Impact of Google+ Integration into Search Results

Last week Google announced the launch of "Search, plus your world", which delivers search results with Google+ content included.

Northern Rail - case study on why reputation management is important

Last week as my role of Chairman IoD West Yorkshire I was asked to comment in the Yorkshire Post about  Northern Rail profits up by 34%.

Bernard Ginns, Business Editor then tweeted out promoting the article.

Call yourself a social media expert?

You may have noticed that I haven't blogged for 3 months.  To be honest I got tongue tied and overwhelmed.

I've been blogging for 8 years now and on this blog for 2 years.  In that time the world of SEO and social media has become a very crowded place. So what differentiates the experienced social marketeers compared to the new comers in the industry?

The barriers to entry are very low to the SEO and Social media industry.  Anyone can read a few books and then set themselves up as a social media expert.

How ready is your business for social media?

57% enterprises are making some investment into social media in 2011 (based on data from Forresters)

Social media is a disruptive technology as it changes how a company operates. No organisation can adopt social media unless the underlying business processes, workflow and resources are aligned with the social media strategy and tools to manage this.

Altimer Group recently released a report based on research they have done into the social readiness of businesses.

Community Management - gardeners or managers?

I've recently been having a discussion with some friends at the RSA Digital Engagement team about how to moderate a community. The main thrust of the discussions have been around cultivating or managing.

Cultivating a community
Cultivating a community should be about building knowledge and experience within the community, so it builds as a knowledge community. The word 'manager' creates the sense that as an organisation you  are building the community on your terms, not the advocated and enthusiasts. It should formulaic, rigid, and flexible.

The reason online communities thrive is because they have a purpose or common goal / passion.  That community will have a preference which platform they use (blog / Ning / forum) and will grow into a self moderating group, where knowledge is shared amongst the many.

Understanding How Customer Research & Buy Online

Over the past few few years how people research and buy online has changed significantly. It's about permission based marketing not push marketing and proving your credibility and worth.With statistics such as 90% purchases are researched online, and people who use social media are more likely to purchase online companies need to understand the landscape of the sales funnel has changed.It's about creating the engagement with the consumer on their terms.  By the time customers get in touch with you they are around 60% through their buying cycle.