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4 Fantastic Network Visualization Tools

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July 13, 2012
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Posted by Ben Cotton

Edelman, Dublin

http://socialwebthing.com/

Follow on Twitter @bencotton

This post was originally published on Ben Cotton’s blog Social Web Thing.

As internet usage has grown, so too have the various online networks which connect family, friends, colleagues and people with shared interests.

Whilst it is often easy to gain a numerical overview of connections, friends or followers, this tends to add context, rather than insight – the fact remains, it can be difficult to dig that bit deeper and see how people within networks are linked.

This poses a challenge for digital communicators as we want to tap into big, social data and visualis…

Developing Online Tactics for Crisis Management

fire alarm
June 13, 2012
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Posted by Ben Cotton

Edelman, Dublin

http://socialwebthing.com/

Follow on Twitter @bencotton

This post was originally published on Ben Cotton’s blog Social Web Thing.

One of the most enjoyable aspects of working in digital communications is the variety of projects you get to work on. It’s a practice that transcends corporate, consumer, pharmaceutical and tech  - and much more besides.

One area I’ve been giving some thought to is crisis management and how issues which threaten to harm an organisation, its stakeholders or the public play out online and can be managed effectively.

The core principles of issues management remain unchanged, however the in…

Adopting a Data Driven Approach to Content

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June 6, 2012
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Posted by Ben Cotton

Edelman, Dublin

http://socialwebthing.com/

Follow on Twitter @bencotton

A version of this post was originally published on Ben Cotton’s blog Social Web Thing.

Content is everywhere and as digital communicators we know that when optimized for search and executed flawlessly, it can compel people to begin talking, thinking and enthusing about a brand. It’s the currency of the web.

This presents a fantastic opportunity for organisations, and every company now has the chance to become a media company by using content to tell its story. Text, infographics, video, images and slides are the tools which bring this concept to life; helping to dri…

Using Big Data to Make Better Business Decisions

bigdata
May 8, 2012
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Posted by Ben Cotton

Edelman, Dublin

http://socialwebthing.com/

Follow on Twitter @bencotton

This post was originally published on Ben Cotton’s blog Social Web Thing.

Not a week passes where we fail to hear about the challenge big data poses, how it can be effectively managed and what organisations can do to leverage it to make more insightful decisions.

Big data was traditionally thought of in the context of areas, such as sensor networks, call records, military surveillance, complex scientific research and the like. However, in recent years its definition has been broadened to include data arising from social networks, Internet search and large-scale e-comm…

How to Add More Value to Your Outreach Proposition

love pr
April 17, 2012
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Posted by Ben Cotton

Edelman, Dublin

http://socialwebthing.com/

Follow on Twitter @bencotton

This post was originally published on Ben Cotton’s blog Social Web Thing.

As both a PR and blogger, I often spent time thinking how value can be added to outreach, and be done in such a way that it benefits all parties and achieves the desired earned media for clients.

The reason is that I often receive emails about an ‘awesome infographic’, ‘innovative Facebook app’ or ‘exciting product launch’ which have limited value to me or my readers. Most of the time there’s nothing wrong per se with the outreach, but equally there is nothing right that compels me to…

Writing Content for Search Engines

search engine
February 2, 2012
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Posted by Ben Cotton

Edelman, Dublin

http://socialwebthing.com/

Follow on Twitter @bencotton

This post originally appeared on Social Web Thing as Part Three in a series exploring search engine optimization and content creation. Part Two can be found here.

This post is the third and final in my series looking at writing content for search engines. With a break from the previous format and to bring the series to its conclusion, I’ve written in more depth about less topics in this post and it contains some tips to consider, rather than immediately act upon. Nonetheless, I’m confident the issues covered will provide PRs with food for thought.

Incidentally, i…

10 Attributes of a Fantastic Community Manager

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January 27, 2012
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Posted by Ben Cotton

Edelman, Dublin

http://socialwebthing.com/

Follow on Twitter @bencotton

This post was originally published on Ben Cotton’s blog Social Web Thing.

As we celebrated Community Manager Appreciation Day this week, I thought about the attributes, skills and behaviors that make a successful Community Manager (you can view all the #CMAD conversation on Twitter).

I’m lucky enough to have managed several high-profile communities throughout my career, ranging from mobile phone to sports apparel to food brands, so I’ve drawn upon my experience when compiling this list.

My colleagues Britta Heer and Jasper Krog correctly point out that Communit…

Writing Content for Search Engines in 5 Steps

search
January 11, 2012
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Posted by Ben Cotton

Edelman, Dublin

http://socialwebthing.com/

Follow on Twitter @bencotton

This post originally appeared on Social Web Thing as Part Two in a series exploring search engine optimization and content creation. Part One can be found here.

2011 seems to have been the year that many woke up to the fact that search, and content are the two key battlegrounds of digital marketing. They are the starting point in the user journey and put simply; search engines are the first place people go for information, so ensuring you have great content with relevant, high-authority links is vital to win the online content battle.

This r…

10 Steps to Undertaking a Successful Blogger Outreach Programme

March 2, 2011
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Posted by Ben Cotton

Edelman, Dublin

http://socialwebthing.com/

Follow on Twitter @bencotton

Originally posted on Social Web Thing.

This post is the third of a series looking at online influencers. The first listed great free tools that help identify influential people and the second suggested practical considerations when selecting online influencers. However this post is the next step – 10 steps to undertaking a successful blogger outreach programme.

We all know what bad blogger outreach looks like, such as poorly targeted influencers, lack of personalisation and spelling mistakes – but there are some steps you can follow to ensure that o…

10 Free Data Visualization Tools

December 6, 2010
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Posted by Ben Cotton

Edelman, Dublin

http://socialwebthing.com/

Follow on Twitter @bencotton

Originally posted on Social Web Thing.

In my day to day role I often need to create a graph, chart or table to simplify what can sometimes be a lot of data into a salient point or to tell a story. Here are 10 free data visualizations tools; some provide the metrics, whilst the others highlight relationships between data, as well as displaying the information in a visual, understandable and digestible way. Although, a couple are in beta, you may find them useful for that pitch, presentation or assignment.

1. Forrester’s Consumer Profile Tool

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