This week on Sprout Social Insights we tackled guides for Facebook, Twitter, and small business to help you better reach your customers with the social media tools that make a difference.

Check out our articles below to find out more about each one and how they can help you with your social media goals.

And check in every day to Sprout Social Insights for more how to guides and breaking social media news.

How Far Will Twitter Go With Advertising?

Remember when everyone wondered how Twitter would start making money? In 2011, Twitter proved it could successfully sell advertising without damaging the user experience. It did that through its Promoted Tweets, Promoted Trends, and Promoted Accounts products.

As it turned out, advertisers got great results too. Engagement rates are reportedly high and renewal rates are impressive. Now, everyone wonders: How far will Twitter go with advertising? Where will Twitter stop with advertising?

Let’s take a look at the key indicators that suggest Twitter is still at the beginning of its path to leveraging advertising opportunities. [ Read More... ]

3 Creative Ways Realtors Use Mobile Apps

It’s hard to think of a profession that can gain more from the proliferation of mobile apps than realtors. Whether a real estate agent is helping a client buy or sell a home or commercial property, a large percentage of a realtor’s day is spent on the go.

Instead of hand-delivering documents, waiting until a fax machine is in reach, or sending a contract through the mail, agents can complete tasks immediately using their mobile devices. Let’s take a look at some of the creative ways realtors use mobile apps and shed some light on how much this industry has changed thanks to mobile technology. [ Read More... ]

Twitter Success Story: Modern Cafe

This week we’re profiling a real-world Twitter Success Story. We’ll show you how Modern Cafe — an urban restaurant in Nanaimo, Canada — was able to use Twitter to turn a potentially harmful social media attack into a positive lesson in community building and effective crisis management. [ Read More... ]

Why Google Is Adding Social Search Features

With Google’s recent launch of “Search Plus Your World,” the debate for and against Google adding social search features to its algorithm has reached a fevered pitch; even the Federal Trade Commission has added Google’s social search functionality to a growing list of Google antitrust concerns.

While it’s been suggested by more than one search expert that Search Plus Your World clearly favors Google-owned results (particularly Google+) over other, more objectively relevant results, it appears that social search is here to stay. Here are some of the primary reasons why Google is adding social search features to its core search functionality.
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Pinterest vs. Tumblr: Which Is Better for Brands?

Pinterest and Tumblr are among the hippest consumer social networks today, and you should consider dedicating some of your marketing resources to at least one or the other — but which one is most effective?

As with all social media marketing tools, the best strategic plan for brand growth is to surround consumers with branded content, so they can self-select how they want to experience your brand and interact with it. That means in an ideal situation, your brand would have a presence on both Pinterest and Tumblr.

However, it’s not always possible to be all places at once due to a lack of budget and resources. If you need to choose between Pinterest and Tumblr, read on to learn which is the better option. [ Read More... ]

3 Creative Ways Realtors Use YouTube

If you’ve recently been in the market to either buy or sell a house, chances are you’ve seen a realtor’s video on YouTube. In a recent industry survey, 73 percent of homeowners said they’re more likely to list with a realtor who uses video to market his or her properties. In other words, it’s clear that video is a powerful marketing tool for realtors.

This article shows you three creative ways that realtors are going beyond the traditional “walk-around” style videos, and how you can use these more innovative approaches to increase your chances of landing clients and closing sales. [ Read More... ]

Where Blue Ocean Strategy and Social Media Meet

Would you rather be in combat with your competition, fiercely battling for each and every customer, or would you rather set up shop on a tropical island, where customers line up to buy your products and services?

You’d probably prefer the option of a wide-open market with no competition, yet in reality you probably find yourself embroiled in an endless struggle with your competitors — a proverbial red ocean. But adept business leaders can find a space where they are uncontested and free to thrive. The “blue ocean” is the place where your competition has been rendered irrelevant and you own the market because you created it yourself.

Even though this strategy was formulated a number of years ago, the current social media phenomenon makes it easier than ever to achieve the goals set out in the blue ocean strategy. This article will explain the concept of blue ocean strategy, and how it intersects with social media, so that you can navigate your way to the open waters of business success. [ Read More... ]

20 Google+ Terms and Definitions You Need to Know

Even though it’s been less than a year since the launch of Google+, there are already 90 million people who have joined this emerging social network.

Some analysts predict that by the end of 2012, the Google+ community will surpass 400 million people. That may be far behind Facebook’s 800 million members, but it still represents an impressive growth rate.

To make things easier for people who are still getting up to speed on the world of Google+, here are 20 terms and definitions you need to know in order to join the conversation and community on Google+. [ Read More... ]

After the IPO: 5 Facebook News Updates You Should Know

This week, we’re reviewing a dramatic week in Facebook news, from the company’s IPO to some of its telling feature pushes.

Exactly what the social networks $5 billion initial public offering means for businesses and consumers isn’t yet clear, but we can look at this eventful week of Facebook updates and revelations for some clues about what’s coming. Here’s what we’ve seen happen this week. [ Read More... ]

[Image Credits: Maria Hagglof, Mark Belokopytov, Jeffrey Klein, Francis Bourgouin, platinumhdtv, Badruddeen, Audio Visual Junkie]