing associates Publishing Perspectives has posted an excellent, balanced review of the iPad as a reading tool.

Memo to Steve Jobs: there’s a gap in the market: something that will sit between the iPhone and the iPad in size and weight - OMG, that’s the Microsoft Courier.

I just weighed my copy of Different - it comes in at 14oz (397g), about the same as the Courier. The iPhone is 4.8oz (135g); the iPad is a ‘whopping’ 1.6lb (730g). So the iLite would need to be around the weight of a paperback novel, say 11oz (312g).

Here’s Hannah’s take on the iPad:

Posted in Blog, Digital communications, Digital media, Emerging technology | 4 Comments »

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