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Powered by Google, Googe+ is also considered as one of the youngest social media sites on the Web. Although some users don’t like it, the social network is viewed by others as a challenge by Facebook’s domination. Having over 90 million users and an increasing influence on search, Google+ has definitely emerged as a key player in the online marketing space.

Google+ Quick Facts

Of course, before you can use Google+ for your social media marketing campaign, you need to familiarize yourself first with this kind of network. Listed below are Google+ quick facts, as posted by HubSpot:

1. Pages can be created for various entities and purposes, while a profile can only be made for people.
2. Everything listed on the Google+ Page is viewable to the public by default.
3. Pages have +1 button, which works similar to Facebook Page’s “Like.”
4. Unlike Facebook Pages, Google+ Pages don’t receive notifications via email, SMS, or in the Google bar.
5. Pages cannot add people to their Circles unless they are added or mentioned.
6. Pages cannot mention a user unless he or she is connected.
7. Google+ Pages cannot share their “Extended Circles.”
8. Pages cannot +1 other pages or content on the Web.
9. Google+ Page automatically unfollow a user when it is unfollowed.
10. Each Local Page has a special field that lets potential followers and audience to easily locate the business’ physical store.

Why Google+ Matters

It may not provide efficient user experience similar to Facebook, but Google+ can contribute something to a brand’s social media marketing campaign.

Google+ allows users to create business page and build relationships with target audience on multiple levels. They can also add a page on a specific Google+ Circle, share it with their network, and interact with its content. For example, users can +1 (their own version of Like or Recommend) the updates published by a brand. They can also comment, upload photos, and tag the brand in their content.

What also makes Google+ unique is its Hangouts feature. It enables brands and companies to engage with their fans and prospects with the help of video chat. According to Dennis Troper, product management director of Google:

“We want to help you make the same kinds of lasting connections with your customers online the way you can in real life.”

It may not beat up Facebook’s popularity, but Google+ can help you keep your fans engaged to your brand. Plus, it can help you rank your content on its search engine.

The post What You Need to Know About Google+ appeared first on About Social Media.

During his first public interview following Facebook’s IPO, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said their biggest mistake was making big bets on HTML5 for their mobile apps. The social media website was one of the first major companies to embrace the HTML5. They didn’t only use it for the site’s mobile Web experience; it was also their basis for iOS and Android apps.

What Makes HTML5 a Big Mistake?

Creating mobile Web apps was based on the idea that HTML5 would make it easy to develop a single application for multiple platforms and screen sizes. Facebook also thought that the overall experience would be similar to a native app, and it didn’t account for stability or speed.

The biggest mistake we made as a company was betting too much on HTML5 as opposed to native … It just wasn’t ready.

For the last two years, the social networking giant was focused on HTML5. When asked about their lack of official app for iPad in 2010, the CEO replied that “the iPad isn’t mobile.” That was before they found out that HTML5 can be a better solution for delivering Facebook experience to tablets.

In fact, CTO Bret Taylor said that the mark-up language played a critical role in creating consistent user experience across the social network’s mobile sites and applications. However, it still can’t outweigh the downsides of HTML5. This includes being less stable and pulling in data slower than native apps. Perhaps this is the reason why Facebook completely overhauled its iOS app last August.

Last month, Facebook rolled out a massive update for its iOS app, saying that it is “rebuilt so it’s faster and easier to use.” Its iOS application has faced criticism for the past 18 months because it is slow and unresponsive. It was said that the culprit behind its drawback is its reliance to HTML5.

Facebook on Mobile Web

Zuckerberg stated that they are now focused on continuously improving the native mobile experience for iOS users, while an Android app is coming soon. Since the social network giant had spend so much time building its system to efficiently process mobile apps data, it lost precious time that it could have spent in focusing and developing bigger and greater applications.

But this doesn’t mean that Facebook will no longer work with HTML5, especially when it comes to its mobile website for non-iOS and non-Android devices. It’s just that it won’t buy the “write once, run everywhere” bandwagon anymore.

The post Investing Too Much on HTML is Zuckerberg’s Biggest Mistake appeared first on About Social Media.

Instead of touring in museums or strolling along the streets of New York, London, or Paris, users can now discover great artists through the Web.

Artspace, an online art dealer, launched a four-week art contest on the social network and blogging site Tumblr. The competition prompts artists to not only post an eye-catching art, but to encourage their followers to like their works, as well. It appears that talent is not enough, as social networking will also count.

Next Artspace Artist on Tumblr

Participating artists are required to upload their entries on Tumblr using the hashtag #NEXTArtspaceArtist. Each week, three semifinalists are selected based on the number of times that the entry was reblogged, liked, shared on other social media sites, or emailed to a friend.

To enter this contest, all you need to do is submit an example of your art (in JPG form) here along with a brief artist statement (300 words), a link to your online portfolio (or Tumblr), and your contact information. After you’ve submitted, we will notify you by email if you have been chosen as a featured contender.

The top 12 contestants will have a face off in another competition with the same mechanics, which will decrease the number of entries to top three. From there, the winner will be chosen by a group of professionals. These includes BAMart Curator Dave Harper, Eleven Rivington Director Augusto Arbizo, and Hyperallergic Editor Hrag Vartanian.

During the first week of the contest, it appears that photography is the favorite medium in Tumblr. This is because the winners chosen were images showing a mountain of abandoned books, jumping dog, and a woman’s sneering face. The second week of the contest has just started, and users can cast their votes at the Next Artspace Artist’s page on Tumblr.

More About Artspace

Artspace is one of the several sites that sell artworks online. Their goal is to bring art to millions of Internet users all over the world. The online art dealer provides a large selection of photography and prints with prices that are accessible to first-time buyers. In addition, Artspace Co-founder Catherine Levene said in an interview with Tumblr:

We are the only website where you can put your credit card in and buy a work from world-renowned artists of this caliber from across the globe.

However, interested buyers might need to have a black card from American Express, as the online art dealer has a selection of original works with prices starting at $500,000. In fact, a piece by Cy Twombly, an artist famous for his large scale graffiti-like artworks, is available at $2.5 million.

The post Join Tumblr’s Content and Be the Next Great Artist appeared first on About Social Media.