Social “Latina Queen,” Brings Radio Ads to Facebook

MM Team on February 9th, 2011 in Facebook, Facebook Apps, Facebook Games, Facebook Sound, Uncategorized

Courtesy of  Jesse Luna

If you read last week’s Tech post by LATISM Founder Ana Roca-Castro, you heard the grim statistics on Latinos in technology startups. Although Latinos are underrepresented in tech, there are developers and budding entrepreneurs out there tinkering, toiling, and building the apps and businesses of the future.

Following Ana’s example, I reached out to my Twitter followers and asked “Latinos/as in Tech startups? Raise your hands!! #LATISM.”

That’s when I heard about LeaAnna Hernandez and her new Facebook application, MyMic.

The MyMic Facebook application lets you post audio updates to your Facebook profile or onto your friend’s Wall. You can post up to five seconds for free and there are paid options to post longer messages.

The application caught my eye because:
1. It is super easy to use. There’s a step-by-step MyMic tutorial on my blog if you have questions.
2. Your friends don’t have to install anything to listen to your messages.
3. My Facebook friends started asking about it once I posted my first message. I love attention.

I also liked the recent press release where LeaAnna says, “Sometimes we don’t want to be on camera. Maybe we’re having a bad hair day or the lighting isn’t the most flattering. With MyMic, none of that matters. Users, musicians, celebrities can easily record updates in their pajamas and no one would know the difference”.

I caught up with LeaAnna for an interview
JPL: Why did you select audio?

LH: I come from the radio industry…specializing in advertising. So i wanted to build an app that could marry radio with social. Businesses run commercials on radio stations. So I built the app for businesses to be able to run “social commercials” on Facebook.

JPL: I think I saw some stats that only one in a thousand YouTube users actually records and uploads a video. What do you think that ratio will look like for audio?

LH: I think that there are a lot of people that are camera shy and don’t want to be on camera. It literally is a production, having to get the right angle from the camera…nice lighting….good backdrop maybe.

With audio, it’s much easier and faster so I am inclined to think that it would be better but it’s still so new that only time will tell.

JPL: I tested the application and was able to post to my profile and to a friend’s Wall. Is there a way to post MyMic messages to the Facebook pages that I administer?

LH: In 2 weeks we are adding the feature to post recordings on Fan pages. I “like” your thinking.

JPL: Do you see businesses using MyMic the same way they use radio? Will they even start off using the same on air commercials?

LH: I think some brands will initially use their same radio ads. But others will get more creative.

For example, one advertiser I know is looking to create a promotion where they ask their friends to come up with a new slogan for the brand and record with MyMic. And they have an incentive attached to the promotion.

Say it to my Face…book: Voice App for Facebook?

MM Team on February 1st, 2011 in Facebook, Facebook Apps, Facebook Games, Facebook Sound

Feb 01, 2011 – HOLLYWOOD, CA, February 1, 2011:

MyMic (facebook.com/mymicapp) is the new Facebook application that allows users to record their voice and share with friends on status updates and wall posts.

With voice being the most powerful form of communicating, it only makes sense to combine it with today’s most popular communication platform, Facebook.  The application is free to use, with up to five seconds of recording time. It also has affordable pricing options for users who would like more time.
“By adding voice to the social network, users can now express themselves in ways like never before.  It’s a lot more powerful when you hear someone say I love you versus reading it,” said LeaAnna Hernandez, Founder and CEO of MyMic LLC.

“First there was YouTube. Now there is MyMic, the audio version of recording and sharing on Facebook,” Hernandez noted. “Sometimes we don’t want to be on camera. Maybe we’re having a bad hair day or the lighting isn’t the most flattering. With MyMic, none of that matters. Users, musicians, celebrities can easily record updates in their pajamas and no one would know the difference”.

Headquartered in Hollywood, CA, MyMic LLC is a new start-up that has future plans of expanding the brand and giving users a platform to share their voice socially. For more information please go: www.facebook.com/mymicapp