This week we bring you plenty of “news you can use” related to social media platform updates and tools to consider when brainstorming new campaigns to leverage user generated content (like consumer photos on Instagram). For our video aficionados out there, you won’t want to miss Mashable’s breakdown of the benefits of Vimeo over YouTube—the runner up to the video juggernaut.
And because we all love to have fun around here at GFM, we want to make sure you know about the new browser game, Google Roll It—Google’s 2013 take on the classic game of skeeball. Just promise us you’ll give it a whirl after your deadlines are met!
Platform News
The Verge: Facebook Launches Verified Pages
Facebook will begin verifying high-profile pages – think celebrities, large brands and public figures – in the same fashion that Twitter and Google+ have employed for quite some time. The process for who will be verified has not been made public.
TechCrunch: Expect Facebook to Turbocharge ‘Notes’ Into a True Tumblr Competitor
If Facebook wants to own our complete digital life the platform will have to embrace blogging, accordingly to industry experts. Speculation states that a major overhaul to the forgotten Facebook Notes feature could be the path to blogging via Facebook, and become a direct competitor to Tumblr. Time will tell!
MacRumors.com: Twitter for iOS Update Brings Improved Tweet Composer and Wider Timeline
If you are still a fan of Twitter’s iPhone app you will be happy to learn that new improvements have been launched. Most notable is an easier interface for sharing pictures and the ability to preview tweets before publishing.
TechCrunch: Dozens of Top E-Commerce Retailers Find it Pays to put Customers’ Instagram Photos on their Sites
Startup Olapic provides brands with the tools to aggregate fans’ Instagram photos on their websites for contests and other user generated content campaigns. To date, Olapic has worked with more than 100 companies and the sweet spot has been with brands that reach “younger” and “trendier” e-commerce customers. Read on for great statistics from recent brand campaigns.
Video
Mashable: 5 Reasons to Choose Vimeo Instead of YouTube
YouTube is the 1,000 pound gorilla when it comes to video platforms, but don’t discount Vimeo. The second leading video platform offers some substantial benefits, particularly for niche industries (e.g., filmmaking) or brands who have yet to establish a YouTube presence and want to avoid getting lost in the clutter.
General
Fast Company: Why B2B Marketers Still Don’t Get Social Media and Seven Steps for Fixing That
Social media still operates in a silo in many B2B companies. However, this lack of integration can undermine forward progress in the space. This article offers seven helpful steps to increase social media effectiveness in a B2B atmosphere.
What GFM Blogged About This Week:
Mountainfilm in Telluride and Giving in Your Community
The Importance of Storytelling
