Statistics on global social and digital scene, frequency of social platform use, a teen's firsthand take on which platforms are essential, Amazon heads to the movies, Snapchat unapologetically charges an obscene fee for ads, Twitter conquers FOMO, Ubernomics is a thing and we should be concerned, why hearing is believing, what to do with all of that big data, how the New York Times is coming along with its digital transformation and more, it's This Week in Digital.
A roundup of relevant links affecting our industry.
Each week, I compose a newsletter that includes a series of links about current events and trends in the worlds of technology, business, digital communications and marketing in order to keep leaders up to date on changes, newsworthy items and content that might be useful in your job. And now you have the option of subscribing just to this newsletter if you wish.
If you’re on Flipboard, you can get these links by subscribing to the This Week in Digital Magazine.
Industry
- A two-parter on a teenager's view of social media is an interesting look - if only a single data point - into how the networks fare in the eyes of those under 20. tl;dr - Facebook is dead, Instagram is king, they're just as befuddled by Twitter as you, Snapchat is up and coming, Tumblr is great for anonymity, Medium is the preferred blogging platform, Google+ is a ghost town, and YouTube, Vine and Reddit are places where they consume a lot of content. (Medium)
- And what would a opinion piece be without criticism from a sociologist? (GigaOm)
- A new report indicates that if you want to reach Millenials, reach for Snapchat, with the best breakdown of Snapchat user data and demographics that we've seen yet. (eMarketer)
- Related: Snapchat is charging brands $750,000 per ad. Why? Because it can. (Adweek)
- Netflix took on original programming, but Amazon is going one further by committing to making 12 motion pictures a year for theatrical release. (Business Insider)
- It should be no surprise that more people use multiple social media sites than previously. Here's the latest research on exactly what's popular, the frequency of use, and cross-platform use of social media platforms. (Pew Internet)
- One of the most comprehensive updates on the global digital and social industry is out. There are breakdowns by region, country, device, ecommerce, social, digital, time spent, web traffic and much more. (We Are Social)
Platforms
- With an increasing focus on video and on native advertising, you knew it was only a matter of time before Facebook's native video ads became a thing. (eMarketer)
- Facebook is clamping down on junk content and has changed its algorithm to show fewer hoaxes. (Facebook)
- Yammer now has a significant competitor in Facebook at Work. (re/code)
- Is Facebook the new AOL? (The Verge)
- If so, what will replace it? (Businesses Grow)
- Take that, FOMO! The "While You Were Away" feature is rolling out on Twitter, surfacing tweets that you may have missed on those few moments you take the phone away from your face. (Twitter)
- Flipboard is getting into the native ad business with its "Promoted Items." (re/code)
- Pinterest has a challenge: with still 71% its user base as female (and 42% of the female Internet population using it), it needs to man up. (WSJ)
- Forrester Research says Pinterest needs to get its house in order - particularly around ad targeting - before chasing more ad revenue. (Target Marketing Mag)
- The numbers are in for Google+ and they don't look too encouraging: just 9% of Google's 2.2 billion active users. (Business Insider)
- It seems counter-intuitive as the world is becoming increasingly mobile, but WhatsApp is now available through a web browser. (WhatsApp)
- Not all channels are created the same. Have you considered your multi-channel social media strategy? (SHIFT Communications)
Collaborative Economy
- Uber
- Worth a deep read is this piece on what is being called "Ubernomics." The theory is that Uber and other ride sharing services are not financially sustainable and will erode the entire transportation sector over time. (Bob Sullivan)
- To that point: Uber wants to create 50,000 jobs and take 400,000 vehicles off the road in Europe this year. (re/code)
- Uber is getting into the logistics business in Hong Kong with Uber Cargo. (TechCrunch)
- Uber and Lyft drivers love reading the Rideshare Guy's blog. He's got some of the most consistently good advice about how to get the most out of working for the ridesharing companies. (Wired)
- The messaging app Line is getting into ridesharing in Japan to compete with the others. (Venture Beat)
- Airbnb wants prettier photos, so it's using scanning technology to enhance them. (Mashable)
- Need money for an app? No, there's not an app for that. But there's advice on getting your app crowdfunded. (Crowdfunding Hacks)
- Jeremiah Owyang continues to provide updates to his Collaborative Economy spreadsheets. The latest contain funding, industry stats and brand deployments. (Web Strategy)
Audio
- Reddit is getting into podcasting with Upvoted, a show that delves deeper into the stories that have been the most popular on the link-sharing and discovery site. (Fast Company)
- The simplicity of audio is turning out to be a big advantage for those who love telling stories. And some new books are going audio-only. Podcasting is leading audio back to prominence. (New York Times)
Metrics / Measurement / Big Data
- We've previously said that big data is like the weather: everyone's talking about it, but no one's doing anything about it. Turns out that extracting real insight and gaining trust are critical - but not easy. A new report explores what to do with all of this big data. (Altimeter Group)
- More advanced skills and front line employees mean a bigger impact from big data. (McKinsey)
- If you're a communicator, you need to learn Google Analytics. Christopher Penn gets into the whats and whys. (PR News)
- Finally realizing that its viewership have jobs, CNBC is no longer using Nielsen to measure out of home viewers. (WSJ)
Legal / HR
- The top mistake that even seasoned social media marketers make is one that can be easily overcome. (MarketingProfs)
- Mark Zuckerberg promised more sharing and connections. Turns out that it may work against certain people, as Facebook content is now used in over 33% of divorce cases. (The Mirror)
Content
- Storytelling isn't - or shouldn't be - a platitude from content marketers. Stories actually change our brains. (Aeon)
- It should be no surprise that the Consumer Electronics Show resulted in some far-fetched as well as some practical tech advancements. Well, here are some tech trends that will affect content development. (Contently)
- Having trouble with your content marketing efforts? You might not be committed enough. Either you're all-in or you're out. (AdAge)
When You Have Time: Essential Reading / Listening / Watching
- Uber has many supporters, including a legion of amateur economists that have risen to its defense. However, professional economists see things a little differently. The 6 reasons Ubernomics could be fatal to itself, its customers and mass transit. (Bob Sullivan)
- President Obama gave his State of the Union address this week, and the content was seemingly everywhere. David Armano looks at how the White House dominated a fractured modern media landscape. (Medium)
- Last year, we analyzed the New York Times digital report in detail. How has the Gray Lady fared since then? A look inside the NY Times' audience development strategy gives us a sense. (Digiday)
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