When the world watched the civil uprising in the Middle East, it sparked a whole new discussion of the effectiveness of social media and the part it played to social change. From the ashes of turmoil, came online leaders and influencers who would bring the people together, spark discussion around the world, and bring about change amidst the chaos. In the face of media and internet censorship, social media proved to be the most effective weapon to challenge repression and bring down a regime. This is one of many cases where individuals who are in a position of influence utilize their voice to influence change; these people are social media influencers.

So what is a Social Media Influencer? They are people who garner attention and focus, have a considerable amount of followers, and are actively involved in the online social media space. They create great and unique content, engage with their followers, and influence their followers with a call to action. These individuals wield a unique power of sway to get their followers to participate in helping them.

Going back to Arab Springs, we look at Wael Ghonim, an Google executive who played a key role in the Egyptian uprising. He is credited with the creation of an opposing Facebook page to the Egyptian government, which stimulated the citizens to voice their opinions and demonstrate in the streets together. His call to action was of questioning the government, being active, and working together aided in the collapse of the 30 year Mubarak rule. His influence online led him to be credited as one of Time Magazine‘s Top 100 Influential People of 2011.

The subject on the definition of marriage in the United States has always been a critical topic in politics. It has been the leading discussion amongst Americans as the Supreme Court decides its position on the touchy matter. A small movement online, dubbed the ‘Turn Red’ campaign, asked users to change their profile pictures to a pink equal signs imposed against a red background; an modified rendition of the Human Rights Campaign logo. The popularity of the logo went viral when former Star Trek actor, George Takei changed his picture to the logo. With Takei’s growing popularity online, he was able to influence discussion on the matter, spreading the word, and getting people active.

In spite of everything there is no doubt that social media and it’s people have changed the world dramatically. From these two cases alone, we see the sway that social influencers have over a following as they act as a community connector, a stage conductor, and an information source. Like anything else however it has its limitations as well. As the mind share of idea pools in online communities, information is easily distorted or misinterpreted. Popular opinion tends to take shape whether information is true, false or incomplete. As easily as one social cause starts it ends and is quickly forgotten; the majority of users support causes that are deemed popular or trendy at that moment.

Let me start off by saying that this is a judgement free zone. If you have ever clicked a video link only to find yourself 3 hours later watching something completely unrelated – I would like to welcome you to the club. With over 4 billion monthly video views on YouTube, it is evident that we crave instantaneous visual content. One of the most popular topics on video sharing sites is beauty. It’s time to say goodbye to fashion magazines and in-store make-up demonstrations because YouTube has all the answers. YouTube gurus cover all subjects from makeup to skincare to DIY projects. These vloggers are powerful social influencers with loyal followings and high levels of engagement over most social media platforms, not just YouTube. We watch their videos to learn what products they buy, what stores they shop at and what beauty techniques they use. These expert channels supply us viewers with a constant stream of original content that keeps us going back for more.

Brand channels such as NARS Cosmetics and OPI have approx 10,000 subscribers on YouTube while beauty guru’s channels have hundreds of thousands, sometimes millions of subscribers. For example, vlogger Michelle Phan has over 3 million subscribers! It made me ask myself: Why can’t the company channels reach the same activity levels as individual vloggers?

Beauty gurus are a combination of your favourite celebrity and your best friend, they are well known, admired, personable and most importantly, accessible. The one-on-one video style has the same effect as a face-to-face interaction, proving to be exceedingly more influential than a brands commercial. Some company channels have even tried to imitate the vlogger style of videos but have been unsuccessful. Here’s an example from Urban Decay’s attempt.Why you ask? A reason could be that when the user sees the companies channel name, the user automatically assumes the content is biased and therefore ignores it.

YouTube vloggers are influential because they are reachable. They post on a schedule, provide irresistible content, reply to comments, and build content around viewer requests. We also develop a connection with them by learning not just about beauty but also their lifestyle. For example, Lauren Riihimaki, who goes by the username laurDIY has been posting videos since December 2011 and has over 115,000 subscribers and a massive 3.2 million video views. Her videos include DIY Skull Cut Out Shirt, No Heat Overnight Curls and The Boyfriend Tag. She posts a video every Sunday and each video receives thousands of views and comments.

Lauren and Michelle only make up one part of the YouTube guru elite. They are influential because they give unbiased product reviews, unique video ideas and continuously stay connected with their audience. To put it simply, the videos these gurus post are downright addicting and I dare you to watch just one.

What’s changed: (to name a few)

• When we opened our doors YouTube existed but since then Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, Pinterest, Google +, Vine, Instagram and many more have become big players in the social media space.
• Internet shopping increased by 26% in the last year – so we can assume it’s increased by over 200+% in the last 8 years. Our first clients were afraid of using paypal and thought people wouldn’t trust the service.
• Magazines are dying at a rapid rate. Only the cream of the crop are surviving. Mags dropped 9.5% last year alone.
• More and more businesses are adopting social media as part of their communications plan.
• Mobile, Mobile, Mobile – multiple screen sizes and multiple user experiences on different devices. We aren’t designing for our desktops anymore.
• The authenticity is disappearing online – Marketers ruin everything – I should know I’m one of them.
• The largest demographic? Mommy blogger directories and communities are massive and are only getting bigger.

What’s still the same:

• If you are not passionate about the subject – you won’t keep up with it.
• Content is still king.
• Visual content has and probably always will receive the most shares and clicks.
• Video is definitely growing but photos are still leading in the content sharing arena.
• Email marketing is still on top.
• Google’s algorithms have changed (they change all the time) but strong content is still a big factor when looking for google ranking.
• The more niche and focused your blog/website the better.

We’ve seen more technology, social options, screen sizes and e-commerce in our field. It doesn’t matter what changes occur when it comes to marketing, one thing will always remain the same: you need to connect to your target market emotionally – in print, on TV and on the web.

I’m looking forward to hanging out with robots and living in an open world with little privacy – definitely thinking that will happen in the next 8 years. Maybe I should be careful of what I wish for.

We’ve been working with clients for 8 years helping them create monitization strategies for their web properties. Paid subscription services is one of the many options we consult clients through. Paying for content is quickly becoming the norm for many businesses and it’s poised to become a dominant business model for a lot of online services.

For just over two years now, online publications have introduced PayWalls in order to generate revenue. This was met with a mixture of frustration and expectancy from readers. The Washington Post recently announced the introduction of a paywall on their (to-be) relaunched iPad app arguing that the content is well curated and it well valued – enough that readers should be expected to help support it financially.

Paying for subscriptions brings next level products and services to the user. The expectation is that content is much stronger and the user experience much more positive. Instead of scraping together playlists for my runs through various downloads – I’m more than happy to pay $9.99 / month to stream unlimited music to my phone from Rdio. The quality and range of content available is more than I’ll ever need – and the social integration of following my friends is a great way to find new music. There is a really great community feeling to joining these subscription sites. Not only am I able to access tonnes of great new music – but I’m joining like-minded people who share similar interests to me. I can make and share playlists with others and discover new songs and mixes.

Similarly, Netflix has found it’s way into my heart lately, not having cable and paying $8/month for unlimited movies and tv shows seems much more economical than recruiting cable. That being said, Netflix’s inventory isn’t as expansive as I’d like – but there are still quality items on there (Freaks & Geeks – hello). Additionally, Netflix seemingly struck gold by introducing exclusive, well-produced, advertising-free content such as House of Cards. House of Cards’ success wouldn’t have been possible without Netflix’s steady and paying consumer base – it’s Netflix’s most watched piece of content. The show was almost guaranteed to be a success – Netflix paid close attention to their user-watcher data and concluded that House of Cards would satisfy the community based on the content that was being watched in the highest volumes from start to finish. Not only was Netflix using original content to please existing users – it was a great pull for those sitting on the fence about getting a membership. Exclusive content surprised and pleased the existing community and made it attractive to those not yet signed up.

YouTube recently announced their plans to introduce paid subscriptions that could launch next month. The launch might start off small, testing the waters and seeing how the community reacts since the service has been free for so long. Moreover, YouTube will need to ensure their content is worth paying any dollar amount for – this will be an interesting space to watch. I’s like to see if and how online content sources and producers deal with paid subscriptions over the next little while. Do you think many companies will follow a similar business model? Are you ready to start spending on content? We’d love to know your thoughts on the matter.

That’s the question that brands are asking themselves when it comes to the newest offering to the world of social media, Vine.

Launched for iPhone on January 23, 2013 it has already generated a ton of buzz (some unwantingly) and brands are already looking at ways that they can leverage this new tool in their marketing plan.

But before you jump in head first and start posting, let’s take a look at Vine and what it might mean for your brand.

What is Vine?
Owned by Twitter, Vine is an app (currently only available on iOS) that allows users to create and share 6 second videos from their phone or tablet. The app has been described as a cross between YouTube and Instagram where videos are uploaded and posted instantly on the Vine app while allowing users to tweet and share on Facebook.

Why it works.
6 seconds is longer than you think, and also shorter than you think. It is long enough to speak in quick sound bites, make fast announcements and spout out taglines. It is also short enough not to lose viewers’ interest. The videos playback on the Vine app and loop much like an animated GIF – watching to see where the loop ends and begins can be very addicting.

Why you need to think about it.
It’s popular. Right now people are talking about Vine every day. That buzz is creating an opportunity for brands to jump on and create content that people will see and like and talk about within their networks.The looping action of the videos also lends itself well to some very creative and artistic opportunities that can lead to more shares and exposure.

Why you need to think twice about it.
A 6 second looping video may not fit into your marketing strategy or brand voice. Forcing yourself or your brand to use a new tool just because it’s available isn’t necessarily a smart move. We would suggest sitting down with your Marketing and Social teams and thinking about opportunities and options for determining your next steps.

Do we think it will last?
Yes. While there are still improvements to be made (filters, sharing videos from other users’ feeds, draft status, availability on Android and BlackBerry) before it becomes as good as it gets, it has loads of potential. Vine also has respected ownership with funds that can be accessed for improvements. Vine is the evolution of Instagram that we believe the world is ready for and the more available and advanced it gets, the more useful it will become to brands.

Our advice?
1. Have someone on your team download the Vine app and create a brand account with your information.
2. Sit and talk with your marketing and social media teams about the opportunities Vine presents and if it can apply to you.
3. Investigate what other brands are doing.
4. Make a strategic plan.
5. Most importantly: Do what is right for your brand!

Research Your Influencers
One of the biggest points from the report was highlighting the slightly disjointed relationship between brand marketers and influencers. The report says that often, brands look to influencer’s ComScore when choosing someone to work with, when in reality, this might not always be the best source for finding an influencer to work with, as the numbers do not always fairly represent the influencer. In order to establish Influencers to help your brand reach audiences that you might not have access to, conducting research beyond ComScore numbers is key. What kind of following do they have? How responsive is their community? Is it always growing? There are other elements to consider when approaching an Influencer. You also have to recognize if they will be a good fit for your brand. Just because your product might be in the same industry as an Influencer’s expertise, it might not correlate well. Research your Influencers and take a look at their community and their content before you jump right into numbers.

Measuring Your Success
There still remains the slightly sticky topic of ROI and measurement on a ‘successful’ campaign when Influencers are engaged for a promotion. Technorati’s report outlines that there is a lack of uniform metrics to effectively measure the success of campaigns. Influencers are looking to pageviews and traffic whereas brand marketers are looking at Facebook likes. Before finalizing a campaign, it is within both parties’ interests to define what a successful campaign would look like. That is to say – if the objective is brand awareness and reaching new demographics, pageviews and traffic sources might be of value. If you’re looking to Facebook likes, you might want to reach out to an Influencer who has a strong Facebook community. None the less, having a conversation prior to campaign launch about objectives will help drive the campaign forward and yield more satisfactory results.

Get Mobile
We all know by now that your brand should be social but what does that mean? It means that you should be connecting with audiences through Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, etc. 90% of brands have a presence on Facebook. That’s a staggering number – and you don’t want to be left out. YouTube and Facebook are the top two sources used on the Internet. Over the next year – spend on social will rise 59%. What’s more interesting is that spend on mobile is expected to increase 79%. With those numbers you definitely want to make sure your site is responsive (you can read more about responsive design here). You don’t want to alienate any part of your audience or advertisers by not having a mobile friendly layout for your website. Pay attention to your analytics and see where your traffic is coming from. With mobile digital spend on the rise, you definitely want to be accommodating to the trend. What are your takes on this years report?

We’d love to hear your agreements, disagreements or general comments!

That’s right, now those destination weddings, family reunions and annual friend getaways can be planned online, with the entire group taking care of their own parts and with constant and relevant communication throughout the process. This is a brilliant upgrade to the old system which presented 2 options to group travel planning:

1. Everyone knew what place they needed to go and what date they needed to get there by and they were on their own to find flights, hotel, rental car and other such amenities.

2. 1 person did all the work of booking flights, hotels, rental cars, fun activities, etc. and everyone else sat back and waited for confirmation. Oh yes, and the organizer needed to collect everyone’s money as well.

However, that was then and this is now! With options like Flights with Friends, Kayak and Tripit you can have everyone communicate in real time about the best options available for the entire group. Everyone will stay updated on deadlines, deals and opportunities to make your group vacation one that you won’t forget (in a good way). Gone are the days of hoping that your travel mate will get all of their details handled or the stress of the group not all being in the same hotel or even arriving on the same day.

Flights with Friends is an excellent example of the social media integration available right now. When you enable the Facebook private message function during your planning (email also available) group members can quickly and easily send important and timely information to the rest of the group. Group members can add flights when traveling from different cities, pin flights and hotels they like, set shared search filters and book while everyone else in the party gets notified.

By taking the concept of individual booking for group travel and integrating it with social sharing elements there is no longer a need for “trip organizers” to hunt people down for money or to worry that people will be missing out on great deals because they weren’t notified.

We can’t wait to book our next group trip now and test it all out. Let us know if you’ve used one of these services and how it all went.

Since White and his partners purchased the Ultimate Fighting Championship brand in 2001 for $2 million it has grown to become the world’s fastest growing professional sports league in popularity and profitability and is currently valued at over $1 billion by Forbes Magazine.

On Monday, at the New Media Expo presented by BlogWorld in Las Vegas, Dana White sat down with Managing Editor of Forbes Magazine, Bruce Upbin to talk about how the UFC went from being $44 million in debt to being a $1 billion industry through investments in social media, fan interaction and by ensuring active participation of his athletes in the process.

The 51 minute video presented by UStream covers the origins of the UFC after White and the Fertitta brothers bought it, the philosophy of the organization and how it was shaped by traditional sports like football and boxing, and how social media is helping Dana White manage his brand and his business effectively, efficiently and exceptionally.

Check it out, maybe there’s something we can all learn from the self proclaimed biggest fight fan in the world.

[click image to play load video]

Tis the season for New Years Resolutions! We’re extending resolutions all the way to Social Media habits.

If you’re looking to improve on using social media platforms to represent your brand we suggest looking at this list of resolutions and making sure that you keep them in mind as you work your way through 2013.

Happy New Year!

I will not retweet myself.
Why: We know, we know – you are a hilarious/thoughtful/informative tweeter but retweeting yourself is poor form and it accomplishes nothing since the same audience is seeing the tweet. Instead try saying the same thing but in different words – spice it up.

I will not post the same tweet with the same link over and over and over again.
Why: To avoid looking lazy and unimaginative with your secondary tweets change your wording to get the most mileage from a single link.

I will not leave the link in my Facebook posts.
Why: Links will appear as stories when posted. If you’re using the preview feature, remove the link.

I will use proper sizing when posting images and graphics to Facebook.
Why: Your Facebook page will look fabulous if all of your photos and graphics are sized properly. Poorly cropped images are soooo 2012.

I will respond to questions promptly and helpfully.
Why: Social media is the new customer service line. Be ready to help your customers, readers and followers with whatever they need – don’t wait for someone else to swoop in and help.

I will not use my twitter account only when responding to questions.
Why: Create conversation with your followers, share information about your brand or pertinent industry info. Be a leader in your community.

I will use social media platforms to link back to my website.
Why: It’s all about getting traffic to your website. That’s your homebase where you control the content and the rules. Use social media as a breadcrumb trail leading your audience back to your website.

I will be consistent in posting.
Why: Monitor your posting trends – do you have more views if you post at 9AM or 10AM? Understand when your audience wants content – and be consistent. Posting content around the same time each day conditions your audience to know when to look for your great content!

I will keep the brand voice in mind at all times.
Why: Having a consistent voice in your posts will help followers and fans identify with your brand and get to know you.

I will not fight with trolls.
Why: There is no winning in a fight that is only being fought for the sake of entertainment. Diffuse the situation with kindness and customer service.

I will spell check.
Why: It’s the safest and easiest way to avoid errors that everyone can see. Save yourself the embarrassment and double check before you post.

I will fact check.
Why: Keep your face egg free with some simple fact checking before you post. Make sure of your dates, names and stats before you share your thoughts with the world. You don’t want the conversation about your post to be about how wrong it is.

I will always make sure I am not posting from the brand account when I mean to be posting from my personal account.
Why: We’ve seen it happen before! There are many examples of personal tweets being posted on brand accounts, and it never goes well for the brand or the person. Be careful, we recommend using a separate browser on your computer and a 2nd app on your smartphone to manage brand accounts.

Good luck & make 2013 your best SOCIAL year ever.

Just a couple of weeks ago we all got very excited about being able to see our Instagram profiles on a real website like this: http://instagram.com/theblogstudio! No longer were we looking at bad attachments to tweets and searching through Facebook feeds to see what people had posted when our phones weren’t in our hands. We could pull up profiles on a real computer screen and look at photos in a full size. It was a great change that was rolled out well with people checking daily to see if their profile had been set up in the new format. We checked it with more interest than we had our Klout scores!

But now we’re all up in arms about the new Terms of Service that Instagram has rolled out. If you haven’t seen the new TOS, check them out right here. The issue that most people are having starts at point #1 under the heading of Rights.

Instagram giveth and Instagram taketh away!

“Instagram does not claim ownership of any Content that you post on or through the Service. Instead, you hereby grant to Instagram a non-exclusive, fully paid and royalty-free, transferable, sub-licensable, worldwide license to use the Content that you post on or through the Service…”

The new addition to the Instagram legal fineprint is very similar to the wording that Facebook currently uses, “you grant us a non-exclusive, transferable, sub-licensable, royalty-free, worldwide license to use any IP content that you post on or in connection with Facebook…” which isn’t really all that surprising since Facebook bought Instagram in April of 2012.

Here are some of the opinions being expressed via Twitter today:

If you have a gmail account, a Facebook account or a twitter account and have today deleted your Instagram account, you are misinformed.

— kerry morrison (@kmore) December 18, 2012

#Instagram will now be able to use anyone's photos in ads? Without consent? Come on! Is there another photo app people recommend?

— Anderson Cooper (@andersoncooper) December 18, 2012

Only way to opt out of @instagram selling your photos is deleting your account, sounds good to us. #BoycottInstagram

— Anonymous (@YourAnonNews) December 18, 2012

And here is Instagram’s official statement via Twitter:

We've heard you that the updates to our Privacy Policy & Terms of Service are raising a lot of questions. We'll have more to share very soon

— Instagram (@instagram) December 18, 2012

The new terms of service will take effect on Wednesday, January 16, 2013 and already we are starting to see people announce that they will be or have already deleted their accounts. These actions and responses are nothing new to social media and once again, only time will be able to tell us what long-term effect this will have on Instagram’s business plan and bottom line.

So, are you keeping your Instagram account or are you deleting it and going to another service like Flickr (which has a new app available now) – We’d love to know!

Edit: A blog post was written by Instagram co-founder, Kevin Systrom and posted just before 5pm EST on Tuesday to address the concerns of Instagram users. Read it HERE