Direct Messages: New Twists on Twitter for Manufacturers
by Vin DiGioia
Social media juggernaut Twitter has been making a lot of moves in recent weeks. In addition to a quick CEO swap, the service announced two new updates to its direct message (DM) feature that could be very important, overall, as it pertains to Twitter for manufacturers:
- APRIL 2015: Users can now opt to receive direct messages from anyone. (Previously, you would have to be following a user in order to receive direct messages on Twitter.)
- JULY 2015 (expected): Character restriction for direct messages will be increased from 140 to 10,000
While direct messages on Twitter have sometimes been overlooked (and sometimes written off as spam havens), these new changes could signal a change for B2B marketers. These new enhancements could make the direct message feature more enticing as a potential means for communicating with both existing customers and prospects.
Continue Reading[INFOGRAPHIC] Mobile-Friendly Websites for Manufacturers: The Time is Now
by MGB2B
Tablets, smartphones and other mobile devices have shifted the way in which potential customers find and interact with brands online. Now, the biggest name in the search engine game is taking that shift to the next level. In April 2015, Google implemented a change to its algorithm (commonly referred to as “Mobilegeddon”) which places much greater emphasis on whether or not a website is “mobile-friendly”. Basically, it means that if a website is not deemed mobile-friendly, it will not rank well on mobile-based search results. Since mobile usage is continuing to grow at a rapid pace (in 2014, it equaled desktop usage for the first time), this could spell trouble for companies whose websites are behind the times.
To see just how much this change could impact local B2B marketers, we took a closer look at the web presence for a number of manufacturing companies here in Connecticut. Our goal was to see how many mobile-friendly websites for manufacturers existed in the local landscape, as a bellwether for regional and potentially national trends. Using a sample set of 400 Connecticut-based manufacturing companies, we tested the URL for each company using Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test tool; the results were shocking.
Continue ReadingBlogs for B2B Brands Are No Longer Optional
As your B2B brand continues to grow its online presence, you’ll probably be looking for other digital marketing opportunities. If you’ve already taken the steps to ensure your website doesn’t suck, consider yourself ahead of the game. But it doesn’t end there. For most B2B brands, the purpose of their website is to bring in new clients. Whether it’s by providing them with information on the company’s services, or allowing customers to purchase products directly, the ultimate goal of the website is to drive new business. Blogs for B2B brands can play a crucial roll in this as well.
Source: WebDAM.com, 2014
Blogs are one of the top lead generation tools for B2B brands. In 2013, B2B companies that maintained a blog increased their monthly leads by 67%, and by posting 3-4 times per week, saw five times more web traffic. What’s obvious here is that if you aren’t blogging, you should be. Still not convinced? Here are 4 reasons to suck it up and start writing:
Continue Reading