Kartfight gives UK companies the green light to battle it out on Europe’s best indoor kart track

Kartfight is challenging companies to take to the track to compete against each other in high-powered go-karts in a unique team building and networking experience. Over 100 companies from seven different industry sectors including:, estate agencies, tech, marcomms, recruitment, finance, law and management consultancies will take part, attempting to beat last year’s winner, Facebook. Kartfight [more…]

from TheMarketingblog http://www.themarketingblog.co.uk/2016/05/kartfight-gives-uk-companies-the-green-light-to-battle-it-out-on-europe%e2%80%99s-best-indoor-kart-track/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=kartfight-gives-uk-companies-the-green-light-to-battle-it-out-on-europe%25e2%2580%2599s-best-indoor-kart-track

New study shows how stair use boosts health and cuts lift waiting times and carbon emissions

Key findings: Flexible working practices such as hot desking and flexitime are increasing lift waiting times in office buildings Lifts are burning up to 36% more energy than predicted by manufacturers Major companies installing stair promotion and incentivisation schemes to boost productivity and cut emissions Lifts/elevators in modern office buildings are creating unacceptable lift waiting [more…]

from TheMarketingblog http://www.themarketingblog.co.uk/2016/05/new-study-shows-how-stair-use-boosts-health-and-cuts-lift-waiting-times-and-carbon-emissions/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=new-study-shows-how-stair-use-boosts-health-and-cuts-lift-waiting-times-and-carbon-emissions

Title Tag Length Guidelines: 2016 Edition

Posted by Dr-Pete

For the past couple of weeks, Google has been testing a major change to the width of the left-hand column, expanding containers from 512 pixels to 600 (a 17% increase). Along with this change, Google has increased the available length of result titles:

This naturally begs the question — how many characters can we fit into a display title now? When Google redesigned SERPs in 2014, I recommended a limit of 55 characters. Does a 17% bigger container mean we’ve got 9 more characters to work with?

Not so fast, my friend…

This is where things get messy. It’d be great if we could just count the characters and be done with it, but things are never quite that easy. We’ve got three complications to consider:

(1) Character widths vary

Google uses the Arial font for result titles, and Arial is proportional. In other words, different characters occupy different amounts of space. A lower- case ‘l’ is going to occupy much less space than an upper-case ‘W’. The total width is measured in pixels, not characters, and the maximum amount you can fit in that space depends on what you’re trying to say.

In our 10,000-keyword tracking set, the title below is the longest cut or uncut display title we measured, clocking in at 77 characters:

This title has 14 i's and lowercase l's, 10 lowercase t's, and 3 narrow punctuation marks, creating a character count bonanza. To count this title and say that yours can be 77 characters would be dangerously misleading.

(2) Titles break at whole words

Prior to this change, Google was breaking words at whatever point the cut-off happened. Now, they seem to be breaking titles at whole words. If the cut happens in the middle of a long word, the remaining length might be considerably shorter. For example, here's a word that's just not going to fit into your display title twice, and so the cut comes well short of the full width:

(3) Google is appending brands

In some cases, Google is cutting off titles and then appending the brand to the end. Unfortunately, this auto-appended brand text still occupies space and counts against your total allowance. This was the shortest truncated display title in our data set, measuring only 34 words pre-cut:

The brand text "- The Homestead" was appended by Google and is not part of the sites <TITLE> tag. The next word in the title was "Accommodations", so the combination of the brand add-on and long word made for a very truncated title.

Data from 10,000 searches

Examples can be misleading, so we wanted to take a deeper dive. We pulled all of the page-1 display titles from the 10,000-keyword MozCast tracking set, which ends up being just shy of 90,000 titles. Uncut titles don't tell us much, since they can be very short in some cases. So, let's focus on the titles that got cut. Here are the character lengths (not counting " ...") of the cut titles:

We've got a fairly normal distribution (skewed a little to the right) with both a mean and median right around 63. So, is 63 our magic number? Not quite. Roughly half the cut titles in our data set had less than 63 characters, so that's still a fairly risky length.

The trick is to pick a number where we feel fairly confident that the title won't be cut off, on average (a guaranteed safe zone for all titles would be far too restrictive). Here are a few select percentages of truncated titles that were above a certain character length:

• 55% of cut titles >= 63 (+2) characters
• 91% of cut titles >= 57 (+2) characters
• 95% of cut titles >= 55 (+2) characters
• 99% of cut titles >= 48 (+2) characters

In research, we might stick to a 95% or 99% confidence level (note: this isn't technically a confidence interval, but the rationale is similar), but I think 90% confidence is a decent practical level. If we factor in the " ...", that gives us about +2 characters. So, my recommendation is to keep your titles under 60 characters (57+2 = 59).

Keep in mind, of course, that cut-offs aren't always bad. A well placed "..." might actually increase click-through rates on some titles. A fortuitous cut-off could create suspense, if you trust your fortunes to Google:

Now that titles are cut at whole words, we also don't have to worry about text getting cut off at confusing or unfortunate spots. Take, for example, the dangerous predicament of The International Association of Assemblages of Assassin Assets:

Prior to the redesign, their titles were a minefield. Yes, that contributed nothing to this post, but once I had started down that road, it was already too late.

So, that's it then, right?

Well, no. As Google evolves and adapts to a wider range of devices, we can expect them to continue to adjust and test display titles. In fact, they're currently test a new, card-style format for desktop SERPs where each result is boxed and looks like this:

We're not even entirely sure that the current change is permanent. The narrower format is still appearing for some people under some conditions. If this design sticks, then I'm comfortable saying that keeping your title length under 60 characters will prevent the majority of cut-offs.

Note: People have been asking when we'll update our title tag tool. We're waiting to make sure that this design change is permanent, but will try to provide an update ASAP. Updates and a link to that tool will appear in this post when we make a final decision.

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from The Moz Blog http://tracking.feedpress.it/link/9375/3484889

A ‘ploy on words’ special laughter spot : Newspaper headline: Energizer Bunny arrested – charged with battery.

Newspaper headline: Energizer Bunny arrested – charged with battery. A man’s home is his castle, in a manor of speaking. A pessimist’s blood type is always b-negative. My wife really likes to make pottery, but to me, it’s just kiln time. Dijon vu – the same mustard as before. Practice safe eating – always use [more…]

from TheMarketingblog http://www.themarketingblog.co.uk/2016/05/a-ploy-on-words-special-laughter-spot-newspaper-headline-energizer-bunny-arrested-charged-with-battery/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=a-ploy-on-words-special-laughter-spot-newspaper-headline-energizer-bunny-arrested-charged-with-battery

What Areas Are Big Brands Focusing On for their Marketing Strategies in 2016?

Every year we see trends emerge and marketing strategies appear and disappear, having their turn to be at the forefront of the minds of companies. Various trends appear and dominate brands everywhere constantly, as the marketing landscape changes year by year. Creating, building and maintaining a brand is an important process and one that is [more…]

from TheMarketingblog http://www.themarketingblog.co.uk/2016/05/what-areas-are-big-brands-focusing-on-for-their-marketing-strategies-in-2016/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=what-areas-are-big-brands-focusing-on-for-their-marketing-strategies-in-2016

10 Excellent Examples of Video Marketing on Facebook

Over recent years, the criteria for engagement on social media has evolved from announcing your brand or product to finding a way to tell a story.

Quality branded video campaigns allow companies to project said story in some really creative and unique ways. Whether you're spreading brand awareness, announcing a new product, or launching a company, great branded video makes customers feel an emotional connection. And that emotional reaction can be really powerful.

In fact, a recent survey by eZanga found that 30% of respondents were less likely to skip video content if it was humorous. And research by Dr. Karen Nelson-Field found that 65% of videos that elicited a feeling of exhilaration were most remembered.

When it comes to finding the right platform to promote your video, Facebook is a strong contender. In fact, just this past January it announced that platform now sees 100 million hours of daily video watch time. So to help inspire your video marketing efforts on Facebook, I put together a list of 10 clever examples from brands like Apple, LG, BMW, and more. Check them out below.

10 Excellent Examples of Video Marketing on Facebook

1) #TAYLORvsTREADMILL | Apple

When it comes to storytelling and connecting with an audience, Apple is among the marketing elite. Recently, they teamed up with the biggest voice in the anti-streaming movement to promote their new subscription music service, Apple Music.

What’s great about this video is that Apple and Taylor Swift managed to create something that is relatable -- regardless of her celebrity status. Everyone knows someone who has fallen while running on the treadmill, and there’s something even more hilarious about knowing that this happened to Swift, too. 

3) #DayItForward | Chevrolet

Chevrolet has always been quick to adopt new marketing advances and incorporate them into their strategy. For the #DayItForward campaign, Chevrolet launched multiple videos on Leap Day to promote goodwill and of course, a positive brand image.

Rather than leveraging humor like the Apple video, it provokes empathy with viewers. Who doesn’t get the warm fuzzies when watching videos of people giving back? Now, those sentimental feelings translate with consumers when thinking about Chevrolet.

“The Chevy #DayItForward campaign resonated strongly with its audience because it was at once entertaining and informative while being tastefully branded,” said the CEO of Philo Media, Kevin Allodi. “Celebrity talent helps draw people in, but to keep them engaged you have to deliver authentic storytelling."

4) Story for a Cause | Unicef

Over the past few years, you've likely seen a ton of media coverage surrounding the Syrian refugee crisis. The political debate that ensued prompted Unicef to create a video that transforms the headlines into a story that tugs at the heartstrings of its viewers.

The video turns the political issue into a humanizing and heartbreaking story, that’s meant to shine a positive light on a global issue. This is a powerful example of using a current controversial event to spread brand awareness and a positive message.

Note: While this video has been well received by many, it's important that brands are incredibly careful and thoughtful when creating content around a controversial issue. 

5) #LikeAGirl | Always

Always is perfectly in tune with their audience when it comes to their advertising campaigns. The newest video in the series reaches out to a younger demographic by raising a concerning question about the gender bias in emojis.

While Always does incorporate a controversial topic into the story, the newest #LikeAGirl video was a success because of their use of supporting stats. Using the stats and accompanying them with concerns from the girls featured in the video packs a powerful message that leaves little room for criticism.

6) #LowBatteryAnxiety | LG

The mobile device market is extremely competitive. LG’s newest video campaign strives to stand out in a market dominated by Samsung and Apple. They achieve their goal by telling a story that is hilariously relatable.

Low battery anxiety is real, people. There’s something about a phone’s battery diving into the single digits that send people into panic mode. LG used the relatable crisis and exaggerated it to create a video that features a dramatic support group that helps people cope with anxiety driven by a low battery. People love to make fun of themselves and LG tapped into the perfect scenario for this campaign.

7) Groups | Facebook 

Since the conception of Facebook, the social networking service has evolved from a collegiate platform to one for the whole family. The company has become infused in our society, making FOMO, or the fear of missing out, a real thing.

Meeting friends, and sharing your life with those friends, is the business of Facebook. The platform’s ‘Groups’ video perfectly portrays how it helps people connect with others who share similar interests. It creatively identifies how users can benefit from using Facebook by providing a clearly defined problem and a beginning, middle, and end.

2) Save a Bro You Know | Organic Valley

In Organic Valley’s new video campaign, they embraced their "inner bro" in an effort to promote their new line of protein drinks.

What’s great about this video is that it hilariously (yet, not maliciously) pokes fun at the target audience, while also identifying the downfalls of their competitors' products. Not to mention, they cleverly found a way to increase their share count and views by having users send the video to other "bros" they know on Facebook and other social channels. By urging viewers to rally support for this faux cause, Organic Valley was able to expand the reach of the video and get more out of their investment.

8) #LoveAtFirstTaste | Knorr 

Food is said to be the one thing that is always certain to bring families together. In their latest video campaign, Knorr -- a spices and seasonings company -- suggests that food and all its flavor has the ability to not only bring families together, but also help people find love.

With this genius video, Knorr found a way to connect with a huge audience -- garnering over 31 million views in a single week. Everyone loves food and most everyone has experienced love or the desire to be loved. By connecting their product with a human emotion, the video resonates even further with its audience -- all while promoting a positive brand image.

Knorr even created an accompanying quiz for viewers, to help them find their own unique flavor profile to assist in their quest for love ... or just great recipes.

9) Tea vs. Photo | ROC Live Life Loud

Roc Live Life Loud, a speaker and headphone brand by Cristiano Ronaldo and Monster, uses Real Madrid’s star forward to their full advantage in Tea vs. Photo.

While the campaign is obviously centered around Cristiano Ronaldo and has little to do with the brand itself, there’s something to be said about the tasteful product placement in the video. It shows a prime example of how the most successful video ads focus more on the story, than the product itself.

10) #EyesOnGiGi | BMW 

Using new innovative technology is a great way to stand out from the competition and captivate an audience. BMW took advantage of Facebook’s latest 360 video technology for their most recent campaign featuring model Gigi Hadid.

Sometimes companies struggle when advertising with new technology. However, BMW does a perfect job of utilizing the 360 video by making the content interactive. (Not to mention, having Gigi Hadid as part of the campaign never hurts.) But what really makes this campaign a success is its interactive game that drives viewers to the website to play and share with friends and family.

What's your favorite Facebook video ad? Share your thoughts in the comments.

from HubSpot Marketing Blog http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/facebook-video-marketing-examples

10 Free Apps Worth Checking Out on the Google App Marketplace

In today’s world, everything needs to be faster, easier, and free to get our attention. I sometimes wonder how anyone got anything done in the days before the internet.

While on one hand it’s a little scary to realise how much we depend on digital apps to run a business, on the other hand, it also makes our lives a whole lot easier. 

Just take a scroll through Google's Apps Marketplace. You'll find everything from reporting tools, to accounting software, to business card creators. And as of this week, you can even find HubSpot CRM there. 

While we were busy admiring our new listing, we decided to round up a few of the most helpful free tools we also came across. Check them out below.

(Note: While some of the apps on this list do offer paid options with more advanced features, each of them has a free option available.)

The Top 10 Free Apps on the Google App Marketplace

1) Kami

• What is it? A cloud-based all-in-one document viewer and markup tool.
• What does it do? Kami allows you to view, annotate, share, and collaborate on your files on Chrome.
• How can you use it? This tool is particularly useful for folks that frequently collaborate with team members or partners on content or the creation of formal documents such as co-marketing agreements, as it makes it easy to communicate edits.

[Find it on the Google App Marketplace] 

2) Mindomo

• What is it? A mind mapping and concept building tool.
• What does it do? Mindomo allows you to visually outline complex concepts, tasks, ideas, and other related information in a structured form.
• How can I use it? When it comes to planning out a marketing campaign, you need to think about content assets, promotional channels, budget allocation, and coordination of a hundred different things to get it to launch. This tool can help to organise your ideas and ensure a smooth transition from concept to campaign.

[Find it on the Google App Marketplace]

3) Weekdone Weekly Reporting

• What is it? A simple and fast reporting tool for teams.
• What does it do? It quickly generates team reports for managers to review.
• How can I use it? Sometimes it can be hard for managers to spend time with every employee to discuss how things are going. With this free tool you simply fill in your progress, plans, and problems in minutes and it will send an automatic email report to your manager.

[Find it on the Google App Marketplace]

4) SurveyLegend

• What is it? A free survey tool.
• What does it do? SurveyLegend allows you to create mobile-ready online surveys and forms on your tablet or PC.
• How can I use it? Whether you want to ask for customer feedback, perform buyer persona research, or collect data for a cool piece of content you're working on, surveys are a part of a marketer's life. This app allows you to create engaging surveys without installing software and offers real-time results.

[Find it on the Google App Marketplace]

5) LucidPress

• What is it? A free design tool.
• What does it do? The tool allows you to easily create brochures, newsletters, magazines, reports, and more without any design programs or skills.
• How can I use it? Now you can create stunning visual content for print, mobile, or web without relying on your designer or freelancer. 

[Find it on the Google Apps Marketplace]

6) Save Emails (Google Sheets Add-on)

• What is it? A tool that stores email content.
• What does it do? This free tool downloads email messages and file attachments from Gmail and automatically saves them to Google Drive as searchable pdf files.
• How can I use it? You can use the add-on to easily backup important emails, video files, large images, Microsoft Office documents, travel receipts, and other emails from Gmail to your Google Drive.

[Find it on the Google Apps Marketplace] 

7) Zipbooks

• What is it? A free accounting software.
• What does it do? It looks after things like time tracking, online invoicing, project management, and auto-billing so you can stay more organised.
• How can I use it? With this tool, you can become more efficient in your project management with clients, freelancers, or agencies. It should also help you with budget allocation and keeping tabs on important information to send to your finance department. 

[Find it on the Google Apps Marketplace]

8) HubSpot CRM  

• What is it? A free customer relationship management system.
• What does it do? HubSpot CRM keeps track of all of your contacts (prospects, customers, and past customers) and their interactions with your company across the buyer’s journey.
• How can I use it? This free CRM makes it really easy to add, nurture, and track customers along the buyer’s journey. It provides a deals dashboard, call recording, and email templates. It also integrates with the HubSpot Marketing Platform for valuable sales and marketing alignment.

[Find it on the Google Apps Marketplace]

9) GQueues

• What is it? A task management tool.
• What does it do? GQueues is a collaborative online task manager for Google and Google Apps users.
• How can I use it? With just a couple of clicks, your emails, web pages, and anything else of interest are added to your task list. Your tasks then appear in your Google Calendar and in your task list on the right-hand side of your calendar.

[Find it on the Google Apps Marketplace]

10) LogoMix

• What is it? An app to create business cards.
• What does it do? This app enables you to design and print new business cards quickly and easily.
• How can I use it? With just a few clicks you can design some slick, on-brand business cards without needing to bother your designer. Although this app is not 100% free, your first batch of business cards is, and they are a very low price after that to get more printed.

[Find it on the Google Apps Marketplace]

What app are you most excited to try out? Share your thoughts below.

from HubSpot Marketing Blog http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/free-google-apps