Does the company need a website? In the past, the answer may be yes! However, nowadays, lots of enterprises use social network or Web2.0 tools to replace website.
They think that social network is more effective to communicate with their customer. If the pageviews of company’s Facebook is far exceeding than company’s Web site, should companies need a website?
New research found that, Facebook is really killing the business website! Nearly a quarter (23%) of consumers want to receive product information through Facebook, the ratio exceeds corporate website (21%) or the company blog (3%). This may be a warning to tell the enterprise how powerful that social networks are.
However, on the other hand, I believe that social network information do not have credibility, sometime website is more professional and trusted. This is the differences in positioning. The official corporate web site represents the company position. It is useful to create corporate image and Communicate Company Info Completely. And people will trust more than the information which comes from social network. Social network is a place for social, it is not suitable to release serious topic. The reader may also know about this, so they may sometimes doubt he message which was published in social networks.
Undeniably, indeed, to compare with social network and corporate website, Social network can bring higher attention than corporate website. Some people suggest enterprise can both have them to complement each other. I believe this is a good advice to refer.
What Happens When Facebook Trumps Your Brand Site?
http://adage.com/digital/article?article_id=145502
Is FaceBook A Domain Killer? AdAge Says Yes
http://www.thedomains.com/2010/09/28/is-facebook-a-domain-killer-adage-says-yes/
Advertising: How Facebook Became the Biggest CRM Provider – Advertising Age – Digital
http://www.social-zen.com/2010/08/advertising-how-facebook-became-biggest.html
The Web Is Dead. Long Live the Internet
http://www.wired.com/magazine/2010/08/ff_webrip/all/1
What are the benefits and pitfalls of using these networks personally?
Not long ago, people still relied on writing letters to make new friends. After then, the way to make new friends was developed into exchange mobile phone number. Approximately ten year ago, friend finder network was still popular. Many Web1.0 enterprises such as Yahoo also provided this kind of services. However, people build their friendship with using social networks now.
Social networks have become a special website in the recently decade. A lots of people include me have tried the service unknowingly. I think to join in social networks is not too bad, so I am going to share my experience about my feeling. I will focus on Facebook, which is the biggest social network in the world
It is hardly to express my feeling about this social network due to the design of Facebook. Somebody joined in Facebook just because they found some interesting games like FramVille, Crazy Planets on it. These games were designed to connect with your friend. If you have more friends, you will be stronger. So that someone will need more 「Friends」 due to level up their game roles especial in Asia. It may be great to make a new friend like this, but in my personal opinion, I disagree about this system because I don』t play too much of game on social networks.
The messages like this picture or other messages like congratulate my friends who level up or do something in the games always bored me. Not only game but also lots of psychological tests are annoying, too. I don』t like these kind of message but is not easy to control them appear in my personal message wall.
For this situation, I obverse that there are nearly 10% of friends in my list is strange. I never talk to him or she, but he or she may know everything when I post my current situation or my mood on the message wall. This make me feel uncomfortable and bushed. I also consider about my privacy, too.
I also confuse on the interface. It is not easy to follow some interesting messages or important message that you want to know. Although Facebook have the system that helps me to sort, I believe they can to it better.
On the other, Facebook is powerful to share my opinion with my friends who I want to relate with them. Even though I don』t know about any computer languages such as HTML, I still can post a photo, video, share an article, my essay easily. If I want to hold an event, or doing a survey with friends, Facebook is simply to help me finish the work. The Propagation speed is faster than you can image.
Moreover, mash up is another characteristic about Facebook. It is mean that if I push 「Like」 in other website, it will also appear in my Facebook. And the concatenation with other sites as Youtube is quite uncomplicated.
The experience with Facebook that I have is fine. But I have to admit that I spend more and more time on it. I think for me is not easy to quit it.
In this post, I am going to show the social networks strategies of Mozilla Corporation when they launched Firefox3. There are several modes that Mozilla Corporation use.
User Blog
Mozilla Corporation produced a particular download day theme for the site. Then they encourage user to put on their blog with badges. The distinguished result is 1.7 million Promise and 43 million views.
Mozilla Corporation built a Firefox Facebook fan page which has near 115K members and sent the links and information about this news.
The Twitter page of Mozilla Firefox also contributes a lot of promotion. Close to 5K followers will get the information and make the communication to their target more successful.
YouTube
A series of videos was built on YouTube. These videos display the new features with their new product- Firefox3. Some of the video voice over was made by their engineers. It may narrow the distance between the customer and the company.
Mozilla Parties
Mozilla Party Central is an application mash up with Google Maps and Upcoming. Mozilla Corporation used this tool to promote and publicize.
After these efforts by using social networks, Mozilla Corporation achieved a remarkable success. More than 11 million downloads their product. It was higher than originally expected.
Wiki is a powerful system for people to collaborate together. There are many different platform and services. My experience is about Wikispaces which is one of the famous wiki tools. I use Wikispaces to discuss with my classmates, write done what I learn and share my opinion with my classmates. Here is my experience when I using Wikispaces.
The feel of using Wikispaces that I notice is convenience. Wikispaces is easy to create an account, and start to work. Moreover, I just need only one account, but still can create more than on wiki page. When I finish my personal introduction, it will connect to each Wikispaces which I join in.
I also don』t need to learn about computer language. Wikispaces has visual interface and it help me edit my work easily and effortlessly. It is simple to do and show the result immediately. I can also adjust the system and let it conforms to I need.
It just likes blogging and supports guide to operate. Although I was the first time to use Wikispaces, I didn』t feel too difficult. I think it is appropriate for beginners.
In the other hand, it still has a drawback which made me confused. Many people added, edited and delete articles in Wikispaces due to Wikispaces is a great Collaborative Operation platform. The problem is you don』t know what the other people change if there too many people modified at the same time. In history of Wikispaces, I only can see who modified and what time. But it is not clear to know what content he /she changed. Maybe you can use RSS feeds to find out it, but in my personal opinion, this is not friendly. It may still have the same problem when too many people modified.
I learn how to use Wikispaces recently. These ser ies of videos help me a lot to know how to work on a Wikispaces. Even though some of the function may be too simple, I believe that Wikispaces is the best choose for a new hand such as me to enjoy it. It is free and easy to get started. That is why I have a good experience when I using Wikispaces.
wikispaces: http://www.wikispaces.com/
When we talk about wiki, it is important to know that wiki is a managerial system. Not just only refers to a specific computer language or tools. The core concept about Wiki is contributed by content, knowledge and community. After the class learning, in my opinion, I observe that wiki is a role of memory. It helps community (Enterprise, organization) run smoothly and preserve the knowledge from each members belong the group.
Here is a example which is about a organization using wiki to achieve their plan. OOPS (Opensource Opencourseware Prototype System) a free and open educational resources for Chinese readers including students, self-learners to use. OOPS is held by fantasy culture and arts foundation in Taiwan. This project is trying to translate the course which comes from MIT OpenCourseWare. The foundation member use wiki to call for volunteers to help them about this plan due to manpower and resources shortage. They use wiki to discuss, recruit and share with each other. Now the members of this project already over than 350 and not all of them live in the same place.
Moreover, for enterprises to use Wiki, there still have some benefits that I also observed except what I learn from class Study.
Convenience
Wiki don』t need any other software to support. The environment you only need is internet and a browser. You can write anytime and anywhere. Employees don』t need to stay in the office due to write their Wiki. There also have much free software about wiki for you to choose if you want to download into your computer. It is free and you don』t need to pay.
Formatting rule
Wiki support formatting rule for everyone. IN other words, that mean writers don』t need to worry about learn or remember computer language such as HTML. Employees don』t need to divert from learning computer language or form. This might lower the threshold of the user and help users to focus on their writing.
Although Wiki have a lot of benefits, there also have some drawbacks that enterprises should notice when they building a Wiki to improve their work.
Discordant content
The content architecture of Wiki is loose. Loose structure may affect and the cause obstacles to reading not only because the relationship between itself structure, but also the result of more than one author. In more detail, reader may feel confuse with the train of thought which is different in its context. Different types and tones of information suppuration may frustrate reader to read.
Complicated platform
Another obvious drawback is Wiki』s complicated platform. It is easy to start but it doesn』t mean easy to maintain. For example, it is simple to find out broken links when someone removes old pages due to Wiki is lack of refactoring element. So when user change the title of page or move page, they need to be careful about the generation of broken link. This may result the inconvenience while employees using it.
Twitter is the most popular micro-blog in the world today. Lots of people use Twitter to share their opinion and comment others idea. Even a government official still cannot resist the charm of Twitter. British government notices about this situation become more serious. Because of these members of the government, British government developed a set of norms and standards for their employees to follow.
Here is a brief outline.
1. Extension of existing official online information.
Speaking through a more humane way to promote decree, and to communicate with the public or press.
2. To improve the professional reputation on the Internet.
Although it is easy to speak, employee should not lose a professional manner due to his status.
3. The implementation of electronic government as a positive policy.
Can be a bridge for government to promote E-government strategy.
4. To provide Another interactive channels for the public
People can also provide feedback, advice and recommendations.
5. To provide public a subscription system to follow government news.
To use system such as RSS.
6. To understand the sense of the general public on the government and policy support currently.
Note the negative criticism, to clarify appropriately or interpret of the mistake, and express gratitude to the people who support you or give you some good advices.
7. To Support the news for people who can not be participants.
To release policies, warning and regulations.
Taiwan is one of the democratic countries in the world. Many elections will be held each year in this island. With the progress of the times, nowadays, more and more candidates try to use web2.0 tools. These candidates believe web2.0 may help them to create new fashion due to most of the voters want 「change」. They also think that using web2.0 tools may support them to close to the voters and easily to promote their political views. In this post, I am going to show examples that how two different political parties candidates use web2.0 tools to help them fight with the election.
Party Name: Democratic Progressive Party
Candidate Name: Tseng-Chang Su
To connect with Facebook and micro-blog such as Twitter and Plurk, this candidate tried to build a different ways of communication. Using these web2.0 tools might also strive for younger votes effectively.
I obseved this candidate created his campaign blog to explore his views.
You may find more information on it and it is different style to compare with the official website. Official website is a little serious, but blog is more daily life. It will record the interesting thing which will happen during this election.
On the other hand, this candidate used some other kind of web2.0 tools to develop his model of communication. In my opinion, he used Justin.tv, a web2.0 tool which can present live show remarkably. He created his channel on it and offered his other live shows files.
Prodcasts is another interesting tool that he has. Prodcastsmay will support audio files for people to listen and audiences can download to share for friends
Party Name: Chinese Nationalist Party
Candidate Name: Eric Liluan Chu
Chu is another candidates and it is apparent to see that his official Website look like a campaign center. His official Website integration of most of the famous Web2.0 tools such as Facebook, YouTube.
He also created his blog as a communication channel for further communicate with some long essay.
To compare with the first candidates, different tools he used are Google Maps and Google Calendar. He design a map which show his voters where have he visited in his electoral district and what happened. He also plan in Google Calendar and combine with his daily schedule together. This may give voter an interest and understand where he is and when he will come.
Finally, after I survey, I have two conclusions about my observation.
● I noticed that communication way from one-way communication turn into two-way communication. Because of votes, candidates are willing to communicate with their voters actively. Web2.0 tools may help them not only expound their politics, but also to help them to communicate with the voters especial younger.
● another finding is these Web2.0 tools are easy to connect and integrate together. When you follow a candidate Facebook, you can link to his blog or his official website. It is the same situation when you visit his micro-blog or official website,, you can link to his Facebook, too.
Electioneering is such as an enterprise launch an activity. The candidate represent like a enterprise. His campaign group is like the employees who work in the company. I think it is a good way to look at a candidate using Web2.0 tools and strategies to win voter identification.
Tseng-Chang Su
Official website: http://eball.tw/
Bolg: http://www.wretch.cc/blog/eball
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/gogogoeball
Plurk: http://www.plurk.com/eballgogogo
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/eballgogogo
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/eballgogogo/
Justin.tv: http://zh-tw.justin.tv/eballgogogo#r=T3AnpQI~&s=em
Eric Liluan Chu
Official website: http://www.llchu.org.tw/
Bolg: http://www.ucute.com.tw/llchu/index.aspx?act=category&cid=39279
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/llchu
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/chullchu
Google Calendar: http://calendar.llchu.org.tw/
Google Map: http://map.llchu.org.tw/
When the blog begin popular, many enterprises try to use blog to communicate with their customer or promote news. Some of them are very successful. However, there still have several examples that show corporate blog are failure. Here are my opinion that why there blog can’t maintain everlasting.
Write like a PR
Many blog are failure because some of them write like a Public relations release, News Release. There may have two reasons can explain this result. First is because these companies have stress that comes from the boss. Their boss wants the responsible officer promotes the product without chatting online. But this may cause adverse effect due to your customers feeling. They don’t need to endure your advertise if they find that your blog is always full of ads. Another reason is the responsible officer may be the publicist. They know how to dress a company and make it look good. But people who read your blog don’t like this kind of actives. They want the feeling is like a friend. They hope the blog is funny, humorous and easygoing. They don’t want to read a modified article. It will make them bored, close you blog and never come again.
Less maintain
When some enterprises want to start their blog, sometime they just feel interesting and want to try it. They don’t think too much about how to maintain, how often they need to do. If you blog or twitter do not maintain frequently, your readers may not be interested in your blog and what do you say. Furthermore, these will also loss the meaning of blog that enterprises want to achieve. This situation may cause by many reasons, in my opinion, the main one is the attitude. Inattentively attitude is a common problem we can see in a case of failure. The company just create a blog for trendy. They think this it may sound cool if they also have a blog, or just want one due to their competitors also have one. Another common situation is people who responsible for this blog are too busy. Some company don’t know who are the right people or right department to responsible for their blog. It’s market department? It’s IT department? Or it belongs to customer service? On the other hand, even employees also have the same problem, the person who was assigned are either low level or feel is not his business.
I think that if enterprises want to make their blog successful, they may think clear about these questions. Why they need a blog? What they expect will happen? What kind of comment they expect? Who will be the responsible person or department? If they make these questions clearly and sure about the answers, I believe their blog will successful.
The corporate blog’s dying off
http://boston.bizjournals.com/boston/stories/2008/03/17/story3.html
Here is a story about Sam. Sam is a beverage store marketing manager. His company has several outlets and going to launch a new product drink. The traditional marketing strategy is investing budget in advertising, news release or events to disseminate the news. However, nowadays, there has a better way to do. More and more enterprises like Sam』s company try to use blog and micro-blogs to promote their business or news without money. It may become a concept that we may call 「Earned Media」.
Using blog and micro-blogs to help enterprises development has become a trend and increasingly importance in enterprises now. Many enterprises try to create earned media (a blog and micro-blogs) as a platform to communicate with consumers due to several benefits. Some of benefits already were referred in the class. Here are some of the supplements.
Free
This is the main point that why some people classify blog and micro-blogs to earned media. To compare with the traditional marketing model, enterprises don』t need to spend too much by using blog and micro-blogs. Enterprises may build their own blog and micro-blog software or use free software such as WordPress and Twitter. The cost will cheaper than advertising but the effect might be better. For example, according to different products, Apple created different account on micro-blogs (@iTunesMusic / @iTunesMovie / @iTunesTV / @iTunesTrailers / @iTunesPodcasts ). And use these channel to build a relationship with their customers. Guess how many people already followed their Twitter? Do they need to spend money on it?
Spread rapidly
Another supplementary benefit is the speed of the propagation due to the social media develops presently. Facebook, Twitter, or other kind of social media publicize the information faster than traditional media. For instance, When Sam posts a post about their interesting new product on the enterprises blog and also buys TV advertising or magazines advertising, it is clearly to see that the information which posted on enterprises blog may caused immediate repercussions. In my opinion, there are three reasons results this situation. Firstly, people spend more time on internet now than on other media. Secondly, there are many ways of presentation. Just like the mention in the class. Enterprises can use vlogs, photoblogs, moblogs, microblogs….etc any kind of style that it like. The last reason is it is easy for other social media such as Facebook, Twitter to connect with using a earned media by hyperlinks, quotations and comments.
Control
Sometime “Earned Media” is hard to control. If you release something wrong, it will spread very fast and make trouble for you company. Enterprise It needs to take more effort to restore reputation. Another nightmare is negative attacks. It is Difficult to control the destruction of people who are interested due to a open communication way on “Earned Media”. These negative attacks and malicious criticism may bring a company to a crisis and cause some loss.
It is a new study for enterprises to understand the characteristics of blog and micro-blogs. If enterprises can use blog and micro-blogs’ advantage to improve company’s efficiency and avoid negative attacks, it will help companies to save costs, and also improve the external image of the company.
Due to the rapid development of technology, the patterns of media have been changed quickly today. When we talk about the development of mobile phone, I noticed that mobile phone not only changed its size, but also became stronger and stronger. Nowadays, you can use your mobile phone to take a photo, play game on your mobile phone, even you don’t know where you are, you still can use your mobile phone to connect to the GPS and find your position. So this makes me feel interested in the next stage of mobile phone development. What do you think it will be?
In this video, you may hear that they refer to LBS (Location-Based Services). LBS are the ways which using mobile network, mobile devices and geographic positioning to provide services such as restaurant reservations, traffic and travel information.
In addition, more and more companies develop business opportunities with using LBS. For example, Foursquare is a mobile phone information service website. They encourage people to share their location with some incentives like free beer or coffee. So user may check in the service very often to know what kind of gifts they can get. Here are some other instances that show us how LBS can be applied.
However, after this video, it brings another question at the same time. Why people want to use LBS? Kirkpatrick said that emotion, serendipity, connection and victory for the game may help us to understand why LBS are so attractive. Although In Taiwan, LBS are just a new concept and still need more enterprise to enjoy in. I believe the business model connect with LBS may successful in the future.
