If you feel like you’d pay closer attention to the ongoing evolution of social sites like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, if only you had the time, this post is for you. The triumvirate of key social networks in the U.S. has been hard at work rolling out new features over the past month. Here’s the executive summary, with links to insightful blog posts about each innovation.

1. Promoted Tweets. Twitter stirred up a lot of media coverage a few weeks ago when it introduced its first serious attempt at generating revenue in the form of “Promoted Tweets”, which allow companies to sponsor their tweets so that they rise to the top of users’ searches. The program is currently available only to a test group of companies that includes Starbucks, Virgin America and Best Buy. 

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When it comes to Twitter and brands, consumers who are also Twitter users have plenty to say on the subject. We’ve interviewed a few folks, analyzed a couple of streams, and come up with ten common, recurring requests and complaints from users who’ve engaged with brands on Twitter.

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With a $1 billion valuation, Twitter is becoming, according to Co-Founder Evan Williams, an information network, a practically priceless exchange for connections, information, and the resulting activity that ensues.

Indeed, Twitter appears to have evolved into a human seismograph, a lifeline interweaving people through conversations, reciprocity, and connections inspired by the interests, ideas, passions, causes, and observations that move them.

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