by Sean Hargrave on Aug 15, 9:42 AM
Does it really matter to Facebook that brands are getting more organic reach on other social sites? Not one bit. Facebook is all about giving away a free starter and then charging for the main course. If other sites want to give away the whole meal, that's fine with them. It's time we realise it's an advertising site more than it is a social network.
by Sean Hargrave on Aug 14, 8:25 AM
Before the digital marketing world rushes to congratulate Facebook on its cross-digital channel-tracking service, let's not forget a couple of inconvenient truths. Namely, four in five UK purchases are made in-store and so can't be tracked, plus two in three advertising pounds are spent on traditional media. Sorry -- just saying.
by Sean Hargrave on Aug 13, 8:44 AM
The Government's failing local television plan is unravelling as onlookers ask: if it can't work in London and Birmingham , why would it work anywhere else? Why not use the BBC's content to support our local news media groups' transition from print to digital more successfully?
by Sean Hargrave on Aug 12, 8:25 AM
The term "real time" is already the first name on the team sheet of any brand marketer hoping to reach second-screener football fans this season. But with the planning that goes into "real-time," should we not be more honest about having a war chest of content just waiting for the moment to be unlocked?
by Sean Hargrave on Aug 11, 10:07 AM
Facebook is to be commended for its latest policy of forbidding marketers from using incentives to solicit "likes" -- but the minute it cleans up "spammy'" news feeds, it's almost certainly as much about getting brands to promote posts to gain reach as it is improving user experience.
by Sean Hargrave on Aug 8, 8:58 AM
Everyone keeps asking who might bid for Time Warner now that Rupert Murdoch is, for the time being, out of the game. Consider this, however. Was Murdoch's move aimed at making his own movie and tv company big enough to resist a potential takeover? If so, does that mean it is now 21st Century Fox that is as likely as Time Warner to be the subject of a hostile takeover?
by Sean Hargrave on Aug 7, 9:51 AM
Another call came today for the BBC to water down its dominance in local media by sharing traffic with local media publishers. This time it was the chief executive of Johnston Press making the call, but it's a familiar argument. How can local media compete against state-funded content with massive traffic figures? I'll tell you how. Buy it! Could the solution be as simple as a BBC Worldwide deal for third-party publisher inside, rather than outside, the UK?
by Sean Hargrave on Aug 6, 9:29 AM
Coca-Cola's Vitaminwater was always the case study for getting fans truly engaged in chatting with the brand -- and crucially, one another. Now, however, it is likely to go down in history as the biggest case of a social revolt leading a global giant into a potentially embarrassing reversal. But is it embarrassing? Time will probably show this to be one of the first major incidents where a giant chose to listen -- and not just broadcast on social.
by Sean Hargrave on Aug 5, 9:19 AM
When Gary Lineker tells you something about sport, you listen. But is he right in telling "GQ" that alcohol and betting brands are far too closely associated with sport? And what can you do? As ever, personal responsibility is key when products and services are legal and able to be enjoyed with moderation.
by Sean Hargrave on Aug 4, 9:14 AM
British businesses are now rating their number one digital concern as dealing with negative online comments in social media and review sites -- above winning new customers or building brand awareness. The trouble is that too many shy away from embracing the medium and inviting the public to rate them. Get it right and positive sentiment will outrank the occasional disgruntled former employee or embittered rival company down the road.