Scott Monty

The Week in Digital - July 26, 2015

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An amazing week for Amazon, an unfaithful tech wizard at Ashley Madison, a real-life remote control causes Fiat Chrysler to issue a software update, mergers and acquisitions in the telecommunications, mobile and analytics industries, Google can track you even more closely, scheduling real-time ads in advance, the difficulty of wooing YouTube stars, the latest GMOOT* app, how content can drive a massive brand lift, strategy trumps technology in digital success and more, it's <b>The Week in Digital</b>.<br />
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A roundup of relevant links affecting our industry.<br />
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Each week, we 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. Please subscribe - either to <a href="http://www.feedblitz.com/f/?sub=95082" target="_blank">the full feed</a> or <a href="http://www.feedblitz.com/f?sub=968961" target="_blank">just to this newsletter</a> to keep up to date on developments.<br />
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If you’re on Flipboard, you can get these links - and additional ones - by subscribing to the <i><a href="http://smonty.co/flipdigital" target="_blank">The Week in Digital Magazine</a></i> at <a href="http://smonty.co/flipdigital" target="_blank">smonty.co/flipdigital</a>.<br />
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News items are in regular text; <i>additional commentary has been added in italics</i>.<br />
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<b>Industry</b></h4>
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<li>It was a big week for Amazon, which announced a profitable second quarter - <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/sell-side-analysts-reaction-to-amazon-q2-earnings-2015-7" target="_blank">a surprise to many Wall Street analysts</a>.</li>
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<li>After-hours trading drove the online retailer to <a href="http://qz.com/462605/amazon-is-now-bigger-than-walmart/" target="_blank">a higher valuation than Wal-Mart</a> on Thursday.</li>
<li>The company also announced an <a href="http://techcrunch.com/2015/07/22/amazon-expands-its-on-demand-home-services-marketplace-adds-support-for-custom-service-requests/#.fvmhl3:bnJG" target="_blank">expansion of Amazon Home Services</a> in a number of markets, for people looking for professional services.</li>
<li>And the grocery business is up next as <a href="http://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/news/2015/07/23/exclusive-amazon-planning-drive-up-grocery-stores.html?page=all" target="_blank">Amazon is planning drive-up grocery stores</a>.</li>
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<li>Recent research from the Society of Digital Agencies (first reported in our <a href="http://www.scottmonty.com/2015/05/this-week-in-digital-may-17-2015.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">May 17, 2015 issue</a>) indicates that there has been a 27% increase in the number of companies that no longer work with external agencies. Take a look at <a href="http://www.businessesgrow.com/2015/07/20/marketing-in-house/" target="_blank">five reasons companies are bringing their marketing in house</a>.</li>
<li>Expect better mobile crisis communications at the enterprise level as <a href="http://venturebeat.com/2015/07/22/blackberry-acquires-athoc-to-help-improve-crisis-communications-in-enterprises/" target="_blank">BlackBerry has acquired AtHoc</a>, a company that develops emergency alert systems for government agencies, the military and healthcare personnel. Better exchange of real-time information is critical to business continuity as well as live-saving operations. <i>This is likely a life-saving operation on the part of BlackBerry as well, as it looks to focus on software rather than hardware, in order to better compete with other mobile providers</i>. </li>
<li>Windows 10 is coming. Here are <a href="https://www.yahoo.com/tech/windows-10-6-excellent-reasons-to-upgrade-your-pc-124677680639.html?soc_src=mail&soc_trk=ma" target="_blank">six reasons to upgrade now</a>.</li>
<li><b>The future of television?</b></li>
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<li>The AT&T / DirecTV merger <a href="http://variety.com/2015/biz/news/fcc-approves-att-directv-merger-1201548172/" target="_blank">received a green light</a> from the FCC. </li>
<li>With traditional television viewing down, <a href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/comcast-in-talks-with-multiple-new-media-firms-1437690882" target="_blank">Comcast is getting cozy with several digital media publishers</a>, including BuzzFeed, Vice, Vox and Business Insider.</li>
<li>Verizon is set to launch <a href="http://variety.com/2015/digital/news/verizon-mobile-video-service-details-uncovered-to-be-called-go90-exclusive-1201548130/" target="_blank">a mobile video service called Go90</a>, with full episodes of TV shows from select networks as well as music videos, live music, exclusive events, sports and other shortform content. It won't mimic TV but will be focused on the mobile customer. </li>
<li><i>Worth watching these developments. If successful, together they may define the future of "television" viewing</i>.</li>
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<b>Platforms</b></h4>
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<li><b>Google</b></li>
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<li><a href="http://google-latlong.blogspot.com/2015/07/your-timeline-revisiting-world-that.html" target="_blank">Google Maps will now track your whereabouts</a> in Your Timeline, even matching photos you took with the places you visit. <i>When considered in conjunction with the <a href="http://www.scottmonty.com/2015/07/this-week-in-digital-july-12-2015.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">RideWith driverless car app</a>, Google is going to know just about everything about you - even more than it currently does. Let's just hope that Ashley Madison doesn't get a hold of it</i>.</li>
<li>If you're a Google+ user and you haven't switched to the Photos app yet, you have until August 1st to do so. That is the date that <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/google-plus-photos-closes-down-august-1-2015-7" target="_blank">Google is shutting down Google+ Photos</a>. </li>
<li>YouTube hasn't heard a resounding huzzah for its plan to implement an ad-free subscription service, but <a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2015/07/24/youtube-chief-pushes-ahead-with-subscriptions-despite-questions/" target="_blank">that hasn't stopped it from pushing ahead anyway</a>. At issue for YouTube content partners: their content might appear on other video platforms, so they might not want exclusivity with the video giant; and if they opt of out of the paid model, they're barred from posting their videos on the traditional advertising-supported version.</li>
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<li><b>Twitter</b></li>
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<li>Be careful if you're criticizing brands on Twitter. No, <b><i>really</i></b> criticizing them. <a href="http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-herbalife-wants-to-unmask-twitter-user-20150722-story.html" target="_blank">Herbalife has filed a court petition to discover the identity of a user</a> - @AfueraHerbaLIES, who has been tweeting false and damaging statements about the company. </li>
<li>Managing to anger people who didn't even know it was an option, Twitter announced that it is unilaterally <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2015/07/20/twitter-removes-wallpaper/" target="_blank">removing wallpaper backgrounds from accounts</a>. It's only for the home and notification pages for logged in users, and the intent is to show a more unified and consistent experience for non-logged in users. <i>Of course, that explanation wasn't enough to stop Internet outrage <a href="http://techcrunch.com/2015/07/20/twitter-aint-myspace/" target="_blank">or conspiracy theorists</a></i>.</li>
<li>If you've ever cringed at some of the purchased trending topics or ads during major real-time events, or perhaps issued yourself a dope slap after forgetting when National Root Beer Float Day landed (It's August 6. You're welcome.), then you should be pleased that <a href="http://adage.com/article/digital/twitter-brands-schedule-ads-live-events-real-time-marketing/299626/" target="_blank">Twitter has developed a calendar of live events that brands can buy real-time ads against</a> - in advance. <i>Something that makes it easier for lazy marketers to game events with faux-authentic real-time marketing? Why yes, I'd love to. /sarcasm </i></li>
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<li><b>Facebook</b></li>
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<li><a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/cmo/2015/07/20/youtube-stars-keep-facebook-at-arms-length-for-now/" target="_blank">Wooing YouTube stars to Facebook has its challenges</a>. It hasn't turned out quite as well as Facebook has hoped, with the video stars seeing the same or fewer views on Facebook.</li>
<li>And it may be an uphill battle, as <a href="http://www.fastcompany.com/3048767/tech-forecast/youtube-growing-fast-viewing-time-is-up-60-since-last-year" target="_blank">viewing time on YouTube has increased by 60%</a> year over year.</li>
<li>But Facebook has a secret weapon: when users try to post a YouTube link, <a href="http://thenextweb.com/facebook/2015/07/22/facebook-throws-shade-at-youtube-when-you-try-to-paste-a-link/" target="_blank">Facebook wants to know if it's really what they intended</a>.</li>
<li>According to a New York state appeals court, Facebook cannot challenge broad search warrants on behalf of users; </li>
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<li>It is possible to <a href="http://www.inc.com/christina-desmarais/how-to-increase-your-sales-using-instagram.html" target="_blank">boost sales via Instagram</a>. But be careful: it's about experiences, not products; and you need to be generous to your fans in terms of their content and their comments.  </li>
<li>Meerkat isn't giving up its fight against Periscope just yet: <a href="http://thenextweb.com/insider/2015/07/23/meerkat-will-soon-let-gopro-users-livestream-via-its-ios-app/" target="_blank">soon GoPro users will be able to livestream via Meerkat's iOS app</a>. <i>And you thought you got motion sickness from a shaky handheld camera on Meerkat</i>.</li>
<li>Speaking of shaky video: a new app called <a href="http://beme.com/" target="_blank">Beme</a> debuted this week. It's an app that makes shooting and sharing videos and selfies seamless. <i><span style="font-style: normal;">But do people really want </span><a href="http://www.wired.com/2015/07/beme-authenticity-boring/" style="font-style: normal;" target="_blank">that much authenticity</a><span style="font-style: normal;">? </span>Great just what we needed - more selfies and crappy videos</i>. <i>Related: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sr_EtMhM3fg" target="_blank">here's what it looks like</a> at social media agencies this week</i>:</li>
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<b>Collaborative Economy</b> </h4>
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<li><a href="http://mashable.com/2015/07/22/starbucks-lyft-partnership/?utm_campaign=Feed%3A+mashable%2Fbusiness+%28Mashable+%C2%BB+Business+and+Marketing%29&utm_cid=Mash-Prod-RSS-Feedburner-Bus-Partial&utm_medium=email&utm_source=feedburner" target="_blank">Lyft is partnering with Starbucks</a> to give Starbucks Rewards to passengers who use the ride-hailing service, in an effort to boost its loyalty program. Expect it to launch later this year. <i>But will they stop at Dunkin Donuts for me?</i></li>
<li>Speaking of loyalty, celebrities like Kate Upton, Ashton Kutcher and Neil Patrick Harris <a href="http://mashable.com/2015/07/22/ubers-celebrities/?utm_campaign=Feed%3A+mashable%2Fbusiness+%28Mashable+%C2%BB+Business+and+Marketing%29&utm_cid=Mash-Prod-RSS-Feedburner-Bus-Partial&utm_medium=email&utm_source=feedburner" target="_blank">came out of the woodwork this week to support Uber's efforts</a> to stand up to New York City.</li>
<li>Between that, the De Blasio feature on the app, an email campaign and good old fashioned protesters, <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CCAQqQIwAGoVChMI_qzukrj6xgIVw5QeCh1xvgP3&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wsj.com%2Farticles%2Fhow-uber-won-the-big-apple-1437778176&ei=yq61Vf6fJ8OpevH8jrgP&usg=AFQjCNFxX1ZsNVyL59Wl2AVntw2p4dk1Lg&sig2=SmExvoWpLcoeQVaIJ_YAUg&bvm=bv.98717601,d.dmo" target="_blank">it worked</a>. The city will conduct a four month study on the environmental effects of on-demand car services. The score is now <a href="http://venturebeat.com/2015/07/22/uber-1-diblasio-0/" target="_blank">Uber 1, De Blasio 0</a>. <i>We wonder if the "environmental effects" includes the disgust, dismay and nausea that taxi passengers suffer when subjected to a dirty, noisy, un-air conditioned cab with a vanilla car freshener, <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CB8QFjAAahUKEwiugYuvuPrGAhUDph4KHT38DPc&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wsj.com%2Farticles%2Fuber-model-is-road-block-to-government-intervention-1437688240&ei=Ba-1Ve7qMoPMer34s7gP&usg=AFQjCNFRBc8A-KuuAHnhlVA9ddD0-EW0Cg&sig2=0ppJhPWpPsHv4jnXmnInmw&bvm=bv.98717601,d.dmo" target="_blank">a dashboard full of warning lights</a> and a surly driver.</i></li>
<li>One has to wonder: <a href="http://mashable.com/2015/07/25/uber-vs-taxis/" target="_blank">ethically, is Uber a better choice than a taxi</a>?</li>
<li>As the collaborative economy grows - both in people served as well as in awareness - <a href="http://www.web-strategist.com/blog/2015/07/20/large-companies-ramp-up-adoption-in-the-collaborative-economy/" target="_blank">more large companies are getting on board</a>. With over 190 documented examples that range from crowdfunding to the maker movement and more, big companies are no longer sitting on the sidelines. <i>But will profitability follow</i>?</li>
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<b>Audio</b></h4>
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<li><a href="http://www.emarketer.com/Article/Pandora-Listeners-Tune-via-Mobile/1012762?ecid=NL1001" target="_blank">According to research through May 2015</a> by Triton Digital, streaming audio listeners are a mobile bunch. Over 75% of listening time between 6 am and 8 pm every day occurs on mobile devices. Pandora continues to lead the crowd in adoption.</li>
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<b><i>It's almost here! Tickets for <a href="http://cmi.go2cloud.org/aff_c?offer_id=22&aff_id=1159&url_id=106" target="_blank">Content Marketing World 2015</a> in September are almost gone. Join your colleagues to get the best information about the content marketing industry.</i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">[Disclosure: affiliate link]</span><br />
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<b>Content</b></h4>
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<li>This study shows how <a href="http://contently.com/strategist/2015/07/23/study-brand-content-drives-massive-brand-lift/" target="_blank">content can drive a massive brand lift</a>, through subscription-worthy content, deeply engaged readers, the development of trust and purchase intent.</li>
<li>Disney has always been smart about content. If you'd like to get <a href="http://flowingdata.com/2015/07/14/disney-business-strategy-chart-1957/" target="_blank">a glimpse of Disney's strategy circa 1957</a>, you'll see it places their film business at the center of everything they do, with television, music, parks, comics, licensing and publications all playing off of the films and each other.</li>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tJnOytCUHhU/Vbkec_MDECI/AAAAAAAAhCE/GGW2bEag6Ow/s1600/Disney-strategy-chart-from-1957.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="558" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tJnOytCUHhU/Vbkec_MDECI/AAAAAAAAhCE/GGW2bEag6Ow/s640/Disney-strategy-chart-from-1957.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b>Metrics / Measurement / Data</b></h4>
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<li>For a quick and simple way to drive traffic, have you ever tried <a href="https://moz.com/blog/case-study-how-i-turned-autocomplete-ideas-into-traffic-ranking-results-with-only-5-hours-of-effort" target="_blank">using Google's Autocomplete function with some of your keywords</a>? It's genius.</li>
<li>Buffer explains why they <a href="https://blog.bufferapp.com/social-media-roi" target="_blank">stopped focusing on social media ROI</a>. Foolishness or practicality? <i>Either way, something meaningful needs to be measured - and ultimately its impact on the business needs to justify its existence</i>.</li>
<li>Social analytics company <a href="http://techcrunch.com/2015/07/22/sysomos-acquires-social-marketing-service-expion/" target="_blank">Sysomos acquired social marketing platform Expion</a>. <i>The tie-up means a more comprehensive solution for companies that need to take action after getting insights and that are looking to streamline the number of technologies they use</i>.</li>
<li><a href="http://thenextweb.com/insider/2015/07/22/twitters-answers-analytics-tool-now-lets-mobile-developers-create-custom-events/" target="_blank">Twitter now allows developers to create custom events</a> in its analytics tool (made possible by its Answers acquisition last year) to make it possible to get as much detail as possible in a customized fashion. <i>Take that, Facebook Insights</i>!</li>
<li>Katie Paine is fond of saying that tracking website hits should be H.I.T.S. - <b>H</b>ow <b>I</b>diots <b>T</b>rack <b>S</b>uccess. It seems that we may be getting beyond that for content metrics: engaged time (previously known as "time spent") <a href="http://contently.com/strategist/2014/02/27/death-to-pageviews-all-hail-engaged-time-the-new-king-of-content-metrics/" target="_blank">is gaining traction as an important metric</a>.</li>
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<b>Privacy / Security / Legal</b></h4>
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<li>The parent company of Ashley Madison, Cougar Life and Established Men, the site for adults who want to cheat on their partners, is <a href="http://fusion.net/story/169457/ashley-madison-hacked/" target="_blank">the latest victim of a data breach / hack</a>. Of particular note is that the hackers are planning to expose data of customers who participated in a so-called paid "data wipe" program that allegedly rid the Ashley Madison servers of users' data. The full statement from The Impact Team is <a href="https://krebsonsecurity.com/2015/07/online-cheating-site-ashleymadison-hacked/" target="_blank">available on Krebs On Security</a>. <i>Call us naive, but we're astounded that 37 million people used those services. BTW, the site's slogan is "Life is short. Have an affair." We'll how short the life of the site is. Meanwhile...</i></li>
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Ashley Madison hacked & identities of cheating spouses stolen. Bill Clinton whistles softly & slowly backs out of room.   <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ReadyForHillary?src=hash">#ReadyForHillary</a></div>
— Seymour Sludgeworth (@SSludgeworth) <a href="https://twitter.com/SSludgeworth/status/623156848716349440">July 20, 2015</a></blockquote>
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<li style="text-align: left;">Of course, the kind of data breach that occurred at Ashley Madison <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2015/7/20/9006213/ashley-madisons-data-breach-is-everyones-problem" target="_blank">could happen anywhere</a>. <i>It's just that other online businesses are likely less nefarious. Unless it's Gawker</i>.</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">And if you're a Jeep customer (or any vehicle that comes with its own wifi connection), you might have cause for some concern as <a href="http://www.wired.com/2015/07/hackers-remotely-kill-jeep-highway/" target="_blank">hackers worked their way into a car this week</a>. Of course, if you rely on your phone for your connected car, as with Ford (my former employer) or <a href="http://automatic.com/" target="_blank">Automatic</a> (for which I'm an advisor), you have less cause for concern. <i>Then again, if you're the CEO of Ashley Madison and you drive a Jeep</i>...</li>
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<li style="text-align: left;">By Friday, <a href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/fiat-chrysler-recalls-1-4-million-vehicles-amid-hacking-concerns-1437751526" target="_blank">Fiat Chrysler recalled 1.4 million vehicles</a> to address the software issues that made the hack possible.</li>
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<li style="text-align: left;">If you're about to head into the streets with your hair on fire now, take a quick read about <a href="http://www.fastcompany.com/3048459/elasticity/the-two-most-overhyped-security-threats?utm_source" target="_blank">the two most overhyped security threats</a> to calm yourself down.</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">But if you're a Lifelock customer, <a href="http://www.wired.com/2015/07/lifelock-failed-one-job-protecting-data/" target="_blank">you might have reason to be concerned</a>: the FTC filed a complaint that the data protection company was not adhering to an order and settlement that required the company to establish and maintain a comprehensive security program to protect sensitive personal data users entrust to the company as part of its identity-theft protection service.</li>
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<li style="text-align: left;">We recently became aware of <a href="https://www.idshield.com/" target="_blank">IDShield</a>, an identity theft protection company that insures you with up to $5 million in coverage and Kroll private investigators who will help resolve any issues. <i>We're testing out the service and will have an interview with IDShield's CEO soon</i>.</li>
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<b>When You Have the Time: Essential Watching / Listening / Reading</b> </h4>
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<li>The 2015 Digital Business Global Executive Study and Research Project by MIT Sloan Management Review and Deloitte identifies <a href="http://sloanreview.mit.edu/projects/strategy-drives-digital-transformation/" target="_blank">strategy, not technology, as the key driver of success in the digital arena</a>. This is a must-read for any individual in business today. </li>
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<li>From HR to marketing, the CIO to the corporate strategist, <b><i>digital fluency requires the ability to articulate the value of digital technology to the enterprise</i></b> [<a href="http://ctt.ec/t5fak" target="_blank">TWEET THIS</a>]. </li>
<li>And when you consider that <b><i>the majority of employees across age groups want to work for a digitally enabled company</i></b> [<a href="http://ctt.ec/6cM2h" target="_blank">TWEET THIS</a>], it's worth a read.</li>
</ul>
<li>You want to get smarter every day, right? Here's a way - nearly three dozen, in fact - to make that happen: <a href="https://medium.com/keep-learning-keep-growing/33-websites-that-will-make-you-a-genius-53c5114c1d3d" target="_blank">33 websites that will make you a genius</a>. </li>
<li>What does it take to become a successful startup founder? Here are f<a href="http://venturebeat.com/2015/07/25/5-less-than-flattering-traits-that-can-make-startup-founders-great/" target="_blank">ive less-than-flattering traits that can make startup founders great</a>. <i>Yeah, yeah. Now where's the next season of Silicon Valley already?</i></li>
</ul>
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<br />
<a href="http://smonty.co/announcemt" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">I consult with agencies and brands to help them improve their corporate and digital acumen</a>. Please <a href="http://www.scottmonty.com/p/contact.html" target="_blank">get in touch</a> if you'd like to put my experience and digital smarts to work on a project, to advise your group, or to address an audience at your next corporate or industry event.</div>
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*<a href="http://adage.com/article/scott-donaton/epidemic-lousy-viral-campaigns/114157/">GMOOT </a>= Get Me One Of Those<br />
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The Week in Digital - July 26, 2015

An amazing week for Amazon, an unfaithful tech wizard at Ashley Madison, a real-life remote control causes Fiat Chrysler to issue a so...

This Week in Digital - July 19, 2015

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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qjhmC1HCV6E/VawEbupg3zI/AAAAAAAAg1A/6HRQRS5DJQo/s1600/Ice%2BCream.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="See Periscope story below on ice cream truck theft" border="0" height="346" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qjhmC1HCV6E/VawEbupg3zI/AAAAAAAAg1A/6HRQRS5DJQo/s640/Ice%2BCream.PNG" title="Kid tries to steal ice cream truck" width="640" /></a></div>
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A new Pew study on getting news from social networks, the Reddit soap opera continues, Amazon Primes the pump, Google on the search for an SEO leader, Facebook gets serious about ecommerce, NASA turns to Instagram to debut Pluto, the guide to building a social brand, things get hot for Uber in the political arena, the future of content marketing, calculating the ROI of podcasting, the marketing technology stack dilemma, the dawn of a golden age of marketing and more, it's <b>This Week in Digital</b>.<br />
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A roundup of relevant links affecting our industry.<br />
<br />
Each week, we 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. Please subscribe - either to <a href="http://www.feedblitz.com/f/?sub=95082" target="_blank">the full feed</a> or <a href="http://www.feedblitz.com/f?sub=968961" target="_blank">just to this newsletter</a> to keep up to date on developments.<br />
<br />
If you’re on Flipboard, you can get these links - and additional ones - by subscribing to the <i><a href="http://smonty.co/flipdigital" target="_blank">This Week in Digital Magazine</a></i> at <a href="http://smonty.co/flipdigital" target="_blank">smonty.co/flipdigital</a>.<br />
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News items are in regular text; <i>additional commentary has been added in italics</i>.<br />
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<h4>
<b>Industry</b></h4>
<ul>
<li>The news cycle still isn't done with Reddit.</li>
<ul>
<li>More details emerged on <a href="http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/07/13/details-emerge-about-victoria-taylors-dismissal-at-reddit/" target="_blank">the dismissal of Victoria Taylo</a>r, Reddit's community manager. It turns out that Alex Ohanian, the executive chairman, wanted her out, and then CEO Ellen Pao couldn't do anything about it.</li>
<li><a href="http://recode.net/2015/07/13/reddit-chief-engineer-bethanye-blount-quits-after-less-than-two-months-on-the-job/" target="_blank">Reddit's chief engineer quit</a> shortly after Pao's departure, after only two months on the job, citing a loss of confidence in the direction of the company.</li>
<li>Reddit then <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/announcements/comments/3dautm/content_policy_update_ama_thursday_july_16th_1pm/" target="_blank">updated its Content Policy</a>, noting that the site is was never intended as a "bastion of free speech," upon which a former Reddit CEO replied, "<a href="https://np.reddit.com/r/announcements/comments/3dautm/content_policy_update_ama_thursday_july_16th_1pm/ct3n7hc" target="_blank">LMAO</a>".</li>
<li>The community at Reddit has grown out of control, and the former CEO's amusement at the current state of affairs comes with the knowledge that the trolls need to be reined in. Even Ellen Pao acknowledged that <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/we-cannot-let-the-internet-trolls-win/2015/07/16/91b1a2d2-2b17-11e5-bd33-395c05608059_story.html?postshare=3591437073906350" target="_blank">the trolls are winning</a>. <i>The hateful speech and the hurtful mob mentality are issues that need to be dealt with, yet the leadership at Reddit seems to be taking half-steps to address it. </i></li>
<li>Is this <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/charliewarzel/nothing-changes-at-reddit#.wopGV2r9v" target="_blank">more of the same at Reddit</a>, or does it portend <a href="http://www.wired.com/2015/07/reddits-future-future-internet/" target="_blank">the future of the Internet at large</a>?</li>
</ul>
<li>July 15 was officially Amazon Prime Day. If that sounds like an invented holiday, you're correct. While the sales were not all that thrilling, the intent was to boost enrollment in Amazon's Prime membership, which gives access to their streaming video product. The event gained a good deal of press and buzz:</li>
<ul>
<li>Negative tweets about Amazon <a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/amazons-brand-takes-hit-social-media-during-primeday-165901" target="_blank">were up 241% </a>during the day, giving the brand's reputation a bit of a hit.</li>
<li>Lots of folks <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/kanikateng/the-26-best-responses-to-amazon-prime-day-9wy1#.knM1MPVLn" target="_blank">had fun at Amazon's expense</a>, tweeting things like "<a href="https://twitter.com/anildash/status/621350913932939264" target="_blank">LOL at Amazon getting everybody excited about Prime Day & then showing up like that clearance table at TJ Maxx.</a>"</li>
<li>But while you were laughing, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-switch/wp/2015/07/16/while-you-were-making-prime-day-jokes-amazon-was-laughing-all-the-way-to-the-bank/" target="_blank">Amazon was laughing all the way to the bank</a>, with more orders placed than during the previous Black Friday.</li>
<li>Even <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/business/wp/2015/07/13/wal-mart-takes-a-not-so-subtle-dig-at-amazon-and-offers-an-answer-to-prime-day/" target="_blank">Walmart took note and offered its own discounted program</a> - one that they were careful to note would last longer than a single day.</li>
</ul>
<li>Does it seem like you're getting more news on Facebook and Twitter? Well, you are. According to <a href="http://www.journalism.org/2015/07/14/the-evolving-role-of-news-on-twitter-and-facebook/" target="_blank">the latest study from the Pew Research Center</a>, 63% of both Twitter and Facebook users get news from the platforms - up from 52% of Twitter users in 2013 and 47% of Facebook users in 2013. <i>Facebook's embrace of traditional news outlets and its pending release of Instant Articles are clear indicators that it continues to push into this space, with no abatement in sight</i>.</li>
<ul>
<li>Twitter is still the place for breaking news, as 59% of users turn to Twitter for breaking news, as opposed to 31% turning to Facebook. <i>Certainly, Twitter's acquisition of Periscope will continue to play into this strength as live video for breaking news and developing situations is needed</i>.</li>
<li>About <a href="http://www.journalism.org/2015/07/14/news-use-on-facebook-and-twitter-is-on-the-rise/" target="_blank">one in 10 adults gets news from Twitter</a>, while one in four gets news from Facebook - statistics that indicate the relative use of each overall.</li>
<li>Twitter users see <a href="http://www.journalism.org/2015/07/14/news-habits-on-facebook-and-twitter/" target="_blank">a wide variety of news</a>, while Facebook's users are more likely to see news stories about local government and politics, crime, health and medicine and people/events in their community. </li>
<li>Younger users (18-34) are more likely to turn to social sites for news than those 35+.</li>
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<b>Platforms</b></h4>
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<li><b>Google</b></li>
<ul>
<li>Google had a spectacular week in the market, gaining some $65 billion as its stock rose on Q2 earnings that were stronger than anticipated, and the debut of its new CFO. In making its numbers, Google is getting more <a href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/google-takes-stricter-approach-to-costs-1436827885" target="_blank">serious and efficient with its spending</a>.</li>
<li>Google Fiber is expanding and is making its priority <a href="http://googlefiberblog.blogspot.com/2015/07/connecthome-google-fiber.html" target="_blank">bringing Internet access to low-income housing</a> with ConnectHome, an initiative in conjunction with the White House and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.</li>
<li>Google is <a href="http://searchengineland.com/google-is-hiring-an-seo-to-improve-their-ranking-in-google-225320" target="_blank">hiring an SEO manager</a> to help them with their search rankings - on Google. <i>Let's hope they don't need help with the job search as well</i>.</li>
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<li><b>Twitter</b></li>
<ul>
<li>Let's face it: Twitter isn't what it once was. But it's still here. So is <i>The Atlantic</i>'s <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/04/a-eulogy-for-twitter/361339/" target="_blank">A Eulogy for Twitter</a> premature? <i>Or perhaps they're just lamenting the previous iteration</i>.</li>
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<ul><ul></ul>
<li><b>Facebook</b></li>
<ul>
<li>Facebook is getting more serious about e-commerce. It has build the ability to <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/alexkantrowitz/facebook-takes-big-step-forward-on-commerce-builds-shops-int#.sxzApqkze" target="_blank">shop directly on Pages</a>, without leaving the Facebook app or site. <i>This continues <a href="http://www.businessesgrow.com/2015/06/29/facebook-content-strategy/" target="_blank">the erosion of inbound marketing</a>, as it surrenders to Facebook bit by bit</i>.</li>
<li>You keep saying Facebook's News Feed. I do not think that word means what you think it means. Here's how <a href="http://time.com/3950525/facebook-news-feed/" target="_blank">Facebook's News Feed works</a>.</li>
<li>People love to complain about Facebook and how it doesn't work for them. Just in case you weren't paying attention to the previous item, you might want to take note of these <a href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/how-to-start-liking-facebook-again-fixes-for-the-biggest-complaints-1436897830" target="_blank">fixes for the biggest complaints about Facebook</a>. <i>Hmm. They still haven't figured out how to make it stop sucking all the time out of may day.</i></li>
<li>Move over, Siri and Google Now - Facebook is working on <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-messenger-moneypenny-digital-assistant-2015-7?op=1" target="_blank">a new digital assistant named Moneypenny</a> that may help research buying products and services. <i>I hope she doesn't incessantly drop hints and hit on me. I don't know that I could be as suave and fair-minded as James Bond</i>.</li>
</ul>
<li>Snapchat got a redesign - one that focuses on <a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2015/07/13/snapchat-redesign-puts-spotlight-on-discover-news-portal/" target="_blank">the Discover feature</a>, making it easier to find and better for publishing partners.</li>
<li>From the You Can't Fix Stupid department: two teens decided to steal an ice cream truck. And they decided to <a href="http://lasvegas.cbslocal.com/2015/07/16/teens-live-stream-theft/" target="_blank">stream the whole thing on Periscope</a>.</li>
<li>NASA chose <a href="http://www.wired.com/2015/07/nasa-teams-instagram-debut-pluto-surface-photo/" target="_blank">Instagram - not its own website - to debut its first image of Pluto</a> this week.</li>
</ul>
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<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.slideshare.net/wearesocialsg/we-are-social-social-brands-live-in-london-2015" target="_blank">How do you build a social brand?</a> It's not rocket science: satisfy your customers; create value, not ads; don't be repetitive; listen and glean insights from your observations; collaboration and co-creation are better than one-sided marketing. It's all in the deck below.</li>
</ul>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="485" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/embed_code/key/G8p4TWh3FUzwNB" style="border: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin-bottom: 5px; max-width: 100%;" width="595"></iframe><br />
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<strong><a href="https://www.slideshare.net/wearesocialsg/we-are-social-social-brands-live-in-london-2015" target="_blank" title="We Are Social - Social Brands Live In London 2015">We Are Social - Social Brands Live In London 2015</a> </strong>from <strong><a href="https://www.slideshare.net/wearesocialsg" target="_blank">We Are Social</a></strong><br />
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<b>Collaborative Economy</b> </h4>
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<li> The cleaning services company <a href="http://recode.net/2015/07/17/cleaning-services-startup-homejoy-shuts-down-after-battling-worker-classification-lawsuits/" target="_blank">Homejoy announced that it will close its doors</a> as of July 31, due in large part to four lawsuits it's facing in the shakeout of the classification of workers (covered in our <a href="http://www.scottmonty.com/2015/06/this-week-in-digital-june-21-2015.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">6/21/2015 issue</a>).</li>
<li>Then, in the blink of an eye, <a href="http://recode.net/2015/07/17/google-hires-homejoys-technical-team-to-build-its-own-home-services-marketplace/" target="_blank">Google hired all of Homejoy's technical staff</a>, in a move into the home services market.</li>
<li>Uber is in trouble with the state of California for<a href="http://recode.net/2015/07/15/uber-fined-7-3-million-for-not-reporting-california-accessibility-data/" target="_blank"> not reporting data on how frequently handicap-accessible vehicles are requested</a>. The company is facing a $7.3 million fine and a suspension of its operating license if it does not comply within 30 days.</li>
<li>Hillary Clinton <a href="http://mashable.com/2015/07/13/hillary-clinton-sharing-economy/" target="_blank">isn't a fan of the sharing economy</a>, citing the movement as <a href="http://techcrunch.com/2015/07/12/clinton-uber/#.fvmhl3:pJWL" target="_blank">an instigator in stagnant wages</a>. She probably doesn't have to worry about making enemies of Uber drivers; <a href="http://time.com/3961288/jeb-bush-uber-san-francisco/" target="_blank">the one who picked up Jeb Bush</a> not only didn't know him but said he'd be voting for Hillary in the presidential election. <i>Sounds pretty much like every other voter demographic. Now all we need is Uber for voting.</i></li>
<li>New York mayor Bill De Blasio doesn't like Uber either. To the point that he's promoting a bill that would regulate and limit the number of licences available to ride-sharing companies. So, Uber has amended its app for New Yorkers with <a href="http://www.wired.com/2015/07/uber-de-blasio/?mbid=social_fb" target="_blank">a "De Blasio" option that shows no cars available</a>.</li>
<li>Even so, it pays to drive a ride-sharing car in New York City: <a href="http://www.fastcompany.com/3048563/fast-feed/this-is-how-much-uber-and-lyft-drivers-make-in-different-cities" target="_blank">the disparate fares of Uber and Lyft drivers in various cities</a>.</li>
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Audio</h4>
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<li>Mitch Joel has been podcasting for many years. So when he has something to say about the business of podcasting, it's worth noting. Figuring out "the money thing" when it comes to the medium is not easy, but Mitch makes a case that <a href="http://www.twistimage.com/blog/archives/the-thing-about-podcasting-and-making-real-money/" target="_blank">podcasting has helped him grow his business</a> (one which was acquired by WPP earlier this year).</li>
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<b><i>It's almost here! Tickets for <a href="http://cmi.go2cloud.org/aff_c?offer_id=22&aff_id=1159&url_id=106" target="_blank">Content Marketing World 2015</a> in September are almost gone. Join your colleagues to get the best information about the content marketing industry.</i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">[Disclosure: affiliate link]</span><br />
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<b>Content</b></h4>
<ul><b></b></ul>
<ul>
<li>If there's one guy with his finger on the future of the marketing world, it's Mark Schaefer. And Jay Baer is a master of content. Put them together and see what happens as they discuss <a href="http://www.businessesgrow.com/2015/07/14/future-of-content-marketing/" target="_blank">the future of content marketing</a>.</li>
<li>There are some helpful tools out there to help you with your content marketing efforts. Here are <a href="http://www.verdino.co/nine-content-marketing-tools-your-competition-isnt-using-yet/" target="_blank">nine content marketing tools that you're probably not using</a>. Yet.</li>
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<b>Metrics / Measurement / Data</b></h4>
<ul>
<li>Want to know how to ferret out questionable statistics? Try this <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/sep/16/bad-science-dodgy-stats" target="_blank">trick called Benford's law</a>. </li>
<li>Map out your measurement plan early and constantly reassess. Don't get caught unprepared, as illustrated in <a href="http://contently.com/strategist/2015/07/14/the-ant-and-the-grasshopper-or-why-ignoring-roi-is-a-death-wish/" target="_blank">the ant versus the grasshopper</a> fable.</li>
<li>Picking the right marketing technology is hard work. But should it support operations or innovation? Should the priority be on strategy or technology? Are the needs primarily for now or the future? Hence, <a href="http://johnbell.typepad.com/weblog/2015/07/the-marketing-technology-stack-dilemma.html" target="_blank">the marketing technology stack dilemma</a>. </li>
<li>Social media has a greater impact than previously thought, <a href="http://www.mckinsey.com/Insights/Marketing_Sales/Getting_a_sharper_picture_of_social_medias_influence?cid=other-eml-alt-mkq-mck-oth-1507" target="_blank">according to McKinsey</a>. Naturally, it depends on the product category, but a new purchaser is roughly 50 percent more likely to turn to social media than a repeat buyer and a small number of influencers are responsible for a disproportionate share of total recommendations.</li>
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<b>Privacy / Security / Legal</b></h4>
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<li>Yelp is on the receiving end of a lawsuit. As part of its Eat24 acquisition, it offered food delivery to customers. Unfortunately, Eat24 drivers are claiming that tips were withheld and is <a href="http://fortune.com/2015/07/13/eat24-lawsuit/" target="_blank">suing Yelp for $5 million</a>.</li>
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<h4>
<b>When You Have the Time: Essential Watching / Listening / Reading</b> </h4>
<ul>
<li>We are living at <a href="http://www.mckinsey.com/insights/marketing_sales/the_dawn_of_marketings_new_golden_age" target="_blank">the dawn of a golden age of marketing</a>, according to McKinsey. Boosting precision, broadening scope, moving more quickly and telling better stories are all part of how marketers are succeeding in the 21st century. </li>
<li>At one point or another, we're all faced with rejections. Here are <a href="https://medium.com/@bchesky/7-rejections-7d894cbaa084" target="_blank">seven rejections</a> that Brian Chesky encountered when trying to raise $150,000. Sometimes the rejectors don't know what they're missing. In this case, it amounted to 10% of Airbnb. </li>
<li>A fascinating timeline on <a href="http://www.fastcompany.com/3048431/tech-forecast/how-the-smartphone-era-led-to-the-death-of-open-standards?campaign_date=07142015&partner=newsletter&position=4" target="_blank">the rise of the smartphone and the death of open standards</a>. It's Apple vs. Google and we're on the sidelines.</li>
<li>You should subscribe to <a href="http://bit.ly/GetBehindtheBrand" target="_blank">Behind the Brand</a>, a video series by Bryan Elliott featuring people who make things happen at brands small and large. Here's an excerpt from an interview with best-selling author and entrepreneur Peter Shankman:</li>
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<a href="http://smonty.co/announcemt" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">I consult with agencies and brands to help them improve their corporate and digital acumen</a>. Please <a href="http://www.scottmonty.com/p/contact.html" target="_blank">get in touch</a> if you'd like to put my experience and digital smarts to work on a project, to advise your group, or to address an audience at your next corporate or industry event.</div>
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This Week in Digital - July 19, 2015

A new Pew study on getting news from social networks, the Reddit soap opera continues, Amazon Primes the pump, Google on the search for...

This Week in Digital - July 12, 2015

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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-INj_UixuYHQ/VaNDnOtAtCI/AAAAAAAAgt0/ScOZOpw1C3I/s1600/Oh%252C%2Brat%2Bfarts%2521.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-INj_UixuYHQ/VaNDnOtAtCI/AAAAAAAAgt0/ScOZOpw1C3I/s640/Oh%252C%2Brat%2Bfarts%2521.gif" width="640" /></a></div>
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Downvoted at Reddit, a crisis in corporate trust, BBC news may go digital-only, trying to explain Twitter, no more Likes, Google jumps into ridesharing, Uber puts up a fight, Ira Glass proves podcasting is working, get on board with Slideshare, the director of the Office of Personnel Management discovers you can run but you can't hide, doodling is good for the brain and more, it's <b>This Week in Digital</b>.<br />
<br />
A roundup of relevant links affecting our industry.<br />
<br />
Each week, we 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. Please subscribe - either to <a href="http://www.feedblitz.com/f/?sub=95082" target="_blank">the full feed</a> or <a href="http://www.feedblitz.com/f?sub=968961" target="_blank">just to this newsletter</a> to keep up to date on developments.<br />
<br />
If you’re on Flipboard, you can get these links - and additional ones - by subscribing to the <i><a href="http://smonty.co/flipdigital" target="_blank">This Week in Digital Magazine</a></i> at <a href="http://smonty.co/flipdigital" target="_blank">smonty.co/flipdigital</a>.<br />
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News items are in regular text; <i>additional commentary has been added in italics</i>.<br />
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<h4>
<b>Industry</b></h4>
<ul>
<li>The upvotes have it. After some 200,000 redditors signed a petition calling for the end of Ellen Pao's tenure as interim CEO,<a href="http://recode.net/2015/07/10/pao-out-as-reddit-ceo-co-founder-huffman-takes-over/" target="_blank"> the executive and Reddit's board have agreed to go their separate ways</a>. This caps an extremely tense couple of weeks for Pao, who was under fire for not understanding the needs of the community. The link sharing and trolling site is now in the hands of Steve Huffman, one of its original founders.</li>
<ul>
<li>At least she took a crucial step during the crisis: <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2015/7/6/8901433/ellen-pao-apology-reddit?mkt_tok=3RkMMJWWfF9wsRonvqjLZKXonjHpfsX54uUuT%2Frn28M3109ad+rmPBy92YMAWp8na+qWCgseOrQ8mFkIV8izUs0TrKM%3D" target="_blank">she issued a sincere apology to the community</a> earlier in the week.</li>
</ul>
<li>Speaking of crisis, there's a trust crisis afoot - not only does the <a href="http://www.edelman.com/2015-edelman-trust-barometer/" target="_blank">2015 Edelman Trust Barometer</a> indicate that trust between the public and companies is faltering - but that brands that choose to be candid and demonstrate accountability in their communications <a href="https://www.bulldogreporter.com/dailydog/article/pr-biz-update/consumer-trust-crisis-companies-excelling-in-candor-substantially-out?_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9BIZ1RKekMAv-N9cwp1-jC8QvCQBbGQzr3VOqSkpnigXccM062e2ZrndFroPX3dFuy-GMOc7dnTxSxRENrGohRYGhd4Q&_hsmi=20513626" target="_blank">tend to outperform their competitors</a>.</li>
<li>Microsoft has acknowledged the folly of its Nokia acquisition with <a href="http://money.cnn.com/2015/07/08/technology/microsoft-layoffs-7800/" target="_blank">another 7,800 layoffs and a restructuring</a> that will cost the company a one-time writedown of $7.6 billion.</li>
<li>Slack's CEO uses the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/slack-ceo-stewart-butterfield-on-company-culture-he-admires-2015-7" target="_blank">analogy of a well-run restaurant</a> to show what it takes to make companies succeed. It comes down to culture, but empathy and collaboration are essential.</li>
<li>The future of BBC's television news service may be completely digital. In a cost-cutting move, <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/media/2015/jul/07/bbc-considering-move-news-channel-online-only" target="_blank">BBC 3 may become an online-only news channel</a>. <i>This is an interesting development. Because news gathering is so expensive and television viewing continues to shift to multiple devices, this might be a critical and defining move for many news organizations</i>.</li>
<li>Lots of interesting findings in the Accuity Group report <a href="https://www.marketingtechblog.com/consumer-new-media-channels/" target="_blank">2015 Next Generation of Commerce Study</a>. Over 2,000 individuals were surveyed as part of this study. Some of the insights:</li>
<ul>
<li>60% of respondents said they see too much sponsored content.</li>
<li>Facebook rivals the authority of print publications.</li>
<li>TV and print media still own the market for branded content that drives new customers.</li>
<li>Transparency and speed are factors that cause consumers to turn to third party companies for delivery, over brands or retailers.</li>
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<b>Platforms</b></h4>
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<li><b>Twitter</b></li>
<ul>
<li>Nine years in, and we're still <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/09/style/twitter-who-do-you-think-you-are.html?_r=0" target="_blank">having trouble defining what Twitter is</a>. <i>This might be something for the new CEO to concentrate on. A succinct and compelling vision will help unite all stakeholders</i>.</li>
<li>The <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/twitter-board-focuses-on-adam-bain-as-top-ceo-candidate-2015-7?op=1" target="_blank">next CEO of Twitter might be an insider</a>: the board is focusing on Twitter's top sales executive Adam Bain as the leading candidate.</li>
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<ul><ul></ul>
<li><b>Facebook</b></li>
<ul>
<li>Likes are no longer a valid form of measurement; Facebook is concentrating on outcomes as it provides insights and reports to advertisers. <i>How do you Like that? We're finally closing in on a more reasonable and meaningful measurement for Facebook engagement</i>.</li>
<li>Facebook's biggest competition isn't other social networks - <a href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/new-apps-take-a-swipe-at-facebook-1436397615" target="_blank">it's chat applications</a>, particularly in Asia.</li>
<li>You now have more control over your News Feed than ever. Users can now choose friends and pages they'd like to See First, in order to prioritize the content that is relevant to them. <i>If you like what you see here, please <a href="http://facebook.com/scottmonty" target="_blank">follow me on Facebook</a> or <a href="http://facebook.com/thescottmonty" target="_blank">like my official page</a> and select <b>See First</b> in the dropdown by "Like"</i>.</li>
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<b>Collaborative Economy</b> </h4>
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<li>After a defeat in California a few weeks ago about the categorization of its drivers, <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/uber-to-judge-theres-no-such-thing-as-a-typical-driver#.okmR8EoOp" target="_blank">Uber is striking back with a motion to oppose</a> the class certification of the three drivers who brought the original suit. Uber indicates there's no "typical" driver and that their <a href="http://time.com/3951354/uber-class-action-suit-motion/" target="_blank">160,000 drivers have nothing in common</a>. <i>Nothing, that is, </i>o<i>ther than using the Uber app to pick up passengers who expect a superior riding experience that conforms with all of Uber's requirements, including a minimum acceptance rate that in some markets is as high as 90% of all ride requests - oh, and handing over 20 percent of their fares</i>.</li>
<li>Frustrated by local politics and a recent law passed by the County Commission to regulate transportation by requiring all drivers to get licenses and permits for running a taxi service, Uber announced <a href="http://www.examiner.com/article/uber-to-shut-down-services-broward-on-july-31st" target="_blank">it is leaving Broward County, Florida</a>. <a href="http://miami.cbslocal.com/2015/07/10/lyft-like-uber-leaving-broward-county/" target="_blank">Lyft has also withdrawn</a>.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.fastcompany.com/3048272/innovation-agents/airbnbs-secret-to-scaling-in-cuba?campaign_date=07082015&partner=newsletter&position=1" target="_blank">Airbnb has launched in Cuba with over 1,000 listings</a> - despite a lack of private Internet access for most Cubans. How did they do it?</li>
<li>Google is getting further into the ride-sharing business as <a href="http://money.cnn.com/2015/07/06/technology/google-waze-carpooling/" target="_blank">it tests </a><a href="http://money.cnn.com/2015/07/06/technology/google-waze-carpooling/" target="_blank">its new app RideWith</a> in TelAviv. </li>
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<h4>
Audio</h4>
<ul>
<li>How does Spotify compete with Apple Music? Well, aside from a smarter freemium model, <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2015/7/8/8913105/spotify-apple-app-store-email" target="_blank">Spotify is urging iPhone customers to pay directly</a>, rather than through the App Store (lest Apple take a bit out of them).</li>
<li><a href="http://www.avclub.com/article/ira-glass-now-has-full-dictatorial-control-america-222078" target="_blank">Ira Glass now owns <i>This American Life</i></a>, which Chicago Public Media sold to him for onging profits of the show. <i>A clear indication that podcasting is going more mainstream by the day</i>.</li>
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<b><i>It's almost here! Tickets for <a href="http://cmi.go2cloud.org/aff_c?offer_id=22&aff_id=1159&url_id=106" target="_blank">Content Marketing World 2015</a> in September are almost gone. Join your colleagues to get the best information about the content marketing industry.</i></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">[Disclosure: affiliate link]</span><br />
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<b>Content</b></h4>
<ul><b></b></ul>
<ul>
<li>Slideshare is one of the most content-rich platforms available today and your company should be using it in some meaningful way. So take a look at <a href="https://www.marketingtechblog.com/slideshare-marketing-guide/" target="_blank">this complete B2B marketing guide to Slideshare</a>.</li>
<li>Content marketing vs. native advertising: <a href="https://hbr.org/2015/07/comparing-the-roi-of-content-marketing-and-native-advertising" target="_blank">how do you compare the ROI</a> of each? <i>N.B.: the author of the piece is the head of promotions for a content marketing agency, so that that into account</i>.</li>
</ul>
<ul><b></b></ul>
<b></b><b><br /></b>
<h4>
<b>Metrics / Measurement / Data</b></h4>
<ul>
<li>While automated sentiment can be helpful in terms of volume, it's no substitute for human intervention. Ultimately, <a href="http://www.shiftcomm.com/2015/07/why-automated-sentiment-analysis-is-broken-and-how-to-fix-it/" target="_blank">a hybrid model is ideal</a>.</li>
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<b>Privacy / Security / Legal</b></h4>
<ul>
<li>Facebook is considering changing its data policy for mobile advertisers that may require them <a href="http://venturebeat.com/2015/07/09/facebooks-planned-customer-data-change-called-land-grab-by-publishers/" target="_blank">to hand over data on customers that install their apps</a>.</li>
<li>The Office of Personnel Management data breach is bigger than initially thought. Originally, reports indicated that some 4 million individuals were affected; it turns out that<a href="http://www.nationaljournal.com/tech/hack-opm-office-personnel-management-cyber-million-20150709" target="_blank"> the data of over 21 million people is at stake</a>. Katherine Archuleta, OPM's director, <a href="https://www.yahoo.com/politics/opm-director-katherine-archuleta-quits-123735134636.html" target="_blank">has resigned</a>.</li>
<ul>
<li>For a complete look at the saga, <i>The Atlantic</i> has <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2015/07/opm-hack/398120/" target="_blank">The Hack That Took Down an Agency Director</a>.</li>
<li><i>It's funny - every major federal data "oops" starts out the same way: a small breach, then something more serious, then a huge mess. If the federal government took a look at the correlation between trust and candor above and started communicating similarly, they might find that the public actually trusts them. But federal employment has traditionally been a CYA operation</i>.</li>
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<h4>
<b>When You Have the Time: Essential Watching / Listening / Reading</b> </h4>
<ul>
<li>Even though we live in an increasingly digital world, there's still room for pencil and paper. It turns out that <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2015/07/doodling-for-cognitive-benefits/398027/" target="_blank">doodling is good for the brain</a> - something humans have known since our prehistoric days when our ancestors drew on cave walls. <i>Two of our favorite tools for freehand doodling and notes are are <a href="http://amzn.to/1K2uM1B" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Levenger ruled note pads</a> and <a href="http://amzn.to/1ITSzCb" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Staedler 2B pencils</a> (slightly softer than standard No. 2 pencils)</i>.</li>
<li> Two people were trapped in the Brecon Beacons national park in Wales this week, when one - who was carrying a <a amzn-ps-bm-asin="B00ZYYDY5A" class="amzn_ps_bm_tl" data-amzn-link-id="a6d96f267ef9d14e47114f222a3a8952" data-amzn-ps-bm-keyword="selfie stick" href="http://www.amazon.com/PerfectDay-QuickSnap-Self-portrait-Extendable-Adjustable/dp/B00ZYYDY5A/ref=as_li_bk_tl/?tag=socialmediama-20&linkId=a6d96f267ef9d14e47114f222a3a8952&linkCode=ktl" id="amznPsBmLink_2493944" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">selfie stick</a><img alt="" border="0" height="0" id="amznPsBmPixel_2493944" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?source=bk&t=socialmediama-20&bm-id=default&l=ktl&linkId=a6d96f267ef9d14e47114f222a3a8952&_cb=1436732455680" style="border: none !important; height: 0px !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important; width: 0px !important;" width="0" /> - <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/man-who-was-struck-and-killed-by-lightning-in-brecon-beacons-was-carrying-a-selfie-stick-10370907.html" target="_blank">was struck and killed by lightning</a>. <i>That settles it. Even God hates selfie sticks</i>.</li>
</ul>
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<br />
<a href="http://smonty.co/announcemt" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">I consult with agencies and brands to help them improve their corporate and digital acumen</a>. Please <a href="http://www.scottmonty.com/p/contact.html" target="_blank">get in touch</a> if you'd like to put my experience and digital smarts to work on a project, to advise your group, or to address an audience at your next corporate or industry event.</div>
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<i>Image credit: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYbUx6wZ7z4" target="_blank">YouTube</a></i></div>
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This Week in Digital - July 12, 2015

Downvoted at Reddit, a crisis in corporate trust, BBC news may go digital-only, trying to explain Twitter, no more Likes, Google jumps ...

This Week in Digital - July 5, 2015

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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YJ5XiAoWJsw/VZptxQ2xTzI/AAAAAAAAgqk/ZcanPVZHI5E/s1600/Alexis%2BOhanian%2Bduring%2Bhis%2B2009%2BTED%2BTalk%2B-%2BImgur.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Alex Ohanian (Reddit CEO) gives a TED talk in 2009" border="0" height="358" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YJ5XiAoWJsw/VZptxQ2xTzI/AAAAAAAAgqk/ZcanPVZHI5E/s640/Alexis%2BOhanian%2Bduring%2Bhis%2B2009%2BTED%2BTalk%2B-%2BImgur.jpg" title="Reddit CEO Alex Ohanian at TED in 2009" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />
Things get ugly for Uber in France and uglier for Reddit everywhere, Twitter chats go out of control, Facebook expands its ad revenue model for video, Americans are furious with marketers, former employees may be hating on you online, Airbnb has made an impact in San Francisco, testing whether Apple Music is worth it, an experiment from the Virginia Quarterly Review, credit card security for the selfie generation, the tech industry bubble exists - but it's not that bad - and more, it's <b>This Week in Digital</b>.<br />
<br />
A roundup of relevant links affecting our industry.<br />
<br />
Each week, we 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. Please subscribe - either to <a href="http://www.feedblitz.com/f/?sub=95082" target="_blank">the full feed</a> or <a href="http://www.feedblitz.com/f?sub=968961" target="_blank">just to this newsletter</a> to keep up to date on developments.<br />
<br />
If you’re on Flipboard, you can get these links - and additional ones - by subscribing to the <i><a href="http://smonty.co/flipdigital" target="_blank">This Week in Digital Magazine</a></i> at <a href="http://smonty.co/flipdigital" target="_blank">smonty.co/flipdigital</a>.<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
News items are in regular text; <i>additional commentary has been added in italics</i>.<br />
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<h4>
<b>Industry</b></h4>
<ul>
<li>Another soap opera this week - just call it <i>As the World Upvotes</i>. Redditors are in an uproar following the dismissal of Reddit employee Victoria Taylor, who as head of communications was the critical link between the company and the community. Moderators (to be clear, these are users, not staffers) <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/reddits-ama-subreddit-down-after-victoria-taylor-depature-2015-7?op=1" target="_blank">shut down Reddit's popular "ask me anything" feature</a>, as well as a number of subreddits.</li>
<ul>
<li>Moderators are now <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/charliewarzel/i-thought-it-couldnt-get-worse-reddit-moderators-are-fed-up#.siwog57pZ" target="_blank">expressing their dissatisfaction</a> with the management and the way the company has been run for some time.</li>
<li>Reddit CEO Ellen Pao - who herself has been at the center of a sexual harassment lawsuit against VC firm Kleiner Perkins - <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2015/7/3/8889997/reddit-ceo-Ellen-Pao-comments-Victoria-Taylor" target="_blank">stepped into the fray</a>, acknowledging poor support of the moderators and the need to improve the tools. That hasn't satisfied angry Redditors (<i>and boy, are they an angry bunch!</i>), 150,000 of whom are <a href="http://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/07/06/reddit_ellen_pao_facing_150k_users_petitioning_her_dismissal/" target="_blank">calling for the dismissal of "Chairman Pao."</a></li>
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<ul>
<li>The U.S. Supreme Court's ruling on gay marriage was a windfall for Facebook. The platform made it easy for users to create a rainbow overlay onto their profile pictures, lighting up the network with tens of millions of colorful images. But The Atlantic wonders: <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2015/06/were-all-those-rainbow-profile-photos-another-facebook-experiment/397088/" target="_blank">was it another sociological study?</a> <i>Given the lack of trust garnered from Facebook's past instances of running fast and loose with user data and privacy, we can't blame them for asking</i>.</li>
<li>A <a href="https://www.asc.upenn.edu/sites/default/files/TradeoffFallacy_1.pdf" target="_blank">recent study</a> out of UPenn's Annenberg School for Communication indicates that <a href="http://www.businessesgrow.com/2015/06/30/furious-with-marketers/" target="_blank">Americans are secretly furious with marketers</a>. <i>But they still put up with it - because, hey, what are you gonna do? - even though the exchange of data for discounts is wildly lopsided.</i> Listen in on <a href="http://www.businessesgrow.com/2015/06/30/furious-with-marketers/" target="_blank">Episode 52</a> of The Marketing Companion for an enlightening discussion on this topic and click through to the link to the study for a deeper dive.</li>
<li>Chicago has decided it will <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2015/7/1/8876817/chicago-cloud-tax-online-streaming-sales-netflix-spotify" target="_blank">implement a "cloud tax" </a>aimed at streaming services such as Netflix and Spotify. <i>Get those VPNs ready - no taxation without authentication!</i></li>
<li>Microsoft is <a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/cmo/2015/06/29/aol-takes-over-majority-of-microsofts-ad-business-swaps-google-search-for-bing/" target="_blank">dialing back its advertising business</a>, and AOL is dialing up, taking over responsibility for sales of display, mobile and video ads on Microsoft properties in the U.S. and eight other markets.</li>
<li>If ever it was time to assess how you treat employees, it's now: some 38% of fired or laid-off employees <a href="https://www.bulldogreporter.com/dailydog/article/pr-biz-update/employer-branding-38-of-fired-or-laid-off-workers-share-negative-revi?_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9qypbkQOuwnNB9miLch0P__Q5ybPfDhuPZ7oHqcQZDP5ZjJwrwjPlIczR0I3DpHDhKBpxjpQgny4SaAqsuNunaqN1dxA&_hsmi=19782805" target="_blank">post negative reviews of their employers online</a>.</li>
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<h4>
<b>Platforms</b></h4>
<ul>
<li>Yahoo is supplementing its own search results. <a href="http://searchengineland.com/yahoo-search-testing-google-powered-search-results-224394" target="_blank">With Google</a>.</li>
<li>Still trying to figure out Snapchat? Here's <a href="https://medium.com/digital-change/the-noob-s-guide-to-using-snapchat-7359d534bc12" target="_blank">the Noob's Guide to Using Snapchat</a>.</li>
<li><b>Twitter</b></li>
<ul>
<li>The next CEO of Twitter <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/jun/30/twitter-boss-complex-challenges-dick-costolo" target="_blank">will face some challenges</a>, according to outgoing CEO Dick Costolo. Among them: establishing a long-term strategy, rather than the quarter-to-quarter focus that Wall Street is enamored with. <i>Because that short term strategy has been working so well</i>.</li>
<li>It was a rough week for Twitter chats. First, <i>50 Shades of Grey</i> author E.L. James participated in #AskELJames in an effort to promote her latest book, and as anyone might have predicted from the controversial previous books, <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/jun/29/el-james-fify-shades-of-grey-twitter" target="_blank">the chat quickly spiraled out of control</a>.</li>
<li>And because the above story was based in the UK (even though it was covered internationally), US presidential hopeful Bobby Jindal's team still thought it was a good idea to host an #AskBobby Twitter chat <i>the very next day</i>. We'll let you guess <a href="http://www.salon.com/2015/06/30/who_thought_that_an_askbobby_jindal_twitter_dialogue_would_be_a_good_idea/" target="_blank">what happened</a>.</li>
<li>While it's not Twitter, it's notable because it's another gaffe: Ted Cruz took to YouTube (under the guiding hand of BuzzFeed Video) to do <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_K0sRkvX4KE" target="_blank">Simpsons impressions</a>. <i>It's so bad we won't embed the video here. Be aware: we warned you. But if you'd like a quality Simspons demo reel, <a href="http://smonty.co/montydemo" target="_blank">listen here</a>.</i></li>
<li><i>Note to marketers, candidates, executives and anyone else in the public eye who would like to host a Twitter chat: in general, the concept is a sound one. <b>However</b>, don't expect the world to share your view that what you're promoting or selling is the best thing ever, or to be as universally as excited about it as you are. Especially if you have your fair share of detractors out there. You <u>will</u> lose control (ref. Reddit above).</i></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<ul><ul></ul>
<li><b>Facebook</b></li>
<ul>
<li>Continuing to expand the functionality of its most intimate of apps, Facebook's US users <a href="http://thenextweb.com/facebook/2015/06/30/fb-better-have-my-money/" target="_blank">can now send money via Messenger</a>. <i>Shut up and take my money</i>.</li>
<li>A new feature on mobile will <a href="https://code.facebook.com/posts/1607214412887791" target="_blank">make it easier for users to share links</a> by making a link icon and a searchable database of Facebook posts. </li>
<li>Now, advertisers will have the option of paying for Facebook video ads <a href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB21064341213388534269604581080350579388230" target="_blank">only when they are viewed for at least 10 seconds</a>.</li>
<li>The new Suggested Video feed is a boon to video creators. If an ad appears near a video, the video creator <a href="http://marketingland.com/move-over-youtube-facebook-will-offer-video-creators-a-share-of-ad-revenue-134030" target="_blank">will receive 55% of the ad revenue</a>. Of course, this is only initially open to advertisers and media companies. Meanwhile, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/google-vp-torrence-boone-on-facebook-video-2015-6" target="_blank">YouTube is not really concerned about the competition</a>, as it states its video model is unique.</li>
<li>Facebook <a href="http://thenextweb.com/insider/2015/07/01/facebook-changed-its-logo-yesterday-did-you-notice/" target="_blank">changed its logo</a> last week. Did you notice? <i>Yeah, neither did we</i>.</li>
</ul>
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<h4>
<b>Collaborative Economy</b> </h4>
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<ul>
<li><b>Uber</b></li>
<ul>
<li>The saga continues in France. Two <a href="http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2015-06/30/uber-france-arrests-trial" target="_blank">Uber executives were arrested</a> last week and <a href="http://techcrunch.com/2015/06/29/uber-france-leaders-arrested-for-running-illegal-taxi-company/#.fvmhl3:hdis" target="_blank">will stand trial</a> for running an illegal taxi operation.</li>
<li>Amid the hubbub, Uber <a href="http://techcrunch.com/2015/07/03/uber-stops-uberpop-in-france-following-turmoils-and-arrests/" target="_blank">shut down the UberPOP service</a> in France. However, that didn't stop consumer demand: <a href="http://fortune.com/2015/06/30/uber-downloads-in-france-hit-all-time-high-after-strike/" target="_blank">Uber downloads hit an all-time high</a> amid the taxi strike.</li>
<li>In Istanbul, <a href="http://thepointsguy.com/2015/06/uberboat-in-istanbul/" target="_blank">Uber is launching UberBOAT</a> to help commuters get around the Bosphorus<i>. We would have expected it to launch first in Venice, but the gondola union must be pretty formidable.</i></li>
<li>Uber is <a href="http://mashable.com/2015/07/01/uber-expands-india/" target="_blank">expanding to 18 cities in India</a>, making it the second largest market after the US.</li>
<li>Expanding its mapping capabilities, Uber has <a href="http://techcrunch.com/2015/06/29/uber-acquires-part-of-bings-mapping-assets-will-absorb-around-100-microsoft-employees/#.fvmhl3:NnDb" target="_blank">acquired part of Bing's mapping assets</a>. This follows a $3 billion bid for Nokia's Here mapping system, which we covered in <a href="http://www.scottmonty.com/2015/05/this-week-in-digital-may-17-2015.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">the May 17th issue</a>.</li>
<li><br /></li>
</ul>
<li><b>Airbnb</b></li>
<ul>
<li>Acknowledging the impact that Airbnb has had on its city, rather than fighting it and issuing infractions, <a href="http://www.sfchronicle.com/business/article/S-F-to-create-city-office-to-enforce-Airbnb-law-6361832.php?t=39246837e14832b814" target="_blank">San Francisco is creating the Office of Short Term Rental Administration and Enforcement</a>.</li>
</ul>
<li>An investor thinks that Google's self-driving car project will be turned into <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/steve-jurvetson-google-free-ride-uber-competitor-with-self-driving-cars-2015-6" target="_blank">Free Rides and will ultimately undercut Uber</a>. <i>Driverless cars mean no revenue split, and if Google wanted to offer it for free, the exchange would be our identity and our location</i>.</li>
<li>Ford Motor Credit is <a href="http://blog.getaround.com/getaround-partners-with-ford-to-drive-future-of-carsharing/" target="_blank">partnering with GetAround</a> to allow Ford vehicle owners to share their vehicle as part of a Smart Mobility initiative.</li>
<li>Sure, Uber gets all of the headlines - but is an Avis strategy ("We try harder") right for Lyft? <a href="http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2015/06/can-lyft-pull-an-avis.html?mid=fb-share-di" target="_blank">Some think that it is</a>.</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
<br />
<h4>
Audio</h4>
<ul>
<li>Apple Music became available this week. <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2015/6/30/8863315/streaming-music-service-comparison-apple-music" target="_blank">Should you ditch your Spotify account</a>? Only if you want music videos. And no free ad-supported version.</li>
</ul>
<div>
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<hr />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>Time is running out. Tickets for <a href="http://cmi.go2cloud.org/aff_c?offer_id=22&aff_id=1159&url_id=106" target="_blank">Content Marketing World 2015</a> in September are selling quickly. Join your colleagues to get the best information about the content marketing industry.</i></b></div>
<hr />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">[Disclosure: affiliate link]</span><br />
<div>
</div>
</div>
<br />
<h4>
<b>Content</b></h4>
<ul><b></b></ul>
<ul>
<li>The <i>Virginia Quarterly Review</i> is trying something new with its reporters: <a href="http://contently.net/2015/06/19/stories/instagram-journalism-virginia-quarterly-review-funding-new-style-reporting/" target="_blank">Instagram stories</a>. </li>
<li>This should be the only list of tools you ever need: the <a href="http://ninjaoutreach.com/best-content-marketing-tools/" target="_blank">Big List of 200+ Content Marketing Tools</a>.</li>
<li>Brand engagement is the #1 goal of content marketers. And if they want more engaged fans, we know they need to improve their content. But in order to do that, <a href="http://www.emarketer.com/article.aspx?R=1012668&RewroteTitle=1&ecid=NL1009" target="_blank">they need marketing technology to help them</a>.</li>
<li>Whether you're engaging them on your own site or someone else's it's critical to support your business goals. Here's <a href="http://digiday.com/publishers/new-york-times-finds-new-subscribers-facebook/" target="_blank">how the <i>New York Times</i> finds new subscribers on Facebook</a> with its content.</li>
</ul>
<ul><b></b></ul>
<b></b><b><br /></b>
<br />
<h4>
<b>Metrics / Measurement / Data</b></h4>
<ul>
<li>Data is important to marketers, with 43% saying that they plan to spend more on data-driven marketing in Q2 2015 over Q1. And they typically have multiple sources of data: first-, second- and third-party data. Not surprisingly, <a href="http://www.emarketer.com/Article/Marketers-Put-First-Party-Data-First/1012663?ecid=NL1001" target="_blank">they place a premium on first-party data</a> when it comes to gleaning insights about customers.</li>
</ul>
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<h4>
<b><br /></b></h4>
<h4>
<b>Privacy / Security / Legal</b></h4>
<ul>
<li>China's new national security law <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/03/business/international/jitters-in-tech-world-over-new-chinese-security-law.html?_r=0" target="_blank">should make technology companies think twice</a>. The vague language in the law states that technology that supports crucial sectors should be "secure and controllable," which, according to the <i>New York Times</i> "could be used to force companies to build so-called back doors — which allow third-party access to systems — provide encryption keys or even hand over source code."</li>
<li>Meanwhile, MasterCard aims to help customers sleep more soundly with a security feature for the selfie generation: it will <a href="http://money.cnn.com/2015/07/01/technology/mastercard-facial-scan/" target="_blank">approve purchases based on a scan of customers' faces</a>.</li>
<li>Meanwhile, as vehicle-to-vehicle communications come closer to a reality, <a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2015/06/26/automakers-tackle-the-massive-security-challenges-of-connected-vehicles/" target="_blank">the automotive industry is under pressure to ensure that vehicles are secure</a> by implementing encryption and authentication. <i>Just don't tell me that I need two-step verification when I'm trying to unlock my car in a hurry in the rain</i>.</li>
<li>Make a note of this one: the US Supreme Court has refused to hear Google's appeal of a case against Oracle, in which <a href="http://fortune.com/2015/06/29/supreme-court-oracle-api/" target="_blank">Oracle claimed that its API for Java - which Google used in Android - was under copyright</a>. The implication is that there is <b>a new layer of legal risk</b> for any company that builds on an application programming interface (API) of another company - that is, on the <i>very thing</i> that some companies put in place to <i>allow</i> developers to build off of their platforms. <i>Did we mention that lawyers often put the "no" in innovation?</i></li>
</ul>
<br />
<h4>
<b>When You Have the Time: Essential Watching / Listening / Reading</b> </h4>
<ul>
<li>Last week we reported on Google's <a href="https://newslab.withgoogle.com/" target="_blank">News Lab</a>, a set of digital journalism tools for media companies and brands. For a deeper dive on research, reporting, distribution and optimization, <a href="http://contently.net/2015/07/02/resources/googles-news-lab-means-reporters-editors-readers/" target="_blank">read on</a>.</li>
<li>The sky is falling! The sky is falling! Well, not really, but if you listen to some tech pundits, they'll tell you that despite rampant denials, <a href="http://techcrunch.com/2015/06/26/the-tech-industry-is-in-denial-but-the-bubble-is-about-to-burst/" target="_blank">the tech industry's bubble is about to burst</a>. Others acknowledge the bubble but reassure us that <a href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/why-this-tech-bubble-is-less-scary-1435532398" target="_blank">it's not that bad</a>.</li>
<li>With Cannes Lions a distant memory (until agencies start thinking about the awards they want to win next year), one industry executive thinks <a href="https://medium.com/verses-from-the-abstract/cannes-lions-2015-sleeping-through-its-wake-up-call-27b09520e270" target="_blank">the ad industry needs to heed the wake-up call that it's been sleeping through</a>.</li>
</ul>
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<div>
ICYMI, <a href="http://smonty.co/announcemt" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">I opened a consultancy to help companies with their corporate and digital acumen</a>. Please <a href="http://www.scottmonty.com/p/contact.html" target="_blank">get in touch</a> if you'd like to put my experience and digital smarts to work on a project or to advise your group.</div>
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<i>Image credit: <a href="http://imgur.com/M7YJqDS" target="_blank">Imgur</a></i></div>
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This Week in Digital - July 5, 2015

Things get ugly for Uber in France and uglier for Reddit everywhere, Twitter chats go out of control, Facebook expands its ad revenue ...

Emotional Intelligence Should be Easy in the Digital Age

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Have you heard of the term emotional intelligence? According to <i>A Dictionary of Psychology</i> (3rd edition), emotional intelligence is:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"the ability to recognize one's own and other people's emotions, to discriminate between different feelings and label them appropriately, and to use emotional information to guide thinking and behavior."</blockquote>
<div>
The four key elements can be understood in a shorthand version:</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Self-awareness</li>
<li>Self-management</li>
<li>Social awareness (or empathy)</li>
<li>Relationship management</li>
</ul>
<div>
Self-awareness means having realistic self-confidence and knowing when to rely on yourself versus the team, as well as knowing what kinds of things set you off.<br />
<br />
Self-management requires you to keep those emotions in check and let others know what's wrong and provide a solution. When you're truly listening and can pick up on visual cues others are giving, you have the tools to act with empathy. Effective communication and being a team-oriented individual will help you with relationship management.<br />
<br /></div>
<h3>
<b>The link between emotional intelligence and leadership</b></h3>
What does emotional intelligence have to do with leadership? <a href="http://www.inc.com/raman-chadha/emotional-intelligence-critical-for-leaders-to-make-impact.html" target="_blank">Everything</a>.<br />
<br />
Ultimately leadership is about getting along with other people. The business world functions because people - colleagues, employees, customers, suppliers - work together. Negotiation, haggling, sales, setting vision, strategy and goals, and other key business functions require us to collaborate and interact with others in a constructive way.<br />
<br />
Leaders that exhibit emotional intelligence have an easier time accomplishing goals than those that don't. A leader without emotional intelligence is a boss - and there are <a href="http://www.inc.com/lolly-daskal/the-choice-is-yours-boss-or-leader-pick-one.html" target="_blank">stark differences between bosses and leaders</a>:<br />
<ul>
<li>A boss drives others; a leader coaches them toward their best performance.</li>
<li>A boss instills fear; a leader inspires enthusiasm.</li>
<li>A boss blames others; a leader works to help repair the damage and understand what happened so it won't occur again.</li>
<li>A boss thinks in terms of him or herself; a leader thinks in terms of we.</li>
<li>A boss knows how it's done; a leader shows how it's done.</li>
<li>A boss depends on his or her own authority; a leader depends, along with the entire team, on mutual accountability and trust.</li>
<li>A boss uses people; a leader is interested in helping them grow and develop.</li>
<li>A boss takes the credit; a leader gives credit to others.</li>
<li>A boss is a commander; a leader is more concerned with asking and listening.</li>
<li>The boss says "Go!"; the leader says "Let's go!"</li>
</ul>
<br />
<h3>
<b>Digital cues for leaders</b></h3>
Even if you're not off the charts with your EQ score, there are ways to improve your emotional intelligence. If you notice the elements of emotional intelligence above, <i>listening</i> is a key aspect of three out of the four.<br />
<br />
If your role requires you to be in the public eye in any way - and that also includes in front of your employees - you can get feedback pretty quickly. Anonymous surveys from employees and public reaction on social media - including tweets, comments on your company's Facebook page or commentary on a video - can call indicate how people are feeling about you, your statements or your position.<br />
<br />
In short, if you're intent on becoming an emotionally intelligent leader, there's no excuse to be ignorant of your surroundings.<br />
<br />
While the access to more information and instant feedback (not to mention the presence of Internet trolls) can give us more insights about where we need to make changes as business leaders, it won't fundamentally change your personality. You've got to want that.<br />
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That is, if you value how you're perceived as a leader.<br />
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Emotional Intelligence Should be Easy in the Digital Age

Have you heard of the term emotional intelligence? According to A Dictionary of Psychology (3rd edition), emotional intelligence is: ...

Scott Monty - Strategic Communications & Leadership Advisor

The Week in Digital - July 26, 2015

This Week in Digital - July 19, 2015

This Week in Digital - July 12, 2015

This Week in Digital - July 5, 2015

Emotional Intelligence Should be Easy in the Digital Age

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