Utube's highest ever share of the overall social media pie

Hitwise for April 2011 show that YouTube received one in five visits by UK web users to social media networks. Utube's highest ever share of the overall social media pie.

The Google-owned site has jumped from having a 17% share of visits to social networks in the UK in April 2010 to 20% within 12 months.
Facebook captures around 55% of all social network-related visits (up 1% on April 2010), while Twitter accounts for just 3% of the overall social media noise

Google still accounts for a massive nine in ten of all web searches

Experian Hitwise research director Robin Goad says:
“If you look at the year-on-year trends, you can see that Microsoft is slowly eroding Google’s grip on the UK search market, but as the April data shows, the gains for Microsoft at the moment are relatively small, and easily lost.”

TactixSocialMedia is an internet marketing company based in UK. The company specializes in Social Media services and software that help companies increase their brand recognition by expanding their presence on the web. visit www.tactixsocialmedia.com today to obtain a free consultation .

For more information about TactixSocialMedia, or the services and software provided by the company, please visit www.tactixsocialmedia.com or call +44 (0) 1494 524026 to speak with someone directly .

Take Social Sentiment seriously.

Take Social Sentiment seriously.

Influence, awareness and measurement of conversation are becoming more and more important with the rise of the social web.

4 IMPORTANT STATS

STAT 1.
53% of people on Twitter recommend companies and/or products in their Tweets, with 48% of them delivering on their intention to buy the product.
(ROI Research for Performance, June 2010)

STAT 2.
The average consumer mentions specific brands over 90 times per week in conversations with friends, family, and co-workers.
(Keller Fay, WOMMA, 2010)

STAT 3.
Consumer reviews are significantly more trusted -- nearly 12 times more -- than descriptions that come from manufacturers, according to a survey of US mom Internet users by online video review site EXPO.
(eMarketer, February 2010)

STAT 4.
In a study conducted by social networking site myYearbook, 81 percent of respondents said they'd received advice from friends and followers relating to a product purchase through a social site; 74 percent of those who received such advice found it to be influential in their decision.
(Click Z, January 2010)

Conversation/word of mouth has always been been a key influence on purchase and advocacy. Measuring your social sentiment is going to become vital in addition to direct measurement.

There are very comprehensive monthly subscription services available, but here are 4 free tools that are very useful for measurement of social sentiment…

FREE TOOLS TO MEASURE SOCIAL SENTIMENT

Twendz - measures realtime sentiment in Twitter. The interface is great and the hsitory bar chart is useful to give a sentiment snapshot. See www.twendz.com

Socialmention - perhaps one of the most useful free social search tools. Great controls and great metrics for setting benchmarks. See www.socialmention.com

Wordle - create a word cloud to give a visual representation of your social conversation. Add url, feed or paste text. See www.wordle.net

Twittersheep - create word clouds from twitter accounts or mentions of key words. See www.twittersheep.com

There are many ways to measure social sentiment, including far more comprehensive paid models, but these are free and easy to use.

TactixSocialMedia is an internet marketing company based in UK. The company specializes in Social Media services and software that help companies increase their brand recognition by expanding their presence on the web. Visit www.tactixsocialmedia.com today to obtain a free consultation .

For more information about TactixSocialMedia, or the services and software provided by the company, please visit www.tactixsocialmedia.com or call +44 (0) 1494 524026 to speak with someone directly .

The rise in online shopping - The High Street needs to adapt

The UK may be known as a leading nation when it comes to High Street retail but forecasts suggest that the rise in online shopping could result in the closure of up to a quarter of Britain’s shops.

That was one of the predictions made by Javelin Group chief executive Tony Stockil He said that “the recession is only now hitting some retailers.” We have seen retail performances slowing and in some cases declining

The rise in e-commerce coupled with the rising cost of operating shops, and of the raw materials for the goods they sell, mean that many specialist retailers face a tough future.

The best tactic for staying successful was to adopt a multi-channel approach, which included online display advertising and greater adoption of social media for attracting and engaging potential customers.


UK retailers have seen people look at goods instore but researching ,shopping and buying online.


The popularity of ‘click and collect’ facilities offered by stores shows that they need to adapt, in order to maximise the benefits from their position at the end of this new buying chain,

To survive retailers need to have "Bricks and mortar" retail operations which are fully integrated with online activity.
TactixSocialMedia is an internet marketing company based in UK. The company specializes in Social Media services and software that help companies increase their brand recognition by expanding their presence on the web. Visit www.tactixsocialmedia.com today to obtain a free consultation .

For more information about TactixSocialMedia, or the services and software provided by the company, please visit www.tactixsocialmedia.com or call +44 (0) 1494 524026 to speak with someone directly .

LinkedIn For Business social networking

A few tips i received for improving LinkedIn profiles?

Ultimately it is your choice; but here are some pointers that should help you--

LinkedIn is now a major network for business and career minded professionals having just passed the 100 Million members milestone on March 22nd. (For some idea of scale; that number of business cards piled on top of each other would be well over three times the height of Everest; 96,425 ft versus 29,029 ft). That is a lot of people believing it has some value.

What is LinkedIn?
It is a place for professional and career minded individuals to reconnect, make contact or be referred hopefully to the benefit of all involved.
It is a place to talk with those you know and trust and to build a network via referral. If you are looking for expertise, personal progression or to research alternative business or career options you can use it to link with people that you can help or can help you.
It is not the type of social network to tweet, poke, prod or post pictures of your pets or what you may have got up to in the past (particularly in moments of excess).
In these challenging times, you can use it to:
• Build your brand
• Research options
• Prepare for referral meetings or interviews
• Maintain and build a network of professionals that you can help or be assisted by

What can you do to be more effective?
Here are a few tips that should help--
1. Upload a New Photo
If you have one, most likely the first thing that people will see and look at is your photograph. Could yours be improved? Every status update or group discussion comment and other site activity will display your photo. Make sure that it is clear, professional and not a poorly cropped holiday snap. You may also choose an appropriate back drop in context with your career. For example; if you are a scientist there might be a laboratory background. Human beings have a tremendous recall for images they have seen, so help people to recall you and what you do more readily.
2. Adding in Apps
You can lift your profile by adding some LinkedIn applications. Frequent travellers can try TripIt which lets you share your itineraries and set up appointments in the cities you visit. Google Presentation or Slide Share will let you add presentations to your profile to appeal to visual people. Reading List by Amazon lets you share reading lists and reviews with your connections. Google; “LinkedIn applications” and see what options might work for you.
3. Kick-Out Keywords that might be Tired and Overused
LinkedIn researched to find the most overused phrases for 2010 using over 85 Million LinkedIn profiles. They were;
• Extensive experience
• Innovative
• Motivated
• Results-oriented
• Dynamic
• Proven track record
• Team player
• Fast-paced
• Problem solver
• Entrepreneurial

If you have these words in your profile, you might want to replace them with more specifics on what you delivered and achieved. Remember; differentiate yourself positively!
4. More Group Activity
Join relevant groups and participate. Thoughtful and considered comments will raise your profile and credibility within the groups you frequent. Look at starting your own discussion groups to help the other members out there. When you are the host, just like authors that get books published, there is an almost automatic assumption with regard to your knowledge and standing in the area concerned. The star contributors will stand out in the group. Make sure you become one of those stars.
Whatever you do with your use of any social or business networking - the more you put in and contribute the more you will enjoy and see by way of positive outcomes.

TactixSocialMedia is an internet marketing company based in UK. The company specializes in Social Media services and software that help companies increase their brand recognition by expanding their presence on the web. visit www.tactixsocialmedia.com today to obtain a free consultation .

For more information about TactixSocialMedia, or the services and software provided by the company, please visit www.tactixsocialmedia.com or call +44 (0) 1494 524026 to speak with someone directly .

Businesses on Facebook

Businesses are on Facebook, especially big brands and multinational companies. Small businesses, even those with only local operations, should start their own Facebook pages

Why facebook for Small businesses-


1. Facebook is a good way to start your online efforts.

Facebook is a good place to kick off. Everything is simple and easy to learn and it involves less investments than a full blown online campaign.

A Facebook page could easily give you a Web site without having to pay for an online host, a web designer, and anybody or anything involved in making a Web site happen. MAke shure you use the new IFrames and opportunities for running offers !!


2. Your customers are probably on Facebook.

With more than 400 million active users, your customers are probably Facebook users. If for anything, shouldn’t you be where your customers are?

It makes it easier for you to form a community with your customers in mind.

3. Facebook Pages are visible to everyone.

Facebook gives you an edge over your competitors. It allows you to get directly in touch with your Likers. Specifically, you could easily send them messages after they Like your page and every so often afterward. But more than that, you can develop a more personal relationship with your customers.

4. Facebook increases your customer’s engagement.

With the interaction you get from your Facebook page, it is easy to develop a more personal relationship with your customers.


5. Facebook allows you to gain more customers inexpensively and efficiently.

Having a Facebook page for your business is a low-cost investment. Spending time to interact with your Likers every day allows you to engage them.

An engaged customer, offline and online, will be recommending you to their friends much more often than unengaged customers.

Your customers’ contacts can see the pages they have Liked, so their contacts can very well see your business, too. One click and they are in your business page seeing your product photos and reading about you.

6. Facebook allows you to get to know your customers better.

The best thing about getting a Facebook page are the insights you get. Statistics as to what countries they are from, what sites they have visited before coming to your page, even their demographics and ages are easily viewed in Facebook.

TactixSocialMedia is an internet marketing company. The company specializes in Social Media services and software that help companies increase their brand recognition by expanding their presence on the web --- www.tactixsocialmedia.com

90 percent of marketers said that social media was important to achieving business success

Debate in the business marketing and advertising world has continued over the actual utility of social media to companies. Does it really create consumer engagement and produce a significant return on investment, or are companies just sending out content that no one reads?

In an attempt to answer this question, Social Media Examiner recently released the 2011 Social Media Marketing Industry Report, which found that professional marketers find the medium to be extremely useful if employed properly.

According to the study, 90 percent of marketers said that the channel was important to achieving business success. However, nearly two-thirds (63 percent) of respondents who have been in the social media world for more then 3 years said they spend more than 10 hours per week on it.

Interpreting these results, the website Business 2 Community suggests that they could mean that social media is an advertising channel that takes time to mature and show results.

It further suggests spreading time and resources around so that while companies are waiting for their social media efforts to begin showing returns they aren't neglecting other fronts.

Facebook for Business

Facebook marketing is effective for small businesses who want to take advantage of the current trends in social networking. Not only is Facebook the hottest site at the moment, the potential for Facebook marketing is huge. Smart business owners need to strike while the iron is hot.The new IFrames make promotion easier for businesses

Here are a few ways you can get the most from your Facebook marketing:

Create an outstanding profile.
Your Facebook profile is key to your branding on Facebook. Make sure to use high-quality professional pictures that conveys who you are and what your business is about. Make sure your profile is complete, and has all of your education, work experience and personal interests.
Make friends.
The more relationships you develop on Facebook, the more effective your marketing efforts will be. Facebook is the ultimate place for permission marketing, where you can directly connect with people who share your interests, and who are in your small business’ target demographic.
Join groups.
There are Facebook groups for just about any interest area you can think of. Groups are one of the fastest way to make new friends on Facebook.
Publish your blog feed via Facebook. You can use RSS to syndicate your blog on your Facebook profile. This, in turn, drives traffic back to your blog.
Use events.
If you’re launching a new service or product, create an events page and invite all of your Facebook friends.
Business pages
THese are crucial to drive your business and services. Ensure you set one up. You can also set up others to administer the business page. Ensure you take advantage of the new IFrame apps that are readily available to allow for a more professional image.
Send Virtual Gifts.
They don’t cost anything, and you can give someone the warm fuzzies inside when you send them a virtual gift.
Use Cool Applications.
There are plenty of apps build just for Facebook. Using these apps will draw others to your Facebook profile.
Create your own community.
The most effective type of Facebook marketing will build a loyal community of customers, friends and followers. Make sure to reply to people who write on your wall, answer feedback, and even introduce people to one another. This helps build your brand, and it helps turn your Facebook friends into evangelists for your product or service.

Facebook Marketing can be extremely effective, if it’s done right. Make sure you don’t miss out on this wonderful opportunity to promote your small business via this amazing social network.


TactixSocialMedia is an internet marketing company based in UK. The company specializes in Social Media services and software that help companies increase their brand recognition by expanding their presence on the web. visit www.tactixsocialmedia.com today to obtain a free consultation .

For more information about TactixSocialMedia, or the services and software provided by the company, please visit www.tactixsocialmedia.com or call +44 (0) 1494 524026 to speak with someone directly .

By 2015 Internet ad spending will account for one-quarter of all advertising.

The Internet surpassed newspapers last year to become the second-largest medium in terms of ad spending, according to a new report from eMarketer.
Last year, Internet ad spending reached $25.8 billion, making up 16.9% of total ad spending, according to the report.

TV is still the largest ad category, reaching $59.0 billion and making up 38.6% of all ad spending last year.

Newspapers, the third-largest ad category, had revenue totaling $22.8 billion last year, representing 14.9% of all ad spending.

EMarketer projects that by 2015, Internet ad spending will account for one-quarter of all advertising.

More information about the report is available at - eMarketer http://bit.ly/dUhnam

Some key internet Social media stats

Powerful stats ive just received ---

1. 78% of Internet users conduct product research online.
That means your website stands a good chance of being a prospect's "first impression." That also means your new business card isn't a business card—it's Google.

2. In the past year, Web-based email usage dropped a staggering 59% among 12-17 year olds, who prefer to communicate via text, instant messaging, and social networks.
If 12-17 year olds aren't your primary customers, you may think, "So what? They're just kids." But web-based email usage has been on the decline among ALL Internet users under the age of 55.Today's kids are tomorrow's customers—and they're probably not going to be reading your email.

3. 78% of business people use their mobile device to check email.
So that means pretty much everybody that can check email on a mobile device, does. Is your email newsletter optimized for mobile devices?

4. 40% of US smartphone owners compare prices on their mobile device while in-store, shopping for an item.
Is your business website optimized for mobile devices? If not, you may be missing out on hundreds of sales opportunities.

5. 200 Million Americans have registered on the FTC's "Do Not Call" list.
That's 2/3 of the country's citizens. The other 1/3, I'm guessing, probably don't have a home phone anymore.

6. 91% of email users have unsubscribed from a company email they previously opted-in to.
We're getting savvier with technology and less patient with unwanted solicitations. And it's just so easy to hit 'delete'.

7. 84% of 25-34 year-olds have left a favorite website because of intrusive or irrelevant advertising.

8. 57% of businesses have acquired a customer through their company blog.
Finally, some good news! Blogging is good. Intrusive ads are bad.

9. 41% of B2B companies and 67% of B2C companies have acquired a customer through Facebook.

10. The number of marketers who say Facebook is “critical” or “important” to their business has increased 83% in just 2 years.

11. Companies that blog get 55% more web traffic.
The more you blog, the more pages Google has to index, and the more inbound links you're likely to have. The more pages and inbound links you have, the higher you rank on search engines like Google—thus the greater amount of traffic to your website. Which is why we repeat: Blogging is good.

12. Inbound marketing costs 62% less per lead than traditional, outbound marketing.
That's right—62% less. The average outbound lead costs $373. The average inbound lead costs $143. And as we love to say around here, "if it don't make dollars, it don't make sense." Outbound marketing just don't make sense anymore.

TactixSocialMedia is an internet marketing company based in UK, The company specializes in Social Media services and software that help companies increase their brand recognition by expanding their presence on the web. visit www.tactixsocialmedia.com today to obtain a free consultation .

For more information about TactixSocialMedia, or the services and software provided by the company, please visit www.tactixsocialmedia.com or call +44 (0) 1494 524026 to speak with someone directly .

Where should IT and Enterprise Architecture fit within social media management?

Having worked closely with Enterprise Architects and IT Professionals over the past few years im now being asked where does IT fit within the emerging discipline of Social Media ?
Im meeting with clients where their organizations are looking to deploy social media tools and strategies. Interestingly in all of the meetings to date there hasn’t been a single person from the IT or the Enterprise Architecture function involved!

Based on my great respect for the Enterprise Architect and IT discipline it’s quite amazing to see that technology and platform discussions are taking place without someone from an IT discipline being present.
It seems that business leaders and department managers see no need to involve IT or EA functions as the deployments are cloud based and simple.


From a Marketing and business perspective many of the technologies can be deployed by none IT business managers as the barrier to social media deployment is quite low. Now anyone can launch a blog or landing page within minutes without having any type of technical background. Anyone can do it, at any time, in a cost effective and time effective way without dealing with the complexities of IT.

However the tools and systems being introduced have their own social media backends often with their own data, information and processes. This can lead to duplication of content, lack of standardization, a big technology mess and data silos within organizations.

So, what’s the best solution?
I believe its now time for the EA Business Architects to step forward and get involved. There needs to be a strategy in place on how Social Media is implemented and how it fits into the overall business architecture.

What do you think ?
Is it now time for the Business Architects to step forward and get involved?

TactixSocialMedia is an internet marketing company. The company specializes in Social Media services and software that help companies increase their brand recognition by expanding their presence on the web - www.tactixsocialmedia.com

Social Media revolution

Social media in the next 2 years!

I have been debating with a number of clients where Social Media is going over the next 2 years-

Self/personal Social Media use
People doing social media from a hobby or personal perspective will continue growing. People spending time on Social media because it will make them money will continue to use evangelise and invest in projects. There are a lot of people who are using social media for fun and this will continue.

Small Business Social Media use
The biggest growth potential for social media is for small businesses. There will be a massive ground swell in small business owners will outsource the delivery and management of social media. There is a massive opportunity for creation of and management of Facebook profiles/Twitter and Linkedin to name only three! The real success will come from being able to track and report on the ROI of these services.

Midsized and Large Business Social Media use
At this level we are going to see massive consolidation as the "cottage industry players" and smaller innovative agencies are snapped up by the "big guys" over the next two years. The emphasis and service delivery will move towards a need to understand and manage data using very sophisticated analytic tools to track not only inbound sentiment from the market but fully integrated inbound and outbound marketing

TactixSocialMedia is an internet marketing company based in UK, The company specializes in Social Media services and software that help companies increase their brand recognition by expanding their presence on the web - www.tactixsocialmedia.com