Social Currency - What’s Yours?

by Jason Konopinski on August 27, 2010

For Brian Solis and myself, it’s the check-in phenomenon pioneered by Foursquare; I can’t help but note that I’m writing this post on the digital coattails of Facebook’s announcement about Facebook Places. In fact, just over a month ago, I commented about the enormous popularity of Foursquare and similar geolocation-based services and value of the check-in for businesses. While geolocation services still have relevance to merchants for rewarding consumer behavior, my own attitudes about lo-social services are shifting into the realm of purely social.

The check-in has social currency - it’s become implied endorsement, tying together the sum personal brand of your online interactions with the offline world and aligning your reputation and audience with a brand. Checking in at the posh new restaurant downtown, quaint bookstore or big box store carries a message that is broadcast into the social space. As any lo-social advocate will likely report when asked, I’ve connected with colleagues and friends alike around the context of a check-in. How? A push notification alerted me of a check-in at a local eatery a few short steps from where I was, so I popped in and said hello. I’ve strengthened business relationships through the seemingly trivial Foursquare check-ins, begun cultivating new ones and, of course, getting those 20% discounts and free appetizers now and again. For me, the reward of deepening personal relationships initiated in the digital social space is of far greater importance than a badge proclaiming me as a ‘Super Local’ or ‘Oversharer’.

For those visual learners out there, check out a visualization of my Foursquare check-ins. It’s pretty snazzy if I do say so myself.

Originally posted on The Social Siren

{ 0 comments }

Increase Focus and Productivity with these Online Tools

by Christopher DrinkutJuly 30, 2010 Affiliate Tips

In February CNN asked, “How Can We Cope with Information Overload?” The point of their article was to comment on the incredible state of information management one needs to perform in today’s environment of RSS feeds, blog posts, and social streams. To combat the pressure of information overload I’ve started this series of posts and [...]

0 comments Read the full article →

Online marketing’s uneasy relationship with ROI

by Jason KonopinskiJuly 22, 2010 Blogging

The social media and marketing world has been abuzz about the recent Old Spice campaign. Some declared it brillant, a case study for the success of social media marketing, citing instances where retailers were rushing to restock dwindling inventory - all presumably because the videos went viral and prompted interest in an otherwise aging [...]

2 comments Read the full article →

Social Media and Our Society: Good or Bad?

by Rob DonatelliJuly 15, 2010 Helpful Tips

Recently, I was doing some blog reading on some of my favorite social media sites such as Mashable, SocialMediaToday, and Duct Tape Marketing and I stumbled upon an article titled “The First Thing Young Women Do in the Morning: Check Facebook” from Mashable.
Being intrigued, I read through the article and found some mind [...]

3 comments Read the full article →

Organizing Your Online Time and Space

by Christopher DrinkutJuly 7, 2010 Helpful Tips

One of the pure enjoyments of being online is curiously clicking around, traveling from one location to another. The ease with which one can move from document to photo to video back to comment space is intoxicating, and something we’ll be forced to deal with as online activities continue to push into our daily lives [...]

2 comments Read the full article →