The value of a social network largely depends on the quality of data it collects from users. However, it's easy for sensitive data, such as location information, to be abused, and consumers need to hold social companies accountable for their indiscretions.
Social media managers, and anyone else who juggles more than one Instagram account, are celebrating the small pleasure this week of now being able to switch between accounts without logging out first.
Policing social media sites is no easy task, because users can post almost anything they want, often without consequence. Other users can report inappropriate content, but it's not possible for social networks to remove every post that violates their guidelines.
Marketing via "influencers" used to mostly mean professional athletes pitching expensive shoes or supermodels selling slick sports cars. Today, some brands put products in the hands of "Internet influencers," many of whom have even larger audiences and more reach than the brands.
Following your favorite professional sports team before and after games -- and beyond the nightly sports broadcast -- has never been easier. Social video apps, such as Periscope, Meerkat, Vine, Snapchat and Instagram, are disrupting the traditional content distribution models of teams, TV networks and radio stations. While the transformation is already riddled with concerns over content rights, it represents a valuable opportunity for sports organizations to engage and interact with fans, particularly younger generations.
Snapchat, Instagram and Pinterest arrived on the social scene after Facebook and Twitter, but they quickly made their marks, especially among millennials. After reaching critical mass, the three companies are attempting to monetize their services by rolling out new features for advertisers. Select large, global brands, including McDonald's, are testing the new features and could be role models for other marketers interested in the apps. However, all three services are still relatively young, and it might be too early to tell if ad campaigns are worth the investment.
Sure, you know your company needs to be on Facebook and Twitter. Maybe you want to be on Instagram to share photos and LinkedIn to find employees. But what about Pinterest?
The online world has spawned a virtual content creation and aggregation boom. Digital marketers flood online channels with YouTube how-to videos, Instagram photos, Tweets, Facebook posts, Web pages, graphics, blogs and more. In turn, consumers rely on Google search to help them sift through the rubble and find nuggets of useful information.
Most users turn to social media sites for entertainment and information, but for digital marketers social engagements represent a dynamic way to generate leads. Fostering leads, or potential customers, in social media is not as clear-cut or obvious as email, TV or print marketing, but there is enough history and background now to follow and replicate what is already working.
Without a fully baked advertising platform, Instagram is building a business with old-school pricing models and direct relationships with agencies and brands. However, Instagram could soon make changes that will negatively impact the reach and efficiency of ad campaigns.
Facebook's $2 billion acquisition of Oculus has given virtual reality a major boost. By delivering an altered sense of reality with a social experience Facebook could give users a more compelling reason to come back regularly.
Marketers who ignore Google Plus are missing a worthwhile opportunity, according to a new report from Forrester. Googles social platform delivers nearly double the engagement rate of Twitter, and yet some large brands continue to be lackadaisical with their effort.
Social media is ubiquitous in today's digital world, so you can bet your next star employee is out there sharing, liking and tweeting. Here's how to leverage social networking technology to effectively target and recruit IT candidates.
Some things go together like peanut butter and jelly. Others are more like peanut butter and motor oil. The joining of tech titans is no different. Here we discuss whether six high-profile mergers have made a tasty combination or a gross one.
Facebook may be shelling out $19 billion in cash and stock for the messaging company WhatsApp to stanch the departure of younger users from the social network.