Is Facebook really getting into the Wi-Fi business?  Will Tumblr choose to use the Force for ill intentions and join the Dark Side?  You’ll learn the answers to those questions and more in our latest edition of the social media marketing news.

Vine-Ripened

Does your business use Vine to create interesting online video marketing content?  While it has taken them a while to do so, it looks like video-sharing app is finally following in Instagram’s footsteps.  The Vine social video app recently announced web profiles allowing its users to now have an online home for their short Vine videos.

Why Not Wi-Fi?

Looking for an incentive for your customers to use their mobile devices to check-in at your business location?  Why not offer them free Wi-Fi access?  Read how Facebook and Netgear will team up to allow small businesses using certain Netgear routers to provide free wireless internet access to their customers.

Plus or Minus

Does your business have a presence on Google+?  Well, it looks like the social network is taking a cue from Twitter and Facebook as it recently announced Google+ Promoted Posts.  Right now, this new paid posting option from Google+ is just in Beta.  We’ll keep an eye on the progress and let you know when the social media marketing feature becomes available.

Picture Proof

Here on this blog we often talk about the importance of using video as part of your social marketing plan.  Want to know why?  Well, here’s a new video marketing infographic sharing some important information every business owner should pay attention to as you move forward with your online marketing objectives for 2014.

See You Later

Another news item of note – especially for those businesses using Facebook Ads – is that the social network will be getting rid of Sponsored Stories sometime in April.  The reasoning behind the removal of this paid option is due to redundancy.  Facebook is now going to bring “social context” – likes, shares, etc. – to its other advertising programs which will make Facebook Sponsored Stories obsolete.

Finding the Force

Next, we have some fun social media news to share which probably has absolutely nothing to do with helping your business (unless maybe you own a movie fan site or comic store) enhance its social marketing strategy.  Fans of Star Wars will be happy to find out that they have one more place to keep up with the hugely-popular franchise.  It seems the latest landing spot for Star Wars on social media is the popular social-blogging network Tumblr.

Do you have any social media marketing news items to share?  We’d love to read your input in our comment section below.