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social media


Something to shout about?


Ugandan dictators, digital pinboards and Silicone Valley’s overnight millionaires. Social media’s record breaking start to 2012...


O


ur last Business Quarter article looked back at 2011 and how social media had played a part in politics, entertainment, sports


and pretty much every other walk of life that year. Well, that trend doesn’t look like changing any time soon. In fact it’s been a record breaking start to 2012 in a number of areas of social media, so let’s take a look at some of those record breaking stats...


Kony 2012 With more than 100 million views in six days, Kony 2012, a 30-minute documentary about Ugandan rebel leader Joseph Kony, has become the most viral video in history. Kony outpaced the previous record-


setting viral video, Susan Boyle on Britain’s Got Talent in 2009 (which hit 70 million views in six days). The video has also brought a shower of criticism to Invisible Children, the organisation behind it. But in terms of a social video campaign, the success has been overwhelming. The video has more than 200 clips associated with it, and there are more than 500,000 comments for the campaign.


Pinterest Social image-sharing site Pinterest has passed the 10 million user mark faster than any other standalone website in history. Users are spending so much time sharing their favourite images that now only Facebook and Tumblr (the free blogging platform) have more social media ‘time on site’. Pinterest sent more referral traffi c to


publishers than Google+, YouTube and LinkedIn combined in January. Businesses big and small have adopted the online pinboard at a pace – whether to tout their wares directly or to engage new audiences in more creative promotions. It’s free and easy to use, but you will need an invitation. If you’re interested in Pinterest, mail pinterest@coupmedia.co.uk and we’ll arrange an invitation for you or your


business. By the way, to see what a business Pintrest board can look like, look at ours – pinterest.com/coupmedia/coup-media- campaigns-and-apps/


Facebook IPO biggest in tech Finally, what’s a social media review without Facebook? Facebook is poised to become the biggest internet-related IPO on record. The social behemoth recently fi led its offi cial paperwork with the Securities and Exchange Commission for an offer of $5bn. Many investors believe that number could easily double at Initial Public Offering. Founder Mark


Zuckerberg’s


economic stake in the company is worth about $28bn, making him the fourth-richest American post-fl oat. As a comparison, Groupon’s initial public offering, (at $20 per share) gave the Chicago daily deals site a valuation of $12.7bn – the highest tech valuation since Google went public in 2004 at a valuation of $23.1bn. Facebook’s fl oatation will make 1,000


of it’s 3,000 employees instant millionaires, creating a new gang of Silicon Valley super rich, many of whom will doubtless plough their investments returns into new tech ventures. We’ll be here to cast an eye over those that do!


THEbusiness QUARTER 25


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