A State Department Bureau Spent $630,000 On Facebook Ads

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State Department Bureau Spent $630,000 On Facebook Ads (Washington Examiner)
The State Department's Bureau of International Information Programs spent about $630,000 on Facebook ad campaigns that ran between 2011 and March 2013. What did it get for all that money money? The bureau increased the fans of its English Facebook pages from about 100,000 to more than 2 million for each page. Engagement varied on each page, but just over 2% of fans liked, shared, or commented on an item. Read >

Earned Media And Social Media: How Brands Can Get Beyond The Hype (BI Intelligence)
Everyone wants earned media. Marketing agencies know this, and they routinely pitch their ability to generate it. Earned media is really just the digital-age term for word-of-mouth advertising. It’s an idea that has grown hand-in-hand with content and social media marketing and the notion that a viral success can translate to mega-exposure on the cheap. Read>

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Why Isn't LinkedIn Blocked In China? (Mashable)
The Chinese government blocks access to Twitter and Facebook, but not LinkedIn — used by more than 3 million Chinese. By permitting its citizens to access LinkedIn, the Chinese government is effectively allowing Chinese businesses and professionals use the platform for deal flows and career management. Secondly, Chinese LinkedIn users have to understand at least basic English, because there is no localized site in simplified Chinese, which is helpful for employers looking to hire talent well-versed in both languages. Read >

Bank Of America's Epic Twitter Fail (Digiday)
When a distressed home owner wrote an anti-foreclosure message in chalk on the sidewalk in front of a Manhattan Bank of America branch, he was asked to leave the premises by police. So, he took a photo of his message and posted it to Twitter where it started to go viral. A Bank of America social media manager replied to many of the mentions using the same response, which came across as insensitive. Remember, when using social media, brands should show their human side. Read >

Salesforce Tools Help Brands Track China And Russia's Social Networks (Forbes)
Salesforce Marketing Cloud announced that it has brought its Radian 6 listening coverage to the Russian and Chinese markets through agreements with each country's leading social networks. Read >

University Of Michigan Dominates College Sports Programs On Twitter (Business Insider)
The Michigan football team's Twitter account has nearly 150,000 followers, which makes it the most popular college sports program using the social network. The University of North Carolina men's basketball team trails with 128,000 followers. Read >