Industry analysts speculate the Facebook acquisition of MySpace is driven by several key factors: One, to secure the personal data of nearly 34 million still active accounts to expand the Facebook ad network reach and exposure. Two, to enable users to check into bands/performances on MySpace using Facebook Places. Three, acquire the graphics and user interface (UI) design expertise offered by MySpace personnel.

“The addition of 34 million users, many in the music industry, will help Facebook reach our goal of 750 million accounts by the end of 2011. Having the talented MySpace design/UI staff on our bench is exciting as we consider page layout and design renovations later this year,” reports Zuckerburg. “I’m also thrilled to announce a branding initiative to rename Facebook to better reflect our new identity. As of July 2011, Facebook will change it’s name to ‘SpaceBook’ to better reflect our personality and market coverage area.

Quoting famed British scientist Stephen Hawking, “I see too many dangers for the human race,” warns Zuckerberg. “I believe that the long-term future of SpaceBook must include alien beings” he said. “It will be difficult to sustain a social networking site on planet Earth in the next hundred years, let alone the next thousand, or million. Plus our advertisers simply demand more gross impressions than available human beings on Earth.”

For complete coverage of this breaking story, click here.

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Based on my highly unscientific pondering, I’ve developed the following Top 10 personality traits of successful social media practitioners:

1) Enthusiasm –  If you’re not geeked about your subject, no one else will be.  Seriously, you need to reach through a computer screen to grab peoples’ attention.  People with laissez-faire or sarcastic attitudes need not apply.

2) Connected Thinking – Social media doesn’t serve up ideas or opportunities on a silver platter; at best, you’re one or two degrees away.  You have to identify unpolished gems of insight that can be developed into big ideas or invaluable connections.

3) Synthesis – When doing social media monitor or research, there’s a boatload of input and data.  Your job is to synthesize the fragmented, pieces-parts into actionable insights.  Tools can help you collect and sift through data, but it’s up to you to develop a more meaningful whole.

4) Contemporary – Are you the “go-to” person when people need something — anything?  You need to read, be immersed in your industry subject matter and ready to create content/ideas/opinions in the same social space.  If you’re running a blog, you’d better be an active participant on many others.

5) Caring – Of course you need to be a subject matter expert, but people don’t care how much you KNOW until you SHOW much you CARE.  You have to prove you’re more interested in helping others than yourself.  View money as the reward you get for adding value to other people.  Think karma.

6) Storyteller – Can you weave a good story together?  Websites are great places for sales and data sheets, but social media demands a voice and personality.  Mad-lib’esque press releases are not welcome.  Candid writing – succinct and without embarrassing spelling/grammar mistakes – is rewarded.

7) Brand Master – Are you comfortable with the brand spirit of your organization?  It MUST be your guide when communicating online.  You’re a living, speaking ambassador of your company’s brand.  You cool with that?  Hope so!

8 ) Internal Advocacy – While much of social media is public facing, rallying support of your efforts is critical to a sustained, credible presence online.  Let’s face it — you’re going to need access to a lot of people in your organization for content and answers.  Do you have what it takes to lobby internally on behalf of customers online?

9) Responsiveness & Consistency – Time is one helluva test.  You need to stay in touch with online communications and reply in a timely manner.  Inviting customer interaction and then not responding conveys an “Ivory tower” impression which is infuriating.  Timely responses and contributions offered consistently over time builds credibility and authenticity in the online world.

10) Curiosity – Finally, you must, must, must be curious.  Our world is rapidly changing and you’re just fingertips away from the next great idea, contact, customer or idea.  But they don’t present themselves — you have to connect the dots out of curiosity to create something far greater than the sum of the parts.

We’re living in exciting times.  Social media is such an alluring opportunity.  What other traits do YOU think are essential?  Please post them in a comment below.  Thanks!

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Having attended SXSW last year, I had a pretty good idea of what to expect. Or perhaps more important, what NOT to expect. I think what drives the popularity of the event is the people and culture BEHIND technology and not the hardcore technologies themselves. If you’re looking for a tutorial on the latest and greatest server software, you’re in the wrong place. But if you want to hear the story (the failures, personalities, and inspirations) behind the newest Google innovation, you’re in the right spot. Because at the end of the day, it’s all about people — and so is SXSW.

That said, there were a few notable takeaways from SXSW 2010:

Geosocial Applications
Gowalla and foursquare are gaining serious traction. Both companies released upgrades days before the conference in preparation for this Spring Break for Geeks. With such a concentration of tech savvy users, SXSW is a veritable test lab for the latest and greatest ideas and gadgets. Everywhere I went, the first thing everyone did was “check in” to grab the cool little “badges.” Being somewhat skeptical about games that require me to announce my whereabouts, I must admit to being impressed. In the immediate sense, it was very handy seeing where other people were hanging out. It allowed for more chance encounters instead of firm meet-ups which is basically impossible at a chaotic event like SXSW. In the future, I can see incentives and gameplay evolving where users get actual rewards for performing normal daily tasks. Still in the “PONG-like” state of evolution, foursquare is already being used by coffeeshops who give free pastries to every person who checks in X-number of times. The biggest takeaway for me is the psychological power of gameplay. People like to be recognized as a leader (or “mayor” in foursquare) and they like mini-rewards for doing otherwise mundane tasks (picking up/dropping “badges”). The pieces-parts of these social games are just beginning surface. It’s going to be very interesting to see if these geosocial applications become the next “must have” in our daily lives like the darling of SXSW 2007 – Twitter.

Content Worth Talking About
Now that social media tools and technologies have been mainstream for over three years, attention is being focused on how to offer content that actually does something productive. The experimentation time with Facebook and Twitter is over. We’re now in the “what’s our SPECIFIC strategy and EXACTLY what content should be used” phase. There were two social psyhologists that were particularly interesting: Ben Scofield (”Mind Control: Psychology for the Web”) and Dan Ariely (”Perfectly Irrational”). Scofield offered the following rule(s) of thumb when developing Web site content:

• Likeability – Be likable (no kidding!)
• Social Proof – Show people what their peers are doing
• Authority – Demonstrate that you are trustworthy
• Reciprocity – Give people something for free
• Scarcity – Tell people when time is running out
• Commitment – Give people a low cost way to commit
• Decoy Effect – Make it easy to compare choices

The more your site can offer content that delivers on these points, the more persuasive and effective it will be.

@Anywhere
Finally, the big hullabaloo was Twitter’s announcement during the Monday keynote address by founder Ev Williams. Early speculation was that Twitter would unveil it’s new advertising model. Instead, Williams anticlimactically explained their new @anywhere service which will be rolled out to select publishers (such as the NY Times) in the near future. Basically @anywhere is a little overlay that will be on websites that allows you to follow somewhere directly from that site. Imagine reading an article, clicking on the author’s name and selecting “follow” via a popup window instead of visiting Twitter.com in another window (or a 3rd party app like Tweetdeck), searching for their name/handle and following. They’re basically trying to eliminate the disconnect between publishers and Twitter. Cool? Yes. Underwhelming. Very much so. But in true Twitter fashion, this understated release will probably be turned into something much more impressive and practical by 3rd party developers — just like the rest of Twitter’s history.

I’d highly recommend attending SXSW as it’s definitely a unique experience. Just be sure to wear comfortable shoes and stock up ahead of time on sleep. See you next year!

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But I was left wondering where this device would “fit” in my life. It’s not a replacement for my phone. It doesn’t replace my laptop which I use for typical office work: Excel, Word, Photoshop, etc. And I can’t use public transportation (train or subway) to commute to work so I don’t have time to kill to play games, read magazines or books. So what is this thing?

Then it hit me: I could really enjoy an iPad in my kitchen. I never realized how much time our family spends in the kitchen. Like it our not, it’s the one room in my house where I “pivot” off throughout the day. I don’t particularly enjoy my kitchen — it’s a functional place where I HAVE to be doing food prep and clean-up, day-after-day. Rinse and repeat, literally. And while I’d enjoy some light entertainment in the kitchen, I’m not risking water/crumb damage to my laptop; plus, you have to tap keys and finger the trackpad which are no-no’s with dishpan hands. It’s just not right.

BUT, an iPad is different. It’s small and wouldn’t take up much countertop space. It doesn’t use keys and can be operated with a simple touch or swipe. I could listen to music, catch-up on Podcasts, passively watch some videos and the flip over to read Facebook posts or Twitter feeds. I’d use the iPad as a catch-as-catch-may entertainment device for quick snippets of content in between kitchen chores.

The iPad calendar system would also be a handy family organizer to keep track of after school activities, lessons, meetings, appointments, etc. A daily pop-up reminder would nice.

I’d love an app that offered video cooking lessons and recipes, especially for niches like “gluten free” recipes. Having it compile shopping lists for me based on the necessary ingredients would be sweet.

Face it, it’d be fun to work on an iPad crossword/Sudoku puzzle for a few minutes while you’re waiting for pizza to cook. Plus you could easily skim the day’s news and check school closings due to weather all while brewing your coffee. And, of course, while the kids eat their cereal, I could get a jump on the day’s email without leaving the room.

Now don’t get me wrong. I know all these things can be done on other devices including plain ol’ newspaper radio and TV, but it’s the all-in-one, instant availability and ease-of-use that’s enticing. And no, I don’t need a computer in every room of my house. But you must admit, the kitchen is a “work room” for most families. So if there’s a way to make it more productive and enjoyable, I’ll definitely consider it.

What do you think?

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Now consider social media, the most eclectic, ever-changing fire hose of information in human history. As online marketers, what can we do to make sure our legitimate voice and information is taken seriously?

Answer: Branding.  Yep, that old school marketing stuff…

Your brand is the genuine, distinct personality of your company. It’s what your organization stands for and makes you unique in a sea of otherwise sameness. It’s an emotional connection or way people react to a logo or product. And while it’s often associated with a visual/logo (an icon that symbolizes your brand), it includes what you say and how you say it as well. Over time, your brand builds equity — it means something to people and has value. It builds trust, justifies your attention and rationalizes a premium price.

When it comes to social media, the need for branding is greater than ever. People may find your organization’s Web site in search engine results along with you your Twitter account, Facebook group, YouTube channel and blog. Do all these places “feel” the same? Do they speak with the same voice? Do they offer consistent materials?

Now considering the chipmunk-on-meth attention span of most Web visitors, does your social media channel past the 5-second brand consistency test? Pull up one of your social media channels (say, your blog) then quickly review it for visuals, personality and content:

1. Visual Presentation
   Are you using your logo correctly – colors/size/spacing? Does your color scheme match your Web site? Do your photos match your other marketing materials?
2. Personality
   Does it convey the right tone and spirit? Does it “feel” like your organization?
3. Content
   Is the material you offer appropriate? Or is it just copy-and-pasted from your annual report? Does the depth and breadth of content reflect your expertise? Is it what people would expect?

There’s a lot in social media that you can’t control, but what you say and how you say it is still your choice. Your online brand identity should be treated as an invaluable asset that MUST be nurtured and protected. Because without it, you’re just a commodity fighting to breath in an increasingly crowded online marketplace.

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Brand zombies are mindless, incapable of communication and show no signs of personality. They’re controlled in an undead state by mysterious outside forces.

Sound like any brands you know? To prevent your brand from becoming a flesh-eating drone, consider following these steps:

ANALYSIS
Gauge the relative health of your brand in various social media channels such as blogs, Twitter, Facebook, and niche social networks. Though you might not personally frequent these places, don’t assume people aren’t talking about your brand. Online comments and conversations absolutely affect the associations and feelings people have about your brand. Here are 5 easy research tools:

• Google Blog Search
• Advanced Twitter Search
• Google Alerts
• Facebook Search
• Radian6

PARTICIPATION
After identifying key places and people that may be influencing your brand online, begin participation that proves you’re alive and well. Post some blog comments. Answers some Twitter questions. Be an active member in these mini-communities to show you’re not living in an ivory tower, insulated from the people that help keep your business/brand alive.

OUTREACH
Once you’re reasonably comfortable knowing your online brand dynamics and have established a baseline presence, you’re hopefully ready for proactive outreach to people important to your business: customers, partners, suppliers, employees, etc. What brand experience can you offer that delivers value to these key people?  FedEx created tracking widgets, Best Buy launched TwelpForce, a Twitter-based tech support system, and GM opened up their FastLane blog. Each of these offerings reinforces important brand attributes: FedEx: Delivery Timeliness, Best Buy: Accessible Tech Support and GM: Innovation & Transparency.

Zombies are scary business. Don’t let your brands languish to the point of being undead versions of their former selves. Use readily available social media tools to ward off unwanted spirits and build your brand so it thrives for years to come.

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Unlike most awards shows, the Webbys limit acceptance speeches to 5-words. From a marriage proposal to comedienne Sarah Silverman’s “Holocaust. Did it happen? Yes…” the quips were as crazy as you’d expect from a ballroom of uber-creative people. They’re all available for viewing on YouTube so check them out.

Normally, I don’t really care about celebrities. Really. But when they’re in the same room celebrating internet oriented achievements, it’s pretty damn cool. Martha Stewart, Seth Myers, Cameron Diaz, Charlie Rose, Trent Reznor, Molly Sims, Jimmy Fallon and Isabella Rossellini all mingled with the crowd (sort’ve) throughout the night. Quite validating for me considering all those incredibly late nights I spent working in obscurity in the in mid-90’s when the Web was still the domain of socially inept geeks. Not that I was ever one of those. I’m just saying…

The biggest attraction for me was meeting the inventor of the World Wide Web – Tim Berners Lee. I brought along the book he wrote “Weaving the Web” and got it autographed. He was impressed I read it; the dogeared pages with scribbled notes from a decade ago proved my case proved that indeed I was nerdy enough to read a novel about his invention.

Here’s a photo of us walking on the red carpet. Note the book — oh yah!

Here’s a shot of Nicole (right) and our friends from Black Magic Marker (Holland). Both are gorgeous, the picture really doesn’t do them justice. And before you tease me, YES I KNOW I’m a lucky dude.


After the awards gala, we briefly met Seth Meyers and thanked him for emceeing the event. He’s amazingly quick witted, endearing and sincere. And he was cool enough to let us snap a quick photo:

In the end, it was a fantastic weeked. And my 5-word speech? “Geeks Will Inherit the Earth.”

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Long story short, my entry was selected by the contest sponsor and the Webby executive director out of a couple hundred entries. So I got a free trip to NYC to watch the Webby’s in-person with my lovely wife Nicole. Mind you, we have 1-year old so this was our first Mommy-Daddy outing in 16-months. You could’ve given me a trip to see Muppets-on-Ice in Paducah, Kentucky and I would’ve been stoked. But to attend the Webby Awards in NYC was beyond awesome.

The Webby Awards are the Oscars for Internet projects. And while most self-respecting Web geeks scoff at awards, this event is to die for. Seriously. You have to win an award to attend — you can’t just buy a ticket. So for most people (including yours truly), it’s a once in a lifetime event.

The cocktail party the night before was the official ice-breaker. And like all good open bars, the ice was broken, crushed and served into free drinks. We met our super-fun hosts from RHI/The Creative Group – Jen and Megan – who couldn’t have been nicer or more helpful. We had fantastic conversations with designers from Weiden + Kennedy, Qik, the LA Times, the BBC Online and big Black Marker, a web development firm from Amsterdam. Amazing talent/people. We ended up befriending the Amsterdam group and sharing a wonderful dinner after the party. They won their Webby for their Tom Tom Secrets website which is super creative – you should check it out.

Here are a couple shots from the evening:

I’ll write about the big Webby Award gala in my next post — coming very soon!

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