You’ll see random tweets about music, charity, technology, food & Belfast – not really relevant to spiderhousepr as a digital marketing agency (sure, there were penalty of relevant tweets too; social medial WordPress, interesting stats etc!). I’m also involved in other projects separate from spiderhousepr & so I felt it was better just to tweet as myself! You can now find me at @cmooki although we still have the spiderhousepr account & may start using it again in 2012.
How To Change Twitter Name & Keep Old Address
Although I wanted to transfer all my ramblings to my own name I also wanted to keep @spiderhousepr for future use and also because google links, business cards etc are all directed to this twitter address.
To change your twitter name & keep the old one you’ll just need another email address (which isn’t registered to Twitter) & it’s also easier if you have 2 browsers to use simultaneously…
1. open 1st browser, login to Twitter & go to settings - here you will see how easy it is to change your username
2. open a 2nd browser & got to setup a new Twitter account (if you use a different browser you will not have to logout of your other account).
3. use this 2nd browser window to find the new username you want - when you have found one that is available (it’s difficult!!) simply enter it into your current Twitter settings (should be open in the 1st browser!).
4. using the 2nd browser quickly re-register your old Twitter name
5. done!
The good news is that, unlike Facebook, Twitter frees up the name immediately – all you have to do is snap it up immediately & then update the profile with relevant information. This way any links pointing to the address will not result in a 404 error & the visitor will have information as to the name change.
make sure you update the new profile with info on your move!
by www.thisischris.com
Spiderhousepr Christmas Holidays
Spiderhousepr will be closed from lunchtime (GMT) on 23rd December and will return to the office on Tuesday 3rd January 2012.
No doubt there will be a little bit of internet action in between…but not much as the diary is jam-packed with trip away from Belfast; the west coast of Ireland, Cambridge and a wonderful wedding at Galgorm being the highlights!
Apologies in advance for any inconvenience!
What Have We Been Up To?
Along with keeping our regular clients up to date, we have been working closely with small businesses through the iFactory and Evolution Project schemes, both of which I would highly recommend as thy provide cost effective or free training in social media and other forms of digital marketing such as SEO via subsidised consultations.
iFactory is available to businesses throughout Ireland and offers amazing assistance and mentoring, whilst Evolution Project is for businesses in Castlereagh Council area of Belfast and is entirely free. Beyond marketing, you can also benefit from a range of other consultants and specialists including business advice, finance and technical help.
Beyond that we also have a couple of exciting projects we are working on…and as a result there has been rather few blog posts of late; apologies everyone…and have a very Happy Christmas wherever you are!
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In the first part of this series, we went through the process of getting familiar with Facebook places to help better understand how the check-in works. Today, I want to expand a bit on that to show you how you can actually use the check-in as incentive for customers to visit your location. We’ll also dig into two other players in the check-in market. This will prepare us for the final few parts of the series, where we’ll talk about Groupon style deals, and new media integration.
Why the Check-In Works
People check-in for two reasons:
1. Because we love to talk about ourselves, and checking-in creates a sort of “Truman Show” experience around our daily activities.
2. Check-in services are incentivized and people get rewards for using them.
Though local businesses can use both of these to their advantage, we’ll save point #1 for future discussion and focus primarily on what I like to call “the social media game layer.”
Enter Foursquare and Gowalla
While Facebook does this moderately well, the true champions of the checkin are Foursquare and Gowalla. Gowall-a-waaaaat? If you’re one of our Belfast (Northern Ireland) readers you may be unfamiliar with these players, however both are massive in the US & have growing popularity in the UK – we can certainly learn a thing or two from them…so let’s continue!
This game layer gives people instant feedback, in the form of badges and awards, for certain social media behaviors. For example, every time a user checks in to a location for the first time using Gowalla or Foursquare, they get a special badge. They can also earn badges for multiple visits, or multiple check-ins. The point being that local business owners can contact these services to have custom badges built, and then advertise this in their store.
e.g. Placing a sign on your counter that says: “Foursquare and Gowalla users – check-in here to get a custom badge!”
I know it sounds silly, but you’d be amazed by how many people love virtual currency and rewards.
Offering Deals
To take this a step further, picture this…
A customer walks in to your store and uses their phone to check-in with Facebook, Foursquare, or Gowalla. Suddenly, they get a popup with a special message from you, and a special coupon that they can use right here, right now. Do you think they’d take you up on it, and remember that experience? You bet!
Of course, they’ll also get a special badge for checking in, and a chance to talk about the experience on Facebook, Foursquare, and Gowalla. Now, any time someone new comes to your store, they’ll see these comments too. Suddenly, your store has a hip culture, and people start coming back more often. This is grassroots social media, and it’s something that many big businesses struggle to understand, which is where you can take advantage of them.
The Spread of the Check-In
As a final point, the check-in isn’t just for connecting buyer and seller. Every time someone checks in, that data shows up on their profile page, where all of their friends are able to see the places their friends check in most. See the value here?
If I’m in the mood for ice cream, and I see that my friends keep going to the same ice cream spot, maybe I’ll check it out. It’s referral marketing without communication, and it works wonders for small businesses.
To really get acquainted, you’ll want to check out Facebook Places, Gowalla, and Foursquare. If you have an iPhone or Android phone, download their apps (they are free) and play around a bit. If you own a brick and mortar location, send an email to their support teams to see how you can not only get added, but get your own custom schwag. You’re modern now, and it’s a beautiful thing!!!
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Firstly…apologies for the lack of blogging over the past month. Spiderhousepr have been rather busy setting up nearly 100 professional social media profiles during June!
Anyway….time to get back to it & practice what we preach!!!
Over the previous several weeks, we’ve been discussing a variety of social media strategies that you can use for your business, but on a macro level. Today, I’d like to dive in and take a closer look at some of the more practical applications of not just social media, but the Internet in general (watch out for future blog posts on Google Places and Local SEO). We’ll use these strategies to help your local brick and mortar business get more attention, and hopefully, drive more leads and sales through the front door.
To start, we’ll talk about something known as the “check-in,” which happened to be a technology pioneered by Foursquare and Gowalla (don’t feel bad if you don’t recognize the name, we’ll talk about them later), but made recognizable when Facebook implemented something called “Facebook Places.”
Why Facebook Places Matters
Facebook Places allows people to visit your location and “check-in” via Facebook mobile application. While on the surface this seems rather useless, the beauty of the check-in is that when people pull out the Facebook app on their smartphone, it automatically posts a link to your business, including a map to your location.
The interesting thing about this is that people can also post comments about their experience there, meaning that if they’re happy, they might say something great about your business, and if they’re upset, they might post a negative review.
So what does this do for you?
Several things really:
1. You can monitor mentions of your business and see what people are saying.
2. Your business gets displayed to friends of people who check-in, which gives you free advertising.
3. You have a chance to interact with the technologically savvy people in your target market.
The reality of Facebook Places is that people are probably checking in, whether you use it or not. If you aren’t watching or listening, then you are missing out on a lot of great information.
Also, if you can convince people to check-in to your location every time they visit, then you get free publicity via your customers, which is much more effective than an advertisement.
As you can imagine, this is a huge opportunity.
Getting Your Business Listed in Facebook Places
To find out if you are listed in Facebook places, you can search for your business in the Facebook search bar to see if there are any mentions of it. If you find one, you can click the link, where you’ll see text that says “Is this your business?” Click this and you’ll be taken to a registration page to claim and administer your business on Facebook Places.
If you don’t see it, then pull out your smartphone & open the Facebook app (if you don’t have it, ask a friend next time they visit your business premises) and add your location via the check-in feature. From there, check-in and visit your profile. You should now see the option to claim your business.
Once you complete the application, you’ll hear back from Facebook and be given the green light to administer the page.
We’re just getting started here, so in the next installment of this series we’ll discuss how to use Facebook places, as well as some other check-in services that people use. In the meantime, start checking out the check-in!
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August 2011
For the month of August 2011 spiderhousepr are pleased to bring you this fantastic limited offer for a branded Facebook landing tab…
Branded Facebook Tab For Just £79!
Bring Brand Consistency To Your Facebook Page
Order today – offer only valid during August and may be withdrawn at any time!
£79 CUSTOM FACEBOOK LANDING TAB
- Application setup
- Default Landing Tab Set
- Secure https hostingFrom October 2011 FB require all files & applications to be ssl - yours will be! 1 YEAR INCLUDED, then tiny hosting charge of £1 per month - yes; that was not a typo!
- Logo/header image
- ImageLarge image (supplied by client). We recommend something eyecatching - a photo or a 'call to action' graphic
- Web Address
- Email Address
- QR Code generatedSpiderhousepr provide free facilities for generating a QR code, however we will do this for you & link it to your Facebook page
- Business Address
- Social LinksIcons & links to your other social networks
- Like BoxA great feature - a box containing faces of people who have liked your page & a LIKE button
- Facebook Userguide
All images & graphics to be supplied by the client
Get Your Half Price Facebook Landing Tab Today!
This offer is valid for orders placed during August 2011 and may be withdrawn at any time.
The offer works out at half our normal rates & incorporates many advanced features. Your custom Facebook landing tab will bring your Facebook business page inline with your other business branding.
Custom landing tabs are proven to improve conversions on number of Facebook Likes and at this price everyone can afford to have a professional Facebook business page…
The Main Areas of a Facebook Landing Tab
This offer is valid for orders placed during August 2011 and may be withdrawn at any time.
We’ll keep this short and sweet – if you’re looking at this post you probably know why Linkedin is important and you will download the document!
There are 2 main groups of people who benefit from Linkedin;
1. Linkedin Professionals
Regardless of what you do, building your cv on Linkedin in is a powerful way of making you more attractive to potential employers. If your social networking skills are up there, you can also subtly communicate and interact with potential employers well in advance. Researching companies and owners (for interviews) is also very easy with Linkedin. In addition, your Linkedin profile will generally rank very highly for “your name” search engines such as Google.
2. Linkedin Companies & Business Owners
Promotion of your company via a Linkedin company page and your own personal networking skills is virtually a “must” these days. Although public companies are generally picked up by Linkedin you should make sure you check your details are correct. If you are not a public company you will need to add your company. In addition to general details, Linkedin now also allows you to add products and services within your company – have a look at the spiderhousepr Linkedin company profile to see what we mean!
How To Use Linkedin : Your Free Download
You can preview this on Slideshare – it is also free to download. Enjoy!
No Excuses!
This weekend we challenge you to spend 30mins improving your Linkedin presence!
]]>Today, we’ll dig into the final pieces of the puzzle so that you can walk away with an understanding of how to integrate a complete social media experience into your business’ natural marketing efforts.
The Nature of Viral Video
You’ve probably heard of the Old Spice guy and the ensuing viral youtube video campaign that put them at the top of the news wire for weeks, but what about Grasshopper ,or Rebecca Black ,? For that matter, take a look at how companies like TED get their message out, which is through free videos that get picked up and shared en masse in the social media sphere.
Though YouTube is the big player in the market, there are many options for hosting videos, such as Vimeo, Viddler, and Blip.tv. Though most of these sites do not provide any SEO value for posting links in video descriptions, they do give you the opportunity to post a link in order to get video traffic back to your site.
YouTube in particular is great for this because as the most used video platform on the Internet, there are millions of users visiting every day, which gives your videos instant visibility. By posting videos on YouTube, you can also embed them on your own blog or website in order to have multiple visitor entry points into your social funnel.
You can use video to instruct, share, or just help people get to know you and/or your business. Video works great for sales material and testimonials too.
Officially the 2nd biggest search engine in the world, youtube videos rank very highly and often contain a thumbnail within the search (making the listing stand out from the rest!) so combined with keyword research they can be a great source of business leads.
In a nutshell; if you want to get something to rank highly in the search engines, Youtube is a great way of doing it!
Getting Started with Video
Your first step should be to visit YouTube and spend time browsing through some of the more popular content. When you’re feeling good with that, sign up and create your company’s profile. Fill out any relevant information, and when you’re ready, start experimenting with video. You don’t have to make any of it public, but it’s great to get some experience as quickly as you can!
Tumblr, StumbleUpon and Social Bookmarking
Tumblr is so hip that most people don’t know that it’s there. It exists as a sort of underground movement, especially with the younger generations that don’t find any value in Twitter and/or blogging. Tumblr is a sort of micro-blogging platform that enables people to post, re-post, and bookmark their favorite people and pages.
Tumblr is part social network, and part blogging network, and because of this, can be used in ways that the other social networks cannot.
In the same vein as Tumblr lies a multitude of social bookmarking and sharing sites, such as Trunk.ly, Digg, Reddit (major underdog), StumbleUpon, and Hacker News.
Though each of these communities has a particular stylistic element and demographic speciality that makes them unique, they are all places where people share content, and where said content can achieve high amounts of traffic in short periods of time.
Getting Started with Social Sharing
It’s tough to explain Tumblr and it’s cohorts in just one post, but, if you have the resources, I recommend that you visit each of these sites and spend time getting acquainted with their mechanics and culture.
I wouldn’t recommend that you jump in and start posting links, but instead follow a few topics and/or influencers and watch their behavior. You can learn a lot in doing so.
However, these sites are no where near as popular as the previously discussed sites, especially in the United Kingdom so work with your resources and focus where you are going to see most return – especially if you are a small business.
The Right Social Media For Your Business : Wrap Up
Though this is the end of the series, it’s certainly not the end of our social media journey. Hopefully by now, you feel comfortable in your understanding of where to start and more importantly, how to take your learning to the next level. You’ll need it as we progress and move into more advanced topics!
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QR Code Marketing
QR codes (Quick Response codes) are hot! Essentially they are barcodes which can be scanned using most modern smartphones (app usually required – many are available fore free). Once scanned they do fancy things, like take you to a website url, display a message or open up a contact business card which you can save on your phone!
QR codes can be printed on anything – Tshirts, business cards, flyers, adverts, billboards, products, screens…you are only limited by your imagination. But that is only half the battle…what are you going to use them for?
21 Top Marketing Uses For QR Codes
1. Business cards – add a QRcode to your traditional business card. This will allow the receiver to give it quick scan and have all the details added to their phone.
2. Quick reviews – create a QR code linked to a review site (eg Google Places) and ask happy clients to leave an on-the-spot review. This could apply to virtually any business from printers to mechanics, restaurants to tourist hotspots.
3. Wear it on a Tshirt at networking events (especially if you’re a geek!). Again, a quick scan could provide your contact details or a link to a product you are promoting.
4. Competitions and prizes – much like a scratch card, you could distribute lots of cards with just a few “winners”.
5. Providing additional information – don’t want to clutter up your beautiful artwork with loads of text? Use a QR code and link it to an info page…or a youtube video!
6. Tracking and monitoring campaigns – QR codes can be quickly produced. Why not produce several and monitor the response using analytics?
7. Don’t leave empty-handed! Stores can use QR codes as a way of reminding customers what they’re missing – they might not buy the luxury sofa on the day but they could leave with a QRcode-generated image and fact sheet….something to ponder over rather than forget!
8. Estate agents, tour operators, service providers could use QR codes on advertising material to link to virtual tours, service reviews, videos of happy clients…or demonstrations. Can you imagine “for sale” or “for rent” signs you just scan and get an instant virtual tour?!?!
9. Local stores can link to online stores – direct to the product for immediate ordering. Take-aways with online ordering could utilise QR codes on menus.
10. Taxi firms and any business which are likely to be reached by telephone should use QR codes to create business card entries for mobile phones.
#RoyalWedding William & Kate – Could QR Codes Help Media?
11. Printed publications often become out of date quickly – QR codes can be used to link to “future” material within the body of an article of full details are not ready at the time of print. An example would be coverage of a major event – eg UK glossy Magazine ABC is going to print on Wednesday 27th April and has a big article on Prince William and Kate Middleton Royal wedding….by creating a QRcode advertising “view our live coverage and photos of the Royal Wedding” and linking to a pre-defined location, Magazine ABC is able to cover the event & upload the report before the magazine hits the shops! Newspapers could also create a QR code which always links to their “breaking news” on their website.
12. Recipies for food items….cocktails for spirits. QR codes expand anywhere space is limited and can provide complimentary information.
13. Instructional videos for complex DIY projects (and even not-so-complex ones!)
14. Updates – public transport & airports could link to service updates….high tech restaurants could even link to updates related to waiting times!
15. Interactive video Birthday/Greeting/Thankyou Cards – simply print your QRcode (point it to your youtube message first!)
16. Google Maps – link to your Google map so users can get directions to your business.
17. Interlinked “treasure hunts” – each QR code could link to a page or video with a clue or prize….then displays another QR code!
18. Presentations – add a QR code to the end with all your contact details….or a special offer
19. Link to a Paypal payment url
20. Using QR Codes to Facebook Like
Simply ammend the following and enter it as your url
http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=YOUR-URL
eg
http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http://facebook.com/spiderhousepr
Try Me! This QR Code will "like" spiderhousepr
It’s not the most glamorous but it works! And coupled with a Fan / Non-Fan Facebook landing tab this could be a very powerful marketing method.
For best results the user should be logged into Facebook.
21. Using QR Codes to Send A Tweet
OK…try this!
First make the Twitter URL
Using the Zeek Tool is the easiest way!
eg
http://tinyurl.com/6am3ga7
Try me - this QR code will create a Tweet!
For best results the user should be logged into Twitter.
Free QR Code Generator
Enter your details to create a business card or enter a URL. Simply right-click to download and save your free QR code!
I’m sure there’s also a multitude of quizes, pranks and geeky drinking games which could arise from QR codes….but we’ll leave you to figure those out by yourself! If you think of any please post them here & give us a giggle!
QR Code Scanners
Most modern phones which support apps and have a camera phone will be able to utilise QRcodes. The app I like to use is called RedLaser – it’s free 
If your reading this I really hope you found it before spending hours trawling the Addthis forums looking for answers or documentation. Just two simple steps are required to remove the intrusive “via @addthis” from your tweets and twitter button when using the WordPress plugin.
This short tutorial / guide was brought about after much frustration. Having installed the (excellent) Addthis WordPress plugin (for social bookmarking, sharing etc with analytics) it seemed everyone wanted to remove the intrusive “via @addthis” which is added to every tweet shared. There were no direct answers….at least none which I found easily explained (& I guess there are many out there who would agree!).
One of the things that causes a bit of confusion is that there are actually two buttons within addthis: Twitter and Tweet. Each button requires a different step to remove “via @addthis”.
Hopefully addthis will soon make this an option within the WordPress plugin….as it should be! Meanwhile here you go:
1. Removing Via @addthis from Twitter Button
This is the simplest…
1. go to your header.php file
2. paste this code at the bottom
<script type="text/javascript">
var addthis_share = {
templates: { twitter: ‘{{title}}: found here: {{url}} @spiderhousepr’ }
}
</script>
NB. This code could go anywhere on the page the button is being displayed – but for 99% WordPress users the easiest place to put it is in the header.php
2. Removing Via @addthis from Tweet Button
Please note that when you do this you are editing the Addthis plugin – this means when you upgrade the plugin it will probably be overwritten and you will need to do it again! It’s quick and easy though!
1. in the Addthis plugin folder find the file addthis_social_widget.php
2. go down to approximatly line 68
3. you should see this code:
<a class="addthis_button_tweet"></a>
4. you need to add the following code to the TWEET
tw:via="spiderhousepr"
eg the spiderhousepr code looks like this
<a class="addthis_button_tweet" tw:via="spiderhousepr"></a>
So hopefully that will save you a lot of frustration – it nearly drove me crazy! Don’t forget to bookmark this post – if you update Addthis plugin you will need to repeat the 2nd part (tweet button).
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In terms of social media Slideshare is often overlooked, however Slideshare is the largest online community for viewing and sharing presentations. You can view, upload, embed and easily share your business presentation across the web.
Although the volume of viewers is a fraction of the larger social networks, Slideshare commands a much more high-end, business-orientated clientele and ties in nicely with professional networks such as Linkedin. Slideshare is widely used by business decision makers, B2Bs, public companies and industry experts.
Creating even a simple presentation using PowerPoint or Keynote can be a time consuming process, by taking on board the tips below we hope you will maximize the return on your investment.
25 Slideshare Marketing Tips For Increased ROI
1. Choose a username that represents your business or your objectives well. eg your company name should be used to build your brand, however if you are not building a brandname then a more search engine friendly name may be more appropriate.
eg compare slideshare.net/hilton to slideshare.net/hotels or slideshare.net/warrenbuffett to slideshare.net/investmentconsultant
Your decision will be based on your company objectives – keyword rich names will be better for quick rankings whilst company names or brand names are better for slower, longer term growth.
2. Fully complete your profile. Ensure you have a branded image and your description contains relevant information and keywords -include your website url.
3. Include your business name, web address and contact details within the first few slides - many people will not watch until the end.
4. Also ensure your business name, web address and contact details are on the final slide.
5. Keep presentations short – this means there is more chance of the viewer watching to the end…and more chance of them wanting to see more (ie go to your website!). Around 10-15 slides is a good number.
6. Ensure presentations are highly visual with minimal plain text. You need to keep your viewers attention – rows & rows of text will not do it!!!
7. Include a “call to action” at the end – encourage viewers to visit your website or phone you. Entice them with a free download – a report or whitepaper.
8. Leave a good amount of space around your presentation – remember Slideshare will add navigation areas to left and right. Make sure important information is not too close to the edge!
9. If you find yourself using Slideshare a lot it may be worth looking at a “pro” account. They start at $19 per month and will allow you “30 leads per month” with a built in “lead capture” form. Details here: slideshare pro account
10. Add the presentations to your other social networks such as Facebook, Twitter & Linkedin
11. Ensure your Title is captivating and contains relevant keywords
12. Utilise tags for relevant keywords and keyphrases (separate with a comma)
13. The description should be compelling and contain relevant keywords. You can also add your website address (unfortunately this will not be clickable) and your full business address and telephone number (ideally exactly as Google have it in your Google Places account).
14. Embed your presentation on your blog & newsletter.
15. If you use Linkedin connect using the Linkedin Slideshare app (get it here! )
16. Think about uploading a pdf version of your presentation rather than the raw presentation – export from Powerpoint or Keynote as a pdf. This will ensure it is easy for people to download and will display properly on Slideshare
17. Submit your pdf to document sharing sites such as scribd.com or docshare.com
18. If embedding on your website click on “customize” (its a small link which appears when you click on “Embed”) and choose “Without related content” (unless you are happy to display related content – possibly competitors – alongside your presentation!).
19. Remember Slideshare default presentation is displayed at only 425px wide (small!). This is another reason to keep slides big, bold and with large text.
20. Those who are good with Powerpoint / Keynote should embed clickable links within the presentation and export as pdf. Before uploading to Slideshare check the links work – if they work on your pdf they should most likely work on Slideshare!
21. Make your links trackable using your service of choice (a url shortening service should do the trick!)
22. Keep an eye out for comments and respond! respond! respond!
23. Follow other users (there are some really clever people out there freely sharing information) and set your notifications to update you when a new presentation is added!
24. Turn your presentation into a youtube video & gain more exposure
25. To maximize exposure carry out keyword research first and ensure the title of all submissions (eg to Slideshare, Youtube, Scribd etc) utilize the best phrases
Slideshare Marketing Summary
Hopefully you found that list useful – why not bookmark it and use it as a checklist? (PC users: CTRL+D / Mac users: Apple-Shift-D – works for most keyboards/browsers!). We estimate spending an extra 30mins working though some of these points will have a great impact on the return you receive on you presentation.
Oh! And we always appreciate a re-tweet or Facebook like 