This document provides an overview of popular social media platforms and best practices for using them. It discusses the growth of visual social networks like Instagram and location-based networks like Foursquare. It also summarizes case studies of how brands have used platforms like YouTube, Pinterest, and Google+ successfully. Finally, it briefly mentions the new Facebook feature of lists and timeline dimensions for pages.

1. Beginning Social
Media
Final class

2. Overview
There are more than 205 "popular" social
networking sites listed on Wikipedia.

3. Visual social networks
Instagram
Instagram is growing twice as fast as Foursquare — which grew faster than Twitter — which grew faster than Facebook.
According to “Zuckerberg’s Law of Information Sharing“… each year the number of people sharing information doubles in size.
This is great news for anyone launching a new service wanting quick distribution. As the number of social platforms grows, there is
exponential growth in the amount of sharing.
Case studies
Flickr
According to Nielsen/NetRatings, Flickr is currently the fastest-growing photo sharing site on the web, and the 5th most
popular overall. And comScore recently announced that, according to its stats, Flickr had 5 million unique visitors in
May, 2006, making it the 7th-most trafficked social networking/media site. Clearly, opportunity is knocking for the smart,
creative small business owner. Read more: http://www.smallbusinesssem.com/articles/marketing-on-
flickr/#ixzz1oT8Serqb (Brands were not allowed until Feb. 2011.)
Pinterest - Case studies. Your boards. Pingram
Kraft Pin&Win contest Mashable Rob Quigley TechCrunch

4. Suggested best practices
● Use a consistent hashtag, keyword to curate the rich
range of photos. (Instagram & Pinterest use #)
● Use it to share brand messages
● Don’t be too over-promotional about your brand, but be
sure to highlight the people in your community and let
them be the collective voice for your Instagram feed.
● Capture behind-the-scenes images and share them with
your fans.
● Activate you fans and encourage them to share.

5. Location-based networks
Foursquare
Foursquare makes the real world easier to use. We build tools that help you keep up with friends, discover what’s nearby, save
money and unlock deals. Whether you’re setting off on a trip around the world, coordinating a night out with friends, or trying to
pick out the best dish at your local restaurant, foursquare is the perfect companion. Over 1.5 billion check-ins, with millions more every
day. Businesses: Over 750,000 using the Merchant Platform (more information atfoursquare.com/business)
Case studies:
Jamba Juice
Neiman Marcus
Yelp
Yelp is a review site that was started in 2004 to help people find information on local businesses, since its inception it has grown
by leaps and bounds. In addition to being a business review site, Yelp has information on events, special offers, business lists and
is moving into the social networking arena with the ability to add friends and talk with other Yelpers. According to Yelp and
Compete.com Yelp has tens of million of visitors a month and Yelpers have written over 9 million local reviews, over 85% of them
rating a business 3 stars or higher. (They sell search marketing)
Walgreens

6. Video services
YouTube | Vimeo |
UStream & Livestream
There are more than 200 video sharing services. comScore
found that US Internet users watched nearly 40 billion videos,
12.2% of which were video ads, in January 2012. The
average viewer watched 22.6 hours of online video content.
Case studies show that viewers have been 65-84% more
likely to buy after watching a product video. Kissmetricsalso
highlighted that video now appears in 70% of the top 100
search results listings.
Cisco reported that mobile video accounted for 52% of mobile
data traffic by the end of 2011, and it is expected to increase
25-fold to make up 70% of traffic by 2016.
Mashup: Digital brand and content manager of Lionsgate,
Tahndi Campbell, says that within five days of Feb. 1, when
Lionsgate introduced video content to its Pinterest profile,
Lionsgate BeFit’s YouTube activity doubled, from 200,000 to
400,000 views.
Case study: YouTube

7. Google+
A dominantly male platform, almost 70 percent, Google+ is slowly but surely attracting a more diverse user base. Big brands are
taking notice and many have fully integrated the platform into their social media strategies for 2012. Is Google+ a part of your 2012
social media strategy? It should be! SearchEnginewatch.com Kalia Strong
Insight: Don’t expect Google+ to perform exactly how Facebook or Twitter brand pages do. It’s a new platform and all of us are
still waiting to see how the community shapes up. Take the lead from H&M and start interacting. Find an anchor topic, like H&Ms
fashion picks of the day, and stay consistent with your messaging. If it’s not working then switch it up, but at the very least try!
SearchEnginewatch.com Kalia Strong
13 Examples of branded pages
Social Media Insight from 6 Successful
Brands on Google+

8. Facebook
New change this week! Lists More on lists
Timeline: 850×315 (850px wide and 315px height)
Facebook's guide for Facebook Pages
Subscriptions: How journalists are using it