Facebook changes newsfeed algorithm, again. Now what?

Facebook did it again. Change its news feed algorithm, that is. Facebook’s Engineering Director, Lars Backstrom, announced that: "we are updating News Feed over the coming weeks so that the things posted by the friends you care about are higher up in your News Feed”. This move goes in the opposite direction of that … Continue reading Facebook changes newsfeed algorithm, again. Now what?

June 2016 round up

Brexit. That’s what dominated my June 2016 – first, the worry about it; then, the feeling of despair at the outcome. Which is a shame, because there were many good things happening this month, too, such as the graduation ceremonies. Moving on… Here are my highlights from June. Tell me yours, in the comments … Continue reading June 2016 round up

When the customer does not want to hear from you

While preparing a workshop on the use of social media in students’ recruitment, I came across this study on university selection, which had the following piece of insight: Students are more likely to respond to information they found on their own, than material that was sent to them. Hardly ideal, right? These students - … Continue reading When the customer does not want to hear from you

A great marketing lesson an unlikely place: drug dealing

Sometimes, good (marketing) lessons come from bad places. For instance, the dark web gives us great lessons about branding, reputation and social proof. And here is another one. It is an interview with an ex-drug dealer, Coss Marte, for the Gimlet Media's podcast Start-up. The interview gives us an amazing insight into: Segmentation – There … Continue reading A great marketing lesson an unlikely place: drug dealing

Why parents talk about their children on social media

The increasing popularity of social media has led to the emergence of the phenomenon of sharenting, whereby adults (parents, relatives, school administrators, …) share, on social media, details (pictures, videos, status updates, …) about the children in their care. All very innocent, right? Well, there are many disadvantages, too – and I am … Continue reading Why parents talk about their children on social media

Amazon enters the fresh food delivery market

Amazon is entering the fresh food delivery market, competing directly with supermarkets. It promises same day delivery. Though, for the time being, it is only serving Premium customers in the London area, as reported by the BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-36494472/embed I said before that, for me, the killer advantage of Amazon vs. other retailers is not same … Continue reading Amazon enters the fresh food delivery market

May 2016 round-up

Well, I may ready for warm weather; but the warm weather is not ready for me. While we had some nice days here and there, it is now early June and I still need my duvet! In May, I did my first race – it was a last minute decision; there was no preparation and … Continue reading May 2016 round-up

Consumer education: how can we make salt’s harm visible?

Earlier this month, the British Association of Dermatologists published a press release with the highlights from a survey of Britain’s sun protection habits. The highlights included: 80% don’t apply sunscreen before going out in the sun and then shortly afterwards; 70% fail to reapply sunscreen every two hours as recommended; 35% would only seek shade … Continue reading Consumer education: how can we make salt’s harm visible?

Three steps to spot brewing social media crises

User generated content (UGC), like tweets, blogs or videos, which criticise brands, can spread widely and quickly. If marketing managers leave these conversations unattended, they can go viral, and threaten the brands; whereas handling the negative UGC will reassure other customers (including potential ones) that the company listens, cares and is in control. So, brands … Continue reading Three steps to spot brewing social media crises