Go Avatar: How To Avoid the Recession

The age of avatars has never been so prominent than now, so if you’re feeling the effects of the recession, leave yourself behind and become “virtual” in a 3D World.

It’s really easy to do this. Just go to Whirled or perhaps “simpsonize” yourself, but remember to never leave your computer so you never encounter "in the red" surroundings, such as unpaid bills, unemployment, or every single sullen news segment broadcast from the Capitol. Being an avatar only adds to the escape because even though it’s you, it’s not really you and you feel good about that.

Avatars are also good for adding personality to your many social network profiles. Rather than upload a very genuine mug, you can make your nose bigger, color yourself, and own some really nice pearly whites complete with a devil grin. Ugly? Now you can be handsome.

Americans aren’t just home for the holidays; they are at home online, shopping, Tweeting, building a better domain for themselves. But if you really want a cure for your bleak situation, you should “friend” only the people who smile, a recent CNN article suggests. It may not be an avatar, but every little bit helps.

TMI: The Downside of Social Media

Blogs are bubbling with news about Barack Obama. His new cabinet picks, his plans for the crucial first one hundred days, and...his workout routine?

Obama's been known to work out in regular gyms, which has anyone who has been beside him rushing online to dish the juicy details. A google search on "Obama Workout" turns up over 4 million results(!), the first page containing results from noted blogs such as Politico, the LA Times, and Buzzfeed. To which we respond: Seriously? The highlights of descriptions include details of humming while he bikes, not breaking a sweat while he works out, and having hands that are as "soft as butter".

Social media is a great tool, but some of this "news" is pretty unnecessary. In the olden days of newspapers, this wouldn't be such a phenomenon. But then again, if the public wants it, who's to say they're wrong? We'll stick to real news here at Axiom, though.

Luke Wilson and Me are BFF

Hey guys! Try not to get too jealous, but guess who I'm following on Twitter? Yeah, that's right, Luke Wilson and I are Twitter friends (kind of, he isn't following me back...yet.) Luke is the other Wilson brother, less famous than Owen but more famous than Charlie. And he's the cuter one, too.

What does this mean for the rest of the world? The autobiographical details are accurate, and it looks like it's really Luke Wilson. A "fake" account is usually filled with exciting information and is regularly updated, but this one looks like the real thing. It's updates are sporadic, and the tweets are a little less than glamorous.

Usually anyone who wants to get in contact with a celebrity has to find their address, send fanmail through the office of the publicist, and consign themself to the fact that their letter will most likely be read by a bored intern. If more celebrities get on twitter, this means direct contact with the stars. Great idea for a movie? Tweet it! Or maybe Luke Wilson will come and meet you for drinks at your place (lol).

Happy Birthdays are worth a lot on Facebook

You wouldn’t think it, but sending your friend a happy birthday message on Facebook foreshadows what is to come to really call social media social media. As social network developers become more attune to what is valuable or who is valuable in your circle of influence, you’re going to see less and less updates from your 500+ friends on Facebook. Chances are you have around 10 friends you actually want to hear from on a regular basis.

Peter Shankman, in an address to the Minnesota Public Relations Society of America, said “you only send a happy birthday message to the people you’d like to stay in contact with, or you care about.” The ability to say happy birthday—it’s on the your Facebook’s home page and it only takes 5 seconds.” Enter the new world of social media.

If you’re not saying happy birthday to the people you care about, do it and see if they get a warm fuzzy and have more likelihood to like you. The same goes for those brands you represent that people want to hear from. Go ahead, tell consumers you hear them and know what they need, so they can have a truly special day that goes beyond their birth.

What do you think? Are social networks going to become more focused like the "5" you see on T-Mobile?

No Comments? You’re Such a Journalist!

Are you in bitter angst over never receiving a single comment on your latest blog post, good or bad? Thinking like a journalist might have something to do with it.

Observe the blogs that generate 210 comments on a post. TechCrunch comes to mind in one of its recent posts about Twitter being a news source. I was riveted by Arrington’s comments within the post and I resonated with it. But rather than bury myself among those 210 commenters, I’ll revel in the glory of it here by offering some valuable information.

Blog content should be original, not regurgitated unless it’s a HUGE topic. The best kinds of bloggers are ones who think like “publishers” not journalists—something I learned from social media guru David Meerman Scott. Journalists are entirely known to regurgitate. All we ever read in newspapers anymore is the same mumbo jumbo that Joe Schmo covered the night before--- or even weeks earlier!

To better say it, think like a salesperson and how you can offer the highest quality product. In this case, and in every social media case, it’s content. Comments are the sales and indicate whether or not people buy what you are saying.