Take a look at this diagram:

North American marketers see major improvements when integrating email marketing and social media efforts. This is another proof that the power of digital marketing lies in channel integration, and not in short term campaigns. As social web marketing requires an ongoing nurturing of branded online assets (brand's Facebook page, Twitter account, on so on), the biggest advantages are for those who combine different channels to utilize these assets.
This information also sheds light on the expected announcement of Facebook Mail today. My friend Yaniv Golan have some interesting thoughts about this move.

In a world were marketing ROI becomes critical for brands success, the combination of strong branding tools with direct marketing tools provide major advantages to the ones who use them well.

Related articles

• 360 Degree Marketing Redux: How the Social Web is Changing the Marketing Communications Ecosystem (gauravonomics.com)
• Three Strategies for Ethical Email Marketing (teachstreet.com)
• 35 New Social Media Resources You May Have Missed (mashable.com)
• Why Email Marketing Still Trumps Social (webpronews.com)

Demi Moore, known as @mskutcher in the twittersphere just launched a cool web video project:

Basically, Demi was asking what guys want and girls want in their partner.

What is really awesome in this one is the fact that Demi Moore, a Holywood top actress, is just shooting away a webcam video to youtube, without fancy lighting, top camera, or even script (noticed how many times she asked guys to keep it clean)? You actually see the study room of the Kutcher family in the background.
Her ex, Bruce Willis,  who obviously have a worse webcam, posted this one:

Yes, it is a part of promotion to her new perfume, called WANTED. But it is done in such an adorable way. Authenticity in its best.

Wish we'd see more of the real life of those who we see on the screen.

Facebook is slowly removing many of the elements that made it a marketer's wet dream.

Facebook announced several major changes that affect marketers using the platform to promote their services:
1. Splitting feeds to news feed and live feed - users see, as defualt, a feed with only content and comments from their friends. Information about groups etc was moved to a separate feed.
2. Removal of app notification - Facebook apps will not be able to send notifications to users.
These changes reduce the virality of the platform in a major way.
For example, if in the past one could invite friends to become fans of a page, and his friends would have seen that he joined, now they wouldn't see it unless they look for it. This effect was crucial for virality of fan pages and applications. The same goes for notifications.
While many users rejoice, as they see more relevant and focused information on their feed and notification tab, marketers should rethink the way they interact in Facebook.

The two most important consequences for marketers are:

1.  Advertising becomes more important in creating traffic to Facebook applications and fan pages - without virality, paid advertisement within the platform, or in other channels, is an important part of any Facebook marketing activity

2. Fan pages and apps should provide more value to users, as it will be more difficult to attract repeat visitors.

In the next part we will discuss additional changes in the platform and what are the opportunities for marketers in this area.

Radvision is a publicly traded video conferencing company. Pravda Media was chosen to kick off Radvision's corporate blogging project, define its strategy and provide on going support and training- all in full cooperation with the company's evangelist, Tsahi Levent-Levi

Social media is all about commitment, and the recent case study I am doing with Radvision is a proof that enthusiastic employees, training, and long term activities brings value in the over hyped field of social media marketing.

I had the honor to consult Radvision with building a blog network based on their business units:

1. Code of Contact , written by Ran Arad, aimed at VoIP developers

2. Video over Enterprise , written by Sagee Ben Zedeff, aimed at enterprise collaboration decision makers

3. VoIP Survivor, written by Tsahi Levent Levi, the chief evangelist of this effort, which focuses about VoIP industry insights.

These blogs provide company information and general industry trends and analysis. The later helped establishing these blogs as industry resource, and not as a PR effort.

In the year since the project started, the company's blogs provided value for both organization and writers:

1. Leads Generation -the blogs became source of information and thought leadership for the industry, potential customers contacted the company using the blog’s contact form, which in specific cases resulted in leads and deals. Also, 3^rd parties distributed these blogs to Radvision's potential customers, positioned as expert opinion.

2. Relationships with Industry Experts - many industry experts maintain blogs which are perceived as independent source of information and analysis. These experts often affect customer's buying decision. Radvision blogs established and strengthened its relationships with these experts.

3. Speaking Opportunities and Media Relations - Corporate blogs established its writers as industry experts regardless of their company affiliation. As such, they were quoted in industry publications and invited to participate in internal discussions by potential customers. Furthermore, Tsahi was invited to open a blog in a prominent industry publication, further strengthening Radvision's market position.

4. Sales Support -customers referred to the blogs during sales process, as well as left comments on the blogs with relevant questions. This direct access to developers and product managers proved beneficial to the sales process. Also, the blogs became an internal briefing aid, which sales managers use to learn about industry trends and new product development.

5. Rapid Material Development - one of the bloggers created an ebook from a collection of blog posts in a specific area. This Ebook was created in a fraction of a time of writing a white paper, and was used to encourage readers to subscribe to the blog's RSS feed. It quickly became an industry resource, that was distributed by 3rd parties to potential Radvision customers, as expert opinion.

6. Employees Satisfaction - all bloggers reported higher level of satisfaction due to their writing and industry exposure.

However, the blogs still didn't maximize their potential:

1. Blogging effort is not directly linked with corporate marketing activities

2. The blogs are text based only, and do not utilize the benefits of originally produced video and audio shows

3. Blogs' web addresses were only recently added to company publications and business cards

As one can see, corporate blogging could provide tangible value if done right. Stay tuned for additional information, including how to identify the right internal bloggers, required training, blog design and additional business benefits Radvision enjoyed from in its blogging effort.

Interested in receiving the full case study? Email us with the subject line: Blogging Case Study, and we will send you the full report as soon as it is ready.

While there is an inflation of social media consultants due to the recession, some are doing a great service to their employers.

Roger Smith Hotel is a small boutique hotel in Manhattan. I would have never heard about it if they didn't embrace social media strategies. They have a blog, twitter account for both the hotel and Adam Wallace their social media manager. In fact I got in touch with them through twitter. The hotel has a blogger's rate - which provided Buzz marketing for (almost) free. Social media gurus such as Chris Brogan stayed at the hotel and wrote about it - what better PR could one get? They also encourage tweetups and other social media events in their facilities.

I will not be staying at this hotel in my trip to NYC next week, as they ran out of the rooms I was interested in. But I would never have considered them, or even heard about them, if they didn't embrace my community in such a great way.

Makes you think that there is still a lot to be done in the over hyped but exciting world of social media.

Here is a great presentation about online reputation management with a social twist. How brands are defending their reputation, what works and what doesn't, and many more - in a great presentation method.

Enjoy and have a great day

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Again and again I meet with companies and political parties that think, mainly due to the hype that we create, that social media marketing is the best thing since sliced bread. They believe that Twitter and Facebook are magic tools that immediately create the holy grail of marketing - viral campaign. As if the fact that a brand or a political candidate has a Twitter account that is operated by a communication studies freshman actually makes a difference.

Social media marketing requires something crucial that not everyone, or every brand is willing to do - commit! Commit to an open discussion, commit to a long term marketing effort, commit to talk with, and at your audience.

Why?

Cause it takes time to gain followers and active community members.

Cause people can call your bluff much faster than in traditional marketing channels. Just like it is easier to leave a message than to have a real conversation with someone. So you have to be honest and transparent.

Cause the minute you are bluffing you lose all your credibility - and harm your brand more than helping it

Cause it is not different then your relationship with spouse and business partner - it takes time to gain trust, but just a second to ruin it:

Wouldn't you like to hear people saying the same things about your brand?

So don't look at Social Media Marketing as some kind of silver bullet. It is a lot of work, commitment, trust building and long term thinking.

It is not, by any mean or form, a one night stand.

In another great post, Ayelet Noff, AKA Blonde 2.0, gave some tips for effective usage of social networks. I agree with most of the points she raised, and I love her blog (and her as a person :) ), but one thing caught my attention:

Finally, I want to discuss the topic of private vs. public identities, which I have written about in the past. Due to the whole premise behind Web 2.0, the borders between our personal and professional lives online are slowly disintegrating and to my belief, this is a good thing. When I upload pictures to my Flickr page, I upload professional pictures, but I also upload pictures of me, just hanging out with my friends, or traveling to interesting locations. When I update my status on Twitter, I may update regarding the latest post I just wrote on my blog but I may also twitter about an interesting article I just read or the latest movie I just saw.

I know that some people try to keep a certain professional façade online because they are afraid of what other professionals may think...I think these individuals are only putting themselves at a disadvantage... People like to connect with other people who are open and genuine. The more you allow people into your world, the more people will allow you into their own. By creating a rich profile you are only showing others that you are an active member of the community and that you have a multi-dimensional and unique personality of your own.

I believe that like everything in life, things are a bit more complex.

Different industries, different ethics

The view that open equals better is a one of the foundations of the Internet industry. It is so deeply rooted, that one can find its print in every aspect of its day to day life - informal dress code, open communication standards such as HTTP, flat standards organizations, and an implicit preference toward young entrepreneur. We all remember how Jeff Bezos, Amazon Founder and CEO, was filmed jumping on a yellow ball, laughing hysterically.

The telecom industry is different, in many aspects. Dress code is more formal, standards organizations are hierarchical, and young age is not necessarily conceived as an advantage for entrepreneur.

I live in both worlds. I am a blogger, using social media in my day to day life and work, and at the same time working with telecom companies, directly or as part of my capacity as IMTC VP or Marketing.

SO?

These differences are not only semantic ones - they reach to the core of these industries. Therefore they differ in the way they evaluate bloggers and social networkers.

The Myth of Social Media Openness

Yes, social media users are usually more open than other. But the reason for that is that many of the leaders of this revolution are coming from the Internet industry. Therefore they see openness as added value. In my opinion, like in many areas of marketing and relationships, social media cannot be treated as one-size-fits-all. Every industry has it own rules of engagement, that should be respected. Ayelet notes:

I know that some people try to keep a certain professional façade online because they are afraid of what other professionals may think...I think these individuals are only putting themselves at a disadvantage...

And she is right, if I am covering the Internet industry. But I don't believe that openness provides the same benefits when I cover industries that do not see it as core value. In some of my talks with Telecom companies about bloggers, I heard comments like: "when I read an article, I don't want to know if the writer is married or not - it is completely irrelevant", " Why should I see a picture of the writer at the beach, with his kids without a shirt?" and so on and so forth. Some even noted that it reduces the reliability of the writers in their point of view. Though a bit extreme, we need to understand that when we approach such markets and create their social media strategy.

Bottom Line

Social media is here to stay, and every company, news organization or brand that disregard it lose the amazing benefits this field can provide. But just like in any other area, we need to learn the rules of engagement of the industry, and customize our strategy to it. Otherwise we are harming the company, and the field of social media as a whole.

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Technorati Tags: blonde 2.0, social media marketing, social media strategy, telecom, internet, Standards, social media, IMTC