Brand Marketing in Social Media: Friends with Benefits? (PR-Squared.com)

A lot of things may have changed in the field of social media marketing but one thing still remains the same – true social media engagement success is founded on gaining the trust of one’s followers. This cannot be achieved by entertainment alone. When it comes to brand marketing, trust is built via positive transactions. In this case, transactions involve the manner by which brands gain and respond to feedback from their consumers.

Facebook Strategy Basics: 3 Truths, 3 Tips (BazaarVoice.com)

Getting your brand on Facebook has been touted as one of the most important marketing moves of the modern age. Nearly one in five shoppers search their social networks for information before making a purchase. Naturally, it is a good idea to set up a Facebook page where consumers could interact with your brand directly. The thing is, not everybody is doing it correctly. Here are a few guidelines on running a successful Facebook “strategy.”

Research: Social Gaming to Grow by 30% in US by 2012 (SocialTimes.com)

It looks like we won’t be seeing the end of Farmville, Pet Society and Robot Unicorn Attack any time soon. Social gaming is expected to grow substantially by the next year. This could open up new opportunities for marketers to build up their presence on Facebook.

Social Media Marketing by the Numbers [Infographic] (HubSpot.com)

Want to know how much was spent on social media marketing last year, as well as the social sites the money was going to? Check out the infographic on the link to find out.

Eaquire Magazine, the Cover Model and Augmented Reality (HubSpot.com)

Leading men’s magazine Esquire partners up with Barnes and Noble for a very interesting digital activation. Starting next months, Esquire fans will be able to “interact” with the magazine’s latest cover girl, Brooklyn Decker through a custom built iPhone app that makes her appear in all 700 of Barnes and Noble’s US bookstores. It’s a play on augmented reality both companies think they will be able to benefit from.