Fake News: A Battle of Perception

In the space of a week or two I read Ryan Holiday’s book “Trust Me, I’m Lying: Confessions of a Media Manipulator” and then subsequently stumbled upon this BBC article about fake news.

Image Source: BBC News

Fake news has been a media buzzword since Donald Trump’s election in America in 2016 but it’s still the tried and true method of altering perception; for good or bad.

From a business perspective it can be difficult to focus on this long-term goal of changing/improving/evolving perceptions of our brand, business or product however, the last few years have shown just how powerful a tool it can be…

What do you Miss about the Early Internet?

This question was asked on a subreddit (a specific forum on Reddit.com) over the weekend and it has proved interesting reading.

When you think about it, the Internet as we know it is really less than twenty years old at best.

Back in 1998 many of us probably received those free AOL (or some other variation) Internet access CDs in the post and slowly discovered what was out there beyond simple word processing and Microsoft Paint.

For the world in general twenty years is nothing. A blip.

Online, however, is a different story. Things move so quickly that twenty years feels like a lifetime.

Internet Memories

Do you remember those awful, tiny geocities websites people used to make?

What about the Internet before social media? Or the rise and fall of Myspace and Bebo?

It’s funny to think back on all of the strange Internet phenomenon that became massively popular and then quickly disappeared in a matter of months or years.

Napster. Flash animations. Pop ups. Limewire. MSN. Tiny niche forums.

What will it all look like in another twenty years?

You can check out the Reddit discussion here if you’d like a trip down memory lane.

Using the Zeitgeist on Social Media

The 2018 World Cup. Love Island. Wimbledon. Queer Eye.

If you haven’t heard of any of these events or programs over the last month then where the hell have you been?!

Only joking…slightly!

There’s nothing wrong with having zero personal interest in some, or all, of the above but there is something to be said in following the current cultural zeitgeist if you manage social media channels for your business, or someone else’s.

Mainstream Audiences

I completely understand if you have zero interest in all of the above from a personal perspective but if you’re marketing to a mainstream B2C audience between the ages of 18 – 50 you can guarantee a lot of them do.

A quick walk down any street, head-pop into any workplace or brief glance at social media would reveal as much.

The UK and Ireland was awash with Love Island drama, last minute World Cup goals, the will-he-won’t-he play Andy Murray saga, and the joy of a rebooted series on Netflix.

Obviously much more was happening but that’s beside the point. From a social media marketing point of view this was all great content fodder brimming with potential. There were countless angles on which to grab attention and create humour, debate, emotion, news etc.

Multiple brands and businesses, local and national, jumped on board with plenty of success and the last 4-6 weeks is a mini case study in the power of the zeitgeist, especially when it comes to social media.

Industry Specific

All of that might seem fun but completely distant, almost untouchable, for B2B or niche industry marketers out there, however the lesson is still applicable.

In every industry there are news stories, waves, trends and points of discussion that represent the mini zeitgeist of that market.

Just this week the ridiculously successful children’s SLIME market (seriously, slime?!) was rocked with news of potentially dangerous chemicals.

Maybe this represents the perfect opportunity for someone producing hand-crafted, 100% organic, locally sourced slime…

If that isn’t yet a thing then get in touch (if you can make slime) and we’ll make a fortune together!

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Moving swiftly on…

This isn’t a catchall silver bullet, simply another tactic or mindset that can be incorporated into an overarching social media strategy to great effect.

The power of the zeitgeist isn’t new in marketing or social media but this summer has been another reminder that “trending” is important for a reason.  

Learning from eBay's CEO Devin Wenig

The Internet, or maybe more specifically the World Wide Web, is incredible! 

Seriously.

I know we've become jaded over the years. Between e-commerce ads following us everywhere, the pressures of social media, increased screen time and so much more, we've become cynical, demanding and unimpressed. 

Forget all of that and think about the fact that EVERYTHING is at our fingertips. That's what lead me to the great Oxford Union series of talks from brilliant thinkers from around the world. 

In the video below you can listen to current eBay CEO Devin Wenig discuss all sorts, including how positive the internet and technology can be for us moving forward into the future. 

I know we're surrounded by fake news, echo-chambers and trolls but moving forward we have the choice; it can be good or bad depending on what we want. 

Branding is More Important than ever in the Internet of Things

Recently I had a conversation with a friend who was eulogising about the benefits of having an Amazon Dash Button connected to their fridge at home.

For the uninitiated, the Amazon Dash Button is the latest brainchild of Jeff Bezos’ team and falls under the category of an “Internet of Things” product. Essentially this button lets any user simply reorder a product with one simple click – nothing more, nothing less.

A general rule of thumb in the web 2.0 world is that a customer should be no-more than “three clicks” away from exactly what they want on your website at any one time. The Amazon Dash Button crushes that level of efficiency and thus pushes the consumer journey on yet another step.

So far so good. Right?

From a practical point of view this sounds perfect for the consumer. They get exactly what they want with minimal fuss.

The dark side, however, is that we enter product or brand echo chambers from which we never escape without proactive action.

Think of the echo chamber issue that’s currently impacting social media, news and politics and then multiply it into every other facet of your life and beyond.

Products of the Near Future

As briefly mentioned above, the Amazon Dash Button is already here. You can buy multiple variations for different parts of your home (fridge, washing machine, bathroom etc.), set it up via your smart device and Amazon account, and never again go without your favourite brands.

Current options include the ability to re-order Heineken beers, Dettol bleach, Duracell batteries, Listerine mouthwash and so much more.

Next up is British Gas’ Hive product. Hive is a smart home heating system that, once installed, allows you to control your home temperature, turn heating on and off and control hot water all from the screen of your smart device, no matter where you are.

Another interesting smart, Internet of Things, product is the FitBark.

It might be pretty obvious but, if you haven't already guessed it, the FitBark is essentially the FitBit for dogs and it’s yet another example of smart products entering every facet of our lives, and this is just the beginning! 

Why Branding is Critical

With all of that in mind, branding is becoming even more crucial than ever before.

Imagine a world where a household only drinks and reorders (through one simple button click) one type of beer. No more competition for shelf space at the supermarket or local off-license, no-more price promotions to entice new customers…

Just one beer bought over and over again through the power of that one initial message, campaign or advertisement that cut through the noise and converted.

That’s what we’re potentially talking about in a product echo chamber world and the same scenario can be replicated over and over again. One gas supplier, one toothpaste, one mouthwash, one dog product brand, on and on and on…

Product and brand monopolies aren’t new ideas but this level of convenience paired with the monopolisation of our data, on personal, public and societal scales, means top-level branding and consumer awareness is becoming even more important than ever before.

Moving Forward

Feeling gloomy? Don’t be!

This is just the latest business challenge and the best always overcome and succeed.

This new and developing Internet of Things reality simply means a re-focusing and doubling down on branding is an essential part of any consumer brand strategy.

From a practical point of view it means focusing on developing brand, creating awareness and capturing attention via social media (where modern attention primarily exists) and other key channels. It means tapping into consumer wants and needs more than ever before, delivering a brand story that aligns with customer values and resonates over time, and it means providing the highest quality possible because these product echo chambers will most likely reward quality alongside, or potentially above, price.

The Internet of Things is here, the first and second waves of products is also here but in the fantastic words of Ray Dalio (billionaire investor) just remember - “If you worry, don’t worry and if you don’t worry, worry!”

Getting Awareness Through Engagement on Social Media

“Engagement” and “Awareness” might sound like digital marketing buzzwords (they are…but hear me out…) but they are absolutely crucial in today’s social media marketing world.

In many cases the two elements go hand in hand in a social media context as more engagement generally leads to more awareness via the “word of mouth” friendly algorithms of Facebook, Instagram and Twitter etc.

The result of this means that we need to constantly keep both elements at the forefront of our minds throughout the content creation process.

Why Awareness is Crucial

Awareness, attention, exposure… Each word carries its own slight variation in meaning but at the core, they all mean the same thing in a marketing and business context…

You need EYES and EARS on your business before you can ever generate qualified leads or sales.

You might have the best product, service or message in the world but if nobody is listening then nobody will care. You have to grab that attention first, way before a potential sale can ever be considered, by you or the customer.

How do we grab attention and get eyes on our business in a social media world?

Engagement.

Why Engagement is Key

Obviously there are more ways to grab attention than just engagement but it can be a seriously powerful element within your social media marketing plans as it creates that “word of mouth” reach that otherwise could only be achieved via paid for advertising.

Of course, you could always combine the two for double the fun…

 What is engagement on social media? For me it’s all about comments.

I know that you can include likes and shares in the engagement bubble (and they’re worthwhile in their own way) but comments generate a different level of traction, which in turn gains the customer eyes and ears we all seek out.

If you look at Facebook in a 2017 world, the content that achieves the widest organic reach generally encourages comments. These comments could be loosely split into three categories – answers, debate and the tagging of other Facebook friends. 

Asking for It!

So, how do we get this engagement and the resulting awareness?

One of the easiest and most effective ways of creating more engagement is by simply asking for it!

Think about it (or even better, check your newsfeed and see), how many times have you seen a piece of content that says “tag a friend”, asks a question or some other variation of the two?

The businesses, brands and personalities behind these pieces of content know that engagement is crucial to spreading reach and awareness far beyond their budget capabilities and they know that asking for it works!

Creating

If you’re still with me (and believe in everything that has been said above…) then it’s time to start the creation process.

Think about the things (topics, issues, debates, jokes etc.) that really get your customers talking and go from there!

If you have any questions, contact me here!

Don’t Build an App for Your Business! (Unless It’s Absolutely Necessary…)

Small businesses do not need their own smartphone or tablet apps.

This might seem strange, coming from a “digital marketing” person, but since the launch of the first iPhone in 2007, and the subsequent smartphone takeover of our culture, there has been a growing “app trend” amongst small businesses and it’s wasting their time and money.  

The worst thing about this trend is that the small businesses involved aren’t actually to blame. It’s the app building companies and developers who swoop in, promise the world and then make a swift exit upon completion and sign-off.

Whether they do this innocently and naively (unaware of the current digital marketplace) or do so knowing full well that the new app will provide little benefit isn’t for me to say. Both options reflect badly.  

The primary reason that it reflects badly is because the “build your own app” deal rarely represents the best use of time, money and other resources needed for the business involved.

Why is this?

The Crowded Marketplace

You’ve most likely already experienced it in some shape or form.

You visit a small local business (an SME in professional terms) and are either asked to download their new app or notice it via in-store or online marketing messages.

These apps usually encourage you to download with the promise of exclusive offers, more content or some other feature.

Unfortunately, very few of us ever actually care enough to download the app in question.

We might love the local business, they could be our favourite barber, café or restaurant, but our smartphones are already crammed with much bigger, more unique apps vying for our attention and phone memory/storage.

The app stores are packed with thousands of apps fighting for our downloads and gaining a critical mass of downloads (to make the project worthwhile) can be almost impossible. Especially if you’re not offering something unique or valuable.

If customers can book their stay using AirBnB, order takeaway via Just Eat, or learn more about your business on Facebook or even on your official website, then that’s most likely where they’re going to go right now. This means you’re always going to be fighting an uphill battle unless your app offers something truly unique via functionality.

Follow the Attention

So, what next?

Well, if that’s the negative the positive is that as business owners and managers you have countless options out there waiting to be properly exploited.

Whether you’re looking to attract customers online or offline the key is to follow the attention.

In a digital marketing context this means using the biggest channels currently available to us. Right now that generally means some combination of Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, YouTube, LinkedIN and Google Search but if you want to research this yourself do three things today:

Audit what digital apps/websites you personally use on a daily basis

Ask friends, family and colleagues what they use on a daily basis 

Check out Apple/Android’s Top Free Apps lists for a UK or global picture

After you’ve done this you can then make an informed decision on what channels to use for your business and move forward.

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Apps are brilliant. From Headspace to YouTube and Spotify to Soundcloud we can do and enjoy so many things using our smartphones and tablets but unfortunately, small businesses will rarely be able to crack this market.

If you properly research what you, your friends and family use on a daily basis you’ll quickly notice that the majority of people only use 5-10 apps ever and muscling in on that market is a huge task.

Focus your efforts on moving with public attention and go from there.

If you’ve made the first leap but aren’t sure how to use social media channels and Google Search for your business get in touch here!

How to Create an Instagram Account

If you think Instagram could be perfect for your business but you’re not sure where to start follow the steps below and you’ll be ready to go in no time!

One: Download the app on a smartphone via your relevant app store.

Two: Click the “Sign Up” option to get started and then begin creating your new profile including username, password and profile photo.

Three: Include as much information as possible within the small Instagram biography. Ensure that it reads well and tells browsers exactly what your business is all about.

Four: Include a link to your website or business landing page. Instagram allows only one link per profile so make sure the link you include is the best available to your business.

Five: Search for and follow relevant Instagram accounts.

Six: Get posting, searching and engaging with our accounts. Social media is “social” by nature so you need to get connecting and networking with everyone else out there!

Ps. Remember to use hashtags!

Christmas Marketing Ideas for Northern Ireland Businesses

For a lot of businesses Christmas can be the biggest and most important time of the year and as a result, their marketing needs to reflect this.

Hopefully, if you’re struggling for ideas, this post will help get the cogs turning but remember, keep it festive and don’t over-think it.

It’s Christmas, not the end of the world!

Tesco: Helping Out

The supermarket giants are always guaranteed to pull out all the stops when it comes to Christmas but unlike Amazon or John Lewis, Tesco focus on the more practical side of the holidays by trying to provide new ideas, hints and tips. 

Everyone knows that coming up with gift ideas for friends and family year after year can be a chore so why not make it easy? Run a campaign in store and online that inspires and helps.

For instance, if I owned a clothing store selling shoes or trainers I would run a “For the Sporty/Messy/Musical One…” that allows me to post a different product for each target customer.

Edeka: All About Family

Another supermarket, this time the German’s Edeka, made headlines with their viral video #heimkommen roughly this time last year. If you haven’t yet, watch it before reading on…

activar subtítulos +++ ative as legendas +++ activer les sous-titres +++ 请打开字幕 +++ включите субтитры Zuhause mit den Liebsten ist es am schönsten. Gerade zu Weihnachten! Mehr unter: http://www.edeka.de/heimkommen Mit unserem Gewinnspiel kannst du dich noch mehr auf Weihnachten einstimmen. Poste ein Foto, das du mit Weihnachten verbindest. Bis zum 13.

On the one hand this tale of a father faking his own death to see his adult children again is dark and twisted but on the other it’s about family and spending time together and that’s what hit the nail on the head.

The #heimkommen campaign was a massive success on a global scale but the takeaway here for smaller businesses is the festive family theme. Gifts are great but the best bit about the holidays is usually catching up with old friends and family so how can you tie your own products into this message?

If I was selling car tires I would potentially build a campaign with a message revolving around “We can get you home quickly and safely this Christmas”. This would then influence the content I publish on channels like Facebook and Instagram over the next 5 weeks.

HBO: Festival Calendars

The American TV and streaming giant spent Christmas 2015 promoting their “12 Days of HBO Now” campaign that allowed HBO Now subscribers to gift a HBO pilot to friends and family for free.

If you’ve ever watched The Sopranos, Game of Thrones, The Wire, Girls or West Wing you’ll now just how good a gift this could potentially be and I love the calendar aspect.

Late-November and early December are all about the countdown towards Christmas so why not let that feed into your marketing?

Whether you’re a butcher, a sports outlet or any other business the potential is there to start your own “12 Days”, “Advent Calendar” or “3 Weeks to Christmas” campaign both on and offline. 

St George’s Market, Belfast: Keeping it Simple

If you’re still reading and you’re thinking there’s no way my business can compete with or learn from the likes of Tesco, Edeka and HBO then why not take a look at St George’s Market, Belfast? 

The massively popular food and craft market gets better and better every year and their pro-active social media presence only serves to help yet they keep things very simple.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed do something as simple as giving your logo or Facebook cover a Christmas touch-up just to get people thinking about your business and the holiday all in one thought.

Ballymena BID: A Very Beary Christmas

Our last inspirational campaign keeps things local to Northern Ireland with the Ballymena BID’s massively successful Ballymena Bear campaign in 2015. 

Watch the new Ballymena Christmas Advert 2015. It's totally not what you are expecting and not a cat or moon man in sight. Find out more at www.ballymenabear.com and view the behind the scenes diary at www.productiondiary.graftersdesign.com Please like and share, promote the Ballymena Bear!

Ballymena has long been famed as a great shopping destination in Northern Ireland but the tale of a lost Bear trying to find a friend at Christmas helped showcase the town’s great selection of shops, cafes and shopping centres all in time for the festive period. It was so successful the bear is back for 2016!

The takeaway here is that if Ballymena can do it, you can to!

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Grab that pen and paper and start scribbling and pick up the smartphone and start recording or taking pictures.

There’s still plenty of time before Christmas 2016!

How to Add Multiple Instagram Accounts

Nowadays even the smallest business owner has multiple online channels to worry about.

Any one person or business can have an official website, Facebook page, Twitter account, YouTube channel, mailing list and more, so it can get confusing from time to time!

Luckily, in the case of Instagram, if you have more than one account or need more than one, the Facebook owned social media giants have included a handy little feature.

This feature lets you add and easily switch between multiple Instagram accounts with ease.

To get started open your current Instagram account and go to the profile section. You should see a screen similar to below. 

If you only have one Instagram account click on the small Options symbol on the top right-hand side to bring up the relevant screen. Scroll down to the bottom and you should see the following where you can easily add a new account.

Alternatively, if you already have more than one account, click on the arrow (circled) beside your profile name and you should see a dropdown menu like below. Here you will be able to switch between previously added accounts or click on “+Add Account” to add a new one. 

When you’ve done that you’ll be greeted with the following screen. Enter the details if you’ve already created the account before. If not, click “Don’t Have An Account? Sign Up” and get cracking! 

Have fun!