Bristol-based Kabuto Noodles is bringing instant noodles to discerning foodies. But how does it stand out from Pot Noodle and the “me-toos”? [click to continue…]
Apple’s vaunted customer service took a nasty knock this week when sales staff unwittingly alienated and offended a new customer. [click to continue…]
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With the rise of a more visual social web, infographics are everywhere. The Periodic Table of SEO Ranking Factors neatly summarises the major contributing elements to good ranking, and does it with good humour. [click to continue…]
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It is great to learn that Twitter no longer supports posting direct to LinkedIn. Who wants updates duplicated by default across quite different networks anyway?
I have previously banged on about how annoying it is to see tweets replicated consistently and without thought in the LinkedIn newsfeed. Looking at LinkedIn now I am delighted to see the majority of updates appear to be direct from within LinkedIn. Such updates are often more considered and thoughtful and, well, different in tone and style to Twitter.
Don’t get me wrong, I like and use both platforms. And I will, from time to time, when the timing, content and context is right, duplicate across networks. More often than not this will be where something works for a Facebook Pages and the Twitter feed.
You can still update both platforms simultaneously (from LinkedIn) by checking the Twitter box. Somehow that feels OK, partly because:
- Many people just won’t do it
- I suspect fewer people use LinkedIn than Twitter
Of course there are any number of third-party applications that allow multiple-platform posts, such as Hootsuite and Tweetdeck (which I used for years). I suppose some people will use these as spam-generating technology, checking every box available to splurge updates across as many networks as possible.
When it comes to such tools, I currenty roll with Pluggio, as it suits my varied markets and the content-heavy nature of my tweets.
Mashable has more on Twitter’s ‘separation’ from LinkedIn.
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I received an amazingly quick and positive response to a recent complaint. The faulty product in question is being replaced immediately and without query. Yet a nagging doubt remains.
Ever the optimist back in March I began looking forward to summer camping trips with my two boys. I’d had my eye on an in-car iPad mount that would allow the kids to watch movies on the longer drives. The unit arrived safely from the States, was easy to install and proved a major success on its debut drive (‘Puss ‘N Boots’, in case you were wondering). The kids were happy; I was delighted to see them happy; and even more delighted that they were not arguing.
I'm not naming the brand at its request
The mount’s ‘flexible arm’ sheered apart yesterday as I was re-positioning the iPad.
After my blood pressure had returned to normal I composed a very reasonable email to the vendor, together with photographs, asking for a refund or a replacement. I suggested that it would be wonderful to be able to post on my blog about excellent, rapid customer service in response to this complaint.
This morning I found a positive reply in my inbox. A replacement unit is winging its way across the Atlantic right now!
“We stand behind this product and will honor our 1 Year warranty. This is not a special treatment and you don’t have to write about us!”
I thought that last line interesting. I have decided to abide by that request and so am not naming the brand in question. I’ll trust that my original unit was faulty.
If you were the vendor’s brand manager, would you have said “you don’t have to write about us!”
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Marketing a new mobile app — when the product doesn’t yet exist — could have been a tricky proposition. But where there’s a will there’s a way.
14 days after lifting the embargo on MatchDayApp, a ‘coming soon’ mobile guide for travelling football fans, it has collected almost 750 Facebook Likes and over 1,000 Twitter followers. Check the current state of play here:
Chat about the new app is being shared around its target market: football fans that travel to follow their team. Awareness is growing well, based on this launch programme:
- Traditional marketing: distribution of flyers at key end-of-season and playoff games
- A blog with valuable information on stadia, upcoming games and where to drink and eat when following your team
- A systematic approach to building Twitter and Facebook communities
At the the centre of all activity lay a contest to win an iPhone 4S — a major draw for the target demographic.
Launch marketing was based around the steady production of content aimed at the end-user and was published on the MatchDayApp blog. This was promoted around the web with a particular emphasis on Twitter and Facebook. Since the product is not yet launched, the objectives were:
- To gain a level of awareness and
- To connect with people who may contribute to the app’s content and usefulness.
UPDATE, March 2013: Development of the app was severely hampered by very poor technical service. Now back on track, it is due to launch August 2013.
Resources
- Examples of successful Facebook campaigns for clients
- Working examples of smart Facebook custom apps
Contact Mick Dickinson at BuzzedUp to discuss how to use Facebook and Twitter to market your business effectively.
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Heavily over-optimised websites are in for a shock as Google begins to penalise ‘old skool’ SEO tactics.
- Keyword-stuffed page titles? Not helping!
- Inappropriate internal links? Don’t do it, dudes.
- Crappy link-filled footers? Are you serious? That is so 2002.
- Weird keyword-rich blocks that serve no useful purpose? Get out of here!
- You have back-links from dodgy sites? Off my Christmas card list.
- Almost-duplicate pages. You don’t fool anyone. Grow up.
Great stuff from SEOmoz — as per usual.
There’s no substitute for well-written, natural language. Contact BuzzedUp if your site is guilty of the SEO crimes above.
Image via kurzweilai.net
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