7 Things We Learned at the Digital DNA Conference

Titanic Belfast, where the Digital DNA Business Conference took place

Lots of entrepreneurs and social media lovers gathered at the Digital DNA Business Conference 6 Nov 2014 at Titanic Belfast. The conference featured speakers from global companies like Twitter and Google, but also included speakers from local businesses. In case you couldn’t make it to Digital DNA, here are seven digital tips we picked up at the conference.

1. So your brand doesn’t tweet? That doesn’t mean you’re not on Twitter.
Dennis Bree, Twitter’s UKI Sales Manager, said there is no way to stay away from the social media conversation. All brands are being talked about online, whether or not a brand has a Twitter or Facebook account. For instance, Dennis noted that 31% of Twitter users tweet about recent purchases. It’s best for brands to embrace social media and use it to their advantage.

2. If you’re confused about Google AdWords, call an expert.
The world of Google AdWords can be intimidating for a lot of marketers, including CDE Global Head of Marketing Peter Craven. He said he finds Google AdWords terrifying. If you’re confused about how to use AdWords or social media, contact an expert to help you make the most of your digital efforts. And of course, with our AdWords qualified consultant here at Morrows we’re happy to help!

3. Good social is planned but great social is agile.

There are fantastic tools to plan, schedule and manage your social media presence and a strategic approach to the social web is essential to reap the benefits. However, the best content is often those spur of the moment pics, videos or tweets that riff on something which has just happened on TV. 60% of Twitter users tweet while watching TV and this presents a great opportunity for brands to engage with those audiences.

4. It’s impossible to predict the future.
Shane Nolan, Google’s Director UK & Ireland SME, said brands shouldn’t try to predict the future because it’s impossible to know what gadget, platform or trend is going to be the next big thing. Instead of trying to guess what will be popular in the future, Shane said brands should look at trends within their customer base to better understand their customers.

5. “If you’re going to fail, fail fast.”
Shane from Google also said it’s important for companies to try new things and take risks. Employees at Google are encouraged to try new ideas, even if the plan doesn’t work out. If you try something new and it fails, get over it quickly and move on to the next idea.

6. Design your website for humans.
With the ever changing world of web design and search engine algorithms, knowing the best course of action when designing your website can be difficult. Peter from CDE Global talked about how he now believes in the simple principle of designing a website for humans. He said his website is the best lead generator for the company, so it’s crucial to make sure it is user-friendly. He no longer puts all of his emphasis on search engine optimisation.

7. Buy your sand from a quarry, not a store.
For the most random tip of the day, Peter from CDE Global shared a secret he learned from his business dealing with quarry equipment: buying sand from a quarry is cheaper than going to a big box retailer! Not a digital tip, but still a useful one.

One major learning from Digital DNA was how vast the area of digital marketing is and how important it has become in business. If you’re thinking of dipping your toe into the world of digital marketing, give us a call and our qualified and experienced consultants will be happy to talk through the options and a properly integrated approach.

What did you think of Digital DNA and who was your favourite speaker? Tweet us @morrowcomms or leave a comment below.

You’re not you (when you’re hawking chocolate)

The recent uproar about the new Snickers Twitter campaign has raised a few eyebrows at Morrow Communications and kicked off a bit of a debate about communications on Twitter.

In case you haven’t seen it - as a tie-in to its Joan Collins / Stephanie Beecham fronted TV ad, various celebrities (with a combined followership of nearly 5 million) allowed their twitter streams to be taken over by Snickers. The campaign saw Katie Price tweeting about global economic policy and Ian Botham talking about his love of the cello. All to illustrate the fact that “You’re not you when you’re hungry.”

 So far, so clever-clever. But when the celebs then posted a pic of themselves with the aforementioned nut and nougat based confectionary and the hashtag @snickersUK#hungry#spon (which isn’t even a proper hashtag) followers were apparently upset that they had been “marketed at” without prior permission.

Some cynics amongst you might say it’s ridiculous that anyone following Katie Price has a problem with being marketed to (she is a one woman masterclass in the art of self-promotion – currently working on her 5^th ‘autobiography’).  Nonetheless, the ASA are investigating the matter and it could have serious consequences for the communications industry.

The complaints centre round the fact that the initial “takeover” tweets were not signposted as being part of a promotional campaign and therefore formed some sort of ‘stealth advertising.’

The problem with trying to restrict promotional activity on a platform such as twitter is that it could be argued that everybody’s tweets are in some way selling something. Whether that is a new fitness DVD, an unpublished novel or just the concept of yourself as a ‘real cool dude.’ Does taking a photo of your dinner in that swanky restaurant everyone’s been talking about constitute advertising?

The Snickers’ furore will no doubt make many working in communications wary of trying to take advantage of this still unpredictable media. As McDonald’s recent experience might show (the #McDstories campaign resulted in 140 character anecdotes about fingernails found in big macs amongst other delights), Twitter can be virulently anti-corporate.

Commentators are now wondering if the ASA will recommend each tweet with a promotional slant is tagged with something similar to TV drama’s use of the product placement ‘PP’ logo. Perhaps we can start the hashtag right here? Suggestions?