Digital Marketing Blog

Yahoo and Tumblr: the dangers of speaking too soon

If there’s one thing I’ve learnt over the years from working in digital marketing, it’s that first reactions to tech news stories are rarely accurate.

The time to form an opinion, in my experience, is when the stories ending in question marks die down.

When the Tumblr news broke (Yahoo’s planned acquisition @ $1.1bn) we were predictably flooded by instantaneous musings and misunderstandings around the network and its new owners.

Speculation then moved onto what Yahoo should do with its new toy, with a common concern muted as the nonsensical introduction of spammy ads.

by Steve Richards 23 May 2013 09:36am 0 comments

Should brands comply with new press regulations?

Do you have a website? Is there a way you can put content on it so that it can be seen by the general populous? Congratulations, you're a publisher!

It’s quite a responsibility when you consider the Royal Charter on press regulation currently being debated by the media powerhouses and the upper echelons of Government.

by Danny Chadburn 23 May 2013 09:29am 0 comments

Tapping into the minds of your audience: The psychology of social media

Many digital marketers make a common error from the outset when planning their content marketing campaigns.

The tendency is to think "what shall we give our audience?" when it is just as important to ask "why should they care?"

I am fascinated by the whole psychology of social media: What motivates people to take certain actions, such as overshare the minutiae of their life, or angrily "out" brands on social networks rather than complain directly to them in private, or retweet unproven allegations (and therefore get sued), and so forth?

by Chris Lee 22 May 2013 15:15pm 4 comments

Mobile is almost as popular as desktop for travel research: report

When researching their next holiday or business trip consumers are just as likely to turn to their mobile device as they are to use a laptop, according to new research from JiWire.

However laptops are still by far the most popular device when it comes to actually making a purchase.

The new report into mobile’s role in the travel industry shows that 56% of consumers use their laptop to research travel options, compared to 49% on tablet and 48% on smartphone.

This underlines the fact that travel agents and hotels need to have a mobile optimised site or app to cater for changing consumer behaviours.

by David Moth 22 May 2013 13:37pm 0 comments

A day in the life of UNICEF UK's Head of Digital Engagement

Laila Takeh is Head of Digital Engagement at UNICEF UK, the children’s charity. She kindly agreed to tell us a little bit about her role.

If you’re on the hunt for a new challenge then be sure to check out the hundreds of digital roles on the Econsultancy jobs board.

by Chris Lake 22 May 2013 12:09pm 3 comments

15 ways to optimise your evergreen content strategy

Evergreen content can drive plenty of the right kind of traffic to your website over the long term. It is one of the best returns on your investment into content, as it is a gift that keeps on giving, and should be a key part of your content strategy.

In this article I’m going to try to outline the strategic value of evergreen content, to help you understand exactly what makes something long-lasting, and I shall provide a few pointers on what works (and what doesn’t).

First, let's answer the question. What is evergreen content? Simply put, it is the kind of content that does not grow old quickly. Think about how to guides, and other reference material. Evergreen content is often useful, and it doesn't need to be updated too often.

Let's start by looking at an example...

by Chris Lake 22 May 2013 11:24am 5 comments

Security and fraud concerns are biggest barriers to mobile payment adoption

Much was written about the predicted boom in mobile payments last year, but it still seems to be some way from becoming an every day payment method.

NFC and mobile wallets were all set to become commonplace following a successful trial at the Olympics, but despite the increasing use of contactless bank cards I’m yet to see anyone pay for anything using their mobile phone.

However new research into consumer attitudes suggests that people are slowly edging towards accepting the technology.

A survey of 2,006 consumers by eDigitalResearch found that 39% of respondents had seen a contactless payment point, up from just 15% in May 2012.

by David Moth 22 May 2013 10:34am 2 comments

Is your organisation web-compatible?

“When it comes to the web, organizations are broken”, at least that is what Jonathan Kahn says in his A List Apart article and I have to say I agree with him. After all, you don’t have to look far to see there is a problem.

Most websites lack focus, let alone a consistent user experience or tone of voice. Social media rarely integrates well with the website and most organisations' mobile strategy consists of throwing some apps at the iOS app store.

Email is little better. In fact I am working with one charity client whose supporters may receive as many as 80 emails from them a month! This happens because there is no central control over emailing.

by Paul Boag 22 May 2013 10:17am 0 comments

How The Rolling Stones use Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Google+

It’s time again for us to shine a light on how one of the world’s biggest brands use the four main social networks.

However unlike in previous weeks when we’ve focused on consumer brands such as Coca-Cola, BMW, Red Bull and Nike, this week the subject is The Rolling Stones.

The Stones are obviously very different from the other brands we’ve looked at in that they have a dedicated, global fan base, but they’ve still got to try and maximise their revenue by flogging concert tickets and merchandise.

With ticket prices what they are this is no easy task, particularly when targeting younger fans who won’t be as familiar with the band as older generations.

But social media allows them to bridge this gap to an extent and make the wrinkly rockers appear relevant and in tune with younger audiences.

So to find out exactly how they’re doing it, here’s a look at how The Rolling Stones use Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Google+...

by David Moth 22 May 2013 09:39am 3 comments

Australia: Traditional retailers are heading online... and e-tailers are heading off

Some of Australia’s biggest retailers have recently spoken out at a conference in Melbourne saying that while selling online has the benefit of lower overheads, it is not yet as profitable as traditional bricks-and-mortar retailing.