Archive: 2022

2012 has been a thrilling year in the world of social media, and we’ve been busy keeping up with the rapidity of changes as and when they happen. As the year draws to a close we’ve chosen the top 5 blog posts of 2012. 1. Afraid of…
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With Christmas just a few days away we are sure that you have been compiling your Christmas wish lists to share with your friends and family. But in this day and age, the best way to get to the bottom of what people really want for Christmas is through social…
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This week has seen a huge backlash against Instagram’s new terms and conditions regarding photo rights. The new terms and conditions appeared to claim that unless users deleted their profiles by the 16th January then all content published on the site becomes fair…
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As yesterday’s blog post shows, social media continues to radically transform the ways traditional journalism operates across the world. We learnt that some of year’s biggest stories broke via Twitter, not printed press. And traditional journalism will either transform, or die. An unanswered question remains though…
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In 2012, social media became a major source for breaking news. Before newspapers and other traditional methods of reporting had even heard of a story, everyday citizens were updating their Twitter and Facebook accounts to spread the word. Social media’s immediacy meant that it could always be…
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As the year draws to a close and we all reflect on the vast and rapid developments that have occurred in social media in 2012, it is clear that one of the most prominent progressions has been the growing importance of smartphones to access social networking sites.
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Social customer service is no longer an innovative concept; for most, particularly the big names, it is now an integral part of customer service operations. The question being asked is no longer ‘Does your business handle customer complaints via social media?’ – it is “How well are you performing? What…
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Great content requires originality. With 190 million tweets being generated per day, people are looking for genuine insight and overlook bland and overused expressions. Quite helpfully, LinkedIn have published their analysis of Top 10 Overused Professional Buzzwords in 2012. They include such well-known examples…
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Employers have tightened up rules over the use of social media in the workplace, in fear of employees spending their days glued to Facebook or Twitter and ignoring their daily work. Whilst this is commonplace, could using social media at work soon be illegal? According to Stephanie Green and Christine…
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As the year draws to a close the inevitable lists of the best and worst moments begin to appear. But what about social media’s biggest successes this year? Econsultancy have published what they think are the 10 greatest social media campaigns from 2012. Looking back at what…
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Ever asked yourself why content marketing is like a tube of Pringles? Because once you pop, you just can’t stop. Sites, mobile optimised sites, social platforms, blogs, all craving fresh content and stagnating in static copy until the next fix arrives. But what does that next fix of content look…
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With 2013 just on the horizon, now is the time when social media predictions for next year start to surface. In anticipation of this, I’d like to share this interesting infographic from the editors of the Socially Aware Blog, who have looked at how our social media…
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Social media is helping drive renewed interest in marketing attribution. A recent survey from Adobe shows that 43% of marketers say social is a driver for marketing attribution. This is welcome news. The benefits of attribution are clear: It helps demonstrate the value of marketing, allowing for more informed decisions…
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The use of social media in business brings financially tangible and statistically measurable benefits. LinkedIn is a great social media platform that enables companies to generate high quality leads in a cost-effective and highly targeted way. Here’s some thoughts on the benefits of using LinkedIn: 1. Variety – Access to…
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Ever since Facebook introduced photo tagging all those years ago, it’s been an integral part of our social media experience. Whether it’s photos from a night out, a day trip, or posing in front of a mirror, 300 million of them are uploaded to Facebook every day. And now it’s…
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One of the biggest trends in social media this year has been its integration with television. Not only are broadcasters using social media to encourage viewers to discuss their programmes but brands are increasingly getting in on the action. The fact that many people now watch television with 2 screens…
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There were some really interesting insights from IBM’s 2012 global CEO study which were released this week… When CEOs were asked for their predictions for the next 3-5 years they foresee a 61% decrease in traditional media being used as a customer interaction method, whilst collectively predicting a 256% increase…
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As we’re nearing the end of 2012, it is vital to review the year behind us before we can start planning ahead. What have been the most significant trends, brands and developments in social media and content marketing? Here’s a few highlights from the best of the best – enjoy!…
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Alan Turing came up with a test for assessing the intelligence of a computer back in the 1950s. A human being and a computer are engaged in natural dialogue and asked the same questions by another human judge. If that judge is unable to distinguish the computer apart from the…
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There’s often a lot of buzz around the latest, greatest Facebook creative campaigns. However, little noise is made about brands or companies who get Facebook content right on a day to day basis. Those who are strategic in their content creation of every post; referring back to the principles of Facebook Edgerank,…
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Most companies seek ROI when running a big social media campaign. But can charities do the same? This year it seems, Movember is proving that not only can a charity movement have a wide social reach but it can actually convert those Facebook ‘likes’ into real charitable action. The Movember…
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John Lewis have pulled out all the stops with their Christmas advert this year. Presumably trying to top last year’s heart warming offering. They have extended their campaign across social media platforms. The advert was first unveiled on Facebook before its prime time spot later that day…
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Social media is a dynamic universe. Seemingly insignificant platforms become market leaders in a matter of months, and web giants that appear indestructible fall in no time. Such a rapidly changing market requires attentive monitoring, and access to accurate statistics is essential. People at DreamGrow have published…
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Specific Media and Justin Timberlake are desperately trying to breathe life back into the social media platform. The new owners have massive plans for the site as a 29-page investment pitch for MySpace’s parent company, Interactive Media Holdings revealed. The leaked document shows that the company’s plan is to reincarnate MySpace…
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I’ve been doing a lot of recruiting over the last nine months. For those of you in the same boat, you will know it’s a time consuming and challenging task. Finding people with deep digital experience rather than just a veneer is tough. I spend a lot of time writing…
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Recently I’ve been having a lot of conversations with people about their social media monitoring pain points and challenges. Everyone knows and has been told many times about the opportunities offered by scanning the social media space for golden nuggets of information about your brand or company. And yes, it’s…
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Earlier this year Econsultancy surveyed e-commerce and e-business professionals to understand if and how they were using mobile as part of their multichannel experience. The survey revealed that 74% of companies had developed a mobile optimised website, 29% had developed a tablet-optimised website; and nearly half were…
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Given that 66% of UK professionals are now on LinkedIn, the platform offers considerable B2B marketing opportunities to companies. There are numerous ways firms can benefit from LinkedIn, one of which is participation in group discussions. Good questions provoke lively exchange of views and promote the public…
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Love these to bits, always great encouragement for B2B marketers. Especially when they are about 6 foot long! B2B social media is handled by the PR department in the main, most do it to create awareness and the shock that more use Facebook (80%) than Twitter (78%) Have a little…
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The joyful season is nearing and brands are definitely trying to get us into the Christmas mood. They are doing all they can to boost sales through creative marketing and the use of interesting social media campaigns. Fashion outlet ASOS has launched an interactive campaign. Users will be able to…
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We were delighted to read the news this morning that David Cameron and his team at number 10 are trialing an application which will pull real-time data from social media and other sources to aid with decision making. The application will give the PM an at-a-glance view of how the…
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Unless you have a social newsroom churning away in the background, keeping your site and social estates replenished with fresh content is no mean feat. And with real-time social media platforms such as Twitter churning out a record 32 million tweets in the space of 24 hours during US Election…
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Over the last 2 years there has been a noticeable shift in our client base at immediate future. No longer are we just working alongside PR or marketing folk – something that is nicely expressed in the infographic below. Social isn’t simply an extension of a marketing campaign.  It’s become integral…
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The US presidential race will be decided on Tuesday 6th of November 2012 when either Mitt Romney or Barack Obama will be handed the keys to the White House for the next four years.  At present, the race is too close to call and opinion polls have them neck and…
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Last week Hurricane Sandy left much of the east coast of America in tatters. Whilst the hurricane swept across New York and other states, social media was to be one of the most powerful platforms in which aid was offered. Social media served as a useful tool for family and…
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Twitter provides great opportunities for businesses to establish effective and engaging communication with their customers. But how should companies go about doing it? Here are some useful principles to follow. 1. Problem acknowledgement and quick apology Customers value honest communication.  The quicker you apologise and acknowledge the problem, the better.
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This survey of 740 respondents from the LinkedIn B2B Technology Marketing community looks at the trends in content marketing for 2012. Here are some key tweetable pull outs from the report… 84% of marketers  say that content production is going to rise in the next 12 months!…
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When the clock strikes midnight and the un-dead stir from their graves, it won’t be Freddie Krueger, or Pennywise the clown putting the frights into social media marketeers this Halloween. Something far worse. Something far scarier. A social media metric that isn’t being measured. As Social Media Examiner reports, the…
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Are you listening to what’s being said about your brand or business online? Regardless as to whether or not your company has a presence on social media, monitoring the main networks is something that you really should be doing. Stop right there. Don’t roll your eyes and think ‘I don’t…
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Images are becoming more and more essential for both search and social media marketing. A recent study by ROI Research shows that as more people are using smartphones to engage in social media as it is now easier to take pictures on the go with a high-resolution smartphone is as…
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For an industry built on innovation and forward-thinking, social media sure has its fair share of metaphors and clichés. Don’t get me wrong, they perform a purpose; they help us metaphorically visualise the virtual. Clicking on a Like button doesn’t necessarily mean anything until you consider that the action demonstrates the user’s…
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  YouTube has recently announced it is putting more emphasis on measuring the time people spend watching videos rather than just how many people watch them. They are tweaking the algorithm that suggests new videos that YouTube users might to like to watch. Clearly, they…
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Soft Drink companies seem to be the ones that are engaging with their fans in more elaborate and innovative ways. This week’s social media brand chart shows that Red Bull and Coca Cola are dominating social media chatter. This is unsurprising given the enormity of both stunts, particularly Red Bull.
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It’s been over a year since its launch and yet many marketers still don’t quite know what to make of the latest social network, Google+. It’s usually described as the platform for techy geeks (like us!) who have registered a profile and are now expectantly waiting to see whether the network will…
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Social media is a great tool for engagement; it enables the target audience to set the agenda and puts the customer in the driving seat of communication. It is both an opportunity and a challenge to any organisation, including political parties. In fact, one may even recognise core democratic elements…
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It’s no secret that the last few months for Facebook have been trying. With stock continuing to slump Facebook has been turning to e-commerce as a way to combat this. In the last fortnight the social media giant has launched Facebook gifts; which allows you to buy friends redeemable gifts…
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  It’s been over a year since Google released their challenger to Facebook’s rule on top of the social media pyramid, in the form of Google Plus. Launched in June 2011, the search giant hoped that Google Plus could strike a huge blow to Facebook’s dominance of the social media…
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According to American Express’ 2012 Global Customer Service Barometer, one third of US consumers think businesses are paying less attention to providing good customer service in 2012. * Surprising no? Especially, as companies are more exposed than ever with consumers able to…
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  For sale: baby shoes, never worn. Hemingway only needed six words to tell a story. But can – and should – a brand really capture its narrative, values and essence in just 28 characters? Yes, content should be sharp, clear and concise. Yes, passive verbs and filter words aren’t…
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Ever wondered how many of your brand’s Google+ circles are repinning away on Pinterest?  Or how many of your LinkedIn connections also use Twitter?  And just how many global users does Facebook have this week? Wonder no more! Global Web Index has shed some light on engagement patterns across social…
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  Could a revamp give MySpace the competitive edge needed to survive the fierce digital market of today? The new MySpace design which was launched by their new owners Joseph Mark (backed by Justin Timberlake) gives Myspace users a unique opportunity to enter a social network that caters to a…
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It was only a matter of time before Facebook started to look for new ways to make money out of its businesses. We have had premium ads and now the Facebook COO, Sheryl Sandberg has suggested businesses can expect premium services as well. Let’s be honest, Facebook has to keep…
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Pinterest, the pinboard-style sharing platform offers exciting opportunities for brands to connect with their customers in an innovative, emotional way by tapping into their passions. For some, such as fashion retail brands, it couldn’t be easier – customers will lap up rich, visual content (especially when it’s a designer handbag!) However, Pinterest’s…
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Google+ has been rifled with issues and skepticism since it began. The social platform has been criticised for its lack of activity and for being too small to be taken as a viable social media platform for brand use. Moreover brands have not always been sure about best practice marketing…
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Findings from BT’s study earlier this year may have pointed towards females being the social media obsessives; but the latest data from Global Web Index into social platforms indicates it’s more of a man’s game. Almost every platform skews male, with the highest male ratio on LinkedIn…
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The B2Bs in the Social Marketing Universe Using social media for business is no longer a new or strange concept. Although some businesses have been slow to grasp the full value of social media for B2B marketing. Last week Facebook announced it was awarding 12 of the…
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SMB’s are taking over Social Media New research shows that 90% of small business owners have some sort of presence on social media, and that they are beginning to increase their involvement. In studies done by 5starControl, results show that small businesses are “keener on…
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It seems the social landscape is shifting yet again for B2B companies… 20% of top level executives are spending more time reading Tweets than online news publications. It represents a slow shift which IBM says in the next 5 years will see social media become a primary interaction tool with…
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News Round-Up Coca-Cola Reaches 50 Million Coca-Cola has always had a good grasp of how to market itself and communicate well with its fans. On social media it engages well with its fans in a direct and ‘authentic’ manner. In doing so, it’s…
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This year more than ever, the issue of social customer service is front and centre in the minds of customer service leaders. Many major companies are left with more questions than answers on how to implement, strategise and budget. It’s a common question, but why should a company bother with…
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Good News for Facebook Despite its fiscal status in a state of constant flux, Facebook had a good week. The platform passed the final hurdle in its bid to acquire Instagram after the California Department of Corporations ruled that the transaction appeared ‘just, fair, and equitable’. With all…
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Olympic sponsors: the social winners Whilst athletes were vying for medals during the dubbed ‘Socialympics’, the official sponsors were hard at work battling for social media dominance. Social Media Influence have released the sponsor leaderboard.  Visa and P&G come in joint 3rd position. Visa saw…
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After 16 days of sporting excellence, London bid farewell to the Olympic Games last night. Touted as the ‘world’s first social games’, London 2012 lived up to the hype around social media with networks extending their reach far and wide, as well as acting as a supplement to traditional media.
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I’d like to share this informative infographic from bluewolf consultancy, which provides a fantastic overview of social media as the new service channel. Perfectly summed up in the header – “It is no longer about how fast a business can respond to a customer BUT HOW WELL.” I couldn’t agree…
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Facebook have announced the launch of “Page Post Targeting Enhanced” for fan pages, an extension of the language and location targeting instigated in 2009. This is massive news for marketers and advertisers. Page admins can publish various posts to fans and change the crux of their messages to users based…
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Stay tuned for our Monday round-ups of the latest social media news. We will be providing short,  sweet snippets that will help you stay ahead of the ever-changing social media game. Here’s the first in the series… Enjoy. Last week saw the shock revelation that 8.7% or 83 million Facebook…
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You may have seen the recent news about Facebook testing ‘Offers’ for Ecommerce sites. Brands will be able to push digital offers through the timeline to their communities and these will be redeemable for the first time on the retailer’s website at checkout. At present this functionality…
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So, LinkedIn recently agreed to purchase presentation-sharing website SlideShare for £73m. The acquisition wasn’t completely out of the blue for those in the know. As Rashmi Sinha, SlideShare co-founder stated in her recent blog, the two companies developed close ties following the opening up…
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Three billion, 800 million, 60. The number of hours of video watched each month, the number of monthly unique visitors and the number of hours of video uploaded every minute. There’s no denying the consumer demand for quality shareable video content. And while it can be tempting to think of…
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With the high profile acquisition of Instagram by Facebook for $1bn there is a lot of speculation about Facebook’s plans for the photo editing/sharing mobile app. CNET and the Guardian’s coverage of the takeover are the most…
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Many brands would love millions of followers of their social media profiles, customers just waiting for that next brand message or purchase motivator. However, it’s not a one way street. Social gives customers  a direct and very visible route to a brand. Some might say that the more followers you…
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With an increasing number of consumers – and particularly those under the age of 25 –  expecting customer service through social media channels, brands have a new and highly visible opportunity to turn negative sentiment into public and positive advocacy. Successful social customer service, however, treads a fine…
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We love this recent infographic from the guys Our Social Times. With more than 57% of consumers searching online to solve customer service issues, it’s an area that just can’t be ignored. Consumers are increasingly turning to social to solve queries and resolve grievances…
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A few weeks ago Econsultancy reported that just 11% of retailers use social media channels to respond to customers; while 81% of businesses use the channels for marketing purposes. Pair this with the fact that 46% of consumers expect great customer service online, not to mention 78% of consumers…
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Lying low isn’t an easy thing for brands to do on social media, particularly when it comes to the young and socially savvy customer. According to a recent study by Sitel, 15% of 16-24 year-olds in the UK use social media as their preferred channel for resolving…
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2012 is the year of social customer service. Consumers are increasingly turning to social networks as a way to reach out to brands and convey their frustrations and worries. However, this needn’t necessarily be a threat to brands. Innovators are using social media to turn customer negativity into advocacy. This slideshare looks…
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Facebook has just launched the timeline for brand pages – expect alot of noise on this over the next few weeks.  The new design and functionality has created a completely new user experience and raises a number of questions to boot.  Here are some of the key things you need…
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From one-man-bands to global conglomerates, social media provides businesses with a wide open window into the thoughts, opinions and behaviours of customers. Whether it’s a simple keyword search in Google or the deployment of a sophisticated tool, social media monitoring can add value to everything from customer acquisition and product…
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Engagement is of paramount importance when it comes to getting it right in social media. Your contributions on social networks form the outward representation of your brand or company online and define how you are viewed by others. Which is why effective and compelling engagement requires scrupulous planning and calls…
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Online content creation typically falls to the marketing division of a business. Look beyond the four walls of communications, however, and therein lies a treasure trove of ideas.   From customer services to sales, each function is filled with insights into every corner of the business. Whether it’s…
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1. Take it personally Responding in the heat of the moment may be a very human thing to do. But, when acting as the public persona of a brand or a client of such a response is a sure fire way to get your arse handed to you by the…
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Shortly after my last post on Pinterest this insightful infographic circulated giving further evidence that the platform could really become a big player in 2012 – check out “is Pinterest the next social commerce game changer“ After making such a huge splash in the US…
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It’s Valentine’s Day? Oh yes, of course! It’s also Day Two of Social Media Week and the line up for the rest of the week is looking fantastic. SMW takes place all over the globe, but there is a host of great events taking place in London…
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Subsequently, I discovered this brilliant infographic in an Econsultancy article, which looks at the future of customer service and social media. The standout statistic here is that 62% of customers have used social media for customer service issues.  Still not convinced that you need to consider your…
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Following on from my recent post, ‘Embracing Social Customer Service’, I want to offer a closer inspection of the ‘social customer’. The growth of social media platforms has been accompanied by the evolution of this new type of customer. An understanding of your social customers is an important step…
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The new UK Twitter brand pages have finally hit our shores for those companies that can afford it. Let’s put this out there, brands on Twitter still don’t have the flexibility the Facebook API allows. Twitter will keep a tight rein on what users can and can’t…
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It didn’t take long after the IPO for Facebook to make a fresh announcement about plans for developing revenue generation – and it is the move into mobile advertising. Despite Mark Zuckerberg being described as having, “an evangelical approach to advertising,” and seeing the Facebook platform as, “a vehicle to…
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Subsequent to my last post on Pinterest and whether it is set to be 2012’s social media success story – this insightful infographic surfaced which certainly suggests it may well be… Want to know how Pinterest may impact UK brands?…
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Two great examples of brands using social engagement at the heart of their campaigns have popped up recently. Both Walkers Crisps and Kit Kat Chunky have launched multi-channel campaigns supported by TV advertising to create a buzz around new flavours of their products, seeking user participation and driving activity through…
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Launching into the realm of social customer service may seem like a daunting prospect, however, failing to take the leap may actually lead to even more frightening consequences. A shocking statistic from a recent consumer survey commissioned by Conversocial, revealed that: “If confronted with unanswered customer complaints on…
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Few events in the sporting calendar command as much media coverage or social chatter as the US Super Bowl. Last year, French data intelligence company, Semiocast, reported that the American football championship was the focus of 4.5 million tweets, driving a 25% increase in global tweets during…
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Pinterest was the surprise social network of last year in the US achieving over 31 million visits and rising to number 7 in the Hitwise top 10 social networks of 2011. Whilst the network only represents 0.68% share of visits (Facebook represents a staggering 63.31%) – Pinterest is set to…
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As all eyes focus on the social commerce landscape for 2012, Dimensions Mall, has dropped a veritable bomb less than a month into the year. While 67% of retailers are already planning to use Facebook to drive traffic through to e-commerce in 2012, not to mention Coca-Cola,…
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Still relatively unheard of amongst the masses, RFID or radio frequency identification technology has recently made the headlines as it is potentially going to be adopted for use at summer festivals in the UK. Glastonbury organiser, Michael Eavis has confirmed that he is looking into using the technology – read more…
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With the launch of 60 new applications using the Timeline and Open Graph, Facebook is about to expand beyond the Like.  The new functionality will allow users to share perpetual actions (‘love’, ‘want’, ‘need’) via applications through the Open Graph. There are obvious benefits for brands, especially given the buying…
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For years, content strategists have been hiding in the wings, quietly coordinating the show, while the social media rock stars take centre stage. Not anymore. A media frenzy surrounding the information overload debate, combined with the growing impact of social search, mean that the need for sophisticated content planning is…
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 New research shows consumers who engage with companies using social media spend up to 30% more than consumers that don’t. The same research from Bain & Company, suggests they are also more loyal and emotionally connected than customers who are not socially engaged.
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  You may notice that the internet is slightly quieter than you are used to tomorrow.  This is due to numerous internet giants protesting the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and Protect IP Act (PIPA). Opponents to the bills state that if passed into…
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