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Smartphones and Live Events — Friends, Enemies, or Frenemies?

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A conversation between Gene Carr, Founder and Paul Miller, VP Sales – Non-Profit Ticketing, PatronManager:

Gene: I think we’ve reached a tipping point with the use of digital technology in live event settings where there’s no longer a consensus about what a good outcome is. Some organizations are pushing to find more and more innovative uses, and others are screaming at patrons to not touch their devices during the performance. 

And yet, as a society, the average person spends almost 3 hours a day on their smartphone according to eMarketer. And app developers are using techniques used in gaming to make sure people are continually checking our phones (things like pop-ups, notifications, push messages, etc.) which deliver a small dopamine hit each time they arrive.

I’ve noticed that even in shows where everyone turns off their phones at the start of the performance, nearly everyone immediately turns on their phone at intermission. So what’s a producer to do? Are we fighting an uphill battle, that’s never to be won?  Read the Article

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A Space for Contemplation in the Instagram Age?

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Today’s guest blog post is written by Jordan Simmons, Senior Account Executive, PatronManager. 

For several years now, every arts conference I have attended has held some sort of conversation on whether (and how) to integrate social media/mobile technology into performances and attendance. The consensus on the topic seems to be to “meet patrons where they are,” by providing specific social media-friendly opportunities for people to interact with. It makes a lot of sense in a way — organizations are now creating cool, new experiences that draw people in, and in turn, those people are sharing their experiences on their social networks, encouraging even more people to attend.

Prime examples of this kind of social media practice include companies such as Museum Hack, an irreverent “guerrilla” museum tour company that encourages live tweeting and photography during their tours. I’ve also heard of theatres putting on special “social media nights,” allowing (and encouraging) people to come and live-tweet performances. There is a new trend in traveling exhibitions as well, which in some ways harken back to Barnum’s American Museum; these types of exhibits are semi-educational, completely entertaining, and blur the line between art and selfie backdrops.

Organizations are doing their best to keep up with the demands and expectations of patrons in the mobile age, but at least some segment of arts professionals and patrons seem to be thinking about what is lost in all of the conversation and excitement. Given this backdrop, I found it interesting when I came across this article in the Washington Post regarding a newly-expanded museum in Maryland called Glenstone. Read the Article

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Social Media Explained

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I recently came upon this graphic on LinkedIn, and it was a quick reminder that not everyone has the time, energy, or even desire to keep up-to-date on what each social media platform does best. I took a screenshot and am providing below, especially for those who need to sound like they know what’s going on and/or are working with people who already do.

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Facebook’s Moment in the Mirror

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Since the very beginning of social networks, the implied contract between the users and the social media company was about personal information. The users (all of us) trade our personal information with the social network in return for the benefits of the service — and for the first time we all benefit by having rich and instant contact with our own network of friends and family. This model stands in contrast with traditional advertising in one fundamental way. In traditional advertising, the advertiser positions a message that is consumed by the users themselves in the form of their time and attention. However, in a social media context, when we share our personal information, we are also allowing the social network to enable advertisers to target those within our personal networks with advertisements and messages.

Since the beginning of Facebook, the various ways that it collects and shares our personal information have been purposely obscure. Facebook’s privacy settings have, in my view, been made continually more granular to the point where they are nearly incomprehensible. And yet, so long as nobody was harmed, this all worked well for everyone. As we are seeing now, though, when misuse becomes public knowledge, the backlash against this has caused Facebook to come clean about how it manages personal information, as outlined in this recent article in The New York Times. Read the Article

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Putting the Digital Appeals in Your
Fundraising Strategy

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Today’s guest blog post is written by Kevin Patterson, Senior Account Executive, PatronManager. 

Two of my friends recently celebrated birthdays. When I went on Facebook to wish them a “Happy Birthday,” I saw something that I hadn’t seen before, a fundraising appeal. The appeal was a personal one, “I’m donating my birthday to X organization.” Donations were accepted at any amount. In both cases, the funds raised far-outstripped their goal.

A recent study by The Public Interest Registry and Nonprofit Tech for Good, 2017 Global Trends Giving Report, highlighted how donors are shifting more of their giving to digital platforms. Though the report focuses on NGOs and other social service non-profits, there are some interesting lessons in the report. Among the findings:Read the Article

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Don’t Have An Intern Run
Your Social Media… #Really

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Today’s guest blog post is written by Matthew Robinson, Senior Implementation Specialist, Patron Technology.

No disrespect meant here, I have been an intern myself — and I fully value what they (we) bring to the table: a fresh perspective, an influx of new information into the organization, LOTS of energy… and don’t forget coffee. One thing that I have noticed in some smaller arts organizations is the mindset that social media is not a legitimate piece of the marketing plan, but just an extra-curricular side project. Because of this, managing social media usually gets assigned to an intern — because after all, every millennial knows how to tweet, right? After that happens, it is never revisited again.Read the Article

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