Scott Monty

This Week in Digital - May 23, 2014

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The week after the New York Times report sees more discussion on tensions and duality, including the divide between journalists and marketers, the soft skills marketers need most, a major deal between Facebook and Publicis, the majority of marketers think Facebook is ineffective, Twitter has a perception problem, LinkedIn and Twitter using peer activity to spur action, Pinterest opens its data feed to marketers, why you need to hustle content, what makes videos go viral, negative online reviews and the law, the announcement that shook the social media industry and more, it's <b>This Week in Digital</b>.<br />
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A roundup of relevant links affecting our industry.<br />
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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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<b>Industry</b></h3>
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<li>As digital ad budgets grow, <a href="http://www.emarketer.com/Article/Direct-Response-Tactics-Take-Majority-of-US-Marketers-Budgets/1010852/1" target="_blank">spending on direct response digital tactics is outstripping branding</a> objectives. (eMarketer)</li>
<li>There's overlap, tension and duality everywhere in marketers' and communicators' worlds. According to Nestle digital chief Pete Blackshaw, <a href="http://adage.com/article/cmo-strategy/resolving-business-tensions-managing/293286/" target="_blank">the key is to manage that duality</a>. (AdAge)</li>
<li>While it's clear that more analytical skills are necessary in marketing leaders of the future, <a href="http://www.marketingcharts.com/wp/traditional/which-soft-skills-are-most-important-for-marketers-to-possess-42837/" target="_blank">which soft skills are the most important for marketers?</a> (MarketingCharts) </li>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jg3_M9dSblY/U3-L5_rE0KI/AAAAAAAAVI4/qAvo7Ya5KHo/s1600/Econsultancy-Key-Soft-Skills-for-Marketers-May2014.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="MarketingCharts Econsultancy soft skills of marketing 2014" border="0" height="352" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jg3_M9dSblY/U3-L5_rE0KI/AAAAAAAAVI4/qAvo7Ya5KHo/s1600/Econsultancy-Key-Soft-Skills-for-Marketers-May2014.png" title="Econsultancy marketing report - soft skills" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>Platforms</b></h3>
<ul>
<li><b>Facebook</b></li>
<ul>
<li>After missing the opportunity to buy them, <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2014/5/18/5728272/facebook-building-a-new-snapchat-competitor-rumor" target="_blank">Facebook is reportedly building a Snapchat competitor</a>. (The Verge)</li>
<li>Not resting on its failed merger attempt with Omnicom, <a href="http://adage.com/article/agency-news/publicis-groupe-signs-sprawling-deal-facebook/293255/" target="_blank">Publicis Groupe has struck a major deal with Facebook</a>. Recall last year that <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/twitter-takes-on-tv-with-publicis-deal-2013-4" target="_blank">Publicis and Twitter made an ad arrangement</a> for TV. (AdAge)</li>
<li>While marketers put a lot of effort into Facebook, it turns out that <a href="http://mashable.com/2014/05/21/facebook-not-effective-marketing/" target="_blank">57% of them think that effort is ineffective</a>. (Mashable)</li>
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<li><b>Twitter</b></li>
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<li>Twitter's problem is not growth; it's <a href="http://qz.com/211402/twitter-doesnt-have-a-growth-problem-it-has-a-perception-problem/" target="_blank">perception</a>. (Quartz)</li>
<li>In an effort to get back into the music business, Twitter was in discussions to buy SoundCloud, but now <a href="http://mashable.com/2014/05/20/twitter-soundcloud-talks" target="_blank">that deal is off</a>. (Mashable)</li>
<li>But Twitter isn't giving up on TV; it's turning on <a href="http://recode.net/2014/05/16/twitter-starts-dabbling-with-tv-topic-discovery/?mkt_tok=3RkMMJWWfF9wsRonu6nPZKXonjHpfsX54uUuT%2Frn28M3109ad+rmPBy+2oMFWp8na+qWCgseOrQ8mFkIV8izUs0TrKM%3D#038;utm_medium=email%26%23038;utm_campaign=rc_email_daily" target="_blank">features that notify user when their friends are watching various programs</a>. (re/code)</li>
<li>Here's <a href="http://www.mediabistro.com/alltwitter/twitter-map-mood_b57281" target="_blank">a map that charts the emotions of the world</a> in real time via Twitter. (AllTwitter)</li>
</ul>
<li><b>LinkedIn</b></li>
<ul>
<li>Appealing to psychology and attempting to urge action, LinkedIn is showing users <a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/2014/05/22/how_you_rank_linkedin_adds_new_ranking_metrics_to_its_online_profiles.html" target="_blank">how they rank with respect to their peers</a>. (Slate)</li>
</ul>
<li>Pinterest has raised another $200 million and is <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffbercovici/2014/05/15/pinterest-confirms-raising-200m-at-5b-valuation/" target="_blank">now valued at $5 billion</a>. (Forbes)</li>
<li>Anonymish app <a href="http://recode.net/2014/05/21/anonymous-app-secret-goes-global-on-ios-and-android/" target="_blank">Secret is now global</a> on Android and iOS devices. (re/code)</li>
</ul>
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<b>Measurement/Metrics/Big Data</b></h3>
<ul>
<li>The floodgates are open - <a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/cmo/2014/05/20/pinterest-opens-up-data-firehose-for-marketers/" target="_blank">Pinterest is opening its data firehose to marketers</a>.(WSJ CMO Today)</li>
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<b>Legal/HR</b></h3>
<ul>
<li>KlearGear.com has been trying to collect $3,500 from a customer because it included a Non-Disparagement clause in its Terms to prevent any online complaints about its products. <a href="http://consumerist.com/2014/05/15/court-rules-company-cant-collect-3500-non-disparagement-fee-for-negative-online-review/" target="_blank">A court has ruled in favor of the consumer</a>. (Consumerist)</li>
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<b>Content</b></h3>
<ul>
<li>Journalists tend to be storytellers and marketers focus on product details and business goals. With that contrast, here's a lesson on <a href="http://contently.com/strategist/2014/05/14/journalists-vs-marketers-how-to-ease-tension-inside-brand-newsrooms/" target="_blank">how to ease the journalist/marketer tension inside brand newsrooms</a>. (Contently)</li>
<li>As a follow-up to last week's New York Times report, here's something that many content teams might need to consider: <a href="http://superhypeblog.com/marketing/why-you-need-to-hustle-content-a-lesson-from-the-new-york-times-innovation-report" target="_blank">why you need to hustle content</a>. (Super Hype Blog)</li>
<li>A look at just <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/20/science/why-that-video-went-viral.html?_r=0" target="_blank">what makes videos go viral</a>. (NY Times)</li>
<li>Tom Fishburne reminds us exactly why <a href="http://tomfishburne.com/2014/05/sponsored-posts.html" target="_blank">it's important for brands to understand and use the language</a> of the platforms they're participating in, or to put it in the words of <a href="http://gapingvoid.com/2006/05/09/if-you-talked-to-people/" target="_blank">Hugh McLeod</a>, "If you talked to people the way advertising talked to people, they'd punch you in the face." (Marketoonist) </li>
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<b>Essential Reading/Watching/Listening</b></h3>
<ul>
<li>It's university commencement season, and to celebrate that occasion, NPR has an app/site with some <a href="http://apps.npr.org/commencement/" target="_blank">300 great commencement addresses</a>, going back to 1774. (NPR)</li>
<li>The New York Times isn't the only organization that needs to think digital first; <a href="http://www.shiftcomm.com/2014/05/why-pr-must-evolve-to-digital-first/" target="_blank">the public relations industry could use a jolt</a> as well. (SHIFT Communications)</li>
<li>The ebook <a href="http://wearesocial.net/blog/2014/05/social-brands-future-marketing-2/" target="_blank">Social Brands: The Future of Marketing</a> looks at some key elements that help brands to be social, not just do social. The full report is embedded below, but some top-level takeaways are worth noting as well. (We Are Social)</li>
<ul>
<li>Social equity drives brand equity</li>
<li>Communities have more value than platforms</li>
<li>All marketing must add value</li>
<li>Go mobile or stand still</li>
<li>From selective hearing to active listening</li>
<li>Experiences are the new products</li>
<li>Civic-minded brands are best placed to succeed</li>
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<b>Bonus Content </b></h3>
I generally don't like to focus on myself too much; my goal with these updates is to provide value to you in exchange for the time you spend here. The exception is when something profoundly significant in my personal or professional life happens that can be useful. <br />
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In this case, as you've probably heard, <a href="http://www.scottmonty.com/2014/05/driving-into-sunset.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">I left Ford Motor Company</a>. It has provoked some <a href="https://www.facebook.com/shel.israel/posts/10152420328300726" target="_blank">great discussion out there</a>, but there's also some <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/shelisrael/2014/05/22/will-big-brands-kill-social-media/" target="_blank">hyperbole</a> and <a href="http://socialmediatoday.com/robin-carey/2446901/scott-monty-leaving-ford-it-trend" target="_blank">overreaching</a>. For my money, there are two extremely thoughtful and thorough articles about where the industry is heading: <a href="http://socialmediatoday.com/frankeliason/2452571/it-time-brands-bring-their-social-media-home?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Social+Media+Today+%28all+posts%29" target="_blank">Brands Should Bring Their Social Media Home</a> by Frank Eliason and <a href="http://richardbinhammer.com/social-road-trip/" target="_blank">Social Media Road Trip: Right Turn at the Sign</a> by Richard Binhammer. <br />
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And if you'd like to read a more in-depth view from me, <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/fords-social-media-star-scott-monty-talks-about-leaving-and-not-looking-back-157855" target="_blank">AdWeek ran a quick interview</a> with me with a couple of worthwhile quotes that have been getting shared widely: <br />
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<b>Q: Where do you see social media heading after these last six years?<br /> </b>I think it's at a critical juncture right now. With all the commentary that's been going on about Facebook and the <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/facebook-algorithm-tweaks-hurt-viral-sites-more-other-publishers-156533" target="_blank">loss of organic reach</a>, obviously, how the paid component to social evolves is critical. Outside of Ford and looking at the industry overall, it saddens me how social has been co-opted by marketing to become just another mass advertising/marketing channel. I think the promise of social is about relationship development, and I have always said that. All the talks I've given about Ford's progress has concentrated on attention and trust. While advertising can get you the attention by interrupting people, it's more important to build relationships with customers and other people you want to reach. And I think communications and marketing and customer service have to band together around social.</blockquote>
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<b>Q: So are you, in part, saying earned trumps paid in terms of effectiveness? </b>When we think about our platforms, we always think of paid, earned, owned and—a new term we have started to use—rented. Sites like Twitter, Facebook and YouTube—we don't own those. We are using other people's property. So how we bring them all together and make them play appropriately is important. It's not about putting all of our eggs in one basket. And it's going to continue to get more complex before it gets easier.</blockquote>
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<i>Image credit: <a href="https://flic.kr/p/8ejM1e" target="_blank">Gabriel Villena Fernández (Flickr)</a></i><br />
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This Week in Digital - May 23, 2014

The week after the New York Times report sees more discussion on tensions and duality, including the divide between journalists and marke...

Driving Into the Sunset

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This may come as a bit of a shock in some circles, but I've left Ford Motor Company. After nearly six years with the company, I will be pursuing something else - the subject of another announcement that I'll make soon.<br />
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During my time at Ford, I've had the pleasure of working with some of the most talented men and women not only in the auto industry, but in the communications and marketing industries as well. Together, we created a presence for a 110 year-old company that has given new audiences and new customers a different view of what it's like at a manufacturing and technology leader.</div>
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I've been in the presence of great leaders like <a href="http://www.scottmonty.com/2008/12/fords-ceo-takes-to-twitter.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Alan Mulally</a>, <a href="https://flic.kr/p/aEAYQg" target="_blank">Jim Farley</a> and <a href="https://media.ford.com/content/fordmedia/fna/us/en/news/2014/05/01/ford-leadership-announcement.html" target="_blank">Mark Fields</a>. I've had colleagues like Karen Untereker and Craig Daitch who took a fledgling digital team and made it stellar. I've been part of award winning work that goes beyond the contributions of any single individual - certainly myself included. We've been the first brand to <a href="http://mashable.com/2010/07/26/ford-explorer-facebook-reveal/" target="_blank">reveal a vehicle on Facebook</a>, the <a href="http://plus.google.com/+ford" target="_blank">first brand on Google+</a>, and <a href="https://econsultancy.com/blog/64701-why-is-ford-s-social-media-strategy-so-good" target="_blank">our work continues to be celebrated</a> by <a href="http://www.prweek.com/article/1294624/first-prweek-global-awards-winners-revealed" target="_blank">many</a>.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ovw5wvb5fTU/U3qtgbP_7UI/AAAAAAAAU2o/KrEZQ9tOk7o/s1600/Scott+&+Alan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ovw5wvb5fTU/U3qtgbP_7UI/AAAAAAAAU2o/KrEZQ9tOk7o/s1600/Scott+&+Alan.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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 Much speculation has happened over <a href="http://www.convinceandconvert.com/social-media-strategy/when-the-face-of-your-brand-goes-splitsville/" target="_blank">the eventuality of this day</a>, and I've always been confident that the team and the Ford brand are much stronger than any single individual. While I've been the online face of Ford, interacting with people on blogs, Twitter, Facebook, forums, websites, traditional media and elsewhere, the operation is bigger than me, and we have a cadre of people who will do just fine. I'm flattered to receive such attention and credit, but I'm far from deserving of the accolades.</div>
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As for what's next: that's the subject of <a href="http://www.scottmonty.com/2014/07/shifting-into-gear.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">another announcement that I'll make soon</a>. I'd just like some time to reflect on the work that our team has done and take pride in a job well done.<br />
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<b>UPDATE</b>: <a href="http://www.scottmonty.com/2014/07/shifting-into-gear.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">information on my new role is here</a>.</div>
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<i>Image credit: <a href="https://flic.kr/p/hbw3W" target="_blank">bradleypjohnson (Flickr)</a></i></div>
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Driving Into the Sunset

This may come as a bit of a shock in some circles, but I've left Ford Motor Company. After nearly six years with the company, I will...

This Week in Digital - May 16, 2014

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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ixz1WnYjwmY/U3ZsGdUIccI/AAAAAAAATUQ/0bVZ2jURzK8/s1600/Divided+from+truth+-+Lotus+Carroll.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Many a doctrine is like a window pane. We see truth through it but it divides us from truth. ~Khalil Gibran" border="0" height="426" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ixz1WnYjwmY/U3ZsGdUIccI/AAAAAAAATUQ/0bVZ2jURzK8/s1600/Divided+from+truth+-+Lotus+Carroll.jpg" title="The great divide - Lotus Carroll" width="640" /></a></div>
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The FCC wants your Internet, the New York Times fires its editor and gets reflective with a major report, the maturation of Facebook on Zuckerberg's 30th, brand tweets cause actions online and offline, deleting Google results in the EU, the state of big data, a social media law final exam,  the shortening of wire stories, corporate blogs making a comeback, the marketing funnel is dead 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 />
<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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<h3>
Industry </h3>
<ul>
<li>The FCC <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2014/5/15/5717928/fcc-votes-on-net-neutrality-proposal-in-may-meeting" target="_blank">voted to adopt a new net neutrality proposal</a> for so-called "fast lanes" of content online, opening the rules for public debate. (The Verge) </li>
<li>Native advertising claims a victim. The New York Times fired Jill Abramson, its executive editor, reportedly <a href="http://www.siliconvalleywatcher.com/mt/archives/2014/05/was_nytimes_editor_fi.php" target="_blank">over her opposition to native advertising</a> as one factor. (Silicon Valley Watcher) </li>
<li>But the leaked innovation report from the Times itself is <a href="http://www.niemanlab.org/2014/05/the-leaked-new-york-times-innovation-report-is-one-of-the-key-documents-of-this-media-age/" target="_blank">the most fascinating document of our age</a>. (Nieman Journalism Lab) </li>
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<li>Bonus: see <a href="http://www.scottmonty.com/2014/05/what-brands-can-learn-from-bombshell.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">what brands can learn from the New York Times report</a>. </li>
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<li>Which online content categories <a href="http://www.marketingcharts.com/wp/online/which-online-content-categories-are-mostly-consumed-on-mobile-42600/" target="_blank">are mostly consumed on mobile</a>? Streaming radio, games, social media, weather and retail. (Marketing Charts) </li>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xBjTdtJ9YfQ/U3Zx6Wj3nxI/AAAAAAAATUc/gvBOS9K51Hs/s1600/comScoreMillennialMedia-Share-of-Time-Online-by-Category-Device-May2014.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Share of time spent online, by device and category by comScore and MarketingCharts.com" border="0" height="352" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xBjTdtJ9YfQ/U3Zx6Wj3nxI/AAAAAAAATUc/gvBOS9K51Hs/s1600/comScoreMillennialMedia-Share-of-Time-Online-by-Category-Device-May2014.png" title="Time spent online, by device and content category" width="640" /></a></div>
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Platforms </h3>
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<li><b>Facebook </b></li>
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<li>Brands can learn more about who they're targeting with ads by using <a href="http://www.insidefacebook.com/2014/05/08/facebook-audience-insights-gives-marketers-a-better-overview-of-their-potential-audiences/" target="_blank">the new Audience Insights tool on Facebook</a>. (Inside Facebook) </li>
<li>Mark Zuckerberg turned 30 this week. And <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/may/13/mark-zuckerberg-30-birthday-facebook-maturing-purchase-whatsapp-oculus?CMP=twt_gu" target="_blank">Facebook continues to mature with him</a>. (Guardian) </li>
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<li><b>Twitter </b></li>
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<li>In a study with the ARF, Fox and DB5, Twitter found that <a href="https://blog.twitter.com/2014/study-exposure-to-brand-tweets-drives-consumers-to-take-action-both-on-and-off-twitter" target="_blank">exposure to brand tweets drives consumers to take action</a>, both on and off Twitter. (Twitter) </li>
<li><a href="http://thenextweb.com/twitter/2014/05/12/twitter-introduces-mute-feature-android-iphone-web/" target="_blank">Twitter has introduced the mute feature</a> on mobile and web platforms, giving users more control over their content stream by allowing them to silence other users. (The Next Web) </li>
<li>You can now <a href="https://blog.twitter.com/2014/introducing-language-targeting" target="_blank">target users by language on Twitter</a>, which offers 20 different languages in its Promoted Tweets and Accounts. (Twitter) </li>
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<li>In a move that will transform its platform, <a href="http://gigaom.com/2014/05/01/vine-launches-a-redesigned-website-introduces-search/" target="_blank">Vine redesigned its website and introduced search</a>. (GigaOm) </li>
<li><a href="http://thenextweb.com/insider/2014/05/12/yahoo-launches-mobile-first-native-ads-larger-photos-will-marked-sponsored-across-products/" target="_blank">Yahoo launched mobile-first native ads</a> with larger photos that will be clearly marked as sponsored content. (The Next Web) </li>
<li>The EU's top court has ruled that <a href="http://www.cnbc.com/id/101666786" target="_blank">people can ask Google to delete sensitive information</a> from its search results. (CNBC) </li>
<li>Please disperse. Nothing to see here. On Pinterest, <a href="http://venturebeat.com/2014/05/07/pinterest-users-remain-almost-exclusively-female-84-stay-active-after-4-years-study/" target="_blank">92% of pins are made by women</a>. The platform maintains 84% of its user base from four years ago. (VentureBeat) </li>
<li><a href="http://thenextweb.com/apps/2014/05/15/can-foursquares-new-swarm-app-save-check/" target="_blank">Foursquare has launched Swarm</a>, it's check-in app that helps you meet and make plans with nearby friends. (The Next Web) </li>
</ul>
<br />
<h3>
Measurement/Metrics/Big Data </h3>
<ul>
<li>Last week, we looked at rebooting your social media program by discussing customer acquisition. Part 2 covers <a href="http://olivierblanchard.net/reboot-social-media-program-likes-roi-part-2/" target="_blank">customer development and retention</a>. (Olivier Blanchard) </li>
<li><a href="http://www.shiftcomm.com/2014/05/how-to-find-insights-into-your-pr-metrics/" target="_blank">Metrics to understand</a> that will help drive your communications efforts. (SHIFT Communications) </li>
<li>Big Data can be confusing; to sort things out (?) here's <a href="http://venturebeat.com/2014/05/11/the-state-of-big-data-in-2014-chart/?utm_content=buffercd94f&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer">the state of big data in one chart</a>. (Venture Beat) </li>
<li>Why rely on the same three tools for every social initiative? Here are <a href="http://www.steamfeed.com/21-best-hashtag-tools/" target="_blank">21 of the best hashtag tools</a> out there. (SteamFeed) </li>
</ul>
<br />
<h3>
Legal/HR </h3>
<ul>
<li>Social media can be too self-serving. Here's <a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/experts/2014/05/12/how-to-use-social-media-to-advance-your-career/" target="_blank">how to use social media to advance your career</a>. (WSJ Experts) </li>
<li>For any aspiring legal types, you can try your hand at the final exam for the <a href="http://somelaw.wordpress.com/2014/05/13/social-media-law-final-you-know-youre-curious/" target="_blank">University of Texas Law & Social Media course</a>. (SoMeLaw Thoughts) </li>
</ul>
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<a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/223771408/2014-Law-Social-Media-Final" style="text-decoration: underline;" title="View 2014 Law & Social Media Final on Scribd">2014 Law & Social Media Final</a> by <a href="http://www.scribd.com/ryan_garcia_2" style="text-decoration: underline;" title="View Ryan Garcia's profile on Scribd">Ryan Garcia</a></div>
<iframe class="scribd_iframe_embed" data-aspect-ratio="0.7729220222793488" data-auto-height="false" frameborder="0" height="600" id="doc_56296" scrolling="no" src="//www.scribd.com/embeds/223771408/content?start_page=1&view_mode=scroll&access_key=key-eQ2wqlfb9DJJQz6DKDR6&show_recommendations=true" width="100%"></iframe><br />
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<h3>
Content </h3>
<ul>
<li>With more and more content flooding the Internet, it's no surprise that content shock is looming. But <a href="http://geofflivingston.com/2014/05/12/a-bigger-problem-than-content-shock/" target="_blank">what will happen to society and its literacy</a> as we increasingly rely on visual communications? (Geoff Livingston) </li>
<li>Similarly, let's hope you don't have a long complex story to tell. The editor for Reuters America tells staff that <a href="http://www.talkingbiznews.com/1/reuters-america-editor-most-stories-need-to-be-no-more-than-500-words/" target="_blank">most stories need to be shorter than 500 words</a>. (Talking Biz News) </li>
<li>But not all is lost: consumers do appreciate original content from brands, and <a href="http://www.twistimage.com/blog/archives/bring-back-the-corporate-blog/" target="_blank">the corporate blog is making a comeback</a> amid a push to build a direct relationship with consumers, according to <a href="http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20140505006297/en/WP-Engine-Study-Majority-Americans-Original-Content#.U3J6nfldU1J">a WP Engine study</a>. (Twist Image) </li>
<ul>
<li>46% of consumers read the blogs of their favorite brands </li>
<li>40% believe there are negative effects if brands do not provide up-to-date content on their blogs. </li>
<li>40% prefer to read content directly from a company blog rather than a news magazine or website. </li>
<li>If you're curious as to the next phase of viral headlines, check out these <a href="http://contently.com/strategist/2014/05/09/lessons-from-the-most-popular-phrases-in-viral-headlines/" target="_blank">lessons from the most popular headlines</a>. (Contently) </li>
</ul>
</ul>
<br />
<h3>
Essential Reading/Watching/Listening </h3>
<ul>
<li>Consumers are more connected than ever via multiple devices; therefore, <a href="http://blogs.hbr.org/2014/05/marketing-can-no-longer-rely-on-the-funnel/" target="_blank">marketing can no longer rely on a linear funnel</a>. (Harvard Business Review) </li>
<li>Instead of messaging, pitching and marketing all of the time, try providing value. Chipotle recently did something like that and <a href="http://www.twistimage.com/blog/archives/adding-value-in-unexpected-places/" target="_blank">the effect of unexpected value was impressive</a>. (Twist Image) </li>
<li>The digital age has carved out winners and losers. In this talk in New York, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMU8YvOjRXc" target="_blank">Scott Galloway of digital innovation think tank L2 outlines his conclusions based on the data</a>. (DLD NYC 14 Conference) </li>
</ul>
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<i>Image credit: <a href="https://flic.kr/p/dWYkQ4" target="_blank">L</a></i><i><a href="https://flic.kr/p/dWYkQ4" target="_blank">otus Carroll (Flickr)</a></i><br />
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This Week in Digital - May 16, 2014

The FCC wants your Internet, the New York Times fires its editor and gets reflective with a major report, the maturation of Facebook on Z...

What Brands Can Learn from the Bombshell New York Times Innovation Report

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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XoURzut69vU/U3Y-ONsiUcI/AAAAAAAATT0/SbiIrghg8LM/s1600/The+New+York+Times+-+Alec+Perkins.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The New York Times is a-chagning" border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XoURzut69vU/U3Y-ONsiUcI/AAAAAAAATT0/SbiIrghg8LM/s1600/The+New+York+Times+-+Alec+Perkins.jpg" title="The New York Times building" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
This week, an internal report on the digital health of the New York Times was leaked. While many may write this off as an analysis of modern journalism or media companies, there are themes that may be more broadly applicable than scanning the headlines might make you believe.<br />
<br />
Put another way, how much of the <i>New York Times</i> internal digital report could apply to communications and marketing professionals within companies?<br />
<br />
Joshua Benton, editor of the Nieman Journalism Lab at Harvard, called it "<a href="http://www.niemanlab.org/2014/05/the-leaked-new-york-times-innovation-report-is-one-of-the-key-documents-of-this-media-age/" target="_blank">one of the most remarkable documents I’ve seen</a>" in his years running the Lab.<br />
<br />
The deep problems are cultural, according to <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/mylestanzer/exclusive-times-internal-report-painted-dire-digital-picture" target="_blank">a Buzzfeed exclusive</a> (quotes below in <b><span style="color: #990000;">red</span></b>), as the digital team is slowed by "a cadre of editors who remain unfamiliar with the web." Indeed, according to some staffers interviewed by Benton, the report "surfaced so many issues about Times culture that digital types have been struggling to overcome for years."<br />
<br />
It's not our intention to completely dissect the report; if you'd like to read it when you have time (highly recommended for any digital professional), please do so. But we hope to pull out the salient points that can apply more broadly to the companies you may be working for today.<br />
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<a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/224608514/The-Full-New-York-Times-Innovation-Report" style="text-decoration: underline;" title="View The Full New York Times Innovation Report on Scribd">The Full New York Times Innovation Report</a> by <a href="http://www.scribd.com/AmandaWills" style="text-decoration: underline;" title="View Amanda Wills, Mashable's profile on Scribd">Amanda Wills, Mashable</a></div>
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Taken directly from the document above, the company's goals are stated in such a way that they might apply to a number of businesses or industries: <b><i>Strategy for Growth, Speed and Agility, Unlocking the Power of Data, and One NYT</i></b>.<br />
<br />
Clearly, these are four major challenges and opportunities that are common to most businesses today. Let's take a closer look at some of the challenges as identified by the team in their document. For our purposes, we'll be drawing parallels between the newsroom and communications staff, and the business side and marketing staff.<br />
<br />
The report is divided into two sections: <b>Audience Development</b> and <b>Strengthening Our Newsroom</b>. The first is a core part of the newsroom team (journalists), while the other is a more broad effort that includes imperatives for business units and the newsroom alike.<br />
<br />
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Audience Development</b></span></h2>
This section starts out with a recounting of the Times' original distribution process: from printers to trucks to kids on bicycles and news racks, it's the story of "the most sophisticated consumer-outreach operations in history." But it's not enough to rest on that history, as the Internet is getting more crowded, content is difficult to find, and mobile is becoming increasingly important.<br />
<br />
The report defines audience development as "the work of expanding our loyal and engaged audience," and breaks it into <b>discovery</b>, <b>promotion </b>and <b>connection</b>. While this is a central role for the newsroom, audience development is the responsibility of every individual.<br />
<br />
In helping to define the changes afoot in the industry - particularly that there is no central, all-encompassing destination any longer, the report includes a quote from Janine Gibson, editor-in-chief of The Guardian's website:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b><span style="color: #38761d;">The hardest part for me has been the realization that you don't automatically get an audience...that you have to go find your audience - they're not going to just come and read it - has been transformative."</span></b></blockquote>
Social networks like Twitter and Facebook are becoming more of the norm for story discovery. Even text, email and phone alerts have been worked into various news organizations. It's just as important to pay attention to each of these as it is to focus on Page One or a homepage online.<br />
<br />
<h3>
<b>Discovery</b></h3>
It is not enough to assume that people will find your content. Whether you're the New York Times, Coca-Cola, an insurance company or a small business owner. If they do happen to make their way to your page, it's equally as important to think of their ability to navigate and find what they need with the least hassle. Design for the web, not for print.<br />
<br />
With more then 300 URLs produced every single day and over 14 million articles that date back to 1851, the Times is a goldmine of content. But can you find what you're looking for? The Times thinks it can help by surfacing <b>evergreen content</b> on a regular basis. As Henry Blodget, founder and CEO of Business Insider said to the Times,<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b><span style="color: #38761d;">You have a huge advantage. You have a tremendous amount of high quality content that you have a perpetual license to."</span></b></blockquote>
While the focus of the newsroom may be on current events and stories, sometimes it's important to provide context to what's happening. And evergreen content can help do just that.<br />
<br />
Flipboard and Pinterest have been helpful in the Times' assessment of another important concept of discovery: <b>packaging</b>. By bundling stories together in magazines or boards, we're able to curate content into collections for readers and consumers. If you package stories for readers or customers, you provide value by making the process of discovery that much easier for them.<br />
<br />
<b>Personalization </b>is an opportunity to put content out in new and smarter ways. Whether it's how the stories are delivered to them, showing them a suggested article based on what they just read, localized stories or offers based on their IP address, etc. And by giving consumers/readers<b><i> a chance to follow the stories, authors or feeds of the content they care about</i></b>, you give them the chance to personalize their experience themselves.<br />
<br />
Finally, the staff realized that they need to invest more in some of the guts of the operations: the tagging and structuring of data, so search results are more robust and that adhere not to the Times Index, but to Google's and others'.<br />
<br />
For anyone involved in content creation and management, these tenets should be universal. Whether you're in the news business, the entertainment industry or selling shoes, the principles remain the same.<br />
<br />
<h3>
<b>Promotion</b></h3>
This should be a wake-up call for anyone managing content:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b><span style="color: #38761d;">At the Times, we generally like to let our work speak for itself. We're not ones to brag. Our competitors are doing a better job of getting their journalism in front of new readers through aggressive story promotion. They regard this as a core function of reporters and editors, and they react with amazement that the same is not true here."</span></b></blockquote>
I've often heard the argument that the story should stand on its own or the brand should be the star, but as you'll see in the next section ("Connection"), people want a two-way relationship, and there's no way to do that without interacting with a human being.<br />
<br />
The competition has teams dedicated to promotion inside their newsrooms, expect their teams to be fluent in social media and expect them to promote their own work and mine traffic numbers to look for best practices. And much of this happens in real-time: it's not about throwing out a link and walking away. The best teams help "<b>desks take steps to draw more traffic and to keep visitors on the site longer</b>."<br />
<br />
The Times is taking a dual approach: <b>institutional promotion</b>, in which the official accounts on Twitter and Facebook are responsible for promoting content, and <b>front-line promotion</b>, whereby editors and reporters take initiative for advancing their work publicly.<br />
<br />
<h3>
<b>Connection</b></h3>
The Times has identified its single most underutilized resource: <b>its audience</b>. This could likely be said of many brands as well.<br />
<br />
Nor is it an easy task:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b><span style="color: #38761d;">Of all of the tasks we discuss in this report, the challenge of connecting with and engaging readers - which extends from online comments to conferences - has been the most difficult."</span></b></blockquote>
As the Times struggles to grapple with this, they've come to realize that transparency may play a role in making a deeper connection with their audience: "<b>pulling back the curtain and providing readers a bit more insight into how we do our work</b>."<br />
<br />
Evidently, their reporters and columnists are happy to connect with readers, but are doing so on other sites or platforms to talk about the behind-the-scenes approach, rather than on Times properties. This leads to a fracturing of attention and platforms.<br />
<br />
Additional opportunities under this section include user-generated content and events, where the voices of readers can be more clearly heard and where the Times team can have better interactions with them.<br />
<br />
<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Strengthening Our Newsroom</b></span></h2>
<div>
Another quick history lesson from the Times: the print and digital teams were housed in separate buildings <b><i>until just seven years ago</i></b>. And while the institution has been known for quality of its journalism and the support system in place for journalists, the digital side has not kept pace.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
In this bastion of venerable tradition, it is refreshing and eye-opening to see the Times acknowledge:</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b><span style="color: #38761d;">To become more of a digital-first newsroom, we have to look hard at our traditions and push ourselves in ways that make us uncomfortable."</span></b></blockquote>
<div>
This is exactly what brands need to do if they espouse a newsroom mentality. The traditional roles of communicators and marketers may not fit with the way the world is changing. And making tweaks here and there is not going to suffice. Wholesale change is needed.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The Times proposes: better <b>collaboration </b>between newsroom and business sides, the creation of a <b>newsroom strategy team</b>, and mapping a strategy for <b>digital-first</b>.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h3>
<b>Collaborate with Business Side</b></h3>
This is probably the most controversial of the sections, as traditionalists will gasp at the thought of journalism mixing with advertising. But it's been happening for years, albeit under different names or executions, and for purposes related to reader benefit, not one influencing the other. The NYT admits in the report:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #38761d;"><b>The wall dividing the newsroom and business side has served The Times well for decades, allowing one side to focus on readers and the other to focus on advertisers."</b></span></blockquote>
<br />
Now, the newsroom and business side are both focused on readers and any deviation from that strategy will not fit with the view of the Times. In fact, one of the elements that led to the firing of executive editor Jill Abramson was that <a href="http://www.siliconvalleywatcher.com/mt/archives/2014/05/was_nytimes_editor_fi.php" target="_blank">she opposed native advertising</a>.<br />
<br />
Not that there's any danger of advertising influencing journalism; the report indicates that no one interviewed "ever suggested tinkering with the journalistic values and integrity that make the Times the greatest journalistic institution in the world," and that the advertising arm "should remain walled off."<br />
<br />
Here's the thing that many of us miss when thinking of "The Wall," "Church and State," or "Communications and Marketing" - readers/customer don't care. They don't discern a difference between which department is surfacing and sharing content or ideas. To them, it's one entity. So enough of the squabbling over who "owns" what. The "One NYT" vision (or similar ones at any number of other companies)  should make that clear.<br />
<br />
<div>
The <span style="color: #990000;"><b>Buzzfeed</b></span> piece noted:</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b><span style="color: #990000;">The paper’s Twitter account is run by the newsroom. Its Facebook account is run by the paper’s business side.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">More broadly, the newsroom has "abdicated completely the role of strategy," a masthead editor is quoted, speaking of their digital strategy.</span></b></blockquote>
<div>
Here's where better collaboration and shared goals would come into play. More often than not, I hear from colleagues who say that their communications teams have given up on digital/social strategy because of the budgets that marketing departments wield. Done well, it shouldn't be an either/or position, but a collaboration.</div>
<br />
In addition, the report noted that developers, designers and product managers are on the business side at the Times (sidebar from the report: "the perception that their roles were 'on a different side' was a source of confusion"), while at competitors, they are part of the newsroom or report to both teams.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b><span style="color: #38761d;">These colleagues have specialized skills that most editors simply do not possess and they are trained in the processes of turning ideas into successes."</span></b></blockquote>
<br />
Designers seem particularly ostracized and in need of connection to the newsroom:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b><span style="color: #38761d;">...newsroom editors needed to be more engaged when designers are wrestling with major questions about our digital future, like experimenting with personalization, rethinking how we organize our content, and even changing the architecture of stories to meet new needs."</span></b></blockquote>
 The recommendations that are guiding the way at the Times should serve as a recipe for any brand trying to tackle a newsroom/content culture:<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Clarify which reader experience units should be interacting with the newsroom.</li>
<li>Ensure the newsroom is working collaboratively with reader experience.</li>
<li>Hire collaboratively and encourage employees to move freely between the newsroom and reader experience.</li>
<li>Communicate the new message for collaboration broadly.</li>
</ol>
<div>
<br /></div>
<br />
<h3>
<b>Strategy team</b></h3>
The NYT recognizes that most of the newsroom leaders are too focused on delivering content, so there's little focus on the overall strategy.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b><span style="color: #38761d;">"...strategy is becoming such a pressing need at this juncture that it should become a permanent newsroom function, with dedicated staff."</span></b></blockquote>
By creating a small advisory team to watch the competition and give feedback on readers' habits, the newsroom team could be kept informed of developments outside of their purview and the approach could be kept fresh. Interestingly, the backgrounds of those selected is to include <b><i>journalism, technology, user experience, product and analytics</i></b>.<br />
<br />
The strategy group will have a leader who will report to a single person in the newsroom who is senior enough to implement the recommendations from the team. Ideally, the team will serve as a grooming ground for future leaders and will foster the culture of collaboration that is so urgently needed.<br />
<br />
When you think of those who are responsible for content in your organization, how much of your communications or marketing team is focused on the creation and delivery of content versus the strategic, experimental and analytical work to help drive the strategy? Are you a slave to your content demands and constantly trying to meet your metrics? It may be time to step back and look at the bigger picture.<br />
<br />
Old-school goals and metrics have driven the focus at the Times:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b><span style="color: #990000;">including a sense that the Times will simply serve as a destination — leading to a neglect of social promotion. One factor is an obsessive focus on the front page of the print paper, with reporters evaluated in their annual reviews on how many times they’ve made A1."</span></b></blockquote>
<div>
How many of you are judged on traffic to your company's home page / shopping site or by how many top stories you've generated via pitches to major reporters? Or that you have colleagues that seem to be blissfully ignorant of how the digital space is evolving?<br />
<br />
Summarized, the responsibilities of the strategy team are:<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Build a strong team</li>
<li>Tracking the media landscape</li>
<li>Assessing needs and setting priorities</li>
<li>Running experiments and sharing results</li>
</ol>
<br />
<br /></div>
<h3>
<b>Digital First</b></h3>
While it can be argued that the digital progress at the Times has been extraordinary, it's incredibly informative to know that they're still being held back by their traditional processes and thinking: filing stories by print schedules, organizing apps according to print sections, traditional skills being prioritized in hiring.<br />
<br />
They admit:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b><span style="color: #38761d;">The continued profitability of this newspaper has bought us time. But that head start is eroding. Several billionaires have pledged parts of their fortunes to creating digital newsrooms. Start-ups, backed by venture capital, are redefining digital media. And traditional competitors, have moved aggressively to remake themselves as "digital first."</span></b></blockquote>
In defining what digital first means, they note that it's more than simply publishing to the Web before print; it's an all-encompassing strategy. And the transition <b><i>"requires rethinking staffing, structure and work processes from top to bottom."</i></b><br />
<div>
<br />
To date, changes have been incremental and there has been a great deal of frustration internally. While having an "integrated" newsroom was a step, some argued that it isn't enough: <b>"We need to become a digital newsroom, a small subset of which produces a print product."</b></div>
<div>
<br />
Think of that with respect to your own teams and the priorities placed on traditional placements or advertising. We'll wager you could replace "Snowfall" below with any successful initiative or campaign:</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b><span style="color: #38761d;">While we receive accolades for our digital efforts like Snowfall, we nevertheless are at risk of becoming known as a place that does not fully understand, reward, and celebrate digital skills.”</span></b></blockquote>
<br />
The challenge presently is that the leadership lacks the ability to effectively evaluate talent: journalistic skills are overvalued for digital hires and digital skills are undervalued for journalistic hires. And the complaints of the digital employees are well known:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b><span style="color: #38761d;">...their expertise isn't put to good use, [they] have few growth opportunities and believe their bosses do not understand their skills."</span></b></blockquote>
Those who recently left the Times did not see opportunities for growth, as newly open positions were more frequently given to traditional journalists; there seemed to be no career path for digital types. Without more digitally savvy members of the senior leadership team, there is trouble understanding the potential or new career paths for digital team members, and the digital staffers are forced to accept a more traditional role or path.<br />
<br />
There is a danger, according to the report, of continuing the time-honored succession process of leaders. They admit struggling "to groom our digital journalists for leadership, in part because we don't know how to use their skills," and they move traditional journalists into leadership roles - including digital leadership roles. There simply doesn't seem to be any room for helping their digital talent succeed.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #38761d;"><b>This pattern of promotion risks, among other things, sending the message that the only way to move up in the company is through traditional journalism, even on digital career paths."</b></span></blockquote>
<br />
Putting in place leadership that understands digital, its role and its future, will ensure that the fossilized hiring patterns are kept more fluid.<br />
<br />
Beyond cultural and leadership change, it is likely that the very structure of the organization will need to change. An editor of a competing publication said,<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #38761d;"><b>You can't take new talent and put them in old structures where they are second-class citizens. That' is not real change. You must change the structure of power."</b></span></blockquote>
But anything that's built will likely be built for a snapshot in time, rather than built for the ages. Strategy, products, platforms, audience development an analytics are key elements to any newsroom.<br />
<br />
<h4>
<b>Wanted: Makers, Entrepreneurs, Reader Advocates and Zeitgeist Watchers</b></h4>
The company also acknowledged the need to win at talent wars with a tally of skillsets that any business would be fortunate to have in its communications and marketing team members:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b><span style="color: #38761d;">The only way to ensure that [we keep] pace is to build a newsroom with a deeper and broader mix of digital talents: technologists, user experience designers, product managers, data analysts and, most of all, digitally inclined reporters and editors."</span></b></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b><span style="color: #38761d;">...we want makers, who build tools to streamline our newsgathering; entrepreneurs, who know what it takes to launch new digital efforts; reader advocates, who ensure that we are designing useful products that meet our subscribers' changing needs; and zeitgeist watchers, who have a sixth sense for the shifting technology and behavior. <i>Most of all, we need those rare - and sought after - talents who can check off many of those boxes</i>."</span></b></blockquote>
<br />
How the Times plans to focus on its digital first imperative:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><b>De-emphasize print</b></li>
<ul>
<li>Shift away from Page One, creating additional measures of success</li>
<li>Ask editors to read more like readers</li>
<li>Rethink the competition</li>
<li>Make digital a key part of evaluations</li>
</ul>
<li><b>Assess digital needs</b></li>
<ul>
<li>Assess capabilities of each group</li>
<li>Make the newsroom flexible and responsive to the developing industry</li>
<li>Add digital specialists to staffing committee</li>
<li>Maintain a list of the best digital talent and court them</li>
<li>Acknowledge that digital talent is in high demand and be prepared to accommodate that with more money, persuasion and freedom</li>
<li>Find ways to empower current digital staff</li>
<li>Let employees transfer between newsroom and operational units</li>
<li>Identify rising stars, show them they're appreciated, help develop their careers</li>
<li>Make a star hire</li>
</ul>
<li><b>Explore more serious steps</b></li>
<ul>
<li>Task force on digital-first excellence</li>
<li>Digital fellowship program to attract new talent</li>
</ul>
</ul>
<br />
<h2>
<b>Conclusion</b></h2>
On the one hand, it may seem jarring that so venerable an institution as the Grey Lady is undergoing such self-scrutiny. However, the fact that they're taking the time to assess and address the issues themselves - and quite deeply, we might add - is encouraging.<br />
<br />
While the Times may not have all of the answers, we think that they raise the appropriate questions and chart a course that is bold and different, rather than the tweaks here and there. Will it be successful? On behalf of journalism and brand newsrooms, we certainly hope so. The Times is a leader and will be viewed as such for a long time.<br />
<br />
Brands should pay close attention and give the report a full read. While we live in the era of <a href="http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/tldr" target="_blank">tl;dr</a>, it's essential reading for anyone who thinks of himself or herself as a digital leader.<br />
<br />
<br />
<i>Image credit: <a href="https://flic.kr/p/e8tn9p" target="_blank">Alex Perkins (Flickr)</a></i><br />
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What Brands Can Learn from the Bombshell New York Times Innovation Report

This week, an internal report on the digital health of the New York Times was leaked. While many may write this off as an analysis of mod...

This Week in Digital - May 9, 2014

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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MhKvSJCh40s/U2035Ha21XI/AAAAAAAATFE/FfNUL9Lw_lo/s1600/Promise+Rings+and+Broken+Promises+-+Thomas+Hawk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Omnicom and Publicis couldn't keep things together - promises broken" border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MhKvSJCh40s/U2035Ha21XI/AAAAAAAATFE/FfNUL9Lw_lo/s1600/Promise+Rings+and+Broken+Promises+-+Thomas+Hawk.jpg" title="Promise Rings and Promises Broken by Thomas Hawk" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
The merger that wasn't, the ads that Facebook doesn't want you to see, the importance of video and the rise of podcasting, from hashtag to shopping cart, hooking up or linking in, Tumblr needs traction with Madison Ave.,  the FTC cracks down on Snapchat, the NLRB may have something to say about your social media policy, Kevin Spacey on storytelling and more, it's This Week in Digital.<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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<br /></div>
<div>
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<h4>
Industry </h4>
<br />
<ul>
<li>The Omincom / Publicis <a href="http://adage.com/article/agency-news/publicis-omnicom-call-mega-merger/293119/">merger fell through amid complexities</a>. (AdAge)</li>
<li>Audio and video content are becoming a more significant part of publishers' evolving strategies.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/05/business/media/slate-raising-its-investment-in-podcasts.html?ref=media&_r=0">Slate will start two new daily podcasts next week</a> - one financial in nature, the other centered on news and commentary.</li>
<li>Both the <a href="http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/media/2014/05/8544734/emwsjem-unveils-digital-video-portal-called-signal">Wall Street Journal</a> and <a href="http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/media/2014/05/8544644/time-inc-build-standalone-portal-video">Time, Inc.</a> will build standalone video portals. (NY Times and Capital New York)</li>
<li>Stitcher has created a <a href="http://www.fastcompany.com/3030236/most-innovative-companies/listen-later-introducing-stitchers-instapaper-for-audio?partner=newsletter">Listen Later playlist feature</a> with its "Instapaper for audio" function. (Fast Company)</li>
<li>Chinese e-commerce giant <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/business/2014/may/06/china-alibaba-us-ipo">Alibaba filed for an IPO in the US</a>. Some are positing that it may be the largest IPO ever seen. (The Guardian)</li>
<li>Amazon launched <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAm6pa9hPKA">Amazon Cart</a>, which will allow customers to reply to a tweet containing an Amazon product and use the #AmazonCart hashtag to automatically place that item in their shopping cart. (Amazon) </li>
</ul>
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<br />
<h4>
Platforms</h4>
<br />
<ul>
<li>Twitter</li>
<ul>
<li>Last week, Twitter was supposedly dying. <a href="http://www.convinceandconvert.com/social-media-research/what-fresh-statistics-tell-us-about-twitters-decline/">This week it's not</a>. Its MoPub acquisition last year is poised to make mobile ads much more lucrative and the company is finding new ways to capitalize on its vast audience. (Slate)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.convinceandconvert.com/social-media-research/what-fresh-statistics-tell-us-about-twitters-decline/">Another look at the numbers</a> puts it in perspective: 16% of the market is not too shabby. (Convince and Convert)</li>
</ul>
<li>Google</li>
<ul>
<li>A new feature in <a href="http://mashable.com/2014/05/05/google-now-product/">Google Now will alert you if you're near a product</a> you've researched online. (Mashable)</li>
</ul>
<li>LinkedIn</li>
<ul>
<li>LinkedIn's challenge ahead in China: <a href="http://www.techinasia.com/linkedins-biggest-obstacle-china-censorship-culture/">not censorship, but culture</a>. The Chinese are not given to as much sharing and transparency as Western business culture. (Tech in Asia)</li>
<li>Did you know that now you can do more than just link in? <a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/atwork/2014/05/05/linkedin-dating-app-like-tinder/">LinkedUp! is an app akin to Tinder</a> that allows you to check the professional credibility of your date by syncing with LinkedIn. (WSJ At Work)</li>
</ul>
<li>Weibo's CEO has <a href="http://thenextweb.com/asia/2014/05/05/weibo-ceo-paints-a-twitter-like-vision-for-his-company-but-doesnt-mention-censorship/">a Twitter-like vision for his company</a>. Hopefully without Chinese censorship. (The Next Web)</li>
<li>Tumblr is having difficulty <a href="http://digiday.com/platforms/year-acquisition-media-buyers-still-reticent-tumblr-ads/">convincing advertisers of the benefit of its platform</a>. (Digiday)</li>
<li><a href="http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2014/05/08/delicious-social-site-is-sold-by-youtube-founders/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0">Delicious has been sold again</a>, this time to Science, Inc., which plans to use it as an anchor to a portfolio of mobile content companies.</li>
<li>Ads for underwear manufacturer <a href="http://allfacebook.com/meundies_b131513">MeUndies have fallen under intense scrutiny by Facebook</a> because of their risqué content. Their creative director is having the last laugh, though. (All Facebook)</li>
</ul>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9vU2v6MX8NY/U203Su68o6I/AAAAAAAATE0/8tZdXxV42CA/s1600/meundies-ad1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="MeUndies and the Facebook censorship" border="0" height="314" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9vU2v6MX8NY/U203Su68o6I/AAAAAAAATE0/8tZdXxV42CA/s1600/meundies-ad1.jpg" title="MeUndies gets revenge on Facebook" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<h4>
Measurement/Metrics/Big Data </h4>
<br />
<ul>
<li>From the guy who literally wrote the book on Social Media ROI, here's a chance to <a href="http://olivierblanchard.net/reboot-social-media-program-likes-roi-part-1/">reboot your social media program, from likes to ROI</a>. (Olivier Blanchard)</li>
<li>Never a shrinking violet, the <a href="http://adage.com/article/media/ana-time-governing-authority-media-measurement/293041/?ttl=1399944863">Association of National Advertisers (ANA) is pushing for governing authority</a> to improve media measurement. The justification: "we're spending the money." (AdAge)</li>
<li><a href="http://recode.net/2014/05/05/optimizely-raises-57m-to-stamp-out-hippos-and-turn-data-into-action/">Optimizely uses data to help test versions of websites</a>, moving away from HIPPO-based (highest paid person's opinion) decision making. (re/code)</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<h4>
Legal/HR </h4>
<br />
<ul>
<li>The FTC ruled that <a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/snapchat-gets-20-years-scrutiny-over-ftc-privacy-charges-n100661">Snapchat violated its own privacy policies</a> and as a result must submit to monitoring for 20 years. The messaging platform will not have to pay any fines. (NBC News)</li>
<li>Google, Facebook, Twitter and AOL are teaming up to <a href="http://recode.net/2014/05/07/internet-firms-launch-effort-to-expose-deceptive-ads/?mkt_tok=3RkMMJWWfF9wsRonu6nPZKXonjHpfsX54uUuT%2Frn28M3109ad+rmPBy+2oMFWp8na+qWCgseOrQ8mFkIV8izUs0TrKM%3D#038;utm_medium=email%26%23038;utm_campaign=rc_email_daily">help protect consumers from deceptive advertising online</a> with TrustInAds.org. (re/code)</li>
<li>The NLRB has struck down some <a href="http://www.mondaq.com/unitedstates/x/309730/employee+rights+labour+relations/NLRB+ALJ+Strikes+Down+Portions+Of+Krogers+Online+Communications+Policy">provisions of employee communications policies</a> - particularly those requiring disclosure of affiliation with their employer. Related: here are <a href="http://holtz.com/blog/internal/the-four-core-elements-of-your-employee-social-media-policy-that-may-be-ill/4332/">four core elements of your social media policy that may be illegal</a>. (Mondaq and Holtz Communications)</li>
<li>Want to know <a href="http://www.searchenginejournal.com/new-app-reveals-much-information-youre-giving-facebook/104321/">how much information you're giving away</a> on Facebook? A new app called <a href="http://www.digitalshadow.com/">Digital Shadow</a> will tell you. It was launched as a promotion to the upcoming video game Watch Dogs. (Search Engine Journal)</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<h4>
Content </h4>
<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://millennialceo.com/innovation/kevin-spacey-storytelling-age-disruption/">Kevin Spacey continues to dazzle everyone</a> with his keen understanding of storytelling and disruption. (Millennial CEO)</li>
<li>Scribewise thinks that brands have an opportunity to <a href="http://contently.com/strategist/2014/04/28/can-brands-ride-the-explanatory-journalism-wave-a-brand-newsroom-brainstorm-with-scribewises-john-miller/">succeed with explanatory journalism</a>. (Contently)</li>
<li>Here's how one publisher <a href="http://blog.bufferapp.com/power-of-story">got 300% more people to read their content</a>. (Buffer)</li>
<li>Real-time marketing is overrated. A better approach? <a href="http://darmano.typepad.com/logic_emotion/2014/05/re-thinkreal-time.html">Content strategy</a>. (Logic + Emotion)</li>
</ul>
<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--6_lIK9Z920/U203r4Cy6cI/AAAAAAAATE8/kUGv4H25mck/s1600/Content+team+structure.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="474" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--6_lIK9Z920/U203r4Cy6cI/AAAAAAAATE8/kUGv4H25mck/s1600/Content+team+structure.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<h4>
Essential Reading/Watching/Listening </h4>
<br />
<ul>
<li>This week at a lecture at Harvard, Andrew Sullivan tore up the earned media world with a controversial talk: "<a href="http://digiday.com/publishers/andrew-sullivan-native-ads/">How Advertising Defeated Journalism</a>," in which he  opined that because journalists haven't figured out how to drive subscriptions to their content, sites that rely on advertising are more successful. He also has some choice words for native advertising, sponsored content and branded content, calling it "naughty." (Digiday)</li>
<li>David Armano takes another angle, arguing that the average person doesn't discern between paid and earned media. To them, it's  about content, and <a href="http://darmano.typepad.com/logic_emotion/2014/05/native.html">it's the responsibility of journalists (and brands) to burnish their reputation</a>. (Logic + Emotion)</li>
<li>For a look at how we got where we are, a look at two decades of warning from a former P&G CEO reflects on <a href="http://adage.com/article/digital/tech-a-bite-ad-industry/293020/">how tech took a bite out of the advertising industry</a>. (AdAge)</li>
</ul>
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<i>Image credit: <a href="https://flic.kr/p/7y98Sp" target="_blank">Thomas Hawk (Flickr)</a></i><br />
--<br />
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This Week in Digital - May 9, 2014

The merger that wasn't, the ads that Facebook doesn't want you to see, the importance of video and the rise of podcasting, from h...

Changes in the C-Suite — What Do They Mean For Marketers’ Future?

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[Guest post by Larry Weber and Lisa Leslie Henderson.]</div>
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There is a shake-up taking place in the C-suite. It happens
every time there is a game-changing disruption in the marketplace. Today
companies are introducing several new C-level positions: the chief customer
officer, chief experience officer, chief design officer, chief innovation
officer, chief insight officer, chief analytics officer, and the chief digital
officer. The threads running through all of these new positions are a piercing
focus on customers, the imperative for companies to distinguish themselves on
basis of their customer experience, and a desire to better understanding
current, emerging, and future demand to fuel innovation. These new C-level
positions also reflect senior managers’ conviction that these tasks require organizational
capabilities beyond that of today’s marketing departments. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<h4>
It's all about the customer</h4>
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The chief customer officer (CCO, or the chief experience
officer or chief customer experience officer), for example, is charged with
understanding and enhancing the customer experience across the entire customer
journey. This begins with a potential
customer’s awareness of a need or desire; continues with his or her  discovery of various companies' solutions;
includes lead generation, nurturing, and potential purchase; incorporates customer service, ongoing engagement,
and loyalty programs; and often includes
collaboration efforts—co-creation, co-servicing, and  advocacy — with customers. Senior managers
with extensive experience that span operations, quality control, marketing, and
information systems are filling these roles. Their rich and varied backgrounds
provide them with the credibility and networks to lead the effort across
functions, business units, and broader partner ecosystem; the majority report
directly to the CEO. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<h4>
Leading with design</h4>
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The chief design officer (CDO) is charged with infusing
design principles and methodology throughout the organization. In this
instance, design is not about making products more beautiful or enhancing the
cleverness of marketing. Rather, it is about expanding the way that strategy is
developed with creative thinking, and putting the customer, rather than the
company, and the center of innovation.  A
new role, the CDO position tends to be awarded to designers with many years of product
and process development experience, often gained in consultative roles with
innovation firms like IDEO. Catalysts for change, they are creative thinkers
and strong leaders, skilled in running effective innovation processes, and able
to inspire and equip everyone within the company to think like a designer. Most
CDOs report directly to the CEO; some designers are CEOs. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<h4>
Innovating the way to the future</h4>
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Today’s Chief Innovation Officer (CInO) is closely related
to the CDO, with responsibility for future generation of revenue and profits.
In the past, winning innovation strategies included incremental, share-taking
enhancements or cost saving reductions. With the fat now out of the system,
competition coming from  four corners of
the globe, and the half-life of business models declining, companies must
transform themselves into vibrant platforms upon which they can continually  develop and test new products and services
that have the potential to build or transform industries. Cultivation of
purposeful networks of partners who share the costs, risks, and development of
these offerings is central to this platform-based innovation strategy. CInOS
often report to the head of R&D or the CEO; in some instances both the
Chief Marketing Officer and the Chief Information Officer are accountable to
the CInO. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<h4>
Data, with a side of insights</h4>
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The role of the chief insight officer, chief analytics officer,
and chief digital officer reflects the growing importance of data and advanced
analytics in companies’ ability to offer a remarkable customer experience. The
insight generated from data and analytics allows companies to prioritize
consumers; predict what they may want or need next, and design and deliver
individualized-customer interactions across the 
customer journey. Marketers are also able to test hypotheses about
trends in their markets, categories, and adjacent spaces, and to evaluate their
marketing efforts.  Solid executive
leadership is required to fill this role, as he/she must be able to build a
broader analytics foundation than is currently available in most companies.  This includes putting new technology
infrastructure and tools in place to gather disparate data, coordinating data
analytic efforts, building consensus around the focus of business analytics
throughout the organization, and being a champion and enabler of a more
data-driven mind-set across departments. This person also has to be obsessed
with customers and committed to driving business results with data in real
time. <o:p></o:p></div>
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With all these new C-level titles, is there room for a CMO
in the C-suite? Absolutely. Indeed, the CMO role could morph into any of these
roles, if marketers develop the requisite skills. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<h4>
The role of the CMO of the future</h4>
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For starters, we need to understand our customers
thoroughly. Drawing upon big and small data, qualitative and quantitative
information, and advanced analytics, we must be able to build a dynamic,
real-time context for our interactions. This is critical, as relevance is
rapidly becoming essential to engagement, not to mention sales, advocacy, or
collaboration. We also need to be able to understand how our customers
experience our brands at all stages of their journey with us. This is a dynamic
proposition as preferences and brand impressions change continuously.  <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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This also necessitates that marketers become experience
architects, able to design and develop relevant experiences that will intrigue,
engage, and perhaps delight our prospects and customers on an ongoing basis. To
do so, we can become adept at experience design and with the basics of behavior
science, to better understand how to elicit a target behavior and to create
habits around our brands. Knowing the ins and outs of marketing automation
makes it possible for us to scale individualized communications across channels
and to incorporate predictive analytics to choose the next best action.
State-of-the-art content marketing strategies, social media engagement, and
effective loyalty program design fuel ongoing engagement. <o:p></o:p></div>
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It is not enough to be familiar with these new tools. Using
them to build customer relationships is essential. Ultimate job security and
satisfaction comes from our ability to transform key-market segments into
relationships with real people who feel a connection with us — and to be able to
do so at scale. This requires us to re- envision our role as marketers to be
one of trusted advisors rather than pushers of 
sales, and to value our customers as partners, rather than transactions.
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Building relationships is a collaborative venture. It
involves managing and integrating multiple moving parts within our own
organizations: customer service, sales, web design, fulfillment, IT,
e-commerce, and more. Each of these parts has to work together consistently to
realize the customer experience differential. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Finally — and this may well be the most complicated part — we
must remain curious experts, not experts who are blinded by their knowledge. As
well as we may know our prospects and customers, we must do what marketing
expert Scott Bedbury, once said: “Show up stupid. Be forever curious.” To be
successful, it is helpful to always look with fresh eyes and to force ourselves
to continually ask potentially naive sounding questions of our colleagues who
may know our prospects and customers differently. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Marketers need to get in the game now and take ownership of
what is to be, not standing back, allowing others to assume marketing’s
responsibilities. Understanding the new
marketing toolkit, and how these tools work together to create remarkable customer experiences will
allow us to meet the challenge, take  advantage
of the opportunities in front of us, and survive C-Suite shakeups.</div>
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  <o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>Larry Weber (<a href="http://twitter.com/thelarryweber" target="_blank">@thelarryweber</a>) and Lisa Leslie Henderson
(<a href="http://twitter.com/ljlhendo" target="_blank">@ljlhendo</a>) are co-authors  of <a href="http://amzn.to/1kMx0Eo" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Digital Marketer: 10 New Skills You Must Learn to Stay Relevant and  Customer-Centric</a> (April 2014). Be a part of
the conversation at <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23thedigitalmarketer&src=typd" target="_blank">#thedigitalmarketer</a> and
<a href="http://thedigitalmarketer.racepointglobal.com/">http://thedigitalmarketer.racepointglobal.com</a>. </i><o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>Image credit: <a href="https://flic.kr/p/hT9nnA" target="_blank">"Empty Boardroom" by reynermedia (Flickr)</a></i></div>
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Changes in the C-Suite — What Do They Mean For Marketers’ Future?

[Guest post by Larry Weber and Lisa Leslie Henderson.] There is a shake-up taking place in the C-suite. It happens every time the...

This Week in Digital - May 1, 2014

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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-j3YT35ZSzTQ/U2L3O2aJj-I/AAAAAAAAS3Q/YVB7d3F99bk/s1600/Spirit+-+Thomas+Hawk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The looming clouds over San Francisco represent the looming negativity around social networks" border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-j3YT35ZSzTQ/U2L3O2aJj-I/AAAAAAAAS3Q/YVB7d3F99bk/s1600/Spirit+-+Thomas+Hawk.jpg" title=""Spirit" by Thomas Hawk" width="640" /></a></div>
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A tale of resurgent poultry, Russia singles out bloggers, Twitter's Q1 earnings disappoint, speculation - and nothing but speculation - around Google+, Foursquare divided by two, data driving marketing, the continued evolution of content marketing, the state of community management, a hidden message in Google's latest patent filing and general doom and gloom for social networks, it's This Week in Digital.<br />
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A roundup of relevant links affecting our industry.<br />
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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. <a href="http://www.feedblitz.com/f/f.fbz?AddNewUserDirect" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Subscribe here</a>.<br />
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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" target="_blank">This Week in Digital Magazine</a>.<br />
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Industry </h4>
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<li>To the extent that there can be nostalgia in social media, Burger King is capturing it with <a href="http://e.ccialerts.com/a/hBTXjTPAHJQfmAUDSLFBoRv4J4F/clck661" target="_blank">a resurrection of SubservientChicken.com</a>.  (CNN) </li>
<li>In advance of its <a href="http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304788404579522110086877156?mod=WSJ_hp_LEFTWhatsNewsCollection&mg=reno64-wsj&cb=logged0.6471045797225088" target="_blank">potential record-setting IPO</a> in the US, Chinese ecommerce company <a href="http://www.techinasia.com/alibaba-invests-over-billion-dollars-in-youku-tudou-for-video-content/" target="_blank">Alibaba has acquired Youku</a>, a Chinese version of YouTube, for $1.2 billion. (WSJ and Tech in Asia) </li>
<li>Russia is cracking down on online critics, <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/putin-foes-fear-internet-crackdown-blogger-law-sails-152919266--sector.html;_ylt=AqaBp2EJS5KXsExEbqDwAZ_QtDMD;_ylu=X3oDMTBsMDM3a2wyBGNvbG8DZ3ExBHBvcwM0BHNlYwNzcg--" target="_blank">passing a law that puts strict rules on bloggers</a> in an effort to lessen opposition to President Vladimir Putin and his policies. (Reuters) </li>
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Platforms </h4>
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<li><b>Facebook </b></li>
<ul>
<li>Facebook held its f8 conference this week, announcing <a href="http://newsroom.fb.com/news/2014/04/f8-introducing-anonymous-login-and-an-updated-facebook-login/" target="_blank">Anonymous Login</a>, giving users the ability to try an app without sharing any of their personal information. (Facebook) </li>
<li>Other smaller announcements such as Send to Mobile and App Links indicate <a href="http://www.fastcodesign.com/3029930/how-facebook-is-streamlining-the-web?partner=newsletter" target="_blank">a more streamlined web experience</a>. (Fast Co Design) </li>
<li><a href="http://www.wired.com/2014/04/zuckerberg-f8-interview/" target="_blank">In an interview</a>, Mark Zuckerberg focused on the evolution of Facebook's relationship with developers, the maturation of the business and integration. (Wired) </li>
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<li><b>Twitter </b></li>
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<li><a href="http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-04-29/twitter-tweets-a-disappointing-earnings-report" target="_blank">Twitter issued its second earnings report on Tuesday</a>, with disappointing results. While advertising revenue was strong - up 125 percent over last year - its user growth was not as robust, growing only 25 percent last quarter, which was lower than the 30 percent seen in the previous quarter. Twitter's stock dropped by 12 percent at the opening bell on Wednesday. (Bloomberg Businessweek) </li>
<li>That prompted the same type of speculation around the product's future, just as we saw for Google+ last week, including <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/04/a-eulogy-for-twitter/361339/" target="_blank">a Eulogy for Twitter</a>. (The Atlantic) </li>
<li>Twitter has been considered a strong adjunct for television, but an NBC executive took the wind out of that argument, indicating that <a href="http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/1ac5e370-cbfc-11e3-a934-00144feabdc0,Authorised=false.html?_i_location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ft.com%2Fcms%2Fs%2F0%2F1ac5e370-cbfc-11e3-a934-00144feabdc0.html%3Fftcamp%3Dcrm%2Femail%2F2014428%2Fnbe%2FMediaInternet%2Fproduct%26siteedition%3Dintl&siteedition=intl&ftcamp=crm/email/2014428/nbe/MediaInternet/product&_i_referer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thehubcomms.com%2Fnbcuniversal-exec-criticizes-twitters-pitch-to-tv-but-heres-why-hes-wrong%2Farticle%2F344552%2F" target="_blank">television does more for Twitter than vice versa</a>. Twitter CEO Dick Costolo rebutted that argument,  saying that there is "<a href="http://recode.net/2014/04/29/twitter-and-tv-is-working-just-fine-says-twitter/" target="_blank">a two-way complementary relationship between Twitter and TV</a>." (Financial Times and re/code) </li>
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<li><b>Google </b></li>
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<li>After last week's news, the <a href="http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2014/04/report-google-to-end-forced-g-integration-drastically-cut-division-resources/?kw=100k_pvs&search=100k_pvs" target="_blank">media speculated widely</a> about the future of the social layer of Google; but <a href="http://www.amandablain.com/google-plus-ghost-town/" target="_blank">one commentary skewered them all</a> for being veiled opinion pieces that lacked even a single interview with a source at Google. (Ars Technica and Amanda Blain) </li>
<li>After Vic Gundotra's departure last week, the search giant was seemingly unprepared for the wave of media coverage; <a href="http://www.shiftcomm.com/2014/04/google-communications-presumption-product-death/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=shifthappens-04-30-14" target="_blank">having a strong communications plan in place</a> should be a priority. (SHIFT Communications) </li>
</ul>
<li>LinkedIn surveyed more than 14,000 senior leaders on its platform from 16 countries and was able to develop the <a href="http://blog.linkedin.com/2014/04/23/linkedin-economic-confidence-outlook/?utm_content=buffer35dd1" target="_blank">LinkedIn Economic Confidence Outlook for 2014</a>, which is mixed but optimistic. (LinkedIn) </li>
<li><a href="http://blog.snapchat.com/post/84407744185/putting-the-chat-into-snapchat" target="_blank">Snapchat is moving beyond visuals</a> as it adds a chat function, live video, as well as a Stories feature that allows users to create a chronological order of their narratives. (Snapchat) </li>
<li><a href="http://readwrite.com/2014/04/24/pinterest-guided-search-discovery-ben-silbermann" target="_blank">Pinterest is launching visual search</a>, in a direct challenge to Google. (Read Write) </li>
<li><a href="http://www.theverge.com/2014/5/1/5666062/foursquare-swarm-new-app" target="_blank">Foursquare will split its app into two</a>: the existing Foursquare app will shed the check-in feature and focus only on exploration and discovery, while the new app, called Swarm, will be a social heatmap that will help users find friends nearby and check in to share their location. (The Verge) </li>
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<li><i>For those of you following along at home, four squared divided by two equals 8.</i> </li>
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<li>It seems that marketers are getting <a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/cmo/2014/04/29/instagram-is-great-for-marketers-but-probably-not-for-long/" target="_blank">better response rates on Instagram</a>. But how long with that last, given marketers' proclivity to overdo it on every platform? (WSJ - CMO Today)  </li>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1cTsVtpLljg/Uk7VwvQE38I/AAAAAAAAJkY/H0hKhMhp6PE/s1600/Lets+ruin+something+with+advertising+-+Someecards.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1cTsVtpLljg/Uk7VwvQE38I/AAAAAAAAJkY/H0hKhMhp6PE/s1600/Lets+ruin+something+with+advertising+-+Someecards.jpg" /></a></div>
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Measurement/Metrics/Big Data</h4>
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<li><a href="http://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/articles/secrets-of-the-math-men.html#utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2014-apr-think-letter-D&utm_source=lcs_brand_500_prac&utm_content=secrets-of-the-math-men" target="_blank">Performance-driven marketing</a>  uses data to help build brands and deliver tailored experiences for individual customers. (Google Think)</li>
<li>Here are <a href="https://econsultancy.com/blog/64699-five-ways-listening-to-social-data-can-help-your-business" target="_blank">five ways listening to social data can help your business</a>, with a helpful analogy that we've all found ourselves in: people who ignore what you've been saying and go on only to talk about themselves. (Econsultancy)</li>
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<h4>
Legal/HR</h4>
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<li>The <a href="http://www.digitalandcontentsurvey.com/2014-survey/" target="_blank">2014 State of Digital and Content Marketing Survey</a> has found that the legal profession is overwhelmed with information, yet in-house counsel still pace great value on lawyer-authored blogs.  There is room for well thought-out content strategies for lawyers that follow the principles of corporate journalism. (Greentarget)</li>
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<iframe class="scribd_iframe_embed" data-aspect-ratio="0.772922022279349" data-auto-height="false" frameborder="0" height="600" id="doc_59448" scrolling="no" src="//www.scribd.com/embeds/220602359/content?start_page=1&view_mode=scroll&access_key=key-tn8cjit4hluanraq618&show_recommendations=true" width="100%"></iframe><br />
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Content</h4>
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<li><a href="http://contently.com/strategist/2014/05/01/a-deep-look-inside-the-coca-cola-newsroom-if-this-wasnt-successful-we-would-pull-the-plug/" target="_blank">A look deep inside the Coca-Cola newsroom</a> indicates it's very successful. (Contently)</li>
<li>Content marketing is constantly evolving. In <a href="http://contentmarketinginstitute.com/2014/04/relentless-evolution-content-marketing/" target="_blank">this episode of PNR This Old Marketing podcast</a>, Joe and Robert review changes to Google Analytics, the future of Facebook for marketers, newsrooms and more. (Content Marketing Institute)</li>
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<h4>
Essential Reading/Watching/Listening</h4>
<ul>
<li>The 5th annual <a href="http://www.communityroundtable.com/community-maturity-model/announcing-state-community-management-2014/" target="_blank">State of Community Management Report</a> has been published. Findings indicate that standardization is still a ways off, but there is considerable more maturity in the market than previously seen. (Community Roundtable)</li>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="356" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/embed_code/33797589?rel=0" style="border-width: 1px 1px 0; border: 1px solid #CCC; margin-bottom: 5px; max-width: 100%;" width="550"> </iframe> <br />
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<strong> <a href="https://www.slideshare.net/rhappe/the-state-of-community-management-2014" target="_blank" title="The State of Community Management 2014">The State of Community Management 2014</a> </strong> from <strong><a href="http://www.slideshare.net/rhappe" target="_blank">The Community Roundtable</a></strong> </div>
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<ul>
<li>This may seem overly technical, but it's extremely important to read. A patent filed by Google indicated something critical that data sleuth Christopher Penn pulled out: that <a href="http://www.shiftcomm.com/2014/05/google-validates-that-pr-is-seo-in-patent-filing/" target="_blank">part of Google's algorithm for SEO includes implied links to brands</a> - i.e., mentions of brands in media stories. (SHIFT Communications)</li>
<li>Between the hyperbolic death watch of Google+, the lackluster growth of Twitter and Facebook's unbundling strategy, it shouldn't be a surprise to come across a piece that delves into <a href="http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9247925/Why_the_social_networks_are_falling_apart" target="_blank">why the social networks are falling apart</a>. But are they? (Computerworld)</li>
<li>Jimmy Fallon is notorious for staging Lip Sync Battles with some of his guests. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLBSoC_2IY8" target="_blank">This week he met his match</a> in Emma Stone and the video racked up over 5 million views in two days - and nearly 11 million at the time of publishing this piece.</li>
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<i>Image credit: "Spirit" by Thomas Hawk (<a href="https://flic.kr/p/nqA14d" target="_blank">Flickr</a>)</i><br />
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This Week in Digital - May 1, 2014

A tale of resurgent poultry, Russia singles out bloggers, Twitter's Q1 earnings disappoint, speculation - and nothing but speculati...

Scott Monty - Strategic Communications & Leadership Advisor