The Digital Blogger

The Cobra Beer example: How to successfully operate a Facebook fan group

2010-05-04T22:00:00.011+01:00

So having received a round-up of the daily newspaper content at work the other day my attention was drawn to a particular curry related item released by Consensus Action on Salt and Health,

“curries could have as much salt as sea water”

I thought this was an interesting statement that could question the love of curry especially on the Cobra Beers’ ‘we love curry’ fan page.

I’ve been watching the page with interest. It's one of the early examples of a brand entering the social media space and connecting on a large scale with consumers about a common subject from the their Indian routes, curry. The page currently has over 61,000 fans and keeps its loyal following active by referencing curry related events, programs and articles that appear across different mediums. Cobra’s social media team seem to do a good job of collecting curry related content from external sources (no pun!) and then creating discussion and dialogue with their fans. It’s the great fusion of beer and curry that’s been enhanced by the bringing together of information and recipe ideas to the page.

With all the fan page’s success and solid performance in social media, I thought I would give the team a chance to prove their worth by posting the high salt information released in the popular newspaper on the wall for all to see, questioning if we should still love curry now knowing this high salt content.

As you can see, the message that I posted was fairly straight talking and without too much emotion as I wanted to see how and if Cobra would actually respond to my challenging message, especially with the sheer numbers of fans.

It took only a working day (If we take into account the bank holiday weekend) for the team to visibly respond to my comment on the Facebook group. And here’s the key for answering questions in social media; if someone posts a question, leaving it open and unanswered is a dangerous game to play. It looks like you are either inexperienced in social media and don’t recognise the importance of a response or are in social media just for the sake of it and don’t know to respond – thinking that this is just a conversation to be had between fans.

This is what Cobra responded with,

By addressing me personally, the message seems like a direct conversation with me, a good start. The appreciation for the comment also proves that Cobra welcome this type of comment and their fan’s opinion. And the response itself seems positive and suitable; they come up with a beneficial solution for all to see, to enjoying curries cooked at home.

What Cobra and their team have proved to me by this response is that they are still on top of their game in terms of interacting with their fans and creating an experience. This is impressive as their group totals over 61,000 and to be individually responding to comments is good management of a large social media operation.

A further example of the group's activity are the calls to action posts such as,

"Did you know that Queen Victoria ate curry every day? We’re now looking for the modern day “King or Queen of curry” so if you eat curry everyday then let us know! Just email drspice@redconsultancy.com"

With a competition rewarding the most dedicate of curry eaters.

Check out we love curry by Cobra on Facebook to see good, live brand representation in action.

Facebook 'Likes' The Web

2010-04-26T21:54:00.004+01:00

With Mark Zuckerberg's recent announcement at F8 that Facebook want to further connect together our external recommendations with our peers, what could this mean for the future of the web?

We have to take Facebook seriously when the company announces a big step such as this one. The sheer number of daily users on Facebook means that whatever changes or movements forward they want to make will have a very large audience and therefore impact.

Zuckerberg wants to let the 400 million users move around the web and 'like' content of interest that is then published on their profile and in their social space. What this is doing is changing the way we actively search and move between pieces of content. If a friend of mine 'likes' certain content, I will see this on Facebook but also when I browse the content itself. By both of us actively liking, we have made a connection and the information has been shared socially. There are also the implications of (if signed in to Facebook and browsing the web) being able to connect with people outside of your social circle who have actively indicated that they like the content as well.

A further announcement to developers was the idea that once you have hit the 'like' button on sites that contain this feature, this is then remembered and in the future, content on certain sites can be tailored to reflect what we have 'liked' in the past. I think this is a real advancement in today's web. The ability to serve content that is bespoke to the user could help to make the information on the web feel much more personal, efficient and provide the user with a greater experience.

The challenge will be whether or not Zuckerberg and his team can roll out the concept free from privacy concerns. This social web, bespoke to the user and centered around peer recommendations will certainly have Google looking over their shoulders as Facebook attempts to push out its offering.

New photos on Flickr

2010-04-19T22:45:00.001+01:00

I've just uploaded a new set on flickr from a recent trip to Berlin. See what you think.

Facebook Kicks Off Implementation Of QR Codes

2010-03-16T20:21:00.002Z

Interesting adoption of the QR code by Facebook - has it found its home?

http://techcrunch.com/2010/03/16/facebook-qr-code/

Facebook, Twitter, coexistence and you are what you Tweet!

2010-01-17T21:26:00.011Z

With the announcement in the last few days that Facebook has implemented yet another inspirational feature from Twitter, how do they both currently position themselves in our connected society and can they continue to coexist?

With over 350 million users worldwide Facebook has always strived to be more than just a communication exchange service:

1. They want to connect us all together to allow the flow of information between peers to be instant and near effortless.

2. Your personal online brand is as visible as you want it to be, allowing as much or as little information about yourself to reach as many friends or Google bots as you wish.

3. You can fashion a certain personality appearance and ultimately dictate how you come across to others – a powerful ability!

What Twitter gives us though is that real time access to information that would otherwise be slowed down or held back in reaching us. Twitter can sail above governments and media networks bringing us a feel for life, now, ‘on the street’. Many brands have a Twitter presence to hopefully reassure, communicate and engage with their customers – it’s not necessarily the release of information, more the involvement in a conversation that shows the brand cares, is interested and at the forefront of their industry.

This ‘brand land’ environment will keep Twitter breathing strongly into the future, offering a unique place and ultimately a different proposition to Facebook - Twitter will increasingly become brand land with more and more emphasis on it being the place to measure how brands are being received. Facebook will continue to play a major role in connecting peers, building relationships and the management of you own personal brand.

Facebook hopes to increase its longevity by implementing those Twitter features that are proven to work, and rolling them out to the masses – all this retweeting, real time status updating and @ referencing is the language of real time, and Facebook now, more than ever, is desperate to speak it.

Keep Facetweeting!

Rupert Murdoch and walling his content

2009-12-07T21:26:00.003Z

Rupert Murdoch is applying a dated model to a boundryless, modern world. The internet has taken content, that anyone can produce annonymously, and allowed limitless distribution, within the right circles.

Walling content is not something that sits particularly well in the online world. The best blogs, news sites and channels are boundryless to allow the free flow of those wanting to consume it. Only then can the most influential and active consumers move information on through networks spreading the word.

The danger of walling your content is that it goes no further than the loyal few who are willing to pay for it. Don’t limit those who can see it, pay the search engines and referrers to get more to see it.

The New Twitter Offices

2009-11-17T23:02:00.007Z

The Twitter team have moved into a brand new office designed by Sara Morishige Williams (@sara) in San Francisco.

Here's a look at what they can expect..

eBay wants upmarket with fashion site launch

2009-11-08T14:37:00.004Z

eBay has launched The Inside Source a site written by fashion followers to attract higher end shoppers and deliver the leading trends.

eBay wants to change the ‘second hand goods’ perception that the online auctioneer carries.

The website is aimed at the sophisticated shopper who regularly uses eBay but may not be aware of the full range of what’s on offer.

The site will draw from the wealth of trend data eBay has to deliver currently hot fashions and buying preferences. The Inside Source offers you data such as the most watched items on eBay and the most searched for items on eBay. Readers can interact via comments and Facebook connect.
Various writers in categories such as tech, fashion, home & garden and pop culture blog their slant on the latest and hotest products around; helping to increase awareness of different ranges.

I think this is a good move from eBay offering more to the consumer, and appearing more authoritative within their niche. If we take into account how many people are making purchases from eBay then the site seems to make sense – to comment on their purchasing decisions makes for good content and getting industry experts to write for the site should merge well into a useful resource.

Digital Marketing Strategies Gone Wrong

2009-10-26T21:40:00.003Z

Revolution Magazine presents six digital marketing disasters.

Also take a look at some of 'the worst brands' on Twitter.

Have Pepsi crossed the proverbial line?

2009-10-14T21:10:00.004+01:00

An app for the iPhone created by Pepsi has outraged certain consumers as is categorises women and 'helps guys score'.

Many women have branded the app both "ridiculously offensive" and "stereotyping." The AMP app also has created its own hash tag on Twitter, "#pepsifail".

The app is based on the AMP energy drink with the slogan 'Amp up before you score'. It's aimed at young men providing them with different chat-up lines for different types of women.

Girls are divided into 24 categories from the likes of rebound girl and tree hugger to princess. The app offers information on what each type of girl in that category could be interested in and a series of chat-up lines that are likely to work.

Advice for guys hitting on the political girl for example includes, "If she's bi-partisan, you might be able to pull off a threesome."

Once successful, the man is encouraged to share the triumph with friends across different social media and email, entering in name, date and any other details they remember - 'You got it? Flaunt it. Keep your buddies in the loop on email', suggests the app.

A bit of fun or does it offend?

Negative comments received by Pepsi has forced them, on Twitter, to make a formal apology for offence it may have caused,

"Our app tried 2 show the humorous lengths guys go 2 pick up women. We apologize if it's in bad taste & appreciate your feedback,"

The app remains in the store.

Interesting that the app was released targeting males without consideration that with Pepsi's strong social media presence, surely any backlash will be felt publicly.

Pepsi seem to have felt the wrath of social media.

Perhaps a lesson learned? Or perhaps a perfect opportunity for a guy app aimed at girls to restore harmony..

Keyword Suggestion Tool: Keyword Eye

2009-10-05T13:15:00.003+01:00

Through my trawl of the many keyword suggestion tools out there I came across quite an interesting one. It’s this visual element where search volume & competition are shown visually in a tag cloud format. It’s good for keyword brainstorming and for use in presentations.

I quite like the user interface; keywords can be dragged and dropped into various elements of the page such as a keyword comparison tool or even exported into a handy CSV file.

Anyway, it’s called Keyword Eye – please check it out and let me know what you think!

Layar3D Augmented Reality Engine Trial

2009-09-23T23:07:00.007+01:00

Layar, the augmented reality firm has added 3D capabilities to its Android compatible technology.

Users can see 'tagged' versions of reality with information about their surroundings. Objects and 3D text can be added to layers using certain coordinates thus increasing the AR experience.

A classic arcade game using the technology is being tested, watch the video here.

Facebook takes the @inspiration from Twitter

2009-09-14T21:53:00.008+01:00

Yep, they've done it again, Facebook has implemented the @ symbol tagging into its offering converting a novel Twitter idea into something like their own.

Facebook's 250 million users are now able to include friends or connections into 'whats on your mind' posts via the @ symbol.

Once the @ symbol is entered into the share box, as you begin to type out a name, a list drops down enabling you to select one of your Facebook friends.

This new inclusion by Facebook could have important implications for marketeers and finally help to tap into the mindsets of the millions of users.

Perhaps now the vast market research channel can be monitored for keyword tagging when users share posts amongst each other. Brand terms and tagged phrases will be recorded so you can measure reach and coverage that a brand, phrase or product is getting.

..and if that wasn't enough to suggest that Facebook wants to swifty copy the successful Twitter model..

Facebook Lite, a stripped down version of Facebook minus the apps and other rich media content is now available in India and the US and launching in the UK shortly.

EU study finds e-commerce site shortfalls

2009-09-10T21:57:00.004+01:00

A European study concludes that more than 50% of e-commerce sites could be breaking the law.

A study into 359 sites by the European Union found that an alarming 55% showed 'irregularities' in the information and services that they provide which can leave customers short changed.

Information on returns and refunds was the most frequent shortfall. Damaged goods should be allowed to be returned up to two years after sale, which two thirds of sites did not make clear. 45% of sites also failed to inform customers of delivery charges and some were criticised for not providing contact details.

The EU has promised to crack down on 'law breaking' sites in a bid to aid future developments in online retail.

Audi uses facebook to reach out to designers

2009-09-01T22:54:00.002+01:00

Audi are using their Facebook fan page to ask for ideas on their cars of the future.

The German car company has asked its 300,000 members what features they would like to see on a car in 2030. The move is part of a competition at the Los Angeles Car Show challenging manufacturers to produce more youth orientated cars.

Video content shows the designers at work and encourages participation. Questions such as 'How will your car play a role in keeping you connected to your digital world in the future?' call the user to action.

It seems as though Audi are using feedback to help shape their future direction in terms of car design. An Audi spokesman uses words such as 'critical' to show just how much importance it places on user feedback.

Brad Stertz, spokesman for Audi of America,

"We wanted to show our Facebook fans that we're committed to creating automobiles that fit our changing lifestyles and having this conversation with them is a critical part of that process,"

Mobile TV now watched by 54 million

2009-08-24T22:26:00.003+01:00

Numbers of mobile TV users this year are said to reach 54 million, although the technology has been a little slow off the mark domestically speaking.

A report by In-Stat predicts that by 2013 the global reach of mobile TV could be as much as 300 million.

The reports shows that the average user watches at least three times a week, with a further 20 per cent watching on a daily basis.

In Japan and Korea, this technology is really taking off with users spending well over an hour on the services. Having seen the surprisingly good picture quality also, you can see why its a hit.

So, can mobile TV catch on here in the UK? Well, with the likes of Sky and Channel 4 showing the faith and allocating resources, why not?

A recent study from Screen Digest reckons that mobile TV will overtake games and music in becoming the most popular mobile application, generating over three billion pounds of revenue by 2011.

The advances in smartphones may well help this with manufacturers trying to create the perfect hand held device for all of today's needs.

Once again, we're playing catch up with Asia on this one.

Zugara releases augmented reality game

2009-08-17T15:15:00.004+01:00

Interactive agency Zugara has released an augmented reality game using webcams called Cannonballz.

'Cannonballz is the first ever Augmented Reality game using ZugMo Motion Capture Technology, Flash and Facebook to make both you and your friends the stars of the game. Think fast and move faster as you dodge pirate cannonballs while saving your Facebook friends to become a legend on the leaderboard.'

Is this the first casual game using AR?

It's certainly a step forward for AR, users can engage with elements integrated within the display all done through gesture recognition. You can upload your score onto your facebook page or share the game with friends.

So social media integration of this form could be the future for brand engagement. With marketers looking for the next buzz after web 2.0, could this engagement with audience be that next step we are looking to try to anticipate?

Cameras at the ready! See what you think, try it out here.

Ben & Jerry's upside down on facebook

2009-08-11T12:15:00.005+01:00

The ice cream maker has created a new app for Facebook that allows users to send upside down messages to one another. Once the app is installed, messages can be created on or offline and then sent across social networks.

Facebook announced its 200 millionth user in April and many brands are continually trying to tap into that market with the creation of fan pages, addictive applications and unique content.

The app has been created in line with the US release of 'Flipped Out Sundaes' designed to be eaten upside down!

The widget is available on Ben & Jerry's Flipped Out Facebook page.

See for yourself here.

Digital Blogger Guide: CoTweet an intro..

2009-08-03T17:56:00.008+01:00

Have you personally or within a company ever felt the need for a Tweet to be just that little bit more human, well, read on..

There is a tool that can help to identify individuals within an organisation by managing Twitter operations from a web based application, called CoTweet.

CoTweet has been adopted by a range of businesses from the very small to the likes of Ford, Microsoft and Coca-Cola. CoTweet is in beta and free to use at the moment, but may come with a charge in the future.

The application uses a system that allows up to six Twitter accounts to be managed simultaneously. Members of staff can be added as users and individually reply to Tweets with a personal tag at the end. An unlimited number of staff can be added to the application and can be ‘on duty’ at any one time.

When a Tweet comes in, whoever is on duty can assign that message to the relevant member of staff to then respond. That member of staff will then receive an email to alert them that they have a Tweet to respond to. This system is effective as questions or requests will always be channelled to the correct person and should not go unanswered in the process.

As each member of staff can generate their own tag to appear at the end of each Tweet they post, customers will know who they are dealing with. Ford use the ^ symbol and initials to differentiate members of staff, for example,

‘@autoconomy I know you are a rwd lover, but that car hopefully will change your mind. Let me know when you are ready to buy. ^mhs’

They then have a section on the profile page explaining who is attached to which tag, for example, @MSchirmerFord, global vehicles comms (^MHS).

I really like this app, it's basically a management tool for your Twitter operations.

Have a go yourself here.

Twitter, Aussies, Tottenham and rants

2009-07-31T14:48:00.011+01:00

So, it seems like the old fashioned trend of leaving everything to the safety of an official press release is finally beginning to change.

In two instances this week, sportsmen have announce news on their Twitter pages that some of those involved would like to have kept internal:

1. Australian cricketer Phil Hughes found himself in trouble yesterday when he announced on his Twitter page that he had been axed from the Ashes team before it had been officially announced. We later found out it was Hughes' agent Neil D'Costa who broke the news via Twitter on behalf of his client,

"These things happen," D'Costa said. "I guess things got confused with the time difference."

2. Darren Bent has caused a potential rift in the Tottenham camp after postings about his current chairman Daniel Levy in relation to the strikers' desire to move away from White Hart Lane.

Writing on his Twitter page @db10thetruth, Bent supposedly said: "Do I wanna go Hull City. No. Do I wanna go Stoke. No...Do I wanna go Sunderland. Yes. So stop ******* around Levy."

Tottenham have apparently launched an investigation into this and Bent could face some form of action.

--

Both incidents though are showing us the power Twitter can have in dodging barriers to get news out to the general public. I'm sure this will only be the beginning of this type of communication between annoyed, overpaid sportstar and the outside world
- In protest of their superiors (in Bent's case).

In Hughes case, learn the time zones!!

Letting the 2.0 battle Commerce

2009-07-26T22:32:00.004+01:00

Web 2.0 yet to be fully embraced by the UK's leading retailers.

A recent study by dotCommerce has found that some of the biggest UK based retailers are still behind in offering 2.0 content and brand loyalty features to attract repeat business and engage the customer.

Simon Bird, Technical Director at dotCommerce: "With competition for every consumer pound at an all time high, it's more important than ever for retailers to engage with visitors to their sites.

"It is also important to recognise the role that ecommerce sites can play in encouraging shoppers to sign-up for other marketing and promotional efforts, such as email marketing or loyalty schemes.

"This allows the retailer to begin building long-term relationships with consumers and maximising revenue from their existing base."

Any such features to keep the customer coming back will surely add significant value to a site currently lacking in that department.

Turning back to 2.0, the ability for free flowing information that social media allows i.e. the potential for both good and bad comments made public about a company is putting off some of the bigger players.

If you can get it right, it can really add value to your business. If done wrong though, social media can potentially damage a brand's image.

The likes of video however can really add another dimension and lift the brand off the screen.

..he who dares wins!

The Wiki style Twitter 101

2009-07-26T22:11:00.005+01:00

Twitter have released an online 'how to' guide, aimed at the curious business user perhaps still unsure about venturing into the microblogging world of Twitter.

I guess the point they are trying to get across in this Wiki like offering is just how effective the service can be if used correctly, to full potential and consistently. There are business case studies on there to back this up, there's a best practice guide and much more content to browse through.

Although it seems like they've got all bases covered, I can't help but find the little resource falls somewhat short in the level of depth I would have liked to see on Twitter issues and optimisation.

See for yourself here

In the meantime, if you want a list of just about every Twitter app possible follow this link, currently 275 in total.

Behind the scenes at Twitter

2009-07-15T20:58:00.003+01:00

The Guardian's tech blog gets an insiders view on the San Francisco startup's HQ.

Channel 4 and Facebook to team up

2009-07-15T20:51:00.002+01:00

Channel 4 and Facebook are teaming up to offer on demand TV with a friends referal element.

Writing Press Releases

2009-06-30T17:42:00.003+01:00

I've come acrosss an interesting video courtesy of New School Network Marketing on how and why to Press Release.

Here's the video