Evo Terra's Blog, page 11
January 26, 2014
Viral marketing again shown to be a myth.
Originally debunked -- with SCIENCE -- almost a year ago ...
Viral marketing again shown to be a myth.
Originally debunked -- with SCIENCE -- almost a year ago (http://goo.gl/ts4qjr), this Twitter-focused research paper (http://goo.gl/xMd6IJ) shows that, with the exception of a handful of super-massive events, a Tweet shared on Twitter infects just one person.
That's not spreading a virus. That's lending a book.
For years now, I've been telling clients to focus on creating remarkable, high value content. And I use the literal definition of remarkable: That which people make remarks about.
I was wrong.
It's not terrible advice, but focusing on getting remarks -- e.g. sharing it with others -- is misguided.As the link above illustrates, the real trick is making content worth returning for. And my high value mantra fits nicely with that.
I'm changing my approach starting right now. Can you?
Creative Commons image from 500px: http://goo.gl/8fndx5
Originally debunked -- with SCIENCE -- almost a year ago (http://goo.gl/ts4qjr), this Twitter-focused research paper (http://goo.gl/xMd6IJ) shows that, with the exception of a handful of super-massive events, a Tweet shared on Twitter infects just one person.
That's not spreading a virus. That's lending a book.
For years now, I've been telling clients to focus on creating remarkable, high value content. And I use the literal definition of remarkable: That which people make remarks about.
I was wrong.
It's not terrible advice, but focusing on getting remarks -- e.g. sharing it with others -- is misguided.As the link above illustrates, the real trick is making content worth returning for. And my high value mantra fits nicely with that.
I'm changing my approach starting right now. Can you?
Creative Commons image from 500px: http://goo.gl/8fndx5
As a reformed advertising copywriter, I abhor buzzfeed-esque headlines. They contribute to the dumbing...
As a reformed advertising copywriter, I abhor buzzfeed-esque headlines. They contribute to the dumbing-down of society, discourage critical thought, and tempt me to stab myself in the eye with a paperclip when I read them.
Props to +The Millions for illustrating the dystopia were literature infected in a similar fashion.
Props to +The Millions for illustrating the dystopia were literature infected in a similar fashion.
This is what I'll picture the next time I'm confused for a woman.
Personality: Very dark and sinister...
This is what I'll picture the next time I'm confused for a woman.
Personality: Very dark and sinister, your average evil Saiyan.
I have no idea what amount of evil the average Saiyan possesses. Come to think of it, I have no idea what a Saiyan is.
Hey, if you're going to have your gender confused, you might as well be a bad-ass about it.
Found via Mention.net, which is amazingly cool for uncovering mentions of your brand around the webbernets.
Personality: Very dark and sinister, your average evil Saiyan.
I have no idea what amount of evil the average Saiyan possesses. Come to think of it, I have no idea what a Saiyan is.
Hey, if you're going to have your gender confused, you might as well be a bad-ass about it.
Found via Mention.net, which is amazingly cool for uncovering mentions of your brand around the webbernets.
Facebook suddenly remembers that it's all about Friends.
(Really, Facebook. You should just do this...
Facebook suddenly remembers that it's all about Friends.
(Really, Facebook. You should just do this stuff and not say anything. It'll freak less people out.)
If you manage a brand page on Facebook, prepare for this:
"Page admins can expect a decrease in the distribution of their text status updates, but they may see some increases in engagement and distribution for other story types."
As it turns out, people -- you know, humans -- do more Facebook-y stuff when their News Feed is filled with text updates from friends. But not so much when it's cluttered (my word) with text updates from brands.
Hence, they're tweaking the algorithm. Again. Time to dust off the links, photos and other story types, brand managers.
(Really, Facebook. You should just do this stuff and not say anything. It'll freak less people out.)
If you manage a brand page on Facebook, prepare for this:
"Page admins can expect a decrease in the distribution of their text status updates, but they may see some increases in engagement and distribution for other story types."
As it turns out, people -- you know, humans -- do more Facebook-y stuff when their News Feed is filled with text updates from friends. But not so much when it's cluttered (my word) with text updates from brands.
Hence, they're tweaking the algorithm. Again. Time to dust off the links, photos and other story types, brand managers.
And you still think Google is a search engine...
Google makes all kinds of interesting acquisitions...
And you still think Google is a search engine...
Google makes all kinds of interesting acquisitions. When you make $15 billion a quarter, you can do that.
When they bought Nest for $3.2 billion a few weeks ago, it was assumed to be another oddity. But perhaps it's just part of their plan to become an energy company.
Now that would be a pivot.
Google makes all kinds of interesting acquisitions. When you make $15 billion a quarter, you can do that.
When they bought Nest for $3.2 billion a few weeks ago, it was assumed to be another oddity. But perhaps it's just part of their plan to become an energy company.
Now that would be a pivot.
Hopslam is all the rage. And I've had my fair share and then some.
But I gotta say ... This Enjoy By...
Hopslam is all the rage. And I've had my fair share and then some.
But I gotta say ... This Enjoy By is damned fine!
But I gotta say ... This Enjoy By is damned fine!
January 16, 2014
Added photos to Phoenix No Pants Light Rail Ride 2014.
Added photos to Phoenix No Pants Light Rail Ride 2014.
Is iCrossing's story the harbinger of doom?
Whether you see this story as a hatchet job or not, it ...
Is iCrossing's story the harbinger of doom?
Whether you see this story as a hatchet job or not, it should give you pause if you work in a mid- to large-sized agency. Growing is tough, and exploring new channels is difficult when you've got your eye on tightening up the bottom line.
If nothing else, it points out that easy wins in social and content marketing aren't to be had. At least not when compared to the relative ease of search marketing.
Whether you see this story as a hatchet job or not, it should give you pause if you work in a mid- to large-sized agency. Growing is tough, and exploring new channels is difficult when you've got your eye on tightening up the bottom line.
If nothing else, it points out that easy wins in social and content marketing aren't to be had. At least not when compared to the relative ease of search marketing.
Facebook Trending? Not on your mobile...
The story here isn't that Facebook launched a new thing. That...
Facebook Trending? Not on your mobile...
The story here isn't that Facebook launched a new thing. That happens pretty frequently (though perhaps not enough) and is to be expected from a company trying to stay relevant in the fickle world of 2014. Instead, the story is that the new service isn't available on mobile. And that's a strategy that has to change.
80% of of MAUs (Monthly Active Users -- get used to that acronym) use a combination of desktop and mobile to experience Facebook. And about 25% of MAUs only use mobile access the social network through mobile devices. That means they never use the full-screen interface.
Maybe this will be the year that Facebook begins a mobile-first approach.
The story here isn't that Facebook launched a new thing. That happens pretty frequently (though perhaps not enough) and is to be expected from a company trying to stay relevant in the fickle world of 2014. Instead, the story is that the new service isn't available on mobile. And that's a strategy that has to change.
80% of of MAUs (Monthly Active Users -- get used to that acronym) use a combination of desktop and mobile to experience Facebook. And about 25% of MAUs only use mobile access the social network through mobile devices. That means they never use the full-screen interface.
Maybe this will be the year that Facebook begins a mobile-first approach.
If the 3D printing can be disrupted, so can your business!
There's a difference between disruption ...
If the 3D printing can be disrupted, so can your business!
There's a difference between disruption and innovation, though most people use the terms interchangeably. To illustrate the difference, I usually use 3D printing as an industry where innovation happens, but not so much disruption. That's because 3D printing itself is disruptive.
Well, it looks like I need a new model, because food-based 3D printers are clearly disruptive. Hershey's just signed a multi-year deal to use 3D printing in food production.
▶ Read it: http://goo.gl/O03jBb
Why do I call this disruptive to the 3D printing industry instead of food production? Because it
changes the model of what it's for. To date, 3D printing has lived on the two far ends of the spectrum: the hobbyist side, making cheap plastic parts and novelties, or super-high end products, illustrated by plans NASA has of putting 3D printers on the International Space Station to create their own parts.
Now with investment from the food industry, I expect other industries to start looking at 3D printing as way to solve other business challenges. And that will cause disruption, as existing companies and new(er) startups hit the market, ready to bring novel solutions to industries previously unexplored.
There's a difference between disruption and innovation, though most people use the terms interchangeably. To illustrate the difference, I usually use 3D printing as an industry where innovation happens, but not so much disruption. That's because 3D printing itself is disruptive.
Well, it looks like I need a new model, because food-based 3D printers are clearly disruptive. Hershey's just signed a multi-year deal to use 3D printing in food production.
▶ Read it: http://goo.gl/O03jBb
Why do I call this disruptive to the 3D printing industry instead of food production? Because it
changes the model of what it's for. To date, 3D printing has lived on the two far ends of the spectrum: the hobbyist side, making cheap plastic parts and novelties, or super-high end products, illustrated by plans NASA has of putting 3D printers on the International Space Station to create their own parts.
Now with investment from the food industry, I expect other industries to start looking at 3D printing as way to solve other business challenges. And that will cause disruption, as existing companies and new(er) startups hit the market, ready to bring novel solutions to industries previously unexplored.
