Brands Look to YouTube to Boost Sales

YouTube Stars Becoming Brand Ambassadors

As online viewing figures continue to rise, brands and advertisers are looking for new ways to reach their target audience. Their next port of call? YouTube.

 getchute.com

YouTube advertising on the whole is nothing new. I’m sure you've all been frustrated by seeing an advert at the start of a video you’re trying to watch, even more infuriating when that advert is longer than the video and won’t let you skip it! (I’m not bitter at all…)

The latest approach, however, puts a different spin on the tried and tested techniques. By collaborating with YouTube stars who have managed to accumulate a large following, brands are hoping to build a rapport with their customer base on a more personal level. The ambassadors are often content creators who focus on independent product reviews, a style that helps them to earn their viewers’ trust, as they will only endorse a product they have themselves tested and liked.

A major factor in why these people have amassed such large following is the genuine and personable feel you get from an independent YouTube star, as compared to a generic TV host. When a major YouTube star such as Zoella (recently appointed digital ambassador for the charity ‘Mind’) advises her viewers to invest in a particular product, they are more often than not taken on their word. They carry with them a certain level of credibility accrued from years of making videos, meaning their audience now are likely to have been following them for a while, and keep coming back because they enjoy, and importantly trust, the content.

thenextweb.com

When selecting a brand ambassador for your own business, getting the right representative is key. Make sure you’re hitting your target market, there’s no point in a make-up company teaming with a cooking channel, to make an obvious example. Once you've found your demographic, aim to find a YouTuber who is passionate about your product. They need to believe in what they’re selling or that edge they gain for being genuine with their audience is lost, and they may lose credibility as a result. Of course, that would be bad news for both your marketing campaign, and the star’s subscribers.

Done right, a brand ambassador can dramatically boost your business, but make sure you know the rules. Oreo recently had a YouTube marketing campaign banned for misleading viewers. The purely promotional videos were not labelled as such, and YouTube decreed that as it was unclear that the videos were paid for they had to be taken down. As long as you follow the guidelines however, a YouTuber on your side can be a big advantage.

By Sam Bonson

Article source: http://www.socialmediafrontiers.com/2015/01/youtube-stars-becoming-brand-ambassadors.html#.VK8WSPzlqos

Read More

5 Ways to Win With Social Media

Make Social Media Work For You

Let's face it, if a marketing tactic doesn't serve to somehow influence sales, then the time and money invested in it is down the drain. Social media can drive sales, but it's easy to make mistakes and waste your time.

Here are five examples of those who succeeded:

Social Media Examiner: Michael Stelzner kept going after his vision of an online magazine devoted to social media, even after friends and business partners told him the Web did not need another social media blog. He got the website ready, then took a video crew to a couple of major events where he had access to some of the biggest names in social media. He then broadcast those videos on the website and backed them up with several articles each week. Now it is recognized as the best social media magazine in the world. “All we did was rely on social media to grow this,” Stelzner said.

Lesson: Don’t worry if everyone says you can’t when you know you can.

On Track Tips: Just a couple of years ago, Jason Wiser was struggling to get his company off the ground and figure out who his ideal customer was. Today, he is one of the most-followed and trusted small businesses on Google+. He also maintains a strong Twitter presence, a well-trafficked blog, YouTube presence, and hosts a podcast. Jason’s big leverage point:Repurposing content. He uses Google Hangouts On Air (HOA) to interview rock star gurus like Guy Kawasaki and Chris Brogan. Jason and his team then turn each HOA into a YouTube, a podcast, and a blog article. No one delivers more value or gets more out of each tactic than Jason Wiser. His next project: A general contracting site for getting online.

Lesson: Get the most use of out every piece of content you produce.

Culinary Connection: How does a startup school with no building and no teachers get started? Taking their unique idea to train chefs by placing them in the kitchen with those already excelling at the culinary arts, Culinary Connection visited top restaurants in the USA, then parlayed those visits into partnerships and testimonials. From there, word of mouth via social media — primarily Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest — led to a mention on the Larry King Live show. Once potential clients see the wisdom of a the programme, the sale is almost a given. It’s getting the word out that is important, and social media, coupled with regular articles on their own blog, drives the message.  

Lesson: Great ideas need to be announced – social media can help you do that.

 Source: theconversation.com

StuKent: When Stuart Draper attended college, there was just one class in Internet marketing. Five years after graduation, that scenario hadn't changed much. That prompted Draper to create his own coursework and offer it to colleges as an online option. Stuart relied primarily on Twitter and Twitter Chats to begin getting the word out and build buzz. He then personally called department heads around the nation to get their buy-ins for the course. StuKent is changing marketing education at the collegiate level.

 Lesson: Develop a plan for your social media work — always have a goal in mind.

Debbie White Agency: After setting sales records for Fortune 500 companies, White took her brand of low-pressure, high-results sales to clients on the speaking seminar circuit. After teaching some of the most influential speakers in the world how to sell, she began focusing her efforts on directly helping professionals and executives realize that everyone, even lawyers and bankers, is in sales. Debbie had little luck with Facebook, but found her best place for client mining to be LinkedIn.

Lesson: Use the social media sites and tools that best fit for YOUR audience.

The wise use of social media can propel your company to success. You should avoid fake accounts, pseudonyms, and any deceptive practices. Using your real name can open you up to online pirates, so be sure to take steps to protect your name and brand. Never, ever slander another company to make yours look good. Play fair and let the world know what you have to offer.

Written by TeamSMF
Source: http://www.socialmediafrontiers.com/2014/10/5-ways-to-win-with-social-media.html#more

Read More

Google Has Stopped Trying to Make Google+ Happen

Social Network Comes Full Circle

In 2011 Google introduced its own social network to the world, one that would one day be a rival to Facebook and Twitter: Google+. With now about 540 million monthly active users, it would seem that Google+ has failed to compete with social media giant Facebook. And that number may not be entirely reliable as it also counts the Google accounts that interact with Google+, in any way.

Source: weknowmemes.com

In an attempt to make Google+ 'happen' and truly compete with Facebook Google started, and there is no other way to put this, shoving Google+ down people's throats. Essentially, Google was forcing people who have no interest whatsoever in joining the social network to sign up. This plan backfired spectacularly; Google+ became the social network people avoided at all cost. Google tried to change that, coming up with small ways to make people join: for instance, if you want to comment on a Youtube video you have to have a Google+ account. If you want to join Gmail, you have to open a Google+ account as well.

This 'making people join Google+ at all costs' policy received a lot of criticism and did nothing to help with Google+'s popularity. In an unexpected turn of events, slowly but surely, Google have decided to abandon their social network.

Source: weknowmemes.com

You no longer have to have a Google+ account when you create a Gmail and you can choose to click, like most people will, on the 'No Thanks' button. There has been no official announcement of Google's departure from Google+, but in April Vic Gundotra, who was in charge of the social network, left Google. Nowadays, you can even use Google Hangouts, one of the cooler features of Google+, without a Google+ account. More and more you can start doing things with Google services without being a part of Google+, which is a victory in itself. Hopefully the next victory, for people who use Google regularly, will be the ability to comment on Youtube with only a Youtube account again.

After only three years, Google+ can really be called a failure despite all of Google's best efforts. Will we see Google+ disappear completely from our screens in a few years time? It seems very likely, and no one will mourn its disappearance.

Laura Veit

Laura is a recent graduate from University of East Anglia in Film and Television Studies, currently interning as a content writer but hoping to one day live off her writing. Follow her @LauraAtSMF.

Source: http://www.socialmediafrontiers.com/2014/09/google-has-stopped-trying-to-make.html#.VCqLHhY0-Sp

Read More

Iran Launch War Against Social Media

 What's the real story?

It seems that not everyone is in favour of a world heavily influenced by social media, and Iran in particular have taken actions to make sure that social media does not take a hold in their country. The Iranian leadership have now banned Instagram, and this was after they banned Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Social: foreignpolicyblogs.com

Not surprisingly, Iran are very active on these and other social media platforms, and this is to spread their message across the globe, and let everyone know what their agenda is. A fine example of this was the famous phone call between US President Obama and Iranian President Rouhani. The call took place as Rouhani departed the United Nations following his appearance at the General Assembly. Following the conversation, which turned out to be the watershed for the US/Iranian dialogue, the entire content of the conversation was tweeted by none other than the Iranian President.

This type of behaviour online is pure politics and indoctrination. Iran’s Foreign Minister, Mohammad Zarif, is very active online, particularly when he is in negotiations with the P5+1 on the nuclear issue when a deadline approaches. He manipulates the media and world opinion through his Twitter account, and this is the way that politics is heading. Of course, the words posted are under Zarif’s name, but it is his team who are typing the messages. Further to this, these messages are not meant for the citizens of Iran, but the rest of the world, as they are not legally allowed to view the content.

Despite the vigorous efforts by the Iranian government, they have not been able to effectively stop all citizens from using social media. Together with international hackers, they have been able to find ways around the ban.

Source: ieet.org

Just a few years ago, the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, determined that the cyber world was so out of control in Iran that he created a special agency to combat cyber invasion. The agency’s job was to protect Iran from cyber attacks, and to halt the culture attacks that were infecting the Iranian youth. The agency recruited some of the most talented young people in Iran and now, two years down the line, Iran is a serious player in the hacking world.

Recently, the Iranian News Agency, IRNA, quoted the President saying “We should see the cyber world as an opportunity.”  He then said, “Why are we so shaky? Why don’t we trust our youth?” In the country, he is viewed as weak, and even viewed as a liberal Westerner by some. The statements were seen as a symbol of his failure.

Iran has a fascinating relationship with social media, and one that seems to be filled with both love and hate. It is a worrying prospect for many people that politicians are willing to use social media in order to indoctrinate and promote themselves, but not allow the general public to use it. This proves just how useful a tool social media is, as they want to utilise the positives but are scared of the consequences if the citizens get their hands on it.

http://www.socialmediafrontiers.com/2014/05/iran-launch-war-against-social-media.html#.U44W2ihZj8Q

Read More