Pinterest’s co-founder and head of Pinterest’s products wrote about the new Pinterest features, specifically the Lens feature, in a recent blog post. “Pinterest [has] developed new experimental technology that, for the first time ever, is capable of seeing the world the way you do. Now there’s a way to discover ideas without having to find the right words to describe them first.” Continue reading
Facebook Bots Could Be the Next Step in Digital Communication
Facebook Messenger Bots, introduced in April 2016, are the next step in digital communication because of their ability to connect businesses and consumers. While they were introduced last year, recent advancements have improved their usability. Facebook users can use Bots for a variety of tasks, such as customer service, making restaurant reservations, reviewing e-commerce orders, and more. To use Bots, users must first launch the Facebook Messenger app. They can then find Bots by using the search bar at the top of the app. Users then choose the Bot they would like to use and chat the Bot to get what they need. This provides the next step in digital communication for e-commerce and marketing alike because Bots are not just limited to text. They can send images, links, and call to action buttons.
Bots cater to all kinds of companies and causes, including Domino’s Pizza, Expedia, and even protests. The Domino’s Pizza Bot, called “Dom”, enables Facebook users to order pizza online. Users have access to the full Domino’s menu and can place their order within the Messenger app. But, because Facebook Messenger cannot take credit card payments yet, customers must pay the Domino’s delivery person in cash upon the arrival of their pizza. Domino’s introduced this Bot ahead of the super bowl this year in anticipation of the high demand for pizza. To learn more about Dom, click here. Continue reading
Let’s go Live: Utilizing Live Video to Build a Brand
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Last April, Mark Zuckerberg announced the launch of his company’s newest feature: Facebook Live Video. Described by Zuckerberg as ” having a TV camera in your pocket,” Facebook Live catalyzed a shift in how brands and users communicate to their respected audiences.
Since April, live aspects of social media platforms have taken over. Social media live video had a groundbreaking year in 2016, replacing many aspects of traditional media. This past fall, viewers tuned in to watch NFL game on Twitter and watch history unfold on Facebook as the 2016 presidential debates took place.
As live video continues to establish itself as a staple in the transmission of news, it also presents a great opportunity for brands. The most notable takeaway for brands is to utilize live to promote a sense of authentic and build credibility amongst consumers. According to a study conducted by Dallas-based Richard Group, 80 percent of consumers authentic content is the most influential factor in their decision to become a follower of a brand.
Some noteworthy examples of brands utilizing the live aspect are The Tonight Show who used Facebook live to show behind-the-scenes footage of the show, Target who used Facebook live to give fans a glimpse into design partnerships, and Marc Jacobs who used Instagram live to preview their 2016 line.
It is important that as both consumers and social strategists, we continue to stay informed with the latest trends.
News Consumption in Today’s Digital World
The average human attention span is roughly 8 seconds, according to a New York Times Source, so it seems logical that the mobile applications that have concise, bite-sized content are most popular. Two perfect examples are Snapchat and Instagram that both have content short enough to keep the users engaged and coming back for more. It would make sense, then, that news apps with short content would be preferred methods of consuming news, however a recent Pew Research study draws other conclusions. Pew Research discovered that long-form journalism will not go extinct despite society’s obsession with digital technology. Longer articles attract an equal number of mobile visitors as shorter news articles do, demonstrating that bite-sized news does not trump full-length articles. With that being said, Pew Research also reported that only 22 percent of Americans trust social media as an accurate news source.
Pew Research’s study is in line with a recent article by Business Insider that points to headlines involving Facebook’s fake news and how “messy” the digital world is. Situations like Facebook’s create additional trust issues among users who question the accuracy of the news they read. A very interesting statista chart included in the Business Insider article shows the percent of Americans who trust each news source. The data depicted in the chart should be a slight relief for print newspapers and broadcast TV who don’t have to be too threatened by social media entering their news landscape due to the fact that 59 percent of Americans trust broadcast tv over 15 percent who trust social media. 
So even though we have shorter attention spans than goldfish (New York Times), we still prefer full-length articles from credible sources like news apps over finding news on our social media apps. This information is meaningful to almost anyone in the business world because of digital media’s relevancy in all facets of business. The knowledge that full-length articles and apps other than social media are preferred methods of getting news should influence how businesses establish themselves in the digital space.
To read more about short attention spans click here .
To see Pew Research’s findings click here .
Social media use for non-profits
Social media use has increased rapidly over the years. It has become such a powerful tool that many non-profit organizations have incorporated it in to their marketing and communication strategies.
Social Media, Personal Branding and Your Career
Ten years ago you got a job by cold calling and crossing your fingers. Today it is a much different story. Getting a job, moving up in your career and meeting new people is becoming more about your personal branding.
A big part of this shift is establishing your reputation online. In today’s digital age you are much more than your resume. Your digital footprint establishes your personal brand and allows anyone, such as prospective employers to get to know you better.
Continue reading
A nonprofit workout: recruiting volunteers and donors on social media
While a single nonprofit organization can be as vast and complex as the human brain, the organizational heartbeat is quite clear: volunteers and donors. Continue reading
Pinterest Best Business Practices: Tips for a Successful Brand
As the fastest growing social media platform today, Pinterest is a valuable tool in your media arsenal. It has recently shown that it can attract 150 million monthly users, so why wouldn’t you use it? But, navigating this image-based catalogue of ideas can be daunting. To help you out, here are some Pinterest best business practices to drive traffic and increase brand recognition.
Image source: Site Web: Online Marketing Made Easy
Instagram’s New Feature is Very Similar to Snapchat
Instagram’s new feature makes it even more similar to snapchat. The new feature allows users to send disappearing photos and videos to other users. Instagram’s new feature is very similar to the features that the competitor app, Snapchat offers.
The NFL’s Social Media Policy Relaxes
Seven weeks ago, the NFL changed their social media policy to prohibit teams from posting videos and GIF of game footage. On December 2, Yahoo Finance shared a memo from the league about updated to the NFL’s social media policy.
Download Your Favorites to Watch Later with Netflix Offline
Giving in to popular demand, Netflix will now be offering streaming offline. Subscribers can now download their favorite shows to watch later on-the-go. 
In just eight years, Netflix has grown to around 47 million subscribers, a 20 million user increase since 2011. Netflix is subscription almost every millennial has and has even become a verb, used in the phrase “Netflix and chill.” Netflix previously stated that streaming offline was something they would never do. Although, as their competitor Amazon Prime entered the market with offline downloads, Netflix became more open to the idea.
Netflix Offline to Bring Entertainment to Holiday Travel
With this new feature, it will now be even easier for users to binge watch their favorite shows and movies. 
Netflix offline will arrive just in time for the holidays, allowing subscribers to use the app while stuck on their flight home. Good news for all, the capability comes free of cost with all Netflix memberships. With an updated webpage, users simply need to click the new “download” button to save content for later. The days of switching from Wi-Fi to Wi-Fi are over, as Netflix aims to make its product more suitable for those with a life on-the-go.
Your Content is Buffering: Netflix Offline Still Needs Time to Load
Even with this new feature, there still are a few road bumps. Unfortunately, Netflix offline does not include everything accessible online. Shows like Friends and New Girl are currently unavailable for streaming offline as of now. Even though some content is not available for download, production studios may decide to alter their contracts with Netflix. This will hopefully allow more series to become available for the new streaming service. Also, make sure to plan ahead as hour-long episodes appear to take up to 250mb of space.
Even with these hurdles, Netflix offline has arrived just in time for the season of travel. The new service will be sure to provide hours of entertainment. Even when subscribers are away from their precious internet connection, they will still be able to “Netflix and chill.” Download your favorites for your upcoming road trips or delayed flights, as this service will help cure those boring, countless hours.
How Instagram Has Changed Fashion
It’s no news to millennials when we say Instagram has changed the fashion world. Between the easy access to the accounts of fashion bloggers, models and designers, we are always in the know. So, what exactly has Instagram done to impact the fashion world?
New Apps Sense Trouble and Alert Police
Attacks in broad daylight have been going on for quite some time. However, the recent attack of Sherri Papini, who was allegedly abducted for three weeks is making headlines, and making people think.
Papini’s family says she had her cell phone with her when she was kidnapped. So, could your smartphone be a safety mechanism when you’re out alone? 
Thanks to recent apps and gadgets created, your smartphone could in fact save your life. Continue reading
The Concern About Increased Social Media Use
How often do you use social media? Scientists in the world today are genuinely concerned about society’s “always on” generation increasing social media use.
The increase of social media use in today’s society makes scientists around the globe fearful for this generation. Individuals of all ages now use social media more than ever before. Many dislike the dependency they feel towards it, yet they cannot get themselves to stop using it. The question is, how can social media use be harmful when it is so entertaining, useful and beneficial?
Black Friday and Cyber Monday-How it is affecting our Shopping Holiday Season
With the Christmas Holiday just around the corner, shopping is at an all time high. Ever wonder the origins of Black Friday and Cyber Monday? Black Friday and Cyber Monday have taken the shopping world by storm. From 50% off to 80%, the deals are endless. Continue reading
5 Pinterest Business Tools You Need to Know About
With Pinterest’s latest announcement of growing monthly users by 50% since Sept. 2015, the platform continues to prove itself as important to include in your communication plan. The idea sharing social platform offers helpful tools to optimize performance for businesses. Here are 5 Pinterest business tools that you need to know about.
Image source: Pinterest for Business
Instagram Copies Snapchat Yet Again with New Screenshot Feature
Instagram appears to be back at it with a new screenshot attribute to accompany the latest update. Users now get notifications when people 
take screenshots of their pictures, but it’s not what you might think.
What is the Story Behind Cyber Monday?
Everyone knows what black Friday is, but what about Cyber Monday? If you hate the rush of Black Friday, this is the perfect holiday for you. Following the Monday after Thanksgiving, stores gift us with deals that are too hard to pass up. Rather than fighting for your favorite pair of jeans, you can sit in the comfort of your home. Online shopping is where it’s at.
How to Manage Social Media
This day and age, it takes many people to manage social media at companies or businesses. For some places, this can be a 40-hour work week just having to do with social . Since it is such an important aspect of marketing and getting a brand out there, being organized is key. Thanks to apps like Buffer, IFTTT and Hootsuite, scheduling and managing social media has never been so easy.
Social Media Cleanse: A Necessary Diet?
Kendall Jenner on Ellen discussing her social media cleanse
It is becoming a trend to delete social media accounts. This week Kendall Jenner surprised her nearly 70 million Instagram followers when she deleted her account without notice. Jenner is not alone. She follows other celebrities like Justin Bieber and Demi Lovato (Seventeen). With the rise in social media cleanses, it begs the question: why?