Troy Young from AdAge’s DigitalNext blog does a good job explaining this concept.  He says that the “mode” a consumer is in will determine their “intent to engage” with a brand.  This is why social media sites work so well – the consumer does not necessarily have a purchase intent in mind, but they are more willing to play with the Facebook application or online branded games.

So, does this mean there should be a new cost per acronym?  Troy thinks so.  And I agree with him.  He says that a cost per engagement (CPE) is a better way to value the interaction time with a brand message versus on an impression (CPM) basis.

Again, I think it is so great that there is an active digital/Web 2.0 community in Israel and that members like Ayelet make it a point to spread the word, keeping people outside of the country informed.

Cliff says it is easy to build a community around specific topics or niche interests where people share a passion.  Here are a few ways to recognize that a community is starting to form on your podcast’s blog:

• get feedback from listeners
• build relationships with people
• dialog develops between community members interacting with each other

When Cliff first started podcasting, he said that he first gave out his email address for people to send comments or questions.  As the community grew, and he did not have as much time, he began to add other options:  

1. Email
2. Email, Blog Comments
3. Email, Blog Comments, Voicemail
4. Email, Blog Comments, Voicemail, Chat (online or via phone)
5. Email, Blog Comments, Voicemail, Chat, Forum

Some of these options encouraged people to get answers and share thoughts with other listeners rather than just with Cliff.  Thus, the community can support iteself.  He still makes it a point to answer all emails, but encourages listeners to post questions and comments for discussion on the show forums.  Other tools and technology he has incorporated into the forum communities for even deeper community engagement is the capability for members to share Twitter IDs and Facebook and MySpace profiles.  He says that following or befriending community members on other social networking sites is a great way to learn about people in the community.   

It is important to ensure you have enough members in the community to make a forum effective.  Cliff suggests that once you start getting 20 comments per post and people are developing a discussion there, creating a forum may serve as a better way to engage.  

Today I learned about two different social media activities that bring us closer to outerspace than we may ever get: 

1. Check out the Twitter feed of Mars’ Phoenix Lander robot.  Obviously, there is a human behind the “voice” of the robot.  Some of the updates are very scientific and/or techy while others are more conversational and have a bit of emotion.  I read some of the updates and, for the most part, think it is really interesting.  Other Twitterers have been asking questions and receiving direct responses.  Photos taken on Mars are described and linked to.  When you click on the tinyurl links, they take you to the Mission’s homepage, which is actually through the University of Arizona.  There are also blogs on this website that you can follow. 
2. Blonde 2.0 also posted about the Mars Phoenix Lander, but she also linked to SpaceVidcast.com.  This site offers Video Podcasts of happenings in the space field to “educate people on the value of space travel.”  They also encourage people to engage through comments on the site.      

Just like developments in other areas of technology and activities, we are moving from passive space consumers to active.  In the past we listened to the shuttle takeoff and moon landings on the radio, then the television, now online.  But only in the online medium can we respond with questions, comments, and engage in conversation with space professionals or other enthusiasts. 

I had never even considered the idea or implications of using social media tools and technologies in the field of space travel.  Now I understand the invaluable impact it can have on research and education, the importance of sharing findings and knowledge and attracting future scientists and engineers to the field.  This transparency may also help to reduce costs associated with what is considered to be a very expensive area of scientific exploration. 

I thought this was a really interesting and creative way to promote language, culture and literature.  They recognize that young people are tech savvy and rather than go on with business-as-usual, the Council is embracing the technology/medium of their audience.   

Understanding the channels to include as part of a strategy to reach your target audience is an important step when trying to send a message or communication.  This is also true in regards to posting a podcast where people can find it, categorizing it properly and using keywords that are relevant – all things that we have talked about in our Podcasting in Business class.   

There are four things I have been thinking about lately that are mentioned in the article and which resonated with me:

1. Everyday people - The CEOs and other business leaders are just like us, regular people.  More and more, social technologies are making it easier to connect with and speak directly to those in leadership positions without going through the PR department or other gatekeepers.  For example, last week, I had a conversation with Zappos.com CEO Tony Hsieh on Twitter.
2. New generation of employees who are ”supercommunicators” – Employees entering their first job are very familiar with social tools and communication, thus they expect their workplace to have access to these tools and be able to leverage them in their new role. 
3. Intersection of media and technology - As a Microsoft Advertising employee, this is the backbone of the new brand’s service offering.  (Formerly Microsoft Digital Advertising Solutions)  
4. Bubble burst – Could this really happen?  BusinessWeek says yes.  Is this really a repeat of the dot-com era?  I wonder if the difference here is that millions of people are already using social media technologies whereas back in the nineties, the idea of an online company was new.  (If anyone reading this has a comment about this point, please post it.) 

One comment to this story said that in three years the title of this story will be about “companies as communities.”  Three years?  I think the community era is already here.  We are already seeing this happen on MySpace and Facebook and with individual social networks like IM Saturn.  I predict that we will see several more company communities within the year.       

Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos, was a recent guest on Startup Story Radio podcast.  Half-way through the show, host Rob McNealystarted to talk about how Tony and his employees are active participants in the social media space.  Turns out, Tony has been using Twitter for over a year for personal use and saw how great it was working to stay in touch and connect with his friends.  He decided to try it out for Zappos. 

Tony’s goal is “to create a brand and company that everyone is passionate about, including customers.”  He is currently using Twitter to connect with customers at a deeper level and get ideas from them.  Due to the 140 character limitation of the tool, he finds it to be a very quick, informal and efficient way to communicate because time is scarce for him (as with most CEOs).  He also initially encouraged his employees to use Twitter not as a marketing tool, but to get to know each other.  There are currently over 250 Zappos employees on Twitter.   

Though Tony is not the first CEO I have heard of using social media to directly connect with customers, he is the first I have heard of using Twitter.  I decided to follow the Zappos CEO to see what he talks about and how often he posts.  Here’s what I have learned (other than his whereabouts):

• He gave a Zappos presentation a the SIMA Surf Summit in Cabo, San Lucas and is sharing the presentation on Slideshare
• Intel has created a wifi surfboard so surfers can surf the net while waiting for a wave
• Merrell brand shoes are now available through Zappos
• Did a “fill in the blank” contest on Mother’s day.  Computer chose 2 people who responded to receive free shoes.  Posted winners online.  Contest lasted 10 minutes. 
• Answered a question about overnight shipping from a customer.
• He found out about a DSW lawsuit against Zappos through a DSW press release, not legal.  Posted 6 updates about lawsuit/press release night of and morning after discovery.  

It seems to me like this is a pretty effective way for customers to feel like they are a part of the business.  When was the last time you had a customer service question and the CEO provided the answer (not small business)?    

I first learned about these two sites in a Social Media Insider article by Catharine P. Taylor and wrote about this topic on Flip The Media.  I am so interested in this idea as the potential next big “new thing” online that I also wanted to do a post about it on my own blog. 

Here are some examples of niche social networks that I learned about through Taylor’s post and reader comments: Takkle, IM Saturn & Brooklyn Art Project.  DanceJam is another one that I recently came across while doing some investigating/searching on Twitter.  Though it did not specifically say it is a niche social network for dancers, I suspect it is based on the interface - login/sign up feature and the hundreds of users that are members and contribute to the site.

Thinking from a marketing perspective, I believe this technology has a lot of potential for all kinds of businesses, specifically small businesses.  Small businesses, which don’t usually have extravagant marketing budgets, can create a niche/local social network to build and sustain relationships with customers.  (Though a much larger company, this is what Saturn is doing with IM Saturn.)  Or they can find the niche social networks that relate to their business and particiapte in an way that is not too intrusive or through display advertising on the site, if available.

In Taylor’s latest article, a commentor asks if the fragmentation of social networks will make it more difficult for marketers to connect with their audience.  I don’t think so.  As long as appropriate keywords and tags are used, as SEO technologies improve marketers should be able to find what they are looking for.  But if marketers are to participate, they should do so in an impactful way that does not disturb conversations, is contextually relevant, and targeted.   

The font is of a usual type and easy to read, contrasting black words on a white background.  They don’t use many links, but where they are used they consistently stand out in the peanut butter (orange) color.  The posts are not categorized in the traditional sense, but each day of the week follows a specific theme that is called out in the right-hand column.  It might be interesting and helpful to readers for the bloggers to create categories so we can see if similar topics/themes are covered by different writers.  If you are looking for a particular work, though, you can search for it in the box provided above the archives.  They also share their del.icio.us postings in “Today’s Fresh Butter” section at the top of the right-hand menu.

Once thing I would change is to move the Subscription link to the top of the page rather than have it appear at the bottom.

Overall, I think the format of this blog is effective for the audience even though it is missing some of the more common menu items found in most blogs (i.e. categories, links, about)     

The associated blog matches the tone and feel of the show.  In each blog post for each show, Rob provides a good summary of the guest – what they do and why they are relevant.  The black type on white background and font make the blog easy to read.  Rob also uses visible links to the guests’ website, bio or related page.  Headlines are clear and concise, telling the audience who they will hear on the show and/or the topic of discussion.  There are 11 simple, one-word categories used for each podcast and blog post.  Information about the show and host, how to advertise on the blog, and how to contact Rob/show is provided in separate pages through links off the homepage menu options.  Lastly, RSS links are visibly displayed for subscribing separately to the blog or podcast.  The only thing I noticed that is not up-to-date are the transcripts.  If the transcripts are no longer being provided without request, this page/link should be removed.        

Show critique:    

• Title – Good.  Tells the audience exactly what it is about – telling startup stories
• Overall concept viability – Very good.  Caters to a niche audience that, I believe, is very interested in hearing about how others started their own business and why.
• Implementation feasibility – Interview format with defined intro and signoff – works very well and sounds professional.
• Format matches audience – Yes.  Interviews entrepreneurs and asks good questions. 
• Promotion plan – When using Windows Live Search or Google, the podcast appears with keywords “startup story” and “Rob McNealy.”  It does not appear with “small business” or ”startup.”