Apple Developers Conference Updates

Beyond Social Media - Apple Developer Conference - Episode 313

BL and David discuss the most siginficant announcements to come out of Apple’s 2020 Developer Conference; Keen, Google’s new social collaboration tool; Google Images fact checks; Patagonia joins the growing Facebook advertising boycott; Devin Nunes’ Cow wins in court; YouTube introduces shoppable commercials; Pandora introduces analytics for podcasters; Facebook continues to harbor hate; some Covid-19 masks that are creepy AF; mobile messaging app stats;..and much, much more.

Read More

The American Surveillance State

Beyond Social Media - American Surveillance State - Episode 308

Episode 308: BL and David discuss reauthorization of the Patriot Act, which gives law enforcement access to online browsing data without need for a warrant; IKEA’s furniture fort plans; Twitter’s new policy of labeling COVID-19 tweets; Bud Light bringing back the Real Genius campaign; augmented reality contact lenses; the future of restaurants; Brightcove’s new streaming service, Play TV; free virtual reality collaboration; the negative effects of bad news; the Ants of Facebook; the day Google Play Music died; the State of Social Media Marketing report;…and much, much more.

Read More

Coronavirus Visuals

Beyond Social Media - Coronavirus Visuals - Episode 305

Episode 305: BL and David discuss Twitter’s new COVID-19 misinformation protection measures; free Google Shopping Listings; Google’s new identity verification requirements for advertisers; a clever tactic for retaining unsubscribing customers; an app that will broadcast family videos for tech-averse elders; COVID Nursery Rhymes; alternatives to “unprecedented”; free resources for marketers; vintage pandemic posters; TV show posters reimagined for COVID-19; a Coronavirus Rhapsody; MinneAnalytics Monday; two-faced Facebook; mobile voting efforts; dangerous Amazon working conditions; the public companies taking small business loans;…and much, much more.

Read More

COVID-19 Commerce

Beyond Social Media - COVID-19 Commerce - Episode 302

Episode 302: BL and David discuss COVID-19 commerce changes; Facebook’s COVID-19 Community launch with a film; Google’s free ads for SMBs; Freelancers Union’s Freelance Relief Fund; Medtronic’s DIY ventilator specs; Mark Cuban’s 3M snark; USAA’s compassionate ad; coronavirus dating by drone; Twitter’s calendar of Tweets for businesses; planting Victory Gardens; companies that laid off employees via Zoom; Adobe’s online summit points the way to post pandemic future; CuriosityStream lowers price to $1 a month; MailChimp presents films from cancelled SXSW; “Selling a President 2020” posts episode 2; Joe Biden’s “Here’s the Deal” podcast debuts; WFH is bad news for some podcasts; and much, much more.

Read More

Siri, Do I Have Coronavirus?

Beyond Social Media - Coronavirus Crisis - Episode 300

Episode 300: Co-hosts B.L. Ochman and David Erickson discussed the coronavirus crisis, including: The contrast in leadership between governors Andrew Cuomo and Tim Walz and Trump; Siri’s response to Do I Have The Coronavirus?; Smart thermometers that may be able to identify local outbreaks; Covid 19 pandemic maps; Twitter helping brands communicate during the crisis; a New York-based Chinese immigrant stepping up to manufacture personal protective equipment for health care workers; the responsibility of the media in broadcasting the White House coronavirus “briefings” live; Moe Williams’ daily doodles; Willie’s American Guitars offer two-minute guitar lessons on Facebook; Amazon limits non-essential shipments; the ENKI Brewing Company taproom goes curbside; coronavirus resources and free entertainment; pandemic gallows humor; Google’s California-only Covid 19 triage website; the two faces of Fox News; the Army’s social media manager gets canned; idiots that will cost lives; TV commercials that have not aged well in the coronavirus era; live webcams broadcasting deserted public spaces; the Department Of Justice wanting to suspend costitutional rights; …and much, much more.

Read More

Corona Beer Crisis

Beyond Social Media - Corona Beer Virus - Episode 298

Episode 298: BL and David discuss absurd Corona Beer Virus searches and fears; CNN weatherman’s face filter forecast; Giphy and Jif peanut butter’s Gif or Jif debate ad; students learning media literacy in school; Walmart’s reply to David’s Tweet shows smart earned media strategy; Stars & Stripes deleted by vindictive Trump; LinkedIn adds pinned updates; podcast rankings and Netflix rankings released; anti-Putin blogger assassinated; Leap Year baby finally turns 21; Greta Thunberg responds like a heroine; Bloomberg will send Trump a pink slip for you…and much, much more.

Read More

Burger King’s Disgusting Moldy Whopper

Beyond Social Media - Burger King's Moldy Whopper - Episode 297

Episode 297: BL and David discuss Burger King’s disgusting moldy Whopper campaign; podcast studios coming to Staples; an FTC crackdown on influencers; clever “About Us” branding; smart speaker spying; eSports home teams; yet another streaming service; an ode to Wikipedia; Coronavirus riots in Ukraine…and much, much more.

Read More

Alexa’s Brand Voices

Beyond Social Media - Alexa Brand Voices - Episode 296

Episode 296: BL and David discuss Google’s Project Witness that uses virtual reality to generate empathy for jailed children; Amazon’s program to create actual brand voices to play on its Echo smart speaker; ASCII art of refugee programmers; tech titans’ efforts to combat coronavirus misinformation; augmented reality Google Maps; Facebook’s bug bounty program; Chrome’s website security deadline; reviews in Google Search Console; a glaring user experience fail in Adobe Acrobat; Target’s Minnesota Badgers miscue; …and much, much more..

Read More

Everything Amazon Owns

Beyond Social Media - What Amazon Owns - Episode 275

Episode 275: BL and David discuss the astounding array of businesses Amazon owns; the Area 51 search for aliens joke that 400,000 people have signed up for; major updates to Google My Business; how Pittsburgh helped power the first US Moon Landing; Pinterest adds videos; Shoelace is Google’s latest attempt at building a social network; a hilarious parody influencer apology video; Ikea’s new Soffa Sans typeface; using text messages to solicit local reviews; dangerous dongles and much, much more.

Read More