Developing a Facebook application that drives business
If you are in the field of digital marketing, you will at
some stage have considered, or at least thought about using Facebook as a
potential marketing channel. Everybody is jumping on the so-called ‘social
media bandwagon’ these days; yet despite the negative connotations this phrase
carries, there are a multitude of benefits in jumping upon said bandwagon.
There are countless case studies online where enterprising
agencies and businesses have leveraged the social and memetic power inherent in
social media to either generate vast sales figures or turn their business
around. So I shall not mention them all here. What I will do however, is introduce
to you the notion of using Facebook applications to generate leads for your
business. Why do I have the right to tell you it’s a brilliant medium? Because
we have used it and have done exceedingly well in doing so.
The example I put to you is that of our client Inspire
Abroad, a growing volunteering opportunity provider with a fantastic
proposition. They find good causes and projects across the globe that need
people like you and me to get involved and make a difference. Such a
volunteering opportunity would usually be undertaken by students either between
college and university; graduates looking for adventure before beginning a
career or those who fancy a career break and wish to discover more of the world
and travel.
The first challenge here is finding the target market. Some
time ago you may have thought that Facebook was just for younger types,
stereotypically students. Now, although this was true, the balance has shifted
and now the average age of the typical Facebook user is actually much higher. Popular
statistics from Pingdom state that at least 45% of US Facebook users are
between 35 and 54. If for the sake of argument, we were to extrapolate that
across global Facebook usage, it shows that some of our older target audience
is indeed familiar with and actively uses Facebook. Having been a student
myself I can safely say that the majority of students of all years at
universities up and down the country use Facebook. This makes Facebook a great
place for Inspire Abroad to present themselves to their target audience.
Now it’s all very well setting up a business page on
Facebook and posting on the walls of your doting following, but sometimes you
have to go a step further and really drive the interaction.
Those of you who are familiar with Facebook will be aware of
the myriad of applications available to users and you may even know of the
Facebook developer’s platform. We used this platform to produce a custom
application for Inspire abroad to add to their company profile page. The aim
here was to get users to interact with the application to submit their details
and express their interest in the Inspire Abroad volunteering opportunity. In
exchange for these details, these users are then rewarded with a volunteering
guide in the form of a PDF to better inform their volunteering opportunity
search. You can see the value here already. With each exchange of details via
the application, Inspire Abroad are gaining business leads; Facebook users who
are either actively researching volunteering opportunities or interested
parties who want to stay ‘in the know’ as they intend to travel at a later
date. These details can then be stored for mail-outs and e-mail campaigns, only
in this case… They will already have a very, very warm list to interact with.
Now I wouldn’t be much of a marketer if I just left it at
that. If you create something brilliant and have a wonderful market
proposition, you need to make it known.
So, to support the Facebook profile page and information
gathering application we implemented a Facebook Ad campaign. By researching our
key markets and their interests we were able to create an ad campaign that only
appeared to our desired audience. Once clicked these ads would then direct the
user to the application to begin the process. In utilising these ads within
Facebook, we refrain from interrupting the user experience, making the
transition as smooth as possible. Ads like these have a reach in the hundreds
of thousands and once these users engage with the brand at the application
level, they are then more inclined to explore the Inspire Abroad website and
the Twitter presence as well, as they have warmed to the brand. We know this
because we were able to track their exploration via Google Analytics.
The outcome? A great deal of qualified leads that can be
nurtured and communicated with at will. Can you say that you have achieved the
same? Few can, which is why we pride ourselves on taking innovative steps like
these to leverage technologies that would usually intimidate others.
If you would like to know more about developing a Facebook
application or would like to know how social media can benefit you, either
explore the rest of our blog or contact us.
Posted by Ian Fergusson | Under Social Media
Wednesday Jul 28, 2010
When talking to businesses about Social Media and Digital Marketing I always ask them what their main form of current marketing is? So many people pride themselves on Word of Mouth being their strongest marketing tool concluding that they don’t need to dedicate any time to Social Media. I think the main thing people are still not quite getting about Social Media is that it is a form of every day communication, just online. If you think about it, Social Media is about sharing knowledge, talking about companies, talking to people and listening to what others have to say. In short Social Media is an online form of Word of Mouth . . . but better.
As many marketers know, word of mouth is a powerful form of marketing. Personal recommendation has been shown to be the most influential medium because we trust our closest friends and acquaintances. This trust means that we are powerfully influenced by their recommendations or advice. Word of mouth also encourages the spread of you brand, product or service like a virus, one person tells his friends who then passes on the recommendation to their social circle and so on. So if so many marketers except the power that Word of Mouth has, why are they still reluctant to embrace Social Media?
Social Media has been seen to be a more powerful version of word of mouth. Platforms such as Twitter and Facebook allow users to share their experiences of brands and services quickly and easily. The fact that Social Media has recently gone mobile has made this sharing more instant; people can share information as they are having either a positive or negative experience. The other benefit of sharing experiences via Social Media is the size of the Social networks consumers have online. The average size of a users network on Facebook is around 200. The size of this network is far greater then someone spreading experiences via traditional word of mouth.
Many people think that platforms like Twitter and Social Media are full of hot air and pointless information with people talking about the weather and what not. However consider the fact that every one in five tweets mentions a brand, product or service. People are using social media as way of discussing, promoting and recommending their favourite brands and products.
So if you pride yourself on the fact that Word of Mouth is your number one form of marketing, maybe this article will help you re-think about using Social Media. Social Media is an online form of communication which incorporates all the aspects of Word of Mouth and amplifies it. Even if you don’t have any Social Media accounts it doesn’t mean that people aren’t already talking about you online.
If you need any help or advice on starting a Social Media campaign or enhancing your existing Social Media please feel free to get in contact. Generate UK help create and manage a range of different clients Social campaigns as well as also offering training to help your employees effectively use Social Media.
Is Social media just a fad that has developed in the last couple of years, or is it the biggest shift since the industrial revolution? To get a grasp on how huge Social media is think of Facebook as a country. If Facebook were a country it would be the 4th largest in the world just behind the United States of America. Watch the video below to try and get a grasp of just how huge this phenomenon actually is.
If you would like to further discuss how Social media can help you and your business please email us.
We also have a white paper on Social Media which is available to download for free here.
Posted by Ian Fergusson | Under Social Media
Tuesday Mar 30, 2010
Twitter, love or hate it its here to stay. So, we either shy away from it or we understand it, embrace it and maximise its business potential.
The three main reasons we find why people do not use Twitter are:
1. They don’t know how to use it
2. It sounds silly and they don’t understand the concept
3. They don’t think anyone in their organisation will have time to use it or embrace it
The concept of Twitter is simple, it’s a place to chat, share information, check the latest news, let people know what you’re doing, highlight latest achievements, promotions and to demonstrate why people should come and talk to you. If you think about Twitter from a ‘business perspective’, this is what most businesses are trying to achieve every day. Twitter represents a great online vehicle to be able to build a community and reach out with a click of a button.
The trick to Twitter is to work out the best ways to maximise its potential and to integrate it into your everyday business processes. Once you have a number of followers you can communicate to an audience on an instantaneous basis and you’ll wonder why you didn’t start tweeting earlier!
Below is a whistle stop tour of how and why Twitter should be used as a Marketing tool.
Why consider Twitter?
A few quick reasons why you should seriously think about Twitter:
1. The sheer volume of users - Twitter has over 75 million users you could connect with
2. Its speed - Twitter is a real time social media platform
3. Networking facilitation - The ability to network with people and companies within the same industry as you
4. Mobile Marketing usage - Twitter is accessible on mobile phones meaning you get your message to them at all times
Use it to increase your traffic.
Twitter is a great way to drive traffic to your website. Twitter is a fantastic environment to make people aware of your brand, share their thoughts, understand your products and services which in turn will drive targeted traffic. You can constantly update, change and post new services and products you offer and drive those who are interested to your website through promotions and quality literature. If you are aware of link building, then twitter provides a very strong reputable link for your site, if you are not aware of link building please have a quick read of our older posts link building.
Increase your reputation.
Twitter is a platform where you as a business can demonstrate your knowledge and expertise to a large audience. By posting interesting tweets, posting links to news articles and even links to your blog, you can show your target audience as well as other businesses in your industry that you know what you’re talking about and that you’re an expert in your field, increasing your reputation online.
Live News Feed.
Twitter is a real time social media platform. So what does this mean? This means that every tweet is immediately posted to your followers. This means that you can get your company’s news into the public eye in a matter of seconds. It has recently been seen that large news stories have been posted on Twitter before reaching respectable news sites such as the BBC. This means instead of having to plan weeks in advance to for you to appear in magazines and papers through press releases, product reviews or feature articles, through Twitter you can post immediately to access customer reaction and feedback.
Networking.
Twitter also has a sophisticated networking facility. This means that you can directly communicate with other businesses or suppliers. You’ll find that a lot of people have a business Twitter account as well as a personal one, giving you the opportunity to directly communicate with CEO’s or Directors of companies. This also means that people will be able to contact you. A business searching for related services can read your profile then message you to register their interest.
These are but only a few reasons of how and why twitter can be a powerful marketing tool. In 2010 it has almost become a necessity for a business to be on twitter, but it’s up to you as a business to maximise the opportunities the platform offers.
You’re currently reading Generate UK’s Top 20 Digital Marketing ideas. Over the course of the next month, we’ll be sharing our experience to help you marketed your business on the Internet.
If you’re not currently book marking your online collateral we ask the question why not? It’s free and Social Bookmarking provides you with the opportunity to share your own website content and collateral with the public, through social bookmarking sites. The main one being Delicious.com
There are over 15 billion web pages published on the World Wide Web and this is growing daily. People are using sites like del.icio.us every day to bookmark their favourite pages and check out other peoples favourites. So, by bookmarking your own content, making it available to others, increases the opportunity for people to find it.
In terms of increasing your Internet Footprint, it is a no-brainer and will help to drive targeted traffic to your site. Why not click on the social media links below and investigate how it can help your business. Alternatively, we’d be very happy to have a conversation with you on 01635 550431.
Due to being a nerd, I like to make a note of when a social media platform starts receiving brand recognition outside of their traditional user base. Usually it is when my mum makes reference to a particular platform or a story is carried in the Sun newspaper, as was the case with Twitter recently. The Sun were following up on famous Twitter users such as Barack Obama (who has the largest number of followers), Britney Spears and our soon to be unsuspended superstar; Jonathan Ross.
For the uninitiated, Twitter is a micro-blogging platform. So called because it allows you to send mini updates (about whatever you want) to your followers. You basically set yourself up as a user and woke up and I need coffee” (which begs the question about what is more important; Twitter or coffee) to general chit chat.
Is there a business benefit to Twitter?
As a digital agency, we’re often asked about the benefits of social media, and it is fair to say that it is not always clear at first glance. However, with Twitter we’ve identified quite a few uses for it.
It’s a great way to interact with likeminded people, which is always handy. For example, we were recently let down at the last minute by one of our speakers at a seminar we were running. We posted on Twitter for a replacement and had six companies respond, all of whom would have done a great job.
It’s a good way to get a heads up on new techniques and ideas. A lot of people use Twitter to share useful web sites. Sometimes these web sites turn out to be great resources, so it is a perfect way to stay informed without spending huge amounts of time researching.
If you’ve not bought into the business benefits of blogging; then we’re not reaching you properly. From our perspective, we cannot think of many reasons why a business would not have a blog, there’s many reasons for this covered here. Micro-blogging is an extension of this and all of the benefits are the same.
It’s simple to interact with Twitter via your mobile phone. In fact as one recent amateur photographer recently found out, it’s possible to become world famous in a matter of minutes. With this type of pulling power, the potential of Twitter is unlimited.
If you are in a business where from time to time you have spare capacity such as hotels, restaurants, cinemas etc; then it is possible to use Twitter to communicate special offers and promotions to your followers. Twitter users are very active and conversion rates are extremely high for companies using this type of marketing.
If you’re a larger organisation with a brand, you may find that you need to keep an eye on how your brand is represented online. If people are Tweeting about you, then you may as well Tweet about yourself and control the conversations. Otherwise, you should follow Tweetscan to see what is linked to your name/brand. As you can see, even Tesco is getting in on the act.
We’ve already mentioned that Twitter is great for networking with likeminded people; if you take this to the next level, it is also a great way to reach out to them. Perhaps you’re looking for specialist technical skills? Need a quote for some printing? Or would like to post a link to a new position at your company? It’s all possible with Twitter.
I’m sure as more people begin to use Twitter; the business opportunities will grow. If you would like to Tweet with Generate UK, you’re more than welcome to follow us on Twitter also. We’re looking forward to your tweets.
Was this post helpful? Do you already use Twitter for your business, would you like to share your comments below? If you or your company would like to discuss social media, using Twitter or digital marketing in general, please call us on 01635 550431.
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If you’ve been to any of our seminars or met anyone from Generate UK, you’ll know how passionate we are about blogs. Particularly their importance when it comes to increasing your online footprint.
If you follow webmaster guidelines, it’s unlikely that you will be able to get your site to top rank for more than a dozen of your key phrases. Of course, there are exceptions to the rule, but generally a site is pretty static and narrow in its focus. This is where blogs can really help in terms of widening the net.
This is fundamental to our approach to digital marketing and it really works for our customers. The blog post below provides some additional information about what it takes to build and maintain a successful blog.
The Birth of a Professional Blog
The 3 main ingredients needed to build a successful professional blog are the ability to supply quality content, the need to develop and maintain a base of loyal readers, and offering quality products.
Working together these 3 components can create a steady and significant online income for the right individual.
What does it take to for an aspiring internet marketer to create and maintain a money making blog such as this?
Let’s take a look at the 3 key components needed to be a successful professional blogger:
Quality Content
The origin of any popular blog is the quality of content posted to it. Whether your posts are shocking, interesting, or informative, you need to gain the attention and then the approval of new visitors with content that appeals to them. By doing so you’ve increase the chances of them returning. Another important aspect of your content appeal is its ability to motivate visitors to recommend your site to others. This ‘viral’ effect will help boost traffic to your blog and hopefully the recommendations will continue to spiral upward from that point forward.
Maintaining Reader Loyalty
First and foremost the content of the blog must remain consistent with the original theme or purpose for which the site was created. To deviate from the original purpose of the blog would create confusion and disillusionment amongst the readers. This would eventually lead to a decrease in the subscription base.
The content now needs to supply ongoing value to readers. The heart and soul of any blog is the ability to provide useful, thought provoking, entertaining, insightful, or informative content to its readers. Failure to provide this will reduce the reader’s loyalty or discourage them from further recommending your blog to others.
Quality Products
Now that you’re maintaining reader loyalty and attracting a growing subscriber base we can make a couple assumptions here.
1) Your readers have an interest in the theme upon which your blog is based
2) You command a certain respect from your readers pertaining to your knowledge of the blog’s subject matter.
It is at this point that you can passively start to make recommendations to your readers on particular products that would fit their needs or interest.
The way you introduce your passive promoting is up to you. It can be in the form of a post that reviews a particular product, a post where the subject may naturally lead into a product referral, or even banner ads.
Take caution here not to crowd your blog with advertisements or hammer your readers with sales pitches. Remember they originally subscribed just for your content and not to be sold anything.
In order to build a successful professional blog you’ll need to maintain your consistency with the reader base. Continue to supply them with the content they desire while offering to them helpful products using a soft sell approach. You’ve worked too hard to gain their loyalty just to drive them away with your ‘overselling’ them!
T.J Philpott is an author and Internet entrepreneur based out of North Carolina.
For more information on succeeding in blog marketing and to receive a free guide that demonstrates how to find both profitable markets and products visit: http://blogbrawn.com
What do you think? Was this blog post useful? Please comment below or add to the debate. Please do not hesitate to contact Generate UK for more information and ideas about how to we can help you set up your own business blog.
Recently we were approached by a journalist and asked a number of questions that relate to digital marketing, in particular how it can help drive business for small, medium and large enterprises in the UK. It’s always nice to be asked for an opinion on the market and our views on different technologies; as a result we thought it might be useful to post the full interview on the blog.
[1] What would your key advice be to any SME that is taking its first steps with online marketing?
Don’t be afraid to become a Geek! Unlike traditional above the line marketing, online marketing is measurable and provides you with a wealth of stats, information and measurements. So our advice to any client in this situation is to analyse the data as much as possible. Identify trends and customer behaviours, drop what does not work and do more of what does work. For example, if you are using Search Marketing and have a high click through rate but low conversion rate, you know you need to work on making your landing page more compelling. The stats help you to make more informed decisions about your Internet marketing.
No SME should consider using online marketing unless they have access to statistics to analyse.
[2] Search marketing seems to have come of age over the last few years. How can even micro businesses take advantage of this kind of online marketing?
Search marketing is a great way to level the competitive playing field. By bidding on keywords that are relevant to your business, you have the same opportunity as any other business to drive highly targeted and qualified prospects to your site. For any micro business this is great news as it means the road to their prospects is significantly reduced, allowing them to create significant revenue streams quicker than would previously had been possible. The reverse side to Search Marketing is that it can also be an expensive waste of time if not done correctly, which often leads to micro businesses being burned and never using Search Marketing again, which is a shame because as a marketing tool it is awesome if used right. In our opinion, it is vital to the success of any campaign that you research your keyword/keyphrases thoroughly and have landing pages that help to deliver your campaign objectives.
[3] How can SMEs integrate their offline promotional activity and their online marketing?
This question largely depends on the market the SME is in. For example, if you’re an ecommerce store you could drive people to your web site with traditional flyers and brochures, using discount codes or coupons. We would advise consistent branding for both online and offline promotion activity, we would also advise any client to leverage their website traffic by collecting email information, which can be used in the future to send offers, newsletters etc to.
[4] Do you think the future of online marketing is mobile via smartphones? Will it become the mobile Internet that everyone is predicting, or a different kind of commercial platform that SMEs can use for promotion and advertising?
Smartphones are an additional channel, another way to reach your target market. I don’t think it is a replacement technology; instead it is something that you would use or cater to as part of your marketing objectives. If you’re building a new website now, you make sure that it can be viewed properly via a smartphone. So to answer the question, I don’t think the future of online marketing is mobile via smartphones exclusively, I think it is just another platform that people need to get used to. This is a great opportunity for innovative advertisers and there may be small niches where exclusive smartphone advertising works, for the majority it will be part of the digital mix.
[5] As consumers have become more Internet savvy how can SMEs position their enterprises to take advantage of this massive commercial channel?
Firstly, they should have an Internet Marketing Strategy. It’s amazing how many companies still do not have such a strategy in place, only by taking the time to understand the potential market available to the SME, will senior stakeholders make the necessary investments in terms of skills and technology. Next they need to identify which technologies will suit their business, for example can they streamline their ordering process by offering ecommerce? Following this they need to look at Web 2.0 technologies such as blogging and social media and understand why they should be taking advantage of these channels in order to increase their revenues, branding, leadership and online conversations.
Unfortunately, there are a lot of companies who are still not considering the Internet as a viable channel for increasing their sales opportunities. This is usually because of fear of the unknown or because of lack of skills, it’s a real shame as if they do not act soon, their competitors definitely will.
[6] No business can ignore the social networking space that has rapidly developed with Web 2.0 technologies. But marketing to this sector has proven very difficult. How or even should SMEs place social networking within their digital marketing? Or is it still too early to commercialise this space?
Web 2.0 and social networking should play a large part all SMEs digital marketing strategy. However, first they need to understand what Web 2.0 and Social Media actually are and what it could mean to their business. This is a major hot topic for us at the moment; we have covered it in the past on the blog. You might find these previous posts useful as a way to answer this question.
[7] Email marketing is the digital equivalent of direct mail but with spam still the scourge of the Internet, how can SMEs use this marketing channel effectively?
When we speak about email marketing with clients, we use the term “Enterprise Email Marketing”, this is because we think that email marketing has evolved in the last few years and if done correctly, is a hugely sophisticated form of marketing. The most important piece of advice we can give SMEs about how to use emarketing more effectively is to make yourselves aware of your legal responsibilities, love your data and analyse every single one of your email campaigns.We’ve got more advice about email marketing and using it effectively here:
[8] With masses of press display advertising moving online, the website banner ad seems to be the advertising channel of the day – at least at the moment. What are the key skills that SMEs need to master in order to get good ROI from their banner/display advertising?
Good ROI from banner advertising is dependent on your ad being clicked and the page that is clicked to being strong enough to convert the visitor. We advise our clients to think along the following lines:
Objective – What is it? Traffic, sales, special offer email signups? If you’re paying for a banner ad, what is it that you’re encouraging people to do?
Banner – Is it compelling enough to make people click, is it appropriate to the site it is being shown on, is it in a good position.
Landing Page – Will your landing page convert? Does it include a call to action? Is it easily understood what it is that you want your visitor to do?
Test – Move your banners, try different messages, try different sites, sizes, colours etc
Analyse – Analyse the data, which banners were more affective? Which sites were better for you? Most click throughs?
Repeat – If something works well, do it again.
[9] Viral advertising has seen some of the most successful online advertising of recent years. But as with social networking promotions, viral seems to need a special understanding of the target market to be successful. How can SMEs exploit viral marketing in their enterprises?
Yes viral advertising requires an understanding of the target market; however we would argue that this is the same for any marketing venture to be successful. Some of the greatest viral campaigns have been incredibly simple and no one would have predicted how successful they would be. There is no special ingredient or secret sauce to make something go “viral”, it happens because it is something engaging that is released to the right audience at the right time. You could argue that the skill is in knowing where to release your content and to which audience, which again would come back to knowing your target market. Once you go viral, hold on to your coat tails as it will be a roller coaster ride for a few days.
[10] Successful online marketing is all well and good, but how can SMEs effectively track their campaigns to analyze if they are giving the expected ROI?
There are many great tools out there that will help SMEs track campaigns and analyse their visitor data. Most email marketing systems come built in with their own tracking tools, which allow the user to measure open rates, click through rates etc. The same is available for your web site via technology such as Google Analytics.
In order to measure ROI, one must first understand a campaign objective and what it is that the SME is trying to achieve. We would argue that having access to the metrics and the data is the number one reason for taking part in online marketing.
[11] As the publishing phenomenon of the last few years, the blog has taken the Internet by storm. How can SMEs use the power of the business blog as a marketing channel?
What now? Do you have any comments about this interview? Would you have answered any of the questions differently? Please feel free to add your comments below or contact us.
As a business, we speak about social media and the different facets of social media every day. Sometimes we raise the topic with clients because we see an opportunity for them to use social media to boost their traffic, or because a customer has raised the topic with us and they’re looking to learn more about the subject.
What we’ve learned is that many businesses in the UK are completely turned off by the phrase “Social Media”. Despite the phrase being around for a while now, it still has that connection to the consumer market; it’s still thought of as that “Myface” (sic) site where youngsters post their pictures of drunken nights out.
So this blog post is about exploring some of the more popular reasons we hear from businesses in the UK about why they are not adopting social media and what we think in return. There’s an opportunity for you to post your comments at the end.
The bad press that has surrounded some of the larger social media sites can mean that some businesses are put off from even exploring the possibility for their company. Interestingly, these are the easiest to turn around as it is a case of realigning what social media for business is and where the benefits and the risks lay.
The time aspect is often raised in relation to how long it can take to understand the different elements of social media, how long it takes to create content or indeed the time it takes just to take part in a community. In our opinion, this is not a good reason for not exploring social media. You should look at which facets have more resonance with your business, stick to these and do these well. The end game is to create more online discussions which will lead to more qualified customers knowing your brand and visiting your site, which hopefully will lead to more business, so it’s worth the effort.
It’s not secure is something that we hear quite regularly. This is interesting as when you dig deeper into this subject, it’s obvious that this is a perception challenge. There have been some very alarming news stories about identity theft; however it comes down to using best practices and never giving more information away than is necessary.
We’re worried about our brand is one of the concerns about social media that we agree with. It is absolutely paramount that you’re in control of the messaging and content that is being used and being associated with your business. This is why many of the larger US brands have adopted social media strategies that mean that all content and information they release is approved by them. The thought process here is that social media and online PR is not going to go away, therefore it is better to control what is being used rather than be controlled by it.
It’s just a fad, is something that we hear quite a lot. In some ways, we can understand this; the hot new social media site of yesterday is often a baron waste land tomorrow. So why bother taking the time trying to keep up with what’s hot and what’s not? The trick here is to use the sites that are relevant to your market and your message. Try to use sites where a community already exists, if you prefer to build your own community be in it for the long haul.
I just don’t get it and have no idea what social media actually is. Let us try to simplify it for you; Social Media is about online communications. Internet users have been communicating online since the mid nineties; it just was not called social media then. Social media for businesses is about using social media to enhance your brand, increase the number of conversations about your business and to drive targeted visitors to your site. This is in exchange for your business adding value and sharing their experience via a social media platform such as blogging or forums.
What’s the value for us as a business? This is a great conversation to be involved with as this what it is all about. If someone could demonstrate the business benefits of taking part in social media, would you do it? If someone could walk you through a social media strategy and show you how to build your brand awareness, would you do it? The answer is probably yes if that new business is worth more than the cost of learning. The great thing about Internet marketing is that it is very measurable, so you should quickly be able to measure your return on investment.
It’s just something for the youngsters, is something that we hear a lot. It’s probably a fair conclusion as well, however social media is a platform that the youngsters choose to communicate and receive their information on. Therefore, if this is a market that you want to sell to or take part in, then you must take the time to understand the medium. The ways that we communicate changes, 20 years ago there were no Internet and no mobile phones (barely) and look at how these two technologies have changed the way we do business.
How do we manage the content? This is a concern usually raised by companies that are concerned with employees publishing rude, racist or abusive comments and are worried that posts of this nature will reflect on the business. This is a very important concern, however not one that should put you off moving forward with social media. Internal policies and guidelines are very important and making sure your staff are aware of their responsibilities will help you.
The boss won’t allow us to use it is a very popular reason we hear from companies. This is about perception and probably one or two of the reasons we have already discussed. In our experience, a well articulated business plan that covers the benefits as well as how you plan to cope with the concerns is a good way to changes people’s minds. Most bosses are keen to increase their profits and revenues, if you can align your social media objectives with this, you should be ok.
What do you think? Is our list accurate or are we doing UK businesses a disservice? We’d be keen to hear your feedback and comments, either use the form below or you can visit our contact us form. If you would like to discuss your social media requirements with Generate UK, quote the title of this post to lock in a 20% discount against your first purchase.
Sometimes we’re so intent on finding “the next big thing” to promote our businesses that we often miss opportunities that are already available. Sometimes we can find a brand new marketing tool where we’re not looking for it. Sometimes our social and business lives merge to add a new dimension to our marketing strategies. Speed-networking and online forums are two classic examples of this.
One of the more recent combinations of the personal and professional is the use of online social networking communities. You may be aware of social networking communities already, but do you have any idea of their potential for marketing your business? Here’s a brief introduction to the concept of Social Media Optimisation (SMO) and how it could work for you…
What is social networking?
Social networking is the use of online communities such as Myspace, Bebo and Facebook to connect and communicate with people around the world. Its advantages to businesses include tapping into new markets and generating new business. Promoting your company across a number of these networks is known as Social Media Optimisation (SMO).
How does Social Media Optimisation work?
Social Media Optimisation can be thought of as a trail of breadcrumbs that leads visitors to your main website. External profiles introduce your company to the members of these online communities and advertise your products and services. Think of it as the next generation of directory listings: members are attracted to your profile by its content, and then pointed in the direction of your website.
Can it help me with my Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)?
The short answer is YES. Most social networking communities register their members’ profiles with the main search engines. The longer answer is that it depends on which networks you are a part of: different communities have different success rates with SEO. Each community does, however, have its own search engines, and your profile is optimised primarily for these.
What other ways are there of attracting profile hits?
Most of the communities promote profiles that are regularly updated, and members mark interesting content for other members’ viewing. Regularly uploading fresh and interesting content to your profile will give it a greater chance of being noticed. An effective way of generating interest is to use your profile as the springboard for an online viral campaign. Pictures and movie clips are shared between members, so an advert could potentially reach millions via platforms such as YouTube and MyspaceTV.
Do I have to pay every time someone views my advert?
No. Although some communities offer pay-per-click advertising services, it doesn’t cost anything for a movie to spread throughout its members. Providing your advert has interesting content it could be viewed all over the world without you paying anything for global distribution!
I’m interested, but I don’t have the time to manage all these profiles…
We can do that for you - we’ll set up the profile and design it to compliment your company branding. We can even provide you with video content if you don’t already have your own! For a minimum of twelve months we’ll maintain the channel for you, updating any news and uploading media at your request. We’ll also keep your channel clean of spam, block unwanted visitors and provide monthly statistics depending on which community you choose.
What next?
This is a guest blog post by Daniel Lyddon who is Creative Director at Seraphim Pictures.
Seraphim Pictures is an independent film and television production partnership based in Wales, UK. A fusion of the partners’ combined experience in production and acting, the Company commits itself to developing content that showcases contemporary British talent and culture.
If you would like to learn more about how the Generate UK/Seraphim Pictures partnership can deliver and market unique video solutions to your business, please visit the Seraphim website or contact them via email or call them on +44 (0) 7531 614 569.
