Social Media Trends from the Nielsen Social Media Report 2012

Last updated 13 hours ago

Nielsen?s State of the Media: The Social Media Report 2012 reflects on various social media trends of 2012, as well as the potential impact they will have on the coming year. There is no denying that social media is more popular than ever with consumers, and that having a social media presence is critical for SMBs? online marketing strategies in 2013.? Here are a few highlights from the report.

Mobile Usage Is Not Slowing Down

As you might have guessed, the amount of time consumers spent on PCs and Smartphones increased between July 2011 and July 2012.? Time spent on these devices grew by 21%, while time on apps rose 120% in that same period.? While PCs still remain our primary source of Internet access, the usage of mobile Web and apps are increasing at a significant rate. Small businesses can?t afford to ignore mobile any longer, and should invest in mobile-friendly advertising and sites to reach this growing audience.?

Time Spent on Social Networks Grew 37%.

From July 2011 to July 2012, the time consumers spent on social media sites grew from 88.4B minutes to a whopping 121.1B minutes. Nielsen attributes this substantial growth in part to the rise of mobile apps, which enable us to stay connected to our favorite sites while on the go. In fact, we spent seven times more minutes on apps than on the mobile Web. Time spent on these sites means social media access is not only on the rise, but also that we are more engaged when we do visit them. For small businesses, this means being active on social media is more important than ever in order to reach consumers spending a large portion of their time there.?

Consumers Value Social Customer Service

For more and more consumers, social care, also known as social customer service, is becoming an increasingly important, and valuable social media trend for SMBs to leverage. Nielsen reports that one in three social media users prefer social care to contacting a company by phone. That means that more consumers are using social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and the company blog to reach out to businesses and brands in the hope of resolving a customer service issue. SMBs are not immune to this trend, and many will see an influx of customer complaints through these channels, which can impact their online reputation. As a result, it?s vital for businesses to monitor their social media pages regularly and respond to customer questions, complaints, and more as soon as possible.?

As we?ve seen throughout the year, mobile and social media continue to top consumers? online behavior. And as 2012 winds down, it?s important for small businesses to think about whether they have successfully taken advantage of some of these social media trends, and how they can incorporate them in the future. You can read the entire Nielsen social media report here.?

How do mobile and social media fit into your online marketing strategy? Let us know in the comments!

Related Articles

About the Author

Tamara?Weintraub?helps equip small business owners with information about local online advertising, social media, and content marketing as a writer for?the?ReachLocal?blog.

Source: http://blog.reachlocal.com/616785/2012/12/26/social-media-report-2012-top-trends-smbs-need-to-know.html

joepa sc primary bill moyers heidi klum and seal divorce craigslist killer extremely loud and incredibly close south carolina primary

Planning Ahead ? Ten Things to Shop for Post Holiday - Chaotic Life ...

It?s funny how people change over time.? Ten years ago I would have been the frantic idiot in line at the mall five minutes before closing on Christmas Eve, arms laden with stuff that may or may not have been on anyone?s wish list but at least would allow me to cross someone off my gift list. My dad was usually less frantic, standing in?line behind me.? Fast forward a decade, and I actually pride myself on being able to count in years how long it?s been since I?ve set foot in a mall.? A?downsized?gift-giving list and dedication to shopping local and sustainable whenever possible can take most of the credit.? That said, the day after Christmas is my Black Friday and so far no distance, weather event, illness or hangover has prevented me from this annual ritual.

By the time the holidays roll around I usually have a list of things I need, want, or would like to replace.? I hit the stores with a simple plan ? think outside the box, don?t buy more than I can use, and put it somewhere I?ll remember for the following year. Here is a list of ten things I look for when I hit the stores after Christmas:

1.? Ornaments and lights.? This one is obvious, but there was a time when I just packed up the old, half-lit bulbs and tossed any broken ornaments and figured I?d deal with it the following year.? Now we usually buy one new ornament as a family, typically one that commemorates something that happened that year, and the rest we get 60% ? 75% off.? I also try to stock up on those little stockings, which I use as silverware wrappers and gift card holders, and smaller ornaments that I use on top of packages instead of bows.? Now that he?s old enough, I also?scoured the discount ornaments for something I can use as a base for T to customize next year for the grand- and god-parents and found some cute snowflakes that will be perfect.? And don?t rule out ornaments as gifts for holidays other than?Christmas ? in past years I?ve found Star Wars for my brother who loves the movie series, Nascar for my dad who collects that type of paraphernalia, and multiple cows for myself who can?t get enough of them.

2.? Tableware.? I have a really hard time paying a lot of money for disposable paper so unless we have holiday-appropriate tableware when we need it, we?re out of luck.? After the holidays I stock up on plates, cups, napkins, and serving trays.? Some stores have a collection of holiday wares in ?non-traditional? color schemes like blue, yellow and magenta, and I love when I find some pretty champage glasses or tablecloths I can use for some other party.? A few years ago I replaced my chipped dishes with a set of beautiful white china rimmed in silver that I found?marked down by 80%.? We still use them and have long since gotten our money?s worth.? This year I snapped up some great little cocktail plates that will hold a wine glass and purple tablecloths ? party of the ?non-traditional? holiday color collection ? that I?ll use when the Ravens reach the playoffs. I also found some placemats and a table runner?I?ll use on the coffee and side tables in a beautiful aqua blue.

Look at all that loot!

3.? Linens and sheets.? Flannel sheets are great, especially when you find them on clearance.? I?ve also found rugs, pillows, throws, and dish towels.? Last year I found small fleece blankets which I bought for $2 each for gifts for the pups.? This year I scored a couple of kiddie hooded towels which T will love to get later in the year.

4.? Toys.? T and J both have?birthdays in the two months following Christmas and while we are usually done shopping for the event well before then, sometimes I?ll come across stuff that we pick up for the occasion.? But when the stores start marking down toys, first 60% and then 75% or more, I buy and store them for Toys for Tots the following year.? Last year I got $100 worth of charitable donations for less than $25, and used the trip to the donation box as a chance for T to learn about giving to others. Don?t forget the pets ? sets of toys packaged especially for gift giving are often on sale as well.

5.? Sporting Goods.? I?m not sure why these go on sale with the holiday stuff but every year I take the opportunity to update my camping supplies and check out the bikes, wagons, scooters, and every assortment of golfing equipment and sports ball.? This year I had my eye on a new air mattress (in the same aisle as camping) but talked myself out of it on the premise that I could probably find it cheaper online.

6.? Bakeware and cooking essentials.? I?ve already mentioned tablecloths, placemats and table runners, but there are plenty of other great deals to be had.? I finally replaced my beat up pot holders with some new ones I found in a hodge podge of discounted cookie sheets and cupcake wrappers.? This is?a great time to find holiday-themed kits (think cupcake and chocolate covered pretzel), stuff to decorate cookies, and baking equipment packaged for the holidays like cookie presses and mixing bowls.? This year I bought a few packages of gingerbread and sugar cookie mix, which will keep well into the new year, and a red cookie sheet liner that I snagged for $1.72.? I also took the opportunity to stock up on all the packaging supplies I?ll need for next year?s neighborhood cookie exchange, including some super cute gingerbread house boxes.

7.? Packaging.? Also obvious, but this is another thing I hate spending a lot of money on.? We do a pretty good job of reusing bags and boxes but sometimes it takes a while for them to cycle back.? I?stock up on coordinated paper, bags, boxes and tissue for ?Santa? gifts, and find other bags and paper for the rest.? I love when I find pretty gift?boxes or even decorated cardboard boxes that don?t need to be wrapped.? This year I grabbed a bunch of gift card holders including some that are basic enough they can be used for pretty much any occasion.? I also scored a several giant gift bags, enough small handled bags to use as ?stockings? next year, and several containers to package and dress up the wine bottles we tend to give throughout the year.? But my favorite score was two fabulous red totes I?d had my eye on for months, with which I plan to (finally) organize by trunk.

8.? Craft supplies.? Places like Michaels and JoAnn Fabrics stock plenty of crafty stuff in time for the holidays, including tons of kid-friendly stuff.? From the holiday surplus I culled paints, markers, stickers, pipe cleaners and pompoms, plus a bunch of kid-friendly craft kits that he?ll grow into by next year.? Bonus score:? Multi-packs of crayons we can grab and go when we eat out ? it?s not like T will care they have stockings on them!

9.? Gifts and stocking stuffers.? I can appreciate the pre-packaged gifts that stores put out during the holidays, stuff like electronic coin banks and hair hockey tables and mitten sets, but not so much the prices.? I don?t buy this stuff to have it ?just in case,? but occasionally I come across something that will be a great match for someone on my gift list.? This year I brought home several book ?safes? with the hollow middle, which J and his cousins will love.? I?ll probably wait another week or so but I usually buy several glove and scarf sets, which I donate to charity during the coat and mitten drive.??A few years ago I purchased a set of?glass candle holders that I gave as a wedding gift later that year, and often find pretty plant bulb sets that make sweet Mother?s Day gifts.? And?this is a great time to find?picture frames, some of which I keep and?some will be used?to?gift next year?s?holiday pics.?Several stores now have dollar sections, great for stocking stuffers pre-holiday; they are even been post when the stuff is 70% off.? I cleaned up at Michaels, finding everything from glow sticks to model car kits to temporary tattoos, everything but the edible treats we?ll pick up closer to Christmas.

10.? Storage.? Craft stores have their holiday baskets on sale most of the month before the holiday, and they are even cheaper after.? I usually hit this section after a good look around the house to see what needs to be organized, revamped, or redone.? This year the craft supplies are getting an overhaul thanks to metal buckets I found for less than $2 each; the bathroom towels will find a new home in baskets on the wall; and we will finally have some sort of system for the various cords, remotes and controllers that have overgrown the media center using the felt totes I discovered on an endcap at Target.

As I hauled in my?goods DH rolled his eyes a bit but I know he?s pretty proud not only of the money we save, but of the fact that we don?t need to scramble around last minute.? I usually make it to retail box store, a craft store and a home improvement store like Home Depot or Lowes, which provide a great supply of lights and ornaments.? Places like CVS and Walgreens also have a nice selection of packaging and toys. Many years, in addition to preparing for Christmas future, we stock up for other coming events such as birthdays, Mother?s Day and Father?s Day, weddings, even Easter.? With a little foresight and planning, post-Christmas clearance can be one-stop shopping for a year full of great times.

?

Source: http://chaoticlifehappyhome.wordpress.com/2012/12/27/planning-ahead-ten-things-to-shop-for-post-holiday/

macular degeneration whitney houston funeral judi dench bobby brown leaves funeral donnie mcclurkin whitney houston funeral live stream kevin costner whitney houston

Legal Assistance for Game Developers - Creative Commons

Elliot Harmon, December 18th, 2012

Our friends at New Media Rights are putting together an ambitious project, a collection of videos called Legal Assistance for Game Developers (LAGD). NMR is in the last days of an Indiegogo campaign to fund the next season of LAGD videos.

From NMR:

The goal of the LAGD videos is to empower indies as well as people who want to enter the ?mainstream? game industry with information on how they can prevent problems before they happen. Free access to this information up front, as well as access to direct legal services means that indie developers can spend more time making successful, innovative games and less time dodging legal threats.

In season two, we?d like to do episodes on some of these topics:

• Cloning games: what you can do if your game has been cloned OR what you can get away with cloning
• Privacy policies and data collection in mobile games
• Putting together your own contracts without a lawyer in the indie games industry
• An introduction to contracts in the mainstream game industry
• FTC disclosure and advertising requirements
• Venture financing and mergers/acquisitions

Interviewees include luminaries like Valve cofounder Gabe Newell, Gish designer Edmund McMillen, and IGN cofounder Peer Schneider.

Intriguingly, NMR has chosen a sliding-scale approach to CC licensing. All videos are currently licensed CC BY-NC. If the fundraiser reaches $20,000, the videos will be licensed CC BY-SA. At $30,000, CC BY, and at $50,000, NMR will release the videos into the public domain under the CC0 waiver.

But if you?re interested, act quickly. The fundraiser ends on Friday.

Read more:

No related posts.

Source: http://creativecommons.org/weblog/entry/36023

capybara duggars peter facinelli bobby rush supreme court justices 19 kids and counting danny o brien

Polaroid rumored to be working on Android-powered camera with interchangeable lenses

Nikon and Samsung have already brought Android-powered smart camera to market, and now it seems Polaroid may be looking to edge into this market with a somewhat different device. According to the latest round of online rumors, the company may be bringing to market the world's first Android-based compact camera with interchangeable lenses.

Today's leak comes from Photo Rumors, which sources a company profile for article in industry publication Dealerscope. The article about Sakar international, which is apparently collaborating with Polaroid on the device, reveals the camera as the Polaroid IM1836. This apparently features a 18.1MP sensor, pop-up flash, a 3.5-inch touchscreen and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. The camera is said to offer Wifi and HDMI connection options, but there's no mention of any cellular data option, or internal hardware like CPU or RAM.

Visual similarities between the IM1836 and the Nikon 1 J2 have led to speculation that the Polaroid may use the Nikon's lens ecosystem, though right now the relationship between the two cameras remains unclear.

Crucially, the inclusion of interchangeable lenses would indicate that this device is more focused on image quality than earlier Samsung and Nikon offerings. Image quality been a common complaint of the Samsung Galaxy Camera, which costs as much as a mirrorless camera, but produces point-and-shoot quality pictures.

There's no word as yet on when Polaroid's Android-powered camera might make an official appearance, but we'll be on the lookout for it at CES in Las Vegas next month.

Source: Photo Rumors; via: The Verge

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/Vgv3kvhTfns/story01.htm

scott walker recall fisker atlantic social darwinism jamie lynn spears wisconsin recall election april 4 santa monica college

IBM's 5 in 5 predicts cognitive computing will complement our senses, virtualize touch

IBM thinks cognitive computers that can adapt to their surroundings will be a large part of our future, and that their ability to take unprocessed data and find patterns in different environments will augment our sensory interactions with our surroundings. While many of us associate haptic feedback with video game controllers, IBM says that we'll soon be able to use variable vibrations to feel physical textures while, say, shopping for garments on our mobile devices. If shopping is too material for your tastes, imagine farmers being able to touch their crops out in the fields to remotely monitor the harvest's health.

On the chemosensation front, scientists envision phones that can detect biomarkers in our breath that may predict when a cold is coming, before you get your first sniffle (and it might be Dr. Watson making that diagnosis). While some of this seems even a bit far-fetched to us, it's inspiring to see what the researchers at IBM are thinking up. Check the videos in the source below to see what else could be in our future, and let's check back in December 2017 to see how far we've come.

Continue reading IBM's 5 in 5 predicts cognitive computing will complement our senses, virtualize touch

Filed under: Alt

Comments

Source: A Smarter Planet

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/AWKL64tjxS0/

weather san diego unitarian new black panther party lost in space elizabeth banks battle royale key largo

Imagination Tech raises MIPS offer to $100 million

LONDON (Reuters) - British chip designer Imagination Technologies on Monday agreed to buy MIPS for $100 million after it outbid Ceva Inc for a second time.

Imagination and Ceva have been battling to buy the operating business of MIPS since last month when a $60 million agreed offer from the British company triggered a bidding war.

Imagination's $100 million offer trumps a $90 million bid from Ceva last week.

MIPS was a pioneer of 32-bit and 64-bit processing, and its technology is in blu-ray players, digital televisions and video games consoles such as the Sony PlayStation 2.

The California-based company agreed to sell 498 patents for $350 million to a consortium of technology companies organized by patent holding company Allied Security Trust and led by ARM when it agreed the initial Imagination deal.

(Reporting by Paul Sandle; editing by James Davey)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/imagination-tech-raises-mips-offer-100-million-075649210--finance.html

Shark Week London 2012 closing ceremony Shark Week 2012 evelyn lozada UFC 150 Caster Semenya Medal Count 2012 Olympics

Simmons Field lease is approved | KenoWi

The topic of the Simmons Athletic Field lease between the city, the Board of Park Commissioners, and Baseball Like It Oughta Be, LLC, and the Northwoods League, Inc., was on the agendas of both the Finance Committee and the Common Council meetings tonight.? Vern Stenman and Conor Caloia were the two representatives from the Northwoods League present at both meetings to answer questions.

Alderperson David Bogdala said that he was in attendance at the public meeting held last Tuesday.? To read the article on that meeting, click here:? ?Simmons Field Meeting.?? Bogdala made several amendments to the lease, including inserting a security deposit performance bond, a renaming clause, language regarding the sale of alcohol and wine beverages, fireworks displays, and handicapped access.?? He said, ?If these are not detailed, written in the contract, we?ll have problems down the road.?? Bogdala?s motion to amend the lease at the Finance Committee failed for lack of a second.

Alderperson Tod Ohnstad made a motion to approve the contract as is.? Bodgala?s comments were that ?he was hopeful, but this was not unexpected.?? He felt that there were some definite issues with the current contract.

Chairman of the Finance Committee and Alderperson Daniel Prozanski said that he received the lease via e-mail last week with the 42-page document attached.? The city attorney reviewed the lease, and it was negotiated with the two representatives from the Northwoods League.? Prozanski said that he got his questions answered.? ?Now, at the 11th hour, with 59 minutes to spare, we get another lease to review, to protect the citizens of the city.?? Bogdala said that, ?As long as I sit on this committee, I will be reviewing and providing feedback on any contract/lease the city is involved in.? We?re not done til we?re done with it.? This lease requires Parks, Finance, and Common Council approval.? The changes I?m proposing have to do with breach of contract, legal ramifications, and gaps that are open to interpretation.?? Prozanski?s issue was that he was just given Bogdala?s document tonight.? ?If my colleague wants consideration, then I need time to consider it.? I?m satisfied with the document, that the city?s interests are protected,? he said.

Prozanski asked Frank Pacetti, the city administrator, was asked to delineate the $1 million in improvements.? His reply was that the team would be spending $250,000 on capital improvements to the field, and the city would be contributing $750,000.? The sources for the city?s money were in the form of rent paid to the city ($30,000/year for 10 years), $300,000, $100,000 in insurance proceeds due to the fire at the Alford Storage Building, and the remaining $350,000 would come from park impact fees from the district, and cell tower revenue.

Prozanski wanted to know how the $300,000 was going to be guaranteed, and assistant city attorney Jon Mulligan replied that, if the work was not completed by May 1, 2014, the city would be under no further obligation to continue with the lease.

Ohnstad said that, ?There was no gun to my head.? This was a good proposal.? It was vetted six months ago.? I read it and understood it.? I?m voting for it tonight, and I?m looking forward to seeing a game the year after next.

The vote at the Finance Committee was 5 to 1 for approval, with Bogdala being the sole dissenting voter.

On the Common Council floor, Alderperson Steve Bostrom said several times that he was a big supporter of the baseball project.? He stated that he felt that the Northwoods League was going to be a good operator, and he wanted to see the items spelled out in the lease.? He stated that he was thankful that Bogdala took the time to review and make changes to the lease.

The roll call vote to amend, as presented by Bogdala, however, failed by a vote of 4 to 11.

Bogdala then commenced taking each change individually.? He started with the alcohol sales.? Alderperson Anthony Kennedy called for a point of order, and the city attorney, Ed Antaramian, checked into it.? Kennedy?s point was that individual motions could not be made after the ?wholesale? motion was voted down.? Antaramian said it was up to the presiding officer?s discretion.? Alderperson Eric Haugaard was filling in for the mayor tonight, and he allowed it.

Bogdala said that ?these were common? sense changes that benefit the taxpayer.? The ball field is located in a neighborhood.? We have alcohol throughout the city.? They do have similar language in other municipalities,? he said.? Bostrom was supportive.? ?This is the only way to ensure that these items are covered, is to put them in the lease.? He asked for the Council?s support on this one item, the one having to do with the alcohol sales.? Bogdala?s amendment prohibited alcohol sales after the seventh inning, or after 9 pm, whichever came first.? After Alderperson Scott Gordon said that he had a problem with the 9 pm time frame due to possibly the holding of other events before a baseball game, Bogdala was willing to remove that stipulation from his amendment.

Stenman said that in Madison, they were allowed to sell alcohol through the end of the game.? They worked with the Alcohol License Review Committee in Madison, and he also said that it?s never been a part of the lease agreement.? A question was raised about Wisconsin Rapids? end time, and Mulligan said that he didn?t know off the top of his head.? He?d have to go back and review the other sixteen lease agreements.

Alderperson Scott Gordon wanted to know if there were serious issues with the team, does the Licensing & Permit Committee have the ability to call the owners and pull their permit, and the answer was yes.

The roll call vote on Bogdala?s amendment failed by a vote of 7 to 8.? Prozanski then called for the question, thereby ending the debate.? That vote was 10 to 5.? Those voting no were Alderpersons Eric Haugaard, Kevin Mathewson, Steve Bostrom, Jesse Downing, and David Bogdala.

The vote on the item, as presented by the city then was approved by a vote of 12 to 3.? Those voting against were Alderpersons Mathewson, Downing, and Bogdala.

Source: http://www.kenowi.com/2012/12/18/simmons-field-lease-is-approved/5341

cnet iPhone 5 9-11 Chris Brown Tattoo Innocence of Muslims Clara Schumann Jael Strauss