Leaked files reveal LinkedIn's $1 billion business plan

Does social media make buying embarrassing products easier? | Why social marketing should be a reflecting pool | Destination marketers want to hear travelers' stories Created for sugengaria@gmail.com |  Web Version   August 13, 2014 CONNECT WITH SMARTBRIEF        SIGN UP | FORWARD | ARCHIVE | ADVERTISE The Big Story Sponsored By Does social media make buying embarrassing products easier? Social media marketing can help ease some taboos surrounding potentially embarrassing purchases such as adult diapers, experts say. Still, some shoppers find that online marketing and retail aren't a perfect solution. "There are people who don't like that Facebook knows everything you buy," marketing professor Barbara Kahn says. Knowledge@Wharton (8/12) Share:  Connecting with the U.S. Hispanic Market U.S. Hispanics are ahead of the curve when it comes to digital, presenting a huge opportunity for marketers looking to connect with them. Visit Think with Google to learn three important lessons marketers need to know when speaking with this growing audience. Connecting & Collaborating Sponsored By Why social marketing should be a reflecting pool Many consumers are merely seeking self-validation when they use social media, so marketers should respond by trying to make users feel special, writes Catherine Palmieri. Examples of such campaigns include Coca-Cola's personalized bottles and AMC's "Mad Men Yourself" tool, which allowed users to create 1960s-era avatars of themselves. "Your brand message is irrelevant; what matters is what you reflect back," Palmieri writes. Strategy+Business online (free registration) (8/12) Share:  20 Winning Email Designs Consumers don't sit still and neither should your marketing designs. In this Best of the Email Swipe File showcase, you'll find inspiring and thought-provoking email marketing designs that are yours for the taking. Learn what marketing design elements are working across the globe and discover where the next marketing trends are headed. Download Now! Marketer Moments Destination marketers want to hear travelers' stories Marketers for tourist destinations such as New Orleans, Los Angeles and Las Vegas are turning to social media engagement to help draw crowds. The Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board created a "What's Your L.A. Story?" campaign that asked people to submit stories and included photos from popular Instagram users. Adweek (8/12) Share:  Old El Paso "cheese blasts" Twitter users Wired.com (8/12) Share:  Welcome Aboard: A Guide to Small Business Hiring Small Business Owners are powered by their people. To be successful, small businesses need to act thoughtfully when it comes to finding good candidates. They need to carefully review their labor needs, navigate the interview process to hire the best and recognize and reward employees' achievements. In this white paper sponsored by American Express OPEN, learn how to hire smart. Download the free white paper now. Platform News Sponsored By Leaked files reveal LinkedIn's $1 billion business plan LinkedIn is planning to turn its business-to-business marketing offerings into a billion-dollar business by 2017, according to leaked documents. "Our long-term ambition is to build an integrated marketing and sales platform that provides a simple and effective way to reach audiences, nurture prospects, and acquire customers," the documents say. Business Insider (8/12) Share:  Twitter says video ad trials have been successful Twitter is experimenting with video ads that are expected to mirror its promoted tweet unit, with videos embedded via Twitter Cards. The company says it has been testing video this year and that tests show video produces better engagement and more views than other ads. "The overall goal is to bring more video into our users' timelines," Twitter says. The Wall Street Journal (tiered subscription model)/Personal Tech News blog (8/12) Share:  TRUSTe 2014 US Consumer Confidence Privacy Report Consumer trust is falling. 55% of consumers (down from 57% in 2013) say they trust businesses with their personal information online. For a valuable barometer of consumer confidence, business impact and recommended business practices, download the TRUSTe research report now. Measurement Matters Sponsored By Online data is a goldmine for social scientists Social media is opening the door to experimental opportunities for social scientists -- but experts say that mining social data or manipulating people's online experiences brings ethical headaches. "This is a new era. ... I liken it a little bit to when chemistry got the microscope," says information scientist Jeffrey Hancock. The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (8/12) Share:  The Business Case for an Equity Management Solution for Private Companies This research study for privately-held companies measures the ROI of the purchase of a comprehensive, SaaS-based equity compensation management solution that automates stock option administration, capitalization tables and financial reporting needs. Download the report to assist in your own analysis and to provide a framework and hard data for determining ROI sources and quantification. Social Shareable How to turn yourself into a marshmallow Kate Middleton married into royalty, but her brother, James Middleton, is the one making social media waves recently. He has created a business called Boomf that prints people's Instagram and Facebook pictures onto edible marshmallows. CNNMoney (8/12) Share:  SmartQuote Consumers should be in the driver's seat when it comes to their data. They don't want to be left in the dark and they don't want to be surprised at how it's used." -- Edith Ramirez, chairwoman of the Federal Trade Commission, as quoted by The New York Times Share:    Andy Sernovitz, Editor at Large Andy Sernovitz is the New York Times best-selling author of "Word of Mouth Marketing: How Smart Companies Get People Talking" and the blog "Damn, I Wish I'd Thought of That!" He runs WordofMouth.org, where marketers and entrepreneurs learn to be great at word of mouth marketing, and SocialMedia.org, the community for social media leaders at the world's greatest brands.   Subscriber Tools Please contact one of our specialists for advertising opportunities, editorial inquiries, job placements, or any other questions.   Editor:  Ambreen Ali Managing Editor:  Stephen Yusko Contributing Editor:  Ben Whitford Advertising:  Dena Malouf Jobs Contact:  Elizabeth Stack     SIGN UP   SHARE   ADVERTISE   SEND FEEDBACK Update Profile | Change e-mail address | Unsubscribe |  Archive | Web version (print friendly) Download the SmartBrief App  iTunes / Android   Mailing Address: SmartBrief, Inc.®, 555 11th ST NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20004 © 1999-2014 SmartBrief, Inc.® Privacy policy |  Legal Information