Social Media for Startups

Northeastern University student Jennie White, IDEA’s Director of Social Media, former Staff Writer at BostInno and marketing coop at where, Inc., has found immense value in the outlets offered by today’s popular social media tools. After doing some research of my own, I sat down with her to discuss how student entrepreneurs can effectively use these websites as a means of promoting their budding businesses.  

Why is social media particularly important to new businesses?

As a relatively new business, you want exposure. You want to show investors and everybody else that you have a strong following and interest in your product. You want people to talk about your product and spread that word so that you have a large community. Investors want to see a dedicated following.

How can student entrepreneurs use social media to build their business?

New businesses should stick with Twitter and Facebook. Take it one at a time to see how much time you can devote to each. I think that starting out on Twitter is your best bet because Facebook requires a deeper level of engagement. Twitter allows you to have a conversation with large audiences and spread your message faster. The number one thing to keep in mind is to be personable and share interesting things that you find, not just things related to your business.

How do you suggest startups use different social media outlets?

Twitter: You’ll most likely need to build a community on Twitter. A conversation doesn’t happen right away, however, so you need to be patient. I would suggest using Twitter to give a behind-the-scenes look at what your company is doing. Post pictures of your team having lunch, or various updates on what you’re doing. People love to see human interaction, and Twitter is the most appropriate outlet for that sort of thing. Most importantly, tweet as though you are talking to your friends.

Facebook: Facebook is super valuable for student entrepreneurs because of the extremely large networks that individuals have already built since Facebook was created. Use your existing connections on Facebook rather than solely trying to gain new audiences.  Create a fan page, link events, and share pages in order to get “likes”. Frequency matters on Facebook—you need to be careful not to post too much or else people will “unlike” your page. Facebook is valuable because you can have pictures, conversations, and see all of the interactions in one place.

LinkedIn: I think that everyone should have a LinkedIn account. Its main value is meeting the right people. You can use your connections within the layers of LinkedIn to make new connections. The site also allows you to see trends and who other people are connected with. I think using LinkedIn is the best way to build your personal community. Be your own face on LinkedIn, not the face of your business or brand.

Pinterest: Pinterest is not for all new businesses; it depends on your product. This social media site is perfect for someone marketing a tangible product, like IDEA venture Lily and Ivy.

Blogs: Blogs can be a great tool for promoting your business, but only if properly maintained. You should be posting at least once a week; otherwise it just looks silly and careless. You should only create a blog if you have the time to dedicate to it.

How do you know what to say?

You can talk about anything—start off by simply tweeting about a TV program you have found interesting. ASK QUESTIONS.

Start a conversation by asking random questions, and then you can ask deeper questions. Over time, the topic goes viral. It is perfectly okay to tweet about things that aren’t related to your business or field. In fact, I think your conversations should be 50% promotion and 50% other content. You can talk about fun things; just keep it PG. You want to be personable and relatable.  As a student entrepreneur you should promote other startups, show support, and in turn grab from their communities. As for opinion statements, I say go ahead. They get reactions and get people talking.

How personal should you get on your business account?

This is really a grey area. My first rule is absolutely no foul language. Don’t call out customers and avoid argumentative tones. Use your best judgment.

How can social media potentially harm your business?

First – if you have both personal and business accounts, make sure you are always aware of which one you are using. Be very careful not to mix the two up, especially when it’s the weekend and you’re out with your friends. Second – make sure your team is all on the same page. You need to have a discussion with whoever is representing your company regarding your social media plan to ensure that you all share the same values. Mixed messaging can cause confusion.

Finally, what are some general tips and strategies for effectively utilizing social media?

  • Talk to your audience as though you are speaking to your friends. Don’t be who you think you should be. Just have fun and let your personality shine through.
  • Schedule time out of your day to maintain your social media accounts. People don’t like inconsistency. Also, too many platforms are difficult to maintain and can dilute your message. Be sure to select those that are right for you and your business.
  • Don’t get overwhelmed by social media. If it becomes too overwhelming, ask for help. We are a culture of instant gratification and therefore tend to get discouraged when things don’t happen right away. Know that it takes time and will pay off.
  • If you make mistakes, you recover from them and it shows that you’re a real person. Don’t be a robot on social media. Just be you.
Follow Jennie on Twitter @jenniewhite and @IDEANEU. To learn more about IDEA, please visit our website.

from BostInno http://bostinno.com/channels/social-media-for-startups/

Your Next TV Interface Will Be a Tablet

waderoush writes "You can forget all the talk about 'smart' and 'connected' TVs: nobody, not even Apple, has come up with an interface that's easy to use from 10 feet away. And you can drastically curtail your hopes that Roku, Boxee, Netflix, and other providers of free or cheap 'over the top' Internet TV service will take over the world: the cable and satellite companies and the content owners have mounted savvy and effective counterstrikes. But there's another technology that really will disrupt the TV industry: tablet computing. The iPad, in particular, is the first 'second screen' device that's good enough to be the first screen. This Xconomy column argues that in the near future, the big-screen TV will turn into a dumb terminal, and your tablet — with its easy-to-use touch interface and its 'appified' approach to organizing content — will literally be running the show in your living room." Using a tablet as a giant remote seems like a good idea, and a natural extension of iPhone and Android apps that already provide media-center control. Maybe I'm too easily satisfied, but the 10-foot interface doesn't seem as hopeless as presented here; TiVo, Apple, and others been doing a pretty good job of that for the past decade.

Share on Google+

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

from Slashdot http://entertainment.slashdot.org/story/12/02/25/1716202/your-next-tv-interfa...

How Social TV is Taking Over the Oscars and How You Can Win [CONTEST]


The Oscars are getting a big dose of social TV integration!

From the official Oscar.com Backstage Experience to special promotions and activities from entertainment checkin services and second screen companies, the biggest award show of the year is taking big steps towards being more social and digital.

Mashable will be getting in on the fun with our own live chat during the ceremony. We wanted to do a quick overview of some of the biggest social TV promotions related to the 84th Academy Awards. Be sure to read all the way to the end to find out how you can win a one-of-a-kind prize straight from the Red Carpet gift bags!


Oscar.com and iOS Apps


The Academy Awards introduced its Oscar Backstage app last year. The experiment — one of the first true “second screen” iPad apps of its time, was a huge success, even winning an Emmy.

This year Oscar.com and the Oscar Backstage app are back and bigger than ever. Not only is the app free this year [iTunes link], the content is even more digitally focused.

During the show itself, users can watch while logged into Oscar.com or using the Oscars app for iOS and get their pick of different camera angles on the red carpet, access to the control room, see winners interviewed as they leave the podium and get an inside look at the Governor’s Ball.

Before the show, Oscar.com will also be running commentary and insights from across the world of entertainment. I was even lucky enough to participate in a few Oscar Dailies video chats myself!

Oscar.com has the entire Oscar Sunday schedule rundown.


GetGlue


Social checkin service GetGlue is going all out for Oscar Sunday.

As the company details on its blog, users can checkin to the show in advance of the awards to earn stickers for watching nominated films, previews of the 84th Academy Awards and even a special Billy Crystal sticker for checking into some of his best known films.

On Oscar Sunday, fans can check-in throughout the night, starting at 7e/4p. Throughout the night GetGlue wants fans to continue the conversation and chatter around the ceremony on GetGlue itself.


IntoNow


Yahoo’s second screen app IntoNow has a few tricks up its sleeve for Oscar. Fans who use the iOS or Android app while tuned into the Oscar broadcast will be able to:

  • Rate red carpet looks with thumbs up/thumbs down buttons
  • Get information about nominees and take part in synchronized polls about the nominees and categories
  • Pick the winners
  • Connect with friends in real-time using the app’s chat functionality

Umami


Social TV startup Umami has made some updates to its iPad app just in time for the awards.

Users of the Umami app can now take FreezeFrame moments of the show they are watching and share those images with friends on Facebook and Twitter. Umami is likening this feature to Pinterest and it hopes that Oscar fans will get some big use out of it.

Umami has also rolled out is new “Dishboard” which is a social TV dashboard visualizing the conversation taking place around a show as it takes place. This show information such as how many people are talking about a program, what topics are trending and what tweets are more active.


Viggle and Bing


Viggle is a new iPhone app [iTunes link] that rewards users for checking into their favorite shows. The app is sort of a mashup between GetGlue and IntoNow because it uses audio-recognition software to check a user into a show but then gives the user points for their checkin. These points can be redeemed for items such as gift certificates to Amazon or iTunes, apparel and other swag.

Viggle is partnering with Bing to build a live event around the app and the Oscars.

Users who use the app can play along in a trivia contest to earn up to 10,000 bonus points. Users can also predict the winners in key categories and earn more points and they can rate the ads during the telecast.

The Bing partnership is particularly cool because users will be treated to a pre-populated search session to quickly get the answer to all of the trivia questions before time runs out.


Will You Connect With Social TV or Tune Out…Win an “Oscar-Worthy” Prize


With all of the various social TV activity taking around the Oscars, we wanted to know — will you engage socially while watching the awards or is all this stuff too distracting.

If you let us know what you think, you’re in for a treat and you can win a special one-of-a-kind reward! Motorola created a Special Edition “Red Carpet” Droid Razr Maxx. This limited edition phone will be delivered to select nominees and presenters.

This is a very limited edition model of the phone but Mashable has one and we’ll be giving away to one of our readers! Just let us know if you’ll be using social TV to watch the Oscars and why (or why note) and you’ll be entered to win.


How To Enter The Contest


  • Share your best answer in the comments below, OR
  • Tweet your story with the hashtag #grammymash, OR
  • Tout us your answer by sending us a short video clip.
  • Submit your answer by Sunday, Feb. 26 at noon ET
  • Please use your real identity in the submission so that we may credit you in the follow-up post.
  • We will announce the winner of the contest on Wednesday afternoon after reading all the submissions

Please see our full contest rules here.


Image courtesy of iStockphoto, EdStock

More About: academy awards, contest, Droid RAZR, droid razr maxx, Oscars, second screen, social tv

For more Entertainment coverage:

from Mashable! http://mashable.com/2012/02/24/social-tv-oscars/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_me...

TiVo software coming to Pace set-top boxes

Pace HD DVR
You may have never heard of Pace, but you might have some of its hardware in your house right now. If you're a DirecTV subscriber, that satellite receiver you rely on every day might actually be made by Pace. Or, perhaps the box your cable company gave you that you just never gave much thought to. The up and coming set-top box maker has recently even had some success with the biggest cable company of them all, Comcast. The latest partnership for the company trying to overthrow both Motorola and Cisco in the cable box space? TiVo. This global partnership will ensure that TV providers that buy hardware from Pace and software from TiVo will have almost no work left to do. In other words, it'll make way for an out-of-the box TiVo-verified platform. Pace indicates this will help answer the "strong interest" from TiVo's list of service providers, but that seems a bit optimistic. Our cynical side reminds us of all the great Sling powered hardware marketed to those same providers that years later, still has not been put into use.

Continue reading TiVo software coming to Pace set-top boxes

TiVo software coming to Pace set-top boxes originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 24 Feb 2012 02:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

from Engadget http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/24/tivo-software-coming-to-pace-set-top-boxes/

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Announces Social Media-Driven Music TV Channel

Diddy Twitter Pic


Sean “Diddy” Combs took to YouTube, Twitter and Facebook this week to announce the launch of REVOLT TV — a new socially connected music and news-driven cable channel coming to the Comcast-NBC network in 2013.

Combs, the founder and CEO of Bad Boy Worldwide Entertainment Group and hip-hop artist, says he wants to connect music makers to music lovers. It’s fitting that the TV network using social networks to reach viewers would turn to YouTube to broadcast initial plans.

The television channel will deliver music videos, live performances and music news. Social media will drive audience interaction with the network and featured artists.

“REVOLT is the first channel created entirely from the ground up in this new era of social media” Combs said in a statement. “We’re building this platform for artists to reach an extraordinary number of people in a completely different way.”

Combs has taken to Twitter in recent days to accept congratulations from fellow entertainers — and fellow Twitter heavy hitters — like Rihanna, Busta Rhymes, Ashton Kutcher and Ryan Seacrest.

Oh shit bro! You have your own channel??! #ILL #REVOLTNavy RT @iamdiddy: MUSIC IS MY LIFE #REVOLT-> Bit.ly/diddyrevolt

— Rihanna (@rihanna) February 22, 2012

@iamdiddy VERY PROUD OF U AND THE LAUNCH OF UR OWN CHANNEL BIG HOMIE!!! #REVOLT!!

— Busta Rhymes (@BusaBusss) February 22, 2012

congrats to my boy @iamdiddy on the new TV channel #Revolt!! bit.ly/diddyrevolt

— ashton kutcher (@aplusk) February 22, 2012

congrats @iamdiddy I love ur hustle

— Ryan Seacrest (@RyanSeacrest) February 21, 2012

He has also used the social network to clear things up about REVOLT. He stated it is “not a black network,” but rather all about music.

REVOLT TV will be one of the four new minority-owned independent networks to debut on Comcast between July 2012 and January 2014. Another big name joining Combs on television is NBA hall of famer Earvin “Magic” Johnson, whose channel Aspire will deliver programs geared toward African-American families.

In the YouTube video, Combs mentioned watching MTV, HBO and BET growing up, networks now considered competition in entertainment television. An invitation has been extended to other major cable networks including Time Warner, DirectTV and Cablevision to carry the new channel.

Tell us if you will tune into REVOLT TV. Do you think it’s a smart move to mix social media with TV?

Image courtesy from Sean “Diddy” Comb’s Twitter account.

More About: Business, Media, Social Media, social networking, Twitter, Video, YouTube

For more Entertainment coverage:

from Mashable! http://mashable.com/2012/02/22/diddys-social-media-tv-channel/?utm_source=fee...

Memory on Hand Surpasses Their $10K Kickstarter Goal in Less Than 2 Weeks & Decides To Double It

Less than two weeks ago, Boston-based Memory on Hand launched their first Kickstarter, asking for $10,000. Well, they’ve already passed that goal and have set a new one: $20,000. With 24 days still on the clock, the team’s excited and optimistic, hoping they’ll exceed their doubled expectations.

Initially, the team was focusing on the production of their two and four gigabyte USB flash drive wristbands. If they reach their new $20,000 goal, however, founder Andrew Kitzenberg says they’ll produce eight gigabyte Memory on Hand bands in every color and style, allowing current backers to change their pledge to reflect the additional storage space.

This is quite the accomplishment for a product that began as a class project during Kitzenberg’s senior year at Babson College. Although attending trade shows and receiving positive feedback has helped Kitzenberg validate the product’s viability, seeing this Kickstarter take off so quickly has provided “constant fuel and momentum,” and he admits it’s incredible to have this encouragement, “especially being early in the business.”

Memory on Hand’s garnered 128 backers on Kickstarter, and people have already been commenting with congratulations, saying they “can’t wait to see the new wrist bands.” Currently, the team’s working on still getting the word out. While Kitzenberg thinks Kickstarter has been a great platform to support the project, he’s realized it takes a lot of effort to promote products still.

Last week, another local company hit their Kickstarter goal: Gotham Bicycle Defense Industries. In just 25 hours, they raised $18,000, proving that Kickstarter might be the way to go for companies looking to spend their time building and selling products as opposed to looking for investors, trying to raise capital.

Have a product you’re looking to get out there? It appears to be a lucky month on Kickstarter. Perhaps now is the time you should consider registering.

from BostInno http://bostinno.com/2012/02/21/memory-on-hand-surpasses-their-10k-kickstarter...

Umami TV companion app gets a big social update

Those of us who watch hours of the Food Network know that Umami is one of the five basic flavors. iPad users might be more familiar with the word from the Umami TV companion iPad app (free), which today received an update that adds social aspects for sharing your TV-watching experience.

The two new features, which should come in handy this weekend while watching the Oscars, are FreezeFrame and Dishboard. FreezeFrame lets you easily take snapshots of the show you're watching, then share them on Twitter and Facebook.

Dishboard (seen below) is described as a "social TV dashboard" that shows how many people are talking about the show you're watching, what shows are trending, and what other viewers are sharing while using Umami.

Version 1.2 of Umami is available immediately for download, and those who have used the app in the past will definitely want to update as soon as possible. While you're at it, try to make as many snarky comments about the questionable outfits on the Oscar red carpet as you can. We'll all appreciate your candor and humor.

Umami TV companion app gets a big social update originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Fri, 24 Feb 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments

from TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog http://www.tuaw.com/2012/02/24/umami-tv-companion-app-gets-a-big-social-update/

Physics Is (NP-)Hard

An anonymous reader writes "New research at the boundary of physics and computer science shows that determining the dynamical equations of a system from observations of its behavior is NP-hard. From the abstract: 'The behavior of any physical system is governed by its underlying dynamical equations. Much of physics is concerned with discovering these dynamical equations and understanding their consequences. In this work, we show that, remarkably, identifying the underlying dynamical equation from any amount of experimental data, however precise, is a provably computationally hard problem (it is NP-hard), both for classical and quantum mechanical systems.'"

Share on Google+

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

from Slashdot http://science.slashdot.org/story/12/02/24/165212/physics-is-np-hard?utm_sour...