Erik Qualman's Blog, page 613
February 10, 2014
Infographic: The Future of Mobile
We live in a word where smartphones are an extension of our own bodies. We don’t need to try on a pair of shoes anymore to decide if we want to get them or not. And the term “social” has changed during the last years in a way we would have never imagined. But I believe that the best is just to come! In an era where things change faster than ever and they will only continue to do so, it’s fascinating to explore what is just around the corner. This infographic visualises how drive-less cars are not that far off and how in less than a decade we may not need our wallets anymore.
What do you think the future will carry? Do you agree with the stats on the visualization?
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View the latest mobile phones on Three
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7 Social Media Tips to be a Valentine’s Day Hero [Video]
We thought the above video “Social Media Saves Valentine’s Day” would be a great reminder for all of us that Valentine’s Day is right around the corner.
Top 7 Social Media Tips to be a Valentine’s Day Hero:
LinkedIn Look up your significant other’s place of work and send them flowers. Getting flowers at home is nice, but getting them in the office where co-workers can be jealous is even better.
GroupOn/Living Social: There will be incredible Valentine’s Day deals coming from these players and others (Daily Candy, Travelzoo, etc.). Great for a last minute planner, and if you are reading this now you are last minute.
Yelp: Make sure that the restaurant you selected is indeed romantic. Check what others are saying about it and how they rate it.
TripAdvisor with Facebook Connect: Make sure you are logged into Facebook and the site will tell you others that have stayed at a hotel and that are also friends with you on Facebook. It’s a good way to find out if the hotel is truly romantic.
Twitter: Tweet the restaurant or hotel ahead of time and you can usually get special treatment when you show up. Make sure you get the person’s name and ask for them when you arrive. Also, if your significant other is on Twitter make sure to schedule a Tweet wishing them a Happy Valentine’s Day!
Facebook: Make sure to post Happy Valentine’s Day to that someone special. And also look to see if anyone else has wished them a Happy Valentine’s Day.
eHarmony: Good place to find a date.
It’s a new world, but people on Valentine’s Day have always wanted to be recognized and appreciated…social media makes this simple. Enjoy the video and Happy Valentine’s Day!
Amazon Kindle: Valentine’s Gift
By Erik Qualman
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February 7, 2014
Mobile Businesses need to be More Social
As a business owner in 2014, what are some of your major challenges and/or concerns?
For some it is trying to stay out of the red. For others, the concern of being able to find affordable healthcare for their employees is an issue. Still others find that marketing and advertising their products and/or services can be difficult when faced with budget restrictions.
Left out of that mix is the countless businesses that have still for whatever reason not come up with a mobile business app.
According to a 2011 report from analytics provider Distimo, more than 90 percent of the businesses named in Interbrand’s 2011 Best Global Brands chart were present in at least one of the significant app stores. That number was an uptick from 51 percent when a similar report was done a year and a half earlier.
Among the advantages for businesses to have mobile apps:
They provide brand reinforcement
They offer increased visibility for your product/s
They give you added exposure via a platform of mobile devices
They give you added loyalty from customers
Social Media Spreads the Word
With those thoughts in mind, how should you go about promoting the fact that you have a mobile app to both current and potential customers?
In the event you have not already thought of this, social media is a great means to spread the word. With more and more consumers using sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Google+ etc. having a social presence to tout your mobile app is a win-win situation.
If you haven’t already, consider creating a Facebook fan page to promote your mobile app. The fan page is a great means by which you can tell consumers about the app, spread the word, note updates to it, and much more.
If you’re business has a presence on Twitter, use the site to tweet about your mobile app design.
Given retweeting is one of the most popular activities on the site; you can get others to pass the word along on all your app has to offer. The same holds true with Google+, as that social medium is now ranked second only to Facebook as far as its member numbers.
As more businesses find the worth in having mobile apps, getting more social about it only makes sense.
If your business has a mobile app presence, get more social about it in 2014.
Photo credit: tapwalk.com
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February 6, 2014
New Green Tech Revealed at Eco Asia Expo 2013
Hundreds of exhibitors from 18 different countries and regions participated in last year’s Eco Expo Asia, the theme of which is “green tech for a low-carbon economy.” The event took place last October 28-31 in Hong Kong, and was co-hosted by Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd. and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council.
The expo received significant support and involvement from leading government figures, industry experts, and suppliers. With a focus on waste management and green building trends, the key goal of the expo was discovering innovative, sustainable building solutions, and waste management and recycling techniques.
Typically, incineration plants and landfills have been the answer to waste in Asia. However, with a growing acknowledgment of the negative impact of these methods, government and industry leaders are looking for greener alternatives. Organizers of the expo helped inspire leaders at all levels of government and industry to look for more sustainable solutions.
Topics that were covered include waste management and recycling, China’s emerging green policies and business opportunities, sustainable energy, and green building trends.
Environmentally friendly products and technologies featured
Products featured at the Expo went beyond the usual green trends, and moved into more specialized areas such as environmentally-friendly heating and cooling systems, green cleaners, and waste management systems. Green building concepts were also a topic of key importance.
Some of the products and technologies that were presented and discussed at the expo include:
– A self-sufficient recycling plant in France that transforms rubber and plastic into oil, gas, electricity, and other useful energy sources
– The first and only zero-carbon building in Hong Kong
– An industrial food decomposition system that reduces food waste by approximately 75% in mass
Slightly more novel products that were of interest to consumers include the E Cup Boiler, a machine that can heat a cup of water in four seconds or less, and I-CON Glass, a newly released smart-glass product that can switch from hazy to clear with the flip of a switch.
Fringe program gave deeper insight into green solutions
Running concurrently with the expo was the Eco Asia Conference, which delved deeper into possible green solutions and strategies.
The program included green tech product launches, a business matching service to connect key players in business and government, and a day for the general public to view the the products and take part in workshops.
In addition, speakers from around the world were on hand to discuss topics such as:
– Going green in Stockholm
– Solutions for municipal household waste
– Closed-loop recycling systems for electronic waste
– Sustainability and energy management
– Green buildings in Asia
2013 Eco Expo came on the heels of a record-breaking 2012
The 2012 Eco Expo Asia, which broke records in terms of attendance, broached topics such as air and water quality, energy efficiency, the applications for new green tech, as well as waste and recycling solutions.
Businesses reported making key connections with green suppliers and manufacturers, and being impressed by the wealth of new and emerging information in green technology and ideas.
It was also interesting to hear the discussion that emerged from Eco Asia 2013, as well as Eco Asia Conference. Trends in eco-friendly building materials and recycling strategies and systems were of particular interest to small business owners in the trade and manufacturing industries.
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February 5, 2014
What Finance Tips Can You Get From Social Billionaires?
When thinking about social media, sometimes it can be difficult to find a relationship between social media and financial tips.
Shouldn’t you go to your finance firm or the formal types of publications when thinking about how to invest or manage your finances? Not necessarily, especially these days when everyone seems to be on social media.
Many of the billionaires with the hot tips are going to social media themselves, and to hear what they are saying, that’s where you should be, too.
Where to go?
Just like so many people and companies, financial big wigs have social media. Check out Facebook and Twitter for insider tips and what the billionaires are doing.
Not long ago, Carl Icahn, billionaire investor, tweeted about his position with Apple, in other words, his large purchase of Apple stock. If that’s not a hint of what’s smart, then maybe you’re not sure what is. So check out the Facebook and Twitter pages of some of your favorite billionaires.
Who to follow?
If you are looking for personal finance tips from billionaires, follow them on social media.
Maybe it’s not a cut and dry tip perfectly spelled out, but you may learn from something from simply reading twitter feeds of their ideas and day to day lifestyles. Who to follow?
After all, there are more than 1,000 billionaires in the United States, you probably don’t want to follow them all (or maybe you do). Take a look at Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, Richard Branson. They’ll tell you about perseverance, taking a chance and sticking to your dream, and maybe even owning your own island.
What else?
Social media is a beautiful thing (just ask billionaire Zuckerberg). And one of those things of beauty is the fact that following one person will lead to you more.
Maybe you are looking for some financial tips from the big guys, but reading posts and tweets about other aspects of life besides finances can inspire you as well. Also, it pays to watch who they watch. And you can gain all of this by starting out by following them.
Now it’s not only the billionaires tweeting about financial advice, but the financial companies themselves.
You can find a whole slew of information on social media about finances, investments, stocks, savings, and retirement – pretty much anything you are looking for. And it’s free.
The more information you gather about finances and those who know what they are doing with them the better.
Learning about these uber wealthy individuals may just inspire you enough to make a big change for the richer.
Photo credit: entmoney.com
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February 4, 2014
Infographic: The Internet Then and Now
In 1969, the same year that man first set foot on the moon, four American universities collaborated on a project called the Advanced Projects Agency Network (ARPANET). These four institutions—University of California Los Angeles, Stanford Research Institute, University of California Santa Barbara, and University of Utah—created the first successful computer network. In a time when computers were huge, cumbersome, and not very user friendly, the foundation for the Internet was born.
No one on the original ARPANET team could have imagined what was being created. From a system that could only send two letters of a one-word email before crashing came a system that supports almost 300 billion emails in a day. Since the military released control of ARPANET in 1984, which then merged with the National Science Foundation Network, the recognizable Internet was crafted.
In the intervening years, the Internet has increased its power from trafficking information at 56 kilobytes per second to 7.6 megabytes per second. Today’s users upload an average of 42,000 videos, create over 1.6 million Tumblr posts, type 6 million Tweets, and click over 2 million Facebook “likes” in just one hour. Even this infographic with its accompanying video is a prime example of the use and power of the Internet for the everyday user, and how the demand and capabilities will continue to grow exponentially in the coming years.
The Video!
Source: WhoIsHostingThis.com
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Mobile Apps Make Marketing Repair Shops Easier
Car owners in the greater Washington DC area can now turn to their smartphones for the task of finding a mechanic who can take care of their auto repair needs.
Repair Jungle, an online service that has allowed customers to receive online estimates for auto repair services, launched a mobile optimized version of their site so customers can process requests from anywhere.
How Repair Jungle works
Car owners who need maintenance or repair work fill out a short online request form. Mechanics who have their own Repair Jungle portal on their smartphone can then provide an estimate to the customer. Based on the responses, the customer can choose the best quote and bring his or her car in for service.
To set customers’ minds at ease, Repair Jungle checks the reputation of all repair shops that it includes in its listings. However, the real benefit of the app seems to be for the shops themselves.
Location-based marketing
Auto repair shops aren’t usually highlighted on the major review apps like Yelp or Around Me. But a majority of consumers would take proximity and user reviews into consideration when they choose a mechanic. Many times, these two qualities are more important than offering the lowest price.
Apps like Repair Jungle allow shops to promote themselves through a marketing medium they are used to: word of mouth. The only difference in this instance is that the recommendations come via the Internet.
For shops and customers who aren’t in or near Washington DC, the RepairPal app for iOS and Android devices provides the same service with some additions. In addition to customer reviews and the ability to locate a shop nearby, RepairPal breaks down estimates by parts and labor costs and even connects you with roadside assistance.
Shops can capitalize on the location-based services in other ways, too. Savvy customers using both apps will also be able to save a bit of money based on the location of the shop.
“Where you get screwed in our business is labor hours,” explains John Mallette, owner of Burke Auto Body and Paint. His Long Beach shop charges 40 dollars per hour, but he has heard of shops in nearby Newport Beach that charge 90 dollars an hour for the same service.
The rationale is that Newport Beach is a wealthier area. Shops who are able to provide quality service for a lower price should be able to draw in some business from other parts of town.
Making the most of online services
Participating in services like Repair Jungle or RepairPal should be second nature to those in the auto industry. As previously stated, most of their business comes from word-of-mouth advertising.
Add to this the fact that most cars are loaded with more sophisticated technology than early NASA rockets. However some shops still don’t advertise on the Internet, despite the fact that more people than ever use the web to research everything before becoming a customer — including their auto mechanic.
Online advertising can be much more cost-effective for the shop, as well. Consider the fact that services like Google AdWords or Facebook Ads charge only when someone clicks on the ad. Compare that to the cost of running an ad in a local newspaper or magazine.
In addition to cost, online marketing campaigns tell the shop about customer intentions, behaviors, and the effectiveness of the marketing campaign.
Auto repair shops, like any other business, stand to gain a great deal from harnessing the power of online marketing through commercial apps, social media, and search advertising. All it will take is some time to get familiar with the tools.
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February 3, 2014
Forget Blogging, It’s All About ‘Vlogging’
It doesn’t seem too long ago, where everyone was talking about blogging and just how important it was for every business to feature a blog on their website to engage with their consumers. However, it seems that this is no longer the case and nowadays it is all about ‘Vlogging’, in other words, video blogging, and here’s why…
The popularity of video
The popularity of video has rocketed over recent years – online video was the fastest growing ad format in 2012 with nearly 55% growth. There are over 1 billion unique monthly visitors on YouTube, it is the second largest search engine and if YouTube were a country it would be the largest in the world after China and India. An average internet user watches 186 videos every month, and 60% of users share their experience with others – with videos being shared 12 times more than links and text posts combined. What’s more, video isn’t just popular with the younger generation – according to visual.ly YouTube age demographics is 18-54.
Value
They say a pictures worth a thousand words, well a 1 minute video is worth a 1.8million words according to Dr. James McQuivey of Forrester Research. This is equivalent of about 3,600 typical web pages. So unless you have the time and patience to write that much copy, then video blogging is the way to go.
Furthermore, there are statistics to prove that video really works. Video promotion is 6 times more effective than print and direct mail and according to EMARKETER, approximately half of marketers who use video in email campaigns see increased click through rates and increased sharing and forwarding. In addition, 60% of visitors watch video content before reading text on the same webpage.
Engages your customers
When it comes to engaging your customers, online video is 5.33 times more effective than text alone. ‘Vlogging’ doesn’t mean that you just need to concentrate on producing videos that self- promote your business, it is a great opportunity to create videos that you know will engage your target market, whether it is a video on a topic that you think will interest them, information about the industry that you work in or something a little more personal like getting to know the staff that are involved in your business. Whatever you choose to ‘vlog’ about, it’s a great way to get your customers to really love your brand.
Gives your brand a personality
Using video allows your customers to get the feel of a human presence and get a better insight into what your brand is about, creating a brand personality for your customers to see. So, whatever business you are, make sure you use someone or something in your video that presents your brand in the way you want it to be represented, so that you successfully communicate the right message to your target market. This will help to build a relationship with your existing and potential customers which will ultimately improve your brand image, brand awareness as well as encourage customers to choose your products/services over rivals.
Even if you’re not the most tech savvy and feeling overwhelmed with where to even begin with building an effective video blog for your business. There are loads of video production companies out there to offer their advice. For instance, Lambda, who offer video production in Norwich, offer chatty, informal advice to help you maximise the effectiveness of your video, whatever you may be selling. So to avoid missing out on substantial marketing revenue to your competitors, spice up your text based blog by making it into a ‘Vlog’ with engaging content that people are going to want to watch and share with others.
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February 2, 2014
NBA Scoring With Social Media
Social media is used by pretty much everyone nowadays.
Whether you are starting up a business, already run a successful business, write a blog, or simply enjoy networking with friends, social media is your outlet.
Professional sports players are no different.
They tweet regularly, have fan clubs on Facebook and use professional networking sites like LinkedIn and Google+.
According to Mashable, Miami Heat’s Lebron James has the biggest following on social media overall. Kobe Bryant leads the way with most Facebook followers; and Lebron James scores highest with Twitter and Instagram.
Out of all the professional sports industries, the NBA benefits most from social media, followed by MLB and the NFL. Twitter, by far, has had the biggest impact on the sports teams, followed by Facebook and Instagram.
What are the rules?
Being a professional athlete doesn’t mean you can do whatever you want. In fact, the NBA has guidelines on what can and can’t be said on social media.
For example, players can be fined for posting anything negative on social media.
A new rule was enacted in 2009 stating that players cannot use any technical devices 45 minutes before a game and during the game. This rule ensures no players will be commenting or leaving negative tweets during game time.
What are they posting?
NBA players post everything from stats from a previous game, photos of games and strategies to what they do in their downtime, what they’re having for lunch and other personal information.
They can also host giveaways – such as auctioning off basketball gear or signed memorabilia.
What can businesses learn?
Businesses can learn from their fellow NBA players when it comes to social media.
People like to follow people, not just organizations or sports superstars. If you run a business, of course your primary focus will be to grow your business, but a great way to do that is to get your customers to get to know who you are. This can all be done via social media.
Among the things to do:
Promote your business. NBA players – along with sports broadcasters and commenters – all spread the word on what their Twitter handles are. You can do the same by promoting your social media sites on your business cards, radio ads and print ads. Also, don’t be afraid to ask your employees to promote for you, too. The more people who know about your business, the more likely your business will be to grow.
Engage your customers. A great way to gain potential clients is by hosting a giveaway. Basketball players, for example, may give away a signed jersey or some other type of basketball gear. To enter, you may need to retweet the giveaway on your own Twitter account. This promotes the giveaway and allows thousands of people to hear about the giveaway and the basketball team, and enter the contest if they choose to. Do this for your business! Give away a free product or service by having customers enter by tweeting about the giveaway. It’s essentially a free way to market your business – except the small price of the product you’re giving away.
Whether you are or are not a fan of basketball, they are doing something right in terms of social media.
Sports teams and businesses alike can all learn a thing or two from them.
Photo credit: businessinsider.com
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January 31, 2014
What will new gTLds mean for the social media landscape?
For the internet generation .com has been synonymous with the web – by far the most popular domain extension it has spent more than a decade as the dominant figure in online real estate.
Even the rise of social media which has, to some degree, shifted net use away from websites and on to apps, has largely been built on the back of the .com extension – Facebook, for example, paid $8.5 million to acquire FB.com.
But a shakeup is coming – in fact, it has already started. Hundreds of new domain name extensions are in the process of being released on to the market and although nothing is certain, they could be set to change the web forever.
Companies will no longer be limited to a handful of generic top level domain extensions, such as .com and .net, or country code domain extensions such as .co.uk or .aus – a whole new world will open with trade-specific extensions such as .plumber, city-specific extensions such as .london and brand-specific extensions such as .BMW.
How will these changes impact the social web?
Of these three kinds of extensions, it is the lattermost that is most likely to impact the social media landscape. It’s by no means certain, but big brands who have acquired their own domain name extension may see it as a great place to build a branded social network – a community where existing and potential customers can interact with each other and the company in question.
But why would they want to do such a thing when Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and the like are doing such a tremendous job at generating traffic? The answer lies in events such as Facebook’s recent algorithm change, which was aimed at reducing the organic visibility of brands with the hope that this will increase Facebook’s advertising revenues.
Relying on a third-party website or app for visitors is not an ideal situation for any business – away from the social web, Google’s dominance in the search market is so great firms that build their success on ranking well can suffer if they are penalised or are just overtaken by competitors.
Clearly, owning the social space makes sense for big brands and what better way to do it than buy building a community based on a branded domain extension? Establishing a walled-garden like this would mean the company in question would no longer be subject to the whims of social networks as they look to boost their profits.
It wouldn’t be a perfect solution – it’s unlikely any major brand would abandon the leading social networks entirely – they would still be extremely useful at the discovery phase of the marketing funnel. However, it could lead to a change of tactics which would see third-party networks being used as a means to encourage people to become part of the branded network, where the company can engage with its fans on its own terms.
Evolution not revolution
Of course the trends towards building standalone communities is nothing new – major brands such as Red Bull have invested a great deal of time and effort in this area. The ability to create a wholly branded social network on a branded new gTLD would merely be an extension of this trend and not a seismic shift in the online landscape.
The skill sets required to make a success of these new kinds of social network will not differ much from those currently possessed by professionals working in the field, but it may be necessary to rethink both strategy and tactics as the landscape changes. Being prepared for this change when it happens will be the key to a successful switchover.
Image source: 123-reg.
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