Loyalty

Nata Sha / Shutterstock.com

Even with the projected 80% increase in online investment by luxury brands in 2013, fashion brands small and large also are significantly recognizing that the silver lining lies in the adoption of a reliable listening strategy. As transient as fashion is, it appears that Geek Chic is here to stay. Of course, Oscar Wilde knew that over a century or two before Geek Chic became the rage, noting way back then that “You can never be overdressed or overeducated.”[read more]

What May 11, 2013 brings to the political fate of Pakistan will be determined in some hours of having written this article. Whether that is a "Tsunami of Change" or a "Perception of Stagnation" with the same old leaders reclaiming the helm, we can be sure of the unprecedented role that social media has played in the lives of Pakistanis.[read more]

Ben Smidt/Marquette University

"I just want brands to focus on sentiment that matters and not on what is facile and easy to measure. Ten thousand 'likes' for a puppy picture is not worth a dozen customers getting their real problems resolved because brands listened and acted."[read more]

The engagement and activation of your community can assist with virtually every stage of product development including idea generation, concept screening, concept development, commercial viability analysis, beta testing, and commercialization and launch.[read more]

Gamification (photo: Tama Leaver)

I like the idea of gamification…in theory. In its simplest definition, it is creating an action and reward system for members of your community. Humans like games because we get some immediate gratification. The gamification of experience, however, leads to some odd “rewards” for those who play.[read more]

JCPenney/Wikimedia Commons

JCPenney recently made a huge public apology. The response was large and immediate. The brand's Twitter feed was flooded with responses and the hashtag #jcpListens floated to the top of Twitter's trending list.[read more]

Hockey teams have traditionally used the Stanley Cup Playoffs to amplify their marketing efforts. Learn how the league (and some teams) are doing so on digital and social channels in 2013.[read more]

Lady Gaga is an ideal role model for anyone who wants to focus on community building and customer loyalty. In her new book, Monster Loyalty: How Lady Gaga Turns Followers Into Fanatics, author Jackie Huba discusses just how she built her legions of intensely loyal fans and how businesses can learn from her.[read more]

In the past decade we have seen many changes in the world of Social Media and business. Twitter and Facebook have adapted to the world of business better than anyone could have imagined. In 2009, we saw the realisation of the influence that listening to consumers had on Social Media and in the ending of 2011, media went from being a simple broadcast platform to a sophisticated network of connections and rewarding engagements.[read more]

Too many business owners throw their hands up and give up on reviews. It’s personal and it’s painful to read how someone misinterpreted and mis-characterized your service, product, or business. But, the absolutely dead wrong response is to walk away.[read more]

marketing by superfans

Superfans are everywhere. From television shows and video games to automotive and even CPGs, superfans are embracing the brands they love. Brand managers: Are you listening to your superfans? Are you recognizing and rewarding them? If not, your brand may be suffering.[read more]

Social media is a valuable weapon in any event organizer’s arsenal. Whether it’s a conference, seminar, concert, sporting event, fundraiser or club, social should be at the heart of how the event is organized and promoted and it can play a vital role in encouraging engagement on the day itself and maintaining buzz long after it has finished.[read more]

LinkedIn strategy / shutterstock

Running a B2B business can be challenging, especially when you are trying to contact the right person in a company regarding potential partnerships or a joint venture. LinkedIn is a great way to avoid having to ask to speak to the relevant person and being caught up by a gatekeeper.[read more]

What do you mean you haven’t heard of SnapChat? The app that deletes your images or video, never to be seen again, after a specified time? Still no clue? Let me fill you in. SnapChat is a relatively new app that is taking the world by storm.[read more]

hashtag marketing campaigns

A brand is not built based around logo or advertising or taglines, but rather by what OTHER people say about your product or services, and featuring that content directly on your website is a great way to reinforce your brand message. Check out these 6 effective hashtag marketing campaigns.[read more]

customer relationship management / shutterstock

Customer retention is a critical issue. It seems the two strategies for most companies center around “Keep them from leaving,” or “Let’s make them want to stay.” They sound the same, but they are really quite different – and produce very different outcomes. Which strategy do you use?[read more]

Social branding case study: Chobani

The #1 Greek yogurt brand, Chobani, transcends the competition by way of high-quality active cultures and a strong social presence. Consumers are CHObsessed. The Chobani brand demonstrates the ideal way to build a social presence: enthusiastically and organically.[read more]

Kare Anderson

“If we feel instinctively liked by someone else then we tend to tend to project unto them the qualities we like in other people…and that’s priceless.” Those are the wise words of Kare Anderson, expert on the art and science of understanding and perfecting behavioral cues.[read more]

Facebook's got a bigger plan.

Regardless of what emotion (or emoticon ;-) ) the new Facebook emoticons register with each user, it is important to see that there is a greater design at work here: a first step to a reimagined Status Update aiming to capture more consumer habits and preferences with better frequency.[read more]

brand reputation / shutterstock

It’s no secret that social media can break a brand’s reputation in a single Tweet or Facebook post. How can YOU make sure you either avoid this or take control of the situation straight away? You need to use a tool that allows you to monitor your business's mentions on Social Media.[read more]