Category Archives: Social Media

All things related to Social Media, practices, tools and people.

Google Social Search working?

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Im not sure what’s happening but I just realised that Google Social search, which was only available in labs previously but which was turned off and made unavailable after one month has suddenly become available to me in the Google SERPS and in the specific “Social Search” option.

And its really rather cool!

I was under the impression that this would not be rolled out and indeed I haven’t heard anything about it being made available, I have just been messing around and seeing what results come back. Have a look at the results below for the search term:

Seo Dojo in Google Social Search and SERPS

(in case your wondering the SEO Dojo is a forum for SEO training and its cool, check it out.)

In the Google SERPs themselves this appears at the bottom just, click the image to enlarge:

Google Social Search working?

And when you select the social search only option like so:

Google Social Search working?

I get this lovely list of results, which is actually quite extensive, and rather accurate. Click it to enlarge.

Google Social Search working?

I have asked around but no one else has this option working at the moment, do you?

Ikea get Social Media creative with viral marketing on Facebook

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Its not often you see something and just think “That was a bloody brilliant idea” but IKEA have really come up thrumps with this one.

Kidnapping Photos

Ikea decided to utilise the existing function of tagging photos in Facebook to run a branding and buzz exercise around the Malmö store manager, Gordon Gustavsson and the new store opening in the area. By uploading photos of the display areas they allowed people to tag the items in the photo and whoever tagged it first with their own name, won the item. Simple.

This achieved six important and complementary goals.

  • It introduced Gordon Gustavsson to the local people in Malmö and made him “real” and approachable. Suddenly he was your friend.
  • It created excitement and urgency in the rush to tag the photos and get the piece of furniture you wanted.
  • It made people go to the IKEA site or catalogues and compare the items there with the items on the photos increasing brand and product awareness.
  • It caused the fan page to be populated virally in case future offers where announced so it would not be missed in the future thus increasing consumer loyalty.
  • It created social endorsement as people tagged items with their OWN names.

Heres the video explaining the concept in more detail.  You will have to agree, it was quite an inspired method of PR and a really exciting competition.

User generated media is killing our culture and economy – Andrew Keen on Its only a theory

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User generated media is killing our culture and economy Andrew Keen on Its only a theory“Its only a Theory” is one of those shows that I enjoy when I catch it on the BBC because the format is smart and witty at the same time. Hosted by Andy Hamilton, Reginald D. Hunter (sort that website out Reg) and joined by a third guest panellist, the broadcaster Dermot Murnaghan on this episode, individuals are invited on to present their theories about any particular subject matter then convince the panel with information, opinion, fact,  argument or science to win the panellists “approval” of the theory or if they fail watch as it gets shredded.

What caught my attention (of course this would) was the theory presented by Andrew Keen entitled “User generated media is killing our culture and economy” and it addressed the subject of how social media, online video and music downloads are having an adverse effect on our culture and economy as it has created a massive shift in the means and methods by which we communicate and interact.

Rather than going into detail discussing the points in the theory you would of course be better off  watching the video, but some idiot has decided to restrict its viewing to the UK alone on the only youtube video I could find (something about copyright infringement, broadcasting rights or other such nonsensical statement) , which means that you will need to use a UK proxy to watch the discussion.

Anyway, ignoring this glitch, I will raise one thing that made the discussion for me. Reginald D. Hunter initially disqualified the theory but then decided to flip and approve it when he said something to the effect of “Yes, I think it is killing our culture and economy but I think these need to evolve, and maybe this is how it can happen”.  (Sorry I can’t quote this accurately at the moment, but this was the general idea).

Anyway, if you can see it enjoy, and if you come across a version that isn’t for the UK only please let me know (I will seek it out in the meantime anyway!)