Join Michael Wunsch and Scott Million as they discuss Social Media Marketing and where it fits in a complete interactive marketing strategy.

 LeapCast - LFI Tips and Trends: 04.24.08 - Where SMM Fits: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Join Katina French and Scott Million as they discuss Social Media 101 and changes to the Social Media Landscape.

 LeapCast - LFI University: 04.17.08 - The Social Media Landscape: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

The last year here at LeapFrog Interactive has been an incredible ride.  We’ve added fantastic clients, worked on exciting projects, and experienced a huge “growth spurt”–the clients and projects we’re handling has grown, the Team has grown by adding talented and hardworking new people, and everyone on the Team has grown their talents and areas of expertise. 

That growth is part of what’s behind this quarter’s editorial focus.  Social Media has been a major area of explosive growth in interactive marketing and advertising over the last year.  Social Media Marketing was the hottest trend in interactive in 2007, and it hasn’t slowed down a bit in 2008. 

Established technologies like blogs and message boards have taken on a new emphasis.  Social networking sites like Myspace and Facebook have developed huge audiences, and smart brands are learning to use them to recruit brand fans.  Social bookmarking and news services like Digg and StumbleUpon have come on the scene, driving massive traffic to the sites that can capture their audience’s attention and approval.  Other social media outlets, like YouTube, Flickr, Twitter and more, are still building up steam as agencies and marketers develop creative ways to use these web properties to make direct, personal connections with consumers. 

We’ve had the opportunity to work on some successful Social Media Marketing efforts over the last year, and now it’s time that we pass on some of what we’ve learned. 

Over the course of Q2, we’re going to be going into great depth covering Social Media and the unique opportunities it offers marketers and brands.  Our coverage is going to include blog posts, LeapCasts, our LFI University e-newsletter, and an all-new series of On-Demand Video Webinars. 

(I have to admit I’m a little nervous about that last one, since I’m going to be presenting.)

So be sure that you sign up for LFI University and add this blog to your RSS reader, if you haven’t already (that’ll make sure you catch not only the blogs but the LeapCasts as well).  If you’re in brand marketing, and especially if you’re puzzled by all the hub-bub surrounding this “social media” thing, you won’t want to miss a minute.