Today I was at the annual Email Marketing Conference of the UK’s Direct Marketing Association. There were several interesting facts revealed during the day, but several speakers echoed a single theme. They were clear that email marketing is not like other forms of direct marketing. Instead, it is much more … Read more
This weekend I’ve read a great deal about online social networking. If I were to believe what I’ve read, I’d think that all you needed to do was set up a whizzy social networking site and you’d be an instant billionaire. Wherever you turn in newspapers, magazines, or even online, … Read more
Research published today shows that around half of the FTSE 100 companies do not have the technological capability to accept job applications online. That is putting them at a strategic advantage. Job hunters now use the Internet as a prime source of vacancies and want to use the online services … Read more
Listening to the radio this morning I discovered that the biggest online retailer is the UK supermarket, Tesco. This company is a true phenomenon. One pound in every seven of the British economy is spent in Tesco stores. And today I discovered that it takes £1billion online – two thirds … Read more
Once again, research has confirmed what I’ve thought for ages – businesses just don’t understand blogging. A three month study involving nearly 2,500 businesses by Fasthosts has shown that the majority believe blogs have powerful business uses. But only 3% of companies in the survey actually plan to start a blog..! … Read more
A survey of 750 of the world’s leading “futurists” has revealed a largely negative view of how the Internet will affect our lives by the year 2020. According to the research, we’ll have less access to the Internet because of limitations imposed by governments. The futurists also believe addiction to … Read more
A couple from Lincolnshire, UK, had the surprise of their life this week when they found their three-year-old son, Jack, had bought a car from E-bay. And it was not just any car; it was a £9,000 bright pink Nissan Figaro. Luckily, the seller saw the funny side and didn’t … Read more
Google is a superb service for Internet marketers. It helps buyers find what you sell. However, for people selling particular products Google hasn’t been as helpful as it might. Shoppers had to use Google’s side-kick, Froogle for shopping. Since this wasn’t as well known as Google, many marketers found their … Read more
Internet criminals are targeting home users because they are easy prey. A new report by Symantec shows that attempts to hack into personal details have gone up by 81% in the past year. Many of these criminal acts succeed, as do the spam emails that we all get. They succeed … Read more
The UK newspaper, The Guardian, suggests today that politicians need to harness the power of blogging. Indeed, the article says “The political party that can harness blogs to its cause is the one that will win the Internet campaigning war.” But it’s more important than that. Politics is losing more … Read more
According to the web testing company, Scivisum, 78% of Internet shoppers have become so frustrated with trying to buy something online they have switched off their computers. “Web rage” as it is being called is when someone tries to buy something from a web site, but too many clicks or … Read more
The chances are you know where your prized possessions are. If I asked you to find your iPod or your mobile phone, you could probably get it within seconds. If I asked you where your partner was at the moment, or a member of your family, you could probably be … Read more
Few companies have written policies on blogs. People have been fired from their firms for blogging “from the inside”. There are anonymous blogs apparently spilling the beans about particular companies. Plus, people who work for companies comment on blogs around the world. All of this activity has a significant impact … Read more
A report out today suggests that online retailers are losing millions of pounds each year because their sites are not accessible enough. What that means is that people with disabilities, such as sight problems, or a lack of an ability to use a keyboard, are not able to use many … Read more
A new survey of blogging reveals that many large businesses see the value of blogging, but are not really doing anything about it. The study of 450 companies found that even though most of them understand what a blog is and that it would be valuable for their business, six … Read more
A survey of small businesses in New York has revealed a pretty poor usage of Internet marketing techniques. The research involved 600 businesses and found that two thirds of them use the Internet to increase sales. But the data also reveals that most of the respondents have a strategy of … Read more
Today’s Guardian newspaper in London, England, says that companies can no longer ignore online marketing. According to a report in the “Inside Marketing and PR” section, Leo Ryan, a partner in Ryan, Morrison & MacMillan said: “Every company and every brand is now realising that online simply has to be … Read more
There is a great deal of advice on the Internet about how to make money from your blog. Much of it is over hyped nonsense about how you can become a millionaire overnight without having to write anything, just chucking tons of text produced by other people onto a page. … Read more
Blogging is perfect for teenagers. At a time in their life when they are trying to finalise their sense of self and establish their individual identity, blogging provides an outlet that does just that. It was interesting to read in Time magazine that teenagers think the same as well. Sixteen-year-old … Read more
Don’t you find that you like web sites that talk directly to you, that gradually build a relationship with you? Chances are you trust such web sites more as well. It’s the same in shops. Retailers that create a relationship with you, rather than just treat you as some transporter … Read more
