Developers at Pinterest have been busy adding new features to the platform. We’ve compiled the following list, complete with descriptions, of the latest updates to help brands stay on top of the changes.

Duplicate Pin Notification

Pinterest accounts with multiple managers, or managers with multiple Pinterest accounts, have reason to rejoice over this particular feature. This notification alerts users that are attempting to pin content that has previously been pinned by the account, helping to limit the amount of time spent reviewing pins before sharing content. Brands will find this useful because it helps to ensure that the account is constantly sharing new information with its followers.

Mobile Updates- Push Notifications & Mentions

Pinterest has also added push notifications for its mobile application. These real-time updates will help brand accounts to know which of their pins is receiving the most, or least, engagement from Pinterest users immediately. Brands will be notified if their pins are liked, commented on, or repinned and can use the information to guide their strategy while on to go.

The latest update to the mobile app also allows users to mention other Pinterest accounts by placing the “@” symbol before the account’s user name. Brands can use this as a way to mention their partners or clients and as a way to increase one-on-one interactions with brand loyalists and contest participants.

Pin Descriptions

Businesses can now add valuable information such as pricing, availability, and location of availability to their pins. This is a crucial update for businesses sharing content related to their products or services on Pinterest to take advantage of. Allowing users to see this type of information without having to visit the linked website will help to ensure that more website visits generated on Pinterest turn into profitable leads. To add to the value of this feature Pinterest has also stated that it will be adding this type of information to previously pinned content and will be able to update the information on a day-to-day basis.

The Social Media Rewind is a regularly published piece by The Targeted Group, recapping the latest social media news and providing ways that companies can best leverage the information within their internal social media strategies.

Astronaut Chris Hadfield Returns from Space

Chris Hadfield, commander of the International Space Station’s most recent mission, returned from a 5-month trip to space earlier this week. During his time in space, Hadfield amassed over 945,000 Twitter followers and over 330,000 Facebook likes.

What does this mean for businesses?

Brands can learn quite a bit from Commander Hadfield’s social media efforts. Here a few tips that every business should take to heart:

1. Mix it up. Commander Hadfield shared his experiences mostly through photos but he also used videos and sound bites to keep his audience engaged. He also kept things interesting by sharing posts that ranged from emotional and introspective to factual and informative.
2. Have a plan. Like any good astronaut, Commander Hadfield went into space with a plan for his social efforts. He knew what his posting schedule would look like and was prepared with all the tools he needed to create media-rich content, such as this video.
3. Enlist support if needed. Hadfield’s consistent posting would not have been possible without the assistance of his son and other supporters such as the Canadian Space Agency. By relying on connections such as these, Hadfield’s accounts were updated and his progress shared even at times when he would have been unable to post himself.

LinkedIn Launches New LinkedIn Contacts

The new LinkedIn Contacts, now available to all users, offers users on LinkedIn a way to keep their professional contacts organized in one place.

What does this mean for professionals?

The latest LinkedIn update offers users the ability to bring information (such as contact information, emails, and calendars) from other areas together in the LinkedIn network. This new functionality offers professionals a number of ways to more effectively leverage their LinkedIn connections. New reminders and notes (only visible to the user that creates them) allow LinkedIn users to set notifications for future communications with potential clients or employers. There is also an area that allows users to note how they met each contact, making it easier to maneuver future conversations.

YouTube Launches Paid Channels

After many recent speculations that YouTube was in the works of creating a model for paid channels, the video-sharing network released the first batch of channels requiring payment before a user can subscribe this week.

What does this mean for businesses?

Currently channels can enforce paid subscriptions only if YouTube offers them the option to become a paid channel. Channels are then allowed to decide whether or not they will still host advertisements before their videos play. This new feature could offer channels a way to make money directly from their social media efforts, but only if their followers are willing to pay for the subscription. Brands hoping to gain a loyal following on YouTube can do so by making sure they share high-quality content that is valuable to their audience.


Remember that The Social Media Rewind is a regularly published piece on The Targeted Group’s blog site. Be sure to check for a new post each week!

You are invited to join Brandon Uttley, Social Media Product Manager at Sales Performance International, as he takes a deeper dive into how “Connections are for Closers” and how building your personal community as an individual contributor will be the difference between 120% Quota Attainment vs. 70% Quota Attainment in 2013.

Brandon is joined by Richard Brasser, CEO at rFactr, as they share the best practices for creating social business programs and key lessons learned by running social sales programs for some of the world’s best brands.

Is this webcast for me?

• Have you enabled your sales people to use social media and have limited results to show for your work?
• Does taking your sales team off the phone to get onto LinkedIn make you nervous?
• Do you think your sales team is missing opportunities with social media, and you are ready for the next step?

About Our Speakers

When?

May 23rd, 2013 at 2:00pm EDT (11:00am PDT) 

Ready to Register?

Sign up for "Connections are for Closers" today! 

The Social Media Rewind is a regularly published piece by The Targeted Group, recapping the latest social media news and providing ways that companies can best leverage the information within their internal social media strategies.

Tips for Hosting Social Media Contests

Brands such as HP and General Electric are finding success in hosting contests on sites such as Instagram and Pinterest, where it can be harder to connect with a B2B-focused audience.

What does this mean for businesses?

Hosting contests can be a great way to engage and grow an audience on any social media network. Here are some general tips for planning a social media contest:

1. Promote, promote, promote. It’s no surprise that a best practice is to talk about the contest before it starts and while it is running. However, it’s also important to mention the contest after the winner has been announced. This lets followers know that the contest was fulfilled, making them more likely to participate in future contests.

2. Offer a prize. While it is not a necessary part of hosting a successful contest, brands that offer a tangible reward for the winner will likely experience higher rates of participation. The prize doesn’t need to be expensive, but it should relate to the brand in some way.

3. Make it fun. Contests are a great way for B2B’s to show their personality. Choosing a fun theme that relates to the brand will help participants to remember the company in a positive light. For example, a computer-focused company could host a contest that challenges participants to share an image of their child’s first typing experience.

Brands Join MySpace

MySpace has been trying to convince businesses to join the newly designed site and has recently found success in attracting some well-known B2C brands such as Chevrolet, Gucci, and Bud Light.

What does this mean for businesses?

Many businesses may not see a point to being on MySpace yet, but with big names such as Bud Light and Gucci joining the platform there may be a reason to keep an eye on the network. If MySpace follows the same path as its popular counterparts, Twitter and Facebook, it’s only a matter of time before new business-focused functions are released. As of now, it offers an amazing capacity for storing information and access to a young, tech-savvy and innovation-focused demographic.

#SocialEdu

rFactr will be launching a monthly webinar series starting May 23rd. Our first webinar, Connections are for Closers, will focus on empowering sales teams and individuals to leverage social media as a means of generating viable leads.

What have we learned so far?

Due to the social content of the webinars, we decided to create a Twitter hashtag (#SocialEdu) to share information about the event on our social media channels. Here is a list of tips we came up with for any brands looking to create event-specific hashtags of their own:

1. Do plenty of research. Make sure the hashtag isn’t “owned”, or being used by one other Twitter user. Also make sure it has the potential to be used by keeping it short and easy to remember.

2. Don’t limit the hashtag’s abilities. Instead of using a hashtag that is very specific to one event, brands may find it more useful to choose a hashtag that can be used multiple times for multiple events. For instance,#BrandxSummit as opposed to #BrandxSummit2013.

3. Spread the word. The most crucial element of choosing an event hashtag is making sure that it is promoted across Twitter, and Instagram if applicable. Adding the hashtag to communications or promotions regarding the event is also a great way for it to be noticed.


Remember that The Social Media Rewind is a regularly published piece on The Targeted Group’s blog site. Be sure to check for a new post each week!