What’s Next for Social Media?
So, I was thinking the other day about how far social media has come along. There are so many different platforms available nowadays, all of them offering different features and services. You have Facebook, which integrates status updates, photos, instant chatting, discussion boards, and a whole lot more. Myspace and LinkedIn feature many similar offerings. Then, you have sites such as Flickr and YouTube, which are primarily used for photo sharing and multimedia.
With dozens of platforms exponentially increasing in popularity, it seems inevitable that only more social media methods will develop. My question is, what will be next?
What are your thoughts? What do you think the next craze will be in the social media world? Webcamming? Platforms SPECIFICALLY created for businesses to network? The sky is the limit! Share your thoughts…
Microsoft Takes a Bite Out of Apple?
Who would’ve ever thought there would be competition between Microsoft and Apple? Ha. Ok, so we know they are probably amongst the top 2 competitors of any two brands in the world, BUT what we didn’t know is the rivalry reaches beyond just the products they create!
It appears that Microsoft is building retail stores, but it doesn’t end there. They are intentionally going to position certain locations to be adjacent to Apple sites AND are recruiting employees at Apple by giving them major pay increases. It also appears that current employees of Apple are not satisfied with the company and are willingly staging walk-outs. Wow- I’m assuming Apple is NOT tickled with this idea…
Is this good news or bad news for consumers? We may not know quite yet. What we do know however, is there will be some fierce battling going on in the next couple of years. The question is: Who do you think will win the war?
Celebrities on Twitter
We all know that part of Twitter’s appeal is the ability to follow our favorite celebs- with famous stars such as John Mayer, Miley Cyrus, and Stephen Fry constantly using the ever so popular microblogging service, it is no wonder why it has become a means to share the latest happenings in Hollywood…
In more recent weeks, we have witnessed the use of Twitter as a means to discuss hot topics. Nobody can forget what happened with Taylor Swift and Kanye West at the MTV Video Music Awards, and Twitter was certainly used to capture viewer’s opinions!
The social platform has also seen an enormous outpouring of comments from fans of Patrick Swayze who declared their support for his passing. It is quite clear that individuals are incorporating the popular microblogging tool into their everyday lives, which is something that would have been unheard of just a few years ago!
All in all, when you think about the idea of Twitter and its uses- it’s pretty neat! You can not only update your close friends and family on your whereabouts, but you get constant access to your favorite idols with just a few clicks of a mouse. Of course, there are some downsides, but overall Twitter is a pretty handy tool to have! What are your thoughts?
Social Media in Government?
Who ever would’ve thought the day would come where the US government would use social media? Well, whatever your opinion is (I happen to think it is great!), that time has come.
We all saw President Barak Obama’s contribution to bringing social media into government territory during his election against John McCain. Obama was the first president to successfully employ the use of a social media strategy, which enabled him to connect with citizens on a more personal level and also promote his campaign at the same time…Look what happened?! He won the election AND was shown his support from millions on Twitter alone!
We are also continuing to see more and more government officials get involved with social media, especially with the upcoming governor & senate races for 2010. The vast majority of these candidates have accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, and YouTube, which are all giving them a massive increase in exposure and allowing them to get their messages across.
It is evident that social media is a growing trend in government. The question is, is that a good or a bad thing? Let’s hear your thoughts…
Social Media populated by teenagers? Think again.
A common misconception many people seem to have about social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace is that they are composed primarily of teenagers…
This idea couldn’t be more wrong.
In fact, according an article by the New York Times, only 11% of Twitter users, 9% of Facebook users, and 14% of MySpace users are between the ages of 12 and 17. That means over 75% of individuals using social media are adults. Wow!
So what does this all mean? Well, for one thing it shows that social media is not just a passing fad. If nearly all age groups are using it, the likelihood that people will just move onto “the next best thing” is very slim.
The statistics also indicate how beneficial social media can be for businesses. If companies originally thought that getting involved would only be a means to reach the target audience of teenagers, they know better now. This finding gives businesses endless opportunities to enhance their marketing tactics and appeal to whatever age group their hearts desire.
Case-in-point: Social Media is NOT just for the younger audience- so embrace it!
The power to define and control a brand is shifting from corporations and institutions to individuals and communities.
Are you ready? Social Media Solutions works with brands to deliver an unparalleled combination of strategy, creativity and technology to produce solutions with measurable results for our clients. 
Who We Are
Social Media Solutions is a social media marketing agency, located in sunny Orlando, FL.