Image by tres.jolie How’s your Instagram account treating you now? Feel better now that Instagram restored some of its original terms of service, and recommitted to observing permission marketing norms with photos? It seems like every four or five months we experience some outrageous Internet drama where tech and marketing bloggers declare the death of a brand. Instagram, Chick-fil-a, Netflix, Walmart, etc. have all been condemned for some egregious act of anti-socialness. And then of course, the brands don’t die, and in most cases correct the wrong, recover, and prosper. In the case of Netflix, they are making more money than ever before. Yet the “Instapocalypse” was different. Like other faux deaths, the network’s daily user losses seem to be …

Many brands struggle to integrate traditional media with interactive environments. In particular, social media can challenge entrepreneurs and marketers. Here are three easy tips to repurpose traditional media for digital environments: 1) Take Photos in Physical Locations Often you will see novelty items in an office or storefront. These items show office character, and help customers get a feel for the personality in your underlying corporate culture. Geoff Livingston on Google+

I love social photography. Yes, it’s arguably the social web trend of 2012. But beyond the punditry, I just love taking, sharing and discussing pictures. Seeing so many places and great things as I go about my life, it’s hard not to be stunned at least once daily. There’s a sense of presence that comes with appreciating the beauty that surrounds us. Geoff Livingston on Google+

Some globally respected photographers and critics think Instagram destroys the integrity of quality images. Others feel the rise of Instagram pollutes traditional social network streams. Critics decry the mobile photo network because it filters most images with a vintage Poloroid look, the resulting widespread proliferation of Instaphotos across social networks, and/or the additional doctoring that occurs through a variety of apps like Snapseed and Camera+. Overall, critics feel that consumer access to cheap imaging technologies makes the general state of photography stale, repetitive, and watered down. Geoff Livingston on Google+

Image by Judy Carson Many styles of engagement exist in social media. From pure content marketing to commenting on every post, we see many companies and personalities successfully market. I gravitate towards thanking and serving. There is no absolute right way. One thing I have learned over the years about social: The most important thing is to represent your personality authentically. The more manufactured the interaction, the less likely your personal presence or corporate culture will resonate with online stakeholders. Geoff Livingston on Google+

From left to right from Geek2Chic: Emily Molitor, Geoff Livingston, Debbie Weil, Christopher Dorobek, and Elena Ziebarth (image by SmartBrief, Inc). I had the pleasure of being one of the guest models at last week’s Geek to Chic fundraising event. The next morning event photographer Moshe Zusman tagged me on Facebook with a great watermarked photo from my spin down the catwalk. I cropped it and used it as my profile pic. Within hours I was told I needed to use a watermarked version of the photo or pull it down. In essence, by using the watermarked image, I would be using my social profile image to promote Mr. Zusman’s photography business. I took down the image because my social …