What’s the Next Facebook?

We are in the early stages of understanding Google Plus, the company’s newest creation and the latest social application that is supposed to be the “next Facebook.”  Not to say that it won’t, because Google certainly has the horsepower to pull off such a thing, but it makes me pause to consider the long range future of online communities.

If you think about the start of Facebook, or go back even further to AOL, people came together in these communities to connect with friends and relatives or to get to know people. I don’t believe that people joined these communities so they could receive advertisements or “like” businesses. Rather, the marketing was a by-product of the communities - all these people in one “place” hanging out - surely they want to buy things. Right? In some cases, yes, in others, no. After all, what do Ford Motor Company, Skittles or Coca-Cola have anything to do with me reconnecting with high school classmates?

The flip side of this is the company perspective. Why should your business have to share valuable customer information with Facebook, which is what you do today if you’ve got a “Fan” page on Facebook. The answer is simple, they have the captive audience and you don’t, but will that always be the case? I see the day that businesses create their own social communities - away from Facebook, Foursquare, LinkedIn and perhaps Google Plus. Sure, it might be costly, but what if your business could create its own community on, what is today, your web site? You could promote whatever you want, talk to your customers directly and best of all, you’d never need to worry about someone outside your company changing the online “rules.”

Rather than sit around and wait for the “next Facebook,” perhaps we should ask ourselves how we can create the communities for ourselves and most importantly for our customers?

Ed Heil is the owner and president of StoryTeller Media & Communications an inbound marketing and public relations agency and video production company based in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Ed blogs on topics related to inbound marketing, social media, media relations, news media, video production and crisis communications.

Tags: America Online, AOL, Coca-Cola, Facebook, Ford Motor Company, Google Plus, Minneapolis PR, Skittles, storyteller

Do Your Social Media Efforts Have A Sound PR Foundation?

You won’t find many people more passionate than me when it comes to social media and public relations, yet social media in itself is not a miracle cure. Behind every great social media effort has been a remarkable idea or event. Whether it’s the Ford Motor Company’s work with the Fiesta or Evian’s rollerskating babies on YouTube, it was the idea was the success - social media brought the idea to the people who cared most.

So as social media practitioners and advocates, remember your PR roots in identifying great stories or creating remarkable events and don’t get lost in the smoke and mirrors of the latest social media “tools.”

Tags: Evian Babies, Ford Motor Company, public relations ideas

Does Quality Matter with Online Video?

As we all know, the use of online video is growing by staggering numbers.  We are seeing video used to educate (how to videos) which has proven to help sell more product, to entertain (if you are lucky it will go viral), to promote your brand, create awareness… the list goes on.  We also know that video is a significant SEO driver and will be increasingly important in your overall marketing strategies as we move into 2010.

This begs the question of quality.  How important is quality when creating content?  After all, with handheld cameras like the FLIP available for under $200 can’t anyone create a video and put it up on the web?  The answer to that is sure, why not, as long as it is done with intention.  But what about branding and image?  If the video is produced poorly can it not do more harm than good?

I recently came across a video that was created and posted by the Detroit Social Media Club of Chris Barger speaking on General Motors‘ Social Media experiences at a recent event.  After hearing Scott Monty’s impressive presentation at the 2009 MIMA conference this year, I was interested to hear how GM was tackling Social Media.  In a nutshell, I was truly amazed.  The uploaded video was poorly lit, shot from what appears to be a handheld camera from the back of a room, had several people walking in front of the camera, cell phones ringing loudly in the background, and questionable audio at best.  I had a hard time focusing on Chris’ message with all of the distractions.  My first reaction after viewing this, was way to go Scott Monty and Ford Motor Company for leading the way.

I am not sure that is a fair assessment, but I think it’s incredibly important to be cognizant of the image you are portraying at ALL times.  What do you think?

Chris Barger speaks on General Motor\’s Social Media experience

Tags: 2009 MIMA Summit, Chris Barger, FLIP, Ford Motor Company, General Motors, Scott Monty, Web Video