Matt Owen

Matt Owen is Head of Social at Econsultancy. He looks after Econsultancy’s global social media strategy and architecture, where he has led community engagement and growth since 2010.

Matt has a background in music, film and television in addition to marketing. Prior to joining Econsultancy, he was instrumental in building the UK's largest entertainment blog network before moving into dedicated social management and strategy for one of the world's largest business schools. He has a particular interest in social measurement and organizational integration.

In addition, he works with a community of 200,000+ digital marketers daily across a variety of social channels and has written best practice guides for popular social platforms. He contributes regularly to the Econsultancy blog, industry titles and makes regular appearances at events and conferences.

Building your B2B social media case

Generally speaking, B2B organizations are well ahead of the social media curve. Figures show a higher rate of adoption then the B2C market (86% compared to 82% for B2C), and there’s certainly a willingness to innovate within the space.

However, there’s often a long hard slog to integrate and execute a strategy effectively. While ideally, social media should be multi-departmental, B2B’s most commonly place social media within the marketing department.

As marketers, one of the largest problems is still resistance or lack of understanding from senior management.

by Matt Owen 11 August 2010 14:06pm 10 comments

Six core tactics for social media managers

Over the last year we’ve seen some great innovations across the board in social media, changing the way we interact with brands online and streamlining campaign rollouts.

As trends and ideas rise and fall at an ever quickening pace, we often find ourselves running to get on board the next big thing. Signing up for new platforms and services, or utilising ever more arcane sets of metrics to track campaigns.

Here are six quick tips and tactics that can help you get ahead...

by Matt Owen 09 August 2010 09:25am 10 comments

Kanye West is following me...

Not too long ago, another celebrity decided to join Twitter. Nothing unusual there. That celeb’s name was Kanye West, and what is interesting is his unique approach to Twitter.

Instead of the usual celebrity tactic of following showbiz pals and huge brands, Kanye decided that the Twitterer he was most interested in was Steven Holmes. Kanye followed him, and only him.

You might not have heard of Steven, and it’s not that surprising. If you have heard of him, then I’m assuming it’s because you’re in one of his classes in Coventry, since Steven is an unassuming student with no particular claim to fame or knowledge of Kanye West.

by Matt Owen 05 August 2010 12:24pm 1 comment

Six ways to effectively track offline sales

tracking-offline-transactions While we often debate how effectively we can track ROI online, it’s occasionally worth stepping back and remembering that the ability to track transactions and engagement points online is actually a luxury.

In the offline domain the ability to effectively track ads and effectiveness can be severely limited. How do you know if your billboard campaign is effective?

Here’s a few ways to track what customers are up to when they’re off the grid.

by Matt Owen 06 August 2010 09:10am 10 comments

Conde Nast introduces glamourous new look for iPad

While conventional thinking tells us that tech geeks and early adopters tend to have a Y chromosome, research shows that women are increasingly the most prolific users of hardware and networks, spending more time online and engaging more often and more meaningfully.

With the launch of the Glamour Magazine app, Conde Nast is taking steps to engage this important market more directly.

by Matt Owen 04 August 2010 12:55pm 0 comments

Can Tumblr compete in the mainstream marketplace?

Facebook’s ubiquity and Twitter’s ease of use have long made them favourites for businesses entering the social media space for the first time.

With increased resources being assigned to social media teams however, it can be difficult to stand out in the crowd.

Short-form blogging site Tumblr believes it offers a solution however, and is currently working to increase its mainstream recognition, actively courting newspapers, magazines and other traditional media outlets.

by Matt Owen 03 August 2010 14:51pm 3 comments

Start Me Up: A profile of Blank Label

This week on Start Me Up we talk to Danny Wong of Blank Label.

Blank Label offers an online co-creation service that allows customers to design and customise dress shirts to specific requirements, providing inexpensive bespoke tailoring.

by Matt Owen 03 August 2010 12:25pm 0 comments

Six design tips for great mobile apps

Building a mobile app may be all the rage right now, but it's still a potential marketing misfire. You should always take time to consider exactly why you are investing in an app and how useful it will be for your customers.

Is your business best represented through a branded social media, games, digital brochures or another service entirely?

That said, the continuing growth in mobile commerce and mobile use in general means that a well considered app can be a valuable addition to your marketing arsenal, connecting you directly with customers who will increasingly engage while on the move.

by Matt Owen 02 August 2010 12:03pm 0 comments

How m-commerce made Amazon $1bn

m-commerce Since their first faltering online steps back in 1995, Amazon have often been at odds with prevailing web trends, and with their latest earnings report showing a fall-off in profits recently, many stockholders are considering selling up and moving on.

However, buried in the same report is an important figure that hints that the company may simply be ahead of the curve, becoming the first group to turnover more than $1bn solely through mobile channels.

by Matt Owen 02 August 2010 14:33pm 1 comment

Ten steps to great CRM

One of the main goals of multichannel is to provide great customer service at all levels. Correctly implemented CRM will enhance your business and reputation, but in order to implement effective new ways of interacting with your customers across multiple channels you may be looking at a complete organisational shift, in effect moving from provider to service.

A strategic business change at this level isn’t always easy, but there are ways to minimize the stress and align your company philosophy so that you can really deliver for your customer.

by Matt Owen 30 July 2010 12:45pm 4 comments