Google Now Taking on Facebook

“It is our intention to make this a model for how open a social site should be”

Google is previewing their new Buzz feature as I write this:

And they couldn’t be any more clear that this is a direct challenge to Facebook. With the ability to share photos, geo-tag posts, see who’s near you and more.

It’s no secret that Google would love some of the attention that Facebook is getting on the web. Christmas Day 09 actually saw Facebook pass Google as the most visited site in the world.  And while Google’s own Orkut social site has been a terrible flop (outside of Brazil at least), they have been stealthily building all the blocks of a Facebook competitor piece by piece.

In fact, it’s only the tying together of these various strands which is holding them back. Consider these Google products working in conjunction:
Google Profile
Google Chat
Picasa for photos
Youtube for videos
Reader for articles

and you have the basics of a Facebook-like service already.

And it goes without saying that there are other features which can be tied into these, sharing custom maps, reviewing product pages, the FourSquare-like features of the new Google Buzz, NearMeNow on the iPhone/Droid, etc, etc.

So will it work?

I think it will. Buzz will start rolling out to Gmail users within the hour, and judging by the buzz (sorry) on Twitter, there’s a huge amount of interest already:
http://twitter.com/#search?q=%22Google%20Buzz%22%20OR%20%23Buzz

APIs will be available, and public info will be provided as XML feeds. Anything public will indexed immediately by Google’s real time search. There is a lot of stuff here, even speculation about using Google Voice conversations as part of the Buzz. They have put a lot of thought into spam fighting (and I must say, Gmail spam fighting is great for me). Buzz seems to offer a huge amount of potential, especially if you consider the built in user-base Gmail has.

However, with @replies to tag people, the ability to ‘like’ or comment on posts, photos and updates, many may see this as too close to Facebook to be worthwhile.

So, what do you think? Can Google finally make a success of their social strategy, or is it too similar, too late?



Protecting Your Facebook Page: How to Handle Negative Comments

With a third of adults now posting on Facebook and Twitter, many businesses are seeing the importance of social media and creating business Facebook pages. These pages help to create awareness with customers and allow businesses to communicate daily with their fans, but once you have your page up and running, there are a few bumps you may hit in the Facebook road.

Some of these bumps include comments from unsatisfied customers and fans who spam your page with rude or irrelevant posts. You must address these issues quickly, and here are some tricks that I have found work well.

Some view unsatisfied customer comments as a hazard, but I view them as a blessing! I am so lucky to have that customer tell me directly about their experiences and allow me the opportunity to correct them, as opposed to just vent about it to their friends and family, and sometimes the entire Internet! If a company can fix the situation or sometimes just apologize, that customer is more likely to have a positive view of the company.

When you get that customer complaint post, here is what you should do:

1. Make sure to apologize and thank them for sharing the information in a timely manner. Ideally, you should be checking your Facebook page at least once a day. If the comment sits on your wall for a week with no response, it may irritate the customer even more and make your business look unprofessional to the other fans.

2. Attempt to fix the situation or explain what you are going to do to prevent that same situation from happening in the future. It may be wise to ask the customer to email the details of their experience. This just keeps more unflattering comments off your wall, and allows you to continue the conversation privately with the customer.

3. Continue to monitor the comment and keep in touch with the customer until they are satisfied with the situation.

When your Facebook page hits a certain number of fans, you will eventually start to attract some spammers. Some may just post links to their sites, and some may post rude or obscene comments. Either way, you must deal with these quickly.

1. If the post could be offensive to your other fans, immediately delete the post. You can do this by clicking the “delete” link under the comment.

2. If the post is not too offensive, you can try to reach out to the poster and remind them that other fans read the wall and to keep their comments PG rated, or whatever is acceptable for your page. It also helps to have a “policy” outlined on your page discussing what is considered unacceptable content and noting that if it is posted, it will be removed.

3. Some spammers will not stop. In this case, you should report them to Facebook. To report a spammer, just click on the “report” link under the comment. This is sometimes the only way to protect your page and your fans.

Do you have any tips for dealing with rude or obscene posts? Have you ever had to report anyone?

January Social Media Star: Meghan Miller

The television news business is ever changing. The industry has gone from news on only three networks to 24-hour news channels to the reach and speed of the Internet and social media. Meghan Miller, the Web producer for WMBF News, the NBC affiliate in Myrtle Beach, saw the power and importance of social media in TV news early on, and has been using it ever since to keep a step ahead.

We picked Meghan as January’s social media star, because she’s on the front lines of journalism embracing all that social media can do for this industry. She “gets” it where so many media outlets continue to struggle.

Meghan started the WMBF Facebook page in August 2008 with only 10 fans, but has grown the page to over 10,000! Daily, she manages multiple social media accounts for WMBF, including Twitter, Facebook, MySpace and, one you may not have heard about, Bubbletweet. Here is what Meghan had to say about social media:

What was the first social media technology you used?
Facebook. Over the years, it’s slowly become the No. 1 way I can keep a personal connection with my family and friends back in my hometown of York, Pa.

What is your favorite social media tool?
Definitely Twitter. Believe it or not, I was actually against getting a Twitter account, because I didn’t see the point in posting to the world what I was doing 24/7. Now it’s one of the first things I check on my Blackberry when I wake up – to see who’s doing what and what topics are making news in the Web world.

How have you used social media for your business/company and how has it benefited?
In all honesty, it’s one of the most important tools I use as both a journalist and as a Web producer. Social networking takes news to a whole new extreme – it allows us to see who’s doing what, what issues are important to our viewers, and really allows us to make those important connections with those who keep close tabs on our news product.

Our Facebook fan page has just exceeded 10,000 fans – many of which were gained in 2009. That’s an outlet where we can interact with our fans with a “Question of the Day” and post controversial news stories that we know will draw a response from the public. It also allows us to strengthen the push-pull from social networking sites to WMBFNews.com.

Twitter is another – I can’t tell you how many news stories we’ve broken because of Twitter and how many relationships we’ve built with legislators, community leaders, businesses and organizations because of the exchange of a few tweets. If we can’t pull any news stories off of Twitter, it at least helps us get our brains pumping to come up with new, fresh news content for our shows.
On the flip side, we can keep better track of our competition this way.

How have you seen TV news change since you started in the profession with regard to social media?
It has exploded! I can remember when we had 20 fans on our WMBF News Facebook Fan Page and 100 friends on our MySpace page. We’ve been nursing our social networking sites since we first launched in August 2008 and now depend on it for comments on controversial stories that really affect our viewers or our market drivers. Now, you’ll see a “Facebook Question of the Day” on each of our newscasts – and a big push to become a fan of WMBF News either on Twitter or Facebook.

What role do you see social media playing in TV news in the future?
I see it as a way to gather news stories, build the WMBF News brand, draw people into our product, interact with the community and share breaking news when it happens, as it happens.

How much time would you say you spend a day engaging social media?
Ha – it feels like 24 hours a day! It’s hard to gauge because my TweetDeck is always open, I’m always fiddling with UberTwitter on my phone when I’m away from my desk and always checking out Facebook. It’s a part of the job!

How do you incorporate it into your day so it’s not a time waster?
It’s hard! I make sure that when I’m at work – that’s what I’m on Twitter or Facebook for – just work. When I go on dinner break, am heading out to do a story or am on my own time, that’s when I hop on my personal Facebook and Twitter accounts.

What’s your best tip for using social media for business?
Use it as just another tool to better your product and your overall image. Don’t ignore the fact that your viewers or clients are interacting with you on a “virtual” level – it’s the perfect time to draw people in! Engage, interact and don’t ignore!

Is there a social media tool/technique that you think is underutilized that you would like people to know about?
This is where I plug BubbleTweet, I do believe! I think BubbleTweet is an AWESOME alternative to Tweets if you have a webcam. It’s been a cool way to take people behind the scenes during a newscast, break news stories on a more personal and visual level and to show people that the news is more than just TV.

Where can people find you online and via social media?
www.twitter.com/wmbfmegmiller
http://www.facebook.com/meghanmillerwmbf

On Down the Road: What’s in Store for Social Media in 2010

As we head into this new decade I can only hope it means social media will come into its hey day – that would be just glorious for a social media nerd like me. I could stop explaining why Twitter isn’t just about the minutia of my day and that no Facebook isn’t just a bunch of teenagers. Ah, but perhaps that is too much to dream of.

Instead, I thought I’d take a realistic look at what this social media nerd thinks is in store for us this year as it relates to business.

1) Real Time Web

Have you noticed tweets and Facebook posts now when you search on Google? That’s because the search giant is rolling out their new real time search features in which they have integrated tweets and public Facebook posts (so be careful what you set as public in your Facebook privacy settings).

What does that mean for business? A LOT! Guess what? Now whatever anyone posts about you just might show up when someone types in your name or a description of your product. That means you not only need to be on the defensive, monitoring what’s being said about you at all times so you can react, you also need to be on the offensive. That means a good quality Twitter account & Facebook page for your company with the right key words, consistently updated, quality content and good interaction. That ups the odds you’ll show up high in Google as well (maybe even above the person dissing you ).

A Twitter account we manage for a group of Myrtle Beach hotels recently showed up on page one of Google for the term “myrtle beach”. Do you have any idea what people pay to be there? A lot!

2) Localization

I recently read where CNN bought Outside.IN, a site that finds and reproduces local news, and sites like FourSquare.com, which is kind of like a city guide for your phone that connects you to your friends, are also becoming more popular. People want to find what’s relevant to them and a lot of time that means what’s local to them. Watch for more sites and tools to spring up that help people understand, sort and find what’s around them.

3) Geo-”stuff”

That leads me to geo “stuff” (sorry don’t know the proper words for all the geo stuff ). That’s certainly another way for people to pull in information that relates to where they are physically. Your iPhone knows where you are and offers results tailored to that location from movie times, to weather, to directions. Twitter may even add that feature, allowing businesses to “tweet” you or even text you with relevant coupons or ads for things nearby. Can you imagine walking by Starbucks and getting a coupon for $1 off your Frappucino on your phone. I’m all over that!

4) Third Party Review Sites Beyond Travel and Retail

The hospitality industry has started to live and die by sites like TripAdvisor and IGoYouGo as people weigh in on hotels and destinations and many people make their decisions based on these reviews. Retailers, like Amazon, who has really set themselves apart with their review system, are also used to this mode of operation. But now, people are reviewing stuff like their doctors, their plumbers, their hair stylists on sites like Yelp.

Watch out businesses. You’d better provide good customer service or trust me, someone will be talking about it online. Suzy not happy with her haircut? Bet she’s going to tell everyone somewhere online and the party responsible to boot. And things spread much more quickly online than they used to when co-workers chatted about it around the water cooler. Watch what’s being said about you and react when appropriate (ie offer Suzy a new “do” ).

5) Businesses “Get” Social Media

Ok, notice I said “get” not “embrace”. I don’t think we’re there yet. But here at my firm, we’re seeing a lot of people we’ve been telling about this stuff for several years finally come around and say “OK, you were right – help!” I think businesses will continue to realize that others are successfully using these tools for branding, PR and, what do you know, to actually make money! And they’ll decide they need to be there too.

Please, please, please though, don’t just farm it out to your IT person. Better your PR person, but they’re already swamped too and probably don’t have the time to do it properly. Either hire someone part time or full time to run your social media (who KNOWS what they’re doing – tough to find) or hire a firm (who KNOWS what they’re doing – also tough to find!) and let them manage it for you.

Those are my picks for the coming year.  What did I miss? What else is coming for social media? Please get in on the discussion. I want to know what I DON’T know about! Oh, and happy New Year!

The uses of social media – in life and in death

My first real foray into the land of Web 2.0 was a blog I started in fall 2005. It was mainly a way to record and share the moments in my life with friends and family. Since then, I’ve jumped on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. I feel immersed in the world of social media and its capabilities as a personal and business tool.

But earlier this month, I discovered an entirely new use for social media and the Internet when a professional colleague and friend passed away after a battle with brain cancer. Terry Harper was the executive director of the Society of Professional Journalists, an organization with more than 8,000 members. I served on the SPJ national board of directors for six years so had worked with Terry during my board service.

When we found out about his cancer, members of the organization rallied their thoughts and prayers and put full support behind Terry and his family for many months. But a few weeks ago, we found ourselves coming together again, this time to pay our respects to our colleague and friend.

What struck me as most interesting was the method for our collective sadness. With SPJ members scattered about the country, the majority of us couldn’t physically attend the memorial service or other events that would honor Terry’s memory. So we pulled together online. We posted messages on Terry’s Facebook page as well as a special group page that had been created to support Terry’s fight with cancer. We tweeted our grief on Twitter. We posted hundreds of comments on Terry’s blog, Thumping My Melon. SPJ created a memorial page on its Web site where members and friends of the society could post comments, donate to a memorial fund or simply remember Terry in pictures.

I couldn’t help but think about how social media has changed the way we do everything, including celebrate lost loved ones and friends. In the past, we could only send a card of condolence, make a phone call or give a memorial donation to a particular charity. And while those are all still quite appropriate and important, now we have a chance to create a living, breathing memorial, a place where a person’s friends and family can read the many touching and inspiring comments as long as they like and friends can continue to post their thoughts.

Terry wrote a final blog post that his wife posted the day of his death. At last check, that post had 241 comments. Many of the comments are from people who knew Terry well; other comments are from people who didn’t know him at all – just another example of the far-reaching power of the Internet.

Housed online, these blogs and Facebook pages live on forever, a touching reminder of a person’s contributions here on Earth. And, I have to admit, I’ve been thinking: what would my final blog post say?

Fabulous Facebook Pages

I’ve been asked a lot to share examples of Facebook Pages that are done well, so I thought I would highlight a few and share my thoughts on why they work.

Charleston – 500+ fans

OK, I have to preface this by saying that my company runs this page, but it’s a good example of what to do with a Facebook page. What I’d like to note here is that we give people a reason to go to the page. We did not just set it up and every now and then update it.

Instead, we’re on there everyday producing some type of activity: updating the status, commenting, posting links, photos, videos, etc. We also do fun things like polls, contests, promoting other companies to keep people coming back.

Home Team BBQ – 1100+ fans.

The main thing here is that they keep their page updated, just like the above. So there are always new photos, events info and discussions going on.

Hilton Head, S.C. – 7200 fans!

What the Hilton Head, SC page has done brilliantly is again kept it very updated and given people lots of reasons to interact on the page. The more you can get people to take action on your page, the more it shows up in their newsfeeds and the more their friends see it. Hopefully, those friends will become fans of the page and also take action and on it goes…

So let the lesson be here: Creating a Facebook fan page that works is work! You have to update it frequently and be creative to keep people coming back. Don’t set it up and expect it to magically produce results without constant maintenance.

March Social Media Star: Leah England

If you own a dog, you’ll want to meet our March Social Media Star: Leah England, founder and publisher of Lowcountry Dog magazine. Leah has created a fabulous publication that serves as a great resource for anyone living in the Lowcountry of South Carolina as a dog owner.

We picked Leah, because she has recently taken the magazine’s print presence online, as well, and is quickly becoming known as the expert for all things doggies in and around Charleston. She’s on Facebook, Twittering about the latest pet events and news, blogging about the pet world and has become the go to resource. And all this is helping grow her audience both online and in print. So with that, meet Leah!

What was the first social media technology you used?
LinkedIn. Ironically, though, I use it the least now.

What is your favorite social media tool?
Twitter and Facebook are neck and neck. With MySpace in second place, and LinkedIn in third.

How have you used social media to spread the word about Lowcountry Dog (LCD) and how has it benefited?
It’s amazing how social media enables me to interact instantly with LCD readers. It’s like having a constant focus group right in my living room. I ask LCD readers for their content ideas, what issues matter most to them, what they love most about LCD and what I should do more or less of. And the best thing is, they talk to me – like a real person! Not some elusive publisher holding a charette, but someone with whom they can have an open and honest discussion.

This year I’m heavily promoting the annual LCD model contest, held at PetFest, through social media. Even though we’ve always had a good turnout, I’m really pumped to see how things go this year!

I also promote LCD advertisers when it is relevant and newsworthy. If a groomer is offering a discount, a kennel has new online reservations and Web cams, or a retail store is hosting a meet and greet for a rescue – it all gets posted! So social media is giving me another opportunity to help pet-related businesses connect with their demographic.

How much time would you say you spend a day engaging social media?
2-3 hours. Weekday only. You’ve got to set some limits.

How do you incorporate it into your day so it’s not a time waster?
I schedule my social media activity. Morning, mid-day and late afternoon. I think it’s good to space things out, not only for yourself so you can get other things done, but also so you have the chance to catch different people at different times.

What’s your best tip for using social media for business?
The conversation should flow both ways. Don’t just constantly shove yourself down your followers’ throats. Ask questions. Respond to your followers’ posts. Post truly beneficial, entertaining and useful information. Be gracious. Be authentic. If you use a lot of auto-responders and post one-sided information, people can smell it a mile away. Social media is one of those things where what you get out of it directly correlates with what you put in it.

Is there a social media tool/technique that you think is underutilized that you would like people to know about?
I’ve only been using social media for about three months, so I’m not an expert. There’s a lot I feel I don’t use enough. I’m excited to begin using Flickr as a visual social networking tool and to start a Squidoo lens for Lowcountry Dogs!

Where can people find you online?
www.lowcountrydog.com
www.lowcountrydog.blogspot.com
www.twitter.com/leahengland

Skittles: Innocent Candy or Evil Spammer?

Another week, another blow up in the Twitterverse. And this time it’s all down to a small, sugary treat.

If you haven’t yet visited skittles.com, do so now. They have replaced a traditional website with a small navigation box which overlays a search for #skittles on Twitter, the Facebook Fan page, Flickr-hosted photos and a Youtube channel. The Social Web’s dream, right? Well, maybe.

I first came across it on Saturday evening and thought it was pretty cool, and more than a little daring too. Giving over complete control to the world? Huge potential for that to backfire. Still, a fun idea, and a lot more interesting than most product websites.

Well, as with so much on the internet, it didn’t take long for the backlash to begin.

• Many pointed out that the concept was kinda-sorta ‘borrowed’ (wholesale) from Modernista, an advertising agency in Boston who had done the same thing last March.
• Others complained about having to be an adult to see the site, as Tim Allick puts it, “Can’t believe that #skittles website bans KIDS! Doesn’t send them to a safe page, just tells ‘em to go away. How is this smart marketing?”. (He does have a point. It’s a kids candy after all. )
• The Wall St Journal chimed in with a round-up of comments, most of them negative.
• Joanne Jacobs wrote  a blog condemning the whole exercise as a failure – just one day after the site launch – ‘Why the Skittles social media campaign failed’: ” Skittles has failed in its social media campaign because all it has done is hold a mirror up to conversations, without providing any content of its own, any context for remotely valuable conversation, and any rationale for productive engagement.”
• A poll by PR Sarah Evans, shows that 60% of respondents wouldn’t be swayed by the new site to buy more Skittles.
• Etc, etc, and etc

Sigh. Sometimes it all seems so predictable. The constant flow of negativity. The need to show that ‘I’m not taken in by their sneaky advertising’. Jumping on the ‘this is just a rip-off’ and ‘besides, it doesn’t work anyway’-bandwagons.

Come on people! Where’s the joy? Where’s the ‘Yes, we can’-spirit we keep reading about!?

My 6 year old has recently begun spotting website addresses on things that I ignore – mcdonalds.com, orville.com, quakerkidsdoinggood.com – pretty much *everything* has a website now, and they’re all the same. A nice Flash intro. Maybe a game or something. A code you can enter to unlock the hidden area. Yawn.

At least Skittles.com didn’t do that.

So, personally, I’m sticking with my initial reaction, “It’s kind of cool”.

They may not have been first, but they were the first Big Name Brand to do it, and that’s something. It may not convince 60% of people to buy more, but that still leaves a lot that might. It has generated a ton of publicity, and got them over half a million fans on Facebook. And it’s different and interesting.

Unlike so much of the commentary around it.

Lovin’ & Tweetin’ & Pokin’

In honor of Valentine’s Day, I thought I’d delve into the topic of love online. Sure, you’ve heard of eHarmony and Match.com, but that is so old school. Nowadays, folks are doin’ it 2.0 style, tweetin’ and friendin’ their way to meeting the love of their life … or to at least stay in touch with that cute girl at the bar even if they can’t get her phone number. And you can do it all for free!

It’s pretty easy now to find someone online. So many people are on Facebook and if you know someone’s name and where they live, you can likely find them. At least you can ask to be their friend, and if they accept, you’re on your way toward getting to know them. On Twitter, you can now use the People Search function to look for someone by name or email and start following them and interacting with them.

And of course there’s all the fun stuff that allows you to “flirt” online like poking someone on Facebook. My only experience with this fun feature (because, yes, I’ve been married 10 years this year) is some old man, whom I did not know, who poked me on Facebook. I tried to make my husband jealous with this tidbit, but mostly we got a good chuckle. You can also send your friends flirtatious gifts, etc.

There’s also a Speed Dating 2.0 application on Facebook that allows you to have five minute conversations with a potential date and continue the conversation however you choose if you’re interested. Ah, the fun never ends on Facebook.

Over on Twitter, there’s a whole site dedicated to single Twitterers called Twitterbirds.com. They describe themselves as speed-dating on the Internet.

There are also quite a lot of free social networks like SocialGrid and PassionsNetwork for dating.

So, while I can’t say I’ve experienced love on the Web, I’m guessing many of you have. And I’d love to hear your stories, funny or inspiring. Is the Web a good place to meet a potential partner? For all you singles: here’s hopin’…

Social Media Star: Stacey Crew

Meet our very first Step Ahead Social Media Star: Stacey Crew, organizing expert, author and speaker. Stacey, whom I met many years ago through a friend of mine and who is based in Charleston, S.C., helps moms-to-be, new moms and generally busy women organize their time and space. Her book, The Organized Mom, will hit bookstores nationally in 2009.

Stacey is very active on all the main tools, but has also networked herself well within niche social networks like Girlfriendology, The Integrated Mother, Posh Mama, Twitter Moms, and the Mom Bloggers Club where she has developed a following of moms who look for her seasoned advice on keeping our lives together! Here is what Stacey had to say about social media:

What was the first social media technology you used?
Facebook

What is your favorite social media tool?
Facebook, then Twitter

How has social media benefited your business?

Social media tools have helped me keep my followers informed of blog posts, Web site updates, and general information that I’d like to share—all in a very simple way! Anyone who has been following me, knows that getting a book published is a long process.

How much time would you say you spend a day engaging social media?
1 hour

How do you incorporate it into your day?

Sometimes I schedule it. For example, if I’ve made specific blog entries, I’ll post that on my Facebook page and on Twitter. Or if I’ve made changes/updates to my web site, I’ll do the same. Essentially, while working, I’m always connected to Facebook and Twitter, but try and use the time wisely so it’s not all of a sudden the end of the day and I haven’t completed my To Do List.

What’s your best social media tip?

Be yourself. People don’t want to feel like you’re all business or all personal, so find a balance. In my market (moms, essentially), I mention my kids and post pictures. Keep it real, but maintain your position as an expert in your field. It’s like walking a tight rope sometimes.

Is there a social media tool/technique that you think is

underutilized that you would like people to know about.

Well, I suspect the iPhone technology. I’m waiting for my new iPhone to arrive and once it does, I think I will be saying, “How did I ever live without it.” I’ll be providing tech tips on my web site for the iPhone and other technology and social media tools. We’ve entered a time when we can truly be more effective and efficient with technology.

Where can people find you online?
www.staceycrew.com, staceycrew.blogspot.com, Facebook and @staceycrew on Twitter.

Anything else you’d like to add?

Everyone should analyze how technology can and does work for them, whether it’s personally and/or professionally. Facebook is a great tool for staying in touch with both family and friends, but it also serves a purpose as a business tool. Twitter, on the other hand, is a fabulous tool for networking outside your local venue. If one is attempting to reach a national audience (like myself), Twitter can get you connected to people far and wide. Just remember to follow Twitter etiquette!

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