Disqus - Latest Comments for tigertwo

Re: Gladwell Is Right. The Revolution Will Not Be Tweeted.

tigertwo — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 09:13:31 -0000

Hear, hear Jason. Thank you for your well written and argued article. I thought Gladwell's article was right on the mark and yours has backed it up. Hype is easy, but accepting reality can be tough. I think social media has changed the way we communicate and expanded our networks beyond all belief, but it is not the be all and end all of human interaction and I do get tired sometimes of the people who say it is. It is a tool (albeit an amazing one). It is not a revolution, nor is it an excuse to forget that there is a living, breathing human on the other side of the screen.

Re: Taking the Time to Think

tigertwo — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 07:38:56 -0000

Good comments, Alessandra. I for one will be happy to see more well thought out, well planned blogs. The exhaustion and nausea is something you are not alone with - I have spoken to a lot of people who have said the same thing.

Re: The Currency of Attention

tigertwo — Tue, 25 May 2010 06:08:07 -0000

You make a good point, Chris, about lists. I live by lists! iWorks Numbers is my best friend. But on a serious note, even with lists, scheduling and the best will, it can be difficult to maintain attention.

Having taken on the MD role for two other companies other than my own, I have found that my attention is more precious than ever. I am now spending most of my time doing administration and have to set aside a day a week and a little time each morning for social media. As such, it takes a LOT to grab my attention away from my trusted sources. I am sure I am not the only person in this position, but it means that anyone getting out with one purpose of building an audience should take pause for thought about how they are going to capture them in their already overloaded lives.

Re: A social media plan! Time to answer the questions businesses are asking!

tigertwo — Mon, 10 May 2010 12:42:19 -0000

Count me in as well.

No tool is an answer in itself. The solution comes from how the tool is used, how well it is mastered and how appropriate it is to the job at hand. Because the tools have been shiny and new, it has been easy to forget or ignore the simple business needs you have mentioned but once the stage show comes to an end, then there has to be some results.

I like the fact that there are initiatives - this one included - to turn this into a useful, serious and respectable addition to marketing and communication and have the consultants, trainers and proponents who are involved in the industry stand out among all of the other 'politicians'.

Re: Life is not played out in 140 characters

tigertwo — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 07:26:11 -0000

So very well said, Chris. It makes me so happy to hear more and more voices nowadays emphasising the importance of relationships over numbers in social media. Hopefully that means that the initial hysteria is coming to an end and we can get on with forming deeper, richer relationships with the people we have met online.

One thing I have noticed is that the majority of people I have proper conversations with on Twitter are people that I have actually met. Twitter then becomes a way for furthering our relationship which has already started with an old fashioned face to face. I then make an effort to meet face to face with the people I have only met online, as I know that that will cement the relationship in a way that purely online conversation never will.

Re: Women Can’t Network? I Beg Your Pardon????

tigertwo — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 07:01:13 -0000

Thank you Gina for your well thought out and detailed response. It was a pleasure to read.

Re: Women Can’t Network? I Beg Your Pardon????

tigertwo — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 10:25:11 -0000

@lizcable Thank you so much for your comment and I am really sorry that you were taken so much out of context. I dislike how the media cherry pick and twist what people say to suit their own angle and this is clear evidence of that. You're right, social media works because of relationships and women are particularly good at relationships, so this article is just bizarre.

I will look forward to reading your own copy in the future - at least it will be a more accurate picture!

@babsaul Thanks also for commenting and I wish the battle were over but I don't believe it is. Fortunately there are women out there like yourself who juggle work, family and networking and achieve all of them brilliantly.

Re: The ‘News’ Binge is Leading to a Massive Headache

tigertwo — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 07:38:32 -0000

Thanks for your comment. I have to say, I am aware of the irony of the fact I am writing about the subject and am effectively adding to the 'noise'. The point you make is correct though - we have to filter strategically to keep sane. I get frustrated when the same topic is discussed over and over even in the 'brain candies'. I do use my Mark All As Read button quite frequently.

Re: Opening Our Wallets for Quality Content

tigertwo — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 10:04:59 -0000

@Kerry I think there is a possibility, but the content needs to be niche, relevant and proven to be of good quality. I think a better model would be to provide the first few articles free after which time you can subscribe to unlimited content - almost to prove the worth of the publication. The democratisation of content has meant there is a lot of poor information out there so there has to be an effort made to prove that it is otherwise.

@seo services I agree, particularly when it comes to daily news. But if it is something that does get your interest - i.e. something you are passionate about, would you be comfortable paying for that?

@Oscar - I completely agree with you, as I said to Kerry. It is naive to think that people will just roll over and pay just because the media company decided they should.

@Justin - perhaps there is junk even off the internet. I have read some absolutely awful books and been angry that I had to pay for them too. But then I use internet reviews etc. for my filtering. Maybe there needs to be more reviewing of web content?

Re: That’s Not Very Nice: Can You Remove Yourself From Twitter Lists?

tigertwo — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:50:02 -0000

Good thought, Mark. It will be interesting to see what eventuates. So far Lists have been good for the ego but I wouldn't put it past someone to take legal action if they feel slighted.

I shall be watching with interest.

Re: It’s All About The Numbers

tigertwo — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 05:50:24 -0000

Thank you for your great comment, Paula. The points you make are absolutely correct. The other thing I see people doing is trying to get involved in communities because they 'should', not because they are comfortable there and it really shows. Overall, social media activity should be steered by your goals and the most effective ways to get there. People will be a lot more effective if they are enjoying the process, are talking to the right people, and are managing their time well.

Thanks again for the comment :)

Re: Seeing Through The Mobile Hype

tigertwo — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 06:29:47 -0000

Thank you for your detailed an insightful comment. I agree with you that mobile is the way of the future, and I am also aware of the marketing machine that Apple commands which ensures it's products become the norm. But I wouldn't completely rule out the competition. I am an Android user and I have loved the phone and the operating system from the moment I got it. I have tried the iPhones owned by people in the office and they just don't work for me.

I think overall, any business which wants to remain competitive needs to understand how their customers are accessing information, and they need to be prepared for changes. But they shouldn't simply do something because it is in the news. They should do it because it is strategically appropriate for their business, their market and their future. That may indeed be an iPhone app. But it may also be something else.

Re: Tweeting the Trough of Disillusionment

tigertwo — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 06:15:00 -0000

Very true, Oscar, although those who have been using it from the outset, who tend to be the early adopters and trend setters, will move on. It is the way of the world. The blasé feeling will hit some while others are building in excitement.

What will drive the early adopters away is how the use of the tool will change. Remember when email marketing was a new thing? Soon everyone was using it, many poorly, and as a result savvy marketers and technologists found they had to move on if they wanted to create an impact. I feel the same thing is going to happen to Twitter, but it will take time.

Re: Elephant Hors D’Oevres - Keeping Social Media Manageable

tigertwo — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 05:45:30 -0000

Thanks Ben. And thank you for the image - it's fabulous.

Re: 2009 is the Year of Education for Tiger Two

tigertwo — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 05:53:12 -0000

Interesting thoughts, Sam and I do hope to be able to prove you wrong (in the nicest way possible of course!). Because of the cost and time involved in a huge campaign, our experience has been that most business simply can't afford to pay someone else (who is obviously trying to make a profit as well) to do it. We want to be able to give these people some basics that they can get on with themselves. I ran several seminars at the beginning of last year which went down incredibly well, so we are looking to build on that.

Also, bearing in mind the economic climate at the moment, money for consultancy is probably going to be less readily available while businesses pull their belts in. But we shall see. It is a direction I am quite excited about, without burning any bridges.

Re: Social Media without conversation isn’t social media - take heed, Nintendo.

tigertwo — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 13:15:46 -0000

Great questions, Albert and I thank you for posing them. I am sure that we each have a perception about what social media is although there is no hard and fast rules. I am of the opinion that without the interaction then the 'social' part has been removed and it returns to just being 'media'. There is nothing wrong with that of course. Where I have the issue is when an organisation embarks on a campaign using an avowedly 'social' site, but switches off the functionality that makes it such.

I am sure others will disagree, but in my opinion, no, a blog without comments isn't social media. It is a diary or a series of articles which are being broadcast but which aren't encouraging the social and community aspect of blogging. That's not to say there isn't a place for a blog without comments - I have seen several (although often a forum is provided instead) but I don't think it can truly encourage a community. My feeling is that as soon as you take away the ability for the audience to directly contribute, then you are back to broadcast. The fact that someone can talk about that blog elsewhere and link to it doesn't make it social, otherwise every static website on the web would then be classed as social media.

It is interesting, as both of the sites you mention are 'social' in the respect that they allow user interaction with one another (albeit on a limited level) in a 'game style' location. Not having children, I am not entirely familiar with the sites but just looking through them I see how they offer that social side without putting children in danger of passing on personal information. I think that Nintendo could easily make use of this model and with the strength of their pre-existing characters, could probably do it very successfully. My feeling is they would do better with something like this, as the limitations of the sites may not breach their company policy on no blogs, forums etc. However, this kind of limitation would probably only work for the younger audience. If Nintendo wanted to offer a community type site for an older demographic, then I suspect it won't be very successful limiting conversation and they once again find themselves in a position where people can talk.

Yes, participation where your customers play is an excellent entry into social media, but I do feel that in order to do so, there needs to be some adherence to the 'rules' (I use that term very loosely). The problem is, social media can bring huge benefits but with it comes risk. That risk takes the form of letting go of a measure of control to your audience. You can't control their contributions and you can't control what they are going to say. All you can do is provide guidelines and ensure that you remain involved. I get the feeling that Nintendo did want to participate and gain the benefit but they aren't willing to accept the concomitant risk that goes with that participation. As such, perhaps they aren't really ready to get involved with social media yet. The value that can come out of user contribution has been lost, and therefore so has the social part of it.

Your questions have really given me cause to think, so thank you again for them. I'm a regular Marketing Edge podcast listener so your comments here are really appreciated.

Re: The Rise of Social Bookmarking: Tagging

tigertwo — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 05:29:37 -0000

Delete

*Nancy Williams*
Managing Director
*Tiger Two Ltd*
*Tel*: 0845 838 0609
*Mob*: 07834 561 554
*Skype*: nancy_tigertwo
*Twitter*: http://twitter.com/tigertwo

*Web*: http://www.tigertwo.co.uk
*Blog*: http://www.tigertwotiger.co.uk
*Podcast*: http://www.tigertwotiger.co...
Registered Address: Suite 8 Grove House, Headley Road, Grayshott, Surrey
GU26 6LE Company No: 5492567 Registered in England

Re: The Rise of Social Bookmarking: Tagging

tigertwo — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 05:29:34 -0000

Delete

*Nancy Williams*
Managing Director
*Tiger Two Ltd*
*Tel*: 0845 838 0609
*Mob*: 07834 561 554
*Skype*: nancy_tigertwo
*Twitter*: http://twitter.com/tigertwo

Re: The Continuing Ethical Debate About Ghost-Written Blogs

tigertwo — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 06:50:57 -0000

Your comments, as always, are really inciteful and I thank you for them. I agree, nothing is ever black and white, but I think the key to anything is transparency. 'Ghost-writing' is not in itself unethical - it is when that writing is passed off as someone else without any clear indication given.

In a situation where we would provide editorial and/or copywriting assistance, my inclination nowadays would be to state in the 'About' page something along the lines of:

"I receive editorial and copywriting assistance on this blog, as I find it difficult to be here all the time. But all writing is approved by me and I will endeavour to write myself and respond to comments when I can"

At least that way, the reader knows that it may not be the executive themselves speaking all the time, but that he or she is fully cognisant of everything being written. It is the deception which is unethical, not the practice in my opinion.

Re: I Have to Add my Voice

tigertwo — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 10:03:43 -0000

It will be interesting to see how political marketing changes from here, Oscar. I would be pretty comfortable betting that the Obama campaign is going to lay the foundation for things to come.

Re: The Optimism of the Web 2.0 Expo in Berlin

tigertwo — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 04:21:14 -0000

Funny you say that, Erno. The last couple of days I have made a concerted effort NOT to look at the newspapers when I am heading up to London and to avoid the crisis filled headlines on Google news and elsewhere. I could feel how stressed and angry it was making me each day. Instead, I focus on reading a book or listening to a podcast. I do feel calmer. It's funny how reading the news can be a destructive addiction (which is why it is so powerful). We all want to be informed, but is it information or bias that we are subjected to?

Re: The Online Reputation of PR is Being Eroded From Within

tigertwo — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 11:17:03 -0000

Thank you for bringing up the client pressure issues - I know I forgot about that, and I am sure others do. Just like many internet marketing measurables, PR firms can be bearing under the pressure of producing big numbers, even though they probably know that just getting numbers isn't necessarily going to produce good results. Nevertheless, I do feel that those numbers can still be achieved with a little more care, so that fewer bloggers feel the way Chris Lake and others have.

I find this a really interesting conflict, so would be really keen to hear your ideas. See you there!

Re: The Fear Of Criticism (And How to Deal with It).

tigertwo — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 06:47:31 -0000

Human nature is funny - we want to be talked about, but we don't want it to be negative. That can send people (or more importantly, companies) into an odd state of paralysis. Your point about acknowledgement is really important. If companies had clear strategies in place for dealing with feedback, no matter what the sentiment, then perhaps they wouldn't be so afraid of receiving it.

Re: The Fear Of Criticism (And How to Deal with It).

tigertwo — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 10:17:27 -0000

I agree, Oscar - the only way to minimise negative criticism is to behave towards your customers and stakeholders in a way that doesn't ask for it. But even then, there will be people out there who don't like who you are or what you stand for and will be happy to say so.

It is a part of being a member of the human race. It is not receiving it that is the problem - it is how we choose to react to it.

Re: A Response to Chris Brogan: Why My Job Needs Twitter.

tigertwo — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 09:38:13 -0000

My day job is as an online reputation management and social media marketing consultant, so without social media I could argue that I wouldn't have a job. Although I would, as my job would be PR, reputation management and marketing. So in that respect, yes, it completely transforms my day job to the point of actually defining it.

The cats are part of my love of somewhat obscure associations in Flickr. I love typing in a keyword and just seeing what comes up. This was one of the pictures which came up when I typed in "friends" + "global" :)