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This Week In Social Media: December 4, 2009

This Week In Social Media: iePlexus Dec. 4, 2009 from iePlexus on Vimeo.

From Cyber Monday shopping statistics to this year’s most popular word, here’s a look at what happened “This Week in Social Media.”

Yahoo is trying to gain some momentum on Google. That’s because on Wednesday the company announced they would be integrating Facebook to their site. The company plans to roll out the Facebook Connect feature on a number of its sites in hopes more Facebook users will use Yahoo to share items with their friends.  This week Facebook announced they’ve reached more than 350 million users and the new integration could bring more users to both sites.  Currently the feature is available on Yahoo’s homepage and plans to roll it out on more of it’s sites are expected in the early part of next year. 

Both Google & Yahoo announced what words and phrases were most searched worldwide this year, and leading both lists was Michael Jackson.  Taking a look at Google’s top 5 search terms behind Michael Jackson were Facebook, Tuenti which is a Spanish social networking site, similar to Facebook, Twitter, and Sanalika finishing that list.  Yahoo’s list was a bit different with Twilight at number 2, followed by the WWE, Megan Fox, & Britney Spears.  This was the first year in over 4 years that Spears wasn’t number one on Yahoo’s list. The most searched word in the US according to Google was Twitter.

As you know, Monday was Cyber Monday, and results are still coming in.  Data from Hitwiseshows that online stores though are most likely going to have to thank their social media profiles for helping them out.  That’s because Facebook helped drive 36% of online shoppers to their final destinations.  While 15% came from Twitter.  Amazon, Walmart, Target, Best Buy and Toys R US have benefited the most, all seeing a large increase compared to last year.

Just the other week we told you that unfriend was the word of the year.  Now the Global Language Monitor has released the most popular word for 2009. That word. Twitter. Experts say this should be surprising since Twitter has received so much media attention this year.  Obama was the second most popular word, and you may recall that last year’s most popular word was ‘change,’ part of the president’s campaign slogan.