During the past few years, social media has been an individual sport: A way to put out your shingle and start making a name for yourself. While groups, businesses and associations can all leverage the tools, there is often the feeling that social media has been meant to level the playing field rather than support traditional hierarchy. The Read & Trust network is a fantastic example of writers banding together to both help raise awareness for their individual work while building a business model. So what is changing? So what’s next? MORE >>

below is his latest infographic on Social Networks Adoption via a bell curved distribution (click to enlarge): From Cosenza’s article : The diffusion of new technologies follows a classic normal distribution or “bell curve” and, according to Everett Rogers’ studies ( Diffusion of Innovation , 1962), anyone who engages with a given innovation fits into one of five categories: innovators (2.5% Each of these groups has unique psychographic characteristics that cause people to be more or less likely to adopt a given technology at a particular point in time. MORE >>

Back in July 2010, I wrote a post called “52 Cool Facts About Social Media” I wanted to have a look at some of the mind-boggling and truly impressive numbers from this space we play in. also wanted to offer a fun fact for every week of the year, for anyone playing social media trivia games. So, to bring some of these figures up to date, as well as include some of the newer names on the scene, here’s 52 cool facts about social media, the 2012 edition. Statistics from Economist, Social Times, CNN. Social Media Influence Platforms. MORE >>

Social media and PR would seem to be natural allies. So why do corporate PR and social media efforts so often appear disconnected and out of sync? To be sure, some agencies and companies get it, and do an effective job integrating social media and PR efforts. But many organizations in both groups still treat the functions as separate silos—or worse, mix them awkwardly, damaging both efforts. But integrated properly, social media can help amplify PR efforts, and effective PR can help generate social media coverage. MORE >>

Social media is an interesting animal. And that made me think some more: what is the hidden remarkability in the lives of those we encounter every day – or, at least, every few days – in social media? So I asked the question: “What remarkable thing have you done that your social networks do NOT know about you?&#. “I had a youth group of over 150 teenagers. Public Relations Social Media building relationships community building what makes you remarkableImage: digitalbob8 via Flickr, CC 2.0. GPA.&#. O.M.G! MORE >>