In our blogosphere recap we examine four blog posts from last week that discuss mobile marketing tips, global social media use, how people view Facebook Timeline, and the rivalry between Google and Facebook. Below are some of the highlights from these articles:
- More and more people have a cell phone today, making it is easy for small businesses to promote their products and services through mobile communication.
- 50% of Americans are active on at least one social media website.
- While 43% of participants noticed Facebook “sponsored stories” in the old profile format, 63% noticed the ads in the Timeline format.
- In the New Year Facebook and Google+ users should expect a lot of new features and more integration with third party products.
Small Biz New Year’s Resolution: Improve Your Biz with Mobile Marketing
Business Insider | Ramon Ray | 12-27-11
When mobile marketing was introduced in the early 2000s, it truly became a hit in the years after it was introduced. Many people accepted this concept because it was relatively cheap compared to the traditional ways of marketing like through billboards, TV commercials, print ads, etc. Since more and more people have a cell phone today, it is easy for small businesses to promote their products and services through mobile communication.
Five Tips:
- Know your public; make sure that you know who your message is intended for.
- Offer deals that are cheap and easy to sell. This way they will always be excited for your next promotional items and will stick to your brand even more.
- No more spam messages!
- Be sure to quickly respond to your customer’s concerns and needs to gain their trust.
- Give them rewards when promoting your products. This way they will become more interested in buying your products and services in the future.
Pew: U.S. No. 2 in terms of global social media use 
Brafton News | Staff | 12-29-11
The United States has one of the highest volumes of social use in the world, which suggests every U.S. business, organization and cause can find an audience through social media marketing. According to Pew, Israel is the nation with the highest percentage of its population using social media with 53 percent saying they are active on various platforms. In terms of demographic breakdowns, 80 percent of 18- to 29-year-old Americans use social media, 62 percent of 30- to 49-year olds do and 26 percent of those 50 or over are active on the channel. Education seems to factor into social activity, as 61 percent of social media users in the U.S. have at least a bachelor’s degree compared to 45 percent who do not, and the remaining 4 percent chose not to answer. The presence of young, educated adults on these platforms means businesses targeting them should be aggressive with social media marketing.
Key Takeaways:
- 50% of Americans are active on at least one social media website.
- 43% of Americans who own a mobile phone regularly access the internet on their handsets.
- More than 70 million Americans access social networks on their phones at least once per month.
Facebook Timeline vs. Old Profiles: How People View Them Differently [STUDY]
Mashable | Sarah Kessler | 12-29-11
Your social media profiles have morphed as the sites they live on have changed. So has the way people view them. To get a better idea of how profile design affects profile viewers, Mashable asked an eye-tracking research startup to compare visual statistics for Twitter, Facebook and MySpace profiles before and after major site redesigns. The company had 30 people to look at the profiles while tracking their eye movements.
Key Data Results:
- Facebook ads get noticed more in Facebook Timeline. While 43% of participants noticed Facebook “sponsored stories” in the old profile format, 63% noticed the ads in the Timeline format. Participants spent the same amount of time on average looking at the ads in each profile.
- Personal information such as employer and location gets more attention in the new Facebook Timeline. Viewers spent an average 2.2 seconds looking at this section in the new format, which includes images, but only 1.6 seconds looking at this section in the old format.
- Profile information is easier to find in the new Twitter. While viewing the old profile, participants noticed tweets before they noticed profiles. While viewing the new version, that pattern was reversed.
Google, Facebook rivalry to heat up in 2012
Computerworld | Sharon Gaudin | 12-30-11
As Google works to make its Google+ social network a major competitor to market leader Facebook, the battle between the two could reach a critical point in 2012. While most analysts think Facebook retained its wide edge this year, most agree that the battle is likely to heat up further in 2012. Google’s social network looks and functions much like Facebook — enabling users to post status updates, share links and upload photos. Right out of the gate, Google+ gained a lot of attention and a quick onrush of users. To date, Google+ hasn’t hurt Facebook, which turned out to be a tough competitor against a product that has the backing of a company with strong clout and deep pockets.
Key Takeaways:
- If Facebook files for an Initial Public Offering in the first half of 2012 as many expect, a huge influx of cash would bring it more muscle to take on Google.
- In the New Year Facebook and Google+ users should expect a lot of new features and more integration with third party products.
- Google will integrate Google+ into every property it has, including the Android OS. Facebook will develop benefits programs to reward users to share every element of their life on Timeline – where they eat, shop, drink, work out, what they watch, read, listen to.
