Yahoo pledges to “not screw up Tumblr.” Yeah, right. Any purchase prefaced with such a statement likely means the opposite. But, ultimately, it depends on the definition of “screw up.”

Will they monetize the platform and start running ads? Probably. Does that mean they’ll screw it up? To some users, that’s a big yes. But the proof will be in what Yahoo does with the platform. For Yahoo to capitalize on the $1.1 billion purchase, they will need to leverage the platform to augment their offering without being intrusive.

Tumblr is ripe for monetization. That’s exactly why Yahoo bought it. Tumblr also provides Yahoo with key features that will enhance and complement their own product offerings and services.

-        Younger demographic. Tumblr’s demographic is the opposite of Yahoo’s current audience. They are young and tech-savvy Millennials. With monetization, Yahoo can provide eager advertisers the opportunity to reach this younger audience.

-        Page views. Tumblr has over 50 million blog posts per month, which means a lot of page views. Advertisers have been itching to serve ads on these pages. Yahoo will be able to provide advertisers the ability to capitalize on those views.

-        Ease of targeting. Users tag their posts with hashtags and keywords, which makes it easy to place relevant ads. Yahoo could offer advertisers advanced targeting features that are similar to Google AdSense. This will ensure advertisers can place the most relevant ads, ultimately increasing effectiveness.

-        Mobile Usage. Tumblr has excelled at mobile. Their app outperforms Facebook and Yahoo on mobile devices.  Through advertising, Tumblr could easily help Yahoo reach mobile-based Millennials.

While all of these things make Tumblr an appealing purchase, it is not immune to barriers and complications. Yahoo will have to carefully navigate these key issues:

-        Tumblr users. Tumblr CEO David Karp, and users, are staunchly against advertising. With features like Tumblr Radar and Spotlight, Tumblr could have easily integrated native advertising a long time ago, if they were looking to monetize. Any advertising Yahoo launches could be a huge turn off and cause users to abandon the site.

-        Brand un-safe content. Blogs are filled with non-PG and questionable content, which could cause advertisers to be leery of launching ads. Yahoo will need to assure advertisers that their ads will not appear on questionable blogs or near off-brand content.

-        Changing platforms. While Tumblr is leading the charge now, Yahoo’s purchase could be irrelevant in just a few years. Over the past 10 years, blogging platforms like WordPress and Blogger have all been top blogging platforms. The barriers to entry for a new platform to emerge is low.

Will Yahoo “screw up” Tumblr? That’s yet to be determined. For the purchase to be successful, Yahoo will need to integrate and leverage Tumblr, rather than try to change the platform.

Today, Facebook announced Graph Search. This new search feature is seen by many as a must-have for the social giant, and many new engineers were brought on to help address the issue.

First, Facebook’s search isn’t a direct competitor of Google. Google¹ crawls the web and brings you the most relevant results. Facebook’s Graph Search will crawl the interests, likes and actions of Facebook users, uncovering the best-matching content on their network.

It’s not known to what extent non-Facebook data will be surfaced with this new product. Given the impetus on increasing shareholder value, many pundits assume an answer of “not much.” And we agree. Facebook has a vested interest in people and brands not just using Facebook, but consuming content on Facebook. That’s a very different proposition from Google.

It’s too early to make solid recommendations on how to best capitalize on Facebook’s new feature. But we’ll suggest three things that will get you ready:

1. Focus on community growth. This new search is tied directly to the connection between people and brands. Now more than ever, a healthy number of engaged and active fans will improve your brand’s visibility. But this goes beyond asking for the “Like.” It means giving users a reason to like you.
2. Double-down on remarkable content. – Whether it’s for quantity or quality, you need a solid content plan. Yes, we’ve said it before. We’ll say it again. Facebook is its own ecosystem, and users will have even less of a reason to leave now. Make sure you’re meeting their needs on Facebook as much as you can.
3. Start finding ad money to test. – Facebook needs a better way to monetize. Their search implementation makes it an obvious fit for highly targeted ads and a brand new format. Whether you’ve had success in the past with Facebook ads or not is immaterial; consider this a brand-new marketplace.

^{1. For the purpose of this post, we’re focusing only on Google as a search engine. Google+, the social layer, is surfacing much more and in more personal ways. But this is about Facebook!}

We’ve put together the best-of-the-best Tweets that came out of BOLO 2012. We hope to both remind those who attended what they learned, and share with those who could not make it this year the great thought-leadership that was present at the conference.

Soak in this wisdom, then apply it; knowledge without action is worthless. Here we go.

• “Embracing uncertainty is trainable.” @jonathanfields
• “Content is fire, social media is gasoline” @jaybaer
• “SEO should be part of the whole process, not the last step of it” @nickroshon
• “If there is not a business reason behind a social effort, you shouldn’t be doing it.” @DrewMcLellan
• “Social is not a channel. It’s a layer.” @webby2001

Our friends at The Agency Post decided to find out. In their words: “The Agency Post surveyed industry professionals attending the BOLO 2012 digital marketing conference to get a snapshot of the advertising industry. We wanted to know about today’s client demands, what agencies are doing in digital and what changes they are making internally to meet rising expectations.”

Their survey resulted in the beautiful and informative infographic below.

As we come closer to BOLO 2012, we are excited to see what challenges and changes agencies are facing, because well, we know that our entourage of experts speaking at BOLO will share most of the answers with attendees. It’s like having a study session before an exam where the teacher works out 90% of the problems and just changes the numbers on the exam. Get your cheat sheets ready.

We hope this infographic gives you a good idea of what agencies today are facing in the digital realm, and what type of agencies you can expect to see at BOLO.

To check out The Agency Post’s original article on their infographic, go here.

Want to stay ahead of the pack and avoid becoming an extinct ad agency during this challenging economy? BOLO will give you access to the best and brightest in digital with a conference geared to the mid-sized agency looking to take its digital services to the next level. Speakers at the 2011 conference included Scott Stratten, Lisa Bari, Hugh McGoran, and Jay Baer with timely topics including mobile, social media, analytics, content marketing, and more.

Wish you’d attended last year’s conference? Take a peek at our BOLO 2011 video above and slideshow below to get a feel for this Southwestern jewel of digital marketing.

BOLO champions the marketing stalwarts who are ready to rebel against tired norms. Interested? Ready to break through the status quo and switch up? Registration will open January 1, 2012, so watch this page for updates and email customer.service@agencyside.net with any of your questions. Now, is it too early to start packing our bags?

Since we are a bit digital-marketing obsessed, we thought we’d share the tweets that best captured the essence de BOLO 2011:

Kim Brater, Ant Hill Marketing:  Kudos to @bretgiles @agencyside @BOLOAZ for a great conference and hospitality. Leaving with new friends and actionable takeaways #BOLO2011

Chad Lio, The Hoffman Group:  @BOLOAZ is what makes us truly passionate about what we do. Receiving and utilizing great insights to help others. Thanks again! #digilove

Susan Baier, Audience Audit: Even as a presenter I learn a TON at @BOLOAZ – and not just from the other presenters. Smart agencies there too.  #bolo2011

Brian Harris, smith&jones: Breakfast with @susanbaierget and @christieri, bumped into @cc_chapman, @TheTimHayden and @TomMartin. Talk about star power after#BOLO2011

J.C. Bradford, The Bradford Group: The power of #BOLO2011. My Klout score shot up from 27 to 38 from the kind mentions and retweets from social media power mongers at BOLO.

David Fabbri, LoSasso Advertising: Back from #BOLO2011 - fantastic conference. Great social media, mobile and ideas for running a dynamic and successful digital agency.

Carey Ransom, RealPractice: Still reflecting on a couple great days in Scottsdale with everyone at #bolo2011. Enlightening, high-energy event and great folks!

So, thank you again to everyone for making #BOLO2011 better than we could have imagined; now who’s ready for BOLO 2012?

BOLO: What do you like to discuss with close friends?
Charlie: There’s nothing I love more than throwing a few sacred cows on the barbie: politics, sex, religion – if you’re not supposed to talk about it in polite company, I can’t wait to discuss. I also can lose a few hours debating the virtue of social tools and/or new business models. I’m a business and tech info junkie.

BOLO: What do you love about the marketing industry?
Charlie: Applied creativity. I love seeing a creative concept launch a new idea or a new industry.

BOLO: What do you hate about it?
Charlie: We seem to be a petty, thin-skinned bunch at times.

BOLO: Why do you think your BOLO topic is important in today’s marketing climate?
Charlie: Social media is not going to be a specialty for much longer – do you see many telephone or email gurus making the rounds? Social tools will continue to come and go, but corporate storytelling and content marketing are the big opportunities for agencies to master long term.

BOLO: List 5 things about you that only your (best friend/spouse/dog) knows about you?
Charlie:

1. Loves bacon and loves chocolate but not chocolate covered bacon.
2. Hates people who flick cigarette butts out the window, poorly designed billboards and speed limits.
3. Produced the TEDxDetroit conference, now in its third year.
4. Thinks Leelanau Peninsula is among the most beautiful spots on the planet.

BOLO: If you’ve attended BOLO before, what was your favorite memory? If you haven’t attended, what are you looking forward to the most?
Charlie: I love smaller conferences. More opportunities for meaningful conversations. You look at the roster of not just speakers – but the attendees. There are plenty of thought leaders and people making it happen in the real world at BOLO.

BOLO: What other BOLO speaker(s) are YOU excited to hear/see/drink under the table?
Charlie: Scott Stratten makes me giggle like a schoolgirl. I learn something from Jay Baer every time he opens his mouth. CC Chapman is like the grand poobah of new marketing.

Charlie Wollborg is Chief Troublemaker and Founding Partner at Curve Detroit Marketing Strategy & Creative Design. As a marketing strategist and creative director, he has delivered blue sky ideas and bottom line results for blue chip national clients and budding challenger brands. He is the Curator of TEDxDetroit  and a Community Builder at Motor City Connect.

BOLO: What do you like to discuss with close friends?
Dan: Politics, religion, and evolution of mankind. It always makes for a lively discussion.

BOLO: What do you love about the marketing industry?
Dan: I love the creativity – it is always great to hear innovative thinking that is unlike any other industry. It is inspiring, and always gives me a different vantage point for the same problem.

BOLO: What do you hate about it?
Dan: The same thing I love about it, the creativity. Being a technologist and product manager, creativity is awesome, but I am always thinking about time and budget constraints, which often puts a damper on the overly creative concepts.

BOLO: Why do you think your BOLO topic is important in today’s marketing climate?
Dan: From a recent interview with Rajat Paharia, Bunchball’s Founder & CPO:

“Once just amusing pastimes for children, games have now become the equivalent of behavior modification ray guns aimed directly at our brains.”

Marketing is all about persuasion and perception, and gamification has been, and continues to be an extremely effective tactic when done right.

BOLO: List 5 things about you that only your (best friend/spouse/dog) knows about you?
Dan:
1.      I was a Bunchball customer before joining the team; it has given me a unique understanding of how a gamification program can be implemented successfully and result in behavior modification.

2.      I think most clearly when I am by myself, flying my airplane a mile above the Bay Area.

3.      I loathe egg salad, cheesecake, and tomatoes. I barfed on separate occasions from eating these items as a child, and have been scarred ever since.

4.      Martha’s Vineyard is my favorite destination. I have not found a destination that matches its beauty and serenity. (Lake Tahoe comes in second place.)

5.      My dog knows that I will eventually pick him up and let him into my bed when he whines. (Advice to new dog owners: don’t ever let your dog sleep with you; you will regret it.)

BOLO: If you’ve attended BOLO before, what was your favorite memory? If you haven’t attended, what are you looking forward to the most?
Dan: I am a BOLO virgin; absolutely looking forward to hearing all of the thought leaders at this conference.

Dan Katz is the Director of Product Management at Bunchball, where he is responsible for Bunchball’s product strategy and roadmap. He works closely with customers to help define and deploy world-class gamification applications. Prior to Bunchball, Dan has held roles as CTO, Technical Project Manager, and Technical Advisor for financial brokerage, e-commerce, and consulting firms.

Take it away, Josh!

BOLO: What do you like to discuss with close friends?
Josh: Take a look at me and what do you think? I talk food a lot. Why? Because I love it! Food is life. It connects people, increases blood sugar levels and facilitates conversation. Everyone has to eat every day. Everyone has an opinion based on their own personal tastes and it’s all subjective — so we’re all foodies in some way, shape or form. I especially love food shopping as it combines shopping AND food. I plan meals, food stack and enjoy the preparation, planning, execution and post mortems of meals. Burp.

BOLO: What do you love about the marketing industry?
Josh: I love that with digital marketing in particular we’re constantly challenged to keep abreast of the latest and greatest technology shifts that drive changes in the way people connect, share and communicate. No resting on your laurels! Every day is a new adventure and digital marketing by its nature forces “continuing education.”

BOLO: What do you hate about it?
Josh: Digital is a double-edged sword! Keeping on top of ALL of the changes can be downright daunting. Some days I just need to sit down with a book and a cup of coffee and “go old school” to recoup.

BOLO: Why do you think your BOLO topic is important in today’s marketing climate?
Josh: There’s so much noise and change going on digitally that it’s like listening to plate tectonics with headphones. Shifting continental plates crashing, gnashing and grinding at full volume in your ears can be a mind-scramble! We must learn to cut through the noise, rely on our networks and those with different passions and past times to curate the best of the best for us, so we can better understand our audiences and focus our efforts accordingly.

BOLO: List 5 things about you that only your (best friend/spouse/dog) knows about you?
Josh:
1. My favorite band is Black Box Recorder.
2. I love scrabble.
3. I don’t have TV and I spend inordinate hours consuming Wikipedia in the Pennsilfaanisch Deitsch language. If you speak Pennsy Dutch and attend BOLO, I must meet you!
4. On formal occasions, I wear old timey (non-elasticated) socks with men’s sock garters.
5. I have an alter ego called The Shrinemeister who makes and sells junk art shrines that will touch you … in a biblical sense.

BOLO: If you’ve attended BOLO before, what was your favorite memory? If you haven’t attended, what are you looking forward to the most?
Josh: Last year’s Vaudeville segment had me rolling on the floor!

BOLO: What other BOLO speaker(s) are YOU excited to hear/see/drink under the table?
Josh: Jason Damas, Kimberly Davey, Susan Baier, Jay Feitlinger and naturally Bret Giles. He da man!

JOSH YEAGER is the co-founder and digital strategist at Double Dutch & Company. He has 16 years of experience in the online space and has worked the spectrum from Fortune 100 clients to mom & pop startups.

So say hello to this CBGB-playing, BBQ-ing BOLO speaker…

BOLO: What do you like to discuss with close friends?
Sean:  I could discuss food and cooking all day long. In particular, real bbq. This involves dry rubs, days-long preparation, soaked chunks of wood and a real Weber kettle. Look at me, I’m already getting lost and I’m supposed to be answering questions.

BOLO: What do you love about the marketing industry?
Sean:  I fell in love with marketing while still in college. I was the guy who set up concerts and special events. I quickly realized that great marketing could change things radically. Done well, throngs of people would turn out to buy something or just have a great time. It’s all about effecting behavior.

BOLO: What do you hate about it?
Sean:  There are lots of opinions. Lots and lots of opinions.

BOLO: Why do you think your BOLO topic is important in today’s marketing climate?
Sean:  Targeted communication is more important than ever. And the first step to effective targeting is identifying important segments.

BOLO: List 5 things about you that only your (best friend/spouse/dog) knows about you?
Sean:

1.      I like to arrange the remote controls on the coffee table just so.
2.      I was in a hardcore punk band and played CBGB’s when I was 15.
3.      If I was on a desert island and could only choose one food, it would be Skyline Chili.
4.      I like cruiser bicycles for their laid-back attitude.
5.      I change beers by the season.

BOLO: If you’ve attended BOLO before, what was your favorite memory? If you haven’t attended, what are you looking forward to the most?
Sean:  I’m most looking forward to the exchange of ideas.

BOLO: What other BOLO speaker(s) are YOU excited to hear/see/drink under the table?
Sean:  I’m very excited to hear Jay Baer again. I know better than to try and drink him under the table.

SEAN ROGERS is Senior Client Strategist at Republic Media. After marketing for Toys’R'Us and Petsmart, he worked agency side for a number of years before joining Republic Media, where he is responsible for delivering innovative solutions that drive sales.