This week’s top conversational marketing stories:

When a Brand Tweets Does Anybody Hear? – on Marketingprofs    

This MarketingProfs article snagged over 300 social likes and focuses on a Brand’s Twitter Reach. “When brands Tweet during "busy hours" (8 AM to 7 PM), they receive 30% higher engagement than Tweets that fall during "non-busy hours" (8 PM to 7 AM). That differs from the findings in Buddy Media's Statistics for Effective Facebook Wall Posts report, which found that Facebook updates during non-busy hours receive higher levels of engagement. Twitter engagement rates for brands are 17% higher on Saturday and Sunday compared with the weekday average, but only 19% of brands tweet on weekends. Engagement with brands' tweets is lowest on Wednesdays and Thursdays.” In addition to providing a chart with some ideal tweeting time stats, a Tweet Cheat Sheet from Buddy Media is also included for some tweet optimization tips. Have you been living by these rules, or is it time to start?

Social Data can Add Years to a CMOs Tenure – by Paul Dunay on Social Media Darwinism

This post from Paul Dunay argues in favor of social data. It starts by reiterating a declaration often made by marketing publications, that CMOs have a very short life span. He goes on to list a few reasons why, but shows that there’s hope for the future with social data, “In the social era, linearity gives way to seriality. With the social explosion afoot and copious social data being there in the ether, ready to be interpreted and acted on, marketers for the first time have a real-time laboratory with a constant data stream emanating from it. With the proper technology and the right team, they can interpret that real-time data and make mid-stream changes to campaigns so as to ensure success.” Do you believe that the adoption of social data leads to longer tenures, more success, and armies of satisfied consumers?”

Do You Need an App for That? – by Patty Seybold on Outside Innovation    

This Patty Seybold article is on what makes an app valuable to customers. “There’s no doubt in my mind that we have now reached the cross-over point: more customers access the Internet via their mobile phones than ever before. In fact, in many countries, more than 50% of ALL Internet access is via mobile devices. So I began to think about how to help clients decide whether or not one or more mobile apps are the right way to go for their customers’ self-service needs. There are two big gotcha’s that I see. From your company’s standpoint, it’s a big and a fairly permanent commitment. But, from the customer’s standpoint, there’s also a price—even if your apps are free, they take up valuable real estate and memory on their smartphone.” The post goes on to outline the six step process that Sam Grobart of the New York Times uses to whittle down the number of apps in his phone and uses it as a framework for whether or not it’s time to adopt an app for one’s own customer. Is it time for you to adopt apps for your customers?

Let's keep the conversation moving forward! Do you live by the tweet cheat sheet method? Is time to adopt it? What tools do you use to measure your social media? Social data, as well as measurement tools, is becoming increasingly prevalent. Are you taking advantage of everything to get the most out of your job? Social media is a solid way to remain in the minds of customers and furthermore, so are apps. Did you decide to jump in on the app game? Is it time to start?