Talk to anyone who has any knowledge of social media and they will say that you have to create a personal identity in order to promote your business. My question is if you establish a connection with all these people and you move to another company, will they move with you? Hmmm. Can the company just plop someone in your place? I think not.

I don't think that vehicles like Facebook, Twitter and all their offspring are bad. I've seen many of the people I follow get new jobs and new opportunities because of the work they do with social media. What I do think is that for companies who are trying to catch lightning in a bottle with social media, they will find only limited success.

It really is about good products and people who believe in your brand. These are the companies that benefit from social media. Let's look at Apple. How may Facebook pages does Apple have? Or blogs? Or Twitter accounts? Exactly. They are the most tight lipped corporation out there and they are kicking every one else's butt! Is there a company who "embraces" social media that has that kind of following? Google? Maybe, but is it the company or the people who use their products.

Social Media is for people interacting with people. To try to make that connection as a company just doesn't make any sense. It is like socializing with a piece of paper. I believe that you can promote a company that you are not affiliated with via social media, but to pay someone to do it is only giving that person credibility. That person will develop a personality and make "friends". If that person says "I'm moving on", I'm nearly positive that the questions will be "Where are you going?" and not "Who will take your place?"

To force your influence on people as a company will not build brand loyalty, only their belief and their trust in the product will. I feel that companies engaging in social media are putting window dressing on a dilapidated ranch and calling it new and innovative. If they have products that are good enough, there will be no need to engage in social media, social media will engage you.

I understand that the top columnists can do this same thing now, but usually columnists have a very narrow focus of expertise. To get variety in their paper, these newspapers will acquire news from different writers to fill out the paper. The best part about it is that most blog posts are short. Most bloggers know that reading a long post on-line can be hard. Writers will be trained to get to the point faster and more concisely. This will give more opportunity for contrasting views on a story as space won't be as limited. The winner will be the reader and the papers will benefit as well.

The papers will be able to sell more targeted ads as Google takes over their advertising sales. A whole new way of selling ads will begin. I can already place ads in local newspapers through Google. The papers can eliminate staff which will increase profits immediately. Content will also get better which means more demand.

The idea of bringing a laptop on a train or in the bathroom, for that matter, and reading different blog posts can be cumbersome. The idea of holding a printed piece of paper has its benefits. Knowing that you can have delivered to your doorstep quality concise news will be appealing to most. I like the Wall Street Journal but I don't have time to read it. The articles tend to be long tomes on a topic. I usually only have about 30 minutes at most to read anything. If I can get the whole newspaper in 30 minutes of reading then I am good. If I can get the best of the the Journal, the Star Ledger, the New York Times and other local newspapers in an easily digestible, 30 minute read then you can have my money.

So my prediction is that the newspapers are the last to the party, but they will find a way to monetize all the content that we get for free. I know it seems ironic, but as much as we are becoming an on-line, always connected society, there will always be those times when we want to unplug but still stay informed. This is where the newspapers will always fit in. I love my laptop but I highly doubt that I will bring it to the beach to read the headlines. Sure I can get an iPhone or Blackberry but if I set it down to take a swim I will much more upset if it gets taken than my $1.00 newspaper. Besides, I can always pick up another copy for $1.00.

I think I'm ready again. I kept looking at my blog and I just didn't feel I had it in me to write. Everything I thought about was covered. I was being overworked in that real job. I just couldn't find time to blog. So I didn't.

Somehow I felt guilty. It was like the entire new media landscape was passing me by. It didn't. I just sat back and watched. I wanted to see where it was going.

Sometimes you have to take a few steps back and look at the big picture. I tried copying the techniques of other bloggers because it seemed to work for them. The funny thing is that it didn't work for me.]]> Mon, 21 Apr 2008 12:01:31 -0700 http://virb.com/theadvertisinglunatic/posts/text/578438 http://virb.com/theadvertisinglunatic/posts/text/255430 Microsoft, Verizon Gunning for Apple Marketshare with New Hardware Releases

I saw this article today and it made me think that sometimes these companies don't think about their consumer. They offer different features, but is it what the consumer wants? The answer is, quite frankly, no.

Microsoft released it's version 2 of the Zune and Verizon announced that it will go head to head with the iPhone with it's new, LG Voyager. All I have to say is whoopee do! Microsoft adds Wi-Fi into the mix and Verizon added a QWERTY keyboard. OK, I say wrong and wrong.

Microsoft, if you can here me, we don't care about wi-fi, we want DRM free music. We want ease of use and we want to own our own music. We want a standard format that we don't have to repurchase every piece of music we just bought because we just switched and your flavor of the month DRM scheme is different from the next guys. I don't care to share with my friends if they have to buy the music eventually. Let me spread the excitement about an artist easily. Free samples equate to purchases just ask any bakery this side of Redmond. I'm not suggesting that you can share a whole library but a few songs can't hurt.

As for you Verizon, I have one word for you... applications. Most people who have an iPhone don't complain about the keyboard, they complain that they can't install third party applications. By adding a QWERTY keyboard, you are not answering the real need, customization. If you want an iPhone killer, open your product to application developers. Scratch that, romance these application developers. Why are the Treo and Blackberry so popular? Because you can customize and install the applications that you need to be productive and/or entertained. A closed system is a dead system.

Verizon and Microsoft please see Amazon for your next lesson in iKillers. They got it right. Create a music store that is compatible with any player on the market, make the quality better and just for kicks, make the product cheaper. I've already bought an album that is not on the iTunes music store and the experience was great. The songs downloaded and went right into iTunes then onto my iPod. Bang! Make it easy, make it simple and most of all give the people what they want. Then and only then can you beat Apple at their own game.

Must I think of everything?

Yes, I know that there are plug-ins for Outlook and Thunderbird does it automatically, but it needs to be integrated at the system level. For example, like the mailto HTML tag automatically opens the default email client when you click on it. RSS needs to be a built in, don't have to think about it, one-click solution... click...subscribed. Downloading a plug-in or using an open source mail client is not for the technotards of the world. When a person clicks on the little RSS icon, it just has to happen.

Here's a another idea, feeds can come pre-installed. A whet the appetite type of thing. How about a RSS basics feed that people can read? It could even be a revenue generator for Apple or Microsoft. How much would you pay to be on millions of computers when they boot up?

The other issue is sharing. You should be able to click on a forward button and the link and RSS feed gets sent to another email client that knows what to do with it. The great thing would be if you wouldn't have to upgrade the RSS standard to achieve this.

I look at my Google Reader and it is at a constant (1000+). Why? Because I sometimes don't think to look at it. If it was in my email client which is always open, I could easily sift through the feeds. Heck, take it a step further. How about Smart Folders that filter content that I want to view? My point is that RSS needs to be treated like email or it will continue to be the bastard stepchild of social media, which is a shame.

So Apple and Microsoft, I look to you to help save RSS. It is your duty as a creator of operating systems. You hold the power and I implore you to use it.

I believe that all the current presidential hopefuls are pretty evenly stacked. They have their good points and, of course, their bad points. There are those constituents that will vote along party lines regardless of the candidate, but there are whole groups of people that will swing either way. Those are the ones that you need to focus on the most.

Engage these people in conversation, let them see you honestly and it will pay dividends. This is why I think that social media will play a big part in the election next year. Those candidates who come across honestly and use social media for that engaging conversation will be able to swing those undecided voters into their camp. Besides, isn't that one of the qualities we want in our president?

It will be interesting as we move into the heart of the election season to see who gets it and who doesn't. I know I will have my eye on it and it may actually swing my vote.

The letter is fine, but look at the navigation. Where are the safety links? I had to scroll all the way to the bottom to find the links.

Yeah, great idea, but how about giving the concerned consumer the quick links AT THE TOP! So Toys R Us, nice try, but in your effort to sell more toys, you missed the point. I suggest a slight redesign. But that's just my opinion.

Technorati Tags: toys r us, mike bellina, child safety

Some of my highlights from Podcamp Philly were meeting Christopher Penn and CC Chapman. These are two of my favorite people in podcasting. Their brilliance is to be admired. It was also fun to meet people, who up to this point, have been Twitter ids and email addresses.

The sessions we great too. A bunch of 101 stuff but very educational. The best session I went to was the one on Search Engine Optimization. Got a bunch of great notes from that one. Also CC and Chris Penn did really good ones as well. The day went quick and I was exhausted at the end. I wish I could had stayed for the evening's festivities.

Comcast hooked us up big time with Starbucks coffee.That was awwwwesome!! After an hour and a half drive, it was great to get a Mocha Frappucino. Got some great swag too. I'm wearing it to work on Monday. Totally geeking out.

I think the real benefit of attending a Podcamp is not the sessions but the sharing of information. The best discussion I had was waiting for lunch outside in front of the food cart. Lots of comparing notes, discussing ideas and swapping of business cards.

It was a shame that I could only attend one day, I would have liked to get into the vibe, but family commitments necessitated that I leave on Saturday. My next Podcamp is NYC. I hope to see everyone then.

If they can pull it off and truly make it a social network, it could be a great marketing tool for their content and properties. What I mean by that is typically these major corporate studios put so many limitations on the use of their properties that it actually cuts into the "sharing" aspect of social media. If they allow the users to let their content propagate, they will be able to achieve what they set out to do, that being, promote their content. Limiting the sharing will only stifle growth and the site will be DOA.

I'm excited about this. Hopefully, it won't turn out to be a bust.

I read an article recently about Women and Word of Mouth. This is no surprise but 95% of women are influenced by word of mouth. Women are influenced by TV, and magazines more often then men. So I propose a new type of marketing strategy, W to W or Woman to Woman Marketing.

Most women rule the household. They influence everything from the house you live in to the soap in the shower. Why wouldn't target your message to women. Have you noticed how many ads play the man as the dupe? The woman as the supermom? The woman being sexy on her terms? These advertisers have figured it out. The women make the decisions.

What can you do? Take a look at your current campaign. Does it appeal to women? Better yet, does it appeal to the women in your target demographic? Remember not all women like fluffy and pink. You really have to know your audience.

Which leads me to another thing, sex does not sell with this audience. Convenience does. Think "simplify" the next time you start a campaign. How does your product "simplify" a women's life? As we move forward, this concept will be most successful. You heard it here first.

More than 90% of the top US newspaper Web sites now have online video. While these sites may not be a threat to YouTube yet, they do feature viewers' favorite content.

It made me think that in the not to distant future, we may see the lines blur between TV news and newspapers.  As the proliferation of "citizen journalists" continues, you may just decide to go to NYtimes.com for news as opposed to turning on CNN or ABC News. Right now there are a few sites that share content mostly if they have the same parent company.

I thinking that the news delivery business is going to change dramatically in the next few years. As people go on-line when news breaks, it will be critical that news sources have the stories as they happen. Newspapers know they are a day behind the news so it will force them to have video and breaking news in real time.

What will become of the print versions? They will morph into more expose writing or investigative reporting. It is easier to read a 1000 word article in print than on-line. I see them sampling aticles on-line and sending readers to get the printed version for the full story. "News" will be relegated to the website. 

Their advertising will shift as well. It will actually become more effective. They can target so much better than in print. It will start to become more of a win/win for the advertiser. The next thing we, as marketers, need to focus on is making those ads more appealing to the readers. Now that is a challenge.

This is not a surprise to me. Not that I'm some all knowing visionary of the advertising world, but this is bound to happen. Advertisers go where their audience is and if the majority of their audience/customers are on-line, well then, their advertising dollars are going there too. According to Veronis Suhler Stevenson's "VSS Forecast" report published in August 2007:

Total communications spending expanded at a CAGR of 5.9% in the 2001-2006 period to a record $885.2 billion, driven by strong gains in alternative advertising, marketing, and institutional spending. While consumer media usage dipped 0.5% in 2006, institutional time spent with media increased 3.2%, according to the first-ever analysis of business media usage patterns. Overall communications spending is projected to grow 6.4% in 2007, exceed $1 trillion in 2008, and post a CAGR of 6.7% from 2006 to 2011. Internet advertising is expected to become the largest ad segment in 2011, surpassing newspapers

Something to keep in mind here. This assumes that everything stays the same. We have no idea what will happen in the next 4 years. Imagine the predictions for ad spending in 1992? I'm sure they weren't predicting the Internet taking off like it has. Who knows, we may be faced with a mobile, on-line society. Or perhaps some technology that we are yet to envision will take off and make the Internet see childish. Maybe we will all be locked into our Facebook accounts and the idea of going outside our little microcosm seems insane. So like most predictions, take this one with a grain of salt. 

Where do you think advertising will be going? Leave a prediction in the comments. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Not that many of us have visited this site. Or maybe you have you pervert!

For those who don't know what Club Penguin is, it is a website where kids can sign on as penguins and interact with other kids all over the world. They can win at games and get coins and buy stuff to dress up their penguin, by homes and things for their homes. The great thing about it is that parents can set the level of interaction a child can have from preset responses to full chat.

Anyway, my point on bringing this article to your attention is the fact that a whole generation is being introduced to social media at a younger age. So it's time to explore your social media options. A whole generation will expect the tools to interact with others. Social networking like Facebook, mySpace and Club Penguin will become as commonplace as email is now. Perhaps even more established as you can control who is allowed in and who is not. Will your company be allowed in?

Over sensationalizing the Minnesota bridge collapse
Why has this become big news?

RSS is back in the news again.
40% of marketers use RSS but yet my Mom has no idea what it is.

Podcamp Philly... are you going?

Listener Comment from Roland on "Are we over socialized?"

Your Feedback is welcome...

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Leave a voice comment at 206-202-4713.

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I will be in Philly on Saturday only because of family obligations on Sunday, but if you are going, leave a comment on the blog and let's get together. I'd love to meet you.

In the meantime, I've copied the "Top Ten Reasons to Attend PodCamp Philly" from the PodCamp wiki to give you an incentive to go. See you there!

10 Reasons to Attend PodCamp Philly

1. To Network and Forge Valuable Connections
At any point during PodCamp Philly you'll share the room with at least one person (if not a dozen) who can offer you huge value or solve a significant problem for you as a podcaster. It may be a sponsor. It may be a promotional opportunity. It may be someone you can interview. Bring lots of business cards and be ready to network.

2. To Associate with the Podcasting "Movers and Shakers"
Those who will attend PodCamp Philly are "in the trenches." You'll associate with people have "been there and done it." These are ideal people to learn from and make connections with as you progress in podcasting.

3. You Can Present to Your Podcast Peers
Any attendee can organize a session to present ideas and/or facilitate a discussion. All you have to do is enter a title and description on the session list.

4. To Promote Your Podcast
PodCamp Philly is a great place to pass out cards and let you know people about your show. It's a focused audience of podcast enthusiasts. You can also find other podcasters who will cross-promote your show to their own audiences.

5. To Share Your Ideas
PodCamp Philly is a very interactive event. Each session is an exchange of ideas. You have your own tips, tricks that can benefit others. Come and share your expertise and ideas with your podcasting peers.

6. It's Free
There is no cost to attend PodCamp Philly. Compare that with other industry events and expos which cost hundreds of dollars. You can't beat free. The event is paid for by our generous sponsors. Please visit our sponsor page if you'd like to contribute. To register, just visit the registration page and add your name and email to the list.

7. To Learn the Latest Tips and Tricks
PodCamp Philly is an ideal place to learn how to start your own podcast or to discover the latest tips and tricks for taking your show to the next level. The presentations offered will cover the whole spectrum from content production, technical how-to, business podcasting, marketing and monetization.

8. Philadelphia is the City of Brotherly Love
PodCamp Philly is all about sharing ideas and resources and building community. That the podcaster brand of broterly love.

9. You'll Get Food and a T-shirt
As if the value you'll get from the presentations isn't already worth attending, there will also be free food and t-shirts for attendees.

10. To Enjoy the Energy of Philadelphia Podcasters
You can count on a unique mix of individuals and opportunities at PodCamp Philly.

Gannett Newspapers are leading the charge.

Cincymoms.com

Are we over socialized?

Too many networks, too many choices?

The new target demographic... Moms.

Has the podcasting audience peaked?

Your Feedback is welcome...

Email me at mike[at]theadvertisinglunatic.com

Send me an audio comment

Leave a voice comment at 206-202-4713.

(Helloooooooo... is... there... any... body... out... there? Leave a comment.)

Click here to view in YouTube

If you love Second Life and VanGogh then you'll love this video. It's amazing what people come up with...

(Hat tip to Christopher Penn for the link.)

Tags: secondlife, vanGogh, mike bellina, youtube

Hat Tip to John C. Dvorak on this one.

It's amazing that this could be played today and still be relevant. Conservative idiots blaming an industry for the corruption of youth and society. Then it was rock and roll, today it's the internet, tomorrow who knows. Enjoy.

Tags: FrankZappa, Crossfire, Mike Bellina, youtube,

Amen. Maybe, just maybe, these idiots will get a clue. Then again, I highly doubt it.

The court ordered the RIAA to pay $68,685.23 to the defendant, Debbie Foster and Amanda Foster. Of course, the RIAA will appeal, but I'm curious, has the RIAA won a case when it actually went to court? If you know of any, please leave a link in the comments.

Give it up for the little guy... um girl.

Tags: RIAA, debbie foster, mike bellina, slyck news