Tuesday 30 August 2011
Friday 26 August 2011
Put a clickable link on a YouTube video – a quick and easy way to get more traffic to your website using video
Put a clickable link on a YouTube video – a quick and easy way to get more traffic to your website using video
How to put a clickable link in a website video. There are video players that will do this for you – there’s also a free service called LinkedTube. read how to get a clickable link on your video in 5 easy steps.
Thursday 25 August 2011
Learn, Listen, Care… and SERVE! How to use Twitter for Business
Learn, Listen, Care… and SERVE! How to use Twitter for Business - Laura Fitton (Twitter for Dummies) talks about why Twiitter works for business.
Tuesday 23 August 2011
Video For Websites – Share The Love : Using your key staff to connect with customers
Looking for another way to use video on your website?
All businesses have an unofficial office "motivator"? You know the person - the one who can spot when people are a bit down about a project and can gee them up. The person who hits it off with others and shares the goodwill around. If they are passionate about the business, why not feature them on a video?
This video features Lucy Ignatiadis talking about her work with Nigel Botterill's Entrepreneurs Circle - her enthusiasm is infectious!
If you have a similarly enthusiastic team member, their natural interest in the business and the products will come through and engage with the viewer. It will add another facet to your video offerings and demonstrate a more personal side to your business. You'll also be involving key employees in how the business presents itself to the world and that can only increase motivation and staff morale.
It's also a great way to feature different people and departments within your business. Have a look around - who do you think could "showcase" the benefits of your company?
Tweet
All businesses have an unofficial office "motivator"? You know the person - the one who can spot when people are a bit down about a project and can gee them up. The person who hits it off with others and shares the goodwill around. If they are passionate about the business, why not feature them on a video?
This video features Lucy Ignatiadis talking about her work with Nigel Botterill's Entrepreneurs Circle - her enthusiasm is infectious!
If you have a similarly enthusiastic team member, their natural interest in the business and the products will come through and engage with the viewer. It will add another facet to your video offerings and demonstrate a more personal side to your business. You'll also be involving key employees in how the business presents itself to the world and that can only increase motivation and staff morale.
It's also a great way to feature different people and departments within your business. Have a look around - who do you think could "showcase" the benefits of your company?
Tweet
Monday 22 August 2011
Twitter - As events unfold in Tripoli, should you Tweet things you may regret later??
Rather a good story this morning revolving around the events that are unfolding in Tripoli and Gaddafi's probable impending demise, via Will King and his @KingofShaves Twitter timeline. Is this a case of Tweet in haste, repent at leisure? I don't think it's turned out like that...
Iain Dale is publisher of Total Politics, MD of Biteback Publishing & presenter of LBC's evening show. He also Tweets. Here's his salutary tale of how an impulsive Tweet led to a barrage of insults and a period of reflection on his part... although I think if you read the comments on his blog you can see that, by airing his apology so publicly, he has garnered support from the opposite side to those who aired their disapproval on Twitter.
I'll let Iain take over the story...
"Yes, my rather idiotic words became the centre of a rather unattractive twitter storm. I suppose it had to happen sooner or later. I even ‘trended’ in Dublin, I’ll have you know. So, what caused this to happen. Are you sitting comfortably? Then I'll begin...
Like most of you, I suspect, I was avidly following developments in Libya during the course of the evening. Sky News’s coverage was superb, with Steve Dixon anchoring it in London and the fearless Alex Crawford travelling with the rebels (a la John Simpson) into the centre of Tripoli. Gripping TV. And then I switched over to the BBC News Channel. Oh dear, oh dear. No sense of drama, no reporter embedded with the rebels and appearing totally behind the curve. Lots of people were saying the same thing on Twitter. No one could quite understand how the BBC coverage could be quite so bad. As I said in one tweet...
You can do one of two things in these circumstances. Stick to your guns or issue a rapid apology. I have been in this situation before on my old blog, and I have always taken the view that if you’re in a hole, stop digging. And if you think you’ve gone over the top or just been plain wrong, say so. Acknowledge it. Apologise and put it behind you.
The latter is easier said than done in this case, I suspect, but I withdrew the tweet (although I didn’t delete it, as I would have been accused of hiding) and then issued a total apology and took up a twitter follower’s suggestion and made a donation to the Rory Peck Trust."
He goes on to outline the actual responses he got, including some rather Anglo Saxon language from some very unhappy fellow journalists and followers on Twitter. However, have a look at the comments and the rather measured thoughts on spontaneity and balance. I think these have parallels on all the social media marketing platforms.
Where do you stand? It's an interesting one...
Full article here if you don't mind some "adult" language - Iain Dale and how I made a **** of myself on Twitter
Iain Dale is publisher of Total Politics, MD of Biteback Publishing & presenter of LBC's evening show. He also Tweets. Here's his salutary tale of how an impulsive Tweet led to a barrage of insults and a period of reflection on his part... although I think if you read the comments on his blog you can see that, by airing his apology so publicly, he has garnered support from the opposite side to those who aired their disapproval on Twitter.
I'll let Iain take over the story...
"Yes, my rather idiotic words became the centre of a rather unattractive twitter storm. I suppose it had to happen sooner or later. I even ‘trended’ in Dublin, I’ll have you know. So, what caused this to happen. Are you sitting comfortably? Then I'll begin...
Like most of you, I suspect, I was avidly following developments in Libya during the course of the evening. Sky News’s coverage was superb, with Steve Dixon anchoring it in London and the fearless Alex Crawford travelling with the rebels (a la John Simpson) into the centre of Tripoli. Gripping TV. And then I switched over to the BBC News Channel. Oh dear, oh dear. No sense of drama, no reporter embedded with the rebels and appearing totally behind the curve. Lots of people were saying the same thing on Twitter. No one could quite understand how the BBC coverage could be quite so bad. As I said in one tweet...
Sky News is whipping the BBC’s pale white ass at the momentThe BBC didn’t even carry Moussa Ibrahim’s press conference live, yet pretended to. Everyone seemed to agree about the awfulness of the BBC’s coverage, even those who normally have no problem in faulting Sky. A few minutes later, having watched an action packed five minutes with Alex Crawford I switched over to the BBC to find the presenter talking to a reporter in a flak jacket, who was in the Media Hotel in Tripoli. The contrast was stunning. I wondered why he was in the hotel rather than out on the streets like Alex Crawford. That was where I made my big mistake. This is what I the tweeted...
Who is this wimp of a reporter on the BBC wearing a flak jacket in the hotel! Bet he's been told he can't go out cos of Elf 'n Safety.And then the wrath of twitter descended on me. I might as well have said I agreed with slaughtering the first born. But it wasn’t just the usual suspects who were having a right old go – it was journalists I respect.
You can do one of two things in these circumstances. Stick to your guns or issue a rapid apology. I have been in this situation before on my old blog, and I have always taken the view that if you’re in a hole, stop digging. And if you think you’ve gone over the top or just been plain wrong, say so. Acknowledge it. Apologise and put it behind you.
The latter is easier said than done in this case, I suspect, but I withdrew the tweet (although I didn’t delete it, as I would have been accused of hiding) and then issued a total apology and took up a twitter follower’s suggestion and made a donation to the Rory Peck Trust."
He goes on to outline the actual responses he got, including some rather Anglo Saxon language from some very unhappy fellow journalists and followers on Twitter. However, have a look at the comments and the rather measured thoughts on spontaneity and balance. I think these have parallels on all the social media marketing platforms.
Where do you stand? It's an interesting one...
Full article here if you don't mind some "adult" language - Iain Dale and how I made a **** of myself on Twitter
Social Media Marketing : Quality of Following, Not Quantity.
Oh, I love starting a blog post with a riff on a cliché, but please bear with me. When it comes to assessing the success of your social media marketing, there are basic things you should do. Have a look at your Twitter followers, Facebook Friends and Likes, LinkedIn Connections, YouTube subscribers. How many do you "know" and can you list one or two things about them off the top of your head?
It's not always about the numbers, it's about the Social Media Engagement. Without this, you're wasting you're time. Have a look at your lists and spend a bit of time every day going through it. Say hi to people, comment on their posts, reply to their tweets. Hang around for the conversation that evolves. Share others' links and thoughts too. You'll get to know the people on your feeds and streams and they'll get to know you too. That can only be a benefit to your knowledge and your business.
How do you expand your knowledge about the people in your feeds and streams? We'd love to hear other examples!
Tweet
It's not always about the numbers, it's about the Social Media Engagement. Without this, you're wasting you're time. Have a look at your lists and spend a bit of time every day going through it. Say hi to people, comment on their posts, reply to their tweets. Hang around for the conversation that evolves. Share others' links and thoughts too. You'll get to know the people on your feeds and streams and they'll get to know you too. That can only be a benefit to your knowledge and your business.
How do you expand your knowledge about the people in your feeds and streams? We'd love to hear other examples!
Tweet
Video For Websites - It Doesn't Have To Be "All Business, All The Time"
If you are creating interesting and engaging content on videos, you should be sharing it around - video on your website, on YouTube, Facebook, links on LinkedIn, in fact everywhere you have a presence then you can link your video.
As you build your viewers and they get to know you, you can enhance your video offering by including a few shorter, more personalised offerings. If there is a trade show that a lot of your customers are attending you can put up a short video saying that you hope they enjoy it; wishing your customers a good Bank Holiday, commenting on a new story relevant to your industry.
Sorry to bring up Christmas in August, but here's an example used by an Army Surplus Supply Shop
Personalised videos keeps you fresh in your customers mind and will have them returning to your site to see new content - always good!
Are there any situations where you can see yourself using video in a more customer-orientated, personalised way?
Tweet
As you build your viewers and they get to know you, you can enhance your video offering by including a few shorter, more personalised offerings. If there is a trade show that a lot of your customers are attending you can put up a short video saying that you hope they enjoy it; wishing your customers a good Bank Holiday, commenting on a new story relevant to your industry.
Sorry to bring up Christmas in August, but here's an example used by an Army Surplus Supply Shop
Personalised videos keeps you fresh in your customers mind and will have them returning to your site to see new content - always good!
Are there any situations where you can see yourself using video in a more customer-orientated, personalised way?
Tweet
Wednesday 17 August 2011
Twitter Tips - How to use Twitter : What's with @reply and @mention?
Great tip from Mark Shaw in his blog on the use of the @reply and the @mention on Twitter!
Over to him...
"What is the difference between these 2 sentences…….and believe me… There is a huge difference in their outcome…
Exhibit 1…
Exhibit 2…
The Answer is…
Exhibit 1 is called an @reply as the Twitter message begins with an @twitterusername. The people that will automatically see that message are… You (because you sent it), the recipient who you @replied AND anyone that follows both you and them. So its not private, but in reality as many peeps dont follow both people in a conversation, they WILL NOT SEE AN @REPLY
Exhibit 2 is called an @mention as the @twitterusername is anywhere but at the beginning of the message. So who sees this automatically? You (because you sent it), the recipient because they were mentioned, BUT now also ALL OF YOUR FOLLOWERS."
As Mark points out, there's a huge difference in terms of numbers of those who might see your tweet. When you @reply someone automatically the 2 of you will see that message and anyone else that follows both of you - that could be a few, none or thousands. But, if you @mention their name instead, then 2 of you automatically see that message as well as all of your followers, regardless of whether they follow the other person or not.
So think it through before you use one or the other.
If you are telling your mate what time you will meet them in the pub, then an @reply is absolutely all that is needed. If however, you are replying with something of value - answering technical questions, giving out a link that may be useful to many, or perhaps demonstrating your specialist knowledge and positioning yourself as an expert, then you may be better served by using the @mention. Use wisely though - we've all heard the remarks from the disparagers... "Twitter is full of people telling you what they had for lunch". Be sure not to give them any ammunition with inappropriate use of your @ key in the wrong place!
You can read Mark Shaw's full article here
If you need help with managing your Twitter account let us know - always happy to point you in the right direction :-)
Tuesday 16 August 2011
Thanks to @ALSaucyHorse for finding this infographic from the Touch Agency - it lays out plenty of interesting facts and figures about how your customers and clients use Twitter. (Click for larger)
TWITTER INFOGRAPHIC
A few quick facts to pull out
75% of users are more likely to purchase from a brand they follow. Twitter can drive up sales, so keep customers informed of products and deals.
67% of users are more likely to recommend a brand that they follow to others. Regular Social Media engagement builds up loyalty and trust.
@80% of customer service questions tweets are negative or critical. Make sure that you have searches set up for your company name so that you can answer these tweets. Have a policy set in place for dealing with negative or potentially damaging tweets.
What do you think about this infographic? What do you think is the most surprising or interesting statistic? Can you use any of this information to improve your social media marketing?
Monday 15 August 2011
Twitter Tips – How to use Twitter : Useful Twitter Tip to stop auto DMs
As an evangelist for real and meaningful communication in the social media marketing arena, I don't like much about automated "anything" to be honest. There are applications which allow you to post to your Twitter account simultaneously to posting on Facebook, Subjot, Empire Avenue, LinkedIn or YouTube for instance - and if you want to, you can give most applications access to your life via other platforms - so it follows that you do need to be careful that you don't overload and bombard your followers with the same message eleventeen times. Careful and judicious use of these is required.
However, although I can see how they might help you to provide value in the form of valuable content to the people who listen in on you, I cannot see the value of an auto DM - an automatic direct message that you set up your Twitter account to send every time someone follows you. None of us these days want any more communication that we choose to have - getting something sent by a bot does not make me feel valued, even less so when it contains a link that is trying to sell to me.
It's too impersonal. If I want to send a message to a new follower, I do so, using their name, and making it about them. It's the first step in an ongoing relationship on some level so I don't wish to start that with some sort of generic blanket approach.
If you choose to send them and like receiving them then that's fine, but if like me you don't want to have them jamming up your messages box, you can try this tip from @MQTodd - who's full of great tips actually ;-)
1) Log in to Twitter.
However, although I can see how they might help you to provide value in the form of valuable content to the people who listen in on you, I cannot see the value of an auto DM - an automatic direct message that you set up your Twitter account to send every time someone follows you. None of us these days want any more communication that we choose to have - getting something sent by a bot does not make me feel valued, even less so when it contains a link that is trying to sell to me.
It's too impersonal. If I want to send a message to a new follower, I do so, using their name, and making it about them. It's the first step in an ongoing relationship on some level so I don't wish to start that with some sort of generic blanket approach.
If you choose to send them and like receiving them then that's fine, but if like me you don't want to have them jamming up your messages box, you can try this tip from @MQTodd - who's full of great tips actually ;-)
1) Log in to Twitter.
2) Follow @OptMeOut (SocialOomph)
They will follow you back within a few minutes.
They will follow you back within a few minutes.
3) Wait until you’ve received the email from Twitter that tells you @OptMeOut has followed you back.
4) Then send a DM to @OptMeOut. (You can write whatever you want in the DM, it does not matter.)
5) After sending the DM, unfollow @OptMeOut.
This will only stop those DM's generated by users of SocialOomph - but it's start and good on them for offering the feature!
Let me know what you think - is this a good tip? Is your DM box a little cleaner now??
Wednesday 10 August 2011
Video For Websites - Tell Your Story
Stories are fascinating, and people love to share them. Whether it's around a business conference table with colleagues or round a pub table with friends, or the dinner table with family, stories are recounted and shared and carried on from person to person.
We pass them on through letters, emails and blog posts too, and read about them in books. A good story, whether fact or fiction, grabs us and stays with us. We take relevant points from it and can learn from them too.
We all take interest in other people's stories and when we see how they affect them it can affect us too. My widowed great-granny raised six children in a single-end in Glasgow. I had heard these stories from when I was young girl; I knew it must have been hard but then watching Jeremy Paxman's episode of "Who Do You Think You Are" I saw how hard it must have been. His great-great grandmother was in a similar situation, and retracing her journey left Jeremy upset and angry and the clip shared that with all those watching.
The video clip, unfortunately not online, brought the story to life. This can be used on your website too. Tell the story on video of how your company came into being. Share the struggles and the successes and why the company was started in the first place. People will react to your interest and passion and no-one can tell your story as well as you can!
Tweet
We pass them on through letters, emails and blog posts too, and read about them in books. A good story, whether fact or fiction, grabs us and stays with us. We take relevant points from it and can learn from them too.
We all take interest in other people's stories and when we see how they affect them it can affect us too. My widowed great-granny raised six children in a single-end in Glasgow. I had heard these stories from when I was young girl; I knew it must have been hard but then watching Jeremy Paxman's episode of "Who Do You Think You Are" I saw how hard it must have been. His great-great grandmother was in a similar situation, and retracing her journey left Jeremy upset and angry and the clip shared that with all those watching.
The video clip, unfortunately not online, brought the story to life. This can be used on your website too. Tell the story on video of how your company came into being. Share the struggles and the successes and why the company was started in the first place. People will react to your interest and passion and no-one can tell your story as well as you can!
Tweet
Tuesday 2 August 2011
Using Video To Take A Great Idea Forward
In February 2010, Old Spice debuted its "The Man Your Man Could Smell Like" campaign in the US. The YouTube video has 34 million views and still rising.
They moved this on with another video, this time putting Old Spice Guy in even more "glamorous" locations.
How to go on from that? They filmed Old Spice Guy answering questions set by members of the public and posted them on YouTube. These short personalised videos carried on the viral sharing of the first two televised ads and cemented the originality of the whole campaign. The YouTube Old Spice channel has over 218 million views.
This month, Old Spice announced that Old Spice Guy was being replaced by Fabio, a model for the covers of the American "Mills and Boon" style romance novels. People were not happy. It was all part of the campaign, and now Fabio and Old Spice Guy are locked in a YouTube duel for the mantle of Real Old Spice Guy, resulting in this gem.
(the pec wink at the end while keeping a straight face? Genius.)
Over a year since the start of the campaign, the videos are still being shared, still moving forward and are inspiring Social Media parodies, riffs and lip dubs. The message is being shared outwith the target market and has entered popular culture worldwide.
The message all marketers can take from this for their videos is keep it fresh. Improve on the good points of the previous videos, remove what didn't work and react to your comments. That way your message will be passed on.
Have you been inspired by advertising campaigns for your company videos?
Tweet
They moved this on with another video, this time putting Old Spice Guy in even more "glamorous" locations.
How to go on from that? They filmed Old Spice Guy answering questions set by members of the public and posted them on YouTube. These short personalised videos carried on the viral sharing of the first two televised ads and cemented the originality of the whole campaign. The YouTube Old Spice channel has over 218 million views.
This month, Old Spice announced that Old Spice Guy was being replaced by Fabio, a model for the covers of the American "Mills and Boon" style romance novels. People were not happy. It was all part of the campaign, and now Fabio and Old Spice Guy are locked in a YouTube duel for the mantle of Real Old Spice Guy, resulting in this gem.
(the pec wink at the end while keeping a straight face? Genius.)
Over a year since the start of the campaign, the videos are still being shared, still moving forward and are inspiring Social Media parodies, riffs and lip dubs. The message is being shared outwith the target market and has entered popular culture worldwide.
The message all marketers can take from this for their videos is keep it fresh. Improve on the good points of the previous videos, remove what didn't work and react to your comments. That way your message will be passed on.
Have you been inspired by advertising campaigns for your company videos?
Tweet
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