Mediaboss Marketing

June24, 20215 min read

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Social-media management has traditionally been relegated to interns and junior employees, considered a necessary but not strategic function.In 2012, as an intern at ELLE.com, I tweeted out regularly to the publication'sthen 1.2 million followers. Occasionally, the executive editor would send me an email about a great tweet, and it felt like the highlight of my career at the time.

I was unpaid, focused mostly on producing content for the website, and carved out several minutes a day to post some tweets about that content. Then, Id watch Google Analytics, excited to see the droves of people coming to the site.They never came.

It was a different time, but it was also a channel without a strategy. Today, few brands would do the same. Social-media marketing has become a much more critical role within the internal marketing teams at startups as well as at Fortune 500s.

Perhaps it was the Oreo Super Bowl tweet of 2013or the Instagram success of just about every DTC beauty brand with half a strategy. Social media today is about far more than publishing content on a blog, pushing that out on social channels and then crossing your fingers that people come back to the site to read it.

No, modern social-media management requires a deep generalist, with charisma and negotiating capabilities, fantastic copywriting and community-building skills, and the availability and drive to be nearly always on.

In fact, many marketing leaders today think current social-media managers are the CMOs of tomorrow.

"Social media professionals understand the following about your company: Marketing, Comms (especially crisis), Branding, Industry trends,Customer service, Creative (graphics, imagery, photos, video), How to create and nurture brand advocates," tweeted Matthew Kobach, Director of Content Marketing at Fast. "[They are] the future CMO/CCOs."

Amanda Goetz, the former VP of Marketing at The Knot and current founder and CEO at House of Wise, agrees. "I can't believe people still think of social as a 'channel'or 'side hustle.' SMMs are the future CMOs. They understand user insights, positioning and brand marketing like no one else."

Want your brand to stand out on socialand begin gaining insights about your consumers you can use throughout every channel and departmentin your organization? You need to bring on an expert social-media manager ASAP. Here are the skills you are looking for.

Related:10 Laws ofSocial-MediaMarketing

Social-media managers sit at the intersection of marketing and creative on larger teams at least. For many startups, social-media managers serve as both the marketing-distribution engine and the creative department.

Thats because social-media managers have to figure out how to retell the brands story on a variety of social channels in a way that is engaging.

To make something engaging, these marketers must create something people on various channels care about and that they will find visually appealing.

You need great creative strategy to make that happen, including creative-asset and production management, and strong analytical skills to assess the possibilities of new social channels thatarise well, often.

Related:7CreativeWays to Boost Your Social-MediaStrategy

Copywriting is one of the top skills for a social-media manager. You must be able to tell great short-form storiesand capture peoples attention really, really quickly. Visuals can help you do that, but its the storytelling that gets folks emotionally connected with a brand.

Marketers love community, despite the lack of consensus around what community actually means.At most organizations, it is the social-media manager who must care for and grow the brands community often both at the top of the funnel (on Instagram orTwitter, for example) but also at the bottom of the funnel (in private Slack groups, for instance).

Doing this requires a lot more strategy than you might think, including a really thick skin.

Social-media managers must be great at handling feedback, from internal and external sources. Beyond that, they need a solid understanding of relationship management, specifically as they build the brands visibility and interact with influencers around the web.

All of this work requires consistent social listening and ongoing networking across a variety of channels.

Related:How to Build aSocial-Media Community: Content and Collaboration

Look, building a community on a variety of social channels takes time. It isnt an immediate dollar in, dollar out marketing tactic. So, social-media marketers must be excellent at internal communication, data analysis and reporting in order to keep their jobs.

Businesses want to be agile, and a lot of organizations still think expert social-media managers are overpriced. They arent but that wont stop some hiring managers from looking for more junior folks.

To help sidestep this, social-media managers, like most owned channel marketers, must become experts at data analysis and reporting, and then convert that data into strategy and trust for their internal team.

Combine all of these skills, years of experienceand constant digital networking with peers who have done the same (its called social media for a reason!), and its no wonder why so many marketing leaders today see their younger selves in social-media managers.

They are the ones doing the hard work to understand a brandand communicate it to the world in a way that builds a loyal customer base. Little else builds foundational marketing skills as well as running social-media channels.

Read the original here:
Social-Media Managers Are the Next Generation of CMOs - Entrepreneur

June 28 (Reuters) - Qualcomm Inc (QCOM.O) said on Monday it expects to work with more than 40 carriers and telecommunications gear providers that have committed to using the faster variant of 5G networking technology.

Fifth-generation networks use a combination of technologies. The lower frequency version, called "sub-6" by industry insiders, travels well over long distances but is only somewhat faster that previous networks. The fastest version uses higher frequencies and is called "millimeter wave" by Qualcomm, the world's biggest supplier of wireless data chips for smart phones.

Different carriers brand it with their own trade names, such as Verizon's (VZ.N) "5G Ultra Wideband."

Qualcomm said at the Mobile World Congress event in Barcelona that more than 40 carriers and gear makers have committed to using the faster technology in some form.

Among them are China's China Unicom (0762.HK), Chunghwa Telecom Company Ltd (2412.TW) and Fibocom Wireless Inc(300638.SZ), as well as Germany's Deutsche Telekom (DTEGn.DE) and Australia's Telstra Corp (TLS.AX).

The millimeter wave technology is most useful in dense areas where many people are trying to connect to mobile networks at once, such as sports arenas where many fans are trying to stream video to their social networks.

Qualcomm helped develop the standards that make millimeter wave devices compatible around the world, and phone makers such as Apple Inc (AAPL.O) have tapped Qualcomm's chips to gain access to the technology.

Qualcomm's chips have a lead over rivals such as MediaTek Inc (2454.TW) in millimeter wave technology, so it could get a sales boost if the technology becomes more widely adopted.

"We actually haven't see a whole lot of millimeter wave outside U.S. and Japan, and some limited deployments in Europe and Korea so far, but that's expanding quite rapidly," Durga Malladi, Qualcomm's senior vice president and general manager of 5G technologies, said at a press briefing before the event.

Reporting by Stephen Nellis in San FranciscoEditing by Sonya Hepinstall

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Read the rest here:
Qualcomm to work with more than 40 companies on faster 5G variant - Reuters

By Medicine Hat News Opinion on June 25, 2021.

Do you need to be part of the social media scene? Only you can answer this question.

For the sake of definition, social media is a collective term for websites and applications (apps) which focus on communication, community-based input, interaction and content-sharing

Most of us believe we have a good understanding of social media and how it works. What if I told you Twitter has six different forms of communication networks or that Facebook is most active on Fridays? Would you still think youre a social media guru?

Surprisingly in 2020, many people still dont want any part of social media. Maybe these people are very private, or extremely modest, or dare I say its an age thing. Whatever the reason, they havent been sold on the value of accessing blogs, pictures, podcasts, videos, online shopping, messaging, video chatting and news, to name just a few of the benefits social media can offer you 24/7 in the comfort of your home.

Those who have no social media presence most likely ask themselves,What does a person gain from having a social media presence?In no particular order:

Staying in touch with family and friends

Staying current with news and current events

Finding entertaining content

Networking (meet new people)

Being part of communities of like-minded people who share a common value, mission, industry or goals

Sharing photos and videos

Sharing opinions

Researching a business service, product, restaurant before visiting or purchasing

You can be found. This can be a good thing, or a bad thing you decide.

In short social media brings the world to you.

For what its worth, social media has come a long way since the days of its birth, when it was the Wild West.

TRIVIA: The first social media site, Six Degrees, was created in 1997. It enabled users to upload a profile and make friends with other users.

As Im sure youre aware, there are countless social networking sites, each having a unique characteristic and purpose. As an introduction, here are the social media platforms most people are currently gravitating to here in North America.

Facebook, with over 2.23 billion monthly active users (MAU) in April 2020,is undeniably the most widely used social network on the planet. All content format works great on Facebook. Facebook is where you can find old high school friends, join communities, read countless opinions, find current news, keep in touch with family and friends and post photos, videos and memes. Worth noting, the average amount of time a user spends on Facebook is 58 minutes.

Twitter(386 million MAUs, April 2020) is a microblogging site that allows you to send and receive short posts called tweets. Twitters simplicity, and ease of use, is why its my favorite social media platform. Tweets can be up to 280 characters long and can include pictures or links to websites. The usage of hashtags (#) is how your tweets can be found.

Instagram(1 billion MAUs, April 2020) is a visual platform designed for customers to post, share, and comment and engage through digital media (pictures, mini videos).

LinkedIn(310 million MAUs, February 2020) is regarded as a professional social networking site. If you make your living as a white-collar professional, your presence on LinkedIn is a must.

YouTube(1.9 billion MAUs, April 2020),Pinterest(366 million MAUs, April2020), Reddit(430 million MAUs, April 2020), are additional social network sites worth checking out.

When it comes to first participating in social media, my advice is to pick a platform (Facebook would be a good one), set up an account and dive right in! Dont over-analyze the pros and cons, you can always delete your account. Get someone who has grown up in the digital age to walk you through how to post and view content. Ask them to explain some of the social media ethics you should be familiar with.

When on social media, keep in mind the following:

Do not post text, photos or videos that could damage your reputation.

Do not post personal information.

Do not trash-talk other people.

Turn on your privacy settings.

Have fun.

Is social media for you? Why not go online and find out?

Nick Kossovan writes the column Digitized Koffee With Nick which appears in several newspapers and is the Customer Service Professionals Networks Director of Social Media (Executive Board Member). On Twitter and Instagram follow @NKossovan.

See more here:
Why social media should be part of your life (even just a little bit) - Medicine Hat News

Many modern high-tech projects open up new opportunities for users. An example of such a startup is XQR, whose developers have expanded the potential of social networks by creating a unique multifunctional platform.

XQR is a service for automating an exchange of contacts, whose users have access to many unique tools. Heres how the project works:

To learn more about XQR, well have a talk with its founder, cybersecurity specialist Roman Prototsky.

I often attend themed exhibitions, conferences, and networking meetings. Usually the same thing happens: everyone talks about themselves and their work, in turn.

There was a desire to create a service which would allow you to simply display a QR code linked to a URL that would immediately give people maximum information about yourself.

Screenshot from XQR Presentation

In one of your interviews, you say there is nothing out there like XQR. Are you aware of any attempts by other developers to copy XQR? How technically difficult is it to replicate this project?

To answer your question, I will give you an example. Take the innovative Tesla electric car. Everyone knows it has four rubber tires, just like other cars. The material for making wheels was invented many years ago, but this doesnt make Tesla a copy of other cars.

The innovative technology that the developers added to the rubber wheels invented many years ago makes the companys electric cars unique. Therefore, it is illogical to say that Tesla is the same car as all the others that came before it just because it has elements found in the traditional automotive industry.

The QR codes utilized by XQR could be called an analogue to the rubber wheels used by Teslas cars. Yes, the technology was invented many years ago, but the capabilities of QR codes are supplemented by a lot of original innovations in XQR.

One of the main differences between XQR and other social networks is that any user can earn cryptocurrency inside XQR. We bring everything together: QR codes, reviews, links, portfolios, wallets, and social networks. There are no products in the world similar to the one weve created.

XQR users personal page interface

But to return to copycat projects, technically speaking, our project is not very difficult to replicate. It could take six months to a year, or maybe several years.

From the point of view of technology, there is always an arms race among developers. Whoever can do it faster and better than the others is the Top Gun. Someone may be able to copy one specific feature of our project, but its not so easy to replicate the whole complex of XQR services, with all its nuances.

To prove this, it is enough to recall the story of Clubhouse, the sensational social network based on voice communication. After the project was launched, many tried to copy its approach, but no one managed to reach the same level of popularity. In many ways, the reason is that the other market participants were not able to qualitatively copy the platform, with all its nuances.

And, as for XQR, we are constantly moving forward and developing the project, so it would be nigh on impossible to duplicate. Many people havent taken notice of us yet, but when XQR grows, we will be ahead any potential competitors due to our constant introduction of new functions and features. Our partners will also help us with this, so copying XQR will not be an easy task.

XQRs innovations can be useful not only for individuals, but also for companies. Have any major market participants ever shown interest in XQRs tools?

More than 20 companies have already shown interest in us, including representatives of state and telecommunications organizations, as well as retailers. Theyre all looking forward to seeing the first results of XQRs work.

Most market participants are more interested in the audience this platform will generate than the technology were using. As soon as the number of XQR users exceeds 100,000, these companies will join the queue to integrate into the project and establish partnerships with us.

Have you encountered any prohibitions related to the regulation of the digital asset market while developing XQR?

This hasnt happened so far, but I understand that problems could arise in the future, so we have lawyers to help us deal with such issues.

Another crypto-winter is just around the corner. If interest in cryptocurrencies falls, do you think it could have a negative effect on XQR?

Im sure the upcoming crypto-winter wont affect the projects development. This is an IT startup, not a crypto project. Cryptocurrency is no more than just one of the tools in XQR.

Its members of the crypto community who should fear a crypto-winter. Were focused on a wider audience.

Are you negotiating the listing of the projects token on major exchanges?

Yes, we are negotiating with major trading platforms. For example, our token will appear in the Coinsbit listing, but we are communicating with many other major exchanges in parallel. We will gradually enter various trading platforms and crypto-wallets.

Can XQR be called the future of social networks? Will projects like this be able to displace giants like Facebook and LinkedIn over time?

I think we are the future of social networks that has already arrived. We have positioned XQR as a social network. We already have more than 3,000 users. At the same time, unlike other social networks, you can earn cryptocurrency in XQR.

As far as displacing other platforms is concerned, this is more a question of how well other market participants adapt. Its possible that giants like Facebook and LinkedIn will become XQR partners in the future.

XQR consists of a number of modules, including a marketplace, a wallet, and others. What new tools could appear on the platform in the near future?

We prefer to keep this information secret because many market participants, including our competitors, are already watching us. I dont want other platforms to steal XQR technologies.

Potential XQR users and other interested parties will be able to learn about updates to our project from press releases.

Follow this link:
New Generation XQR Social Network: A Review of the Project and an Interview with Its Creator - bitcoinist.com

The help is out there, though. Horton is a member of a support group for people left with paralysis from shootings. Disability Pride Philadelphia also hosts panels about how to live with disabilities, as well as happy hour and networking events.

The outreach might be more important than ever as more people are being affected by gun violence every day, which Horton thinks has led people to become desensitized to the epidemic.

Last year, cities across the country, including Philadelphia, saw a surge in gun violence. Medical experts have posited the social isolation and elevated stress levels caused by pandemic mitigation efforts put more people at risk for gun violence.

Still, even as COVID-19 vaccinations have vastly reduced the spread of the virus, allowing the region to inch toward a new normal, the city is outpacing 2020s shootings and homicides.

As of Sunday, June 20, the last date for which data is available, Philadelphia recorded 244 homicides a 30% increase from the same time last year. Shooting victims exceeded 950 people, a 23% increase from the same time in 2020. Gun violence was the leading cause of death among young Black and Latino men in Philadelphia in 2020, according to the city.

I really want to reach people picking up [guns] because I want to stop this from happening to somebody else, so I can stop having to help people, said Leon Harris, another gun violence survivor living in Delaware. He suffered his spinal cord injury in Upper Darby during an armed robbery.

I dont want to have to keep helping newly injured young men or newly injured young women, said Harris. I dont want to have to, you know, help them figure out their new normal. I would like to reach the person with the gun before this even gets to that point.

See more here:
Using hashtags, gun violence survivors living with disabilities want to share their stories - WHYY