Staying Social Through Boston's Bombings.

When tragedy strikes and is highlighted on a national level, many feel the need to get involved. Whether you're a few blocks away or a few thousand miles away, the concept of humanity usually overrules any doubts you might have about ignoring a horrible situation. Because of this, we are innately inclined to help.

Social media has provided us all with a more immediate way to help, with real-time communication being possible for tens of thousands of people at a time. It truly is spectacular to see communication enabled among that many people from such different areas at once. Even a decade ago, I'm sure this possibility was not expected.

However, this type of interactive environment does have its ups and downs.

Boston and Social Media.

First of all, I'd like to note the fact that the happenings this week have evoked a great amount of nationalism among citizens of our country. As impressive as this is, it caused members of many online communities to put on their law enforcement caps and try to solve crime through their computers. The effort is appreciated, but they aren't police officers for a reason.

Due to suspected conspiracy theories that developed over the course of a few days, along with analysis of pictures released by the media to the public, a few ordinary citizens falsely had blame cast on them. There have been a few accounts of those citizens receiving much harassment regarding the crimes they did not commit. It doesn't need to be explained why this is an issue, as it is a violation of privacy for those affected and obstruction of justice on behalf of the information that came to be trusted by major media outlets.

There's something to be said for the more positive outcomes of social media's involvement in the news, though. Many were able to stay involved in the action as it developed, thanks to updates on Twitter, live feeds posted on Reddit (Live Feed), and links to the Boston Police Department's activity scanner being sent to anyone interested. Updates were real-time, with some of the updates even coming from Boston residents that were close to the police action itself.

News networks like MSNBC, Fox New, and especially CNN drew much criticism for being late to provide updates and information on the situations in Boston. Despite the fact that any news network stops reporting live well before the scene in Boston really escalated, many people were frustrated and outraged by their total absence from the police chase. This turned out to be of no issue for most people, though, since Twitter, Reddit, and the police scanner, along with a few local journalists, provided more than enough content to keep anyone interested informed.

Politics and tragedy aside, the way these events played out indicates just how news and online journalism could be shaped in the future. With urgent situations like this, interested parties didn't care about where they were getting their information from, as long as they were getting it. Videos, press releases, and articles would have been too long to keep attention and inform viewers, especially when all of those resources take too long to create.

The Internet certainly proved itself as worthy competition for major news outlets, which are often criticized for their biases and focus on ratings. News networks are businesses, so they do need to make money, but how can they compete with the vast amount of free information that others provide in times like these?

The main way that news outlets can keep up would be to not try and monetize the major news events as they happen. When searching out updates on situations like the manhunt in Boston, people weren't flocking to their televisions to stay informed. Instead, they took to the Internet, where names without faces were keeping everyone informed. If CNN had kept one to a few of its reporters on standby for the night, they could have stayed with the story better and provided their followers with better, more credible information.

Boston's tragic week has to be the event that has best-exposed the discrepancies between online media and televised news, and the major news networks should have some time to learn from their mistakes in handling it. In the future, look for them to be more responsive to major events, especially if they want to satisfy their ratings-driven objectives.

Self-Censorship.

Most people that are active in social media believe that their profiles online should represent who they are and what they believe. The more connected people are to their friends online, the more that their actions matter in real life. If you make a post that attracts a lot of attention online, someone may say something to you about it in real life. If you are consistently funny on Facebook or Twitter, your friends or peers may expect the same of you in real life, too.

Despite the high amount of content posted by users online, there is probably even more that isn't posted.

Censorship in the Form of Self-Restraint.

Terms like "attention whoring" and "begging for likes" are thrown around frequently whenever someone posts content just to receive the recognition or notoriety for whatever they post. The fact that these terms are commonly used online shows that there is a certain level of insecurity or low self-esteem associated with at least a portion of social media users. While this can viewed as some kind of psychological weakness, it may also be the source of content control, my preferred term for self-censorship.

When users implement content control, they stop themselves from posting anything online that may not align very well with either themselves or the people that receive updates from them. It removes some of the uncertainty that a post may not be well received by a particular online community and provides content that is more relevant and better-suited to the tastes of interested parties.

In the article linked above, the numbers show that a majority of Facebook users participate in self-censorship when posting anything on the social network. In an environment as content-driven as Facebook, it is important to the company itself that users implement content control when posting anything. Since the company itself won't remove posts on any page that isn't associated with them, the only moderation as to what is posted on individual profiles comes from the profiles themselves. If other users get fed up with what is being frequently posted, they may choose to abandon the site altogether.

While Facebook may not be the only site where self-censorship is a common happening, it may be where it happens most often. Social networks where it is acceptable for users to post often, such as Twitter and Tumblr, don't necessarily condone content control, since clutter is expected in the feeds of active users. Facebook, however, should attempt to use the fact that their users control themselves, to its advantage in some way.

Google+ Gets Glamour-ous.

Google+ often draws much criticism for not having as much activity as other social networks, like Facebook and Twitter. I have seen it referred to as a ghost town, where people may create accounts that they quickly abandon because of a lack of appeal. One feature on Google+, though, that really stands out is the opportunity for users to initiate "hangouts".

Glamour Hangouts on Google+

Glamour Magazine, a fashion publication, has launched a series of scheduled hangouts with any of its followers over the next month. Any of these hangouts will give them a chance to showcase products that may be partnered with them, some of the expertise of their staff, or even just further gauge the interests of their readers and followers. At a time when print media is supposedly on the decline, this is a great way for them to increase consumer interest in the service they are offering.

When I first read the headline of the article linked above, my mind immediately jumped to the conclusion that Glamour and Google would be charging users for the ability to participate in these hangouts. As different as that is, that in itself could be considered newsworthy and a little innovative. While the ability to start a hangout with anyone is free on Google+, presenting these specific opportunities as premiums would have elevated the brand to a prestige not previously explored.

Instead, Glamour still finds themselves the first movers in an area that could prove to be quite lucrative. Product placement has been increasing in both quantity and quality over the past few years, especially since television commercials are no longer viewed as much as they used to be. Display advertising, the online equivalent of print ads, has very low relative success, as well. Much of it is ignored, since it may not appeal to the Internet user that is seeing it.

For those involved in these hangouts, though, the relevancy of what is being presented can not be questioned at all. If a Google+ user is interested, they will participate, so there would be no waste in promotional coverage. Glamour has everything to gain, though, since their followers and readers will either come to trust their expertise even more or invest in the products that are being presented to them.

It will be interesting to see how other brands might try to explore product placement via social interactions in the future. Google+ hangouts present the most interactive opportunity that could be available to a company right now, and the effectiveness of a brand with actual products to promote, as opposed to partnered brands, could vary based on consumers' reactions.

Google Glass, Revisited.

Google is one of a few companies that has both the capabilities and the resources to adapt to the rapidly changing landscape of technology. With first-mover advantages leading innovators to net huge profits for their creativity and timeliness, research and development teams are constantly trying to find that cutting edge that will set their brand apart from everyone else.

A few weeks ago, I posted about the potential of Google's new product development, Project Glass. It could, and still can, disrupt the entire advertising industry. Here's the link.

Breaking through the advertising Glass ceiling.

The online giant has posed a new challenge, though. With the online market functioning so heavily off of consumer feedback and communication, Google has asked those interested in the project to tell all about what they would do if they had a model of Glass. A revamped video that, once again, highlights the many uses of the product can be found on multiple YouTube channels online, and it was just released this morning.

On their website (Google Glass) this video follows up a plethora of information regarding the new product, its many color offerings, and a contest.

Google has become so confident in Project Glass that they have implemented this contest to see just what potential users would do with it. Using the hashtag "#ifihadglass" on Twitter and Google+ and explaining just what you would do enters you into a contest just to be able to buy an early model of Glass for $1500+ and try it out. That doesn't include taxes or the cost of flying out to one of three large American cities to actually pick it up.

Let's first address the fact that this may be the best $1500 opportunity to ever be available to the general public. As a college student, I have maybe that much money collectively from both my savings and my checking accounts. I would spend all of it to acquire a pair of these bad boys.

With that in mind, the luxurious price tag they've slapped on it can only do them well. It generates interest in the product, and, in the worst-case scenario, they would have to lower prices to facilitate demand for a product that is already generating a ridiculous amount of buzz online.

A multi-billion dollar company doesn't have as much as the average company trying to roll out a groundbreaking product, but it seems as if Google won't have any problem with Glass.

Owning the Internet.

Gartner, Inc. defines the Internet of Things (IoT) as "a concept that describes how the Internet will expand as physical items such as consumer devices and physical assets are connected to the Internet." The general definition of IoT is always expanding, since technology is always expanding. Everyday, companies become more familiar with mobile and some of the newer services offered to Internet users.

An avenue not normally considered buzz-worthy around this time of year is the digital world. Marketing departments typically pursue the most popular option: the Super Bowl.

The Value of a $4 Million Super Bowl Ad

Research from the Digiday article linked above shows that the price of a standard 30-second article could buy much more in the digital world. The hefty tag of $4,000,000 could buy prolonged exposure on Twitter, Hulu, and many other websites. With so many of today's consumers being active Internet users, this advertising provides vital exposure to brands that want to be more productive online.

Not every company tries to make a big splash during the most-viewed athletic event in the nation. Those that do are thrust into the spotlight, hoping to pull off something that will stick in viewers' heads long-term. Chrysler's "Halftime in America" commercial last year, with Clint Eastwood narrating the return of a once-failing automobile manufacturer, stimulated quite a bit of buzz around the brand. Volkswagen usually has memorable spots, ranging from a domesticated dog trying to chase one of their cars instead of a mailman to a little boy trying to emulate Darth Vader by using The Force.

Chrysler's commercial from last year lasted 2 minutes and 1 second, much longer than the standard timeslot mentioned earlier. The ad cost Chrysler an estimated $14 million, an amount that could essentially take over all of the available ad space in the relevant digital world for at least a few days.

So what's the big deal?

It's already been established that the modern consumer spends a fair amount of time online. While not every social media user or online shopper is looking to purchase a car, there are ways to put even just a small fraction of that sum of money to use effectively.

Above all else, the objective of whatever is done should be to make your actions relevant. If a company tries throwing their slogan around the Twittersphere or Tumblr, most users will write it off instantly. Even normal consumers don't want to feel like they're being sold to. It usually comes off as condescending and a little degrading. A short hashtag or current idea that would encourage responses from any Internet user could be considered most effective. The company itself may try to sell its image through the use of whichever approach they decide to use, but it's important to let the online community do the rest.

A preemptive approach to pursuing the online market is by listening to whatever research is available. If 35% of your customers are active Twitter users, but only 12% use Instagram, it'd be wise to stray away from focusing on broadening your presence on the latter.

Some companies become too aggressive when using a new online campaign. On highly-frequented sites like ESPN and YouTube, there might be ads that rollover and start playing videos or displaying extra content, even if the user accidentally scrolled over the area for as little as a second. This is a very passive form of harassment. People enjoy the Internet because of all of the freedoms it allows, and having an idea or image forced upon you in that way is just uncomfortable.

The last important aspect to remember when initiating a high-dollar online campaign is that you have to have something to say. If you are just trying to increase brand recognition, there are definitely ways to do that. Word-of-mouth communication spreads fastest online, so having a short and simple message that can really halt the short attention spans of today's savvy consumers is vital to moving any kind of product.

If you're going to own the Internet for any extended period of time, you might as well make sure people remember it.

Get Connected.

Social media is an everchanging form of communication. In its primitive stages, blogs like Xanga existed to give Internet users a way of expressing their thoughts to whomever decided to read them. Not long after, Myspace and Facebook occupied the space that most social butterflies unknowingly needed to be filled. Though the former may have fallen off a bit in terms of both usage and popularity, Facebook has become as much of a cornerstone in Internet conversation as Google. While the curious mind will say "Let me Google that really quick!", the social mind will suggest "Find me on Facebook!"

To keep it as simple as possible, Facebook is social media.

This isn't to limit the idea of social media to only the networking giant, but to suggest that recognition of one idea brings about concurrent recognition of the other.

When the average person thinks of basketball, they think of the Los Angeles Lakers.

Baseball? New York Yankees.

Football? Dallas Cowboys.

There's a metaphorical poster-boy for every major concept. As long as the brain continues to operate under the idea of association, this will always hold true.

Many platforms of social media have emerged since Facebook gained in popularity. Twitter, Foursquare, Pinterest, Tumblr, GetGlue, and many others offer users very unique and specialized experiences, ranging from location-sharing to virtual window shopping. However, over and done with are the days of competition between these various brands of social media. You can post onto Foursquare, Facebook, and Twitter from GetGlue. Pinterest has a share option that links to Facebook and Twitter, as well. At this point in time, you can even link your Myspace and Facebook together.

There isn't some secret crusade by the social media heavyweights to increase the reliance on their brands by their users. Those in charge have just come to realize that, as much as their users are loyal to them, an Internet user takes pride in having freedom of opinion. They want the ability to hold membership with a variety of social networks, even if just to have the ability to do so. Whether they exercise this ability is irrelevant.

As various brands in social media pave the way in doing so, their users mirror them by linking one account to another and providing even more evidence supporting the importance of feasibility in the usage of their services. After all, people only ever want to do one thing.

Get connected.