Royal Tweeters, iTunes birthday and top Facebook check-in locations
Apple celebrated the fifth birthday of its iTunes app store this week by offering ten apps free to users for a limited time only. iPhone, iPad and iPod users rushed to download games such as Badland and Infinity Blade II which were available free of charge for a limited period of time.
New York Magazine has identified seven types of hashtag abusers on Twitter, the most common being a ‘Hashtag Stuffer’ who uses multiple tags in posts. ‘Hashtag Stringers’ are those that turn sentences into extra-long tags and ‘Hashtag Swaggers’ use them to brag about being at prestigious events. Individuals using the word ‘hashtag’ in day-to-day conversations can be dubbed ‘Verbal Hashtaggers’. Other categories include: ‘Gratuitous Event Hashtaggers’, ‘Crutch Hashtaggers’ and ‘Hack-taggers’. #whichoneareyou?
Earlier this week, US Beer giant Budweiser revealed results of a social media contest it launched that encouraged consumers to submit Instagram snapshots that could become the brand’s cover photo on Facebook. The simple campaign drew upwards of 15,000 likes and 500 shares in a brief amount of time by offering up momentary ownership of its Facebook cover slot. John R’s instagram work now headlines Budweiser USA’s Facebook page following a crowd participation vote between a trio of finalists in late June. With simple efforts like this one setting consumers abuzz, more brands ought to consider handing over the reins of their various social media properties, if only for a brief moment of PR/marketing glory.
And finally, the big Twitter news this week is that Prince Andrew has become the first member of the Royal family to officially join the micro blogging site. @TheDukeOfYork joined on Monday with an introductory tweet – "Welcome to my Twitter account – AY". In the first few days of going online he has amassed around 30,000 followers, but he still has some way to go to catch up with one of our favourite parody Royal Twitter accounts, @Queen_UK which has just over a million.
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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