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• Combined Search, Social Creates Ultra-Personal Info by Laurie Sullivan

  In two years, 70% of consumers will rely on search and social combined -- up from 48% today -- when making a purchase decision, according to Chris Copeland, CEO at GroupM Search. The only reason the percentage may not skyrocket is if engines continue to integrate social, and social platforms like Facebook continue to integrate search, making both synonymous with the other, he says. ...Read the whole story

• Social Media Data Works If Segmented To Key Groups by Mark Walsh

  Social media programs generate a torrent of data from fans to wall posts to rate of pass-along and poll results. But how should all that information be sifted and presented within an organization? Gear it to three basic online groups. ...Read the whole story

• restaurants McD's, Dunkin' Pair Social Media With Item Intros by Karlene Lukovitz

  McDonald's is employing a cause-related promotion on Foursquare to promote its new McCafe Shake, while Dunkin' Donuts is running a Twitter-based giveaway to promote a new Big 'N Toasty Breakfast Sandwich. ...Read the whole story

• Study: Search, Social Create Interlinked Purchase Path by Laurie Sullivan

  Every action creates a reaction. Research from GroupM Search and comScore released Thursday reveals 40% of consumers using search in their path to purchase are motivated to use social media to complete their decision. Similarly, 46% of consumers who use social media in the purchase pathway are driven to use search to expand their knowledge about their likely purchase. ...Read the whole story

• Retailers Champion Local, Many Turn to Social Media by Gavin O'Malley

  Amid continued economic concerns, most local retailers plan to highlight their "localness" to win customers in 2011. According to a recent survey of 600 shop owners and managers by American Express, 57% are planning "buy local" marketing campaigns this year. ...Read the whole story

• 'Cincinnati Enquirer' Unveils City-Specific Social Net by Erik Sass

  In a move that represents a potential threat to Foursquare and other location-based social networks, the Cincinnati Enquirer has partnered with DoubleDutch to launch a new mobile, location-based social app specific to Cincinnati called Porkappolis -- a reference to the city's glorious history as a hog farming hub. ...Read the whole story

• automotive BMW Uses Docs, Social To Get 'I' Cars Rolling by Karl Greenberg

  It's all part of a program in BMW's North American market to gear up for the launch of BMW's raft of hybrid and electric vehicles coming down the pike. The effort includes a social media program called "Activate the Future" and a real-world test-drive program for ActiveE, an electric car that presages the first such car, the BMW i3 car, due to market in 2013. ...Read the whole story

Search's Social Tie To Reputation And Rankings by Laurie Sullivan

Google last week made a significant change to its ranking algorithm, a move required before continuing to layer social signals of traditional search engine results. The company will need to rid results of less relevant content to serve up the important stuff based on personal preferences. ...More

• How the Internet Forgets: Before Egypt, '06 U.S. Immigration Protests Were Organized On MySpace by Rob Garner

  The Internet may never forget, but clearly most people can't seem to remember much about network history past their last few status updates. Had we all remembered the historic U.S. immigration protests of 2006, largely organized through MySpace and other network media channels, perhaps Malcolm Gladwell may have never written (and would not still be attempting to justify) his essay from last October. ...More

• Electronic Social Etiquette Influences Communication Success by Jack Loechner

  According to a new report from Exact Target and CoTweet, data from "The Social Break-up" indicates 18% of email users say they never open email from companies, and 77% of all US online consumers say they have become more cautious in the past year about giving their email addresses to companies. Consumers are also highly sensitive to the difference between permission-based emails from companies they know and trust and unsolicited messages from unknown companies. ...More

• The Paradox of Social Media: The More Social it Gets, The Less Social We Become by Gord Hotchkiss

  I have teenage daughters. At least, I assume they're still my daughters. They hang around our house and eat our food. But, to be honest, it's been a while since we identified ourselves to each other. Between Angry Birds, SMS and Facebook, there's precious little actual conversing going on in the Hotchkiss household. I barely recognize their faces, lit up as they are by the cool blue digital light of an iPhone screen. I assume that, at times, there's a living being at the other end of their multi-texting, but I'm not really sure. ...More

• LivingSocial; mediahub and ID Media

  LivingSocial, an online source for people to find discounted deals, has named mediahub from Mullen and ID Media as its media planning and buying partners. Creative for LivingSocial is handled by The Martin Agency, a fellow IPG company along with Mullen and ID Media. ...More