Author Archive for Ian Smith

Company Buzz App On LinkedIn

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Ian Smith
on June 14, 2010
in Author-Ian Smith, Competitive & Internet Intelligence and Web 2.0 Search
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It seems that LinkedIn is attempting to make life a bit easier for competitive intelligence researchers.  First, it was the Company Follow function, (please read, Linkedin Follow Function and Competitive Intelligence) and recently, the business social network has revamped their “Company Buzz” application.

This application allows users to monitor the mentions of companies on Twitter, identify trends and track buzz over time.

Once the the application is downloaded onto your profile,  you will have access to a search interface as seen as in Figure 1 where the company name, LinkedIn is used.

Figure 1: Company Buzz Results For LinkedIn

Adding companies to monitor tweets can be done by simply entering their names and  clicking on the “Save this search” link.  Figure 2 profiles the result page when Nike and Reebok is added to the Saved Searches.

Figure 2: Nike and Reebok Added To The Saved Search

For each Company that is added, the application provides a collection of Buzz Words as seen in Figure 2.  Once clicked upon, the buzz words link will lead to a page of results with the word appearance in each tweet.  In Figure 3, the buzz word, “shoes” for  Reebok is highlighted in blue and the associated tweets are listed.

Figure 3: Buzz Words Results - “shoes”

Data on trends (mentions) is also available courtesy of a line graph as seen in Figure 4 for Nike.


Figure 4: Company Buzz Trend Graph For Nike

Downloading the application on your LinkedIn profile is practical.  It will prevent you from jumping to Twitter to retrieve the tweets and generate a graph.

Bing Social Search Tool

Published
by
Ian Smith
on June 11, 2010
in Author-Ian Smith, Internet tools and Web 2.0 Search
. 0 Comments

Bing has just unveiled their new tool, Bing Social, in hopes of competing with the vast array of social media search tool.  Bing Social aims to provide users with access to real-time content on Twitter and Facebook in terms of status updates.

By default, Bing Social presents updates within the past hour however; the time frame can be changed to past day and past week.  Figure 1 illustrated the results for the keyword query, “B2B Social Media”

Figure 1: Bing Social Results For “B2B Social Media”

As seen in the screen shot, the results can be filtered on the basis of the following two criteria:

  • Public Updates
  • Shared Links

By clicking on the “Shared Links” tab, users are provided with links on the web that are posted on Twitter with the associated title of the page or article as seen in Figure 2.

Figure 2: Results Shared Links For “B2B Social Media”

In addition, Bing Social will list the tweets that contains the title of the page or article as seen in Figure 3.

Figure 3: Tweet(s) With Shared Links

For more details on Bing Social, please watch the following YouTube clip.

Bing Social is available at www.bing.com/social

Dell On Facebook? B2B vs B2C Pages

Published
by
Ian Smith
on June 9, 2010
in Author-Ian Smith, B2B Social Media Marketing and Social Media Marketing
. 2 Comments

While searching for information on best practices in terms of B2B uses of social media sites, in particularly, Facebook, I found Jeffrey L. Cohen’s post,”10 Examples of B2B Facebook Fan Pages“.  In the post, Dell Computer’s Facebook Page was listed as a best practice in December 2009.  Figure 1 is an illustration of the page that was mentioned on the blog.

Figure 1: Dell Computer’s Facebook Page
Click On  Image To Enlarge

Upon going through the posts by people who “like” the page, one has to wonder if the page is targeted to the B2B market segment?  Figure 2 and Figure 3 are some posts to evaluate if Dell is engaging retail consumers or business clients.

Figure 2: Posting Regarding Summer Tune-Up Tips

Figure 3: Posting Regarding The Use Of Desktops

Ironically, Dell addressed the B2B vs B2C page issue with the following posting on June 2nd, 2010.

Figure 4: Posting Regarding Dell For Business Facebook Page

The change in strategy might be an indication that the company was not reaching and engaging with its B2B customers.  Its new page, Dell for Business, contains such messages and images as seen in Figure 4 and Figure 5.

Figure 5: Postings On Dell for Business Facebook Page

Figure 6::Dell for Business Home Section On Facebook

Companies who are dipping their collective toes into the social media marketing sea for B2B marketing must differentiate their B2B page from their B2C Facebook page.  Attempting to reach both segments with one single page will lead to confusion on the part of all clients and the inability to identify users’ needs.  Not having a firm grasp of users’ needs will prohibit firms for engaging clients efficiently.

Tips To Efficient Industry Research

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Ian Smith
on June 7, 2010
in Author-Ian Smith and Competitive & Internet Intelligence
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Search tools, be it for Web 1.0 or Web 2.0 based content, has spoiled internet researchers when searching for industry information.  Newcomers to an industry can use a tool such as Google Squared as discussed in “Competitive Intelligence Research With Google Squared?” to become familiar with a sector within the context of various metrics.

Here are some additional tips to consider when tackling industry-specific mandates.

1. Use Wikipedia

The Web 2.0 based encyclopedia is ideal to obtain an overview of the industry.  The source can provide a description of the key elements of the industry and keywords to aid in a search later on in the mandate.  Figure 1 is a screen shot of the Wikipedia entry for computer software.

Figure 1: Wikipedia Entry For “Computer Software”
Click On Image To Enlarge

2. Consult Association Websites

Association websites are excellent sources for information especially when it comes to recent news, issues, statistics and trends.  Consider visiting a source such as Google Directory which provides links to several association websites in one location on the web.  Google Directory for industry associations is illustrated in Figure 2.

Figure 2: Google Directory For Industry Associations
Click On Image To Enlarge

3. Benefit From LinkedIn Answers

Using LinkedIn Answers For Competitive Intelligence Research demonstrated how well the business social network can be used for secondary data gathering.  By browsing through the site with the existing answers categorized by topic or posting a question with the hopes of getting a reply, researchers mine for information based on industry professionals’ expertise.  Figure 3 presents the interface for the Advanced Answers Search


Figure 3: Advanced Answers Search Interface

Help Build Facebook Answers?

Published
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Ian Smith
on June 4, 2010
in Author-Ian Smith and Internet tools
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In an effort to take over the internet (little joke), Facebook has launched an initiative based on the knowledge of its users. (You may want to call it, “social media collaborative intelligence”)

Via its website, Facebook is asking individuals to provide answers to questions such as

  • What’s the secret to throwing a great housewarming party?
  • What are the main differences between Google Chrome and Internet Explorer?
  • What are woman looking for in a relationship?
  • What methods has BP tried to clean up the oil spill?

Facebook has not assigned a name to the new service however; it has already build a page in which users can place their answers to the questions online courtesy of a form as seen in Figure 1.

Figure 1: Submission Form For Answers Posed On Facebook

This project is similar to past initiatives by Yahoo with Yahoo Answers and Google Answers.

Only time will tell if Facebook’s initiative will be a success.  The main issue with such as a source is the credibility factor.  As users of information, we should be always evaluating content based on the origin of the data.

To participate in the project, visit www.facebook.com/product_application/

Dealing B2B Social Media Marketing Issues

Published
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Ian Smith
on June 2, 2010
in Author-Ian Smith and B2B Social Media Marketing
. 0 Comments

According to a recent study by digital marketing firm, White Horse, 86% of B2B marketers are using social media however; only 32% of B2B marketers are engaging their audience on daily basis.  Although it is a good sign to see that B2B marketers recognize the advantages of having a presence on such tools as Facebook, it is surprising that very little are active to benefit from innovative marketing platforms.

Going through the key findings of the report, the replies regarding the internal obstacles to getting social media marketing projects approved is worth taking a closer look.  The top four responses were:

  • Insufficient personnel to maintain (approprimately 50%)
  • Lack of organizational knowledge  (approprimately 45%)
  • Preference for traditional marketing (approprimately 45%)
  • Perceived irrelevance to your field (approprimately 45%)

These are all legitimate concerns however; companies can address them in a practical manner by first discussing the root issues behind each matter.  Here are some of the key points for each.

Insufficient personnel to maintain

Using tools such as HootSuite and Ping.fm can alleviate the strain on a marketing department when it comes to maintaining content on social networks.  In addition, a team approach can be used to manage how the networks will be used to reach established B2B marketing objectives.  (To have more information on HootSuite and Ping.fm, please read, ” Using Hootsuite To Manage Your Social Networks and Pre-Scheduled Posts” and “Ping.fm – Manage Your Presence On Social Networks In Five Easy Steps”

Lack of organizational knowledge

With the abundance of online references dealing with social media marketing and a collection of Web 2.0 gurus, it is impossible for an organization to not be informed on a macro level.  A champion for the use of social media marketing should take the initiative to train key decision makers on the details of digital marketing.

Preference for traditional marketing

There should be a clear understanding that social media marketing can compliment traditional marketing efforts even on a B2B level.  Demographics show that the majority of users of social media sites are in the 35 to 54 age group and the professional use of Web 2.0 applications is increasing as seen in an explosion of LinkedIn users during the past two years.  With this mind, shutting the door to social media marketing avenues means ignoring a portion of the target market that are online and using content sharing tools which can have viral marketing implications.

Perceived irrelevance to your field

This view can be tough to contest however; it can be massaged to convince decision makers that social media marketing is applicable in their industry.  Social media marketing tools are vehicles to communicate with others in an innovative fashion.  Adapting the message that is placed on the networks is what makes web 2.0 B2B marketing relevant.

Social Media Policy and Competitive Intelligence

Published
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Ian Smith
on May 31, 2010
in Author-Ian Smith, Competitive & Internet Intelligence and Social Media Marketing
. 0 Comments

Who would have thought that four year ago that tools such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube would have been an essential part of marketing communications campaign? On a business to consumer (B2C) level, there are clear avenues where the social media applications can aid in reaching marketing objectives.  Can the same be said about business-to-business (B2B) marketing?

According to the study, B2B Goes Social: A White Horse Survey Report, 86% of B2B Marketers Use Social Media. This statistic is also accompanied with research that states that only 32% of B2B marketers are engaged daily.  Given this fact, there is a need to write and implement a social media policy which should take into consideration competitive intelligence gathering practices of competitors.  Such a policy may include the following elements:

  1. Identity - Be sure to identify yourself with correct name, photo and company affiliation.  Using a false name and bogus information to mislead individuals will cause individuals to prevent you from networking with others and joining groups.
  2. Audience - Whether it be a blog or a Twitter feed, companies must consider their audience for their difference communication Web 2.0 platforms.  Although there is a need to provide accurate information to current or potential clients, there are competitors monitoring social networks to cull significant intelligence. As a result, it is important to regularly audit the audience in terms of who is reading the corporate blog or receiving tweets
  3. Moderating comments - Although it can be satisfying to receive comments on a blog or on Facebook, it is important to have a system to moderate posted content from others.  The content could contain intelligence that can be used by competitors and should be managed to ensure that it is not easily accessible.
  4. Make good judgement calls - Employers trust employees to make the best decisions in the interest of the company.  This entails not sharing too much information while engaging with other, networking with potential or existing competitors and posting appropriate content.

Clustering Search Results With Yippy

Published
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Ian Smith
on May 28, 2010
in Author-Ian Smith and Internet tools
. 0 Comments

One of the tips to searching the web efficiently is taking advantage of other search tools besides Google and Bing.  Lesser known tools may have functions to make life easier for exhaustive search queries.  Yippy is one of these tools.

Formerly known as Clusty, Yippy takes the ordinary list of results from several search tools on the web and clusters (or groups) them based on different criteria.  Figure 1 is a screen shot for the query, “investment attraction”.

Figure 1: Screen shot For The Search Query, “investment attraction”
Click On Image To Enlarge

Highlighted in yellow is the different ways that Yippy clustered results based on:

  • Clouds - Related themes
  • Sources - Search engines, directories, sponsored listings
  • Site - Internet domains (ie., .us, .ca. co.uk, .org)

Figure 2 illustrates the results given by Yippy when the “Alberta” cloud is clicked on.

Figure 2: Results By Yippy in The “Alberta” Cloud
Click On Image To Enlarge

Once the cloud tab is clicked on, a list of “subclouds” will appear for users to browse through to pinpoint information courtesy of Yippy.

Yippy is available at www.yippy.com

SouthAfrica.info Facebook Fan Page

Published
by
Ian Smith
on May 26, 2010
in Author-Ian Smith, Economic Development, Friday Afternoon Reading, Investment Attraction, Social Media Marketing, Uncategorized and Web 2.0 Search
. 0 Comments

My colleague, Isabelle Poirier alerted me to the SouthAfrica.info Facebook Fan Page which is worth a look from agencies who are still wondering what content should be posted on a Facebook page.

The page is an extension of the International Marketing Council of South Africa website and as part of its web 2.0 branding campaign for the country.  Other elements of the campaign include RSS Feeds and a Twitter account, SA_Info.  Figure 1 is a screen shot of the Facebook Page.

Figure 1: SouthAfrica.info Facebook Page

The first thing that visitors notice on the page are the photographs associated with each postings.  The content that is available is a mix of news dealing the South African economy and the upcoming World Cup of Soccer.  Figure 2 is a look of postings from May 21st and May 24th, 2010 on the subject of the country’s GDP and an investment project from Omina Solutions.

Figure 2: Postings On SouthAfrica.info From May 24th and May 20th, 2010

The search engine optimization for the Facebook Page needs a bit of work.  Entering the keywords, “south africa” + investment and “south africa” + “economic development” in Google does not deliver the direct link to the page.

Revisiting Key Intelligence Topics

Published
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Ian Smith
on May 24, 2010
in Author-Ian Smith and Competitive & Internet Intelligence
. 0 Comments

In order to have an efficiency and effective competitive intelligence function within a large company, a complete evaluation of entity is needed.  The initial step of the assessment is revisiting the key intelligence topics (KITs).  As discussed in “Selecting Your Key Intelligence Topics“, key intelligence topics are questions that the function attempts to answers through information gathering and strategic analysis processes.

Whether or not a company’s KITs remains constant or fluid, there are five reasons why managers should review them on a regular basis.

1.  Competitive Landscape Change - Although this may sounds elementary, this fact can be overlooked by some due to a micro approach to competitive intelligence gathering.  Joint ventures, mergers and / or change in leadership can influence how key intelligence topics are viewed by decision makers and managers.

2. Trend Spotting - If there are significant trends affecting an industry, key intelligence topics must be modified.  Trends may open the doors to opportunities the companies must be prepared to exploit.  On the other side of the coin, trends may unveil threats to the companies in which decision makers must use actionable intelligence to formulate defensive strategies.

3. Increased Access To Information - Having more access to information can modify a firm’s set of key intelligence topics.  Over the past five years, a tremendous amount of strategic intelligence is available via blogs and social networks.  Networks such as Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter provides researchers with avenues to collect opinions from consumers which in  turn allows firms to update their intelligence topics given the new source of information.  Figure 1 illustrates the discussion board that is available on the Mitsubishi Facebook Page.

Figure 1: Discussion Board On Mitsubishi Facebook Page

For more on competitive intelligence and social networks, read “Branding Reinforcement Tool or Source For Competitive Intelligence?”

4. Personnel -  Adding personnel with specific skills can influence established intelligence topics.  Skills such as primary research techniques, deep web searching and advanced strategic analysis methods can lead managers to offer different options when there is a need to reply to key intelligence questions.

5. Budget - Budgets will always dictate the resources needed to collect and assess the information to respond to the key intelligence topics.  In times when budgets are reduced,  manager may not be able to deliver upon the pre-defined topics.  As a result,  managers and decision makers must readjust the demands made on the competitive intelligence functions when access to tools to gather and analyze data are limited.