Mashable; ‘The Social Media Guide’, the monstrous mash-up blog that opened up the world of Social Media at the helm of Scottish born Pete Cashmore. The site quickly became the leading new media website in the world due to it being the most comprehensive and active Social Media News site of recent years.

As it has expanded in size, recruiting more and more writers from different journalistic backgrounds, it has made a transition into wider areas of Digital Technology where the competition is greater and the audience is larger.

Formally known as ‘The Social Media Guide’… Now that the slogan is no longer present on the site, what kind of site are Mashable now?

Cashmore can see the opportunity with the amount of press and traffic his site receives daily. Therefore, maybe it should be leaping into reporting on all things digital/technical.
But could this transition be more of an innovative move by Cashmore; knowing that Social Media is losing the ‘what is social media’ factor that made his baby ever so popular in the first place?

Facebook recently achieved a landmark milestone in digital history, by reaching 500 million users. Funny, considering it was only a year ago that we were still trying to prove that Social Media wasn’t a fad.

Mashable’s new 2010 re-design has dropped the tagline ‘The Social Media Guide’ and opened up it’s news wings to expand into all areas of digital technology.
It had been reporting on most new technology news since launch but had always put a social media spin on it.
Only recently, has it decided to devote a large portion of it’s articles to technology without the social fluff.

With all businesses, as you expand into other areas, you face more and more competition. Where you may dominate your specific niche (in this case Social Media); if you decide to focus on multiple areas, such as Web Technology, Mobile and Business for example, you will find yourself not only taking away the USP of your site, but also confusing your core market (which in this case im not too sure what that is for Mashable).

I tweeted about this exact topic recently and the response i received was interesting. A few replies highlighted that while the engagement on Mashable is low in comparison with their ’share factor’, the point was raised that most people would rather share an article and discuss with their own network than comment directly within the article itself.

I guess that makes sense, and no-one can argue with their analytics, as it’s plain to see that Mashable receive some pretty dominating numbers.

However, as the place to visit for all new media information, wouldn’t you expect at least 0.01% of their 3 million daily page views to translate into more than their average of 16 comments per post?

Each of Mashable’s articles receive the best part of 1000 Twitter Retweets and the Facebook share’s are somewhat lower. For every 1000+ shares, we see an average of 16 comments, which to me indicates, that while we love to recycle content and share knowledge with our networks (for whatever ego boosting illusion of intelligence we want to create), as ‘Social Medium’s’, we chose to not pay much attention to the source.

I’d love to investigate into this further and really challenge the concept of sharing articles and how does it really coincide with the definitive definitions of Social Media (if there is a definitive) or at least acknowledge that sharing doesn’t always go hand in hand with ‘engagement and interaction’.

If the King Kong site of Social Media is happy to knock out relentless articles daily and keep it’s followers sharing the content, but not directly engaging; in my opinion (and that’s all this is) Mashable is losing a severe amount of brand equity, as the amount of time their average reader actually spends on the site would be minimal.

Mashable is a force, that is obvious. It’s writers know their stuff and while some of their articles are completely pointless the majority are informative and relevant.

But ask yourself this; when you visit Mashable what do you expect to find?

I can’t speak for anyone else, but do we really want to visit Mashable and see the same iPhone article that can be found on Tech Crunch, Engadget or Gizmodo?

Do we want to find Money and Finance information that we could see more comprehensively on Money Saving Expert? Do we want to watch the latest movie trailers in their Entertainment section?

Mashable is the site that made Social Media easy for people to understand and keep track of as it grew and grew.

Personally, while it’s great to be ‘that one site’ that tries to report on EVERYTHING going on in new media, at the same time, there is a huge area of confusion for the consumer.

Pete Cashmore explains in his interviews that Mashable started as a ‘mash-up’ of content on the Internet. Yet it’s tagline was Social Media and it became famous for being the Social Media Guide, not for being a source of all things digital.

I doubt Mashable will care whether it’s network interact on their website or share the content without thinking. As a business they are successful and no doubt their traffic brings ridiculous revenue; but it’s only a matter of time before the masses realise Mashable’s content isn’t as revolutionary as it used to be and people will get bored of retweeting the same recycled content.

Note: If you are one of the thousands of people that Retweet Mashable’s article’s but don’t have an opinion.
Please stop. The whole world of Twitter is following Mashable and we all see their feed.
At least be creative and voice an opinion for sharing.Similar Posts:

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Of course the Top Link this week was going to be the unveiling of the iPhone 4. After the leak on Gizmodo in April, it was only a matter of time until we were given the real details on Apple’s latest masterpiece.

Apple have done it again. I started out with the first iPhone 2G back at the start of 2008 but in 2009 i switched over to Blackberry to get my business game on. Now i think it may be time to revert back!

Read the full post here

Read the full story here
Spotted at Mashable

Spotted at The Urban Gamer

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What you are about to read is a compilation of my Top 5 Favorite Links of the past week. Each and every week i will post links from various topics. Whether they are tech, videos, sport, gaming or girls; i guarantee they will entertain….. or so i hope.

I could not stop laughing when i saw this. Looks like a mob boss with his leather jacket sitting in his chair giving orders to the peasants. But seriously, cruelty or comedy?

iPad + Velcro from Jesse Rosten on Vimeo.

The iPad, combined with a little velcro, makes various devices.

Well i own my own domain so apparently i have a good chance of being skilled. Why thank you.

If you have read my ‘Which Websites and Why’ post you will know i am a big fan of TED.
In this video Minority Report science adviser and inventor John Underkoffler states that in five years time we will have the technology that we have only seen in the Iron Man films.

Its a stand alone page with a 30 minute loop of rain sounds.
However, you won’t need an umbrella.

If you found any of the above interesting or funny, please leave a comment or retweet. If you found any of the content disturbing, then please see my disclaimer and also retweet. Many thanksSimilar Posts:

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Yep, im getting about a bit, sort of like an Internet Blogging hoe, spreading my seeds and growing trees. Yeah that makes little sense, but in short you may have noticed my article for Gumtree this week and im now also writing for BBC Radio One/1Xtra DJ Mistajam’s Website.

My introduction article entitled ‘Who’s Smiling Now’ identifies the emergence of a new Hip Hop artist named Smiler who i also have the pleasure of working closely with.

Each week i’ll be posting new articles to Mistajam’s Blog and you can stay updated by following myself @iamluca or @Mistajam on Twitter.

Read the full article – ‘Whose Smiling Now?’ on Mistajam.com

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Yet another claim to fame? I think so!
After a nice eventful evening at The Gumtree Meet back in April, i was asked by the jolly people at 1000heads to contribute for the Gumtree Blog. WIN!

I was given pretty much a blank canvas for a topic, but had to relate it to Gumtree of course.
So being the uber geek that i am, you can pretty much guess what i wrote about.

Here is a short excerpt:

“Luca Massaro, a tech blogger and digital marketing consultant from London, tells us how he posted a Wanted ad on Gumtree to find some of his prized possessions at a bargain price.“

You can read the full article here – Geek For Gumtree.

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For more comics and illustrations, head over to http://theoatmeal.com

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It’s the year 2010 and isn’t technology wonderful? We only have to see an influx of trends about the latest iPhone news leak and it sparks off more of a debate than the war in Afghanistan.

The image below paints a nice colourful picture of the evolution of 21st Century Technology.

Click to enlarge

As intelligent specimens we are blessed with the ability to do pretty much anything, bar fire red beams out of our eyes or fly.

We can have whatever we desire; if we use our heads to find a way of getting it, and we can be whatever we want to be; again if we use our heads.

Yet i find as time progresses, as technology enhances and as everything appears to become easier; people are generally making life more and more complicated for themselves.

This begs the questions ‘Are We Spoiled By Technology?’

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What with Social Media, Mobile Technology and the wonders of Internet Search; how hard is it really to make that network, build a brand and climb to the next level?

Now, there is no need for me to reminisce on the days when people actually made of an effort than just 140 characters to communicate, but there was a time before Twitter, Facebook, Blackberry Messenger and Email that we still managed to get things done and enjoy life.

Don’t start assuming i’ve gone from being 25 to 65 overnight, cos that orange bus pass holder is a few years away yet. But what is beginning to bug me, is the way technology has become the forefront of everyone’s lives; to the extreme, that we are living our lives in a digital world and actually neglecting the essence of reality around us.

Here’s an example: Last week i actually said, “Im coming off Twitter for a bit, cos im beginning to feel like a stalker.” So i did… i left Twitter for a whole day; only to get a Blackberry ping AND a text message from two people asking ‘why i didn’t reply to their Twitter messages.’ So it appears everyone wants to be stalked.

“Ok ok chill… i’ll log on and i’ll reply.” and that was that.
*Exits digital rehab and heads back to the crack world.*

Even more exaggerated is the fact, that we actually get annoyed if our technology may either slow, stall or stop working. Now, think about that for a second…

• Do you rely on technology so much that it affects your emotions?
• Have you ever broken a gadget of some kind because it didn’t do something you wanted or better yet…
• Do you have dents around your house from where you have chucked the gadget at the wall?

Were these avenues of communication invented so that we can broaden our networks, expand on our connections and generally get things done easier?

… or were they actually created to keep us contained?

Yes i am writing this post in a very contradictory fashion using the same technology that i question; but ask yourself…

• Are you using technology to keep up with the trends or is it essential to your business?
• Are you using technology for your benefit or someone else’s?

Here’s one for all you Social Media Celebrities…

• Do you find yourself acting as a completely different persona in front of a screen to how you would act in person?

Now pause to think about those questions carefully before you disregard them.

Technology can be just like a drug… Give someone a little taster and if they like it, they will want a little more.
Give them a lot more and they get addicted, they forget how they lived without it and begin to lose control.

I find myself admitting myself into the digital rehab now and again, turning off my Blackberry, temporary deleting my Facebook and taking a step back from Twitter. Why you may ask?

Because productivity is based on being focused and it’s very difficult to be focused if you are juggling between gadgets, websites, networks and applications.

While you may feel like you are out there being very productive, chatting to people across the globe using your incredibly ambitious 140 characters to compile the most interesting passage of your day; the irony of it all is that you probably do so whilst sitting in your pants in your bedroom.

Pause!

• When was the last time you pulled our a notepad and brainstormed productive ideas whilst you have those spare minutes?

• When was the last time you read a book, maybe something like Rich Dad, Poor Dad? (That’s what i am currently reading).

Take a day off technology and refresh your brain… you deserve it!

“Everything is amazing and nobody is happy”
Uploaded by Meowbay. – Click for more funny videos.

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Not my usual post, but rather than bookmark this i wanted to archive it here. I love slideshare; have watched many intuitive slide shows from that spot. This one probably tops them all.

As the slide states; everyone seems to spend forever on the brief and the pitch without even an understanding of what the actual consumer wants. Spend more time talking to your market and less time talking for them. That is all.

I’ll be back shortly with a post that relates nicely to this.

Reference:

http://www.slideshare.net/garethk/the-brief-in-the-post-digital-ageSimilar Posts:

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Well hello there people; i have been craving slight withdrawal symptoms for a while as the last Twitter based post i wrote got such great feedback yet since then i have been rather busy with work and projects.

But, never fear im back now; with an informal app-off (face-off for apps) between Blackberrys two leading (or only) Twitter clients.

Originally when i first downloaded Ubertwitter i thought; “what a crap name to be sitting on my home screen. Why can’t Twitter for Blackberry (BB Twitter) make an official application?” Well their ears must have been burning because a good nine months later they released Twitter for Blackberry. WIN!

After using Ubertwitter consistently since i purchased a Blackberry, i decided to welcome the new app with open arms; because who doesn’t like an ‘official’ application in their palm. It’s like a rosy rainbow with all the nice colours and fonts right?

The application works and feels like the similar Facebook for BlackBerry app; not necessarily a good thing, as working with it takes too much effort. Most BlackBerry Twitter applications require patience, but Twitter for BlackBerry is the worst. Much of the time, the screen remains blank while the data loads.

Where there are a few positives; there are too many negatives. Ubertwitter introduced the predictive user function which allows you to find a follower by typing a few characters from their name, yet BB Twitter did not incorporate this.

BB Twitter also has a ridiculously slow refresh time; without even a message saying ‘go make some dinner or take your dog for a walk cos we are gonna be a while refreshing.’ How inconsiderate.

I mean lets face it, we use Twitter for simplicity. Yet this application is everything but simple. It should be quick, snappy and vibrant; giving the user the ‘on the go’ experience rather than the ‘i can’t go anywhere with this brick now’ feeling.

Personally i’ve reverted back to Ubertwitter and found already my handset is running a lot faster.

As for the future of the official Twitter application on my handset; who knows, maybe i’ll give it another download when the bugs are fixed. If they don’t step up to the plate on the second coming the application will be dead and buried like Steven Seagal’s acting career.

http://webworkerdaily.com/2010/02/24/twitter-for-blackberry-review/

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/technology/trending-tech/the-official-twitter-for-blackberry-app-vs-ubertwitter/article1529962/Similar Posts:

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Geeks of the world… UNITE! This video will blow your mind.

This is up there (being the imaginary cloud of awesome content) as one of the most amazing videos i have EVER seen.

Just marvel at the sight…

PIXELS by PATRICK JEAN.
Uploaded by onemoreprod. – Discover more animation and arts videos.

It’s all there – Pacman, Tetris, Arkanoid. Once friendly, familiar characters wreak havoc on the buildings, streets and cars of New York. The video was created by Patrick Jean from the Paris-based special effect studio One More Production, and the production level is nothing short of amazing.

Spotted at MashableSimilar Posts:

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