ComMetrics weekly review: FTC to marketing via Twitter

Short link blogging coming your way this week: our top stories include how 50 global brands use Twitter, why we should focus more on inbound than outbound marketing, and how to make email marketing more conversational. Plus, check out some free tools, including recruiting secrets.

In case you missed the last six weeks’ best links:

Very useful links: Microsoft vs. Facebook vs. SAP for week 35.
Very useful links: Data-theft to tweet-deaths via free tools for week 36.
Very useful links: NFL bans Twitter, now with adverts for week 37.
Very useful links: Real Madrid to GM via Twitter for week 38.
Very useful links: Audi to Ecofootprint via PlayStation for week 39.
Very useful links: Toyota to Razorfish via PRSA for week 40.

Social Media TOOLS and GUIDES that make a DIFFERENCE
VERY USEFUL Top 5 SEO secrets to WordPress

VERY USEFUL => The best WordPress plugins for bloggers

#tips2follow – A 10-Step Guide for Developing Social Media Strategy for Recruiting

Are you one of those presenters who has nightmares before going on stage? Things just got a heck of a lot worse: you now have to integrate social media into your presentation and monitor the backchannel on Twitter to gauge your audience – how it works 101.

Social Media FIRST to Move – TRENDWATCH
#trends2watch #first2move the Federal Trade Commission or FTC will charge bloggers up to $11,000 for not disclosing paid posts.

“The revised Guides also add new examples to illustrate the long standing principle that ‘material connections’ (sometimes payments or free products) between advertisers and endorsers–connections that consumers would not expect–must be disclosed. These examples address what constitutes an endorsement when the message is conveyed by bloggers or other ‘word-of-mouth’ marketers. The revised Guides specify that while decisions will be reached on a case-by-case basis, the post of a blogger who receives cash or in-kind payment to review a product is considered an endorsement. Thus, bloggers who make an endorsement must disclose the material connections they share with the seller of the product or service.”

The FTC also has its eye on celebrities. “Celebrities have a duty to disclose their relationships with advertisers when making endorsements outside the context of traditional ads, such as on talk shows or in social media,” the release explained.

@Genuine @jowyang Bloggers are now under scrutiny from the FTC. Which blogging disclosures do you think are the best?

But the question remains: Why must bloggers disclose receiving a product from a manufacturer that they write and publish a review about online while newspapers and magazines do not? Not only is it unfair, but why distinguish disclosure by what medium is used?? #badgovernance

For sure, the FTC fails the fashion test, but this latest regulation makes things more complex while leaving the core opaque as far as celebrity endorsements and paid blog posts are concerned #blogdisclosure

Social Media MARKETING BUZZ – Building or Damaging Brand
Recent study about Twitter use: Business tweets are an attempt to raise brand awareness, brand knowledge and improve relationship management. In contrast, the purpose of personal tweets is all over the map, including sharing knowledge and telling one’s friends about a recently seen movie – sometimes wasting time?

Nevertheless, this does not allow us to conclude that there is an increasing desire for brand engagement and customer service on more community-based media…. NO sir.

Job Opening
@WomenWhoTech @InfoSecJobsUK Students @naijand @lhawthorn – IT job openings, part-time – WordPress, software, PHP… spread the word!

Actionable Metrics: Standards, Testing and Trends
What are some techniques marketers can use to make their email marketing more conversational? #tips2follow

Inbound versus outbound marketing – it’s changing but still a challenge for B2B folks

What did we miss this week? Please add what you found that was of interest in a comment below. Thank you.