A new study released by the Pew Research Center focuses on the demographics of social media users. Many of the results were as expected, however there were some surprising nuggets of information:

People from household incomes of $30,000 or less use social networking sites the most – 72%
Hispanics represent the largest ethnic group using social sites – 72%
Only 15% and 13% of respondents say they use Pinterest and Instagram, respectively (I expected the numbers to be a little higher)

Also surprising, specific usage questions on Google+ and YouTube were missing from this study. I realize the Pew Research Center survey took place in December 2012, however how could these two platforms be overlooked? Google+ and YouTube were ranked #2 and #3 behind Facebook, respectively, when it comes to the number of active users as of January 2013; these platforms should not be ignored.

Essentially, well over half of everyone on the internet uses at least one social media platform, across many ages, ethnic backgrounds and income levels. For businesses that are dabbling in social or have not started and don’t know where to start, start here. This data can certainly help businesses prioritize social media objectives so they are speaking to the right people on the right platform. Access the full Pew Research Center study here.

Infographic from Mashable.

Not too hot, not too cold, spring is pretty perfect when it comes to weather here in Orange County.

But really, aside from the three or four really chilly days we get each year, it is lovely all year long.

There’s something about the sky and longer days, though, that really makes me appreciate the things that speak spring.

Al fresco dining
A softly decorated backyard patio is a great way to enjoy a meal with family and friends as the afternoons and evenings get warmer.

Pretty Feet
I’m coveting these pointed toe lovelies from Tory Burch.

Champagne Cocktail
While we’re on the topic of eating, let’s talk about drinking. The champagne cocktail is one that should not be relegated to New Year’s parties and special occasions. Every day should be reason to celebrate. I like the look of this Elderflower concoction.

Gardens
Nothing says spring like an inviting landscape of blooming flowers and vibrant shrubs.

There is always something to dislike about Facebook. The mobile experience needs serious improvement, the current news feed is convoluted and many teens no longer think it’s cool, to name a few. As Zuckerberg and company roll out their updated news feed in the coming weeks, however, it’s worth noting that the redesign takes a cue from Pinterest and Instagram (which Facebook owns). The experience will focus on larger visuals; images and links will be prominent and front and center.

Yes, this new format is preferable to advertisers and by extension the investor community, but it also clearly points to a larger trend of social media content consumption. It is all about images and video. Pinterest and Instagram are viral, and YouTube as well as other rich media sharing sites are growing exponentially. About fifty percent of Facebook posts include a photo or video, compared to twenty-five percent just over a year ago.

Businesses that wish to have a strong social media presence must provide visuals that are worth sharing. And when Facebook, the granddaddy of social media sites with well over one billion users worldwide, shifts its focus to a visuals-centered design, we all should take note. Whether Facebook has lost some of its cool is debatable, but it still matters.

Photo from New York Times

With 2012 and January 2013 real estate data coming in, we have been cautiously optimistic about what has been going on in the Southern California market. Foreclosures are down, prices are going up and inventory is low. This trifecta in our post Great Recession world should create demand, however even we weren’t prepared for what has been happening at Woodbridge Pacific Group’s Brightwater Huntington Beach this week.

Campers. No, you’re not reading something from 2004. Brightwater has eleven sets of campers in line awaiting the first sales release of neighborhood Capri this Saturday. Thirty are expected by week’s end.

And Brightwater is making the news. Check out this week’s coverage by CBS Los Angeles (shown below), NBC LA, Fox 11 LA and KTLA 5.

Located a few short blocks from Pacific Coast Highway, Brightwater offers new beach-close homes, many with unobstructed views of the coast and Bolsa Chica Wetlands. The three Brightwater neighborhoods encompass eleven new floor plan designs. Living spaces will range from approximately 1,992 to 2,685 square feet at Capri; 3,192 to 3,732 square feet at Seaglass; and 3,751 to 4,764 square feet at Azurene. Emphasizing indoor/outdoor living enjoyment and an array of luxury amenities, the homes will provide 3 to 6 bedrooms and 2.5 to 6.5 baths.

The National Retail Federation predicts that Valentine’s Day spending will top $18.6 billion this year, so naturally businesses want to cash in on this holiday with which so many have a love/hate relationship. While the jury’s still out on how much advertisers will spend in total, it will be a hefty sum, especially after factoring in social media campaigns.

Here are a few Valentine-related links that have caught my attention:

I am intrigued by a few of these vintage Valentine’s Day print ads and posters.

Ads of the World provides a fun ‘best of’ compilation.

App developers also want their piece of the holiday revenue pie.

I am obsessed with candy hearts. Learn more about their history here.

And for those who prefer social media as a vehicle to express your love and affection, take note: only 1.7% of people think it is the most romantic way to say ‘I love you.’

Happy Valentine’s Day!

So I’ve just started Swipping. Yes, Swipping.

Launched this week, Swipp is a social platform that allows you to find out what the world thinks about anything at any given moment. Kind of like Yelp, Swipp is a rating system that provides you with an opportunity to provide your opinion on anything: from your thoughts about the U.S. Congress to Lady Gaga, from McDonald’s to that new restaurant you tried last week, it’s all fair game on Swipp.

The platform is structured around topics instead of people, however you can easily see what your friends are Swipping. Using the ‘explore’ feature on the dashboard, you can see what topics are trending now all over the world. Even better, and appealing to the data dork in me, you can expand each topic to view if your friends Swipped it, its current Swipp score, lifetime Swipp score, Swipp score by male/female and Swipp score throughout regions of the world.

Once enough people start using it, I can see how Swipp could be another tool marketers use to take a temperature check of their companies’ brand or products across the social web. Right now, it’s just fun.

We are just over a week into 2013. Are you sticking to your New Year’s resolutions? Statistics tell us that 36 percent of us don’t make it past the first month, 54 percent past six months. With deflating numbers like that, it’s a wonder 45 percent of us even bother making them at all.

New Year’s resolutions have a long history. Some of the earliest known resolutions were made by the Romans as promises to their god, Janus, for whom the month of January had been named. Appropriately, Janus had two faces: one looked back to past for reflection, the other ahead toward the future.

Still, you would think we could break with tradition given our lackluster follow through. For many of us, however, a new year and its possibilities are too irresistible to ignore. A new year represents a blank canvas, a clean slate, an ‘out with the old, in with the new’ attitude that inspires us to do better and be better. Even artists and cultural icons are not immune to the promise a new year brings. The Atlantic compiled some interesting resolutions by notables here. The most popular for 2012 come as no surprise. You can review the usual suspects, in addition to statistics, here.

We hope that 2013 is a good one for you, wherever your resolutions and adventures take you.

New Year's Resolution generator by Monina Velarde

As we look back at 2012 and ahead toward 2013, we hear and see a lot of talk about uncertainty in the economy, politics and foreign affairs, to name a few. Yes, many things do remain uncertain as 2012 comes to a close, however we are also seeing many positive things. Most notably, in our industry, more builders are building and buyers are buying. It is still too early to determine a consistent trend, but it is a good thing for our industry and economy.

With that in mind, we offer a heartfelt ‘thank you’ to our clients. They provide us with the distinct privilege of crafting and sharing the stories of their new home communities. Our collective teamwork and passion made 2012 a year we will never forget.

We couldn’t be more excited for what 2013 brings, and we wish you all a healthy and prosperous new year.