eBiz Tomorrow by Chris Salazar

Picture taken from the Community Next Viral Conference in Sunnyvale (thanks to Jeremiah’s flickr). By the way…I had trouble finding the address to this place!

Got a chance to meet some new friends and learn a few things about viral marketing as well considering MySpace, RockYou, PBWiki + others gave some good advice. I wonder who won the iPhone…their task was to find the 5 people at the conference who were infected! I asked Jeremiah if he was infected, he said no, so I gave up!

Jason Feffer, user #4 to sign up for MySpace and one of the originators, provided a good recap of the history of viral marketing. He insists that MySpace is a great example of a successful viral campaign and he’s right.

One of his main points is to control your brand and become a utility. MySpace had several opportunities cross their path before they hit the big time, but they picked them wisely. For example, MySpace was approached with an opportunity to market their company in front of a thousand plus crowd in Las Vegas for free, but they turned it down! Why? B/c they dont want their name associated with other parties/events/services that is not hosted by them. Which makes sense, but if they did take that opportunity, where would MySpace be now? Probably as successful!

He used the word “infected” a lot! Even went so far to say that bad WOM brings in new users because it infects them! AND…WOM spreads faster when you’ve got a bad product…hm, maybe thats the way to go. Release a bad product, then BAM, release the new/good product.

Jia and Ben from RockYou had some interesting thoughts about widgets. They’re focused on self express widgets for individuals. This is important because the users keep the viral moving. More interesting, they introduced 3 simple words: simple, easy, and utility…or what I like to call SEU. I’ll explore the implications of this a bit more soon.

These are just some highlights of what I learned, more will come later. Overall, this conference was enjoyable and Im looking forward to future events. Whats next?

Social media, or Social Business has really been on my mind lately. Not because its a hot topic now-a-days, or because its buzzy…but I don’t feel like Businesses (overall) are really benefiting for the “social” side. Don’t get me wrong, becoming a social business can help, but it takes more work than just launching a blog/forum.  This post will first define terms like society, talk about common themes, and provide some incite on how to start a successful program.

First, let’s take a look at some key terms: Society, Social, Networking, and Business. (I’m trying to figure out how these can compliment each other) …I got these definitions from Dictionary.com (which uses the American Heritage Dictionary too):

• Society: a body of individuals living as members of a community
• Social: living together or enjoying life in communities or organized groups
• Networking: a supportive system of sharing information and services among individuals and groups having a common interest
• Business: the occupation, work, or trade in which a person is engaged

All of these definitions involve people - like you - which make up society, networking, and business. This is not new information and does not come at a surprise, but in a lot of businesses today there’s still some missing links. Several other pieces to the puzzle must come together to successfully intertwine business and community.

The next common denominator in the definitions above is community. Again, not a surprise, but its a bit more complicated than just community. Simply finding a community, creating tools, and expecting them to embrace it is NOT enough. If I were to start my own community, I’d take these steps:

1. Define my community, including all sub-communities and groups.
2. Live/Engage with my community - wear their clothes, eat their food, talk/eat with them, think like them, and go to their events.
3. Research what’s missing - why they need it - how they should access it
4. Welcome the community to help you build their tools - especially with (beta testing)
5. Encourage feedback - they are your customers, do what they say (but with your unique twists)
6. Reach out to the community and business world - let them know you’re out there, build trust, build relationships, build a support system, and build a community
7. Find a sponsor - someone who benefits from your tool, but has a presence in your community. Make them your success story - brag about them and they’ll brag about you

Understand that your community program is living, it’s growing each and everyday. As more and more users engage themselves, the community grows and the support system grows…but keep this focused with your company, strategy, and competition. What else is happening in your market? Incorporate that too into your program.

Be the leader, be the innovator. This is not about being first, its more than that. It’s about staying on top of competition by moving ahead of the industry and anticipating your user’s/community’s next moves. This is why living their life and knowing your customer inside and out is vital. Evolve with the users as they evolve with the world.

This is WHY businesses are not captivating and reaping the rewards of a community marketing program. Deploying tools is not enough, there’s several months worth of research and planning that need to take place before hand. It’s okay if competition rolled their stuff out, your’s will be better!

If you’ve started a community marketing program (like Jeremiah Owyang), or are currently managing one (like Mario Sundar, Robyn Tippins), please let me know how you’ve done it! I want to know from YOU, the expert!

MySpace is the “king” of social networking and has been for quite some time. Yet, Facebook is rising with rapid speed, especially since they’ve opened up their platform to allow developers the opportunity to create cool widgets for profiles. They’re embracing their users and providing them with a great amount of control over what they have on their site.

But, not as much control as MySpace. Users can change anything and everything about their profile (fonts, colors, images, banners, etc). Now, should Facebook allow the samething?

THE social networking blog argues that Facebook should allow users the ability to customize their profiles. I doubt this is in the scope of Facebook’s strategy, otherwise, they would have already allowed it. I’d have to disagree with Linda Roeder, although I respect her for her knowledge in Social Media.

Here’s why becoming more like MySpace will HURT Facebook:

• They’ll lose users.  Plain and simple those users who left MySpace for Facebook will drop off.
• Drift too far away from their strategy.  Facebook has set out to provide a social network where people can express both professional and social likings.  Unlike MySpace, its purely popularity and social…nothing more.
• Too much customization = slow connectivity! MySpace literally got on my nerves, it was just too slow b/c of all the customizations, weird backgrounds, and tons of pictures.  Facebook doesn’t allow any type of profile customizations whatsoever.  Is this a good thing though?  Yes for the time being.
• Spamming.  I must get around 10 friend requests a day on MySpace, and 9/10 times they’re spam.  I hate this, but so far I have not had one spam friend request on facebook.

Now, some people argue that Facebook is too boring and leaves no room for customization.  Not even a font color change, but will this really hinder Facebook from becoming the next King?

I’d have to argue that font colors won’t mean anything.  It’s who evolves with their users fastest and provides the right freedom.

Facebook opened up their platform to developers to create whatever modules they want.  Since then, traffic has sky rocketed and other colleagues of mine have joined.  MySpace still hasn’t done so…I’m past trying to make my site look pretty, I looking for functionality improvements.

To me, functionality prevails over the anesthetics.  How about you?

I just finished reading an interesting blog post about what matters most to bloggers by Darren Rowse, and I can’t help but put my own two cents. Keep in mind though, some of the topics might overlap (note: ive only read the bold bullet points, I have not read his full explanation yet, I want to see if we are similar or not)

I’ve been blogging for a little over a year now and I’ve seen the ROI. It might not be monetary in my case, but my network has definitely grew and I’m left with a feeling of fulfillment. However, there’s several tips I like to follow on my own when writing blog posts; similarly, this is how I look at other bloggers/blog posts as well.

The 4 C’s of Blogging

1. Content: the content of every blog is key in attracting an audience and retaining loyal readers. A good way to narrow down the blog content is to establish a foundation/purpose for what content will be published; whether or not its general topics, industry-specific, or who the target audience is. I’ve seen many good examples of this, here’s one; I picked this example b/c Marc has managed to generate a great amount of traffic/comments/ROI in just a few short days. Although, the key is to stick to it and not drift off to far from the overall purpose (unless you’re evolving with time/industry/users).
2. Clarity: this has probably been the hardest obstacle; often, I have trouble conveying my thoughts clearly and instead some blog posts are full of unnecessary text. So I’ve adapted a motto that less is more. If I could, I’d go back and revisit some of my old blog posts and rewrite them just for kicks. I’m sure (at least I hope) that I’ve improved as a writer/blogger…if so, then that’s all the ROI I need.
3. Cost: there’s no real, tangible cost for blogging, at least for what I do. However, the opportunity cost is very clear as time plays a big factor. If I wasn’t blogging, I could be doing other things like Tae Kwon Do, Salsa dancing, working (hahaha!), or even watching TV. But, I have a passion for blogging and thats what counts. To me, its not a cost, but a privilege to have somewhere to express my thoughts and have others add in their own input.
4. Conversation: the phenomenon of blogging. Engaging others in a conversation about something you’ve started is very rewarding. These conversations are almost like reading a text book with commentary b/c on the surface there’s opinions, but when you dig deeper the facts arise. Through the research you gain so much more than what you started for and it almost leads you to another topic/journey of knowledge. Its a never ending conversation.

• BONUS - Customer: this is really a bonus, because not many people get this. Believe it or not, your readers are like customers…you have to shape your posts according to the audience. This will help keep your blog posts focused and it will keep users coming back. As a user, I like bookmarking a site that I know will always have relevant information to me. It actually makes me feel good that someone out there cares about my interests, cares about what I’m reading, and cares about me.

I hope I’m pointing in the right direction…if not please let me know. I’d love to hear your thoughts as well. Later, I’ll update this post with Darren Rowse’s/ProBogger’s thoughts.

Marshall Kirkpatrick announces that eBay is set to integrate blogs and wikis in the already successful platform. It sounds like a good idea, especially since it’s already community driven! They are just becoming even more sticky, I suppose, but will users really benefit or even use them?

Steve Rubel makes a convincing argument that users can actually use these blogs to talk more about products, sellers, collectibles, and even listings. I’m an avid eBay user and seller, so I think this is a great idea. On the side, my family and I sell and collect rare oldie music (link to our eBay seller profile)…I’ve even started a blog for us to promote our newest release. Perhaps it will be a bit easier to engage users if we had a blog on the eBay platform, but here’s my feelings:

• Will users even participate? I’m sure a great deal of them will, but for all the others, is blogging a value-add service?
• Its good for research purposes. You can tell a lot about a person from their blog. Are they nice to other users? Do they have a loyal fanbase? Do they even respond to users?
• eBay’s global community will be broken down into several micro-communities. This is good, b/c each community can create its niche. I know my dad would love this…he’s passionate about oldies, and whats better than to talk with other passionate people?
• Easy for advertising. Ah ha! I know once we have our next CD out, i’ll be scouring the blogs on eBay and commenting like crazy advertising our new release. Yep, ill be using it for commercial purposes…is that what eBay wants?
• How flexible will the platform be? Can I post pictures, sound clips, and videos? How will the comments workout (i.e. will there be a spam blocker?).
• MOST IMPORTANTLY - Keywords will come up in Google Search. Yes, this is the primary reason why I’d start a blog. Already eBay listings come up pretty high, but adding a blog will just make my chances of attracting outside customers even higher! My google ranking as a seller will sky rocket to the top! Thats of course, if im the only blogger. =)

Believe me, I’ll be keying you in on my experience with my new eBay blog. Who knows maybe I’ll even see you there!

Here’s how eBay is already embracing social media:

• eBay Chatter
• eBay Developer’s Wiki

The rise of social media sites has got some people wondering about how politics might/will play an important role in future elections. Some even think that the election will be online. Either way, what’s going to happen? Can these really exist on one platform?

The future will tell, but already political developers, AKA political enthusiasts, have started using social media to their advantage. Mike Davidson, a web/design consultant, dives into MySpace and Facebook quite often. One of his interns, even created a facebook widget, “I Voted for Al Gore.” Whether fake or not, there’s no stopping politicians from creating widgets like these on MySpace and Facebook.

What does this mean? It means that Social Media is changing how users receive their content, either through RSS feeds, widgets, social media sites, users/voters are evolving. Politicians need to evolve as well. Here’s where the power of ONE really kicks into gear. Have one person add the widget and before you know it thousands of users will have it on their site.

Here’s some snapshots of the cool widget…

This is how you add the widget to your facebook…very easy!

Here’s what the end result looks like

This is a very interesting topic that I would like to take a closer look at and see if there really is a difference. Jeremiah eludes to the relationship between journalists (old media) and bloggers (new media), but what is really happening? I’m sure some journalists absolutely hate blogging/techmeme and what’s its evolved into. But, truth is, its the NEW media. I check techmeme at least 5 times a day, how often do I go read news articles online…close to never!

Its happening, online users are evolving and the gap between bloggers and journalists is increasing. Instead, these two mediums should connect with each other and become “journoggers” (rebecca’s term). Why don’t journalists talk with bloggers and include them in news? This way, journalists can let out some real facts, instead of filtered media.

At this point, I believe that bloggers ARE more connected than journalists. Before you doubt my statement (if you do), consider the following:

• Blogging is community-driven: It’s a fact…bloggers are connecting with other bloggers to form a conversation. Conversations drive the blogosphere! Its the back and forth arguments and “pats” on the back that keep blogging interesting and “real.” Nothing is held back, everyone blogger is in for his/her self.
• Relationships are built: No matter what happens (disagreements or not), relationships are still between as two bloggers converse with each other. In most cases, these relationships carry on to future discussions. But, each person brings their own community and own relationships to the table.
• Communities grow and grow: As I read other posts and talk about them on my blog, im bringing my community into the discussion. So what do we have now? Now we have my community, plus the original blogger and his community all talking and conversing. We’re left with one BIG community that will continue to grow.
• We’re a global neighborhood: Shel has become the innovator of this term, but its true. No longer are we having “naked” conversations, now its bigger…its global. Everyone (globally) is talking with each other. It does not matter where you are in the world, nothing stops bloggers from meeting new people
• Bloggers breathe openness and transparency: I’m sure for 99% of the bloggers out there, this is their oxygen, its their food that keeps them typing along. It’s really what this platform is for…be completely honest, let everything hang out. There’s nothing stopping you and most of the time at least someone out there will feel the same way you do
• Bloggers are real people who accept both criticism and praise: If you are putting yourself out there and expressing your thoughts, there’s going to be some people who do not agree. Thats ok! Be open about it, stay close to your blogging enemies, it keeps the conversation going…oh and it probably will attract more users too!

I admit that it sounds like I’ve been praising blogging to be some remarkable practice, but its not. It’s rather simple: be honest, be open, engage others, and build relationships.

Should journalists go away? Nope, in fact I believe journalist can become great bloggers, just with some fine tuning of course. There should be no battle between bloggers and journalists, instead…embrace each other for what you offer. Here’s my recommendations on what journalists should do:

• Use your credibility: Some journalists have far more credibility than bloggers, so why not use it BUT engage the bloggers too! Help us! We’ll help you in the blogosphere
• Be open to criticism: Despite being criticized, don’t stop what you’re doing! You are doing something revolutionary…it’ll pay off.
• Stay away from the fluff: Sometimes, I can’t trust everything journalists write (of course not everything bloggers say is right either), but at least other bloggers will clear things up!

Take a look at what other people are saying about journalists and bloggers:

• Farrell Kramer - he talks about how technology is changing how journalists work, but not what they do; and he also comments about a question asked of how it would be like if a bunch of bloggers got together to write about something
• Jay Small - he argues that technology can be both a friend and an enemy; and perhaps adoption is a keyword for journalists
• Dan Rosenbaum - talks about why newspapers aren’t dead yet

Facebook seems to be a hot topic everywhere I look. Right now, Im sitting at my old school library, and it’s amazing how many people are on facebook when you look around. This is just an observation, but its a trend that I’m seeing more and more! But is it a fad? Will it just fade away…Im guessing that Facebook is here to stay.

Yet, its main competition, MySpace, could prevent Facebook from being the leader! Now, Im not too concerned about number of users or even how much money they bring in compared to MySpace, but instead, what value they add. Are they serving a greater purpose than MySpace? Let’s try to bottle down the key features of both facebook and myspace to see:

Provides a legitimate social networking platform

• MySpace: Yes, but who is part of the network? Probably, friends you met at a party, someone who is in your class, someone you think is cute, or spam.
• Facebook: Yes, and although the network could be any of the above, it also includes colleagues and business professionals. That’s the difference! The network on Facebook is a lot more professional and older. Obviously, MySpace has its own niche, but will this survive the rapid popularity of Facebook?

Provides an opportunity to show one’s personality

• MySpace: Yes, all power is in the hands of the creator. This is something MySpace has mastered! And the younger generation loves it! But, does it get old? Well, I know my sister loves MySpace and so do my parents, but what about my generation? Where do we go? FACEBOOK…but can facebook keep my generation for long?
• Facebook: No, theres not much room for creativity. Of course this is the intention, but is it the right strategy? I know its great for my generation, but will it withstand the generation swings? Can Facebook keep people like me interested?

Web 2.0?

• MySpace: Although, I’d say that MySpace has some good web 2.0 widgets, its just not up to par. Then again, this might not be their strategy. But, this could put them significantly behind competition if they dont keep up because their users are evolving…and they need to be aware of this.
• Facebook: Absolutely! I like the whole idea about the Feeds (although some think its a bit invasive). Plus now you can import flickr photos directly to facebook!

Here to stay?

• MySpace: Yes, but for who? I feel like MySpace is very niche, either you like it or you dont! Can this keep them the top social networking site? Im not too sure
• Facebook: Face it, we are all on it or at least talking about it. Even the Community Evangelist at LinkedIn, Mario Sundar, has a facebook account. AND even Jeremiah, who asked the question if he really needs it since he already has LinkedIn and his blog, signed up and is adding friends.

What does everyone else think?

As an upcoming professional almost entering into the workforce, I am becoming more aware of consumer needs.  Therefore, I am seeing a lot of business opportunities for entrepreneurs.  In fact, I may want to start my own business in the near future, but how?  Creating a new business takes a lot of initiative, time, effort, and patience.

Yet, I stumbled upon some advice in my International Business book that is valuable:

• Don’t rush familiarity:  when addressing people in the business world, always be formal (unless you know them on a personal basis).  Your first impression will often stick with you and your business.
• Build relationships: what matters most isn’t money, buting building personal relationships and being refered by someone who you’ve done business with.  Build a strong network that lasts.
• Expect limited resources:  use the internet to facilitate communication with businesses.  You cannot expect people to contact you, contact them on your own.
• Establish who is in charge:  establish who is in charge of all aspects of the business.  When contacting other business professionals it is important that the person in charge communicates with them instead of a company rep

As I think more about becoming a future entrepreneur these tips are very important.  Yet, succeeding does depend a lot on personal will power and perseverence.  Although the tips above may vary by person, thinking about what makes an entrepreneur successful and developing a plan is probably a good first step.

As an intern who has started working in Corporate America, I understand how difficult it can be to manage work, school, and life. The transition is not easy, which is why I am reaching out to ALL interns and NEW hires to form a network.

As of late, intern bloggers have raised the question on whether or not they should be allowed to blog. I believe there is no question, every intern should be allowed and ENCOURAGED to blog!

However, there are certain things an intern SHOULD not do…which is why I think a network can help! Furthermore, interns need guidance from others who are experiencing the same things, which is when the network would step in.

If you know of anyone, or if you are an intern please respond!

Here is a list that I have compiled of other interns

(it is short, but it will grow):

• Matt Sokoloff - New York Intern
• Leslie - Kansas Intern
• George Woods - Virginia Intern
• …

Please let me know if you find any other interns. Also, you may want to visit the blogs above, they have interesting posts!