Many people still do not know what Twitter will do for online marketing in the future. Whether it will be a powerful online marketing tool, or become a passing fad, has yet to be realized.

There seems to be a divide between ad-folk and the average consumer over the future of Twitter. Advertising insiders are more likely to think that Twitter can amount to something big, while 70% of consumers surveyed said that they didn't even know enough about Twitter to predict how effective it can be. So that begs the question: How useful can an online medium be if 70% of consumers don't even know what it is?

Twitter is still very young, and there is the ever-present generational divide of the internet that must also be accounted for. Twitter is used and recognized most by younger audiences and 1 in 5 advertising professionals think it will stay that way. Even among industry professionals, those under 50 had the most faith that Twitter would grow quickly within the next 5 years.

If your tweets can be interesting and useful to others, I believe that Twitter has a future in the online world. If you are considering using Twitter as part of your marketing, remember that its usage is highest among younger age groups, so craft your tweets accordingly but make sure you don't talk down to this audience.

I twitter. Do you? Click on the link below to see my twitter page.

June Bisel
BBG&G Advertising, Inc.
junebisel@bbggadv.com
845-695-1880
Visit us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/BBGGadv
BBGGadv.com

Labels: advertising to teenagers, internet, internet marketing, marketing advice, marketing social network marketing web 2.0, relevant advertising, social media, twitter

During this recession, consumers have been holding off on large, expensive remodeling projects in favor of smaller projects that add personal touches to their living spaces. I discussed this trend in a March post, and since then, I have found some very cool blogs where people show off some of their home renovations, share inspirations, and provide how-to's online.

The first post that stopped me in my tracks was a project that I stumbled upon on Designsponge.com. The project was a woman named Lori's painted sun room floor. This was just such a beautiful, fresh take on painting a floor that I had to share it. Most times you see a painted floor, it is done on the outside to bring some color to a boring wooden patio, but this one has made me think twice about the idea of a painted floor.

Some other great sites for great home decorating ideas that I've come across are Remodelista, and http://www.budgetdesigner.blogspot.com/. Remodelista is a website that I have found great inspirations from. The designs are more upscale, but they provide good ideas that can be emulated on a budget. Budgetdesigner.blogspot.com offers very helpful and insightful advice on making decor renovations on a budget.

I found these sites to be very helpful and inspiring. If your business caters to the home improvement sector, you should be sharing ideas like this. Do you have a web site? Do you have a blog? Do you see where you're missing out? Get on the social media band wagon now. You'll be glad you did.

June Bisel
BBG&G Advertising and Public Relations
Visit me on Twitter
845-291-7399
junebisel@bbggadv.com

Labels: blogging, blogs, home design blogs, home improvements, internet, social media, trends in home improvement

New studies done by JupiterResearch are reaffirming a long-standing, well-known fact -- consumers trust each other much more than they trust you. They understand that businesses who want to turn profits may have a bit of a hidden agenda, while fellow consumers do not.

What is new about this finding is the effect that this consumer attitude has on shopping in this digital age. With consumers looking to reduce their spending, 45% looked at 3 or more web sites to research their latest purchase. About one in five used internet resources to help them decide where to make a purchase. They are taking advantage of the community aspects of the internet and looking to user ratings and reviews, other third party sources, and online forums to help them make their purchasing decisions.

Collect good consumer testimonials and include them on your web site. Invite appropriate third parties to review your business services and include those on your web site. All of these trust-building elements can be added to your BusinessCardContacts.com profile.

Labels: consumer reports, consumer trust, internet, trust, word of mouth

I have to admit, at first I just didn't get the whole Twitter craze. Why do I care what someone else is doing right now? And, more importantly, why would anyone else care what I'm doing?

Labels: internet, internet marketing, twitter