From time to time I like to give a shoutout to a resource that I found particularly helpful. This time I would like to recommend a free ebook from HubSpot called 55 Brands Rocking Social Media with Visual Content if you are in the market for some quick reading and some quick tips on visual social media marketing (because, of course, it is all the rage).

The books introduction states:

The times they are a-changin'. These famous words of Bob Dylan can easily be applied to the rapidly evolving character of social media. No doubt, social media is changing--it's rushing into its most visual stage. If you aren’t prepared for the visual content revolution, you may be left in the dust. That’s why the HubSpot marketing team compiled this list of 55 brands killing it with visual content on these top four visually-driven social networks. Use this for inspiration to launch your visual content strategy. 

Flip through our presentation to learn how you can use visual content on:

• Facebook 

• Pinterest 

• Twitter 

• Instagram

Myspace (yes, that's right... I'm talking about Myspace) is undergoing an entire makeover and it doesn't look half bad. On their site they say:

We’re hard at work building the new Myspace, entirely from scratch. But we’re staying true to our roots in one important way—empowering people to express themselves however they want. So whether you’re a musician, photographer, filmmaker, designer or just a dedicated fan, we’d love for you to be a part of our brand new community.

Here is the video they provide as a sneak peak:


So visual! I kind of love it. Sort of a Pinterest feel, yet different. It seems to be optimized for tablets which, if true, will really set it apart from its competitors.

I feel weird saying that I like it, but I do. And honestly, I think I'll be checking it out when it debuts. All I need to do is remember my Myspace login information. Hmm...

It looks like the new Myspace is going to be invite only at least in the beginning. You can request an invite at new.myspace.com.

What do you think? Once you're known as the uncool club can you rise back to the top? Is it too late for Myspace?

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The big trend in 2012 social media has been, and will continue to be, visual media. This trend makes perfect sense when you think about the way humans are hard-wired. According to a study conducted by 3M, we process visuals 60,000 times faster than text! That speed may seem hard to grasp but if you think about the current obsessions on the internet, all of them include a visual element.

• Blog Images - It's no secret that images sell newspapers (just look at what's getting your attention about the front page) and this recipe for success has been transferred to newspapers' digital counterpart, the blog, with the same undenying success.
• Facebook - With the introduction of Timeline earlier this year, brands (and the average user) are now having more visual experiences on Facebook. The Timeline itself, framed by the Cover Photo, gives a visual storyboard of a brand's evolution (and of a person's life). If you play your cards right, this is visual storytelling at its best.
• Memes - You no longer need a witty comeback up your sleeve, just grab something from the internet's arsenal of memes and you'll be sure to make a point without having to say anything at all.  This images are worth a thousand words.
• Instagram - The mobile app Instagram allows anyone to take beautiful photos with their smartphone. Over a billion photos have been uploaded and posted through Instagram by both individuals and brands. It's a newer platform but brands are starting to use it more and more to capture the still beauty of their company. Instagram was recently acquired by Facebook, which means we should be seeing even more visual integration into Facebook.
• Pinterest - The latest (and greatest) of social media is one of the most visual social networks out there. Pinterest is the fastest growing independent social network and sends more referral traffic to other sites than Google+, LinkedIn, and YouTube combined. Its quick growth and addictive qualities points toward the desire to consume visual content.
• Infographics - An infographic is basically a visual representation of a story, typically featuring data. Its rise in popularity across all networks shows that people want visual content and want to interpret data differently.

The Future of Visual Social Media?

• Mico Video Blogging - In addition to still images that are all the rave right now, I believe we will see the increase of micro video blogging through platforms like Viddy--the Instagram of video editing.
• Google+ - In addition to its spring closing in acquiring Picnik, Google has just acquired Snapseed. As a competitor of Instagram, Snapseed is a photo editing tool that could transform Google+, along with Picnik, into a visually stimulating social network, which it is currently lacking. Google+ already has photo editing tools available but they are not widely utilized.