Weekly Reads – We Are Not Social Media Experts

If anyone ever claims to be a “social media expert,” they clearly don’t understand social media. How can you know everything there is to know about an industry that’s constantly evolving and shifting? At GFM, we strive to be students of social media – determined to watch the landscape, soak in everything we can, ask questions, study consequences, and test theories. Below are a few highlights from this week that hopefully challenge what you thought you knew about social media and push you to strengthen your game.

AgeAge: Facebook Admits Organic Reach Is Falling Short, Urges Marketers to Buy Ads
If you read one article regarding social media this week, let it be this one. Facebook is finally acknowledging that paid content will likely receive higher reach on the site than organic posts. The company is recommending marketers “maximize delivery of your message in news feed” with paid ads. But Facebook advertising is a unique strategy in of itself. Need help making sure paid ads are included in your overall social plans for 2014? Get in touch!

Fast Company: 7 Critical Mistakes You’re (Almost Certainly) Making on Social Media
Read this article for seven great tips from Gary Vaynerchuk, the two-time bestselling author and the man known to many as the king of social media (notice we didn’t say expert). One of our favorite takeaways? The reminder that social media is a “microcontent” industry – these days, nimble and quick-moving brands are the ones that succeed.

Mashable: Twitter Will Now Show You Ads Based on Your Browsing History
On Thursday, Twitter announced the introduction of “Tailored Audiences” or the rollout of ads based on web-surfing activity. This means advertisers can target users who have either visited their website or “shown an interest” in their brand outside of Twitter. Take a look at your Twitter stream and see if you notice a difference in the brands talking to you.

Forbes: 14 Steps to Improve Your LinkedIn Presence in 2014
A new year is a great excuse to give your LinkedIn profile a makeover. This article has great tips to reinvigorate your LinkedIn presence – a worthy endeavor given the direct ROI you can achieve with LinkedIn and your business development.

Ragan: Infographic: Photos that drive the most engagement on Instagram
Light vs. dark. Red vs. blue. Simple vs. complex. Which attributes of an Instagram image encourage users to engage with a photo? This infographic shares data from 8 million analyzed Instagram photos to help increase image engagement.