PR and Social InkLings for the Week of August 15

"Checking in" with Obama, Back to School Goes Digital, Wannabe Robin Hood Ruins Social Experiment, Google+ Tips and Tricks, Psychology of Twitter Infographic and The Onion Dominates

President Obama Joins Foursquare

Foursquare just added a very impressive user to its already 10 million-plus database. According to The Huffington Post, the White House is now “checking in” and offering tips and historical information about the places President Obama has visited, details about what he did in each location and more. As the 2012 campaign ramps up, users can expect to be hearing a lot more about different presidential events. I wonder when he’s going to “check in” from the Black Dog Tavern?

Back to School: 42 Digital Resources for Students and Parents

I’ll admit it – I still get a stomach ache when I see the commercials advertising new notebooks, pencils and corduroys that begin to air around this time of year. I’m sure many students gearing up to go back to school feel the same way, but luckily for them, they are growing up in the digital age and there are a slew of new techie tools, apps and social media tips at their, and their parents’, fingertips. So, while I had to find comfort in a new JanSport backpack, students and parents today have Mashable’s best education-related posts from the past year to help them ease into the upcoming school year.

Starbucks Shuts Down Jonathan’s Card over Fraud Concerns

Last week, I wrote about Jonathan’s Card, a social experiment using digital currency and mobile phones that allowed strangers to download a copy of Jonathan Stark’s Starbucks card to buy coffee, while encouraging them to also add money to the card. The ongoing campaign was a huge success…until one guy ruined it for the rest of us. The communal card was already in violation of Starbucks policy, but when entrepreneur Sam Odio’s “How to use Jonathan’s card to buy yourself an iPad” blog post went live, Starbucks decided to deactivate the card. Is Odio a wannabe Robin Hood or just someone that wanted to steal the spotlight? Let the Consumerist help you decide.

Google+ Tips and Tricks: 10 More Ways to Make the Most of Your Account

This wouldn’t be a proper news “round-up” if I didn’t include the newest tips and tricks for Google+. The social networking darling has been around for quite some time now, and while users are running into a few roadblocks when using the site, such as cross-posting issues, they have also had time to discover how to most effectively use it. From help filtering your notifications to tagging people in your photos, Mashable offers some great tips here.

The Psychology of Twitter Infographic

Why did you unfollow me? Five little words that no one wants to address. There are multiple reasons Twitterers might decide to unfollow someone: tweets are too self-promotional, uninteresting content, automated tweets, oversharing, etc. Make sure to create a quality following for yourself, and if you have to unfollow someone, avoid the awkward questions and send them this fun infographic shared by Mediabistro instead. They’ll get the (visual) message.

How The Onion Surpassed 3 Million Followers

This week, The Onion welcomed its 3 millionth Twitter follower. How does an entertainment magazine that publishes satirical articles on both real and fake news surpass “real news” outlets? A smart social strategy: the news is constantly updated, tweeted at optimal times and is also simultaneously posted on Facebook. According to Mashable, “The attention that The Onion gets on Twitter is a testament to its success of continuing its satire of news organizations onto social media.” So, I can find true facts about the economy AND read stories like this all on the same Twitter feed? The Onion just gained another follower.