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Spring Budget 2017: What Marketers Need to Know

Phillip Hammond delivered his first Budget as Chancellor last week. Whilst it was perceived as being a fairly lacklustre affair by many, there were elements that had a relevance to marketers. From education to technology, here are some of the key proposals and facts marketers need to be aware of:

  1. The economy is growing faster than expected
    Growth in the UK economy picked up more than expected in 2016, despite the turbulence of the Brexit vote. The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) had initially predicted the economy would grow by 1.4% in 2017, however the Chancellor announced a new forecasted figure of 2%.
  2. .Large investments to be made in 5G technology
    In a bid to make the UK one of the leaders for 5G, Phillip Hammond announced that £16 million would be invested into trialling the technology with a view to making it available nationwide. The Chancellor also announced that a further £200 million would be invested in local projects to provide more reliable broadband networks. Consumers are becoming ever more demanding when it comes to their mobiles, and staying connected it fast becoming a perceived necessity. It’s important marketers remain in touch with these evolving expectations and stay alive to the opportunities they afford.
  3. T-Levels to be introduced by autumn 2019
    The Government announced the introduction of T-levels. T-levels will provide 16-19 year olds with technical skills across a variety of industries and disciplines; which many argue are desperately needed to boost UK productivity. With a huge demand for digital, creative and design skills in marketing, these qualifications are sure to be welcomed by many in the industry.
  4. New ways to protect consumers
    In an effort to protect consumers and make them better aware of their legal rights, the Chancellor also announced that the Government will be introducing new ways to protect us. This includes making online terms and condition simpler and fining companies that mislead or mistreat customers. Marketers need to be careful, therefore, to be clear and fair when it comes to promoting their products, services and content.
  5. Sugar tax confirmed
    Phillip Hammond also confirmed that the controversial sugar tax will go ahead in 2018. The tax; which will affect soft drinks with more than 5 grams of sugar per 100ml, will be a blow for many marketers in the UK soft drinks market. Companies will have to seriously rethink their marketing strategy if they want to persuade customers to pay more for their products.

If you spotted anything else in last week’s budget that stood out to you from a marketing perspective, please let us know. In the meantime, enjoy and good luck with your marketing!

 

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Spending a Morning at the University of Southampton’s Computer Labs


After an exciting meeting at the Uni of Southampton about future events for our clients , Josh was given a tour of the Uni’s newly refurbished computer labs.  The facilities received a £4 million investment in 2015, which went towards more than 200 high-spec multi-core PCs, as well as iMacs and self-studying areas. The state-of-the-art labs were specifically designed for students studying Electronics, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, IT and Web Science.

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How to Provide Great Customer Service through Social Media

Social media is changing the way we interact with customers, and it’s no longer just about whose posts get the most retweets or who has the most followers. An estimated 67% of consumers now use social media for customer service, and this online social support is becoming increasingly important for businesses wishing to maintain or develop a reputation for good customer service. If you want to improve your customer service through social media, read our top 5 tips below and take a look at a few industry examples we’ve found:

1. Respond quickly
Customers expect quick responses on social media; in fact 42% expect a reply within 60 minutes! Social media is all about immediacy and it’s therefore important to keep on top of all your social media accounts; look out for possible new messages, mentions or reviews and reply as quickly as possible.

2. Don’t just acknowledge the positive reviews
Of course no one likes a bad review, but if you can acknowledge it and show that you’re willing to resolve the issue, it shows that you’re dedicated to providing good customer service. It’s your chance to turn a negative review into a more positive one in the future. For example, if a customer is unhappy with a product they’ve received, you may offer to send them a new one free of charge and offer them an exclusive discount for their next purchase.

3. Engage with your customers
Customers spend 20-40% more when brands engage with them on social media, so don’t just wait for your customers to come to you. Reposting images or initiating conversations shows you have a genuine interest, and gives your customers a more personalised brand experience, which never goes unnoticed.

4. Be creative with your responses
Customers value professionalism, but they also like brands that show a bit of personality too. Customers don’t just want to talk to a generic robot, they want human interaction. So whether it’s adding a bit of humour or responding in a chattier manner; if you think it’s appropriate, give it a go.

5. Don’t forget to follow up
Just like with any customer feedback you’d receive offline, don’t forget to follow up customer responses you’ve received on social media. Once again, it shows that your business genuinely cares about its customers, which means they’re more likely to stay loyal to your business.

Here are a few examples:

1. Starbucks

 

 

 

 

 


2. Pizza Express

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. Tesco

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. Domino’s

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How to Increase your Email Open Rate

Millions of emails are sent out and read every day, and it’s estimated that over a third of the world’s population will be using email by 2019. However, with UK businesses only achieving an average open rate of 24.7% last year, it just goes to prove no matter how great your email is, if you can’t get them to open it in the first place, you’ll never be able to convert them into loyal customers. With this in mind, we’ve summarised some of our top tips to increase your emails’ open rates.

1. Create an engaging subject line
The subject line is the first thing your subscribers will read, so it’s vital you start off strong. There are several ways to improve your subject line. Personalisation is a great way to engage the reader, and don’t forget to keep it short and sweet. Avoid words and phrases such as “free” or “save cash”, as these aren’t only uninspiring, but they’re more likely to send your email to the spam folder.

2. Make sure your email is responsive
Ever opened an email and found yourself frustrated by having to alter the text or images because they don’t fit the screen? Your subscribers probably feel exactly the same, so it’s important that your email is responsive on all devices, and not just desktops. Nowadays there are many sites you can use that have responsive templates you can use to design your emails. Other tips include not using too many images and avoiding menu bars.

3. Send your email at the right time
Yes; even timings can affect your open rate. If you want to know what time is best to send emails, carry out a few tests before sending your final version to see when you have the highest open rate. For example, if you’re sending your emails to people’s work email addresses, you’re not going to want to send it on the weekend, when checking work emails is the last thing on their minds. You’ll not only want to consider which day of the week, but also what time of day you want to send it. On average, emails in the UK had a higher open rate between 10am and 11am in 2016, but it’s important to find what works for your business and audience.

4. Quality not quantity
Don’t forget that your email needs to be well written, as well as visually appealing. Make sure you proof read your email several times before you send it; looking for grammar mistakes or ways to improve your wording. Sloppy mistakes never look great and are likely to decrease your open rate.

5. Segment your subscribers list
It’s important that you’re sending your emails to the right people. By segmenting your subscribers into lists based on factors such as location, buying habits or gender, you’re more likely to send your customers relevant emails, which are therefore more likely to be opened. For example, if you’ve noticed that a selection of customers are buying the same products from your website regularly, make a subscribers list for them, which you can use to send them emails when their favourite products are on sale.

6. Revise your subscribers lists regularly
If you’ve done all of the above, but still aren’t getting a good open rate, it may be wise to review your subscribers list. Remove inactive email addresses or email addresses with misspellings, and don’t forget to check that the lists your subscribers are in are still relevant. You don’t want to be making avoidable mistakes, like sending existing customers’ exclusive offers only available to new customers! Not only will this improve your open rate, it’ll also save you money.

 

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5 Things that Mattered this week in Marketing #MarketingMoments

As always, it’s been another busy week in the world of marketing. Here we’ve summed up the top 5 marketing stories to keep you up-to-date on the latest news and views in the industry.
1.Netflix and YouTube enter top 10 best brands list for first time

Youtube and Netflix have entered the top 10 on YouGov BrandIndex’s annual list of the UK’s top brands, for the first time this year, showing the increasing importance of online streaming services for consumers. YouTube placed 9th, whilst Netflix ranked 6th position.

Read more.

2. Twitter launches its new discovery tool Explore

In a bid to make the app more consumer-friendly, Twitter launched its discovery tool this week, to help make it easier for users to discover the latest trends and keep up with live news.

Read more.

3. A fifth of UK agencies lost business due to Brexit

A survey of over 200 advertising agencies in the UK has found that 22% reported losing business due to June’s Brexit outcome.

Read more.

4. #ThisGirlCan campaign makes a return

The hugely successful #ThisGirlCan campaign started its comeback this week, with a series of posters aimed at not just teenagers and their Mum’s, but now their Grandma’s too. The new TV ad is due to come out later this month.

Read more.

5. Brands take a stand against Trump

Brands, including Starbucks, Nike and Airbnb, have been breaking their silence this week on Trump’s newly imposed Muslim-majority country ban, by offering individuals affected support, from jobs to places to stay.

Read more.

 

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TLC Bake Off

Here at TLC we’ve got #bakingfever but who will win this #bakeoff ?

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5 Things That Mattered Last Week in Marketing #MarketingMoments

As always, last week was another busy one in the world of marketing. Here we’ve summed up the top 5 marketing stories to keep you up to date on the latest news in the industry.

1.Marketing budgets stay strong for 2017 despite growing uncertainty over Brexit

Despite the uncertain financial forecast, marketers are still predicted to spend more than ever on marketing this year. There will be a continuing focus on online marketing and a shift away from sales promotions, according to the IPA’s quarterly Bellwether report.
To read more on this story click here.

2.Vine is officially shut down

Twitter officially shut down the much loved video app Vine last week, after it announced the app would be closing down back in October last year. However, it’s not all bad news for fans, as the app will be transformed into Vine Camera, which will allow users to create 6 second videos that can then be uploaded to Twitter.
To read more on this story click here.

3. Over £600 million was spent on non-viewable ads in 2016

Despite a growing effort to improve ad visibility, advertisers in the UK still spent over £600 million on non-viewable ads last year according to a report carried out by Meetrics, leaving the UK significantly behind other European countries in terms of ad visibility rates.
To read more on this story click here.

4. Moneysupermarket.com top ASA’s list for most complained about adverts in 2016

For the second year running, moneysupermarket.com has topped the list for the most complained about adverts in 2016. The hard to forget ads racked up a total of over 2500 complaints last year.
To read more on this story click here.

5.Facebook introduces tools to combat its fake news crisis

Amid growing pressure to tackle its fake news problem, Facebook has introduced a new tool which will allow users to report an article if they think it’s fake. Facebook introduced the tool in Germany last week and is the first country in the EU to trial it, as German politicians fear it could influence the country’s upcoming election.
To read more about this story click here.

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Digital Marketing Trends to watch out for in 2017

With 2016 but a distant memory, 2017 is now in full swing. We are certain it is going to be another exciting and unpredictable year…and that is just for digital marketing.  From chatbots to video marketing, with lots in between, the industry is awash with talk about this year’s most important trends.  Here we’ve rounded up some of our favourites and why you need to be watching out for them in 2017.

1.Live streaming
We saw the buzz of live streaming first-hand last year with the US Presidential election, but it’s set to get even bigger in 2017. Most recently, Instagram has followed in the steps of Facebook and launched a live streaming service on its story feature. Virgin Media also received high praise for its live TV ad, which was created by piecing together live footage from 18 locations into a 60 second feature. Not only does live streaming allow brands to get creative, but it can also be more cost-friendly and allows consumers to interact on an even deeper level.

2.Chatbots
Chatbots are set to be the next big thing in messaging app technology and will reshape the way we communicate with consumers. Companies such as Google, Facebook and Amazon have already started using them, so we’re sure many other businesses will follow suit.  While some are still unsure about chatbots, many argue that they’ll increase both sales and communication.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3.Video marketing
From Android’s ‘Friends Furever’ to Always’ #LikeAGirl campaign, video content is gaining ever more popularity amongst both consumers and marketers. While creating video content can be daunting, when done right it can be extremely effective. Videos generate 1200% more shares than text and images combined and it’s predicted that 74% of online content will be video by the end of the year.

4.Further personalisation
In a survey carried out by Swirl Network in 2015, it was found that 88% of shoppers were more likely to shop with retailers who offered personalised experiences.  From emails, to your homepage, personalisation can be done easily and effectively.  Research has also found that customers spend up to 48% more when their experience is personalised, which is revenue that no business can afford to lose.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5.Influencer marketing
Influencer marketing has been around for a while now; however, businesses are now moving towards what are known as “micro-influencers”. These people may not have millions of followers, but they have the niche audiences businesses are looking for. You no longer have to be a big business either to use influencers; smaller businesses are constantly using them to bring about brand awareness, making it a useful marketing strategy for businesses of all sizes.

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Saying Goodbye to Vine: 5 Times Marketers got it Right

Twitter announced last week that it will be shutting down its much loved 6 second video app Vine over the coming months. Vine was purchased by the company back in 2012 for a reported $30 million.
The shock announcement, which sent fans into a frenzy, also came in the wake of the news that Twitter is cutting its workforce by 9%. Twitter has not given a reason for the job cuts, however the company has reportedly been struggling to find a new buyer, leading to speculation of a possible company revamp in order to attract potential investors.

Despite no longer being able to use the mobile app, both Twitter and Vine have released a statement assuring fans that existing content will not be removed from the website. “We’ll be keeping the website online because we think it’s important to still be able to watch all the incredible Vines that have been made. “You will be notified before we make any changes to the app or website.”

Whilst Vine was well known for showcasing upcoming stars and comical content, the app also managed to attract the attention of some of the biggest brands in the world, with companies such as Sony and Adidas quickly realising the apps marketing potential.

With this is mind, we take a look back at some of the best marketing vines created in the last 4 years:

 

1.Oreo

Views/loops:243,236

https://vine.co/v/Mhln0j7IHJH

 

2.Dunkin Donuts

Views/Loops:29,643

https://vine.co/v/Mu3PQBPLdXe

 

3.The White House

Views/Loops:3,106,705

https://vine.co/v/O9TEhID2O2U

 

4.Smart Car

Views/Loops: 9,421

https://vine.co/v/O0MHinm6OL1

 

5.Marmite

Views/Loops: 1,056,024

https://vine.co/v/im3PDpevE0n

 

Marketing aside, here are the most popular vines:

 

1.A football fan captures the moment a bomb can be heard going off from inside the stadium during the November Paris attacks.

Views/loops:715,565,925

https://vine.co/v/iBb2x00UVlv

 

2. Leonardo Dicaprio pulls a funny face as Lady Gaga walks past at the Golden Globes.

Views/Loops:114,584,845

https://vine.co/v/iMAHYTw00bH

3. A little boy gets a surprise when a rotating foam stick picks him up.

Views/Loops: 95,820,686

https://vine.co/v/e6nLQQuYJPn

 

4. A toddler pretends to be excited about his avocado present.

Views/Loops:119,339,261

https://vine.co/v/ewJP7Mh0A1V

 

5. A dog pretends to be a human.

Views/Loops:24,282,342

https://vine.co/v/b623zdwVuJB

 

 

 

 

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#MarketingTitbits – email investment, Google search update, Facebook algorithms

email-google-facebook-smaller1. Why is email investment falling despite high returns?
Marketers tend to be fond of email marketing due to the high return on investment (ROI) that it yields, so why is spending in this channel decreasing?

According to a census of 1,000 marketers published by Econsultancy, email marketing is only second to SEO when it comes to delivering ROI, with 22% rating the benefits of email as excellent. But over recent years, the survey has found that other marketing channels, such as mobile, are of greater focus to marketers.

To find out more about the barriers to email marketing and how to overcome them, click here.

2. Google updates mobile search snippets

Last month, Google announced its plans to change the way URLs are presented in search results and started to use mobile-friendliness as a ranking tool to promote optimised experiences for users.

Currently only available in the US, URLs will be updated as a reflection of site names instead of domains, but available worldwide is the breadcrumbs update that structures data to help users navigate a site. Website owners are being advised to ensure that their site name and breadcrumbs are accurately displayed, and can do so by using schema.org.

For more on Google’s latest updates, click here.

3. Facebook’s algorithm update: what it means for marketers

With the big mobile algorithm updates from Google dominating conversation on the internet, it’s no surprise that the latest change Facebook has made has been overlooked by some.

A blog post from Facebook outlined how the platform will now prioritise content from your friends over brand pages, seemingly in an attempt to widen the use of paid social reaches. Facebook also wants to encourage brands to generate better content for users that they want to see and interact with. If content is liked, more of a brand’s posts will continue to be distributed higher in a particular user’s news feed.

The update is proving for marketers that engaging and relevant content is more important than ever. If you’d like to know more, click here.

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