Let’s be honest with each other- we #geeks love to use many different shiny objects social services. Facebook, Evernote, Foursquare (the list goes on). And like with all great technologies, everyone uses them differently. But many times you find yourself wanting to connect or link Apps like Instagram to Facebook or your email.

A couple months ago, I came across a great website service called http://ifttt.com (“if this, then that”). The idea is simple- when something happens (this) then the system will do something else (that).

There are many social networks/platforms that are integrated with the site:

The interface is super simple. And it’s organized by what they call “tasks”. These are essentially commands and instructions you create that will be automated once you set them up.

For my account, here’s what I have setup and running (feel free to steal them! and use them!)

1.) Any picture on Facebook that I’m tagged in, upload it to my Flickr account. This way I get a copy of the photo in my photo storage account I have for Flickr.

2.) For my clients (Timberland), I have setup alerts to send me a text messages when they post a status update or photo. This way, I’m able to passively get pushed alerts of every status update in a simple text message. This way I’m always up-to-date-down-to-the-minute with what is proactively being pushed out by my clients.

3.) When you Tweet a photo using TwitPic, I always have found it frustrating that you don’t get to “keep” the photo. I setup a task so every TwitPic is sent and uploaded to my Flickr account.

4.) I’ve been in many situations when I’ve asked myself- “I wish I could search my sent Tweets” <– when I’m trying to find a link or content I posted. However there is no way to search your own Tweets using Twitter.com. And if you search using your own name on Twitter.com, the results typically only for the last 2-3 weeks. However, with ifttt.com you can setup a free account on Evernote (which is searchable) and then send all your Tweets to Evernote! How slick is that! BONUS TIP: if you have clients, this is a great way to store and index Tweets for later reference.

5.) Ever wish you could see on a visual calendar all your check-ins from Foursquare? Or search previous check-ins? I have a task setup so my check-ins sync to my Google Calendar! And since Google Calendar is searchable I can go back and search my check-ins to find out the exact day and times I’ve checked in locations. BONUS TIP: If you use Outlook, you can download a Google Calendar sync program to Outlook and waa-la you’ll have a triple integration (foursquare to Google Calendar to Outlook).

6.) Similar to my archive of Tweets from #4, I’ve always wished there was a way to search through your Facebook status updates. Setting up a sync for links you’ve posted is essentially your own custom version of Delicious for Facebook!

7.) Currently I have this one de-activated, but it’s nice to know it’s possible. You are able to easily customize an auto-Tweet or auto-DM message for Twitter to your new followers. A clean, simple, easy way to set one up if you want one.

8.) Sometimes you forget to check the weather. Or you forget to look at your phone at the conditions. This task is simple and fun- you get a text message if it’s snowing.

9.) Many people use Facebook to upload their photos. However, there is not an easy way to download and backup the photos. This task is any easy way to ensure it gets sent to your flickr account for storage and downloads.

Are you using ifttt.com already? What tasks do you have setup? Share them in the comments!

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The most recent popular Internet meme “What People Think I Do / What I Really Do” is trending all over Facebook and Twitter. And it’s a delicate balance for businesses and brands to try to play in the space of internet #memes and trends. We helped one of our clients Lee Jeans post/create this fun huh?

I noticed that most of my friends aren’t using Pinterest for video? I scanned all my friends and the major businesses and brands I could find (Today Show, HGTV, Whole Foods) and none of them had pinned a video.

Why is that?

Perhaps it’s because the “Add a Pin” prompt says this:

…which the way it’s worded is confusing (“Find Images” probably throws people off).

Or perhaps- it’s because people don’t know that you can pin videos?

It’s simple to do. You can add video from YouTube to Pinterest like this:

I even created my own board for my video blogs:

So- back to my question: why aren’t most of my friends and brands/businesses not using Pinterest for video? There’s an entire section in the main navigation dedicated to ‘Videos‘. You can even view videos on the iPhone App:

What’s your take? What do you think?

Are you pinning videos? Why- or why not?

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Last year I had to purchase new glasses. I even blogged about my Warby Parker Experiment in which I used social media to crowd source the frame style I purchased. Thanks for all your help btw!

I was cleaning my glasses the other day and noticed hairline cracks in one lens. I decided to call Warby Parker to see what my options were to get it fixed. In under 5-minutes, the person I talked to sent me a free shipping label + free repair for my broken glasses.

Annnnnd I’m a big proponent of using social media to not just share only the bad customer service experiences- but to also like to give praise when it’s deserved. So I tweeted this. And in less than 10-minutes, “Katie” from WP responded with this Tweet and YouTube video:

@rm Loved it so much Katie thought she would make you a video! warby.me/AghaLF #WarbyVision

— Warby Parker (@WarbyParker) February 7, 2012

And it didn’t stop there- my friends were responding and RT’ing my Tweets. Katie and WP noticed and then made this video for my friend Will @wgPR:

Why is this amazing? WP is turning brand champions into advocates by giving them “handles” of content (in this case a YouTube video) to promote their great experience.

So simple.

Easy.

And smart.

[golf claps] to you Katie + WP

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Working on social + digital campaigns for clients- every so often you get lucky enough to lead a special project. One that you know is right- smart- and just plain cool. This latest project I’ve helped lead and launch is something I’m really proud to share. A true team effort that had multiple agencies, numerous collaboration meetings, and extensive research on the Involver social media markup (SML) platform. Oh yeah- and this project had an impossible timeline (but doesn’t every project? )

I could attempt to try to describe this Hallmark “Tell Them” campaign. But all you need to do is watch this commercial. Come on, it’s only 30-seconds. Watch it-

And here’s the Facebook App we helped develop and launch this week:

The most notable innovation about this project?

50% of the 845+ million active monthly Facebook users browse the social network via an “App”. Meaning- they use a smartphone to do it. Not a desktop computer. Until recently, the Facebook App did not let users view “Page Tabs” or FBML/iFramed pages. Most Pages today, when you click links from Pages on your News Feed you’re redirected to the Wall. However, in Dec/January 2012 Facebook released capabilities to select preferred developers to allow for mobile optimization. Very few brands and businesses have taken advantage of this feature since it’s so new.

…our DEG CSS ninjas pulled it off!

http://inv.lv/z3WkU7 <<– click on this with your iPhone or Android phone. You’ll notice the same desktop, full browser experience- on mobile, using iOS or Android!

Please make your vow- and take it for a test-drive …and be sure to watch for the national TV campaign (now through Valentines Day) that exclusively has a TV end-frame driving traffic to our Facebook App!
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What happens when you put the Pantech Element tablet underwater? Watch and find out this is a super-quick unboxing of the new waterproof Pantech Element tablet that is running Android Honeycomb. AND watch what happens when you put this tablet UNDER WATER!!!
(if you can’t see the video below, click here) 

Recently, I added some Gmail shortcut stickers to my keyboard at work- and then tweeted about it

A few days later I got an email from Google asking to feature it on a few of their Gmail blogs/SoMe. Check it out! (btw, if you want to buy these gmail stickers you can here)

3G, 4G, 5G …what does it all mean? The average person doesn’t know the SPEED difference between 3G or 4G. You need to actually SEE it. I decided to put it to the test by using 4G Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket vs. 3G iPhone 4S (both running on the AT&T network). What does it actually mean when you watch YouTube videos? Or load a webpage like ESPN or cnn.com? Watch my 4G vs 3G video blog speed test to see who wins.

‎**my apologies- i mistakenly read the Speed Test App numbers when I filmed this as “megabytes” and it’s actually megabits**

Every once and a while I come across a tool or tip that I think it’s so cool- I just have to share it…

Read any digital marketing or social media blog or publication in the past year- chances are you’ll come across articles featuring or highlighting the social influence scoring system Klout. They’re positioned as a influence measurement platform that makes it easy to identify whom is influential online (this is measured by analyzing: RT, mentions, Facebook comments/likes, Google +1′s etc.).

Typically, to see Klout scores for any given person- you have to go to Klout.com/[INSERT-NAME-HERE] (or tools like CoTweet have plugins built in to see scores). However, I came across this nifty plugin that was developed at Klout’s own internal hackathon. This allows you to see the scores on Twitter.com right next to each Tweet like this:

Yeah- pretty slick isn’t it?! I think so.

You can download and grab the plugins here:

• Chrome Klout Extension
• Firefox Klout Add-on Extension

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I’m excited to share with you the launch of one of my team‘s latest projects- the official H&R Block “Block Talk” blog! I know you might be asking yourself, what would one of the world’s largest tax service companies have to say on a corporate blog (that people will actually read)? Many things. And it’s not just about (boring) tax information. For example, the post on”Tech Entrepreneur Millionaires Under 30“ is damn interesting <– and it’s an infographic to boot

Working closely with the client- we determined that one strategic objective for this project was understanding that the blog can be a channel- that (with the right content and outreach/distribution) can demonstrate enduring relevance (past and present) as helpful experts around the topics and services regarding taxes.

The graphics used, copy & text, and functional features we built into the blog were all strategic- in order to best communicate with design elements of “trust”, “innovation”, and “relevance” regarding the brand.

…so go ahead and take the blog for a test-drive. Feel free to look around and ask me questions if you’d like in the comments  http://blogs.hrblock.com

KCTV5 asked me to come on to their afternoon show today with Carol Long to talk about the new iPhone announced today. You can watch the interview on KCTV5 here.

Here are the 5 devices I highlighted in the interview:

1.) Dell XPS 13 – “Ultrabook”

2.) HTC Titan 2 – Smartphone

3.) Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga – Laptop

4.) simple TV

5.) i’m watch

One of my clients is Timberland- and I absolutely love doing video work for them because they make such great products (and they didn’t pay me to write that hahaha ). A new product they have out is a boot called the Helcor Boot. I had no clue about the usage of the material “Helcor” but after putting it to the test, it’s pretty amazing- check out this video blog we created for them (shot/edit by Pat).

the concept + context of the experience for this video is the end result of what happens when customers scanned a QR code in a magazine or at a retail store (that was our project assignment). the idea here was to acknowledge the fact the customer scanned a QR code, then SHOW them how the boot in their hand is tear resistant, water resistant, puncture resistant AND can take the heat!

I’ve noticed a trend and a theme for CES this year (International Consumer Electronics Show). There are few truly interesting and disruptive products being shown, only evolutions not revolutions. While it remains the world’s largest consumer technology convention, it has lost its clout. CES 2012 has exactly what I expected- the latest and greatest: TVs, smartphones, tablets, and ultrabooks (over 75 ultrabooks will be launched this year). But there isn’t anything groundbreaking.

It’s also interesting to note the biggest technology companies on the planet do not show up to CES: Amazon, Facebook, Apple, Google and soon Microsoft. They have followed suit with Apple- hold your own private event, control and contain the announcement(s) on your terms and turf <– yet they are at CES because all of these companies are “in” the devices.

I think CES has become less relevant- because technology innovation has shifted more to the software side (the cloud + software as a service). Over the recent years, many of the biggest announcements at CES were just for Apps and services. And that shift has illustrated that it’s less about the hardware. This is because the death of the spec has set in. No longer does only the “biggest, fastest, and lightest” win consumers over. Consumers want devices that perform the best, have a digital ecosystem around it (apps and content), and is priced right. The average person simply asks of their electronic devices, “I want it to be easy and I just want it to work”.

Make no mistake- the show is still important to many retailers and device manufactures. Companies still need to sell their products to retailers and take orders (many people forget, a ton of business takes place at CES).

I don’t think CES should go away. And I don’t think it will shut down. However, it’s already transitioned to being less of “the exclusive” and first place to debut electronics- and more of what it ultimately is, just a trade show.

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This is a helpful tip and trick I discovered- this is how to embed a Tweet into a blog post. The advantage of doing this (other than not having to take a screenshot) is this allows you pull in the Tweet with native Twitter buttons that allow people to 1-click: retweet, reply, favorite, and follow the account of the embedded Tweet.

Copy and paste this 1-line of code:

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> ^TS</p>&mdash; Twitter API (@twitterapi) <a href="PUT-THE-TWEET-URL-HERE"></a></blockquote>

*Please note, you need to copy this on the HTML editor not the Visual tab

The result should look like this:

^TS

— Twitter API (@twitterapi)

Pretty slick huh? Tell your blogger friends- or better yet, click the RT button above

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I recently shared some jaw dropping statistics regarding mobile and smartphone usage (via Mitch Joel). The analytics firm (Flurry) who broke this news- is now reporting even more mind-blowing statistics.

• “1.2 billion apps were downloaded in the last week of December”
• “Looking forward to 2012, Flurry expects breaking the one billion download barrier per week”
• “Google confirmed that more than 3.7 million Android devices were activated over the Christmas weekend.”
• “6.8 million new iOS and Android devices activated on Christmas Day alone, 353% increase.”
• On Christmas Day alone, people downloaded an estimated 10 million apps per hour.

And I shared this study recently…

— Twitter API (@twitterapi)

What does this all mean?

First and foremost- this doesn’t mean if you’re a brand or business you need to go design and create an App. Stop. Do not assume it’s as easy to think if you invest money in building an app- “they will come (or even use it)”. There are over 500,000+ Apps in iOS, and 400,000+ in Android Market ← it’s a very crowded space

It’s also important to understand there is a distinct difference between the need to develop an App and building a mobile optimized website (and significant cost difference for upkeep). A careful needs assessment should be done to evaluate if an App is really necessary.

I suggest to first ask yourself what you’re trying to achieve first. Are you creating a resource, utility, function or broadly helpful tool? Or are you just repurposing the content from your company website? Asking a user to download an App is not only a hurdle from an awareness perspective (they have to know it exists) but from a user experience standpoint- unless the utility or content you provide is high, the user may not even do it.

Think about if you- yourself would download your own App? Or why you would visit your own business or brand website? What functional/practical expectations do you would need to exist?

From a mobile design perspective, always keep in mind the context of their users visit is from their phone ← it’s very different than full desktop browsing. and knowing someone has a phone in their hand is helpful- it should narrow the focus on features and navigation options (you know more context than you do with a website: they have a mobile phone in their hand- and you can use hardware features to detect location and customize content and the experience). the golden rule: mobile forces you to focus on only the most important data and actions (top tasks needed to be accomplished).

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