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AI Personalization in Social Media: Instagram’s Recommendation Overhaul, YouTube’s AI-Driven Video Summaries, and Pinterest’s Predictive Search Tools #AIg

February 12, 2024 by Basil Puglisi Leave a Comment

What Happened

In January 2024, three major social media platforms rolled out AI-driven features that sharpen their personalization strategies. On January 9, Instagram began deploying its updated recommendation algorithm, designed to surface content more relevant to each user’s interests. Meta confirmed the model now incorporates expanded engagement signals, prioritizing watch time and interaction depth over simple likes.

YouTube followed on January 16 with a global expansion of its AI-driven video summaries. These concise, machine-generated overviews appear above the video description, allowing viewers to preview content before clicking play. YouTube notes that the summaries are generated from video transcripts and metadata, aiming to improve discovery without replacing human-written descriptions.

On January 23, Pinterest introduced predictive search tools powered by its proprietary computer vision and recommendation systems. This update anticipates what a user might search for next, factoring in seasonal trends, recent saves, and visual similarity across pins. Pinterest frames this as a step toward “shopping inspiration engines” that connect intent with purchase pathways.

Who’s Impacted

B2B: Brands with active Instagram presences see opportunities to refine their content strategy as deeper engagement signals influence reach. YouTube’s summaries can improve CTR for educational and product videos, especially when optimizing titles and descriptions for AI parsing. Pinterest’s predictive tools can guide seasonal campaign planning.

B2C: Users benefit from more tailored content feeds, shorter decision times on video engagement, and more intuitive search journeys that align with personal interests.

Nonprofits: Mission-driven organizations can leverage these AI enhancements to increase discoverability of cause-based storytelling, especially on visual-first platforms like Pinterest and Instagram.

Why It Matters Now

Fact: Instagram’s recommendation model is weighting engagement depth higher than before, changing the organic growth playbook.
Tactic: Shift creative strategy toward content that drives comments, saves, and shares rather than just likes—metrics the algorithm now treats as higher-value.

Fact: YouTube’s AI summaries are generated from text-based cues and metadata.
Tactic: Optimize video transcripts and descriptions to ensure AI highlights key selling points or story hooks in the summary.

Fact: Pinterest’s predictive search anticipates needs before they’re expressed.
Tactic: Align seasonal pin creation with platform-predicted trends to intercept user intent earlier in the discovery process.

Key performance indicators (KPIs) influenced: watch time, comment-to-like ratio, predictive search click-through rate, and seasonal conversion lift.

Action Steps

1. Audit Instagram analytics for engagement depth trends post-update.

2. Update YouTube descriptions and transcripts for AI summary optimization.

3. Plan Pinterest boards in advance of predicted seasonal spikes.

4. Test cross-platform creative that performs in multiple AI-driven recommendation contexts.

“AI in personalization is moving from reactive to anticipatory—brands that adapt first will define the user’s next click.” – Basil Puglisi

References

Meta. (2024, January 9). Improving content discovery on Instagram through updated recommendations. Retrieved from https://about.meta.com/news

YouTube. (2024, January 16). AI-generated video summaries expand globally. Retrieved from https://blog.youtube/news-and-events

Pinterest. (2024, January 23). Introducing predictive search for smarter inspiration. Retrieved from https://newsroom.pinterest.com

Disclosure: This article is #AIgenerated with minimal human assistance. Sources are provided as found by AI systems and have not undergone full human fact-checking. Original articles by Basil Puglisi undergo comprehensive source verification.

AI in Social Media: Meta’s AI Assistants, TikTok’s Creative AI Tools, and LinkedIn’s Algorithm Shift #AIg

January 8, 2024 by Basil Puglisi Leave a Comment

In December 2023, three major social media platforms introduced AI-driven updates that signal a transformative shift in how content is created, distributed, and discovered. Meta expanded its AI Assistants across Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger, offering users conversational tools capable of generating text, image prompts, and contextual answers within the platform environment. TikTok rolled out its Creative AI suite to help creators brainstorm scripts, generate visuals, and optimize video hooks for audience retention. Meanwhile, LinkedIn quietly adjusted its feed algorithm to favor “knowledge-sharing” posts and authentic engagement, with AI-assisted detection to demote low-quality or engagement-bait content.

Who’s Impacted

B2B: LinkedIn’s algorithm shift offers companies a better opportunity to surface thought leadership content without being buried by engagement pods or irrelevant viral trends.

B2C: TikTok’s Creative AI tools empower small brands and solo creators to compete with larger production teams, reducing both time and cost barriers for high-performing content.

Nonprofits: Meta’s AI Assistants present an avenue for mission-driven organizations to answer FAQs, guide supporters, and create tailored awareness campaigns directly within social feeds.

Why It Matters Now

Fact: Meta’s integration of AI Assistants across its family of apps puts generative capabilities directly in the hands of billions of users.
Tactic: Organizations should experiment with in-platform AI prompts to streamline content production and community engagement workflows.

Fact: TikTok’s Creative AI suite automates the ideation-to-execution cycle for short-form video content.
Tactic: Brands should A/B test AI-generated scripts and visual prompts to identify performance patterns unique to their audience.

Fact: LinkedIn’s feed update uses AI moderation to elevate content with high informational value.
Tactic: Professionals should focus on posting original insights, case studies, and industry analysis to align with the algorithm’s quality signals.

Key performance indicators (KPIs) influenced: organic reach, engagement quality, follower growth rate, content production cycle time, and click-through rates from social posts.

Action Steps

1. Test AI-driven creative tools on at least one platform to evaluate output quality and brand fit.

2. Audit engagement patterns post-LinkedIn algorithm change to refine publishing cadence.

3. Use Meta’s AI Assistants for real-time community Q&A and campaign support.

4. Track AI-generated versus human-generated content performance to refine resource allocation.

“AI is no longer an add-on for social platforms—it is becoming the core of how content gets created, surfaced, and consumed.” – Basil Puglisi

References

Meta. (2023, December 6). Introducing Meta AI and new AI experiences across our apps. Retrieved from https://about.fb.com/news/2023/12/meta-ai-assistants/

TikTok. (2023, December 12). TikTok launches Creative AI tools for creators. Retrieved from https://newsroom.tiktok.com/en-us/tiktok-creative-ai-tools

LinkedIn. (2023, December 18). LinkedIn feed algorithm update: Prioritizing knowledge-sharing content. Retrieved from https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/

The Social Media Power Index: Top U.S. Platforms and Rising Global Contenders

December 31, 2022 by Basil Puglisi Leave a Comment

Year-End 2022 Analysis

As 2022 closes, social media shows a mix of dominance by established U.S.-based giants and rapid emergence of new challengers globally. These platforms have evolved beyond simple communication channels into integrated ecosystems where content, commerce, and community blend. For businesses, understanding the leaders and rising stars is essential to capturing digital opportunity.

This Power Index highlights ten influential U.S.-based platforms, a global powerhouse, and two emerging contenders as of late 2022.

A 2022 year-end analysis of the top 10 U.S. social media platforms, global leader TikTok, and emerging contenders Lemon8 and Mastodon, with B2B/B2C strategies and Factics for marketers.

1. Meta Platforms, Inc. — Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger
Meta remains a dominant network with over 2.91 billion monthly active Facebook users as of late 2021 (the latest official prior to 2022 end), along with Instagram and WhatsApp boasting extensive global penetration (Investing.com, 2022; Backlinko, 2022).
B2B: Facebook Groups enable niche communities; Instagram Stories/Reels support brand storytelling.
B2C: Instagram’s creator ecosystem fuels influencer campaigns; WhatsApp’s business API adoption grows.
Factics:
Fact: Facebook and Instagram reach billions monthly.
Tactic: Use cross-platform retargeting to nurture users from initial interest to purchase.

2. Alphabet Inc. — YouTube
YouTube closed 2022 with approximately 2.56 billion active users, with growing engagement in short-form content via YouTube Shorts (Business Insider, 2022; eMarketer, 2022).
B2B: Webinars, thought leadership videos, and product demos.
B2C: Shorts and live streams engage younger audiences and influencers.
Factics:
Fact: Average global watch times continue increasing.
Tactic: Combine snackable and long-form video content for broad reach and retention.

3. Snap Inc. — Snapchat
Snapchat had 347 million daily active users in 2022, popular among Gen Z through AR filters and ephemeral messaging (Business of Apps, 2022; Oberlo, 2022).
B2B: AR ads enable innovative employer branding.
B2C: Geo-targeted and shoppable AR campaigns drive sales.
Factics:
Fact: Majority of users are under 35.
Tactic: Invest in interactive content to boost brand recall.

4. Twitter, Inc. — Twitter
Twitter finished 2022 with around 368 million monthly active users, serving as the primary real-time conversation platform (SOAX, 2022; GDELT Project, 2022).
B2B: Live event coverage and thought leadership amplification.
B2C: Trending topic campaigns drive engagement.
Factics:
Fact: Real-time interaction enhances brand visibility.
Tactic: Pair live tweeting with influencer amplification during major events.

5. Pinterest, Inc. — Pinterest
Pinterest reached approximately 450 million monthly active users in 2022, favored for discovery and shopping (BankMyCell, 2022; Backlinko, 2022).
B2B: Trend tracking within niche boards supports market research.
B2C: Direct-to-cart integrations and influencer collaborations lift conversion.
Factics:
Fact: 76% of users are female.
Tactic: Align content with seasonal and lifestyle interests for targeted marketing.

6. LinkedIn Corporation (Microsoft) — LinkedIn
LinkedIn surpassed 875 million members by late 2022, with over 58 million companies maintaining pages (Espirian, 2022; MixBloom, 2022).
B2B: Essential for lead generation and recruitment.
B2C: Employee advocacy and thought leadership enhance brand presence.
Factics:
Fact: 60% of users are aged 25–34.
Tactic: Optimize LinkedIn Pages for talent acquisition and brand positioning.

7. Reddit, Inc. — Reddit
Reddit had about 430 million monthly active users in 2022, characterized by strong niche and community engagement (Business of Apps, 2022; Backlinko, 2022).
B2B: Authentic involvement in subreddits builds credibility.
B2C: Participation in lifestyle and hobby communities fosters trust.
Factics:
Fact: Over 50% of users are under 35.
Tactic: Sponsor AMAs and collaborate with moderators for focused reach.

8. Discord Inc. — Discord
Discord reached approximately 150 million monthly active users in 2022, expanding beyond gaming into general interest groups (Backlinko, 2022; Business of Apps, 2022).
B2B: Use for client communication, training, and community building.
B2C: Brand engagement through moderated fan servers.
Factics:
Fact: Growth fueled by expansion beyond gaming.
Tactic: Launch branded servers for continuous community connection.

9. Nextdoor Holdings, Inc. — Nextdoor
Nextdoor connected 78 million verified neighbors and 40 million weekly active users by Q4 2022, focusing on hyperlocal networking (Nextdoor Annual Report, 2022; Nextdoor Press Release, 2023).
B2B: Hyper-targeted local advertising opportunities.
B2C: Community sponsorships build trust and brand loyalty.
Factics:
Fact: Active in over 305,000 neighborhoods globally.
Tactic: Apply neighborhood data for precise local marketing.

10. Automattic Inc. — Tumblr
Tumblr accounted for roughly 135 million monthly active users in 2022, with a strong Gen Z presence (AffiliateBooster, 2025 citing historical data).
B2B: Platforms for creative brand expression.
B2C: Cultivate fandoms and aesthetic-driven communities.
Factics:
Fact: 40% of users are Gen Z.
Tactic: Tailor branded content to subculture aesthetics for engagement.

Global Spotlight: ByteDance — TikTok
TikTok was the most downloaded app globally in 2022 with over 850 million installs, and surpassed 1 billion monthly active users worldwide, including 150 million in the U.S. TikTok users spent nearly 9 hours per week on the app (Business of Apps, 2022).
B2B: Story-driven short videos for corporate messaging.
B2C: Viral trends, influencer marketing, and in-app shopping drive reach.
Factics:
Fact: 55% of TikTok’s audience is under 30.
Tactic: Leverage micro-influencers for authentic niche engagement.

Honorable Mentions: Platforms to Watch
ByteDance — Lemon8
Lemon8 emerged as a hybrid of TikTok and Instagram, gaining 10.6 million global downloads in 2022, mostly in Asia, with influencer seeding spurring growth (Business of Apps, 2022; TechHQ, 2022; Marketing Interactive, 2022).
Factics:
Fact: Influencer campaigns accelerated adoption in Japan and Southeast Asia.
Tactic: Early influencer partnerships can catalyze market entry.

Mastodon
Mastodon saw a 657% increase in active users following Twitter’s ownership changes in late 2022, reaching 2.5 million active users (ThinkImpact, 2022; Absolutely Maybe, 2022).
Factics:
Fact: Growth largely from tech-savvy and activist niches.
Tactic: Consider collaborations with established servers to boost trust.

Pro Tip:
Social media dynamics evolve quickly — monitor shifts and remain agile across platforms to seize emerging opportunities.

References
AffiliateBooster. (2025, July 1). Tumblr statistics 2025 — Active users, revenue & user growth. https://www.affiliatebooster.com/tumblr-statistics/
Backlinko. (2022). Facebook user & growth statistics to know in 2022. https://backlinko.com/facebook-users
Backlinko. (2022). Pinterest usage and revenue statistics. https://backlinko.com/pinterest-users
Backlinko. (2022). Reddit users. https://backlinko.com/reddit-users
Backlinko. (2022). Discord users. https://backlinko.com/discord-users
BankMyCell. (2022). Number of Pinterest users: Growth and statistics 2022. https://www.bankmycell.com/blog/number-of-pinterest-users/
Business Insider. (2022, October). YouTube by the numbers: Usage and reach in 2022. https://www.businessinsider.com/youtube-user-statistics-2022-10
Business of Apps. (2022). Snapchat revenue and usage statistics. https://www.businessofapps.com/data/snapchat-statistics/
Business of Apps. (2022). Twitter statistics. https://www.businessofapps.com/data/twitter-statistics/
Business of Apps. (2022). Reddit statistics. https://www.businessofapps.com/data/reddit-statistics/
Business of Apps. (2022). Discord statistics. https://www.businessofapps.com/data/discord-statistics/
Business of Apps. (2022). Lemon8 struggles to kickstart in US despite influencer marketing push. https://www.businessofapps.com/news/lemon8-struggles-to-kickstart-in-us-despite-influencer-marketing-push/
Business of Apps. (2022). TikTok statistics and usage 2022. https://www.businessofapps.com/data/tiktok-statistics/
Espirian, J. (2022, October 25). LinkedIn membership numbers. https://espirian.co.uk/linkedin-membership-numbers/
GDELT Project. (2022, November 17). Visualizing a decade of Twitter’s evolution: Jan 2012 – Nov 2022 (Musk’s purchase). https://blog.gdeltproject.org/visualizing-a-decade-of-twitters-evolution-jan-2012-nov-2022-musks-purchase/
Investing.com. (2022). Facebook’s impressive statistics in 2022. https://www.investing.com/academy/statistics/facebook-meta-facts/
Marketing Interactive. (2022, October 19). ByteDance launches Lemon8 in global expansion of lifestyle apps. https://www.marketing-interactive.com/bytedance-launches-lemon8-in-global-expansion-of-lifestyle-apps
MixBloom. (2022). The 15 LinkedIn statistics of 2022 you should know. https://www.mixbloom.com/resources/the-15-linkedin-statistics-of-2022-you-should-know
Nextdoor. (2022). Nextdoor business marketing. https://business.nextdoor.com/en-us/
Nextdoor. (2023, February 28). Nextdoor announces fourth quarter and full year 2022 results. https://about.nextdoor.com/press-releases/nextdoor-announces-fourth-quarter-and-full-year-2022-results
Nextdoor. (2023). 2022 Annual report. https://www.annualreports.com/HostedData/AnnualReportArchive/n/NYSE_KIND_2022.pdf
Oberlo. (2022). Snapchat user growth (2015–2022). https://www.oberlo.com/statistics/snapchat-user-growth
Omnicore Agency. (2022). Quick Snapchat statistics. https://www.omnicoreagency.com/snapchat-statistics/
Omnicore Agency. (2022). Quick Pinterest statistics. https://www.omnicoreagency.com/pinterest-statistics/
SOAX. (2022, April 1). How many monthly active users does X (Twitter) have? https://soax.com/research/twitter-active-users
TechHQ. (2022, October). Lemon8: A social media platform gaining traction among Gen Z and millennials. https://techhq.com/news/lemon8-an-app-by-tiktoks-parent-company-is-making-waves-in-the-us/
ThinkImpact.com. (2022, October 21). Mastodon statistics. https://www.thinkimpact.com/mastodon-statistics/
The Social Shepherd. (2022). 21 essential Meta statistics you need to know in 2022. https://thesocialshepherd.com/blog/meta-statistics

SxSW 2013, @BasilPuglisi debut as BOD Social Media Club International

March 17, 2017 by Basil Puglisi 1 Comment

SXSW 2013 is an expansive, vibrant festival and conference taking place in Austin, Texas, from March 8 to 17. It is an overwhelming yet exhilarating event where thousands of artists, filmmakers, tech innovators, and industry professionals converge. With about 2,500 bands performing on over 100 stages across the city, the music offerings alone range broadly—from rising independent acts to renowned headliners like Prince and Green Day. The festival’s venues spill into bars, rooftops, and streets, filled with a lively mix of attendees from all walks of life.

The atmosphere is electric yet chaotic, with attendees juggling multiple events, food trucks, pop-up installations, and networking opportunities all at once. Despite the sheer volume of choices making it difficult to keep up, SXSW is praised for its ability to deliver discoveries and connections that attendees cherish. The event blends music, film, and interactive media, creating a dynamic cultural moment that is as much about the people and energy as the performances and showcases.

The spirit of SXSW 2013 is especially about exploration and community—fest-goers soak in everything from local Austin artists to international performers, while the city streets buzz with spontaneous conversations, tastings, and creative encounters. The festival’s blend of big names and new talent, alongside technology and media showcases, makes it a unique convergence of art, innovation, and social energy.

Newsday Staff. (2013, March 22). Basil Puglisi appointed to Social Media Club board of directors. Newsday. Retrieved from https://www.newsday.com/classifieds/jobs

Making the Social Connection an Emotional Connection

February 5, 2013 by Basil Puglisi 14 Comments

Marketers know that the best way to reach their audience is to drive an emotional connection between the brand and the end user. With the advent of social media and mobile marketing, we have an exceptional advantage to driving that connection.
Customers are no longer sharing their experiences of your brand between the hours of nine to five, Monday to Friday via the 800 number they were traditionally pushed through. Their experiences have become part of your brand’s story, online, for the world to see, 24 hours a day. So how are you telling your story?
Consider the 4 E’s: Engage, Educate, Excite, Evangelize. Here are five tips all marketers should consider when crafting the story for their brand.
Engage:
Identify your target audience. Decide what the key words are for your industry. Embrace the opportunity to engage with your community in two-way conversation daily. Trust and loyalty are built over time, as with any good relationship. Remember, if you suck offline, you suck online!
Educate:
Your customers don’t know what they don’t know. By engaging in communities where your customers are, you are raising awareness about what it is your business does, and adding value to the relationship. Joining the conversation could be as simple as answering questions they may have, ie. friendsourcing. This allows an opportunity to learn from each other; you educate them and they educate you. Then you’re on your way to positioning yourself as an influencer and industry leader.
Excite:
Be authentic, be positive, be transparent. I align my business with leaders: are forward-thinking, action-oriented risk-takers, who maintain a positive outlook. There will always be those who are not (ie. twankers). By engaging positively, you’re able to insert your unique value proposition into the relationship, and instill excitement around your product/service.
Evangelize:
Identify the influencers within each community: hashtags are an effective method of organizing tweets around a particular topic. They are created around an event or an existing community. Use them! Once you have an engaged, educated, excited community, the evangelizing will happen naturally.
Make this a priority!
Don’t be left behind, the conversations are going on with or without you. And remember, incorporating a social media policy is vital when your team is representing your business.
Guest Post by:
Jeffrey Hayzlett, Bestselling Author, Global Business Celebrity & Sometime Cowboy
JEFFREY HAYZLETT is a global business celebrity and former Fortune 100 c-suite executive. From small business to international corporations, he has put his creativity and extraordinary entrepreneurial skills into play, launching ventures blending his leadership perspectives, insights into professional development, mass marketing prowess and affinity for social media. He is a well-traveled public speaker, the author of the bestselling business books, The Mirror Test and Running the Gauntlet, and one of the most compelling figures in global business.
Jeffrey is an esteemed business and marketing expert, appearing frequently on programs like Fox Business News, MSNBC’s Your Business, Bloomberg West, and NBC’s Celebrity Apprentice with Donald Trump. Drawing upon an eclectic background in business, buoyed by a stellar track record of keynote speaking, and deeply rooted in cowboy lore, Jeffrey energizes his role driving and delivering change. He is a turnaround architect of the highest order, a maverick marketer who delivers scalable campaigns, embraces traditional modes of customer engagement, and possesses a remarkable cachet of mentorship, corporate governance and brand building.

Social Marketing With Photos

January 21, 2013 by Basil Puglisi 1 Comment

They say a picture is worth a thousand words—a concept advertisers and marketers have practiced for years. As marketers switched to social media, though, photos were temporarily sidelined in favor of short snippets of text.
But the photo is coming back. Tweens and teens have flooded Instagram with photos of new outfits and artistic nail polish. As these all-too-impressionable young consumers browse through thousands of photos on various social media sites, marketers are learning that if you want to reach younger generations, a picture is worth morethan a thousand words.
Whether your marketing campaign is targeted to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or a combination of all of the above, there are a few tips to keep in mind.
Keep It Interesting
Consumers log into social media sites for a variety of reasons, many of which revolve around being entertained. Pinterest and Instagram have become so successful because they provide a way for users to share concepts in one simple image, engaging them and inciting them to post comments.
But it’s important to come across as though you’re sharing interesting ideas rather than simply pushing a product. A sofa company, for instance, would do better to post photos of a uniquely-decorated room featuring their sofas rather than simply posting a photo of a sofa. A service-oriented business like a pest control company could post humorous photos of their workers, either on the job or hanging around the office. These photos humanize the business, making customers feel as though they are part of the family.
Run Contests
Several restaurant chains have invited customers to upload a picture of themselves dining in the restaurant to a social media site. For major chains, sometimes the promise of fifteen minutes of fame on a prominent social media site may be enough incentive to participate. However, smaller businesses may have to offer a large monetary prize. Customers will have fun and businesses will see their social media pages filled with interesting photos.
Pay Attention
The great thing about social media is that you’ll usually know instantly whether a photo is a hit with followers or not. Pay attention to your likes, shares, and retweets and note what time of day they happen. If some photos are more popular than others, stick with those types of photos in the future. You’ll begin to get a feel for your demographic in order to be able to better appeal to them after only a short time.
Remember, photos are only a part of social media marketing. Hashtags are still important, as are regular text updates. Don’t discount yourself as a personality in your social media campaigns. Some of the most successful social media campaigns involve the face of the company updating followers on their adventures as they travel, hang out with clients, and enjoy their own products.

Guest Blogger:
During 2003, John Lessnau popularized Text Link Advertising when he founded LinkAdage.com John is working at doing the same thing 10 years later with social media links at his new website SocialLinkMart.com. Social Link Mart is an open Social Media Link Marketplace for SEOs, website owners, and social media enthusiasts to buy Facebook likes or buy and sell Facebook Shares, Google Plus Shares, and Twitter Tweets. Social link sellers are ranked by social media authority which keeps the bots and spammers out and real people in.

A Look at Google+ [INTERNSHIP]

December 3, 2012 by Basil Puglisi Leave a Comment

At first Google+ was launched as an individual only field test. Google soon after received an outstanding demand for new accounts and then opened it up to people over the age of eighteen. A few months later Google plus was opened for the younger age group. It’s obvious to see that Google plus received a better outcome then they expected. What make’s Google+ so different is because it’s not a social network. However, online communities can emerge from Google+ making it a wonderful side effect that no one’s complaining about.
Google+ is more than an ordinary destination site. Google+ goal is to make sharing on the web like sharing in real life. In order to make this possible, they provided their users with efficient tools that are easy to use. Some of their features include circles, hangouts, messenger, and search in Google+. Their unique timeline is called a “stream” which displays three columns with content from the people in their circles and an input box.
Circles are a way of Google+ organizing their users’ pages into groups for sharing. Circles can be labeled as friends, family, co-workers, acquaintances, etc. This just makes it really easy for you to share certain content with certain people. You can filter your stream to show content from your specific circles. Hangouts are a place where video chats can take place with up to 10 people. This can come in handy when a business wants to have a group chat within a short notice and make it sufficiently.
The messenger feature is cool because it allows communication within Google+ circles. The messages are instant which is always convenient, especially when businesses are talking to clients via messenger. Search in Google+ allows users to search any content within Google+. This feature makes it easy for a user to find exactly what they are looking for. The search results will contain relevant posts and people, and popular content from the web. Depending on the keywords you chose to describe your business will help people get a better understanding of what you do.
Google+ makes it possible to make sociable accounts. In Google Analytics it offers social reports that show how Google+ influences your business, recommendations on your site, and what visitor from social networking sites come to see your site. Google+ also has another feature called Ripples which allows you to visualize who is sharing your content.
There are over 250 million Google+ users, which was recently unofficially proposed to now be closer to 400 million. On this social website, it’s impossible not to establish new connections. Networking can’t be done any easier with Google+. The site is continuing to grow and add on new features to help benefit individuals and businesses.
Sources:

http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/google-plus-future/#comment-650265177
http://www.google.com/+/business/
http://mashable.com/2012/04/11/google-plus-redesign/
http://mashable.com/2012/11/14/media-summit-daria-musk/
http://support.google.com/plus/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=1254208
http://thenextweb.com/socialmedia/2012/03/08/for-the-last-time-lets-all-say-it-together-google-is-not-a-social-network/

The content in this article is part of Digital Ethos’s Digital Media Education in the Higher Education Internship Program, the content was created by @KaylaMarzo, a Student at Suffolk County Community college, intern at Digital Ethos.

A Look at Pinterest [INTERNSHIP]

November 26, 2012 by Basil Puglisi Leave a Comment

Pinterest calls themselves a “virtual pin board”. This website is known for connecting people from all over the world through common tastes and interests. There are many uses for Pinterest including finding new recipes and do it yourself projects. The content that you post is called “pins” and your pins get organized in boards. Pinterest is interesting because it lets you browse other people’s boards and “repin” the content you like onto your own boards. This website offers content like pictures, videos, recipes, tutorials, and much more.

In order to effectively use Pinterest, you need to make sure your content speaks louder than words. Since Pinterest is solely based on pictures, you need to make sure your pictures are high quality; let your pictures do all the talking. You also want to credit all your content from where it came from so it won’t tarnish your rep. Your boards on your homepage is what keeps your content organized. Using your boards correctly will benefit you when you’re trying look back at your posts. You can have as little or as many boards as you’d like. Pinterest lets you rename them and change the cover picture of your boards. For example, if you found a picture of gourmet food that looks good to you; post this under your board that relates to “Food”.
There are so many things you can do with Pinterest. You can plan your wedding on it, find new recipes, see what the latest style is, and so much more. Pinterest lets you use keywords to find specific or general things you are looking for. You don’t even have to repin content, you can simply like or comment it. Your likes show up on your homepage under a different category than boards. Just like Twitter, you can follow other people and they can follow you. The people you follows content will show up on your “following” home page. This is different than your actual homepage because your homepage is filled with just your content.
When you repin something, Pinterest gives you the option to follow that person’s board that you repined from. This is a quick easy way to follow more people and make your following homepage more diverse. It’s said that when people go on Pinterest, they go on to just browse around. Pinterest is a great website for just browsing around because they have so many different categories to choose from. Aside from the popular page, categories range from health and fitness, science and nature, cars and motorcycles, travel, sports, and many more. It’s not a mystery that Pinterest can be used by anyone.
Pinterest can be used by small businesses, large corporations and anywhere in between. The first step to market your business on the site is to add the Pinterest button on your website. This will increase the awareness of your customers showing them that you have a Pinterest page. Just like in any other case, key words are the key! If you are an up and coming gym and you want to attract more customers, you would want to post pictures of your gym and services, pictures of your equipment, and even videos of small work outs to show them what you have to offer. The cool thing about Pinterest is the hyper linking. If you post a picture of your equipment on the site, a customer can click the picture and be brought to your website.
You want to target your audience on Pinterest by using key words that appeal to what they’re looking for. Once you’ve got their attention you want to keep it by pinning as much relevant content as you can. A recently new feature on Pinterest allows you to create a “secret board”. This can be helpful in so many ways. For businesses, if you are in the mix of making a new board and don’t want to post it right away, a secret board is right for you. This gives extra time in preparing the board and making sure it is just right for your audience when it’s ready to be posted.
Pinterest is a great source of referral traffic for websites and blogs. It drives in more traffic than Google+, Youtube, and LinkedIn combined! At the moment, Pinterest has 11 million users and is getting more every day. This site is a great because the content brings traffic directly to your website with one click. If you use this site correctly, there’s no other way to build up your brand name on the web.
Sources:
http://pinterest.com/
http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/26-tips-for-using-pinterest-for-business/
http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/pinterest-marketing-what-marketers-need-to-know-to-succeed/
http://www.examiner.com/article/how-to-create-a-secret-board-on-pinterest-for-the-holidays

The content in this article is part of Digital Ethos’s Digital Media Education in the Higher Education Internship Program, the content was created by @KaylaMarzo, a Student at Suffolk County Community college, intern at Digital Ethos.

A Look at Reddit [INTERNSHIP]

November 19, 2012 by Basil Puglisi Leave a Comment

Reddit.com is a different kind of social network. It is a social news website that allows their users to submit content in the form of either a link or text and share it with the Reddit community. The site has their own kind of search optimization that allows users to rise to the top of the page. Users vote on the content “up” or “down”. Up meaning their content rises to the top of the page giving them more visibility, and down meaning you get pushed to the bottom of the page.
Reddit runs a bulletin board type of system. This makes it easy to scroll through content. On the home page, there are many different categories you can browse through. Categories include politics, world news, gaming, technology, music, science, and much more. Fortunately Reddit allows you to edit and add categories you want visible on your home page. This gives the users personalization.
The users can scroll through different kinds of content. The content can be informational, funny, newsworthy, etc. Users post things you can find in a history textbook or even a fashion magazine. There are many different ways you can learn from Reddit. The site keeps up with everything going on in the world by posting breaking news. For example the shootings in Aurora, Colorado were posted almost instantly after it happened. They kept the information updated even days after. Find out what kind of dinosaurs existed millions of years ago, or find out what’s going on in space. Reddit follows free speech, so they don’t discriminate on any kinds of content.
Even though Reddit is considered a news website, it can still help businesses. The best way to market on their site is to find content that pertains to your audience and target market. You want to be able to understand and listen to the content carefully so you will be able to contribute something of value. If you want to find specific content, Reddit allows you to search by keywords. Sharing content is also simple on Reddit. You can share the information to your followers on twitter, Facebook friends, your Google+ page, or you can even pin it on Pinterest by pressing their individual button on the top of the page.
In recent months Reddit’s popularity has grown tremendously. The social news site obtains over three million page views a month and has over 43 million monthly active users. It’s easy to see why Reddit’s slogan is “The front page of the internet”. Individuals, small businesses, and large corporations can all benefit from having an account on Reddit.
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A look at StumbleUpon [INTERNSHIP]

November 11, 2012 by Basil Puglisi 1 Comment

StumbleUpon is an interesting social media website that provides you with all different kinds of content. You can personalize your own Stumbleupon page to your own interests. This will give your own home page that is personalized to content and stories that you might be interested in. StumbleUpon recommends to you stories and content that interests you. Not only do they offer graphics, but they offer recipes, inspirational stories, videos, the latest fashion, and more. When you are browsing articles and other content, you are given the choice to like or dislike the content. By doing this, this allows your content to be even more narrowed down to the things you like. It’s like exploring the internet that’s specifically made for you.
To browse, simply press the “stumble” button in the top left corner of the screen. Every click is like a new adventure to come across. One click you can see the majestic beaches of Italy, and the next click could be teaching you how to make a rainbow cheesecake. Stumbleupon offers many fascinating features. Besides liking content that interests you, there is content that can educate you. The settings in Stumble Upon are so definitive that you can change your interests at any time. If one day you’re interested in baking and the next you’re not, you can delete it and add your newest fad.
StumbleUpon gives you the option of sharing the content with your Facebook friends, Twitter followers, and your LinkedIn connections. This will benefit any individual, small business or large corporation. Sharing engaging information with colleagues will lead into a conversation and allow you to exchange your ideas. Make sure the content that you are sharing is relevant. This will benefit you in the long run because it will be much simpler to communicate on a common ground. For example, if you are a toy manufacturer and you want to reach out to toy stores; you will want to share content on why the toys you generate are the best.
StumbleUpon is a great social site for those that are trying to break into the digital space, especially when you consider that social media success is often measured in terms of influence or those that can talk about more than themselves. StumbleUpon can help those new to digital content find stories and share things that complete their personal or professional interests. StumbleUpon helps provide great content that’s relevant to your individual persona and lets you share it.
With 25 million users, StumbleUpon seems to be on the right track towards popularity. They are working hard and fast to become a household name. It is a fun way to see the internet specialized just for you. It’s also a good way to open up conversations and share common interests with your peers.
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