Level2wo

One of the great things about software is that it opens up a world of ease to those who learn and use it to achieve, more often than not, completion of tasks that would otherwise take a much longer time to complete. That said, sorry if I am not making complete sense–I’ve been reading software manuals all day. Yes, this is where you laugh. Or chuckle. Or, at worse, give a silent nod of acknowledgement.

Actually, it’s not so bad. But it got me thinking. While we do use a variety of software programs to get done the things we need to get done, such as everything Microsoft ever puts out (excel, word, powerpoint, project, access, etc.) (no, I’m not going to mention Vista), we also ocassionally end up using new software that we’ve either never heard of, heard of and had no contact with, or heard of and tried to avoid. It’s times like these that I don’t look to the future to solve but the past. It’s sort of like financial planning–we know we need it but no one ever really teaches us it as we grow up (I know, I can hear you yelling either a) When we were growing up certain software didn’t exist, or b) Many of the software programs extant today ARE being taught to kids in school. Well, good. Good for those kids, I suppose. But in the land of Me, I want more of a quick fix than anything else. Maybe a quick IT doctor visit where I’m injected with the knowledge to not have to read printouts and dictionary-length software manuals that are standard issue in the brains of kids today. But I’m probably asking for too much. Well, at least I can blog about it. That’s something my folks probably think is a space creature from some far away Sci-Fi flic.

It’s been a couple of weeks since the last post. As you know, we’ve moved to Atlanta, Georgia, for a new beginning and new adventures. We’re looking forward to it.

Today is the 4th of July, and I thought it would be appropriate to show some patriotism. We’ll be up and publishing again on Monday. Have a great holiday weekend.

iPhone Applications and More…

According to a CNN article, Apple “will charge $99 a year for its new MobileMe service, which sends e-mail, contact and calendar updates to users’ devices.”

Normal. Completely normal, at least that’s what we’ve come to expect–pay lots of money and you’ll get all of these cool services that we can’t live without–I mean, what’s a phone without texting, without email, and without the ability to input important events in my day like going to the mall to shop for my new, ergonomic headphones to listen to the little reminder from my iPhone that it’s time to go get my new ergonomic headphones?

But the phones are dropping in price. The reason? Because they’re being commodotized. Applications are where the money comes from for a lot of the companies in the cell phone business these days–applications like all of the ones mentioned above, but also applications for music downloading (the obvious one), as well as applications for mobile banking (somewhat obvious, but picking up speed here in the U.S., although already prevalent in other countries–I think Spain has a big one going already).

Like Facebook’s barrage of applications, Apple and pretty much any other technology company offering some sort of platform will be looking to make tons of cash through applications–an application being, for those of you who don’t live, breath, and sleep geekdom, being (per Wikipedia): a subclass of computer software that employs the capabilities of a computer directly and thoroughly to a task that the user wishes to perform.

Applications make people lots of money, which is why you tend to get all of those inane and often ridiculous things happening to you on Facebook–someone challenging you to a game of cyberchess or throwing a rubber chicken at you. Fun, I suppose, if you’re 12, but if you’re a grownup and not drunk on one too many martinis or stiff drinks, a wee bit stupid and pointless.

But it’s where technology is today. Social media has exploded, and applications fall nicely into that realm, even when the applications seem more an uber-geeks pet project than anything worth the time it took to create.

Social Media and Marketing

Millions of us have them. You probably have one, or at least know of them. Maybe your kids have them. Actually, I’ll bet your kids have them. I’m talking about accounts/profiles on social networking sites like MySpace, Facebook, Friendster, and networking sites like them–LinkedIn anyone? I have to admit, I have accounts on all of these, but I don’t use them as often as I should. Truth is I am a little social networked (read overloaded). The only time I even go on them is when I receive an email from one of them informing me that one of my friends or connections has invited me to take some test (which I’m not going to do), or (and i’ve had this one a few times), someone has thrown something at me (I can’t remember if it was a ham, or an animal of some sort, but definitely not worth the few seconds it took me to sign in and see that I was virtually assaulted).

Like any popular and cool new fad, social networking sites have exploded and made tons of money. Advertising on them has been successful, to a point. Actually, I think they’ve returned a good deal in terms of revenue, but things seem to be slowing down. I’m not implying that they are not a Must Have on marketers list of To Dos, only that like any new medium, you eventually start heading towards the maturity phase, and with that things start to slow down.

Traffic in social networking sites may be a bit better than typical websites, such as ecommerce websites, news websites, dating websites, etc.–partially because they’re more like hangouts than information portals where you go in, get what you need, and get out. From a branding perspective, I’d bet it’s a pretty important tool to continue using. Really, it’s hard to try to ignore such sites, because the buzz is still in the air. As a grown up (and unfortunately I’ve been one for a while now, even though I still ‘feel’ young), I don’t enjoy social networking sites. But I can see the appeal, and I can see their worth. And, apparently, so do the marketers out there targeting these websites. How long these sites will last, who knows. But right now, if you’re a marketer, it probably pays to play the game.

Wikipedia’s definition of Social Media: “Social media is an umbrella term that defines the various activities that integrate technology, social interaction, and the construction of words, pictures, videos and audio. This interaction, and the manner in which information is presented, depends on the varied perspectives and “building” of shared meaning, as people share their stories, and understandings.”

If you’re reading this blog entry, guess what? You’re involved in social media. My ability to write, and hopefully influence my readers, is all part of the phenomenon that is social media. While traditional media may be a one-way street, i.e., I write an article for, say, the New York Times, and you, the good newspaper reader, consume what I’ve written, including my point of view (hopefully not included in real journalism), and you read it alongside my advertisements (hopefully I’m not selling anything immoral or unethical or that hurts small animals). Social media, however, turns the corporate world on its head, because now the consumers of products and services are able to influence other consumers of products and services–which, my friends, may not be exactly what corporate entities want happening. Why, you ask? Well, because now the control has been wrestled from the giants of industry and they no longer are the Goliath, because David is wielding far more influential weapons.

So what sites fall under social media (note, some of the below sites are for communication (MySpace, Facebook, etc.), and some are for collaboration or multimedia, or entertainment, etc)?

Facebook
Friendster
MySpace
Twitter
LinkedIn
Flickr
Zooomr
imeem
World of Warcraft
Miniclip

And the list goes on and on. Advertisers and marketers have been able to buy placements within the sites, as banner ads, content, and in games, even as virtual billboards advertising their wares in a less intrusive manner (if you play certain games and drive by a realistic 7-UP sign or Coke sign, it’s likely not just for the realism.

Because social media sites involve the user, and because the user is creating much of the content, social media sites are win-win for all involved; the user feels that they are part of the media process, and the site owners have built-in content generators for them, which obviously helps in many different ways.

Social media is not going away any time soon, and will likely just get more and more complex. What social media sites are you on? Let me know–please comment the sites you’re on, and where you see social media going in the next few years. Happy social media-ing!