The second social media apero is over and we are getting ready for the third social media apero. To get a better understanding about the format of the event you can have a look at the latest Social Media Apero video interviews gallery.

Worn out about sticking on your laptop? Don’t pass up the chance to meet the international social media crew in Basel.

The third international social media apero will be hold in the hearth of Basel again at the restaurant Kohlmanns. See the MAP on Blomap.

Guests and members of the social media Basel group are coming from the countries bordering on the west, France and Germany, obviously from Switzerland and having different nationalities.

You can join the group and the event on Facebook and on Xing or follow us on Twitter.

Posted via email from chiarabolognini’s posterous

The third Social Media Apero in Basel is due on 15th of June at 18:30 at Kohlmanns in Basel.
See the map:
http://www.blomap.com/Switzerland/Basel/Restaurant_Kohlmanns/1428/9/MAP/

This sort of international event is not very common in Switzerland. We are trying to spread the “meet-up” format and differentiate this event from the standard seminar or work-shops events. To gather together people with the same strong professional interest in social media is a plain way to build a commonly shared social media awareness and culture.

I am a Web and Social Media manager and founded the brand-new social network www.Blomap.com in the late 2009. My start-up is the owner of this project, it’s a Web and Social media agency www.swissiteinternational.com

Join the event and introduce yourself, become part and parcel of the social media crew in Switzerland.
Register for the event on:
or on Facebook http://tinyurl.com/27k7clv
or on Xing http://tinyurl.com/2cyvrgb

During the event will be also introduced the first Swiss Social Media surgery meant to help people acquire social media skills and attain mutual help on social media projects.

Posted via email from chiarabolognini’s posterous

This sort of international event is not very common in Switzerland. We are trying to spread the “meet-up” format and differentiate this event from the standard seminar or work-shops events. Gathering together people with the same strong professional interest in social media is a plain way to build a commonly shared  social media awareness and culture.

I am a Web and Social Media manager and founded the brand-new social network www.Blomap.com in the late 2009. My start-up is the owner of this project, it’s the Web and Social media agency www.swissiteinternational.com

Join the event and introduce yourself, become part and parcel of the social media crew in Switzerland.

Posted via email from chiarabolognini’s posterous

This month I had an accident and was operated so all my work was stopped because of health issues. I am trying to apply for an extension for extenuating circumstances but none sent me the form, so I have no idea of how it works.

I had to postpone the second social media apero on 4^th of May and I could not work to gather together more people because of my health issues and because I wasn’t confident about my health situation on that day. I am still wondering if I will be able to go there tomorrow.
I reached 25 guests, 32 maybe attending.
I could not work to find a sponsor and the group did not help, so I informed the group that everyone will pay for its drinks.

However, the work done before the day of the accident and some work done afterward resulted in the expansion of the Social Media Basel group with 61 members and the fan page with 121 fans.
I personally have reached 521 Facebook friends, most people are interested in social media and web.

The expansion of my audience will start again once I will recover.

I only was able to attend a Social Media Seminar where I verified that the language they use is Swiss German, so I was completely cut out.

The only good point was that a person recognized me and contacted me on Facebook afterward.

I was unable to develop further contacts even after this event since my bad health condition.

The business customer I found for Blomap, a real estate in London very keen on Social Media, didn’t push me to further advertise its apartments. In addition to that its assumption that I leave in UK made me feel yet more isolated, since I could not introduce myself to an event of an hotel consultants group where he mentioned Blomap on Linkedin.

The client of my company Swissite International, the bride-shoes online shop which requested a social media campaign on Facebook including group and fan page, delayed on signing the contract and my accident stopped also that.

The Social Media Natives blog will start someday, as soon as I will recover.

I ran some other Facebook and Ad Words campaigns and they brought traffic and some new members to Blomap. I must say more traffic than members. This is due to the double nature of Blomap which is either a community or a blog platform open to everyone. The adwords campaign gave me reason to think that the travel topics are the most relevant for the Blomap business.

The Web-developer delays continuously on its tasks and I am looking for other developers. It is very difficult to find someone honest, professional and competent.

 

In addition to that I started working with the affiliate marketing publishers and the two Italian publishers revealed a very low commitments to the job.

 

I applied to UK affiliates on Zanox (affiliate marketing distribution agency) in order to start a business with some international publishers and the next step will be delivering affiliate links to these publishers who will earn 30% percentage of the income gained through the affiliate links.

 

It is highly likely that I will need to monthly pay a team of publishers/bloggers to work on Blomap, since I see that the current publishers are not so much committed to the project, probably because of the unsecure income.

 

The necessity of a new developer and of publishers considerably increases the risk management.

 

Whatever will be the next result I see two possible future ways for Blomap:

- a non commercial way, because of lack of capital to invest on the further development of the community, so Blomap will be a simple community for the time being.

- a commercial way, because of arose opportunities of capital to invest, given that I will find some investors.

 

Most communities have no business onto the internet, so it would not be crazy to think to a non-commercial way for Blomap.

Blomap could stay for the moment as a creative project of my company, a sort of flagship.

 

However, the possibility to have capital to invest could quickly change everything:

• I could make those usability improvements which can make blomap much more usable to use;
• I could translate it in several languages;
• I could invest in advertisements and attractive functionality;
• I could pay bloggers/publishers and community coordinators to expand the community and to develop the affiliate marketing business and other possible business opportunities.
• I could have a real office.

 

In fact, the tourism industry has a very large target group and it is completely converting onto the internet.

So my previous idea of making Blomap an online global journal could not bring me any money at the moment. If this concept will develop it will develop later, once the community will become considerably big.

 

What I criticise of my work at the moment is a slight lack of project management due to my health condition. Things changed or stopped because of my temporary health condition.

Furthermore I stopped using any project management software and this is a very bad move, I will recover it asap.

 

Even the place where I live makes me feel demotivated. Switzerland does not excel in media innovation, that’s it.

In addition to that the language Swiss Germans use is an inaccessible dialect. However, I started a German course to refresh it (I had to stop it because of my health conditions) and I am going to attend a three months proficiency English course starting in September in UK. Enhancing my language skills would be greatly beneficial to communication issues which are against any business opportunities even if learning Swiss-German is rather impossible.

In fact, once I will be fine the first move will be gathering information to find and convince investors to invest in my company, very good language skills will be very useful.

 Chiara Bolognini

 

 

 

Posted via email from MA Media Suite — Production Lab

Blomap

 

Web-development and usability improvements

 

The web-developer is still working to allow html in the text area in Blomap. Actually, it turned out that more than a simple html link is needed to track the affiliate links. The publisher team looks still waiting but I am very worried about this delay. It is making me not starting my business, that’s it. So I am gradually looking around for a support to this developer.

 

Affiliate Marketing

 

I decided that the best way to track the affiliate links on each publisher at first would be to dedicate each publisher to a client and see how this develops in terms of business.

 

Editorial plan and stance

 

As for the editorial plan and stance nothing changed in my plan so far. I have just to work more intensely on producing content.

 

Ads

 

The Ad Words and Facebook campaigns brought some new members and considerable traffic to Blomap. This was a trial ad campaign that will run again once the publisher team will be active. In fact, specific campaign on some publishers’ Blomap spaces or on specific locations will be obviously profitable.

 

Business customers

 

My potential business customer, a real estate agent, is supporting me to attain hotels as clients through Linkedin. As for his apartments I would like to advertise on Blomap, I had to delay since I found an issue in the database related to London. The developer is delaying even on this task. This is another reason why I strongly believe I need a further support in the web-development. I cannot pass up the chance to attain new clients because of all these delays of the web-developer.

On the other hand I had the opportunity to attain a new client for Swissite International my web and social media agency owner of Blomap. The client is a bride shoes online shop which is requesting a social media campaign on Facebook including fan page and group page. I’ll obviously profit by this opportunity and will advertise the shop on Blomap as well.

 

Partnerships

 

I did not have the opportunity to find any partner for Blomap so far, though I am expanding my network in Switzerland and this is a good move towards my future business partner.

 

Social Media Basel Group, Apero and more

 

I am organizing the second Social Media Apero in Basel. I found a comfortable venue where I reserved a couple of tables. I had to sacrifice the internet connection in favor of reserved tables. People are informed and will provide themselves with internet connection through mobile phones and similars.

 

The guest star I invited, Gerd Leohnard, accepted to join the next apero, unless paying events will bring him away.

However, the Social Media Basel fan page on Facebook reached 102 fans and the Social Media Basel Group page 57 quality members. It’s a very good result as a start.

 

Social Media Surgery/Factory

 

I applied for the Basel incubator to start the Social Media Surgery/Factory, but it looked they did not understand the project and asked me to refer to the sociology department.

Actually, the culture is one of the biggest hurdle I will have to drive through.

However the next social media apero will give me the opportunity to meet again people who proposed me some venues for the next social media apero and I’ll propose them to guest the social media surgery in place of the apero.

 

Social Media Natives

 

I haven’t got the time yet to start the blog. But I’m keeping it in mind and I’ll start it asap.

Posted via email from chiarabolognini’s posterous

BLOMAP & Co.

Web-development and usability improvements

The web-developer completed only today the html link functionality for Blomap because he had holidays and other commitments. All usability improvements are pending. I have to accept the delay and let it accept to the team of publishers who were waiting for this functionality to start. I am confident the programmer will move on soon because of obvious money reasons.

 

Affiliate Marketing

However, I investigated and found possible to track the work of each publisher through the links provided by the affiliate marketing agencies. I will be involved more than I earlier considered in the controlling and tracking of the links. Next week will be decisive, I will have to start the work with the publishers.

 

Editorial plan and stance

I fell behind with the editorial plan, though my ideas are much clearer now.

I am totally self confident about the editorial stance I defined at first. In addition, I am re-defining the editorial plan as a mix of hot-topics (breaking news and holiday and travel topics) which help expand the community and the search engine optimisation and commercial topics such as affiliate ads.

 

Ads

I created the first Ad-words for Blomap to see what results I could get and it gave me reasons to insist on travel and holidays topics which still looks to be domain of traditional advertising. In addition to that I prepared some ads on Facebook which are geo-localised on cities where Blomap presents relevant information. Even if I created the possibility to select all European languages when writing, users feel immediately in a foreign country when the homepage is in English. It’s obvious that I would like to geo-localise the website in terms of languages, but for that I need investments I will have to look for very soon. Turning on the ads, according the above mentioned language issue, I had to select English speakers in countries where the mother tongue is not English. I’ll see the results and will adapt accordingly.

 

Business customers

I got the second potential business customer by a struck of luck. I was looking for an accommodation in London and the real estate agent looked really interested in my social media activity he got through my email signature. So I invited him to join Blomap, I told him I will advertise 10 apartments for free and then he will decide what to do, if he wants to continue alone or with my help. I’ll do it very soon.

As for the first business customer, an hostel in Germany I’ll contact him again after the first campaign with this very interesting second customer. Apartments in London are much easier to advertise.

After all of that, I will start advertising on Blomap other potential business customers  I will easily found in other social media. The strategy is simply managing their Blomap space and distributing the posts on other social media.

 

Partnerships

I am looking for at least a business partner and I am finding that very difficult.

Switzerland is not as advanced as UK and I am discovering that I have underestimated me so far, because when it happens to speak with other professionals I often have to explain business and marketing strategies well known to me. So all studies and experience have been profitable, this is a very good sign even if sometimes some people make me feel as a fish out of water. I have to overcome this feeling and replace it with simple confidence and optimism which are driving me through all the hurdles.

I am also meeting a lot of brilliant, proactive and positive people, I always keep it in mind and remove any negativity.

Social Media Basel Group, Apero and more

The first international Social Media Apero was very good for a start it only had some issues with the venue. However, I took video-interviews and knew very interesting people who had proposals for other social media events and posted interesting events in Switzerland on the Social Media Basel group page on Facebook. In addition, I had the opportunity to introduce myself, to mention Blomap and to distribute some advertising and business cards.

The first group’s online moderation duties were just routine: daily updates, Facebook ads, discussion openings, videos, pictures, commenting, thanking, rewarding, removing of disturbing people and irrelevant comments. I created a fan page after request of one of the most positive member. Sometimes I think it could confuse people to have both, fan and group pages, though I already did it. Then I created a Twitter profile for the group @smbasel and for the apero @smabasel. All of that implied work for the expansion of the community and followers. To expand the community in terms of Social Media students and Professionals more than enthusiasts is my new aim, since a couple of social media fans looked very difficult to deal in terms of culture and ethics. However, I solved most issues by posting on the Social Media Group page the Bloggers’ Code of Ethics by Jonathan Dube as a Manifesto, Best Practices and Terms and Conditions to be part of the group.

To create, share and pass on the social media culture is my first aim, it is a vital and professional need and the basis for the expansion of my own business.

I started a conversation with the Social Media Basel group members: I am discussing about the best next venue for the apero, I am looking for a guest star for the next Social Media Apero and for a location for a Social Media Surgery/Factory.

As for the guest star I invited Gerd Leohnard (international social media guru), who looks interested and immediately became a member of the group: WOW!

As for the next venue, I am very concerned about doing the right choice this time and it looks difficult to keep an informal environment and an appropriate location at the same time.

The coffee bars don’t let you reserve tables and don’t inform you about possible unexpected closing as it happened last time. We moved to another location but a couple of people felt upset. This is a cultural difference I must take into consideration, I do not want anyone to feel upset. I found also very difficult to let a couple of people understand the difference between horizontal and vertical organisations and many other social media aspects. So I am considering a monthly meet-up where to discuss about a book on social media I will regularly propose to read. Very interested people will join it, the others will spontaneously leave as usually happens.

 

Social Media Surgery/Factory

As for the Social Media Surgery/Factory, a brilliant student in media and communication highlighted the possibility to apply for the Start-up Incubator in Basel and I immediately requested information. I am waiting for a feedback. If it works, it will be the first open office and social media surgery in Switzerland, simply wonderful! I am also hoping to know there people who can help me with Blomap and work together for its improvement. Anyone will bring projects and new ideas which can positively influence each other.

Social Media Natives

I am convinced that this blog I am going to create will be a bomb though it will take me a lot of time to develop the research. I am very enthusiast and I will be definitely starting it next week. I am going to contact very soon the Reasearch Cen­ter for Infor­ma­tion Law at Uni­ver­sity of  St. Gallen in Switzer­land and the Berk­man Cen­ter for inter­net and soci­ety at Har­vard Uni­ver­sity in USA.

Further Networking

If all of that where not enough, I am building relationships with other social media events’ organisers in Switzerland such as Marcel Bernet, one of the organiser of the Social Media Gifpel in Zürich and Goldbach Media, organiser of a free Social Media seminar in Basel. I support their events I strongly believe in. I am just greateful to these people and associations to be so proactive in the Social Media industry in Switzerland.  I was invited as Vip guest at the next Social Media Gipfel and I accepted with great satisfaction.

Posted via email from chiarabolognini’s posterous

The second event in chronological order on 7th of April is a free seminar organised by Goldbach Media, time: 10.30 in the morning, language: German, location: Das Schiff, Westquaistrasse 19, Basel, title: “Social Media Marketing: Vom User Generated Content bis zur Community. Wie wirbt man dort überhaupt?” http://tinyurl.com/yfu7vzn

Posted via email from chiarabolognini’s posterous

Let’s prepare your alarm-clock for the Social Media Gifpel in Zürich on 7th of April at 7.30 in the morning (come at 7 if you want to chat, a place and your breakfast). The meeting format is partially made up of networking and partially of presentations. It’s in German and the main topic this time is: Libya… and mobile networks. Take a look at the interesting panel of speakers. Join it! http://socialmediagipfel.ch/

Posted via email from chiarabolognini’s posterous

I created a Social Media Basel Group on Facebook and I consider very important to post the Manifesto of the group, which could be considered a sort of Best Practices and Terms and Conditions to be part of the group.

One of the scope of this group is to pass on the social media culture, to share the culture itself and whatever information relevant to the scope. Events, workshops, conferences or whatever people fancy to organise will be supported by the group.

Members are invited to do that and to respect the code of ethics written by J. Dube which is what can be considered a manifesto for this group.

The following is the Blogger’s Code of Ethics by Jonathan Dube you can find in the book: “Online Journalism Ethics, Traditions and Transitions”, Cecilia Friend and Jane B.Singer:

“The Bloggers’ Code of Ethics was written by Jonathan Dube, an award-winning print and online journalist and now editorial director for the Canadian Broadcast Co.‘s Web site, CBS.cs.

Dube posted the code, modeled on the Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics, on his own website Cyberjournalist.net in April 2003.
His website is a news and resource site that focuses on how the internet convergence and new technologies are changing the media.”

BLOGGERS’ CODE OF ETHICS

1) BE HONEST AND FAIR

Bloggers should be honest and fair in gathering, reporting and interpreting information. Bloggers should:

a) Never plagiarize

b) Identify and link to sources whenever feasible. The public is entitled to as much information as possible on sources’ reliability.

c) Make certain that Weblog entries, quotations, headlines, photos and all other content do not misrepresent.
They should not oversimplify or highlight incidents out of context.

d) Never distort the content of photos without disclosing what has been changed. Image enhancements is only acceptable for technical clarity. Label montages and photo illustrations.

e) Never publish Information they know is inaccurate — and if publishing questionable information, make it clear it’s in doubt.

f) Distinguish between advocacy, commentary and factual information. Even advocacy writing and commentary should not misrepresent fact or context.

g) Distinguish factual information and commentary from advertising and shun hybrids that blur the lines between the two.

2) MINIMISE HARM

Ethical bloggers treat sources and subjects as human beings deserving of respect. Bloggers should:

a) Show compassion for those who may be affected adversely by Weblog content. Use special sensitivity when dealing with children and inexperienced sources or subjects.

b) Be sensitive when seeking or using interviews or photographs of those affected by tragedy or grief.

c) Recognise that gathering and reporting information may cause harm or discomfort. Pursuit of information is not a license for arrogance.

d) Recognise that private people have a greater right to control information about themselves than do public officials and others who seek power, influence or attention. Only an overriding public need can justify intrusion into anyone’s privacy.

e) Show good taste. Avoid pandering to lurid curiosity.

f) Be cautious about identifying juvenile suspects, victims of sex crimes and criminal suspects before the formal filing of charges.

3) BE ACCOUNTABLE

Bloggers should:

a) Admit mistakes and correct them promptly.

b) Explain each Weblog’s mission and invite dialogue with the public over its content and the bloggers’ conduct.

c) Disclose conflicts of interest, affiliations, activities and personal agendas.

d) Deny favored treatment to advertisers and special interests and resist their pressure to influence content. When exceptions are made disclose them fully to readers.

e) Be wary of sources offering information for favors. When accepting such information, disclose the favors.

f) Expose unethical practices of other bloggers.

g) Abide by the same high standards to which they hold others.

Posted via email from chiarabolognini’s posterous