Chat: Luminate CEO Bob Lisbonne on the Future of Images Online

If a picture is worth a thousand words, images should be recognized as leading conduits for online information sharing and advertising. Yet this has been anything but the case on the web, where algorithms determine advertisements through the use of text and wordy links while failing to capture the attention of most readers.

Enter Silicon Valley-based Luminate, an image platform intent on proving the power of pictures and revolutionizing the way we interact with them online. I have covered Luminate several times previously (like this piece for Examiner.com back when the startup was called Pixazza). A lot has happened for Luminate in the 2 years since, with serious wallet padding thanks to Google Ventures and an ever-expanding repertoire of publishing partners.

For an inside look at the company’s latest news and features, I caught up with CEO and co-Founder Bob Lisbonne in a Q&A for SocialTechnologyReview. Check out what Lisbonne had to say about the future of interactive images online.

Moonfruit’s Answer to Cross-Channel Commerce

Moonfruit is a proven leader in all things DIY for websites, helping hundreds of thousands of small businesses with limited time and resources get their websites up and running painlessly. Drawing from its extensive experience as the UK’s number one site builder, its latest ShopBuilder tool seamlessly integrates cross-channel commerce into their mix of social tools.

I spoke with co-founders (and husband-wife duo) Wendy Tan White and Joe White about what keeps Moonfruit so fresh after more than a decade, the lessons they’ve learned and how easy it is to use ShopBuilder. The article can be found at this SocialTechnologyReview link.

Are you Doing it Right on LinkedIn?

We all have a LinkedIn account by now. Some of us have even racked up hundreds of connections. But if you’re loathe to update your profile, reach out to new people or use a few apps, you might be missing out.

I rounded up a list of 15 ‘Must Do’ actions on LinkedIn. You may be surprised how easy they are to implement and leverage. Check them out on SocialTechnologyReview.com.

Monetizing Social Media w/ Social Annex

For my weekly Q&A on SocialTechnologyReview, I interviewed Al Lalani about what he learned as a director of eCommerce for Teleflora and applied to his latest venture, Social Annex.

Check out the Q&A on SocialTechReview here.

Q&A with Social Strategist Tracy Sestili

Recently, I spoke with social media consultant Tracy Sestili for the latest Q&A appearing on SocialTechnologyReview.

To hear Sestili’s thoughts on understanding your target audience in the social space, common mistakes made and how Facebook’s latest round of revisions is affecting social strategy, read the full piece here.

Twitter Tips w/ Kelly Kim: Give to Receive

The last of my 2-part Q&A series for SocialTechnologyReview with Twylah’s founders was published on Sept 2, 2011. Kelly Kim is a veteran industry thought-leader who leverages her knowledge of social media with her people-savvy attitude. The result? Great tips for Twitter-verse and a new mantra: why you must give to receive.

http://www.socialtechnologyreview.com/articles/twylah-co-founder-kelly-kim%E2%80%99s-twitter-tips-why-you-must-give-receive

Social Sign-On: Going Beyond Facebook

With some 600 million users, it’s tempting to assume that offering a single Facebook sign-on option should suffice. Yet, the real meat and potatoes of Social Sign-On is not found with any one network (no matter how large). Here are a few things to keep in mind when contemplating how many Social Sign-On options to offer, and why they’re important…

Read full article on SocialTechnologyReview.

Etsy’s DIY Social Strategy: Q&A w/ Dave Brown

Bonnie’s Q&A interview featuring Etsy’s Director of Social Media, Dave Brown, was published on June 8, 2011, on SocialTechnologyReview.com .

Etsy. The name alone conjures up images of grey woolen scarves made by loving hands around the family dining table. In fact, the vision is not far off. Hundreds of thousands of artists have flocked to set up ‘shop’ from the comfort of their own home, peddling their artistic or vintage wares in ways unimaginable at local craft fairs….

Read the full article here.