Recently, the online world celebrated Social Media Week for the fifth year in a row. Find out which countries participated and who the top influencers were on Twitter that week. more

With the Oscars all but here, audiences have been taking to social media in the past month or two to cast their "votes" for their choices of award winners.These two infographics assess that buzz from different angles, with some surprising results. more

This week was replete with value. Learn the "science of the Harlem Shake," see the first-ever Vine résumé, and score the story—and insights—on the Burger King Twitter hack. Also, we've got tools in droves... more

Our penchant for snappy axioms—most of them a derivative of "set content free"—has put content marketing on a collision course with otherwise sensible business objectives. more

Only one-third (35%) of small business owners cite social media as a beneficial tactic for their business, though views about the benefits of social marketing vary by industry, according to a survey from Hiscox. more

Holiday marketing can be tough. But some of the coolest holiday marketing campaigns of years past can prove instructive, so we've identified five campaigns, along with takeaways, to help your holiday marketing. more

After months of hard work, your event was a smashing success. But you've got only two weeks or so after that event to take action if you want your NEXT event to be just as successful. more

Candy corn is one of most enduring symbols of Halloween—and the subject of more social media buzz than any other type of Halloween candy—according to the NetBase Brand Passion Index, which measures the intensity of consumer passion for brands among users of online communities. more

Marketers usually discuss measuring the ROI of social media as a nebulous art or, worse, as an impossibility. But social media is measurable. The following infographic sheds light on that myth and others surrounding social media ROI. more

When you're driving along a cliff at 100 MPH, it's nice to have guardrails. So for those in the fast lane of social media marketing, here's some advice on how to avoid collisions with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and others. more

Not all social media conversations, particular those related to controversial health topics, are legitimate or authentic, according to a study by KDPaine & Partners that explores the nature of viral conversations around three controversial topics: high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), foods containing genetically modified organisms (GMOs), and vaccinations. more

The more than 21 million US college students have a total discretionary spending power of $120 billion per year. No wonder marketers are excited about the opportunity at colleges. Here's a quick refresher course on how your brand can make a splash on campus. more

"Word-of-mouth is not what it used to be," writes Bob DeStefano in an article at MarketingProfs. "Just 10 years ago, upset customers, or raving fans, could spread their opinion about your business only to their family, friends, neighbors, and work colleagues." Now, however, a simple Google search displays unhappy vitriol ... more

Word-of-mouth is key to the success of daily deals: When making a daily deal purchase from a new or unfamiliar small business, fully one-half (50%) of consumers cite recommendations from friends or family as the factor most likely to influence their decision to purchase, according to a report by Constant ... more

Today, customers can share their rants and raves instantly with a worldwide audience. In such a wired world, your online image is everything! Here's how to track and enhance that image and manage your reputation. more

Does your business suffer from too much positive word-of-mouth? Seems like a nice problem to have. If you want your customers singing your praises over and over again, here are four ways to make that happen. more

To attract customers, you spend hours creating content, blogging, tweeting, and replying to comments. But a few unprofessional missteps could damage your online reputation—and send customers straight to your competitors. more

Word-of-mouth (WOM) recommendations from friends and family and user-generated content (UGC) are sources most trusted for information about the products people want and need, according to a new report by Nielsen. more

It's a no brainer. Local businesses that want to maximize their business results should implement hyper-local digital marketing. Learn key tips for effective local advertising that can help take your business to the next level. more

Though small organizations still rely heavily on traditional marketing channels to promote their events, social media is also an important outreach tool: 77% of event marketers who work for a small business or nonprofit say they use social media to promote their events, and another 14% say they plan to ... more

Pinterest is arguably the hottest social media site on the Internet—user traffic to the online social catalog has skyrocketed since mid-2011—but the website also boasts strong audience engagement, retention, and "virality" among its core demographic, according to a report by RJMetrics. more

More than one-half (55%) of social media users in the US say they are uncomfortable sharing credit card information with a known brand via secure payment on a social networking site such as Twitter or Facebook, according to a new survey from Digitas. more

Online communities can deliver outstanding ROI, but they rarely produce value without significant investment, professional management... and consistent, intelligent, and engaging interaction. more

YouTube enjoys an astounding 3 billion views per day. It's no surprise that big brands are fighting to harness some of those eyeballs. Today the site has more than 20,000 revenue-generating partners. At MIPCOM this year, YouTube announced its intentions to focus on content creators, offering guidance and even Creator Camps ... more

"Here's the big news," writes Andy Sernovitz in the book Social BOOM! "It's not social MEDIA. It's SOCIAL media. It's about real people and the conversations they have." In other words, a presence at online networks like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn isn't enough. To generate word-of-mouth leads, you'll also need ... more