GraceMarker: May 2016

Sunday, May 29, 2016

Trump vows to win traditionally democratic states

Katrina Pierson and Angela Rye join Victor Black to discuss Donald Trump's strategy to win traditionally democratic states in the general election.

Gary Johnson wins Libertarian presidential nomination

Libertarians selected former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson as their party's presidential nominee.

Cincinnati zoo shoots gorilla after child falls in cage

CNN affiliate reports on an incident at a Cincinnati zoo during which a gorilla was shot and killed after a child slipped into enclosure.

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Saturday, May 28, 2016

Nick Denton, Gawker Founder, Assails Peter Thiel as 'Vindictive' Foe

Gawker Media also hired an investment banker to help explore its options for a possible sale.

Spotify Track Previews Can Be Added to Twitter Audio Cards

Twitter announced that 30-second previews of tracks from Spotify can now be added to users' timelines and Moments.

The integration with Spotify follows a similar move in April to support audio content from SoundCloud in Twitter's audio cards.

Twitter wrote in its tweet (embedded below):

You'll want the volume up for this #SummertimeSoundtrack. Tweets with @Spotify tracks now play in your timeline!

You'll want the volume up for this #SummertimeSoundtrack. Tweets with @Spotify tracks now play in your timeline! BlogThis!Share to Twitter Share to Facebook Share to Pinterest

Saturday, May 21, 2016

Sharesi.es Launches Reward Social Networking Platform on Mobile

Sharesi.es launched Sharesies, its reward social networking platform, which allows users to earn rewards from brands by sharing pictures and videos in the application.

The Sharesies app allows users to share their own pictures from their camera rolls, or take new pictures within the app. Users can also share videos from YouTube for others to view. Users can add descriptions and hashtags to photos and videos before sharing them.

As users share posts, they're presented with rewards such as percent-off coupons and free shipping offers from brands including Ghirardelli Chocolate, Butcher Box, Sally Beauty Supply and others.

In addition to sharing content, users can browse posts from other users and follow users to view their new posts going forward. Users can also send messages to other users and can reshare posts from other users to their own feeds.

As users receive offers, they can save these to their Sharesies wallets to redeem them at a later time.

In a statement, Russell Craig, founder of Sharesi.es, commented:

Social media posts are worth more than likes for the users sharing their lives on social media. Up until now, social networking platforms have served brand interests through ads and sponsored posts, all without compensating users or giving something back in return. Sharesi.es was established to take the traditional digital advertising model and challenge it, awarding real monetary compensation for those sharing pictures and videos through our app.

The Sharesies app is available to download for free on the iTunes App Store and Google Play.

Twitter Takes Stand vs. Use of Dataminr for Surveillance Purposes

Dataminr, a company dedicated to identifying breaking news on Twitter, made headlines recently for shutting down a pilot program to share Twitter data with U.S. intelligence agencies. Officially, Twitter's policy of not selling data to the government was the reason for not renewing the program, but could this be Twitter doubling down on resisting data sharing with governments?

Twitter has maintained a firm stance against government data collection for some time, even going as far as filing suit against the government to allow its transparency report to be more transparent. CEO Jack Dorsey has also stated that he wants the platform to “empower organizations that bring more transparency to public dialog.”

While the pilot program between Dataminr and the CIA will not continue, government agencies would still be permitted access in non-surveillance capacities, a Twitter spokesperson told CNBC, saying:

We have never authorized a third party to sell data to an intelligence agency for surveillance purposes. Twitter data is largely public, and governments may review accounts on their own, like any user … For instance, if DHS (the Department of Homeland Security) wanted to buy Dataminr news alerts to surveil Black Lives Matter activists, we would decline. But if the DHS wanted to buy data to assist with disaster preparedness, (we) would permit that.

Spokespeople for the CIA criticized the ban, saying that tweets were “critical in providing indications of pending plots.” L. Gordon Crovitz, writing for The Wall Street Journal, contends that since Dataminr only identifies events and not users, the CIA should have access to that data for national security purposes.

However, the PRISM program also advocated for the large-scale collection of user data, anonymous or otherwise, in the name of national security, so it's easy to see why Twitter wouldn't want security agencies to access this information.

The mere existence of a program like PRISM has made privacy advocates wary of government attempts to work with companies when it comes to collecting data. We've seen companies update their infrastructure in the effort to keep the government away from user data following the demands to unlock the iPhone owned by the San Bernadino terror suspect.

The tweets Dataminr analyzes to generate its alerts are public in nature, so there isn't anything to stop intelligence agencies accessing those through their own programs or through Dataminr. However, it seems that for Twitter, there is a line it does not want intelligence agencies to cross. Maintaining that line is something all social networks may need to do to protect their users.

Image courtesy of Shutterstock.

Chat Bots Have Marketers Talking, and It's Not Why You Think

Over the past few months, there has been a media swarm around chat bots. Some wonder if the simulated computer software programs (most recently popularized within messaging applications like Facebook Messenger) will replace humans in a variety of jobs, while others speculate about just how helpful the technology really is to businesses. It seems that virtually everyone is talking about bots, including marketers.

Chat bots are the latest evolution in a long legacy of technologies changing the way consumers interact with companies. Every invention from telephones to social media has made businesses more accessible to consumers, and chat bots are no exception. I've been fascinated by the coverage for two reasons. One, the technology behind bots has been around for years, and some companies are doing a good job of marketing it. And two, bots-when done right-can help us do our jobs as marketers.

Not all bots are created equal, however, and marketers must carefully consider both the strengths and hurdles of bot technology before embracing it with open arms.

This is especially true within messaging apps, which have great potential to change the way businesses and consumers communicate. Messaging apps are perhaps the last remaining space on our mobile phones where users are in complete control of the interactions.

Messaging apps like Messenger and WhatsApp are popular for a reason–they're easy to use, frictionless and convenient. This makes it all the more important for marketers to get their chat bot implementation right the first time. With already limited budgets, the costs of improving customer satisfaction are high for marketers, and they risk turning consumers away from a technology that has a lot of merit if they release a poor, ineffective chat bot.

In the world of online customer service, even a single bad experience is like food poisoning for marketers. No matter how delicious the food (or digital channel), consumers are not likely to give it a second chance if it has negative side effects. Bots will become yet another fad if they are not engaging and useful, which is why implementing the right bot technology is a business-critical decision.

In addition to choosing intelligent bots, integrating them with agent assistance and future-proofing investments in bot technology, marketers also have to ensure a customer-service experience that allows consumers to resolve challenges online, on their own terms and, ideally, within a single channel.

In today's wave of “DIY” companies like Uber and Amazon, shoppers want to self-serve, and chat bots can make it easy for consumers to get answers and information on their own terms, and within widely used, convenient channels. Bots are very capable of offering this kind of personalized, on-brand customer service experience, but only if they can understand natural language, predict intent and know when to escalate that person's query to a live agent.

For example, imagine you've hit a roadblock while booking a trip from New York to Chicago on an airline's website. Rather than just saying something generic such as, “how can I help you?,” an intelligent bot would say, “Scott, I noticed you are trying to book a trip to Chicago, but your usual flight time is not available–is that why you messaged me?” It's a powerful, compelling moment for the consumer–the kind we (as consumers) want more of.

To provide this level of compelling customer service, bots must be able to predict consumer intent, as well as know when to escalate a service request to human assistance without losing past context. The amount of data available to marketers about consumers is astounding, and businesses do their customers (and themselves) a disservice when they fail to leverage this technology to make real-time decisions about how to deliver the right treatment, and when.

When the app store first emerged on the scene, developers rushed to create an app for just about everything. But the ones that we still use today (and often) are ones that actually help us do something of value.

In the same vein, bot technology will become more mainstream, but its success will be dependent on its usefulness. Smart companies, and smart marketers, are looking at bots as an intriguing piece of an intent-driven engagement strategy that cuts across channels. But it's only one piece. It's essential that the front-end–where consumers first interact with a brand–be integrated with a platform that can serve up this predictive data.

Marketers have the opportunity to find great value from the chat bot trend and help solidify the technology as a key part of the customer-service experience, but only if they get it right the first time. In the world of customer service, second chances are no guarantee.

Scott Horn is the chief marketing officer at customer acquisition and engagement provider [24]7.

Image courtesy of Shutterstock.

Instagram Video Carousel Ads Now Available to All Advertisers

Instagram announced earlier this month that it was beta-testing the addition of video to carousel ads, and the feature was made available to all advertisers Friday.

Carousel ads on Instagram can contain up to five elements-videos and photos-with videos capped at 60 seconds.

Instagram said in an Instagram for Business blog post announcing the launch that video carousel ads can be run seamlessly across Instagram and Facebook, and they can be created in Facebook's Ads Manager, Power Editor or marketing application-programming interface.

Taco Bell, ASOS, Macy's and Airbnb were among the advertisers involved in the beta-test, and Instagram featured campaigns by Disney (pictured above) and Jeep (pictured below) in its blog post, saying:

There are many ways to tell your story on Instagram. And now, for the first time, you have the ability to share a combination of static photos and video with carousel ads. The swipeable ad format lets businesses showcase three to five videos or photos within the same ad unit. That means you can use any combination of videos or photos you'd like. Advertisers also have full control of the order of the content, so photos and videos will appear in a sequence you choose. For businesses wanting to tell a more sequenced story, placing creative in a specific order will work to your advantage.

As you can see, businesses are reaching customers with more immersive content through video carousel ads. Whether you run a full video carousel ad, or a mix of video and photo, adding video to your carousel ads gives customers a richer understanding of your business, product or app. Video carousel ads are also available on Facebook, so you can seamlessly run your ads across both platforms to reach a wider audience more efficiently.

Readers: What do you think of the addition of video to Instagram carousel ads?

Friday, May 20, 2016

Video shows cops use stun gun on man in fatal encounter

Chase Sherman's parents called 911 to ask for help as their son was having a breakdown. Police bodycam shows officers use a stun gun on him and he died. CNN affiliate WGCL reports.

Saturday, May 14, 2016

Think Your Audience Is Too Small? Why That's Great for Business

In today's crowded retail space, many retailers have developed a niche audience. While that may seem like a hard way to scale and grow their businesses, their initial core audiences have become dedicated and genuine customers.

Once you find your niche, you can begin to scale to reach similar audiences, as opposed to dedicating all of your marketing resources to reach the biggest consumer segment from the onset.

Working with social media influencers can be a great way to help your business build a loyal group of followers from the ground up. Here's how you can start building an influencer campaign to amplify your message.

Choose the right influencer

Young consumers such as millennials and Generation Z are savvy shoppers. According to a study by Elite Daily, only 1 percent of millennials said a compelling advertisement would make them trust a brand more. Additionally, 33 percent of millennials rely mostly on blog reviews before they make a purchase.

As such, it's important for you to find an influencer right for your specific audience. “Right” could mean that their following is highly engaged or they speak to the heart of your company message. Evaluate what “right influencer” means for you, and then set out to partner with someone who is in sync with your brand to ensure that you're reaching valuable customers.

When working with YouTubers and bloggers, we always ensure that they understand our brand and align with our values. This means doing the appropriate research and reading or watching the influencer's recent videos and posts, as well as digging into content from months prior.

Not sure who's right for you? Media and marketing companies like TapInfluence, Reelio and Upfluence can help you identify the right candidates within their networks to help amplify your brand.

Develop a genuine campaign

According to a survey by Marketo, nearly two-thirds of consumers are highly annoyed with brands' continued practice of repeating generic advertising messages. To reach today's younger consumers, marketers need to be authentic and unique. The Elite Daily millennial study found that 43 percent of millennials rank authenticity over content when consuming news. This means being true to your own brand and company personality.

Influencers have their own brand images to maintain, as well. In order to develop a genuine campaign, you'll need to work with the influencer to make sure your message comes up organically in their daily content or social conversations. You want to find customers that will take to your product organically, so make sure the influencers are living your brand and not just selling it.

We also work closely with influencers to find new ways for them to engage with their fans-a gesture that's always appreciated as it helps them strengthen the relationship with their audience.

Measure the results

Once you've found the right influencer and implemented a campaign that reflects both your brand persona and the influencer's voice, it's time to see how it pays off. At Picpal, we use custom links and work closely with our web and social analytics teams to gauge the amount of clicks and social interactions the activation garners.

A large marketing budget is not a prerequisite to begin experimenting with influencer marketing. In fact, for best results, run small experiments to see what works, and then scale the effort.

To ensure that you're obtaining the right return on investment, start with a small activation. This could be a short series of five to 10 social posts or videos.

In addition to checking your own site analytics, reviewing the posts and videos for comments is important, as well. YouTube users are known for their candid comments, so you'll be able to gauge their reactions and either adjust or replicate the campaign for better results.

Whether you are a fast-growing, mass-market retailer or a boutique brand with niche group, there's a way for you to grow your audience into a passionate base with today's social influencers.

Mahesh Rajagopalan is the co-founder and CEO of Picpal, a real-time group photo collage application, as well as co-founder and president of Resolvity, a leading provider of cloud-based speech-recognition technology that automates customer-service calls for Fortune 500 companies.

Image courtesy of Shutterstock.

Technophoria: When Websites Won't Take No for an Answer

User experience experts are calling out companies whose digital practices may cross the line between nudge and manipulation.

Sunday, May 8, 2016

Could a Cruz-Rubio ticket have stopped Trump?

Top officials of the Cruz campaign are convinced there is one specific step that could have stopped Trump -- and they blame Sen. Marco Rubio for not taking that step.

Should Trump be "covered differently" than past nominees?

"This is a real gut check time for American media," Norm Ornstein says. Dana Milbank says Trump poses a "real challenge" for journalists.

Saturday, May 7, 2016

Podcasts Surge, but Producers Fear Apple Isn't Listening

The podcast has soared in popularity. But there's not much money in it for Apple, the genre's creator, leaving many in the community feeling neglected.

Poll: 57% of Americans Feel Trump Supporters Have 'Very Aggressive' Online Behavior

A new poll commissioned by social media consultancy RAD Campaign and Craig Newmark, founder of craigslist and craigconnects, examined users' feelings about the 'hostile social media environment' surrounding the 2016 presidential election in the U.S.

The poll surveyed 1,017 Americans over the age of 18, and found 15 percent of respondents have unfriended someone on a social network because of an opinion they've expressed about the 2016 election.

In addition, the poll found 23 percent of Hispanics / Latinos, and 25 percent of Americans under the age of 35 'are the most likely to unfriend someone they don't agree with politically.'

Elsewhere, 14 percent of respondents under the age of 35 said their jobs could be at risk if they expressed political opinions online.

When asked to categorize the behavior of supporters of five presidential candidates, 57 percent of respondents said supporters of presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump have 'very aggressive' online behavior. By comparison, 30 percent of respondents said supporters of Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton have 'very aggressive' online behavior.

Overall, the poll showed 54 percent of Americans think presidential campaigns 'should take more of a stand against the aggressive behavior of their supporters.'

Check out the full poll results in the infographic below.

Featured image courtesy of Olya Steckel / Shutterstock.com.

Thursday, May 5, 2016

Couple gets a lot of attention for THIS sign?

Couple gets a lot of attention for their "Everybody Sucks 2016" front yard sign. CNN affiliate KSHB reports.