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#MarketingTitbits – vloggers, Google+, Google I/O Conference

vloggers-googleplus-google-smaller1. Why transparency is key in relationship between brands and vloggers
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) revealed plans for new guidelines surrounding vlogging shortly after consumer goods company, P&G, became the latest culprit to fall foul of their rules.

Vloggers are not just popular among their subscribers, but brands also. Brands have discovered the advantages of using vloggers to promote their products, but as P&G and others such as Oreo have found out, clear labelling of adverts is a strict requirement.

Although guidance is expected to be welcomed amongst the industry, ASA’s CEO, Gary Parker, has acknowledged that changes cannot be too heavy handed as this could affect further development and innovation in the future.

Click here to find out more.

2. Google+ chief: big changes are ahead

Chief of Google’s social network, Bradley Horowitz, has revealed that although the service is here to stay, it will undergo a “renaissance” of thinking and changes.

The announcement comes as Google Photos launched its standalone service, offering users free and unlimited storage for photos and videos. Other differences have also begun to appear, with profile links to Google+ being removed from the homepage and hidden within the app icon.

What do you think the future holds for Google’s social network? To read more, click here.

3. Google I/O – the key takeaways for marketers

At the end of May, Google held its annual I/O conference, announcing a number of changes and new introductions to the Google family. One of the latest introductions includes Android Pay, a mobile payment system that will take on the likes of Apple Pay in allowing customers to facilitate the process using NFC technology.

Another announcement made during the conference surrounded developments in the use of context for the Google Now platform. The service can already anticipate what consumers might want to search for next, but will now pull through further contextually relevant content. If you were searching for a restaurant on Google Maps the service could now pull through information on the restaurant’s website and reviews, for example.

For more on Google’s innovative introductions, click here.

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#MarketingTitbits – Android Pay, YouTube ads, Pizza Hut projector box

android-youtube-pizza-smaller1. What Google’s Android Pay will mean for brands
Earlier this month, Google announced the launch of the much anticipated Android Pay to take on rival Apple, as they enter the mobile payments market. Google could be seen as already having an advantage over their tech giant rival, as Android holds the majority of smartphone users, but they will require the support of both businesses and consumers in order to succeed.

An advantage of mobile payments that has become clear through the launch of Apple Pay is the low transaction costs for businesses, alongside the increase in security that customers are actively searching for. Brands, therefore, have much greater motivation to support mobile payments as the platform continues to change the way consumers engage with commerce.

To find out more, click here.

2. Watch: the 5 most popular YouTube ads of the past decade

YouTube has gained immense popularity over the past decade since it was introduced to the world in 2005, and now, in honour of its 10th birthday, YouTube has asked viewers to vote for their favourite ads of all time.

Entrepreneur has compiled a list of the top 5 voted for ads, and you may be surprised to discover which one hit the top spot! Click here to take a look at the adverts and see which is your favourite.

3. Pizza Hut has a new box that turns into a movie projector for your smartphone

Pizza Hut’s latest marketing stunt is bringing Hollywood blockbusters to your doorstep through the design of their new ‘Blockbuster Box’. Along with their pizza, Hong Kong residents will find a special lens and a perforated hole with which to begin their movie night.

For customers who aren’t Netflix users, Pizza Hut has printed a QR code that can be scanned with a smartphone to download a free movie. The Blockbuster Box comes in four different styles to appeal to all movie fans: action, sci-fi, romance or scary movie genres.

Click here to find out more about the limited edition boxes.

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#MarketingTitbits – marketing focus, social media blunders, Google Panda

marketingfocus-social-google-smaller1. Why consumer trust, storytelling and collaboration are Nestle, Mars and Airbnb’s focus for 2016
Speaking at Cannes Lions festival, marketing heads from some of the UK’s top brands shared their views on their priorities for 2016.

At the top of most brands’ lists was the consumer. On one hand, Nestlé’s global head of digital and social media stressed the importance of consumer trust and transparency, while on the other; Airbnb shared their focus on storytelling. However, for Mars, top of their agenda was to build closer relationships and to figure out whom to collaborate with, as the lines between marketing and sales blur.

To read more on their focuses for 2016, click here.

2. 10 of the biggest social media blunders ever

If you want to build your company’s presence online, social media can be an ideal way to do so. But while social media is often a powerful and beneficial tool, there are times when brands fall into the trap of negative publicity.

Entrepreneur has compiled a list on what not to do on social media, which include mistaking national tragedy for fireworks from American Apparel, JPMorgan Chase inviting public hatred, LG making fun of an iPhone with an iPhone and many more. For examples of embarrassing blunders, look no further.

Click here to see them all.

3. What does the latest Google Panda update mean for your business

Since the latest Google Panda update was released, speculation has been escalating as to whether rankings had been affected or not. Although Google hasn’t made an official announcement, fluctuations in ranking can often point to changes. So what could this mean for businesses?

The original Panda update was introduced to combat the issues surrounding what makes ‘good or bad’ pages, and consequently stop any ‘bad’ pages from ranking high in search results. It’s become clear that this recent update is concentrated on the quality of content. Businesses should be regularly producing new content that is relevant, useful and engaging, while also updating older pieces of content.

Find out more on how the update may affect your business by clicking here.

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#MarketingTitbits – consumer high streets, Pinterest pages, Snapchat stories

highstreets-pinterest-snapchat-smaller1. Big brands left out of consumers’ ideal high streetAccording to new research by insight and innovation consultancy FreshMinds, almost half of consumers believe that big brands are ruining the high street and a further 63% believe that high streets have lost their appeal.

In the survey of 2,000 consumers, most envisioned a high street with big brands being replaced by pop-up shops, independent restaurants and 24-hour social spaces. Director of FreshMinds, Natasha Wallace, stated that retail stores need to create an in-store experience than cannot be replicated online. But what does the high street of 2025 look like?

Click here to read more on the latest report.

2. Five small businesses with brilliant Pinterest pages

Since its launch back in 2010, Pinterest has grown to become one of the biggest social media platforms for both consumers and businesses. And now,Econsultancy has gathered a list of some of the best pages from smaller ecommerce brands to give you or your business a little inspiration.

The brands that are succeeding on Pinterest are those that have fun and create the most attractive boards. From local produce delivery firm, Farmdrop; or seller of weird and wonderful things, Firebox, this is simple. Their boards are filled with a range of interesting pins from both their own content and external sources.

Take a look at the boards yourself by clicking here.

3. Currys PC World: Snapchat allows us to do more than just add noise to a newsfeed

Currys PC World has recently partnered with Microsoft to launch its first Snapchat campaign, in a bid to target and inspire millennials. The #BestofBoth campaign tells the story of Microsoft’s laptop and tablet hybrid product and how it can enhance the daily lives of students.

Their introduction of Snapchat follows Wimbledon and the other brands that are joining in with the app’s new geofilter ads. Currys PC World’s social media manager believes that the platform allows them to connect with students through story-based marketing, rather than “adding to the noise in their newsfeeds”.

To read more on their newest campaign, click here.

 

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#MarketingTitbits – entrepreneurial must-read books, Flipagram, Amazon at 20

reading-flipagram-amazon-smaller1. 10 entrepreneurial must-read books to kick off your summer reading listProfessors from the University of Michigan, Len Middleton and Jim Price, have compiled a list of their favourite entrepreneurial reads, ranging from traditional success stories, to those focused on the psychology of taking risks or facing rejection. So, whether you’re on a plane jetting off on holiday or sitting back on your lunch break, now could be the perfect time to reinvigorate your entrepreneurial spirit.

The list includes inspiring stories of inventors that have shaped a nation, insights into the future of medicine, how being crazy could work in your favour, the importance of character and more. Whatever you’re interested in, you’ll be sure to find something that piques your entrepreneurial interest.

Take a look at the full list of must-read entrepreneurial books here.

2. Is Flipagram the next big social platform for brands?

You may not have heard of it yet, but in 2014, Flipagram burst onto the scene and grew faster than Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat did in their first year, hitting 33 million active users per month. With the latest social media platform aiming to hit the 1 billion mark, will it become the next big thing?

The app allows users to create short videos from photos or video clips and set them to music, as well as link these clips to external sites. The platform presents an opportunity for brands and has already been integrated into social media campaigns by the likes of Jack Daniels and Uber.

Take a look at how Flipagram could be useful to your business here.

3. Amazon at 20: The brand, the challenges and the future

Amazon has been celebrating its 20th year in business, but what has made the ecommerce brand so successful? According to the consensus among marketing experts, advertising has little to do with it.

Verdict analyst, Patrick O’Brien, and M&C Saatchi’s chief strategy officer, Mark Sinnock, both echo each other’s views and believe that Amazon is far from a “classic advertising brand”. Thanks to the scale of its online operation and the combination of personalisation, targeting and retargeting, the brand has grown to become increasingly powerful and dominant within the market.

What do you think their success is down to?

Click here to find out more.

 

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#MarketingTitbits – emoji campaigns, psychology principles, stock images

emoji-psychology-images-smaller1. From McDonald’s to Ikea – 7 of the best emoji marketing campaignsEmojis have become the world’s fastest growing digital language and a number of brands are beginning to incorporate them into their marketing campaigns. But whose will catch your eye?

As outlined by Marketing Magazine, a variety of brands are adopting the language, ranging from WWF’s #EndangeredEmoji campaign to Domino’s ‘Easy Order’ emoji tweets. However, this seemingly simple campaign is not without its own risks as fast food giant, McDonalds, discovered.

Find out what went wrong for McDonalds and how other brands are using emojis by clicking here.

2. Six psychology principles that can help your content marketing

Most businesses will use content marketing as a tool to help drive traffic to their site, boost engagement levels and convert leads into sales. But how can a business encourage a consumer to take these actions? Take a look at these top psychological theories from Econsultancy to find out.

From theories proposing that people are automatically drawn to something others already like, to those that suggest everyone has a ‘fear or missing out’, you can easily find tips to help with generating content for your business.

Click here to find out more.

3. 7 sources of free high quality stock images

As the internet has grown ever dominant in our digitally-centred lives, it’s no surprise that there is an overwhelming number of free stock image websites, but which should you be using?

Sites such as Pixabay, Unsplash and StockSnap are perfect for the searcher looking for unlimited downloads to add a great, high quality touch to blogs and promotional material, making them a popular choice amongst many. But that’s not all. If you’re looking to remove all the hassle when it comes to finding images, Death to the Stock Photo and Snapwire will deliver them straight to your inbox.

For the full list, click here.

 

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#MarketingTitbits – Instagram marketing, brand taglines, Google+ changes

instagram-travel-google-smaller1. What brands need to know about Instagram marketing
By 2017, Instagram’s mobile ad revenue is due to quadruple to reach $2.81bn, making its mobile display ad business bigger than both Twitter and Google in the US. There are already more than 500 brand campaigns and Instagram continues to add new features to make the service more appealing to advertisers.

As Tom Richards points out from We Are Social,Instagram already has a parent company in Facebook that has already built up and multi-billion dollar social ad business and can use its learnings to help Instagram grow even faster. Marketers have used the site to sell an image of their brands, in particular fashion and travel sectors.

For more on Instagram’s expansion, click here.

2. Lost in translation: when brand taglines don’t travel

Brand taglines such as KFC and Mcdonald’s are the most recognised in Britain today, but when they cross oceans they can mean something entirely different. We searched the depths of the internet to find the best, or worst.

KFC’s ‘finger licking good’ slogan is known all over the world. But when the fast-food giant hit China, the translation of their tasty slogan wasn’t so appetising. Pepsi experienced a similar problem in China where their slogan ‘come alive you’re with Pepsi’ translated into something completely different. Due to this, sales have dropped significantly since the launch of the campaign.

Click here to find out more.

3. What the Google+ changes mean for marketers

Since its launch in 2011, Google+ has been an integral part of the Google experience, as the search giant used it to unify its disparate services. Google has made it clear that it knows it is never going to compete directly with Facebook for social networking supremacy. However, as Bradley Horowitz explains, Google’s VP of streams and sharing, a Google account will be all you’ll need to share content.

For marketers, the diverging fortunes are a reminder that the most meaningful platforms of tomorrow are equally likely to come from companies nobody has heard of. Either way, marketers still using or interested in Google+ can now treat it as something other than a poor Facebook competitor.

Take a look at more Google+ changes by clicking here.

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TLC Business host Social Media Seminar for SMEs

Web-imageTLC Business hosted our annual marketing seminar last Thursday. This year’s topic was social media for SMEs, clearly an area of interest for businesses because the event was a sell out. Attendees were treated to a morning of presentations from experts in LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube and given insights into how to use social media effectively in their businesses.
We are delighted the seminar was well received and we all left the session with a whole host of hints, tips and guidance on how to start using social media more effectively in our businesses.

For those that were unable to attend and attendees that would like to review the slides in more detail, we have uploaded the speaker’s presentations and top tips below. To download them, just click on the link:

Joshua Spencer – TLC Business
Social Media vs. traditional marketing

James Potter – The LinkedIn Man
With LinkedIn, are you collecting, connecting or cashing in? and LinkedIn Top 5 Tips

Samathan Russell – The Social Sardine
Facebook for Business

Mark Edmunds – ShootingBusiness
Attracting traffic to your site, finding clients and increasing online conversion with YouTube

Wendy Kier – The Business Mechanic
Twitter, Social Media Marketing and Business Promotion

If you have any questions about the topics discussed or in deed anything marketing related, give us a call on 01962 600 147 and we’ll answer them. Thank you to all those that took the time to attend and good luck with implementing your actions from the day!

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Fuel Your Marketing Performance

With the dust now settled on the courts of Wimbledon, we’ve had the chance to reflect on what business can take from the sport.
We believe that when it comes to performance, businesses can learn a lot from the tennis industry.

Clear vision of success
Like business, sport is outcome orientated; it’s about securing clearly defined results in a competitive environment. A tennis player doesn’t enter Wimbledon with the thought of losing and if they do, it is highly likely that is exactly what will happen. Winning the competition must be at the front of their mind.  In the world of business, becoming number one is tough, but having a positive goal to work towards is the key to success. Andy Murray adopts just such this attitude: “I will go to Wimbledon with the feeling that I will win, you cannot come up with another attitude.”

Practice makes perfect

The techniques used by sports stars to maximise their performance can also be applied in the world of business. Much like a business needs to do with its products and services, a tennis player will spend years perfecting their game, putting in hours of hard training sessions to help build up stamina and technique.  They will build on their strengths and overcome their weaknesses to become the best that they can be.

Expert advice
Like a business, a tennis player constructs a team of experts to help them realise their vision. A player doesn’t enter a tournament alone, behind them sits an extensive support team of physios, coaches, nutritionists and family members, helping guide them through their career and towards their end goals.

Fully informed
Having the ability to respond to your competition effectively is vital for any business. A business should always know who their competition is and what they are up to.  A tennis player will analyse their opponent before a game, finding their weaknesses and identifying their strengths. In the same way, a business must undertake rigorous and regular analysis of its competition and ensure it has a robust marketing strategy to attract its target audience.

Evaluation
Whether a tennis player wins or loses they always review their performance.  A player will access their stats, watch video play backs and pick out aspects of their performance, what worked and what didn’t. Any successful business will undertake the same process and review its performance at regular intervals. It is through evaluation that a business can know what works, what doesn’t and stopping wasting money on ineffective activities.

Reputation
Finally, a top player and their team will spend time carefully nurturing their brand and how they are perceived in the public domain. They will be mindful of the benefits on offer from sponsorship and endorsements but careful that they choose appropriate partners to meet their end goals. Businesses need to manage their relationships in the same way and present their brand in a clear, consistent and appropriate manner to achieve business success.

In order to help your business perform like a top tennis pro and add fuel to your performance, follow our simple marketing formula.

formula
The objectives of any business, much like a professional tennis player, is to see return on our investment. We believe that by:

1.      investing time in planning your strategy

2.      finding a USP to help you stand out from your competition

3.      analysing your competitors weakness and strengths

4.      reviewing your performance on a regular basis

your business will be fully prepared and ready to win your ‘Wimbledon’.

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Marketing Trends 2012

2012 has arrived and we are very excited! It is time to look at the challenges and opportunities ahead and start planning your marketing strategy for 2012, if you haven’t done so already.
Relationships are key

According to numerous marketing sources and we’d agree, the future of marketing lies in customer relationships. This is supported by the rise of social media, where consumers can engage with your brand at anytime. Gone are the days when companies could control external communications concerning their organisation. The power now resides with the consumer or client. Listening and responding to their needs is vital.

Traditional advertising is over

Your customer’s ability to identify whether what’s being promoted is something useful to them or just “advertising” has become infinitely more acute. According to Andrew Baird at Amazing Business, ignoring ads is at an all time high, so successful marketing relies on being shared online. Customers can then “like”, recommend and share their opinions through this medium.

Word of mouth marketing

Now more than ever, a consistent online presence is crucial to business success. Through conducting regular client surveys on behalf of our clients, TLC Business has persistently found that referrals, whether on or offline, are still a vital tool for sourcing a new service. The rise in social media activity has made it much easier for consumers to recommend or advise against a service and have their message shared far beyond their own social circles. This is further verified by the Buyersphere 2011 report on changing B2B buyer behavior, which identifies referrals as one of the most influential channels when appointing and sourcing a supplier.

Integrated on and offline

Alongside active consumer engagement, TLC Business emphasises the importance of  on and offline marketing convergence.  With all the noise about digital marketing, it is easy to forget that more traditional marketing methods can still be incredibly effective. Using both mediums together can result in greater returns on your marketing investment. Integral to successfully implementing this strategy is ensuring all your marketing efforts support each other, working in unison, rather than each independently in its own bubble. For successful integration, make sure online and offline business campaigns are consistent, coherent and in sync with each other.

QR codes

TLC Business’ Director, Josh Spencer, believes that 2012 will be the year QR codes finally realise their potential and become more widely used. For those that haven’t heard, QR is short for Quick Response. These barcodes are used to take a piece of information from an advertisement or product and transfer it to a mobile device. For small businesses, this code can be added to a wide variety of marketing material, including: stationery, adverts, promotional items, posters, stands etc. and direct users to a specific landing page. Using this tool means that information about your business can be accessed instantaneously and at any time. Crucially, it also gives businesses a fantastic way of measuring the effectiveness of a variety of marketing tools that previously would have proved difficult.

Don’t get lazy

Don’t rest on your laurels. What has worked in the past will not necessarily prove effective today. Make sure you adopt strategies that are up-to-date with today’s “switched on” consumers and exploit the latest improvements in marketing tools and technology. For businesses looking to grow their client base and improve customer relations, developing a well rounded and relevant marketing plan is essential. In today’s fast moving society, marketing strategies should be constantly evolving and changing; tools that were successful in 2011, may not be as effective in 2012.

Do your homework

The beginning of a new year also allows business owners the opportunity to diversify their marketing. Research shows that 57% of entrepreneurs interviewed said that marketing was their top priority this year. SMEs that want to continue to build their reputation in the marketplace in 2012 must be aware of consumer needs. Experimenting with different channels will enhance your opportunities, so what better time to try new approaches. Determine those channels that are most profitable and those that aren’t. The New Year marks a time for change, and small businesses are no exception. By refreshing your marketing strategy, you can breathe new life into your business and make 2012 a great your for your business.

We are looking forward to joining you on your journey!

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