Find out the latest news about the services you used daily online.
What’s new on the web this week? Search engine drama abounds: Google and the Justice Department don’t see eye-to-eye, and Yahoo experiences a predictably rough start with its management of Tumblr. Meanwhile, in social media, we offer advice on how to enhance your tweets with the Vine app and why your Facebook profile shouldn’t be your flagship site.
“Get a Warrant!” says Google
In the ever-present search for the balance between individual privacy and national security, Google and the Department of Justice have come to legal blows in Manhattan. Google claims that the FBI’s National Security Letters (NSLs), which give federal agents the right to access to user records without having to obtain warrants, are unconstitutional. The FBI has filed a petition to enforce the NSLs Google has challenged. It’s difficult to imagine that this Internet giant would refuse to comply with government orders without cause, especially when the goal is to keep Americans safe. No doubt there’s more going on behind the scenes, so stay tuned.
Tumblr: Run by a Bunch of Yahoos?
When rumors of Yahoo’s acquisition of popular social media blogging site Tumblr began to circulate, its young, savvy fan base expressed concern, and after the official announcement on May 20, they objected vociferously. In the past few weeks, they haven’t been thrilled with the changes Yahoo has made. If Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer wants to make good on her promise to “not screw [Tumblr] up,” she, her staff, and Tumblr founder David Karp, who is retaining his leadership position, are going to have to start paying close attention to user feedback. And they’re going to have to balance users’ demands and preferences with the desires of their family-friendly and corporate advertisers, who won’t be crazy about a good deal of the user-shared content.
Growing Your Brand on Vine
Twitter’s Vine app, released this past January, allows you to create and share short looping videos. Vine is a top iTunes download and can help ecommerce businesses to attract thousands of new followers when a clever, relevant clip goes viral. If you’re looking to improve your Twitter page and bolster your brand’s presence on the site, Vine can help you make it happen. Get some ideas on what makes for appealing, funny, sharable videos that everyone will be re-tweeting.
Home Sweet Homepage
Speaking of social media, we all know it’s revolutionized the business of online marketing. But, in your enthusiasm for Facebook and Twitter, don’t forget that these sites are businesses, just like yours. The policies and terms they create and the services they offer are a function of their own bottom lines, not yours. So, while it’s important to leverage them in order to connect to customers in new ways, be sure that the ultimate destination for your company is your own website. Yes, you want them to visit your social media profiles, but from there, attract them to your home page, where you have a far greater say in how they interact with your brand.
