Don't Look Back! (Reading Reflection #3)

As anyone who spends time online could tell you, the Internet is growing and changing at an astounding rate. Take as evidence the graph below, which shows a consistent rise in social networking use among all age groups. As a web trafficker yourself, think for a moment about all of the changes that have taken place across the Internet in the last few years alone - In 2005, for example, tweeting was designated only for birds; today Twitter has become one of the most heavily trafficked sites on the Net… Change is happening fast and for companies to thrive they must adapt to and embrace this media revolution.

This graph alone should convey to any company the urgency of developing a social media presence

As this revolution persists many businesses struggle to keep up with the times. Traditionally, for large companies change is slow to come about. Yet within this ever-shifting environment, now more than ever companies must act quickly by integrating and committing to new technologies. For companies that are able embrace these technological changes, opportunities for creativity, innovation and growth are abound.

Above all else, a successful company first requires meaningful and effective communication. As Li and Bernoff explain throughout Groundswell, social media technologies provide numerous platforms through which people (including customers, employees and employers) can connect and communicate. As the authors explain in Chapter 11, not only is it important for companies to communicate with their consumers, but they also must communicate with their employees as well. As evidence of this fact, Li and Bernoff reference Best Buy's successful Blue Shirt Nation campaign. Although this website has since been discontinued, during its existence it provided a significant forum on which Best Buy employees could connect with each other by sharing their thoughts, ideas and insights about the company. The authors state that, “…In creating a collaboration tool, the company had also created a communication channel" (Li, 222). By providing their employees an open forum through which to communicate, Best Buy created a collaborative environment where employees felt involved and valuable.

These Blue Shirt Nation people may look kinda stupid, but they certainly appear to be happy employees.

When Li and Bernoff speak of embracing the power of the Groundswell, Blue Shirt Nation is an ideal case in point. When used effectively, social media have the power to bring people and ideas together... Yet success as in the case of Blue Shirt Nation is only achievable when a company has veritable intentions in mind. In the case of Best Buy, company executives truly wanted genuine feedback from their employees. They strived to create a better business and working environment that would in turn provide customers with a better shopping experience. These types of goals are universal, because everyone benefits; as a result, Blue Shirt Nation proved to be a master stroke.

It is clear from this and other examples provided throughout Groundswell that success in social media results only if the people want it. In the real world, when people share common interests, goals and/or desires, they incline to connect with each other. The same is true of the groundswell, where people's commonalities often lead them to form productive and substantive relationships.

For a company looking to tap into the vast potential of the groundswell, it is essential to realize that success comes only when everybody is on board. To access the potential benefits of groundswell technologies, the authors assert that companies must, “Promote a listening culture from the top down, ease and encourage participation with incentives, and find and empower the rebels in your organization" (Li, 227).

In chapter 12, Li and Bernoff contend that the groundswell will continue growing and evolving; “…The groundswell is about to get embedded within every activity, not just on computers, but on mobile devices and in the real world. This is the ubiquitous groundswell" (Li, 235). In the short time since Groundswell was published, changes like these have already taken form. So whether you like it or not, the Internet is now an integral part of our social, cultural and economic fabric. Just as individuals must learn to adapt, business, in all of its manifestations, must incorporate the tools afforded by new technologies in order to establish contemporary channels of communication. Companies that are failing to look forward and incorporate within this revolution must learn to adapt, lest they be left behind for good as the groundswell relentlessly advances.

Social Media Monitoring ~ THE BLACK KEYS

Seeing as my blog concentrates on the use of social media in the music realm, for my monitoring assignment I thought it would be relevant to examine how particular bands can exploit social media to their benefit. This is especially worthwhile considering that much of the music industry is making an marked transition onto the web. The group I chose to track is a rock & roll band called The Black Keys. The Black Keys are an excellent social media monitoring case study because they have established a reputation across several Internet forums and have truly engaged with the groundswell. My project outlines how this band’s effective use of social media has undoubtedly contributed to their recent rise in popularity.

The Black Keys ~ Dan Auerbach (left) and Patrick Carney (right)

The Black Keys are blues-rock duo from Akron, Ohio made up of guitarist/singer Dan Auerbach and drummer/producer Patrick Carney. The band edged their way into the pop music scene in early 2002 and in the last decade since, The Black Keys have released 6 studio albums as well as two EPs and one live album. Over this time they have gained a solid reputation in music circles as a hard-edged and authentic rock band.

Over the last two years The Black Keys have experienced a surge in popularity, thanks in large part to their presence across several social media forums. In late 2010 and through 2011 in particular the band has witnessed an impressive spike in popularity that is currently holding steady. Shortly after winning two Grammy Awards in February 2011 for “best alternative music album” and “best rock performance” The Black Keys witnessed their peak in interest/popularity to date. Since winning their Grammys, the band has garnered growing recognition and support. The chart below displays the The Black Keys' relatively sudden rise in popularity since 2009. The highest spike in this chart directly corresponds with the band's February 13 Grammy Award victories.


Of all the major social media networks, The Black Keys have accounts on Facebook, Youtube, Myspace and Twitter. The band utilizes these platforms as means of distributing and promoting their music and merchandise as well as for notifying fans of upcoming shows and band-related events. On all of these pages the band provides a considerable amount of content for fans to peruse. On Facebook, for example, there are over 1000 photos, as well as free music samples that anyone can listen to. Similarly, on Myspace there are free songs, as well as videos, photos and chat-boards. Furthermore, each webpage links fans to band merchandise (i.e. CDs, t-shirts, totebags) and lists of future tour dates.

To track The Black Keys, I used a variety of quantitate and qualitative data sources, including Google Insights for Search, Addictomatic, Icerocket and Socialmention. Google Insights was particularly useful in providing a chronological timeline revealing The Black Keys’ trends in popularity, or so-called “interest over time.” As the graph below shows, when narrowing search terms specifically to uncover The Black Keys' social media relevance, the data reveals that the band’s recent rise in popularity directly coincides with their growing social media presence. Until mid-2009, The Black Keys were virtually nowhere to be found in the social media realm. Once they formed a presence on these platforms, the band’s popularity has risen precipitously.


Search results for The Black Keys on Addictomatic reveals that the band is popular across a wide range of web channels. For instance, websites like Flickr and Truveo have an abundance of content all related to The Black Keys. Flickr search results, for example, yield over 50,000 images that are tagged with 'the black keys'. Furthermore, according to Icerocket, the term 'the black keys' is tweeted about roughly 20 times per hour, certainly a substantial ratio.

Across every social media platform I have examined, comments and discussions regarding The Black Keys is almost entirely positive. Fans and followers praise the band for their fresh, “alternative” sound that some fans seem to find lacking in today’s mainstream music. On Facebook, every hour several fans leave comments on The Black Keys’ page, offering encouraging messages and displaying their affection for the band.

Here are a few examples of some comments posted to the bands Facebook wall:

• “So inspiring-so amazing-so face-melting-rocking-my-socks-off goodness... i just love you guys!” 
•  “Your show in Paris was something ! Thanks guys ! You are one of those bands that remind me why I love music so much. Come back soon please !” 
• “Thank you!! thank you!! i've been searching for many years to find a band that rocks as awesome as you guys do! Keep it up!”
• “Seriously. The Black Keys are taking over the part of my brain that requires music. This is very strange for me.”

Nearly every comment on the band’s Facebook wall is equally supportive and admiring. Countless posters encourage the band to play a show in their city, while many others post simply to thank the band for their excellent music.

Similarly on Twitter, users are tweeting flattering comments about The Black Keys:

• mellifluous1; “Omg I didn't know anyone else loved the black keysas much as I did. Heeey Heze! (February 26).”
• katiemiranda; “can't stop listening to the black keys.... i need to get tickets (March 2).” 
• SaydiSunshine; “I've been listening to The Black Keys all day today. Yes (March 9).”
• _UhhhhhSucks4U; “My new favorite song. The Black Keys-She's Long Gone *includes link to song* (March 13).”

It is evident from these and countless other examples that The Black Keys have effectively branded themselves online and built a powerful following of very devoted listeners. To support this claim, on Socialmention The Black Keys overall have an 7:1 sentiment ratio, meaning the band receives over 85 percent positive feedback. Considering that this type of data is imprecise, I would not be surprised if in all actuality the band has an even higher ratio of positive feedback.

Out of all the social media forums exploited by The Black Keys, Facebook and Youtube appear to be their most effective resources. On Facebook the band has 858,517 followers as of March 13, 2011; comparatively on Myspace the band has 150,000 friends. On Facebook they use simple but effective teasers that help steer traffic to their band website, www.TheBlackKeys.com, where more merchandise and content is available. Under their Facebook page description it reads, “Register at TheBlackKeys.com to receive a free download of "Ohio." Be the first to hear about tour dates, tv appearances, new music and merch.” Simple promotional offers like this effectively excite the groundswell and help push more traffic towards the bands own website.

On Youtube The Black Keys have 20,000 subscribers and in total their music videos have over 15 million views. This implies that people are linking to The Black Keys channel and sharing their videos in forums, blogs and on other networks. The music video for their song “Tighten Up” alone has over 7 million views. For a group like The Black Keys, music videos are content-rich media that fans and followers can repeatedly enjoy and share with others. These videos become embedded in web pages all across the web and helps maintain buzz. It was a very shrewd business decision for them to create a Youtube account.  This way they can distribute their content on their own terms, while simultaneously linking fans to their other videos, webpages and merchandise.

In sum total, The Black Keys are effectively reaching and engaging with the groundswell. The band has quickly learned how to brand and themselves online.  Though they have yet to reach an audience that can truly be considered "mainstream," they have captured a large base of devoted followers.   In the following weeks I will be interested to see if the band’s popularity/interest remains steady, or whether the beneficial effects of their February Grammy awards will wear off. Considering the band's prevalence across several forums and their ability to engage with fans, I predict that The Black Keys will maintain their high levels of success and popularity for the foreseeable future.


I'd be interested to see if anyone might have some suggestions about other artists/bands that I could look at to compare my findings to in my final assessment... lemme know if you got any ideas, why dontcha!

I think I caught me a big one!!! (Groundswell Reflection #2)

The notion of  “embracing” the groundswell brings to mind a superfluous metaphor... As a young and impressionable child, my uncle Marvin would take my four brothers and I on venturesome fishing trips in the beautiful waters off of Cape Cod. Uncle Marvin taught us a type of fishing known as trolling.

Trolling in action... See as the fish are enticed by the variety of bait...

Unlike angling, which is done from a stationary position, trolling is achieved by slowly dragging several fishing lines through the water behind the boat. Long poles known as “downriggers” allow fishermen to drag the different lines at varying depths, depending on the type of fish being hunted. Trolling requires a knowledge of many different factors, such as water currents, water temperature, time of day, migrational patterns, etc. Other factors must be considered before simply tossing the lines into the water. The type of lure, for example, is essential, as specific types of fish are attracted to different colors, movements and shapes. A spoon lure, for instance, will entice different fish than a spinnerbait.

In the world of the groundswell, businesses are like fishing boats, slowly trolling the open waters. Consumers are the fish, in search for some tasty food.  Perhaps where this analogy falls short is that after capturing a segment of the groundswell, companies are best suited to not eat their customers;  Instead they must ENGAGE with them.  Most Internet users, like albacore tuna, revel in their online autonomy. Like fishermen at sea, in order to entice these free-swimming consumers, companies must exploit a broad range of tools and knowledge to build interest around their product.

Gaze, and enjoy the wonderment of the mighty albacore tuna.

In chapters 9 and 10, Li and Bernoff emphasize the need for marketers to take part in honest and substantive discourse with online consumers in order to develop a constructive relationship between buyer and seller. Li states, “… You need to do more than just ask for feedback.  You need to show that feedback online, good and bad, where people can see that you are ready to act on it, that you are committed to improving things” (pp. 194).

Chapter 10 takes a look at two companies that effectively changed their business strategies by embracing the collaborative benefits of the Internet. Both Dell and Unilever are enormous businesses that bring in huge profits each year. Despite their size, forward-thinking employees pushed executives to consider new ways of communicating and working with customers. In the case of Dell, engaging the groundswell helped revive dwindling sales and rising customer dissatisfaction. By providing a forum on which consumers and employees could discuss the company's products, Dell created an ongoing dialogue with its customers. Not only did this allow for the company to better recognize its flaws, it also created a more positive and honest business environment. When customers can look to a company for answers to their problems, the company establishes trust and a strong reputation.

Here's a simple breakdown of the social media mechanism used by Dell. As you can tell, in engaging the groundswell the first step starts with the act of listening.

On the Internet, building a reputation is fundamental for success. The Internet is ripe with deceitful scumbags. Take, for example, this vile company called Dentech Whitening. The company purchases ad space on popular websites such as the HuffingtonPost and advertises its free tooth whitening trial. Unsuspecting customers are lured in by this seemingly auspicious deal, only to find weeks later that they actually have agreed to pay Dentech Whitening $90 a month for a useless product. Internet savvy consumer have grown weary of such unscrupulous companies, and as Li points out, consumers tend to consort with businesses that, you know, keep it real. As common sense would presume, people gravitate towards businesses that are compassionate, sincere and above all, trustworthy.

My Uncle Marvin

More often than not, we would return home from our fishing expeditions with a boat stuffed with fish. It was as if uncle Marvin had a way of speaking with the fish, a “fish sense,” if you will. However sometimes, even with his vast knowledge of the seas and his unrivaled fishing expertise, uncle Marvin just wasn't on the fish. Certain variables would come into play, and we would turn for home, despondent and empty-handed. (As uncle Marvin steered us to port, me and my brothers would yell from the stern, “Uncle Marvin, we're starvin'!!!”)

Much like trolling the high seas, engaging the groundswell requires a calculated, well thought out plan, and a knowledge of people's online patterns and tendencies. Exploiting the realm of social media is complicated, but if done right, more often than not, at six o'clock sharp, they'll be more than enough fish to go around the dinner table... Who knows, maybe even enough for seconds  :)

Social music, oh my! (Original #2)

Listening to music is quite fun. Take, for example, this awesome live performance by Dizzy Gillespie and his big band filmed in the 1960s:

The rise of the Internet has fundamentally changed how people obtain and distribute music.  As you have likely noticed, the music industry is in an enormous transition phase. CDs are slowly but surely becoming forgotten relics, while Mp3 sales and downloads continue to rise. The corporate stranglehold over the music industry has significantly waned, as digital media provide cheap alternative avenues between artists and listeners. To better understand the direction in which the music business is heading, step back a moment and consider how drastically things have changed in recent times. Only 15 years ago, the very notion of watching free streaming video of Dizzy Gillespie seemed farfetched. But today, a quick and easy search on Youtube uncovers a laundry list of your favorite music.

I'm no economist, but it appears as though some sort of trend is taking shape.

But music's evolving relationship with the Internet goes far beyond Youtube videos. The Internet is now allowing music consumers to share their musical tastes with others and discuss their favorite artists and songs. On 8tracks.com people can contribute personal playlists and connect with other users that share similar tastes. Another website called Mog claims to allow users to "discover people through music and discover music through people."

The digital music revolution coincides with the rise of social media networks that are sprouting up around every corner of the Internet. Music consumers on the web are increasingly idiosyncratic, demanding comprehensive forums through which to consume music. People's tastes vary significantly so websites face the challenge of  developing a strong business model whilst simultaneously appealing to a diverging audience; The once-popular "Imeem" failed at this and eventually went under.   Successful social music sites  allow artists and listeners to interact, but also allow consumers to develop an online musical "identity."  All of these things are easier said than done, and require creative developers and programmers that can identify the needs of music listeners.

As I explore different social music networks, I am finding that there is more than one way to skin an mp3 (forgive me). Each of these sites tailor to different audiences and utilize a broad range of tools and functions. For a general recap of the most popular social music websites, check out THIS ARTICLE, which explains how different sites are tailored for specific uses. Some sites, like the extremely popular Pandora, focus more on music streaming, while others like Buzznet allow users to connect with each other and share their music-related ideas. Other popular sites include TheHypeMachine, Myspace, Purevolume and iLike. Each are considered social media sites, yet they all serve quite a range of different functions. TheHypeMachine, for example, is a blog aggregator, which indexes popular songs/artists circulating the blogosphere. It is essentially a mothership blog, where music seekers can branch out to new blogs and find the latest hip songs.

After perusing through several of these social music sites, thus far my personal favorite is Last.fm. Last.fm is excellent because it truly attempts to synthesize the act of listening to music with the concept of social media. The assortment of features the site offers is too expansive to completely cover. Instead lets focus on just a couple features which I find particularly appealing.

Last.fm members can add their favorite artists to their online 'library' which informs the site of one's music preferences. The website's "scrobbling" application makes this process quite easy by gathering all of the artists and songs recently played on your computer and/or mobile device. After building your music library, the site then offers musical recommendations based on your listening tendencies. Users can easily set up a profile page and connect with other members who can be found under the 'community' tab. Another kewl function the website offers is the 'neighbors' feature, which is a compiled list of musically compatible last.fm members. Users can "friend" people and subsequently "shout" on one another's profile page; the equivalent to writing on someone's Facebook wall.

Fans of particular bands can chat on forum pages that amass lists of the latest news and activity surrounding an artist. Take for example the page for the group Nirvana. Here you can see what members are listening to the group and what they are saying. Furthermore, thanks to the "scrobbling" feature, users can connect in real time with others whom are currently listening to the band. These and many other features are helping bring listeners (and to a lesser extent artists) into a forum in which they can share and discuss music.

The amount of music circling the web can seem overwhelming. However, sites like Last.fm, TheHypeMachine and many others are developing innovative ways of bringing it all together into an interactive and comprehensive forum.  The digital revolution is changing the face of music, in ways both good and bad.  In the years to come I expect that several of these music sites will consolidate, as a newer corpratist business model begins to form.  In any case, the future of music online seems bright, as long as it remains open and ubiquitous.

Groundswell: (Reading Reflection #1)

 In little more than a decade the Internet has transformed how people consume, share and distribute information. Inevitably, this expansive and relatively open medium is transforming how people interact on almost every conceivable level. But sometimes it can be difficult to see the forest for the trees. As we submerge ourselves in the vast ocean of Web 2.0, it is easy to forget that our culture is in the midst of a revolution of sorts. The "groundswell" is powerful, and it will only continue to grow and evolve as the Internet and social media further infiltrate every aspect of our lives.

Through the first several chapters, for me the most pressing question that arises deals with the sociological impacts of these rapid technological transformations. In the 1950s, American culture witnessed the sudden proliferation of television. This new technology had enormous impacts throughout society, changing the very way people conceptualized the world. Today, the Internet is having a similar, if not even more profound, impact on peoples' perceptions and ideologies. In this context, the relationship between the human mind and the Internet will become an increasingly pressing issue for our culture.

In his book Born Digital, author John Palfrey  classifies todays younger generation (roughly those 18 and under) as "digital natives" who perceive the online world and the real world as converging spaces. Older generations are more inclined to separate the two spheres, and he calls this group "digital immigrants." Palfrey believes that digital natives fundamentally process information differently than do their predecessors. These psychological changes carry significant implications for how people relate to each other, to information, and to society's institutions.

In a classic skit, Dave Chappell considers what the Internet, if it were an actual place, might be like to visit. His depiction is eerily accurate at points.

On the business side of things, marketers must now appeal to consumers who are increasingly media savvy and cognizant of advertising ploys. Unlike television viewers, Internet users have much greater autonomy and choice. Marketing across the Web requires using social media as tools for harnessing and exploiting information. Consumers on the Internet are far more independent and unique than before; to attract attention and maintain interest, marketers must now tap into and appeal to consumers' online individuality.

It is evident that users of the web are consumers to the core. Of course goods and services can be purchased over the web, however people need not purchase goods to be consumers; the Internet is fundamentally a place to consume information. As the Internet evolves, marketers that are able to collect, interpret, and harness the power of information through the use of social media will "win the future," as Barack Obama so strangely puts it.

The evolution of music and new media (Original #1)

The rapid growth over the last decade of the Internet, and particularly social media,  has forever transformed how people produce and consume music - and for the most part, that is a good thing. Through forums like Youtube and Myspace, upstart bands and artists can make a name for themselves. Other more music-centric sites like Pandora and Grooveshark allow listeners to easily peruse the vast musical schmorgesborg. P2P file sharing programs such as  BitTorrent  present web browsers even more - uhhhhh, kinda illegal - music listening options.

Unhindered avenues of musical exploration present tremendous opportunities for discovery and distribution. An unknown band with an affinity for autotune (see Gregory Brothers) can now become an overnight sensation with a popular Youtube hit. For the modern music consumer, a kewl new song, band or style waits to be heard around every corner. And all of this leads me to wonder how trendy hipsters found obscure European indie rock bands before having the Internet to rely on.

This article by Jackie Peters outlines just a few of the ways that social media are changing the musical sphere.

Music's increasing accessibility has exposed the art form to countless new listeners. Almost anyone you ask (especially younger people) will say that they enjoy listening to music, to some degree or another. A limitless range of styles and genres lend music a universal appeal well suited for a medium like the Internet. Don't like pop country? Perhaps hardcore thrash metal will tickle your fancy… Or how about some bebop jazz to snap your self-aware fingers along to? All of this and anything else you can musically imagine is readily available, and in many cases, completely free of charge.

In the weeks to come, I will dig up some interesting morsels regarding music and its growing alliance with social media. As these become even more inextricably linked, it will be fascinating to uncover current trends and practices. I'll delve into the many ways that the Internet and social media are changing the music business. The restructuring of the music industry has significant implications for artists and consumers alike. It will be intriguing to see how this once heavily corporatized industry continues to evolve in the coming years.

A March 2010 interview with musician Amanda Palmer on NPR's On The Media explores the evolving relationship between music and the Internet. This segment reflects on the latent meanings that this transformation carries and considers the long term effects on the music industry as a whole.

Listen HERE: