Marketing Titbits – an unusual job on LinkedIn, what makes companies great and Trello

Pope Job advertised on LinkedInIf proof be needed that LinkedIn has become a fixture of the global business community, the fact that the recently vacant position of Pope was advertised on the social media site should be evidence enough.

There is some question as to the authenticity of the position, not least around thepapalheadhunter@gmail.com email address you are requested to contact to express interest in the role. We; however, would like to think that it is genuine. 🙂

‘Good to Great – Why some companies make the leap and others don’t’

With the sheer multitude of personal and business development books out there, we’ve tried to identify those that really standout as beneficial and warrant you spending your precious time reading them, ‘Good to Great’ by Jim Collins is one of them.

For anyone interested in understanding why some companies excel whilst others are merely good, this must-read book gives readers an insight into the research findings uncovered by Jim Collins and his team when analysing over 1,435 companies.

The book gives readers a route they can follow with their company to unlock its potential and be the best it can be. If you are a business owner or involved in growing a business, we think reading this is a must.

Click here to find out more

Trello

Trello is an app for collaborating on to-do lists and projects. It’s a great little free app we’ve found, which is available on PCs and via your Android or iPhone mobile / tablet. It is ideal to use when working alone or jointly on a project, allowing individuals to stay organised and teams to easily collaborate remotely on tasks and activities.

Described as ‘a whiteboard with superpowers’, we’d strongly recommend you take a look at this free app, which lets you:

  • List, manage and collaborate on tasks
  • Create checklists
  • Assign task responsibility and deadlines
  • Add images and attachments to projects

You can find out more about Trello here.

 

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Marketing Titbits – Pinterest analytics, hashtags for Facebook and Dropbox

Pinterest Analytics:
If you have a very visual website, with lots of imagery that visitors might like to share with their friends, family, colleagues or business network, have you started exploring how the latest social media phenomenon, Pinterest, could be utilised to increase web traffic and awareness amongst your target audience? If not, you can find out a bit more here about how it works.

The nature of Pinterest is such that you might already be benefiting from your visitors sharing your website imagery, without you even realising it. Such is the rapid growth of Pinterest, over 12 million unique users per month, that it is quickly gaining entry to the top table of the social media kingdom, alongside the likes of Facebook, Twitter, Google + and LinkedIn. To highlight its growing influence, Pinterest has recently launched its own analytics software, which will show website owners just Pinterest users are interacting with their website. It will include information like:

  • How many people have pinned from your site
  • How many people have seen these pins
  • How many people visited your site from Pinterest
  • Most repinned, most clicked, and most recent pins

For more information on Pinterest Analytics click here.

#Hashtags coming to Facebook?:

Once synonymous with Twitter, there are now rumours that Facebook might be building in hashtagging capabilities into its social network architecture. The new facility would enable Facebookers to tune in and participate in the public discussion of topics across the social networking site, in much the same way users of Twitter can do currently.

The facility is already incorporated into Instagram, which is owned by Facebook, so it is likely we will see this development in the not too distant future.

If your wondering what all this hashtagging is about, here’s a brief overview from theGuardian’s Technology Blog.

Dropbox:

There are very few ‘must haves’ in our opinion, but Dropbox is something we can’t live without and we think if you try it, you’ll agree.

Dropbox is a free service that, put simply, lets you access all your documents, images, videos and files anywhere. When you save any file in your Dropbox, it will automatically sync to all your computers, phones, tablets and the Dropbox website. It is a great way to back up important files.

However, we find the real value is in the ability it gives us to share files (particularly large ones) with our clients and team. Need a client to go through a brochure file too big to email? No problem, share it with them securely through Dropbox. Need to share a large document with a co-worker working from home and you’ve not got a server? Again, no problem, use Dropbox.

Its integration across all our technology, including PCs, laptops, mobiles and tablets has made our lives so much easier. We hope you benefit in the same way. Learn more here.

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Marketing Titbits – a Google + update, become a Photoshop expert and Snapchat

1. Google + update
When talking about social media with clients, one of the questions we frequently get asked is what about Google +? Is it worthwhile investing time in? The short answer is, probably. Google + is quietly going about its business, amassing 250 million users (150 million active) at the time of writing and with current growth at 10 million users a month.

Having access to its user base is one benefit, but we feel it is the SEO benefits associated with being active on it that are really where businesses can take advantage. After all, if you want to succeed in enhancing your website’s ranking in Google, it is fairly logical to assume that you need to play by Google’s rules. Google + now represents one of those rules.

We should also stress that this is not just an assumption. We are finding increasingly that activity and shares on Google + are having a positive impact on search engine rankings in Google.

To get started, we’d suggest implementing 3 things:

1. Create a Google + Local Page.

2. Add a +1 share button to the pages on your website.

3. Start sharing your content and importantly that of others, complimentary to your business.

We have found that once you start getting on top of these 3 areas, there is a marked increase in the search engine rankings of your website. Give it a go and see what you think.

2. Get to grips with Photoshop

If you’ve ever wanted to get to grips with Photoshop but have never had the time or budget to take classes, CreativeLIVE is for you. 2 weeks ago CreativeLIVE hosted Photoshopweek, 6 days comprising of 40 different online classes from Photoshop experts, catering for all levels of Photoshop expertise. CreativeLive have compiled all 40 of the training sessions into an online course available for download at a significantly reduced rate. If you are keen to hone your Photoshop skills this is well worth taking a look at. More information can be found here.

3. Snapchat

If you haven’t heard about it yet, you soon will have. It seems a week doesn’t go by without yet another social media ‘next big thing’ popping up onto the ever-evolving digital landscape. Snapchat has caught our eye recently; and if the 60 million + pictures and messages sent a day are anything to go by, Snapchat may just have a future. What sets it apart from the plethora of other messaging services out there is that the images sent through it only exist for a maximum of 10 secs and then are gone forever.

The appeal seems to stem from the impermanent nature of the communications. Unlike Facebook etc., your content is not indexed and accessible online indefinitely. It is also free (so far) from the increasingly intrusive adverts that permeate Facebook and other social media platforms. This, combined with the ease and spontaneity of the service, seems to have tapped into an as yet unsatisfied need amongst the younger population.

As to how businesses can make use of Snapchat, the jury is still out. It is clearly a very effective way of communicating in real time with an audience. Whether your target audience is engaged, is another matter. Watch this space! Take a look here.

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Marketing Titbits – HootSuite, UberConference and Malcolm Gladwell’s book ‘The Tipping Point’

1. HootSuite
HootSuite has been around since 2008 and has established itself as a market leading social media management programme. It is entirely free for you to create an account, but as you’d expect, they also provide a paid-for version, with enhanced features.  With the free subscription, you have the ability to add up to 5 social media streams to your account. The software enables you to manage and update your multiple social media channels, in one place, all at once. It is the perfect tool to help manage your social media interactions efficiently, saving time when posting content across your multiple social media profiles. Both the paid and free subscription services have an internal analytics function to measure how effective your social media activity is; however, the paid-for subscription’s analytics report drills down into far more than the free account. For most, the free subscription will be ample; however, for those keen to really get to grips with social media across multiple platforms, the paid-for subscription could be the way to go. Try it out here.

2. UberConference

UberConference is designed to facilitate easy, visual and effective conference calls. It is free for to sign up free to use. UberConference has tried to enhance the conference call experience for businesses by overcoming the shortcomings of other conference call platforms.  One of the main advantages of this software over its other free competitors, is that you don’t have to spend time finding and typing in long PINs. Members can just dial into the conference number and will be automatically put through depending on their phone number. Where UberConference really excels is with its visual interface, adding a visual dimension to audio conferencing, which can be accessed from any computer. Everyone on the call can see the names, pictures and social-media derived information (if enabled) of the people that are participating in the call. The service also features call recording. If you are involved in conference calls with colleagues, clients, partners or suppliers, take a look at UberConferenceto see how it could enhance your experience.

3. The Tipping Point

The Tipping Point is a book about change. Particularly pertinent at this moment in time. The book sets out to explore a new understanding of why change seems to occur on a regular but unexpected basis. It reviews a variety of examples including; ‘Why did crime drop so dramatically in New York City in the mid-1990? How does a novel written by an unknown author end up as national bestseller? Why do teens smoke in greater and greater numbers, when every single person in the country knows that cigarettes kill? Why is word-of-mouth so powerful? What makes TV shows like Sesame Street so good at teaching kids how to read?’  According to the book’s author, Malcolm Gladwell, the answer is the same for all the examples. This book’s message highlights how we as consumers follow trends and adapt on a continuous basis to be ‘up-to-date’ with what is happening around us. The book is a great read for those interested in marketing. Take a look here.

 

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Marketing Titbits – Tumblr, Facebook’s conversion measurement tool & Robert Cialdini’s book ‘Influence’

1.Influence
Robert Cialdini’s book ‘Influence’, is a must read for anyone involved in marketing a business. The book explores the 6 central pillars of Influence: reciprocity, consistency and commitment, liking, social proof, authority and scarcity and outlines, through real world examples and scientific studies, how and why they work. We’ve just read it and can thoroughly recommend it. For more information click here.

2.Tumblr

Tumblr has been around for a while now; however, it’s popularity has been on the increase of late. This free online tool straddles the boundary between blogging platform and social networking website. It allows you or your business to post text, images, video and other media to your own short-form blog, which fellow users can follow. You can use it to share anything that you or your business find interesting and want to share directly with your followers. The opportunities are endless and it is another great tool for helping build your online brand.

3.Facebook conversion measurement

Facebook’s update spree continues. Last month, Facebook launched their new conversion measurement and optimisation system that allows you to measure the ROI of your Facebook ads. It enables users to identify key online conversions, such as registrations or shopping cart checkouts, which have derived from their Facebook ads. Another feature allows you to optimise your ads based on consumer popularity.  Overall, the new features are designed to help you increase the ROI of your Facebook ads, which has got to be a good thing!

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Fine-tune your email marketing

Email-marketingModern marketing requires the use of a balanced blend of marketing channels, all working in harmony for the common good – to grow your business.
One channel that many small businesses mistakenly overlook is email, assuming customers view email marketing as spam or that it’s too easy for customers to unsubscribe or simply delete messages.

However, email is alive, kicking and effective. Thanks to the rise in technology and smart phones, consumers are connected to their inbox 24/7, reading emails with the same immediacy as they do text messages.  Businesses are keen to get more bang for their buck and email marketing is certainly a platform more businesses should be considering when engaging with potential customers. Not only is it relatively low cost compared to comparable channels, but it is also incredibly generous about giving your business a wealth of marketing information off the back of a campaign, vital for giving you insights into your target audience and the ROI of campaigns.

Like any marketing activity, a business should plan their approach; simply pressing ‘send’ in Outlook isn’t enough.  To get more mileage from your marketing campaigns, adopt these strategies to fine-tune the effectiveness of your emails:


Look beyond Outlook:

There are various tools and software out there that can help you create effective and engaging emails, test and send them, then manage and track the responses without any technical skills needed. Mail Chimp is one of a number of easy to use email marketing systems out there for businesses. Others include:

Virtually all will allow you to import your own HTML design or edit one of their existing templates to reflect your brand.  Mail Chimp has the advantage that it is free if you have fewer than 2000 email subscribers and send emails no more than one a month.  The software also helps you manage your subscriber lists, track campaign performance and sync your email marketing across social networks like Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

 

Before you send your emails think about the following:

 

1. Segment your database into groups, for example, prospects, clients, past clients etc. Email software allows you to send personalised messages with custom offers. You could even send an email to one segment of your list by sorting on gender, role, post code or industry.

2.  If you’re sending a newsletter, think about incorporating links that drive back readers to your website, where they can access the article in full. Not only does this get recipients on your website, where they can learn more about your business, but by reviewing your email statistics, it also provides you with vital information about specific areas of interest for database member. This information can be used to target marketing campaigns more accurately.

3. Make sure you test your emails. HTML designs can appear differently in different email clients. Likewise, something you may consider as eye catching, could be difficult for contacts to actually read. Most email systems will allow split testing, which is a great tool to use to identify the most effective subject line or content. If you want to increase open rates, test your subject lines. If it is your click-throughs you are looking to boost, then test design and content variations.

 

Your campaign doesn’t stop there – Review your performance:

After sending out your email messages, your next task is to measure the effectiveness of your campaign. Measuring the response rates will help you determine the kind of articles and services  your readers want.

How do you know if your campaign is effective? The first indicator is your open rate, the number of people who actually opened your email. If you use an email marketing function like Mail Chimp, you will be able to access the full list of contacts who engaged with your campaign.

Your click-through rate is the other important indicator. Click-through rates measures the percentage of people who were sent the email that actively clicked on a link with the text. The more clicks the better.

You will also need to keep track of your unsubscribe rate. If the number of contacts requesting to be removed from your list increases, you need to re-evaluate your email campaigns. Are people unsubscribing because you are bombarding them with emails too frequently? Is the email message simply too long, or are your offerings lacking in appeal?
If planned and implemented properly, email marketing provides businesses with the opportunity to engage with a large audience in a short space of time. Not only does it offer your business a cost-effective marketing tool, it also provides you with vital information to help you integrate other forms of marketing into your mix……How about using telemarketing to follow up the contacts who clicked on a link within your email?

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Marketing Titbits – Picture Monkey, Meetup & the latest update from Google Adwords

1. Want to quickly edit a picture, but don’t have Photoshop? Picture Monkey could be the answer. This online photo editing tool provides you with the opportunity to edit your images quickly from any computer, whether you are at home or in the office. Picture monkey has various templates, frames or colour effects that you can apply to your chosen image for free. For more advanced features, including a ‘spray tan’ or ‘wrinkle remover’, you will need to sign up to the website and upgrade.
2. Are you new to the area? Want to organise a networking event with like-minded people?Meetup is slightly different from other social media websites, the sole purpose is to organise real life meetings, whether you want to start a group for Southampton Web Developers or SMEs in Winchester, Meetup can help make this happen. According to Meetup, more than 9,000 groups get together in local communities each day. It is free to sign up and you can choose specific locations and interests.

3. Google have launched a new style of campaign in AdWords, called Enhanced Campaigns. The latest update has been designed to simplify campaign management across multiple devices and encourage more SMEs to adopt mobile advertising. The focus of the change is to enable advertisers to target people at the right time, in the right place, with the right advert and call-to-action.  Essentially, the biggest and most relevant change is that Google are growing more contextually aware. If a user is on a mobile device they will see ads that you have marked as “mobile preferred”.

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Marketing Titbits – Graph Search from Facebook, Twitter’s new video sharing app, the latest social media site

1. If your business doesn’t have a Facebook presence yet, there’s another reason you might want to get started. Facebook has recently launched its much-hyped new functional calledGraph Search. More than a new “search tool”, Graph Search lets you find people and businesses by interests, location or industry.  For example, Graph Search allows you to search “best restaurants in Winchester”, Facebook will then show you recommendations based on what your friends feel is the best place to eat, based on their likes and reviews. Just make sure that your location details on your business Facebook page are up to date.
2. Although Thumb has been around since 2010, it has only recently started to become popular around the world. Thumb is a picture based social media site that helps to engage consumers and get their gut reactions to your business ideas, images, and messages. Want feedback for your new website design, or need help choosing a business card design? Upload a picture and let your fellow Thumbers instantly share their opinions.

 

3. Twitter has recently unleashed their very own video sharing app called Vine. Vine allows users to upload very short 6 second videos to their Twitter account and has already become Twitter’s most downloaded app.  So why only 6 seconds? Similar to your short snappy tweets, posts on Vine are about abbreviation, providing little snippets of people’s lives, businesses and ideas.  At present, the only platform that the Vine app is available on is the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.

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What can SMEs learn from HMV?

Major record labels, including Universal Music, Warner Music and Sony, have agreed to reduce the prices of CDs and DVDs, in a strategic attempt to rescue HMV.The high street retailer has looked vulnerable for some time, particularly since announcing a 10.2% decline in sales at the end of last year.

This decline in sales is representative of a shift occurring in how the public consumes media. With the rise of tablets, smartphones and live streaming, is the end nigh for CDs and DVDs?

We suspect yes, but what remains puzzling is why HMV executives were so slow to respond to a changing consumer trend that the average person on the street has seen coming for some time.

The lesson that all businesses, let along SMEs, can learn from HMV is that you have to keep monitoring your customer’s purchasing habits and be alive to changing behaviour and needs.

Having identified a change is occurring, it is crucial that you alter your offering to respond to these changing needs and demands. HMV executives seem to have been content relying on the strength of their brand, rather than the relevance of their offering.

It is difficult to predict whether HMV will recover long-term or whether this late rally from the labels merely provides a brief reprieve from the inevitable.

Either way, the demises of HMV, Jessops, Blockbuster and more are not just down to a difficult economy, all represent text book examples of businesses failing to respond to changing consumer behaviour and demands.

Make sure your business is alive to these types of changes in your sector!

 

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Marketing Titbits – free social media monitoring tool, Google URL builder & Huggies!

  1. ‘Mention’ is a comprehensive online monitoring tool, which covers both web and social media. Businesses can use ‘Mention’ to monitor their brand, company, keyword, competitor and more ‘mentions’ online, in real time. Unlike some monitoring services, ‘Mention’s’ pricing offers something for everyone, including those that want something for free! For more information and to sign up click here.
  2. Google Analytics URL builder. We’ve referenced it before but it is so useful we’ll mention it again. If you are keen to monitor more effectively your online campaigns, Google Analytics URL builder is a fabulously effective tool (and its free!) for generating trackable URLs for your custom campaigns. Review your Google Analytics and see what the impact is of each campaign on your website.
  3. And finally, here’s a little bit of positive inspiration for you, from a Huggies advert of all things. You can’t always control what happens to you but you can control how you respond to it. Enjoy! Always look on the bright side of life.

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