Category: Social Media

Categories: Social Media Posted on

Here’s what Silicon Valley can learn from good old Midwestern values

This was originally posted on VentureBeat, with a wide array of comments and reactions. Silicon Valley has been espousing sharing, making, community through the latest startups like Lyft, Airbnb, LendingClub and more. Yet is Silicon Valley really leading the example?  While generalizations can put people off, I wanted to take a stand on some broader trends we see. I’ve received reinforcing and disagreeing feedback, all which I’m open to learning more from. Photo by Adam Foster Here’s what Silicon Valley can learn from good old Midwestern values Silicon Valley startups like Uber, Lyft, Airbnb, Lending Club and others that empower people to get what they need from each other command extensive market attention and sky-high valuations. This Collaborative Economy prospers on the … Continue readingHere’s what Silicon Valley can learn from good old Midwestern values

Categories: CrowdFunding, Non Profit, Social Media Posted on

Slides: Cold Hard Facts on the Ice Bucket Challenge #IceBucketChallenge

Icebucket Challenge: Cold Facts and Stats #icebucketchallenge from Jeremiah Owyang Crowd-based business models and marketing are no stranger to the Web Strategy blog –and now we’re seeing the same effect impact non profits, including the much discussed (and debated) ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. I was curious on the actual impacts of this controversial crowd challenge, and decided to tally up some of the numbers. In this above embedded slideshare, you’ll see facts on buzz, assumptions on water usage, influencer impact, money raised, and bottom line of total donated dollars. Also, in case you’re wondering, I was challenged by Scott Monty, I accepted the ice shower (over my garden –in a nod to our drought) and also donated to ALS —you … Continue readingSlides: Cold Hard Facts on the Ice Bucket Challenge #IceBucketChallenge

Categories: Collaborative Economy, Matrix, Social Media Posted on

Internet Phases: Past, Present, and Future

Thanks to you, last week’s Report on the Collaborative Economy was readily received, and has been viewed over 26,000 times.  The media and bloggers alike have picked up on it.  As we digest what it means, it’s important to recognize that this is the next phase of the internet and the next phase of social business.  An interesting finding is that the second era (social) and the third era (Collaborative Economy) use the same social technologies but, instead of sharing media and ideas, people are sharing goods and services.  This is all part of a continuum.  We need to understand how our careers will progress as the market moves forward with us.   [Social technology enabled the sharing of media and … Continue readingInternet Phases: Past, Present, and Future

Categories: Altimeter, Social Media Posted on

Why Social Business Headcount Decreases Before Radically Expanding

Above Image: Headcount of social business (circled in orange) slightly decreases before large growth. Social Business Headcounts Change as Programs Mature Like the calm before the storm, your social business headcount is likely to decrease 10-20% before it radically expands.  Altimeter found through two independent surveys to enterprise class (Companies with over 1000 employees) survey respondents in different years that they both have a drop off in headcount at year 2-4.  We’ve survey corporations both in 2010, as well as in Q4 2012 to find out how social business programs are structured.  Much of the research was recently published in the report, the Evolution of Social Business.  So why this change? After experimentation, unchecked programs get sanitized as a central … Continue readingWhy Social Business Headcount Decreases Before Radically Expanding

Categories: Altimeter, Analysis, Social Media Posted on

Social Business Buyers Invest in Scaling

Brands Focused on Managing Social Proliferation For those that like to be where they money be, this data is for you. Altimeter’s research continues to survey buyers of disruptive technologies, and continues our coverage on social technologies. In our recent Q4 survey to enterprise buyers, focused on marketing business decision makers, which are global national corporations with over 1000 employees, we posed a series of questions in our survey battery. In particular, we wanted to find out where decision makers are bullish on investing and found the following trends on marketers with intent to increase spending: To manage proliferation in enterprise, marketers purchase social media management systems.  Altimeter has been covering this software category since March 2010 (see all posts), … Continue readingSocial Business Buyers Invest in Scaling

Categories: Collaborative Economy, Social Media Posted on

The Three Market Drivers: Causes for the Collaborative Economy

Above Image: Fire Dancers metaphorically ignite movement in Union Square, the center of SF commerce. Your customers are trading products and goods –rather than buying them from you!  Do you want to know why?  We’re conducting research in a pragmatic method to find out why.  Then we will publish what companies should do to respond.  Below is a preview of the upcoming report.  [Consumers don’t need to continually buy from companies as they are sharing, renting and lending goods & services among themselves] I’m knee deep in interviews for the upcoming report on this topic, the Collaborative Economy, which will answer how corporations can be part of this sharing movement and not be left behind.  In my previous post, I … Continue readingThe Three Market Drivers: Causes for the Collaborative Economy

Categories: Social Media, VCs, Venture Capital Posted on

Meet the Investors of Social Networks and Social Media

Which VC invested the most frequently in Silicon Valley Social Networks? Surprise! They’re from NY! This is part of my continue industry analysis of the changing digital space (see all posts tagged VC), but probing which investors are most active –and are bellwethers for finding future growth companies. Ever wonder who’s behind the backing of some of the fastest growing technology companies? To find out, I created tables and collected public data to list out the specific investors of each of the major social networks, and social media sites, and conducted frequency analysis of the investors to find out. This is part of my continued coverage of investors in the social business space, read the rest of my posts, analysis, … Continue readingMeet the Investors of Social Networks and Social Media

Categories: Legal, Matrix, Social Media Posted on

Quest for the Digital Fountain of Youth Awakens “After Life Technology”

Imagine your great-grandchildren interacting with your likeness on a daily basis, all derived from your Facebook media, Vine videos and your personality from your Tweets. Humans, both poor and rich have continued to seek out the greatest quest since the dawn of mankind; how do we stay alive in this world?  Fortunately, (or not fortunately) new technologies are emerging both now, including some fascinating developments by leading think tanks, including Stanford. [After Life Technology emerges to store, replicate, and even reanimate the deceased based on the digital data we’re emitting every day] Whether you find it creepy, narcissistic, or a thoughtful way to connect with future-generations, this is a choice we’ll all be forced to reckon with. Should we shutter … Continue readingQuest for the Digital Fountain of Youth Awakens “After Life Technology”

Categories: Social Media Posted on

Social Media Crises Has Many Points of Failure

by Alan Webber, Jeremiah Owyang, Altimeter Group Analysts. Yesterday’s Burger King brandjacking was an important reminder to brands and their agency and software partners about how vulnerable social media accounts are.  These forms of attacks are increasing in frequency, such as Jeep’s recent twitter hack. Surprisingly, Altimeter Group’s research has found from analyzing 50 crises that 76% of crises could have been minimized or avoided had companies been prepared internally –external hacks are not the most common threats.  While the press and media was quick to jump to conclusions that the Burger King account was “hacked” (with various daunting fingers pointing at McDonald’s and Anonymous) most threats come from inside –not external forces. Multiple Points of Failure: Below, we’ve compiled … Continue readingSocial Media Crises Has Many Points of Failure

Categories: Case Study, Social Media, Social Media Management Systems Posted on

Open Research: How Complex Companies Scale Social Business

Altimeter’s latest Open Research Report (download at will, share with attribution) is embedded below. This report features how large companies have scaled social business across their enterprise. Specific case studies include: Whole Foods puts local social engagement into the hands of store managers. General Motors organizes for social business internally, then supports regions. Amway empowers distributors yet maintains brand consistency PUMA scales limited headcount for worldwide engagement I co-authored this report with my colleague Senior Researcher, Andrew Jones, who’s been involved in several reports with me and knows the market which we cover in a detailed way, and provides unique insights. His deep understanding of the space, tireless research, and pattern analysis was key to this report being published. Please … Continue readingOpen Research: How Complex Companies Scale Social Business