Plus points for Google’s social network
Having had mixed fortunes since its launch in the summer, Google+ is finally looking ready to burst into life in 2012, if new research into the social network is to be believed. Data gathered by BrightEdge has revealed that over three quarters of the globe’s biggest brands (detailed on the Millward Brown Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands of 2011 list) are now fully set up on Google+. The exact figure comes in at 77, which is an impressive amount in such a short period of time considering 93 of the top 100 have a page on Facebook. A second survey, conducted by Simply Measured and using the top 100 brands as determined by Interbrand, found that 61 top brands have their own pages, a smaller but still significant total.
Of those 61 pages, Simply Measured found that only 13 have followings of more than 5,000, which is certainly a concern for major brands looking to expand their social media portfolio. However, further research by both companies suggests that numbers are likely to shoot up during 2012. BrightEdge found that the overall follower count for the 77 brands on Google+ has gone up from 147,000 at the time of their last survey in November (when brand pages were launched) to 222,000 in December, while Simply Measured found that the top ten Google+ brand pages had an 80% market share. 2012 appears to be shaping up nicely for G+ then.
Not that Google are going to rest on their laurels. They’re attempting to boost the visibility of the social network by placing brand pages in their search results. BrightEdge are reporting that AT&T and Toyota USA are among a handful of brands whose pages are now viewable in the SERPs. They’ve also begun making brand pages available in PPC ads. The move could land Google in further hot legal water – Senators Herb Kohl and Mike Lee have lready called upon the Federal Trade Commission to look into Google’s search business practices – but it certainly indicates the potential for Google+ in 2012. Brands will start placing more emphasis on G+ next year and as the momentum starts to build, even more brands will do the same. As Simply Measured’s CEO Adam Schoefield said: “I wonder if there’s a sense among the other brands that ‘If we don’t get on this, we could fall behind and lose ground.’” That will certainly be Google’s hope.
The People v Facebook
California residents who oppose Facebook using their image in Sponsored Stories could sue the social network after a San Jose judge ruled that the promotions are fraudulent and violate state law. In California, the non-consensual use of another person’s name, voice, signature, photograph or likeness is illegal under the Right of Publicity Statute. Revealing her judgement on the Fraley v Facebook case, US District Judge Lucy Koh wrote that the “plaintiffs have articulated a coherent theory of how they were economically injured by the misappropriation of their names, photographs and likeness.” Facebook attempted to defend themselves by claiming Sponsored Stories are significant to the people they are targeting (ie, the user’s friends) and are therefore acceptable under California law’s ‘newsworthiness’ exemption, but this was dismissed by Koh, who also threw out claims that the Likes in Sponsored Stories are covered by the site’s Terms of Use. Currently, the ruling applies only to Californian Facebook users, but it opens the site up to further class action lawsuits and the possibility of Facebook paying anyone who is successful in challenging them.
The World of Tomorrow
IBM have released this year’s ’5 for 5′, a list of five key tech predictions that they believe will have a major impact on our everyday life over the next five years. There are some intriguing possibilities, such as biometric scans replacing passwords and the potential of people to power their homes simply by moving about within it, but most interesting is their suggestion that by 2016 we’ll be able to control our computers with our minds. Basic variations on the technology are already in operation in devices to help the disabled, but IBM believes it will be taken into the mainstream during the next half-decade. “You’d just need to think about calling someone, and it would happen,” says the video explaining their selection. The IBM ’5 for 5′ has run for seven years and their picks for this year are split into Energy, Security, Mind Reading, Mobile and Analytics. What’s your favourite pick? We’re quite partial to the energy one ourselves.
It’s Friday, Friday, Friday…
YouTube have revealed the most viewed videos of 2011 and it makes for good reading for anyone who likes Friday – well ‘Friday’. Yep, the music video for Rebecca Black’s staggeringly irritating song Friday is the most viewed YouTube video of 2011 as a result of the surge of social sharing that accompanied its release earlier in the year. ‘Ultimate Dog Tease’ came second behind Black, with ‘Jack Sparrow (feat Michael Bolton)’ in third, while Black’s fellow pop stars Lady Gaga, Nicki Minaj and Chris Brown also feature on the list. According to YouTube there were over one trillion playbacks on the site this year, making for about 140 views for every person on the planet. “2011 was a year of amazing new channels and new stars being discovered, awesome creativity, and of course, Rebecca Black,” said Kevin Allocca, YouTube trends manager. “It was also a year of powerful news stories playing out on YouTube, as people witnessed and documented uprisings and natural disasters, touching personal moments and moments of protest.”
And finally…
This is the last FWM Bytes before Christmas, so we thought we’d leave you with a little festive pick. o2 have launched a Twitter and YouTube campaign that allows followers to ask for a Christmas greeting from Santa himself. All followers have to do is tweet their message with the hashtag #o2santa and they could find themselves on the big guy’s ‘Nice List’. “We felt that we should create something fun as an integrated aspect of our Christmas digital campaigning — something that gets consumers involved with us and allows o2 to deliver a bit of entertainment during the festive period,” said o2 Head of Social Media Alex Pearmain. “Our social-media channels seemed the ideal platform to do this on, and we hope this campaign will help to cut through some of the current consumer gloom and spread some festive cheer.” The promo video can be seen below…
So that’s it for FWM Bytes for this year. We hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and we’ll see you in 2012!
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