But once I got through with the initial stages of the experience –“It’s shiny! It’s new! Must. Click. Everything!” – the resounding feeling I was left with was mostly … now what?

Most of my “friends” (beyond the early adopters and the thinkgeek.com set) aren’t yet on Google+ so it’s hard to get a grasp on how rich the experience will be. It’s got a nice, clean look, and feels fairly intuitive, but will it really be able to unseat the mighty Zuckerberg?

Will it do to Facebook what Facebook did to Myspace, and what Myspace did to Friendster, and what Friendster did to … well, you get the point.

My answer? Who knows.

At this point, I don’t think it’s even up to Google.

The thing about a new social technology is that ultimately it’s not about the technology. It’s about the people. The mindset. In this case, whether or not Google+ is a success will depend largely on whether or not people can overcome the sunk cost involved with leaving what they’ve already invested in Facebook.

Creating a better experience isn’t the be-all, end-all. But it is a start. And from that perspective I’d say Google+ is off to a pretty impressive one.

It just might not be enough.

Then again, that’s just one quick clicking man’s opinion. Perhaps, I’ll go check my stream to see if anyone new has something to say. For now, I guess Google will just have to settle for having good Buzz (hmmm … maybe that wasn’t the best word to use there.)

At this point, mobile optimized websites should be the cost of entry for luxury brands, particularly retail brands.  Amazingly, they are not, as Chanel, for example, is the only brand among Dior, Louis Vuitton, Hermes and Gucci to offer an optimized web presence as of early May). Not only is there massive penetration of smartphones among the affluent, but the wealthy are using these devices to compare prices (76 percent) and make purchases (27 percent). Smartphones have become shopping companions.

Mobile applications offer an even greater opportunity for luxury brands since they can use them to offer their audiences personalized, engaging and memorable service. It is no surprise, with their proclivity to purchase smartphones, the affluent segment is an early adopter of these mobile applications.

A marketing medium disguised as a useful service, mobile applications offer an ideal means for a luxury company to stay connected to consumers without compromising its brand perception. In fact, it’s not hard to imagine that a mobile application addressing a latent need has the ability to actually enhance brand loyalty.

As any target-centric marketing professional would agree, while many companies today should be focused on developing a deliberate, thoughtful means to integrate social media into a broader marketing strategy, luxury brands should prioritize mobile, as well. Right now. Mobile marketing offers luxury brands the potential for a dramatic impact – ultimately – on the bottom line.

With the growing popularity of online social networks, where consumers “like” and follow brands as readily as they do friends and pop stars (see Media Logic’s 2010 Retail Marketing Report), the buying experience has become truly interactive and is likely to grow even more so. Traditional word-of-mouth has been supplemented with quick-and-easy online sharing (to the point where I almost feel guilty for not sharing a juicy deal with my social networks!). The adoption of mobile devices has only accelerated the pace and ease at which all of this occurs.

According to theTrendwatching.com report “11 Crucial Consumer Trends for 2011,” we can expect more innovative business models and pricing strategies from brands in the coming year expanding across industries.

I will have my eye on the expansion and refinement of:

• Mobile apps à la RedLaser
• Group buying à la Groupon
• Member sales à la Gilt Groupe
• Limited-time offer flash sales à la HauteLook

As a consumer, what lies ahead is very exciting. It fosters an almost “sport-like” mentality when it comes to shopping, especially when considering larger purchases. To know there are a plethora of resources available to ensure I make an informed purchasing decision… well, it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

As a modern marketer, what lies ahead is exciting but also daunting, as we embark on a journey into uncharted territory. With consumers in control, brands must understand and adapt to their customers’ needs. Strategies should be in a constant state of evaluation as the marketplace remains in a constant state of flux. Good news is: if properly managed, online communities can provide a fertile test bed for brands to experiment with and rapidly test-and-learn from new social marketing strategies.

What do you think the future has in store for shoppers?

The patrons love to use a new gadget, and the restaurants love what it’s doing to sales. Anecdotal (and self-reported) evidence suggests that non-wine drinkers are more inclined to consider a wine purchase once they use the iPad wine list, and those who normally do order wine are buying more expensive bottles.

Some versions even come with wine reviews by noted critic Robert M. Parker Jr., which provides an objective view of each selection and lets patrons trust someone other than the sommelier for an opinion.

However, what these apps don’t seem to have is either a social media or user-generated content element. How great would it be to mention the wine you are drinking on a foursquare check-in? Or have the option of reading user reviews and adding your own opinion about a wine after you have enjoyed a bottle? I hope that version 2.0 of these “iWine Lists” invites diners to not just consume information but also share their opinions with others.

I asked a few of our employees who are known to be heavy users why they check-in. The most popular response? “Deals and discounts.” Yes, it may be fun to be mayor, but as one person pointed out, it can be “too easy to cheat.” And Foursquare now even predicts when you will be mayor, so the element of surprise is fading. The Foursquare loyalty program we developed for F.Y.E customers addresses all of this and goes beyond just catering to mayors. You can get discounts just for checking-in, no mayorship required. And with the consumer proliferation of smart-phones nowadays, the fit was perfect.

There also are ways to keep interest and engagement beyond the retail coup you could get for checking-in. Some brands are really finding creative ways to do so. Zagat is using Foursquare to leave tips for foodies all over the U.S. And if you’re inclined, you can use Foursquare thru MTV to find out where the kids from The Jersey Shore like to hang out (if only so you can avoid those places). You can even “check-in to history” with Foursquare and the History Channel.

Gowalla recently launched Highlights, where you can “tell the world about your favorite places.” It’s a little like those polls on Facebook where you can tell people about your favorite albums, the first person you kissed, favorite childhood toy, etc. Highlights asks users to share places like the best spot for live music, where you get your caffeine fix, where you like to go on date night, even where you proposed. From basic recommendations to warm fuzzies, Highlights looks to compile them.

And what about deals and discounts? Yes, being mayor or collecting badges may be fun, but saving money will always be a perk. Maybe the best way to keep these location-based services running is to combine the economic incentive with tips, suggestions – even the occasional warm fuzzy.

In addition to FOX, the contest is being promoted and sponsored by AppNation, the first global conference for application developers. It’s no coincidence that the subtitle for the conference is “Show Me the Money”, as independent app developers have long-struggled to truly cash in on the smartphone and i-app craze. This promo sponsorship provides the contest with the credibility it may need to overcome the building backlash against CGA; some feel CGA is just brands taking advantage of free efforts by others, with little investment or responsibility. Will this leap into the application development pool be different, at least for the first few brands that take advantage of its novelty.

CGA began it’s surge around 2007 with the now-famous Dorito’s Super Bowl contest, still going strong and with probably the best level of execution – it’s 2010 consumer-generated Super Bowl ads were ranked #1 by two Twitter surveys, in number of Tweets, TiVo replays and Hulu post-game views.  But it’s not a success story for everyone – Chevy Tahoe’s first and last foray into CGA ended up with a slew of negative videos that went viral, all positioning the vehicle as environmentally criminal. Others simply suffer from terrible execution, a la the Folger’s “Best Part of Waking Up” 2010 jingle contest, being held up as proof that CGA has truly jumped the shark. In 2007, AdAge pronounced consumers the “Agency of the Year”. Yet a recent AdAge article about CGA opened quite brutally with these words” “Dear consumer, your 15 minutes are over. You suck.”

FOX, never one to shy away from innovation or risk-taking, has high hopes for Pimp My App, and so far has enjoyed a backlash-free launch. Any search for “Pimp My App” brings up top app dev bloggers and other influencers touting the contest and driving traffic to both the FOX site and AppNation’s. We’ll soon see if app developer contests become a new vein in the crowd-sourcing movement, or if they, like FOX’s ill-fated Tweet-peats, come to a crashing halt amid cries of “foul”. In the meantime, let the pimping begin.

It was the buzz in the agency last week, as various people weighed in on its value to parents, kids and marketers (eek!). The big question was this: Do kids really need a training ground for social networking?

Is learning how to update your status as important as learning how to ride a bike? Or is it really about teaching kids that the same actions and etiquette required in real social interactions take place via technology too — something that may be critical to both their personal and future professional lives?

The internal reaction was divided and passionate. Those of us with children on the younger end of the spectrum felt that those critical years are best spent learning how to navigate real-world relationships and learning to have confidence in that setting – from working as part of a team to learning how to share of themselves or even of their toys. It’s those skills that will best serve them in life and set them up for success in society, families and future workplaces. Others, usually with tweens versus the core target of 6-10 year olds, felt like Togetherville can help establish the rules of the road for what will be their inevitable leap into the social networking world — and allow mom and dad to be a part of it.

So what do YOU think?

Related Articles:

• Togetherville: A social network for kids (Wired)
• A social network for tots and ‘tweens (Marketplace)

The popularity of the app gave rise to last week’s first annual Foursquare Day, the first globally recognized grass-roots celebration of the power of social media. Indeed, it was the power of social media that took Foursquare Day from being a simple idea to an actual live event: One day, an ordinary Foursquare user named Nate Bonilla-Warford had an interesting thought – why not celebrate the app on April 16 (reason being that four-squared equals 16), and have everyone “check in” to it on that day? He floated the idea around online, and it took off through the social web. It eventually caught the eye of Foursquare employees, who liked it, created an official 4sqDay badge, and set up their own party to join in the celebration with their users.

I was lucky enough to have received an invitation to join in the festivities. While I was there, I got to meet co-founder and CEO Dennis Crowley (who had time to snap a quick picture with me). The party drew quite the crowd, and featured Hollywood A-listers like Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore, as well as big names in media and tech, like Digg CEO Kevin Rose. But the best part about Foursquare Day was that among the hundreds of party attendees were many normal, everyday Foursquare users – just like me.

And that’s the beauty of Foursquare – it knows what makes its brand tick. It recognizes that its success rests in the hands of its users, without whom there would have never been a Foursquare Day. The truth is that conversations are taking place every day through Foursquare, and the company has chosen to join in, have fun, and celebrate not with a VIP-only who’s who list, but with the people who check in at their local Starbucks on their way to work every morning.

No matter the platform, there are literally dozens of apps to choose from, making it a painful finger stroll through any given app store. To make things a bit easier for you, we’ve compiled some of our thoughts on a few of the Twitter apps currently available.

Here is an Apple and WebOS view from a self-admitted Tweet-oholic, Media Logic’s Sr. IT Coordinator John Jordan.

Hi, my name is John, and I have a tweeting problem. I’m ALWAYS connected to a number of social media sites, the main one being Twitter. Whether I’m at work, home or on the go (or sometimes in my sleep!), I’m using one of many mobile clients to communicate with friends, family, and complete strangers all across the Twitterverse.

I’ll start off with Apple’s popular iPhone. Let me start off by saying that I myself have never owned an iPhone, as I’m not a big fan of AT&T and their spotty service in the areas I travel most (Apple? You there? Offer the iPhone on Verizon or Sprint!). I do, however, own an iPod Touch – which allows me to use the same great apps as iPhone owners. Over the past year, I’ve used a number of the available apps trying to find the one that works best for me. In this time, I’ve come across some that are great and offer a number of features. I’ve also come across a number that were just mediocre. For the iPhone/iPod Touch, I’ve found that out of the 50 or so available, I really only enjoy 3 different apps. They are TweetDeck, Twitterrific, and Tweetie. All three are well built applications that not only have excellent interfaces, but also provide the user with an experience better than any other.

Palm’s WebOS is the newest to the game, but has already generated a lot of buzz and in doing so some great Twitter apps have been developed. I’ve tested out those available (currently at 14 with a few in development), and have come to the conclusion that Twee (available as a free download or $2.99 in the Palm app store for a more feature-filled version) is by far the best currently available. It is fast and has a great interface as well as some features that other Twitter apps do not offer, such as the “nearby” feature. This feature has to be one of my favorites, as I’m able set a radius of anywhere from 5 to 100 miles, and then see tweets from local users that I do not follow. Other WebOS contenders are Tweed, Spaz, and the newly released Bad Kitty, which has received a lot of praise among the WebOS community.

So what about Twitter apps for Google’s Android platform? For that, we tap into Media Logic’s Director of Media Integration and unapologetic Android supporter, Patrick Boegel.

I like my gadgets, but I also like ease and function. I don’t necessarily need a high-rolling bell and whistle app, just something that gets me through the ABC’s. Twidroid is the most similar app, in my opinion, to the aforementioned Apple fave Tweetie. The application is available in both a limited free version and a pro version, the biggest distinction for the average Twitter user being that the pro version offers multiple accounts management. I am not sure exactly how many users have multiple accounts, but if you do, it would come in handy. Personally, I have yet to justify $5 to go with a pro account, but would have to imagine that for a user on the Android OS with multiple accounts to service, $5 pays for itself rather quickly. If you are a conversation manager of multiple communities, it is a pittance.

One of the better features of Twidroid is that it allows users to send images directly from their phone without leaving the application – nearly instantaneously. Newer apps such as Seesmic (discussed below) are clunky several-minute load times, while the very recent addition of HootSuite seems to make this function a bit of a breeze. An area where Twidroid is lacking, from a user experience, is a central part of the Twitter experience: viewing a user profile. A lot of the benefit of Twitter is user discovery, and the user profile on Twidroid is simply not appealing. The ability to easily follow (or in some scenarios un-follow) a user is buried off the primary touch screen. This might sound like a petty issue, but remember we are talking about using this service on a device that fits in your pocket. Ease of use is paramount.

Here is where Seesmic comes in.

I have to say straight off the top, I have tried the various versions of Seesmic’s desktop apps and they never quite did it for me. I was eager, however, to play laboratory gadget rat with the Android app and they do an excellent job maximizing the mobile environment. The interface is smooth and easy to navigate. Profile views are clear, which is increasingly critical as you make new connections. The overall UI allows for easy, visible touch screen access to items (such as search and lists) that you are used to taking care of on the desktop Twitter environment of your choice. Seesmic only just came to the Android platform and has already rolled out an update which includes the addition of multiple accounts offered on their desktop clients. Overall, I would score it a slight notch above Twidroid and it will be worth keeping an eye on how they add features in future updates. If you are most comfortable with basic twitter interface or a desktop app such as Tweetdeck, Seesmic is going to be the most familiar and easy-to-navigate app for you. It is also, dare I say, the one application on the Android platform of any kind that is the most iPhone app-like. Curious, because Seesmic is not available for iPhone.

HootSuite just launched their app suite for iPhone and Android a little over a week ago. It is feature-rich and comes in Lite (free) and regular (paid) versions. The primary difference between the lite- and full-featured version is a 3-account limit (lite) versus unlimited accounts (full). The full version also includes click-through statistics tracking.

Everyone is trying to provide various utility; I suspect for power desktop users having a similar and interconnected interface will be a primary factor in deciding which apps to use. In my opinion, HootSuite, much like TweetDeck on the iPhone, has tried to take too much of the desktop product into the mobile environment. Like I said earlier, I like simplicity… for my on-the-go access needs, Seesmic provides that in spades.

So there you have it. A few of our favorite mobile Twitter apps that help to keep us connected to you. Do you have a favorite? Let us know below, by sharing your thoughts in the comments section. We always look forward to hearing what our readers think.

Related articles

• First Look: Seesmic’s Upcoming Windows Phone 7 Twitter App [PICS] (mashable.com)
• Will Seesmic for Android be the Tweetie of the Android Market? (techzulu.com)
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