If you’re in the military, here’s a tip: don’t put upcoming missions in your Facebook status. You wouldn’t think someone would need to tell you that, but here we are.
A raid on suspected militants in the West Bank was cancelled yesterday after an Israeli soldier updated his Facebook status to read “On Wednesday we clean up Qatanah, and on Thursday, god willing, we come home.” The solider has since, unsurprisingly, been relieved of combat duty for being a moron. He’ll also spend 10 days in prison for his update.
Trying to educate soldiers on the importance of not leaking classified info to Facebook, the Israel Defense Forces have started putting up new posters in bases:
In posters placed on military bases, a mock Facebook page shows the images of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Syrian President Bashar Assad and Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah. Below their pictures – and Facebook “friend requests” – reads the slogan: “You think that everyone is your friend?”
I really want to see one of those posters. Anyone in the IDF want to send us a picture? My email address is below. I won’t post it on Facebook, promise. [NY Times]
Evidence for Increasing Online Use that is also Accelerating
If you sum up the total unique user sessions in Jan 2008, Jan 2009, and Jan 2010, you get
Jan 2008 – 285M
Jan 2009 – 337M
Jan 2010 – 413M
That is a year-over-year increase of 18% and 23% respectively. Assuming the population of the world does not change that much year to year, the change in total unique sessions leads to the conclusion that online usage continues to increase noticeably.
The Compete.com chart below shows nearly identical number if unique users monthly — Google at 148M uniques and Yahoo at 132M uniques. And Facebook alone achieved another 134M uniques. So while the unique visitors across these 3 sites are not mutually exclusive, there are 414M unique user sessions in the month of January 2010

Well, this is strange. January 2010 numbers from Nielsen reveal Google has 66.3% of the search market, while Yahoo has 14.5% and Microsoft has 10.9% across its various properties. Google is 4x more than Yahoo and 6x more than Microsoft.

Case In Point: It is Better to be Better
Gmail versus Hotmail
Retailmenot.com versus Dealcatcher.com
Flickr vs ofoto, snapfish, kodakgallery
Facebook vs social networks like Myspace and Friendster
Cybercrooks Target Social Networks
Source: http://feeds.marketingcharts.com/~r/marketingcharts/~3/16mASWhC9kU/
Cybercriminals are turning their attention to users of social networks such as Facebook and Twitter, according to a new report [pdf] from IT security and data protection firm Sophos.
Spam, Malware Attacks on the Rise Sophos’ Security Threat Report: 2010 indicates criminals have increasingly focused attacks on social networking users in the past 12 months, with a [...]<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/marketingcharts/~4/16mASWhC9kU" height="1" width="1"/>
Even Major Sites are Not Yet Benefiting From the Full Power of Search
@glenngabe’s post on FaceYahoogle – The Impact of Facebook, Yahoo, and Google on Website Traffic inspired me to also look at the search terms driving traffic. Most sites, even major ones have their own brand terms driving traffic. This is OK, but it is taking significantly less advantage of the full power of search.A more ideal scenario for sites is that they have a large number of non-brand terms driving traffic — i.e. the keywords they want to be known for are driving traffic to them. The premise is that if the user already knew the brand or brand name, it would be redundant for the advertiser to spend awareness ad dollars on them. The advertiser wants to get users to their site who do not already know their brand name. This is especially true for pharma drug websites, as you will see in the following examples.
GENERAL SITES
These sites have such a diverse set of products, services, or topics, we don’t expect the top search terms driving traffic to be anything other than their brand terms. But they should have a long tail of thousands of keywords driving traffic (and they are, in the following examples).
NYTimes.com

LinkedIn.com

Weather.com

CATEGORY SPECIFIC SITES
These sites focus on specific product categories, so one would expect that they should have keywords around their product category driving traffic — e.g. clothing, chocolate, wine, etc. But as you can see, most don’t and the total number of keywords driving traffic could be larger than it is now (implying more long tail keywords).
JCrew.com – clothing

Apple.com – computers, consumer electronics, iPod, music

Godiva.com – chocolate

AnnTaylor.com – clothing, women’s

SINGLE NICHE SITES
Such sites should be all over search terms that surround the topic areas that they want to be known for. But as you see from the analytics, most don’t. Instead, the top terms driving traffic are their own brand name. Again, if the user already knew the brand, additional advertising would be wasted on them. The sites need to make efforts to “own” additional keywords (or at least “show up at the party”) so people who don’t know the brand name might still have a chance finding them when they type in other keywords surrounding the specific niche.
Sutent (Pfizer) – cancer drug

Nucynta (J0hnson & Johnson) – pain drug

Spiriva (Boehringer Ingelheim, Pfizer) – COPD drug
NOTE: This is the best of the bunch of drug sites. COPD, the disease area they want to be known for, does actually show up in the first 5 search terms driving traffic, along with emphysema and their product name handihaler. Also, notice they have nearly 10 times the number of keywords driving traffic compared to the other 2 drugs cited (65 vs 7 or 8 )

Doing Social Marketing in Pharma and other Heavily Regulated Industries
http://bit.ly/3XsK5j
Excerpt:
Conventional wisdom would probably say that social marketing is impossible in industries like financial services, pharmaceutical, and healthcare due to heavy regulations and requirements for disclosure. More specifically, in the pharmaceutical industry there exists a regulation that requires companies to report “adverse events” to the Federal Drug Administration within 72 hours of “hearing” it. At first glance, this single regulation could render most forms of online marketing — which are based on two-way communications — to be out of bounds; especially social media, where people talk online.
Thanks for all the RTs and Comments:
ZnaTrainerRT @AlexSchleber: Great, thoughtful post,applies to all SMM: How to Do Social Marketing in Heavily Regulated Industrieshttp://bit.ly/5wmOdz
AlexSchleberGreat, thoughtful post, applies to all SMM: How to Do Social Marketing in Heavily Regulated Industries http://bit.ly/5wmOdz
jpoloObserving: “How to Do Social Marketing in Heavily Regulated Industries – “, http://bit.ly/5W350A
TBMarketingBuzzRT @helkhoury: How to Do Social Marketing in Heavily Regulated Industries – ClickZ: http://www.clickz.com/3635397 via @addthis
ArnieKHow to Do Social Marketing in Heavily Regulated Industries – good article & discussion: http://ow.ly/IKzV
DowntownWomanRT @alevit: RT @helkhoury: How to do Social Marketing in Heavily Regulated Industries – ClickZ:http://www.clickz.com/3635397 via @addthis
alevitRT @helkhoury: How to Do Social Marketing in Heavily Regulated Industries – ClickZ: http://www.clickz.com/3635397 via @addthis
360VANTAGEHow to Do Social Marketing in Heavily Regulated Industries - http://ow.ly/JpIK
360CEOHow to Do Social Marketing in Heavily Regulated Industries - http://ow.ly/JpIp
managementsushiRT @whydotpharma: Must read! RT @HealthIntel: How to Do Social Marketing in Heavily Regulated Industries.http://j.mp/6CVT9r #hcsmeu #fdasm
agDesignNetworkRT @HealthIntel: Pharma: Socializing in a Straightjacket-Players tiptoe into social media http://j.mp/6CVT9r #fdasm #hcsm
heldincontemptRT @whydotpharma: Must read! RT @HealthIntel: How to Do Social Marketing in Heavily Regulated Industries.http://j.mp/6CVT9r #hcsmeu #fdasm
HealthIntelPharma: Socializing in a Straightjacket- Players tiptoe into social media http://j.mp/6CVT9r #fdasm #hcsm
jorge_acostaHow to Do Social Marketing in Heavily Regulated Industries http://ow.ly/Jh8c (via @HSM_Mexico ) #smcmx
ericgilbertsenGood article, better discussion on Social Marketing in Heavily Regulated Industries – ClickZ: http://www.clickz.com/3635397 via @addthis
IdeagorasRT @DaphneLeigh: Reading: Doing social media in regulated industries. http://j.mp/6CVT9r (via @healthintel) #hcsm #fdasm #hcmktg #hcsmeu
armseligHow to Do Social #Marketing in Heavily Regulated Industries | ClickZ | #socialweb #corporate #pr http://j.mp/7okG8m
andrewspongRT @DaphneLeigh: Reading: Doing social media in regulated industries. http://j.mp/6CVT9r (via @healthintel) #hcsm #fdasm #hcmktg #hcsmeu
DaphneLeighReading: Doing social media in regulated industries. http://j.mp/6CVT9r (via @healthintel) #hcsm #fdasm #hcmktg #hcsmeu
blogaceuticsRT @whydotpharma: Must read! RT @HealthIntel: How to Do Social Marketing in Heavily Regulated Industries. http://j.mp/6CVT9r
bobharrellRT @whydotpharma: Must read! RT @HealthIntel: How to Do Social Marketing in Heavily Regulated Industries. http://j.mp/6CVT9r#hcsm #fdas …
NovaChelsRT @whydotpharma: Must read! RT @HealthIntel: How to Do Social Marketing in Heavily Regulated Industries. http://j.mp/6CVT9r#hcsm #fdasm
lenstarnesRT @whydotpharma: Must read! RT @HealthIntel: How to Do Social Marketing in Heavily Regulated Industries. http://j.mp/6CVT9r#hcsm #fdas …
whydotpharmaMust read! RT @HealthIntel: How to Do Social Marketing in Heavily Regulated Industries. http://j.mp/6CVT9r #hcsm #fdasm #hcsmeu
HealthIntelHow to Do Social Marketing in Heavily Regulated Industries. http://j.mp/6CVT9r #hcsm #fdasm #hcmktg
TBMarketingBuzzRT @tweetreports: Must Read: How to Do Social Marketing in Heavily Regulated Industries http://bit.ly/6rR66k #socialmedia
kristofcreativeRT @tweetreports: Must Read: How to Do Social Marketing in Heavily Regulated Industries http://bit.ly/6rR66k #socialmedia
tweetreportsMust Read: How to Do Social Marketing in Heavily Regulated Industries http://bit.ly/6rR66k #socialmedia
helkhouryHow to Do Social Marketing in Heavily Regulated Industries – ClickZ: http://www.clickz.com/3635397 via @addthis
twittinvestorReading: How to do social media in heaviliy regulated industries http://bit.ly/7fO8ew #ir #pr #finance
EvertJanKoningvery interesting dicussion on social web for complex organisations: http://www.clickz.com/3635397
SteveBurdettRT: @marketingwizdom How to Do Social Marketing in Heavily Regulated Industries like financial services – ClickZhttp://ow.ly/IP8U
achimbrueckHow to Do Social #Marketing in Heavily Regulated Industries http://bit.ly/7SRkOD #financial #healthcare #pharmaceutical RT@ChernoJobatey
SarahWPFRT @marketingwizdom: How to Do Social Marketing in Heavily Regulated Industries – ClickZ http://ow.ly/IP8U
JeinspaennerHow to Do Social #Marketing in Heavily Regulated Industries http://bit.ly/7SRkOD RT@ChernoJobatey
marketingwizdomHow to Do Social Marketing in Heavily Regulated Industries – ClickZ http://ow.ly/IP8U
orhanogutHow to Do Social Marketing in Heavily Regulated Industries http://www.clickz.com/3635397
JobateyHow to Do Social #Marketing in Heavily Regulated Industries http://bit.ly/7SRkOD
KerstinvonAppenHow to Do Social #Marketing in Heavily Regulated Industries http://bit.ly/7SRkOD
ChernoJobateyHow to Do Social #Marketing in Heavily Regulated Industries http://bit.ly/7SRkOD
PauliASLue tämä jos et työskentele mediassa : Do Social Marketing in Heavily Regulated Industries: http://www.clickz.com/3635397 via @addthis
fredomartinRT @working_arts: Social marketing is about being a reliable source others have vetted & agree is trustworthy/accuratehttp://bit.ly/7FOjJ1
working_artsSocial marketing is about being a reliable source of information others have vetted & agree is trustworthy & accuratehttp://bit.ly/7FOjJ1
working_artsHow to Do Social Marketing in Heavily Regulated Industries - http://bit.ly/7FOjJ1
IndigoDirectHow to Do Social Marketing in Heavily Regulated Industries - http://www.clickz.com/3635397
ljlynchFinancial planners & others who think that regulations prevent their participation social media need to read this article. http://ow.ly/IKgO
JonSherman121How to do Social Media in Heavily Regulated Industries http://ow.ly/IH75 #socialmedia
TVGnetworkHow to Do Social Marketing in Heavily Regulated Industries http://bit.ly/4NkCgU
darknebrijoDo you work in a heavily regulated industry and find it hard to do social media marketing? A few tips here.http://www.clickz.com/3635397
wweidendorfHow to do Social Media Marketing in Heavily Regulated Industries - http://www.clickz.com/3635397
Activ8IncHow to do social media in heaviliy regulated industries http://www.clickz.com/3635397 http://bit.ly/4xis5A
LakeCountyEGRHow to Do Social Marketing in Heavily Regulated Industries – ClickZ http://ow.ly/IF0M
rpvegaRT @HSM_Mexico: How to Do Social Marketing in Heavily Regulated Industries http://bit.ly/7jtVaT // IS NOT ABOUT REACH ! =)
miwchriscarrionHow to Do Social Marketing in Heavily Regulated Industries – ClickZ: http://www.clickz.com/3635397 via @addthis
PatriotonlineRT @HSM_Mexico: How to Do Social Marketing in Heavily Regulated Industries http://www.clickz.com/3635397
HSM_MexicoHow to Do Social Marketing in Heavily Regulated Industries http://www.clickz.com/3635397
jellsworthFighting resistance to SM marketing in a regulated industry like pharm or financial? Social may be your ONLY option.http://ow.ly/Ahx8
Steve_GorgesAugustine Fou’s How to Do Social Marketing in Heavily Regulated Industries http://bit.ly/1gey14
xtrememarketerHow to Do Social Marketing in Heavily Regulated Industries http://bit.ly/2dAcjC
SunSweptRT @glenngabe: How to Do Social Marketing in Heavily Regulated Industries http://bit.ly/1lmtq5 via @acfou – interesting comments Augustine
glenngabeHow to Do Social Marketing in Heavily Regulated Industries http://bit.ly/1lmtq5 via @acfou – some interesting comments taking on Augustine
MonetizeMyLifeHow to Do Social Marketing in Heavily Regulated Industries - http://su.pr/1m6bp4
snd7RT @domain7: Good challenge – how to to use social media for heavily regulated industries: http://bit.ly/2HznSn – JE
domain7Good challenge – how to to use social media for heavily regulated industries: http://bit.ly/2HznSn – JE
ankushagarwalHow to Do Social Marketing in Heavily Regulated Industries - http://tr.im/CNvj
crown168分享 http://www.clickz.com/3635397 (How to Do Social Marketing in Heavily Regulated Industries) http://plurk.com/p/2ddtqg
FbecerrilHow to Do Social Marketing in Heavily Regulated Industries http://bit.ly/2eNYFf
CollinsCompanySocial marketing in Heavily Regulated Industries. Good article! http://www.clickz.com/3635397
zaifmandHow to Do Social Marketing in Heavily Regulated Industries – ClickZ: http://www.clickz.com/3635397
OutOfTheBoxMXSocial Media: How to Do Social Marketing in Heavily Regulated Industries great article http://bit.ly/1gey14
emELLemjOEDoing Social Marketing in Pharma and other Heavily Regulated Industries: http://bit.ly/3XsK5j Excerpt: Conventi..http://bit.ly/Uo326
acfouSome are arguing that pharma should stay out of social marketing altogether (i.e. bury its head in the dirt?) - http://bit.ly/3XsK5j
Ad-supported photo books
Need physical copies of some great shots, but you’re a bit too lazy to order and pay for them? HotPrints mails you free 16-page photo books, with shots pulled from Facebook, if you don’t mind some non-intrusive paper ads.
In this case, non-intrusive means the advertisements aren’t watermarked or otherwise touching your actual photos. They’re inserted between the pages, and can be pulled out, kind of like magazine subscription cards. You’d also have to be comfortable with HotPrints using “contextual” data from Facebook to target some ads at you. That means the album style you choose, the content of your profile, and region information from your Facebook account are used to target the ads, but the company claims that no identifying information is given out to its sponsoring partners. You can read more about HotPrints’ do’s and don’ts at their privacy policy.
If you’re cool with that at the cost of free, even free shipping, HotPrints’ Facebook app makes it fairly easy to pull in tagged photos of yourself or any Facebook contacts for a quickie album, with a limit of one per month. It’s a free service, requires a Facebook account (and app authorization) to use.
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Popular Posts Week Ending September 26, 2009.
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