Time to Try the 'Anti-Facebook'?

This week's need-to-know social-media news.

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A new social network called At the Pool, which has been called the "anti-Facebook," might be worth keeping an eye on. At the Pool is closing a $1 million seed round led by Silicon Valley venture-capital firm Clearstone Venture Partners and has overhauled its platform with many new features.

While Facebook helps users connect with people they already know, At the Pool wants people to connect with strangers who have shared interests. It's similar to activity-dating site HowAboutWe, minus the romantic element. Sporting-goods companies could advertise in the Hikers pool, for instance. -- TechCrunch

Related: How to Get People to Listen to You on Social Media

Pinterest leads Google+ for e-tailers.
While Facebook and Twitter are still the top social networks among online retailers, social photo-sharing site Pinterest has officially jumped ahead of Google's network, Google+. Seventy-eight percent of the top internet retailers use Pinterest, compared to Google+'s 73 percent, according to a report from AllTwitter. So, if your ecommerce startup has limited social media resources, you might consider investing your time with Pinterest before Google+. -- AllTwitter

Facebook mobile ads emphasize images.
The big social network is testing a new kind of ad that appears in mobile users' News Feeds to encourage them to "like" company pages. The new approach showcases bold photos, so if you want to buy a sponsored story for your own business, make sure you have an eye-catching image to go with it. -- AllFacebook

CEOs to triple their social media use.
For top executives at companies all over the world, social media is becoming a greater priority. Sixteen percent of CEOs say they use social media to engage customers, but expect their use to jump to 57 percent over the next five years, a new report says. If your business isn't active on social media, you might want to get started. -- AllTwitter

A hashtag is born.
Social media obsession has climbed to a new level with news that a baby girl was born last weekend and her parents reportedly named the child Hashtag Jameson. Yes, as in a Twitter #. This comes after an Egyptian man was said to have named his child Facebook last year to honor the social network's role in the Arab Spring uprisings. -- The Daily Dot

Related: 4 Ideas for Hosting Google+ Hangouts 'On Air'