K Street Cafe

Will the Economy Kill ‘Free’ on the Internet? (Wired)
Chris Snyder explores the idea that the economic downturn will cause people to participate less, and severely limit the work done by websites that rely on crowdsourcing.

Google Analytics Builds Out Its Free Offerings (Click Z)
Google continues to develop its Analytics by introducing seven new features in the coming weeks.

If You Want to Join the Conversation You Better Start Listening (Word of Mouth Marketing)
The World of Mouth Marketing Association offers a brief reminder that interaction with consumers requires a bit more than just being on social marketing sites; you have to be involved.

Dell Social Media (Facebook)
Dell has created a new Fan page on Facebook to launch its social media guides that will help small businesses get into the game.

Biggest Mistakes Made by Social Media Gurus (Mashable)
Davids Spark examines a few of the most common mistakes made by social media users.

Microsoft U Rank: Personalize Your Search Results (ReadWriteWeb)
Collaboration and sharing have spread to yet another part of the Internet, this time in the form of personalized search results. A beta version of Microsoft’s new search engine allows for users to rearrange content, add notes and share search findings.

Most CMOs Have Never Heard of Twitter (PR Newser)
Regardless of the fact that consumers have stated their preference for companies and organizations to be engaging with them via social media, a majority of Chief Managing Officers still don’t know the names of even the most popular social media sites like Facebook and YouTube.

Social media consultants: snake oil or value add? (ZDNet)
Jennifer Leggio takes a look at the important role that social media consultants when they truly understand how an organization’s business needs match up with social media tools and tactics.

Creating an Intra-Company Online Social Network (Word of Mouth Marketing)
A recent article sheds light on the positive impacts of using a social network intranet within an organization.

I didn’t know I was running for president until I saw this new video from AARP.  The truth is, AARP is launching a new election campaign that lets you put anyone’s name into their video as the candidate for president. Why? Because this election is all about YOU.

AARP’s new campaign is really about connecting with voters.  The very essence of this video campaign is to give the people a chance to insert themselves into the message, and then insert their friends.  Very personal touch, indeed.

While not the first to do something like this (Job Jab lets you put your face on an animated character), this light-hearted campaign really gets to the heart of electoral politics–YOU.

Want to send the ad to your friends with their name in it? Click here and have some fun.

Cross-posted on e.politics

Well, at least we’ve gotten ONE thing settled this political year: we now know what e.politics actually IS. At least according to (former) reader-via-email-signup K— S——, who sent this friendly message a couple of days ago (font size rendered accurately).

You left wing Marxist racist scum!
Dont send me any more of your crap.

Which brings up one of the classic issues involved in running an email list: how to deal with people who unsubscribe violently.

(more…)

A few weeks ago Billy Hallowell of VoterWatch pitched me on the idea of annotating video of the presidential debates. Due to a bunch of distractions at work, I missed the first two presidential contests and the VP debate. But this morning I fully annotated the third debate with commentary and links from The Heritage Foundation.

By embarking on the project — and possibly continuing it with congressional video — I hoped to provide an important service to our readers who want more than sound bites from the candidates. VoterWatch allows you to do just that by blogging within video coverage.

The experience was rather enjoyable. After watching last night’s “Saturday Night Live” skit with Fred Armisen and Darrell Hammond, I even had a few laughs at the real Barack Obama and John McCain.

5 Early Recommendation Technologies That Could Shake Up Their Niches (ReadWriteWeb)
As people look more to the internet for cues on what to purchase, five new start ups find ways to make online recommendations for everyone.

Crowdsourced Smearbusting (Tech President)
A new Web site, Smearbusters.org, take the phenomenon of crowdsourcing to fight smears associated with Senator Obama’s campaign.

Fast, Cheap and Sustainable: Ex-Pentagon Geek Plots Disaster Relief 2.0 (Wired)
A former Pentagon official is leading the drive to include social media and Web 2.0 techniques in post-crisis situations.

PoliTwitter (Capital Gig)
David Almacy examines how Twitter has become a place of communication and interaction throughout the debate season.

Problems Voting in the General Election? Report Your Issue Here (Wired)
Wired has rolled out an interactive map that allows readers to post any difficulties related to voting.

Crossposted on Mediafuturenow.com.

Twitter is not a broadcasting medium.  Much has been written about Twitter as the first “true” realization of the power of real-time social media.  Twitter is an advocacy medium.  Just ask Shaun Dakin.

Dakin is a former FedEx executive and, among other things, a big Twitter advocate.  He’s done something kind of amazing.  Dakin is CEO and founder of The National Political Do Not Contact Registry, a campaign to restrict “robo” calling and other less automated telephone calls for political and advocacy campaigns.

Perhaps not a particularly glamorous grassroots campaign, the Registry is exactly the kind of political “process” campaign that seeks to better participatory democracy in this country.  It’s the nuts and bolts of the workings of elections and advocacy campaigns, and it is worth both the attention of political professionals and (for our purposes) good study by the media and technology communities.  It is effective. (more…)