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Fruit of Twitter's Vine Could Be Rotten for Business January 29, 2013 This week's revelation that a pornographic video briefly made the "Editors Picks" recommendations for the new Twitter app Vine is raising questions about whether the ultra-short form video-clip sharing app is at risk for more such content -- and whether this could scare users away from the service. The app, now available for iOS devices, was recently purchased by Twitter.

Should Businesses Like a Facebook Graph Search Built on Likes? January 16, 2013 So now we know why Facebook and Mark Zuckerberg have been so busy recruiting former Google big brains: They coveted their mastery of algorithms, their sure-footedness in navigating mountains of Web-based data. The result? Facebook Graph Search, announced Tuesday by Zuckerberg. Those who were quick to ask for invites will soon get to play with the beta version.

Turn Your Marketing Inside Out January 12, 2013 When asked why he robbed banks, Willie Sutton famously replied "because that's where the money is." Many e-commerce businesses adopt Willie's strategy by focusing their marketing efforts where all the people are. That may work for robbery, but it's a poor strategy for e-commerce. Instead, adopt an inside-out strategy by focusing where the fewest people are. Here's why, and how.

'Going Native' Boosts Mobile Ad Outlook December 20, 2012 The U.S. mobile advertising outlook is a bit rosier, according to eMarketer's latest forecast. Native display ads running on sites such as Facebook and Twitter are leading the charge for the mobile channel. Overall spending on U.S. mobile advertising -- which includes display, search and messaging-based ads served on mobile phones and tablets -- is expected to see a 180 percent increase this year.

Fans Willing to Pony Up for M&M's Tasty Advergame December 17, 2012 Those delectable M&M's characters seen in commercials are making their way to the iPhone. An advergame app titled "M&M's Brand Chocolate Factory" recently became available on iTunes for $0.99. While many M&M's commercials involve the six characters in social situations trying to avoid being eaten, the new game has the group -- and all M&M's -- in peril of being dropped into hot milk chocolate.

Getting Out There: Strategies for Social Media Advertising December 05, 2012 When the first banner ads came out in the 1990s, they attracted lots of attention -- and lots of click-throughs. Since then, though, their effectiveness has plummeted, forcing businesses to think creatively about the future of online advertising. This future is likely to include a mix of social media influencing, content marketing, and in-depth storytelling.

Facebook May Win Sponsored Stories Settlement - but the Ads Don't Work December 05, 2012 A U.S. district judge has given preliminary approval to Facebook's attempt to settle a class action lawsuit alleging the company violated members' privacy rights by using their images in Facebook's Sponsored Stories ad format. The settlement would give $10 each to those who objected to their images appearing in the ads. Privacy advocates were less than enthused.

Social Media Ripe for Savvy Advertising December 04, 2012 In just a few short years, social networks have become deeply entrenched as a means for consumers and businesses to connect online. Consumers spend more time on social networks than on any other category of sites, according to the latest social media report from NM Incite/Nielsen. That amounts to roughly 20 percent of their total time online using personal computers and 30 percent using mobile devices.

Study: Many Shades of Like in Brand-Consumer Engagement November 29, 2012 A Like on Facebook goes a long way. Seventy percent of consumers who engage in social media make purchases from brands they are connected to, according to a new study released by SocialVibe. Connections form when a consumer clicks Like on Facebook, Follows a brand on Twitter or interacts with a brand's presence on other social networks including YouTube, Pinterest or Google+.

Report: The Big Money Is on Social Ads Going Native November 28, 2012 Social media advertising revenues will double by 2016, and native ads -- such as sponsored stories on Facebook and promoted tweets on Twitter -- will be its fastest-growing segment, according to a forecast from BIA/Kelsey. The channel will grow from $4.6 billion in 2012 to $9.2 billion in 2016, predicts the report.

Mobile Makes Its Mark on $1.5B Cyber Monday November 27, 2012 Cyber Monday online sales broke records this year, clocking in at 30 percent higher than 2011, according to IBM Smarter Commerce. Sales are expected to reach $1.5 billion for the day, making Cyber Monday 2012 the biggest online shopping day in history, comScore projects. Including high online sales over Thanksgiving and Black Friday, 2012 is shaping up to be a robust online holiday season.

A Matter of Timing: Seasonal Marketing Strategies for SMBs November 27, 2012 It makes sense to watch the calendar when putting together a marketing plan. Holidays, seasons and events, after all, drive sales. "There's good reason to ride the coattails of seasonal events and holidays," said Shannon Byrne, marketing coordinator at BlueGlass Interactive. "When done right, it provides fresh ideas, generates buzz, and improves SEO."

FB Cozies Up to Marketers With New Ad-Tracking Tool November 19, 2012 Facebook reportedly is finalizing a new tool for marketers that can help them determine how effective their promotions are and ultimately give them an incentive to stick around as advertisers. The tool lets online retailers follow purchases made by Facebook users who have viewed their ads, although it does not divulge personal information about the individual users.

What the Election Says About Social CRM November 14, 2012 I tried to wait a bit before commenting on the election and the Social CRM implications partly out of respect and in part to give everyone a chance to rev down. Besides, these observations have much more to do with social media than with any political party or policy initiative, so please believe me when I say, I come in peace.

Sensewhere Goes Hyperlocal With Social Advertising November 09, 2012 There's no better time to get an offer than a few steps into a store -- or so believes Sensewhere, a company focused on hyperlocal interactions with consumers. It just released Adwhere, a location-based mobile application that can position consumers who are indoors and otherwise out of reach of GPS.

The New Marketing October 31, 2012 I spent a day last week in Boston attending a conference called the "Inbound Marketing Summit" organized by my friend and former analyst Allen Bonde. Inbound marketing IMHO is taking off in some important dimensions. Inbound marketing is a cool idea that's been pushed by multiple companies recently. For instance, HubSpot held its user meeting early in the summer, and it was all inbound marketing all the time.

Companies Quake Under Social Sword of Damocles October 29, 2012 Forty-seven percent of all social media users have used their networks to get customer service from a company, with usage as high as 59 percent among 18-24 year olds, according to a new study from NM Incite. Almost one in three social media users said they preferred to contact a company that way, and companies have learned to respond in kind.

Social Marketing: Right Idea for the Times October 24, 2012 You might be tempted to consider social marketing just another idea in an endless stream of things dreamed up by the software industry -- and pundits like me -- to generate more business. Well, you'd be right about some of that, but I'd like to argue that the idea is more than hype and is, in fact, in sync with the times. Conceptually, marketing and sales have not changed for a very long time.

At a Billion, Facebook Is Still Figuring Things Out October 05, 2012 This week CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced Facebook has reached 1 billion active monthly users. The number is a nice round one for the firm to publicize -- especially in light of the past few rocky months. However, like anything Facebook these days, the announcement was accompanied by a healthy dose of skepticism on Wall Street.

Facebook Scans Private Conversations to Pad Likes October 05, 2012 It isn't too hard to see what Facebook users Like, but on Thursday reports surfaced online about something few if any users would find likeable. It appears that sending links via private messages through the social network results in extra Likes for the link targets -- never mind that the link you're sharing may concern something you abhor. Call it a case of Like fraud.