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bwired - Web Strategy WebLog
bwired is a web site design and development company based in Melbourne, Australia offering a wide range of web strategy services.Trusted web partners of government, major businesses, significant franchise brands and tourism icons.
http://www.bwired.com.au
[ Date added: 2009-09-27 ]
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bwired Blogs - Experience. Capability. Technology
Pinterest - Helpful Beyond Retail
Pinterest, a social networking website that allows users to create virtual pinboards, has become a top traffic driver for US retailers.
While the data is not clear on how Pinterest affects conversions, it is becoming a key player in personalised and social shopping experiences for consumers. With millions of hit each week and a 429% increase in unique visitors from September to December 2011, Pinterest is obviously piquing the interest of marketers, SEO experts, sales teams and bloggers alike.
Pinterest drives traffic back to individual product pages, so it’s been a hot topic for those in SEO. But Pinterest should have appeal beyond the potential to raise traffic. Like other social networks, Pinterest illustrates that users are already engaging with your products and your brand – whether you are on social media or not.
Social Commerce Tool
With Pinterest, users can discover new products, create their own pinboards according to a category or theme (e.g. colours, weddings, a new baby room, home decor, etc), and “pin” their favourite photos, recipes and any other image using the Pinterest bookmarklet, an iPhone app or on the website itself.
Martha Stewart’s website and Etsy, an online marketplace for handmade and vintage items and a frequent source of inspiration for Pinterest users, have recently added a “pin it” button to items and articles, right next to the “like” and “tweet” buttons. This “pin it” button is popping up on websites that are seeing their products on the Pinterest boards of users around the US and, increasingly, around the world.
The Catch
Search is still top dog when it comes to site referrals, and there is little data to show conversion rates as a result of Pinterest traffic, so we can’t be totally sure that it helps to drive sales.
Pinterest is also about grabbing users visually, so it’s not ideal for many companies that can’t share their products or services in an engaging, visual way. Some other considerations before jumping on the Pinterest wagon:
Don’t just post your products: This site is about a the personal user experience and how they can express themselves, so if someone uses the site with a purely marketing message in mind it will come off as insincere and will likely be ignored. As Pinterest Etiquette states: “If there is a photo or project you’re proud of, pin away! However, try not to use Pinterest purely as a tool for self-promotion.” Brand names can’t be verified so, in theory, someone could post under your name. Also, users generally aren’t looking to follow a brand – it’s more about browsing categories, but this could change if more organisations utilise the tool effectively. (HGTV has almost 10,000 followers) Target audiences: An estimated 59% of Pinterest users are women between ages 25 and 44, so Pinterest might not be a popular tool for your audience in particular.When Pinterest is Right for You
Tapping into the fun (and addictiveness) of Pinterest can be an effective way to reach customers. For example, Lands’ End created a contest and asked users to create a board using Lands’ End products; the winners received gift vouchers. You can also create a board that is pinned by the users themselves. Or you can create a seasonal board to coincide with a big event, like the Spring Racing Carnival, or share a Christmas recipes board towards the holiday season.
So while users generally aren’t requesting an invite to join Pinterest because they want to follow their favourite brands, there is an opportunity to interact with new and current customers on this growing social website while promoting your brand. That said, there are brands with thousands of followers, like HGTV (as mentioned above), Nordstrom, West Elm and ModCloth, so users may become increasingly interested in following the boards of their favourite brands.
Not for Everyone, but Not Just for Retailers
Pinterest can be used to drive traffic to more than retail websites; it also provides opportunities to add a new dimension to your brand or organisation.
Non-profits, for example, are using the tool to promote the activity of their organisations. Kiva, the micro-lending organisation, uses Pinterest to show the individuals who benefits from the small loans they receive through Kiva.org. Amnesty International USA shares not only their own products and fair trade items, but inspirational quotes, advocacy information and recommended reads.
Pinterest is only 2 years old, so it will be interesting to see how brands and organisations use the site to the benefit of Pinterest users (and the benefit of their business).
So for the best results, share what inspires you and your company. Promote your company’s culture. Add some imagery to your message and add a new dimension to your brand.
And if you'd like some advice and guidance in your social media strategy, give us a call at 1300 780 566 or email info@bwired.com.au.
Author: Campbell
Is Google Really Doing No Evil?
If you haven’t noticed, Google has been criticised and called downright evil as it makes some changes to its privacy policies. These latest critiques follow the release of “Search Plus Your World” (SPYW), a personalised search feature that seems to prioritise Google+ results over the relevant results that Google was so well known for.
In response to the critics, Google’s search chief Amit Singhal says SPYW is a new product with plenty of work and improvements to be made in the future. He encourages critics to think of the long-term potential of the product rather than focusing on the first 2 weeks of the launch.
Meanwhile, privacy advocates are speaking out against the latest changes to Google’s privacy policy and the amount of data that Google has already been collecting from its users, even before the policy changes.
So what does this all mean for Google?
Privacy Policy Changes
To sum it up, Google has consolidated over 60 separate privacy policies into a single, consistent, and easy to read policy. This move is intended to make the user’s experience more intuitive and helpful when they are signed into their Google account by collecting and sharing user data across an entire account rather than by site. The benefits, according to the official blog, include more relevant advertising, location-based reminders, and more accurate spelling suggestions.
Google will combine user data across Google services but they won’t be collecting any more data or behaviour information than they did before. Instead, they are using this data in new ways. Critics say that this information could be used by Google to create ads that are biased towards their own services – but this is highly unlikely, “given that Google ads are generally unobtrusive and have been based on user behaviour for years” (My Business).
Another major criticism revolves around the inability to opt out unless you are logged out of your Google account. That said, an opt-out setting is available if you prefer not to see ads based on your interests and demographics. And, according to Google:
You still have choice and control. You don’t need to log in to use many of our services, including Search, Maps and YouTube. If you are logged in, you can still edit or turn off your Search history, switch Gmail chat to “off the record,” control the way Google tailors ads to your interests, use Incognito mode on Chrome, or use any of the other privacy tools we offer.
So there you go, just log out! For a “skeptic’s guide to gaining back some privacy while continuing to be connected”, check out this article to maintain some privacy without becoming a Luddite.
Privacy in 2012Whatever your take is on Google and its latest policies, these issues illustrate the importance of online privacy. Amit Singhal says that the negative atmosphere around SPYW is due to bloggers, while the user feedback given to Google has been positive, but we have yet to see if the public will respond to these Google changes with their feet – or should I say clicks? mice? – and delete their accounts.
In a non-scientific poll over on the Washington Post, 65% of the 17,962 respondents voted “Yes, I will cancel my Google Account because of the privacy changes”. Interesting to see where this goes on a larger, more long-term scale.
Author: Sam
10 Social Media Considerations
The case for Social Media is generally accepted (grudgingly in some cases). Acceptance of the channel and recognition of opportunity is a first step, one that leads immediately to questions on approach, potential issues, concerns and other considerations. The following '10 Social Media Considerations' should help to frame your thinking if you are starting out, or provide a good 'cross-check' for existing participants keen to assess performance and practice.
ONE - Why Social Media? (The Market)Social Media in some form or another is here to stay! Nielsen research in 2010 highlighted the size of the Australian audience. Over 10 million social media participants in Australia, more than 5 million Facebook accounts, 2 million of each of Twitter and LinkedIN accounts and more than two-thirds of all adults under 35 already actively participating on Social Media channels. In terms of hours spent using these platforms, Australians lead the world. With Australian consumers taking up Social Media, it is not surprising that business follows and most are either contemplating or implementing social media initiatives.
TWO - Why Social Media for You? (Your Objectives)The best Social Media approach for you is one that achieves your objectives. Instead of letting the hype of Social Media drive your behaviour, come at the subject from a top-down strategic approach. What are your personal or business objectives? How can marketing, networking and online platforms assist? What is the best outcome for you at this current point in time? Do you need more 'discovery and awareness'? Do you need better 'engagement and interaction'? Do you just need to be better prepared for the future and signal your awareness of the channel? ... Often it will be a combination of a number of objectives, but one outcome will lead the race and help define the best approach. Ultimately you want Social Media to work for YOU! Not you working for social media.
THREE - When should you consider Social Media? (Planning)"Since the market and platforms are rapidly changing, let's wait until things settle down" ... WRONG! Social Media is far more about networking than technology. If there was a new 'Industry Association' in your field, would you have more influence and make more connections if you joined early or if you joined after everyone else? Well there's your answer. You cannot leverage your network, spread the word to your audience or counter negative messages in the marketplace if you have no platform, no presence, no audience, no network and no experience. Build your platform and your network NOW for when you need it most ... start today! You can adjust for technology and platform changes and your network and content can be transitioned as things inevitably change.
FOUR - How to use Social Media? (Your Approach)The best place to start is to use what you already have, what you know and who you know to make the pathway easy, gain early wins and pick off the 'low hanging fruit'. Now that was a sentence fit for 'cliche bingo'. Cliched it may be, but taking small steps and using existing material is the proven road to success. You will have content from other places that you can re-purpose into Social Media channels. You know yourself and your industry, trust your experience ... this is a network more than a technology. You will know (or know of) people who are using Social Media, connect with them and ask them for support. Pick the Social Media platform that is closest to your network, audience and objectives and make it work before expanding to others.
FIVE - How to Make Social Media Simple? (Your Tools)Using the right tool always makes work easier. There are 'platform tools' that let you use, research and manage social media channels - ask your network what they use to make their life easier. Even more important are 'your tools', these are items that guide you. For example a statement of objectives, a policy on Social Media use, instructions, publishing schedule, monthly metrics report, resourcing model and source content - your 'internal/personal tools' will depend on your needs. Get them ready and the exercise of deploying Social Media, producing content and managing this channel in conjunction with other networking and communications activities will be a breeze. My favourite corporate tool is a 'Brand Lexicon' ... a detailed list of terms and phrases that resonate with your brand, audience and objectives and are known to trigger results. This is a great 'memory jogger' and content touchstone for creating compelling content and ensuring great search discovery. I have a methodology for building a great Lexicon but that is a topic for another day.
SIX - What should I expect? (Measurement and Return)Most Social Media activity is a 'slow burn'. Networks take time to build, cultivate and deliver results. You have to give value to get value and the return is a compounding one. Your returns build over time as your network increases, you grow an established voice and the mechanics of the online world gain traction (search outcomes, network effects and inward links to name a few). This means although you should set clear objectives, you need to grow into them. As a guide, don't expect anything amazing in the first three to six months. Despite the 'walk before you run' caveat, make sure you set targets and measure outcomes. At the very least, this will show you what works and what doesn't. The simple road to success ... do more of what works and less of what doesn't.
SEVEN - How do I sustain Social Media? (The Long Term)The best way to sustain your Social Media effort is to build slowly. Deliberate, considered and fully resourced but constrained effort over a longer period will be more successful that a short mad dash. The ultimate issue of ongoing sustainability depends on integration ... making your Social Media activity mainstream! Your objectives, content, resources and approach should be integrated. If your Social Media objectives are the same as your business objectives, content is shared and re-purposed, resourcing is shared and the approach dovetails into other marketing, networking, communication and technical activity, then you have a sustainable (and most likely successful) model.
EIGHT - What if my 'brand' is trashed? (Dealing with Negativity)For some organizations, the reason for avoiding Social Media is a fear of inciting attack and hearing negative or malicious comment. The evidence does not support this and usually any 'negativity' is occurring whether you are a participant or not. The advantage of participation is an ability to influence conversation, address issues, counter malicious statements and be aware of the depth of negative sentiment. Consider five people complaining with an average individual audience of 100 followers or connections. You have built a quality Social Media network and have 10,000 followers or connections ... you carefully respond to one of these complaints. Your considered reply, audience attentiveness and message has an audience of 10,000 compared to the combined negative 500 (5 x 100) that preceded your involvement, regardless of whether you changed the individual view of the individual you replied to. You do not have this power unless you participate and build your network in advance of issues arising.
NINE - What if I make a mistake? (Learning and Transparency)If you stick to objectives, professional behaviour and use well conceived tools as a guide (see Item Five), the risks are reduced. Most Social Media comment can be deleted or at least rescinded. If at the end of the day, you make an honest mistake, it is usually best to learn it early and the lessons won through Social Media can help stop you from continuing to make the same error in a less discoverable or more expensive manner (such as in your products, services and other communications). If your policy is clear on risk-management, professional behaviour, authorization and escalation, you will have the tools and pathways for dealing with more serious mistakes and issues. In classic risk management, the risks are generally low and certainly not worthy of discounting all of the potential rewards.
TEN - How do I get help? (Quality Support)The great thing about Social Media is that the network can be 'self supporting' and the volume of information online is vast. Use your own filter and experience to determine what will work for you and what fits with your objectives.
In terms of a larger organization, a balance of internal resources (close to the action and message) and external resources (with broad experience and domain knowledge) delivers the best of both worlds. The other great thing about an 'internal/external' mix is support (overflow, leave, training, crisis management, two sets of eyes and multiple viewpoints). Need external support ... well you know who to call (gratuitous self promotion here).
Connect with David Warwick on Twitter @drwarwick or call the bwired offices at 1300 780 566
Author: David Warwick
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