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Archive for the ‘Social media’ Category

Le Meur’s video branding series. 30 videos, 30 days

September 2nd, 2010

The founder of Seesmic and LeWeb, Loïc Le Meur will be releasing 30 videos over the next 30 days via YouTube and iTunes as a podcast.

The videos will be focused on building an online brand and related subjects.

“After many presentations on social networking around the World, I found myself getting the same questions all the time so I decided to share everything I learned in a series of 30 HD videos. They aren’t aimed at experts but rather anyone who would like to learn from scratch how to make the best from social networking and building their brand”

Below is the first, second and third of his 30 HD video series. The rest can be found over the course of the next month via his YouTube Channel http://loic.tv/

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Brian Solis and Chris Beck define the future of being social

August 27th, 2010

I’ve been following the series of video conversations between Brian Solis and Chris Beck, which are extraordinary in their breadth and depth. They are ‘must see’ for anyone involved with social media PR and indeed for anyone who is interested in the future of online communication.

What strikes me is the clarity of thought, the strategic minds at work here. These guys inhabit ‘social’ but also understand the commercial imperatives that underlie many online conversations. My favourite is the discussion on privacy and what constitutes the ‘online self’.

At a time when some commentators are questioning the existence and value of social networks, Brian and Chris offer a positive, inspiring view of the possibilities. Is social media dead? No. Does it present problems? Yes. Can we rise to the challenge? Take a look at these videos and make up your own mind. Personally, I’d say that with people like Brian and Chris leading the discussion, we’re in very safe hands.

You can see the complete series on Brian’s website

Here’s my favourite:

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David McCandless explains the power of infographics

August 26th, 2010

Here’s a treat - David McCandless explaining the power of visual information design/infographics at the recent TED Global conference in Oxford. There’s plenty of good for thought in his lively talk and he shows some wonderful examples of how complex data from different sources can be presented in a way that makes it more graspable. He also shows how new understanding can come from the process - and so change the ways we think.

My only concern is that the adage “garbage in, garbage out” applies even more to the production of infographics. There has to be a way of assessing the quality of the research data - and as Ben Goldacre proves every week in his Bad Science Guardian column, there is no shortage of questionable data online.

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Leo Laporte and the end of social media

August 25th, 2010

One of the more visible social media professionals has decided to disengage, citing the pointlessness of the platforms. Is this the beginning of the end of ‘social media’?

Leo Laporte, the influential broadcaster behind the TWiT network of podcasts has posted a heartfelt blog in which he reasons that all social media is roughly the equivalent of talking to the wind.

The agent of change was his discovery that a glitch with Google Buzz – a social platform he has championed - meant that everything he had posted there for over two weeks hadn’t been seen by anyone. Worse still, no-one noticed.

Is Leo right? Are we all, effectively, talking to nobody when we engage online?

It often feels like that – but we have no real idea about who we have connected with through our ideas, unless we have engaged directly.

The power of social networks really lies in their universality and commonness. If you wanted an analogy, you could say that social networks allow millions of people to ‘overhear’ conversations in the way that we listen and learn from people talking on the train, the Tube, in cafes, restaurants and pubs.

This information is often of no immediate use, might be flippant, irritating or noisome but it’s also often very beneficial. It might colour our days, make something more understandable, or simply give us pause for thought.

More than that, the sharing of information, directly or indirectly, informs and celebrates the way we live. We like to share because it is a benefit. If no-one is listening, if the chatter machine has broken down temporarily (ie the pub had to shut its doors for a while) then definitely we lose an outlet for our egos.

But it does not mean that being social has no purpose and I think maybe it’s the reverse. It reminds us that we’re not special, individual or separate and we need to share together.

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Facebook Places round-up

August 23rd, 2010

There has been plenty of conversation surrounding Facebook places over the last week. So, to help you access the discussion around Facebook’s latest launch, The Liberate Media team have put together a collection of their favourite posts in this single “round-up” style blog post.

First off here is the official Facebook Places Check in video.

Facebook Places: how it works

How to Use Facebook Places

Facebook Places Launches with Bing’d Out Maps

How To Use Facebook Places For Your Business

Facebook Places vs. Foursquare: Who Has the Business Edge?

Week in review: The fallout over Facebook Places

A Field Guide to Using Facebook Places

Facebook Wants Advertisers To Help Build Out Its Directory of Places

Will Facebook Places revolutionize location-based mobile advertising?

5 Ways B2B Companies Can Use Facebook Places

Do you know of any more fascinating Facebook Places blog posts worth checking out? please let us know in the comments section.

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Got your A-Level results? So how do you get into PR?

August 19th, 2010

As you’ve all no doubt seen, A-Level results have been announced today in England, so conversation around qualifications and careers are rife.

On a day like this it certainly takes me back to my own experiences of education, and the path I took to reach my current career. Today though, things are tougher than ever. According to today’s Guardian A-Level students are facing one of the most intense battles ever seen to get into university, simply due to a higher number of students looking for a decreasing number of places. In fact, the total number of places at English universities this year is 365,000, and each University will face fines of £3,700 per student if they exceed their limit.

This means that knowing what you want to do, and getting the correct advice on how to get there, is perhaps more essential than ever.

That got me thinking, how would I advise a student looking to get into the PR sector? To be fair this is a question I have been asked many times, and to be honest I always struggle to answer it with clear and straight-forward advice. Fundamentally, that’s because there is no single, clear and straight-forward route to success.

In my case, I started out in PR 12 years ago, and crossed the divide into social media around 2006. My degree is in Business, but to be honest I had no idea what I wanted to be when I applied or left University, in fact I stayed on at University to add an honours to my degree just to get another year of student life. However, the day finally came when I had to start my career proper, and again, if I’m honest I only took a role as an account executive at a PR agency because I thought PR sounded interesting, not much in the way of career planning there!

Back to the current situation, if graduates or students ask me how to get into PR or social media or hopefully even both, the simple truth is there is no guaranteed method. Having taken my own straw poll of colleagues throughout my career, I would estimate that less than 20% did a degree relevant to PR, now of course you could argue many degrees are relevant to PR, and you would be right, but I’m talking marketing, PR courses, etc.

Why is this the case? Well I would argue it’s simply because in the PR industry everybody starts at the bottom, you learn your trade from the ground up. It used to be the case that a degree was just a pass to get an interview, from that point on it was down to you, your qualifications counted for nothing.

In the past, and in my experience being an interviewer for various agencies, the issue with PR degrees is that the course doesn’t keep pace with the industry, although I’m now assured this is improving. I also realise this is a common complaint with many industries. Therefore, when I am recruiting, I don’t particularly give any advantage to those that have done a PR degree over those that have done History, Geography or English, for example.

This issue is now further complicated by the digital skills required to perform the roll of a PR. Or if you want to go into a specific career focusing on social media, you need to choose how you approach it, i.e. from the comms side, the technology side, web development side or creative side, and ideally with elements of all of the above.

In terms of choosing PR as a career, the number one issue in my opinion is the false reputation PR has developed among graduates, and in fact the general public, as this piece in the Independent proves, and I quote: “Why PR? Because PR is glamorous. You get to go to launch parties and meet interesting people and talk to celebrities.”

Anyone coming into PR with that opinion soon gets hit square in the face with a 2×4 of reality. But then I guess the reality for anyone starting out in PR is a little off putting - terrible pay, long hours, hard and demanding work. However, you will learn a whole host of new skills including many that will set you up for life, and your value, both of self and as an employee, will rocket.

So, to get into PR do you need to do a PR, or PR relevant, course? I would still argue no, but it should help to give you a more realistic picture of the career you have chosen.

Should you try to get work experience before leaving University? Yes, this is something that employers look for, and again it will give you a more realistic picture of the job at hand.

Do you need digital/social media skills? (there are plenty of social media-type courses around ) Yes, I probably would value this, as an introduction, because I’m part of an integrated agency.

I’m certainly not envious of those starting out at University today, well, okay I am envious of the 3-4 years of student life and all the fun that comes with it, but the jobs market and eventual value of the qualification, plus the debt we all come out with, are not attractive at all.

Those that invest time to develop a real picture of the careers options open to them will in my opinion succeed. Again when I was at Uni, careers advice basically came down to ‘what do you want to do when you leave?’ but today there are better options.

Many students take the opportunity to embrace the social web and ask advice from those in the industry, do their research and try to get involved while still studying. This is a smart move; most of us in the industry remember how difficult it was and will help out where we can.

There are also new careers services and guidance available, one of which we are involved in that will be launching soon called WYGU, (When You Grow Up), which is a social careers guidance and mentoring platform that aims to bring people of all ages and backgrounds together to get real information about careers from real people who are in those careers. Take advantage of these services as they offer invaluable advice that you just don’t find elsewhere or through official channels.

In summary, the PR industry is changing, which means the skills required are also evolving. The opportunities to get involved, if you can offer some of the skills mentioned above, are probably better than ever, but be warned if you thought a PR had to be an all-rounder before, it’s stepped up another level, there’s much more to learn.

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Crowdsourcing compendium: General resource, case studies, examples and tips

July 20th, 2010

Following on from yesterday’s Location based compendium: The services, resources, Foursquare case studies and stats here’s another helpful compendium this time on ‘Crowdsourcing’ and related topics.

This is how Wikipedia defines crowdsourcing:

Crowdsourcing is the act of outsourcing tasks, traditionally performed by an employee or contractor, to a large group of people or community (a crowd), through an open call.

For example, the public may be invited to develop a new technology, carry out a design task (also known as community-based design and distributed participatory design), refine or carry out the steps of an algorithm, or help capture, systematize or analyse large amounts of data.

The term has become popular with businesses, authors, and journalists as shorthand for the trend of leveraging the mass collaboration enabled by Web 2.0 technologies to achieve business goals. However, both the term and its underlying business models have attracted controversy and criticisms.

General Resource

Online Marketing: How User-Generated Content Can Drive Web 2.0 Online Campaigns

http://www.masternewmedia.org/online_marketing/user-generated-marketing/web20-user-generated-marketing-crowdsourcing-online-marketing-strategy-20070530.htm

Excellent post and a good place to start to get you up to speed with all things related to crowdsourcing.

Top crowdsourcing Websites, Resources, and Companies http://compassioninpolitics.wordpress.com/2008/10/01/top-crowdsourcing-websites-and-resources/

Nice resource post over viewing some  guides, applications, platforms and tools available to help you find out more about crowdsourcing.

BEST PRACTICE: Crowdsourcing in B2B http://www.b2bm.biz/Features/BEST-PRACTICE-Crowdsourcing-in-B2B/

Some helpful tips for B2B marketers.

Crowdsourcing Mindmap


Crowdsourcing

Case studies

Case Study: Crowdsourcing exhibitions http://www.museumsassociation.org/museum-practice/creating-engaging-displays/15072010-createdemocracy

An experiment to curate a gallery via the democracy of the general public.

Myoo Uses Crowdsourcing for Sustainability Solutions http://www.fastcompany.com/1662684/myoo-create-crowdsources-sustainable-solutions-for-companies

Examples from Myoo Create, a new company that works with brands to launching sustainability-focused crowdsourcing challenges that engage consumers and spur innovation.

How Air New Zealand uses crowdsourcing and social media for a new in-flight experience

http://www.socialemailmarketing.eu/2010/05/air-new-zealands-aviation-design-academy-a-crowd-sourcing-initiative.html

How Air New Zealand is using social media and crowdsourcing to engage people in a creative way.

Case Study: Best Buy Uses Social Media To Crowdsource Employees http://mattsingley.com/blog/2009/04/best-buy-crowdsources-employees/

Best Buy uses a wiki to crowd source their employees thoughts and ideas.

Crowdsourcing examples

Red Bull X Fighters London - Crowd Sourcing Campaign

10 examples of how crowdsourcing is changing the world.

http://www.thesocialpath.com/2009/05/10-examples-of-crowdsourcing.html

A post highlighting a few clever uses of crowdsourcing, just to show how it’s quickly changing almost every aspect of online commerce, research and even human interaction.

Crowdsourcing Examples http://crowdsourcingexamples.pbworks.com/

An extensive wiki is intended for the benefit of anyone who has ever wished they could see a comprehensive list of examples, either backed by a brand or not, that illustrate the power of crowdsourcing

Crowdsourcing example: bmi uses Flickr photos in web design http://www.hotelmarketingstrategies.com/crowdsourcing-example-bmi-uses-flickr-photos/

The BMI website adds user generated content.

YouTube Launches Platform for Crowdsourcing Suggestions http://mashable.com/2010/05/27/youtube-google-moderator/

The use of Google moderator to manage feedback on YouTube.

Crowdsourcing statistics and tips

Some Crowdsourcing Search Stats http://www.thecrowdsourcingblog.com/2010/04/some-crowdsourcing-search-stats/

The use of Google trends to see the impart of the term “crowdsourcing”

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Social Media is not a separate channel

July 19th, 2010

Felix Wetzel, Group Marketing Director for Jobsite, has posted a blog on The Wall, voicing views that are often overlooked as part of the social media debate - and it’s refreshing to see a senior in-house marketing professional lay his social media cards on the table in such a direct way.

Felix says: “Social media needs to be implemented in the relevant functions and not built as another separate entity. If it’s a separate entity it will fail and will only always remain as another communication channel. Social media has to become part of the DNA, not another add on. Which leads me to one additional point: Any communication agency with a separate social media arm misses the point completely and waves a big sign that reads: ‘We jumped on the band wagon, but we don’t get it!’”

These may seem like brave words to some, but in a climate where too many companies still tend to rank discussions about Social Media in the ‘know we need to, but not 100% sure why’ file, which often leads to implementing social media as a box ticking exercise alone, I would argue it’s necessary to have this debate.

Felix’s key point, that ‘appointing a Social Media manager will hinder the harnessing of the social web’s true potential‘ is valid in my opinion, simply because that job is too often focused on creating a silo where listening, conversation and communication are contained, rather than about opening up these crucial elements to the rest of the business and of course the wider community.

If organisations think that hiring an individual to take care of social media for the whole company is ‘job done’ then it’s a sure route to failure.

If social media strategies are to succeed, they need to be an integral part of the organisation. Social Media isn’t just about marketing, nor is it a tactic, it’s a different way of approaching your business, moving real conversation, reputation and usefulness to the centre of the business, while addressing some of the fundamental issues that businesses of all types face on a daily basis.

You can follow Felix at Felix Wetzel.  He’s also the author of the ‘People, Brands, & Random Thoughts’.

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Location based compendium: The services, resources, Foursquare case studies and stats

July 19th, 2010

If you’re a little behind the times and want to understand more about location-based services and related subjects, read on. We have broken this resource down into the following sections; services, general help, case studies,  and to round it off, some helpful statistics and facts.

The Services:

Foursquare: http://foursquare.com/

Foursquare is a location-based social networking website, software for mobile devices, and also a game. Users “check-in” at venues using a mobile website, text message or a device-specific application. They are then awarded points and sometimes “badges.”

Gowalla: http://gowalla.com/

Gowalla is a location-based social networking game created by Alamofire. Users ‘check-in’ at spots in their local vicinity, either through a dedicated mobile application or through the mobile website. As a reward users will sometimes receive items from check-ins. Items have developed to become a promotional tool for the game’s partners

Rummble: http://www.rummble.com/

Rummble is a bit like your social network, but based upon trust (or lack of) in people’s recommendations so you can discover things from thousands of people, not just your friends or immediate trusted connections.

Its the best to Rummble when you’re actually at a place that you love or loath, then you can add a photo and if you want, share it straight away on Twitter, Facebook, Bebo or more.

Google Latitude: http://www.google.com/intl/en_us/latitude/intro.html

Google Latitude lets you see your friend’s location on a map.

Loopt: http://www.loopt.com/

Loopt provides a mobile-based GPS sharing system that allows users to visualize one another using their mobile phones and share information. Loopt also enables users to explore the world around them by connecting users with integrated content from Citysearch, Zagat, Bing, Zvents, Metromix, SonicLiving and others.

In addition to the core features of Loopt, users also have the ability to integrate Loopt with other social networks, including Facebook and Twitter. Loopt also offers a Journal widget that displays a user’s latest updates and photos visually on a map, which they can easily install on their blog or other site.

Whrrl: http://whrrl.com/

Whrrl  is a mobile network that lets you aggregate information as you visit different places. It’s generally like a location review service that’s wrapped up in a map mash-up and a social network.

Brightkite: http://brightkite.com/

Brightkite allows registered users to connect with their existing friends and also meet new people based on the places that they go. Once a user “checks in” at a place, they can post notes and photos to that location and other users can comment on these posts. Users control the privacy of their updates and can choose to share them with their Twitter and Facebook accounts, while also having the option to share their geo-tagged photo posts to Flickr.

Burbn: http://burbn.com/waitlist/

Is a web-based location app where people can share rich media about their whereabouts.

Hot Potato: http://hotpotato.com/

Hot Potato makes it easy to share what you’re doing with friends and connect with others who have similar interests. You and your friends can connect around the question, “What are you doing?” First choose a verb - for example, “I’m attending.” Then select the name of the activity - “I’m attending the Superbowl.” Confirm the activity update, and you’re connected to everyone else attending the Superbowl on Hot Potato. Ask questions, and share your photos and videos.

CauseWorld: http://www.causeworld.com/

CauseWorld is a mobile application that lets you help the world while you shop!

This is the easiest way to give back to your community! Best of all, in these tough economic times, it costs you nothing.

All you need to do is walk into one of the many stores you most likely frequent anyway, such as common groceries, hardware stores, department stores, and many others. Pull out your phone, open the app, and check in. No purchase is required. By checking in, you earn karmas from our sponsors. Donate those karmas for specific actions to improve the world. Some of the many actions in the CauseMall include donating to classrooms in need, planting a tree, providing a meal for the hungry, or helping an injured animal.

Plancast: http://plancast.com/

Plancast is the easiest way for you to share your plans with friends and discover what others are doing in the future. We offer a lightweight way to keep tabs on what people are doing in real life.

MyTown: http://www.booyah.com/

MyTown is a GPS game about buying and owning your favourite local shops, restaurants, and hangouts on your iPhone.

First, Check-in at real-world locations to unlock rewards. Then buy and own your favourite real-life places. During the day, you can collect rent when people Check-in to your shops. The more visitors that come to your stores, the more it raises your properties’ total value.

Foodspotting: http://www.foodspotting.com/

Foodspotters earn recognition for sharing foods they love enabling Foodseekers to find whatever they’re craving and see what’s good wherever they go.

Foodspotting is a visual local guide that lets you find dishes instead of just restaurants. It’s powered by Foodspotters, who can share their food photos and expertise while building a rich collection of foods and where to find them.

Become a Foodspotter by sharing a food that you love! You can post sightings on the website, mobile or email them to food@foodspotting.com!

Fire Eagle: http://fireeagle.yahoo.net/

Fire Eagle is an open platform that helps users take their location to the Web while giving them the ability to easily control how and where their location data is shared.

General Resource:

The Beginner’s Guide To Location-Based Marketing http://www.businessinsider.com/the-beginner-guide-to-location-based-marketing-2010-6

Location-based marketing includes a diverse array of tactics–from simple local advertising to more complex location detection using GPS and triangulation technology, 16 tips to get you started.

9 Killer Tips for Location-Based Marketing http://mashable.com/2010/03/15/location-based-marketing/

9 killer tips to help you get to grips with your marketing efforts around location-based networks and relegated issues by Mashable. First tip; get to know the platforms!

Foursquare vs. Gowalla vs. MyTown: Which Is Better for Business? http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/foursquare-vs-gowalla-vs-mytown-which-is-better-for-business/

The contenders battle it out for title of the best business platform, 3 guesses who comes out on top!

The Widening Gap: Can Gowalla Catch Foursquare? http://thenextweb.com/us/2010/07/12/the-widening-gap-can-gowalla-catch-foursquare/

This post examines if Gowalla can catch Foursquare judging by the partnerships and numbers Foursquare has posted at this moment in time, it’s looking unlikely.

How the Fashion Industry Uses Location-Based Marketing http://mashable.com/2010/03/22/fashion-location-based/

Post on how location based service are used in fashion, including the Marc Jacobs, Foursquare and New York Fashion Week case study.

Location-Based Marketing, Resources and Tools Location-Based Marketing, Resources and Tools

Post by Search Engine Journal outlining the major payers on the location-based scene.

Some Privacy Ground Rules For Location-Based Marketing: Why ‘Geofencing’ Goes Too Far

http://moconews.net/article/419-some-rules-for-location-based-marketing-why-geofencing-goes-too-far/

Matt Silk is the SVP of Waterfall Mobile; a San Francisco-based digital-messaging company goes into detail about the privacy issues surrounding location-based networks.

Foursquare specific:

6 Tips for Getting the Most out of Foursquare http://mashable.com/2009/12/10/fourquare-tips/

Basic post over viewing how to use Foursquare and get the most from it.

Foursquare Mayors Get 25% Off at Ann Taylor http://mashable.com/2010/07/13/ann-taylor-foursquare/

Mashable post on the retailer Ann Taylor using a Foursquare promotion.

Domino’s UK Social Media Initiatives Help Increase Profits by 29% http://mashable.com/2010/07/12/dominos-uk-social-media/

Dominos claims to have used Foursquare to great success and help raise its profits.

History Channel Turns Foursquare Into A Real World Pop-Up Video http://techcrunch.com/2010/04/22/foursquare-history-channel/

Techcrunch post centred on the Foursquare partnership with the History Channel

Case studies:

Chevy Case Study: Using Mobile, Location and QR Codes to Inspire Brand Engagement (Gowalla) http://www.emarketer.com/blog/index.php/chevy-case-study-qr-codes-mobile-location-inspire-brand-engagement/

Gowalla case study based on Chevy using quick research codes and location-based technology.

More than 20 unique “Location Based” case studies from Foursquare, Gowalla, Whrrl, and MyTown http://blog.makeastartup.com/more-then-20-unique-location-based-case-studi

Great resource full of location-based case studies from a variety of platforms.

Gowalla x Nets Case Study: Underdogs Teamed Up on Geomarketing Campaign with ROI http://www.mobilebehavior.com/2010/04/22/gowalla-x-nets-case-study/

Small case study on the use of Gowalla with the basketball team the NY Nets.

How to use Foursquare to draw a crowd into a restaurant http://blog.steffanantonas.com/case-study-how-to-use-foursquare-to-draw-a-crowd-into-your-restaurant.htm

Another case study showing the power of drawing a crowd to a local restaurant via the use of Foursquare.

Statistics and Facts:

Location Based Services are Up and Running, Statistics Prove (April 30th 2010) http://stasgeomarketing.wordpress.com/2010/04/30/location-based-services-are-up-and-running-statistics-prove/

Brief post outlining the facts from the Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) in which one in four U.S. adults use mobile location-based services.

7.5 Foursquare facts you need to know http://prashantpatel.com/social-media/75-foursquare-facts.html

Some brief Foursquare facts from back in April 2010

Foursquare v Gowalla [FACTS] http://www.socialmedianews.com.au/foursquare-v-gowalla-facts/

More up to date facts focusing on the two major players Foursquare and Gowalla

Foursquare Is Five Times Larger Than Gowalla And Growing 75 Percent Faster Every Day

http://techcrunch.com/2010/07/07/foursquare-gowalla-stats/

RJ Metrics present data on the manor of Foursquare’s impressive growth vs. that of Gowalla

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Weekly Social Media sites, tools and posts round-up (16-07-2010)

July 16th, 2010

Welcome to another instalment of the ‘Weekly Social Media sites, tools and posts round-up’.

1. Tweet Beat is a simple Firefox or Chrome add on that automatically brings you recent tweets from whoever (or whatever) is mentioned in the web pages you’re looking at.

2. Ckeditor is a plugin for Wordpress. It’s an open source WYSIWYG editor, with common editing features found on desktop editing applications like Microsoft Word and OpenOffice.

3.Widgia provide free flash widgets for your social profile page, website or blog. Use the ”Get this” button under each widget to grab them in a click.

Below is a game from the gaming widget section.

soccer game by widgia
4. Static 520 (520 pixels is the width of the FB page) is Facebook application/page that can be customised and easily added to your Facebook group, for the price of $19.00 per year.

Check out how easy it is to set it in motion here:

5.Which loads faster is a tool that allows websites to go head to head in terms of speed. According to the site Bing loads faster than Google.

Social Media post of the week: 100 Great Writing Tips from the World’s Top Bloggers

SEO post of the week SEO for YouTube - How to Search Optimize Video for B2B Marketing

More of the same next week.

Check out previous issues of the ‘Weekly Social Media sites, tools and posts round-up

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