Facebook, Twitter and Other Social Media Are More Used Than E-mail, Surveys Suggest

Ahha... agreed with this:

"Social networking is now more popular than e-mail"

Retrieved from
http://www.physorg.com/news156451348.html

That's the official word from a new round of Nielsen research, which shows "member communities" such as Twitter and Facebook have overtaken personal e-mail to become the fourth-most-popular way people spend time online (after search, portals and software applications).

While there are plenty of facts and figures to back up the claim, it seems a little like old news. As fast as e-mail is, it's just not immediate enough. Seeing a message pop into an inbox just doesn't compare to receiving a tweet on Twitter or even a comment on Facebook.

And social media is good for you. It forces you to get to the point. We don't read e-mail, we scan it. Why unleash a 1,000-word diatribe when you can sum it up in 140 characters?

And what would a Nigerian scam be without e-mail? "My father was a very wealthy cocoa merchant in Abidjan, the economic capital of Ivory Coast before he was poisoned to death ..." just wouldn't have the same impact posted on a Facebook wall.

E-mail is still king at the office, but we're all embracing social media and other forms of communication. Sometimes, we still actually talk to each other!

ZAC FITRI :P

Rayaaaaa :)

A few more days to Rayaaa!

Selamat Hari Raya in advance darlings :)

Much much love,
Alezaaaaaaa :)

Privacy: A Public Concern

Retrieved from:

http://www.nytimes.com/2001/01/11/technology/11GEE2.html

Over the years, as the Internet has become increasingly popular, internet privacy has become more and more of an issue. Technology is a two edged-sword. While it can allow you to instantly retrieve information from around the world, it can also allow criminals to track your every move online: from the website you browse to the files you download.

Why is so much of the recent attention to privacy issues focused on Internet privacy when consumers have had privacy concerns long before they started doing business online? Certainly, the current hype surrounding the Internet in general has contributed to the buzz. These days, anything that happens online seems much more exciting than things going on in the "real" world. But in the case of online privacy, I think there is some substance behind the hype.

The Internet and computerized databases make automated collection and processing of information particularly easy and convenient. In fact, for the typical Website operator, it's easier to collect information about Web site visitors than to figure out how to configure a Web server not to collect that information.

As a result, there are now zillions of databases silently collecting mostly innocuous "click-stream" data from everyone who surfs on by. But when these databases are merged, and especially when click-stream data is combined with personally identifiable data that users type in when filling out online forms, Web surfers may be profiled in ways that raise serious privacy concerns. Imagine, for example, if employers started inferring health information about their employees (or prospective employees) based on information about visitors to medical-related or health-related Websites.

These are few terms that you’re might recognized but you don’t know what their tribulations are.

Cookies
The word cookies may bring back memories of Grandma's chocolate-chip treats, but on the internet it's quite different. Internet cookies are little tools that websites can use to track your surfing patterns and recognize you when you come back to visit. While this can be helpful which sites such as Amazon.com provide book recommendations and suggestions, it can also be used for evil. When used wrongly, cookies can be used to track and trace personal information. Identity thieves use this to hijack your good reputation and run up huge bills on your account.

Spyware
Spyware are little pieces of software that can be picked up by surfing any website or downloading files. These programs can track a huge variety of personally identifiable information, from login information to financial sites to credit card and banking details. Hackers can then use this information to steal money from you or even sell it to others for that purpose.
In the past, only dubious-looking websites would give you spyware, but now many people are creating legitimate-looking tools that appear to be harmless. However, once downloaded, they infiltrate your system and expose you to identity theft.
While installing virus-protection and anti-spyware software is critically important, it will not protect you from all dangers. The only way you can be 100% sure no one is tracking you is to surf the web anonymously through internet proxy services. Proxies stand as a middleman between you and the web, retrieving the pages you request and passing them along to you. This way, no evildoers can pinpoint your geographic location or trace you down in any way.

Therefore, we should be more courteous with anything we are living,using,spending,playing and also being ;p

By,

Munirah Nasri
2009417804

Facebook Fan Pages Are Effective Marketing Tool

Retrieved from
http://hbr.org/2010/03/one-cafe-chains-facebook-experiment/ar/1
http://www.rice.edu/nationalmedia/news2010-02-18-facebook.shtml
http://www.physorg.com/news197093859.html

SUMMARY

Based on the articles, companies that use the popular social-media site Facebook and its fan page module to market themselves to customers can increase sales, word-of-mouth marketing and customer loyalty significantly among a subset of their customers. It is according to new research conducted by Rice University's Jones Graduate School of Business. The study is featured in the March issue of the Harvard Business Review. Research for the article, f Business, and Emily Durham, a Jones School alumna and founder of Restaurant Connections, a Houston‐based restaurant consultancy. Dholakia and Durham surveyed customers of Dessert "How Effective is Facebook Marketing?", was conducted by Utpal Dholakia, associate professor of management at Rice University's Jones Graduate School oGallery (DG), a popular Houston-based cafe chain. Prior to the study, DG did not have a Facebook presence. The study, based on surveys of more than 1,700 respondents over a three-month period, found that compared with typical Dessert Gallery customers, the company's Facebook fans:

• Made 36 percent more visits to DG's stores each month.
• Spent 45 percent more of their eating-out dollars at DG.
• Spent 33 percent more at DG's stores. Had 14 percent higher emotional attachment to the DG brand.
• Had 41 percent greater psychological loyalty toward DG.
  

According to Dholakia, the results indicate that Facebook fan pages offer an effective and low-cost way of social-media marketing. Dholakia said “The fact that only about 5 percent of the firm's 13,000 customers became Facebook fans within three months indicates that Facebook fan pages may work best as niche marketing programs targeted to customers who regularly use Facebook. Social-media marketing must be employed judiciously with other types of marketing programs." Facebook marketing programs may be especially effective for iconic brands, which appear to attract a higher percentage of their customer base as Facebook fans.
So, in a nutshell it can be concluded that Facebook fan pages:

• Can be very effective in increase sales, word-of-mouth marketing and customer loyalty
• Totally free and easy to set up.
• It can be quite rewarding and doesn't require a huge deal of effort.
• Have a greater opportunity to post contact details, a few photos graphics, videos and content detail as to what you're involved in.
• While posting specials promotional blurbs or posting product highlights regularly it is actually offers a great way to boost sales.
• Great way to stay in touch with your email newsletter subscriber list in between issues.
• Summaries and links are a great way to drive traffic to the pages and generate conversation. It’s all about creating value for fans to make the updates is something they feel is worthwhile to appear in their own feeds.

OPINION

Facebook are a little more "in your face” when people comment on what you have to say or information you post, it's there for all to see. This can be a bit of a double edged sword. While it can provide messages of support for your business or glowing reviews, it can also provide an avenue for people to criticize you. Sometimes the criticism is constructive, sometimes destructive. Unfortunately, people tend to be a little more savage in online feedback and have a greater tendency to exaggerate. There is also the element of total nutters that exist in the online world, along with a healthy chunk of people who like to argue purely for the sake of it. You can of course choose to delete these comments, but if it's a complaint from an angry customer, that could be counterproductive as it may be seen as an attempt to bury a problem rather than deal with it. In situations where complaints arise and bearing in mind people are watching what unfolds, it's important to post a follow up stating their concerns are important to you and commit to investigate them promptly. There's no need to admit any sort of liability at that point; just that appropriate action is being taken. Perhaps also try to shift the conversation from your Facebook Fan page into a more private communication via email or phone. You may also need to apply strategies in dealing with aggressive online customers. By the way, Facebook also provides some very interesting statistics regarding who your fans are such as age group and location, the rate of new fans being added and lost.

FACTS

It can be said that, social media such as Facebook and Twitter or blogging sites have become powerful tools. Facebook's popularity is such that in January 2010, USA traffic to the site was 134 million unique visitors bypassing Yahoo's results. According to the The Nielsen Company report, nearly three in four people worldwide who use the Internet have visited a social networking or blog, spending an average of almost six hours a month on them. Of the seven biggest brands online globally, three are social media networking sites; Facebook, Wikipedia and YouTube. It said in its latest report on social media trends in the Asia Pacific region. Meanwhile, according to Nielsen's findings, online product reviews are the third most trusted source of information when consumers decide whether to purchase a product, coming after recommendations from friends and family. From China and India to Australia, online reviews are a major influence in buying electronics items, cosmetics, cars and food, among other things.An average 32 percent access social media sites from their workplaces and 31 percent access them from the confines of their bedrooms.Charles Buchwalter, Chairman and Chief Executive of Nielsen Online Japan said Social media is having a larger and larger influence on purchasing decisions .Everyone understands that social media is hot, it's growing quickly and in very unpredictable ways everywhere in the world. Facebook is much more than a poster child for social media as businesses increasingly use it. Social media is for real. There's no turning back.

By,
MOHD FITRI GHAZALI, 2009696666, MC 2225c
ZAC FITRI :p

Happy Holidays!

Hey guys

To those who are still on the list to upload your summary, please don't forget to do so even if it's during the holidays. Please also make sure that everyone comments on something or just upload any New Media articles that would be helpful for us all.

Have a great holiday and Eid Mubarak to all you :)

xoxo

What is New Media Technology?

retrieve from: http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-new-media-technology.htm

Summary:
The real rises of new media technology were actually starts in 1960’s whereby at the moment people start to use the computer. It had became new trend when the technology is expanding and people use it in their daily routine, thus everything starts to change and the increased use in many aspects of communicating in the new media usage and the Internet itself. People are communicating, exchanging idea, gathered information aggressively through the Internet and this new media help drastically people to interact.

In business world, the rise of new media helps in expanding the business and the usage of the technology contributes a lot, they use the internet to promote the product, find customer in social network; Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, email and etc. Thus they can easily reached the audiences and the use of social networking is relevant because today people did not spent much time on reading newspaper, but they more prefer on surfing the net. It is cheaper, save money and time and with one click, they can get all kind on information needed.

Written that anything that is considered old media, such as television, film or paper-based products are not part of new media because the new media is something that already being innovated by the technology and example email; people in workplace preferable to be contacted through the email rather than letter because it is more convenient and official. Corporate world were highly use this rapid new media technology daily especially for video conference, emailing, social networking, website, blogging and many more.

As a public relations student I do agree and suggested the usage of this new media were aggressively applied in any organizations because of the importance and the beneficial toward the audience itself. But I think that we still have to read to old media; television and newspaper instead only focusing on online media, sometimes the news is reported differ in every version thus to get the best and accurate once, referring to both type of media is the best solution that can be applied on.

I believe the media innovation will growth aggressively daily, thus we need to aware and know to use each new media application so that we knew what are actually happened around us. This is important especially for a public relations practitioner to major in this phenomenon; this is a part of our task to be major on.

By:
NOR HASREEN HASSAN
2009245216
MC222/5C

Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri

to: Muslim's viewer



sincerely, Sharina Azirah@Shery