Targeting Options for Twitter Advertising

Targeting Options for Twitter Advertising
Gift Cards Make the Best Holiday Present for Employees
Financial Management Trends And Tactics
Clique Marketing: A New Way to Understand Your Audience
Apple Fails to Block Sales of Samsung Mobile Devices

Posted: 20 Dec 2012 01:00 PM PST

Twitter is already a prominent social network, but its advertising program is still constantly evolving. The latest development is the introduction of "negative keyword targeting," which is meant to help advertisers using Promoted Tweets avoid having their ads appear in search pages where they are contextually irrelevant.

In the example cited by Twitter, a company that sells bacon could use negative keyword targeting to ensure that its Promoted Tweets don't appear when users search for actor Kevin Bacon, by simply adding "Kevin" as a negative keyword.

In addition to the negative keyword feature, Twitter also introduced different matching options when entering keywords, including exact match, phrase match, and basic keyword match, so that advertisers have more control over what types of search results where their Promoted Tweets might appear.

Twitter also introduced a feature that automatically matches Promoted Tweets with relevant trending topics in searches. Since trends can come about quickly and leave even faster, it isn't always plausible for brand managers to go in and change keywords to align with popular trends, so this option allows Twitter to find trending topics that are relevant to your existing keywords and insert your Promoted Tweets into searches.

The photo above shows the advertising dashboard, where advertisers can add relevant keywords or phrases, choose the correct matching option, take advantage of the automatic trending topic matching feature, and add negative keywords to avoid.

All of these changes simply mean better targeting for brands using Promoted Tweets to gain a larger audience on Twitter. While the social site's advertising options are still pretty simplistic when compared to giants like Facebook, improved targeting can certainly help brands reach more relevant users and make Twitter's advertising products more attractive.

Promoted Tweets within Twitter search first debuted in 2010. Twitter also offers Promoted Tweets that appear in user timelines, but the new targeting options are mainly aimed at tweets that appear in search results. Twitter's other advertising offers include Promoted Trends and Promoted Accounts.

The post Targeting Options for Twitter Advertising appeared first on Small Business Trends.

Gift Cards Make the Best Holiday Present for Employees

Posted: 20 Dec 2012 11:00 AM PST

The holidays are a time for giving – we all know that. But what's a small business owner to do when margins are thin, times are tough, and employees are deserving of appreciation for a year's hard work?

A kind word and a pat on the back are nice, but who are we kidding? It's a material world, money talks, and if this article is any proof, platitudes are easy to throw around.

That's where gift cards come in. Gift cards have been the most popular type of holiday present for seven consecutive holiday seasons, and more than 80% of people want one this year, according to the National Retail Federation.

The popularity of gift cards among consumers isn't the only thing that should make them intriguing to small business owners, though. After all, iPads and Justin Bieber are both pretty popular too, and you're most likely not going to give them to your employees this year.

So, here are a few of the other reasons why small business owners should be pro-gift card:

You Can Buy Them at a Discount and No One Will Know

From 2005 to 2011, we didn't use roughly $41 billion in gift cards, according to Tower Group, and another $2 billion-worth are expected to go unredeemed this year. The fact that so many people have perfectly good gift cards lying around has sparked a booming secondary market for them. You can buy popular gift cards through online gift card exchanges at discounts of up to 80%.

In other words, you can either project greater liquidity by giving more valuable gifts at a lower cost or simply spend less than you had originally planned.

They Can Easily Sell it or Re-gift it

The fact that you can sell gift cards for cash or just turn around and pass them off to someone else makes them a more versatile type of present than the standard knickknacks and clothing that are disseminated at holiday Secret Santa parties.

Even if you miss the mark and get someone on your staff a card to a store they hate, they'll still have something to show for it.

Can be Combined

We've all received presents in which we simply have no interest, and they inevitably end up lost or in the trash. You could make the case that the same is true of gift cards, but can you put a few ties or jars of homemade jam together to buy one of those aforementioned iPads? Probably not.

Your employees could, however, combine a few different gift cards to purchase that big-ticket item they really want but will never get via a standard company gift giving program.

Offer Rewards Benefits

Small business rewards credit cards generally give you the option of redeeming for gift cards. When you do so, you tend to get more bang for your buck relative to redeeming for a statement credit or merchandise since issuers have partnerships with major retailers.

That means your rewards portfolio could actually be your gift giving budget this holiday season.

Help Co-workers Learn About One Another

The most common knock against gift cards is that they're impersonal, but there's no reason they have to be. Encourage employees to create gift card wish lists (basically maintenance-free lists of their favorite stores, which can be shared via Facebook or e-mail), and everyone can garner a better understanding of what makes their compatriots tick.

That could increase office morale and pay dividends in 2013 and beyond.

With all that considered, a small business holiday gift giving strategy should be taking shape in your mind. Whether you want to do a spin on Secret Santa and anonymously distribute wish lists amongst employees or handle all the gift giving yourself, it's clear that this holiday season will be a more festive, rewarding, and inexpensive time for all involved.

If that doesn't spread holiday cheer, I'm not quite sure what will (aside from some extra paid time off, of course).

Gift Card Photo via Shutterstock

The post Gift Cards Make the Best Holiday Present for Employees appeared first on Small Business Trends.

Financial Management Trends And Tactics

Posted: 20 Dec 2012 08:00 AM PST

financial management Is it really time to turn the corner on a new year again? Things move so quickly these days, it's easy to get overwhelmed, even if you're sitting still.

But we know that small business owners like you don't sit still – can't sit still – or your business will die. The good news is there are plenty of companies, from spirited startups to established old school brands, who want to help you survive. So let's take a look at what will happen to impact the financial opportunities for small business next year.

I see two mega-trends that will impact small business in a big way in 2013. Those are cloud computing and mobile technology:

Cloud Computing

Cloud Computing has been around for a while now, but small business has been slow to embrace using the cloud to run their business. That looks like it's turning a corner. According to the Microsoft SMB Business in the Cloud 2012 research report (PDF), the number of very small companies using a paid cloud solution will potentially triple in the next three years and those companies will be using multiple cloud apps.

The report states that many of these businesses will use as many as five apps to help run their business. That's good news for small business owners and for cloud service providers.

Mobile Technology

Mobile Technology is exploding with the easy availability of smartphones and tablets. It's rare that a small business has not yet embraced this technology in some way.

According to the ATT Technology Poll (PDF), nearly all small businesses (96%) use wireless technologies in their operations, with almost two-thirds (63%) indicating that they could not survive – or it would be a major challenge to survive – without wireless technologies and 85% of small businesses reported using smartphones for their operations.

Despite being a relatively new technology device, two-thirds (67%) of small businesses indicate that they use tablet computers.

Both of these mega-trends open up a world of possibilities for small business to help them run their businesses leaner than ever before. That can mean plenty of freed up cash to help your business grow.

Here's how you can leverage those mega-trends for your business:

Lose the Pen and Paper for Good

If you've been stubborn about moving from paper for your invoicing, now's the time to make the move. This area of the cloud is maturing quickly and there are plenty of competitors who want to help you get those invoices out so you can get that hard earned cash in your pocket.

One of particular interest is SageOne, an all-around tool that can help you not only get those invoices out the door quickly, but also track project time, manage your money and help your team collaborate. You can do it all on any device. No need to be stuck in an office. That means you and your team can be flexible and still be on top of your financials. But they're not the only game in town. There are plenty of cloud-based invoicing apps you can choose from depending on the needs of your business.

Check out this comprehensive list of online invoicing apps here on Small Business Trends. There are so many apps it could boggle your mind, so make sure you define your specific needs and requirements before you choose.

Don't Hire One Person, Hire a Crowd

Crowdsourcing is becoming increasingly popular and can create a big advantage for your business. It allows you to leverage the power of many rather than just one. If you need to outsource a task and would like the power of many minds, crowdsourcing is the right thing for you.

It's still a growing trend, so there are many markets that can open up in this area, but for now you can crowdsource a new logo design for your business (99designs), raise funds for a new creative project (Kickstarter), and have a comprehensive customer support knowledge base (GetSatisfaction) – to name a few.

It's worth taking a look the next time you need some help.

Getting Funding Hasn’t Gotten Any Easier, But the Network Has Grown

One thing that's always been tough for small business is securing funding for their business venture. That's one constant that never seems to budge. When you need money, it's very tough to get it. Then when you become successful, the companies who have funds to help seem to come out of the woodwork.

The traditional way to get the money you need is to tap into your favorite small business banker and see if they can help you or find an SBA loan vendor that can walk you through the laborious process to get much needed funds. The good news is that the network for small business funders has grown. No longer are small businesses restricted by their local network. The Web has spawned networks, such as Biz2Credit that will help connect you to a lender depending on your loan needs.

Accounting Software Choices are Growing Too

All you have to do is mention accounting and you'll hear a collective groan from small business owners around the world. That's not a good thing since cash flow is a key factor in small business success. But choices have been limited in the past, putting small business in a "take or leave it" position when it comes to software – and a lot of them just decided to stick with paper.

Lots of companies are seeing the opportunity to help you with this area of your business. GoDaddy has dipped its toe in the accounting pond through acquisition of cloud-based accounting app Outright that helps organize small business finances and automate bookkeeping tasks. There are some interesting new entrants moving into this space too like Wave Accounting from Australia and Xero from Canada, both with the objective to make accounting simple for you.

Who Need a Computer, Just Use Your Phone

Swipe devices for mobile have radically changed the landscape for small business. With vendors like Square and PayPal Here, no matter where you want to sell your products or services you can do it. It won't break the bank either. In addition to getting paid on your phone, there are a ton of financial apps that can help keep you on track. (Google Play lists over 1000.) There's everything from expense tracking apps like Concur and Expensify to full-fledged banking apps – just to name a few.

So there you go. Moving your business functions to the cloud and leveraging your mobile technology can help your small business be leaner and meaner than ever before. And that will produce better results for your bottom line.

Are you embracing the cloud and have you become more dependent on your mobile to run your business?

The post Financial Management Trends And Tactics appeared first on Small Business Trends.

Clique Marketing: A New Way to Understand Your Audience

Posted: 20 Dec 2012 05:00 AM PST

clique marketing Everything you really need to know about marketing you learned – in high school – and probably the hard way! Think back to your alma mater or picture a film like Mean Girls, Breakfast Club, or Sixteen Candles. High school is all about finding your place in society and discovering where you fit in. Everyone wants a place where they belong.

Teens handle this by forming cliques. Cliques are self-selecting social groups, which have a very profound impact on the school environment. Membership in the clique could be dependent on a shared interest, such as sports, drama, academics or band, or it could be a matter of other, more nebulous, identity based qualities. Think back to your high school days. Chances are you can remember specific groups – the jocks, the Goths, the Stepford-Wives-in-Training – and the efforts you made to find the place where you belonged.

This was the very first market research you ever did. Securing and maintaining a position within any clique meant that you had to follow certain unwritten rules. To be accepted by the group, you had to present yourself in a specific way. Teenagers are obsessed with fashion for a reason. The clothes we wear are a powerful social language and behave in an expected manner.

The Big 3 Rules of Cliques

Associate With Your Own

Cliques spend time together – lots of time. Group members prefer the company of the people in the group to that of people not in the group. Clique members are trusted more than non-members, and receive preferential treatment in any situation of scarcity. In other words, if you only have room in your car to drive three friends home, you're going to offer those seats to members of your clique first.

Exhibit Common Interests

Cliques often form around a shared activity, such as sports or drama. But having that in common isn't nearly enough. Bonds between clique members are strengthened by having multiple points of commonality. It's great if you and your friends all play soccer. But it's even better if you all play soccer, all listen to Rihanna, all wear Abercrombie, all wear blue glasses…

Wear A Signature Style

Cliques are visually identifiable. Members deliberately cultivate a specific look, expressing their collective identity through clothing, accessory, hairstyle and makeup choices.

The ability to successfully identify and follow these three rules is what researchers call social intelligence. Also coming under the social intelligence umbrella is the ability to successfully engage with and form relationships with members of other cliques.

Cliques Then and Now

Cliques don't go away once high school is over. They evolve and enlarge, becoming niche communities or markets. As business owners and entrepreneurs, it's important to understand that our success is directly dependent on our social intelligence. It's essential that we can identify the cliques that our customers belong to. That's the only way we can truly understand the nuanced web of expectations that the clients have of us: meeting and exceeding those expectations is the route to business success.

Clients from different cliques have different expectations. In my own practice, I work with both small business and corporate clients. The two groups are very different. Small businesses are more relaxed and easy going. They want quality work but they also place a premium on the experiential aspects of doing business. They are looking for a personable company with an added social touch. Corporate clients tend to prefer things to be mostly business with little small talk, hard deadlines – no excuses.

The better you understand your client's clique, the more successfully you'll appeal to them. One of the fundamental rules of business is that we prefer to do business with people we perceive to be like ourselves. In other words, with members of the same clique.

You have to be able to assure your clientele that you have enough points of commonality with them that you'll be able to understand their needs and serve them well.

Identifying Cliques

Cliques exist in every field and industry. If you're a person strong in social intelligence, you may be able to spot these cliques instinctively through the course of your everyday business. Sometimes you may need to be willing to take a step back and consider the situation from a distance.

Look at your client, and where they do the majority of their business:

Who are their customers, colleagues, and suppliers?
Who are their competitors?
What portion of the market is distinctly theirs?
How do they spend their time, and who do they spend it with?

The construction company that focuses on leading edge sustainable skyscraper building is a member of a different clique than the construction company focused on manufactured home production.

The products and services you offer to your client must be in alignment with their signature style. This doesn't mean you need to look like a carbon copy clone, but your presentation must be recognized as your clientele as both familiar and appealing. This creates the necessary comfort level in your customer, enabling them to trust that working with your organization will complement and enhance their brand's image.

Cliques and Social Mobility

As a business owner, you have to make a strategic decision whether to focus your marketing efforts on one specific clique or to position yourself in a way to serve multiple cliques. The ability to present yourself and interact with more than one clique is what researchers call social mobility. You have to really understand your organization's social intelligence and mobility skills before you make this decision.

Some firms are far better served by focusing on one clique – assuming it is large enough to sustain profitability over the long term – than by attempting to appeal to multiple groups. For other companies, working with a range of customers from multiple cliques provides a revitalizing energy that helps the organization thrive.

High School Clique Photo via Shutterstock

The post Clique Marketing: A New Way to Understand Your Audience appeared first on Small Business Trends.

Apple Fails to Block Sales of Samsung Mobile Devices

Posted: 20 Dec 2012 02:30 AM PST

The resolution of a dispute between Apple and Samsung will only hasten the coming of a more mobile economy. Your business must be ready. To this end, we’ve assembled some big picture information about where the mobile explosion stands and how it may change customer behavior. We also take a closer look at what you can do in your business to prepare.

The Move to Mobile

The genie in the bottle. Apple’s efforts to block U.S. sales of Samsung’s Galaxy devices, strong competitors to Apple’s own mobile line, have failed. The result will be a further proliferation of mobile devices and greater access. It certainly means more choices for techpreneurs who use the devices for their businesses, but it also means more customers going mobile. Many challenges and opportunities await. Bloomberg Businessweek

Tomorrow never knows. But PayPal president David Marcus may know a thing or two about what 2013 holds in store for mobile payment and the trends as far as mobile customer behavior. Check out Marcus’s predictions about what lies ahead. From cash registers going mobile to the evolution of the check-in experience, there are many important considerations here for your business, so get a primer on the future of mobile from the leader in online payment. LinkedIn

A Quick Refresher Course

Time to play catch up. There are plenty of business owners out there who haven’t yet come up to speed on the mobile revolution. If you’re one of those small business owners that finds it all a bit overwhelming, check out Small Business Trends CEO Anita Campbell’s post on keeping up with mobile trends. Mobile changes don’t need to cause stress! Instead, they can offer new chances to grow your business. Open Forum

Tools to change the world. Creating a mobile presence may be intimidating to many entrepreneurs. Fortunately, there are simple tools that can help you get started . Ramon Ray gives an overview of one such application, Imprego. The service provides a simple way to quickly and easily create a landing page for mobile users. Don’t get intimidated. Just get started. Smallbiz Technology

The Latest Features

Mobile shopping squared. A new app combines one of the most popular consumer products of the past decade and a half, the gift card, with one of the latest consumer trends, mobile shopping. Read more about how businesses that already partner with Square can take advantage of the company’s gift card app with no additional investment. Offering mobile options has never been easier. Small Business Trends

Mobile payments rise by 62 percent. If you want to get a better idea of the revenue stream your business could tap into by offering customers mobile payment options, just consider this statistic. According to a post by Leah Singer, mobile sales are projected to hit $171.5 billion worldwide by the end of 2012, a 62 percent increase over 2011. Many options are available to help you get into the mobile shopping game. Merchantos

Mobile payment options abound. If you jump onto the bandwagon by offering mobile credit card processing to your customers, here’s a great place to start. Guest blogger Sarah Levy runs down some of the most important options in the field with a look at key features. Pick the one that works best for your business. Small Biz Diamonds

The post Apple Fails to Block Sales of Samsung Mobile Devices appeared first on Small Business Trends.