Being that it is still an evolving issue, I thought I’d post it, for anybody that’s interested in how social media works to follow it as it moves throught its course. My interest is solely from an interactive social media point of view, but be warned it is very racially charged, violent and there is a lot of course language.

Sometime on 16 Feb a video of an interracial fight on a San Francisco Bus between an an older Caucasian guy and a younger African American guy was published on YouTube.

6 days later, the main videos have gotten over 2.5 million hits, and there are over 900 response videos, re-posts, and a bunch of tag on posts trying to capture the traffic and interest of this phenomenon.  Search YouTube for “AC Transit Bus Fight” to see the growing list of results.  The other social media are picking it up as well, with 34 pages on Facebook, for example.

It has a bunch of issues that strike right to the American psyche: violence, racism, senior citizens, veterans, political correctness and “land and order”.  All this bound up in YouTube, and the digital space, with lots of follow-on commentary from self appointed pundits.

It is a feast of social science as well as social media.  America speaks!

NOTE: there is strong language and violence in the following links.

Original AC Transit Bus Fight video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQJFv9SMSMQ

The aftermath, outside the bus:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5fnjFVPCek

Interview with the old guy (Epic Beard Man):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ni08RoIh5jo

Interview with the female video author:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbsX5j-8T3Y

Tags: Trends // Add Comment »

eMail Click-Through Rates 2/10 - Courtesy of Constant Contact

Accountant 14.5%
Art Gallery 10.6%
Association 11.0%
Communications 8.9%
Consultant 12.0%
Crafts 22.1%
Education and Services 15.1%
Entertainment 10.8%
Event Planning 12.2%
Franchise 12.5%
Government Agency 14.7%
Hotel, Inn, B&B 13.9%
Legal Services 13.0%
Manufacturing & Distribution13.1%
Marketing/PR 13.5%
Medical Services 13.3%
Non-profit 12.3%
Office Supplies 9.4%
Personal Services 12.6%
Products & Services 12.2%
Professional Services 13.0%
Publishing 27.6%
Real Estate 10.4%
Religious Organization 9.8%
Restaurant/Bar/Catering 6.6%
Retail 15.7%
Salon/Spa 7.0%
Sports & Recreation 12.3%
Technology 10.9%
Transportation 13.8%
Travel & Tourism 11.6%
Web Developer 16.4%
Other* 17.8%

Wishing you the best of success.

Cheers,
Robert

Robert Fleming
President/CEO

eMarketing Association
www.eMarketingAssociation.com

Tags: Marketing // 2 Comments »

Social interactive marketing is reaching further and deeper into our everyday interactive experiences.  1.5 million daily visits to gmail are not to include an increasing social element, with, I suggest, more to evolve.

I think its plain to see that Google knows no bounds as it expands across all interactive frontiers.

Google email takes on Facebook | News.com.au

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Available on newsstands, not on the web

Basically, you download software, use a camera to scan the codes strategically placed throughout the magazine and it initiates an online experience.

Newspapers and magazines are struggling.  Murdoch is in the news with his intent to sell news content and maybe even remove his listings from Google.  Neither tactic is new, neither has yet proven successful.

Online advertising is not as profitable as the newsstand sales lost is the issue, more or less.  The old established industry has too much capital and intellectual property invested in the old ways.  The innovators are capitalising on the opportunities.  Change is the order of the day.

So, instead of trying to raise revenue (i.e. value) from its online content, Esquire is leveraging the technology and adding online value to its newsstand publication, with the hope of increasing sales.

How is this an improvement on the CD stuck to the cover with industrial snot?

1. Web interface means content can be changed, regularly updated to maintain a customer’s interest.
2. Unlike a cd with web links, there is no alternative, its is an engagement, and all the metrics that go with it.
3. It’s customisable, configurable and personalisable.  It brings all the good things about web accountablity and measurement to analogue publication.

The promo will pass or fail based upon the quality of the content, user experience and marketing sensitivity.  There are a few mechanical hurdles to overcome to participate, and that is the greatest weakness.
It also makes me think of different models where you might be able to sell “tickets”, or pass out secret “pass keys” as part of a promotion…
Jump to the Esquire video demo of the magazine:

Video - Esquire

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An interesting perspective, separating viral marketing from Social Media.  To my mind, the two are symbiotically bound.

Organized Chaos: Viral Marketing, Meet Social Media | Epicenter | Wired.com

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Destination web is beginning to lose traffic to the distributed phenomena known collectively now as the social web space, i.e. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, the blogsphere, etc.

The assumption is that people are getting their information via social contacts, web2.0 sites with user generated content and other indirect sources, other than the main web properties.

The problem with jumping to conclusions, is basically, jumping to conclusions.

What else could we infer from these stats?

- S0cial web is addictive, sapping the strength and curiosity from web users?

- Corporate websites were just fun as long as there was nothing better to do?

- Traffic shifts to where the action is, above and beyond the ‘need to know’ requirements of individuals farming specific information.

- You wouldn’t want to own stock in MySpace.

I don’t think the recommendation is to get rid of your landing pages.  You may get less traffic, but is it more qualified traffic?

I do think the recommendation is to get involved in Social Web.

American

www.digitalbuzzblog.com - loosing-to-the-social-web-visualized

Australian (thanks Mike!)

Australian brand sites losing to the Social Web - Datalicious Blog

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In the ever evolving cat and mouse game of marketing, the spring loaded marketing message, popping out at you from the noise of everyday life has been one of the great constants.  Interruption marketing.

Now, with the evolution of search, and our constant old friend, need satisfaction, relevancy becomes the key.

With Google facing a ‘relevancy’ war with Bing in the results trenches, look forward to fallout on your own website. Both sides will be evolving their algorithms, and your rankings may be likewise evolving.  Some of the more well known tricks that raise ranking, but hurt relevancy may come under threat, including link farms, domain nurturing sites, hijacked keyword strategies, etc.  Would that be such a bad thing?

This takes me back to one of my previous posts, “SEO Tips and Tricks - Practical Advice“.

Digital Ministry - Are you relevant?

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A great article for anybody doing web design or development.  Small differences in desgin can make big impacts on overall effectiveness of a web project.

10 Useful Usability Findings and Guidelines « Smashing Magazine

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I love great examples.  Even better when they demonstrate a good concept, that could have been so much greater.

The Good

Honda have taken a stance in the Social Interactive Media forum by creating an identity on Facebook, and opening some groups to promote their gear, lifestyle, financial services, etc.  Do a quick search for Honda on Facebook, and its one of the 500 or so groups dedicated to the Brand.  Fanboys and girls, dealerships, and people named Honda all orbit in that same universe.  In a nutshell, its not like they have total domination of their keyword, nevertheless …Kudos for joining the game.  Obviously, there’s a lot of love for Honda out there.

The case in point is the launch of their Accord Crosstour, a new crossover (CUV) car, as in, NOT SUV gas guzzling behemoth, but large family sedan with commanding driving position and luxury feel…  We can talk about rebranding later.  Launch is set for Fall 09 in the US.  About now.

The Bad

The unexpected result of this effort is that the car is getting ravaged on the facebook page. Comments are overwhelmingly negative about the look of the beast.  Shock Horror!  The vehicle and the brand are being ravaged on their own turf!  This is the nightmare of practically every marketing suit when it comes to this kind of effort.  But, this is also the great value of the effort - customer feedback!

The Butt Ugly

Yes, the car, er, rather ‘CUV’ is as ugly as a pan of fried butt.  Don’t take my word for it, have a look yourself.  When people accuse Honda of being as bad as GM when it comes to design, that’s some tough love. Apparently some rather timely tough love…perhaps a wake-up call.

OOPS!  Back to the Good!

What makes this so good is that this is what its all about on Social Interactive Media.  Feedback.  How valuable is this kind of feedback to the Honda Motor Corp US?  How will this impact production?  How will it impact advertising?  Next model year’s cosmetic update?  Not to mention Honda being in the news, on this blog, and in you brain as we speak.  This negative feedback will save them money.  What they do with the opportunity is something to follow, I reckon.

Oh no, back to the Bad…

One can only help but wonder how much more effective this effort would have been, if the facebook strategy had been applied in the design stage, if Honda had asked for input as opposed to approval of a finished product.

The lesson:  Social interactive media feedback is good, but better when you integrate it in the process so you can act upon it before everything is a done deal.  There is no such thing as bad feedback if you understand how to work with it.

Facebook | Honda Accord Crosstour

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Part of the whole web2.0 and social interactive marketing buzz is about user generated content, word of mouth recommendation and the authority they bring.

It appears, at least in New York State, USA, that posing as a regular punter and putting up your own positive reviews constitutes the equivalent of false advertising.

So along with risking SEO purgatory, you may also be risking $$$ and lets not even talk about the brand value statement…

ATTORNEY GENERAL CUOMO SECURES SETTLEMENT WITH PLASTIC SURGERY FRANCHISE THAT FLOODED INTERNET WITH FALSE POSITIVE REVIEWS

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