community - ReadWriteWeb http://www.readwriteweb.com/feeds/tag/community en Copyright 2012 Richard MacManus readwriteweb@gmail.com Tue, 14 Feb 2012 18:04:00 -0800 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/?v=4.35-en http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 5 Things You Should Look For in a Community Manager handshake_guestpost.pngIn honor of Community Manager Day, I thought it would fun and worthwhile to share some tips with employers looking for the perfect community manager for their business.

The community manager role is more relevant now than ever, and the numbers show it. In a joint research report released by Booz and Co. and Buddy Media, titled Campaigns to Capabilities, brand marketers said that hiring full-time employees is the number one investment they are making in social media. Furthermore, 63% of all social media teams have dedicated community managers, and 59% of social media teams plan to hire full-time community managers in the near future.

So, if you are one of the many companies looking for a community manager, what are the qualities any candidate absolutely must have? Here are the top five things to look for in a community manager:

]]> Guest author Michael Jaindl is chief client officer for Buddy Media. He has over seven years managing and building technology products for the largest companies in the world. Prior to Buddy Media, MJ worked at NBC and GE.1. A strong writing background, preferably in journalism or PR. There are a couple of reasons why this is so important. Though it may seem obvious, proper grammar and spelling errors are inexcusable for corporate social media accounts. Additionally, those with journalism and PR backgrounds have an understanding of what content is newsworthy and likely to be shared, as well as an ability to relay information in an engaging yet concise manner.

2. The ability to analyze and optimize (quickly). Creating content and responding to people is an integral part of the job, but community managers must be able to look at data to determine what is working and what is not. If certain types of content are resonating, whether it is due to the publishing schedule, substance or style, community managers should be able to effectively optimize accordingly. Conversely, if engagement is down, community managers must be able to move quickly in a new direction without hesitation.

3. A constant connection to the social world. Community managers cannot limit themselves to working a 9-5 day, Monday through Friday, because communities are real time and don't care when you're in the office. Community managers need to establish guidelines to have specific team members active on call around the clock, or as much as possible.

While there are times when communities might be less active, an important comment or question from a fan published on Saturday morning simply cannot be left for Monday morning. Community managers need to commit to checking social networks in the evening and on weekends. The best community managers will embrace the opportunity to provide value to your brand outside normal work hours.

4. An insatiable appetite for your industry. Community managers need to be interested and passionate about more than just your company. Great community managers are tuned into the industry's top news sources and thought leaders and are constantly looking for links, videos and news to provide to their communities. Community managers who are excited about the overall industry, and not just their own brand, can effectively communicate that passion to their fans and followers.

5. Short-term and long-term thinker. Community managers often think about the day-to-day of creating updates and responding to people online. Being able to work in the moment and quickly read and react to conversations online is a crucial part of the job.

But equally as important is the ability to look at the big picture and to work toward long-term goals and objectives. Effective community managers can think "big picture" in order to use community management as a way to reach business objectives. Whether the goal is to relieve pressure on customer service call centers or to reach certain engagement or web traffic benchmarks, the best community management candidates can put together long-term strategies and then work daily to reach those goals.

Photo by jynmeyer

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http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/5_things_you_should_look_for_in_a_community_manager.php http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/5_things_you_should_look_for_in_a_community_manager.php Community Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:45:00 -0800 Michael Jaindl
2011 ReadWriteWeb Trivia Challenge, Final Day Trivia Challenge Lead ImageAs a thank you to our loyal readers and community, ReadWriteWeb is partnering with ThinkGeek to give away a few fun and geeky prizes. Today is the final day of our holiday trivia challenge, so put on your thinking caps!

The way this extremely complex game works is that we'll give you a few cool trivia tidbits to wow you with our vast knowledge of the cool but unimportant and then we'll close with a trivia question that we do hope will stump you. You can dig deep into the recesses of your brain (or Google) and answer via the comments on the post. The best answer, according to the RWW staff, will win the prize of the day, kindly donated for your geeky pleasure from ThinkGeek.

]]> We here at ReadWriteWeb understand that everything Retro, especially when it pertains to childhood fun, is new again. You remember your Atari fondly, despite it's crude attempts to make one game of ball and stick, into another, simply by changing the title. You conveniently forget the fact that despite the lack of a save system, right in the middle of the 8th castle on Super Mario Bros., your little brother would barrel into your room and the vibrations would pop the cartridge up in your Nintendo. Sure, you could possibly push it back down and it might keep you right where you left off, but in the end, you made sure little brother regretted his heavy feet, didn't you?

Forgetting the torture of early gaming, we yearn for a return of the simple games, sans the aforementioned catastrophes. Luckily, the folks at ThinkGeek feel the same way. They wanted to play those old games, but on newer hardware.

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The iCade is today's trivia prize
. Yes, you're welcome fellow geeks.

You Can't Make This Stuff Up

History was my major in college, so when asked to come up with trivia, I always try to go with what I know. While I'd love to wow you with my advanced knowledge of tech, if it's not a video game, I'm the last person on the ReadWriteWeb staff you should ask. That said, I think I can hold my own when it comes to Medieval European studies, and have a fairly extensive knowledge of useless trivia from 1500-1950 as well.

Good luck!

Comfortably Numb

There's a great debate regarding the first use of anesthesia. Some claim its first use was by a dentist, either Horace Wells or William T.G. Morton. Others claim it was a surgeon who first administered an anesthetic, either Charles T. Jackson or Crawford Long. The 1800s was actually fraught with this debate. The story of Horace Wells, who threw acid on a prostitute while high, testing an anesthetic, and ended up taking his own life in prison, is particularly tragic. But in the end, most people agree that Sir James Young Simpson, a free thinker and incredibly bright man, seems to have made the first happy dose. Simpson, an Obstetrician, introduced anesthesia in childbirth in 1799.

Wash Your Hands!

Another medical pioneer, Ignaz Philipp Semmelweis, discovered that women who birthed at home were far less likely to die in childbirth than those who delivered in a hospital. Apparently, it's quite dangerous to remove your hands from the dissection of a cadaver and then use them in the delivery of a baby without a good scrub. It seems obvious to us today that the germs on a dead body should not be applied liberally to a woman in childbirth. But, remember this was a few decades before Pastuer and Lister (and Snow and Redi) furthered the evidence of the germ theory. Unfortunately, while the incidence of death dropped from 18% to 2% after Semmelweis instituted handwashing, the time was not yet right to end the widespread deaths from Puerperal Fever (childbed fever). Rejected and mocked, Semmelweis died in an insane asylum at the ripe old age of 47.

Famous women who died of puerperal fever:
Mary Wollstonecraft (one of the earliest feminists and the mother of Mary Shelley), two wives of Henry VII, Katherine Parr (the final wife) and Jane Seymour (the one who gave him a son), and his mother, Lady Margaret Beaufort. Considering all the difficulties with royal miscarriages in the Tudor era, one might wonder about the efficacy of their physicians.

Royal childbirth did eventually improve. By the time Queen Victoria was birthing, a few hundred years later, she was able to birth in relative safety and ease due to her physician's excellent sanitary attention and anesthetic use (the Snow mentioned above).

Your Question

An Unlikely Romance

And here's the question that I hope will give you pause before you're able to answer it. There once was a lady, fair of face, tiny in stature and haughty in nature. It's rumored she was in love with an English ambassador. Alas, her bastard cousin proposed. This lady, full of affront at having to consider his offer, declined due to the unfortunate circumstance of his birth.

Her Knight cousin, full of his own affront, marched over to her and pulled her off her horse by her braids. She then accepted his proposal. She bore him 11 children and many say they were quite happy.

Students of medieval history will know that her husband was one of the most powerful conquerors ever. Who was this famous lady?

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http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/2011_readwriteweb_trivia_challenge_final_day.php http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/2011_readwriteweb_trivia_challenge_final_day.php Community Fri, 16 Dec 2011 16:30:00 -0800 Robyn Tippins
Top 10 Reader Comments of 2011 Best of 2011Another year has come and gone, and it's time to recap 2011 in all its glory. While most of our recaps will educate you, I hope this one, filled with the top comments from your peers, will inspire you (or at least make you giggle). So whether this list has you nodding your head or gnashing your teeth, we're happy to have played a part in your life this year.

Of course, this list is subjective, so please let us know what you think about the voices we've chosen.

]]> 1. AT&T to Start Data Throttling, How Will It Affect Users?

In a July 29 post, Dan Rowinski reported that AT&T had announced plans to throttle the data speeds of users on their network who had exceeded the bandwidth thresholds the company had set on their 3G network. As you can imagine, many people commented passionately, but Chris Holt's comment, below, was so popular as to be our top rated comment of 2011.

Chris Holt - "Is 'bandwidth threshold' the term AT&T uses? Bandwidth is a rate not a quantity. It's like a cop pulling you over and telling you that you have used too many MPH this month."

2. What Do Kids Say Is The Biggest Obstacle To Technology At School?

Way back on April 3, Audrey Watters wrote about the Speak Up 2010 survey, and the findings that children want to be able to bring their own device and to enjoy unfiltered access. With 43 comments, many weighed in, but Janet Abercrombie shared an experience that few could, and her comment was widely appreciated.

Janet Abercrombie - "In our new 1:1 program, we (teachers) are trying to differentiate behaviors that are a result of character and behaviors that are a result of the technology. Before computers, I could take away pencils from students who were drawing or I could ask them to produce a drawing that demonstrates understanding of the lesson.

One of the keys to successful student engagement is to build in formative assessments that continuously check student understanding. I find that, if students need to produce something by the end of class and/or engage in a Google doc or other discussion thread (where I can review the history and see who types what), 95% of my students will remain engaged in the lesson. Students who do not demonstrate master of the day's objective get pulled into small groups for guided instruction the next day where the independent learners are given a more independent task.

My personal belief is that teacher PD should focus more on ways to differentiate instruction and implement formative assessments than about the navigation of hardware/software."

3. ATDHE Seized: How Site Takedowns Are Ceremonial

On February 1, Mike Melanson reported on the take down of ATDHE, a site that lists video streams, many illegal, of nearly every televised sporting event. MDurwin's comment was a passionate rebuttal to the act and through your upvotes, it's clear that many of you agreed.

mdurwin - "My biggest concern here is why is Homeland Security acting as the bitch of media conglomerates? How is a site hosting video, legal, questionable, or blatantly illegal the responsibility of Homeland Security? aren't they supposed to be hunting down terrorists? The CIA is not supposed to operate inside US borders, nor is the Military. The FBI and police are in charge of crime on American soil. So, which is Homeland Security? Pretty soon I expect they'll be jailing 12 year olds who rip Justin Beiber CDs and email the mp3s to their friends!"

4. Your iPhone Is Tracking Your Every Move

Earlier this year, on April 20, Audrey Watters detailed just how much your iPhone knows about you, including a look at the file "consolidated.db". Jason Moffatt's toungue-in-cheek comment must have made many of you smile. It comes in at #4 on our list.

Jason Moffatt - "Note to self. Get rid of cell phone before robbing that bank next week."


5. Verizon Blocks Hotspot Tethering for Jailbroken Devices

On August 5, Dan Rowinski reported that the throttling announced by AT&T earlier had likely begun as at least one person was being blocked from Android tethering on a rooted device. milrtime83 argued that this was an unfair charge, due to double billing. Many of you agreed.

milrtime83 -" 'The networks do not like consumers getting away with data for free.'

No, we are already paying for the data. They want people to pay for the same data twice."

Next Page: [6-10 plus a surprise guest]

6. There Will be 2 New iPhones, iPhone 5 & 4S, Analyst Says

From a June 27 article by Sarah Perez, we saw an analyst quoted about the upcoming iPhone 4s and iPhone 5 (now debunked). Paddy McCann poked fun at the analyst and made many of us giggle.

Paddy McCann - "How do I get to be an analyst? Seems pretty easy - just make stuff up."


7. Why Facebook's Seamless Sharing is Wrong

Not long after ReadWriteWeb started deep-diving into Facebook's Frictionless Sharing, Marshall Kirkpatrick told us why Facebook's seamless sharing is wrong. With 48 comments, the agreement on this post was deafening. Jeff Pester summed up the fear that many of you have in 8 words. Bumper sticker anyone?

Jeff Pester - "Zuckerberg's utopian dream is becoming our Orwellian nightmare."


8. Facebook, You're Not a Newspaper

Another passionately debated post, Richard MacManus' September 21 post, "Facebook, You're Not a Newspaper" looked at Facebook's recent newsfeed changes. Leila expressed outrage that again, Facebook was fixing what wasn't broken.

Leila - "I wish Facebook would just show me *all* updates from my Friends and Pages, in the order that they were posted, and let *me* decide which ones I don't want to see by hiding individual people, pages, or posts. I will never understand why Facebook insists on deciding for me which posts are important to me because it's frequently wrong."

9. Why Groupon's Super Bowl Ad Was So Offensive

Remember that Groupon Super Bowl ad that had so many people up in arms? Marshall Kirkpatrick shared, on February 6, why that ad was so offensive, including the dismissive mockery of Tibetan troubles and the observation that "it came across as the kind of out-of-touch humor that overpriveleged, spiritually mean, advertising industry creatives (specifically, the kind that kids refer to as 'douchebags') would come up with." BillieMac shared his point of view, that of a former ad exec, and his knowledge of industry norms made his comment all the more relevant and helpful.

BillieMac - "As a former ad exec, I have to assume that Crispin Porter steamrolled this ad right to air. Any reasonable effort to run this ad through a qualitative disaster check with consumers (i.e. a focus group) would have told them they had a problem on their hands. The adage of 'any publicity is good publicity' does not apply in this instance. Groupon had an objective: educate people about their brand and make a connection with people. They failed miserably on both fronts. They are a bunch of marketing novices driving a marketing vehicle. If I were a big brand, I certainly wouldn't be lining up to partner with Groupon right now. They just proved they don't belong in the big leagues."

10. MacBook Air Contest: What are the Considerations When Looking at Server Infrastructure?

Alex Williams asked, on June 3, "What are the considerations when looking at server infrastructure?" Dylan Ludwig answered with gusto, not forgetting to accommodate appliance needs, security, data control and pricing. While his comment didn't win that month, you loved it, with 22 likes.

Dylan Ludwig - "It's important to have secure access to applications and data from any network device, for business and personal use. With cloud based services, all devices are in sync with the cloud. Internal clouds allow computing on private networks, businesses can restrict applications and content, limiting uses. Customer support, cloud providers should work hand in hand with your needs, as your partner.

What appliances need to be supported; servers, firewalls, networks, etc? All infrastructures are unique. What's important to you? Security's a must, whether it's a shared cloud or unique to you. Creating a custom solution to fit the needs of you/your company brings power, mobility, organization, speed, simplicity/ease of access, and scalability. Imagine if your computer crashed; many files would be backed up within the cloud.

Cloud pricing can be expensive. ISP's cap the upload speed and most charge for data usage. Clouds continue to undergo security/privacy breeches. Some personally like having control of their own data.

Figure out your needs, for now and long term. Don't limit the accessibility of the cloud and your future. Infrastructure software should always be chosen wisely.

When I started using the cloud, it took me a while to understand its concept. We use cloud based services everyday without even realizing it, for example Google Docs and Gmail. Files on these services can be accessed from almost any device-- anywhere, anytime. Amazon introduced the Cloud Drive; it allows users to store 5 GB of files online for free. Apple's iCloud stores content and allows integration with all apps, but it's also restricted; an Apple-only service. Unlike most cloud services, data won't be accessible across all platforms. Cloud deployment is just a huge center for data storage; it's the future of our computing needs. Possibilities of clouds are endless and have a promising future."

Bonus Yes Klout Is Flawed, But Here's Why You Should Give It a Chance

As a bonus, we wanted to share a comment from our favorite robot dinosaur, Fake Grimlock. On November 22, Richard MacManus looked at how Klout might be useful, even if it's not perfect. Fake Grimlock found a use for Klout that not many of us had imagined...

FAKE GRIMLOCK - "IT GREAT IDEA! START SITE FOR ONLY BIGGEST ATTENTION WHORES ON WHOLE INTERNET.

THEN TRAP THEM INSIDE, BURN WHOLE PLACE DOWN."

What do you think? Did we pick the best of your top-ranked comments or were some overlooked?

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http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/top_10_reader_comments_of_2011.php http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/top_10_reader_comments_of_2011.php Community Thu, 08 Dec 2011 10:00:13 -0800 Robyn Tippins
Big Question (Answered): "Has Facebook Gone Too Far with Its "Frictionless Sharing"?" big-question-150.pngFacebook's frictionless sharing is not as popular as the company might have hoped. While they tout an easy way to share your current activity, others fear a world that documents our every move. Richard sees it more of a redefinition of sharing by Facebook and Marshall thinks it's just plain wrong and a lost opportunity. And though Scott points out that you certainly can "opt-out" of frictionless sharing, he also wonders if you should have to do so.

Do you want to share everything with everyone or is the idea of sharing your every move just a bit freaky to you too?

We asked and culled your responses from Facebook, Google+ and Twitter and we used Storify to present it all back to you. If you have additional responses, please leave them in the comments.

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http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/big_question_answered_has_facebook_gone_too_far_wi.php http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/big_question_answered_has_facebook_gone_too_far_wi.php Community Mon, 21 Nov 2011 18:30:00 -0800 Robyn Tippins
Weekly Wrap-up: Effects of the Internet Blacklist Bill and More weekly_wrapup-1.pngHR 3261 has riled up the internet and with good reason. We take a look at the effects of the new bill, in an easy to follow infographic from the folks at AmericanCensorship.org. All of this and more in the ReadWriteWeb Weekly Wrap-up.

After the jump you'll find more of this week's top news stories on some of the key topics that are shaping the Web - Location, App Stores and Real-Time Web - plus highlights from some of our six channels. Read on for more.

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Infographic: Effects of the Internet Blacklist Bill (SOPA) [Updated]

Trying to keep up with every threat to privacy online is a never-ending race on the hamster wheel. For that reason, when someone jumps up and down and tells us to pay close attention to the latest threat, many of us shrug our shoulders because we just don't have the time to learn about each and every major privacy threat in the tech new cycle. To help us cut through the overwhelming amount of information we've already received about SOPA, the Stop Internet Piracy Act, the team at AmericanCensorship.org brings us this simple to follow infographic that very clearly details the risks of SOPA.

ReadWriteWeb commenter COV summed it up best:

Infographic: Effects of the Internet Blacklist Bill (SOPA)

The Brand Pages Face Off: Google+ vs. Facebook

In this corner, veteran marketing tool, Facebook brand pages. In the other corner, newcomer to the social space, Google+ brand pages. Richard takes a hard look at both offerings by checking out the brand pages of luxury auto makers BMW and Mercedes-Benz on each.

Comment from Diane Gomez:

Google+ vs Facebook - BMW to Mercedes-Benz

What a Tweet Can Tell You

Here's a review of DataSift, the second licensed reseller of tweets. More likely a business offering than a consumer tool, DataSift has great potential and a confusing UI. Read Marshall's post for a look at the possibilities of Twitter data mining with robust data tool.

Vijay Hanumolu tweeted:

DataSift Tweet

9 Innings worth of MLB on ReadWriteWeb

ReadWriteWeb coverage of the MLB.com College Challenge, a 14 hour Hack Day open to only a few students but with impressive VC potential.

More Top Posts:

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Want to have this wrap up delivered to you automagically? You can subscribe to the Weekly Wrap-up by RSS or by email.

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http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/weekly_wrap-up_effects_of_the_internet_blacklist_b.php http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/weekly_wrap-up_effects_of_the_internet_blacklist_b.php Community Fri, 18 Nov 2011 18:00:00 -0800 Robyn Tippins
ReadWriteWeb Meetup: Seoul rww_150.gifOn November 15, 2011, we're throwing a ReadWriteWeb Meetup near you! There are several great meetups planned already, but it's not too late to put one together for your locale.

The meetup in Seoul will be held at Shakr Media HQ and is going to be held at 7:30pm. More information on the location can be found on the Seoul Meetup page.

]]> The Seoul Meetup will feature demos and presentations with 5 minutes for each presentation and some time will be available after for Q&A. ReadWriteWeb's own Marshall Kirkpatrick will be Skyping in for the demos.

Free parking is available, but you'll need to send your license plate and car make/model in advance. Make sure to RSVP so you can be put in touch with the organizers.

Any questions about any meetups? Reach out to our Community Manager at robyn at readwriteweb.com.

Want to attend a ReadWriteWeb Meetup in your community? Check out the list below and if you don't see your city, add it soon. All meetups, unless otherwise noted, will be held on November 15, 2011 at 6:30pm.

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http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/readwriteweb_meetup_seoul.php http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/readwriteweb_meetup_seoul.php Community Sun, 13 Nov 2011 15:30:00 -0800 Robyn Tippins
Daily Wrap: Another Mexican Blogger Murdered and More Another Mexican Journalist KilledAnother blogger has been murdered in Mexico, hung from the same bridge two other bloggers were hung from last month. This and more in today's Daily Wrap.

Sometimes it's difficult to catch every story that hits tech media in a day, so we wrap up some of the most talked about stories. We give you a daily recap of what you missed in the ReadWriteWeb Community, including a link to some of the most popular discussions in our offsite communities on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Google+ as well. This is a new feature at ReadWriteWeb so we covet your feedback. If you have suggestions, please leave them in the comments below or reach out to me directly at robyn at readwriteweb.com.

]]> Drug Cartel Murders Another Blogger [Updated]

Mexico's journalists are being targeted by a drug cartel. Two bloggers were killed last month, and now another has been found hung on the same overpass with this threat, in Spanish, "This happened to me for not understanding that I shouldn't report on the social networks."

Here are a few more must read posts, chosen by your fellow community members.

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ReadWriteWeb Worldwide Meetup

Have you claimed your place in our ReadWriteWeb Worldwide Meetup on November 15? There's only a few days left!

Reach out to our community manager, Robyn Tippins, at robyn at readwriteweb.com if you have any questions.

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http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/daily_wrap_another_mexican_blogger_murdered_and_mo.php http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/daily_wrap_another_mexican_blogger_murdered_and_mo.php Community Thu, 10 Nov 2011 20:00:00 -0800 Robyn Tippins
Big Question (Answered): "What's Your Morning Tech Routine?" big-question-150.pngEarlier today we shared our tech routine. We thought it would be interesting to see what our readers did each and every morning to catch up on the news that's happened while they slept.

What's your morning tech routine?

We asked and culled your responses from Facebook, Google+, Twitter and the the original post and we used Storify to present it all back to you. If you have additional responses, please leave them in the comments.

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http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/big_question_answered_whats_your_morning_tech_rout.php http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/big_question_answered_whats_your_morning_tech_rout.php Community Thu, 10 Nov 2011 18:45:00 -0800 Robyn Tippins
Kinetik Brings Social Narrative to App Store Purchases kinetic_app_0911.pngA big problem for the nearly half a million apps available in the Apple App store is that they each lack an easily shareable social narrative that would empower users to buy.

San Francisco-based Kinetik, is trying to solve that problem and today launched an app-sharing application for the iPhone that looks at what your friends and potential friends are using and makes suggestions based on those apps to you.

]]> More than 450,000 apps are available to the 200 million iPhone, iPad and iPod touch users worldwide. "Nobody has the time to sort out 450,000 apps. It's really easy for them to see an activity, like what their friends are using," says Kinetik COO Juan Moreno.

Kinetik lets users choose an app, add a short comment and share it across social networks like Twitter and Facebook. It enables users to follow friends to see recent apps shared, organizes these shared apps by popularity, and arranges apps by categories like Games, Music and Photography.

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Kinetik's People section shows who to follow based on the apps a user has in common with other app users. It also gives each user a profile so that they can broadcast to friends the apps they are using. The closest thing to it would be companies like GetGlue and Flingo, which do a similar thing for Web and entertainment content.

I've tried the app. The signup process was a little annoying, because it asks for you to login through Twitter and supply them an email address. I don't like giving an email address, because I am wary of spam. I could immediately see what my friends were using and that even introduced a couple of apps that I had never seen before, so, check, that works.

The friend suggestions were both compelling and slightly disappointing. I could follow potential "friends," but the problem was that they had no apps so I could not understand the relevancy. Why were they being suggested? I think this may be because the app is new.

Kinetik has reached number 50 in the ranking for apps downloaded in the social media category since it launched early this morning, according to Moreno. As more people use it, it may really make good on that social narrative relevancy claim.

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http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/kinetik_brings_social_narrative_to_app_store_selec.php http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/kinetik_brings_social_narrative_to_app_store_selec.php Community Tue, 06 Sep 2011 16:45:00 -0800 Douglas Crets
Big Question (Answered): As Steve Jobs Steps Down, Linux Turns 20: Which Changed the World More? big-question-150.pngWhile these may seem unrelated, as we covered Steve Jobs' resignation as CEO of Apple this week and the 20th Anniversary of Linux, the question kept swimming through our collective heads. We debated it internally, we tossed snide comments back and forth, each firm in our own conviction that our favorite model was the right one. But, though we're sure you can't change our minds, which do you think has had more of an impact, Steve Jobs and Apple or Linux, and the community behind it?

You answered and we culled your responses on Facebook and Twitter and used Storify to present it all back to you. If you have additional responses, please leave them in the comments.

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http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/big_question_answered_as_steve_jobs_steps_down_lin.php http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/big_question_answered_as_steve_jobs_steps_down_lin.php Community Fri, 26 Aug 2011 14:30:36 -0800 Robyn Tippins
Community Wrap Up: London Riots, Google's Real Name Policy and More big-question-150.pngThis week we've asked a few big questions, and shared many of the responses with you. As Fridays are for reminiscing, we've culled our favorite reader responses that didn't make it into those big questions to share with you in our Community Wrap Up.

These responses are from Google Plus, Twitter, Facebook and our own on-site comments, and we've used Storify to present them in a clear and easy to follow manner. If you have additional responses, please leave them in the comments.

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http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/community_wrap_london_riots_googles_real_name_poli.php http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/community_wrap_london_riots_googles_real_name_poli.php Community Fri, 12 Aug 2011 16:30:25 -0800 Robyn Tippins
Big Question: What Effect Does Social Media Have on Real-World Social Unrest? big-question-150.pngThe London Riots are still going strong, but we're seeing social media used for both good and evil already. Yesterday, we asked "What effect does social media on the Web have on social unrest in the real world?"

You answered and we culled your responses from Google Plus, Twitter and Facebook, and used Storify to present it back to you. If you have additional responses, please leave them in the comments.

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Social media is just a tool. Tools aren't inherently good or bad - they're just used to aid someone's efforts. Social media can make your voice reach more people. Unfortunately, it can't improve upon your character.

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http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/big_question_what_effect_does_social_media_on_the.php http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/big_question_what_effect_does_social_media_on_the.php Community Wed, 10 Aug 2011 09:45:00 -0800 Robyn Tippins
Grocery Chain's Facebook Strategy Gets It 100 Fans/Minute fb_like_150.jpgPublix, a grocery chain based in Florida and typically found along the East Coast, seems to be doing something right with their new social strategy. According to the Tampa Tribune they were receiving 100 friends per minute at launch. That was only a few weeks ago and they're now pushing 18,000 fans and are already seeing considerable conversations on their page.

]]> Like you would expect, the page has coupons and deals and their own recipe section, but where they get this so very right is in their community practices.

Commenting Guidelines

These are spot on. Short and written in real language, these guidelines don't go into many details but paint a picture of what they want their community page to contain. They even take time to promote their brand here by reminding people that "treating each other with dignity and respect is part of (their) mission." Well done!

We know we aren't perfect and sometimes you may be upset with us. We do not plan on removing your comment unless it includes vulgarity, racial comments, personal attacks an associate or customer, is a third-party solicitation, or goes against Facebook's terms and conditions. Anything contrary to our company values may be removed.

Employee Social Guidelines

Attached to employee pay stubs last week, according to Mark Wilhelm, their social media guidelines (image) are short, but cover the basics. They don't specifically tell employees not to speak negatively about Publix but they do remind them to think before they comment. "If you would not say something at work in front of a customer, it is probably best not to say it online." For questions, employees are pointed towards the Media section in their handbook and to a full social media guidelines document on their internal website.

Answering Tough Questions

They could lighten up a bit on the PR-speak, but they're answering even the tough questions. This one that would have gone unanswered on most brand's pages gets an syrupy, but honest, answer.

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Apparently they're not looking at all to Twitter for community outreach because their Twitter account is still private and appears to be a placeholder. It appears that they're focusing fully on Facebook now, which makes sense considering their target audience. According to Abisay Hererra, who manages a Facebook page in the grocery industry, brand loyalty is very strong in the grocery sector. He pointed out that groceries are purchased often and are a necessity, so getting someone to choose your store over competitors is important. He did wonder though, why was Publix so late to the game?

Whether the relationship you have with your grocery store is good or bad, it very much affects your purchasing decision and has direct impact to the bottom line. The potential to show real social media ROI here is huge.

Tip to Michelle LeBlanc for pointing this out in the Social Media and Community 2.0 Group on Linkedin.

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http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/grocery_chains_facebook_strategy_gets_it_100_friendsminute.php http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/grocery_chains_facebook_strategy_gets_it_100_friendsminute.php Facebook Fri, 15 Jul 2011 09:00:00 -0800 Robyn Tippins
What Catches AT&T's Attention on Twitter? 17th Century Japanese Poetry of Course att-150x150.jpgEarlier today, our Sarah Perez reported on the news that AT&T had taken to Twitter to respond to the legions of customers (myself included) who regularly have to deal with various connectivity nightmares with their iPhones.

As someone who likes to complain, I've found that doing it on Twitter is hit and miss at best. Sure, pioneers like @comcastcares and Zappos made us think that great customer service via social media channels was more the norm and the exception, but we know better. It's often the "influencers" who have traditionally gotten the quick responses from big brands. That dynamic is changing as brands start figuring out that social media is two-way communication, but the change is still slow.


]]> That said, how can customer gripes stand out on Twitter? If they're in haiku form of course!

Today we asked our million plus followers to submit their AT&T woes in haiku form, using the #atthaiku hashtag. As expected, they came through in fine fashion with some very creative, funny and inspiring submissions.

How effective was our exercise? AT&T started to respond to some our our submitters, and they even submitted their own haiku for good measure.

While haiku won't single-handedly solve AT&T's myriad of issues, or prevent thousands from a mass exodus to Verizon in January, it does prove that 17th century Japanese poetry does a significant role in the marriage between social media and customer service.

We once again utilized Storify to capture the best haiku from our great followers. Enjoy!


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http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/what_makes_att_listen_on_twitter_17th_century_japa.php http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/what_makes_att_listen_on_twitter_17th_century_japa.php Community Wed, 03 Nov 2010 14:00:00 -0800 Seamus Condron
ReadWriteWeb Community: Building Relationships One Double Rainbow at a Time seamus_kid_vintage_150.jpgAs ReadWriteWeb's Community Manager, one of my obvious responsibilities is serving as mother hen to our bustling communities on Twitter, Facebook, and elsewhere. As vital as pageviews are to our success, having an engaging, inclusive experience is just as important.

In my time at RWW so far, I've been figuring out what works best on the social media platforms we have a presence on. After many scientific calculations and liters of Diet Coke, I offer the following assessment of our current social media dossier.

]]> twitter_new.jpgWe have over a million followers on this up-and-coming information network, but we haven't let those big numbers inflate our egos. While we leverage Twitter primarily as an outlet to post our content, we've also recently begun sharing content from outside ReadWriteWeb that we find especially interesting and informative, and hope you will too. In addition to content, we frequently post discussion questions to our loyal followers to get their opinions on the hotness happening in tech and social media. Follow @RWW on Twitter and be amazed. You can also follow the insights of the entire ReadWriteWeb team by subscribing to our Twitter list.


Facebook_logo.jpgOur Facebook personality is a decidedly different flavor than Twitter. Whereas Twitter is great for sharing information through links, Facebook is great for conversation. That's why our Facebook Page features frequent discussion questions in addition to select content from ReadWriteWeb and beyond. We also welcome you to post your own questions and insights. There is always a real person keeping an eye on the action to ensure maximum humanity. In the coming weeks and months, we'll be working on some cool stuff for our Facebook presence, so why not get in on the ground floor and be part of something BIG.



digg_logo.jpgIt's no secret that Digg is going through some major changes right now. Despite that, it continues to be a great place to discover and give props to content you find interesting. With the new version of Digg, you can follow us and read and interact with our most popular content, as well as check out stories outside ReadWriteWeb that caught our attention. Follow us on Digg.


stumble_logo_apr09.pngSocial Bookmarking is still very much en vogue, and StumbleUpon is the little social bookmarking engine that could. While our presence on Stumble is currently our most underdeveloped, we plan on changing that by focusing on curating, err, I mean stumbling, on interesting content related to all things Web, tech, and social media. Follow us on StumbleUpon and discover what we discover.

We're also in the process of enhancing our commenting and content sharing tools, so it will be even easier to share our insight (and yours) with your fellow geeks.

What else?
I'd love to get your thoughts and ideas on how we can evolve community at ReadWriteWeb, so please feel free to leave a comment on this post with your thoughts. You're also welcome to email me or hit me up on Twitter.

Until next time.

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http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/readwriteweb_community_social_media_wherever_you_g.php http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/readwriteweb_community_social_media_wherever_you_g.php Community Tue, 21 Sep 2010 12:30:00 -0800 Seamus Condron