The best of the We Are Social blog, 2010
2010 is almost over (in fact, for our friends in Sydney, it already is). A lot has happened this year, and as well as our regular Monday Mashups, we’ve hosted some interesting topics and debates here on the We Are Social blog. Here are my personal highlights:
A mildly popular blog’s stats laid bare
We kicked off the year with a in-depth analysis of We Are Social’s 2009 stats, looking at our sources of traffic, how RSS contributed to the mix and what effect social media was having. There’s a lot covered in this post – whether you’re interested in web analytics or you’ve never given them a second thought, this is a recommended read.
The Conservatives’ nudge to marketers
In February, Simon took a look at what impact a likely incoming Conservative administration would have on government advertising and marketing campaigns, with a particular focus on ‘behavioural economics’. It turned out to be a pretty good primer on the current UK government’s outlook…
The nuances of European social media
In March I was meant to be at SXSW talking about the nuances of European social media. I didn’t make it, but this post details what I would have said – covering the differences in social media usage between European countries and the different platforms in use.
The third sector’s new networked reality
Also in March, Simon outlined for the first time We are Social’s framework for third-sector communications and campaigning in a networked world. If you’re remotely interested in charities and social media, this is a must read.
Open Graph and the rise of the social web
In April, Stefano looked at the impact Facebook’s release of their ‘Open Graph’ protocol would have on the web as we currently know it (on personal level, it’s hard to believe this was only 9 months ago!).
The General Election & the real-time web
In May, on the day after the UK’s general election, Chris took a look how the real-time web had changed things – from Facebook groups protesting about people not getting the chance to vote, to candidates live tweeting from the count.
Crisis comms in the age of social media
In May, Communicate Magazine asked me to talk about ‘crisis communications in the age of social media’, and I outlined what brands need to do to be prepared, what to do when the tsunami hits and how to manage the aftermath.
Social media buzz. Advantage: Old Spice
In July, the inspired social media part of Old Spice’s awesome ‘The Man Your Man Could Smell Like’ campaign hit. Jordan analysed the buzz around it, and then in a separate post, moved on to look at the results of the campaign itself.
International brand communities
In August, Nathan examined in detail the issues around international brands and social media – looking at the delicate balance brands need to make between the global and the local.
The UK’s media consumption habits
Also in August, off the back of the release of Ofcom’s communications market report, Laura took a look at what it told us about the UK’s media consumption habits, diving down to some considerable level of detail.
Why FriendFeed is so popular in Italy
Again in August, Ottavio took a look at why FriendFeed is so popular in Italy, explaining the meta-trends and speaking to one of Italy’s FriendFeed rockstars to get his perspective.
6 steps to social media crisis recovery
In September, Nathan shared his 6 steps to social media crisis recovery – Listen, Be Open, Take Action, Reach Out, Be Consistent, Be Prepared.
The ASA’s new social media remit
In October, I examined what the ASA’s new social media remit means for marketers here in the UK, and also at other regulations that impact on social media activity.
The future of advertising isn’t advertising
And to finish off the year, earlier this month I took a look at what the future of the agency might look like, which sparked off a fierce debate in the comments, well worth reading in it’s own right.