Hop on the Social Media Bandwagon

A friend spoke to me over the weekend about creating a social media (SM) application like Facebook as a product for Sri Lanka. I've been meaning to write about the trend towards creating SM apps and then hoping they'll boom like Facebook. Unfortunately the harsh truth is that its not going to happen. By 2010 Facebook has managed to pass MySpace, Bebo, Friendster, Orkut, hi5 and everyone else out there. Although the facts are clear, there are plenty of entrepreneurs creating SM apps that are similar to Facebook and trying to make money off it. The obvious issue is that for a SM site to be successful, loads of people need to register, like it enough to sign in everyday and have things to do when they've signed in. So, should you create your own SM app or jump on Facebook and get your stuff done.

There is no point in creating just another SM app. If you want to create an app that involves social networking, target a niche or bring something revolutionary to the table. Facebook has grabbed the market with their clean and simple interface and ever evolving set of features. Another reason you don't want to create just another SM app is because people are already on Facebook and Twitter and maybe MySpace, they aren't going to manage anymore SM sites.

So what's my advice as someone who works with Facebook, Google and Yahoo on a daily basis? It is to use the hardwork that Facebook has done over the years to your advantage. Since they've managed to get all the people in the world to use their application, use this fact to your advantage; use the pages, advertising, marketplace, groups and everything else to sell your stuff. I'll come up with some suggestions in the near future on how you can use Facebook to your advantage.

Online ordering in Sri Lanka?

Simple online ordering for food is finally here. Sit in the comfort of your home or the convenience of your office and have food from your favorite restaurant delivered to your doorstep.

It was recently launched and is almost out of beta. The product works fine and I've ordered delicious Harpo's Pizzas on several occasions and it works. There are many more restaurants in the pipe line including Pilawoos.

The app is fast and smooth, payments work fine, although HSBC/Global Payments spent very little time on their interface, the thing works like a charm. Best part about FastOrder is that you can pay online or pay when you have it delivered or pick it up. Payment problems solved ne?

Ubuntu 9.04 -- Jaunty Jackalope

Finally made the switch and I love it. So far. The user experience is pretty cool and damn smooth. Best of all it comes with everything, drivers, apps you name it. Installing stuff is a breeze, once you figure out how it's done. 

Forgive the initial enthusiasm and the n00b comments about the OS. This is the first time I am seriously using an OS other than Windows. I installed 8.04 before and had some issues with the system crashing when I play some music or watch a video. Youtube and stuff works but I couldn't watch a Youtube video and play another audio track... you get the drift; little issues like that.

The only downside so far is that I cannot access Office 2007. Well I can after installing wain... but you know, I'm lazy and I'd like to have it running, just like everything else. Open office is good for everyday stuff, but not so good for fancy stuff, especially for creating cool presentations.

The Ubuntu Jaunty Jackalope version is great and so far the advantages far outweigh the issues and big up for the developers who create a system like this and then give it away for free. wow!

Do you like to fetish?

I recently wrote about a friend's girlfriend who got random messages from boys on Facebook. Well ICT is certainly changing the way boys in Sri Lanka do things. A friend of mind shared with me a random stranger's skype pick-up line: The conversation is below. My friend played along just to have a laugh, afterall it's not everyday that a stranger asks you whether you like to fetish.

[1:25:05 PM] Random Boy says: Hi, Do u like to fetish?

[1:56:22 PM] Skurj's Friend says: what did you have in mind?

[1:57:44 PM] Random Boy says: fetish

[1:57:58 PM] Random Boy says: i like ladies with makeup,highheels,stockings..etc

[1:59:22 PM] Skurj's Friend says: i like too. do you wear makeup, high-heels stockings etc?

[1:59:36 PM] Random Boy says: i m a male

[1:59:54 PM] Random Boy says: i like to see females with those

[1:59:59 PM] Random Boy says: get me fired

[2:00:57 PM] Random Boy says: sorry i m so straight

[2:01:04 PM] Random Boy says: i m searching a lady who likes fetish

[2:02:19 PM] Skurj's Friend says: but i'm also straight. i like males who wear highheels, stockings, makeup etc

[2:02:24 PM] Skurj's Friend says: will you wear for me?

[2:02:46 PM] Random Boy says: ohh sorry i mnot taht kind :)

[2:03:29 PM] Skurj's Friend says: shame

[2:03:48 PM] Random Boy says: about?

[2:03:57 PM] Skurj's Friend says: you not wearing all of the above

[2:04:06 PM] Random Boy says: he he

[2:04:15 PM] Random Boy says: ladies wearings

So what's the deal? Must be the economy, lack of jobs and maara frustration. Must also be the heat. Haven't seen much rain recently no? So, errm, who among you would like "fetish" with me?? hmm?

SEO, SMM, SEM and all these new Acronyms

"Here, Kumara, we need to work on a new strategy. I recently read that we must do SEO and Social Media and also some Search engine marketing if we are to stay in the game. So do that ok? I want results. NOW!" Is a line, or something similar to a line that's heard in many offices around the world and Sri Lanka is no different. There's a plethora of articles, news releases about SEO, SMM and SEM being mandatory for an organisations survival and imperative to achieve a competative advantage. So spend your entire IT budget on SEO, SEM and SMM. It might be wise for you to do some research yourself before handing over a contract to some "reputed" organization to do these things for you.

A few things about SEO, SEM and SMM that might be useful to you, if you are trying to implement these strategies are:

a) SEO is FREE.
SEO means Search Engine Optimization. This means you create your site in order to maximize it's presence on people's search terms. There is no point in adding all the keywords under the sun, becuase at the end of the day, you want qualified traffic, not random people visiting a site that they don't want to see. These visitors will demote your listing on Google etc., if they don't think you are relevant. The first thing to do is to get your house in order. Add title tags, meta tags, meta content that is meaningful and not a list of keywords. Search spiders today are smart enough to see through these age old tactics. Add h1 and h2 tags to important headings in your content without simply making them bold. Spiders recognize these things and map words within the Header tags to keywords.

Try to keep your site upto date and loaded with meaningful and fresh content. One way to do this is by maintianing a blog under your domain and ideally have someone update relavant, fresh content about three times a week. Don't add rubbish and spam links. Link to important sites and if your content is good enough you'd get links back automatically. Speaking of blogs and links, comment on other blogs within the same business/interest domain. This will also give you links back and create visibility.

These are the first steps any SEO guy or company would tell you. Read. Search the internet and read up on these things. No one really knows what the hell SEO is about. It's all practice, reading and testing. So go read up about SEO and you'll be a pro in no time. Try not to fall in to traps set by organizations telling you that they can get your site to number 1 on Google within a month. Even you can do it, simply type the name of your company and you'll be number 1 on google or any other search engine.

b) SMM is not MAGIC
Social media marketing is NEW. Mostly due to this whole Facebook, MySpace, Twitter craze. SMM isn't going to magically increase your traffic or sales. It will however create buzz and awareness. There isn't a concrete method yet to calculate your ROI on SMM so don't be too hasty to hire an organization that specializes in Social Media Marketing yet. Like using your company blog, you can create a twitter account and start following people who have the same type of interest as you do and keep tweeting once or twice a day. Keep it human and don't simply put product or service updates. People get bored of reading that. Also include links of news or other stories that you may find useful. You can use Facebook pages, Profiles and Groups to create awareness as well. I shall save that for another post. Again the best thing to do is to read up on SMM yourself, before you go spending your hard earned money on someone who will pretty much do the same things that you would.

c) SEM ain't a key to millions of $
Most people assume that SEM is the key to gaining unbelievable amounts in terms of sales volume. Afterall it does give you access to the whole world and a click is only $0.25 or so right? What's there to lose?I'll tell you, you could lose your entire company. SEM requires 24/7 monitoring, lowering and increasing your bid. Slacking off here will leave you with a massive bill and if you earn your money in Rupees, you are pretty much done for. If you are going to invest in SEM, it might be worth hiring an in-house guy with some experience. But I wouldn't reccomend outsourcing it. You need to have control over your ads and your bids. Google and Yahoo aren't the only things. There are many more. So it maybe wise to do some research and split your ad budget accordingly.

I'll have more on this stuff soon, along with a few links and such so that you guys can gain some knowledge. It's great fun and very active, so if you are an online marketing kinda guy, it maybe helpful.