Scott Monty

This Week in Digital - 1/29/2014

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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QHum4SLn-E4/Uuv2R6u3WAI/AAAAAAAAQBo/Eyj7fr6-Vj8/s1600/mobile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QHum4SLn-E4/Uuv2R6u3WAI/AAAAAAAAQBo/Eyj7fr6-Vj8/s1600/mobile.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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It's a mobile world - and Facebook is profiting from it, corporate newsrooms need to deliver on what journalists want, Comcast makes a comeback, global digital statistics for 2014, Facebook's vaunted Paper announcement and financial performance, the promise of social media command centers, bloggers get First Amendment rights, the secret ingredient of good video storytelling, the need for changing marketing models and more, it's <b>This Week in Digital</b>.<br />
<br />
A roundup of relevant links affecting our industry.<br />
<br />
Each week, I compose a newsletter that includes a series of links about current events and trends in the worlds of technology, social media, mobile, digital communications and marketing in order to keep leaders up to date on changes, newsworthy items and content that might be useful in their jobs.<br />
<br />
If you have additional links, sources or ideas that might be helpful, I'd encourage you to add some via a comment below.  And if you’re on Flipboard, you can get these links by subscribing to the <a href="http://flip.it/IfN4O">This Week in Digital Magazine</a>.<br />
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<h4>
Industry </h4>
<ul>
<li>Ezra Klein has left the Washington Post. Up next: a new publication at Vox Media that relies on the relatively unconstrained web, with a nod toward <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2014/1/26/5348212/ezra-klein-vox-is-our-next">fixing the news</a>. (The Verge) </li>
<li><a href="http://www.ragan.com/Main/Articles/47856.aspx#">Corporate newsrooms aren't delivering on what journalists want</a> - namely, more images and videos. (Ragan) </li>
<li><a href="http://adage.com/article/media/comcast-grows-tv-subscribers-time-years/291345/">Comcast reported a growth of 43,000 TV subscribers</a> in Q4 2013, halting 26 quarters straight of a loss of television customers. (AdAge) </li>
<li>A snapshot of <a href="http://wearesocial.sg/blog/2014/01/social-digital-mobile-2014/">global digital statistics for 2014</a>. Some highlights are below, but the entire presentation can be seen on <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/wearesocialsg/social-digital-mobile-around-the-world-january-2014">Slideshare</a>. (We Are Social) </li>
<ul>
<li>The contrast of mobile & internet penetration is fascinating.</li>
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The Platforms </h4>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://recode.net/2014/01/26/a-grand-theory-of-snapchat-as-constructed-by-snapchat/">Snapchat on Snapchat</a> - why they're convinced of their own impending success (Re/Code) </li>
<li><a href="http://recode.net/2014/01/30/meet-paper-facebooks-answer-to-browsing-and-creating-mobile-media/">Facebook is rethinking its Newsfeed on mobile</a> - <a href="http://recode.net/2014/01/30/meet-paper-facebooks-answer-to-browsing-and-creating-mobile-media/">and is taking on other news-sharing apps like Flipboard</a> with the announcement of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/paper">Paper</a>, its own app. It will be released in the US for iOS devices on February 3. (The Verge, Re/Code and Facebook) </li>
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<li>Facebook had an <a href="http://investor.fb.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=821954">excellent quarter</a>: 55% growth of revenue year-over-year; $2.8 billion in income from operations; a 22% increase in Daily Active Users (DAUs); and a 49% increase of mobile DAUs. </li>
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<li>Mobile advertising now accounts for <a href="http://mashable.com/2014/01/29/facebook-q4-2013-earnings/">the majority of Facebook's ad revenue</a>. (Mashable) </li>
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<li>Twitter is making searches easier with <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2014/01/29/twitter-search-filters/">filters for news, videos and more</a>. (Engadget) </li>
</ul>
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Measurement / Metrics / Big Data </h4>
<ul>
<li>Social media command centers get a lot of press. But <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/onmarketing/2014/01/22/taking-back-the-social-media-command-center/">what are they really churning out?</a> (Forbes) </li>
<li>Most people are wary of the amount of data Facebook has on them - <a href="http://adage.com/article/guest-columnists/americans-scared-amazon-s-data-store/290953/">but they don't seem to mind it from Amazon</a>. Why? (AdAge) </li>
</ul>
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Legal / HR </h4>
<ul>
<li>Bloggers have been recognized as <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/choon-james/confirmed-bloggers-have-f_b_4657313.html">having the same First Amendment rights as corporate media</a> (Huffington Post) </li>
<li>Facebook has been hit with <a href="http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/218023/fcc.html">a new privacy lawsuit over message scanning</a>. (MediaPost) </li>
<li><a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/entertainment/courtney-love-wins-first-twitter-libel-trial-2D11988969">Courtney Love won the first Twitter libel lawsuit</a>. (NBC News) </li>
</ul>
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Content </h4>
<ul>
<li>BBC Radio 1's head of visualization gives us a glimpse of <a href="http://www.fastcompany.com/3025441/most-creative-people/bbc-radio-1s-head-of-visualization-on-how-to-get-to-a-million-youtube-f?partner=newsletter">how to be successful with video content</a>. (Fast Company) </li>
<li>In a new rollout expected soon, Flipboard will become even more magazine-like, as it includes a <a href="http://recode.net/2014/01/29/social-magazine-flipboard-aims-to-be-even-more-like-a-magazine">table of contents to allow for better discoverability of conten</a>t. (Re/Code) </li>
<li>Some <a href="http://digiday.com/brands/brand-tweets-grammys/">examples of brand tweets during the Grammys</a> included the good - like Arby's; and some horribly, horribly bad - too many to mention here. (Digiday) </li>
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Hey <a href="https://twitter.com/Pharrell">@Pharrell</a>, can we have our hat back? <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23GRAMMYs&src=hash">#GRAMMYs</a><br />
— Arby's (@Arbys) <a href="https://twitter.com/Arbys/statuses/427614008946855936">January 27, 2014</a></blockquote>
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<li>As you're creating video content, it might help to understand <a href="http://forimmediaterelease.biz/index.php?/weblog/comments/fir_presents_inside_pr_362_the_importance_of_conflict_in_video_storytelling">the role of conflict in video storytelling</a>: it's an essential component, along with a hook, context, build and resolution. Listen to this short Inside PR episode on how to accomplish it. (For Immediate Release) </li>
</ul>
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Bookmark / Read / Watch Later</h4>
<ul>
<li>Video of Henry Blodget, CEO and founder of Business Insider, <a href="http://www.twistimage.com/blog/archives/inside-business-insider/">being interviewed by Charlie Rose</a>. They discuss the future of journalism in the digital age, among other things. (Twist Image) [EMBED]</li>
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<ul>
<li><a href="http://mashable.com/2014/01/27/social-media-marketing-2014/?utm_cid=mash-com-li-main-link">9 Ways Social Media Marketing Will Change in 2014</a> include the rise of graphic software, LinkedIn becoming a dominant publisher, more paid support for social media campaigns, and the emergence of Google+. (Mashable)</li>
<li>Consumer engagement with brands means that old marketing models need to drastically change. Booz & Company has identified <a href="http://www.strategy-business.com/article/00241?gko=20aae&cid=20140128enews&utm_campaign=20140128enews">four new digital marketing models</a> to address this: digital branders, customer experience designers, demand generators and product innovators. (strategy+business)</li>
<li>A perfect example of how the above is being addressed is at Nestle, where <a href="http://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/testing-123/?social_token=a3694853119c502afe4021a1a04a45a3&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=sm-direct">digital acceleration teams are influencing their 2,000 brands</a> (MIT Sloan Management Review)</li>
<li>Social media - particularly the customer service element - should not be in the hands of marketing or communications; <a href="http://www.mckinsey.com/insights/marketing_sales/Why_the_COO_should_lead_social_media_customer_service?cid=other-eml-alt-mkq-mck-oth-1401">the COO should lead social media customer service</a>. (McKinsey & Company)</li>
<li>Related: Altimeter Group looks at some <a href="http://www.altimetergroup.com/2014/01/2014-trends-organizing-around-the-social-customer.html">trends in 2014 for organizing around the social customer</a>. (Altimeter) </li>
</ul>
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<h4>
Commentary</h4>
It's a mobile world, and we're experiencing the best of it. If anything, this week, it was made utterly clear by the advances that Facebook made in the mobile space. With 53% of its ad revenue in the fourth quarter of 2013 coming from mobile (up from 49% the previous quarter and 23% the year earlier), it's clear that Facebook has solved the problem of monetizing a mobile platform.<br />
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Further, the announcement of its new app, Paper, has been met with nothing but intrigue and excitement. The better user interface is more aligned with mobile user experience versus the previous iteration of its app, which largely mimicked the desktop version. You can expect that appropriate mobile monetization of the new Paper app will be far easier.<br />
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Image credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/epsos/3842690051/sizes/l/in/photolist-6RyMSK-6REiSV-6RMjQx-6RMoG9-6RTCXk-6SkQEC-6SCFT5-6TA4JG-75bmnv-75YZd7-775Nxe-77CsyN-77HSLd-78XgHq-7cHDTq-7dcgqZ-7i34KV-7qYYQY-7Pft77-dAPegg-dwugP7-enPRP3-dBKZ49-du7EZL-8vrKnb-7Tp9zu-bR2g1n-7KeymY-du25Te-dBKYH1-cjiSfh-8agNfg-8agN8R-8ak22U-dqZq3u-dvYCxk-iSEFVT-8opYF3-eG7AfX-9jC7Az-8ak277-8agN2a-8agNcg-8ak2do-88ZiCh-9o8TEd-dBEz6k-dBKYAN-bysAqy-8m69T6-dJaAfx/" target="_blank">epSos.de (Flickr)</a><br />
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This Week in Digital - 1/29/2014

It's a mobile world - and Facebook is profiting from it, corporate newsrooms need to deliver on what journalists want, Comcast makes...

This Week in Digital – 1/22/2014

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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qg3mWw-981k/UuLwsXneUxI/AAAAAAAAPz8/ypnf0VOTkww/s1600/Stop+disease.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="382" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qg3mWw-981k/UuLwsXneUxI/AAAAAAAAPz8/ypnf0VOTkww/s1600/Stop+disease.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Influencers versus advocates, the launch of a new newsreader, a Facebook epidemiological panic, the fastest growing social platform is ____, figuring out what's bigger than big data, the secrets behind good content, how to be a better digital marketer in 2014, why Bitcoin matters, showing up differently and more, it's <b>This Week in Digital & Social</b>.<br />
<br />
A roundup of relevant links affecting our industry.<br />
<br />
Each week, I compose a newsletter that includes a series of links about current events and trends in the worlds of technology, social media, mobile, digital communications and marketing in order to keep leaders up to date on changes, newsworthy items and content that might be useful in their jobs.<br />
<br />
If you have additional links, sources or ideas that might be helpful, I'd encourage you to add some via a comment below.  And if you’re on Flipboard, you can get these links by subscribing to the <a href="http://flip.it/IfN4O">This Week in Digital & Social Magazine</a>.<br />
<br />
<h4>
Industry </h4>
<ul>
<li>Should you use <a href="http://www.fastcompany.com/3013166/dialed/build-a-movement-not-a-campaign-and-youll-ignite-passion-in-your-brands-true-believer">influencers or advocates</a> in your brand efforts? The answer is "yes" and "it depends." (Fast Company) </li>
<li><a href="http://blogs.hbr.org/2014/01/whats-the-endgame-for-social-media/">What's the endgame for social media</a>? Tapping into social business' greater value will yield tangible results for companies. (Harvard Business Review) </li>
<li>The WaPo Labs team is launching <a href="http://recode.net/2014/01/22/with-trove-ex-wapo-labs-team-takes-another-try-at-social-reading/?utm_source=newsletter&&mkt_tok=3RkMMJWWfF9wsRonu6nPZKXonjHpfsX54uUuT%2Frn28M3109ad%2BrmPBy%2B2oMFWp8na%2BqWCgseOrQ8mFkIV8izUs0TrKM%3D#038;utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=rc_email_daily">Trove, a social news reader</a>, putting it in a crowded field with the likes of Flipboard, Prismatic, Currents, Scoop.it, Paper.li, LinkedIn and others. (Re/Code) </li>
<li>It's often the forgotten stepchild in the digital revolution, but <a href="http://www.christopherspenn.com/2014/01/email-at-the-heart-of-social-ads/">email still plays an important role</a> - one that should be integrated with social and digital. (Christopher Penn) </li>
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The Platforms </h4>
<ul>
<li>Facebook is showing <a href="http://techcrunch.com/2014/01/21/facebook-starts-showing-fewer-text-status-updates-from-pages-more-from-friends/?utm_campaign=fb&ncid=fb">fewer text status updates from Pages</a> in favor of updates from Friends (TechCrunch) </li>
<li>In a controversial study from Princeton using epidemiologic models, researchers suggested that <a href="http://www.vocativ.com/01-2014/facebook-will-lose-80-user-base-2017/">Facebook may lose 80% of its user base by 2017</a>. (Vocativ) </li>
<li><a href="https://www.prod.facebook.com/notes/mike-develin/debunking-princeton/10151947421191849">Facebook gave Princeton the retort sarcastic</a>, chiding them for using Google trends instead of actual engagement trends, and suggesting that Princeton is falling behind its competitors. (Facebook) </li>
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<li>Facebook launched <a href="http://thenextweb.com/facebook/2014/01/16/facebook-launches-trending-personalized-list-popular-topics-next-news-feed/#!s4oH2">Trending, a list of popular topics</a>, similar to what has long been offered by Twitter. (The NextWeb) </li>
<li><a href="http://searchengineland.com/googles-matt-cutts-facebook-twitter-pages-are-treated-like-any-other-web-page-on-the-internet-182370">Google does not use Twitter or Facebook social shares to rank pages</a>; but don’t count out Google+ to help fill this gap. (Search Engine Land) </li>
<li>And just for good measure, here are <a href="http://blog.red-website-design.co.uk/2014/01/24/5-google-plus-myths-you-should-ignore/">five Google+ myths to ignore</a>. (Red Website Design) </li>
<li><a href="http://techcrunch.com/2014/01/21/instagram-is-the-fastest-growing-social-site-globally-mobile-devices-rule-over-pcs-for-social-access/?source=gravity">Instagram is the fastest-growing</a> social site globally. (TechCrunch) </li>
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Measurement / Metrics / Big Data </h4>
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<li>Mitch Joel asks "<a href="http://www.twistimage.com/blog/archives/whats-bigger-than-big-data/">What's Bigger than Big Data?</a>" The answer includes a human touch and the ability to glean insights from the piles of information that come our way. (Twist Image) </li>
<li>In a lesson that can be applicable across a variety of industries, check out How Harper Collins's Chief Digital Officer <a href="http://www.fastcompany.com/3025254/most-creative-people/how-harpercollinss-chief-digital-officer-uses-big-data-to-make-publishi?partner=newsletter">Uses Big Data to Make Publishing More Profitable</a>. (Fast Company) </li>
<li><a href="http://recode.net/2014/01/23/twitter-beefs-up-its-analytics-offering/?utm_source=newsletter&&mkt_tok=3RkMMJWWfF9wsRonu6nPZKXonjHpfsX54uUuT%2Frn28M3109ad%2BrmPBy%2B2oMFWp8na%2BqWCgseOrQ8mFkIV8izUs0TrKM%3D#038;utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=rc_email_daily">Twitter is getting more serious about its analytics</a>, offering more metrics on their "Cards" that feature multimedia content. </li>
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Legal / HR </h4>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.thecyberadvocate.com/2014/01/16/law-firms-suck-at-using-social-media/">Five ways that law firms suck at using social media</a> contains helpful tips that apply outside of the legal field as well. (The Cyber Advocate) </li>
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Content </h4>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://recode.net/2014/01/16/yahoos-editor-in-chief-jai-singh-departs-company/">Yahoo's Editor-in-Chief Jai Singh has stepped down</a> after his group was restructured to report to the CMO, a move that wouldn't surprise too many journalists. (Re/Code) </li>
<li>Native advertising, sponsored content and branded content are all unique, if related, subjects. In a recap of a live chat, Contently sits down with its founder to get his perspective on <a href="http://contently.com/strategist/2014/01/21/contentlys-shane-snow-reveals-what-really-worries-him-about-native-ads/#!tcSub">trends in content marketing</a>. (Contently) </li>
<li><a href="http://www.adweek.com/brandshare/how-create-engaging-content-will-build-your-brand-155080">What makes good content stand out?</a> It's about being original. (AdWeek) </li>
<li>Having writer's block, or just stuck for how to get out of a rut? Here are <a href="http://blog.clarity.fm/5-ways-to-offer-awesome-content-without-pulling-your-hair-out/#more-5940">Five Ways to Offer Awesome Content Without Pulling Your Hair Out</a>. (Clarity) </li>
<li><a href="http://contently.com/strategist/2014/01/14/20-brand-publishing-predictions-for-2014-from-contently/#!tcSXc">20 Brand Publishing Predictions for 2014</a>, a solid wrap-up from a well seasoned staff. (Contently) </li>
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Bookmark / Read / Watch Later </h4>
<ul>
<li>You've probably heard a good deal about Bitcoin. But for a fuller understanding of what it is and why it can't be ignored, read Marc Andreessen's piece for the New York Times about <a href="http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2014/01/21/why-bitcoin-matters/">Why Bitcoin Matters</a>. (DealBook) </li>
<li>Brian Solis tells us <a href="http://weblog.mediatemple.net/tips/how-to-build-innovative-culture-by-killing-mediocrity-pt-2-twelve-steps-toward-innovation/">How to Build Innovative Culture by Killing Mediocrity</a>. (MediaTemple) </li>
<li>PR firms and ad agencies are <a href="http://www.zdnet.com/2014-prs-war-with-advertising-could-lead-to-big-paydays-7000025117/">competing for more of the same business</a> than ever. It's time to <a href="http://www.edelman.com/p/6-a-m/show-up-differently/">Show Up Differently</a>. (Silicon Valley Watcher and Edelman) </li>
<li>Here are <a href="http://davidgriner.net/14-ways-to-be-a-better-digital-marketer-in-2014/">14 Ways to Be a Better Digital Marketer in 2014</a>. (David Griner) [EMBED] </li>
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<strong> <a href="https://www.slideshare.net/Griner/14-ways-to-be-a-better-digital-marketer-in-2014" target="_blank" title="14 Ways to Be a Better Digital Marketer in 2014">14 Ways to Be a Better Digital Marketer in 2014</a> </strong> from <strong><a href="http://www.slideshare.net/Griner" target="_blank">David Griner</a></strong> </div>
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<h4>
Commentary</h4>
While Facebook took some unfair heat from the questionable Princeton study this week (and responded brilliantly, we thought), there's still a nagging feeling out there about the visibility of content and who actually sees updates. <br />
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We couldn't think of a better way to make this concern apparent than <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9ZqXlHl65g">this video</a> from <a href="https://www.facebook.com/veritasium">Veritasium</a>.<br />
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<i>Image credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/88442983@N00/524052514/in/photolist-NiUyb-4b9YLc-4b9Z7R-4ba6eg-4ba7aD-4baar8-4baJ9M-4be9QG-4becP9-4k1YD6-4k61jN-4k61m3-4GaTHX-4YgqFy-5rfqCP-5sHXHN-5L17ha-6K7TqH-d6xVWb-dWEwae-8SMGKU-dFoFJN-bfs97H-bfsae8-aFhZWz-dXjXi2-dXqC9E-dXqBmC-dXjWWF-dXqAHy-dXjWd2-dXjWE2-dXjXrB-dXqB8h-dXjWoi-dXqBHQ-dXjVY8-dXjVPv-dXjX4K-bKxzNn-bKxzd8-bKxzqz-bKxzjp-bKxzWT-bwCQpE-bKxzx4-bKxzCR-bwCPQf-bKxyQc-bwCQvS-bwCPVS" target="_blank">taberandrew (Flickr)</a></i></center>
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This Week in Digital – 1/22/2014

Influencers versus advocates, the launch of a new newsreader, a Facebook epidemiological panic, the fastest growing social platform is __...

The Obvious Emotion-Evoking Tactic That Has Jumped The Shark

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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CzIv5C-pyKY/UuF7jR8HM1I/AAAAAAAAPyw/GKe_5Pd1voI/s1600/worthless.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="412" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CzIv5C-pyKY/UuF7jR8HM1I/AAAAAAAAPyw/GKe_5Pd1voI/s1600/worthless.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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You're probably already ahead of me on this one. Upworthy is quickly being thought of as Upworthless for its shameless click-bait headlines that entice readers to visit the site.<br />
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We've all seen the links to Upworthy videos, primarily on our Facebook feeds. They go something like:<br />
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<li>9 Out Of 10 Americans Are Completely Wrong About This Mind-Blowing Fact</li>
<li>Bully Calls News Anchor Fat, News Anchor Destroys Him On Live TV</li>
<li>You Won’t Believe What The Chinese Government Did To These 26 Million Children</li>
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For a while, the videos being shared on Upworthy were, well, worthy. They managed to tug at emotional heartstrings and with socially-conscious videos, they made us want to take action. They gave us hope, brought joy by sharing something positive, stood for something such as anti-bullying, and the like.<br />
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But somewhere along the line, the the Upworthy model broke.<br />
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Competitors like <a href="http://distractify.com/" target="_blank">Distractify</a>, <a href="http://viralnova.com/" target="_blank">Viralnova</a>, <a href="http://faithit.com/" target="_blank">FaithIt</a> and others added to the mix, as well as a number of other sites trying the same game. In December, The Atlantic asked "<a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/12/why-are-upworthy-headlines-suddenly-everywhere/282048/" target="_blank"><b>Why Are Upworthy Headlines Suddenly Everywhere?</b></a>" You can even create your own now, thanks to the <b><a href="http://www.upworthygenerator.com/" target="_blank">Upworthy Headline Generator</a></b>. Or if you'd like to avoid this unpleasantness altogether, you can install <b><a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/downworthy/pkaoiecplgdldkfihclpndbakokopjde" target="_blank">Downworthy</a></b>, the headline blocker for Chrome.<br />
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While one could argue that it's the emotional sentiment and appeal to curiosity that get to us (which is true), the other <b><a href="http://www.fastcolabs.com/3023248/why-upworthys-signature-headlines-are-only-half-the-story?partner=newsletter" target="_blank">more technical answer</a> </b>(see Fast Company article) is that social networks have made the spread of such material that much easier. From the way the headlines and other meta data are displayed to the ability (or inability) to play videos from the site directly in the networks ensures that sites like Upworthy drive traffic to their own sites. Traffic from social networks like Facebook and Twitter has risen by 170% over the last year.<br />
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In a more cerebral analysis, psychologist (and <b><a href="http://www.ihearofsherlock.com/2013/07/episode-54-how-to-think-like-sherlock.html#.UuF3gRAo7RY" target="_blank">fellow Sherlockian</a></b>) Maria Konnikova took a look at "<a href="http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/elements/2014/01/the-six-things-that-make-stories-go-viral-will-amaze-and-maybe-infuriate-you.html" target="_blank"><b>The six things that make stories go viral will amaze, and maybe infuriate, you</b></a>" in <i>The New Yorker</i>. She included the research of Jonah Berger at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School and his most recent book <i><b><a href="http://amzn.to/1hPdIxQ" target="_blank">Contagious: Why Things Catch On</a></b></i>. The results are illuminating, even if not terribly surprising: positivity, arousal, memory-inducing triggers, and above all, a good story are what cause us to click and share.<br />
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But when none other than CNN today blasted out an Upworthy-like headline on its <a href="http://twitter.com/cnnbrk" target="_blank">@cnnbrk</a> Twitter channel, people were outraged.<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
14-year-old girl stabbed her little sister 40 times, police say. The reason why will shock you. <a href="http://t.co/5ZFqHFrviw">http://t.co/5ZFqHFrviw</a><br />
— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) <a href="https://twitter.com/cnnbrk/statuses/426265271914205184">January 23, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>The replies were instant, and media coverage ensued. Mediate chimed in with "<a href="http://www.mediaite.com/tv/cnn-goes-upworthy-with-terrible-headline-about-dead-girl-you-wont-believe-how-annoyed-people-got/" target="_blank"><b>CNN Goes Upworthy with Terrible Headline About Dead Girl; You Won’t Believe How Annoyed People Got</b></a>," and competitor BuzzFeed completely missed the irony in calling them out: "<b><a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/scottybryan/cnn-tweeted-an-upworthy-ish-headline-and-you-wont-believe-ho" target="_blank">CNN Tweeted An Upworthy-Ish Headline, And It Really Didn’t Go Down That Well On Twitter</a></b>."<br />
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While humans will always love a good story, it's clear that they prefer not to be set up as dullards who require such obvious clickbait to read or watch one. Marketers, media and journalists should pay heed. If you want to attract the lowest common denominator to your sites, such headlines may ensure it.<br />
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<i>Image credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/82947612@N00/4567357547/in/photolist-7XAUgV-dxe5PB-8txZHK-cpYBEW-81Hg6E-7U3Pk8-7U3Szi-7ySoJj-7U7NT4-7ySoHC-8tTmjb-8tTm17-aoU4VK-bPxsQc-8tPUKp-8tPURZ-7ySoJu" target="_blank">bixentro (Flickr)</a></i><br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/cm?t=thebakerstree-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=1451686579&nou=1&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=FFFFFF&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><br />
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The Obvious Emotion-Evoking Tactic That Has Jumped The Shark

You're probably already ahead of me on this one. Upworthy is quickly being thought of as Upworthless for its shameless click-bait he...

When Less Is More

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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DIXfU16w2Wg/UtbzjrmgTXI/AAAAAAAAPXU/7lpYJ7FK2M0/s1600/Moderation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DIXfU16w2Wg/UtbzjrmgTXI/AAAAAAAAPXU/7lpYJ7FK2M0/s1600/Moderation.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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[This originally ran as a column in <i><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/jan/13/when-less-is-more-can-marketers-learn-digital-restraint" target="_blank">The Guardian</a></i>.]<br />
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Tweet this. Share that. Like us. Big data. Content marketing. Information overload. <br />
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You’ve likely seen every one of these phrases. Indeed, it’s like a daily barrage of some technological assembly line, as we mindlessly pick up our devices - driven more by instinct than need - thumb through the screens and tap out replies, comments or digital grunts in response to the digital visual stimuli put before us.<br />
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Our Pavlovian behaviour has become so pervasive that there is a pscyhological term for the fear of being without one’s smartphone: <a href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/reading-between-the-headlines/201307/smartphone-addiction">nomophobia</a>. It’s not without basis, as <a href="http://www.emarketer.com/Article/Singles-Keep-Their-Smartphones-Close-Hand/1010221">61% of 27-34 year olds report</a> that they are afraid of missing something if they don’t check their mobile devices frequently - otherwise known as “fear of missing out,” or FOMO.<br />
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As brands and platforms try to determine just what it is that consumers want from them, we’re faced with more choices and barraged with more messages than ever before. Facebook is hovering around 1.2 billion users globally; Twitter and Google+ report 500 million each; LinkedIn nearly 250 million. When will it plateau? And does it even matter at this point?<br />
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And with recent questions over how private our data actually are, as well as <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/oct/21/in-the-future-we-ll-all-have-15-minutes-of-privacy">how much we’re willing to give up voluntarily</a> and the friend-adding binges we treated ourselves to in the ever-expanding social networks, it’s not too difficult to imagine that some people may back off a bit on their digital lives.<br />
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The flip side of FOMO is JOMO, or “joy of missing out.” We’ve covered this and 9 other trends in <a href="http://corporate.ford.com/news-center/press-releases-detail/consumers-to-rethink-priorities-in-2014--ford-trend-report-reveals">Ford’s 2014 Trend Report</a>. After having experienced a period during the holiday season of unplugging quite a bit each day, I came to the personal realization that this dedication to a mobile device - as useful as it is - has its limits. Taking the time to soak in my physical surroundings, enjoy the atmosphere of the holidays - this was done without the aid of an app.<br />
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I don’t mean to imply that we should simply drop our devices entirely; they certainly have utility. But the degree to which we depend on them means that we shield ourselves from human interaction, miss out on nature’s beauty, or even <a href="http://theweek.com/article/index/254082/instagram-might-be-ruining-our-memories-heres-why-thats-a-good-thing">forget specific details of events</a>. And that’s not the most enjoyable way to experience life.<br />
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As humans, we want to share our experiences, connect with others and make a difference in the world. And much of that is done through online interaction and visual storytelling. The real question is: how much digital flotsam and jetsam is too much?<br />
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Again, I turn to the ancients to guide our human nature: Cleobulus, the Greek philosopher from the 6th century B.C. put it best: “Moderation in all things.”</div>
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<i>Image credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/major_clanger/142402770/in/photostream/" target="_blank">major_clanger (Flickr)</a></i></div>
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When Less Is More

[This originally ran as a column in The Guardian .] Tweet this. Share that. Like us. Big data. Content marketing. Information overload...

A Tip for Visual Communicators

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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HsvnxpZWqWk/UtL6rsflK2I/AAAAAAAAPLk/sNwX2qu7Wrk/s1600/214168413_aad1df9d19_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HsvnxpZWqWk/UtL6rsflK2I/AAAAAAAAPLk/sNwX2qu7Wrk/s1600/214168413_aad1df9d19_o.jpg" width="303" /></a></div>
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It's clear that the worlds of marketing and communications are relying more than ever on visuals to enhance the customer experience. When you've got a device in hand and are quickly scrolling through screens, it's typically an image that will arrest your attention more than any kind of text.<br />
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Longtime communicator Shel Holtz has gone so far as to dedicate an entire Flipboard magazine to <a href="http://holtz.com/blog/instagram/introducing-social-visual-a-new-flipboard-magazine/4181/" target="_blank"><b>Social Visual Communications</b></a>. It's worth following Shel's articles, as he tends to stay on top of trends and he's already amassing a superb set of resources for the communicators who wish to expand their skills in visual media.<br />
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Learning how to capture and share images - even if it's as simple as sharing images from the web - is something of an art as well as a science. And one would think that image sharing of a screenshot from your desktop, laptop or other device would be simple, it might not always be the case. For example, what if you need a shot of the entire length of a home page that goes well beyond the fold? Or what if you need different sizes.<br />
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Here are a few tools that will keep you from having to open the full suite of PhotoShop or The Gimp.<br />
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For the PC</h4>
The built-in <b>Snipping Tool </b>by Microsoft is probably one of the easiest to use applications and it does exactly what it says. It will allow you to do a rectangular or free-form snip, of the entire screen or just the visible window, then giving you various options to annotate, highlight, erase, copy, save or email the image.<br />
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For the Mac</h4>
It's just as easy for Mac users, by pressing <b>Command+Shift+3</b> to capture the entire desktop, <b>Command+Ctrl+Shift+3</b> to copy the entire desktop and <b>Command+Shift+4</b> to capture a portion of the desktop. Alternatively, the Grab utility (under Applications > Utilities) will allow you to capture a screenshot that includes a cursor or a menu in your image.<br />
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<h4>
Browser Applications</h4>
Sometimes, when you're on a webpage, you just want to get a shot of what's there without leaving your browser. I've found the Webpage Screenshot application to be one of the easiest and best to use. Visible or all-page screenshot options are available, as is the ability to edit.  It is available as both a <a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/webpage-screenshot-captur/ckibcdccnfeookdmbahgiakhnjcddpki?hl=en" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Chrome extension</a> and <a href="https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/fireshot/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Firefox add-on</a>.<br />
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Website</h4>
If you'd like a web-based destination, <a href="http://www.shrinktheweb.com/" target="_blank"><b>ShrinktheWeb offers easy and automated website screenshots</b></a>. Just drop in the URL of the site you'd like to have a visible screenshot of and submit. With the free version, you have to wait about 15 seconds for the images to generate, giving you six different default sizes: 75x56, 90x68, 100x75, 120x90, 200x150, 320x200. With the Pro version, you get custom size thumbnails, URL to PDF conversion, actual thumbnail sizes, a private label service and more.<br />
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I'm sure there are other options for doing what I've described above. What are your favorite ways to do screenshots?<br />
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<i>Photo Credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/48865263@N00/214168413/">dearsomeone (Flickr)</a></i><br />
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A Tip for Visual Communicators

It's clear that the worlds of marketing and communications are relying more than ever on visuals to enhance the customer experience. ...

Scott Monty - Strategic Communications & Leadership Advisor

This Week in Digital - 1/29/2014

This Week in Digital – 1/22/2014

The Obvious Emotion-Evoking Tactic That Has Jumped The Shark

When Less Is More

A Tip for Visual Communicators

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