From Source: Mashable

“140-character status updates to a network of followers.” That makes Twitter sound simple. But in fact, the social information platform has grown to be much more complex than its 140 character-limit suggests. The site not only connects people, but has also become an intricate information resource for everything from news to shopping deals.

Yet in many ways, the site’s actual functionality hasn’t exactly kept up with user interactions. Twitter’s interface has remained simple, which is why a lot of tweets take place through third-party sites and applications that make the experience more useful.

We’ve compiled a list of the top 20 third-party websites for making your Twitter experience more useful and easier to manage. Although this does not include the many desktop or mobile applications that are available for Twitter, we hope that it will make your browsing experience more enjoyable as you dive into the Twittersphere. Also, as a one-stop shop for Twitter apps, check out OneForty. We’d love to hear what’s missing from this list, including sites that you find useful in the comments.

Listropolis' Take:

It's another Mashable list, so of course it's great. If you're not already using web apps for Twitter, there's a good chance this post will change your mind.

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From Source: Mashable

Chances are you’ve been waiting in line all week for the iPhone 4, which means you haven’t been keeping up on your social media resources. Tsk-tsk.

Put said device to good use, and scroll on down for your weekly cavalcade of hints, tips, insights and analysis.

This week’s list includes some great Google facts, web design inspiration, and a few ways to improve your social business model.

Go on, gorge yourself.

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From Source: Mashable

Today is Twitter’s fourth birthday, and to celebrate the occasion we asked our Twitter followers: “Let us know how Twitter changed your life – add hashtag #thankstwitter4 so we can find your tweet.”

We got thousands of responses — in fact, #thankstwitter4 has become a trending topic. As promised, we did our best to sift through the tweets and find 140 that represent the Twitterzeitgeist as we enter the social network’s fourth year. Below are our selections, split up into categories or sentiments that we noticed were particularly common.

Listropolis' Take:

Meh. While not Mashable's strongest list, it is a good look at why people love the little blue bird that could.

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From Source: MyTechOpinion

Facebook celebrated it’s 6th birthday in style…by launching a redesign of the home page. I was excited to be included in the initial 80 million accounts that were updated with the design on February 4th. This new layout is being rolled out to the remaining Facebook users now (Reggie’s still waiting).
I have to say I’ve been a bit annoyed with some of the recent minor changes made by Facebook, but when it comes to this new overhaul…I’m a fan! Most notably, are the cleaner home page appearance and the removal of the bottom “start” bar. The search bar is now prominently displayed in the top center of the home page, just above the News Feed. And the top blue navigation bar has been simplified to include just a few key quick launch links on the left and right sides.
Now just in case you are a tad turned around by this new layout, I put together a quick list of 10 tips for getting reacquainted with the network you know and love!

Listropolis' Take:

This is rock-solid information if you're still having trouble navigating Facebook's new layout. Bookmark it fast, and make sure you read it soon - otherwise, Facebook is sure to switch layouts on you again. Good job Nicole!

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From Source: Mashable

In the era of social media, our networks are much larger than they have ever been, and we have more ways to communicate with those in them. Even if you are not very active on Facebook or Twitter, my guess is that your sphere of communication has expanded significantly in recent years. Who you communicate with and how you communicate has changed radically. This new connected era brings both opportunities and challenges.

In the past we had a set of contacts, all of whom generally knew how to reach us — via phone, e-mail, or regular mail. Today, thanks in large part to social media, we have many different levels of communication, each with a specific purpose and etiquette. When we do not understand the role of these levels, they can become huge time wasters. When we do understand them however, they can help us more effectively engage and navigate these new waters

Listropolis' Take:

It's Mashable, so you know you're getting a solid list. This list has less to do with the social media side of things we've come to know, and more to do with real-life communication tips. Study it - it could help.

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From Source: Noupe.com

There are a lot of misconceptions when it comes to social media. People seem to think that every day standards and decency get tossed out the window because of the anonymity of the Internet. Unfortunately for those people, that’s not always the case. First off, the Internet is getting smaller, and by that, I mean that it’s getting easier to find out who people are. You know how the saying goes “It’s a small world.” That reigns true for the Internet, especially social media sites, as well. Everyone is connected one way or another. There’s a whole “Six Degrees of Separation” thing going on.
There are Ten Commandments of Social Media that you should always try to follow. They will not only make you a better person but they will make your followers that much more appreciative of what you have to say.

Listropolis' Take:

If you consider yourself a social media guru, expert, king/queen, or any other superlative, this list should be required reading. Amazingly simple tips that should be common sense, but are missed by far too many "experts." Bookmark this post immediately!

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From Source: Mashable

LinkedIn (LinkedIn), which recently reached the 50 million user milestone, has long been considered the social networking site for professionals. If you’re in business, it is basically expected that you have a profile there.

But with the more mainstream platforms like Twitter (Twitter) and Facebook (Facebook) being used for business purposes, some professionals are neglecting their LinkedIn profiles. While LinkedIn is certainly not as dynamic as other social media sites, it still provides a lot of value — if you use it correctly. So whether you’re new to LinkedIn or a veteran, here are some of the things you should consider incorporating into your LinkedIn strategy.

Listropolis' Take:

I'll admit...I'm on LinkedIn, but I've never given it much more time than just setting up my profile, and looking around to see what was going on. This is is strong, but it's not exactly LinkedIn specific. Well, it is, but it's the same type of list you'd see for setting up any social profile. The good thing is, it's for a site that doesn't seem to get the attention the heavy hitters do, so it's worth a read.

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From Source: Mashable

Capacity – especially to plan and execute effective marketing strategies – is a big challenge for every small business. In this post, I’ll offer 10 suggestions for how small businesses can supercharge their marketing efforts by leveraging social media. For each suggestion, I will discuss a basic strategy – for those who simply want to get their toes wet, as well as an advanced strategy – for those who want to spend a bit more time and go a bit deeper in their social media marketing efforts. These tips are based on my experience leveraging social media marketing for my company, crowdSPRING.

I suggest you begin by outlining clear goals for your social media marketing efforts and figuring out how you’ll measure success. Once you’ve outlined your goals, let’s look at 10 great ways you can begin to leverage social media for your marketing efforts.

Listropolis' Take:

For many, this list is a 101 on using Social Media to grow a business. We've seen it all before, but like all things Mashable, the list is rock-solid. It's one of those posts you bookmark and read every few months to make sure you're staying on track.

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Facebook Fan Pages are all the rage these days. Every company is doing their best to make a presence in the social web, and many are doing very well. This post is NOT about the big shots. We're focusing on smaller fan pages that are highly underrated.

It's impossible to see every fan page, but we feel comfortable without list. And if we missed a page that deserves to be in this list, we're sure you'll let us know about it in the comments.

Fan Count: 420,145
About: Nothing in "About" box

Why you'll like it: TFLN is such an amazing website, and they've done their best to port it to Facebook. This is the weakest of the pages, but it does bring the humor that TFLN is known for, but for some reason, it just doesn't have the same kick as their regular site.

Fan Count: 127
About: For Those Who Like to Watch.....We Salute You!

Why you'll like it: It's updated almost daily, and they allow fans to post. Most of the content is videos....Taser videos! It's a great page for a quick laugh.

Fan Count: 87
About: Tiny little Facebook tips - One bite at a time.

Why you'll like it: We know you already like Facebook, or you wouldn't be reading this. Even if you're a FB expert, this page might teach you something you didn't know. The posts are all very short, yet very informative.

Fan Count: 49
About: Selling a home is tough these days, and most of the time, the pictures used on the MLS bring people to the listing. Problem is, a lot of people don't care what the pictures look like. This page is for sharing the best (worst) pics on the MLS.

Why you'll like it: You might not like this one, but I do. It's updated almost daily, and shows pictures of homes Realtors use to list their clients' properties. When you consider these photos are what's being presented to help sell a home, it sort of puts things in perspective. It's a niche page, but it's still pretty damn funny (and a little sad).

Fan Count: 3,671
About: Write your best FmyLife stories on our wall and get ready to laugh hahahaha

Why you'll like it: Misery loves company. The page is full of people telling their "Fuck My Life" stories. For some reason, I always feel a little better after visiting the page.

Fan Count: 373
About: Weekly Pool Cleaning, Service, and Repair. Servicing the Lake Nona area, and almost everywhere else in Central Florida.

Why you'll like it: Another niche site, but this company is very interactive with their clients. They allow wall posts by fans, and provide a good mix of humor and instructional material on the wall in the form of videos, pictures, and links. They also have a "Discussions" section, which is great if you have pool questions, but it doesn't appear there is much discussion going on there. If you own a small business, this is a good model to follow.

Fan Count: 142
About: Like Lists? Of course you do! Listropolis.com is all about the lists. We have originals and also feature some of the all-time best lists found on the internetz. All Your List are Belong to Us (not a typo...google it).

Why you'll like it: Like you thought we wouldn't add our own page here. We update our Listropolis FB page daily, and it's not just posts from here. We assume you're already a fan of Listropolis, so we hope you'll join us on Facebook too. We try to keep the updates interesting, and allow for fans to post on our wall too.

Fan Count: 9,074
About: Fail is not fail blog. Many of the pictures, and videos come from fail blog, and other sites. Please see the info tab for links to these sites. All pictures and Videos are property of there respected owners, and we thank them for putting them online!

Why you'll like it: Who doesn't like Fails? Looks like most of the content comes from FailBlog, but it's still funny, and a no-brainer to become a fan of if you're into that sort of thing.

Fan Count: 64
About: There are just some things that can't be posted on a regular Facebook Profile. This is the dirty, raunchier, side of things - but it's what every man thinks about. Women, Sports, Videos, Music - it's all here. If you are easily offended....Leave!

Why you'll like it: Yowza!!! This page is a cross between Maxix, Playboy, and FHM, with a little MTV, Men's Health, and GQ thrown in for fun. How this page only has 64 fans is a mystery to me, but if you're a guy, or you like guy stuff, do yourself a favor and become a fan of this page. The site seems to be updated almost daily, and it looks like fans can add content, but keep in mind, it can sometimes get NSFW.

Fan Count: 144
About: We all love WTFs! Become a fan, visit daily, and share your own WTF links.

Why you'll like it: Now why didn't they offer this in college. WTF (What the Fuck) 101 will blow your mind. It's updated multiple times daily, and has some of the craziest links I've ever seen. I've shared a ton of the links from this page on my own, and they're always a hit. Fans of bizarre stories, videos, and pictures will absolutely love this site. Fans can add content to the wall on this page too, so you never know what you'll find, and if this page gets as large as I think it will, this could become one of the best places for your daily WTF fun.

So who did we miss?

We know there are thousands of great Facebook fan pages, so if you have one, or know of one, that you think should have made this list, let us know in the comments.

From Source: Mashable

Whether or not Twitter has hit a traffic growth ceiling, the 140 character status update platform has already proved it can permeate past its early adopter audience and attract a more mainstream user-base complete with Twittering athletes, celebrities, and government officials.

Along the way, Twitter (Twitter) has also managed to grab a lot of attention as the easy scapegoat in parody videos. We’ve seen comedic geniuses, late-night talk show hosts, and many video production companies all try to best each other in a battle for the funniest Twitter spoof or satire. Not all are created equal, but the 10 we’ve included here are some of the sure-fire standouts.

Twitter may be the butt of everyone’s joke, but after the news of a $1 billion valuation, we have a sneaking suspicion that Twitter will eventually have the last laugh.

Listropolis' Take:

Any list with Twouble With Twitters in it is a great list. If you're a Twitter fan, you'll really appreciate the humor in these vids.

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