Social Media Explosion

some hard facts on social media usage, with Renzie Baluyut.

Do you still think social media is a fad?

They're already calling it a revolution-- the social media revolution. Quite possibly the biggest socio-economic shift since the Industrial Revolution.

I've been a traditional marketer for the better part of my radio career. While I've started blogging and getting into Facebook and Twitter some two-and-a-half years ago, I've only realized the value of social media for small business owners, entrepreneurs and internet professionals several months into immersing myself in the whole media scene.

I hope to post some compelling facts about new media usage in the Philippines in the near future. In the meantime, you may want to watch this video from TeacherTube.com.

This particular video was posted about a month ago (09 Sept 2009).

The video was made to some tuneage from Fatboy Slim. "Right Here, Right Now" was released in 1999, from Fatboy Slim's second studio album, You've Come a Long Way, Baby.

A similar post appears on my other blog, The Life and Times of The Renzie Man | A Blog on an Independent, Proactive and Stress-Free Lifestyle.

Cheers, everyone.

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Make Yourself a Star With Social Media

hop aboard the social media bandwagon with Renzie Baluyut.

In a recent post on Mashable, Stan Shroeder gives us "P. Diddy: To Be a True Star, You Must Also Be a Facebook Star".

In case you just emerged from a time capsule, or crawled out of a cave after several years of hibernation, let me fill you in on P. Diddy.

P. Diddy (also known as Diddy, Puff Daddy, Puffy or by his real name Sean Combs), is one of the world's most successful R&B/HipHop artists- having seen action in the industry as a recording executive, performer, producer, writer, arranger, clothing designer, and even as a Broadway actor.

Now, Diddy has built up a massive empire that includes record labels, talent management, fashion lines, movie production and even restaurants.

Diddy's latest venture is a new American Idol-esque talent competition on MTV called Starmaker. But besides the usual judges, theme nights and viewership votes, Diddy will be putting more emphasis on social media and social networking tools, just like Facebook.

According to Diddy:

“Before, it was just at live shows, now you have to be able to do a great live show, you have to be able to do a great online interview, you need to have a great Facebook page, you have to have a great television performance.”

Very well said, Diddy. The sad fact is that many artists, record labels, and even the record industry itself have been underutilizing social media and social networking.

Now is a great time for any band, anywhere to use an array of free tools online- Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Blogger, Wordpress, etc. to promote anything from a brand new single, to a bunch of live performance venues, or just about any branding effort imaginable.

All this social media made available to anyone with an internet connection has leveled the playing field. You don't need a team of publicists anymore- just a genuine desire to share your artistic vision and your music, a few loyal fans to champion your cause, and regular, periodic updates, blog entries and other things fans can share and enjoy.

The same holds true with just about any business. A band, or a record label, or a concert, is just like any small business venture- whether a quaint little coffee shop or a laundry service at the corner. Social media is the way to go. It's essential marketing for a brave new world.

Cheers, everyone.

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Online Entrepreneurship with Renzie

With this blog, I formally begin my career as an Online Entrepreneur.

I've been blogging for a little over a year now (as of this writing), but it wasn't until November of 2007 that I have realized the potential for blogging to be a legitimate online business. Later I found out that it's not just blogging: there are quite a number of ways anyone can make money online- legitimately, safely, without having to sell yourself short, or resort to shady dealings or anything of the kind.

That being said, welcome to my latest blog, "Online Entrepreneurship".

Though I admit, I'm learning as I go, just like everybody else- this blog is meant to document my ongoing Quest for Financial Independence. I'm more than willing to share tips and advice to anyone else willing to walk the same path as I am.

So "Online Entrepreneurship" is a learning blog. I'll post my realizations and discoveries as they all happen. There's a lot to be learned out there, and just about any real-life business can translate well into an online asset. And just like any successful endeavor, it's going to take patience, discipline and time.

All this is probably in connection with my desire to start a new life, which I blogged about elsewhere.

So what's there to learn in here?

• Tips on being a better online entrepreneur. Management concepts, time management, marketing, and staying in the entrepreneurial mindset.
• Guides to online learning, recommendations on what podcasts to listen to, blogs to read or websites to visit.
• Building better blogs; how to start one from scratch, how to market it, and make the most out of your traffic.
• Internet Marketing; something every online entrepreneur should know. Stuff on SEO, using social media, buzz marketing, etc.
• E-commerce and the growing digital marketplace.
• And other topics that I haven't thought about now, but may want to dig into much later on.

Feedback is definitely most welcome. I would appreciate questions, requested topics you'd want me to touch on, and opinions on all things Online Entrepreneurship.

Cheers, everyone!

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