Archive for web thoughts

The Future of Digital Marketing 2009

// June 18th, 2009 // No Comments » // web thoughts

Updated (19/06): Included a new blog #FODM event summary below…

Unfortunately my experience of the event was a very distant one, but I caught occasional tweets from various people attending The Future of Digital Marketing event organised by the excellent Econsultancy. There were some real gems of wisdom in there, below I’ve picked out the 10 best:

  1. Social media is about engagement. Use to engage, not direct sales (via @econsultancy)
  2. Twitter and its like will be a greater source of consumer traffic than paid search by 2012 (via @tanyagoodin)
  3. Twitter’s not going to be around forever, Twitter shows the limits of current technology (via @econsultancy)
  4. Telling me my own name after asking me what it is does not count as personalisation (via @econsultancy)
  5. Google sending Adwords vouchers because they’re scared of social networks pulling eyes away from search (via @aizlewood)
  6. Social networks represent the most significant consumer marketing opportunity since Google (via @tanyagoodin)
  7. Social media is the result of social change, not a technology revolution (via @econsultancy)
  8. 65% of users say online compliments the shopping they do in-store…(via @ZiaZ)
  9. Twitter is about brand exposure, sharing content, engagement, not SEO, or link building (via @econsultancy)
  10. Retailers looking to integrate online & store: don’t lose customers because they don’t want to buy online (via @econsultancy)

Only one blog summary is online so far, but I’ll add more links as more appear:

There was even some interesting digital marketing intelligence shared:

  • BBC have 110 newsletters delivering 360m emails each year (30 m per month) (via @juliansambles)
  • Approximate Twitter numbers: 6m users, $250M valuation, and yes, u can make money (Dell – $3m to date)
  • 98% of high net worth individuals are buying online. 35% of Britons are spending more online. (via @econsultancy)
http://twitter.com/Aizlewood~

iPhone 3GS Launch and Twitter

// June 9th, 2009 // No Comments » // e-commerce, social media, web thoughts

After following a couple of liveblogs reporting on the Apple WWDC last night and the launch of the new iPhone 3G S I turned to the retailers websites to find out how to get hold of one. Neither the O2 or Carphone Warehouse website had been updated to reflect the announcement. For neither site to even have a holding page or even basic information for about 3 hours after the announcement surely was a missed opportunity. It may well be the lock down that Apple puts on the information it announces at these conferences, but the time delay still was pretty bad.

So in my time of I need I turned to the ever-reliable Google for the latest information and it was after a number of searches that the weakness of Google for breaking news was exposed. Saving the day came Twitter! Yes there was alot of noise on there from people, like me, despairing over the lack of information available, but eventually the O2 and Carphone Warehouse twitter streams started to post information. O2 broke first with estimated pricing, but then around 9pm left a message saying they were finished for the day. Carphone Warehouse then picked up and exceeded O2′s early strong position with Twitter user ‘@guyatcarphone‘ posting useful links and responding to peoples enquiries.

Around 11pm the retailers websites kicked into life with the bare essential information, tariffs appeared on O2′s site, then Carphone Warehouse again outdid them with a simple, but effective iPhone 3G S pre-registration system.

All in all, an interesting launch to follow online and Carphone Warehouse clearly went the extra mile in providing the personal touch for the UK early adopters amongst us.

Laptop Bags: Simon Lilly Edition

// May 22nd, 2009 // No Comments » // web thoughts

Belkin Laptop Messenger Case

One of my favourite sites – Lifehacker – has started to do a feature on what’s in people’s laptop bags, quite a nice idea, so here what’s been in mine today:

So this Belkin Laptop Messenger Case is my selected laptop enclosure. It’s got an internal removable laptop sleeve, loads of internal storage and good number of zipped external storage points. It’s really light weight, but robust enough to take an occasional battering!

The VIP Passenger

My Dell Latitude D830 has served me well for the past 20 months. Nicely described as a 15.4″ business notebook, it’s slowly become a desktop replacement and isn’t really ideal for people who are always on the move.

My favourite feature is the quality of the build and especially the keyboard which is a pleasure to use. The least likeable feature is the overall bulk of this laptop, especially when compared to a netbook.

The Cables

  • AC Adaptor for the Dell laptop
  • Apple iPod headphones

The Data Carriers

A single 4GB SanDisk Cruzer is all I had today, but various size variations of that brand and drive can often be found in my laptop bag.

The Analog Stowaways

  • A4 Ruled & Margin 100 Page Recycled Paper Notebook
  • 2 x Biros and 1 x Pencil
  • 10 Business Cards

In Ear Entertainment

I love to take my first generation iPod Nano out and about with me. It’s only got 2gb of storage and it’s been around the blocks a few times, but the battery retains charge well and it holds the perfect about of music & podcasts.

Other Misc Technology

  • Three 3G USB dongle – great for getting online on the move.
  • Logitech MX Revolution laser mouse
  • LG Viewty mobile phone (soon to be replaced by the next gen iPhone?)

Reading Materials

Friday Focus: Facebook Pages

// April 24th, 2009 // No Comments » // social media, web thoughts

If you are involved with a brand, business, band or think you’re in a line of business where you might have ‘fans’ then setting up a page on Facebook can be a very rewarding adventure. As a first step into social media it’s potentially a great way to develop an online community, but don’t assume that if you build it they will come. Once the Page is ready to go live you will need to use your full armoury of marketing channels to put up signposts to your fantastically polished Page.

Please also be aware that developing content and keeping on top of your fans questions and queries can become a full-time job, build in management and review time in your work schedule. There are some great resources below that make essential reading before you click the ‘Publish’ button…

Facebook’s very own guide – giving you background information, how to prepare and a step-by-step guide.

A handy 10 page Facebook Pages PDF (updated March 2009) also from the Facebook team that gives you an extra level of information, from Page publishing through to looking at user statistics.

Following Facebook’s recent overhaul Mashable pulled together a superb Guide for Social Media Marketers – highlighting the opportunities and challenges of setting up your first Facebook Page.

Mashable is a superb social media resource and their 5 Elements of a Successful Facebook Fan Page post really supported that position.

If you are seeking inspiration Peter Kim setup a very useful Wiki packed full of social media examples. Sort by type, find Facebook Pages and there are some good examples there.

Probably the best way of researching is to dive into Facebook itself and search for brands, most of the big boys have pages, with varying examples of how to and how not to setup a Fan Page on Facebook – Skittles, Maltesers and Innocent all offer good, simple examples.

Friday Four 10/04/2009

// April 10th, 2009 // No Comments » // web thoughts

A bit of a mobile/hardware theme this week…

  • TechCrunch give us an update on the ‘CrunchPad‘, this large, slim iPod Touch-like device could be a very nice portable netbook rival.
  • 12 top tips for starting down the road on iPhone Development on SitePoint.
  • MacRumours suggest that 4 million new iPhones have been ordered by Apple
  • Engadget sneaked out some early shots of what is rumoured to be the Zune HD.

Friday Five 03/04/09

// April 3rd, 2009 // No Comments » // web thoughts

Seth’s back in my Friday Five, along with regular Twitter, a useful quick image sharing app and some advice for anyone creating a mobile website…

Sunday Seven 29/03/09

// March 29th, 2009 // No Comments » // web thoughts

As I missed my self-imposed Friday deadline, I’ve upped the number of featured articles to seven from the usual five.

Friday Five 20/03/09

// March 20th, 2009 // No Comments » // web thoughts

A great week for browser releases, a major mobile OS announcement, some Magento SEO tweaks and a whole host of Fireworks tutorials await…

Friday Five 12/03/09

// March 13th, 2009 // No Comments » // web thoughts

The weekly Friday Five spans from software to hardware with a little Google, Twitter and Godin put into the mix…

  • PC Pro set alarm bells ringing at Adobe HQ when they speculated that Dreamweaver is dying. There’s no doubt that blogging and online CMS have effected volumes at Adobe, but Dreamweaver is here to stay.
  • Take a look into the same crystal ball that Google use by watching Marissa Mayer’s interview on Charlie Rose.
  • Another Seth Godin article, this time he looks at how you achieve Return on Design.
  • Apple released their new and even smaller iPod shuffle.
  • Mahola founder Jason Calacanis trys to apply the Google Adwords model to Twitters suggested users list, when he offered $120,000 to be on the list.

Friday Five 06/03/09

// March 6th, 2009 // No Comments » // web thoughts

Every Friday I’m going to pull together short post listing my favourite five blog posts from the previous week that are of value and interest to online marketers, retailers and internet entrepreneurs.

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