Social Norms? Twitter Users Follow the 79/7 Rule in the U.K.
By Alex Burmaster, Communications Director, UK & EMEA, Nielsen’s online division
Did this have any impact on the share-price?
“Another example of why Twitter works!”
"Thinking about compiling a (public consensus based) list of great Arabian brands… Firstly, any Twitter Juror nominations for Judging Panel?"
My Comment:
“A couple of thoughts: Firstly, I think, the ability to compete against the ‘big boys’ isn’t necessarily about investing money (reduced or not) in traditional marketing, advertising and PR efforts. Along with the opportunities the downturn continues to reveal to small businesses, the way in which brands communicate their reputation is simultaneously changing too.
Secondly, many big brands that you refer to as disappearing from the high street, haven’t necessarily left rich-pickings for smaller, nibble businesses to simply glide in and pick up. The markets have changed. Demand, is at an all time low, and in many cases has quite simply dropped out.
Time can deliver a great ROI too. If one is smart about it, the investment of time can certainly outweigh that of cost. When combined with a true appreciation that the once traditional model of PRing, exhibiting and DMing (in hope) has changed considerably — it will allow our smart thinkers to innovate, discover and communicate directly with new and lucrative marketing opportunities. It’s exciting.”
Declining income, conflicted managers and demoralised staff. If you’re in the brand identity business, it may be time to re-evaluate your business development strategy.
Recently, whilst out-and-about in the branding community, conducting what I now refer to as the rounds, I have noticed a worrying vacuum or, in the wider context of things, an opportunity well worth exploiting.
It is undeniably tough out there – clearly illustrated by frugal cost-cutting, unpaid leave, head-count freezing and many other cautious, overhead reducing activities. However, I am amazed at how so many senior managers are undervaluing the importance and holistic benefits of a clear marketing and business development strategy.
On mass, agencies already on the verge of collapse have started advertising vacancies for generic new business positions. Their posts command applications from candidates who can guarantee a rolodex of clients and qualified leads. In return they offer little more than the most basic salary, an unclear future and very little, if any, security. They too often rely on badly managed and out-of-date contact lists and assign the task of cold-calling to reluctant if not actually telephobic staff, or outsource it to apathetic third-party telephonists.
How then can consultancies expect to grow, during a time when salaries are cut, morale is at an all time low and unpaid leave is encouraged? The answer, I suggest: Agency leaders themselves need to start thinking outside of the box.
Continue reading my post on BrandRepublic.com / Blogs / …
“Data, Not Design, Is King in the Age of Google”
“Douglas Bowman left his position as top visual designer at Google and said that designs there lived or died by data on consumer responses. He now is creative director at Twitter.”
“CAN a company blunt its innovation edge if it listens to its customers too closely? Can its products become dull if they are tailored to match exactly what users say they want? These questions surfaced recently when Douglas Bowman, a top visual designer, left Google.”
“Mr. Bowman’s main complaint is that in Google’s engineering-driven culture, data trumps everything else. When he would come up with a design decision, no matter how minute, he was asked to back it up with data. Before he could decide whether a line on a Web page should be three, four or five pixels wide, for example, he had to put up test versions of all three pages on the Web. Different groups of users would see different versions, and their clicking behavior, or the amount of time they spent on a page, would help pick a winner.”
Source: NY Times / Article by MIGUEL HELFT, Published: May 9, 2009
"Inappropriately overused words No.6: ‘Honestly’"
Attempting to decipher last night’s dream. Very weird.
“To see a race car in your dream, symbolizes your hard driving and headstrong attitudes. It may also reflect your competitive nature and the need to win.”
“To dream that you are driving a race car, represents your fast paced lifestyle. You may be jeopardising your health with your reckless behaviour.”
“To dream that you are good friends with a celebrity, represents your idealized version of someone you know in your life. Perhaps you hope that a real-life friend can act more like a particular celebrity. Consider the qualities that you see in this celebrity and how you want your friends to have those qualities.”
“…slums, indicates a negative outlook deteriorating thoughts and crumbling ideals. You are feeling sorry for yourself and caught up in your own negative thinking. Alternatively, the dream suggests that you have a poor self image.”
— See: www.dreammoods.com
“When I first heard of Twitter, I thought about it much like many of you probably still do. It’s just noise. Who needs to know when someone is having a pizza?”
Twitter Metrics
by David L. Smith, 2 hours ago
But I’ve had a few epiphanies along the way that have changed my thinking. The general background is on my professional blog with link above, so I won’t repeat it here. I also posted a piece on my FastCompany.com blog. The bottom line for me is that Twitter is a great news source, a great place for learning about social networking and a great place for tracking general noise in the blogosphere, whether it is about you, your company, your competitors or any topic of general interest. If it is worthwhile, someone will be tweeting about it. And the noise level behind something is a good indicator of general interest…
Lunch with the @SavvyAuntie
On a slightly different note, but certainly no less inspiring, yesterday I was lucky to have lunch with the Savvy Auntie (aka Melanie Notkin) at the Soho House.
I have been an avid follower of Melanie’s (via Twitter, blog etc) for a number of months. I then waited in eager anticipation for the launch of her site, www.savvyauntie.com — which went live some four months ago.
The site, something I have blogged about before (not that anyone reads this) is a perfect example of taking time to understand and empathise with your target; then crafting an appropriate brand platform; capturing personality and energy; visually engaging with such clarity to a very well defined market audience; and getting the ‘tone-of- voice’ just right.
Just a couple of hours with Melanie (managing to find a slot in her incredibly hectic schedule) was terrific — it was great to find out more about the project too.
However, for some reason, I don’t appear to be any closer in becoming a PANK* ;-) [DD]
*Professional Auntie No Kids. »>
"Hitwise’s statistics on Twitter however, tell a different story. Perhaps it’s seen as a slightly sexier brand because it’s new and different and right now not everybody is on it. Users will be keen to get behind it and tell their friends about something new. But can it survive in a market that is already so saturated?"
"From a security perspective this means the following:
Anyone who knows your phone number can update your Twitter page by spoofing a SMS message, i.e. post a Twitter entry as you…"
Anyone who knows your phone number can update your Twitter page by spoofing a SMS message, i.e. post a Twitter entry as you…"
– Twitter and Jott Vulnerable to SMS and Caller ID Spoofing, by Nitesh Dhanjani in Technical
Thinking about compiling a (public consensus based) list of great Arabian brands… Firstly, any Twitter Juror nominations for Judging Panel?
Declining income, conflicted managers and demoralised staff. If you’re in the brand identity business, it may be time to re-evaluate your business development strategy.
“Data, Not Design, Is King in the Age of Google”
Inappropriately overused words No.6: ‘Honestly’
Attempting to decipher last night’s dream. Very weird.
“When I first heard of Twitter, I thought about it much like many of you probably still do. It’s just noise. Who needs to know when someone is having a pizza?”
Good crisis management…
Lunch with the @SavvyAuntie
Hitwise’s statistics on Twitter however, tell a different story. Perhaps it’s seen as a slightly sexier brand because it’s new and different and right now not everybody is on it. Users will be keen to get behind it and tell their friends about something new. But can it survive in a market that is already so saturated?
Right now on Twitter…
From a security perspective this means the following:
Anyone who knows your phone number can update your Twitter page by spoofing a SMS message, i.e. post a Twitter entry as you…
Anyone who knows your phone number can update your Twitter page by spoofing a SMS message, i.e. post a Twitter entry as you…
