Social Media Marketing

Hip British online clothing site Asos became the first European fashion retailer to open an e-tailing outpost inside Facebook. Now, Sarah Townsend will no longer have to leave her Facebook friends behind to buy the $55 baggy sweater she's been eyeing.

Now ranking as the second largest search engine online, YouTube's reach and influence on consumers can't be understated. Consider the following: over 2 billion videos a day are viewed on YouTube; there are over 480 million YouTube users worldwide; the average person spends 15 minutes a day on YouTube; and, most importantly, partner ad revenue on YouTube more than tripled in 2009. Then why is it that the social networking site is often overlooked by marketers, taking a backseat to Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn?

Designer Marc Jacobs is delivering his company's brand message to its existing and potential customers during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week via a Foursquare initiative. Using the mobile social network Foursquare, consumers can follow Marc Jacobs around New York, Britain, France and Italy and check-in at any Marc by Marc Jacobs store.

While retail brands in the specialty apparel and department/discount sectors continue to enjoy the most Facebook likes, the surprise of the updated Media Logic Retail Marketing Report is the vibrant growth of brands in the previously socially-moribund specialty hardlines sector.

The case for community on Facebook is clear: 600 million users, half of whom engage with the brand daily and contribute on average 90 pieces of content a month. Case closed. The case for commerce is emerging.

For all the buzz created by social media, a new study shows retailers may be barking up the wrong tree. ForeSee Results reports that social media drove just 5 percent of visitors to retail websites. On the other hand, "promotional emails, search engine results, and even advertising are more influential," it says.

By now, you've probably heard about the ridiculous tweet sent out by designer Kenneth Cole, who used the volatile situation in Egypt to promote his new spring collection.

Michael Lazerow, CEO of Buddy Media, explains why marketers are spending more money on acquiring Facebook fans, and why it's worth the investment now.

Mobile and social media experts are embracing the idea behind Facebook Deals, even though there are several initial limitations of the platform that have important implications for marketing and customer engagement strategies.

Social commerce startup Thoughtful.co announced the beta launch of its social gifting service in time for Valentine's Day shopping. Thoughtful, available as a web service and iPhone application, provides consumers with unique gifts and experiences from local merchants, enabling them to give the right gift to the right person every time.