Crowdsourcing is a term that was coined back in 2006 by writer Jeff Howe for a Wired magazine article. Although the concept was far from new, the term wasn’t. In a nutshell, crowdsourcing is the act of sending out tasks that are normally performed by an individual to a group of people. The idea is that more minds and hands are better than one and for the most part that’s true.

Many software developers and computer enginners have been aware of crowdsourcing for quite some time. Clearly, having the collaboration of other like-minded experts allows projects to be built cheaper, faster and more precisely compared to one that is carried out by a single person.

Now more than ever a rash of companies that are built on crowdsourcing are springing up across the internet. Here’s a handful of some of the more interesting and interactive ones.

Editz

Formerly known as GooseGrade, this site is a dream for die-hard proofers and fact-checkers. Editz is pretty basic in concept. Let’s say your reading something on the web, perhaps someone’s blog post, and you spot a typo. As an Editz member you can correct the error and the site’s widget will automatically generate a friendly email that notifies the blog owner so that the correction can be made. Pretty handy for anyone who can’t afford a proofreader or who write and check twice.

Waze

If you find yourself stuck in your car during rush hour or if you just have a long commute to and from your office then you need to checkout Waze. Through GPS technology, the Waze application allows users to report traffic problems to other users. It also gives users the opportunity to see the ebb and flow of traffic when an accident or event is reported.

Another great feature is that users can correct misspelled or unmarked street names and flag errors for correction to ensure that map data is as accurate as possible. Contributions are rewarded for reporting traffic events, miles driven, identifying and mapping new roads and more. As users accrue points they’re eligible for a position in Waze’s Hall of Fame and the privilege to edit other users’ errors.

Happy Spotting

This subsidiary of Trendwatching is a site that allows savvy marketers and trendspotters to sign-up, track and report new trends, consumer behavior and changes in the marketplace. Trendwatching’s Happy Spotting site boasts more than 8,000 members who keep an eye on what’s hot, what’s not and what you might not even be aware of. Spotters gather and submit their information through a report process and receive points in return. Accumulated points can be exchanged for a variety of uber cool rewards and prizes like iPods, jumpdrives and other fun gadgets.

Threadless

Out of all the crowdsourcing sites on the internet, Threadless seems to command the most attention. This community-based t-shirty company has an ongoing open call for design submissions. Graphic artists, creative illustrators and designers alike can submit their designs for review and vote by the community. T-shirt designs with the most votes are produced and sold.

What makes Threadless unique is that the designs are developed by professional and gifted artists. With so many stunning pieces to choose from you’ll find it hard to cast your vote for just one.

Patients Like Me

This is a place where crowdsourcing is joining people together who have life-changing conditions. It’s free to join and by providing some basic health information you can connect with others from around the globe who are living with challenges from the same disease. Through common disease states and diagnoses, patients can share information, develop support groups and discover new way to take charge of their health.

Crowdsourcing as a concept is growing quickly as a preferred way to research and gather information from the masses. Businesses stand to benefit by seeking out feedback from groups of people and using it collectively to shape and build new concepts and ideas. Stay tuned for a future post on social media and crowdsourcing can work together.

Back in the early days of instant messaging (IM), users could only IM other users through the same IM platform. If you were using AOL Instant Messaging (AIM) then you could only chat with another AIM member. Thankfully, that’s no longer the case. There are a variety of chat clients available that provide multi-client support to enable you and your pals to IM regardless of the IM service that they’re using.

Why would you want to use IM? For a variety of beneficial reasons. IM allows instant communication between people, which can save time and money. No long distance charges apply and it transmits information quickly to simulate the natural flow of conversation. It can reduce the amount of email sent, conference calls scheduled and IM is capable of holding multiple sessions with many people. IM can also be integrated into your existing website, which makes it a fantastic customer service tool.

There are more than 80 chat client applications available and each one has its pros and cons. The list was whittled down based on social media integration, multi-client platform capabilities and number of supported chat networks. Knowing what chat clients are available and what some of their key features are can be helpful in determining what will be the best solution for you.

NOTE: Most of these applications have mobile access from your handheld, however, not all mentions were included in this blog post.

Here’s an alphabetical roll call that features six of the best:

Adium

Let me start with an apology to my PC peeps. The first chat client on the list is for Mac users only (promise that the remaining reviews will be more embracing of both operating systems).

Adium started in September 2001 and has grown rapidly among Mac users in terms of popularity. One of Adium’s more notable features involves contact management. Contacts can be combined, which allows you to merge your contacts so that each one represents a person, not an account. A great way to keep things organized.

Customizing Adium is accomplished through a suite of Xtras. Everything from layout and themes to sounds, emoticons and message styles. The sky’s the limit with Adium.

One of the main reason for using Adium is that it integrates with Facebook Chat and Twitter. This makes it incredibly convenient to monitor direct messages from Twitter and IMs from Facebook through one central location. The Twitter

Currently, Adium is 100% freeware and it supports more than 17 chat networks.

Digsby

By a huge margin, Digsby is one of the most comprehensive multi-client chat clients available. First off, it plays well with Windows, Mac and Linux. Next, its features are so robust that not listing some of the standouts would be a disservice.

• Chat with visitors and friends by placing a widget on your blog, website or social media profile
• Manage your Hotmail, Gmail, Yahoo! Mail, AOL/AIM Mail, IMAP and POP accounts from Digsby
• Manage multiple conversations with tabbed windows
• Use a combined buddy list for all your contacts regardless of chat platform and rename them with an alias to eliminate hard to remember chat handles like ‘pinkbunny25’
• Audio and video chat availability (good-bye Skype)
• Complete customization with Digsby application skins and themes

Pretty amazing considering that Digsby has only been around since January 2008. So what can it do with your social media networks? Quite a bit. Digsby supports Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and MySpace. You can receive alerts for new friend requests, messages and event invites, plus get a newsfeed of everyone’s status updates. The bonus of bonuses is that you can update your own status for all four networks with Digsby.

A total of seven chat networks are supported including, Windows LIve, AIM, ICQ, MobileMe, XMPP and Yahoo! IM and Facebook Chat.

Meebo

The main difference between Meebo and the other applications reviewed is that Meebo isn’t really a ‘desktop’ chat client. It’s web-based, but can be used through a widget that users can embed in their blogs or websites, as well as the Meebo Bar, which is a gadget that lets users connect to Meebo through the base of a webpage. Meebo’s more of a pseudo-desktop chat client that’s housed through your browser. Like the widget, it can be incorporated into the bottom pages of your website.

Meebo is IM in a web page. Just go to the Meebo site, login and you’re instantly connected to all of your chat buddies through your Meebo account. The benefit of a web-based client is that you eliminate the hassle of software installation and you always have instant access to IM as long as you can find an internet connection.

Meebo offers video and audio chat, as well as file transfer. You could potentially take chatting from something you do with friends to a fresh way to conduct business conference calls and meetings. It’s convenient and flexible.

• Because of Meebo’s online interface, it has an array of fantastic features that can’t be found with other desktop chat clients.
• Mobile access was mentioned earlier, but Meebo is built for iPhone, Android and other web-based handsets.
• Join Meebo rooms to meet and connect with new users, or create a custom Meebo room of your own and feature it on your website or blog. A super way to harness conversations about you and your business in primary place.
• Notifications are sent to an icon in your system tray so you’ll never miss anyone who’s trying to contact you.
• A snappy FireFox extension allows for easy integration of Meebo.
• Have a restricted computer (hardcore firewalls or an IT policing department on steroids)? The Meebo Repeater is a beta version of downloadable software that enables chat when IM access is restricted.
• Excellent analytic tool to monitor and track information about your site.
• Connect your Meebo bar to any social media site and drag headlines and links to share through those sites.

Last but not least, Meebo lets users advertise. You can see one of the ad options in action on the Meebo Bar and click it to see even more. You’ll need to contact Meebo directly to learn more about pricing and program options based on your budget and objectives.

Meebo connects you to Facebook and five other chat networks. It would be nice to see Meebo offer additional social media site support, but for now you have access to the biggest of the bunch.

Nimbuzz

With Nimbuzz, users can choose to use it as a desktop chat client for Windows or Mac, a web-based client or mobile client. For users who aren’t looking for all the bells and whistles, or anyone who feels a little intimidated by choices, Nimbuzz is your solution.

It’s incredibly lite, maybe too much, like  feather actually, as far as features go. In a nutshell, Nimbuzz supports around 12 chat networks, including Facebook and MySpace (at the time of this writing details on support for Twitter couldn’t be located).

Nimbuzz also has a secondary service called NimbuzzOut that works as an internet phone service through their IM application. A better way of explaining this would be to call it Skype with fewer features and branded with a new name.

There’s not too much more to share about Nimbuzz, other than it’s a plain and simple multi-client chat product. If you’re new to the world of IM, Nimbuzz could be a good starter application. Once you get situated you may find yourself wanting other features and you can always experiment with a new product as your needs grow.

Trillian Astra

Now it’s my turn to apologize to Mac users – at this time, Trillian Astra is only available for Windows, but a version of Max OS X is in the works. In the meantime, Mac users can still use Trillian and experience it through the web-based version. All is not lost fellow Appleheads.

Developed by Cerulean Studios, Trillian Astra a real powerhouse in the desktop chat client realm. The functionality that it delivers makes it a truly outstanding tool and one that you’ll want to have in your social media arsenal. Trillian boasts 450+ features to help organize your online life.

Facebook, Twitter and MySpaceIM have been incorporated into Trillian’s social media round-up. An added network that many users see as a ‘deal maker’ is the inclusion of Skype. Through its applications, users can place Skype calls, control group conversations, support multiple identities (nice for personal and business profiles) and work with file transfer protocols. Sweet indeed!

Trillian Astra aligns more closely with Digsby. It has many features in common (not all) like support for more than nine chat networks and email capabilities. Customization on the surface is accommodated with plugins, skins and themes and usage management that enables you to optimize performance, have proxy control and hands-on identity and connection management.

VoxOx

VoxOx is one serious hybrid. It’s part Adium, Digsby and Skype all rolled into one interface. You can make phone calls, send IMs and emails, monitor social media, share updates and a whole lot more.

A quick summary:

• Social networking
• Text messaging
• Instant messaging
• Voice calling
• File sharing
• Email
• Fax

VoxOx has also kicked it up a notch with their universal translator. Whatever you’re typing can easily be converted into the language of your choice. Check out the VoxOx list to see what countries are supported.

Another swanky feature is the VoxOx Personal Assistant (VOPA). She’s the real deal and she also puts celebrity assistants to shame with her admin skills. She can screen your calls, eavesdrop on voicemails to see if you should pick-up or let it roll on through and coordinate fax pick-up.

The VOPA also offers a ‘Stalker Feature’ and caller ID spoofing. The Stalker Feature let’s VOPA send out a busy signal, disconnected message or personal greeting recorded for any specific person that you’d like to avoid. Caller ID spoofing let’s you create a customized number that others see when you contact them. You could create something easy to remember or spell out something fun. Endless possibilities.

Last, but not least, you can include ringback tones to identify clients, friends or family and set-up on-hold music when calls are in queue.

Social media coordination with Facebook, Twitter and MySpace (hey, where’s LinkedIn?) let you share videos, pictures, update your status, chat with friends and reply to Tweets. Now that LinkedIn has opened up its API to developers, VoxOx may integrate this social network in the future.

HONORABLE MENTION

Pidgin is a free downloadable chat client that make is very easy to connect with just about anyone. Pidgin supports 17 different chat networks, however, it’s only available for Mac. It’s been around since 1998 and has more than 3 million users.

Hopefully this list of chat applications works as a nice resource that will help you manage your social media conversations more efficiently. Let us know about others chat applications that you’re using. We value your feedback.

Tagging is a popular form of identifying various online materials by attaching words, or metadata, to categorize and describe them. This is beneficial because it helps index items according to common traits and it makes them much easier to find by people who are looking for specific things. Tagging can be applied to just about anything:  photos, videos, music, RSS feeds, even webpages.

So, here’s an example of tagging. Let’s say that I have a picture of a lemon (apologies for using a pathetically simple example) and I’ve decided to upload to Flickr and share with the world. I add several tags to the image to make it easier to find, like lemon, citrus, fruit.

Now with ‘geo-tagging’ things get kicked up a notch. Geo-tagging uses latitude and longitude coordinates to determine location-specific details in relation to specific items. Using the lemon example, geo-tagging would involve sharing the place where the photo was taken, like Florence, Italy. The great thing about geo-tagging is that it can actually be used as a marketing tool to increase business.

Geo-based social media sites are sprouting up all over the internet. Knowing what sites are available and how to use them can be an entertaining way to boost repeat business traffic and get your customers to start buzzing about who you are, what you’re up to and, most importantly, where you’re at.

a

Foursquare

Foursquare is one of the big dogs on the geo-based social media scene. Their user base is growing rapidly and it’s a perfect time to jump in and start using their services with a creative twist of your own. Check out How to Market Your Business With Foursquare for some great tips and a thorough explanation on how the social platform actually works.

a

Gowalla

Next up is Gowalla. It’s very similar to Foursquare in terms of premise and interface, however there are some differences that help set it apart. Gowalla users have to physically be at the location when they’re checking-in. GPS verification and geocaching work together to verify that users aren’t randomly claiming to be somewhere when they aren’t. This is a plus for businesses because customers have to be in your establishment in order to claim a true check-in.

So how can you use Gowalla for marketing? Pretty easily.

• Visit your Gowalla business listing and see who’s checking-in and visiting your place. Because visitors can choose how they’d like to be contacted, like text, call or email, you have a direct connection to them. Reach out and let them know about your special events and unique offers available exclusively to Gowalla users.
• Take a look at businesses nearby. Connect with some of their visitors and let them know that you’ve noticed they’ve been in the neighborhood. Incentivize them by offering 10% off a service or giving away a free product.
• More interaction means more buzz. The purpose of sites like Gowalla is to share information with others. Make your place of business a great experience for Gowalla users and they’ll spread the word quickly about you.
• Request a customized icon, or your business logo, for your listing instead of using the generic category images that are provided. It will help distinguish your business.

a

Brightkite

The publicity machine may be churning out a ton of spin for Foursquare and Gowalla, but Brightkite has the largest user base among the three applications. Recently, it launched a new group texting tool that lets users communicate with a text message to groups as large as 100 people. It’s like being able to hit the ‘reply all’ button in an email. Instead of having to conduct individual conversations, Brightkite users can rally the troops to meet at a local park for a BBQ or head downtown for some cocktails during happy hour. A super bonus – the service is completely free! No more costly text message fees from your wireless service providers.

• Brightkite is very keen on helping local businesses market themselves. They make it simple to sign-up with a page on their site. Once you’ve created your listing you’ll want to start promoting.
• Print up some window decals and signage to let Brightkite fans know that you recognize them and offer special incentives. Post them conspicuously. Include the a Brightkite badge on your website’s homepage. With a little HTML and Brightkite icon, you can post a welcome mat to notify online traffic too.
• Oscar Mayer uses Brightkite to track their Wienermobiles across the country on their hotdoggerblog. A super clever way of showcasing where their business will be so that fans can easily find them. Try implementing a local version for yourself. Let fans know what tradeshow or festival you’ll be at, as well as your booth number.
• Advertise with a call-to-action. Special savings are good, but they’re even better when you position them with a sense of urgency. Offer 25% off, but only during the hours of 3pm – 5pm on Thursday.

a

Loopt

This application is a stand-out because of its compatibility with more than 100 handheld devices. Additionally, Loopt connects with all major US wireless phone networks, like Sprint Nextel, Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile and others. Might not sound like much, but the more gadget friendly an application is, the broader its audience base will be. Loopt is more than 3 million users strong and counting, which is interesting because this application doesn’t include an entertainment component like Gowalla or Foursquare. It’s totally game free.

Loopt works based off what your friends are doing nearby and telling you what’s going on around your current location. It even makes recommendations by looking at events and places that may be of interest and that are in proximity to where you are and what you’re doing. A partnership with Zagat and Citysearch include reviews to make more informed choices.

• Your business can use Loopt to target someone who lives or works nearby and create promotions that can be redeemed by phone or optionally via e-mail or text message. This makes it much more convenient for people on the go.
• Set-up a digital raffle where the first 10 Loopt users who visit your location or write a super star review have a chance to win an free Visa gift card or iPod.
• I’ve said it a thousand times – social media is social. That means engaging with your audience. Posting and offering without interaction doesn’t cut it. You have to reach out and talk to people. Tell them about your discounts, invite them to stop by and let them know that you value their patronage and support. A little sugar goes a long way.

a

Dreamwalk

The easiest way to share what Dreamwalk is and how it works is to show you. Check out the video below for a quick overview.

One of the best things about Dreamwalk is that its founders developed it for the purposes of digital advertising. From the moment it became a concept, the interest of the business owner was first and foremost. This theme is clearly reflected throughout their website which contains an abundance of information. Everything from 10 simple steps to get started to a comprehensive FAQ section.

Dreamwalk has made marketing your business an effortless process. They’ll help you craft a campaign for your business or you can visit their idea center to get some inspiration and head out on your own. Either way, Dreamwalk is a great place to start testing your geo-based marketing initiatives. Use it as a starting point to launch your promotions or add it to your existing mix of geo-based applications. This is truly a great application.

a

MyTown

This application is one of the most popular among users, partly due to the catchy game that it features. MyTown uses GPS-enabled Monopoly with real physical locations that lets users buy places and collect rent from others who check-in to those venues. Seriously – who doesn’t love Monopoly? Unfortunately, compared to the other geo-based applications mentioned, MyTown offers that least amount of information and assistance to business owners. That’s a major downfall since business is the driving force behind the application.

Currently, business owners can see who’s checked-in to their location and obtain their names. The downside here is that the names are pseudonyms or ‘game names’ so having this data isn’t as helpful. Businesses can get involved in promoting their locations by contacting MyTown at:  merchants@booyah.com. For what it’s worth, mention that you’d like to see business opportunities expanded and enhanced. Squeaky wheel gets the grease!

So why is MyTown being featured if it doesn’t seem to be business owner friendly? Well, it’s friendly enough, just not bear-hugging-loveable like some of the other applications. As a business owner, getting in on the ground floor with MyTown could be a smart marketing move since it’s not saturated with companies who are fighting for the same social space. Contact MyTown for details on how to integrate your business into their application.

a

We’d love to know how you’re using these services. Please comment and share feedback with us.

Social media overdrive and can cause social media overload. The dizzying speed of communication on social media platforms makes it tough to keep up with. It doesn’t matter if you’re purely a Facebook user, a die-hard Digg fanatic, a LinkedIn addict or someone who uses all three, streamlining your updates and postings through one source can be a liberating experience.

Fortunately, social media aggregation tools are becoming increasingly popular. Through online applications, widgets and desktop software, social media aggregators help condense your live updates and shares by providing a single location to broadcast multiple updates to.

So, give your thumbs a rest and step away from your Twitter account (we’ve heard that Bag Balm is good for calluses). Take a look at some of the social media aggregation tools that are currently available and start freeing up some of your time.

Hootsuite

Not only is this one of the most robust tools available, but Hootsuite is continually improving it’s interface and capabilities. This means that features you wish it had are probably only a month or two away from being implemented. This tool is web-based so there’s no messy installation involved. Online access lets you login to your account from any location to update and monitor – very convenient.

Hootsuite users are able to connect to multiple social media accounts from the application’s dashboard. Presently, there’s support for Twitter, Facebook Pages, Facebook, LinkedIn, Ping.fm, WordPress.com, MySpace and Foursquare – quite a line-up. Hootsuite is packed with features that enable you to customize, track and post in the blink of an eye.

Here’s a rundown on some of what you’ll find inside Hootsuite:

• Scheduling. Choose between live updates or pre-schedule posts and shares in advance.
• Customize URLs. Add custom link parameters for tracking clicks and gathering information on your audience.
• Files. Upload images, video and files right into your messages.
• RSS feed. Connect to your RSS and send your blog to your social media streams.
• Bookmark. Use the Hootsuite Hootlet from your browser toolbar to share pages and information quickly.
• Mobile updates. Handheld integration lets you keep up with Hootsuite from your iPhone.
• Tabbed layout. Create and customize columns that can be dragged and dropped in any order to your liking.
• Multi-column layout. Harness the clutter and organize your social streams into news, keywords, friends and more.
• Embeddable columns. Grab code from Hootsuite to embed search columns directly into your website.

It’s only fair to say that it’s our social media aggregator of choice. For others, Hootsuite is absolutely a tool worth looking into. Visit their site to read up on additional enhancements.

a

Tweetdeck

Originally a popular tool for tweeters, Tweetdeck has evolved into a comprehensive platform that services Facebook, LinkedIn and MySpace. Built using Adobe Air, it has a blend of rich-technology and customizable features that end users will enjoy using. The Tweetdeck platform is available for desktop, iPhone and iPad. It also plays well with others so you can use it on your Mac, PC or Linux system. Like other social media aggregators, Tweetdeck has a column-style format that silos your information.

Tweetdecks features are extensive:

• Custom colors. Choose how you’d like your interface to appear and make it your own.
• Filters. Set-up your columns to show you only what you want to know.
• Notification. Get alerts for new tweets, mentions and direct messages. Excellent communication management feature.
• Follower. Decide who to follow or unfollow, as well as report spam and mark your favorites.
• URL. The bit.ly auto-shorten URL is incorporated for tweets and image uploads.
• Sync. Set-up Tweetdeck to suit your personal tastes and keep it that way regardless of whether you access it through your laptop or your handheld.
• Lists. Track your favorites and organize them into Twitter lists right from your dashboard.
• Trends. See what’s hot with local trends and Twitscoop.
• Shortcuts. Keyboard shortcuts speed up your actions so you can maximize your time with Tweetdeck.

Tweetdeck is a free and powerful tool that has a large following and fantastic support. As the social media universe evolves so has Tweetdeck. People will find this to be an absolutely wonderful tool that will help them get back on track with their social media efforts.

a

Netvibes

Netvibes is a web-based personalized dashboard publishing tool. The easiest way to describe Netvibes would be to call it a favorite webpage on steroids. Setting it as your browser’s homepage allows users to create a customized hub that pulls all things digital into one central location. From emails received to weather updates, your Netvibes page becomes command central for everything that matters to you.

Aside from a beautiful interface, Netvibes makes it very simple to position widgets and modules exactly where you want them with built-in drag and drop capabilities. Just grab what you want with your mouse and move it to a location on your Netvibes page and you’re done. Additionally, tabs can be created to further organize and tailor your dashboard. This is a fantastic way to keep all things Facebook in one location and all things Twitter in another.

Here’s a little secret – if your employer has you on social media lock-down, you can use Netvibes to bypass the IT guards by connecting through your personalized tabs. Sneaky, sneaky!

So what can you do with Netvibes? We’ll give you a little taste below:

• Social media. Manage your Facebook and Twitter accounts, as well as followers and friends from central location.
• Netvibes Smart Reader. Use this RSS reader to stream all the latest feeds to you in real-time.
• Tracking. Follow dozens of blogs, activity streams and Twitter conversations all at a glance.
• Personalize. Create your own personal dashboard and enjoy the web exactly the way you like it by choosing from 100s of themes and backgrounds.
• Widgets. With one of the largest widget collections available, personalization options with Netvibes are endless. Drag and drop to your heart’s content.
• Email. Pull from web-based or POP email accounts and never miss a new message again.
• Share it. Invite friends, family, clients, co-workers or the general public to interact and view your Netvibes page.
• Infinite publishing. Multiple page publishing, WYSIWYG design tools, free hosting and full HTML support makes web everything a breeze.
• Community. Connect with other Netvibe users to expand your network and build your contact base.

Check out Netvibes and take a tour for a in-depth look at this tool.

a

Yoono

Yoono is a social networking feed mashup tool. Mashup means an application or website that uses or combines information or functionality from multiple external sources to create a new service. Yoono is available as a browser add-on for Firefox or as a desktop application for Mac, Windows and Linux.

As far as social media aggregation tools go, Yoono connects you to your social networks and messengers. It unifies your status updates into a single stream of information and lets you update your status across all your social networks at once. Social media sites that are currently supported include, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, LinkedIn, FriendFeed and Flickr. Messenger services are available through Google Talk, AIM, Live Messenger and Yahoo Messenger.

Yoono highlights:

• Add-on or stand-alone. You can decide between integrating Yoono into your browser or featuring it on your desktop.
• Browse. Yoono is intuitive and learns what you like based on websites that you’re viewing.
• Widget. Based on the webpage you’re browsing, receive recommendations for other sites, news, videos, products, images and more.
• Social sharing. A bookmarklet allows you to share content, images and video from any site with your social network contacts.

There are similarities to other social media aggregators, like the the types of social networks you can connect to and the interface’s column layout. For someone who doesn’t need all the bells and whistles, Yoono is a great option.

a

Flock

What makes Flock completely different from all the other tools reviewed is that it’s a full-fledged browser. It’s even referred to as the browser for social butterflies. Social media integration is what drives the Flock browser.

Instead of having to share login information through separate channels, it can be contained in one spot with Flock. Definitely a thumbs up for preserving online security. On the other hand, because Flock is a web-browser, you might want to consider abandoning FireFox, Safari or whatever browser you’re using, and making a complete switch, otherwise, you’ve got a browser that’s only being used for social media aggregation. That’s kinda like ordering a giant burger with the works and only eating the tomatoes.

Services included with Flock:

• Auto connection. Hook-up automatically with more than 20 of your favorite online services like Facebook, Twitter, Delicious, Xanga, YouTube and more.
• Blogging. A blog editor allows you to compose blog posts online or offline for posting.
• Webmail. Instant notification of incoming messages from major webmail providers.
• People sidebar. Collect all your social media pals in one place.
• Web clipboard. Snatch, grab and collect links, images and other bits of info to share later with the clipboard feature.
• Feed reader. Centralizes all your favorite feeds into one reader to keep things organized.
• Customize it. Install your favorite FireFox extension and incorporate backgrounds and images to make Flock your own.
• Media. Quickly find and browse photos and videos from your favorite sites.

a

Profilactic

Next in the web-based line-up is Profilactic. Most people have more than one social media profile and that can make it a royal pain to jump from site to site, logging in and checking to see what your friends and contacts are up to. Profilactic has turned this task into a thing of the past. The core of its design is based on bringing everything together, and we do mean everything. You can pull blogs, RSS feeds and more than 185 online social sites into your Profilactic universe!

Users interact with two functions. The first is the user’s update feed and the second is a digest of what’s occurring on all the other platforms. Pretty handy indeed. There’s also an auto-clipping component that is similar to a digital scrapbook. Auto-clipping can be used to identify, tag and track social entries about the you or your friends. Plus, you can control what updates you want to receive based on importance.

Other features that can be found on Profilactic are:

• Badges. You can take your profile information and lifestream and integrate with your website or blog with one of these.
• Clean. Regardless of how many social streams you’re pulling from, the interface is very neat and easy to navigate. Simplicity at its best.
• Lifestreaming. A true example of what lifestreaming is all about. Profilactic is a one-stop-shop that blends the whole process without a flaw.
• Post & update. Let everyone know what you’re up to. Profilactic syncs to more than 10 social sites. One update across many networks.
• Free. Doesn’t cost a penny. All you have to do is register with the site and you’re finished. It’s beyond easy.
• Convenient accessibility. Because it’s online based, you can check-in as long as you have a connection to the internet.

Discover how Profilactic can help you organize your social media habits with a quick visit to their site.

a

Socialite

For Mac users who are interested in social media maintenance and aggregation, Realmac Software’s Socialite may be what you’re looking for. You get the perks of having a downloadable application with a Mac-like design, clean and slick, combined with the power of managing your social media accounts from your Mac. There is a catch (isn’t there always) – Socialite isn’t free, however it is reasonably priced at only $20 per license.

You won’t be burdened by columns or multiple windows. What you’ll find is an uncluttered application that is easy to navigate.  So what do you get with Socialite:

• Google Reader. Even if you don’t use GR you can still use the alternative RSS feed with Socialite.
• Social networks. Socialite supports Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and Digg.
• HUD option. Known as the Heads Up Display, this pop-up box gives you mini-view of the status for all your peeps.

a

Try Socialite out for free before you buy. The trial is a full-version and it lets you explore the functionality without having to purchase first.

What are some of the social media aggregation tools that you’re using? Any hidden gems that you’d like to share? Comment freely.

Less than two years old, the blogging platform Posterous (pronounced PO-sterous) has quickly become a major part of the social media world. It’s completely reinvented the way that people upload and share blog posts, videos, photos and more. Because of its simplicity, Posterous makes blog updating completely effortless. Here’s a rundown on Posterous and why you should be using it.

To understand what Posterous is pretend that you have a line and on one end is traditional blogging, think WordPress and Moveable Type, and on the other end is micro-blogging, like Twitter. In between these two formats is Posterous, which can best be described as mini-blogging. And, when Posterous says that it’s ‘the dead simple place to post everything’ they aren’t kidding around.

Using your own email account users can submit MP3s, photos, videos, files, blogs and just about anything else that you can think of. Whatever you write or attach to your email is automatically posted to your Posterous account with the push of a ‘send’ button. We’ve put together 10 useful tips and highlights to help you get the most out of Posterous and to get you up and running with Posterous in no time.

1.  A Social Media Posting Roundup

By using your personal email account, you can submit posts via Posterous to an array of social media sites, such as Facebook, Twitter, Flicker, Xanga and more. You can even do a test run just to see what a post would look like before you join the community. Through a very simple email address system, users can pick and choose where they’d like share their content.

• post@posterous.com creates a public post and automatically shares to the social medias services you’ve set up.
• private@posterous.com creates a non-public post.
• post.posterous@posterous.com makes a public post that is not automatically tweeted.

Here’s where you can get creative with your posting. By combining different social media recipients, you can direct your posts to specific platforms. For instance:

• twitter@posterous.com spreads your post only via Twitter.
• twitter+facebook@posterous.com spreads your post via Twitter and Facebook.
• wordpress@posterous.com delivers to your traditional blog.

You can even post to different Posterous blogs that you’ve created. For example, xanga@janesmith.posterous.com will  send a post to Xanga and Jane’s Posterous site at http://janesmith.posterous.com. Pretty cool.

2. Kicking Code To The Curb

Another convenient Posterous feature is the elimination of copy and pasting embed code for photos and videos that you want to share in your posts. This makes integrating clips from YouTube and pictures from Flickr a breeze. Posterous automatically takes the URL of the item that you’ve selected and converts and embeds for you. All you have to do is email a link and Posterous takes care of the rest. Nice.

3.  Select And Share It

The bookmarklet option can be installed on your browser with a simple drag and drop. Once it’s there you’ll be able to instantly post anything that you find on the web. Highlight text, share a show from Hulu or a song from SoundCloud – the Posterous bookmarklet takes a quick click and your internet find is instantly included.

4.  Come One, Come All

Do you have multiple blog contributors? Well, Posterous can help with that too. Your various bloggers don’t need to create individual accounts. Yep, you heard it right. They use the primary Posterous site that you created and email posts straight from their own email accounts by sending to post@sitename.posterous.com. Each contributor will be notified when a new post is made or when a comment is left.

5.  It’s All About Me, Me, Me

Users can choose from a handful of standard layouts and templates to customize their sites. But, if you’re searching for something more personalized, you can use the CSS/HTML options available to dress things up to your liking.

A standard domain name is assigned with each Posterous account (sitename.posterous.com), however you can make a vanity URL that points the address in your name server to Posterous’ web servers.

Further customization ties into inline picture posting. When users post photos Posterous automatically converts them to gallery view (where readers click from picture to picture), but if that’s not your style you can include ‘((no gallery))’ in the subject line and voila! – photos can be viewed one after the next.

6.  Tag, You’re It

Tagging is used to organize information and make it easier to for others to identify what they’re looking for during general searches. Think of tagging like anindex in the back of a book. When you post from your email account you can specify what tags you want associated with your post. In the subject line include ‘((tags: coffee, latte, Colorado))’ and you’re done.

7.  It’s So Nice To Meet You

It’s tough for many businesses to adapt to social media. There’s so much out there and deciding what’s best for their company can be difficult. Posterous lets businesses connect their current website to a new social media service. It’s a wonderful way to introduce social media to your business and your audience.

8.  Testing 1, 2, 3

With a traditional blog, you’re limited in terms of what type of content can be shared and with what audience. For instance, if you blog about butterflies and their migration habits and that’s what your blog base has come to know and rely on, it might be tricky to test out blog posts about wing colors or fluttering patterns. With Posterous, you can test out different angles and sub-topics that wouldn’t necessarily float (pathetic pun with the butterfly example) with your readers.

9.  Seeing Is Believing

An added bonus with Posterous is how quickly Google indexes their blogs. That added exposure might be just enough bump that a business needs to climb the search ranking ladder.

10.  Let Yourself Be Heard

Engage with different audiences by expanding different social content. Try using a different tone and style to reach new people and express your views.

On a side note, if you have a built-in signature in your email that you don’t want included when you email your posts just type ‘#end’ after your content in the body of the email. Posterous will not post beyond that hashtag. Definitely give Posterous a try and let us know what you think and how you’re using it. We’d love to hear from you.

By the way, this entire post was published to the company blog and Posterous blog site using our email account.