StumbleUpon Stumbles, Hunter Boots and Weather, Grammar Mistakes

The Strategist picks the day’s most relevant and interesting stories about the world of content from around the web. Here’s what you should be reading today:

StumbleUpon Layoffs

Bad news for StumbleUpon: According to SocialTimes, the company recently laid off 30 percent of its workers. The rising popularity of Facebook and Pinterest caused referrals to fall by more than 50 percent in 2012.

Mike Mayzel, spokesman for StumbleUpon said, “As a result of these changes, the company will be profitable and will operate more quickly and efficiently and experiment more aggressively.”

Hunter Boots’ Facebook App for Photos

According to Lisa Lacy of ClickZ, Hunter Boots’ new Facebook app, Together Through Any Weather, encourages fans to create and upload photos based on the daily weather theme on the page.

Every day, one person will win a prize through January. We Are Social, which came up with the campaign, did so to “raise awareness of the brand at the time of year when many countries experience their most extreme weather conditions, as well as to drive engagement levels within the brand’s Facebook community.”

Don’t Make Grammar Mistakes 

WriteToDone reports on the pitfalls of grammar mistakes in online content.

Writers need to be clear and careful about grammar mistakes because “you’re asking readers to travel down your road to get to their destination: information, inspiration, and instructions. You want that road clearly marked so readers know where to turn, when to stop, how fast to go, and what’s up ahead. That’s why rules of written grammar are standardized like road signs. It’s why they’re important. And it’s why you need to use them.”

Building the Trust with Content

CopyBlogger’s Georgina El Morshy writes about what it takes to get known online, build likability, and foster trust.

Content producers need to know whom they are talking to, create the content that the target audience wants to consumer, and forge relationships with key influencers. To be liked, they need to be authentic, initiate two-way conversations with the audience, and be generous by sharing content and promoting others.

Building trust means apologizing when necessary, offering guarantees, and using case studies to “demonstrate your capability.”

Dennis Kuchinich Joining Fox News

The New York Times reports that former Democratic congressman from Ohio Dennis Kuchinich is joining Fox News as a contributor. On Thursday, he will make his first appearance on the network on “The O’Reilly Factor.”

Of his new position, he said, “Through 16 years in Congress and two presidential campaigns, Fox News has always provided me with an opportunity to share my perspective with its enormous viewership. … I look forward to a continuation of our relationship, this time as a Fox News contributor.”

Free Image Editing Online

Business2Community’s Lauren Barraco posted a roundup of the best free tools online to edit photos.

There is Pixlr, which includes an advanced, express, and Instagram-type option, and Paint.net, which “features layers, painting and drawing tools, special effects, unlimited undo history, and levels adjustments.”

Picassa is offered by Google, and allows for cropping, special effects, and basic color correction.

Crowdsourced Ad for Dundler Mifflin 

Yes, it’s a real company. Based on “The Office,” Dundler Mifflin, which produces paper products, tissues, notepads, markers, and other products, is looking for a crowdsourced ad to play during the Super Bowl on TV sets in Scranton, Penn.

The winner of the project will win $15,000. This is going to be the first TV ad for the business.