Connecting the Dots / An Agency Blog

A new year, some new toys to play with. Changes to Facebook Places, the addition of Google Plus Pages, and a big feature roll-out for brands on Twitter that we’re still in the midst of. Tumblr and LinkedIn continue to grow their user base, and new apps coming onto the scene, like Instagram continue to offer new possibilities for branded social experiences. Sounds like the perfect time for a quick survey, heading into 2012, to make sure your brand’s presence is in order. Let’s break them down into channels. Not all of these things are “page” specific, but it’s all stuff you’re going to want to put into action this year if you’re not already doing so. Continue…

Looking at the same thing everyday isn’t exactly the best way to notice the nuances of its evolution. Like your face. Stand in front of a mirror and hold up a picture of yourself from five years ago and you’ll see what I mean. Change. It’s happening every minute, every day — we just don’t usually notice it. And when we do, we don’t like it much.
Continue…

Forrester on Youth, Brands, and Social Networks

It’s clear that youth are spending considerable amounts of time online. They have, after all, grown up in a digitally connected world. But that doesn’t necessarily create a marketing opportunity for brands to connect with the so-called Millennial generation.

A report by Forrester Research, published March 2011 surveyed 4,681 young US individuals ages 12 to 17, and seeks to Understand The Intricate Digital Behaviors Of Young Consumers.

Key findings after the jump.

Continue…

Since early 2009, watching broadcast live events online has undergone a substantial shift in the way we consume, interact with, and express ourselves while watching TV on desktop computers and now, even mobile devices. That very year, the Obama Inauguration went down in history for a handful of reasons, one of which was social media being paired with the experience of watching a live event online. Viewers were able to update their Facebook status through a web page that CNN used to cover the event — allowing online viewers the ability to publicly express themselves to a virtual audience. This was followed shortly thereafter by the 2009 NBA All Star Game, which offered a Facebook status component much like the Inauguration pioneered. Ever since these two pivotal events, new and engaging ways in which online viewers experience live events have been changing the online broadcast environment. Let’s take a look at five of them.
Continue…