Social Media Networks are NOT for Marketing

Lets keep this brief and bitter. If you try to use social media networks like facebook, twitter, etc for marketing, you WILL FAIL. Doing this is like trying to sell Amway or your religious beliefs as a dinner party guest!

http://www.beingpeterkim.com/2009/01/social-business.html Explains why advertising agencies fail to recognize the huge gap between online marketing and getting people to actually walk into a retail location based on what they saw online. The perfect example is the Burger King Sacrifice campaign. WORTHLESS. 

Getting people to leave the clickable world, their comfortable house, into traffic, fighting for parking, paying cash money, and doing it all in reverse again ... you'd better offer something they can't get online... Ohm I dunno! A HUG MAYBE?!?!

To old media advertising execs: The new and greatest "barrier to entry," is now the "barrier to exit."

Social Media Networking for the OCD lifestyle

I'm pretty sure a caption is not necessary for this.

How do Facebook Myspace and Youtube actually work?

I'd really like to think I can, But I'd be deluded if I really thought I could personally explain it better. This video is a must show for every corporate board room.

People STILL dont understand social media and social networks!

Ted.com - Social Media Network for Science and Technology Intellectuals

Ted.com is my favorite example of a social media and social networking website. It is teeming with inspiring scientific, social, and technology video content. It makes you burst with ideas you want to share and discuss. What better place to do it than your own website? So ted.com allows all viewers to post RELEVANT profile information such as industry, speciality, experience, etc (unlike eduspaces).

But in the spirit of Ted.com, watch the video instead:

ModelMayhem - A perfect case study for a social media network for models and actors

Modelmayhem.com is a perfect example of what a social media site / social networking site should do. It should be NECESSARY!...

MM does just that. It lets people in the creepiest lurkerest industry at arms distance while fostering communication and idea exchange. Here is my full video about Model Mayhem and what I needs to do from here...

Video: ModelMayhem.com Social Media Network for Models, Actors, and Photographers

Top New Social Networking Media Websites: Eduspaces.com

 

So just a few months ago, I sent a sms text to one of the original team members of Myspace. I asked him, "How many people does it take to where a social network will start blossoming on its own like myspace?" 

His answer was simple yet profound, "1."

Eduspaces does exactly what I suspect 99% of new social media sites will do. They will build it. Then they will just hope that they will come. 

My first impression of eduspaces.com is that there are many members... 19,000+ at this point. BUT upon registering, there were only two people online. AND on the home page, all we have are "latest shouts" that say,

"what is this , still looking"

"shout test"

"Testando plataforma"

Couple of other major flaws to eduspaces include the fact there there is no "1." Myspace had Tom. Every coffee shop needs a gregarious barista. Every bar needs an attractive bartender. Ever social network needs an anchor person.

Another issue I noticed is that the welcome page shown here tells me nothing. The welcome registration email tells me nothing. The ABOUT ME profile fields are generic. This is a site with members only. Atleast the jacket by the same name had content when worn!