Brian Solis's Blog

Social “Me”dia and the Evolving Twitter Egosystem

3 Sep 2010 17:24 No comments

There’s a saying, “technology changes, people don’t.” Yet, when we consider the impact of technology on our daily lives, some very interesting observations surface…

A pen now feels awkward to hold and as such, our penmanship is deteriorating

It’s now common to sit at a dinner table with family and friends where some are actively communicating with others, listening to music or gaming via mobile devices

We are redefining the perception, boundaries and thresholds for privacy as we once knew it.

The future of the art of long form writing is at risk of becoming shrtr and less formal #forrealz. More...

Video: Bringing a Brand to Life in Social Media

1 Sep 2010 12:39 1 comment

We’re approaching the last bits of this enlivening conversations where Chris Beck, founder of 26dottwo (@26dottwo) and I examined the state and future of social media.

In this installment we review the various aspects and formalities of bringing a brand alive, truly alive in social media. Everything begins with establishing the rules of engagement in order to define the boundaries, context, and objectives for conversations. Guidelines such as “don’t be stupid,” “use common sense,” “stay positive,” is not the most useful approach to steering representatives or consumer experiences. More...

REPORT: Facebook and the New Age of Privacy

30 Aug 2010 12:07 No comments

It’s said that opposites attract. However, in social media, it’s quite the opposite. The idea of privacy and publicity are in fact at odds with one another. And at the heart of the matter, one social network is caught in the crossfire of sharing information and TMI (too much information). The line that separates privacy and openness remains undefined as it continues to shift as individuals learn important life lessons about the benefits and risks of living in public.

As we evolve into a more open society, the economic value of privacy has inverted. Years ago it was inexpensive to maintain a sense of controlled solitude and expensive to earn public attention. More...

What Makes an Influencer?

29 Aug 2010 14:33 1 comment

Influence is the subject of some of important conversations lately. Each time we surface questions, answers and new thinking that starts to reshape the landscape for how businesses view, define, and embrace influence.

The socialization has democratized content and equalized influence. As such, we are at the inception of an an era when everyday people are presented with an opportunity to earn authority, trust, and leadership based on their actions and words.

I’ve partnered with Vocus to take the conversation to you. As I believe that we all have a voice in the shaping and direction of any topic, it’s up to you to help us make sense of the future of influence. More...

Video: From Social Graphs to Interest Graphs

27 Aug 2010 18:54 No comments

In next installment of discussions exploring the state and future of social media, Chris Beck, founder of 26dottwo (@26dottwo) and I review how relationships online are evolving from social networks to social “nicheworks” or contextual networks.

In social media, how we connect with one another reflects our interests as well as our contacts. We’re adapting our definition of relationships to now also include a new, thinner layer of “relations” in order to refine our online experience as well as how we learn, discover, and share. In doing so, we create a social silhouette that outlines our interests, concerns, views, and potential,which ultimately is reflected in how we architect and cultivate our social graph. More...

Video: A False Belief in Numbers? The bigger part of the story = who you are NOT connected to

26 Aug 2010 12:07 No comments

In the next installment in a series of conversations exploring the state and future of social media, Chris Beck, founder of 26dottwo (@26dottwo) and I discuss social media by the numbers. At any given moment, your “fans,” “likes,” followers, commenters, readers, are expecting personalized experiences. Simply catering to an “audience” is borderline antisocial. Addressing the needs and expectations of the social consumer and the various roles they play in business is the minimum ante to continue to sit at the table. At the same time, we also need to look beyond who we’re connected to today and focus on connecting with influential individuals and nicheworks who define our social and commerce landscapes. More...

Video: The Social Network of the Future

25 Aug 2010 12:24 No comments

In part ten of a series of conversations exploring the state of social media, Chris Beck, founder of 26dottwo (@26dottwo) and I speculate on the future of social networks.

Social networking as it exists today is not scalable nor is it representative of how social beings connect and engage. We are complex individuals we are defined by what we share, consume, and to whom we connect. Our social graphs are woven with the fabrics of our interests, passions, and relations. One update does not resonate across the social graph. Networks will evolve to match content to context and allow us to seamlessly connect relevant information and people based on frames of reference and subjects. More...

Inception, Extraction and the Socialization of Business

23 Aug 2010 12:20 No comments

Every now and then, I draw comparisons between the things that inspire me offline in order to help spark creativity and evolution in the all that I do online. Inception served as a catalyst for rethinking social media and how we use it to socialize not just our marketing efforts, but our business overall. Weeks later, ideas germinated and here I am today, sharing my thoughts and observations with you. Indeed, Inception is the genesis for creativity and innovation.

If you have yet to see the movie, don’t worry, I won’t include any spoilers here. I will say that it is worth your time. For those who have experienced Chris Nolan’s masterpiece, perhaps you will share this vision and time with me to explore ways in which we can bend the realities we know to construct new paradigms for social business. More...

Video: 2010 The Banner Year for Social Media

21 Aug 2010 16:08 No comments

In part nine (which is really the first part) of a series of conversations exploring the state and future of social media with Chris Beck, founder of 26dottwo (@26dottwo), we define the metamorphosis of media production, discovery and consumption and how social networking is affecting behavior and communication. Our social graphs are shifting from linear connections (those we know) to nonlinear ties defined by those we know, hope to know, don’t know but share ideas, and those who endeavor to know us. As such, we are building contextual networks and it paves the way for information to directly connect with discerning audiences. More...

This is Your Time to Make a Difference: Engage or Die

20 Aug 2010 15:40 No comments

We live in amazing times. Perhaps what makes it so special is that the present is rewriting the future for so many things held sacred over the years. So many industries, processes, politics, beliefs and myths clouded or seized our responsibility and capacity to force innovation and ultimately the change that is needed and long overdue. At the root of this however, is what fuels evolution and revolution…

#you

You helped define social media.

You helped democratize the ability to create and share information.

You equalized influence.

You are defining the future of how we connect and communicate with one another. More...

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Brian Solis
Principal, FutureWorks at PR 2.0

Joined industry in 1991
Based in San Francisco
Member since 25 Oct 2007
Last login 11 months ago

Brian Solis is Principal of FutureWorks, an award-winning PR agency in Silicon Valley. Solis blogs at PR2.0, bub.blicio.us, and regularly contributes PR and tech commentary to industry trades. Solis is co-founder of the Social Media Club, is an original member of the Media 2.0 Workgroup, and also is a contributor to the Social Media Collective. In concert with Geoff Livingston, Solis is released “Now is Gone” a new book that helps businesses learn how to engage in Social Media. Solis has been actively writing about new PR since the mid 90s to discuss how the Web was redefining the communications industry – he also coined PR 2.0. Solis is considered an expert in traditional PR, media relations, and Social Media. He has dedicated his free time to helping PR professionals adapt to the new fusion of PR, Web marketing, and community relations. PR 2.0 is a top 10,000 blog and is ranked in the Ad Age Power 150 index of leading marketing bloggers.

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