First off, Meeker looks at the growth of internet adoption, which is slowing as regions work on new infrastructure to facilitate connection. It's amazing to consider that around 50% of the world is still not connected to the internet, which highlights the opportunities for expansion, but also, the challenges now faced in getting the rest of the world online.

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Here is the thing: when you post bad content to your social media channels, you run the risk of overshadowing all the hard work you have put into building your presence, and establishing connection with your online audience.

And because we do not want to let you do that, in this post, we're going to outline nine content types which could be wrecking your social media - and losing you followers.

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When you think about embarrassing social media behavior, you probably think about octogenarians who accidentally post their phone numbers in a Facebook status. But embarrassing social media perils are everywhere for users of all ages, particularly for actors. But it is 2019 and social media is as important to your acting brand as your signature monologue or audition song, so we want to help you avoid these digital landmines and lead with your best online foot forward.

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It is a heady formula. With brands across the globe spending nearly $27 billion on social media marketing, an expenditure estimated to go up 37% by 2020 to reach $37 billion, and 45% of the worlds population actively engaged on social media, one unlikely sector has found a lucrative and free marketing source – college students.

Several universities across the country have begun using so-called student ambassadors or influencers to market their brand on Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.  According to a 2018 study by Pricewaterhouse Coopers, social media is the most influential marketing source for potential buyers. Over 70% of social media users hit the college sweet spot: individuals between the ages of 18-29.

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Smith had a Twitter meltdown this morning in response to some relatively gentle and polite criticism from me. Smith is a perfectly respectable journalist in his day job — a purveyor of tediously predictable received opinion, to be sure, but there is room for all kinds. Online, he is transformed through the emotional alchemy of Twitter into a deranged, masturbatory, feces-flinging rage monkey straight from Hell’s own zoo. He is, amusingly enough, so enraged that he cannot even get straight what he himself has written.

I hope readers will forgive the brief point-by-point here. I promise it adds up to something.

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Social media usage continues to grow, as social platforms reach into new regions and become an even bigger part of day-to-day life. However you may feel about social media, and the way it both unifies and divides in varying measure, the fact of the matter is that it is not going away - in fact, is becoming more embedded into more societal elements, making it an essential connective tool.

So how significant is social media in 2019?

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Once you have decided to invest in social media marketing, your next key challenge is to decide which platforms you should be focused on.

This used to be relatively easy - you started a Facebook Page, set-up a Twitter profile, and then added others over time. But now, things have changed. Instagram is a much bigger consideration, Facebook's dwindling organic reach means it may be less of a priority, Twitters algorithm changes the equation, and LinkedIn's seeing more traffic. Pinterest, too, is on the rise, while if you're going to create video content, then YouTube definitely should be on your radar.

But you can not be active on all of them all the time - so which platforms are right for your business and marketing efforts?

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The U.K.s new special cyber operations unit, 6 Division (6 Div), will move beyond the typical cyber capabilities within the military sphere into full-blown social media "information warfare." And here the primary adversary is Russia, which has turned the dark art of peddling fake news and political propaganda across major social media platforms into a national security strategy.

Much of the work of the new unit will be relatively traditional signals activities—jamming and intercepting enemy comms, supporting the field world of allied intelligence agencies.

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The Federal Bureau of Investigations aims to acquire access to a social media early alerting tool that will help insiders proactively and reactively monitor how terrorist groups, foreign intelligence services, criminal organizations and other domestic threats use networking platforms to further their illegal efforts, according to a request for proposal amended this week.

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Twitter topped its social network competition on job and recruiting site Glassdoor’s list of the 25 highest paying companies in 2019, coming in at No. 3 overall with a median base salary of $162,852.

Other social networks to crack the top 25 were LinkedIn (No. 7, $157,402) and Facebook (No. 8, $152,962).

The list was dominated by tech firms, many of which are based in Silicon Valley.

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In India Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp have agreed to follow the "voluntary code of ethics" in all future elections, including the upcoming Maharashtra and Haryana assembly polls, the Election Commission said on Thursday.

The code, which was derived to act against paid advertisements that violate norms set by the Election Commission, came into force on March 20 in the last Lok Sabha polls.

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Artificial intelligence could be destabilizing the internet news ecosystem. And according to billionaire Elon Musk, social media is the first to fall prey.

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Social media continues to surge as a channel for businesses to market themselves and engage with customers. And with its continued growth and popularity, there is no shortage of social media “how-to” advice out there directed at businesses trying to scale up.

If you make it a point to keep up with social media trends, you’ve likely found at least some overlap in these tips—but every so often, there are unconventional or uncommon practices that can lead to great results. As experts in social media marketing, the members of Young Entrepreneur Council shared their most surprising social media tips—that truly work—and how you can take advantage for your business.

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Predicting the future of social media is always fun.

Emerging platforms, secured patents, new tactics and demographic shifts are just a few things to consider when making a prediction.

So, what is next with social media as we look ahead to 2020? Here are four big predictions on the future of social media in 2020.

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1. Plan a content strategy and create an editorial calendar for your social channels.
Marketers are sometimes at a loss at what to post on social media.

Successful social media marketing doesn't happen on accident -- there's a strategy in place, just as there is with a blog.

Look at the big picture and come up with social content that will resonate with your audience.

Map out seasonal content, as well as content related to events or launches your company is planning.

Work closely with your editorial and marketing teams to know what's coming down the pipeline and strategize the best ways to promote it.

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Facebook, Instagram, Twitter. If you’re a smart marketer, you have been using the these top social media giants to share your content, promote your products and services and grow your business. But rival platforms are being created all the time, and while many of them don’t reach the same heights of success, a handful could give mega-popular platforms a run for their money. Moreover, if you’re an early adopter of up-and-coming alternatives, your company could reap the biggest benefits.

If you want to be ahead of the curve, keep your eye on the following five social media platforms to watch.

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How have the rise of social media and spread of misinformation changed the news media landscape?

As a major election year nears and the public questions the role of Facebook in combating misinformation, Andrew Pergam, director of governance and strategic initiatives at Facebook, gave a glimpse of what is happening behind the scenes at the social media company during a symposium at the University of Utah on Friday.

Misinformation is one of the companys most pressing and scrutinized issues, he said. We are under an immense amount of pressure to do more to tackle viral information more quickly.

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What kinds of content are most likely to make an impact on social media platforms in 2020? This handy guide offers tips for making a splash online.

With changing algorithms and shortening attention spans, it is crucial to invest wisely on social media content.

You have very little time to set yourself apart on social media platforms, so savvy communicators will take advantage of every opportunity. If video is performing well, double down on those snackable videos. If your audience loves to share graphics, make sure you create exciting visuals that pack a punch.

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A sound, effective strategy involves these four steps.

A whopping 3.2 billion people, or 42% of the world's population, uses social media. On average, people spend over two hours of their day messaging and surfing social media networks.

After having a positive experience with a brand on social media, 71% of people will often recommend the brand to their friends and family. On top of that, 49% of people are taking their cues on what to buy from social media influencers.

Based on these statistics, it's crucial for businesses to have a solid social media marketing strategy in place. Unfortunately, many business owners have no idea how to handle social media marketing.

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When was the last time you watched a video on Facebook? What about Instagram or Twitter?

My guess is that it was probably within the last day.

The reason for this guess is because video continues to be one of the most powerful forms of content on social media. You can not take a digital step without coming face-to-face with a video – and there is a reason for this.

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When you really think about it, marketing has come a long way in just a few decades. Marketing tactics are more sophisticated (and more effective) than ever before, and social media marketing has ensured that every business on the planet has a voice.

There is just one problem. In a world where every business on the planet has a megaphone, how can you make sure that your voice is heard?

Having a strong brand seems to be the only way to consistently get ahead of the competition, but it is not easy.

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Gig workers who are totally localized (caterers, electricians, painters, plumbers, wedding planners, etc.) often discount the value of using social media for their marketing. Why? Because these platforms are at least national, if not international and what would be a use for a local business?

Indeed, localized SEO and local advertising can drive you a steady stream of traffic and revenue. But you should not discount social media as a good tool for your marketing. Here are five actionable social media marketing tips for local contractors and other gig workers.

1. Geo tagging and targeting is your allies

Social media platforms may have global reach, but they also allow you to go very granular with your marketing.

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According to the National Center for Health Research, people who visited social media platforms 58 times or more per week were three times more likely to feel socially isolated. The center also found that heavy social media users are 2.2 times more likely to have eating and body image issues than moderate users.

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Ever since the idea of writing was conceived, humans have recorded historical events, the occurrences in our daily lives and even our deepest thoughts and feelings in diaries or journals. They reveal what our ancestors cared and thought about and handed down wisdom from one generation to the next. Social media has quickly moved into the space once occupied by personal diaries, although how we use it isn’t quite the same anymore. Two-way conversation A diary entry is usually a thoughtful process.

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When I look back at all of the mistakes I’ve made in business and marketing and add my observations from working with over 57,000 business owners and entrepreneurs in nearly every country in the world, it dawned on me.

Social media marketing success boils down to three simple steps.


The Three-Step Social Media Marketing Machine

For the past decade, brands have been capitalizing on the pervasiveness of social media in consumers’ daily lives and shopping habits. And this past year was no different.

Social media analytics company Unmetric found that brands that promoted messaging with edge, savvy, conviction—and occasionally dogs—won the marketing game.

Of that messaging, video—particularly those with memorable storylines, guest appearances or creative approaches to addressing social issues—reined as the overall best-performing format for branded and original content, a consistent trend in their numbers since at least 2015.

The Most Captivating Brand Campaigns We Saw on Social Media in 2019

Social media marketing is a strategy employed by many companies. One of the biggest complaints I hear from businesses is that they're not having much success on social media. The thing is that certain social media marketing mistakes can cause brands to fail. I'll be addressing several issues that may be impacting your social media efforts in this article.

Are you making any of the following mistakes?

Five Social Media Marketing Mistakes You Must Avoid

With another US Presidential election on the way in 2020, we can expect the debate around fake news to once again ramp up, and become a key focus of discussion as we look at how political influence spreads online.

What if Fake News Is Not the Real Problem on Social Media?

Social networks can help merchants reach prospects, establish professional contacts, and research markets. They can also be a good way to share experiences and meet people.

Here is a list of new and emerging social networks for 2020. Some of the networks target specific user groups; others offer new ways to interact. These are networks for professional and social communication. Several of the networks are in beta or will launch in 2020.

13 New Social Networks for 2020

Believe it or not, 80 percent of internet users globally have at least one social media account. In total, social media users exceeded 3.4 billion people in 2019. Business owners and marketers know that these platforms are vital for the success of their business. Due to their desire to improve, brand managers are continually looking for ways to connect with their audience and keep them invested in the company.

4 Social Media Marketing Tricks You Need to Know in 2020

Updating your brand bio can be a great, simple way to boost engagement, especially heading into the new year. Your profile bio can play a key role in perception, and in driving subsequent action, so it is worth reviewing your details and ensuring that everything is as you want it.

Writing a Great Social Media Bio for Your Brand [Infographic]

And just like that, we have reached the final issue of the year — and also, somehow, the decade. As is tradition around here, let’s close out the year with some predictions from you about where platforms and democracy are headed in 2020 and beyond.

Thanks to everyone who contributed. Here are your thoughts, along with some of mine. This year, I’m ordering these in roughly how likely I think they are. So, the most likely things to happen at the top, and we move further into crazy town as you scroll down. Generally speaking, I feel more comfortable predicting product moves than policy shifts.

16 predictions for social networks in 2020

David Finchers The Social Network seems quite prophetic considering how the 2010s turned out. With its focus on the digitization of social interaction as well as the need for social engagement and the advantages of sociopathy in powerful people combined with the power of public shaming, The Social Network explores the contradictions that animated the culture of this decade.

The Social Network Predicted The 2010s

Is influencer marketing becoming a strategy of the past? Are influencers worth what brands pay them to endorse their products?


How This Social Media Agency Is Revolutionizing The Influencer Marketing Landscape

Do you feel bad after using social media? If you do, chances are you don’t have healthy habits when it comes to using it. So when you use social media, you’re harming your wellbeing in the process.

Luckily there are a few things you can do to develop the right mindset and healthy habits to make you a happier, healthier social media user. Here are a few tips.

1. Moderate your use.
Social media is an excellent tool to not only connect the world, but give creators freedom to express themselves and build communities around their work. However, it also has a dark side.

4 Ways to Develop Health Social Media Habits

With influencer marketing becoming more... um, influential, it is worth noting which online identities are generating the most attention, and considering what that means for your outreach strategies.

And while you might not necessarily be able to get PewDiePie to endorse your products, it is interesting to consider how these popular identities are building their platforms, which could provide some guidance as to where people are looking, or even just give you an indicator of which creators to look to for inspiration with your own content.

The Most Popular Social Media Influencers

Michael Bloombergs presidential campaign is hiring hundreds of workers in California to post regularly on their personal social-media accounts in support of the candidate and send text messages to their friends about him.

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None of us are getting out of this alive. With the advent of consumer tech and the internet, you can now make your wishes known in a myriad of ways. For starters, if you are wondering where’s the best place to make sure your loved ones follow your will directives and have access to your passwords, you can do this online.

Specialty sites can store all your important documents from wills, trusts and passwords to your funeral preferences. While most sites are subscription-based, there is a free option that is HIPPA-compliant with secured bank-level encryption.

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Social platforms are still reporting robust growth — yes, even Facebook — despite a growing chorus of opposition. Social conversation continues to shape everything from culture to the media cycle to our most intimate relationships. And we now spend more time than ever on our phones, with endless scrolling through our social feeds being a chief reason why.

But dig a little deeper, and a more nuanced picture emerges about social media users today that has important implications for the ways in which brands reach customers. Specifically, when you look at who is — and more importantly, who is not — driving the growth and popularity of social platforms, a key demographic appears to be somewhat in retreat: young people.

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Social media trends are like friends; they come and go.

However, the best friends and trends end up sticking around and evolving into permanent parts of our lives with qualities such as integrity, dependability, trust, quality and even ROI.

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Are you looking for ways to generate more engagement on social media? Want to ensure you’re posting at the best times for your audience?

While the exact right times to post will vary based on each unique audience group, the team from CoSchedule have put together a guide, based on a range of studies and reports, which highlights when brands in a range of sectors tend to see the most engagement on each of the major social platforms.

Again, there are unique variables for each business, but this overview could serve as a good starting point for planning out your social posting strategy, and maximizing engagement.

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Fort Smith Mayor George McGill announced a statewide 2020 Census Social Media Challenge to increase awareness about the Census.

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A few months ago, Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales launched a new platform called WikiTribune Social – or WT:Social for short. Unlike Facebook, the Wikipedia social network isn’t designed to generate profit by leveraging user data. Thus far, it has a modest membership, but Wales doesn’t seem interested in jousting with Facebook. Instead, it sounds like he is hoping to offer a refuge from it.

Some critics have highlighted the ways certain social media sites are purposefully designed to be addictive. That can help make them successful, but it can take a toll on users.

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I also enjoy watching TED Talks to get a better understanding of the latest trends, including in digital adoption and platform usage. Social media is a constantly evolving field - it is a rare arena of marketing where the platforms may change over time (bye Vine, hello TikTok), but the overall advice seldom feels too dated. Most businesses do want their content to go viral.

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These days, your boss can be watching your Instagram stories or liking your posts. Social media blurs the line between work and personal life. While this can bring you closer to your team, it also adds pressure as any faux pas may affect your role or office dynamics. To explore the effects of ones social profiles on their career, WhoIsHostingThis, wanting to quantify what constitutes digital hoarding, the extent to which people do so, and the potential privacy risks of this behavior, asked over 900 employees, and the findings were interesting:

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Social media trends are like friends; they come and go.

However, the best friends and trends end up sticking around and evolving into permanent parts of our lives with qualities such as integrity, dependability, trust, quality and even ROI.

The bad friends and trendamies need to get weeded out before too much time, and resources get depleted.

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What are your social media goals for 2020? Tangible goals are the cornerstone of any successful social media marketing strategy, but how do you know you picked the right ones for the year ahead?

You take a look at your resources and performance throughout the previous year, as well as industry trends and social data insights. Sometimes, the goals you set lead to excellent results, other times — you learn from your mistakes and re-think the goals for the next year.

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This year is likely the last one ever in which you can say that more than half the planet is not on social media.

Hootsuite just released a massive digital state of the union report. Some of the high-level findings:

5.2 billion of us now have phones globally
4.5 billion are connected to the internet
3.8 billion are active social media users

That 3.8 billion is 49% of the planets population, and it grew 9% over the past year. That means it is extremely likely that sometime this calendar year, more than half of all of us will be active social media users.

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In your personal life, reading peoples minds is a questionable superpower; but the business benefits of being able to listen in on peoples thoughts are infinite. And while social media monitoring is not exactly about reading peoples minds, it is as close to it as it gets.

Social listening gives you access to what people are saying about your brand, industry, or competitors across social media and the web – often without them being aware of you listening. If you know how to word your queries and filter the results, you will end up with the most authentic, unbiased insights you can get as a business.

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The offices of the Network Science Institute at Northeastern University sit 10 floors above Bostons Back Bay. Wraparound windows offer a floating panorama of the city, from Boston Common to Fenway Park, as a half-dozen young analysts toil quietly at computers.

At 10 a.m. on a recent morning, with the early calls to the World Health Organization and European doctors complete and the check-in with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention scheduled for later, Alessandro Vespignani, the institute’s director, had some time to work the room. In a black blazer and jeans, he moved from cubicle to cubicle, giving each member of his team the latest updates on the coronavirus pandemic.

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