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It’s the most wonderful time, of the year.
With big product announcements,
and excited reporters,
we’re off to Las Vegas!
It’s the most wonderful time of the year.
There’ll be products to demo,
Show dailies to read and
Show Stoppers after sun down.
There’ll be brand new net books, and
Shiny smart phones,
And aps galore.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year.
There’ll be company parties,
And constant tweeting,
When we’re in Las Vegas,
CES is the most wonderful time of the year!
We hope to see you at the show January 7-10th!
Maya Zarchan
A recent New York Times article got me thinking about key demographics for technological success.
For years analysts have assumed the successes of a new technology depends heavily on early adoption from the under-18 crowd. After all, it was the youth that drove the initial (and speedy) growth of social networking sites like Facebook, MySpace and Friendster.
The recent, and undeniable, popularity of Twitter has some, including ZDNet’s Andrew Nusca and RWW’s Sarah Perez, second-guessing target markets for new technology. Twitter’s popularity can hardly be attributed to teenage adoption since according to The Examiner only 8% of Twitter’s population is comprised by teenagers. Rather, it is the 18-35 year old crowd dominating this new social media space.
This new phenomenon of an older generation driving technological success is not unique to social networking sites. In fact, many consumer electronics gadgets such as Amazon’s Kindle, Nintendo’s Wii, and Apple’s iPhone have caught on first with adults and remain largely adult-only gadgets.
It may be time for technology companies to focus their attention on older population instead of constantly chasing after teenagers. Just a thought….
Maya Zarchan
Your customers are talking; do you know what they are saying? Today, savvy consumers are steering away from Yellow Pages, and towards one-stop platforms where customers can not only find a business but also read independent reviews.
It is critical for small businesses to monitor these online conversations and engage with current and future customers. Many companies find this is a daunting task- but it need not be.
Simply begin by tuning in. Start looking at your business through the eyes of a customer. When you do a quick search what comes up? A Web page? A blog? Are these tools up to date, and a good reflection of the company? If not, this needs to change fast!
Now that you are tuned in, the next step is to actually manage your online identity. It is important to remember that there is no need to respond to every review, especially if the majority of the feedback is positive. Negative reviews, however, should be responded to in a helpful (not argumentative) way.
Keep an eye out for review patterns. Is there a common complaint? If so, address it. Remember all reviews, including the negative ones, give you, the business owner, a unique opportunity to look through the eyes of a customer and see what is working and what isn’t.
Make sure you are routinely monitoring what is being said, and commenting when need be. Tools that can help you stay on top of the conversation include Google Alerts and TweetDeck. This is an ongoing process, not something that can be done one Friday afternoon and forgotten about.
Finally, don’t be fooled by this new medium for customer reviews- reviews themselves are not a new thing. Customers voiced their opinions long before the rise of Twitter, and will continue to express themselves long after its demise. Now, you simply have a way to eavesdrop on the conversation.
Maya Zarchan
A recent discussion at a staff meeting on hype cycles got me thinking about where Twitter stands.
I found out yesterday that Facebook has grown over 513% in 2009 in the 55+ age range. This is causing many teens and twenty somethings to lament that Facebook is over as their parents (and in some case grandparents) have joined. Check out blog- My Mom Is On Facebook and the funny My Parents Joined Facebook. Where Facebook may be at the peak of the hype cycle for baby boomers, its clearly on the back slide for advertiser-friendly twenty somethings.
Remember Second Life? Much hyped by the media including countless cover stories, it is now a ghost town. Even Reuters has abandoned its SL island. Second Life echoed the boom and subsequent bust of the post-millennial economy, and now has a lot in common with rust-belt cities like Detroit. The main thing that Second Life had going was its fantastic PR- easily selling tech journalists on what could be in the online community that ultimately never materialized.
Which brings me to Twitter. Is Twitter ready to bust too? Oprah twitters (ok, rarely twitters). You can’t watch CNN without seeing inane Twitter comments in the news crawl. Celebrities who often complain about tabloid and paparazzi attention overshare on Twitter, then blame it on hackers. I love Twitter- no secret here. But how long can this last before my grandma gets an account?
Kristin Miller
@KristinMiller
Don’t be scared of Twitter… Welcome aboard! I’ve shared my Top Ten Twitter Tips for newbies.
1. Remember what happens on Twitter stays on Twitter- As with all forms of electronic communication and social networks, don’t say something that you’ll regret.
2. Don’t fall into the ‘What are you doing’ trap. That’s not what Twitter is for! What is Twitter for?
3. Twitter is for Sharing! Share links, photos, interesting articles, observations, etc. If you read an interesting article, found a new blog or a local restaurant, share it!
4. Don’t be boring. (See #2) No one cares about the mundane details of your life.
5. Network, meet people, respond to people, help people. (In turn, people will help you!)
6. Re-Tweet others when warranted. Give people credit. Its a great way to build a community.
7. Be personal, but don’t overshare! If you wouldn’t tell your spouse, grandmother, kids, priest or rabbi, don’t put it on twitter. 
8. Check out Search.Twitter.com to find people who tweet about your interests. Sports? Travel? Technology? Its on Twitter. Its all on Twitter!
9. Recommend your favorite Twitterers to your followers. Share the wealth! If you’re following someone who you really enjoy, tell others!
10. Experiment with Hashtags #TwitterHowTo #FollowFriday #movies #nonprofit
Lastly, have fun with this! Twitter shouldn’t be a chore. 
Oh, and follow me on Twitter @KristinMiller
