Perhaps the most noteworthy change in digital media in the recent past is the rise of visual media. From photos and now increasingly videos, we’ve seen Instagram and Pinterest become two of the top social networks, both ranked in the top 50 U.S. web sites overall by Comscore. And to boot, Facebook and Google+ have reacted making visual media core components of their networks. That’s not to mention new upstarts like SnapChat and Vine. The revolution continues with the full integration of visual media. Jen Consalvo, COO and co-founder of TechCocktail, is presenting next week at xPotomac on the visual revolution. Here’s a sneak peak at some of the things she’s going to talk about… GL: How has photography changed …

GetGlue, a social network that allows people to check-in, discuss and refer TV programs and movies, now has more than 3 million users and 500 million posts. Representing the crest of a massive wave, GetGlue embodies the spirit of the social TV trend. Social TV integrates online media experiences with traditional broadcast media, making social (and to some extent mobile) a core feature of the fully transmedia experience. Marketers can capitalize on this very real opportunity. According to Nielsen, 68% of people view TV while using their tablets several times a week or more. Another 64% do the same with their smartphones. Geoff Livingston on Google+

In the era of niche social networks we are left with many choices for tools and conversations. A recent discussion on Ken Mueller’s blog about the creep factor online caused me to reflect on parsing social networks for professional success and personal enjoyment. Geoff Livingston on Google+

Facebook Camera has branding issues The successful release of the Facebook Camera app two weeks ago marked the second major application launch by the social network focused on a singular feature. Joining Messenger, Camera allows users to enjoy functionality without the baggage of Facebook’s leviathan social networks as experienced through the iPhone, iPad, Android and mobile web versions. For the past few years, Facebook dominated the social network marketplace by absorbing every feature from all of its competitor. In doing so, it became the McDonalds of social networks. However, with mobile revolution, tactile input changes the way we interact online, and Facebook’s girth makes it unwieldy for tablets and smartphones in spite of experience-controlled applications. At every corner now, there …

Google’s DC Office Featured Love Bugs on Valentine’s Day The Wall Street Journal slammed Google last week for launching another social network when one wasn’t needed (um, yeah, that’s why Pinterest is doing so poorly, right?). Meanwhile, Google has quietly been deploying its local offices to meet with businesses and internet aficionados. The company wants to humanize the Google brand, and personally help people use Google+ and other products. This is a smart move, one that Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn have yet to match. Google is literally investing in relationships one by one, and putting faces to what has often seemed a distant and monolithic company. So many of today’s untrained marketers believe that social media is the primary form …

New Flickr Interface image via Geeky Gadgets Flickr will unveil its much-needed new interface today, revamping one of the oldest and still prescient social networks. This significant change comes to a network that features more than 3.5 million photos uploaded everyday, and one of the most popular APIs on the Internet. Flickr’s new interface seeks to make the network relevant to smartphone and tablet users. As a long term power user on Flickr with more than 4000 photos and 325,000 photo views on my photo blog, I welcome this change. It’s refreshing, and makes the most powerful network for sharing videos not only stronger, but more attractive, too. For a long time, Flickr’s primary value to me was housing images …