Top Story

• Social TV is a big deal, broadcasters say
  Broadcasters are starting to realize the potential of social media, with Nielsen data suggesting that a 9% increase in social buzz can boost a TV show's ratings by 1% in a key demographic. That's giving rise to a variety of "social TV" campaigns aimed at extending shows' reach to social networks and branded sites, and injecting social chatter back into on-air programming. "We're creating a world where every frame of TV is rich in possibilities," says Watchwith CEO Zane Vella. Advertising Age (tiered subscription model) (4/13)     

Trendwatch

• AOL woos advertisers with Nielsen's online ratings
  AOL is adopting Nielsen's new Online Campaign Ratings system for measuring the reach of online advertising, in a bid to convince advertisers to divert cash from broadcast to digital. Nielsen says the online metric is "exactly comparable to TV" ratings, but marketers say there are still some wrinkles to be ironed out. "There is still some work to be done before we adopt this as a standard for video buying," said one ad representative. Adweek (4/16)     

• Spotify's brand apps bring sponsorships to free music
  Reebok, Intel and McDonald's are among the brands sponsoring song playlists via Spotify. The Internet music streamer let the brands develop in-network applications similar to the ones used by Pitchfork, Billboard and Rolling Stone, helping to compensate for licensing fees for some 10 million free listeners. Each brand is giving its app a differentiating twist. For example, AT&T's "Surround Sounds" associates songs with locations on a map. Advertising Age (tiered subscription model) (4/13)     

• Other News

• Are you ready for the mobile ad gold rush?
  The Washington Post (4/12)     

• Facebook buys mobile-loyalty startup
  TechCrunch (4/13)     

Getting the Word Out

• Want to reach Pinterest users? Don't show them the money
  Brands that add price tags to their Pinterest posts are much less likely to have their content shared across the site, according to a PinReach study. While Pinterest users weren't turned off by price tags on user-generated posts, they were much less likely to re-share branded posts that featured price tags. "When Pinterest users see $-pins from brands, it feels very much like an advertisement ... and they are less likely to share," the researchers write. Mashable (4/15)     

• How to keep things fresh on Facebook
  It's easy to set up a Facebook ad campaign, but getting the most bang for your buck takes a little more work. Experts recommend using Facebook's targeting features to reach a receptive audience; experimenting with ad-management software; and updating ads frequently to keep people interested. "Social has a voracious appetite for creative ... [which is] another good reason to partner with agencies, who can keep up with the flow," says Justin Kistner of Webtrends. SearchEngineWatch.com (4/16)     

Developer Update

• C overtakes Java as most popular programming language
  Java has lost its place as the planet's most popular programming language, according to Tiobe's monthly index. Java, which has been the top language -- with a few exceptions -- since 2001, was toppled by C, which is now used by about 17.6% of developers. InfoWorld (4/11)     

Design Corner

• Should designers build separate sites for mobile devices?
  The rise of mobile devices means that Web designers should be building two entirely separate versions of their sites, one for desktop users and another for mobile, writes Web usability expert Jakob Nielsen. That's "a shockingly bad idea," counters Scott Gilbertson: It's far better to use responsive design principles to create a single site capable of adapting to the needs of individual visitors. Jakob Nielsen's Alertbox (4/10), Webmonkey (4/13)     

Small Businesses & Entrepreneurs

• 4 reasons small businesses should be on Twitter
  Twitter has come of age, and small-business owners should jump on the bandwagon as soon as possible, writes Steve Strauss. The service lets small firms build their brand, find new customers, forge relationships and keep people coming back for more. "It is word of mouth advertising, a personal recommendation, and a free way to get noticed all rolled into one. ... I say, tweet and grow rich, my friends," Strauss writes. USA TODAY (4/13)     

Association News

• Best Sports Website of 2012 to be Named by Web Marketing Association
  Find out if your sports websites makes the cut and enter the Web Marketing Association's 16th annual international WebAward Competition for website development. The WebAwards is the standards-defining competition that sets benchmarks for 96 industries, including sports websites, based on the seven criteria of a successful website. The deadline for sports websites to enter to be judged is May 31.     

Hot Topics

Top five news stories selected by readers in the past week.

• Meet the Don Draper of digital advertising (ClickZ)

• Google lets marketers target keyword typos (Advertising Age (tiered subscription model))

• Online shoppers say they're hungry for product videos (eMarketer)

• Viral stunts help Nescafé take root in Mexico (Portada-Online.com)

• Why good designers sweat the small stuff (Vandelay Design Blog)

• Results based on number of times each story was clicked by readers.

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