Blog – Zoodikers Consulting

Top 3 Mar-Tech Trends to Look Out For (and What They Mean for Your Content!)

media@zoodikers.com (Katie King ) — Wed, 19 Oct 2022 12:51:25 GMT

It seems like only yesterday when artificial intelligence was touted as the next far-off technology trend looming ahead. Now, AI is everywhere we look, as more and more businesses integrate this technology into their tools and practices. Since the far-off trend of AI wasn’t as far as it may have seemed, many future focused marketers will now be setting their sights on what comes next. Now that AI is here to stay, what might the next big technological disruption be?

Here are three mar-tech advancements you should be on the lookout for, and tips on how they may impact your content.

Smart Signage

Imagine you’re in the tube station when all of a sudden, the advert you’re passing changes to one that seems almost as hand picked just for you. Maybe it’s related to something you were searching for earlier, or it may appear to be plucked directly from your mind. As you keep walking, more signs change to reveal more things you’re interested in. Then, you look behind you and notice them changing again as someone else passes by, their screens displaying something totally different from what was shown to you.

This futuristic concept sounds like something straight out of a sci fi franchise but actually, it isn’t too far off from the mainstream. It’s smart signage, a currently underutilised capability of AI that some are beginning to explore. In the future, with enhanced and generalised use of facial and biometric data, real-time advertising could easily become the norm for Out of House marketing campaigns. Billboards, adverts on public transport, and shop displays may one day be able to pick up our devices and deliver us an in-the-moment advert related to our search histories or location data, which may feel a bit invasive but could also mean more personalised experiences and better advertising for us as customers.

Marketers will have more creative license with the Out of House marketing content they produce, with a more digital focus than what they may currently be accustomed to. The format of this signage will allow for more interactivity, movement, and personalisation than the static advertising we have now.

Web3

It feels like we’ve had the internet for a lifetime, but it’s only been ours for less than 30 years. The ‘World Wide Web’ entered the public domain in 1993, forever reshaping the way we live our lives. Its early days were primitive, with dial-up connections and static webpages as the norm. There were very few content creators at this time. Digital marketing did not exist because advertising was banned in the internet’s early form. Therefore, ‘traditional’ media still dominated the marketing mix. This initial period of the internet’s lifespan is fittingly known as ‘Web1.’

But just as we grow, mature, and evolve with age, so did the internet. ‘Web2’ is how we have primarily known the internet, and how we think of it today. The introduction of JavaScript revolutionised webpages with movement and expanded the possibilities for content. Web2 also saw the rise of social media and various key players in the internet space (think: Google, Facebook, etc.). Content sharing and community building exploded in Web2. We have millions of content creators in Web2, with everyday users having the capability of creating and sharing their own content online. However, those few key players dominate where and how that content is shared. Take Meta, for example. This one company owns three of the top social media platforms: Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. Google, the world’s top search engine, also owns YouTube, which is the second most popular. So, while we have masses of content and creators, only a handful of big players dominate the internet game, which has led to some public mistrust of ‘big tech.’

The next generation of the internet, known as ‘Web3,’ aims to change that by focusing on decentralisation and putting the control back into the hands of creators. It focuses more heavily on experience. Some of the technologies we’re seeing trend now will contribute to this, such as virtual and augmented reality, AI, cryptocurrencies, and so on.

We aren’t fully in Web3 yet, but we are gradually moving in that direction. As it is still early days, there is no clear framework to follow to prepare. The best thing today’s marketers can do to prepare for tomorrow is to begin experimenting with some of the technologies that will shape Web3.

The Metaverse

One early element of Web3 that is growing now is the ‘Metaverse,’ a world created in virtual reality. Many brands are already entering this space. Samsung, Nike, Louis Vuitton, Coca-Cola, Gucci, and Zara already selling their products digitally in the Metaverse. Even Sotheby’s has begun selling digital real estate in this new virtual world.

As the Metaverse grows in popularity, it’s not unfathomable that marketers may soon find themselves marketing non-physical goods and virtual services. The principals of great content will remain the same, prioritising engagement and experience. How you approach these experiences may need adapting for the virtual world. There will likely be a greater focus on audio and video content to create more immersive experiences, but written content will still have its place. It may just take a different form. For example, instead of a blog, a company may create a virtual library in the Metaverse that customers can visit with their avatars in order to get information. The possibilities are truly endless, making this an exciting time for creativity in content creation.

While some of these tech trends are still in their exploratory stages, we learned with AI that those who prepare early gain a competitive edge. If you’re looking for help futureproofing your content strategy, or for an expert team to help you create it, get in touch with us.

Why Content is Still King

Wed, 19 Oct 2022 12:50:28 GMT

In 1996, Bill Gates published an essay on the Microsoft website titled, ‘Content is King.’ In it, Gates speculated that content would be the true lifeblood of the internet. His foresight was correct, and here we are over a quarter of a century later living in a digital world inundated with content.

Since Gates published his original essay, we’ve seen the birth of social media, the advent of search and display marketing, the early disruptions from artificial intelligence (AI) and automation, major shifts towards more digital habits, voice search and so much more. Honestly, we could write another full blog about the trends that have come about in the past 3 years alone. With each of these trends came new tactics and accompanying best practice. While some stuck, others disappeared almost as quickly as they came. Yet through all the trends and disruptions, one tactic has remained evergreen: content marketing.

What is it about content marketing that has allowed it to withstand the test of time? Most of its value can likely be distilled down to its adaptability. Content is pliable, able to be moulded into whatever we need it to be for whatever purpose we may need it to fulfil. Formats changed, and content changed to suit them. As tactics and tools evolved, so did the content used.

That’s why so many of the new tools and tactics that have sprung up throughout the past 20 years were built with content at their core. Take social media, for example. Social platforms are purely content driven and essentially cannot exist without it. What would Instagram be if no one posted on the feed or uploaded stories? What would you find on YouTube if no one created and uploaded videos? SEO is another trend that took marketing by storm in recent years. Most of the ranking for SEO was driven by various factors within a site’s content, such as keywords or overall quality. These are just two examples, but you could pick any marketing trend or tactic from the past decade, and it would still link back to content somehow.

There must be a reason why tactics, formats, and tools grew around content rather than evolving beyond it. When you stop to consider why that might be, it becomes abundantly clear why content is still king after all this time.

Content Builds Brands

Who you are as a business, what you stand for, what you offer the marketplace, and what purpose you serve are all communicated through the content you produce. In order to be successful, your brand should be consistently represented across every touch point and every interaction. Your website, blog, social media, and third-party media content all contribute to the overall story you are telling, and make it possible for you to shape how you are perceived by your existing and prospective customers. Having the narrative in your own hands is an incredibly powerful capability.

Not only that, but your content can help you build authority and thought leadership. You can take ownership of specific topics in your industry simply by producing quality content associated with those subjects. That way, when your customers or industry peers go searching, your relevant content makes you easy to find. Having a clear voice in the right conversations can help you build credibility with your audiences and open new doors.

Content Attracts Audiences

Targeting is a major challenge for any marketer. How do you align your brand with the customers you would like to do business with, or how do you attract ideal customers to you? Typically, you cast your net via the content you produce. The imagery used, the language and tone you adopt, and the topics you discuss can help you to align yourself with audiences who resonate with your brand. That way, you end up attracting more of the right customers instead of wasting time on those who may not identify with your business’s persona.

Content Often Kickstarts the Customer Journey

Your content is often the first impression a customer will have of your business. Whether they’ve stumbled across one of your posts on social media, read an article you produced, or came across your website in a search, what they find within your content will often spark make-or-break decision making regarding whether they will choose to continue down the funnel and do business with you. Ensuring that your content is of good quality, conveys the right messages, and contains adequate information to help inform that decision making can help to make that first impression a strong one.

Content Lives On and On

Trends in the consumer market are cyclical, and you never know when something that was once topical will return to the forefront. The good news is that once you publish a piece of content, it will continue to live on online and bring value. Good content takes time and attention to generate, so being able to maximise your team’s efforts is incredibly valuable.

The list of content marketing’s benefits stretches on and on, and therefore it’s safe to assume that this tactic isn’t going anywhere any time soon. If you’d like some help with your content strategy or are looking to outsource your content creation to an expert team, get in touch with us.

Walking the Walk: The Difference Between Living Out Your Corporate Purpose and ‘Slacktivism’

media@zoodikers.com (Katie King ) — Thu, 02 Jul 2020 11:51:34 GMT

The past several months have presented many organisations with challenges to their purpose statements. Communicating in a crisis is never an easy feat, but when you’re navigating incredibly important topics such as health & safety and racial injustice, it becomes an even slipperier slope. Failures in these attempts aren’t always caused by the messages themselves. In fact, most of the time the backlash comes from disconnects between the message and the organisation’s everyday activities.

Back in January, our CEO Katie wrote a fantastic blog about the importance of corporate purpose and adopting a stakeholder mindset. All the ideas in that post are extremely important and relevant, but a lot has changed since January. In that time, we’ve been presented with loads of examples of those ideas in action. I admittedly lack Katie’s many years of executive expertise, but as a PR professional, a member of one of the most socially conscious generations to date, and an everyday consumer, it’s been very interesting to watch businesses navigate these complex issues. We’ve been made to see just how purposeful today’s consumers are and—spoiler alert—the answer is - very.

You don’t have to be a certified B-corp or a not-for-profit organisation to want to do better and make a positive impact on the world around you. You do, however, need to make sure your words match your actions 365 days a year and not just when it’s trending. So what does this look like in practice? How can you get it right?

What Getting It Wrong Looks Like

Coronavirus has been difficult for businesses, their staff, and consumers alike. Tough choices had to be made, and a lot of these came with backlash and criticism.

A solid example from early on in the pandemic comes from supermarket chain Waitrose, who introduced— and later reversed — a policy that would require their staff to make up any work hours they spent self-isolating. There are a few reasons why this earned negative attention. For starters, it happened at a time when supermarket workers were at the front line of a raging global pandemic, working heavier shifts, and dealing with customer rushes and panic buying. Any mistreatment of these workers would have caused anger. But what made it worse was that Waitrose is a ‘partner-owned’ company, and has centred their entire ethos on their people. If any chain should have been going above and beyond for their staff, it should have been them. Instead, their customers and partners watched competitors such as Morrisons, Tesco, M&S and Sainsbury’s introduce better policies and take better care of their staff.

The Waitrose example is interesting because their actions directly conflicted with a core value that they have championed for years. In fact, they rebranded to ‘Waitrose & Partners’ in 2018 as part of a strategy to "recognise and enhance" the role of their staff in contributing to the company’s success. So it’s very clear what Waitrose stands for, which made this policy all the more shocking. But what about taking a stand when the moment demands it?

A few weeks back, you may have seen nothing but black squares on your Instagram feed for a full day. This #blackouttuesday was done in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. Many brands participated and used the occasion to share statements on their diversity and racial inequality stances. What you saw likely looked a lot like this meme from @Campster on Twitter, which circulated around that time.

There were numerous half-baked statements, but a few brands really came under fire for their efforts. Here are a few of the worst.

L’Oreal was publically criticised by black trans model Munroe Bergdorf, who became the company’s first transgender representative in 2017. She was fired after speaking out when an anti-racist protester was killed by a white supremacist at a protest. She used this experience to call out the hypocrisy of the cosmetic giant’s #blackouttuesday post.

One Twitter user called out Netflix by drawing attention to the demographics of their staff after the streaming giant sent a post about their duty to their ‘members, employees, creators, and talent.’

After releasing their version of the white-on-black .jpeg, Amazon was met with a list of offenses against their own staff and customers.

Meanwhile, fast fashion brand In the Style took a different approach and released a charity T-shirt to fundraise for the George Floyd Memorial Fund. Many customers criticised the brand for the lack of diversity in their marketing, and many also pointed out that In The Style would still profit from customers shopping for other items on site when buying the charity T-shirt. In the Style removed the shirt and issued an apology, but this response was also criticised for lacking information about what the company is doing behind the scenes to improve long-term.

The reason these brands came under fire is because their words do not seem connected to any concrete values and there appears to be a lack of positive past examples to draw from.

What Getting It Right Looks Like

Some brands do manage to get it right, and let their actions speak louder than their words. During this time, we’ve seen many customers taking note of how businesses behaved. One company who really appeared to put their money where their mouth is, was Timpson.

The company is not shy about taking good care of their people. Staff, who are always referred to as ‘colleagues’, are paid the national living wage plus a share of the branch’s profits. They receive extra holiday time for birthdays, bereavements, and family events and are even financially rewarded for giving up smoking or vaping. This level of care continued through the crisis, with the company topping up furloughed colleagues’ wages to 100%. This move was very well received.

We saw lots of companies make an effort during the height of the racial movements, but one standout example really seems to have got it right.

You wouldn’t expect an ice cream company to have such strong political and social values, but Ben & Jerry’s do. They’ve actually been vocal about it for years . While many other brands came out with vague statements of support that skirted diplomatically around the issues at hand, Ben and Jerry’s released a full-blown statement where they named names, addressed these issues directly, and actively called for legislative change. The company wasn’t too shy to use terms like ‘systemic racism,’ ‘white supremacy,’ and ‘murder.’ In fact, they have loads of articles about racial issues , LGBT equality , and justice in the Values section of their website. Their commitment to social issues is stated clearly in their 'Statement of Mission' on the same page. They also regularly tweet about these same topics.

The statement from Ben and Jerry’s stood out from the crowd simply because of their long history of speaking out. They weren’t just jumping on a trend. They have a track record. This won them a lot of praise in the media as well as on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and even Tik Tok. In fact, if you read the replies to the tweet with their statement, the only backlash comes from those who do not share their views. But Ben and Jerry’s have never been too concerned about isolating these customers, and instead stand by their values and causes.

Make It Have Meaning

You could argue that moments like #blackouttuesday back brands into a corner and stick them between a rock and a hard place. Silence is deafening, and saying nothing could lead your audience to believe you either don’t care or don’t support the cause. On the other hand, if you get the statement wrong, you risk backlash. If you take too strong a stance, you risk isolating some people. But the thing is, if your organisation is already walking the walk or is genuinely committed to the causes you’re championing, this shouldn’t be such a hard place after all.

Being willing to publicly put yourself out there and talk the talk is the first step, but be prepared to face criticism if you haven’t also been walking the walk. If you want to release a statement in support of your BAME, LGBT, or otherwise marginalised customers, then by all means do so. But you also need to consider who you have sitting at the table making the decisions that affect these customers. Is diversity and inclusion just a box you tick, or are you actually taking steps to be more diverse in your marketing, product offerings, or hiring? If you’re saying that you value these principles and strive to be better, how do you intend to live that out? This great BBC article provides consumers with advice on what criteria to look for when assessing how genuine a company’s activism is. Can your organisation pass these tests?

For a business, taking a meaningful stance is a lot like saying “I love you” in a relationship. It shouldn’t be done simply because you think it’s what’s expected of you in a particular moment, because you feel pressured to, or because you’re trying to stop an argument. You should do it because you want to, because you believe it, and because you feel it. And just like saying “I love you,” making a statement means nothing if you don’t back it up with actions that reflect and confirm it.

So you posted a black square on your grid and a nice caption to show your support. If you think that’s enough, it’s time to start reading the room. As Katie mentioned in her January blog, purpose “is not a throw-around slogan with no heart behind it, but instead a company’s commitment to its people and to society as a whole.” Today’s consumers can sniff out insincerity a mile away. Before you decide to talk the talk, make sure you already do or plan to walk the walk. The world around you will be a much better place because of it.

Careers Post-Coronavirus: How to Prepare Today for What May Come Next

Tue, 05 May 2020 09:03:00 GMT

Three months ago, we never would have dreamed that the majority of people would be working from home, that we wouldn’t be able to nip to the shops for nonessentials, or that we couldn’t gather with friends and families. But here we are, living in a world that is (almost) completely locked down.

In the short amount of time since the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak began and rapidly spread across the globe, we’ve experienced massive shifts in the way we live and work. Some of the biggest impacts have been economic, as social distancing and government regulations have caused trading to cease for so many businesses, the consequences of which are likely to be felt for many years to come.

It is still uncertain when our lives will regain some semblance of normalcy, and what “normal” will look like. This pandemic may have forever reshaped the way that business is conducted, with many organisations adopting new technologies or normalising remote work. Others may unfortunately have no business or job to return to in the short term.

It’s very difficult to predict with any certainty what the future holds. But based on current trends, combined with over 30 years of experience consulting some of the world’s top professionals, here are the impacts you can potentially expect the workforce to face, and some advice for how you can overcome it.

The Situation as it Stands

Certain countries are beginning to ease their restrictions slowly in order to preserve their economies, but great damage has already been done. According to the BBC’s live updates on 29 April 2020, the UN has assessed that 1.5bn workers are at risk of having their livelihoods destroyed. China, Germany, and the United States all saw their GDP and economies shrink in the first quarter of 2020. A staggering 26m Americans have filed for unemployment benefits since the pandemic began in March.

Here in the UK, the situation isn’t much better. According to data gathered by a group of university researchers at the Enterprise Research Centre, over 61,000 limited companies folded between the start of March and mid-April with a parallel drop in the numbers of new firms registering with Companies House. The National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) predicts that Britain’s economy is likely to lose around £800bn of income over the next 10 years due to the current lockdown and a spike in unemployment.

These figures paint an admittedly bleak picture, but there are measures you can take to help stay afloat. Both businesses and professionals may have to adapt their ways of thinking and their tactics in order to get back on track.

Embracing New Technology

What a busy few weeks it has been for platforms Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Hangouts as workers in ‘nonessential’ roles transition to remote work! The feasibility of remote work is arguably one of the biggest revelations of this situation. A major caveat though is that the organisation needs to be open to wider technology such as Cloud, IoT, and so on.

Some companies have been resisting digital transformation for a while now. That way of thinking no longer works, and it’s unlikely that these businesses will be able to revert to their old ways when all of this is done. Employees now have evidence that their jobs can be done remotely, and some may lobby to stay that way. This may be a model their organisation has resisted or rejected in the past, but is now worth considering. The pandemic has impacted bottom lines, and many businesses will be looking to cut costs. Remote work is a great option for reducing overhead and eliminating costs for office rent, utilities, supplies, and so on. In fact, some tech-savvy companies may feel inspired to innovate even further, and adopt technology like artificial intelligence to maximise efficiency while minimising costs.

Upskilling to Futureproof

Now is a great time to upskill and educate oneself on new technologies or skills. Continuous learning enables motivated employees to become key assets to their organisation. As many organisations inevitably head in that direction, knowledge of fourth generation technologies, understanding of potential business benefits, and awareness of key vendors will prove incredibly valuable moving forward. This is an opportunity for employees looking for more responsibility or a change in role, and for leaders looking to guide their organisation forward.

Technology isn’t the only area where there is an opportunity to learn. There are numerous affordable (and some free) resources, webinars, and courses available online spanning every topic imaginable. Learning a language, retraining, or picking up a new, relevant skill are all fantastic and valuable uses of your time! Plus, it’s just a great way to remain productive and combat the dullness of lockdown. Developing knowledge or expertise in a specific area could open up avenues for thought leadership opportunities. Or if you are one of the many who have unfortunately been made redundant during these challenging times, adding new skills is a great tactic to make you incredibly marketable in the changing jobs market.

Professional Development

The sad reality is that many companies have had to make difficult decisions to cut staff to save costs, and some have already gone under. The job search can be intimidating and a daunting at times. Perhaps it’s been a while since you’ve been in the market for a new position. Maybe you just don’t really know where to begin.

Understanding the market you’re entering is a strong starting point. You should arm yourself with key insights about your industry of choice, and familiarise yourself with the key issues consuming your potential employer. This arsenal of information will allow you to identify the skills and experience that provide the most value so that you can champion these in your personal branding. Your CV should be up-to-date and accurately reflect your accomplishments, experience, and skills. Tailoring your CV and covering letters for each role you apply to may sound tedious, but it goes a long way in illustrating your interest, motivation, and thoughtfulness. Many interviewers are now requesting video based CVs and interviews, which can be daunting for some who lack these skills. Getting your CV seen by the right people can be achieved through strong thought leadership on LinkedIn, a personal blog, or other social platforms. It can also be assisted via strategic introductions to key contacts.

All of the above can be accomplished on your own, and will take some time investment. There are some great articles out there with tips that may be helpful. It’s obviously difficult to get out there and meet potential contacts, but there are numerous free virtual networking events available via Zoom from various professional organisations. I actually hosted one of these for Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce and law firm Furley Page last week.

Alternatively, you can seek professional help if you are looking for more in-depth guidance or help. We can certainly support you with outplacement services to help you develop your personal branding, facilitate key introductions, conduct industry research on your behalf, or provide training for upskilling This includes CV writing, help with your LinkedIn, interview training, or networking. Having a little extra help in your corner means you don’t have to navigate the job market alone.

While we still don’t know what lies ahead, there are steps that can be taken today in order to prepare for what may come. I think we can all agree that technology will play a big role, and is worth embracing. We’re all having to put ourselves out of our comfort zone and embrace the need for continuous learning.

Stay strong, stay healthy, and stay motivated everyone. There’s a light at the end of this tunnel!

To learn more about Zoodikers’ outplacement services, please click here to download our brochure or visit our services page .

Welcome to the New Zoodikers.com!

Wed, 25 Mar 2020 12:13:44 GMT

Hello! We haven't met properly yet, but I'm Ashley and I'm a Digital Marketing Executive here at Zoodikers. I'd like to welcome you to our new website! It's something I'm personally very proud of.

A bit about me: If we've ever met or spoken, my accent is a dead giveaway that I am American. I first came to the UK while studying abroad during my undergraduate years at Indiana University (Go Hoosiers). I came back to England pursue my postgraduate degree at the University of Kent, and now live here permanently for my role with Zoodikers and our sister brand AI in Business. Katie saw the potential in me when I was still studying for my MSc in Marketing, and thankfully liked me enough to sponsor my visa to stay on long term! I’ve done loads in my year and a half with the company, including building our website for AI in Business and helping launch that brand.

Now I get to do it again, but we’re refreshing the Zoodikers brand this time! I’m really proud of both websites I’ve built, but this new one for Zoodikers is the jewel in my crown at the moment.

I think the most exciting part of this is that I’m going to be blogging regularly for the site! I’m sure all four of the people who used to read my study abroad blog are just thrilled by this news. But writing is something I’ve always really loved to do, so I’m looking forward to being able to do it in a professional capacity. Expect to hear more from me in the days to come.

Anyways, it's nice to be acquainted, and I hope you enjoy our new site! Have a bit of a mosey around, and get in touch with us if anything is of interest. We've already got a few recent blogs up on the site as well as our archived posts from the old site if you want to read those, too. There’s definitely more to come thanks to quarantine productivity!

Zoodikers Consulting: A New Chapter in a Decade-Long Story

Wed, 25 Mar 2020 11:55:26 GMT

I’ve spent over 30 years in Marketing. I started by working for other companies, first in-house at a huge telecoms company and later at consultancies owned by other people. About ten years ago, I found myself with two incredible young daughters who needed me, and a decision to make: did I want to keep playing by someone else’s rules, or was I ready to take the leap and be my own boss? I decided that I was, and that’s when I began Zoodikers Consulting.

Around the same time, I’d really taken an interest in digital and all of the potential in that space that many businesses weren’t exploring yet. This was back when social media was still quite new. Instagram hadn’t event launched yet! When I made the decision to start Zoodikers, I felt something new burgeoning and I was really keen to get involved in it. I wanted Zoodikers to be something different; I wanted it to have social at its heart.

But at the same time, I had all these years of experience in more traditional communications under my belt and loads of insight to offer. So I wanted to create a perfect storm of the old and new, and be someone who knew the ins and outs of achieving marketing and business success in an increasingly digital world.

And what a decade it has been! We’ve worked with businesses of all sizes and across all industries, and consulted executives at every level. We’ve had larger teams in big offices, and smaller skilled teams working remotely around the world. We were almost acquired, and we’ve helped cultivate some really talented professionals in the industry. In 2014, we were awarded the Gold Standard by Youth Employment UK . We’ve created award-winning content for our clients. We’ve come a long way, but always stuck to the core goals I set when I started out.

About three years ago, digital was no longer up and coming; it became essential. I didn’t want us to grow stagnant. I’m someone who very much wants to be on the cutting edge of things, and who wants to be able to help deliver clients innovative solutions and push the envelope. This led me to get involved with artificial intelligence (AI), which then led to me writing my book and starting an AI-focused consultancy called AI in Business .

I admit, in the face of all this newness and the excitement and momentum it created, Zoodikers took a bit of a backseat. Not completely, as we still work with a wide range of amazing clients and brands and have continued to deliver top quality services. But because of how current AI is, I began leading with AI in Business, which caused some confusion for clients and contacts looking for the Marketing and PR services I’d built a great reputation for delivering.

That is why today—and this blog—marks a new chapter for Zoodikers Consulting, a decade after we first set up shop. My team and I sat down and pinpointed what it is that we do best, what benefits we can bring our clients, and which areas we feel businesses need the most help in. From here, we came up with a new logo and a new website that we feel accurately reflects who we are now, and sets us up for a successful future.

Our new logo is akin to the one we use for AI in Business. This was a purposeful decision to demonstrate that the two brands are related, but not the same. AI in Business will remain as the hub for our AI, tech, and digital and business transformation-focused services. Zoodikers will continue on as a full-service marketing, PR, social, and comms consultancy. The best part is that our clients will benefit from our knowledge and expertise in both areas, regardless of which brand their project falls under.

You’ll find the full details of our service offerings on the new Zoodikers.com. Here you can also expect blogs covering the latest tips, trends, and insights direct from me and my team. I’ve always prided myself on having a fantastic team at my side, and I am excited for you all to become acquainted with our team in this way.

Lastly, thank you for all of the support over the past 10 years. To clients of the past and present, it’s been our pleasure to have you as part of our story and to have the chance to help you write your own. To clients of the future, we look forward to moving ahead together and helping you to succeed.

Check out our services here , and our recent and archived blogs here .

Business and Community Support During the Coronavirus Outbreak

Fri, 20 Mar 2020 15:44:20 GMT

I’ve been uncharacteristically quiet on social media this past week; head down, trying to be resourceful in the face of tough business challenges. But here’s a brief update.

We’re living through a once in a generation period of societal change and business disruption. The last pandemic without a cure was way back in 1918! Like so many others, my business is impacted. Thank heavens for technology and the ability to offer, as I’ve done for many years, online and distance learning.

Obviously, my Keynote speeches and face to face training have all been postponed, but there is demand for distance learning delivered via platforms such as Zoom, GoToWebinar etc. It’s so important to design and plan these sessions effectively, in bite-sized modules, allowing for maximum engagement, testing the energy levels, providing group virtual breakout exercises etc. I’ll share the link to those next week.

Cash flow will be severely impacted and we’re waiting to hear more measures from the Chancellor later today. Those 5pm briefings are so useful. In the meantime, HMRC’s ‘time to pay dedicated helpline’ to defer your VAT, PAYE etc is 0800 015 9559. Grant money will be paid out in the first 2 weeks in April. Forms will go live next week to apply. Check in with your local Chamber of Commerce, MPs, borough councils etc for more help.

Like so many others, I’m shocked at the empty supermarket shelves and some of the profiteering. But also, I’m heart warmed by examples of real community spirit. I’m trying to play my part and gave my number to elderly former neighbours and people I know from walking my dog on Tunbridge Wells Common, in case they need help with shopping etc when they can’t go out.

I’ve also volunteered – alongside others from all over the world - to help spread the word about Corotrac - an app for tracking your COVID-19 symptoms and isolation period. Please take a quick look: https://corotrac.com/

It’s a worrying time, especially when you have close friends, and parents in their 70s and 80s, who’ve been really sick and are in the high-risk group.

I feel sad for the young people who are honestly devastated that the school year is as good as over and exams are cancelled. My husband Terry is a teacher and today was tough for them all. Pupils wanted the chance to prove just how hard they had worked by being graded. Many are now suffering real mental health problems.

But there is lots of support out there from brilliant people. There are some wonderful WhatsApp groups, and places like NextDoor where you can ask for and offer support.

Take care everyone!

Zoodikers’ Complete Guide to Instagram in 2020: Do You Need It, and How Can You Make It Work for You?

media@zoodikers.com (Katie King ) — Thu, 12 Mar 2020 09:58:28 GMT

If Facebook is the king of all social media platforms, then Instagram is the queen. But not just any old queen who sits there smiling. Oh no, Instagram is gunning for Facebook’s throne. And with over 1 billion users worldwide, Instagram is a force to be reckoned with.

So how do you use it for your business? We’ll spare you the basic how-to of it all and take you through the stuff that really matters: how to use it right.

Key Things to Consider

There’s no question that Instagram can be a powerful tool for businesses when used properly. But that’s the ticket: you have to use it properly. Just because you can be on Instagram, doesn’t mean you should be. Here are some key things to consider when deciding if Instagram is a good fit for you and your business:

Content

The heart and soul of Instagram is photo and video content. Sure, you can add text as a caption, but if you don’t have the right visual content to draw the eye and get users to stop scrolling, the message in your caption will go unread. If considering adding Instagram to your arsenal, make sure you have enough visual content to support your profile. This can come from content you create yourself, stock images, or content you collect from customers (posted with permission, of course). Have fun with this! Allow your company’s personality to shine through in the things you post.

Not every bit of content has to make its way onto your main feed. The “Stories” feature is a great way to keep your followers in the loop on smaller updates, reinforce certain bits of information you’ve already posted, or share a lot of different things at once. It’s also a great way to have some fun with your followers, as you can live stream events, post polls, and just generally express your company’s personality.

Look

Since you’ll be using Instagram to promote your business, you want to make sure that your profile looks professional. This doesn’t mean that you need to be formal or can’t have a little fun, but you do need to consider how your content and your profile come across to your audience.

High quality images will work best for you. Try to avoid grainy phone photos. Today’s mobile phones have just as good of (or sometimes even better) quality cameras as the big, clunky professional ones. Don’t believe us? Just take a look at the winners from Apple’s ‘Shot on iPhone Challenge’ last year. And that was before they introduced the three-camera iPhone 11, which was used to shoot an entire Lady Gaga music video . If a mobile phone camera can produce work like that, then there’s no reason why your photos should look low-quality and sloppy!

You may have scrolled through Instagram profiles that have a very clear theme. By that, we mean that visually all the photos just seem to go together. These profiles have such a clear look and feel to them. We won't lie to you though, these types of profiles take time, consistency, and dedication to cultivate. While having a perfectly aesthetically-curated profile is not a must have, the more consistent and cohesive your posts look to one another, the more organised and well put together your profile will appear to anyone who visits your page. It’s a bit tedious, but keeping up this consistency will make your profile much more polished and professional.

Interaction

To boost your following, it’s important to be interactive on the platform. You can do this by using hashtags on your posts to signpost users who are interested in what’s relevant to your content. Use these sparingly and effectively; select only the tags that are related to your company or your post in order to attract the most relevant audience.

Instagram is a social networking tool. It was created for connecting, sharing, and interacting with others! It’s best to treat your profile as its own person in a sense, and use it socially how any person might. If your followers comment on your posts, respond if appropriate. Like and comment on posts of other companies or individuals you work closely with. Tag others in your posts or stories. It’s a lot more fun to follow a page if there’s an active dialogue taking place. Of course, you should still be fully professional in this communication. This is your business after all.

Time Commitment

As with any platform, you’ll need to invest time and effort in order to cultivate and maintain a solid following. Instagram doesn’t require daily posting on your part. Actually, it’s probably best not to overcrowd your followers’ feeds. You’ll want to post on a regular basis, but not too much where it overwhelms your followers to the point of tuning out or unfollowing you altogether.

There is a time commitment involved to successfully manage an Instagram account. This involves posting content on the feed and in stories, interacting with customers in your comments or direct messages, and interacting with other accounts. It’s best if you can commit to a regular posting schedule, so you can prepare your content in advance. But you should also be willing to stray from this should anything important or exciting arise.

Audience

Perhaps the most important consideration when adopting Instagram is whether or not it’s actually a good platform for your target audience. Recent data shows that the majority of global Instagram users are between the ages of 18 and 34. That distribution is closely spread between men and women, but varies by age range.

If your ideal audience is adults aged 45+, you’re not going to have as much luck with Instagram as you might with other platforms. It might be best to spend the time and effort elsewhere.

Does Instagram feel right for you? Great, here are some last bits of advice!

Profile Type

Make sure you set up your profile as a business account! There are a bunch of built-in advantages with these types of profiles that will be incredibly helpful for your business. If you’re building the account from scratch, you can set up your profile this way from the start. If you’ve already set up a personal account for your business, you can switch it to a business profile in the Settings.

Use the Analytics

Remember what we said about all of those built-in advantages business accounts have? Analytics is the best one. In Insights, Instagram will give you loads of useful information about your activity, content, and followers. Insights will show you key info on your posts, stories, and promotions. This includes useful stuff like which of your posts received the most attention, how many profile visits and website clicks you had for the week, and how many people see your content and where they find it.

Remember all that stuff we said about knowing your audience? Insight helps with that, too. Instagram’s built-in analytics will provide you with statistics about who your followers are. Insight will tell you things like your followers’ average ages and where most of them are located. Now remember what we said about having a posting schedule? Insights will help with that as well, by providing you with data on the times of day when your followers are most active. Super cool right?!

Lastly, Have Fun With It

Instagram is a viewed as a fun, young platform. Allow your content to showcase your company’s personality. Interact with your audience and build your online community. It will take some time to create a solid profile, but if you’re willing to put in the effort and it’s right for your audience, the effort will be more than worth it.

If you’re looking for help with Instagram or any of your other social media needs, check out our services and don’t hesitate to get in touch !

My 1st Bookversary

Fri, 06 Mar 2020 10:28:01 GMT

When I started Zoodikers Consulting in 2010, many scoffed that social media was an irrelevant, passing fad. Many brands were just starting to adjust to its arrival, and to the impact of search marketing and mobile. But as the years passed, digitisation became the norm and I was faced with the challenge of not only staying current, but getting ahead of the curve once more.

It was this desire to innovate that piqued my interest in artificial intelligence. I engrossed myself in resources and found myself both incredibly excited and deeply inspired by the seemingly endless potential of this new technology. I knew that AI was my next chapter. And so I wrote a book . Not quite as simple as it sounds. It was a difficult year, and the book required all of my resilience and tenacity.

‘Using Artificial Intelligence in Marketing” was my way of exploring my passion while also remaining at the cutting edge. My two daughters will always be my legacy in life, but this book provided me a chance to leave my mark on my industry and leave behind a professional legacy as well.

6th March 2019 was a proud day for me, as the Tottenham girl who grew up with her nose constantly in a book celebrated the release of a book of her own. And let me tell you, a lot has happened in the year since then!

The book has been published worldwide by Kogan Page, and has received many positive reviews. Since its original publication in English, it’s been translated into Chinese, Russian, Turkish, and as of last week, Vietnamese. I’ve visited Turkey many times and done a lot of work in Asia Pac, so it’s really cool to envisage my book is being read there in the local language!

The most gratifying part is when people express how much they have learned from it. I wanted this book to serve as a resource for forward-thinking business leaders. Never in my wildest imagination would I have ever predicted that it would be listed as a reference source in the 'Brand Strategy' module of the World Economic Forum's Empowering AI Leadership toolkit for corporate boards, which was unveiled at Davos 2020.

‘Using Artificial Intelligence in Marketing’ has also opened the door to some really amazing professional opportunities. I have been able to share my insights on AI with audiences all over the world in my Keynotes, and deliver training to companies and professionals using the Scorecard for Success featured in the book. The demand for this type of knowledge allowed me to launch AI in Business in 2019, all thanks to the book.

It has been a very busy year, and I am constantly humbled by all the amazing opportunities that I’ve been presented with. Thank you to all who read ‘Using Artificial Intelligence in Marketing,’ wherever in the world you may be. Thank you to my team at Kogan Page for championing the book far and wide. I look forward to the next chapter. Stay tuned!

Zoodikers' Complete Guide to Twitter in 2020: A Defense of the Marmite of the Social Media World

Wed, 12 Feb 2020 11:14:21 GMT

Twitter is basically the Marmite of the social media world; you either like it or you don’t. A lot of people find the platform confusing, or valueless. It’s seen as a haven for trolls and 'fake news.' It’s consistently mentioned as one of the major go-to platforms when discussing social media strategy, yet it doesn’t even rank in the top 10 most popular social networks worldwide by number of active users! It’s actually 13th, with 340 million users compared to first-place Facebook’s mammoth 2.45 billion users.

So why bother with it? There still is value in using Twitter for your business, but you need to understand how it functions before you can actually get the most out of it. Instead of providing you with a general guide of how to send tweets and such, this post will hopefully clear up some of the mess and misconceptions surrounding this platform.

Not All Social Media Sites are Created Equal…

A common mistake people make with Twitter is to lump it interchangeably with other giants such as Facebook and Instagram. Each of these sites differs in the way they’re laid out, the content they support, and what users are able to do with them. But what varies most is how we actually use these sites.

Say you went on holiday and took 80 photos. You can post a whole album with all of the photos to Facebook, share up to ten in a single Instagram post, or attach up to four in a tweet. While you wouldn’t think twice about dumping all 80 photos on Facebook, you’d feel a bit silly making eight different Instagram posts to share all these photos and would likely select and share your favourites from the bunch. You wouldn’t dare share all 80 on Twitter; that’s 20 separate tweets! Alternatively, you wouldn’t flinch at sharing a fun, short anecdote from your day on Twitter, but you may question if the same material warrants a Facebook status. Posting the anecdote to Instagram would be out of the question without some sort of accompanying visual content to create a post or story.

The ways in which we consider what content is worthy of our feeds and followers or friends varies by platform, so why do so many people often treat Twitter the same as Facebook, or Facebook the same as Instagram? This is the trap that Twitter has fallen into. It seems difficult to understand simply because we expect it to be more like the other platforms that it’s so often compared to, when really it just isn’t.

The perceptions of these platforms by their own active users shape how they’re used, too. Facebook feels like a one-stop shop for communication. There are so many different ways to connect with your “Friends” that it’s almost dizzying. Instagram is more aspirational. People take the time to meticulously curate their feeds, which makes the platform feel a bit more high-stakes. The two most cited uses for Twitter are news sharing and entertainment. Understanding how these platforms are perceived and used will help you to better tailor your content to suit the medium effectively.

…So Don’t Use a One-Post-Fits-All Approach

That said, when planning out a social media calendar, it’s easy to fall into the trap of sharing the same message the same way across all platforms. Instagram is a bit guilty of facilitating this by allowing you to share posts directly to Facebook or Twitter as you post them. While it’s not wrong to push out a specific message across every platform to reinforce the information or make sure it reaches your audience wherever they may be, it’s is wrong to not tailor the message to the platform.

With Twitter, your character count is much more limited than it would be on other platforms. You need to get your point across in a quicker, more concise way. Taking the time to actually rewrite your message to be shorter and to the point will make it a lot more readable as your followers are scrolling through their timeline. It’s a great idea to throw in visual content such as photos, GIFs, or videos as they draw the eye and command more space in the feed, but understand that in tweets these come as secondary information. Unlike on Instagram where the real bulk of the post is the visual content and the text comes second, on Twitter the words come first and a lot of the time you need to actually click on the visual content to hear the audio or see the image in full. However, visual content is still important and effective, as tweets with images receive 313% more engagement . Not to mention, it’s the only platform of those we’ve discussed that allows the flawless posting of GIFs (Facebook makes you play them like videos). Understanding and using these differences to your advantage will allow you to deliver a more effective and platform-appropriate experience with your content.

Unlike its counterparts Facebook and Instagram, there are no business-specific accounts on Twitter. All accounts are set up exactly the same, and have access to all the same features. This includes a really fantastic Analytics feature, which will provide you insights into your Twitter activity. Definitely take advantage of this feature to learn more about what content is working for you and what isn't. Having a handle on this information will help you continuously adapt your strategy and focus on what your audience wants from you.

Engage, Engage, Engage

The top reason cited for Twitter use is reading news on the site, which shows that users on the platform want to be informed. This makes Twitter a great place to share exciting updates and key information about your business. But the thing about Twitter is that it’s a powerful communication tool. You shouldn’t just use it to talk at your customers; its most effective when you use it to talk to them.

Twitter has become an invaluable hub for customer service inquiries. Many customers have found that instead of spending ages on hold with a customer service call centre, they can tweet their grievances at the company and receive a much quicker response. However, customers aren’t only using Twitter to complain. Since Twitter feels a lot more casual for sharing a quick thought, users can easily share their opinions on all of the brands and businesses they’re interested in. That includes both praise and criticism.

Don’t ignore this discourse. Obviously, if you see something negative about your business, handle it immediately. You should also regularly check your mentions and use the Search tool to find tweets discussing your business that you may not be tagged in. Like, retweet, and even respond to these messages to show that you’re interested and actively involved.

Beyond simply informing your followers or connecting you with your customers, Twitter presents a great opportunity to expand your professional network and establish yourself within your industry. Sharing articles and news stories that are recent and relevant to your business or industry helps to establish you as a thought leader, and shows an interest in the world beyond just your business. Follow and engage with other respected professionals in the field. These relationships could help to lend you some credibility, get your name out there, or even provide you with a valuable networking opportunity.

Why So Serious?

Just because a lot of people use Twitter for their news, that doesn’t mean you should be stuffy and serious with your posts all the time. Another top reason why people use Twitter is to be entertained. Use GIFs in your posts, engage followers in a poll, or jump in on a trending hashtag. Twitter doesn’t have to be all business all the time, and sometimes its better when it’s laid back. This is a great space for creating a personality for your business. While you of course want to remain professional to keep yourself out of hot water, you can use these 280-character blurbs to really craft a voice for your business and have fun with your followers. Many brands have reached nearly cult status by having easygoing, funny, or just generally entertaining tweets. If you want a good example of this, check out the page of American fast food chain Wendy’s (@Wendys). They regularly 'roast' their competitors, and even their own followers! However, it's done so well that it's proven to be more successful than detrimental to their brand.

Lastly, have a bit of fun with Twitter. It moves quickly, but your content has the chance to live on longer and spread further than your immediate audience thanks to liking and retweeting. If certain things are trending as hashtags, participate if you can come up with something appropriate. It’s all about interacting actively with other users in fun, relevant, and meaningful ways.

Twitter can be a bit daunting and maybe even a bit intimidating at times, but we promise it’s not as scary as it looks. You might find that after a bit of use, you fall on the more positive-leaning side of this polarising debate.

If you need additional help with Twitter or any other social media platforms, check out our services and get in touch .

SEO vs PPC: What's the Difference?

Sun, 12 Jan 2020 11:46:55 GMT

If you’ve ventured into digital marketing, odds are you’ve heard “PPC” and “SEO” thrown around left and right. And since not everyone speaks internet jargon, you may have also wondered what on earth all these random letters mean. Relax and take a deep breath; we’re here to help! Here’s a rundown of the digital marketing concepts that can help you get the most bang out of your virtual buck.

First up: SEO

SEO stands of Search Engine Optimisation. Basically, this involves the way that your website is set up and put together and how that impacts where your site shows up in search results on Google, Yahoo, Bing, etc. There are several factors involved, but they can be broken down into a few main categories:

On-Page Factors encompass what normal users see when they visit your webpage. This is all the design stuff—like the layout and the photos—as well as the navigation tools such as menus and sidebars. It’s also all of the more complicated stuff search engines like Google see working behind the scenes, such as meta tags, page titles, and analytics. Basically, on-page factors are all the things that are just there on your website. It's worth noting that Google does not rank based on meta tags, but rather on the content of the page itself. Ranking high on Google is based more on the relevance and quality of your content, than simple meta tag keywords. So make sure your content is strong and relevant if you want to focus on your Google ranking specifically.

Off-Page Factors are outside forces that are harder to control. These are influenced by how many other webpages link back to your website (for example, blogs or news coverage), how much of an authority you’re considered, and the history of your website. In this case, quality trumps quantity. It’s actually less effective to have your website linked on thousands of insignificant or non-authoritative websites than it would be to have it linked from one strong, trustworthy source such as the BBC.

Domain Factors also have to do with the authority of your website based on its age. Authority is earned with time; sorry, but your brand new site just won’t have it right away. The web address you choose also helps your search placement. For example, a “.co.uk” address is excellent for targeting UK users while a “.com” address casts a global net.

Now, you’ve probably heard that SEO is all about keywords. And you’d be right to an extent and when discussing different search engines, but the other factors discussed above also should be considered when discussing SEO. If you focus on the different parts of these elements, you’ll likely have a good chance of showing up high in search results.

Alright, I get it. So what’s PPC then?

PPC is pay-per-click advertising. This happens when you buy website views, or pay for a high placement in search results. Unlike SEO, you spend for PPC. The most common example is the sponsored results that appear at the very top of the search when making a Google query. The word “Ad” is included in the box to show that these results are paid for by the company. Other examples include skipabble YouTube ads and display ads on other webpages.

You’re in control of the keywords and search terms you would like to bid on, and you decide how much you’re willing to pay for these views. You only ever pay if the user actually clicks on the ad. This is a great way to ensure your site gets noticed. It all happens in real time as a user makes a search. You don't have to do anything, and most search engines will only charge you when your ad is actually clicked.

It should be noted that no matter how much cash you’re willing to dish out, PPC cannot force your site to the top of Google results if your site isn’t well made and isn’t relevant to users. In that case, you might want to reinvest that money into improving your site.

Right, so what’s the difference?

While both PPC and SEO deal with getting your website attention, what it most boils down to is this: SEO occurs organically, whereas PPC is purchased. The attention you earn from SEO comes from the design of the site itself, its credibility, its references on other sites, and its keywords. PPC is exactly what the name says it is: paid. You bid on specific keywords and pay for specific placement.

SEO is great for finding out which parts of your site rank higher on searches, and which areas you should work on improving. PPC is a good option for boosting attention on your site if it's not doing so hot on its own. Since you choose the keywords and search terms you bid on, PPC takes a bit of understanding who your audience is and what search keywords are going to bring you the biggest return. Ultimately, both can be very powerful tools for driving more traffic to your site.

If you’re still confused, feel free to contact us !

What is Remarketing?

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 12:20:11 GMT

Have you ever shopped for something online once, and then proceeded to see about a million and a half adverts for that thing in the weeks that followed? To the point where it feels like those trainers you didn’t buy are almost stalking you? Yeah, we’ve all been there.

There’s a term for this, actually. It’s called “remarketing,” or “retargeting.” This is a highly-specific form of online advertising that allows you to be very specific about what you serve people based on their previous interactions with your website. The idea of remarketing in rooted in brand recognition. The more times you’ve experienced a brand, the more likely you are to take action. Remarketing can be so subtle its nearly imperceptible or it can be highly aggressive to the point of nearly being stalking. It is, however, a highly effective tool for generating action and return on investment.

Setting up remarketing starts with your website. You’ll place a little piece of code called a tag or pixel onto your site, which will drop a cookie on visitors to the page, and they’ll go onto one of your remarketing lists. These lists can be super general and vague or highly targeted and specific. You can keep a list of everyone who's visited your website at all, or a keep track of visitors to a specific page. It really depends what you want to look at. These days, much of this is handled by AI software that will keep track of site visitors and initiate follow-up contact. If you'd like to learn more about AI or want specific guidance implementing this type of technology into your strategy, check out our sister company AI in Business .

If you’ve ever left items in your cart without making a purchase while online shopping, you may have seen display ads on other sites reminding you about those items or received email reminders. There’s often even a discount thrown in to entice you to complete the purchase. This is a very common form of remarketing, and one we’ve all encountered at one point or another.

The key to effective remarketing is to use your lists wisely and provide the user with targeted ads related to what they were looking at. If the customer looked at various items in the same product category on your site, it is much more effective to remarket products in that same category to them again. You can show them the same products they already viewed, other related products, or an offer on those types of products that is particularly relevant. Not only is this maximising your effectiveness, it’s also saving you money by targeting only the people who are actually interested. There’s great potential to increase your conversion rates and get great returns on your investment.

There’s a lot more to the concept, but hopefully now you understand the gist of it. Remarketing isn't right for every business, or the proper strategy for every audience. There are loads of ways to warm up the sales pipeline and complete the customer journey. If you’d like to know more, check out our services and feel free to get in touch with us !

5 Top Tips for Reaching Your Customers Online and Getting the Most From Your Paid Marketing

Tue, 12 Nov 2019 12:01:43 GMT

Nowadays, there are tonnes of paid ways to spread the word about your business online. You can advertise on Google searches, sponsor posts on your customers’ Facebook feeds, show up as an ad before their favourite YouTube videos or on the other webpages they visit. The list goes on and on.

But what’s the point in investing in this type of marketing activity if you aren’t hitting your mark? Here are our top 5 tips for making sure you’re getting the most return from your online advertising:

1. Identify Your Ideal Customer

As much as we all might wish this could be the case, you can’t appeal to everyone. To be successful with any type of marketing, you first need to have a solid understanding of the type of person you would like to appeal to, and the type of customers you already have. These may be one and the same, but if you’re restructuring or rebranding they could be completely different.

Odds are you already have loads of data about your customers, or you have a general idea of who they are from interacting with them day to day. Before you can truly reach your customers, you have to know who they are implicitly. How old are they? Are they mostly male, or female, or a good mix of both? Where do they live? What are their interests?

Once you know these things, you can move on to the next steps.

2. Target Your Ads

If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? Similarly, if you have a great advert but your ideal customers don’t see it, was it really worth the investment? That’s why targeting is SO important. If you know who your audience is and tailor your marketing to those specific individuals, you’re going to be a lot more successful than you would be casting a broader, more general net. As a result, you’re going to bring in more interested customers and earn a lot more money.

Google, Facebook, Instagram, and just about every other online advertising platform allow you to tailor your adverts based on specific criteria. Google, for example, allows you to target based on things like age, gender, location, household income, parental status, videos watched, websites visited, search history, and previous engagements with your business. Social media sites tend to contain a lot more personal data, and allow you to target customers on a deeper level. Use these capabilities to your advantage!

3. Choose Your Best Options

Part of understanding your customer is understanding how best to reach them. Actually, your competitors can provide some good insight here. Look into the competitors that attract the types of customers you want, and identify the platforms where they’re having those conversations. Is their Facebook engagement really high, or maybe on Instagram? It’s likely that this is where your customers will be, too.

Don’t waste money or effort on placing your adverts on sites where your target customers are unlikely to see them. Find the platforms your customers use and speak to them there. Also consider what times they use these. Many platforms have built-in analytics that enable you to see what times of day your customers are most active. Once you’ve identified the right medium, you should schedule your ads for the most active times to yield the best results.

4. Make Your Ads Relevant

Now that you know who you’re targeting and where they are, what do you actually say to them? This will again come from having an understanding of who your customers are. A teenager and a pensioner will perceive ads differently, as will a man and a woman. That’s why it’s so important to make sure the content of your advert is geared towards the type of customer you most want to reach.

Going back to our previous examples, if you want to target a pensioner, don’t tell them that they’ll look “fire" and "serve looks" if they use your product or shop at your store. If you want to attract men, don’t use images that are distinctly feminine. Speak to your customers in a way that will make them want to listen.

5. Track Your Progress

So once you’ve done all that, it’s time to see how well you’ve hit your mark. Use analytics to track how effective your adverts were in reaching your audience. You can do this with third-party analytics software, or by using the built-in analytics on the various platforms. Track how much engagement, how many click-throughs, and how many views your post received. If using social media, check to see if the stats on your profile changed at all. Analytics provide great insight into what’s working and what isn’t.

You can trial and error your way through various tactics until you find what works and what doesn’t. It may take a few attempts to truly drill down what your customers want and react to, so be patient. The best progress marker of all will be an increase in your wallet.

If you're looking for help with maximising your marketing spend, get in touch !

What is Frequency Capping?

Mon, 14 Oct 2019 11:52:35 GMT

We all have a threshold for how often we can see or hear something before it starts to become irritating—or worse when it comes to marketing, before the message becomes completely ineffective. That’s where frequency capping—sometimes known as impression capping—can come into play. Every time your advert is seen, that counts as an impression. Basically, frequency capping is a way to control how many of these impressions can occur. It’s a way of controlling how many times in a day, week, or month your advert appears for a user.

In a perfect world, it would only take one impression for a potential customer to act on or respond to your advertisement. Unfortunately, this isn’t a perfect world so that isn’t always the case. You would instead decide how many times a customer will be shown the advert, such as 3 times a week. The choice is yours, but you’ll want to select a number that is high enough that the message will definitely be received, but low enough that the customer won’t become annoyed. It’s a bit of a fine line. If a customer still hasn’t acted after seeing an advert a few times over the course of a week or month, they probably aren’t interested and you should probably move on.

Frequency capping counts when 50% or more of the ad is shown for one second or longer for display ads on web pages, and two seconds or longer for video ads, such as the ones you’d see before a YouTube video. Cookies usually track the number of times you’ve seen the advert.

As is the case with all pay-per-click advertising, you will only pay for the impressions that result in the customer clicking on your advertisement. Therefore, it doesn’t matter if you have your frequency cap set at five impressions per week, and the customer sees your advert three times before choosing to click on it the fourth time it appears. You’ll only pay for the time that resulted in an action, not the three prior impressions that yielded no results.

Frequency capping is helpful for avoiding “banner burnout” with display ads. If customers are overexposed to certain messages, response rates are likely to drop. While frequent impressions may be good for getting your name out there and exposing customers to your brand, you don’t want to be perceived as annoying. Implementing a cap can help combat this and make sure your message comes across, but in a way that isn’t irritating.

There are other ways to convey the same message repeatedly or repurpose your content without it costing you or irritating your audience. We employ a fully-integrated approach with our PR, Social Media, and Inbound Marketing services. Learn more here , and if you have any more questions, you can of course get in touch with us !

How Digital Transformation Can Reshape Customer Experience

Fri, 28 Sep 2018 10:06:00 GMT

“At least 40% of all businesses will die in the next 10 years, if they don’t figure out how to change their entire company to accommodate new technologies” states John Chambers, Executive Chairman of Cisco System.

The digital customer experience (CX) goes hand-in-hand with a company’s success. With so much competition from businesses worldwide at such high standards, consumer habits have now changed. Customers have higher expectations of a seamless customer journey, with the end goal of receiving their products or services, quickly and hassle-free. Therefore, it is critical for businesses to strive to deliver the optimal CX to gain a competitive advantage and avoid the risk of facing extinction.

What is digital transformation?

Digital transformation refers to the method in which businesses integrate new digital technology, leading to significant changes in a business’ operations and a smooth, consistent CX. Research has revealed that companies that implement digital transformation strategies are generating highly engaged customers who purchase 90% more frequently, spend 60% more per purchase, and have 3 times the annual value , compared to the average customer.

Who is the new, digital customer and what do they want?

With technology advancing at an unprecedented rate, a new type of modern buyer has evolved, who is always connected, app-native and has high expectations of businesses to deliver what they want, almost instantaneously. Due to the extent of choice customers now have, given the amount of competition, they can afford to be picky and will prejudge a company based on the digital CX. Hence, businesses must be willing and prepared to transform their organisation digitally, in an attempt to gain and retain new and existing customers.

The first steps to implementing a digital transformation strategy

1. Cloud adoption

It is fundamental for companies to adopt flexible and agile IT systems, and to understand that implementing cloud technology is a vital element of your digital transformation strategy.

Mark Hill, Chief Information Officer (CIO) at the global recruitment firm, Nigel Frank International, echoes the importance of cloud adoption, “…cloud computing is the new normal and it’s becoming a case of evolve or die.”

Using the cloud enables organisations to be more dynamic, flexible and quicker, providing your business with the opportunity to trial new, low risk and economical projects, in an attempt to meet customer demands faster. What’s more, cloud applications enable you to form a customer database where you collate digital data about your customers. This can in turn assist your business in delivering an optimised and more personalised CX.

2. Personalised CX

The more relevant your products and services are to each individual customer, the more likely they will fulfil a purchase. With the modern buyer wanting to find what they want online, quickly and easily, companies are adapting, by storing customer information from contact details, to search and purchase history, in a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system, used to provide targeted ads and emails, promoting the products they desire.

Amazon has taken this one step further by including an option of a ‘1-Click’ ordering system, which enables existing customers to have the optimal CX . This works by allowing customers to buy the products they want at a click of a button, and the items arriving at their door before they even have the chance to change their mind.

3. Omnichannel approach

A silo mentality in business is a thing of the past, yet many longstanding corporate organisations still suffer from its effect. In the current digital revolution, it is essential for businesses to blur the boundaries between technology, marketing, sales and operations, and to develop a seamless omnichannel approach to CX. Consumers are no longer exclusively using one channel, but are purchasing both in-store and online, as well as expecting customer support services to be available 24/7, via social channels. Therefore, it is vital for businesses to collate all customer interactions with them, to form a single digital profile, enabling customers to have the seamless CX they want, and now expect.

Existing technology is constantly improved with new, innovate equipment taking its place. Subsequently, digital transformation strategies will only become more advanced. While some businesses continue to resist adopting new technology, those organisations that embrace it, have the chance to flourish in the current business climate, through providing customers with the best possible CX. By adopting flexible and agile cloud computing and delivering a personalised, seamless CX across all channels, your organisation will make its first steps in implementing a digital transformation strategy, designed to successfully target the modern customer.

Want to learn more about the effects of digital transformation and AI on the marketing sector? Zoodikers managing director, Katie King, has recently authored a book “AI in Marketing soon to be published by Kogan Page, which includes the latest insights from industry experts in this field, alongside a business framework for success, and much more.

Top 10 Instagram Statistics for Social Media Marketers for 2018

Wed, 15 Aug 2018 13:53:00 GMT

According to Social Media Examiner’s annual report , in 2018 69% of marketers planned to increase their investment on the platform and 74% decided to find out more about how the platform could benefit their business. So, let’s explore why there is a hype around Instagram for business, using our chosen top 10 Instagram statistics.

Although many marketers may be familiar with the power of Instagram, not all have been motivated to adopt it into their marketing strategies quite yet. In fact, establishing an effective presence and creating successful posts with high engagement rates remains a challenge.

Whether you are new to Instagram marketing, or simply are unsure about which types of content to post, when to engage, how best to reach audiences and what the social network’s full range of features include, then get in touch to find out how Zoodikers can help. Email katie@zoodikers.com or call 01892520123.

Alternatively, you can book onto Katie King’s 90-minute webinar on ‘social media fundamentals’ on the 4th September 2018 at 10:30am – 12:00pm. Learn how different platforms work, why you need to use social media for business, how to engage with potential customers and how to create the perfect content for your audience including tips and tricks to boost your following. E-mail katie@zoodikers.com

Our Top Tips on How to Influence Purchasing Decisions

Thu, 10 May 2018 16:30:00 GMT

Whether it’s original, direct, funny or controversial, featuring memorable songs or messages – advertisers are on a continuous run to find the perfect combination of tools for the perfect ad. But maybe you’re wondering, what makes the perfect ad? We must start by understanding that advertising provides brands with specific platforms to raise awareness about their product or services. From there, it’s their duty to take advantage of them by unlocking their full potential and explaining to their target audience what they can do for them, in a creative manner.
Plain exposure of a product’s attributes is not enough anymore, in a fast-developing digital era. Ads need a unique selling point to differentiate themselves from other thousands similar ones.
So, how do you convince people you’re the right choice for them through advertising?
First things first, you must understand your audience, including present and potential consumers. Alex Chau, blogger at MyCustomer, claims:

“Building a customer profile of the ideal target customer can help you tailor your advertisements to reach the right people; those who are more likely to identify or understand the message you’re sending out.”

As an advertiser, you have to make sure you speak the language of your customers on a personal level and not just create generic ads.
On that note, the next step is to make sure your audience understands your brand too. Being specific with your messages and coming up with innovative ideas, while reinforcing your brand values is essential if you want to transform latent watchers into active buyers.
Next comes the authenticity factor: having been exposed for so long to advertising techniques and marketing tactics, consumers nowadays are clever in differentiating what’s real and what’s not. In the digital age, ads are everywhere and not just on TV, making it harder for brands to stand out from the crowd. A recent study by Stackla revealed that 86% of consumers believe authenticity is a key factor when deciding which brand they choose to support or buy from. This means brands must connect with consumers on an emotional level and for that, emerging technologies, such as AI tools, can be used to create memorable experiences.
On the other hand, subtler approaches can be just as effective by enabling consumers to personally decide if they align with the brand’s values. A relatively new strategy is used by brands who choose to tell a powerful story, without including the product in the ad. In turn, the consumer associates the brand with the message and feels an emotional connection which can influence buying decisions.
Our last tip is to be consistent. Some advertisers feel they need to change their brand’s logo or colours with each campaign they run – this will only confuse consumers about your identity and diminish your authority as an established brand. Of course, being consistent doesn’t mean you have to be repetitive or have the same layout over and over – it simply means that consumers should be able to recognise your brand from all your ads!

As you can see, smart advertising requires more than just creativity – it involves continuous efforts and market research. In our age, it’s time to think deeper about who your audience is and what drives them in their buying decisions.

Is the Future of Influencer Marketing Virtual?

Fri, 27 Apr 2018 11:02:00 GMT

Terms like “influencers” and “influencer marketing” are not new to us anymore – the impact on the social communities they build online is growing more and more every day. Moreover, after noticing how profitable it can be and the attraction brands have towards these concepts, more people have started to consider it a profession and a source of income, rather than a hobby.

However, considering the fast-growing rate of AI and VR developments in every sector of our daily lives, it might be interesting to ask ourselves how long until artificial intelligence will take over this domain as well?

Well, not long now – we’d say!

Earlier this year, singer Rihanna’s own make-up brand, Fenty Beauty, featured an Instagram image of an unknown model as part of their new lipstick campaign. The post went viral and viewers went on a hunt for the model’s identity. By the beginning of April, Shudu, as the mysterious woman is called, gained more than 90,000 followers. After numerous presumptions, the truth came out in a Haarper’s Bazar article: Shudu is not a real person, but a computer-generated product of British photographer Cameron-James Wilson. As more and more people started to follow her, she became an influencer and a new opportunity for fashion and cosmetics brands to expand their markets. She is now considered the first digital supermodel, but apparently, she’s not the only one out there!

Lil Miquela is another computer-generated character, with a real Instagram account which now has more than 800,000 followers. Her feed features luxury brands outfit posts and she even released a single on the music platform Spotify. But what makes her special is the fact that she promotes technology training for girls on her social channels, which makes the line between reality and fiction hazy and builds trust relationships with her followers.

How effective is it?
Although the innovative idea of using virtual influencers seems like a cool topic, some marketers still have their doubts about how effective brand endorsements with these characters could be – Giordano Contestabile, CEO of Bloglovin’, featured on BBC website, claims:

“I think there are opportunities which could be a fit for brands to market products, but I think it’s going to be shallower than what you see with a real person. The human aspect of influencer marketing is the key to it. I don’t know how you can replicate that. Getting someone to follow you on Instagram is easy, he says. But getting someone to identify and create an emotional connection, that’s a different challenge. In other words, you can’t fake it.”

It is safe to say that the next few years are going to be interesting, in terms of how influencer marketing is going to evolve and what direction it will take – whether it’s shifting to a more virtual approach or relying purely on the human factor.

5 Top Tips for Using Social Media to Enhance Your Presence at Events

Mon, 16 Apr 2018 11:24:00 GMT

Social media is a useful tool for generating greater brand awareness and showcasing your business in a positive light. Many businesses are oblivious as to how helpful social channels can be in generating new customers and retaining existing ones. This blog post will give 5 top tips to successfully use social media to enhance your presence at corporate events and exhibitions.

1. Multichannel activity

When using social media successfully, you must be willing to put the effort in; a half-hearted job will not produce good results. It is also important to cover multiple social channels as audiences are often spread across platforms, with some users preferring one channel over another. Each social platform has its different uses and unique features, for example, hashtags on Twitter, whereas Instagram focuses purely on imagery, so it’s useful to promote different types of content on each channel to keep your audience engaged and up to date. Don’t forget to ensure your social accounts also look the part; a good profile picture, bio describing your business and updated links to your website will generate more interest from your customer as it shows you know what you’re doing.

2. Regular social posts prior to event

Ensure you consistently post prior to the event. This is important as you regularly update your followers and those may be interested in keeping up to date with your activities. Each new post could promote a different aspect of your event to intrigue potential visitors. What’s more, there are social tools available such as Sendible and Hootsuite , which allow you to schedule your social posts on multiple platforms in one go, saving both time and effort.

3. Hashtags and Imagery

As previously mentioned, different social platforms are useful for different reasons. It is important to utilise hashtags on Twitter to allow users to search and find your posts relating to the event. Prior to the event, your team should determine which short and catchy hashtag to use; it is important to include this wherever you can for promotion. If you are attending an event it is also a good idea to research the hashtags surrounding the event so you can capitalise on using them, adding them to your posts, could gain you followers and potential customers. Instagram also makes use of hashtags but the real focus is all on imagery. Images are vital in grabbing your audience’s attention and encouraging engagement. It is a good idea that before and during the event, you take advantage of capturing good photos to use across social platforms in the future.

4. Two-way communication and sharing

It is great to encourage conversation amongst your audience to get them talking about your business and event as a promotional tool. Make sure you listen and provide answers to any queries or complaints they may have. If your customer is happy, they are more likely to talk positively about their experience with your business and share your posts to their followers who are often likeminded individuals, increasing your reach to potential customers.

5. Live Tweets and videos at event

After you have generated a good following and prepared your social channels for your event, it is important to continue to post throughout and into the future. Live posts are active reminders to customers to visit your stand and also show those who didn’t make it what they are missing out on. Often, your followers are sent a notification when you begin a Facebook Live or Instagram Live story. These active sessions regularly spark a Q&A session where followers can ask you questions about your services or products. As long as you ensure you have confident and enthusiastic employees with a lot to talk about, this social tactic is guaranteed to work in your favour.

It is important to understand the power of social media and what an incredible tool it can be when used properly to produce more brand awareness and increase your customer attendance at events. What’s more, effectively using social media will help you achieve the ultimate end goal of driving traffic to your site and generating more sales for your business.

Using Instagram for B2B Marketing

Tue, 13 Mar 2018 11:19:00 GMT

Designed with a focus on visual content, Instagram emerged as a unique app in 2010 and has grown massively over the years, now with 500 million daily active users ¹ , truly earning its place as one of the leading social media platforms.

Its integration into brands’ social media marketing strategies is continuously growing, and naturally its visual nature has lent itself particularly well to the B2C industries, presenting them with an attractive platform on which to showcase their products and brands.

Some have therefore ruled out its value for B2B industries, assuming that their content isn’t a good fit for a platform so focused on the ‘pretty’ and ‘lovely’. But many B2B businesses have proved that, with just a little creativity, Instagram can be just as valuable.

We’re sharing our thoughts on why and how Instagram can work for B2B businesses, with a little help from some already leading the way.

Sharing brand personality

Instagram content doesn’t have to be limited to images of a business’ products; it can be a great way to share an insight into the business, its values, personality and identity.

A great way of doing this is by sharing ‘behind the scenes’ photos; often people don’t just buy into a product, they also buy into a business, particularly so with services. Encouraging the whole team to get involved in social media can be a great way to ‘humanise’ a brand, showcase the company culture, and demonstrate enthusiasm, passion and knowledge.

Hootsuite has really mastered this!

Showcase your customers and present your products as solutions

Whilst your product might not be visually exciting, it may offer a great solution that many people can relate to or may find interesting: consider how you might use Instagram to tell a story.

Granted it’s not purely limited to B2B, but HP is a great example of a brand that uses Instagram to demonstrate the versatility of its products.

Which leads nicely onto the next point…

Encouraging engagement and user participation

User-generated content is becoming a popular marketing trend and it could lend itself nicely to B2B marketing, as well as helping businesses with content creation. Encouraging customers to share their stories about how they use a product or their experience with a business is a great way to demonstrate what your business can do from the user’s point of view. This case study approach will add credibility to your brand, as well as create interesting content.

Reach new and wider audiences

By showing another side of your brand, or even creating a profile that people will want to follow regardless of whether the product is relevant to them, you might just reach new audiences that otherwise might not have an interest in you; it can be a great way to raise brand awareness.

For example, courier and shipping services might not seem like the most exciting thing to follow on Instagram, but FedEx has convinced us otherwise! They use their profile to share pictures of their services in action all around the world in beautiful and vibrant images, putting them at the front of followers’ minds.

So whilst Instagram might not be for every business, it also shouldn’t be immediately written off if your product portfolio doesn’t consist of divine looking food or fabulous apparel. Consider creative ways to share your message or to engage with your audience.

[1] https://www.omnicoreagency.com/instagram-statistics/

Simple Instagram Dos and Don’ts for Businesses, Part 2

Mon, 26 Feb 2018 11:19:00 GMT

Instagram is a great platform and lends itself nicely to marketing in a unique way. Its versatility means that it can be well suited to all industries and businesses, if used wisely. Read on for more of our simple tips for mastering the world of Instagram.

Don’t overuse or rely on stock images

Instagram is fundamentally a visual platform, which is partly what has made it so popular. Therefore, it is important that the content is rich and interesting, and something that you believe your followers will enjoy seeing in their newsfeed and will attract new followers.

Using the occasional stock image is fine if it’s the message in the caption that is more important, or as a way to inject some fun into your content (think ‘FRIYAY’ or ‘Monday Motivation’ graphics). But make sure that it’s appropriate for your audience, try to use the best quality ones you can, and use sparingly.

Do encourage audience engagement

User-generated content is becoming a popular marketing tool, as it is a great way to raise audience engagement and to start building a community. Showing your customers that you care is so important for brands, and is a great way to demonstrate that you value their ideas, input, and loyalty. This could take the form of testimonials, asking followers to share images of them using your products, or even competitions and campaigns. See cosmetics company Bobbi Brown’s ‘#PrettyPowerful’ or fashion retailer Aerie’s ‘#AerieREAL’ campaigns for nice examples.

Do dedicate enough resources to it

There’s no point in doing anything half-heartedly. So make sure you have enough time and manpower to make your profile really effective. Your online presence can be a big reflection of you as a business, so make sure your profile gives the impression you want it to; an average – poor profile could even do more harm than good.

Perhaps identify someone in the team with a creative flair or great visual ideas who might like the responsibility of taking the lead on this one.

Do get the whole team involved

Instagram is a fun platform. There’s loads of scope for creativity and imagination and it’s a great way to showcase personality and company culture. Many businesses use social media to show off their employees and to demonstrate the enthusiasm and knowledge behind the scenes. Employee profile features can work well, as well as ‘behind the scenes’ posts and team shots. Plus, getting the whole team involved will provide you with a lot more content ideas, making life a lot easier.

Don’t be afraid to get creative and have some fun with it

Instagram is a creative platform and its visual nature is a great way to really showcase your brand. Don’t be afraid to try new things and take risks, as long as content isn’t offensive or controversial. At the end of the day, if a post doesn’t do that well or you change your mind, you can always hit delete.

Even if your brand itself isn’t necessarily particularly ‘fun’, the people and the business behind it might be. Instagram, and any marketing techniques for that matter, can be a great way to showcase your company culture and brand personality, so try different ways to really stand out and grab people’s attention (but make sure it’s for the right reasons though!).

Want more tips? Take a look at part one here .

Simple Instagram Dos and Don’ts for Businesses, Part 1

Thu, 15 Feb 2018 11:21:00 GMT

Instagram has quickly become one of the most popular social media platforms for businesses. Its visual focus differentiates it from other tools and provides brands with a new opportunity and way of showcasing what they do. If done right, it can be an effective marketing tool and it can be reasonably simple to master. Here are some of our top tips for creating a powerful Instagram presence.

Do set goals

Whether it’s reaching a certain number of followers in a particular time frame, running a specific campaign, or driving click throughs to your website, there are so many different ways to measure the success of your Instagram account. Which leads us to our next point…

Do have a purpose

Setting up an Instagram account because you feel like you probably should isn’t going to get you very far. If you can’t think of a strong reason for creating a profile, then think about how it could benefit your business. Could it be a way to raise brand awareness, engage with your local community, or showcase your products?

If you really can’t justify the time, effort and even money that it could take up and it sounds like more of a chore, then don’t worry, it just might not be for you, and that’s ok.

Do post regularly and consistently

People may be reluctant to follow you if you don’t post regular content. Fix a certain number of posts that you’d like to publish a week and stick to it. We recommend 4-7 good posts a week.

But don’t post for the sake of it

Your content needs to be meaningful and exciting. Remember that as you build your profile, it will become an insight into your business and you want to give a good impression; you definitely don’t want to bore your audience.

If you’re struggling to come up with good content ideas, try thinking outside the box, do some research and see what others are doing, and perhaps even redefine the raison d’etre of your profile. Remember, quality over quantity.

Do keep content consistent

You may have several themes throughout your Instagram portfolio, and you might use your profile for a number of different purposes, but make sure that the message you’re sending about your brand or product and the image and visuals are consistent. We’re not saying that your profile must be perfectly coordinated, just make sure that it makes sense to your followers and portrays a strong overall image.

Thinking about the impression you want to give and the message you wish to send your audience is a good starting point. Then set some simple guidelines based on how to best communicate your brand, get creative and have some fun with it.

Want more? View part 2 here .

Technology in the Fashion and Retail Industries

Thu, 01 Feb 2018 10:50:00 GMT

The retail industry is a dynamic and fast paced environment, with today’s trends quickly becoming obsolete with the arrival of tomorrow’s next big thing. If you take a step back and look at the bigger picture of the sector in general, you’ll also notice some fundamental changes to how the industry works.

Technology has already had a big impact on the retail environment, with the emergence of e-commerce introducing a whole new aspect to the world of retail.

As well as the disruption that the Internet has caused, there have also been some more subtle changes that perhaps may not have single-handedly transformed the industry, but have improved efficiency, streamlined processes and modernised the fashion and retail sectors.

The developments aren’t going to stop there and the tech revolution has just begun. We’re going to look at a few ways that technology has already impacted the industry and some changes we expect to see shape the environment as we know it.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

You may not have even noticed, but you’ve probably already come across AI in action whilst shopping online or even through in-store experiences. The recommendations made when browsing or purchasing online, and even the virtual assistant who pops up to offer a helping hand are often powered by AI, and that’s just the start.

More and more businesses are starting to use AI and machine learning to study buying behaviour, predict future actions and offer a truly personalised and individual consumer experience based on more meaningful understanding.

Whilst online shopping has certainly been revolutionary, there are a few barriers that add an element of (albeit small and trivial) risk to this shopping experience. Take the beauty industry for example. Part of the experience of buying beauty products is often the specialist advice you receive in-store and the ability to try products before you make a decision. This luxury is taken away when you replace a department store and enthusiastic sales assistants with a laptop.

This is where leading cosmetics retailer, Sephora, may have answered our prayers. Introducing its Virtual Artist , who is here to help you find the perfect make up look. Powered by AI, the tool enables consumers to ‘try on’ products through the app or website. With just the point of a smartphone camera, AI can precisely map facial features and identify colours to offer recommendations, put together the perfect look, and the option to ‘try’ the products on your own selfie.

AI has already started to prove its worth in the retail sector and we’re excited to see what’s next.

Social selling

There’s no denying that social media has been revolutionary in many ways, one of which being the evolution of social selling, blogging and influencers. The rise of the fashion blogger, and their perfectly coordinated Instagram account, has provided marketers with new opportunities and closer access to their audiences.

Many bloggers have earned the authority to recommend particular brands and styles, and marketers are able to trust in their ability to influence consumers; brands just need to get the right dress on the right blogger and they can feel pretty safe in the knowledge that that item will probably sell out. Think the Kate Middleton effect for an extreme example!

Wearable tech

For a more literal example of technology in the fashion industry, think about how tech innovators have had a go in the fashion world. Over 900,000 Apple Watches were sold in the first 24 hours ¹ with people wanting to have the latest wrist candy that not only looks stylish but also sends and receives messages, and tracks their daily physical activity. And let’s not forget the time when Diane von Furstenberg featured Google’s Glass in her show at New York Fashion Week in 2012.

It’s thought that a next major step in tech meets fashion will be the growing emergence of smart fabrics or ‘electronic textiles’, which involve materials embedded with digital components to give you colour changing clothes or even energy producing garments.

The US Olympic and Paralympic Teams will have technology to thank when they’re nice and warm during the opening and closing ceremonies at this year’s Winter Olympics in PyeongChang. Once again, Ralph Lauren has designed the patriotic uniforms, this year with the addition of a battery powered streamlined heating component in the all-American parkas and bomber jackets.

So, we’ve already seen the drastic impact that technology has had on the world of retail, and we are sure that we’re set to see more in the not so distant future.

Sources

[1] https://www.statisticbrain.com/apple-watch-sales-statistics/

5 Mega Trends That Will Shape Marketing In 2018

Mon, 15 Jan 2018 15:12:00 GMT

Now that 2018 is underway, we take a look at five marketing mega trends poised to make a significant impact on marketers’ go-to strategy in the coming year.

Influencer marketing has already taken hold of the industry as it has been seen to be a popular feature in many brands’ marketing strategies. According to research , 84% of marketers planned on executing at least one influencer marketing campaign during 2017. Many consumers, especially those who fall into Generation Z, dubbed the ‘digital generation’, prefer creative and innovative content that feels more natural, to traditional marketing methods. As the world of advertising is changing, so must marketer’s approaches.

If there is one piece of tech that will grab the attention of both consumers and marketers in 2018, it is voice recognition. The rising popularity of voice devices, including Amazon’s Alexa, Google Home and Apple’s Siri, has meant that brands have had to quickly adapt their advertising and marketing skills to keep up. Voice offers a significant opportunity to quickly and efficiently reach end-users. For example Domino’s pizza has enabled customers to order directly through Alexa using voice, with the ease of use boosting sales.

AI is already having an impact in marketing, but we have only just touched the tip of a massive iceberg. It is expected that in 2018, AI and machine learning will be the key to personalisation, allowing marketers to provide consumers with a seamless personalised digital experience, allowing brands to make a bigger impact than ever before. According to research , the use of AI by marketers will grow by more than 50% in the next two years, and Gartner predicts machines will write 20% of all business content in 2018. The value added to marketing teams is expected to be sensational. The ability of AI and machines to replicate repetitive daily tasks, to the same, if not better, ability than humans, will free up experts’ schedules and allow them to think ahead and take on innovative tasks they are more passionate about. The overall impact will be teams working to their best ability on both strategic and tactical levels.

2017 saw a number of high profile data breaches, including the May 2017 cyber attack on NHS IT systems, calling into question the cyber preparedness of major organisations. However on top of this, the new GDPR by the European Union will have a major impact on what businesses must do to protect user data. Therefore, it is expected that looking forward, consumers will begin to differentiate brands in line with their capacity to protect their privacy. It is expected that marketers will begin using privacy protection and data security as a means of adding value across industries to gain competitive advantage.

2017 saw the surge of live video on a number of social media platforms; Instagram and Facebook’s ‘live’ feature is continually growing, changing the way brands communicate with their followers. Social media platforms are placing more emphasis on live videos and are constantly looking for ways to improve the user experience. According to research , 1 in every 5 Facebook videos are now live and are watched 3 times longer than normal videos. The growth of the live feature has offered a new and innovative opportunity for brands and influencers to stimulate engagement with consumers, especially with Generation Z, so why not integrate live video into your marketing strategy?

If you need help with your marketing strategy, get in contact with the Zoodikers team, email ellie@zoodikers.com or call 01892 520123.

4 Classic Christmas Marketing Campaigns We Love And Why

Mon, 18 Dec 2017 09:28:00 GMT

There’s nothing as highly anticipated as an emotionally charged and exceptionally executed Christmas campaign during the festive season…

With Christmas season well underway, and with the ad industry currently immersed in creating stand-out campaigns that will dominate our screens this festive season, we take a look at some of the best Christmas digital marketing campaigns of the past and present.

Sainsbury’s – WW1 campaign, 2014

The Sainsbury’s Christmas WW1 ‘truce’ ad tells the moving story of the Christmas Day truce 100 years ago in the trenches. An infamous football match in no man’s land leads to a young British soldier handing over his chocolate bar to his German counterpart.

The ad marked 100 years from the 1914 truce and became a popular talking point on social media, fuelled by its allegiance with the Royal British Legion and the featured chocolate bar, which was sold in stores for £1 with all profits going to the charity. The bold, and heartwarming campaign won the hearts of the nation, by inspiring friends and family to cherish the small things at Christmas, as well as raising awareness and funds for the Royal British Legion. Watch the full video here .

John Lewis – The Long Wait, 2011

This John Lewis ad was a game changer in the world of Christmas campaigns. 2011 marked the first year the company used the ad opportunity to tell a story to its audience, raising the bar to all other retailers around the world. Set to the famous ‘Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want’ by The Smiths; the tear-jerking advert tells the tale of a young boy who is counting down the days until Christmas, trying to use magic to make the clock move faster and scoffing down his dinner to try and get to sleep as possible. The heartwarming twist is that he is not eager to open his own presents, but just can’t wait to give his parents their parents. It doesn’t leave a dry eye in the house! Watch it here .

Coca Cola – Holidays Are Coming, 1995

Originally created in the 1990’s, the coca cola truck advert is one of the most talked about Christmas commercials, with the iconic train even visiting different parts of the UK handing out free product to engage consumers. The ad is so effective that many have come to acknowledge the start of Christmas with seeing the arrival of the red Coca Cola truck. What’s incredible, and special about this campaign is that the iconic truck ad has become so globally renowned that Coca Cola haven’t needed to think up a new campaign since its release, but instead update the original each year. The Holidays Are Coming advert is timeless. Watch the original here.

Air Canada – Gift of Home, 2014

Arriving at a Canadian-themed pub in Covent Garden in 2014, several Air Canada pilots/actors talked to Canadian patrons who dreamt of returning for a Christmas at home – only they couldn’t afford it. In the spirit of Christmas, the pilots rang a bell, and announced that they’d be getting a round for everyone in the pub. Yet this was not a classic round of pub drinks – instead it was a round ticket back home to Canada for all those in the pub, a true Christmas miracle. This generous Christmas stunt was not only a great PR boost, but was a great way of giving back at Christmas! Watch the full video here .

If you need help with your Christmas marketing strategy, get in contact with the Zoodikers team. Email ellie@zoodikers.com or call 01892520123.

Zoodikers’ Top Tips to Keep Your Employees Engaged During the Festive Season

Mon, 04 Dec 2017 14:22:00 GMT

The holiday season can be a joyful, stressful and exciting for everyone, but one of the main challenges for businesses is keeping employees motivated and focused in the lead up to Christmas. In most instances, the holiday season brings positive life and energy to the work place, but the distractions surrounding the Christmas season can have detrimental effects on productivity, as many employees lose sight of their work objectives. In fact, it has been reported that over two thirds of workers feel they are less productive throughout December compared to other months of the year.

It is therefore important for managers to acknowledge that the holidays are an exciting and energetic time, but also keep in mind your team’s momentum throughout the season to ensure productivity does not fall. Here are our chosen 5 practices for managers to keep employees engaged during the holidays.

To keep the working environment exciting, decorate the office with Christmas sparkle, or go one step further by hosting a Secret-Santa, running a festive baking competition, or planning a company Christmas party. They will certainly bring festive cheer to the workplace!

It can be fun to praise behaviour and celebrate success with unexpected prizes and rewards. This is likely to boost employee productivity and motivation in the workplace as well as bringing a feel-good factor and festive cheer. Christmas after all is a time for giving so why not ensure your employees are being rewarded when targets are met.

If you want to go the extra mile to accommodate your employees during the holidays, consider flexible working arrangements. For example, letting employees work from home on certain days or offering flexible working hours. Flexible working arrangements can help your employees to mix work, family and leisure activities altogether, which is important over the Christmas holiday season.

Leadership plays a major part in maintaining productivity, and therefore plays a vital role during the holiday season. If managers become slack at work, your employees will likely follow in their footsteps. Therefore, it is important that you and your managers stay focused on the company’s end of year deadlines to ensure you meet objectives and finish the year strong.

Client work can be stressful at any time during the year, and especially during the holidays, when deadlines come to a head and expectations are rising. To relieve stress on your employees, ensure clients expectations have been managed, and are in line with your business Christmas working hours. Never promise products or services that are not certain to be delivered due to the holiday madness.

If you are to take one thing away from these tips, it is to remain cheerful throughout the holiday season. Don’t forget, the holidays are as much a time for managers to show their appreciation of staff as they are for employees to unwind. Be sure to take sometime to reward yourself too!

To learn more about Zoodikers, or to get in touch with the team, please email ellie@zoodikers.com or give us call on 01892 520123.

5 Creative Ways to Add Christmas Sparkle to Your December Marketing Strategy

Tue, 28 Nov 2017 09:20:00 GMT

By Scarlett King

As with any kind of holiday campaign, it’s important that you plan your marketing strategy in advance to reap the rewards. Even more so for the Christmas season, as the holiday spans over a longer period of time as soon as Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals go live. Mastering your marketing campaign is imperative to a successful festive season for your business, so here’s how to create a buzz around your brand this Christmas.

Where better to start than dressing up your website, app, social media profile or store front with Christmas sparkle. If you want to go all out, ask for the help of a designer or developer, but if no one is at hand, you can design social media covers yourself with an online design suite like Canva or buy stock images from sites like Shutterstock . And don’t forget, especially for retailers, that in-store holiday decorations help to attract visitors and help to enhance customer experience. Light it up, and add some sparkle to your retail shop with a festive window display!

What are you doing to make your existing customers feel special this Christmas? Why not host a VIP sale evening or Christmas drinks for your most loyal customers to show them just how much you value their support. Fill guests with Christmas cheer and give them a night to remember so that they are likely to return to your brand in future.

Christmas is all about giving. Whether it’s free sweets for children or a free item; offering complimentary gifts with each purchase gives customers a reason for buying from you in the first place, as they feel that they are getting more value for their money. Free items also make customers feel appreciated and increase the chance of them returning to your business in the future.

Here’s a creative twist for a holiday promotion. Try giving away a different prize, product, or promotion every day for 12 days leading up to Christmas. This type of promotion lends itself very well to the festive theme, as well as taking advantage of time-limited offers. It also has the ability to create a sense of urgency to push sales, whilst creating excitement.

It’s a great idea to engage with customers through social media during the holiday shopping season, as it’s likely they are already active online posting updates of their holiday activities or Christmas gifts. Instagram is therefore the perfect place to make your holiday game shine, as it provides the perfect opportunity to post pictures and short videos of unique gift ideas or style tips, all which are bound to drive engagement.

If you need help with your Christmas marketing strategy, get in contact with the Zoodikers team. Email ellie@zoodikers.com or call 01892520123.

My Thoughts on Microsoft’s Modern Workplace “GDPR Impact” Webcast

Wed, 15 Nov 2017 15:36:00 GMT

This post is sponsored by Microsoft– but all thoughts and opinions are, of course, my own.

The latest episode in Microsoft’s Modern Workplace webcast series focuses on the impact of GDPR. Alex Bradley hosts two leading experts in the privacy and data industry, to provide their advice on how organisations can accelerate their GDPR journey.

First off, it is important to note that this is not a webcast, which simply states what GDPR is and how companies can characteristically prepare. Rather, Alex Bradley, David Kemp and Elena Elkina use it to showcase the positive opportunities it can create for businesses that are willing to embrace GDPR.

Creating a global standard of data and privacy regulation is undoubtedly one of the key drivers for the emergence of GDPR, and there is no time like the present to rebuild and improve trust between businesses, consumers and regulators.

But who actually will the GDPR advantage; are consumers the only beneficiaries? Interestingly, Elena Elkina raised the point that the transparency which we will see improve following the May 2018 deadline will not only rebuild trust, as consumers can be more confident that organisations are complying, but it will also help advance businesses.

What’s really interesting about this is that despite GDPR fundamentally aiming to protect individuals’ rights, what we may also witness is businesses turning it around to use at their own advantage, by providing a standard of optimum trust and creating a competitive advantage over other organisations.

For those businesses who are yet to prepare or who have just set foot on their GDPR journey, this webcast is a great place to begin. David Kemp’s knowledge in the Law and Banking industry, and Elena Elkina’s long-standing expertise in the privacy arena, steers unbeatable advice for how you can create a well-rounded plan to comply with GDPR. And of course, for those that may have existing processes in place, David Kemp advises a practical approach to build on what you already have. Using gap analysis to reveal where your limitations lie, but more importantly where you can complement what you already have in place to keep costs down and effectively reach your goal of compliance.

Unlike other assisting literature and videos attributed to the GDPR deadline, the Modern Workplace webcast does not use a scaremongering technique to spark organisations preparation. Although David Kemp does touch upon the negative consequences of non-compliance, it primarily paints GDPR in a positive light by highlighting the benefits of incorporating GDPR into your organisation.

In the marketing sector, accelerated by our deeply digitalised society, innovation has become crucial. When I first heard about GDPR, the last thing I would have discussed with my clients is that it could level up their businesses and provide an opportunity for innovation. The most valuable lesson to learn from the discussion is that GDPR provides immense opportunities for innovation. In particular, how it paves the way for businesses to offer a premium service relative to others in the market. Essentially, if you look past GDPR as strict regulations that belong solely to one department – and build it into your compliance process in every department – then it can change the culture of the company altogether and give consumers the confidence that compliance is second nature rather than protocol. It is no longer simply about technology and following guidelines, it is about people and ensuring everyone in the organisation buys into these new privacy standards that we are all expecting to see.

Fines and operational efficiency are just two of the drivers behind GDPR compliance. Although substantial driving forces, they are not unaccompanied. One motive for GDPR compliance, which has not been discussed as widely, but is most likely to be of interest to many organisations, is the way businesses can make money from this regulation. The webcast places heavy emphasis on the role that GDPR can play as a revenue generator. The discussion culminates in two perspectives: Does GDPR offer an opportunity for a spending bonanza for CIOs and CSOs, is it the catalyst which is sparking a supreme data hygiene process which is long overdue? Or is it seen as an untapped revenue generator to which marketing officers can use their advantage? As discussed in the webcast, this is dependent on what is of interest to your organisation, but in the marketing sector – and through listening to the discussion, GDPR certainly offers a great opportunity to achieve competitiveness and improve your profile in the market.

To learn more about the impact of GDPR, watch the full episode. Please visit: http://bit.ly/2j6QdLQ

For more thoughts and opinions on technology and business innovation, take a look at Microsoft’s previous webcasts, as part of the Modern Workplace thought-leadership series. Please visit: http://bit.ly/2yrkLPe

EU GDPR Deadline Is Looming – Are You Prepared?

Mon, 06 Nov 2017 22:34:00 GMT

This post is sponsored by Microsoft– but all thoughts and opinions are, of course, my own.

The highly anticipated General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) will come into force on May 25 ^th 2018. Four years of debate within European Parliament has culminated in strict and extensive GDPR requirements. These will fundamentally outline how companies must process, store, and secure the personal data of all EU citizens. Any organisation not in compliance by this deadline will be subject to a heavy fine (maximum penalties of 20 million Euros or 4% of worldwide GDP).

The GDPR regulations are an evolution, rather than a revolution of the existing Data Protection Act of 1998 (DPA) and Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 (PECR), and many argue- long overdue. The core concepts of the DPA remain unchanged; while the DPA applies to “personal data” such as information relating to an identifiable person, the new GDPR regulates the “processing” of this personal data, including: collection, storage, use, alteration, disclosure, and destruction.

One way to ensure you are clued up on the changes your business will face, is taking a look at Microsoft’s Modern Workplace webcast “GDPR Impact” .

The key principles for the new GDPR are simple; it applies to all organisations that store or process EU citizen’s data, meaning that individual’s rights to their personal data are stronger. It also applies to physical filing systems and electronic data, and fundamentally holds organisations accountable for demonstrating compliance. Overall it ensures consent is unambiguous, verifiable, clear and affirmative. If any of these terms are breached, organisations can incur fines of up to 20 million euros or 4% of annual global turnover – depending on which is higher.

Although many organisations will likely already have data regulations in place, it is vital to update them so they are in line with the GDPR. For some organisations, this will require minor tweaks to their existing processes, while for others it may call for a complete overhaul of the company’s data handling procedure. Regardless of what stage your company is at with data protection regulations, complying with these upcoming legislative changes is unavoidable.

Given that the deadline is nearly 6 months away, organisations must begin preparing their checklists. Surprisingly, a recent survey highlighted the global confusion that still surrounds the GDPR, which is worrying given the looming deadline – and of course, the heavy penalties. Out of more than 1,600 organisations, a staggering 37 per cent of respondents simply didn’t know whether their organisation needs to comply with GDPR, while 28 per cent believe they don’t need to comply at all. Therefore, as 2018 is nearing, the key is to get clued up with the key changes to GDPR.

Microsoft’s Modern Workplace webcast on “GDPR Impact” is available now. It’s your chance to hear from industry experts who discuss everything you need to know about the upcoming changes to General Data Protection Regulations.

Don’t miss this opportunity to kick-start your GDPR preparation by seeking valuable insight and tips from leading experts.

To watch the full episode, please visit: http://bit.ly/2j6QdLQ

An 8-Step Guide to a Great Blog

Mon, 06 Nov 2017 11:52:00 GMT

Blogging has become an increasingly popular way for individuals and businesses to demonstrate their expertise on particular subject knowledge. Done successfully, blogging can have the power to strengthen your brand image, boost Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and help promote your products/services.

But what differentiates a compelling blog from an average one? Here at Zoodikers we have composed an 8-step guide to help you create the perfect blog:

1) Know your audience. Like a tweet or Instagram post, there’s not much point posting about something that you might find interesting but your followers will not. The best blogs consistently release fresh content based on what their audience wants to read.

2) Create a clear topic and title. This is important for two reasons, firstly, like any piece of writing, a clear structure will engage your reader a great deal more than talking about lots of different, unrelated things. Secondly, creating a clear topic means that you’re more likely to be found on search engines and continue to grow your audience.

3) Optimise your writing style for blog format. Blogs are a short piece of writing, so try and keep your word count to around 400 words.
Tip: Breaking up your paragraphs into bullet points will also make it easier for your reader to view the page.

4) Make use of relevant hyperlinks. Hyperlinks are a great way to guide your readers to previous posts you have written. As well as linking to your own content, hyperlink information such as statistics from a website you have used. This will help increase your page views, improve your credibility and improve your SEO.

5) Install a plugin for you blog. Our favourite is Yoast, a plugin specifically designed for WordPress to enhance your SEO and increase readers’ engagement.

6) Create a Call to Action (CTA). At the end of your blog post, it is important to have a CTA leading your readers to take an action after they finish reading your blog post, usually directing them to a ‘landing page’. This is especially important if you are trying to promote a service or product.

7) Make your content easily sharable. You’ve finished your blog – great! Now its time to share it on your social media channels and try and generate as much traffic to your blog post as possible. Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram are all great platforms to share your online content. You can also post a more permanent link in your bio, directing wider audiences to your blog.

8) Be consistent. Once you’ve gained a stable following, be sure to keep posting content on a regular basis. You should ask readers to sign up to a mailing list on your website so that they can keep up to date with new posts.

If you need help with your marketing or social media strategy, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with the team by emailing team@zoodikers.com or give us call on 01892 520123.

The Top 3 Spooktacular Halloween Campaigns

Mon, 30 Oct 2017 10:52:00 GMT

Tuesday marks Halloween 2017, a day where dress-up parties are prevalent with young Brits, just as they have been with their American counterparts.

Halloween has become so popular it has overtaken Valentines Day and is now ranked third among the biggest retail events of the year, after Christmas and Easter.

Traditionally a day for honouring dead saints, its rituals have been adapted and commercialised. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that while people are busy putting together their costumes and decorating their homes, global brands are perfecting marketing campaigns for this year’s spooky season.

So let’s take a look at the most scarily successful Halloween marketing campaigns from both past and present…

Fanta

Fanta has gone all out for Halloween this year, embarking on their biggest marketing project to date. The host of spooky activities includes ghoulish limited edition graphics on their products, a virtual reality experience set in a crashing elevator, and limited-time only Snapchat filters and lenses.

The virtual reality experience is a chance for the Brand to directly interact with their target audience. The elevator crash experience will be shown at Thorpe Park and Westfield Stratford every day until November 1 ^st . Those who are brave enough will be invited to take a ride in an elevator to the 13 ^th floor to attend a Halloween party, met by a string of scary surprises along the way.

To support the campaign in-store, Fanta have also designed spooky limited edition graphics for their packaging. Accompanying the design is also a snap code (QR code), which allows customers to access limited edition spooky filters and lenses on Snapchat. What a great way to engage with their target audience!

Ford

Ford’s Spooky Car Wash remains one of the most talked about Halloween marketing campaigns of the century. The video of the fake car wash prank has been viewed over 1.8 billion times on YouTube after it went viral within 3 minutes of the video being uploaded on the Internet.

The prank video shows 30 strangers who were asked to pull over for a car wash on their way to what they believed was a filmed test drive.

However, automotive giant Ford kitted out a Detroit car wash with spooky lighting and interior, and enlisted actors in scary masks to swarm the vehicles inside the car wash, which predictably freaked them out and led to hilarious reactions that were all caught on camera. To watch the full video – click here .

‘Prankvertising’, as it is known, is a great way to engage with the audience and create awareness of your brand name. And of course it has become an effective way for brands to insert themselves into viral videos. Although it may not have directly led to purchases of Ford cars, it definitely got Ford’s brand name out there!

Airbnb

Property rental site Airbnb took a different approach to Halloween marketing in 2015, offering a night in the Catacombs on Halloween to those who were looking for a change from the usual festivities. The holiday rental site offered fearless individuals a chance to escape pint-sized pirates and goblins by spending the night in the Paris catacombs, home to six million souls. The campaign appeared all over social media, where individuals were posting reasons as to why they should be chosen for the experience. Similarly, in 2016 they offered a “sleepover to die for”, where two lucky winners would spend a night in Dracula’s Transylvania castle (Bran castle).

Looking at the huge social successes of these three campaigns, we can see how engaging with your audience and thinking outside the box pays off. Doing something unexpected like Ford is an excellent way to grab peoples attention, while offering a night to remember gets people talking about your brand on social media. With humour, interaction and enough shock factors, it is no surprise that all three campaigns were a hit with their consumers!

5 Tips for Creating Compelling Videos for Social Media

Mon, 23 Oct 2017 14:45:00 GMT

If 2017 taught us anything, it’s that we are being driven more and more by visual content. Nowadays, the majority of the information we consume and engage with is communicated through videos online. Statistics show that 10 billion videos are being watched on Snapchat per day and a huge 100 million hours of videos are watched on Facebook every day .

However, this is only the beginning; a fourfold increase in Internet video traffic is predicted between 2016 and 2021 .

Creating engaging videos to put out on your social media channels is a great way to strengthen your brand image; it has even been claimed that a 1-minute video has the power to equal 1.8 million words . However, knowing how to ‘pull off’ a compelling video whilst also fulfilling your business objectives can be a tricky task.

Zoodikers’ Katie Pearlgood has composed 5 important tips to help you execute a successful video to post on social media:

For inspiration, take a look at an example of a marketing video campaign the Zoodikers team created for BritPong – the UK’s official beer pong championship here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZbDDPpP9Zg

If you need help with video marketing or your social media strategy, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with the team by emailing team@zoodikers.com or give us call on 01892 520123.

5 Brands Doing Social Media Well and What We Can Learn From Them

Thu, 12 Oct 2017 15:06:00 GMT

Social media plays a vital role in executing a successful marketing campaign. We have already touched on why it’s important for businesses to be ‘social ’, however, knowing which channels and methods to use can be a challenging task.

For inspiration, our intern Katie has put together her pick of 5 brands that make excellent use of social media to target their audiences:

Tesco Mobile is a perfect example of a social customer service platform. Its Twitter account is notorious for engaging directly with customers in a humorous way. Why does this work so well? Tesco Mobile presents itself on a human level, meaning that it interacts and has witty banter directly with its customers. Tweets like these receive a lot of attention, as seen by the amount of retweets below. This is a very smart way to get people talking about your business and want to be a part of your brand.

Missguided can be epitomised as the Queen of social media. As a clothing brand, it makes particularly good use of Instagram to promote its clothes and has gathered a massive 2.4m following. Missguided works Instagram really well because it knows its audience and what inspires and excites them. It is also on top of popular trends, such as memes and uses influencers to promote its products. Missguided also invites followers to interact with the posts whilst doing so.

The Body Shop recently said that it aims to be the world’s most ethical and sustainable brand and its social media presence is definitely helping to fulfill this goal. Each of its platforms carries a separate function but all together they represent an overall image of being environmentally conscious, natural, and ethical. Its Twitter content comprises of social awareness articles, from animal testing to women’s rights. On the other hand, The Body Shop’s Instagram has the primary function of selling and promoting products. The Body Shop also post links to its most recent petitions too.

4. Pret a Manger

Like The Body Shop, Pret uses social media as a way to implement its vision of being an authentic, natural brand. It prides itself on on its Corporate Social Responsibility and this is exemplified on their Twitter and Instagram pages. Pret also uses customer feedback to inform product decisions, for example in 2016 they decided to create a Veggie Pop-up following the results of an online-poll. This shows how informed decisions for your business can be made through correct use of social media.

5. Airbnb

Airbnb makes good use of its Twitter page to deal with customer queries. This is particularly important considering the nature in which the business runs. Airbnb is also really good at constructing global campaigns through its use of hashtags. In 2016 it created the hashtag #livethere which encouraged people to live like a local abroad. It repeated this success in 2017 with the hashtag campaign #WeAccept that went viral online, promoting diversity.

So, what have we learnt from these brands? Researching your target audience is imperative and can inform you on the appropriate content to post and where to post them. It is also important to get the right balance of promotional material and interesting content. Above all, it’s essential that all social media platforms conform to one overarching message that your brand stands for.

Looking for some support with your social media strategy? Contact Katie King at Zoodikers on katie@zoodikers.com or call +44(0) 1892 520 123

Creating a Social Media Strategy That Really Works

Tue, 05 Sep 2017 06:50:00 GMT

Creating a social media strategy is no easy task, and many organisations struggle to understand exactly what it is, let alone how to build and develop one from scratch. One of the major theories when constructing a social media strategy is that companies should focus more on how to BE social, and less on how to DO social media.

The best social media strategic plans are tools-agnostic, and set objectives and metrics that supersede any particular social venue. In simple terms, every action you take on social networks should be part of a larger social media and integrated marketing strategy. That means every post, reply, like, and comment should all be guided by a plan that’s driving toward business goals.

It might sound complicated, but if you take the time to create a comprehensive social media strategy, the rest of your social efforts should follow naturally, and everyone can do this if they take the correct approach.

We think any great social media marketing plan should include these great tips:

From top to bottom, or is it bottom to top?

A social media strategy should not be “owned” by a single person within your organisation, as s ocial impacts all corners of the company , and the first step in the process is to create a cross-functional team to help conceive and operate the rest of the strategy.

Are you listening and comparing?

Listening to all your core stakeholders via social media is as important today as it’s ever been. Your customers – and also your competitors – will give you a good guide to where and how you should be active in social media , allowing you to adopt and adapt, broadening your social listening beyond your brand name.

What are you trying to achieve?

Yes, you can use social media to help accomplish several business objectives, but what is it exactly you are trying to achieve. Too many companies fall into the trap of trying to be everything to everybody, but the best social media strategies are those that focus on a narrower rationale for social. So, you need to determine what do you primarily want to use social for? Is it for creating awareness, generating sales, or increasing your loyalty and retention?

It’s all in the numbers…

Ask yourself these questions:

All of these questions will help to provide the focus you need to add real clarity to your social media strategy.

Do you know your audience?

How well do you know your audience (it’s a difficult one to determine at times), as these are the people you’ll be interacting with on social media. I guess it comes back to how well you are listening to your audience and creating a customer first approach. Do you really know w hat the demographic and psychographic characteristics of your current or prospective customers are? More importantly, h ow does that impact what you can and should attempt in social media?

What’s your ‘thang’?

It doesn’t matter who you are or what you sell, as your product features and benefits aren’t enough to create a passion-worthy stir. You will need to decide how will your organisation appeal to the “heart” of your audience, rather than the “head?” For example, Disney isn’t about movies, it’s about magic, and of course Apple isn’t about technology, it’s about innovation. So, what are you about? What’s your thang?

Showing your human side

The mechanics of social media force companies to compete for attention constantly against competitors, customers, friends and family members, and your company has to act like a person , not an entity. People like to speak to people, right? So, how will you do that?

Create a Channel Plan

Once you’ve answered the above questions, and you know why you’re active on social, and how you can measure its effectiveness, it’s time to turn your attention to the “how” of LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook et al. Your channel plan should be distinct, in that you have a specific, defensible reason for participating in each, and know how to execute it.

We hope this information goes someway to helping you create your own social media strategy. Clearly when we work with our clients, there is much wider scope to such planning and deliverables, but this should provide you with the right scaffolding and initial thought process. We hope you’ll find it useful. Let us know if you need any more help though…

The Important Business Benefits of Social Media

Mon, 21 Aug 2017 15:07:00 GMT

It is quite hard to find an individual who has not heard of, or does not use, any of the popular social media platforms of the day, and the same thing can be said about most businesses. No matter what your company sells it needs to harness the power and versatility that social media brings, and while your company may benefit from using social media services to reach out to buyers and promote products, those services can be used to build and strengthen brand image too.

The important benefits social media offers to businesses include:

Here are some great tips to utilise the power of social media to enhance your brand image.

The real challenge which social media poses or any business is that it’s constantly changing. As a result, social media strategies may well fail. For example, there may be a lack of brand consistency, no value within the content or not sharing original material to name a few. But campaigns will succeed when you’ve done the appropriate legwork and you keep innovating.

It’s important to remember a social media strategy is different for every brand, company and product. If you do your research and create appropriate focused content that will get to your readers, you’re already headed in the right direction to reap the business benefits social media brings.

Reaching the Next Generation of Students with Great Content

Wed, 16 Aug 2017 10:29:00 GMT

With A-Level results looming this Thursday, what better time to consider the importance of content marketing to reach a Generation Z audience? This blog will provide useful tips for marketing professionals at universities and colleges who are looking to attract potential applicants.

But let’s start by understanding what we mean by content marketing. The Content Marketing Institute defines it as:

“Content marketing is a strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience — and, ultimately, to drive profitable customer action.”

The aforementioned clear market segmentation is key. Know your audience; research where prospective students are active and what they are interested in. Then you can tailor your content accordingly.

For colleges and universities looking to attract recruits for their 2018 intake, it’s important to identify first and foremost, where prospective applicants are active and then take your message to them. More than ever, there is huge competition between universities in the UK to attract talent, thanks to the removal of the cap on student numbers and a fall in applicants in 2017. So it’s a real buyer’s market, and these young buyers like to be communicated to in new ways.

Marketing Week applauded the campaign’s success: “The partnership paid off. Content produced during the festival weekend achieved 10.6 million social impressions and over 200,000 organic video views leading to a 7% increase in attendance at University of Reading open days in October 2016 and a 30% rise in applications during clearing in August. The university had to shut its open day registration in 2016 for the first time ever.”

Widening the net

The UK’s vote to leave the European Union in June 2016 has also had a major impact on the further and higher education sectors as the University of Sheffield’s Head of Marketing,Carrie Vernon explains:

“The EU referendum took lots of people by surprise. We were getting enquiries from foreign students who were worried that the UK wasn’t going to be so welcoming, so we thought there was a great need to dispel some of those myths and to ensure the UK continues to be welcoming to international students.”

Sheffield decided to take this as an opportunity to refresh its #WeAreInternational campaign, to emphasize the university’s diversity and inclusivity. It created a series of socially shareable images and videos telling the stories of international students and staff living, working and studying in the UK. The content campaign was visible worldwide, therefore establishing Sheffield as a welcoming place in the minds of thousands of potential international students

Tips for success

We also need to consider how to structure our content to ensure it is meaningful. Remember to build loyalty and trust through consistent messaging. As a recent Neilsen study reveals, hard selling is no longer trusted and as a result we’re seeing the slow death of advertising. It’s been replaced by peer reviews, brand websites, and editorial content.

Above all, your content marketing should be three things; relevant, regular and refreshing.

Measuring your success

Content that offers useful information will help to forge a connection between the potential student and the establishment. By consistently offering good content, universities generate interest in their website and entice users to return which will grow recognition from applicants.

Need more help?

Zoodikers’ Managing Director, Katie King, will be running a strategic social media training course for colleges via the Association of Colleges on 10 October 2017. Find out more here: https://www.aoc-create.co.uk/event/thestrategicimpactofsocialmedia/

The Impact of GDPR

Mon, 07 Aug 2017 14:14:00 GMT

Coming into effect next year, the introduction of the GDPR will increase harmonisation across countries by providing one law for the protection of data applicable to all businesses within the EU. The new directive will replace the existing Data Protection Directive to make Europe fit for the digital single market, changing the laws controlling how users give consent to having their data stored by businesses.

The new directive will see businesses bearing the responsibility of assessing data risks and their own processes with data, creating a “One-stop-shop” and uniform data protection across the EU.

You might ask what underlies the key changes of the new GDPR directive? Well, we see the intention behind the new directive as being three major concepts.

So, what does this mean for businesses involved in marketing, advertising and social media?

Marketing impact

The GDPR will affect all businesses involved in direct marketing, and changing data policies in line with the GDPR regulations is a critical process for any business. There are new categories of personal data definitions (which affects online businesses) and introduce new requirements of targeting online identifiers.

Profiling customers and direct marketing will be monitored, and you must be able to demonstrate that consent has been given. Silence, pre-ticked boxes or inactivity no longer counts as consent, making providing more information about the terms of data collection a requirement of data management.

This category will be treated as personal data under protection of European law, therefore meaning companies will need to update policies, procedures and systems, ensuing additional costs in doing so.

Fines will be implemented

Greater penalties will be implemented for not meeting the new regulations to guarantee businesses adhere to the GDPR and protect sensitive data. If a company is found to be in breach of any of the components of the regulations, alongside suffering damage to their reputation of course, they will have to pay 4% of their annual global turnover (this means revenue, not profits), or €20 million, whichever is greater.

You have just 72 hours after learning of a data breach to send a data breach notification to your national regulator, and to ensure businesses do not find themselves in trouble, detailed research into the regulations should be carried out internally, and evidence should be provided to prove the protection of customer data meets the requirements of the regulation, in case of inspection.

Securing customer trust

It is estimated that two-in-three Europeans are concerned about not having complete control of the information they provide online, but the new GDPR directive will allow easier access to individuals own data, as well as the right to be forgotten, when they no longer wish to have their own data processed, whilst providing access to detailed information on how businesses will collect and use their data.

New rights for individuals include:

The redefining of data protection policies will give customers a greater sense of security, helping to develop trustworthy, longstanding relationships between businesses and customers.

Starting this journey sooner rather than later will minimise the risk of a fine, bad publicity or even a legal process.

For further information about the new GDPR directive and how it will affect your business, check out Getting to Grips with General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR)

The Age of Influencer Marketing

Thu, 27 Jul 2017 11:39:00 GMT

2017 is being marked as yet another year filled with ever-changing social trends, which are transforming the marketing industry at a dizzying pace. Influencer marketing is just one of these trends that has exploded onto the marketing scene in the last year, and is becoming increasingly popular with brands as a tool to help them stay ahead of their competitors.

A recent survey by Leverage Market concluded that 74% of people trust social networks to guide them to purchase decisions so it’s becoming increasingly evident that consumers turn to their world of online influence, rather than the brand itself, for product information. To remain relevant with their audience and appeal to potential consumers, brands are now partnering with people who are considered online influencers, to help promote their products or services. These influencers are usually popular public figures, who have huge numbers of followers on their social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, YouTube and Twitter.

The rise of social media is mostly accountable for the creation of influencer marketing, along with the use of ad blockers; consumers now hold the power to decide how and when they consume marketing material. As traditional marketing methods are intercepted, companies are turning to the diverse community of influencers to promote their products and services on social media.

The Drum explains, “Influencers are changing the definition of what it means to be a celebrity. The influence of traditional celebrities is diminishing to make way for individuals who are respected and loved for their creativity and sincere engagement with their communities.”

Devising your influencer strategy

It’s the perfect time to look at your current objectives to see if and where influencer-marketing tactics will fit. The four D’s will help you to prepare a sound influencer marketing strategy:

1. Determine your target audience

Identifying your consumers and having an understanding of who influences their purchasing decisions is vital. It would be ineffective for the right content and message to go to the wrong audience, ultimately wasting your time, money and efforts.

2. Define the type of influencer who would suit your brand

A key aspect in discovering the most suitable influencer for your company is identifying the content they share. It is the content your influencer partner shares that will encourage your audience’s decision-making process. Remember that the influencer you have selected must match the brand or company’s objectives and goals to allow you to work together successfully.

3. Discover where the opportunities lie

Now begins the investigation. What is your target audience interested in consuming? What social accounts do they follow? Who do they engage with online? What articles are they reading and posting about? This will allow you to devise a content plan that complements your influencer’s own online activity.

4. Display your interest

The final step consists of you reaching out and building a relationship with your influencer. Following your influencer as well as liking and sharing their content will initiate an ongoing connection and eventually act as a means to promote your own products and services.

How can influencers help your brand?

One of the main benefits of adopting influencer marketing is the substantial targeted exposure to your direct consumer. It is a quick way to build product and brand awareness among your target audience. Trust is also built quickly by using a known influencer. Their opinions and content are respected and trusted by their audience due to the relationships that already exist.

However, calculating your return on investment (ROI) can be more difficult when using this marketing technique. As Econsultancy explains: “influencer marketing is often about raising awareness through aspirational content, with a view to generating purchases further down the line, rather than pushing immediate sales.” So you might want to take this into consideration and develop new objectives that better suit the nature of influencer marketing.

A final word of warning – beware of fake accounts. For a few years now, automated bots have been a thorn in the side of social platforms such as Facebook and Instagram. However there are apps and websites available for example Profile Report, which can help you to identify which social media accounts are fake and which are the accounts that you should be working with.

This blog originates from the PRCA website, written by Christina King, Marketing Assistant, Zoodikers Consulting.

10 Tips for More Effective Digital Marketing in 2017

Mon, 17 Jul 2017 13:37:00 GMT

Businesses are reaping the benefits of digital marketing, leveraging advantages that traditional marketing strategies simply can’t offer. Digital marketing allows marketers to track consumers and see accurate results in real time. Content can also be directly focused and personalised to the individual consumer, making marketing efforts much more effective than traditional methods. Digital content can be analysed and adapted to trends based on real data, which can increase competitive advantage as well as ROI and revenue.

If you want to make sure you’re using your digital marketing budget effectively, read our top ten tips for great digital marketing:

Quality beats quantity. Quality content should be relevant, helpful and shareable. The value of digital marketing to businesses is in the ability to promote quality content that builds engagement with your brand. Digital marketing efforts should always be focused on your audience and their needs.

A business website which is easy to navigate with clear content is really important. Websites that are poorly assembled only put the user off. Careful thought must also be given to how the website will be viewed on a mobile phone or tablet too as over 8 in 10 internet users will use a smartphone to access the web regularly over using a desktop. Research from Wired reveal users are 5 times more likely to leave a site that is not mobile friendly. Customer engagement will increase if the website works seamlessly across all platforms which means you are closer to that sale.

Time should be taken to plan and develop a clear digital marketing strategy that will underpin business growth and campaign success. The strategy should define which marketing platforms you’ll use and the types of content that should be drafted for each. Without a digital marketing strategy, advantage is given to your competitors as they work to engage both existing and potential customers through clear goals and objectives.

Many businesses see email as an irrelevant aspect of marketing as social media has expanded. However research from Campaign Monitor has revealed that you are six times more likely to get a click-through from an email campaign than you are from a tweet. Your email marketing strategy should be focused on useful content such as blogs and guides. Emails should be interesting and informative, if you wouldn’t want to read the email you’re sending, don’t send it.

Your digital marketing should be integrated into your overall marketing plan and used as a tool to achieve key objectives and goals. A good digital marketing strategy should accurately portray your brand, key messages and target your core audiences, whilst ensuring synergy with other marketing activities.

Measure the effectiveness of your digital marketing. Use Google Analytics and social media statistics to help you find out how many people are looking at your content and how you can better target them. It is reported that 40% of businesses do not track their marketing activity, meaning they have no idea whether their endeavours are working.

Social media provides a perfect opportunity to connect with your existing and potential customers directly; therefore it is vital to keep them engaged through regular, fresh content. Leaving accounts inactive for too long decreases levels of customer loyalty and brand recognition.

Personalisation can be a powerful tool to boost engagement, drive value and ultimately ensure consumers return. The key to content’s success nowadays is to ensure it meets the needs and preferences of your targeted persona. Gartner reports, organisations that have fully invested in all types of online personalisation will outsell companies that have not by more than 30% in 2018. By personalising digital tools, a more intimate relationship will form between the brand and consumer.

With today’s population having an attention span of seven seconds, visual marketing is a highly effective way of storytelling and helping to attract and engage consumers through digital media. Tweets with visuals receive 18% more engagement, 89% more favourites and 150% more retweets than written content alone. Visual content is easier and faster to process and the impact it brings to your digital marketing campaign is undeniable.

How your company is ranked on search engines is important to consider. The best way to test this is through thinking about the search terms prospective customers might use. Top positions on search engines receive a majority of impressions and clicks, resulting in significant traffic increases. A report from Google has revealed that 68% of those who use the search engine never look past the first page. SEO increases brand awareness and is one of the most cost-effective marketing strategies as it targets users who are actively looking for your products and services.

If you’re looking for support with your digital marketing or social media, drop us an email at info@zoodikers.com .

A Brave Departure for Wetherspoons

Wed, 12 Jul 2017 13:48:00 GMT

An interesting development this week on wired.co.uk …

Wetherspoons has taken the brave choice to delete their entire email database, including over 600,000 email addresses! Leading with the philosophy that with less data, comes less risk of being exposed to breeches in security and considerable fines.

A timely decision as the GDPR regulation coming into effect on May 25 ^th 2018, can expose companies to fines of up to 4% of their global turnover.

Become GDPR savvy

Many companies may find this a difficult transition particularly those who use email marketing as the backbone of their marketing strategy.

In place of their email database, Wetherspoons plan to use social media and their own website as their main platform for deals and promotions.

What becomes of the email marketers?

What then does this mean for email marketers looking to increase reach and convert sales?

What we recommend

By examining and profiling your customer you can see how and where to influence them on social media with platforms such as LinkedIn, Twitter, Blogs and PR. It’s time to stop bombarding clients with emails to deliver your message and start nurturing the relationship instead.

To deliver the right message, on the right platform at the right time will generate the optimum return and we recommend a sure-footed way ahead by following a step by step six-point plan. A plan to successfully create more touch points with your current and prospective customers. In essence, this involves:

Alternative platforms for marketers

Customer engagement and sales leads can be generated on many platforms. Video, VR and AI can assist just as easily with segmentation, personalisation and completing your customer journey. And can be more targeted than e-marketing.

3D Tours uses video, 3D and VR marketing as a form of direct selling and promotion to customers, and has noticed a visible increase in sales and customer engagement with their clients. 3D is currently working on the creation of interactive VR experiences in a game engine. This creates the richest possible experience for a user/player both on screen and in VR. It enables the user to interact fully with the environment around them. By adding bots and voice recognition there are endless possibilities to engage more competitively with your customers….check out the video .

If you want to learn more about how GDPR can affect you as a business, how to minimise risk over the coming months and use alternative platforms to deliver your message Zoodikers, email Katie@zoodikers.com for a free copy of our recent webinar.

Common Social Media Misconceptions

Mon, 19 Jun 2017 09:20:00 GMT

We’re already mid-year and thankfully we are starting to see the beginnings of summer. This time of year is a great opportunity to stand back and take a look at how your social media activity is performing, before everyone sets off on holiday. Are you seeing the engagement levels you’d hoped for? Are you attracting the type of followers you set out to reach? At what times of day/week do you see most interaction?

When evaluating your progress, have a think about where you might be going wrong or ways in which you might be able to tweak your strategy. The world of social is constantly evolving, so have a think about what may have changed in the past six months.

To help you out, we’ve also compiled our top five common misperceptions about social media which we have identified during some of our training sessions . Let us know if you have any extras to add by tweeting us @Zoodikers.

Buffer , a handy social media tool, recently released some intriguing nuggets of wisdom into how they’ve managed to increase the company’s Facebook reach and engagement by 330%.

They found that they were posting too much content to Facebook that just wasn’t resonating with their target audience. What did they do? Implement a one or two post maximum per day. This has led to some dramatic results – just take a look here.

This isn’t usually the case. Take the time to understand where your audience is most active. Our Six Step framework should provide some useful guidance on evaluating your audience. Unless you have the right content tailored for each platform, it’s usually best to focus your efforts on where you’ll see most return.

This was often understood to be the case a couple of years ago but things have drastically changed on the platform. The algorithms the social networking giant uses to sift through content and decide which posts show up on your timeline are constantly being updated.

According to Pew Research Center, Facebook continues to have the most engaged users with 70% logging on daily, including 43% who do so several times a day. 74% of people also say they use Facebook for professional purposes.

With the potential to tap into this audience, it makes sense to consider Facebook for in your B2B campaigns. If you have some budget, the platform offers excellent targeting options.

#Not #every #word #needs #a #hashtag. So often abused and excruciating to see, posts with overuse of hashtags simply defeat the object. Respect the humble hashtag and use it only when necessary.

See what’s trending and get involved by adding your comments and using the relevant hashtag. See what’s being discussed in your industry and jump on those relevant terms. If you’re at an event it makes perfect sense to adopt the hashtag. Users can now search keywords on Twitter so incorporate them into your post.

Just take a look at these triumphs and disasters for some inspiration.

Lack of resources, such as staff, funding, and time, remains the biggest obstacle to successful lead generation for 61% of B2B marketers ( HubSpot ). We’re all running around from one task to the next and social can sometimes fall to the bottom of the list.

It’s important to make the time and feed the beast you’ve created. Remember that there are tools out there to make your online life easier to manage. Last week’s blog has details about scheduling tools such as Hootsuite and HubSpot .

A bonus misconception we thought it was worth mentioning: “Growing my follower numbers is my #1 objective.” That’s fine if everything else is going swimmingly. Are you getting the right leads? Are you following them up? Consider broadening out your objectives to reach your ultimate goal. You’ll be happier for it.

Any questions, just drop the team a line on 01892 520123.

Zoodikers’ Top Tools for Measuring Social Media Campaigns

Mon, 12 Jun 2017 13:50:00 GMT

There are a number of powerful tools available that can help you track the success of your social media marketing campaigns. Here’s a rundown of the top tools we use to help track results and prove the success of campaigns we run for our clients.

Inbuilt analytics

Freely available to access and often most reliable, the first place to start when measuring results is with the inbuilt analytics platforms on each social media channel. When accessing Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn analytics, you’ll find a wide array of useful information, including total number of impressions, engagements (such as likes and shares) and follower insights.

The Twitter analytics tab provides access to a variety of reports on the top performing posts and all of the information on Twitter Analytics can all be exported into a spreadsheet. This allows you to analyse results in-depth and create dynamic graphs and charts over extended periods of time.

On Facebook’s Insight’s tab, you’ll find all of the analytics and reporting information including reach of posts, number of likes, comments, shares and follower increases all pre-packaged up into a number of charts. Comparing the performance of your organic posts with any paid for posts is vital in order to justify any further expenditure.

The LinkedIn analytics page also provides similar key information as well as total engagement, expressed as a percentage. This is a great help as it means you can quickly and easily show post-by-post performance and increases in key metrics.

Hubspot

Hubspot is a paid for tool which enables you to create a personalised dashboard. It can be used to track performance on web and landing pages and find out where visitors spend the most time whilst on your website.

HubSpot’s social media capabilities enable marketing teams to have complete control over their channels in one centralised area which will make your job a lot easier. As well as content scheduling, HubSpot offers users the ability to track and engage with their potential sales prospects which can support your sales team.

In terms of measurement, HubSpot users benefit from the tool’s reporting function that analyses and compares the performance of different social channels across different time frames.

Google Analytics

Google Analytics is a vital tool used to track and measure marketing performance. This free to use package makes tracking traffic from social media and performance of keywords related to the brand very straightforward. It can also be used to gather data from PPC activity and bounce rates. Users can also feed key information about conversion rates into their reports using Google Analytics and understand more about the patterns of website visitors from social media, including the length of time they spend on a page.

Hootsuite

Hootsuite is a one-stop shop for all your social media needs. Just like HubSpot, it provides real-time analytics to assist with social media reporting and the all-important scheduling tools.

It will also give you data to help you better understand your audiences on social media. For example it will track what content they like and what they share on their social profiles. This can be really helpful as it allows you to create future content that will appeal to your audience base.

Hootsuite users can also use the tool to discover new target audiences, tracking specific conversations related to your brand. It’s a tool we couldn’t live without!

What tools do you like to use? Let us know in the comments below.

Looking for some support with your content creation strategy and social media management? Our Social Media Fundamentals and Advanced Social Media training courses are perfect to help you develop your skills. Visit our training page or contact the team – training@zoodikers.com

5 Top Tips for Managing Social Media Channels

Wed, 17 May 2017 13:36:00 GMT

Social media has transformed the way we live and work. With over 2.7 billion active social media users worldwide, social platforms have revolutionised how we communicate with one another. Social media for businesses is no longer optional and brands must become more communicative with consumers, creating engaging content which has a clear call to action to capture leads and convert them into customers.

We help our clients create the very best content to help warm up the sales pipeline to ensure that no opportunities are missed. We manage a number of social media channels for a variety of clients so here are our five top tips on how to manage your own, to help you grow your community.

Quality beats quantity. Quality content should be relevant, helpful and shareable. The value of social media to businesses is in the ability to promote quality content that builds engagement. Budget can often be a restriction so it is better to focus efforts on creating content relevant to your audience.

Scheduling tools will help you with your posting strategy. Certain platforms, such as Hootsuite , will help you identify popular times for posting in your community, saving you time and increasing engagement.

It is also useful to pre-plan weekly content calendars to help you create posts that are directly aligned to your overall strategy. This calendar should include awareness days related to your business, product launches, industry events and awards.

Astoundingly, 40% of businesses fail to track their social media activity at all, meaning they have no idea if anything they are doing is working. By tracking metrics over a weekly, monthly and quarterly basis, you can quickly see if changes need to be made to your social media strategy.

Some metrics that should be analysed are:

Your strategy should define how you’ll use social platforms to achieve communication aims. The strategy should work within the context of the overall business and in parallel with other channels.

A lack of social media strategy hands the advantage to your competitors as they work at engaging customers through clear goals, objectives and targets. By having a framework through which to plan, prioritise, execute, measure and optimise, you are likely to see better results as your activity has a sense of direction.

Social media is constantly evolving and it is vital to stay up-to-date with any changes. With new algorithms, features and updates, the social world is changing every single day. Becoming complacent with your social media can instantly put you behind the competition.

Get involved in conversations with your customers by capitalising on hashtags and using keywords. It is important to respond to both positive and negative feedback as this shows your customers that you value their opinions.

Use social media channels to portray your brand’s personality and avoid overt sales messaging. If you need help with social media for your business, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with the team. We can help you create a social media strategy and regular quality content that will appeal to your target audience and help build your community. Just drop us an email: info@zoodikers.com

5 Reasons Why Content Marketing is Imperative to Your Business

Thu, 04 May 2017 15:38:00 GMT

Content marketing has dramatically changed how customers find and engage with businesses. 94% of B2B buyers begin product searches online, and content is a powerful deciding factor on whether a visitor remains on a website or not. As new and existing social media platforms continue to tighten their grip, brands have to become more communicative with their customers and create engaging content which has a clear call to action.

Content marketing is pivotal to our success as an agency, as it is to most organisations today. It’s one of the key services we offer our clients, and it’s an essential tool for us to secure new business. Because we run our own courses and webinars, as well as delivering sessions for our industry body and others, we have to stay up to date with the latest trends, tools and success stories, as well as the faux pas. Here’s our most recent webinar on the future of content marketing delivered by our MD, Katie King.

But there’s an art to creating the right content to get leads coming through the door. You can’t simply drip feed a series of advertising messages and expect leads to come flooding through.

Here are five reasons why content marketing is important for your business:

Quality content delivered regularly will enable you to build awareness, authority and credibility with your target audiences. This is why PR and social media are such important ingredients in securing excellent thought leadership.

Sharing tailored, compelling and valuable content with your key business segments is a tried and tested way of building a tightly connected community of potential customers. In return, they have a reason to invest in your brand. It’s likely they will keep coming back for more and you will be front of mind when they are ready to purchase.

Good content is like gold dust for your SEO strategy. Creating in-depth blogs, which are relevant and include the correct keywords for your products will positively impact your search engine rankings. Make sure you develop a calendar of regular content and don’t be afraid to use guest speakers to keep things interesting.

Well crafted content can drive traffic to your website and social media accounts. It also offers an opportunity for followers to share your content on their own channels to further raise awareness of your brand. You should ensure that all your content has a specific call to action, which will help you drive leads and convert inbound requests.

Sharing content via your owned channels enables you to secure vital feedback. Whilst this can be a scary thought, it pays to be brave as feedback means you will understand what works and what doesn’t, helping you to form an effective content strategy. When content is at its best, it can inspire discussion, provoke thought and get people talking about your brand.

If you need help with your content marketing, don’t hesitate to get in touch as we can help you with everything from developing your strategy to creating the visually impactful and effective content.

How has Digital Marketing Changed the Tourism Industry in 2017?

Fri, 31 Mar 2017 13:00:00 GMT

The introduction of social media has fundamentally changed the way that the industry operates and travel companies that have an effective digital marketing strategy are those that are in the driving seat. AirBnB, Visit Britain and Thomas Cook are just some examples of great campaigns that the sector has seen recently.

Today, the power is with the consumer, who can easily find an immediate picture of their desired destination with a quick Google search and review on social media. Entrepreneur Magazine states that 89% of millennials plan travel activities based on content posted by their peers online.

As it hits the news that Visit Kent has launched a European tourism project, called Profit, designed to help empower small and medium businesses to stimulate growth in the county, it’s obvious that this is just one example in the tourism industry of a company understanding the value of marketing and social media to help grow and increase sales.

Here are some of the ways the tourism and hospitality sector has been affected by the developments in digital marketing.

Research

This is the greatest change. No longer do travellers book an appointment with their travel agent; instead they go straight to price comparison sites for reviews and cost effective bundles to book. Travel companies have to compete with these so an effective SEO strategy will help you come up higher in search rankings.

Social sharing sites like Instagram give travellers more reason to search online as they look to their peers for picturesque images and check-ins that will validate their choices. The growth of review sites like TripAdvisor allows visitors to easily find other people’s images, ratings and best things to do. This first person information is very powerful, more so than any direct brand marketing. It’s claimed that 70% of people trust consumer reviews over paid ads. This is why we are seeing the rise of influencer marketing strategies from larger travel brands as they rely on the power of bloggers to help win new customers.

Marriot Hotels was one of the first major hospitality brands to create travel-marketing campaigns with digital influencers. The hotel chain’s biggest influencer marketing campaign was a viral hotel lobby prank where they collaborated with several top YouTubers to create sponsored and branded content.

The Importance of Customer Service

Travel and hospitality brands have really had to up their game. Twitter is often the first place a customer will go to make a complaint and they expect a quick response. 72% of customers expect a response within an hour , yet apparently 70% of companies ignore customer complaints . We’ve seen so many examples of companies in this sector doing it well; brands like Virgin Trains, Jet Blue and American Airlines. These companies have been able to create an authentic tone of voice for their brand through their marketing channels and in some cases, be known within the industry for their new textbook process.

Social media can be a great social listening tool to help give insight to what your customers value – this can help your brand deliver an exceptional experience. KLM’s Acts of Kindness Campaign is a great example of how you can use social media to make a memorable experience for customers that can in turn, reward your brand. This sort of content will create further online conversation delivering a ‘viral’ result. It demonstrates how a little research, which earned them 1 million impressions on Twitter, can go a long way.

A Changed Model

Modern marketing has changed the face of the travel agency itself. Self-service booking has forced the industry to move from a shop on the local high street to a digital hub. Entrepreneur Magazine explains, “Travel agencies are not obsolete – they are still responsible for 55% of all airline bookings, 77% of cruise bookings, and 73% of package bookings. But many agencies have shifted their focus from in-person to online experiences as they adapt to new technology and market trends”.

On Board Marketing

Air New Zealand (ANZ) has led the way here, focusing its digital marketing strategy around its online safety videos to help raise the company’s profile.

By tying in with key events and cultural moments, the airline has been able to create online videos that helped to create a number of integrated campaigns. ANZ took a genuine insight that most flight safety videos can be tedious, and introduced online safety videos to be talked about.

ANZ’s most successful video transports you to Middle Earth, with a host of stars from The Hobbit movies, adding new meaning to ‘elf and safety’. The ad became the airline’s most successful ever, getting close to 120,000 people viewing it online every hour and clocking up a record 16 million online view within a week of release.

The Rise of Mobile

Digital consumption is very different to what it used to be, even just a few years ago. The importance of usability via mobile is paramount to the tourism and hospitality sector as more people use their mobiles to book their airplane tickets and hotel rooms. We’re seeing an emerging trend in mobile-only travel agencies – at the moment they focus mostly on last minute deals but we should see a rise as these offer quick solutions for travellers.

In addition, thanks to the power of Wi-Fi with access in hotel rooms and public locations such as tourist attractions, planning a trip on the spot has become fairly easy for travellers. Large hotel chains are getting increasing demand that they need to offer more than just a room. With the growth of companies like AirBnb and Neighbourhood local travel guides we’re starting to see hotels offer mobile guides that are available to staying guests. Hotel Indigo introduced a service that allows customers to explore neighbourhoods they are staying at, by offering interactive Neighbourhood Guides. This offers guests an overview of each hotel’s unique neighbourhood story, a roundup of the local hotel team’s favourite attractions and restaurants, and the technology to share what they’ve discovered through a photo-sharing tool linked to Facebook.

Growth in Different Types of Content

As we see brands move away from traditional above the line campaigns due to lack of brand trust we’ve seen an increase in user generated campaigns in the tourism industry. A great example is the #OMGB from Visit Britain. Following a three-month print and digital campaign to showcase the amazing moments visitors can only enjoy in Britain, the next phase of the campaign encouraged visitors to upload their own photos of amazing moments whilst on holiday in Britain using the hashtag #OMGB. The best images were shared across social media.

Call to Action

We’re also seeing brands in the sector using less traditional methods of content in their marketing campaigns like Ebooks. Ebooks are extremely attractive to customers because of the sheer amount of information contained within them, and because they can be downloaded and viewed at the customer’s own pace. Ebooks are an excellent choice for content marketing because they work extremely well for establishing you as an authority figure and source of knowledge in your niche whilst also helping you to capture leads with a clear call to action included. VisitScotland launched a very effective Ebook and film which bring to life the scenery and activities on offer in the Highlands. The film had 80,000 Youtube views in the first week.

The Future of the Tourism Industry

The tourism industry has had to evolve quickly to keep up with its changing nature. No doubt it will continue to develop as travellers look for the best way to consume information. With Elon Musk recently announcing he’s off to the moon for his next holiday, the cocktail on the beach seems a bit boring these days. We’ll be keeping a close eye to see what’s next and how our clients can be ahead of the game and help shape the industry.

What is the Digital PR Revolution and How Can We Embrace It?

Tue, 07 Mar 2017 12:16:00 GMT

In 2016, over half the world’s population was connected to the internet and over two billion people owned a smartphone. In addition to this, 2.6 billion people across the world have social media accounts.

The explosion of social media and the digital world has caused a revolution in the marketing and PR industry. Consumers no longer have to tolerate traditional, interruptive types of advertising; marketing can easily be blocked using ad-blockers or by paying for a premium service that will remove advertising for you.

In order to adapt and keep up with the continuous changes in the digital PR world, organisations must be able to create successful digital marketing strategies within the confines of premium digital services; these need to be analysed, evaluated and improved upon for multiple PR strategies.

This growing influence of social media in both business and indeed society, makes it hard to understand why only 36% of PR practitioners would consider their digital marketing effective.

Challenges of the digital PR revolution

61.9% of PR professionals believe that lack of funds and resources will be a key challenge in dealing with the digital PR revolution. Additionally, 58.8% believe that a lack of commitment to try new strategies and technologies will be a major obstacle threatening organisations.

In order to stay on top of the revolution, money and time should be set aside. Technology is changing constantly, every single day. Strategies have to be updated continuously. The choice is clear: either, commit time and investment to a future innovative strategy or simply be left behind.

Limited internal skills and finding the metrics to evaluate strategies are also seen as key challenges that organisations will face. Given these pressures, it is no surprise that 32% of practitioners say they are trying to create a cohesive digital strategy and measurement plan but are finding it challenging.

So, how do we prepare for the future?

When crafting a strategy, organisations must be mindful of the long term, instrumental importance of the document being created. A successful digital PR strategy should be realistic and manageable, aligned with business strategy and on which further strategy can be built and grown upon.

Once a clear business strategy has been designed, it is imperative to understand the audience to be targeted. Clear goals also need to be set to enhance and understand performance. Defining exactly what results are expected and what it is that the business needs its audience to do, are fundamental to successful, digital PR initiatives.

Further, it must be decided how your PR efforts will help or entertain the consumer rather than interrupt and frustrate their lives. Key to success is finding the best distribution channels and the most engaging content.

It is vital to put in place the best set of metrics to ensure that your business meets its key goals. Lastly, the data collected through this measurement process should be used to evolve and grow the digital PR strategy.

After preparing a strategy and accessing the relevant technology, the final item that must be in place is staff training. 51% of PR practitioners state that the lack of internal skills and competencies has had a direct effect on a successful outcome.

The study identifies four suggestions to secure the future and develop current and future staff.

Cultivating a team that collaborates well, not only with each other but also with other departments is more likely to result in success. The digital revolution is one that has to be embraced, not only by PR practitioners but everyone in the business. Organisations need to work together as one. Skills need to be developed and opportunities provided along with training and a co-operative work environment.

Embrace change

The digital revolution has taken control away from business and put it straight into the hands of the consumer. This allows them to choose what, when and how they consume content and purchase goods and services. By disrupting the lives of consumers, businesses are alienating themselves further. Instead it is imperative that businesses learn how to become part of consumer’s lives with subtlety and relevance.

If you need any help with business transformation and digital services, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at Zoodikers.

Drop us an email on info@zoodikers.com or give us a call on 01892 520123

5 Tips to Improve Your Social Media Strategy in 2017

Tue, 31 Jan 2017 12:17:00 GMT

We’re in the full swing of 2017 now; New Year’s resolutions on ice and back to normality. Now is the time to proactively plan your content strategy for the rest of the year, setting goals and KPIs, and brainstorming those all important creative campaigns

There seem to be new tips and tools being offered every month in the ever changing digital world and it can get very confusing. We’re here to help you see the wood for the trees, so here are Zoodikers’ top five essentials for businesses looking to increase their sales and drive social media engagement.

Map out your business objectives, your target audiences and plan your strategy to help you achieve those objectives. Once you have your strategy in place, create content that maps directly back. You’ll need to decide which platforms are right for your audience. Be selective and active on those that are most relevant; and do a few things really well.

Create weekly content calendars. Map out your posts so you can see the split between text only and image based content. According to HubSpot, when people hear information, they’re likely to remember only 10% of that information three days later. However, if a relevant image is paired with that same information, people retain 65% of the information three days later so using images is really important when raising awareness. Mapping it out will help you to share a good mix of content that is a mix of reactive (news relative to your brand) and planned reactive (creating content around national days for example).

Influencers will help you spread your message and improve awareness but it can be tricky to find who the right people are for you. Tools like http://buzzsumo.com can help you work out who will work for you. Influencers can include bloggers that you might want to create some content with but you could also select partners, customers, news outlets and thought leaders in your sector.

A lot of businesses still use social media as more of an advertising platform, to shout about their core messages and tell their followers what to think. Best practice is to use it as a platform to engage and create dialogue with your followers; to ask questions, respond to queries, be seen as a curator/a source of content that your followers can rely on for interesting points of view.

If a post is performing particularly well for your audience, and is on message, boost it with some paid spend. This will spread its reach and grow engagement on your page. Be careful though, don’t boost everything or you risk being seen as too promotional.

Make sure you think about things in an integrated way. Cross promote your social media channels and direct followers to your other branded channels. These could include your website, a piece of coverage featuring your infographic or a whitepaper that you want to increase downloads on.

If you need help developing your social media strategy, or need support writing relevant, engaging content, drop Olivia an email on Olivia@zoodikers.com

The World of Social Selling: ‘Know, Like & Trust’

Thu, 19 May 2016 11:39:00 GMT

It’s 14 years since years since LinkedIn launched. It took a while to get going, with as few as 20 new sign-ups some days.

At last count, there were 500 million users.

Imagine being able to harness anything like that kind of growing power, that kind of reach, that kind of popularity.

This is the power of social selling in a digitally connected world.

LinkedIn is selling a service, just like any other. The creators were digital masters. They grasped the significance of developments in the digital world and anticipated how they would revolutionise the way we network, the way we do business, the way we buy, the way we sell.

In this digital age, the traditional salesman is dying. Cold sales, hard sales are a thing of the past. Nobody wants to listen to a scripted phone pitch or give up time to listen to a sales script. Fewer deals are done on the golf course or at a gentleman’s club.

The great majority start with an online search. The traditional sales funnel, with which I’m sure you’ll all be painfully familiar, has been turned on its head.

Do you know, that was first drawn in 1924? How could it possibly be relevant today? Look at how much change has gone on in the world since then.

In the past decade, change has accelerated at dizzying proportions. We are in a constant state of disruption. Just when we think we’re getting to grips with the new, it’s already old.

The most significant change in our world is that digital connectivity has put power in the hands of the customer. Instead of being passively influenced by marketing and sales, they actively search, research and compare.

Let’s have a look at how business was done, very much based on that old funnel.

Your marketing team created awareness around your product. This might have been through paid for advertising, press releases, sponsorship, trade fairs.

Messaging remained pretty fixed: This is what we offer this is why we think you should like it. Marketing and branding aimed to influence opinion, pique the interest of the market. It was pretty scattergun. You pay for an ad in a local paper or trade magazine, you hope that x per cent of the readers are interested enough to want to know more, go to your shop or showroom, call one of your sales assistants.

It was a one-way street of communication.

Meanwhile your sales team, working separately, might have been knocking on doors, hitting the phones or following up leads to arouse interest.

There was little, if any, communication between the teams, apart from the bottom line. If sales were heading in the right direction, the messaging must be working.

B2B sales execs had the added challenge of finding and making contact with the relevant decision-makers, before they could work on convincing them of need and that their product was the most relevant and suitable to fulfil it.

While the buyer was in consideration mode, the seller was trying to squash them further into the funnel, closing them down by any means necessary…

…until finally, kerching! A buyer was caught on the hook, the deal done, money changed hands. And back to the beginning again.

How can that process possibly work in a world where:

1: 75% of purchases now start with an online search by the buyer.

2: Prospects can compare your product or service to everything like it and buy from the competition without you even knowing they exist.

3: If you can get past the smiling sales assassin on the prospect company’s switchboard, the prospect will act as though a dangerous alarm has gone off if their office landline rings and look aghast until it diverts to voicemail. It’s barely worth leaving a message but if you do, you know the chances of anyone getting back to you are less than England’s hopes of winning the Euros. Same goes for email. How many carefully penned sales missives sent cold vanish into the ether?

Things have changed immeasurably. Which is why you need to change the way you work.

You need prospects to find you and to like you. Then they might just buy from you.

Social media is no longer the exclusive domain of marketers. It’s not about pushing messaging. It’s about conversations. It’s about connecting and engaging.

It needs to be integrated into the very DNA of your business.

It all starts at the top. If your C-level executives are suspicious about social media – if they only see risk – and potential PR disasters from gung-ho staff and damaging customer complaints going viral – they’ll draw down the shutters and, in the process, cut off all that opportunity.

If, on the other hand, they are social media savvy, they’ll be prepared to invest in training to optimise its potential and reduce risk, to reconfigure operations so that departments work together digitally, not in silos.

They will know they can’t afford not to socialise their businesses.

This positive approach will be fed down to human resources, who will recruit the most socially-adapt staff via platforms like LinkedIn and train up existing staff.

A sales team trained in social media will be listening to the market digitally.

It’s the nearest you can get to being a fly on the wall in the office of your prospects. Where do they hang out, digitally? What language do they use? How active are they? What external content do they share? (Make it yours.) There is a glittering treasure trove of information out there if you know how to mine for it.

Tools such as LinkedIn’s sales navigator can help pinpoint the individuals you need to be connecting with and identify sales prospects you never knew existed. If you’re going to invest in it, I can’t stress enough the value of making sure your staff are properly trained in how to use it properly. The ROI on this can be immense when used effectively.

Once you find them, it may sound creepy, but you can find out more about prospects online than on any golf course. It’s astonishing how much personal and business information people are willing to share.

The more active and open your prospects are on social media, the more receptive they are likely to be to engaging with you and your business via their digital hangouts.

This is still not the time, however, to go for a hard sell. All your work will be undone if you go for the jugular now.

This is where the integration comes in. All your departments need to be working towards the same goal so that wherever your prospect looks for information, they find you and they like you.

Sales need to be feeding back to marketing so they can tailor their content to speak directly to your prospects.

Marketers among you will know how valuable this kind of information is. It’s gold dust. Nobody wants to write for an unknown market and imagine the fruits of their labour falling to the ground to rot, unappreciated.

A well-trained marketer will create compelling content across a variety of media and platforms and understand the importance of engaging their market by curating external information relevant to that market. Audiences should barely even notice they are being sold to, but see your social media output as interesting and valuable. Be innovative in the way you engage your market.

Don’t tell people what to think. Ask them what they think. Start conversations, invite responses, reward them, even, whether with more free content or special offers. Make them want to share your blogs and posts.

Again, it’s all about making them find you – be easily discoverable – make them like you, make them want to buy from you or buy into you. Make it feel like it’s their choice.

This will make the job of your sales team so much easier.

A well-trained marketer will be competent at using analytics – or employ someone who is – to understand in great detail whether their work has been hitting the target; who it is reaching, when and how often and what the audience has done with it. They can find out when their target demographics are most likely to active on any platform.

Are they more likely to engage with infographics? Video or text-based messaging?

All this analysis can be fed back into marketing strategies to ensure maximum engagement and conversion, whether that conversion is clicking on to a website page, sales or simply sharing content to push awareness. They can also monitor what the competition is doing and how effective their strategies are.

In order to be as discoverable as possible, they will either be trained in search engine optimisation (SEO), to make sure their website jumps to the top of any Google search, or they’ll know someone who can do it for them.

The other side of the double-edged sword of social media is, of course, the destructive power of public criticism. A restaurant could serve food fit for the Gods 364 days a year. But the one day it all goes wrong, the fish is undercooked, a waiter has just been dumped and messes up every order, the oven goes on the blink, customers will be lining up to share every disastrous detail on the very public forum of social media and probably review sites.

Potential customers will go to Tripadvisor and look for the worst reviews, not the best ones.

What do you do? Rage at your powerless, sob into a serviette and prepare for bankruptcy?

This is where socially-trained customer services are worth their weight in gold. No matter what you’re selling, you can’t underestimate the value of engaging with your critics online, apologising, explaining, appeasing and offering suitable recompense. Most punters will give you the benefit of the doubt if they can see it was a genuine blip and you care enough to want to put it right.

In many circumstances, you can even turn disaster to a marketing opportunity, seizing the chance to tell the online community what you normally do so brilliantly.

If it’s really bad, customer services might work with marketing and sales to limit the damage, both online and through personal communication with any sales leads or contacts.

This is all part of the social selling process. Wherever a prospect looks for you, they’ll find something they like.

Whether you end up going to them, or they come to you, the job is half done before any contact is made.

Whether you’re successful on this occasion or not, there’s a relationship there based on the prospect liking you and what you stand for. Social media no offers the chance to maintain and build on that relationship as long as you are putting out content that they find valuable.

If you have made a sale, the next step is to maximise the chances of repeat business by fostering that relationship AND turn the customer into an evangelist. Make them promote your business for you via social media.

Ask if they wouldn’t mind tweeting that they’ve just bought your product or service, review it on a trade-specific website or act as a case study, to your mutual benefit.

Before social media, the scope of such business evangelism was limited to word of mouth or possible case studies on your website.

Now your happy customers can tell the world via social media.

To summarise, here’s an infographic I have put together to explain the customer journey in a digital age – and how you can make sure you’re on it with them.