Insta-ads.

Nothing is free. Social media sites are enjoyed by millions at no dollar cost to them. Time is the payment given Social Media sites. Ads are the source of revenue for companies like Facebook or Twitter. No social medium will be untouched it seems. Instagram, which has remained adless, will likely have incorporated with the introduction of their web based viewing. For the duration of its existence, Instagram was simply a mobile app. An online viewing has recently become incorporated. The features are limited. You can view your newsfeed and look at other users "profiles." This creates room for the always beloved apps on either side of the screen showing you advertisements filled with things you have been looking at on the internet. Internet shopping got a lot tougher. If you decide not to get that pair of shoes, you will be reminded again and again by the numerous ads lurking around every corner, making sure you know those shoes are available. I'm not complaining though. If all it takes for cool social sites to be free is me ignoring ads, I can get down with that. Instagram's online viewing will be interesting. Whether or not they decide to incorporate ads is still up in the air.

How well do you know your social network?

I was very intrigued by this social media game a friend of a friend has created as a way to learn more about your social network. The name of the game is Placetheface. After allowing access to your facebook, linkedin or meetup network, a picture comes up of a friend in your network and you must try to identify the person. When you enter the right name, basic information about the individual is shared to help you learn a little bit about who the person is and what they do. The information is extracted from the individuals facebook, linkedin or meetup. Placetheface engages you in two ways. It is competitive; at least to me. You want to guess the person's name right. Of course you will be able to identify your good friends easily, but some faces can be extremely unfamiliar. Secondly, Placetheface acts as a social network educational tool helping you to better recognize faces. I think we have all been in that awkward situation where we see a person we are friends with on facebook, but either we haven't see the person since highschool or we have hardly talked to them more than once, and remembering their name becomes as challenging as remembering what we ate for breakfast on July 3rd 2002 (completely random date). What do you do? I'll tell you what I do, make awkward eye contact until their is or isn't an agreed upon mutual recognition of each other. If social engagement is made, I use neutral greetings such as "Sup dude?" or "Hey girl" or even just a head nod and keep walking. Placetheface may just save us from these awkward scenarios. Even if it doesn't, its a great way to kill some free time when your bored...

4 tips from someone doing it right

I stumbled across this magnificent couple on the website mashable earlier today. They have great insight into what social media marketing looks like for a business, and more specifically a small business. Really small. Like that truck is their business; it's name is Lazarus. Their business is called Cravings Mobile Diner. Living in Tallahassee, they knew they would need to get creative with their social media marketing. Valuable content needed to be created. Not just the daily route or their specials. Facebook and Twitter needed to be avenues for interaction and engagement. The way this couple conducts their social marketing is spot on.

They have four lessons to live by:

1. SoLo is the Motto.
A combination of (So)cial media and (Lo)cation-based technology is the way to go for businesses like food trucks. Anytime they check in on Foursquare, their followers on Facebook and Twitter are made aware. They encourage customers to check in as well by giving them a free drink or waffle.

2. Get Creative
It's important to develop a social strategy that is unique to your business. With Cravings, they have a a "Waffle of the Week" poll on Facebook to decide what flavor waffle they should serve for the upcoming week. This is a great way to engage your customers making them feel like they are apart of the decision making for the business.

3. Nail Customer Service
Social media has a provided an effective way for businesses to handle issues with customers. Many people tweet about EVERYthing they do. If they have a bad experience at a restaurant, they will tweet about it. Engaging the customer in that arena the right way can help diffuse the situation. At Cravings they have done just that. They even went a step further creating a system where customers tweet about awesome experiences with the crew members at Cravings.

4. Tell Your Story
Your story is what makes you, you. This is a way to get personal with the customer. Social media provides an avenue to put this story on display, making it obtainable and easily multiplied. At Cravings they have done just that with their truck, Lazarus. Having the truck has been a journey of ups and downs. Through social media they take their audience on that journey by posting pictures of flat tires or the truck being towed away. Customers loved it. Not their misfortune, but their perseverance through life's obstacles.

These four lessons are each very practical and applicable for anyone. None of these practices twist customers arms for likes or sharing. Each one creates valuable content, and invites the consumer to partner with the business.