Archive for the ‘Twitter’ Category
Friday, March 2nd, 2012
The study found that consumers who saw a social media icon near a product that might embarrass them were significantly less likely to buy that product than those who saw the same product without the icon. On the other hand, consumers who viewed products they would be proud to show off were significantly more likely to buy than those who saw the same product with no such icon.
“Our study finds that the mere presence of social media icons on a web page where we shop appears to cause us to feel as if our purchases are being watched by our social network, and we adjust our buying decisions accordingly,” said Claudia Townsend, an assistant professor of marketing at the University of Miami School of Business Administration who conducted the research with Empirica’s David Neal.
“Marketers should be aware that the placement of these symbols in their web design strategy could have a major impact on buying behavior.”
For this study, nearly 200 consumers explored products in an online shopping context – some were products people were happy to display in public (e.g., sportswear for women, a desirable fragrance for men) and others were products they might not want publicly displayed (e.g., compression underwear for women, acne products for men).
Participants were randomly assigned to see product pages that either included small Facebook and Twitter icons or did not. The researchers then measured the intended purchase behavior of the shoppers.
Here are the key findings:
- When the product was one for which public consumption is desirable (e.g., sportswear or a desirable fragrance) the presence of the Facebook and Twitter icons made people 25 percent more likely to purchase. But when the product was more private in nature (e.g., Spanx, Clearasil), the icons suppressed purchase intentions, also by 25 percent.
- The impact on intended buying behavior emerged regardless of whether people had any memory of having seen the social media icons. This suggests that these symbols have penetrated people’s unconscious processes and can influence decisions and behavior in ways that may bypass our awareness and ability to control.
Tags: affecting online buying, facebook, icons, twitter, University of Maine
Posted in Facebook, Internet/New Media, Marketing, Twitter | Comments Off
Thursday, March 1st, 2012
 Small businesses continue to gravitate to digital/online media, particularly to self-serve advertising and promotional tools, including video, social media and search engine marketing (SEM). Analysts say SMBs are “On the verge of a revolution in marketing platforms,” particularly around digital.
So says the Local Commerce Monitor, BIA/Kelsey‘s 15-year tracking study of SMB advertising spending, media usage, Web presence and sales channels. SMBs surveyed in LCM Wave 15 reported they plan to allocate 26 percent of their budgets to digital/online media over the next 12 months.
“SMBs continue to get more focused and precise about how they use and analyze their advertising and marketing budgets,” said Steve Marshall, director of research, BIA/Kelsey.
“We continue to see a powerful pattern in usage of digital/online media according to the age of the business. Younger businesses spend much more of their ad budgets on digital/online media than their older counterparts that spend more on traditional media.”
According to LCM Wave 15, nearly half of respondents (49 percent) reported they purchase online advertising (including SEM products) themselves, directly from a website, either with or without live operator assistance. More than half (52 percent) of LCM respondents reported they use social media to promote their businesses, and 22 percent said they plan to have a video on YouTube in the next 12 months.
“The LCM data show SMBs love the easy-to-use tools, like YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and self-serve advertising,” said Matt Booth, senior vice president and program director, Interactive Local Media, BIA/Kelsey. “Our analysis is that we are on the verge of a real revolution in marketing platforms that serve SMBs, in particular around digital presence.”
Tags: BIA/Kelsey, facebook, revolution in marketing, SMB ad budgets going digital, twitter, YouTube
Posted in Facebook, Google, Internet/New Media, Marketing, Mobile, Studies, surveys, reports, Twitter | Comments Off
Tuesday, February 28th, 2012
 Just call me Larry. Want to call the Twitter Bird? The Business Insider reports that it is “Larry the Bird.”
Hey, Larry, fix whatever is wrong with the way you’re tallying my followers
 Evolution of the Larry the Bird Twitter logo. (Photo coutesy of Twitter.com) TechCrunch replaces top editor
AOL’s TechCrunch has been leaking top executives like a stranded cruise ship. Eric Eldon, formerly with VentureBeat, is taking over the editor’s helm from Erick Schonfeld in the latest staff shakeup.
A steady stream of top editors and writers have left TechCrunch since AOL bought it – including founder and the architect of its somewhat snarky voice, Michael Arrington.
The flavor of the site seems to have gone somewhat stale as well since the AOL purchase. Do you agree?
Yahoo wants patent license fees from Facebook
DealBook sasy Yahoo is asking Facebook to pay licensing fees for several of its patents. The 10 to 20 patents in question cover advertising, personaliztion of Web sites, social networking and messaging.
Yahoo and Facebook are discussing the matter, which Yahoo says it will take to court if Facebook doesn’t pony up the money.
Tags: AOL, Dealbook, Eric Eldon, Erick Schonfeld, facebook, Michael Arrington, patents, TechCrunch, Twitter bird named Larry, Yahoo
Posted in Facebook, Internet/New Media, Legal, People, social media, Twitter | Comments Off
Friday, February 17th, 2012
Twitter is teaming with American Express to launch its new automated system for advertisers – freeing them from the need to deal with Twitter sales reps. Initally, the system will be open only to businesses who accept or use American Express cards.
Amercian Express says it will buy $100 in Twitter ads for the first 10,000 qualified U.S. small businesses that sign up.
Later this year, Twitter will open up the system to other businesses and marketers.
The micro-blogging service, which has 100 million users, made approximately $140 million last year, according to eMarketer. It probably needs to do better than that before launching an anticipated initial public offering of stock. Emarketer predicts it will make about $250 million selling ads this year.
By comparison, Facebook made $3.2 bllion and Google $36.5 billion last year.
Yelp prices IPO stock at $12 to $14 a share
In an amended SEC filing, Yelp, which publishes recommendations and reviews of restaurants, shopping and entertainment and services, says the starting price range on its upcoming initial public offering of stock will be $12 to $14. Yelp filed for the IPO in November.
The company, which disclosed $58.4 million in revenue for the first three quarters of 2011, the bulk of it from advertising.
Rocky Agrawal recently editorialized in VentureBeat that Yelp advertising rips off small businesses by charging 1,000 times more than the industry standard and the ads are poorly targeted.
Flickr co-founder launches another startup
 Caterina Fake Caterina Fake co-founded photo sharing site Flickr with Stewart Butterfield in 2004. Flickr was purchased by Yahoo in 2005. Fake also co-founded Hunch, in 2009. Caterina Fake, co-founder of Flickr, has launched a new startup called Pinwheel, currently in private beta.
Pinwheel lets users create notes and pin them to locations. Users can follow others – much like Pinterest. It will make money from sponsored notes.
San Francisco-based Pinwheel is backed by Redpoint Ventures, True Ventures, BEtaworks, Founder Collective, SV Angel, Obvious Corp, and angel investors. It is currently hiring iOS developers.
Tags: Betaworks, Caterina Fake, Flickr, Founder Collective, Hunch, Obvious Corp, Pinwheel, Redpoint Ventures, Rocky Agrawal, SV Angel, True Ventures, Twitter ads, Yelp IPO
Posted in entrepreneurship, Facebook, Google, Internet/New Media, IT, TechJobs, Twitter | Comments Off
Thursday, February 16th, 2012
By Allan Maurer
Social media trends are evolving as I write. Convergence, the “cult of influence,” social television, and what seems like a new major player in the social media field every month, among them.
I just joined Pinterest, latest of the hot social startups out there (so, we hear, did Facebook founder/CEO Mark Zuckerberg. He’s been active on the new site for about seven weeks. He liked a colorful photo of lemons and his three pins include the movies “Bridesmaids” and “Moneyball.”
I found Pinterest useful right away, perhaps because a handful of my Facebook friends who already share numerous interests with me are already on the site and pinning away.
I’m finding Google+ useful for insight into tech, marketing, social media, and other topics, although it is a less personal social site for me, at least. Facebook, of course, remains the mainstay of actual social interaction with friends for me. How about you?
Twitter always steers me to a browser bar full of links that interest me, but again, it is as useful to me professionally, or more so, than it is personally. It is continually interesting to see how some celebrities use Twitter, though. For a while, movie director Kevin Smith, who has a new show called “Comic Book Men,” made Twitter almost a second career for a while. You may recall his dustup with an airline that removed him from a flight for being too fat.
I haven’t gotten into social TV much yet, but it’s obviously coming down the media superhighway at high speed, whether people use connected sets or second screens.
Here’s 4340′s infographic on social media trends:
Tags: 4340, convergence, influence, sharing, social media trends, social TV
Posted in Facebook, infographic, Internet/New Media, LinkedIn, Tech Culture, TechLife, Twitter, video | Comments Off
Thursday, February 16th, 2012
So, just what do social media managers do? Socialcast answers that burning question with this infographic:
Tags: brand ambassadors, day in the life of a social media manager, qualities of social media managers, Skype, social media salaries, Socialcast
Posted in Facebook, Google, infographic, Internet/New Media, LinkedIn, Marketing, social media, Studies, surveys, reports, TechJobs, Twitter | Comments Off
Wednesday, February 15th, 2012
 The average employee will spend 12% of the working day using unproductive applications, such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube. Only 59% of the day is spent using applications, which are deemed productive. This amounts to 65 hours a month, which have not been used productively, according to data analyzed by DeskTime.
Of course, DeskTime has a dog in this hunt.
The data demonstrates that after a month of using a time tracking system, the productivity of an employee increases by 15%. When considering this data it must be understood that the employees have access to the collected time-tracking data, that is, they see which applications they use and they see the amount of time spent productively, unproductively, and neutrally.
Personally, we use social networks as part of our job. We’ve also seen studies that show that allowing employees some social networking time actually increases their productivity, so we’re not sure it’s a cut and dried equation of time on Facebook equals time lost.
The company created this infographic to illustrate its findings:
Tags: DeskTime, employee time on social networks, facebook, increasing productivity, twitter, unproductive work habits, YouTube
Posted in Facebook, infographic, Internet/New Media, social media, Studies, surveys, reports, Tech Culture, TechLife, Twitter | 1 Comment »
Tuesday, February 7th, 2012
 Armistead Whitney, CEO, Preparis, one of 60 firms presenting at the upcoming Southeast Venture Conference. By Allan Maurer
When jets plowed into the World Trade Center towers on Sept. 11, 2001, Armistead Whitney, now CEO and founder of Preparis, was president of a New York City-based media firm.
Along with many other company executives based in the city on that fateful day, Whitney was faced with questions about how he and his 200 employees should react to the terrorist attacks.
“I was immediately faced with some critical issues,” he says. “What should I do to ensure my employees will be safe? How will my operations, revenue, shareholder value, and brand reputation make it through? I simply had no clue.”
He and his staff made it out of the city safely, but Whitney writes that he made it his mission to find out what he would do differently if faced with such a situation again. He met with leaders form emergency preparedness and response organizations, then with CEOs of companies of various sizes. Whitney wrote about how it all on the Preparis website.
Guidance on what to do
After considerable research, he started the Atlanta-based company Preparis Inc., a startup selling an SaaS-based platform that delivers expert information, response protocols, communications and training to help businesses meet unpredictable threats from terrorism, pandemics, and natural disasters.
Preparis is one of 60 innovative showcase firms that will present business plans to venture capitalists and angel investors representing billions in capital at the 6th Annual Southeast Venture Conference in Tysons Corner, VA, Feb. 29-March 1.
Companies face 21st century threats
In today’s world, terrorist attacks are only one threat among many that can disrupt global businesses, Whitney tells us. “Threats of the 21st century have become more complex, especially as companies outsource more. They have operations globally, in third world countries, and clients in places impacted by local troubles.”
Nowadays, then, a business has to face pandemics, cyber terrorism, nuclear meltdowns, natural disasters from hurricanes and floods to earthquakes and wild fires. Floods in Asia can hamper production of electronics parts made there from hard drives to tablets.
Yet, Whitney points out, the only preparations for meeting such disasterous business interruptions is “A plan that sits on s shelf. It can be challenging for that to be effective.”
While most larger Fortune 1000 firms do have plans in place – policies, procedures and teams, they want tech to automate it all, Whitney notes.
They need a way to automate plans
“They need a way for tech to automate it, bring it all together so that it can be accessed from any place on any device, how to protect the workforce from threats, response instructions if you receive a bomb threat, an anthrax letter.”
Technology can take those stale plans on a shelf and make living breathing programs, he says.
Downstream at smaller organizations such as a law firm, “We become their entire ecosystem with everything they need, even an emergency notification system (such as Virginia Tech installed following deadly shootings on its campus).
The Preparis system knows who do what with the product at each level and everyone from the CEO to employees can use it.
“We’ve sold to about every industry, Fortune 1000 companies, banks, attorneys. Every industry at every size has an appetite for it,” says Whitney.
In the past, most such disaster preparedness was done through consultants Preparis does it through its SaaS product that a company can download from the web and being using immediately. “We’re creating a new category,” Whitney says.
Dealing with cyber threats
Looking ahead, the company is getting into how to deal with cyber threat issues. “As new threats evolve – the pandemic fears of a few years ago for instance – we quickly add guidance for our clients.”
In the recent “Trifecta” of an earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear meltdown in Japan, for instance, the Japanese government was telling its citizens it was ok to eat the food grown in Japan. But the Preparis product told its clients, “No, it is not ok to eat the food from Japan at this time.” Later tests showed that much food was contaminated with radioactivity.
“We also had a lot of our clients use the emergency messaging system when trying to find their employees.”
It must be doing something right. It has a 100 percent client renewal rate. How many software firms can say that?
The 20 employee company has raised $5 million in Series A funding. Whitney says the company is looking at a B round for growth.
“We signed a strategic alliance with Wells Fargo, which is bundling it with their products for their insurance customers. It’s a huge opportunity. Its the fourth largest insurance broker. We don’t need money for the product, but we need to hire more people to facilitate meeting increased demand for the product. That’s the main reason we would raise a B round.”
The company’s growth plan also includes mobile and social integration. Already clients can log in to the product with Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn names and passwords.
Tags: 11/11/2001, Armistead Whitney, Atlanta, business continuity, disaster preparation, emergency response software, Preparis, SaaS, SEVC, Southeast Venture Conference, threat preparation, Tysons Corner, VA
Posted in Cloud, entrepreneurship, Events, Internet/New Media, IT, LinkedIn, Mobile, smartphones, social media, TechLife, Telecommunications, Twitter, Virginia | 1 Comment »
Friday, February 3rd, 2012
The introduction of analytics to Twitter brand pages will enable brands to optimise their campaigns more effectively and is likely to result in more investment in the platform according to integrated PR, search and social media agency Punch Communications.
Erica Anderson, Twitter’s manager for news and journalism, indicated in comments from her visit to Columbia University’s social media weekend on 28th January that Twitter is set to unveil a number of new tools for brand pages in the next few months, which will allow brands to more accurately monitor the reach and effect of each tweet published.
Whilst this sounds similar to current tools already available, Punch has indicated that the data will have added weight given that it is coming from a primary source, rather than a third party application.
Pete Goold, managing director of online PR agency Punch, said: “The data that seems set to become available in the coming months will add immense value to the Twitter platform, which already facilitates one to one interactions between brands and their audiences on an awareness and customer services level. Being able to track the exact reach and impact of each individual tweet will enable brands to fine-tune their Twitter strategies moving forward.
“Whilst there are numerous analytics tools available which can look into Twitter in depth, having an analytics platform embedded within the network itself is likely to improve the quality of future campaigns as a whole, meaning that brands must make the most of analytics data and employ the expertise of individuals and agencies who understand what it all means.
“This development may also be part of Twitter’s strategy to try and persuade more brands to invest in the platform from a marketing perspective, since the pool of information and insights which could be available through Twitter is astronomical. With this added revenue, we’d certainly hope that Twitter will continue to invest in providing deeper analytical data in the future.”
Punch Communications is a leading integrated PR, social media and SEO agency, with a wide range of global clients, spanning the retail, gaming and tech sectors.
Tags: Columbia University's social media weekend, Erica Anderson, Pete Goold, Punch, social media marketing, Twitter analytics, twitter tools for brand pages
Posted in Analytics, Internet/New Media, Marketing, social media, Twitter | Comments Off
Monday, January 30th, 2012
 Businesses still complaining about having to adopt yet another social network better listen up – the way Google displays organic search results has forever changed and will now incorporate Google+ social data in the top few organic spots in search results.
6S Marketing has created an infographic (see below text) to illustrate how Google is dominating the social search market and why Google+ is growing as rapidly as it is, comparing its growth to Facebook and Twitter.
The change, called Search Your World, will have a major impact on businesses that rely on sales through their website and displays social data from Google+ members above the regular search results returned when someone performs a search query.
This change will ultimately make it harder for people to find the information they are looking for, and for businesses, it will mean a decrease in their organic search engine traffic and sales.
Creating Google+ Business page essential
So what can businesses do to minimize the impact of Search Your World on their bottom line? For starters creating a Google+ business page is now an essential part of a search engine optimization strategy as the targeted keyphrases used within posts on the page will help to increase the number of social mentions that are displayed above the regular search results.
Along with the incorporation of social data from Google+ into the search results, the exponential growth of the social network is also another reason why businesses need to take notice and start integrating Google+ into their search engine strategy.
Currently growing at a rate of 625,000 subscribers per day, it took just 16 days for Google+ to obtain 10 million users; a subscriber base that took both Twitter and Facebook over 700 days to reach.
This growth pattern has set Google+ on the path to be the most widely used social network of all, even more so than Twitter and Facebook. Here at the TechJournal, we’re still not sure Google+ is going to overtake Facebook, which seems to us more oriented to personal friends, relatives, and old school mates more so than business for most users. Twitter, too, has unique uses quite apart from Facebook and Google+.
We think all three are to some extent different critters, but we agree that the change in Google’s search displays suggests businesses need to pay attention to Google+.
Tags: 6S Marketing, Best Practices, facebook, Google+ business pages, Search Your World, social search market, twitter
Posted in Facebook, Google, infographic, Marketing, social media, Studies, surveys, reports, Tech Culture, TechLife, Twitter | Comments Off
Friday, January 27th, 2012
 Is social media a waste of time? If it is, we’re wasting a lot of it. Nielsen reports that Americans spend more time on Facebook than on any other site, Twitter has sparked and nurtured global revolutions, and Google+ is forging ahead.
Schools.com, though, says social media is not a waste of time and created this infographic to show why:
Courtesy of: Schools.com
Tags: AOL, F, facebook, LinkedIn, MSN, schools.com, twitter, Yahoo, YouTube
Posted in Facebook, games, Google, infographic, Internet/New Media, LinkedIn, Mafia Wars, social media, Twitter, video | Comments Off
Friday, January 27th, 2012
 Optimism returns to the media buying industry after it reports impressive growth during the fourth quarter 2011, according to a new STRATA quarterly survey of leading advertising agencies. The industry is confident that business and client spending on advertising will continue to increase in 2012.
However, the STRATA Survey noted that Digital advertising was flat during the fourth quarter, but Mobile is building momentum.
STRATA, the system of choice for over 1,000 agencies nationally, found that 81% expect client approach to advertising and marketing to either increase or stay the same. This is up 14% based on the same figures reported third quarter 2011.
Adding to this positive economic surge, nearly half of respondents said they project the 1st half of 2012 to be better than the last half of 2011 with increases in business compared to the same time last year.
The impact shows 31% of agencies noted they plan on hiring in 2012, which is up 29% over third quarter 2011 and up 28% over the same time last year.
Digital advertising dollars were nearly unchanged during the fourth quarter 2011 compared to the previous quarter. When agencies were asked about client focus, 81% said more than a year ago, which is actually down 4% from the previous quarter.
There is also significant confusion around Digital due to the fact that agencies still say clients don’t understand the value (54%).
On the social front, Facebook continues its dominance in ad campaigns with 89% of agencies planning to utilize the medium for clients (followed by Twitter (39%), YouTube (36%), LinkedIn (21%) and Google Plus (18% – up 28% over 3Q 2011).
Agencies reported Mobile advertising during the fourth quarter 2011 was up 39%.
iPhone the top choice, Android closing
The iPhone remains the top choice as reported by 83% of agencies surveyed, though Android continues to close the gap, up 32% over third quarter 2011 and up 50% over the fourth quarter 2010. Although the iPad is still third for Mobile advertising, 76% do say that with Apple and Amazon continuing to focus on building tablet content, there will be an increase in interest in advertising on the newer medium.
The STRATA Survey reveals that the top medium of choice for clients in the fourth quarter was Spot TV (Broadcast and Cable) as reported by 51% of agencies surveyed. Digital was second at 31%, which is down 9% from third quarter 2011, followed by Spot Radio (8%). Spot TV (Broadcast) continues to be an area of interest as 28% of respondents said that they are more focused on it than a year ago, up 12% over fourth quarter 2010.
As for Spot Cable, 26% say they are more focused on it than they were a year ago, which is up 66% over last year.
“The key word for advertisers in 2012 is growth,” said John Shelton, CEO/President of STRATA.
“Agencies started to reap the benefits of balance sheets turned in their favor during the fourth quarter 2011, brokering a bright early 2012. The STRATA Survey shows that many advertisers are confident that their business and the economy will return to a strong period by midyear. That sentiment, coupled with strong numbers from the political race, provides an overall positive barometer for advertising in 2012.”
Client Attraction remains the biggest agency challenge for the second straight quarter according to 37% in the STRATA Survey. ’
Client spending was the next area of concern with 19% reporting, however it is not nearly as much of an issue as it was in the third quarter 2011, with a decrease of 13%. A growing issue identified by 16% of agencies is advertising costs, which is nearly double the amount reported a year ago. Determining ROI is the top issue in measuring campaigns (47%), followed by Merging Digital and Traditional (41%).
Other prominent findings of the STRATA survey:
- 42% say their 2012 political ad spend will be more than 2010.
- 46% say that during the political season they will advertise in alternative mediums to avoid competition by politicians (41% will compete with politicians for space).
- 49% said they project the 1st half of 2012 to be better than the last half of 2011 (46% also see business increasing compared to the same time last year).
- 4% say that it will be 3-5 years before there is a greater spend in Digital than Traditional media (that’s a 50% increase over 3Q 2011); but 38% still feel that shift will not ever happen.
- Android is the second most popular mobile advertising choice at 71%; iPad remains third (46%).
- For mobile advertising the top option is Display (46%) followed by SMS (25%, but up 61% since 4Q 2010).
- 44% are somewhat interested in self-service inventory of Digital assets.
- Only 4% said they are more focused on Print than they were a year ago.
Tags: ad spending, Facebook advertising, LinkedIn, mobile advertising, spot TV advertising, STRATA ad spending survey, twitter, YouTube
Posted in Facebook, Google, Internet/New Media, Marketing, Mobile, social media, Studies, surveys, reports, Twitter | Comments Off
Thursday, January 26th, 2012
 A modified Acura Many of the most useful automotive websites share a common thread—they consistently integrate access to social media platforms throughout their pages, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2012 Manufacturer Website Evaluation Study(SM) (MWES)—Wave 1 released today.
The semiannual study, now in its 13th year, measures the usefulness of automotive manufacturer websites during the new-vehicle shopping process by examining four key measures: speed, appearance, navigation and information/content.
Wide variation in use of social media
All automotive brand websites provide users with the ability to access various social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, to connect with the brand’s social media presence or share information about a brand or model under consideration.
However, there is wide variation among websites in the pervasiveness of social media access—for example, whether it’s available from only the site’s home page, or from a variety of pages.
Most useful use social media throughout site
The study finds websites that are the most useful tend to provide users with social media access from a variety of pages, including the home page, model pages, configurator tool and photo gallery. Brands that do not perform well in usefulness tend to have limited social media availability throughout their sites, such as access only from the home page and model pages.
“The widespread usage of social media has created an expectation of constant availability,” said Arianne Walker, senior director of media and marketing solutions at J.D. Power and Associates.
“By integrating links to social media platforms throughout several site features, automotive brand websites enhance convenience for users and also increase the possibility that website users will promote the brand within their social networks.”
Overall satisfaction with the usefulness of automotive brand websites has decreased significantly to an average of 772 on a 1,000-point scale in Wave 1 of the 2012 study from 784 in Wave 2 of the 2011 study, which was released in August 2011. Much of this decline is due to decreased satisfaction with navigation and information/content. These declines may be attributable to the challenges that automotive brand websites are facing in designing sites that are usable on both tablets and desktop computers.
Sites need to accomodate tablets
While only 20 percent of new-vehicle shoppers say they own a tablet, among those who do, 47 percent say they have used their tablet to access automotive information. Tablet ownership is expected to increase during the next several years, which makes it particularly important for brand websites to be able to accommodate both tablets and desktop computers without sacrificing usability on either type of device.
“As automotive brand websites attempt to accommodate the dimensions, resolution and layout best suited for tablet use, some have changed their design in ways that inhibit usage on desktop computers,” said Walker. “For example, pages that require scrolling to view all of the content on a particular page may be preferred by tablet users, but they are quite frustrating for desktop computer users, who are used to clicking to access content directly, rather than finding it on the page by scrolling.”
In addition to differing levels of tolerance for scrolling, following are two key differences in navigation conventions between tablets and desktop computers:
- For tablet devices, big button links are preferable to text links, while text links work well for website navigation on desktop computers.
- Users of tablet devices often utilize finger swiping to access website content, while desktop computer users click and drag their mouse cursors. Effective websites should allow for navigation both ways.
Acura’s website ranks highest with a score of 808 on a 1,000-point scale, and performs particularly well in the navigation and speed measures. Rounding out the five highest-performing automotive websites are Honda (806), Hyundai (803) and Infiniti and Lincoln, in a tie (802 each).
The 2012 Manufacturer Website Evaluation Study—Wave 1 is based on evaluations from more than 9,400 new-vehicle shoppers who indicate they will be in the market for a new vehicle within the next 24 months. The study was fielded inNovember 2011.
| Manufacturer Website Ranking |
| (Based on a 1,000-point scale) |
| Acura |
808 |
| Honda |
806 |
| Hyundai |
803 |
| Infiniti |
802 |
| Lincoln |
802 |
| Kia |
796 |
| Jeep |
792 |
| Lexus |
790 |
| Porsche |
787 |
| Toyota |
787 |
| MINI |
785 |
| Buick |
784 |
| Mazda |
784 |
| Cadillac |
783 |
| Subaru |
776 |
| Volkswagen |
775 |
| Nissan |
774 |
| Suzuki |
774 |
| Audi |
773 |
| Industry Average |
772 |
| Mitsubishi |
771 |
| BMW |
770 |
| Mercedes-Benz |
768 |
| Ford |
763 |
| Land Rover |
763 |
| GMC |
762 |
| Jaguar |
760 |
| Volvo |
759 |
| smart |
756 |
| Chrysler |
755 |
| Dodge |
752 |
| Ram |
752 |
| Chevrolet |
750 |
| Fiat |
729 |
| SAAB |
721 |
| Scion |
691 |
Tags: Acura, Audi, automotive web sites, BMW, Buick, Cadillac, Chevy, Deep, Dodge, facebook, Ford, GMC, Honda, Hyundai, Infiniti, J.D. Power, Jaquar, Jeep, Kia, LandRover, Lexus, Lincoln, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Porsche, Ram, SAAB, SCion, Suzuki, tablets, Toyota, twitter, YouTube
Posted in Best Practices, Facebook, Internet/New Media, Marketing, social media, Studies, surveys, reports, Twitter | Comments Off
Monday, January 23rd, 2012
 Usage of the term “big data” has exploded online, according a Cutsomer Relationships Metrics study, but despite the buzz, a lack of workers with the skills needed analyze big data, it’s tough turning it into business action that drives results.
The study was conducted by analysts at Customer Relationship Metrics using Nielsen McKinsey’s NM Incite technology, which collects user-generated content from over 180 million sites worldwide, including blogs, message boards, usenet groups, Twitter, Facebook and Video/Image sites (e.g., Youtube, Flickr).
“Ironically, use of the term big data grew significantly in mid-2011 when McKinsey & Co. issued its seminal research report Big data: The next frontier for innovation, competition, and productivity. The report warned of a growing shortage of talent to leverage big data and make decisions based on data trends.”
Virtually unheard of at the beginning of 2010, big data has quickly become one of the hottest buzzwords in IT circles. In the past three months, big data was the topic of discussion over 20,000 times per month in the press, blogs, and social networks, as measured by NM Incite. See accompanying chart.
Big Data? Big Problems!
But here’s the rub: even world-class enterprises are struggling with getting real value from big data, solely because knowledgeable workers are in short supply: those with the skills necessary to analyze and understand what the data is saying; translate the data into real business action that drives bottom-line results; and communicate recommendations to senior executives.
Dr. Jodie Monger, founder and president of Customer Relationship Metrics, said, “Right now, big data is nothing more than a buzzword. Everyone in IT knows that the enterprise cannot afford to overlook the massive data sets they create. They know that these data sets contain a plethora of information that can help them better serve their customers. But nobody knows how to actually reach this Holy Grail.”
Dr. Monger continued, “Ironically, use of the term big data grew significantly in mid-2011 when McKinsey & Co. issued its seminal research report Big data: The next frontier for innovation, competition, and productivity. The report warned of a growing shortage of talent to leverage big data and make decisions based on data trends.”
Big Problems? Big Solution!
So enterprises are caught in a jam: they need to analyze and act on data trends, but don’t have people who can do the job. Increasingly, these enterprises are outsourcing the job to Customer Relationship Metrics.
Dr. Monger continued, “Customer Relationship Metrics serves many of the most recognizable consumer brands on the planet. We help these companies dig deep into their data, spotting trends that emerge from daily interactions with customers through call centers, email dialogues, chat functions, and social media interactions.”
By focusing on data embedded within real customer interactions, companies can easily identify those service issues which lead to the most customer dissatisfaction. Once these problems are fixed, reputation grows and customer satisfaction increases organically.
Dr. Monger added, “Analyzing big data can be overwhelming. But we make it simple for customers by pointing our solutions at the most meaningful data sets that can deliver the most significant customer service results in the quickest timeframe possible. We eliminate blind alleys and avoid time and resource vampires, while making big data solutions easy to implement.”
Big Data as a Managed Service
Customer Relationship Metrics is a SaaS-based end-to-end big data solution. It includes data integration, software, and analytics that can be up and running within 60 days.
Dr. Monger concluded, “Deployment is where big-data-based BI solutions break down most frequently. Custom solutions and complex software development timelines mean delays, cost overruns, and intense frustration across the chain of command. By structuring our solution as a managed service, we deliver real value from big data and business intelligence in an abbreviated timeframe, with no significant capital costs. That’s a win/win for all involved.”
Tags: big data big problem, big data is the new buzzword, blogs, Customer Relationships Metrics, facebook, Flickr, Jodie Monger, message boards, twitter, workers needed to understand big data, YouTube
Posted in Facebook, Internet/New Media, IT, LinkedIn, Studies, surveys, reports, Twitter, video | Comments Off
Wednesday, January 18th, 2012
 Mitt Romney Social media strategies used in Republican presidential candidate campaigns can be applied by small businesses to enhance their digital marketing efforts, according to a recent study by leading social media and email marketingcompany, iContact.
The study revealed Republican primary candidates rely heavily on social media to get their messages across, empower voters and raise money.
Newt Gingrich has mastered Twitter, Ron Paul reigns on YouTube and Mitt Romney has a holistically integrated social campaign.
Small businesses can successfully utilize social media in a manner similar to political candidates to engage followers, promote their brand and increase sales.
Small business can benefit
“This survey provides insight into how the Republican candidates are using social media to their advantage, with different strategies, perspectives and investments across channels. While it’s never a one-size-fits-all approach, as we see here, the common takeaway remains that social media presence can lead to increased engagement and a return on investment,” saidJeff Revoy, chief product and marketing officer at iContact.
“By applying the many lessons learned and creative successes from these candidates, small businesses too can enjoy the many benefits of social media marketing.”
iContact’s study provides a detailed view into each candidate’s overall social media presence, following, engagement levels*and digital properties across major social networks – Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Google+.
Social media correlations and takeaways gleaned from the campaigns:
- Facebook flexes its muscles: The world’s most popular social networking site dominated all platforms across Republican candidates with the largest volume of followers and engagement levels. Facebook’s strength across social platforms should be no surprise to small businesses as a recent iContact customer survey revealed that 76 percent favor Facebook. With more than 800 million users, Facebook has announced several upcoming changes aimed at maintaining its dominance in 2012.
Small Business Takeaway: Facebook serves as the most favored platform for small businesses to reach customers and prospects in new and powerful ways. Small businesses not using it are potentially missing valuable customer interactions and engagement.
- Focus on quality, not just quantity: While Mitt Romney had the highest number of Facebook fans; he experienced the lowest percentage of Facebook fan engagement at 8.97. In contrast, Rick Santorum had one of the lowest numbers of Facebook followers across all candidates but had the highest engagement level at 50.42 percent.
- Small Business Takeaway: If social media follower numbers are high but engagement is low, it’s time to reevaluate content and platform to ensure your brand and messages resonate with your audiences. Switch up message content or try a different social media network that might be better suited for particular content. For example, use Facebook if a message will become too diluted when edited down to fit within Twitter’s 140-character limit.
- Social media and email create a powerful combination: The candidates have all incorporated email into their marketing strategies to achieve the combined punch it provides when used in conjunction with social media. They have made it very easy and seamless to subscribe to email and social media updates from their campaigns.
Small Business Takeaway: With the buzz surrounding social media, it’s important to not forget about a tried and true marketing vehicle: email. Don’t miss out on the huge opportunity that email marketing delivers. Social media is great for sharing content and engaging customers in interactive discussions, while email can help convert the results of those initial engagements and conversations into targeted campaigns and long-term customers.
- A picture is worth a thousand words: This saying is often true for both photos and videos. Romney uses photos and videos to create content for his social properties, utilizing multimedia or a link where fans can take action in almost every single Facebook post. His campaign posts photos and videos from events, speeches, and commercials to help convey Romney’s message to voters in a unique way and has branched out into emerging platforms such as Flickr and Tout. Similarly, Ron Paul has utilized his campaign’s YouTube channel to amass more than 7 million clicks.
Small Business Takeaway: Small businesses should look to harness the power of photos and videos within social media campaigns. They can tell the story of a brand and culture quickly, intimately and efficiently to potential advocates accustomed to text-only noise on social networks. Sharing photos and videos with customers and advocates can only help a brand’s presence in the social world. If the content is compelling, these groups will share it with their friends, giving a small business increased visibility among advocates and driving brand engagement.
- Content is king: While all candidates are utilizing Twitter, Gingrich carries the highest number of engagers across the network with 1.38 million followers – more than five times the number of the campaign with the second largest Twitter community. He tweets often, but more importantly, Gingrich seems to provide content his community wants.
Small Business Takeaway: Even with the plethora of social media vehicles available at marketers’ fingertips, it’s important to realize that it’s less about the channel and more about the content. Relevant and engaging content is still the most important thing for followers.
 Google+ remains a guessing game: The verdict is still out on Google+, with only Gingrich and Romney integrating the new service into their social media strategies. iContact’s customer survey revealed a similar sentiment across small businesses with 48 percent loving Google+ while 52 percent were not convinced.
Small Business Takeaway: Google+ may still be in its infancy, but don’t overlook it when evaluating social media strategies. As Google+ looks to add more functionality for businesses there will likely be a mad dash to the unconquered social territory with Google providing rapid content availability for consumers in order to aggressively compete with Facebook. Small businesses should not be afraid to get in as early adopters of Google+ to test the waters and see if it’s a social media channel that fits their needs.
- ROI for every budget: No matter the size of the campaign budget, all candidates realize that social media is a key investment and have incorporated it into their marketing strategies. Even candidates with lower campaign funding have seen high engagement numbers across their followers, signaling that messages are resonating with their communities.
Small Business Takeaway: There is a social media strategy to fit every budget and generate a positive return on investment (ROI). Outlining social media ROI using a goal-based approach is a great start for small businesses. An iContact customer survey revealed that top three social media goals for small businesses are strengthening brand, generating sales and acquiring contacts.
- There are several types of metrics to consider when measuring progress against these goals and adjusting marketing to drive better results. For example, if your goal is to strengthen your brand, you can dive into how your social media content engages your audience by looking at “retweets” or “likes.” More information and tips on calculating social media ROI are available in “Calculating Your Social Media Marketing Return on Investment.”
With the 2012 Republican National Convention just eight months away candidates will continue to battle it out for their party’s nomination utilizing social media as an important medium to attract support and build momentum.
Political campaigns and small businesses might first appear to be vastly different entities that should take completely different approaches to marketing. However, it’s clear from the survey that there are valuable social media insights and takeaways from political campaigns that small businesses should look to integrate into their marketing efforts.
The iContact social media audit does not reflect the political views or opinions of the company.
For more information on the social media audit and to view an infographic highlighting the survey results, please visit http://www.icontact.com/social-media-and-political-campaigns.
Tags: facebook, Google, GOP candidate use of social media, icontact, Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, Ron Paul, small business takeaways, YouTube
Posted in Facebook, infographic, Internet/New Media, LinkedIn, social media, Studies, surveys, reports, Tech Culture, Twitter | Comments Off
Tuesday, January 17th, 2012
 New research published by Palo Alto Networks, a network security company, indicates explosive growth in global social networking and browser-based file sharing on corporate networks, with a 300 percent increase in active social networking (e.g., posting, applications) compared with activity during the same period in the latter half of 2010.
The most surprising finding from this data is the one that is most counter-intuitive: non-web-based traffic and application use is much more significant than most people think, says a company analyst.
The Palo Alto Networks Application Usage and Risk Report provides a global view into application usage based on assessments of the raw application traffic from more than 1,600 enterprises between April 2011 and November 2011.
“Whether or not employees are using social networks or sharing files at work is no longer a question; this data clearly demonstrates that users are embracing and actively using such applications,” said René Bonvanie, chief marketing officer at Palo Alto Networks. “Companies must determine how to safely enable these technologies on their networks so that users can maintain the levels of productivity that many of these applications can afford, while at the same time ensuring that their corporate networks and users are protected against all threats.”
The report focuses on three primary findings:
- Social media use is more active; Twitter has gained significant mainstream traction in the workplace: Since October 2010, social networking usage patterns have become more active with bandwidth consumption for Facebook Apps, Social Plugins, and posting increasing from 5 percent (October 2010) to 25 percent (December 2011) when measured as a percentage of total social networking bandwidth. Twitter browsing at work alone grew by more than 700 percent year-over-year.
- Widespread file sharing use requires a balanced response: File sharing sites continue to be used on most networks, appearing on the networks of 92 percent of the participating organizations. In total, 65 different browser-based file-sharing variants were found with an average of 13 being used in each of the analyzed organizations. The report also explores a variety of risks associated with browser-based file-sharing applications, which varies by application and use case. However, the use of evasive techniques by these applications implies that they are often operating unchecked on corporate networks.
- The types of traffic on enterprise networks is changing:Web applications that use TCP port 80, the standard port associated with HTTP web browsing traffic, actually represent a minority of the traffic on enterprise networks for the first time ever. The 297 applications that use only TCP port 80 and no other port by default represent a mere 25 percent of the applications and 32 percent of the bandwidth observed, meaning that a standard web browsing-focused security model actually protects a minority of an organization’s traffic.
“This is the largest sample size of actual application traffic from enterprises worldwide that we have analyzed since we began this area of research in Spring 2008,” said Matt Keil, senior research analyst at Palo Alto Networks.
Application and Threat Information
Information on the more than 1,400 applications that are identified by Palo Alto Networks can be found in Applipedia, part of the company’s Application and Threat Research Center. Visit the online resource to find the latest news, commentary, and discoveries on applications and threats athttp://www.paloaltonetworks.com/researchcenter/.
To download the Application Usage and Risk Report (Fall 2011), please visit: http://www.paloaltonetworks.com/aur
Tags: employees more active on social networks, Facebook apps, file sharing sites, social plugins, traffic on enterprise networks, Twitter browsing
Posted in Facebook, Internet/New Media, LinkedIn, Mobile, Security, smartphones, social media, Tech Culture, TechJobs, TechLife, Twitter | Comments Off
Monday, January 16th, 2012
 Thinking of posting your CV online via a social networking site in an attempt to boost your career opportunities? Before you do, advise Guardian Jobs, consider the case of John Flexman.
A former HR executive, who highlighted that he was open to job offers on a professional networking site and was subsequently summoned to a disciplinary hearing by his employer of the time.
Flexman, 34, had uploaded his CV to professional networking website LinkedIn; innocuously registering an interest in receiving information regarding further ‘career opportunities’. However whilst on holiday in America, he was contacted by his employers, RG group, claiming he had breached new company policy regarding the use of social media.
Flexman’s attempt to now sue the oil-exploration firm for constructive dismissal has been adjourned until May by an employment tribunal.
His extraordinary case, a first in the UK, sheds further light on the issue of employers using social networking websites to observe employee behaviour. However it seems you don’t have to be employed to be under the watchful eye of your employer.
Similarly, those now looking for employment face the same sort of scrutiny.
According to Guardian Jobs, an increasing number of prospective employers and recruiters now use social networking websites to check a potential candidate’s qualities and credentials.
Whooping 69 percent of recruiters reject someone due to social network profiles
A recent survey carried out by social media monitoring service Reppler found that more than 90% of recruiters and potential employers use or have used social networking websites as part of their employment screening process.
The study also found that a whopping 69% of recruiters have rejected a candidate based on the content found on the social networking profiles.
Facebook seems to be the first port-of-call, with 76% of recruiters and prospective employers using the website to screen potential candidates.
This survey comes weeks after YouGov, an internet-based market research firm, published results showing four out of 10 students were worried that their personal details, publicised on social networking websites, could blight their chances of finding future employment.
Seemingly job seekers are unaware of the importance of checking privacy settings on social media websites; naïve to the fact that details of how they socialise and behave in general could be seen by potential employers. With this in mind, Guardian Jobs- via their official Guardian Jobs Facebook page- are now advising job seekers to create ‘job specific’ e-mail and Twitter accounts; the details of which could be included on their personal CVs, and to watch their privacy settings.
Tags: guardian jobs, job hunting, social media and job hunting
Posted in Facebook, Internet/New Media, social media, Studies, surveys, reports, TechJobs, Twitter | Comments Off
Friday, January 6th, 2012
 TechMedia's 2011 Internet Summit event kept people connected via LinkedIn, Twitter and the TechJournal. Our next event is the Southeast Venture Conference in Tysons Corner, VA, Feb. 29-March1. Social media and mobile are rapidly changing business events, says Certain Inc., which sells cloud-based event management software.
We’ve certainly noticed the added-value that both mobile and social media bring to TechMedia’s digital conferences and other events.
Just following the Twitter stream at events often provides top take-away information and insights, while LinkedIn keeps attendees connected before and after the conferences.
Based on insight from visionary industry leaders, customers and partners, Certain has identified key shifts that it believes will shape the industry over the next 12 months.
“2012 will kick off a breakthrough for the industry that will revolutionize the value that attendees, meeting professionals and executive sponsors derive from events,” said Peter Micciche, CEO of Certain.
A tsunami of connectedness
“A tsunami of connectedness, driven by social, mobile and virtual, will ultimately enable the attendee engagement experience. Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitterare mainstream, making integrated event marketing the new normal for event professionals.
“This integration of digital solutions with event planning software will result in 2012 as the ‘year of the platform.’ Software-as-a-Service solutions are now seamlessly woven together into a comprehensive ecosystem architecture designed to meet, track and measure planner, marketer, sponsor and attendee needs.”
Certain’s top three predictions for 2012 are:
1. Traditional event planning will be massively disrupted by the widespread adoption of social media and mobile.
Social media and mobile will become core components of events — with or without the sanction of the organizers. This will create new and exciting opportunities for agile organizations that can adopt these technologies to create high-performance event interactions that lead to increased revenues and market share.
The industry will evolve quickly from simple and personal experience usage of Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, to the more strategic ability to support “continuing the conversations” post-event and year round. Because of the increase in popularity of social media and mobile devices, planners will need to focus on harnessing the attention of attendees by finding ways to leverage thesemarketing tools.
Social media disrupting tradtional speaker formats
Social media will also disrupt the traditional format of speaker presentations. Instead of pushing information and talking “at” participants, speakers will find new methods of creating conversations with and amongst attendees long before the live session begins, and facilitating and supporting two-way, real-time interaction and evaluation after the event closes.
In 2012, speakers and planners who do not embrace social media as a means to fully engage and support all participants risk the potential of attendees dominating the buzz around their events, and miss an excellent opportunity to gain real-time feedback and to deepen their understanding of participant needs.
2. 2012 will be the “year of the platform”
Single use mobile and virtual applications are short-lived. Over the next year, leading enterprise software vendors will introduce new platform-as-a-service offerings.
Event planners will discover that in order to meet industry demands, technology must be integrated into a holistic, consolidated approach that is best expressed through a single event management platform covering logistics and digital solutions for all aspects of the event ecosystem. This framework best suits the growing demands for all event participants via a one-stop digital shop from which they can access event details and engage and connect with other participants via social media, mobile, and virtual.
Single purpose mobile and virtual applications will get acquired or become obsolete as leading vendors raise the bar for platform application integration. The industry will witness a natural evolution of products and only those companies that best adapt to the advancing technology landscape will emerge as the fittest.
3. All roads lead to 1:1 business activity
1:1 meetings will become the norm for events and tradeshows. The year 2012 will overwhelmingly point to the importance of productivity derived from facilitating one-to-one, quality relationships at events. Attendees will increasingly leverage technology to network and build business relationships, maximizing the Return on Investment (ROI) from the eventsthey attend.
Opportunities for networking and relationship building will become key determinants in the value of a particular event, and mobile technology will play an integral part in fostering those connections. Event organizers can best meet the demand for rich 1:1 participant experiences by providing strategic, matched appointments and a platform for communication between attendees before, during and after events.
Next-generation appointment matching solutions, tightly integrated with SaaS event planning and CRM platforms, will leverage social media capabilities and mobile to connect individuals based on their interests resulting in the optimal value from face-to-face meetings.
For more information about and opinions from Certain, visit the Certain Blog at: http://blog.certain.com/.
Tags: Certain Inc., event planning, Internet Summit, LinkedIn, social media and mobile changing event planning, Southeast Venture Conference, twitter
Posted in Events, Internet/New Media, LinkedIn, Mobile, smartphones, social media, Tech Culture, TechLife, Telecommunications, Twitter, Virginia | 2 Comments »
Thursday, January 5th, 2012
 Whether you are looking to start fresh in the New Year, or have been unemployed for any length of time, now is your chance to breathe life into your tired job search. Jobfox, one of the nation’s fastest growing online job sites, has a few suggestions for you.
Fine Tune your Resume
First and foremost, your resume must meet the standards of today’s hiring processes before applying to jobs online or posting your resume publicly. The current job market demands more than just impeccable grammar and a readable font. Keyword optimization, for example, is crucial to getting your resume the attention it deserves.
Keywords can either be found in your target job descriptions, or specifically researched and tailored by professional resume writers. Including these details will assure that your resume comes up in recruiter’s searches.
Along these same lines, resumes and cover letters should also be specifically targeted to each individual job’s requirements. Customization and personal touches distinguish you from the seas of typical resumes, helping you land interviews and get the job you desire.
Sell yourself through highlights
Additionally, when describing your previous positions, be sure to showcase your accomplishments. Recruiters are not interested in reading through a catalog of tasks and duties—they want to know what you have achieved.
Sell yourself through your resume by highlighting milestones and accomplishments that correlate directly with a potential employer’s objectives.
“You could be the best performer at your job, but without documenting your measurable achievements, awards, or relevant new experiences on the job, you can’t provide proof when asked.
As the years go by, the likelihood of remembering details of every accomplishment will more difficult. In 2012, jot down what you’ve achieved at your job – it will serve a useful purpose in optimizing your resume, and in the end, your chances of landing the job of your dreams,” suggests Alex Soto, CEO of ResumeLance and Soto Marketing Communications.
Take Advantage of Social Media
Job seekers should maintain an active, relevant presence in all social media platforms. LinkedIn and Facebook profiles need to be updated, professional and personalized, and you should make as many connections as possible. Merge these contacts on sites like Jobfox.com and Indeed.com in order to receive notifications about possible connections within the companies you’d like to work. If you do not know these potential contacts directly, ask someone you do know to recommend you or to make a direct introduction. Don’t be shy—applicants with referrals such as these are at least 5 times as likely to get an interview.
“Here is the real one/two punch: Target your resume to the job you want and get that resume into the hands of the hiring manager through a reference. Your chances of landing that job just skyrocketed past your competition,” says Peggy Padalino, VP of Sales and Client Services at Jobfox.
Network
Follow through with all leads, both online and in person, no matter how small. Research shows that lengthy periods of unemployment are directly linked to passive approaches to job searching. Regardless of how well-crafted your resume or impressive your career, an expansive network is essential to bolstering your search for the perfect job.
Reach out to colleagues and friends, and proactively foster second and third degree connections. Moreover, networking is about establishing a rapport; it is extremely important that traditional courtesies and etiquette not be overlooked, even in the era of the social media. Experts recommend sending a thank you letter following an interview.
Not only will it set you apart from other applicants for the job in question, but this simple act of decorum will also help establish a lasting connection within the company.
Tags: fine tune resume, job hunting tips, Jobfox, keywords in resume, resume optimization
Posted in Best Practices, Business advice, Internet/New Media, social media, TechJobs, Twitter | Comments Off
Wednesday, January 4th, 2012
 Dave M. Mastovich As we kick off 2012, MaSSolutions offers these 12 New Year’s Marketing Resolutions to help you and your company:
- Embrace Social Media as part of your Marketing & PR strategy. Focus time on creating content relevant to your target audiences and on learning about your marketplace. Less Angry Birds and fun Facebook stuff, more content development and information gathering.
- p,Use LinkedIn as a resource for Pre Call Prep prospecting, networking and competitive analysis. The online professional network is a must for entrepreneurs, marketers and senior leaders.
- Build a keyword rich LinkedIn profile that tells your story and also enhances Search Engine Optimization.
- Instead of just signing up and following celebrities on Twitter, organize your followers by category and scan for valuable content. Retweet what you think is valuable and use other information to enhance your marketing and selling efforts.
- Develop a content strategy for Twitter. Decide what key messages you want to convey and develop a schedule to do so. Continually create an inventory of tweets to increase awareness and follower base.
- Use Facebook for more than pushing information out. Keep abreast of what interests key target audiences and create two way conversations by asking their opinion. Make customer success stories shareable. Address negative comments quickly and honestly.
- Contrary to what some may think, email isn’t dead and can be an important part of your marketing and selling strategy. Segment your target audiences and create email messages that show what’s in it for them.
- Commit to staying current with Social Media tools. It doesn’t have to be a huge time investment–an hour or two a week that’s convenient to you can make a big impact.
- The tenets of successful messaging apply to Social Media. Tell your story with clear and succinct messages that resonate with your target audiences and stay consistent with your overall brand.
- Make customers and employees an extended part of your Marketing Team. As Social Media becomes more a part of our lives, we use our online network to share opinions quickly and easily. Manage these relationships and leverage Social Media so customers and employees spread the good, rather than bad, word about products and services.
- Incorporate Mobile into your integrated marketing strategy. Online purchasing is moving to mobile. Google estimated 44% of last-minute holiday shopping came from smartphones or tablets. Mobile provides a great opportunity to market to unique, segmented audiences at or near their time of purchase.
- This year, make sure you live up to your New Year’ Marketing Resolutions.
David M. Mastovich, MBA is President of MASSolutions, an integrated marketing firm focused on improving the bottom line for clients through creative selling, messaging and PR solutions. He’s also author of “Get Where You Want To Go: How to Achieve Personal and Professional Growth Through Marketing, Selling and Story Telling.” For more information, go to www.massolutions.biz.
Tags: Angry Birds, David Mastovich, facebook, LinkedIn, LinkedIn marketing, marketing resolutions for 2012, SEO, social media marketing, Tiwtter, Twitter marketing
Posted in Angry Birds, Best Practices, Business advice, Facebook, Internet/New Media, Marketing, social media, TechLife, Twitter | Comments Off
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