by cassandr | Sep 5, 2012 | Branding, Business Success, Interactive, Social Media
Have you ever wondered how to tell a real account from a fake account? The tricks they use, and the game they play? Well you’re not alone.
Unfortunately many fake Twitter accounts pop up everyday, some harder to spot than others.
The downside to fake followers for brands is significant. The number of followers a brand has becomes irrelevant if the followers are fake. Measuring social media is already a difficult process, but once you throw in accounts that add no value other than a number it becomes even more difficult.
How do you truly measure social media success if a brand gets nothing in return from its Twitter followers?
StatusPeople is an App that is a social media management tool that can easily help businesses and brands track their social media communities and if they are real or not. Over 150,000 people have used the Fakers App to find out what the quality of their followers is.
Barring the use of any Faker App, here are some online do-it-yourself identity checks to help you spot the fakers, right off the bat:
1) Style and Personality
Before following a Twitter account make sure to do a quick review of their biography. It is also very important to check out their tweets and the daily conversations they engage in. This can easily display the style and personality of the individual you want to follow.
2) Huge Amount Following, Small Amount of Followers
This is a pretty self-explanatory indication if an account is fake. If an account is following thousands, while only a few are following back, this is more than likely a fake account. One of the first things to check is if they truly work for a specific company; you could possibly expect to see other employees following them.
3) The Follow/ Unfollow Game
Have you ever had someone follow you on Twitter and then unfollow when you don’t follow back? Some people do this in order to have a positive ratio of followers to follows. These types of accounts wait a couple days for you to follow them, and then unfollow the people they recently followed. They continue and repeat the process until they have the desired number of followers.
4) No or Very Few Photo Uploads
Many fake accounts do not post many or any photos at all. Fake accounts typically have pictures of different people; this gives the illusion that this is in fact a real person.
5) More Than 50 Tweets a Day
Many fake accounts use services that provide them with automated tweets. These accounts do not target their tweets nor do they write there own content. In other words, they just let the software do all the work and send out as many spammy messages as possible.
Fake Twitter followers negatively affect both consumers and brands; brands in particular should remember quality is always better than quantity.
How do you use your Twitter followers to enhance your business strategy?
by cassie | Aug 24, 2012 | Advertising, Branding, Business Success, Interactive, Social Media
Every marketing campaign starts off with two things: a brand and a target audience. Determining a target audience used to be fairly simple; marketers looked at demographics and psychographics and determined which groups would be most responsive to the brand.
Who: is your target market made up of males or females? How old are they? Are they married or single?
Where: where do they live? What country? Are they in the country, suburbs or city?
What: what are their interests? What time of day is best to reach them? What is it about the brand’s persona that connects with them?
Why: why is the brand appealing? Why does the target audience need the product or service?
How: how can a brand’s product or service benefit the target audience?
Fundamentally the process for determining target audiences hasn’t changed, marketers still ask those questions. However, what has changed is how specific target audiences can get.
Psychographics are becoming increasingly important as niche marketing is becoming more of a common practice.
Brands that serve a niche market need to pay attention to psychographics in particular. Already having a smaller number of people in their target audience, these brands need to ensure that the connection they do create is a strong one.
It used to be that males 18-25 and who live alone was a target audience. Seems kind of broad doesn’t it? It is possible to narrow down the target audience even more and it’s largely due to social media.
Social media has made it possible for anyone to be a publisher or a writer. If an individual is dissatisfied with the lack of discourse on their interests, there is little stopping them from starting a blog or an online magazine. That’s where marketers need be looking to determine their target audience.
With the vast amount of resources available at marketer’s fingertips, it is possible to include more variables in the target audience. Instead of targeting males 18-25, who live alone and don’t cook, they can target males 18-25, who live alone in an exact neighbourhood and who don’t like vegetables.
For agencies, this can mean greater efficiency and better results for the brands. While the “blanket approach” of placing ads in all outlets that cover a particular topic can be successful in some cases; increased exposure does drive sales, it runs the risk of being too generic and lacking the details that speak directly to the target audience.
For niche marketing and its specific target audiences to be successful, marketers need to use the fine details to grab the attention of the members of the target audience, speak to them directly and build a strong relationship that will be maintained over time.
With niche marketing ads are just the beginning. As previously mentioned there are blogs, online magazines and digital media, but then there are also social media platforms and forums. Marketers need to be monitoring online conversation and see how people are speaking about brands and products. In doing so marketers can better position brands and products to align with the feelings and perspectives of the target audience, again developing a stronger connection.
Integrating psychographics and multiple variables when identifying a target audience helps drive sales through developing brand loyalty, as opposed to attracting a large amount of one-time buyers.
How specific do you get when identifying target audiences? How do you determine which variables to include?
by cassie | Aug 21, 2012 | Advertising, Branding, Business Success, Interactive, Social Media
Social Media change…what else is new!
The only constant in life is change, and this seems especially true in terms of social media. It seems as if every other day there is a new platform that is coming into vogue and those that have been around awhile are changing to keep up. Once you finally learn how to leverage networks like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, they change the next day.
Let’s take a look at some recent social media changes:
Klout has altered its scoring system to include “moments.” Moments are posts that have generated activity. Through moments users can see what action was taken, who did it and what network it happened on. In similar fashion to Facebook, Klout is also including insights, which allows users to have a better idea of their influence by allowing them to view data quickly and simply.
LinkedIn has changed its user interface. The homepage now features a more modern design as well as incorporating more visuals in the updates stream. Additionally, updates and posts can now be organized and viewed by what is most relevant, not that which is most recent.
Twitter has taken its promotional tweets one step further with targeted tweets. Targeted tweets allow advertisers to send tweets to specific audiences without tweeting to all of a brand’s followers. Advertisers using targeted tweets can segment by location, devices and platforms.
Facebook is following in the footsteps of Twitter by testing promoted posts. Promoted posts allow ads to show in the news feeds of all members regardless if the user has liked the brand page or if they have friends who have liked the brand page.
The question remains, are these changes necessary and useful or just annoying?
As with any change, there are going to be positive and negative aspects.
The best instances of change come out of necessity. In the case of Klout, there were many critics voicing opinions about whether the score is truly accurate and even questioning how the score is determined.
Klout’s response was to try to develop a better user understanding through its new features. Whether it will silence the naysayers remains to be seen.
Facebook is also a good example of necessary social media change. One of its largest competitors was offering a way to reach more people, so they are testing a similar approach to stay relevant.
This particular case has huge potential for brands and advertisers. Facebook already offers ads, but they are small and cast off to the side of the page. Promoted posts will bring the content onto the news feeds of users, giving it more space and attention.
These changes have the potential to transform the way those specific platforms are used and to open new ways for marketers to engage with their audiences. These changes show that the platforms are listening to their users and work to serve a purpose.
Change for change’s sake is not necessarily good. Facebook is notorious for changing their user interface and often times the reasoning behind the change is not clear. LinkedIn is the most recent platform to alter its appearance and one could question why the now and if it was even necessary.
Changes, such as those mentioned, can seem superficial and can lead to “user rage.” With the speed of technology and the amount of platforms out there, users can easily become overwhelmed. It takes time, a precious commodity they don’t have, to learn and adjust to a new interface and many initially resent being forced to make the change. It goes against the “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” mentality.
Change has the potential to bring about great things, so long as it serves a purpose and people are willing to accept it. How do you feel about the recent changes in the social media landscape?
by Miriam Hara | Aug 15, 2012 | Advertising, Branding, Business Success, Interactive, Social Media
Centre yourself, greet the new day and open to the vision: we will remain open, move with the times, bend and balance. When the agency and the Brand intention are in sync, harmony will follow. Branding for the 21st century.
As we move more deeply into the 21st century and are faced with new technologies and emerging channels. Agencies need to be holistic in our approach towards Brand; remaining fully present, clearly defining and reaffirming the brands with which we are entrusted. The marketing, advertising, communications and promotions that result will be a smooth flowing process of actions that continuously evolve a Brand, not simply one effort with one static result.
Our goal is a journey toward Brand strength. We will stretch ourselves toward greater awareness, not only of the Brand, but the Brand in all its manifestations and emanations. Succinctly, agencies will provide nourishment to all the energies of the Brand. Yes, it will still be about communication flow, but it’s really going to be about tapping into the Brand ‘chakras’.
Once upon a time agencies could push a brand message out and inform consumers “what’s in it for them”, but more and more, consumers will expect to be part of the conversation, to exercise influence and demand respect of their views and opinions. The Brand will need to be a personality; building relationships, engaging and offering information, giving with no expectation of immediate returns. Agencies that acknowledge this new energy will integrate it to enrich the process of branding. This isn’t altruism, the Brand’s message still continues to be “all about me” for sure… but the approach, style and mix of communication channels will reflect the changing media and technology environment. We need remain open, move with the times, bend and balance.
Today’s, and most definitely tomorrow’s, successful branding initiatives will be based on the understanding that nothing exists alone – everything is inter-dependent. Sounds very yoga-ish, doesn’t it? The Agency will recognize the values and distinctiveness of communities and understand subtle differences in personas for Brands to flourish. The Agency that identifies and acknowledges the core energies and relationships of a brand will enable that brand to speak authentically. By applying vision, discipline, reflection and focus the Brand will be rewarded with influence and awareness.
Agencies will still need to be very connected to the Brand to be responsive… to develop and maintain Brand personality, with fluidity and spontaneity.
The healthy Agency/Brand Client relationship will require acknowledging the need to work together in respectful harmony in order for the Brand Voice to resonate.
With the emergence of new channels such as social media, mobile apps and immersive marketing, Agencies will grow, progress and embrace the new without forgetting the old. Time for awakening the senses! We must lead our Brand Client to meet the challenge with thoughtfulness and clear understanding. Classic media channels will need and should remain as part of the communications mix in order to maintain balance and build strength.
The path to brand enlightenment can be a smooth one, here’s our asana for success…
Holding the correct posture is as important in branding as it is in yoga. In Branding it’s called positioning. It’s about establishing a recognizable image and voice in the appropriate markets, creating a Brand that serves its communities’ purposes gracefully and well. The correct posture and clear thinking go hand in hand in creating a successful Brand.
Develop the Brand mantra (USP). The mantra propels Brand’s equity, assesses the current Brand relevance and projects future needs. Brand intention requires focus on the strategic direction and remaining mindful and aligned to it at all times in order to build a genuine Brand philosophy.
Set an intention (objective). As in Yoga, progressing towards change is only achieved with a deeper understanding and maturity. Know your process and communicate it to the Brand Client so that all involved take part in achieving the intention.
Once an intention is set, it generates its own life force. It becomes the vital energy (strategic plan) of the Brand identity and it must be nourished and enhanced. The energy is all about creating momentum, buzz and awareness. The way in which Brand approaches this life force in the 21st has evolved to give back, to inform, to sustain, and to be mindful.
Every Brand has karma (results). The Brand mantra must own whatever image or philosophy it projects out onto the universe, as this will ultimately remain attached to it. Missteps come back to haunt the future.
The Brand persona must be authentic, truthful, and appropriate to its intention and market community. Communities, friends, fans… and yes, ultimately consumers, immediately pick up on anything that seems insincere Truth leads to connection and that leads to success. In short, a Brand philosophy that is balanced and dedicated is set to achieve perfect alignment.
Honouring the tradition, remaining open to the present and embracing the possibilities are basic to the practice of marketing. Respecting the traditional skills of our profession and calling on them where appropriate just makes sense. Being completely au fait with social network and digital tools of all kinds is essential, as is being mindful that not all that is new or trendy is worthy of our investment. Offering the best possible solutions while embracing innovative thinking will continue to clear the path for Brand relevance for years to come.
Branding successfully is a journey that will not only provide greater understanding and awareness of Brand, it will also foster a deeper understanding of the communities in which it speaks to. Our intentions should be realistic and useful without eliminating the potential for the remarkable. Ultimately, it will not be about winning awards, it will be about successful Branding. That’s not a limitation, that’s not unforeseen – that’s clarity.
How do you feel about this approach to branding? We’d love to hear your thoughts on this, so join the conversation!
This post was co-authored by Heather Moore.
Heather is the art director at 3H Communications Inc. with over 30 years of experience in Canada and overseas. Heather has a refined visual sense, an eye for detail and a way with words. With a wealth of experience as a packaging designer, Heather has a reverent respect for brand. She is dedicated to team-work, focused on crafting the perfect concept and meeting client requirements and a proponent of our own exacting standards.
by Lindsay Sleightholm | Jul 31, 2012 | Advertising, Branding, Business Success, Creative, Interactive
Even if you have no interest in sport, there is something about the Olympics that makes even the most athletically apathetic tune in and take notice. That something is the drive, determination and dedication of the Olympic athletes. These individuals train tirelessly for the opportunity to prove themselves at their most prodigious competition. As spectators, we get to know them, their stories and for a couple of weeks watch how their life’s goal plays out for the world to see.
What’s more, we witness the raw emotion seen only when the human condition is pushed to its limit. For some, hopes and dreams will be realized, while others will be crushed. There are no second chances; although, sometimes the difference between winning or losing simply comes down to chance.
Emotive advertising
What is not left to chance are the messages of the Olympic sponsors. The advertising these sponsors employ bank on the human element to pull on the heart strings of their consumers in the hopes of propelling their brands forward. And with good reason – emotive advertising has proven its impact on the mind of the consumer.
Emotion within advertising, is not unlike the emotion felt during the Olympic games. It goes beyond borders. Ultimately, no matter who we are or where we call home, we understand and truly relate to one another on a primitive, human level.
It’s been done before
Appealing to human emotion in advertising is nothing new. Some of the strongest brands in the world have successfully leveraged emotion in their campaigns. Let’s look at a few:
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3naDh4mS1s]
AT&T: Reach Out
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZ8A-3NmqfM]
Dove: Real Beauty
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKV0kR6Ih0s]
Coca Cola: Open Happiness
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnkwbUZ4zog]
BMW: Feeling Remains
How does it work?
Although it isn’t new, emotive advertising has always required an authentic approach to be successful. The emotion behind the message must align directly with the brand. And, the audience must be able to effortlessly make that connection in order to trust the brand message. Basically, you can’t just insert your logo at the end of a heart felt ad, having no relation to your brand, and expect it will resonate with your market. As we all know, the implications of poor brand alignment within advertising messaging, emotional or otherwise, can be catastrophic.
Social implications
It is no secret that a misstep in brand advertising will cause your market to turn on you, and their good opinion once lost, takes a lot to gain back. What was once the brand influencing the market, is now the market influencing the brand. Persuasion has taken a back seat to public preference. Brands have their hands tied, so to speak, and are simply trying to keep hold of their reputations within the social realm.
Emotionally attached
The more technologically connected consumers become, the less emotionally attached (or loyal) they can feel. It has been said that as consumers, we make decisions emotionally and then justify them rationally. No consumer goes to the effort of typing something online without the hopes of being commented on, liked, shared or retweeted. Now more than ever, emotive advertising could be the key to bringing the consumer and brand back together. Social media has provided an outlet for consumers to be heard, and if brands don’t take action, they will be left behind. After all, if brand is a living entity, it only makes sense that it would appeal to its market’s wants and needs in an emotional context.
You don’t have to be an Olympic sponsor to realize the benefit of emotive advertising. And, it doesn’t matter if your brand is a soft drink, telephone, car or beauty product. In an effort to better understand consumers, let’s not just speak to ourselves, lets speak to each other. It could be just the thing our brands need.
by Qing Hu | Jul 27, 2012 | Business Success, Design, Interactive
Web Design isn’t about the layout, the colour, the look or the impact of a site. In fact, behind every great website is a great web design usability interface. Success or failure of your website depends on user the web design usability interface. A website is your first impression out there in the real world… so it’s important that the user interface provides everything that the end user is looking for , easily, while on your website. Success or failure of your website depends on user the interface. Viewers, surfers, user… a call them what you will, cannot find what they seek if the interface is poor.
Jakob Nielsen, a Denmark web usability consultant, suggested the following heuristics (must haves!) for user interface design:
Visibility of system status
A website should always keep users informed about what the site is about, what page they’re currently looking at and where to click. It is recommended to have your site’s title and page name visible on every page so that users know their whereabouts.
Match between system and the real world
Websites should speak the target audiences’ language, with words, phrases and concepts familiar to them, rather than using technical terms. The copy should be relevant, engaging and provide learning. It should also be streamlined and efficient.
User control and freedom
Viewers often click for the stake of well, clicking and find themselves on a page that they don’t want to be on. Make sure your website has clearly marked “exit” to leave any unwanted pages… and back to the pages they want to be on. Similarly, users sometimes will click on links that takes them to another page while leaving the page they are visiting. To remedy this problem, websites should support undo and redo. For example, having links opened in a new tab or new page instead of having users leave the page.
Consistency and standards
The intended audience should not have to wonder whether different words, actions or layout mean the same thing. Websites should follow conventions (e.g. font color and size consistency, same header and footer height across pages, image size and etc). Make sure all pages on your website have the same look and feel. If not, users will think they’re on another website.
Error prevention: Recognize, diagnose, and recover from errors
A good design should prevent problems from occurring in the first place. For example, when designing a contact us form for your website, you should clearly mark the required fields. Somewhere on your contact form, you should include *(denotes required field). If an error still occurs, be sure to send the users a clear error message. The message should be worded in plain language (no codes), indicate where were the errors and suggest a solution on how to fix the errors.
Recognition rather than recall
Minimize the user’s memory load by making objects, actions, and options visible. Instructions for use of the website, such as sitemap should be visible whenever appropriate.
Example: In interface speak, website links have 4 states. Make use of these to ensure that users know where to click, where they’ve visited and what page they’re on at all times. Here are the 4 states.
a:link {color:#000000;} /* unvisited link */
a:visited {color:#666666;} /* visited link */
a:hover {color:#CCCCCC;} /* mouse over link */
a:active {color:#FFFFFF;} /* selected link */
Help and documentation
Even though it is better if the website can be used without instruction, it may be necessary to provide help and documentation, such as a FAQ page that contains information related to what the user is trying to find. Have a “contact us” link visible on every page, so they can email you with any issues, questions or concerns.
Why is this important? Consider this: You may have the greatest SEO campaign or Google Ad Word Campaign, but if it leads your intended audience to a site that isn’t providing them with the expected web experience, you’ve just lost them.
Is your website design usability optimized for user interface?
