AdamVincenzini.com

2012's best social media stats and insights (so far)

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Vincenzini) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 12:26:00 +0000

2012 has already seen a number of big changes to the social media scene.

The Pinterest explosion has been well documented and Google+ continues to add to its user base.

I'm not sure about you, but keeping up with the all the updates to usage stats is hard work so I've tried to compile some of 2012's best resources.

Here are some of he better ones I've located this year...

2012's most useful posts, inforgraphics and round-ups:

User number of the 15 most popular global social networks / platforms (Feb 2021 Update) via The Realtime Report
12 revealing stats about B2B social media marketing (Jan 2012) via SocialMediaB2B.com
29 social media stats and facts (Jan 2012) by Erik Qualman
Next Generation Media 2012 Insights Report via SlideShre
Visitor number and time spent data on major social media platforms (Jan 2012) via comScore
Infographic: Social Media Stats of Today (Jan 2012) via MediaBistro
100 social media statistics for 2012 (Jan 2012) via TheSocialSkinny
SlideShare Zeitgeist 2011 (Jan 2012) via SlideShare - a look at the world of presentations in 2011 including some great facts and insights
Global Web Index Report (Jan 2012) via SlideShare
Internet marketing and social media statistics report (Jan 2012) via Lauren Proctor
10 mind-bowing social media stats for 2012 via Active Endurance

2012's most useful real-time resources, sites and tools:

Socialbakers.com - The most reliable source for user stats and information relation to the major social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+ and YouTube)
Famecount.com - Facebook, Twitter and YouTube stats to see which brands, personalities and organisations are attracting the most followers
Checkfacebook - A site dedicated to the latest Facebook stats
AppData.com - Facebook app stats courtesy of the Inside Facebook network
Hitwise.com - Hitwise, especially in the UK, release regular insight into web and online media usage
eMarketer.com - One of the best places for online digital marketing intelligence (it is also worth signing up to the enewsletter)
Google Insights - If you want real-time insights into what the world is searching for, this is your starting point.
Quantcast blog - Quantcast provides web usage insights or site owners and marketers. The Quantcast blog serves up general stats on regular basis to supplement the specific site insights.
TrafficEstimate.com - This search engine gives you insights into specific websites and / or keywords in real-time.

Are there any other resources out there you have spotted in 2012 that might come in handy?

5 new ways to monetize your content in 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Vincenzini) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:54:00 +0000

This week's Pinterest content monetization 'scandal' has taught us a lot about the naivety the modern-day web user.

Yes, platforms like Pinterest (and Pocket-Lint and WIWT) use a tool called Skimlinks to generate revenue from subtle referral links.

As Skimlinks CEO Alicia Navarro so aptly explained: "It's not a secret. We do monetize social discovery, and it's great".

For those of you about to fall off your high horse, how else can these sites exist without such revenue streams?

Banner ads are ugly, un-engaging and hated by users, so solutions like Skimlinks are a win/win/win/win (publisher, service provider, advertiser, user).

Yes, publishers have an obligation to disclose such arrangements (and you'll see an example in a minute), but providing that box is ticked, we should encourage this approach to content monetization, not scoff at it, because the user receives the biggest portion of the benefit.

New ways to monetize your content

In the four years this blog has been around, I've never made a single Pound / Dollar directly from it, but I have often thought about the various approaches I could take if I wanted to monetize it.

After reading about Skimlinks this week (and even though it has been around since 2008), I have decided to apply to be part of its affiliate programme.

In the essence of full disclosure, if you click on any of the Skimlinks links in this post I can potentially earn a tiny bit of commission from the referrals this post generates.

I'm doing this so overtly as a test to see what the reaction is like and to get a tangible feel for how successful these arrangements can be.

To give this post the balance it requires, I'm also going to tell you about some similar products that help you monetize your content (minus the affiliate links).

Here they are...in no particular order...

1. Skimlinks - In their words: "Unlock the cash in your content". This works by converting links and product references into affiliate links which take you to places to make a relevant purchase. Apply to be an approved Skimlinks partner here.

2. Cleeng - This works by hiding portions of your content which can only be unlocked if you pay a small fee.

3. Infolinks - In-text advertising that isn't so subtle and verges on annoying. But, it has a proven track record of generating revenue.

4. VigLink - Very similar to Skimlinks, VigLink uses a thing they call LinkWeaver to connect merchants with existing product references.

5. PivotShare - The newest kid on the block, this rewards authors and publishers with revenue based on how much a particular community has interacted with the produced content.

Where to from here?

As mentioned at the very top of this post, content requires some for of monetization for it to be sustainable.

While the enjoyment of people reading your posts and sharing them on Twitter and Facebook is a vanity boost, it doesn't impact on the money you have in the bank.

Expect to see a bunch of new and even more 'covert' ways of content monetization in the future, and if you want to kick up a fuss about them, have a quick think about what you might lose if aren't able to create win/win/wins.

Note: Mike Phillips made a good point after I published this - all of these aren't necessarily that 'new' but in the wake of the Pinterest debate this is the first time many people have been made aware of such services / solutions.

10 new ways to discover, share and listen to music online

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Vincenzini) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 07:58:00 +0000

"Just because everything is different doesn't mean anything has changed." - Irene Peter

I'm not going to argue with Irene here, music is still music.

But, the ways in which we discover, consume and share music online has changed. Big time.

In fact, some of the new online music services, tools and apps I'm about to mention may seem to good to be true.

But, thanks to a combination of timing, technology and people-powered media, they are all at our disposal. Now.

Here are 10 new online toys I have been playing with which you may want to check out too...

10 new ways to discover, share and listen to music online
1. mSpot.com - store your music library in the cloud

The creators of mSpot have cleverly called this a 'music service that follows you' and it couldn't be a more apt description.

mSpot collects all of your music, uploads it to an online folder and gives you access to your music from anywhere and on any device.

2. Maestro.fm - store your music library in the cloud (option two)

Almost an identical service to mSpot but it also comes with a desktop shortcut that is quite handy.

I have some invites for those who want to test it out - just click here.

3. Top10 Spotify app - Collaborate and create your Top 10 lists

Proceed with caution: The Top 10 app makes Spotify even more addictive than normal!

Spotify unveiled app functionality in late 2011 to bring added features to the Spotify platform and this is probably the first one you should add to your player. Awesome.

4. Soundrop Spotify app - Enter or create your own listening room

The wannabe DJ in you will fall in love with Soundrop.

It allows you to create playlists and then invite your friends to listen to your 'sets' all within the Spotify interface. Boom.

5. Tinysong.com - Tweet any song in a flash

Have you ever had the urge to share a tune with the world via Twitter?

Then bookmark this site and use it to satisfy that urge on demand. Powered by Grooveshark.

6. QCmixtapes.com - 'Pinterest for mixtapes'

If you like getting your paws on new mixtapes, then you should head over to QCmixtapes.com (presented in an easy-to-scroll Pinterest-style format).

7. MixCloud.com - The home of 'cloudcasts'

MixCloud is one of the more well-known 'new' online music destinations which brings you a true social music experience.

Follow friends, vote and recommend music and users, and connect your other social media accounts all from the one place. Nice.

8. SoundCloud.com - Share your music with the world

The focus of SoundCloud, as opposed to MixCloud, is more on creating and publishing but that also makes it a great place to discover music too.

9. RaRa.com - An alternative to Spotify

A slightly cheaper way to enjoy a Spotify-like experience, created by a team based in the UK.

10. Grooveshark.com / Deezer.com - Steaming online music goodness

You've probably heard of both of these services but if you haven't they are worth adding to your mix (pardon the pun).

Are there any others out there you'd add to this list?

Adam

10 tips for brands who want to generate more online mentions

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Vincenzini) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 17:38:00 +0000

Last week, I wrote a post entitled 'How easy / hard are you making it for bloggers to talk about you?'

My argument was simple: Some brands and organisations get carried away with wanting to activate high impact digitally-led campaigns often at the expense of establishing solid foundations e.g. arranging your digital assets in a way the encourages re-purposing / re-publishing.

I shared a few of my own thoughts as to the practical steps brands can take to make things easier for people to mention them online in that original post, but I wanted to get the opinions of some industry peers as a follow up.

So, I asked them this question:

What is the one thing brands should / could do to make it easier for bloggers to talk about them online?

Here's what came back...

10 things brands can do to get bloggers to mention them more

1. "The opportunity is to dig into what hooks or triggers motivate a particular group or segment of bloggers and then package useful content in compelling and interesting ways that PR can use to engage them. Get on the blogger's radar by appealing to their ego - but in a relevant way. Then create content that is special, that is unique, relevant and timely. Bloggers love to be first. They love to share. Once you've created compelling and useful content, make it easy for bloggers to share on the social networks where they spend their time."

Lee Odden

2. "Beyond generic social sharing widgets, it might mean the ability to Tweet an individual data point, image or video. easy + useful + relevant = win. Don't stop with an infographic, monster list of industry statistics or entertaining video - keep producing interesting content and you'll not only get on the radar of influential bloggers, you'll stay there. Brands just need to empathize with bloggers' needs and then package brand content in an interesting and useful way. That's how you make it compelling for bloggers to talk about brands online."

Lee Odden

3. "It's simple, but easier said than done: make social objects that bloggers will want to talk about, share and engage with."

Danny Whatmough

4. "More access to information, whether that be using a Digital News Room service, or clear direction to social media profiles or even signposting highly relevant information on a company website. Just make it easy to find stuff!"

Paul Sutton

5. "Better SEO across all uncopyrighted, good quality content (imagery, video, whatever) so we can find exactly what we're looking for when we search for it. This of course means improved naming and tagging of any imagery/video across all sites they may be using (press room, flickr, youtube etc)."

Gemma Went

6. "Same thing as always - get to know them and build the relationship. Different bloggers will be in it for different things, understand what makes them tick and what kind of opportunities they will be interested in. At the same time, they will want to get to know the actual company more than PRs - have a good think about why you're standing in the way and where/ how you can remove yourself from the equation."

Max Tatton-Brown

7. "Present a person who represents the brand. Not the brand itself, a team of people, or an unidentified person: make it clear that a real person speaks."

Neville Hobson

8. "Brands have to make it easier for bloggers to access updated and more compelling content through their newsrooms, as well as have their experts available to field questions and engage through social media channels. In many cases, bloggers, like journalists, will request information through PR professionals, however, they also want direct access to experts where they congregate in their communities."

Deirdre Breakenridge

9. "Develop personal, helpful connections BEFORE they need something."

Mark Schaefer

10. "Online pressrooms are great - as a mummy blogger, I'd like to be able to sign up, set my interests and preferences, and then get an alert when new content is live and then be able to jump in a pick up all the text, images, contacts I need in one place. That said, a good relationship with PRs is really important - I tend to be far more likely to respond to pitches from a brand I haven't worked with before when the pitch is from a PR I trust (and who shows they've read my blog!)"

Emily Leary

Conclusions

The key recommendations I gleaned from these responses were:

Provide access to content in a stress-free manner.
Facilitate access to experts who can impart real knowledge and insight.
Develop the right relationships and create mutually beneficial outcomes.
Remember that Google is often the first port of call when it comes to the start of the research journey so all elements of SEO are crucial.
Be timely, be useful and be relevant.

A good dose of common sense doesn't hurt either.

Adam

Note: Thanks to all who took the time to take part in the production of this post.

How easy / hard are you making it for bloggers to talk about you?

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Vincenzini) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 08:26:00 +0000

I have been asking myself and my clients this question a lot lately: How easy (or hard) are you making it for bloggers (and general social media participants) to talk about you?

It's a really important question, and one that I think is often ignored (and perhaps not even on the radar enough to be ignored / noticed).

What EXACTLY do I mean? Let me show you...

Access issues: Bringing the challenge to life

The simplest way for me to put this issue in context is as follows:

I'm a hobbyist blogger
When I have an idea for a post I'll use as many free research tools as possible to populate that post
While I have no trouble creating the words (clearly), I will often turn to places like Google Images for pictures
Now, let's say I'm comparing similar products from multiple brands
Do you know which product is most likely to be featured most prominently?
The brand / product which gives me the easiest access to the imagery I need
My requirement = A clean product shot in 'X' size on a white background

Heineken Vs. Peroni

So, as a little test, I searched Google Images for the first two beer brands that popped into my head.

Here's what I got:

The result: About two Heineken product shots I could use as opposed to Peroni's 10 (hence the Peroni picture in the top left hand corner of this post sourced via PeroniItaly.com).

What can brands and organisations do?

There are some sectors which are streets ahead when it comes to making it easier for bloggers to talk about them, namely fashion and gadgets / tech.

This is usually obvious on the Press Pages of corporate websites - or via specially dedicated blogs (like the LG Blog UK) which regularly serve up content than can be re-purposed elsewhere at any time.

On the other hand, the Press Pages of less progressive brands in other sectors appear to only post content as a second thought (you know the ones).

The key fact to keep in mind is that bloggers and social media participants will want to talk about you on their terms, and at times that suit them.

They will hunt out information about you when they have an idea for a post, as opposed to when you send them an email or press release.

Now that the challenge has been highlighted, I'll follow this post up with a list of things brand and organisations can do to make life easier for bloggers in the next couple of weeks.

Adam

Cool Campaigns: Nike's #KobeSystem Campaign 'Attacks' YouTube

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Vincenzini) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 17:41:00 +0000

Have you seen the latest Nike Basketball YouTube campaign?

The star of the show is Kobe Bryant of the L.A Lakers, playing the role of life coach to 'clients' including clients Kanye West, Sir Richard Branson and Serena Williams.

How do you teach success to the successful? Kobe (and Nike) give it a good crack here...

YouTube Clip #1: Welcome to the #KobeSystem

YouTube Clip #2: #KobeSystem Level 1 Success

YouTube Clip #3: #KobeSystem Level 2 Adaptation

YouTube Clip #4: #KobeSystem Level 3 Perception

YouTube Clip #5: #KobeSystem Level 4 Explosion Attack fast. Attack strong.

Whaddya think?

Have Nike and Kobe nailed it?

The 20 best new social media tools of 2011 (recap edition)

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Vincenzini) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 04:59:00 +0000

In late November 2011, my nominations for the top 50 new social media tools of 2011 were published.

From this list, the top 20 new tools of 2011 were selected and unveiled over a four week period over on the Paratus Communications blog.

I thought it was worth re-publishing this list on this blog for people who may have missed it the first time around.

The 20 best new social media tools of 2011

20. SiteTrail.com – an easy (and free) way to track the performance of competitor websites.

19. Panabee.com – a domain name checker with a twist, helping you brainstorm new ideas based on URL availablity.

18. FBsearch.us – powered by the Facebook Open Graph API, FBsearch.us helps users search across posts, photos, people, pages, groups and events without the need to login or have a Facebook account.

17. Conversocial.com – helps brands manage customer service on a large scale across Twitter and Facebook.

16. Lubith.com – WordPress theme generation tool which is easy-to-use and will save you time (and money!)

15. Unilyzer.com – If you are responsible for measuring how well your social media channels are performing, then this is the analytics hub for you. Simply plug all of your details in (Twitter account, YouTube channel, Google analytics etc) and Unilyzer will give you all of your data on one screen. Check out the full list of product features here.

14. Quixey.com – This is a search engine for apps (Android, Mac, Chrome, Facebook, web and more) which takes the pain away from those endless searches for apps via general search engines. Bookmark this one!

13. GroupHigh.com – If you haven’t tried GroupHigh yet, the next sentence might encourage you to do so. Ready? GroupHigh.com is the best blogger outreach research and engagement tool on the planet. The latest update (version three) makes it even easier for you to discover the most relevant blogs by keyword, style and receptiveness. Brilliant.

12. PeopleBrowsr.com / Kred.ly – PeopleBrowsr is a social media analytics tool which includes 1000 days of Twitter data at your disposal. Kred, from the same team, is an influence measurement tool that is provides a very transparent analysis of user activity. Both of these tool combined can make your life a helluva lot easier.

11. Knowem.com – This is primarily a social media username checking tool but is also a great place to start when identifying online communities relevant to a subject / topic. Simply visit the networks tab and scroll through the categories to discover new places to be active and / or monitor.

10. The PRINT social media performance analysis service from Sociagility – While this was only launched a month or so ago, its potential in helping brands and organisations make insight-led decisions about social media strategy is plain to see. Your PRINT score is a combination of your social media channel and attribute performance and is based upon data measured against your pre-defined competitor set. Really useful enterprise tool.

9. SocialBakers.com – Another great analytics tool which has leaped into prominence in 2011 is SocialBakers.com. The site features every imaginable social media statistic you’ll ever need and is especially robust when it comes to geographic and demographic breakdowns for Facebook. Superb stuff.

8. Zooshia.com – One of the more quiet tools of 2011, Zooshia allows you to create your own widgets for blogs and websites. You can create a ‘Zoosh’ of your Facebook or Twitter feeds or from a combination of sources. Best of all, embedding the code after you’ve tailored your widget is incredibly easy. Winning.

7. Pokki.com – Here’s another tool that you may not have heard about in 2011 but you probably should have. Pokki helps you create web apps for your desktop, giving you easy access to your favourite sites without having to open up a web browser. The Gmail desktop app is especially sweet.

6. Contax.io – You may have stumbled across MyTweeple in the past (a Twitter specific contact management system) but in 2011 it evolved into Contax.io and also added Facebook functionality, giving you a central place to manage your fans and followers. It really is a beautiful thing.

5. MyNewsDesk.com - This ‘news exchange’ startup out of Stockholm has become one of the most talked about social media tools of 2011 thanks to its robust analytics system and easy-to-use interface. Try it now if you haven’t already.

4. Wanderfly.com - This is a personalised recommendations engine that helps you discover new and exciting experiences based on your budget and interests. And, it integrates with Facebook to bring all of your social preferences together. This is a great example of niche recommendations portal and what Google+ is aiming to achieve on a wider scale.

3. YouTube.com/create - YouTube has been ramping up is creation tools in 2011 and the animation tools located at YouTube.com/create are a great example. GoAnimate is a great example allowing you to make animated videos in less than 10 minutes!

2. AppMakr.com - Talk about doing what it says on the tin! AppMakr helps you make free apps for the iPhone. Seriously cool.

1. BufferApp.com - It is now time to crown our most useful tool of 2011. BufferApp works by scheduling content you find online and adding into your Twitter or Facebook stream. It then publishes the tweets at regular intervals without flooding your followers. Pure genius.

Are there any new tools you've started using in 2012?

Social Media Track Changes (28 December 2011)

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Vincenzini) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 07:17:00 +0000

Do you find it hard to stay across all the changes that are constantly being made to the key social media platforms?

I know I do.

So, I'm introducing a new feature to my blog in 2012 which should help.

The weekly post is called 'Social Media Track Changes' and it will do what it says on the tin - track all the changes made to the most popular social media channels over the previous seven days.

Here is the first edition...

Social Media Track Changes (28 December 2011)

YouTube Slam - a new 'viral' video sensation discovery game where you vote for new content against similar videos. Full story here.
Facebook's 'Check Out This Idea' function - Facebook is in the process of testing some new call-to-action functions to add to sponsored stories and 'likes'.
Google+ upgrades aplenty - A bunch of updates were announced this week, including the ability to have up 50 administrators per Google+ page.
Connect blogger to Google+ - This makes it easier to share your posts direct to your circles. Nice one.
DropBox upgrades its Android app - DropBox, everyone's favourite file sharing service, has added some new features to its Android app including a 'favourites' function.

This was a bit of a test post to see if it is a worthwhile thing to do.

I'm hoping it will become more robust now that I'm on the lookout for these updates / upgrades.

If you have a suggestion for 'Social Media Track Changes' please drop me an email.

Three slides that can make or break an online community

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Vincenzini) — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 23:16:00 +0000

The art of community management and building has often been regarded as a very difficult one to master (predominantly due to the fact that each community has its own DNA).

However, there are three key pillars which can make or break online communities driven by brands and businesses.

The three areas of focus are:

Content balance – what should you be talking about
Community building – getting the right people to interact with you / your page
Brand output – the types of activity that should characterise your presence

Over the course of the last 12 months, I've regularly referred to the slides that follow to help explain each area.

Slide one

Explanation:

All this slide is saying is that if you just feed your community ‘salesy’ product or marketing messages you won’t appeal to hem as much as you could. The key to any community, online or offline, is to identify shared interests. Once you have your bucket of shared interests / passions, you can connect on more than just a product level. If you can be useful within this context, you will generate an even greater rapport.

Slide two

Explanation:

A very common sense slide but getting the balance right is often difficult. Yes, communities thrive on great and relevant content, but the actual end-product needs to be something that encourages interactivity. And, if you don’t promote your community, there won’t be anyone there to interact with the environment you are creating.

Slide three

Explanation:

Balance, again, is key here. By using each of these different types of consumer engagement techniques you can keep your destination fresh (and followed).

While there is a lot more to successful community building and management, these three slides play an integral role.

Download these slides

These slides are available for download via Slideshare.

10 UK brands making the most of the Google Chrome web app store

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Vincenzini) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 09:10:00 +0000

Google Chrome, the web browser from Google, continues to increase in popularity around the globe.

In fact, a recent report has Chrome in 2nd place overall, only behind Internet Explorer (and ahead of Firefox and Safari).

This is an important development for brands and businesses who are constantly looking for the most efficient ways to infiltrate the consciousness of existing and prospective customers.

It is also why I have often wondered why more brands haven't developed apps and extensions for Google Chrome - it is a very easy way to increase daily interaction and engagement as long as you create the right platform.

A small amount of UK businesses are making the most of this opportunity, including the following examples:

10 UK brands with a presence on the Google Chrome web app store

1. Tesco Food - a weekly meal planner
2. Chelsea FC - A bespoke version of ChelseaFC.com
3. Mail Online - An extension that notifies you when a story of interest has been published
4. Top Deals London - A 'deals' aggregator
5. BBC Good Food - A bespoke section of BBC Good Food
6. Sky Guide - A simple bookmark
7. Watch ITV - Quick access to the main ITV channels
8. Aston Villa FC App - A carbon copy of the Chelsea FC destination
9. The Guardian - Similar to the Mail Online version
10. Invisible Hand - A clever way to compare prices within standard web pages

Resulting observations / questions

1. Media brands dominate the list (as you'd expect)
2. Many of the 'destinations' aren't that different from regular web experiences
3. Why aren't other brands / businesses making more of this opportunity?
4. Which international or US-based brands are leading the way?
5. Are Google Chrome apps a necessity or a 'nice-to-have'?

This post is not the most in-depth investigation into this subject, but rather a conversation starter - will we see more brands develop a presence on Google Chrome in 2012?

And, what experience can brands deliver to add value to existing properties around the web?

Over to you...

The top 50 new social media tools of 2011 - 'Nominations' Edition

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Vincenzini) — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 10:18:00 +0000

In January 2011, I launched a weekly post called Platform Five over on the Paratus Communications blog.

The aim was to keep an eye out for new social media tools and platforms and highlight a handful each week.

The concept has proven to be really popular and is syndicated on TheNextWeb.com and PRDaily.com.

Going into the last month of 2011, I thought'd I'd feature 50 of the more useful tools, before narrowing them down to the top 20.

So, here is the 'nominations' edition and then keep your eyes peeled for the top 20 which will be revealed over the next few weeks over at ParatusCommunications.com.

The top 50 social media tools of the year

Content curation / management tools

1. Bo.lt - content sharing on steroids.
2. Trap.it - personalised content discovery engine.
3. Hearsay.it - helps you share the most relevant stuff in your stream(s).
4. Pistash.io - save and organise your online life.
5. knowaboutit.com - another tool to help you identify relevant content from your stream(s).
6. BufferApp.com - allows you to find and share content without crossing the 'over-share' line.

Social media analytics / measurement

7. Sociagility.com - the industry's most robust social media performance system / process.
8. PeopleBrowsr / Kred - 1000 days of Twitter data for you to enjoy.
9. PageLever.com - the best Facebook page performance tool going around.
10. CircleCount.com - find out how many Google+ circles you're in.
11. TwentyFeet.com - aggregates all of your social media performance data.
12. SimplyMeasured.com - as the name suggests, a simple way to measure your social media performance.
13. Conversocial.com - a great option for social CRM.
14. SocialBakers.com - social media statistic heaven.

Content exchange tools / platforms

15. Branfeed.eu - a place where brands and journalists meet.
16. ThisMoment.com - content distribution and engagement software.
17. MyNewsDesk.com - content exchange portal and online newsroom solution.
18. Jux.com - helps create new ways to feature your online content.
19. PRfilter.com - an opt-in news gathering service for journalists.
20. AnswerBase.com - your own Q&A community.
21. Zooshia.com - create your own social widgets for your site / blog.

Bookmarking and organisational tools

22. GetSpool.com - online and offline bookmarking system.
23. geeje.com - content discovery dashboard.
24. Wunderlist - task management with a social twist.
25. EverytimeHQ.com - in-domain note taking and sharing.
26. Pokki.com - helps you create your own apps for your desktop.
27. beta.strawberryj.am - scans links from the ones shared by your friends on Twitter and highlights the most popular ones.

Twitter-specific tools

28. bonfire.im - bringing instant messaging to Twittering.
29. twtrland.com - at-a-glance Twitter profile insights.
30.Twylah.com - fan pages for your tweets.

Facebook-specific tools

31. FBsearch.us - one of the best ways to search for Facebook groups, events and photos.

Search / SEO / domain tools

32. SkyGlue.com - Google analytics on steroids.
33. Wajam.com - personalised search engine results from your friends.
34. NameNinja.com - domain name brainstorming tool.
35. Panabee.com - domain name checker and inspiration provider.
36. SocialSearching.info - twitter and Facebook searching at your fingertips.

User experience / website analysis tools

37. bagelHint.com - enables users to feedback on your site design / functionality.
38. UnderTheSite.com - discover who owns any site on the web.
39. SiteTrail.com - an easy way to track the performance of competitor websites.
40. Lubith.com - create your own WordPress themes / templates.

Online video tools

41. Bambuser.com - mobile video streaming.
42. Videofy.me - bringing video content and bloggers together.
43. Tout.com - 15 second video status updates.

Online photo tools

44. Merchii.com - linking bloggers, consumers and online merchants together by tagging photos.

Contact management tools / dashboards

45. SproutSocial.com - powerful social media engagement dashboard.
46. Contax.io - manage your Twitter and Facebook communities with ease.

Influencer identification tools

47. Appinions.com - influencer exchange insights.
48. BlogDash.com - a dashboard for blogger outreach.
49. PeerIndex.net - ranks individual users by social media performance/
50. GroupHigh.com - blogger outreach intelligence.

Remember, keep your eyes peeled for the announcement of the top 20 of the year during December!

And, if you liked this post, share it with your pals via Twitter, Facebook and Google+.

40 useful things to share on Facebook (part two)

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Vincenzini) — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 07:11:00 +0000

Today I'm handing my blog over to my work colleague Antonia Harler who is going to serve up part two of a series looking at the different types of content you can share on Facebook. Anyway, enough from me...

A guest post by Antonia Harler.

Last week, Adam pulled together a really usefullist of things to share on Facebook and I’m here today to give you another 20 things that will make your Facebook page more fun, informative and engaging.

Caption contests – Find a funny/odd/weird picture that represents your industry and look for the next caption queen/king. People love to show off their creativity and by crowning a weekly caption queen or king you’ll get your community’s creative juices flowing.
Let your audience peek behind the curtain – Facebook pages are all about showing your company’s personality. Share staff pictures or a funny update. Don’t worry, there’s no harm in making your community laugh.
Music – It doesn’t represent your business or product but everyone loves music. Facebook recently partnered up with Spotify, so why not create a playlist for your audience and share it on your wall? Additionally, you could ask your audience to submit their suggestions.
Encourage opinions and/or questions – Are you trying to find new content for your social channels? A great way to do exactly that is to encourage your audience to ask questions or leave their opinion. In return, you can pick one and create a short video clip or blog post to share on Facebook.
Quotes – This is a bit random but there’s a quote for everything and everyone. Find and post them. Whether they are motivational or representative of a certain situation, you are guaranteed some likes as it’s something people can relate to.
Did you figure out a simple solution to a problem? Share it with your community. People are always interested in things that make their lives easier. It’s a winner, trust me.
Found an interesting presentation on the web? Link to it and discuss it with your audience. Ask for their input and opinions.
Industry related news and blog posts – This is one of the most obvious things you can do and yet, it’s often missed. There’s no harm in flagging someone else’s content. Your audience will thank you as they may discover new information, a new website or blog.
Remember, congratulate, acknowledge – The world is an ever-changing place. Positive and negative events happen every day. If an event has a particular impact on you and your business or even if it doesn’t but you are simply touched, post an update. It will show your human side.
Interesting facts – Updates along the lines of ‘Did you know…?’ are a great way to encourage discussion.
Fill in the gap posts – e.g. In 2012 I’d like to __________. Let your community share their plans, thoughts, comments and ideas with you.
Fan of the week posts – Do you have an especially engaged fan on your page? Why not acknowledge them by dedicating a post to them at the end of the week?
Riddles & Brainteasers – Who said riddles are for kids only? Us adults love to have a good guess. Brighten up your community’s day by posting a fun riddle once in a while. Engagement guaranteed.
Want to grow your Facebook community? Ask your audience for help! It’s easy to share a page with the people you know. Encourage them to do so every now and again.
Welcome new staff members or say goodbye to people leaving – By posting updates about new staff members or people that are leaving your company, you let your audience peek behind the curtain. It also shows your appreciation for new and old team members.
Dedicate a day, week or month – Are you passionate about a cause, another company, a product or a person? Dedicate a day, week or month to help them. Post updates that promote their product, their ideas or their cause.
Notes – Notes are a great way of sharing information that’s too long for a Facebook update. It may be a mini blog post or something as simple as background information on a product, service or event.
Link to a Twitter hashtag – Are you having an interesting discussion on Twitter and would like your Facebook community to join in? Link to it from your Facebook wall. Make your community aware that you are also on Twitter.
Do you sell a product? Encourage your community to post pictures with the product, them using the product, creative ways of using the product.. Find one you like and feature it on the page or combine them all in a photo album.
Over to you…

Here you have it, another 20 things to share on your Facebook page. (Yeah, I know, 19 if we are being precise and all..) What would you add?

Antonia Harler is a social media consultant in London where she helps create and deliver social media programmes for a wide variety of brands. She's also a blogger, lover of all things different and hater of bananas. Connect with antonia on her blog www.socialglitz.com, Twitter http://twitter.com/antoniaharleror LinkedIN http://www.linkedin.com/in/antoniaharler.

40 useful things to share on Facebook besides product updates

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Vincenzini) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 07:43:00 +0000

Last year, I wrote a post called '40 useful things to share in Twitter besides blog posts' to remind myself that there is so much more you can do on Twitter that adds value.

I've been thinking about doing a Facebook version for a while now and thought now was as good a time as any.

These suggestions are made with a brand / organisation hat on but can easily be adapted to personal accounts too.

This is also a nice checklist to refer to if you are struggling with achieving the self-promotion versus value-adding presence balance your communities crave from you.

So, here are my first 20 suggestions (the other 20 will follow later in the week):

Ideas for useful Facebook status updates (part one)

Share a 'how to' video from YouTube about your niche (YouTube even has dedicated section on 'how to and style')
Suggest other niche media of interest to your community e.g. A golf-related page would benefit from being told when the local telecast time of the next major tournament in that timezone
Highlight special offers and competition of interest to your community - often times, another Facebook page will be staging a competition with some great prizes on offer relevant to your niche...no harm in re-sharing that link
Stage a live Q&A on your wall with a industry expert - giving people access to knowledge is always received well
Create and stage polls that add value to the page - polls are being used more and more by brands on Facebook pages but the incentive for participation is often overlooked. Before you post a poll ask why your community would a) take part and b) share it to encourage increased participation
Aggregate fan posts - if you keep your wall 'open' you might want to republish comments / content shared by your community - this will not only make the publisher feel special but encourage more engagement too
Tell your community about other Facebook pages they might want to follow from their niche - this is a classic example of non-narcissistic sharing that adds value
Recommend ways for your community to get more out of their day e.g. a tech brand might suggest you give a tool like DropBox a try to manage your online files
Another tech-related post could involve sharing tips and insights on a new piece of software that has just been released e.g Android updates or IOS updates
Highlight relevant research - sometime, a research report will be released which may contain a couple of great nuggets of information for your community - identify them and share them - this is a great example of adding value by making the facilitation of content easier
Signpost important business information - sometimes you can promote your business with directly promoting a product e.g. Updating your community on store opening times over the Christmas period
Partner collaboration - this is an often overlooked way of curating valuable content. Businesses partner with other businesses or groups so regularly share content plans with each other and identify opportunities to cross-post
App Mapping - as Facebook continue to encourage app development, locate some handy / relevant ones and share them with your community (they'll love you for it)
Facebook news - one thing every brand has in common with its Facebook community is Facebook. So, if Facebook updates its pages or changes the way the user experiences the platform, share this development with your community.
Seasonal / calender driven updates - another piece of common ground every brand and organisation shares with its community is time-sensitive events. If the weather is changing, there's probably an opportunity to give advice / add value in there somewhere
Event reminders - you may have your own events or other events relevant to your nice on the horizon so reminding people that something is coming up always goes down well.
Suggest things to do - you'll often seen Facebook page admins ask people what they have planned for the weekend. Take this a step further by suggestion some things that are on that might be of interest.
Game reviews - you might argue about the 'usefulness' of games, but if you are passionate about your niche, being told about a new mobile game you can play on the way to work won't be sneezed at by your community.
Photos are a big part of Facebook so consider sharing links to relevant albums from your community or link through to a relevant Flickr or PicasaWeb account.
Ask and answer questions that fulfill a need - asking questions for the sake of asking questions is pointless, so really analyse what your community is curious about and tailor questions based on that insight.

What else would you add to this list?

Adam

The kid in the corner is getting changed...

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Vincenzini) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 13:17:00 +0000

Hello!

Just a quick note from me about the soon-to-be re-launched COMMScorner.com / AdamVincenzini.com.

After three years of specifically focusing on PR and social media via COMMScorner.com, this blog will take a slightly different direction from December 2012 under the banner of AdamVincenzini.com.

The main focus will still be media (all forms), but both technology and culture will take up a more prominent position.

So, excuse me while I get changed in front of you, but I want to make this blog as useful as possible for the next three years too.

In the meantime, catch my posts at TheNextWeb.com, PRDaily.com and ParatusCommunications.com.

Thanks
Adam Vincenzini

Note: All the old content from COMMScorner.com will still be accessible under the new format.

YouTube - The good, the bad and the ugly (presentation / video)

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Vincenzini) — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 06:37:00 +0000

Share a 'how to' video from YouTube about your niche (YouTube even has dedicated section on 'how to and style')
Suggest other niche media of interest to your community e.g. A golf-related page would benefit from being told when the local telecast time of the next major tournament in that timezone
Highlight special offers and competition of interest to your community - often times, another Facebook page will be staging a competition with some great prizes on offer relevant to your niche...no harm in re-sharing that link
Stage a live Q&A on your wall with a industry expert - giving people access to knowledge is always received well
Create and stage polls that add value to the page - polls are being used more and more by brands on Facebook pages but the incentive for participation is often overlooked. Before you post a poll ask why your community would a) take part and b) share it to encourage increased participation
Aggregate fan posts - if you keep your wall 'open' you might want to republish comments / content shared by your community - this will not only make the publisher feel special but encourage more engagement too
Tell your community about other Facebook pages they might want to follow from their niche - this is a classic example of non-narcissistic sharing that adds value
Recommend ways for your community to get more out of their day e.g. a tech brand might suggest you give a tool like DropBox a try to manage your online files
Another tech-related post could involve sharing tips and insights on a new piece of software that has just been released e.g Android updates or IOS updates
Highlight relevant research - sometime, a research report will be released which may contain a couple of great nuggets of information for your community - identify them and share them - this is a great example of adding value by making the facilitation of content easier
Signpost important business information - sometimes you can promote your business with directly promoting a product e.g. Updating your community on store opening times over the Christmas period
Partner collaboration - this is an often overlooked way of curating valuable content. Businesses partner with other businesses or groups so regularly share content plans with each other and identify opportunities to cross-post
App Mapping - as Facebook continue to encourage app development, locate some handy / relevant ones and share them with your community (they'll love you for it)
Facebook news - one thing every brand has in common with its Facebook community is Facebook. So, if Facebook updates its pages or changes the way the user experiences the platform, share this development with your community.
Seasonal / calender driven updates - another piece of common ground every brand and organisation shares with its community is time-sensitive events. If the weather is changing, there's probably an opportunity to give advice / add value in there somewhere
Event reminders - you may have your own events or other events relevant to your nice on the horizon so reminding people that something is coming up always goes down well.
Suggest things to do - you'll often seen Facebook page admins ask people what they have planned for the weekend. Take this a step further by suggestion some things that are on that might be of interest.
Game reviews - you might argue about the 'usefulness' of games, but if you are passionate about your niche, being told about a new mobile game you can play on the way to work won't be sneezed at by your community.
Photos are a big part of Facebook so consider sharing links to relevant albums from your community or link through to a relevant Flickr or PicasaWeb account.
Ask and answer questions that fulfill a need - asking questions for the sake of asking questions is pointless, so really analyse what your community is curious about and tailor questions based on that insight.

What else would you add to this list?

Adam

30 top-notch vertical search engines

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Vincenzini) — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 13:18:00 +0000

80% of all internet sessions start with a search engine enquiry (and for most people, that means Google).

But, when it comes to specialist subject areas, we often want to be searching within an engine that gives us what we want in more detail.

For lack of a better term, these are called vertical search engines, and play an important role in how customers interact with products and information.

They're also great tools to have up your sleeve if you're a comms pro, giving you extra searching power.

Here are 30 examples worth bookmarking:

Flights / Travel

1. SkyScanner.net - the leading flights search engine, providing information about all carriers to help you find the best deal

2. Momondo.com - Very similar to SkyScanner and with an added 'current searches' widget to see what flights other people are searching for

3. DoHop.com - Nice and simple way to search for flights, hotels and rental car

Blogs

4. IceRocket.com - Searches for content from blogs, Twitter, Facebook and more

5. BlogPulse.com - Blog-specific search engine searching through more than 170 million blogs

6. Wikio.com - Wikio's top blogs section is a great place to start a topic-specific blogs and content

Images

7. TinEye.com - a reverse image search engine - this finds our where an image came from, how it is being used and where you can find the best resolution version

8. PicSearch.com - Searches through more than 3 billion online photos

People

9. Pipl.com - Search for people all over the world from a simple interface
10. 123people.com - Aggregates public information from a number of sources to give a spread of person-specific information

Forums

11. BoardReader.com - The best free discussion board and forum search tool out there

Music

12. MixTurtle.com - Basic music search engine by artist and / or song title
13. SongBoxx.com - Search over 7,000,000 tracks from the one location
14. Music-Map.com - Type in your favourite artist and then a map of similar artists will be returned (very cool)
15. AudioGalaxy.com - Search for and save your playlists in the cloud from this very slick site

Audio and Video

16. PodScope.com - The web's leading podcast search directory
17. Blinkx.com - Search over 35 million hours of video

Resources

18. SlideFinder.com -Instead of starting a new presentation slide from scratch, see if the one you need is here
19. FileDigg.com - Search for files by type e.g. .ppt and .pdf etc

Domain names

20. Panabee.com - A great way to search for website domain names and generate names if you are struggling for ideas
21. NameNinja.com - Another brainstorming tool to discover domain names

Icons

22. Iconfinder.com - Great for finding different file versions e.g. .png and .ico
23. Iconseeker.com - A standard icon search engine
24. IconArchive.com - One of the most comprehensive icon search engines on the web, includes really useful sub-category search

Private search

25. DuckDuckGo.com - This engine allows you to search for sites without bring tracked at the other end

Similar websites

26. SimilarSites.com - Search for sites similar to the ones you love in a simple way

All-rounders

27. Blekko.com - Uses 'slashtagging' to narrow down your results
28. KeoTag.com - Tag search multiple search engines for the latest content
29. Scour.com - A social search community
30. Greplin.com - Another social search engine with desktop capability

While some of these are better alternatives to Google and the other major engines, for the most part, the big boys do it incredibly (incredibly) well.

The blog post I never thought I'd write (and publish)

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Vincenzini) — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 06:52:00 +0000

Like a lot of people, I was rocked by the news of Trey Pennington's passing this week.

And, like a lot of people (I imagine), I've read a lot of different perspectives on it and the broader issue of coping with your inner demons.

Jason Mollica wrote a post which inspired the one that follows here.

My mate Sian Meades also wrote something a little while back which has encouraged this too.

You won't find anything particularly ground-breaking here, just some things I've learnt about coping with an illness that has been both a blessing and a curse.

What, me? Depressed?

I've suffered from depression for about nine years.

It's been a very on and off thing with only a small portion of that time spent in the 'deep fog'.

Although, off is never really off, perhaps 'nagging' and 'heavy' are the two extremes and then everything else in between.

What impact has it had?

I don't know the difference (now) so it is hard for me to say, but I like to think it has made life more interesting (good and bad) for me and the people near me.

In all honesty, I think it has knowingly and unknowingly impacted on others more than it has impacted on me - especially the people I truly love - I accept its ups and downs as a matter of course, but I'm not sure other people do or can (not for lack of trying though).

And, I've pushed a lot of people away to shield them from the pain I've experienced - I don't really want to do that anymore - and I don't want other people to follow suit.

Instead of itemizing the adventure I've had, I thought it would be more useful to highlight some of the warning signs I didn't notice early on, but could only recognise after the event.

And then, how understanding myself (and the illness) has made it manageable.

The warning signs

The biggest and scariest warning sign (that I only can see now) was my initial inability to understand the imbalanced contest taking place between the rationale and emotional parts of my brain.

The transition from happy to deflated was so gradual for me that I just kept putting my deteriorating outlook down to events going on around me - in other words, I couldn't distinguish between 'normal' suffering and a more systemic problem.

And I began to indulge in acts of escapism with more fervor and passion than ever before - it was the only way I could break free from the nagging fuzzy outlook.

Escapism quickly turned into self-destruction, mainly because it was the only way to inject some feeling into my world.

In short, something was wrong when I couldn't find any single thing wrong - the whole thing just wasn't right - I wasn't 'me'.

Coping, improving and managing

How people choose to deal with depression is a very personal thing.

We're all made up differently and what works for one person may not work for another.

The key for me has been understanding how depression works and manifests itself.

At times it owns you, and at other times, you own it.

The best (and only) way of managing it is to accept it - that's 95% of the battle.

From a strictly practical perspective, take a look at the depressions symptoms checklist and be honest in your own assessment against that criteria.

Even if you're not sure if you 'qualify', go see your GP and start the conversation - they can help you with the next stage if required.

I chose to tell a few close friends and work colleagues at the time so they knew I wasn't at my best but wanted to be - and while my improvement in their eyes might have only been subtle, it was a catalyst for continued improvement and growth.

In a way, I hope writing and publishing this has a similar effect.

I like waking up each day, and it upset me when didn't feel that way for a period, so this experience has only heightened my appreciation of the good stuff.

And, I live in hope that the deepest depths of the illness don't return, but after having come through different levels of it on so many different occasions, a quiet confidence resides inside of me now - I know I'll always be OK.

I hope I never lose that feeling.

If you need any help in identifying the symptoms, or just need to be told 'you'll be OK too', get in touch - it would be a waste to not share my experience from a subject I've come to know a fair bit about.

And thanks for reading this post - it is something I have wanted to write for a while now - this is a part of who I am.

A life living in denial in not really a life - confront, accept and adjust - they're the three steps that have helped me.

Adam

If you want to send me an an email, click here.

How the media is remembering 9/11 (10 years on)

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Vincenzini) — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 09:54:00 +0000

September 11 2001 was a day history will never forget.

As we approach the 10 year anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, we'll individually and collective decide how we'll re-live that experience.

The media will play a key role in this process.

With this in mind, I've taken a look at how the global media fraternity is remembering 9/11 which is being unsurprisingly shaped by online media channels.

How the media is remembering 9/11 (10 years on)

YouTube teams up with the New York Times - A bespoke channel has been set up on YouTube which is asking people to submit their memories of September 11. Special archived content will also be published in the lead up to the day.
History Channel to re-live 102 minutes of real-time terror - The History Channel is putting a lot behind its 9/11 anniversary coverage including this incredible interactive site which re-lives 102 minutes of terror from a number of angles (including footage from specific vantage points)
Comic strip artists planning 9/11 tribute - Major newspaper comic strips will have a 9/11 tribute flavour next week after several teamed up to produce special editions (more info here)
The Guardian asks the world to share 9/11 memories too - This crowd sourced attempt is aiming to create a unique record of the moment. Click here to contribute.
American Express launches 9/11 volunteers Facebook app - Facebook isn't being neglected either as TNW reports: "The new app offers Facebook users a searchable 9/11 Day database, powered by HandsOn Network, and facilities sign ups for local volunteer opportunities. Once users have signed up, they can share their activities with their friends on Facebook, encouraging further participation."
BBC iPlayer: The Conspiracy Files (9/11 10 years on) - One-hour programme looking at the 9/11 conspiracy theories with the benefit (?!) of 10 years hindsight.
Two weeks of US TV - This link will provide you with the most comprehensive list of TV programmes playing tribute to 9/11. Oh, and you might also want to take a look at Understanding 9/11 - A television archive with more than 3000 hours of footage.
US Tennis Open top pay tribute - One of the bigger sporting events taking place over the 9/11 memorial period is the US Open and it will feature a televised tribute.
ABC News to honour the 10-year anniversary across all platforms and channels - You'll get almost back-to-back 9/11 tribute coverage on the ABC from 5-12 September including integration with regular programming.
9 11 Day campaign on Facebook - 188,000 people have already joined this movement on Facebook and you can too.

These are just some of the examples I discovered from a little browse through Google and other sources.

What have you spotted?

Have you spotted any interesting examples of how the media will remember September 11?

If you have, drop the links in the comments section below and we can collate a bigger collection.

Thanks and let's pray we never have to endure a real-life version of 9/11 ever again.

Adam

20 of the web's best kept 'content gold mine' secrets

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Vincenzini) — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 08:37:00 +0000

Whether you're a brand or an individual, consuming and sharing unique content is the best way to maintain your online freshness.

And, although the web is a big place, locating quality content that is original is no mean feat.

A good example is anything published by Mashable.

Yes, Mashable serves up quality content on a regular basis, but due to its large readership and avid fan base, sharing Mashable content isn't especially useful as the communities you operate in have probably read and shared the article before you have.

So, what's the answer then?

There's no silver bullet solution to this challenge, but there are some great online information sources that can help.

Here are 40 I refer to on a regular basis:

Thoora.com - Of all the automated content curation options, this is one of the most robust. Using a combination of keywords and feeds, you can create subject specific channels that update as new content in published.
SimilarSites.com - An easy-to-use search engine that helps you discover the best websites and alternatives on the web.
YouTube Trends Dashboard - Instead of re-sharing the latest 'viral video' play a role in creating some momentum for a new one with this tool - it allows you to locate emerging content by location and age group which helps with your targeting too.
Business Insider's 'Chart Of The Day' - A very specific example that can be applied universally. Blog posts and news articles aren't the only forms of content out there and visually-shaped content is a lot easier to consume.
NetVibes.com - This can and probably should be the hub for your content curation activity. NetVibes helps you create your own personal dashboard based on feeds from your favourite sources and helps you keep an eye on everything from your niche from the one place.
Trunk.ly - The biggest goldmine of them all? Browse through the links your friends recommend and re-share in all the right places. And, make the most of the 'tag' function.
+1's / Likes / Favourites - I'm not sure if this is consistent with everyone else, but I use Google +1's, Facebook Likes and Twitter Favourites as 'go back and read this later' tools - if you can spend 15 minutes a week reviewing these links you are likely to stumble across some content gold that you never thought you had.
Newser.com - The most traditional news aggregator site profiled so far, Newser.com lays out popular content from around the web in a gallery style interface and includes user-suggested picks.
TweetDeck columns - No matter your Twitter dashboard of preference, setting up keyword columns relating you your niche is a great way to find new content and sources. For example, follow industry-specific hashtags or accounts via a list.
Google Chronological Search - When conducting searches for content specific to your niche, use Google's search filters to review content published in the past 24 hours in date order. This tends to uncover some gems no-one else has spotted yet.
AllTop.com - Still the web's best 'magazine rack for blogs'. Alltop's biggest strength is that it makes it easy for you to search for posts by niche subject / topic area.
Wikio.com - The top blogs section of Wikio gives you another gateway to the freshest blog content by subject area.
Extension Factory - This is awesome. Extension Factory converts any RSS feed into a cross-browser add-ons. If you have some sites that you turn to more often than not, this is an easy way to check-in on your favourite content creators.
Knowem.com Networks - When people talk about niche online communities this dedicated section of Knowem.com is how you'd expect to see them laid out. Browse though each of the communities listed and assess whether they are ones you should be participating in and gleaning content from.
Niche Social News Sites - Depending on the subject matter you're interested in, there are a plethora of very subject-specific social news portals dotted around the web. Here's a list of 45 of them which are worth adding to your source list.
Bookmarking sites - Don't ignore the potential discoveries of gold that lie within Digg, Delicious and Reddit. For example, if you are looking for links in relation to the topic of 'golf', check out this Reddit community.
Hub Pages (Topics) - Hub Pages is an opt-in community where people submit content in exchange for readers which is then categorised by sub-topics making it a great place to browse for content.
ebiz / MBA - This site regularly features the worlds top sites as divided into sub-categories e.g. The world's most popular sports sites for August 2011
WordPress Tag Search - Catch the latest blog posts by users of the WordPress platform by referring to this site on a regular basis.
Klout Topics Pages - This is due to be released soon and will list key influencers by subject area which will be another great place to mine for content.

I hope you find this useful!

Adam

10 signs you work in PR - the London edition

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Vincenzini) — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 07:45:00 +0000

I had a good giggle at Drew Benvie's 10 signs you work in PR - the UK edition this morning and thought a London-centric edition was called for.

So, here are my 10 nominations (in no particular order...kinda...)

10 signs you work in PR - The London edition

On at least one occasion in the last 12 months you've pitched an idea that involves a giant 'something' floating down the Thames
You've managed a media event involving Alesha Dixon, Mylene Klass or Jodie Marsh
Your first lunch with a journalist to 'celebrate' Christmas normally takes place in October
For 12 weeks a year you don't accept invitations to networking (or client) events on Wednesday nights (The Apprentice has been blocked out in your diary for months)
You've had at least one Foursquare 'check-in' at Kaffeine (coffee shop) on Great Titchfield Street
You've soiled the back of a London Black Cab (normally in December)
Like it not, you're forced to listen to Kiss FM's Rickie, Melvin and Charlie in the morning
You'll happily add 45 minutes to your journey if part of it can be spent above ground (just so you an access your emails)
You are (or desperately want to be) a member of Soho House or Shoreditch House (even though secretly you think the people who go there a pretentious [insert word]'s)
You support whichever London-based Football team that suits your needs at any particular time

Would you add any others to this list?

Adam

Update:

11. You have taken PR Week's Cathy Bussey for lunch at Byron Burger in Convent Garden (and sent her a mini table tennis set)

50 new social media tools you might have missed

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Vincenzini) — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 07:34:00 +0000

Over on the Paratus Communications blog each week, I compile a list of five new and useful social media tools.

Every few months or so I try and capture all of them here in the event you've missed 'em.

They range from web performance comparison tools to personalised intranet platforms.

Click on the 'Platform Five' link to see full descriptions for each tool.

Here's the Q2 installment - enjoy!

Platform Five, July 15 - incl. Twylah.com (A fan page for your tweets), Likester.com (global popularity engine), Payprs.com (personalised intranet), NameNinja.com (domain name generator) and SiteTrail.com (competitor website comparisons).
Platform Five, 8 July - incl. Geeje.com (feed dashboard), Facebooksearch.us (Facebook search engine), wdyl.com (Google's What Do You Love aggregator), Google Swiffy (HTML5 converter) and Masher (the Facebook photo / video tool).
Platform Five, 1 July - incl. MyWebCareer.com, Memonic.com and yaM
Platform Five, 24 June - incl. YouTube Direct, Minigroup.com and tildee.com
Platform Five, 17 June - incl. TweetCloud, SocialSearching.info and OpenNearMe.com
Platform Five, 10 June - incl. GeeMail, myapppress.com and Lubith.com
Platform Five, 3 June - incl. SproutSocial.com, MyFav.es and Google + Likes
Platform Five, 20 May - incl. SocialGuide.com and AppMakr.com
Platfiorm Five, 12 May - incl. MyWeeboo.com and Chatter.com
Platform Five, 6 May - incl. IconSeeker.com and Summify.com

Thanks for dropping by!

194 social media case studies (and 23 tactics) from 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Vincenzini) — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 05:49:00 +0000

What is a social media campaign? What is a marketing campaign with an element of social media amplification? What is a series of tactics versus an actual campaign?

Yes, putting social media activity into specific boxes in difficult. And, it is why splitting up social and more traditional marketing practices can often do more harm than good.

In any event, we're all still learning and there are a bunch of examples out there to learn from.

Here are 194 social media campaigns / case studies that have been published online in 2011 that might come in handy as a reference point for you.

Five of Summer's sizzling social media campaigns (via TheNextWeb) - includes Visa, Perrier, McDonald's, Fridigaire and Ronzoni
10 fantastic social media campaign videos you shouldn't miss (via TheNextWeb) - includes Ben & Jerry's, Renault, Volkswagen and Heineken
Six new and innovative social media campaigns to learn from (via Mashable) - includes Samsung, Intel and Ford
Five top social media campaigns (via SearchEnginePeople) - includes Bing, Skittles and Red Bull
Nine successful social media campaigns / tactics from big corporations (via Inc) - includes Nike, JetBlue and Flight Centre
15 of the best social media campaigns from the travel sector (via tnooz) - includes KLM, Travelocity and Klout / Virgin
2011 Grammy Awards Social Media Campaign (via Mashable)
10 top social media marketing campaigns and what you can learn from them (via SmartCompany) - includes Ikea, Burger King, Westfield and Nando's
Five smart social PR campaigns to learn from (via Mashable) - includes KFC
20 innovative Facebook campaigns (via Simply Zesty) - includes Pringles and Domino's Pizza
AstraZeneca host first Twitter chat (via eMarketer)
10 of the best Facebook campaigns (via Jeff Bullas) - includes Kellogg's and Papa John's
10 social media case studies from big brands (via SocialMedia.org) - includes IHG, CNN and Paramount
87 handpicked social media case studies (via Michael Gaas) - includes Cisco, Walmart and Toyota

After reading through these, I also thought it was worth listing the more popular activities / tactics used, which included:

Building specific apps for Facebook fan pages to encourage return visits
Creative use of YouTube / video content to engage audiences
Location-based promotions using Foursquare, Gowalla, Facebook places and the like
Blogger collaboration activities e.g. assets in exchange for presence / links
Exclusive promotions / competitions across a range of platforms (T's & C's permitting)
Empowering communities to manage / own branded properties on your behalf
Social gaming integration - include branding / experiences within established communities
Bespoke social games / tasks
Hire / locate talent using social media channels
Crowdsource ideas / concepts and then bring them to life
Real-time rewards / gifts by monitoring customer comments
Giving customers the ability to contribute to your channels e.g. real-time reporters
Mashups - take map and Twitter data to create useful information for a broader audience
Offline advertising with interactive elements e.g. QR code scanning in exchange for something
Online stunts - take the offline method to online places
Creating shopping experiences in unique places e.g. Facebook commerce tabs
Introducing branded social media products into stores e.g. 7-11 partnered with social gaming co Zynga recently
Creating rankings / league tables based on social media output by individuals
Using corporate / branded blogs in a creative manner
Trialing new social / digital platforms in place of more traditional methods e.g. SlideShare to publish research results
Establishing partnerships with online music services where content is exchanged for value being added
Using social channels to creatively raise money for charities
Forgetting about creating new communities and develop ways to add value to existing ones instead (hurrah!)

If you have links to campaigns of tactics you'd like to share, pop 'em in the comments box below.

How to use YouTube to stimulate positive conversations online

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Vincenzini) — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 15:00:00 +0000

I was fortunate enough to be invited to take part in today's AIMediaComms seminar in London.

The topic of the event was ‘Engaging Stakeholders for Effective Crisis Communications, Issues and Reputation Management.’

My presentation looked at the ways YouTube can be used to stimulate positive conversations online as I'm a big believer in being proactive as opposed to reactive.

Here is the presentation as well as a video which provides some additional context.

How to use YouTube to stimulate positive conversations online

View more presentations from Adam Vincenzini

The seven most useful new social media tools of 2011 (so far)

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Vincenzini) — Fri, 20 May 2011 05:50:00 +0000

It's almost June which means crowning the year's biggest and best social media tools is a little more acceptable than it would have been in January!

The following new tools are truly the cream of the crop, allowing you to save time and money in the creation and delivery of digital content.

And, once you have given these a go, share your experiences with us in the comments section at the end.

Ready?

7/11 - Useful Tools Special

AppMakr.com - A free 'drag and drop' tool to create your own mobile apps on iPhone, Windows and Android. This is a game changer and might signal the full arrival of mass mobile media.
IconSeeker.com - Social media icons come in all shapes and sizes but finding the ones to suit your site can sometimes be a challenge. IconSeeker solves this problem in a simple and clean way. Nice.
Panabee.com - This allows you to search for available web domains by desired address or via associated keywords - so, so handy!
Quixey.com - This delivers a 'Google for apps' search engine, narrowing your search results down by mobile, web and social network app solutions.
Vanity URLs - This neat tool helps you check out the availability of Facebook URLs in a matter of seconds. Lovely.
Bufferapp.com - The increasingly popular Bufferapp tool makes the process of sharing great content on Twitter really simple by automatically queuing up your tweets for distribution in your behalf.
PeerIndex.net - When used properly (i.e. when trying to get an initial feel of key conversation drivers in a particular field) PeerIndex is a pretty handy tool that is worth having in your toolkit.

Are there any others you'd add to that list?

A client disclosure grading system for Twitter

noreply@blogger.com (Adam Vincenzini) — Thu, 05 May 2011 05:04:00 +0000

There was an interesting discussion doing the rounds on Twitter yesterday sparked by Arik Hanson about client disclosure.

A few people got involved, including the PRSA's Keith Trivitt and one of the issues that came up was the complexity associated with disclosure.

For example, one of our clients is Coca-Cola, Europe.

Now, when we are actively doing work for that particular client I will stringently disclose my association with the brand and any associated activity by using a "(cl)" in tweets, status updates etc.

But, Coca-Cola is one of the biggest brands in the world.

When someone at the Coca-Cola HQ in Atlanta puts a story our about how they intend to use mobile more in 2013 that is interesting to me as an observer.

Let's say I want to tweet that out and share it with my community, do I disclose my affiliation with the brand?

To be on the safe side, I probably would, but I am no more connected to that piece of news than anyone else.

There are a bunch of other examples where affiliations with brands aren't an simple as a "(cl)" disclosure statement.

I also feel a bit uncomfortable about attaching a (cl) to a tweet about a project that has been activated by someone else, especially if that project is something really clever or amazing - does my (cl) inadvertently imply I had something to do with that idea? This brings up another ethical debate.

Anyway, to cut a long story short, here's a system I'm going to trial over the next few weeks and thought others might want to consider it too.

The client disclosure grading system

(CL1) aka Client Level 1 - I'm going to use this when I or the agency I work with has a direct involvement in the client subject matter being communicated e.g. active projects that I / we are working on

(CL2) aka Client Level 2 - I'm going to use this one when a client affiliated with us is actively promoting something but our involvement is minimal e.g. a new product launch but one we aren't directly involved in publicising

(CL3) aka Client Level 3 - I'm going to use this one in the example I gave earlier where I brand I / we might be affiliated with has done something cool or interesting that I've discovered without any 'inside knowledge' or agenda. In other words, a 'related' client mention.

I have no idea how perfect / imperfect this will be until I test it out.

It would be hugely beneficial if you could share your feedback with me and the people who visit this blog via the comments section below.

And, feel free to test this system out too - it might trigger some ideas for something we can all adopt down the road.

Adam