PJA Internet Radio
This Week in Social Media
Most Recent Show: Thursday, March 11, 2010
Topic: Social Media on the Retail Front Lines (Podcast)
Guest: Jon Olinto, Co-Owner, b.good
A couple decades ago, a dissatisfied restaurant patron might have written an angry letter to a corporate office. Satisfied customers might have raved to a few friends. These days, all you need is a smartphone and a Twitter account to voice your opinion – and get it heard. Social media can be a great jump-start for independently owned restaurants and small businesses when it comes to promotions, advertising, and communicating with customers. The truth is, marketers can learn from the grassroots methods by which restaurants and small businesses are utilizing social networks. Join us, along with special guest Jon Olinto, co-owner of b.good, an independent Boston-based burger chain that’s redefining fast food, as we take a look at how local businesses are benefiting from social media.
Archived Shows
Thursday, March 4, 2010: Social Networking and Careers – Build Expertise First, Career Advancement and Job Offers Will Follow
Guest: George Krautzel, President, Toolbox.com
Earlier this week, PJA and Toolbox.com released a survey completed by over 4,000 professionals focusing on social media consumption and its impact on job-seeking and career-building. As social media becomes a more integral tool for individuals and businesses, it is proving itself to be a useful way to build personal and professional brands and stay competitive within a tough job market and even tougher economy. The surprising finding is that survey respondents invest more time–and get more value–from activities that relate to sharing content, building skills, and networking with other professionals–than they do from explicitly promoting their own brands or networking to find a job. Join PJA’s Mike O’Toole and Hugh Kennedy, along with special guest George Krautzel from Toolbox.com, as we share our insights about the results of the survey and how marketers and individuals can utilize social networks to their best advantage.
Thursday, February 25, 2010: Social Networking and the Middle Class Musician
Guests:
Matt Magee, guitarist, The Vivs
Mark Radcliffe, singer/songwriter
It was a tough decade for big music…the recording industry lost 50% of its revenue over the past 10 years. At the same time, there has been a flourishing of independent music based largely on social networks. The fact of the matter is, musicians don’t have to be rock stars in order to be successful, as long as they know how to engage their fan base and distribute their music. Are there any broad lessons that marketers can learn from musicians who have excelled at social networking? Join us, along with guest musicians Mark Radcliffe and Matt Magee, as we take a look at the opportunities that present themselves when middle class musicians utilize social networks.
Thursday, February 18, 2010: Beyond Haiti – How Non-Profits are Using Social Networks to Further Their Mission Every Day
Guest: Guest: Caitlin Gorski, Special Events Assistant, Greater Boston Food Bank
Led by the Red Cross, dozens of organizations used social channels to help respond to the tragic earthquake in Haiti. But while emergency response may be the most visible application, social media is being used to accomplish the core activities of non-profits: connecting with constituents, educating on their cause, and raising money. This week we’ll talk to special guest Caitlin Gorski, Special Events Assistant at the Greater Boston Food Bank, about her experience with social networks as a way to promote their mission of ending hunger in Eastern Massachusetts.
Thursday, February 11, 2010: All the News That’s Fit to Tweet
A recent study from Hitwise shows that Facebook drives 350 times as much traffic to other Web sites in the “news and media” category as Google Reader does. Last week Facebook launched another redesign, putting the emphasis on search and strengthening its link to Bing.com. As social networks such as Facebook and Twitter continue to grow, they are emerging as preferred news sources – a force to be reckoned with for search engines and news Web sites. But what happens when people get more and more news from social networks? Are we sacrificing accuracy for convenience? Join us as we discuss this topic, as well as the hottest social media-related dreams and nightmares.
Thursday, February 4, 2010: Does Your Social Network Influence Your Purchase Behavior?
Guest: Augie Ray, Senior Analyst, Forrester
We’ve always trusted our friends when looking for recommendations on products and brands. But when it comes to social networking, not all friends are created equal. A recent Forrester study profiles the “Influentials”, the 26% of US online adults who have particular clout over friends’ and families’ purchase decisions. We’ll look at the online and social networking activities of Influentials, and discuss their growing impact on our digital lives. Google announced that users will now be able to see search results related to friends, and every social network from Facebook to Foursquare is figuring out new ways to leverage the persuasive power of friends. Join us, along with special guest Augie Ray, Senior Analyst at Forrester, as we tackle this issue, as well as current social media-related dreams and nightmares.
Thursday, January 28, 2010: Social Networks Get Serious: What Does This Mean for Marketers?
A recent Nielsen Company study shows that consumers spent more than five and a half hours on social networking sites in December 2009, an 82% increase from the same time last year. As social networks continue to mature, user behavior is evolving in important ways. We’ll take a look at how users today are sharing, communicating, and getting work done on sites like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, and how these new behaviors present a whole new opportunity for marketers – if they know how to take advantage of it. Join us as we discuss this issue, as well as take a look at recent social media-related dreams and nightmares.
Thursday, January 21, 2010: Take the Social, Leave the Network
Guest: Shiv Singh, Vice President and Global Social Media Lead at Razorfish
Yelp announced “check-in” functionality this week, effectively competing with Foursquare. You can follow people on LinkedIn, and update your status on pretty much any social network. As the major networks race to adopt and co-opt each other’s best features, they are giving us a glimpse into the future of social networking: a future defined less by destination networks and more by broadly shared social behaviors across the Web. Join Mike O’Toole and special guest Shiv Singh, Vice President and Global Social Media Lead at Razorfish and author of “Social Media Marketing for Dummies,” as they discuss what these trends mean for consumers and the marketers trying to reach them.
Thursday, January 14, 2010: Lemonade – It’s Not a Pink Slip, It’s a Blank Sheet of Paper
Guest: Erik Proulx, creator of “Lemonade”
After being laid off from an advertising agency, senior copywriter Erik Proulx created the documentary Lemonade. The film tells the story of 15 agency staffers who saw being fired as a chance for a new start. Erik started out lacking the basics: a crew, music, lights, editing, producers, and more; but he used social networks such as Twitter and Facebook to get everything he needed to make a movie – and now that it’s done, he’s been using these social networks to promote it. Join us, along with special guest Erik Proulx, as we discuss the benefits – and limitations – of using social media when you’re starting from scratch.
Thursday, January 7, 2010: 2010 Social Media Predictions
It’s time to put 2009 behind us, and in the ever-changing world of social media, who knows what 2010 has in store? As a follow up to last week’s show on 2009 Social Media Dreams and Nightmares, we’ll be taking a look forward to 2010. Join us as we discuss our hopes and predictions.
Thursday, January 31, 2009: 2009 Social Media Dreams and Nightmares
Join us for a special New Years Eve broadcast during which we’ll take a look back at social media throughout 2009. The good, the bad, and the ugly. The best and the worst. The dreams and the nightmares. We’ll even throw in an added bonus and give you a sneak peek at our hopes for 2010.
Thursday, December 17, 2009: Facebook’s Two-Faced Privacy Policy
Once again, Facebook has made some changes. And once again, Facebook users are not happy. This time, Facebook modified its privacy controls, giving users the option of choosing who sees each individual piece of information. But is this a real privacy overhaul, or an attempt to push Facebook users into public posts? The option to make information available to “Everyone” indicates the latter. It seems that Facebook’s new privacy controls are a catalyst for its broader strategy to expose content to the Web. Join us as we tackle this controversial topic, as well as take a look at tweeting toddlers and Florida’s recent ruling that prevents judges and lawyers from being “friends” on social networks.
Thursday, December 10, 2009: What Is a Social Media Expert?
Guest: Ann Handley, Chief Content Officer, MarketingProfs
A recent Business Week article exposes self-proclaimed social media experts and gurus, claiming that many of them define success by the number of Twitter followers, blog mentions, or YouTube hits they have, instead of by traditional measures such as ROI. But what makes someone a social media expert? And how can companies sift through these so-called experts and identify agencies and consultants from which they can get more value? Join us, along with special guest Ann Handley, Chief Content Officer at MarketingProfs, as we tackle this topic, as well as the social media junkie who updated Twitter and Facebook from the altar.
Thursday, December 3, 2009: Social Media: Retail’s New Best Friend
Guests: Jeff Cutler and Mike Langford, founders of nomX3
A small New Orleans restaurant called Naked Pizza used Twitter to send followers special offers and converse with customers. Companies ranging from Wal-Mart to Panda Express are driving business with Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Flickr this holiday season. Boston fast food chain B. Good created an iPhone app that gives you points for eating at its establishments. Is social media a savior for restaurants and retail during the economic recession? Join us, along with special guests Jeff Cutler and Mike Langford, founders of nomX3, as we tackle this topic, as well as take a look at location-based social networks such as Foursquare that are putting the local into social. And of course, this week’s dreams and nightmares.
Thursday, November 19, 2009: Content Fights Back: How the WSJ and Others are Taking on Google to Recapture the Value of Content
Last week News Corp. chairman Rupert Murdoch challenged Google, declaring that he plans to shift the company’s publications to a subscription-based model and then pull his newspapers from the search engine. This represents a recent trend toward valuing content higher, and fighting back against Google, which makes it difficult for traditional news organizations to survive. Content wants to be free, but a growing number of media companies are reacting by gating their content and charging for it. Can they survive without Google, or should they get with the times and re-imagine themselves as digital businesses? We’ll tackle this issue, as well as take a look at the integrity of Obama’s social media campaigns, ways to make money on a viral video, and the decision to click that dreaded “unfollow” button on Twittter.
Thursday, November 12, 2009: Ford Announces Billion Dollar Profit – What Role, if Any, Did Social Media Play in This Turnaround?
Guest: Scott Monty, Digital & Multimedia Communications Manager, Ford Motor Company
Join us, along with special guest Scott Monty, Digital & Multimedia Communications Manager at Ford Motor Company, as we discuss how brands can successfully incorporate social media into their marketing strategy. When it comes to building a corporate brand, the two most important ingredients for success are leadership and product; without these, it’s nearly impossible to create an effective social media program. But what’s the role of social media in the success – or turnaround – of a company? How does a company’s social culture influence its use of social media? We’ll take a look at some of the latest trends in corporate social media, as well as take a look at a Twitter feed that landed a deal with CBS and an American Airlines employee who was fired for responding to a disgruntled customer’s blog post.
Thursday, November 5, 2009: Social Networks: Breeding Extremism or Building Communities?
A recent issue of the New Yorker features a review of Cass Sunstein’s book, On Rumors, in which he claims that “the Internet is serving, for many, as a breeding ground for extremism, precisely because like-minded people are deliberating with greater east and frequency with one another” leading to a phenomenon he calls “cyberpolarization.” The Internet makes virtually unlimited amounts of information available, but at the same time makes it more avoidable. Can people harness the Web’s power of information to build communities, or will it ultimately lead to a breeding ground for extremism? We’ll tackle this issue, as well as take a look at how Facebook can be an unfortunate link for ex-lovers and how Miley Cyrus’ rejection of Twitter might be responsible for the death of a kitten.
Thursday, October 29, 2009: Social Media Meets Search
Microsoft and Google both recently announced that they have made deals with Twitter to incorporate up-to-the-minute information in their search results. This will make it possible for them to display breaking news and links quicker than traditional search engines. While there are obvious benefits, integrating Twitter with search raises questions about the relevance of social media content, and how it should be utilized and valued in search results. We’ll discuss this issue, as well as take a look at how politicians are “overtweeting” and discuss some of our thoughts on Sidewiki, Google’s new attempt to make the Internet browser social.
Thursday, October 22, 2009: Who’s In Charge of Social Media?
As a recent AdWeek article claims, clients are realizing that their lead traditional agency doesn’t “get” social media enough for it to be effective. Recent pitches have pitted PR shops, digital agencies, traditional agencies, and social media firms against each other to see which could lead social media efforts for their brand. It’s obvious that social media has not found solid ground in the world of marketing. Everyone wants a piece of it, but the question is, does it really need an owner or can it live amongst these various organizations? We’ll discuss this issue, as well as take a look at LinkedIn’s recent accomplishment in hitting 50 million, and how social media is becoming an effective way to scam people (think: Balloon Boy and the Amber alert hoax).
Thursday, October 15, 2009: Whose Community Is It, Anyway?
Online communities and user-generated content are an important source of information and collaboration for Internet users, but community owners and members continue to wrestle for control and ownership – in public. Who controls these community-focused sites – the company or the users? On This Week in Social Media, we’ll debate ownership of community and content for shared sites such as Flickr and YouTube. Users expect transparency and a level of reliability from the corporations that run these sites, and the companies expect users who build its infrastructure to seed control of their content. Who’s right?
Thursday, October 8, 2009: Social Media or Corporate Shilling? Ask the FTC.
The Federal Trade Commission updated its policy for the first time in nearly three decades in an attempt to make the commercial interests of blogs and bloggers more transparent. Since social media has become such an important influence in how we judge brands and products, it is important to be able to distinguish the difference between authentic and promotional content. But where should the line be drawn? We’ll tackle this issue, and take a look at how people prepare–or more likely fail to prepare–for their “digital afterlife” and how social media is making cities safer.
Thursday, October 1, 2009: R.O.S.M. (Return on Social Media)
Despite widespread adoption of social media, measurement still lags. A recent eMarketer poll shows that only 16% of marketers currently monitor their social media programs. It’s no surprise that people are eager to invest in social media platforms, but the real question is, what’s the ROI of their investments? Metrics for monitoring social networks vary greatly in terms of cost and performance, ranging from Radian6 to Microsoft’s new Looking Glass. We’ll discuss analytics and measurement, and what they mean for the future of social media, as well as take a look at cybercriminals, online bullying, and how Twitter and Facebook have helped flood survivors in the Philippines.
Thursday, September 24, 2009: 300 Million Tenants, But Who Pays the Rent?
Special Guest: George Krautzel
Facebook recently became cash flow positive and Twitter changed its Terms of Service, but what does this mean for marketers? Social media networks are getting serious about monetizing their huge followings, but marketers (and consumers) are not buying traditional ad models. The PJA team, along with special guest George Krautzel from Toolbox.com, will tackle this topic, as well as discuss the burglar who left himself logged onto Facebook and how TGI Friday’s used Twitter to turn their recent campaign from a nightmare into a dream.
Thursday, September 17, 2009: Dueling Platforms or Social Media Monolith?
Last week, Facebook adopted some Twitter-like features as part of an ongoing rivalry between the social networks. As Twitter and Facebook become more and more alike, will there ultimately be one dominating platform, or will they be able to coexist? We’ll discuss this, as well as take a look at airlines’ successful social media endeavors and whether or not social networking can help celebrities recover from their blunders.
Thursday, September 10, 2009: Social Media Junkies
As social media progresses, it can start to feel like it’s absorbing us and becoming a critical part of our identity and our lives. It’s important not to lose perspective, but where should we draw the line? Are you a Weekend Tweeter? A Bathroom Tweeter? Would you dial 911 in an emergency or update your Facebook status? No matter where you fall on the scale, it’s hard to deny that people are becoming more and more comfortable with their online presence. We’ll take a look at what separates the social media well-adjusted from the junkies, as well as this week’s best and worst in social media.
Thursday, September 3, 2009: Is Social Media for Narcissists?
Join us on this week’s show to find out. We’ll be discussing a recent study indicating that 57% of young people believe their generation uses social networking for self-promotion, narcissism, and attention-seeking. Is this type of behavior necessary for succeeding in a competitive world? How do you balance a legitimate personal voice with professional and organizational objectives in social media? Who’s doing it right, and what needs to be done differently? We’ll also be talking about the week’s best and worst in social media.
Thursday, August 13, 2009: The Institutionalization of Social Media
This week PJA will be discussing the institutionalization of social media. Organizations like ESPN are restricting staff usage of social media platforms while the UK Ministry of Defence encourages British troops to engage in it. What is the correct level of transparency for these organizations? Who’s doing it right, and who is making the mistakes? We’ll tackle that topic – among others – live during this Internet radio session.
