2009 July

The Problem Of Promoting You, Your Cause, Your Business With Social Media

by Jason Falls · July 31, 2009

If your company wants to know the philosophical basis of social media, many resources indicate it rests in the notion that consumers grew tired of advertising and marketing messages all day, every day. They turned to the Internet in the late 1990s and early 2000s when the access and technology barriers to entry conveniently dropped. There, they found like-minded others to share recommendations and information with.

Social media has its evolution in the notion that people don’t like being marketed to, or at least they don’t like being marketed to the way they have been for years.

76 comments

YourMapper.com Quietly Building World’s Largest Map Mashup Platform

by Jason Falls · July 29, 2009

With geo-targeting and location-specific data becoming more and more accessible and relevant, Louisville-based YourMapper.com and off-shoot GovMapper.com are suddenly becoming important players in the race to have the world’s largest online mapping platform. I’m not talking about Google Maps. I’m talking about laying data over Google or other mapping systems.

YourMapper.com essentially collects geographically-tied data and puts it in map form. You can supply the service with your data and they will turn it into a maps mashup you can use on your website. All of that information becomes instantly subscribe-able via RSS feeds, mobile updates and more, turning your data into a highly portable, extremely useful product.

1 comment

The Authoritative Book On Social Media Finally Published

by Jason Falls · July 27, 2009

It seems like everyone who has a blog or presence of substance in the social media space is writing a book these days. In fact, I’ve actually had several people follow up an introduction to me with, “So what book are you working on?”

I’m not presently working on a book, thank you. When I have a good idea for one, I’ll let you know.

Yes, there are a handful of very good books out there that I would recommend people read if they are interested in learning more about social media, but if you or anyone you know is presently writing a book about social media, I would encourage you to save your energy and stop right now. The authoritative book on social media marketing has finally been published.

18 comments

The Power of New

by Jason Falls · July 24, 2009

This was going to be a difficult post to write. Then I decided to emphasize the new, not the old.

I set out next week on a new venture. New because a new professional challenge beckoned me. New because a tired mind begged me. New because too many voices, only a few of them my own, demanded it.

Beginning Monday, I am Jason Falls, Principal of Social Media Explorer LLC, a communications consultancy. My services will be available to clients looking for senior level strategy and consultation for their social media, public relations, marketing and communications efforts. I will no longer be officially affiliated with Doe-Anderson, though I will continue to work with them on selected projects and, without hesitation, refer companies to them.

81 comments

Three Keys To Non-Profit Success In Social Media

by Jason Falls · July 23, 2009

Jason Falls

The Social Media Club Louisville recently partnered with the National Safe Place for a series of social media webinars for their locations around the country. The organization is headquartered in Louisville and started as a program of the YMCA here in 1983. They now have 140 Safe Place programs and almost 17,000 Safe Place sites around the country. Safe Place sites are locations like libraries, restaurants and grocery stores that carry the recognizable, yellow Safe Place sign seen below. The locations are places at-risk or in-crisis children can come to and be connected with safe harbors (shelters and programs) that provide protection, food and other social services. Social Media Club Louisville partnered with NSP to provide some social media training for their 140 program locations.

47 comments

10 Ways To Jump Start Your Social Media Thinking

by Jason Falls · July 22, 2009

Jason Falls

My house is an easy, 20-minute, rush hour commute from my office via the Interstate. Unless it’s raining or there’s an accident somewhere along the way, I can zip into work on a fairly predictable path.

Tuesday was one of those accident days, so I took the back way, along River Road, a beautiful, almost tree-covered path along the Ohio River to downtown Louisville. The drive reminded me that our path to finding the right social media solution for our clients or organizations can also become routine, stayed and predictable. Every now and then we need to veer off the beaten path to ensure we’re seeing the forest as well as the trees … and the birds, the chipmunks and the kids waiting for the bus.

48 comments

Empowering Actual Communities With Social Media

by Jason Falls · July 20, 2009

Jason Falls

Last week, my friend Scott Clark and I had the honor of co-presenting to the National League of Cities State League Staff Workshop in Louisville. Hopefully, what we covered helped league staffers better understand how they and their cities can use social media to help enhance communications with those they serve.

Part of our offering was to share some examples of cities, government agencies and even politicians engaging those they serve via social media. Some of those examples are below for you to chew on. I’m sure you may know of others, I’d love to hear about in the comments section.

20 comments