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The Future of Social TV [VIDEO]

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 20:52:16 +0000

Technology is changing entertainment for better and for worse, according to TV Guide’s general manager and executive vice president, Christy Tanner, who spoke at the Mashable Media Summit . SEE ALSO: Social TV: How Content Producers Can Engage Their Audiences in New Ways TV Guide launched Watchlist , a social feature that lets users search online to see where they can find their favorite shows on TV or on other connected devices. Tanner also talked about social media’s effects on the TV-watching experience. The Mashable Media Summit in Pictures Media Summit 2011 The Mashable Media Summit on Nov. 4 at the Times Center in New York City attracted professionals in digital, tech, advertising, sales, marketing, mobile and publishing from all over the world. Click here to view this gallery. Presenting Sponsor: AT&T More About: features , mashable media summit , Media , social tv , television , trending , Video For more Entertainment coverage: Follow Mashable Entertainment on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Entertainment channel Download our free apps for Android , Mac , iPhone and iPad

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The Future of Social TV [VIDEO]

Tumblr Numbers: The Rapid Rise of Social Blogging [INFOGRAPHIC]

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 19:45:10 +0000

The Social Media Infographics Series is supported by Vocus ‘ Social Media Strategy Tool , a free, six-step online tool that lets you build a custom social media framework tailored to your organization’s goals. In four short years, Tumblr has grown from relative obscurity to start-up darling to international microblogging network. The platform has grown a staggering 900% in the past year and eclipsed platform competitor WordPress , largely due to its global reach and brand-building potential . Those under Tumblr’s influence are fiercely loyal — with 2% of users making up 43% of total visits — and they log in from all over the world. Take a look behind the scenes at Tumblr’s influence on the web, including top tags and fun facts, in this handy infographic. Infographic designed by Emily Caufield . Series supported by Vocus This series is supported by Vocus ‘ Social Media Strategy Tool , a free online tool which lets you build your own custom social media framework in six easy steps. It helps you determine your organization’s goals, explore the latest MarketingSherpa research data, and create your own workbook packed with the strategies, tactics and resources you need. Try it today! More About: features , mashable , Social Media Infographics Series , tumblr For more Social Media coverage: Follow Mashable Social Media on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Social Media channel Download our free apps for Android , Mac , iPhone and iPad

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Tumblr Numbers: The Rapid Rise of Social Blogging [INFOGRAPHIC]

How Leading Fashion Brands Are Embracing Online Video

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 16:06:12 +0000

The Digital Marketing Series is supported by HubSpot , an inbound marketing software company based in Cambridge, MA, that makes a full platform of marketing software, including lead generation tools . A video commissioned by Kate Spade New York for its “Live Colorfully” campaign. Prohibitively high costs have historically kept TV out of the media mixes of all but the most securely backed fashion brands. But the web has given brands an opportunity to cheaply host and distribute video content for the first time, and many are now developing video content to bolster their online and offline retail businesses. Cecilia Liu , digital marketing manager at Kate Spade New York , says that video had long been on the back burner for Kate Spade before it released its first “major” video in the spring of 2009. It wasn’t until Kate Spade’s ecommerce business started to take off that the opportunity to make campaign images “more alive, interesting and interactive … through video” became clear, she says. This year, Kate Spade commissioned a different artist each month to create a video around a color for its “Live Colorfully” campaign, including the one above. The brand has also developed behind-the-scenes videos , as well as short animations for its website . The opportunity in online video for brands is a big one. More than 3 billion videos are viewed per day on the web’s largest video-sharing platform, YouTube , whose monthly traffic hovers around 800 million unique visitors. Nearly three-fourths of U.S. citizens have visited a video-sharing site in their lifetimes, and more than a quarter visit video-sharing sites on a daily basis, according to a July survey published by Pew Research Center. Early Successes There have been some notable — a.k.a. “viral” — online video successes among fashion brands, as seen in this chart from luxury think tank L2 , above. A blurry video of Alexander McQueen’s Spring/Summer 2010 collection show, during which Lady Gaga ‘s “Bad Romance” single premiered, has amassed nearly 3.5 million views on YouTube from a non-branded account. An Emporio Armani ad showing Portuguese football star Cristiano Ronaldo has been watched nearly 2 million times on the brand’s official account , and more than 1 million additional times on non-branded accounts. What has made these videos so successful? In a recent Tumblr post , Jessica Coghan-Kia , director of digital media at Starworks Group , broke down the 12 most-viewed videos of all time on YouTube and stacked them against some of the best-performing videos from fashion brands this year. She found that videos with some form of celebrity involvement — whether in front of or behind the camera — as well as videos with a humorous element tended to perform the best. She pointed to Lanvin’s lighthearted Fall 2011 campaign video in particular, which has been viewed nearly half a million times since it debuted in August despite the lack of celebrity participation. “Lots of luxury brands still feel like they need to take their brand DNA, translate it into this new medium [of online video], and then shove it down everyone’s throats,” Coghan-Kia tells Mashable . “When brands create videos, they need to think about the viewers and about creating something they would want to watch and share with their friends first.” Lanvin’s Fall 2011 campaign video has racked up nearly 500,000 views. Videos rarely became viral by themselves; seeding generally plays a large role in a video’s success. In fashion, reaching out to online media, including bloggers, can help that brand’s video quickly reach a large online audience of fashion enthusiasts. Coghan-Kia recommends doling out pieces of exclusive video to a concentrated set of bloggers with a voice and aesthetic that align well with a brand, rather than canvassing the same video to a greater volume of bloggers. Brands should also of course embed and share out their videos across their other social channels, and should consider investing in targeted paid advertisements at launch to build early awareness of the video, she says. Partnering with video bloggers (“vloggers”) who already have large followings on platforms like YouTube can also be a smart strategy for a brand. Although not in the fashion category, cosmetics brand Lancome has had particular success through its partnership with vlogger Michelle Phan , whose how-to videos — which now utilize Lancome products — have attracted more than 1.6 million subscribers and nearly half a billion total views. Beyond Viral Popular vlogger Michelle Phan is a spokesperson for Lancome Paris. But are brands’ efforts best invested in chasing after the elusive “viral” video? Or should they be investing in creating a catalogue of steady but solidly performing videos? Coghan-Kia says that depends on a brands’ individual goals. Brand awareness campaigns, like the one Lanvin staged for its Fall 2011 campaign, should aim to be seen by as many people as possible. But awareness isn’t the only thing brands can achieve with online video. SEO is another major benefit afforded by online video. The more content a brand puts out on high-ranking websites — YouTube included — the more relevant that brand and its properties become to Google . And the more relevant the brand, the cheaper its cost-per-click rate becomes in paid search, which Coghan-Kia says “should be at the heart of any brands’ online marketing mix and the larger revenue driver.” Online video can also be used to drive sales on-site. Coghan-Kia cites William Sonoma’s catalogue of recorded product reviews as example of online video that helps sales at points of purchase. Fashion retailer Saks Fifth Avenue also does a great job with videos on its website , which show shoppers how an item moves on a model, she notes. There are myriad ways to approach online video and, like other forms of online marketing, a set of best practices has yet to be firmly established. Needless to say, we’re looking forward to seeing what brands develop as they increase in their investments in the space. Series supported by HubSpot The Digital Marketing Series is supported by HubSpot , an inbound marketing software company based in Cambridge, MA, that makes a full platform of marketing software, including lead generation tools . More About: Digital Marketing Series , fashion , features , luxury , Marketing , mashable , ONLINE VIDEO , Social Media , social media marketing , YouTube For more Business coverage: Follow Mashable Business on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Business channel Download our free apps for Android , Mac , iPhone and iPad

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How Leading Fashion Brands Are Embracing Online Video

10 Classy Covers for Your iPad [PICS]

Sun, 13 Nov 2011 23:08:01 +0000

1. iPad ColorCoat Give your iPad a bold splash of color with the “ColorCoat” matte cover. Cost: $21 Click here to view this gallery. We know you love your iPad, therefore, treat it to some sleek accessories. In the past we brought you some cool cases and desirable decals . This time around we’ve selected 10 covers that protect the back of your iPad, whether you prefer metal, wood, leather, carbon fiber or even denim. Take a look through the gallery. Let us know in the comments about any other cool covers you’ve seen. More About: apple , features , gallery , ipad , ipad accessories

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10 Classy Covers for Your iPad [PICS]

How One Company Saved Thousands of Dogs Using Social Media

Sun, 13 Nov 2011 20:31:02 +0000

Frank Barry , professional services manager at Blackbaud and blogger at NetWits ThinkTank , helps non-profits use the Internet for digital communication, social media and fundraising so they can focus on making an impact and achieving their missions. Find Frank on Twitter @franswaa . Social media is all the rage, but does it actually help create real change in the world? The folks at Best Friends Animal Society would answer with a resounding yes ! Best Friends has introduced the Invisible Dog Campaign , a nod to the invisible dog leash from the ‘70s and ‘80s. “Invisible dogs” refer to the forgotten pets found in city shelters that face tremendous odds to get adopted. “[We’re] turning that into a real message about adopting dogs unseen in the nation’s shelters,” explains Claudia Perrone, marketing manager for Best Friends. Best Friends provides a valuable example of social media mobilizing people to take action in the real world. 1. Beginner: Hashtags Use them — constantly. Twitter hashtags are an extremely effective (and free) way to consolidate topics and information that relate to your campaign. The Invisible Dog campaign uses #InvisibleDog in every tweet, every mention, every IRL adoption event and on the home page of its microsite to spread the word and let people track the whole conversation around the campaign. 2. Intermediate: Drive Action The Invisible Dogs campaign asks people to take action by pledging online. Without pushing people to make an immediate commitment to adopt a shelter dog, the campaign urges people to pledge any action (adoption, dog walking, etc.) that helps invisible dogs. So far 1,758 people have made the pledge. 3. Advanced: User-Generated Content and Events Letting people run with your message or events is scary, but it can be worth the effort. Best Friends hosts a DogWall where people share adoption photos, videos, text stories, tweets and Facebook messages. People can text photos to the wall instead of logging in to upload. Best Friends is also using Meetup.com’s Everywhere capability to let people create their own events all over the country. People sign in with their Facebook accounts to join or to create a local Invisible Dog walk or “pup crawl.” What’s Next? Most interesting, Best Friends gathers user-generated content to identify dogs that need help. It’s also planning to work with FourSquare on National Shelter Check-In Day this Nov. 12. The content, conversation and online social-sharing activity generated by this digital movement will help Best Friends save thousands of dogs by 2012. More About: contributor , features , hashtags , Social Good , Social Media , user generated For more Social Good coverage: Follow Mashable Social Good on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Social Good channel Download our free apps for Android , Mac , iPhone and iPad

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How One Company Saved Thousands of Dogs Using Social Media

10 Explosive iPhone Fireworks Photos [PICS]

Sun, 13 Nov 2011 19:41:46 +0000

1. The Devil Inside by Jamie Pachomski This amazing capture shows the glowing red heart of the firework. Click here to view this gallery. If you think the iPhone isn’t the best camera for photographing fireworks, then think again. While it may not be the best to capture the realism of a live fireworks display, it can offer up quite stunning results. We have found 10 explosive images of fireworks, captured by the iPhone, that offer a different — often quirky — perspective on the popular pyrotechnics. SEE ALSO: Fall Foliage: 10 Fantastic iPhone Photos That Celebrate the Season Take a look through the photo gallery. Let us know in the comments which images spark with you . Thumbnail image courtesy of Poppy Thomas-Hill More About: apple , features , gallery , iphone , iphotography , photography , Photos

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10 Explosive iPhone Fireworks Photos [PICS]

Mobile Recruiting Is on the Rise [STUDY]

Sun, 13 Nov 2011 19:05:39 +0000

Over the past few years, social media recruiting has garnered a lot of discussion in the HR world — mobile recruiting, on the other hand, is a topic that has yet to make it into the mainstream conversation. Employers lack knowledge of how job seekers are using mobile devices and how their businesses could take advantage of the mobile web to find top talent. As a result, only a limited number of employers have implemented mobile recruiting strategies via apps and mobile websites, according to a study by online recruiting research lab Potentialpark . For the study, Potentialpark surveyed more than 30,000 job seekers worldwide and analyzed the mobile career presence of more than 350 top employers in the U.S., Europe and Asia. Since the data has not yet been published online, Mashable spoke with Potentialpark about its findings. The study found that a healthy 19% of job seekers use their mobile devices for career-related purposes (and more than 50% of could imagine doing so), yet only 7% of employers have a mobile version of their career website and only 3% have a mobile job app. One out of five job seekers may not sound like a huge deal, but it’s no number to scoff at. Since smartphone adoption rates are ever-increasing, this number will likely increase as more mobile users get the power of the Internet into their palms. So, what exactly are job seekers looking to achieve on their mobile devices? Potential recruits want to use their mobile phones to look for jobs and receive job alerts — but they have many other activities in mind, as illustrated in the graph below. While employers aren’t quite up on their mobile game this year, Potentialpark believes more companies will get into the mobile recruiting game in the coming year. In a separate Potentialpark survey of 150 employers, 75% of respondents stated they were planning to have either a job app or mobile career website by September 2012. Mobile recruiting is still in its infancy, and we’re interested in your opinions about the space. Are you a job seeker constantly conducting your job search on the go? Or has your business implemented a mobile career website or app? If so, share your mobile recruitment stories in the comments below. Social Media Job Listings Every week we post a list of social media and web job opportunities . While we publish a huge range of job listings, we’ve selected some of the top social media job opportunities from the past two weeks to get you started. Happy hunting! SEO Master at Time Out North America in New York City Account Manager at Expion in Raleigh, North Carolina Digital Media Account Manager at The Media Grind in Santa Monica, California Image courtesy of iStockphoto , Neustockimages More About: features , job search series , mashable , Mobile , Recruiting For more Business coverage: Follow Mashable Business on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Business channel Download our free apps for Android , Mac , iPhone and iPad

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Mobile Recruiting Is on the Rise [STUDY]

10 Geeky Accessories Celebrating the Iconic Hand Cursor [PICS]

Sun, 13 Nov 2011 15:12:38 +0000

1. Pixelated Hands Sticky Note Pads What better way to get someone’s attention than these sticky notes? Cost: $4.99 Click here to view this gallery. The ubiquitous hand-shaped pointer has been a part of the consumer computing experience since the early days, and is familiar to both PC and Mac users. It’s this familiarity that has crossed it over into real life, with a variety of hand-shaped accessories — both pixelated and not — created in a homage to the iconic design. SEE ALSO: A Brief History of the Emoticon Take a look through our image gallery celebrating the hand-shaped pointer. Let us know in the comments which items you’d like to have at your fingertips. More About: accessories , apple , features , Gadgets , gallery , microsoft , retro , Tech For more Dev & Design coverage: Follow Mashable Dev & Design on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Dev & Design channel Download our free apps for Android , Mac , iPhone and iPad

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10 Geeky Accessories Celebrating the Iconic Hand Cursor [PICS]

4 Chat Services for Contacting International Clients

Sat, 12 Nov 2011 15:08:16 +0000

This post originally appeared on the American Express OPEN Forum , where Mashable regularly contributes articles about leveraging social media and technology in small business. Everyone loves international clients, but not everyone likes the headache of trying to reach those clients to talk shop. Business is becoming more global and most companies, from startups to corporations, will need to think about cross-border clients. So how do you call your partner in Hong Kong or your supplier in London without breaking the bank? There are a bunch of ways to use popular chat services that will help expand your business’ international scope. Read on for some quick tips and let us know what you use to conduct your global business. 1. Skype Before we jump in, yes, you can just email your international clients. But, this often doesn’t create a true real-time dialogue no matter how fast you, or your clients, can type. For better or for worse, Skype is still one of the best ways to chat across the seas. Skype has video and audio conferencing as well as an instant messaging system. There are a lot of other video clones out there, but Skype is still the most reliable video conferencing service, especially when dealing with people in different countries. Twestival , an international online social media charity fundraiser, was organized largely thanks to Skype and some late night coffee runs. Amanda Rose, Twestival’s mastermind, held daily calls and chats with her teams based in London, Ireland, Russia, Japan and more in order to sync details and check progress. 2. Gchat, Facebook, Google+ Gchat is an absolute gift, assuming your team uses Gmail. Google’s built-in chat service lets users message, call or video conference, a good option for businesses that need to check in with employees throughout the day rather than schedule individual meetings. It’s far less formal but just as effective (and reliable) as paid services or Skype. Another similar option is Facebook’s chat service. While a lot of people actively dislike its aesthetic and user interface, it still stands as a viable chat tool. A Facebook account is, of course, necessary to use the service, but at this point odds are pretty high your clients are already online. This option, like Gchat, is more of a passive system that is better for quick chats rather than formal business meetings. Google+ offers a unique spin on the chat function with its Hangouts. A limited number of users can sign into a hangout to share ideas and conference. Hangouts have been growing in popularity as a way to schedule meetings with remote business teams. While Hangouts are a better option for doing business, Google+ has comparably fewer users so you might need to explain how to use a Hangout before you set up a meeting. 3. Free Conference Calls It seems like everyone and their grandmother has signed up for a free conference line. These numbers allow many users to call in and share a communal line. Depending on where you register for the number, you will often get a local (or at a least national) number. However, most services worth their salt will also give you a toll-free or international number that overseas clients can call without picking up huge long-distance fees. For example, FreeConferenceCall.com has an international account option that will create in-country call-in numbers for global participants. 4. Go Local If your international dealings are limited to one country or geographic region, consider signing up for popular local chat services. For example, one of the largest chat services in China is QQi . Signing up for local services will help those clients feel more comfortable using familiar technology. Of course, QQi isn’t much help if your clients are in London, so be careful about which services you join. Bonus: Time Zones One of the most difficult things about chatting with international clients is figuring out what time it is over there. Anyone that’s done international business has either called, or been called, at an ungodly hour because of a time zone miscommunication. Do yourself a favor and look up a good time zone converter online like TimeAndDate.com , which also has a handy meeting planner to help keep everyone on the same schedule. Image courtesy of Flickr, pasukaru76 More About: Business , features , mashable , open forum , Small Business , World For more Business coverage: Follow Mashable Business on Twitter Become a Fan on Facebook Subscribe to the Business channel Download our free apps for Android , Mac , iPhone and iPad

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4 Chat Services for Contacting International Clients

One iPad Publishing Platform to Rule Them All [VIDEO]

Fri, 11 Nov 2011 14:24:18 +0000

App developer ScrollMotion has created tablet content for some of the world’s largest publishers. At the Mashable Media Summit last Friday, its co-founder and chief creative officer Josh Koppel showed off a single platform built to run the entire gamut of enterprise media publishing. SEE ALSO: How Sports Illustrated Got Ahead of the Tablet Publishing Competition [VIDEO] From textbooks to kids books to magazines, to corporate materials and RSS readers — the same platform can be used to create simple or extremely complex apps. ScrollMotion’s new product brings interactive features to sales presentations, something that Koppel says will “change everything about how businesses sell their products.” The Mashable Media Summit in Pictures Media Summit 2011 The Mashable Media Summit on Nov. 4 at the Times Center in New York City attracted professionals in digital, tech, advertising, sales, marketing, mobile and publishing from all over the world. Click here to view this gallery. Presenting Sponsor: AT&T More About: features , interactive publication , mashable media summit , Media , scrollmotion , Video

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One iPad Publishing Platform to Rule Them All [VIDEO]