XinRui's Blog

If you ever ask anyone whether they’re using digital marketing, they’re likely to say they’re using social media as one of their digital marketing tools. Digital marketing is by far the most popular approach compared to other marketing methods, notably on social media platforms.

As social media was first introduced, nobody was aware of the effect it would have on the society. Unexpectedly there are now millions of users on social media platforms, companies have found a way to promote their products and services using the networks in almost the same manner as regular users. Nowadays, there are many other platforms in place that allow businesses to connect, share content and promote their brand.

There’s no doubt that the use of social media platforms allow businesses to reach out to a significant number of customers. Technology has enhanced data collection and evaluation over the years and enhanced targeting for demographics. Furthermore, social media platforms such as Facebook involve 3rd-party providers specialized in data segmentation applications and services, and businesses that use the data enjoy the benefit that their targeted audiences see in their social media marketing advertisements.

Limitations of Social Media

It’s been a steep learning curve for anyone utilizing social media and inevitably, a bunch of negative implications have occurred throughout the years ever since the emergence of social media.

Requires qualified & specialized personnel

It is important to hire competent personnel to manage your account and keeping the traffic under control to concentrate on key business issues. This suggests that businesses really need to invest in both the systems and also wages, in order to have a better outcome.

Protection of user’s privacy limits data collection

Although social media may seem like a rather open space, social media networks themselves restrict the amount and the scope of data businesses can acquire to safeguard users’ privacy. Social media users also expect a certain degree of privacy.

Negative feedback make new customers have bad impressions

Feedback is certainly a great way to improve your company however negative feedback serves the contrary intention. When a piece of negative information appears on social media sites, the public will get the opportunity to express their frustration and disappointment. This will damage the reputation of your company and discourage potential customers from establishing relationships and also partnering with the company.

In conclusion, the above are the limitations of social media marketing which may impact businesses if it’s not properly handled.

I believe that social media marketing is still a great tool despite the disadvantages mention above. Everything will have its own pros and cons and there is certainly nothing perfect or flawless out there. For marketers, therefore, it is especially important to always plan well before selecting the right approaches for the business, so it can achieve the best impact.

So what’s your opinion about this issue? Feel free to leave a comment down below!

So, from the post’s title, it’s obvious that we will be discussing about the latest legal and ethical marketing concerns in this advanced digital age.

#1- SPAM

Everybody is continually annoyed by spam e-mails appearing in their inboxes. I mean, just look at your inbox, there’s loads of emails piling up. However what exactly is spam, and why is it sent? Most importantly, how can you eliminate unwanted spam e-mails entirely?

Spam (often termed junk) is any unsolicited and unwanted messages that are being sent electronically. Such messages are generally sent to multiple recipients (by e-mail) and the world’s inboxes are filled with constantly. Spam email’s most common types can be categorized into the following 4 groups: Ads, Hoaxes, Phishing and Malware.

Why do we receive spam e-mails?

In certain situations, carelessness on the part of the user allows spammers and spambots to obtain the details they need. Website operators are often authorized to utilize the e-mail address provided in compliance with the terms and conditions for promotional purposes when registering for giveaways.

Most giveaways are designed for the sole objective of obtaining spam emails. Mentioning your address on platforms like blogs, social networks, forums, messages and comments will make it even easier for email harvesters to target you.

How to prevent spam?

It’s difficult to completely protect yourself from spam e-mails as there are too many spammers and spambots out there. Nonetheless, there are several techniques and tricks to minimize the volume of spam you get.

For instance, give your main e-mail address only when absolutely necessary and certainly don’t use it for dubious gifts or for registration with unidentified sites. It makes sense to be using a second e-mail address for less significant internet services which is not used for other activities. Avoid posting your main email on sites. Ensure that you only provide your email address to secured online portals and networks, and using a revised spelling.

#2- Privacy Issues

There is no doubt that the use of the Internet is the fastest way to connect with the world. However, it’s not the safest one. The internet is full of scams and threats and you’re on the brink of security threats when you want to be online. Most users of the internet are least concerned about their online privacy and are unaware of the potential risks linked with that privacy.

3 Major Online Privacy Issues

Spying & Snooping

Once you’re online, a number of trackers monitor you on for different purposes. Trackers keep track of your search history and monitor all of your internet activities via different means. It gives them a clear idea about who you are and what your interests are. This tracking is used for advertising purposes and enables marketers to display ads based on your preferences and interests. But, it’s common for hackers to use these data to carry out unlawful and illegal activities which threaten your existence online.

Information Mishandling

There are numerous websites that require you to fill in your personal information in order to utilize their services. These websites also store cookies and save your personal information, and use it for various purposes. Almost all of the time, this information isn’t secured and anyone can access it. Such mismanagement of personal information can have serious implications.

In addition to social media applications, Google Maps and other devices are now requesting for your location. Thus, by turning on your phone, you are providing the world with your precise location and what your next move is, which is certainly risky and unsafe.

#3- Fake Stuffs

Does the term “Fake followers” sound familiar to you?

If you answered yes, it is presumably because you are justifiably trying to keep fake followers away from your profiles on social media. In an era where satisfying your social media marketing expectations depends greatly on user engagement, you just simply can not afford to let any inactive accounts creep into your network or that of the influencers you want to collaborate with. But how do you know if an Instagram account has fake followers?

Fake followers include fake social media accounts that have been created for money with the purpose to mass-follow other social media profiles. Typically these accounts are either bots or inactive, implying they’re not interacting with your content. They often spread spam-ridden posts on rare occasions when they get active, ranging from silly memes to fake news.

Here’s a video by Xiaxue, where she talked about Fake Instagram followers:

There’s many ways to develop a dedicated community on social media instead of buying fake followers. Building organic following will be far more worthwhile than buying fake followers would be.

Here’s a video showing how you can gain followers organically:

To conclude, although there are many measures to be taken to reduce the risk of such legal and ethics issues, it’s still an endless issue as there are lots of spammers out there that are perpetually coming up with new ways to perform out their activities.

That’s just it! Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

With the emergence over the past decade of a whole host of new digital marketing channels including Instagram, Snapchat and Pinterest, and also existing media networks such as Google, Facebook and Twitter, marketing channels integration has never been more difficult or more relevant.

To end off, Integrated Marketing Communication is evolving in the new digitization age. With the introduction of new technologies, marketing campaigns are becoming more and more personalized and paving the way for the future.

If you have any other ideas about how to build an effective IMC campaign, please share it with me!

What is SEO?

Search engine optimization (SEO) is the practice of growing both site traffic quality and quantity along with access to your brand through organic (non-paid) search engine results. The higher the website, the more people are using it.

So how do you get your business on the first page of Google?

With the amount of information available on the web it would be almost impossible to find what you need without some help searching through it. Google ranking systems are designed to do just that. Sorting hundreds of billions of web pages in our Search Index to find the most important, useful results in a fraction of a second, and show them in a way that helps you find what you are looking for.

Before we move into how to get to the top of Google Search, you ought to be aware of what ranking criteria Google is searching for.

Google takes into account several variables including keywords, validity and accessibility of sites, source knowledge and outbound link consistency, in order to give us the most relevant results based on the keywords that we type in. Google will then weigh each of these variables against the complexity of our query and then return a list of results to us on the results page of the search engine.

It is therefore necessary for businesses to consider what variables Google or other search engines use to generate search results and to integrate some of them into their website, such that the company’s website is high on the results page. In addition, it is also important to know the keywords that might be used by their prospective customers when they do an online search and have their website updated regularly with new information as well as the latest outbound links.

White Hat vs. Black Hat SEO: What is the Difference?

You’ll probably see references to the “white hat” and “black hat” SEO while reading business forums and various optimization guides. To be clear these are not valid SEO subsets. Alternatively, they are more of a distinction between optimizing a platform in the right way and the wrong way.

Companies can also consider utilizing black hat or white hat techniques. White hat SEO is the process of optimizing a site in a manner compatible with the guidelines of Google and helping users find content that is important to their needs.

On the other hand, Black hat SEO focuses on finding ways of playing the game and attaining high, but often short-lived rankings. It is done with the intention of manipulating rankings, no matter how it impacts user experience. Cloaking and Keyword Stuffing are some examples of the Black Hat techniques.

The use of keywords today is much more about semance. Google’s gotten so good at reading keywords from searchers that it’s scary. It not only looks at your keyword but also synonyms of it to understand what you mean when you type in something like “five guys nyc.” Google is able to guess that you’re looking for the fast-food chain “Five Guys, Burgers & Fries” by looking at similar searches that may include the keywords “burgers” and “fries.”

Simply put, white hat SEO involves optimizing a platform in a manner that Google will approve. On the other hand, black hat SEO refers to any tactics which break the rules of Google.

In conclusion, with more technological advancements and the launch of more IoT apps, SEO will be becoming increasingly important. Although all these strategies have the same aim, they are so different and it depends on the type of approach chosen by the marketers. White Hat implies good strategies and Black indicates the total opposite. The choices that they make will result in various outcomes and consequences.

That is it! Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Big Data

Big data refers to data that’s so massive, fast, or complex that processing using traditional methods is difficult or impossible. Here are some examples of how companies utilizing big data analytics:

Coca-Cola is a real-world example of a company that utilizes big data analytics to improve customer retention. Through developing a digital-led loyalty program in 2015, Coca-Cola succeeded in expanding its data strategy. ADMA’s managing editor interviewed Coca-Cola Data Strategy manager. The interview made it clear that Coca-Cola is firmly behind the retention of consumers by big data analytics. Below is the abstract of the full interview:

To end off, IoT and Big Data have helped to create tremendous convenience for customers and marketers. Especially with more IoT devices and more new methods of Big Data Analytics tools to be implemented, the amount of benefits that customers and marketers are getting will continue to increase. So what’s your opinion of IoT and Big Data? Feel free to leave a comment below. 😊

3. Mobile Application- Uniqlo

Uniqlo packaged their loyalty program in a handy mobile app, where it provides opportunities for users to enjoy member benefits. App users are able to receive the latest news from weekly new arrivals to offer items available online and in stores. They will also be able to get styling inspirations for daily outfits.

#SquattyPotty

The Ice Bucket Challenge.

Roman Originals “The Dress”.

Yanny VS. Laurel.

Coca-Cola: “Share a Coke”.

I’m pretty sure there’s a great possibility that almost all of you’ve seen one of the aforementioned “viral” advertisements or posts. Viral marketing is a hot topic especially now that brands are finding ways to break through the chatter and stand out. Today, I’m going to share some marketing campaigns that went viral.

The challenge went viral in July and August 2014, using social media as a platform to reach a global audience. The campaign was popular and viral with more than 17 million people around the world taking part in the challenge.

Many celebrities including Bill Gates, George W. Bush, Oprah Winfrey, Tom Cruise, Mark Zuckerberg, Rihanna, Tim Cook, Rafael Nadal, and Cristiano Ronaldo took part in the challenge. Below video shows the Ice Bucket Challenge:

So how did the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge went viral? Well, the Ice Bucket Challenge evoked a positive and high arousal emotion. Participants were asked to challenge at least 3 persons to the Ice Bucket Challenge. When 1 person tells the challenge to 3 other people, and these 3 tell the other 3, then a viral loop is formed. Furthermore, the campaign became successful by drawing celebrities in the challenge as their followers joined in too, leading to publicity worldwide. Celebrities actively created videos and make donations, which led to campaign virality.

Lessons from these viral marketing campaigns? All of these viral marketing campaigns have something in common, they seek to engage the participants with humor and directness, and leave them feeling happy with the brand.

Do you think that social media is suitable platform for businesses to attract and retain customers? Well, absolutely. That’s because, nowadays, everyone including the top talents from all over the world is on social networks. 

Singapore’s digital marketing environment is undergoing some drastic changes over the last decade and had a significant impact on how businesses are attracting and branding their products and services. Furthermore, it has significantly changed the way businesses operate.

Social media marketing is one of the best ways to co-create and attract customers. Businesses can communicate, connect, and collaborate with clients via social media.

So how do businesses involve their customers in developing new products and services?Startupgrind has come up with 4 tips to help companies exploit social media as a way to increase the businesses’ online presence and to help create products that increase consumers’ likelihood of purchase.

1. Empower your customers to develop products that sell.

2. Transform customers into partners to build brand loyalty.

3. Innovate with customers to streamline development.

4. Improve the customer experience to elevate brand reputation.

Examples

E-commerce platform Shopee

E-commerce site Shopee would be a great example of efficient and productive use of social media marketing, as it takes the lead of aggressive marketing in Southeast Asia. Alongside partnership, Shopee has invests significantly in its marketing effortss in an effort to establish supremacy in the highly competitive e-commerce environment of Southeast Asia.

Additionally, Shopee engages various artists and personnel as their regional brand ambassador. For instance, Shopee introduced professional footballer Cristiano Ronaldo as its regional brand ambassador, nearly a year after it tapped South Korean girl group BLACKPINK as its first-ever regional brand ambassador. 

https://youtu.be/Q6yOvmoNi-Q

Other than having regional brand ambassadors, Shopee also launched various campaigns catered to different countries and customer segment. For instance, Shopee Malaysia introduced a new in-app portal called Shopee for Men, aimed at facilitating the online shopping experience for men and serving as a one-stop platform with a curated selection for men’s needs. This campaign seeks to enable male shoppers to enjoy perks such as discounts, free shipping and cashbacks. In addition, the campaign coincides with Super Men Day, offering discounts across all categories on a variety of men’s products.

Coca-Cola “Share a Coke” Campaign

Another great example would be Coca-Cola, which leverages social media co-creation to remain relevant through the customization of its goods. Coca-Cola organized “Share a Coke” initiative to mark the SG50 event. They wanted this campaign to remind people of the different places and symbols that played significant roles in making Singapore special.

Traditional Coca-Cola bottles feature their side with the company logo. The company has started branding the cans and bottles with nicknames and phrases instead of their logo for the “Share A Coke” campaign. Furthermore, they were further pushed by the auspicious SG50 event where they several famous Singaporean words including Auntie, Uncle, Ah Boy and so on.

The campaign soon gained popularity as many people are fascinated by having a bottle with their names and their peers ‘ names. This event became even more popular when the firm encouraged people to share their “Share A Coke” stories with the hashtag #ShareACoke on social media. The “Share a Coke” initiative has proven one of the most successful marketing campaigns in recent years, with an impressive social media legacy.