Social Media Trends 2013: Breaking Down Big Data's Role

Photo by: Flickr user ibmphoto24

Breaking down big data’s role in social media marketing is the focus of this third installment in my blog’s “Social Media Trends 2013” audio series. All content © 2013 Harvest Reapers Communications; All Rights Reserved.

Thus far, I have shared excerpts of my audio interviews with three Subject Matter Experts who provided insights into how their organizations use social media to engage with their target audiences. The series began in January and runs whenever I have great content to share.

 Why Care About Big Data?

Whether it’s Webopedia’s definition of big data or the one recently referenced in The Wall Street Journal, the bottom line is big data’s onslaught is keeping leaders across various sectors awake at night as they wrestle with how to maximize it for their organizations. Social media enters into the fray as marketers seek insights from the data generated by analytics tools to determine if they are on the right marketing path.

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Nate Silver (ctr) poses with us. Photo courtesy of Fabian Robinson.

Statistician & FiveThirtyEight.com 
Blog Founder Nate Silver Weighs In

I asked New York Times FiveThirtyEight blogger, statistics guru and author Nate Silver to share insights about this year’s social media trends after his talk at the Gartner Business Intelligence & Analytics Summit. 

Silver spoke with me after his keynote presentation as we dashed to his next engagement in the Gaylord Texan. Listen.


Women in Technology International sponsored my registration at the March event held in Grapevine, Texas (just outside Dallas). Special thanks to WITI's Richard Budd and David Leighton for making my participation possible.

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GolinHarris' Director of Insights Eric Swayne

GolinHarris’ Director of Insights Eric Swayne 
Breaks Down Big Data


I interviewed Eric Swayne, GolinHarris’ director of insights, about the role of big data and social media marketing. 


Special thanks to Dallas independent consultant Chris Bradshaw, of BOOMboxNetwork.com, for the invitation to attend the Social Media Breakfast Dallas event where Swayne was the featured speaker in January.



The interview began with an overview of Swayne's role. He said he "collects" the digital data his PR/marketing agency generates and determines insights for clients so they can market more effectively.
 
RLB: Break it down for us.                                        RLB: Give us some social media (analytics) tools.

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RLB: What can people do to shore up their metrics capabilities?