PR and Social InkLings for the Week of August 29

Google Rolls Out Chrome Extension, Tweeting Irene, Dealing with Angry Fans, Yipit Success and Talking to Oprah

Google Rolls Out the Chrome Extension to Bring +1 to Entire Web

This week, quietly, Google launched the +1 Chrome extension. The Google +1 button extension allows you to “+1 a Web page, anywhere you go on the Web.” You don’t have to rely on a site to implement the +1 button, you can invoke the functionality through your browser. The broader plan? The button will affect which advertisements Google presents to you (somewhat controversial) and will even play a role in Google Search itself. Google also explains that by installing the application, all of the pages you visit will be sent to Google. Do you like the sound of this, or does it concern you? TechCrunch provides more detail here.

Hurricane Irene was a Flop in Massachusetts, a Strong Force on Social Media Sites

The Northeast was bombarded with hurricane warnings leading up to Irene’s arrival last weekend. We expected the worst and unlike comparable storms in past years, residents had multiple resources at their fingertips, as Irene was immersed in social media. NYC residents used Foursquare to find their nearest evacuation centers, and Irene allowed Twitterers to follow her track, offering reassuring statuses like, “I don’t want to hurt anyone,” and to retweeting the NYC Mayor’s Office messages. A crowdsourced project also helped people report incidents such as fallen trees, damaged cable lines and flooding.

Seven Tips for Dealing with Upset Facebook Fans

When I was little and facing a conflict, I remember my mom saying, “You can’t make everyone happy.” This was as true on the playground then as it is on social media sites today. When you, or your brand, are interacting with so many different personalities on Facebook, you are bound to run into a less-than-happy and vocal customer. The key is to address the problem and come to an agreeable solution. How exactly should you do this? Check out Social Media Examiner’s tips, and remember to repeat Beth’s mantra, “Stay above the fray.”

Yipit Rides the Daily Deal Chaos to Success

With a slew of daily deal sites recently receiving negative press, you might think a new startup wouldn’t stand a chance in the tumultuous market, but deals aggregator and recommendation service Yipit sees this time a great opportunity to rise to the forefront. What helps Yipit stand apart is that it scans the deals from the other sites and presents them to users based on their interests and location. I personally subscribe to four daily deal sites – having only purchased from one – and recently unsubscribed to one that inundated my inbox with deals that I was never interested in. Sound familiar? Maybe Yipit would be a good fit for you. Read more about their success here.

Oprah to Appear Live on Facebook

I love Oprah for many reasons: her strong work ethic, her dedication to worthy charities, her “Favorite Things” show (especially the audience reaction), and now, I might actually be able to tell her how much I love her…live! On Thursday, September 8, the media mogul will appear live on Facebook, answering viewers’ questions on-air. The social-media site event is nothing new for Oprah, as she has long been immersed on Facebook and Twitter, but this appearance creates a lot of buzz for the former queen of daytime TV, keeping her “front of mind” for audiences. Have a question for her? Find out more here.