Social Media Helps Grammy Achieve Huge Ratings in Broadcast and Social TV
http://mashable.com/2012/02/13/grammys-social-tv-stats/

Over 39.9 million viewers tuned in to the 54th Annual Grammy Awards this past Sunday. With over 13 million social comments related to the Grammys, the record from last week’s Super Bowl was broken. This article details social media records and shows which performances had the most comments.

Suggested Tweet: #SocialMedia helps the 54th Annual #Grammy Awards achieve huge ratings in broadcast and social TV http://on.mash.to/yZRPLu

How Jimmy Kimmel Earns Nearly $2 Million Annually via YouTube
http://mashable.com/2012/02/13/how-jimmy-kimmel-earns-nearly-2-million-annually-via-youtube/

Nighttime talkshow host, Jimmy Kimmel, has found it possible to earn money without solely relying on traditional broadcasting and promotional channels. His YouTube channel, JimmyKimmelLive, features clips and recaps from every episode of his late-night talk show.  With over 300,000 subscribers, Kimmel, like other popular video hosts, split the ad-hosting or rental income with YouTube.

Suggested Tweet: Jimmy Kimmel earns nearly $2 Mill annually without traditional #broadcasting & #promotional channels. How? #YouTube  http://on.mash.to/zhddMq

Pinterest: Everything You Wanted to Know About 2012’s Hottest Startup [Infographic]
http://mashable.com/2012/02/14/pinterest-daily-users-are-up-125-percent/

Digital marketing firm, Lemon.ly, dove into Pinterest’s data to produce an infographic on the ins and outs of the hottest social media platform. The infographic details funding, demographics of users and comparison to other social networks.

Suggested Tweet: #Pinterest daily users are up 125%. Check out this #infographic to learn all you wanted to know about the hot startup http://on.mash.to/xehadw

Facebook Timeline for Brands Coming Later This Month
http://mashable.com/2012/02/15/facebook-timeline-for-brands/

Ad Age is reporting that Facebook will use its Feb. 29 conference for marketers to announce their initiative to make its new Timeline format available for brands. Timeline is Facebook’s photo-heavy new format for profile pages. Twitter and Google+ have both rolled out brand pages in the past couple months

Suggested Tweet: Facebook #Timeline for Brands Coming Later This Month http://on.mash.to/yEkO8x

8 Job Search Tips From the Co-Founder of LinkedIn
http://mashable.com/2012/02/15/reid-hoffman-linkedin-job-tips/

Reid Hoffman, co-founder and chairman of LinkedIn, shares eight solid tips on how you can apply good advice to your job search today. The tips include the topics of specialization, ABZ planning, building relationships, etc.

Tweet Suggestion: 8 #Job Search Tips from Reid Hoffman, Co-Founder of #LinkedIn http://on.mash.to/xh7bUJ

8 Tips for Keeping Your Laptop Healthy and Happy
http://mashable.com/2012/02/14/tips-for-healthy-laptop/

Geeksugar wants you to show your laptop a little love while you’re in the Valentine’s Day spirit. The article lists eight tips on how to extend your laptop’s life. Tips include how to handle spills, proper cleaning methods, and proper back up directions.

Suggested Tweet: Love Your Laptop: 8 Tips for Keeping it Laptop Healthy and Happy http://on.mash.to/vZA0su @geeksugar

LinkedIn CardMuch App Reaches 2 Million Scans Since Relaunch
http://www.simplyzesty.com/social-media/linkedin-cardmunch-app-reaches-2-million-scans-since-relaunch/

With the idea that business cards will soon become redundant, LinkedIn has bridged the gap between business cards and a LinkedIn account with CardMunch. CardMunch’s features include converting business cards to address book contacts and then add tem as connections on LinkedIn and the ability to view LinkedIn profile info, common connections, work history and more once you scan the card.

Download CardMunch here <http://www.cardmunch.com/>

Suggested Tweet: LinkedIn #CardMunch App Reaches 2 Million Scans Since Relaunch http://bit.ly/yhIZk1

For the third year in a row, the Super Bowl has broken its own record for the most watched TV program in history. According to Nielsen Fast National Data, a record 111.3 million people tuned in for the Patriots vs. Giants rematch in , topping the 2011 game by 300,000 viewers. Furthering the games television dominance, the Super Bowl now accounts for four of the five most watched programs in TV history, the M.A.S.H finale in takes up the remaining spot at number 4.

Expanding its reach beyond the television set, the Super Bowl was streamed online and via NFL Mobile, Verizon Wireless’ exclusive mobile application, for the first time ever. While the NBC has not released official data for its live-streaming of the game via NBC.com and select Verizon mobile phones, the additional broadcast channels meet the growing number of consumers that rely on online and mobile for their viewing needs.

Verizon Wireless reported that Super Bowl XLVI was the most viewed game all season on NFL Mobile, with 40 percent more viewers watching compared to Wildcard Weekend and more than twice the number of viewers compared to the highest-viewed regular season game.

In addition to the record breaking viewership, Google also revealed statistics regarding viewer’s online behavior during the Super Bowl. A few that I found most interesting include:

• The top five Super Bowl ad teaser videos, including the 2012 Acura NSX Big Game Ad, VW’s “The Bark Side,” Honda’s “Matthew’s Day Off,” “Coming Soon” by Honda and Audi’s “Vampire Party,” resulted in a total 30 million views on YouTube.
• 96 Hours, or a total of 4 days, worth of videos uploaded that mentioned this year’s Super Bowl in the title.
• A 30 second commercial spot that ran during the Super Bowl cost an average of $3.5 million.
• The top Super Bowl party search terms included Super Bowl recipe, seven layer dip and Super Bowl bet.
• 41 percent of people turned to their mobile device during the Super Bowl.

Lastly, what’s a blog post on the Super Bowl without discussing the commercials? A few of my favorite included:

• The Sling Shot Baby – Doritos
• Man’s Best Friend – Doritos
• Happy Grad – Chevy
• French Bulldog Races – Skechers
• The Dog Strikes Back – Volkswagen

What were your favorite Super Bowl commercials?

By, Colleen Murphy  |  @c_murphy33

Pinterest: How Do You Turn Pins Into Projects?
http://mashable.com/2012/02/06/pinterest-mashable-cnn-ireport/

This article gives step-by-step instructions on how to turn pins to projects on Pinterest. Submit your best Pinterested-inspired project by Friday, February 17, and it could be featured on CNN and Mashable! Here is how to get involved:
1. Pin a craft, recipe or project you love
2. Follow the directions and reproduce it in real life, snapping photos from start to finish
3. Upload the photos of your project, along with a screengrab of the original “pin” to iReport. In the text, explain how the project turned out in comparison to the original

Submissions can also be sent on Twitter, Instagram or PicPlz along with the hashtag #pinstoprojects

Suggested Tweet:   Pinterest: Turn pins into projects! Pinterest contest ends Friday, February 17th! http://on.mash.to/Awtogy

5 Ways Social Media Could Be Hurting Your Job Search
http://mashable.com/2012/02/05/social-media-hurting-job-search/

Tony Morrison is the Vice President of Business Development at Cachinko, a professional community where social networking and job opportunities come together, provides insight on whether your social media efforts are having a negative impact on your job search.

Suggested Tweet: 5 Ways Social Media Could Be Hurting Your Jo Search http://on.mash.to/zVJVmQ

Social Media Disappoints as eCommerce Driver
http://news.investors.com/Article/600351/201202071711/social-media-disappoints-as-ecommerce-driver.htm?src=HPLNews

Facebook, Twitter and other social are undeniably a force to be reckoned with in e-commerce, yet many observers say that despite the buzz, social media is far from buzzing. Brian Walker, analyst with Forrester Research states, “It is a customer-acquisition tool, but it’s not as effective as search and email marketing.” Young adults hardly interact with Facebook pages past “Like”.

Suggested Tweet: Is Social Media an e-Commerce driver? Nearly 90% of young adults don’t shop through Facebook or Twitter http://bit.ly/yvSkIu

12 Ways to Give Your Brand Advocates a Megaphone
http://www.clickz.com/clickz/column/2144250/brand-advocates-megaphone

In order to get the population that loves your product, service or brand to talk you up, you have to give them something to talk about! This article lists 12 ways to cultivate your advocates and equip them speak on your behalf.

Suggested Tweet: 12 ways to equip your advocates to speak on your product, service or brands behalf! http://bit.ly/wfksRP

5 Ways to Secure Your Facebook Profile in a Post-Timeline World
http://www.cso.com.au/article/414648/5_ways_secure_your_facebook_profile_post-timeline_world/

With the ongoing rollout of Facebook’s new Timeline feature, many users are finding their pictures, posts, comments, likes, etc. from their past that are now easily accessible. In the next few weeks, Facebook will make the Timeline feature permanent for all users, if your profile has not been affected already. Here are five ways to lock down your profile in the post-Timeline world.

Suggested Tweet: Secure your Facebook profile in a post-Timeline world! http://bit.ly/yHeVF3

How to Attract the RIGHT Social Media Followers for Your Business

This article gives insight on how to reach your top influencers and targeted connections, how to leverage your existing fans, and the likes on your business’ social media sites.

Suggested Tweet: How to attract and keep the RIGHT social media followers for your business http://bit.ly/wwyVP8

The distinction between the two is really important for business sustainability. The combination drives prosperity.

The world needs a generation of sustainability leadership in the C-suite around the planet. There are good examples out there to serve as role models. At one of the GreenBusiness WORKS Expos, we heard from a small business executive, Keith Kantor, CEO of Services Foods, who experienced prosperity when most companies were merely trying to survive. He did this by committing to sustainable business practices.  He inspired his team, navigated the change, business expenses shrunk, and voila – profitability increased.

We all love the word change; we even say we embrace it. After all, to admit we prefer to stay stuck in old and outdated ways does not sound like enlightened business practices. Maybe the reality is we love change, the noun, but not the verb!

Solving sustainability problems won’t bankrupt a company and does not even depend on a technology breakthrough. EXPO 2010 revealed numerous low cost, no cost changes organizations can adopt that don’t break the corporate bank and we already have technology required to shift to a sustainability platform. So what’s stopping us?

Sustainability depends on inspirational business leadership that can change what tasks their managers manage. Let’s concentrate on fostering leadership, then get out their way and allow them to lead.

Managers manage. Leaders inspire. Which one are you?

By, Stephanie Armistead

5 Tips for Using the New LinkedIn Company Pages
http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/5-tips-for-using-the-new-linkedin-company-pages/

LinkedIn recently announced an update to company pages that can help companies and small businesses to become more engaged on the network. Up until now, your company page existed in isolation. Now businesses can update their individual company pages to enable their followers to receive updates and insights about job opportunities, company news, employee moves and more.

Suggested Tweet: 5 Tips for Using the New LinkedIn Company Pages | http://bit.ly/xGRmHE via @smexaminer #linkedin

Should Your Business Be on Pintrest?
http://www.nickwestergaard.com/2012/01/should-your-business-be-on-pinterest/

Pinterest currently has 4 million users and is growing rapidly. This article gives an overview of the platform and notes ways different brands are using it. For example, Real Simple magazine, an ideal fit based on both visual appeal and audience demographics, has seen more recent website referrals from Pinterest than Facebook.

Suggested Tweet: Some helpful tips before your #brand starts “pinning” on #Pinterest – ow.ly/8LOtr

7 Creative Ways Your Brand Can Use Pinterest
http://searchenginewatch.com/article/2139906/7-Creative-Ways-Your-Brand-Can-Use-Pinterest

This article outlines several creative ways to use Pintrest, below are two that can be useful to our clients.
Put a Face to Your Brand: Use Pintrest to showcase your style, what makes you different, what your brand stands for and use it as an opportunity to highlight your employees.
Hold a Contest: Lands’ End recently held a contest they coined: “Pin It to Win It”. Participants were encouraged to browse the Lands’ End site, create pins of items they liked and the most creative and stylish entries won prizes.

Suggested Tweet: Check out these creative ways your brand can use #Pintrest | http://sewat.ch/wAClIG

Why Your Business Needs to Be on Google+ Now!
http://searchenginewatch.com/article/2141454/Why-Your-Business-Needs-to-Be-on-Google-Now

We all know that Google+ is here to stay, but this article outlines several reasons why it is so important to businesses besides the fact that everyone else is doing it. One of the most important advantages of Google+ for business is that unlike Facebook, the content in your Google+ posts may turn into highly ranked search results on Google (again, inside or outside the Google+ environment) – providing keyword and topic-relevant search engine visibility that improves based on your “AuthorRank” and content-specific engagement levels.

Suggested Tweet: Why Your Business Needs to Be on Google+ Now! – http://j.mp/zklPS8  #socialmedia  #marketing

Google+ Brand Pages Get Multiple Admins; Adds Stream “Volume Control”
http://searchenginewatch.com/article/2133806/Google-Brand-Pages-Get-Multiple-Admins-Adds-Stream-Volume-Control

This week Google announced several small changes and new Google+ features. Among them, the Google stream filtering feature has arrived, and finally brand pages can have up to 50 administrators. Google+ allows users to set Circle “volumes” by selecting whether to “Show everything from this stream in my main stream,” “Show most,” “Show fewer,” or “Show none.” Google+ notifications have been tweaked a bit, with sneak previews showing more of posts without actually navigating to them.

Suggested Tweet: New Features for Google+; Brand Pages Get Multiple Admins; Adds Stream “Volume Control” by @MirandaM_EComm http://sewat.ch/tIGlmB via @sewatch

The Secret To Creating Public Relations Campaigns For Women
A Video Conversation with Lippe Taylor CEO Maureen Lippe
http://www.bulldogreporter.com/daily-dog/secret-creating-public-relations-campaigns-women

Lippe Taylor founder and CEO Maureen Lippe recently sat down with Media Training Worldwide’s “Inside Communications with Mike Bako” host Mike Bako at Inside Communication’s studio in Midtown Manhattan to discuss how the ever-changing tastes and behaviors of women create a challenge for even the most powerful brands.

Suggested Tweet: The Secret To Creating Public Relations Campaigns For Women | Bulldog Reporter: http://bit.ly/wUq7Ba #PR

Ring in the New Year!

As we ring in the New Year with personal and professional resolutions, Green Business Works is committed to supporting organizations interested in being more sustainable.

If you are in leadership within your organization and have not chosen this business platform, please consider reading BusinessWeek Research Services (BWRS) white paper about their survey of 101 C-level executives.

The research program determined the attitudes and opinions of C-level executives with regard to the use and value of business analytics. The title of the report is Emerging Green Intelligence: Business Analytics and Corporate Sustainability The white paper can be downloaded from SAS on their web site http://www.sas.com/whitepapers/index.html

For those companies who are on the fence or have not begun considering the impact of sustainable business practices, perhaps this white paper will provide some insights for consideration. An executive summary includes the following points:

1. Although still in its adolescence, sustainability is being recognized by innovative executives for the opportunity it offers; more than half of executives are focusing on sustainability throughout 2009.
2. Sustainability is not a top-tier concern at the moment but is still a focus of many C-level executives.
3. Sustainability issues are driven by C-level executives, especially the CEO .
4. Additionally, in the last 12 months, half of organizations have increased their focus on sustainability, while two in five have kept their emphasis on sustainability the same.

If you are leading your organization down the path of sustainability, congratulations, the rewards are many. Companies that get their data together fastest will save money, improve performance, recruit and retain the best and brightest talent, answer customer questions and demands, and find new market opportunities.

If you have not decided to take these important steps, how will you compete? And how will address playing ‘catch-up’ with your stakeholders?

In my days of agency work, we would tell clients who waited until the last minute, ‘We can do it good, fast or cheap-pick 2!’ Like any project, sustainability initiatives will be a higher caliber when you can be planful. It’s less expensive when deadlines are flexible and mandates aren’t looming.

Why not consider deploying sustainability in your organization while choices are still in your business favor?

By, Stephanie Armistead

3 Metrics that Will Change the Way You Market on Facebook
http://on.mash.to/AoIzrR

This article gives an overview of three game-changing metrics you should be tracking, along with concrete tips for improving your Page’s performance in each area. New and noteworthy metrics are:
1. Track ”People Talking About This”
2. Track “Engaged Users”
3. Track “External Referrers”

Tweet Suggestion:  Check out the 3 new #Facebook metrics that will change your #marketing strategy http://on.mash.to/AoIzrR

7 Tools to Monitor Your Competitors’ Traffic

This article reviews seven different social media monitoring tools and outlines the strengths, weaknesses, and accuracy of each. The analysis of each is based on the free version of the tools although several have paid options. The author voted SEMrush (http://www.semrush.com) as the most accurate of the bunch.

Suggested Tweet: 7 tools to monitor your competitors #web traffic and key words. http://shar.es/fgmOI

21 Tactics to Increase Blog Traffic

http://www.seomoz.org/blog/21-tactics-to-increase-blog-traffic-2012

This article gives some interesting tips on increasing traffic on your blog:

• Participate in the Communities Where Your Audience Already Gathers

• Use Twitter, Facebook and Google+ to Share Your Posts & Find New Connections

• Interact on Other Blogs’ Comments

Suggested Tweet: Try these tactics to Increase traffic to your blog. http://mz.cm/zsU3TW | via @SEOmoz

Handle This: Google+ Finally Allows Pseudonyms
http://on.mash.to/yHtQw4

Google promised it would take a close look at the requirement that only real names and identities reside on its seven-month-old social network, and now the search giant has reversed course, allowing both nicknames and full-fledged pseudonyms on Google+.

Suggested Tweet: Handle This: No longer restricted to real names, #Google+ now allows nicknames & pseudonyms | via @mashable http://on.mash.to/yHtQw4

Social Marketing Trends to Look For in 2012: Predictions from Top Marketers
http://socialmediatoday.com/mlewis1/435188/social-marketing-trends-look-2012-predictions-top-marketers

This article compiles collective wisdom from experts in the field of strategy, marketing and technology about the top social marketing developments, new technologies, biggest challenges, and top news resources. Also includes a link to a free e-book on the topic.

Suggested Tweet: #Social #Marketing Trends to Look For in 2012: Predictions from Top Marketers http://soc.li/0wBbPdf

Twitter Buys Startup Dasient to Fight Malicious Advertising

http://mashable.com/2012/01/24/twitter-buys-startup-dasient-to-fight-malicious-advertising/

Twitter has acquired security startup Dasient, an anti-malware vendor for large enterprises in the financial services, media, and online sectors. Its technology will be housed within Twitter’s revenue engineering team, which suggests its primary purpose will be to identify malicious ads submitted through the company’s nascent self-serve ad platform before they go live.

Suggested Tweet: #Twitter buys startup #Dasient to fight malicious ads on the company’s self serve ad platform before they go live | http://on.mash.to/zSFyd3

What the trustees failed to realize is the impact of the reference, fired vs retired, in the media and the social media … today and into the foreseeable future.  With the firing, they forever branded Joe Paterno and the Penn State University with a Scarlet Letter, creating the opportunity for brunt of the media’s negative attention to fall on the shoulders of Joe Paterno vs where it ultimately lies, on the hands of Jerry Sandusky.  If one were to analyze the media’s relatively positive attention to Joe Paterno’s passing, you would find it almost impossible to avoid a reference to his firing, the provocative and sensational negativity that we as a society live for, much like our obsession with slowing down to catch a glimpse of a horrific car accident and now these days, feeling compelled to Tweet about it.

Yes, I’m afraid the board needs to go, but not necessarily with a call before midnight or hand delivered note in the dead of night.  That’s simply not Penn State’s style … that’s not what distinguishes it as a university among universities.

And one free piece of advice … give Walter Isaacson a call and see if he’s up for Joe Paterno’s Bio … Ben Franklin, Albert Einstein, Steve Jobs … all good company.

For years, local store marketing has been the most effective way for store managers and owners to integrate their business into the community.  The high-touch approach of visiting local schools, neighborhood associations and charitable organizations and aligning one’s business in the spirit of reciprocal benefit has made many a businesses long-standing members of the community.  With the growth of national and international chains, local store marketing was the vehicle to leverage national advertising, public relations, community relations and sponsorships.  In fact, it was imperative that the chains worked hard at local store marketing as a means of minimizing their corporate roots, which in many smaller markets did not play so well.  Brands like Starbucks, Chick-fil-A, Home Depot learned that early in their lifecycles.

The world has changed dramatically since the rapid adoption of social media. The way companies market has changed.  The mediums that grab consumer attention have changed. The transparency of it all has changed.  Yet for so many multi-store businesses, they see social media as a brand strategy vs a local store strategy.  Franchisors are even more fearful of empowering their franchises to have a presence outside of the mothership Facebook page or Twitter account.  They would prefer to spend thousands and thousands per store with in-store pop, tent cards and promotions that are managed only at the corporate level.  Of course, they want to continue to encourage you to knock on doors, hand out “be my guest” cards at local events and volunteer your services at the local school.  You know, that traditional local store marketing effort.  And by all means, keep emptying that fish bowl of business cards each week and dropping them into a lifeless database that you source on occasion.

What’s the answer?  I for one would never discourage a local business owner or store manager from getting out into the community, building relationships, supporting relevant causes and partnering with schools.  It takes time and commitment away from the store.  The best run businesses figure out a way to balance both.  However, I believe that local stores need a social media strategy because it’s a way to engage with your constituents in an ongoing dialogue … to make them feel special, test new products, learn about issues, discover opportunities.  And it can all be done in a much more effective way that physically driving around town or spending thousands of dollars on excessive marketing materials.

For many, managing their Facebook presence seems intimidating or daunting and while the best of intentions begins with a setup a few posts, ultimately, it breaks down into a presence almost as lifeless as that database.  The trick is to have someone qualified managing it for you, much like business has a technology or product vendor, you need a social media vendor that operates like a subscription service so that you have some financial predictability.

Find that solution quickly because local store marketing as we know it … is dying a slow death.

By, Dean Trevelino  |  @DTrevelino