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 This Week in Digital & Social.
A roundup of relevant links affecting our industry.
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.
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 This Week in Digital & Social Magazine.
Industry
- Should you use influencers or advocates in your brand efforts? The answer is "yes" and "it depends." (Fast Company)
- What's the endgame for social media? Tapping into social business' greater value will yield tangible results for companies. (Harvard Business Review)
- The WaPo Labs team is launching Trove, a social news reader, putting it in a crowded field with the likes of Flipboard, Prismatic, Currents, Scoop.it, Paper.li, LinkedIn and others. (Re/Code)
- It's often the forgotten stepchild in the digital revolution, but email still plays an important role - one that should be integrated with social and digital. (Christopher Penn)
The Platforms
- Facebook is showing fewer text status updates from Pages in favor of updates from Friends (TechCrunch)
- In a controversial study from Princeton using epidemiologic models, researchers suggested that Facebook may lose 80% of its user base by 2017. (Vocativ)
- Facebook gave Princeton the retort sarcastic, chiding them for using Google trends instead of actual engagement trends, and suggesting that Princeton is falling behind its competitors. (Facebook)
- Facebook launched Trending, a list of popular topics, similar to what has long been offered by Twitter. (The NextWeb)
- Google does not use Twitter or Facebook social shares to rank pages; but don’t count out Google+ to help fill this gap. (Search Engine Land)
- And just for good measure, here are five Google+ myths to ignore. (Red Website Design)
- Instagram is the fastest-growing social site globally. (TechCrunch)
Measurement / Metrics / Big Data
- Mitch Joel asks "What's Bigger than Big Data?" The answer includes a human touch and the ability to glean insights from the piles of information that come our way. (Twist Image)
- In a lesson that can be applicable across a variety of industries, check out How Harper Collins's Chief Digital Officer Uses Big Data to Make Publishing More Profitable. (Fast Company)
- Twitter is getting more serious about its analytics, offering more metrics on their "Cards" that feature multimedia content.
Legal / HR
- Five ways that law firms suck at using social media contains helpful tips that apply outside of the legal field as well. (The Cyber Advocate)
Content
- Yahoo's Editor-in-Chief Jai Singh has stepped down after his group was restructured to report to the CMO, a move that wouldn't surprise too many journalists. (Re/Code)
- 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 trends in content marketing. (Contently)
- What makes good content stand out? It's about being original. (AdWeek)
- Having writer's block, or just stuck for how to get out of a rut? Here are Five Ways to Offer Awesome Content Without Pulling Your Hair Out. (Clarity)
- 20 Brand Publishing Predictions for 2014, a solid wrap-up from a well seasoned staff. (Contently)
Bookmark / Read / Watch Later
- 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 Why Bitcoin Matters. (DealBook)
- Brian Solis tells us How to Build Innovative Culture by Killing Mediocrity. (MediaTemple)
- PR firms and ad agencies are competing for more of the same business than ever. It's time to Show Up Differently. (Silicon Valley Watcher and Edelman)
- Here are 14 Ways to Be a Better Digital Marketer in 2014. (David Griner) [EMBED]
Commentary
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.We couldn't think of a better way to make this concern apparent than this video from Veritasium.
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