How Social Media Prompts Holiday Purchases

http://mashable.com/2011/12/14/social-media-holiday-purchases/

This article is interesting as it shows just how reviews and what is seen/heard plays a major role in buying these days. Buying is very different now than it used to be.

Trends for 2012

Here are some interesting predictions for where social media is headed in the next year:

http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2011/12/six_social_media_trends_for_20.html

Twitter Begins Brand Page Roll out

interesting change twitter is making

Twitter Begins Brand Page Rollout

Twitter is introducing brand pages and just as many of us haven't yet experienced the new Twitter account changes, the first brand pages being rolled out aren't even necessarily viewable to all. In fact, the demo video of Twitter's account changes has been marked private and you can't even see those. Fortunately, screenshots are available.

Rafe Needleman took a screenshot of Pepsi's new Twitter brand page which you can check out by clicking on the thumbnail above. It's a nice look that Needleman feels beats out Facebook and Google+ on the design front in his three-way brand shootout. He points out that "Twitter gives managers the capability to change the color scheme of the entire brand page, as well as put in their own header art and background image."

The overall format is a nice match for the new Twitter accounts that are viewable as a screenshot in Daniel Terdiman's CNET article on those changes.

In a client letter for Digitas, Donna Tocci breaks down the new brand page layout and features:

Leaderboard - "The leaderboard is the name Twitter has given to the top portion of the brand page. This space allows brands to promote themselves through the use of graphics, written information and links."

Promoted Tweet Area - "At the top of the timeline, each page has a stationary spot for tweets...The brand can rotate this message as often as it likes, but the option is to have this pinned to the top of the timeline."

Timeline (formerly "stream") - "Regular Twitter account streams include a combination of original tweets and @replies...A brand’s timeline will now not include the @replies...However, for brands who are focused on customer service or who want to show their participation with the community, this function can be turned back on."

Mobile Brand Pages - "While Twitter did not unveil mobile brand pages yet, Digitas has been told that they will be consistent with the web version at launch."

Most users won't get access to brand pages until some time first quarter 2012. Tom Edwards, SVP, Digital Strategy & Emerging Technology Red Urban (Omnicom) has more discussion and screenshots.

Free tickets on Southwest Airlines? It's the latest Facebook scam

Every time I go on Facebook, it seems as though there is another scam being posted on my friends` walls or as their new status updates. This morning many of my friends made a status in order to "receive 2 free Southwest airline tickets." This article discusses that we are giving access to our profiles when signing up for these scams. Also, it has a YouTube video discussing how to clean up your Facebook after participating in one of these scams. Privacy will definitely be an increasing issue for social media sites.

http://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/2011/02/22/free-tickets-on-southwest-airlines-latest-facebook-scam/

Amazon Price Check app draws protests from some retailers

This article highlighted the difficult balance facing companies when using various forms of social media and running promotions to promote their product. This article discusses how some people are upset with the Amazon Price Check ap because it is ultimately taking business away from small businesses. It is interesting to see how companies integrate social media tools into the marketing campaigns because it is sometimes a period of trial-and-error.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/breaking/chi-amazon-price-check-app-draws-protests-from-some-retailers-20111209,0,1595833.story

Integrating LinkedIN and Social Media into your job search

This article is again about job searching.  I obviously have something on my mind.

The article gives more insight about the benefits of LinkedIN but most importantly how to link it with the rest of your attempts at marketing yourself via social media.

http://windmillnetworking.com/2010/09/16/reasons-why-your-social-media-strategy-isnt-a-social-media-strategy/

How Much Does a Twitter Follower Cost?

http://mashable.com/2011/12/06/cost-of-twitter-follower/

I thought this article was interesting because I never realized exactly how much a Twitter follower costs to brands who pay for followers. The cost-per-follower rate for Promoted Accounts runs between $2.50 and $4 while the cost-per-engagement rate for Promoted Tweets runs between $0.75 and $2.50. Factors when calculating "engagement" for CPE include clicks, favorites, retweets and @replies.

Gearing up for Job Hunting Season

This article makes some good points about "cleaning-up" your Facebook for professional job searching and how to look prepared using Twitter.  Peterson, the authur is young and realistic.  He highlights a great point about looking up the company's social media before interviews, etc. to get a feel for who they are as a company.  I feel like I've seen a lot of articles like this but this article is straight forward and leaves me feeling less overwhelmed than most.  Hope you find it as useful as I do.

http://socialmediatoday.com/jigsawsocial/401685/social-media-profile-checklist-new-job

The Third of the Triad: Grandma Knows Best

Grandma seems to know best. And by transitive property, so does Mashable?

Here are some social media tips from Chacho Puebla via PSFK. Puebla's great aunt provides some social commentary on what we should tweet, if we should Google less, and how much Wikipedia is really appropriate. Great for a quick laugh on what silly youngins' we are.

http://mashable.com/2011/11/30/social-tips-from-grandma/

QR Codes Don't Have To Be REALLY Ugly

QR codes. You see them everywhere. And yet you'd rather not. This Mashable article by Hamilton Chan outlines ways that companies are utilizing creative QR design to stay in race and stand out. Chan says that QR codes are "malleable and can be redesigned in truly extraordinary ways, while still maintaining their scanability." It's nice that the checkerbox visual is no longer needed and I think it will be an inventive and promising way to implement mobile platforms in the marketing sphere.

http://mashable.com/2011/04/18/qr-code-design-tips/

'Tis The Season for Social Media

Now this story may be dated by a few months (technical problems are mostly to blame), but I think that it is a great example of the power of social channels like YouTube and our viral project earlier in the semester. Kevin Judd's music and light show went viral, his family has been featured in the national press and in the international media, and he was specifically featured on Good Morning America.

He will also be returning on a live broadcast with Christmas-themed decorations and a secret new song choice. LMFAO shot part of their music video at the house live on location. It just goes to show that you never know who's watching!

http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-697237?hpt=hp_bn2

Twitter Shares Biggest World News Stories This Year

http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/12/06/twitter-shares-biggest-world-news-stories-this-year/?hpt=hp_t2

I found this article very interesting because I know that since I began actively using Twitter this past summer, the news really has found me rather than me finding the news. I follow CNN on Twitter, as well as other news accounts, and I often check my Twitter feed more often than I check CNN's website or other news sites. Even so, I still feel as though I know much more going on in the world than I did before I became an active Twitter user.

Twitter in the Classroom

Giving Twitter an academic presence?  Food for thought.  Wonder if any of this will become mainstream in the future.  Just like we blog, could there ever be a twitter feed for a class' participation?

http://socialmediatoday.com/adigaskell/398597/can-twitter-ever-have-academic-value?ref=headline_rotator

Facebook turning into Myspace?

Some people are thinking that facebook is becoming less popular, like what happened to myspace. The writer of this article strongly believes that facebook is being used less and by less people. I disagree. I find adults, ages 45+, have been using facebook more than ever. People are still interested in seeing pictures of other people and keeping in touch with people far away. Adults especially enjoy rekindling relationships with their friends from growing up. Facebook may be changing, but I think it will be around for a while.

http://techland.time.com/2011/12/05/the-beginning-of-the-end-for-facebook/?hpt=hp_c3

"Insensitive" Technologies

Found this interesting little slideshow on "insensitive" technologies, such as Siri's apparent stance against abortion (just an oversight) or HP's webcam that cannot track faces of darker users (obviously a mistake as well).

http://mashable.com/2011/12/02/siri-offensive-tech/

CEOs Beginning to Involve themselves in Social Media

Now that it is clear that social media is no trend - it is here to stay - CEOs are beginning to create personal profiles so they can interact with their customers. This is growing largely among the younger CEOs. Social media is becoming a critical component of businesses and the CEOs have taken note, incorporating social media into their various business strategies. Statistics in the article show that company's with social media involved CEOs are benefiting from the practice. It should be no surprise that in the next few years, most CEOs will be involved with social media, especially with the younger generation of future CEOs who have embraced social media the most strongly coming of age.

http://mashable.com/2011/12/02/social-ceo-infographic/

What Would a Publicly Traded Facebook Mean to Users?

http://www.cnn.com/2011/11/30/tech/social-media/facebook-ipo-effect/index.html?hpt=hp_c1

I thought this article was interesting, especially after discussing in yesterday's class where social media is going in the future. The article mentions that Facebook could raise $10 billion in just its initial public offering. One TechCrunch writer argues that Facebook becoming responsible to stockholders would mean that the site would be less free to innovate and would be more concerned with making a profit than focusing on users' Facebook experience. This would mean that we would see more advertisements popping up than we already do.