So, how will Facebook timeline for brand pages impact brands? Well, going by Facebook timeline for personal profiles it looks like timeline for brand pages will also sport a large attractive cover image and split-wall. What remains to be seen is how Facebook tabs and custom pages will be impacted with this release. Brands may need to re-think on how they would like their users to engage with them on Facebook and how brands can leverage this new feature and connect with their users.

Facebook timeline for brands will also allow brands to populate their history and share more information with its users than the usual wall posts. Third party app developers will also be waiting to see how this will help them make better apps which are more engaging and interactive for use on brand pages.

A mock-up brand timeline page created by Ryan Kennedy and featured on Mashable.com shows what a brand page could end up look like. (see image below)

(image credit: mashable.com)

Note: Although the likelihood of this feature releasing on Facebook is very high, it is still only a possibility. Facebook is expected to make an announcement at its Facebook Marketing Conference in NYC later this month. Please watch out for more updates.

Interested in improving your Facebook Marketing? We have helped many brands improve their visibility on social media by managing advertising campaigns, building custom fan pages and also developing Apps to connect better with its fan base. Feel free to write to us about your social media marketing goals and we will work on a tailor made approach that will help you leverage more from your Facebook marketing strategy.

Microsoft BizSpark™ is a program that works with a select list of start-up software development companies around that world that qualify for its program. BizSpark is tailored for the best start-up companies around the world, with Microsoft providing support, training and access to some of their newest software as part of a deal that aims to reward high level entrepreneurship.

Corelead is extremely excited with this opportunity as it provides a strong global technology platform and improves our visibility in the field of Microsoft Technologies.This recognition also strengthens our commitment to quality and being able to work with cutting edge technology.

Google is now taking this one step further and introducing the +1 button for AdWords very soon. The idea is that if your friend +1′d an AdWords Ad they see on Google, the chances are that you maybe interested in it too. Although, this will only work if you have signed in to your Google account before you begin  your search. So lets say you were searching for Hotels in Madrid and you see the following AdWords Ad and would like to share this with your contacts (friends), you can choose to click on +1 and share it with your contacts.

Now, imagine your friend is searching for a similar product or service as you did, he/she will now see the AdWords Ad with your name below it along with your recommendation. This is reason enough for your friend to pay close attention to the Ad or even click on it because it was recommended by you.

From the look of it, the +1 feature is sure to improve CTR on AdWords and perhaps conversion rates too. This sure looks like a win-win situation for both online retailers and customers. The +1 feature is expected to roll-out next week and existing AdWords customers need not make any changes to their campaign to activate this. The feature will turn on automatically when Google launches it.

Cant wait to test this new feature out!

Google has named Corelead Interactive a Google Adwords Certified Partner (GCP). Google Adwords Certified Partners are marketing agencies, professionals  that have achieved this status by passing newly enhanced certification exams and managed campaigns over a period of time. These professionals have demonstrated their knowledge of managing Google Adwords Campaigns and tools provided by Google to optimize campaign performance.

This certification is a result of all the hard work put in by professionals in our Google Adwords team who wanted to ensure they provide our clients the best possible quality of service. Our Adwords team contributes regularly to marketing forums and participates in discussions to share information on new techniques and tools. This allows our Adwords professionals to stay ahead of the curve and constantly update their marketing tactics.

Our internal training methodology ensures that every member of the online marketing team is knowledgeable in all aspects of online marketing be it analytics, campaign management, campaign optimization, landing page testing and tools. Our company’s strong foundation in online marketing, affordable cost of service, technology tools combined with knowledgeable professionals is what makes us a good fit for our clients.

Our professionals would be happy to audit your online marketing campaign for FREE and give you a tips and suggestions on how you could derive the maximum ROI from your marketing budgets. You can request for a FREE audit by contacting us.

- Nalini R Rajan

In today’s world, where there is  no  shortage of  companies and freelancers willing to do your job, what factors would you need to consider during the vendor selection process?

This article highlights some of those selection criteria.

• Begin by clearly outlining the long and short term needs of your project.   Would you need only an ad-hoc solution or would you need long term support? In case of the former, you need not worry about long term support and a reliable freelancer could be a desirable option.Whereas in case long term support is needed, it is advisable to go in for a company that is stable and will be able to support in the long term.

• Once after selecting the company, it is very important that you ask for introduction to the team  that would be working on your project. This is to Get a feel of the Team’s Professionalism with respect to understanding user’s perspective, technical capability, communication and their suitability for the project based on their area of expertise. You could do this by having a conversation over Skype or any such tool. In fact, if this meeting is recorded, it would serve as a very valuable record.

• Also, you need to Check the availability of required resources in terms of Development tools, Servers, Project Management tools that the company has invested in to ensure the success of your project. Remember more tools mean additional cost but also, additional brownie points towards successful completion of your project.

• Last but not the least; discuss the amount of documentation expected by you as a deliverable. Decide for yourself, what are the documents that would be helpful for you. Requirements specs, System test specs, Design documents etc. You could request for them to be in audio file format. That way, you are not dumped with pages and pages of documents, but can listen to these audio files and have a discussion with your solution provider.

The above will ensure that you are not tied down with a single solution provider, but will help us to move on with least wastage of effort to select the right Solution Provider.

About the Author

Nalini R Rajan has around 10 years of experience in a Fortune 500 multinational company. Being in one organisation for this long a period has given her an understanding of the various functionalities of the organisation as a whole. She is now putting it to optimum use as a Consultant for Corelead Interactive.