Phew! It was a jam-packed week for industry announcements and attention-grabbing social media case studies. This week’s roundup reminds us that a solid social media strategy cannot focus solely on one or two platforms. Even if you make an informed, research-based decision to only play on one or two social networks, savvy teams dedicate resources toward SEO and engagement, however limited, on platforms where people are already conducting searches about your industry/services – think YouTube, Foursquare and LinkedIn (this new infographic paints a portrait of today’s LinkedIn user).
And while it may seem like common sense, buying or dishonestly influencing positive reviews is a major no no. Yelp is cracking down hard, as is TripAdvisor.
SEO
PRDaily: SEO for PR
A comprehensive SEO strategy goes much deeper than tags and links. SEO is your friend in good and bad times, so it’s imperative that a strong, proactive SEO strategy is balanced with a defensive SEO plan to ensure your brand reputation is protected during a crisis.
Location-Based
The Verge: Foursquare Opens its Local Recommendation Engine to All
The Foursquare homepage has undergone a major overhaul which opens the search and recommendation tools to everyone, not just users of the popular check-in app. Industry experts say this move was prompted by an effort to take on Google and Yelp since results are pulled from the three billion check-ins and tips left by Foursquare users over the years.
Wall Street Journal: What’s a Facebook Follower Worth
Are your fans worth $5 or $500 dollars? That is an ongoing question companies are struggling with as Facebook pushes pages to pay to promote their posts in order to increase the number of eyeballs that see a particular piece of content.
AdWeek: Facebook Giving Some Brands a Sneak Peek at Fans’ Other Likes
Imagine if you are Coca-Cola and you want to know if your Facebook fans also “like” American Idol on Facebook. It could be a gold mine in terms of product placement, your audience’s key search terms and ad buy research. According to this article, that may become a reality as Facebook quietly tests new data offerings for “priority” marketers. Facebook did comment that user-specific data is never shared with advertisers, but the development of brand affinity tools will certainly be watched closely by industry analysts.
Smart Blogs: How American Family Insurance Added Pinterest to its Social Media Toolbox
We are all well aware of Pinterest’s appeal to brands focused on food, fashion, weddings, and so on. So what gets us extra excited these days are case studies about brands that don’t seem to be a fit for Pinterest, but are knocking it out of the park – like insurance providers. From home remodeling boards to teen driving safety pins, American Family Insurance has found endless creativity in its otherwise “dry” service offerings.
YouTube
ZDNet: YouTube’s Analytics Additions Could Reveal User Engagement Better
The video sharing platform’s analytics got a boost this week with extra insights like “time watched” and comparison metrics. Brands can now have an improved sense of which videos are resonating best with their target audiences.
