Http://LeonardSipes.Com

Note: Good writers visualize their readers. I see a women/girl being the victim of internet bullies posting photos or salacious stories on Facebook and related social sites. This article is for her.

There was an article in the New York Times addressing reputation management. The fundamental question was neutralizing negative articles or blog posts or photographs that affect careers and personal lives.

Aggrieved people can contact online publications and ask for them to remove the offending items. They can also employ reputation management organizations to monitor and manage negative news.

But the bottom-line is that the internet never forgets. It’s impossible to erase everything but it is possible to create lots of new material and use key words to push the offending material down as far as possible in search results.

I make no claim to be a reputation management expert as to “fixing” negative materials on the Internet.  There are companies that do this on a full-time basis.

But what I do know is that, regardless as to how hard you try, negative materials live forever on the net.

But instead of these materials coming up on the first or second page of a search for your name, it’s possible to create “new” materials to push the negative stuff as far down as possible.

Audio Interviews are the Fastest Way to Create Content:

The best (quickest) way to do this is through transcribed audio interviews (word-for word accounts of what was said during audio interviews).

Audio interviews and transcripts would be added to a website and indexed by Google.  Google and other search engines index written words (transcripts); the audio interviews create another layer.

Create enough of them with key words (like the name of the victim) and this is what search engines find first. Place them on a variety of websites and the effect is compounded.

Do enough and you knock the offending materials to the back of searches. It’s possible to totally eliminate them from the first ten pages of a search depending on the level of the problem and the ability of detractors to develop new material.

It’s a Matter of Productivity:

Writing is hard and complex work and the process of creating audio interviews with the victim about her life, hobbies, religion, thoughts, beliefs, education, vacations, life history, parents, or other topics creates a lot of content quickly. Having first-hand accounts of the victim adds authenticity and believability and adds to her image. Every transcribed audio recording can be broken down into chapters and individual articles. One recording could be the basis for 20 articles.

Needless-to-say, the recordings need to be guided by a skilled interviewer; they would be positive accounts. The interviewer would make sure she did not reveal more than intended.

Yes, it’s a shame that the victim needs to make her life more public them she intended and it would be difficult to do while distraught but she would be in complete control of the products with veto power over anything that troubles her.

She may find that the final products flattering; a way of taking a tough situation and making it better. She may be empowered; it provides some control over her life. She’s not a helpless victim. She can fight back.

It Won’t Work for Everyone:

This strategy won’t work as well for the person generating extensive negative publicity. There’s just no way to keep pace with hundreds or thousands of articles and blog reports.

Some sites (i.e., news organizations) are well optimized in search rankings so it will be difficult to knock these articles down in searches.

Having a common or unusual name complicates things a bit; there are thousands of Mary Smith’s but few with my name.

But if it’s Bullies:

But if the attackers are local bullies using Facebook and other social sites to post unflattering accounts or photographs, the strategy can be effective as to search (what you find using the victim’s name in Google). If they post the internet address (URL) of the offending materials it makes it difficult to combat.

Victims should report the issue to law enforcement immediately and they (and the victim’s attorney) should contact the social media sites with take-down orders as soon as possible.

But for the victim who wants to keep photographs and negative stories as hard to find as possible, it’s an good way to minimize the problem.

Note that search engines are just beginning to index social sites. This adds an entirely new dimension with unknown outcomes and possibilities.

I look forward to your opinions.

New York Times article, see: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE1D91030F930A35757C0A9679D8B63&ref=nickbilton .

Best, Len

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This site specializes in public relations and social media for government, associations and nonprofits but the bulk of innovation in the use of video or audio to explain and sell websites comes from the commercial sector.

The question is whether non-commercial sites should adopt the same strategies?

The bulk of visitors to any website (regardless as to how good the site is) leave within seconds. Even when relevancy is established visitors often see a confusing mess of options and choices.

Web visitors are flat-out unwilling to invest time in your website unless you make it ridiculously simple for them to understand that:

1. The site contains the information they are looking for.
2. The information matches their learning style (i.e., short-easy-friendly).
3. They will be able to find the article, video or audio they seek in five seconds or less and it loads very quickly.

The Vision and Solution:

The solution is a very quick and well-done video or audio presence. The vision is that visitors immediately get a video or audio explaining the page and what’s offered. Visitors instantly know that the site (or page) offers the information or solution they seek.

The Problem:

Once you have site administrators who are willing to place video or audio on their site the question is how.

The answers have never been simpler. Most smart phones shoot very high quality video; the major problem is audio—you NEED a microphone on your lapel attached to the smart phone or video camera. Do some trial runs, load it on YouTube and you are off and running.

The question becomes, “If billions of 14 year-olds are capable of doing this via YouTube, why aren’t you?”

It’s an Issue of Quality:

But there are issues with your ability to create short and great messages via vide0 or audio and there are endless sources teaching you how to do this with the best at Steve Garfield.Com (link below).

Statistics:

Per http://www.remodeling.hw.net/ “According to a recent report sponsored by Social Media Examiner, 76% of businesses surveyed plan to increase their video marketing efforts and use of YouTube in 2012, making it the No. 1 area for marketing investment. This is no surprise, considering that studies show more and more people are downloading and streaming videos on sites such as YouTube.”

As to the future of website use, take a look at the information below regarding youth use of video. “In a survey of 799 teens conducted by the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project teens were asked about a number of online behaviors. Among the findings:

• 37% of internet users ages 12-17 participate in video chats with others using applications such as Skype, Googletalk or iChat. Girls are more likely than boys to have such chats.
• 27% of internet-using teens 12-17 record and upload video to the internet. One major difference between now and 2006 is that online girls are just as likely these days to upload video as online boys.
• 13% of internet-using teens stream video live to the internet for other people to watch.
• Social media users are much more likely than those who do not use social media to engage in all three video behaviors studied.”

LiveOnPage.Com:

LiveonPage.Com does website-based video better than anyone I’ve seen. This is not an endorsement and I don’t get a penny for saying the above but it’s an amazing capacity that immediately tells visitors the value of the site or page. Check out their example videos.

With 60 to 70 percent of site visitors leaving quickly, it seems imperative that we hold them as long as possible ESPECIALLY when the value of the site or page is not immediately apparent.

The vast majority of money and effort on internet marketing is spent on having a statement of value for your product or service appear precisely when somebody has a need–when they are searching.

If you met one of  your search engine visitors on an elevator and had only a few seconds to explain what your organization does, you wouldn’t hold up your brochure or technical papers for them to try to read in that short time.

Strategically placed video is just like standing in the elevator talking to visitors for a few seconds. Do they need to see a commercial, or would your immediate goal be better accomplished with an expert who offers them something of value in twenty seconds?

I’m not trying to sell you a company but Live On Page offers a glimpse of the future of video-based internet marketing done well.

Best, Len.

Sources:

http://www.stevegarfield.com/Site/Welcome.html

http://www.liveonpage.com/

http://www.remodeling.hw.net/marketing/creating-a-video-for-your-business-in-two-easy-steps.aspx?cid=RDU:050312:FULL

http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2012/Teens-and-online-video.aspx

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Http://LeonardSipes.Com

Pew Study-Background:

“A recent study conducted by the Pew Research Center’s Project for Excellence in Journalism and Internet & American Life Project, in partnership with the Knight Foundation, finds that nearly three-quarters of Americans (72%) report following local news closely “most of the time, whether or not something important is happening.”  In contrast, one-quarter (25%) indicate they follow local news closely “only when something important is happening.”

This follow-up report takes a closer look at one unique group of local news consumers – those who follow local news closely “most of the time, whether or not something important is happening” to examine if, and how, they differ from other citizens who are less interested in local news.

Local news enthusiasts’ preference for newspapers as a source of local information is evident (my emphasis added) across all sixteen topics presented.  They are more likely than others to prefer newspapers for almost every topic considered with the exception of weather and breaking news.  Three in ten (or more) local news enthusiasts prefer newspapers for following crime (42%), local politics (30%), community events (29%), or arts and culture (29%).  One-quarter prefers newspapers when seeking information about local schools (26%), taxes (26%), government activity (23%), other local business (23%), and housing issues (22%), and two in 10 primarily use newspapers for following restaurants (20%), job openings (20%), or local zoning issues (20%).  Fewer local news enthusiasts use newspapers as their primary source for information about breaking news (15%), social services (15%), weather (11%) or traffic (10%).

My Article:

There is so much in an article below on key consumers of news that I wrote Michelle McLellan at Knight Digital Media and asked if I could reprint the article using Pew data in its entirety. She said yes and it’s offered below.

All of us in business, government, associations and nonprofits struggle with connecting to key people in key communities; the report comes about as close as we are going to get to a  road-map.

I previously wrote about the “Quality Web” acknowledging that 20 to 30 percent of requestors who come to your website linger and interact. Web and social strategies understand that a small percentage of people are enthused by what you do. The rest leave quickly. I’ve  looked at the data for some very successful websites and all suffer from time spent on site. The vast majority of visitors to any website come and go quickly.

My Opinion:

A similar concept is articulated by Knight and Pew by looking at “Local News Enthusiasts” but with a twist that is more my opinion then their observation. I believe that the true definition of a news enthusiast is a newspaper reader.

Asking people whether or not they pay attention to local news is like asking them if they are stupid. Who’s going to say they don’t pay attention to local news?

So it’s my opinion that it’s newspaper readers (the percentages represented in the third paragraph) that drive most involvement in civic life based on 42 years in government and research on the time spent with media products. Television news (per Pew) are the top sources for sports and weather and breaking news, that’s it.

I believe that it’s important to view “the Quality Web” audience and the 20-30 percent of local news enthusiasts who are newspaper readers as critical audiences that must be the target of most communication efforts. I’m not suggesting that television and radio be excluded in reaching them; I’m just suggesting that those involved in their communities that make or influence decisions should be our goal.

We do not Communicate with Everyone:

We do not communicate with everyone regardless as to effort; we are obligated to extend the invitation but like the proverbial horse to water, we can’t force people to drink.

In every community there are the drinkers or the consumers of news who investigate, embrace and interact. They are often the most vocal supporters or detractors so we might as well get to know who they are and how to reach them.

Please note the observations below as to the use of social media as a strategy for local communication. Younger users are gravitating towards social in increasing numbers “and” the numbers for older users are increasing as well.

There are well defined differences in age  and the type of media consumed by the “Quality Web” and “Local News Enthusiasts”  and we should be guided accordingly. There is new data on Hispanic use of social media (not covered here) that indicate use greater than the larger population.

The income of local news enthusiasts is lower than I expected. I suspect that the social media crowd involves higher income levels.

Thus we acknowledge that small percentages of news consumers control the conversation and there are different methods to reach them articulated in the article below.

Best, Len.

Local news enthusiasts: Pew research hints at opportunities for ethnic, community media

By Amy Gahran

The vast majority of U.S. adults are really into local news, Pew research shows. How might ethnic and community media outlets capitalize on this as more media goes digital and mobile?

Over a year ago, the Pew Internet and American Life Project found that 72% of U.S. adults say they follow local news closely most of the time, whether or not some important local news is happening. Today, a new Pew report takes a closer look at this group of “local news enthusiasts.”

According to Pew, local news enthusiasts are more likely to be female, age 65 or older, and retired. “Politically, they tend to be conservative in their outlook (although they do not differ from others in party identification) and they also attend religious services more frequently than others. They do not differ from other adults in terms of household income, but are less likely to be college graduates.”

In terms of ethnicity, the vast majority (69%) of local news enthusiasts are white, Pew found. Black and Hispanic adults each comprise 13% of local news enthusiasts—roughly equivalent to the representation of these ethnic groups among the U.S. population at large.

Interestingly, adults with the lowest annual household income ($30,000 or less) were by far most likely to be keen on local news: 32% describe themselves as local news enthusiasts, compared to 22% in the highest income bracket (over $75,000). People with $50,000-$74,999 annual household income had the lowest representation among local news enthusiasts (12%).

This finding indicates that ethnic and community news and media might be especially likely to gain traction in poorer communities and low-income demographics within communities—a point that might interest local advertisers and sponsors wishing to reach those communities.

Local news enthusiasts don’t all have gray hair. Fully one fourth are age 18-24. However, according to Pew this is the only age group where “other adults” outnumber local news enthusiasts—by almost two to one. This hints that right now is probably a crucial time to engage younger people in local news and information.

Digital media, including mobile and social media, might be particularly valuable in engaging younger people in local news and information. Pew noted: “91% of younger local news followers are internet users, compared with 71% of local news followers age 40 and older, and 82% of adults who do not follow local news closely.”

For contrast, another recent Pew study found that 20% of U.S. adults—mostly those over age 50—still don’t use the internet at all.

Also according to Pew, 73% of younger local news enthusiasts use some kind of social networking service (such as Facebook), compared with 35% of older local news followers and 53% of adults who do not follow local news closely. Twitter is not quite as popular—only 16% of younger local news followers use Twitter, but that’s far more than older local news enthusiasts or other adults. This indicates that using social media to complement your local news and information offerings on the web and in other media might be an especially effective tool for engaging younger community members.

Mobile devices represent a huge opportunity for ethnic and community media. Overall, 84% of local news enthusiasts have a cell phone, and 7% have a tablet computer—slightly less than penetration among all other adults. Also, Pew found the highest penetration of both types of mobile devices is among the youngest local news enthusiasts (under age 40).

This Pew report did not explore how many local news enthusiasts currently use smartphones. However, this year marks the tipping point when smartphones take over as the majority of U.S. handsets in use. Also, most simpler, cheaper “feature phones” are capable of browsing the web and accessing e-mail—and virtually all cell phones can send and receive text messages.

This means that a robust, inclusive mobile strategy (ideally one that includes text messaging alerts or interactivity) can help any local or niche news outlet connect with its community via the devices that most people already carry with them everywhere they go. Also, since social media is one of the most popular things that younger people do on their cell phones, social media can help jumpstart your mobile strategy.

Online media is definitely not the leading source of local news for local news enthusiasts—which may put online-only ethnic or community news and info outlets at a bit of a comparative disadvantage. According to Pew, enthusiasts’ most popular sources of local news are broadcast TV (80%), word of mouth (57%), radio (52%) and print (48%). In contrast, 41% of local news enthusiasts use search engines to find local news, 23% turn to the websites of local newspapers (TV stations sites, 20%), and 12% get their local news from social networking sites.

This points out an opportunity to leverage partnerships for cross-media promotion. For instance, online-only ethnic or community news outlets might provide some articles or other content to run in local newspapers, in exchange for the print outlet providing information about how to find the ethnic/community news site or do other cross-promotion. Similarly, providing simple, short, broadcast-quality audio or video news segments or community updates to local radio or TV stations could help broaden your audience. Many local stations are eager to run such content.

Finally, ethnic and community news sites with a strong mission to improve local communities may be encouraged by this Pew finding: “Slightly more local news enthusiasts than others think they can have a big impact on making their community a better place to live (33% vs. 27%).”

Sources: http://www.knightdigitalmediacenter.org/leadership_blog/comments/20120417_local_news_enthusiasts_pew_research_hints_at_opportunities_for_eth/

http://pewinternet.com/Reports/2012/Local-news-enthusiasts/Part-1/Overview.aspx

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Http://LeonardSipes.Com

I wrote “Stress and Public Relations” last week and received comments and questions via e-mail, LinkedIn and Twitter. Most debated the reasons for stress in communications but several suggested that social media was a contributing factor.

The original article was based on a findings from CareerCast/PR Newser on the ten most stressful jobs. Summary:

Public relations officers had the second most stressful jobs.

Photojournalists were fourth.

Newscasters (television and radio news presenters) ranked  fifth.

Advertising account executives were sixth.

Observation on the PR profession from the article, “This highly-competitive field and tight deadlines keep stress at high-levels for specialists. Some PR officers, also, are required to interact with potentially hostile members of the media.”

The job as it is:

The job as it is stressful enough with never-ending news cycles and the responsibilities that come from interacting with the media. Add promotions, public speaking and writing and you get a full plate. Being on-call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year puts things into perspective.

Add social media:

Several commenters  made a point that when you “add” social media you enter a world where there is no middle or end. Per one respondent, “I can handle intense media or write an article or promote an event and there is a clear beginning, middle and end. Regardless as to how difficult the assignment I know it will eventually be over.  But there is no ‘over’ in social media.”

Social media constitutes continuous activity. Every day involves responding to inquiries or content creation or attending to technical duties of maintaining websites. You may have peaks and valleys in public relations but social media is an endless trail.  It only ends by pulling the plug.

All love social media for its flexibility and power. But the fact that IT NEVER ENDS is stressful.

What we need to do:

What’s clear is that PR professionals need limits as to what’s practical and doable and provides the biggest bang for the buck. Organizations need to understand that they just can’t take someone in public relations and announce that they are the new social media person without a clear idea as to what that means.

Are you using an existing website or are you going to create a separate platform? That alone can bog down an employee for months. Do you intend to use contractors or in-house personnel? Facebook or Twitter or both? Articles or video or audio or all three? Who answers questions and responds to comments? What’s the approval process for content creation? Does management understand the informality and speed of social media?

The bottom-line is that management needs to be savvy enough to understand that this is not a temporary assignment and they have to be practical enough to understand that  there are REAL limits as to staff  capacity.

This also applies to the media:

The same thing is happening to our friends in the media; they have underdone large reductions in staff over the last ten years. Reporters are being asked to do more than ever before. Instead of filing a daily story they are being asked to create audio, video or blog articles, Tweet to their audiences and answer questions.

For those of us who manage e-mail lists we see an increasing number of reporters and editors whose inboxes are constantly full; they have given up on the process of answering questions and public interaction.  Same applies to some smaller news organizations.

We all love social media:

We all love social media; it fully engages our creativity and audiences. Our feelings about the worthiness or utility of social media are not the issue.

But the world of reporting and government/corporate communications was always a pool of stress. Adding social media without resources or a clear understanding as to what you want to do (and what you’re capable of doing) creates circumstances that may not be achievable.

The people involved may be paying a  price because  management doesn’t understand the concept and time demands.

Best, Len.

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Source of previous article: http://leonardsipes.com/stress-and-public-relations/

Source for thr research: http://www.mediabistro.com/prnewser/research-shows-publicists-are-stressed_b19492

Http://LeonardSipes.Com

Tonya Garcia from PR Newser reports on findings from CareerCast regarding the most ten most stressful jobs. Selected findings:

Public relations officers were second on the list.

Photojournalists were fourth. Newscasters (television and radio news presenters) ranked as fifth.

Advertising Account Executives were sixth.

Observation on the PR profession from the article, “This highly-competitive field and tight deadlines keep stress at high-levels for specialists. Some PR officers, also, are required to interact with potentially hostile members of the media.”

A Dangerous Mix:

Anyone see a dangerous mix here? If we within the public relations and advertising professions and newscasters/photojournalists are part of the top ten categories for stress, what do you think will be the result?

I’ve been a public relations professional for over 30 years handling national media campaigns, talking to or being part of the response to tens of thousands of media requests, administering the response to major emergencies and hosting over 500 radio and television shows while being on-call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Yet today’s public relations professionals have never held more difficult jobs.

I recognize that there are a multitude of PR positions out there and the duties differ.

But to be a great PR professional you have to be good at social media and that includes the technical side and content creation. You have to know how to promote and you have to possess some knowledge of advertising.

You have to be a subject-level expert and you have to be accessible at all times. You’re never off-the-clock and you’re always on stage or have the knowledge that the next five minutes could be the most challenging of your life.

When I started out, you had to be a subject-level expert and you had to be accessible to the media from 9:00 a.m. to approximately 7:00 p.m. You did your interviews, offered some promotion and that was it.

To be good today, you HAVE to master all aspects of a very complex job from writing to website creation and maintenance to television and radio production to public speaking to being a media spokesperson.

Considering that social media is evolving, you’re never done reading or learning.

 Same with the Media:

When I started out, there were beat reporters who created a story a day. Reporters had time to create relationships and they were supported by an array of professionals. Today, they do it all from creating a print story for the paper to getting video footage and stills for the website. Three person television crews became one-person operations. They too are struggling with the basics of social media. Reporters are being pushed to the limits.

It Used to be Better:

So if anyone questions the stress level of those of us who are responsible for interacting with the public, four of the top ten categories of the most stressful jobs belong to those who communicate for a living. We intermingle and coexist and provide the content that people examine to make sense of their lives.

We are all very proud of what we do; we’re happy to be part of what people consume.

But we are all multitasking like crazy on continuous news cycles that never end.

For those of us who have some experience we remember when the job was simpler, nicer and far less complex.

In the past, the ladies and gentlemen of the press raked you and your agency over the coals and then sat and drank with the very people they covered and we all agreed that each was full of hooey and went our separate ways until we met on the field of battle once again. As professionals we recognized that it wasn’t personal.

We generally agreed that we were all honorable people doing an honorable job thus few within the media went for the jugular unless the agency stonewalled. We were destined to meet another day so it was all semi-cordial.

But today’s never ending demands and timelines have changed the job forever and it remains to be seen if objective news coverage suffers as a result.

Best, Len.

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Source: http://www.mediabistro.com/prnewser/research-shows-publicists-are-stressed_b19492

Http://LeonardSipes.Com

CBS “Sunday Morning” (best news show on television) produced “Casting a Skeptical Eye” on April 1, 2012 stating, “No fooling – it’s April 1st, which means we should be extra skeptical about everything today. But correspondent Mo Rocca says with technology letting mis-information and myths spread so quickly, being skeptical is good advice every day.”

Mr. Rocca goes on to discuss the “War of the Worlds” radio presentation in 1938 where producer Orson Welles documented the fictional but news-like landing of Martins landing in New Jersey, specifically Grovers Mill . People throughout the country went into a panic. Lots of them.

“Sunday Morning” also featured video of a man flying like a bird which was viewed 6.5 million times and accepted by many as real.

Mo then featured a discussion with the cast of Myth Busters who discussed the fact that video equals truth and if the video presents a seed of truth (i.e., an iPod charged by an onion) then suddenly people find excuses to believe it’s true.

Could “War of the Worlds” Happen Again?

I’ve been discussing  doing television production the same way I do radio shows on a MacBook Pro with some microphones and a mixer. If I can create radio shows that equal those produced in a studio, then is it possible to do the same thing for television?

I’ve ran the numbers and talked to a lot of people and the answer is yes. I can create a green screen virtual set (think Sports Center) and add three cameras and a switcher plus decent lighting and sound for approximately $4,000 to $5,000 (not including a computer).

This means that I can go on the internet with a lifelike television production and buy footage (of anything that mimics a real event) from commercial outlets and create the television equivalent of Grover’s Mill all over again.

So what?

I believe that it’s possible to create massive panic through false and malicious television productions either during an emergency or as a stand-alone event.

For the record, I have administered the emergency media response to dozens of major events and I have several articles about emergency public relations on this site (see citations below).  In previous articles I warned that social media “could” be the source of massive rumors during an emergency “and” we within government were simply unprepared to analyze, process and respond to all that information.

There were two reactions to the articles:

First:  Most who responded suggested that I was right. We are unprepared and it will have a negative impact on government’s ability to decrease panic and get good information out.

Second:  But some suggested that I was overplaying my hand; social media is self correcting. Social media will eventually figure it out and offer correct information.

I stopped writing about the subject after twenty-five phone and on-line conversations because there just didn’t seem to be a resolution.

It’s just too easy to dismiss the impact of social media simply because none of us have the funds to access hundreds of thousands of messages on dozens of social sites, provide an analysis and respond appropriately. We can barely keep track of television and radio news outlets.

So we accept the concept that social media is self-correcting because we don’t have the ability to do anything else.

Summary:

The next BIG event (a Katarina or 9-11) will be the first with a massive social media component. Will it make Grover’s Mill look like a quaint misunderstanding?

But what happens when someone creates a very lifelike  but bogus series of televised news reports purposely spreading misinformation while placing the video on YouTube and dozens of additional social sites and while placing hundreds of messages on a related social sites? It “will” go viral. We won’t be able to stop it.

What if the message was of a dirty bomb or nuclear meltdown or massive spread of infectious disease? What if millions decided to get out now?

Too silly to contemplate?  ”All across the United States, listeners reacted. Thousands of people called radio stations, police and newspapers. Many in the New England area loaded up their cars and fled their homes. In other areas, people went to churches to pray. People improvised gas masks. Miscarriages and early births were reported. Deaths, too, were reported but never confirmed. Many people were hysterical. They thought the end was near,” (War of the Worlds; About.Com-see last link).

Best, Len.

Resources:

http://leonardsipes.com/social-media-during-emergencies-an-unrealistic-expiation-2/

http://leonardsipes.com/social-media-during-emergencies-are-you-ready-for-an-explosion-of-bad-information/

http://leonardsipes.com/emergencies-and-social-media-a-problem-in-need-of-solutions/

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7403914n&tag=cbsnewsSectionsArea.5

http://history1900s.about.com/od/1930s/a/warofworlds.htm

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Problem: Search engines, apps and just about everyone else on the web wants to track everything you do.

Solution: Search engines and others can ask for volunteers to offer their data on monthly installments.

Article:

The process of  search engines and apps tracking everything you do on the internet and having access to friends or the ability to post something on your Facebook profile is an obvious violation of privacy and recent research from Pew Internet (see below) states that the vast majority of internet users agree.

If you listen to tech podcasts you will hear the argument that this level of intrusion is necessary; if the internet and related companies are to prosper and create jobs and fulfill their mission of service to customers they need complete access to every key stroke.

Rubbish.

The benefits of tracking:

Proponents of tracking “are” right as to the benefits. Google, your internet service provider and hordes of additional companies need data to provide the best possible service and technology. Knowing your preferences and where you go on the internet creates valuable information. That data allows Facebook to do the best possible job of advertising which pleases both you and the companies paying the freight. Proponents state that the web will die without full access to data.

The technological revolution creates jobs and helps our nation prosper and it’s powered by data in the same way your automobile is powered by gasoline.

But that doesn’t mean they need all access all the time. That doesn’t mean your Facebook app has access to all your friends and the ability to post on your page without your expressed permission.

So what’s the solution?

I volunteer to provide my data to Google, Facebook, Amazon and Apple and possibly others in one month installments and I get to renew every month. People offering data should be offered something  in return.

Having been associated with social science research for over 30 years I understand the value of samples. No one within the social science community would ever expect access to the universe (everyone) yet social science data powers just about everything we do.

A data set of millions donating their information in monthly allotments could be automated and provide all the data any tech company could possibly want without infringing on the privacy rights of hundreds of millions of people.

Do I trust Google now? Yes! Will trust Google five years from now? Who knows?

Look folks, if Google can create the driver-less car it can create algorithms that create the best possible use of 10 to 20 percent of the data it currently collects. Are tech companies just being lazy or do they just believe that data is a right? If so, that’s very scary.

A well-known guest on my favorite tech podcast used three choice profanities to describe the idiots who felt that privacy rights concerns were overblown and that the internet could be ruined by such sentimentality. Within days, Pew Internet offered data stating that the overwhelming number of those surveyed were equally concerned by the lack of privacy rights.

So to Google and all the rest, it’s not “don’t be evil; it’s “don’t be lazy.” Put your genius to work and create solutions based on volunteer data.

I’ll be the first to sign up.

Best, Len.

Pew study: http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2012/Privacy-management-on-social-media/Main-findings/Main-findings.aspx

Previous article on privacy: http://leonardsipes.com/internet-privacy-the-debate-that-wont-go-away/

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Http://leonardSipes.Com

“Truth is mighty and will prevail. There is nothing the matter with this, except that it ain’t so.” Mark Twain

I apologize for the audacity of suggesting that I know how to fix the media’s digital problems.  I have been associated with state and national media for over 30 years and I want to see them prosper. For whatever it’s worth, here’s my take on solving two:

Problem: Newspapers cannot make a profit from their websites.

Solution: Create a television version of news coverage.

Why do newspapers try to compete with themselves through a digital presence that replicates their publication?

I understand that it can take a day to create one article and time is of the essence “but” the digital tools are available to create a news studio complete with a virtual set for $4,000.

Turn every newspaper into an Internet television (or radio) station. It requires one anchor and producer per eight-hour shift. You interview your reporters. You do an hour’s worth of news and play it for two. Thus you have two separate products (and income streams) that don’t compete with each other.

The audience for television news is far larger than newspaper circulation yet the irony is that TV news gets most of it’s content from newspapers via the Associated Press. Is turnabout fair play?

It’s not difficult to create a classy, green-screened studio with a digital set (think Sports Center). It’s easier than most people think. Stream it live and send to iTunes for podcasting.

Background: http://www.poynter.org/latest-news/mediawire/165288/pej-newspaper-are-losing-7-in-print-revenue-for-every-1-in-digital-gained/#.T1bBjGzUaFg.facebook

Problem: Newspapers are losing money and laying off staff thus quality journalism suffers.

Solution: Assign expert bloggers to journalists

Some surveys put the reduction of newspaper staff around 30 percent during the last ten years.

There are endless blogging experts on any subject who will be happy to assist journalists; all they want is a link from the paper to their blog or website. Newspapers should be prepared to pay expert bloggers if the conversation and research goes beyond 15 minutes.

The point is that there are endless sources of context and research/statistics that are there for the asking. Context is the heart and soul of great journalism.

The Nieman Journalism Lab at Harvard University seeks answers facing journalism’s fiscal crisis while creating solutions that create good reporting. All Nieman has to do quit the philosophy and start the hard work that makes newspapers great; get the right information into the hands of the right reporters.

It takes someone to find and screen  the best expert bloggers and to assign them to journalists. Who better than Neiman?

http://www.niemanlab.org/

Best, Len.

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Http://leonardSipes.Com

I recently wrote Newspapers and the internet; the lessons we share. The first and second articles were based on The Story So Far, What We Know About the Business of Digital Journalism from the Columbia Journalism School which may be (and probably is) the most insightful social media document of all time.

This is the third article in the series.

The essence of the report is the media’s attempt to master internet and social media based strategies “and” turn a profit. But the lessons apply to all of us engaged in web-based efforts.

Newspapers record huge numbers of internet users “but” the problem is that they don’t stay very long on the site thus advertisers aren’t willing to pay much for their ads thus threatening the core business model (along with declining circulation and print ad rates).

My favorite quote from the report is in the conclusion, “Here’s the problem: Journalists just don’t understand their business.” The fundamental question is what “is” the business of newspapers and media across the board?

Turn the above quote around, “Here’s the problem: Webmasters and social media practitioners just don’t understand their business.” The fundamental question is what “is” the business of websites and social media?

What brings in readers, listeners and viewers? What do we have to do to attract and engage? If we are profit based, how do we earn money?

What makes the rest of us think we can succeed?

If newspapers (at least the majority) can’t succeed at social media, what makes the rest of us think we can?

I’ve been around the newspaper business for 30 years and they were once the powerhouse of communication “and” to a large degree they still are.

Television news has bigger audiences “but” newspapers still have the largest news-gathering and analysis staffs (by far). What they print still powers everything else from television news to blogs.

They are the best writers; they are the best at analyzing facts; they are tops at figuring out what the public wants.

Most are relatively young and they love anything Apple. They use social media as everyday tools. They believe that they are tech savvy.

If newspaper people can’t do social media and create a profit, what makes the rest of us believe that we can?

The newspaper situation is different:

Admittedly the newspaper situation is different; they are essentially competing against their own product. Create a website and compete with your paper? How does that make sense? But as I said above, they are still the best at what they do in just about every category.

The rest of us:

The rest of us are filled to the brim with over-confident social media experts who know exactly what to do and they will tell you so at every possibility.

Yet the vast majority of what I get from people who run web and social sites is that traffic is lacking, sponsors are few and the ability to make significant money (don’t lose your day job) is a challenge. Note that most of us have small staffs and one-person web and social staffs are not unusual.

Again, if newspapers can’t do it…

This is what I’ve learned from six years of website creation and maintenance and helping people in government, associations and nonprofits; it’s hard work that takes years of effort “and” we’re not trying to sell products or services (for those who are—good luck).

There is no magic formula, every audience is different and every topic requires something unique. We all hear about the successful sites and videos that go viral and drive millions of views that translate into hundreds of thousands of conversions.

But like the acting profession and sports, one in a thousand will strike it big and quick. The rest of us plod through and do the best we can while thousands of our counterparts quit out of frustration.

So what’s the lesson?

The lesson is that we are still in our infancy as to social and we are still learning how it all works. Throughout this site there are examples as to those who succeed and those who did not.

Success may be in the definition.

For endless reasons far beyond the capacity of this article, within social is a secret sause that is simply difficult to find and implement with current resources.

What we can promise web and social media managers is a ton of hard work and years of effort before we discover for ourselves what it takes to be successful.

Yes experts, we already know to deliver what people want in new and unique ways but that tells us little to nothing.

But people report to me that there comes a time where their numbers grow to the point where influencers meaningfully interact, donations and members increase and sales of products are significant (or enough to make the effort worth while).

You get to the point where you lean your audience and what they want and you create that series of ten-minute videos that produces significant links and you’re off and running.

Newspapers are also learning:

The funny thing about all of this is that the newspaper industry is discovering the same lessons and through trial and error that are learning to make a profit from web based endeavors (see http://www.journalism.org/analysis_report/search_new_business_model?src=prc-headline).

Thus the lesson is that it’s “your” audience and “your” solutions and the only way to learn them is to get out there and communicate.

There are no easy solutions, only hard work and effort.

Best, Len.

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Source: http://leonardsipes.com/what-if-we-were-really-good-at-social-media/

Http://LeonardSipes.Com (PR and social media for government, associations and nonprofits)

I wrote an article describing assistance from Google regarding assistance to nonprofits, see http://leonardsipes.com/kudos-to-google-help-for-nonprofits-and-associations/.

Now, YouTube (owned by Google) is offering an array of incentives to encourage nonprofits to take advantage of its services.

One of the challenges of working with nonprofits and associations is getting them to see the value of social media. Some see a complex and frustrating world of frequent blog posts, spam and comments they last encountered in middle school.

Associations and nonprofits are often run by people who have decades of experience in obtaining government grants and wooing traditional supporters via conferences and mailing lists for financial and policy support.

That needs to change to a greater focus on social media.

Best, Len.

From the original Article: 

“One of the greatest things about my job is hearing how terrific organizations are using technology to help their cause. Today I’ve had a chance to talk with Direct Relief International who raised more than $1 million using Google AdWords, Samasource who saved tens of thousands of dollars using Google Apps and the Natural Resource Defense Council who earned 100,000 views from one video on their YouTube channel with no paid advertising.

Listening to these stories and several like them, we realized that we had an opportunity to greatly increase the number of nonprofits we could assist. With today’s launch of the Google for Nonprofits program, which provides exclusive product offerings and enhanced online resources, we’ll be able to help U.S.-based nonprofits reach more donors, improve operations and raise awareness for their cause.

If you work for a nonprofit, this program provides you with several new benefits. Instead of applying to each Google product individually, you can sign up through a one-stop shop application process. If approved, you can access our suite of product offerings designed for nonprofits: up to $10,000 a month in advertising on Google AdWords to reach more donors, free or discounted Google Apps to cut IT costs and operate more efficiently, and premium features for YouTube and our mapping technologies to raise awareness of your cause.”

Source: http://googlefornonprofits.blogspot.com/2011/03/youre-changing-world-we-want-to-help.html

New Offer from YouTube: Nonprofit Program

Check out some of our partners

1. Anaheim Ballet
2. Green for All
3. International Rescue Committee
4. InvisiblePeople.TV
5. Witness

Join the YouTube Nonprofit Google Group

Get YouTube’s monthly newsletter for nonprofits.

Subscribe

Tell your organization’s story through videos on YouTube to connect with supporters, volunteers, and donors. Applying for a designated “Nonprofit” channel through the YouTube Nonprofit Program will help deliver your message to the world’s largest online video community.

Apply now

 Free Benefits

• Premium branding capabilities and increased uploading capacity
• The option to drive fundraising through a Google Checkout “Donate” button
• Listing on the Nonprofit videos page
• Ability to place a Call to Action overlay on your videos to raise money or find volunteers

Apply

Click here and sign in with your nonprofit’s Google or Gmail account (you can also create a new account). The Google for Nonprofits Program will verify your nonprofit status, so have your 501(c)(3) number handy. Once approved, you will be able to join the YouTube Nonprofit Program by submitting your YouTube channel username.

Program Requirements

Organizations applying for the YouTube Nonprofit Program must be U.S. organizations with a current registered and recognized 501(c)(3) status, as assigned by the Internal Revenue Service.

The following organizations are not eligible for the YouTube for Nonprofits Program:

• Programs requiring membership and/or providing benefit solely to members, such as clubs, sports teams, alumni, networking and other membership organizations
• Religious content or proselytizing on website as well as organizations that use religion or sexual orientation as factor in hiring or populations served
• Groups serving a primarily political function such as lobbying, think tanks and special interests
• Commercial organizations, credit-counseling services, donation middleman services, fee-based organizations, universities, and nonprofit portal

Google reserves the right to award or deny the application of any organization. Selections are made at Google’s sole discretion, and decisions regarding award recipients are final. For full guidelines, please see the Google for Nonprofits site.

Tips and Tricks

• Create a powerful YouTube channel with tips from the YouTube Guide: Playbook for Good
• Read more information about how to set up your YouTube channel
• Find out how to run video campaigns on YouTube and see real nonprofit campaign examples
• Get advice about making and editing videos without a lot of staff or money
• Google for Nonprofits offers free tools to help promote your work, raise money, and operate more efficiently. Learn more