Take a look at this week’s hot topics:

1. Online Ad Spending to Pass Print for the First Time

For the first time in history, online ad spending is predicted to pass print ad spending in the U.S.

In 2012,  eMarketer predicts the projected ad spend winners will be:

• Total ad spending is predicted to grow 6.7% to $169.5 billion in 2012, thanks to this year’s elections and the Summer Olympics.
• Online ad spending is predicted to grow 23.3% to $39.5 billion in 2012.
• Magazine print ad spending will increase to $15.4 billion in 2012, from $15.3 billion in 2011.

In 2012, eMarketer predicts the projected ad spend loser will be:

• Newspaper ad spending will decrease from $20.7 billion in 2011 to $19.4 billion in 2012 with a projected decrease to $17 billion by 2016.

It will be interesting to watch how the paid placement mix continues to evolve. One thing to note, ad dollars that are shifted to the online versions of print publications are not accounted for in the print category; rather, they move into the online advertising category. Therefore, as print viewing continues to grow on tablet and other online devices, we will continue to see this shift. Read the full eMarketer study.

2. 31% of Display Ads Go UnseenWith the shift of ad dollars to online buys, a ComScore study released Wednesday shows that 31% of display ad impressions reported are invisible (out of view of the consumer). For marketers, this means that we need to make sure the impressions we’re paying for are actually within the consumer’s view. And taking it one step further, consider pay-per-performance cost models to ensure that you’re getting the response you desire from your online ad buys. Read the full ComScore study.

3. Your TV May Be Watching

Last week, Laura talked about the Consumer Electronics Show and questioned where the buzz would like – well, it once again focused on webcams, but a much smarter kind. Just as webcams are now at the core of virtually all laptops, tablets and smart phones, TV’s are next. And we’re not just talking about Skype – these smart cameras will recognize you the minute you walk into your living room and automatically log you into your social sites, launch your favorite channels and websites. Now this takes “favorites” to a whole new level. This also provides one-to-one advertising opportunities for the first time on TV’s and could eventually lead to new TV advertising cost models, counting impressions only when an attentive audience actually sees the ad. Fun food for thought.

4. Long Term Positive Effects Shown for Social Media Campaigns

According to a BzzAgent study, the average social media campaign lasted 8 weeks and was typically successful in increasing consumer intent to purchase and likelihood to recommend to others. But what happened three months out or a year after a campaign ended?

Here’s a time series of the positive consumer opinion of a product which was the target of a campaign:

• Pre-campaign: 40%
• Post campaign: 80%
• 3 months out: 78%
• 6 months out: 77%
• 9 months out: 77%
• 1 year out: 75%

Not only was there a significant short-term impact, but a year later the advocates were just as enthusiastic about the brands as they were when they first participated in the campaigns.

The advent of blogs and social media has given companies a new platform to share information. Prior to these platforms, many companies relied entirely on the news sections of their site to place important information. Announcements about awards, new hires and press releases lived online, and companies were able to keep interested parties up to date on the latest information.

Social media added another piece to the puzzle. Now you can not only post relevant information in blogs and news sections, but also let people know that you posted it. This is where the ball has dropped with many companies. Many businesses have adopted the practice of posting their news and information, but still haven’t jumped on the social media bandwagon. These businesses are leaving great information about their company on their website, hidden from the eyeballs of their audience.

The process of engaging in new technology can be daunting, and for bigger organizations it can be a process that takes several years to sort out, which is okay. The social media landscape can be very good for business, but if you aren’t prepared, it can also backfire in a hurry. That being said the risk is worth taking.

Today, the decision to start posting important content online, needs to come with a plan to share that content through social media channels. The Internet is a massive beast full of hundreds of companies just like yours fighting you for the next big account or sale. If you are sitting on the sidelines completely, or worse yet spending time and money to post updated content and not share it, it is time to take that next step and join the social media fray.

The important thing to remember is you could have the greatest website with the freshest content, but if you aren’t sharing it on Facebook, Google+ and/or Twitter, people just aren’t going to stumble upon it. Google search of course does wonders and good Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is important, but there is something about social media that separates it and makes it a stronger tool. That distinction is the ability to truly connect with the people that love your brand or industry. By creating a strong connection, you build trust, and through that trust you will gain business.

An important fact to remember is that with the constant conversation online people ARE talking about your brand, company or small business. By sitting on the sidelines you have no ability to defend yourself or change their mind. Stepping into the fire, however daunting that may be, gives you the opportunity to connect with your customer and make sure that the content you are working hard to post online is getting out to the audience you want to reach.

When looking at different healthcare providers, many factors can influence your final decision. Factors such as a clinic’s location, insurance coverage and the physician play an important role in this decision but what about social media?

Today, the answer for many is: Yes! According a survey conducted by Brafton, an online news and content agency, a social media presence makes a “strong impact” on a patient’s decision on where to go for care.

Brafton reports, “Pregnant women and new moms are especially active on the web and social media when searching for information or products.” Tie that finding in with the fact that 23 million American mommies use Facebook every day and you should have a pretty good idea as where you can find your female, specifically “mom” audience online.

60% of major hospitals have jumped on the social media bandwagon as well (in a good way), but there are still many who have not. If your brand or hospital isn’t utilizing social media to start conversations with patients, I think now is a great time to take that step!

Need help starting the conversation or have some additional advice? Leave a comment below!

Last week I had the opportunity to attend the Health Care Social Media Summit hosted by the Mayo Clinic Center for Social Media and Ragan Communications. Speakers ranged from doctors to social media experts to patients, all parties who are leveraging social media to help people live healthier.

The conversation at the conference centered on how hospitals and doctors can use social media tools to connect with patients. HIPAA and AMA guidelines rightly protect patients’ personal information, but they also create obstacles for sharing helpful health information online. For instance, a majority of health care organizations represented at the conference still block social media sites for employees and/or patients. It seems a tad ironic that health systems that trust doctors with patients’ lives don’t trust them enough to responsibly use social media on the job.

Among all the “talk” about how to balance the need to preserve the uttermost respect for patient information and the desire of patients and doctors to connect online, stood Dr. Wendy Sue Swanson — a mom and a pediatrician who is sharing her insights on how to keep kids healthy. Dr. Swanson passionately and intelligently relayed how she believes social media is a powerful tool to save lives. That’s the ROI of health care social media she argued — the life of a boy whose mom’s Facebook friends help diagnose his potentially fatal condition or the mom who learned how to correctly put on a bike helmet from a blog.

Swanson practices pediatrics half-time and writes three blogs and produces one video blog each week for Seattle Mama Doc. The blog is filled with personal stories, videos about vaccinations, and practical information, like how to stop a nosebleed. The Seattle Children’s Hospital compensates Swanson for producing the blog content. Swanson argued that doctors should be compensated for the time and effort they put into connecting with patients online.

She encourages doctors to engage with patients online. She argues that patients still trust doctors and view them as people, which is a powerful position. She feels that as a doctor she needs to be confident enough to give the same advice in an exam room as she does to millions of people online. She also encourages doctors to do more than what HIPAA asks by always ask for permission before sharing details that could point to a patient’s story and never offering opinions anonymously online.

Overall, I was struck by Dr. Swanson desire to save lives. She knows moms like her are looking for reputable information on how to care for and protect their children. She also understands that her ability to relay health information through her expertise as a pediatrician and her personal experience as a mom can keep kids healthy.

Dr. Swanson is a powerful communicator, and I’m excited to see how other doctors follow in her footsteps and start to communicate with their patients.

Imagine sitting in a movie theater, impatiently waiting for previews to end and your featured film to start. A booming narrating voice catches your attention as a sensational, exciting action movie trailer begins. Flashing lights, dramatic colors and pulsing screen shots immediately catch your attention. But wait, is this…what…a bank commercial?

Click here to watch the commercial.

Kiwibank of New Zealand is aiming to push consumers to switch banks not through traditional marketing tactics, but in what seems like a launch for a new movie or video game. Green Ops: Operation Easyswitch closely resembles the video game Call of Duty or any spy/action flick, and has been all over the bank’s interactive YouTube channel. From a “first-person-shooter-point-of-view” style, visitors can see humorous clips encouraging them to switch banks, follow a team of Kiwibankers as they complete missions to save customers from bad banking experiences and link to a website to start the bank switching process.

The campaign is different and innovative, and it reaches the correct audience in an appropriate manner. There is a noticeable disconnect between young customers (16-25 year olds) and their banks. This demographic often sticks with the bank their parents use, and their parents might even still do a lot of their banking for them (deposits, savings, etc.) no questions asked. Starting a conversation with this age group welcomes the idea of choice and control. They don’t have to bank with their parents’ bank. By giving a thrilling twist to switching banks, the process seems more tangible and easier than what young consumers have been imagining.

This eye-catching, glamorous campaign easily grabs the attention of those hard to reach Millennials through a medium they know – video games and Hollywood. Humor and intrigue takes social media by storm, as younger age groups like to be in the “social media know” and be more apt to pass something great along through the grapevine. Banks successful at these practices will move toward being the “cool” bank to use by image-conscious Millennials.

While a Call of Duty–themed campaign may not be the right fit for all banks, it’s important to remember reaching certain audiences will require taking a leap of faith. Whether it’s trying a new medium, tweaking a message or coming up with a new, big idea, the right campaign will not only resonate with a certain demographic, but lead them to a desired action.

Last week I dipped my toes into the world of Pinterest. Launched in March 2010, the website recently graced the list of Time Magazine’s “50 Best Websites of 2011.“ The website allows users to create theme pages displaying relevant photos that the user has “pinned” to their page.

Think of an artist’s mood board that you might see at an advertising agency – photos taped or pinned to the wall to create a look or feel for a campaign – and take that digital. Users can create boards of any desired theme. Currently, I am working on a wedding board. Other common boards include home décor, clothing, travel, crafts, and so on. Instead of magazine clippings crammed into a file folder, I have one easy, clean, and digital place to drag and drop any ideas that pique my interest.

You can log into the program through your Facebook account. It also allows you to find friends from Twitter, Facebook, Yahoo! or Gmail. Frequent pinners and trend-setters are featured on a Tastemaker section.

When “pinning” items to your boards, you can re-pin from other users’ Pinterest board, or you can pull images from the Internet using the ‘Pin It’ tool installed on your toolbar. All photos are given credit and accompanied with a link to the original source.

Beyond a personal hobby, I can see many uses for Pinterst. The travel industry could allow pinners to create a whole virtual travel itinerary, retailers could keep an eye on what trends are hot and could pull them into a look book. Our artists here at L&S (thanks Katie Fritz and Sarah Pitts for introducing me) have already been using the boards for collecting interesting fabrics, designs, typefaces, and design inspiration.

What about campaign deliverables? Think of presenting a post-campaign report visually, in a way that the client could share with other stakeholders who want a quick way to see a high level overview of the campaign. I am excited to explore the possibilities.

We all have our secret obsessions. One of mine, sadly, is economics. It’s so intriguing to me—market forces, supply, demand, economies of scale. You name it. Now this isn’t to say I’m an expert, but I like to throw on my economist cap every once and a while.

What I like most about economics is it applies to more than money. Economic principles can be applied to everyday life—everything from sports to religion.

So when I ask myself, “Will Google+ become a powerful tool in a people’s social arsenal, like Facebook and Twitter? Or will it fade from our memory like jaiku or Google Buzz?” I can’t help but think about the economic principle that people respond to incentives. With more than 10 million users of its beta version, Google+ must be giving users some incentives to check out the new social networking platform.

Part of the Club

Google’s first incentive is the feeling of exclusivity. You must be invited to test the new service. Whether we like to admit it or not, we enjoy the feeling of being the first in our circle (pardon the pun) to test something new. This incentive of being one of the first is a powerful force in attracting new visitors.

Fresh Start

Google is also offering new twists on social media favorites as another incentive to join Google+. Facebook has been around for awhile and, as a result, we’ve all built up a quite the pile of “friends.” So many in fact, we scratch our heads as we try to remember how we know the first five people in our news feed. Google+ gives users a chance to start fresh. As tech journalist Chris Mims commented, “I’m ignoring everyone whose name I don’t recognize, simple as that. Some types of networks have a value in direct proportion to their selectivity.” Google+ gives us a chance to start over and organize our social web.

Circles

Speaking of organizing, Google+ allows users to place contacts into partitioned groups called circles.  Google CEO Larry Page said, “Our goal is to make sharing on the web like sharing in real life,” he said. “In real life we share different things with different people.” Each post or comment for example can be shared with the group(s) of your choice. The chance to start fresh and the chance for more control may give many the push they need to test the waters of Google+.

Free

Nothing screams incentive louder than FREE. Free group video chatting is what made my ears perk up when I first heard rumblings about Google+. My four closest college friends and I have been group-chatting on Skype for the past six months. Separated by hundreds of miles, we work to keep our group dynamic with bi-weekly chats on Skype. We love these chats, but aren’t so found of the subscription fee needed to bring us into the same virtual living room. Last week, we all eagerly signed onto Google+ and started a “hangout,” as Google has coined them. The video quality was impressive and the price was even more attractive.

Enhanced basics

Finally, let’s face it. A platform trying to woo people away from something as widely accepted and, frankly, addictive as Facebook must not only deliver, but also enhance the basics. Google+ offers the basics, including features like profiles, chat, +1 (Google’s version of a like button), stream (Google’s news feed) and photo sharing. It even incorporates an RSS like feature called Sparks right into the home screen. Sparks allows you to select interests and pulls in stories from across the web so you can read and share knowledge with your friends.

The Final Frontier

The question for marketers is if Google can use its prowess as a search engine giant coupled with its new knowledge of our social preferences to serve consumers ads they are truly interested in. Google will have to make this incentive palpable for advertisers to convince them to shift advertising dollars from Facebook. But for a company whose  share of the search-advertising market has jumped to 75 percent from 50 percent over the past three years, this may prove to be a small hurdle for Google.

As with any product, time and market forces will tell which platform will thrive. I’ll be watching and weighing the incentives to see if Google+ can rise to the level of Facebook or if the two will co-exist, each with their own pluses and uses like Facebook and Twitter do today.

When college campuses were first exposed to the addicting effects of social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, I’m sure most professors weren’t thrilled when students brought them into the classroom. But now, those same professors are adopting social media and making these platforms usable tools for interactive teaching. See the circle?

Schools.com depicts this rise of social media in the classroom with an interactive, visual tool, which displays how professors are using social media. These findings were constructed from a survey of 2,000 college professors. The study shows that over eighty percent of college faculty members have an account on at least one social media platform and a quarter of those have accounts on four or more platforms.

Aside from the obvious social benefits, eighty percent use social media for some aspect of a course they teach. Examples of this include requiring students to read or view social media as part of a course assignment, gernerating content for other students to view or assigning students to comment on or post to social media sites.

As many as seventy percent of faculty believe video, podcasts, blogs and wikis are valuable tools for teaching. A great example of this comes from San Diego State University where a professor had her students create their own Wikipedia page on an 18^th century novel. She then had the students act out and videotape a scene from the novel and upload it to YouTube. 

Many teachers have mentioned how social media helps students to speak up in discussions because it creates a less formal and intimidating setting. For many students this also aids in bringing the material to them in a new, fun, and engaging light, making the classroom a fitting location for these tools to thrive. As teachers continue to integrate new technology into their more traditional style of teaching, I believe students will be looking to attend universities who value social media as a tool for the classroom.

Our online vocabulary often consists of ‘friends’, ‘fans’ and ‘followers’ – the “F” factor. But how do these terms affect the everyday consumer?

The “F” factor is essentially the influence consumers have within their social networks, resulting in growing consumer engagement. Ultimately, creating another dimension of how we influence each other’s buying behavior.

According to trendwatching.com, one of the world’s leading trend spotting firms, there are five ways the “F” factor impacts consumers. This includes things like helping consumers discover new products, rate, recommend and review products, receive validation of their purchases, and overall, increase the level a social interaction when shopping.

 As social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter continue to see astronomical growth, the “F” Factor will spread and have a much greater impact on consumers, far exceeding the influence of a simple Facebook comment or status update.

The trend will manifest itself in the rise of social commerce, where consumers “like” a product while shopping online at a store’s website. By clicking the like button, the product is instantly posted to the individual’s Facebook wall where they receive feedback from their friends prior to making a purchase.

These interactive, social platforms are very useful, especially as stores begin to provide in-store applications, such as Tweet Mirrors, which are cameras that allow you to connect to your Twitter feed and ask for opinions on your potential purchase. Smartphone apps like MyShopanion and GoTryItOn allow the user to compare product prices by scanning the product barcode as well as get instant feedback from friends.

Use of these applications will also grow as more shoppers carry smartphones and are constantly connected to their social networks. They will be free to rate and recommend products, as well as to ask for real-time feedback from friends and followers before making a purchase. It’s like having your very own advisory panel at your fingertips.

I think back to my time in college when a group of my sorority sisters and I would sit in our living room and watch Grey’s Anatomy every week. Two years later and miles apart, we still get together to watch our favorite TV shows, thanks to technology.

Cell phones, texting and social media all play a role in creating the next generation of couch potatoes – the social couch potato. TV viewers have an even greater opportunity to interact with others during popular TV shows by blogging, tweeting and texting their thoughts and reactions to the television drama.

Social TV engagement is a reality. Take the record number of over 4,000 tweets per second during the final plays of Super Bowl XLV. The combination of technology and social media is an obvious benefit to viewers as it gives them the opportunity to update friends and comment on the game in real-time.

But it doesn’t end there, with new applications such as IntoNow and GetGlue gaining popularity, iPhone and tablet users are able to “check-in” to TV shows, movies and even commercials – similar to how foursquare allows users to “check-in” to various locations. These applications allow others to see what their friends are watching and when, as well as to be able to recommend shows and “invite” friends to watch them. 

Take a look at this video and see how the GetGlue iPhone app works.

Today, we don’t need our friends lounging next to us to enjoy watching TV with them. With new devices and mobile applications we can share what we are watching and our experience with them regardless of proximity. I’m predicting that as these applications gain in popularity, the social couch potato will thrive in the days ahead.

Nearly a quarter of people’s time spent online is spent on social networking sites. Whether tweeting content to throngs of Twitter followers or updating their Facebook profile with new vacation images, consumers are spending more and more time on social networks and marketers are taking notice. Social media contests and sweepstakes are becoming a trend on such sites as marketers seek to connect with fans in a more comfortable, personalized medium. Travel marketers have started taking things to the next level by offering vacation getaways and sweepstakes just for interacting with travel brands online.

Last month, online travel giant Expedia.com launched its FriendTrips game on Facebook, a contest that promises to deliver “over $1,000,000 in prizes.” All fans have to do is create a virtual plane bound for one of 13 destinations and invite friends to join them on their virtual journey. With its six-figure incentive, the game is said to be the largest sweepstakes in Facebook history.

Other travel brands have also turned to social media to launch games. Earlier this year Continental Airlines ran a promotion asking flyers to tweet their flight number for a chance to win weekly prizes. Mexico Tourism teamed with Travelocity during the 2010 holiday season with a ‘Where’s Waldo’-esque Facebook game, asking users to spot the Travelocity gnome in Mexican vacation destination photos.

While such contests are breaking ground in the social space, are these contests reaching the right audience?  The answer seems to be a resounding, yes. According to an article by Sparxoo earlier this year, social gamers tend to be women in their 40s, playing games like Farmville on Facebook. This audience is often a prime target for destinations trying to reach busy moms  who plan vacations for their families. With the industry predicting growth into the $6 billion range by 2013, Travelocity and Expedia are on the right track.

Whether your target audience is 40-something moms who are connecting with friends and family on Facebook or urban college students looking to save a few bucks, social media creates a fun and interactive space for travel brands to reach new consumers. By playing in the space one’s audience thrives in, brands can connect with consumers with deeper engagement and foster greater brand awareness and loyalty.

Traditionally Facebook ads consisted of an image, title and body copy, all planned in advance and submitted to Facebook. About two months ago, Facebook  gave advertisers and page owners a new way to promote their brand. With sponsored (a.k.a. purchased) stories, brands can now pay to promote stories about their brand or Facebook pages.

Here’s how sponsored stories work:

1. You must have a Facebook page for your business or organization.
2. You pay for these just like traditional Facebook ads. You can also target ages/geography and set daily and campaign budgets the same way.
3. The new sponsored story ads show up on the right side of people’s pages, similar to regular Facebook ads.

Sponsored stories can be shared with Facebook users in one of two ways:

The first option, as the example on the left shows, is to have each new wall post on your organizations’ Facebook page linked to ads. You will still have control because your organization is writing the wall posts, but it’s much less formal than a regular advertisement. For any pages that continuously post new content, this is the best option. You can create top of mind awareness and build intrigue with new wall posts.

The second option is to have page ‘likes’ pushed out to friends of the people who have ‘liked’ your page. Since I have ‘liked’ the L&S page, all of my friends within the age and geography parameters set for the campaign will see the sponsored story.  For an organization that doesn’t post as regularly, I would recommend this option, especially if your focus is to build a fan base. This type of Facebook promotion is similar to a referral. My friends are more likely to ‘like’ a page, when they see I have ‘liked’ the page.

As marketers, it is important for us to get into the conversations of our target audience. Sponsored stories, although not organic, are a step in the right direction. Watch a video from Facebook featuring this new product.

Come on, admit it.

You’ve done it before. It’s alright.  You’re in good company. We’ve all done it. Yes, that’s right we’ve all made a mistake, maybe even more than one.

Mistakes are inevitable in life and they are unavoidable in social media as well.

So why do we try to cover them up? We delete tweets when we attach the wrong hyperlink. We delete Facebook posts when we misspell a word, and act like nothing happened. But why? The mistake has already been made and the world has already seen it. Why do we try to hide it?

I will be the first to admit that I’ve messed up. I’ve misspelled words, uploaded the wrong photo and linked to the wrong page. I’ve also tried to fix them as soon as possible. Deleting the original post and reposting a correct version.

Social media is all about creating and building relationships online. Transparency, honesty and the ability to admit mistakes is foundational to deepening those relationships. Instead of covering up social media faux paus, why don’t we admit them?

A real life example of a social media “oops” occurred while I was attending the Social Media for Public Relations and Internal Communications hosted by Ragan Communications and Public Relations Society of America in Las Vegas last week. In the closing session, Jackie Mitchell of the American Red Cross shared a situation she and her team around the country dealt with on Twitter during the course of the conference.

Jackie explained to us that several staffers at the American Red Cross are responsible for managing the organization’s official Twitter account. Many of those staffers use HootSuite to manage their multiple social media accounts. Late on Tuesday, Feb. 15, a Red Cross staffer posted, “Ryan found two more 4 bottle packs of Dogfish Head’s Midas Touch beer…when we drink we do it right #gettngslizzerd” . The employee meant to tweet this through her personal account, but instead it was broadcast to the Red Cross’ 270,000 plus followers. Oops!

The communications staff at Red Cross was faced with the question of how to deal with the situation. They knew trying to bury the incident wasn’t the answer. Instead, they admitted their mistake, and tweeted, “We’ve deleted the rogue tweet but rest assured the Red Cross is sober and we’ve confiscated the keys.” Although the staff thought it was best to delete the original tweet, they publicly addressed the situation. They admitted their mistake, humorously I might add, and moved on.

Now you might think this is the end of the story, but it gets better. Social media is of course, social. So the VP of Marketing at Dogfish Head Beer spotted the rogue Red Cross tweet mentioning her company’s product. She laughed and reposted the tweet encouraging Dogfish’s followers to donate to the Red Cross. Their followers and other Twitter users passed on the message. Many stepped up and donated as well. Check out the buzz around #gettngslizzerd.

The Red Cross even set up a designated page in connection with Dogfish Head Craft Brewery encouraging people to donate a pint.

Hats off to the Red Cross for embracing a social media mistake, admitting it and continuing their mission of helping others. The story has been heralded as a social media PR success and has changed my attitude about attempting to fix mistakes on social media.

@lindsphlips: I am human. I make mistakes, just like @RedCross. #gettngslizzerd

Second in a series of blog posts stemming from the knowledge gained at the Social Media for Public Relations and Internal Communications Conference in Las Vegas, NV.

It seems the tide has begun to turn when it comes to Facebook and its ubiquitous takeover of private information. Last week, the social media giant announced several new updates that not only further erode user privacy, but also hijack users’ comments for Facebook’s financial gain through ‘sponsored stories’.

The new ‘sponsored stories’ feature will allow advertisers to purchase status updates that mention certain keywords, which would then show up on the commenter’s friends’ Facebook pages as a type of sponsored testimonial. Not only do users need not consent, but also do not receive any of the profit from the branded recommendation, both of which may prompt some users to quit updating or even log off.

While Facebook has long been accused of stomping on user privacy both publically and behind the screen, online privacy concerns are heating up with talks about a Do Not Track List online. For consumers, even Generation Y who is more apt to passively accept privacy violations, Facebook’s increasingly liberal privacy guidelines are edging on uncomfortable and prompting some to think twice about logging on.

While the ‘sponsored stories’ application and other updates were created with marketers in mind, consumer uneasiness surrounding such features should prompt advertisers to look for other opportunities. Rather than follow consumers online or rob their status updates, marketers should strategize how to engage with consumers and lead them to willingly share information with and about their brand.

When you think of insurance quotes, the first place you look is social media, right? No? Well, maybe it should be. According to a survey by Mintel Comperemedia, more consumers, specifically men between 25 and 34, are researching insurance on social media sites. While younger than the traditional consumer, these young men are using the Internet more frequently than traditional sources for research and service information.

While many insurance agents are quick to target young families and medium-sized businesses, considerable equity lies in reaching out to Generation Y through digital channels. Figures show nearly 81 percent of this audience uses social networks daily and 45 percent read blogs daily. These consumers also have higher disposable incomes and are more financially equipped to invest in comprehensive, quality insurance plans.

Digital mediums are quickly gaining on traditional messaging channels across all groups, though, and companies are taking notice. Sixty percent of brands are marketing on social media channels today and some are predicting that within a year, only 1 in 6 brands will lack a social presence.

For those stepping out in the digital space, successful campaigns will be those that integrate interactive elements. Today’s young consumer prefers to connect to brands through online channels, and creating an engaging online space will quickly secure success.

Not a single day goes by without Facebook. Whether it’s checking notifications, referencing something seen on Facebook in conversation or uploading a photo, the platform plays a huge part in our day-to-day lives. Now, the places users frequent are being incorporated.

Facebook Places, a somewhat new component to the social medium is starting to make waves. Through Places, Facebook mobile users are able to ‘Check in’ to different venues and locations, similar to Foursquare. Friends may also be tagged as part of the check in.

According to Facebook Statistics, more than 200 million of the 500 million active Facebook users are utilizing the sites mobile application, equaling over 40 percent of users. Such a sizable portion of people using the mobile platform shows the importance of mobile development, like the addition of location-based social networking.

Furthermore, tying into the likes of Groupon and other online coupons and deals, many locations on Facebook Places are offering rewards and special deals for those who check in. While shopping or dining out, pay attention to the deal logo when checking in to take advantage of the special promotions and offerings.

To access Facebook Places, go to your Android, BlackBerry or iPhone Facebook application or to touch.facebook.com and look for the ‘Check in’ symbol.

The growth, evolution and power that Facebook continues to show is remarkable. And it is only fitting that just today, the founder, Mark Zuckerberg, was named Time Magazine’s 2010 Person of the Year. Facebook has truly been a revolutionary addition to our social lives, and for that, Zuckerberg’s contributions are not going unnoticed.

Only 871 hospitals use social media. With over 5,000 hospitals in the U.S. this doesn’t even account for 20% according to Ed Bennett’s Social Networking List. That statistic astonishes me since the use of social media has grown exponentially since its introduction with Facebook and YouTube, among hundreds of other networks.

The Mayo Clinic in Rochester, one of the most recognizable names in healthcare, believes this number is too low and social media can be a valuable asset to hospitals.  Because of this thinking, Mayo Clinic created the Social Media Center to help revolutionize how hospitals use social media. The center will provide workshops, training, and consulting services to educate hospitals on how to better utilize social media.

According to iHealthBeat, healthcare organizations are “risk adverse” and have difficulty accepting new technologies such as social media. However, iHealthBeat sees many benefits from using social media such as being able to potentially better engage patients and their community, aide with current marketing tactics and overall communications efforts, as well as grow their presence with online patient communities.

From a patient’s perspective, social media can give them access to others living, and learning to cope, with the same illness. One such patient wrote,   “These people and their stories become an emotional lifeline.” Another patient wrote, “Social media has become a part of my health care regime, and something I’ve come to need as part of my survival toolkit.”

Imagine the added benefit to patients if their hospital created the platform to facilitate these kinds of conversations as well as participate in them. Social media platforms can also serve to break down the barriers which exist between the patient and staff; hopefully leading to better outcomes and a stronger reputation for the hospital and its caregivers.

The world of communication is changing and even though many healthcare facilities have yet to utilize social media, we can see the benefit that such a tool provides. Hospitals will be able to empower and build better relationships with patients, as well as voice their message to a greater audience comprised of online patient communities and their local community.

Live. Learn. Work. Play. It’s all possible in Sioux Falls! But don’t take my word for it, go to www.facebook.com/stayclosegofar and see for yourself!

You can watch interviews with residents talking about why they chose Sioux Falls, what they love about it and why they stay. Stay Close Go Far also keeps you up-to-date on exciting local events year round and is a great source for fun things to do and see, like the upcoming Parade of Lights, Festival of Trees, and the Winter Wonderland at Falls Park.

So get connected and join in on the discussion, let us know why you like Sioux Falls!

A new trend popping up – literally popping up - in the marketing world is the use of Quick Response (QR) Codes. You may recognize them as digital barcodes or, for those less tech savvy people such as myself, an intense mess of little black and white designs. All you need to use a QR Code is a mobile device and easy-to-download software. Then, take a picture of the code which will direct you to a site, video, or facebook page similar to a hyperlink. 

According to the Mobile Barcode Trend Report by ScanLife, the use of scanning has increased 700 percent since the beginning of 2010 and with smartphones still on the rise, the use of these QR Codes is predicted to grow.  However, factors such as people’s unwillingness to take the extra steps needed to view the information and people lacking the technology to do so may slow the adoption of QR Codes.

Dan Smigrod, GREAT! CEO, explores many of the fun, new uses and benefits of QR Codes. One benefit is added support for your social media initiatives. People click on the QR Code and are instantly sent a friend request or to your website. QR Codes can also give your organization additional advertising space. Including a QR Code which links the viewer to additional commercials, information, sites, etc can maximize your advertising dollars. Placing QR Codes can also contribute to word of mouth “buzz” as people will talk about the QR Code and your brand.

We can’t underestimate the power of QR Codes, if used correctly. To do so you must take into account your product/service and your audience. Take the above example, this creates convenience for the shopper as well as the added level of comfort by allowing them to shop at their own leisure.  If a shopper saw an item in the window that they liked, but didn’t have time to go in, they could scan the QR code and view the product in the online store. Different applications of QR Codes can create different value to your customers, find out what they want and give it to them in a new way.

See all 101 of Dan Smigrod’s uses for QR Codes and then decide how QR Codes can help you connect with your customers.

Getting a story in the hands of reporters and encouraging third parties to validate a product or service remain two major public relations challenges. Fortunately, the advent of social media has helped organizations create, foster and manage relationships.

Create Relationships

• Encourage openness: Social media allows consumers to share their opinions freely. Customers voice their loyalty without prompting. But with the opportunity for third-party support also comes the threat of attack from dissatisfied, upset customers.

• Identify influencers: Find out who is talking about your brand and who you want to start talking about you.

Foster Relationships

• Connect with influencers: Discovering what stories reporters are working on and what they are interested in through social media will help you provide reporters with the information they need.

• Listen: If a tree falls in the forest and no one is there to hear it, did it really make a noise? Of course it did! And the same principle applies to social media. People are talking about your brand online. Even if you aren’t listening, your organization’s reputation is being affected. The potential for public relations opportunities and crises in the social media space is too large to ignore.

Manage Relationships

• Plan your response: Make a communications map and follow it. Prepare for potential crises, but know that you can’t predict every situation.

• Be proactive: Your organization’s job is to listen to what different groups are saying and then respond. Social media allows you to identify problems and fix them as well as, reward and appreciate interest and loyalty.

As with any relationship, successfully managing social media and public relations takes work. Proactive planning and a commitment to openness are the first steps to a long, healthy relationship with your organization’s varied audiences.

Food for Thought

• How can you listen to and engage with customers online?
• How can you better manage the flood of tweets and posts about your brand?
• Are you sending relevant story ideas to reporters through social media?

Contact L&S to learn how to integrate social media and public relations in your organization.