Copyright © 2010 I-COM International 2010-09-06T16:58:49+0100 2010-09-06T16:58:49+0100 http://www.i-com.net/blog/ Leading Manchester SEO, SEM and web design agency blog. http://www.i-com.net/blog/ http://i-com.net/images/icom-net.gif http://www.i-com.net/blog/ Leading Manchester SEO, SEM and web design agency blog. I-COM International blogmaster at i-com dot net I-COM International I-COM International en SEO, SEM, Web Design, Web Development 1440 http://www.i-com.net/blog/is-twitter-the-new-myspace-388/ You know that Twitter has crossed over into the mainstream when instead of bands telling people to check them out on MySpace, they instead ask the audience (several times) to follow them on Twitter.Last night, in front of a packed crowd in Holmfirth, Wedding Present and Cinerama front man David Gedge, asked the crowd to follow him on Twitter (he's @weddingpresent) and assured us all that it is, indeed, him doing the tweeting and that he is in fact extremely interesting and he does reply to people.It's the first time I've seen anyone tout for more Twitter followers at a gig and if you're really bored, try checking on how many new accounts referencing the Wedding Present have been set up since last night.... Social Media Marketing 2010-08-27 10:37:27 http://www.i-com.net/blog/is-twitter-the-new-myspace-388/ http://www.i-com.net/blog/dont-listen-to-the-social-media-gurus-368/ I am scheduled to give a presentation next week entitled 'Social Media and Business', at the offices of Mathys & Squire LLP. During the talk, which is set to take place on Wednesday 7th July at 3pm, I'll be letting businesses in on the wonderful secret that is social media, outlining how they can use it to generate new business, advertise offers and incentives, create a buzz about their company and connect with customers.I'll also be debunking a lot of the rubbish peddled by these so-called Social Media Gurus, focusing instead on how you can use social media to generate real results for your business.Over the past few years social media has become an extremely powerful force in the world of online marketing - a force businesses hoping to succeed online cannot afford to ignore! If you would like to attend the event contact Tarik: tarik@businessskillsforum.co.uk I-COM News 2010-07-02 12:54:57 http://www.i-com.net/blog/dont-listen-to-the-social-media-gurus-368/ http://www.i-com.net/blog/google-real-time-search-goes-live-284/ The changes to Google, otherwise known as the Caffeine update, have been in the minds of most internet marketers for a while.  These changes have slowly been filtering their way through into Google's results. One the most anticipated features is the addition of real time search using results from social media sites as part of Google's blended, or Universal, search results. Yesterday morning the BBC reported that real time search had  gone live for users of Google, featuring live feeds from both Twitter and MySpace. This can be seen in the SERP for Christmas: The above image shows two feeds: A more common generic news feed which we have seen for a while. This according to Google will now be updated more regularly. A Twitter feed box which is now included in some Google search results but not all. This box provides a live feed from Twitter relating to your selected search term. The Twitter feed shown above automatically scrolls through latest tweets and offers you the option of pausing and scrolling through recent tweets. As a result, we will no doubt see a lot more Twitter spam targeting the most popular searches. From the more professional marketers we will hopefully see more eye-catching tweets aimed at Google searchers. Only time will tell how this will affect both Twitter and Google and how real time search will develop. I look forward to seeing how Google defines "quality" within its real time search results in order to decide which static search result we see. Search Engine Optimisation 2009-12-09 08:57:04 http://www.i-com.net/blog/google-real-time-search-goes-live-284/ http://www.i-com.net/blog/bnw-09-a-practical-example-of-the-potential-of-social-media-259/ The Business North West 2009 conference starts today, and I-COM are down there (Stand 5, right by the door) exhibiting our online marketing wares and trying like mad to educate North West businesses about the potential of social media as a means of driving traffic, promoting your brand and responding to customer queries. Were encouraging conference-goers to join in by uploading photos and live updates on the various goings on at Manchester Central today and tomorrow to Twitter, Facebook, Flickr and a variety of other Social Media sites via their iPhones, Blackberries, Netbooks and Laptops and for those people who dont have a mobile internet device or a Twitter account (god forbid), weve even laid on a few extra PCs at our stand which are kept permanently logged in to a specially created Twitter account: BNW09_Feedback. Social Media is on the rise internet-wise, and with Google desperately trying to figure out a productive way of incorporating it into their search results its inevitable that its going to become extremely important to business online presence the world over. Our attempt to take the Business North West 2009 conference online is an experiment, designed to demonstrate this potential to the blissfully uninitiated. Weve set up accounts on the following Social Media sites: Flickr Twitter Facebook FriendFeed Blogsome Xanga SlideShare Tumblr LiveJournal Wordpress Blog WetPaint Blogspot Scribd Weve also set some of our employees the task of roaming the event taking pictures, short videos and making comments on the various speakers and presentations. If youve got any questions about Social Media and its potential for your business, we encourage you to head over to the I-COM stand (number 5) for a practical demonstration. Social Media Marketing 2009-10-28 10:05:36 http://www.i-com.net/blog/bnw-09-a-practical-example-of-the-potential-of-social-media-259/ http://www.i-com.net/blog/diary-of-a-social-media-curmudgeon-online-effort-real-world-results-258/ Im coming round to this Social Media thing. Whilst I still dislike using it for purely personal and social reasons (isnt face to face always better?), I can see its benefits from a business perspective. In my capacity as SEO Copywriter I dont come into a great deal of contact with Social Media at I-COM but, seeing as its The future of the web (you could probably trace this quote back, in one form or another, to any self-respecting SEO blog on the net) I decided the time had come for me to embrace this huge, uncompromising and multi-faceted beast. So, Ive started helping a friend of mine out with his online presence by writing blog posts, updating his Twitter account, sending Facebook updates to fans of his business and posting adverts on Myspace walls. My friends business is based in Sheffield and focuses on publishing a magazine, hosting live music and poetry events and distribution (which is where the majority of the money comes from). Currently they have no website (though one is on the cards), so the only method of promotion online available to them is Social Media.New to the game Being new at the game, I started by logging onto Twitter and sitting staring at that blank white space thinking Well, what am I supposed to write what Im having for my tea or something? However it soon became obvious that Twitter, once you start following a few people relevant to your business, is a fantastic vehicle for promotion. If you can establish a loyal band of followers who are interested in your product, then you have a captive and welcoming audience for your advertisements all you have to remember is, the Social Media experience is about give and take. If all you do is advertise your product people are going to get annoyed and bored with your content. Take the time to think up some genuinely interesting things to say or, alternatively, repeat what others have said and acknowledge the source theyll appreciate it. The same is true of Facebook and, to a lesser extent Myspace. By establishing a band of followers who are already both aware and appreciative of your product, you have a happy audience at which to direct advertisement, and from whom you can solicit feedback in order to make your business better.Real world results And do you know what, its only having a positive effect! Whilst only time will tell how useful social media will prove to my friends business, the initial reports look good. Advertising space in his magazine has sold out in record time this month and a live event last Saturday attracted one of its largest ever crowds. Whilst I used to (and still do on a purely social basis) agree with founder member of legendary band of futurists Kraftwerk, Ralf Htters statement that "Everybody is becoming like a Stasi agent, constantly observing himself or his friends." I can see, and am experiencing, what a boon this method of online promotion could be for businesses including yours. Provided its used correctly that is. Social Media Marketing 2009-10-23 11:05:39 http://www.i-com.net/blog/diary-of-a-social-media-curmudgeon-online-effort-real-world-results-258/ http://www.i-com.net/blog/business-north-west-2009-harnessing-the-social-media-beast-254/ Over the last few weeks, Tweeters, Bloggers, Facebook and Myspace users have ridden their impossibly tall horses into battle with Jan Moir and Trafigura / Carter-Ruck, and on both occasions have achieved a sort of victory. In both cases the public outcry, largely facilitated by Twitter and other forms of Social Media, resulted in something of an about-turn in policy for Trafigura / Carter-Ruck and a removal of surrounding advertising and a change of headline for Jan Moir's Stephen Gately piece. We couldn't ask for a better example of the power of Social Media to influence vast numbers of people and to effect real change.Business North West 2009 It's this power that more and more businesses are hoping to harness as a method of promoting products, providing real-time customer feedback and pushing related businesses and offers. However, it's an extremely thin tightrope to walk - Social Media is intended as a means of socialising; if your business starts using it to promote itself and push advertising on unwilling recipients, you could be in for a backlash akin to the one experienced by Habitat earlier this year. At this year's Business North West conference, we are hoping to demonstrate how Social Media can be used for your business via an experiment which hopes to take the conference online, creating a medium for conference-goers to upload live comments, images and videos relating to the speakers, exhibitions and events. The following accounts are those which have been set up, whether by I-COM or another individual or business involved in the event, specifically for Business North West: Flickr Twitter Facebook FriendFeed Blogsome Xanga SlideShare Tumblr LiveJournal Wordpress Blog WetPaint Blogspot Scribd Well be inviting attendees and their colleagues back in the office to contribute using extra PCs installed at the I-COM booth, iPhones, Netbooks, Blackberries and Laptops.Growth through Innovation The Business North West conference is now in its third year yet has already established itself as the North Wests most important business networking event. It is this kind of innovation that will see it continue to grow, and will also serve to demonstrate the huge potential of Social Media as a positive force for your business. Business North West 2009 takes place at Manchester Central on the 28th and 29th of October. For more information, visit our events page or the official Business North West website. Social Media Marketing 2009-10-19 16:55:37 http://www.i-com.net/blog/business-north-west-2009-harnessing-the-social-media-beast-254/ http://www.i-com.net/blog/currys-and-pc-world-show-how-not-to-treat-your-customers-on-facebook-236/ Working for a company that firmly believes that social media is now integral to any company's online marketing strategy, it never ceases to amaze me that large retail companies allow social media such as Facebook to become a tool for employees to vent their spleen and insult customers. Take for example yesterday's news, Gadget Shoppers Branded Stupid, that staff at shops owned by the Dixons Stores Group (Currys and PC World) have been caught insulting customers on a social networking site. Comments on the Facebook group branded customers "stupid" and recounted unflattering shop floor conversations with them. Now I understand that DSG Group has limited influence on content on external Facebook groups but surely someone in the group should be monitoring these social media groups (particularly with both brands' online presence being extremely important) and formulating some form of strategy to stop these negative comments?There can be nothing worse than insulting or ridiculing your customers - either online or offline and it can often lead to commercial suicide (ask Gerald Ratner). Social Media Marketing 2009-09-09 08:58:40 http://www.i-com.net/blog/currys-and-pc-world-show-how-not-to-treat-your-customers-on-facebook-236/ http://www.i-com.net/blog/criminalising-fake-avatars-means-everybody-loses-127/ According to an article in Marketing Vox, a judge has ruled that having a "fake avatar" or online alter ego, sock puppet, fake social media profile, etc., is now a criminal offense, thanks to the case of Lori Drew, who was convicted of computer fraud after creating a fake MySpace persona to torment an acquaintance of her daughter - an activity which supposedly contributed to the girl's suicide. As Lisa Barone of WeBuildPages points out, should it really be illegal to hide behind an online persona just because some people are bullies? Yes, fake avatars are often used for online bullying, but  having a fake avatar does not automatically make one a bully. One of the great things about the internet is the ability to engage in conversations with a wide range of people while still remaining anonymous (and, theoretically, safe) should you want to do so. Reasons for creating "fake avatars" Internet marketers often use dummy social media accounts to promote their products and websites. This can be annoying when you don't want to be sold to, but it is hardly a malicious practice. These accounts may be used by multiple people to provide updates or interact with customers or blog readers. For example, my co-conspirator and I have both Twitter and MySpace accounts in  the name of our personal blog and these are separate from our personal accounts. We use these accounts when posting about things specifically relating to our blog or when responding to things people have said about the blog. People may need more than one account because they need to separate out personal interactions from work-based or more public ones. For example, the tone I take when writing on Searched Designed Developed is radically different from the one I use when writing in my personal blog. The intended audiences are vastly different and so is the subject matter. If I wrote on there like I write on here people would lose interest and go away. If I wrote on here like I write on there people would think that we aren't very professional. To me, as a copywriter, this makes perfect sense - you target your content to your audience. But, because of the two sets of online contacts and the reasons for them, I do, for the most part, have tried to maintain two separate sets of social media profiles - with diminishing amounts of success. Would one of these be construed as fake as neither contain many personal details other than my gender and age? What about those people who enjoy using the internet because it affords them anonymity and community at the same time or who feel comfortable forums and discussions of a personal or sensitive nature to get help or advice because of the anonymity the internet affords them? Does not giving away personal details mean that you are lying to people online? What about the people who like to engage with others online but who do not want people to see their picture, know where they live, how old they are or, well, anything else because, like the New York Times points out, people establish semi-fake online personas to avoid identity theft and protect themselves from predators? How can the state tell people they have to reveal personal details when they cannot prevent phishing and cybercrime? What about the many other bizarre quirks on the internet that we would lose if people were forced to have one profile which they use everywhere? Years ago, I used to moderate a forum where the Admin and a friend had about 10 different personas which were used to great comedy value in the daily interchanges on the site. These were not established with malicious intent and were part of the unusual community of the place - people knew they were not real people. Occasionally new users were confused by the existence of the rather strange sock puppets but were usually put straight quite quickly by the community as a whole. Would this ruling have meant that a confused newbie could complain to the internet police and get the site shut down and the Admin prosecuted for computer fraud? The internet should not be ruled by the law of the playground This ruling, while not entirely outrageous, uses the fact that MySpace's Terms of Service require users to give "truthful and accurate" information - e.g. no fake avatars. Surely this gives MySpace the right to terminate an account - not the criminal justice system the right to prosecute? Except when everybody looks the other way when they see cyberbullying then what choice does the state have but to step in? The issue should be the intent to use the fake profile for cyberbullying, not the fact that the profile existed. The case feels a bit like a junior high playground where everybody knows the fat kid is getting beaten up, but nobody wants to tell the teacher because you don't rat out your classmates - even if everybody knows they're doing something wrong - but nobody stands up for the fat kid either because they don't want to become a target themselves, so when the fat kid finally tells his parents, the punishment is doubly harsh because everybody should have known better - not just the bully. We as a society need to do a better job of looking out for each other and of condeming people and practices which are anti-social and encouraging each other to treat each other with respect or we will end up with the state doing it for us - much like a teacher who gives a whole class detention because she doesn't know which student committed the crime. If this happens, we'll all be the worse because we'll have lost the freedom of the internet all because of the law of the playground. Internet 2008-12-02 09:38:17 http://www.i-com.net/blog/criminalising-fake-avatars-means-everybody-loses-127/