Nutcracker Blog

Take Flight in 2012!

2012-01-23T06:26:00.001-08:00

Twitter have introduced Enhanced Profile Pages to help increase your brands engagement and help drive your business goals.
An enhanced profile page increases your brand’s Twitter presence by prominently featuring your most important content and visually branding your page. Your enhanced profile page is completely public — users can view it without joining or logging into Twitter. Enhanced profile pages are currently available to a small selection of brands; they will be rolled out more broadly in the coming weeks and months.

Enhancing your profile page

Header image: Add a logo, image, tagline or any other visual branding to the new 835x90 header to create a lasting impression on your audience.

Feature your content: Promote a Tweet to the top of your profile page’s timeline at no extra cost to highlight your most engaging and important content. If your Promoted Tweet contains a link to a video or photo from a partner provider*, it automatically expands to show that media within the timeline.

Mobile devices: Users will have a more consistent experience across platforms, including mobile devices.

Delivering results with your profile page

Communicate with more users: In addition to hashtags, use your @ handle in your other marketing activities to guide users to a richer brand experience on your profile page.
Offer exclusive content: Twitter users love exclusives! Promote a Tweet on your profile page with exclusive content such as product launches, breaking news or promotions to deliver relevant, real-time messaging.

Refresh your page frequently: Twitter users also love new content. Update your enhanced profile page with new Promoted Tweets or new header images to keep your messaging fresh and to keep users coming back to your page.

http://business.twitter.com/advertise/enhanced-profile/

Add some character to your QR code, Brand it, make it stand out!

2012-01-23T06:26:00.000-08:00

Everyone seems to be talking about QR codes. They seem to be popping up everywhere, on media adverts, in newspapers and magazines, so what are they and what can they do for your business?

Lets start off by showing you a few stats and figures

56% of QR codes appear on product packaging 
QR code uptake has increased 4589% from early 2010 to early 2011 
The majority of users expect to receive a voucher or deal from scanning a QR code 
11 out of 50 Fortune companies are incorporating QR codes into their marketing strategy 
68% of QR codes are scanned via an Iphone 
Response rate increases by 2.4% with a custom QR code over a standard one 

What can you use a QR code for?

Your contact details
Company website 
Facebook/twitter page
LinkedIn Profile
Events 
Promotions 
Discounts/Vouchers 
Youtube Videos 
Maps 
Advertising mobile apps 

By using a QR code, you are giving your customers the opportunity to quickly and easily view and store your details.

This is why QR codes are commonly used on product packaging, promotional items, leaflets, flyers etc., they eliminate the hassle of hunting for a pen and a piece of paper to write down the details, most people have their phones to hand.

QR codes are the quickest way for brands to make the transition between paper and the web.
Here are a few examples on how you can use a QR code and grab more customers.

Rise Of The Mobile

2012-01-23T06:21:00.000-08:00

Mobile Web:

Do you have a robust mobile strategy?

 Currently only 21% of companies have a mobile strategy.  Smart phones are definitely here to stay, mobile internet usage has grown exponentially and it is predicted in 2013 that it will overtake desktop internet usage. In 2011 consumers spent more time on mobile devices then they did on desktop devices.

Don’t panic if you are one of the 79% of companies that have no mobile strategy, if you have a website then it can be viewed on a mobile device, whats your point then? I hear you ask.   

Well two things:

1: it takes much longer to load a website on a mobile, and not all of your content may be viewable or compatible, for instance if you have flash, this won’t work on an iPhone, due to incompatible software.

2: It will appear much smaller and will involve a lot of zooming and pinching the screen and copy can be almost impossible to read. This is before your consumer is anywhere near the content they want, which contributes towards a bad user experience and research has shown that 40% of consumers turn to a competitor if they experience a bad mobile experience.  

The solution is to have a mobile specific site or WAP site (Wireless Application Protocol), which is tailored to meet all the mobile requirements, with regards to differing handset and screen sizes and capabilities. A mobile website is much easier to access anywhere and anytime, as a result of this it allows you to engage with your consumers anywhere they are.

Mobile websites can also have unique capabilities and offer a convenience that standard websites cannot. For instance the ability for a consumer to click a button and call the company directly from the companies mobile site.

Mobile Applications:

Mobile applications are simple to use, economical to develop, portable information that is at your customers finger tips and allows them to engage with your product and brand instantly anywhere they go.

An app is a mini application or software program that is customised to your business and increasingly to your customers needs. There are two types of apps, Native apps and Web based apps.

Native app – runs off the handheld device via a smart operating system which allows stand alone software to run via wifi internet connection or wireless. Native apps are native to one type of mobile operating system ie: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Symbian, Windows Phone. These are mostly downloaded via app markets like iTunes, Android Market, Blackberry World etc.

Web based mobile apps are becoming increasingly popular, these run off Html 5 and Javascript and does not sit on the consumers handheld device but is accessed through the devices mobile internet browser.

Which is best for my business?

 The answer wholly depends on your business, your customers, your mobile strategy, there is no right or wrong answer.

What can a Mobile App do for my business?

There are a number of reasons businesses develop a mobile application, but mostly for the following two:

1. Generate income
2. Marketing / Brand awareness

Mobile apps can be used to generate income through a number of ways, by charging for consumers to download the app via the app markets, subscriptions, third party advertising and through revenue received from a sponsor for their brand/product to appear on the app.

Mobile apps can also be used to enhance your brand and marketing, it can also be used as a customer service tool. With a customised application tailored to you customers needs you can engage with them on a new level, as if you are on the mobile device you will always be on their mind....

So what does this mean to our clients?

So at Nutcracker you are in safe hands dealing with experts. Our new Digital lead Mark has extensive experience of user experience and interface, designing mobile websites and applications for companies such as Tesco Mobile, Orange, T-Mobile, Liverpool FC, Arsenal FC, Manchester United, Everything Everywhere, Virgin Media and Carte Blanche.

Grab Your Free 2012 Wall Planner

2011-12-09T06:23:00.000-08:00

Nutcracker do the Olympics

This year Nutcracker only had one theme on our minds for wall planner ideas. Yes, it had to be the Olympics.

Our original thoughts were going to be based around Office Olympics, The 100m chair race, the furthest you could flick a rubber band, the fastest you could sharpen a pencil, you get the idea! However, we decided to keep it corporate (cough) and sensible (cough cough) and represent a proper sport with a twist.

Complete the contact form to receive your 2012 complimentary wall planner.

Have fun guessing the sport!

Merry Christmas From Nutcracker Design & Marketing

2011-12-09T02:25:00.000-08:00

Closing for Christmas

2011-12-08T07:51:00.000-08:00

To our customers and friends, we at Nutcracker Design& Marketing extend our best wishes for a joyous holiday season and prosperous New Year.

We close for business on:

Friday 23^rd December 2011

and re-open on:

Tuesday 3^rd January 2012

refreshed and ready for a new and exciting year!

Did your website get ‘Fresh’ with Google?

2011-11-18T02:19:00.001-08:00

On Wednesday 2nd November, Google got ‘Fresh’. Yet another algorithm update commonly known as ‘Fresh’ is one of ten updates that have been implemented within the last 2 weeks.

Since this search has impacted upon 35% of all searches, it’s significance is worth talking about!

This update is a tweak to Google’s earlier ‘Caffeine’ algorithm. The Caffeine update provided 50% fresher results for searches than the previous Google index. This symbolise that individuals now have higher expectations for search engines than in the past as they expect to have access to relevant instantaneous content.

In other words, for your rankings to stay consistent or to increase, you will need to update your content on a regular basis. This can include social media content, blogging and news articles.

So, if you were to do a search on Google at present for ‘Olympics’ the chances are that you are after information relating to the 2012 Olympics and not the 1900 Olympics. This ‘Fresh’ algorithm update will take this into account (think for you!) and provide you with the results relating to the latest information available.

Google+ For Business

2011-11-18T02:19:00.000-08:00

In June this year Google launched its social media offering Google+ which went head to head with other social media platforms like Facebook. Google+ boasts a whole host of features and specifically promotes its privacy features on who its users share their information with, an issue that Facebook are yet to resolve!

Google have trialled Google+ for a few months and have now introduced Google+ for businesses. These pages will allow brands and organisations a presence on this latest growing social media network.

The business pages are similar to the personal profiles and allow photos/videos and content to be posted and shared.

To Subscribe to our newsletter click here and keep up to date with the latest in social media and read a more detailed post on how Google+ can work for your business.

Click here to view our Google+ business page and look our for the below button to add other organisations to your Google+ circles.

2011-11-04T04:22:00.000-07:00

HOW TO MAKE THE HUNT FOR YOUR BUSINESS MORE EFFECTIVE

Why is search engine optimisation so important..?

Imagine what may happen if your clients couldn’t easily find your telephone number or even your address.

Yep, bet you couldn’t survive for very long in that situation could you?

Well, the same thing can be said for your website. If it cannot be easily located (ie at the top/front of any search engine) then it will be overlooked in favour of competitor’s sites that get there first!!

If your website can’t be found easily then it will not get visited, which means that ‘traffic’ numbers will fall, which in turn lowers your sites rating on the search engine algorithm – Catch 22! The more people visit your website - the more the more people will see it in the first place.

It is therefore essential that you make the hunt for your website as simple and as straight forward as possible. You may say ‘I have a URL, so people can find us that way’, well yes that may be so, but that only applies to your current customers or to those who can remember exactly what you company URL is.

If your customer's want to find your website then they will. Other potential customers are lost unless you rank effectively within a search engine. Effective SEO could put you in front of the competition.

For more information on how we can enhance your SEO or for a free online marketing appraisal click here.

2011-11-01T04:51:00.000-07:00

MAKE AN IMPACT

Keeping in touch with your customers is essential if you want your marketing strategy to keep you ahead of your competitors. If you don’t communicate with them then there is a good chance that when they are considering buying a product or service they won’t just contact you and you may lose out!

In marketing terms it costs more to attract new customers than it does to retain existing ones. It is therefore logical that during the economic times we are currently experiencing organisations should not only focus on increasing business but also target businesses and referrals from existing customers. This is easily achieved through regular communication, ensuring that your company and its offerings are not forgotten at the time when clients may be looking to buy. Email marketing provides one of the easiest, most proactive and effective ways of keeping in touch!

Here are a few key points to consider with email marketing campaigns:

1.    Regular communication is key to growing your business.
2.    Permission based marketing is one of the easiest ways of communicating.
3.    Make sure the content of your email is relevant to the recipient.
4.    Ensure content is interesting and stimulating, provoking a positive reaction.
5.    Encourage people to subscribe to your mailing list (if they want to read your communications they will already be receptive to your ideas).
6.    Interesting or informative content that proves useful to the reader is less likely to get regarded as spam and ignored.

7. Send your emails at the most appropriate time of day and week to maximise uptake.
See the below info-graphic for our nutty hints and tips!

2011-11-01T04:49:00.000-07:00

A Rod or a Net...?

What would a wise fisherman do? Use a rod which only allows him to catch individual fish in one specific area? Or use a net which will allow him to expand his trawl and capture a varied range of fish over a large area and even fish travelling in different directions?
The same principal applies with online marketing.

It is important to understand that search engines are evolving and that social media is now a huge part of that process. The use of social media within an integrated inbound marketing strategy can give your company website an adrenalin rush making it increasingly visible to your target audience.

Recently both Bing and Google admitted in interviews that their search results are ‘positively affected by social signals such as tweets, Facebook likes and Google +1’s’. This is evidence that there are significant benefits from combining social media marketing with a search engine optimisation (SEO) strategy. The benefits range from increased social network discovery via search to the ability to attract and develop links for advanced SEO.

“The links that you build through social media, the references, the authority — all can have an impact in various ways on how you are ranked and listed even in ‘regular’ search results,” says Danny Sullivan, Editor-in-chief of Search Engine Land. “Social media allows for people to provide more trusted signals.” (source: Mashable 2011)

Below are a few examples of how SEO and social media complement each other:

1. Social media content can be optimised based on an organisation's keyword analysis.

2. Media sharing through social interactions creates content that improves a brand's visibility within search results.

Both Google and Bing have added real time results to their searches. This means that Twitter and Google+ results show up prominently above other content.

For more hints and tips on how to increase your online presence through the use of social media give us a call today or visit our portfolio.

2011-11-01T04:44:00.000-07:00

WELCOME TO THE TEAM

Nutcracker would like to give a warm welcome to the newest member of our team Mark!

Mark is an experienced digital designer and brings a wealth of knowledge and creativity to our team. He has particular expertise in Mobile and Application design, user experience and user interface design.

During his career Mark has worked with a multitude of Blue chip clients including Orange, T Mobile, Virgin Media, Tesco, Arsenal FC, Man Utd, Liverpool FC, Everything Everywhere, Chorion (Mr Men) Carte Blanche and Cummins to name a few.

Here at Nutcracker Mark will be working predominantly in the digital realm as well as on a variety of print projects.

So lets get cracking!

Sharing on the Web: How, When, Where and Why We Do It [INFOGRAPHIC] from Mashable

2011-10-12T02:23:00.000-07:00

100mile Charity Bike Ride - Breakthrough Breast Cancer

2011-10-10T02:41:00.000-07:00

On the 24th September our company Director Rob Hupperdine and others took part in a charity bike ride to raise both money and awareness about the remarkable charity that is 'Breakthrough Breast Cancer'.

Robert Hupperdine who organised the event says:

"Supporting Breakthrough Breast Cancer is so important because everyone knows someone who has been affected by this dreadful condition. I am taking part in this year's event in memory of a dear friend who died recently as a result of breast cancer. We are really looking forward to this weekend's event and raising money for Breakthrough."

Click here to see our photos!

For more information on our 100mile bike ride challenge or to pledge your support please contact Rob via email: robhupperdine@yahoo.co.uk or donate now using the following link:

www.justgiving.com/robhupperdine

Thank you for your support!

Could Google’s infinite scrolling affect your search results?

2011-10-07T07:57:00.000-07:00

You may have noticed recently that when you search for an image on Google, your results are displayed on one page. This is called infinite scrolling.

There are rumours that Google are in the process of testing this formula out on main searches. If infinite scrolling is used in search results, the potential impact on search engine rankings could be major.

For the user it makes it easier to view any relevant results. The user will be inclined to carry on scrolling until they find the required result, as this is much faster and easier than clicking to the next page.

For SEO purposes this could have a huge impact on the industry, where not all of the emphasis will be focussed on page 1 results, as potentially a user could view up to 10 pages just by scrolling down. So this could be excellent news for the small fish companies fighting for the high demand key phrases.

The Russian search engine ‘Yandex’ has just rolled this out. Users will see 10 results with a button below ‘see 10 more results’ which once pressed will display a further 10 result areas, whilst the original 10 results are still available.

Do you know when the best and worst times to do your email marketing are..?

2011-10-07T02:27:00.000-07:00

Click on image to enlarge

Robs Charity Bike Ride for 'Breakthrough Breast Cancer'

2011-10-05T00:49:00.000-07:00

Please pledge your support today by visiting the following link:

https://www.justgiving.com/robhupperdine

The Growth of Social Media

2011-08-31T02:46:00.000-07:00

The infographic below shows the steep curve of the user growth rate in all age ranges and demographics. It is evident that social media has changed the way we interact and connect online, see for yourself below.

Source: The Growth of Social Media: An Infographic

Google's War on Spam

2011-08-30T04:30:00.000-07:00

Google has been making updates to its operating systems in order to give YOU the most accurate search results. The below infographic shows the Google algorithm changes since March 2003.

For more information on how Google updates may affect you website or for SEO advice give us a call today on: 01384 455 141

Nutcrackers top 10 things to remember when using social media…

2011-07-20T04:23:00.000-07:00

1. Don’t pitch! There is no need to yell at customers and bully them into purchasing a product or service from your business. The basis of social media is to build a relationship through connecting with individuals and not pitch. It is this relationship which will encourage individuals to use your organisation over your competitors who may not have made any previous effort to connect with them.

2. Keep your account up to date! Many organisations create a social media account and leave it at that. They actually forget or don’t realise how important it is to regularly upload content. We recommend that social media accounts are updated daily as when customers visit your company page all of the content should be up to date. If customers see that it has not been updated in over a month, they may assume that it is inactive and decide not to follow your company. Failure to update your account could result in your prospective customer going to a competitor’s recently updated page as they feel that they will get better customer service.

3. Decide on updates carefully. Your company is accountable for whatever it posts within its social media accounts and the content is in the public domain on the internet forevermore. Therefore ensure that the people managing your social media accounts are aware of their responsibility and that they are representing the company at all times.

4. Be prepared. Even your customers have bad days and will feel the need to vent their frustrations on your page, blaming you for everything! It is important that you do not remove any negative comments from your page. Make an attempt to deal with the customers issue offline ie, via a telephone call BUT don’t make promises you can’t keep. Once the situation has been resolved post a comment on your wall.

5. Communication is key. It is important for your organisation to understand that for social media to be successful you must interact with your followers. That means joining in with conversations, answering questions and leaving comments. However if you do not realise the significance of engaging in this manner then social media is not for you and as a result you may lose touch with your customers and as a result be unable to satisfy their requirements.

6. Don’t forget to link. If you find an article or other content particularly interesting and it is relevant to your organisation, then link it to your Twitter and Facebook page. Tell your followers why you have chosen to link the information with your account and post questions or incites.

7. Be open and honest. It’s ok to share what your employees are doing within your social media accounts. Take photos of office celebrations, company days/nights out or charity events and upload them. The photos help to create a positive and humanistic element to the organisation.

8. Publicise your blog. You can spend days writing the perfect blog article to have no one read it…sound familiar? So why not link you blog to your social media accounts and mention it with links in your posts and tweets? It allows you to give your customers large amounts of information that you may not want to feature on your website, yet they are too large to be included as status updates. Problem solved!

9. Tell everyone. If you have differing social media accounts such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or a blog then you really need to let people know how to find you. It is a good idea to have the links on your company website and corporate stationery reminding/encouraging people to ‘add’ you.

10. Be trendy – create a trend. If your organisation does something at the same time each week mention it to your followers. For example if you have a special offer each week then display what it is within your social media so that people will visit your page at the same time next week to see what the next offer is. It is a great way to get people onto your social media and into your organisation.

Have fun with your social media and don’t be afraid to get creative! Think about what you would like to see and read…ask questions that your customers can answer and keep your accounts up to date.

Google+ decoded by Nutcracker!

2011-07-11T02:44:00.000-07:00

A phrase you may have heard a lot recently may be ‘what is Google+?’ Loads of people have been talking about it and now we are going to fill YOU in on what the hype is all about!

Last week Google introduced us to their brand new social network Google+ which has been dubbed ‘the Facebook killer’. At Nutcracker we have been exploring whether this will actually be the case, by investigating what Google+ actually offers.

Obviously the launch of Google+ is Google’s attempt to introduce social networking into their expanding portfolio and therefore gain market share within this area. Google explains its new service below;

‘We realise that today people are increasingly connecting with one another in the web. But the ways in which we connect online are limited and don’t mimic our real-life relationships. The Google+ project is our attempt to make online sharing even better. We aren’t trying to replace what’s currently available; we just want to introduce a new way to connect online with the people that matter to you. Sounds pretty cool, huh? And it is. There are 5 main features to Google+: circles, hangouts, instant upload, sparks and huddle.’

So here Nutcracker goes at explaining them!

Circles

Other social networks such as Facebook are about sharing content with a wide audience. Google however have chosen a different approach in that circles allow the user to group friends, family and colleagues for example into groups. This allows the information displayed to each group to vary. This feature allows for the separation of your personal and private life a characteristic that Facebook does not have.

Hangouts

These are a great feature which sets Google+ apart from Facebook. Within hangouts up to 10 users can simultaneously video chat face-to-face with each other. How good is that!

Instant uploads

This allows the photos that you take on your phone to be easily accessible. Whilst you practice your photography skills, Google+ adds your photos to a private album in the cloud. This allows all of your pictures to be available across your devices ready to share as you see fit.

Sparks

Have you heard the phrase ‘spark a conversation’? Well this in many ways explains this feature. Google+ keeps a feed of content based on your hobbies, interests and preferences which you can view at any given time which you can then choose to share with other friends/contacts who have the same interests.

Huddle

This group text chat tool is for individuals to have private conversations within a circle. This feature can be used directly from a mobile phone (Android 2.0+ or iPhone 4.0+).

There is some fantastic information about these features within the videos on the below link.

http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2011/06/introducing-google-project-real-life.html

Things to remember about Google+

• At present there is only an Android App available for Google+
• Awaiting approval is an Apple App
• ‘Pages’ similar to Facebook ‘Fan Pages’ will allow businesses to market their service on Google+ according to Google’s Jeff Huber.
• Google+ has adapted its privacy settings by eliminating the ability to share certain semi-private posts to other users and friends.
• On Google+ you still own everything you put on there unlike Facebook which takes co-ownership.
• Gaming rumours for Google+ are already circulating.
• Facebooks response to the Google+ hype is the announcement of ‘something awesome’ on 6th July 2011…a deal with Skype maybe to launch a video chat service?
• Information site Mashable has already published instruction on how to import your Facebook contacts into Google+. No time wasted there!

But you can’t get Google+ yet! Only a few selected individuals received an invite so for now all you can do is sign-up to receive notifications of when new invites will be available.

So is Google+ the end of Facebook..?

Well we don’t think so. It will take a lot for Facebook users to switch over to Google+. Most non techy Facebook followers are content with their user experience on Facebook. They are on there because everyone else is! Unless Google+ offers something significantly different to Facebook which could compel users to switch across then we think Facebook is safe for the time being.

Finally Google join the social revolution with Google+

2011-07-01T02:16:00.000-07:00

Well the time has come. Google have unveiled Google+, a social strand to add to the company’s search engine which is set to rival the likes of Facebook and Twitter.

Vic Gundotra Google’s senior vice president of the social sector has managed a yearlong project which has finally led to the rollout of Google+. Despite the project been delayed several times it is now set to challenge Facebook’s dominance within the social networking arena.

You may have noticed that Google have redesigned their home page navigation bar. The familiar grey strip at the top of Google has been replaced by a black bar displaying new options for accessing your Google+ profile and engaging with other users.

The underlining function of Google+ is to become a social network. Initially users will be introduced to the ‘stream’ feature. This is similar to Facebook’s ‘news feed’ and allows for the users content to be shared with friends.

Explore Google+ for yourselves by clicking on the below link then let us know what you think on Twitter @nutcrackernet.

https://plus.google.com/up/start/?sw=1&type=st

At the moment Google+ is still on trial and only a select number of people are able to participate during this period.

However it won’t be long before we can all have a go!

Social Media and YOUR business...

2011-06-14T04:21:00.000-07:00

For more information on how Nutcracker Design & Marketing can help YOUR business embrace the power of Social Media then call us today on 01384 455 141 to book an appointment.

Top 10 reasons why a business today needs a website.

2011-06-14T04:06:00.000-07:00

1. A website allows your business to be open to the World 24 hours a day…7 days a week…365 days a year!

Unlike many company’s offices which may only be open 9:00am – 5:30pm Monday to Friday, a website is open 24 hours a day…7 days a week…365 days a year. Time zones all over the world may affect your business- therefore having a website which is live on the internet continuously makes it easily accessible and convenient for everyone to use.

2. It can be an organisations online brochure/catalogue which can be updated at anytime

Websites are easier, cheaper and quicker to update than conventional printed material. Unlimited amounts of information can be uploaded onto a website which can provide users with a plethora of comprehensive information. Which in turn may save your organisation money on printing and distribution costs.

3. A global audience allows for new markets to be reached

You are no longer a ‘local business’ when you are on the internet! Organisations then have the opportunity to be seen by millions all over the world. The internet had become the most cost effective way to trade both nationally and internationally.

4. The internet can lead to improved customer service

Many organisations now have a ‘FAQ’ (frequently asked questions) page within their website. Providing answers to customers questions via your website, sales and information requests can be processed instantly, regardless if someone is in the office or not. Also, online forms can be used by customers to request quotations or make enquiries. This allows company spending else ware as information such as pricelists can be available as downloads.

5. Present a Professional Image

A well designed website can be a great way for a small business to instil confidence into prospective customers as it allows a company to look bigger than you actually are! Today many people assume all organisations have websites. By now your primary competitors will already have a website. If they do, keep up with them and be sure to make yours better.

6. Sell your products

Having a website means that there is no need to pay expensive rent, overheads and many of the other expenses that come with owning a premises. Selling products/services over the internet is much cheaper as well as being a good way to supplement your offline business. What’s more, providing online secure ordering is now very affordable for even small organisations.

7. Promote your services

Millions of users are referring to the web and are using company’s websites to aid the decision making process. The internet now shows customers that they have a choice so it is important that you make you website and offering as appealing as possible!

8. Gather information and generate valuable leads

Forms and surveys can be used to gather information about your customers and potential customers. Customers can now come and find you opposed you organisations going out and getting leads. Websites can therefore be a great tool for prospecting target customers that have been looking at your products and services.

9. Provides instant gratification

Today people are very busy and don’t like to wait for information. It is important to give customers what they want, when they want it. Trials, downloads and free samples are a great way to get prospects to interact with your website. Pictures, brochures, software, videos, music and much more can be displayed and distributed from a single website.

10. Great recruiting tool

If you are posting a new job opportunity within your company or scouting for talent your website is the place to do it. This can also reduce recruitment costs for your organisation.

The way in which we search for things...

2011-06-14T04:00:00.000-07:00

More and more people are using social media every day in order to find out information about products and services. The way in which we search for things (products/services/information) on the internet is changing yet again.

Most of us use a search engine ie, Google, Bing or Yahoo to carry out this function and many of you will also have noticed that these search engines offer you suggestions on your search. The latest offerings are going more social. As a business this is a prime opportunity for you to sell the quality of your brand, product or services.

The trend for searching online for a service or company is increasing, and people are buying products from recommendations from their peers, friends and associates rather than clicking on an unknown link with a flashy advert.

Who would you buy from? A company you had never heard of appearing at the top of Google? Or a company that had excellent reviews or likes from your trusted friends or associates?

For example, how many times have you clicked on a link that you have received from a friend? You click because you believe that you can trust the source. If my friend clicked it, then it must be safe and useful, and if it is a product or service that you find of interest or of use, then you will have no qualms about sharing the same link amongst your own friends.

With all of this in mind, the search engines have evolved in how search results will appear…
Google have introduced +1 and Bing has announced that they are introducing a new process termed the ‘friend effect’.

Google +1

The +1 button is Google's answer to Facebook's ‘Like’ button. It is a button that you can add to your website. The +1 will influence search rankings, you will start to notice this symbol on more and more websites (provided you are logged in to Google). With a single click you can recommend a product, service or website to friends, contacts and the rest of the world.

The aim of the +1 is to get you the most relevant of results as quickly as possible.

Bing’s ‘friend effect’

This process is similar in their mission of aiming to help you make a faster and more informed decision.

Research states that 90% of people seek advice from family and friends as part of a decision making process as people feel smarter, confident and safer within the wisdom of their social circle.

Google Adwords Vs Facebook Advertising

2011-06-14T03:50:00.000-07:00

What has happened? Why do people prefer Facebook advertising opposed to Google Adwords? And can Google Adwords challenge Facebook’s proposition?

Let’s investigate...

Both Facebook Advertising and Google Adwords target individuals in different ways.

Both Google Adwords and Facebook advertising use geo-targeting this allows individuals to see advertisements that are relevant to their geographical location. However Facebook utilises user-profiling which relies on individuals entering their location within their Facebook profile. Conversely Google Adwords uses the IP address of the individual’s computer to determine their geographical location. It is here that Google loses its effectiveness. People choose to have their IP address changed or moved, which that an individual’s location is not accurate if based purely in IP addresses. In this instance Facebook’s method is more enhanced.

Durability of Ads

Facebook users can enforce the promotion of ads they like, a feature which is not available on Google Adwords. The ‘friend effect’ is becoming more prominent within the internet, this is symbolic within Facebook where its users are in a better position to influence their friends and ask them to spread the word.

Facebook ads have a greater chance of being popular amongst people of the same group as it targets according to gender, preferences, location, language and education. Conversely Google Adwords has a much more lengthy targeting process which requires the user to have knowledge of keywords and how to create them. Furthermore, Google Adwords appear as sponsored links and are less visible which lacks the human aspect of marketing as the interactivity aspect which Facebook embraces is not utilised.

Differing Strategies

Facebook has the advantage of being more specific about many different aspects in comparison to Google Adwords. Yet if an advertisement is not performing within a limited time Facebook will attempt to knock your ad off its site!

Facebook pro’s suggest that the use of CPM (cost per metric)is beneficial as it ensures that your organisations brand is in front of the eyes of prospective customers long enough for them to start looking at it and gradually ‘liking’ and interacting with it. You may need to experiment with several ads to explore which ads gain the most interaction and ‘clicks’.

Final Verdict

Without being too technical it is evident that Google is a bit more demanding on your organisations keywords skills and requires knowledge of the process as well as it being more costly in comparison to Facebook. However Facebook does use ‘out of the box’ targets which translate into clicks and in turn brand recognition. Yet Google Adwords is a useful tool to people higher up the buying ladder – by that we mean people who know what they are looking for rather than coming across those which are ‘suggested’ by Facebook regardless of what the individual is looking for. This basically means that Google Adwords have a greater offering in terms of ads which are in context to what people are already buying.

In our opinion Facebook wins the battle! This leaves Google with lots of work to do if they want to overturn Facebooks triumph.

Take a look at this video and let us know what you think!

2011-06-14T02:56:00.000-07:00

Our New Birmingham Office

2011-05-18T03:39:00.000-07:00

Our Birmingham based Web Design and Marketing office is now open!

2nd Floor

Quayside Tower

Broad Street

Birmingham

B1 2HF

Tel: 0121 277 4589

Fax: 0121 633 8954

Please choose area of interest below:

Web design birmingham - Contact our new office now!

Welcome Abdul to the team!

2011-05-03T08:26:00.000-07:00

Nutcracker would like to extend a very warm welcome to our new team member Abdul Baazab who will be helping us with graphic and web design.

Facebook Page Changes – Decoded by Nutcracker

2011-05-03T08:25:00.000-07:00

By now you will be aware that Facebook have updated it’s Pages facility with a new layout and an abundance of additional features. We believe these changes are symbolic of how Facebook is being used by brands and businesses alike as a marketing tool.

Google Panda Algorithm

2011-05-03T08:24:00.000-07:00

Nutcracker can confirm that the latest algorithm update, officially known as Google ‘panda update’, has impacted sites that apparently were not practicing Google caffeine based seo internet marketing techniques.

In an official blog post, Google stated the purpose of the update: “This update is designed to reduce rankings for low-quality sites – sites which are low – value add for users, copy content from other websites or sites that are just not very useful.”

“At the same time, it will provide better ranking for high – quality sites – sites with original content and information such as, research, in depth reports, thoughtful analysis and so on.”

Royal Wedding

2011-05-03T08:22:00.000-07:00

Nutcracker will be closed on: April 22, 25, 29 and May 2^nd all other days around this period will be business as usual.

Nutcracker would like to wish Prince William and Catherine Middleton all of the very best for the future and may they together have a long and happy marriage.

C7 Charity Calendar

2011-03-24T04:32:00.000-07:00

Nutcracker Design and Marketing does it again for charity and joins forces with C7 Contractors to help Compton Hospice ‘raise the roof’.

In the past Nutcracker have been involved in numerous fundraising projects in support of local charities. However nothing in those earlier projects could have prepared us for our latest venture.

Nutcracker were approached by Justin Thomas of C7 Contractors, one of the Midlands premier painting, decorating and minor repairs companies based in Bilston, to design and produce a calendar in memory of Ron Harrison a former employee who died in August this year of cancer.

The idea to create a calendar came from amongst Ron’s colleagues, however this was to be no ordinary calendar!

The guys at C7 Contractors decided that they wanted to participate in creating a ‘naked calendar’ in memory of Ron as they believed that this would create a smile from up ‘above’ whilst also contributing to raising funds for Compton Hospice, a charity close to the hearts of Ron and his family. It has been said that ‘given the opportunity, Ron would have posed for every page’.

Nutcracker gave both time and resources to help C7 Contractors achieve their goals and ultimately raise funds in Ron’s memory. The team at Nutcracker worked collectively on the design and production of the calendar and managed the photography within it, their efforts coupled with the enthusiasm of C7 Contractors, is sure to make it a prosperous success.

Special recognition was given to Nutcracker and other contributors for their ‘dedication and commitment to helping others in such difficult economic times’.

The calendar has been created as a means of helping Compton Hospice ‘raise the roof’. Calendars go on sale for £10, of which £8 goes to Compton Hospice.

C7 and Ron’s family gave further personal thanks and praise to Nutcrackers ‘Graham, Rob, Stew, Dave and Neil for creating the calendar, despite the ‘best efforts of Justin’.

This year Compton Hospice needs to raise over £6 million. From every £1 donated to the hospice, 86p goes directly to patient care. By purchasing this calendar, you will help Compton Hospice to support people with life limiting illnesses and to provide the very best in palliative care in the memory of Ron Harrison.

In the past Nutcracker have supported various charitable causes, including the county air ambulance, Compton Hospice, Cancer Research, Wolverhampton MS Society and Guide Dogs for the Blind and greatly enjoyed this latest fundraising experience.

Nutcracker has been a part of this venture and so could you. If you would like to purchase one of C7’s calendars which go on sale on 2nd December 2010 and be part of it too please contact C7 contractors.

Social Media Signals and What it Means for SEO

2011-03-24T02:34:00.000-07:00

Social media marketing has grown up. Those still labeling social networking as nothing more than a fad just need to take a look around (The Social Network won three Oscars and has been called the movie that defines Gen X). Any marketing professional who has yet to incorporate some aspect of social media marketing into their business model might want to consider a new profession.

While it’s still tricky to measure monetary ROI, social media is here to stay. It has already severely impacted how consumers and companies interact, how people connect and communicate with each other and can make or break a brand online. It was just a matter of time before social media starting impacting SEO.

Back in December 2010, Google’s Matt Cutts released a video confirming that Google looks at social sites like Twitter and Facebook to help determine ranking positions. Matt Cutts went on to say that not only was Google incorporating social networking sites into their ranking algorithm, but that Google was also figuring out how to take into account the credibility and authority of the author behind a Tweet or Facebook post.

In Danny Sullivan’s Search Engine Land article, he reported that “who you are as a person on Twitter can impact how well a page does in regular web search. Authoritative people on Twitter lend their authority to pages they tweet.” He posted his email conversation with Google, who wrote that a link carried more weight based on the author, “…especially in the “Top links” section [of Google Realtime Search].” The more a link is reTweeted, Liked or reposted, the stronger the social signal is behind it. This indicates to the search engines that the link is useful and relevant to users, so it is more likely to rank.

So what does all this mean for SEO?

The use of social signals means that companies that have social networking sites but haven’t been actively using them need to pump up their online activity. Since Google recently moved their social search results from the bottom of the page to the main body of search results, having an active social media campaign is more important than ever.

All SEO and other marketing professionals need to have a robust social media marketing program as it makes sense for their clients/company. They need to be producing quality content that followers/Fans are going to want to share and republish. It’s not enough to remind people of the company’s existence, social media marketing has to give users a reason to connect and engage. The better a brand reaches our across its social networking profiles, the more links are going to be generated, the better authority it is going to build for itself and the more likely the brand is to rank well.

It’s important to remember that social media and social signals are not the magic bullet to boosting a site’s rank. It’s only one more piece of the ever-expanding puzzle that determines a site’s importance and relevancy. That’s why companies can’t sacrifice their offline and other online marketing techniques in favor of social networking. Marketing campaigns need to be diversified so that is one section takes a hit, the others can pick up the slack (The recent Google update that took on content farms, for example). A well-defined and blended approach helps a company from all angles, steadily increasing its perceived value.

And it’s inevitable that because Google declared social signals to be a contributing factor of their algorithm, the spammers and black hat SEO practitioners are going to try to find a way to game the system. Just like content farms cluttered Google’s search results, it shouldn’t be surprising to see social search spam trying to take over. It’s already evident when companies create generic profiles to follow themselves in an effort to boost their follower/Fan numbers. That’s why Google is trying to incorporate author authority into the mix, to weed out those fake online personalities that exist just to endorse a brand/company. Companies should focus on attracting real, human followers to help promote and spread their messaging. Connecting with industry authorities lend credibility, both in the eyes of the search engines and consumers.

The Bottom Line – Social signals and SEO

SEO is an on-going process. Building meaningful relationships with consumers takes time and effort. A company is not going to build up their social signal overnight without raising an eyebrow or two from the search engines. It’s all about establishing significant connections with real people, so useful links are given the credit they deserve. Some level of social media marketing should be incorporated into every company’s marketing campaign, as it best fits.

Written By:

Nick Stamoulis | Search Engine Optimization Journal | @NickStamoulis

Nutcracker and ‘social media’ can improve your web impact

2011-03-08T04:23:00.000-08:00

With around 500 million users and counting, Facebook and Twitter have become a vast and dynamic marketplace of potential customers and networking opportunities.

Nutcracker can place you amongst potential customers searching for ‘Tweets’ relating to your business or offer in the same way people use Google and other search engines.

As more people share your information across social media the more prevalent your organisation name will become, making it increasingly visible to search engines.

Social media creates what is known as a ‘viral effect’ as 'fans' and 'followers' spread word about your offer, for free, increasing brand awareness, trust and unbiased third party testimonials.

However, building a good following on Facebook or Twitter can be time consuming…

This is where Nutcracker excels, for advice call 01384 455 141 today.

Where have all the clicks gone?

2011-03-08T04:18:00.000-08:00

Sometime around mid October, Google changed the way it displayed search results. The effect of this on some sites was a drop in traffic of up to 80%.

Nutcracker can reveal that this was not an isolated occurrence, as the effects have changed search results across the web. While some sites are seen to be losing traffic, others report a 30%+ increase.

The details of the change are still unknown but it is thought that Google altered the algorithm that determines the way search results are ranked. This is potentially very serious for sites that sell products or generate leads as a sudden drop in traffic could mean a considerable decline in revenue.

Nutcracker has found that so far the changes in traffic have remained constant, indicating a deliberate adjustment of the way Google works. Our search engine optimisation team are familiar with this type of potential problem and can confidently adjust their SEO procedures to harmonise completely with the revised Google software.

What we offer!

2011-01-24T06:29:00.000-08:00

Want to know what Nutcracker can do for you?

Click below to find out!

2010-12-10T04:47:00.000-08:00

We are purple and we really do rock!

Nutcrackers new release is pure purple retro! So rock with us and enjoy your groovy complementary 2011 desk pad calendar.

If you haven't already had one click here

Nutcracker Design Blog - Welcome

2010-08-25T05:52:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the nutcracker design blog - Web Design, Graphic Design, Logos, Exhibitions, New media and plenty more...

Our creativity is the catalyst to develop and strengthen your marketing strategy. A fully project-managed approach ensures that ideas are implemented in a co-ordinated, practical and cost effective manner across any combination of both traditional and new media.