BLUE GLASS BLOG — Ever since Facebook has introduced the new type of pages "Community pages" there has been plenty of talking around them: Facebook has been actively criticized for threatening brands that are building presence in the network. First let’s briefly and clearly define what community page really is. The Facebook Community Page is meant to be the collection of knowledge around some concept, phenomenon or aspect of life. What makes it dangerous for brands is that those aspects of life can be popular brands as well...

THE SOCIAL TIMES — One of the things that differentiate YouTube from other forms of visual entertainment, like television and film, is the fact that the platform closes the gap between viewers and content creators by opening up channels of communication. Communicating with your viewers not only leads to a much more personal viewing experience, but also gives you the opportunity to listen to viewer feedback and improve your content accordingly. However, a lot of YouTubers aren’t taking advantage of the perks of the platform and communicating with their viewers...

SOCIAL MEDIA EXAMINER — We all want to see our Facebook Page skyrocket in numbers. And, there are many tactics for doing so. However, the fact is that numbers don’t necessarily equate to engagement and return on investment. In the short run, an increase from 1,000 to 10,000 fans might look great to your boss or client, but when the fans start dropping off at a rate of 100 or 200 per week, and nobody answers the questions you put on your wall, you may not look like quite the hero anymore. This article will reveal some effective tactics to gain quality Facebook fans and introduce the concept of engaging influencers...

MASHABLE — For many brand managers, employees’ actions online remain a daunting, untamed frontier. The brand’s consistent, controlled message to consumers melds with internal messaging and individuals’ stories when employees take to the social web. The cautionary tales of the social web’s early days -- stories of indiscretion, mixed signals and poor communication -- have led to an increase in strict policies and careful monitoring of employee social media activities in many cases. But lately, a few savvy brands have changed their internal position about employees’ activities on the social web...

DIGITAL INFLUENCE BLOG — You’ve successfully passed through "phase 1" of your company’s social media evolution where just a few expert voices represented your brand online. Now you are handing over the keys to a larger, more representative group of speakers. How can you make sure that this proliferation increases, not fragments, your impact online? How do you prevent someone going off the reservation? Through guardrails, governance, and training (oh my!). Here’s a checklist from basic fundamental to advanced degree...