Facebook activity analysed
A study carried out by Pew Internet in America, investigating use of social media site, Facebook revealed some interesting results that are useful for brands operating in the arena. The study, combining server logs of Facebook activity with survey data, ‘Why Most Facebook Users Get More Than They Give’, discovered that there are a certain amount of ‘power users’ who contribute to specific activities on Facebook more than the average user. Here are some facts and figures from the overview of the report: • 40% of Facebook...
read moreFacebook and today’s Internet craze
Today’s media headlines have been swamped with the news of Facebook’s IPO plans. Print and online titles alike have been quick to report the news and give their analysis on the situation. The main excitement is about the numbers involved: $5bn – the amount Facebook seeks to raise (about half the amount analysts had predicted) $1bn – Facebook’s net income in 2011. A rise of 65% 845 million – number of the social network’s monthly users 443 million – number of Facebook daily users 8 –...
read moreSocial Media Training Opens Minds – and sometimes a Can of Worms!
Yesterday, I was busy doing one of my favourite jobs – training. There’s nothing like seeing people buzz about a project and help them make it a reality. thebluedoor provides social media and media skills training for businesses, and by coincidence we were running two sessions yesterday for two very different companies, which got me thinking about being on the receiving end. The first session was with a large corporate organisation, and the second for an arts publisher. Reassuringly, the feedback from participants at both suggests the...
read moreCrowdsourcing – brands turn to fans
Brands are increasingly turning to their fans to help them develop their next products. Samuel Adams followed in the steps of Mountain Dew and Coca-Cola to turn to Facebook fans and crowdsource a new beer. Nestlé is now asking its fans to help them pick the next flavour in their KitKat Chunky range to increase its uptake amongst young men. Facebook is the ideal social media channel to source these insights. From simple competition apps through to augmented reality apps, Facebook users are able to engage with their favourite brand in a fun way...
read more30% of consumers recommend a brand via social networks after great customer service
The link between customer service and lead generation has featured highly in my digital PR life this week. Having read some excerpts from the American Express 2011 Global Customer Service Barometer, the power of effective customer service and the importance of social media within that was evident. According to the report, 91% of consumers recommend a brand or retailer to friends after great customer service. A third of those did so via a social network. It is therefore amazing that so many brands and companies miss this wonderful opportunity....
read moreSurrey – Starting Up A Business
What makes Surrey a great place to do business? With a population of over 1.1 million people, Surrey is second only to London in its contribution of a whopping £5 billion to the UK economy. Reporting the highest GDP per capita of any county in the UK and greatest proportion of millionaires, Surrey is a mainly service based economy. It’s hardly surprising then that if you have chosen to base your business in Surrey that you will be brushing shoulders with the likes of Canon, Samsung, Procter & Gamble, Pfizer, Sony, Toyota and a whole...
read moreThe gift of online branding
Working at a PR agency, I’m well aware that developing online campaigns for clients requires a certain amount of careful navigation. This was reiterated last week when I attended an event on Domains and Branding Online, hosted by Bootlaw. James Sweeting, IP Dispute Specialist at Pinsent Masons LLP delivered an accessible and interesting presentation on the often tricky subject of trade marking, online branding and Google AdWord bidding. The topics raised proved to be equally relevant for both start-up companies, taking their first steps to...
read moreA life without Wikipedia, Google, Mozilla and WordPress
Ok, so it’s not quite that bad, but a large percentage of the online population is having to survive today without access to their information ‘Oracle’ of Wikipedia. This forms part of a number of US websites deciding to go ‘dark’ today in protest of the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the Protect IP Act (PIPA). Visitors to Wikipedia are today confronted by a rather stylish black holding page with the words ‘Imagine a World Without Free Knowledge’ with a link to find out more and social media share...
read more‘Dot brand’ Internet addresses open for business
I couldn’t let today go by without referencing the web address shake up that starts today. This follows six years of development overseen by ICANN, the international Quango. Companies can now bid to create suffixes that reflect their company, brand or activity at the end of their web address. This is obviously a big opportunity for brands to generate even greater awareness for themselves as they can now apply for the rights to use their brand name, e.g. Pepsi could try to buy the address, ‘.pepsi’. Simple! Well, there are a...
read moreGoogle+ and Facebook – Is it content or cash that is king?
Two interesting developments then – as ever it’s all go. As Rich wrote yesterday, Google announced Google+ will appear ahead of other search results, and now Facebook ads (sorry, ‘featured’ stories) will appear in news feeds, albeit only if a friend has liked the brand. So, what do we think? Do you a) think this is muddying the waters, or b) want a piece of the action? It’s a fine line a brand must tread! But essentially, you’ve got to know how to influence Google results, and have a great strategy to encourage +1 activity...
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