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04/12/12 Is your brand flawsome?

 

04/04/12 Pinterest Updates Terms of Service

 

03/05/12 The power of women and social media

 

03/01/12 New Facebook Pages in Five Easy Steps

 

02/03/12 Realities of Social Media Management for Brands

 

01/30/12 Social media crisis management in 7 steps

 

01/12/12 QR codes and mobile marketing

 

12/13/11 Social Media Marketing in Five Easy Steps

 

11/10/11 New Google tools help businesses strategize, plan

 

10/18/11 Google+ vs. Facebook for Business

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  • 04/12/12 Is your brand flawsome?

    Whenever I create a social media strategy for a client, I ask several questions but the key question for me is, “Who is your target audience?” I don’t ask this question to really understand the brand. I ask this question …View More

    Is your brand flawsome?

    April 12th, 2012 - by Whitney Diaz

    Whenever I create a social media strategy for a client, I ask several questions but the key question for me is, “Who is your target audience?” I don’t ask this question to really understand the brand. I ask this question to start researching the brand’s consumers.

    In order to build a successful social media strategy, you must first understand what consumers like about a brand and what they don’t like, and what they expect from the brand. After all, social media marketing is all about the consumer, not about the brand.

    And here’s the truth: Consumers don’t expect brands to be flawless. So, instead of working so hard to appear flawless and perfect, embrace the notion of being “flawsome,” a new trend that showcases the human side of brands.

    You. Me. We’re all human. Humans are flawed. But despite our flaws, people (our friends) still seem to like us. It’s the same with brands.

    According to trendwatching.com, being flawsome merely means that brands can still be “brilliant despite being flawed.” Brands that showcase their flaws, either through empathy, generosity, humility, flexibility, maturity, humor or character and humanity, will more likely be embraced by consumers.

    With the integration of social media into our everyday lives, it’s become clear that consumers like brands that behave more humanly and transparent.

    Here’s how your brand can be flawsome:

    1. Embrace your flaws and mistakes.
    Is there a typo on that flyer? Did you misspell a word on a Facebook post? Poke fun at yourself about it. If you make a mistake, don’t ignore it or try to cover it up like it never happened. Own up to it. It builds credibility and respect among consumers, and will help distinguish you from your competitors.

    2. Don’t isolate or delete negative reviews.
    Negative reviews of a brand are part of life. If you openly embrace them, and learn from them, consumers will trust you more. In fact, 68% of consumers trust reviews more when they see both GOOD and BAD scores, while 30% suspect censorship or faked reviews if there aren’t any negative comments (on a Facebook page, for example) or reviews, according to Reevoo.com. So don’t delete negative reviews. If you leave them up, consumers will like that you’re showcasing the good with the bad, and they’ll trust your brand more. (However, you can delete comments or reviews that use offensive or threatening language… these types of comments are unproductive anyway).

    3. Do not ignore people.
    First, no one likes to be ignored. Second, angry people in particular don’t like their complaints to be ignored. Respond to consumers when things go wrong (and they will). When you get a complaint on Twitter, Facebook or any other social network, respond to that person like a human being. According to Maritz Research, 76% of people who complained on Twitter received no response from the brand. But among those who were contacted, 83% liked or loved that the brand responded and 85% were satisfied with the response.

    4. Try a casual, personal approach.
    Raise your hand if you like cold, corporate America? Okay, I know this is a blog and I can’t see you, but I’m assuming no hands have been raised. Separate your brand from a cold, corporate feel by personalizing your message. Use the term “I” or “me” often as your brand on social media, instead of saying “we” or “us.” (For example, “I saw this video and thought it was amazing.”) This is a more human way of connecting your brand with consumers and will help separate your brand from the “corporate” world. It makes consumers feel like there is an actual person behind the brand.

    5. Showcase what you’re doing to help solve the world’s problems.
    Okay, maybe you’re not solving the world’s problems. But are you or your employees actively involved in your community? Show consumers that your business is not just a business – it’s people who want to make a difference. In November 2011, Havas Media reported that nearly 85% of consumers worldwide expect companies to become actively involved in promoting individual and collective wellbeing; an increase of 15% from 2010. So embrace what you’re doing to make things better for others, and consumers will more likely embrace your brand.

    6. Humanize your brand.
    Post pictures of your employees, customers and clients. Nothing humanizes a brand more than showing human faces. And I’ve actually seen that consumers respond more to human faces than graphics and logos. It helps consumers connect with the PEOPLE behind the brand.

    For more on how to be a flawsome brand, visit trendwatching.com/briefing.

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  • 04/04/12 Pinterest Updates Terms of Service

    Pinterest is updating its Terms of Service to make them easier to understand. The new terms go into effect for all users on Friday. Here’s an e-mail I received from Pinterest with more information.

    Pinterest Updates Terms of Service

    April 4th, 2012 - by Whitney Diaz

    Pinterest is updating its Terms of Service to make them easier to understand. The new terms go into effect for all users on Friday. Here’s an e-mail I received from Pinterest with more information.

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  • 03/05/12 The power of women and social media

    Social media has become a very powerful outlet for protests worldwide. From the Middle East and Africa to here in the United States, social media provides people not only with information regarding injustice across the globe that they might not …View More

    The power of women and social media

    March 5th, 2012 - by Whitney Diaz

    Limbaugh

    Rush Limbaugh. Photo Credit: Win McNamee/Getty Images

    Social media has become a very powerful outlet for protests worldwide. From the Middle East and Africa to here in the United States, social media provides people not only with information regarding injustice across the globe that they might not have otherwise been aware of without social networks, but it provides people with a voice and a power unmatched in recent times. It empowers people of all backgrounds to unite and create change in a way never thought conceivable before.

    There are many examples of this throughout the last few years. Perhaps the most recent example is the issue of Rush Limbaugh and his recent verbal attacks on a young woman who testified before Congress.

    But before we get into that, I’d like to first mention some statistics. Young women are considered “power users” of social media, according to a Pew Internet & American Life Project survey.

    On sites like Facebook and Twitter, young women seem to be leading the way. As of May 2011, nearly seven in 10 online women used social networking sites (69%), while only six in 10 online men did (60%). Women are also more active in their use of these sites, with almost half of female Internet users using social networking sites on a typical day (48%), compared with 38% of male Internet users, according to the survey.

    Now back to Rush Limbaugh. Last week, he made disparaging remarks on his radio program about Georgetown University student Sandra Fluke, who a few days prior testified before Congress explaining why she thinks contraceptives should be covered by insurance. Limbaugh called her a “slut” and a “prostitute,” and continued his verbal attack on her the next day, telling his listeners that she should post sex videos of herself online for his (and their) viewing pleasure as compensation for paying for her to have sex.

    During his tirade against this intelligent, poised young woman, Limbaugh underestimated the power of women and social media. Within hours, a social media firestorm ensued across most social networks, but most notably on Twitter and Facebook, in which women of all ages, backgrounds, ethnicities and political affiliations condemned Limbaugh’s depiction and insults of Fluke. And they decided to get back at him by hitting him where it hurts the most – his wallet.

    Within one day, entire websites protesting Limbaugh’s sponsors began popping up all over the Internet. Within three days, five of his sponsors pulled their support of his show due to overwhelming requests from Internet users and their customers. Today, the eighth sponsor has pulled support despite his written apology to Fluke.

    Now, thousands of blogs (including this one) are discussing what went wrong in his attempt to manage this communications crises, and the repercussions.

    First, by the time he apologized, the damage was already done. But from a social media marketing perspective, here’s where I think Limbaugh went wrong in his efforts to quell the rising tide of protesting men and women online:

    1. He should have issued an apology immediately. Limbaugh refused to apologize for several days, even after advertisers asked him to. Finally, on Saturday, four days after the first slur was uttered, he issued a general apology… but not until four major sponsors had left the show. This not only makes his apology look insincere, it makes it ineffectual.

    2. He should have issued a video apology, not a written apology. No one can hear the tone of his voice or see the sincerity on his face in his written apology. He might be really sorry, but it’s not clear in his written statement. The written apology only fueled his opponents.

    3. He should utilized his social media pages, as himself. Limbaugh has a Twitter account that is actively being updated, but it was surprisingly quiet this weekend while other Twitter accounts were alight with protestations. It actually wasn’t until today (Monday) that he addressed his apology on Twitter. At least he posted the link to his Facebook page on Saturday, but he did not make any other statement via social media.

    4. He should not have continued to defend his statements even after apologizing. Everyone knows that an “I’m sorry, but…” statement really means you’re not sorry. Today, Limbaugh continues to defend his message, while in the same breath saying that he used a poor choice of words. What Limbaugh doesn’t understand, and what someone on his marketing team needs to tell him, is that it wasn’t just the choice of words that got him into hot water. It was the context and symbol of those words. Many women took it personally. Many women saw it as an attack on women in general. Yet, he doesn’t acknowledge that fact. Any public relations or communications professional following this story is likely cringing. Yikes!

    I think there are many lessons for brands to learn from this (yes, Mr. Limbaugh is a brand in himself). But the primary lesson is this: When you issue an online apology, you better make sure it is sincere and addresses the real issue, otherwise it will backfire and make people even angrier.

    Oh. And don’t underestimate the power of women and social media. It could come back to bite you in the butt.

    It remains unseen how this social media firestorm will affect “The Rush Limbaugh Show” in the long haul. But for now, the number of defecting sponsors doesn’t seem to be slowing down.

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  • 03/01/12 New Facebook Pages in Five Easy Steps

    It’s official. Facebook is rolling out its Timeline layout for business and brand pages. For now, Facebook Page admins can preview what their new layout will look like before they publish it. Until you publish the new layout, you can …View More

    New Facebook Pages in Five Easy Steps

    March 1st, 2012 - by Whitney Diaz

    It’s official. Facebook is rolling out its Timeline layout for business and brand pages. For now, Facebook Page admins can preview what their new layout will look like before they publish it.

    Until you publish the new layout, you can see your old design at any time. With this preview, only admins can see the new layout for that page. However, on March 30, all pages will automatically get the new design.

    So here are a few things review in the “preview” mode before you go live.

    1. Choose a cover photo. Your cover photos it the first thing that people will see when they visit your Page. So tie this back to who you are and what you want your customers to think of you. Remember to highlight what makes your brand unique. Is your business a fun local restaurant? Then post delicious looking photos of your food and feature a new photo every month. This space is a great way to separate you from your competitors, to show your fans why they love you so much. Choose a unique photo and change it as often as you like. But there are some Facebook guidelines for choosing a cover photo, so be aware of those as well.

    2. Adjust your profile picture. Your profile picture represents your Page on other parts of Facebook, like in the news feed or when you comment on other pages. It’s good to keep in mind that this will be a tiny thumbnail on other areas of Facebook, so it should be recognizable even as a small image. This can be your logo or another image that represents your page. Choose an image that is square and at least 180 pixels wide.

    New Facebook

    Custom tabs (also known as Apps) can be found at the top of Facebook Pages now. You can rearrange them to show the most important one.

    3. Highlight custom tabs (AKA apps). If you have custom tabs (a welcome tab, a Twitter tab, a YouTube tab) you can highlight those at the top of your page. Photos will always show in the first spot, but you can change the order of everything else so people see what matters most. Keep in mind that there are no longer “landing tabs” on the new Facebook Pages. So if you want people to see your welcome tab or other custom tabs, you must rearrange them to appear at the top of your page.

    4. Review your Page timeline. Hover over a story and click the star to feature it (make it wider and more prominent on the page) or the pencil to pin it to the top of your page, hide or delete it entirely. This is important because it allows you to highlight the most important information on your page.

    5. Get to know the new admin panel. Admins can now manage everything in one place – the admin panel. It’s at the very top of the page, and can hide this if you want to view your page as a regular user would. The great thing about this panel is that you can visit your activity log and review all your posts and activity, as well as respond when people write on your page timeline, and view your latest insights.

    A few other things to note:

    • You can now respond to your fans privately with messages. People can contact you directly using these private messages and notifications about them will appear in your admin panel.
    • By the end of March, Facebook will allow for five different levels of administrators, from full access to limited.
    • Pages will be able to make offers to fans on desktop and mobile devices through a page post.
    • Pages can review competitors’ page insights. Some insights are becoming public, while others will remain private. This is great for businesses who want to benchmark their Facebook efforts against others in their industry.
    • The new timeline has more storytelling capabilities, and allows pages to feature premium products.
    • Insights have changed slightly.

    For more information about social media marketing strategies or to schedule a social media consultation for your business, call Mary Verdin at (805) 541-9005.

    • This is a great quick overview of what needs to be done for the new Timeline format. Thanks for sharing it, Whitney!

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  • 02/03/12 Realities of Social Media Management...

    People often ask me, “How much time do I need to spend on social media?” And it’s never a simple answer. Before getting started on social media platforms, first ask yourself these key questions. • Realistically, how much time CAN …View More

    Realities of Social Media Management for Brands

    February 3rd, 2012 - by Whitney Diaz

    Social MediaPeople often ask me, “How much time do I need to spend on social media?”

    And it’s never a simple answer. Before getting started on social media platforms, first ask yourself these key questions.

    • Realistically, how much time CAN you spend on social media for your business?
    • How much time are you willing to spend on social media for your business?
    • Who will be engaging your online community? Will you have a designated community manager, or will you be doing it yourself?
    • Are you familiar with popular social media platforms?
    • Are your customers using social media? Which platforms are they using?
    • What do you want to get out of social media for your business?

    For small business owners who don’t have the time or resources to have a dedicated team bolstering their online communities, I say, do what you can. But be realistic. If you can’t spend at least 15 minutes on your social network(s) per day, you probably shouldn’t even have a presence. Period.

    Like with any business endeavor, you have to be willing to invest a little bit of your time and money to get a positive result. The same stands for social media for business.

    The whole idea behind creating a brand presence is to engage users for your business. And if you can’t dedicate the time to do that, you really don’t belong on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, etc.

    The fact is that social media management, or community management as marketers more frequently call it nowadays, takes time and dedication. And it takes a certain amount of knowledge about how social networks work and how users actually use them. It is not the easiest thing in the world to do.

    Business Benefits of Social Media

    I don’t want to scare you away from using social media as a marketing tool for your business. People enjoy social media because it’s fun. And the benefits of social media for brands are endless, really. But here are my favorite benefits for small, local businesses, if they use social media well.

    • ROI: Your brand will still be around in five years. (Socialnomics.net)
    • Create and increase brand recognition, awareness.
    • Increase customer loyalty.
    • Get meaningful feedback.
    • Communicate rapidly.
    • Gain new customers via word of mouth.

    But in order to gain these benefits, you must first commit to social media.

    Repeat after me:
    I (state your name) solemnly swear that if I create a Facebook page/Twitter handle/YouTube Channel/Google+ page/(ENTER social network here), I will check it at least once a day and post a mix of rich content for my community to share. If this means that I need my smart phone on me at all times to post content for my customers, friends and community, then so be it. I will post content regularly, but not too frequently. I will not post sales pitches and expect to gain anything. I will strive to remember that social media for businesses is about relationships, connections and community. Over time, I will build connections that will help increase my brand’s visibility. And above all: I will have fun.

    That felt good, didn’t it? Now repeat that to yourself, every time you feel like you’re in over your head or that you don’t know what you’re doing.

    For more tips on social media for business, please contact me at whitney@verdinvision.com or call (805) 541-9005.

    Browse other articles related to this one by visiting our blog tree: http://verdinvision.com/category/social-media/.

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  • 01/30/12 Social media crisis management in 7 s...

    Sometimes, crisis situations arise for a brand, organization or business. These situations can ignite on social media more than any other platform used before, and if brands aren’t careful, they can burn out of control. No matter the situation, in …View More

    Social media crisis management in 7 steps

    January 30th, 2012 - by Whitney Diaz

    Sometimes, crisis situations arise for a brand, organization or business. These situations can ignite on social media more than any other platform used before, and if brands aren’t careful, they can burn out of control.

    No matter the situation, in a communications crisis a brand can be unfairly attacked on social networks. Which is why it is important to have a plan in place for such a situation.

    Here are some best practices for social media crisis communications.

    1. Create a comment policy. Before the crisis even occurs, businesses should create a comment policy that clearly defines what is or is not acceptable on a social media page. This policy will act as a guideline for page admins or managers should any disturbing comments need to be deleted. Make sure the policy reflects the brand’s values and/or mission.

    2. Respond quickly. The worst reaction to a bad situation is no reaction at all. Let users know you are aware of the situation, you are working on a solution and that you welcome any and all suggestions to ensure the issue doesn’t arise again. Don’t just delete negative comments.

    3. Be swift and transparent. It is important to remain calm in these situations, but to act swiftly, effectively dousing the fire before it burns out of control. Don’t wait a day, a week or even two weeks. A quick response as soon as the situation has been brought to your attention, or even before a user brings it to your attention (if you know about it head of time), is the best way to deal with it. Even if you don’t have a solution, or even know exactly what caused the problem, addressing it and providing regular updates is key.

    4. Apologize, or at least assume responsibility. An online apology is always tricky because tone can be misread. Even though the error may not be directly your fault, or the fault of your organization, take full responsibility and don’t direct the blame somewhere else. It’s easy: We’re sorry. At the end of any apology, encourage open communication.

    5. Reply to everyone and keep it personal. While a providing an overarching response to complaints is great as a standalone post, a brand should never use a generic response to individual complaints. Instead, respond to each individual complaint (if there are any) in an apologetic, calm, caring and open manner that is personalized to each complaint or comment.

    6. Be polite. No matter the situation, always be polite. Nothing good comes from a rude or negative response to an already bad situation. It just adds fuel to the fire. Be sure to thank users for their comments and for letting you know of the situation.

    7. Provide an update. After an initial crisis subsides, provide users with updates on the situation and thank them for their patience and responses.

    Sources:
    •
    Facebook comment overload
    • Social Media & Crisis Communications
    •
    Social Media Crisis Decision Tree
    •
    How to use social media for crisis management

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  • 01/12/12 QR codes and mobile marketing

    You’ve heard of QR codes, but do you really know what they are or what they do? As more people use mobile devices (smart phones, tablets, etc.) to access information via the Internet, QR codes will become a standard way …View More

    QR codes and mobile marketing

    January 12th, 2012 - by Whitney Diaz

    sample qr code

    Scan this QR code and like us on Facebook!

    You’ve heard of QR codes, but do you really know what they are or what they do? As more people use mobile devices (smart phones, tablets, etc.) to access information via the Internet, QR codes will become a standard way to provide timely information or special offers.

    So what is it? In short, a QR code is a quick response bar code, originally created in Japan, that allows people to retrieve content quickly on a mobile device. Essentially, it’s a way to rapidly connect users with the content you want them to see.

    Strategies for QR Codes

    Before you start slapping QR codes on your business cards and print ads, think about what your audience and customers, or potential customers, can get out of it. Every aspect of a marketing campaign should tie back to business goals. This is where strategy comes in.

    What are you trying to provide your customers? Are you attempting to reach a goal by using the QR code?

    By clearly defining your goals, you’ll not only provide a great interactive user experience, but you’ll forge a new medium that will help your business reach its goals. Take a look at your customer base or your audience and determine if a QR code is really the right fit for a particular campaign.

    Clearly tell your audience what they can expect when they scan the code. For example, if the code leads back to your business website, include text that says, “Check out our website for more information.” But DO NOT connect your QR code with a website that isn’t mobile-friendly. When people scan QR codes, it’s a safe bet that they using smart phones. So make sure that wherever your QR code leads is safe, mobile content that is both easy to read and engaging.

    Best Uses

    The best uses for QR Codes, according to CRW Graphics, are in print advertising, flyers, posters, invites and other ads.

    If you’re creating a marketing or advertising campaign, think about how you can insert a QR code to provide additional product details, videos, contact details, special offers, links to social media pages, event details and so much more. But have a mobile-friendly landing page or site specifically designed for the campaign so that the user sees the value of that QR code right away.

    Other ways to use QR codes include:
    ·     On business cards (link to your LinkedIn page, or other information about you)
    ·     Scavenger hunts (fun ways to engage audiences)
    ·     Labels
    ·     Promotions, giveaways
    ·     Stickers
    ·     T-shirts

    No matter how you choose to use QR codes, be creative and useful. Your business is unique with unique goals. Try to align your marketing efforts with those goals and you’ll see great success. And remember that QR codes are still relatively new to users, so it’s a good idea to have a line of instructions with the code.

    QR Code Generators
    Here is a list of QR code generators we like to use
    ·    qrcode.kaywa.com
    ·    QR Stuff
    ·    GoQR.me
    ·    delivr.com

    For more information or for help on your next marketing campaign, contact us at (805) 541-9005 or e-mail verdin@verdinvision.com.

    Sources and more information:
    ·    13 Creative Ways to use QR Codes for Marketing
    ·    How NOT to use QR Codes
    ·    How to Integrate a QR Code into Marketing Campaigns

     

    • QR code is a great invention people made. I'm making mobile apps currently and find it really cool to implement QR codes into them. I'm amazed at QR code coupons www.Snappii.com app builder allows to create. They are really helpful for small businesses.

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  • 12/13/11 Social Media Marketing in Five Easy S...

    Social media marketing is not very difficult once you find a rhythm. There is no longer any question that social media marketing works. There’s no question whether or not businesses should be on social media. The question is, “How do …View More

    Social Media Marketing in Five Easy Steps

    December 13th, 2011 - by Whitney Diaz

    Social media marketing is not very difficult once you find a rhythm. There is no longer any question that social media marketing works. There’s no question whether or not businesses should be on social media. The question is, “How do you use social media?”

    Before even getting started, there are some things every business should keep in mind.

    Here are five steps to social media marketing that we use for ourselves and for our clients, and that any business or organization can use when delving into the world of social media.

    Step 1. Know your audience. Who is your target audience? What social media sites are they using? If your audience is on Twitter, you should have a Twitter account. If your audience is using Yelp, you should be on Yelp. If your audience is on YouTube, you should have a YouTube Channel. These are the people that either buy your products or services or people who you want to buy your products or services. Always remember who your target audience is in all aspects of social media marketing. Those who fail at social media tend to forget this very important detail.

    Step 2. Industry Research. What kinds of things are your competitors doing with social media marketing? A really great idea is always transferable. It’s important to do research by industry. There are usually best practices in every industry for social media marketing. Find the best practices for your industry, look for studies and gather data to get you started. Make special note of the “Do”s and “Don’t”s.

    Step 3. Build a strategy. You could just jump into social media head first without any strategy in place, but it would result in a lot of wasted time and effort on your part, and very little to show for it. You can only meet your goals if you first set your goals. It’s important to strategize to meet specific goals based on your industry, and based on your customers, clients, etc.

    Step 4. Plan, engage, reengage. It’s really important to plan out your posts before you post them. This helps you stay on track and engage your audience. Remember Step 1? Well, revisit that step. Plan your posts based on what your audience wants, and this will result in engagement. But don’t just stop there. Reengage your customers by responding to comments, questions, etc.

    Step 5. Track your progress. Have you met your goals yet? Set up a way to track your goals. Some social media already have ways for you to do this (i.e., Facebook insights, etc.). You can also do this using Google Analytics (if your goal is to increase your website traffic), URL shorteners, and social media tracking tools like HootSuite and others.

    For more information or for a social media consultation for your business, please contact us at verdin@verdinvision.com or call (805) 541-9005.

    • Whitney: it looks pretty good so far. A good tip for a landing page is to encourage more likes but to also give people an idea of what they can expect to get once they like your page. I'm out of the office until Wednesday, but I'd be happy to help you with a social media consultation when I get back. Feel free to call the office at (805) 541-9005.

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    • I just changed to a simpler Welcome.

      Reply
    • Hi Whitney, I love your stuff. I might need your help on my landing page I just set up using Static HTML by Thunderpenny. My Page is https://www.facebook.com/pages/QRanium-QR-code-Marketing-in-Bolton-UK/236030139801954 My website is http://qranium.co.uk/

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  • 11/10/11 New Google tools help businesses stra...

    Have you ever wondered what time of year consumer demand for you product peaks? Now you can find out, based on search history. Google’s new Think Insights with Google is a great new tool for marketers. The site has latest …View More

    New Google tools help businesses strategize, plan

    November 10th, 2011 - by Whitney Diaz

    Have you ever wondered what time of year consumer demand for you product peaks? Now you can find out, based on search history. Google’s new Think Insights with Google is a great new tool for marketers.

    The site has latest insights, facts and statistics, a research library, planning tools and trends for the future.

    Are you in the tourism industry and wondering about the 5 Stages of Travel? Google has that information. Are you wondering what other marketers are doing to increase ROI? Google has that information, too.

    And perhaps the most exciting new tool, still in beta, is the Real-Time Insights for Search. Using this tool, you can compare search volume patterns across specific regions, categories, time frames and properties. You can use it to help anticipate demand for your business so you can budget and plan accordingly. You can know where to find your customers (it shows which regions search for specific terms in higher volumes).

    Most businesses will likely find it very useful in strategizing and planning for the future.

    Questions? E-mail me at whitney@verdinvision.com.

    • Nice post, Google routinely innovates and provides great resources and marketing tools.

      Reply

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  • 10/18/11 Google+ vs. Facebook for Business

    We’ve all heard the buzz about Google+, Google’s latest attempt at a social network. This new iteration for Google should not be confused with Google Buzz (it’s earlier embarrassing attempt to socialize Gmail). Google+ is keeping other social networks on …View More

    Google+ vs. Facebook for Business

    October 18th, 2011 - by Whitney Diaz

    We’ve all heard the buzz about Google+, Google’s latest attempt at a social network. This new iteration for Google should not be confused with Google Buzz (it’s earlier embarrassing attempt to socialize Gmail).

    Google+ is keeping other social networks on their toes. And it only took 16 days for Google+ to reach 10 million users (in comparison, it took Facebook 852 days to reach 10 million users, and Twitter 780 days).

    Currently, there are no business pages for Google+. But that won’t be the case for long. Google confirmed that it will launch business profiles on Google+; we’re just not sure when.

    I must admit, I’m on the edge of my seat waiting to see how Google plans to integrate pages for business into its new social network. But before businesses get too anxious over the change (Another social media site?! But I just got used to Facebook!), let’s take a moment to consider the possibilities.

    PCWorld.com recently had an online debate of sorts focusing on which social network will be better for business: Google+ or Facebook. We’ve taken a look at both sides of the argument and decided to highlight the main points here to see if we can determine a winner.

    Round 1: Search
    According to experts, Google+ will probably integrate its own live feed into search, and if it does, businesses have one more incentive to great a Google+ business page and begin live streaming for a chance to appear organically in real-time on a user’s search query. Some argue that Facebook has no penetration into the search market, but PCWorld’s Tony Bradley begs to differ. He says because of Facebook’s close ties with Microsoft (which owns Bing), it will have some penetration.

    Round 1 Winner: Google. I gave this one to Google because it’s the No. 1 search engine used worldwide, and if it can integrate live streaming from Google+ into its users search results, it will be a big plus for business (pardon the pun). And I suspect that Google+ will find a way to incorporate existing Google Places as business pages in this new social network. Stay tuned.

    Round 2: Productivity & Communication
    Bradley goes on to argue that because of Facebook’s partnership with Microsoft, which will soon include Skype, it is already integrated with Microsoft Office Web Apps for productivity, and with Skype for video chat. Others go one step further, though, stating that if Google provides companies with a full-fledged web presence – using its already useful Apps for Business productivity suite… Gmail, Google Calendar, etc. – integrated with its social networking platform, there will be little reason for Apps users to leave the world of Google products.

    Round 2 Winner: Facebook. Sort of. Facebook has a leg up, but only due to its partnership with Microsoft. Many businesses will stick with Microsoft Office, rather than switch to Google’s Apps for Business. But Google+ has useful features that will increase productivity and communications for companies worldwide, including its “Hangouts,” a video conferencing tool that has a limit of 10 users at a time. Businesses that currently utilize Skype, might find this new tool very useful. So really, Facebook wins by a margin, but only because the Microsoft Office Suite is still the No. 1 software used by businesses.

    Round 3: E-Commerce
    The Google Checkout payment system and Product search already tap into many online merchants. Google+ supporters maintain that if it ties both services into the new social network for businesses, it will allow a company to link its payments to a backend database of products within Google’s ecosystem, rather than sending shoppers to PayPal. But Facebook supporters see this as limited, and argue that Facebook has the advantage because of the scope and variety of e-Commerce options it offers, which includes vendors like TabJuice and Payvment, as well as eBay and Amazon. The Facebook e-Commerce tabs can be customized in such unique ways to suit any business, allowing businesses to use their own branding.

    Round 3 Winner: Facebook. Facebook will have the obvious advantage with its variety of tabs and apps for business and e-Commerce. Essentially, Facebook will be more customizable for each individual business and its needs. But Google+ will be useful for businesses, if it includes an e-Commerce functionality.

    Round 4: Advertising and Analytics
    Let’s face it – Google Analytics has a head start on deeper traffic and ad performance tools. Although Facebook insights are very useful, they are fairly limited. If Google+ uses the same type of metrics for its business pages that Google Analytics uses for websites, it will have an obvious leg up over Facebook. Integrate that somehow with a company’s existing Google AdWords and AdSense accounts, and you’ve got a spectacular achievement.

    Round 4 Winner: Google. Hands down. That’s not to say Facebook ads or insights aren’t useful. They are. And Facebook ads are proven revenue generators, but Google has the monopoly on this one and practically invented CPC (cost-per-click).

    ——

    All of this is all speculation, of course, until Google+ launches its business pages. And we’re still waiting to see what Facebook plans to do with updating the look of business pages. We can only guess what features both will have, but there’s one thing for certain: Google+ will become a major social network. In fact, it already is one. It’s seen such a rapid growth in just a few short months, and it doesn’t show any signs of slowing. (Disclaimer: I joined Google+ thanks to an invite from a friend, and I wasn’t sure what all the fuss was about. Since then, I’ve been reading as many articles and blogs as on the subject.)

    Part of the reason for Google+’s early popularity is Facebook fatigue. It happened with MySpace when Facebook was created, and it will probably happen again in a few years when another mind-blowing social network is created.

    Get on Google+ and check it out yourself.

    More reading:

    34 Google+ Resources for Your Business: Advice from the Pros

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