Social Media Trends: The Virtual Check-in

The social media trend of group buying has paved the way for another social media trend: e-checkin.  It may have all started with commercial airlines' genius idea - possibly wrought from the mound of missed flights due to time shortage (which itself is due to the cumbersome amount of activities one must complete in order to be allowed to board a plane anymore) - of checking in online before you leave for the airport.  The fact that fliers can check in through their airline's website and print boarding passes up to 24 hours before their flight is the clincher: who has time to arrive at the airport even an hour before take off anymore?No one, because everyone is engrossed in social media, of course.  Seeking entertainment on the web is an influencing force in the new social media trend of e-checkin: where there once was simple Hulu, there is now "group watching."  That is, many social media sites are popping up that encourage users to "check in" (a glorified version of logging in or signing on) to view their favorite shows.  Where there was once Facebook statuses of favorite quotes or updates from choice TV shows, there is now e-gathering around the show itself.

The actual, physical television (dare I say, "like Facebook") is being a cultural relic rather than a contemporary centerpiece.  People are logging on to view their favorite shows, and now, with startups like Philo, Miso and GetGlue, users can watch their shows "together" by signing up and signing on.  (It's almost like actual face-to-face time is becoming obsolete as well).

On Philo, you can find a show, see what you're friends are watching and create community groups around your favorites.  When you search for a show - for example, "House" - the show's "home page" on Philo's site will come up.  It will list who is currently checked in on the side, who holds what "office" (like, executive director, producer, etc., but not as they relate to the actual show, only as they relate to the show's Philo site) under the "leader board" and provide a news feed of status updates under the (rather ridiculous) picture of Hugh Laurie with looks like a tongue piercing of Vicodin.  Of course, most of the updates in the news feed are list from here to Kingdom Come of so-and-so "is watching House."  But, at least you can see who's watching at the same time you are.  That way, you can chat about it without being in the same room!

And for good measure (or because the social media trend river is forcibly flowing that way), there is a way to do this from anywhere (as long as you've got a Smartphone).  It's just like Philo and other online entertainment checkin services, but for your Smartphone.  On TV.com Relay, you can check in and enjoy the same (well, the mobile versions of the) services offered by online entertainment check in sites.

Perhaps the bit all businesses should take from this is that the world is going digital - so should (at least some bit) of you.  If you're a broadcasting company especially (or can find any way to offer a cast of any kind), go ahead and make it e-check-in.



Photo Credit: TV.com Relay