Sources: Facebook's plans include more news feeds, emphasis on photos
Facebook on Thursday will announce a major revamp that includes content-specific news feeds, including a dedicated feed for photos, sources say. The new look is expected to include bigger images and image-based in-stream advertising, the sources say. "Why is Facebook adding new streams? Because we are information junkies. Give us a feed and we'll read it," Josh Constine writes. TechCrunch (3/5), Mashable (3/6)

Network Update

Tumblr adds mobile ads, says it expects a profit
Tumblr says it expects to turn a profit for the first time this year after expanding its advertising service to include mobile ads. Officials said the company will avoid launching a standard ad network and will instead focus on providing brands with tools for creative promotional work. "We're not bringing them a template or format to complete," says Lee Brown, sales head. "We're giving them a canvas. That takes a lot of time and a lot of thought." Bloomberg (3/5)

Ideas in Action

Texas chef banks on social media success
When chef Jason Dady isn't busy running three restaurants in San Antonio and south Texas, he's creating a large following on Facebook and Twitter by broadcasting personal and professional content and selling tickets for exclusive dinners on Facebook. "[Selling out events online] reaffirms that my core customers want new, interesting events, and that they live in this digital space," he said. American City Business Journals/San Antonio/Social Madness blog (3/4)

Fan submissions core to outdoor brand's Facebook marketing
Performance-apparel retailer SmartWool built a loyal and engaged Facebook following by holding campaigns encouraging fans to share stories. The company posts photos of fans celebrating accomplishments such as finishing a first marathon and holds lighthearted campaigns such as "Strip to Your SmartWool," which asked users to submit images of themselves wearing nothing but the company's products. As a result, the company has a referral rate of 96%, said SmartWool's Molly Cuffe. AllFacebook.com (3/5)

Research and Reports

Facebook study looks at posts' limited reach
Facebook posts are seen by about a third of the poster's friends, according to a study by Facebook data scientists. The study also found that most Facebook users "consistently underestimate" the size of the audience for their posts. The New York Times (tiered subscription model)/Bits blog (3/5)

SmartPulse

Do you produce a podcast?

No	92.59%
Yes	7.41%

How can you tell whether podcasting makes sense for your brand?: Podcasting has some unusual advantages that may make it worth checking out, SmartBrief's Jesse Stanchak writes. Appearing as a guest on another person's podcast can be a great way to try out the format at little cost, he writes in SmartBrief's SmartBlog on Social Media.

How many content channels does your social media presence have? 

0

1

2

3

4

5

More than 5

The Takeaway

Spice up your social marketing with video clips
Video can be a powerful tool for social media marketers, and it's possible to incorporate video content into most social platforms, Andy Havard says. Every social network has its own best practices for posting videos, but users will be well-served by developing a reputation for sharing original content and for engaging with followers, he says. SmartBrief/SmartBlog on Social Media (3/6)

Social Shareable

A UFO sighting so fake that it must be real?
Filmmaker Aristomenis "Meni" Tsirbas created a video of a fake flying saucer where all other elements, including the observers and sky, are computer-generated. Conspiracy theorists says Tsirbas' film is a coverup and that the video is actually a true recording of an alien encounter. "I even received a mildly threatening personal e-mail from one of these people," Tsirbas says. Wired.com (3/5)

Editor's Note

Help SmartBrief cover SXSW Interactive!
SmartBrief will cover the South by Southwest Interactive Festival in Austin, Texas, from March 8 to 12, and we need your help! SXSW has way too many must-see events for our staff to cover, so we're turning to our readers to help document the best panels as blog contributors. If you're headed to Austin and want to contribute to SmartBrief's blogs on Social Media, Leadership, Finance, Food and Beverage or Education, check out our guest-post guidelines and send a note to Jesse Stanchak.

SmartQuote

Internet video is a great way to generate wider brand awareness or to increase traffic to your website, and social media websites provide a truly unmatchable marketing resource." -- Andy Havard, writing in SmartBrief's SmartBlog on Social Media Share: