Customer loyalty. Branding. Networking. From the corporate level to individuals, social media success means different things to its users, and how you measure its effects is a relatively new and perhaps less precise area of assessment. Here are a few ways to examine the progress and impact of your company’s efforts on the social media frontier:
Traffic. Not all social media is easily quantifiable, but you can start by tracking the number of Facebook fans, Twitter followers, Delicious bookmarks, Diggs, as well as existing website traffic. Also note benchmarks such as SEO rankings and referrals and customer satisfaction scores.
Quality. While numbers of fans and followers serve as a good metric, companies should also assess the quality, not just the quantity, of connections they have. An audience who is genuinely interested in your company or product is more valuable than high numbers of people who are not engaged. On the individual level, though, many ‘weak’ ties may be beneficial — that distant contact might serve as a link to a new job, as opposed to just having your closest friends to help you.
Engagement. Interacting with customers via social media is an excellent way to engage a loyal following. With over 700,000 Twitter followers and more than 5,000,000 Facebook fans, Starbucks is a master of this strategy, engaging its customers on Twitter and encouraging Facebook fans to participate in open discussions and events.
Sales. Today, some companies are seeing their social media efforts translate into sales by tracking paid searches and other channels. For example, Dell linked its Twitter efforts to $1 million in sales, and Blendtec’s YouTube-driven “Will It Blend?” campaign resulted in “a five-fold increase in sales.” The bottom line? Engaging customers helps create customer loyalty, which often translates to profits.
ROI. Social media is generally less costly than traditional marketing channels, such as advertising. So look at how your budget is allocated across the marketing spectrum, and factor that in when considering your return on investment.
While social media is a relatively new arrival on the marketing scene, it represents tremendous potential to engage an audience in a low-cost and highly interactive way. Broadband is speeding these exciting two-way communications nationwide – which are invaluable to a company’s customer relationships and their bottom line.
From the President and the FCC to the nation’s leading broadband providers, developing smart grid solutions is a hot topic, and for good reason. After all, implementing smart grid technology represents the 21st century evolution of the electric grid, utilizing new, broadband-powered innovations capable of advancing energy conservation and independence.
As the FCC puts the finishing touches on its National Broadband Plan, and considers the role broadband will play in its smart grid recommendations, U.S. telecom providers of all sizes and in all areas of the country are well positioned and ready to offer innovative smart grid solutions. Building on years of substantial communications infrastructure investment, and with powerful national networks in place, these providers possess the core competencies to support effective smart grid solutions.
Here are just a few examples of new partnerships underway. Working in collaboration with Cooper Power Systems, AT&T offers smart grid sensors that will help utilities better manage their grid and SmartSynch. Along similar lines, Verizon Wireless and Ambient Corporation have developed Open Smart Grid Communications Architecture, an integrated solution for utilities deploying smart grid programs that leverages the reliability and breadth of Verizon’s network. Meanwhile, Qwest and Current Communications have a trial underway with Xcel Energy utilizing DSL to backhaul smart-grid data from connected homes.
From reducing resource consumption to increasing the reliability and efficiency of the power grid, smart grid solutions have much to offer. Given broadband providers’ capabilities and vision on this front, we will see many more innovative smart grid developments in the years to come that benefit consumers and our environment.
As the President’s State of the Union address made clear, jobs and the economy are a leading priority for 2010. As lawmakers look to create new jobs for Americans, broadband is already making positive contributions on this front. As highlighted on our video wall, here is a snapshot of the ways in which broadband is helping in today’s economy:
Landing a Job. Thanks to the high-speed Internet, researching the job market and viewing opportunities well outside your local area has never been easier. According to the Pew Internet and American Life Project, 41% of Americans conduct this kind of job research online. And a CareerBuilder study indicates that 45% of companies vet candidates by viewing their social media pages.
Higher-Paying Occupations. Consider this: average hourly earnings in telecom are 42% higher than in manufacturing. Furthermore, Broadband Information, Communications and Technology-enabled occupations are among the fastest-growing and highest-paying jobs in the U.S. economy.
Working Remotely. Thanks to the high-speed Internet, telecommuting expands work opportunities, particularly for those living in rural areas. Today, approximately 39 million Americans telecommute – a number that is expected to grow to 63 million workers by 2016. But are telecommuters as productive as their in-office colleagues? According to Cisco, 7 in 10 of the company’s telecommuting employees experience increased productivity.
Investing in America. The rapid rise of broadband is due in large part to U.S. broadband providers investing more than half a trillion dollars in U.S. communications infrastructure from 2000 to 2008. Pro-investment and innovation policies have helped promote this significant expenditure, and consumers have reaped the rewards. As highlighted in the recent NextGenWeb.org blog, “Study Finds Network Regulation Has Adverse Impact on Jobs”, regulatory changes could slow Internet-driven job stimulus.
With more work to be done to revive our economy, broadband will continue to play an important role in connecting Americans with expanded job opportunities, regardless of where they live.
With a National Broadband Plan underway, there’s much talk today about broadband adoption. Now, a new report released by In-Stat shows consumers are continually and rapidly embracing the high-speed Internet.
According to the study, an average of 8.8 million people worldwide subscribed to broadband each month in 2009, resulting in 578 million worldwide broadband subscribers by December 2009. That’s 99 million new broadband subscribers compared with the end of 2008. Given this pace, In-Stat projects global broadband subscribers will exceed 1 billion by 2013. Furthermore, In-Stat’s research indicates that households with multiple broadband connections are expected to multiply in the coming years, featuring a mix of wired broadband technology and mobile wireless connections.
What’s fueling this trend? The rise in online video viewing, music downloads, and other high-bandwidth applications are contributing to the global demand for broadband. The increased use of smartphones and other mobile broadband applications is also a contributing factor. Additionally, as the high-speed Internet becomes increasingly ubiquitous, more people are realizing and seizing broadband’s benefits – from real-time communication to employment opportunities, cutting-edge health care technologies, and more.
Along similar lines, a study from the Pew Internet and American Life Project documents the growth of home broadband Internet connections – which rose 15% from 2008 to 2009. Interestingly, several populations considered slow broadband adopters saw the largest growth. For example, high-speed Internet subscriptions among seniors increased from 19% in 2008 to 30% in 2009. Meanwhile, broadband adoption among low-income Americans with annual household incomes below $30,000 jumped 34% between 2008 and 2009. And rural adoption rates jumped nearly 10 percentage points during the same period.
In the wake of Haiti’s catastrophic earthquake, those looking to help have found a considerable disaster-relief resource in broadband. From fundraising to health care to locating loved ones, here are some of the ways the high-speed Internet is in action in post-earthquake Haiti:
Restoring Connections—U.S. telecom companies including AT&T and Verizon have announced donation relief efforts, including helping to rebuild Haiti’s communications infrastructure. Telecoms Without Borders has planned a network enabling Haitians to make free two-minute calls anywhere in the world to relatives, as well as set up satellite facilities for emergency responders. And NetHope, which unites humanitarian organizations with technology companies, is working to establish Internet connectivity for relief agencies on the ground in Haiti.
Promoting Donations—Broadband-based technologies also encouraged rapid donations for Haitian relief efforts. According to reports, the Red Cross raised a staggering $8 million for Haiti through its 48-hour text message campaign – double what the organization raised through similar efforts over the entire year in 2009. Across the Internet, web pages were updated to connect people with charitable groups, and celebrities used their Twitter feeds to promote donations among their followers. Meanwhile, Apple enabled iTunes users to make donations to the Red Cross via their accounts at the online music store.
Up-to-the-Minute Reports—From breaking news to satellite maps and video feeds, the Internet has kept the world apprised of the latest developments in Haiti. Broadband has also proven to be an invaluable tool for reuniting families or locating missing persons – thanks to sites such as the International Committee of the Red Cross’s FamilyLinks.icrc.org and the Haitian Earthquake Registry’s haitianquake.com. Facebook’s “Earthquake Haiti” group also helped locate people and attracted more than 267,000 members.
Health Care Aid—On the ground in Haiti, Doctors Without Borders is using Internet-driven donations to help the long lines of injured earthquake victims. The Boston-based Partners in Health, which already had four thousand health workers on the ground in Haiti when the earthquake hit, has continued to maintain communications via satellite-based Internet services. The hospitals and facilities managed by Partners in Health use a web-based electronic health record system for many of its patients, as well as a Web-based medication supply management tool monitoring its medication stock.
With so many in need and the world deeply concerned with the crisis in Haiti, broadband is playing an important role in relief efforts. To read more about how the high-speed Internet is helping in Haiti, read the recent blog, “Broadband a Critical Component to Relief Efforts in Haiti” on our sister website, NextGenWeb.org.
Broadband-enabled technologies are playing a pivotal role in speeding high-quality care to Americans, regardless of their geography. Telemedicine technology is uniting patients with specialists in far away places. In-home health monitoring is enabling citizens to get the care they need from the comfort and dignity of their own homes. And, in addition to these human benefits, remote monitoring could reduce health care expenditures by a net $197 billion over the next 25 years.
With so much opportunity to enhance U.S. health care and control skyrocketing medical costs, telecommunications companies are seizing the telehealth opportunity. Verizon recently started its Connected Health Care group, which aims to make care more efficient, universal, and high quality for patients nationwide. Specifically, the company’s Telehealth Collaboration Services enable video consultations between doctors and patients, which are particularly invaluable for those living in rural areas. Verizon plans to make video consultations even more widespread by extending these capabilities to mobile devices for doctors.
AT&T also has a wide variety of products and services aiding health care professionals and patients alike. Currently, the company is developing a software tool and networking platform that will record a patient’s health information at home and share the data over the high-speed Internet with his doctor. Using wireless devices, the technology will enable video conferencing and remote monitoring via medical sensors. The objective? Higher quality care at a lower cost, as well as greater convenience for patients.
As we all look for ways to improve health care, broadband is already delivering life-enhancing medical capabilities to aid patients and ease the burden on the health care system – which will only expand thanks to the innovation unleashed by the high-speed Internet.
Virtualization is a growing technology trend that has evolved from replacing the traditional 1:1 server architectures of just a few years ago, into the areas of virtualized storage, and virtualized networks. All of this creates a new opportunity for today’s datacenters to provide tremendous cost savings, environmental savings and overall efficiencies that have given birth to the “Cloud Computing” model.
On Thursday, January 21st, Vaughn Suazo from Cisco provided our audience a review of Cisco’s comprehensive vision and architecture for Virtualized Data Centers along with their impact on “Cloud” computing models. Vaughn began with the basic building blocks of virtualization and proceeded all the way through to actual service provider implementations of virtualized systems, networks and cloud computing data centers.
As the FCC finalizes its National Broadband Plan, one overarching priority of the plan is clear: to extend broadband’s benefits to all Americans. From reaching remote pockets of the U.S. to ensuring technology and education efforts help reduce barriers to access, the high-speed Internet is an invaluable tool that enhances employment, health care, education, and so much more. For people with disabilities, access to broadband-powered opportunities is critical and thus has been a focus of National Broadband Plan discussions.
The issue is also the subject of a new U.S. Chamber study, “The Impact of Broadband on People with Disabilities,” which takes a close look at the availability, demand, adoption and usage related to those with disabilities. Overall, the paper makes clear that for the more than 50 million Americans with disabilities, broadband-enabled technologies are essential to everything from facilitating day-to-day communications to promoting employment, education and health care. Key findings include:
Awareness & Demand—While the majority of disabled citizens are aware of broadband, there is a perception among some that broadband is an inaccessible technology; the paper suggests that education programs can be effective in communicating the benefits of broadband to this group.
Adoption—While broadband adoption rates among those with disabilities are increasing, challenges to adoption exist, such as home computer access or the cost of assistive devices. However, with the rapid evolution of technology, devices for those with disabilities are becoming more accessible and affordable.
Usage—The rate of broadband usage among people with disabilities is high, and their participation in online activities is varied – from e-commerce to telecommuting to health-related research.
The role of broadband in the lives of those with disabilities cannot be underestimated. The high-speed Internet connects disabled individuals with friends and loved ones, enhances employment and education opportunities, and provides telemedicine and remote monitoring capabilities – all of which contribute to greater freedom and enhanced quality of life.
Background: Today at its Open Meeting, the Federal Communications Commission approved an Order to address program access issues.
The following statement is from USTelecom President & CEO Walter B. McCormick Jr.:
“In today’s order, the Commission took a balanced and legally sustainable approach to providing new video competitors with access to must-have programming that will greatly benefit consumers. Hundreds of telecom companies, most of them small and rural providers, are investing in networks to provide video competition to cable incumbents. But some incumbent cable companies have tried to maintain their grip on this market by locking up programming that consumers want—particularly by denying consumers the ability to follow their local sports teams if they switch to a competitor.
“As the Commission has previously found, where cable companies have to compete with another wireline video provider, rates are 17% lower. But the FCC correctly concluded that such competition simply won’t happen without access to essential content, including regional sports networks and HD. Just as importantly, the Commission recognized that the ability to offer a competitive video product is a critical component in making broadband deployment viable in rural high-cost areas. We congratulate the Commission on today’s action.”
With a National Broadband Plan close at hand and key issues from the economy to health care high on our domestic agenda, 2010 promises to be a defining year for broadband. From creating jobs to controlling skyrocketing health care costs, the high-speed Internet can help.
In the latest USTelecom vidcast, USTelecom President and CEO Walter B. McCormick Jr. takes a look at what broadband can do to aid today’s top issues, and what potential Internet policies lie ahead. Here are some featured highlights:
Renewing the Economy. Broadband continues to be a tremendous economic engine. In fact, in 2008 nearly half of all new American jobs resulted from the broadband and IT sectors. And these positions also rank among America’s best-paying jobs.
Aiding Health Care. Broadband can help deliver the health care savings consumers are eager for - saving the average household an estimated $670 per year. Patients can also receive care in the comfort of their own homes, thanks to remote patient monitoring. As an added bonus, this technology promises to reduce costs by $200 billion over the next 25 years.
A National Broadband Plan. As the FCC works to complete its National Broadband Plan, consensus on its key principles is clear. Extending broadband’s reach to remote unserved pockets of our nation is crucial. So too is encouraging Americans to seize the opportunity broadband provides by focusing on digital literacy and awareness. Ensuring a stable investment climate is also essential – particularly given the fact that broadband providers are the leading investors in the U.S. economy today.
Potential Regulation. As the FCC considers so-called ‘net neutrality’ regulations, many continue to question the need for greater government control of the high-speed Internet. Imposing more regulation could have stifling effects on investment, innovation, and the broadband experience for consumers.
Interested in learning more? To hear USTelecom’s 2010 outlook, click on the video.
