Facebook Acquires Video Advertising Start-Up LiveRail

They Know What Users Want, Now To Sell It To Them

Facebook has acquired LiveRail, a start-up which develops ways for companies to focus video ads on their sites more directly to consumers. As the largest platform for the publishing of video adverts across a variety of sites, delivering over seven billion targeted video ads every month, the purchase of LiveRail marks a definitive move on Facebook’s part to further monetise the growing capacity of mobile devices in particular to integrate video into users’ News Feeds.

Source: mashable.com

The social networking site first trialled auto-playing ads at the end of 2013, and auto-playing videos were introduced into all users’ News Feeds in March of this year. This acquisition demonstrates Facebook’s commitment to this movement, and can be seen as a challenge to the growing threat of Twitter and that company’s long-term integration of corporately sponsored Tweets into users’ feeds. It also shows the impact which mobile browsing has had on the company’s business model; Snapchat’s recent introduction of sponsored Snaps suggests that Facebook is not alone in seeing video advertising as a significant aspect of the future of monetised mobile social media.

LiveRail’s reported purchase price of up to £291 million reinforces Facebook’s perceived commitment to targeted advertising as a large part of the company’s revenue stream. Targeted is the key word here; while the traditional models of advertising have prized volume above all else, LiveRail’s expertise in tailoring adverts to specific demographics and even to individual users is another indicator of the paradigm shift which mass engagement with social media has brought about.

Just as Tumblr have been careful not to disrupt or alienate existing users as they introduce advertising to their site by attempting to ensure that people only see ads which are of genuine interest, so too do Facebook hope to create an environment in which suggested content is almost indistinguishable from user-selected content.

Currently Facebook tracks the browsing history of users even outside of Facebook – a person searching for flights to Venice, for example, may then see ads on their Feed for hotels and restaurants in Venice. This extensive data mining, combined with the technology for tailored ads which LiveRail will bring, should attract advertisers who may previously have been concerned that their products were too specific to be worth dropping into the maelstrom of Facebook’s 1.11 billion monthly users.

Source: sify.com

This is not only a move to ensure direct profits. Next week Facebook will release its quarterly earnings, and with their share price still not as robust as some may have hoped by this stage their purchase of LiveRail could be seen as a move to reassure investors that the company is still focused on growing a more diverse array of revenue streams. Alongside their introduction of promoted posts earlier this year and their trialling of a ‘Buy’ button on businesses’ pages from last week, this latest move should suggest to shareholders that the company is at least open to experimenting with methods of monetising which consist of more than simply a string of ads down the right side of the page which are ignored more often than not.

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The 7 Secrets of Running a Wildly Popular Blog

Did you ever wonder why some blogs attract tons of readers and others don’t?

Of course you’ve wondered. We all have. Because if you’re reading this blog, you almost certainly have a blog of your own. You think it’s great, and you want lots of other people to think it’s great too.

So what’s the answer? Why do some blogs become more popular than others?

There are lots of reasons why people flock to certain blogs, but I think one of the most important is that popular blogs are written by popular people — the sort of people who attract others.

And becoming a popular person isn’t just a matter of fate or genes. It’s something you can work on.

I’m not saying content isn’t important when you’re creating a popular blog. Content for the best blogs is almost always top-notch, interesting, and informative — and that takes work.

But a blog isn’t just about work or great content.

Think about the most popular person you know in your personal life. What is it about them that attracts other people? Brains? Skill? Knowledge? These things could be part of it, but don’t you also know popular people who aren’t the smartest, the most skilled, or the best-educated?

When giving the commencement speech to the Vassar class of 1983, Meryl Streep said this:

Real Life is actually a lot more like high school. The common denominator prevails. Excellence is not always recognized or rewarded. What we watch on our screens, whom we elect, are determined to a large extent by public polls. Looks count. A lot. And unlike the best of the college experience, when ideas and solutions somehow seem attainable if you just get up early, stay up late, try hard enough, and find the right source or method, things on the outside sometimes seem vast and impossible …

In other words, success isn’t necessarily about competence. It’s often about likeability. People like to spend time with people they like.

The same applies to blogs. Success often depends on likeability. How you come across. Your vibe. Your attitude and personality.

And if I were to break this down into specific tips, I’d say there are 7 secrets for making your blog (and you) more popular.

1. Have a conversation

People don’t like to be lectured or talked down to. They just like to talk. And a blog is really a form of conversation between you and your readers. Even if people don’t always directly communicate with you or leave comments, the tone of your posts should be more or less conversational.

Don’t write like you’re delivering a sermon. Write like you’re chatting with a friend. Keep it easy and informal.

2. Lighten up

You don’t have to tell jokes, but it’s smart to keep things light-hearted. Consider the Men with Pens blog. James always has a lot of fun when writing a post, and her sense of humor makes the information more readable and entertaining.

Your readers are probably having a tough day. Their desk is groaning under the weight of all their projects. The economy is crappy and their life is full of responsibility.

If they read your blog and come away feeling just a little happier, they’ll keep coming back.

3. Be yourself

After all, people are not coming to your blog just to acquire knowledge. They’re dropping by to visit you.

Which means you have to be there.

That means revealing a little about yourself, sharing the occasional personal photo, posting videos where you talk to your readers, letting people know what’s going on with you.

For example, in a recent Pro Copy Tips post, I mentioned that I visited Las Vegas for my sister’s wedding. I show a photo of me standing in front of the famous welcome sign on a sweltering afternoon. I mention playing the slots and losing a little money. (Only a buck. I’m not much of a gambler.)

And all this served as an introduction to thoughts about how writers take risks, so it remained informative and focused on the reader.

4. Be nice

Yes, your mom was right. You have to be nice.

Don’t be a diva. Answer your emails. Respond to comments. Be polite even when a reader makes the occasional stupid remark or a troll flames you for no good reason.

The people who are rude to you are having a bad day, or a bad life, and they want to share their frustration and anger with you. But it’s their problem, not yours. They want to provoke you. Don’t let them.

If anyone gets out of control on your blog, don’t bicker about it. Just delete the comment and move on.

5. Get over yourself

When you think about it, blogs are really kind of egotistical. You have to think pretty highly of yourself to assume other people want to hear what you have to say day after day.

There’s nothing wrong with a healthy ego, but your blog really isn’t about you. It’s about your readers.

It may seem counterintuitive, but the more you cater to your readers needs, the more popular and profitable your blog can become. The more you give, the more you get. The world is full of self-centered and stingy bloggers. Don’t be one of them.

(I realize this might seem to contradict #3. There’s a delicate balance there. You want to share enough of yourself to make a connection, but still keep your focus on your audience.)

6. Help people

Isn’t this the whole point of a blog, especially one that’s wildly popular? Why do you visit Copyblogger or Lifehacker or Chris Brogan, or any of the other top blogs?

Because they offer you lots of stuff without necessarily expecting something in return. The people who run these blogs are constantly thinking about how they can help you.

Again, think about the people in your personal life. You probably know that one person who is always willing to help, no matter what you need.

Why do you keep going back to that person? Because you know they’ll say “yes” when most others will say no. Helpful people are popular people.

7. Stop trying so hard

Yes, you need to work at your blog. You should write good posts. You should offer solid information. You might even put in long hours.

But don’t push too hard. Relax. Enjoy it. Make it part of your life. If you’re desperate for success, that desperation will show.

It’s like dating: there’s a fine line between wooing someone and stalking them. I mean, have you ever had someone get a crush on you and start trailing you like a puppy? It’s annoying. And a little creepy.

No matter how much you want success, just remember that it comes fast for some and slower for others.

There’s a moderately popular blog I used to enjoy. Then the people who run it announced a product. From that day forward, every post was about their product. Every link pointed to a sales page. The blog was no longer a conversation. It was a relentless sales pitch. I don’t visit any more.

Meryl Streep was right. Life is like high school. And success has a lot to do with being popular. So … be popular.

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How to Get Targeted Traffic to Your Website

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   Publish articles around your keywords on as many sites as possible. There are quite a few article sites that have articles you can use or edit for your needs. Then there are article submitters that will place your article on a bunch of sites at once for you.
   Ad
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   Consider starting a 'webzine'. There are also webzines,(online-magazines), that specialize in articles, and have large memberships that will possibly read your article and hopefully follow a link to your site that you place with the article. Using this method causes links to your site from the sites you've put it on and results in more traffic.
   • Be wary of content farms. Google search is not nice to them.
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   Another great way to get traffic is to join the social sites. They are popping up at an ever-increasing rate. By socializing with others on the net through these sites, everything you join or participate in gives you more people to see your site. And, if you're selling stuff from your site, you'll want to go to the places (interest groups) on the social site where people are interested in what you're selling.
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   Distribute an E-book all over the Internet with your links in it. These can be made quite easily with software you can get by searching on Google or by checking at the bottom of this article for a link. These can also be put on social sites and webzines for them. Again, wherever you put them causes a link back to your site.
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   Set up a blog. These are a very good method for getting traffic to your site and they are free. You can start one at one of many free blog sites. Then you set up a feed for content and then go to other blogs with the same topics or fields of interests and read and comment on their articles. As well a lot allow you to post your article which gives you more traffic.
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   Have a Press Release. There are sites that will send a news type story about your new product or info on your site to a lot of other sites. Some of these are pay sites though, so you have to watch out.
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   Use Google. Google Adwords is the most popular method for traffic. Since they are the top search engine right now it make sense to advertise there if you can afford it. You bid on keywords to get your site at the top of the search when your keyword comes up. There is more involved but it's all laid out at Google. There are a lot of other sites that use this advertising strategy called pay per click or PPC.
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   Submit your site to search engines. Another popular way of getting traffic is with a search engine submitter, where a site will send your link to many search engines at once for a price. The more search engines you want to be on, the higher the price. There are a few free programs you can use but they usually don't submit to too many at once.
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   Buy leads from a lead selling site. These are supposed to be email addresses of people that have signed up to receive offers. You just have to watch that they have good fresh "double opting" leads of people who requested more information about your particular field or you could be marked as a spammer. Some of these sites will email them for you with your own email or you can buy separate leads and use a separate email site for the mailing. There are email programs you can use but then you have a problem that Internet providers usually only allow up to 500 emails per day, and if you're doing it every day they might (rightfully) accuse you of spamming and shut down your connection.
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Social Media Playing A Part In The Rising Complaints Against Doctors

Doctors Under Fire On Social Media?

A recent report commissioned by the General Medical Council has revealed that a rise in complaints against doctors reflects the role of social media and negative press coverage of the medical profession as a whole.

Source: blog.cureus.com

It comes after the revelation that complaints by the general public against GPs doubled between 2007 and 2012, and as a result, a research team from Plymouth was asked to investigate the dramatic increase.

The numerics are stated in the report, and it is identified that the number of complaints went from 5,168 in 2007 to 10,347 just five years later.

Despite the numeric details, the report did not point to any specific cause for the rise in complaints made by the general public. Instead, it rather ambitiously chose to identify a number of trends that it says have influenced the general public, and correlated these trends with the rise in complaints.

The report suggested that patients are now more aware of their own health, and therefore have much higher expectations of doctors. This attitude results in a shift in power relations between the two parties, andultimately removes doctors from the pedestal.

As well as this, the report said that social media had a role to play in the rise in complaints, as it encouraged people to discuss their previous experiences with the medical profession. This has been conducted in dedicated public forums and this ensured that specific information about health care could be shared easily and accessed by all.

The biggest influence on the general public is the negative press in the media, and this is also highlighted in the report.

Whilst the media coverage of high-profile medical cases may have had an influence on the rise in complaints, the report also suggested that this also gave rise to more complaints that were not relevant to the GMC, which regulates GPs in the United Kingdom.

Source: pando.com

The lead author of the report, Dr Julian Archer, said that the report had produced “some fascinating findings.” He said: “they show that the forces behind a rise in complaints against doctors are hugely complex and reflect a combination of increased public awareness, media influence, the role of social media technology and wider changes in society.”

He added that “the report also indicated that there is much to do to improve the wider complaint handling system, so that complaints made by the general public about their doctors are directed to the appropriate authorities.”

The research certainly brings up some interesting points, without outlaying hard evidence. Social media gets a hard time in the report, as these conversations about healthcare were happening long before the birth of social media, but they were conducted in private.

The more sinister reason for the rise in complaints is the negative media influence, and a possible government agenda to privatise the NHS.

The mass media will always have great control over the general public, so it comes to no surprise that with all the negative press that surrounds the medical profession, people have chosen to complain. It is a subtle form of indoctrination, and maybe by citing social media as a heavy influence on people’s negative connotations towards doctors, the researchers have been indoctrinated also.

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how to write great marketing copy for your startup

You’ve got a great product, it can speak for itself, right? Wrong. Well, unless it can *actually* speak for itself like Siri or Speak and Spell. The point is, failure to communicate your brand’s message and your product’s place in the market can spell startup death. Here, copywriter Tim Gregg explains how to get the message right…

 

Bad communication is the leading cause of startup failure. For lack of a coherent message, many great ideas never get off the ground. The concept is lost in a fog of clumsy sentences and vague descriptions. No-one gets it.

Copywriting is a skill every entrepreneur should master. You might have the Next Big Thing up your sleeve, but until you can explain it convincingly to a general audience, who cares?

You don’t need a marketing agency or a degree in creative writing – just an appreciation of how language works. Follow these simple rules to write better copy for your website, press release, or email campaign…

Keep it short

Especially on the web. Brevity is the golden rule of online copywriting. The average netizen has a three-second attention span, so cut the bullshit and get straight to the point.

Never use five words when three will do. Look through your copy and delete every word that doesn’t need to be there. Strip each sentence down to its bare essentials.

• Bad: “It’s our pleasure to announce the latest product in our range”
• Good: “We’re pleased to announce our latest product”

• Bad: “The new app we are building is for lovers of music”
• Good: “We’re building a new app for music lovers.”

• Bad: “We specialise in designing beautiful websites”
• Good: “We design beautiful websites.”

Avoid phrases like “there are” and “you can”. Most sentences work better without them.

• Bad: “There are three advantages to using our product”
• Good: “Our product has three advantages”

• Bad: “You can get updates by following us on Twitter”
• Good: “Follow us on Twitter for updates”

Shorter sentences are clear and punchy, and let you fit more information in each paragraph. By writing less you can say more.

Use the inverted pyramid

 

Everyone reads your headline. Most people read your subhead; maybe half read your first paragraph. But less than 20 per cent will read your copy all the way to the end.

So don’t waste your opening lines – that’s the prime real estate. Structure your copy like an inverted pyramid: big stuff at the top, small stuff at the bottom. Your first 20-30 words should answer the most important questions:

• What’s the product/service?

• What does it do?

• Who is it for?

• What’s the USP?

Use the later paragraphs to present secondary features and smaller details. But always state the important facts at the very beginning. Readers should get the gist of your product or service at first glance.

Keep it simple

Big, fancy words are the telltale sign of an amatuer writer. The best copywriting uses plain English and a conversational tone.

Replace big words with smaller ones whenever you can. Sometimes you need two or three small words to replace a big one; other times one small word replaces an entire clunky phrase.

• Bad: “We are embarking on a large project”
• Good: “We’re starting a big project”

• Bad: “We endeavour to provide an outstanding service”
• Good: “We work hard to provide a great service”

• Bad: “Our HQ is located in the vicinity of several major tech firms”
• Good: “Our HQ is near several big tech firms”

Check the thesaurus before using a big word. And never (ever) use those lame corporate buzzwords such as “leverage,” “synergy,” or “value-added”. They mean nothing at all and make you sound like a certified dumbass.

Some pointers on style

Anyone serious about writing copy should read The Elements of Style by William Strunk & EB White. The book is nearly a hundred years old, but the basic mechanics of good writing haven’t changed. For example:

Use the active voice

Sentences in which the subject performs the verb are tighter and more direct than sentences written in the passive voice.

• Passive: “Our service is recommended by thousands of customers”
• Active: “Thousands of customers recommend our service”

• Passive: “New ideas are always being worked on by our team.”
• Active: “Our team is always working on new ideas”

Use the positive form

Don’t sour the mood with negative words. Get rid of not, don’t, can’t and make a positive statement instead.

• Negative: “We don’t accept bad-quality submissions”
• Positive: “We only accept high-quality submissions”

Be certain

Make your statements clear and definitive. Cut out the weak quantifiers like mostly, almost, nearly, just about…

• Bad: “We are mostly focused on social game development”
• Good: “We focus on social game development”

Edit, then edit some more

No-one writes a masterpiece on the first draft. Relentless editing is the only way to produce lean, effective copy. Be hard on yourself – look critically at everything you write. Keep chopping and changing until you’re satisfied. The learning curve is steep, but soon enough you’ll find your voice. Now dust off that keyboard and get cracking…

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6 Simple Steps to Writing Seductive Web Copy

How seductive are you?

I’m not a great seducer.

I don’t have a string of conquests to boast about. I’m no modern Cleopatra.

But as a marketer and copywriter, I’ve studied the seductive techniques that big brands use to win customers.

How does Apple tempt us to part with our hard-earned cash and trade in a perfectly fine iPhone 4 for an iPhone 5?

How did Amazon ever persuade me to read books on a Kindle when I love the look, feel, and smell of real books?

The “secret” to writing seductive web copy is to follow a proven 6-step process.

To get started, you need to know exactly who you want to seduce …

1. Describe your ideal reader

Describing (and visualizing) your ideal reader makes your web copy much more vivid and personal.

This doesn’t mean that you will sell your product or service only to that person. It means that whoever closely matches your ideal reader should feel that your content is written for him.

Your ideal reader should become like an imaginary friend. You should know your ideal reader so well that you can start a conversation with her at any time. You know when she shakes her head because you say something she doesn’t agree with. You know what makes her smile or laugh. You know the questions she asks. You know how to charm and flatter her.

When describing your ideal reader, don’t just think about demographics like age, gender, income, education, and family circumstances. Do you know what he dreams of achieving? And what keeps her awake at 3am?

Whenever you’re writing web copy, imagine that you’re writing for your ideal reader. Your writing will become more charming, more interesting, and more persuasive.

2. Create a comprehensive list of features, benefits, and objections

You love to talk about your company. Your products. Your services.

Maybe you’re excited about the recent improvements you’ve made to your service, or about the new skills you’ve learned. Or, maybe you’ve spent many months developing new features for your products.

You’re selling your product or service, so that’s what you need to write about,right?

Wrong.

The hard truth is that nobody is interested in you, your company, or your products, because people are only interested in themselves.

Famous direct response copywriters like John Caples, Eugene Schwartz, and Joe Sugarman have all said it: To sell your products, you need to focus on the benefitsto your readers.

Before you start writing your web copy, finalize your research:

• Create a full list of features and specifications
• Translate each feature into a benefit for your ideal reader
• Consider the problems you help avoid
• Write down the objections to buying from you and decide how you can address them

Doing research and planning your web copy will help you create more seductive web copy.

3. Develop an enticing value proposition

Is your value proposition your magic pick-up line?

Many guys think you only need to know a few magic words to seduce a girl, but that’s — of course — far from the truth. You need to know the right words to start a conversation, so that a girl gives you the opportunity to show her how much fun it is to be with you.

Your value proposition isn’t a magic pick-up line either. It’s your conversationstarter. It entices your ideal reader to learn more about you.

A value proposition usually consists of a headline, possibly a subheading, and three to five bullet points. Your headline can simply state what you do or mention the key benefit of working with you.

Web visitors are in a hurry; they make lightning decisions as to whether a website is right for them or not. Your headline should be clear, credible, and concise. Don’t use clever wordplay.

As usability expert Steve Krug suggests: Don’t make your web visitors think!

4. Write a first draft

Let’s say a new reader has arrived at your site …

Your headline and bullet points encourage her to find out more about you. You’ve started a conversation; and now you need to charm her with your product or service — you need to describe your offer and persuade your web visitor to take action.

You might want a web visitor to buy directly from you, to set up a free initial consultation, or to sign up for your e-newsletter. But you need to persuade her to take action and address her objections to doing so.

If you have your list of features, benefits, and objections, it’s easy to decide which content to use on which page. Make your copy comprehensive and persuasive by mentioning all benefits of working with you, and by addressing all objections your visitor may have.

Writing web copy that works simply means persuading your ideal reader to take the next step in the selling process. Make sure your prospect knows what next step to take.

Feel free to be bossy and tell him exactly what to do NOW 

5. Edit your copy

Editing isn’t just about correcting grammar goofs and spelling mistakes. You need to make your copy more engaging, credible and persuasive.

Consider the following steps when editing your copy:

• Check your list of features, benefits, and objections to ensure you don’t miss any important sales messages
• Edit your web copy for scanners; create enticing subheadings and fascinatingbullet points; and follow the inverted pyramid
• Make your copy more credible and persuasive by using copywriting techniques
• Boost your web copy’s readability by tightening and simplifying your text
• Proofread to correct typos

Read your web copy aloud and imagine you’re talking to your ideal reader. Does he understand it? Does he like it? Does it persuade him to take action?

6. Optimize your copy

Do you want to seduce Google, too?

And tempt the almighty search engine to send you some extra traffic?

Usually when you write for your ideal reader, your web pages are SEO-friendly, too. Use the same words your ideal reader uses and you have a better chance of being found in Google.

Writing frequently about your area of expertise is good for your readers. It’s also good for search engine optimization.

Using the language of your customer is good for your readers. It’s also good for search engine optimization.

Developing a broad network of experts and web publishers in your topic, and referencing their ideas (including with links) in your content, is good for your readers. It’s also good for search engine optimization.

Always write your copy for your ideal reader first, and optimize for search engines later.

A “secret” to picking up more customers …

Creating seductive web copy isn’t only about writing.

The “secret” to being persuasive is to choose an ideal reader you love working with. Understand exactly who you’re writing for and what makes him tick. Answer his questions and make him smile. Hold an imaginary conversation together. Have some fun. And show him your passion for your business and what he’ll get out of that passion.

Your copy will be more engaging and seductive. And you’ll win more customers and more raving fans.

P.S. If you’re looking for even more in-depth tips on how all this really works online, download your copy of my new How to Write Seductive Web Copy.

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