Spotify is on fire with announcements these days. Fresh off of the news that the music-streaming service is partnering with companies such Coca-Cola and will build branded apps for them within the platform, the company is rolling out a preview of its new and improved Android app.
Spotify for Android is getting a new design with easier navigation and a feature that allows you to check out friends’ profile pages. Although it won’t be live in the Google Play store yet, it is available for download as a preview app starting now.
Among other new features of the app that runs with full support for Android 4.0 are more artist imagery in high resolution, faster navigation and a related artist view tool.
“That’s not the end of it,” Spotify said in a press release. “We’re working hard on adding further features, including folders and Last FM scrobbling, before the app goes live in Google Play.”
SEE ALSO: Spotify Details Strategic Partnership with Coca-Cola
To gain access to the Android preview, set your phone to allow installation from “Unknown Sources” by going to the Settings, Applications and then Unknown sources menu. When finished, click the button below to get the update.
Many many are expecting a Spotify iPad app soon, and Spotify CEO Daniel Ek said during a press conference on Wednesday that it’s “in the works.”
In addition to recently announcing partnerships with various brands, last week Spotify launched a tool for music fans and web editors to embed playlists, songs or albums to a website or blog for free. The Spotify Play Button was designed to give users a way to legally share music online.
Spotify also recently announced plans to keep the service free in the U.S. indefinitely. The company initially granted U.S. consumers access to the platform with no restrictions for six months. For those who didn’t sign up for a premium package — ranging from $4.99 to $9.99 a month — the site would be limited to 10 free hours of streaming music each month. It’s unknown how long the streaming service will remain free in the U.S.
Thursday 19 April 2012
Tuesday 17 April 2012
Google Drive to Launch Next Week With 5 GB of Free Storage
Google‘s foray into personal cloud storage, Google Drive, is about to launch next week, according to a report from The Next Web.
Citing a draft release from one of Google’s launch partners for the service, TNW claims the service will initially be free, giving out 5 GB of storage to every user.
The details on how, exactly, Google Drive will integrate with your PC are scarce; “desktop folder” integration on Mac and Windows machines is mentioned, but not explained.
The launch date could very well be real. In February 2012, a report (with screenshots) said the service is already live for some users, which usually means the official launch is coming soon.
Furthermore, TechCrunch has discovered a Google Drive OS X app, which currently does nothing, but it’s also another indicator of an imminent launch.
Google’s biggest competitor in this field is Dropbox, which currently offers 2 GB of free storage to users. What do you think: Does Google Drive have what it takes to compete with Dropbox? What other features would you like to see from Google’s online storage service? Share your opinions in the comments.
Citing a draft release from one of Google’s launch partners for the service, TNW claims the service will initially be free, giving out 5 GB of storage to every user.
The details on how, exactly, Google Drive will integrate with your PC are scarce; “desktop folder” integration on Mac and Windows machines is mentioned, but not explained.
The launch date could very well be real. In February 2012, a report (with screenshots) said the service is already live for some users, which usually means the official launch is coming soon.
Furthermore, TechCrunch has discovered a Google Drive OS X app, which currently does nothing, but it’s also another indicator of an imminent launch.
Google’s biggest competitor in this field is Dropbox, which currently offers 2 GB of free storage to users. What do you think: Does Google Drive have what it takes to compete with Dropbox? What other features would you like to see from Google’s online storage service? Share your opinions in the comments.
Thursday 12 April 2012
Google+ Redesign: Here’s What’s New
Google’s social network got a redesign on Wednesday that makes it prettier and easier to navigate.
“It accelerates our efforts to create a simpler, more beautiful Google,” Google Senior Vice President Vic Gundotra argued in a blog post announcing the redesign.
Some of the design elements included in the update echo Facebook Timeline, such as a cover photo that sprawls across the top of the profile and bigger photo and video displays. Others, like a customizable navigation ribbon that now runs along the left side of all pages, are new to mainstream social media.
In addition to prettying up its look and improving navigation features, Google made efforts to better highlight some of Plus’s pre-existing features. A new Hangouts page, for instance, shows Hangout invitations from people in your circles and makes it easier to browse upcoming hangouts. With a new Explore page, users can see the content that is trending across the network.
Reactions to the redesign itself have been largely positive. Forbes called it “simply more gorgeous than Facebook.” Wired noted that “Overall, the new Google+ look is cleaner and seems to make better use of the real estate.” Fast Company agreed with this general sentiment, but added that it doesn’t really matter.
“It’s better in almost every way, focused on real-time trends, customization, and playing to Google’s few advantages they have in the space,” wrote Mark Wilson on the news site. “But, you know, it’s just a little too late for design alone to save the day.”
“It accelerates our efforts to create a simpler, more beautiful Google,” Google Senior Vice President Vic Gundotra argued in a blog post announcing the redesign.
Some of the design elements included in the update echo Facebook Timeline, such as a cover photo that sprawls across the top of the profile and bigger photo and video displays. Others, like a customizable navigation ribbon that now runs along the left side of all pages, are new to mainstream social media.
In addition to prettying up its look and improving navigation features, Google made efforts to better highlight some of Plus’s pre-existing features. A new Hangouts page, for instance, shows Hangout invitations from people in your circles and makes it easier to browse upcoming hangouts. With a new Explore page, users can see the content that is trending across the network.
Reactions to the redesign itself have been largely positive. Forbes called it “simply more gorgeous than Facebook.” Wired noted that “Overall, the new Google+ look is cleaner and seems to make better use of the real estate.” Fast Company agreed with this general sentiment, but added that it doesn’t really matter.
“It’s better in almost every way, focused on real-time trends, customization, and playing to Google’s few advantages they have in the space,” wrote Mark Wilson on the news site. “But, you know, it’s just a little too late for design alone to save the day.”
Tuesday 10 April 2012
Pinterest is Now the No. 3 Social Network in the U.S.
Pinterest is now the number three most-popular social network in the U.S., behind Facebook and Twitter, according to Experian Hitwise.
A new report from the researcher shows Pinterest got 21.5 million visits during the week ending Jan. 28, a nearly 30-fold increase over a comparable week in July. Not surprisingly, the site skews female with a 60/40 ration of women to men visitors.
Experian rep Matt Tatham says Pinterest beat its next-closest competitor, LinkedIn, in total visits in February. Tatham says the rankings by total visits for March is as follows:
1. Facebook: 7 billion
2. Twitter: 182 million
3. Pinterest: 104 million
4. LinkedIn: 86 million
5. Tagged: 72 million
6. Google+: 61 million
The report, which tracks visits rather than unique visitors, is based on web traffic and doesn’t factor in visits from mobile sites. According to Experian’s reckoning, Foursquare only got 2.9 million visits in March and Instagram got 10.2 million.
ComScore, which doesn’t measure mobile traffic either, but ranks sites by uniques rather than total visits, did not include Pinterest in its list of the top 50 web properties in February. However, LinkedIn made number 27 with 36 million visitors. ComScore listed Pinterest as its number three “top-gaining” properties, however, with 17.8 million total visitors that month. ComScore’s March figures were not available at press time.
A new report from the researcher shows Pinterest got 21.5 million visits during the week ending Jan. 28, a nearly 30-fold increase over a comparable week in July. Not surprisingly, the site skews female with a 60/40 ration of women to men visitors.
Experian rep Matt Tatham says Pinterest beat its next-closest competitor, LinkedIn, in total visits in February. Tatham says the rankings by total visits for March is as follows:
1. Facebook: 7 billion
2. Twitter: 182 million
3. Pinterest: 104 million
4. LinkedIn: 86 million
5. Tagged: 72 million
6. Google+: 61 million
The report, which tracks visits rather than unique visitors, is based on web traffic and doesn’t factor in visits from mobile sites. According to Experian’s reckoning, Foursquare only got 2.9 million visits in March and Instagram got 10.2 million.
ComScore, which doesn’t measure mobile traffic either, but ranks sites by uniques rather than total visits, did not include Pinterest in its list of the top 50 web properties in February. However, LinkedIn made number 27 with 36 million visitors. ComScore listed Pinterest as its number three “top-gaining” properties, however, with 17.8 million total visitors that month. ComScore’s March figures were not available at press time.
Thursday 5 April 2012
4 Facebook Features Marketers Can’t Afford to Ignore
If you have a brand or a business to market chances are you’re using a social media management application to monitor online mentions, schedule updates, and generate reports. But if you really want to be an effective marketer, you need to develop a deeper understanding of which networks are most vital to your company, and what network features are key. In Facebook’s case, we’re talking about some powerful community management components that are unmatched by its competitors, and often overlooked by marketing pros. Here are the four that simply can’t be ignored.
1. Activity Log
Facebook’s activity log is like a Facebook Timeline for every interaction that fans have with your page. It also includes updates you’ve made, like comments or Facebook Questions. What makes this tool unique and powerful is that it offers an archive of your Facebook interactions that you can review at any time. This is useful for tracking how well you’re following up and engaging with fans, and what kind of feedback you’re getting from them during specific events.
2. Demographic Targeting
The manage tab in Facebook Page’s Admin Panel allows you to publish updates to specific demographic groups. The feature isn’t as robust as it should be, but it lets you reach out to people who, for example, speak a certain language. This is useful if your page serves audiences in different countries.
Netflix is a prime example. Due to the nature of its content licensing deals, the site offers different movie and TV-show libraries in the United States than it does in Canada. If the Netflix page administrator wants to announce a new movie that’s only available in one country, he or she can hide that update from fans in the other. Other options include making a post completely invisible to people outside of a certain location, or to people under a certain age.
3.Twitter Linking
Cross-promoting between social networks is a critical component of any social media marketing strategy. Facebook recognizes this, which is why it offers the ability to link your Facebook page to Twitter for the purpose of publishing updates to both sites.
The one caveat is that the implementation here is slanted pretty heavily towards promoting Facebook. This means tweets that originate from your Facebook page always have a link back to Facebook. If that’s not your thing, you can supplement with a third-party tool.
4. Smart Moderation
You probably already know how to moderate individual comments on Facebook, but you can also dive into your Facebook Page’s settings and add specific terms you want to automatically block. While it’s better to allow open conversation on your Facebook page — customers don’t like to be censored — there will be specific situations that call for more control. This tool will give you that.
1. Activity Log
Facebook’s activity log is like a Facebook Timeline for every interaction that fans have with your page. It also includes updates you’ve made, like comments or Facebook Questions. What makes this tool unique and powerful is that it offers an archive of your Facebook interactions that you can review at any time. This is useful for tracking how well you’re following up and engaging with fans, and what kind of feedback you’re getting from them during specific events.
2. Demographic Targeting
The manage tab in Facebook Page’s Admin Panel allows you to publish updates to specific demographic groups. The feature isn’t as robust as it should be, but it lets you reach out to people who, for example, speak a certain language. This is useful if your page serves audiences in different countries.
Netflix is a prime example. Due to the nature of its content licensing deals, the site offers different movie and TV-show libraries in the United States than it does in Canada. If the Netflix page administrator wants to announce a new movie that’s only available in one country, he or she can hide that update from fans in the other. Other options include making a post completely invisible to people outside of a certain location, or to people under a certain age.
3.Twitter Linking
Cross-promoting between social networks is a critical component of any social media marketing strategy. Facebook recognizes this, which is why it offers the ability to link your Facebook page to Twitter for the purpose of publishing updates to both sites.
The one caveat is that the implementation here is slanted pretty heavily towards promoting Facebook. This means tweets that originate from your Facebook page always have a link back to Facebook. If that’s not your thing, you can supplement with a third-party tool.
4. Smart Moderation
You probably already know how to moderate individual comments on Facebook, but you can also dive into your Facebook Page’s settings and add specific terms you want to automatically block. While it’s better to allow open conversation on your Facebook page — customers don’t like to be censored — there will be specific situations that call for more control. This tool will give you that.
Tuesday 3 April 2012
Three Things You Need to Leap Into Pinterest
As marketers ponder what to do with Pinterest, a few leading companies are reaping considerable traffic and sales from the emerging platform, now one of the most popular social media channels for women 25-54. There’s a debate going on as to whether B2C companies in the consumer goods space are the only beneficiaries of this growth, or whether B2B and services companies can also leverage it. Colleagues across the country are weighing in, with some B2B firms finding that there’s value there for all. The debate over whether to join Pinterest or not, whether it’s relevant or not for your industry, misses something of the point: companies do well on the channel if they resonate with the core audience. Industry is less important than finding a niche that’s fresh, relevant, and works in the unique universe of Pinterest.
Regardless of industry, there are a few things every great Pinterest page has in common:
Image
Passion-Pinterest is the community for hobbyists and enthusiasts of all stripes, from quilters to knitters to graphic design fans. You need to share your audience’s enthusiasm if you’re going to connect on a visceral, meaningful level. It’s better to pin what you’re passionate about than to devote hours to pinning content that is purely meant to make a sale. Find your company’s niche, one you can geek out on, whether that’s a pinboard of great fonts for a creative agency, financial infographics for a bank, or social media quotes.
Quality-Pinterest’s community, more than any other, is quite vocal about wanting to keep the channel free from promotional content. Sure, you may see pins that are not of any interest to you, but that’s part of the charm of the channel—it’s all about niche passions and individual creativity. Pins of high quality, meaning something that’s meaningful, visually compelling, and professionally-produced, attract thousands of repins. Make sure your images are truly appealing. For consumer products, it’s essential to invest in professional photography and perhaps even a photo stylist. For services, top graphic design quality is a must. Spammy content gets voted off the Pinterest island very fast.
Fun-For a channel that focuses on the creative side of life, it’s essential for companies to bring fun to the table. Contests that encourage interaction among brand advocates, great images, and personable comments need to be the order of the day on Pinterest. Again, it hearkens back to the idea of passion—choose topics for your boards that you truly can engage with, and don’t be afraid to exercise creativity in how you position products and services. This is a new, experimental channel for many companies, with few hard and fast rules. Your audience is on Pinterest for recreation, so facilitating that fun is a great way to win loyal followers.
Putting these three keys to Pinterest into play is the essence of making it work for marketers.
Regardless of industry, there are a few things every great Pinterest page has in common:
Image
Passion-Pinterest is the community for hobbyists and enthusiasts of all stripes, from quilters to knitters to graphic design fans. You need to share your audience’s enthusiasm if you’re going to connect on a visceral, meaningful level. It’s better to pin what you’re passionate about than to devote hours to pinning content that is purely meant to make a sale. Find your company’s niche, one you can geek out on, whether that’s a pinboard of great fonts for a creative agency, financial infographics for a bank, or social media quotes.
Quality-Pinterest’s community, more than any other, is quite vocal about wanting to keep the channel free from promotional content. Sure, you may see pins that are not of any interest to you, but that’s part of the charm of the channel—it’s all about niche passions and individual creativity. Pins of high quality, meaning something that’s meaningful, visually compelling, and professionally-produced, attract thousands of repins. Make sure your images are truly appealing. For consumer products, it’s essential to invest in professional photography and perhaps even a photo stylist. For services, top graphic design quality is a must. Spammy content gets voted off the Pinterest island very fast.
Fun-For a channel that focuses on the creative side of life, it’s essential for companies to bring fun to the table. Contests that encourage interaction among brand advocates, great images, and personable comments need to be the order of the day on Pinterest. Again, it hearkens back to the idea of passion—choose topics for your boards that you truly can engage with, and don’t be afraid to exercise creativity in how you position products and services. This is a new, experimental channel for many companies, with few hard and fast rules. Your audience is on Pinterest for recreation, so facilitating that fun is a great way to win loyal followers.
Putting these three keys to Pinterest into play is the essence of making it work for marketers.
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