Okay, so by now everyone and their mother has more than likely heard about the sale of photo app Instagram to Facebook for $1 billion in shares and cash. There are already a phalanx (awesome word, if maybe misplaced here) of posts from bloggers and analysts talking about the reasons for the sale, and what it means for Facebook and, more importantly perhaps, Instagram. So, I won’t bore you with more here. Enjoy. by visually. Browse more Social Media infographics. Insights facebook instagram MORE >>

I’ll be quite old then, so perhaps won’t even have the ability to touch, shout or finger my way around technology like I can now. However, I’ll be safe in the knowledge that at the ripe old age of 62 there will be lots of interesting technology out there which will have evolved from the stuff we are playing around with now. click on the image to see the whole thing). Digital Strategy MORE >>

Perhaps it was an episode of Extreme Couponers  or the explosion of social commerce sites such as Groupon that sparked my addiction to a good deal, but either way, I’m hooked on them. One night in February I was perusing Groupon and found deals galore capitalizing on the upcoming holiday. As any good female friend should do, I reminded my clueless friend Steve that Valentine’s Day was around the corner. Image:  Mash Potato  via  Flickr, CC 2.0. had never seen anything like it. The company offered an assortment of fortune cookies of all sizes stuffed with your own custom fortune. The result? They MORE >>

If you’re executing a digital marketing campaign, there is a good chance you’re ROI (return on investment) is based on how many emails, prospects, or customers you can get inside of your database. If you’re using a CRM (customer relationship management system) such as SalesForce.com or Oracle, those contacts have some real measurable value. Even more so when you can match them up with your sales data and discover little nuggets like customer lifetime value or simple conversions. It’s not completely free, but it’s close enough. Informational whitepapers. MORE >>

It’s time marketers stop collecting data for data’s sake and start it for culling insights. That’s where social analytics comes in. Social analytics is the evolving business discipline that studies social media metrics to help marketers use the findings to drive business intelligence. If you’re new to this, have no fear. Look to the 15 influencers listed below for guidance on the topic. They can help you get started or finesse your approach. Here are the Top Social and Web Analytics Experts to follow (in alphabetical order): Gary Angel , president of Semphonic.  Katie D. Don’t miss: Finally! MORE >>