I’m a documentary dork, so I was intrigued when I read about Waiting for Superman, a documentary that focuses on America’s failing public education system. But what interested me more is that the film is not just entertaining and educating – it’s advocating.

When I visited the film’s homepage, there in bold 32-point type displayed the sad statistic that 42 percent of Florida students will not graduate from high school in four years.

Following these statistics is a link to a social action campaign about what you can do in your area to either support a school or help fix the system. It’s a comprehensive list of action items and informational links. There’s also a pledge to see the film, with Orlando ranking low on the leader board in participation so far.

The film debuts nationwide this September, but it has already opened at Sundance with positive reviews.  I predict the documentary’s loudest praise will come from its awareness about improving public education, which social media will help to drive.

Bill Gates was interviewed for the documentary, and Katie Couric has already voiced her support of the campaign on Twitter. This is going to be big. All of us – especially those in education-based nonprofits and those working in education-related fields – should take note. It is public relations at its best – and one of the reasons I love the profession (and documentaries).

Foursquare, the location-based social media platform taking the Internet by storm, is averaging 10+ check-ins per second. Co-founder Dennis Crowley expects the website to hit 1 million check-ins daily by mid-June.

Brands that use the network to their advantage stand to gain increased exposure and consumer loyalty. In addition to collecting badges and “mayor” titles at locations around town, users are also encouraged to share tips and recommendations with others. Insider advice like “try the passion fruit juice” and “50 cent oysters during happy hour” equate to free advertising for companies.

Take a cue from Starbucks and reward these brand ambassadors with incentives. Since the debut of their nationwide mayor promotion ($1 off Frappuccinos), the coffee house has experienced a 40 percent increase of check-ins week-to-week. The following are a few examples of best practices:

• Golden Corral – Mayors eat free once a day, and in some cases, are entered in a contest to win a free iPad.
• UNC Charlotte – The first university to host a Foursquare promotion on campus, students receive free t-shirts for checking in at basketball games and other school events.
• Miss Shirley’s Café – At this busy Baltimore restaurant, mayors never wait in line.

If you are interested in integrating Foursquare into your business, do it in a way that reflects your company’s personality – and be sure your customers know. Whether it’s coupons, freebies or a pass to jump the line, your generosity just might earn you a shout-out on Twitter.

Photo source: @maxwellzorick

No longer does “netiquette” pertain to e-mail. You need to know how to avoid looking like a Foursquare dweeb or Twitter dork. Here are some recent articles that offer a few good pointers:

• Miami Herald technology columnist Bridget Carey’s (@BridgetCarey) article on Five guidelines to avoid looking like a dweeb on Foursquare, Gowalla
• CNN Tech article by Brenna Ehrlich (@Brenna_e) and Andrea Bartz (@andibartz) titled, Don’t tweet that: How not to be a Twitter dork

For more insight, see Costa DeVault’s blog post from February 2009 titled, “Tweet This, Not That.”

In this clip from NBC San Diego, Jen Van Grove of Mashable.com discusses well-known companies turning to Facebook and Foursquare to connect with their customers. Here is a run-down of four social media-savvy brands using online platforms to offer incentives and prizes to consumers this summer.

• Wendy’s, a brand that has served as a precedent for restaurants on Facebook, has launched a page dedicated to their iconic Frosty. You can join the icy treat as it travels around the country and shares postcards, stories and photographs. You can also follow clues for a chance to win Wendy’s gift cards or the ultimate prize: a trip to Alaska or Hawaii.

• Facebook users can create their own specialty Papa John’s pizza through June 14. The three top recipes will be sold in stores, and the creator of the top-selling choice will win a slice (1%) of the sales.

• Last year, Mountain Dew fans had complete control over three new soft drink flavors. Since then, the beverage has launched its social media platform, DEWmocracy. They have given the power to their fans again, encouraging them to choose their favorite among the three.

• Since its debut in late May, Starbucks lovers across America have embraced the first-ever nationwide Foursquare mayor special: “$1 off a new however-you-want-it Frappuccino blended beverage. Any size, any flavor.” As a result, check-ins at Starbucks locations have increased by 40% week-to-week.

The AP Stylebook recently released 42 new social media guidelines, including allowing Facebook and Twitter terminology “fan,” “friend” and “follow” to be used as nouns and verbs. While the list included information on Facebook, Twitter and MySpace, social media newcomer Foursquare (Or is it foursquare? FourSquare? The world may never know.) was noticeably absent, as were the terms associated with the network. Also surprising was the extensive list of text messaging/instant messaging lingo, including IDK (“I don’t know”), IMO (“in my opinion”) and C (for “see,” as in, C U later).

Unfortunately, a preview is no longer available on Mashable.com, but you can order your copy of the full 2010 edition on the AP website. In the comments, let us know which additions you agree with and what you think is missing.

It’s time again to feature Costa DeVault’s favorite tweets! We’ve compiled some of the best tweets our team has seen in the past couple of weeks. Let us know which ones you like, and share your favorites with us, too.

Thanks to @cubanalaf, @KelAndPartners, @prsarahevens, @mcerto, @BarbaraNixon and @SocialMktg_AM for sharing your tips, truths and techniques.

Two major companies announced an emphasis on new social media initiatives within hours of each other this past Monday. NBC announced its Fan It program, and Starbucks became the first company to offer nationwide discounts for “mayors” on Foursquare.

Harnessing the power of Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and Foursquare, Fan It hones in on what people are already doing and rewards them for it. The idea is simple: “Like our shows. Earn points. Get rewards.” Once users sync their accounts with Fan It, they earn points by watching videos, sharing links, playing games and updating their statuses. Similar to Foursquare’s premise, viewers can redeem points for badges, exclusive videos and merchandise. The reason this idea works is because NBC is rewarding users for things they are already doing online, and as a result, reinforcing – and encouraging – network-specific content.

Starbucks, on the other hand, is using a more centralized approach. Focusing only on Foursquare, the coffeehouse chain unveiled the first-ever nationwide mayor special: “$1 off a new however-you-want-it Frappuccino blended beverage. Any size, any flavor.” Just like NBC, Starbucks is rewarding customers for something they are already doing (in this case, visiting the store), as they support their brand and create a stronger following.

If you are still wondering whether social media is a fad, consider this: The country’s oldest major broadcast network and the largest coffeehouse company in the world are using these tools to their advantage … can you do the same?

Image source: Mashable.com