How NOT to Launch a Social Media Site: The Epic Failure of YoHolla

By: Elizabeth McElhinny

With spring break season approaching, I can’t help but reminisce on the one-of-a-kind experience I had during last year’s spring break in Panama City Florida. Aside from all of the typical memories one would expect to take home from a spring break experience; friends, the beach, and partying, my memory of this week will forever be clouded with the looming presence of one particular social network, YoHolla.

If you’re wondering to yourself, “what is heck is YoHolla,” you’re not alone. YoHolla was a social networking site that was launched in 2010. With so many complaints about the privacy issues and the practice of selling personal information to advertisers on Facebook, YoHolla attempted to offer an alternative, and marketed their brand with the promise of complete privacy.

This privacy however, came with a price. YoHolla charged used $5 per month to maintain a profile on the site. This, they claimed, would allow for an advertisement-free site. They also promised to reward users for signing other members up. According to the site’s rewards program, users would get $1 per month for each user they signed up and an additional 20 cents for every person their friend signed up, and so on. Clearly, this program did not work, and site terminated the program shortly after it began. This was the first major mistake on the part of YoHolla, aside from the obvious mistake made when they chose the name.

The second major mistake the site made was the aggressive ad campaign that they implemented, which included a tour of college campuses, and of course the 2011 spring break season in Panama City Beach, Florida, which I unfortunately had to experience first-hand . YoHolla was inescapable during this time in Panama City. Spring breakers were bombarded with Flyers, posters, airplane banners, announcements and contests which all promoted the site. The attempt at drawing users to the site seemed fake, forced and incredibly desperate. The overwhelming flaunting of the name was obnoxious, and was far more likely to turn users away than it was to appeal to potential profile holders.

The most infamous mistake YoHolla made during spring break 2011, however, was the use of “sign-up” busses that were parked in front of major night clubs. These sign-up busses were similar to tour busses. They were oversized luxury busses with their logo plastered all over the side. Inside were dozens of computers that spring breakers could use to sign up for a YoHolla account.

The deal was, or so they claimed, that anyone who signed up for a YoHolla account would get free admittance into the club. With cover charges exceeding $40, this seemed like a pretty good deal. Promoters promised users that all they had to do was enter their credit card information, and that they would be charged five dollars for the first month of YoHolla, but that they could terminate the account at any time. To hundreds of drunken spring breakers, this sounded good.

Although I personally opted against signing up in exchange for admittance to the club, a few of my friends made the mistake of doing so. The next morning as new account users checked their bank statements, they discovered that they had been charged a total of 75 dollars, a charge that included numerous hidden fees and taxes, which were not refundable because the site had “warned” them of these fees in the fine print prior to signing up. Needless to say, people were outraged. The next day was chaos, with people ripping YoHolla signs down and even cursing at YoHolla promoters, not exactly good public relations.

Clearly, YoHolla did not take off. Today the official site explains that it has been taken down and is “no longer available as a consumer social networking platform.” Currently YoHolla exists as nothing more than an embarrassing example of what not to do when marketing a social networking site. This further proves the point that people are not willing to pay for social networking profiles, and that social networking sites must refrain from pushing themselves on potential users in an obnoxious manner. Social networking sites may be taking off as one of the most popular means of communication, but launching these sites cannot be done in a careless manner. Successful social networking sites must be free, and be marketed professionally in order to become a successful social media giant, unlike the epic failure YoHolla.  

yoholla.com

Twitter: Helpful or Harmful?

By: Chris Ryan

Has the constant barrage of information through the new social media, like Twitter, improved our life? Or are we now preoccupied with often meaningless, trivial information? After all, do we really need to know what our favorite basketball player ate for breakfast, or what an actor we like to watch in the movies thinks about the latest political debate? Are we letting other people think for us? Have tweets replaced original thoughts? Rather than speaking to each other, sitting down and discussing politics or sports over a coffee, we now resort to sending our thoughts out into the “cyber world” often without really thinking about what we are saying or the consequences of the tweets. The result is seen in tweets such as those tweets recently made about Knick player Jeremy Lin – tweets that were racially insensitive and resulted in immediate apologies and other consequences, such as work suspensions or firings.



The electronic system of communication, including Tweets, Facebook comments and text messages, has replaced the old fashion debates and discussions. And the fact that they are sent so easily and quickly has resulted in unintended consequences – just ask the politicians who send out pictures or the reporters or athletes who sent out derogatory messages.

Still, this new Global Community and stream of information, when used properly can have amazing results and really change the world. Facebook and Twitter played a huge role in the so-called Spring Arab revolutions, spurring on the movements which resulted in the downfall of harsh governments in Egypt and Libya. It is a media that can be used as a method to instantly spread news, information and knowledge. Political campaigns and candidates are finding the new media as a way to get messages to voters quickly and cheaply. Rather than spending millions of dollars on TV and radio ads, messages can be posted on web sites, people can receive tweets with updates on positions and policies, and people can interact with those formerly out of touch with the public. In New Jersey, the Governor recently engaged in a lively debate with voters on several issues. And it was not just supporters. He responded to people who opposed him and actually debated issues on Twitter.

The recent Republican presidential debates also highlight the benefits of Twitter and Facebook. Viewers were able to Tweet or send questions to the candidates, rather than listen to a list of prepared questions from the moderator. This new Global Community offers many benefits, but should be used with caution. Think before you Tweet. What do you think? Tweet me an answer! Let’s talk about it.






http://www.majalla.com/eng/2011/09/article55226471
http://current.com/technology/89900951_does-society-really-need-twitter.htm

http://ezinearticles.com/?Is-Twitter-Destroying-Society?&id=2838150

Athletes + PR = Success

By: Ryan Barnes 

A good public relations team is an essential part of marketing a brand in the best way possible. Professional athletes today represent more than just the team. They are moving away from the embodying the team mascot and the jersey to creating a personal brand around themselves. In order to have complete image branding, athletes need a strong PR team.

Often, athletes face problems with destroying their reputation with social media sites, especially Twitter. They’ll tweet off-the-cuff comments in the heat of the moment, without thinking about the overall big picture. Their words have consequences, and often effect more people than just themselves. Social media has destroyed numerous athletes’ reputations in the eyes of interviewers and reporters. For example, Floyd Mayweather’s recent tweet about Knicks rising star, Jeremy Lin received heavy backlash from numerous people for what was considered a racist comment. An effective PR team can help athletes communicate positive and effective messages to help avoid a media crises.

Public relations can also help athletes market themselves to a broader audience. Take Tim Tebow for example. Because of his excellent public perception, Tebow has launched a career that takes him beyond the football field. He is looked at as a role model, and a positive public figure because of his personal values and his ability to touch people’s lives. Because of this, Tebow is able to be both a star on the field, and connect with those who aren’t even football fans. He has an audience of die-hard Brancos fans, religious groups, and young adults.

In today’s world, companies are focused on the bottom line. Profitability is an important part of being an athlete. Athletes today need to have financial success both on and off the field. For example, Michael Jordan, the greatest player to ever play basketball, is one of the biggest marketing stars in the world. His career has lead him from an athlete to an entrepreneur. Because of his endorsements, Jordan has one the biggest shoe brands in the world. From clothes, to shoes, to movies, Jordan has achieved success from being a marketable individual.

Players today should take care to choose a role model for themselves when it comes to creating a personal brand image. Successful athletes are those who stick out in our minds for things other than their physical abilities. Positive public relations is a great way for athletes to achieve longevity and gain profits in their careers.

http://www.accessathletes.com/blog/blogdisplay.cfm?/-Reasons-Why-Athletes-Should-Partner-with-a-Strategic-PR-Team-611