It's Open - Social Media Strategy Consultancy

We love to hear about unusual and interesting ways that businesses, and in particular small businesses, are using social media to improve. So we’re rather charmed with a recent story about Chicago taxi driver Rashid Temuri. Rashid uses a mix of Twitter (@ChicagoCabbie), Google Latitude and Find My Friends to attract new customers. He claims that 95% of his repeat business is through his Twitter account.

To maximise his business, Rashid uses the social networks to let people know his whereabouts, receive discounts and book him. An example of one of his tweets is:

“Good morning #Chicago!! It’s a wet wet day here. 41°. Take $5 OFF the meter from now till 2PM to any airport from anywhere. #ORD #MDW”

Interestingly, Rashid didn’t actually start out using social media as a marketing tool. He explains:

“I started Twitter thinking I’ll talk to people about taxi industry of Chicago. I feel there is a gap between taxi drivers and customers and there are lots of misunderstandings. They both are in such a defensive mode. They both feel like they have to protect themselves from the other and it’s just so wrong. I joined Twitter to eliminate the gap between a taxi customer and taxi driver.”

Rashid is even tech-savvy enough to offer free wi-fi in his cab (and accepts credit card payments for those that don’t carry cash). It really is no wonder people are happy to use him time and time again.

This isn’t the first time we’ve heard about a taxi company using social media to get the competitive edge. @tweetalondoncab lets you book a taxi in London by sending a simple DM to the account. They’ll then reply straight away with a booking confirmation. Handy if you’re in a busy or loud place and don’t have time to nip out and make a call.

Source: http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/news/2012/01/old-services-meet-new-media-a-tweeting-cabbies-growing-business.ars

Would you hire a taxi through Twitter?

Goodbye QR Codes, hello augmented reality apps

QR Codes have only just got into the swing of things in 2011, so I do feel a twinge of guilt about dismissing them. But while QR Codes have been quietly working away, augmented reality apps have jumped right in there with stunning graphics and moving visuals based on current logos and campaigns, including some interesting 3D designs.

Potentially, this is the best way for companies to connect their offline activities with their online actions. Just imagine opening a magazine, scanning an advert and watching their latest video on your screen, before being taken to the website.

The main barrier at the moment is that the design element can be costly, which is why QR codes may still have a little more time left.

Google + to sink….or swim in a different direction

The trouble is, it’s difficult for any business to launch a product in an already busy market, but when you’re as big and bold as Google, everyone is watching.

Twitter and Facebook started out small, which meant they had the freedom to try new things, make mistakes and move onto a new strategy without being in the spotlight. Google doesn’t have that luxury. Every mistake they make is analysed by millions. The only way they may be able to continue in 2012 is if they find their niche and maximise on it.

Even more Facebook integration

With Facebook pages looking more and more like mini websites, we wouldn’t be surprised to see more pages offering online stores, special content and alternative services on their Facebook page. We’ve already seen ASOS.com launch a Facebook shop, where they often have sales specifically for Facebook fans, in order to reward their loyalty.

Quality, not quantity

In the last year, there’s been a definite shift from quantity to quality. Bloggers used to write post after post, but recent changes to Google’s search settings means that posts under 150 words will hold a much lower SEO score. Bloggers are now concentrating on longer, better quality posts on a less frequent basis.

It’s not just blogging either. With the sheer number of Twitter and Facebook users, we’ve seen a rise in services like Klout (which measures a user’s influence). Now it’s not just about how many tweets you share, but how many of your tweets are clicked on and retweeted.

The rise of the micro-blog

Tumblr, Pinterest, Instagram and Posterous are all blogging platforms that are on the rise, thanks to the speedy nature of posting and sharing. More and more companies are turning to these platforms to get information out there without committing to writing long posts. They might not be quite as SEO-friendly as a full blog post, but they’re great for giving followers and fans a quick fix. While these platforms shouldn’t replace a full blog, they act as a good side service.

What are you expecting to see in 2012?

We’re all well aware that Facebook pushes the boundaries somewhat when it comes to privacy and security. In fact, it doesn’t seem like a month has gone by this year without a Facebook privacy data piece hitting the headlines.

But this video shows just how much data is held on each person (mobile users in particular may be unaware how much information Facebook has on their location). According to the video, messages and statuses are kept on file, long after they’ve been deleted. When Facebook provided Max, the man in the video, with his personal data he was shocked to get a CD back with 1222 PDFs. Max has since asked for further information, but Facebook has declined due to ‘confidential business matter.’

In fairness, it’s hardly big news that Facebook know a lot about us. We share so much personal information on Facebook, that sometimes it’s easy to forget that there’s a company behind it.

Source: http://www.taz.de/!81248/

Eagle-eyed Facebook users may have noticed that certain Facebook pages now have a private message function, where fans can send a page a private message.

Now this, like all new Facebook services, has pros and cons.

Pros

• Pages can directly message someone regarding a dispute or when delicate information is involved.
• It could cut down on page spam/abuse, if pages are allowed to respond directly to certain individuals.
• It could add a personal touch, allowing page users to personally thank certain individuals- therefore further improving the brand/fan relationship.
• Twitter already has a similar system, and it works well there.
• Facebook admins will no longer need to use personal profiles to send messages.

Cons

• It could actually increase spam and abuse, with fans able to send anything by private message.
• Equally, it could lead to controversy if an inexperienced Facebook page manager responds to a private message in the wrong way.
• Currently, private message conversations can only be initiated by a page fan, and a page admin can then respond. This limits conversation options, and means fans hold all the power when it comes to starting a private conversation. However, reports suggest it is possible to privately message some fans when they comment on a wall post.
• Facebook admins may choose to only respond to negative wall comments privately. Dealing with constructive criticism publicly, in the right way, can actually be great PR for a brand, so to not do so could be bad for a page.

Source

What do you think? Are you a fan of the Facebook page private messaging function, or against it?

Following in the theme of careers and job hunting, which many people tend to think about at the start of a new year, we’ve found an infographic that shows just how much influence social media has on finding a new job.

Some of the stats are unsurprising – it’s rather predictable that 1 in 6 workers use social media to get hired, considering how many people are now on LinkedIn and Facebook. Interestingly though, Facebook beat Twitter and LinkedIn together when it came to the number of jobs it has helped people land. 18,400,000 Americans believed Facebook helped them get their current job, compared to 10,200,000 on LinkedIn and 800,000 on Twitter.

This is pretty surprising. After all, LinkedIn is more typically considered the best professional network for job hunters; Facebook is the more ‘social’ and casual of the networks.

If you’re looking to find a job this year, pay close attention to the tips at the bottom of this infographic.

Source: Mashable

LinkedIn is undoubtedly one of the best social networks for professional use. What’s more, in the current financial climate, it’s an essential tool for job seekers and those looking to recruit. Users can upload details of their CV, add further information on jobs, get recommendations from clients and share blog posts and documents through third-party applications.

But like a resume, there are certain words that creep up on a LinkedIn profile a little too often.

Wondering what words come up time and time again on LinkedIn profiles? Here are the top ten from the UK:

1.       Creative

2.       Track record

3.       Motivated

4.       Effective

5.       Extensive experience

6.       Wide range

7.       Innovative

8.       Communication skills

9.       Dynamic

10.     Problem solving

The trouble is, using a common word is a bit like using a popular keyword in your SEO activities – the competition is too high. Keep in mind what a potential employer might search for, and make sure you use those more specific words in your profile.

Interestingly, this list has changed from last year, when words like ‘motivated’, ‘extensive experience’ and ‘innovative’ topped the list. These three have now slipped down, with people placing more importance on their track record and ability to think outside the box.

Have you used any of these words in your profile? Perhaps now is the time to revamp your profile for 2012.

LinkedIn can feel like a workout at times. There’s an aspect of warming up (creating your profile), cardio (commenting in several groups), endurance (maintaining a regular presence in groups and your profile) and…..well, not a lot of cool down.

Ok, this might seem like a fairly weak link, but it’s one that Mindflash has used to create an infographic for a LinkedIn Bootcamp. It’s essentially a step-by-step guide to using LinkedIn, with extra tips for business users.

It’s as useful to networkers and employees as it is to business owners, and a good reminder that LinkedIn needs constant maintenance.

Source: Business Insider

We’re bombarded with advice on how to have a successful and effective social media strategy. But sometimes, it’s the simple common sense advice that really hits home.

The below infographic from PRMarketing.com outlines the five basic steps for social media success.

1. Be Active – Engage with your users and start the conversations.
2. Be Interesting – Says it all really!
3. Be Humble – Don’t copy other social media strategies, create your own based on basic concepts.
4. Be Unprofessional – Chat to your fans in a relaxed, friendly manner.
5. Be Honest – Admit it when you make a mistake

via

When in the market for a new car, electrical item, holiday or a meal out, how often do you turn to the internet for advice? With social media sites like Twitter and Facebook, and search engines like Google, a recommendation, review or product comparison is just a type and a click away.

The infographic above is an interesting one for demonstrating the influence the internet now has on our buying behaviours. The following points were particularly interesting:

• 20% of social consumers use Facebook to research products at least once a week.
• Facebook, YouTube and Review Sites have the most influence on shoppers. Interestingly, Twitter, Blog Posts and Facebook Comments feature in the bottom five influences. Considering how often many of us use Twitter to crowdsource, and blog posts to get an honest review of products, I’m surprised to see these rank lower than online ads and news articles.
• After online interaction, 31% of people are promoted to purchase, 20% are prompted to recommend but 26% take no action.

Overall, the general message of this infographic is that a successful online marketing strategy can’t just be about Facebook and Twitter. While these ‘owned’ methods help, search (Google etc.) and earned methods (ratings and review sites and blog posts etc.) are just as important.

Ralph Fiennes (Image via RottenTomatoes.com)

It has become something of a celebrity trend to bash Twitter (and usually celebrities that don’t use the social network). This time, it’s actor and director Ralph Fiennes, who blames Twitter for the downfall of the English language.

He said “We’re in a world of truncated sentences, soundbites and Twitter.”

”[Language] is being eroded — it’s changing. Our expressiveness and our ease with some words is being diluted so that the sentence with more than one clause is a problem for us, and the word of more than two syllables is a problem for us.”

“I hear it, too, from people at drama schools, who say the younger intake find the density of a Shakespeare text a challenge in a way that, perhaps, [students] a few generations ago maybe wouldn’t have.”

Now, I’m not sure who Ralph has viewed on Twitter (if anyone has at all), but it is full of editors, journalists, PRs, bloggers and entrepreneurs. People who have a fairly good, if not fanatical, grasp of the English language. The 140 character limit might pose a slight problem, but most of us manage to struggle on without resorting to text language.

I’d agree that social media is making text language more widespread, or at least more visible. The ease of sending a quick tweet can mean we suffer from the odd spelling mistake or missing apostrophe. Issues with language are possibly more rife on Facebook. Particularly with teenagers, but that’s what teenagers do.

What do you think? Is Twitter the reason the English language is on the demise?