The Engaged User: Bridging Your Web Site And Social Networks Mediapost.com That may be a bold statement, but when you think about what social networks like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn has been created for, and you look at the ... and more
Posts Tagged: social-networks
7
Apr 10
How can brands enhance their online reputations?
Craig Newmark (best known for his eponymous list ) puts a fine point on one of the great truths of social media in the lead story of today’s SmartBrief on Social Media , arguing that “power and influence will shift largely to those people with the best reputations and trust networks, from people with money and nominal power.” Newmark’s post is largely concerned with how we can quantify, measure and mark our accumulated trust. Because your social-network presence is persistent, it can play a role in tracking your trustworthiness. “Such systems show history and context, which play into trust, and display connections to other people,” he argues. But that isn’t where trust comes from — social networks are more like a mirror that shows you how you’re perceived. But where does a person’s trustworthiness actually come from? That might sound a silly question, deserving of a glib response — and if you want to make fun of me in the comments for asking, I won’t blame you. But I think it’s an issue that’s so elemental that we tend to gloss over it. If you are anything like me, most of your answers to that question are a little backward, focusing on avoiding behaviors that hurt our reputations. But that’s answering the wrong question. How do we actually build reputations? Is it just a matter of being honest and faithful? That’s certainly part of it, but I don’t think it’s the whole picture. Your behavior must also be noticeable. It has to be consistent. And it has to be valuable. I think we’re most likely to overlook those last two elements. It’s not enough to simply be profoundly decent in an inescapable way — your actions have to have consequences and they need to be same over a long period of time. I think the element of time is what trips so many people up. It’s easy to be good for a little while. But when you’re toiling away day in and day out, sometimes you get an itch. You come to point where you start to feel like no one notices your forthright behavior. If no one is paying attention, why does it matter if you do the right thing? And those are the moments when reputations are won and lost. Maybe the trick to having a good reputation is just being patient and trusting that the work you do will be noticed. If time is money and money is trust, then maybe trust is just a matter of time. What do you think? Where does a good name come from? How can brands work to enhance their reputations? And what about Newmark’s question — how should we measure trust? Does it even need to be measured? Image credit, Slavoljub Pantelic , via Shutterstock
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How can brands enhance their online reputations?
7
Apr 10
Poll: Readers skeptical on use of location-based social networks
SmartPulse — our weekly reader poll in SmartBrief on Social Media — tracks feedback from leading marketers about social-media practices and issues. Last week’s poll question: Are you currently using location-based social networks such as Foursquare, Gowalla or MyTown? I haven’t started using them, and I don’t plan to. 43.84% I haven’t started using them, but I’m interested. 25.36% Yes, I regularly check in to places I go. 15.94% I’m using them, but not frequently. 14.86% I’m somewhat taken aback by the strong response from those who say they have no plan to use location-based social networks such as Foursquare or Gowalla. It causes me to wonder if the response is based on a lack of knowledge about their use in a business context, whether the respondents represent more of a business-to-business orientation, or whether it’s a lack of interest in newer forms of social networking altogether — or none of the above. My take on these new platforms is that they can have great relevance for retail-oriented bricks-and-mortar businesses, and perhaps that’s stating the obvious. Less apparent are the soon-coming benefits to using geolocation, many of which have yet to be discerned. As participation increases and people adapt the use of these apps to better suit their needs, I expect to see more benefits accrue, within the retail and business-to-business spaces. As Daniel Ionescu puts it : “Facebook wants to know, ‘What’s on your mind?’ Twitter asks, ‘What’s happening?’ But that’s getting old already. The burning question for the next wave of social networking is, ‘Where are you?’” We don’t yet know the impact of that question on business, but I’m betting it’s significant. Perhaps a good follow-up question to the one above should be, “What business benefits do you see location-based social networks providing?” Why don’t you go ahead and respond now by leaving a comment. Paul Chaney is the Internet marketing director for Bizzuka , author of “The Digital Handshake,” and a member of the SmartBrief on Social Media Advisory Board .
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Poll: Readers skeptical on use of location-based social networks
1
Apr 10
Are you concerned about the security risks of location-based services?
We like it when our favorite networks offer more features, but we fear that we’re feeding too much personal information into the machine to make those features possible. We yearn for greater connection, yet we worry about our privacy. It’s the eternal struggle of the social-media scene, and nowhere is it more obvious than with location-based services . On the one hand, there’s a lot of excitement around networks such as Foursquare and MyTown. The idea of making social plans on the fly is appealing to some, while others enjoy broadcasting their activities or even earning special privileges at some businesses. On the other hand, the concerns are persistent and, unlike some privacy worries on traditional social networks, they’re grounded in the real world. We’re not just talking about a company maybe knowing more about my music preferences than I want it to know, or spammers, or even the threat of hackers and identity thieves. Location-based threats exist in the real world, and they speak to some of our deepest fears. What if I’m stalked? What my home is robbed while I’m out? What if I’m attacked? And what if? And what if? Some networks, such as the newly launched Rally Up , try to ameliorate these fears somewhat by placing a stronger emphasis on privacy and security. But even the best network can open people up to some real risks if they’re careless. Can location-based social networks ever really be safe? Do you use location-based networks? Are you concerned about the privacy issues they present? Is there anything these networks can do to limit their users’ exposure? Image credit, Galushko Sergey , via Shutterstock
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Are you concerned about the security risks of location-based services?