If you have something to say...
Say it on the Huffington Post
If you have something to say...
Say it on the Huffington Post
The Blog
The ease of communication and information-sharing that makes websites such as Facebook and Twitter so useful for keeping in touch with friends and promoting social events makes the dissemination of extreme material much easier than in the past.
In recent weeks, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook have all made news in an effort to emphasise their mobile credentials. However, mobile phones are very personal things for most people; companies will have to work hard to connect with consumers via mobile.
While some of us are intent on telling everyone about how nice our morning porridge was, the other half of Twitter has their pants round their ankles and something in their hand that you could probably stir your oats with, should you wish to.
Although strategy is probably the most ridiculed business marketing terms at the moment courtesy of The Apprentice, to not see merit in creating and implementing it effectively could be at the determent of a business.
It is so frustrating to see ministers appearing to be backtracking on the introduction of tighter security measures for customers using internet and social media sites.
Too many businesses are ignoring mobile. While up until now many companies have 'got away with it', this situation is becoming increasingly untenable. Over a third of the UK adult population now use smart phones, with a similar percentage in the US, and the market is growing existentially.
And one of the key questions is how Facebook will increase the amount of revenue they earn from advertising and other services. Which leads me to a little experiment they have been undertaking recently in New Zealand.
Over the years Facebook will need to grapple with many issues that affect the development of the company and the lives of its users, from growth to innovating ahead of the curve, and from privacy to social responsibility.
Ever felt 'thrusted upon'? Unfortunately I have. You're in a hotel room, dressed up and ready. Full of anticipation, glass in hand.
Joining Twitter is like suddenly discovering an extra room in your house. You're just walking from your kitchen to your living room one evening and you notice a door that you've never opened before. You decide to turn the handle and have a look.
If a CEO has his position and company name featured on his Twitter profile and Monday to Friday the account features mainly corporate news and comment, then he gets drunk on a Saturday and starts tweeting sexist jokes it is almost impossible to imagine that the 'this is only my personal view' defence would stand.
You might have seen local coverage over the weekend on potential closures to Kent Police buildings. I have to say that personally the key to success of any change is absolute transparency and engagement.
Social media is not just about Twitter. Of course, Twitter is where much of the online chatter about brands is taking place today so it is an enormously important network, but there is a difference between social media and social networking.
Be prepared to do it for the love first. And then probably keep doing it for quite some time. Almost no one, no matter how brilliant they are as an under-graduate, walks into a role these days with a box-fresh degree in English or Journalism and no, or not much, writing experience.
Media freedom has the power to transform societies and to change the course of history. Over the past year, across the Middle East and North Africa, ordinary citizens found their voices using social media and blogs. But freedom of expression continues to be repressed in many countries and some have seen a significant decline in media freedoms. Around the world, journalists, bloggers and others have been obstructed from doing their work by being harassed, monitored, detained, or subjected to violence.
Recently the International Olympic Committee (IOC) launched the Athletes' Hub, a social media platform designed to bring athletes and fans closer together. A lot has been written about the goals and functionality behind the platform so I won't go over that again; instead I thought it would be interesting to ask why many large businesses don't do the same thing?
