Nielsen and Twitter are creating a social media TV rating service -- all to capture TV-related content activity to trend rapidly growing second-screen activity.The new service, called The Nielsen Twitter TV Rating, will complement Nielsen’s existing TV ratings, giving TV networks and advertisers real-time metrics for understanding TV audience social activity. This adds to Nielsen's NM Incite’s SocialGuide audience engagement analytics platform. NM Incite is a joint venture between Nielsen and McKinsey & Co., and the hub of Nielsen’s social media analytics efforts.“Our users love the shared experience of watching television while engaging with other viewers and show talent," says Chloe Sladden, vice president of media for Twitter. "Twitter has become the world's digital water cooler, where conversations about TV happen in real-time. Nielsen is who the networks rely on to give better content to viewers and clearer results to marketers."Twitter says it has more than 140 million active users who send one billion Tweets every two-and-a-half days.David F. Poltrack, chief research officer of CBS Corp., said: “The proliferation of smartphones and tablets has generated a substantial ‘connected’ TV audience that is simultaneously watching television and accessing the Internet through these devices. This, in turn, will continue to create the opportunity for content providers like CBS to offer engaging interactive features for our viewers."SocialGuide, recently acquired by Nielsen and NM Incite, captures Twitter TV activity for all U.S. programming across 234 TV channels in English and Spanish, and more than 36,000 programs.
Spending on mobile search ads in the U.S. will jump 55% to $3.6 billion next year, of which Google will take 92.4% share, according to research released Monday. Although the majority of Google's mobile ad revenue comes from search, the media will grow more slowly than native display formats. eMarketer estimates that Google maintains a 93.3% share of the overall $1.99 billion U.S. mobile search ad market in 2012. "Shifting consumer behavior has dramatically increased the volume of mobile searches and paid clicks on mobile devices, but advertisers remain hesitant to pay rates per mobile click comparable to those on the desktop, as mobile searchers are still less likely to convert into purchasers than their desktop counterparts," according to the report. Overall, the amount spent on mobile search ads in the United States pales in comparison to investments in native ad formats. The convenience of native ad formats like Facebook's mobile newsfeed ads and Twitter’s Promoted Products have pushed up the amount marketers spend on U.S. mobile ads. It turns out the ads are successful at reaching those spending time on smaller screens. eMarketer estimates that U.S. ad budgets will rise 180% to $4 billion this year for mobile advertising -- display, search and messaging-based ads served to mobile phones and tablets. Released in September 2012, the company previously forecast 80% growth to $2.61 billion. Estimates put 2013 at $7.19 billion, and nearly $21 billion by 2016. Pointing to Facebook’s Q3 mobile performance as a major reason for the uptick, eMarketer estimates Facebook’s U.S. mobile ad revenue at $339 million in 2012, but it still pales in comparison to Google at $2.17 billion. Estimates are based on data from research firms and investment banks, as well as other sources such as ad revenue, impressions and pricing. Overall, U.S. mobile ad revenue estimates demonstrate an uphill climb. eMarketer estimates Google's U.S. net mobile ad revenue at $3.9 billion in 2013, rising to $6.3 billion in 2014. The uptick this year was fueled by direct-response advertising, according to the research firm. Comparing Google's growth with Facebook's, the social network should climb from $851 million in 2013 to $1.2 billion in 2014. Pandora should follow with $347 million and $496 million, respectively. Twitter sits at $249 million and $383 million, and Apple at $213 million and $376, respectively. eMarketer estimates Facebook will generate 18.4% share of the U.S. mobile display advertising market in 2012. Google’s mobile display business takes 17% -- earning $315 million in the U.S. this year, driven primarily by strength of its AdMob network and relationships with advertisers looking to extend their display efforts to mobile devices. "The bulk of future growth for Google’s mobile display business, eMarketer predicts, will come from mobile monetization of YouTube," according to the report. Apple, which holds about 6.7% of the U.S. mobile display ad market, has the potential to capture market share in the long run, according to eMarketer. Millennial Media, by contrast, which has performed similarly to Apple, has less potential to scale -- but it does have an outsized presence in the marketplace, despite its 5.1% share of the after-TAC market.
Jello-O Pudding is taking a light-hearted approach to the end of the world in theory predicted by the end of the Mayan calendar on Dec. 21. The Kraft Foods brand is running a multi-element “funpocalypse” campaign to “fun things up” during the days leading up to the date in question. Throughout this week, the brand is running 60- and 30-second TV spots with a “Fun to the Rescue” theme, and sponsoring apocalypse-themed programming on cable channels. The ads, from CP+B, show intrepid brand reps braving the jungle to reach a Mayan temple and attempt to save the world by offering the gods Jell-O Pudding (as opposed to the “boring” vegetables and beans that actual Mayans offered the gods to win their protection). In addition, the brand is running a Twitter-based sweeps. Through Dec. 20, it will randomly select 12 entries per day to win $100. Winners are supposed to use the money toward completing their “bucket lists,” in case Jell-O proves unable to save the world after all. To enter, consumers need to follow @JELLO at Twitter.com/JELLO; tweet @JELLO with hashtag #funpocalypse; and share what they would like to cross off their bucket lists. Jell-O will also have street teams in five major metro areas handing out leaflets to assure people that “the end isn’t near; the fun is”; and is offering cards with humorous apocalyptic messages through a partnership with Someecards.com. Campaign rationale? Food has been “over-intellectualized,” says Jell-O senior brand manager Greg Gallagher. “Fun is in the DNA of Jell-O, and by inserting ourselves in the cultural conversation of the Mayan apocalypse, we will remind people to have some fun with their food.” Jell-O also commissioned a national survey about Americans’ perceptions of the Mayan apocalypse. Findings: While just 4% actually believe the world will come to an end, 82% say they’d “party like there’s no tomorrow” if they knew for certain that the end of the world was actually impending. About half say they’d be most excited about never paying taxes again, and 24% say they’d be most excited about never counting calories again.
Nielsen and Twitter are creating a social media TV rating service -- all to capture TV-related content activity to trend rapidly growing second-screen activity.The new service, called The Nielsen Twitter TV Rating, will complement Nielsen’s existing TV ratings, giving TV networks and advertisers real-time metrics for understanding TV audience social activity. This adds to Nielsen's NM Incite’s SocialGuide audience engagement analytics platform. NM Incite is a joint venture between Nielsen and McKinsey & Co., and the hub of Nielsen’s social media analytics efforts.“Our users love the shared experience of watching television while engaging with other viewers and show talent," says Chloe Sladden, vice president of media for Twitter. "Twitter has become the world's digital water cooler, where conversations about TV happen in real-time. Nielsen is who the networks rely on to give better content to viewers and clearer results to marketers."Twitter says it has more than 140 million active users who send one billion Tweets every two-and-a-half days.David F. Poltrack, chief research officer of CBS Corp., said: “The proliferation of smartphones and tablets has generated a substantial ‘connected’ TV audience that is simultaneously watching television and accessing the Internet through these devices. This, in turn, will continue to create the opportunity for content providers like CBS to offer engaging interactive features for our viewers."SocialGuide, recently acquired by Nielsen and NM Incite, captures Twitter TV activity for all U.S. programming across 234 TV channels in English and Spanish, and more than 36,000 programs.
Spending on mobile search ads in the U.S. will jump 55% to $3.6 billion next year, of which Google will take 92.4% share, according to research released Monday. Although the majority of Google's mobile ad revenue comes from search, the media will grow more slowly than native display formats. eMarketer estimates that Google maintains a 93.3% share of the overall $1.99 billion U.S. mobile search ad market in 2012. "Shifting consumer behavior has dramatically increased the volume of mobile searches and paid clicks on mobile devices, but advertisers remain hesitant to pay rates per mobile click comparable to those on the desktop, as mobile searchers are still less likely to convert into purchasers than their desktop counterparts," according to the report. Overall, the amount spent on mobile search ads in the United States pales in comparison to investments in native ad formats. The convenience of native ad formats like Facebook's mobile newsfeed ads and Twitter’s Promoted Products have pushed up the amount marketers spend on U.S. mobile ads. It turns out the ads are successful at reaching those spending time on smaller screens. eMarketer estimates that U.S. ad budgets will rise 180% to $4 billion this year for mobile advertising -- display, search and messaging-based ads served to mobile phones and tablets. Released in September 2012, the company previously forecast 80% growth to $2.61 billion. Estimates put 2013 at $7.19 billion, and nearly $21 billion by 2016. Pointing to Facebook’s Q3 mobile performance as a major reason for the uptick, eMarketer estimates Facebook’s U.S. mobile ad revenue at $339 million in 2012, but it still pales in comparison to Google at $2.17 billion. Estimates are based on data from research firms and investment banks, as well as other sources such as ad revenue, impressions and pricing. Overall, U.S. mobile ad revenue estimates demonstrate an uphill climb. eMarketer estimates Google's U.S. net mobile ad revenue at $3.9 billion in 2013, rising to $6.3 billion in 2014. The uptick this year was fueled by direct-response advertising, according to the research firm. Comparing Google's growth with Facebook's, the social network should climb from $851 million in 2013 to $1.2 billion in 2014. Pandora should follow with $347 million and $496 million, respectively. Twitter sits at $249 million and $383 million, and Apple at $213 million and $376, respectively. eMarketer estimates Facebook will generate 18.4% share of the U.S. mobile display advertising market in 2012. Google’s mobile display business takes 17% -- earning $315 million in the U.S. this year, driven primarily by strength of its AdMob network and relationships with advertisers looking to extend their display efforts to mobile devices. "The bulk of future growth for Google’s mobile display business, eMarketer predicts, will come from mobile monetization of YouTube," according to the report. Apple, which holds about 6.7% of the U.S. mobile display ad market, has the potential to capture market share in the long run, according to eMarketer. Millennial Media, by contrast, which has performed similarly to Apple, has less potential to scale -- but it does have an outsized presence in the marketplace, despite its 5.1% share of the after-TAC market.
Jello-O Pudding is taking a light-hearted approach to the end of the world in theory predicted by the end of the Mayan calendar on Dec. 21. The Kraft Foods brand is running a multi-element “funpocalypse” campaign to “fun things up” during the days leading up to the date in question. Throughout this week, the brand is running 60- and 30-second TV spots with a “Fun to the Rescue” theme, and sponsoring apocalypse-themed programming on cable channels. The ads, from CP+B, show intrepid brand reps braving the jungle to reach a Mayan temple and attempt to save the world by offering the gods Jell-O Pudding (as opposed to the “boring” vegetables and beans that actual Mayans offered the gods to win their protection). In addition, the brand is running a Twitter-based sweeps. Through Dec. 20, it will randomly select 12 entries per day to win $100. Winners are supposed to use the money toward completing their “bucket lists,” in case Jell-O proves unable to save the world after all. To enter, consumers need to follow @JELLO at Twitter.com/JELLO; tweet @JELLO with hashtag #funpocalypse; and share what they would like to cross off their bucket lists. Jell-O will also have street teams in five major metro areas handing out leaflets to assure people that “the end isn’t near; the fun is”; and is offering cards with humorous apocalyptic messages through a partnership with Someecards.com. Campaign rationale? Food has been “over-intellectualized,” says Jell-O senior brand manager Greg Gallagher. “Fun is in the DNA of Jell-O, and by inserting ourselves in the cultural conversation of the Mayan apocalypse, we will remind people to have some fun with their food.” Jell-O also commissioned a national survey about Americans’ perceptions of the Mayan apocalypse. Findings: While just 4% actually believe the world will come to an end, 82% say they’d “party like there’s no tomorrow” if they knew for certain that the end of the world was actually impending. About half say they’d be most excited about never paying taxes again, and 24% say they’d be most excited about never counting calories again.
According to a new study by IBM, middle management leaders are struggling to embrace social initiatives as part of their day-to-day work. The survey of 1,160 business and IT professionals shows that while 46% of the organizations increased their investments in social technologies in 2012, only 22% believed that managers are prepared to incorporate social tools and approaches into their daily practices. Two-thirds of respondents were not sure they sufficiently understood the impact that social technologies would have on their organizations over the next three years, says the report. But, roughly half the world’s population is online, says the report, and almost all of these Internet users are mobile. Their use of social media tools to shop, spend, and share insights is increasing. It is no longer simply a “sandbox” for the under-30 generation. The study finds that companies at the forefront of Social Business are doing more than developing a presence on major social platforms. A social business policy embeds social technologies into core business processes, and then applies the technologies to drive customer-facing activities such as lead generation, sales and post-sales service. Uses of Social Business (Companies Using; % of Respondents) Use% Today% Next Two Years Promote events/marketing campaigns 71% 83% Generate sales leads and revenue 51 74 Provide product and services support 46 69 Sell products directly to customers 35 61 Source: Institute for Business Value/IBM, November 2012 Today, companies are taking their external social tools and embedding them into core business processes and capabilities. They are using social approaches not only to communicate better with their customers, but also to share knowledge with their suppliers, business partners and, perhaps most important, their employees. In short, they are rapidly progressing to a larger, more substantive transformation in how they work called social business. A critical trend, identified in the study, is the application over the next two years of social approaches beyond organizational boundaries. They are looking to improve coordination with customers, vendors and partners, as well as leverage external talent, such as crowd sourcing Despite the fact that some companies are primarily focused on making sure that they got “collaboration right internally,” going beyond organizational boundaries will be an essential next step in the evolution of social business. Uses of Social Business (Companies Using; % of Respondents) UseTodayNext 2 Years Enable customer interaction 39% 63% Enable vendor/partner interaction 28 58 Leverage external talent 24 54 Source: Institute for Business Value/IBM, November 2012 Incorporating social capabilities into the innovation process is another highly important factor, says the report. Companies report that social tools are making it easier to acquire new ideas from almost anyone who touches their organization. And, they are also using social approaches to execute more structured innovation efforts that require senior management commitment to dedicate resources and follow up on insights gained from those events. Use of Social Business for Innovation (% of Social Business User Respondents) Use for InnovationTodayNext 2 Years More effective internal collaboration 57% 78% Monitor customer comments for new ideas 58 78 Obtain customer feedback 46 73 Enable customers to submit plans/solutions 40 68 More effective collaboration between partners/suppliers 38 72 Source: Institute for Business Value/IBM, November 2012 The report concludes by noting three essential actions to be taken across the enterprise, from the CEO’s office to the farthest corner of the organization:
Already the pace of posts, tweets and shares is starting to level off. Less than a week since the tragedy in Connecticut, we are returning back to where we were before. But, it’s too early. No matter what side of gun control or mental health support you stand on, it’s too early to stop the debate. Now is the time to discuss, inform and become informed. Every column I’ve written for Social Media Insider has been about helping businesses. This one is not. This column is about using social media to help ourselves. Tweet With The NRA If you support the NRA, tell them why with its handle @NRA. If you think the group needs to take a different stance, do the same. Twitter is a bit irrational right now when you do a search for @NRA. Add some measured, rational viewpoints to the conversation. The NRA has taken down its Facebook page since the events last week. However, you can still find it on Google+ and YouTube, in addition to Twitter. Sign An Online Petition Change.org has had a powerful impact in the past. It’s helped gradeschoolers change the marketing tactics for "The Lorax" movie. It’s allowed a nanny to change Bank of America’s banking policies. Visit this page for a list of the current petitions regarding Sandy Hook and its related issues. Tweet A Congressperson Twitter has a handy list of all the verified accounts of U.S. Congress members. Tweet your local representative. Tweet someone whose stance you agree with. Tweet someone whose stance you don’t. The page also allows you to see what Congress members have been saying lately on Twitter. Start A Conversation On BranchBranch.com is the new site with major backing from Twitter founders Evan Williams and Biz Stone. It’s a fantastic place to have meaningful, thoughtful conversations. Join a branch or start a new branch. Just have a meaningful conversation. Do It Your Way These Wiki pages have active members of the House, active members of the Senate and all their social media contact info. Respond to your local representative’s latest YouTube video, comment on one of your senator’s Flickr photos, or share an elected official’s latest blog post. It’s important we take moments like this to use our collective knowledge about social media to make an impact on the world around us. For many reading this post, social media might be a job; for others, it's a hobby. No matter what social media is to you, you most definitely can use social media to affect the future.