Keeping children safe online
Sometimes, those working in and around social media every day can forget just how much many, if not most, of the population may take the internet for granted.
Especially teens and tweens, who, posting from the safety and security of their own bedrooms, can feel free to say, do and broadcast what they like without worrying too much about the consequences.
Can the financial sector really thrive on social media?
The strictly regulated financial services industry has, in the past, shied away from social media engagement.
Common objections, even a year ago, were: people don’t want to talk to their bank, it’s too risky, too expensive or not relevant. But despite a slow start, things are starting to change.
It turns out that people do want to talk to their banks - specifically younger customers.
Recent research by Sitel, reported on Econsultancy, shows that 15% of 16-24 year-olds choose to interact with customer service on Twitter, Facebook, blogs and forums.
Closing comments: is it ever a good idea?
Is it ever OK to close comments on a blog, Facebook page or online news article?
It’s a question we often hear, particularly from companies who’ve found, for a variety of reasons, that their online communities have been flooded with posts that they simply weren’t prepared for.
2011 saw some high-profile examples of Facebook page owners taking the decision to block comments.
How will the demise of the Facebook Discussion tab affect brands?
Changes to Facebook pages could be bad news for customer service.
It was interesting to see the new study by Martiz Research, which showed that 71% of customers who tweeted a gripe said they never heard back from the company, despite the fact that most of them would have liked to.
Using social media at live events: best practice tips
Social media has become an important part of a conference or event. Streaming feeds from Twitter and Facebook or providing text-to-screen commentary lets audiences participate in events and allows brands to collect feedback.
However, the risks to a brand’s reputation are enhanced by the sheer number of people who might view inappropriate material.
What attracts consumers to take part in social media campaigns?
I’ve been asked a few times recently how social media users behave over different channels, and I thought it was worth jotting down some notes on what to expect if you’re running a campaign that includes user-generated content.
Community management: are we all talking about the same thing?
Something interesting has started happening when we go and talk to prospective clients about online community management services.
There are various companies which specialise in community management and moderation, and have done for a number of years, but agencies (mostly PR and communications agencies, rather than digital ad agencies) are starting to claim expertise in community management, and to be honest, I don’t think they’re talking about the same thing as we are.
It’s causing real confusion client-side. While we both work with online communities, I think we need to be clear about the definitions of what we each do, so we can work together more effectively.
New guidelines for brands interacting with children
This week, the 'interactive services' industry took a major step in its efforts at self-regulation.
The publication of guidelines on moderating sites for children will have an impact on brands who provide online communities or games that attract a younger audience.
