Your audience is the entire world, so show your entire self

Last week on the #u30pro Twitter chat, I remember someone mentioning that our audience in now global, and that really struck me. (SIDE NOTE: Does anyone remember who that was?)

We were talking about how much of yourself you should share online, and whether it’s appropriate to share facts about your personal life as well as professional when blogging or Tweeting. And we were all pretty much in agreement that there was a balance that needed to be struck between professional and personal.

And then someone said that it was silly to not show your whole self because your audience is essentially the whole world. In a time when anyone can use Google or Twitter or Facebook to find you and your thoughts, it seems silly not to share your whole self.

I would never argue that you need to give out all of your information, I still urge you to be safe online. I do, however, urge you to let your entire personality shine through in your online interactions. More and more people are making important connections online, but how strong will those connections be if they’re based only on superficial or professional information?

My closest friends from work and other places are those that I know way more about than just their professional acumen. And it’s these outside connections and personal touches that make me think of them first when a new opportunity arises. I am way more likely to recommend a person or share a job opening with someone who I know as a friend and not just a colleague.

If that does not convince you, think about this: when you work in an office, you don’t stick to shop-talk all day long, right? You talk about your family and weekend plans with those who sit near you, and you develop personal relationships along with work relationships. And which of your coworkers are you more likely to recommend? The ones you have only had professional experience with? Or those who you know inside and out?

If you truly intend to make strong and meaningful connections online and use social media as a networking tool, it may seem counter-intuitive, but it’s important to let your entire personality show through all of your interactions.

What do you think? Is it wise to hide part of who you are online? Do you think it’s best to dive in and show your whole self? Share your thoughts!

Psychology of social media: impatience, lack of focus and paranoia abound

I’ve not been around the social media game terribly long, but I have been around long enough to notice that there are certain psychological traits that seem to be common.  I don’t mean to insult anyone; I simply mean to point out traits that seem to be fueled by social media.

Because social media (and the Internet in general) are instant, impatience seems to logically follow.  I have found myself guilty of this one.  If I publish a blog post, sometimes I find myself wondering why no one reads it right away.  When I Tweet a question, why don’t I get an instant response?  Because we can get answers from search engines so quickly, I think often we expect the same instant response from social media.

This only because a true problem when it comes to a crisis of sorts.  I remember a few months ago, Best Buy fell under fire because an angry customer sought help from @BestBuyCMO on Twitter.  The person behind the Twitter handle signed off after a brief interaction and did not come back until the next day.  In @BestBuyCMO’s absence, Twitter was up in arms about how Best Buy could ignore the situation.  In hindsight, though, wasn’t it unreasonable to expect an immediate response?  On a Sunday?

Lately I’ve been noticing that we tend to jump around from topic to topic without fully resolving anything.  We lack focus. I participate in weekly Twitter chats, and while these are definitely helpful, the same topic is never addressed twice.  It’s so great to have access to many voices giving advice and asking questions about the same topic or idea. It loses a great deal of its power, though, when there’s really just chatter with no clear answer or direction in the end.

Perhaps I’m missing those who are truly focused on one topic, but I feel as though most of us (myself included) try to find the newest idea to discuss instead of looking at an idea in depth. Have you noticed this?

With the Internet becoming so ubiquitous, there is a greater need for safety online.  It’s obviously not smart to disclose all of your personal information, but at the same time, sometimes I think we are too paranoid.  Customers are not out to destroy all big brands.  Companies should be cautious and we should all be careful about how we interact online, but let’s face it, the online world isn’t out to get us (at least in most cases).

I am by no means suggesting that we throw caution to the wind and simply do as we please, but I think sometimes we all make it seem as though a company’s brand may completely fall apart should they decide to take on social media.

In all fairness, I should disclose that I have never studied psychology beyond introductory classes, but it seems to me to make sense that the immediacy of social media has encouraged these traits in all of us.  What do you think?  What else do you notice?  Am I completely off base?

DR. WHAW? – October 23, 2009

And so another week ends!  I am sad to say that I will not be traveling to the University of Minnesota to visit my little sister, who is a freshman.  I’ve been feeling kind of lousy, and I felt it wasn’t safe to drive for 12 hours this weekend.  So I shall be catching up on my blog (get pumped, readers!) and getting my life organized.  I’m jet-setting off to Sydney, Australia, in two weeks, and I could not be more excited or more unprepared!  In the meantime, I bring you what I Didn’t Read While Hard At Work today!

DR. WHAW? – October 23, 2009

1. Social Media: The Need For Measurement from SEO Book — You know why I’m including this one without even clicking the link, right?  Any article that argues for the need of measurement in social media or any other medium is a must-read in my book.  So why this one in particular?  This one is thorough, and I think that with slight tweaking it could be something you show directly to a boss who needs serious convincing.  Do you agree?

2. Explaining (Some of) Google’s Algorithm with Pretty Charts & Math Stuff from SEOmozBlog — Ever wondered how Google works?  I certainly have.  This is a very thorough and straight-forward explanation of how Google works, and this information could help you to write  content that will rank higher on Google’s search pages. Interested?  You should be!

3. “Listening” graphics have a long way to go by Mark Schaefer — I’m all about measurement, but I have never claimed that the current methods or metrics are perfect.  I love that Mark Schaefer took the time to analyze what is currently available to demonstrate what we still need.

4. How Google Analytics just got a lot more powerful by Guy Kawasaki — Google Analytics recently announced a whole slew of new services, and this is a great explanation of what this means and why you should be paying attention.  He says who cares about Google Wave when there’s more to Google Analytics.  Your interest should be piqued and rightly so.

5. Social Networking ROI by Greg Gianforte — Wow!  An examination of the ROI of social networking, I love it!  I’ve not seen this before, and I’m happy to see that someone is taking a look at this.  There is no real mathematic backing here, but there is some great theoretical suggestions as to how to measure the ROI of social networking.

6. Coke Weighs in on Earned Media ROI by Carol Kruse — Another big WOW!  A major corporation has weighed in on ROI, and I can’t get enough!  I’m happy to see a big player recognizing the importance of ROI and hope it will show other corporations that they need to be measuring, too.  There’s also just some plain good insight, which is worth a read in and of itself.

7. Top 10 brand and marketing trends for 2010 by Robert Passikoff — This is a great look at what might lie ahead.  I strongly urge you to read through these and think about them seriously.  Do you think this is right?  What would you include or exclude?  It’s always important to be looking to the future, and this is a great start to what should be a broad conversation.  Weigh in!

Thank goodness it’s Friday, eh?  I’m happy to be relaxing and spending some time checking things off my to-do list this weekend.  Also, I’ll be happy to sleep in and get really better.  What are your plans for the weekend?

DR. WHAW? – October 7, 2009

And so ends another day of non-stop work and errands for this Tar Heel.  How was your day, folks?  I know you’ve been looking forward to what I Didn’t Read While Hard At Work today, so here it is!

DR. WHAW? – October 7, 2009

1. Social Media ROI: Separating myth  from methodology by Don Bartholomew — This is the second part of a two-part series on social media ROI.  You may remember I featured the first part in yesterday’s DR. WHAW? and I’m happy to feature the second part.  In this article, Don Bartholomew breaks down three myths about social media ROI and then shows you exactly how to understand the methodology.  This is another absolute must read.

2. 7 Considerations for Tracking Social Media Success by Thomas McMahon — There are seven tips and considerations that you should think about before you start monitoring social media.  This does oversimplify things a bit, but there are definitely some solid beginnings to any measurement plan.

3. Storytelling: Actionable Insights from Analytics by Julie Brue — I like this post because it discusses three key obstacles to Web analytics and how they can be overcome.  I sincerely recommend that you read this and think about which obstacles you may or may not be facing.  It’s important to not only know what your goals are, but what you are up against before you being to measure and analyze.

4. Hammer on Analytics from Chris Gemignani — I adore this video!  It’s short and sweet, but it gives me hope.  If MC Hammer understands that analytics and market research is essential, how long before we all get it?  Not to put him down, but if the music industry can use analytics to their advantage, why can’t PR?  Why not advertising?

5. 34% of e-retailers say social marketing has increased sales, study says from InternetRetailer — Online retailers believe that the use of social networks has increased their sales.  I like to see support for social marketing, but I wish there was some data to back it up.  How did you know I’d say that?  I’m so predictable, eh?  This is some interesting stuff to think about, but I wish there was something more to back it up.

6. Social Media Boosts Search Ad Clicks by Brian Morrissey — A recent study shows that users who interact with advertisements on Web sites like Facebook and Twitter are more likely to click on a brand’s ad than those who don’t.  What will this mean for advertisements moving forward?  I wonder if ads on social networks will increase in value or if budgets will be more devoted to such Web sites.

7. Market Engagement Optimization (MEO) and NetTrust Score by Chris Heuer — What the heck is MEO?  Marketing Engagement Optimization.  OK, right, but what does that mean?  This article discusses what the heck MEO is and why you may need a NetTrust Score.  It would rank companies based upon trust, which I encourage but don’t necessarily believe is possible.  What do you think?

I’m excited to be finding all of these measurement articles lately!  It’s seriously giving me hope that it’s truly going to be accepted by the PR industry in the near future.  Measure on, folks!

DR. WHAW? – October 6, 2009

This post is dedicated to my older (and wiser!) sister, Emily Elizabeth.  Happy birthday to the best sister a girl could ever ask for.  I know I do not say it enough, but you have always been my inspiration and mentor.  I love you.

DR. WHAW? – October 6, 2009

1. Social Media Monitoring Isn’t Sexy. But it isn’t negotiable by Chuck Hemann — While social media monitoring is far from being an exact science, it is still a necessary part of any social media plan or campaign. Even if your a company that is not actively participating in the social media space, it is imperative that you know what is being said online.  Not only do you need to be watching, but you should always be watching.  Read here if you’re not convinced because you will be.

2. Social Media ROI Part 1: Framework by Don Bartholomew — This is an invaluable resource for anyone even thinking about social media.  Don Bartholomew knows his stuff, and this is an absolutely fabulous and thorough guide to developing a framework for social media measurement.  It’s clear and concise.  I recommend this to absolutely everyone.

3. TweetMeMe Analytics Show You How Retweets Spread on Twitter by Jennifer Van Grove — TweetMeMe is proving to be an extremely useful tool for marketers.  This tool can show you how your Tweets are spread through Retweets, and it can show you where your Tweets have spread geographically.  There are some pretty cool applications here, and I think this is definitely something to look into now that I’ve clearly convinced you to monitor social media.

4. Twitter Data Analysis: An Investor’s Perspective by Robert J. Moore — I chose this post because it’s a completely different perspective than anything I’ve read before.  Most of the post I’ve seen discuss why Twitter will be such a valuable tool for marketers and job seekers alike, but this post explores why Twitter may not be so attractive to investors.  I sincerely recommend that you read this post because it will change the way you look at things.

5. Validation of social media’s impact on search by Guy Kawasaki — A recent study by GroupM Search and comScore showed that the use of social media has increased the number of what are called “lower-funnel searches.”  These are searches that are far closer to action and loyalty to a brand, and are therefore more coveted by companies.  This shows that social media can have a significant effect on searches that consumers make.  Why is this important?  It means that social media is definitely having impact somewhere, where else is it making waves?

6. Media Tech Summit: ‘Twitter Is A Pulse –But It’s A Biased One’ by Staci D. Kramer — Harvard Business School  is in the middle of mining data from social networks, and early results show some pretty staggering results.  For example, women get Retweeted 50 percent less often than their male counterparts.  Facts like these make me wonder why?  And how will this make a difference in the way that we approach networks like Twitter?

7. Throw out the stats. Talk to people. by Mark Schaefer — I know this may seem odd for me to include, but I loved this post from one of my favorite bloggers, Mark Schaefer.  He has a point here, and that’s why this is worth reading.  While measurement is necessary and statistics are great, sometimes you need to go straight to the source: the people.  And don’t ever forget it!

And with that, I bid thee goodnight!  It’s time to get to work on relaxation.  What’s on your schedule tonight?

DR. WHAW? Sunday Digest – Week-ending October 4, 2009

This week was another hectic one for me.  I moved for the eighth time since I graduated from college in May.  I’m finally starting to make some real plans for my trip to Sydney, Australia, next month, and I couldn’t be more excited.  I’m also finally starting to make some real progress in the job search, I think.  So here it is, what I Didn’t Read While Hard At Work this week.

DR. WHAW? Sunday Digest – Week-ending October 4, 2009

1. The metric that’s killing Web innovation from SmartBrief — You know me, I’m all about measurement, and this post caught my eye because it’s important to understand the assumptions behind measurements as well as the implications.  Shelby Bonnie argues that measuring the success of campaigns online by the cost-per-thousand impressions is stifling innovation.  Because this metric makes it seem as though impressions or eyeballs are the most important thing, it stops marketers from engaging with consumers online, which can be a very valuable practice.

2. Random metric names and symbols is not an equation from Random Acts of Data — I can’t express enough how awesome this post is.  Absolutely brilliant!  I’m all about finding ways to measure what has yet to be measured, but this a great step-by-step breakdown as to why some measurements are just not accurate or logical.  I encourage anyone who is still new to measurement or just starting to look through this post.  It will take some time, but it’s really worth it.  It will help you learn and better understand what works and what doesn’t.

3. Brand Measurement: Analytics & Metrics for Branding Campaigns by Avinash Kaushik — There are lots of different metrics and measurement tools out there these days, and I liked that this post focused on branding campaigns.  This is a great for those seeking to understand the outcome and influence of a branding campaign.  It doesn’t necessarily focus upon specific tools, but it helps further understanding of how to quantify and calculate outcomes.

4. The Twitter 20 Interview on Social Media ROI by Jay Baer — If you’re still new to the measurement arena, you need to know the name Olivier Blanchard if you don’t already.  This is a great interview with one of the experts in the emerging field of social media measurement.  He discusses the ROI of social media among other things, and this is a great introduction to measurement.

5. Put Your Metrics to Work for You from MarketingProfs — So by now I hope I have convinced you that you absolutely need to be spending time with measurement.  But are you really doing it right?  If you’re measuring for the sake of measuring (or because I told ya so), then you may not be getting as much out of your metrics as you could be.  I promise you there is value, and these tips will help you find it.

6. Suddenly, Outcomes Are Everywhere by Katie Paine — If for no other reason, this post is worth reading because it’s written by the queen of measurement herself.  While Katie Paine has been advocating for measurement in public relations for years, it is just now becoming a mainstream, accepted concept.  This post outlines six recent trends that show measurement is becoming more and more used.  And why is this important?  Because it means that you absolutely need to be paying attention.

7. The Numbers Just Don’t Add Up by Jim Sterne — I’m not so sure how I feel about this article.  It’s a fictional story in which you discuss measurement with the CMO of your company.  What it comes down is that the author believes that the numbers don’t have to be accurate, just compelling.  I understand that there are things that we may not be able to measure exactly, but I don’t think it means we shouldn’t try.  Maybe that’s the naive professional in me, what do you think?  Should be we settle for compelling?

These are the absolute best articles I read this week, and I am so excited to share them with you.  Tell me what you think, I’d love to have more of a dialogue here, but I’m not quite sure how to make that happen.

DR. WHAW? – October 2, 2009

Today was a busy Friday for me, how about you?  I am very much looking forward to a nice, relaxing weekend.  What is on your agenda?  I’m excited to be exploring some possibilities for my future and of course, to bring you what I Didn’t Read While Hard At Work today.

DR. WHAW? – October 2, 2009

1. ComScore: Most Clicks Come From ‘Natural Born Clickers’ by Gavin O’Malley — As we begin to further understand social media and our own behavior, our measurement methods must evolve.  A new study conducted by ComScore and Starcom USA shows that with clicks, a very small percentage of clickers account 85 percent of all clicks.  Click-through rates can no longer be a reliable measure of success for this reason, and especially when considering that the percentage of users clicking on banner ads has significantly decreased.

2. At Your Service: Twitter Data and Sentiment Analysis by Brian Solis — Brian Solis announces that he will be bringing some pretty in-depth analysis and insight to his blog.  His first report focused on airlines that have a presence on Twitter.  His report offers some great thoughts and facts about these companies, and I look forward to seeing more of his work in the future.  I highly recommend you check this out if you’re interested in analytics as applied to social media.

3. The Numbers Just Don’t Add Up by Jim Sterne — I’m not so sure how I feel about this article.  It’s a fictional story in which you discuss measurement with the CMO of your company.  What it comes down is that the author believes that the numbers don’t have to be accurate, just compelling.  I understand that there are things that we may not be able to measure exactly, but I don’t think it means we shouldn’t try.  Maybe that’s the naive professional in me, what do you think?  Should be we settle for compelling?

4. On Twitter, Information Beats Sentiment by Sarah Perez — A recent study by Pennsylvania State University has revealed that the majority of Tweets about a brand are not sentiment laden, but simply informational.  Most Tweets are not about complaining or supporting  a brand, but rather seeking or providing relevant information.  What does this mean to you?  How does this change your outlook and approach to Twitter?

5. PR agencies need to stay out of evaluation by Mohamed Elzubeir — In this article, the author argues that PR agencies should not handle their own evaluation.  He compares doing so to the accounting team performing its own audit.  I feel unqualified to discuss this because I work for a measurement company that is directly tied to Edelman, the largest independent PR agency and arguably one of the best.  But I would love to hear others’ perspectives on this subject.  How do you feel about PR agencies conducting media evaluation?

6. Twitter Labs Coming Soon? by Stan Schroeder — Have you heard of Google Labs?  It’s a place where Google likes to test out its latest ideas and tools, and Twitter is thinking of creating a similar idea.  This would be really cool because it would allow the most interested and passionate evaluate the latest and greatest from Twitter so that the rest of us only get the best of the best.  Would you be interested in testing out new application for Twitter?  Does this seem like a worthwhile venture?

7. M.I.T. Taking Student Blogs to Nth Degree by Tamar Lewin — There are plenty of colleges that have started to embrace student blogs by featuring them on their school Web sites.  But M.I.T. has taken it a step farther by allowing many student blogs to hold a prominent spot on the admissions homepage.  This offers a unique experience for all students and prospective students alike.  I think this is a direction in which most college and universities should be moving.  How is you alma mater or college embracing the online community?

And now, my weekend shall officially begin! Tell me how I’m doing, am I getting all the articles you think I should?  I love to hear your feedback. so keep it comin’.

DR. WHAW? – September 30, 2009

I feel as though this has become a trend: my life is crazy.  Without any dilly-dallying, here’s what I Didn’t Read While Hard At Work (but wanted to).

DR. WHAW? – September 30, 2009

1. The why, what and how of social media measurement by Danny Whatmough — This post is amazing.  If you’re thinking about getting into social media, you need to know the basics of your social media measurement first.  Want to know why? Read it here.  Need to know what to do and how to find it?  Read it here.  Seriously, just read it!

2. How to Analyze Your Brand Exposure in Social Media by Chris Near — Brandng, branding, branding!  It’s all I ever read about anymore, and you know why?  It’s important.  The brand is becoming the key to a lot of company’s success, and it’s imperative to understand the success of your brand marketing efforts.  This is a great overview of how to analyze your brand exposure in your social media efforts.

3. The Twitter 20 Interview on Social Media ROI by Jay Baer — If you’re still new to the measurement arena, you need to know the name Olivier Blanchard if you don’t already.  This is a great interview with one of the experts in the emerging field of social media measurement.  He discusses the ROI of social media among other things, and this is a great introduction to measurement.

4. What’s Your Twitter ROI? How to measure social media payoff by Mary K. Pratt — There are a lot of aspects to Twitter that could possibly be measured, and it may seem overwhelming but there is a method.  While this is similar to the previous post, it goes a little more in-depth because it’s not an interview.  I think it’s definitely worth a read if you’re interested at all in social media.

5. Put Your Metrics to Work for You from MarketingProfs — So by now I hope I have convinced you that you absolutely need to be spending time with measurement.  But are you really doing it right?  If you’re measuring for the sake of measuring (or because I told ya so), then you may not be getting as much out of your metrics as you could be.  I promise you there is value, and these tips will help you find it.

6. If You Can’t Measure It, It Doesn’t Count by David Rockland — This is the beginnings of documented methods of public relations measurement from the Public Relations Society of America.  They are seeking feedback from all of their members about these methods, and it’s definitely worth reading through.

7. Twitter Marketing: It’s More Like E-mail Than You Think by Zephrin Lasker — Even though we all like to think that Twitter is very new and different, this a great argument as to why marketing via Twitter is more like other established forms of marketing.  What do you think?  Is this true?  What else is Twitter like?

And with that, I shall leave you to ponder measurement.

DR. WHAW? – September 29, 2009

I have to say that today was just about one of the hardest days for DR. WHAW?  I looked through my list of favorite blog posts for the day and then whittled it down to those that were actually relevant to measurement, and I was still left with 11 posts.  Ugh!  It was a tough choice, but here they are: the top seven posts I Didn’t Read While Hard At Work (but wanted to)!

DR. WHAW? – September 29, 2009

1. Brand Measurement: Analytics & Metrics for Branding Campaigns by Avinash Kaushik — There are lots of different metrics and measurement tools out there these days, and I liked that this post focused on branding campaigns.  This is a great for those seeking to understand the outcome and influence of a branding campaign.  It doesn’t necessarily focus upon specific tools, but it helps further understanding of how to quantify and calculate outcomes.

2. Google’s YouTube Find Money in Analytics by Laurie Sullivan — Content ID has become the way to bring analytics to YouTube.  This new system is essentially like Google Analytics, but for video content uploaded to the YouTube Web site.  This will be a big step forward for marketers, how will you use this?  How will this be a benefit to you?

3. What Is Your ‘R’ for ROI in Social Media? by Liana Evans — I’m on the fence on this post.  On the one hand, I’m all about every company trying to find a way to measure their campaigns or projects in a meaningful way.  On the other hand, I want to be a stickler in the sense that ROI is meant to be a term reserved for monetary returns.  I know, that may seem silly.  But why always use the term ROI?  Why not simply call a metric or a measurement what it is?  Either way, this post is great and has some valuable insights.  So read up!

4. Are You Cherishing the Wrong Trophy by Jay Baer — I really encourage you to read this post because it’s a great reminder as to why measuring the wrong things can be just as bad as not measuring at all.  Measuring  just for the sake of having measured is no way to measure at all.  OK, I’ll stop.  But you see my point, right?

5. Google Search Results Now Show Hot Trends by Ben Parr — Google has officially copied Twitter and introduced hot trends to it searches.  While this may seem like a big deal, it probably won’t make a huge difference.  The map of trends will be at the bottom of the page when most users never look past the first few results.  Also, it will only show up for users in the United States and Japan initially.  What do you think?  Will you use this?

6. Google and Facebook show their scale advantage by copying Twitter by Nic Brisbourne — Google (as noted above) has now introduced its own version of trending topics, and it has put Twitter to shame.  Why?  Because Google is such a colossus that it can copy cat Twitter and still come out the victor.  It doesn’t have to do it better, but it can sure as heck do it bigger.  This author argues that in the long run, Twitter will lose because it just doesn’t have the grand scale that Google does.  Facebook has been copying Twitter by trying to be a microblogging Web site of sorts, and again, Nic Brisbourne thinks that Facebook will be the ultimate victor because of its size advantage.  I’m not so sure about that, but he makes a good point about how technology really plays out in the open these days.

7. Marketing Trends Report 2009: Where does Social Media Stand? by Jeff Bullas — In case you still need some reassurance, here’s another study that tells us social media is not, I repeat, not a fad and here to stay!  Beyond this fact there are some interesting statistics about how social media fits and will fit into general marketing trends.  There are also insights about the barriers still remaining in regard to social media.

And so another day has come and gone.  I’m settling into a new routine, and I’m feeling happy.  How is your week shapin’ up?  How am I doing on my picks?  Tell me if I’m gettin’ it right or not, I really want to know.

DR. WHAW? Sunday Digest – Week-ending September 20, 2009

After a long work week and some serious relaxation, it is time to once again bring you the top reads I Didn’t Read While Hard At Work this week.

DR. WHAW? Sunday Digest – Week-ending September 20, 2009

1. Trust in News Media Falls to New Low in Pew Survey by Richard Perez-Pena — The Pew Research Center just released a new study about trust in news media, and the numbers are at an all-time low.  I don’t think I need to explain to you the gravity of this discovery.  Why do we trust media less and less?  Who do we trust?  This study is full of valuable insights that we all can and should learn from.

2. FCC advances on social media, lags on broadband access by Richard Hartman –The Federal Communication Commission is not only thinking about regulating social media, but now they are using it themselves.  The commission is still largely ignoring broadband, though, and this article explains why that is important.  This is definitely we should all be paying attention to!

3. Twitter Analytics – Advanced Twitter Metrics by Ben Foster — I bet you can tell just from the title of this post that this is a post right up my alley.  I love this post because it asks some really good questions, similar to those I asked in my own post about measuring Twitter influence.  Read this through and think seriously about it.  Twitter is becoming increasingly important to lots of companies and campaigns, so measuring it is just as important.  What would you add?  What do you think isn’t important?

4. One small step for P&G, One HUGE step for our profession by Katie Paine — Proctor & Gamble announced that they would not longer be paying advertisers based up previously-coveted “eyeballs.”  Advertisers will not pay based upon how much engagement there is on a given Web page.  Katie Paine predicts this is a huge win for the measurement industry because where P&G goes, the industry tends to follow.  This is a great post to read if you’re at all interested in measurement now and where it’s headed.

5. GraphEdge, Tracking Trends Among Your Twitter Followers from Boston.com — Holy cow!  This is such a cool new tool!  Among it’s features, GraphEdge will be able to tell you who among your followers are spammer and who are genuine people.  Also, this Twitter analytic tool will be able to tell you just how quickly (or not) you’re gaining followers.  I can’t wait to hear more about this tool and understand how it determines these measurements!

6. PRSA Seeks Industry Agreement on Measurement Standards from PRSA Newsroom — And to show that I’m  not trying to hate on PRSA, I wanted to include this truly amazing piece of news!  PRSA is leading the way by setting metrics and approaches for public relations measurement, and not only that but they’re encouraging feedback.  They could not have done this any better!  They collaborated with experts in the field to come up with the standards and are seeking feedback from all members.  Only more validation for measurement and its importance.  You know I’m lovin’ this!

7. Presidential Adjectives by Alan Kelly — I chose this today because The Playmaker’s Standard is something I have been interested in for a while now.  It’s a very interesting way of breaking down influence strategies into their most basic (or elemental) parts.  Each day a “play” is chosen as Play of the Day, and today it was a Label.  In this article about President Obama, reporter Charles Krauthammer describes the president as cool, distant and imperial.  Check out what a Label is and decide for yourself, is this a true Label?  Do you think these characteristics will always be associated with President Obama?

Although I think I’ve picked some good ones here, I strongly encourage you to check out my other picks from this week.  It was tough to choose the best seven because the week was full of some seriously great and insightful reads.