TV by the Numbers: Measuring my viewing habits online

As television networks kick off the upfronts introducing new programs and picking up where existing series left off, there is increasing conversation about using social media to connect fans and viewers with their favorite shows, as well as how many may be cutting-the-cord altogether. Full disclosure: I’m an employee at Nielsen, who have a great perspective of cross-platform insights into what consumers watch, but the ideas shared in this post are my own and are not necessarily shared by my employer.

How to use Facebook to promote your personal brand

With the recent update on Facebook to both personal profiles and pages using the Timeline interface, many brands are reevaluating their marketing strategy on the social network. Likewise individuals promoting their personal brand should consider updating their Facebook presence to take advantage of these new opportunities.

Using Timelines for Visual Storytelling

As a communications professional I see my work not just as copywriting, but ideally to tell stories through my writing. My storytelling can take many forms through the written word, including blog posts or social media, and even tactical media like press releases or fact sheets. But of course writing isn’t the only way to tell story, and as a visual storyteller I’ve created a number of infographics
and visualizations that intergrate data with images and text to help make complex stories more accessible. Not to mention my work as a film student writing and editing short stories in video.

Another kind of visualization that is helpful for telling narrative stories is a timeline, which spacially represents key events over time. In a timeline events can be as significant as a milestone/landmark developments which culminate from continuous iterative progress which is illustrated over time, or as simple as a tweet/status update that shows a conflict’s initiation/resolution. And like all narrative storytelling there are key elements like context/setting and esclating conflict which should be resolved by the end.

My Top 11 Memes and more from 2011

Looking back on 2011, I wanted to recap my favorite internet memes, music, trends, and more during the year which saw many changes in communications and technology. Until recently I’ve posted a monthly list of my favorite ideas on this blog, and though I’ve lapsed these updates I still share my favorite media on my Tumblr blog. Every day on Tumblr I share the best memes, infographics, viral media, and ironic links, many of which contributed to this list of Top 11 memes.

After the jump, check out my favorite memes from 2011!

Did I miss any memes which would be on your own list? Feel free to leave a comment and share your favorites from 2011. Until then, here’s looking forward to more memes and creative media shared online in 2012!

Warm wishes for the Holidays!

I wanted to take a moment to wish everyone a happy holidays, and a happy new year in 2012! Once again I’m home for the holidays in St. Louis, but I’ll be back in New York City in time to celebrate New Year’s Eve.

Every year I create a Very Indie Xmas mixtape of holiday songs that are a bit more unique than what is played on commercial radio and in shopping malls. This year I’m sharing these holiday mixes from the past few years, and this year’s mix is available as a playlist on Spotify; you could consider this my gift to you this year.

And if you’re looking for a last-minute gift feel free to check out my Wish List page, filled with gift ideas for the geek in your life. Better yet you can learn more about my favorite charities during this season of giving.

Like my posts on Tumblr? Endorse me on Klout!

It may be a bit meta to ask for votes on another service about that service, which is just another flavor of what I provide on this Tumblog everyday.  And since the vote will cost you next to nothing, can I please get your endorsement as an influencer on Tumblr for Klout?

Facebook by the Numbers: Measuring my friends on the social network

Since I grew up in the Facebook generation, I’m not alone in using the social network to keep loose-ties with old friends following my own graduation and relocation to New York City.  Here’s a few more stats about how I use Facebook to connect with friends:

exfm blog: We Have A Bunch Of Lucky Winners!

Woot! Very excited to count myself among the winners of this giveaway.  For those who haven’t tried it out yet, ExFm is a site/web app that helps you listen to all your favorite MP3 blogs in one place, including Tumblr blogs!  For example, check the player on the bottom-right corner of this Tumblr blog, which will play some of my favorites and connect you to my ExFm profile.

via extensionfm:

After two weeks of running the Ultimate Exfmavaganza Giveaway and over 1,000 entries we have a bunch of very lucky winners walking away with some serious swag.

Thanks to Audyssey, Urbanears, Cantora Records, Paper Garden Records, Family Records and Ghostly International these lucky winners…

Nielsen’s Social Media Report

Last month Nielsen (my employer) released a new State of the Media report focused on social media use in the US and around the world. This report offers a unique snapshot overview of the social media landscape, using measurements of consumers’ behavior in their browsers rather than survey data. It reveals not only the significant growth among the population visiting social networks and blogs, but also who makes up the audience on these sites and how they use social media.

To read its key findings and takeaways, please visit my blog at http://matthewhurst.com