Top 10 Social Media Stories of 2014

Social media left an indelible mark on 2014, and we’re not just talking about that epic celebrity-packed selfie at the Oscars. The business of social media is finally maturing as more marketers flock to the medium to drive sales and other meaningful business objectives. Social media pros are making more money. Enterprise collaboration drives digital collaboration. And Facebook is doing everything it can to dramatically change the social landscape in the enterprise. 

Here are CIO.com’s 10 most-read social media stories of 2014.

1) 14 Must-See Social Media Marketing Success Stories

How do you break through all the noise on social media sites? Here are 14 creative, timely and, in some cases, crazy, examples of how organizations achieved social media success.

2) Top 10 Jobs by Salary for Social Media Pros

Of the 20 most common jobs that require social media skills, 11 pay above the national average with a median salary of $43,400. These are the 10 most common jobs, ranked by their median respective salaries that require social media skills.

3) Ten Social Media Certifications and Classes to Advance Your Career

While some of the mavens, superstars and self-described ninjas of social media may have taught themselves everything they know, formal training and education is a necessity for almost everyone else. These are some of the top certification programs and classes to advance your career in social media today.

4) Who’s Really Using Tinder (and How Are They Using It)?

Is Tinder an app for dating, hook-ups, making friends or a game of good old-fashioned judgment? The service might be popular because it delivers on all of those fronts.

(For more on Tinder, please read our coverage of the company’s rapid growth and commentary on its sexual harassment scandal.)

5) Six Social Media Mistakes That Will Kill Your Career

Just because you’re not posting drunken selfies doesn’t mean you’ve got this social networking thing down. There are a number of more subtle social media mistakes that could hurt your career. Here are six to avoid.

6) Learn the Science of When to Post on Facebook and Twitter

What’s the best time and frequency to post on Facebook or Twitter? Digital marketers struggle with these questions 24/7. Here’s how to map out a game plan for scheduling your social media activity.

7) Apple’s Disappearing iMessage Feature Just an Act

Apple just couldn’t help but throw itself into the rising tide of ephemerality when it updated iMessage in iOS 8. But SnapChat and WhatsApp are safe because Apple missed the mark completely.

8) Enterprise Collaboration Will Drive Digital Transformation

Digital transformation is on the menu for most companies this year, but the ingredients needed are still being determined. However, new research highlights the recipes companies are using to evolve internal processes, structure and culture to match the evolution in customers’ behavior.

9) How ‘Facebook at Work’ Could Alter the Social Enterprise Landscape

Facebook is readying a new social network for the workplace that could represent the purest manifestation of the consumerization of IT movement to date. The success of “Facebook at Work” will, however, rest on the company’s ability to convince CIOs that it can securely and privately deliver valuable business services.

(For more on Facebook, read about how the company excels at data center efficiency, why it wants advertisers to focus on ROI and how it plans to control digital advertising.)

10) Inside the Shadowy World of Data Brokers

Data brokers operate in the shadows of the Internet. Most consumers are unaware or unsure how to put restrictions of their activity. In fact, one U.S. senator called these companies and their practices “the dark underside of American life.”