BLOGS WILL CHANGE YOUR BUSINESS:

Companies world-wide are cutting costs as well as looking for creative, high impact and accountable marketing. With concerns over the recession and its impact on marketing,

A recent poll  of 17,000 subscribers at an Online Marketing Blog showed some really interesting facts about their intentions with reference to digital marketing tactics in 2009.

Poll respondents cast 1,559 votes for their top three digital marketing tactics (from a list of 45) for 200. Blogging, Twitter and Search Engine Optimization topped the list. Out of the top ten rated marketing tactics, six fell into the category of Social Media Marketing.

The actual question asked was, “What 3 digital marketing channels & tactics will you emphasize in 2009?” Here are the top ten tactics selected:

• Blogging (34%)

• Microblogging (Twitter) (29%)

• Search engine optimization (28%)

• Social network participation (Facebook, LinkedIn) (26%)

• Email marketing (17%)

• Social media monitoring & outreach (17%)

• Pay per click (14%)

• Blogger relations (12%)

• Video marketing (10%)

• Social media advertising (7%)

Email marketing rated higher than PPC which is surprising given the budgets spent on PPC vs email. Some tactics are much easier to implement than others, or less expensive, which may explain a few of the top choices, such as Twitter.

Corporate web sites didn’t rate in the top ten tactics. Does this mean the death of company web sites? Some companies are succumbing to the social media perspective to extremes, like the Skittles site which had been simplified to a page of search results from Twitter and then changed to their Facebook page. Others are adding social features to their company sites to complement existing messaging and functionality.

By now, most companies have their 2009 online marketing plans in place. Does this ranked order of tactics mean you should change up your online marketing mix? The answer is that digital marketing tactics should match the needs of the situation, company resources, the target market and end consumer preferences. The proper tactical mix for a digital marketing program could be anything from the 45 tactics listed in the poll and still be successful as long as they support a valid strategy.

Some companies are prepared for digital and social media marketing programs and many are not. To get “ready”, companies need to develop a social media roadmap and get up to speed on both best and worst practices. Whether those methods of reaching and communicating with customers reconciles with existing marketing plans or not, companies would do well to allocate resources to some level of ongoing social media training.  ~ Regards, Ashe... IT Bloke, {G.B.}.

Word of mouth tops consumer trust yet again

Can anyone still be in doubt that peer to peer word of mouth is the one most influential factor in determining where consumers spend their money, attention and time? Neilsen’s latest Global Online Consumer Survey, which polled 25,000 Internet consumers from 50 countries, has reiterated research we’ve seen year on year by finding that 90% of people trust recommendations from those they know.



There are a couple more really interesting findings here. One is that brand websites are considered equally trustworthy to consumer opinion published online - a change from previous reports and perhaps an indication that brands are becoming much more skilled in creating engaging, transparent and personalised presences which encourage a dialogue with consumers rather than broadcasting marketing spiel. The other is that online ads - video, banner and SEO - are right at the bottom, below equivalent methods offline. For me, this proves that social media is simply not a traditional marketing tool. Interruptive brand ads are just not welcome in a space which is all about emotion, independence and UGC. Word of mouth, of course, most definitely is. ~ Regards,  Ashe... IT Bloke, {G.B.}.

Social Media Futures:

Ever evolving and ever surprising, social media reliably outstrips future predictions; but trends mecca Wired has just published two pretty convincing visions of where it could be headed next.

In one corner, dissenting voices too. Watch the developer’s video below and decide for yourself whether Google have nailed the start of the next great social media phase.

In the other corner Wired puts 60% of new Twitter users drop off after the first month has certainly tarnished the tool’s indestructible image), the ‘random, fleeting observation’ that is Twitter’s hallmark has become an entrenched ‘quantum of thought’ from which other cultural forms and institutions will arise.

The two visions actually compliment each other. Add this microblogging mindset that NYU journalism professor Jay Rosen has dubbed I discussed yesterday, and you get a mindblowing idea of how social media could continue to boost communication, creativity and discovery on a whole new scale.... ~ Regards,  Ashe...  IT Bloke {G.B.}.

3 sees Skype rise

Since launching their free Skype-to-Skype calling initiative, 3 have seen a sharp rise in customer numbers and Skype calls according to Mobile News.



Kevin Russell 3UK chief executive said of the increase, “Sales and usage have gone up remarkably. It’s a cracking proposition, and we have seen a great jump in Skype usage and are very happy with it.”

With the Skype advertising campaign currently on TV and going into cinemas across the country throughout June the movement of 3 consumers embracing the VoIP service looks set to continue. All the details are here.