Facebook has once again snapped up a smartphone app to add to its growing collection. And this time it purchased WhatsApp to the tune of $19 billion. A mobile messaging app created by Jan Koum and Brian Acton, users who send messages through WhatsApp don’t have to pay SMS messaging fees. There’s no limit to […]
Social Media
Important Social Media Metrics to Know
At this point your business should be using at least one – and hopefully multiple – social networks. The Pew Research Center released a report that looked at the year in social. Here are some key findings: – 73 percent of adults online use social media. – 45 percent of people 65 and older who use […]
Don't Let Tweets Fall on Deaf Ears
According to results of a study conducted in early 2013, 71 percent of major retailers who are active on Twitter don’t respond to customers on the social media service. We’ve seen equally high numbers apply to other types of brands and businesses on Twitter. The number is frightening. After all, the point of social media […]
Commercials on Facebook?
It was bound to happen eventually. This week Facebook announced that it would soon start allowing marketers to advertise with videos, which would appear in News Feeds. Right now the videos are in testing phase, according to an AP report on NPR. The story quotes several Facebook users in their 20s who would move away […]
Facebook Tweak Means Less Traffic For Brand Pages
This month, Facebook changed the algorithm (again) for stories that appear on the News Feed. Now, you’re more likely to see posts that link to high quality, popular news articles. Facebook explained on a December 2 blog post that “Our surveys show that on average people prefer links to high quality articles about current events, […]
Google Testing +Post Display Ads
It was only a manner of time that Google would introduce ads into its Google+ social network. Which is what happened this week, announced on Google+ by Product Manager of Social Ads at Google, Eran Arkin. Testing has begun on what’s called +Post ads for a group of brands including Toyota, RITZ Crackers and Cadbury. […]
Developing a Global Social Media Strategy: Tips Beyond Translation
Guest blog by Rachel Chilson, Marketing Communications Coordinator at Sajan Constantly connected through social media, you can reach your customers half way around the world with a simple tweet, status update or comment. The power of social media is not unknown; however, proper execution isn’t always practiced. Because of this, businesses that continue to take […]
Social Media Lessons From Breaking Bad Story Sync
Last night the premiere of the second half of Breaking Bad’s season 5 aired on AMC. If you aren’t caught up, don’t worry, we won’t spoil anything. The interesting thing about last night’s show is that AMC gave viewers the option to interact on a second screen. By visiting breakingbadstorysync.com from a computer, tablet or […]
Instagram Launches Video Component
In the ongoing battle between social networks Facebook and Twitter, this week video sharing was added to Facebook-owned Instagram. In addition to taking and editing photos, users of the mobile app will now be able to take 15-second video clips. This video sharing service competes directly with Vine, Twitter’s video offering that allows you to […]
Twitter Keywords Give Brands New Opportunities
What if you could put your marketing message right in front of your target market, exactly at the time they were thinking of a product or service you offer? It would be pretty powerful. You now have the opportunity to do something pretty close. Ad Week reported that twitter has begun offering keyword ad targeting, […]
Use Hashtags to Create More Conversation About Your Business
In February, Twitter announced that it had acquired television analytics firm BlueFin Labs. This comes as no surprise. Recently, Twitter has become a social gathering place for breaking news and thoughts on latest episodes of favorite TV shows. For many, Twitter was the primary news source during Hurricane Sandy, and users join together in conversations […]
Graph Search: New Marketing Opportunities, But Watch Your Privacy
In January Facebook unveiled its Graph Search feature. Not yet available to all users, this powerful new tool will enable extremely specific searching among friends and pages. This opens up new and exciting opportunities for marketers. As Michael Lazerow, CMO of Salesforce Marketing Cloud, writes, the volume of search queries will give your branded content […]
Brands Like Oreo, Walgreens, Have Great Social Media Response to Super Bowl Blackout
During yesterday’s Super Bowl, Twitter was humming with activity about the commercials, with users joining the conversation by hashtagging #BrandBowl. The story of the evening, however, was definitely the half-hour blackout during the third quarter, and the brands that responded in clever ways. Oreo – which had a creative, fun TV spot in the first […]
The Big Fuss Over Instagram’s New Privacy Policy
In the past few days the internet and social media have blown up with criticism of Instagram’s privacy policy revisions. The questionable paragraph: You agree that a business or other entity may pay us to display your username, likeness, photos (along with any associated metadata), and/or actions you take, in connection with paid or sponsored […]
Facebook Gifts: Too Much or Just Right?
This week Facebook rolled out a gift service to all users. Now, by clicking the red present icon on the Facebook pages of your friends and family, you can send them gifts in a wide variety of prices and categories. Gadgets, baked goods, housewares, digital gift cards or even wine (only available if you’re over […]
Is Twitter the Best Source in a Crisis?
Twitter took on new life during Hurricane Sandy, reports the New York Times. In normal times, Twitter users are sarcastic and snarky, but as the storm got worse and worse, everyone became reporters, tweeting what was going on in their neighborhoods and areas, documenting the storm in real-time. This occurrence was incredibly valuable, especially for […]
The Clue Train Manifesto: Not Too Late to get Onboard
In 1999, The Cluetrain Manifesto documented what businesses would have to do to become successful in the new digital era. With the Cluetrain’s 95 Theses, it’s easy to identify – 12 years later – which companies are on track and which have derailed. Here are 10 of those 95 key points. Determine if your company […]
Google and Google Mobile: Two Separate Search Engines
With recent reports stating that there will soon be more smartphones than people in the world, Google is rushing to refine its mobile search capabilities – and your business will want to be part of it. Google will have two entirely different search engines: Its search index for mobile and its main one used for […]
Facebook for Advertising: The Best Strategy for the Best Results
Since General Motors pulled its advertising budget from Facebook, claiming its ads had little impact on car purchases, many have questioned the value of Facebook as a results-oriented advertising medium. We take a different approach, feeling that not enough advertisers have focused on the best way to utilize Facebook. You’d never think to slap together […]
Study: Large Corporations Taking Greater Advantage of Social Media
A recent study begins to answer the question of the efficacy of social media and whether it’s worth the investment. We’ve always been of the opinion that social media is here to stay, and it can be a valuable resource for your business. FedEx and Ketchum recently conducted a study of a smattering of large […]