Photographers Benefit from the Social Media Phenomenon

After coming across an article from the LA Times online, I really began to understand how social media has created a world where anyone can gain fame, and not only kids who makes silly videos that go viral.

The article discusses this photo, which was posted on Roger Eickholt's Flickr page.

Within a few days over 200,000 people had viewed the photo and posted it on blogs and social media sites, and the funny thing is that the photographer had no idea until he was contacted for an interview. He then checked his Flickr, and his followers had gone from 2 to over 100. His story and this photograph have now gained national attention and have been published in a number of newspapers.

This story made me think about how it is impossible to predict what could instigate overnight fame. There are so many people who actively participate in a number of social media applications and endlessly try to create a video or a blog post that will get them attention and notoriety, but many of them never succeed. Then there are people like Eickholt who doesn't even check his Flickr religiously enough to realize his sudden fame. It just shows me that the users really have the power to create this phenomenon, and we are often not in control despite our efforts.

Military Launches "Trooptube"

I came across this article on internetnews .com about a new website that allows those active in the military to keep in touch with their families.

After blocking youtube and social media sites over a year and a half ago, the Defense Department has come up with TroopTube to allow military personnel to keep in touch with friends and family through a video share website. The website allows users to register as a supporter, military member, or family member, and then share a video.

I think that this is a great support system for our troops and another new social media innovation that will make it easier for people to communicate. While, they do not edit videos for content, the Defense Department does screen the videos for any suspicious content. I think that this will be a very positive thing for the troops and the easier opportunities to connect with their family and friends will hopefully bring a boost in moral.

Carnival Cruise Taking a Shot at Social Media

As everyone seems to be jumping on the social media bandwagon, Carnival Cruises is taking now sailing in that direction.

Carnival's online program, Make a Connection, allows users to make the cruise planning and sharing process much easier. Among many things, users interested in a cruise can tune into the Carnival channel too see videos and read blogs that will help them decide which cruise it right for them. It also allows people to plan cruises for a group using invitations, interactive polls, and message boards to get input from the group on where they would prefer to go, who wants to room with who, etc.

The program also makes it easy for future cruisers to ask questions to experienced cruisers, which is always positive because people usually trust the opinions of other people more than anything they would find on a website. After taking a cruise users can upload photos to share with their family in an online interactive scrapbook.

I think that this is a great step for Carnival. I have taken two Carnival cruises and the website has been very helpful in planning and organizing the trip. I would have liked to have the opportunity to ask experienced cruisers questions before I went, and I think other people would too. This just illustrates the wide variety of corporations that social media can benefit.

Company Awarded for Use of Social Media

As the use of social media in the workplace to increase and is moving towards becoming a necessity, one organization has taken it upon itself to reward companies for taking a chance on social media.

"The Forrester Groundswell Awards recognize excellence from companies that accomplish business objectives using social applications and technologies" according to an article on Marketwatch.com. Recently, they awarded the business and financial management company, Intuit, for using social media to engage customers.

The award was given on the grounds of Company Transformation and is given to those companies that have really changed and adapted alongside of the market, which has become largely online and interactive in recent years.

Intuit received the award for their Quickbooks online community where small business owners can discuss and share information. They were also recognized for their Just Start Campaign, which offers online video submissions and voting in order to encourage budding entrepreneurs, and for TurboTax live community where users can access answers to troubling tax questions.

I think that the Forrester Awards are a very positive and encouraging way to initiate other company's use of social media. It is a way to showcase those who have utilized it and a way to show other companies how it can be beneficial to them. Hopefully more companies will begin moving towards this "Company Transformation."

Twitter for Terrorists?

After discussing the micro-blogging site, Twitter, in class this past week, I found an interesting article while searching for more information about it. On cnetnews.com, I came across an article, which voices concern over the possibility of terrorists using twitter to orchestrate attacks. The first thing I thought was "Is this for real?". Twitter seems so innocent.

The report was done by the 304th Military Intelligence Battalion. It is believed that the site could be used for targeting as it is already used by extremists to get their ideas out there and gain supporters. The article offered a number of scenarios in which terrorists could use twitter as a communication device in planning attacks, many of them included accessing twitter through a cell-phone.

I am not yet a twitter user, so I am not sure what I think about this article. It seems a little bit extreme in my opinion, but I guess you have to consider how all of these emerging technologies that are so beneficial to us could also be used in other harmful ways. It is much easier to ignore that side. While I think that this issue should be watched closely, I'd like to think that it is highly unlikely that anything like this would happen.

CBS Goes Interactive

As a new part of CBS Interactive, the network is adding social lounges to their online program that allows users to watch full episodes of CBS network television shows. These "social viewing rooms" will allow online users to chat about shows while they are watching them.

This is a great example of how CBS is moving into the WEB 2.0 world in which users have the ability to interact, as opposed to the "read-only" WEB 1.0. The website allows users to join groups based on the shows that they watch, and then chat and discuss the show with people who share the same interest. The program is also offering these social viewing rooms for old series that had a sort of cult following, like Melrose Place.

http://www.cbs.com/socialroom/

I think that CBS is taking a positive step in creating a more interactive experience for users. Watching television shows online has become increasingly prevalent, and creating a social lounge where people can share their opinions is a great way for CBS to get feedback, and the writers of the shows can also use this to see what viewers think of show content and what direction they should take the show next.

Hopefully the response to this new option will be positive, the only problem I can foresee is people wanting to concentrate more on watching the show than chatting about it, but CBS is taking the right steps in jumping on the Web 2.0 bandwagon.

Speaking of Podcasting...

After discussing podcasting again in class on Thursday, and getting our feet wet with garageband, I was feeling a little bit intimidated and technologically "unsavvy" you could say. I don't have a mac, so I haven't really gotten a chance to play with it other than in class, but while doing some internet searching I came across this twelve year old, Nicholas Montgo, who has produced a successful podcast and even gets a share of revenue from advertisements! So I'm thinking, maybe this won't be so bad...



Nicholas started Blastr.tv, which is a live podcasts that deals with issues concerning tech news, gagdets, youtube videos,etc. Because it is a live show, he is able to interact directly with his listeners as they call in and contribute their own opinions or questions. He also gives some good advice to people who are interested in starting their own podcast, which focuses on the importance of content first, over making money because if the content is good then the rest will fall into place.

This is just another strong example of how podcasting can be beneficial and get an average person some recognition among millions of users. Because he has started so young, I think that he success can only grow from this point.

Now I just need to tackle this garage band thing...and consider getting a mac maybe...

Mathew Shepard Foundation Uses Social Media to Promote their Campaign to Erase Hate

As the 10 year anniversary of college student Mathew Shephard's death approaches, who was killed as a result of a gay hate crime, the Matthew Shepard Foundations is calling for people to join their Campaign to Erase Hate.



"This campaign provides tools on how to spread the message of “erasing hate” by using innovative technology, viral marketing, personal relationships and the power of “personal voice” to create social change," according to the Foundation's website.

I think that the Campaign is moving in the right direction in utilizing social media to spread the word and engage users. Through a sign-up page on the website, users are able to create their own page to support the campaign, which allows for a number of unique possibilities. In doing this, the Foundation is able to start a conversation among those who have strong feelings towards this issue and maybe even engage users that weren't initially aware, but want to take part in the Campaign. This is a great way to raise awareness because people can get information from other people just like them that are passionate about the issue rather than relying on only information published on the webpage.

I think the most important thing that the Campaign advocates is the power of "personal voice," which is definitely true in the social media world.

Timberland's Earthkeepers Facebook Application

So, I always wondered what was behind the idea of the facebook applications that allow you to give your friends plants or plant trees. One of these, I discovered, is all a part of Timberland's Earthkeepers Campaign, which also includes a blog and an environmental forum on the social networking site, Changents.

The Facebook application already has over 58,000 monthly active users. I think that it is gaining success because not only is it something cute that friends can give to one another, but it is actually helping the environment. The application promises that "each tree grown into adulthood will be planted in the real world to fight deforestation, desertification, and drought."

http://www.facebook.com/apps/application.php?id=10820316983

This is something that Timberland can also acquire brand recognition from, and it will be associated now with projects such as Earthkeepers that aim to help the environment. This is a perfect example of how social media can do the work for a company if it is used appropriately. While there are other tree planting/giving applications on facebook, I believe that Earthkeepers is one of the few that is actually attached to a retail brand. Timberland makes outdoor and recreational shoes and clothing, and while they admit that this can be a contributor to the environmental problem, they created Earthkeepers as a way to give back to the environment. Timberland seems to have made a good choice in taking the initiative to dive into the social media world.

From Podcast to Published

After discussing podcasts in class today, I decided to do a search of my own and came across this interesting article. Scott Sigler is a podcaster turned published author after podcasting his novels free of charge to the public. After gaining circulation and popularity, his podcasts caught the attention of Crown Books, who offered him a publishing contract.

This just goes to show one of the many opportunities that podcasts have to offer. After reading the chapter on podcasts in "The New Influencers," I was surprised to find how many people found unexpected success in podcasting when really only meaning to play around with it, like the mommycasters and the HT guys, etc.

He has also used a lot of social media outlets like myspace and facebook to promote his book. "I do several promotional videos around the book, like book trailers, and those are up on the pages and so are the audio trailers for my books. So as soon as people stumble onto my page, they’re getting exposed to what the podcast sounds like, getting exposed to the story, they’ll see the video, and it makes it really easy for them to communicate and interact with me"- Scott Sigler.

What I thought was really neat about this is that it is different from buying a book because you don't get to have the whole thing at once. Listeners had to wait every week for the next chapter, which is probably what made a lot of them keep returning. His book "Infected" has also picked up by Crown Books, and I think that he is a perfect example of how podcasts can work in our favor.