Using multiple custom variables, and making social media convert – The Monday June 14th Roundup

Vancouver is bathed in warm light, and I am getting hit over the head with major grammatical errors in some previous writings. Ahh summer.

This week we’ve had a load of great blog posts springing up around the web, from new studies showing that 30% of twitter users engage with brands, to how to use multiple custom variables, and even how to make social media traffic convert. Strong week.

• Could I have been wrong? Is that possible? I would like to think not, but emarketer is reporting that ROI Research’s recent study claims that 30% of twitter users engage with brands. I want to know more about how they gathered this information, because I have trouble believing that that many users are doing meaningful stuff with brands on Twitter.
• Forester is questioning whether Google’s ‘sitelinks’ feature (that’s those links under the first result in a branded search) actually has the conversion benefits that it claims to have. We discussed this a while back

• I’m a sucker for css3 effects. It’s so gimmicky, but so much fun. Ajaxian has another cool one, this time the CSS3 animated Twitter fail whale.
• Endgadget reports that some of the hackers at 9to5.com have dug up Facebook video upload integration in iPhoneOS4.

• The GA blog loves multiple custom variables. And they should, as they explain MCV’s allow you to segment visitors by a series of different levels. You can also find part 2 here.
• e-nor has a great idea: segment your blog by commenters, and even gives some tricks for making doing this with WordPress.

• Ever consider the UX of your emails outside of actually looking at your email? You should. Mailchimp points out some problems with email preheaders.
• Our friends over at Unbounce are handing out seven tips for making your social media traffic convert.

• Social Media Today is missing the point. They talk about online privacy being dead and the human link is the weak link and yadda yadda yadda. No, it’s not the human link that’s the problem, sure its a weak link but its a million weak links, it’s not firm data (though anyone who knows how to crawl it can find out a lot). The problem is the unification of information into a single database, ala. Facebook, then providing that database to interested third parties with few limitations.
• Finally, Gary Vaynerchuck rants about being nice to customers. Thank you Garry. You’re totally right.