Facebook profile banner lets Aussies show support for marriage equality

Facebook is showing its rainbow colours by allowing Australians to display their support for the LGBT community's fight for equality.

On Tuesday, Facebook announced users could have their say on same-sex marriage by adding a new rainbow flag banner to their profile photos. Working with the advocacy group Australian Marriage Equality, Facebook built the frame that adds the statement "I heart marriage equality."

SEE ALSO: Conchita Wurst isn't pleased about Australia's lack of same-sex marriage

The release of the frame coincides with the 38th annual Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade on Saturday in Sydney. It also follows the international success of the rainbow filter, which Facebook created in June 2015 following the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to strike down gay marriage bans. Read more...

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Original 'Damn Daniel' tweet deleted after teen's Twitter account hacked

The Internet lost a little piece of meme history over the weekend.

Josh Holz, the 15-year-old high school student behind the crazy viral "Damn Daniel" video, had his Twitter account hacked Sunday. Though the teen has since regained control of his account, the attackers deleted the original tweet that helped the the video go viral

See also: In case you didn't know, Daniel is back at it again with the white Vans

The hackers appear to have gotten into Holz's account sometime Sunday. He said it was the second time his account had been hacked.

Once in, the attackers posted racist videos and deleted the original tweet. Read more...

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How J.K. Rowling uses the Internet to keep the magic of 'Harry Potter' alive

— The Intentional Fallacy, 1954

With these stirring words the American critics, W. K. Wimsatt Jr. and Monroe C. Beardsley, established a principle still maintained by many: namely that once a book is published its author relinquishes authority over it and becomes, in effect, a reader like any other, with no special power to determine meanings or control interpretations. Any intentions not realized in the book itself cannot be shoehorned in by post-facto pronouncements, even by the author.

It was always more complicated than that, but the relationship of J.K. Rowling to the world of the Harry Potter series shows the serious limitations of this view. Read more...

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How modern technology could have solved every problem in literary history

Technology has made our lives so much easier. We have instant directions at our finger tips, it has never been easier to find a date, and with a push of a button we can get food delivered directly to us

But could these modern miracles have solved the epic problems found in classic literature?

See also: #InternetABook gives classic literature the modern remake you didn't know it needed

Interactive book retailer Flipsnack thinks so. In a new series Modern Day Classics, the company imagines what would happen if your favorite book characters had access to the tech we all rely on today.

After all, Romeo and Juliet would be a much different love story if they met on Tinder — and if Sam and Frodo had Google Maps directions to Mordor, it might have saved a lot of hassle Read more...

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Snapchat apologizes for employee payroll data leak after phishing attack

A leak of employee payroll data is a nightmare for every company — especially one that's, by some measures, still in startup stage. 

That's the fate that befell Snapchat on Friday, and now the company has issued a formal apology and an explanation of what exactly happened. 

SEE ALSO: You can now unlock special Snapchat lenses on your birthday

In a blog post, Snapchat claims the data was stolen from the company via an "isolated phishing scam." A scammer impersonating the company CEO asked for employee payroll data from the company Snapchat department, and employees fell for the scheme. 

"When something like this happens, all you can do is own up to your mistake, take care of the people affected, and learn from what went wrong," the post reads.  Read more...

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How Internet Behavior is Changing Around the World [Infographic]

Last year, marketers and businesspeople around the world saw a huge change in the way people use the internet. Most notably, in May 2015, we saw that more people were using their mobile devices to search for things online than on their desktop computers.

But these changes aren't happening at the same rate everywhere in the world. In Iceland, Monaco, and Ukraine, the majority of internet users are using desktop to surf the web.

via HubSpot Marketing Blog http://bitly.com/1TMq3s3

5 Key Things I Wish I Knew Before I Became a Manager

When I was just starting out management didn't seem like a career choice; it seemed like an inevitable. Something that would just sort of happen once I got old enough -- like wrinkles, or gray hair, or distinctly unfashionable pants. I figured: You work long enough, you'll manage someone.

I liked the idea of managing because it felt like progress.

via HubSpot Marketing Blog http://bitly.com/1VMEIkO

Cara Delevingne isn't happy about the idea of a Facebook 'Dislike' button

LONDON — Facebook's 'dislike' button could lead to a "new wave of bullying" on social media, Cara Delevingne has warned.

See also: Here's how to get the new Facebook reactions if you don't see them yet

In September, Mark Zuckerberg announced that Facebook is working on a "Dislike" button, a tool designed to help people "to express empathy".

In an interview with The Sunday Times, the model — who boasts 3.6 million followers on Facebook, 27.5 million on Instagram, 4.9 million on Twitter — shared concerns about the consequences of the social network's new feature.

"If you can go around disliking someone’s pictures, that is going to set off a whole new wave of bullying,” she said. Read more...

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I let Pinterest dictate my outfits for a week

A closet full of clothes and nothing to wear. This fashion dilemma can haunt us, from fashion lovers to trend observers and everyone in between.

TechInsider's Caroline Moss thought she'd found the solution, hiding in plain sight on Pinterest. Instead of creating outfit inspiration boards like many Pinterest users, Moss decided to play a kind of game. We dubbed her experiment "Pinterest Roulette." Every morning Moss would choose an article of clothing from her closet, then type it into Pinterest search alongside the word "outfit" and let the inspiration wash over her.

"I had just purchased a new pair of leopard skinny pants, but I had no idea what to wear with them," Moss wrote. "In a desperate attempt to keep the pants hanging in my closet, I plugged a description into Pinterest's search bar, and ... I saw the platform begin to change." Read more...

More about How To, Style, Outfit Inspiration, Social Media, and Pinterest

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The Psychology of Teams: 9 Lessons on How Happy, Efficient Teams Really Work

This post originally appeared on HubSpot's Agency Post. To read more content like this, subscribe to Agency Post.

Remember a job you loved? (Hopefully, it's the one you have now!)

Remember a job you hoped to leave?

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Mom finds out what Tinder actually is — and her reaction is priceless

Having "the talk" with a parent is never easy, but in this case, at least it's extremely entertaining. This mom just found out what's really going on with Tinder. She may not be particularly amused, but we sure are

Featuring Pat Seftel and Joshua Seftel. Editing and graphics by Rob Chapman. Read more...

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We Documented Our Company's Mistakes Every Week for a Year. Here’s What We Learned.

This post originally appeared on HubSpot's Agency Post. To read more content like this, subscribe to Agency Post.

Every Friday, our team comes together for a weekly reflections meeting. It's our "touchy-feely-kumbaya" moment where everyone has an opportunity to open up and share what's on their mind.

via HubSpot Marketing Blog http://bitly.com/1QDfL6X

Facebook Live video is coming to Android

Following a limited December launch on iOS, and a wider rollout in February, the Facebook Live video feature is now coming to Android, the company announced Friday

U.S. Android users will be the first to see the new feature — next week, to be precise — with more countries coming soon.

SEE ALSO: How to use Facebook Reactions without pissing everyone off

Facebook Live enables users to stream live video directly from their phone. It was originally launched in August 2015 for a small number of verified accounts and celebrities in the U.S., but Facebook has been gradually expanding it ever since

The feature is similar to video streaming apps Meerkat and Periscope, with viewers able to jump right in with their comments; to see a recent live video taken by Mashable, check our hands-on of the Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge here.  Read more...

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How to Write Compelling Copy: 7 Tips for Writing Content That Converts

Copy is writing that sells, so by definition, it has to be compelling.

Does your copy also have to be concise? Yes. Does it have to be clear? Absolutely. Brevity and clarity will ensure that your message is digestible, which is important if you want your words to be read and understood with ease. That said, the clearest, most concise copy ever written is still a bust if it doesn’t compel its readers to act.

via HubSpot Marketing Blog http://bitly.com/24sS0sz

Overcoming Content Overload: 4 Tactical Ways to Create Content That Stands Out

We’re kind of having a problem in content marketing right now. You see, everyone is creating content.

In fact, according to Content Marketing Institute's annual survey, 88% of B2B respondents are using content marketing. But this is just a statistical percentage. It gives no indication of the sheer volume of content that is being produced. 

via HubSpot Marketing Blog http://bitly.com/1Q7fjAx

The Future of Advertising Is Native Social Commerce

Remember when ecommerce was the go-to tactic for increasing brand awareness, finding new customers, and boosting sales? Remember when you could just list products on your site and advertise your cheapest, stripped down offer and people would buy from you in droves?

Newsflash: The golden era has come to an end. Using ecommerce to drive sales is a lot more complicated than it used to be. If it was still a straightforward process, companies like Target wouldn’t see a decline in sales.

via HubSpot Marketing Blog http://bitly.com/1QICe8V

Zuckerberg calls defacement of Black Lives Matter slogans at Facebook 'deeply hurtful'

Mark Zuckerberg had strong words for Facebook employees after finding out that someone has been crossing out "Black Lives Matter" on the walls at the company's Menlo Park, California, headquarters.

In an internal message shared with employees and obtained by Gizmodo, the CEO described repeated instances of the phrase "black lives matter" being crossed out and replaced with "all lives matter."

See also: Inside Silicon Valley's struggle for diversity

Zuckerberg noted he had previously addressed the issue with employees at a Q&A and said he now considered its continued occurrence "malicious."

“‘Black lives matter’ doesn’t mean other lives don’t — it’s simply asking that the black community also achieves the justice they deserve,” he wrote. "We've never had rules around what people can write on our walls — we expect everybody to treat each other with respect." Read more...

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If It Doesn’t Sell, It Isn’t Creative: 5 Maxims from the Golden Age of Advertising Every Marketer Should Memorize

The Golden Age of Advertising, that twenty-year spell running through the fifties and sixties, changed how we market everything, pushing beyond merely being clever or descriptive to thinking through how the audience interacts with an ad, and how empirical research can drive its development.

via HubSpot Marketing Blog http://bitly.com/1LIfVbN

Google’s Removing Right-Side Ads, But How Will It Impact Organic Search Results?

Google has been known to change their logo in fun, surprising ways for their Google Doodles, but major changes to the actual search engine results page (SERP) occur far less often. That’s why their recent decision to remove ads from the right-hand side of their desktop SERPs making big news.

What exactly did they change?

via HubSpot Marketing Blog http://bitly.com/1p8bEtD

From Email Metrics to Inbound Marketing: Taking Advertising Options to the Next Level

When it comes to email marketing, one of the biggest challenges that media companies face today is the ability to translate insight into action. The reason? When publishers deploy email campaigns, it’s usually to deliver some value to the advertising side of the business. There may be partners who are sponsoring newsletters, or marketing teams may be looking for added-value ways to drive more traffic to display ads.

via HubSpot Marketing Blog http://bitly.com/1RpJdjW

Is Your Mobile Website Stressing People Out? A Simple Guide to Improving Page Load Time

When is the last time you visited a website on your smartphone and had to wait for the page to load?

According to Akamai, 73% of mobile users say they've encountered a website that was slow to load. Many times, this happens when users aren't on WiFi and are relying on a cellular connection.

via HubSpot Marketing Blog http://bitly.com/24r2aty

Can Computers Teach Us How to Write? How WriteLab Developed an Algorithm for Better Writing [Podcast]

Most of us know that learning to write can be a painful process.

You spend hours honing a piece that you hope and pray will be good. You get it to a point where you think it's passable, and then pass it off to a friend or colleague for editing and feedback help. 

via HubSpot Marketing Blog http://bitly.com/1OwHNj0

How to use Facebook Reactions without pissing everyone off

Photo challenge: Create, explore and be visually inspired

We're teaming up with Art of Visuals for this week's Mashable Photo Challenge. We want you to explore new environments, experiment with unique compositions and create images that are visually striking.

Art of Visuals started out as a simple Instagram account, but they've grown into something much larger. They sell camera gear and Lightroom presets, have an app that connects photographers from around the world, and host photo walks to bring their dedicated community together offline

Recently, they launched their first magazine — one in which all featured images are hand-selected from their custom hashtag on Instagram. We're excited to announce that for our photo challenge, Art of Visuals will feature the top nine submissions in their magazine's second issue Read more...

More about Photography, Instagram, Social Media, and Mashable Photo Challenge

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The 10 Facebook reactions we actually needed

Well, Facebook finally opened up its new 'reactions' to everyone. We just wish they were different.

For over a year now, Mark Zuckerberg has teased something different than the 'Like' button for the billion people who use the social media website. That's right, Facebook is no longer a simple place where your uncle can invite you to play a casino game. It's now a place of emotions. 

SEE ALSO: Here's how to get the new Facebook reactions if you don't see them yet

But the array of emotions don't really reflect how we feel when we browse through the endless stream of relative reactions and political tirades. Sure we expected, "happy" and "angry." But, we really want something like "deeply depressed." Please. Read more...

More about Watercooler, Reactions, Social Media, and Facebook

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9 Reasons Why TrueView is a Brilliant Platform for Inbound Marketers

YouTube is a big business. There are over a billion people — that’s almost a third of all internet users — watching hundreds of millions of hours of YouTube videos every day.

Clearly, YouTube’s TrueView ad platform presents a massive opportunity for marketers and brands. Campaigns in TrueView are set up and managed using AdWords, which makes it versatile in terms of targeting settings and ad formats. Not to mention, ads are less intrusive from a viewer's perspective. The benefits of using TrueView as an ad platform are abundant. 

via HubSpot Marketing Blog http://bitly.com/1Q0VvPe

The Beginner's Guide to Conversions Before the Checkout [Free Guide]

Most people who get to your website aren't ready to buy immediately. In fact, nearly 99% of first-time website visitors don't purchase. But, most ecommerce marketing efforts are focused only on the 1%, and not the 99% of visitors. To move the needle on your bottom line, you need to engage with this 99% of visitors.

via HubSpot Marketing Blog http://bitly.com/1VEvNlh