iMediaWorksConnect by @iMediaMichelle

Episode 3: The Social Network Promised Land: Welcome to the Data Stream

Last week I continued my series on brands use of social media with Peter Fasano, Principal and Lead Catalyst of Mass-Logic.  The early part of our conversation examined some of the history of social network usage by consumers and brands – Peter explained his view using a nifty magazine metaphor which I’ve captured below.

 

I won't tell you who we pegged as the "National Enquirer" of the Social Network world (hint, listen to the podcast), but it is interesting to see how some of these channels are becoming segmented.

Our discussion also touched on brands that were creating a positive relationship with their audience over the long-term as well as key missteps that marketers should avoid when approaching constantly evolving platforms like Facebook.  I asked Peter to gaze a bit into the crystal ball and provide some thoughts on the future direction of social networks and the potential role brands can play in it – I was not disappointed – he gave an excellent summary which I’ve highlighted here:

Bye, bye destination – hello data stream:  Brands need to get comfortable with being part of a data-stream by social aggregators such as FriendFeed in the real-time web.  No longer is their presence predictably published and controlled, but highly filtered and distributed (think RSS feeds).  Your messages need to be findable, sharable content chunks that stand out from the crowd.

Balance Community with Business: Like any good relationship, consumers want to get to know you first, then open themselves up to what you have to say and ultimately what you can offer them.  Designate elements within your social network space for community and others for promotions, branded marketing events and other business-oriented activities.  Brands can play a significant role by responding to the community’s needs and ensuring they are well nurtured before presenting their own messages and offers.

In order for brand marketers to successfully become a part of the data stream, Peter strongly recommends listening to the audience as a participant (so the brand can fully understand the where, what, when and how of the conversation), NOT as a remote eavesdropper.  But more importantly, he stresses the critical need to know the platforms and understand the development roadmap, potential outages and updates, less one become blindsided by rapidly evolving technologies.  Brands can achieve this by engaging the resident developer communities early on and learn about the data architecture and policies that will continue to govern their presence inside social networks.

But will brand marketers be able to truly tap in and realize the fruits of MySpace, Facebook and LinkedIn?  Consumers, employees and partners alike have come to the virtual table, but in many cases the brand organization is silent.  Infrastructure and governance constraints appear to be keeping many brands from participating in communities that have already formed as Fan Pages, Groups and Profiles.  But in others, I sense plain old-fashioned unawareness about their brand presence may be the culprit.  If you are a brand marketer, I encourage you to type your brand name and sub-brand names into these networks.  At the very least, you need to be aware of what’s happening.  Based on my research to date, there is a good chance that you may not like what you find.  The only way to help change how your consumers engage with your brand is to become part of the community that is forming around it and participate.

You can listen to the full podcast episode here. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/MichelleBatten_iMediaWorks

Thirty-minutes barely gave us time to discuss the Three Majors, much less scratch the surface of many other social networks such as Hi5 and MyYearbook or social network enablers such as Ning.  I hope to have Peter back for a future episode so we can provide marketers a view into what is happening within these growing entities.

This week, our series continues with “PART 4: YouTube: Everyone’s Doing It So Why Not Me?”, at 4pm (EDT) on Thursday, July 2nd.  My guest will be Dan Greenfield (@bernaise) of Bernaise Source Media and board member of the Atlanta Chapter of The Social Media Club – be sure to listen in.  

 

Episode 2: The Rise of the Blogosphere - What Now?

My series on brands use of social media continued early this morning with Sherry Heyl, Chief Strategy Officer of Concept Hub, Inc..  Despite our pre-dawn scratchy voices, Sherry and I had a lively discussion about brand marketers past love/hate affair with the blogosphere and the pros and cons of corporate blogging.  Sherry highlighted a number of solid industry best practices along with some poking at my geekiness (which must have been the caffeine talking).  Throughout our conversation, Sherry emphasized several points on the importance of having an overall social media culture and strategy, which blogs and podcasts play a defined role.  I’m still waking up, but managed to capture a few of them here:

Social media is an evolution, not an “add-on” – it needs to become part of all the various functions of a company.  Blogs are not just marketing’s job, or the public relations team’s job – they are an extension of the employee’s, the leadership’s, the brand’s culture to their consumers and the marketplace as a whole.

You need to be a good listener, first – focus on creating and enabling a culture of listeners in your company.  Blogs are a terrific source for identifying frustrations and significant problems that go beyond 140 characters.  Someone has taking the time to write one or more posts about a complaint or need, can offer a richer insight into the customer/marketplace.  The comments on that post, offer even more insights, which can be used to educate and inform employees on how to serve customers and ultimately the community better through all social media tools.

No one is perfect, not you and certainly not your blog – routing posts through a 3-day review and approval cycle feels less authentic and inhibits a regular dialogue with the community.  Allow for spontaneity in the process - it’s okay to show your “humanness”.

You can listen to the full podcast episode here. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/MichelleBatten_iMediaWorks

Also, you check out Sherry’s in-depth recap summary on her blog at Concept Hub, Inc.

Next week, we’ll continue with “PART 3: The Social Media Promised Land –MySpace, Facebook and LinkedIn”, my guest will be Peter Fasano (@pfasano) of Mass+Logic and my partner in the Atlanta Chapter of The Social Media Club.  Date and time to be announced via my Twitter account (@iMWConnect).  Feel to send us questions in advance of the show and listen in live on BlogTalk Radio.

 

A Day Spent with 140 Characters – Part Deux #140conf Takeaways

What is it about social media events that bring out the super-nocturnal creature in me?  It’s past midnight again as I finally drop my computer bag, plug in and start to marinate on the day’s events.

The second day of the #140conf featured more fascinating Twitter Characters from around the globe sharing their personal stories and insights from inside the Twitterverse.  The keynote speakers, moderators and panelists spoke about big business, small business, trust agents, chaos theory, covering the White House, dating escapades, hyku, user experience, science, fashion and filmmaking.  With each topic, the dialogue not only challenged our thinking around old and existing business and communication models, but our very own personal life operating constructs as well.

Once again, I’ve attempted to capture the key takeaways from each of the #140conf Characters.  Unfortunately, there were several time periods when I had to step away from the live conversation, so not all topics are represented below.  After reading this list, if you have any others you would like to add, please post as a comment below and be sure to tag it #140conf

@mkokc – “Using Twitter for Public Safety”

“People are looking for one another in the most basic human way – Twitter has become our little Town Hall, our ‘Mayberry’, like a good back fence neighbor””

@erictpeterson – “Twitter Stats”

“The average active Twitter user: 4,664 followers, 1,165 following, 108 updates/week, referenced 75 times, Tetweeted 21 times, Retweeting others 11 times per week on average” (Slideshare deck here - http://bit.ly/iUIc0)

@maheshmurthy – “Twitter’s Role in an Integrated Marketing Plan”

“Existing digital marketing and advertising models are unsuited for Twitter – re-defining CRM = Cult Relationship Management” (Slideshare deck here - http://bit.ly/bGBQO )

@steverubel – “Twitter and PR”

“No community has a staying power past 5 years – don’t get too attached to any one community platform, instead take a digital embassy approach”

@KaylieJones – “Twitter Rocks Publishing” Panelist

“If its only about me, then it won’t be an interesting story; people go wrong on Twitter because of too much self-promotion, instead of too much community”

@RonHogan – “Twitter Rocks Publishing” Panelist

“Make sure you are sharing the thing you are most passionate about with others”

@chrisbrogam – “Twitter and Trust Agents” Moderator

“When something goes bad, don’t’ go dark.  Leverage is about building and sharing relationships”

@julien – “Twitter and Trust Agents” Panelist

“The more you act like the network, the more successful you will be on the web”

@dberkowitz – “Twitter as the GPS for Greater Social Media Mesh” Panelist

“Be in the channel so you’ll at least know how to respond to customers”

@bmorrissey – “Twitter as the GPS for Greater Social Media Mesh” Panelist

“Most brands are not sure what their role is within social media; its like watching Dad dance – it feels awkward and creepy”

@pfasano – “Twitter as the GPS for Greater Social Media Mesh” Panelist

“The hard part for brands is to distinguish the hot topic of today from the true trend of tomorrow”

@hadleystern – “Twitter as the GPS for Greater Social Media Mesh” Panelist

“For brands, understanding what is the sea of change happening within social media is their greatest challenge”

@bronwen – “Twitter, the media and Chaos Theory”

“Twitter is the opposite of controlled media – its chaos theory in action.  Although it mostly looks like disorder, you discover all the underlying order within the random data underneath”

@newmediajim – “Correspondency in the Age of Twitter” Moderator

“Through tools like Twitter, everyone gets a seat at the briefing table”

@anamariecox – “Correspondency in the Age of Twitter” Panelist

“Twitter gives us the ability to share the inside context for why certain things are happening; Being a journalist is not something you are – its something you do”

@MarriottIntl – “Twitter and Brands: Lessons Learned and Still Learning” Panelist

“You gotta listen; without listening we wouldn’t be where we are today”

@jbell99 – “Twitter and Brands: Lessons Learned and Still Learning” Moderator

“I think Twitter is a pretty forgiving universe, if you respond to criticism and keep carrying on the conversation”

@ami_with_an_i – “Twitter Publishing: People Get Real” Panelist

“Book reading is a solitary activity, but they spawn highly social activity; Books function as social glue in the community”

@chapmanchapman – “Twitter Publishing: People Get Real” Panelist

“Storytelling is going to change form – from just text, to text that can live”

@hjortur – “How I Became a Twitter Character”

“Putting out value, putting out great ideas is what truly spurns connection and community on”

@scottpordad – “Follow Friday”

“Hashtags make conversation more democratic and open up the playing field; think about how what you’re doing can help to create a framework for community”

@thesciencebabe – “Twitter and Science” Co-Moderator

“Twitter is enabling the application of science and scientific research to be more in the hands of the people”

@bernard_d – “A Look at Twitter Apps and the Road Ahead” Panelist

“Aggregate, filter, curate and associate that content/ideas with the community”

@WingDude – “A Look at Twitter Apps and the Road Ahead” Panelist

“The market will shift towards tools that enable you to search, filter and become an editor of the news; little Twitter is dragging Facebook ahead into this space”

@pallian – “A Look at Twitter Apps and the Road Ahead” Panelist

“I see a lot of mashups coming between Twitter and Facebook”

@heathr – “Being ‘Private’ in Public”

“Twitter and social media are revealing the personal, and making the personal more revealing”

@garyvee – “What I Love About Twitter”

“When was caring not a real job?  Twitter has allowed me to scale my caring”

@wyclef – “An Interview with Wyclef Jean”

“It’s important that we feed the soul”

@jobsworth – “Twitter in the Enterprise"

”The traditional ways of communicating, even e-mail, deal with the hierarchy of the organization.  But when its subscriber driven (like Twitter), then its more about linking and tapping into the passion that breaks through hierarchies”

@JaysonElliot – “Designing User Experiences for Twitter” Moderator

“We’re in an experience-based economy; experience is the reason why one entity beats another”

@karenmcgrane – “Designing User Experiences for Twitter” Panelist

“Don’t focus on talking to ourselves, but to the people who are puzzled on why they should use tools like Twitter; its our job to get more people to use it”

@jeffdachis – “Designing User Experiences for Twitter” Panelist

“Its about applying values of what you get out of Twitter and bringing those values to the applications and other user experiences we design”

@whitneyhess – “Designing User Experiences for Twitter” Panelist

“Keep in mind who your target is – Twitter may not be right, then if not, apply the values Jeff was talking about to the places that will best serve your users”

@sujamthe – “BottomUp Innovation”

“Come with an idea, take a risk, put it out there and see what comes back” (Slideshare deck here - http://bit.ly/1b7ZfX )

@jeffpulver – “Intermission”

“We’re living in the NOW and Twitter is the language we speak.  If you have an idea for change, now is the time to act”

@marcyshinder – “Twitter and Small Business” Panelist

“Twitter reveals itself the more you get into it”

@rieva – “Twitter and Small Business” Panelist

“The beauty that Twitter brings to small business is that SMB is used to being part of the conversation already”

@alizasherman – “Twitter and Small Business” Panelist

“Empty followers are like sugar – empty calories and they give me a headache”

@howardgr – “The Wisdom of Twitter” Co-Moderator

“Its about find your tribe, contributing and making that tribe a better place”

@DeanLand – “The Wisdom of Twitter” Co-Moderator

“You have to follow someone, you just can’t be there”

@calindrome – “All the Web’s a Stage”

Performance arts are the original disruptive social media; they give a voice to the voiceless”

@sass – “Everything I Know About Twitter, I learned in Grade School”

“The best way to make friends is to share, raise your hand and participate when you hear someone ask a question or for help”

@melissapierce – “The Documentary that Happened Because of Twitter”

“The planned life is not worth living anymore; we’re all living intuitively”

Last but certainly not at all least – a few shoutouts to Tweeps who helped make the #140conf especially productive, memorable and fun:

@Urvaksh – for being my steady seatmate and “pet sitting” my laptop all during Day 1

@aaronstrout – for organizing a delightful impromptu Twinner outing with 13 great Twitter Characters

@pfasano – for encouraging me to come and experience the #140conf and a much needed guac and chips break on Day 2

@shelly_palmer – for asking me about my story and profoundly changing the course of my next few months

@Haroldgr – for being my seatmate sidekick and “Tweet co-heckler” on Day 2

To all the Tweeps who sat behind us in Row 3, where the AC adapter lived, props to you for keeping me and a dozen other laptops juiced and plugged in throughout the show

Weren’t able to make the NYC #140conf?  Never fear!  #140conf Los Angeles and #140conf London are in the works for Fall 2009.  Follow @140conf and nominate yourself or another Tweep to be part of the next Cast of Characters.  The State of Now continues on…

A Day Spent with 140 Characters – Part 1 #140conf Takeaways

Its a few minutes before midnight as I begin crafting this post and I just wrapped the first of two days with one of the most eclectic group of Twitter Characters via the #140conf in NYC.  Over 60 personalities were on hand to share their perspectives on Twitter’s role in shaping the “State of Now”.  It was an incredible time filled with intensely passionate debates, hilarious rants, live musical artist performances and heartfelt stories of social good.  The learning and inspiration was not limited to the featured Characters themselves, but was also found in the serendipitous chats with my fellow Tweeps throughout the day.  

I’ve previously stated that Twitter, and social media in general, is about passion + sharing = community.  The conversations I heard and partook in so far have elevated and enhanced my thinking on this concept ten-fold.  In this spirit, I’ve attempted to capture and share with you one key takeaway from many of today’s keynote speakers and panelists in hopes it will inspire you to join and continue the conversation.

@jeffpulver – “The State of Now” Opening Remarks

“We now have democratized access to information where anyone and everyone’s voice matters”

@jack – Jack Dorsey, co-founder & Chairman, Twitter

“Expect the unexpected and when even possible, be the unexpected” (quote)

@timoreilly – “What Twitter Has Taught Me” Keynote

“Media is about serving the community – create more value than what you capture”

@fredwilson – “The Power of Passed Links and Earned Media” Keynote

“Links are the currency of the Internet; passed links (via Facebook and Twitter) are becoming the most powerful social and economic forces”

@johnborthwick – “The Twitter Ecosystem”

“Quality, innovation and sustainability will help the make the ecosystem function better”

@DavidSaranga – “The Use of Twitter for Diplomacy”

“You can’t hide behind the institution – you need to show your human face to the world”

@petermckay – “The Effect of Twitter on Newspapers” Panelist

“120-125 is your true character limit if you really want to make room for conversation” (think Re-Tweets, additional comments)

@jboitnott – “The Effect of Twitter on Newspapers” Panelist

“If you follow the right people, they can curate the Web for you”

@howardlindzon – “Living in a Twitter World”

“Having the right community provides a tremendous platform to expand the conversation and create value”

@shelly_palmer – “What Twitter Means to TV Shows / Producers Moderator

“Twitter is the electronic mob mentality – you can instantly find out what people are interested in”

@gavinpurcell – “What Twitter Means to TV Shows / Producers Panelist

“Getting Twitter means you know it’s a conversation – be open, interesting and available”

@lizstrauss  - “Marketing for the Eavesdroppers”

“If you really know and live your product, promotion comes naturally; make your Tweets short, fun and something your mother, brother or sister would feel proud to pass on”

@lebrun – “The Effects of Twitter on My Business” Panelist

“Listen for the point of need – people express their needs on Twitter more than anywhere else”

@Zappos – “The Effect of Twitter on My Business” Panelist

“The company’s brand and the company’s culture are 2 sides of the same coin; Twitter is a fantastic way to share that culture with others through friendships that deliver branding and long-term relationships over time”

@someecards – “The Effect of Twitter on My Business” Panelist

“The art of Twitter is to keep your voice, but not make it feel like advertising”

@maegancarberry – “Possibilities of Bi-Partisanship on Twitter”

“The social contract has changed – individuals can now be for a particular issue or hashtag, regardless of party lines”

@scobleizer – “Twitter as a News Gathering Tool” Moderator

“People are starting to care as much about global now, as they once did about local – real-time analysis will continue to improve and only help make it better”

@anncurry – “Twitter as a News Gathering Tool” Panelist

“Reporting is a service job, about taking care of people…must stay focused on searching for the truth”

@JohnAByrne – “The Business Week Perspective on Twitter”

“Engagement and Community are two of the most important things journalism can do; it’s not a product, but a process that makes the audience a collaborator”

@jmajes – “The Story Behind CNNBREAK”

“We’re all news people – start asking what’s happening and telling the stories behind the breaking event”

@jer979 – “Twitter as a Strategic Relationship Building Tool”

“Build relationships so you can earn the right to have more time with individuals, learn from them, and have deeper engagement”

@1000TimesYes – “Twitter and the End of Music Criticism”

“There is enough room in 140 characters to have good writing”

@JeffreyHayzlett – “Kodak and Twitter: What We Are Learning”

“Twitter is changing the measures from eyeballs and ears to hearts and minds” (quality vs. quantity)

@AudreyMcClellan – “Moms Who Twitter” Panelist

“It’s an amazing thing to have community around the clock and experience life with others who can truly relate to your current situation” (mom of 4)

@Pistachio – “Twitter: A Love Story”

“Twitter runs on love; it is full of little trivial interactions wanting to be discovered and known – helping us all find out what we have in common”

@peggyolson – “Twitter and Mad Men” Panelist

“Think about building community – not broadcasting; Listen to what counts; Crowdsourcing is your friend (ask people for things); Stay on Message and hire the right people (some born to do it, others absolutely not)

@bettydraper – “Twitter and Mad Men” Panelist

“Respond to your fans and incorporate them into Twitter storyline”

@ajkeen – “Twitter’s Power on the World”

“We are witnessing a shift from the organization/institution to the 21^st century individual – individual brands are now surpassing corporate ones”

@adventuregirl – “Making of a Twitter Celebrity” Panelist

“Never give up control or your product, brand or voice”

@ijustine – “Making of a Twitter Celebrity” Panelist

“Not all conversations need to be made public”

@UpbeatNow – “ThinkTweet: Books that Tweet”

“People want to consume and share in bite-size chunks; if you want to create a really powerful idea, you have to put care and thought into it”

@drew – “Twitter for the Social Good” Panelist

“I’m a cancer survivor who wanted to turn a extremely tough experience into something positive (#blamedrewscancer)

@staceymonk – “Twitter for the Social Good” Panelist

“I believe there is remarkable human potential that is untapped across the globe – amplify the voices of those who are working to change/better the world, but do not have access to the tools”

Believe me there was SO MUCH MORE that I didn’t capture in this brief snapshot…so be sure to do your own search on #140conf for additional perspective from these and many other Characters.  Stay tuned for Part 2 of my #140conf takeaways. #smcatl #socialmediaclub #140conf

The Digital Gold Rush: Is Social Media the New Flaming Logo?

Back in the late nineties, brands and mom and pop shops alike heard the promises of e-commerce gold and raced to launch their websites with the coolest, flashiest pages imaginable.  Anyone remember the e-business ads that IBM used to run?  My favorite is one about having a “flaming logo” instead of focusing on solving real business problems which I think perfectly captured the essence of this phenomenon – I’ve included it here:

Pretty funny, right?  Sadly, I can’t help but feel that the Web/Digital industry has come full circle and history is repeating itself.  Now, nearly a decade later, the “digital gold rush” has begun again, this time in search of the social media promised land.  From blogs, MySpace, Facebook and YouTube, to Second Life, iPhone apps and now Twitter – some brands are diving in, while others are watching from the sidelines and waiting for their golden opportunity.  But have we learned anything from Web 1.0, or are we destined to repeat the same patterns all over again? 

Yesterday, I caught up with Diane Deseta, User Experience Strategist at White Knight here in Atlanta, Georgia and a fellow member of the Atlanta Social Media Club on this topic.  We discussed the adoptions patterns by brands and their agencies within blogs, social networks and Twitter as well as what the potential impact has been on the social community’s perception of these brands.  Diane pointed out three key observations that I think brand marketers should keep in mind when hitching up their wagons to head into social media: 

• Embrace Transparency Inside and Outside Your Organization – Be careful of auto direct-messaging and auto responding services when using real-time channels such as Twitter.  These services can inhibit you from knowing your audience and forging a real relationship with them.  Also, give your employees a window to the channels and tools you are experimenting with so they can become audience members and participate.  Tony Hsieh at Zappos is an outstanding model for transparency.  He shares both company and personal personality when engaging potential customers and fans through Twitter.  Zappos employees are also trained and encouraged to utilize Twitter as part of their corporate culture.  Everyone can access the Twitter accounts of all their employees directly from their website.
• Focus on Solving People’s Problems Instead of Exploiting Them – Burger King’s Facebook Whack campaign correctly understood users’ were being overwhelmed by too many friends, but underestimated the backlash of instant, impersonal “de-friending” for the sake of a $3 sandwich.  Comcast proactively reached out to Twitter users who were expressing frustrations with their service and offered real-time assistance.
• Keep the Dialogue Going – Start small and make social media a part of a larger program or campaign.  Target asked Facebook fans which 10 charities they wished to receive $3 million as part of their Bullseye Gives program.  Fans and employees continue to discuss the merits of their favorite charitable organization long after the votes were in and the awards concluded.

You can listen to the full podcast episode here.

Next week, we’ll continue with “PART 2: The Rise of the Blogosphere: Now What?”, my guest will be Sherry Heyl of Concept Hub.  Listen in live on BlogTalk Radio, every Thursday at 4pm (edt) / 1pm (pst) and catch the episode recaps here on iMediaWorks Connect each Friday. 

 

Brands + Social Media Series: Will They Stay or Will They Go?

The digital frontier continues to explode - now well into its second consumer decade, are brands and consumers still infatuated with one another in this space, or are they looking for daylight?  From the earliest days of blogs, social networks, and YouTube to virtual worlds, mobile communities and Twitter – brands have done everything from watch, explore, dive in, drop-off and/or ignore these channels.  Now, many consumers are wondering if brands are truly in the social media space to stay or just out for their own immediate fame/pr value.  One of my favorite songs by The Clash seems to be an appropriate anthem for this phenomenon:

Darling you gotta let me know
Should I stay or should I go?
If you say that you are mine
I'll be here til the end of time
So you got to let know
Should I stay or should I go?

Always tease tease tease
Siempre - coqetiando y enganyando
You're happy when I'm on my knees
Me arrodilla y estas feliz
One day is fine, next is black
Un dias bien el otro negro
So if you want me off your back
Al rededar en tu espalda
Well come on and let me know
Me tienes que desir
Should I stay or should I go?
Me debo ir o que darme

Should I stay or should I go now?
Should I stay or should I go now?
If I go there will be trouble
An if I stay it will be double
So come on and let me know

This indecisions bugging me
Esta undecision me molesta
If you dont want me, set me free
Si no me quieres, librame
Exactly whom I'm supposed to be
Diga me que tengo ser
Dont you know which clothes even fit me?
saves que robas me querda?
Come on and let me know
Me tienes que desir
Should I cool it or should I blow?
me debo ir o quedarme?

Should I stay or should I go now?
yo me frio o lo sophlo?
If I go there will be trouble
Si me voi - va ver peligro
And if I stay it will be double
Si me quedo es doble
So you gotta let me know
Me tienes que decir
Should I stay or should I go?
yo me frio o lo sophlo?

Lyrics courtesy of www.lyricsfreak.com.  Here's the tune for those of you who want to get in the mood: ♫ http://blip.fm/~7oi4r

This song inspired me to take a step back and look at what brands have and have not done with various social media channels.  I sense many consumers starting to wonder – do brands really care about me or are they just in the social media relationship for themselves?       

I recently began a study of the Fortune 500, to learn more about their initial adoption and usage of eight social media platforms in an effort to uncover best practices as well as watch outs.  So far, I’ve assessed 80 corporations and already discovered a few industry standouts who have really embraced and leveraged the power of social media to have a dialogue with their consumers.  Surprisingly, there are a lot more who've barely made an entrance and are letting their opportunity to have dialogue and connect with a relevant audience pass them by.

I’ll be hosting a multi-part blog discussion series with members of The Social Media Club, examining the history of brand adoption and usage of social media channels as well as their impact on the community.  Listen in live on BlogTalk Radio, every Thursday at 4pm (edt) / 1pm (pst) and catch the episode recaps here on iMediaWorks Connect each Friday.

Next week, we’ll begin with “PART 1: The Digital Gold Rush” – be sure to tune in.