Archive for April, 2010
The Blues Have It: Tory v Labour approaches to online marketing
Apr 12th
Bruce Townsend, ecommerce software supplier, Actinic
With the election upon us, and bearing in mind the reputed influence of the internet in the US presidential campaign, I thought it would be interesting to see how the two key rivals for Number 10 are performing so far in their online marketing.
Starting with Google – as you do – I noticed that David Cameron already has his own domain name, www.davidcameronmp.com. On the other hand, www.gordonbrown.co.uk is available, but not claimed by the eponymous PM; while www.gordonbrown.com is a political protest site and www.gordon-brown.co.uk is an estate agency in Chester le Street. Strike one for Cameron.
Brown’s page is within the Labour Party site, www.labour.org.uk/gordon-brown. But it languishes near the bottom of page one in searches for ‘Gordon Brown’, and has to be propped up with a pay-per-click ad. Whereas Cameron’s site manages to rank first for his own name. Another blow for the opposition.
For the volume of searches, Google has provided a page showing the relative performance of the three party leaders, www.google.co.uk/intl/en/landing/elections2010. The incumbent currently polls more than both his main rivals put together. One back for the man in the red shirt.
Of their respective web pages, Cameron’s is the better looking, but mostly filled with a rather turgid biography, although it does at least have some video content. Brown on the other hand scores with a Twitter feed, albeit from Mrs Brown and not himself.
Both have links to Facebook, but Brown disappointingly links to a Labour Party page with 15,000 fans, compared with Cameron’s personal 21,000.
The killer blow for the man in blue is a Facebook app. that enables his supporters to share his latest messages with their Facebook friends. This should put the Tories well ahead of Labour in disseminating their message via the UK’s largest social networking site. Whether that will prove a killer blow in the election, time will tell.
Google makes its first acquisition in the UK
Apr 12th
Google has made its first acquisition in the UK, and it’s not the kind of heavy -hitter you might expect the giant to snap up.
Visual search company, Plink, is just a two-man start-up, based out of Oxford. It’s founders Mark Cummins and James Philbin are now both joining Google to work on Google Goggles.
Publically launched just four months ago, the site shot past 50,000 users in just four short weeks.
The company’s first product, PlinkArt, enables users to identify paintings and artworks with just a snap from their phone’s camera. Once recognised, users can read information on the artwork and artist, share their favourite pieces with friends, or even order a print to hang on their wall.
“We started Plink to bring the power of visual search to everyone, and we’re delighted to be taking a big step towards that goal today,” said Cummins and Philbin in a posting on Plink’s company blog.
“Google has already shown that it’s serious about investing in this space with Google Goggles, and for the Plink team the opportunity to take our algorithms to Google-scale was just too exciting to pass up.” Read the rest of this entry »
Twitter’s secret to (growth) success
Apr 12th
Twitter’s first users may have been the sites early employees and their friends, but today the micro-blogging site is global, and coincidently has more users outside of its home country.
Over 60% of Twitter users are outside the US. The “geographically diverse” social network boasts users in the large countries you’d expect, some smaller countries you might not expect (like the Vatican City) and even one in outer space.
And while media and marketing commentators continue to try and put a value on Twitter and see an enduring future, the sites growth continues.
The site is now available in six languages and when it launched in Spanish in November 2009, users increased by 50%.
Twitter has become famous for breaking some of the world’s biggest news stories immediately after they happen. In the days following the tragic Chilean earthquake people turned to Twitter to establish much-needed lines of communication.
In Colombia, signups are up 300% after politicians like Piedad Córdoba Ruíz began using Twitter as a platform to speak to constituents. Signups in India have increased nearly 100% since the beginning of 2010 due in part to politicians like Shashi Tharoor and Bollywood mega-stars Sharukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra and Abhishek Bachchan.
Matt Sanford, lead engineer for Twitter’s International team, says that such developments are just the tip of the iceberg.
“Twitter’s realtime information network gets more useful as our users grow more diverse and we’re continually impressed with the results,” he said. “We look forward to seeing what happens as we make it easier for the whole world to communicate over Twitter.
Absolut caught out by ‘I’m Here’ online film fans
Apr 9th
Vodka company Absolut had an idea. That brainwave may have come in the sauna (with the company being Swedish). Or perhaps during a roll in the snow.
But it was a very good idea. The idea was to work with acclaimed film director, Spike Jonze, and the result was a 30-minute robot love story film entitled, ‘I’m Here’.
It was released in January 2010, at imheremovie.com but unfortunately – or perhaps more fortunately – has been an overwhelming success.
According to the vodka folks ‘I’m Here’ is screened every two hours on imheremovie.com, limited to just 5,000 viewers per day, the capacity of the site is now to be expanded to 12,000 a day.
In it’s first weekend of release the online movie theatre apparently clocked up 230,000 unique visitors alone.
“’I’m Here’ marks an evolution of our commitment to creativity, and I’m very happy about the great interest in this film. It is a beautiful story and a fantastic piece of art,” said Vice President Global Marketing at The Absolut Company, Anna Malmhake.
Seen in the worst light, it could be just a load of spin from Absolut. But there are widen implications.
It’s a reflection of just how viewing habits online are growing. In fact as we’ve already reported on UTalkMarketing, Online video is medium of choice for marketers in 2010
Why? Well it’s all down to the growth of broadband across the UK.
Absolut obviously knew the film was going to be popular. Otherwise they’d never have commissioned it in the first place.
They’ve also been driving traffic by integrating the project on Facebook, making it possible for social networkers to see the film together with friends.
But it looks like they underestimated just how popular it might be.
Lessons to be learnt?
Marketers should never underestimate the potential appeal of online video
Get it right and 230,000 unique visitors could be engaging with your brand over just one weekend too.
With the costs of video production falling too, there are no excuses for not making the leap into digital celluloid.
We’ve even got some top tips on How to produce video that delivers on a tight marketing budget here
Can MySpace really pull off a re-launch?
Apr 9th
News Corp is attempting to re-launch its ailing social network MySpace. After a management shake-up and brand rethink, can it be done?
A re-launch is about to happen which MySpace execs hope will claw back some of the ground the site has lost to Facebook in the last two years, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.
MySpace co-president Mike Jones said: “I know that when that relaunch comes I’ve got a great product, I’ve got a global audience that at one point used MySpace… I think I can make the old new again for them.”
There is one clear fact that is on the side of News Corp – eight in ten Brits use and are a member of one or more social networks. In the US, the percentage of Americans age 12 and older who have a profile on one or more social networking sites has reached almost half (48%) of the population in 2010. And in Asia-Pacific, social networking penetration has reach 90%.
However, when it comes to social networks, Facebook is king with more than 400 million users worldwide. MySpace memberships sit at around 200 million – but the site has been going much longer.
The social media space is somewhat dominated by Facebook. It has almost forced FreindsReunited out of the market and this week we heard that Bebo is to shut down due to declining numbers.
MySpace is up against a fierce competitor. But then again, it has one of the most powerful media moguls on its side – Rupert Murdoch.
Earlier this year I saw the Adam Sandler film Funny People. MySpace also starred and I thought to myself, ‘How did MySpace score that gig?’ Easy, Murdoch owns 2oth Century Fox, the film studio which produced it. Read the rest of this entry »
New app brings show reels to the masses
Apr 8th
SohoSoHo, the advertising reels directory, has launched an iPhone app that will make it possible for directors, their reps and producers to showcase, download and access their work on the move.
The ChilliBean-managed company offers a direct marketing channel for subscribers to the world’s leading advertising agencies – showcasing their reels, bios and latest news.
The app allows subscribers can share new projects, talent and new signings, while the search function enables agencies and brands to simply and quickly find and view work from a wide range of creative talent.
Part of ChilliBean’s range of services for the creative industries, the app also gives users the opportunity to view and save the latest reels and industry news and also make direct contact with subscribers via their iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad.
Daniel Hearn, Client Services Director of ChilliBean said: “We wanted to provide a service that would give our subscribers the platform to be able to view and access their reels anywhere. This industry is all about getting your work in front of the right people and at the right time – be it on the tube, at a market or major event, and with the SohoSoHo app, when an opportunity arises to show off their work, our users can now just reach into their pockets.”
Brits love visiting social sites via mobile
Apr 8th
UK internet users make the most of social networking sites via their mobile phones, according to new research from InSites Consulting.
The research found that 32% of UK internet users surf social media sites using their mobiles, while the European average in 26%. The global percentage is also 26%.
The figures aren’t surprising as thanks to the likes of the iPhone and Andorid handsets, surfing the internet via mobile has become somewhat second nature.
In fact, many are no longer even logging on to the internet via their home computers…they have it in their hands via their mobile handsets which they are also using at home.
So, you think the iPad sucks?
Apr 6th
The most anticipated product launch of the year, the iPad, has been and gone with some success, but it’s not without its glitches – and either was the launch of the iPhone.
Over the weekend, despite rumours the launch date had been moved to later in the month, Apple sold more than 300,000 iPads. That figure includes the pre-ordered tablets, too.
iPad users have already downloaded more than one million applications at Apple’s App Store and over 250,000 electronic books from the iBookstore, according to the company.
But there has been complaints about the device already. Anything that Apple does causes mass hype and hysteria, however, the explosion of information and publicity surrounding the iPad launch has left consumers feeling that their expectations have not completely met. Big surprise.
Apparently, some users have been having major issues connecting to the internet via wi-fi. Apple has a support page set up for those having issues but many have complained on the TechCrunch blog that they are going to return their iPads.
While users are praising the sleek design of the device, many are still complaining about the lack of camera and Flash capabilities.
There’s even people bashing the device to death, somehow proving that the screen isn’t all it’s cracked up to be (being taken to with a baseball bat).
All this might seem like what has been a long run of bad publicity for the iPad, since it was first announced in January. But demand is still high and the tech giant has doubled its manufacturing output for 2010.
Furthermore, the iPhone didn’t come without it’s complaints and now look at its phenomenal popularity.
Goodbye to the Facebook “fan.” Hello to the “like.”
Apr 1st
Facebook is replacing its “fan” buttons with “like” buttons on ads that direct users to big brands’ “fan pages” in a bid to further monetise the social networking site.
That’s according to new internal information acquired by All Things Digital.
Brand ‘fan pages’ are nothing new, of course but the problem for Facebook is they can be set up and operated for free.
All that free exposure to 400 million users via what is in effect a microsite for nada? Naturally Facebook is not happy so is now encouraging brands to buy ads on the site promoting the pages.
The move from ‘Fan’ to ‘Like’ has been prompted by a couple of developments.
First up is the fact that users have demonstrated the success of the ‘like’ button in other contexts – such as status up dates and photos. Facebook claims this is used twice as frequently as the ‘become a fan of’ button.
Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, is the bigger picture. Facebook, according to All Things Digital, will be driving to add the ‘like’ button throughout the Web as a way of funneling more and more interaction onto its platform.
“‘Like’ offers a simple, consistent way for people to connect with the things they are interested in. These lighter-weight actions mean people will make more connections across the site, including with your branded Facebook Pages,” Facebook said a FAQ Sheet, All Things Digital claims to have get its hands on.
“I believe this will result in gaining more connections to pages since our research has shown that some users would be more comfortable with the term “Like”. The goal is to get the most user connections so that you can have ongoing conversations in the news feeds of as many users as possible.”
It adds, “The core functionality of Pages will not change. For instance, your Pages will still have distribution into your fans’ News Feed and you can still call the people who “Like” your Page, “Fans”-your Fans are still your Fans.”
Will users notice the difference in the change of buttons? Possibly. Will they care about the name change? Probably not.
Will the name change increase user engagement with brands? Facebook seems to think so. I’m not so sure.
After all, at the end of the day, it’s about whether you like a brand or not; not really about the difference between ‘like’ or being a ‘fan’.
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