Vicky Laing's blog

Vicky Laing

Vicky Laing is the latest marketer and blogger to join Chinwag. You'll find her on Twitter @vickylaing

VAT Changes And What They Mean For You Or Your Business

A single paragraph in the Budget Report 2014 could have repercussions for you or your company:

As announced at budget 2013, the government will legislate to change the rules for the taxation of intra-EU business to consumer supplies of telecommunications, broadcasting and e-services.

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Robotics and Autonomous Systems Mission to California


23-27 June sees the introduction of the Robotics and Autonomous Systems Mission to California, an entrepreneur mission for ten of the UK’s most promising and innovative SMEs in Robotics and Autonomous systems who are ready to do business overseas.

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Google Has Doused It's Wildfire

Following the announcement from Google that it is winding down the Wildfire social marketing platform that it bought for $250m less than two years ago, there’s going to be some customers with some very justifiable concerns.

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Your Guide To Psych London Speakers So Far

chinwag psych 9th may header

Psych London takes place on 15 May at the Museum of London, and it's attracting many excellent expert speakers...

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Maker Faire Shenzhen: The 12 and a Half Things You Need To Know

The final preparations for the Digital Mission to China taking in Maker Faire Shenzhen are being put into place, all that’s left to do is pack our bags, find someone to feed the cat/dog/chinchilla.

And of course some homework, read through this handy guide of 12 and a half top tips from Tom Whitwell, on what to read to be in the know and what to expect from this sort of faire.

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Handy Hints To Get Over 100,000 Twitter Followers

What's the secret to Twitter success? If you're not Harry Styles or Coca Cola, you will need help. Step forward, Chris Bolman.

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March 5 PsychUp: Dr of Social Media Jillian Ney and Ogilvy’s Daniel Bennett

chinwag psych 9th may header

PsychUps are for anyone interested in exploring the ever-changing world of behavioural science and how it can be applied to business.

Date: Wednesday 5th March 2014

Time: 6pm

Venue: The Bakery London, 25 City Rd EC1Y 1AA (Map)

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The Rise of Telegram - Mobile Messaging App gains 5million Users After Whatsapp Takeover

Facebook may have paid a pretty penny ($19bn to be exact) for messaging app Whatsapp but it’s their rivals that could see the benefit as they're the ones that are clocking up the number of new users. 

Telegram messenger, to name one.

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Did Facebook Pave The Way For A New Kind Of Digital Marketing?

With Facebook recently turning the big 1 0, there has been talk of it reaching it’s peak. Valued at $150 billion and connecting 1.23 billion users, half the worlds Internet connected population, is this really true? 

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Who's Who and What's What on this year's Digital Mission

It’s almost time for us to head off to the bright lights of New York City, but before we do, there’s just time to let you know who’s coming and what we’ll be doing.  

This year, we have a very impressive list of start-ups and agencies joining us

  • Coull is a technology company that's reinventing the way online video advertising works. 
  • Easyfundraising has been at the forefront of developing technology platforms that harness the power of customer loyalty to generate donations for good causes across the globe.

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2014's BBC Worldwide Accelerator Program Now Open to Applicants

BBC Worldwide Labs is a six-month programme for emerging media digital companies in the UK. It is designed to help startups gain traction by working closely with the experts at BBC Worldwide across all divisions: from technology and content to marketing, sales, advertising and legal, as well as having access to prime office space in the Media Centre in White City.
 
And the good news is, applications for 2014 are now open.
 
Eligible companies will:
 
·       Focus on the intersection of technology and media
·       Have a synergy with BBC Worldwide business units & brands
·       Have a product in market or ready to launch
 
Do you have a startup that’s looking for success, or know of someone who does? Take a look and apply here. 
Partnerships secured so far are:
·       Foodity & BBC Good Food - an e-commerce toolkit that allows publishers to turn recipe ingredients into online shopping baskets.
 
·       WireWAX & BBC News Online - A video tagging tool that adds clickable ‘tags’ to moving people or objects.
 
·       Ko-Su Mobile & BBC Motion Gallery Education – a mobile learning platform that allows users to create and publish interactive content that makes teaching and learning via connected devices accessible to anyone around the world.
 
·       Future Ad Labs & BBC Good Food - Playcaptcha is an alternative to the traditional (and tedious) human response tests known as ‘captchas’.
Other companies include The Backscratchers & BBCW Procurement, Peekabu Studios & BBCW Corporate Comms and Jack Burke & BBCW YouTube.
 
To celebrate the launch of the 2014 programme they are hosting an event on Monday 3rd February at Google Campus from 6:30pm.
 
This panel event, chaired by Alex Wood from Tech City News, will see previous Labs’ companies talk about the programme and some of the commercial partnerships obtained with BBCW. There will also be the opportunity to hear objective feedback on how investors and partners view startups that come through these types of accelerator schemes.
 
Keen to come along? Sign up here


BBC Worldwide Labs is a six-month accelerator programme for emerging media digital companies in the UK. It is designed to help startups gain traction by working closely with the experts at BBC Worldwide across all divisions: from technology and content to marketing, sales, advertising and legal, as well as having access to prime office space in the Media Centre in White City.

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Discount tickets for Chinwaggers to SMW in the Big Apple


This year’s Social Media Week New York (
Feb 17-21) is crammed with events, speakers, masterclasses and more. And we’re offering Chinwaggers exclusive discounted tickets.

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Planning US Expansion? Join the Digital Mission to NYC for Social Media Week (17-21 Feb)

New York Bound by Aaron Vince

Thinking of tackling the US market? Have existing clients and need to open an office in the Big Apple? Need to boost your profile in the States?

Good news, Digital Mission is back, taking a group of fast-growing digital SMEs to Social Media Week New York (SMWNYC).

The trip, designed specifically for UK-based digital firms to understand the opportunities and challenges of developing business and investment in the US includes a dedicated programme of activities and an Insider Pass for SMWNYC.

And in even better news, our friends at UKTI London have secured grants for London-based SMEs.

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Stop! Step away from your keyboard. Are you ready to Tweet that Tweet?

We all know a Facebooker or Tweeter that should probably have sat on their hands rather than posted that last message. If you can’t think of any then it may be you!

We’ve all been there, in the throes of anger we’ve said something we didn’t mean. The same thing happens on social media, perhaps even more fatally when we’re able to hide behind a computer screen.

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Ads Aren't Fads as Sharing Surges Fifty-Fold

 

Social video advertising has exploded. It’s up 5000% since 2006, according to Unruly Media’s
Viral Spiral, charting the three most shared campaigns over the last seven years.
During 2006, the biggest ad of the year was Dove Evolution, which achieved 60,954 shares compared to 4.24m for the company’s Real Beauty Sketches in 2013 
Sharing of the top three branded videos has grown from 1.6m in 2010 to 11.6m in 2013
40% of the top 20 ads of all-time were released in 2013
The most shared ad of all time is still Volkswagen’s 2011 The Force with TNT Benelux’s 2012 Dramatic Surprise  in second, just ahead of Real Beauty Sketches

Sarah Wood, co-founder of Unruly, “From a marketing perspective shares are more meaningful than views. A share is a genuine measure of deep engagement and a driver of significant earned media.
“What we choose to share is a barometer of how we’re feeling, a barometer of what’s moving us to talk around the global water-cooler.”
 The full story, with infographic, is available here.

Photo (cc) Damien

Social video advertising has exploded. Boom!

It’s up 5000% since 2006, according to Unruly Media’s Viral Spiral, charting the three most shared campaigns over the last seven years.

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