www.southerndesigns.co.uk

2007-07-10T14:01:00.000-07:00

MySpace UK breaks 10m barrier

Mark Sweney
Tuesday July 10, 2007
MediaGuardian.co.uk

MySpace: UK version of the site launched in April last year

MySpace has cracked the 10 million user mark in the UK, meaning more people have put a profile up than drink bitter, according to the social networking website.

According to MySpace UK's own internal user log, London, Manchester and Birmingham are the cities with the most MySpace users, with 1.8 million, 721,000 and 589,000 user profiles respectively.

At the other end of the scale, Lowther in Cumbria, Attleborough in Norfolk and Thanet in Kent are the "least friendly" places in the UK with each town boasting just one MySpace user.

MySpace launched a UK version of its website in April last year with 3.6 million users. This figure has since grown by 286% to 10.2 million monthly unique users, according to figures provided by MySpace.

MySpace reckons that about the same number of people use its social networking website as own a dog - there are some 10.3 million dog owners across the country - and it is more popular than drinking bitter, with around 9.2 million real ale drinkers in the UK.

The UK's favourite MySpace profile with 627,515 "friends" is Project Red, the global fund to fight Aids co-founded by U2 frontman Bono.

Damon Albarn's virtual band Gorillaz is second with 603,394 MySpace friends, and Welsh band Bullet for my Valentine is third with 450,000 friends.

"The fact that the top three MySpace profiles are a charitable campaign, a major pop group and an indie rock band shows the diversity of the MySpace community," said the MySpace Europe senior vice-president of marketing and content, Jamie Kantrowitz.

However, with eight of the top 10 most popular UK profiles relating to bands and artists, MySpace is still firmly the social networking site most closely associated with music fans.

The top 10 is rounded out, in descending order, by the profiles for artists Imogen Heap, Lily Allen and Coldplay, followed by the Find Madeleine profile, and music profiles for Oasis, Lost Prophets and James Blunt.

In the sporting-related category Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand comes out on top, following his tie-up with P Diddy earlier this year. Formula one driver Lewis Hamilton is second and Wayne Rooney third.

GOOD THING WE PRODUCE SOME OF THE BEST MYSPACE PROFILES AROUND !!!

Loop Kite Clothing

2007-07-09T05:17:00.000-07:00

Introducing Loop Kite Clothing

Loop approached us to totally overhaul their clothing brand website, it has just been launched this week, with some content still to be added, we could not have asked for better reviews from the client, it is another website to be proud of and one we shall be focusing our attention on to keep it to the high standard we always aim to achieve.

www.loopkiteclothing.com

The eyes have it

2007-07-09T05:12:00.000-07:00

If you think you know your customers' online spending habits inside out, you may want to think again. A new survey has revealed some interesting differences in search behaviour.

An eye tracking study has found...

... just under a third of respondents bothered to look at sponsored results (Their gaze fixed towards the organic search on the left of the results page).

... on average 9.2 results were viewed before the first click was made - so make sure ur website gets listed in top 9 search results if you can!

... on average 6.6 organic results were viewed, these are the non-sponsored results.

... as for sponsored results 2.6 sponsored results on the top of the search listings were viewed and as little as 0.6 results were viewed in the column at the right hand side of the page.

... it also seems the presence of a brand name shortened the length of time the users were willing to hang around on a search result.

... the average viewing duration for a search result was 1.3 seconds.

Online Self Promotion

2007-07-09T05:10:00.000-07:00

Here is a quick guide to the basics of online self promotion, i hope this helps and answers alot of questions many of you have.

Okay, lets start with marketing methods, what's old school and what's new school.

*** OLD SCHOOL ***

Banner Adverts
If you are paying rather than exchanging, banner adverts aren't easy to do on the cheap. You pay per impression in bulk. Still, its cheaper than getting an agency to do it for you.

Link Exchange
The days of free link exchange are waning and web rings are officially dead. There remain commercial alternatives, though. Linkexchanged.com charge $9.95 per month, for example.

Directories
Join one of the big web directories; Yahoo!,MSN or the open directory Project. Entry is usually free, but never guaranteed. Fast track listings will cost you up to £150.

Giveaways
Competitions, free site access to premium content, gifts... You may be able to blag gifts from other companies in exchange for sponsorship. Though maybe not a new mini.

E-mail Marketing
A Cheap and cheerful marketing technique as old as the hills. Make sure you don't confuse opt in newsletters with illegal spamming though.

*** NEW SCHOOL ***

Viral
Viral Marketing is a do-it-yourself dream. Videos are de rigueur -all you need is a camcorder, alot of time, a little imagination and a splash of talent.

Street Teaming
Street Teams are active site users and established community members that you can encourage to promote your site or business. There are lots of ingenious ways to recruit them, few of which need cost the earth.

Guerilla
Stickering, stunts, smart mobs and other, imaginative leftfield advertising ideas get the guerilla label. Works best with edgy brands.

Podcasting
The software's free, distribution is normally free and getting much easier with services like jellycast.com - all you need is good content and execution

Community Building
Social Networking sites like MySpace give you a free presence on the net you can use to drive traffic to your primary site. Again, success depends on good content.

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Now onto Press Releases, and how to write your own. Here are some top tips...

... Use captivating headlines, Don't use flowery phrases - just clearly say what the story is.

... Editors have to filter through a lot of junk, make your main point in the first paragraph.

... Publications want news and news is all about change, send out press releases when you launch your business, or whenever you launch a new section or service.

... Be quotable, Say something interesting about why you made the business, what you hope it will become and what people will get out of it.

... Explain things clearly, don't assume the person receiving the press release will understand your sector like you do.

... Don't waffle, if you don't have much to say, make sure you keep it short.

... Back up your claims with facts and figues, good stats sound impressive, for example:"The website has 10,000 hits a day and stocks 100 different products".

... Include background information, its important to include information about yourself and your company, along with accurate contact details, in a section called 'notes for editors' at the end of the press release.

... Provide a picture, make it easy to download a screenshot or product image alternatively provide an image of your smiley face.

... Compile a list of target publications, collect contact details from magazines or newspapers that are relevant to what you do.

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And finally, 10 essential dos and dont's.

DO...

1) Write up case studies about cool things you've done. You can send them as background information with press releases.
2) Attend networking events and subscribe to discussion groups. Get your name out there.
3) When your budget is tight, barter. Find a small PR agency in your area and offer them free services in echange for promotion advice and the odd press release
4) Look out for marketing stunts that have worked well for other firms, and to be frank, copy them !
5) Even when times are good and the cash is rolling in, never stop marketing yourself.

DONT...

1) Buy up e-mail address lists and send out spam, this is illegal.
2) Go too far the the guerilla tactics. Getting yourself arrested is the wrong publicity.
3) Send out press releases celebrating everything. A new service or product launch is news, not buying a new kettle for the office.
4) Phone journalists without warning them in advance. You may catch them on a deadline and they will be too busy to talk to you and understand what you are promoting.
5) Be a doofus online. Lead by example. We all fall fowl of this sometimes - i know i have - just remember you are selling your business and potentially your lively hood.

What she wants, she gets.

2007-06-02T03:45:00.000-07:00

I created the first Lucy Becker myspace profile only a couple of weeks ago, but after seeing Alessandra Ambrosio's page miss Becker got a little bit jealous, so damned a new one.

So it has gone from this ^^^

To this ^^^

I'm not totally sure i like it but have been instructed not to change a thing because Lucy is in love with it, and what she wants she gets !!!

Watch out for the Lucy to introduce my new showreel launching soon.

Jumping on the band wagon

2007-05-31T10:12:00.001-07:00

Some people. Really irritate me.

I offer them help and assistance, and then they go behind my back because they think they know better. One guy seems to try and jump on my band wagon with everything i do, can you really not promote yourself ?

Arrrghhh...

... In other news. The BKSA have been fully trained to use the content management system behind their website. And... i am about to create an interactive video to teach the world how to use the system. It should benefit all my clients.

Victoria Secrets Model

2007-05-30T12:15:00.000-07:00

Well that was certainly unexpected.

I rose from my bed a bit late this morning (oops) so by the time i got to my desk i was running i little bit later than usual (i made up by running over time until 20:00). So anyway, i have a kind of routine when i start my computer up. There are several things to do and mainly in this order:

1) Open Outlook Express and start downloading e-mails, whilst this is happening...
2) Start Firefox and put on Radio One, then straight to the myspace page.
3) Back to Outlook and delete the 1001 junk e-mails that will supposedly make my penis grow bigger and read and reply the important ones
4) Back to myspace to check for friend requests, comments and messages.

NEW MESSAGES. Wooohooo, i'm popular.

Not only was there a new message but it was from the stunning Alessandra Ambrosio (one of the worlds most famous Victoria Secrets models) and she wants me to do her Myspace page which will be her official website too !!!

Score.

So a few messages later and her background was already built - it was a good thing i had just finished my last project and was able to have the free time to do it! Passwords exchanged and i was on with the job. A few hours later and hey presto, Alessandra's new myspace profile was complete.

You can check it out now she is my 3rd Top friend on my myspace page: www.myspace.com/tomworman

I hope this will lead to more things from Victoria Secrets or her Management company Storm Models - who luckily are based in London !

For those of you who are too lazy to look at her page, its here for your viewing pleasure:

We are going for a drink and a good old chin wag in a few weeks time when she is in London as currently she's in New York.

Can't wait.

You can see more of Alessandra on Blogspot here : http://alessandraambrosiopics.blogspot.com/

Adobe Design Achievement Awards

2007-03-24T06:01:00.000-07:00

To enter or not to enter that is the question.

The entries in 2006 were total crap compared to recent items i have produced.

Its abig decision.

Blog Blog Blog

2007-02-12T11:59:00.000-08:00

Web 2.0 it's all about blogging.

I will soon be adding more to this blog, i just dont have time right now.

Visit the digital media agency, Southern Designs.

www.southerndesigns.co.uk