Our readers are a savvy bunch who aren't likely to be taken in by an online scam-but we've all got those friends and relatives we worry about. Here's our definitive guide to helping them stay safe online. Photo from Futurama. When training your loved ones how to keep themselves safe online,...

In a follow-up to our most recent article about crowdsourcing Tony Weimer has pulled together another 10 examples of how crowdsourcing is being used today. The power of the crowd is already being utilised by many businesses. For some, the service delivery shift is well underway and is redefining existing customer service models.

Good for the Linkedin question.

Performance metrics form the basis for measurement and continuous process improvement. To extract data from social media, conversations need to be monitored for values to which metrics can be applied. There are many excellent social listening products on the market that will track conversations about your brand, products and services.

A rare comparison of the major monitoring & engagement services: Radian6, Lithium, Attensity360 & 17 more

Which is better measurement for Success in Today's Online World?

Another look on developing a social media strategy.

This summary and review of the book, The Dragonfly Effect: Quick, Effective, and Powerful Ways to Use Social Media to Drive Social Change, was prepared by Mara Bates while an MBA student in the College of Business at Southeastern Louisiana University. The Social media that we have at our disposal today is a powerful tool.

I am reading part of The Dragonfly Effect for another class, and I found many parts of this book to relate to what we are discussing. In Wing 2 of the book there are many different statistics I found to be very interesting, so I thought I would share. " A 2004 study showed that 65 percent of consumers felt bombarded by advertising messages, and almost as many (60 percent) had a more negative opinion of advertising than even a few years prior." Another study found that " only 17 percent of consumers said they trusted people who work in the advertising industry." "90 percent of consumers trust product recommendations from personal acquaintances-making such recommendations the most trusted form of advertising."

A real example of companies positively using social media for collaborations.

People and companies use social media for different reasons every day. While that seems like a mundane statement, break it down with a focus on "different reasons every day." Do you see it yet? Every single day, new uses for social media pop up. Every single day.

Interview with one of the writers of Cluetrain Manifesto.