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You’ve listened to the hype. You’ve read case study after case study. You’ve seen that little bird logo everywhere. And your brand could certainly use a little push. So, excitedly, you sign up for a Twitter profile for your business. And wait.

 

And wait. And wait. And nothing happens.

 

Does this sound familiar?...

 

[Terrific Twitter tips to transform your business ~ Jeff ]

Via Jeff Domansky

According to the polls, President Barack Obama is in a tight race with challenger Mitt Romney. But he can take a little solace in the fact that he's trouncing his Republican opponent in social media. (Then again, we assume the President of the United States isn't the sort who'd actually mistake social-media success for real-world success.)

Then again, it's not a surprise that Mr. Obama is in the lead. He has the benefit of being the leader of the free world and having that much-vaunted digital team from 2008. Mr. Romney, on the other hand, spent the better part of the last year in a contentious primary with Republican rivals -- and convincing reluctant Republican voters that he was conservative enough for their nomination.

 

What might be surprising -- and infuriating to social-media gurus everywhere -- is how little candidates and their teams are using social media for engagement. As we noted last week, Pew Research Center's Project for Excellence in Journalism study found that both campaigns are treating social as a broadcast medium more than anything else.

 

The social media habits of the Obama and Romney campaigns do reflect reality, however. Domestic and economic issues dominate the conversation.

Via Tocquigny

It sounds like a surreal urban myth: birds in cities may be deliberately incorporating cigarette ends into their nests to ward off insect parasites. But scientists in Mexico offer compelling evidence that it is true.

Via The QI Elves

Suzy Holdfast writes from London’s West End and by reading this article you can catch up with what is happening with celeb entertainment in London, find the most popular low cut dresses that are so called off the wall, catch up with Damian Lewis, Nicole Scherzinger, Rita Ora and a swift reminder about Robbie Williams, British Fashion Awards and see if you can find the connection with good old David Niven 007. Stinky weather in London this week – started wet then got nose-icicle cold but celebs everywhere to brighten it up. Can’t help smelling the plastic they’re made of. PR people very pushy last couple of days. Feeling nervous?

 

http://www.stirringtroubleinternationally.com/2012/12/07/low-cut-dresses-high-cut-taches-its-been-an-off-the-shoulder-and-off-the-wall-celeb-week-in-london/

Obama for America's outbound director on the origin, and future, of history's first presidential campaign Tumblr...

 

The president was not impressed.

 

Or, more accurately, the president was Not Impressed. When, earlier this month, the newly re-elected commander-in-chief met the gymnasts of the U.S. Olympic team, he did what any president would do: He took a photo op, posing with the Fierce Five in the Oval Office. But he also did something that not every president would do: He took a meme op. The president stood next to McKayla Maroney, she of #notimpressed fame, and the pair reenacted her signature scowl.

 

The photo that resulted -- a months-old meme, ossified in Internet time, made fresh by the fact that it was being acted out by a president -- was promptly posted to the Obama campaign's Tumblr, barackobama.tumblr.com, where it joined a series of fellow memes -- and animated GIFs, and videos, and snappy commentary, and earnest commentary, and other such Items of Internet. The image of a meme-faced Commander-in-Chief, cheeky and epic at the same time, was -- or, at least, seemed -- tailor-made for social media. And for, in particular, Tumblr, a medium that manages to mix irony and sincerity in pretty much equal measure....

 

[Sort of the "meme that roared!" LOL But a very different take on the social media approaches and wins by both sides. ~ Jeff]

Via Jeff Domansky