“Things I’ve Learned from Lately” is a regular compilation of articles that have made me a smarter social media marketer. Hopefully, they’ll help you, too.

Transbranding in the Social Age – Marketers can use transbranding to connect and effectively move between divergent markets, but it’s important to note that brands are being shaped by much more than what they say. Other voices, such as those online, can conflict with what marketers are trying to communicate. Marketers can use transbranding to gain more control.

Key Takeaway: Brands cannot hope to be the only ones who shape their identity. Consumers now have the means to have a significant amount of input on what a brand stands for. Marketers who embrace this behavior by lowering the walls and inviting participation while holding strong to brand principles can successfully have the best of both worlds and co-create brand identities with their customers.

Is Your Brand Acculturated? – Tony D’Andrea writes about the shift in American culture as the Hispanic market grows and brands are forced to evolve and acculturate. He points out brands that have identified and adapted brand attributes to connect with new demographics. He shows the need for brands to continue conversations with these different cultures to adapt effectively.

Key Takeaway: Brands live in a world of constant change, and the brands that listen and adapt quickly will capitalize on the changes instead of being pushed to irrelevancy. Get close to consumers, keep them close and constantly learn from them.

Twitter’s Poised for Change – CNET’s Daniel Terdiman evaluates the tumultuous year of 2012 for Twitter and what the year’s changes might mean for the network in 2013. Predictions cover everything from growing its advertising network, making amends with developers and even being acquired by Apple.

Key Takeaway: One could easily argue that no platform evolved more than Twitter over the past year. It went from being a very open platform to becoming increasingly closed as it works to develop its monetization strategy. 2013 will be a big year for Twitter for better or worse, and marketers should keep watch because it will likely be the year to get on board more than ever or shift focus elsewhere.

Gaming is Evolving – Mashable compiled some of the biggest thought leaders in gaming to get their predictions for 2013. Predictions include: small teams outperform big companies, free-to-play games continue to grow/or have reached their peak, tablet and mobile gaming gets an identity, game retailing adapts to changing marketplace and more.

Key Takeaway: I have been a gamer most of my life and find this space very exciting because today, everyone is a gamer. Whether it’s Words with Friends on Facebook or something more focused on a core gamer like Unfinished Swan, the threshold for being a gamer has lowered. Everyone can find something they like, which is why marketers should watch this space, understand how it’s changing and think about what it means for them and their businesses.