Posts

#MarketingTitbits – customer reviews, domains, John Lewis

reviews-domains-johnlewis-smaller1. What to do when customer reviews turn ugly?
Customer reviews are typically seen as a positive thing for businesses, generating an additional 40% increase in revenue per year if used effectively. And although 83% of reviews written are positive, what happens if they you get a negative one?

Some firms have been known to go as far as hiring freelancers to write either glowing reviews for themselves, or to actually post fake negative reviews about competitors and their products, hoping that this will bring consumers to their door. However, a good way to avoid this can be to use a verification system that can often deter any fake reviews. It is also common for customers to blackmail businesses with dreadful reviews in an attempt to be given discounts and incentives. So, what if this happens to you?

The main things to remember if reviews turn ugly are to stay calm, avoid over-reacting, put the review in context and remember that the good often outweighs the bad.

If you’d like to read more, click here.

2. 5 points to consider when choosing a domain name for your business

Domains are extremely important in determining the presence that your business has on the web. So what should you keep in mind?

Do you go for keywords or your business name – or both? Do you also purchase a series of similar domain names so that even with as spelling mistakes, consumers are still be directed to you?

To find out what else to consider, click here.

3. John Lewis 2014 Christmas ad smashes record for most shared

If you haven’t been living under a rock for the last week or so, you’ll know that John Lewis have released their Christmas ad offering. The clip is set to be the most shared Christmas ad in John Lewis’s history, overtaking previous favourites, such as ’The Bear and the Hare’. In the unlikely event that you have yet to see it, visit Marketing Magazine.

In its first 24 hours, the ad was shared 202,953 times, up 2% on 2013’s edition. People are now starting to believe that launching on a Thursday is the key to success for adverts, due to nearly half of shares taking place between Wednesdays and Fridays.

The campaign, named ‘Monty the Penguin’, has also incorporated in-store experiential marketing with the introduction of ‘Monty’s Den’, allowing customers to buy their own Monty and to see the characters brought to life.

Click here to read more about the campaign’s success.

#MarketingTitbits – General Election, Googling for pizza, spotting fake reviews

election-pizza-reviews-smaller1. The election result: what it means for marketers
Over previous weeks, the general election result has dominated news headlines, as promises were made and the prospect of new legislation loomed. But, what does the new Tory government mean for marketers?

During the election campaign, the Conservative party stated that it was the best choice for marketers, delivering an environment where businesses can thrive, supporting continuous growth through their pledge to continue to remove the ‘red tape’ that surrounds the marketing industry. A Conservative spokesperson told Marketing Week that “marketing is one of Britain’s great creative and economic success stories”, promising to keep it that way as long as they are in government.

To find out more on how the new government could affect marketers, click here.

2. Googling for pizza? You can now order food directly from search results

It can be hard to keep up with Google’s continuously evolving features. From showing song lyrics in search results, to highlighting health-related information in queries, the search engine appears intent on becoming more than a mere signpost to a site.

Google has recently partnered with six food delivery services like Grubhub and Delivery.com, allowing users in the US to search for restaurants and instantly place a delivery. Further brands are set to be added in the future, with the feature possibly going global. Will it hit the UK?

To see how the latest addition works, click here.

3. True or false? How to spot a fake review

The internet has become home to reviews that are used by consumers and businesses alike. They help guide almost any purchase, whether this be for services, restaurants or where to travel.  However, some of these reviews can be fake and therefore misleading, so what sets the true from the false?

There are a number of indicators that you can look out for. These include signs like: the quantity, the more reviews the more realistic the representation; or how up-to-date the reviews are – recent feedback is much more trustworthy. It is important to know that any company that has a set of reviews can expect to have some critical comments, and this can actually reinforce the authenticity of their reviews because after all, no company is perfect – despite what Apple might think…;)

Take a look at some other tips to help spot the fake from the real by clicking here.