The headline calls attention to everything that’s wrong with how businesses measure engagement in social media today. Businesses that invest any level of marketing resources in networks such as Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and the like (get it?) are being groomed to focus on soft metrics instead of the relevant activity that signals the strength and worth of a community. By weighing conversations, interactions, and views, businesses are fed raw numbers that demonstrate KPIs but they do not offer the insights necessary to glean ROI or deep understanding of what people do and do not want, need, or value. And that’s part of the problem as marketers and developers are focusing on stimulating movement, which by default becomes a game of competing for attention, moment by moment.

A recent study published by Ehrenberg-Bass Institute, an Australia-based research group found that less than 1-percent of Facebook “Fans” actually engage with brands. Researchers looked at the top 200 brands using Facebook’s “People Talking About This” metric as a proportion of overall fan growth over a six-week period in October 2011. As a result, the team discovered that the percentage of People Talking About This compared to overall fans was only 1.3%.  While this metric and approach is only one way to measure supposed engagement, the truth is that even by Facebook’s own standards of measurement, marketers are already boxed into a reporting process where each report serves as a benchmark for future activity. That’s the problem though. Engagement is confused with incidents and not outcomes or influence, the ability to cause desired effect or change behavior.

Businesses Take a Medium’alistic Approach

Brands and their marketers suffer from what I refer to as medium’alsim, a condition where inordinate value and weight is placed on the technology of any medium rather than amplifying platform strengths and ideas to deliver desired and beneficial experiences and outcomes.  Said another way, businesses are developing for the sake of development and establishing supporting presences without regard for how someone feels, thinks, or acts as a result. In doing so, “engagement” programs are calculated, brought to life in the form of an editorial calendar that, by its very nature, isn’t not designed to really engage people at all.

See, engagement is not defined through likes, comments, shares, RTs or impressions. This activity is simply a result of engagement.  Focusing on soft metrics is at the detriment of the customer experience and is potentially a distraction away from developing more meaningful connections and relationships. Engagement is by design. And, this is why businesses that are attempting to drive engagement numbers are benchmarking against lower standards. Instead of benchmarking against themselves, marketers and developers should consider benchmarking against the opportunity. Doing so is far more ambitious and as such, aspirational in the development of future strategies.

For example, I ran a quick experiment with a global beer brand to prove a point. We looked at the 1-percent engagement rate and decided to run a non-scientific experiment to not only debunk the value of the engagement number as defined, but also demonstrate the need to think through desired actions and outcomes. In the middle of a business day, I posted a picture of a frosty mug filled with said beer with an ocean view in the distance. I added one word to the post, “cheers.” Within minutes that 1-percent engagement rate was eclipsed with people uploading pictures of their favorite moments while enjoying their favorite beer. Along with comments, Likes, Shares, etc., the marketing and digital teams were temporarily elated but quickly realized that the engagement they witnessed was only fleeting. While a simple example, the lesson is that engagement must mean something more to groom the community toward desired sentiment, outcomes, or to simply serve the needs of the community based on stated expectations or desires.

Redefining Engagement to be More Engaging

It starts with redefining engagement as we know it today to ultimately improve experiences tomorrow. I spent some time exploring existing definitions and I was surprised to find a lack clarity around such an important word. Since we spent so much time talking about what engagement is not, I invested time in researching the best practices of brands that were clearly driving communities in a particular direction through digital, social, and mobile channels. Those companies include Virgin America, Dell, TOMS, Whole Foods, Giant Nerd, among others. As a result, a working definition for engagement came into view…

Engagement is defined by how a brand and consumer connect and interact within their networks of relevance.

Simple. But, it’s also incomplete. It’s not just about the moment or competing for attention, it’s about the aftereffect.

Engagement is measured by takeaway value, sentiment or feelings, and resulting actions following the exchange.

If we look at the nature of the community in which brands are investing today, editorial programming, contests, gimmicks, campaigns, etc. lend to only one of the multifaceted sides to customer engagement.  Community is much more than belonging to something, it’s about doing something together that makes belonging matter. This is why businesses must think about investing engagement by defining experiences, journeys, feelings and outcomes. Without doing so, they by default introduce experience divides that disrupt flow, hinder sentiment, and obstruct clicks to action.

Redefined engagement opens the door to new strategies and resulting metrics that lend to meaningful experiences and results. By designing more meaningful initiatives, businesses can now focus on causing effect, changing behavior, or reinforcing value where previous engagement metrics can now document the progress of progress. The ultimate measure however is now something more substantial, such as…

- Shift in sentiment
- Satisfaction
- Acquisition
- Referrals
- Conversion
- Leads
- Brand integrity/Reputation

Thinking through experiences, journeys, outcomes, and sentiment will at the very least improve the number of customer interactions and overall allegiance. It is in the relentless delivery of value that extends moments beyond merely competing for attention. Engagement is about cultivating community behavior against a defined vision, mission and most importantly, purpose. Step back to gain perspective and to see new possibilities that your competitors are missing. You are an architect of experiences and as such, you must begin with the end in mind. Then, reverse engineer the outcomes and experiences your community will value and in turn, your management will value as well.

Please consider ordering The End of Business as Usual today…

Connect with me: Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | Google+

The first time I wrote about Twitter was March 2007. My, how time and Tweets fly. With 500 million registered users and 250 million Tweets flying across the Twitterverse every day, Twitter has become a fabric of our digital culture. Twitter is now ingrained in our digital DNA and is reflected in our lifestyle and how we connect and communicate with one another.

While many struggle to understand its utility or its significance in the greater world of media, it is the most efficient global information network in existence today. News no longer breaks, it Tweets. People have demonstrated the speed and efficacy of social networking by connecting to one another based on interests (interest graph) rather then limiting connections to relationships (social graph).  Twitter represents a promising intersection of new media, relationships, traditional media and information to form one highly connected human network.

I recently stumbled upon a well done infographic created by Infographic Labs to communicate the state of of the Twitterverse. It’s quite grand in its design. So, to help get the most out of it, I’ve dissected it into smaller byte-sized portions.

A Brief History of Twitter

July 2006 – Twttr’s hatched (Yes that’s how it was originally spelled), by Jack Dorsey, Evan Williams, and Biz Stone

July 2007 – Raises $1 million, valued at $5 million

November 2008 – President-elect Barack Obama thanks his Twitter followers

2009 – 2 billion Tweets per day, Twitter raises $35 million

Dec 2010 – Raises $200 million, now valued at $3.7 billion

2011 – 100 million active users sending 33 billion Tweets per day

The Top 3 Countries for Twitter

1. United States – 107.7 million

2. Brasil – 33.3 million

3. Japan – 29.9 million

The Top 5 Moments in Tweets

1. “Castle in the Sky” TV Screening – 25,088 Tweets per second (TPS)

2. Superbowl XLVI Last Minutes – 10,245 TPS

3. (Tied) Madonna at the Superbowl – 10,245 TPS

4. Tim Tebow’s Win – 9,420 TPS

5. Beyonce at the VMAs – 8,869 TPS

Top 6 Reasons for Retweeting

1. Interesting content – 92%

2. Personal connection – 84%

3. Humor – 66%

4. Incentive – 32%

5. Retweet requests – 26%

6. Celebrity status – 21%

Top 4 Ways People Decide to Follow You

1.Suggested by friends – 69%

2. Online search – 47%

3. Suggested by Twitter – 44%

4. Promotions – 31%

Top Factoids You Didn’t Know About Twitter

1. Twitter’s projected ad revenue in 2012 is $259 million

2. Projected ad revenue by 2014 is $540 million

3. 11 Twitter accounts created every second

4. 1 million accounts opened every day

Connect with me: Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | Google+ |

Order The End of Business as Usual today…

Part 16 in an ongoing series that serves as the prequel to my new book, The End of Business as Usual…

It’s a new year and a new set of predictions to set goals and expectations for 2012.  I won’t bother you with the top 10 emerging social networks or apps to focus time and resources. Nor will I gaze in the crystal ball to reveal the five secrets to viral marketing and user/customer acquisition. Instead of adding my forecasts to the endless sea of debatable prophesies, I chose a more aspirational path.

2012 is the year of transformation as digital Darwinism threatens rigid and traditional practices everywhere. Regardless of industry, digital Darwinism is a phenomenon when technology and society evolve faster than the ability to adapt.

Indeed, this is a time when organizations will invest in change to better adapt to emerging market opportunities, to more successfully engage with customers, employees and stakeholders, rethink systems and processes, and ultimately, revive the company’s vision, mission and purpose. The result is an adaptive culture that signals an end to business as usual. Without doing so only expedites the inevitable journey towards irrelevance.  For 2012 and beyond, the following trends serve as beacons for not only survival, but leadership.

Trends for Transformation

Leadership: As technology continues to evolve & permeate work and life, behavior, expectations and communication evolve. Someone must look ahead, see where we need to go and lead the way to relevance. Leadership is something that must be earned. Without a top-down charter toward a direction everyone can march behind, leadership is relegated to operational management. In the age of empowerment, those who march blindly will follow a path not unlike what Steve Jobs envisioned in the infamous Apple Lemmings commercial.

Vision: The stated outlook of organizational direction needs review. When’s the last time you read your company’s vision or mission statement? If you did read it recently, would you Tweet it proudly? In a time when brands are not created, but instead co-created, if vision is unclear or underwhelming, alignment, community and camaraderie will prove elusive.

Strategy: With new media and emerging technology creating a groundswell of customer empowerment, new strategies must focus on the alignment of objectives with meaningful experiences and outcomes. All too often, emerging technology is confused with either disruptive technology, where is impacts how companies work or how customers behave, or that of yet another channel or platform for traditional marketing or selling. Far too much emphasis, budget, and time is placed in new media channels without an understanding of why or what it is that customers expect or appreciate.

Culture: This is a time of change, which requires coalescence and solidarity. We can’t change if the culture is rigid or risk averse. We can’t innovate if those who experiment are not supported. Organizations need to focus on cultivating a culture of adaptation rooted in customer- and employee-centricity and more importantly, empowerment. Culture is everything. It is and should be intentional. It should be designed. Those companies that invest in the development of an adaptive culture will realize improved relationships that contribute to competitive advantages.

People: The 5th P of the marketing mix, “People,” will take center stage. Organizations that embrace the spirit of intrepreneurialism will empower employees to experiment through failure and success to improve engagement and morale. And, by embracing customers, insights will inspire relevant products, services and processes.

Innovation: The ability to recognize new opportunities is perhaps the greatest challenge rivaled only by the ability to execute. Emerging and disruptive technology is now part of the business landscape and customer lifestyle. Innovation, trends, and hype is not going to stop. In fact, it will only amplify. The capacity to identify and consider new solutions and responses is critical. It must be supported by innovative collaboration and decision-making processes and systems to assess and react. Innovation must be perpetual.

Influence: Digital influence is becoming prominent in social networks, turning everyday consumers into new influentials. As a result, a new customer hierarchy is developing forcing businesses to identify and engage to those who rank higher than others. There is no future in any business model that is cemented in reactive engagement. Organizations should identify and engage all connected customers to extend reach outside of problems. Businesses must engage when touchpoints emerge, during decision-making cycles, when positive experiences are shared, or to proactively feed the results who search for insight and direction.  Contributing value to people and investing time and energy into networks of relevance will also earn any organization a position of equal or greater influence.

Localization: For global organizations hoping to connect with customers around the world, localization & contextualization are king in any engagement strategy. This is also true for any engagement strategy regardless of local. Many companies are jumping on every bandwagon imaginable, syndicating content, thinning resources, and investing no more in each network than what’s necessary to maintain a pulse. Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Youtube, Foursquare, Instagram, Pinterest, Quora become broadcast channels for one-to-many strategies and programs that do very little for cultivating dedicated and engaged communities.

Intelligence: One of the biggest trends in 2011 was the development of social media command centers. At the heart of these sophisticated data gathering silos were conversations and tools that allowed community managers to listen, respond, and promote engagement within the company. While social media is introducing the art & science of monitoring to marketing and service teams it is the organizations that invest in technology, teams and processes that will translate activity into actionable insights.

Philanthropic Capitalism: Customers expect values to match their own core values. What used to be a necessary checklist of community focus, such as corporate social responsibility or CSR is now rebooted. Philanthropic capitalism is a business model where companies contribute to worthwhile causes on behalf of customers as part of the transaction. Additionally, customers are expressing that they will also invest in companies where employees are “treated well,” pledging trust and loyalty as a result. The empathetic business model on the horizon requires charitable and sustainable decisions as part of everyday business where customers naturally become stakeholders.

These pillars will serve as the foundation for an adaptable business model where opportunities are readily assessed and innovation is regularly practiced. The reward is relevance, affinity and advocacy. As Leon C. Megginson once said in paraphrasing Charles Darwin’s Origin of the Species, “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change.”

#AdaptorDie

Order The End of Business as Usual today…

Part 1 – Digital Darwinism, Who’s Next
Part 2 – Social Media’s Impending Flood of Customer Unlikes and Unfollows
Part 3 – Social Media Customer Service is a Failure!
Part 4 – I think we need some time apart, it’s not me, it’s you
Part 5 – We are the 5th P: People
Part 6 – The State of Social Media 2011: Social is the new normal
Part 7 – I like you, but not in that way
Part 8 – Are You Building a Social Brand or a Social Business?
Part 9 – CMO’s are at the Crossroads of Customer Transactions and Engagement
Part 10 – From Social Commerce to Syndicated Commerce
Part 11 – You can’t go back to create a new beginning, but you can begin to change the ending
Part 12 – How to Make Customer Service Matter Again Part 1
Part 13 – How to Make Customer Service Matter Again Part 2
Part 14 – Long Live Blogs! The State of the Blogosphere 2011
Part 15 – Going Global by Going Local: Why localization improves engagement

Image Credit: Shutterstock

My colleague Jeremiah Owyang sure ruffled some feathers with his post claiming that the Golden Age of tech blogging is over. Aside from being a mentor and a tireless analyst, he’s also a long-time blogger. His words over the years helped blaze the trail for blogging and ultimately the micromedia bonanza that he believes is contributing to the erosion of long-form social prose. In his article, he quotes good friends Loic Lemeur, Ben Metcalfe, Ben Parr, Francine Hardaway, Chris Heuer and Dave McClure. Their perspective is always interesting. And, his post also drew telling comments from some of the best known names in tech blogging including Pete Cashmore, founder of Mashable, Sarah Lacy, Marshall Kirkpatrick, and Dylan Tweney, executive editor at VentureBeat.

His points are worthy of consideration. Kudos to him for sparking this conversation…feels like old times.

I believe that in brevity there’s clarity. While a chapter in the ongoing development of tech blogging is certainly coming to an end, in the overall story, it’s (finally) growing up…as it should. See, tech is more important than a locale. It’s more important than funding or personnel shifts. Its impact on culture, society, business, and human evolution is more profound than the pundits who usually cover it. Evolution is a good thing…and I believe tech blogging is merely undergoing a form of digital Darwinism of sorts.

I recently wrote about my thoughts on the state and future of blogs, which is of course far grander than the world of tech blogging. And as you can see, blogging is alive and clicking.

Yes, micromedia, video, and social transactions/actions are breaking through our digital levees and causing our social streams to flood. And, yes, Flipboard, Zite, and the like (get it?), are forcing our consumption patterns into rapid-fire actions and reactions. You have a choice. You are either a content creator, curator or consumer. You can be all of course. But, think about this beyond the mental equivalent of 140 characters. What do you stand for and what do you want to become known for? The answer is different for each of us. But, content, context, and continuity are all I need to learn, make decisions and in turn inspire others.

I can assure you that the right voices will find the right platforms to escalate the genre and continue to influence all forms of media and those who create it. Watch what happens in 2012. It’s part survival of the fittest and survival of the fitting. I’ve got my eye on some of the names you know as well as many that you don’t (but soon will).

This part is important…If we assume that human beings can only process bytes instead of depth we are confined to competing merely for the moment. That is a game for the AOL’s of the world. What’s changing right here, right now is the players, not the game.

In fact, this is the time to compete for attention by not just feeding it forgettable snacks here and there, but enrapturing it through value, direction, and insight. Do the work no one else can make the time to do. There’s always a market for intelligence…it’s just a matter of which market you decide to pursue.

I believe the next Golden Age lies in syndicated context (yes it’s a play on words) and like a multidimensional chess board, we will compete for attention on several different fronts (playing their game, their way) while expanding reach in the process. There’s tremendous value in trusted content. The secret lies not in character count, but in perspective…seeing what others can’t and doing what others won’t. Just don’t lose sight of who you are and why you’re here. You’re part of the reason we’re here in the first place.

#AdaptorDie

Connect with me: Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | Google+

The new, new Twitter is upon us and while some of you already have access to it, others will have to wait up to three weeks. I’m not one to write about new features or products as they’re released. But I would like to take some time to review why this version of Twitter is important to you and your business.

Twitter has undergone nothing short of a complete redesign…again. The new experience offers a much needed simplification. After all, almost six years following its debut, one of the most common searches for “how do you use…” on Google, is still…Twitter. With over 200 million Tweets soaring across Twitter everyday, the service is now aspiring to become something your father or mother or even your “sister” can easily understand and use.

Unveiled through a tagline of “let’s fly,” the new, new Twitter centers around five distinct tabs, Home, Connect, Discover, Me, and Tweet. Each tab presents a dedicated page that presents a snapshot of important features tied to particular actions or interests.

Home: One of the most notable improvements is in the intuitiveness of the design. The format is also now consistent. What you see on Twitter.com for example is the same as the Twitter app on smartphones and Tablets.I should also mention that TweetDeck be viewed as a TwitterPro version and is also now available on the Web.

Now, you have access to what you need in a simple and functional layout.On the “Home” page, you will find your social stream of course in addition to trends, recommended people, DMs, etc.

@Connect: The Connect tab is where you can see who’s talking about you as well as who’s interacting with you or your Tweets. The tab offers two views, “Interactions” and “Mentions.” Under Interactions, you can view conversations and Retweets, who’s now following you, who favorited your Tweets, who added you to a list, and other activities related to you. Mentions is just that…Tweets mentioning your @ name.

#Discover: As Twitter so appropriately states, the Discover tab is where simplicity meets serendipity. I love that…it’s very true and also it is serendipity that makes the egosystem so personal, exciting and valuable at once. In the egosystem, everything literally revolves around you. Your experience on Twitter is defined by who you follow, who they follow, trends based on relationships, and the interactions you have as a result. These interactions are unique to you and that is true for each of us. What you see is not what I see and that keeps things exciting. The new Twitter framework ensures that discovery and also serendipity remains personal.

Get Embed with Twitter

Before we move on, I’d like to call attention to one additional update to the Twitter experience. With the new Twitter framework, certain elements become portable to websites, blogs and other web platforms. To begin, Twitter is now making Tweets officially embeddable. As you know, there’s more to any Tweet than 140 or less characters. There are experiences, conversations, and expressions behind each. Not only will visitors see the Tweet wherever it may be embedded, Tweets become living pieces of interactive media wherever they’re placed.

Yes, embedded Tweets are portable and fully functional. Visitors can Reply, Retweet, Favorite or Follow without leaving your page, simply by clicking the respective trigger on the Tweet itself.

Twitter also improved its Tweet and Follow buttons. The new #hashtag button tells visitors that there is a relevant conversation taking place on Twitter and allows them to follow or join in with just one click. The @mention button gives people a shortcut to easily Tweet you and any desired account.

Go here to design your custom Twitter buttons.

Brand Pages

If you’ve ever clicked on a Promoted Tweet, you were either sent to a custom landing page, a traditional website, or perhaps a Facebook brand page. With Twitter’s new brand pages, it hopes businesses will design Twitter experiences that keep you in Twitter. It also hopes to increase the value of its Promoted products overall by giving brands more control in how they market themselves to consumers.

Twitter’s Chief Revenue Officer Adam Bain recently shared that in his meetings with CMOs over the past year, the most recurring requests focused specifically on brandable pages. Like its bigger social siblings Google+ and Facebook, Twitter’s brand pages have officially taken flight. Enhanced profile pages as Twitter refers to them, give marketers the ability to shape the impressions of visitors while adhering to the brand style guide. Previously, businesses were confined to creative backgrounds and bios as well as their Tweets to define the brand experience. Now Twitter gives brands more control in how consumers view the company in Twitter…free of charge. And, Twitter removes outside advertising from each brand page.

For examples and perhaps to glean insights into best practices, Twitter launched with 21 advertising partners. You can view their enhanced profile pages by clicking each brand: @AmericanExpress, @BestBuy, @bing, @chevrolet, @CocaCola, @Dell, @DisneyPixar, @generalelectric, @Heineken, @HP, @intel, @JetBlue, @Kia, @McDonalds, @nikebasketball, @NYSE_Euronext, Paramount Pictures’ Mission: Impossible – @GhostProtocol, @pepsi, @Staples, @subwayfreshbuzz, and @VerizonWireless.

What does this mean for businesses specifically?

1. Businesses can host a branded experience for consumers in Twitter without forcing them outside of their preferred network

2. Brands can adhere to brand style guides to present a uniform color, typeface, presence, etc.

3. Guide the consumer experience with intentionally presented Tweets, media, and information.

4. Chart a new click path that starts with a Promoted Tweet and/or media to lead consumers on a more meaningful journey that can start and end in Twitter or continue outside of the information network. Much in the same way Facebook offers landing tabs, Twitter can offer a similar experience that changes based on the priorities of the brand.

5. Allow brands to present a more engageable profile where people follow companies because of the thoughtfulness that is invested in presentation and a meaningful Tweet stream. Brands are now measured not only by their actions, but also their words and content.

It’s now your turn. Are you ready to take flight on the new, new Twitter?

Connect with Brian Solis on Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | Google+

The End of Business as Usual: Rewire the way you work to succeed in the consumer revolution

Get it now at Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iTunes
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ENGAGE!: The complete guide for businesses to build and measure success on the social web

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Click here for your favorite infographics…now in 22 x 28 poster format!

Today’s social media best practices will show you the marvels of creative marketing in social networks, the benefits of customer service on Twitter and blogs, innovations in co-created products and services, and insights into how to build a more engaged business. As organizations migrate from rigid to social business models, no line of business, department, function, or small business for that matter, will go untouched or unchanged. So what’s next? As you can see in the image above, one of the more aggressive trends on the horizon is social commerce and it centers on improving the complicated relationships that exist between…

1. Consumers and their friends/peers as they shop
2. Consumers and retailers
3. Retailers and Brands
4. Brands and Consumers, pre-, mid and post commerce

The idea of buying with friends is not necessarily new. But, sharing in purchase experiences, interacting with products through connected apps, and influencing decisions through social and mobile networks is quickly becoming “the next big thing.” And, it’s also quickly becoming the next big wonderment. The idea of social commerce is so big, so distributed that entire ecosystems are forming around each of the four categories listed above. Like social media, social commerce is bigger than how we view social today – meaning its bigger than Facebook, Twitter, FourSquare and Groupon.  This is about building meaningful relationships with customers. This is our opportunity to create useful and shareable experiences that satisfy the needs of consumers and sparks engagement between brands, retailers, friends, and friends of friends.

SpinBack, a social commerce and analytics platform that was recently acquired by BuddyMedia, published a clever infographic that demonstrates the value and possibilities of social commerce. In four simple, yet profound steps, socialized commerce makes the case for retailers. However social commerce just isn’t about being social. This is about defining an integrated and substantial experiences across the entire ecosystem. The nature of how consumers interact with one another, brands, and retailers is fundamentally a higher touch proposition than ever before.

Imagine sending  a more sophisticated social consumer to your website or social presence as it exists today? Ask yourself, what’s so compelling about the clickpath today that would compel a discerning consumer to travel from beginning to end and find the journey so completely fascinating that they will tweet, update Facebook, and update every relevant network along the way. Chances are, they won’t. This is why developing a foundation for social commerce is just the beginning. Designing the entire online customer experience, from beginning to end, is where our focus will lie over the next few years. Add to that a layer of engagement, and you can feel and count the effects of the disruptive nature of socialized commerce.

For those who seek inspiration or justification, Spinback assembled some astounding facts. Here are just a few standouts:

- 90% of all purchases are subject to social influence

- Social commerce is expected to generate $30 billion in 2015 (just a few short years away)

- Facebook friends are four times more valuable than Twitter followers

As you lead the way, it’s often helpful to point to stats or achievements to make the case for change even if you’re in the middle of an existing strategy. At the same time, every new year introduces the need for new plans. As we can see, short term success is possible. The question is, how do you translate the short term to longer term value? Nonetheless, we can see that using Groupon, The Gap generated $11 million in one-day sales. Through F-commerce, Pampers sold more than 1,000 diapers in one hour. And, LivingSocial drove more than 42,000 shares in one day for a $20 Amazon voucher.

Social Commerce Opens the Door (and Conversation) to Syndicated Commerce

Social commerce is just one part of a multifaceted approach to a new era commerce. It’s important to realize that there is no one way to reach every consumer with a sweeping commerce strategy. One to many now longer works in a time where consumers are not only connected, they’re empowered. Remember, social commerce only reaches a finite percentage of your overall prospects. Such is true for any other single channel such as mobile or F-commerce. True commerce must be far more comprehensive, yet focused than any one channel.

Social commerce in of itself, is a vast universe that covers social networks, apps, F-Commerce (Facebook Commerce), mobile, Facebook Connect and Twitter @Anywhere, and much much more. As consumer needs, preferences and networks of relevance are as varied as they are concentrated, the focus of any social commerce strategy moving forward should not solely target the social consumer, but instead the connected consumer. This means that social plays into a much more expansive approach that reaches consumers through their channels of preference.

Sounds easy enough right? Not so fast. Ask any consumer what it is they expect from a brand or retailer online and they’ll tell you that in addition to discounts, promotions, special offers and exclusive information, they want the ability to buy within their network.

To quote the now cult-status video, Double Rainbow, “what does this mean?”

It means that businesses must now think about a distributed commerce strategy that accounts not only for social commerce, but also all forms of commerce ranging from mobile commerce (m-commerce), e-commerce, Facebook commerce (F-commerce), social commerce, real world (in-store) commerce, e-mail commerce, and every other form of commerce that matters.

The future of commerce is not simply social. The future of commerce takes a holistic approach in the form of syndicated commerce. Customer deals, offers, promotions, and experiences must be one with the brand and the brand experience. To achieve oneness across syndicated commerce, business leaders must define the experience, desired outcomes, and mutual benefits along the way. More importantly, each platform must feed into a single system that identifies people, their relationships, and their preferences to introduce substance and value – regardless of medium.

Oh but what is the reward or ROI for all of the extra expenditures, resources and time required to build out an entirely new system? Well, what’s the cost of irrelevance or obsolescence when the I in ROI could stand for ignorance? Certainly by developing a dedicated, yet holistic strategy is far more lucrative than continuing on a path of business as usual. What’s at stake is customer engagement, deeper customer loyalty, and ultimately drive sales and profit.

Syndicated commerce delivers value to consumers and shapes and steers experiences that deliver long term value to businesses.

Social media is a great disruptor and it is rightfully earning its place within the foundation of everyday business. But our job is only just beginning. We cannot rest on validation that organizations now Tweet, blog, or maintain a presence on Facebook or Youtube. That’s not what this consumer revolution is about. What’s happening now is not because of social media nor will businesses transform simply because of social networks. Instead, businesses must realize that disruptive channels and networks represent an opportunity for insight and engagement. Even though many businesses are using social media now merely for marketing purposes, the ability for businesses to listen to, learn from, and connect with customers will transform the entire organization from the inside out. From customer service to employee relations to product development to commerce, social media and disruptive technology in general sets the stage for a new era of business.

To be continued…

#AdaptorDie!

Order The End of Business as Usual today…

Part 1 – Digital Darwinism, Who’s Next
Part 2 – Social Media’s Impending Flood of Customer Unlikes and Unfollows
Part 3 – Social Media Customer Service is a Failure!
Part 4 – I think we need some time apart, it’s not me, it’s you
Part 5 – We are the 5th P: People
Part 6 – The State of Social Media 2011: Social is the new normal
Part 7 – I like you, but not in that way
Part 8 – Are You Building a Social Brand or a Social Business?
Part 9 – CMO’s are at the Crossroads of Customer Transactions and Engagement

This is part two in a short series to introduce The End of Business as Usual…originally posted on Harvard Business Review (edited)

There’s an old saying that carries renewed meaning these days: Give the people what they want. Brands are furiously creating profiles in social networks such as Facebook and Twitter in the hopes of building engaging communities with customers and giving people what the brands think they want. The main activity in this effort is to spur consumers to “like” and “follow” a brand’s Facebook and Twitter streams. But are these companies developing effective campaigns to build engagement and give the people what they want? From where I sit, I’d say many are not. If businesses are unable to change course, a very real — and likely very painful — lesson lies ahead. Once-willing consumers will soon become reluctant to connect with brands or will completely sever social ties to brands once they deem the connection fruitless.

Not long ago, I attended a daylong social marketing summit at the campus of a leading national brand that also housed a number of popular sub brands. Following my presentation, I returned to my seat to take in a presentation from a sales rep for Facebook. He talked about why brands will benefit from setting up shop in Facebook — consumers are willing to engage with brands that make it worth their while. But somewhere in the middle of his presentation, however, I was jolted into a state of disbelief. The rep looked upon the audience of brand managers with genuine sincerity and in a calming voice expressed, “Don’t over-think any of this. It’s not that complicated. Do four things every week…ask a question, run a poll, share links, and engage with your fans. Oh, and have fun!”

It’s not that this advice isn’t helpful. But it is exactly the type of counsel that contributes to the phenomenon of social “stream fatigue.” More and more people in social networks will begin realizing that they hold control of their social streams and can simply unlike or unfollow brands that don’t deliver value.

It’s time for brands to rethink their approach in social media

Everything begins with providing a reason for consumers to connect with brands in social networks, not once, but now and over time, again and again. Brands must study consumer preferences in advance of social efforts and continually monitor what consumers expect and want in this channel. Effective brand engagement is directly linked to the value customers take away from the branded social experience and how closely their expectations and desires are met.

To help understand the contours of this situation, marketing firm Exact Target set out to understand what it is that customers want in social relationships. This valuable information can only help brands design experiences that meet or exceed needs and expectations. In its study appropriately titled “The Social Break-up,” (registration required to download survey) 55-percent of Facebook users reported liking a brand and then later deciding they no longer wish to see the company’s posts. Half of fans say that they really aren’t even fans as they don’t visit the page or web site after the “Like.” Seventy-one percent of consumers say that they’re now becoming more selective about the brands they like.

When asked why consumers were breaking-up with brands in Facebook and Twitter, the top reasons cited were:

• The company posts too frequently
• My wall was becoming too crowded with marketing posts
• The content was too repetitive or boring

In the previous three points, we learn what not to do. When customers were asked why they unliked brands, we get a better idea for what to do next  (interpreted):

• I only “Liked” the company to take advantage of an offer
• Brands didn’t offer enough special offers or deals over time to make it worth my while
• Their posts were too promotional without the ability to take action against them within the stream

It comes back to intention and value. Customers are yearning for a more useful or meaningful connection and for the most part, brands are missing the opportunity to truly engage. The ExactTarget data highlights the need for brands to move away from posting marketing or promotional content or repeatedly diluting streams with boring posts. These acts will only drive customers away from social engagement. Instead, by providing special offers and more useful, actionable or engaging updates, customers will find value in preserving the connection.

IBM also conducted a study that asked consumers what they expected from brand engagement in social media. As part of its research, IBM asked business leaders what they thought consumers were seeking in a social relationship. The results identified a dramatic gap between presumption and actual demand.

The top two reasons consumers gave as to why they interact with companies in social networks were:

1. Receive discounts (61%)
2. Make purchases (55%)

In contrast, businesses believe that the top two reasons consumers follow them in social networks are…

1. Learn about new products (73%)
2. To receive general information (71%)

While consumers expressed the desire to receive discounts or make purchases as the top reasons for engagement in social media, businesses view these actions as the lowest two motives for connecting in the social web.

What we learn from these two studies is that it’s not about the content, the profile, or publishing information regularly; it’s about understanding and delivering what customers want.

If you’re not sure what customers want…ask!

Ask and ye shall receive. You’ve heard it a million times, but are businesses actually practicing what they preach? To bridge the gap between consumer expectations and business perceptions, asking customers what they want can go a long way. For example, when Google’s much discussed new social network launched, two major brands were front and center hoping to deliver a unique, value add experience. Ford Motor Company was one of the first companies to build a brand page and in an notable move, asked people what they expected from the company in Google+. Ford’s Scott Monty and team took the scores of feedback to a dedicated engagement and content strategy.  Shortly thereafter, Michael Dell personally asked his circles about the roll Google Hangouts, a group chat service in Google+, can play in customer service.

“I am thinking about hangouts for business. Would you like to be able to connect with you Dell service and sale teams via video directly from Dell.com?”

Over 800 people responded and seemed to genuinely support the idea. Simply asking people what they want from the social media is the first step a business can take in bridging the consumer gap.

The reality is that customers can and will cut ties with brands that do not take their best interests into account. Consumers are realizing that they have the power to reduce or eliminate stream fatigue by tailoring the relationships they maintain in each network.

In order to redesign social programs to deliver value to customers and avoid getting culled from a social stream, businesses will need a better understanding of consumer wants and expectations. Asking them what they want is a good start. This can be done through surveys, customer service prompts or other creative means that may already be in place. The answers will reveal the ingredients necessary to design a relevant and valuable social media formula. In every strategy moving forward, businesses must also integrate feedback loops to learn how programs are performing and how best to improve them over time. Whether social media is a combination of discounts or special promotions, thought leadership, social commerce, or entertainment, customers should drive the elements of companies’ social media design. This is the way to better engage customers by giving them, the audience, what they want.

The End of Business as Usual will be available in the coming weeks. You can pre-order now at Amazon | Barnes and Noble | 800CEOREAD.

Part One – Digital Darwinism, Who’s Next

Twitter continues to impress its supporters and critics alike. With 100 million active users, one billion Tweets published every day, and a fresh round of funding, Twitter’s monetization strategy continues to mature. In addition to licensing deals for its coveted fire hose and a future revenue stream tied to analytics, Twitter’s blue bird truly flies with the help of its expanding portfolio of Promoted products. The company is now releasing its latest offering, and it’s the most controversial product yet. New Promoted ads currently in a limited round of tests, hit streams even if users do not already follow the brand but are “like” those who do. Notoriously conservative in pushing ads to its fiercely loyal audience, this move represents a Mad Men moment for Twitter as it ventures into bold new territory.

The new form of in stream ads are an extension of its existing Promoted Tweets product where ads are placed at the top of the stream if the user already followed the company. Additionally, brands can used Promoted Tweets tied to search to plug directly into the interest graph. The first ad produce released by Twitter helps brands reach people who search for relevant keywords by serving up a promoted Tweet related to the search. Twitter is expected to also introduce self-service products for smaller businesses later in 2011.

Twitter’s other advertising products help brands reach consumers by attracting attention in the active panel that frames the Tweet stream. Through Promoted Accounts, brands can buy an opportunity to increase the number of followers. And, with Promoted Trends, brands tempt users with intriguing words or hashtags to entice click-throughs.

Companies such as Starbucks, Virgin America and Coca-Cola have actively invested in a variety of Twitter’s Promoted products since the beginning and each claim that Twitter’s ads consistently deliver worthwhile performance. Brands continue to line up to be among the first to experiment with these new media buys.

In a marketing world where media is neatly divided into paid, earned, and owned (P.O.E.M.), Twitter forces marketers to think beyond the traditional banner mindset. I spent the last couple of years studying the new opportunities for brands in the new media world and vehicles, channels, and mindsets required to use them effectively. The new take on media was released recently with the help of JESS3 as The Brandsphere. It introduced Promoted and Shared as two new channels to round out paid, earned, and owned. For example with Twitter’s new Promoted product, brands are encouraged to look beyond flashy graphical elements or using images or names of friends as bait. Twitter is carefully monetizing its popular service by requiring brands to lure consumers through clever word play, linked by interests that drive noteworthy experiences. Brands now need to rethink the click-through experience to take consumers on an extraordinary journey to not only perform well, but also reinforce the value of Promoted products as they introduce potential disruption to the precious Tweet stream.

Will Twitter’s new product pay off? Advertisers are certainly willing to give it a try. In a recent study conducted by Pivot, 60% and 32% of brands that experimented with social advertising, including Twitter’s Promoted products, found the new form of advertising very useful and useful respectively. Of those we polled, 93% had deployed social ads on Facebook and 78% on Twitter.

When it comes to consumers and how they feel about Promoted ads in Twitter, Lab42 found that only 10.9% say that they “are annoying and take away from the Twitter experience.” For this moment in time, consumers are open to Twitter’s cautious expansion of new advertising products. In the same study, 24.8% had already reported seeing Promoted ads related to relevant brands. Another 21.6% have received discounts offered through Promoted Tweets, 21.2% found new brands, and 14% have retweeted Promoted Tweets.

If you look at the doors that Twitter’s promoted products open, you start to get an idea of just how far this can go.
Promoted products can reach people based on interest, device, geolocation, behavior, and demographic. Indeed, Twitter’s Madmen moment has arrived. The company must now look at innovating not just how to sell media opportunities, but also work with brands to consistently deliver value and unique experiences that consumers appreciate rather than disregard or revolt against. Here, Twitter’s competition is itself as this is an opportunity that’s theirs and only theirs to win or lose. Even though Facebook is for all intents and purposes a competing network, budgets will continue to fund experiments in both and many other social platforms as brands experiment with reaching consumers where their attention is focused, their social streams.

Connect with Brian Solis on Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | Google+ | BrianSolisTV
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The End of Business as Usual: Rewire the way you work to succeed in the consumer revolution

Pre-order now at Amazon | Barnes and Noble | 800CEOREAD.
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ENGAGE!: The complete guide for businesses to build and measure success on the social web

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As a consumer, you are blasted with the same request over and over, “Follow Us on Twitter, Like Us on Facebook” As a consumer however it is more than natural to ask why should I or what’s in it for me? These are questions of which a significant number of businesses cannot genuinely answer.

Businesses are realizing the importance of establishing a presence on Twitter and other vibrant social networks. In many ways, hosting a branded account is now common practice, a required extension to the push channels created through email, traditional marketing and web sites. What businesses are still learning however is that creating a channel, hosting a channel worth following, and building a loyal audience is a far greater challenge and overall investment than initially anticipated. At the same time, the realization that a shift from a push mentality to that of two-way interaction is nothing less than disruptive to the operation of business as usual.

Today a notable number of businesses are approaching branded social channels from a ready, fire, aim approach. This method conjures a façade of achievement when in fact, any progress, if at all recognized, is short term and shoddy at best. Many focus on numbers without first analyzing who they’re trying to reach and why and more importantly how engagement satisfies the needs of their customers. To build vibrant communities in social networks, businesses must develop a remarkable and diversified channel strategy that reinforces the brand and communicates tangible business value and exudes customer-centricity. Without a mature content and engagement strategy, a great unfollow and unlike movement is inevitable.

A Focused Perspective

You can’t depend on your judgment when your imagination is out of focus.
- Mark Twain

Competing for the attention of the elusive social consumer surfaces new challenges for brands. Rather than luring a static audience, brands must now demonstrate ongoing value in order to captivate an engaged audience. As a result, brands must now focus on defining a mission and purpose and delivering value for each of the audiences they’re hoping to address.

The key to zooming in on purpose and usefulness within social channels starts with the realization that there is no one audience. Nor is there a sustainable market for branded messages, marketing campaigns, or “Tweet/Like to Win” contests. Indeed, every channel created to represent the brand must carry a purpose, mission and corresponding value. One of the most common questions I’m asked by businesses of all shapes and sizes is “what is the right number of accounts we should have in each social network?” Or, “how many profiles is too many or too few?”

The answer is as simple as it is revealing. Create the number of channels that meaningfully extend the focus of your business, topline and supporting brands, and relevant stories to the dedicated audience they’re designed to serve. Additionally, only create the number of channels that strengthen the brand rather than dilute it and also possess the capacity to ensure its ongoing relevance.

For example, I’ve worked with leading organizations that over time accumulated hundreds of profiles on Twitter alone. Is that too many or not enough? If we bring it back to the earlier answer, it is only too many or too few if each account does not serve a purpose that strengthens the brand experience, appeals to a dedicated and scalable audience, and receives the necessary support to stay engaged and deliver endless value.

Initially many brands experienced unmanaged growth encouraging or in some cases ignoring, the creation of profiles simply because it was easy and trendy to do so. Best intentions aside, many of these accounts were unrewarding for followers and the account managers and in some cases diluted the brand through unfocused engagement. These channels were representations of an orchestra without a conductor that at times found its instrumentation inclusive of improvisational and amateur jams. Sometimes beautiful music was brought to life and more often than not, noise or worse, silence was the end result.

So what are the best practices in creating an engaging social stream? Let’s take a look at the traits of some of the more successful and regarded brands in the business.

1. Design an Effective Channel Strategy: Evaluate the main brand, sub brands, and notable personalities that require a “follow worthy” or “likable” presence. If there are other accounts that exist beyond the initial strategy, assess their value as a standalone channel and its current state. It may be best to simple truncate accounts or close them all together.

2. Create a Life Support System: Develop an organized framework that supports each presence uniquely. Ensure that each account establishes a rhythm that meets the needs of its audience.

3. Mission and Purpose: Know the audience you’re trying to reach and design a communicable mission and purpose for each account.

4. Develop an Editorial Program: Create an editorial program that addresses the various needs of the social consumer including entertainment, sales, service, engagement, HR, etc. Evoke the new K.I.S.S. (Keep It Significant and Shareable). Create content that’s both engaging, contextually relevant, and shareable. Think beyond the basics such as polls, curation, promotional content, questions.

5. Construct a Listening Framework: The best listeners make the best conversationalists. Build a listening framework that monitors the brands as well as the distinct conversations related to each account.

6. Establish Conversational Workflow: Each account requires an information path and workflow. They also require bridges between them to ensure that every representative is informed and that the right delegates within the business are on point to engage or respond accordingly.

7. Formulate a Decision Tree: Draft a clear flowchart that details the steps for a variety of “if this happens, then do this” situations. This is designed to help representatives follow a pre-defined path for the real-time nature of engagement.

8. Initiate a Training Program: Representatives will require ongoing training to stay sharp and focused. Every engagement either reinforces or takes away from the brand experience. As technology moves faster than our ability to master its lessons, training keeps employees on track.

9. Install a Governance and Reward System: Much like the marketing team protects the integrity of the brand and how it’s presented, a social team is necessary to manage the integrity of each Twitter account as well as the overall portfolio. At the same time, a reward system must be put in place to encourage exceptional work.

10. Draft a Social Media Brand Style Guide: Chances are a style guide already exists that communicates brand presentation, usage guidelines, and other forms of brand-related marketing aesthetics. This guide requires a significant update to account for social media. Its primary function is to define the brand persona, characteristics, voice, and essence. Additionally, the updated style guide will define the design of each presence and how represents should accurately enliven it through narrative.

11. Compose Guidelines and Do’s and Don’ts: Develop a social media policy that conveys the do’s and don’ts in social media. If one already exists, update it. The law has changed and now protects employee rights to express opinion about employers within their personal accounts. Additionally, many employees complain that the existing guidelines are either too extreme or ambiguous to define successful engagement. Design the guideline to serve as guardrails and also a roadmap to success.

12. Serve Customers and Prospects: Social consumers now expect brands to solve problems and answer questions in social streams. Each channel requires a service function or a dedicated channel to satisfy needs and promote appreciation and loyalty.

13. Employ Language and Timing Techniques: Two points of note, timing is everything and in brevity there’s clarity. Studies already show that the time and day and the language structure of Tweets and Facebook updates determine overall reach and engagement. Optimize language and timing to make every update count.

14. Design Engagement and Performance Metrics: Monitor the performance of each account to improve the engagement and editorial strategy for each account.

Following these best practices will prevent your brand from falling victim to the coming wave of customer unlikes and unfollows. But more importantly, focusing social channels and investing in the value of each will improve the customer experience and encourage greater engagement. By increasing meaningful interaction, brand reach is dramatically amplified through the social effect, encouraging customers to not only Like the brand, but genuinely love it!

Originally published in Mashable

Connect with Brian Solis on Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | Google+

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The New ENGAGE!: If you’re looking to FIND answers in social media and not short cuts, consider either the Deluxe or Paperback edition

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Click here for the Conversation Prism, Twitterverse, Behaviorgraphics, and Social Compass posters…

Like us on Facebook.

Follow us on Twitter.

+1 us on Google Plus.

Sound familiar?

It’s an all too familiar request that consumers face everyday. But what are businesses doing to help convince customers why they should do so? The answer is not as pervasive as you might imagine or hope to expect. In fact, I believe that “why?” is the least asked question by businesses in social media today.

The questions businesses should be asking, even before they create a social presence whatsoever include:

Why should we have a presence in Facebook, Twitter, et al.?

Why would consumers connect with us now and stay connected over time?

Consumers will expect businesses to think through these questions carefully and to present the answers and corresponding value into conversations and more important, into ongoing editorial and engagement planning and programming. It’s what makes social media just that…social.

I recently joined NBC’s Scott McGrew, Jon Swartz of USA Today and Dr. Moira Gunn of NPR on press:here to discuss this subject at greater length. Please take a moment to watch and let me know your thoughts for how businesses can use social media to improve customer relationships.

Connect with Brian Solis on Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | Google+

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The New ENGAGE!: If you’re looking to FIND answers in social media and not short cuts, consider either the Deluxe or Paperback edition

___
Click here for the Conversation Prism, Twitterverse, Behaviorgraphics, and Social Compass posters…

Guest post by Dan Zarrella (@DanZarrella), social media scientist at HubSpot

One of the easiest ways to explain social media to newcomers is to liken it to a networking or cocktail party. The behaviors that will make you the life of the party (or a pariah) will have the same effect in social media. And we all know how painful it is to listen to someone at an event just talk about themselves all night long.

I analyzed a number of Twitter accounts and found that as the amount of Tweets containing self-referential remarks increased, the number of followers an account had decreased. Talking about yourself constantly doesn’t make you the hit of an offline cocktail party, nor does it work on Twitter.

And when I looked at ReTweets, I found that they tend to contain a much lower percentage of self-reference than Tweets over all do. Talking about yourself is not only going to reduce the amount of followers you have, it’s also un-retweetable.

When I did a survey and asked people why they chose to read specific blogs, I was told that they’re looking for bloggers specific points of view. They don’t want to hear you talk about yourself, they want to hear you talk as yourself.

If you’re launching a new product, service or feature, don’t talk only about your company and your offering. Talk about how your customers are using it, or can use it to increase their bottom line. Talk about your audience, not about yourself.

For more social media data and mythbusting, be sure to register for the Science of Social Media webinar on August 23rd

The question seems premature or perhaps over dramatized, but I ask it with all sincerity. Whether the answer is yes or no or if the answer is not yet within grasp, think about the question at any level you wish and try to answer it. It is the process of thinking through the strengths and weaknesses of Facebook and Google Plus where you discover what each network means to you and why and how you will divide your time and focus in each. Or, you may uncover reasons to jump from one network to the other or pull the plug all together. It’s a healthy exercise to help you find balance and reconnect with your core values that drive productivity and fulfillment.

The adoption of Google+ is nothing short of astounding. comScore estimates that 25 million people have circled their friends and are sharing, +1′ing their way, and chatting their way toward social bliss. comScore visualizes the blinding velocity of Google’s growth, reaching 25 million within its first month of debut. In comparison, it took Twitter and Facebook almost three years to hit that milestone.

Now, some argue that the comparison to Twitter and Facebook is not parallel as Google is well established, for example there are an estimated 200 million users of gmail today. In the grand scheme of the discussion, the other social networks emerged as startups. On the other hand, Bradley Horowitz, VP Product at Google+ pointed out to me that network growth is purely organic without the benefit of Google’s marketing muscle-at least not yet. People can only join the network with an invitation from someone else. Imagine what the momentum will look like once users of other Google products are officially invited to join and in turn invite others.

Adoption is global…

As you can see, adoption is a global phenomenon. with the U.S., India, Canada, the U.K., Germany, Brazil, France, Taiwan, Turkey, and Spain rounding out the top 10 countries driving growth.

While women generally out number men in some of the leading networks in the social web, Google+ is another story. comScore notes that males make up 63% of all U.S. visitors.

Will You Leave Facebook for Google Plus?

As I noted in my initial analysis, Google+ is not a Facebook or Twitter killer and I don’t think that’s the right lens for which to survey the social landscape. In the U.S., we have a few top traditional TV networks, CBS, ABC, and NBC. In social networking, we now have three top social networks to compete for global online attention and interaction. In this example, none of the traditional networks successfully captured the attention of every viewer possible nor did one network kill the other. Instead, the programming of each network attracts people through content, creativity, and timing, defining, segmenting and sharing the audience around shared interests.

The same can be true in social networking. People will invest in the networks where they find value. Value is defined by the groups (or circles) of people they know, those they admire or respect, and the content and experiences they share. Personal fulfillment is also key. Social currency drives engagement as individuals must feel a sense of reciprocity, recognition and reward in each exchange.

With that said, I was fascinated by the number of passionate debates that explored whether or not people were planning on leaving Facebook in favor of Google+, those who were reluctant to embrace a new network and those who were ready to declare social media bankruptcy. I hosted a poll to surface opinions and perceptions that would bring clarity to the discussion.

I asked a simple, but leading question, “Will you abandon Facebook in favor of Google+?” I also invited participants to share their reasons why they voted yes, no, or selected any of the other options. I then shared the poll on Twitter, Facebook, and in Google+ and captured feedback in each network to contextualize each response. 1,977 people voted, with 23,000 people viewing the poll

To say that it seemed to strike a chord is an understatement. The emotion was raw. The responses were revealing.

I was surprised and not surprised to see that 23% of participants stated that they will leave Facebook in favor of Google+. 18% said “no way!” Almost half of the almost 2,000 respondents plan on using both networks to learn more. For fun, but also to take the temperature of social users, I asked if people currently suffer from social network fatigue (SNF) to which 7% responded yes.

Mashable and PC Magazine also hosted similar polls and I found the results worthy of sharing.

Mashable readers directly align with the results of this survey with 23% planning on leaving Facebook for Google+. But, PC Magazine readers are a little more ambitious with 50% claiming that they will move their social residence to Google+.

I also wanted to learn more about those who participated in this survey, so I asked respondents to indicate gender and age.

The gender divide almost matches the comScore U.S. breakdown of Google+visitors (63%), with men accounting for 60% of all respondents.

I also asked about age. As you can see, the numbers again almost match the comScore results with 24-34 and 35-44 representing the two largest demographic age groups with 36% and 28% responding respectively. The younger demographic didn’t turn out for my study, but as you can see from comScore’s report, they represent a significant user base.

Women represent the larger population in Facebook estimated at 57%. With Google+, men represent the larger percentage of inhabitant. It is how the results break down the gender lines that I find interesting. Note: these numbers are a representation of the larger dataset as pulling information out of TWTPOLL proved a bit difficult here.

23% vs 15%: The percentage of men to women explicit in their claim that they plan on abandoning Facebook in favor of Google+.

50% vs. 51%: The percentage of women to men that will equally explore both options before making a decision.

7%: The equal percentage of men and women who feel SNF.

Now let’s take a look at some of the responses…

YES!

Travis Wright (teedubya) - Already shut down my wall… and moved shop. Although, I will keep it open so I can “connect” with 3rd party sites easily… and comment on my high school luddite friends statuses.
Source: Google+

Steven Streight - Facebook is a cesspool of rogue apps, spammy games, phishing exploits, and disrespect for user privacy. It has very trivial content compared to Google+. I permanently deleted my account a long time ago. Twitter seems cold, lifeless, hard to manage, no Circles or ways to quickly see what my close pals are saying. Google+ is way better than both. I am spending a lot less time on Twitter now.
Source: Google+

Note: The conversation hosted on Facebook did not yield a single “yes,” but it did produce one example of SNF.

@FangFan62 – I hope to once more of my friends and family are on it.
Source: Twitter

@MiguelAngelArce - I voted Yes!, I like circles and as long as I can see, G+ is taking the best of fb and twitter, and making it better. Google absolutly are respondig to the question: How will be a social networking service if it was invented today?, using all the power, tech, tools, and apps of Google.
Source: Twitter

NO WAY!

Chad Brack - No – I believe that, over time, FB will be the primary location for sharing with family and most non-technical friends. A ‘lightweight’ sharing. G+ will be a spot for more involved dialogue and twitter/rss-style ‘following’ of topics that interest me.
Source: Google+

Jennifer Stavros - As it stands currently: no. I will use both because both serve different purposes for me. I will also not be abandoning twitter for any of these services either. For me, Google+ is a great way to moderate the various “personalities” I have on the web in one place. Its a place for me to be more serious with my colleagues and still remain the creative with those that share those interests as well. It’s for business conversations and shared innovations. Facebook stands as a platform for connections with my closer network family of sorts. These are people whom I know personally and who can understand/enjoy the dual personality of corporate & creative. Twitter is for art and free flowing thoughts. My stream is not always as business oriented as some, depending on the hour, but it is meant to be the place where my thoughts are able to spill over a bit.
Source: Google+

Bruce Scherer - No. Google+ will be a ghetto for wonks for a while, and is not tight enough to persuade regular people to stake new territory. I’ll keep feet in both places, though.
Source: Facebook

Jean Martell Ames - No..i like the separation between fb and g+…friends and family on fb…work network on g+…i know that will change when more people join g+ but it’s so refreshing to be on g+ right now
Source: Facebook

@AiDBusiness – It would be almost impossible to give up Facebook once established there. I may spend less time on FB, for a while, however.

PLANNING TO USE BOTH

BRANDInsider.tv - I think that it’ll take some time before people actually pay attention to Google+. Facebook is king and many are used to it but Google + has already been very good at sharing and their Hangouts is awesome!It’ll take some time for it to be a true competitor with Facebook
Source: Facebook

Jeremy D’Hoinne - It’s hard to tell now. None of my non-geek friends are on G+ yet. I use Facebook mostly for close friends and family.I’ll abandon it if they use Google+, otherwise I’ll keep both.But I’ll probably give up on twitter as soon as Google+ find a way to manage collapsed comment by default and smart choice for displaying shared post (no more than once per circle for example or just mention the re share)
Source: Google+

Garrett Moon – Why bother? I get tired of this idea that one network has to die for another one to come it. How about both? I think they can both provide something different, unique, and worth while. It will keep them both and use them both. Now, that doesn’t mean G+ isn’t more fun!
Source: Google+

@JudithSoto – I haven’t played with Google+ enough to commit 100%. But I’m not a fan of Facebook because of privacy issues and I often teeter on closing my personal account. Not confident that Google would respect my privacy either, though. I’ll have to explore Google+ more
Source: Twitter

@Aaron_Emig Personally I will use both. I will use FB more for the business pages and other apps like events, notes, etc. Google+ is great for most FB users who just chat, post pics, ask for recommendations, etc. because G+ is a lot more user-friendly than FB.
Source: Twitter

SNF

Niki Nikolaou - anybody else as tired as I am on sharing so much? I don’t want to add another thingee to my list of thingees. Now I know why we die.
Source: Facebook

@chrisfauch - Facebook is dead! G+ offers a quiet and cosy ONLY place where to meet people you have to meet for your job & projects. Looking like SNF
Source: Twitter

@AAARenee – I voted SNF because since 2003 I have been exploring Social Networks, building them up to make them meaningful & finding success in different ecosystems. With the promise of every new SN I am both skeptical & hopeful. Over time it is harder & harder to pack up my social friends & convince them to go West with me for bigger & better things. Google+ for now reminds me a lot of FriendFeed, an ecosystem where the innovators & early adapters meet to discuss high level content. For that reason alone I will spend time on the site. I have no doubt that Google+ will be around for some time but I think it will be a long time before it becomes mainstream & has the audience engagement that Facebook has. It’s growth will accelerate with the right apps & social tools.
Source: Twitter

A NOTE ABOUT TWITTER

It wasn’t a question that was asked, but some respondents did say that Google+ had already claimed Twitter profiles.

Heather White-Laird - Never been a fan of facebook..too many pets and babies. But the sad part is i’m leaving twitter behind which I do love. G+ has almost my full attention these days.
Source: Google+

Dana Severson - No, but I’m considering Twitter.

Bill Hewson - no, but i have already kind of abandoned twitter

@HLeichsenring – I am thinking about changing FB to a purely private usage. In any case I am going to use my FB Page even more. G+ is right now an interesting SM experiment. I am using it besides my FB FP. Let’s see, were it will end One of the more interesting things is: will G+ be able to attack twitter… Kind regards from Germany Hansjörg
Source: Twitter

barry brown – Facebook will be how I stay in touch with family and close friends until or if they move elsewhere. My Facebook page is where my customers live and I truly don’t see that changing any time soon, but will be trying to create a community of new customers on Google+ when business profiles are introduced. I am already spending less time on Twitter and believe that platform has more to worry about than Facebook.
Source: Twitter

If you can make the time, I suggest that you read some of the other responses. They really steer the discussion in interesting directions.

Google+ 1 (Poll Round 1)

Google+ 2 (Poll Round 2)

Facebook

Twitter

Social OS

At the heart of the matter is the either or nature of Google vs. Facebook and to some extent vs. Twitter. The numbers and the supporting responses reflect passionate, frustrated and also practical views of a multifaceted discussion. Personally, I don’t believe this is an either or discussion however, at least not yet. It’s far too complex to pick up and move completely away from a social or interest graph. Investing countless hours assembling personal, professional, and also emotional pieces of who you are in real life to build a semblance of you in the digital egosystem plus the valuable relationships forged over time equates to a tangible value measured in social capital. What I do believe is worthy of exploration is a conversation that’s less about social networking and more about the notion of a social OS.

Over the years, I’ve thought a lot about the idea of social networks as hubs for the digital version of “you.” The idea was that Facebook, Twitter, and now Google+, become your attention dashboard. And through the cultivation of your social and interest graphs, the apps that further personalize the experience, and those that plug into other applications such as Web sites, documents, collaboration tools or those that translate into the real world, essentially create a social OS. Ideally, this platform eventually connects the online with the offline, creating a complete experience drive though one integrated dashboard.

If you wonder how I voted, I side with the majority of respondents. I plan on using both, learning about the cultures, dynamics, and opportunities in each to gain personal and professional value in each.

Where do you stand in this discussion. Have you made up your mind or are you planning on experimenting to see where the social tide takes you?

Connect with Brian Solis on Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | Google+

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While there are already countless articles about Google+ and many more sharing up-to-the-minute statistics to emerge from the burgeoning network, I reserved my thoughts until now. I needed time to think about it.

Part FriendFeed, part Google Buzz, part Facebook, part Google.com and all of its properties, Google Plus represents a fresh approach to social engagement not seen at this level since the early days of Twitter. In the U.S., we have only a few top traditional TV networks, CBS, ABC, and NBC. In social networking, we now have a top three to compete for the online attention of not only Americans, but also the world–Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.

The new Google is already gaining momentum. For instance, Google’s +1 button is reportedly being served 2.3 billion times a day. More than 1 billion items are shared and received per day in Google+ (or Google Plus). And, Google+ has also earned over 10 million active in a short time. While that number may seem trifling when compared to the likes of Facebook and Twitter, 10 million is nothing to wince at. In fact, in just 16 days, Google surpassed a milestone that took FourSquare two years to reach. As you can see in the image below courtesy of Leon Haland, Twitter took 780 days and Facebook 852 days to reach 10 million users. In only three weeks, Google+ hit 20 million. Adoption only continues to soar despite its exclusivity.

The only way these 10 million people joined the network was because a select few were given the privilege to invite a small set of friends. This tactic only spurs the sharing of invitations like a secret password into a deliciously trendy speakeasy. With every gushing experience shared, demand mounts. During the weekend of its debut, over one-third of all Tweets were related to Google Plus. In fact, some predict that Google Plus will become the fastest of all social networks to hit 100 million users, a new metric that appears to represent the equivalent of 0 to 60 mph (or 0 to 100 kph) in the automotive industry.

Exclusivity only goes so far however. At someone point, Google either thrives on the experience it creates or it succumbs to an all too familiar outcome, abandonment.

Google’s Concentric Circles

For years it seemed that Google couldn’t grasp the human laws that govern social networking. The intentional and unintentional spectacles of exhilaration that launched Wave, Buzz and +1 showed the world that a culture of engineering is only part of the formula required for social networking. It would take a culture of sociology, ethnography and psychology to understand the dynamics of human behavior and package them into a meaningful service that real people would embrace. It would take a team of great minds such as Chris Messina and Paul Adams, a former user experience expert at Google to realize that to +1 Facebook or Twitter, would take a novel and human approach.

Adams’ presented a very basic yet powerful explanation for how human beings connect and share with one another using Facebook as an example of the limitations that exist today. In this case, Facebook, the most popular social network with 750 million users worldwide, encourages people to build one social graph with up to 5,000 friends. In turn, Facebook offers various levers and switches to divide the social graph into a series of dedicated communities through its Lists and Groups and products.

Here, technology does not imitate life. But, you probably don’t need a social scientist to tell you that this functionality does not mirror how you connect and communicate in the real world. To Facebook’s credit though, how people connect, discover, share and talk to one another helped people evolve as digital natives and will continue to do so.

In his presentation, Adams visualized exactly what any anthropologist or sociologist might tell you, people don’t build just one social graph in real life. They cultivate a core group of 4-to-6 communities (or interest graphs) where each is focused on an aspect of one’s life, from work to BFF’s to other specific interests. Some of these communities stand the test of time, some expand and contract as people come and go, and many are merely temporary, usually based on short-term projects or curiosity.

In a study of 3,000 randomly chosen Americans, most participants maintained a strong network of only four ties. The example Adams shared on Facebook was telling and representative of the challenge many face when “networking” online today.

One user, “Debbie” demonstrated the opportunity for a more seamless form of networking. As Paul would demonstrate, the benefit of circles was evident.

1. Debbie moved from Los Angeles to San Diego.

2. Debbie was still connected to a group of friends she made when she lived in Los Angeles.

3. Some of those friends worked as bartenders in a gay bar.

4. She now also maintains a network of new friends in San Diego, where she currently lives, in the same social graph.

5. Of course, she is still in contact with her family.

6. Debbie is also an active swimmer and trains ten-year-old kids in competitive swimming. She has friended other trainers and some of the kids in her class.

In this portrait, it’s immediately clear that Debbie maintains, at least conceptually, four distinct groups. What Debbie shares on Facebook, unless she’s carefully mixed her settings, will most likely reach everyone with whom she’s connected. In Adams’ example, picture of late night fun at the gay bar where she used to work were visible to her ten-year-old students simply because Debbie would Like or comment on them. As is, it’s too confusing. At the same time, consumers aren’t necessarily thinking about segmenting their online engagement. Users want control at their fingertips, not in the settings window, to share with the groups of people contextually linked to each update. This is where Facebook Groups and Lists can improve and also where Google Plus shines right out of the gate.

Seemingly scripted for TV, but very much rooted in reality, Paul, the would be father of Google Circles, has since left Google and moved to Facebook. This is an interesting move considering his research and methodology around digital networking. His book, Social Circles, is awaiting publishing while Google decides whether or not he is permitted to release it to the public.

Google Circles its Play

Google has done something that Facebook and Twitter have failed to do, make creating groups of friends visually pleasing and also fun. In the first few hours of logging in, I immediately started creating circles related to family, friends, work, and other top and temporary interests.

People are gushing at the ability to create Circles. Time will tell if people change their behavior enough that the Google differntiator truly becomes a value proposition. Even Google Circles do not carry out Paul’s original research. While Circles distinguish networks from nicheworks, they do not account for the separation between strong, weak, and temporary ties within  each group. There are still subgroups within every group that require distinction.

For example, in each group, we maintain tiers of contacts, those we trust, those we know, and those with whom we may or may not be acquainted. What we share in these nicheworks is different in the real world than it is online. To borrow Adams’ image from his Google presentation, some may not broadcast their address or phone number across an entire group, but they might for some. As is, Google Circles still assumes top line engagement even if it’s within a focused community.

Moving forward, Google Circles will need sub-circles if it is to mimic how we engage in the real world. The question is, will people embrace it or is it simply too much work? I often think about and study how online behavior affects offline self esteem and character. Even though we maintain circles in real life, we’ve been conditioned to seek simplicity in online engagement. Remember, many of the groups we create in real life are often temporary. To mimic this behavior online introduces complexity I’m not sure people are actively seeking. There may be greater value in mass peer-to-peer engagement for a majority of social updates. Having the ability to share exclusive content with a fixed subset of any community is helpful, but most likely representative of a minority of overall engagement. That’s just a hypothesis however. Again, time will tell.

What’s clear is that the elegance and ease of creating Circles is enough to get people talking. It may prove beneficial enough to generate demand for similar functionality within Facebook and perhaps Twitter. Keep in mind that Facebook employees are an elite squad of developers and thinkers. It acquired FriendFeed and also Beluga among many other services to improve, I assume, how people communicate with one another within their social and interest graphs. There is more to see from Facebook on this front.

The Human Algorithm

I’ve always believed that the social Web will give way to a socioeconomic hierarchy of sorts which I dubbed PeopleRank or People Rank (sorry TechCrunch, that was me.) The idea is that everyday people would complement the digital algorithms of the web to amplify content they find interesting or useful related to the context of their search or discovery. Even though Twitter offers its Retweet button and Facebook users can Like content to boost visibility within the network’s social stream, Google’s +1 introduces everyday people to the idea of flagging great content across the entire Web.

If you’re logged into Google, the results are curated based on the activity of your friends. At some point, +1 will apply a layer of PeopleRank to content and destinations similar to the way it does so today with PageRank. It represents a natural fusion of SEO and SMO. To counter this, Facebook must boost the discoverability of content without upsetting its delicate privacy balance.

Data Portability

Who owns your personal data in your social network today? The answer most of the time is the network. For years people and businesses have invested time, resources, and also money into cultivating the right network, curating valuable content, organizing special events, and bookmarking interesting commentary and destinations. At the moment, much of this content is locked away never to see the light of any other system. Google is taking a somewhat open approach allowing users to export their contacts and data. Today, Google is experimenting with a service called Google Takeout. This handy feature allows people to export a list of sites that they’ve +1’d.

Of course this is something that’s developing over time, but it is important. My friends over at DataPortability.org have been fighting this fight for quite some time. I believe that in the evolution of Google+ and Facebook, data portability will become paramount. It will take a concentration of user demand to move networks toward a more proactive and open approach.

Google Brand Pages

Due to overwhelming demand from businesses, Google+ will introduce an early version of its Brand Pages. Initially, Google removed business-related pages only to invite them into a test phase that will officially welcome a manageable stable of companies to test and help to improve the experience. Brands see this as a tremendous opportunity for direct-to-consumer engagement. On Facebook, some brands have earned more than 30 million Likes creating a dedicated brand network not yet seen in previous media.

For example, the Top 20 brands by the numbers on Facebook boast impressive audiences:

1. Coca Cola (31,762,653)
2. Disney (26,613,752)
3. Starbucks (23,574,606)
4. Oreo (21,864,091)
5. Red Bull (21,220,373)
6. Converse All Star (19,880,308)
7. Converse (18,977,840)
8. Skittles (18,386,827)
9. Playstation (16,245,633)
10. iTunes (15,862,234)
11. Pringles (14,765,300)
12. Victoria’s Secret(14,384,903)
13. Window’s Live Messenger (13,926,945)
14. Ferrero Rocher (11,676,898)
15. Monster Energy (11,492,620)
16. Nutella (10,696,260)
17. iPod (10,530,905)
18. Adidas Originals (10,433,947)
19. Xbox (10,388,218)
20. Dr Pepper (9,927,828)

Ford Motor Company was one of the first companies to build a page and in an impressive move, asked people what they expected from the company. Ford’s Scott Monty and team will then build a dedicated engagement strategy for Google+ that I would hope differs from its approach on Facebook and Twitter. Dell is working on expanding its renown social service model by bringing its team to where a customer’s attention is focused.  Google+ seems like a natural extension given its early momentum. When in doubt, ask. That’s just what Michael Dell did recently. And, over 800 people seemed to genuinely support the idea.

Brands must realize that the culture within each network and the corresponding expectations of its denizens are unique to the network as well as to the nature of their connections. Far too many brands have already lost sight of this important pillar of engagement contributing to either social blindness or an intentional unlike or unfollow. Perhaps Google+ will serve as a reminder that brands must embrace a philosophy of networking with purpose. What’s key to any consumer engagement strategy in Google+ is to recognize that brands aren’t generally categorized with all of the other Liked pages as in Facebook. In Google+, brands will require a social vs. anti-social approach. Why? Because consumers will categorize brands by various circles based on the nature of the relationship as well as the level of expected communication and value. Brands on Facebook and Twitter should also take note. Eventually, consumers will stop following brands that do not consistently deliver some form of tangible or even intangible value.

Culture and Flow

Speaking of culture, the sensation of engagement in Google+ is vibrant. Buzz is in the air and much of it is warranted. Many of my friends on Google+ are those I view as my inner circle. Google+ is a wonderful way to stay current with their work and observations. But with Circles, I’m also able to tune my stream based on the relevance of context at the moment. The real-time flow of Google+ is also dynamic. It keeps me engaged to the point where I find myself consuming or curating information at much greater ratios than creating original content.

Is it densely populated with the usual suspects? Of course it is. But, keep in mind that these early champions have helped make Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, and all of the other emerging “social” technologies what they are today. Their public observations, reviews, and recommendations contribute to the expansion and improvement of each network.

The ability to reply to individual comments is more than missing. I believe it’s a missed opportunity. But still, threaded conversations, like in Facebook, are appreciated over the continuous, but still addictive flow of Twitter. That’s what Google+ is about, continuous engagement and sharing that hums at a different, not necessarily better, frequency than Facebook. For posts that will yield higher-than-average engagement, I also appreciate the ability to mute only that particular stream when I’ve moved on to other discussions. It’s a nice touch.

Rich conversations can move from the stream and into a 10-person Hangout, a video chat that brings the conversation alive in a fulfilling way not seen in other social networks to date. Notably missing is the incorporation of hashtags. Although Chris Messina, largely recognized of the father of Twitter hashtags, is leading development on the Google+ project, he does acknowledge its importance in Google+. He is also currently looking into integration strategies.

This is after all a very public field test. And, Google is listening to improve the experience.

Social Networks: Your Social OS

Over the years, I’ve thought a lot about the idea of social networks as hubs for the digital version of “you.” The idea was that Facebook, Twitter, and now Google+, become your attention dashboard. And through the cultivation of your social and interest graphs, the apps that further personalize the experience, and those that plug into other applications such as Web sites, documents, collaboration tools or those that translate into the real world, essentially create a social OS. Ideally, this platform eventually connects the online with the offline, creating a complete experience drive though one integrated dashboard.

With the rise of Facebook, users have been introduced to the idea of networking and also the potential for personal and professional collaboration. I wondered when Google might respond with a complete social platform and it appears that Google+ is officially its answer.

Google+ and the ability to become the only place you need to communicate, collaborate, share, discover, and work, creates a social OS that is promising to the say the least. I believe that in the long run, Facebook and Google will compete as a Social OS for all you do online. Think about it. From sharing and collaborating on documents, grouping and coordinating work or activity steams, housing email, hosting phone or video chats, managing geo location, to search, Google and Facebook are already on a significant collision course.

Communication:

- Gmail vs. Facebook.com email

- Google Voice vs. Facebook/Skype

- Google Huddle vs. Facebook/Skype

Sharing:

- Like vs. +1

- Digital memories such as photos, events, and videos

Collaboration:

- Google Docs vs. Facebook/Microsoft 365Live

Location:

- Google Lattitude vs. Facebook Places

Search/Discovery

- Google.com vs. Facebook/Microsoft Search

Social Commerce:

- Google Deals vs. Facebook Deals

- Google Wallet vs. Facebook Credits

Mobile

- Android, iPhone (Smartphones), iPad (Tablets)

Entertainment

- Gamification

- Apps

This is an area of particular interest to me. Our attention dashboards will offer a much more integrated experience where collaboration and productivity increase as the vision of each network crystallizes. I’m sure your management team or IT department will appreciate hearing this news.

This is Just the Beginning

As the headline reads, I don’t believe Google Plus is a Facebook killer. While the audience has set the stage for a great duel between the Internet’s Goliath and the social web’s Goliath–I’m not sure Facebook could be viewed as David any longer–there will be no fight today. That doesn’t mean however that we won’t see the pair in a Roman coliseum battling to become the social OS for humanity. But for the near future, Google and Facebook are together helping the world socialize outside of the inbox. Competition, or the semblance of it, is healthy for everyone, especially us.

The key difference is that Facebook is operating under a mission to improve how the world connects and communicates. Mark Zuckerberg is steering his ship in a particular direction. Myspace co-founder Tom Anderson humbly wondered aloud whether or not “social” is in Google’s DNA or in Google+ for that matter. I’m not sure I get a clear idea of Google’s vision for social yet or if it even exists. Vision, mission, direction, these are powerful beacons to lead any industry, and besides this official memo and an attractive bonus structure, Google may need to circle its leadership team to think through human algorithms.

Nonetheless, Google Plus is inviting. It’s intriguing. It is promising. What it is not, is the end game. Google is however pressuring the hyper-connected us, to spread ourselves all the thinner to learn where and how to spend our time within the mix of all the other networks.

We’re learning.

We’re adapting.

Evolution is perpetual.

Social networks will continually iterate and innovate. That’s part of what makes this so exciting. The question remains however, is social in Google’s DNA or culture? Without it, Google might have +1′d for now, but without social studies, the new social darling might become unliked by the masses. In the end, you are the best judge of what works for you. The answer may be for the time being, that many networks prove their value in different ways. Google+ certainly offers early advantages, but this is a long journey. Much of the success of any network will be linked to any team that listens and adapts. Therefore, your experience is more important to the future of networking than you may think.

UPDATE 1: Google+ for iPhone is now available.

UPDATE 2: REPORT: How Google Plus Stacks Up Against Facebook – Interesting statistics

UPDATE 3: Google+ acquires Fridge. A clue from founder Austin Chang…”Right now, Google+ is asymmetric, we’re going to help them create shared spaces.”

UPDATE 4: Google+mishandled business accounts in the beginning and will now expedite business pages

UPDATE 5: Google+ Social Gaming Network confirmed and is on the way

UPDATE 6: Google+ pulls in 20 million in 3 weeks

UPDATE 7: Google’s stock has now gone up 27.85% since the launch of Google+ via @emilychangtv

Connect with Brian Solis on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Google+

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Foursquare is an emerging mobile network that connects people and places through mobile phones. While it isn’t the only player in the space, Foursquare does appear to be the game to beat. The 800 pound gorilla is Facebook Places but other geo-location nicheworks are also growing including Loopt and Gowalla. Each equally bring together the real and virtual worlds, unlocking the world around consumers through checkins and supporting gaming mechanics and social effects integrated into the experience. Foursquare has blazed the trail and as a result, it’s rewarded with escalating consumer adoption and engagement.

In July 2011, Foursquare announced that it had surpassed 10 million users. While that number may seem paltry in comparison to Facebook’s recently validated number of 750 million active users, Foursquare’s state is indicative of its potential and also reflective of the future of geo-location networking. Where we are and where we’re going are potentially divergent, but history dictates our present. Foursquare is growing rapidly and that counts for everything at the moment.

To mark the milestone, Foursquare released a telling infographic. To better tell the Foursquare story, I dissected the infographic into stages.

From Zero to 10,000,000

Just two years into its endeavor, Foursquare hit 10 million users. In comparison, some estimate that it took two years for Twitter to reach one million users.

Foursquare is known for sharing interesting facts. Here we see that 4.7 million people have checked into a “Main st” across the U.S. In two years, 169 countries were visited by U.S. users. Quite telling in terms of international adoption, there are over 358 million checkins outside of the U.S. I remember a time when I would travel internationally and would have to add every location I visited. I’d often hold mayorships for months all over the world. It didn’t last very long however. I don’t believe I hold any international mayorships now.

I believe that one of the most valuable achievements of Foursquare and also services such as Yelp and Groupon is the creation of a new layer of engagement and relationships between local businesses and patrons. Foursquare reported the most popular chains across the U.S. Foursquare breaks out checkins as follows:

Apparel:
Old Navy
H&M
Victoria’s Secret

Banks:
Bank of America
Chase
Wells Fargo

Convenience:
7-Eleven
Circle K
Wawa

Home:
Home Depot
Ikea
Lowe’s

Retail:
Target
Walmart
Macy’s

Happiness is a metric worth measuring and as such, the Foursquare team did not disappoint. The team spotlighted three cities, London, New York, and Hong Kong to open a window into the sentiment associated with each checkin. The blue pixels represent varying states of awesome, happy and okay. To the contrary, red represents shifting emotional landscape ranging from black to sucks to wtf. Interestingly checkins with “yay” outnumber “ugh” 6 to 1.

Even though Foursquare means business, it is an incredibly personal tool. As demonstrated with these telling facts, weddings and births are not beyond the checkin. To date, over 1,000 birth announcements were published in hospital checkins. Speaking of new beginnings, between parks, churches, and city halls, over 6,300 weddings checked in to Foursquare.

Each day, 78,000 mayors are ousted. I know, because I’m one of them. However, only 1 real world mayor exists on Foursquare. That honor goes to @MikeBloomberg, Mayor of City Hall, NYC.

The Games Businesses Play with Customers

Boomers and Generation X will remember the days when the Yellow Pages was the encyclopedia of local business. Now services such as Foursquare bring the Yellow Pages alive. Add to the fact that the people we know and trust share their experiences and endorsements or critiques with every checkin, we’re given access to something quite remarkable. Additionally, businesses are given a special opportunity to learn more about the people who are checking-in and also about those who are not. Foursquare offers a powerful set of business tools that can help local businesses, chains, destinations, you name it, more effectively connect with the people who can not only keep them in business, but grow it as well.

Indeed, 10 million users isn’t comparable to the numbers published by Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or YouTube. But, the insight that stems from how millions of people experience businesses, brands, and the world around them is priceless. There’s much to learn from studying relevant behavior even if it means engagement isn’t yet necessary. However, what businesses can learn is nothing short of a formula for future relevance, improved sales, and the creation of more meaningful experiences that yield loyal relationships with networked consumers. Either way, if you’re a venue owner or a brand, isn’t it time to checkin to the future of business?

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Hashtags are to the social web what emoticons were to Web 1.0 and TXTing. While both are forms of expression and sentiment, there is one subtle, but vital difference. Hashtags are not only part of online culture, they are defining a new era of communication on the Web and IRL (in real life). With over 140 million Tweets flying across Twitter every day, hashtags surface a method to the madness – the ability to group conversations into an organized timeline. But what started out as a way to index conversations in Twitter has now substantially altered how people convey, relay and discover information in and out of the popular nichework. The hashtag has also become an effective form of #selfexpression.

In social media, “x” no longer marks the spot, “#” is now the indicator for popular culture and all that moves it. In the social economy, the hashtag is an indicator of value in the Twitter information exchange. Each hashtag represents revolving markets with varying lifespans determined by the significance of the conversation and its continuously fleeting demand. Some last only minutes, while others endure for hours or days.

While many struggle to understand the value of Twitter, those who get it are literally changing how they connect and talk to one another. At some point, a chasm emerges between those who use Twitter and those who do not. In other channels where Twitter users and other non-users are connected, for example email or text messaging,  the culture of conversation becomes noticeably divergent. To begin with, Twitter users, like txters, are groomed to speak with brevity. Subconsciously aware of the character constraints of Twitter, communication is concise, to the point, with an emphasis on shortform bursts. This digital shorthand if you will is only part of what’s changing.  Digital anthropologists have long observed the impact of text messaging on the ability to write in longhand. R U surprised? Prolly not…LOL! Twitter will also become the subject of educational studies to prove that the culture code of communication is transcending status updates to affect everyday engagement. Specifically within 140-character inspired transmissions, the hashtag is playing an important role.

In 2007 I was inspired by a Tweet posted by good friend Chris Messina, who is now considered the father of the hashtag, in which he simply asked, “how do you feel about using # (pound) for groups?”

The Tweet led to a series of conversations within the Twitterverse with thoughts from the likes of Stowe Boyd, Chris Heuer, Stephanie Booth, Brian Oberkirch, among many others. I too joined the conversation, stating that #hashtags would create channels that “will improve the Twitter experience.” At the time, the ability to search Twitter was in its infancy with Summize, later acquired by Twitter, providing the ability to surface relevant conversations. Unlike Groups, hashtags were meant to organize conversations in the stream. The introduction of the “#” also introduced a psychological phenomenon where people consciously injected a word or expression that indexed the Tweet and ultimately entire threads.

As Messina stated in the comments to my original post on the subject, “I think you’ve captured the sociologically component of this discussion really well. I’m most interested in getting lots of people’s feedback on this idea since it seems that, from the conversations I’ve had with Twitter folks, they’re looking at implementing the older, more explicit model of groups that I think would actually encumber the system considerably.”

Yes, as Messina’s comment states, Twitter originally considered creating formal groups. It later introduced the ability to create lists, which focused on curated streams based on individuals rather than topics. Hashtags weren’t invented over night however. I think back to something that Chris Heuer wrote in a post in 2005 about the need for what he termed “tagspaces.” He defined this classifier as “…the glue between people identifying something and those seeking it out…”

Messina’s Tweet, his published work, and the ensuing community dialog and collaboration helped to solidify the hashtag’s position in the Twitterverse with almost equal status of the now pervasive “@” symbol. In its own right the “@” is now officially the universal symbol for engagement which extends well beyond Twitter. It’s now the standard engagement in Facebook, email, and any digital conversation thread. But back to the hashtag. What started as a form of indexing later evolved into a form of declaration, sentiment, sarcasm, inner monologue, or subconscious, but stated, expression #thinkingaloud.

Hashtags have also had a cultural impact on society. In March of 2009, I ran a live experiment at DEMO and SXSW to see what would happen if I introduced a real-life hashtag moment into the flow of everyday conversation. For example, if I were to make a statement, I would end with an emphatic point to classify the conversation or to express an intentional undertone. I would then cross two fingers on top of each other in the form of hashtag to see how people responded. In every case, people reacted immediately with “HASHTAG! A gang (hand) sign for social media!”  Like popular RT memes on Twitter, the hashtag hand sign flew across the social web fueled by twitpics of what would eventually become the calling card of the “Hashtag Mafia.” #brilliant. In the days leading up to SXSW 2009, the hang sign officially made the SXSW Bingo card. Today, the hand sign is part of Twitter culture, flashed by the Twitterati as part of daily dialogue and proudly displayed as a badge of belonging.

Hashtags are evolving and as such, continually attract studies. The New York Times investigated the marvel of hashtags and for the most part, captured the essence of this powerful expression mark. However, there are also parts of the discussion that equally miss its brilliance. For example, comparing hashtags to “air quotes” is oversimplified. The psychology behind it is incredibly deep, diverse and worthy of study as is the sociology of Twitter’s mircro global community. Ashley Parker, the author of the article, inexactly classifies the hashtag as Twitter’s secret handshake. In fact, it is nothing less than Twitter’s signature. It is the equivalent of punctuating a thought or experience.

Hashtags are no longer bound to Twitter. They traverse the channels for all forms of communication. Hashtags are now embedded in the fabric of our digital lifestyle and enlivened in our expressions. Although the value of hashtags are in the eye of the beholder, they are special. As such, they are not easily manipulable. Hashtags must possess cultural relevance to connect at an intellectual or emotional level before they can trigger the A.R.T of social media (actions, reactions, or transactions). Hashtags aren’t to be branded, they are to to be relatable. #hashtag that!

Welcome to the #hashtageconomy

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There’s an old saying, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Twitter is a paradox that redefines that old saying to, “If it’s broke, don’t fix it, because it works.”

For all intents and purposes, Twitter shouldn’t work, yet 200 million people (and bots) have created accounts in this thriving information egosystem. Now, news no longer breaks, it Tweets. Celebrities use it daily to connect directly with fans and also augment their income streams. Politicians and governments use Twitter to communicate with constituents and one another. Everyday people rely on Twitter to find information and share experiences. And for those more “influential” Twitter users, connectedness pays off in the form rewards, recognition, and compensation.

Twitter has evolved into a human seismograph that channels the pulse of business, politics, entertainment, news, and culture into the mobile phones and PCs and defines of our connected society. Twitter is a public confessional where screens become the window to self-expression, validation, recognition, with each contributing to a digital form of self confidence. And it is this new assurance that guides our actions in the real world. I Tweet therefore I am…whatever I want to become.

Indeed, Twitter shouldn’t work, but it does. What started as a hybrid public messaging service meets social network, is now a flourishing information network where people connect and disconnect based on interests and fleeting moments of intellectual, sophomoric and parallel intimacy. As such, Twitter forces the evolution of social networking from social graphs to interest graphs, where people are not only connected to those they know, but also those who share their interests.

While it’s often chided for its ability to assemble and syndicate irrelevant, irresponsible, and questionable activity, Twitter excels in aligning relevance with those who understand how to filter streams to their advantage. And this is where things start to get interesting, as I don’t believe we’ve seen Twitter’s true impact on our digital and IRL culture.

Twitter’s Awareness vs. Adoption

The state of the Twitterverse is in flux. Capturing its shape, genetic makeup and direction is akin to measuring the development of a baby in a womb. It’s growing, quickly, and even though we know that a baby will arrive and grow into a human being, we never know exactly who this person will ultimately become nor can we be certain of its personality through each of the development stages.

Twitter’s challenge with awareness versus adoption has plagued the fledgling company since the beginning. One of the top Google searches for Twitter after all is “I don’t get Twitter.”

The Pew Internet & American Life Project announced in June 2011 that Twitter usage rose from 8% of US Internet users in Fall 2010 to 13% in May 2011. Representing an impressive 62% spike in adoption, many question the significance of the bump in its migration toward mainstream adoption. As eMarketer recently wrote, Twitter has a problem with Awareness vs. Usage.

Twitter’s awareness has greatly benefited from the nonstop media attention it receives due to controversial and high profile users. Citing Arbitron and Edison research, we see that 92% of consumers ages 12 and up are familiar with Twitter, but only 8% actually use it. According to this graph, Twitter has an adoption problem. In contrast, Facebook adoption ranks at 57.1% of internet users as stated by eMarketer.

As we know, numbers don’t lie. eMarketer also projects that Twitter advertising revenues will soar from $140 million in 2011 to $225 million in 2012.  In contrast, the once bursting place for friends, MySpace, will generate $184 million in ad revenue this year. As such, Twitter is focusing on improving (and defining) the user experience with Jack Dorsey rejoining the fold. And the company is building a sizable sales force. But even at this moment, Twitter has a model it can sell against. Since the launch of its Promoted products line, Twitter has worked with 600 advertisers on 6,000 campaigns. Twitter’s director of revenue Adam Bain puts things into perspective for optimists and skeptics alike, “Eighty percent of those marketers come back and buy from us again.”

Now, the cost of a Promoted Trends on Twitter has jumped from $100,000 to $120,000 per day. Promoted Accounts and Promoted Tweets are auction-based and a self-service model is due to arrive before the end of the year. Bain suggests that Twitter provides higher engagement levels that outperform not only traditional digital advertising products, but also Facebook ads.

In an interview with ClickZ, Bain reinforced the value of Promoted Products, “Paying $4 for a follower is a pittance because the ROI is insane. Because again once they have a follower, they can keep marketing to that guy as many times as they want without worrying about where they are across the web or what kind of mindframe they’re in.”

Certainly this is no mistake, but it is something that again, wasn’t anticipated. Attention has migrated to the stream and as we’re learning, that while money doesn’t grow on trees, it does in fact grow on Tweets.

Recently Mark Suster wrote about how the future of advertising will be integrated. In his post, Suster shared work by usability guru Jakob Nielsen that shows through heat maps where our eyes are focused.  Attention zeroes in on text and not the banners around it, thus introducing an era of banner blindness.

And in social media, banner blindness is equally prevalent. Facebook Ads sell against interests and people you know. Twitter sells products that appear within your line of sight – the stream, your new attention dashboard.

The Twitter Paradox is fascinating to study. I don’t believe mainstream adoption is a metric that matters to Twitter or to those who understand its benefits. Surely mass adoption is important to investors. But as a human network, we make the world a much smaller place, creating a global culture that connects people to information and events as they happen. And, through a stroke of fate or democratized serendipity, people effect how information travels and how events unfold. But at a minimum, Twitter has become an infinite well of incredible insight and intelligence and for that, it is already an indispensable service to businesses, governments, educators, and anyone who is impacted by the words and impressions of others.

Connect with Brian Solis on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook

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ROI is as popular an acronym in social media as OMG or LOL are in TXTING. No matter how much you believe in social media, the reality is that management needs to know, what’s the ROI of Tweets in “the” Twitter or Likes in “that” Facebook thing that all the kids are talking about? Kidding aside, the future of social media within your organization and the value your customers experience in their networks of relevance is in your hands.

No one said this was going to be easy, and if they did, they didn’t report to the management infrastructure where you and I operate.  Change isn’t easy. But, these are the times we read about in books and see in the movies. A classic “Cinderella Story,” if you will. You are the person who will rise against the odds to bring about meaningful change within your organization. Like Cinderella or any other character in an underdog story, you’re destined to take the bumps and bruises before you realize the glory or validation you deserve.

The question remains however, what’s the ROI of social media? It’s a question that is in all reality, unavoidable, but achievable. The pursuit of the answer defines your destiny. Let’s start with a bit of the truth. You cannot measure the ROI of anything when the R, or the return, isn’t defined from the onset of any strategy. Nor can it be measured through the quantification of the 3F’s (friends, fans, and followers) or any other simple math formula tracking Likes, ReTweets, comments, impressions, mentions or sentiment. This is the time to apply a bit more science than history to better understand how to design social media programs that measure a click to action.

Like Me? Why Don’t You Love Me!?

In a classic twist of fate, brands rushed to social networks to seek acceptance in the form of “Likes” and follows. Once there, they found that connection was only the beginning. At the heart of these new communities was just that, a community. And, communities require an investment of not only time and resources, but value…value on both sides. This is about going beyond Likes, this is about loyalty, advocacy, and engagement.

HubSpot’s “The 2011 State of Inbound Marketing” report spotlighted the critical importance of Facebook and Twitter in 2011 business strategies at 44% and 38% respectively. That’s up from 24% and 21% in two short years.

With an increased focus on Facebook specifically, businesses will need a better understanding of what it is consumers want and how it is the company plans on delivering it within an interactive, peer-to-peer environment. eMarketer recently published a report, “Facebook Marketing: Strategies for Turning ‘Likes’ into Loyalty,” to help shed light on the importance of meaningful engagement. The title of the report says it all. Businesses will need to invest less in superficial interactions and more in driving loyalty and steering beneficial customer experiences. Everything begins with defining the value and the experience customers are seeking. Yes, it goes beyond the ask, “Follow us on Twitter and Like us on Facebook.” The reality is however, brands aren’t outright expressing why consumers should do so. Instead the entire premise of many social media campaigns is void of expressed value or meaning and therefore absent of a solid foundation for measurement.

Measurement Starts with Benchmarking Against Progress Toward Business Objectives

In the early stages of social media marketing, brands experimented with measurement by tracking soft, but still necessary metrics such as awareness, engagement, sentiment, mentions, Likes, Followers, RT’s/mentions, comments, etc. Sometimes, these metrics were benchmarked against competitors to demonstrate position and change over time. In an unpublished study that I reviewed, over 50% of businesses admitted not knowing how or what to measure in social media. Without connecting the dots between intention and cause and effect, we are measuring nothing more than activity. However, defining what it is we’re trying to solve for and also identifying desirable outcomes is how we begin to design measurable programs. And, not only do social media engagement programs become measurable, they also by default, start to teach us how performance directly aligns with customer needs, interests and expectations.

In the third annual Benchmark Report: MarketingSherpa, sponsored by Vocus, focused a majority of the insightful 200+ pages on ROI. It begins with a telling sign of the growing importance of social and its ultimate collision with the C-suite. 65% of business’ budgets will increase social spending between 2010 and 2011. Along with that discovery, senior executives are expecting quantifiable results that contribute to ROI or to measurable outcomes.

As mentioned earlier, we cannot measure what it is we do not know to value. Therefore value must be designed into the programs to accurately capture progress and effect.

Moving forward, MarketingSherpa and Vocus found that the priority areas for businesses responding to executive requests to “show them the money” have several issues to overcome.

1. Developing an effective and methodical social marketing strategy

2. Achieving or increasing measurable ROI from social marketing programs

3. Converting social media members, followers, etc. into paying customers

4. Achieving or increasing measurable lead generation from social marketing

The list goes on and on.

The path to measurement starts with a clear picture of the destination and what it takes to get from here to there. Businesses that learn to measure effect and outcomes will discover engagement strategies mature naturally simply because they’re designed to deliver against customer expectations while driving meaningful and measurable experiences. Taking the easy road is tempting, but it’s the path that many are following. Your job is to rise above the fray and connect the dots between social, outcomes, and demonstrable progress toward business objectives. Doing so bridges the gaps that exists between executive management, social media, scale, and customer expectations.

Moving forward, businesses that will leapfrog their peers are those that identify customer needs and business priorities and then reverse engineer them to design informed and measurable programs. Additionally, establishing metrics that benchmark against the opportunity sets the stage for establishing links that connect performance to ROI and ROI to executive support and sponsorship.

Next…

1. Understand the need and the opportunity amongst customers and prospects.

2. Design programs that meet their needs, offer tangible value, and also tie to business objectives.

3. Design outcomes and returns and integrate KPIs that capture progress, performance, and opportunities for optimization.

4. Create a disciplined process that is replicable across the organization and the various social presences that exist or are sure to arise.

Now, show us the way.

Connect with Brian Solis on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook

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Guest post by Matthias Lüfkens, Associate Director of Media, World Economic Forum – Follow him on Twitter

Twitter is redefining the way we communicate – and that includes our world leaders: 15 of the G20 governments use it. But the question is who follows who, who doesn’t follow who, and do world leaders even realize the diplomatic significance of their tweets and Twitter friendships?

Barack Obama was the first to use the micro-blogging service to communicate with his electorate in 2008. His Twitter account @BarackObama, is now the most followed of all world-leader accounts, with 7.4 million followers (only @LadyGaga, @JustinBieber and @BritneySpears have more!) Twenty-eight different world leaders follow @BarackObama, yet notably the @WhiteHouse – the US government’s official Twitter account – doesn’t. Is this because the White House appreciates that the @BarackObama account was set up by Obama for America committee with one sole purpose in mind – to win him the US presidency?

Or is it simply a classic case – not atypical – of a world leader not quite appreciating the art of Twitter diplomacy? Twitter connections between world leaders say so much about current diplomatic relations, and while world leaders are starting to ‘make friends’ on social networks, they are not all mutually following each other. The Australian prime minister (@JuliaGillard) doesn’t return the follow of her counterpart in New Zealand (@JohnKeyPM), Israel’s prime minister Benjamin @Netanyahu doesn’t return Palestine’s friendship (@PMFayyad): look closely and these are but two of dozens of diplomatic faux pas on the Twitter social network.

Like it or lump it, Twitter has become a key tool in political communication and heads of states and government need to learn how to use it – fast.

What does it take for governments to understand this?

It took a ghastly natural and human disaster to jolt the Japanese government into action. Within two days of the tsunami hitting the northeastern coast of Japan, the Prime Minister’s office started to tweet in both Japanese (@Kantei_Saigai) and English (@JPN_PMO). The aim was to provide “updates on the situation of the Tohoku-Pacific Ocean Earthquake” and debunk false rumors about radioactive contamination: “The amount of radiation detected in the milk would be as much as a single CT scan if consumed continually for a year.”

Unfortunately, the Prime Minister also tweeted not-so-reassuring tips: “How to protect yourself from radiation exposure when you have to go out in the area within 20~30 km radius from the nuclear plants” “1) When going out, use cars as much as possible to avoid exposure to air. 2) Wear a mask, gloves, & long sleeve shirts. 3) Avoid exposure to rain.” This third tip provoked such a panic that a fourth tweet was sent the next day to defuse the fear the previous tweet had provoked: ”There is no risk to human health, even if it rains. Please rest assured.”

Scooping the Press

The German government joined Twitter on 28 February 2011 using its official spokesperson, former evening news TV presenter Steffen Seibert: “Good day, news about the federal government as of today via Twitter. Follow me at @RegSprecher. Your Steffen Seibert.” The next day he promised “to tweet once a day”, adding “dialogue is time consuming.”

@RegSprecher reports on the meetings and speeches of Chancellor Angela Merkel (she herself does not tweet) and commendably makes time to answer critical questions from his 22.000 followers. Yet when he scooped his own press department in March 2011, prematurely announcing the Chancellor’s visit to the US in June, he attracted the wrath of the government press corps. Steffen Seibert’s apologetic reaction: My tweets are not to circumvent the journalists, but an outreach to others.

The German government spokesperson is doing a great job using Twitter to communicate, yet Twitter diplomacy is clearly an acquired art not everyone gets first time around.

A Two-Way Conversation

Truth is, traditional media has lost the monopoly it once enjoyed on questions to our world leaders. And politicians, in turn, are beginning to understand the power of Twitter that allows them to communicate directly with their electorate: Before his first press briefing, White House @PressSec Jay Carney asked his followers: If you were a member of the White House press corps, what question would you ask? This was a clear attempt by Carney to incorporate questions from Twitter in his daily briefing.

In January 2011 the Twitter team of South African president, Jacob Zuma, asked for input for his State of the Nation address: How can we improve the lives of all South Africans? This is your platform, the President is listening. #SONA2011. Later in his address on 11 February 2011, he thanked “all South Africans who contributed to this State of the Nation address through mainstream media, social media such as Facebook and Twitter, as well as direct contact”. His #SONA2011 speech ended up in Twitter’s trending topics.

In Canada, as part of the election campaign, leader of the Liberal Party Michael Ignatieff (@M_Ignatieff) and Prime Minister Harper (@PMHarper) trade 140-character blows in a Twitter exchange about their possible TV debate. Former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger meanwhile conducts regular Twitter interviews with his followers (For the next 20 min I will take questions from my Twitter crew. Start asking! ).

Twitter Diplomacy

What most governments haven’t grasped yet is how they can connect with each other through Twitter, creating something of a Twitter Diplomacy. A couple of weeks ago President Obama visited Brazil, Chile and El Salvador – three countries whose presidents use Twitter – as part of ‘relationship-building spring break’. Yet in digital-connection terms, it yielded few results: The @WhiteHouse made friends on Twitter with Chilean president @SebastianPinera, but not with Brazilian president Dilma Roussef (@DilmaBR) and Salvadorian President @MauricioFunesSV.

World leaders are testing Twitter but clearly have a long way to go. Below are some pointers on how leaders can use Twitter more effectively and successfully.

On Twitter

- 7 out of 8 G8 leaders
- 15 out of 20 G20 leaders
- 19 out of 27 EU countries

Lost Opportunity

Of the 62 world leaders from 49 countries that use Twitter, only 25 mutually follow at least one other leader. This means there are just 300 connections between them at the moment, but there could be 6162.

PRACTICAL TIPS FOR WORLD LEADERS

What Twitter account?

As @BarackObama and @DilmaBR have shown, personal accounts are useful during election campaigns.

But presidents and prime ministers come and go. Governments need an institutional account independent of its occupant such as @BlueHouseKorea, @JPN_PMO, @KremlinRussia, @Number10gov, @Presidencia, @PresidencyZA, @WhiteHouse.

Combining name with position (such as Canada’s Stephen Harper, @PMHarper and New Zealand’s @JohnKeyPM) can work. But come defeat, account names need to be changed. Take former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd who had to change his account from @KevinRuddPM to @KevinRuddMP.

Who to Follow?

Don”t automatically follow everyone who follows you – it simply proves you’re not listening to those you follow (@BarackObama and @Number10gov did so in the early days and continue to follow 700.000 and 460.000 tweeps respectively – No way they can read all those tweets!).

Follow all 62 other heads of state and government currently on Twitter (Portuguese President Aníbal @PRCavacoSilva is the only world leader to do this). Do not exclude anyone: The @WhiteHouse follows the Russian president (@MedvedevRussiaE), Chilean president @SebastianPinera and David Cameron (@Number10gov), but ignores just about every other world leader including immediate neighbours, Canada’s Stephen @PMHarper and Mexican president @FelipeCalderon. There is no logic to this.

Follow your peers: In Chile the entire government has been put on Twitter and its 22 ministers are all mutually following each other.

How to Address other Tweeps

Simply use the Twitter handle, even for heads of state or government. This is not rude, simply necessity.

When addressing royalty, space permitting, throw in a HRH.

Who Should Tweet?

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev was pictured pressing the button to send his first tweet from Twitter headquarters on 23 June 2010. But in reality, no one expects world leaders to really tweet themselves. And very few do (notable exceptions are Malaysian Prime Minister @NajibRazak and EU President Herman van Rompuy @euHvr).

World leaders usually have a Twitter scribe or team to capture their thoughts in 140 characters. This is perfectly acceptable providing it is made clear who is tweeting – add a ‘signature’ to every tweet: Australian prime minister Julia Gillard signs all her personal tweets JG, while those sent by her scribe are tagged JGTeam.

What to Tweet?

It might be tempting to tweet one’s daily or weekly schedule, but quite frankly who would want to follow someone else’s agenda?

Tweeting excerpts from official speeches is boring, unless it is a quote that will make history.

Make your Twitter account a personal news feed peppered with personal thoughts and reflections such as this statement from the Russian president about the Samsung Galaxy Tablet: “It’s convenient, but the quality isn’t great “

Tweets can be playful. Take the French president, currently holding the G20 presidency, who organized a quiz and tweeted about it: “How well do you know the #G20? Try our online quiz on g20-g8.com!

Don’t use Twitter as just another broadcast channel to push out your messages. Rather engage your followers with tweets of particular interest to them.

@Replies

Listen to your followers and reply to a follower at least once a day to show you care. You’re not expected to reply to every single question tweeted, but having your assistant select one or two questions from the Twittersphere and replying to them goes a long way in raising your public profile and making you appear more accessible.

Consider the occasional Twitter interview.

How Often to Tweet?

A tweet a day is recommended. Anything above this can be interpreted as spam.

Don’t stop tweeting! On 1 November 2010, a day after being elected, Brazilian President Dilma Rouseff tweeted to her 330.000 followers: “It is an honour and a great feeling to be chosen to preside over my country. I promise each and every Brazilian my total dedication.” However since being elected, her Twitter activity seriously suffered. On 13 December 2011 she tweets: “Friends, I don’t have much time to be here with you. Let’s talk more in 2011.” The account has been dormant ever since.

Local Language vs English

Staff permitting, run one Twitter account per language (the Russian president and Japanese Prime Minister have a separate English language account, while the Israeli government tweets on 13 different accounts in 13 languages).

When tweeting in your own language, throw in the occasional tweet in English to satisfy your international audience. The Turkish president Abdullah Gül did it to excellent effect: “The EU will be stronger both politically and economically with Turkey’s membership.”

TwitPics

Make your feed more interesting by sharing pictures of your daily activity – but avoid handshakes and other official photo ops.

Select images that provide insight into your daily life like Russian President Medvedev, an avid amateur photographer, does. He tweeted this snapshot from his trip to the disputed Kurile island of Kunashir (which, incidentally, didn’t go down well with the Japanese authorities who called in the Russian ambassador to lodge a formal protest). Such images give a real candid insight into his daily life.

The French presidency @Elysee recently tweeted a snapshot of a very private video conference with President Obama, Prime Minister Cameron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Run a fun photo contest like the White House did: “Name who Obama is talking to. Bonus for the tuft of hair. Prize: Nothing.

Short links

The best Tweets are short, preferably no more than 120 characters thus increasing the chance of them being re-tweeted.

Consider your own link-shortener, like the White House http://wh.gov and the Kremlin http://krln.ru.

Facebook/LinkedIn Integration

Do not generate your tweets automatically from your Facebook fan page. Each social network demands your full and undivided attention. Discussions on Twitter are different to those on Facebook.

Thanks to @Damon Clinkscales from @Doesfollow for the analysis of the Twitter connections

Image credit: Shutterstock

In recent weeks journalism and the future of all media have once again gone under the knife. Experts on either side of new media debated whether or not Twitter’s CNN moment truly was indicative of the future of journalism. Twitter’s role in the spread of online dialogue speculating the death of Osama Bin Laden was studied at great depths to better understand when and where news actually surfaces, how it’s validated, and how news travels across the Web and in real life.  Perhaps nothing visualized the power of a single Tweet with such dramatic effect as the network graph developed by SocialFlow.

Twitter is becoming a veritable human seismograph as it measures and records events as they unfold. But for this discussion, I’d like to focus not on the future of journalism, but instead on human behavior and the reality of the social effect. In doing so, we will identify the click paths and the sharing patterns of the informed and connected to learn how to design vibrant information exchanges on the traditional Web as well as in social networks.

The End of the Destination Web and the Revival of the Information Economy

In hindsight, the days of Web 1.0 seem like an era long gone. I think back to the early days of the Web and I struggle to think about what fashion, cars and popular music thrived as the Web radically transformed the then information economy. It’s as distant as the behavior that embraced it. For many, Web 1.0 was empowering. But to access information, we were reliant on our willingness to visit desirable websites for insight, entertainment, and news. Home pages, bookmarks and email subscriptions helped people manage the information overload that overwhelmed consumers with so much great content. Over the years, portals helped us manage the content by aggregating content from the sites and topics we preferred. We were then gifted with RSS feeds and readers to enhance the way relevant information found us.

The bridge between Web 1.0 and Web 2.0 was forged through a series of connections between a Web of Data, a Web of Content, and a Web of People. Although abbreviated, this evolution is important as it sets the stage for where we are today. Web 2.0 is the great democratization of the internet. Everyday people were empowered to create as much or more than they consumed.  Among the greatest transformations in the history of media, traditional sources of information were now rivaled by new voices. These rising pundits, experts and authorities  seized the opportunity to create content that satisfied the needs of an audience who were hungry for vertical and dedicated content. As a result, the construction of new information networks strained the long-established relationships between push or broadcast content and market demand. The tipping point for this orthodox practice was reached long ago yet media is now just realizing its effect, potential, and also consequences. It was the beginning of the end of business as usual for the conventional media empire.

The transformation of media was only hastened as the Social Web fused the principles of Web 2.0 fostering social networks where people connected with one another to communicate, discover, share, and learn. Social networks carried a profound challenge and opportunity for media and information commerce. Leading networks essentially cannibalized attention as they rapidly evolved into a universal portal and information exchange. People now received news and important information based on who they connected to, what captivated their attention, and in turn what they invested back into the community. This important shift signaled the end of the destination web as the primary source for information and the revival of the information economy.

Individuals connecting in social networks exchanged information as a form of currency. When news broke or events transpired, it became commonplace for a traditional news outlet to dramatically amplify reach as the story reverberated from person to person and network to network at the speed of clicks. And those clicks carried a power that we’re still trying to grasp, the ability to, with just one click, imply endorsement, evoke trust, interrupt attention spans, and alter courses of action through a one-to-one-to-many network effect. CNN greatly benefited from this new distribution model when its Balloon Boy story hit Twitter, soared to the top of the Trending Topics list, and continued to permeate the social web for days to come.

While content long celebrated its reign at the top, context was now king and connections that formed the interest graph would now dictate the content introduced within it. As the social web matured, it would introduce a new form of information brokers who would further propel the information economy and its role in culture and society. The role of curator would emerge between creator and consumer to facilitate the exchange of relevant information within their networks of relevance and among their interest graphs. I refer to this phenomenon as The 3C’s of Information Commerce and it is triggering the development of new technology, networks, and platforms to empower curators to bridge material content to those seeking it.

Retweets, Likes, connected commenting systems such as Disqus, Facebook, and Echo, URL shorteners, curation networks such as Paper.li, Pearltrees, Scoop.it and Flipboard, along with any other social sharing button you can imagine now served as the tools for curators to curate the experience they envision. Additionally, curation expedited the migration away from static web sites as a destination, as a well from which to bring water back to their village. Wells were now in greater abundance than their demand.

Information is now portable and people expect it to find them.

This.Just.In

Here we are, learning to adapt in a market in transition. Online experiences continue evolve, but what’s clear is that there are three specific consumer segments that require unique support systems. This is where the future of media begins. By understanding that different people find, share, and interact with content differently, experiences can then be architected and information channels activated in ways that consumers expect.

1. Social Consumer: Represents the emergent segment where consumers rely on social networks to discover, share, and learn. Doing so changes the click and clique behavior and how they in turn make decisions.

2. Online: The category that visits destinations of presence for continued information. This category also relies on Google as a point of entry for discovery.

3. Traditional: Consumes content in print, broadcast and remains loyal to their trusted and proven information sources, including word of mouth. They too will visit online destinations, usually those that provide tangible (and tactile) experiences and value in the real world.

In a world where social, online, and traditional consumers live independent of one another, this market in transition is teaching us that the lines between each category are certainly eroding.

The state and outlook for new media, in the very least, represents the equivalent of a near death experience for organizations. These encounters are nothing short of life-changing. They add a critical element of survival into the next steps of anyone who now realizes that things can and must be different. As such, destination sites are embracing new media as necessary steps to persevere. Many of these steps seem prescriptive as if following an instruction manual to relevance.

Step 1: Integrate social functionality into the dotcom, remove proprietary functionality

Step 2: Create a Twitter and Facebook presence

Step 3: Launch blogs

Step 4: Instruct reporters to promote their work within their social networks

Step 5: Develop a layer for citizen participation and journalism

Step 6: Create a mobile app

Step 7: Create an iPad subscription service

Step 8: Install a paywall

Step 9: Gamify the dotcom to enliven the experience

Step 10: Pray

Brand Journalism

The future of media is not limited to everyday consumers. Brands too are becoming media. Tom Foremski refers to this branded media movement as “Every Company is a Media Company” and EC=MC is the transformative equation for business.

Once supported by brand advertising, media is now witnessing a new era of brand journalism that seeks to outperform and outreach the audiences that are for lease by today’s traditional networks. The market for information is now becoming rich with social objects that are designed not only for consumption but also for sharing. With the democratization of the web comes the democratization of influence. It’s now anyone’s game to become the resource and source for information related to a segment. Brands realize this and are experimenting with the establishment of nicheworks dedicated to their industry. Indeed the future of marketing starts with publishing.

Companies are seeking new CEO’s (Chief Editorial Officers) and are hiring journalists, editors, and freelancers to transform mediarooms and blogs into veritable newsrooms.

This move is as paramount as it is transformative. There are several reasons why the stars are in alignment for brand journalism.

1. Social consumers are no longer captivated or enticed by traditional advertising.

2. According  to a recent Edelman survey, trust in peers is falling while trust in experts is soaring.  It is the latter that holds the greatest promise for brands and any media network.

As social networking evolves from social graphs to interest graphs, connections also evolve from relationships to relations weighted on the value of the currency exchanged between them. In this case, currency is information and value is measured by insight, education, entertainment, further personalized at the individual level. While the market for content is commoditized, the market for insight is limitless and priced accordingly.

The Attention Rubicon

In Engage, I introduce the concept of an Attention Rubicon, the line where attention is in short supply and whether people realize it or not, its state is measured by what reaches them, what doesn’t and also what they deem worthy of sharing. The Attention Rubicon has long since been passed by the social consumer and is on the horizon of many online and traditional consumers. It will be crossed and as a result, the information economy will adapt.

Pew Research Center’s Project for Excellence in Journalism published a study that further details the shift away from the destination web and the rising tide of social streams as the attention dashboards of an important class of consumers.

As Pew’s Kenny Olmstead, Amy Mitchell and Tom Rosenstiel observe, “Whatever the future of journalism, much of it depends on understanding the ways that people navigate the digital news environment—the behavior of what might be called the new news consumer.”

This is why social media has never been about the technology as much as it has been governed by social science (2007) to better understand its state and its direction.

In partnership with Nielsen, Pew examined the top 25 news web sites in the U.S. and studied the four main areas of audience behavior:

1. How users get to the top news sites
2. How long they stay during each visit
3. How deep they go into a site
4. Where they go when they leave

As discussed earlier by the 3 Segments of consumerism, Pew found that there is not one group of news consumers, but in fact several. And as a result, news organizations or any organization for that matter, require unique strategies for addressing each audience.

Among the revealing insights…

It’s clear that social networks aren’t a fad, they’re not going away, they’re in fact rivaling the top referrers for site traffic.

The top brand news sites depend greatly on “casual users,” people who visit just a few times per month and spend only a few minutes at a site.

USAToday.com was typical of most of these popular news sites according to Pew. 85% of its users visited USAToday.com between one and three times per month. Three quarters came only once or twice. Time spent was even more daunting…when all the visits were added together, 34%, spent between one and five minutes on the site each month (footnote)

As Pew notes, online data tend to count some users multiple times, inflating the number of casual users and undercounting repeat visits. Nonetheless, casual users still would be the largest single group.

A smaller core of loyal and frequent visitors to news sites, called “power users.” These individuals return more than 10x per month to a given site and spend more than an hour there over that time. Among the top 25 sites, power users visiting at least 10 times make up an average of just 7% of total users. That number ranged markedly from as high as 18% (at CNN.com) to as low as 1% (at BingNews.com).

Google remains the primary entry point. The search engine accounts on average for 30% of the traffic to these sites.

Of all social networks, Facebook in particular, is a powerful, and growing, news referring source. At five of the top sites, Facebook is the second or third most important driver of traffic. Surprisingly, Twitter barely registers as a referring source. In the same vein, when users leave a site, “share” tools that appear alongside most news stories rank among the most clicked-on links.

News consumers to the top news websites are on par with Internet users overall. This stands apart from news consumption on traditional platforms, which tends to skew older, and may bode well for the industry.

The future of media is evolving and its direction is far from certain. What’s clear however, is that any media organization or business will have to compete for attention in this information economy in real time and over time. This is about competing for the future by competing for the moment. The consumer of the future is visible today as they’re always on. The interest graphs they weave within social networks serve as qualified information networks that can amplify information with unprecedented speed, efficiency and personalization. It creates a  human algorithm that brings to life an awakening and revolutionary reality; we are now reaching an audience with an audience of audiences. They’re no longer consumers, but stakeholders in the information economy.

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Following the news of Osama Bin Laden’s death, Twitter once again celebrated its CNN-moment. This isn’t its first however, which actually seems to be news to emerging media pundits. The new reality of a real-time world is that news no longer breaks, it Tweets. We are the architects of a new media alert system, TNN – the Twitter News Network. And, because of us, we have set a foundation for which news media can more effectively track, check, and report on breaking stories as they unfold.

We are connected, we are the new wire…

As I shared with Jon Swartz of USA TODAY earlier…

When Sohaib Athar (@ReallyVirtual on Twitter) inadvertently live tweeted the Osama Bin Laden raid, the Twitter News Network (TNN) proved once again that it is the live wire for everyday people to break news. When Keith Urbahn @keithurbahn published the first credible report that the U.S. killed Bin Laden, TNN was also the people’s news source. Is it the biggest event in social media? It is among them, but that’s not the point. What it does signify however is that the gap between events and reporting is where Twitter shines as a human seismograph. This is yet another example of the importance of social media and the role it plays in monitoring the pulse of world events.

Twitter isn’t journalism, but it is a perfect beast for committing acts of journalism. Long before the news media and as President Obama was learning about the details of the events in Pakistan, individuals following @ReallyVirtual, @mpoppel, and @keithurbahn witnessed first hand as the operation developed and the real news emerged.

There are countless stories that already unravel the Tweets to show how Twitter was well, just being Twitter…a conduit for us to share our experiences as we experience them. Instead, I would like to focus on you, me, and how the magic of shared experiences in social “me”dia come alive in what I refer to as the information divide…the space between an event and when media fact check and officially report it.

We are literally making the world a much smaller place. Tied to connectedness, Twitter is equally magnificent at merging reach and velocity.  The ability to propel news as reported by everyday people around the world in minutes consistently is as wonderful as it is surprising.  And if words are a gateway to one’s soul, in the digital realm, they are the portage to insight and analytics. Shortly after the hail of Tweets, Twitter published an interesting data report that demonstrates the breathtaking volume of our ability to share what moves us.

The Bin Laden news peaked at 11 pm EDT with 5,106 Tweets per second (TPS) following the all time TPS high set by NYE 2010 at 6,939 TPS. Most notably,  According to Twitter, the news event held the highest sustained rate of Tweets to date, hitting 3,000 TPS between 10:45 and 2:20 am, climbing to 38,7 million tweets in just  3.5 hours.

Social media monitoring and analytics platform Sysomos published data that was equally revealing.

In less than 12 hours since the tweeting began we saw almost 40,000 blog post and news articles and an astounding 2.2 million tweets all talking about Osama Bin Laden. As well, while no surprise that people in the US were talking the most about this event a look at our geo-location map shows us that people all over the world were tweeting about the news.

p.s. Congratulations Will & Kate. While we celebrate in this news, we also celebrate your marriage, your love, and the hope it gives everyone around the world that a market for “happily ever after” does indeed exist.

More on the evolution of news and journalism…

Interview with Dan Farber, Editor-in-Chief of CBSNews.com

Interview with Katie Couric

Connect with Brian Solis on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook

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The New ENGAGE!: If you’re looking to FIND answers in social media and not short cuts, consider either the Deluxe or Paperback edition

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