Social networking, evangelism, community

SUMMARY: If your audience has responded favorably to social media elements on your website, it makes sense to offer additional ways to interact. Determining which features to launch, and when to add them, is another matter.

Find out how the marketing team for a Latin music and entertainment website tested and expanded the site’s social media features to increase visitor engagement. Time spent is up 33% on some portions of the site -- and registrations and impressions are up, too. read the complete case study

SUMMARY: Marketers frequently cite LinkedIn as one of the most valuable social networks to incorporate in a marketing strategy. But even marketers who have LinkedIn on their radar screens still wonder how to participate. What works, what doesn’t, and what should you expect?

We asked a marketer who is using LinkedIn for lead generation, to share his lessons on joining groups, sharing marketing collateral, and qualifying the leads that come through the channel. read the complete article

SUMMARY: "Advertising on blogs or social networks" was rated the most accurately measured (32%), and was also rated the least effective (16%). More than 90% of companies believe that social media is the most effective in accomplishing brand building goal, followed closely by goals for attracting website visitors. view the complete research record

SUMMARY: Display advertising gets a bad rep for being low in CTR and tough to target. But what if there were an ad platform where display ads were ranked by relevancy and CTRs? Want to target display ads based on data provided by a qualified audience, and pay with CPC?

Check out Facebook’s evolving ad platform. We interviewed their Director of Monetization on how to best use their newest version. Includes great tips on improving ad spend and effectiveness on the social networking site. read the complete interview

SUMMARY: A primary advantage of a social media release (SMR) is the variety of multi-media content that can be used to engage an audience. A substantial portion of marketers who employ SMRs put this advantage to use with outstanding results. read the complete article

By Anne Holland, Founder

This year, I suspect that marketers are considering becoming consultants more than at any other time in history. It's due to a confluence of factors, including recession layoffs and insecurities, boomer demographics, and the work-from-home fad.Is consulting for you? Take this quick quiz:

#1. Networking
Are you the sort of person who instinctively networks with other professionals? Do you actively participate in industry associations or clubs? Do you... read the complete blog post