Disqus - Latest Comments for northerncomfort

Re: Hip Hop Friday – 18th October

northerncomfort — Fri, 18 Oct 2013 06:35:14 -0000

Somehow Sad Eagle commented on this from the past.

Re: Terrible writing = Page views

northerncomfort — Thu, 17 Oct 2013 06:50:37 -0000

I think it applies in a lot of areas. Unemployment figures going down, but that's not really a metric which tells the whole story. It's the story of the drunk looking for his keys under the streetlight at night, even though he lost them on the other side of the road. When asked why he's looking there, he replies 'Because this is where the light is'.

Similarly there's the problem with measuring 'success' in social media - how many hits you get on a video, for example. That might not be the correct thing to measure - the Evian skating babies video got millions of hits, but their profits plummeted during that same period.

Re: Mobile By The Numbers [INFOGRAPHIC]

northerncomfort — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 08:00:42 -0000

Hang on. 91% of mobile access is 'to socialise', yet only 49% use it for social networks? So what does 'to socialise' mean - talking on the phone too? In that case comparison with desktop use is meaningless, as is the use of the term 'socialise' elsewhere in the infographic.

Then 200 million+ youtube views - but only 21% of mobile use is video? So around 500 million+ view the weather every day, and well over 200 million use mobiles for 'dining', whatever that means.

Like other infographics on this site and others, it looks pretty but doesn't make much sense.

Re: The State Of The Internet [Infographic]

northerncomfort — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 06:18:08 -0000

20million facebook apps installed every day? Rubbish. 600 million facebook users, so in 30 days, every one of them has an app installed? In a year, each user has 12 apps on average? Don't believe that for one minute.

Re: The irritations of social media

northerncomfort — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 08:37:38 -0000

mmmm Rum

Re: The irritations of social media

northerncomfort — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 08:37:30 -0000

Thanks - I'm not suggesting, by the way, that I'm on some pedestal as creating the most amazing stuff. Just that there's a limit to how one should promote it to 'followers', etc.

Re: The irritations of social media

northerncomfort — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 08:18:25 -0000

Ha! Well at least that's on my blog - presumably you've come here for a reason, etc.

Re: Are blogs the beating heart of a social media strategy?

northerncomfort — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 05:34:37 -0000

Oh here we go again, Rob commenting...;)

Completely agree blogs are the central part. Though with Twitter, depends how you use it - MA have used Twitter to respond directly to people within the airport, advising them of offers within Costa Coffee, etc. That's worked really well, but it's hard to see of too many other ways that you could add value in 140 characters. Good way to dip your toe in SM as a brand too.

Re: Why the Seesmic/Ping.fm deal will cause brands a BIG problem

northerncomfort — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 09:09:19 -0000

I don't think it will cause brands a BIG problem Paul. Sure there are lots of social networks out there, but there are lots of TV channels, lots of magazines, lots of households; brands don't advertise, add advertorials or DM everyone, nor do they worry about doing so. Brands don't need to be involved in EVERY conversation about them either, or engage on every network. It's a fool's errand which simply ends up with fire-fighting, rather than addressing either the fundamental issues within an organisation which are causing negative feedback; or indeed starting up a conversation with your customers that adds value on both sides - something that can only be done by concentrating on fewer channels.

We need to move away from the presentations of 2 years ago where every SM agency showed a crazy picture of a map of social networks (that looked like it had been prepared by Industrial Light and Magic as an image of a galaxy far, far away) and said 'this is where the conversations about your brand are happening; where are you?'. Scare tactics like that just confuse, and lead to the lack of direction from brands that you mention. Far better, as you suggest, to do a very small number well. Also better to 'own your own', as I did at CFS with the goodwithmoney blog. This isn't a case of taking people away from familiar territory, rather, providing them with an arena where they can talk and be heard by the brand.

Monitoring conversations - where brands 'earwig and jump in' - I've only ever heard positive feedback from this, assuming it's done sensitively. "I mentioned this on my blog and XXX got in touch and sorted it out". One can't maintain a full, active presence on every network; trying just results in a brand chasing each and every network as it pops up. Plus it's simply not appropriate - why should Brand X be maintaining a real presence on Mumsnet, for instance? It would look a bit weird and creepy for a brand to be chatting away on there, just in case a conversation about them popped up. (And fora like Mumsnet *are* social networks; it's not just Facebook et al.)

Ultimately, of course, all of this is pointless without the flexibility of a brand to adapt and respond *fundamentally* to the feedback they're getting. Complaints on social networks come when something goes wrong, or when a complaint isn't dealt with properly (United breaks guitars, etc), or when a customer feels like they're not being listened to through the usual channels. That's the real message which brands need to absorb, adapt and therefore take advantage of. No-one would worry about 60+ social networks having conversations about how great they are, after all.

And I apologise for the extravagant use of Latin in this response. I just like the word 'fora'...;)

Re: Who says brands can only talk about success?

northerncomfort — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 10:16:06 -0000

I've had a crappy day, so this may not be lucid...from what I can see the vast majority of 'advice' on social media is bloody obvious anyway. And it misses the point really - being an expert on using social media technology is easy. Any idiot can use Twitter. Of course it's a conversation, of course you should add value, etc. It's not difficult.

The bigger challenge is how the effects of social media affect your strategy. How do you, as a company, react? Can you react? Do you have the systems in place to respond to these 'conversations'?

Social media agencies need to advise better in my opinion. First, social media doesn't really exist. It's just the internet. The term is used as a shorthand for 'web 2.0 technologies' but that doesn't really mean much. The new generation of web users won't differentiate. Companies think that getting involved in Social Media is setting up a twitter account. Or asking for a 'viral video'. This is why they think this advice is 'amazing'. They're missing the point.

Too many agencies are happy to trade off this ignorance, and sell companies something based on it. You need an iPhone app? No problem. No idea how many of your customers have iPhones? Oh that's ok. Is the app any use? Doesn't matter, it's an iPhone app. cf for Viral videos, etc, etc.

Agencies need to advise deeper. Not just as SM as something seperate, but actually look into what this new world of communication means for them as a company and as an organisation and how it has an effect on EVERYTHING they do. See Umair and 'awesomeness', amongst others.

Right, I need a brew.

Re: Why I love Vinyl

northerncomfort — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 05:08:22 -0000

Old? That must be from the 60's or something...;)

Re: Why I love Vinyl

northerncomfort — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:57:00 -0000

I'm sure you remember them Mr Kent. BTW, what's with the picture on the Southport Weekender site? Suspiciously brown hair - don't tell me you've gone all Grecian 2000?

Re: Voodoo Lounge

northerncomfort — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 05:03:30 -0000

HOW MANY TIMES? I DO NOT WORK FOR VOODOO LOUNGE. Jesus.

"I have an idea who put this reply in" YES. ME. My name is next to it, and it's on my site. I haven't done anything to your club; moaning at me won't help you. And replying to yourself under a different email name, suggesting that you should get yourself a lawyer, is a bit ridiculous.

Re: Voodoo Lounge

northerncomfort — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 04:39:52 -0000

Right - comments now disabled for this one, I think the points have been made. As I said before - this site is nothing to do with Voodoo Lounge.

I've deleted a couple of the comments that were just repeats, and also one that was the same person commenting, but under a different name; I'm not stupid.

Voodoo Lounge have commented, and I think their reply is perfectly reasonable. Any new venture will have teething difficulties when trying to establish something new, and this is what we're talking about here. As for all the people complaining about it 'not being an over 40-s' night; was it ever? Really? Or was it simply that the crowd that went there 20 years ago haven't moved on? If there was a market for over-40s nights Manchester would be full of them.

The fact is that clubs in Manchester are having difficulties surviving nowadays, and each club has to reinvent itself for a new audience in order to keep going. All you over 40's - would you have gone to a club when you were 19 that was full of 45 year old? Of course not. And they're the new life blood for all clubs in this city. You don't want to know what the current raft of clubbers thought of the old Bookbinder; it wasn't pretty.

If you really love Bookbinders, then support it in its quest to survive. Everyone's sorry you felt offended, as per the comment from the club, but times move on and clubs need to survive and make money. If you think you're going to like the music, then come down. If not, I guess it's time to go somewhere else.

Re: Another Northern Comfort Podcast

northerncomfort — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 12:21:55 -0000

Think you're right - didn't notice that on the Mac speakers. Shall make sure the next one sounds better.

Re: Voodoo Lounge

northerncomfort — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 09:08:47 -0000

Hello everyone, thanks for your comments.

First, I'm nothing to do with Voodoo Lounge - it's not my night that's on there and I don't work for them. The original post was in support of the club's relaunch, and my friend Andy. I can't, and don't, speak for Voodoo Lounge in any way.

However, I am sorry that your nights were ruined, and you don't feel you can return. I was there that night, and a couple of friends of mine also had trouble getting in, only succeeding when they pointed out there were on the guest list. I've mentioned this to a few of the people who work there - hopefully they will take this on board.

Rob

Re: Fat City shut up (physical) shop

northerncomfort — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 05:44:28 -0000

Cheers Lozz. Like I say on here - blogs are sort of the new record shop workers - but their advice is one to many, rather than one to one. Message boards I guess as well.

Re: Fat City shut up (physical) shop

northerncomfort — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 05:43:31 -0000

Thanks

Re: Fat City shut up (physical) shop

northerncomfort — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 05:43:15 -0000

Voxpops tried that though in Manchester, and ended up removing the shop section to mail only with the records in a warehouse. Real estate is expensive, and you make more money selling coffee in that space than you do vinyl. People will pay £2 for coffee, yet expect their music for free.

Re: Fat City shut up (physical) shop

northerncomfort — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 05:41:54 -0000

Cheers Ohfo - it's easy to take them for granted isn't it - and it's one of those things, progress I guess. Like little book shops vs Amazon, local butchers vs Tesco, etc.

Re: Fat City shut up (physical) shop

northerncomfort — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 05:40:45 -0000

Cheers Phil. It's weird - I guess blogs are the new record shop workers. Just that then the recommendations are from one to many, rather than one to one.

Re: Fat City shut up (physical) shop

northerncomfort — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 05:39:55 -0000

Cheers man. Good to see others out there supporting record shops.

Re: Fat City shut up (physical) shop

northerncomfort — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 05:39:17 -0000

Hope so dude. I've no doubt Jazzman will look after the site, etc, and it's great that he's taken it over, no doubt about it.

Re: Fat City shut up (physical) shop

northerncomfort — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 05:37:42 -0000

Innit? You opened up me to a load of soul stuff in the last 12 months or so that I would have missed otherwise. It’s such a shame that the ability to download/buy online stuff quickly and easily trumps the slightly slower, but ultimately more rewarding ‘go to a shop’ approach – as all these benefits go. You never thought I’d call you a benefit now, did you…;)

Re: How the Top 100 Brands are using Social Media

northerncomfort — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 05:29:07 -0000

Interesting. Could the conclusion be that the companies that are more financially successful have deeper pockets with which to get involved in social media, rather than that those who are 'Mavens' are therefore more successful? I.e. it isn't that the social media involvement is creating wealth, more that having wealth enables a greater involvement in social media.

As the report says, there is no cause and effect determined between the two. You could probably equally argue that those companies with bigger traditional ad campaigns would be more financially successful too, but that isn't an argument for the effectiveness of trad ad campaigns.

Maybe?