Seven Out Of 10 Small Businesses Use Social Media by Erik Sass

While big brands and national advertisers are embracing social media in highly visible (and not always competent) ways, the real evidence of its long-term utility is the high rate of adoption by small business owners, who are ramping up spending to reach potential customers in local markets, according to Webs, which offers a do-it-yourself service for Web site creation. ...Read the whole story

  • Myspace Finds Its Place: That's Social Entertainment by Joe Mandese

    Social media, especially big social-networking platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, are transforming the way online users interact with everything from politics to brand marketing. But a new study from a highly regarded research and consulting firm suggests that one of the big draws isn't user-generated content so much as it is the kind of professionally produced and curated content that has historically attracted consumers to use media. ...Read the whole story

  • retail Scarfing Up Social: First Wal-Mart, Then Tesco by Sarah Mahoney

    Last month, Wal-Mart spent $300 million to buy social media firm Kosmix; this week. Dunnhumby -- owned by Wal-Mart rival Tesco -- snapped up Bzzagent, a Boston-based social marketing firm. Dave Balter, CEO and founder of Boston-based Bzzagent, tells Marketing Daily what's driving the trend. ...Read the whole story

  • Overdrive Compares Google, Bing Social Search Results by Les Luchter

    Companies more active on Facebook or interested in real-time news get better social search results with Microsoft's Bing than Google, per Overdrive Interactive. Conversely, Google delivers better results for companies more active on Twitter, YouTube, Flickr, Quora, and Google Buzz. ...Read the whole story

Me (@cpealet) And Twitter: Not the Same As It Used To Be by Catharine P. Taylor

Upon the occasion yesterday of Twitter buying Tweetdeck, it's time to ponder something that has intrigued me for some time: how my Twitter usage has evolved. Not that the Social Media Insider column is always about me, but with all of the myriad Twitter clients out there -- and the evolution of the Twitter-verse itself -- I've been wondering over the last few weeks whether my experience is typical. ...More

  • Social Networks Appealing To Affluents by Jack Loechner

    Among the general population, the main reason cited for connecting with brands on social networks was to receive deals and discounts. This result backs up earlier research from several sources on why consumers follow brands on social sites, but this was a much lower priority for the wealthy. Their top reasons for following brands were due to a preexisting affinity for and a desire to be kept informed about the brand, suggesting that social media marketers still need to provide fans with value, even if it isn't directly in the form of a coupon or sale. ...More