ZDNET — One of the biggest challenges of social media managers who oversee large consumer or enterprise brands is content manageability. It seems as if a new social network is born every day, and only a few days after it’s introduced to the world a multitude of people push to figure out how businesses can benefit. With many companies taking the be everywhere for everyone approach to social networking, trying to keep it all in sync is a major feat. Calling it lack of manageability might be too simple of a way to put it. Some of the intricate challenges are...

SOCIAL MEDIA EXAMINER — Let’s face it, LinkedIn is a very underutilized social media network. Most people believe that it’s too hard to make connections, and therefore use it more as a résumé site. There is so much more potential with this professional social media network. How many of us have created a LinkedIn account and left it dormant for months? It was my goal recently to attend more LinkedIn webinars and teleseminars to learn more about this mysterious network. I have often thought to myself, "I’m a professional. Why am I not utilizing this site?" I’ve even heard LinkedIn referred to as the "red-headed stepchild" of social media. Here are some interesting facts that I learned about this often misunderstood network...

ZDNET — Allstate is only one of a growing number of Fortune 500 companies that is digging deep into social media help improve brand awareness and create more mutually beneficial relationships with customers. The company began developing its social media program two years ago during the upswing of industry buzz, and has since developed a strong community and social networking presence. I did a very quick Q&A with Ben Foster, senior strategy and content manager for social networking at Allstate, about the company’s vision and execution of community for both consumers and its agents...

EMARKETER — Most wealthy Internet users in the US are optimistic about the economy going forward, according to Ipsos Mendelsohn, and their online spending has historically been higher than average. That should make them attractive to retailers, which are increasingly turning to social networks to attract customers. But will affluents be as receptive to social marketing as other Web users?...

MARKETINGPROFS — I’ve always considered LinkedIn more of a place to prospect for a job than anything else. And since I haven’t been in the market for one in a while, I’ve paid it little mind. Plus, if I’m being honest: I’ve always thought LinkedIn was kind of...well, boring. If Facebook was a rave at a cool downtown hot spot, LinkedIn was a stuffy reception with piped-in music at one of those cookie-cutter function facilities conveniently located at the end of an exit ramp. Does that sound harsh? Perhaps. But now I’ve realized that I couldn’t have been more wrong...