CATHARINE P. TAYLOR

Articles by Cathy All articles by Cathy

• The Social Media Insider Says Goodbye in Social Media Insider on 01/09/2015
  

  Let's put it right out there: After close to seven years and almost 400 columns, the Social Media Insider is calling it quits, at least for now. Wow, seeing that in writing seems strange. But, as practically anyone alive knows, every now and then it's time to shake things up, and now is that time for me.

• More Of The Unvarnished Truth About Social Media Insider's 2014 Predictions in Social Media Insider on 12/19/2014
  

  Prediction! There will be no sequel to "The Interview," that little Sony movie about assassinating Kim Jong-Un! I'll save my thoughts on why that whole affair is Dennis Rodman's fault for another time, but now, as promised, I must publicly take a look that at other, more difficult predictions -- namely the ones I made a year ago in regard to Snapchat, Tumblr, Twitter, Vine and YouTube for 2014.

• The Unvarnished Truth About Social Media Insider's 2014 Predictions in Social Media Insider on 12/12/2014
  

  About a year ago at this time, feeling uncharacteristically clairvoyant -- it must have been the eggnog -- I made 2014 predictions about 10 social media platforms. And then I said that at the end of the year -- which is nigh -- I would revisit them and eat humble pie if I had to about whether I was right or wrong. Herewith, the promised revisit of my 2014 predictions, which, like the original columns, will come in two parts, with part two coming next week. So, how'd I do with Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Myspace and Pinterest? Read on, and snicker, if you must!

• CMOs Just Aren't That Social. Question Is, Why? in Social Media Insider on 12/05/2014
  

  There are plenty of things I've never understood about CMOs -- like why they'd take a job that seldom lasts that long -- but chief among those things I just don't get is their often-willful ignorance about how people are actually using media.

• What's Up With WhatsApp? More Than You Think in Social Media Insider on 11/21/2014
  

  WhatsApp, to most of us American social media guru wannabes, is pretty much that thing that Facebook bought last year for $19 billion, even though its founders detest advertising so much they wrote a manifesto about it. The U.S. still remains unimpressed with it otherwise; only 8% of our mobile population use it. Gee, it must be fun to have billions of dollars to throw around! Nonetheless, WhatsApp piqued my interest this morning because of a small - but potentially telling - bit of data, highlighted in a post from Harvard's Nieman Journalism Lab.

• Retargeting Tango: How I Could Make That Blue Couch Vanish From My Newsfeed in Social Media Insider on 11/14/2014
  

  As I write this, a blue couch is stalking me. It's a contemporary sectional that would be a worthy replacement for the aging grey sofa bed in our living room -- if it were red. But it doesn't come in red, so as far as I'm concerned, our relationship is over. It's not giving up so easily, though. It haunts my newsfeed, and Facebook's right rail. And, just as I've said about other material goods that have followed me online long after my fascination with them has waned, I wish it would go away.

• What Can We Learn From #AlexfromTarget? Sorry, Alex, It's The Wrong Thing in Social Media Insider on 11/07/2014
  

  Partly as a way of avoiding post-election news coverage, the Social Media Insider has been trying to focus on something equally important -- gleaning groundbreaking social media insights from this week's overnight Internets sensation: #AlexfromTarget. Unfortunately, those insights come down to this: where there's an overnight sensation, there's also always someone, somewhere, willing to take credit for making it happen. Perhaps from here on in we can call this simply Alex's Law.

• Pay For Play: What Social Media Insider Has In Common With YouTube CEO in Social Media Insider on 10/31/2014
  

  It appears the Social Media Insider is not the only one who keeps wondering if there's traction in ad-free social platforms. Imagine my surprise this morning when I discovered that last week's column - on how ad-free Ello plans to make money - had 106 shares, ranking it third in the last year behind the column on The New York Times Innovation Report (136 shares), and Restoration Hardware's wrong-headed are you f*ckin' kidding me? mailing of catalogs so heavy you can use them to outfit your home gym (108 shares). Um, wow. And only some of those shares, I should add, were from bots! As if that weren't enough, this week, someone far more important than the Social Media Insider weighed in on the subject of non ad-supported revenue models.

• What The Ello! This Ad-Free Social Net May Be Onto Something in Social Media Insider on 10/24/2014
  

  Not that I've gone on it again since registering a few weeks ago, but Ello is starting to get more interesting, what with the news it just received $5.5 million in funding from real, live venture capitalists. Do ad-free social networks have a real future?

• Tell Me This: Is It Possible to Still Get Organic Reach?  in Social Media Insider on 10/17/2014
  

  The Social Media Insider has (yet another) confession to make: if she could write about just anything this week, it would be the news that HBO and CBS are both planning to offer subscriber-based streaming services. And to think that cable companies used to deny that cord-cutting was a thing! But, alas, as there's nothing very social about holing up in one's house and binge-watching "Game of Thrones," I'm using this week's column to ask for some social media advice that I hope will also benefit loyal readers. (I know -- the columnist is supposed to give the advice, not take it. But if you have an issue, go whine about it on Twitter.) Here's what I need to know: Is it possible to get organic reach anymore -- and, if so, how and where are you achieving it?

Comments by Cathy All comments by Cathy

• The Gift Of Trump: We Shall Overcomb by (Mad Blog on 06/17/2015)
  

  You can comment on politics any time you like, Ms. Lippert! And I will read every word!;)CPT

• The Social Media Insider Says Goodbye by Catharine P. Taylor (Social Media Insider on 01/09/2015)
  

  Aw Kipp, so sweet! Thanks! Cathy

• The Stack by Joseph Jaffe (Online Spin on 01/06/2015)
  

  Love it, Joseph. We go up to northern New Hampshire during the holidays, and for the most part, you can't even get online. What a blessing! I feel like technology right now is way beyond our capacity to healthfully assimilate it into our lives -- but it's especially great to hear a similar message from someone in the biz, where sometimes technological ubiquity goes unquestioned. Cathy

• Longtime 'NYT' Ad Columnist Stuart Elliott Retires, Successor TBD by Joe Mandese (MediaDailyNews on 12/03/2014)
  

  Stuart has a one of a kind voice. Let's hope he uses it elsewhere;) Cathy

• More Things I Don't Get About CMOs: Why They Ignore The Lessons From Their Kids' Media Use by Catharine P. Taylor (Social Media Insider on 09/26/2014)
  

  Thanks for the comments, folks. It really is astonishing how little traditional media my kids use. Cathy

• CMOs Just Aren't That Social -- And Who Cares? by Maarten Albarda (Online Spin on 09/22/2014)
  

  Hi all, For obvious reasons, thought I should weigh in here. I never suggested that CMOs should be in social media to sell product; rather it's to be familiar with the platforms where their customers are, to understand how to use them. Nor did I ever suggest that they spend all day long on Facebook. Here's the thing: if you had a CMO from a major brand who bragged about not owning a TV, you'd probably fire them. How could they do their job without watching a medium where they spend so much money? It's the same reasoning. Almost eight years ago, I was asked to write a feature story on Facebook. People I interviewed were talking about the News Feed and other aspects of it, but at that time, barely anyone from my demo was on it. It became clear to me quickly that the only way I was going to understand what the hell people were talking about was to join, and though my experience there at that time was limited at best because practically none of my friends were on it, I had to be there to get it at all. CMOs should feel the same way. Cathy

• If Your CMO Is Not On Social Media, Find A New CMO by Kaila Colbin (Online Spin on 09/26/2014)
  

  Hi Kaila, As you know, my thoughts exactly! To put this in another context, would you want your CMO to boast about not owning, and never watching, TV? No! You would wonder whether they should have the job. Thanks for keeping the debate going! Cathy

• Who's Afraid Of The Big, Bad Algorithm? Twitter Users! by Catharine P. Taylor (Social Media Insider on 09/05/2014)
  

  Thanks, Ms. Lippert:) Your FB posts are one of the (not so numerous) highlights of the week! CPT

• Restoration Hardware's Catalog Mailing Jumps the Shark -- And So Much More by Catharine P. Taylor (Social Media Insider on 06/27/2014)
  

  'Tis a beautiful thing, Mark!

• Yo! Here's What I'll Be Doing This Weekend by Catharine P. Taylor (Social Media Insider on 06/20/2014)
  

  I'm working on it as we speak, Michael!:)

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