Social media changes so much in a week that it can be hard to keep up. Check back every Friday for our roundup of stories we think you should know about in our Social Media Snap.
When most people hear the term “social media”, they automatically think of Facebook and Twitter, possibly Google, and sometimes Pinterest. While I admit these are the main social media titans, sometimes I think they’re getting a little too big for their britches. Or maybe growing up with two younger, attention-seeking sisters has made me a softie for the quiet guys, off doing their own thing. Either way, I’m tired of writing about Facebook and Twitter. So this week’s Social Media Snap will highlight what’s going on with the other social media sites and apps. Maybe you don’t use them, or maybe you’ve never even heard of them, and that’s ok. But I think they deserve their moment to shine. To them I say, “you go Glen Coco”.
That being said, I still included some news about Facebook and Twitter because, like my sisters, there’s always some drama going on that they need to share with the whole world (I promise I love my sisters).
Major news hit the social media world early this week when Yahoo announced it was buying Tumblr for $1.1 billion. With this acquisition, there might be some changes to the social media site. Specifically, advertising and the, um, adult content on Tumblr are two aspects under review. Many people are concerned about the impact this will have on individuals and companies who use Tumblr, which is understandable given Yahoo’s less than stellar record with past acquisitions (and that’s putting it nicely).
The country watched in horror as Moore, OK was ravaged by a devastating tornado this past Monday. Seeing the aftermath was especially hard for us here in the office as one of our own grew up in that area. Celebrities, including many country musicians from Oklahoma, took to social media to express their condolences, trending the hashtag #prayforoklahoma. As we’ve seen with many tragedies over the last few years, Social media has become a go-to source of relief in times of crisis for many Americans. It can help people located loved ones or lost possessions, find shelter and supplies, and allow victims to connect with one another.
I’m a list junkie. I’ve got to-do lists, grocery lists, and contact lists out the ying-yang. So when I found out Google added their new “Top Charts” feature this week, I was on cloud nine. Top Charts, a new addition to Google Trends, allows you to see the top five or ten topics searched during the last month in different categories. I’m proud to say that my boys the Red Sox were the top googled baseball team this month. Suck it, Yankees.
Growing up, anytime I asked my mom a question she would say “that would be a great thing to research”. Later I realized that was her way of saying “I have no idea”. Soon, looking up the answers that our moms can’t give us will get even easier. Google announced this week that they are developing more conversational search capabilities that will work in a more question-and-response format. This will be great for the next generation of kids wondering why the sky is blue or what will happen if you put Barbie in the oven.
This week Pandora announced it would deepen its relationship with Facebook, making it even easier for users to post the stations they’re listening to. While this may sound like a great idea to some, I feel slightly hesitant about it. Maybe I don’t want all of my Facebook friends knowing that I listen to the Hilary Duff station for hours on end, which I don’t.
The folks over at Twitter have been very busy this week. First, they introduced “Twitter Amplify”, a new product that will allow companies to promote short television clips and ads. As a marketer, I love this. As a Twitter user, I’m not super thrilled. In addition to Twitter Amplify, the company also announced this week that they’ve added the option of a two-step verification process when signing into your account to deter future hackers. This is a good first step but let’s be honest, they’re called hackers for a reason. I’m sure the good ones will find a way around this.
Picture this: you’re sitting in a bar with all of your girl friends and they’re all looking down at their phones. You ask one friend what she’s doing, and she says she’s chatting with her Tinder guy. This is my typical Friday night. Tinder, a new dating app available only on iPhones, has become all the rage among single 20-somethings (a.k.a. my friends). The creators of Tinder launched a new Matchmaker feature this week in an effort to expand the app’s capabilities and reputation. Frankly, I just want them to expand it to Androids. I feel left out.
Another popular app among my friends is Snapchat. It’s pretty easy to spot a Snapchatter because they’re usually the person making funny faces at their phone. Many think that Snapchat, and the creation of many similar apps, is leading us into a new social media era where we are able to express ourselves and communicate with others more creatively. Personall, I just like that I can send ugly faces to my friends with the knowledge that they won’t end up on Facebook.
Vine, another popular iPhone app (I swear there’s a conspiracy against Android users), has gained attention recently not for the funny videos people post, but for the popularity of “boss bashing”. While I realize not everyone is lucky enough to have a boss as great as ours, I’m not sure that it’s such a good idea to put incriminating videos online that could cost you your job. But hey, maybe that’s just me.
This is the last Google-related link, I promise. This week Google announced the winner of a Google Doodle contest. The winning doodle featured a girl reunited with her father after a deployment overseas. Cue the collective “aaawwwwwww”.
And on that patriotic note, I hope everyone has a great Memorial Day weekend!
@richellem09