• Welcome
  • Community
  • Blogs
  • Photos
  • Videos
  • Join
  • Log in
Follow MNN    
MNN - Mother Nature Network - Envrionmental News
improve your world

 

Saturday, May 26, 2012
  • Earth Matters

    Browse All » Animals Weather Energy Politics Space Translating Uncle Sam Wilderness & Resources

  • Health

    Browse All » Allergies Fitness & Well-Being Healthy Spaces

  • Lifestyle

    Browse All » Arts & Culture Travel Natural Beauty & Fashion Recycling Responsible Living

  • GREEN TECH

    Browse All » Computers Gadgets & Electronics Research & Innovations Transportation

  • Eco-Biz & Money

    Browse All » Green Workplace Personal Finance Sustainable Business Practices

  • Food & Drink

    Browse All » Beverages Healthy Eating Recipes

  • Your Home

    Browse All » At Home Organic Farming & Gardening Remodeling & Design

  • family

    Browse All » Babies & Pregnancy Family Activities Pets Protection & Safety

Tweet
Pin It
Email Bookmark and ShareShare
WorldShares lets you earn donations for your favorite nonprofit. Earn up to 20 points now.
Learn More

Earn Points
What's this?
MNN.COM›

MNN BLOGGERS

Karl Burkart

The simple power of social media

Many people overcomplicate the world of social media. Here are 3 great examples of how social media works best. Less = More.

Thu, Nov 19 2009 at 5:05 AM EST

 
A lot of people are still trying to figure out the whacky world of social media. Advertisers in particular seem to over complicate their social campaigns with YouTube contests, multiple media formats, blog feeds, Twitter scavenger hunts, Ning group pages, Facebook badges, and on and on. Some big agency-created campaigns often give their target audiences too MUCH to do, the net result being low participation.
 
The reality is that the most successful social media campaigns online are dead simple.
 
They engage by simplifying a person's life not be making it more complicated. They ask us to pause, take a moment out of our hectic day, and just do one simple thing. And then they show us how that one simple action combines with others in creating a collective voice that is heard via the Internet around the world.
 
Here are three great examples of successful social media that prove my point:
 
MadV -- One World
 
A few years ago. MadV, a strange silent YouTube character (dressed in a hoodie and V mask) was best known for his card tricks. Then he came up with the simplest of ideas ... ask people (silently) to write a message they wanted to share with the world on their hands. That's it. Hand, sharpie, video camera.
 
The result was a deluge of web uploads, the kind YouTube loves to evangelize, and a really beautiful compilation video that ABC news called a "title wave of connection" and MTV News called a "cultural shift in media." For some strange reason the video was just very moving, maybe because of the intimacy gained in the moment of meeting all those people via a digital interface.
 
Now MadV is back with a Hi-Def version of the same project (video above).
 
Hopenhagen
 
When I first wrote about the U.N. campaign called Hopenhagen back in September, there were only a few hundred people who had signed its digital petition urging the active participation of world leaders at the Copenhagen climate talks in December. Now there are nearly 400,000. 
 
The interface is great ... after signing the petition you leave your own personal "hope" and it is placed on an animated map (powered by google) allowing you to mouse-over everyone's individual hopes for the climate talks. 
 
MNN's Climate Cloud Tag
MNN editor Benyamin Cohen pointed out this nifty tag cloud developed by MNN's tech team. It allows you to take a brief survey on how you are feeling about the upcoming climate talks. The words are weighted by size, so you can get a sense of what people are feeling "at a glance." 
 
Based on today's results, it looks like the Road to Copenhagen is trending more towards "frustrated" and "apprehensive" than it is towards "joyful."
 
Social media it seems will have a significant role to play up to and beyond the Copenhagen climate talks. 
 
Related story: Huffington Post will send one citizen journalist to Copenhagen
 
See also:
• 7 Signs You Need a Social Media Detox (via EcoSalon.com)
Previous Post
U.S., China announce climate cooperation plan
   Next Post
Become a Copenhagen ambassador
You might also like:
Related Topics: Climate Change, Climate Policy, Copenhagen Climate Talks, Go Green, Video

Comments

Follow this conversation
Add your comment
View:
  • All (0)

Add your comment

Sign in with one of these accounts or just add your comment below.
    Log in or
    create an account
     
    •  
Used only for emailed comments and will not be displayed with your post
Notify me with an email when other people comment on this article.
The posting of advertisement, profanity or personal attacks is prohibited.
Click here to review our Terms of Use

EDITORS' PICKS

tease to asteroids

tease to pet facials

tease to emotional eating

ADVERTISEMENT

NEWSLETTER

Mother Nature. Delivered

CONNECT WITH MNN

Follow @twitterapi
 Tumblr
 Google +

About Karl Burkart

Internet entrepreneur on green media and technology.

RSS feedMore about Karl

Recent Posts

  • Rock star charity seeks to Power the World
  • What do Leonardo DiCaprio, Linkin Park, Hayden Panettiere and Sergio Marone have in common?
  • Inhofe launches wacky 'Climate Hoax' book despite severe climate impacts in Oklahoma
+ Add this to my site

Karl's BLOGROLL

EcoGeekFast Company
MongabayPhysorg Tech
Red Green and BlueTrendHunter Eco
TreehuggerGetting Hot in Here
Triple PunditWeb Ecoist

ADVERTISEMENT



Quick Links

  • About Us
  • Advisory Board
  • Editors' Blog
  • Press
  • Privacy
  • Sitemap
  • Terms of Service
  • WorldShares

MNN Tools

  • Advice
  • Blogs
  • Day in History
  • Eco-glossary
  • Infographics
  • Lists
  • Photos
  • Videos

Connect

  • Community
  • Contact Us
  • Contests
  • Idea Lab
  • Mixed Greens
  • Newsletters
  • Polls
  • RSS

Channels

  • Earth Matters
  • Health
  • Lifestyle
  • Green Tech
  • Eco-Biz & Money
  • Your Home
  • Family
  • State Reports

Follow MNN

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Tumblr
  • Google+
  • StumbleUpon
 

Copyright © 2012 MNN Holdings, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Website by GLICK INTERACTIVE | Powered by CIRRACORE
 
SPONSORS