New trends in Google, web search and social media

Yesterday I attended the Ebusiness Club conference in Nottingham, an excellent series of training events in the East Midlands which are always widely popular (500+ filled the house today) and delivered by top-notch expert trainers.  These events are exactly the sort of things the public sector should support as they build capacity and skills in businesses to stay competitive in the digital space. Most digital training programmes tend to be for big FMCG brands, corporates or the public sector so the Ebusiness Club approach for small businesses is always really valuable and refreshing.

Today’s trainers were Ian Lockwood – a charismatic  uber-nerd of tech search – and Susan Hallam, the first lady of web marketing, discussing social media trends for small businesses.  A few highlights from their presentations which are relevant to those creating a digital strategy and publishing compelling digital content:

Trends in search and Google

Google Caffeine is the new version of Google, rolling out in January 2010 after the Christmas e-sales run. No major shake-up of search engine optimisation is needed, but the new engine will include greater emphasis on results of domain authority (meaning your site is even more likely to rank below results from national/international names like Wikipedia and BBC), web loading speed is viewed as important (aim for a load speed of 2-3 seconds, you can test your site’s speed here) and, most significantly, real-time search of social media will show in search results.  This means that having a strong social media presence, blogging and ensuring people are talking about your site in social media channels will become increasingly important.

Bing will become an important player in search when its buy-out of Yahoo! search is complete, then having a 7% market share which is likely to grow.  Fortuitously, the rules of optimisation for Bing are much the same as Google, also favouring fast-loading smaller (under 150kb) pages and links from authoratitive sites.

More worrying, Google are developing new ways of embedding itself in the conversion stream – with more pages, more ads and more inventory spaces for their adverts between the searcher and the search results, with solutions like similar search phrases.  Google’s “less than free” model seeks to eradicate the competition, like their free satnav technology with embedded adverts which are seriously disrupting the steady-state business of TomTom and Garmin.

Trends in social media

Too many small businesses have jumped into social media with two feet and created a messy splash: it’s time to step back and look at your strategy for how and why you engage with others in social media to increase conversion.  Twitter needs a clear approach: make tweets which signal you as an expert, make an announcement, or signpost to other sources. Set up a programme of tweets about offers, announcements, new products or expertise.

The top four most re-tweeted subjects are:
1. Asking questions (you may get plenty of answers!)
2. Tips and tricks
3. Humourous or funny (use with caution)
4. Breaking news

Facebook ads also may be a valuable tools for specialist and local businesses: unlike Google pay-per-click which focuses on the search term not the user, Facebook ads allow you to display your adverts to users from specific areas, with specific demographics or with  specific interests in their profiles (which explains why all I see is adverts for cat products, despite not having a cat).

Susan also advises having a seperate business account and personal account on Facebook, and using administrator business profiles to create groups and pages for businesses, not employees or individual’s personal profiles.  Her top tip for small businesses operating in the social media spaces is to get blogging: it’s free, it builds credibility and an audience and all that fresh new content is great for search engines too.

Great to meet so many local business folks at the event fired up to do more with their online marketing and social media.  There were lots of people tweeting too, which doesn’t often happen at events in Nottingham – I think we’re turning a corner here.

If you’re a Midlands business and are looking to develop a digital strategy, have a look at my current programme of support as you may qualify for up to £1,000 of grant funding from Business Link (woo!).

And a final plug…if you’re a business based in Notts doing anything creative/digital related, please send your stories for us to publish over at Creative Nottingham.

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December 4th, 2009 | | Tags: , , , | 6 Comments »

Independent businesses need a digital strategy to compete in the global economy

Below is a press release I’m using it to promote my digital strategy service, with funding from Business Link to offer up to £1,000 of free consultancy.  It’s probably a bit basic for many regular blog subscribers, but for others gives an idea of what the hell digital strategy is, what I do, and why it could benefit your business…

As the internet becomes the dominant way to acquire customers, it’s crucial that independent business owners understand the importance of the internet and take a strategic approach to growing their business online.

One business owner wants to ensure businesses have the right knowledge and skills to succeed.  Susi O’Neill, Director of Digital Consultant, is an expert in digital strategy and digital marketing, delivering services designed to meet the needs of small and growing businesses.  Through a Business Link programme, businesses in the Midlands with 5-249 staff can access up to £1,000 of support towards developing their digital strategy.

O’Neill advises: “The facts speak loudly: the internet is doubling in size every five years; by 2010 £39 billion will be spend globally online.  But it’s a crowded marketplace and East Midlands businesses are jostling for position against other regions and lower-cost international competitors.

“Deciding what to do online confuses many business owners, who understand their market but struggle to keep on top of frequent changes in web technologies, and the cost of implementing web marketing or design can be daunting.  This is where a digital strategist can help: by showing you how your existing website and e-marketing can be improved and what methods and tactics should be used, whilst measuring your return on investment.

“Getting your web presence right is critical: bad website design can lose 50% of potential sales but using the right words can direct thousands of prospects to your website for free.  Email marketing is an area many businesses overlook: a successful campaign grows your customer database, consistently trumping all other types of marketing for sales conversion – 63% of people respond to an offer by email.

“But uptake in online marketing tools by independent business is low: just 2% of UK businesses use Twitter and 6% have blogs – two powerful ways of reaching customers for free.”

O’Neill believes using social media is vital for independent businesses: “The days of Yellow Pages ads are over: the new ‘Generation Y’ graduates are active creators, contributing to discussions on channels like Facebook – which has a membership including a staggering three in four of all internet users. If Facebook were a country, its population would be the fourth largest in the world.

“Social media for business is about actively engaging in the conversations people are already having online about problems and needs which your business could solve.  It can lead to smart wins and increased customer engagement and retention, reducing the cost of acquisition and leading to better customer satisfaction too – all crucial ways for independent businesses to beat the recession.”

For more information and to access the Business Link funded programme, contact me.

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November 30th, 2009 | | Tags: , , , | 3 Comments »

Digital Consultant links for November 24th through November 26th

These are my links for November 24th through November 26th:

  • Accidental Leaders programme – Yorkshire Launch – Inspiral, a creative and digital consultancy I work with, have teamed up with Swedish creative innovation leaders Hyper Island to bring their Accidental Leaders & Managers programme to Yorkshire businesses. This is high end specialist training for growing businesses (they've also been delivering the programme in the North West) that has been highly recommended from reports I've heard. They're doing launch events 9-11th December featuring Swedish nibble, yum!
  • Hundreds of media professionals awarded TV multiplatform training windfall – Skillset are offering training bursaries worth up to £800 for a whole range of courses relating to cross platform production, financing and management – many of them geared towards TV and film producers.
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November 26th, 2009 | | Tags: , , , , , , | No Comments »

Free management and leadership consultancy for Midlands businesses



Image by Tom Fishburne

As a business owner, making good management decisions and delivering strong leadership in difficult times can become complex and distorted; trying to judge actions and their outcomes to get the results you need can seem like staring into a clouded, crystal ball.

Fortunately, help is at hand from a new programme delivered by Business Link to support management and leadership skills.

If you’re a senior manager or business owner, digital consultant can deliver consultancy to you in the following areas:

Digital strategies for service businesses:

  • Website planning and digital strategy – essential in planning a website commission or re-launch
  • E-marketing strategy (including e-commerce, online editorial and social media)
  • Digital skills training: virtual team management, e-comms and blogging

Business strategies for digital and creative businesses:

  • Executive coaching and professional development for digital sector managers & leaders
  • Innovation, market research and product development for digital products/services
  • Business development, visioning and planning
  • Performance development – including HR and company skills plans
To find out what we’ve  done for other clients take a look at the services we offer.

To give you an idea of how we think and work, here’s a few links to some favourite recent articles on strategy and leadership:

How to be a better leader: give up authority
Adapting to crisis in your knowledge-based business by delegating control
Constant Transformation Is the New Normal
Disruptive innovation guru Scott Anthony on how to adopt now ‘business as usual’ no longer exists
A Checklist to Choose Which Internet Marketing Channel is Right for Your Business
Guide to pricing, resources and strategy for selecting internet marketing platforms
How-To: Using Social Media Strategically
A marketer’s guide to thinking about the key issues in formulating a social media strategy

Funding packages

The training award is worth up to £1,000 .
The first £500 does not need to be matched by you but the second £500 does.
You can opt for any of the following packages of support:

  • 1 day of consultancy (includes 1 visit & all expenses)
    Package worth £500 – you pay: FREE
  • 2 days of consultancy (includes 2 visits & all expenses)
    Package worth £1,000 – you pay: £250
  • 3 days of consultancy (includes 3 visits & all expenses)
    Package worth £1,500 – you pay: £500

Funding criteria

To be eligible to receive this award your business will have to meet all of these criteria:

  • Have between 5-249 staff (this can include exec and non-exec board members)
  • Be less than 25% owned by a large organisation
  • Be based in the East Midlands or West Midlands regions
  • You must be a key decision maker, senior manager or owner of the business
  • You must have not received LSC Leadership & Management funding since 2007

How to access this support

  1. Please contact me, Susi O’Neill, by email (susi@digitalconsultant.co.uk) or phone (07981 222799) to express an interest.  We can then firstly discuss if I can help with your business issue; if I can we will complete together a referral form which I will submit it on your behalf to your local Business Link.
  2. A Business Link advisor will contact you to arrange a time to complete a diagnostic review of your business, including a Leadership & Management assessment which will identify gaps and areas for development.
  3. On completion of your review your Business Link advisor will complete a Development Plan for you, which you will need to approve and send back with other paperwork to Business Link by post.  They will then confirm if you are eligible and offer you the grant in a confirmation letter.  Please allow at least 1 month between your application and confirmation of the grant.
  4. Assuming we’ve ended up noting the same gaps in your needs and I can deliver the skills you need, we can then proceed with the consultancy work.  You have 90 days from your offer letter to complete the work you need.
  5. I will invoice you at the end of the work and you will pay me directly then claim the eligible costs back directly from Business Link.

Programme information

This scheme is called the Director Development Programme in the West Midlands. Find out more about the Business Link West Midlands programme here.
In the East Midlands this programme is called Leaders First.  Find out more about the Business Link East Midlands programme here.

Ready to demystify your management and leadership issues?

Please email me, Susi O’Neill (susi@digitalconsultant.co.uk) or telephone 07981 222799 for an initial discussion on the programme and how I can help you.

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November 11th, 2009 | | Tags: , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

Digital Consultant links for November 6th through November 8th

These are my links for November 6th through November 8th:

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November 8th, 2009 | | Tags: , | No Comments »
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