Tag: social media trends

Everyone is affected by fashion to some extent. In the era of early supermodel age, fashion could be categorized by glamour or commons. Today, fashion is fast, trendless, comfortable, and personal. Street fashion, as one of the most popular form, is more of a reflection of personality and lifestyle than of trends in general. Because social media have offered abundant avenues for people to get to know trends happening now, fashion has becoming really shapeless. Hollywood stars have their Facebook and Twitter accounts updating almost every second of their day including what they are wearing. Thus, Stars set fashion trends. However, Stars are not the only people only can openly express their fashion styles. Bloggers of fashion, not just professionals, but ordinary peoples, can send out their fashion style to the world. In an instant, fashion has truly become everyday, everywhere, and everyone.

In the information age and a much globalized world community, fashion has transformed in its outlook, and concept as it starts embodying many varieties of elements of different cultures. For example, in the 1980s, jeans had monopolized youth culture not only in the U.S. but also other countries, particularly East Asian countries like Japan and Korea. Now, American styles are no longer the standard as designers of different ethnic background incorporate their own outlook into their design. In addition, in this much globalized world, ethnicity is no longer the only factor that affect the trend in fashion as it was decades ago. Now, people are guided by taste, lifestyle, and experiences. For instance, Alexander Wang’s simple power women’s look has won many fans of minimalism. Thus, it is possible the fashion’s trajectory will more closely appeal to people’s lifestyle and social trends.

Furthermore, today fashion has much evolved to embody personal brand. Everyone’s unique style can be called his or her fashion. For example, punk style was originally styles of socially discontented youth’s, now it has been taken up even by couture designers. Decades ago, fashion had it standard rules such as how women and men should wear. Today, fashion is not strictly dictated by gender. There have emerged a new class of fashion called unisex in which clothing lines can be worn by both sexes.

This type of fashion has been tremendously popular given greater equalities between men and women. Women have more choices than before.

Not only adults, children have their own fashion. Although they mimicked what the adults wear, children’s fashion also been commercialized extensively. Children’s fashion is greatly affected by adult fashion. Many adult designer brands also have children’s line that follow closely of the adult trends.

Fashion styles have been changed that allowed more freedom of choices. The price of fashion has also been changed. Before, fashionable clothing meant high prices. Now, a fashionable piece of clothing doesn’t need to be expensive. Brands such as Forever 21, J. Crew, Target clothing and etc. offer couture style clothing with very affordable prices. Simply put, price doesn’t equate good style or good fashion any more.

Fashion has fundamentally evolved-not only the concept of fashion, but also the price and accessibility.

Lyfeloop

What is Social Media Marketing? It comprises the use of certain media to convince potential consumers about the company’s excellence through their merchandise and services. The main objective is to establish a clear communication between the company and its consumers. A clear thorough explanation of details regarding the company’s product or services may be promoted through online or offline marketing. Online marketing consists any e-marketing programs or campaign. This may be in the form of email, podcast, search engine optimization (SEO), internet TV, internet radio, webinar, blog and so on. Offline marketing is an approach such as radio, television, billboard, traditional prints (newspapers, magazines, flyers), personal marketing and sales promotion.

This method of marketing is highly concentrated on the essence of attracting the attention of consumers. This allows them to freely interact with the company using social networking sites. This constant proliferation of opinions from user to user may entice readers, thus making it a network of product endorsement. It is also known as Social Media Optimization (SMO).

Social Media Optimization is a branch of social media that collaborates with the internet in an attempt to attract visitors through a certain website. It is directly related with search engine marketing although there may be a difference. It may be in many ways that it can be connected with viral marketing where the promotion of the product is self-replicating through the use of networking in social bookmarking, video and photo sharing websites.

Advantages of Social Media Marketing

• low-cost and high returns
• broad website exposure
• highly feasible
• limited personnel
• maximize profits
• safe, risk-free and cost-efficient
• impact on search engine rankings
• consumer approval

The utilization of Social Media Marketing should be prioritize as soon as possible for the reason that the trend is spontaneously growing. The possibilities of company exposure is infinite without spending too much resources and effort. Much of our families and friends stay connected with social networking sites such as Facebook, Tagged, Twitter etc. Therefore, the chances of your website being noticed is never-ending.

Lyfeloop

Before delving into the details of trends of CRM to see in the coming years, I’d like to share bit information on what CRM is.

WHAT IS CRM?

If you’ve been asking yourself what CRM is and what it exactly does then come with me. I’ll explain what CRM is all about.

Customer relationship management is a business strategy that puts a focus on meeting the needs of your customer. It does this by utilizing advanced technologies to organize automate and integrate the marketing sales and customer service components of your business. The CRM systems are basically developed and designed for compiling the information on the customers across several channels between the organization and the consumers, which might contain the organization’s site, phone, direct mail, live chat, marketing materials and social media as well. it can also provide you customer-facing staff described data on user’s personal information, buying preferences, purchase history and concerns etc.

So this was the little introduction of the CRM. Now let’s move towards the Future Trends of Customer Relationship Management.

THE FUTURE CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT TRENDS:

• Integrating Data From Multiple Channels

• Handling Big Data

• Shifting To Cloud-Based CRM

• Social CRM

• Mobile CRM

• CRM Software System with Variables

• Creating Better Customer Experience

• Challenges Faced By CRM

• Customer Focus

• Slow Returns and Lack Of Consistency

EXAMPLES OF FUTURE CRM SYSTEMS

Mobile CRM:

It is expected that there will be a tremendous increase in the popularity of mobile CRM. Example: –

• INDOCIN BANK introduced fingerprint banking wherein customers can carry out transactions with the help of fingerprints and without passwords

• DBS Bank has launched a mobile-only Bank it is completely paperless and branchless allowing customers to open accounts by using their other card the biometric authentication at various companies it makes arrangements with.

Integration With Social Media

Currently, most companies are present on social media however nearly being present is not enough. it is extremely important to evaluate the impact of social media on the business. Example: –

• MERCEDES-BENZ in India became the first brand in the country to use Twitter’s twitcam campaign with the hashtag tweet to click. These offered users an opportunity to get a visual tour and personalized picture of the Mercedes-Benz Pavillion live from the Auto Expo 2016. Whenever they tweeted using hashtags, tweet to click and ‘best keep winning’.

• AUDI INDIA used Twitter’s flock to unlock cards and that brands can use to unveil a new product video or commercial once the card is unlocked a tweet is sent to everyone who participated in the exclusive content without Kohli representing the brand on Twitter the tweet from Audi’ official handle on unlocking the fastest mobile was retweeted over 600 times

Cloud Deployment

According to experts, software-as-a-service or SAS is expected to dominate in the future. Example: –

• ZENOTI formally managed myspa offers sauce based solutions to spas salons and medical spas. The solution is designed to manage all operational aspects of the spa and salon business such as online booking, appointment management, POS CRM staff management, inventory controls, built-in marketing, and analytics etc. Utilizing the SAS solution in just a few years enrich salons grew from twelve to fifty-four salons.

Increase In Demand Of Personalized CRM

Every business has unique software requirements given its unique nature in today’s world of intense competition and a large number of options for the customer an increasing number of companies are employing personalized CRM.

End-To-End Solution For Client And Prospect Management

CRM is no longer used only for sales and support. It has now become a platform for the entire marketing process right from prospecting marketing lead to invoice cycle as well as the calculation of return on investment for marketing campaigns.

CASES OF FUTURE CRM

Wearable devices could be the next big thing in CRM. The integration of wearable computing devices with CRM systems allows organizations to gain real-time access to customer data and effectively engage with customers. It also enables businesses to identify cross-selling and up-selling opportunities and enhance customer relationships at every encounter.

CRM vendors are partnering with variable device manufacturers to explore different scenarios where information could be profitably used such as lead generation and campaign creation and curtailing lead to order cycles. For example: –

• Microsoft Dynamics CRM supports the customization of a mobile platform, which is compatible with Google Glass.

• Wearable devices are now allowing users to shop online directly from their device, for example, PayPal recently announced the launch of a new app that allows users to pay for products using their Samsung gear2 SmartWatch.

• Google glass has capabilities, which can track the users’ eyes to identify the advertisement the customer has seen it is implemented. It’s patented paper gaze advertising model using this capability, which could transform digital marketing. Example:

USE OF GOOGLE GLASS IN THE HOTEL INDUSTRY: FREQUENT DAY PROGRAMS.

In this example, a hotel staff member wears Google Glass. The pair is integrated with the hotels’ hospitality app and the customer service system.

• As soon as a customer enters the lobby, the employee retrieves this information through the smart glasses and greets him by his name.

• She identifies the customers booking details and preferences and quickly starts the check-in process.

• Further, she tracks the loyalty points the customer has and gives him or her option to redeem or accumulate them.

• She informs the customer about the weather and local events happening around this destination.

She also translates this information in his native language with the help of the glasses after the guest checks in, the hotel staff member offers food or drinks and other services based on the customer’s choice the advantages of the smart glasses have been listed below:

• Engaging effectively with the customer and catering to his or her preferences

• Creating a smooth hospitality experience for the customer

• Providing a large amount of information relevant to the customer to better target the hotel’s marketing efforts

CONCLUSION: CRM IN FUTURE

So, these were the trends of CRM to be seen in the coming years with the examples. As per the above-mentioned details, it is clear that the marketing and the technical aspects of the CRM will potentially grow. The organizations are seeking for harnessing the power of customer relationships.

Great thanks to the increasing interactions between the products online and the customers due to the social media platforms, customers’ opinions about the services and products have become a business driver. Now companies are listening and responding to the users’ views to harness the power of latest technology to continue for anticipating and rendering things the customers want. For more updates, Stay tuned!

Lyfeloop

How many times has it happened that the first thing that came to our mind when we thought of promoting our business online, were the social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter etc? We all are mesmerized by the enigma called “social media marketing”. Speak to any marketing expert and the first thing he will say is “You ought to be where your consumer is” and rightly so, social media websites are the most engaging platforms for consumers today. The average time spent on such platform far exceeds any other medium, including the traditional Television. So is it wrong for brand/marketing managers to spend a huge chunk of their time on such platforms? Yes and No.

Yes, because these platforms are arguably the best set of platforms that help us to create awareness about our products, improve brand image and thereby increase sale. And a ‘No’ because we end up ignoring the oldest and the original social media platform known as ‘Forums.’ Given below are 4 reasons why we should spend some more time on discussion forums and not just limit the usage to create back links and answer consumer complaints.

1. It’s where the real discussion takes place – Just like you have Facebook for fun, LinkedIn for professional networking and so on, the same way discussion forum is a place meant for discussion. Users coming on this platform are the ones who seriously want to discuss something. Managers need to use this platform to engage with these users and try to convert them from normal users to ‘Brand evangelists’

2. Know what your consumers are talking about – While you can still engage with consumers following your social media profiles, discussion forum is the best platform where you can get real time category trends. How is it different? Well, discussion happening on your social media page is and will be specific to your product where as discussion taking place on forums might still start with products, but they tend to shift towards categories. We as managers could use this information to catch the shifting trends in consumer behavior. It also acts as an excellent platform to get competition data, as in, users visiting such forums will also compare your product with your competition and that’s how you could get first hand review about your competition.

3. A platform for market research – How many of us realize that dedicated forums can be one of the best places for a comprehensive market research. Coming up with a new product? launching a new service? An add-on feature to an existing product? Scout through the relevant discussion forums, catch the latest trends, post relevant questions about the need that you want to satisfy and that’s how easy it is to get first hand consumer insight.

4. A safe platform to get candid product feedback – While social media platforms are also safe platforms to get product feedback, discussion forums have some additional benefits. First of all, unlike social media platforms, discussion forums are generally closed groups and the threat of some feedback going viral is less. Secondly, discussion forums are not limited in terms of access, as in you don’t need to follow a company to receive their posts, hence the kind of feedback that you will receive will be unbiased and candid. So, as a manager you could analyze the feedback, make necessary changes, roll out the final product and yes! This time you could and should post that launch on all the social media platforms.

Lyfeloop

Till recent dates, the term- ‘ corporate social media‘ was defined as a refined, sophisticated profile of a brand and cautiously generated posts. The fundamental objective of the corporate social media was to build influence, promote brand recognition and eventually to sell the products or services. Though the concept of corporate social media hasn’t changed, the procedure has undoubtedly transformed. With the advancements in technology, social media has become more potent with trends like live video streaming. Live broadcasting means the transmission of real-time, continuous video over social media websites or a dedicated streaming platform. With the emergence of Facebook Live, Instagram Live Stories, Snapchat, etc. many people are now familiar with the live broadcasting.

Let’s have a look at different aspects of live streaming step by step.

Live streaming and business – Leveraging live streaming videos for business purpose merits it in multiple ways. Live broadcast allows the sellers to interact virtually with the buyers and that too in real time with the minimum cost. The unedited and natural feel of the content helps to connect with the viewers providing them a personal experience. Videos broadcasted on social media makes the business viral as its reach is way broader than other mediums. When a video is live streamed on social media, it keeps on trending as the viewers keep commenting, liking and sharing it if they wish so. A steady internet bandwidth, a good camera, and enough talent are all you need to create live videos. Hence, the cost involved in it is very minimal. Once the live streaming is done, you can use it to make a content marketing catalogue. The video content can prove to be extremely useful for promotional purposes such as testimonials, websites, social media marketing and so on. Live videos are boon for those entrepreneurs who are seeking an enormous market exposure around the world.

Ideal practices for live streaming – First, you need to focus on the preparation of your live streaming video. Scribble a basic format of your video or program; be it scripted or an extempore. Chalk out the execution methods and likely issues. Finally, make a complete plan of production taking into account adjacent aspects of infrastructure, workforce, finance, etc. Secondly, never compromise on video quality. As per your budget, seek for the best possible equipment to conduct a shoot. Technology and resources utilized in the production and post-production of your video decide the future of your live stream videos; so never overlook it.

Once you are done with the production, look for its promotion. You must treat the live videos as live shows. Opt for promotional efforts like emailers, social or digital commercials, teaser videos and so on. Create excitement about your upcoming live video so that you already start gathering the audience. Build a sound strategy to boost your marketing initiatives depending on the results you are expecting. Keep brainstorming for innovative ideas and concepts that are likely to appeal the viewers.

Before you step ahead to make your video live stream; think carefully about the desired platform. As discussed, you can live stream the video on any platform of your choice; however, you also need to consider specifications of your requirements. For instance, the purpose of your video, target audience, a changed perspective to attract potential customers, method, and scope for interactivity and compatibility with the platform. Once you understand what exactly your video needs to reach out to the world; you can quickly pick up the best platform. There are many streaming apps that allow you to live stream your video on multiple social networking platforms at a time.

Tricks for a kick-start streaming strategy – You can keep closed sessions such as customers Q & A, experts Q & A for spinning your video to a great extent. When customers interact with each other regarding the content; sharing of experiences and feedbacks takes place. Influencers and industry experts too can involve in the process to clarify the doubts of the viewers. Product launch or product demos are likely to get massive publicity if conducted in a live broadcasting video format. They create an excitement and engagement extravaganza about whatever you are launching or showing it to the buyers. Events, campaigns or contests when supported by social media, get excellent responses. A strategy made with considering pros and cons of the live video you are making is known to be the most feasible and successful one.

To summarize this topic, the suggestion is to focus on the interest elements of your target audience. Fun has to be included in an innovative way that will blend the desired message or information within your video. Each of your live streaming videos will be undoubtedly a learning experience for you! Keep creating, keep streaming!

Lyfeloop

If there’s one thing the youth needs, it’s a cool platform with terrific features to post pictures and share videos online. After all, it’s their source of entertainment. With the trend of selfies at its pinnacle, such platforms have become the need of the hour. Businesses are searching for the perfect platform, while the truth is both Snapchat and Instagram have their own market niche and massive following. A majority of the users of these platforms are youngsters who are totally mobile-driven and obsessed with their smartphones. This article will guide you through the features of Snapchat and Instagram and help you decide which platform is better and safer:

Snapchat

Snapchat is like texting with pictures. Parents are concerned because kids spend a lot of time on Snapchat sharing their pictures, which worries them. On Snapchat, there are a set number of videos and pictures you can send or receive at a particular time. Each session lasts a few seconds and when it expires, the data is erased. It claims to be safe, but the privacy policies of social networks are often voluntarily ceased without the users knowing.

A significant danger of using Snapchat is teens don’t even know that by agreeing to their privacy policy, they have allowed Snapchat to use their data. It’s important to keep in mind that whatever pictures your child shares on Snapchat, they are aware of the fact that it is accessible worldwide. Snapchat offers “Snaps” and “Stories”. Snaps are the pictures or videos a user shares with a single person, though anyone can save the photo as a screenshot and share it with ease. Stories are videos which a user shares with numerous people and can be viewed unlimited number of times before the session expires, i.e. 24 hours.

Instagram

Have you ever come across people who have nothing to do with your life, but you know a lot about them? Surely, the answer is yes! We are living in 2016, where social media has made literally everything accessible, on our fingertips. Instagram freaks share their daily life on this app through photos, especially whatever they munch during the day, with popular hashtags, though other users aren’t really interested in what this person had for lunch! Hashtags are the in thing for Instagram users. They are totally obsessed with them, while many others get irritated by this rising trend. According to Instagram’s policy, the user’s pictures can be public or private. The setting depends upon the user’s preference. Users post their photos which are searchable through hashtags.

Analyzing Snapchat and Instagram

Instagram builds a library of images for its users, whereas Snapchat’s underlying characteristic is that the data shared by its users isn’t permanent, which, however, is easily violated by its users. The analysis unravels the fact that Instagram is safer than Snapchat, and therefore a better choice for the average user.

Lyfeloop

Digital marketing trends change often, though not often, to fetch better and more appropriate results. Marketers use different ways to bring their businesses in search engine results, ethical and unethical; but in the coming years finding their way using unethical techniques will lead to rough roads. It will be harder for those who have abandoned the marketing ethics, while the customers rejoice with better user experience and informative content.

Once upon a time, meta tags, keywords, and optimized images defined responsive web designing. A good content together with keywords, hashtags, and links were the parts of search engine optimization (SEO) or social media marketing (SMM) strategies. But now, SEO and SMM are no longer restricted to those elements as Google is changing its search algorithm, and Facebook using different strategies on form feeds to fetch what is more useful to the user.

Time for user-friendly, ethical ways

Brands using unethical ways to get more likes for their promotional posts may lose their sites in black holes. You are in a safer zone if you use ethical ways to promote content that brings better experience for the user. But if you are using shady ways, then it is time to consider some of the tips mentioned in this article.

Social media to redefine organic searches

Facebook has recently planned to include a dislike button to help users express displeasure over news or promotional content. This may give different messages to many, but the Social Media Giant is clear in its way to pull quality content in the search and eliminate junk posts. Ditching hardcore promotional posts and promoting useful posts with great content improves user experience and gives your business a much-needed breather.

In case you are reusing promotional content on Facebook, it’s better to use unique content for every post. It is because in future such posts may not appear in News and Feeds section.

Structured Tweets to trend

Google is not interested in hardcore SEO results, as it wants to see more humane experience in the search results. It may incline more on Facebook and Twitter social media results optimized with images, links, hashtags, and great content that delivers value. With such interesting things happening in social media, digital media interactive marketing creates yet another milestone with brands taking to meaningful and humane ways to reach users.

Google reaches out

Regularly working on your Google+ posts to link Facebook and Twitter posts though keywords, images, and hashtags would help you stay on the search. Following the basics of social media in every promotional post keeps you firmly grounded in the digital media battle!

Lyfeloop

One of the hottest trends in social media these days is live-streaming. There have been several sites and software featuring live-streaming services before, but they only gained much more attention upon the advent of mobile devices. Periscope leads the pack of mobile apps offering primarily live-streaming services. It is considered a game-changer in the social media field because unlike other social media sites, Periscope gained a million of users in just a short period of time. It is widely used as evidenced by the bulk of streamed videos being watched in one day – more or less 40 million minutes. But there are certain limitations to this app and that’s where Scope Freak comes in to help.

Scope Freak is a desktop software tool designed for Periscope streams. This one-of-a-kind software tool was launched on December 28, 2015. It is intended to assist online marketers in their video advertising pursuits.

Creators

Ali G and Marcus Lim are the authors of this software tool. They are the same team who brought Social Interest Freak and Social Lead Freak to numerous online marketers who want to gain an edge in their social media marketing pursuits. Ali G also created other efficient web marketing tools such as 1st Place Penguin, Forum Fortunes, WP Mobile Assault, WP Time Trigger and WP Video Commando.

How to Use the Program

Upon the purchase of the software, it can be installed on computers. It is highly compatible; in fact, it works on MacBook, laptop and desktop computers.

You just need to sign up for a free account once the program is installed. The interface of this program is pretty straightforward too; you just need to follow four simple steps to save livestreams.

The first step is to insert the streamed video’s URL. Second, choose the destination folder for the downloaded video. The third step takes time because it is when the stream is being downloaded. However, unlike several video-downloading programs, Scope Freak lets users download videos in a speedy manner. It can even download three-hour streams in just a few minutes. A progress bar is placed to indicate the percentage of the downloaded parts. When all the raw files are downloaded, the word ‘Finished’ will be shown down the list of the raw files. The fourth and final step is the uploading of the downloaded stream into your YouTube account.

Pros

Some of the advantages of using Scope Freak are its user-friendliness, compatibility, and speedy downloading process. As implied earlier, this software is made as assistance to the limitations of the app Periscope. One of common problems of Periscope users is the expiration of their streams after 24 hours. The audience who missed the live-streaming needed to watch within the 24 hours limit.

With the said software, the streamer and viewers alike don’t have to scramble to watch within the 24-hour limit; they can watch whenever they want to as long as they downloaded the streamed videos. They can also store the videos for as long as they want and need. Users have the option to edit their downloaded streams using the new YouTube editing tools or offline video-editing software.

Who Needs the Software

Downloaded videos are of high quality. It will surely add to the reliability of online marketers who embed the high-quality videos in their respective e-commerce sites. Online marketers can monetize their videos as well. They can add ads in the videos or links to various sales pages.

Bloggers and nearly everyone who has a device and Internet connection can apply as an affiliate for the software. The price of the program ranges from $27 to $47. The price depends on the package. The basic one costs $27 to $37 while the pro package costs $37 to $47. Affiliates earn 50% commission for each sale of the software.

Conclusion

The number of online marketers are increasing every year, and to stand out in this saturated industry is to use the latest trends in tech. Live-streaming through mobile applications such as Periscope is currently one of the hottest trends nowadays. To maximize the potential of this trend, Scope Freak is developed. With this software, users can download and edit their videos or scopes to attract more leads and prospects into their respective online businesses.

Lyfeloop

Social media is the buzzword of the current century, thanks to the widespread availability of mobile devices across the globe. While you are away from your dear ones, this medium keeps you connected with all. In the older days, you had to rely on landline phones or trunk calls to communicate with others in a different location. Capitalizing over the erstwhile times, these online platforms have made it merely a matter of few seconds to contact with others nowadays. Additionally, its use in the business world has also witnessed a sea drift, owing to its extensive reach. Amid such religious use of this instant communication mode, it is important to keep checking if we are not getting too much dependent on it.

The growing popularity

Since around a decade, social media has been an inseparable necessity of the people worldwide. While the outbreak of internet created a global revolution in the business world, this communication mode was equally effective in alluring the commoners. Moreover, with the growing popularity of smartphone and mobile devices, the trend of being pro-active over various platforms has gained an unprecedented hike. Users prefer getting hooked up over Facebook, Instagram, Whatsapp, LinkedIn, Twitter and many other websites/apps for personal or professional use.

Here are a few stats from smart insights, an online magazine (till Jan 2016) to give you an idea of the growing dominance of this digital communication platform in our daily lives.

1. Total global population: 7.395 Billion
2. Total Internet users: 3.419 Billion; 46% of global population
3. Active social media users: 2.307 Billion; 31% of world population
4. Unique Mobile users: 3.790 Billion; 51% of total world population
5. Active mobile social users: 1.968 Billion; 27% of global population

This data is good enough to describe the penetration of internet, and more specifically, social media in our life. Hence, here it is worthwhile to think whether this much dependence is normal or we are slowly heading toward its addiction.

Good for entrepreneurs

Interestingly, this communication mode has proved to be a boon for business and marketing people as well, which is obvious by the fact that social networks have raked in a whopping $8.3 billion through advertising, alone in 2015. Moreover, nearly 80% of the Fortune 500 companies use Twitter to connect with their clients and potential customers. However, the question prevails – Is this platform is going through a global abuse, especially by the commoners?

Extensive use

As per another survey report, 1 million new users become active over mobile social media, which means 12 new users per second. Moreover, talking about Facebook Messenger and Whatsapp, both the platforms handle approximately 60 billion messages per day. Its use is more than 50% in almost all the age groups, be it 18-29 (83%), 30-49 (77%) or 50-64(52%), baring 65+, which is 32%. Likewise, while 62% males are pro-active over this online interaction mode, the percentage of females is even more, i.e., 71%.

Hazards of social media addiction

But natural, it is easier to get inclined toward destructive work instead of constructive activities amid such huge penetration. Consequently, we discuss every small thing over these platforms, be it Trump vs. Hillary, currency ban issue, or any other burning topic. Healthy discussion is fine, but the problem occurs when people go overboard and start posting hate messages, which is a major setback to this otherwise beneficial communication mode. Here are some of the other drawbacks of the overuse of social media.

• Social insecurity: Wandering if you also possess the same level of luxury and affluence as others do, which creates anxiety, and often, mental health problems.
• Cyberbullying: You can be the victim of online crimes.
• Social anxiety: You develop the fear of real human interaction, and prefer to hide behind your screen
• Distraction: It decreases your work productivity appreciably.
• Stress: Persistently switching from your work to Facebook, Twitter, etc. and vice versa could cause fatigue
• Emotional hiccups: Confiding on social media to eschew your real life problems could only lead to negativity and pressure.

To sum up, indeed the use of social media is increasing at an uncontrolled pace, which is a serious matter of discussion. It is profitable for business and marketing people who have a fixed goal to achieve through these platforms. However, for individuals, who are lurking for emotional support on these platforms or just killing their time, they are simply making their life miserable, and really need to get out of this addiction, before it gets too late.

Lyfeloop

If you are looking at updating your website, creating new content, launching a blog or even going through a complete web re-launch, you should be aware of this year’s top 10 trends which are taking the web design industry by storm to stay ahead of the competition.

• Trend #1: Responsive web design. The concept is to think about websites as adaptable to any device so that they become dynamic and fluid by nature. This is now possible thanks to CSS3 media queries which allow us to customise layouts based on limited or expanded screen sizes. This is a major trend to take into account if you consider that, on average, mobiles account for 31% of site traffic in the UK, according to Mobify. This compares to 47% in Australia, 40% in Brazil, 34% in South Korea, 31% in the US and just 8% in France. Also, according to IMRG mobile commerce grew by 254% between 2010 and 2011, and by a further 300% between 2011 and 2012. Not bad for the smallest of devices!
• Trend #2: fixed header bar. This is an interesting feature to consider as it does provide a great user experience in the form of effortless navigation.
• Trend #3: large photo background. This is a good way to capture your visitors’ attention as well as provide instant custom branding. It is worth asking your web design company to show you examples to see if it is something you’d like to try.
• Trend #4: Minimalist landing pages. No clutter or graphics excesses – very impactful in today’s information overload world…
• Trend #5: Digital QR codes. Not the nicest looking things, but great for interaction and engagement.
• Trend #6: Social media badges. They come in all shapes, sizes and colour and any social media or community platform will happily share them with you. They can be pinned virtually anywhere in your layout, from blogs to websites without forgetting apps, presentations and articles. But most importantly, people actively use them to share content quickly on their favourite hub (Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn… ).
• Trend #7: CSS transparency. This can look very sleek and trendy. Again, it is a good idea to check out some examples with your web design company or on the web.
• Trend #8: Digital illustrations. These are detailed artistic works which can set the mood on your digital platform but also enhance branding. Many on-line galleries showcase some of the best examples so don’t miss out on this creative trend.
• Trend #9: Infinite scrolling. The best example for this is probably Pinterest which allows user to scroll indefinitely without interruption or having to click to go to the next page. This loading technique is worth considering for a website with a lot of visual content.
• Trend #10: Retina Support. Twice as dense as any average LCD. However, only high-end devices use this at present. Any web design agency will be able to explain how this might impact your future digital properties.

Lyfeloop

Don’t you agree that the way Google’s chairman recently announced changes in their top management structure is creative and innovative? Some CEOs and Investor Relations managers might think that this does not suit them. Instead of the widely known and traditional approach of announcing the changes in a press release distributed by paid PR wire services, Eric Schmidt made the announcement on Google’s official corporate blog and with a message on his personal Twitter account, which has more than 230,000 followers.

New ways of disseminating financial disclosure information

This approach is not only innovative and creative. As IR Web Report researched, it’s also in compliance with local regulations, as it should be. In the USA, companies like Google and Microsoft are changing the way they disseminate their financial disclosure information. They are using their own websites instead of PR wire services, or they are using the wire services merely to distribute short advisory releases that link back to the full-text information on their corporate websites.

If replacing paid PR wires for corporate websites as primary channels for price-sensitive information in combination with social media is a growing trend in the USA, will companies elsewhere in the world follow this trend?

Online + social media strategy for financial communication

If research would show that investors, analysts and the media rely on companies’ own website or distribution lists for information, why would companies want to continue to pay for press release wire distribution services? If they would discontinue to pay for the wire services, it would save companies a lot of hassle and money. It would also give companies the push they might need to further develop their online strategies for financial communication, including social media, whereas at the same time still being compliant. You could even argue that it may not even be prudent for companies to continue relying on paid PR wires to meet their obligations.

Local compliance rules are leading

It goes without saying that companies need to comply with local regulations for fair disclosure. In the Netherlands for instance, companies need to issue a press release, using media that can disclose the information instantly and efficiently. As far as I know, in The Netherlands, the Google example would trigger a call from the AFM (Autoriteit Financiële Markten) to request the company to issue a press release instantly (providing the company is listed on the Amsterdam Stock Exchange). Would it help if companies talk to the authorities about the changes we see in the way our financial stakeholders are getting their information? Because if the only reason for companies to use paid wire services would be to comply with the rules, then maybe this year it will be time to challenge the authorities to change the rules.

What’s required to narrow the gap with Google?

In order to be able to follow Google’s example, firstly companies would need to have websites or blogs that are compliant and they would need to meet certain standards. I know from experience that this might still be a challenge in certain public companies and in these cases companies still will want to rely on paid wire services. Companies should also need to be able to demonstrate that investors, analysts and the media are using their companies’ own website or distribution lists to get information.

Do you know of any public companies outside the USA that are following Google’s online and social media strategy for informing the financial markets and what’s your view on this?

Lyfeloop

Do you plan to market or sell products and services to African-American consumers? If so, in order to successfully market to this community, it is to your advantage to understand certain digital marketing trends: how today’s African-Americans shop, where they hang out, where they are most likely to be receptive to advertising and, more importantly, how they feel about marketing and media.

It’s been said that “2014 is going to be a killer year for social media and small business.” It’s also been said that properly implemented digital marketing strategies can help small businesses grow. So, what does this mean for small businesses that plan to primarily target Black American consumers? It means you need a realistic understanding of where Black consumers fit in this new media and cybercultural landscape. You will want to keep the following findings and/or trends in mind as you customize your small business marketing campaign targeting this consumer:

1. Many, if not most, young African-Americans are early adopters and influencers of pop culture, so you will want to promote new technology and lifestyle products to this consumer demographic.

2. Black Americans are heavy users of social media and huge consumers of video content.

3. Black digital consumers are very receptive to advertising on mobile devices.

4. The Black consumer ownership rate for smartphones grew from 33% to more than 54% and continues to grow.

5. African-Americans use their phones for texting, Internet access, receiving and sending email, downloading picture, downloading music and mobile video, accessing Twitter and Facebook more than other demographics.

6. Black women are huge users of e-commerce involving purchases of beauty products, clothes, healthcare products and groceries.

7. Black men and women are very socially connected to others. 72% of Black adults online have more than one social networking profile.

8. Black women between the ages18 and 35 are 72% more likely to highlight products and web content preferences by “liking,” “following” or linking to an article, brand or website.

9. Black Americans trust Black media more than mainstream sources for information. Ads that reflect benefits of products or services and convey a positive message to the African-American community are well-received.

10. African-American women between the ages of 18 and 35 are 72% more likely to publish a blog.

African-Americans have incredible buying power. Even, in the face of the harsh effects of the recession, spending by the Black community still energized the American consumer market. The Nielsen Company, the global information and research firm, projected that African-Americans’ spending power will reach $1.1 trillion by 2015.

As stated by Marketingvox: “Those consumers are hungry for authentic content; connect with brands that represent them rather than just nod to them; and are highly engaged with digital content and the mobile platform.” So, what does this mean for small businesses targeting this community? In order to leverage the buying power of this community, you have to step up your game and stay in tune with the consumer behavior and digital marketing trends. Lastly, get creative in the methods you implement to tap into the Black American market.

Lyfeloop

The Internet has affected and altered the world of work as we once knew it. Seven important trends have both resulted from and fueled the penetration of the Internet into every corner of the world.

To understand these trends will significantly increase your awareness of what new kinds of online and telecommuting work have come into existence as a result. These trends have produced whole new work categories-jobs that did not exist ten, or even two, years ago-some of which were not even possible before.

Trend #1: The Changing Economy Has Caused Increased Outsourcing

Given the challenges of the current economy, many companies have determined that online outsourcing some portion of their work leads to significant savings and better performance, while allowing them to focus on their “core business.” Through online outsourcing, businesses can gain access to skills, knowledge and expertise that would be expensive or time-consuming to develop in-house.

Additionally, companies have found that by taking advantage of the added capabilities of online talent that are available to them through online outsourcing, they are able to increase their innovation and reduce their time-to-market. This can significantly accelerate their market responsiveness through the design, development and production of new products.

The movement towards ever-increasing outsourcing by businesses has created a flood of new online work opportunities. There are many types of online outsourcing services-call centers, customer support providers, customer relation management firms, data processing services, virtual assistant agencies, and telesales specialists, to list a few. This trend has resulted in the need for and the proliferation of increasingly large contractor databases offering online outsourcing services.

Trend #2: Globalization of Business Has Created New Online Work

Now that the world is the marketplace, many new jobs have been created based on increased needs for people to bridge the previous cultural, monetary and language divisions, and the limitations this dividedness formerly imposed. If you are bilingual or multicultural, your employment possibilities abound.

Companies like abGlobal hire bilingual translators to serve hundreds of clients, from large government agencies and law firms to nonprofit organizations and private individuals. There are many other agencies that enlist expert freelance translators to handle the deluge of translation needs the Internet has generated.

Without a doubt, the ability to speak English is also a significant asset for finding work in this global world of business. Because the Internet is primarily an English-speaking medium, small businesses, as well as mega-corporations, realize that they need to acquire or improve their English writing and speaking ability. In order to compete, they need to be able to communicate clearly and precisely in English. Moreover, their Webpages, emails, articles, sales materials and customer support documents must reflect mastery of standard English.

Companies like ISpeakUSpeak hire native English speakers to work one-on-one as English language trainers with students worldwide through a series of English conversations with their trainers, and then receive immediate feedback in order to improve. This language-related example is just one of the many job functions that have emerged because the Web has globalized business.

Trend #3: Glocalization of Business also Has Created New Online Work

To understand the term “glocalization,” think about the two words it combines… global and local. Glocalization describes a product or service that is developed globally, but adapted locally in order to accommodate the consumers particular to each local market. The products or services of an online business are tailored to conform to local laws, customs, culture, and consumer preferences. Services that are effectively “glocalized” are of much greater interest and utility to local customers, and as such, are significantly more marketable.

Yahoo! is an example of a company that practices glocalization. It markets a portal that is viewed worldwide. But it offers multiple distinct versions of its website and services, customizing content and language to appeal to individuals who live in some 25 different countries, including China, Russia and Canada.

An ever-increasing number of businesses are developing their own version of glocalization in an effort to build their customer bases and increase sales. VIPdesk.com is an example. They describe the “glocalization” of their services as “international coverage and presence combined with local expertise.” For example, VIP Desk hires a local home-based professionals to perform web-based Concierge Services for clients visiting the area. The local expert responds to requests for information, guidance, and assistance with localized tasks such as restaurant reservations, transportation services or tickets to shows or events.

VIP Desk currently offers a customized local version of global services in 20 market areas: Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Charlotte, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Portland, Salt Lake City, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, St. Louis and Toronto, Canada.

Trend #4: The Internet has Significantly Expanded Shopper Expectations

Shoppers now expect knowledge along with their products-condensed and useful information through which they can become fully educated and savvy before they make a buying decision. They are not so much looking for recommendations as they are seeking a basis for making their own intelligent choices.

Consumers also want more options-a fuller selection of choices than they generally can find in a brick-and-mortar store. And they expect convenience while making their purchases, with full support afterwards.

This trend of expanded customer expectations and demands has generated new categories of jobs that are designed to address these needs. Increased customer requirements have changed the landscape for all businesses-traditional as well as online-if they want to thrive, or even if they just want to survive.

As an example of the types of jobs this trend has generated, VIP Desk hires at-home “Brand Ambassadors” to help companies differentiate their company “from the crowd” in order to build customer loyalty. Brand Ambassador services help companies to:

• attract and retain their best customers,
• increase customer engagement,
• extend their brand into the daily lives of their customers,
• capture lifestyle and behavior data of their customers,
• differentiate their brand from competitors, and
• increase customer satisfaction scores and lifetime customer value.

Trend #5: Social Media Has Changed the Needs & Challenges of Business

Companies know that social media is now a critical component of their customers’ decision-making processes. Consumers are more likely to make buying decisions based on what they read from people they trust on social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, forums, blogs, Wikipedia, and Yahoo!Answers.

Here are some market statistics:

• 72% of customers use social media to research customer care reputation before making a purchase.
• 92% expect companies to have a social media presence for customer service.
• 66% want companies to increase the use of social media for customer service.
• This new phenomenon creates online jobs that were never even contemplated before-jobs that involve interesting tasks, such as:
• capturing data from across the social media landscape,
• analyzing and identifying trends,
• actively listening to social media conversations,
• responding to customers through social media channels,
• participating in and understanding global conversations,
• merging social media data with other data sources, and
• integrating social media when generating contact lists.

One category of work that has been generated by this trend is “social media intelligence and analytics.” What new tasks and services are needed to maintain and maximize a company’s brand presence in the world of tweets, blog posts, and hashtags? What talents, skills, and strategies you need to put into play to be successful, to find employment, and to establish a career in the world of social media? (Consult Chapter 8 for answers to these questions).

Trend #6: Ubiquitous Access to Online Education Has Removed Former Barriers to Learning

What degrees and/or credentials do you already have? What additional certifications, degrees or credentials do you need? The Internet has significantly shifted the playing field for those who need or want to know and learn more.

The goalpost for what you need to know and be able to do is advancing constantly. On the other hand, you now have ready access to whatever degrees, credentials, certifications or training you need or want, simply by locating a school or program online.

Where once an education was an event, it is now an ongoing and continuing process. And where once you may have been forced to choose between going to school and taking a job, now you can have a job and go to school at the same time.

This ubiquitous access we now have to learn what we need to learn, when and where we want to learn it, means that it is now possible for you to enter areas of work you may once have thought to be beyond your reach. By attending school, you can prepare yourself to acquire that better job you always wished you could acquire.

As well as opening up opportunities to learn anything, anytime, from anywhere, the online education movement has generated many new types of jobs in its own right. There are positions for online college faculty, online high school teachers, online tutors, online trainers, and online training materials producers, including online training videos.

Now that access to learning has, thanks to the Web, become ubiquitous, the hunger for learning-learning throughout life-has created its own ever-escalating set of demands.

Trend #7: Access to Information Has Made Us Want to Control Our Own Physical and Mental Welfare

The Internet has made us advocates for our own health, and active participants in everything related to it. Where we once may have been completely dependent and reliant on local health facilities and personnel, we now want to assume more responsibility for our own physical and mental wellbeing. Instead of feeling helpless about a symptom or diagnosis, we actively seek and have access to quality information on that topic, including alternative treatments, health maintenance practices that could make a difference, and even possible alternative diagnoses.

This trend to want to take control of our minds and bodies has been fed by the increase in available accurate information, and, in turn, has created an online market demand for information, consulting, and interaction with professionals.

Ask Yourself “What Does This Mean to Me?”

Considering these seven trends, where would you fit in the cyber world of work? What new kinds of online and telecommuting work that now has come into existence would be a perfect match for your talents and abilities, and would engage you and fulfill you while also providing you the considerable benefit of working from your own home office, taking back your commuting time, and adapting to your own work rhythm? Given the whole new work categories these seven trends have produced, there are many potential possibilities for your own productive and successful shift to the cyber workplace.

Lyfeloop

Does your CVB or tourism bureau use social media in its destination marketing plan? If not, what are you waiting for?

According to a recent study, 81 percent of all marketers surveyed said their social media efforts have generated exposure to their business, and 61 percent of marketers saw an increase in Web traffic. If your destination isn’t keeping up with trends in social media, your CVB or tourism bureau is losing money. Here are a few ways to market your travel agency using social media.

1. Search for groups and individuals’ interests on social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace to find out what people are saying about your destination.

2. Publish your blog articles on Digg, Delicious, Reddit and other social bookmarking sites to generate a wider viewing audience.

3. Constantly update your travel blog with new information, paying attention to Google Keywords to improve your search engine results rankings.

4. Extend friendships to tourists (former and future) to maintain relationships and keep them coming back.

5. Use photo sharing sites to link pictures taken by tourists to create a community among people who are interested in your destination.

6. Twitter travel deals and packages, as well as updates on area construction, new businesses, events and festivals.

7. Offer contests and promotions through social media outlets to help increase your followers.

8. Create customized URLs to Facebook and Twitter to provide another contact option for tourists. (e.g. facebook.com/yourcvbhere)

9. Create a network or online community among all businesses in your area to provide more information to your future tourists, as well as generate more traffic back to your profiles

10. Post videos on a YouTube account of different activities to participate in at your destination.

Having an active presence in many social media platforms will not only generate more exposure to your CVB or tourism bureau, but it will also redirect people back to your Web site.

Lyfeloop

Communications and convenience giant (Nasdaq: RIMM) RIM, the maker of the ubiquitous Blackberry, sees a number of defining trends ahead. These reflect the themes of my own research and are cornerstones of the MIT AgeLab

Motley Fool’s Dan Dzombak January 26 article, “4 Key Trends RIM’s Futurist Foresees,” reports on a talk given by RIM’s Manager of Innovation & Technology Futurist, Joseph Dvorak, PhD. Dr Dvorak identifies four trends affecting the future of the smart phone:

(1) Aging world: the median age on the planet in 2000 was 26, by mid-century it will be 36 and the number of people over 60 will triple — to nearly two billion people;

(2) Connectivity: smart phones, other devices and wireless providers will blur activity, place, and push trends we already see in social media and interaction;

(3) Empowered consumers: Consumers will continue to adopt tools that help them monitor and manage their relationship with companies, e.g., social media that advises on everything from restaurant choices, to financial services, to ‘hey, where’s my package?’

(4)’Values’ purchasing (e.g., green consumers). Values purchasing is not just for kids. Where there is a rise in ‘color causes’ (my phrase) — buying green, supporting pink, and helping red — aging baby boomers are increasingly interested in their social impact and legacy. That is, ‘what am I contributing and what will I leave behind?’

Insight & Innovations

Alone these trends are interesting and business as well as government must be aware of their possible impact on the future. However, the future of aging and innovation is a blending of these trends – not the extension of any one.

What happens when older consumers are ubiquitously connected, empowered and make purchase decisions on values beyond cost and quality? For example, what might wireless-enabled health or caregiving services in the pocket of an aging boomer look like? Will ubiquitous computing power, social media, and value purchasing create virtual collaborative networks of service providers for sandwiched boomers today and frail boomers tomorrow? Can you imagine the emergence of a 24/7 on-demand, always ‘visible’ on your smart phone, green, transportation service for a social network of ‘friends?’

The business opportunity is not to be simply aware of these trends, but to blend them, envision competing realities and to see these alternative futures as drivers of product and service innovation.

Lyfeloop