Monday, August 15, 2011

#SocialMedia Sites Fail To Stir Conversions

On the heels of warning about government clampdowns on social media sites, lo and behold, research shop Outbrain issued a report that indicates social media sites trail far behind search engines when it comes to delivering traffic to websites and content sources. What does this mean? Read the report!


2011 Q2 Outbrain Content Discovery Report

Sunday, August 14, 2011

#Flashmobs: US Regulators Eye #Clampdown on #Social Media; Twitter, FB and Others to be curtailed?

Social media apps, and the companies that promote them are more than likely to face heightened scrutiny, if not outright clamp downs from US regulators as the Flashmob Epidemic moves from the Mid East to the UK, and now inciting violence across the US.

You read it here first: Cellphone carriers will undoubtedly be included in a new wave of government actions intended to prevent unruly and violent mobs from gathering and wreaking havoc.

Sure, were it not for social media apps, Mark Zuckerberg wouldn't have become a zillionaire, countless VC's wouldn't have been resuscitated in the latest investment industry frenzy, and the "Arab Spring" would have wilted before the first bud appeared.And Ashton Kutcher, the guy with the largest following on Twitter, might not have replaced Charlie Sheen on that TV show 2 1/2 Men.

Yes, we love social media for creating billions of dollars of wealth, and helping to create jobs for thousands of marketers and ad sales people. Not to mention the jolt its provided for a bunch of staggering brands. It would seem to be a good thing that a bunch of dictator regimes have fallen, all thanks to social media, but into the hands of who? Liberal or altruistic democrats? Hardly. The founders of Facebook and Twitter, cheered on by the likes of Anderson Cooper might want to think that their social media tools should be credited with inciting movements not seen since Mahatma Gandi, but the facts tell a different story so far.

Sure, we can blame the spreading civil unrest on challenging economic times, and we can blame that on inept politicians and corrupt government officials that seem to care only about their largest campaign donors or the private sector lobbyists holding out job offers that are conditioned on legislation or regulation that delivers bigger profits and bonuses to corporate titans.

But record unemployment and the growing chasm between haves and have nots ain't going to be solved by the type of social-media inspired violent outbreaks that we're seeing in the UK, and now in the US. These are destructive events being led by youth-centric anarchists wielding social-media powered cellphones; the new tools of the social disruption trade.

"What about freedom of speech? Or what happened our right to our right to congregate?.." you might ask. This blogger respectfully suggests that when all of the other constitutional rights, not to mention public safety, are being threatened by gangs of unruly mobsters [many of whom have been living on the government teet simply because its easier than working] --and intent on re-creating scenes from Mad Max and the Thunderdome, then the weapons they're using need to be taken away.

If that means Twitter, Facebook, FourSquare or the other less ubiquitous names in the space should be subjected to new rules that prevent instantaneous broadcast of  messages that inspire unruly mobs to gather and wreak mayhem, or if it means I can't update my LinkedIn, or broadcast a txt msg to more than 4 peeps at the same time via my Verizon-powered cell phone in order to promote a brand that's hired me to raise awareness for their new bikini wax, or if means the value of the shares that I bought in FourSquare on the SecondMarket platform is going to crater, then  I'm all in favor of Big Brother clamping down. I can easily sell my shares tomorrow.

What? You'd rather have a bunch of under-employed teens throwing a brick through your store front window for the fun of it? Or, maybe its ok with you when 20 unruly twenty-somethings get a Twitter message to show up on your street and turn over your car and light it on fire while your infant is in the back sit?

Something is clearly awry when widgets created by wonkers-turned-billionaires are turning the world literally upside down. To the Zuckerberg's of the world, and the other Gen Z geniuses: you need to take a time out if you truly believe that power is in the hands of the beholder and can be exploited without consideration for the impact on public welfare. Otherwise, you should get yourself prepared for a serious spanking.
Yes..I said it and now I feel better.

Friday, August 12, 2011

Website Offering #Prizes to #Critique Ads

Interesting article, albeit it remains to be seen whether the responders are providing material feedback..But, heck! I'm happy to score a $300 prize for critiquing an ad..oh..you need all of my personal data, too? mmmmm...
Loffles, a new Web site where users choose from a selection of prizes, watch a commercial in order to be entered to win that prize, then answer two or three questions to confirm that they viewed the commercial. So far she has won Michael Kors sunglasses (valued at $317), an Oster electric wine bottle opener ($24) and a gift certificate to The Cheesecake Factory ($50).
Since Loffles began on June 27, more than 3,400 users have registered on the site, providing their age, sex and areas of interest, information advertisers in turn use to determine who sees their ads. Users, who may enter a contest for a prize as many times as they are willing to watch additional ads, spend an average of about 16 minutes a day perusing prizes and watching commercials on the site.
About 60 percent of users are male and 40 percent female, while the average age is 24.
Click this link for the NYT article.