Socialnomics? Pfft! That's old news.

There is this thing called socialnomics going around. Heard of it? It's supposed to increase a company's sales percentage simply by using social networking sites. And the cost of using social netowrking? None. Zip. ZERO.

You'd think that would be great news, right? The company doesn't have to worry about investing in heavy marketing campaigns. Woopee!

Think again.

Although it's great that you can get your company's name out there remember that the competition is tough. If you're a marketer...I'm sorry buddy. Maybe you should try viral marketing?

Since advertising is getting to the point where it can cost nothing, maybe at some point the same thing will happen to some luxury products - like what's happening to music.

And about socialnomics...I just wanted to say that getting your company recognized by using social methods is really old stuff. Most latin countries rely mainly on society to increase a company's popularity (can't speak for all latin countries, just those I've lived in). Technology has simply enhanced the communication.

Earning an easy Buck or Two

While most of us are scrambling to get a job with big company names some individuals are hitting it big on their own - and earning big bucks from it.

How do they do it? The answer is easy. They're benefitting off social media.

For example, look at the stars on YouTube like Peter Chao. The video below explains how his videos helped him get into college and then earn him money after it.



I read this book some time ago by Yochai Benkler called the Wealth of Networks [free downloadable version please click here]. He mentions that thanks to the Internet and the availability of cheap technology we can create our own user generated content and earn a buck or two from it.

For example the cost of starting a business before was much more prohibitive than it is today with the Internet. Now the cost to be a media producer is cheap and easy.

Just look at Peter Chao.

How to get Popular and Monitore it.

We all like being popular, right? And if not, I'm sure positive attention is always well received.

Well, how about making your blog popular? Would that interest you? You're probably thinking, "Geez, what kind of advice can YOU give me??". True. My blog is not Paul Krugman's (he has a very good blog on economics which he writes for the NY Times). But if I wanted to I could make it just as good as Krugman's.

Here are the basic tools for popularity:

• Use Twitter to promote your blog
  
• Use Facebook to promote your blog
  
• Use every social media you can think of to promote your blog
  
• Leave your blog link everywhere you possibly can
  
• Comment on other blogs and tweets and leave a link back to your blog (the more you do this the better)

But now comes the tricky part. How do you know you are getting popular? Checck your Google Analytics, duh!

Marshall Kirkpatric wrote an article on the stats of how Monica Rankin achieved popularity. From what I understood from the article the best time to post a blog piece is 12pm and the worst is 4pm. Of course if you are already established as a hot blogger time doesn't matter.

So? Are you ready to get popular? Good luck!

Get a Job or Be Jobless

Now a days, one of our main concerns is to get or stay employed. How do we manage that?

I read an article by Henry Chalian who had gotten bumped off his manager job at J.P Morgan. Apparently LinkedIn helped him to some degree but he is still out of a job.

Jobless. That's a scary word for many of us.

Then an article on the NJ Business News suddenly provided enlightenment. Their advice was: “if they want to find a job they should get out from behind their computer [...] but use social networking skills to widen the number of people that you can connect with when you get out from behind your computer.”

Brilliant advice. They recommended you keep active on the Internet by tweeting, blogging, but not so much as to consume your life. You need real life contacts too.

Thanks for your Collaboration!

Did you know that at this moment you are collaborating with me? You didn't? Well now you do.

You are reading my blog, which I use to write an opinion on articles I read for my social media and business class. Your participation is included in my grade. Your comments (if constructive enough) help me further my knowledge. Thank you!

Nowadays, in business, online participation and collaboratation are a nesessary tools that keeps a company active 24/7. As long as the company has a collaborative corporate culture, as Will Kelly describes it, you will keep the communications and production flowing.

Many software companies have tapped into this new trend and are creating software to aid it (for more info on which companies click here). Have you heard of google aps? I'm sure most of us are familiar with it. Especially us, students. It's like an agenda that magically accompanies us everywhere (as long as we have an Internet connection and a laptop). Isn't it great?

Brainstorming: The Prelude to a Great Idea

Usually in big businesses you will undergo the brainstorming process with a bunch of co-workers. It's a fun and dandy activity - you get to drink coffee, talk, get to know your team's train of thought and probably forge a better bond with one of your team mates. Nice.

Virtual teamwork ain't like that. We're talking business here. Our goal is to produce an idea that will increase profits and keep the money flowing into our bank accounts (the last is a pretty good incentive to think up some innovative thoughts).

I found it interesting that in Jessica Lipnack's blogpost "Brainstorming? Try doing it virtually", she mentioned that virtual brainstorming is more productive than in a "real" group. That's because you're alone, so you might feel less shy to express your ideas and you'll probably focus more on getting your work done than on your co-worker's Jimmy Choos.

Still there seems to be many people that are still uncomfortable with the virtual brainstorming thing. I mean, yes - you'll probably get more work done but maybe virtual brainstorming should be done at a preliminary level. You mustn't forget that there is also a bond that you should form with your team mates. Afterall teamwork is about helping one another out to reach a common objective.

Meet me in Cyberspace

Say you had a really bad day. You woke up late, a car splashed dirty water on you, you burnt your duck au orange and found out that your significant other was cheating on you with the CVS cashier. Don't you feel like escaping reality? Well, you can.

Meet Second Life, a virtual game that exists only on cyberspace. You interact with "real" people and you do all the things you'd do in the real world. And that includes business.

Second Life is like it's own cyber-country. It even has it's own currency (Linden dollars) which is bought with real money. According to Grace Patuwo's article Virtual World, real money on 'Second Life', transactions on Second Life totaled $567 million in U.S. dollars in 2009. Even YALE is getting onto the Second Life bandwagon and purchasing land. Maybe this cyberworld is the equivalent to what America was for Europe...? A free land of opportunities...?

Of course Second Life can't completely immerse you into virtual reality like you've seen in the Matrix, so it's not like you can really live there. Although...we might be able to experience something similar...

Augmented reality is a new fad that is taking place. Augmented reality lets you use real life elements and manipulate them digitally. Like the Matrix.

Have you seen the AR app Parrot? It's a flying (yes, FLYING) little machine that lets you have virtual battles with other friends. Just like you might see in Star Wars or something. Look at the video below:



Fascinating, isn't it? Maybe we should start implementing flying drones into stores as sales clerk assistants? So many business opportunities...