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Founded in July 2005, Mashable is the world's largest blog focused exclusively on Web 2.0 and Social Media news. Mashable is the most prolific blog reviewing new Web sites and services, publishing breaking news on what's new on the web and offering social media resources and guides.
“Titanic” to Return to Theaters in 3D
Jeffrey Katzenberg was right: 3D is the future of movies. USA Today interviewed Avatar director James Cameron about this new era of filmmaking, and the director revealed plans to bring a certain unsinkable hit back to theaters in 2012, this time in 3D: Titanic.
Because of the success of Avatar — and now Alice in Wonderland — studios are scrambling to release as many big titles in 3D as possible. Thanks to computer technology, 3D effects can be added to films shot without the use of 3D-specific cameras like Cameron and Burton used for their titles. This includes Warner Bros.’s upcoming Clash of the Titans, a film that was not shot in 3D, but is being converted to 3D over an eight-week period in hopes of capturing more attention (and higher ticket sales) at the box office.
While Cameron was critical of how little time some of these conversions were taking, he wasn’t opposed to the idea that old titles be converted — as long as the original director is the one who oversees the process.
From the interview:
“They’re converting Clash of the Titans in eight weeks. But I’m guessing six months to a year to do it right. We’re targeting spring of 2012 for the release (of a 3D version of Titanic), which is the 100 year anniversary of the sailing of the ship.”
Titanic, for its time, was actually a quite technically advanced film. Many of the interior and exterior shots were completely computer-generated, as was much of the water in the film. That offers up some better options when re-processing the film for 3D because artists are working with digital imagery — not to mention the improvements in visual effects and CGI that have taken place in the ensuing 13 years.
Cameron also discusses 3D television sets and plans for Avatar in Blu-ray and in 3D.
What do you think about technology retrofitting classic films into 3D — or 2.8D as Cameron calls it? Let us know!
Tags: 3D, 3D TV, Film, james cameron, Movies, titanic
9 Killer Tips for Location-Based Marketing
Social networking has finally become something valuable for brick-and-mortar businesses. Smartphones and location-based social networks allow users to interact, share, meet up, and recommend places based on their physical coordinates. This real-world connection to social media can mean more foot traffic and profits for business owners.
So-called “lo-so” networks like Foursquare, Loopt, and Gowalla enable any business with a physical location to not only communicate with customers online, but actually get more of them to walk in the door — and that’s exciting.
The question any brick-and-mortar business owner should be asking him or herself is no longer “Should I use lo-so networks?” It’s “How do I do it?” The following tips are essential to getting started.
1. Learn the Platforms
First of all, you need to understand how the technology works. Generally, people use lo-so apps on their phones to “check in” whenever they go places. Global Positioning Satellites (GPS) locate the users and determine what “venue” they might be at, giving them options to select a location or create a new listing. These “check ins” allow their friends to know where they are now, or where they frequently go. Some services allow users to leave location-based tips for friends to discover later, and several involve social competitions, or the ability to unlock digital badges, stickers, and prizes. Businesses can announce specials or promotions through these apps, so when users “check in,” they receive notifications of nearby deals.
Item one on your to-do list should be to become familiar with the prevailing platforms. Foursquare, Gowalla, Loopt, Brightkite, and Google Latitude are the most talked about in general, though others exist, and popularity varies by geography (e.g. Foursquare reigns supreme in New York City, and Loopt has a lot of clout in Silicon Valley). Other platforms to be aware of include Yelp and Facebook, which are just now dabbling in lo-so. Sign up for all of these, and download the apps to your phone if you can, so you can become familiar with how someone would use each one. Most of the networks have iPhone, Android, and BlackBerry apps, and all of them allow you to “check in” via desktop and mobile web browsers.
2. Determine Your Goals
Before you can optimize your business for lo-social networking, you need to step back and determine what you want to accomplish.
Are you hoping to increase foot traffic to your store?
Do you want to sell more of a particular item?
Do you want more patrons at certain times of day?
Do you want to promote a specific product?
Are you looking for new customer acquisition?
Repeat customers?
You may say, “I want all of those,” but to be effective, you need to set specific objectives. These will determine your approach to the entire process. Luckily, if you need to change things around to fit new objectives in the future, the cost of doing so is very small.
One goal that should be on every business’s list is to be easily findable on every network, which brings us to number three:
3. Establish Your Presence
Make sure that your business is listed on each network. Then make sure the address, phone, and details are correct and current. Don’t assume that users have added everything correctly. On some networks, once a venue is there, it’s stuck. Others let you edit. Don’t be afraid to contact the network itself to ask them for help if you can’t fix your venue listing. Gowalla’s Jonathan Carroll says, “We receive dozens of e-mails a day from businesses around the world asking for additions or tweaks to their Gowalla locations, and we’re happy to help out with them.”
It’s also a good idea to put up notices or stickers (on the door, order counter, or table centerpieces, for example) announcing “We’re on Foursquare” or “Find us on Yelp.” This will remind people to “check in” and spread the word about you.
4. Customize
Different networks have different options for customization, but it’s important that you do as much as you can to build out your listing. Add your website. Integrate with your other social networking accounts, like Twitter. Features are constantly being added to each network, but great customizations you can try right now include the following:
On Foursquare: Create to-do lists for users to explore around your area. And if possible, work with Foursquare to create a custom badge for your venue or event.
On Gowalla: Ask for a custom icon for your location, rather than the generic one for your category. Examples: Shake Shack, NYC, Austin Java, and Coop Ale Works.
5. Implement Compelling Promotions
Lo-social networks allow you to run promos to increase engagement and get people into your store. Foursquare’s Tristan Walker says, “Any type of in-store promotion you can conceive we want to make it so Foursquare can run it.” Many businesses offer specials like “check in 10 times and get a free appetizer” on all the major lo-so networks. Establish well-conceived promotions based on your goals, then evaluate the results. The biggest mistake you can make is to do this sloppily or half-heartedly.
Carroll cites Lift Cafe as a good example. “They offer 10% off every purchase when you check in on Gowalla, which they include in their description and also as a reminder in the success screen after check-in.”
“[What] we’ve seen across all channels again and again is that what works is a good local offer,” says Loopt CEO Sam Altman. Businesses with offers that cater to people “making that gametime decision” when they’re out and about do the best. “Offer value to the customer so it doesn’t feel like an ad,” he advises.
Shelley Bernstein, Chief of Technology for the Brooklyn Museum, talks about how the institution uses Foursquare to create a multi-faceted campaign and experience for museum goers.
“We knew that many people coming here wanted to know more about the local neighborhood, which is something Foursquare does well. We asked our staff for their opinion of the best stuff in the neighborhood … and left tips at all these venues for Foursquare users to find. Second, we added a promo for our mayor to reward the people who are consistently identifying themselves with us. Third, Foursquare has given us a badge which unlocks after three visits, and this helps reward our community for coming in the doors.
“All of these things together help create a total presence on the platform that works well for the Foursquare community, the Brooklyn Museum visitor, and the local merchants in our neighborhood.”"
Common promotions across various networks include the following:
Raffles (e.g. “Every person who checks in gets a chance to win an iPod.”)
Specials for the user who checks in most often. This is a staple of Foursquare promos for a lot of venues (e.g. “Top user/mayor gets the first drink free every time he/she comes in.”)
First check in specials (e.g. “Get 30% off your order when you check in for the first time.”)
Digital punch cards (e.g. “Check in 5 times, get a free coffee.”)
Tips for developing effective promotions:
Advertise particular incentives, rather than your business in general (“20% off between 2 and 4pm;” “Buy one burger, get one free;” etc.).
On platforms that allow you create your own banner ads (such as Loopt), include your address and opening hours in the ad itself, when possible.
Be creative. For example, Incase, the bag and protective case maker, recently ran a promo with Gowalla to put virtual versions of its products into the app to be collected and traded. Carroll remarks, “The result has been phenomenal: Thousands upon thousands of their virtual items have been distributed in Gowalla to an audience who could benefit from their products, but many of whom had not previously heard of Incase.”
6. Engage With Your Customers
It would be a mistake to use Twitter as a one-way corporate megaphone, never interacting with your audience. That’s a quick route to an audience of zero. One of the most effective uses of social media is personal engagement and relationship building with your audience. The same goes for lo-so networks.
7. Track Everything
Foursquare just released a slick analytics dashboard for venues to track their stats. Other networks have metrics you can view as well, and they’ll certainly be releasing better and better tools. From data you can study online to qualitative observations at your own store, it’s important to keep track of everything so you can learn what promotions work with your audience. Be aware, though, that your ROI may not be directly measurable, and aside from increased sales, you’re working for brand exposure and increased awareness of your business.
8. Be Prepared to Adapt
Location-based social network technology may be the newest and grooviest incarnation of social media, but it certainly won’t be the last. And in a year it won’t look exactly like it does today. Be prepared to adapt your methods when features change, as new tools emerge, and as you review your own promotional results. Again, keep your objectives in mind, and be ready to keep up with new technology.
9. Avoid Common Pitfalls
In talking with representatives from the major lo-so networks, several common mistakes came up. Here are a few things you should try to avoid:
Don’t leave fake reviews or tips. They’re easy to spot, and you’ll lose all on- and off-line credibility immediately when people catch on.
Don’t throw up poorly designed ads. “A badly designed banner ad performs so much worse than … a good one,” Altman says. “It’s an insane difference.”
Don’t forget to monitor activity. Carroll points out, “Chances are if someone has a gripe or praise with their check-in, it’s a real-time thing: The patron is probably still there … so the business has a chance to make the experience even better.”
We’d love to hear about your own lo-so experiences. Let us know how location-based services have benefited your business in the comments!
More location-based resources from Mashable:
- 10 Foursquare Apps You Can Use Right Now
- 6 Foursquare Apps We’d Love to See
- 6 Tips for Getting the Most out of Foursquare
- Foursquare vs. Gowalla: Location-Based Throwdown
- Location, Location, Location: 5 Big Predictions for 2010
Tags: brightkite, business, facebook, foursquare, google latitude, gowalla, List, location, location-based, loopt, MARKETING, Mobile 2.0, small business, social media, social networks, twitter
Details: Twitter’s New @Anywhere Platform
Twitter CEO Evan Williams just announced at SXSW that his company is taking another step to integrate with the rest of the web with a new platform called @anywhere. Operators of third-party websites will be able to plug in @anywhere to integrate some basic Twitter functionality without requiring their users to navigate away from a page.
When you visit a website that supports @anywhere, you’ll be able to follow any Twitter account associated with that site without navigating away to the profile at Twitter.com. The Twitter blog suggests that the platform will let you follow a participating journalist from his or her byline. It also suggests that you’ll be able to tweet about a YouTube video without interrupting it.
More @anywhere features are planned; Twitter says the above-mentioned items are are “just the beginning.” Integrating with the rest of the web is a wise move. Facebook’s Facebook Connect platform is dominating right now, and while Twitter has a similar login platform, it’s lost its head start when it comes to openness and integration.
The person or organization behind a website can drop some JavaScript in the website to integrate with @anywhere, so there won’t be any arcane Application Programming Interface (API) to learn and implement. Initial partners will include Amazon, AdAge, Bing, Citysearch, Digg, eBay, The Huffington Post, Meebo, MSNBC.com, The New York Times, Salesforce.com, Yahoo, and — as mentioned above — YouTube. Twitter hasn’t said when those sites will begin using @anywhere.
Future announcements regarding the platform will come from the @anywhere Twitter account — you get one guess as to what the username is. Platform/API guru Ryan Sarver promised “lots more details” at the Chirp Twitter developer conference this April 14 and 15.
Tags: at-anywhere, ev, evan williams, sxsw, sxsw-2010, trending, twitter
Twitter CEO Evan Williams Speaks at SXSW [LIVE COVERAGE]
This afternoon at SXSW in Austin, Texas, Twitter CEO Evan Williams is expected to end months of speculation by revealing his company’s plans for an advertising platform.
Williams — whose company pulled in an estimated $25 million revenue last year through search partnerships with Google and Microsoft — will be taking the stage momentarily (3pm ET) for an interview with Umair Haque of the Havas Media Lab. We’ll be updating below with live coverage.
Live Coverage and Video
[via @waynesutton]
Hugh Forrest, event director for SXSW is talking on stage. Thanking sponsors, plugging Guy Kawasaki’s Twitter panel, and holding up a t-shirt he got from Williams 4 years ago. The room is jam packed (I got here 30 minutes early and am in the front row however
Williams and Haque have taken the stage!
Twitter’s @anywhere Platform
Williams announces a new platform for integrating Twitter features for websites. It lets user follow an account (like Mashable) directly from a third-party site. Sites using it now include eBay, Yahoo, and Digg. It’s called “@anywhere”. Here are the initial partners:
Williams says that for example, users can follow a columnist right from their website. This helps solve Twitter’s “discovery” problem of finding interesting people to follow.
Williams says this should help websites gain more followers and have more people who are your fans using Twitter and talking about your content. He wants to lower the barriers to adoption of Twitter.
Williams says he thinks the platform will help news spread faster on Twitter.
On Twitter’s Business Model
Williams says Twitter’s business model is going to take experimentation – notes that Google started out by selling search services.
Williams says Twitter is still mainly focused on creating the best experience for users and businesses.
On Microsoft and Google deals, Williams says that tapping into their reach and technology is a way to bring more value out of tweets. People creating the content get wider distribution and people searching get more detailed information.
Williams says that third-party developers have plugged many of Twitter’s holes – photo sharing, link shortening, etc. The next step he says is building interfaces for specific audiences — like CoTweet and HootSuite do for businesses.
Twitter has deals with 65 mobile carriers around the world for SMS.
Williams says “we only do win-win deals” – both for users and business partners. It’s one of the reasons they haven’t implemented many revenue generating pieces to Twitter yet.
Williams says that Twitter has created a new conversation between consumers and brands (obviously).
More Live Notes
Williams says Twitter’s “140 character vision” is ease of exchange of information and being a force for good and save people time instead of costing them time.
Williams says you can take advantage of Twitter without sharing your own content. He answers the question what is Twitter by calling it an “information network” — i.e. – people who just read accounts from people and brands they are interested in as opposed to actually tweeting.
Twitter’s focused on improving the signal to noise ratio and if you’re a publisher, getting your content out to the people who care.
Williams is discussing Twitter’s structure – lots of autonomous teams who are free to experiment.
Williams says he spends about half his time thinking about product, and the other half thinking about company culture and how to scale it as Twitter grows. He wants the company try and be as open and transparent as possible both internally and externally.
Williams notes that users have defined many of Twitter’s features – like retweets and @replies. He says a core part of Twitter’s philosophy is being open to the idea of being wrong.
Williams says that Twitter sends cease and desist letters every day to malicious apps – like spammers and follower schemes.
Williams says the company has a “pretty wide definition” of what a user is — there’s a pretty broad variety of how people use Twitter, and as people consume information on Twitter, they’re more likely to get involved.
Williams says that people being able to share anything on the Internet continues to change the world.
Williams says his goal is not to get people to spend more time on Twitter (and perhaps less … sounds very Google-like)
Williams just hinted that they’ll get back to talking about business model stuff (ahem, the ad platform?!?) later in this conversation.
We’re an hour into the keynote — checking in on Twitter, it sounds like lots of people have bailed out of the room, but I can’t quite tell how many because I’m in the front. It’s admittedly starting to drag …
Williams advice for entrepreneurs: “create something you want to exist in the world.” He also notes that a lot of the most interesting companies come from outside Silicon Valley (it’s hard to think differently there).
Keynote over … no ad platform announcement. Signing off!
[img credits: Victor Hernandez / CNN]
Reviews: Digg, Google, HootSuite, Mashable, Twitter, cotweet
Tags: evan williams, sxsw, trending, twitter
