Project Facebook: Let The Insyder Immerse Your Brand Into The Social Network
Did you know that an amazing 52% of time spent online by teens is entirely on Facebook? And that these teens spend a cumulative average of 2.5 hours a week online?
All this translates to about 105 minutes on Facebook a week…
That’s 15 minutes daily spent “liking” “poking” “tagging” “wall posting” and “chatting”!
This November, The Insyder presents PROJECT FACEBOOK, an opportunity for your brand to interact with our 50,000+ members on our Facebook fan page. If you “like” where we’re going with this “poke” us HERE and read the entire proposal.
The Insyder's Project Facebook
I thought this might make interesting reading, got it from US based media agency UM…
Social media is an incredibly dynamic environment. Terms like “friend” and “influencer” are no longer adequate to describe the array of social activity and interaction that is occurring amongst the vast communities now being built online. A deeper understanding of consumer needs and motivations is the key to unlocking a real understanding of social media and its users. Social networks are becoming powerful hubs of interconnected communities but it’s not just people that are connecting in the social media space. There is huge demand for a more social and interactive relationships with brands. Almost half of the Active Internet Universe has already joined a brand community. These communities are also clearly having a huge benefit to the brands involved, driving brand loyalty, endorsement and sales.
Does Facebook Marketing Really Work In Kenya?
First we need to ask what the main purpose of Facebook is for the majority of online users. To break things into absolute basics, social networks are built to do just that, be social and to network. People don’t want to be badgered by ads and business offers on their Facebook accounts over and again. The Facebook experience is all about socializing and networking – if your brand doesn’t enhance the account holder’s experience, then it has no business being on Facebook.
So what you really need to do is be on Facebook to connect with your target, and to benefit them in some way - if you can. Benefits can be both tangible or emotive. For example, if your goal is to improve others lives, simply convey this value in your messages. You will find that ‘Facebookers’ are bound to spread your message virally, as long as the sole purpose of your message isn't to sell something! ADD VALUE before you do anything, and people will instinctively be attracted to looking at your business offers on their own.
Of course this entire article is of no value to you, if you do not have a digital marketing strategy. However, if your brand is targeting the youth, not having a digital marketing strategy is tantamount to brand suicide. There’s absolutely no doubt that the internet is the next big media platform, courtesy of the mobile phone. Recent price reductions, bandwidth upgrades and national availability of mobile internet access are creating an environment which facilitates for a drastic increase in internet penetration. Remember, there are 18 million mobile handsets in Kenya. Ignore digital marketing at your own peril.
Now back to my article.
Here are just two examples of how Facebook marketing has worked in Kenya. I will of course start with The Insyder magazine…
The Insyder on Facebook
The Insyder magazine officially launched its Facebook Fan page in October of this year. As a launch strategy, we wanted to create a Facebook experience that leveraged on the fun things that ‘Facebookers’ love doing. After countless Q&A sessions with our database of teens, what emerged head & shoulders above all else was this; the first thing teens love doing when they log on to their Facebook account is to check the ‘status updates’ of the people in their respective network. Armed with this fact an idea was born; we created a competition dubbed “The Insyder Facebook Status Upgrade.” In essence the idea was pretty simple – reward the people who come up with the most creative status updates with a mobile phone. To win the phone, all Facebook junkies had to do was sign up to become members of The Insyder Magazine Facebook fan page.
What happened?
We increased fan page membership from about 700 when the competition kicked off to over 4,500 by the time we announced the first winner - a month later!
What we realized is that the competition got a life of its own. Shortlisted finalists started canvassing for votes by requesting all their friends in their respective networks to join our fan page.
Monetizing The Insyder Magazine Fan Page
- Online Sales: We have received numerous offers to sell a digital version of the magazine. We are currently working on a software that allows our Facebook fan page members to download the magazine on to their mobile phone via MPESA. A digital version of the magazine is available here – http://kenyanteen.weebly.com
- Research Panels: We have increased our current data base of teens by over 1,000 in just one month. We now have a loyal and committed database that we can access almost instantaneously, retrieving vital information on our client’s behalf – at virtually no cost to us.
- Online Teen Market: We can link clients wanting to sell products to teens via our fan page on a commission basis. Like everyone else in the youth marketing fraternity, we are only just beginning to learn how to engage the youth market via social networking websites. However, it is evident that there exists immense potential in using social networking websites as a marketing platform.
Homeboyz Radio and Facebook
Homeboyz Radio was one of the first to identify the potential of Facebook and social marketing in engaging listeners. The station launched in November 2007 with a Facebook group page and enlisted the initial staff of 20 as its first members.
The 'marketing starts from within' philosophy worked, with all the crew members encouraging their friends to join in too. By the end of the year, the Homeboyz Radio group page boasted over 2,000 members. To date, the station boasts a 15,000-strong membership of fans from Kenya, Africa and across the world.
Incorporation of social media has seen the station adopt live Facebook requests on air and feedback on its live posts. On-line competitions are also conducted via the in-studio Facebook interface, enabling presenters to engage the audience in real-time.
Asked to comment, the Homeboyz Radio Commercial Director, Denis Ndavi states, "In the broadcasting business, it's either change or die. You have to respond to emerging social trends by embracing them and showing the audience that you are as crazy about it as they are. And more! Radio and on-line social marketing go hand-in-hand as we get closer to full media convergence."
Facebook (or anything online) marketing is not something that’s striving in the west, the boom has already began at home. Youthcentric brands like The Insyder and Homeboyz Radio are already using this strategy effectively and getting instant results. The question is; are you using Facebook to market your brand to the youth.
Massive Opera Mini Growth in Kenya
Opera Mini browsing jumped 12.1 per cent in January 2009 over the previous month. The Norwegian firm's latest The State of the Mobile Web report shows that its user base is up to 20 million uniques, and that monthly page views increased 18 per cent to 7.6 billion web pages in the same time period.
Data transfers were also up 18 per cent from December 2008, with Opera Mini generating more than 122 million MB of data for operators worldwide.
And the country which led the growth chart? You really deserve a prize if you guessed Armenia, whose usage jumping more than 2800 per cent. Nigeria was second, with 1854 per cent. Other notable countries include: Egypt (1391 per cent), Philippines (570 per cent) and Kazakhstan (419 per cent). Kenya isn’t too far behind and comes in 16th globally and 4th on the continent with a 184.3% growth.
Top 35 countries (unique users)
Rank Country User Growth: Jan ’08 – Jan ’09 Page views/user (Jan ’09)
1 Russia 156.9% 416
2 Indonesia 312.1% 507
3 Ukraine 124.2% 530
4 China 11.2% 216
5 India 166.7% 354
6 South Africa 93.5% 264
7 USA 73% 222
8 UK 63.4% 245
9 Poland 147.2% 178
10 Germany 51.8% 113
11 Egypt 139.3% 239
12 Nigeria 1854% 229
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16 Kenya 184.3% 360
What's With Singing Praises For Opera Mini?
Not only is the Opera Mini browser the most popular mobile phone browser in the planet, it’s the most powerful browsing experience currently available. It works on entry level standard cell phones, Blackberry devices, Symbian cell phones and Windows Mobile devices. Using a mixture of cutting edge technologies and mainstay standards, the Opera Mini browser allows users to download faster, render pages more quickly, and navigate pages with more precision and ease of use. By using Opera servers the browser is able to display pages that pass through an Opera server in an easy to read display output.
Let's take a closer look at the browser as a whole including the new features found on version 4.1
1. Faster Page Loads
The makers at Opera Mini are now reporting that pages can load up to 50% faster than previous versions, making it easier to implement an Edge or GPRS data connection when necessary, while offering blazing 3G internet speeds.
2. In Page Search Function
Trying to find information on pages can be a hassle on a small cell phone screen, using the included page search users can now type in terms and the Opera Mini browser will search the current webpage for that information, making it easier to find info without even having to use the zoom function.
3. Intuitive Web Page Suggestion Tool
Oftentimes just typing in a web address can become a hassle, with Opera Mini 4.1 users can begin to type a URL and based on bookmarks and browsing history Opera Mini 4.1 can actually give suggestions as to what the user may be looking for. I like to think of this as a T9 function that's tailored to the users own surfing habits.
4. Offline Viewing Of Web Pages
For people on the go sometimes you need to answer a call, get on a plane, or do whatever else comes up. With Opera Mini 4.1 users now have the option to save the webpages they are viewing and pull them up in offline mode at another time. This is great if you want to save a page to show someone, or if you simply know you won't have a connection later in the day when you might need to pull up the information in front of you. It’s cheaper too because it costs you nothing.
Popular Opera Mini Browser Features
LANDSCAPE MODE
This has long been one of my favourite Opera Mini features. If you have a device that offers a taller screen you can easily view your Opera Mini browser pages in landscape mode, given you more screen realty.
ZOOM IN / ZOOM OUT FUNCTION
Webpages are almost always smaller than your mobile device windows, with Opera Mini Zoom functions you can move around your screen, zoom in to read certain sections, and zoom back out to continue your browsing experience.
MOUSE CURSER
If you have a device with a touch screen or trackball you can use the browser mouse pointer to easily navigate to any part of a webpage, you can then zoom in and out as you see fit.
That's just a quick look at the features I find most useful and hopefully its enough to convince you to give the Opera Mini 4.1 Browser a try.
Conclusion
With faster render times then the competition (including Internet Explorer Mobile Edition) and with easy navigation features, it’s no wonder that the Opera Mini Browser has exceeded the abilities of their competition. If you're looking for a fast, cost-effective, efficient, robust browsing experience that offers personalization, the ability to navigate easier than ever before, and a support system that's on par with the best in the industry, I’d highly recommend trying Opera Mini.
The next time you want to browse the internet via your mobile phone, why not try the Opera Mini 4.1 browser, I promise you that you’ll not be disappointed.
To download Opera Mini 4.1 CLICK HERE
Compiled by Marcus W Itimu,
For Kenyanteen Online
The Mobile Phone As An Educational Device
The recent ‘banning’ of the use of mobile phones in high school by the Minister of Education, Sam Ongeri, only sums up the ignorance government bureaucrats sometimes tend to have towards technology. Unfortunately, this type of ignorance usually turns to fear (of the unknown), and it is this fear that eventually resulted in the expulsion of cell phone from high school. If you missed it; the mobile phone was accused of being a major precipitating factor in the high school unrest witnessed this year.
It may be argued that the mobile phone made the school strikes more efficient – but isn’t the purpose of technology about increasing efficiency? I believe the issue here should be how the mobile phone can be used positively. Rather than demonise the gadget, the minister should find a beneficial, educational use for it.
Written Ngaruiya Githegi, MD, Teenwise Media Limited
I think that one of the most useful educational tools ever created is the cellular phone, and the world is just beginning to see its use in education. As the capabilities of handsets and wireless networks increase, so will the value of handsets for fostering life-long learning.
Take iPOD and iPHONE for instance; Apple's iTunes offers an iTunes U (university) section that enables universities to post all types of content. Some of the most prestigious institutions in the western world, such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) , Princeton, Stanford, Yale, Oxford and Cambridge, offer everything from brief audio interviews to audio and video podcasts of entire courses. iTunes U also offers downloads from high schools, museums, and educational organizations. Instead of ‘banning’ the mobile phone, the Ministry of Education should pressurize the mobile service providers to come up with education-based solutions. I believe this is possible because service providers like Safaricom have successfully launched ‘non-phone call’ based or ‘value add’ products/services like MPESA.
In some parts of the world, teachers can now post course notes, podcasts, and video clips, as well as questions for tests, where the responses change online in real time. One interesting feature: Students can allow teachers access to their online files to write comments about the students' class papers - as they are being written. Students can use their phones for registering for or dropping courses, viewing grades, paying bills, and viewing sports scores. Stanford even offers an iPhone software course and mentors students who develop applications for the school.
Why doesn’t the Ministry of Education challenge the mobile service providers and IT stakeholders to initiate such type of projects for our schools? Recently, KIE (Kenya Institute of Education) revived the broadcasting of educational programmes – imagine if this content could also be delivered via mobile phone! As a third world nation, we are often challenged by poor communications structures. For instance, when students in Budalangi cannot access their schools due to the flooding, the teacher can simply SMS the week’s coursework them. The applications for the mobile phone as an effective educational tool are immense.
Cellular phones are popping up elsewhere in education. In Sydney, a primary school has initiated a pilot program in which students in class may phone people to obtain information for their assignments! This certainly gives new meaning to the term "open book" test.
While we are fighting the advancement of mobile phone technology, some pioneers in education are trying to force schools into the mobile generation. For instance; one educator is offering a class for New York teachers about how to use Google SMS in classrooms. Another teacher has established a Weblog about the proper way of using phones in class.
The mobile phone is a revolutionary educational device with global implications. Unfortunately, we ban cellphone use in classrooms because it's considered a disruption, a way to cheat during exams, or a tool to stir up chaos within our schools. I understand these problems. But the cell phone is far too important to education's future for reactionary bans. Honourable Ongeri, I implore you to experiment with ways in which to integrate cell phones into the curriculum. The future heralds greater collaboration between students and teachers on course content. Think of it this way; mobile phone users will be able to learn throughout their lives.
