Social Media Case Study – Nutella

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Lessons to be Learned about What Not to Do

Nutella is the brand name of a hazelnut chocolate spread that was introduced to the market back in 1964. It is manufactured by the Italian company Ferrero. This case case study illustrates what not to do as Ferrero damaged their brand loyalty by not ‘understanding the rules of the social media game’.

In February 2007, Nutella a avid-fan, Sara, held the first annual World Nutella Day. Over the last few years, the unofficial event has become very successful: 40,000 Facebook fans, 6,500 Twitter followers and features on authoritative blogs. Continue reading...

Maximising Networking Opportunities with LinkedIn

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We have all heard the quotation “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” So how do we go about meeting new people and building contacts - in other words, how do we develop a network? Attending functions and utilising social media to hasten your networking opportunities, you can create potential opportunities.

LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional networking platform. It has grown from 58 million members in 2011 to over 200 million members in March 2013. More than 12,000 organisations have registered with LinkedIn and more than five billion searches on the internet were related to LinkedIn. This platform allows numerous opportunities to connect with potential employees, employers, business partners, suppliers and clients. Whether you are looking to return to the workforce after a break with children, wanting to profile the people behind your business or wanting to increase your business internet presence, it is highly recommended that you get on board. The beauty of LinkedIn is that maintaining a profile doesn’t need to be as time intensive as other social networking sites. However, it is not enough just to create a LinkedIn profile - you need to maximise your profile.
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Upgraded Mobile Advertising

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Mobile Advertising Options Released by Google

Google has developed a major update to its advertising platform and called it ‘Enhanced Campaigns’. Announced via its blog post, Google explains that this new project would now allow marketers to combine campaigns across desktop and mobile. "This is a first step to help you more simply and smartly manage your ad campaigns in today’s multi-device world," wrote Sridhar Ramaswamy, Google's Senior Vice President of Engineering.

The basis for Enhanced Campaigns is context and location, so essentially the biggest change is that Google is growing more ‘contextually’ aware. If a user is on a mobile device they will see ads that you have marked as "mobile preferred". A mobile device will be defined as one on which a user is out and about, rather than browsing from a fixed position such as work or home. Marking an ad as "mobile preferred" gives Google some flexibility to judge which ads are more appropriate based on the consumer's situation. A device like a laptop or tablet could be a home/work computer or might be used in a cafe. If the user is mobile, then they should see mobile ads regardless of a strict device type.

Google’s example to highlight the changes:
"A breakfast cafe wants to reach people nearby searching for "coffee" or "breakfast" on a smartphone. Using bid adjustments, they can bid 25% higher for people searching a half-mile away, 20% lower for searches after 11am, and 50% higher for searches on smartphones. "These bid adjustments can apply to all ads and all keywords in one single campaign," explained Ramaswamy.

Before this change, marketers would have to create different campaigns for content pushed across desktop and mobile devices. By streamlining the process, Enhanced Campaigns provides a more integrated approach for brands and targeted content for consumers.

The new addition to AdWords may be one way Google can benefit from on-the-move consumers. However, there are still some kinks to iron out. To read more about the cons of this new upgrade check this article out on Search Engine Land.

Enhanced Campaigns are rolling out in the following weeks, with all campaigns expected to be updated by mid-2013.

Social Media Impact on Search Rankings (Panda)

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Updates to Google's algorithms mean that social engagement, rather than search engine trickery, will yield top results. Each year Google changes its search algorithm up to 500 – 600 times. While most of these changes are minor, every few months Google rolls out a “major” algorithmic update that affects search results in significant ways. Panda, launched February 2011, started using artificial intelligence in new ways to enforce the best practices guidelines Google has long provided regarding optimisation. Penguin followed and goes further along these lines – emphasising the importance of quality content, originality and overall user experience.

Both the Panda and Penguin updates contain very clear messages for marketers: stop focusing on technology and tricks and start focusing on people. If your website appeals to people, it will appeal to Google's algorithms too.
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The Importance of Branding

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Why Branding is Important
A brand is frequently represented by a logo, sign, name, colour or another image for customers to recognise your business. All these visual cues work together to form a brand image. A by-line or positioning statement can be used in conjunction with the brand to help customers recall and understand the brand.

Effective branding is no longer about the product or service. It is about building a strong, unifying and long-lasting relationship between your business, your employees and customers. Branding is a fundamental and differentiating necessity for any business that wants to be noticed by consumers in a competitive marketplace and succeed.
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Guidance Notes on Social Media

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Advertising Standards Authority Releases Guidance Notes on Social Media

Effective from October 2012

Do you use social media for your business? Status updates on Facebook? Send tweets on Twitter? Use Google+ to share within your circles? The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has introduced important changes that now covers not only what you as a company posts but what users post on your social media platform as well.
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Top Tips for Successful Website Design

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The majority of businesses today have a website but how well is it working? Is it drawing in new business and helping to retain existing customers? Do you know? This is your online presence and, as such, reflects on the quality of your company. Get this wrong and you risk losing revenue opportunities and credibility in the marketplace.

When you are considering building a new site or reviewing an existing website there are some key factors you should include in your process.
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Visual Content on Facebook

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Make the Most of Facebook & Twitter's Visual Impact

Facebook is a very visual social media platform and businesses should take full advantage of this. The following are examples of facebook pages that illustrate different ways to really make a big impact.

Fanta Facebook Cover

Coca Cola Facebook Cover
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