You would be hard pressed to NOT have heard of Google+, the newest social networking and sharing tool from Google which after one month of existence boasts around 18 million users. Artists are already bombarded with a plethora of tools to help them connect with their fans, but Google+ truly adds some unique features which have great potential for integration into a musician’s marketing arsenal.Overview:
Google+ consists of a content stream, photos, sparks, hangouts, and chat. While these features are nothing groundbreaking, the feature pulling all of the others together is Circles. Circles allow you to put contacts into different, self-defined groups, which control what content you see and share. Since there are a number of good articles explaining the basics of the platform, let’s get into how each feature may be utilized by an artist.
Note: Currently only personal accounts exist and Google has suggested that businesses (artists) postpone creating accounts until special business accounts currently under development are made available.
Circles:
Circles is where the magic of Google+ takes place. You can create as many Circles as you want, and add people by simply dragging their info into a Circle. Once your Circles are created, you can share content to select Circles as well as view content streams from specific circles. Artists should start by importing their mailing list addresses into Google+, posting their info on their existing marketing channels (facebook, twitter), and inviting those not yet using the service to join.
Now that you have your contacts, it is time to organize your Circles. It should be noted that your Circles are private, so others cannot view or be offended by your orginizational decisions. Some possible Circles include:
- Industry Representatives: You probably only want to share updates concerning your latest releases, videos, and press content with industry folk who may be following you as they are less concerned about the burrito you just consumed.
- Fans: This is where you can share the content your fan base enjoys reading. Let them know about your whereabouts, experiences, touring or recording progress, post photos and music etc…
- Breakdown the Fan Circle into smaller circles to have more defined targeting. For example, create Circles for different areas of the country and international fans to ensure you aren’t over promoting shows to fans thousands of miles away. If your fan base includes young teens, young adults, and older adults, consider categorizing these contacts as well. Each group prefers to be spoken to in different tone and filled in on different activities. Sometimes even male and female Circles make sense.
- Other artists: Much like yourself, other artists are learning from experiences, trying out new marketing ideas, using new services etc…Follow what others are doing and share what you know with others in your position.
- Following: Much like Twitter, you can follow others without being Circled back. This is good for keeping up with informative figures who may not call for reciprocal sharing.
Knowing which content your various Circles enjoy receiving will help ensure that only the most suitable posts make it to their stream.
Sparks:
Sparks are similar to your RSS feed or Google Alerts. Simply add some interests and topics you’d like to follow and check it ever so often to stay up to date.
Hangouts:
This is another great feature for artists. Hangouts are hosted group video/audio/text chats. If you’ve used Ustream, it’s a little similar but even more interactive considering you can see and hear the other members in the Hangout. It is really a great way to allow your fans to get to know you as well as for you to get more acquainted with your fans. Host special Hangouts for your different Circles and maybe play an acoustic set, have an open question and answer session, or just let your fans connect with one another.
Daria Musk performs in a Hangout.The features are there, but the success of Google+’s ability to provide artists with the ultimate marketing tool will largely depend on how many users ultimately adopt the platform. Overall, Google+ will provide artists a way to more meaningfully connect with their audience.
Please share your thoughts and ideas concerning Google+ for artists as this is unexplored territory that begs for creative implementation. If you aren’t yet a part of the club, post your email and I or another kind soul will send you an invite.
Scott Horton helps recording artists achieve the ‘sound in their head’ by providing his technical and creative sonic input through his online mixing service Virtual Mix Engineer.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Google+ For Musicians
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Network Rail for New Graduates
Hopefully you have already picked up the mail that Tom’s sent you yesterday to introduce use. He mentioned the chance to come to York and meet us and get your self familiarised with the place and ask a few questions if needed.
We have a room booked at one of our offices arranged by Kafui to have a talk about what to expect and see what we have been up to in the first year. Also we plan to have a bit of a social after wards at a local public house.
So we have booked a room up for the 4th August 3-5 at Hudson House York. It’s opposite the train station but not all that important as it will probably be easier to meet you at the station anytime from around half 2 onwards and then we can take you over there.
If you can let me know ASAP if you can, or for that matter, cannot make it?
As there is only the 3 of you I am sure we can look at rearranging it if not convenient, however we are all away on a training course for 2 weeks after that and would hope to meet up asap.
Please let me know asap if you can make it either by mail or by phone. I will probably have a ring round towards the end of the week if I am waiting on a response.
By the way this is nothing formal, its relaxed just to try and put you at ease before you get started proper.
Speak soon
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
I think this is the best so far
The point
The tide is in
The point is here.
Andy Roberts
http://distributedresearch.net/blogMonday, July 11, 2011
Network Rail - Welcome & Information Requests
2011 intake! It
was really good to meet those of you who were able to come along to our Welcome
Days on Wednesday 18th May and Wednesday 6th July.
I would like to take this opportunity again to welcome and congratulate
you on your appointment on Network Rail’s graduate engineering
programme. For those of you who were unable to make it the reason for my
email is to introduce myself and run through what was covered on the day.
We had a number of speakers and current graduates covering a variety of
elements but I need to focus with you my session from that day. I
support Nigel Ward, Professional Development Manager who will be your line
manager for the duration of your scheme. One of my responsibilities will
be managing the on-boarding of you all and assisting Nigel with your
development when you join us in September. As part of the planning
process for this, there are a number of initiatives that we are working on to
ensure your smooth transition into the business. You will shortly be
receiving joining instructions from me for our induction event which will
commence on Sunday 4th September at our residential training centre
in Coventry.
You will be there for the whole week and on the Friday (9th Sept) all
of the 2011 intake will then be transported to our technical training centre at
HMS Sultan in Gosport. I have to stress
to those of you who missed the event at Westwood that you will be required to
stay the middle weekends of the three week induction.
Accommodation and full board will be provided for the duration of the induction
event and whilst at Gosport you will be
working the Saturday mornings. You will, however, have free time on the
Saturday afternoon and all day Sunday. You will leave Gosport
on Friday 23rd September. On your fourth week you will spend
this with your buddy and the other graduates who are based in your
‘home’ location. This is to familiarise you with the relevant
offices/areas that you will be based at. One
of my first priorities is to look at your initial placement following on from
your induction programme. All of the 2011 cohort will start the initial
training with a 20 week (approx) placement in one of our maintenance delivery
units. We have a number of these around the country and it is my plan to
try and place you in one that is nearest, not only to your place of
work e.g. Swindon, but also where you are living if that is
possible. In order for me to look at the range of locations vs the
delivery units, I would be grateful if you could complete the attached
information
form (if you haven’t done that) to update me on your contact
details. I appreciate that you may be planning on moving over the summer
but if you can give me an indication on where you are likely to be
living when you
commence employment with us that will assist me greatly. Please note the
broadness of London as an area as this covers Sussex, Wessex, Anglia & Kent.
Once I have all these forms returned I will be able to confirm where you
will be based for that placement. After your initial maintenance
placement you will then start your formal 6-9 month placements which will be
outlined to you during the induction period. If you are unclear about any
of this please don’t hesitate to contact either myself or Nigel for
clarification. Again, don’t worry too much about this as we will
discuss this with you during your induction event. A
second initiative that I am working on is getting our graduates from 2010 to
contact you to invite you into the location where you will be working i.e. if
you are based in Glasgow you will be invited to
meet the previous grads at the office in Buchanan House in Glasgow!
This will be over the next few
weeks. I will assume that by your completion and return of that document
you are happy for me to pass these details to our grads so they can contact you
and arrange a suitable date to bring you in to meet them along with the other
grads who are joining that location. Full
joining instructions for your three week induction programme will be sent out
over the next couple of weeks. All travel arrangements and tickets will
be organised for you and I attach the form that you need to complete and return
to me so that I can arrange this for you. As part of your training you
will be required to wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Attached is
a form that you need to complete with the size that is relevant to you.
Please can you return the Graduate Information Form, Ticket Request Form and
PPE form to me (if you haven’t already done so) by Wednesday
20th July at the latest. Important Information Required : for those of you who couldn’t make the
welcome events and those of you on the 18th
May event I need you to complete the attached security clearance
form for your stay at HMS Sultan. The forms that were included in the
packs I issued to those who did attend on the 18th May were
incorrect so please can you complete the one that is attached and send to
Lesley Harding (along with the necessary ID forms) asap. Those of you who
were on the 6th July event are ok as you received the correct
version of the form. If
you have any concerns or want to chat through any issues please don’t
hesitate to contact myself or Nigel either by phone or by email. Kind
regards Janice
Bridgeland Professional
Development Assistant Engineering
(Graduates) Network
Rail 40 Melton Street London NW1 2EE Tel: 020 7557 8858 Mobile: 07825 376901
Sunday, July 10, 2011
140 Curlews
today. That's a huge increase on recent years, and suggests the curlew
population, and that of other wader birds, are well on the way to
fully recovering after the wildlife disaster that followed the closing
of the tin mine inland. The curlwes were mostly resting, but some were
feeding on small molluscs in the mud. Their downward curved beaks are
proportionately probably longer than that of a pelican, but narrow. In
order to swallow or crush the little periwinkle type univalves, they
were having to manipute the shell whole, right down the beak almost to
the head in order to get enough leverage.
We also saw two grey herons fighting over a small piece of fishing
territory, flocks of oystercatcher, redshanks and a family of buzzards
overhead.
Photosynth Panorama
Andy Roberts
http://distributedresearch.net/blogThe App Store Turns Three After A Number Of Recent Milestones
Today marks the third anniversary of the launch of the (iPhone) App Store which launched on July 10, 2008. It launched simultaneously with what was then called the iPhone OS 2.0 software (now dubbed iOS 2.0) and was subsequently followed by the release of the iPhone 3G the next day, which came with iOS 2.0 and thus the App Store pre-installed.
The availability of third-party applications and an ‘App Store’ on the iPhone was certainly one of the most demanded features of the iPhone after it was revealed and launched in 2007. Whilst it hasn’t been revealed when exactly Apple decided to open up the iPhone to third-party apps (or if they had always planned for it), Steve Jobs was quoted in the New York Times shortly after revealing the iPhone in January 2007, as saying:
We define everything that is on the phone. You don’t want your phone to be like a PC. The last thing you want is to have loaded three apps on your phone and then you go to make a call and it doesn’t work anymore. These are more like iPods than they are like computers.
Since the launch of App Store, it has become one of the defining successes for the iPhone and Apple more broadly – becoming a cornerstone feature being used in a number of advertising campaigns. Most notable is the ‘There’s an App for that’ ad campaign which highlighted the wide array of apps available to consumers (jump the break to relive the first of those).
Over the past few months, the App Store has hit a number of milestones that reveals how successful it has been over the past three years. Just in the past week, Apple revealed that there had been 15 billion apps downloaded from the App Store. Recently it was also revealed that there are now over 500,000 apps available in the App Store (100,000 of which are iPad apps) – virtually a hundred-fold increase from the 500 apps that were available at the launch of the App Store in July of 2008. Apple has also been very keen to note at their WWDC conferences that they are paying out significant amounts of money to developers; at last count it was over $2.5 billion. The question is, where will the App Store be in a year from now, let-alone another three years? The pace at which it has grown is truly mind-boggling.
[Sources: New York Times, TechCrunch, Engadget, Wikipedia]