addi+ions: Insights From the Internet Obsessed

Social Media: For Business or Pleasure?

monique — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 22:20:42 +0000

What’s up, I’m Monique, the latest addi+ion to the digital-telepathy intern team! My short time here at DT has already been filled with some amazing insights and great experiences. When presented with the task of blogging about anything, my heart raced as I realized I had never written anything online that anyone really cared about. Of course there was an occasional MySpace blog about “words that look weird when spelled out,” or the event e-vite I diligently scripted and e-mailed to all my digital friends inviting them to my annual Ugly Sweater Holiday Bash, but I had never blogged about something worthwhile to the community. I started thinking about topics and my credibility to write on these topics, and the first thing that came to my mind was social media.

For the past couple weeks, I’ve been researching some of the popular social networking websites (StumbleUpon, Mixx, Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, etc.) for digital-telepathy. While sifting through blogs and comments, two different types of social media users emerged: those using these sites for business and those using the sites for pleasure. I thought it might be interesting for myself (and hopefully you too!) to figure out some of the diverse motives these different groups have for using social media tools. Interested? Read on.

For Pleasure:
Building relationships: People are interested in making friends and meeting people. Whether it’s sharing your Fourth of July photos on Flickr with your friends, finally finding someone that loves carrot-eating hedgehogs as much as you do or even micro-blogging your status on Twitter (Txt me L8er. 27 Dresses, DUH!), there is a place for you in the social media world. Interactions and discussions are at the heart of social media. There is a community out there for everyone.

Learning and Knowledge: Educating yourself on the latest trends, products, or applications has never been easier. Not sure about the new iPhone? Google it and find reviews from thousands of owners. Want to find out how many calories were in that double soy no-sugar-added Latte you gulped down this morning? Someone else was counting, guaranteed. Is your newest girlfriend really into famous paintings and you need to learn how to fake an appreciation for art? Head to Howcast and they’ll bring you up to date. You don’t have to be an experienced techie to participate in the social media world either. Even grandma has figured out how to upload photos to her Facebook, and she is tagging you left and right. Thanks for the crocheted leg-warmers G-ma, and yes they really bring out my calves in that holiday photo.

Creative Release: Expressing yourself is easy to do through the latest tools of social networking. People can blog about anything and everything and there is someone out there that wants to read your thoughts. Customizing your favorite social networking site, posting photos from your kayaking trip, or writing a travel journal about your semester abroad is easy, fun and therapeutic for many. Surfing these sites also makes the time pass more quickly, which is great when you’re trying to avoid productivity.

For Business:
The Customer is Always Right: Improving customer, partner, and employee communications has never been more important. Businesses are using social media to target their customers more efficiently and cost effectively. Building communities within the company website that give customers the opportunity to give suggestions for improvement, ask questions, or just providing them with a place to rave about your product can be really beneficial for a business. Companies can find out what people are saying about their product and develop a relationship with their customer before, during, and after the actual exchange has occurred. There is no guessing what the customer wants; it’s in the forum titled “What Woman Want in Gadgets.” This information can create a powerful platform if, and only if, the business is solving their customer’s needs. This word-of-mouth marketing and the buzz created around your company and product can create enthusiasts that actually become your salespeople (free of charge!) through their positive reviews and suggestions. Long gone are the days when the marketing department controlled the messages surrounding the product and company. Warning: if you aren’t providing a great product and great service, beware of the harsh effects of social media.

Keeping Everyone Updated: Businesses are beginning to take advantage of the social media environment by advertising their newest products and keeping people up to date on the company via blogs and press releases. Businesses can choose specific social media sites to advertise their product on based on very targeted demographics. For instance, in my interests section on my MySpace, I say I like Diet Coke. The next page I click on, a tiny advertisement for Diet Coke pops up. Genius. Businesses even donate products to successful bloggers, hoping they will use the product, like it, and write a positive blog about it. Businesses are hoping this word-of-mouth referral will gain attention and trial from early adopters. Businesses may also take advantage of their own company blogs by writing about new products or contributions they made to the community. Social media marketers must remember to write content that is newsworthy and interesting to the readers and customers.

Networking: “Rely on your network” the booming voice of the professor of my final class on my undergrad journey advised us on our last day of class. The “network” used to mean your dad’s friends that could get you a job or that one manager that supervised you during your summer internship, but today it includes this and much more. Now, there are tons of professional networks you can join, like LinkedIn, AdGabber for anyone interested in advertising, or Sermo for licensed physicians, to name a few. Social networking sites are making it simple to stay in touch with your old network and are making it even easier to connect with people that might share similar professional interests.

I know this list is far from complete, and I would love any comments that would provide addi+ional insights for me and the rest of the gang at digital-telepathy! Thank you for reading!

Saatchi & Saatchi shine a spotlight on fearless creativity

BIll Bonnefil — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 01:09:34 +0000

I wanted to share this with you all. Its pretty impactful. At this years Cannes film festival, Saatchi & Saatchi (Kevin Roberts, lovemarks, etc.) Held their 18th annual young directors showcase. They dedicated the show to Paul Arden, considered by many to be the worlds top advertising guru, who died a few months ago.

Some quotes about Arden from an article about his life :

“Fear of failure, fear of embarrassment, fear of what other people might think, fear of losing our job. All the things that look like insuperable obstacles, Paul just didn’t see them; he went right through them as if they weren’t there. So they weren’t.”

“Paul didn’t want the predictable, or the expected, the ordinary, or dull, or safe – what was the point? He wanted the risky, the unusual, the daring, which brought with it fear, insecurity and adrenalin. Wasn’t that the whole point of being alive?”

The theme of the showcase was Fearlessness, and S&S raised their glasses to the likes of Bjork, RJD2, and Fatboy Slim. Shocking videos such as Justice:Stress (watch this one!), amazing efforts of art and dedication like the works of BLU and outrageous campaigns like Verisigns Cart Whisperer.

Paul Arden was a man who did not feel that rules applied to him so he wrote a new set, and believed those rules were like a wiki, to be edited and changed and rewritten. Pushing the limits is tantamount to broadening horizons and its always inspirational to see those who really think outside the box. Fierce creativity is a challenge, but creativity by definition is giving rise to that which is different, unique, or uncommon.

The full article about the Saatchi & Saatchi showcase with tons more links is here.

Widgets Interview - Mixergy.com

Alex Funk — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 00:31:11 +0000

Andrew Warner of Mixergy.com and I got together last week for an interview on the HOT topic of widgets. We got to discuss the big players, causes for growth and where the industry is headed in the next few years. Andrew is also responsible for many local web mixer events such as Lunch 2.0 and Happy Hour 2.0 in both San Diego and LA.

You can read and listen to the phone interview on his blog here.

User Experience Review: CharlotteRusse.com

Sarah Carr — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 17:15:39 +0000

When I was brainstorming with the marketing team earlier this week about what company would be my next pick for my UX Review, I had been leaning towards reviewing a store – more specifically along the lines of fashion/clothing (the fashionista in me was bubbling). Immediately the team grinned and suggested the San Diego youth-fashion hot spot, Charlotte Russe.

CharlotteRusse.com along with the brick and mortar stores deliver style in clothing and accessories, providing an exciting, fashionable assortment of merchandise that compliments virtually every facet of our customers’ lifestyle. The stores provide fashion and lifestyle needs of young, fashion-conscious women in their teens and early twenties, offering trend right apparel and accessories at value prices.

Let’s take a look at CharlotteRusse.com and how they’re doing in usability and sociability since their launch 6 years ago. Headquartered here in San Diego – Charlotte Russe has undergone rapid expansion in the past couple of years – let’s see how the website is handling the growth.
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Five New Friends

Lacy — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 20:49:50 +0000

Hello! My name is Lacy and I am the new Social Media intern here at dt. Believe it or not, this is my very first blog post…ever! Alex and Sarah presented me with the task of adding to the dt blog..and the topic? Whatever I want. I thought about digg vs. mixx, or Myspace vs. Facebook, or discussing my experiences here at dt so far (which, by the way, have been awesome), but I decided to go with a Top 5 list.

Since I am new to the crew at dt..and pretty quiet at the office, and surely new to those reading this blog, I figured I would make a list of my Top 5 favorite websites at the moment in order to allow you all to get to know me a little bit better.

My Top 5 (in no particular order)

1. idealist.org : For the idealist in all of us, this website is a great social networking site. Whether you’re looking for a new volunteer opportunity, a forum to submit comments to, or a nonprofit organization to donate to, you can surely find it here. Basically, it’s an interactive site where people and organizations can exchange resources and ideas, locate opportunities and supporters, and take steps toward building a better world.

2. freerice.com : This website has got it right. They have two goals: provide English vocabulary to everyone for free, and end world hunger by providing rice to hungry people for free. They turned a simple vocabulary game into a way to truly change the world and help those in need. (Be careful…the game is addicting!) If you look at their donation levels, it’s amazing how many people are participating. It would be great to see some sort of social application added to the website, to connect these people who have the common goal of ending world hunger.

3. vbs.tv : I love vice’s online broadcast network just as much as I love vice the magazine. They have a huge assortment of mini documentaries that fall into the broad categories of music, news and culture. Vice presents these documentaries in a way that perfectly combines entertainment and information, which intrigues the watcher to keep watching. Once I start watching a segment of a mini doc, I normally have to watch each segment until I’ve completed the series. Admittedly, some of them are more for entertainment purposes…but those are fun to watch too! vbs.tv also gives its viewers the options of signing up for a newsletter, participating in chatrooms, or signing up for your very own account for vbs, which are all great ways of getting the viewer more involved with the site.

4. bbc.co.uk : This is where I get my daily dose of news. While it’s a great source of news, it also has interactive options which I find awesome. You can listen to podcasts, comment on news articles, send in your own photos that relate to the stories they have posted, and my favorite, the news ticker. They allow you to download a news ticker that gives you the top three or four stories of the day and also shows breaking news.

5. stumbleupon.com : Thanks to my new found friends here at dt, I have been introduced to stumbleupon. I’m sure I am preaching to the choir in describing this site, but for those who don’t know, this social networking site allows you to search the web for sites according to your interests. You can add / make friends and see what kind of sites they’re stumbling, and you can comment back and forth also. With as much time as I spend on the internet, you would think I have seen every webpage known to mankind. But everytime I stumble, I am presented with a new Web page. Amazing.

My time here on the dt blog is coming to an end. Hope you have enjoyed my five favorite websites, and I’d love to hear what your top websites are!

–Lacy

User Experience Review: SeaWorld.com

Alex Funk — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 19:46:13 +0000

San Diego is known for its weather, its beaches and its attractions. Talk to any out of towner and they’ll likely tell you they are heading to one of two spots during their stay here: the World Famous San Diego Zoo or SeaWorld. We decided to take a stroll inside seaworld.com this week to give you an insider’s look at why the aquatic park’s website may not be as friendly as it could be to its patrons. (more…)

Daniel Pink Teleconversation hosted by Learn From My Life

lblackwell — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 23:41:02 +0000

Hi, everyone. Hope that you all had a great weekend (I know I did!). This past Friday, I had the chance to listen in on the teleconversation with Daniel Pink, hosted by Learn From My Life.

Pink’s intelligence is almost breathtaking. His credentials are stunning: honors undergraduate degree from Northwestern, law degree from Yale, NYT best-selling author, chief speechwriter for Al Gore. When Pink speaks, his words are brilliant, relevant, and concise.

Brilliance and drive is exciting, but it’s been seen before. I like Pink because he is interesting. His form of innovation is the most unique: Pink doesn’t just create new final products; rather, he uses ingredients that nobody ever considered combining. If Pink were to make meatloaf, it would incorporate tofu, orange, and paprika—and it would be delicious.

But my absolute favorite thing about Pink is his personality. He is secure enough to think bold, devoted enough to honestly discuss the impact of his professional choices on his family, and down-to-earth enough to imbue the conversation with humor. And he was really, really good at answering questions.

With that, I’ll turn to Pink’s actual work.

The book up for discussion on Learn From My Life was Pink’s Johnny Bunko: The Last Career Guide You’ll Ever Need, which is the first American business book to be created using the Japanese comic style of manga. Pink was awarded a Japan Society Media Fellowship for the project, and teamed up with Rising Stars of Manga competition winner Rob Ten Pas for illustration.

The book follows the story of Johnny, a college grad stuck in a dead-end job. During yet another miserable work-caused all-nighter, Johnny heads out for some sushi and grabs a handful of chopsticks. He returns to his desk, and is shocked to learn that ethereal career-guidance sprite Diana will appear to him each time he cracks open one of the remaining six sets of chopsticks.

Throughout the course of the book, Diana teaches Johnny six career lessons:

There is no plan.
Think strengths, not weaknesses.
It’s not about you.
Persistence trumps talent.
Make excellent mistakes.
Leave an imprint.

As Pink discussed the lessons, and as I read them later at home, they really struck a chord. Everything made sense. They were either things which I’d learned but had not yet articulated, or situations which I could readily believe would occur.

With that, I think I’m going to sign off—this has been a super-long post. But, I hope I’ve managed to convey how highly I esteem Pink, and how excellent—and truly valuable—a project this is. The book is an engaging and quick read, and I definitely recommend it.

Networking Event for Startups and Recent Grads Presented by StartUpSD & MindTouch

lblackwell — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 21:57:28 +0000

Hey, everyone. I don’t believe we’ve formally met: I’m Lauren, dt’s new Event Planning intern. I’m loving my time here– everybody at dt is absolutely rockin’ (but I’m sure you already knew that!). I just wanted to let y’all know about an awesome event that’s coming up. The event is titled Net.Working, and it’s presented by StartUpSD and sponsored by MindTouch. It will be taking place on Monday, June 23, and is an opportunity for recent college grads to network with employers in web-related fields, including entrepreneurs, developers, designers and startup businesses looking to hire. The Art Institute and Platt College are already promoting the event to their students, with more schools to follow. So come on out and get to know San Diego’s top businessowners, web-sters, and grads—and me! See our events page for more info, and I hope to see you there!

Additional info about the event:

When: Monday, June 23, 2008 @ 6-8pm
Where: J6Bar, 616 J St. San Diego, CA 92101, (619) 531-8744
Cost: Free!

RSVP here!

dt Launches New Site

Dan Trenkner — Fri, 30 May 2008 00:56:18 +0000

You may have noticed that we recently redesigned our site. The redesign was mainly a push by the designers (Gema & I), but eagerly supported by everyone here at dt. We are our most important client and are constantly looking to improve and adapt to changes within our insanely fast growing industry. Our website is never done. It is constantly evolving and getting better. Remember in school when you would turn in a paper and the teacher would immediately assign you another?(I used to hate that!) That’s how we treat every page of our site. It keeps us fresh and makes us constantly critique and improve our process. Here are some of the changes we made…Hope you like them!

Old Site:

New Site:

1. We increased the overall width of the site - Due to the increasing size of the average computer monitor, sites have been getting wider over the years. This is nice for us designers because it gives us more real estate above the fold, less scrolling and more breathing room. Wider just looks better (if you disagree, look at the tv industry).
2. We broke free from the “page” look - Our old site was contained within the boundries of a rounded rectangle. Our new site is nice and open with headers and footers tiling the full width of the monitor.
3. We switched the emphasis of the homepage – Our old homepage was very product-heavy. Our new site puts the emphasis on us as a company. We highlight what we are doing by showcasing our latest projects, our blog, and upcoming events that we are attending, participating or hosting.
4. Our footer has a footer! – A lot of companies are breaking free from the boring “privacy policy & copyright” footer. We incorporated a nice big footer that highlights our social media links, employment opportunities and information on our co-working space. It balances with our large header and gives the page a solid foundation.
5. We gave it a flexible layout – We are using a slightly modified 3 column layout that allows us to be flexible using a 2/3 1/3 column structure for most pages, while our more graphic heavy pages (projects & side dishes) use all 3 columns.
6. We focused on simplicity – We shortened our copy and removed unnecessary pages. We have lots to say but we want our website to be clear and simple. We feel that the details should be discussed in person.

These are just a few of the changes that I wanted to highlight. Look for more changes in the near future. They are coming!

Widget Workshop Tonight!

Alex Funk — Wed, 28 May 2008 17:56:36 +0000

This evening I will be presenting to the iMarketers Association along with Larry Marine of Intuitive Design. We’re going to be tackling the widgetsphere, from the origins to today’s big players. Who’s doing it right and what are the correct widget strategies to use when creating your own pieces of the web served a la carte. There will be free drinks and lots of time for networking and questions. Hope to see you there!

Here’s a description from our events page:

We’re all familiar with widgets – we’ve used them in MySpace, Facebook, iGoogle, Yahoo, and the list goes on. But what does it all mean to your business and what are the strategies you can take for the most profitable & effective implementation? Before you jump into building, designing or implementing widgets you need to decide how they will meet your marketing and business objectives. At this event we’ll discuss the critical marketing components to consider before, during and after creating widgets.

Join the discussion on Wednesday, May 28 at 6:00 – 8:30pm

Event: Topic: Widgets: Strategies and Effectiveness

When: Wednesday, May 28th, 6:00 - 8:30 PM

Where: University of San Diego — Degheri Alumni Center 120

Who: - Alex Funk, digital-telepathy - Larry Marine, Intuitive Design

Cost: $30 online.

Register Now!!