It can be a bit of a minefield when you first join up, so we have put together a little guide for you to help you along your merry Facebook way….

Once you have an idea of the type of page you want to create and what it is you want to achieve with it, there are 6 types of Facebook page available to you. We’ve laid out the options below, with some information on each to help make that decision all the easier to make.

#1 The Local Business/Place Page.

The local Business/Place pages are perfect for businesses that conduct business in a particular location, or set to one particular place (such as hair or beauty salons, local tea and cake café etc).

When using these options, you will also be able to take advantage of Facebook’s location feature. This enables users to ‘check-in’ to your business, which will in turn appear on your page, their timeline, and their friend’s newsfeed. Using this tool is not only a great way of getting the word out about who you are and what you do, but its a perfect step towards promotion and marketing your business (ie. check in for a free Latté).

The local page also gives you extra options when it comes to filling out your information; such as opening hours and parking facilities. There are a variety of businesses to choose from, and once you have completed your details (Business name/address/phone number) you are ready to rock ‘n’ retail!

#2 The Company/Organisation/Institution Page.

This page generally fits the needs of a few groups of people. It is suited to those that sell online through their own website, or those that have multiple locations and business addresses for various branches in various locations

Think of Waitrose for example, far too many addresses to…well, address. Whereas “Flower and Fauna Online Bouquet” design have no fixed ‘point’ and use their website on the large part for sales and revenue.

#3 The Brand/Product Page.

The brand/products page is one for promoting just that. If you have a service or product that does not have a location (as above) but ideal for promoting products, services or brands that do not sell from a specific physical location such as Coca-Cola, a particular book, or a freelance massage therapist.

If your products are sold through more than one website or stocked by more than one reseller / retailer (or will be in the future), select the ‘Brand or Product’ page type.

This is the right page type for products with brand names and is where the likes of Apple, Coca Cola, Maybelline and Adidas hang out.

Start by selecting your best match page category, which includes:

#4 The Artist/band/Public Figure Page.

You don’t need to be a GaGa or Ghandi to bag yourselves a Public Figure page. Whilst the Artist/Band sections are fairly self explanatory, the Public Figure has a bit more leeway than you would think.

This sort of page would work well for professionals who promote themselves as their own brands. Authors, Life Coaches, Actors, Consultants; you can find them all with their own PF page. As personal profiles are capped at 5000 friends (!!) this would be a natural progression for your line of work.

It is also worth bearing in mind however that using “your personal profile for commercial gain” is against Facebooks terms of use, so it is best to avoid this at all costs.

#5 The Entertainment Page.

Whilst in the past it was largely used for the best known TV shows, Tours and Magazines, in our digital day and age, it has become a much more diverse page type.

More and more people are self publishing books and magazines to suit their tastes with many contributing, and more local theatres and groups are using the social site to promote their events and performances. This page is a great derivitive from the ‘Brand’ page, especially for an Author (who could be deemed a brand) and their book (which is good for their book publicity).

#6 The Cause/Community Page.

Again, this sort of page is fairly self-explanatory (to a point), however there are some key areas that are worth highlighting and considering when looking at this sort of page.

If you are a not-for-profit organisation, this may seem the obvious choice, however these pages are more suited to community discussion/debates/ideas/movements. Within the ‘Local Business’ or ‘Company Organisation’ there are drop downs/options specifically for NFPs, and more suited to the information you will need displaying on your page.

Some examples of pages that are suited to this category are those related to mental health discussion, green living movements (“avoid X product due to X”) or other communities with similar values and points of discussion.

“But which is the one for me?”

They key to picking the right Facebook Page is to thinking of your audience first, and how they will view you and your page. For example, if you are a museum and a non-profit, the chances are your audience will think of you as a museum primarily, so that will be the one to go with.

This will also help you be found on Facebook, as correctly categorising your page will help with your relevancy and the number of likes you will receive.

Do I need multiple pages?”

There are only very few occasions where a business or brand would need multiple pages. Ford for example have a number, including a Company page (Ford Motor Company) a brand page for each of its individual brands, Product pages for each of its vehicles, and a community page for fans of the brand to discuss and debate.

Of course, large brands such as Ford are generally the exception, and if you are having trouble picking a category for your page, have another rethink over your targets and goals are from having a page. Is it to promote discussion? Awareness? Promoting a product? An event? A service?

When you take it all back to basics, it all turns out to be much simpler than you first thought.

Happy Facebooking!

Available to all users after a trial to a select few (with full roll-out to brands in the Summer), the new look layout is one that is suited to all devices, as the trend for its use on mobile and tablet rockets day by day (and one that will only ever increase for many years to come…)

“So what is really new?!” we hear you cry – and for good reason! At first glance, it may not seem aesthetically all that different, but once you start exploring and engaging, there is a lot more that meets the eye. We have put together the 5 key things you need to know about YouTube’s new look.

#1 Layout.

First things first, here is the low-down with the new layout.

The customizable background is no more, however now in its place is “Content Art”. This is a photo banner that automatically resizes depending on the browser and device used to view it. Not only will this improve your brands look on the channel, but the new image allows unlimited amount of text and calls-to-action (previously it was rather frowned upon).

Also gone is the ‘image mapping’ function, replaced with the ability to add links that show up as icons on your Channel Art. You can list up to four sites (great for cross social engagement and click-thrus to your website!), which is a fantastic step forward for brands and businesses alike.

#2 Channel Trailer.

For ‘non-subscribers’ (those that have not chosen to ‘follow’ your brand’s channel) the landing page now features a Channel Trailer that automatically begins when a visitor lands on your page/channel. This is a great addition to the site, giving you the chance to give users an inside look as to what you’re all about. Be it a brief description about your channel, promoting specific campaigns or competitions, or just a fun insight into who you are and what you do, it gives you a unique opportunity to produce engaging video content.

#3 “The Guide”.

The new “Guide” lives on the left hand side of every YT page, showing a comprised look of every user’s subscribed channels. Users can use their Guide to navigate back to a specific channel with speed and ease with a single click, optimising their navigation to the content they care about most.

#4 Content Sections.

On top of the introduction of the Channel Trailer, brands now have greater control over how their content is displayed to their target audience. Sections can contain playlists, videos, or even both if you so choose, allowing users to view a more ‘unique’ visit compared to competitors in the days of Yester-YouTube.

#5 Community Tabs.

Instead of *just* videos, YouTube have added tab functionality, creating more of the ‘one-site-mini-site’ we see with Facebook. The new tabs allow users to interact with channels on a variety of levels.

• Overview/Home tab: This is where the new Channel Trailer and sections lieve for non-subscribers.
• Videos tab: This displays all of your business video content.
• Discussion tab: A great new function, where YouTube has allowed a more ‘community approach’ for its users, allowing them to comment directly on the Channel – as well as specific videos (the only option available in the past).
• About tab: This tab will inform your visitors about you. Your brand, business, and everything they need to know about YOU. This should include what your channel offers, as well as other platforms and other ways of engaging.
• Custom tab: The custom tab has its own unique URL, and is the only part of the new design which can be targeted based on IP addresses. Using this all-new IP address targeting capability, the Custom tab is extremely useful for users who want to create a variety of channel appearances, for example, a global effect targeting users from each country with specific content. This function can only be available however once a YouTube rep has verified your brand (time will soon tell how quick/efficient this service will become).

 Why these changes should matter to you and your business.

Whilst the ‘old’ YouTube focused merely on video-only content, the new look and revamp creates a far more dynamic visual platform for them to engage with their users, and vice versa. 

The new features and community spirit not only emphasises the importance of rich engaging content, but the importance of regular content on social channels, and keeping interest once a user has clicked that all important ‘subscribe’ button.

This shift is incredibly important for business, and turns the once “look at the cute kittens” and “sing-a-long karaokes” into a true social media platform, ready to rival the others in the ring.

Whilst the community aspect is of course of utmost importance, the real key is grabbing their attention from the get-go. By maximising that first landing page and Channel Art. With the new-approved calls-to-action and workable links, it is a chance that is so often missed and looked over (and unavailable on other social sites thus far: Twitter for example) whilst

With the new look gauged to improve usability for all devices and browsers, make sure your business is upping their game, with a design that will not only catch their eyes, but catch their custom as well.

For further information about our Custom YouTube Design work, please get in touch. We also have a portfolio where we have displayed other designs we have worked on, a great place to gain a few ideas (and of course, a chance for us to show off a little…!).

Clean 4 You came to Codastar with the view to “clean up” their social platforms, to remain competitive in an increasing competitive industry.

First up was their Facebook page, with a cover banner and “About Us” tab. The new look gave them an eye-catching page with a comprehensive covering of all their services and customer testimonials – an important aspect of  a customer-centric industry such as cleaning.

The cover design lent itself well to the other networks (Twitter, Linkedin Services and Google+), creating a unified look across all the networks.

Linkedin was developed with a variety of ‘services’ available to customers, a network that is all too often neglected by business, but can now be used as a key tool for customer generation and networking.

Twitter and Google+ are both maximised on the large visual nature of the profiles, including clear calls-to-action in their covers and backgrounds.

By creating investing in their social networks, and creating one consistent image across all platforms, Clean 4 You have a professional branding socially, encouraging cross network communication for all their customers – old and new.

The Low-Down…

First things first, for those new to the business Facebook page world, what is EdgeRank?

In Facebook terms, an “Edge” is defined as any activity that occurs on Facebook (be it Likes, Comments, RSVPs, Tags, etc) that can potentially create a newsfeed story. From that, the EdgeRank algorithm is used by Facebook to filter newsfeeds and show the most relevant posts for that particular user.

The algorithm itself is split into three main focuses:

• Affinity The Affinity score is measured by the relationship you have with the user that created the “edge.” The more ‘interconnected’ you are, the higher the score. Also, if a large number of your friends all like a similar page, there is a higher chance of that content arising in your newsfeed.
• Weight There are two Weight types: post and interactions. EdgeRank takes the Weight of posts into account by determining what type of post it is – be it a photo, video, link, or text only status update.  Shares and comments require more input/work from an end user, and therefore are ranked higher in ‘weight’ as these actions reach more users (than compared to a simple ‘like’ for example).
• Decay An obvious sentiment, but a sentiment all the same – an old story is a dead story. Whilst Facebook does not order its ‘edges’ chronologically, it does factor in Time to its algorithm. The vast majority of engagement occurs within minutes after a post has been published. So unless people happen to scroll through your page out of principle, old stories are lost forever.

The Good Bits…

From 2011-12, the amount of all time spent on Facebook, specifically on the newsfeed/timeline went from from 27% to 40%, so with Facebook maximising what it is people will automatically see by using EdgeRank, the content viewed by the end user will be far more targeted, therefore far more likely to be shared or commented on.

With targeted posting, it also helps the more ‘white hat’ of pages; those that have fans through hard work and genuine authenticity (rather than having deeper pockets and buying their numbers). In the end, if you have real people, looking for real information, and you are a real help and real interest, it really can’t be a bad thing at all….can it?

The Bad Bits…

At times it can seem that Facebook think with their wallets rather than the paying and unpaying users. Whilst targeted marketing is widespread across the internet (Google of course being a prime example of such), as a user (less a business) you do feel a little…cheated.

You like a page because you enjoy their information, their posts, their photos. If you didn’t want to see it, why would you have clicked ‘like’ in the first place? Similarly, if you no longer like a page, we are quick enough to head over and swiftly check the ‘unlike’ box.

However, Facebook don’t seem to deem our own judgement on our own pages worthy. Nor does the algorithm pick up tone or sarcasm to a level that could influence what it is that ultimately appears on our timelines.

Could it all just be a ruse for Facebook to bang an extra buck from our business?

Overall…

Lets be honest, our thoughts (or anyone elses!) on the matter really won’t make all that much different to their pocket-laden ideas anyway. However, the key to success is understanding the algorithm, and knowing how to maximise your posts to ensure that they receive the coverage they deserve. Although the future may hold the odd tweak here and there for EdgeRank, it seems that it is here to stay.

This year really seems to be the ‘Year of Google’ already, with multiple updates and changes – its a wonder anyone can keep up (or perhaps maybe that is their rather secretive point?)

Google have recently announced the ability for companies to offer users a single point of access to their application – similar to Facebook Connect/Facebook Social Plug in – allowing users to view a simplified sign-in outside of Google when installing/using apps for Android or iOS.

“What are Google up to?”

Lets face it, Google+ is still at least third in line to the social media throne – and that is still a matter of opinion. However, Google are pulling out all the stops and addressing the previous issues that users were citing that G+ simply wasn’t up to the job.

With auto-option sign in, this allows Google (and G+ to expand its role as the ultimate network of choice. No-one likes a lengthy log on, so with the option of a quick Google-info-input, Google are expecting their online registration and conversion (alongside their online engagement) to increase ten fold.

On the upside of this new sign-up-option, Google has promised to only publish information with specific user information and permissions (a dramatic flaw with Facebook’s sign up), and also refrain from almost virally spreading posts and updates all over your social stream – unless completely relevant (although, Facebook promised similar on their launch, so this may be a ‘watch this space’ moment).

“…what does this mean for business?”

It means quite a lot actually! No doubt a large majority of businesses already use Facebook’s plug-in for ease of sign ups and registrations, however as a result, Facebook has become rather polluted and busy.

Already hundreds of big name brands have signed up to the new G+ sign up 0 Shazam, USA Today, The Guardian, and Flixter to name a few.

Not only will the use of such sign ups give these companies access to data for on-site/app downloads, it gives them vital information about users activity.

Using Shazam as an example, the new improved sign in will give great insights into user behaviour – music styles, genres, industries – allowing more targeted in-app and on-page advertising. With over 300 million users, that is a massive amount of marketing opportunity.

“Share, share, and share alike…”

As mentioned at the beginning of this blog post, whilst G+ have promised not to become a Spam Artist with torrents of updates and irrelevant information – they have made some interesting steps to promote postive sharing on their site behind the scenes:

• INTERACTIVE SHARING

An “interactive sharing” button has been introduced on G+ for design teams, which allows developers to direct users to the most relevant pages on their web/mobile apps to ‘buy/review/listen’ or any other action on their site. 

• SELECTIVE SHARING

The Top Bods at G+ said they are keen to ensure that developers cannot stream information automatically into their users feeds. This is almost applying a ‘white hat’ approach to social marketing, and is indeed a turn for the better. This ‘selective’ sharing that only the best detailed content will be hitting customers screens.

With these changes in mind, users will find themselves faced with correctly marketed content, and as a result we can only predict a rise in conversion across the board. If users are being shown completely tailored (not just a ‘bot’ having a guess) they are more likely to investigate, giving CTRs the chance to soar.

If you take one step further, this will also encourage users to share content and information to specific ‘circles’ (which lets face it, this ‘selective social sharing’ is a fantastic part of G+ and that is leaps and bounds ahead of any competitor) ensuring your social reach is at its optimum.

All in all, we can see nothing but positive in this latest update, and maybe perhaps will give G+ the head start it needs to compete with an ever polluted Facebook?

Let us know what you think below:

When it came to retail searches and advertisements, King Rober…we mean…Google has always been very clear cut in their SEO affairs. Upon a search for a product (Game of Thrones box sets for example!) You will be returned a page with the following featured:

• a slightly coloured section  depicting ‘ad words’ results.
• “related searches” result/s (new season soon to hit Sky for example)
• normal SEO results, and most importantly -
• product results (unpaid, unsponsored, unaltered).

However, it appears in recent times, Google have taken some very Joffrey-esque steps to shake things up a bit.

This is the new view you would be greeted with upon conducting the above search:

As you can see, the previously unaltered area of retail is now displayed on the far right, with a clear ‘sponsored’ symbol in the corner. In this new regime, Google have replaced the previously untouched retail listings (detailed previously by suppliers who filled out their details to feature) with listings from sponsored (ie. paid) suppliers who are there, alas, as per the depth of their coin purses and their weight in gold.

“Valour is a poor substitute for numbers.”

The logic behind their big change, is Google attempted to “build delightful shopping experiences for consumers in close partnerships with merchants”. Their view is that the ‘paid’ aspect will actually improve the service to consumers as it ensures companies are keeping their information up to date with suitable deals and offerings, which in turn creates higher quality traffic.

However, as a consumer – their trust will begin to wither like a flower in winter.

It has been said and shown many a time that consumers like the idea of ‘natural’ results – the idea that the best option as per Google, is because it is exactly that. With new sponsored listings, it appears that the recommended retailers are not in fact always going to be the  ’best buy’ – but those who have invested in return for selection. No longer will more local selections appear, and the plight of the small/medium business seems to be fading away into the nether-parts of ‘page 2′.

“You may well have the better claim, but I have the larger army.”

With these new changes in mind, it could prove havoc for smaller merchants. Once again, the future seems to hold not what we should see, but who wants to be seen the most (and lets face it, it will be dominated as our example shows by big brands such as Amazon and Play.)

Whilst other merchants will still be displayed in organic form, its hard to deny that the eye naturally moves to the images of these sponsored sales pitches, and as a result, could see higher traffic than the SEO seas of yesterday.

“Never forget what you are, the rest of the world will not.”

Whilst this may seem negative for the smaller/medium masses out there, it is key to remember the importance of your own personal brand and message.

Whilst you perhaps cannot afford to compete with the likes of Amazon and Play, this is perhaps a great time to invest in other avenues of digital marketing.

Ensure your Local SEO is maximised and you are targeting your audience on a wider spectrum of social platforms.  Whilst Google have taken away one avenue – remember that there are a hundred more in its place, and success is still out there – should you be brave enough to face it and grab it with both hands.

1. Rolling Stone Magazine

Despite their lack of a much needed ‘?’ on their post, this is clever use of Vine, and one that is easily replicable and simple to create. Everyone likes a sneaky look at the future – it makes them feel that extra bit special.

Rolling Stone Top Tip: Whether its a new product or service you are launching (however frequent) give your customers a ‘peak behind the curtain’ at what it will be. Showing teasers and asking customers to get involved with the who’s, why’s and where’s is also a great platform for a competition launching said product or service.

2. ASOS

After a recent survey eluded that as a population we found online shopping rather boring, ASOS came up with a great way to tackle it with their #ASOSUnbox hashtag. They encouraged users to share the contents of their orders in their own Vine creation, leading to the campaign taking off massively.

ASOS Top Tip: Encourage your family, friends and fans to share and put together their own content. Create a unique hashtag, and let the creativity commence!

3. Buzz Feed

We find this video hard to watch without breaking into a smile! Its simple, short and effective.

Buzz Feed Top Tip: You don’t need to be an internet whizz to create engaging and shareable content on Vine. It is a great opportunity to introduce members of your team, share business events, birthdays, anniversaries. It is the perfect opportunity to give your brand depth and personality.

4. Cadbury UK

Cadbury UK Top Tip: Always remember to thank your audience, however big or small. It really does mean a lot to your customers old and new to know that you appreciate that without them, you wouldn’t be any sort of success at all.

5. Bacardi UK

If you work in the food and beverage industries, no matter how big or small your business, this is a great example of a use of Vine, with a 6 second cocktail lesson in a few easy steps.

Bacardi UK Top Tip: Any industry can get creative, especially if your industry is a highly visual one. Match wines to food, use flip charts and cards to share instant information and recipes – the main ingredient you need? Is a dash of imagination!

With the talk of late of Politicians causing ever the uproar by commenting rudely on fellow colleagues and constituents, and many a footballer putting their over-priced football boots right in it, we decided here at Codastar it was time we reflected on our childhood lessons and help these poor people out.

We’ve delved into the internet (and around the office) to put together our top tips on how to improve your social media ‘netiquette’, by remembering the cries and catchphrases of our younger days, and how to keep your social platforms (be them personal or professional) squeaky clean.

#1 “If you have nothing nice to say then don’t say anything at all..”

As mentioned above – some people just can’t seem to help themselves when it comes to dropping themselves in a big ol’ pot of hot water and controversy. A certain well known footballer seems to go out of his way to cause drama on Twitter, and far too many companies (generally speaking on the small/medium sized end of the scale, though many large corporations are just as guilty!) use their platforms as a soap box to air their 140 characters worth of disdain and disappointment.

Of course, we all have an opinion, and social media is a great platform for solving problems in a time frame that we otherwise would never have been able to even 1 year ago (think phone companies and support accounts), however there is a right and wrong way to go about it. Especially when it comes to controversial news items. Remember, once it is out there, there is little you can do to take it back – and the damage a post could do to your integrity in the heat of the moment just isn’t worth the aggravation.

#2 “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket…”

When it comes to social presence, there is no one platform that outranks another – you need cross platform engagement and brand continuity. Of course, different styles are required for each and every site. More in depth posts and imagery works wonders over on Facebook, whereas a neatly placed hashtag can work wonders on Twitter.

Once you have gained your cross platform presence you gain authenticity as a brand, and give your customers (current or future) different mediums in engaging with you. With more and more focus moving to customer service (and expected response times an hour or less for people to keep their cool) it is more and more important to not only hear what your  followers and fans have to say, but respond and discuss the questions and queries they have.

#3 “Do unto others as you would have them do to you…”

When it comes to Twitter (and even Linkedin to some extent) you can’t sit back and wait for things to happen. It simply doesn’t work like that. If you want people to interact with you? You need to start interacting with them too. Many companies still insist on the robotic approach to social media – but people want to see that they are interacting with people. Inject some personality to your social media feeds and brand. Share funny stories, comment on questions. By showing there is a real person on the end of your 140 characters people are more likely to engage with you in return, and hopefully in the long term, convert into a little something more.

#4 “A chain is only as strong as it’s weakest link..”

Lets face it – everyone…yes, EVERYONE is on social media nowadays. That includes every single one of your employees. We’ve all heard the horror stories of fired or ex staff members going rogue and as a result viral (for all the wrong reasons).

The importance of your overall appearance on social media can come down to every last cog in your business. If you work for a food company, and your staff are tweeting about their hangover and antics from the night before, it doesn’t seem all that appetising. If they are slating services or completely controversial in their own social presence, it will ultimately have an effect on your brand too.

It is becoming more and more common for social media clauses to be part of employment contracts, and its a safe thing to do. It is also wise to have a quick ‘Google’ of prospective employees, to check they aren’t airing their dirty laundry (sometimes quite literally!) in public.

#5  ”Good things come to those who wait..”

We’ve said this many times, but social media is an a ‘slow and steady’ type race, and building organically is the only way to go. Still so many companies and individuals insist on buying followers and fans, acquiring tens of thousands overnight. To be blunt, it looks phoney and fake – and people aren’t stupid. If you are a local bistro and have a strong following in the local area, but have more followers than there are residents – then you’re going a little wrong. Whilst a strong presence is necessary to succeed, remember that you need a presence with the right people. It comes down to quality of quantity, and focusing on that quality will naturally expand your reach and gain your business the necessary authenticity to gain said success.

If you find yourself in a muddle, and tangled up in Vine(s), here’s our handy little guide with everything you need to know about it – for overall and for business.

“Lets get back to basics… what is Vine?”

To put it super simply, Vine is Twitter’s answer to Instagram – except in video form. Except of course, Instagram and photos are sooo 2012.

Twitter as a network is based around interaction and user generated content and media. Websites, photos, videos, blogs – its ever viewing, ever sharing, and ever spreading your message across its platform.

There are a few other “social video” based sites around already, such as Viddy and Socialcam, however both of which found themselves starting from scratch, and trying to penetrate the impenetrable loyal social user. Twitter however, already has a loyal following of over 500,250,000 active users – all of which are open to new updates and extras to enhance their tweeting experience.

Vine is a standalone iOS app (although we can’t imagine it would be long before fully integrated into twitter) that allows users to make a short 6 second video that runs on loop.

Easy to use, it allows users to record by holding their thumb against the screen, stopping recording on release which go on to be shared with the Vine community, or further by Twitter and Facebook.

“Only 6 seconds? Why should we bother?”

Its a fact of the digital age, and something we are all guilty of.

We get bored.

Fast.

Really fast.

If you have the audacity to have the site or YouTube video that takes a while to load or freezes…. we will hold it against you. Probably indefinitely – as we will find what we’re searching for elsewhere.

6 seconds however, is small. Quick. Punchy. Its over in an instant. This medium gives you a short sharp way to show users what you are all about. “6 seconds? Yeah, we may as well give it a gander!”. Users will be more inclined to share or just ‘give it a go’ because relatively the time lost watching isn’t much at all.

“How can we use Vine for business?”

The first (and probably obvious) thing to remember is that 6 seconds goes by very quickly. Ensure you plan any content in advance and aren’t just creating for the sake of creating. Here are some top tips for your video:

1. Copyrights Avoid background music, art, television, anything that could hold a copyright and land you and your company in hot water. Similarly, if you film adults/models you require consent from all involved – so public places could prove a problem if in a busy city for example.
2. Audio Quality Your audio quality is just as important as your video. As above, avoid anything copyrighted (so if someone in the office has a radio playing, or a phone rings during etc) and again, if in public wary of sensitive language or loud noises.
3. Creativity Its pretty early days for Vine and those companies that have adopted it thus far, so the sky is really the limit with your creativity. Show snapshots of something being built to represent your brand or business (you don’t even have to work in construction – use Lego or Plasticine in a ‘Nick Park‘-esque fashion) if you’re feeling arty. Showcase your office and introduce your team (blowing out candles on a Birthday, or telling their favourite joke) or film ‘teasers’ for new products that you’re due to launch in the future. The video world really is your 6-second oyster.
4. Share it Much like all other content you create for your business, remember to integrate it into your other channels! Once you have created your video, it is stored in your phone’s album, making it easy to share socially – either via Twitter, Youtube, Facebook, or even embed it into your blog/website.

“So, in conclusion?”

Despite a few fairly severe hiccups in the early days of launch (where pornography was featured in their “Editor’s Picks” section of the app, forcing Vine to remove that particular ‘Editor Faves’ listing and up the app age from “12 and up” to “17 and older”) their reputation seems to be battling back to becoming reputable once more.

Despite content on the large part being family friendly, remember that the site is unmoderated and user generated – with Vine not prohibiting any pornographic content.

The chances of your customer’s coming across said content is probably fairly slim due the high volume of videos uploaded by us everyday sort of folk. Keep in mind that the chance is still there for them to stumble upon an unsavoury video from time to time.

For this alone, perhaps it is not a wise medium for businesses dealing with tots, toddlers and teens – it needn’t be said that it would be completely inappropriate should such an issue arise and could potentially damage your brand.

However, this being said – it is a great app and a great way of sharing a snippet of ‘something’ to your social gatherings. Keep you posts to a minimum (or at least limit – it is very easy to become carried away!) and apply the usual principles of marvelous marketing to your posts – reward your customers where possible, and ensure you are engaging and entertaining.

With this in mind and by keeping your postings PG and polite you could be on your way to video-sharing victory!

Google have gone to the dark side, and on top of their ever changing algorithms, have increasingly introduced their ‘not provided’ notification.

Keyword research has always been a key part of any SEO strategy. Ranking for keywords, links for keywords, content rich with keywords, tracking keywords. They are…well, pretty key. However it seems more and more of organic search traffic has been branded with the”Not Provided” label, leaving more and more of your analytics left in the dark.

“I’ve got a very bad feeling about this.”

Google rolled out encrypted search in 2011, citing at the time it would affect only a “single digit percentage of all Google Searches”. However as of late, we among many other businesses have seen over a 50% chunk of search traffic falling under that category; which is simply shocking, with it only set to rise as more and more internet users find themselves within the roll out of further encrypted search.

But what does this ‘encrypted search’ actually mean?

Usually in the past, when a visitor clicked on a link in the search results of their chosen search and visited your site, you can view a full URL from the search engine and subsequent results page from whence that particular visitor came. Your analytics software would pick this up as an ‘organic search’ and divvy out the keywords as necessary for your digital marketing pleasure.

However now with so many users carrying out searches whilst signed into their Google Account (which is fairly common lets face it – especially with their recorded 100m active users) their search data is no longer deemed ‘anonymous’ so they have added a securer element to their HTTP.

Adding the ‘S’ to their HTTP results in your browser stripping out the ‘Referrer’ element of the process, leaving the entire digital process null in void. The browser only sends the domain name as your referrer instead of an entire URL. As a result, your analytics is only provided with “https://www.google.com” rather than a comprehensive keyword you can use for optimising….anything at all.

As “cause and effect” goes, this is the reason we are stuck with the unpleasant side affect of the ‘not provided’ problem.

“When I left you, I was but the learner, now I am the marketer.”

There is no doubt that as the use of HTTPS continues to rise, the subsequent effect on keyword research and SEO as a whole. It even affects the Google Premium accounts (an even sharper sting than the $90,000pa price tag).

Should the ‘NPs’ continue, we will soon be dropping the ‘SE’ for just an ‘O’, however when it comes to Google PPC, no such deductions seem necessary…

Whilst our keyword research is disappearing before our eyes, seemingly for security reasons, Google are ready to dish out the very same data when it comes to PPC/Paid Adwords traffic.

In short: Pay Google for your advertising and then they will wave the “privacy” reason given for “not provided” data and reveal everything…

As sceptical as we are, it seems there is little we can do about changing the situation (we refer of course to our prior article “Forget the ‘Barrel Roll’…does Google Search have us over one?“) and the relationship between marketers and our master seems to be waning day by day. But what can we do to improve things?

“I suggest a new strategy, R2..”

Well, whilst we can’t quite control the data we’re receiving from tracking keywords and rankings, we can control capturing our visitors when they’ve landed on our website.

As we can no longer see a large proportion of where people have come from, we can still control where they end up. Switch your focus from SEO to OSO – on site optimisation.

• Identify low and high converting landing pages, and ensure they not only align with your overall marketing strategies, but ensure they are promoted effectively through all your channels too.
• Give old content a revamp and refresh turning it into higher performing fresh content.
• Remember to re-promote and reintroduce high converting offers to your users to continue their success and conversions.

Oh, and uh.. May the force be with you.