Mirage Digital

Twitter Analytics

2010-11-19T06:53:00.000-08:00

Twitter has rolled out its Beta version of Twitter stats - the offical tool for Twitter for statistics. Similar to Facebook insights, Twitter stats shows you topline information about your tweets so that you can now amalgamate more Social Media data into your Website/Campaign analysis.

It makes we wonder when we will have an all-round, one-stop shop that will allow you to pull all this data together including 3rd party platforms such as Facebook or Twitter, Web Analytics tools and Social Media Monitoring tools. There doesn't seem to be anyone that has quite nailed it yet.... is there a gap there? Who knows.

In the meantime, Twitter Stats shows us quite a few useful pieces of information and supplies some top-line graphs those who like to look at visual data.

Stats include:

Tweet impressions
Clicks
Retweets
Replies
Favourites
Mentions
Follows/unfollows
Best/good/all tweet filter

If Twitter get this right, it could help leverage their platform's positioning into a much stronger Marketing and Communications Tool; rather than the pigeon-hole of social media "buzzwords" that it is currently resides in with most Marketing Managers. So, keep your eyes peeled for further developments.

Relevant information:

Twitter Analytics on Mashable

Discussing Social Media

2010-11-12T05:58:00.000-08:00

This is an old post transferred across from my old blog but it's one that seems to still go down well so have reinstated it on here.

The Yolk were asked by BusinessLink to deliver a presentation on Social Media for businesses. It was based at the Forum in Norwich, Norfolk. First I've been there but a great setup for presentations. A highly recommended venue!

There will be a video of the presentation shortly. In the meantime, please see the presentation below:

Social Media Presentation

View more presentations from Phailanx.

Is the Wii dead? - Microsoft Kinect vs Sony Playstation Move

2010-11-03T05:50:00.000-07:00

There has been a lot of hype over the new gaming technologies that are emerging in the digital world. With the Wii starting the trend, Sony and Microsoft were quick to follow suit after seeing its instant success. In Sony and Microsoft fashion, they have quickly tried to develop the foundations set by the Wii into an immersive and engaging gaming experience.

The Playstation Move has been out for some time now and I have heard some great reports and seen some great gaming opportunities with the device. Although I'm yet to have a go, but eager to try!

This leads us onto the highly anticpated Kinect by Microsoft. I have heard some mixed reports on this - some great, some terrible. Here's the dilemma... the theory of the Kinect is world class and it is highly likely that it will be the way that we as society move forward with a lot of our entertainment fulfillment. However, it comes with some disadvantages. Being fully immersive into the platform means that it will get very tiring... I mean very tiring. I've heard through the grapevine that shift rotations are required to play one game. The other issue is expectation; will it live up to the expectation of consumers with regards to the response rate and gaming experience? This is obviously to be confirmed. Only the public can tell us that.

We'll see how these devices perform against each other, but most importantly, against the Wii. Hopefully the two big boys won't kill of Nintendo as I think that there is more innovation to come - especially with a cross-platform gaming experience... unless Microsoft beat them to it. I'm looking forward to the interactive experiences that lie ahead, especially with games, the internet and possibly the integration of TV and 3D. In the words of EA, "It's in the game" - and it really will be at this rate.

Anyway, here is a small E3 video demo of the Kinect - hope you enjoy:

Social Media Guide

2010-10-05T03:18:00.000-07:00

This is the new Social Media Guide by Social Media Company Webjam. A great topline highlight of the benefits of using (and how to use) Social Media:

Mirage Digital - New Blog location being updated!

2010-09-23T11:43:00.000-07:00

Due to the lauch of the new website, I am currently importing all the posts from my previous blog (www.phailanx.co.uk). Please bear with me as there is no blog export and this is a manual process. I also won't be able to transfer any comments :0(

However, this blog be will back-dated and updated continuously moving forward!

Related links:

Phailanx's Blog by Azlan Raj (Previous version)

Cooliris launch iphone app

2009-06-07T11:40:00.000-07:00

Cooliris, the ridiculously sexy way to browse images online, has launched an app for the iphone that allows users to browse their iphone images and post them to social media networks such as Twitter.

Cooliris makes browsing images online enjoyable and I am looking forward to seeing how it transfers onto a handheld device. I must admit, the iphone's existing way to browse images is fairly robust, so Iam intrigued to see how this can compare. Will this take user interface to the next level or will it be a case of going one step too far and be counter productive for a positive user experience.

It took me a while to get into Twitter, but with interfaces that are so fun to use and making interaction so simple, it is difficult not to start embracing these new platforms. With the applications like this, and Apple releasing the new software for the iphone (V3.0) this summer, it is only going to put UI even more at the forefront of new technology. September is going to be an exciting time for innovative design.

Microsoft's E3 presentation shows up the competition

2009-06-04T11:21:00.000-07:00

Microsoft's E3 presentation set the benchmark for Sony and Nintendo. Microsoft's flagship console the Xbox will be incorporating new features such as full body movement, facial, voice and pattern recognition. With the combination of amazing graphics, interaction and potentially party gamplayon top of the exisitng sound online play and marketplace interface (Designed by AKQA), Microsoft must surely be onto a clear market leader. We will have to wait and see though!

Microsft have also released some bad news for the high street games retailer by being the first console that will allow customers to by pass the retail option. Software highlights include Halo: Reach, Final Fantasy XIII, the exclusive Left 4 Dead 2 and of course, a brand new Metal Gear Solid!

The digital age is moving forward, and gaming is just the start...

Becoming Simpler & Smarter

2009-06-01T09:11:00.000-07:00

We'll always have a need for simplicity in all interface and product design, because a positive user experience can play a large part in customer loyalty.

Richard Sedley (2009) of cScape defines customer engagement as “Repeated interactions that strengthen the emotional, psychological or physical investment a customer has in a brand.”

He goes on to suggest that simplicity is a key factor in fostering engagement as effortless interaction quickens and deepens bonds between brands and consumers. Similarly, John Maeda (2006) argues that simplicity is an important aspect of design as it reduces cognitive overload, the feeling of being overwhelmed by technology and the complexity of interacting with companies in general. Maeda comments on how businesses should adhere to the Laws of Simplicity in order to maximise engagement and counters what we might call ‘featuritis’ with a plea for ease of use.

Music players are good example of a product type where simplicity of engagement is critical to user acceptance and sales, and there is perhaps nothing more simple or engaging as an iPod: stripped of superfluous functions this product is utilitarian to its core and exemplifies the old adage that form follows function. In particular, the introduction of music downloads has changed the industry, how we consume and store music and even the survival of shops on the High Street.

To some extent Mp3 players were always likely to take over from analogue but the introduction of Apple’s iPod was a disruptive technology over and above digitised music. While the ability to access any track without the limitations of bulky storage was liberating, the iPod’s innovative design has secured its iconic status and longevity. It does this by capitalising on what I call the ‘aesthetic-usability’ effect: where the simplicity of the interface becomes an integral part of the product or service itself. The value of the iPod is more than the sum of its elegant lines and perceived usability. It is emblematic of the Laws of Simplicity: rather than lots of features and functions, the iPod focuses on core use cases and repetitive needs of the user. In addition, the integration of the iTunes services makes it both incredibly easy to download and synchronise as well as being a potent discovery and marketing tool.

Part of the reason for its success is the intuitive familiarity of its interface using such basic components such as wheels and curves. The iPod is a useful sanity check on the Laws of Simplicity which resonates with definitions of usability and engagement:

THE LAWS OF SIMPLICITY REVISITED FOR THE iPOD (Raj and Knight, 2009)
1) Minimal – Strip functionality and aesthetics down to the core essence of the product or service e.g. the iPod shuffle.
2) Archetypal – Use commonly understood elements and features and only deviate where there is none to follow e.g. play, rewind etc
3) Iconic– Weave the experience into every relevant part of the design so it’s memorable, unambiguous and pure – like the wheel!
4) Whole – Provide and end-to-end service without breaks. For example, to discover, buy, play from one access point e.g. iTunes
5) Immediate – Remove all barriers to first time use e.g. plug and play
6) Magic – Make sure there something that makes you go wow e.g. iTune’s Genius toolbar

Article written by Azlan Raj. Thanks to John Knight for helping put this together.

References:

Sedley, S. (2009). Customer Engagement Interview. 10th February 2009. (http://www.cScape.com)
Maeda, J. (2006). The Laws of Simplicity. (http://lawsofsimplicity.com/)
Raj, A and Knight, J. (2009). The Laws of Simplicity Revisited. Unpublished manuscript.

Social Media vs Engagement - Make yourself heard

2009-03-03T09:14:00.000-08:00

The buzz term for marketing at the moment is social media, but how much does it actually impact customer engagement with your business and brand? Are you pro-actively using social media in the right way to help users engage more with you rather than the platform itself? Are you using the social media platforms effectively to increase communication channels and increase your brand equity?

Social media is a great way to do all the above, but your business model can vastly change the way in which you should be using these mediums. Ensure that your business is not giving your consumers the opportunity to engage more with your communication channel - entice potential customers to interact with you. If they use this platform, make them want to use it to keep track of you. As impossilbe as it may be, try to make yourself indispensible to the platform and your customer by showing relevant, useful content at the right time. Don't Tweet for the sake of it, make it count. Don't let yourself be a "bonus" - ensure you are heard, and you are key to the retention cycle. You will see a massive difference in your ROI.

Related links:

Twitter