If you’re business is not on YouTube, you’re missing out on one of the most powerful marketing platforms out there. This blog will identify why this is a vital marketing channel and offer a guide to using YouTube effectively for your small business.

The facts

• YouTube is the world’s largest video sharing site, in the recent years there has been a dramatic increase in the amount of professional videos uploaded.
• YouTube has over 1 billion users every single day and has been rated the third most visited website in the world.
  (Team, 2015)

So why is it so important?

Like other social media channels, YouTube enables people around the world to interact, share and create content through online communities (Miller, 2009).

Due to the popularity and features it offers, YouTube is widely used as a marketing channel for business. YouTube is used to launch or promote products or even express a brand’s personality. It is a success because it can monitor feedback and provide customer service through word of mouth (Howard, Mangold and Johnston, 2014).

How YouTube works

YouTube provides a simple way for people to store videos online and share them with others. Statistics show YouTube has the second largest search engine in the world(Smarta.com, 2015). This is behind Google, this means people are searching for information through YouTube and discover videos that relate to the specific topic (Gallo, 2008).

The YouTube analytics Provides data about each video you upload, so you can easily track how many views it gets, where people are coming from to find it and what type of people are watching it (Bain and Bain, 2013).

You can set up a YouTube channel for your business, this brings all of your videos together. Therefore you can customise your channel to reflect the correct company image. Your channel will have a URL that you can promote on your website or marketing material. As a result people can subscribe to your channel.

YouTube incorporates features that let businesses promote their videos to people who might be interested in them, targeting customers by demographics, topics or interests. Advertisers pay each time someone views their video. You can choose which locations your ad will appear in and what format it will be (Simply Business, 2015). YouTube’s advertising guide shows how it all works. Small businesses could do well to understand some of the many benefits of using YouTube in their Inbound Marketing Campaign

So what Does YouTube Do for a company?

#1 Builds brand awareness

Academics have discovered that YouTube videos have a lasting effect on an audience in comparison to traditional marketing methods(Ammerman, 2015). Research has discovered YouTube adverts are seen as less intrusive to other advertisements because the audience specifically chooses to watch them. YouTube videos can create brand awareness instantly because of the viral advantage it has to offer(Akyol, 2013).

EXAMPLE:
Blend, manufacturer of blenders uses homemade video to build a brand and increase market share. Their first YouTube video was shot containing low production values and was seen over 5 million times within 30 days. The company found a direct link between the YouTube video and an increase of brand awareness.

Reminder: Creating brand awareness through YouTube does not have to be expensive.

#2 Demonstrates products

This type of marketing channel actively shows the audience the product in action; useful for companies with limited physical distribution channels (Dorenda-Zaborowicz, 2012). For example; those who mostly sell over the internet. The goal of a demonstration is to introduce customers to the product in hopes of getting them to purchase that item.

EXAMPLE:
White Teeth Global is a company dedicated to providing teeth whitening solutions for people to use in the comfort of their own homes. This kind of product needs proof of a successful outcome to increase sales and awareness. This small company does not have the resources time or money to put into TV ads, however their Tutorial adverts led traffic to their site and they had the biggest number of sales in 2014 as an outcome.

Reminder: It is hard to track the outcome of  a YouTube video so prepare for huge success and demand (or nothing at all!).

#3 YouTube can be used as part of promotional campaigns

YouTube can be a cost effective way to enhance campaigns and be used to reach to different markets that are not being discovered through their current marketing channels(Heckadon, 2013.).

Example:

Coca-Cola is currently using its channel to promote a special campaign called “Unlock the Secret Formula.” During the YouTube video a Coca-Cola bottle icon appears. When clicked, it takes users to its Facebook Page or website to continue the promotion. By distributing YouTube videos on other popular media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, your business exposure can instantly increase exponentially.

#4 Provide helpful information targeted to the interests of consumers.

YouTube can be used  as a format to present information to an audience on. As a result this can attract attention and enter new markets whilst engaging existing customers (Rich, 2015).

Fashion retailer, French connection named its stylish channel “Youtique.” There are videos that discuss fashion trends, fashion tips, as well as its television commercials. The design of the channel incorporates links to its online store, Twitter, Facebook, email newsletter and blog. Why not have a look for yourself?

Reminder: Incorporate custom graphics to enhance branding.

#5 World-Wide Accessibility

YouTube is an international sensation because it reaches countries around the Globe! It is accessible anywhere, on differing devices, such as PCs, mobiles and tablets. The level of availability exposes potential for a business video as it provides a tool available on a 24/7 basis each day (Carvill and Taylor, n.d.).

#6 High Traffic Volumes

It has been discovered that over 60 million unique visitors each month are accessing YouTube (Youtube, 2015). This provides an effective opportunity for a business message to reach millions of people; that have the potential of becoming prospective customers. This cost effective strategy has the capability of reaching a higher audience than television(Barnes and Hair, 2012).

 Lets recap on YouTube videos:

• Drive traffic to websites and additional channels to increase sales
• Produce excellent search results
• Provide a much more accessible medium for accessing your customer base
• Build relationship through creative content
• Establishes a company’s expertise and brands your business’ unique personality.

People are actually spending more time on YouTube in comparison to other social media sites. This popularity indicates a higher chance of your business marketing being discovered. Thus giving the company an increased chance of new customers and therefore new sales.

(Search, Social News Page Traffic Buzz, 2015)

With all this INFO lets apply it to your business!

Tips for using YouTube in your business

#1 Encourage video sharing

Millions of YouTube videos are shared through social media. Although extreme, if you encourage sharing tactics is can even go viral; being shared rapidly around the world (Why do things go viral on YouTube?, 2015).

Do you want to make your business video go viral?

Relevant Source: What does it take to create a viral video?

Example of viral video: Kony 2012 gone Viral!

Due to all kinds of people around the world sharing this video and encouraging other to share this through social media it became the most viral YouTube video in 2012. With over 100 million views in one day six days this has gone down in history. Why not see for yourself.

#2 Track your YouTube results

If you include a call to action in your YouTube videos, you can track the impact of each video. For example, you could include a promotional code that people need to use at the point of sale to get a discount, then track how many people use the code. You can also use internet analytics tools to see how much of your website’s traffic is coming from YouTube (Sponder, 2012).

#3 Promote your customers

A video of someone talking about your business or succeeding with your product can be much more powerful than a written testimonial. For example; a client demonstrating the effects after they have bought into a product or brand. Such as weight loss products.

Example: 3D Lashes

#4 Integrate with other marketing

YouTube allows you to embed videos on your website, so that your website can provide advice, tours or useful interviews for the viewing customer.

Now lets consider the limitations of a business using YouTube videos.

#1 No purpose

Many videos on YouTube can only make a fractional difference to a company’s return if the video uploaded does not have a purpose related to the business. These purposes could be encouraging customers to buy a product. It might even be building an emotional connection with your brand. However If you post videos without a clear goal in mind you risk sending inconsistent messages about your brand or confusing people (Dorenda-Zaborowicz, 2012).

#2 Going Terminal instead of going Viral

The  majority of videos on YouTube will never attract more than 100 views, and some will sink without a trace(Gallo, 2008). Keep your videos tight and interesting!

#3 Negative advertising

YouTube run advertisements on your videos which can hurt your brand, by pushing your potential clients away from your service (Crowell, 2011). There’s currently no guarantee a competitor won’t advertise their brand on your video.

#4 Account shutdown and video removal

YouTube can shut down your account at any time, for any reason or remove your video (Youtube.com, 2015).

#5  Expense required

Creative videos can be time consuming and required experience and skill (Tuten and Solomon, 2013). If you can’t produce professional content, hiring a professional video company can be very expensive.

Let’s just conclude:

YouTube can be an excellent marketing channel for a business because of wide market it can reach and the creative niche it offers. Although the chances of the viral affect are very slim! So be sure to integrate this element with your other strategies. Remember to be careful about the message you are trying to portray with your YouTube channel!

If you want to read similar blogs on this topic search #bbsdigmarket

Want to tweet about this blog?

#TWEET: YouTube is the world’s largest video sharing site

#TWEET: YouTube has 1 billion unique users every day.

References

Akyol, Ş. (2013). Social Media and Marketing: Viral Marketing. Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies.

Ammerman, S. (2015). Social Media Campaign Fuels Brand Awareness. Nonprofit Communications Report, 13(5), pp.7-7.

Bain, N. and Bain, N. (2013). YouTube for Business: What works best. – Supernova Media. [online] Supernova Media. Available at: http://supernovamedia.ca/youtube-for-business-what-works-best/ [Accessed 2 Apr. 2015].

Barnes, S. and Hair, N. (2009). From banners to YouTube: using the rearview mirror to look at the future of internet advertising. International Journal of Internet Marketing and Advertising, 5(3), p.223.

Carvill, M. and Taylor, D. (n.d.). The business of being social.

Crowell, G. (2011). The Pros and Cons of YouTube Embedded Video for Your Business Website. [online] ReelSEO. Available at: http://www.reelseo.com/pros-cons-youtube-video-website/ [Accessed 2 Apr. 2015].

Dorenda-Zaborowicz, M. (2012). Marketing w social media. Nowe Media, 0(3), p.59.

Dorenda-Zaborowicz, M. (2012). Marketing w social media. Nowe Media, 0(3), p.59.

Gallo, C. (2008). Making YouTube Work for Your Business. [online] Businessweek.com. Available at: http://www.bloomberg.com/bw/stories/2008-12-09/making-youtube-work-for-your-businessbusinessweek-business-news-stock-market-and-financial-advice [Accessed 2 Apr. 2015].

Heckadon, D. (n.d.). Critical Success Factors for Creating and Implementing Effective Social Media Marketing Campaigns. SSRN Journal.

Howard, D., Mangold, W. and Johnston, T. (2014). Managing your social campaign strategy using Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube & Pinterest: An interview with Dana Howard, social media marketing manager. Business Horizons, 57(5), pp.657-665.

Miller, M. (2009). YouTube for business. Indianapolis, Ind.: Que.

Rich, J. (n.d.). Ultimate guide to YouTube for business.

Search, Social News PageTraffic Buzz, (2015). YouTube Overtakes All Other Social Media Platforms in Post Click Engagement! – Search, Social News PageTraffic Buzz. [online] Available at: http://www.pagetrafficbuzz.com/youtube-overtakes-social-media-platforms-post-click-engagement/18837/ [Accessed 2 Apr. 2015].

Simply Business, (2015). The Small Business Guide To YouTube. [online] Available at: http://www.simplybusiness.co.uk/microsites/youtube-for-small-business/ [Accessed 2 Apr. 2015].

Smarta.com, (2015). Using YouTube for business: an introduction | Smarta. [online] Available at: http://www.smarta.com/advice/sales-and-marketing/social-media/using-youtube-for-business-an-introduction/[Accessed 2 Apr. 2015].

Sponder, M. (2012). Social media analytics. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Team, G. (2015). 8 Massive Benefits of Using YouTube For Business – Grow. [online] Wearegrow.com. Available at: http://www.wearegrow.com/8-massive-benefits-of-using-youtube-for-business/ [Accessed 2 Apr. 2015].

Tuten, T. and Solomon, M. (2013). Social media marketing. Boston: Pearson.

Why do things go viral on YouTube?. (2015). Strategic Direction, 31(3), pp.21-23.

Youtube.com, (2015). Statistics – YouTube. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/yt/press/en-GB/statistics.html[Accessed 2 Apr. 2015].

“Connect your business to what people are talking about right now”. (Biz.twitter.com, 2015)

So how does it all work?

With over 500 million users and 135,000 new users signing up every day, Twitter can be a great place to connect with your target audience. Twitter makes global communication cheap and measurable (Vryniotis, 2010). It can provide you with an insight to your consumers behaviour and offer a different strategy to reach potential markets (Twitter age, 2013).

Why should your business implement this?

Social networks such as; Twitter, provide advertisers with information about the consumers. This technique is crucial, as it provides the businesses with a “target audience” (Vryniotis, 2010). Using customer influencers from Twitter can be an efficient and cost-effective method to launch new products or services. This type of social media strategy allows a business to analyse the customers voice for marketing purposes (Tuten and Solomon, 2013). This is an inexpensive source of marketing intelligence used by many marketers to discover opportunities and Niches in the market (Ryan and Jones, 2009).

It’s not too late to create a Twitter Account

Already have Twitter and want to apply this to your business?

#1 Get involved in social conversations

There is a significant increase of social communication between brands and social media users, so according to Gladstone ( 2014) now is the best time to jump on this growing trend! Also by keeping up with the trends you will not miss out potential marketing opportunities.

 CASE: #TheDress

The issue of the coloured dress, where a photo of a dress appeared to be black and blue to some people, whereas to others it was white and gold, spread virally and those companies that were quick enough to join this trend resulted in positive brand awareness.

Example 1: Salvation Army Launches powerful campaign!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7oNfC9Xpiw

Example 2: X box using social conversations on Twitter

Another tip to make a customer feel valued is to simply ‘reply’. This is an easy way to improve a company’s reputation at the same time. This academic article shows how making these minor changes on your social media platforms can have an affect on brand loyalty.

 #2. Interact with Fans

Today, people are more likely to use their smartphones or computers to complain about a service or product. By directly interacting with fans, it can build loyal relationship with consumers, resulting in an emotional bond being created with a brand (Patel, 2015). Why is this necessary for a company?

Are you prepared for a quick response rate?

A study carried out revealed; 42% of customers reaching customer service online expect a response within 60 minutes (Baer, 2015).

Example: ‘ASOS’ Fashion Retailer

Asos have quick response rates on Twitter, this has led to customers returning to the website for more purchases, even if they had received a faulty product. ASOS were one of the first retail companies to use this response strategy and it created big discussions throughout social media, which led to an increase in brand loyalty. Customers stated they felt they were being listened to (Econsultancy, 2015).

Real life example: Response to  consumer.

Why not see for yourself? Asos are Brilliant at building relationships through personal responses!

#3  Effectively use Images and Videos

Using pictures and videos in tweets has the potential to boost the amount of retweets by a minimum of 28%. Therefore using imagery can be seen as a shortcut to your company’s success on twitter (Sendible Insights, 2015). This is a simple way to generate more attention for your brands image.

 Related article: The power of images

#4. ‘Favouriting’

To favourite someone’s tweet it can indicate a reaction. Thus, showing interest to a consumer can make the customer feel like their comments are valuable and therefore build brand loyalty. This can increase the chances of the user looking at the particular page and therefore directs traffic to a website (King, 2014). This can prompt a user to follow you and this can also be a polite way to end a conversation with  a customer. Look what else can ‘Favouriting can do for your company.

How can you do this?

This can be done by selecting key words such as, ‘football’ and favouriting related tweets. Although this can consume time, which the use of apps such as ‘Twitfox’ may be beneficial for.

Twitfox allows you to enter keywords that you’d like to monitor and automatically like tweets with such keywords. However this must be used carefully…

Example: Circuit nightclub received over 2000 followers from this method in a few days, these followers visited their websites, and gave them early criticism, this was shut down very soon after opening. Remember that apps can also go against you; there is no way to monitor ‘mass favouriting’.

#5 Support your tweets with blog posts

Twitter is an excellent place to discover articles and blog posts. Due to the restricted 140 characters on twitter, make sure your message is brief but attracts the user’s attention too. Find a short and attractive title and post it on Twitter along with the URL of your successful blog created. This will increase the number of your followers but also direct traffic to your website and alternative social media platforms.

You must also consider the negatives…

• Firstly the wrong online brand strategy can easily set a company up for instant failure and therefore put you at a huge viral social disadvantage because of the Negative buzz created.
• Although mentioned in my other blogs, it really can’t be over stated. There must be commitment placed on keeping social media marketing relevant. Therefore it would be beneficial to have a designated person that consistently maintains the Twitter account to keep a good reputation for the brand.
• Similar to other Social Media Marketing, there is no short term fixing strategy. It could a long period for a company to see the benefits (nibusinessinfo.co.uk, 2015).

Learn from other company’s mistakes

• Chrysler drops the F-bomb

A few years ago Chrysler dropped the ‘F-bomb’ in their official Twitter account taking everyone by surprise. The tweet came from an employee of the agency that was handling the account. This shows how important security should be on all social media platforms; reputations can instantly be destroyed!

Remember apologies are necessary when things go wrong, as they can turn viewers perceptions quickly as Chrysler have shown…

• Tesco’s inappropriate joke

Remember people can get offended if they have built a relationship with a brand. Soon after Tesco had been caught out on selling burgers containing horse meat, the company’s social media team tweeted this… 

This received a lot of negative publicity so keep in mind that everyone has different humour!!!

To conclude this topic…

Many marketers underestimate the power of Twitter as a successful marketing tool. Although this alone should not be the main focus of any brands campaign, especially as mentioned before a reputation can easily be destroyed when social media marketing plays a role.

Few extra tips:

• Use lists to organise large amounts of followers
• Images are important
• Be careful with humour
• Assure security regulations are enforced!

Are you interested in similar blogs? Then search for #bbsdigmarket for more enjoyable reads!

Want to TWEET about this subject

TWEET: 42% of online consumer expect a response through social media within 60 minutes

TWEET: There are over 500 million Twitter users!

References

Baer, J. (2015). 42 Percent of Consumers Complaining in Social Media Expect 60 Minute Response Time | Convince and Convert: Social Media Strategy and Content Marketing Strategy. [online] Convinceandconvert.com. Available at: http://www.convinceandconvert.com/social-media-research/42-percent-of-consumers-complaining-in-social-media-expect-60-minute-response-time/ [Accessed 2 Apr. 2015].

Biz.twitter.com, (2015). How Twitter can help your business | Twitter for Business. [online] Available at: https://biz.twitter.com/en-gb/how-twitter-can-help-your-business [Accessed 5 Apr. 2015].

Econsultancy, (2015). How ASOS uses Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Google+. [online] Available at: https://econsultancy.com/blog/62038-how-asos-uses-facebook-twitter-pinterest-and-google/ [Accessed 3 Apr. 2015].

Gladstone, B. (2014). 7 Simple Twitter Marketing Tips to Improve Your Results |. [online] Social Media Examiner. Available at: http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/7-twitter-marketing-tips/. [Accessed 2 Apr. 2015].

King, C. (2014). 12 Twitter Marketing Tips From the Pros |. [online] Social Media Examiner. Available at: http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/12-twitter-marketing-tips[Accessed 3 Apr. 2015].

nibusinessinfo.co.uk, (2015). Advantages and disadvantages of using social media. [online] Available at: https://www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk/content/advantages-and-disadvantages-using-social-media [Accessed 5 Apr. 2015].

Patel, N. (2015). 10 Digital Marketing Trends In 2015 That Will Boost Your Strategy. [online] Forbes. Available at: http://www.forbes.com/sites/neilpatel/2015/03/09/10-digital-marketing-trends-in-2015-that-will-boost-your-strategy/ [Accessed 3 Apr. 2015].

Ryan, D. and Jones, C. (2009). Understanding digital marketing. London: Kogan Page.

Sendible Insights, (2015). The Power of Images in Social Media Marketing – Sendible Insights. [online] Available at: http://sendible.com/insights/the-power-of-images-in-social-media-marketing/ [Accessed 4 Apr. 2015].

Tuten, T. and Solomon, M. (2013). Social media marketing. Boston: Pearson.

Twitter: social communication in the Twitter age. (2013). Choice Reviews Online, 50(10), pp.50-5424-50-5424.

Vryniotis, V. (2010). 12 Tips for developing a Successful Twitter Campaign | Web SEO Analytics. [online] Webseoanalytics.com. Available at: http://www.webseoanalytics.com/blog/12-tips-for-developing-a-successful-twitter-campaign/ [Accessed 2 Apr. 2015].

So what is the difference?

The Traditional word-of-mouth (WOM), defined as an oral form of interpersonal non-commercial communication among acquaintances (Arndt, 1967), has evolved into a new form of communication; electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM). This refers to any  statement made by potential, actual, and former customers about a company’s product and services via the Internet (Hennig-Thurau et.al., 2004). The advances of the Internet offer a strong ground for eWom marketing (Goodman, 2009).

You may think this is new but it’s the oldest type of marketing we know; you come across something new or funny and you share your discovery!

There is an emerging attention on the effectiveness of electronic word of mouth and it is becoming a powerful element in marketing (Godes, 2015). As online communities increase in size, number and character, marketers have come to recognize word of mouth’s growing importance (Meuter, McCabe and Curran, 2013).

Related Reading: What is Electronic word of mouth Marketing?

The power has shifted…

The power has shifted to the consumer, people trust people; not marketers or adverts (Morris, 2009).

According to (Neilson, 2015) a staggering 92 percent of consumers around the world say they trust earned media, such as recommendations from friends and family, above all other forms of advertising. Therefore sometimes it does not matter how effective your campaign is because a bad review through the internet can destroy it quickly (Goodman, 2009).

What elements make Electronic Marketing so powerful ?

#1 The audience size

The effectiveness of eWom Marketing has been increased due to the reliance of social media platforms rising. With over  1.19 billion monthly active Facebook users a message or discussion has the potential to go viral. There has been a dramatic increase in conversations via twitter about brands and campaigns (Akyol, 2013). Other strategies cannot compete with audience size (Pohlman, 2014).

Simple: An Increase in discussions = An Increase in Brand Awareness

Success Story: #Tweethearts

Introducing #Tweethearts: the mash-up of Sweethearts and Twitter. The #Tweethearts social campaign allows users to create customized Sweethearts candy hearts using Twitter. This created discussions on all other social Media platforms too, such as; Instagram and Facebook. With zero media dollars spent, they reached we over 2 million users . Buzzfeed featured #Tweethearts on its homepage resulting in over 45,000 people seeing it.

Who needs billions for advertising?

View the entry here. Tweethearts

#2 Easy to Measure

Social Media platforms create an easy method for us to measure the interaction, either by figures or simply the content in status updates (Akyol, 2013).

Example: MTV measure the discussions of the most popular TV programmes through ‘hashtags’ on social media. The more popularity shown gives the winner of the best series over a certain period of time.

#3 Assists with consumers behaviours

Over 80% of consumers will now research a product through the internet before purchand thus showing that reviews are becoming vital for companies because they have a chance to alter consumers behaviours and attitudes (Akyol, 2013).

Related Reading: Why customer reviews are so important 

So whilst analysing word of mouth marketing it is important to remember the ‘THREE E’s’.

#1 ENGAGE

“Give your fans the gift of you”

It is beneficial to be a part of the on-going conversations about your particular brand. If you are involved you can spot trends or problems at the same time understanding the way your audience thinks (Haig, 2005).

Example: @NikeSupport is an excellend example of customer service carried out well. This company are knownfor constantly responding to followers  on social ‘s Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. Maybe  take a look for yourself?  You can see them respond to someone new every few minutes!

#2 EQUIP

“Give them a reason to talk”
Either through outstanding products, amazing services, personal knowledge, incredible stories or even funny facts! You must be able to understand your consumers and provide exactly what they want (Haig, 2005).

Example: Apple delivers remarkable devices to customers, allowing them to naturally raze about the latest technological gadget being released. There has been an increase in discussions through all social media channels about the  New I Watch.

#3 EMPOWER

“Give your consumers unique and different ways to talk and share”.

Not just standard discussions on social media. Perhaps find a way to help share their opinions within their circles and find methods to move conversations around locations (Pohlman, 2014) .

Example: Walkers created “Do us a flavour”, this allowed consumers to create a new crisp flavour to go on the store shelves. Over 3.8 million submissions were sent in 2013, this was spread virally thanks to social media and everyone was talking about it. What was your flavour?

For more information about the 3 E’s check out this article.

However,

In the case of eWom, the receiver is not always familiar with the sender of the information. Therefore eWOM is less trusted (Morris, 2009). With the digital world growing, we don’t know exactly who we are listening to and this means there is always a risk when the internet is involved.

What happens when a customer tells another a bad experience about your business? According to Morris (2012), a personal account that is negative in nature can have a lasting effect on your company.

And finally what happens if your target audience is the older generation? You may lose out on potential customers using this method. Check out these additional reminders for when eWom may not be suitable

To conclude this topic…

Word-of-mouth marketing can be encouraged through different publicity activities set up by companies, or by having opportunities to encourage consumer-to-consumer and consumer-to-marketer communications. Consumers have always valued opinions expressed directly to them and this isn’t going to change. This is becoming more of a vital tool the more social media expands!

Are you interested in similar blogs? Then search for #bbsdigmarket for more enjoyable reads!

Wants to TWEET about this subject

TWEET: 92 percent of consumers around the world say they trust earned media, such as recommendations from friends and family, above all other forms of advertising

TWEET: We should not forget the importance of #eWom

 References

Akyol, Ş. (2013). Social Media and Marketing: Viral Marketing. Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies.

Arndt, J. (1967). Role of Product-Related Conversations in the Diffusion of a New Product. Journal of Marketing Research, 4, 291-295

Consumer Trust in Online, S. (2015). Newswire | Consumer Trust in Online, Social and Mobile Advertising Grows | Nielsen. [online] Nielsen.com. Available at: http://www.nielsen.com/us/en/insights/news/2012/consumer-trust-in-online-social-and-mobile-advertising-grows.html [Accessed 2 Apr. 2015].

Godes, D. (n.d.). Product Policy in Markets with Word-of-Mouth Communication. SSRN Journal.

Goodman, J. (2009). Strategic customer service. New York: AMACOM.

Haig, M. (2005). Beyond Branding. Journal of Direct Data and Digital Marketing Practice, 7(2), pp.195-198.

Meuter, M., McCabe, D. and Curran, J. (2013). Electronic Word-of-Mouth Versus Interpersonal Word-of-Mouth: Are All Forms of Word-of-Mouth Equally Influential?. Services Marketing Quarterly, 34(3), pp.240-256.

Morris, N. (2009). Understanding Digital Marketing: Marketing Strategies for Engaging the Digital Generation. J Direct Data Digit Mark Pract, 10(4), pp.384-387.

Pohlman, B. (2014). Engage, Equip, Empower. [online] Marketingdirectorblog.com. Available at: http://marketingdirectorblog.com/2014/07/engage-equip-empower/ [Accessed 1 Apr. 2015].

Understanding digital marketing: marketing strategies for engaging the digital generation. (2014). Choice Reviews Online, 52(05), pp.52-2647-52-2647.

First of all what is mobile marketing?

“Mobile marketing is promotional activity designed for delivery to cell phones, smart phones and other handheld devices, usually as a component of a multi-channel campaign (Berney, 2010).”

In case you are unsure simply think: Messaging where engagement occurs on a mobile device.

Want to learn more? Check out this video

The facts

With the numbers of mobile users increasing everyday, businesses are incorporating this communication channel within their marketing strategies (Berney, 2010). Mobile technology constantly changes the way we do business and successful mobile marketing strategies will attract a high proportion of today’s smartphone and tablet consumers (Ismail and Razak, 2011). Whilst some say smart phones will never be able to replace computers, as Foresee (2012) mentions; generic retailing websites are still more popular than the mobile version. However according to Murtagh (2014) mobile phones exceeded laptops and desktops for internet usage for the first time in 2014.

Did you know?

• M-commerce is a fast growing marketing channel.
• In 2013 M-commerce generated $41.68 billion which was an increase of 68.2% on the previous year.
• In 2017 it is expected to generate close to $100 billion.
•  UK smartphone usage estimated to hit 34.6 million (53.7% of the population) this year!
  (Jones,2012)

How often do you use your mobile?
I carried out a study based on my own university to discover: 80% of participants admitted to using their mobile phones before a simple purchase was made. I think you get the message of how important mobiles are becoming…

So we understand the mobile industry is rapidly growing but why is mobile marketing going to become a vital tool for the future success of your business?

1.) “It can help you acquire new customers.”

A study discovered that over 84% of small businesses have seen an increase in new business activity due to their mobile marketing efforts (Pasqua and Elkin, 2013). If you own a small business I suggest you start implanting mobile marketing strategies now!

2.) ” It can generate new sales”

By sending promotions to your existing customers it reduces the risk of losing customers (Murphy, 2005). Campaigns can be sent in minutes, with 90% of SMS being read within 15 minutes and therefore a sale is more likely to occur (Shanker et al, 2010). What is there to lose?

3.) ” Offers a higher response Rate/Effectiveness”

The average response rate is approximately 15%, versus 2 – 3% for other advertising mediums such as direct mail (Barnes, 2015). WOW!

4.) ” People can Multi-Task with mobile Marketing”

According to Nielson (2014) 14% of tablet owners and 7% of smart phone owners have used their device to purchase a product they have just seen advertised on TV. Let’s admit, many of us are on our phones whilst watching the TV aren’t we?

5.) ” Offers Mobility/Reachability “

Messages reach recipients wherever they are. No need to be by a radio, computer, or mailbox; phones are within our reach 80% of every day (Relander, 2015). With our busy lifestyles, this does make a lot of sense, doesn’t it?

6.) ” Allows Marketing Campaign Integration”

Provides the ability to integrate new, innovative forms of advertising/promotion with existing strategies to enhance their interactivity and impact (Vlachos, 2011). This gives us the best of both worlds!

Let’s look at some successful mobile marketing campaigns

#1 Starbucks: Multi channel mobile marketing

Starbucks is one of the premier mobile Marketers by offering many ways for consumers to connect with a company whilst ensuring privacy and permission. Using a combination of mobile payments, mobile apps and QR cards.

Results: Starbucks is a leader in mobile payments, processing over 1 million mobile payments a week.(MobileMarketer, 2015)

Checkout this article on Starbucks Mobile Marketing Strategy. http://bit.ly/1OBK8vW

#2 02: Mobile Rewards with priority Moments campaign

A mobile app available to 02 customers which provides local coupon offers and experiences that are relevant and redeemable wherever they are. The app offers 30 partners. Priority moments is free, 02 forecasts that the average consumer could save about £100 a month.

Results: Rated one of the most successful Marketing Campaigns to ever exist. 2013 winner! (MarketingSociety, 2014)
Check out this Link for further information.

#3 Adidas and Optism: SMS Mobile marketing

Adidas and Optism offered a mobile campaign to drive foot traffic to a new Originals store in Egypt. Targeted to sports and fashion lovers. Text sent just one day before the weekend. Completely free to reply.

Results: 35% response rate! As well as a direct impact on sales in certain aspects of the business. An increase of discussions on social Media too (Mobilemarketingassociation, 2015).

#4 Coca- Cola Mobile marketing campaign in 2011

The Essence Music Festival had 40,000 attendees in New Orleans, during the show, attendees were encouraged to text the keyword CELBRATE to a short code. The company gave away tickets to its BBQ event to the first 500 entries.

Results: With in 3o seconds, 3,145 people pulled out their phones for a chance to win. 20% of  users that engaged opted in for an ongoing connection with the brand and 16% of the audience engaged with Coca-Cola digitally at the concert more than once! (mobilemarketer,2015)

Check out the mobile marketing magazine for more information.

Ways to maximize the mobile marketing in your business…

1.) Use proper Key words

It is beneficial to make your keyword strategy work in terms of mobile marketing, for example; include the local area in conjunction with your keywords, since mobile customers are typically searching locally. Remember the most effective method is to keep your keyword phrases small (Barnes,2011).

2.) Prioritize sales and special offers

whilst developing mobile strategies, it is important to keep in mind that you have a limited window of opportunity for catcing the attention of your prospects (Berney, 2010). The most effective way to do this is to include sales and specialoffers on your first mobile site. This can also include an opt-in that allows your users to receive alerts when new offers are available, this can help boost response rates further.

3.) Contact information

It is imperative to include your contact information, rather than just providing an address, take it to the nest level and include a map to assist with customers finding you?

4.) Compatibility

Consumers today use a range of mobile devise. For this reason it is essential to ensure that your mobile marketing materials are compatible with all mobile devices (Barnes, 2011) . Additionally, it is vital to make certain that your materials are updated whenever a new device is released.

How can  my business use SMS?

Use this link today! http://bit.ly/1FTWdZn

• Easily upload contact information
• Quickly create and manage message templates
• Target specific users with personalised messages, to create a one-to-one relationship
• Include your brand or company name in sender ID so that customers know the message is trustworthy
• Escape license fees. The Cloud Portal and Message Manager are totally free
• Easily access reports through the Cloud Portal to see the success of your campaigns
• Send large scale broadcasts or target specific users within groups

To conclude…
A Recent headline indicated, “mobile to take over fixed internet access”, I suspect that many CMOs recognise the opportunity to grow any kind of business with the assistance of mobile marketing. All marketing is about facilitating timely, valuable, and relevant interactions with customers, and mobile is another way to do so.

Want to TWEET about this topic?

Tweet: Starbucks is a leader in mobile payments!
Tweet:UK smartphone usage estimated to hit 34.6 million

Are you interested in Similar issues?
#bbsdigmarket

Would you like to read more on this topic?
Please checkout this interesting Mobile Marketing Journal

References

Barnes, S. (2015). Mobile Marketing: the role of permission and acceptance. International journal of mobile Communicatios, [online] 2(2), p.128. Available at: http://inderscience.metapress.com/content/3jw1j7p0gwu7mycr/ [Accessed 1 Apr. 2015].

Berney, P. (2010). Mobile marketing. London: Kogan Page.

Fmcgnews.co.uk, (2015). Customer satisfaction gap between mobile and website widens. [online] Available at: http://www.fmcgnews.co.uk/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=581:customer-satisfaction-gap-between-mobile-and-traditional-retail-websites-widens&Itemid=90 [Accessed 1 Apr. 2015].

Foresee (2012) Foresee Mobile Satisfaction Index. White Papers & Research: Foresee

Ismail, M. and Razak, R. (2011). A Short Review on the Trend of Mobile Marketing Studies. International Journal of Interactive Mobile Technologies (iJIM), [online] 5(3), pp.pp. 38-42. Available at: http://online-journals.org/i-jim/article/view/1581 [Accessed 2 Apr. 2015].

Johnson, L. (2013) Top 10 Mobile Ad Campaigns From H1 2013, Mobile Marketer. [Online] <http://www.mobilemarketer.com/cms/news/advertising/15918.html> [Accessed 4 April 2015]

Jones, C. (2013) Ecommerce Is Growing Nicely, While Mcommerce Is On A Tear, Forbes. 02 February 2013 [Online] <http://www.forbes.com/sites/chuckjones/2013/10/02/ecommerce-is-growing-nicely-while-mcommerce-is-on-a-tear/> [Accessed 4 April 2015]

Marketingsociety.com, (2015). 2013 winner: O2 Priority Moments Mobile Marketing – case study | Marketing Society Case Studies. [online] Available at: https://www.marketingsociety.com/the-library/2013-winner-o2-priority-moments-mobile-marketing-case-study [Accessed 2 Apr. 2015].

Mashable, (2013). How to Improve Your Mobile Marketing Strategy. [online] Available at: http://mashable.com/2013/11/28/mobile-device-metrics/ [Accessed 3 Apr. 2015].

Mobile Marketing Association, (2015). adidas steps up to mobile marketing with wide-ranging campaign for U.S. NBA All Star Week (Isobar). [online] Available at: http://www.mmaglobal.com/studies/adidas-steps-mobile-marketing-wide-ranging-campaign-us-nba-all-star-week-isobar [Accessed 1 Apr. 2015].

Mobilemarketer.com, (2015). Starbucks is 2012 Mobile Marketer of the Year – Mobile Marketer – MobiLegends awards. [online] Available at: http://www.mobilemarketer.com/cms/resources/mobilegends-awards/14499.html [Accessed 3 Apr. 2015].

Mobilemarketer.com, (2015). Tag: Coca Cola – Mobile Marketer. [online] Available at: http://www.mobilemarketer.com/tag/Coca+Cola [Accessed 3 Apr. 2015].

Murphy, J. (2005). Diffusion and success factors of mobile marketing. Electronic commerce research and applications, 4(2), 159-173.

Murtagh, R. (2014) Mobile Now Exceeds PC: The Biggest Shift Since the Internet Began, Search Engine Watch. 08 July 2014 [Online] <http://searchenginewatch.com/sew/opinion/2353616/mobile-now-exceeds-pc-the-biggest-shift-since-the-internet-began> [Accessed 4 April 2015]

Nielson (2014) Living Social: How Second Screens Are Helping TV Make Fans [Online] <http://www.nielsen.com/us/en/insights/news/2014/living-social-how-second-screens-are-helping-tv-make-fans.html> [Accessed 14 April 2015]

Relander, B. (2015). 4 Can’t-Miss Mobile Marketing Best Practices. [online] Entrepreneur. Available at: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/244472 [Accessed 3 Apr. 2015].

Vlachos, P. (2007). Mobile Marketing – Achieving Competitive Advantage through Wireless Technology. Journal of Services Marketing, 21(7), pp.539-541.

So the question is, what digital marketing strategies and platforms should receive more exposure this year? If you want to step ahead of your competition then you will need to be up to date with the trends in the digital world..

The future belongs to those who prepare for it today (Social Media Today, 2014). If you haven’t already… Get started on Instagram!

Can you really build your brand with Instagram?

With over 200 million monthly active users, the fast growing app is now even bigger than Twitter. Advertisers are getting more of an opportunity to share their content through filtered photos (L2inc.com, 2015). This social media marketing tool has the ability to put a company closer to their target audience (Akyol, 2013). With over 20% of Internet users with Instagram accounts(Econsultancy, 2015), it could pay to take a closer look at Instagram, particularl for consumer marketing.

Interaction

When companies join these social channels, consumers can interact with them directly. That interaction can be more personal to users than traditional methods of outbound marketing & advertising. Through social media elements, companies can interact with individual followers (Tuten and Solomon, 2013). This personal interaction can instil a feeling of loyalty into followers and potential customers. Also, by choosing whom to follow on these sites, products can reach a very narrow target audience (Miller, 2012).

The passive approach

Social media is an inexpensive source of market intelligence which can be used by marketers to track problems and market opportunities (Tuten and Solomon, 2013). For example, Instagram erupted with videos and pictures of iPhone 6 bending. This created confusion amongst customers who had waited months for the launch of the latest rendition of the iPhone. However apple promptly issued a statement saying that the problem was extremely rare and that the company had taken several steps to make the mobile device was functioning accordingly. This was discovered before the issue became out of hand and obviously the sale of the new apple product was not hugely affected!

Engagement

This type of social media marketing allows customers and stakeholders to become participants rather than viewers (Zarrella, 2010). It has become beneficial to gain customer interest which can lead to an increase of buying behaviour. Traditional media gives the control of message to the marketer whereas social media shifts the balance to the consumer (Using social media, 2010). This can work in your favour or against you, but it is worth the risk isn’t it?

One of the main purposes of implementing this type of strategy is; as a communications tool it makes the companies accessible to those interested in their product and makes them visible to those who have no knowledge of their products as well (Understanding digital marketing, 2009).

This valuable platform offers a lot more to your business than just sharing our embarrassing ‘selfies’. So what are you waiting for?

1. Create a Shop Window on your Instagram.

• You can attract users by showing them the latest images and use colour to create an inviting atmosphere (Miles, 2015).

Success: Using Instagram, Ben & Jerry’s reached 9.8 million users and saw a 33-point increase in ad recall. Of the users who saw the ad for Scotchy Scotch Scotch ice cream, 17% not only became aware of the new flavor, they also associated it with Ben & Jerry’s. The achieved their goal by “Tempting People with Delicious Images on Instagram”.

2. Get followers.

• Instagram is the same as other social media platforms – you need followers. If you need help with this, check out this link for free Instagram Followers.
  http://bit.ly/1FZT64U

• Once you have attained these followers, make sure you keep them. Read this article on the Ten Do’s and Dont’s to keep your followers.
  http://bit.ly/1czS8jm

• Don’t let competition fool you, remember  to look out for with no facial pictures, be aware of certain fan pages and those accounts with many followers but hardly any content. Check out this article for further information.http://bit.ly/1JNlLbR

3. Get involved in the ‘business blog’

• Instagram offer this blog to shows how other businesses are most effectively using their platform and offers useful information to grow your business and its brand. check out this link to see what Instagram can offer you. http://bit.ly/1OjGnJs

4. Keep up with competition

•  Many big names have already jumped on board: Starbucks, Nike and Mar Jacobs are a few examples of Mulitinationals that adopted the mobile app early(Social Media Today, 2014).

Starbucks social media case study found here.

• According to a study by Simply Measured, 71 percent of the world’s largest brands are now using Instagram as a marketing channel (Social Media Today, 2014). So don’t get left behind!

5. Keep audience interested with frequent posts

Success: With consistent and precise posts, presented on Instagram frequently, Levis ads were seen by 7.4 million U.S users and observed a 24pt lift in their ad recall.

View the best ways to Integrate Instagram within your marketing strategy…

You must remember the RISK that this involves too…
Firstly you will need to commit resources to managing your social media presence, responding to feedback and producing new content (Tuten and Solomon, 2013). This can be time consuming and must be carried out in the correct way.

You also need to ask yourself… is Instagram actually relevant to my target audience? The main users tend to be in the age category of 19-24 year olds(Using social media, 2010). Therefore you could be wasting your time

As with all social media platforms, your credibility and reputation can be ruined instantly, due to the high level of technology all photos can be manipulated (Zarrella, 2010). Social networking sites allow those leaks to go viral and be seen by many users more quickly (Ryan and Jones, 2009). Instagram say you need to be clued up on your Instagram and privacy rights.

BUT is there such thing as a perfect app?

To conclude this topic…

Instagram’s goal is to help companies to reach their audience through captivating imagery in a rich , visual environment. Instagram successfully provides a platform where the user and company can communicate publicly and directly. This creates an effective way for companies to connect with current and potential customers. Many brands are now heavily using this mobile app to boost their visual marketing strategy. Instagram can be used to gain the necessary momentum needed to capture the attention of the market segment that has an interest in the service offered.

A Quick reminder :Individuals who agree to have their social media profile public, should be aware that advertisers have the ability to take information that interests them to be able to send them information and advertisements to boost their sales.

If you would like to read other relevant blogs on this topic please search #bbsdigmarket

If you would like to tweet about this blog

TWEET: 20% of Internet users with Instagram accounts

TWEET: There are over 200 million monthly active users on Instagram!

References

Akyol, Ş. (2013). Social Media and Marketing: Viral Marketing. Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies.

Contest Boosts Instagram Followers. (2015). Nonprofit Communications Report, 13(4), pp.7-7.

Econsultancy, (2015). 20+ Instagram stats marketers need to know. [online] Available at: https://econsultancy.com/blog/65939-20-instagram-stats-marketers-need-to-know/ [Accessed 3 Apr. 2015].

Instagram for Business. (2015). [online] Available at: http://blog.business.instagram.com/ [Accessed 8 Apr. 2015].

L2inc.com, (2015). Instagram 2014 | L2: Business Intelligence for Digital. [online] Available at: http://www.l2inc.com/research/instagram-2014 [Accessed 2 Apr. 2015].

Miles, J. (n.d.). Instagram power.

Miller, M. (2012). B2B digital marketing. Indianapolis, Ind., USA: Que.

Ryan, D. and Jones, C. (2009). Understanding digital marketing. London: Kogan Page.

Social Media Today, (2014). The Impact of Social Media Marketing Trends on Digital Marketing. [online] Available at:http://www.socialmediatoday.com/content/impact-social-media-marketing-trends-digital-marketing [Accessed 2 Apr. 2015].

Storify, (2015). Starbucks Social Media Case Study (with images, tweets) · MerMaeMarNat. [online] Available at:  https://storify.com/MerMaeMarNat/starbucks-social-media-case-study[Accessed 4 Apr. 2015].

Tuten, T. and Solomon, M. (2013). Social media marketing. Boston: Pearson.

Understanding digital marketing: marketing strategies for engaging the digital generation. (2009). Choice Reviews Online, 46(10), pp.46-5706-46-5706.

Using social media. (2010). Journal of Consumer Marketing, 27(5).

Zarrella, D. (2010). The social media marketing book. Beijing: O’Reilly.

Whilst researching ‘blogging’ as a marketing strategy for my SME, I was amazed at the amount of views and attention particular blogs had received. Many successful blogs were from writers with years of experience and an excellent “blogging reputation”. I found myself questioning if companies can actually use blogging as a successful marketing strategy. Also would a company with no previous blogging experience even be able to create a successful blog?

YES! With these top tips anyone can create a successful blog post.

The aim is to discover if ‘blogging’ is an ideal marketing strategy for SME’s and if so how they can create a successful blog to reach their target audience.

So what is it all about?

I’m sure you’ve heard about one of the biggest things to hit the web in the last few years: blogging. If you are unsure watch this short clip!

So ‘business blogging’ is a marketing method which can improve a business’s online presence. A majority are interactive, allowing visitors to leave comments and even message each other. It is this interactivity that distinguishes them from other static websites(Engdahl, 2008). In that sense, blogging can be seen as a form of social networking service. Bloggers also build social relations with their readers and other bloggers(Raatma, 2010).

Companies that recognize the need for information, originality, and accessibility employ blogs to make their products popular and unique, and ultimately reach out to consumers who are aware of social media (Ahuja and Medury, 2010).

Blogs allow a company to provide longer descriptions of products or services, can include testimonials and can link to and from other social network and blog pages (Huang, 2012). Blogs can be updated frequently and are promotional techniques for keeping customers, and also for acquiring followers and subscribers who can then be directed to social network pages(Raatma, 2010).

Did you know?
A survey carried out by Hubspot discovered…

• Companies are now in the minority if they don’t blog.
• From 2009 to 2011 the percentage of businesses with a blog grew from 48% to 65%.
• Eighty-five percent of businesses rated their company blogs as “useful,” “important” or “critical.”
  (Blog.hubspot.com, 2015)

So why should a business blog?

1.)Humanising the company

“Every time your customers interact with your brand they should feel as if they are interacting with you or your ideology” (Tsai, 2012).

This strategy helps the company create an emotional connection by building trust and reducing risk. This bond is necessary  as companies need to realise that it is the individuals, not companies that ultimately make purchase decisions (Estes, 2012). For example; an online company where the potential customer will never meet the employees, gives the customer a sense of connection to the employees by writing the blog. This is quite similar to customer service in a shop. Also through empowering  customers by offering them a role in the business, it can result in brand loyalty (Hawkes, 2014).

2.) Brand Awareness

Implementing Blogs into a business can create brand awareness; this plays a major role in a consumer’s buying decision-making process(Rossiter, 2014). The most important way that blogs help raise your brand awareness is that they drive traffic to your site. This is useful for a customer searching for products and services, as the brand is already remembered from a differing source. Blogs can give your customers the opportunity to build a deeper relationship with your business (Chef and Chef, 2013).

Success Story: Fiskars

Fiskars successfully, created a passion for scissors! Remarkable, as this was done through the use of a blog. Also known as one of the most creative blogs in the corporate world. An increase in brand awareness was a result of the creative blog campaign carried out (Schaefer Marketing Solutions, 2011). An increase in sales, was mainly due to the traffic being directed to purchase pages.

3.) Encourage Engagement

For SME’s keeping the content fresh, discussions active and productive, and enabling social sharing is going to help you raise your brand awareness and increase site traffic over the long term. This was carried out by ‘The Marriot’, by getting a big corporate blogger to blog about his visits over 300 hotels around the world. This encouraged users to respond to the stays they found relevant to them (Grow, 2015).

Success: The Marriot

The company has reported generating millions in direct sales from this blog and has also used this as a platform to set the record straight in the event of a bombing or hostage situation involving one of their properties (Kaye, 2005)

It is also Important to consider…

It takes time and a strong commitment to maintaining a regular blog for your company. That it also  highly depends on the type of customers a business interacts with on whether a blog post is necessary or effective (Estes, 2012). For example; if your business is targeted towards people over the age of 65, are you honestly going to get a high response or activity rate?

Static websites provide helpful information, but the relationship tends to be fairly one-sided because companies have a lack of control over blogs. Just as other social media your reputation can be destroyed instantly (Rettberg, 2008).

There’s more to a great blog post than just words on a screen

We need to remember becoming a professional blogger is not going to happen over night. Here are the best ways to create a successful blog for your SME business. A good starting point would be the Title I guess…

1. A Meaningful Title

This is VITAL because the title  determines whether it is read or just scrolled past, and if it is shared. Make the reader enticed, with a clever caption (Rettberg, 2008).

The top four phrases that work are

• Ten things you must know about…
• The secret trick to…
• Discover how to…
• Did you know…
  (Zawilinski, 2009)

Related Article: Discover the secrets to the best blog titles here.

2.) Involve Related Images

Your goal is to add strategic images that help your readers, and enhance your content(Raatma, 2010). You must take into consideration the legislations around copyright though. Here’s some advice on finding free online images that you can use and how to use the correct images.

Related article: http://bit.ly/1yARXOI

3.) Unique content

You don’t simply want to make the same point that everyone else is making. You need to have a unique angle, approach, or spin (Kaye, 2015). Read this article on tips to stand out from the blogging crowd.

Related article: http://entm.ag/1G3XoZc

Success Story:

This blog is aimed at breaking this repetitive image of blogs through wonderful story-telling. If you want to see a blog that is doing a good job spinning some entertaining stories, look at General Electric.(Kaye, 2005)

4.) Respond to blog comments.
This is an opportunity to connect directly with the people who are reading your work. Not all comments need a response, but be sure to respond to ones that do. And sometimes it’s worth just posting “Thanks for reading my blog.”

Success Story:
This is something that Instagram effectively carries out, they strive on engaging their audience through interaction and comments. A study revealed that the Instagram blog readers said this is what makes them return, they feel they are being listened to!(Schaefer Marketing Solutions, 2011).

5.) Make your blog shareable

Collaborate with your social media marketing aspects to divert traffic and gain attention and brand awareness.

South west airlines used a link from their blogs successfully to their alternative social media platforms for a wide range of issues, they combined this with free give always on their social media platforms (Schaefer Marketing Solutions, 2011). Their blogs offered an increase in diverted traffic in 2014 than ever before! (They also received increased positive press attention).

 6.) Keep content up to date

Without keeping your information relevant your customers will not return, this can also have a negative affect on your future potential customers too(Tsai, 2012).

Success story:

Dell also posts regularly (1-2 posts per day at least) which keeps content fresh and encourages repeat visits. why not checkout Dell’s blog to see how they are so successful.

To conclude this topic…

With minimal effort and expense, you can build credibility, boost search engine rankings, increase website traffic, and foster relationships with potential and current customers. This is an opportunity no small business should ignore. However the growth process takes time, so if you are looking for a quick fix to boost your numbers and reach customers, you may want to consider a different strategy. But if you are ready to make a commitment to your business so that you can experience long term growth, then a business blog is a great way to do it!

Would you like to read more on this topic?

#bbsdigmarket
Would you like to TWEET about this Blog?

TWEET:From 2009 to 2011 the percentage of businesses with a blog grew from 48% to 65%

TWEET: If your company doesn’t blog, you are in the minority.

References

Ahuja, V. and Medury, Y. (2010). Corporate blogs as e-CRM tools – Building consumer engagement through content management. Journal of Database Marketing & Customer Strategy Management, 17(2), pp.91-105.

Blog.hubspot.com, (2015). HubSpot Blog Homepage | Marketing, Sales, and Agency Content. [online] Available at: http://blog.hubspot.com/ [Accessed 3 Apr. 2015].

Chef, T. and Chef, T. (2013). The Actual Purpose of Business Blogging is Not What You Think – SERPs Blog. [online] Blog.serps.com. Available at: https://blog.serps.com/the-actual-purpose-of-business-blogging-is-not-what-you-think/ [Accessed 2 Apr. 2015].

Engdahl, S. (2008). Blogs. Detroit: Greenhaven Press/Gale.

Estes, H. (2012). “Blogging and Academic Identity”. Literature Compass, 9(12), pp.974-982.

Hawkes, P. (1994). Building brand loyalty and commitment. J Brand Manag, 1(6), pp.337-347.

Huang, L. (2012). Social Media as a New Play in a Marketing Channel Strategy: Evidence from Taiwan Travel Agencies’ Blogs. Asia Pacific Journal of Tourism Research, 17(6), pp.615-634.

Kaye, B. (2005). It’s a Blog, Blog, Blog World: Users and Uses of Weblogs. Atlantic Journal of Communication, 13(2), pp.73-95.

Raatma, L. (2010). Blogs. Ann Arbor, Mich.: Cherry Lake Pub.

Rettberg, J. (2008). Blogging. Cambridge, UK: Polity.

Rossiter, J. (2014). ‘Branding’ explained: Defining and measuring brand awareness and brand attitude. J Brand Manag, 21(7-8), pp.533-540.

Schaefer Marketing Solutions: We Help Businesses {grow}, (2011). The 10 Best Company Blogs in the World – Schaefer Marketing Solutions: We Help Businesses {grow}. [online] Available at: http://www.businessesgrow.com/2011/01/05/the-10-best-corporate-blogs-in-the-world/ [Accessed 3 Apr. 2015].

Schaefer Marketing Solutions: We Help Businesses {grow}, (2011). The 10 Best Company Blogs in the World – Schaefer Marketing Solutions: We Help Businesses {grow}. [online] Available at: http://www.businessesgrow.com/2011/01/05/the-10-best-corporate-blogs-in-the-world/ [Accessed 3 Apr. 2015].

Tsai, F. (2012). Social media framework for business blog mining. IJBSR, 6(3), p.336.

Zawilinski, L. (2009). HOT Blogging: A Framework for Blogging to Promote Higher Order Thinking. The Reading Teacher, 62(8), pp.650-661.

Does Email Marketing STILL Work?

“Email may be an old tactic, but it remains a vital one” (Mullen and Daniels, 2011).

Email marketing is a type of direct digital marketing that uses electronic mail as the marketing communication delivery method. Email marketing is used by organizations and marketers for brand and customer loyalty building, acquiring or converting customers, company advertisements, or to promote offers. (Lewis, 2002)

Are you still unsure about Email Marketing? Or maybe want help on implementing Email Marketing?

Firstly Email marketing isn’t something marketers do just because it’s easy, many believe it does make your company grow.

These are the top reasons to show any company that email marketing is still worthwhile.

• Wide Reach

There are over 3.2 billion email accounts today, 95% of online consumers use email and 91% check their email account at least once a day (Salesforce Marketing Cloud, 2015). Therefore reducing competition because other methods struggle to reach a large range of potential customers in one go (Jenkins, 2009).

Do you ever hear someone say they are going to delete their email accounts for good? NO. Therefore this method will be used for a very long period of time…

This email marketing example shown below reached a large quantity of people by emerging Pinterest and twitter together. So that the customers created awareness for the particular brand. This method generated an additional $20,000 revenue in one month time for the Colonial Candle Company (Widerfunnel.com, 2015). This was mainly due to the email marketing campaign reaching potential customers and entering new markets.

• Better than social Media?

Email marketing can reach a wide audience in a short period of time and allows recipients to immediately act on messages. It is very different to how social media targets people (Groves, 2012).

According to ReturnPath, they exposed that in the first half of 2013: 18% of all email messages were either blocked or went missing and 4% were delivered to the spam or junk folder (Path, 2015).

Even if 22% emails get lost, there is still a much higher potential than posting on Facebook where 74% of your messages are potentially missed. Although this is based on average statistics, particular accounts may vary.

• Measureable:

Email marketing is measureable unlike other alternatives, through open-up, click-through and conversion rates to evaluate success of campaigns. This data is useful for marketers as they can use this to alter strategies and improve results (Mullen and Daniels, 2009).

The ‘Miss Guided’ fashion company found a 20% increase in website views, a result of the discount they offered on their email marketing campaign (MissGuided, 2015).

• Increase brand loyalty

This can create awareness of your brand. Especially for a new business; it can create loyalty with customers and form new relationships. Why not check out this academic article;  showing the impact of e-mail marketing on brand loyalty?

http://bit.ly/1CXSBYo

• Life span

Email has the longest life span in comparison to messages on Facebook and Twitter. A tweet is so short its popularity is predicted in the first couple of minutes (O’Reilly and Milstein, 2009). Whereas an email will stay in an inbox until it has actively been deleted.

• Integration

There is an opportunity to link Email and social media together, this video will explain how there are potential connections and opportunities for growth.

•  Personalisation

Email can send a single piece of content to thousands of people and still be able to involve personalization. With the help of “segmentation” it allows you to separate people into sub groups so that highly targeted messages reach specific people (Lewis, 2002).

Let’s remind ourselves that email is one of the only methods that remains private.

 Want to learn more?

Why not check out this interesting journal: An evaluation of e-mail marketing and factors affecting response, through this link here!   http://bit.ly/1FrYL1V

This has book has been rated a “Top read” by the Guardian on Email Marketing. “The truth about email marketing, by Jenkins.”

 Do you want to Tweet about this topic?

TWEET: “Did you know there are over 3.2 billion email accounts today?”

TWEET: “who agrees Email Marketing is better than Social Media Marketing?”

Also find ‘#bbsdigmarket’ for similar useful blogs and tweets.

 (Mullen, 2014)

References

Groves, E. (2009). The Constant Contact guide to email marketing. Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley.

Jenkins, S. (2009). The truth about email marketing. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: FT Press.

Lewis, H. (2002). Effective e-mail marketing. New York: AMACOM.

Marko Merisavo, Mika Raulas, (2004) “The impact of e‐mail marketing on brand loyalty”, Journal of Product & Brand Management, Vol. 13 Iss: 7, pp.498 – 505

Missguided.co.uk, (2015). Shop The Campaign Missguided. [online] Available at: http://www.missguided.co.uk/clothing/category/shop-the-tv-ad [Accessed 16 Mar. 2015].

Mullen, J. and Daniels, D. (2009). Email marketing. Indianapolis, Ind.: Wiley Pub.

O’Reilly, T. and Milstein, S. (2009). The Twitter book. Beijing: O’Reilly.

Path, R. (2015). Billions of Opt-in Email Messages Never Reach Consumers, Return Path Study Finds | Return Path. [online] Blog.returnpath.com. Available at: http://blog.returnpath.com/blog/return-path-2/billions-of-opt-in-email-messages-never-reach-consumers-return-path-study-finds [Accessed 16 Mar. 2015].

Salesforce Marketing Cloud, (2015). Salesforce Marketing Cloud: Digital Marketing Software – Email Marketing, Social Media, & Mobile Marketing. [online] Available at: http://www.exacttarget.com/ [Accessed 16 Mar. 2015].

Widerfunnel.com, (2015). WiderFunnel Marketing Conversion Optimization – Katie Fernands | Colonial Candle. [online] Available at: http://www.widerfunnel.com/katie-fernands-colonial-candle [Accessed 16 Mar. 2015].

#bbsdigmarket

Recently I have been travelling to various places and have been using the company ‘National Express’, this means I receive the current deals and offers through emails and via my mobile. Before opening the latest email, the most significant factor was that it gave the impression there was something cheap to be claimed. For example “Free festive fun with our £9 deals”. This would not usually entice me to open it as I only book tickets nearer the time I will be travelling.

After opening the email it gave more detail about the £9 offer and how it was actually starting from £9 and was for a one way ticket that only that did not include the booking fee. It explained the many restrictions that were involved. For example; this was only valid between Monday to Thursday and it had to be booked at least three days in advance.

There was no personalisation involved throughout the email, for example; my name was not included like other emails I receive. This could have a negative effect on the customer as they may think everyone has this email sent to them and therefore it is not seen as a special deal.

A simple Template was used throughout with a Christmas theme involved. It has a clear Logo presented at the top of the page, so it is easily recognisable. This theme kept in with the festive title which was expected by using red and green backgrounds and font colours.

To be continued…