   | | | Today's Buzz |  | | |  | - Social media ROI is MIA, marketers say
Social media marketers are still struggling to come to grips with return on investment, and are focusing more on soft metrics such as likes and followers, rather than on hard data about sales and spending patterns, according to a series of recent studies. One-fifth of marketers said their social efforts were producing measurable ROI, although almost two-thirds said they were optimistic that the tactic would eventually deliver clear and measurable results. eMarketer (12/2)       |  | Improve Holiday Sales Results with Tools from Akamai!
Now is the perfect time to ensure your website will hold up to the rush of holiday shoppers headed your way. With the challenges facing retailers this holiday shopping season, it's never too soon to focus. Download Akamai's Holiday Toolkit now! |
 | | | Network Update | | | |  | - Google+ lets Hangout users make free phone calls
Google+ users can now use the network to make free phone calls to people they'd like to invite to join a Hangout. That dramatically increases the service's reach and utility for both casual and enterprise users, writes Brad McCarty. "[T]his platform could easily be used for collaborative meetings, and now it's even more likely since you won't have to have all of your participants in front of a computer in order for it to happen," he writes. TheNextWeb.com (12/1) |  | How are technology leaders adapting to the change and complexity that mark today’s economic landscape? Read this white paper to identify the 4 patterns, or mandates, employed by CIOs when leveraging business and information technology to innovate. Learn how each pattern indicated a distinct approach to IT leadership, and are derived from specific organizational needs. |
 | | - Self-serve ads are coming soon, Twitter says
Twitter has begun testing a self-serve ad platform, with about 20 companies currently using the system. Analysts say the move could help Twitter increase its reach and its revenues, noting that, by some estimates, self-serve ads account for 60% of Facebook's total ad sales. "Our goal for this year and next year is all about scale," said Twitter's chief revenue officer, Adam Bain. Adweek (12/1) - Can Foursquare win over Wal-Mart?
Foursquare is a hit in places such as New York City and San Francisco, but to survive it needs to win over Wal-Mart and other heartland box-store retailers, writes Chris Copeland. The lack of Foursquare integration into Black Friday sales at some major retailers shows that despite fighting off a variety of competitors, Foursquare has a lot of work to do if it wants to break into the mainstream. "The check-in and geo-location industry aren't going away, but Foursquare might if it can't get middle America, and its preferred retailers, to pay attention," Copeland argues. Advertising Age (tiered subscription model) (12/1) - How the Humane Society got 1 million "likes"
The Humane Society of the U.S. reached 1 million Facebook "likes" last month, thanks to a new, more serious-minded Facebook strategy. The nonprofit had previously taken an offbeat, campy approach to Facebook updates, but found it got a better response by striking a more straightforward, advocacy-focused tone. "We have spent a lot of time analyzing what our fans respond to best," says new-media chief Carie Lewis. Ragan.com (12/1) - Moms keep secrets on social networks
A survey found 9 in 10 parents are now friends with their children on Facebook and many also admit to quietly using other people's accounts to sneak a look at their offsprings' profiles. The survey also found that 46% of moms carefully adjust their Facebook settings to ensure their own private lives stay off-limits to their kids. Mashable (12/1) - Are you optimistic your social media efforts eventually will show return on investment?
 | Yes, I think I'll see ROI eventually. | | No, I don't expect to see ROI on my social media efforts. | | I am already seeing ROI on my social media efforts. | | Finding ROI on my social media efforts is not important to me. |
- How to become Twitter buddies with journalists
Twitter is potentially a powerful PR tool, but only if marketers put in the time and effort to develop meaningful relationships with the journalists covering their industry, writes Laura Fitton. Start by following everyone covering your beat, and then add value by answering the journalists' questions or suggesting sources for stories they're covering. "[B]uilding a relationship with a smart journalist is never a bad investment," Fitton writes. HubSpot.com (12/1) - Fired over a Facebook update? Not so fast
Employers have less leeway to sack workers over their social media posts than most seem to believe, according to the National Labor Relations Board. Labor laws protect workers who can reasonably claim to be voicing collective grievances, such as discussing work conditions or pay, officials say. There's no clear line on what constitutes protected speech, but the NLRB is reportedly taking an aggressive stance in support of fired workers. The Wall Street Journal (12/2) - Why marketers should learn to listen
Social media marketing should be about measurement as well as outreach, says Clay McDaniel. Social chatter offers valuable insights into the performance of both online and offline marketing campaigns, if brands can learn to listen to and analyze that data effectively. "When people sound off, whether it's negative or positive, that's really useful feedback for businesses that are spending millions of dollars on their marketing and sales activities," McDaniel says. eMarketer (12/2) - Rapper cranks out 2 viral smashes in the same day
Nerdy rap artist Mac Lethal just scored two viral smash hits in fewer than 24 hours. First he took Reddit's top spot with a profanity-laced YouTube clip showing him speed-rapping while flipping pancakes. That same day he scored a second hit with a Tumblr blog listing the bizarre text messages he'd received from his cousin Bennett. Gawker (12/1)
- Foursquare is a regional play that masks what it is not -- a middle America, mainstream tool.
Chris Copeland, CEO of GroupM Search – The Americas, writing in Advertising Age |
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| | | | | | | Recent SmartBrief on Social Media Issues: - Thursday, December 01, 2011
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- Wednesday, November 23, 2011
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