http://nms.com/index.php en jgizzi@nms.com Copyright 2010 2010-08-30T15:05:33+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/groupon-surpasses-10-million-in-north-american-sales/ http://nms.com/blog/post/groupon-surpasses-10-million-in-north-american-sales/ Last Wednesday marked a major milestone for Groupon, the collective online buying powerhouse, as they celebrated their 10 millionth sale in North America. Groupon gained notoriety as a viral promo wunderkind due in part to its quirky editorial style and its sweet sales offerings in 100 cities across America, Europe and beyond. Launched in November 2008, Groupon prides itself on cluing its crowd into coupons for the best there is to do, see, eat, and buy, regardless of where they might be.  gap groupon, group 10 million sales, groupon, groupon marketing, social media 2010-08-30T15:05:33+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/why-social-media-is-pioneering-the-future-of-music/ http://nms.com/blog/post/why-social-media-is-pioneering-the-future-of-music/ Each year, more and more social media services are emerging that help make discovering and listening to music more social.  First it was peer-to-peer services like Napster, then it was streaming internet radio, and now it’s about social music.   As our appetite for discovery grows, so will our thirst for innovation in social media and music.   amazon, boomkat, emusic, get darker tv, itunes, lastfm, music, pandora, social listenting, social media 2010-08-27T12:26:57+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/live-stream-nms-welcomes-governor-bob-mcdonnell/ http://nms.com/blog/post/live-stream-nms-welcomes-governor-bob-mcdonnell/ On Wednesday, August 25th at 1:00 pm, NMS is pleased to welcome Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell and Bobblie Kilberg, CEO of the Northern Virginia Technology Council, to the Grand Opening of our newly expanded headquarters. Governor McDonnell will join us in celebrating NMS’ continued innovation and growth.  In 2010, NMS created over 40 new communications and technology jobs in Virginia.  Click here to watch the live stream of the Governor’s remarks at 1 pm EST.  2010-08-25T15:51:32+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/facebook-places-where-are-people-checking-in/ http://nms.com/blog/post/facebook-places-where-are-people-checking-in/ Frequent travelers – especially business travelers – are among the most active early users of Facebook Places.  This became apparent when two colleagues checked in to the Chicago O’Hare International Airport yesterday.  They were not alone; 1,790 others have checked in there as well in the five days since Facebook Places was released, making this one of the more popular Places to date. facebook, facebook places, foursquare, geolocation, geosocial, gowalla, jeff taylor, o'hare airport, twitter, where are people checking in 2010-08-24T15:04:23+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/this-week-in-social-media-facebook-places-edition/ http://nms.com/blog/post/this-week-in-social-media-facebook-places-edition/ This week, Facebook launched its much awaited geosocial feature, Facebook Places, and many have been abuzz about the new feature and its implications for consumers and marketers. NMS has been excitedly watching the developments and playing around with the new feature on our phones and checking in all over DC, including at the NMS offices. This week, we’ve got a roundup of perspectives on the new Facebook Places and what it means for Facebook users, businesses, and marketers. facebook, facebook marketing, facebook places, facebook places for businesses, foursquare, geosocial, gowalla, how to use facebook places 2010-08-20T18:21:12+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/how-i-used-social-media-to-find-a-job-and-you-can-too/ http://nms.com/blog/post/how-i-used-social-media-to-find-a-job-and-you-can-too/ In my most recent job hunt, everything had become different. There wasn’t a single time where I mailed or faxed my resume to a company. But there were multiple tweets, an online CV, LinkedIn, emails and more that added up to a strategy I had employed to find not just any job, but a job I loved. I did my research, found the companies and industries I liked, and developed a rhythm. I used social media to help land my current job—and here’s my advice for how other jobseekers can you use social media to their advantage. careers, hilary riedemann, job hunting, nmsosphere, recruiting, social media, using social media to find a job, using twitter to find a job 2010-08-19T14:27:29+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/why-endearment-is-the-new-engagement/ http://nms.com/blog/post/why-endearment-is-the-new-engagement/ JetBlue was able to survive their recent PR crisis because they used social to become a brand people love. Now, as Facebook’s “Like” button becomes ubiqitous, marketers must look beyond just engagement tactics and find ways to truly endear their brands and causes to consumers.    brand engagement, consumer engagement, engagement is the new endearment, jared degnan, jetblue, social media engagement, steven slater 2010-08-18T18:40:43+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/geo-social-street-wars/ http://nms.com/blog/post/geo-social-street-wars/ Now that geosocial tools like Foursquare and Gowalla are gaining more traction and greater acceptance by businesses big and small, it’s time to start thinking about applications for geosocial tools in the 2010 and 2012 election cycles. 2010-08-12T16:36:58+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/why-isnt-social-media-taught-in-schools/ http://nms.com/blog/post/why-isnt-social-media-taught-in-schools/ Few professors are doing anything to integrate social media tools in the classroom.  Facebook, Twitter and Flickr are not just ways for students to fill the hour break between Physics and British Literature; they are important tools that are essential in nearly every industry.  Politicians and businesses—big and small—are using Twitter to keep their followers informed of their speaking engagement or latest promotional gifts.  Writers link to publications and production teams hype up their films.  So why is it that social media is everywhere except the classroom? academia, academics, anna beavon gravely, classes, college, education, social media 2010-08-05T12:00:40+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/pete/ http://nms.com/blog/post/pete/ New Media Strategies CEO Pete Snyder and VP of Entertainment Moira Curran appeared on CNN with Don Lemon to discuss how NMS rewards loyal employees. Video of the clip is embedded below the jump.  cnn, don lemon, meredith corp, moira curran, new media strategies, nms, social media agency 2010-08-04T15:40:40+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/this-week-in-social-media-july-23-2010/ http://nms.com/blog/post/this-week-in-social-media-july-23-2010/ What we’re reading in digital news this week: Facebook is growing like crazy, expanding, adding new features, and trying to optimize social search. In the meantime, Foursquare is exploring search engine partnerships that could change the way we view and use location-based checkin data. facebook, facebook ads, foursquare, foursquare search engines, google, social search 2010-07-23T12:00:49+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/this-week-in-social-media-july-16-2010/ http://nms.com/blog/post/this-week-in-social-media-july-16-2010/ Here’s our roundup of what we’re reading this week: Facebook Mobile growing rapidly, Twitter experiments with new revenue streams, Foursquare extending its reach and features, and an in-depth look at how Old Spice won the internet and captivated the social media community.  facebook mobile, foursquare, foursquare reach, mobile marketing, old spice, social media, this week in social media, twitter, twitter early bird, twitter revenue 2010-07-16T12:00:22+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/how-i-brought-back-the-strasburger-three-consumer-interaction-tales-on/ http://nms.com/blog/post/how-i-brought-back-the-strasburger-three-consumer-interaction-tales-on/ When I walked up to the counter of BGR: The Burger Joint and asked if I could get a Stasburger the cashier answered with a resounding, “Absolutely not!” He explained that the burger was a promotional item and was no longer on the menu. I was crushed, and took my sadness to Twitter. Meanwhile at NMS, our resident Nats fan Laura was wondering if she could still try the Strasburger and I had to report to her the unfortunate news that our dreams of a cheeseburger topped hot dogs and 14 pickles would never come true. Or so we thought until BGR found our twitter conversation and came to the rescue. customer service and social media, isaiah mustafa, laura murphy, old spice, old spice customer service, old spice social media, patrick pho, strasburg, strasburger, twitter 2010-07-14T20:28:58+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/got-advocacy-lessons-from-an-integrated-campaign-for-hormone-free-scho/ http://nms.com/blog/post/got-advocacy-lessons-from-an-integrated-campaign-for-hormone-free-scho/ Cross-published from Epolitics.com Integrate or die: words seen on Epolitics.com before and for good reason, since standalone online campaigns rarely work as well as ones combined with concrete action in the physical world. For a good example of how the virtual can combine with the real to yield results, see Food and Water Watch‘s campaign last year to get federal approval for schools to buy hormone-free milk through the National School Lunch Program. As described by Sarah Alexander at a June 17th Digital Capital Week presentation, Food and Water Watch followed a strategy that wound online and offline action tightly together to get the best out of both, in part through leveraging the results of a van trip through the states and districts of crucial legislators. Note: the cow costumes didn’t hurt. 2010-07-14T18:41:03+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/new-media-strategies-hosts-upgrade-your-social-media-presence-as-part-/ http://nms.com/blog/post/new-media-strategies-hosts-upgrade-your-social-media-presence-as-part-/ Nearly 6,000 people participated in Washington, D.C.’s first Digital Capital Week -  a 10-day festival showcasing technological innovation and social media best practices. During the conference, New Media Strategies employees led an intensive workshop called “Upgrade Your Social Media Presence With NMS,” sharing insight into how job seekers and professionals can be seen as thought-leaders online by enhancing their search result rankings, specifically on Google. Here’s a re-cap. 2010-06-27T23:38:37+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/world-wrestling-entertainment-understands-their-audience-embraces-yout/ http://nms.com/blog/post/world-wrestling-entertainment-understands-their-audience-embraces-yout/ Love it or hate it, whether the wrestling is fake or real, the WWE has taken a steel chair to the status quo and demonstrated that it truly understands how their audience engages online—by taking the lead in putting complete content on the world’s largest video-sharing site. The WWE knows that in social media, the best way to keep their fans hooked on their product is to give them as much of it as possible even if it means giving complete episodes away on YouTube. For free. renan borelli, social media, sports, sports social media, world wrestling entertainment, wrestling social media, wwe, wwe social media, wwe youtube, youtube 2010-06-24T11:53:00+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/social-media-scores-at-world-cup/ http://nms.com/blog/post/social-media-scores-at-world-cup/ A mere 12 days ago, we took a look at social media’s potential impact on the World Cup – and it didn’t take very long to see its effects. A week or so into the tournament, it’s already apparent that the world wide web has gone soccer crazy, as the opening round of games has already been dubbed the biggest web event in history, surpassing that of Obama’s election win in 2008, and far exceeding any viewing/web usage during 2006 World Cup in Germany. 2010-06-22T17:55:08+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/videogames-and-social-media-at-e3-2010/ http://nms.com/blog/post/videogames-and-social-media-at-e3-2010/ The largest annual videogame conference in the Western Hemisphere, E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo) was held this past week at the Los Angeles Convention Center.  While E3 has grown and morphed since the first one in 1995, it continues to be a hugely exciting event, where game publishers show their upcoming product both on the floor and behind closed doors. Our own Mark Netter has attended this event for years and reviews here how social media has effected E3. 2010-06-21T19:28:11+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/this-week-in-social-media-june-18/ http://nms.com/blog/post/this-week-in-social-media-june-18/ This week in social media: Starbucks tries and fails with Foursquare, YouTube and Facebook launch new features, marketers try to figure out how much a Facebook fan is worth, and a new site launches covering social media and the automotive industry.  automotive social media, facebook fan worth, social car news, social media, starbucks fails to deliver, starbucks foursquare fail, starbucks foursquare mayor promotion, starbucks social media, youtube, youtube video editing tool 2010-06-18T12:30:36+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/social-media-the-world-cup/ http://nms.com/blog/post/social-media-the-world-cup/ Four years ago, when the World Cup was just kicking off in Germany, Facebook was just two years old. YouTube was still in its infancy. And Twitter? Well, the word barely existed back then. So this year’s World Cup will be a landmark not only in a soccer sense, but in a social media sense as well. Today, the number of ways to follow the world’s biggest sporting event and connect with fellow fans is unparalleled. 2010-06-10T20:23:23+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/saving-the-gulf-of-mexico-with-helium-string-and-a-digital-camera/ http://nms.com/blog/post/saving-the-gulf-of-mexico-with-helium-string-and-a-digital-camera/ On top of the online reporting system for damage from the BP spill that popped up earlier, here’s more crowdsourcing from the Gulf of Mexico: a group called Grassroots Mapping is helping folks on the coast map the extent and at least some of the effects of the oil slick. The tools? A digital camera, a big kite or a helium balloon, and a really, really long piece of string. 2010-06-07T18:05:27+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/this-week-in-social-media-may-28/ http://nms.com/blog/post/this-week-in-social-media-may-28/ Starting today, NMS is introducing a new regular feature to the NMSosphere blog: a roundup of social media stories that NMS staffers are reading and finding interesting every week. Check back every Friday for a roundup of important news and fun links in the week in digital and social media. This week we’re reading about Facebook privacy, BP’s Twitter and PR disasters, LinkedIn and Twitter, and the difference between blogs and traditional media.  digital agency news, digital media, digital news, link roundup, quick hits, social media, social media news, this week in social media 2010-05-28T16:03:30+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/tearin-on-down-movin-on-up/ http://nms.com/blog/post/tearin-on-down-movin-on-up/ 2010 has already been a big year for NMS, and it’s only getting bigger…literally! chrysler, new media strategies, nms, nms latino, nmsosphere 2010-05-26T21:16:50+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/nmsosphere-blog-now-using-the-new-facebook-like-button/ http://nms.com/blog/post/nmsosphere-blog-now-using-the-new-facebook-like-button/ This week, we’re excited to announce that NMS.com is now actively using some of the new Social Plugins launched by Facebook last month at the F8 Developers Conference. From now on, at the bottom of every NMS blog post (and soon, every page on the NMS website) you’ll see a little “Like” button from Facebook, allowing you to Like the post and share it back on your profile with your friends.  facebook, facebook open graph, facebook social plugins, new media strategies, nmsosphere, social media agency, social media agency website using facebook open graph, social plugins 2010-05-26T18:42:27+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/upgrade-your-social-media-presence-with-nms-at-digital-capital-week-ju/ http://nms.com/blog/post/upgrade-your-social-media-presence-with-nms-at-digital-capital-week-ju/ New Media Strategies is proud to be a sponsor of Digital Capital Week, and we are also excited to be hosting a workshop as part of DC Week’s “Digital Garage” on Friday, June 18th, where some of our top talent will be facilitating a hands-on workshop helping attendees upgrade their social media presences. Here’s a sneak peek at what to expect: 2010-05-25T16:49:39+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/crowd-sourcing-re-imagined-for-the-nba-playoffs/ http://nms.com/blog/post/crowd-sourcing-re-imagined-for-the-nba-playoffs/ How the tweets Of Sports Guy And Celtics fan Bill Simmons may have opened new social media doors for sports fan organization. 2010-05-19T15:50:49+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/i-dont-know-where-social-media-will-be-in-ten-years-but-it-doesnt-matt/ http://nms.com/blog/post/i-dont-know-where-social-media-will-be-in-ten-years-but-it-doesnt-matt/ I recently wrote about my first networking event last week. At that event a gentleman asked me about what I did and told him about my work and my life as a blogger. He nodded attentively and then asked what’s going to happen after the big social media craze goes away. In my mind I couldn’t help but think, “SOCIAL MEDIA IS NOT A FAD!” 2010-05-06T14:14:22+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/an-analysis-of-new-jersey-govchristie-on-twitter/ http://nms.com/blog/post/an-analysis-of-new-jersey-govchristie-on-twitter/ New Jersey Governor Chris Christie is taking his message to the Twitterverse and has been engaging critics of his budget cuts from his Twitter account, @GovChristie. That is a good strategy, but, doing some effective supporter outreach through Twitter could beneficial as well. Matt DeLuca rates @GovChristie’s current efforts and offers up some tips for the Governor.  @govchristie, governor christie, new jersey, twitter 2010-04-28T18:40:28+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/the-problem-with-facebook-community-pages/ http://nms.com/blog/post/the-problem-with-facebook-community-pages/ Among the changes announced at F8 last week, the one most users are likely aware of already is the introduction of Community Pagesand the linking of user profiles to them. In my view, Facebook now faces a number of issues to resolve that could have been avoided if the rollout had been planned more carefully: at present, Community Pages are hurt by a lack of transparency, a plethora of redundancy and too little explanation of their quirks. brands, community pages, facebook, marketing, social media marketing 2010-04-28T16:22:59+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/architecture-of-a-successful-political-message-in-a-digital-age/ http://nms.com/blog/post/architecture-of-a-successful-political-message-in-a-digital-age/ For those at the Politics Online Conference this afternoon, there’s one session you shouldn’t miss — Pete Snyder, my boss at New Media Strategies and a veteran of more than ten years in the social media space, will hold the closing keynote conversation with Republican advertising guru Mark McKinnon, moderated by GW prof Dennis Johnson. 2010-04-20T17:15:53+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/an-analytic-look-the-impact-of-user-generated-content/ http://nms.com/blog/post/an-analytic-look-the-impact-of-user-generated-content/ When you look at brands in the same category or in the same industry; you frequently see the same thing – the strongest correlation is between the number of videos or photos posted and the higher rates of engagement.  In other words; regardless of the size of a brand’s page fan growth will be more aggressive when consumers feel free enough to share their own content. analytics, facebook, social media 2010-04-06T20:42:10+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/transparency-trust/ http://nms.com/blog/post/transparency-trust/ I was psyched to see @jrick (social media consultant Jonathan Rick) @message the NMSosphere earlier this week and praise our practice of publishing and making both transparent and public all of our employees tweets (both personal and professional) on our NMS Twitter Directory. Originally inspired by the Zappos Twitter site, we are proud to be the first social media agency — in the spirit of transparency – to not only have “team tweets” aggregated under one roof and spotlighting our thoughts, client projects and industry links, but also have great sorting features based on name, username, followers and listed (we even have a special page for our pics, too).  new media strategies, nms, pete snyder, transparency, trust, womma 2010-03-27T00:52:27+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/if-youre-happo-and-you-know-it/ http://nms.com/blog/post/if-youre-happo-and-you-know-it/ There’s something indelibly beautiful to me about the relationship-building nature of people in the communications industry. Rarely have I encountered a passionate member of our community that hasn’t been willing to lend a hand and help a colleague out. And while our industry itself is based on a foundation of fostering mutually beneficial relationships, there are few places other than Twitter where you can witness this interaction firsthand. 2010-03-25T18:21:44+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/at-sxsw-last-years-next-big-thing-was-this-years-actual-big-thing/ http://nms.com/blog/post/at-sxsw-last-years-next-big-thing-was-this-years-actual-big-thing/ For better or worse, the just-concluded SXSW Interactive festival in Austin, Texas carries the weight of massive geek expectations. The big reason has to do with Twitter: it was at SXSWi in 2007 that the now-ubiquitous messaging service first gained wide exposure. The buzz from Austin traveled far and wide throughout the blogosphere and, up in Washington, I was inspired to join Twitter three years ago yesterday. The rest is history. Each subsequent year, the question buzzing around the Austin Convention Center has been the same: “What’s the new Twitter? What’s the new big thing?” 2010-03-17T21:23:58+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/sxsw-panel-why-gen-y-wants-to-work-with-you-not-for-you/ http://nms.com/blog/post/sxsw-panel-why-gen-y-wants-to-work-with-you-not-for-you/ This week I was lucky enough to participate in a panel at South by Southwest Interactive, the world’s largest annual interactive media conference, discussing Generation Y (also known as millennials), our approaches to work, and our usage of technology and social media. Panelists included Ryan Paugh, Sydney Owen, Elysa Rice, and moderator Ben Smithee.  2010-03-16T22:45:21+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/south-by-southwest-spring-break-for-geeks/ http://nms.com/blog/post/south-by-southwest-spring-break-for-geeks/ New Media Strategies’ own Aminatou Sow, a University of Texas-Austin grad and soon-to-be six-time SXSW veteran, gives her take on the world famous convergence of original music, independent films, and emerging technologies. 2010-03-12T22:53:27+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/oscar-night-buzz-report-twitter-emerges-as-the-destination-for-everyon/ http://nms.com/blog/post/oscar-night-buzz-report-twitter-emerges-as-the-destination-for-everyon/ This year, films that NMS worked on racked up 36 nominations and captured 10 Oscars, including The Hurt Locker’s Best Picture win. In the social media universe, Twitter interaction during the Academy Awards exploded, as film and pop culture fans communicated and participated in the live discussion like never before. 2010-03-08T23:22:35+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/question-of-the-day-who-is-sarah-killen/ http://nms.com/blog/post/question-of-the-day-who-is-sarah-killen/ Want instant fame on Twitter? Well Sarah Killen (@lovelybutton) didn’t set out with that goal but that’s what she’s getting now that Conan O’Brien has decided to follow her on Twitter. This makes her the first and only follower for the now out of work TV show host. conan, conan o'brien, sarah killen, twitter 2010-03-05T21:42:45+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/will-you-accept-this-rose/ http://nms.com/blog/post/will-you-accept-this-rose/ An open letter to Jake Pavelka, the newest Bachelor, about his final rose decision and the online activity surrounding it. 2010-03-02T14:00:04+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/should-companies-let-their-employees-blog-we-think-so/ http://nms.com/blog/post/should-companies-let-their-employees-blog-we-think-so/ Should companies let their employees blog? Employee blogging has been a hot topic in the blogosphere, most recently when market research firm Forrester announced its controversial decision to not allow their employees to blog outside of the Forrester site.  So, we thought it would be a good time to hear from NMS Founder & CEO Pete Snyder about NMS’s thoughts on employee blogging. 2010-02-26T21:46:05+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/going-big-by-going-small-our-new-home/ http://nms.com/blog/post/going-big-by-going-small-our-new-home/ Our second decade of operations has started off with a pretty big bang.  At NMS, we’ve had a slew of new business wins including being named the Social Media Agency of Record for Chrysler and all of their brands while also onboarding a ton of new talent and continuing to grow Our Team of rockstars. While we value the past ten years and have built a culture rich with traditions, we thought it would be fitting to begin a new year and our second decade with a bit of a fresh take and something equally as new.  So, we’re moving…urls that is. 2010-02-24T03:21:12+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/nms-names-guillermo-corporan-nms-2009-q4-ass-kicker/ http://nms.com/blog/post/nms-names-guillermo-corporan-nms-2009-q4-ass-kicker/ We are pleased to announce that Guillermo Corporan, Helpdesk Specialist, has received NMS’ 2009 Q4 Ass Kicker Award. Congratulations Guillermo!   2010-02-23T21:45:28+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/nms-names-brittany-cooper-nms-2009-q3-ass-kicker/ http://nms.com/blog/post/nms-names-brittany-cooper-nms-2009-q3-ass-kicker/ We are pleased to announce that Brittany Cooper, Human Resources and Recruiting Specialist, has received NMS’ 2009 Q3 Ass Kicker Award. Congratulations Brittany! 2010-02-23T17:48:01+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/checking-in-with-hyper-local-marketing-on-foursquare/ http://nms.com/blog/post/checking-in-with-hyper-local-marketing-on-foursquare/ Don’t look now but your favorite restaurant may be stalking you.  Or at least that’s certainly the feeling I got when I checked into a local DC movie theater on foursquare and saw an unusual asset on the top-right corner of the screen. etworked blogs 2010-02-22T15:50:32+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/a-social-media-cinderella-story/ http://nms.com/blog/post/a-social-media-cinderella-story/ Who says ya need the luck o the Irish? Social Media made me a star, yo!  I love me some social media, it showed me where da gold is really at. 2010-02-18T19:01:43+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/tweeting-from-the-tents-fashionistas-take-to-twitter-during-new-york-fashio/ http://nms.com/blog/post/tweeting-from-the-tents-fashionistas-take-to-twitter-during-new-york-fashio/ Anyone that knows me well knows that I have a (not-so) healthy obsession with designer Marc Jacobs.  Bags, watches, shoes, match books, you name it, if there is an “MJ” on it, I probably want it, or already own it.  So, you can imagine my surprise last Saturday when I got an email notification alerting me that “Robert Duffy is now following you on Twitter.”  The President of Marc Jacobs is following me on Twitter? 2010-02-12T22:07:51+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/whats-all-the-buzz-about-why-google-buzz/ http://nms.com/blog/post/whats-all-the-buzz-about-why-google-buzz/ I would like to thank whoever decided to launch Buzz in the middle of the snowpocalypse of 2010. Great decision or greatest decison ever? You be the judge! By Aminatou Sow 2010-02-11T22:59:58+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/the-online-strategy-behind-scott-browns-victory-plus-details-on-his-massach/ http://nms.com/blog/post/the-online-strategy-behind-scott-browns-victory-plus-details-on-his-massach/ Scott Brown’s victory in last week’s Massachusetts Senate election has gotten plenty of Republicans fired up about their online prospects in the 2010. 2010-02-08T16:46:11+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/new-media-strategies-speaker-series-nick-oneill/ http://nms.com/blog/post/new-media-strategies-speaker-series-nick-oneill/ Today we have live UStream video of our ongoing New Media Strategies Speaker Series. Our speaker at 3:30 p.m. ET is Nick O'Neill, Founder of AllFacebook.com. 2010-01-20T17:23:32+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/what-the-sunday-morning-shows-need-is-a-new-media-makeover/ http://nms.com/blog/post/what-the-sunday-morning-shows-need-is-a-new-media-makeover/ A debate has been raging online about the Sunday morning political talk shows, one of the venerated old institutions in American political discourse. 2010-01-14T20:15:10+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/cpgs-love-hate-relationship-with-social-media/ http://nms.com/blog/post/cpgs-love-hate-relationship-with-social-media/ In terms of progress in social media, 2009 was a rough one for Consumer Packaged Goods Brands - otherwise known as CPGs. From Motrin Moms to the Skittles Interweb, it's no wonder some CPG marketers are apt to describe their relationship with their product's social media strategy as "complicated." 2010-01-06T17:32:58+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/can-twitter-help-raise-awareness-for-gaza/ http://nms.com/blog/post/can-twitter-help-raise-awareness-for-gaza/ Today marks the one-year anniversary of the 22-day Israeli military raid on Gaza. Gaza, one of the two Palestinian territories currently under Israeli occupation. 2009-12-27T21:52:45+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/celebrating-10-years-of-domination-we-are-the-pioneers-undisputed-bad-asses/ http://nms.com/blog/post/celebrating-10-years-of-domination-we-are-the-pioneers-undisputed-bad-asses/ It's not often that you get to be around for such a monumental moment for a company and an industry all at once.  As social media continues to become a part of our everyday lives (see especially Mashable's "Facebook Now Consumes 5 Percent of Our Collective Internet Time"), New Media Strategies is proud to continue to pioneer the field of online brand intelligence, promotion and protection.  As the invite says: We are the "Undisputed Bad Asses of Social Media." 2009-12-17T15:41:51+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/real-time-search-brands-must-take-responsibility-for-their-digital-presence/ http://nms.com/blog/post/real-time-search-brands-must-take-responsibility-for-their-digital-presence/ If you’ve conducted an Internet search recently, you might have noticed some changes in the results page. Search for “Obama” and you’ll see a new section in the middle of the page called “Latest Results” that list messages web users have shared on sites such as Twitter, MySpace, and Facebook. Now, more than ever before, organizations need to be aware of their digital presence to effectively manage reputations. 2009-12-17T15:37:43+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/savvy-savings-when-cyber-shopping/ http://nms.com/blog/post/savvy-savings-when-cyber-shopping/ Since the beginning of September I've been asked on four separate occasions if I'm receiving more opt-in e-mail spam than usual. Of course, like the rest of my peers, I am. In the past, we would have received all of these discounts via the postal service or clipped them from back of the newspaper.  But now savings are staring us right in the face when we check our e-mail, so isn't it worth our time to start taking these companies up on their offers?   2009-12-15T22:44:40+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/are-you-a-me-former-or-an-informer-does-it-matter/ http://nms.com/blog/post/are-you-a-me-former-or-an-informer-does-it-matter/ Two researchers at Rutgers University recently released a new study that found that 80% of those on Twitter are "me-formers." That is to say, they are Twitter users whose posts are updates about themselves, their thoughts, and their activities.  The other 20% are classified as "informers" -- those who share information and links. The study found that informers tended to have larger networks and be more interactive. 2009-12-09T00:03:55+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/welcome-twitcritics/ http://nms.com/blog/post/welcome-twitcritics/ Twitter can be powerful - that we know - but as a film fan, how does one make sense of it? TwitCritics is a new site that aims to help us do this by measuring the pulse surrounding new film releases and in doing that, also illustrates the viewing preferences and tendencies of the Twitterverse. 2009-11-11T15:00:12+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/new-media-strategies-speaker-series-jory-des-jardins/ http://nms.com/blog/post/new-media-strategies-speaker-series-jory-des-jardins/ Today we have live UStream video of our ongoing New Media Strategies Speaker Series. Our speaker at 1:30 p.m. ET is Jory Des Jardins,Co-Founder and President of Strategic Alliances, BlogHer Inc. 2009-11-10T17:55:21+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/supporters-of-gay-marriage-failed-to-get-out-the-vote/ http://nms.com/blog/post/supporters-of-gay-marriage-failed-to-get-out-the-vote/ Long thought of as a “liberal” state by national political observers, Maine, whose voters on Tuesday voted down gay marriage, proved that cultural conservatism is — at least on this issue — alive and well in the Northeast. 2009-11-05T20:18:57+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/if-deeds-loses-itll-be-because-he-forgot-the-new-independents/ http://nms.com/blog/post/if-deeds-loses-itll-be-because-he-forgot-the-new-independents/ When Karl Rove set out to get George W. Bush reelected in 2004, he targeted the Expedition-driving, megachurch-attending, Panera-eating, McMansion-living voters in places like Loudoun County, Va. Bush won Loudoun with 56 percent on his way to a comfortable victory statewide. 2009-11-03T20:24:24+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/new-media-strategies-at-blogs-with-balls-20-at-blogworld-new-media-expo-in/ http://nms.com/blog/post/new-media-strategies-at-blogs-with-balls-20-at-blogworld-new-media-expo-in/ I’m excited to be embarking on a trip today to Blogs with Balls 2.0, a leading-edge conference on the intersection of sports and new media, as part of Blog World and New Media Expo in Las Vegas. This event gathers some of the top sports bloggers, sports media personalities and figures from across the nation to share and learn perspectives on the issues surrounding social media and sports. 2009-10-14T17:29:47+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/twitter-who-brings-the-funny/ http://nms.com/blog/post/twitter-who-brings-the-funny/ Making people laugh is hard enough, but making people laugh in 140 characters or less is extremely difficult.  When I first joined Twitter, I decided early on that the comedic approach was not for me, and that I’d leave that to the professionals.  So, what have the professionals been tweeting?  2009-10-09T16:20:58+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/working-when-youre-not-at-work/ http://nms.com/blog/post/working-when-youre-not-at-work/ Just about a year ago I moved to the Washington D.C. area to work at a boutique PR firm. Obviously, a great network of communications professionals exists in the city and I decided to join Washington Women in Public Relations (WWPR) so I could meet more people. I was hell bent on finding my way in this industry and in this city, and I knew I had to branch out beyond my 9-6 job to do so. 2009-10-06T14:58:02+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/from-anonymity-to-translucency-where-weve-been-to-where-were-going/ http://nms.com/blog/post/from-anonymity-to-translucency-where-weve-been-to-where-were-going/ When we think about the digital web today, we often think about how we have (re)connected with our real friends on Facebook or learn more about our coworkers' experience through their LinkedIn profiles.  For most people who were on the web in the 90s, or are coming online for the first time here in 2009, the sense of realness, of authenticity is more true than it has ever been. 2009-09-25T20:59:25+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/nms-names-katie-townsley-as-2009-q2-ass-kicker/ http://nms.com/blog/post/nms-names-katie-townsley-as-2009-q2-ass-kicker/ We are pleased to announce that Katie Townsley, Sales Operations Manager, Sales, has received NMS’ 2009 Q2 Ass Kicker Award.   2009-09-24T17:13:57+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/politicians-herald-bloggers-at-netroots-nation-2009/ http://nms.com/blog/post/politicians-herald-bloggers-at-netroots-nation-2009/ Just over a week ago (August 13 - 16), nearly 2,000 progressive bloggers, activists, and organizers gathered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for 4 days.  And I was there. 2009-08-25T13:39:29+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/206-days-of-social-marketing/ http://nms.com/blog/post/206-days-of-social-marketing/ Approximately 206 days ago, I saw the teaser trailer for (500) Days of Summer.  As a long time fan of the film’s stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel, I was immediately intrigued, and after reading favorable reviews following the films Sundance premiere, I was a bit disappointed to learn that the initial limit release was still months away, July 17 to be exact. So how did (500) Days of Summer, a breakup dramedy, keep my attention for over six months? 2009-08-18T22:22:55+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/techcrunch-and-the-new-new-journalism/ http://nms.com/blog/post/techcrunch-and-the-new-new-journalism/ Two recent declarations from TechCrunch signal a new, more honest -- and better? -- direction for journalism standards. 2009-08-10T14:21:45+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/a-day-in-the-lifeof-a-different-dc-intern/ http://nms.com/blog/post/a-day-in-the-lifeof-a-different-dc-intern/ Interns. We. Are. Everywhere. We’re slowly taking over DC. Actually, if we work hard enough and do our jobs right, we eventually will…just without that dreaded “Intern” title. Apparently we’re pretty easy to spot too. Don’t get me wrong, I am an Intern through and through, but I like to think I’m living a different sort of Intern life. 2009-08-06T16:06:14+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/home-wifi-networks-next-for-digital-door-knocking/ http://nms.com/blog/post/home-wifi-networks-next-for-digital-door-knocking/ Political activists living in dense areas should use the name of their home Wi-Fi networks to reach out to neighbors about political candidates.  It's free, its doesn't disturb neighbors, and it has the potential to reach hundreds of voters. 2009-08-05T13:02:28+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/chuck-rocks-san-diego-comic-con-unveils-fan-centric-social-media-hub/ http://nms.com/blog/post/chuck-rocks-san-diego-comic-con-unveils-fan-centric-social-media-hub/ Every July, a convention takes place in San Diego that defines and celebrates what it means to be a fan.  In its earliest stages, the event focused solely on comics and animation.  But, as the years passed and its popularity grew, so did its scope.  In the last five years, COMIC-CON has emerged as a mainstream platform for movie studios/television networks to launch new projects and to recognize the fans that have made their existing properties a success.   2009-07-30T19:33:07+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/3121-first-day-buzz-round-up/ http://nms.com/blog/post/3121-first-day-buzz-round-up/ We're happy to announce that the 3121 blog had a great launch--and our friends in the technology and political communities noticed. We'd like to say thanks to them and highlight some of their observations for you. 2009-07-21T17:31:13+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/cultivating-the-3121-community/ http://nms.com/blog/post/cultivating-the-3121-community/ One of the greatest things about social media is that it not only accelerates real world connections, but it also adds a human and authentic layer to online activity. In that spirit, NMS is proud to be working on National Journal's 3121. 2009-07-20T20:32:09+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/can-big-name-stars-still-bring-home-the-box-office/ http://nms.com/blog/post/can-big-name-stars-still-bring-home-the-box-office/ It used to be the case that a big name star equaled box office returns, hence the outrageous salaries a-listers have recently received for their work, but with the ever-sharing, instantaneous environment of online communities, user reviews may be weighing heavy on the blockbuster golden boys and girls.  2009-07-20T18:40:16+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/the-future-is-now-social-mobile-paypal-ugc-tagged-outing-at-nats-vs-cubs/ http://nms.com/blog/post/the-future-is-now-social-mobile-paypal-ugc-tagged-outing-at-nats-vs-cubs/ While we are certainly a biased sampling of hyper tech, tweet and device users, I do believe our experience of the game is one that is, in some ways, the future of how we as humans experience collective events like baseball games, concerts and rallies. 2009-07-18T17:35:33+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/the-day-michael-jackson-and-nearly-the-internet-died/ http://nms.com/blog/post/the-day-michael-jackson-and-nearly-the-internet-died/ Yesterday the world lost an icon in the passing of Michael Jackson. The whole world watched as news broke over various online resources, eventually proving that the King of Pop nearly took the Internet with him. 2009-06-26T18:52:37+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/as-the-hangover-tears-up-the-box-office-studios-should-rethink-the-blockbus/ http://nms.com/blog/post/as-the-hangover-tears-up-the-box-office-studios-should-rethink-the-blockbus/ Over the past few weeks, I have been infatuated with surveying my friends’ and online peers’ reactions to The Hangover – always hoping to hear effusive praise.  The film is already a financial winner – with over $150 million dollars at the box office in less than a month – but I want to see its bottom dollar soar.  It is the rare movie that not only tickles me, but also perfectly represents my philosophy about the way the industry should trend, to the point that I feel personally invested in its success. 2009-06-24T22:05:05+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/nms-attends-blogs-with-balls/ http://nms.com/blog/post/nms-attends-blogs-with-balls/ New Media Strategies Entertainment practice member Kyle Scriven attended Blogs With Balls last weekend, a social sports blogger and new media gathering featuring speakers and panelists specifically focused on sports fans, writers, sites, teams, athletes and companies; and their ability to maximize new media outlets for promotion and advancement. Here's his recap of his experience. 2009-06-17T00:26:50+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/words-and-deeds-wikipedia-and-the-virginia-governors-race/ http://nms.com/blog/post/words-and-deeds-wikipedia-and-the-virginia-governors-race/ As Virginia turns to the general election, the articles about Democratic candiate Creigh Deeds and Republican Bob McDonnell will be both important resources as well as the locus of battles to establish narratives about each candidate. Indeed, both articles are the top non-official sites listed in Google searches for each candidate’s name. Which one is better? 2009-06-16T18:01:24+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/trailer-time-capsule-clueless/ http://nms.com/blog/post/trailer-time-capsule-clueless/ Starting in February of 2009, rumors began to swirl on the web that a sequel to Clueless was in the works, generated by a promising statement made by Alicia Silverstone. As a child of the 90’s, I couldn’t be more thrilled about this news, and in my excitement, I decided it was time for another viewing of the original Clueless trailer. 2009-06-08T20:31:54+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/thank-you-for-being-a-friend/ http://nms.com/blog/post/thank-you-for-being-a-friend/ Someone once asked me what my favorite thing in the world was, and I responded “a day in bed with reruns of Golden Girls!” So now you’re asking why this one of my favorite things?  Well here it is: I am not ashamed to say it, my name is Ashley Aikens and I am completely taken with this show that is a piece of television history. 2009-05-26T13:08:17+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/6-tips-for-using-social-media-in-the-agriculture-industry/ http://nms.com/blog/post/6-tips-for-using-social-media-in-the-agriculture-industry/ With tangible products being produced such as grapes and cars, vintners and automakers have a great opportunity to use social media to share their story. [...]  With that said, I have outlined six applications that I think are particularly useful for the agriculture industry.  Where appropriate, I also include my personal experiences in hopes to make it that much more real.  2009-05-21T04:20:52+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/through-mobile-interaction-innovative-kogi-bbq-has-built-more-than-a-virtua/ http://nms.com/blog/post/through-mobile-interaction-innovative-kogi-bbq-has-built-more-than-a-virtua/ What happens when you cross Korean barbecue, Mexican food and tweeting? Aside from me in food heaven, you’d get the Kogi BBQ truck: a tasty marriage of Korean barbecue meat packaged in soft tortilla shells, served from a taco truck and dubbed by Newsweek as “America’s First Viral Eatery.” 2009-05-14T16:07:38+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/a-jarre-ing-experience/ http://nms.com/blog/post/a-jarre-ing-experience/ Wikipedia was in the news for another hoax last week when a college undergraduate student posted erroneous information about deceased French composer Maurice Jarre as an experiment to see if mainstream media publications would pick it up in their obituaries. 2009-05-11T18:47:32+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/nielsens-twitter-take-nearly-half-baked-part-2/ http://nms.com/blog/post/nielsens-twitter-take-nearly-half-baked-part-2/ Nielsen posted an update to their controversial report and in the process raised more questions than they answered.  The biggest problem is Nielsen's original claim that user retention is critical to long term growth.  While retention does play a role in growth, it is not as important as Nielsen states.  As can be seen in the chart below, a website with over 60% passer-by traffic can still reach 20 to 50 million US UMV's.  If you would like to see the data set, please check it out here.  All of the data points were taken from Quantcast.  2009-05-01T22:01:25+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/the-internet-interpreters-what-is-rickrolling/ http://nms.com/blog/post/the-internet-interpreters-what-is-rickrolling/ Ever been Rick Rolled? NMS begins a semi-regular feature in which an NMSer explains the history and logic behind various web sensations. 2009-05-01T16:47:19+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/nielsens-twitter-take-nearly-half-baked/ http://nms.com/blog/post/nielsens-twitter-take-nearly-half-baked/ Nielsen posted an article on Tuesday titled "Twitter Quitters Post Roadblock to Long-Term Growth" claiming that Twitter had a 40% user retention rate. As seen above, I enjoy catchy headlines that rhyme, but Nielsen fails to mention one very important factor when evaluating Twitter traffic: It's only able to measure return visits to Twitter.com, but a large percentage of people using Twitter are using applications to tweet. 2009-04-30T15:21:41+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/twitter-makes-the-2009-nfl-draft-a-sports-holiday-to-remember/ http://nms.com/blog/post/twitter-makes-the-2009-nfl-draft-a-sports-holiday-to-remember/ The NFL Draft is one of the most important dates on every serious football fan’s radar. No event offers a better reward for staying on top of breaking news and in-depth analysis than the NFL Draft. However, this year’s NFL Draft was different.  For the first time, the most important stories weren’t the ones written leading up to the draft – they were the ones during the draft.  The emergence of Twitter gave sports fans a chance to make the draft interactive, and they pounced on the opportunity. 2009-04-28T19:44:22+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/thinkb4youspeak-launches-social-media-campaign/ http://nms.com/blog/post/thinkb4youspeak-launches-social-media-campaign/ Join me the NMS team as we help GLSEN to promote ThinkB4YouSpeak.com and let the online world know that it's not OK to say "That's so gay."   2009-04-27T18:47:13+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/a-tale-of-two-panels-what-you-are-missing-when-panels-start-tweeting-back-a/ http://nms.com/blog/post/a-tale-of-two-panels-what-you-are-missing-when-panels-start-tweeting-back-a/ But what about panelists tweeting back at audience members at the same time they’re answering questions – engaging both in person and online simultaneously?  Does it add value, will we lose focus, or can we learn and have some fun at the same time? 2009-04-26T00:31:00+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/blogging-your-way-to-bank/ http://nms.com/blog/post/blogging-your-way-to-bank/ Instead of focusing on building up enough traffic to post ads that clutter the page, compromise the site’s aesthetic and bring in enough money to cover Friday night’s bar tab, bloggers should rather use their site as one big advertisement for themselves. 2009-04-16T18:29:01+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/network-vs-cable-tv/ http://nms.com/blog/post/network-vs-cable-tv/ There’s definitely still “must-see” TV on the big networks...But I still believe the riskiest, most interesting television remains the providence of the cable channels. They often rival production values of more established network series. Furthermore, with the advent of streaming video, cable properties are more accessible to the general public than ever. 2009-04-16T16:31:35+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/how-to-avoid-the-elephant-stampede-and-other-crisis-communications-tips/ http://nms.com/blog/post/how-to-avoid-the-elephant-stampede-and-other-crisis-communications-tips/ You can’t wait until you see a herd of elephants charging at you before you decide how to react. By keeping your ear to the ground and listening carefully to the movements in your environment, you’ll be in control when the stampede hits and you won’t get run over. 2009-04-16T15:15:51+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/todd-phillips-film-old-school-set-the-course-for-todays-golden-era-of-guy-c/ http://nms.com/blog/post/todd-phillips-film-old-school-set-the-course-for-todays-golden-era-of-guy-c/ I know some are quick to crown Judd Apatow "the King of Comedy," and let me be the first to say I definitely think he’s in the royal family, but I would just like to see Todd Phillips given a bit more credit for paving the way for a comedy revolution. Without Old School, I don’t think we ever see Judd Apatow films as we know them. 2009-04-10T15:49:11+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/your-brands-social-media-infrastructure-or-how-to-grow-a-social-media-garde/ http://nms.com/blog/post/your-brands-social-media-infrastructure-or-how-to-grow-a-social-media-garde/ This event was also where I debuted my "how does your garden grow?" analogy which is already catching fire. Want to know what it is? Ask me! 2009-04-09T17:57:14+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/tales-from-the-mi6-conference-negroponte-and-olpc/ http://nms.com/blog/post/tales-from-the-mi6-conference-negroponte-and-olpc/ It's the vision of peace, that we find our tribal, pre-national connections to each other, only this is so much more sophisticated, unprecedented in human history. The biggest webs of social connectivity in human history. 2009-04-09T15:16:34+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/turning-off-the-light-the-end-of-an-era-is-an-opportunity-to-pioneer-change/ http://nms.com/blog/post/turning-off-the-light-the-end-of-an-era-is-an-opportunity-to-pioneer-change/ Guiding Light has always been a leader in terms of setting the pace for change within the soap industry and due to its network cancellation, GL executives have been given a unique opportunity to do so once more.  I’d love to see GL become a pioneer again and “light” the way to the next level of soap programming. 2009-04-08T18:06:33+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/how-i-became-dcs-top-twitterer/ http://nms.com/blog/post/how-i-became-dcs-top-twitterer/ Courtesy of the fine folks at FamousDC, I have recently been named the top Twitter user in Washington DC.  You’ll forgive my head if it doesn’t fit through the door for the next couple weeks, but in a town full of people like this guy, coming out on top takes more than just a little effort. 2009-04-08T13:46:50+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/the-3-d-revolution-future-or-flop/ http://nms.com/blog/post/the-3-d-revolution-future-or-flop/ A few months ago we had the privilege of going to a press event hosted by DreamWorks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg on the future of 3-D. ... Were we made believers in Jeffrey Katzenberg’s vision that day?  Sort of.  Did we feel like we’d have to wait and see how Monsters vs, Aliens performed both at the box office and for critics? Yup.  Would we be interested to see how other studios are tackling 3-D?  You betcha.  We sat down after the DreamWorks Animation tentpole release and had a little chat about the state of 3-D… . (This post was a collaborative effort between Entertainment practice members Meg Spooner and Sonja Olson.) 2009-04-06T17:07:57+00:00 http://nms.com/blog/post/microsoft-closes-encarta-but-this-doesnt-have-to-be-the-end/ http://nms.com/blog/post/microsoft-closes-encarta-but-this-doesnt-have-to-be-the-end/ Earlier this week Microsoft announced it will soon be shutting down its digital encyclopedia, Encarta. The official statement t didn't actually use the word "Wikipedia," but then again, they didn't really need to. Wikipedia has 97% of the online encyclopedia market, according to Hitwise, a share that makes Google seem to barely have a foothold. But this was by no means a totally foregone conclusion -- and it doesn't necessarily mean the end. 2009-04-03T20:10:26+00:00