TIME Magazine or AmeriCares ...Who Is Better At Twitter?

Which of these two brands (@TIME Magazine or @AmeriCares Non-Profit) is making better use of their Twitter account?


TIME is a big, well-established brand with a huge pre-existing fanbase. They had little trouble leveraging their name into an enormous number of Twitter followers.

AmeriCares is more like most smaller businesses (they are probably a lot like your business.) They don't have the mass appeal of a Time magazine. It will take them longer to establish in this space.

TIME has 614,143 followers. AmeriCares has 2,434. At first glance, it might appear that TIME is benefiting more from this tool.

LOOK CLOSER!

AmeriCares is following 2,428 people! They are taking a much more interactive approach and building two-way relationships with their users. They are engaging and bonding with their existing fans. They are introducing themselves to people who may have never heard of them before. AmeriCares' overall Twitter numbers aren't as impressive as TIME's, but is it possible that they are actually getting more benefit from this powerful tool?

TIME found only 54 of it's 600,000+ users to be interesting enough to follow back.

This is a HUGE MISS!

One could take this as a sign that TIME thinks what they have to say to their customer is far more important than what their customer has to say to them. This thinking might work for them (for now) because their brand is well-established. It won't work for you!

TIME may see their Twitter campaign as a marketing success based on their follow numbers, but you have to ask several questions:

• How many of these Twitter followers are already "following" them in other spaces?
• How many of these followers are building tighter bonds with the brand as a result of this one-way messaging?
  
• Is TIME actually gaining anything new from their Twitter campaign that they can't get elsewhere?

Ultimately, isn't the quality of the relationships you build in Social Media far more important than the quantity?

Now it's your turn:

Which of these two brands (@RollingStone Magazine or @WorldCircuit Record Label) is making better use of their Twitter account?

De La Soul-cial Networking

Do you remember these guys:

De La Soul. They've been making music since the 1980s. Recently, they teamed up with Nike Sport Music to release "ARE YOU IN?: Nike+ Original Run", a record that is now available through iTunes for $9.99.

To promote this new project, De La Soul took to technology in true De La-fashion. Check out what one of them (Posdnous - twittername: @PlugWonDeLaSoul) is doing on Twitter:


Scroll down...


Scroll again...


What stands out in all of Posdnous's posts?


The "@RESPONSE"!

Posdnous is responding...conversing...interacting...having one-on-one, personal exchanges with his fans. Aside from his time, the cost is nothing. The impact on building a dedicated fanbase is HUGE! This is such easy stuff, you have to wonder why every business in the world isn't doing it.

Questions:

How many of the fans that Posdnous has connected with on this personal level will go on to buy the album?

How many of those fans will remember these connections years from now when De La Soul releases another CD?

How is a musician interacting with his fans similar to your company interacting with your customers?

What can you learn from De La Soul-cial Networking?

What Else Does A Guy Have To Do To Get A JOB?

My main goal at WHY? Media (the blog) is to showcase easy-to-use, low cost ways to leverage technology in order to spread the word about your brand. Today I offer a story about a guy who is using every high-tech-tool in the book to spread the word about his job search.

Meet Mike:

These days, most job seekers build some sort of website to feature a resume, portfolio and such. Mike is going way beyond that. He's turned his job search into a major social media marketing campaign. He calls it "Get Mike a Job (and Win Prizes!)"

Mike has built a "Get Mike a Job (and Win Prizes!)" website & blog:


Mike has built a "Get Mike a Job (and Win Prizes!)" LinkedIn Page:


Mike has built a "Get Mike a Job (and Win Prizes!)" FaceBook Page:


Mike has built a "Get Mike a Job (and Win Prizes!)" Twitter Account:


Mike has built a "Get Mike a Job (and Win Prizes!)" YouTube Channel:


(Editors Note: I didn't find "Get Mike a Job" on Blip.Fm, a popular music-streaming site. Hey Mike, maybe you should create a "Get Mike a Job (and Win Prizes!)" Blip channel and play nothing but work-themed songs. Stuff like "Works Hard For The Money" by Donna Summer or "Working Man" by Rush. You could set your Blip account to update your Twitter account so you'll be reaching more eyeballs every time you spin a tune!)


What Mike is demonstrating in his job search is what every company, big or small, should be doing with their brand. This is an ultra-modern, well-planned, well-executed, multi-channeled attack. If your company isn't doing this stuff, maybe you should give Mike a call.

Questions:
What is Mike doing that your company isn't?
What other tech-tools can Mike use in his campaign?
What can your company learn about viral marketing from "Get Mike a Job (and Win Prizes!)"?

(Editors Note: By spreading the word about this blog post, you could be helping Mike find his next employer. Tweet this article, post it on Facebook, Digg It, Stumble It, RSS Feed it...do whatever it is you do with blog posts that you like. I'm sure Mike will thank you.")

Is Hate-Tweeting Oprah Basically The Same As Loving Her?

Oprah Winfrey (twittername: @Oprah) caught tons of media (and social media) attention last week by opening a Twitter account live on her TV show. If a recent Twitter Search is any indication, the tweet community appears to be less than tweet-ceptive. Check out all the hate-tweeting going on:

Questions:

Don't you think all these less-than-positive mentions of the @Oprah name are actually a good thing for her brand overall?

Wouldn't you consider it a huge win if your brand got this much attention it's first week on Twitter?

I'm just sayin'...

The Web Beats Traditional Media (Yet Again)

Have you heard about the recent star-powered popularity contest that came in the form of a contest to be the first Tweeter to gather 1 million followers on Twitter.

In one corner, Media giant CNN (twittername: @CNN) sporting it's millions of television viewers and fire-fueled promotional machine. In the other corner, underdog everyman-actor Aston Kutcher (twittername: @aplusk), equipped only with a laptop and a small web-based videocast (oh yeah...and his hugely popular brand and black book of A list friends.)

CNN was largely considered the favorite...after all, they have Larry King. But Kutcher leveraged his fan base (and a large offering of man-boy prizes) and pulled off the upset victory.

Yet another example of the web out-media-ing the media.

Live Videos by Ustream

Cool Content + Social Media = BUZZZZ!!!

Savannah College Of Art And Design is doing something really cool with social media right now. The school is hosting the Game Developers eXchange (game developers, educators and students sharing their behind-the-scenes knowledge of the game industry.) The cool part is that they have built an online videocast channel called SCADTV into their website. They are using this great tool to provide live coverage of the event. They are also live microblogging about the event (and their SCADTV coverage of it) on Twitter (twittername: @scaddotedu). Users can interact by tweeting questions and thoughts live by using "#gdx" in their message.

I love this stuff! Combining multi-media assets and social media tools is a super-strong play. Are you using your website to engage your audience in this way?

How Will You Protect Your Brand From Viral Hijacking?

Have you seen this yet?

A couple of lovely Domino's (thankfully now EX) employees were looking for YouTube fame. What they achieved instead was a viral-hijacking of Domino's basically respected brand. With this series of disgusting behind-the-pizza-oven videos, these two have levied more destruction than Pizza Hut, Little Ceasars and Papa John's combined.

Patrick Doyle (President, Domino's U.S.A) went to the web to deliver some probably too tightly-scripted damage control.


What do you think...

Did Doyle get it right?
Did he do enough to erase the negative buzz?
How would you respond if your brand was under a similar attack?

SMILE AND MOVE: Sometimes It Really Is That Simple.

I've blogged about Sam Parker (twittername: @justParker) in the past ("The Power Of Words" 05/20/2008). He is a professional motivator (great job if you can get it) who is effective because his messages are simple and actionable. He also gives us great examples of the importance of using slick, quick, fast-paced, educational, informational, entertaining and interactive content to help get a message across.

Here's his latest work...I'm sure you'll enjoy his message. More importantly, learn from his technique. Ask yourself the question, "how can I package and present my brand with a similar impactful spirit?"

Is Britney Spears Socially Stupid?

Last week was an interesting one in the world of New Media. Two new high profile jobs were in the headlines. Anyone interested in Viral Marketing should be watching these very closely.

In Washington DC, President Obama unveiled his new DIRECTOR OF NEW MEDIA FOR THE WHITE HOUSE. Meanwhile, Britney Spears began her search for a 2.0 MEDIA MANAGER.

High profile positions like these can do nothing but legitimize the need for solid Social Media planning. The question is...can Britney Spears keep from screwing this up?

DIRECTOR OF NEW MEDIA FOR THE WHITE HOUSE

Early last week, within minutes after the inauguration, a brand new blog was introduced at http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/. As a result, we were more formally introduced to Obama's New Media mastermind...Macon Phillips:

As the week (and even the weekend) progressed, it became apparent that we are dealing with a different White House. So far, The White House Blog has been a pretty readable combination of press-release/policy information and some slightly more candid quotes from our latest President. There has also been an occasional (and refreshing) behind-the-scenes editorial:

"For incoming White House staff, the past few days have been a singularly thrilling -- and learning -- experience. Wide-eyed staffers roam the halls of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building with thick stacks of HR paperwork in hand, new phone numbers are being memorized -- and the line for coffee and club sandwiches is starting to grow as word spreads about the White House Mess. It's safe to say that working at the White House isn't something anyone can prepare for, but the career staff continue to work tirelessly to make the first few days as smooth as possible."

It will be very interesting as time goes on the see how much of this editorial aspect remains. Day-in-the-life, behind-the-curtain, insider glimpses of what it's like to be in the White House everyday...that's pretty engaging stuff. The amount of personalization and transparency used in future posts will surely determine whether this becomes a blog for the common man...or merely an unused tool for the press. I cheer for the common man. This type of "open" communication will go a long way in times like these.

BRITNEY SPEARS 2.0 MEDIA MANAGER

Also in the news last week, as if stealing directly from the Prez playbook, pop-tart Britney Spears posted a new job listing:

If anyone needs an online makeover right now, it's Ms. Spears. Building a better Britney through Social Media is a logical plan. The problem is that the above job posting only appeared (as far as I can tell) on a Harvard job board. Apparently Britney's people think there is a pedigree in Social Media. Bad move!

Consider the new DIRECTOR OF NEW MEDIA FOR THE WHITE HOUSE, Macon Phillips. It can be argued that this guy holds the top New Media job in the country right now. Currently, Phillips is the poster boy for Word-Of-Mouth Marketing. Interesting to note...Macon Phillips went to a university with a watchable basketball team:

HARVARD NEW MEDIA SPECIALIST

Oh, by the way. It looks like Harvard is also looking for a New Media Specialist. This posting is showing up on job boards all across the nation:

Funny...looks like Harvard isn't limiting their search for a New Media pro to just the Boston area.

That would be social stupidity.

"There Is Really Nothing New About Social Media..."

My good friend Todd Feldman just wrote a great blog post that I wanted to share. It's called Getting Real About Integrating Your Brand with Social Media.

First, a little about Todd. He and I worked together on the Emerging Channels team at circuitcity.com. More than just about anyone I know, Todd gets social media and how it can be used for e-commerce and marketing. He likes to say "Social Media should be viewed as a powerful ingredient that enables the connection of every department within your company with each other and then directly to your customer."

That would look a little like this:


...or perhaps we can think about it like this:

Social Media is a lot like Manhattan. It's an island. Not the lonely, inaccessible island the 48 survivors of Lost call home. On the contrary, Manhattan is booming with traffic and connected to land on all sides by a complex system of bridges. The folks in your company who are struggling to accept Social Media because they see it as an island...show 'em this map.

In his blog post, Todd wrote "Word-of Mouth Marketing is the oldest form of marketing, right?" He then came to a very insightful conclusion..."There really is nothing new about Social Media, except that now we have technology on our side." I couldn't agree more. The "new" part, I would argue, is the new importance in excepting the need for transparency.

Let's face it, big-business is borrowing social technologies from the general population. If we are going to have any real success in this field, we're going to have to spend some effort discovering what makes Social Networking work in the real world. Consider this, the most influential bloggers, tweeters, facebook friends, ect...they are the ones that allow themselves to be exposed online. They share with us their real experiences...and they are rewarded with our loyalty and trust.

How can you be more transparent in your viral branding? What can you share about your business that will create a bond of trust between you and your online followers? Discuss those questions in the comment section below. Maybe your answers will help us all.

Tech Sandwich: Episode 017 - The Best (& Worst) Of CES 2009.The Final Tech Sandwich Podcast.

(Note from the editor: For archival purposes (and in keeping with our DIY viral marketing philosophy), I'm reprinting a series of articles originally written for circuitcity.com.)

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It's called TECH SANDWICH (a tech news and gadget information PODcast by Circuit City.) Each Thursday, our crack team of Circuit City experts gather to inform, educate, entertain and interact. We discuss top tech information and explore the latest gadget rumors...and we always invite you to join in the discussion.
This week on TECH SANDWICH:
A review of CES 2009.

To Download TECH SANDWICH..."Right Click" and "Save As" HERE!

Try This Tool:WiFi Digital Camera

Last week at CES (Consumer Electronic Showcase in Las Vegas), Sony introduced "the world's first Wi-Fi digital camera with Web browser". The Cyber-shot DSC-G3 will allow you to take a picture or video and (if you have a Wi-Fi connection) upload it directly to the internet.

The photos/videos can be uploaded directly to Photobucket, Shutterfly, Picasa, YouTube, Dailymotion and more, meaning you could set up your blog to instantly post this photos within seconds of actually taking them. This could take your mobile blogging to a whole new level!

DIY Sighting On A Cold Sunday.

DIY is such an important part of internet success...success in everything for that matter.

I just saw a father working on the roof on his house with his young son...teaching him the DIY spirit.

Good job dad!

A New Year. A New...

Make on Snapvine | Copy This

Thanks for the gadget i got for Christmas: Samsung BDP-1500

(Note from the editor: For archival purposes (and in keeping with our DIY viral marketing philosophy), I'm reprinting a series of articles originally written for circuitcity.com.)

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Originally published at circuitcity.com on December 30, 2008
Written by ScottyWhy?

(This week is "Thanks For The Gadget" week on the Circuit City Blog. We want to pay respect to Santa Claus by sending him letters of appreciation for the great gadgets he brought us this holiday season. We invite you to play along by sharing your thoughts in the comments section of this blog post or by joining the discussion in the Circuit City Forum. I'll start things off by writing the first letter.)




Dear Santa,
I love my new Samsung Bluray player! This thing rocks!!!
My wife's parents gave me a Samsung BDP-1500 for Christmas. They are fantastic folks and really didn't have to give me anything this big (but I'm sooo glad they did.) I have to tell you, I couldn't wait to get home and hook it up. I already had a free HDMI cable running through my wall (an act of wishful thinking I guess.) It took a total of 5 minutes to get this thing out of the box and all wired in. I was watching HANCOCK on Blu-ray before my wife finished unpacking the car (just kidding, Wife.)

The picture quality on my HDTV is hypnotic. It's hard to turn away...even during the head-in-the-buttocks scene. The Samsung upconverts standard DVDs, so Dr. House looks extra cranky when I put in an old copy of "House-The First Season". I can't wait to see what "Thirteen" looks like on Blu-ray in the later seasons.

This thing also has "DTS-HD Master Audio", which means I probably should have kept that Onkyo HT-S3100 5.1 Home Theater System that I got for my parents. Guess that gives me something to hope for next year.

So thank you Santa (and my parents-in-law too) for making this a great Christmas!

Have a Fantastic New Year.
ScottyWhy?

Why I Wear Red 4U "ScottyWhy?"

(Note from the editor: For archival purposes (and in keeping with our DIY viral marketing philosophy), I'm reprinting a series of articles originally written for circuitcity.com.)

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Published at circuitcity.com on Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Written by ScottyWhy?

You may have seen Circuit City in the news recently. We've received our share of criticism, in part because we lost sight of what is most important — YOU, our customers. We are 33,000 men and women who are committed to restoring your confidence. A Circuit City Facebook Page was set up as a place where we can respond, receive constructive feedback, and provide accurate information about our Company.

This holiday week, the staff at circuitcity.com/citycenter is dedicating our time to support this fantastic campaign. Each day a member of our team will produce a video that tells, in his own words, why he is dedicated to the idea of "I Wear Red 4U!"

Today's message is from Scotty Why. Scotty is the Manager of the Online Community on circuitcity.com. He's proud to produce blogs, forums, podcasts and other content that is intended to inform, educate, interact and entertain. He enjoys what he does and thinks his work makes it easier for you to make better buying decisions. That's why Scotty Wears Red 4U.

Review: Pioneer XMp3

(Note from the editor: For archival purposes (and in keeping with our DIY viral marketing philosophy), I'm reprinting a series of articles originally written for circuitcity.com.)

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Published at circuitcity.com on Friday, December 12, 2008
Syndicated at usatoday.com and computershopper.com
Written by ScottyWhy?

For purposes of full disclosure, I have to admit that I worked for a satellite radio company that produced some of XM's content before coming to Circuit City. I was the Program Director for XM's UPOP 29 in the early 2000's. More recently, I managed XM's online-only channel WorldZone 100. Knowing my background may help you put this report into perspective.

XM Content
I'm not going to spend a great deal of time reviewing XM's content other than to say it is superb. XM likes to brag about its headliners like Oprah, Opie & Anthony, MLB and NHL. They should be equally proud of the other great channels produced in-house by their talented team of radio pros.

I'm also not going to editorialize on the recent changes to the content lineup as a result of the merger with Sirius. If you want to discuss those issues, feel free to comment to this post or, better yet, go to our City Center Forum.
All-in-all, the variety and creativity found on XM can't be matched by your local radio stations. You can learn more about XM's content at circuitcity.com/xm.

XMP3 on left / INNO on right

Size
The Pioneer XMp3 is an update to the Pioneer INNO. If you compare them side-by-side, they are about equal in height from top to bottom. The XMp3 is slightly smaller measured side to side. It is also slightly thinner. The weight is the biggest difference. The INNO has a metal body and is significantly heavier than the plastic-cased XMp3.

Durability
The plastic case makes the XMp3 more portable, but also less durable than its older sibling. In the photos above you may notice a few scratches on my INNO. Its well-built frame has taken a pretty good beating over the years and it's still going strong. The XMp3 will need a little more tender loving care.

Reception
If your a first time users of satellite radio, it is important to note that reception can occasionally be an issue...especially with these portable units. While testing the XMp3, members of my team that are new to XM would sometimes shake it and complain that it didn't work. The more experienced users instinctively lifted the device higher to the sky or moved it closer to a window. In general, when using the device's built-in antenna, the signal will be pretty solid in cars and outdoors, but may drop out indoors. We could not get a signal in the middle of our office building (in Richmond, Virginia) using just the built-in antenna. We had no issues once we hooked up the extension antenna that is included in the Pioneer Home Kit (sold separately).

Battery Life
We tested the XMp3 over a three day weekend, so we didn't have enough time to give the battery an extensive workout. I can say that the unit was on much of that time and we only had to recharge it once.

Display
The display on the XMp3 is a nice improvement over the INNO. The screen is sharper, the images more attractive and you can see up to three channels at once.

Usability
The XMp3 has a couple design changes that took a little getting use to, but worked great once I got the hang of them:

CONTROL WHEEL - Pretty easy to spin and navigate the features.
DIGITAL KEYPAD - Easy to find channels by simply entering numbers.

Upgrades
There are several upgrades to this new unit that makes it a real winner.

2GB ONBOARD STORAGE -Up from 1GB in the INNO. This means more room to store more MP3s.
A MICRO SD CARD SLOT - This topped my list of options I've always wished I had on my INNO. Removable media means you can easily change your MP3 library on-the-fly.
IMPROVED RECORDING FUNCTIONS - This allows you to record up to 5 channels at a time. You can also schedule to record favorite shows and songs. Combine this with the REPLAY FUNCTION that allows you to rewind a live element, and this unit essentially becomes the TIVO of satellite radio.
XM2GO MUSIC MANAGER - Create and edit playlists, schedule recordings, rip CDs, bookmark and purchase songs...basically iTunes for your XM.

Overall
I'm a big fan of my INNO, and I still prefer it's tough exterior. But the increased storage, improved recording functions and especially the MicroSD slot really caught my interest. I've heard some people say they wanted this unit to support videos and photos so it could completely replace the iPod. I'm less concerned about that. I think this is a big step forward for portable satellite receivers and is stocked with enough features to please both the old and new XM subscriber.

Circuit City customers seem to like it. The average customer rating on circuitcity.com for this product is a 4.6 of 5.0. One customer gives it a 5.0 and says "...this thing isn't perfect, but it is great to record up to 5 channels, then pull this off the charger and listen to whatever you want from those 5. I am continually impressed by this."

How To Subscribe To A Podcast On iTunes

(Note from the editor: For archival purposes (and in keeping with our DIY viral marketing philosophy), I'm reprinting a series of articles originally written for circuitcity.com.)

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Published at circuitcity.com on Friday, December 12, 2008
Written by ScottyWhy?

"Tech Sandwich", Circuit City's tech and gadget Podcast, is now available on iTunes. Here's a quick "how to" that should help you get easily setup to use this simple and helpful tool.

Step #1: Download And Install iTunes
Go to apple.com.
Click "iPod + iTunes".
Click "Download iTunes".



On the Download page, click "Download Now".
On the Setup.exe, click "Save File".
Save file to a folder on your computer that you can easily find (I save all my downloads to a "My Programs" subfolder inside "My Documents". )



Navigate to folder and open the file.
Follow directions to install iTunes onto your computer.


Step #2: Search iTunes for "Tech Sandwich"
Once installed,click the new "iTunes" icon on your desktop.
Open iTunes.
Click "iTunes Store"
Click "Podcast"
Search "Tech Sandwich"



Click "Tech Sandwich" to open the podcast page.

Step #3: Subscribe To "Tech Sandwich"
On the Tech Sandwich page you can listen to individual episodes.
Click "Subscribe" so each new episode will automatically download each time you log onto iTunes.
Click "Get Episode" to download episodes manually.

Don't forget to leave a review.

DON'T FORGET TO TELL ALL YOUR FRIENDS!!!

How To Skype

(Note from the editor: For archival purposes (and in keeping with our DIY viral marketing philosophy), I'm reprinting a series of articles originally written for circuitcity.com.)

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Published at circuitcity.com on Wednesday, December 03, 2008
Written by ScottyWhy?

Skype is an online communication tool that combines the best of instant messengers, telephones, video phones, conference calls and more. It's easy to use and many of it's functions are free or moderately priced.

The circuitcity.com/citycenter team uses Skype as a messaging tool, for online conference calls, to record interviews and remote podcasts. You can find us on Skype by searching the username "Circuit City City Center."

Skype has been around for several years and has gone through several strong upgrades, yet lots of people still don't know it exists. We thought we'd help you get started if your not already using this great service. This screencast will give you the basics on HOW TO SKYPE.

The Hi-Def House Of Horror : 8 Reasons Why Haloween Is Better On Blu-Ray

(Note from the editor: For archival purposes (and in keeping with our DIY viral marketing philosophy), I'm reprinting a series of articles originally written for circuitcity.com.)

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Published at circuitcity.com on Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Written by ScottyWhy?


Circuitcity.com's Doug Hess is predicting that Blu-Ray will be a hot present this Christmas. I kept that in mind as I built this playlist of Halloween horror films that are must see in HD.

1. 28 Days Later (2002) - Horror fans love the "slow zombie vs fast zombie" debate. For those who want their undead to run like Randy Moss, there is no better Hi-Def experience than 28 Days Later.


2. American Psycho (2000) - The book is cooler than the movie. Paul Allen's business card is cooler than his co-workers. If Patrick Bateman were around today, he would be way too cool to not have a Blu-Ray player.


3. Carrie (1976) - Classic horror films don't always translate well on Blu-Ray. This one does. I have three words for you...prom queen scene!


4. Dawn Of The Dead (2004) - Since I'm a simple boy from Pittsburgh, I prefer the original. Having said that... the sea of zombies scene alone makes this version much better for HD viewing.


5. Descent (2007) - You will realize within the first 15 minutes that the scares are way scarier on Blu-Ray.


6. Evil Dead 2: Dead By Dawn (1987) - I'm pretty sure director Sam Raimi thinks in Hi-Def. This is HD cheese that came way before it's time.


7. The Host (2006) - Blu-Ray makes it even clearer that the Asians are producing much better horror films than the Americans.


8. The Shining (1980) - I'm not sure that Blu-Ray makes this classic any better. But honestly, does it really need any improvement?

What's gonna be in your Blu-Ray player this All Hallow's Weekend. Post a comment to this article and let us know.