@BasilPuglisi

Content & Strategy, Powered by Factics & AI, Since 2009

Business

The Rise of Micro-Experiences: Why Small-Scale Digital Moments Drive Big Brand Impact

by Leave a Comment

Every digital touchpoint is a chance to build or break trust. In an age of short attention spans and mobile-first engagement, the most effective brand experiences aren’t necessarily big, flashy campaigns — they’re the small, intentional interactions that create emotional value and functional ease. These are micro-experiences, and they’re quietly reshaping the way brands connect, convert, and retain across every industry.

Micro-experiences happen when someone receives a personalized recommendation, completes a task in one click, or gets a thoughtful nudge from a chatbot. They’re fast, often invisible — and incredibly powerful.

B2B vs. B2C Context

In B2B, micro-experiences are about removing friction from research and decision-making. Think of a demo signup form that pre-fills user info based on LinkedIn data, or onboarding workflows that adapt to a user’s industry. These interactions save time and position the brand as smart, helpful, and professional.

In B2C, micro-experiences are about delivering surprise and delight. This could be a real-time discount code in a mobile app, a push notification reminding a shopper they left something in their cart, or a playlist generated based on previous purchases. These moments create personal relevance and trigger emotion.

Factics
What the data says:

  • 76% of customers expect companies to understand their needs and expectations (Salesforce, 2019).
  • Brands with strong micro-interaction design see up to a 20% lift in conversion (Forrester, 2019).
  • Personalized experiences improve customer satisfaction by 85% and brand loyalty by 76% (Accenture Interactive, 2019).
  • 90% of consumers say they are more likely to shop with brands that remember their preferences (SmarterHQ, 2019).
  • In B2B, simplifying user flows improves pipeline efficiency by 25% (McKinsey & Company, 2019).
  • Micro-content and interaction loops increase mobile engagement by up to 3x (Google Think, 2019).

How we can apply it:

  • Audit your digital presence: Look at every interaction — signups, logins, checkouts — and eliminate unnecessary steps.
  • Use behavioral triggers: Trigger content, offers, or support based on what users do (or don’t do) in real-time.
  • Design with intent: Micro-interactions aren’t just animations — they are functional cues. Use them to guide action or offer feedback.
  • Embrace personalization: Leverage cookies, CRM data, or user history to deliver tailored interactions — even small ones.
  • Cross-team collaboration: Micro-experiences live at the intersection of marketing, design, and dev. Make them part of your agile workflows.
  • Test and iterate: Use A/B testing on small details — CTA wording, transition animations, tooltip timing — to learn what increases delight or action.

Applied Example
Samantha manages digital experience for a mid-sized HR software company. Her team notices a drop in demo completions after the first screen. Instead of a full redesign, they add micro-experiences:

  • A welcome message with the user’s name
  • A progress bar to set expectations
  • A tooltip that offers to auto-fill company info
  • A confirmation animation once the form is submitted

They also add a follow-up email with a custom demo video based on the user’s role. Within six weeks, demo completions increase by 18%, and follow-up calls are more productive. These aren’t big changes — they’re small wins with outsized impact.

References

  1. Salesforce. (2019). State of the Connected Customer. https://www.salesforce.com/research/customer-expectations
  2. Forrester. (2019). The Impact of Micro-Interactions on Conversion. https://go.forrester.com/blogs/micro-interactions-matter
  3. Accenture Interactive. (2019). Personalization Pulse Check. https://www.accenture.com/us-en/insights/interactive/personalization
  4. SmarterHQ. (2019). Data-Driven Personalization Benchmark Report. https://www.smarterhq.com/blog/benchmark-report
  5. McKinsey & Company. (2019). The B2B Digital Tipping Point. https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/marketing-and-sales/our-insights/the-b2b-digital-inflection-point
  6. Google Think. (2019). Micro-Moments: How Mobile Is Reshaping the Customer Journey. https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/consumer-insights/micromoments-guide

Brand Voice vs. Content Style: Why Both Matter for Consistent, Scalable Messaging

by Leave a Comment

As brands scale their content efforts across platforms, teams, and campaigns, many realize they’ve been missing a core distinction: brand voice and content style are not the same thing. Without clarity on both, messaging becomes inconsistent, tone drifts, and audiences receive a fragmented experience.

In 2019, the need for alignment is more urgent than ever. Whether you’re publishing long-form blog content, building a chatbot, writing ad copy, or scripting a conference keynote, your brand must sound like itself — every time.

B2B vs. B2C Implications

In B2B marketing, voice communicates trust, clarity, and expertise. Style guides ensure white papers, decks, and outreach emails maintain structure and professionalism. Inconsistent tone undermines authority in buyer journeys that rely on logic, not impulse.

In B2C marketing, voice delivers personality. Style sets the tone for relatability, whether you’re playful on Instagram or sincere in customer service chats. Consistent style creates emotional resonance — and inconsistency damages trust faster than a bad review.

Factics
What the data says:

  • 77% of consumers are more likely to buy from brands whose values align with their own — values often expressed through consistent voice (Sprout Social, 2019).
  • Tone of voice contributes to brand trust more than visual elements like logos or colors (Lucidpress, 2019).
  • Companies with a formal content style guide are 3.5 times more likely to report content marketing success (Content Marketing Institute, 2019).
  • 86% of B2B marketers say consistency in messaging positively impacts brand perception (Demand Metric, 2019).
  • Slack, Mailchimp, and Buffer are cited repeatedly for using distinct brand voice frameworks that enhance customer connection (Content Science Review, 2019).
  • Voice and tone misalignment ranks as a top reason for customer confusion in omnichannel strategies (Forrester, 2019).

How we can apply it:

  • Define brand voice with traits like “confident,” “curious,” or “empathetic.” Think of voice as your brand’s personality — it doesn’t change across channels.
  • Build a content style guide to define sentence structure, formatting, punctuation, contractions, emojis, and use of branded phrases. Style is flexible by context, but always structured.
  • Train internal and external teams: Provide writers, designers, speakers, and vendors with brand voice training and examples.
  • Audit existing content: Use tools like Writer.com or Grammarly Business to review tone alignment at scale.
  • Document everything: Use tools like Notion, Airtable, or Google Docs to centralize voice/style guidance across departments.
  • Review quarterly: As your brand grows, revisit the guide to adjust for audience, platform, or business model changes.

Applied Example
Cameron leads marketing at a SaaS company that’s expanding globally. Their blog feels casual and helpful. Their emails sound formal. Their support responses swing between robotic and overly playful. Feedback from leads suggests the brand feels “inconsistent.”

Cameron rolls out a Voice & Style Refresh initiative. They identify their brand voice as “helpful, confident, and concise.” Content teams align around a tone scale that adapts by channel (e.g., relaxed in social, assertive in sales). They develop a living style guide and onboard every new team member with it.

The results: faster content production, higher NPS scores from support interactions, and improved engagement on email campaigns — all because the brand finally speaks in one voice.

References

  1. Sprout Social. (2019). Brands Get Real: Social Media & the Evolution of Transparency. https://sproutsocial.com/insights/data/social-media-transparency
  2. Lucidpress. (2019). The State of Brand Consistency Report. https://www.marq.com/blog/state-of-brand-consistency-report
  3. Content Marketing Institute. (2019). B2B Content Marketing Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends. https://contentmarketinginstitute.com/2019-b2b-content-marketing
  4. Demand Metric. (2019). The Impact of Consistent Messaging. https://www.demandmetric.com/content/impact-consistent-messaging
  5. Content Science Review. (2019). Brand Voice Case Studies. https://review.content-science.com
  6. Forrester Research. (2019). How Voice Impacts Omnichannel Experience. https://go.forrester.com/blogs

GDPR Is Here: What It Means for Marketers, and Why B2B and B2C Are Not the Same

by Leave a Comment

As of May 25, 2018, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is in full effect across the European Union. But this isn’t just a European issue. If your business collects, stores, or processes personal data from anyone in the EU — even a single email address on your newsletter — you’re required to comply (European Commission, 2018).

For digital marketers, GDPR is more than a legal hurdle. It’s a structural shift in how data is gathered, how users are targeted, and how trust is earned. While the regulation applies universally, the impact is not the same for B2B and B2C models.

This isn’t a temporary trend. GDPR is forcing a redefinition of value exchange online — and marketers who adapt will lead.

Strategic Insight

What’s your story?
You’re using data to grow a business — whether that’s by reaching consumers directly (B2C) or supporting account-based marketing and lead pipelines (B2B). Your ability to collect and use that data now depends on transparency and consent. Your story must shift from “We track for profit” to “We respect your trust.”

What do you solve?
GDPR addresses data misuse and user vulnerability. Marketers solve this by being explicit, ethical, and strategic. Whether you’re nurturing enterprise deals or selling to app users, consent and clarity are your currency.

How do you do it?

  • For B2C:
    • Must obtain clear, informed, opt-in consent for data collection
    • Can’t pre-check boxes or bury terms in legalese
    • Retargeting requires direct permission — often limiting Facebook Pixel and Google Ad performance in the EU
    • Data subject access, correction, and deletion rights must be honored (Information Commissioner’s Office [ICO], 2018)
  • For B2B:
    • Still must obtain consent, but “legitimate interest” may apply when targeting work emails (e.g., info@company.com)
    • Relationship-based lead nurturing (like LinkedIn InMail or content offers) is less disrupted
    • CRM platforms must document lawful basis for storing lead data — consent, contract, or legitimate interest
    • Cold outreach (email or ads) is still possible with tight data handling policies and documented justification

Why do they care?
Because fines are real — up to 4% of annual revenue. But more importantly, because GDPR compliance builds credibility. B2B buyers care about vendors who respect regulation. B2C consumers are more privacy-aware than ever. In both cases, marketing becomes a trust transaction, not just a lead machine.

B2B vs. B2C: GDPR’s Unequal Weight

FactorB2C ImpactB2B Impact
Consent RequirementExplicit, documented opt-in requiredConsent or “legitimate interest” acceptable if targeting professionals
Lead GenerationForms must include consent checkboxes and use purpose-specific languageGated content with company emails may be compliant under business interest clause
Email MarketingCannot send campaigns without prior opt-inEmail to work addresses can qualify as legitimate interest if relevant and targeted
Advertising & RetargetingPixel tracking, remarketing, and behavioral ads often restricted unless user accepts cookiesLower dependency on pixel data; LinkedIn and ABM platforms offer compliant B2B ad options
Data Storage & DeletionMust delete upon request, even if it disrupts user flowMust track consent status, but some flexibility allowed for business contacts in CRM

B2C companies must reengineer acquisition and advertising pipelines. B2B brands need legal grounding and documentation, but can still generate leads with proper safeguards.

Fictional Ideas

Meet Lukas, head of marketing at a Berlin-based SaaS company. Pre-GDPR, his team ran aggressive B2B email campaigns and tracked all web visitors via Google Analytics and Facebook Pixel. On May 25, that stopped.

Lukas rebuilds with GDPR in mind:

  • His landing pages now use double opt-in forms
  • The cookie banner is upgraded with granular settings
  • CRM workflows log consent and display date/time of acceptance
  • Retargeting shifts to LinkedIn Sponsored Content, targeting job titles instead of user behavior

The results? Fewer leads — but higher quality. Response rates improve. Legal complaints vanish. Lukas doesn’t just avoid risk — he builds a pipeline based on trust, not tracking.

References

  • European Commission. (2018). EU Data Protection Rules.
    https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/law-topic/data-protection_en
  • Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). (2018). Guide to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
    https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-data-protection/guide-to-the-general-data-protection-regulation-gdpr/
  • HubSpot. (2018). What is GDPR? Everything You Need to Know.
    https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/what-is-gdpr
  • Salesforce. (2018). GDPR Compliance Checklist.
    https://www.salesforce.com/gdpr/overview/
  • eMarketer. (2018). GDPR’s Early Impact on Digital Advertising.
    https://www.emarketer.com/Article/How-GDPR-Has-Impacted-Digital-Advertising/1017262
  • Mailchimp. (2018). Collecting Consent with GDPR.
    https://mailchimp.com/help/about-gdpr/
  • Campaign Monitor. (2018). GDPR for Marketers: What You Need to Know.
    https://www.campaignmonitor.com/resources/guides/gdpr-marketers-guide/
  • LinkedIn Marketing Blog. (2018). What GDPR Means for B2B Marketing on LinkedIn.

Transparency Takes the Spotlight: Influencer Marketing Faces FTC Scrutiny

by Leave a Comment

This month marks a critical turning point for influencer marketing as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) takes a clear stance on transparency in brand partnerships. With social media influencing purchase behavior at unprecedented rates, the FTC’s letters to over 90 Instagram influencers and brands are a loud signal: proper disclosure isn’t optional—it’s a legal obligation.

What the FTC Is Enforcing

The FTC reminds influencers and companies that endorsements must clearly disclose relationships where compensation, product, or services are exchanged. Simply tagging a brand or using subtle hints like ‘#sp’ or ‘#partner’ are no longer acceptable. Instead, disclosures must be ‘clear and conspicuous’—meaning upfront, easy to understand, and not buried in hashtags or captions.

This crackdown stems from growing concern that followers often don’t realize they’re seeing sponsored content. As influencer marketing grows into a multi-billion dollar industry, this lack of transparency becomes a consumer protection issue.

How This Changes the Influencer Playbook

Brands and creators now face more than just creative pressure—they must prioritize ethical and legal standards in their campaigns. Marketers must provide clear guidelines for influencers and enforce them. Influencers, in turn, need to use labels like ‘#ad’ or ‘#sponsored’ prominently—ideally within the first three lines of a post or video description.

The new normal requires contracts, documentation, and audit-ready campaigns that emphasize authenticity without misleading consumers. Platforms like Instagram may also need to expand tools to help influencers label posts properly and avoid legal liability.

Strategic Insight: Build Trust by Leading with Transparency

  • What’s your story? You’re not just selling a product—you’re building a brand rooted in integrity and consumer respect.
  • What do you solve? You eliminate doubt by making it clear when content is sponsored and when it’s organic.
  • How do you do it? Through FTC-compliant influencer guidelines, consistent post labeling, and partnerships with creators who align with your values.
  • Why do they care? Because today’s audiences are smart—and when they know they can trust you, they’re far more likely to convert and stay loyal.

Fictional Ideas

A regional skincare brand launches a spring campaign using micro-influencers. Each post includes the hashtag ‘#sponsored’ in the first sentence and features an Instagram Story Q&A where the influencer explains their partnership and product experience. The brand also creates a landing page that outlines how it works with influencers—reinforcing its commitment to transparency and authenticity.

References

Federal Trade Commission. (2017). FTC Staff Reminds Influencers and Brands to Clearly Disclose Relationship. https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases
TechCrunch. (2017). FTC cracks down on Instagram influencer disclosures. https://techcrunch.com
Adweek. (2017). Why Brands Need to Rethink Influencer Disclosures Now. https://adweek.com
Marketing Land. (2017). Instagram and the FTC’s new endorsement guidelines. https://marketingland.com
The Verge. (2017). FTC targets over 90 influencers in latest crackdown. https://theverge.com
eMarketer. (2017). What Consumers Think About Sponsored Posts. https://emarketer.com
Social Media Examiner. (2017). How to Disclose Paid Partnerships. https://www.socialmediaexaminer.com
Influencer Marketing Hub. (2017). How the FTC Affects Influencer Campaigns. https://influencermarketinghub.com

Understanding China’s Social Media Ecosystem – Why It Matters for U.S. Business Strategy

by Leave a Comment

For marketers and businesses aiming to grow globally, understanding China’s digital ecosystem is no longer optional—it’s essential. With over a billion internet users, China’s internet landscape is dominated not by Facebook or Twitter, but by powerful homegrown platforms that blend commerce, content, and conversation in unique ways. These platforms are not only redefining social interaction in China, but they’re also influencing digital strategy worldwide, especially for brands with an international footprint or interest in reaching Chinese consumers.

Top Social Media Platforms in China

• WeChat (Weixin): China’s ‘super app’ with over 900 million daily users in 2017. Combines messaging, payments, e-commerce, content, and customer service into one platform.
• Weibo: A microblogging site often compared to Twitter but far more integrated with media, commerce, and influencer campaigns.
• Douyin: Short-form video platform with explosive growth; became a cultural staple and powerful advertising tool.
• QQ: Legacy platform known for messaging, music, and media sharing, still widely used among youth and lower-tier cities.
• Zhihu: China’s equivalent of Quora, known for long-form, expert content and growing use in B2B thought leadership.
• Baidu Tieba: A community-driven forum connected to Baidu’s search ecosystem.
• Little Red Book (Xiaohongshu):** Popular among young women for lifestyle content and social commerce.
• Youku/Tudou:** Video-sharing platforms similar to YouTube, though with more curated and local content.
• Bilibili: Popular among Gen Z for animation, games, and youth culture, offering strong community interaction.
• Meituan & Dianping:** While primarily delivery/review apps, their embedded social features influence local commerce and trends.

Why U.S. Businesses Should Care

1. Sheer Market Size: With more than a billion internet users, China remains one of the largest digital economies in the world.
2. Tech Innovation: China’s social platforms integrate features like in-app shopping, live commerce, and micro-payments faster than Western apps.
3. Influence on Global Trends: TikTok, WeChat Pay, and social commerce trends often start in China before global rollout.
4. Tourism & Luxury Markets: Chinese tourists and shoppers significantly influence retail in the U.S. and globally—understanding their digital behaviors is vital.
5. Global Commerce Gateways: Even U.S.-based brands selling on Alibaba or JD.com need integrated social strategies to generate traffic from WeChat, Weibo, or Xiaohongshu.

Strategies for Tracking and Engaging Social Media in China

• Leverage WeChat Official Accounts: Create service and subscription accounts for bilingual content, e-commerce, and chatbots.
• Use Local KOLs (Key Opinion Leaders): Influencers play a major role in brand trust and awareness.
• Localize Content & Tone: Literal translations won’t work—brands must align with cultural expectations and digital behavior norms.
• Monitor with Chinese Tools: Use platforms like WalktheChat, KAWO, or Keyhole to track social listening and campaign success.
• Adapt to Super-App Models: Explore ecosystem strategies where messaging, payments, and product discovery happen in one app, rather than in siloed platforms like in the West.

Strategic Insight: Think Global, Act Glocal

• What’s your story? A brand that respects and understands the culture it enters builds deeper trust.
• What do you solve? You offer access, convenience, and digital relevance in an integrated world.
• How do you do it? Through localized content, native platform strategy, and strong partnerships with local influencers.
• Why do they care? Because relevance isn’t universal—it’s contextual. Meeting your audience in their environment shows you care.

Fictional Ideas

A U.S.-based health and wellness brand launches a WeChat Mini Program that lets Chinese consumers scan products in-store to see ingredient transparency, user reviews, and a link to purchase. They partner with two Xiaohongshu influencers to promote skincare routines featuring their products. Monthly engagements soar, and the brand starts appearing in local trend lists without buying any ads on Baidu.

References

Statista. (2017). ‘Leading social media platforms in China.’ https://www.statista.com/
WalkTheChat. (2017). ‘Understanding WeChat for Business.’ https://walkthechat.com
Technode. (2017). ‘Top Chinese Social Media Platforms You Need to Know.’ https://technode.com
eMarketer. (2017). ‘WeChat and Weibo User Behavior Report.’ https://emarketer.com
SCMP. (2017). ‘Xiaohongshu and the rise of social commerce in China.’ https://scmp.com
Reuters. (2017). ‘Douyin surges among Chinese youth.’ https://reuters.com
AdAge China. (2017). ‘How brands use KOLs in China.’ https://adage.com/china
Quartz. (2017). ‘Weibo’s revival as a marketing tool.’ https://qz.com
China Internet Watch. (2017). ‘Baidu’s ecosystem of content and commerce.’ https://chinainternetwatch.com
Wired. (2017). ‘How China’s super apps are influencing U.S. tech.’ https://wired.com

The Inbox Isn’t Dead: Why Email Marketing Still Wins in a Noisy Digital World

by Leave a Comment

Email: Your Most Underrated Asset

In a social-first era, email remains the most personal, direct, and measurable marketing channel. It’s not subject to algorithm changes or pay-to-play visibility. It’s a relationship you control—one address at a time.

Yet many businesses treat email as an afterthought. Now is the time to rethink your approach, and use your inbox as a powerful engine for conversions, retention, and brand building.

How to Capture the Right Leads

Lead capture starts with value. Offer something worth trading for an email: a free guide, exclusive content, or even early access to a new product. Use clear, benefit-focused language and simple opt-in forms placed where they make sense—on high-traffic blog posts, social pages, or landing pages linked from ads.

Platforms like Mailchimp, Constant Contact, ConvertKit, and AWeber offer native forms and landing page tools. Integrations with Facebook and website builders like WordPress or Wix make it even easier.

What to Do Once You Have the Email

Lead capture is only the beginning. The moment someone signs up, you need a welcome sequence—an automated email or two that introduces who you are and what they’ll get.

From there, segment your list. Don’t treat every subscriber the same. Separate your audience by interest, behavior, or stage of the buyer’s journey. Each group should receive content that’s relevant and timely.

What Your Emails Should Look Like

Keep it clean, scannable, and mobile-friendly. Most platforms offer templates, but good email copy is simple:

• Subject lines should create curiosity without being spammy.
• Body text should offer value first, then a call-to-action.
• Use visuals sparingly but effectively—especially on product or event emails.

Include your logo, a single call-to-action, and footer with links and unsubscribe options. Keep it human—don’t shout, connect.

How Often Should You Send?

It depends on your audience. Weekly emails work well for most brands if you have something valuable to share consistently. For others, bi-weekly or even monthly works better.

The golden rule: Be consistent, not overwhelming. Set expectations early. Let subscribers know how often you’ll send and what they’ll get.

Strategic Insight: Build a Community, Not Just a List

• What’s your story? You’re not just sending emails—you’re building an owned channel that grows alongside your brand.
• What do you solve? You help people cut through the noise by showing up in their inbox with relevant, curated value.
• How do you do it? Through consistent, audience-aware messaging that nurtures trust and encourages action.
• Why do they care? Because in a feed-based world, email is a rare chance to slow down and connect—with fewer distractions and more control.

Fictional Ideas

A local boutique starts collecting email addresses during in-store visits and on their website. They offer a 10% discount in exchange for signups.

Using Mailchimp, they set up an automated welcome email and a weekly update featuring new arrivals, staff picks, and style tips. Customers click through to a special landing page with exclusive offers. By segmenting subscribers by product interest and location, they create seasonal campaigns with geo-targeted promotions and event invitations.

Over time, this builds a core group of loyal shoppers who regularly open emails, use promo codes, and RSVP for events—resulting in a measurable increase in foot traffic and sales.

References

Mailchimp. (2016). ‘Marketing Automation: What You Need to Know.’ https://mailchimp.com/resources/marketing-automation/
Campaign Monitor. (2016). ‘Email Marketing Benchmarks by Industry.’ https://www.campaignmonitor.com/resources/guides/email-marketing-benchmarks/
HubSpot. (2016). ‘How to Create a Lead Nurturing Email Campaign.’ https://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/32305/The-10-Step-Lead-Nurturing-Workflow.aspx
Constant Contact. (2016). ‘Best Practices for Email Design.’ https://blogs.constantcontact.com/best-email-design/
AWeber. (2016). ‘What to Send and When.’ https://www.aweber.com/blog/email-marketing/email-newsletter-what-to-send-and-when.htm

Target, Talk, and Tune In: How Social Video and Audience Tools Are Changing the Game

by Leave a Comment

Instagram’s Longer Ads Redefine Short-Form Storytelling

Instagram expands its video ad capabilities globally this month, enabling up to 60-second videos. For marketers, this opens the door to more detailed, emotionally-driven content—while still remaining native to the platform’s visual-first ecosystem.

With more room to tell a story, brands can now build trust by sharing product journeys, behind-the-scenes footage, or authentic user moments—all without disrupting the user experience.

Facebook’s Organic Targeting Gets Smarter

Facebook rolls out its Audience Optimization tools for organic content. These features allow publishers and brands to tag interests, restrict visibility by demographics, and better align their messages with the right segments.

Instead of blasting posts to everyone, content now has a smarter path—delivered to those most likely to engage. This reinforces the value of strategic messaging and relevance over reach.

Twitter Encourages Conversation with New Ad Formats

Twitter introduces Conversational Ads and Fan Polls, giving users a chance to engage more meaningfully with branded content. These ads allow people to choose from branded messages or vote in interactive polls—turning users into active participants rather than passive viewers.

It’s a move toward community-led marketing, where the audience becomes co-creator and ambassador.

Live-Streaming Builds Trust and Immediacy

As live-streaming platforms like Periscope, Meerkat, and YouNow continue to gain traction, creators and brands are rethinking how they connect. Going live isn’t just an event—it’s an invitation to be real, to build transparency, and to engage in the moment.

This is no longer a trend for early adopters—it’s a shift in how we show up. The future is unfiltered, unscripted, and urgent.

Strategic Insight: Know Your People, Then Perform

• What’s your story? You’re not just sharing content—you’re opening a dialogue.
• What do you solve? You create content that’s relevant to specific segments, not just the masses.
• How do you do it? You use video to build trust, targeting tools to fine-tune your reach, and interactive formats to foster engagement.
• Why do they care? Because your content doesn’t just speak—it listens.

Fictional Ideas

A fitness coach starts a weekly live Q&A on Periscope, answering wellness questions in real time. She posts behind-the-scenes prep videos on Instagram using the 60-second format, showing how she sets up her routine.

On Facebook, she tags interest categories related to health and mindfulness to ensure her blog content reaches the right people. Meanwhile, on Twitter, she uses Conversational Ads to poll her audience about the next workout topic they want to learn.

Each channel becomes a personalized touchpoint—driving attention without paid noise.

References

Instagram for Business. (2016). 60-Second Video Ads Now Available Globally. https://business.instagram.com/blog/60-second-video-ads
Facebook Newsroom. (2016). Audience Optimization for Publishers. https://www.facebook.com/business/news/audience-optimization
Twitter Blog. (2016). Introducing Conversational Ads. https://blog.twitter.com/2016/introducing-conversational-ads
TechCrunch. (2016). Live Streaming Services Battle for Supremacy. https://techcrunch.com/2016/01/14/periscope-vs-meerkat/
Marketing Land. (2016). Twitter Adds New Poll Features. https://martech.org/twitter-adds-poll-options/

Simple Shopping Carts For Small Businesses

by Leave a Comment

Simple Shopping Carts For Small BusinessesWith a world of potential customers scouring the internet to purchase goods, introducing a fully functional e-commerce site allows even the smallest businesses to advance beyond their immediate local market. Transforming a simple business site into a strong source of revenue, shopping cart software (or a hosted e-commerce site, as below) allows sites to have online product catalogues, to interact with consumers through a seamless interface, supervise ordering procedures, and provide the intermediate interactive component between the main business site, back-end inventory and the payment gateway.
In order to create an e-commerce site for a small business, dependent upon technological experience and prowess, businesses have two main options. One choice is to use a hosted e-commerce software. A fully featured hosting platform from one service provider includes a comprehensive service solution. It covers aspects from initial domain registration to supplying the tools needed to easily build a fully functioning and secure e-commerce site. Though largely comprehensive and simple, this option does not allow businesses much freedom or control.
For more technologically advanced business owners who would prefer an extensive degree of control over the intricacies of their site and cart components, there is an integrated approach. This involves adding stand-alone shopping cart software to an existing secure business site as a preferred way of moving into the world of e-commerce. But this should only be considered if some form of in-house technological expertise can be accessed.
Therefore the question arises, which shopping cart is right for a small business? The choice will vary depending on the business itself and of course budget. Some options include:
Cube Cart
Protected by McAfee security, and offering an initial 14 day trial for free, Cube Cart provides a combination of reporting features (generating and exporting), customer management, SEO benefits, development potential and plugins. It may be best suited to businesses planning to grow in the near future.
As an overview, feature availability differs between the free Cube Cart Lite, and Cube Cart Pro (a £120 one off payment for full access to the code) with Pro supplying unlimited features, mobile optimised storefront, and technical support among other aspects. Both are compatible with most of the major payment gateways such as PayPal and SagePay.
Cube Cart features an intuitive control panel which allows for real-time statistics, order and stock notification, and Cube Cart Pro has no limits on number of store administrators, orders or customers.
Open Cart
Designed with visual interface appeal and clarity, SEO benefit, rich features and of course small business budget in mind, Open Cart is open source and free to download. Like Cube Cart, a demo is available, and Open Cart is compatible with 22 payment gateways, including SagePay, PayPal and WorldPay. Unlike Cube Cart however, a client account is not required at checkout which may not be of benefit to marketing strategies, but could encourage customer purchasing.
Available in 18 languages, and with multiple currencies and multiple tax rate application features, OpenCart has three different reporting options: Sales report, Products Viewed, and Products Purchased, but while still secure, does not have the same high profile security which Cube Cart boasts. Extended functionality via modules and a template base mean Open Cart is easily personalised, configured and adapted. Shipping methods, especially for the UK are extensive, and regarding support, community forums are free. Regarding commercial support, a list of professional, multi-country technical partner details are provided, but this service is not included.
VirtueMart
Compatible with Joomla!, VirtueMart is a complete e-commerce solution offering an unlimited number of products and categories, multiple currencies, compatibility with payment gateways such as PayPal and SystemPay, category meta tags for integrated SEO benefits, and other features such as the ability to sell downloadable products. VirtueMart also offers a straight ‘catalogue mode’  where the shopping cart feature can be switched off.
Like Open Cart, VirtueMart is open source, is free and customisable which may suit smaller business budgets. This compatibility with small businesses can also be seen in that VirtueMart is best used on low to medium traffic sites. Anonymous checkout is also available, and for those businesses owners considering the possibility of m-commerce in the future, VirtueMart has a supporting iPhone app – iVMStore.  A demo version, plus user support manuals and user community forum are available, but any other technical support is not included.
Magento
Offering a combination of the above, Magento is not only open source and free at its most basic level, but has more extensive annual subscription options available (Magento Enterprise, and Enterprise Premium) which range in cost from approximately £9000 to £31000.
Feature rich, completely scaleable and secure, Magento suits a vast range of businesses, boasting extensive customer management, marketing benefits, search engine optimisation, multiple payment and shipping compatibility, plus allows merchant flexibility and control over the look, and functionality of their e-commerce stores.
Mobile optimisation is available and allows for administrative tasks (such as branded storefront creation) in addition to enabling useable cart m-commerce capabilities. Themes and extensions (such as payment integration or shipping features) are available, as is forum support for Magento’s Community Edition. For Magento Enterprise, full support is available, and Magento Enterprise Premium offers user training, multiple licensing, further round the clock support, and consulting reviews.
Alastair Kane is a freelance writer who works for 2touch a leading provider of fulfilment services including ecommerce fulfilment

More Uses for Social Media in Business

by Leave a Comment

http://blogs.technet.com/b/smallbusiness/archive/2012/10/24/top-ten-tips-how-to-use-social-media-to-win-new-business.aspx
http://blogs.technet.com/b/smallbusiness/archive/2012/10/24/top-ten-tips-how-to-use-social-media-to-win-new-business.aspx

When businesses look at the potential applications of social media they will often rub their hands together with glee as they realise all the marketing opportunities before them. There are countless ways you can use social media to network with potential customer and clients, and the interconnected nature of such sites and powerful infrastructure mean they’re perfectly designed for helping an idea to go global. Then of course there’s all the information that people who use these networks upload about themselves which makes these sites ideal for connecting with targeted audience. In short it’s really quite useful.
But there are other uses of social media too, and if your company is looking at social networking only in terms of marketing then you are missing a big trick. Here are some of the other applications of social media that are just as powerful but that can help other aspects of your business.
Communication
Social media is a fantastically powerful communications tool that has a lot of advantages over more traditional forms of communication such as post and e-mail. This includes B2B communication, B2C communication and also internal communication between your colleagues. If you need to give your entire team up-to-date information then why send out hundreds of e-mails when you could just create a group or page that everyone can access? While the cloud has become a source for storing information, social media is still a great delivery tool that brings content to people. While you can store files in could database, using groups puts that information with regularity into peoples hands and allows them to comment and even build a database of responses and inquires.
Collaboration
Social media can also be highly useful for collaboration, and there are a number of ways you can use social networks to get multiple people to work on the same project or to coordinate organization elements. Think about cross collaboration for creativity and generating new ideas, think about the benefits of things like Twitter Chats.
Feedback and Crowdsourcing
Using social media you have a connection with the very members of the general public you hope to become your customers. At the same time though it’s important to remember that this bridge is two way meaning you can also use it to get information from them that can help you to provide a better business model or come up with new ideas. Ask the people you are creating for what they want and you can’t really go wrong. And recently there has been a potentially even more useful form of social network too – crowdfunding sites that enable you to get funding from the very customers you’re designing your products for.
Networking
It’s not just the general public that you can connect with using social media, it’s also other businesses which can potentially benefit you in a large number of different ways. Using social media you can find potential business partners to help you with a range of aspects of your business. Sites like LinkedIn take great advantage of this fact and it’s a great way to advance your business. Think of LinkedIn connections as a reason to introduce yourself and tell people what you do, the product or service you offer and how you fulfill needs and wants.
Business Models
Finally it’s also possible to go one step further and to integrate social media into your very business model, or come up with an entirely new business model based on the capabilities of social media. This could mean you just launch your own social network, or it could mean that you create a business based around a social element in the vein of Groupon. Great businesses that find huge success often do so by taking advantage of technological developments in smart ways, so think about how you could build a business model or improve your current system by integrating web 2.0.
Ben Austin is an internet marketing expert and has been writing articles advising webmasters about how to optimize their sites. He is of the opinion that approaching a trustworthy link building agency is very important if one wants a good Page Rank for one’s site.

Relational Database Design: A Best Practices Primer

by 1 Comment

database-design-development
http://www.riceconsultingllc.com/2012/database-building.php

Relational databases are the dynamic compartments of fundamental web and enterprise cloud applications. Relational databases normalize, sort and link data using tables and queries. The design is open to the interpretation of the database designer, but a poor database design can be disastrous for any business.
A poor design can slow performance, inhibit scalability and create bugs in an enterprise application. To avoid the pitfalls of poor design, a good design plan is critical.
Primary and Foreign Table Keys
Primary and foreign keys link tables together, so developers can query multiple tables in one Structured Query Language (SQL) statement. All tables require a primary key, and any tables that reference another table requires a foreign key to that primary key. For instance, if a database consists of customer information and the related customer orders, a primary key named “CustomerId” can be created in the “Customers” table and a foreign key named “CustomerId” is created in the “Orders” table. The customer ID field is always unique, so each customer is uniquely queried with its linked order. The result is that a programmer can query and display a customer with the customer orders.
Table Indexes
Essentially, the primary and foreign table keys create an index for the tables, but secondary indexes can also be created. Typically, indexes are created on fields that are used in the SQL “join” statements or columns where the programmer queries based on these column values. Indexes sort values for faster lookups and queries. Indexes can mean the different between a query that takes 10 minutes to run and 5 seconds to run.
Types of Table Relationships
Relational databases have two fundamental relationships: one-to-one and one-to-many. There is also the many-to-many relationship, but this type of relationship is not a normalized standard. Many-to-many relationships should be broken down to a one-to-one or one-to-many relationship.
A one-to-one relationship means one record in a primary table links to only one record in a secondary table. For instance, a customer can only have one login identity. The table design can include a main “Customer” table with the customer’s information, and then a “Login” table contains the customer’s login identity and password.
A one-to-many relationship means one record in the primary table links to several records in the secondary table. An example is the customer and orders relationship. A customer has one account, but a customer can have one or many orders. Linking the customer and orders table will result in several records dependent on the number of orders processed by the customer.
Table Normalization
Table normalization is standard in the industry, but each programmer and database designer has his own idea of proper normalization. Normalization is the process of reducing data duplication, increasing data stability and facilitating streamlined updates and deletions of data.
For instance, a new database designer might put “option 1” and “option 2” as database columns for a customer order. However, what happens if the customer has a third option or the business wants to expand to allow for a third option? This table design does not facilitate scalability for customer options. Using this example, the right way to normalize the database is to create an “Options” table and use primary and foreign keys to link the order and option tables. The “Options” table has a foreign key that contains the order number, and the SQL can link to an unlimited amount of options for the customer order.
After the basic database design is set up, there might be some tweaks and changes made to the layout after deployment. This is common with new database layouts, but these fundamentals will help the database admin fall into common configuration pitfalls that impede business growth based on the technology.
Jennifer Marsh is a software developer, programmer and technology writer and occasionally blogs for Rackspace Hosting.