by Francois Muscat | Mar 3, 2015 | Online Marketing, Online Reputation Management
In this social media run day and age, your online reputation is almost as strong as your physical presence. This is a scary thought indeed. Your business persona which you are striving to create can now be viewed by millions of people across the world, without you even knowing. Food for thought isn’t it? It is because of this fact that you should take upmost care in managing your online reputation, as this says more about you now than ever. Here are a few simple steps to follow to keep your name above board.
Don’t give in to the nay sayers
If you find your business page under intense scrutiny, never give in to the negative. This is basically bait which has been set up for you to bite at in order to tarnish your reputation. The minute you retaliate negatively to a comment left on, say your Facebook page, this shows your clients that instead of being remorseful and willing to develop a solution, you instead have retreated straight into defence mode and retaliated. This will then shed very unforgiving light on you as a professional, leaving you looking like the unprofessional in a school yard hustle.
Your best defence is a good offence
Being prepared in the world of business is always your way out of any possibly conflict. It is the best tool you could ever possess as knowledge is truly power. The more prepared you are for a situation, the better and more efficiently you will be able to respond in times of crisis management. Do this in the digital world by always releasing positive quips of news about your company. Keep your social media platforms pumped with positivity. Even in instances of bad situations, do a write up on how the situation was salvaged and watch the respect for your business grow.
If you need assistance in managing your social media portfolios, call in the pros. Let WSI OMS help you handle your various platforms and ensure your name and online reputation remain reputable. Contact us today for more information.
by Francois Muscat | Dec 10, 2014 | Online Marketing
The festive season is upon us and you will certainly start noticing stores with their decorations and specials being displayed. The same is the case for online marketing. You will see that online stores are starting to promote their specials and discounts and are using high quality content to draw the interest and attention of the target audience.
Below are three holiday marketing tips to add a little cheer and sparkle to your online marketing campaign and to keep your products and services at the top of your consumer’s Christmas wish lists:
- Get festive with your promotions – use eye-catching, festive emails and holiday cards to promote special offers that you have available. You can also make your offers time sensitive to encourage consumers to buy now rather than later.
- Spread cheer with holiday themed social content – if your business doesn’t have a holiday themed logo, cover photo and promotions on offer, your customers are soon going to think you have no Christmas cheer. Social media is the best way to get those fun holiday themed pictures and specials out there. Make the content engaging and fun – nurture the festive spirit of Christmas and soon your client base will be just as excited as you are.
- Build brand awareness through giving – it’s the perfect Christmas gift. Most people take the time to be charitable over the festive season and if you are actively involved in giving back to the community and those less fortunate, you will be able to build brand loyalty and trust. You can keep your audience updated on your progress via email marketing and social media updates – perhaps you can even get them involved.
Simplify festive season online marketing with WSI
At WSI we are experienced in the world of online marketing. We work tirelessly to create social media, mobile and content marketing strategies that work. We can offer you a variety of online services such as search and SEO strategies, social media networking and marketing, social media optimisation, mobile marketing and content creation.
To find out more about our online marketing strategies and services, contact us at WSI today.
by Francois Muscat | Jul 29, 2014 | Online Marketing, Social Media Marketing
If you’re not American Airways, FNB, McDonalds, an acclaimed comedian or parody account, it can be hard to build a huge following on social media. People aren’t on social media to hear your stale PR pitch day after day, so you need intriguing content and a worthwhile brand to attract hundreds and thousands of loyal followers.
The days when we had to convince people to use social media for business purposes are over and many people have already either embraced the idea or are working towards a corporate social media strategy. One of the best tips we can give clients is you need people from within your company to help you on this journey.
Who needs to be included?
While it’s great (and even advisable) to have a dedicated social media team or person, it’s important to include people across the board. You should have representatives from human resources, product development, sales, customer service as well as your executive team in on your company’s social media strategy. Collaboration and participation are some of the core principles that will lead to social media success, so apply this in your social media strategy as well. Get them in on your social media plan from the get-go, don’t wait until you’ve already established your presence, social media voice and following.
Selecting the right people can be tough. It’s wise to include people who are already using social media (not only do they already have a following online, but they know how the various sites work). It’s possible, however, that some of the people in our company with the best ideas will have no idea how Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest works. In this case, it’s wise to book a social media seminar that can bring them up to speed so that they can contribute to your social media success.
Want to book a social media seminar? Contact WSI OMS today.
by Francois Muscat | Jul 24, 2014 | Digital Media Marketing, Online Marketing
In the past, transferring money to a different country was a huge problem (and for some bankers it still is). Besides the hassles involved in paying people overseas if for some arbitrary reason you don’t have a credit card or PayPal, this could never be done with total security from a cell phone.
On 15 July, however, a U.K. based payments firm called World First launched a mobile app that enables users to make currency transfers from a portable device.
“With the World First Money Transfer App, our clients will now be able to send and receive money from overseas in just a few minutes,” Alex Sullivan, managing director of World First U.K., said in a statement.
“They will also be able to track the progress of their payments, calculate the exchange rate with the currency converter, check live rates and read our award winning blog analysis and insight directly on their mobile phone,” said Sullivan.
The app can be downloaded and other app stores for free, making it a quick and easy way for users to get access to this first-of-its-kind application.
SnapScan, similarly, is a QR based payment system you can download onto your smartphone. You register your name, address and debit/credit card details (which you scan via your camera) and then you will be able to simply scan a code and make a payment straight from your phone.
The reason why these nifty new apps can quite literally change the marketing landscape is because it lets companies strike while the iron is hot. With shopping carts on websites, users have a lot of time to re-think their purchases (and many of them click away before completing a purchase). If, however, you’re able to give a potential client exactly what they need, when they need it – and a very easy way to purchase it immediately – you’ve got a quicker way to take them down your sales funnel.
Just as So-Lo-Mo (social-location-mobile) marketing helped companies to connect and engage with their ideal customers exactly when they needed to, these mobile payment apps are going to help brands process transactions in a quicker and easier way.
Need help with your digital marketing strategy? Then contact WSI OMS today.
by Francois Muscat | Jun 16, 2014 | Online Marketing, Online Reputation Management
Groupon is a great way to introduce your product or service to the market and create online brand awareness. The goal of Groupon’s website and e-mail marketing campaigns is to entice thousands of customers with a “deal of the day”. Groupon’s marketing is quite smart, seeing as deals are marketed in such a way that consumers feel it costs them more money “not” to purchase the deal.
How Groupon entices customers
We all know what it feels like to want something that is not within our budget. When something you desire suddenly becomes available at half the price, you’re going to jump at the opportunity to buy it. Groupon also works to retain clients and it’s easy to target young, educated consumers who aren’t shy to return and spend more.
Groupon has sold more than 400 million “deals of the day.” This “deal of the day” principle has worked to entice thousands of new customers and has transformed the way local businesses promote their products and services.
What should I offer as a deal?
The type of deal will depend on what you have to offer (and how enticing you can make your product or service for the local market). Restaurants usually offer a certain amount of food at half price whilst salons will bundle a few treatments together. A resort that offers a free cooking class can easily sell hundreds of seats. Your best bet is to work with an internet marketing consultant and professional copywriter to find out how to create a great offering (and cleverly worded advertisement). Contact us for help with your internet marketing strategy.
by Francois Muscat | May 5, 2014 | Online Marketing
Video marketing is successful for one simple reason, we as humans are programmed to respond to other humans. “Moving images grabs our attention,” says Susan Weinschenk, a speaker and consultant for brands such as Amazon and Disney. We tell you how your business can benefit from video marketing and the five social networking sites you should not neglect.
Reduces advertising costs
Gone are the days when you would have to pay thousands in advertising fees only to find that your ad is an insignificant piece on the back page of some magazine. Video marketing reduces advertising costs, accommodating small businesses.
Inherent shareability
With the click of a button, consumers are able to share videos via social media sites. This “shareability” means thousands of consumers are marketing your brand for you. Think networking without the effort. It’s word-of-mouth advertising on a grand scale.
Information overload
In an age of information overload, videos are easy to engage with. Axon Research found that seven in ten people view brands in a more positive light after watching a video.
Five Social Media Sites you should consider for your video marketing campaign
Facebook
Since its inception ten years ago, Facebook has surpassed more than one billion users worldwide. A restaurant owner would upload a video of the chef preparing a meal and since we eat with our eyes, this is a good marketing strategy to lure customers.
Twitter
Twitter has more than 500 million users worldwide. Celebrities are using the new Twitter Vine video option as a video marketing strategy to promote their shows with sneak peaks, enticing viewers to tune in to watch the entire show.
Instagram
Companies such as Woolworths are using the video share feature to promote in store events. Consumers who want in on the action then rush to a Woolworths near them. Video marketing also enables them to gauge audience reaction and monitor their brand.
Youtube
Youtube is widely used by celebrities as a video marketing strategy for their latest songs and films.
Tumblr
Tumblr is a popular video marketing tool used by many to capture the teenage market. Entrepreneurs such as Kendal and Kylie Jenner constantly post videos of their latest clothing range to create hype.
Revolutionise your business with video marketing and the correct social media. Speak to a professional to get your business where it needs to be.
Need help with your online marketing? Contact WSIOMS today.
