The Future of Media and Communications Starts Here
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Media 2.0 Workgroup Announces Best Practices
As one of the founding members of the Media 2.0 Workgroup, I contribute to the greater collective of intellectual activity dedicated to advancing media and communication.
Fellow members, Chris Saad and Stowe Boyd have been discussing the ethics and best practices around social media and social tools specifically with Eric Blantz and Khris Loux with specific regard to JS-Kit. Independently, I have also discussed and supported a more people-focused approach to connecting with courtesy of those companies that continually force the discussion by upsetting the balance between brand and community.
Facebook's introduction of its new Terms of Service (ToS) was the most recent example of what not to do. Facebook also learned from this occurrence and created a new paradigm for user generated governance (UGG) empowering its community of users with the ability to contribute to the process of policy making.
The work of Eric Blantz, Khris Loux, Chris Saad and Stowe Boyd was presented to the Media 2.0 Workgroup for evaluation, sculpting, and ultimately introduction to the greater community to serve as inspiration for any business that seeks guidance when engaging users, customers, and peers.
The initial group includes the following: Chris Saad, Khris Loux (On Behalf of JS-Kit), Eric Blantz, Stowe Boyd, Micah Baldwin (On behalf of Lijit), Ben Metcalfe, Marianne Richmond, Jeremiah Owyang, Daniela Barbosa, Peter Kim, Loïc Le Meur (on behalf of Seesmic/Twhirl), Deborah Schultz and me.
My friends over at HubSpot released the latest market data that reveals which tools and services people are flocking to when communicating on Twitter.
According to the research, most people interact on Twitter using Twitter.com from their browser of choice - almost half of all users in fact. Note to hubspot, would love to see that data broken out by browser.
Second, and it's a distant second, people are interacting on Twitter using downloaded or web-based desktop apps, which provide additional functionality beyond the basic services provided on Twitter.com. Interestingly, mobile shows a strong placement in third, just behind desktop. As mobile applications on the iPhone, BlackBerry, Android, and Palm evolve, this number will continue to swell as they rival their desktop counterparts.
Twitter Interface Type - Percentage
Web - 48.1% Desktop - 21.8% Mobile - 17.9% Aggregation / Automation - 11.7% Pictures - 0.5%
HubSpot also reviewed the top applications in the Twitterverse. No surprise, the Web continues as the dominant source for Tweets, again representing almost half of all usage. What is surprising however, is the chasm of market share between the Web and the top Twitter apps. TwitterFeed and TweetDeck follow in a distant second and third place at 9.2% and 7.3% respectively. HubSpot found that a collective of over 600 apps combine for a total of 14.5%. I would love to see the list of those apps independt of this study.
In the middle of February 2009, the company was yet again a “Beacon” for bad PR as it introduced an updated Terms of Service (Tos) for its entire community of users. We the people responded with defiance and vigor and the company retracted its new language, reverted to the previous ToS, and listened to the valuable feedback that poured in from the community.
By all accounts, this was the right thing to do.
Today in a blog post entitled, “Governing the Facebook Service in an Open and Transparent Way,” Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg released a publicly influenced iteration of its new terms in draft form and invited the public to provide feedback and input.
“Our main goal at Facebook is to help make the world more open and transparent. We believe that if we want to lead the world in this direction, then we must set an example by running our service in this way. We sat down to work on documents that could be the foundation of this and we came to an interesting realization—that the conventional business practices around a Terms of Use document are just too restrictive to achieve these goals. We decided we needed to do things differently and so we're going to develop new policies that will govern our system from the ground up in an open and transparent way.”
The company is employing one of the social web’s greatest assets, people. In doing so, Facebook is banking on a new genre of user-generated governance (UGG) to improve brand equity as well as customer interaction and loyalty.
Zuckerberg continued, “Beginning today, we are giving you a greater opportunity to voice your opinion over how Facebook is governed. We're starting this off by publishing two new documents for your review and comment. The first is the Facebook Principles, which defines your rights and will serve as the guiding framework behind any policy we'll consider—or the reason we won't consider others. The second document is the Statement of Rights and Responsibilities, which will replace the existing Terms of Use.”
More About the New User Participation Mechanisms:
Transparency and User Input
Facebook will host virtual Town regarding the proposed Principles and Statement of Rights and Responsibilities for 30 days, with the comment period scheduled to close at 12:01 am PDT on March 29. During this time, we have an opportunity to comment on the proposed policy. You can discuss the Principles in this group; and Statement of Rights and Responsibilities in this group.
After the comment period ends, Facebook will review and consider submissions. Facebook will then republish the Principles and Statement of Rights and Responsibilities, incorporating any changes it has made. The company will also provide users a summary of the most common and significant comments received, including its response to those comments.
If these documents are approved, then all future policy changes would be subject to notice and comment periods. Facebook would then publish a final policy proposal that reflects the comments received.
Direct Voting
Following the first Town Halls, The Facebook Principles and the Statement of Rights and Responsibilities will be the first set of policies subject to a vote. The vote will be open to all Facebook users active as of February 25, 2009. The results of the vote will be made public and will be binding if more than 30% of all active registered users vote.
If users approve the draft Statement of Rights and Responsibilities, then all future policy changes would be eligible for a vote by users, provided the level of intensity of user interest would justify it. User interest would be determined by the number of users who comment on any proposed change during the comment period.
User Council
Facebook also announced its intention to establish a user council to participate more closely in the development and discussion of policies and practices. As a start, the company indicated that it would invite the authors of the most insightful and constructive comments on the draft documents to serve as founding members of the group.
Creating a Community for Influence
The PR team also created a group within the popular network to communicate more transparently and efficiently with influential voices – those press, analysts, bloggers and pundits who actively cover and analyze the company’s activities and business strategies.
“Welcome to the official group for reporters, bloggers and industry influencers following Facebook. As a member, you will be among the first to learn about new developments at Facebook.”
I believe this move, although long overdue, is a positive step for improving the foundation for future corporate communications and will serve as the epitome and standard for other brands as well as any organization involved in “public relations” and policy making moving forward.
Transparency, genuine intent and proactive communication (in advance of public introduction) will inspire useful and less speculative conversations in the social web. By engaging and involving those who shape the brand perception, Facebook and companies who follow suit, will improve the foundation for important relationships and ultimately set the stage to proactively steer the interpretation of future activity and positively steer brand awareness and resonance.
The Dawn of User Generated Governance
Facebook is serving as one of the most prominent examples of socialized media in action and is building one of the world’s largest new networks dedicated to changing, and ultimately enhancing, how we communicate and interact with each other, and also how we build, nurture, and even define online relationships.
As content contributors and relationship managers, we’re proactively investing in the social economy and Facebook is among the most vital global exchanges for earning a more equitable individual and corporate brand – determined by the capital we net as a result of our interaction within Facebook and also across the Social Web.
We become influencers.
Crowdsourcing policy change or any activity that involves the public it serves is the future of the social web. We’ll see increased activity and transparency from corporations to small businesses to local and national government agencies – all the way to the White House.
Companies in general often underestimate the ability to catalyze a public response – whether positive or negative. Control is but a mere illusion. It is the recognition of this stature, associated public responsibility, and the corresponding cause and effect as it relates to people specifically that will force the rapid evolution of outward and inward Public Relations policies and practices to improve interaction, instill trust, and engender champions.
This evolution will humanize the entire process of development, communication and support, commencing with the creation or iteration of a product, service, or policy, followed by the public introduction of the news and information, as well as the associated response – measured by company engagement, public sentiment and ultimately relationships.
It is this realization that will inspire a new era of crowd-sourced brands as companies embrace the value and potential of the people who define not only the health, state, and future of its population, but also serve as its community ambassadors to the rest of the world.
Bernardo A. Huberman, Daniel M. Romero and Fang Wu of the Social Computing Laboratory at HP Labs conducted an in-depth study of the relationships that power Twitter. The team recently released its report, "Social networks that matter: Twitter under the microscope."
The abstract:
Scholars, advertisers and political activists see massive online social networks as a representation of social interactions that can be used to study the propagation of ideas, social bond dynamics and viral marketing, among others. But the linked structures of social networks do not reveal actual interactions among people. Scarcity of attention and the daily rhythms of life and work makes people default to interacting with those few that matter and that reciprocate their attention. A study of social interactions within Twitter reveals that the driver of usage is a sparse and hidden network of connections underlying the “declared” set of friends and followers.
The paper captures the definition of online relationships in the Social Web and why they are inherently ambient and not intimate as opposed to those we maintain in the real world. In life, we embrace those relationships that are mutually beneficial and not necessarily one-sided.
In social networks, however, many factors are present that impact the social graph as well as the ebb and flow of information and ultimately dictate what becomes a top trending topic, who garners relative authority, and also what goes viral.
According to the report, "A link between any two people does not necessarily imply an interaction between them. As we showed in the case of Twitter, most of the links declared within Twitter were meaningless from an interaction point of view. Thus the need to find the hidden social network; the one that matters when trying to rely on word of mouth to spread an idea, a belief, or a trend."
The intentions of Social Networks and Micro Communities (such as Twitter) were genuine and innovative as they attempted to improve communication, sharing, and connectivity between friends, family, associates. The new social economy also aspired the building of bridges between the previously disconnected and interspersed relationships that join friends of a friend (FOAF).
What has evolved however, is so much more than the connection of friends and friends of friends. Social Networks have created a parallel friend/follower archetype that injects a homologous top-down network where individuals not only connect with those they know, but also with those who are interested in following their online activity, and not necessarily with the expectation of reciprocation. This injects a new dynamic into online social relationships, one that facilitates and fosters a less personal, but still meaningful engagement, creating an ambient, persona-audience interconnection.
In an attempt to measure influence while revealing relationships on Twitter, Benedikt Koehler developed Twitter Friends. Koehler's application is by far the most compelling and valuable analysis tool for measuring the @-crowd or "the relevant net," those people that any given user converses with most often.
He observes, "The number of people you follow on Twitter is not the whole truth. It’s more interesting [to see] who you are talking to whether you are following them or not. It [is] not a connection-based network but a performance-based network."
Revealing the Hidden Network - The Outbound Relevant Net
Using TwitterFriends to visualize the outbound relevant net for someone, in this case me, on Twitter, here's a snapshot of those I most recently conversed with in the public timeline:
This is what's called the "Hidden Network," but it's not representative of the whole story. This map merely represents a moment in time where context and related events connected individuals and therefore formed a transient first-level map of contextual relations or conversations.
The Inbound Relevant Net - Public Conversations @username The followers and followers of followers that consistently, and loyally, RT, @, promote, or cite (tweet) excerpts of content related to a particular username is a far more compelling revelation into the true influence and authority of a relevant network - one that is powered by both parallel and divergent factors associated with outbound conversations sourced from the host ID.
Using TwitterFriends to visualize the inbound network as it relates to @briansolis, let's compare the corresponding map to that of the Relevant Net above:
Both reveal valuable information as they transform hidden networks into visual maps of contextual relations and associated influence for deeper analysis. But to assume online social influence or connectivity is limited to only the above networks, incoming or outgoing, is insular.
Contextual Networks
I suggest we inject another dynamic into the equation, one that in my opinion, weighs more than the conversation quotient that measures the hidden network of those you (or any username) message in public - whether inbound or outbound. Whether or not these conversations are intended to elicit a response directly from a source or @username, the orbiting dialog around a particular person and the topic of conversation is paramount. We're seeing this increasing level of shared behavior in the practice of RT (retweeting) on Twitter or "liking" on Facebook or Friendfeed. The public sharing of relevant content introduced by any given individual sparks conversations across social graphs with or without the formal participation of the original contributor. This exchange changes based on the content that's introduced to the public. This is what I call the Influence Factor (IF).It is a related network that connects second, third-level and sequential friends and friends of friends (FOFs) that are bound by topic and time.
The Backchannel Perhaps the most accurate Relevant Net that truly documents actual relationships is The Backchannel - those individuals whom someone directly engages behind the scenes.
This additional, but no less relevant, hidden phenomena is the explicit exchange of content, a private request, or an implicit action that catalyzes the sharing of information, content, or ideas across multiple, distinct social graphs to directly influence and catalyze the friends of those trusted social beacons as well as the progression levels of the friends of friends effect.
The Social Economy
In day-to-day online conversations, content exchange and reciprocity are the currencies that finance the Social Economy.This entire discussion is true and constant whether focused on Twitter or traditional social networks such as Facebook or MySpace.
A social network is not necessarily bound by relationships as much as it is driven by the exchange of shared ideas and information through a one-to-one and one-to-many conversation that is inclusive of top-down, bottom-up, inside-out, and outside-in peer-to-peer interaction.
Many of us forge relationships and engage in online conversations unlike those we maintain in the real world.
We're bound by context and it is under these circumstances, the relevant network actively transforms in each of the scenarios above.
The ties that bind us together in online networks aren't intrinsically dictated by people, but instead by constant as well as shifting contextual themes that unite us. It forms the foundation for a different dynamic for engagement and a new definition of relationships.
The individual social graph is then networked by the common interests of people as they relate to specific dialogue over time and also in the moment, and thus, it's always expanding and contracting. We identify uniquely with different individuals across varying topics. A true social graph and the relationships that define it are constantly influx and measurable only as snapshots tied to subjects frozen in time.
It is for this reason, that we should also create and analyze contextual maps based on the themes that bring us together.
Therefore keywords, not necessarily those conversations we host or "@" in aggregate, are the primary research criterion when analyzing the connection and interaction between individuals and groups to more accurately identify and chart a "contextual map" that visualizes the distinct relationships united by commonality, affinity, and/or loyalty.
Viral marketing, videos, content, "insert keyword here," as governed by an identifiable and formulaic process and Relevant Net, technically become myths. It's people and their shifting network of relationships combined with the extended reach of their contextually-based friends' networks that can make something viral or make someone influential within specific social realms.
Everything starts with listening and observation - a bit of digital anthropology if you will - in order to assess and understand diverse cultures, relationships, behavior, and dynamic influence, as well as the migration and impact of content, across the relevant net.
A connection-based network now also becomes a performance-based network. But metrics, maps, and hidden networks aside, the culture of social networks is cultivating a new breed of influence and connections that tie us to more than those we know in the real world, but also those whom we connect with because of what we represent through our online personae.
How does this change how you view and manage important relationships if at all?
This post highlights the nuances associated with crisis communications and not the merit of either case.
In the era of socialized media, brands and businesses are now vulnerable to a new era of influencers – their customers.
But what happens when the community that championed consumer experiences is accused of exploiting them to extort advertising dollars from the businesses affected by the reviews?
User generated reviews aren’t necessarily a brand new concept, epinions, Amazon, among any others have provided dedicated outlets for customers to share their experiences over the years so that other consumers could heed the words of their peers before making a purchase. The ability to integrate reviews at the point of purchase empowered consumers to contribute content as well as help them make more informed decisions – before the purchase.
Yelp is an Amazon reviews fused with the Yellow Pages of local services and businesses. It empowered patrons and consumers alike to share experiences and sentiment associated with businesses, by locale, with other yelpers. Yahoo, City Guide, Trip Advisor, and other online properties have offered similar capabilities for a while, but Yelp connected people and experiences and built a dedicated community around them – whereas the other services organized experiences tied to somewhat isolated and explicit search results. Yelp connected people based on interests while giving them a voice that collectively could, in theory, influence a business to grow, adapt, participate, and learn.
Initially, businesses gasped at the popularity of Yelp. Most weren’t quite sure how to react – and still don’t to this day. Was it a threat? Was it wrong to empower customers to share negative and positive reviews together? Many businesses under estimated the socialization and amplification of experiences, and attempted to suppress them rather than address them. Others assumed the role of patrons and raved about their own services hoping to balance negative experiences or influence future contributions instead of simply embracing and responding to individuals, and/or evolving because of the interaction.
The same platform that can provide small businesses with visibility, a collaborative community, and new revenue opportunities can also affect their bottom line through negative commentary.
Now approaching 23 million unique visitors every month, it continues to change everything.
This week, the tables were turned, when Yelp found itself the victim of a bad review. The East Bay Express published what actually could be considered an exposé of the company, practically accusing certain salespersons of practicing what the piece dramatically referred to as “Extortion 2.0.” Essentially, the author, Kathleen Richards, interviewed several local businesses that claimed Yelp applied strong-arm sales tactics to exchange the promotion of good reviews and the elimination of negative commentary for advertising dollars to the tune of $300 per month.
As a practitioner of total transparency and just good business, Jeremy Stoppelman, CEO of Yelp, responded with an impressive blog post.
If the story ended there, we’d have a textbook case of what to do when confronted with bad PR.
However, The East Bay Express’ detailed six page article didn’t just accuse a highly popular company of unethical behavior, it humanized the alleged victims through their fearful narration of Yelp’s purported blackmail attempts over time. It engendered empathy.
And, Jeremy didn’t just write a blog post in defense of his company, he also fired back with a defense worthy of a legal drama, at one point, insinuating that Kathleen’s use of anonymous sources was beneath the standards of journalism and therefore less credible.
So let’s back up a bit and analyze this scenario from a communications and crisis response viewpoint.
Whether or not you agree with the practice of referencing anonymous sources is moot. The East Bay Express still published a piece that references several businesses who came forward, but chose to remain anonymous as they were literally afraid of any potential acts of retribution from Yelp.com. For the record, citing anonymous sources is a long-standing and respected practice in journalism and is protected by law in order to uncover the truth behind many stories The article states, “During interviews with dozens of business owners over a span of several months, six people told this newspaper that Yelp sales representatives promised to move or remove negative reviews if their business would advertise. In another six instances, positive reviews disappeared — or negative ones appeared — after owners declined to advertise.”
The case was reinforced with a condemning statement, “Several business owners likened Yelp to the Mafia, and one said she feared its retaliation. “
The themes are reiterated throughout the verbose feature and actually serve as the foundation for Yelp to develop a strategic and meaningful response.
- Many business owners believe Yelp employees use such reviews as sales leads.
- Several suspect Yelp employees of writing them.
- Yelp does pay some employees to write reviews of businesses that are solicited for advertising. In fact, the publication uncovered one documented instance where a business owner who refused to advertise received a negative review from a Yelp employee.
Whether these accusations are right or wrong, they’re incredibly defamatory. And, if the reporter indeed interviewed dozens of fearful companies who shared this sentiment, perhaps there’s credence in the experiences. Either way, there’s a perception that certain Yelp salespersons are crossing the line. And, in the world of online social influence, perception can be reality.
It’s what you say about you, what they hear, how they share that story, and how you weave that insight into future conversations that underscore meaningful community-driven efforts. And, everything starts with listening and observing in order to maintain relevance to the very communities we wish to reach, learn from, and inspire. In Yelp’s response, Jeremy cited an everyday local business to deconstruct Kathleen’s case, “As you can see while the first review is positive (and very clearly marked up) the reviews below are neutral and yes even negative. This is quite normal and if you look around the site and click on some ads you'll find plenty of advertisers with reviews that look like... well, everybody else. We showed this evidence to Kathleen, but it didn't find prominent placement in her story.”
He continued by sharing three additional supporting points that he hoped would discount the article.
1 - Kathleen relied on five anonymous sources and only three non-anonymous sources. Use of anonymous sources is fraught with hazards and is strongly discouraged by most editors, as explained by the American Journalism Review.
2 - Sadly at least one of the named sources is affiliated with a business that has spent a considerable amount of time and energy trying to mislead customers like you with fake reviews. Below is a sample of some of the many reviews we've removed from Sofa Outlet's page…
3 - The accusatory thrust of article is essentially overturned at the very end.
But, what if those dozens of companies, irrespective of anonymity, actually experienced a fraction of their claims? After all, the COO of Yelp conceded in the article that there may be a miscommunication depending on the conversational skills of the individual sales rep. The pitch can be open to interpretation, “Do I think that sales reps call are saying, 'We'll move your bad reviews?’ No. But I think it could be true — when you get to pick your favorite review and put it to the top, if I said it a little different way, it might sound a little nefarious."
This is the social web and not only is perception reality; it’s highly influential when not proactively engaged and steered.
Remember, the MotrinMom controversy? Whether or not the Motrin Mom’s were justified in their reaction, it still reached a boiling point fueled by the absence of a corporate response or acknowledgment.
In every negative discussion there exists an opportunity to change perception and also learn and improve the communications and service infrastructure – winning customer support along the way.
I weighed in:
The Twitter community responded:
effbentley: their blog post was a pretty weak response imho
RunningRebel: it's not just the sales tactics that bothered me. Crazier is that they pay people to seed reviews! Is anything legit there?
erikbratt: Think the Yelp response is effective, changing initial opinion. Interesting how cos. can now respond directly to neg. news
leslysimmons: re: yelp... sounds like they have some credibility work to do, and this is coming from an Elite Yelper!
kfleisher: I think that Yelp's blog post was a great way to address the issue. transparent and informative.
Mjausson: Seems that EBE's coverage of Yelp has had the desired effect. Time will tell if they return to their old ways.
Serena: I'm surprised. Is it true? Is it not? Do I still use yelp? I'm actually torn
slazarus: I like the fact a senior person responded directly to the article. Most companies ignore bad PR hoping is would go away
journalistics: they get points in my book for addressing the issue head on - "we don't do this" and trying to provide proof via pictures
KPfefferle: Strange response, not sure Yelp really addressed the issue. The counterattacks alone make me think they're hiding something.
However, this exchange published in the Wall Street Journal between Susan Mernit, Jeremy Stoppelman, and Schlomo Rabinowitz paints a very different picture...
Susan Mernit: Do Yelp sales reps sell bad review removal to local biz? East Bay Express says mebbe, yes
Stoppelman:@Schlomo We have no such program, never have, never will. The best defense is not being "defensive," nor is it simply powered by going on the offensive. Bottom line, there’s always room for improvement. Communicate that message and watch the tone and flow of the conversations shift to your favor. It’s the process of not only using the same tools that your community is using to share their opinions and emotions across the social web, it’s the ability to breathe it in and demonstrate acknowledgment – regardless of frequency.
Yes, the blog post was an excellent start. Yes stating, “You don’t do that” was reaffirming. But obviously, there are those that attest to the likelihood of miscommunication. Perhaps an opportunity exists in extending the COO’s acceptance that, “Yelp could do a better job of training our sales team to be crystal clear about what you get and don't get.”
- Simply say that you’re looking into it or ensuring that training eliminates any likelihood of miscommunication
- Promote an official support network within Yelp
- Solicit anonymous feedback, but ask for specifics under a proactive immunity program
- Communicate information and status regularly
- Recruit and deploy a special service-focused community team (perhaps the Yelp Elite) and document the tonality and frequency of related conversations and impressions in a Conversation Index before direct engagement
- Then, participate in those conversations through genuine, helpful, and non-confrontational dialog. Document the results and effects of the team’s outreach as compared to the original index
- Monitor blog posts and blog comments, spark new dialog to demonstrate that you’re listening and learning
Participation is a powerful catalyst for positive reform and also garnering additional insight and support. Maybe it’s simply relegated to one salesperson or team. Maybe it’s a miscommunication from sales training to direct sales calls. Either way, the brand reputation was called into question and in all reality; it won’t be the last time. It’s the actions of the individuals representing the brand that define brand character measured ultimately by the trust and relationships that forge, break, or strain customer and influencer relationships.
In the court of public opinion, you're guilty until proven innocent.
What would you do differently?
UPDATE: Stowe Boyd discusses the extortion claims and the potential fallout that possibly looms ahead of the popular reviews site. Yelp attempts to dispel the myths and also claims that the EBE story is unraveling. Yelp, this is bigger than your current defensive strategy. A simple, "We're looking into this as your trust is paramount to our success. This is not anything we endorse or support. If someone is indeed communicating or reinforcing this inaccurate perception, we find it and stop it immediately."
As Stowe says, "Even more important, reality can be reality. If Yelp is in fact -- directly or indirectly -- using strongarm tactics they should deal with the consequences, which may include legal action. I hope there is a DA out there somewhere willing to look into these allegations.And we, the social media technorati, should treat this on a much more serious level than the PR fallout. If a company like Yelp acts in the way that has been alleged, we should call for a boycott of the company, and an investigation to get to the bottom of this."
@queenofspain chimes in at /Message, "Regardless of what comes to pass, it's an issue and it should be blogged and looked into. Is this a matter of a digerati turning their heads to the sweatheart start up? I'm curious." Related articles on PR 2.0:
A few news outlets reached out to me for comment regarding the uproar sparked by the recent change to Facebook's Terms of Service (ToS). It inspired a public response as I am not only someone who spends a significant amount of time in the online social field studying digital anthropology and new marketing, I'm also a willing participant in and contributor to the Facebook economy.
So, why is everyone upset?
When you read the new ToS, it's actually quite alarming...
You hereby grant Facebook an irrevocable, perpetual, non-exclusive, transferable, fully paid, worldwide license (with the right to sublicense) to (a) use, copy, publish, stream, store, retain, publicly perform or display, transmit, scan, reformat, modify, edit, frame, translate, excerpt, adapt, create derivative works and distribute (through multiple tiers), any User Content you (i) Post on or in connection with the Facebook Service or the promotion thereof subject only to your privacy settings or (ii) enable a user to Post, including by offering a Share Link on your website and (b) to use your name, likeness and image for any purpose, including commercial or advertising, each of (a) and (b) on or in connection with the Facebook Service or the promotion thereof.
If you were to summarize this section, it basically screams that your content is theirs to use when and how they want.
Naturally, bloggers, reporters, analysts, and influential Facebook pundits collectively responded in outrage and surprise. The news continues to draw angst, frustration, and also sparking debates as it permeates real world communities outside of Techmeme. Famed celebrity gossip blogger, Perez Hilton recently called for a boycott to the globally dominating social network.
The reaction is reminiscent of the unbridled public objection to the ill-designed and communicated Beacon 1.0 marketing/advertising program. In that case, the public rightfully forced a response from the elusive and somewhat quiet Mark Zuckerberg and ultimately, a change to the Beacon policy.
Now, confused, somewhat hostile, and critical Facebook constituents have solicited a very human response from Zuckerberg. In it, he attempts to provide a deeper explanation and meaningful rationale behind the ToS modification. It is this response that is potentially difficult for everyday people to comprehend and accept as it is a stark reminder that the social web, is well, social.
"People want full ownership and control of their information so they can turn off access to it at any time. At the same time, people also want to be able to bring the information others have shared with them—like email addresses, phone numbers, photos and so on—to other services and grant those services access to those people’s information. These two positions are at odds with each other. There is no system today that enables me to share my email address with you and then simultaneously lets me control who you share it with and also lets you control what services you share it with.”
Mark Zuckerberg basically attempts to extinguish the flames of his critics by asking us to "trust his team" that our content will not be used in any way that we would disapprove. The ToS language is explicit in its design and ambition that could serve as the flash point for something not yet visible or public. However, their is a potentially disastrous risk involved for any company with a multi-billion dollar valuation and how it uses personal content. For this reason, Facebook's actions are governed by the market and its ability to dictate the future success or failure of the network.
But to be honest, we should be worried less about how Zuckerberg and co. will use our content when compared to the bigger threat and perils associated with publicly sharing content in general.
His explanation essentially serves as a wake up call to users of all social networks and other forms of social media that what we share online is now shared not only with those we know and trust, but those we don't know. And, trust is moot when content can freely traverse network to network and person to person without feedback, knowledge or insight until something or someone potentially forces a new revelation wrapped in unsolicited context. Trust gives way to blind intent.
What you share online, from pictures to updates to virtual gifts to videos, paints a picture of who you are and what you represent, regardless of your intentions. Everything accumulates into one vault that ultimately represents your social capital and Facebook, and any other social network - including Twitter - is merely providing you with the ability to define the impressions you feed, the perception you shape, and the personal brand that results from your online participation and contributions across the entire social web.
Once you share content online, control of its course and interpretation is traded for the hope of a positive public response and the ensuing support it may bring. The reality is that it's an exchange which requires calculation as content can reside on the web for years.
As Kara Swisher so brilliantly educates us, "Here’s the key definition of interactive: ‘Mutually or reciprocally active. That means once you send something to others, it is out there in cyberspace forever, never ever to return. And that goes double on social networking sites, where–let’s be honest–people egregiously overshare and then get all righteous when it is explained to them that sharing means, um, sharing. As in: You cannot take it back, if you have shared with 476 of your closest “friends,” your bikini shots from Cabo."
I was specifically asked if this change to the ToS wil affect the traffic and popularity of Facebook and other social networks.
My answer?
I hope so.
I would hope that these networks flourish because of their innovation for facilitating new dynamics for public and personal dialog and their transparency to frequently remind us that what we share online really belongs to the community in which we share it.
Facebook and other social networks directly influence their future as measured by their actions and public reaction, which ultimately engenders the community support they deserve.
In the end, it is our responsibility to protect ourselves and our online persona. We must also realize that in the process of sharing and participating online, our content is shared within our seemingly protected inner circle of friends, but the reality is that it also potentially reaches the extended networks that connect our social graph and the graphs that link our friends of friends, their friends of friends, and so on.
Twitter continues to inspire creativity and innovation among third-party developers. The latest useful solution is Twibs, a directory of businesses using Twitter to communicate with consumers, peers, and tastemakers.
Twitter is a conversation platform and it continues to fundamentally transform how people communicate with each other. Along with other socialized channels of online interaction, Twitter has also re-ignited the long-forgotten art of listening to and communicating with customers.
What started with forums and online reviews, then evolved to include blog comments, groups, social networks, and now micro communities, businesses are once again embracing the methodologies associated with excellent customer service - after all, the customer is always right. And, the customer is now potentially more influential than ever before.
Twibs is currently tracking roughly 4,500 brands on Twitter as well as associated promotions that they're running within the popular micro community.
According to the founders, "Twibs was created by a small group of people with one purpose: Give twitter users a place to find businesses on twitter. We are big believers in the power of twitter to connect customers with businesses. We're working on making it easy for consumers to find businesses, both local and national."
Twitter is an incredible medium for listening, learning, and sharing. And, for those in the media and communications industries, it's also a rapid and immersive education in meaningful, two-way micro messaging that helps both parties walk away with a new form of value.
While there are no shortage of posts that offer tips and tricks to help you boost your Twitter followers, it is by no means a popularity contest. The surmounting ploys, friending races, theatrics, and contests to tempt those into following individuals can be fun, but short-sighted, when in fact the true technique for building relationships, regardless of volume, is the genuine act of earning and investing in them. It's rooted in selflessness and rewarded with a rich stream of relevance and a network of valuable contacts that can also help you in the real world.
Twitter is a unique and vibrant community that thrives because of your participation and interaction. The Twitter culture evolves and matures though the greater collective of those who invest in the caliber and meaningful dynamic of the micro exchanges and relationships that we earn and forge everyday.
Our experience is defined by what we share, learn, and discover, what and who we follow and spotlight, and how we give back to those who help us and others.
Brevity speaks volumes.
So, to give back to the Twitter community and invest in building more mutually beneficial relationships, here are the top tips to pay back and pay it forward on Twitter:
- Twitter asks what you are doing. Instead answer the question, What do you think we are better off knowing right now? Other questions to consider...What/who inspires you? What just happened? What am I missing? What did you learn today? What's out on the Web worth sharing on Twitter?
- Curate and share helpful and applicable content on the stream and apply relevance and/or context. Offer perspective. You are unique and your ideas, opinions, and experience can help or offer value to those who are learning.
- The public should feel included in almost everything you share.
- Think about your tweets in aggregate and assess the picture you're painting through your last 20 updates. To get a picture of how you're perceived, visit www.twitter.com/yourusername and take a moment to see your tweets through the eyes of a visitor.
- Build a brand theme that complements who you are and what you do.
- Consider establishing a username that people can connect with and remember. Many either use their name or are currently changing their ID to reflect their personal or corporate brand. The Twitter culture is much different than the culture associated with IM (where aliases are much more common).
- Earn a reputation and authority based on the niche you establish for yourself, reinforced by the tweets your post and share. Dan Schawbel has tips to help you do this more effectively. - Engage with individuals in the public timeline around a given topic. But, draw a line between a public @message and a DM. Not everyone needs to follow your 1:1 dialog in the public timeline, especially as the volume increases everyday. Some things are just better left for the backchannel. If it's an A and B conversation, your followers may "C" there way out of it. - Try to thank or acknowledge, in some way, those who RT your updates or promote your outside activity. Personally, this is an area where I'm working on devoting more time. Everyone who takes the time out of their busy day to share something you posted deserves recognition.
- Ask questions and share the results. Twitter is a magnificent forum for sparking conversations that pull responses from your friends as well as from friends of friends. Most vanish without closure or results. Share highlights and observations.
- Pay it forward. This is important. About two months ago, I Tweeted, "Remember, Always Pay it Forward and Never Forget to Pay it Back...it's how you got here and it defines where you're going."
- Don't just follow the Twitterati. Find and follow everyone who can help you learn and improve your skills as well as the value of your overall network. I recommend using TweepSearch, which is the first search engine that allows anyone to search and discover relevant Twitter bios and location information using keywords. It's ideal for learning more about those following any given username as well.Mr. Tweet is your personal networking assistant on Twitter. It helps you easily build meaningful relationships by looking through your network and tweets. Mr. Tweet will then suggest new and relevant tweeps and existing followers you should also follow. - 120 is the new 140. Retweeting is one of the most valuable currencies in the Twitter economy. Leave room in your tweets to make it easier for someone to RT and also add a short reaction or endorsement. The magic number seems to hover around 120 characters.
- Listen AND respond to those who offer insight tied to keywords that are important to you, not just those who send messages in public with your @username. Follow conversations related to the keywords that are important to your ecosystem. Make new friends. Offer value and insight to those conversations related to your industry. Give back to those seeking guidance.
- Don't share anything you wouldn't want a co-worker, your boss, friends, or family to see.
- Learn from your tweets by analyzing the statistics associated with your activity. The criteria associated with defining Influence and authority on Twitter are still debatable. However, your numbers of associated followers, RTs, and unfollowers, are undeniable. Tools such as TwitterCounter provides an interactive chart that chronicles the quantity of Twitter followers for any given username.TwitterFriends is one of the most compelling analytical tools for identifying relevant conversationalists, revealing conversation patterns, and visualizing material conversation networks, by Twitter ID. On the other side of the equation, Qwitter is a humbling and instantaneous solution for honing your updates to better match what your friends and followers hope to see or not see. Qwitter will send an email to you when someone unfollows you and will link the action to the most recent tweet that you posted. - Host or attend tweetups, conferences, events, etc., where your Twitter friends and contacts are participating. It's important to remember, as it's easy to forget, that relationships count online and in the real world. Investing in meaningful relationships requires in-person engagement over time.
- Share visuals that capture your attention or better help you tell a story, as long as it will appeal to your community. I use Twitpic and BrightKite.
- Respond to negative criticism as well as the accolades. There may be points worth considering to embrace and visualize a broader perspective. Those who respectfully push back, contribute to what we learn, while also push things forward. But, sometimes there's also a point of diminishing return. Certain individuals are steadfast in their views and it's their right to maintain an opposing viewpoint. Beware: Don't feed the trolls.
- Be helpful.
- Make this about conversations, sharing, and learning. Tweetcasters and self-promoters are eventually tuned out.
- Ensure that your bio is representative of the brand you wish to convey. In addition to your bio, consider strategically branding your Twitter background as well. Here's how...
- If you witness a series of RT's regarding a post that sings to you, consider following the source.
- This one is a bit of a controversial subject. Do you follow everyone who follows you back? Some say yes, some say no. It's a personal choice and a topic that usually ignites a passionate discussion. I treasure the tweets of those I follow and everyday, I follow new people whom I believe to add value to my Twitter stream. It's important to listen to those you follow and regard and by amplifying the quantity of people simply to return the favor of a follow, makes it incredibly difficult to actually hear anyone. There are those who follow everyone and that may work for them. There are also those who create an alternative account to simply listen to those individuals whom they appreciate and respect. PeopleBrowsr is an incredible Twitter service that allows you to follow everyone back, but also create a column for "VIPs" to see only their tweets on your visual dashboard. In the end, do what's right for you and your network of friends, followers, and mentors. This is something that I'm thinking about quite a bit these days.
- Relationships, whether they're on Twitter, Facebook, or any other social network, are held to the same guiding and ethical principles of those we cherish in the real world. Think of them as investments where the ROI is intelligence, social capital, respect, trust, and friendship. Individuals on both sides must realize mutual benefits and advantages for cultivating short-term or long-term relationships. You are equally responsible for contributing ongoing value.
But don't just take my word for it. Leave your tip in the comments section below...
Also, I took the conversation to Twitter and here are some of the highlights(I tried to include everyone, apologies in advance if I missed something): Question: If you could share 1 tip to build new & more meaningful relationships on Twitter, what would it be? Be Engaged @VirtueIMC
be yourself. it's the only sustainable voice you've got. @alexknowshtml
business comes second. @spotcher
always (or at least most of the time) reply back to people when they @ reply you @pepstein
Adopt the Tit-for-Tat version of the Golden Rule. And always say "please" and "thank you." @cheeky_geeky
don't get hung up on the numbers, instead...focus on genuine connections. More isn't always better. @promodiva
just think it goes back to what Doc Searls once said: "screw popularity, just make yourself useful" @triciabuck
Give support. @SavvyAuntie
Be honest. @justinmwhitaker
Make the effort to help followers and followees out (not just to the twelebs!) @seanfee80
Personally send a DM thanking every new person who follows you. @DixonTam
help people solve their problems. don't just twisten (twitter listen) but also respond @healthworldweb
Take ur time; treat it like the adventure it is. Other people are so fascinating! Enjoy it! @ROICoaching
Make it a habit to respond to people not just to what they post @Taiwriter
Don't try to be anything but yourself. @jtnt
Simple, just TALK to people. Isn't that how you create relationships in person? @GlazrKenndyCopy
Follow people within your industry and also follow people with similar interests. @pliadesigns
I'd change the prompt question of Twitter to: "What has just captured your attention?" @barbaranixon
express all the different sides of your personality, don't just twitter about one topic @woodlandalyssa
would say reach out specific requests & support via DMs, just do not auto DM as it feels careless, meaningless @PinkOliveFamily
It matters much more who you're following than who is following you. (Don't get me wrong - I love my followers!) @jfraga
Eagerly follow industry peers. No matter where you are in your career you can learn from others. Share ideas and opinions. @rachelakay
It is about engagement - from all sides... I call it the world's largest cocktail party conversation for clients @VirtueIMC
Find a way to meet in person. Conference, events in your local area, while traveling. And make the effort to follow through. @sloane
Respond to direct questions/feedback. This might not build bigger followings but would build better links across the 'brands'. @jenajean
engage, don't just be a listener or a monologuist, engage, engage, engage. And don't mass follow. Ugh! @tyamdm
Be genuine. You are what you are - be that same person on Twitter not someone you are trying to be. @keithdon
share relevant, new content. Engage in dialogue. @gogocomm
find interesting people and engage them. Ask them questions about themselves, their projects, be genuinely interested in them. @gingerw
Be real, be transparent, don't sell, don't fall into the follower ego thing. @davidfeldt
find out more about your followers and try to engage them in converstaions. like this one. @kmvictory
Be open minded. You never know who is going to be a valuable relationship until you start interacting, listening and learning. @aarond22
To never be afraid to put a bit of yourself and your real thoughts out there when Twittering,no matter how drastic or dynamic(: @themissingsock
Notice. Really notice. Whether you're an A-lister with a huge blog/ gig. Or new-ish. Notice who's supporting you & return love. @Ed
be yourself in all the glory 140 letters let you be... @dgourlay
Like any relationship building activity, I'd say "Listen, engage and converse" is extremely important - especially "Listen". @zubintavaria
it might help if u actually "talked" 2 them instead of adding people like they're poker chips.. Have at least 1 meaningful convo @MarcMeyer
answer the questions others are asking. @gbender26
Hottwiitertips says, "GET REAL." to make twitter more meaningful. What does that mean anyway, "meaningful?" @jmacofearth
Stop calling your followers..."followers." :) @jaculynn
Attend Tweet-Ups, without a doubt. Physical interaction is still the key to connecting. @andrewlockhart
share your connections @1day4me
Meeting people IRL is the best way to have meaningful twitter relationships. I'm excited to meet tweeps upcoming events. @khartline
Listen, react, converse, and be informative. Reply to others' questions, and ask questions yourselves. @emd5005
Don't feel obligated to follow everyone who knocks on your virtual door. Sometimes less is more. Take time to read profiles. @TobyDiva
focus on real-life relationships @Jesse
Be curious and talk to people. @JohnCannon
have real convo-tweets with people. Respond to replies always, and keep the convo going. It's tough to do in 140 characters. @adenasf
Create an "inner circle" or a subset of your subscriptions that you interact with on a regular basis. Feed that stream! @BostonDave
Add as much value as possible in every reply and RT @JodiEchakowitz
always try to give more than you take. @getshust
join the conversation. Meaning don't always be a watcher: share, discuss, react, repeat. @jacquelynmogol
2 Build meaningful relationships on Twitter, connect & engage. Don't just push your info; interaction = trust; It's addictive 2. @CathyWebSavvyPR
Tip #1-Read the tweets, bio, and any links to see who person is and begin convo on what you find. @3keyscoach
Be authentic: Do not self-censor and do not Be Safe. Numbers are meaningless. @AdRanchJason
Follow people who are unlike you, too. Different industries, different beliefs, different geos, etc @jaculynn
Actually read some of the Tweets from those you follow. I have 1200 followers, but I'd guess 20-30 read my Tweets. @chucklasker
Arrange for a tweetup or phone meeting with interesting tweeps. I'm meeting fab people this way. @3keyscoach
Be seen elsewhere. @MaryannM
do stuff for people: quid pro quo @scriber
introduce my network to people who can benefit from knowing them @ducttape
Add value to other peoples tweets, not only the ones that serve your agenda. Be a giver always. @MikeAbrams
Being honest, direct, and "real". @MikeMathia
It will ALWAYS be: be yourself...in 140 characters or less, or more, or whatever -- just always!!! @SteveRepetti
2-way comm, provide info to help others succeed @relth
i like connecting around specific subjects. as u tweet consistently about one thing you converse with people who do the same @rgujral
Go beyond just using Twitter :) @rloughery
Give helpful, honest and friendly replies. Many just post their own updates, toot their own horn, and don't form relationships. @PluginPR
Be authentic: Do not self-censor and do not Be Safe. Numbers are meaningless. @Twensored
Answer questions and offer help because you TRULY want to serve -- with no expectation of reciprocation. @baylan
reply to tweets that responate with you - take the next step beyond reading and act, respond, connect @dahawe
only follow the people who mean something to you, mix it up, RTs, Replies, Daily Garbage, Promotion of stuff you care about @ChrisSaad
Direct message about a shared personal interest or helpful info specific to that person's twitter activity/profile. @katiewinchell --- Digg it
Brian Solis is Principal of FutureWorks, an award-winning PR and New Media agency in Silicon Valley. Solis blogs at PR2.0, bub.blicio.us, and regularly contributes marketing & tech insight to industry publications. He’s a published author and an avid speaker on the topic of new marketing and engagement.
Solis is among the original thought leaders who paved the way for Social Media. He’s a co-founder of the Social Media Club and a founding member of the Media 2.0 Workgroup.
Bio here.
Brian Solis actively keynotes, moderates, and speaks at industry conferences, corporate events, and training workshops. To discuss the possibility of having him speak or provide training, please contact him directly: pr2point0 [at] gmail [dot] com
SOBCon - Chicago, May 2, 2009
Topic: Communication Networks and Competition in the SocialSphere
PRSA - Digital Impact - April 30, 2009
Keynote: Putting the Public Back in Public Relations
Inbound Marketing Summit - San Francisco, April 28, 2009
Topic: Using Outbound Communications for the New Web to Drive Exposure and Results
New Comm Forum 2009 - San Francisco, April 27, 2009
Topic: Social Media & Investor Relations – Disclosure & Other Issues
Topic: The New Organization Landscape for Marketing Communications
Girls in Tech LA - Los Angeles, April 16, 2009
Topic: The New World of PR
San Francisco State University, April 14, 2009
Topic: Putting the Public Back in Public Relations
SVASE: Startup-U - San Francisco, April 9, 2009
Topic: DIY vs. Outsourced PR & Social Media for Startups
Blog World Expo - Las Vegas, Sept. 20, 2008
Topics: Crossing the Conversation Chasm, New Media PR, & Social Media + Customer Service
Web 2.0 Expo - New York, Sept. 17, 2008
Topic: How Web 2.0 Changed Marketing and PR
PRSA T3 - New York, Sept. 11, 2008
Topic: Return on Participation: Measuring Social Media Strategies
ASAE Connecting - San Diego, CA, August 19,2008
Topic: Media Relations is Dead, Long Live Media Relations
Digital Hollywood Building Blocks - San Jose, CA, Aug 7, 2008
Topic: The Widget Economy - The Information, Advertising, Next Generation Digital Consumer Experience
Bulldog University, August 7, 2008
Topic: Supercharging Press Releases, SEO, SMO, MMO
StartUp SF - San Francisco, June 18, 2008
Topic: PR for Startups
PRSA LA - Los Angeles, June 12, 2008
Topic: Introducing Conversational Public Relations
