Mediaboss Marketing

Degan marak nya Social Networking akhir akhir tahun ini, tidak dapat dipungkiri lagi bahwa internet adalah lahan yang luas yang dapat menghasilkan emas! Dan pertanyaan yang dipikirkan para freelancer adalah sama, ‘Apakah dengan menggunakan segala macam social network yang ‘eksis’ dapat menambah pendapatan?’ Jawaban nya adalah, pasti bisa.

image by billr317 on flickr

Sudah bukan hal yang unik lagi bahwa network sosial dan ilmu marketing bekerja sama dalam dunia maya ini. Sang freelancer harus cerdas dan cermat dalam memerhatikan perkembangan social network. Misalkan pilih Twitter sebagai platform, dengan saja mempunyai satu profile, kita bisa mempromosikan hasil karya kita ke seluruh Negara bahkan ke belahan dunia.

Banyak kala writer atau designer nge-‘link’ hasil karya mereka supaya bisa dipublikasikan ke dunia maya dan bukan sedikit lagi kantor rekruitmen yang melihat dan meneliti karya karya ini. Bisa saja ini merupakan tulisan, gambar, design ataupun screenshot kita yang akan menangkap rasa penasaran dan penawaran para recruiter untuk bekerja sama.

Jangan pula anda lupa bahwa kerajaan Internet adalah luas. Bahkan, hampir setiap bulan ada saja website atau wadah yang baru dan bisa untuk mengoptimasilkan karya anda. Contoh nya Dribble adalah salah satu situs sosial yang di design khusus buat para designers yang ingin memajang hasil kerja keras mereka untuk para developer yang selalu mencari hal hal yang unik, baru dan menarik.

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“Apakah Social networking dan marketing dibutuhkan oleh seorang freelancer?”

To me, the most interesting news stories always seem to come out on Friday or over the weekend -- and the news agencies didn't disappoint.

On Friday, an article was published by Reuters which looked at a recent poll of 2,277 adults conducted by the Pew Research Center. The poll, conducted in April and May of last year, concentrated on people's interactions within social media websites. Needless to say, I found the results of this small sampling incredibly interesting.

Of those polled, a definitive trend was seen toward creative, more private, and actively managed profiles. Of the respondents, 63% noted deleting someone from their profile page, up from 56% two years prior, and 37% admitted to untagging themselves in photos, up from 30% in 2009.

Another independent study by the Polytechnic Institute of New York confirmed this trend. From March 2010 to June 2011, the amount of Facebook users hiding their friends list jumped from 17.2% to 52.6%.

Social media companies are really seeking two things. They want to keep the user active and involved with the site, and they want that user to interact and connect with other users so the best possible data can be collected about the user and his or her friends by the social media site. This way the data gathered can be specifically targeted at the individual user or sold to a third party.

But what if social media users begin clamming up? That trend is clearly already happening, and it could become a problem for businesses partnered with large social media networks.

Facebook, LinkedIn's (Nasdaq: LNKD  ) professional user base, and Google (Nasdaq: GOOG  ) with Google+, don't have a lot to worry about. Their platforms and user bases are so large that in order to become a member, users essentially agree to share their information.

The concern I have is for social media "cling-ons" that rely on user interaction to drive sales. Zynga's (Nasdaq: ZNGA  ) Farmville could see a slowdown if the trend toward privacy continues. Being reliant on Facebook for 90% of its revenue, the move toward privacy could become worrisome.

Daily deal site Groupon (Nasdaq: GRPN  ) could also have trouble finding its target audience. Not only does Groupon have to deal with the fact that its e-commerce platform has an extremely low barrier to entry, but it's already receiving daily deal competition from Facebook. If privacy settings continue to tighten, it makes targeting those 845 million users even more difficult.

Even Netflix (Nasdaq: NFLX  ) , which is trying the best it can to make amends for a trio of errors last year, isn't immune. Netflix has integrated its advertising platform with Facebook and stands to lose a chunk of its target audience if privacy trends continue.

I'm likely premature in my worries, but it's never too early to be skeptical about the growth prospects of companies that are attached at the hip to social media users. It's definitely a trend that bears watching. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a few privacy settings I need to check...

What do you think: Is the trend toward private accounts a genuine concern or not really a big deal? Share your thoughts in the comments section below with your fellow Fools.

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Read this article:
What Happens if Social Networking Stops Working?

Enterprise social networking (ESN) software can improve communication and collaboration among employees, but most companies aren't implementing and using these products properly, leading to unmet goals, according to a new study.

ESN software can help organizations by boosting information-sharing among employees and improving cross-departmental collaboration, among other benefits, but missteps in planning and execution abound, according to the Altimeter Group study "Making the Business Case for Enterprise Social Networking."

The main mistake organizations make is not defining clearly the reasons for adopting ESN software, which offers features and capabilities like profiles, status updates and microblogging popularized by consumer social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, but adapted for workplace use.

"What is the pain point? What is the problem you're trying to solve? If that's not clear, then you shouldn't be using [ESN]," said Altimeter founder and the study's lead author Charlene Li. "This isn't easy. There is no magic bullet to it. It requires a rethinking of the relationships inside your organization, and therefore a rethinking of your culture."

Altimeter, which interviewed 13 vendors and 185 end users and surveyed 81 IT decision makers from companies with more than 250 employees, found that most ESN implementations end up stuck in one or more significant roadblocks.

These include a sharp drop in interest and usage after initial enthusiasm; strong adoption in only one department; confusion about proper use of the software, due in part to a lack of executive involvement; and lack of clarity and maturity of the organization's social business strategy and goals.

Particularly surprising to Li was the finding that few organizations properly gather and analyze usage metrics for their ESN software, focusing too much on raw engagement figures and very little on stats that show whether goals are being attained and problems solved.

Companies also often fail to integrate ESN software into the existing business applications already in use by their employees, like email, collaboration platforms, CRM, ERP and office productivity suites. ESN software thus becomes yet another stand-alone tool that is under-used.

Adding to the problem is that IT decision makers tasked initially with evaluating ESN software face a very confusing market, with many offerings that often vary greatly in features and functionality.

Vendors in this relatively nascent market range from "pure play" companies like Yammer, Box.net, Jive Software and Socialtext to bigger players that are embedding ESN capabilities into broader platforms like Microsoft, Salesforce.com, Cisco and IBM.

To improve their chances of success, organizations need to define clear objectives for using ESN software, and once it's implemented, they must monitor and analyze usage in a way that gives them an idea of whether these goals are being met.

Moreover, organizations need to devote the necessary staff and resources not only to implement but also to maintain and manage ESN software, and also get executives involved in using it.

If implemented and used properly, ESN software can yield significant benefits to organizations, such as encouraging employees to share information, expertise and best practices; improve efficiency through better coordination and reduced duplication; and empowering employees by giving them a "voice" within the company.

"The organizations that have been successful at doing this are ones that are very focused on their culture: they understand it, they understand their shortcomings and are using these tools to solve these shortcomings," Li said.

Juan Carlos Perez covers enterprise communication/collaboration suites, operating systems, browsers and general technology breaking news for The IDG News Service. Follow Juan on Twitter at @JuanCPerezIDG.

See the rest here:
Study: Enterprise Social Networks Failing to Meet Expectations

London, Feb 27 (ANI): Researchers have described a promising new technique that potentially could turn immune system killer T cells into more effective weapons against infections and possibly cancer.

The technique involves delivering DNA into the immune system's instructor cells. The DNA directs these cells to overproduce a specific protein that jumpstarts important killer T cells.

These killer cells are typically repressed in patients who have HIV or cancer, said Jose A. Guevara-Patino, MD, PhD, senior author of the study. Guevara is an Associate Professor in the Oncology Institute of Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine.

Guevara and colleagues reported their technique proved effective in jumpstarting defective immune systems in immuno-compromised mice and in human killer T cells taken from people with HIV.

Guevara said a clinical trial in cancer patients could begin in about three years.

The study involved killer cells, known as CD8 T cells, and their instructor cells, known as antigen-presenting cells. The instructor cells instruct CD8 T cells to become killer T cells to kill infected cells or cancer cells - and to remain vigilant if they reencounter pathogens or if the cancer comes back.

In addition to getting instructions from the antigen-presenting cells, CD8 T cells need assistance from helper T cells to become effective killers. Without this assistance, the killer T cells can't do their job.

In patients who have HIV, the virus destroys helper T cells. In cancer patients, helper T cells also are affected. Among a tumor's insidious properties is its ability to prevent killer T cells from attacking tumors. It does this by putting helper T cells into a suppressed stage, limiting their ability to assist CD8 T cells, said Andrew Zloza, MD, PhD, one of the leading authors of the study.

In the study, snippets of DNA were delivered into skin instructor cells by a device known as a gene gun. The DNA directed the instructor cells to produce specific proteins, which act like molecular keys. When CD8 T cells interact with the instructor cells, the keys unlock the CD8 T cells' killer properties - jumpstarting them to go out and kill pathogens and cancer cells.

With the use of this technique, the killer T cells would not need the assistance of helper T cells. So even if a tumor were to put the helper T cells in a suppressive cage, the killer T cells would still be able to go out and kill cancer cells. Researchers expect that future studies using the technique will make it applicable to many diseases, including cancer.

The study has been published in Nature Medicine. (ANI)

More:
Novel technique jumpstarts immune system's killer cells against cancer

By Sean Poulter

Last updated at 11:59 PM on 27th February 2012

A virus that has killed lambs and cattle does not pose a danger to humans, the Food Standards Agency has said.

Its statement will be welcomed by farmers, many of whom are concerned that consumers may turn their back on British lamb.

It came as the number of farms affected by the Schmallenberg virus, which causes birth defects and miscarriages in livestock, yesterday increased to 83.

Deadly: Farmers fear Schmallenberg disease will spread across the country

The Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency said that the virus had been detected in 78 cases in sheep and five in cattle, on farms across southern and eastern England.

The FSA said: 'Based on current evidence, there is unlikely to be any risk to consumers through the food chain from the virus that is causing abnormalities in livestock.

'No illness has been reported in humans exposed to animals infected with the Schmallenberg virus.

'Consumers should continue to follow the normal food hygiene precautions when handling, preparing and cooking all foods to reduce the risk of illness from harmful micro-organisms.'

The Schmallenberg virus has spread to cattle sparking fears for livestock

Farmers are seeing limbs of their lambs fused together and joints that don't work

The virus first emerged in the Netherlands and Germany last year, causing mild to moderate symptoms in adult cattle, including reduced milk yield, and stillbirth and birth deformities in sheep, goats and cattle.

The AHVLA said none of the affected farms reported importing animals last year from affected areas in Europe.

A spokesman for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said that the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control had also reported it was unlikely that the virus, which is thought to be spread by midges, would cause disease in humans.

Malcolm Bennett, professor of veterinary pathology at Liverpool University, added: 'The economic and social effects of the disease for farmers whose animals are infected are still to be seen.

'The main effect in sheep is on unborn lambs, so only now, as we enter the peak period for lambing, are we beginning to see the extent and severity of the disease.'

Alistair Mackintosh of the NFU said: 'For any business to lose 20 per cent of your stock would be a huge blow. For a farmer it is catastrophic. If it was 50 per cent you would be put out of action.

'I know one farmer who says 10 per cent of his 6,000 ewes have become barren, so that is 600 animals producing nothing.'

In Germany and Holland the virus was detected in adult cattle, causing symptoms including reduced milk yield. In Britain the calving season has not yet begun, so the impact on foetuses is not yet clear.

The counties worst affected so far are Norfolk, Suffolk, East Sussex and Kent but the virus has already spread along the south coast to Cornwall and parts of south Wales.

The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has not ruled out direct transmission between animals but said a ban on imports would be pointless as the disease is already here.

In 2007 millions of sheep and goats on British farms were killed as a result of bluetongue virus, which was also brought in by midges.

It has now been eradicated but farmers are concerned that a vaccine for Schmallenberg does not exist  and could take 18 months to two years to develop.

Continue reading here:
UK's lambs being wiped out by killer Schmallenberg virus amid fears disease could spread to humans