It is one of the big players in the world of social media, with over 300 million active users and a place at the social media top table. Not content with being the world’s second largest social network and being used by 25 per cent of the global Internet population, Google+ is aiming for the next level.

This week at the I/O conference in San Francisco, Google announced that they are adding 41 new features to Google+; including a new look to the stream and profile pages, hashtags, trending topics, photo enhancement and greater integration with Hangouts.

Taking full advantage of the fact that visual content is key for brands on social media, Google has redesigned the news feed, giving it a bit of a spruce up in a style reminiscent of Pinterest and Facebook’s new design. When it comes to photos, the new features include Auto Enhance, which will improve your photo by tweaking the brightness, contrast and colour for maximum effect. Combine this with the new Auto Awesome feature, which allows users to merge photos together to create the perfect image.

This integration of editing features on Google+ could lead to an increase in the number of brands embracing the platform. Instead of just focusing on the search benefits of the platform, these new changes and a more user-friendly feel could work wonders.

Other new arrivals include the “What’s Hot” section, covering the trending hashtags to get involved with and supplying you with relevant communities to join. Hangouts also get an upgrade, as they will now be integrated with Google Chat to allow users to IM and video chat with their connections from the newsfeed.

This fresh redesign and the range of new features bodes well for Google+, as they borrow the best parts from other networks and bring it to their platform. So what do you think of the new Google+?

Image courtesy of Flickr

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Social media continues to revolutionise corporate culture. It opens up new avenues of communication, breaks down barriers between employers, employees and the public, and provides new opportunities for brands to put a human face to their image.

CEOs are no exception to this quiet revolution. Customers want to see that even the big bosses are humans with their own personalities, peculiarities and life stories. Here are two examples of CEOs using social media to communicate their personality to their employees and the general public:

T. Boone Pickens and LinkedIn

The CEO of BP Capital, T.Boone Pickens, has attracted 246,500 followers to his LinkedIn Influencer profile despite having only posted 23 updates. He writes about the economic developments of the energy market, politics as well as sharing his own personal experience of leading a multi-billion dollar business.

LinkedIn users are looking for authenticity and genuine insights into the CEO’s personality. Unsurprisingly, the most engaged post from Pickens is therefore not about his opinion on the free market approach to the energy market, and not on his views of Barack Obama and Mitt Romney. It is in fact about his office desk!

Can there be a better case for corporate authenticity on social media?

George Colony and Twitter

The CEO of Forrester Research is not using Twitter very often – his tweet frequency averages to around 0.2 tweets per day. Despite this, he has attracted over 13,000 followers. How did he do it? Admittedly, his brand name has a role to play in the follower acquisition process but, more importantly, he engages in an authentic conversation.

Interestingly, George Colony mainly posts plain tweets. His posts contain no replies or links, which indicates that the tweets are authentic, designed purely for communication on Twitter.

His tweet distribution considerably differs to that of Richard Branson, who mainly posts links to the corporate pages of his business:

So, what have we learnt from T. Boone Pickens and George Colony? Authenticity trumps frequency and authenticity trumps impersonal corporatism. Be who you are and get out there. Social media users will recognise your honesty and your social authority will grow because of it.

You may also find this infographic on CEOs and social media thought-provoking.

Images courtesy of LinkedIn, Twitter, Twtrland

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LinkedIn has a reputation as a place where professionals go to find a job. With an array of new features like LinkedIn Today for breaking news, LinkedIn Groups for discussions and LinkedIn Company Pages introducing a Facebook-esque feel to proceedings, some might argue that its reputation has subsided over time.

But that’s not the case. More roles are now being filled as recruiters jump on the social media bandwagon to find quality candidates. Reportedly 77% of all job roles are posted on the site and 89% of recruiters have filled a position using LinkedIn at one time or another – meaning that LinkedIn is a far more cost-effective way to find the best candidates for any role compared to traditional searches.

LinkedIn, and social media in general, gives recruiters a chance to find out a lot more about a candidate before approaching them directly. By going into LinkedIn Groups and contributing to discussions (as opposed to adopting the gung-ho approach of going in for the hard sell straight away) recruiters can be sure that they are approaching the right people and not just adopting a “same message for everyone” mentality.

Infographics courtesy of Masters in human resources via socialmediatoday

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Instagram has become increasingly popular over the last year, with many sports teams such as the New York Rangers really using the social photo sharing network to promote and connect with fans during the NHL playoffs. It’s now the New York Knicks’ turn to impress, as they recently launched Knickstagram.com, an Instagram specific microsite in order to gather a ton of cool pics from fans across the world during the team’s 2013 NBA playoffs.

The site will collect and post all Instagram photos that include the popular #Knicks and #KnicksTape hashtags and display them on a digital map allowing loyal fans to see where others are posting from around the world. And if that isn’t enough to engage and interest fans, Madison Square Garden’s in-house videoboards will display the #KnicksTape tagged photos in between the long and boring breaks, keeping everyone’s spirits high and their eyes glued to the screen while they await the team’s return!

Knickstagram is a really cool, innovative and fun way of creating interest in the sport, whilst also engaging with loyal fans around the world. It adds a whole new element to the experience of watching a game which is engaging and socially interactive, getting everyone involved! It also goes to show just how well Instagram is doing, creatively being used by a variety of organisations to entertain and attract interest. Its rising popularity among brands, fans and sports teams can only mean one thing – Instagram’s popularity and success will continue to grow.

Image courtesy of Foter

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The Twitterverse has witnessed yet another case of Twitter hack. This time the victim is the Associated Press, with hackers tweeting about an attack to the White House and Barack Obama being injured! It took 5 minutes for the post to be retweeted over 4,000 times and favourited by over 250 people (hopefully, realising it was fake). The account has over a million followers.

The significance of the story is the financial impact it brought within minutes. It took only two minutes for Dow Jones share prices to drop significantly. The news travelled amongst the traders at lightning speed, via e-mail and other channels.

As a result, the AP account is no longer live, and presumably an investigation is taking place.

See what power one tweet can have! I think there are at least 3 implications that the story highlights:

1. Financial markets increasingly trust social media

Twitter has become a trusted channel. Social updates are no longer swept under the carpet but are taken seriously. And, as we’ve found out, the social sphere is being constantly monitored and responded to accordingly. No wonder Bloomberg has announced incorporating Twitter feed into its data service.

2. The impact of social media (mis)use can be immediate and financial

Miscalculated and clumsy tweets can cost not only a reputation but also immediate sales. The Dow Jones fell by 140 points within 2 minutes of the tweet. Another research by McKinsey has recently revealed that 90% of executives whose companies use social technologies report measurable benefits. Misuse of social media channels can cost money, whereas appropriate, informed use can boost sales.

3. Organisations should prepare themselves for social crises

Because of the two points listed above, businesses, politicians and non-profits can no longer afford to be unprepared for social incidents or even crises. There is a clear case to invest in crisis prevention, mitigation and management strategy. You may find our recent series of articles on Crisis Management thought-provoking.

Images courtesy of WISHTV, Google Finance, Twitter

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Have you noticed how blue the colour scheme on most social media platforms is? Apparently it is a very trustworthy colour, subconsciously symbolising intelligence, wisdom and stability. Users can also be quite colourful, not only the content that they are sharing but the shades that their complexion goes through when something goes wrong! Neutral white, mellow yellow, fiery red and deep purple; there is a complete spectrum for social media users to explore.

The law, however, is very black and white. It is explicit when it comes to right and wrong, and the public relies on its proper execution to be protected. Why, then, is everything so grey when it comes to social media and the law? We have compiled a best practice guide to social media, with lawyers, to help you make sense of the unknown. Here are the top 5 things to consider to avoid getting into legal hot water:

1. How Confident Are You With The Law Of Confidence?

English law does not protect privacy with any specific legislation but there is a common law of ‘right to confidence’. What does this mean? Quite simply, that the owners of any unauthorised published material have a right to privacy (yes, even celebrities on Twitter). In social media this would apply to user-generated content. In this case, marketers would need to gain permission and pay particular attention when using real names or personal information.

2. There’s Only One Captain Jack Sparrow

Piracy, in whatever shape or form, is a crime. You cannot directly copy material from another source. The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 is not international and each country has their own laws of copyright. Copyright gives the owner of an original literary or artistic work, including trademarks, exclusive rights to use that work. Marketers should also understand that social media sites act as a connector and that it is your responsibility to monitor where your content is being shared, so you cannot sue Facebook, Twitter or similar sites for infringement of copyright, and you cannot be Captain Jack Sparrow.

 3. Would You Walk On The Wilde Side?

Here’s something to bear in mind; Oscar Wilde accused his lover’s father of criminal libel, AKA defamation. To avoid prison, Queensberry, the accused, hired private detectives to find proof of Wilde’s homosexual liaisons. They did. Wilde was forced to drop the charges and was liable for Queensberry’s legal expenses, which left Wilde bankrupt.

The Defamation Act 1996 may hold you accountable for “reducing a person’s standing in society”. Marketers must check the accuracy and authenticity of all statements before sharing them; retweets should be approached with extreme caution. The Protection from Harassment Act 1997, Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008, The Business Protection from Misleading Marketing Regulations 2008, The Fraud Act 2006 and The Trade Marks Act 1994 can all come into play, depending on what is shared.

4. Gossip Girl Here, Your One And Only Source Into The Scandalous Life Of Social Media 

No TV programme can demonstrate the damage that can be done on social media better than America’s Gossip Girl. In six seasons of drama a whole load of secrets have torn down or built up friendships, families and frenemies – and all it takes is one message.

In real life, user-generated content (UGC) is increasingly becoming an issue for many marketers. Brands must take care that there is a policy in place to make sure that falsified social media content is policed. Fake reviews, comments and the sharing of edited information are key concerns, particularly when the Terms and Conditions are removed. Our advice is to monitor who retweets your content, and to read the ASA’s Cap Code. XOXO.

5. Get A Social Life!

While social media may suggest that it is an opportunity to socialise with friends outside of work, its role in professional life is becoming more and more prevalent. Human Resources departments across the UK use LinkedIn to source employees but the lines are rather blurry when it comes to posting as an employee and posting as an individual. Marketers must take extra care and distinguish their profiles.

So the next time that you go to update your very blue social media platforms, remember these 5 points. They should help you to avoid a Paris Brown fiasco, but if you are in any doubt then check out the full report.

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Social media is a fast-moving, ever-evolving beast – for all marketers it’s a constant challenge to stay one step ahead of the game. We can’t be 100% sure of the future of social, but we can certainly have a jolly good inkling…

The results of B2B Marketing’s Social Media Benchmarking report nod to the growing importance of Google+ as a playground for B2B marketers; a platform that has received a lot of attention over the last year. The results of the survey found that although Google+ is the no. 1 social platform for a mere 36% at present, participants said that Google’s network would be three times as relevant in 2014 as it is now. The user statistics certainly back this view up, with Google+ being reported to be the 2^nd biggest social network, behind Facebook and ahead of Twitter in January this year[1].

In my opinion, that’s not to say that the other networks used by B2B marketers will be pushed out of the limelight, marketers will simply have learnt to fully embrace yet another social network (and will hopefully have more resource to do a great job too, which is why I suspect the uptake has been a little slow for many).

B2B Marketing sums up the results of the study with this good-looking infographic. One thing in particular that I’d hope to see change in a year’s time would be more B2B marketers having a defined social strategy vs. adhoc (currently 38% vs. 61%).

This infographic is from B2B Marketing’s 2013 Social Media Benchmarking report.

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It’s no secret that since the music industry has become heavily altered by the digital age, the internet has in some ways been a blessing and a curse for the business.  For example social media outlets have allowed music labels and artists to connect and reach audiences in an era in which traditional routes of radio, TV and print are having limited effect. However copyrighting issues and illegal downloads have plagued the industry.

Social media platforms are providing artists and labels with interesting opportunities to share their music and create a more personal connection with fans. Here is a look at 3 social media platforms that are helping the music industry…

YouTube

The pop charts today are littered with artists that have been discovered via YouTube, for example Justin Bieber and Conor Maynard are prodigies of the video sharing platform. Viral videos have made stars of many musicians; YouTube has the potential for such mass responses, especially when paired with unique videos. For example videos from Psy, Baauer (of Harlem Shake Fame) and Macklemore have led to chart-topping success. To a large extent YouTube is replacing Industry showcases and the role of A&R – the division of a record label  that is responsible for talent scouting.

Moreover music labels are becoming wiser as to how to use YouTube and how to uphold copyright laws on the site. A new deal with Universal Music Publishing Group means that music/videos shared solely in the UK and America will be played on the social media website in 127 countries in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. The new agreement includes all types of YouTube videos that feature music, including user-generated content.

YouTube’s new partnership with Universal also protects the industries copyrighted material to a certain extent as YouTube’s new uploading policies and process includes software that automatically flags copyrighted material on the site.

MySpace

The core aim of MySpace as a platform is to provide the user with a music-centric experience. At the height of its influence popular bands such Panic! At the Disco were signed to a music label off the back of their MySpace profile.

The redesigned MySpace opened to the public earlier this year, and is now both a social network and a hub for music destination. It is still too early to judge whether or not the redesign has been successful; however MySpace as a platform is largely responsible for the change in the way the public interact with artists. MySpace unlike other social media platforms does not distinguish between whether your friendship with a profile is with a person or a band. This allowed for fans and artists to interact between each other.

Twitter

Looking into the future, Twitter is in the midst of releasing a music-specific app using technology from music discovery app We Are Hunted.  Whilst so far Twitter has largely been used as a way for artists to interact with fans, the micro-blogging platform is making its way into music. Not only will the app encompass aspects of We are Hunted,  Twitter has also reportedly struck a deal with Vevo in which Vevo’s content will be offered via the social network’s music app. This development will provide yet another way for people to discover and share music.

Image courtesy of 2Top, Rhianna Flickr under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic license 

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Brands are constantly trying to find a personal connection with their customers.

Social media is a platform where they are able to talk to them more directly. With more and more companies speaking to their customers in conversational tones, and using humour to engage with their fan base, April Fools day is a great way for a brand to show their human side.

Here’s a look at some of the best April Fool’s Jokes that brands have played this year.

The 8 Best April Fools Pranks

1) Virgin Atlantic’s Glass-bottom airplanes: Virgin Atlantic took to its blog and Twitter to fool its customers by stating that they had engineered a glass-bottom airplane.

thrilled to announce that @virginatlantic will launch the world’s first glass-bottomed plane virg.in/gbp #VirginGlassPlane

— richardbranson (@richardbranson) April 1, 2013

 
2) Ikea’s Self-assembling lawnmower: Ikea had fun with their Facebook users as introduced a flat pack lawnmower set, offering “a compact, lightweight and foldable alternative” to their green fingered customers.

3) YouTube’s alleged shut down: YouTube fooled gullible users into believing that it was shutting down at midnight so that it’s 30,000 technicians crawl the site in search of the world’s best video. The site wouldn’t re-launch until 2023, and only the winning video would appear on the site

4) The Bathstore’s vertical bathtub: The Bathstore created a viral gem when they posted an ad for the world’s first vertical bathtub.

5) Twitter’s by a vowel scheme:  Twitter caused a hoot when they unveiled their April Fool’s joke. Their prank was an announcement of a 2 tiered Twitter service in which users who wish to use vowels had to purchase them.

Trd th nw Twttr yt? Mr tm fr mr twts! blog.twitter.com/2013/03/annncn… #nvwls discover.twitter.com/twttr/

— Twitter (@twitter) April 1, 2013

6) Google’s treasure maps: Google played two pranks on users today, the announced a Google Nose search feature but it was their Google treasure hunt maps feature that caught on a viral prank.

7) Proctor and Gamble’s Bacon mouthwash:  The Company released this far-fetched but amusing prank for a bacon flavoured mouthwash that “Kills 99.9% of bad breath germs with 100% bacon taste,” the ad claims.

8) Honda’s Haircuts: Honda showed their sense of humour by announcing that they had added HondaHAIR to the 2014 Honda Odyssey that allows for in-vehicle haircuts.

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Since the introduction of social media, resolving disputes through face to face interaction seems to have become a thing of the past. There appears to be a popular trend in taking to various social platforms to vent frustration towards the situations or people we encounter in everyday life.  From that annoying person sitting next to us on the train, to our food taking forever to arrive in a busy restaurant – the world of social is where we turn to whine and complain. Is it therefore possible to presume that social media has given people a sense of empowerment, allowing them to express opinions that they would normally keep to themselves to avoid confrontation?

This also appears to be the case when complaining about brands, as recently seen when a New York City street photographer took to Facebook to shame the popular fashion label DKNY for displaying his pictures without permission. Like most people today, he chose to take his fight public rather than attempt to resolve the issue privately with the brand. This forced DKNY to publically apologise for the mistake via Tumblr and donate $25,000 to a local YMCA in the photographer’s name. Logging onto Facebook and publically shaming this big brand without approaching them privately clearly paid off. Not only was the brand forced to apologise but they were pressured into making a sizeable donation to avoid receiving a bad reputation.

In the days before social media the manner in which people complained was entirely different. Written feedback appears to be a lot more impulsive and less thought out, as the things we are easily able to say online are a lot harder to say offline. Is it therefore a cowardly approach to make comments via social that we would never dare make in a face to face dispute? Or has social media given us a voice to express opinions that we would otherwise be forced to keep to ourselves?

Image courtesy of Juan Iraola, social-media-bandwagon, Flickr under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic License

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