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Uncovering the true value of mobile apps to business
“There’s an app for that” was once a key selling point of Apple’s iPhone range and had organisations scrambling to create them. But studies show that consumers limit their usage to a few core applications and many never get opened. So, what’s the true value of developing mobile apps? New Media Knowledge quizzed one expert for the lowdown. By Chris Lee.
moreEmail marketing and social media are top areas of investment in 2012
92% of business plan to increase or maintain marketing budgets in 2012; Data integration cited as top email marketing challenge. By Kara Trivunovic.
moreInternational remittances sent via mobile handsets to reach $55 billion in 2016 as service use rises
A new report from Juniper Research has found that nearly $55 billion in international remittances will be enabled via mobile devices in 2016, up from less than $12 billion this year. By Windsor Holden.
moreHow apps are changing the way people make business and marketing decisions
Just as apps for smartphones and tablet PCs ARE revolutionising the way we live our lives - communicating, shopping, travelling and more - they have also changed approaches to business and marketing. MicroStrategy explains how bespoke apps based on a company’s own data can provide unparalleled insight and allow executives to make informed decisions in real-time. By Paul Devlin.
moreThe DIY University or Business School: how to build your own agile learning experience with social media
The hardest things we learn — how to speak and many other life skills — we learn mainly through self-directed improvisation. That method didn’t scale to meet the needs of industrial society, but as those needs change and the sophistication of online resources and tools make self-organised learning scalable, the time is right for agile, improvised learning methods to reassert themselves, argues David Jennings.
moreDWPub releases new ‘Social media in the public sector’ whitepaper
Media communication company DWPub has released a new whitepaper to help public sector organisations learn how best to use social media. By John Shewell.
moreUsing digital marketing to target local audiences
Targeting local audiences is a key aim for many businesses, but they can be difficult to reach. This article explores five digital tools and services that can help companies cut through the noise and get their messages across to local customers. By Chris Bunyan.
more5 secrets of building a great business website
In this article, Abby Hardoon discusses the insights into the most important factors in building a website that attracts and retains online visitors.
morePressure on marketers intensifies in 2012: Interview with Adobe Systems
With more than half of companies predicted to cut their marketing spend in 2012, marketers are under more scrutiny than ever to deliver solid returns on investment. New Media Knowledge talked exclusively to Adobe Systems UK about social marketing and measurement in 2012. By Chris Lee.
moreNokia Lumia fails to halt smartphone sales slump
Nokia’s set of recent results for 4Q11 show some of its worst results ever for a final quarter. By David McQueen.
moreCreative Industries Council endorses Skillset Skills Group's plans to boost skills and talent
Skillset has been charged by the Creative Industries Council and UK Government to implement a series of skills and talent-focused initiatives that will help the sector remain a driver of growth for the UK economy. By Nick Sheridan.
moreWomen are best at being social on social media
Results of extensive study reveals gender divide in use of social media- and how celebrities exploit social media to connect with their fans. By Fatihah Iman.
more2011: The Year of App Monetization
The year started out with predictions for the “Year of the App” but 2011 was really all about Freemium as free apps dominated the app marketplaces and mobile advertising began to mature beyond static banners. By Dale Carr.
moreHow will Facebook Timeline impact brands?
Facebook rolled out its “Timeline” feature last year for individual users to chronicle their lives in a boldly laid-out format. With the Timeline format potentially set to roll out for brand pages too, how will this impact businesses? New Media Knowledge asked around. By Chris Lee.
moreLooking ahead: Search marketing in 2012
Search marketing is firmly on the table on the corporate agenda. In 2012 research predicts increased spend, but what will does 2012 have in store for the search marketing industry? New Media Knowledge delved into its contacts book to ask around. By Chris Lee.
moreConsumers are demanding customer service on social media
Businesses without a customer service social media strategy put reputation and customer loyalty at risk. By Joe Doyle.
moreActinic Q4 2011 survey shows marginable uplift in sales for UK SME online retailers
The sixth quarterly UK online sales survey conducted by ecommerce specialist Actinic shows a slight increase in online retail sales for small to medium enterprises (SMEs) in the fourth quarter of 2011 compared to Q4 2010. By Jane Lee.
moreIs 2012 the Year of Social Business? – Possibly!
There have been numerous reports predicting 2012 will be the year of social business, and the increasing popularity of ‘digital transformation’ services touted by management consulting firms would appear to support this theory. However harmon.ie Vice President David Lavenda expects companies will struggle to “revolutionize” the way they do business.
moreIncreasing conversion through data quality and usability
Statistics published by McKinsey point to a worrying disconnect in the ecommerce sector with $43bn being spent on bringing traffic to websites and just $250m being spent on conversion optimisation. By Jonathan Ross.
moreGoogle tipped to overtake Yahoo to become king of display advertising in 2012
Leading specialist search and social marketing agency, Greenlight, expects search giant Google to overtake Yahoo and become king of display advertising by the end of the year. By Krishna Rao.
moreManaging social media for news sites: part three – how to create an engaging online community
News sites are becoming increasingly social, but creating a vibrant online community is much more than simply opening up an article to reader comments. News sites have to start planning for the community before developing it. Community managers must be used to help grow and nurture the sites readership from information consumers to fully-fledged community contributors. This isn’t an instant process, and requires careful consideration. By Tamara Littleton.
moreAndroid is to gain market share in the next 12 months
Android will replace iOS as the most important platform to developers, says Ovum. By Adam Leach.
moreBrazilian and Chinese Internet markets: where should you be investing?
Brazil and China represent the economic power hubs of their respective regions, and despite different languages, cultures, political and economic systems, there are many similarities when it comes to their Internet markets. Companies considering investing in these two BRIC economies should know that profitable opportunities are plentiful, even though many large Internet firms have already established themselves and now hold important market share. A direct comparison based on strategic Internet figures should assist with the investment analysis and decisions. By Edvaldo Acir and Marc Violo.
moreWhat consumers really want from social media and where brands go wrong
The gap between what consumers really want from brands on social networks and what brands think that consumers want has been exposed by a new survey. New Media Knowledge dipped into its contacts to get some answers. By Chris Lee.
moreKeeping the family together through New Media
Study reveals how new media plays vital role for migrant families. By Fatihah Iman.
moreNew Product: Actinic Online enables SMEs to create mobile-optimised ecommerce sites
The new product offer web retailers an easy way of joining the fastest growing sales channel. By Simon Armstrong.
moreUK Publishing Survey: only 20% use email automation and Social Media integration is low
New PPA & Adestra survey finds major opportunities through email marketing technology. By Henry Hyder-Smith.
moreSurvey unveils disturbing lack of user security in mobile devices
With mobile users becoming ever more comfortable with using their phones to make purchases, the flip side is an increased security threat to personal data. New Media Knowledge caught up with one firm which has found some serious shortcomings when it comes to personal mobile protection. By Chris Lee.
moreConnecting the data dots on Facebook and beyond
Social media and Facebook in particular, hold a wealth of branding insights that refresh and multiply on a daily basis and, if tapped into correctly, have the ability to strengthen and inform a marketing or advertising strategy beyond measure. By Dave Williams.
more“Big Data” is a misnomer. Unhinged Data is more accurate
While most organisations are aware of, if not fully adopting the term “Big Data” – it’s actually a misnomer. It indicates big data is about size, and that’s not a full representation of the issue. Endeca’s Jess Iandiorio tells us more.
moreTech companies not social enough, study finds
While companies may increasingly be looking to use Twitter and Facebook as part of their marketing mix, too many are failing to use them correctly and missing opportunities to be truly engaging. These are the findings of the latest PR survey into the subject, so New Media Knowledge looked at the stats. By Chris Lee.
moreInforma Analyst Viewpoint: Kinect-like controllers come to Smart TVs
Andrew Ladbrook comments the new methods for user interaction with TV.
moreSocial Search’ is finally here!
Google’s integration of Google+ into its search results is a major change, one brands and businesses must not ignore. And with Facebook having the potential to immediately capture a quarter of the search market globally were it to launch its own search engine, this move by Google has not come a minute too soon. By Andreas Pouros.
moreThe evolution of TV viewing
In this article, Dean Donaldson discusses the changing consumer behaviour and the impact on media.
moreOnline video advertising – predictions for 2012
Research by Adap.tv, the company that connects video advertising buyers and publishers directly on one platform, provides useful insight into the online video advertising sector in 2012. By Brian Fitzpatrick.
moreCombing the commons: how to learn just about anything for free
Massive usage of free learning resources points to new forms of learning. David Jennings argues that, while these are emerging in contexts where traditional educational offerings are out of reach, they may disrupt institution-centred approaches as the scope to organise your own learning programmes increases.
moreTablet use doubles over Christmas period
Tablet use over Christmas Day and Boxing Day in 2011 doubled compared with 2010, as 8% of consumers now use these devices as their main means of getting online, according to the annual Christmas activity survey from eDigitalResearch and IMRG. By Derek Eccleston.
moreRichRelevance unveils more than a dozen online best practices for CPG marketers
New whitepaper determines how advertisers can best position themselves to “own” the moment that really matters – whether the purchase occurs in the store or online. By Jake Bailey.
moreMarks and Spencer expands e-commerce practice with impressive results
High street retailer Marks and Spencer is investing £150 million in updating its e-commerce platform, including a focus on affiliate and other online marketing. New Media Knowledge took a closer look at its new strategy. By Chris Lee.
moreBrazil: a digital giant awakens
The year 2011 ends with Brazil surpassing the U.K. to become the world’s 6th largest economy. The Brazilian Internet market is now 74 million strong according to Ibope/Nielsen Research Center, and as a result Brazil is attracting investments from major global firms. Recent arrivals such as Facebook, Netflix, and Amazon are fighting for market share against companies that entered the Brazilian market a few years ago: Google, Yahoo and Microsoft. And all compete with home-grown market pioneers UOL, Globo.com, IG, and Terra Networks. By Andre Bodowski and Edvaldo Acir.
moreChristmas 2011 - The Kindle Christmas
1.3 million e-readers estimated to have been received at Christmas in Great Britain. 92% of e-readers bought were Kindles. By Marek Vaygelt.
morePerformance of social networking sites – Index from Keynote Systems for December 2011
Keynote Systems, the expert in Internet and mobile cloud monitoring, monitors the top 10 UK social networking sites on a monthly basis and analyses how these sites perform compared to their competitors. By Robert Castley.
moreSocial search gathers momentum: Daily Mail and Guardian lead the way
Leading search engines are beginning to factor the popularity of stories on social networks as a factor when judging the quality of web pages, and Daily Mail and Guardian are currently the most visible UK news sites, according to new research. New Media Knowledge took a look at the statistics and the implications for search marketers. By Chris Lee.
moreThe Tweatcher: Guidelines for a Web 2.0 Educator
Web 2.0 (1) is a troublesome concept for many. A best it distracts and at worse it corrupts. The perception that this is latest upgrade to the Information Overload is put up as a barrier to adoption. There is undoubtedly pollution of the information supply as well as attempts to steal out attention as described by Jacob Nielsen (2). By Duncan Stonebridge.
moreFree IT Security Tips
IT security should happen in many different levels, to be effective. In this article, Graeme Batsman, from Data Defender Ltd, explains the most relevant aspects to protect IT infrastructures from risks.
moreData protection and IT security: Are your employees the weak link?
We’ve all heard the maxim: “Security is only as strong as its weakest link”. Companies can surround themselves with the latest high-tech security, – eight-foot fences, biometrics, firewalls, antivirus scanners, encryption – but it only takes one un-educated employee to throw all of that out of the window. By Graeme Batsman.
moreNew free tool of the Adwords trade
The launch of the new Adwords Previewer tool makes life easier for Google Adwords advertisers. By Paul Booth.
moreSenior execs increasingly head up social but research neglected, survey finds
One in three firms has placed a senior executive in charge of social media, according to a recent study. Yet the findings suggest that very few organisations are exploiting social media’s potential for customer research and product development. New Media Knowledge looked at the figures. By Chris Lee.
moreMobile coupons to become increasingly relevant
Mobile coupon redemption values to exceed $43bn by 2016, driven by better targeting and mobile Apps. By David Snow .
moreRetailers top the latest App customer satisfaction study
Online retail giant Amazon has topped the latest App Benchmark study from eDigitalResearch with an App that matches its online offering. By Derek Eccleston.
moreA closer look at Facebook’s new music sharing with Noise Inc.
Facebook’s new music tie-in with online repository Spotify aimed to help introduce users to new artists and talent. Initial research would indicate little positive impact on ‘likes’ for top artists, what’s the true potential of the Spotify partnership in Facebook? New Media Knowledge spoke to one leading consultant to find out. By Chris Lee.
moreNew mobile game makes it easy to share pictures of peace
UN Foundation’s Interactive Photo-Jumble Game provides a fun way to support the United Nations and learn how you can make a difference. By Karin Lornsen.
moreRules of engagement
What does it mean to truly engage with your audience? More than an automatic process, it’s a two-way relationship that requires time as well as financial and emotional investment. Richard Kunzmann helps navigate the pitfalls and explains the rules of engagement.
moreHow digital marketers can leverage the buying cycle and achieve greater results
White Paper discusses the various stages and channels utilised by the customer in the buying cycle and how businesses can garner this opportunity by optimising each stage and channel. By Krishna Rao.
moreWomen face glass ceiling in radio industry: Skillset report
Women in the UK radio industry are significantly under-represented at senior levels, according to a new report produced by Skillset for Sound Women, a new organisation dedicated to highlighting the issues faced by women in the radio industry. By Nick Sheridan.
moreRevenues with social virtual goods are expected to growth
Social virtual goods revenues generated via mobile devices to reach $3bn in 2011 rising to $4.6bn in 2016. Social gaming and smartphone adoption to drive market. By Jess Hanslip.
moreWhy authors don’t need traditional publishers anymore
The publishing scene has changed beyond all recognition in the last ten years. At the beginning of the century, online book retailing represented only 5% of total book sales. Now that figure is closer to 30%. By Laura Sandford.
more1 in 4 consumers have accessed the internet from their smartphones whilst out shopping
24% of consumers have used their smartphone to access websites whilst out shopping, according to the latest eCustomerServiceIndex (eCSI) results from eDigitalResearch and IMRG, as retailers begin to offer free wifi to in-store customers. By Derek Eccleston.
moreSocial Media in 2012: The industry predicts
How will social media evolve in 2012? New Media Knowledge delved into its contact books to quiz three leading lights of the UK’s digital industry for their predictions. By Chris Lee.
moreManaging social media for news sites: part two - moderating user generated content
News sites have started to see the value in encouraging readers to submit their opinions and content on the issues and stories that they report on. However, the comments that are posted reflect not just on the reader who posts them, but on the newspaper that publishes them. The news site has a duty to its readers and the brand to ensure all user generated content is fully moderated. By Tamara Littleton.
moreOnline video advertising in 2012: Interview with Tremor Video
Online video has gathered pace year on year and 2012 will be no exception, according to one of Europe’s leading video advertising specialists. New Media Knowledge caught up with Tremor Video to hear what 2012 has in store for online video. By Chris Lee.
morePerformance of social networking sites – Index from Keynote Systems for November 2011
Keynote Systems, the expert in Internet and mobile cloud monitoring, monitors the top 10 UK social networking sites on a monthly basis and analyses how these sites perform compared to their competitors. By Robert Castley.
moreTop tips to eliminate document chaos
Did you know that people waste an average 30 minutes a day searching for documents, primarily in their email inbox (that’s 16 days a year, according to recent industry research!)? When you replicate that across your organisation, you quickly realize this annoyance has significant impact on overall productivity. Obviously, we can all make better use of our time. David Lavenda of harmon.ie examines best practices for using Microsoft SharePoint to eliminate document chaos and reclaim those lost hours.
morefCommerce grows 8.8% in just four months
12% of social media users have been encouraged to make a purchase from a Facebook store after seeing something on the site, according to the latest eCustomerServiceIndex (eCSI) results from eDigitalResearch and IMRG. By Derek Eccleston.
moreEngagement: Social Media’s Next Evolution
Wildfire launches new way to measure brand engagement on Facebook. By Alain Chuard.
moreharmon.ie says Atos’ plan to remove email from the workplace could be disastrous to business
Commenting on reports that technology giant Atos is to phase out internal email as a means of communication, social email provider harmon.ie says Atos’ plan is bucking the industry trend – a classic case of ‘throwing the baby out with the bathwater,’ as the old adage goes. By David Lavenda.
moreInternet advertisers ignoring non-English Web users, survey says
New data suggests that non-English speaking Internet users deserve more attention from brands. With the vast majority of global Internet users not native English speakers, is it time brands changed tactics? New Media Knowledge crunched the numbers. By Chris Lee.
moreChristmas eCommerce sales is flat in the UK
Eurozone experiences 15 per cent growth. USA sees 22 percent growth. By Charlotte Hanson.
moreThe Joy of ‘Dex: Interview with Morphsuits
Recent costume phenomenon Morphsuits have gained a loyal and growing fan base. New Media Knowledge caught up with one of the co-founders to learn more about how the company has used solely social media to generate awareness and growth. By Chris Lee.
moreLocation, location, location
Putting small businesses on the map with location based services. By Justin Bowser.
morePC and laptop-related searches prove most popular
When it comes to consumer online searches for cameras, camcorders, DVD players and recorders, entertainment products, PCs, laptops and TVs, which of these products will prove most popular, search-wise, in the run up to Christmas? What of online retailers – which sites will be most visible to these searches? By Krishna Rao.
moreTackling SEO: Interview with BigMouthMedia
Search is a complicated field of marketing at the best of times, but more changes from Google have given search agencies further challenges to grapple with. To learn more, New Media Knowledge sat down with Andrew Girdwood of BigMouthMedia, one of the UK’s leading search bloggers. By Chris Lee.
moreHo, Ho, No! Why iPads and iPhones are not kids’ toys
Cell phones and iPads rank as the most-wanted gifts of the season among youngsters, with 65% placing these devices at the top of their wish lists, according to SodaHead.com, a discussion community with more than 10 million visitors a month. However, parents would do well to ponder experts’ warnings before buying one, advises Environmental Health Trust (EHT) and Healthy Child Healthy World, non-profit research and educational groups. By Janet Vasquez.
moreSmartphone apps to dominate mobile VoIP by 2016
Social media and high-profile alliances expected to herald new role for voice services, finds new Juniper Research Report. By Jess Hanslip.
moreMenswear still to make its mark online
The UK market for online fashion is expected to be worth £4.8bn by the end of 2011, according to market analyst Mintel. However, going by the latest independent analysis of online fashion-related search data, undertaken by leading specialist search and social marketing agency Greenlight, menswear has quite some ground to make up. By Krishna Rao.
moreConsumers fear phone hackers will crack mobile wallets
Intersperience research reveals mobile payment security concerns: phone hacking fears prevalent among consumers; 44% worry about lack of security software on mobiles; only 17% of consumers want to use mobiles as wallets in future. By Michael Andrews.
moreTackling SEO: Interview with BigMouthMedia
Search is a complicated field of marketing at the best of times, but more changes from Google have given search agencies further challenges to grapple with. To learn more, New Media Knowledge sat down with Andrew Girdwood of BigMouthMedia, one of the UK’s leading search bloggers. By Chris Lee.
moreWhy the way we learn has to keep getting more agile
Budgetary pressure can mean that learning gets more centralised and standardised. But in an era where there are near-free resources and tools in the commons of the Net, there’s no reason why learning cannot become quicker and easier to organise, more powerful — and cheaper. By David Jennings.
moreFacebook rings the changes. What now for marketers?
A news ticker, smart lists, timelines, updates news feeds and a subscribe button - just some of the changes Facebook announced at its F8 conference recently. But what do these changes mean for marketers? New Media Knowledge asked around for answers. By Chris Lee.
moreDarwin’s theory and technology advancement
Many enterprise technologies claim to be revolutionary. But is that really the best way to institute organisational change? By David Lavenda.
moreBusiness leaders say the Cloud will assist economic recovery with an explosion of entrepreneurship
Cloud-computing is an innovation destined to foster wealth and enterprise on an epic scale in Britain – a “gateway to explode entrepreneurship”. By Elizabeth Bell.
more88% of marketers still to develop connected TV strategy
This is the situation despite global sales reaching 123million by 2014. By Chris Gorell Barnes.
moreAmazon tops the latest App Benchmark with an App that matches their online offering
Retailer Amazon has topped the latest App Benchmark study from eDigitalResearch, achieving a top score of 90% with an App that matches the brand’s established online usability. By Derek Eccleston.
moreeNewspaper sales to mobile devices to hit $1.1 bn by 2016
A new report from Juniper Research has found that annual revenues derived from eNewspapers delivered to portable devices will exceed $1.1 billion by 2016 with publishers increasingly delivering via subscription-based applications to counteract falling print sales. By Jess Hanslip.
moreHow to use social customer relationship management for sales
Brands need to more effectively link customer relationship management over social media with sales, according to sales specialist, Artesian. New Media Knowledge caught up with the company’s CEO to learn more. By Chris Lee.
moreBritish Internet engineering talent is emerging from the back room
There’s an Industrial Revolution taking place in Britain, centred on a “BritCom” boom that is evident in a discreet splurge of profitable UK internet businesses, according to one of the players in the industry, Anthony Rushton, co-founder of the British-based company, Telemetry. By Kitty Martin.
moreGuardian Awards for Digital Innovation seek creative use of technology
The 2012 Megas are open for entries, celebrating creative achievements and inspiring entrepreneurial spirit within the field of technology. By Louise Davies.
moreBring on the Media Trends 2012
Emerging trends in entertainment are gathering momentum and promise to alter the media landscare in the coming year, including: IWWIWWIWI, Attention Division Disorder, Personal Marathoning, Me in Extremis, and Hello Darkness. By Robin Hafritz.
moreBrands struggle to retain fans on Facebook
Two in every five Facebook fans ‘unlike’ a brand page, according to new survey. How can brands best retain fans’ interest? New Media Knowledge asked around.
moreSearch for loans up 6% at expense of mortgages
UK online searches for loans saw a 6 per cent rise on January levels totalling 966,202 in July, according to the latest independent research from leading specialist search and social marketing agency, Greenlight. By Krishna Rao.
moreWhy the iCloud isn’t the answer for business
Dominic Jones, managing director of IT support provider Barton Technology, believes the iCloud is another brilliant idea from Apple. However, it isn’t a real cloud computing, storage or backup solution for business. In this exclusive piece for New Media Knowledge, he explains why.
moreNew research: Mobile payments for physical goods to exceed $170bn globally by 2015
A new report by Juniper Research forecasts that the gross merchandise transaction value of mobile payments for physical goods will exceed $170 billion worldwide by 2015. This is nearly treble the $60 billion forecast for 2011. By Jess Hanslip.
morePerformance of social networking sites – Index from Keynote Systems for October 2011
Keynote Systems, the expert in Internet and mobile cloud monitoring, monitors the top 10 UK social networking sites on a monthly basis and analyses how these sites perform compared to their competitors. By Robert Castley.
moreInsurance: Brand recognition more important than costs on price comparison websites
Research released today by digital marketing agency, Gravytrain, reveals that consumers using price comparison websites are more likely to buy from insurance brands that they recognise and trust, rather than from those simply offering the lowest quote. By Kevin Taylor.
moreMarketers warned not to overlook mobile ads this Christmas
With 15 per cent of shoppers expected to buy Christmas presents via smart phones this year, marketers should be exploiting mobile platforms to increase sales, according to one industry expert. New Media Knowledge crunched the data with Adfonic. By Chris Lee.
moreManaging social media for news sites: part one - the importance of contributor guidelines
The increased use of social media for news gathering and distribution has brought news back into the social sphere, but this engagement between journalist and reader must be properly managed. By Tamara Littleton.
moreChristmas shopping made social: Interview with My List is Here
With many turning their minds to Christmas shopping, New Media Knowledge spoke to the founder of a new website which sets out to eliminate those unwanted presents. By Chris Lee.
moreTaking ‘No Email Day’ Off the Calendar
11th November 2011 has been marked as ‘No Email Day’. Sam Cece of StrongMail wants the day to be a one-off. He explains why....
moreCan BlackBerry recover after October’s outage?
Mid-October saw widespread service faults for smart phone maker BlackBerry, with many users unable to access email and Internet. With its email pushing system a key selling point in a competitive market, what will the fallout be for BlackBerry? New Media Knowledge investigated. By Chris Lee.
moreFour ways to avoid Social Media facepalms
In this Social Media gold rush the only people really making money are those selling pickaxes. By Parry Malm.
moreAre businesses ready for the ‘net native’ generation?
Siemens Enterprise Communications report finds today’s tech-savvy teens have high expectations for future working environments. By Adrian Brookes.
moreUK mobile retail sites improve on speed, but continue to struggle with availability throughout September
Keynote Systems, a global specialist in Internet and mobile cloud monitoring, is tracking the mobile site performance of 24 of the top retailers across eight countries. By Robert Castley.
moreTiny screen, huge results
Mobile advertising is still a brave new world, but the initial research suggests that it’s packing a punch. Research from MediaMind indicates that advertising on mobile devices is outperforming desktop broswer banners. Ariel Geifman.
moreNew StrongMail report finds email marketing relevancy and timing are essential to success in crowded daily deal industry
Special report provides detailed analysis of current email marketing programmes from Groupon, LivingSocial, HauteLook, zulily and other leading daily deal sites. By Kara Trivunovic.
moreBloggers complain of PR interference: Survey finds
A fifth of bloggers say that public relations (PR) professionals have at some point put them under pressure to write favourably about their client, according to a new survey. But there were some signs that PR professionals are learning how to better relate to bloggers. New Media Knowledge crunched the numbers. By Chris Lee.
moreTop 10 reasons to reach for the cloud
Small businesses are continually being urged to join the cloud computing revolution. Proponents claim it is a no-brainer, especially in times of austerity and belt-tightening. But why should small to medium-sized businesses switch from housing an office-based server set-up and associated hardware to the seamless world of the cloud? What are the real benefits? By Ian Beckwith.
moreLatest Nielsen Internet stats point to growing mobile influence
Social networks now occupy a quarter of people’s time spent online, with mobile driving the way. These are the findings of Internet watcher Nielsen’s latest quarter findings. New Media Knowledge looked at what these stats mean for marketers. By Chris Lee.
moreInforma analyst viewpoint on Netflix’s plans to expand into the UK market
Comment from Nick Thomas, Principal Analyst for TV & Digital Media at Informa Telecoms & Media on Netflix’s plans to expand into the UK market.
moreFast Train is back, but this time for the Radio sector
The BBC Academy confirmed on 24th October that Radio Fast Train will take place on February 7th 2012. Hosted by the BBC Academy in partnership with Skillset, it will be produced in association with The Radio Academy, Radio Independents Group, RadioCentre, and Community Media Association. By Nick Sheridan.
moreWhy IT support companies give themselves a bad name
For most, the IT world is a confusing place, filled with acronyms and lingo. Because of this, many SME owners and managers find themselves unsure of what kind of IT support company to choose and usually follow the advice of a sales representative. Unfortunately this advice may well be focused on up-selling and enhancing the rep’s commission, rather than meeting the customer’s needs. Here, Dominic Jones, owner and managing director of Barton Technology, explains how business owners and managers can navigate the maze and calls for a universal set of standards that IT consultants should be required to comply with.
moreSatisfaction with online conversion drops to all-time low
New RedEye and Econsultancy report finds just 25% of marketers are satisfied with online conversion, with satisfaction dropping by 5% in one year. By Jim Buchanan.
moreCreating value through customer intelligence
The internet and social media have ushered in an era of consumer empowerment. As sensitivity to marketing noise increases, a one-size-fits-all approach is no longer acceptable. By Tim Watson and Nick Dennis.
moreOne third of young adults to shop via their mobile phone this Christmas
A new survey carried out among 1,300 consumers reveals that 32% of 18 to 34 year olds plan to use their mobile device to purchase gifts in the run up to the festive season. The result is a strong indication that an increasing number of young shoppers are using their mobile device to make purchases. By Lucinda Southern.
moreIs there life below the fold?
In 1994 at the dawn of the Internet, the term “below the fold” was coined to refer to anything below the initial line of the user’s sight. They would have to scroll “below the fold” to see it. But is as relevant as many think in 2011? Have browsing habits evolved? New Media Knowledge took a look at a report into the subject. By Chris Lee.
moreHow product data feeds bridge the online channel marketing gaps for e-commerce merchants
Merchants face an increasingly complex digital market as e-commerce evolves and the number of consumer touch-points continues to climb. Lee Brignell-Cash, Managing Director at FusePump, examines the challenges merchants face in promoting their products online and how data feeds can help them exploit a diverse array of applications.
moreRent little-used items and make some money for your student budget
With many constraints on the finances of students, it is always good to make some extra cash where you can. RentMyItems.com is there to help as an online marketplace where students can lend their little-used items to other students and members in their local community. By Paul Savident.
moreMobilising search marketing: Interview with Blowfish Digital
With smartphones rising in precedence throughout the UK, marketers are scrambling to factor mobile into their business strategies. But how should they approach mobile search? New Media Knowledge sought answers. By Chris Lee.
moreSocial media and search – how do they influence each other?
One of the most debated questions in digital marketing is the connection between social media and search. How much does social media activity (such as Facebook Likes) affect Google rankings? Searchmetrics has carried out some fresh research and analysis that sheds light on this complex relationship. By Marcus Tober.
moremCommerce customer satisfaction on the rise as retailers implement learning’s from the online industry
Customer satisfaction for mCommerce sites has started to climb once again, as retailers implement learning’s from the eRetail industry. By Derek Eccleston.
moreFACT-Finder comments on SaaS
Research conducted by the Aberdeen Group found that 56% of best-in-class retailers are using customer search analytics to re-adjust search results automatically, and that a further 44% of those retailers are adjusting search results manually based on analytics reporting. By Mathias Duda.
moreharmon.ie says employers need to tap the power of Web 2.0 for better business efficiency
Commenting on the just-released Work-Life-Web report from Clearswift, social email provider harmon.ie says that findings regarding ‘social media growing pains’ are exactly in line with its own research into the profound impacts that social media has on our business and leisure lives. By David Lavenda.
moreIT support firm predicts 2012’s SME security threats
Knowing the top ten security threats for 2012 will help inform business and IT managers and owners. By Dominic Jones.
moreRetail websites continue to reach new levels of customer satisfaction
eRetail websites are continuing to reach high levels of customer satisfaction and outperform the rest of the online industry, according to the latest eRetail Benchmark study from eDigitalResearch. By Derek Eccleston.
moreUser Experience - building the brand
One of the big challenges to the widespread uptake of better user experience is ensuring that it is built in from the start. On one level the need should be obvious – ease of use directly impacts how many customers browse and purchase from a website or through an app. By Arthur Moan.
moreTruly extend of “Social Spam” unveiled
Most social media users will have come across friend requests from fake accounts, but are you aware of the full extent of “social web spam”? New Media Knowledge took a look at a new report which highlights the incredible potency of social web spam. By Chris Lee.
moreDigital marketing specialists must move beyond an isolated approach
White Paper calls time on isolated working practices among digital marketing channel specialists. By Krishna Rao.
moreThe flip side of Google+ plug-ins: Interview with Tagman
When Google’s latest effort to break into the highly competitive social networking market, Google+, launched this summer, it was heralded as a serious rival to Facebook and Twitter. But New Media Knowledge caught up with one firm which believe that that Google+’s plug-ins could actually lose firms traffic. By Chris Lee.
moreAFP journalists’ guide to using social networks
The Arab Spring, the DSK affair, the London riots, the socialist primaries – these and other major news stories have demonstrated the extent to which monitoring social networks has become an integral part of journalists’ work, including news agency reports providing breading news. By Maud Forlini.
moreCloud Study that Points to Major Need for Transformation in IT Procurement
The cloud is creating a greater sense of capability and collaboration and compelling financial benefits which can, if not checked, drive contractual and operational ambiguity, according to a research co-sponsored by DMH Stallard. The research illustrates how diverse and fragmented it often is for both end users and the IT channel to contract cloud services. By Frank Jennings.
moreTablet users more likely to shop online than smartphone owners
Tablet owners are more engaged with retail brands, making more purchases and website visits compared with smartphone users, according to the latest eCustomerServiceIndex (eCSI) results from eDigitalResearch and IMRG. By Derek Eccleston.
moreUK SME online retailers experience slowdown in sales
However, Actinic research reports ecommerce still better than High Street retail. By Jane Lee.
moreMobile data explosion pitfalls for emerging markets operators
Mobile operators in emerging markets face revenue losses and poor service quality if they do not plan adequately for the explosion in data traffic on the horizon, warns Ovum. By Shiv Putcha.
moreIT support companies should ignore the cloud at their peril
Cloud computing is all the rage. In fact, it feels like there is no escape. The cloud is everywhere. But one thing is becoming clear ‒ cloud computing is much more than a trendy buzzword: it is here to stay. And IT support firms had better smarten up… By Ian Beckwith.
moreTouchscreen-only smartphone shipments to surpass 700 Million in 2016
Smartphones with this type of interface will comprise 72% of total shipments, compared to just over half in 2010, says Juniper Research. By John Levett.
moreMeasuring the cost of the social media: “Social media calculator” launched
A lot has been made of the cost of social media usage to business. Time spent by staff on Facebook for non-work related activity equals lost productivity and reduced profitability, according to some commentators. A new “social media calculator” has been developed to help firms understand their potential exposure to loss from staff social media usage. By Chris Lee.
morePerformance of social networking sites – Index from Keynote Systems for September 2011
Keynote Systems, the expert in Internet and mobile cloud monitoring, monitors the top 10 UK social networking sites on a monthly basis and analyses how these sites perform compared to their competitors. By Robert Castley.
moreThe psychology of being social: Five online “personalities” unveiled
Social media has enabled people to open up to new audiences like never before, often to people they have never even met. Workplace psychologists have unveiled the findings of a study into online personality traits. New Media Knowledge took a look at the research. By Chris Lee.
moreNine Best Practices of Social Media Marketing
What was once considered a trend has developed into something far too potent to be ignored; social media has fundamentally altered the way in which we communicate as marketers. However, social media marketing can just as easily crumble resulting in confusion, turning customers off and plenty of negative publicity on your hands. So with that in mind, below are nine of the best practices in social media marketing that help companies and customers alike. By Kristin Hersant.
more20% fall in UK online retail order values in July/August 2011
Summer of discontent: Data from Computop shows 20% contraction in month-on-month online retail order values according to leading Payment Services Provider. By Ralf Gladis.
more6 Strategies for coping when your work can always find you
As the very communication tools designed to make us more productive are threatening to take over our lives, finding the balance between work and personal time has become a challenge. Here are six strategies to help you regain control. By David Lavenda.
moreThe cost of downtime
With worldwide e-commerce on the rise year after year, experiencing website downtime can be an expensive problem for business. But what are the real costs and is there anything that can be done to avoid it? By Abby Hardoon.
moreMobile video calling users to exceed 130 million by 2016
The new Juniper Research report finds that this number represents a penetration of less than 1 in 10 smartphone users at the end of the forecast period. By John Levett.
moreFixed-line yesterday, VoIP today, mobile VoIP tomorrow?
As smartphone users grow at an exponential rate, it’s inevitable that more and more will prefer mobile VoIP as their platform of choice to connect the many ways we communicate. By Tanveer Sharif.
moreHarnessing the power of online video advertising without breaking the bank
While it may still be in its infancy, online video advertising is one of the fastest growing areas of digital marketing spend - nearly doubling during 2010 according to the Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB). Given the power that video has to engage audiences and show off a brand to best effect, this growth can only continue. But is it possible to benefit from online video without having a massive ad budget? By Chris Bunyan.
moreSocial Media in Action: Rentokil
Pest control company Rentokil is demonstrating how services companies can target audiences using social media. New Media Knowledge caught up with Rentokil to learn more. By Chris Lee.
moreAndroid to dominate NFC handset shipments from 2012 onwards
Android to account for largest number of NFC handset shipments from 2012 onwards. 630 million NFC handsets to drive transactions worth US$71 billion by 2015. By Denise Duffy.
moreTop tips on making your CRM strategy more social
These days savvy brands don’t just use social media to create a buzz – they are using it to generate actual sales. For the boldest (or at least richer) brands amongst us, that may mean building a full on social commerce strategy. But monetising social media activity doesn’t have to mean building a sales platform within a social network. By closely aligning your social media and CRM strategies, you can boost the performance of your social activity and start to generate ROI directly from it. By Claire Weeks.
moreWhat’s the opportunity for brands on Google+?
Google’s latest entry into social media, Google+, is fast gaining momentum and members. New Media Knowledge caught up with one of the UK’s leading digital marketing brains to discover what opportunities lie in Google+ for brands and where further improvements could be made. By Chris Lee.
more10 Steps to a better holiday sales season
With only 80 days left until Christmas, the time to build a better online marketing strategy is now. Emailvision’s Beth Curtis-Clarke takes you through the best steps to achieve just that.
moreiPhone: It’s what’s inside that counts...isn’t it?
There were high expectations for the launch of the latest iPhone, with the new look iPhone 5 being the nomenclature of choice. However, there was a little disappointment in the air as, in actuality, Apple revealed a warmed up version of last year’s iPhone following 15 months without any hardware upgrade. By David McQueen.
moreMobile technology is making devices more useful for business
In this article, Dominic Jones, managing director of Barton Technology, advices on how to use the iPhone, iPad and other tablets and mobiles to deliver value to SMEs.
moreSkillset’s Foundation Degree Internships give students balance between university and work experience
Skillset has designed four ground breaking new qualifications that will give students first-hand experience of working in an exciting media role while earning a degree. By Nick Sheridan.
moreMobile security software revenues to increase six fold to $3.7bn by 2016, driven by the business demand
The market for security software to protect mobile devices including tablets, smartphones and feature phones will reach almost $3.7 billion by 2016 according to a new report by Juniper Research. By that date enterprise and business sales will account for almost 69% of the market. By John Levett.
moreFeature phone apps market to almost double to $1 billion
The mobile apps market for feature phones will almost double by 2016, hitting revenues of $1 billion, after being spurred on by the success of apps in the smartphone sector, according to Ovum. By Nick Dillon.
moreSocial media can be the UK's dynamo of national and community activism
The rapidly expanding social media news landscape offers great opportunities for people who are trying to make a difference according to social entrepreneur. By Neil Champken.
moreDigital distractions to blame for disrespect amongst colleagues
Abundance of tools, software and gadgets, supposed to make employees productive, is leading to poor etiquette. By Regine Hartmann.
moreWitnessing the value of online video marketing: Interview with Meridian Leisure Park
The value of using video for online marketing is increasingly recognised by businesses of all sizes. New Media Knowledge caught up with one Midlands leisure park which has seen significant benefits. By Chris Lee.
moreKeyword research crucial to success of digital campaigns
Lack of resources hampers digital marketers from undertaking rigorous keyword research. By Krishna Rao.
morePRs ignore bloggers as part of their outreach, survey suggests
While bloggers continue to grow in number and authority, the PR industry apparently continues to overlook bloggers as part of their client publicity outreach, a new study suggests. With almost half of PR professionals “rarely” or “never” engaging with bloggers, New Media Knowledge pondered bloggers’ true influence. By Chris Lee.
moreOnline romance scams hit hundreds of thousands of victims
New study reveals scale and prevalence of new form of fraud. By Ather Mirza.
moreAmazon adds Fire to stoke tablet market
In this article, David McQueen, principal analyst at Informa Telecoms & Media, comments on the new Amazon tablet.
moreRegulator takes lead on app threat
PhonepayPlus, the UK regulator of premium rate telephone services (PRS), today issued a consultation to the telecoms and digital industries in order to tackle hidden threats to consumers from apps on smartphones. By Shirley Dent.
moreGains for mobile shopping as 1 in 3 consumers plan to spend more on their smartphones this Christmas
35% of UK consumers will do more shopping on their smartphones this Christmas according to eDigitalResearch and IMRG, as the popularity of shopping and browsing on mobile devices continues to increase. By Derek Eccleston.
moreMobile network operators face seven fold increase in data delivery costs, Juniper Research warns
Analyst house calls for wider use of offload, optimisation technologies to reduce operating costs. By John Levett.
moreEbay and Daily Mail top UK search rankings
Online auction site Ebay appears highest in the extremely competitive shopping search market, according to a report out in August, while the Daily Mail rules the roost in news. New Media Knowledge did a little shopping around of its own for answers. By Chris Lee.
moreTwitter, universal rights and unleashing the power through public APIs
Twitter has partnered with Telefonica to enable people in the UK to text photos by MMS to Twitter, using BlueVia's API to make it happen. This post is about Jose Valles’s personal experiences, first hand, on how the deal with Twitter come about, what do open APIs mean for social media and developers and most importantly, for telcos.
moreThe future’s bright, the future’s mobile...so why not now?
It’s clear that mobile phones, specifically smartphones such as the iPhone, are one of the most cutting edge marketing platforms available to brands. What are the implications of this reality? By Barney Larkin.
moreJournalists increasingly rely on social media but fear impact on quality, study finds
Almost all journalists in Europe’s major economies now use social media to research stories but are concerned about its impact on quality, according to a study out in July. New Media Knowledge crunched the numbers. By Chris Lee.
moreUK SME online retailers experience slowdown in sales
However, ecommerce still better than High Street retail, concludes Actinic research. By Nick Kington.
moreWhy SaaS (Software as a Service) is a burgeoning trend for online retailers
In this article, Mathias Duda, head of UK Operations at FACT-Finder, discusses the issue of SaaS and how this trend is growing amongst retailers.
more5 tips to boost your online business income
It is relatively easy to start a website, but can seem much harder to attract visitors and make sales. By Antonia Chitty.
moreMicrosoft’s Bing is gaining ground on Google in five key ways
While Google still leads the search engine market, Microsoft's Bing is trying a number of strategies to challenge it. Here are five important ways in which Bing might just be starting to get the edge on Google. By Horst Joepen.
moreASOS attracts more new social media users than any other retailer in the last three months
Pure play retailer ASOS has attracted over double the amount of new followers in the last three months across Twitter and Facebook than any other retailer according to the latest Social Media Benchmark results. By Derek Eccleston.
moreQR codes: What’s the business case?
As businesses aim to further sync their online marketing activities with mobile devices, so companies have increasingly turned to ‘Quick Response’ (QR) codes. What are they, how do they work and how are they being put to good effect? New Media Knowledge asked around to find out. By Chris Lee.
moreSmart Metering will account for over 40% of installed M2M devices
M2M (Machine-to-Machine) roll outs supported by smart metering as market reaches over 400m connected devices by 2016. By John Levett.
moreJust Landlords website reaps benefits of SEO campaign
When website Just Landlords wanted to increase its online visibility it turned to online marketing specialists Gravytrain. After 18 months, traffic has increased twenty-fold, so New Media Knowledge caught up with Gravytrain to see how it was achieved. By Chris Lee.
moreTop 10 holiday-related search terms revealed
Specialist search and social marketing agency, Greenlight, analysed over 3,000 keywords used by UK consumers between May and June when they looked for holidays online and identified the ten most popular terms used to source them. By Krishna Rao.
morePerformance of social networking sites – Index from Keynote Systems for August 2011
Keynote Systems, the expert in Internet and mobile cloud monitoring, monitors the top 10 UK social networking sites on a monthly basis and analyses how these sites perform compared to their competitors. By Robert Castley.
moreMore than half UK pensioners now on Facebook
37.4 million UK adults use Facebook regularly, 15.5 million on Twitter. More men prefer Linkedin and YouTube than women. LinkedIn bucks age trends with 20s/30s biggest users. Northern Ireland lags behind as South East leads in social media usage. By Jon Priestley.
moreTV vs. Smartphone: Mobile provides strong competition for TV
madvertise, one of Europe’s leading mobile advertising marketplaces, has released recently research demonstrating that mobile usage is now in direct competition with television viewing. By Christian Henschel.
moreCreating a mobile app strategy
It's now widely recognised that mobile apps offer a vast and growing opportunity within a variety of business contexts. As a great way to deliver information to your audience, they offer excellent value as a marketing or customer service medium or as an internal tool for HR and logistics, as a few of many examples. By Tod Pedler.
moreGamification: Shiny object or effective business strategy?
Online gaming is big business, with Internet users spending three billion hours a week playing online games. But how can brands best ‘gamify’ their sites to engage with new audiences? New Media Knowledge played to field to find out. By Chris Lee.
moreFirst British small business raises equity finance through crowdfunding website
Award-winning bodycare business Bubble & Balm hits funding target of £75,000 on Crowdcube. By Luke Lang.
moreResearch highlights consumers’ “dependence” on smartphones
As mobile phones become more intelligent and feature-rich, a new survey has unveiled which features and apps smartphone users are most likely to use. New Media Knowledge took a look at the figures and how this is impacting consumer behaviour. By Chris Lee.
moreThe key to unlocking successful results with lifecycle marketing
Increased conversations, efficiencies as well as customer insight are just a few examples of what can be accomplished through lifecycle email communications. However, the key to success lies with how you get there compared to the speed in which you do so. In order to generate results, there are some key objectives to carry out to steer yourself in the right direction. By Kara Trivunovic.
moreSmartphone shipments to reach one billion annually by 2016, growing by more than 230%
Economy Smartphones, with a retail price of $150 or lower, will account for nearly one-third of shipments in five years. By John Levett.
moreUK’s first Twitter crowdsourced charity recipe book goes on sale
The UK’s first charity recipe book made up entirely of 140-character recipes crowdsourced through Twitter is now on sale to the public. By Louise Woodward.
morePerformance of social networking sites – Index from Keynote Systems for July 2011
Keynote Systems, the expert in Internet and mobile cloud monitoring, monitors the top 10 UK social networking sites on a monthly basis and analyses how these sites perform compared to their competitors. By Robert Castley.
moreMonetising Facebook: Interview with MicroStrategy
As organisations increasingly look to dominant social network Facebook to promote their business, New Media Knowledge caught up with one firm whose software aims to help companies monetise their Facebook presence. By Chris Lee.
moreFacebook white paper - Top ten retailers ignoring their customers
Conversocial’s first white paper sheds light on the state of social customer service in the retail industry. The report uncovers the obstacles to effective customer care in Facebook and reveals who is successful, and who is ignoring their customers. By Anna Drennan.
moreInforma analyst comments Facebook Messenger
Facebook has taken the wraps off Facebook Messenger, a separate mobile messaging application which has been developed by the same team that developed the Beluga group messaging application (Facebook acquired Beluga in March 2011). Pamela Clark-Dickson analyses the new application.
moreSocial Media and Social Disorder: When do they overlap?
The recent unprecedented UK riots caused politicians, police and some members of the public alike to blame social media for the rapid spread of looting and public disorder. With two youths sentenced to four years in prison for setting up a Facebook page allegedly inciting a riot that never happened, is it time to get social media’s link to the rioting in perspective? By Chris Lee.
moreDigital First enables bargain hunters to share their discoveries
Since July, bargain hunters in Edinburgh have a new way of sharing their thrifty finds, following the launch of Shelter Scotland’s location-based social networking site on Foursquare – a first for a UK charity. By Sabina Kadic-Mackenzie.
more55% of digital marketers don’t know which words gain optimum returns campaign-wise
A survey conducted by Hydra shows the benefits to sharing keywords and phrases across digital channels. By Krishna Rao.
more10 steps for successful blogging
Lots of business owners know they should be blogging, but haven’t worked out how to make blogging a great way to bring in new customers and clients. If this sounds like you, follow this simple guide from Antonia Chitty and Erica Douglas of www.aceinspire.com.
moreThe social media blind spot: Why are marketers shying away?
One in five marketers fails to integrate social media into their current marketing programmes, according to a new study. So what is holding back marketers’ wider adoption of social media? New Media Knowledge went in search of answers. By Chris Lee.
more1.5 million UK jobs in e-commerce by 2015
An estimated 1.5 million UK staff will work within the e-commerce industry within the next four years according to new research from IMRG and eDigitalResearch. Increase in employment opportunities welcome news for under pressure UK job market. By Chris Russell.
moreCookie Monsters: Websites failing new European privacy directive
New European laws regarding cookies came into effect in May, yet many sites are still failing to adhere to them, according to one industry expert. New Media Knowledge caught up with Web analytics specialist John Harrison to learn more. By Chris Lee.
moreDespite industry hype, enterprises resist IPv6 push, report finds
Most enterprises are continuing to resist pressure from the internet and telecoms industry to migrate their web operations to IPv6 by ignoring their efforts to push to the new standard, according to Ovum. By Mike Sapien.
moreCookie Monsters: Websites failing new European privacy directive
New European laws regarding cookies came into effect in May, yet many sites are still failing to adhere to them, according to one industry expert. New Media Knowledge caught up with Web analytics specialist John Harrison to learn more. By Chris Lee.
moreMobile cloud Enterprise revenues to reach $39 bn by 2016
A new report from Juniper Research has found that annual revenues derived from mobile cloud based enterprise services are expected to reach $39 billion by 2016 as mobile network operators increasingly offer corporate clients an array of unified communications suites. By John Levett.
moreBlogging for business: Best practice
For organisations of all sizes, the lack of a company blog is now considered a conspicuous absence. With great potential benefits for search marketing and demonstrating thought leadership, New Media Knowledge wanted to know what makes the perfect corporate blog. By Chris Lee.
moreEverything you need to know about reverse engineering Google algorithms
If you understand how search engines work you KNOW that there is nothing to know about how to reverse engineer a search engine’s algorithms. It is impossible to do and a total waste of time and money. More importantly, wasting time on such fruitless tasks keeps you from doing the things that WILL make you competitive on the web. By Amy Munice.
moreBirmingham Skillset Media Academy launches new Foundation Degree Internship in Radio Production
Skillset and the Birmingham Skillset Media Academy have developed an exciting new pathway into the radio industry for school leavers. By Nick Sheridan.
moreConsumer online search for holidays more than double with the term ‘cheap holidays’ dominating
Consumers in the UK looked to book their holidays well in advance of summer, according to the latest quarterly research by independent search and social marketing firm, Greenlight. Its latest quarterly report, ‘Holidays February 2011’ reveals 3.1 million holiday-related searches were conducted on Google in February compared to 1.2 million in the previous quarter. By Krishna Rao.
moreSkillset and The Radio Academy launch innovative website to help young people find their Route into Radio
Skillset and The Radio Academy are extremely proud to unveil Route into Radio, a new website to help young people find out more about careers in radio through a range of video case studies of people currently working in the industry. By Nick Sheridan.
moreReport reveals that telecoms and pay TV operators need ‘bigger’ bundles to win over customers
Services like Spotify and YouView key in operators’ bid to retain customers. By Rob Gallagher.
moreCan business-to-business communications work on Facebook?
With a user base approaching 670 million, Facebook has been successfully exploited by some organisations looking to target consumers. But is Facebook any use as a platform for businesses wanting to attract other business customers? New Media Knowledge asked around. By Chris Lee.
moreSearching for answers: SEO within public relations
Public relations agencies are adapting to an era of Internet-dominated marketing, and that includes being able to make their clients more visible to search engines. To get insights into how PR could benefit from search engine optimisation (SEO) know-how, New Media Knowledge took in a little training. By Chris Lee.
moreHoliday camps offer best online customer experience
Holiday camps and self-catering websites have topped the latest eTravelBenchmark study with a good performance across the online customer journey, providing potential holiday makers with an overall online package which can be tailored to their needs, desired destination and budget. By Derek Eccelston.
moreHow to get your board to approve your cloud plans
It seems that board-level executives are not as keen as their IT professionals on the adoption of Cloud computing according to no less than three new reports. The reports from heavyweights Dell, IBM and Symantec report varying levels of fear, uncertainty and doubt about Cloud adoption. This is a little surprising given the importance CEOs and boards always purport to give to efficiency and cost reductions – two of the undoubted benefits of cloud computing. By Constantine Galonis.
moreThe right time for right-time email marketing
Marketers need to rethink their email strategies in order to remain relevant. 'Right-time' communications, which respond to online behaviour, says StrongMail’s Sam Cece, could be the answer.
moreMobile instant messaging use to triple in five years exceeding 1.3 billion users by 2016
A new report published by Juniper Research forecasts that the number of mobile IM (Instant Messaging) users will exceed 1.3 billion by 2016. This tripling of users from last year will be driven by the arrival of new services, such as Apple’s iMessage, and continued growth of existing services, such as AOL’s AIM, Blackberry Messenger, Microsoft’s Windows Live, Skype and Yahoo! Messenger. By John Levett.
moreOvum reveals connected home services with best potential for broadband providers
Broadband service providers keen to grow their business by offering additional connected home services should target the home security and monitoring, smart energy control and media sharing markets, according to new Ovum research. By Michael Philpott.
moreConsumers increasingly influenced by social networking sites
15% have been influenced to make a purchase on social media sites. 48% of smartphone owners have used them to browse and research products before a purchase. 50% of UK consumers are now browsing and shopping with international retailers. By Derek Eccleston.
moreHow to personalise online marketing strategies
Personalisation is absolutely core to success in the era of the Social Web. With this in mind, New Media Knowledge spoke to digital agency Rufus Leonard for tips on how to personalise online engagement. By Chris Lee.
moreUK mobile retail sites quick to load but unreliable, says Keynote Systems
Keynote Systems is tracking the mobile site performance of 23 of the top retailers across seven countries. Results for June show that while mobile retail sites in the UK are quick to access compared to international counterparts, the UK sites struggled with availability, with low average success rates. By Robert Castley.
moreMeasuring online influence: interview with Onalytica
How to measure online influence is causing something of a debate in the marketing industry. New Media Knowledge caught up with one expert to learn how organisations can better understand online influence. By Chris Lee.
moreCan you trust the cloud?
Cloud outsourcing is revolutionising procurement of IT. Instead of buying and running infrastructure onsite or installing software, businesses can buy what they need, when they need it from the cloud. It's a compelling case that can bring significant efficiency and cost savings to an organisation. However, with recent high profile cases of data-leaking and service outages, there are serious pitfalls to be considered. By Frank Jennings.
morePowering online product marketing throughout the affiliate channel
Affiliate marketing is seeing increasing levels of competition, investment and technology evolution. As the channel grows and diversifies, merchants and affiliates marketing products online are seeking the most efficient ways to drive traffic, conversion rates and profitability. By Lee Brignell-Cash.
moreSaxoBank the most followed financial trading brand in social media
London Stock Exchange most visible site in natural search, City Index most visible advertiser in paid search. By Krishna Rao.
moreOptimising email marketing for mobile platforms
According to recent research by New Media Trend Watch, more than 31 percent of the United Kingdom’s adult population now owns a smart phone—nearly double the ownership level of a year ago. This ongoing growth in the ownership and use of smart phone devices has transformed how brands communicate with consumers, redefining the entire marketing landscape. By Richard Evans.
moreInforma analyst comments on the EC's latest roaming proposals
The proposals announced a few days ago by the European Commission (EC) will effectively end the European Union mobile roaming market as it stands today. By Paul Lambert.
moreOnline video: The new battleground for online marketers
Video is the darling of online marketers right now as video content becomes ever easier to consume and almost expected by Internet users as part of a website experience. New Media Knowledge spoke to one online video journalist to gauge how businesses can best capitalise on video marketing. By Chris Lee.
morePerformance of social networking sites in June 2011
Keynote Systems, the expert in Internet and mobile cloud monitoring, monitors the top 10 UK social networking sites on a monthly basis and analyses how these sites perform compared to their competitors. By Robert Castley.
moreTop 10 iPhone apps a student must have
Being a student in the 21st century definitely has it perks and one the main perks is definitely technology. Students have computers, laptops, tablets and smartphones that they can use to their advantage and help them improve their studies and boost productivity. By Lior Levin.
moreOptimising your social media campaign through e-communities
This article looks at how the development of online communities (e-communities) can encourage meaningful two-way interface with the target audience and harness the full potential of social media (SM). By Chris Sullivan.
moreWhat the experts make of Google’s latest attempt to crack social networking
Google recently launched Plus (+), its latest foray into social networking. But will it rival the likes of Facebook or Twitter to become a serious player in social media? New Media Knowledge asked the experts. By Chris Lee.
moreOnline charity scheme ‘Give Change Make Change’ roll out Magento Module
Give Change Make Change, the new scheme for giving while shopping, created by British Red Cross, Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity, WWF and Cancer Research UK, has teamed up with leading open source ecommerce platform Magento to create a new module, which it hopes will encourage more etailers to sign up to the scheme. By Liz Holley.
moreSatisfaction with online retail sites hits all time high
Online consumer satisfaction with retail sites has reached an all time high in the latest eRetail Benchmark study, with pure-play retailer Javari achieving the top score. By Derek Eccleston.
moreTablet apps: Shiny object syndrome or genuine business opportunity?
With global tablet computer sales tipped to reach 285 million by 2015, what is the opportunity for companies developing applications? Are they chasing a niche or is it sound business practice? New Media Knowledge asked around. By Chris Lee.
moreThe changing face of PR
With the explosion of interest in social media and the role it plays in PR, many companies are left confused. Allie Andrews from PRPR discusses this and examines the new breed of digital PR agency and why they are not for everyone.
moreWhat businesses fear from social media: Interview with DLA Piper
Social media presents businesses with a massive opportunity but many still fear the potential threats to their brand. New Media Knowledge spoke to a legal expert to learn whether those fears were grounded. By Chris Lee.
moreSecurity threats to mobile devices increase but only 4% of smartphones and tablets protected with security software
Analyst house identifies $3.6 billion opportunity for mobile security software providers by 2016. By John Levett.
moreOvum survey reveals UK consumer fears over use of location-based technology
More than half of UK consumers say they are not comfortable with businesses using location-based technology to pinpoint their whereabouts, even if it would improve their customer service, research from Ovum has revealed. By Ian Jacobs.
moreMobile network operator revenues to exceed $1 trillion by 2016, but rising costs threaten profitability
A new report from Juniper Research has found that while global operator-billed revenues will exceed $1 trillion annually by 2016, mobile network operators (MNOs) face the prospect of a “nightmare” scenario under which operator costs will exceed revenues within four years unless remedial action is taken. By John Levett.
moreSkillset’s VFX handbook provides VFX talent with roadmap to future success
Skillset has set a new benchmark for visual effects (VFX) education in the UK with the launch of an industry-authored guide, The Core Skills of VFX. By Nick Sheridan.
moreCreating sticky websites: Exclusive interview with Ceros
Quality engaging content is crucial to the success of any company’s online marketing strategy. But even quality content’s impact is limited if the website is not engineered to make purchasing decisions simple for visitors thereafter. New Media Knowledge spoke to one expert to learn how to create engaging corporate websites in the age of the Social Web. By Chris Lee.
moreLoan-related terms dominate consumer online search for personal finance products
Five of the ten most queried search terms used by UK consumers to find personal finance products online in January, were loan-related. This is according to the latest quarterly research, ‘Retail Banking- January 2011’, by independent search marketing specialist and technology firm Greenlight. By Krishna Rao.
more‘Win a blog for a year’ competition launched at Marketing Week Live
A new competition has been launched at Marketing Week Live which will give brands the chance to have their blog written for them for a year. By Emily Hill.
moreEmail, social marketing and the art of storytelling
Email, Social Marketing and the Art of Storytelling is an insightful guide for organisations making the shift from yesterday’s approach to branding—a story the firm tells—to what branding is today: an interactive co-creation with the user community. In my book, I share his insight and real life examples of companies leveraging the power of email, social marketing and the art of storytelling. By John Sadowsky.
moreInside the world of the mummy blogger
In the aftermath of one of the biggest gathering of blogging mothers, New Media Knowledge takes a look at the phenomenon of the so-called “mummy bloggers”. By Chris Lee.
moreHow Arts can Revolutionise Business
Today’s businesses are challenged to create intangible value and engage people. The Arts offer a new territory for business in shaping emotional-based experiences for products and organisations. The new book ‘The Value of Arts for Business’ by Cambridge University Press, presents groundbreaking perspectives and approaches to integrate the Arts in organizational life. By Giovanni Schiuma.
moreWhy mobile operators still don’t understand customer experience
UK mobile operators are failing to connect with their customers by delivering impersonal and irrelevant communications. By Richard Burdge.
moreResearch confirms mobile continues to play increasingly important role in multichannel mix
New research from eDigitalResearch and Portaltech shows that almost half of Smartphone users (48.2%) have now shopped online and on their mobile, increasing by a dramatic 13% in just nine months. By Chris Russell.
moreWebsite personalisation – why it pays off
In an age where instant gratification is king and website personalisation is a ‘must have’ for any relevant, strategically aligned website, a tailored, bespoke experience is critical - taking the digital sector by storm and forcing organisations to ensure their web presence isn’t left behind. By Katya Linossi.
moreGlobal Lead Generation Challenge: What Localized Search Algorithms Mean to Your Global Business
Let’s play the game—“Look at How Localized Search is Changing the Global Landscape!”. It’s really an easy game to learn and here is one way to play it… By Amy Munice.
moreExploring the “Service of Now”: How the travel industry should react to social media
With two thirds of the Great British public now researching holidays online before making decisions on where to go and where to stay, competition among the tourism and hospitality industry has never been fiercer. New Media Knowledge spoke to one academic who believes that real-time analysis is critical for tourism bodies to compete in the era of the Social Web. By Chris Lee.
moreSocial Media Day: A social media health check
With 30 June deemed “Social Media Day”, New Media Knowledge took a look at the health of leading social networks Facebook and Twitter to gauge if recent rumours of impending demise hold water. By Chris Lee.
moreFirst Worldwide Time Critical Social Mobilization experiment / competition
A first ever worldwide Time Critical Social Mobilization Experiment, which will unfold in the form of a worldwide competition, will debut on 2 July, 2011, according to two academics, at MIT Sloan School of Management and Cambridge Judge Business School, who created the event. By Patricia Favreau.
moreThe alternatives to cloud computing: Why you should consider all available options before making the move
In the fourth and final article in a series focusing on cloud computing, Dominic Jones, managing director of IT support firm Barton Technology, discusses the alternatives SMEs have to conventional cloud technology.
moreThree quarters of journalists rate social media as important tool – new research and whitepaper
More than three quarters of journalists rate social media as an important professional tool, while almost 90% are using social media more than they were a year ago, according to new research from Daryl Willcox Publishing. By Daryl Willcox.
moreOvum finds investment in 3D content production technology is low priority for broadcasters
Broadcasters rate production of 3D content and channels as their lowest technology investment priority, and the lack of programming for consumers who have bought a 3D TV is set to continue, according to Ovum. By Tim Renowden.
moreA social network with a social conscience: Interview with Good Connection
Social media has great potential to connect people for good causes. In this exclusive interview, New Media Knowledge speaks to the founder of Good Connection, a social network aimed at generating money for charity. By Chris Lee.
moreDutch startup ‘twoppy’ launches free mobile apps
A world premiere from the Netherlands: twoppy releases a free platform where an event organiser can create a smartphone event app – let's say a digital event guide on your mobile phone – and provide it to visitors. Organisers of an event can add their event information to twoppy, after which attendees can interactively access via their mobile phone for free. By Jasper van Blerk.
morePerformance of social networking sites – Index from Keynote Systems for May 2011
Keynote Systems, the expert in Internet and mobile cloud monitoring, monitors the top 10 UK social networking sites on a monthly basis and analyses how these sites perform compared to their competitors. By Robert Castley.
moreCan business-to-business communications work on Facebook?
With a user base approaching 670 million, Facebook has been successfully exploited by some organisations looking to target consumers. But is Facebook any use as a platform for businesses wanting to attract other business customers? New Media Knowledge’s Chris Lee asked around.
moreIs Site Ranking Real or Relevant?
When SEO consultants start talking about site ranking they are actually waving a big red flag that their SEO knowledgebase is out-of-date. Site ranking is more of a red herring than an indicator of what really matters—traffic, leads and conversions. By Amy Munice.
moreLegal and Financial Issues for 21st Century Media Businesses
Free Workshop on 20th June 2pm - 6pm @ Ravensbourne, London.
moreHey you, get off of my cloud! Time to think the security in cloud computing
In the third article in a series looking at cloud computing Dominic Jones, managing director of IT support firm Barton Technology, addresses the security risks and software limitations cloud computing brings with it.
moreWireless networks face increasing stress
Future of Wireless International Conference puts spotlight on growing demand for mobile broadband. By Allie Andrews.
moreTracking online video simplified with new partnership platform
As video becomes central to many organisations’ online marketing plans, so it has become vitally important for marketers to measure and monitor the impact of their video content. New Media Knowledge took a look at a new development in online video monitoring. By Chris Lee.
moreWhy a blog is brilliant for business
Do you run a business with an online presence? Are you blogging regularly? Read on to find out from Antonia Chitty why you should be blogging and how to turn your blog into a source of sales.
moreOnline video auditor offers re-assurance for advertisers
Online ad-spend, particularly in the video advertising sector, would increase at a far greater rate than it is currently if large advertisers were not still afraid of trying the water, according to Anthony Rushton, co-founder of Telemetry. He believes that traditional ad-serving and tracking techniques are “virtually redundant”.
moreGeosocial networking: Mainstream or niche?
Geosocial networks are growing in number, users and functionality. But are businesses taking full advantage of the technology and what are the prospects of geosocial networks “going mainstream” any time soon? New Media Knowledge asked around. By Chris Lee.
moreBreaking down barriers to digital participation
A range of digital participation schemes encourage people who are older, disabled or low paid to use the internet, yet 9 million people remain offline. Now a new social marketing approach has been developed to tackle this problem and it’s already had significant results. By Jude Palmer.
moreVOF World: Mobilising young leaders globally through social media
Over 50 young leaders from all over the world are leading an international media project to mobilise young leaders to generate ideas and solutions for a better world through social media. By Catherine Peter and Brett Lashley.
moreStuck inside a cloud: The financial and system requirements of cloud computing
In the second article in a series looking at cloud computing, Dominic Jones, managing director of IT support firm Barton Technology, addresses the issues that might dissuade a small business or SME from adopting the technology.
moreCollaboration and social tools drain business productivity
Survey finds digital interruptions breeds a rude workforce and loss in productivity. By Regine Hartmann.
moreQuora: The next Twitter or niche Q&A site?
The website du jour at the moment is very much social question and answer site Quora. New Media Knowledge trawled its contacts book to see what the UK’s top social media experts thought of it. By Chris Lee.
moreNew report reveals shifting trends in global Internet traffic
Internet traffic will grow seven-fold between 2010 and 2015. In 2015, video will account for over 50% of all Internet traffic. Asia, not North America, will be the dominant region with a 42% share by 2015. By Giles Cottle.
moreConsumers are expecting more from mobile sites as they embrace the mobile revolution
Overall consumer satisfaction with mobile sites is beginning to fall since the first m-Commerce benchmark study 8 months ago as consumer demands and expectations continue to drive the expansion and development of mobile retail sites. By Derek Eccleston.
moreIs PR spin damaging the Facebook experience?
Have public relations professionals hijacked Facebook at the expense of the end user experience? A recent blog post generated some debate in UK online PR circles, prompting New Media Knowledge to ask around. By Chris Lee.
moreOnline searches for Car and Travel insurance combined soar 86% on previous quarter
2.3 million searches were conducted online for insurance-related products in January this year - an 18% increase on the previous quarter, according to the latest quarterly research by leading search marketing specialist and technology firm, Greenlight. By Krishna Rao.
moreMarketing your mobile channel using the power of advocacy
The market is ready to consume via mobile. Many retailers are scrambling to harness the power of this channel, but how should they best market their new capabilities? By Eric Abensur.
moreInforma Viewpoint on Ofcom’s research on mobile broadband
Ofcom’s latest round of research into mobile broadband performance is a welcome new benchmark for consumers to evaluate their service providers. But it’s likely the biggest impact of Ofcom’s research will be to kick start a multi-million pound war of words between the UK’s fiercely-competitive mobile operators. By Thomas Wehmeier.
moreCloud computing can greatly benefit start up and small businesses
Cloud computing is the IT buzzword of the day and in some quarters it has been presented as a panacea of all ills. However, it has also been subjected to harsh criticism at the centre of a heated debate about its drawbacks. With so many voices arguing for and against it, small business and SME owners seem to be struggling to make sense of all the noise. Should they abandon their servers and relocate to this revolutionary system or should they keep things in-house? Here, in the first in a series of four articles discussing cloud computing Dominic Jones, managing director of IT support firm Barton Technology, explains how the technology can deliver big benefits for small companies.
moreDigital natives wanted – but what about the digitally overlooked?
Earlier this year Capgemini Consulting announced that it was looking to recruit 1,000 consultants to support its focus on the growing digitisation of business. I have to say, I was surprised it took Capgemini so long to realise the business opportunity for them with digital consulting and it shines a light on what we have all been talking about, the digital skills gap that many organisations are now facing. By Bob Barker.
moreRelief ahead for mobile data networks as 63% of traffic to move onto fixed networks via WiFi and Femtocells by 2015
New research has found that the majority of traffic (63%) generated by Smartphones, Tablets and Feature Phones will transfer onto the fixed network via Wi-Fi and Femtocells by 2015, says Juniper Research. This means that the annual mobile data traffic offloaded from operators’ networks via WiFi and Femtocells is forecast to reach nearly 9000 petabytes (PB) by 2015, which equates to a voluminous 11 billion movie downloads. By John Levett.
moreSocial media monitoring tools: Which ones do the experts prefer?
With social media monitoring high on the agenda of marketing professionals, a new study has shed some light on the levels of satisfaction and usage of social media monitoring tools. New Media Knowledge’s Chris Lee crunched the numbers.
moreCar Rental – Search volumes for domestic and worldwide destinations down on previous quarter
UK consumers made 773,000 car hire-related searches using Google in January, according to the latest research from leading independent search marketing specialist and technology firm Greenlight. By Krishna Rao.
moreSony reaps rewards from pan-European reviews translations
With a growing number of consumers reviewing products online, multilingual translations have traditionally been a hurdle to truly consistent Europe-wide reviews. This is no longer a problem thanks to a new reviews translation tool. New Media Knowledge took a closer look. By Chris Lee.
moreHow to boost your brand experience online
As consumers become more used to shopping online, they are becoming more demanding of the websites they shop at. By Albert Pusch.
moreApple’s iPad boosts our work, rest and play, says the latest data from Seven’s ‘Generation i’ survey
The iPad is increasing business productivity and changing the way we do business on the move. By Shareena Ali.
moreAre rewards the new currency of social media?
New social media site and applications are adding game elements to add appeal, foster competition, and reward participation. But do they create compelling experiences, and is there more for social media to learn from games? By Martin Gittins.
moreSocial media goes mainstream: New report highlights growth in social media marketing
According to a new report, 90 per cent of marketers indicate that social media is important for their business, with 77 per cent planning to increase their use of video marketing. As social media goes mainstream New Media Knowledge took a look at the stats and the questions marketers are asking about social media marketing. By Chris Lee.
moreCorporate and mobile websites still falling short of consumer expectations
56 percent of survey participants don't feel website content is tailored to their personal needs. By Glenn Conradt.
moreFor sophisticated email marketers, data security should be as relevant as relevance
Ryan Deutsch, VP Strategic Services at StrongMail, explains why it is imperative that email marketers make sure that building trust between the brand and subscriber is a focus when it comes to email marketing campaigns.
moreImproving services with online communications: Interview with Policy Review TV
The Internet has enabled organisations and public sector bodies to improve communications through the use of social media and video. One service which is being used to help organisations convey their policy messages and co-ordinate online events is Policy Review TV. New Media Knowledge caught up with Policy Review TV to learn more. By Chris Lee.
moreHow brands can successfully manage and moderate online customer reviews
Online customer reviews are increasingly being read by consumers as part of their pre-purchase research. While it is natural for brands to be nervous about publishing reviews on their site, when managed well and moderated successfully, publishing customer feedback can be a rewarding experience for consumer and brand, says Tamara Littleton, CEO of eModeration.
moreCustomer experience on UK banking sites lags behind global counterparts, reveals Keynote Systems
Research assesses behaviour, attitude and experiences of consumers – results show that online customer experience is a key driver for online conversion and improved brand perceptions. By Malcolm Otter.
moreApplication generated mobile texts to exceed $70 billion revenues by 2016, overtaking person-to-person messaging
Application-to-Person (A2P) SMS to become increasingly important for Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) as revenues from one-to-one communications peak, says Juniper Research. By John Levett.
moreHalf of Smartphone owners now shop online via a mobile device
50% of Smartphone owners have now completed some sort of purchase on their mobile, increasing by 20% over just nine short months, with 11% of Smartphone shoppers now using the device to make a purchase on a weekly basis. By Chris Russell.
morePerformance of social networking sites – Index from Keynote Systems for April 2011
Keynote Systems, the expert in Internet and mobile cloud monitoring, monitors the top 10 UK social networking sites on a monthly basis and analyses how these sites perform compared to their competitors. By Robert Castley.
more500 million people worldwide to use their mobiles as metro and bus tickets by 2015
Half a billion people worldwide will use their mobile devices as travel tickets on metros, subways and buses by 2015, according to new forecasts from Juniper Research. By John Levett.
moreNew study underlines Web’s influence on consumer behaviour
Consumers are increasingly likely to check the Web for better deals and recommendations, according to a new report. New Media Knowledge took a look at the numbers. By Chris Lee.
more4G set to deliver capacity gains of more than 200% over 3G
New Ofcom research reveals that the next generation of mobile technology will deliver more than 200% of the capacity of existing 3G technologies, using the same amount of spectrum – the airwaves that carry information between customers’ mobile handsets and the internet. By Graham Louth.
more4G set to deliver capacity gains of more than 200% over 3G
New Ofcom research reveals that the next generation of mobile technology will deliver more than 200% of the capacity of existing 3G technologies, using the same amount of spectrum – the airwaves that carry information between customers’ mobile handsets and the internet. By Graham Louth.
moreSkillset and The Foundry equip the ‘Next-Gen’ of VFX talent with tools of the trade
Skillset is launching a series of major initiatives and awards designed to improve the quality of talent entering the visual effects (VFX) industries from UK universities. These come in the wake of the Livingstone-Hope “Next-Gen” review and will transform the landscape of VFX teaching in the UK. By Nick Sheridan.
moreMarketers told to embrace online video marketing at Internet World
Video will make the Internet what it always meant to be, according to one of the presenters at Internet World in London. New Media Knowledge was there to find out more. By Chris Lee.
moreThe true cost of Unified Communications – Tales of the Unexpected
Unified Communications will make it easier to reach our work colleagues no matter where they are and on what device they have decided to communicate. However, the sheer number of devices and the way our standard systems are organised, may make the transition to Unified Communications a painful and costly one if some simple lessons are not learned. By Ben Mendoza.
moreAdapt or die, content providers warned
Consumer power, social media and monetisation challenges mean that newspapers and other content providers must evolve rapidly or risk going out of business, according to a new report. So what changes should content providers look at to survive and prosper? New Media Knowledge took a look at the report. By Chris Lee.
moreMake Your Blog “User Friendly”
In this article, Jeff Gross discusses the importance of a user friendly and neatly designed, categorized and organized blog.
moreDelivering customer service through event-driven email marketing
Following retail guru and ‘Secret Shopper’ Mary Portas taking UK businesses to task over their poor treatment of consumers, we are advising digital marketers on how they can introduce a ‘traditional’ element of customer service to their email campaigns. By Rogier van der Veen.
moreCitizen journalism: Opportunity or threat to traditional media?
Another day, another news story breaks on microblogging network Twitter. As Twitter continues to cement its role as a core go-to tool for established media journalists, is ‘citizen journalism’ an opportunity or a threat to traditional media outlets? By Chris Lee.
moreStudy finds retailers increase following and revenue after introduction of Fcommerce
Retailers continue to attract tens of thousands of new followers every month across social media sites as the popularity of Twitter and Facebook continues to grow with the introduction of Fcommerce. By Derek Eccelston.
more1 in 5 smartphones will have NFC by 2014, spurred by recent breakthroughs
New market forecasts from Juniper Research show rapid adoption of NFC services over the next 3 years, with at least 1 in 5 smartphones worldwide having NFC contactless functionality. By John Levett.
moreWhen redundancy looms, then opportunity knocks… online
Chris Barling of Actinic gives advice to those thinking of starting an ecommerce business with their redundancy payment and highlights the basic steps for success.
moreAdvice for film students
Jon Danzig discusses in this article some tips about making films. A film student interviewed the author for a media course project, and these were his replies to the questions.
moreeBay pips Apple in social media engagement: The top 50 brands in social media revealed
The major players in technology have ranked highest in the first 50 Top Brands in Social Media league table, and in the number one spot is eBay. The online auction and shopping website beat Apple (2nd), Google (3rd), Blackberry (4th) and Amazon (5th) for the pole position. By David Eldridge.
moreMeasure for Measure: Getting to grips with social media measurement
Businesses which have created social media programmes are faced with the challenge of how to monitor their activities and then measure the effectiveness of them. To learn how companies can best measure and evaluate their social media programmes New Media Knowledge tapped into its contact book. By Chris Lee.
moreTravel websites are increasingly moving into their customers’ social spaces
The latest eTravel Benchmark results show that many more travel websites are encouraging customers to engage with them via social media and developing apps for use on the move giving customers a much more constant level of exposure to the brand allowing for deeper engagement. By Derek Eccleston.
moreBullGuard issues security advice to consumers following Sony data breach
Following the recent security breach of Sony’s PlayStation Network and yesterday’s revelation that the details of Sony Online Entertainment users have also been targeted by hackers, online security specialist, BullGuard, provides advice to subscribers on how to limit the damage and protect themselves from identity theft. By Claus Villumsen.
moreMobile entertainment market to grow by 15% in 2011
A new report from Juniper Research has found that revenues from mobile entertainment content and services are expected to increase by more than 15% this year from $33.2 billion to nearly $38.4 billion. The continuous growth in mobile entertainment markets comes despite the backdrop of an uncertain economic climate, demonstrating both the relative robustness of the mobile content industry as a whole, and the opportunities in comparatively untapped segments such as mobile gambling. By John Levett.
moreSocial media and internal communications in practice
The Human Resources department is critical to the success of any organisation. It is also a department that can be aided greatly – and negatively impacted – by social media. New Media Knowledge went in search of best practice. By Chris Lee.
moreMobile Devices to Generate Data Traffic Equivalent to 18 billion Movie Downloads by 2015
According to new figures from Juniper Research, the amount of mobile data traffic generated by Smartphones, Featurephones and Tablets will exceed 14,000 Petabytes by 2015, equivalent to 18 billion movie downloads or 3 trillion music tracks. Pressure on Mobile networks however will begin to ease as 63% of traffic, nearly 9,000 Petabytes, moves across to Wi-Fi and Femtocell networks. By John Levett.
moreNews Apps come out on top in groundbreaking App usability study
News and Media Apps have topped the first ever App benchmark study from eDigitalResearch, assessing the usability and customer journey across almost 50 of the most popular mobile Apps across a variety of categories. By Derek Eccelston.
moreNew and engaging content – the key to your Search Engine success
It is a logical deduction that interesting, up-to-date content can add strength to your company’s website. But the big question is just how important is this in raising your search engine rankings? By Matthew Oxley.
moreUsing Slideshare for business: Interview with 1,000 Heads
Presentation website Slideshare could be an important asset for companies looking to demonstrate their expertise and services online as part of a content marketing strategy. But how can organisations ensure they derive best possible value from the site? New Media Knowledge went in search of answers. By Chris Lee.
morePR is spreading its wings within the marketing mix
Not that long ago, in a gentler age you might say, when people didn’t spend half their lives online, everybody in marketing knew where they stood. These things have changed. By Alastair Turner.
moreRedefining mobile strategy – how to engage customers in a fragmented mobile landscape
In today’s chaotic mobile market, businesses are finding it increasingly difficult to effectively connect with consumers through mobile strategies. David Schreffler explores how marketers can maximise the potential of their mobile strategy by creating a mobile offering across several devices, operating systems, and platforms in order to lucratively connect with consumers.
moreCollaboration nation: Exclusive interview with Mvine
Businesses across the globe are using online collaborative tools to connect their staff and partners. Social media can also help with internal communications. New Media Knowledge caught up with social business software and services company Mvine to learn how collaboration can help businesses operate more effectively. By Chris Lee.
moreToo many firms still not hitting the mark with their email marketing, research shows
Survey from database marketing firm GI Insight reveals 53% of consumers say almost all direct email they get is irrelevant. By Andy Wood.
moreFunAdvice makes a steady climb towards popularity
Let’s go back in time a few years to March of 2003, when two friends got together and decided to start a new kind of discussion site. With five simple categories, FunAdvice was mainly produced as a means for people to give and receive advice on personal relationships. By Colleen Ludgate.
moreWait till the midnight hour
Paul Childs, Chief Marketing Officer at Adfonic shows that brands are missing a trick by ignoring an evening peak in smartphone traffic.
moreInvasion of the celebrity tweeters
Owen Garrett, e-retail specialist at Zeus Technology outlines why celebrity use of twitter has been a game-changer for site performance.
moreGetting the Message: Is Facebook Messages a communications game-changer?
In late 2010 social network Facebook unveiled its new Facebook Messages product, aimed at creating “seamless” communications for its 600 million-strong global user base. New Media Knowledge spoke to one Facebook expert to gauge his views on Messages and also his advice for firms looking to market over Facebook. By Chris Lee.
moreMobile music subscribers to reach 178 million by 2015 as emerging markets embrace music on the move
A new report published today by Juniper Research forecasts that the number of mobile users who pay a monthly subscription for access to music catalogues, either via download or streaming, will reach 178 million by 2015, more than triple the number of users doing so in 2010. By John Levett.
moreHome Service companies need to be more responsive to online customers
41% of all email enquires went unanswered in the latest eHomeServices benchmark report from eDigitalResearch, despite companies increasingly expecting customers to independently self serve using online account tools. By Derek Eccleston.
moreGet your ticket to Fast Train - the biggest free training event for TV freelancers in the UK
Sponsored by Skillset and hosted by the BBC Academy at White City on Wednesday 18 May, Fast Train will offer up to 500 TV freelancers the unique chance to sample a wide range of training from the industry’s leading providers. By Nick Sheridan.
moreBullGuard calls for increased awareness of the dangers of spam emails following Epsilon attack
A recent attack on marketing email provider Epsilon has resulted in millions of users’ contact information being stolen, which has led security expert BullGuard to call for increased awareness of the dangers of unsolicited email and phishing attacks. By Philip Dall.
morePerformance of social networking sites – Index from Keynote Systems for March 2011
Keynote Systems, the expert in Internet and mobile cloud monitoring, monitors the top 10 UK social networking sites on a monthly basis and analyses how these sites perform compared to their competitors. By Robert Castley.
moreGoogle’s Panda Update and 2011 Budget Offer New Opportunities for Online SMEs
Jack Adams discusses in this article the new opportunities Google’s Panda brings to SMEs, especially in a moment that the government is willing to support small businesses.
moreTV Gets Social: How Broadcasters are Building Loyal Fanbases Online
Conversocial’s Joshua March looks at the rise of ‘social viewing’ and its importance for broadcasters, analysing what UK TV shows are performing best in social media using the results from Conversocial’s IPM graphs for both fan size and engagement levels.
moreSocial research platform launched to help Facebook marketers
With Facebook cited by most marketing managers as their preferred social media channel, a new “social research platform” has been launched to help marketers identify and engage with audiences on Facebook. New Media Knowledge spoke to its creators to learn more. By Chris Lee.
moreADTECH introduces ADTECH Lite for free
Launch of ADTECH Lite extends ADTECH’s Premium Ad Management Technology to small and mid-sized publishers for the first time for free. By Nikki Alvey.
moreTravel websites are increasingly moving into their customers’ social spaces
The latest eTravel Benchmark results show that many more travel websites are encouraging customers to engage with them via social media and developing apps for use on the move giving customers a much more constant level of exposure to the brand allowing for deeper engagement. By Derek Eccleston.
moreSEO industry told to “grow up” at major huddle
The regular Brighton SEO meet-up drew hundreds of search and digital marketing specialists this month. New Media Knowledge went along to witness the SEO industry debate its own future. By Chris Lee.
moreCloud Computing: Business Benefits and Legal Hurdles
During the recession, many companies not surprisingly put their technology expenditure on hold. Now that the private sector is emerging from the recession, businesses are evaluating how best to invest in ICT, except now they have greater choice. Whereas the traditional model would be to incur large capital expenditure upfront on hardware and software and to depreciate it over a three year period, there is a new kid in town. In this article, Frank Jennings discusses some advantages and disadvantages of cloud computing.
moreBoost your business with best practice blogging
Blogging is one of the best online marketing tools around - so it’s amazing how many companies still don’t do it. According to Emily Hill, MD of content agency Write My Site, a few blogging tips and tricks can help to transform your blog’s popularity and effectiveness.
moreTrends in hotel booking-engine design
A new study by the Università della Svizzera italiana takes a closer look at the booking-engine trends of the main hotel chains. The study is based on an in-depth analysis of features, functionalities and contents of 162 hotel chain booking-engines worldwide. By Lorenzo Cantoni, Vittoria Passini and Marco Faré.
moreMeasurement’s what we need
In the past couple of weeks we have seen metrics in new technologies making the headlines. In this article, Pete Davis discusses the case of iPad2.
moreSeven’s ‘Generation i’ Survey reveals an up-to-date picture of the UK's iPad audience
The iPad is rapidly changing the way people engage with content. Over half (51%) of iPad owners who had read magazines both in print and in interactive format on the iPad preferred the experience on Apple's multimedia device. That’s good news for brands looking to extend the reach of existing print titles and for publishers looking to break out of print. By Shareena Ali.
moreLack of focus impacting businesses’ use of social networks
Marketers are perplexed as to the value and purpose of social media marketing, and are confused as to who should be responsible for it within the organisation, according to a survey out last winter. New Media Knowledge went in search of answers. By Chris Lee.
moreGoogle’s +1 – Success hinges on paradigm shift as far as social interactions are concerned
Google needs a major partnership (something akin to Bing's with Facebook and the inclusion of Facebook likes in the search engine results pages), or a major acquisition, to make social proof work in its search results. By Krishna Rao.
moreA channel for the channel: Twitter as a business-to-business tool
Twitter’s role as a real time communications channel between consumers and brands has long been appreciated, but what about between businesses? New Media Knowledge got talking to one man who believes Twitter is under-utilised in the business-to-business arena. By Chris Lee.
moreMore than half of broadcasters to increase technology spend in 2011
More than half of broadcasters plan to invest more in technology in 2011 thanks to strengthening advertising spend and renewed confidence in the outlook for the sector, according to an Ovum survey. By Adrian Drury.
moreMobiles to Become Tickets as 1 in 8 Mobile Users Expected to Use Mobile Ticketing by 2015
Mobile bar coded boarding passes and cinemas to lead the way, says New Juniper Report. By John Levett.
moreNokia launches international short film competition for aspiring directors
Nokia Shorts 2011 offers prize of 10,000 USD and a screening at the Edinburgh International Film Festival. By Kamran Haider.
moreDestination Marketing: How to make a destination attractive
Which arguments make a destination attractive for tourists? Is there correspondences between what tourists expect from a destination, and how the Destination Management Organizations (DMO) promotes it? By Lorenzo Cantoni, Sara Fedele and Silvia De Ascaniis.
moreRules of Engagement: Brian Solis warns “engage or die”
One of social media’s leading thinkers was in London this month to talk to the UK’s leading social media practitioners. NMK’s Chris Lee went along to learn more from Brian Solis.
moreMobile Augmented Reality to Generate 1.4 billion Downloads by 2015
A new report from Juniper Research has found that the increasing focus on incorporating augmented reality (AR) elements within mobile applications will lead to nearly 1.4 billion annual downloads of such apps worldwide by 2015, up from just over 11 million last year. By John Levett.
moreSocial media challenges to business underlined at Dell conference
Some big brands got together at this month’s Dell B2B huddle to discuss the challenges facing them as organisations currently implementing social media campaigns. New Media Knowledge’s Chris Lee was there to pose the questions.
moreSelling Successfully Online: over 300 top tips for running an ecommerce website
In his new book, Chris Barling has collected over 300 top tips from 15 years of working in ecommerce and advising other small businesses. The 144 pages provide a guide to making money as an e-retailer, with objective and practical advice for those thinking about starting up, as well as merchants already selling online.
moreFinancial Trading – Consumer search for stock trading platforms most popular
446,000 searches were made online by UK consumers looking for trading-related platforms and services in October 2010. This is according to latest quarterly independent research from leading search marketing and technology firm, Greenlight. However, the majority of the most visible trading platforms relied on online advertising – paying for online visibility. Just two managed to secure prominence in the natural search* sphere which was dominated by informational sites. By Krishna Rao.
moreEnterprises not taking threat of cyber espionage seriously
Enterprises are not taking the threat of cyber espionage seriously enough, and many have not taken adequate steps to prevent an attack, according to Ovum. By Graham Titterington.
moreGroundbreaking open source project wins top MediaGuardian Innovation Awards
The judging panel described the Apache Hadoop project as the Swiss army knife of the 21st Century, and having the potential to completely change the face of media innovations across the globe. Overall, the project was seen as a greater catalyst for innovation than WikiLeaks, the iPad and a host of other suggested nominees. By Hayley Dunlop.
moreIs “follow” the new economic model poised to take on “search”?
Twitter provides a function called “follow” – you can follow who you like, and you get updates/ insight/ information/ attention from them. However, can you turn “follow” into value and is following your social filter based on those you trust? By Tony Fish.
moreSocial media in Europe: The rules of engagement
With three quarters of businesses spending more resources on social media than they did last year, what’s the Europe-wide picture on adoption rates and what are the common “rules of engagement”? New Media Knowledge caught up with one expert who should be able to help. By Chris Lee.
more84% of marketers don’t see Social Media as a source for new email subscribers
Adestra and Econsultancy Email Marketing Census 2011 shows what has changed in email marketing over last 5 years. Basic practices are being overlooked which severely affect response rates. Social Media is viewed as a separate channel to email, with poor measurement. Disconnected systems is a bigger barrier to email integration. By Henry Hyder-Smith.
moreGetting social with the customer: What is “Social CRM”?
The role the customer plays in corporations is changing fast and their influence is growing like never before. The subject of customer relationship management over social media was discussed at length at the Technology for Marketing and Advertising expo recently. New Media Knowledge went along to learn more. By Chris Lee.
moreThe Social Side of Football
Social media platforms, now have hundreds of millions of subscribers, and are no longer the exclusive plaything for teenagers, students and techie hipsters. Most have applications useful for any number of businesses, including football clubs. By Ciaran Duffy.
moreMobile Entertainment Service Revenues to Reach $54 billion by 2015
A new report from Juniper Research has valued the Mobile Entertainment market at $33bn for last year, rising to $54bn in 2015 – driven by the continuing escalation in smartphone adoption and the attendant increase in downloads of consumer-oriented applications. By John Levett.
moreDigital music industry to hit revenues of $20bn by 2015
Subscription services key industry driver with revenues growing at a CAGR of more than 60% from 2011-15. Individual download growth slows to just 3% in the US in 2010. Industry needs to cut down the amount of free music available. By Mark Little.
moreMo-cial Marketing - Ten Things You Need to Know
To help retailers seize the opportunity afforded by mo-cial marketing (mobile and social marketing), we have come up with the top tips that we believe need to be worked through to position your brand effectively for the new generation of customers. By Steve Jarrett.
moreHow can I segment my email audience to reach my best customers?
In the email space, being relevant is the holy grail of any marketing effort. But with customers engaging with your brand in a variety of ways, how can you segment your customer database to accommodate these diverse behaviours? Furthermore, how can you dig into your database to uncover your ‘best customers’? By Kara Trivunovic.
moreLocalise it: The rise and rise of local video advertising
Video advertising is going local, according to a new geo-targeted online video advertising company. New Media Knowledge caught up with Localstars to learn more about the increasing localisation of video advertising. By Chris Lee.
more88% of marketers don’t know how much budget they lose through non-delivery of email
Adestra and Econsultancy Email Marketing Census 2011 shows what’s changed in email marketing over last 5 years. Basic practices are being overlooked which severely affect response rates, and deliverability remains a problem – and causes confusion. By Steve Denner.
moreBehavioural advertising set for EU cookie shake-up
New European laws could change the way behavioural targeted marketing is enabled online with consent required from surfers for their data to be gathered. New Media Knowledge took a look at how the cookie could crumble. By Chris Lee.
moreWarner Bros and Facebook video deal is going to impact the market
Brace yourself for Facebook video, says Eden Zoller, Ovum principal analyst.
moreeCommerce sites urged to clean up content before Google’s ‘Panda’ goes global
Hot at its heels of an algorithm update to combat duplicate content last month, Google has followed up with “Panda”, another algorithm change that hits purveyors of “low quality content.” Generally perceived to be designed to tackle content farms, it destroys the rankings of sites which many Google users are sick and tired of seeing in the search engine results pages. By Krishna Rao.
moreLaunch of iPad2
In this note, Adam Leach, Ovum principal analyst, comments that Apple had the advantage of first mover, but competitors are reacting quickly.
moreAccountancy sector failing to capitalise on LinkedIn
Recent research indicates that many accounting firms are not using business social network LinkedIn to its full potential. New Media Knowledge spoke to the brains behind the research to learn what accountants could be doing with LinkedIn to better service clients, win new business and recruit quality staff. By Chris Lee.
moreNew Social Rules for Living in a Digital Age
If we sit back and reflect on current digital services, such as social media, we could conclude they are a game. For instance, if Twitter is about getting the best quip of the day or providing some useful info, Linkedin is about proving "my network is bigger than yours", and Facebook is about sharing that "I have a more interesting life than you". Then there must be some new rules for these new games, but what are they? Tony Fish discusses these topics in this article.
moreCreating a Network of Digital Coaches
In this article, Penny Power talks about the dangers of the online world, as people try to find a way without any guidance or understanding of the ethics and best practice. She discusses why now is more important than ever to teach others to use social media and to lead the way into a network of Ecademy Digital Coaches.
moreMobile Music Revenues to reach $5.5 billion by 2015, but growth threatened by online piracy
A new report published by Juniper Research forecasts that music consumed on mobile handsets will generate $5.5 billion annually in 2015, a rise of $3.1 billion from 2010. By John Levett.
moreHow to use content marketing: Interview with Lee Odden
The quantity, quality and shareability of your organisation’s content is crucial to your search engine rankings, according to one of the Internet marketing’s leading thinkers, Lee Odden. New Media Knowledge’s Chris Lee caught up with Odden at the recent Search Engine Strategies London expo.
morePerformance of social networking sites – Index from Keynote Systems for February 2011
Keynote Systems, the expert in Internet and mobile cloud monitoring, monitors the top 10 UK social networking sites on a monthly basis and analyses how these sites perform compared to their competitors. By Robert Castley.
moreSearch Alliance no threat to Google, just more of the same
Greenlight is more pessimistic than optimistic about any significant shift in search engine user behavior. By Krishna Rao.
moreSocial media marketing: Exclusive interview with LivingSocial
Social media marketing continues to grow in relevance to business. New Media Knowledge interviewed one firm which claimed its social media marketing platform could deliver thousands of new paying customers to businesses across the UK. By Chris Lee.
moreIntegration of promoted Tweets in Google real-time results – The sense of acquisition
Google’s integration of promoted tweets into the real-time search section of its live results, which it rolled out in late November, coincided with revelations it allegedly made two unsuccessful attempts to buy the social communication site. Paul Byrne, from Greenlight, believes that view that an alignment between Twitter and Google makes sense.
moreMobile operators need right strategy to cope with smartphone strain
Research just published claims to show that users of Google Android smartphones - including handsets from HTC and Samsung - are threatening to clog up the cellular phone networks. By Dan Joe Barry.
moreMobile Augmented Reality Attracts Leading Brands
A new report from Juniper Research has found that an increasing number of leading brands, retailers and mobile vendors are investing in mobile augmented reality (AR) applications and services, with global revenues expected to approach $1.5 billion by 2015. By John Levett.
moreGoing Global: How to handle an international Web presence
In the global economy organisations have to cater for significant variants in culture and language when marketing in multiple geographies. New Media Knowledge went in search of some best practice advice. By Chris Lee.
moreEvolution of Search and its Engines – Winners, Losers, Adaptors
In its latest incarnation of the History of SEO, Greenlight charts the facts and stats celebrating 16 years in the evolution of search. By Krishna Rao.
moreMobile operators should fear the threat from Facebook
Facebook is shaping up to be a strong competitor to mobile operators that are in danger of underestimating the threat it poses, according to Ovum. By Eden Zoller.
moreMobile World Congress 2011: A review
Last week saw the annual Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, where the great and the good of the mobile phone industry got together to show off their latest developments. New Media Knowledge quizzed a few of the estimated 50,000 attendees for their thoughts. By Chris Lee.
moreEndeca Survey Reveals Key Trends in B2C and B2B eCommerce
User-Centric, Multichannel Commerce Cited as Biggest Drivers for eBusiness Success in 2011. By Tom Woods.
moreHome insurance to see a surge in online searches
The number of searches made online by UK consumers for home insurance-related products is expected to rise in the early part of 2011, according to the latest independent research by leading independent search marketing and technology firm, Greenlight. By Krishna Rao.
moreSocial Meets Email: How Marketers Can Optimise the Opportunity
Five years ago, ‘the social network’ didn’t mean much to anybody, least of all business professionals. Today, its common practice even in Los Angeles where it’s become a major Hollywood film. By Kara Trivunovic.
more10 reasons to be cheerful about mobile advertising in 2011
Adfonic believes that 2011 will be a step change for mobile advertising, driven by the growth in smartphones and tablets along with exciting new mobile marketing opportunities for brands and agencies. In this article, Paul Childs, Chief Operations Officer at Adfonic, gives his Top 10 predictions for the New Year.
moreDiamonds are out, iPads are in
UK prefers the latest innovative gadgets over jewelry for Valentine’s Day. By Bob Barker. Meadmore.
moreSocial CRM: Exclusive interview with Dell
Computer manufacturer Dell is widely recognised as one of the earliest to use social media as part of its customer relationship management (CRM) strategy. New Media Knowledge spoke exclusively to the company to find out how to run a successful social media engagement programme and why it matters. By Chris Lee.
morePerformance of social networking sites – Index from Keynote Systems for January 2011
Keynote Systems, the expert in Internet and mobile cloud monitoring, monitors the top 10 UK social networking sites on a monthly basis and analyses how these sites perform compared to their competitors. By Robert Castley.
moreAnnual adspend on mobile channels to reach $11 Billion by 2015 as brands embrace in-app advertising
Juniper Research has signalled an unprecedented interest in the mobile advertising space by key brands and agencies. This follows the dramatic increase in mobile application usage in key markets and the growing penetration of smartphones with location aware and augmented reality (AR) capabilities. By John Levett.
moreMobilised sales force: How to optimise your site for m-commerce
After seeing visitors to its site from mobile devices increase nine-fold in the last year, thegiftexperience.co.uk has launched a mobile-ready website. As shoppers increasingly make payments via mobile phones, New Media Knowledge caught up with The Gift Experience to learn how digital marketers should be getting their sites ready for m-commerce. By Chris Lee.
moreOnline usability with travel sites is rising despite continued poor customer service
The latest eTravel Benchmark results show that online satisfaction with travel websites is steadily beginning to improve. However, despite a strong performance online, overall results are still suffering with poor customer service and after sales care. By Lloyd Viney.
moreThe changing interface of TV: Interview with uWand
As television continues to evolve, so existing user interfaces become more and more incompatible, according to one developer. New Media Knowledge caught up with uWand to learn more about way we will be changing channels – and so much more - in the near future. By Chris Lee.
moreNew generation of TV services begin to close gap on cable
Cable will retain dominance in the global multi-channel TV market over the next five years but the threat from the new generation of digital and internet protocol (IP) services will take its toll, predicts Ovum. By Jonathan Doran.
moreSurvey Reveals Seven In Ten Marketers Have Little Understanding of Social Media Conversations Surrounding Their Brand
Alterian’s 8thannual marketer survey indicates that although digital marketing expenditures are anticipated to increase in 2011, consumer engagement levels and analytical competency are still limited across channels. By Bob Barker.
moreMarks and Spencer top mCommerce league as customer satisfaction with their mobile site increases
Multichannel retailer Marks and Spencer has topped the overall league table in the second ever mCommerce benchmark study, providing consumers with a functional yet stylish mobile site to compliment their online offering. By Lisa Bonczyk.
more1.4 billion people to access both fixed and mobile broadband by 2015
By 2015, 1.4 billion people globally will access both fixed-line and mobile broadband as usage grows rapidly and services converge, according to Ovum. By Michael Philpot, Charlie Davies and Steven Hartley.
moreTop 5 Tips for Becoming An Exceptional Author in 2011
Thought leadership strategist Mindy Gibbins-Klein lets you in on some of the top tips for success and why now is the perfect time to be getting the word out to others by building your brand and raise your credibility by writing a book.
moreAcross the social channel: A look at social media in France
While we have focussed on social media in the English-speaking economies of the UK and US, we decided to take a look into the social media scene across the Channel in France. New Media Knowledge’s Chris Lee went in search of an entente cordiale.
moreR.I.P trend predictions: 2011 is the year of insight
Alterian research highlights nearly 300,000 online mentions for 2011 trends in just four months. By Bob Barker.
moreLoans and Mortgage related products top consumer online searches
61% of the 2 million UK consumer searches conducted online for retail banking-related services in October 2010 were for loans and mortgages, according to the latest quarterly research from Greenlight, a leading search marketing specialist and technology firm. This comes against the backdrop of the recent reports indicating an expected rise in interest rates as early as spring according to some economists. By Krishna Rao.
moreProving the value of search strategies: The Cy4or case study
With budgets allocated to search marketing continuing to increase, search marketing firms likewise feel the pressure to produce results for their clients. New Media Knowledge caught up with one search firm with some good news to share. By Chris Lee.
moreRetailers more than double their following on social media sites
The popularity and uptake of retail brands on social networking sites shows no signs of slowing down with the majority retailers more than doubling their following on various social media platforms over the past six months. By Lisa Bonczyk.
moreTablets lead rise of ‘lite’ OS devices to 150 million global shipments
Global shipments of portable internet devices based on ‘lite’ operating systems (OSs), which include tablet computers such as the iPad, will hit 150 million per year in 2015 according to Ovum. By Tony Cripps.
moreMaking Your Customers Feel Like Royalty
Bruce Townsend of Actinic shares three ways to help you provide genuinely excellent service to your customers.
moreStrongMail Marketing Trends Survey Reveals Positive Economic Outlook for 2011
Email marketing and social media are top areas of investment; lack of resources/staff cited as top email marketing challenge. By Ryan Deutsch.
morePR agencies urged to monitor social media more effectively
The public relations industry is evolving fast. With so much potential for a PR disaster to spread virally around the globe in minutes it has never been more important for PR professionals to monitor social media channels. Yet a new survey suggests this isn’t happening. New Media Knowledge went to find out why and what PR consultants should be doing to monitor social media. By Chris Lee.
moreSocial channels: opportunities and threats for media industry
Publishers, studios and broadcasters need to seize the opportunities presented by the growth of social media and video on mobile devices in 2011, according to Ovum. However they should also be aware of the long-term threat these channels pose to their share of audience and advertising budget, finds the independent technology analyst. By Adrian Drury.
moreSkillset Apprenticeship opens up new pathways into Creative Media Industries in the south west
Skillset is pioneering a new pathway into the highly competitive Creative Media Industries with the introduction of the Advanced Apprenticeship in Creative and Digital Media in the south west of England. By Nick Sheridan.
moreSophistication is key to email marketing success, expert advises
Email marketing is still a popular form of digital marketing, despite the prominence of social media. New Media Knowledge caught up with one online marketing expert to get some pointers on email marketing best practice. By Chris Lee.
moreRingback Tone Advertising to Hit $780 million annually by 2015 as Consumers Chase Free Airtime
But Juniper Research warns of the danger of intrusive advertising. By John Levett.
moreGrowing Online Sales the Modern Way
Chris Barling of Actinic provides some suggestions on how to improve online sales using methods other than the obvious SEO, PPC and affiliate marketing tools.
moreAs more and more news outlets start to charge for media and online content, should increased fees mean an increased investment in site and app performance?
The Telegraph Media Group is the latest national publication to be rumoured to charge for online content and, with ‘The Guardian’, ‘The Daily Mail’ and ‘The Independent’ launching paid-for apps, Keynote Systems argues that paid-for content should mean greater investment and focus on digital offerings. By Robert Castley.
moreCar Hire in Spanish locations topped UK pre-Christmas searches
Worldwide destinations accounted for 56% of over 763,000 car hire-related searches conducted on Google by UK consumers in October 2010, according to the latest quarterly research by leading independent search marketing specialist and technology firm, Greenlight. By Krishna Rao.
more'One strike and you're out': a guide to CRM-focused email marketing
As terms such as Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and business intelligence creep into marketing language, it is important to clarify the benefits these disciplines offer to digital marketers. By Rogier van der Veen.
moreSocial media “sobriety test” aims to prevent regretful posts
To help prevent intoxicated social media users from posting comments and updates that they may later regret, an Internet security software company has developed a “sobriety test”. New Media Knowledge’s Chris Lee caught up with the firm behind it.
moreSecuring Early Stage Finance in the UK
Many entrepreneurs seek early stage funding to help start a business in the UK. However the search for funding can often be a time consuming and frustrating one, and the odds of gaining finance are slim at best. By Alan Gleeson.
moreContent marketing budgets set to increase in 2011 but “competency gap” exists
Content is crucial to successful search engine optimisation (SEO) and customer engagement programmes. Yet according to a recent report a “content competency gap” currently exists in online marketing, although budgets are set to increase. New Media Knowledge took a closer look at the figures. By Chris Lee.
moreAvoid the social media spam rush through personalised communications
The sudden and unexpected drop in email spam has prompted widespread speculation that the problem will soon spread into social media channels. By Ryan Deutsch.
moreSkillset supports Workshop for women returning to work in TV being delivered by ITF
Skillset is supporting the Indie Training Fund to deliver, Reviewing Your Options, a free one-day motivational workshop for women seeking to resume their TV careers after a maternity break or for other reasons on Tuesday, 1st March. By Nick Sheridan.
moreDarren Fell explains how Crunch has become a successful business model in 18 months
Crunch Accounting, who opened their doors just 18 months ago, has begun to turn a profit after signing up its 800th customer towards the end of 2010. By combining a flat-rate model with a software-based approach to reduce costs, Crunch has now expanded to a staff of 32 and has moved into a new office as the company expands even further. By Darren Fell.
moreForesight: Online video in 2011
With more than 24 hours-worth of video content being uploaded to YouTube every minute, online video looks set to be a major part of consumer entertainment, viral marketing and advertising going forward. New Media Knowledge tapped up a few video industry experts to gauge where online video is going in 2011. By Chris Lee.
moreGetting all creative over PPC
How creativity and ATO (Ad Text Optimization) are set to take paid search to the next level. By Paul Booth.
moreForesight: Search marketing in 2011
SEO has become an increasingly important element in organisations’ overall marketing strategies; with rises in SEO marketing spend reflecting its importance to marketers. 2010 saw many new developments in search marketing, especially from Google, so what does 2011 hold when marketing on the world’s most popular search engine? New Media Knowledge went in search of answers. By Chris Lee.
moreGreenlight reveals its top 10 predictions for natural and paid search in 2011
With Google’s Instant Preview here to stay, leading search marketing specialist and technology firm Greenlight, has 2011 pegged as “web design year”. By Krishna Rao.
moreActinic survey of ecommerce sales shows SME sector remains strong in Q4
Christmas sales increase orders by 13% over Q3 2010. By Nick Kington.
moreSkillset supports BAME Media Professionals’ Career Progression Workshop
The Indie Training Fund will deliver a free one-day motivational workshop for TV professionals from Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds on how to take the next step in their career on Saturday, 15 February. By Nick Sheridan.
moreInternet use and online shopping on the up over Christmas
A dramatic 86% of UK consumers logged onto the Internet over Christmas day and Boxing day this year, an increase of over 10% when compared with figures from 2009. By Chris Russell.
moreForesight: The changing face of social media in 2011
As social media continues to develop, what will 2011 bring? New Media Knowledge quizzed a leading social media thinker to gauge his views on the changing face of social media in 2011. By Chris Lee.
morePublic relations went social in 2010, but what does 2011 promise?
The public relations (PR) industry is fast adapting to the new reality of the diversified media arena presented by the social Web. Yet some are evolving with the changing media landscape better than others, so New Media Knowledge tapped up its address book to find what social media developments will mean for PRs in 2011. By Chris Lee.
moreTime to talk to that big competitor in your crosshairs!
It is time British entrepreneurs have a serious rethink regarding the traditional entrepreneurial model, particularly in the IT /Internet industry. The model that I have seen repeated numerous times goes something like this: an entrepreneur decides to develop a new online service or application taking advantage of ‘cloud computing’, the low barriers to entry for Internet plays or the growth in Smart phones, etc. By Alan Gleeson.
moreSkillset launches three new sets of National Occupational Standards for the film industry
Skillset has developed three new suites of National Occupational Standards (NOS) in response to demand from the UK film industry. By Nick Sheridan.
moreWhy email marketers need to embrace social media: the channels should integrate not compete
As commentators analyse the significance of Facebook’s ‘social inbox’ following its launch in mid-November, we are reminding digital marketers that email marketing and social media both have a place in the marketing mix. By Rogier van der Veen.
moreAdSpend on Mobile Games to Reach Nearly $900 million Globally by 2015 says Juniper Research
Tenfold increase over the next five years driven by the launch of advertising platforms on key app stores. By John Levett.
moreFilm trainees can earn while they learn through new Skillset Trainee Placement Scheme
Skillset is giving 60 trainee-level film crew a unique opportunity to gain experience on major UK film productions through the new Film Craft and Technical Trainee Placement Scheme. The deadline is 31st January. By Gregory David.
moreWhat's not to Like?
The idea that Facebook is significantly more effective than other social networks as a platform for sharing content, as proposed by the content distribution company GoViral, is an interesting revelation for ecommerce. By Martin Hill.
moreOnline ad industry set for more upheaval in 2011, experts warn
With the advertising industry undergoing a rapid period of change coupled with record investment, New Media Knowledge caught up with a number of digital marketers to get their predictions for 2011. By Chris Lee.
moreGrand designs: Creating websites that work
While firms are investing big in search marketing strategies to get their sites found by potential customers, New Media Knowledge spoke to one company about how critical design and content is to creating conversions once search marketing has brought in the traffic. By Chris Lee.
moreAdfonic points to peak traffic on Boxing Day and ‘Mobile Sunday’
Real-time clicks measured over the Christmas period by Adfonic across its global mobile advertising marketplace show that mobile is driving a shift in the way that consumers browse for gifts and hunt for sale bargains. By Beth Smith.
more‘ideas lab’ highlights vast consumer research potential of social networks
Direct Line’s pioneering ‘ideas lab’ consumer insights programme represents a genuine breakthrough in the way research is conducted on social networks. The first initiative saw 200+ Facebook users collaborate to design an iPhone motor insurance app. The quality and depth of insight and high engagement levels proved revelatory. By Tom Wood.
moreEight trends that are changing the ecommerce landscape
Ecommerce is exploding. Already worth an estimated €48 billion in the UK alone, it is predicted to at least double in the next 10 years. At the same time technology development in the sector is moving at a frightening pace, and here are eight trends we believe will change the landscape over the next 12-18 months. By Fadi Shuman.
moreGetting Twitter in perspective
The microblogging site Twitter is rarely out of the news, but the jury’s still out on its value as a barometer of real life. New Media Knowledge spoke with a couple of communicators who ran an online debate on the subject. By Chris Lee.
moreMobile Retailing and What It Means To Us
Mobile retailing allows companies to expand their market base without the need for investing heavily on overhead costs. This allows them to offer more goods and services without passing this to their cost of production. Mobile retailing translates to more competitive pricing allowing customers to enjoy better products without paying for these premium services. By Jason Acidre.
moreChannel 4 to take on Apprentices through Skillset’s Advanced Apprenticeship in Creative and Digital Media
Channel 4 is offering a new pathway into the highly competitive television industry with the introduction of the Advanced Apprenticeship in Creative and Digital Media. By Nick Sheridan.
moreSocial networks key driver for online retailers, research says
Social networks accounted for more than one in every ten visits to the Internet during September 2010. Social networks were also found to increase the traffic sent to online retailers by 13 per cent since last year. With social media rapidly becoming a key channel for retailers, New Media Knowledge took a look at what retailers should be doing to engage with audiences. By Chris Lee.
moreConvergence Conversation – The Transmogrification of Advertising
There is a simplistic view of what is happening in the world of advertising – and it goes thus: burn up your Television centric media plan and switch all those gazillions to online ads. Better still throw it at Facebook, Google and VOD. Apparently, this will magically solve your problems and oh, also give you get you to the Shangri-la of measurability in your media spend. By Ved Sen.
moreSymbian’s reduced role will help Nokia to focus
The Symbian Foundation’s announced not-for-profit status and Symbian OS’s re-absorption into Nokia marks an end to the circuitous journey that the smartphone software platform has taken since its inception from pioneer and market maker to near anonymity. By Tony Cripps.
moreThe trouble with Twitter: How can the microblogging network make money?
Microblogging sensation Twitter now has 145 million users globally with more than 300,000 apps available to play with. The challenge for Twitter is how to monetise its product. New Media Knowledge spoke to a search marketing expert to learn what impact its monetising strategy might have. By Chris Lee.
moreThe need for transparency
Paul Childs, chief marketing officer at Adfonic, looks at the need for greater transparency in the mobile advertising industry and examines why the picture is still not clear.
moreMobile Games Revenues to Surpass $11 billion Globally by 2015 as In-Game Purchases Overtake those of Pay-per-Download, says Juniper Research
App stores drive changes in monetisation, but discoverability still remains an issue on some platforms. By John Levett.
moreIntroducing Google Nexus S with Gingerbread
With over 200,000 Android handset activations a day, the launch of a new Google-branded handset is really little more than a sideshow compared with the broader impact Google is having on the mobile market. By Tony Cripps.
moreStar Struq: Interview with a young Internet entrepreneur
Graduate unemployment may high but some young guns are doing it for themselves. New Media Knowledge caught up with Sam Barnett, founder of online targeting firm Struq. By Chris Lee.
moreSmall and micro companies invited to apply for funding for feasibility studies in digital services
The Technology Strategy Board intends to stimulate innovation by small and micro companies in digital services through an investment of up to £2 million in feasibility studies. The Board has also published an update to its Digital strategy. By Nick Sheppard.
moreCross-border trading is biggest barrier to European e-commerce growth
A pan-European report has been released highlighting some of the key issues and trends in online shopping across the region. By Mathias Duda.
moreBBC Academy teams with and Bournemouth Skillset Media Academy to create Masters Programme in Production Management
The BBC Academy, in partnership with the Bournemouth Skillset Media Academy has launched the 2011 Masters Programme in Production Management - the only Masters Programme of its kind within the UK - and is now seeking applicants from across the industry. By Nick Sheridan.
moreDon’t focus on the count – consider, maximise and target your audience properly
The media world is changing rapidly and advertisers are on tenterhooks. Reduced budgets and an increased focus on getting more value out of ad campaigns means the pressure is on to get results. It is very tempting (and easy) to use click through rates as a measure of success, but do bear in mind what they really stand for - a simple measurement of response which only gives part of the picture. By Ken Parnham.
moreBrave New World of Location-Based, App-Driven And Immersive Marketing Marketing
“Social gaming is the next MTV” according to Yuza Mobile CEO, Richard Skaife, who keynoted MusicTank's recent forward-looking panel – Brave New World… that considered location-based gaming, augmented reality (AR) and app development vehicles for the music industry. By Jonathan Robinson.
moreSmartphones & Low Cost Data Drive Traffic to Mobile Adult Paysites
According to Juniper Research, subscribers forecast to reach 35 million by 2015. US activity soars but European on-portal adult sales slide. By John Levett.
moreIncreased trust in ecommerce and Big Freeze leads to bumper online Christmas spend
Brits continue to flock online to shop at Christmas time, according to a wide range of surveys hitting the news recently. New Media Knowledge crunched the numbers. By Chris Lee.
moreFive Social Media Gaffes to Avoid in Marketing
Chris Barling of Actinic picks out five things that a business should NOT do when using social media for marketing. By Chris Barling.
moreSocial networks key driver for online retailers, research says
Social networks accounted for more than one in every ten visits to the Internet during September 2010. Social networks were also found to increase the traffic sent to online retailers by 13 per cent since last year. With social media rapidly becoming a key channel for retailers, New Media Knowledge took a look at what retailers should be doing to engage with audiences. By Chris Lee.
moreThe Internet will have a profound impact on society and business in future
The impact of the Internet on society and business is ‘only just beginning’ according to Silicon Valley entrepreneurs at the tenth Silicon Valley comes to Oxford event at Saïd Business School. By Fiona Reid.
moreTransmedia with Company P
On 10th - 11th February 2011, at Ravensbourne, the Company P will take us through 2 days of the history of transmedia, case studies and focus on the challenges that faze any production that steps out of the television screen and lets the audience into the drama. Looking at shows, games, social media, alternate realities and extended 360* universe you will gain skills in managing interdisciplinary projects and learn how to write for an active audience. This event is free to industry professionals. By Carrie Wootten.
moreOnline marketing – you’re only as good as your data
In this article, Frank Bobo (Digital Element) argues on the relevance of making a good first impression online.
moreWhy Europe lags the U.S. in technology startups
In this article, Alan Gleeson discusses the reasons behind the apparent gap between the U.S. and Europe when it comes to the development of successful technology and Web-based startups.
more3D Storytelling Conference
Leading industry experts including Chris Parks, Andy Milns, Adam Sculthorp and Phil Streather, will host the first ever 3D Storytelling conference http://www.3dstorytelling.co.uk on 6-7 Jan 2011, at Ravensbourne. They will be discussing both technical and creative issues from filmmakers, broadcasters and audiences about storytelling in the third dimension. Funding from the European Regional Development Fund has enabled this conference to be free to industry professionals. By Carrie Wootten.
moreManaging your “Web shadow”: Interview with author Antony Mayfield
There is no escaping our “Web shadow” – traces left by ourselves and others on the Internet – so what we write on forums, blogs and social networks and how we address comments people make about us as individuals or brands has never been more important. New Media Knowledge spoke with one digital expert who has written an entire book on the subject. By Chris Lee.
moreBBC to take on apprentices in Creative and Digital Media in Bristol
Skillset is pleased to announce that BBC Bristol has become the second south west-based employer to sign on to the pilot programme of the Advanced Apprenticeship in Creative and Digital Media in the region. There are other opportunities to join the Apprenticeship programme. By Nick Sheridan.
moreInternal affairs: Using social media in business
Social media offers companies with platforms with which to share information, collaborate on new ideas and foster improved team morale. In a month when many of Germany’s top companies banned certain social networks in the workplace, New Media Knowledge took a look at how social media can help companies improve work practices. By Chris Lee.
moreDon’t leave the multi-channel marketing buffet unsatisfied
With so many channels and media available to marketers today, choosing the right mix to deliver the best results for your brand can be tricky. It’s tempting to adopt every communication platform and engagement mechanism there is – after all, your customers are probably using all of them. But this isn’t always best, or even appropriate. By John Ginsberg.
moreXinXii Now Available in French and English
Internationalization has begun on online marketplace for authors' own texts and documents. By Andrea Schober.
moreIKinema races into the future with the next generation of high-speed gaming
Surrey Research Park helps another university spin out to success as exciting new research from Dr Pechev makes IKinema a reality. By Andrew Ball.
moreOnline Defamation: Lawyer or Online Reputation Management?
Imagine the scenario, its 9am on Monday and you have just been alerted to the fact that a negative story or customer review has been published to the internet. It’s completely unfounded, you know that, but your customers do not. You need it removed and the damage limited as quickly as possible. So you call your lawyers....or is there another answer? By Nathan Barker.
moreScope for improvement for brand interaction online
Just one in five consumers follows a brand on social media platforms, according to research out in October. What should brands be doing to improve this scenario? New Media Knowledge asked the experts. By Chris Lee.
moreGoogle’s Instant Previews feature – The Marketer’s Friend and Foe
After a testing period in the USA, Google’s Instant Previews feature, which had also recently started popping up in the UK, has been launched. When a search is conducted on Google, as well as being able to view the related search results, the searcher, whilst scrolling through each, is privy to a full miniature pop-up preview of the related website. According to search marketing specialist and technology firm Greenlight, when it comes to online marketing, advertising and visibility, this suddenly makes site design even more important to winning the click in both paid and natural search. By Krishna Rao.
moreTargeted ads not targeted enough, research claims
Just a quarter of consumers believe that brands are providing relevant ads to them online, according to research. With trust appearing to be a big concern for consumers when trusting online ads, what can brands do to make online ads more effective? By Chris Lee.
moreInternet TV will soon hit mass market, Business Insights finds
Internet TV will soon hit the mass market as more consumers turn their backs on traditional sets and opt to view online, with global sales of internet enabled TVs predicted to reach over 90m by 2013, finds Business Insights. By Richard Absalom.
moreExalead and Capgemini Extend Global Partnership to Provide Innovative Search-Based Solutions
Exalead, a provider of search platforms and search-based business application (SBA) technology for consumer and business users, and Capgemini, one of the world’s providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services, have announced the expansion of their partnership to a global level. By James Stockbridge.
moreEuropean shoppers are going mobile
Research from a leading industry analyst firm, commissioned by Akamai, shows increased usage by consumers of mobile commerce and rising levels of online spend for retail goods in Western Europe. By Martin Haering.
moreTargeted ads not targeted enough, research claims
Just a quarter of consumers believe that brands are providing relevant ads to them online, according to research. With trust appearing to be a big concern for consumers when trusting online ads, what can brands do to make online ads more effective? By Chris Lee.
moreHelping SMEs compete in search marketing: A case study
Small and medium-sized businesses can often struggle to compete on search engines, but business directory listings can help them raise their online visibility. New Media Knowledge looked at one such case. By Chris Lee.
moreThe future of mobile apps is in the cloud
Rich Holdsworth CTO at Wapple argues that while native mobile apps have certainly helped to stimulate the market, web-based mobile applications are the smart way forward.
moreMyJobGroup’s Whitepaper on Social Media in the Workplace Published
MyJobGroup.co.uk partners with University of Leicester to write landmark document. By Jonathan Priestley.
moreMetadata production tools – new £5 million funding competition
The Technology Strategy Board is to invest up to £5 million in collaborative research and development projects looking to create tools that make the production of content such as film, music and computer games more cost-effective, less risky and yield greater value through new advanced uses of metadata. By Nick Sheppard.
moreMobstar Finds Success on BlackBerry App World
Creative agency sees 53,000 theme downloads a day and announces exciting new case venture. By Dan Price.
moreWhat Makes Xbox 360 So Special
This article is about one of the most famous gaming consoles named Xbox 360. There are easy ways available for Xbox 360 repair that anyone could easily do it one’s self. By Alisha John.
moreCorometrics White Paper: A Marketing Imperative: Profile, Personalise, and Profit
The white paper discusses how companies may adopt personalised programmes, substituting time-consuming management by automatic solutions which create customised online experiences. By Magda Hercheui.
moreGoogle’s Street View privacy breach damaging to user confidence in the brand
Google has escaped a fine for collecting personal data - including email addresses and passwords - being used in UK public Wi-Fi spots. Despite labelling the act as a "significant breach" of the Data Protection Act that was "not fair or lawful," the UK’s Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), has simply requested that Google delete the offending data and given the search giant nine months to review its privacy practices. By Krishna Rao.
moreSkillset to talk shop at Think Photography 2010
Skillset’s Photo Imaging sector manager Pippa Walkley will join an exciting line-up of some of the photographic industry’s most respected names to talk at the Think Photography 2010 conference in West Bromwich on Sunday, 14 November. By Nick Sheridan.
moreBBC leads on-demand TV for user experience
On-demand TV may still be nascent, but the user experience varies dramatically from channel to channel, according to a new study out this month. New Media Knowledge caught up with the authors to find out why the BBC iPlayer currently leads the pack. By Chris Lee.
moreFive enduring process for successful social media measurement
There is no doubt the recession has triggered significant change across all organisations, causing many to question established best practices, developed through years of successful operations. What used to be intuitive quickly becomes dated, and it’s easy to lose sight of objectives in an effort to stay ahead of the curve. No where is this more true than in brands’ use of social media. By John Squire.
moreText for success: The rise and rise of SMS vouchers
Gift vouchers within retail are nothing new, but the platforms are changing. Vouchers delivered over mobile phones are now proving to be more successful for clothes retailers Oasis and Karen Millen than traditional card and paper vouchers. New Media Knowledge caught up with the stores’ parent company to learn more. By Chris Lee.
moreActinic Survey of Ecommerce Sales Shows Further Growth in SME Sector for Q3 2010
E-tailers report 18% rise in average revenue, 13% more orders. By Nick Kington.
moreSomethin’ Else nurses iPhone baby for Random House children’s books
Leading digital production company Somethin’ Else has been commissioned by Random House Children’s Books to create My CriBaby, an iPhone and iPod Touch app to coincide with the publication of Malorie Blackman’s new book Boys Don’t Cry. By Jessica Bromley.
moreThe changing face of media: Exclusive interview with Meltwater
The UK media scene is undergoing unprecedented upheaval. New Media Knowledge caught up with Jorn Lyseggen, CEO and founder of online media monitoring company Meltwater, to gauge his views on where the UK media industry was heading. By Chris Lee.
moreSurvey underlines journalists’ increasing dependency on social media
Social media is seen as an “important tool” by the majority of UK journalists, according to a recent survey. But members of the press questioned say that the PR industry by and large has yet to fully grasp how to interact with journalists on social platforms. New Media Knowledge went in search of answers. By Chris Lee.
moreImprove Digital publishes first ‘market map’ of European online display advertising industry
Publishers struggling to tell their ad networks from their ad exchanges and their DSPs from their agency trading desks have a new tool to help them keep pace with the sub-sectors of the online advertising world. By Joëlle Frijters.
moreVideochat and Subscription Services to Drive Mobile Adult Revenues to $2.8bn by 2015
Smartphones push adult mobile traffic to record levels but revenues threatened by free content, Juniper Report Finds. By Windsor Holden.
moreFinding a good story for Google in China will be difficult
Finding a good story for Google in China is going to be tough, says Andreas Pouros, chief operating officer at Greenlight, a leading independent search specialist marketing and technology firm. His comments follow on the back of Baidu’s results. These show it continues to dominate the search engine landscape in China. Baidu also reported its advertiser numbers have increased by almost 26% on 2009 levels, reaching 272,000 - a clear sign of the deep chasm in the paid search arena between it and its nearest rival, Google.
moreSkillset Apprenticeship opens up new pathways into Creative Media Industries in Wales
Skillset Cymru is pioneering a new pathway into the highly competitive Creative Media Industries with the introduction of the Skillset Apprenticeship in Creative and Digital Media. By Nick Sheridan.
moreSocial media and internal communications: Interview with WebJam
While a great deal may have been made regarding social media’s potential as a marketing tool, it can also streamline internal communications as well. New Media Knowledge caught up with one specialist to get some best practice tips. By Chris Lee.
moreTV industry scheme recognised in health and safety awards
The television industry’s Production Safety Passport Group was shortlisted in the 'Best Achievement in Retail and Leisure' category of the Safety and Health Practitioner magazine’s Institution of Occupational Safety and Health 2010 Awards last week. By Nick Sheridan.
moreMobile consumers drive proactive customer service
Mobiles are pushing businesses to be more proactive with their customer service due to the surge in consumer enquiries across many different channels. By Kelly Livesey.
more4.5 Billion Social Media Users Challenged to Shutdown Networks
Imagine not being able to communicate with your friends and loved ones, despite your best attempts. Imagine the frustration of not being able to truly connect with other people, despite your strong desire to do so. Could you stand to go one day without being socially connected? Social communication is one of the biggest challenges for people with autism. To demonstrate this and to raise awareness of the issue, SapientNitro is teaming up with the Australia-based AEIOU Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides therapy for children with autism, to launch a global call-to-action campaign titled the Communication Shutdown. By Freddie Laker.
moreThe Known and the Unknown - Keywording for Visibility
For those who want their images to be seen, keywording is essential, and with so many images now cluttering up desktops and the internet, good keywording is a must. Sarah Saunders of Electric Lane looks at the issues and explains how controlled vocabularies can help raise standards and increase the accuracy of keyword searches. Electric Lane is running a course in Keywording on December 7 in London for anyone wanting to improve their image retrieval.
moreHow to recruit quality staff via Twitter
Social networking is both a blessing and a curse for jobseekers. While channels such as Twitter and LinkedIn offer professionals the opportunity to search new jobs and new recruits, others such as Facebook may compromise the integrity of their “digital footprint”. New Media Knowledge caught up with one firm which has taken to recruiting senior executives via Twitter. By Chris Lee.
moreSapientNitro unveils engagement banking concept in interactive report
Banking on the future” white paper identifies how technology is forcing retail banks to evolve while empowering consumers. By Alex Sion.
moreMobile shopping made easier by Google’s brand new stock checking feature
Christmas can be a very stressful time, especially when it comes to finding the perfect gift to give to someone. It can take a lot of time and effort to search the shops and find the best deal, which is particularly true if you are on a limited budget. Many shops and retailers are constantly offering new deals and packages making it hard to find the one that is right for you. By Richard Wood.
moreHow to formulate an international search campaign
With just a third of the world’s online searches taking place in the English language, companies with international aspirations need to truly think globally when it comes to their search engine marketing. This means both culturally and linguistically. New Media Knowledge caught up with one international search engine marketing consultancy to learn more. By Chris Lee.
moreFragmented mobile sector holding back UK m-commerce, group warns
With four billion mobile phone users globally, the potential for mobile commerce could be hindered by a fragmented, according to a major UK standards body. New Media Knowledge’s Chris Lee caught up with GS1 UK to find out how hurdles in the developing m-commerce sector could be overcome. By Chris Lee.
moreEnhanced CPC – a Clever New Google Tool, or Just the Lazy Way to Manage Your Bids?
Google announced the launch of their new automated bidding tool, Enhanced CPC, amid claims that it can improve your Return On Investment (ROI) on the campaigns where you use manual bidding. By Lucy White.
moreANDY Awards Shortlist 5 Concepts for Call for Entries Challenge
After three weeks and nearly 1,000 submissions from creative minds around the world, The International ANDY Awards announced today that five concepts from the “Call for Entries” challenge have been shortlisted. By Stefanie Bauman.
moreStudy of 50 million Facebook users shows our ‘herding instinct’ turns on and off
A new study shows that consumers are more likely to take up a product if they see that it is already very popular. The research, led by Oxford University, has shown we have a herding instinct to follow the crowd once a clear winner is established. However, this instinct appears to switch off almost entirely if the product fails to achieve a certain popularity threshold. The study, published recently in the PNAS journal, is based on an analysis of how millions of Facebook users adopted software, known as apps, to personalise their Facebook pages. By Josie Powel.
moreThe future of public relations: Interview with Speed Communications
The PR industry is in danger of dividing into “ghettoes”, according to one of the UK’s top communications agencies – those agencies that “get” social media and those that don’t. New Media Knowledge asked what the near future will bring. By Chris Lee.
moreInterflora Vs M&S on Google AdWords – Online Marketers will await outcome with bated breath
Flower retailer Interflora has begun legal action against Marks & Spencer for allegedly bidding on its brand name on Google Adwords. According to Matthew Whiteway, Client Services Director at leading search specialist agency and technology firm Greenlight, were Interflora to win this battle, it would set a precedent, with a number of advertisers likely to follow suit. Online marketers meanwhile will be waiting with bated breath. A ruling in favour of Interflora could see them frantically having to review their AdWords accounts. By Matthew Whiteway.
moreWith around 70 days left to until Christmas, has the battle already begun to reach the savvy Christmas shopper?
Research shows that Christmas shoppers had an overall positive experience shopping online last year, with many people looking to take advantage of pre-Christmas sales (which have been known to start as early as September), low-cost bargains and clever pricing and deal strategies by the retailers to entice the shopper early in the Christmas shopping buying cycle. By John James Abadom.
moreSkillset announces £100,000 in bursaries for Craft & Technical and Health & Safety training
Skillset has launched two bursary schemes to help professionals from the film and television industries access training in the key priority areas of Craft & Technical and Health & Safety. By Nick Sheridan.
moreRetail sales boosted by Google’s new Product Extensions feature
UK Customers can now benefit from a brand new personalised online retail experience thanks to the introduction of Google’s new Product Extensions feature, which allows a retailer to display images of a range of suitable product lines that match the customer’s initial search. By Richard Wood.
moreSocial Media in business - plan and commit
Social Media is a collective term that describes a range of interactions between brands and their prospects, customers, ex-customers and others that they have no control of but can participate in. It is inexpensive in monetary terms for the individual to participate with the major investment being time and energy. Organisations however pay for their time, or that of agencies and so it is as expensive as the investment they are prepared to make. By Paul Blunden.
moreGeomium latest to enter geosocial network space
Geographically-based social networking is on the rise. The likes of Foursquare, Gowalla and Facebook Places have now been joined by Geomium, which celebrated its UK launch recently. New Media Knowledge caught up with Geomium’s founder to see what it brings to the geosocial party. By Chris Lee.
moreNew Media Writing Prize
The New Media Writing Prize (NMWP) is a custom designed literary-award fit for the 21st Century media-scape of electronic publishing and the emerging digital world. The Prize has been established by the inaugural Poole Literary Festival (PLF) in partnership with The Media School at Bournemouth University as a venue for writers to showcase their skills, provoke discussion and raise awareness of new media writing and the future of the written word. By Gary Dalkin.
moreWake Up! There’s more to Pay-Per-Click than just search
Isn’t it time to wake up to the fact that there is more to Pay Per Click (PPC) than just search? By Ian Howie.
moreBuilding a Business with Balance in the Digital Age
We live in a world of distraction. Our ‘always on culture’ of broadband, 3G and smartphones enable us to be connected 24/7. But in the midst of all this, how can we build a business with balance? In this article Sinead Mac Manus shares some of the ideas in her new ebook From Apps to Zen. By Sinead Mac Manus.
How to defeat the keyword squatters
Companies investing in online stores could see their thunder stolen by rival firms using pay-per-click (PPC) marketing to feature alongside their organic search results. New Media Knowledge caught up with one specialist to see how to avoid ‘keyword squatters’. By Chris Lee.
morePodcasting for business: The how-to interview
With 15 per cent of people now having downloaded a podcast, the rise of the audio platform as a business tool continues. But how can digital marketers make the most out of podcasting? What’s the business case? New Media Knowledge caught up with a professional podcaster to learn more. By Chris Lee.
moreGoogle’s new trademark policy is going to impact the market
A couple of weeks ago Google announced it would be rolling out a new trademark policy in the UK (to replicate that of the US). Matthew Whiteway, Client Services Director at Greenlight, a specialist search and social marketing consulting and technology firm, says this will have severe implications for advertisers, user experience and brand owners. According to Whiteway, not only do brand owners now risk losing sales to unauthorised sellers and counterfeiters, they will see spiralling costs in their pay per click (PPC) campaigns. In one case, a well known brand has already seen its brand cost per click (CPC) increase 104% in one day alone, as a result of the sheer number of unauthorised and counterfeit sellers now bidding and using its trademarked terms in its ad copy.
moreLong Term Loyalty in the Digital Age
This article illustrates how digital lifecycle campaigns can retain and reactivate customer relationships, during different product stages. Nowadays, marketers place a great deal of importance upon ‘real-time’ interaction, as there are countless opportunities to engage with audiences online. This is a summary of how long term brand loyalty can be achieved in the digital age. By Ian Hitt.
moreThe MediaGuardian Innovation Awards launch for 2011
The MediaGuardian Innovation Awards (Megas) for 2011 launched this week with a brand new range of categories that reflect the increasing relevance of technology in the media. By Hayley Dunlop.
more5 Reasons Why We Love AdWords Editor
If you’ve never used AdWords Editor before, you should give it a go. It’s a free Google application that allows you to manage and update your Google AdWords campaigns offline, and then upload your changes to the online AdWords interface. Believe us when we say it saves you an awful lot of time and energy. By Lucy White.
moreParlaying custom into advocacy – why brands should be more pushy with their social media
It’s very rare that I get excited about a brand I become a customer of. I’m one of those people who really doesn’t engage with marketing. I’m probably not alone. And yet this is my territory, my metier – I work very hard to create engagement strategies for clients that can be demonstrated to work. I am, as it were, my own worst enemy! By Felix Velarde.
moreHow to create successful Internet video virals
Online video site YouTube now receives two billion hits a day. The rise and rise of online video has led to successful viral campaigns by several leading brands, but what does it take to create a video that will become an overnight Internet success? New Media Knowledge caught up with one consultancy with a proven track record to find out how. By Chris Lee.
moreSearching still faces many obstacles
The recent Econsultancy Site Search Report found that half of site searches are unsuccessful. While the survey also finds that the majority (57%) of firms are planning to increase their investment in this area as they appreciate the value and benefits of effective site search, it is something that is only going to become more important as online retail continues to grow and cross-border trading increases. By Mathias Duda.
moreThe death of email? Not so fast
Is email now becoming redundant in the face of the explosion of social media platforms? In the wake of the Facebook CEO Sheryl Sandberg’s comment that ‘email is probably going away’, this piece will assess the impact of social media on the future of email as a communication channel. By Loren McDonald.
moreEmail marketing in the social media era
This month saw the digital marketing event Ad:Tech at London’s Olympia exhibition centre. Among the many topics being talked through in workshops was email marketing in the social media era and the increasing use of smart phones. New Media Knowledge was in the audience to learn more. By Chris Lee.
moreRiches of the Web: How luxury brands should engage online
Is there a perception amongst luxury brands that Internet marketing is not relevant for them and their target audience? New Media Knowledge caught up with one search marketing firm to find out how it is helping luxury brands connect with the well-to-do online. By Chris Lee.
moreHow fast is your Broadband?
A common complaint among web users is that their internet speed is not always as fast as they expect it to be. Broadband speeds are sold “up to” a certain amount but there is growing awareness that users are often not getting the speed that they are paying for. By Frank Jennings.
moreThe Twelve Rules of Christmas Email Marketing
The festive season is already underway on the high street with Selfridges launching its Christmas season on 2 August this year, and the Harrods Christmas Shop opening on 6 August. And our advice to online retailers is that they should also be planning their Christmas campaigns. By Rogier van der Veen.
moreSocial media – getting the picture: Interview with Shutterstock
With increasing demand for high quality photography and artwork to buy online, ‘microstock’ companies have sprung up and flourished in recent years. New Media Knowledge caught up with one of the microstock market’s leading players to see how it used social media to market itself in a highly competitive market. By Chris Lee.
moreGame on! A transformation in online advertising
An opinion piece examining how and why social gaming is transforming advertising, and why it is attracting high-profile interest from brands and advertisers. The article explores some of the innovative opportunities social gaming offers brands looking to achieve more effective means of engaging with consumers, and asserts the importance of this lucrative market. By Gilles Storme.
moreUK tech brands failing to be social on social networks, report finds
The UK’s leading technology companies may be using social media channels in their marketing, but they’re not being fully social, according to a report out this month. New Media Knowledge delved further into the detail.
moreThe impact of Google Instant for online marketing and SEO
If you’ve searched for anything on Google.com in the last couple of days (or Google.co.uk if you're signed in to Google Mail), the chances are that you will have noticed that something has changed. Google’s latest innovation, Google Instant, is being rolled out in the US and other selected regions (including the UK) and will be standard across the world within a few months. By Jane Powell and Helene Moran.
moreExalead and FRANCE 24 To Unveil Browsable and Searchable TV News
Exalead, a global provider of search-based business application (SBA) technology, today announced that it will participate in a major launch with FRANCE 24, the international TV news channel, on the 15th and 16th of September at the Gartner Portals, Content & Collaboration Summit 2010 at the Lancaster Gate Hotel, London. By Stuart Tarrant.
moreFree help to tackle the funding crisis
Would you like to know what changes need to be made, specific to your organisation, to enable innovations in service delivery and cost reduction? We are offering this information free in return for your participation in a research project, which is being conducted by the University of Westminster in collaboration with Basis Ltd and Magus Toolbox Ltd.
morePR industry raises concerns over new Internet ad standards
The Advertising Standards Authority plans to extend its digital remit “significantly to deliver more comprehensive consumer protection online”. With this remit now including marketing communications online, applicable to all sectors and to all businesses and organisations regardless of size, the PR industry has flagged concerns. By Chris Lee.
moreGoogle Streaming Search Results – Google giveth then taketh away
Google has just announced its “streaming search” service, Google Instant, is coming out of limited Beta testing and going live for all users. According to Adam Bunn, Head of Search at independent search and social marketing agency Greenlight, when it comes to search engine optimisation campaigns (SEO), some websites may now suffer a drop in traffic. This service could also potentially result in complications for rank checking software and impact on search demand figures given by Google’s keyword tools. With regards to paid search, Matthew Whiteway, Director of Campaign Management (paid search) at Greenlight, says it could play havoc with an advertisers Google Quality Score. Whiteway also says Google’s motives for doing this must be questioned. Given the “longtail” is becoming increasingly important, with search queries, the cost-per-click (CPC) Google can charge for “longtail” keywords is significantly lower than that on one or two keyword search queries. Therefore the more people search for “longtail” search queries, the less money Google can charge the advertiser.
moreSocial CRM Marketing Strategies in Live Webinar
Learn how to identify and connect with your best customers to increase sales and lifetime value. On 22nd September 2010.
moreIs Google Instant a “game changer” for search marketing?
Google Instant – a new form of predictive search technology – went live this month, but has raised eyebrows among the search community. New Media Knowledge spoke to some of the leading lights in UK search to gauge their reaction.
moreHow brands can create a successful single purpose community
The growing popularity of single-purpose campaigns can be harnessed by brands, but there are factors that brands must take into account if they intend to create a successful branded community of purpose, says Tamara Littleton, CEO of eModeration in a new white paper.
moreTaking a whole New Look at Internet marketing
When high street retailer New Look wanted a digital makeover of its own, it launched a YouTube channel and invited its own customers to be the stars of the show. New Media Knowledge’s Chris Lee caught up with the brains behind New Look TV.
moreWhat women want: Marketing technology to women
Technology firms are failing to market technology to women and missing out on opportunities as a result. That’s according to one London-based consultancy which advises leading technology brands on how to target a female audience. New Media Knowledge dropped Ladygeek a line to learn more. By Chris Lee.
moreGreenlight analyses the new ASA regulations
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has announced it is extending its powers to cover all online marketing and advertising from March 1st 2011. Under the new regulations, the UK’s independent watchdog, committed to maintaining high standards in advertising for the benefit of consumers, advertisers and society at large, will have the power to remove advertisements and statements from Facebook, Twitter and pay per click (PPC) ads on all search engines. Paul Byrne, Senior Account Manager – PPC, at independent search and social marketing agency Greenlight, looks at what this means for online advertisers.
moreNew Media Writing Prize Last Call For Entries
Poole Literary Festival in partnership with the Media School at Bournemouth University has established a prize for new media writing. Closing Date 15 September 2010. By Gary Dalkin.
moreCustomer service and community based knowledge
Great business value can come from harvesting and leveraging the best of knowledge that is created on communities and social networks, i.e. “social knowledge”, for customer service offered through your own contact centres and self-service systems. By Andrew Mennie.
moreHow bookseller Blackwell used long tail search to increase sales
With keywords so keenly fought over on search engines, focus on the ‘long tail’ –more specific search term entries – has become a more profitable focus for many companies. UK bookseller Blackwell called in digital marketing specialists to help with its long tail search and New Media Knowledge got in touch to find out more. By Chris Lee.
moreThe future’s bright for the social Web, say experts
The benefits of the social Web far outweigh the negatives, prominent research stated this month, and will continue to improve social relations over the next ten years. New Media Knowledge tapped up some social media commentators of its own to gauge their views. By Chris Lee.
moreEcommerce Still Growing: Actinic Survey Confirms Robustness of SME Online Retail
Actinic survey shows SMEs’ orders up 39% and revenue up 15% in Q2 2010 over same quarter in 2009.
moreFacebook Places throws down gauntlet to location-based social networks
Social networking giant Facebook has launched its location-based network, called Places, in the US. With a UK launch on the horizon, what do the new media industry’s leading lights think about Places, and how will it impact existing networks such as Foursquare and Gowalla? New Media Knowledge went in search of answers.
moreCould consumer ignorance hurt mobile advertising?
Virtually unlimited mobile usage tariffs means that advertising is perceived as free from the users perspective, as there is no additional cost of bandwidth to the user. These tariffs have led to an unprecedented growth in mobile applications and the emergence of a new eco-system. However, "all you can eat" pricing models for mobile have become increasingly risky with the advent of new devices and operating systems from Apple and Google. By Tony Fish.
moreNet Neutrality: What’s all the fuss about?
Search Engine Google and Verizon, a leading internet service provider and formerly one of the AT&T Bell companies, are close to finalising a deal which would facilitate Verizon’s being able to speed online content to internet users more quickly, if the content’s creators are willing to pay for it. The idea that some sites, through paying a fee (or other) to Verizon, can gain priority and run faster than others has backers. It also has its share of critics and protestors, all of who perceive such an arrangement as going against the ethic of Net Neutrality. Andreas Pouros, Chief Operating Officer at Greenlight, a UK-based search and social marketing agency, examines the extent to which it can be claimed that what currently exists is truly in keeping with the ethos of neutrality. According to Pouros, Google has two challenges, one of which is legislative, the other reputational and the search industry is watching.
moreFirst Social Media Campaign Hall of Fame Released
From small companies to global organisations, social media campaigns are playing an increasingly important role in brand marketing and now a Social Media Campaign Hall of Fame table has been published.
moreBuzz monitoring at the crossroads: Interview with OpenAmplify
Buzz monitoring has become an invaluable addition to the marketing mix, bringing clarity on the impact of campaigns as well as enabling organisations to respond swiftly to negative comments made on social networks. But the industry is currently entrenched in cannibalisation, according to one industry player. New Media Knowledge posed the questions. By Chris Lee.
moreThe things they say: Word of mouth marketing laid bare
Word of mouth marketing is one of the key buzz words in digital marketing. Why should firms invest time and money in word of mouth marketing and how should they go about it? These are all questions which New Media Knowledge put to communications consultancy Racepoint Group’s European head.
moreLast call to directly shape Creative Media Industries via far-reaching consultation
Time is running out for employers and workers to help Skillset shape the future of the sector by taking part in the largest consultation of the Creative Media Industries.
moreEmail Marketing Unbound
Felix Velarde, Managing Director at Underwired Amaze, discusses the role of email in keeping the conversation with customers, and the relevance of understanding the concept of segmentation in order to have better results when communicating by email.
moreWhy companies should not Wave goodbye to email and social integration
Google has become the first major brand to fail in its attempt to integrate email with emerging media channels, following the collapse of its Google Wave application. By Ryan Deutsch.
moreThe Art of Networking, Pitching and Presenting for Start-ups
As part of the Discovering Start-Ups 2010 initiative launched last month by Cambridge Wireless and supported by the East of England Development Agency (EEDA), budding entrepreneurs are being offered the opportunity to learn the art of networking, pitching and presenting. The first of these essential business skills workshops is on the 14th September in Cambridge and is free to technology companies in the region.
moreSocial media in the workplace could cost the UK Economy up to £14billion in lost work time
Research revealed the true cost to the UK’s economy of the rise of social media as over half of British workers confessed to accessing social media profiles at work, with many spending so much time friending, Tweeting, adding photos and video, as well as updating their profiles, that companies’ productivity was suffering as a result. By Jon Priestley.
moreThe things they say: Word of mouth marketing laid bare
Word of mouth marketing is one of the key buzz words in digital marketing. Why should firms invest time and money in word of mouth marketing and how should they go about it? These are all questions which New Media Knowledge put to communications consultancy Racepoint Group’s European head.
moreGetting started in online PR: Exclusive interview with Edelman’s Marshall Manson
As public relations professionals continue to struggle to get to grips with social media, New Media Knowledge caught up with one of Europe’s leading PR social media thinkers to get to learn about how ‘online PR’ is changing the whole way companies need to structure their communications strategies.
moreEdinburgh Dungeons reaps returns from social media
When Edinburgh Dungeons wanted to promote its new attraction focussed on 19th century serial killers Burke and Hare, it turned to search marketing agency Tug. New Media Knowledge caught up with Tug to learn more.
moreUpping Your Bid
A decent bid management tool was once regarded as a key part of any Pay Per Click (PPC) campaign. But in recent years, many users have begun to find fault with bid software developments. Inconsistent performance data and untrustworthy tools are cited as problematic, but all things considered, is it a case of bad workmen blaming their tools or does bid management software need to play catch up?
moreSapientnitro and Energy Saving Trust Launch the Great British Water Fight
SapientNitro has announced recently the launch of a social media campaign for Energy Saving Trust, the UK's leading organisation set up to try and prevent climate change, to raise consumer awareness of minimising water and energy consumption across Britain. The campaign is based on a virtual water fight and can be viewed at http://www.greatbritishwaterfight.com.
moreIs local the new global in mobile search marketing?
Andrew Rayner, co-founder of e-mphasis and a renowned internet marketing expert, explores the growing importance of mobile search marketing and the revolutionary new concept of Google Places Optimisation.
moreA very British success story: Interview with Huddle.net
When New Media Knowledge last spoke to the people behind online collaboration tool Huddle in mid-2008 the company was enjoying rapid growth and had just received new funding. Two years on, NMK caught up with the company's co-founder to see how this British new media success story was getting on. By Chris Lee.
moreTwitter Users Top of the Pile for Job Interviews
Jobseekers must improve their CVs by making them more interesting, getting their point across quicker and broadening their range of vocabulary according to a new survey which revealed Twitter users write better résumés and are more likely to be shortlisted for jobs. By Jon Priestley.
moreMeasuring investment in digital marketing: Interview with Burson-Marsteller
As organisations continue to migrate investment away from ‘traditional marketing’ towards digital channels, New Media Knowledge touched base with one major marketing consultancy to assess how firms can cost-justify digital marketing. By Chris Lee.
moreebuzzing launches blog advertising service in the UK
The UK launch of ebuzzing signals a new channel for brands and advertisers to reach highly targeted audiences via social media. It also monetises bloggers so that they receive (fully disclosed) payment for writing about the campaigns that interest them. By Steve Green.
moreSkillset and Abertay to present conference about excellence in games education
Skillset has collaborated with Abertay University to organise ProtoTeach a conference about “best practice in games education” being presented at Dare ProtoPlay in Edinburgh next month. By Nick Sheridan.
moreSearch for property rentals drop by half a million as punters look to buy instead
The latest quarterly analysis of online search data by leading independent search and social marketing consulting and technology firm Greenlight, reveals that unlike February, there were more online searches made by UK consumers in May for places to buy as opposed to rent. The report, ‘Real Estate Sector Report May 2010‘, also reveals that when it came to sales by location, Scotland proved the most sought after region. Edinburgh was most popular followed by Glasgow then Aberdeen. Cumulatively, they accounted for 19% of all location-specific sales keyword searches.
moreManaging Content over Multiple Channels: Interview with NTT Europe Online
“Content is king” is one of digital marketing’s most familiar clichés, true though it may be. So when it comes to pushing and managing content over multiple channels what’s the best route to take? New Media Knowledge sat down with a major Web hosting company to consider the options.
moreThe Role of Social Influence in Customer Loyalty
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) programs typically concentrate on identifying the ‘most important’ customers who are then lavished with special attention. Pursway Co-founder Ran Shaul discusses the impact of social influence on customer loyalty.
moreCharities and Social Media: Exclusive interview with Blurb
The ‘third sector’ is seeing a huge increase in donations following online campaigns. With charities aptly placed to benefit from social platforms New Media Knowledge caught up with one firm whose new social platform promises to aid social fundraising.
moreJohn Lewis’ social media strategy pays dividends
Retailer John Lewis operates in a highly competitive High Street market. When the company wanted to launch its online fashion offer last autumn it brought in PR consultancy Cohn & Wolfe. New Media Knowledge talked to the team behind the project.
moreThe Subjective Web: Semantic Evolution
The Semantic Web provides a well-established means by which organisations define the relationships between search objects and the relevance of particular items of data. In this article, Raymond Bentinck argues that the Subjective Web is an evolution in relation to the Semantic Web.
moreWill the iPad really change the game?
Apple’s much anticipated iPad launched in the UK last month to great fanfare. But what will be the true impact of the iPad on the UK’s digital landscape? Will marketers need to change tack? New Media Knowledge tapped the industry up to gain a consensus.
moreFree CPD session in psychological coaching
Get a CPD Certificate of Attendance in Psychological Coaching. See this offer from the Westminster Business School.
moreIndustry welcomes drive for digital inclusion
Internet entrepreneur Martha Lane-Fox has been busy recently in a push to get all of the UK’s population using the Web by 2012. Currently, around ten million people do not, and the new Race Online 2012 manifesto sets out how it expects to achieve getting that missing number online. New Media Knowledgetapped up the industry for its thoughts on the manifesto.
moreComparison sites in focus: Exclusive interview with Consumerchoices.co.uk
Online comparison sites are nothing new but are achieving unprecedented interest. To find out what’s driving this interest – beyond TV ad meerkats and burly tenors – New Media Knowledge caught up with Consumerchoices.co.uk.
moreThe post-recession marketer: all about revenue
As marketing budgets are restored, companies are holding marketing and sales teams to new standards in performance and accountability. Stuart Wheldon, head of client services for EMEA and Asia Pacific at Eloqua, discusses how to best increase sales and maximise return on marketing investment through a more predictable and measurable approach.
moreAugmented Reality – The Next Big Thing in Retail? I Hope Not
Augmented reality has come a long way from the days of fighter jet headsets and is now being heralded as the solution to everything. However techno-geek Benjamin Dyer argues that just because we have the technology, it doesn’t mean it adds value. As it stands today, he thinks AR is a solution looking for a problem.
moreIs online news ‘better’? IT managers divided
The decline of the print media has been cited for a while, but a survey out this month suggests that print media is now a lowly fourth when it comes to ways professionals like to source information for their work. New Media Knowledge took a look at the numbers and asks should digital marketers afford bloggers? By Chris Lee.
moreWould Aristotle use Facebook?
Whatever the personal reason for joining and participating in social networking, the debate has moved from being fashionable to how the key social networking players can unwittingly extend their influence and control of you. By Tony Fish.
moreChannel 4 Education Launches Online Project Aimed at Teens
Young people could benefit from a new project aimed at building their confidence through online games and video backed by Channel 4 Education. New Media Knowledge met the people behind the project. By Chris Lee.
moreGoogle’s latest move a serious threat to Travel Intermediaries
Google has announced its purchase of a specialist aggregator of airline flight information, ITA Software, making it easier for users of its search functions to find quick information about convenient flights and airfares. Although Google has stressed it has no plans for a direct move into selling travel services to the public, Andreas Pouros, Chief Operating Officer at Greenlight, a UK-based independent search marketing agency, says “travel intermediaries should be very concerned as Google moves towards becoming central to consumers’ travel purchasing behaviour. It is only a little over seven months ago since Google made a similar move with property intermediaries.”
morePutting CRM at the heart of email marketing
As the power of social networking shows no signs of abating, there are cries from some quarters that 'email marketing is dead'. But despite this, the channel is flourishing. Econsultancy's Email Marketing Industry Census 2010 shows that email continues to be a vital marketing tool, now accounting for 17 percent of digital marketing budget (up from 14 percent in 2009). In addition, the research showed that 37 percent are using email to encourage the sharing of content on social networks. By Rogier van der Veen.
moreThe Online Accountancy Revolution
More and more freelancers are turning to web-based software in order to quickly and easily manage their finances, and with good reason: many online accountancy providers now offer real time accounting information that you can even access from your pocket. By James Poyser.
moreOnline research unwrapped: Exclusive interview with SurveyMonkey
The Internet has enabled organisations of all sizes to carry out market research. At the forefront of this fast-growing market is SurveyMonkey. New Media Knowledge caught up with the company’s CEO, Dave Goldberg, to learn more.
moreChannel 4 Education Launches Online Project Aimed at Teens
Young people could benefit from a new project aimed at building their confidence through online games and video backed by Channel 4 Education. New Media Knowledge met the people behind the project.
moreReal-Time Bidding: why its advocates must articulate its advantages
Real-Time Bidding, or RTB, is already becoming a buzzword in the online advertising world. Some experts have even forecast that the benefits it offers to all players in the ecosystem will see it bring about the next revolution in an already fast-paced industry. But despite these accolades, RTB, which was originally conceived as an advertiser-focused offering, is still at an embryonic phase. This goes part way to explaining why it is not well-understood by many people in the digital marketing sector. However, the potential that it offers demands that the online advertising industry takes responsibility for redressing the balance. By Nic Peters.
moreUK’s leading retailers failing at email marketing, study suggests
Top British retailers are not improving their email marketing efforts and also fail to integrate email with social media, according to a new study. New Media Knowledge went to investigate. By Cris Lee.
moreYour Brand: At Risk or Ready for Growth?
Alterian has published a report illustrating a major social change in the way consumers listen to and engage with brands. By David Eldridge.
moreThe Art of Social: The London Symphony Orchestra talks to NMK
The London Symphony Orchestra is the oldest such organisation in London and one of the leading orchestras in the world. To engage with existing and new audience, the orchestra turned to social media. New Media Knowledge spoke to the orchestra to learn more about social media and the arts.
moreFinancial Trading websites missing out on significant online search traffic
Greenlight report indicates players in the financial trading sector are falling short of maximising on the online opportunity through a lack of web visibility. In addition, a large number of the top trading brands are underutilising social media networking, particularly on Facebook. By Krishna Rao.
moreCity Lit website highly commended at 20th annual Heist awards
City Lit, Europes largest adult education college, has been highly commended for its recently redesigned website, created by digital specialist Underwired Amaze, in the Best Student Recruitment Website category at the 20th annual Heist awards. Dame Kelly Holmes DBE presented the award to Hannah Attwood, City Lits marketing co-ordinator, at the Palace Hotel in Manchester on 27 May.
moreVideo ads defy the downturn – but why?
While many marketing budgets have been adversely affected by the global recession, advertising over online video platforms has seen huge interest, with some estimates predicting 40 per cent growth in online video advertising this year. New Media Knowledge quizzed one video search specialist to find out why.
moreHow digital advancements will change the marketing and advertising landscape
There appears to be no ceiling to the technological development and advances - ten years ago who would have believed that 3D cinema would become so mainstream. See analysis by Danny Morris.
moreSkillset announces the five top priorities for UK film training and education
The five top training and education priorities for the UK film industry over the next three years have been announced by Skillset. By Jennifer Walters.
moreNew mobile application harnesses the expertise of social networks to make decision making easier
Getting the right advice has just become easier with the launch of a new ‘decision engine’ application, Chuzer.com. This decision-making tool, the first European entry into the rapidly growing social Q&A space, channels the expertise of the user’s social network to help make decisions on anything from movies to electronics.
moreSkillset joins action-packed programme at Supporting Creative Industries conference
The full range of Skillset’s education-related programmes will be on display at the fifth national Supporting Creative Industries conference being held at the Barbican Centre today (Tuesday, 15 June).
moreHow to unlock Orphan Works: Further debates around the UK Digital Economy Bill
Proposed legislation on Orphan Works, introduced through the Digital Economy Bill, was met with strong resistance by the photographic creative industries. But opposing Orphan Works legislation outright won’t solve the problems. In this article, Simon Juden brings an alternative perspective in relation to Saunders' article on NMK.
moreTruly reduced Shakespeare: NMK meets the team behind Such Tweet Sorrow
Interpreting Shakespeare’s body of work for a new audience is nothing new, producing his plays over microblogging is unprecedented. This is exactly what Such Tweet Sorrow sought to do. New Media Knowledgecaught up with one of those involved in the project.
moreWhy 1000 heads were better than one for Nokia
When mobile device manufacturer Nokia wanted to launch its N97 Mini phone in the United Kingdom it turned to Internet marketing company 1000heads to engage in a word of mouth campaign. New Media Knowledge took a closer look at the programme. By Chris Lee.
moreCan you keep it up in the World Cup Win Dough?
ERASMUS and D&AD 2010 interactive poster campaign launches the New Blood Festival. They offer a window, and you have a World Cup on our hands. So what are we going to do about? By Robin Dhara.
morePoised on the brink of a TV revolution
Today’s complex TV marketplace creates an overwhelming viewing experience. Mounting channels, video on demand (VoD) and the emergence of Internet videos have exposed users to almost unlimited content. With the huge range of content that will be made available from a variety of sources and the complex nature of bringing on-demand content to a linear TV platform, the industry needs a radical solution for finding and accessing content efficiently, helping consumers to navigate to what they want to watch. By Thomas Dvorak.
moreIs big brother watching you?
Is behavioural targeting, using information collected on an individual's web-browsing behaviour, such as the pages they have visited or the searches they have made, to select which advertisements to display to that individual, the next big thing for monetising the internet? Exponents of behavioural targeting are claiming that it can deliver up to 800% ROI, but it’s expensive and can also be invasive. David Hefendehl looks at what the pros and cons are and what types of brands are best suited to the technique.
moreWill the iPad really change the game?
Apple’s much anticipated iPad launched in the UK last month to great fanfare. But what will be the true impact of the iPad on the UK’s digital landscape? Will marketers need to change tack? New Media Knowledge tapped the industry up to gain a consensus.
moreSkillset Media Academies innovate in media training and education
Skillset Media Academies are transforming the landscape of continuing professional development (CPD) training in the Creative Industries with the introduction of the innovative Build Your Own MA programme. By Nicholas Sheridan.
moreSuccessful Social Media: Interview with Webcredible
Social media is often seen as a great equaliser for small businesses. New Media Knowledge caught up with Web usability firm Webcredible to see how it had exploited social media to help generate traffic, new business leads and carry out market research. By Chris Lee.
moreDedicated Social Networking Site Launches For Innovators
A new online community was launched today which promises to promote and support innovation across the Yorkshire region and beyond. Yorkshire Innovation, the regional Science and Industry Council, has unveiled http://www.yorkshire-innovation.org.uk where thought leaders in the fields of innovation, science and technology can meet virtually to exchange ideas and share best practice in an interactive environment. Community is a first for the UK’s science and industry councils, argues Jon Priestley in this article.
moreThe David vs. Goliath of web analytics
Alterian recently launched WebJourney, a new way to engage with individual visitors to a website. Taking not just traditional ‘click’ data, but also rich information such as what a visitor hovers over or selects, WebJourney offers a new approach in web analytics. In this article, Ivan Chalif presents his perspective on how the product offers something new to the market in relation to other options.
moreMobile marketing unleashed: Exclusive interview with Keynote Systems
With mobile phones widely tipped to be the main Internet access point for surfers by 2013, mobile marketing has never appeared more attractive to advertisers. But how can they make the most of the platform? New Media Knowledge caught up with one thought leader to learn how. By Chris Lee.
moreBuilding communities from blogs: The #BeMyGuest story
On 1 March 2010 a project was launched to help bloggers swap content. Since its launch the BeMyGuest initiative spawned a small but growing community around a Twitter hashtag and looks set to continue to grow. New Media Knowledge caught up with the brains behind the operation.
moreADTECH Makes Sweet Music with we7
ADTECH, provider of ad serving technology and part of AOL Advertising, has today announced that we7, the UK-based ad-funded free music streaming service and integrated download store, has selected its ad server solution to deliver targeted ads to music listeners. ADTECH will replace we7’s existing solution from Atlas. By Ken Parnham.
moreOnline Workplace Critics – UK Businesses Urged to Address Social Media HR Policies
40% criticise employers online, but 55% support disciplinary action for doing so. See the results of a survey by MyJobGroup.co.uk. By Jon Priestley.
moreExplaining YouTube’s success as daily hits exceed two billion
Online video site YouTube has just celebrated its fifth birthday and now surpasses two billion hits a day. But what is the reason for its success and how can digital professionals best engage the channel for business? New Media Knowledge discusses the success of the channel.
moreKeeping cool with social media: The Powerade approach
With the FIFA World Cup looming, the social media campaigns have hit full swing. New Media Knowledge caught up with one firm using social media to get its sports rehydration message out.
moreDo you know what your users really experience on your website?
With more and more Rich Internet Applications (RIAs) such as Java and Microsoft Silverlight now being incorporated into Web pages, Web operations teams are facing a new level of complexity when it comes to performance monitoring. How the browser interacts with RIAs is now a critical component in how quickly and accurately the Web page renders, and for this reason, it is essential to monitor performance using a real browser rather than an emulated one. By Mike Bromilow.
moreMobile Search Marketing – It’s the wild west again!
With sales of internet enabled phones exceeding sales of laptops in 2009 this year will be the year of mobile. So, why are businesses slow to embrace mobile search marketing and what can they do to prevent them getting left behind? By Nick Beck.
moreBuilding customer community to increase brand’s reputation
Creating an online customer community can make a real difference to a brand’s reputation with customers, argues Steve Richards, MD of social media specialist, Yomego.
moreEmail Marketing: Best Practice guidance from StrongMail
More than half of organisations are now using a hosted email marketing service, according to a recent survey, with positive results overall. New Media Knowledge spoke to email marketing service StrongMail to gauge best practice.
moreFacebook community pages: why they may be bad news for brands
It seems that when Facebook introduced Fan Pages, the concept wasn’t entirely thought through. To the average Facebook user, the term Fan Page could easily suggest that they were being given the permission to create an online fan club about a favourite film, book or celebrity and use it to connect and communicate with like minded people the world over. But from the brand’s perspective, things were a little more complicated. By Tamara Littleton.
moreGoogle wins AdWords battle but not the war
A summary of the recent European Court of Justice judgment on whether Google’s AdWords service constitutes trade mark infringement and the scope of Google’s obligations as an online referencing service provider to prevent unlawful use of its AdWords service. By Oran Arif.
moreGetting started with pay-per-click advertising
Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising presents marketers with the opportunity to provide targeted, relevant online ads to audiences within a controlled budget, and results are easy to measure. New Media Knowledge caught up with one digital consultant to gauge best practice in PPC.
moreCreate the ideal home office
Many digital freelancers spend a lot of their time working from home. For that reason it’s important that they have the best possible home office set-up for their needs, because after all, having the right ambience and equipment will help ensure that the jobbing freelancer remains at their most productive. By Jim Hatley and FreelanceAdvisor.
moreWho Controls Image Licensing? – Debates around the UK Digital Economy Bill
Most people in the photographic creative industries now know that the contentious part of the Digital Economy Bill was thrown out on April 7 as the bill passed through the commons as part of the ‘wash up’ before the UK general election on 6 May. By Sarah Saunders.
moreNot so Flash after all? What does the future hold for Flash?
Apple’s iPad, following in the footsteps of the iPhone, does not support the multimedia platform Flash. With Apple wielding so much influence in the new media scene, what future does Flash have? New Media Knowledge’s Chris Lee asked around.
moreDebate shifts party leaders’ reputations on social media, says Yomego
Last week’s debate saw the reputation of Gordon Brown rise significantly, while David Cameron remained static, according to analysis by Yomego, the social media specialist.
moreSocial media monitoring provides insight into election race
Alterian monitoring tool SM2 analyses election buzz across 25 million social media sources per day in the build up to the General Election. By David Eldridge.
moreGoogle cloud APIs surging ahead among mobile developers
Ovum’s new mobile application developer survey found 60% of mobile developers are using or plan to use Google’s server-side APIs when building applications, leaving the mobile operators behind at 25%. Ovum has surveyed 217 application developers for this study.
moreThe socialised way to win the election
Discussion around the coming UK General Election has inevitably centered on the introduction of live Television debates, and the role that popular media has in shaping the public’s opinion. The internet and social media, however, have been viewed as far less influential, either by virtue of being political ‘echo chambers’, or because the powers that be have failed to use it properly.
moreIs Twitter here to stay?
Marketing professionals have a consistent question to answer about the resilience of Twitter in the domain. Professionals are divided whether Twitter is just a passing trend or whether it is here to stay. By Paul Bates.
moreNovel Idea: NMK explores a whole new kind of publishing
Self-publishing is a popular way to by-pass the traditional model of book publishing. New Media Knowledge took a look at one of the newer platforms, CompletelyNovel, which not only enables authors to self-publish their work, but also enables other reader to share book reviews.
moreYoung Gun: Exclusive interview with Internet entrepreneur Lucian Tarnowski
The Web has a long tradition of bringing forward young talent. One Briton named among the Young Global Leaders for 2010 by the World Economic Forum is Lucian Tarnowski, founder of BraveNewTalent.com. New Media Knowledge caught up with him. By Chris Lee.
moreCan You Afford To Ignore India? Are you prepared to Engage?
The knotty problem of cross-cultural communication is a tricky to untangle under any circumstances. Are your words understood as you mean them? Are you missing nuances when your listeners respond? And do you know all the cultural norms that overlie everything that is said on each side? By Ved Sen.
moreThe Pitfalls of Cloud Computing
Cloud computing looks like it will reshape the IT landscape, but as this new phase emerges, what should businesses be on the lookout for in order to avoid making mistakes when taking the plunge?
moreAd Server Providers Beware – Poor Customer Service will let the Industry Down
The digital and new media space is an exciting place to be. New technologies evolve fast, the industry is moving forwards with good standards and best practices and its popularity as a mechanism for advertising delivery is increasing. However, time and time again new customers and industry partners complain about just how bad customer service levels are from different ad server providers.
moreSocial Media and the UK General Election: The InVinceCable Campaign
Social media looks set to play a critical role in the UK General Election campaign trail in 2010. One of the most interesting social media campaigns out there right now is the “InVinceCable” project, which aims to push for Vince Cable, the Liberal Democrats’ treasury spokesman, to be made Chancellor of the Exchequer in the event of a hung parliament. New Media Knowledge caught up with the brains behind the campaign.
moreTelecoms and software create a storm in the clouds – SaaS
Cloud computing is about to get even more exciting using the latest telecoms technology and software to transform the way in which small business run. In the past you may have heard of ‘software-as-a-service’ (SAAS) where you can access a whole range of business applications i.e. customer database, book keeping software, calendars, task management, e-marketing via the internet and make considerable cost savings.
moreDigital Economy Act: What’s the true picture?
The controversial Digital Economy Bill was passed into law last week in a poorly attended, late night parliamentary session. The Bill – now an Act – has drawn criticism from across the new media industry, but what impact will it really have, if any? New Media Knowledge caught up with some key industry thinkers to learn more.
moreGetting ecommerce right: NMK asks the experts
With more and more companies looking to sell online, some estimates reckon that online stores have just three seconds to impress potential customers before they leave to a rival site. New Media Knowledge spoke to ecommerce software firm Actinic to learn how businesses could make their ecommerce sites perform to their potential.
moreMaking paid search pay for your organisation
As search marketing matures as a medium through organisations can reach consumers and businesses, companies must work out how much of their budgets to dedicate to either paid (sponsored) or natural (SEO) search. This decision involves determining how search fits in to the overall sales and marketing funnel for the brand involved, and the benefits of opting for one channel over the other. In this article, Rob Pierre, managing director of Jellyfish – a market-leading, independent UK paid search agency – discusses the dos and don’ts of paid search campaigns.
moreManx Headroom: Using social media to tackle the brain drain on the Isle of Man
The Isle of Man faces challenges keeping its young people on the island. New Media Knowledge caught up with the company behind a social media platform designed to connect graduates and prospective employers on the island to see what impact it was having.
moreOffline marketing in an online world
Isn’t it about time the online marketing world caught up with its sophisticated forerunner to customer engagement? Data drives every single decision within a business, or at least it should, and the harder you can make that data work for you, the more effective your decision-making can become. By Tim Norman.
moreHow will Social Media affect the 2010 UK Election?
Politicians ignore the online audience at their peril. Toby Beresford, former politician for Wandsworth and now the Commercial Director for Nudge Social Media explains why and how social media will play a big part for politicians and voters alike during this year’s election.
moreTwitter users raise thousands for charity
The regular global Twestival brought together Twitter users around the world last Thursday in the name of charity. New Media Knowledge went along to London’s Twestival event to see what difference Twitter can make.
moreThe issues facing brands (and their users) on social networks
The conviction of three Google executives in Italy has raised the issue of safety on social networks. As more brands incorporate social networks into marketing campaigns, Tamara Littleton assesses how brands can protect their users and their own reputations when engaging with consumers on social networks.
moreEmployers urged to embrace new creative industries work guidelines
Employers are being urged to embrace new guidelines which aim to clarify their responsibilities around volunteering, work experience, internships, traineeships and apprenticeships.
moreHow to build Augmented Reality into your digital strategy
Digital is a relentlessly evolving arena, and now more than ever before we are constantly bombarded with the latest technique or technology that could potentially add real value to a brand, be it through its uniqueness, ROI prospect, or usefulness. Augmented Reality is one of those interesting developments that, although still in its early stages of development and limited exploitation, has already seen a buzz of excitement surrounding its impending uses and vision towards creating a very exciting and immersive future.
moreHolition brings interactivity to online retail
With more and more people buying online, the challenge for e-tailers has been how to enable their customers to try out merchandise before they buy it over the Web. New Media Knowledge caught up with one company helping e-tailers offer this facility to customers.
moreThe importance of carefully drafted contracts to IT systems development
This article highlights the importance of IT developers having a comprehensive and carefully drafted development contract with their clients in place before commencing any IT project.
moreSquaring Up: A Closer Look at FourSquare
The location-based social network FourSquare has really divided opinion among users and even raised security fears with the launch of a spoof website. FourSquare also offers opportunities for marketers to tap into members in their area, so New Media Knowledge decided to get the views of a leading Internet marketer to evaluate the pros and cons of FourSquare.
moreFacing Up: How to Create Successful Facebook Groups
The population of social network Facebook now exceeds all countries apart from China and India, yet the vast majority of Facebook groups fail to amass a following of more than one thousand. With social media fast becoming part of mainstream marketing, New Media Knowledge sought to find out exactly how companies could benefit from Facebook groups.
moreSDL Tridion Case Study: Virgin Money
Virgin Money, a financial service company which is part of the Virgin Group, was launched in 1995 using a call centre to field customer enquiries. In 2000, as adoption of the internet gathered momentum, Virgin Money spotted the potential of using a website to provide potential customers with information and the ability to order products, and so virginmoney.com was launched. Over the past two years, Virgin Money has made a strategic push to move its customer base away from telephony and onto its website, where it is able to communicate its product range and brand more effectively.
moreThe Essential Guide to Link Building
Link building is essential to the performance of websites. Links have been described as the ‘online currency’ due to the importance of incoming links to search engine optimisation. New Media Knowledge caught up with one of the UK’s leading lights in search marketing to learn how companies can effectively build links.
moreWhat’s more important for interactive teaching tools, creative freedom or the curriculum?
An interesting dilemma we faced recently was about developing online resources which could be used in schools. The question was should we build tools which helped teach the curriculum or tools which helped the teachers to teach the curriculum? Anthony Story explains his ideas in this article.
moreRural business Blurtit.com bite at the heels of Yahoo Answers and Answerbag
Blurtit has managed to keep up with the likes of Yahoo Answers and WikiAnswers.com with their Q&A social community. Ranking one of the top 250 US websites (Quantcast) is evidence that a small rural business can compete with some of the internet’s biggest players.
moreThe New Rules of Engagement
Recently the marketing industry has gone through various changes, impacted by certain events such as the recession. Each catalyst has highlighted new ways to engage and communicate with customers, as well as the importance of measurement and accountability. More and more consumers are sharing information about brands online and advancements in technology have turned consumers from passive observers into active participants who are shaping the future of brands.
moreWhat your data tells you
You’ve measured your bounce rates, segmented the analytics and have your conversion rates. Great. But the business essentials cannot be answered through analytics alone. It’s time for the human touch. In this article, David Hefendehl, e-commerce manager at Pod1, gives many good advices on how to cope with this question.
more'Go Freelance' — free 32-page e-book
Freelance Advisor has produced a new and updated edition of their hugely successful 'Go Freelance' guide. Updated for 2010 the guide is packed with advice on just about every aspect of freelancing, from making the leap to setting up a Ltd Company, drumming up business to staying afloat.
moreWeb entrepreneurs share secrets of their success
Last week saw the SmallBizPod Thrive event in Soho, London, which brought together small business entrepreneurs and a panel of successful business people. New Media Knowledge went along to take a look.
moreCreative Futures Launch: Thurs 4th March '10
Next Thursday evening, March 4th, sees the official launch of Creative Futures - a three-year programme created by six of London’s most dynamic, creative organisations who have come together to support peer-to-peer innovation and sustainable growth in small London-based music, film, fashion, digital and creative enterprises. Financed through the European Regional Development Fund, Industry, and Westminster and Kensington & Chelsea Councils, the Creative Futures project is a comprehensive response to the new economic realities facing small and medium enterprises.
moreFacebook showcases successes at TFM&A
The annual Technology for Marketing and Advertising exhibition took place this week at London’s Earls Court, bringing together some of the UK’s leading Internet marketing innovators. New Media Knowledge checked in to watch Facebook demonstrate its offering for advertisers.
moreIntroducing Creative Futures: a special free programme for creative industries
The New Media Knowledge and the Creative Futures Group - Music Tank, Portobello Business Centre, Julies Bicycle, London Film Connection, Portobello Film Festival, and Paddington Development Trust - have formed a London based support and innovations network for businesses in the creative sectors. This was a response to the huge changes taking place in the global economy and the need to respond to the resulting threats and opportunities.
moreMarketers Take Heed – Subscribers Rule!
Peter McCormick, co-founder and general manager of one-to-one communications specialist ExactTarget, discusses in this article multi channel communication and why marketers need to take heed - or risk being made obsolete by the delete button.
moreOne Young World Global Youth study reveals the real-time generation
A research elaborated by YouGovStone and http://www.oneyoungworld.com
BBC launches new mobile apps
At the Mobile World Congress, the UK broadcaster unveiled plans to launch several new mobile applications, showcasing its news, sport, and TV content. The BBC News app will arrive first, with the iPhone version leading the way in April.
moreGetting Started in Search Engine Optimisation
The Search Engine Strategies expo in London attracted some of the biggest names in Web search. New Media Knowledge went along and caught up with one exhibitor to get the lowdown on how to start out in Search Engine Optimisation.
moreWhat Katie Did Next: Exclusive Interview with Internet Entrepreneur Katie Lee
Katie Lee is one of the UK’s most influential bloggers and has written on technology for most national newspapers. Long after forming Shiny Shiny, the first gadget site aimed at women, she has moved onto her latest Web project, Dork Adore. New Media Knowledge caught up with her to hear more about the site and learn why she believes that geeks have inherited the earth.
moreMobile World Congress focuses on the user experience
As the dust settles after another Mobile World Congress, New Media Knowledge talks to the people on the ground to see what difference they think this year’s show has made.
moreMusic al Movement: Addressing the Challenge of Bringing Music to Mobile
With a third of young adults now listening regularly to music on a mobile phone, the pressure is on media owners to quickly and cost-effectively convert files to mobile-friendly formats, a task many still do manually. New Media Knowledge met up with one UK firm whose technology promises to simplify the process.
moreAd Value: NMK Talks to Improve Digital
Online is seeing a healthy influx of advertising investment as marketing managers squeezed by tight budgets look for increasingly targeted, easily measurable results. New Media Knowledge hooked up with Joëlle Frijters of ad network optimisation firm Improve Digital to learn how new media professionals can make the most of online advertising.
moreViral Marketing: Does it still work?
Viral videos are a popular Internet marketing tactic, but has the public become wise to subliminal marketing tactics of businesses? New Media Knowledge spoke to a number of marketers to learn how to make a successful viral.
moreHome Comforts: Interview with Property Search Site Upad
With around one per cent of all UK search entries focussed on property, the market for property search has become increasingly competitive. One recent addition to the UK online property search market is Upad, a site which enables landlords to advertise their properties across multiple property websites. New Media Knowledge caught up with Upad’s founder to learn more.
moreGreenlight reveals its top 10 predictions for Natural and Paid Search in 2010
As we head into 2010 the big question is what will the year ahead deliver for search marketing. In its ‘Year in Review Briefing’, Greenlight, the UK’s leading independent search marketing agency, provides a summary of developments in natural and paid search.
moreBack of the internet: Arsenal puts fans first with premier league hosting platform
Premiership football club teams up with managed hosting specialist NTT Europe Online to offer fans quality online experience. An important part of Arsenal Football Club, Arsenal Broadband Limited (ABL) has ultimate responsibility for the Arsenal brand across all digital media, including online, stadium screens and on-field electronic advertising. Its main portal is Arsenal.com, the club’s official website and the number one point of contact for fans interacting with the club via the Internet.
moreBlurtit.com benefits from Google AdSense
Blurtit.com operates from rural Norfolk and operates their Q&A Community free of charge for all users, making money only on advertising throughout the site. This method of business has worked well for Blurtit because rather than paying for someone’s help, it acts as a source of information sharing and therefore provides a strong community.
moreDigitise This! NMK meets the content delivery streamliners
With a burgeoning array of new media platforms over which content developers may distribute their material, it has proven difficult for many to keep pace. New Media Knowledge spoke to one company trying to simplify that process.
moreThe future of search
Global search queries have increased year-on-year since the creation of the web. Between July 2008 and July 2009 the number of searched increased from 80.56 billion to 113.69 billion (comScore Worldwide Search Market Overview July 2009 vs. July 2008). For the vast majority of us the first thing we see each morning is Google, Bing or Yahoo. Google’s instantly recognisable screen is synonymous with the internet and has long reigned as the dominant search tool for businesses and consumers alike. Google searches for last year alone accounted for 67% of the global market- a staggering 76.68 billion individual requests. In this article, Paul Dawson, Experience Director and Head of Interactive Media at EMC Consulting, analyses the future of searching on the Internet.
moreCES Demonstrates Web’s Ever-Widening Boundaries
As the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas showcases this year’s must-have gadgets, New Media Knowledge’s Chris Lee takes a closer look at the latest technology on show.
moreHas the Social Media Backlash Begun?
The emergence of a new site encouraging people to commit Web 2.0 suicide has highlighted an apparent backlash against the prevalence of social media platforms. New Media Knowledge’s Chris Lee canvassed the opinions of industry thought leaders to gauge if there really is a backlash and how social media consultants should respond.
moreSocial Media Week: Industry Calls for More Action and Less Talk
Social Media Week 2010 aims to “advance uses of social media in the corporate, public and non-profit sectors”. New Media Knowledge caught up with some of the leading UK social media thinkers to gauge what they perceive as the value of Social Media Week.
moreMeasure for Measure: Gauging the Impact of Social Media
Measuring and improving the effectiveness and impact of social media is an ongoing debate. One group has been meeting on a monthly basis for more than a year to discuss the evolution of social media. New Media Knowledge's Chris Lee went along to “Measurement Camp” to learn more.
moreOne Young World Summit: Using social media to support the engagement of young leaders
Over 1,000 young leaders will be converging in London on the 8th February to the One Young World summit, dubbed the Young Davos by some sections of the media, to discuss six global issues with world leaders ranging from Kofi Annan, Sir Bob Geldof, Nobel Laureate Muhammed Yunus and Oscar Morales, the founder of One Million Voices Against FARC and leader of the world’s largest anti-terror demonstration in history. See this article by Marian Salzman.
moreDomain name action folds against UK online gaming company
A look at the issues online gaming companies and anyone involved in online software development projects should consider when considering the location of hosting, the jurisdiction and the domain name that will be used.
moreDigital Economy Bill – the good, the bad and the ugly
In this article, Nisha Baveja, solicitor at Briffa, reviews some of the more significant proposals of the Digital Economy Bill which includes (amongst other things) tighter restrictions on online copyright infringement.
moreTop 5 E-Business Predictions 2010
The growth of social media and the economic crisis have literally catapulted opportunities and entrepreneurship for online business. More and more individuals, as well as businesses have turned to the net to promote themselves and their offerings. The web is becoming more and more integrated and is having an impact not only on business, but also on popular culture. What does this mean for the individual? What does this mean for the small business, and how does this affect the large organisation? E-Busines