If you aren’t up to speed on what’s going on, Instagram announced major changes in how users’ photos from the service would, or would not, be shared on Twitter.

To recreational users of Instagram and Twitter, this may seem to be a trivial matter of whether one sees a photo or a link to a photo in their Twitter feed, but the impact of that decision has the potential to drive millions of pageviews (and potential advertising revenue) to one site or the other.

That’s why I see “monetize” as one of the key watchwords in the digital media world for 2013. This is the year that digital media companies such as Facebook (owners of Instagram), Twitter and others have to begin addressing serious questions in their business models. Most notably, how will they make money from the never-ending flow of data created and shared by their users. In most cases, this will come down to the most commonly used model everyone knows: advertising.

That means, the war for eyeballs and pageviews is critical. Watch for most social networks to develop services and walled gardens designed to extend your stay on their site. This also means that the sites will be developing more paid advertising and promotional tools intended to help brands better reach consumers using these social networks.

Will services such as Facebook’s promoted posts and Twitter’s promoted tweets help make social media better business development tools? I believe it’s still too soon to tell for many businesses, but the potential is there.

As we move in to 2013, I will be especially interested to see how two major players– Facebook and Google– tackle the problem from a different perspective. Rather than simply trying to drive visitors back to their respective social networks, each player is going to make a concerted effort to have these two networks integrate as seamlessly as possible with the rest of your website experience. In many ways, Google (and its Google+ network) have a considerable head start and available capital to win this race. Facebook is no weakling, however. With a series of strategic acquisitions, including the possibility of purchasing Microsoft’s Atlas Solutions advertising network, Facebook could make a serious run at developing a web-wide presence in winning eyeballs and providing better targeting for your advertising money.

In the end, this is what the Instagram-Twitter feud is really about.

I also had the privilege of speaking about this topic this week on WBIR-TV in Knoxville:

More than 500 Girl Scouts and their families gathered at Bristol Motor Speedway this weekend for Bristol Motor Speedway Overnight, an event produced by the Girl Scout Council of the Southern Appalachians to celebrate 100 years of the Girl Scouts organization.

Participants enjoyed a hot dog meal, an Opening Ceremony, ride-alongs on the track, tours of the luxury suites, games, face painting, balloon animals and other activities, plus a movie and ice cream in the in-field.

The evening ended with a camp-out at Earhart Campground, adjacent to the Speedway.  Several attendees participated in the “Bling my Campsite” competition, in which they pitched tents or set up campsites with a special theme.

The event was sponsored by Bristol Motor Speedway, Mayfield Dairy Farms, First Tennessee, Food City, WTFM-FM and the Bristol Herald Courier.

For more information on the Girl Scout Council of the Southern Appalachians (GSCSA), visit www.GirlScoutcsa.org.

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About Girl Scout Council of the Southern Appalachians
The Girl Scout Council of the Southern Appalachians serves nearly 20,000 girl and adult members stretching from North Georgia to Southwest Virginia. Service centers are located in Chattanooga, Knoxville and Johnson City. The organization’s mission is to build girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. The council offers financial assistance to ensure that every girl who wants to be a Girl Scout has the opportunity to join this vibrant organization.

See below for photos from the event!

A Girl Scout troop prepares to conduct a flag ceremony for the Opening Ceremony of the event.

A Girl Scout enjoys fame in Victory Lane at Bristol Motor Speedway Overnight.

Event participants prepare for dinner on the in-field.

Girl Scouts enjoy photos in Victory Lane

Girl Scouts enjoy ride-alongs on the track! This is what it feels like to be a racecar driver!

Girl Scouts prepare for the Opening Ceremony flag ceremony

Girl Scout Council of the Southern Appalachians board president, Janice Greer, speaks to the Opening Ceremony crowd

Opening Ceremony crowd

A troop takes a memorable photo in the Speedway

Girl Scouts enjoy tours of the Speedway's luxury suites

A Girl Scout gets her face painted

Girl Scouts sign a banner to wish the organization a happy 100th birthday

A dance crew teaches the Girl Scouts a hip-hop routine (The Chick-Fil-A cow even participated!)

The fog was heavy, but participants still enjoyed a movie and ice cream in the in-field.

As a leader of your business or organization, how ready are you to embrace change? How open is your organization to the idea of change? Take a peek at our fall newsletter for insights from Cathy Ackermann on this topic, along with thoughts on creating true workplace productivity, the evolving world of communications and marketing pitfalls to avoid.

Our newsletter is available online in a PDF format. You can also subscribe to a traditional mailing of the newsletter by visiting our Contact page.

Follow the effort on Facebook at Choose Knoxville.

News Channel 9's Sarah Jennings leads the Opening Ceremony in AT&T Field - Chattanooga Lookouts Stadium

Crowd at Opening Ceremony - AT&T Field - Chattanooga Lookouts Stadium

Chattanooga Lookouts mascot Loouise poses with Girl Scouts

Loouise poses with Girl Scouts and the 100th Anniversary banner

Opening Ceremony emcee Sarah Jennings poses with Girl Scouts

The crowd begins the symbolic bridging ceremony into the second century of Girl Scouting

Hundreds of Girl Scouts and their families participate in the bridging ceremony

Girl Scouts lead the bridging ceremony across Walnut Street Bridge

Girl Scouts enjoy the Bridgefest festivities

Girl Scouts lead the dance to the 100th Anniversary song "Ignite" in Coolidge Park

A favorite activity - Girl Scouts dance in Coolidge Park!

More dancing in Coolidge Park

Zumba instructors lead a dance in Coolidge Park

Girl Scouts show off their dance moves in Coolidge Park

Stiltwalker Carrie McQueen entertains Girl Scouts in Coolidge Park

Girl Scout Council of the Southern Appalachians CEO Booth Kammann gives a little cheek art to a Girl Scout

A Girl Scout enjoys limbo in Coolidge Park

The inflatables were a big hit in Coolidge Park!

Girl Scouts take a break in Coolidge Park

For more information on the Girl Scouts 100th Anniversary and the Girl Scout Council of the Southern Appalachians, visit www.GirlScoutcsa.org.