June 2011 LinkedIn Poll: What Social Media or Social Networking site has performed best for you so far?

For June 2011, I chose this question for my LinkedIn Poll: What Social Media or Social Networking site has performed best for you so far?

For so many businesses figuring out the healthy balance of attention to which Social Media or Social Networking site is almost a roadblock in itself. For some Twitter is amazing lead generating tool. For some it’s a complete waste of time. Same thing goes for Facebook and LinkedIn and other networks. Each Social Media outlet has it’s own personality and followers there within. The culture and behavior between networks varies quite a bit.

The best advice would be to see how people communicate within a certain network. Once you have a better understanding of HOW others communicate in a particular network you can look at your business and figure out how you want to be perceived to each of these outlets. (Note: Just because you blast your information to somewhere doesn’t mean it’s going to be received in the desired way.)

Context and content are always king.

As a Social Media Consultant, it’s paramount for me to understand that balance of attention and performance. We all have finite time to work on something; might as well make it worth it, right?

Byte Back!

Tags: Facebook, LinkedIn, linkedin poll, SMM, social, Social Media, social media marketing, Social Media Posts, social networking, Twitter
Posted in: Facebook, LinkedIn, Social Media Marketing, Social Media Posts, social networking, Twitter |

Comments: 947 Comments

Social Media Experiment – Pet Portraits – Portrait of Bailey (Chris Espiritu)

An old high school buddy of mine, Chris Espiritu aka @MrEspiritu, recent told me that he had to make the tough choice to put his beloved dog, Bailey down. It was gut wrenching just to think about that long drive to the vet’s office and say that last goodbye. A little over 2 years ago, (wow!) my parents made the tough choice of putting our beloved dog, whose name happened to be Bailey as well, down. I know that feeling Chris and I’m sorry for your loss.

I truly felt connected to Bailey through this drawing. I can’t explain it in words, but when I do these drawings…I feel like they are sitting right in front of me allowing me to be present to them.

- Social Media Marketing and Social Networking can not only dramatically increase the viability of the bottom line to a small business, but also the visibility as well. The potential to reach an enormous customer base and increase the overall ROI of an Internet Marketing budget is there. You just need to think a bit outside the box.

Check out my other Recent Pet Portraits.

Pet Portraits by Andrew David Baron

Tags: drawing, pet portrait, pet portraits, social, Social Media, social media consultant, social media consulting, social media experimient, social media marketing, Social Media Posts
Posted in: Facebook, LinkedIn, Pet Portraits, Social Media Consulting, Social Media Experiments, Social Media Posts, social networking, Twitter |

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Keeping a finger on the pulse of Social Media.

Yesterday on Mashable there was an article posted about Pepsi’s latest foray in Marketing & Social Media. The article was entitled: Pepsi Vending Machine Lets You Gift Drinks to Friends Via Social Media.

The other day I had an in-depth conversation with Robert Caruso aka @fondalo regarding an idea for an amazing Social Media / Social Networking business that could prove lucrative and forward thinking. I blink for a moment and a major corporation / worldwide master of Social Networking has beaten me to the punch. Am I sullen for not receiving proper acknowledgment? Believe it or not; No. I actually feel vindicated that an idea that I had / predicted awhile ago is now happening. In fact to the contrary, it proves that my ideas and thought processes are perfectly in tuned to what is really happening out there in the Social Media stratosphere.

During the course of the conversation, Robert and I went back and forth about the pros and cons to such an idea and the overall cost, ROI, Social Media value, etc. What is interesting is that we both agreed that only a handful of companies on the planet would be able to currently acheive this concept; lo and behold yesterday Pepsi reveals their concept. This is an incredibly epic leap forward for not only businesses, but for Social Media in general.

The main similarity to what Pepsi is going to do and my overall idea is the use of Social Media at the point of sale. There are a whole slew of things that Pepsi didn’t even consider that would make this campaign so much more effective, that I will not reveal in this article for obvious reasons. (If Pepsi wants to hear my ideas…I’m certainly open to talk to them, but by no means am I going to just give that out.)

As as Social Media Consultant, I’m convinced that this seriously very tip of the iceberg of what is truly possible for small, medium and large businesses. In this rapidly changing environment of new forms of media and advertising, it behooves a business no matter how big or small to stay on top of what is happening around them.

Byte Back!

Tags: Facebook, foursqaure, geosocial, geosocial networks, LinkedIn, social, Social Media, social media marketing, social networking, socialmedia, Twitter
Posted in: Facebook, Foursquare, Future Social Media, LinkedIn, Social Media Consulting, Social Media Marketing, Social Media Posts, social networking, Twitter, Video |

Comments: 980 Comments

Into_Now (iPhone App Review)

Into_Now, has to be one of the most incredible iPhone apps I have ever used. It works like magic. In a nutshell the application when activated will listen to your television and with seemingly 100% accuracy, tell you what you are watching. You then can let your fellow Into_Now friends, Twitter followers, and/or Facebook friends know what you are watching within seconds!

With an incredible algorithm of past and present airing logs of television shows, Into_Now dynamically changes how we use Social Media. I’m all about geosocial and other types of cool apps, however the nefarious and ironic side of Social Media is that it takes time to checkin to places or type a message. This makes you “THAT ANNOYING GUY WITH THE IPHONE”.

I have to say that with Into_Now, I’m no longer, “THAT GUY”. I can continue interacting with the people around me as I hold the iPhone close to the television. Social Media can be really amazing at times, and yet (sigh) can be the very thing that pulls people away from each other. How many times have you gone to a party or a bar and there are at least 5-10 people with their faces in their iPhone or other SmartPhone device? It’s annoying…and yes admittedly, I used to be one of those people.

Into_Now’s network of users creates a microcosm of like minded people that you can connect to, in less than a heartbeat! At the time of writing this post, I have 135 friends on their network! I’ve only been using the app for a few days now! That is incredible, no matter how you look at it! So many people like to connect because they know that I have something in common with with them, that they love or enjoy watching.

As a Social Media Consultant, I would highly recommend this app to local & national television advertisers to help analyze the real-time data and the impact within various demographics of particular television shows. The best part is that it’s FREE! Enjoy!

Kudos to Into_Now! Download it now! Into_Now

Byte Back!

Tags: iphone, iPhone app, SMM, social, Social Media, social media marketing, Social Media Posts, social networking
Posted in: Facebook, iPhone App Reviews, Social Media Consulting, Social Media Marketing, Social Media Posts, social networking, Twitter |

Comments: 905 Comments

Social Media Experiment – Pet Portraits – Portrait of Ruby

Ruby, was an amazing dog with amazing heart of pure gold. She recently passed away and is dearly missed by her owners and myself. I had the unique opportunity to meet, greet, and spend some time with her last Thanksgiving weekend. She would follow my little Captain Murphy around and treated him like her boyfriend. What a wonderful soul.

Check out my other Recent Pet Portraits.

Pet Portraits by Andrew David Baron