brands Immediate Future

Google Plus – where is the value?

After casting my eye on the infographic below there was one particular statement that caught my attention… Google+ pages appear in search results for 30% of brand terms searches for brands with G+ pages (up 5% from Feb 2012) In a bid to do some quick and dirty bit of…

Has social media given us a more powerful voice?

Since the introduction of social media, resolving disputes through face to face interaction seems to have become a thing of the past. There appears to be a popular trend in taking to various social platforms to vent frustration towards the situations or people we encounter in everyday life. From that…

Your Weekly Social Media Snapshot

Surprising correlation between LinkedIn endorsements and recommendations It has been half a year since LinkedIn introduced their endorsement feature, allowing users to endorse their colleagues and business partners for their skills and expertise with great ease. A couple of weeks ago LinkedIn announced that since last September…

Pinterest pins hopes on a more profitable proposition

With the ink barely dried on Facebook’s latest announcement, you could be forgiven for thinking that the social network was feeling marginally threatened by the likes of visual counterparts such as Pinterest. Facebook’s latest redesign places a clear emphasis on visual content, sending the message to brands that text-only content…

Your Weekly Social Media Snapshot

Shetland Pony ad goes viral Over the last few weeks we have seen Three’s simple, but innovative, advert of a dancing pony hit our screens and go viral on social media. The mobile provider currently has over 5,000,000 YouTube hits! In a short space of time…

Finally, a new solution for Twitter trolls

Sick, twisted, immoral – just some of the words to describe people who post derogatory and sometimes disgusting comments about sensitive topics online. The rise of social media has given these people, or “trolls” as they are known, a platform to write hateful comments towards celebrities, families who have suffered…

Has the new web based analytics tool made Pinterest more useful to businesses?

There have been many questions raised as to the benefits of using Pinterest for business. The visual content hub is increasingly being used as a way of linking back to other, often text based content. Brands can post images on Pinterest to lead users to content on other platforms, such…

Why the Condescending Corporate Brand Page is a marketer’s friend

If you work in marketing and your path has crossed with social media, there’s a fair chance you will have come across the Condescending Corporate Brand Page. The self-styled pastiche of social media marketing scours branded Facebook pages for the ill-timed, the awkward, the irrelevant and the faintly embarrassing, repurposing…

Your Weekly Social Media Snapshot

4 detailed insights from a social media mock employment tribunal Last week we teamed up with the legal firm Colman Coyle and presented the first social media mock employment tribunal. The fictional Tribunal was a great opportunity to gain an insight into how the law views social media.

Top Retailers opting out of email in favour of other channels?

Missing out on new opportunities or opting for more effective channels? There are two ways to read into the latest data collated by eCircle looking at the adoption of sophisticated targeted email communications. Stand out statistics read that: 21% of the top 50 retailers…

The Anatomy of a Crisis Part Three: Followers Speak Louder than Words

In Part One of this series we saw that every social media incident does not make a crisis; whilst in Part Two we explored how a true crisis causes trust, reputational and financial issues. However, can a social media incident actually lead to positive…

4 detailed insights from a social media mock employment tribunal

Last week we joined forces with legal firm Colman Coyle with a first social media mock employment tribunal. Held at the Law Society with real barristers, we even had a fabulous and very personable Judge. It is not often that you really get the chance to see the detailed…

Facebook advertising – is it all it’s cracked up to be?

It seems like everyone is at it nowadays – Facebook advertising is more or less a standard element of many brands’ social media activity. But how often are marketers taking a step back to ponder WHY exactly they are running advertising campaigns? What do they hope to achieve? Over the…

30 examples of UK social media policies and guidance

I was quite surprised by our recent social media and the law report that showed 19% of companies didn’t have a social media policy. I did think that wasn’t too bad. But last week, we conducted a Mock…

The Anatomy of a Crisis Part Two: There’s No Horsing Around

In part one of this series we discussed that issues shouldn’t be viewed purely through a social lens. Just because a company is affected by an incident doesn’t necessarily mean it becomes embroiled in a crisis. However, that does not mean crises don’t exist. And when a true…

Your Weekly Social Media Snapshot

The battle of the soap operas in social This week, we took a look at how the battle of the soap operas can be witnessed online in the social space, with many of us now ‘Tweeting’ and ‘Facebooking’ whilst snuggled up on the sofa watching our…

Burberry tops Pinterest

Despite being 156 years old, Burberry is proving to be a very progressive brand with its use of innovative social media platforms. It is currently the leading British fashion brand on Pinterest, the image-sharing social network that has gained huge traction around the world since it launched in 2010. Pinterest,…

Battle of the soap operas in social

Whether you’ll admit it or not, many of us enjoy snuggling up on the sofa at the end of the day for a daily dose of our favourite soap opera. Nowadays, thanks to the ‘two screening’ phenomenon, this delight is now reflected online, with many of us engaging on social…

“Horse-gate” and the importance of crisis management in social media

From Findus lasagnes, Tesco burgers and Asda bolognese to Whitbread, it seems that the horsemeat scandal gets worse every day, as the saga gets even darker and more twisted and new brands become embroiled in the scandal. The questions of exactly what are we eating continue to persist and it’s…

Your Weekly Social Media Snapshot

Search for your old tweets on Twitter This week Twitter has made some important changes to its search options. Users are now able to search for old tweets via hashtag or keyword. Previously, search results could only be seen from one week ago, so this news will…

The Cornerstones of a Good Social Media Crisis Policy

Social media crises are not as rare as you think. And, as with HMV and Tesco, it’s often the biggest brands that struggle to mitigate the risk. Mistakes are easy to make: you only have to look at Tesco during the middle of the horse burger scandal…

Your Weekly Social Media Snapshot

Busy week? No stress. Here’s a short, sweet digest so you can round-off the week feeling up to speed. 5 things you need to know from the last week: Instagram launches online profiles Instagram have made some changes, announcing that users can now view their full…

Should we take Google Plus seriously?

A recent study shows that Google Plus is now the second largest social network in the world. According to GWI, there are now 343m people using the platform, and it is hardly surprising. Google is integrating the existing user base of Gmail into G+ and continues to…

7 super social TV stats from the Superbowl

For those of you who don’t care for American Football you would be forgiven for thinking “what is all of the fuss about?”. Simple answer – Social TV and advertising, it is certainly worth taking note! Real-time conversations are shaping brands all of the time in social, some brands are…

4 reasons small businesses struggle with social

A new Wall Street Journal Online survey sheds light on the challenges facing small and medium-sized businesses (SMB) with social media. I say that with two hats on. As an MD of an SMD, I can relate to these business challenges. On the other hand our clients are global brands,…

Is fast customer service the mark of social devotion? [infographic]

Socialbakers recently released its Q4 results for the best and worst performing brands on social media, defined by a brand’s level of attentiveness to its community. I was immediately struck by giffgaff’s position at number four in the worst offenders list. This is a…

HMV: a social media crisis

Yesterday saw an excellent example of when a brand’s social media goes very, very wrong. An HMV employee, who had access to the company Twitter account, began to Tweet about the mass sackings that were going on that day in wake of HMVs bankruptcy: HMV clearly had not thought…

Vine: Watch This Space

I’m sure you’ve probably heard murmurings about Vine, Twitter’s new video-sharing app, which arrived on the social media scene at the end of last week. There has already been lots of excitement around the new app, which is being dubbed the Instagram of video. Twitter’s 500 milllion…

Bricks to Clicks: what to expect in 2013

The recent demise of even more well known High Street retailers such as HMV, Jessops and Blockbuster should serve as a strong reminder that the world has changed! 80% of shoppers were reported to have researched online before making a purchase this past Christmas and the average shopper…

Facebook Graph Search vs. Google Plus: Who will win the battle for social search?

Facebook unveiled Graph Search last week amid a flurry of hype: offering the possibility to discover new information, people, and places that relate to your interests. Many saw Facebook’s move into social search as an attempt to steal some of Google’s thunder and attempt to…

UK high street failures and social media activity: a correlation?

What can social media tell us about the sad demise of high street retailers such as Woolworth’s, Comet, Blockbusters and Jessops? Some quick and dirty research shows these high-street failures were also social media fails. There could be many reasons for their failure, not least the products they sell, their…

3 reasons to plan your competition properly

Up to 65% of customers claim to like/ follow/ connect with brands through social media for games, contests and promotions. Social media may have opened doors to a creating bigger, more interactive competitions and reaching a far wider audience. However, it is still a new area and, as a consequence,…

Three things you need to know about Facebook’s graph search

The big announcement from Facebook has dropped and it is all about DISCOVERY. The new graph search tool enables users to discover people and content based on their association with others in their ‘social graph’. This latest development is undoubtedly a play to steal some of Google’s search thunder and create…

The shift to visual social media

Content marketing is on the lips of most Marketing Managers as we head into 2013. The growth of platforms such as Pinterest and Instagram are proof of the way that people are consuming content – shifting to rich engaging visual content. Our own client analysis shows that 4x more engagement…

Why 2013 is the year of Google Plus

Last year Instagram was the new up-and-comer on the social media landscape, exploding onto the scene and earning a $1 billion pay check from Facebook. With 58 photos being uploaded per second and well over a billion photos uploaded to the site as of May 2012, Instagram was clearly the…

SO, LO or MO: what’s your focus for 2013?

I won’t be the first social media marketer whose eyes made a bee-line for ‘Return on Involvement’ in Mashable’s 2013 buzzword bible. Return on involvement – A brand that “gets involved with their community will garner better return on their investment by getting involved hosting fundraisers, partnering with schools and…

New functionality for Google Plus Business boosts engagement and customer service

Accumulating connections on Google+ isn’t a problem for some brands – take Cadbury UK with nearly 3 million! But for others, growing the size of the community remains a big challenge when using Google+ Business. The art (and little bit of science) of growing the follower and fan-base for business…

Consumer demand is turbo-charging growth in social customer service

I love to talk about social customer service. I think it’s fascinating and incredibly pertinent in our digital world. It also still amazes me how brands and retailers are still missing a trick! I’ve experienced this slow uptake for myself recently; waiting nearly 2 months for a replacement washing machine…

Useful Tips for Effective Facebook Marketing

Facebook has become the ultimate B2C social media marketing platform. It enables businesses to target their audience and create a community of brand ambassadors. But exactly how should brands go about marketing on Facebook? Jon Loomer has come up with a useful checklist for Facebook marketing in 2013. Here’s…

Social TV – The impact of David Attenborough on Social Media

As I watched David Attenborough’s amazing show Africa last night on BBC, I found myself typically “two-screening” – following the conversation on Twitter (with intermittent flicking to Facebook) whilst the other half of my attention was glued to the box. Whilst some might say that this is ridiculous behaviour, and…

The Engagement Battle: Facebook vs. Twitter

For brands using social media, engagement is what it’s all about. Great engagement not only ensures that your content is being seen by your fans and followers, it creates a dedicated community that will lead to more brand advocates who are happy to tell everyone how great you…

Make good user experience your resolution of 2013

With a brand new year stretching ahead of us now is the time to take all those bad digital habits of 2012 out in a big black sack along with the wilted tinsel and scrunched wrapping paper. And User Experience or UX is the perfect place to start. In 2012…

The Future of Social is Mobile

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.

The State of Social Customer Service

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…

Will visual content drive social media in 2013?

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…

Get social, watch some TV…

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…

Social Media in 2012: The Top of the tops

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!…

Understanding Facebook EdgeRank: The key to content success

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,…

Only PI shaped people need apply

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…

Make the call. Optimise for mobile.

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…

Tis the season to be social…

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…

Social is becoming the oil in the engine

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…

Listen Up! Social Media Monitoring Advice

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…

Is your company making the best out of its visual content?

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…

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, how much for these videos?

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.

Facebook says don’t like something ‘Want’ it instead

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…

Facebook to open the data door to businesses

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…

Pinterest Marketing Cheat Sheet

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…

Cadburys show that Google+ is worth a go

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…

The weekly news round-up

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…

Weekly social media round up

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…

Latest news from the world of social media

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…

The rise of the social customer

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…

Weekly News Round-Up

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…

Monday News Round-Up

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…

Attention Community Managers!

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…

News Round-up: Facebook Under Fire

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…

Facebook finally delivers on ROI for businesses with online vouchers

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…

The larger your customer base, the more problems on social media?

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…

Listen and learn: how to rise above a social customer crisis

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…

How social media is changing the landscape of social media

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. If you would like to find out more about the way social media…

Why you can’t ignore the young social customer

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…

Social customer service done right – 5 success stories from ASOS to Zappos

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…

Overview of the new Facebook timeline brand pages

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…

Five social media monitoring tips

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…

Understanding Your Social Customers

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…

New Twitter brand pages: a flashy ploy to justify the cost of promoted tweets?

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…

Pinterest – 2012’s social media success story?! Further evidence

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?…

Embracing Social Customer Service

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…

Real-time touches down at the Super Bowl

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…

Pinterest – 2012’s social media success story?

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…

If social commerce is about to blow up, has the bomb been dropped?

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,…

RFID: blurring the lines between on and offline experiences

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…

New wave of Facebook Applications

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…

Five useful content planning tools

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…

Your socially engaged consumers spend more

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. Bain…

Afraid of your competitor’s social media activity?

If so, you are not alone. New research from econsultancy shows a whopping 85% of brands believe increased social media marketing by competitors will have a significant impact on their social media plans in 2012. With all innovation, there is an adoption curve (see…

Four ways in which the new Twitter better promotes your brand

Twitter has launched new brand pages with a new look and some useful functionality. For those companies already on Twitter, this news is worth your attention. Twitter’s new brand pages will better promote your brand in 4 ways: A large header image gives greater prominence to your logo and/or tagline. …

Reddit – Upvote it: Part II

So in the first blog in this series, we established that Reddit is significant online social movement, but what exactly can it offer a brand or business? Monitoring: Businesses can utilise the platform as a go-to for cutting edge news and content. Monitoring the platform for relevant…

Reddit – Upvote it: Part I

Are you familiar with Reddit? Is the social news site incorporated into your social media monitoring and planning? So, what is Reddit? A dark horse of the online world, Reddit is a sharing platform that businesses and brands alike should be au fait with. It’s an online…

Are cats the new Pizza Express? The value of social currency

Estate agents used to say, that if Pizza Express opens in a new area, it’s a sure sign property prices in said area are about to rise; and smart property investors should pay attention. So I put it to you, if a meme spreads across YouTube, it’s a sure sign…

The ideal social media consultant. It’s Psych 101

An experimental scientist? A mathematician, an historian, an IT geek, a money making economist or socially savvy psychologist? Last week we conducted a Twtpoll to discover who you would rather employ as a social media consultant for your business. The results were eye opening. To our…

Are Google+ branded pages only for Muppets?

Since Google’s announcement, there has been an enthusiastic response to Google+ branded pages. Generally the applause has been loud and energetic, with over 600 news articles and innumerable blog posts. The positive response has proved interesting. After…

Q&A: RiotRemedy founder, Heather Taylor, talks community management

In 2004 social networks were a groundbreaking channel for brands to self-publicise and broadcast their news. Today, the dynamic between brands and their customers has shifted. Customers want brands to talk with and not just at them. According to Heather Taylor, founder of online community, RiotRemedy, today’s brands need to…

Why branded social media estates are like Pokémon: Qwikster vs. Jason Castillo

Netflix have learnt the hard way that social media can’t be a last minute consideration when it comes to a rebrand. Marketing has to be fully integrated with social media planning. On demand video service Netflix struck upon the name Qwikster for its DVD side of the business, you can…

A turning point for Twitter marketing?

This week, in a move that Brian Solis entitled the ‘Mad Men Moment’, Twitter introduced the latest addition to the Promoted products family. So what prompted the dramatic headline? Well the latest version of the promoted tweet will appear in the timeline of users that are not…

Online community management: Stop. Look. Listen.

In the words of the Content Marketing Institute’s Joe Chernov: “Without content, social media is a sports car with an empty gas tank”. No one knows that better than an online community manager. But what that community manager also knows is that accelerating your social media…

Google+: how social media marketing could evolve

Google+ has really got the social media world excited. Twenty-five million users in 6 weeks, makes the growth of similar social networks like Facebook and Twitter look positively stunted in comparison. And the blogosphere is just as fired up – a quick Google blog search for Google+…

Search results for "brands"

Google Plus – where is the value?

Has social media given us a more powerful voice?

Your Weekly Social Media Snapshot

Pinterest pins hopes on a more profitable proposition

Your Weekly Social Media Snapshot

Finally, a new solution for Twitter trolls

Has the new web based analytics tool made Pinterest more useful to businesses?

Why the Condescending Corporate Brand Page is a marketer’s friend

Your Weekly Social Media Snapshot

Top Retailers opting out of email in favour of other channels?

The Anatomy of a Crisis Part Three: Followers Speak Louder than Words

4 detailed insights from a social media mock employment tribunal

Facebook advertising – is it all it’s cracked up to be?

30 examples of UK social media policies and guidance

The Anatomy of a Crisis Part Two: There’s No Horsing Around

Your Weekly Social Media Snapshot

Burberry tops Pinterest

Battle of the soap operas in social

“Horse-gate” and the importance of crisis management in social media

Your Weekly Social Media Snapshot

The Cornerstones of a Good Social Media Crisis Policy

Your Weekly Social Media Snapshot

Should we take Google Plus seriously?

7 super social TV stats from the Superbowl

4 reasons small businesses struggle with social

Is fast customer service the mark of social devotion? [infographic]

HMV: a social media crisis

Vine: Watch This Space

Bricks to Clicks: what to expect in 2013

Facebook Graph Search vs. Google Plus: Who will win the battle for social search?

UK high street failures and social media activity: a correlation?

3 reasons to plan your competition properly

Three things you need to know about Facebook’s graph search

The shift to visual social media

Why 2013 is the year of Google Plus

SO, LO or MO: what’s your focus for 2013?

New functionality for Google Plus Business boosts engagement and customer service

Consumer demand is turbo-charging growth in social customer service

Useful Tips for Effective Facebook Marketing

Social TV – The impact of David Attenborough on Social Media

The Engagement Battle: Facebook vs. Twitter

Make good user experience your resolution of 2013

Top 5 blog posts of 2012… and more!

The Future of Social is Mobile

The State of Social Customer Service

Will visual content drive social media in 2013?

Get social, watch some TV…

Social Media in 2012: The Top of the tops

Understanding Facebook EdgeRank: The key to content success

Only PI shaped people need apply

Make the call. Optimise for mobile.

Tis the season to be social…

Social is becoming the oil in the engine

Listen Up! Social Media Monitoring Advice

Is your company making the best out of its visual content?

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, how much for these videos?

Facebook says don’t like something ‘Want’ it instead

Facebook to open the data door to businesses

Pinterest Marketing Cheat Sheet

Cadburys show that Google+ is worth a go

The weekly news round-up

Weekly social media round up

Latest news from the world of social media

The rise of the social customer

Weekly News Round-Up

Monday News Round-Up

Attention Community Managers!

News Round-up: Facebook Under Fire

Facebook finally delivers on ROI for businesses with online vouchers

The larger your customer base, the more problems on social media?

Listen and learn: how to rise above a social customer crisis

How social media is changing the landscape of social media

Why you can’t ignore the young social customer

Social customer service done right – 5 success stories from ASOS to Zappos

Overview of the new Facebook timeline brand pages

Five social media monitoring tips

Understanding Your Social Customers

New Twitter brand pages: a flashy ploy to justify the cost of promoted tweets?

Pinterest – 2012’s social media success story?! Further evidence