The “favorite” feature in Twitter allows users to mark a tweet and keep it, such as a bookmark in a Web browser. When favoriting, it signals the originator that it has been marked, without a public acknowledgement in a feed. Favoriting is also another way to affirm the value of a tweet, but can also be tracked, which is what Favstar is doing. The company monitors favorites, and ranks tweets and their creators by the favorites that they generate.

Continue reading ‘Favoriting’ on Twitter is More Discreet than Re-Tweeting

Robb Heineman has transformed the MLS Kansas City Wizards into the Sporting Kansas City, now one of the most tech savvy sports teams, using technology to connect to fans and to fill the stadium past capacity. This year, Sporting Kansas City has a waiting list for season tickets and has sold out 27 consecutive games. The team is becoming a model for stadium technology and fan engagement, and is creating a new business in the process. Continue reading Sporting Kansas City Connects to New Fans Via Smartphones

Nordstrom recently tested new technology in their stores in order to learn more about their customers. The system tracked customers’ movements by following their smartphone Wi-Fi signals while in the store. Nordstrom’s system is similar to what online retailers do to track customers’ online movements. Nordstrom is one of many retailers that are using in-store tracking and monitoring technologies, yet there are concerns of privacy. Continue reading Big Data: Retailers Experiment Tracking Shoppers In-Store

Digital media firm Fullscreen — which hosts more than 15,000 YouTube channels with 200 million subscribers and 2.5 billion monthly views — has launched a suite of apps designed to help content creators monetize videos through search engine optimization and partnership facilitation. The new Fullscreen Creator Platform also includes analytics tools for insight into audience behavior. In addition, Fullscreen has announced a free iOS app for tracking video performance from phones (Android coming soon). Continue reading Fullscreen Launches Creator Platform for YouTube Producers

Twitter is quickly becoming a normal part of the television experience, in that it is changing how people watch TV. Twitter is allowing audiences to interact with scripted and reality TV shows directly, as well as provide real-time commentary. Viewers of hit shows, such as HBO’s “Game of Thrones,” are looking to Twitter as a popular place for viewer commentary. As television is increasingly shared on Twitter, new business and viewing opportunities arise. Continue reading Twitter Changing How We Watch and Interact with TV Shows

According to a new study from social video tech firm Unruly Media, six-second Vine videos have experienced a massive popularity spike. The study indicates that nine videos are being posted to Twitter every second, up from five per second in April. The new numbers arrive shortly after Facebook’s Instagram announced the launch of its own short video service. Some have speculated that the move could impact Vine, which is owned by Twitter. Continue reading Vine Videos Shared via Twitter Nearly Double in Two Months

Google introduced a new report titled “Quantifying Movie Magic with Google Search” that details how effective Google searches can be in regards to predicting the future box office success of upcoming movies. If proven accurate, Google could join forces with traditional methods such as surveys, tracking polls and other analytic services. The company claims it can predict opening weekend box office revenue with up to 94 percent accuracy. Continue reading Is Google Search the Future of Predicting Box Office Numbers?

NAB announced that next month’s show in Las Vegas will feature 10 up-and-coming media and entertainment companies invited to participate in the new SPROCKIT program. Selected for their innovative video, mobile, social and analytics technologies, the market-ready startups participating in the program are expected to provide a glimpse into the future of content creation, management and delivery. Continue reading 2013 NAB Show: Startups Invited to SPROCKIT Program

The symbiotic ideas of controlling your online personal data and the value of big data analytics to companies were major themes during the March 19-20 New Digital Economics conference produced by STL Partners. Thought leaders addressed personal privacy concerns that could lead to a social movement and industry self-regulation as well as changes to how companies manage strong relationships with their customers. Continue reading New Digital Economics Conference: Big Data Versus Privacy

Yesterday we posted findings of a Coca-Cola study, which concluded that online buzz did not have a measurable impact on short-term product sales. Response to the story, first published by Advertising Age and others, was met with a significant amount of online debate, which prompted a Coca-Cola exec to post that the finding can be viewed as accurate in isolation, but should not diminish the crucial role of social media across multiple screens. Continue reading Marketing Exec Defends the Crucial Role of Social Media