As the Royal Wedding approaches (haters stop reading here) I can’t help but take note of the inundation of royal information coming my way, and more importantly the magnitude of the event itself, particularly through its social media presence.
Music has famously been called the “universal language of mankind.” It speaks to the soul and has a way of making those who hear it feel connected to all others in an audience and, most importantly, the musician. This connection is essential to being truly moved by music. Social media is also all about the connection. Twitter lets us see what other people are thinking at any time of day in real time. Facebook lets us learn the intentions and interests of friends or total strangers. YouTube gives us a visual glance at everything in the world deemed video-worthy. It seems only natural for the two to become inevitably intertwined; they can compliment, mirror, parody, and augment one another.
This past week The AdAge Digital Conference, Radian6 Social 2011 User Conference, Forrester’s Marketing Forum, and Hispanicize 2011 all took place. Each conference provided some great thoughts and insights from leaders in field, some interesting statistics and a few announcements of things to look forward to in the future.
Social media as we know it today grew out of the college experience. Facebook was initially a platform for students to connect with other classmates through courses they were taking. The way those classes are using social now would make any digiphile graduating before the turn of the century envious. Today’s students can connect with professors on Twitter before they even enroll. They can preview classes through hashtags. And once they arrive on campus, there’s a virtual quad waiting for them.
The Facebook App for iPhone was just updated, providing users with the ability to check-in to Facebook Events. According to Facebook, the event check-in ability is extended to invited guests—but only those who have replied “I’m attending” or “Maybe”. Guests may begin checking in up to three hours before the event is scheduled to begin, and event creators have ultimate control over moderation of unwanted check-ins. Facebook has a full explanation of a href="https://www.facebook.com/help/?faq=20251">how to check in to an event; though for most it will be intuitive.
The entertainment industry was one of the first to truly sprout legs during the dawn of social media. A decade ago, some of NMS’ first campaigns promoted Pokemon and Tomb Raider. So it’s no surprise today’s network execs take social seriously – from both a developmental and promotional viewpoint. But while social data has done wonders to support the industry, in many ways it has also forced artists out of an overproduced, glitzy shell. Direct-to-fan engagement, pushing day-in-the-life content, coupled with the viral video bug it seems every brand has caught, has made YouTube the platform motivating entertainers to think outside the box.
About a month ago, I decided to join Foursquare. I didn’t have much experience with geosocial platforms, and I didn’t know how I would feel about sharing my location throughout the day. Four weeks, eight badges and 55 check-ins later, it’s safe to say I’m officially a fan. Foursquare is—simply put—fun! Users check in to locations and events, and are rewarded with points and badges for doing so. You can stay updated on where your friends are eating out, discover sweet discounts and deals at businesses and read great tips about the places you visit.
Every Sunday at 8 p.m. means it’s time for my latest favorite shopping event: Rue La La’s Sunday Night Styleathon. The weekly one-night-only sale features popular designer clothes, accessories, shoes, and more, all on one of the biggest sample sale websites on the Internet. At first I thought I might be alone, but a 2010 AOL study entitled “The mall behind the spreadsheet” found that 60 percent of women respond to email reminders and offers about fashion sales or deals.