The video above is the latest installment in our Upshot Smartshot webinar series, and complements our recent Potty Posting that introduced the concept of marketers with Twitterphobia. This 15-minute episode goes a step further, assuaging marketers’ three biggest fears about the service:

• What should you say?
• What should you do?
• What should you make?

If you’ve missed any of our previous Smartshots, scoot on over to our YouTube playlist for the whole series. Of course, you wouldn’t have missed those if you’d just follow us on Twitter already, at twitter.com/upshotblog. Since you’ve now vanquished your Twitterphobia, you’ve got no excuse!

Twitterphobia affects over 83.72% of marketers* in the US every year.

We’ve seen the devastation it causes. We’ve heard your cries for a cure. And, we’ve found the vaccine in… our latest Potty Posting!

Twitterphobics Anonymous

Click the link above for the PDF version, or continue reading below for the online version. As always, please feel free to share this post with colleagues, clients, or anyone who may be suffering from this absolutely-curable condition.

*No it doesn’t. We made that up. But it definitely exists.

Twitterphobics Anonymous

The First Step is Admitting You Have a Problem

We’ve noticed something funny happening in recent meetings. While we’re thumping our chests about Driven by Data Twitter visualizations and using the Twitter API for Life in the OOC applications, we’re often met with nodding approval…along with some shifting eyes and simmering discomfort. We wondered: was there something in our teeth? Did we have bad breath? Probably, and possibly, but neither was the real problem. Eventually, we got people both inside and outside the agency to admit (in shamed whispers) that they’d previously dismissed Twitter as a fad, or thought their consumers weren’t using it, or were (understandably) confused by conflicting reports about Twitter’s dominance / irrelevance / significance / shallowness / growth / stagnation / obsession with why #youdeservetobesingle. Realizing their mistake, they asked us to take it back to step one. Luckily, they’ve found a safe place.

First things first. You’ll never understand the nuances of this service if you don’t set up a Twitter account… like, right now. (Being on the throne is no excuse – Google already told us how often you surf in the bathroom. Eww.) If you’re in marketing and you don’t have a Twitter account, you are #FAILing. We’re not saying you have to tweet. But, we are saying you have to follow a handful of marketers, brands, and industry smarties to see how they’re using the service (a good place to start: Upshot’s own The Awesome Blog.) In fact, having an account would’ve clarified why there’s a pound sign in front of “FAILing” above. On Twitter, any phrase preceded by the pound sign is called a hashtag, and its purpose is to organize disparate tweets into a single conversation stream. (Oh yeah, we’d already put the cart before the horse with a blog post describing how brands can advertise via those hashtags.) For instance, let’s say I wanted to have a wine tasting with some friends who are spread out across the globe. Option one: everyone flies out just to sit in my too-cramped living room and resent having to pick cat hair out of their wine glasses. A better idea: tell anyone who’s interested to grab a bottle of this week’s selection and tweet their comments, including a predetermined hashtag in each tweet. Without that tag, our comments would get lost in the stream of other tweets, but the hashtag allows anyone to track or contribute to this particular conversation, regardless of geographical (or shedding feline) obstacles. We’ll even give you a chance to sample some hashtags yourselves – read or contribute any tweets about this posting using the hashtag #twitterphobia. Unfortunately, #pottytweet was already taken because… well, see that aforementioned Google study.

But, following a couple of Twitter conversations isn’t going to quiet your inner skeptic who continues to question the significance of Twitter. With countless social networks vying for consumers’ attention (and giving old-school ad-types heart palpitations), what makes the tweet so special? How about its ridiculous, lightning-quick, superpower-esque speed? You can argue about the ramifications of Twitter all you want, but there’s no debating that Twitter is the fastest system for information dispersal ever created. With a click of a button, users can re-broadcast another persons’ tweet to their own social network (called re-tweeting), enabling information to jump across social circles in a matter of seconds. Case in point: hours before the official announcement about the demise of one particularly evil Abbottabad resident, many Twitter users had already passed around a tweet from a Washington insider revealing this information. Still, the most widely-shared tweets generally include links to online content outside of Twitter; for instance, when the Bulls’ Taj Gibson dropped bombs on another embodiment of evil, the documenting images, videos, and commentaries were racing across Twitter mere moments after impact. Plus, unlike Facebook, Twitter tends to be radically public, meaning strangers can see (and respond to) tweets on any topic from anyone around the world. In fact, many tweets are written with the expectation that total strangers – including marketers like you! – will read them, share them, and respond to them.

And that’s the whole point here. Don’t get hung up on the insatiable efforts to build up or tear down this service. Instead, take it for what it’s worth – a chance for marketers to step into the conversation. Twitter isn’t just about tweeting on your brand’s behalf (although that’s a whole ‘nother topic – see this site for tons of great thought-starters). And while Twitter’s one of the most powerful PR tools ever created, even that doesn’t tell the whole story. Those who dismiss Twitter as a bunch of self-important narcissists who are just tweeting about their Nikon ads and their new TV shows with one and a half other men… well, okay, that does describe one user pretty well. But dismissing Twitter altogether because of a handful of twits is just undermining your own ability to keep up with what’s captivating the public, why those things are captivating the public, and the shifting ways in which the public digests, shares, evaluates, disbelieves, mocks, and mashes-up information in the modern world. In this case, the medium really is the message.

Still have questions we didn’t answer here? Of course you do. How do you generate followers? How often should you tweet? Did this post convince Dave Nigh to finally open a Twitter account? Tweet any additional questions with the hashtag #twitterphobia and we’ll keep the conversation going. In the meantime, Mashable’s Twitter guide book is a great introduction to the service’s component parts.

P.S. Thanks to historicaltweets.com for the images used in this posting.

the hotspot for haute thought is the pot at upshot

we admit we’re awesomeholics at theawesomeblog.net

Click the image below for the full-size Cracking the Code infographic!

In Part 1 of our SXSWrapup, we noted that despite the annual hype-fest and prognostications for every SXSW, there really wasn’t “a killer app” coming out of this year’s conference. To give that statement some context, think about the two services that are universally hailed as the most “killer apps” to ever come out of SXSW: Twitter and foursquare. Twitter fundamentally changed the way we communicate online (by imposing length limits), the speed at which these conversations take place, and the ability to build further services right on top of this data (through an aggressively open API). Likewise, foursquare fundamentally changed the way we think about the relationship between social networking and location, invented a brand new data point (the check-in), and legitimized gaming mechanisms on an enormous scale.

In other words, the bar is pretty high to be a “killer app.” That’s why it’s okay that this year’s big story – the emergence of the Group Texting category of apps – isn’t really blowing anyone away. These are undoubtedly useful, they address an important consumer need, and, in the end, they may have the potential to be more widely adopted than Twitter or foursquare. So, “killer” or not, let’s take a closer look.

Group texting is exactly what it sounds like: a service that functions much like a “reply all” for text messaging. Users choose the peers that need to text each other about given topic, and add those people to a central list. When invited users send texts, pictures, or similar content to that list, that information gets dispersed to the whole group. For instance, if you have a group of friends that like to play pickup soccer games, you could create a list and shoot out messages when you’re in the mood to organize a quick game. If you’re trying to coordinate your group of friends at Lollapalooza-sized festivals, it sure helps to shoot out one update instead of contacting everyone individually. And if you were to attend, say, a Hilton developers conference (hint hint, Hilton team), attendees would find it very useful to opt-in to group texting lists for networking purposes, conference updates, and discussions that are pertinent to their industry. Better yet, these lists can be as permanent or as ephemeral as needed. Some services choose to build-in this expiration date up front (as seen in the image of GroupMe above), while others can be canceled as soon as the list’s usefulness has run its course.

As always, we STRONGLY encourage you to download these apps and try them on your own. No explanation on our end can compete with trying these services yourself, even if you delete them after a week. There are already lots of options in this space, and they are sure to undergo significant changes over the next few months (especially Beluga, which was recently acquired by Facebook), but we can make some initial judgments based on their current configurations. We’ve been using Beluga with our team here at SXSW, and it’s definitely been helpful for improving productivity and coordination. SXSW attendees who are more focused on the “extra-curricular activities” have also been advocating Fast Society.

But the service that’s most captured our attention is GroupMe. We like the fact that when you create a group, that group is assigned a phone number that, with a push of a button, can generate an instant conference call for all of the list’s members. We like the fact that users can choose to share their real-time location, so that group members can find each other even if they’re in an unfamiliar region. Then again, many of these features are available from other group texting apps.

In fact, the thing we like most about GroupMe’s is something that runs counter to the idea of being SXSW’s “killer” app – the fact that you can participate in the service without using an app. While there are apps available for iPhone, Android, and Blackberry users, list members can also interact via text messaging. (Yes, that’s right: someone at SXSW created a service that also includes people who don’t have smartphones.) We love that element for its inclusiveness, especially since the kind of networking applications we’re envisioning can’t afford to be compromised by incompatible devices or different levels of tech-adoption between participants. Better yet, this also means that when the smartphone users run into areas with poor data coverage, they won’t lose touch either (GroupMe actually prompts users to drop down to SMS functionality when it detects poor data coverage.) And while GroupMe is only currently available in the US, the SMS/text option certainly suggests that they’re well-positioned to expand their service internationally in the near future. And for many of our clients, we think that’d be “killer.”

Be sure to check in tomorrow for Part 3 of our SXSWrapup!

But don’t worry, we’re bringing the music.

Yes, Upshot’s SXSW Interactive coverage team has arrived in Austin, and just like last year, we’ll be covering the town with our QR-coded stickers. (Unlike last year, we’ve got a slick new design, shown above.)

If you’re in town – or if you’re just curious about what’s happening in town – scan the QR code above to make sense of Austin’s music scene during Interactive week. (Need a QR code reader for your phone? Shoot us a message with your handset type and we’ll recommend a free reader.)

And that’s not even the last trick we have up our sleeve…

Following up on Monday’s clever YouTube tweak, we wanted to pass along a couple of other tricks and treats we’ve recently seen around the web.

The first is an iPad ad for the USA Network’s show “White Collar,” which is featured in the video above. What appears to be your basic banner ad quickly turns into a decoder that can be dragged around the screen, uncovering otherwise-invisible clues that are hidden on the webpage. Once all the clues are compiled, the user gets access to exclusive clips and content from the show. It’s further proof that Game On! can make any experience a bit more fun and unexpected – even web browsing.

While the “White Collar” campaign takes a bit of high-tech trickery, designers can achieve just as much impact by reimainging the way we get around the typical website. Friend-of-the-blog Jaclyn Gordyan pointed us to the Beercamp invite for the SXSW Interactive conference, which rethinks the idea of vertical scrolling and replaces it with zooming into the center of the page. It’s a bit tough to describe, but takes only an instant to grasp once you see it – head over to 2011.beercamp.com and scroll as you normally would. Even this simple tweak really imparts a sense of unexpected delight for the visitor, especially when compared with the hundreds of other party invites that are circulating as the conference approaches. (Of course, we’re not saying we don’t want to keep receiving those invites…)

Along the same lines, after watching your 10,000th kitten video on YouTube, perhaps the site doesn’t have the same level of engagement and novelty that it once did. Fortunately, experiments like the new music video from UK rapper The Streets are trying to instill a bit of interactivity back into the format. The clip below is the first minute of the music video, and offers a Choose Your Own Adventure-style menu at the end, allowing users to decide upon their own path through the new album, Computers and Blues. See? Building-in engagement doesn’t have to be so complicated – it just takes a bit of cleverness.

Well, this kind of blows my old Super Nintendo soccer game out of the water.

Check out the trailer above for I AM PLAYR, a game that’s currently in development, but slated for a beta release this year.

There’s a lot happening here, but we’ll try to give you the gist. The game is a first person narrative of a football player (the soccer kind) who’s just getting started, and has to face numerous challenges on and off the field. While you develop your skill set and compete in matches, you’re also tasked with managing your teammates, your social life, and… well… your more “intimate” fans.

While that’s certainly an interesting storyline, it’s also only the first chapter. As players navigate their character through the game, they compete against a global audience of other players to see who can develop the top-ranked star. Moreover, the game takes a page from alternate-reality gaming (you remember our coverage of ARGs, right?) and lets the elements of the game seep into the player’s everyday lives. Characters from the game communicate with the player by text and video, radio broadcasts cover the happenings from around the league, and even the tabloids are (reportedly) willing to dedicate headlines to the events that transpire within the game.

Admit it. You’re impressed.

While we could keep raving about how cool this will be, we do need to bring this back to marketing, right? Easy enough. It’s not especially surprising to see Nike jump all over this opportunity, snagging a principal sponsorship that will see them integrated into the storyline and game experience. And, while the game itself is free to play, players will have numerous opportunities to purchase (branded) virtual products that will improve their performance. (Considering the nightlife angle, it will be interesting to see just how risque those partnerships get.)

But, even if this particular game isn’t an appropriate fit for your brand, there are many lessons to be learned from this ambitious project. While there’s a literal connection to our Game On! trend, the more compelling angle is seeing how the creators have brought Life in the OOC to life. Thanks to the game’s multi-platform media integration, and the fact that competitions on the virtual field feed into the leaderboard against other human competitors, there is no clear line where the game ends and the player’s “real life” begins. Even though your average marketing campaign isn’t quite this fun (okay, it’s a LOT less fun), it should still be this seamlessly integrated across a variety of touchpoints. Notice that the creators aren’t hand-wringing over whether they need a mobile strategy or an above-the-line component or an online element. Instead, they’re pulling together an arsenal (yeah, pun intended) of high-tech and low-tech touchpoints to communicate a common story, and letting the players (i.e. the consumers) decide which formats work best for themselves.

I AM PLAYR, I am impressed. (For anyone who wants to read more, head this way.)

Is it a little bold to equate the check-in with being the “king” of emerging marketing trends? Perhaps. But now that the tweet has gained a (perhaps reluctant) legitimacy, that leaves the check-in as the most hotly debated element in social media. And with good reason – as we’ve hammed home with our Find Your Place trend, location has the potential to provide contextual information that can drastically improve the relevance of your marketing, and ultimately create more meaningful engagements with consumers.

Now, if we can only settle on a way to get that location data in the first place.

We’ll be the first to admit that the check-in process is flawed. While check-ins are (currently) our best option for protecting users’ privacy and ensuring that they’re not accidentally sharing their location without their approval, they’re also annoying, disruptive, and easy to forget. Each of those problems poses a significant obstacle for checking-in becoming a mainstream phenomenon, but those obstacles also beg the question: if checking-in is such a pain in the butt, why are millions of people doing it? Clearly, they’re getting something out of the check-in. (The dorky among us would call this a “value exchange.”) Fortunately, a couple of discussions at Mashable and The Daily Marauder have uncovered some intriguing answers to these questions. We’ll save you from having to wade through the whole argument by highlighting some of the most relevant points for marketers.

For starters, why do people check-in to locations? Because they want deals, of course (as anyone who’s had an array of free suds at their local bar can attest), but to also enable serendipitous experiences – you know, the “crazy seeing you here!” interactions that allow us to unexpectedly reconnect with lost contacts. This becomes especially applicable at large events, where huge numbers of attendees are checking-in together. So, when you’re considering event marketing executions, the idea of encouraging serendipity can produce delightful surprises for your consumer.

There’s another often-ignored reason to check-in to locations – doing so creates a personal record of where you’ve been. This is especially relevant when consumers are traveling (“What was the name of that BBQ place I liked in Nashville? Oh, Jack’s Bar-B-Que!”). But, other than the nifty PepsiCo-Safeway arrangement we recently highlighted, it’s surprising to see a lack of campaigns that apply users’ histories in more insightful ways. As that Pepsi example shows, the spots where your consumer hangs out say a lot about them – yes, we’re looking at you, “mayor” of the tanning salon.

There have also been a rise of check-ins that have nothing to do with locations. Consumers can check-in to sporting events, TV shows, or even brands. Some of the motivations are the same: serendipitously discovering that your friends are watching the same show, or the having a personal record of you watching a sporting event that you know will be memorable. But this is where the concept of badge brands comes in – and we’re not referring to the badges you earn on foursquare. We’re referring to the same reasons that people Like a brand on Facebook – many of these brands say something about who you are. Are you a Mac or PC? Liking one or the other symbolizes your views on technology, and sharing your check-ins is no different. If your brand has this kind of badge cache, ask yourself if there’s a way to apply it as a movement via location-based services.

So, check-ins probably aren’t the ultimate solution to the location question, and someone (foursquare? Facebook? A service that’s not yet invented?) will inevitably figure out a better solution. But for now, they provide a peek into consumer psyches that marketers dismiss at their peril.

P.S. Thanks to the Daily Marauder for the images used in this post.

• Sneaking in under the wire, our foursquare follow-ups sparked one heck of a response in the Twitterverse (even getting a shoutout from foursquare’s head of business development, Tristan Walker). In case you missed what the fuss was all about (which means you should be following us on Twitter, silly), we started off by looking at how foursquare was using location to deliver geographically-relevant, time-sensitive promotional deals to consumers. We followed that up with a peek at the possible future of shopper marketing and loyalty cards, in which deals are dependent on the behavioral habits of consumers instead of just their purchase histories.
• Speaking of sweet location conversations, plenty of folks were fans of this collection of innovative, location-based music videos.
• And speaking of online stirs, our take on the Gap logo dustup (and a completely different response to Chiquita’s logo tweakin’) proved popular in the lead-up to Gap’s infamous logo reversal.
• Finally, we understand if our trends report at the beginning of 2010 might’ve slipped under your radar. But, if you haven’t seen our free 2011 Trends report by now, I simply don’t know what else to tell you. Oh wait, of course I do: we’re going to keep coming back to them via webinars, Potty Postings, client-specific presentations, and follow-up posts here on the blog all year long. Cuz 2011′s going rock, and that’s just how we roll. We’ll see you then!

(For Part 1 of this post – on how Gap used foursquare in their interactive banner ads – click here.)

While the aforementioned Gap partnership is a smart move by foursquare, it’s small potatoes compared to what they’re currently testing with Safeway and PepsiCo. A partnership like this could’ve produced the standard location-based discount: when shoppers check in at Safeway, they get a discount on Pepsi products at the register. Whoopee.

Only that’s not at all what they have in mind.

Instead, users other checkins can be used to earn targeted deals, based on user’s daily behaviors. For instance, users who check in regularly at the gym could receive discounts on products like Sobe Lifewater, while users who check in at ski resorts would receive discounts on Mtn Dew (all redeemable at Safeway, of course.)

Think about that for a second.

We spend so much time targeting consumers based on their activities, especially in the in-store environment. Do people who like tacos attend minor league baseball games? Do people who purchase brand X of toilet paper go to amusement parks? While we’re slicing and dicing that data in the aggregate, foursquare is starting to piece this data together on the individual level. Over time, they have the potential to build a seriously valuable database that plots consumer behaviors against purchases. But right now, the potential to organize and apply this data for individually personalized, hyper-targeted shopper marketing promotions is simply staggering (not to mention, a great support point for our Driven by Data trend).

Anyone who’s focused solely on the (currently) limited penetration of services like foursquare is missing the bigger picture about what location data really means. Just in case you missed it in Part 1 of this post, it bears repeating: location is context that makes your marketing more relevant and meaningful for the consumer. You’d better believe that foursquare knows this, and they’ve clearly found a handful of brands who realize that the check-in is only a tiny part of the marketing equation here.

If you continue to believe that location is just a fad, you’re going to find yourself out of place mighty quickly.