Weboptimiser Group

Email marketing 'should be permission-based'

noreply@blogger.com (Ute) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:17:00 +0000

Customers need to be the focus of marketing campaigns, so new legislation on opt-in emails should be welcomed, says an expert.

Email marketing campaigns should always be permission-based, so any new legislation regarding this would be welcome, remarked an industry insider.

Peter McCormick, co-founder and general manager of ExactTarget, made his comments following news that email opt-in laws are being introduced in Germany.

He pointed out that an individual's text, email or voicemail inbox is part of their personal space, so they should be allowed to decide who can gain admission to that area.

Mr McCormick stated that the only way for one-on-one marketing campaigns to ensure a good return on investment is to make relationships based on permission.

"We have always believed that marketers should build their digital marketing efforts on the foundation of permission - to their subscribers, customers and partners," he explained.

In his view, any legislation that is introduced in the UK could be a problem for those companies who do not have their customers at the "heart of their philosophy".

Recently, Dealer Marketing Magazine suggested that email marketing campaigns are replacing direct mail and newspaper advertising for many companies.

11/11/2009

Social media users could have been "exploited"

noreply@blogger.com (Ute) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:16:00 +0000

MySpace and Facebook users could have had their identities stolen through a security leak on the site, according to an expert.

"Enormous" damage could have been done by a security flaw that appeared to allow hackers access to users' social media accounts, asserted an industry expert.

Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant at Sophos, pointed out that these security holes have now been plugged, but they could have affected millions of people.

Last week, a developer found that hackers could access users' pictures and data on MySpace and Facebook, due to a coding error.

Mr Cluley observed that the developer acted very responsibly by contacting the relevant security teams before going public.

He explained: "A malicious hacker could have exploited this vulnerability to gather information about users and potentially collect data, which would have helped them steal identities."

In his view, people expect social networking sites to look after personal information and not share it with strangers.

The security flaw in this case related to the way that social media sites handle cross-domain policy requests and the data that could be shared in this way.

11/11/2009

More languages 'may increase social media usage'

noreply@blogger.com (Ute) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:15:00 +0000

The decision by Twitter to translate its website into Spanish could improve traffic figures, according to an expert.

An industry insider has suggested that by translating its site into another language, Twitter may encourage increased usage of the social media service.

Tim Gibbon, co-founder and editor of the Social Media Portal, commented that Spanish-speakers were already using the site before it was translated into their language.

He noted that there is a huge mixture of languages being spoken across global communication sites such as Twitter, just like in internet chatrooms and forums.

However, the decision to make Spanish the third language after English and Japanese for the social networking service to be available in was a logical choice because of the number of people that speak it, continued Mr Gibbon.

"It is likely to increase usage of the site due to audiences that are not mainly English speakers as different types and levels of conversation may occur," he added.

Last week, Twitter announced that it had translated the website into Spanish using a group of volunteers.

11/11/2009

Social media site's "space" invaded

noreply@blogger.com (Ute) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:14:00 +0000

MySpace has suffered in terms of web traffic recently because other companies stole in ahead of the organisation, asserted an industry insider.

Social media site MySpace found a niche in the online market, but other firms were able to exploit it, according to an online expert.

Founder of content networking site Dadooda.com Neil Stapley claimed that this does not necessarily mean NewsCorp are likely to sell the social networking website.

He pointed out that the media giant paid a large sum of money for MySpace and other Web 2.0 entrepreneurs then saw a good opportunity.

Mr Stapley highlighted the deal that the social media service struck with Google - with $900 million (£538 million) promised to MySpace if it could keep web traffic up - as an example of why other investors saw the potential in such websites.

"I suspect the effects of new competitors entering MySpace's space, so to speak, may have been underestimated. MySpace found the space - others moved in to it," he explained.

Recently, NewsCorp announced disappointing user figures, with Google's huge payment no longer guaranteed.

11/11/2009

Social media 'is a growth market'

noreply@blogger.com (Ute) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:22:00 +0000

A sector commentator has suggested that social networks are a form of online environment which has plenty of potential for development.

Social media is one type of virtual network that may see growth in the future, according to a sector commentator.

Tim Gibbon, co-founder of Social Media Portal, called sharing networks an "obvious" growth sector in terms of successful online environments.

He pointed out that goods on these virtual networks must have a convenient payment method in order to be successful.

Mr Gibbon suggested that effective content will probably come in the form of online games.

"It has to [have] an appeal that is addictive, challenging and holds the possibility to bring in other elements to create longevity," he added.

Another issue which must be overcome is the "cultural barrier" that exists for those people who are not that comfortable using the internet and such virtual networks, said Mr Gibbon.

His comments were made following a statement from Linden Lab, which asserted that many major organisations such as IBM and the US Navy are using a product called Second Life Enterprise to move virtual operations behind their firewalls.

10/11/2009

Social media market 'is crowded'

noreply@blogger.com (Ute) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:21:00 +0000

MySpace may be struggling to maintain web traffic because the social media market is crowded, says an industry insider.

An industry commentator has suggested that MySpace may be currently struggling to drive traffic because the social media sector is just too crowded.

Neil Stapley, founder of Dadooda.com, made his remarks after Rupert Murdoch announced that the partnership between Google and MySpace is not being as profitable as he first imagined due to disappointing figures from the social media site.

According to Mr Stapley, this supports the theory that Facebook is "the social networking site of choice" for the majority of the sector.

He pointed out that Murdoch and his company NewsCorp may not have predicted that there would be quite so much competition in the market as there is.

"However, the scope for new products for new market segments is immense and this could be an opportunity for MySpace as much as it is a threat," explained Mr Stapley.

In his view, it was inevitable that the growth in traffic figures would slow down eventually and that is what has happened.

10/11/2009

Big brands 'embrace paid-for social media'

noreply@blogger.com (Ute) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:20:00 +0000

Coca-Cola and Microsoft have become some of the first big names to sign up to CoTweet.

Several major brands have announced that they have enrolled on social media website Twitter's new business tool - CoTweet.

Among the big players to sign up to the web analytics service are Coca-Cola, Ford, Microsoft and McDonalds.

Scotty Monty, digital and multimedia communications manager at Ford, claimed that CoTweet will allow the organisation to have a two-way conversation with customers and allow for better coordination.

"In social media, the experience you give people on their first effort to reach you had better be the way you want them to remember you," he added.

The tool will give those who sign up faster access to Twitter updates, product support, a full archive of consumer interactions and a variety of web analytics statistics measuring the impact of messages.

Last week, head of search at bigmouthmedia championed the use of social media for building up a brand and pointed out that several of the biggest networks now have tools to help firms do this.

10/11/2009

Social media users 'may not need to visit homepage'

noreply@blogger.com (Ute) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:18:00 +0000

Advertisers may need to rethink their strategy if people begin to use social media homepages less, says a sector commentator.

An industry insider has advised marketers that social media users may not need to use traditional homepages to check their accounts in future.

Andrew Girdwood, head of search for bigmouthmedia, made his remarks following the release of Google Social Search, which allows people to search for content on social networks.

He pointed out that this application could have a far-reaching effect on the current social media landscape.

Mr Girdwood explained: "For example, there are desktop clients now that allow you to access your Twitter account without visiting the site and social search engines may have a similar impact."

As a result of this, customers may not need to visit their Facebook or Twitter page to read messages and updates, so banner adverts on these sites will become less effective, he added.

For example, Mr Girdwood noted that Google and Bing have made deals with Twitter to have access to the social network's content for use on their search engines.

09/11/2009

Google 'welcomes no win no fee SEO'

noreply@blogger.com (Ute) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:18:00 +0000

SEO experts offering no-win no-fee contracts for their services are worth a try, says Google.

Search engine giant Google has applauded the idea of search engine optimisation (SEO) companies offering no-win no-fee-style agreements with regards to marketing results.

Alan Wrafter, conversion programme manager at the organisation, commented that that he welcomed the notion "with open arms".

He pointed out that there are several different payment structures that companies can choose to use to pay for SEO, but that this one could suit some firms.

Mr Wrafter said: "No-win no-fee is an ideal way for businesses to kick off their conversion maximisation projects. We encourage businesses of all sizes to try it out."

In his view, it can be a good idea to find a certified Google Conversion Professional, which is an SEO organisation endorsed by the search engine.

Last week, an industry insider told Marketing Sherpa that an important factor to consider when aiming for effective SEO in blogs is the keywords which will be used in them.

09/11/2009

Value for money 'could drive online lead generation'

noreply@blogger.com (Ute) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:17:00 +0000

Consumers often use the internet for research purposes, so online retailers must offer value for money to maximise lead generation, says an expert.

Retailers aiming to improve their lead generation strategies must offer consumers better value for money, according to a sector commentator.

Director of operations for IMRG David Smith claimed that customers use the internet for "research" but may then purchase products offline, from a catalogue or via a phone.

However, he noted that the possibilities for lead generation on the web are the best they have ever been, even though customers are much more savvy now.

Mr Smith pointed out that a few years ago only young men were using the internet, but now women and the elderly are online too.

"I think a lot of it is to do with how we are changing as people and being a lot more comfortable with the technology that surrounds us," he explained.

Last week, Nielsen and the British Retail Consortium published the latest Consumer Confidence Index, which indicated that there had been a ten-point rise to 75.

09/11/2009

Marketers 'must adjust to maintain SEO rankings'

noreply@blogger.com (Ute) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:27:00 +0000

Advertisers have to alter their SEO campaigns to ensure that they maintain successful search rankings, according to an industry insider.

An industry commentator has told marketers to monitor their search engine optimisation (SEO) rankings, to make sure they do not fall behind their competition.

Writing on a blog for SEOmoz, Scott Willoughby pointed out that many of the tactics marketers use in SEO will stay the same, but there is a need to "future-proof" strategies.

He highlighted the need to concentrate on delivering the fundamentals of search marketing, while at the same time tweaking the details to maintain success.

"In order to stay on top of your game, you need to keep an eye on your rankings over time and adjust accordingly," Mr Willoughby wrote.

In his view, SEO is not a one-off campaign that advertisers can forget about once they have completed a campaign, but an "ongoing process".

Last month, an online marketing executive at Coast Digital pointed out that a good SEO organisation will be able to show what they have achieved through web analytics statistics.

03/11/2009

Geolocation technology 'can improve lead generation'

noreply@blogger.com (Ute) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:26:00 +0000

In order to reduce costs and improve clickthrough rates, companies should be using geolocation to target customers, an expert has suggested.

Businesses should consider using geolocation tools to enhance lead generation in advertising campaigns, according to an industry insider.

Frank Bobo, vice-president of Digital Element, suggested in a blog for Net Imperative that targeted adverts by region or city can mean less wasted impressions and better clickthrough rates.

He used the example of a sports merchandise store, which will benefit if people from the Greater Manchester area surfing the web are presented with Manchester United shirts rather than merchandise from a London football club.

By making the content more relevant to the consumer, improved clickthrough rates can lead to increased revenue and reduced costs.

"Advertisers need to cut through the vast clutter of the internet to increase the reach, relevance and response of their messages," he explained on the website.

This week, a spokesperson for digital marketing organisation TGB championed the use of behavioural advertising as a technique for more effective lead generation.

03/11/2009

Google 'will not be sole SEO platform in future'

noreply@blogger.com (Ute) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:25:00 +0000

Portals other than Google will still have a vital role to play in search marketing, says an expert.

Search engine optimisation (SEO) will need to be carried out across a range of portals in the future, with the focus not just on Google, according to an industry expert.

Deputy news editor at New Media Age Will Cooper noted that Google does provide consumers with a solid base to search for what they want on the internet.

However, he claimed that people will still search across various company portals.

In his view, one company will always dominate an area, but it is another point entirely to suggest that a search engine such as Google will displace all other search sites and portals.

"I wouldn't imagine - I might be wrong - we'll get to a point where Google will become the main place you start for everything," he explained.

Mr Cooper made his comments following the launch of the Google Social Search tool, which the organisation has advised will work best if users create a public profile with the company.

03/11/2009

Expert recommends IP intelligence for lead generation

noreply@blogger.com (Ute) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:24:00 +0000

Lead generation can be boosted by using IP intelligence to customise marketing campaigns, says an expert.

An industry commentator has advised companies to use IP intelligence to enhance the quality of their lead generation.

Vice-president of Digital Element Frank Bobo made his comments on Net Imperative, where he highlighted how online media has become the most popular advertising media in the UK, with a 23.5 per cent market share.

In his opinion, by using IP intelligence advertisers are able to customise campaigns so that they appeal to consumers close to home using localisation software.

Also, by being able to sense what internet connection speed a consumer is using, Mr Bobo pointed out that marketers can automatically offer more advanced media-rich adverts only to those with the capabilities to stream them.

"By utilising IP intelligence, advertisers now have a way to reach out to an untapped and previously hard-to-reach online audience - the unregistered user," he wrote.

This week, Oxfam announced that it had improved conversion rates by using an innovative lead generation strategy, in which customers decide how much postage they want to pay on a product.

03/11/2009

New social media tool 'aims for meaningful experience'

noreply@blogger.com (Ute) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:19:00 +0000

Twitter users have been urged to create lists of content using a new tool, which the company's co-founder believes will be a new "discovery mechanism".

A new Twitter tool has been developed to help people communicate more information in a cohesive manner, according to the social media site's co-founder.

Biz Stone, writing on Twitter's official blog, commented that any user can curate a list and claimed the feature will become a "discovery mechanism".

He also mentioned how several media companies have already begun making lists using Tweets, such as the Huffington Post during their coverage of the baseball World Series in the US.

"Lists also make it easier to curate tweets into meaningful real-time experiences on your own sites via the Lists API," said Mr Stone.

There are also new applications on offer to help people create lists such as TLISTS, while others provide users with a selection of recommended Tweets of this kind, for instance Listorious.

Last week the social media company announced that it is partnering itself with Google to allow Tweets to appear in the search engine's results pages.

02/11/2009

Oxfam 'pioneers lead generation strategy'

noreply@blogger.com (Ute) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:18:00 +0000

The international poverty charity has seen a spike in conversion rates since allowing customers to choose how much they pay in postage, according to a spokesperson.

A new lead generation tactic by Oxfam has been "massively successful", according to a senior spokesperson at the charity.

Director of trading David McCullough described how the company decided to let customers choose how much they want to pay in postage when they buy an item.

He claimed that delivery charges can be an obstacle for online retailers, since consumers are not spending as freely in the current economic climate.

But the amount of money raised by the voluntary scheme has suggested to Mr McCullough that people do want to donate money, even during a recession.

"We are the first organisation to trial a 'pay what you like' format for online delivery and it has already proved massively successful," he said.

Since the scheme was launched a fortnight ago, conversion rates have increased by 35 per cent and more than £8,000 has been paid in voluntary delivery donations.

The shop sells a variety of products, from ethically produced clothes and gadgets to second-hand music and collectables.

02/11/2009

Behavioural advertising 'encourages lead generation'

noreply@blogger.com (Ute) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:17:00 +0000

An expert has championed behavioural advertising as a form of lead generation, but called for more information to be given to consumers.

Lead generation can be improved with the use of behavioural advertising, but the technique should be explained to consumers.

David Gilbert, spokesperson for digital marketing company TGB, claimed that this form of marketing provides "measurable return on investment", which advertisers love.

But users are objecting because they feel their privacy is being intruded upon, which would not be the case if they understood the benefits to themselves and to advertisers.

Mr Gilbert explained: "Once users understand how behavioural advertising works, they will feel more comfortable about it and trust will be restored."

He suggested that marketers add explanatory information on their website and clear instructions on how to opt out if they do not want their online behaviour recorded.

In his view, "targeted advertising" is nothing new in itself.

Recent research by the Internet Advertising Bureau and Olswang revealed that 72 per cent of online users are not aware of behavioural advertising.

02/11/2009

Social media site calls for feedback on privacy policy

noreply@blogger.com (Ute) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:29:00 +0000

Facebook has asked users to browse through updates to the social networking site's privacy policy and submit feedback.

Facebook has released a restructured version of its privacy policy and has asked users to submit feedback about the online document.

Elliot Schrage, vice-president of communications and public policy, highlighted a number of updates that have been made, including notes on advertising on the social networking site.

The document also states how long back-up information will be kept for and features notes on the removal of content that has been shared.

Mr Schrage said: "Our primary goals remain transparency and readability, which is why we've used plain language and included numerous examples to help illustrate our points."

He pointed out that earlier this year Facebook became the first company to govern its policy by inviting comments and holding votes with its users for changes in regulations.

This week, the social media service called for people to report any abuse that they receive or notice online and stated that cyber-bullying cannot be tolerated by communities.

30/10/2009

Expert champions SEO work

noreply@blogger.com (Ute) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:29:00 +0000

Search engine optimisation is a valuable service with proven results which must be differentiated from spam, says an industry commentator.

A marketing expert has discussed the positives of hiring a search engine optimisation (SEO) team to work on developing online presence.

James Fairweather, online marketing executive at Coast Digital, noted on his blog noted that the key to good SEO is quality content combined with effective delivery techniques.

He stated that this makes search marketing a completely different ball game to spam, since the content must be fresh and unique otherwise it will not drive traffic.

Mr Fairweather pointed out that a reputable SEO company will be able to prove what their work has achieved through web analytics statistics, so clients can see what they are paying for.

"Realistically, I could do my own accounting, or write my own will - yet many people will pay an accountant or a solicitor because they will do a better job," he commented.

This week, the marketing manager at Canterbury of New Zealand highlighted SEO as a key feature of the company's online strategy.

30/10/2009

Social media presence gives firms "human face"

noreply@blogger.com (Ute) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:28:00 +0000

By creating a point of contact on social networks companies can engage with customers, says an expert.

Businesses should be present on social media networks as it will give them respect from customers, according to an industry insider.

Geoff Galat, vice-president of marketing and product strategy at Tealeaf, claimed that social networking sites are a great way for companies to engage with consumers.

He observed that customers often just want to know there is someone available on a form of social media in case they want to get in touch.

Mr Galat said: "By establishing a contact point on social networks like Twitter, Facebook, MySpace or even LinkedIn, you put a human face and name on your organisation."

In his view, customers will appreciate it even if there is only one point of contact available and not a firm's whole customer service team.

Online advertising site Marketing Sherpa recently commented that social media can be an effective way of boosting an email marketing campaign, by encouraging users to share content.

30/10/2009

Telecoms companies 'spend big on social media ads'

noreply@blogger.com (Ute) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:07:00 +0000

Social networking websites are getting the most display advertising from telecoms companies, says a new report.

New research has shown that telecommunications companies are investing in more social media advertising than any other sector.

According to the comScore advert matrix, businesses in this area delivered about seven per cent of the display adverts in the category.

International brands in the sector, such as British Telecommunications and Deutsche Telekom, presented just fewer than 950 million display advert impressions.

Behind telecommunications, retail and banking came second and third respectively in the results organised by category.

"While ad delivery skewed somewhat younger than average, all age segments were reached with a notable percentage of display ads," added the website.

The study also showed that social networking sites now account for more than a quarter of all display adverts online, with 13.8 billion appearing in August.

A new social media tool developed by Yahoo! called MeMe has been analysed by a media account manager for CheezeDMG on Netimperative, who claimed that it must evolve and offer some unique USPs to make an impact on the sector.

27/10/2009

Social media users encouraged to share

noreply@blogger.com (Ute) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:06:00 +0000

Users of social networking site Facebook will now be able to see how popular shared content is when they post it on their wall.

Facebook users have been urged to share more content on the social media site, with the popularity of each link set to appear on the screen.

Writing on the official blog, Facebook product manager Mark Kinsey commented that the share tool has been developed so that once a user posts an article or video they can see how many people look at it.

He pointed out that any website can add the share application and users themselves can contact sites and request that they enable the tool.

"The share button enables you to take content from across the web and share it with your friends on Facebook, where it can be re-shared over and over," wrote Mr Kinsey.

This week, the social networking site also launched a new feature in which friends who have passed away can have their profile memorialised.

Facebook claimed this will allow people to share memories of deceased friends with other users.

27/10/2009

SEO 'gives longer-term rewards'

noreply@blogger.com (Ute) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:06:00 +0000

An industry insider has claimed that businesses who want a better return on investment should choose search engine optimisation over paid search.

Using search engine optimisation (SEO) to build up traffic to a website gives a much longer-term reward than paid search campaigns, according to an industry expert.

Sam Tiston, online marketing director of Zoombits.co.uk, claimed that using paid search is similar to "renting the traffic", since companies are paying for all the business they receive.

In comparison, he commented that concentrating on SEO can offer a better return on investment.

Mr Tiston explained: "You're investing up front for a longer term, but after six months or so you're going to have those positions and you're going to get the constant flow of traffic."

He suggested that online retailers will use traffic through the website in order to sell their product and SEO and paid search will be two of the main ways of doing this.

Recently, Econsultancy announced that 45 per cent of companies are planning on increasing their paid search budget in the future.

27/10/2009

New Google social media search tool "an experiment"

noreply@blogger.com (Ute) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:05:00 +0000

Google has launched Social Search but claimed that it is in the experimental stages of development.

Consumers have been advised by Google that the organisation's new social media search tool is not yet a finished product.

Technical lead Maureen Heymans and product manager Murali Viswanathan wrote on the official Google blog that the company's Social Search will allow people to find user generated content online.

However, they added: "This feature is an experiment, but we've been using it at Google and the results have been exciting. We'd love to hear your feedback."

The tool uses information from users' Gmail accounts to help make search results more relevant.

Ms Heymans and Mr Viswanathan stressed that the information that Social Search will collect is already available to see online anyway, but they claimed that the application will allow more relevant results to the individual making the search.

This week, Google also announced that it is launching Convert, Zip and Download as part of Google Docs, which lets users download multiple documents at one time.

27/10/2009

Weboptimiser Group

Email marketing 'should be permission-based'

Social media users could have been "exploited"

More languages 'may increase social media usage'

Social media site's "space" invaded

Social media 'is a growth market'

Social media market 'is crowded'

Big brands 'embrace paid-for social media'

Social media users 'may not need to visit homepage'

Google 'welcomes no win no fee SEO'

Value for money 'could drive online lead generation'

Marketers 'must adjust to maintain SEO rankings'

Geolocation technology 'can improve lead generation'

Google 'will not be sole SEO platform in future'

Expert recommends IP intelligence for lead generation

New social media tool 'aims for meaningful experience'

Oxfam 'pioneers lead generation strategy'

Behavioural advertising 'encourages lead generation'

Sponsored Tweets 'could fund Google social media search'

Social media site calls for feedback on privacy policy

Expert champions SEO work

Social media presence gives firms "human face"

Telecoms companies 'spend big on social media ads'

Social media users encouraged to share

SEO 'gives longer-term rewards'

New Google social media search tool "an experiment"