Dan Mandle

Senior editor at The Atlantic, Alexis Madrigal, last year published a blog post about social media and its impact in generating web traffic: “Dark Social: We Have the Whole History of the Web Wrong.”

With approximately 5,400 Tweets; 4,600 Facebook Likes; 1,200 shares on LinkedIn; and 1,100 +1s—to say nothing of the blog commentary and other related discourse in digital channels—it’s fair to say that “Dark Social” was a sticky idea that went viral.

To me, the main point of the post is that today's web analysts are decreasing the perceived value of social interactions in their reporting by relying on tools that track visits by referral sources—tools that invariably allocate otherwise socially driven traffic coming from, say, instant messenging and email to generic sources such as “direct” means.

Other, more general implications include:

1. The notion that optimizing for social media means more than looking at Facebook and Twitter. The content itself has to be appraised.
2. Formal social networks have brought a form of structure to social interactions that did not previously exist (in as simple a format).
3. Along with the structure of formal social networks there is not only a loss in privacy, but a gain in social record keeping.

There have been plenty of counterpoints to the Alexis piece. For instance, the notion that the web has only been social since the rise of social networks (ca. 2005) ignores the fact that the Internet—of which the worldwide web is a part—has been social since its inception. Is anyone up for a dial-up chat on a local bulletin board service (aka BBS)?

Regardless of semantics about the Interwebs, I was intrigued by the notion that our analyses might be downplaying the true role of social interactions simply on account of our toolsets.

I therefore replicated the Chartbeat methodology Alexis outlined in “Dark Social” and ran a test of the site Colle+McVoy launched earlier this year for the Pedal Minnesota campaign (www.pedalmn.com).

Methodology

• Exclude Sources (relevant to the site I analyzed)

• Specific media vendors/partnerships (i.e., exploreminnesota, bringmethenews, tuneupstation)

• Exclude Media (relevant to the site I analyzed)

• CPC, organic, email

• Exclude Landing Pages (clearly not “Dark” in their nature)

• Home page (i.e., /)
• Main section header pages (i.e., /map/|/events/|/resources/|/pedal central/|/contact/|/partners/

Results

My results reflected the general patterns Chartbeat isolated with traffic data to The Atlantic. At first glance, this might suggest we need to be more thorough with any site reporting that requires us to be 100 percent certain about all socially derived visits. However, owing to other truths about site analytics and methodologies (deactivated cookies, for instance, decreasing what we can actually report as full and complete records), we will never be 100 percent certain about all such visits.

Analysts working in agencies should keep this in mind. As much as we'd like to report firm campaign results to our teammates and, ultimately, our clients, courtesy of web analytics tools that purportedly count unique visitors to your properties and tally the sources of their arrival to those properties, we need to be transparent about the fact that—unless we're pulling server logs—our data is always going to be directional.

Casie Cook

At a time when many bright-eyed college graduates are embarking on their first internships or “real” jobs, it seems appropriate to offer some advice on how to be successful. First, you must understand that you cannot fail. Every new endeavor is an opportunity to learn and to grow. Sounds cliché, but it’s true. 

You know you’re smart. Now you have to prove it. Based on my experiences, you can do this by being an incessant learner, thinking critically, building strong relationships, understanding expectations and showing passion along the way.

Keep learning

Learning doesn’t end after college. In a very real way, it’s the start of you creating your own curriculum. Look for inspiration everywhere. Read articles and books, study people and places, attend events, talk to smart people – just get out there and soak it up. 

Think differently

If you’re asked to do something, don’t just do it. Recognize the end goal and over-deliver. Find a different, better solution. Combat ambiguity by asking good questions. Asking questions demonstrates curiosity and the desire to better understand what’s trying to be accomplished. You’re not expected to have all the answers. No one does. 

Build good relationships 

Whether you’re extroverted or prefer to keep to yourself, you must create connections with people inside and outside of where you work. Cultivating strong relationships will help you navigate through your career – and your life. The easiest way to do this is to just be you. People will recognize when you’re being genuine and get to know you for who you really are – professionally and personally.

Understand expectations

One of the biggest barriers to surpassing expectations is not knowing what they are in the first place. Ask! On your first day, ask how your success will be measured. Then follow up after about a month by requesting a review to understand what you’re doing well and what you can work on. 

Wear your passion

Finally, show that you’re passionate about what you’re doing. People don’t want just anybody representing their brand. They want a team of passionate, ambitious leaders who will advocate for the organization. Enthusiasm should shine in everything you do. 

In short, be so remarkable that you make everyone else aspire to your awesomeness. Work every day to make yourself, and everyone around you, better. You’ll know when you’ve found what you’re meant to do because you’ll feel like a better you with every bit of effort you contribute to it. You’ll also know if you haven’t found it. You must continuously expose yourself to new information and experiences to find what makes you happiest. Remember, you cannot fail – so long as you try. 

“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” – H. Thurman 

Bethany Iverson

As advertisers, we have incredible influence to move things forward and take on challenging issues of culture, society, technology and economics. We can spur honest conversations (even if they’re difficult), and create work that broadens discourse instead of reducing it.

In order to accomplish this, our industry needs diverse intellectual talent — people who see and experience the world in many different ways. But a disturbing trend is emerging: women and men who would have once pursued a career in advertising are being lured away with tempting offers from startups and tech companies (see 8 Reasons To Choose A Startup Over A Corporate Job). Attractive new job offers, coupled with a less-than-favorable reputation as an industry (advertising is the 10th most hated profession in the U.S. according to Gallup), means that advertising could be facing a very real shortage of diverse intellectual talent in just a few years’ time. A lack of talent means our industry’s point of view will become staid and our ability to create change will quickly fade.
 
The issue of talent is precisely what we set out to address in our recent collaboration with the 4A’s, a leading ad association looking to jump-start a dialogue with the next generation. The project was designed to share untold stories of real people who work in agencies. But before we could tell their stories, we needed to know what we were up against.

We began by talking with college students and young advertising professionals in order to understand the gaps that exist between students’ perceptions and employees’ reality. We asked similar questions of both groups and then compared their responses. The results were staggering: the things that students are most wary of are the same things young working professionals enjoy most.

In general, students believe that 1) You have to be a brilliant creative genius to make it in our field, 2) There aren’t enough ad jobs to go around for those who are interested, 3) Digital agencies are the only ones that work with new technology, and 4) Agencies are cutthroat, backstabbing places that eat their young.

Most of these perceptions are unfounded. First, young professionals told us that they thrive on the creativity in agencies, whether they’re an account executive or a copywriter. Second, they found jobs by landing internships, meeting the right people and having the right attitude, even when the job search sucks. Third, they work with emerging technology every day — it’s actually an area where they feel the most empowered. Finally, those just starting out in advertising told us story after story about how much they enjoy collaborating with coworkers, how welcoming agencies are, and how most of the folks they work with are driven to create great work rather than clutter the world with more garbage.

The disparity between perceptions and reality means that it's up to us to redefine creativity and show that there are many seats at the table, help students understand that finding the right internship is the first step toward finding the right job, communicate that technology is the lifeblood of every agency and an area where young talent rules the roost, and last but not least, show that advertising is the new team sport.

On the heels of our research came a new website, openadvertising.aaaa.org, designed to open up the walls of our agencies and welcome those who are skeptical, excited or curious about our field. The site features short videos from art directors, writers, strategists, analysts and account executives that show what a day in the life is really like, which we hope will dispel misperceptions along the way.

Colle+McVoy had the pleasure of creating four videos for the site that feature our employees. Take a peek at our stories (and the new OpenAdvertising site). We’d love to hear what you think about where our industry is headed and what we could do to make it better than it’s ever been before.

Melissa


Micah


Bethany


Nat

Allison Janney

Bloggers can get a bad rap. “Who even reads blogs?” is often a question posed by teams or clients when discussing a potential blog outreach program. Actually, a lot of people read blogs. According to eMarketer, the number of blog readers in the U.S. will reach 122.6 million in 2011, representing 53.5% of Internet users.

I’ll be the first to admit that not all blogs are good blogs. It’s like finding websites – there’s the good, the bad and the ugly. However, when you want a third-party endorsement for your brand online, bloggers hit the sweet spot.

Here are some points of differentiation that make bloggers a powerful influencer group, and some ideas for how you can best work with them on behalf of your brand. 



Passion


I love working with bloggers because they are passionate about their subjects. In most cases, bloggers are not making a living off their blogs. Unlike reporters, who are given topics by editors, bloggers can write whatever they want and provide a POV. The end result is content that reflects their personality, with priceless personal anecdotes about your brand. 



Tip for marketers: Pay it forward. 

Always think about how you can help a blogger create relevant content and further establish credibility within his or her community. Ultimately, they’ll work with companies that help increase their readership but allow them to remain authentic to their beliefs and interests.

Personalization


Bloggers reveal a lot of personal information. In fact, they need to share personal information to build their brand and provide a way for readers to connect. A blogger’s personal life directly effects what they are writing about on their blogs. Life events such as getting married, having a baby or traveling will have a direct effect on their blog’s content and frequency.

Tip for marketers: Do your research. 

You can find out a lot about bloggers through their posts, about sections, and social channels. Read as much as you can, and personalize each message to account for recent developments in their lives. You don’t want to appear insensitive or ignorant for not knowing something they’ve already made public.

Creativity


Bloggers are able to experiment and push the boundaries because they aren’t answering to a larger team. They don’t need to get permission to write about controversial or unpopular topics. Also, because they are topic experts, bloggers help identify and create “What’s Next” before anyone else.

Tip for marketers: Be flexible

Constantly solicit feedback from bloggers and allow them to help customize a program. Don’t be afraid to provide suggestions, but always allow bloggers to infuse their own creativity and ideas.

Obviously, I’m a fan of working with bloggers. Bloggers are able to organically create a highly engaged community of readers, fans and followers. Their influence is invaluable as a third-party endorsement to help fuel conversations and reach your target audience. In the future, bloggers will continue to thrive. What do you think makes great blogs stand out in all the online noise?

Jen Stack

The Twin Cities is getting its own Nuit Blanche and we couldn’t be happier. We fully embrace and support our amazing local arts community, but we think it deserves a lot more attention. That’s what the international Nuit Blanche movement is going to bring.

Nuit Blanche (literally White Night, All-Nighter or Sleepless Night in French) is an annual all-night or nighttime arts festival that opens museums, private and public art galleries, and other cultural institutions for free and provides space for art installations, performances (music, film, dance, performance art), themed social gatherings and other activities.

This Saturday, June 4, the Twin Cities is joining the movement by hosting Northern Spark , the area’s first ever, all-night long arts festival transforming the cities’ urban landscapes into a Twin Cites' wide art gallery. More than 60 regional and national artists together with the Twin Cities’ arts community will display new art installations at public places and unexpected locations throughout the cities. Directed and produced by Northern Lights.mn and funded by the Minnesota State Arts Board, Northern Spark takes place from sunset on June 4 (8:55 p.m.) until the morning of June 5, 2011 (sunrise 5:28 a.m. ).

While there are lots of events and places to visit, below is a quick rundown or cheat sheet of key events from our friends at Pop Fizz Daily:

8:55 p.m. : At Upper Landing Park in St. Paul, Philip Blackburn has composed a car horn fanfare. It will be accompanied by the lighting of Jim Campbell’s "Scattered Light" . More than 1,600 suspended LEDs encased in standard light bulbs are programmed to play a video. Then follow "Nightmare" (The eerie and unexpected vision of a white horse galloping on the Mississippi at night, produced by towing a video screen on the river) as the horse begins its trek.

11 p.m. : We’ll head back over to Minneapolis. There will be 10 art projects on the Stone Arch Bridge, such as "MURMUR," which are select photographs that will be projected in large scale on the Gold Medal Flour silos, and "Ceil," a laser that sweeps across the Mississippi River to create a canopy.

12:30 a.m. : Snack time! There will be food trucks scattered throughout the city and free coffee at Black Dog Cafe .

2 a.m. : We’ll also be dropping by the Walker Art Center , which will have galleries open until 6 a.m. and a lawn full of projects such as "The Shape of Night" (2 a.m.), you can bring your sleeping bag and be documented creating your own special sleeping position.

2 a.m. : Swing by MCAD, the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, the Walker Art Center, the Soap Factory and Soo Visual Arts Center . See listings here .

4 a.m. : Feel the heat at a bonfire in Loring Park .

5:30 a.m. : A pancake breakfast will be served at Intermedia Arts .