Social Media 101: Which Site Is Right For Your Business?
As a small business we’re sure that you know the importance of social media and putting the word out there about your business to the people. Social media has only grown and grown, Facebook itself has aroun 800 million active users, and it’s only getting bigger as it’s estimated that it adds more than 200 millions more users every year.
Take a look at these statistics released by digitalbuzzblog.com: -
“Facebook Statistics 2012:
• An average Facebook user has 130 friends and likes 80 pages
• 56% of consumer say that they are more likely recommend a brand after becoming a fan
• Each week on Facebook more than 3.5 billion pieces of content are shared
Twitter Statistics 2012:
• 34% of marketers have generated leads using Twitter
• 55% of Twitter users access the platform via their mobile
General Social Media Statistics 2012:
• 30% of B2B marketers are spending million of dollars each year on social media marketing
• Nearly 30% of these users are not tracking the impact of this marketing
• 20% of Google searches each day have never been searched for before
• Out of the 6 billion people on the planet 4.8 billion have a mobile and only 4.2 billion own a toothbrush”
With the imperative popularity and rise of social media and networking, it’s important that you and your business find the right one for you and utilise it fully to grow.
With so many sites to choose from it is difficult as a small business to distinguish which media site will generate better ROI. LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook all work in a completely different way, they even attract different audiences, so you need to know accordingly which site is worth getting to grips with for your business.
Make sure that you set clear goals and plan your outcome to ensure that social media works well, but which one is right is for you?
What is it?
Users can create a personal profile with information about themselves including their interests in music and hobbies. Here users can add friends, share pictures, links and videos, Facebook is ultimately about the sharing experience. Here businesses can create Like pages, people can follow your businesses activities and posts by clicking the Like button and staying up to date with all your latest offers and deals, it’s also a great way to interact with your fan base and customers.
Through a Like page for your business you’re allowing people to get involved with your business, they can comment on your page, your posts or pictures and ultimately share their experience of your business with the world. Customer interaction, when used correctly, will improve your product and service and increase client satisfaction.
Remember though, you’re representing your brand, so remember to talk the people who want to interact with your page like a customer. By staying authentic and genuine, more people will want to interact with your brand.
The benefits:
• Facebook is a great medium for reaching out to potential customers in a personal way which encourages customer feedback and sharing of information.
• You can alert your fans of early discounts or special offers.
• You can drive traffic from your Facebook page to your website, and take them to specific content.
• You can find out more about your followers by looking at their interests on their profiles.
What is it?
Twitter enables users to send and share a 140 character post with the world, this is called a tweet. A tweet can be used to share words, pictures, videos and news. It’s not just a tool for consumers; businesses can get involved too! It’s a great tool to get real time information out there as most people use Twitter as a source of news.
One thing to watch out for on Twitter is trending topics, these are normally presented with a hash tag and by tweeting something interesting or humorous you’re bound to gain some fresh followers.
The benefits:
• Twitter is not just a marketing tool, you can gain access to up to date and relevant industry news.
• Build relationships with existing clients, as well as, prospects and suppliers.
• Helps promote blogs and latest press releases.
• Create and build brand awareness.
• Drive people to your website easily by linking to and from your website.
• It can be used as a research tool, as you can ask your audience questions and gain feedback almost instantaneously.
• Can increase customer satisfaction when handled in the right way.
• Commenting on others’ tweets, and re-tweeting what others have posted is a great way to build a community.
What is it?
Linkedin is a business orientated professional networking site. With over 150 million users globally, the purpose of the site is to allow users to connect with professionals with whom they have previously built a relationship. With a member joining every second on average, this is ideally beneficial to the B2B sector. The great thing in setting up a Linkedin Profile or Group is that it is free and very easy to manage and develop.
The benefits:
• Great networking opportunities.
• It is easy to form new business relationships.
• You can search for contacts yourself, or Linkedin will suggest contacts based on your information (University classmates, ex colleagues etc.)
• It can be used to identify potential clients, suppliers, employers etc.
• Market research opportunities through different discussion groups and through the use of polls and surveys.
• You can create a compelling profile page, to stand out from competitors.
• You can detail your experience and specialities, encouraging people to get in touch with members of your company
YouTube
What is it?
YouTube is a video hosting site where users can upload and share experiences through video. Users can create accounts and upload their own videos to share with the world or simply use their account to keep track of all their favourite videos and discuss with others. YouTube is the perfect place for viral advertising for businesses; you can upload and share your business with the world. If you create a video for your website, users are far more likely to click play than to read through pieces of text information. The Internet is a visual place, and people want information quicker than ever before, video is the perfect way to do this.
The benefits:
• Share your business with users through the power of video.
• Not only can you share your video with your customers through your website or sending the link to browsers, but they can share the link with others too, spreading the word about your brand and business.
• Video is a hugely powerful tool that can give browsers a real feel and impression of what your business is about. Between you and a competitor business a browser is far more likely to choose to give their custom to the business with a video because they feel more acquainted with your business and brand from watching your video.
• YouTube can act as a hugely influential advertising tool, television advertising is enormously expensive, where as YouTube attract 800 million monthly users – making it far more cheaper and more effective method of advertising and marketing your business.
Need a helping hand? Dial LOCAL are experts and Internet marketing and can help you and your business create a larger online presence today. Give our team a call today and see how we can help you.
Call us on 0845 073 93 44 and make your business the star of the show.
What Is A Promotional Video?
It’s only the start of May 2012 and already we’ve produced some fantastic promotional videos for our customers all over the country. With the rise and growth of the online community and the volume of browsers that YouTube attracts every single day, there’s no sign of viral video going anywhere. In fact, it only looks set to become bigger and bigger.
So how can small businesses take advantage of this?
Well, we know how hard it can be for small businesses to find new ways of attracting new customers, and all of the traditional channels of advertising are completely dead, or dying. The Yellow pages and newspaper advertising just aren’t relevant anymore, and advertising on television is just too expensive for small businesses looking to create a new and exciting buzz. So, where is the best place to go to reach a significant number of people, easy and effectively?
That’s right, online!
YouTube has a global audience of 800 million monthly visitors, so, why even both with television advertising when you could promote your business online far more efficiently and successfully at just a fraction of the cost.
We specialise in creating promotional videos that help small local businesses achieve and reach more new customers, but we’re sure some of you are left wondering, what is exactly is a promotional video?
We create massively successful videos that act as fantastic marketing tools for businesses and are designed with the consumer in mind. We create them to educate your potential customers about a particular product, cause or service that your business may offer. Our videos are structured and precise and direct, so the audience get an exact feel for what your business has to offer and what makes you so unique. We make sure that the videos last long enough to hold the viewers attention long enough to portray your business perfectly and communicate the key points.
Promotional videos can be utilized to a great effect with online networking sites, uploading the video and supplying links to the video to interest parties makes the process of sharing the tool with a wider source a breeze. And what about customers who want to recommend the video to someone else? They simply pass on the link, increasing the visibility of the video, simple and hugely effective.
Not many promotional products can generate the same impact of a well-produced promotional video. They’re affordable solutions that small local businesses can easily use and it’s a great marketing tool than can be utilized in a number of different ways to generate the interest desired.
To put it simply, a promotional video can be used to tell your customers exactly what your business has to offer; it’s a video that promotes your business, your products or services. And they’re hugely successful tools that can easily be distributed and shared with the world!
If you’re a small business and are interested in learning more about how a promotional video can help you, or you’d like to discuss your options, then our expert team would be glad to help you today.
Simply give us a call for more information on 0845 073 93 44 today.
Client Showcase: CVC Bodyworks
Our Dial LOCAL film crew have just finished creating yet another fantastically effective promotional video for CVC Bodyworks – If you’re looking for a professional and experienced company to take care of all your vehicle repair work, then look no further. CVC will provide you with an excellent service and the best repair work available in your area.
We are experts at creating videos that show your potential customers what your business is all about by giving them a taste of exactly what your business has to offer and what makes you so exceptional and distinctive.
If you’re a small business looking to create a larger online presence then give us a call today, our expert team are always on hand to help! Make your business the star of the show today!
Small Businesses + Online Video = Brand New Customers
If you’re a small business, then you know how important it is to attract those all-important new customers, and so do we. That’s why we offer easy and affordable solutions for businesses to take advantage of, turn your online browsers into potential customers.
Recent figures from medialifemagazine.com state that ‘local online advertising is one of the fastest-growing forms of media.’ With the recent rise of not just smart phones but tablets too, online video has become more important than ever because of its accessibility. Information is now at our very fingertips every day, so it’s important that you make sure that your business keeps up to date with technology and not left out in the cold!
Advertising on television is notoriously expensive, and for small businesses we can help you realise the potential of sharing your business with the world online. Media Life goes on to state that ‘YouTube is already a major player in national internet video advertising, and is starting a big push to entice local businesses to advertise on the site….YouTube’s goal: to convince small businesses that would otherwise take their money to spot television to try online video ads instead.’
YouTube has a global audience of 800 million monthly visitors, and with figures like that you’re probably thinking ‘What’s the point of advertising on television anyway?’
Well, you’re completely right!
Promoting your business with video online is far more productive and cheaper than throwing money at television channels and our team here at DialLOCAL HQ are here to help you get the ball rolling. We can create affordable video solutions to suit your business’s needs.
Just starting out and need to add some credibility to your brand?
No problem, we can create a photo video that gives online browsers a sample taste of your business, which will leave them wanting more.
Want to show your business off to the world?
We can create you an impressive professionally edited and produced 3 minute long video, you tell us exactly what makes your business so special and we make it stand out from the crowd!
Looking to create something extra special?
Here’s where we go the extra mile; if your business has too much to offer a 3-hour film shot, we can film multiple locations for your business and, to make sure that we don’t miss a trick, we’ll film your business for the whole day! If that’s not enough, we’ll even throw in an exclusive consultation with our project director, so you can be sure that we cover every single aspect of your business.
If you’re a small business looking for a brighter online presence, then DialLOCAL can help you today, give us a call and see how we can help make your business the star of the show.
You can reach us on 0845 073 93 44 between 9am and 6pm.
We can’t wait to hear from you.
Make Your Business The Star Of The Show
If you’re a small business owner, we know that you already have enough on your plate. It can be hard enough starting and trying to grow and establish your business in such hard times, as well as think about the marketing and advertising side of things – that’s why we’re here to help.
We know that trying to figure out how to create your own website can be a daunting task, and the technical jargon can be confusing!
DialLOCAL, a leading new media marketing company are here to help. Not only can we take care of all the technical stuff that confuses people so easily when it comes to the Internet and creating a website, but we also help small businesses attract new customers.
Whether you’re just starting out, or you’re trying to grow a little more established, DialLOCAL offer easy and affordable solutions. So while we’re working on the technical side of things you can focus on what matters to you, running your business effectively.
Unlike most digital agencies, we don’t care about our portfolio; the only thing that we’re interested in doing is making your phone ring more often. We support small businesses of all sizes and sectors, and aim to make each of our customers feel special and extra valued, and we often go the extra mile to ensure that our customers leave fully satisfied with the work that we carry out.
If you’re a small business and want to attract more new customers then give our team a call today, whether you’re just curious or looking for a little bit of advice, our expert team will be glad to help. Call us today on 0845 073 93 44 and make your business the star of the show.
Client Showcase: Acupuncture & Massage
If you’re feeling the general aches and pains of life then why not pop into Newcastle’s very own Acupuncture & Massage. Not only do they provide therapeutic massages for anyone and everyone but also traditional Chinese medicines and treatments.
Relieve some of that stress and give yourself a break with the professional services that they offer. Their staff are all fully qualified and are expert practitioners, some with over 30 years of experience in the field capable of treating almost anything.
We’ve just finished putting the finishing touches on their brand new promotional video and we’re even more excited about it than they are! With an online video Acupuncture & Massage are set to attract those all-important new customers. Acupuncture & Massage is a hidden gem located on Pilgrim Street, right next to the Tyneside Cinema. So why not pop round for a visit and a friendly chat about your health and well-being, and see the wonders that they can work for you!
We’ve even featured a couple of their loyal customers in the video so you can get a little taster of the great work they achieve.
Press play and have a look:
If you’re a small business in need of online promotion then give us a call today, we’re internet experts at helping small businesses with our internet marketing solutions.
Call us today on 0845 073 93 44 to see how we can help you and your business grow.
Smart Businesses Tagert Smartphones
Recent research shows that modern day retailers would rather visit a business’s mobile website rather than a branded app. Neilsen Wire’s new study, published last month, proved that shoppers are increasingly using their mobile devices for shopping, whether it’s for reviews, comparing products or simply taking a look at what their local businesses have to offer; users are increasingly becoming more and more technology savvy when it comes to finding the best buy.
Retailers, said Nielsen, should promote a “multi-channel environment” that works across mobile, online, and physical retail stores. They need to create a consistent experience across all channels that reinforce the brand’s values.”
So where does this leave businesses? They’re are having to constantly play catch up with their competition as well as keep up to date with all the latest technology that their consumers or possible clientele are using. For small businesses trying to grow, focusing on your competition is hard enough work without having to think about how to optimize their website for a mobile device.
Viewing a website which isn’t mobile optimized for a mobile device is a problem in itself. People are constantly on-the-go and a mobile device has become a daily necessity, as has having a website that targets these very people – a mobile website for mobile users. As one of the UK’s leading new media marketing companies, our aim is to help small businesses keep up-to-date with the most effective methods of promotion.
It doesn’t matter if you’re not most technology savvy person, we create a mobile ready solution that means your business can keep ahead of the curve when it comes to your competition, leaving you to focus on what matters, growing your business.
We create an easy and user friendly Content Management System, which isn’t as scary as it sounds, allowing you to log in and change any details of your website, whenever you like, need to let browsers know of any special discounts or change your opening times? Just log in and edit, it really is that simple!
For more information contact a member of our helpful and professional team on 0845 073 93 44.
Be a smart business and get up to date with your customers Smartphones.
Why A Viral Video Is More Affective Than TV Advertising
Digital Strategy’s (MarketingWeek.co.uk) recent article has shown research suggesting that a successful online video can help brands engage with consumers on a much larger scale than a TV ad, and it’s not hard to understand why. YouTube claims that a whopping 3 billion video views take place on their site every single day, as modern technology progresses people are turning more and more tech-savvy and turning to online media a way of learning new ways to share and communicate.
Which leaves old methods of advertising, such as the Yellow Pages, directories, radio advertising and even television advertising a little outdated and behind the times. Now that we live in an information age, we have never before had such a mass amount of information at our very finger tips, meaning that businesses don’t go to the customer anymore, the customer comes to the business.
An online promotional video, will give browsers of your website an exact feel for your business and will also give them a feeling of familiarity for what your business is all about, this acts like a clincher in their online experience with your business and competitors. Not only do they feel like your business has gone the extra mile in giving them more information than your competitor, but they can revisit your video over and over again as well as share it online with others.
Using online video as a form of promotional has several advantages for businesses, as it creates a personalised interaction with the user and your business, and for a small business looking to grow and expand, it’s important that you attract the viewer’s attention.
With such a mass amount of information at the disposal of a possible customers fingertips, it’s so much easier for someone to click ‘Play’ on a video rather than scroll to the next page and sift through more text. It’s important for businesses to keep up with the fast paced world of technology and competition in business, and that’s why DialLOCAL are here to help your business become the star of the show!
For more information contact a member of our friendly expert team on 0845 073 93 44 and have a chat with our team today and make your business the star of the show.
Super Sites that offer businesses an online presence in 72 hours
The traditional saying that we ‘Shouldn’t judge a book by its cover’ is frequently difficult to appreciate in the business world, in particular the online business world, having a fully-functional and attractive website is the most important aspect of creating an online presence for your business. If it doesn’t work, looks old and out-dated or if your business simply doesn’t have one, you’re invisible.
We live in the digital age, which is also known as the information age; we have countless amounts of information at our absolute disposal. We constantly are going online to find out new information, whether that be news, social activities or just to find out an answer to a question. If your business isn’t online, no one can see it. Old methods of advertising have died a quick death and consumers are no longer using traditional methods, such as the Yellow Pages to find their solution, they’re going online.
And that’s why it’s particularly important for small businesses to make themselves seen and create an online buzz around them. DialLOCAL, one of the UK’s leading ‘new media’ marketing companies, based in Newcastle Upon Tyne, we aim to help small businesses keep up-to-date with the most effective methods of promotion.
DialLOCAL offers quality Internet marketing solutions for new and growing businesses, whether you’re business is just starting out, or starting to expand, DialLOCAL can help you today.
For more information contact a member of our friendly and expert team on 0845 073 93 44 and have a chat with our team today.
Client Showcase: Upwood Holiday Park
It’s less than 100 days to go till the London 2012 Olympics, and you might have noticed that with the ‘Holidays At Home Are Great’ adverts popping up on our television sets, all roads are set to lead to Great Britain this summer.
So why go abroad in the summer and have to deal with the hassle of hustle and bustle of the airports, busy flights, exchanging your currency and worrying about your luggage, when you could enjoy the beautiful English Countryside?
We’ve just polished off a great photo video for Upwood Holiday Park, licensed for touring caravans, tents, camping pods, motor caravans, static holiday homes and residential homes – Upwood Holiday Park can cater to all of your holiday needs.
Located close to the Yorkshire Dales Upwood Holiday Park’s scenery boasts beautiful panoramic views of the surrounding countryside, and if you’re looking for a bit of peace and quiet and relaxation this summer, why not take a look!
We’re always interested in helping businesses gain more customers.
Give us a call today to speak to a friendly and helpful member of our team!
Call us on 0845 073 9344.
