Posts Tagged ‘facebook’
Liberate Media pays homage to the Facebook ‘is’ status option
April 30th, 2008
Liberate Media is going back in time today, way back to when the ‘Facebook is’ status option was not optional.
More than 160,000 users wanted to remove the ‘is’ status and even a Facebook group was created called “Petition to Get Rid of “is” from Facebook Status Update!”.
On the night of November 20th 2007 they got their wish: the ‘is’ in Facebook status updates was removed.
Have a look at the comedy video from crackle below that pays homage to the Facebook ‘is’ status. Be warned there is some strong language and content that may offend.
From Crackle:
Personality versus brand on Twitter
April 24th, 2008
There’s no denying that over the past month or so, Twitter has increasingly become a brand promotion tool. On the media side in particular, journalists, newspapers and magazines are using the communications tool with increased frequency to break their stories.
What I’ve noticed is that subconsciously I’m paying far more attention to some media Tweets than others…while some are very useful and time-saving, others are admittedly going straight into my mental ’spam’ folder. I thought it might be interesting to share my views with you on why I think this is, and seek your feedback…
It appears the most useful Tweeters are those who are using the platform under their own name, sharing not only their breaking news as it happens, but also their personal views on issues within their sector. Jemima Kiss is a great example.
On the other hand, journalists Tweeting under their newspaper or magazine brand are having a tougher job of attaining ’stickiness’ with me. If the tool is only being used to promote stories, with no individual voice coming through, the Tweet is of far less value. I’d much rather receive news roundups as a daily email, than eight Tweets in a row. This is particularly aggrevating when the news isn’t exclusive or breaking, but rather something that is all over the news already.
Media Week has been making great strides on the social media front recently, and I was encouraged by its Facebook message on the subject of Twitter today:
“The twittering is also coming along nicely. So far we’ve been posting headlines and links, but we’re going to be flexing our gossip glands a little more in future so feel free to sign up for tip-offs on the stories behind the headlines - we’re at twitter.com/mediaweek if you want to keep an eye on us. If you’ve got any suggestions on what we should be sending out, just let us know.”
It will be interesting to see if Media Week can effectively combine personality with brand. Travolution is incidentially doing a very good job of this.
It would be interesting to know whether people agree/disagree with me…
Could Facebook be the key to re-building parent/children communications?
January 31st, 2008
The older generation is moving in on the hi-tech, online world and the under-30’s are not impressed, writes Martha Irvin from the Courier Mail.
The crux of her post reads that oldies are getting in on the social neworking scene, and the kids don’t like it.
This story rings true of a cousin of mine: a 20-year-old who likes fasion, music, designer clothes and her privacy. You know the type! Her only problem is she accepted her 40 something mum as a friend on Facebook! Her private life isn’t private no more!
The fact of the matter is that online social technology is getting easier to use and fast become accesible to people of all ages. What we are currently seeing is a generation split, but what’s interesting is the potential of social networks to re-build broken parent/child relationships.
Is Facebook becoming an earpiece for parent-child communications, instead of the dinner table? Are children more likely to listen to their parents in a trendy social network environment?
Maybe listening to you parents in a online environment is less confrontational and easier to digest. Let’s hope it brings families closer together… it might end up like the good old days when you sat around the wireless as a family waiting for latest radio play to be aired (before my time of course!).
Google strikes back with OpenSocial
November 2nd, 2007
Google has announced that MySpace and Bebo are onboard with its OpenSocial platform, which promotes a common set of standards for software developers.
The OpenSocial network already includes Friendster, Hi5, LinkedIn, Plaxo, Ning and the blogging network SixApart, as well as the software makers Oracle and SalesForce.com. It gives developers access to a standard software kit that will allow their applications such as games, video players and photo albums to work across multiple social networks.
Google says it has invited other social networks, including Facebook, to participate in the spirit of openness.
Facebook showed the way forward by opening up part of its code to encourage the multitude of applications that are evident on its network today. It has replied by saying that Facebook will respond to Google’s invitation once it has had a chance to evaluate the OpenSocial network.
I think it’s safe to say that beyond ‘openness’ -OpenSocial represents Google’s ambition to sell more advertising on participating sites, similar to the $900 million advertising partnership it already has with MySpace.
Microsoft took a small but expensive stake in Facebook to secure ad rights just last week, but if OpenSocial is successful, Google could really mop up the ad opportunities in social networks. Furthermore, if Facebook does decide to join the OpenSocial movement, it could set up a battle of the heavyweights with Microsoft and Google rubbing noses on Facebook.
Whatever the motive, Facebook are still sitting pretty, enjoying being courted by the big boys.
The BBC has the full story.
Technorati tags: opensocial, google, myspace, facebook, bebo, microsoft, social+networks
Facebook gets Micro-investment
October 25th, 2007
Microsoft has paid $240m (£117m) for a 1.6% stake in Facebook. This may seem like a mighty price for such a small stake, but it is important for two reasons.
1. Microsoft has beaten Google to the punch, securing a stake in the fastest growing social network in the world, as confirmed by ComScore’s figures below:
![[Faceoff]](http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/images/MK-AM501_FACEBO_20071024212544.gif)
2. Microsoft, which already provides banner advertising on Facebook US, has now secured long term international advertising access to one of the largest (50 million active users) social networks, becoming the exclusive third-party advertising platform partner for Facebook.
It is important to remember that as social networks become increasingly popular, many people are using their accounts as their door way to the web. Microsoft recognises that if its advertisers have access to these user’s through their web gateway - then the opportunities to sell are enormous. Furthermore, thanks to the user information provided through Facebook profiles, advertising can be targeted more precisely than most other online advertising channels.
Google knows this better than most and its charge to monopolise the online ad sector has taken a significant hit with this announcement. Although I don’t think they will be unduly concerned due to their considerable headstart in the sector.
This deal also answers one of the hottest valuation questions on the web today. How much is Facebook worth? The answer: $15 billion or £7.3bn…currently. This is why Facebook turned down Yahoo!’s $1 billion bid last year.
Not bad for a social networking site that started in a university dorm room less than four years ago, and hasn’t broken even yet.
The BBC has the full story.
Technorati tags: microsoft, facebook, google, online+advertising