You can tell a lot about a company from the conversations that take place about it on social media.  Apparently, that also includes future share price movements.  According to a new data mining study, the more separate conversations that take place on Twitter about a company in the S&P 500, the better that company is likely to perform on the stock market.  When conversations focus on just a single topic, the company is likely to perform poorly.

The reason is not entirely clear although researcher Vagelis Hristidis speculated that the cause might have something to with people focusing on bad news and growing bored quickly with good news. 

When Apple produces a phone whose antenna does not work, for example, social media chat will focus on the problem.  That is a preoccupation that is very difficult to shift especially when it takes hold among millions of people, even with the help of expensive public relations firms.  Apple might have tried to dismiss the antennagate problems of the iPhone 4 and move the conversation on, but it ended up handing out free bumpers and dismissing the engineer instead.  As long as the company does not repeat antennagate though, conversations about that company will continue to range from the iPad to what it is going to do with its giant pile of cash.

That is interesting news as far is it goes, but only 500 companies are on the S&P 500 and most small firms would be happy just to be the subject of conversation.  The problem though is that when spontaneous conversations about small companies do occur, they often focus on criticism.  Jorno Keyboard, a manufacturer of a foldable Bluetooth keyboard, seems to spend its entire time on social media dealing with complaints about the product’s delayed launch rather than discussing its unique folding structure and small size.

Small firms though have an advantage: when conversations about them are not happening by themselves, their social media staff get to decide the conversation starters.  When they tweet a link to a blog post that touches on their industry, they start to push the conversation in the direction of that post.  When they ask followers what they think of the product’s new color or shape, they keep chat focused on appearance, spreading word about the brand without opening it to any substantive criticism.  Even some large firms can do this.  Coca Cola is rarely in the news (although it is always on billboards) so its Facebook page constantly asks simple questions that prompt the drink’s fans to mention the product’s name without engaging in any real discussion about it.

When your followers and fans have one reason to talk about your business that reason is likely to be a problem.  That is a time to listen, respond and make sure you fix the issue.  But when the conversation is not happening, you get to start it.  That conversation might not put you on the S&P 500, it might just keep the business rising.

[I should mention that there are some fine products to control any possible criticism.  I should also mention that you need it sorely.  Contact me and I will suggest a few.]

by Brooke Crothers   March 28, 2012 9:54 PM PDT

Windows PCs to decline as Android, Apple devices rise

The PC will become a much less popular device by 2016 relative to mobile devices.

(Credit: Dell)

The venerable Windows-Intel PC will see a sharp decline by 2016 while devices running Android and Apple's iOS are on the rise, market researcher IDC said today.

There will be a "dramatic shift" between 2011 and 2016, with the "once-dominant" Windows-Intel (aka, x86) PCs dropping from a market-dominating 35.9 percent share in 2011 to 25.1 percent in 2016," IDC said.

Mobile devices like Android phones and tablets and Apple iPhones and iPads will step into the void and begin to dominate. Android devices (using ARM chips) will grow from 29.4 percent share in 2011 to a leading 31.1 percent share in 2016. And Apple's iOS-based devices will grow from a 14.6 percent share in 2011 to 17.3 percent in 2016.

The once-dominant Windows-x86 PCs will drop from a market-leading 35.9 percent share in 2011 to 25.1 percent in 2016, IDC said. Android and iOS market share will continue to rise, eventually eclipsing Windows.

(Credit: IDC)

"Smart, connected, compute-capable [phones and tablets] are playing an increasingly important role in nearly every individual's life," Bob O'Donnell, vice president of clients and displays at IDC, said in a statement.

This year, unit shipments for smart connected devices should top 1.1 billion worldwide, IDC said. By 2016, IDC predicts shipments will jump to 1.84 billion units, more than double the 2011 figure.

This works out to a compound annual growth rate of 15.4 percent for the five-year forecast period, IDC said.

Android: But it's not all good news for all players in the Android market. "Android's growth is tied directly to the propagation of lower-priced devices," Tom Mainelli, research director of mobile connected devices at IDC, said in a statement. "So, while we expect dozens of hardware vendors to own some share in the Android market, many will find profitability difficult to sustain."

iOS: And IDC expects a large percentage of application developers to focus their efforts on iOS because iOS users are willing to pay for high-quality apps.

I quote McAfee again: "Threats to mobile devices have been a hot topic within the security community for several years.  We expect attacks to erupt at any time, yet they never quite seem to happen. 

"Nonetheless, McAfee Labs predicts that 2011 will be a turning point for threats to mobile devices.  This year we saw many new, but low-prevalence, threats to mobile devices...rootkits for the Android platform, remote jailbreaking exploits for the iPhone, and the arrival of Zeus (a well-known banking Trojan/botnet). 

"The widespread adoption of mobile devices into business environments combined with these and other attacks is likely to bring about the explosion that we have long anticipated.  Given our historically fragile cellular infratstructure and slow strides toward encryption, user and corporate data may face serious risks."

It would not surprise me to learn that most of your company staff have quite advanced mobile phones, including the top executive.  And it would not surprise me if no policy is established for the use of these phones. 

The number one policy is to establish what programs and apps can an employee have?  But then, how can you control that?  Any comments?

It seems everything has gone digital from TV channels to content material.  Internet users have a seemingly endless supply of expert resources awaiting their beckoning call.

Digital Media has proven to be a leader in marketing new products and services.  It is estimated that 90% of buyers first study companies and products online.

Digital Marketing has recently outpaced printed advertisements.    Digital Marketing offers many more avenues to market your product and services.  The continuing growth of Digital Marketing has been further enhanced with the utilization of mobile technology.

The growth of Digital Marketing has attracted competitors across the globe.  Digital Marketing has expanded in recent time to utilize various media sources including those that connect with mobile media sources.  Iphones and Ipads are opening new doors for marketing products and services using HTML5 code.

Video has also become a staple product in use along with other venues for marketing products and services.   Assigning the best keywords to the video presentation is critical for your online success. 

Digital Marketing has opened new doors for your business success.  Combine it with video marketing and you have a winning team for success.   The advantage of video marketing is that you can review the benefits and features of your products and services by way of video. 

Prospective customers can then access this information and make a request for an agent visit.
Our world today is centered on immediate access to information, products, and services.  To get the attention of your target market, you must be willing to step outside of the old box and make an attempt to connect with your target market.  

Internet Marketing without use of video is like having a car and failing to put gas into it.  Get your business to where you want it to go by connecting with your target market by way of video and mobile marketing opportunities.

We have found that marketing is a full-time consulting job.  Contact us to decide where and how to start.

Take notice of the latest smartphone application to hit the stage! Released in the U.S some weeks ago - and more recently launched in Canada - Facebook Deals aims to connect consumers to discounts offered at nearby businesses. Subsequently, the application also allows businesses to actively insert themselves into their customers’ Facebook conversations.

While the service is limited to iPhone and Android users at the moment, it will eventually be extended to all cell phones. Inevitably,  all small businesses across North America will be able to create a Facebook Deal and actively leverage mobile marketing techniques. This is definitely a tool to keep your eye on as more and more businesses adopt it into their advertising strategy.

How does Facebook Deal Work?

Through the Facebook application, Places, users first identify their location. Facebook Deals then notifies the user of the discounts that are available in the immediate vicinity.

Facebook Deals are only delivered to Facebook users who have indicated they “like” a particular business. They can then pass the deal on to their friends, thereby creating online word-of-mouth promotion for the company.

Several major retailers have already jumped onboard this mobile marketing strategy, some of which include Indigo, Telus, and H&M. It’s only a matter of time until small businesses also start to create their own Facebook Deals.  Let us help you make Facebook work for you.

If you don't know about our free Wisdom Book, then you have not been paying attention.  It is available on our website to view on your computer, but you can also view it on your mobile device.

Type the URL http://bit.ly/WSIwisdomBook into a Browser on Your SmartPhone or Tablet.  Because it is a bit.ly, I am curious to know if it works for you.  If not, PLEASE let me know.