by Fronetics | Nov 20, 2014 | Blog, Marketing, Social Media, Strategy
Last month when Flipboard launched the third version of its mobile news app, Mashable called it “the most personal and magazine-like experience the platform has offered yet”. Compared to previous versions, Flipboard 3.0 seems more adept in curating relevant and individualized content for users – a function that can be traced to Flipboard’s newly acquired, topics-based technology.
Earlier this year when Flipboard acquired Zite from CNN, it announced plans to integrate Zite’s technology into Flipboard’s product, improving its capability to personalize news feeds for users. The company reports that once the full integration is in place, they’ll sun-set the nine year old Zite app. First debuting as an iPad-only application, Zite quickly expanded its reach into the smartphone applications market while concurrently navigating acquisitions by CNN then eventually landing at the giant media aggregation app Flipboard. So what is it, exactly, that CNN and Flipboard found so appealing about Zite? Quite simply, it’s personalization.
What the founders of Zite realized early on, and then successfully developed, was that users wanted an individualized news feed that served up topics-specific content. Not only did Zite deliver on that functionality, but it took news feed generation a step further by introducing an element of fluidity. Over time, the application learned what type of content and topics the user found valuable and used that information to curate highly-relevant material. Setting Zite further apart from competitors was its expertise in culling articles from sources other than what users would typically find on social media or search engine results. Flipboard has positioned themselves well to leverage the Zite technology given their similar user bases and platforms. Indeed, Flipboard 3.0 is both more personal and less personal – striking a balance of topic specific, uniquely-sourced content and trending, staff-curated content.
4 Flipboard Uses for Content Marketers
-
Use it to Promote
If your content strategy includes blog writing and the distribution of your content, you should be using Flipboard. It naturally lends itself to the social promotion of your brand and content. Extending your brand beyond your website is as simple as creating a Flipboard magazine of your products and/or services.
-
Use it to Learn:
Flipboard’s 100 million active readers have already amassed a sizable collection of insightful content about specific topics. No matter what industry you work in, it’s almost guaranteed that you’ll find unique content either generated or curated by industry peers.
-
Use it for Productivity:
You’ve already created great content. Flipboard makes it easy to share content across your existing social networks. Want to send a prospect a product or service listing? Tweet them a link to your Flipboard magazine showcasing your products and services.
-
Use it to Unwind:
Miss the last episode of your favorite show? Catch up by reading show-related content. Want to plan a trip to the beach in February? Browse Flipboard’s travel magazines to find the best hotel deals and insider information about resorts.
You can download Flipboard for free. It is available for iOS, Android, Windows, Blackberry, Kindle Fire & NOOK.
by Fronetics | Nov 19, 2014 | Blog, Leadership, Marketing, Social Media, Strategy, Talent
Networking is often thought of as a (dreaded) job search action item. However, thinking about networking in this manner will leave you at a disadvantage. Networking is an action item necessary for your professional and personal growth.
Those who view networking as more than just a job search must, gain a competitive edge over those who turn to networking only when they are making a job/career change. Glen Llopis puts it this way:
“The more you procrastinate, the more you will find yourself disconnected from the opportunities that may potentially advance your career or allow you to meet the right people.”
How and why does networking matter? Here are five reasons why networking is essential and why connections matter:
- Research has shown that the larger the network, the larger the salary
- Networks beget jobs
- Networks bring opportunities that benefit and feed your career, professional development, and personal interests.
- Networks make people smarter
- Networks make people happy
Moreover, Kathryn Minshew, founder and CEO of The Muse and The Daily Muse, points out that:
“Networks are powerful, and when done right leave you surrounded by a core of individuals who are all rooting for your success and happy to help you.”
One of the greatest networking tools for professionals is LinkedIn. So before you begin, make sure you optimize your LinkedIn profile for success.
by Fronetics | Nov 18, 2014 | Blog, Logistics, Marketing
Cerasis is a top North American third party logistics company offering logistics solutions with a strong focus on LTL freight management. In 2012 the company decided to move from a traditional approach to marketing (ads in print publications and a heavy reliance on referrals) to a digital strategy – inbound marketing.
Within 25 months:
- Visits to the Cerasis website increased by 1,141%;
- Visits to the company blog increased from zero to 46,404;
- Traffic driven by social media increased by 376,150%;
- Organic traffic increased by 4,066%.
Moreover, Cerasis gained 715 leads. Fourteen percent of these leads converted to customers. The 98 new customers Cerasis gained through their inbound marketing efforts generated a 14% increase in revenue.
To learn more about Cerasis’ approach to inbound marketing and for more results, download the case study: 3PL company Cerasis acquires 98 customers through inbound marketing.
by Fronetics | Nov 17, 2014 | Blog
Fronetics’ Kate Lee discusses the role of social media in logistics.
El Viga
by Fronetics | Nov 13, 2014 | Blog, Marketing, Social Media, Strategy, Supply Chain
Founded in 1997, Cerasis is a top North American third party logistics company offering logistics solutions with a strong focus on LTL freight management. For 15 years the company utilized traditional marketing strategies – placing ads in glossy industry publications (print) and relying heavily on referrals. This strategy was effective. The company acquired new customers, retained current customer, and realized positive growth. However, Cerasis was not attracting larger and more sophisticated shippers, and brand awareness was low. Moreover, Cerasis was not perceived as a leader within the industry. The company recognized that in order to catch the attention of their preferred customers, increase brand awareness, and be perceived as a leader within the industry they needed to make substantial changes to their marketing strategy. To overcome these challenges Cerasis decided to shift from their traditional approach to an inbound marketing strategy.
Strategy matters
Understanding that strategy is critical to success, Cerasis took the time to put a strategy in place. Taking a research-based approach to strategy development, Cerasis studied internal company data, trends, and metrics and conducted market research. Using this information Cerasis determined the type of messaging it wanted to share, identified their target audience (buyer persona), and identified the platforms it felt would be the most effective.
Adam Robinson, Director of Marketing at Cerasis, notes that the company took a measured approach:
“Once we had a strategy in place we needed to execute it. We started simply – we posted one piece of content each day.”
Revenue matters
Cerasis’ strategy paid off. Within 25 months Cerasis realized a 14% increase in revenue. This increase was directly attributable to inbound marketing. In addition this stream of revenue, the company’s sales team was able to generate revenue totaling $20 million during this period – more than double the previous two years combined. This can also be linked to the company’s inbound marketing efforts as they increased the company’s brand awareness and positioned Cerasis as a leader within the industry.
To learn more about Cerasis’s approach to inbound marketing and the results realized, download the case study: 3PL Cerasis acquires 98 new customers through inbound marketing.
by Fronetics | Nov 12, 2014 | Blog
What the supply chain industry needs to know about proving social media ROI
Eye for Transport
