And then something very interesting happened…

I received a parcel, which I assumed would be a chocolate ‘thank you’ from a grateful supplier or a Christmas gift from a hopeful prospector.

But it wasn’t. It was a box of tea bags….

Look at that lovely kitchen furniture

Until I received this parcel, I must admit I had no idea this brand of tea existed. I haven’t seen it in any supermarkets (although I’m told it’s now available in Morrisons) and I’m sure I’d have noticed it with that in-your-face packaging, so different from all the other tea brands (although guys… the builder’s bum??? Not exactly mouth watering!). But I loved the fact that I could write a seemingly meaningless and slightly silly blog and some clever, web-literate marketeer managed not only to find it, but also to find a simple way to make use of it.

For you see now I’m writing this…
…and this will appear on our Twitter page…
…and who knows who will get hold of it from there?!

With such an instant, joined-up network of consumer-driven, interactive media channels, it’s definitely an interesting time to be in marketing. Technology has created so many more possibilities and invariably it’s the more intelligent marketeers who first make effective use of it. The guys behind the ‘Make Mine a Builders’ brand also run a creative agency. Clearly they’ve seen a gap in the market and they’re using their knowledge of the various marketing channels to their advantage. And who can blame them?

The truth is that marketing has entered a whole new era, in which consumers hold a lot more power and marketing campaigns need to become a lot more integrated. Of course, large budgets will always have their place, but more and more the consumer is able to choose what it consumes and when. Subscription and Sky Plus-style television means we can fast-forward through the TV adverts; while interactive marketing and social media gives consumers the ability to affect each other’s buying decisions directly. The time has come for brands to think more cleverly not just about how they reach their target audience, but also about the honesty of their marketing messages, the validity of their USPs and the true strength behind their products. In other words, it’s no longer possible to hide behind propaganda.

The playing field is well and truly being levelled, which, for all of us as consumers, has got to be good news.

So what about ‘consuming’ the tea?
Delicious AND original. Now there’s a compelling reason to buy.

(Opinion: Jim Green- MD)

AOL launched their new look site today and, all in all, it looks pretty good. Have a look what they’ve done with their visual identity – they’ve given it life by creating a family of backgrounds against which the logotype can sit (you can choose one at the top of the page). It’s a novel approach. Hit refresh and you get a different look.

It’ll be interesting to see what they do with this – I wonder if they intend to keep the variety or if they’re using the new site to see which of their new logos generates the most clicks and repeat visits. In the past we’ve launched sites with different Home Pages to see which ones work best, but that’s always intended as a selection process and eventually we pick a winner, based on visits, click throughs, purchases etc. We’ve also given our own visitors some interaction on the DNA site, enabling them to choose a background (but that’s just for fun).

We’ll be watching this space…

(Opinion: Jim Green – MD)

If you start watching this, I bet you make it to the end….

You can buy a domain with a page rank from various websites. Just Google it and you’ll find them. Some of these page ranks seem to be legitimate and some appear to be falsified, so please beware. Once you direct the domain at your own server and give it your own content, it is likely that Google will reclassify the page rank as PR0. However, if the domain you bought performs well in existing online searches and already has numerous inbound links in place (which you can check before you buy), it is likely that you will achieve a better page rank far more quickly than if you set up a site from scratch with an entirely new domain.

If you want straightforward, professional advice on marketing your website – including whether or not Twitter and other social media will deliver a return on your investment – please give us a call.

(Opinion: Jim Green – MD)

Social media is like any other media – it presents an opportunity for people and businesses to communicate a message to an audience. Just like any other media, its ability to yield a return on investment will depend on how well it is used to carry relevant, compelling messages to the relevant audience, in such a way that it will inspire them to engage and do business.

Can social media yield a return on investment? Absolutely. Can that be measured? Yes (although not necessarily very easily). Will social media yield a return on investment every time? No. Is it possible to invest a lot of time, effort and resources into social media – even gaining a lot of interest and influence – and never achieve a penny of ROI? Definitely.

In simple terms, social media can be dangerous. It is ostensibly very cheap and easy to access, so it is tempting simply to ‘give it a go’ and see what happens – something we were guilty of ourselves not too long ago. But social media is complex, distracting and, for some at least, addictive. And importantly, whatever you might think, it is not free. Promoting oneself or one’s business through social media (just like via any other channel) will demand resources and effort. Those resources are far more likely to yield a return on investment in the hands of someone who knows what they’re doing. So if you’re thinking of ‘investing’ in social media, I’d urge you to talk to someone who not only understands Twitter, but who also understands marketing. I know one or two if you need pointing in the right direction.

(Opinion: Jim Green – MD)

In a recent survey by Nielsen, 90% of people said they trusted recommendations from people they know (perhaps not surprising), while an impressive 70% trusted the opinions of other consumers posted online. These were followed closely by brand websites, editorial (invariably someone’s PR) and brand sponsorships.

The Internet has given the consumer the ability to post information online without having to go through a third party. Such “straight-from-the-horse’s-mouth” communication is clearly very powerful, demonstrating the potential of social media as a marketing tool.

Be warned though, social media can be as destructive as it can be helpful. Marketing a service or product through blogs, forums, social networks and other online communities necessitates losing control. One has to be a) supremely confident in the quality of what’s on offer, and b) willing to take the good with the bad!

Having said all that, there are always changing trends and new ideas to keep on top of – not least when Google changes the rules, which it’s not averse to doing! There are more seminars and training courses out there than you could shake a stick at, but for anyone interested in some Google-related tips, this looks like a pretty good one. We’re constantly brushing up ourselves, so we might see you there!

Our newest client, MCE Insurance, has just been announced as the new title sponsor to the world’s leading domestic superbike series, British Superbikes. We are currently supporting MCE with their online communications and the new MCE website is due to go live this summer. This sponsorship deal is a major step in MCE’s bid to become the UK’s best and most successful motorcycle insurer and we’re doing what we can to help them make that happen.

MCE Insurance, one of the UK’s top 3 providers of motorcycle insurance, has just appointed us to bolster its online presence and communication style. We will be working with MCE’s in-house design and web development team, providing input on brand personality, tone of voice, copywriting and online marketing.

Our remit is to build better brand awareness and customer loyalty online, and the whole project came from a social media marketing idea we took to them earlier this year. The social media project will form stage two of the campaign, which begins with the in-house team’s redesign of the existing website. We expect this programme to drive MCE’s online leads and sales, and ultimately to reduce their spend on Pay-Per-Click. It’s a great project – particularly for Jim, who loves his bikes (despite having a small ‘off’ earlier this year)!

Supporting this statistic is that over one third (40 per cent) of all adults surveyed said that they would feel more comfortable purchasing from a retailer who offers a wide range of payment methods than a retailer who only offers one payment option. 

To read the full article click here

Search engines exist to provide relevant, useful search results for their users. They are not there to benefit companies who are proficient at optimizing websites. If you think you have thought of a clever way to fool them – forget it. They are not easily tricked and, if they catch you, they will probably ban you. For businesses that depend on leads and enquiries from their websites, this can literally prove fatal.

If you want to drive people to your latest, beautifully designed website, concentrate on the following tips for generating web traffic, and don’t cheat! Click here.