Jake Hird

Jake is Econsultancy Australia's Director of Research and Education and comes from a background of online commerical research, development and account management, including a considerable amount of time spent with a leading digital agency and top UK digital group.

He takes a keen interest in emerging digital trends and technology and welcomes any new industry insights or thoughts.

4 out of 5 UK tech companies aren’t using Twitter. So what’s the excuse?

Last week, research showed that SME’s were quickly taking up Twitter and adapting its many uses to suit their businesses. However, worrying research from ntl:Telewest Business has been released today that reveals more than 80% of the UK’s top 100 tech companies don’t appear to be using it for business communication purposes.

The research report comes from a study of the FTSE techMARK 100 and found that workers from eight of the top ten companies are not embracing Twitter, despite the recent surge in interest across the media, commercial organisations and the general public.

by Jake Hird 25 March 2009 13:05pm 8 comments

Copywriting for Twitter: 10 ways to make every tweet count

No one can deny the phenomenal rise of Twitter over the past few months. But with a massive 750% growth rate within 12 months and hundreds of tweets every second, it means there is an awful lot of ‘noise’ being channelled through the medium.

So how can you make yourself heard through all this activity? What will make you stand out from everyone else? Although there’s no definitive rule, we’ve come up with ten tips to guide you in the right direction.

by Jake Hird 20 March 2009 09:18am 8 comments

SME’s increasingly using Twitter to communicate

Econsultancy has recently been highlighting the many uses of Twitter, which is a customer service solution, a marketing platform, and a brand monitoring tool.

Now, new research from O2 has found that smaller businesses are quickly adopting this online medium.

by Jake Hird 17 March 2009 11:50am 2 comments

Consumers control social media, and brands need to wise up

A recent study by Netpop Research serves to only further assert the fact that social media is rapidly changing the way brands operate, due to the increase of consumer control.

The report is purely US-based, but it certainly seems fair to suggest that this trend can be applied globally, as there is an ever-growing permeation of social media into daily consumer life. The study concludes that there is a shift in consumer internet usage from entertainment towards communication, and it's being driven by social media and networking sites.

by Jake Hird 04 March 2009 16:39pm 2 comments

How fast should you be blogging?

Recently, an underground rethinking of blogging practice began to hit the headlines; that of Slow Blogging. In a nutshell, this is where blog-posts are generated over a length of time with the aim to display a deep knowledge of the subject matter, rather than churning out quick content at a regular pace.

Displaying a thorough understanding of their services, products and industry can be highly beneficial to the promotional and marketing activities of many businesses, but at what speed should we really be blogging?

by Jake Hird 11 February 2009 09:00am 6 comments

Digital Britain: Lord Carter hints at UK internet plan

Last week, Econsultancy was invited to the Westminster eForum, where Lord Stephen Carter - the Minister for Communications, Technology and Broadcasting - was a guest keynote speaker ahead of his Digital Britain report.

The report, which is expected on January 26th, is to be “an action plan to secure the UK’s place at the forefront of innovation, investment and quality in the digital and communications industries.” So, ahead of the report, what is the Government planning?

by Jake Hird 19 January 2009 12:39pm 0 comments

New E-commerce Platforms Buyer's Guide released

Although e-commerce is one of the relatively stable industries in these challenging times, it does not guarantee that any individual etailer will survive the downturn we are seeing in the UK economy. However, there is one important step that can be taken to minimise the risk, as outlined within the new E-commerce Platforms Buyer's Guide.

by Jake Hird 16 January 2009 12:34pm 2 comments

The Great Usability Debate: Internal vs external testing?

There is an ever-urgent need for companies to both acquire and retain online users, especially in today’s economic environment. Our new Usability and User Experience Trends Briefing highlights this, but which is best for achieving reliable results - internal or external testing?

by Jake Hird 08 January 2009 15:00pm 2 comments

Bid Management Technology: a growing weapon for marketers

As the economic crisis continues, the paid search market is becoming increasingly competitive. Despite the outlook for search marketing looking relatively positive during 2009, managing - and extracting value from - campaigns will become more and more challenging.

Econsultancy's first PPC Bid Management Technology Buyer’s Guide provides a valuable insight into both the suppliers and the tools that currently exist to help marketers manage paid search more effectively.

by Jake Hird 06 January 2009 15:40pm 1 comment

Q&A: TechCrunch UK's Editor Mike Butcher talks about the internet startup landscape

Recently, it was the TechCrunchTalk and ChristmasCrunch Party, which focused upon how the online startup community is being affected by the looming recession.

Some 400 people attended the event to hear how the landscape currently looks for new internet businesses, and to try to understand what will happen in the near future.

Econsultancy caught up with Mike Butcher, who was hosting the occasion, to gain further understanding as to what the thoughts are amongst the influential investors, current companies and the digital experts, including Mike’s own thoughts and impressions.

by Jake Hird 22 December 2008 11:46am 2 comments