About one in three online consumers in the US has done at least one of the many pre-purchase research activities through their phones in the last three months, according to the latest PowerReviews report. Continue reading 1 out of 3 online consumers conduct product research through their mobile →

People who feel connected to brands and companies are more likely to participate and recommend these companies through social and mobile media, highlighting the importance of creating relationships with their customers. Continue reading Consumers connected with businesses become ‘evangelists’ and brand advocates →

For the realization of this study, zanox has had data from some of its advertisers and has analyzed the behavior of online users when making their summer purchases on these websites.

Its technological platform allows you to analyze purchasing trends not only from different periods but also from different areas and brands. In this sense, it offers a detailed analysis of the travel sector. The study period includes the purchases made in the months of June and July 2011 and establishes a comparison with the same months of the previous year. Continue reading Online travel sales increase 50% →

The rise of social networks encourages the socialization of users and their integration into groups with similar interests since sharing experiences makes users emotionally involved. These values ​​have reached the electronic commerce that has turned the consumption in a social act, propitiating between the new companies approaches to the capture of clients. “The phenomenon is seen as an added value for both merchants and buyers because a new way of interrelation opens up,” says CiudadMarket, the first social shopping channel. Continue reading Internet users demand that the web 2.0 model be applied to electronic commerce →

The delicate economic situation in which finds itself forces companies to look for new sales channels and new business models. SMEs have found in electronic commerce a quick, simple and cheap solution to deal with the crisis.

Companies are aware of the need to improve the offer to attract the attention of users over the large brands that already enjoy strong authority and online trust. A good solution for small and medium companies is to join large platforms which has led to the rise of specialized portals in the so-called ‘social shopping’. Continue reading SMEs seek in e-commerce a quick, simple and cheap solution to deal with the crisis →

A new study from the TripAdvisor travel website revealed that many businesses in the tourism and hotel sector cite Social Media and Mobile Marketing as their most important marketing strategies.

39% of respondents cited that social media is key as part of their marketing strategy, while 27% identified mobile as an extremely important channel within marketing strategies and on which, in addition, who would like to increase spending Continue reading Social Media and Mobile Marketing, essential for the tourism and hotel sector →

If our company has a presence in the network, customers and followers expect from us a certain level of service and attention but can we align them if we do not respond to inquiries made through means such as Twitter, blogs, forums, e-mail, or by any another means by which they try to contact us? Continue reading The value of an answer to gain or lose the trust of users, customers and consumers →

Virtual PAs are increasingly being used to allow company owners to concentrate on core business matters rather than on more mundane day-to-day tasks. They can provide the time to focus on development and other initiatives, for example, rather than on answering emails and phone calls. Here are just some of the ways they can be useful in a small business environment.

Managing Social Media

Virtual PA services can allow business owners to enjoy a strong social media presence without requiring vast amounts of their time to be invested in the process.

A VA can take on responsibility for updating status, as well as adding new and trends, responding to questions and posting promotions, and can be a much cheaper solution to social media maintenance compared to paying a full-time employee. Read more about the importance of a strong media presence at https://www.fsb.org.uk/first-voice/how-social-media-can-boost-your-small-business.

Managing the Mundane

Small business owners can get bogged down by emails, meetings, appointments and phone calls, but this doesn’t have to be the case. Virtual PA services such as those offered by the likes of https://www.mushroombiz.co.uk/homepage/services/virtual-pa/ can shoulder the burden of these mundane tasks, sorting and answering emails, prioritising appointments and meetings and answering phone calls. This leaves business owners with more time to do core tasks which actually need their personal attention.

Conducting Research

Research is vital when it comes to developing a business, but it can be incredibly time-consuming. Virtual assistants can take on the task of carrying out online research, however, and often at almost 80 per cent less than the cost of a full-time employee’s salary.

A virtual assistant can be tasked with researching everything from the market to the competition and the target audience. They can also help find new business opportunities and manage networking.

Virtual Bookkeeping

A virtual PA could manage the books at a fraction of the cost of a professional bookkeeper. It is worth remembering, however, that only trusted VAs should be allowed access to company accounts.

Reliable companies can provide the services required, however, and they can be invaluable in saving both time and money, both in the short and the longer term. Virtual PAs can prevent bills from being missed and problems from forming, leaving business owners feeling confident that they can concentrate on other things.

We are continually being approached by a multitude of data and studies on the impact of social media and social networks on business. Many of the small sellers and businesses are rushing not to lose the trail of this new trend increasing their investment in this type of media, and now that everything seemed to be an easier way to travel, new data point out that social media have almost no influence on the behavior of online purchases. Continue reading Social media has little influence and impact on online retail purchases →

A recent IBM study revealed that many companies are losing the opportunity to use social media to drive growth and sales, due to a misunderstanding of what consumers actually want from these channels. Continue reading Companies lose the opportunity of social media, if they do not understand the real needs of users and consumers →