Influencer Marketing Strategy in the Era of Instagram, the FTC and Trump

There's a window of opportunity that exists today in influencer marketing that won't last long. Instagram organic reach will continue to fall. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will increasingly crack down on influencers who don't properly disclose brand affiliations and sponsorships. Influencers are increasingly acting as cause marketers, activists, and political protestors. And the tactic … Continue reading Influencer Marketing Strategy in the Era of Instagram, the FTC and Trump

How to Make a Facebook Messenger Bot with Zero Code: A Step-by-Step Tutorial

As a so-so programmer, I recently looked up how to create a Facebook messenger bot that could automatically share new posts from my blog (as an alternative to someone subscribing via email or RSS). Normally, if I can find a suitable Github library or clear enough tutorial, and the app isn't too complicated, I can … Continue reading How to Make a Facebook Messenger Bot with Zero Code: A Step-by-Step Tutorial

Why I Think Zuckerberg is Trying to Kill Influencer Marketing

I have a new theory -- call it a prediction -- about the future of influencer marketing. Recently, Instagram has been meeting with some of its latest advertisers and media partners to council them on the social platform's latest algorithm update -- a transition that will rank newsfeed content by relevance, rather than chronology, similar to its parent … Continue reading Why I Think Zuckerberg is Trying to Kill Influencer Marketing

The Year Social Media Moves Beyond Social

Social is entering a new era in the history of its communications potential. In doing so, ‘social media’ companies like Facebook and LinkedIn are briskly redefining their identities, business models and the boundaries they are able to connect people — or brands to people — within. All told, 2015 looks more and more like the year … Continue reading The Year Social Media Moves Beyond Social

Understanding Twitter Engagement: The Anatomy of 100,000 Followers

Last year, I launched a social marketing automation app that's quietly grown to become what I now believe to be the largest third-party "Twitter advertising" platform - I use that term loosely - on the web. To give you a sense of scale, it's actively generating millions of impressions and hundreds of thousands of engagement events (follows, … Continue reading Understanding Twitter Engagement: The Anatomy of 100,000 Followers

The Speed of Social Media in Tragedy

At copley. Runners offering each other jackets to keep warm. Even in heartbreak there is good in people. — Megan Johnson (@megansarahj) April 15, 2013 Today’s ugly, tragic Boston Marathon bombing felt as raw and visceral as the grizzly Newtown, CT school shooting or any other recent rip through our collective sense of safety, priority, and … Continue reading The Speed of Social Media in Tragedy