Blog Archives

When Instagram did a purge of its spam accounts in December 2014, many users were shocked to see how their follower numbers plummeted (Justin Bieber lost 3.5 million followers). Then, in March 2015, Facebook removed inactive Likes from business pages in an effort to weed out automatically generated fake accounts, having a major impact on businesses’ follower bases. The purges brought to light the impact of having fake followers and fans, and forced businesses to re-examine their approaches to social media marketing.

What are fake followers?
Although frowned upon, it’s common practice for businesses to purchase batches of Facebook Likes and Instagram followers from ‘Like farms’, with pay-for-Likes services now constituting a multi-million pound industry. However, several investigations have revealed that these Likes and followers are typically either sourced by cyber criminals hacking into users’ Facebook accounts to Like pages they know nothing about, or the Likes come from automatically generated user accounts.

Why you need to remove fake followers
Many businesses fail to realise that while a high number of Likes may look good on the surface, having fake fans is in fact detrimental to your social marketing efforts and can give a skewed, inaccurate view of your advertising campaigns.

If your followers aren’t real or don’t actually know anything about your business, then your level of fan engagement is automatically lowered and your adverts won’t result in follow-through actions like sales or website visits.

Limited fan engagement also damages your content’s reach and visibility on Facebook, because the frequency with which your posts appear on your followers’ newsfeeds depends on the comments, Likes and shares on each post.

Then there are the fake followers who are users with no genuine interest in your brand, whose only intention is to drive traffic to their own website or page. These are the followers who only leave comments promoting their products and services, using your sponsored content for their own benefit.

Getting rid of the fakes
Luckily, there are options for detoxifying your follower base. With Twitter, you can use Twitter’s Status People Fake Follower Checker, the Fakers app, Fake Followers tool or Twitter Audit to analyse and clean up your following. IGExorcist is a free app that removes fake Instagram followers based on user interaction over a 300-day period, and Facebook’s Social Graph can be used to weed out and report the fake Likes on your business page.

Having a genuine social media following is imperative in order to have a highly targeted social marketing campaign with authentic, measurable results. To find out more on how to make social marketing work for your business, contact us today.

Over recent years, the popularity of video has grown online and business owners and marketeers are well aware that video content should be a crucial aspect of their digital marketing campaigns. However, there is a new important trend that should not be ignored, and that is live video streaming.

The format has been around for a while, but, lately, apps such as Meerkat, Periscope and Stre.am are transforming the way people now watch and share video. Rather than filming, editing and distributing video clips, people are now able to live stream video from their mobile phones in order to share unique moments and crucial events in real time. Mobile video streaming apps are changing how people communicate and are causing businesses to rethink the ways in which they share their video content.

Tooling up Citizen journalist
Ever since camera phones first hit the market circa 2002, the general public has been taking journalism into their own hands by snapping important events in real time. As developers created phones with video capability and the lowering cost of bandwidth and wifi (almost) everywhere, we began to see increasing amounts of amateur footage used on the news to provide more immediate details of newsworthy events.

While smartphone video may not offer the best quality picture or clearest shot (but it is getting there), it does have a raw quality which can be very powerful. People can film events directly as they unfold; footage is more immediate, more dramatic and more accurate than if a news reporter were to file a report at a later point which would, obviously need to be vetted and verified before transmission.

With streaming apps such as Meerkat, Periscope and Stre.am and Facebook Live now available, people can share these events in real time via their mobiles and they become, in effect, the news reporters. People can witness life changing moments take place thousands of miles away in different countries; hence, video streaming is incredibly powerful for citizen journalism.

Get streaming, get social
Just as the likes of Snapchat and Instagram allow people to share their current activity with the world, live video streaming enables immediate sharing of daily life events. Special moments, such as passing an impromptu dance-off in the street or watching live music, can be streamed with friends and family and discussed in real time. It creates a new level of community and sharing, something which businesses and brands could use to their advantage.

For many businesses, adding a personal touch to their marketing efforts is crucial since it can help them to engage customers and build trust, treading on the toes of relationship marketing. By live streaming events such as Q&A sessions, press launches and product demonstrations, businesses can access a wider audience and make consumers feel more involved. Live streaming can generate more excitement; customers can witness new products or exclusive events exactly as they unfold, which is a fantastic way to build momentum during a new marketing campaign.

While professionally filmed and edited videos can be great marketing tools, consumers are all too aware that some footage will have been left on the cutting room floor. Consumers may look at these videos as too polished or too #buymystuff, whereas streamed video is live, unedited and a lot more honest. It can show businesses in a more natural light and has the potential for consumers to better trust and relate to the brand and individuals within it.

If you’d like your target audience to be more engaged with your brand, live video streaming could be the technique you’ve been looking for. While many other digital trends come and go, live streaming looks like it’s here to stay and savvy businesses should be utilising its potential right away. If you’d like more information or advice about video streaming, get in touch with us today.

At Point and Stare, we love to see businesses getting ahead by using all that the online world has to offer—you could even say it’s our calling. That’s why when we see an opportunity to help businesses cut costs by using an online platform, we just have to share.

Google Hangouts is still a relatively new kid on the block, especially in terms of being embraced by businesses, but we’re sure that once you see how it could slash your operations costs, you’ll be flying the flag for Google Hangouts just like we are.

1. Lower video production costs
Web series centred on businesses’ products or services are becoming increasingly popular because of their broad scope for creative, highly targeted marketing. With Google Hangouts on Air, which allows you to broadcast live videos through your Google+ page, it’s cheaper and quicker to share HD-quality webisodes than with traditional video production. Videos can also be edited and shared on YouTube and Facebook, living on forever in the online realm.

2. Global meetings at zero cost
In today’s global village, many organisations are finding themselves having to hold meetings or give presentations with participants based in different towns, cities and continents. Although technology has offered up lots of video conferencing options for making international meetings possible, Google Hangouts is one of the best around, with the capacity to host meetings of up to 15 users. Although Skype is free, it’s notorious for its technical issues like poor audio, dropped calls and heavily pixelated video, while pre-paid services like GoToMeeting are just an added business expense. Google Hangouts is 100 per cent free, with top-notch HD video and audio, built-in screen sharing, and cool features like intelligent muting to cut background noise.

3. A cohesive marketing campaign
Through helping clients with our services, we know that positioning your brand as the authority in your niche industry means building awareness, fostering trust and establishing loyalty in your target market. The best way to do this is with a multi-faceted, content-centric approach, creating written and video blogs that share helpful, interesting and entertaining content to showcases your business’ expertise.

However, many businesses are daunted by the potential costs involved in producing videos to share on YouTube, plus writing blog posts to share on their websites, all on top of the time and effort needed to ensure that their key demographic is being reached. Google Hangouts allows for seamless integration of all three elements of establishing your brand’s authority: quick and affordable live video broadcasts with Google Hangouts on Air are easily integrated with your Google+ page, alongside insightful written posts, and each and every video or post shared on your Google+ page can be carefully targeted, with all the analytics to ensure a successful marketing campaign. No mess, no fuss, just the marketing impact you need—without paying a pound.

For more information on how we can help your business get the most out of Google Hangouts, contact us today.

If I were to say to you the name ‘Cable London’, would you know what I was talking about? How about Telewest, Flextech, or Cable and Wireless? Chances are that even if you’re familiar with one of these names, it’s unlikely that you’re aware they’re all the same company, in one guise or another.

On the other hand, if I said ‘Virgin Media’ to you, you’d probably immediately know which company I was referencing. You could probably tell me something about their services and maybe even something about the man in charge. In case you were wondering, Virgin ultimately bought out Cable London after their numerous name changes.

Why is it that some brand names are instantly recognisable? So much so that we can recite their slogans or name them from a logo, whereas others fade into obscurity? Most importantly, what can you do to ensure that your brand stands the test of time?

First things first, you need to think about your brand name. A catchy name is vital to achieving branding success, and a particular brand name promises a customer particular things. For example, Apple is often associated with innovative design, and Nike with high quality yet fashionable activewear.

Next, both corporate and marketing objectives must be considered. For arguments sake, let’s say that Virgin’s corporate objective is to be the world’s number one supplier of TV and broadband services. Their marketing objectives need to align with their corporate objectives, be specific to their product, and importantly they mustn’t damage the public perception of them that they’ve already built up over the years.

Success of marketing strategies must then be monitored, in order to see what works and what doesn’t. Similarly, market research should be undertaken to assess what customers want. At the core of a long-standing brand, is control and consistency. Customers have expectations about certain brands, and to change your product so that it offers something different could ruin your business. Although minor changes can be made, or additional added extras can be provided, the core sensibility of a brand must always remain the same.

Online marketing of your brand is also crucial, but that doesn’t mean that the above doesn’t apply. Your product must be a good one and you must meet customer expectations in order to maintain your brand image over a long period of time. The popularity of social media has meant that brands can connect on a more personal level with their customers, but it has also meant that they are under a great level of scrutiny when it comes to maintaining their image.

If you’re unsure about your brand identity, or you feel like it needs solidifying, then the team at Point and Stare can help. We provide everything from graphic design to marketing services, allowing your brand to flourish and be maintained over a long period of time. To find out more, get in touch with the team today.

In the chaos of today’s Internet era, it can be difficult to maintain a clean, accurate image for your brand that represents your company philosophy. Having a website for your business has become as necessary as having milk in your tea, and with such a large number of threads being spun on the World Wide Web it can be easy for your brand to become tangled up. With online activity raging at such a galloping pace, just how can you keep on top of your online brand and maintain the trusted reputation you have worked so hard to establish.

A professional, attractive website
Every man and his dog has a website these days, making it all the more crucial that your website is user-friendly, professional, and looking fantastic. Trying to do it yourself might seem exciting and economical, but in the end it will only prove to be time-consuming and highly frustrating. At Point and Stare, we are able to instil the personal factor and philosophy of your brand into a website that you will be proud to call your own.

Quality content
Having a website is great, but allowing it to stagnate through a lack of content is not. A blog, or the publication of articles, offers the opportunity to let a fresh stream of content flow through you website, making it more Google-friendly. In these posts, ensure that you produce high-quality, relevant and interesting content that will spark discussion, raise awareness of your brand and, ultimately, create interest in your business.

Security
The advance of hackers and brandjackers means that you must always be one step ahead of the bad guys. In the first instance, secure your website against malicious hackers, but also protect the high-quality content that you are producing. If it is valuable, it is vulnerable, and it is worth employing the services of professionals who will ensure your brand will not be tarnished by cyber attackers. Point and Stare are able to offer a comprehensive security package that will not only take regular back-ups of all your website data, but will also monitor your website 24/7 for any suspicious activity.

Awareness
The breakneck speed of the online world can be mindboggling, but don’t be fazed by this; gain an awareness of your company’s activity on social media by frequently keeping an eye on your chosen social media channels. It is also extremely important that you tackle any criticism, good or bad, that might arise on these platforms in a tactful and reasonable manner, demonstrating to your online followers that you are customer-focused and care about their experience with you.

For more information about our services and how we can help you protect your brand online, contact us today.

So, there’s a ton of so called “Social Media gooroos” and then there’s Gary Vaynerchuk.
By his own admission, not everything he says is true but, when he yaks on about something enough times you can almost bet it’s going to be a winner.

Snapchat is one such platform that, luckily, marketers have yet to ruin but, in the meantime, here’s a run down of 5 Easy Snapchat Hacks that Gary has provided.
Take it away Gary:

I am hot on this platform right now, you guys. And you should be too. It’s a huge deal, and has lots of amazing opportunities for big and small businesses, marketers, individuals, personal brands…you name it. Let me help you guys get started with a few snapchat tips.

“One thing before we start with these snapchat secrets: you gotta make sure you have the “filters” and all that other fun stuff switched to on in your settings. Without those, what are you even doing on Snapchat?”

1. Make emojis huge

2. Find hidden colors
Snapchat doesn’t show all the colors they have available. Crazy, right? To find the hidden colors, just drag your finger to the left and bottom of the screen when you have that rainbow palette open.

3. Use location filters

Ever notice how when you swipe left and right after taking a pic, all these different filters appear? Swipe once to the right and you’ll see a location appear. Sometimes there will be even two or three to choose from. But even better: if you snap a selfie and use the filter, then download it before you send it out, you’ll have a pretty kick ass grid of all the places you’ve been in a few weeks. Free content. Boom.

4. Replay snaps
You guys, I’m totally serious. You can replay a snap. BUT you can only do this once a day from a snapchat username. Also, you can only replay the last one you viewed, so you can’t just go back and choose one from hours earlier. First, enable replay in your settings. Then, to replay, tap the snap and a bubble will pop up asking if you want to replay. And of course, you say: yes! Warning: the person will get a notification saying you replayed it. Choose wisely. 😉

5. Draw like a pro

You know those crazy cool influencers you see doing amazing drawings? They’re making them on an iPad. Seriously. iPhone screens are way too small for all that detail. Even though there is no Snapchat app for the iPad, you can still download it and use it on the iPad. Get creative and detailed! And…use a stylus if you’re really ready to get serious.

BONUS TIP:
6. Follow Gary on Snapchat! Username: Garyvee

Hopefully you’re now more than set up to use Snapchat wisely but, of course, if you need a hand, get in touch with us at Point and Stare today.

So, there I was minding my own business and up pops @GaryVee on the Point and Stare Twitter stream asking for a little favour.

Needless to say I didn’t hesitate to oblige a little right hook as in this article he talks about the new Twitter Video feature, something we’re just cutting our teeth on at Point and Stare HQ.

“This past week, I have spent several hours using the new Twitter video feature.

But probably not in the way you think.

I was responding to people. One by one, individually with the new Twitter video upload. Answering questions in real time. I was listening. And this is why I’m so excited about this new feature.

People respond to effort. When a celebrity favorites your tweet, you’re excited. Someone you admire likes a photo of yours on Instagram, and it makes you feel good. Because it’s not about the 100th of a second it takes to double tap that photo. It’s about the fact that they looked at your profile. They chose a photo. They saw it. And then they liked. That interaction, which takes all of five or six seconds, really touches a lot of people.

Twitter has taken it to the next level.

They’ve set up a perfect Thank You Economy situation. I’ve been waiting for something like this, and I’ve wanted it to do it before, but there was too much friction on the platform. Now they’ve done all the work for you, and all you have to do is get in there and engage. It takes me nine to twelve seconds to make a video and reply, but those extra seconds hold a lot of meaning. Not to mention it’s more personal, visual, and we are living in a world where the visual is often regarded as a better engagement than the written.

There’s also more room to set the tone. A lot of things can get lost in a tweet. I might say “thnx” but that person isn’t 100% sure what my tone really was. But with Twitter video, the message comes across loud and clear.

It’s fifteen seconds of your attention on one person instead of two seconds. You know what that means? We are in control of the one asset that we all give the most fucks about: time. Time is so incredibly precious to people. They hate when it’s wasted, and they are impressed when you give them some of your time.

That is what excites me most about Twitter video. Giving time to people. More time. Personalized time. And that is awesome.”

Hope you liked the article! Check out Gary’s video on Twitter video here:

This article was originally published by Gary Vaynerchuk, re-purposed with kind permission.

Social giant Twitter have just revealed their new native video feature. Users are now be able to record, edit, and post video directly to their feed using the Twitter app.

This is big news for both advertisers and users. Previously, users would have had to use a site like Vine to post video to Twitter, meaning that this new feature will be a total game changer. Advertisers are now able to generate six-second video previews, which will autoplay on people’s feeds. The autoplay feature can mean big things for advertisers, as it gives them much more of an opportunity to grab a potential customer’s attention than any sponsored tweet ever could.

https://twitter.com/TwitterVideo

The goal for Twitter is obviously to get users shooting and sharing their videos, thus increasing overall use of the site. When you look at the popularity of Vine or Instagram it’s no wonder they’re eager to jump on the video bandwagon.

However, it isn’t just the big shots like Coca-Cola and Audi who will benefit from native video on Twitter. Now new feature has launched, those using Twitter to engage with visitors at a conference or event should also see increased participation. Simply add your chosen hashtag to the video tweet, and voila… a timeline of videos, pictures, and messages, all giving a different perspective on the day’s events.

Of course, sharing video between individual feeds is all well and good, but a large event needs more coverage. To guarantee your day is being broadcast to those you want it to be seen by, consider using a Tweet Wall. The wall offers a live projection of the tweets that contain your chosen hashtag, adding an interactive element to your event, as well as encouraging users to engage with your brand.

If you’re interested in adding something a little extra to an upcoming conference or event, then get in touch with our team at Point and Stare in order to find out more about the benefits of a Tweet Wall.

In Part I we explained the perks of using Facebook and Google+ for your business. Here, in Part II, we will explore more social networking platforms and reveal what benefits they hold for business users.

Instagram
Purchased by Facebook for a measly $1 billion two years ago, Instagram harnesses the power of the picture and now boasts 150 million monthly users. As a photo-sharing application most effective on smartphones, Instagram is perfect for publicising photogenic products, exciting events, or to offer your followers a real insight into your company culture.

Approximately 70 per cent of Instagram’s users are female, aged between 18–35, something to bear in mind when considering if Instagram is the social media platform for your business.

Twitter
With 271 monthly active users and 500 million tweets being sent per day, Twitter has its finger on the pulse of events all over the world. With its defining trends feature, people are able to monitor and discuss a whole array of topics as they happen in real time. The immediacy of Twitter sees that it is tailored for companies who conduct important live events and want to attract external interest from around the world. This also means that if a customer is unhappy with your service, he/she can complain immediately on Twitter and thus give you the opportunity to demonstrate your customer service with a speedy, tactful response.

Twitter is essential for companies who aim to set trends and be at the forefront of their industry.

Pinterest
With 70 million monthly users—a number which is steadily growing—Pinterest is similar to Instagram in being a picture-based social media platform. Pinterest specialises in the sharing and re-sharing of visual content which is typically creative and looks to give ideas and inspire its users. From recipes to DIY projects and the inevitable waves of cat images, Pinterest focuses on individual ‘pinboards’ which, like a Twitter hashtag, group images under certain categories and can spark a lot of ecommerce, thus being great for online sales companies.

Again, similarly to Instagram, 80 per cent of the Pinterest community is female, aged between 25-45, so keep this in mind.

We hope that this gives you a better picture of the social network landscape and the options available to your business. The crucial thing is to do your homework: figure out who your target audience are, and understand on which social network/s these people are most likely to be active.

Whichever option you decide will market your brand most effectively, Point and Stare has the tools to boost your online marketing. For more information, contact us today or follow us on Twitter, or LinkedIn.