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Tag: Twitter

  • Twitter launches self-service ad platform for SMBs in India

    Twitter launches self-service ad platform for SMBs in India

    MUMBAI: Twitter has launched its self-service advertising platform for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in India. With this, Twitter has now expanded Twitter Ads’ reach globally from 33 countries to over 200 countries and territories.

     

    Now, SMBs from India to Iceland can more effectively reach their target audiences on Twitter in 15 languages. In addition, Twitter also announced that the total active advertisers, including SMBs were approximately 100,000.

     

    “Small and medium-sized businesses face the most challenges and are least resourced to promote the good work they do. With the expansion of the Twitter self-service ads platform, we are excited to help SMBs level the playing field with digital advertising to increase their sales,” said Twitter SMB lead for Asia Pacific Emily Huo.

     

    There are 51 million SMBs in India, according to market research firm Zinnov. Start-ups registered in India are projected to go up a whopping 11,500 by 2020, independent consultancy KPMG reports. Anyone with a small business, from tech start-ups to retail, F&B establishments, and even mom and pop shops, can now use the Twitter platform to target and engage in real-time with more than 316 million active Twitter users worldwide and increase sales.

     

    Twitter self service advertising platform – better than tweeting for free

     

    Twitter self-service advertising platform allows businesses to amplify their organic Twitter message and reach more people by targeting a specific audience. The great thing about the platform is that companies can set their own budgets. There is no minimum requirement for spends and the campaign can be started and stopped at any time. The self-service ad platform has been developed so it is as easy to use as possible, while providing businesses and individuals with all the tools they need to advertise effectively. All one needs is a Twitter account and a USD credit card to get started.

     

    With Twitter Ads, advertisers can now select the best ad format for their campaign, reach their target audience as well as track and analyse results in real time.

  • ESPNCricinfo & Twitter tie up to take #CricIQ social for #SLvInd

    ESPNCricinfo & Twitter tie up to take #CricIQ social for #SLvInd

    MUMBAI:   ESPNCricinfo and Twitter have walked out to the middle together to take #CricIQ social for the series deciding third test between Sri Lanka and India.

     

    Cricket fans around the world can now play CricIQ, which is ESPNCricinfo’s flagship cricket trivia game, by simply Tweeting their answers to @ESPNCricinfo.

     

    They will then get an auto-reply as an acknowledgment of their answer and fans who Tweet the right answers the fastest climb up a leaderboard which is announced on every day of the test match. Three daily winners and the Top 3 fans at the end of the test match win exciting prizes.

     

    Twitter India  head of sports partnerships Aneesh Madani said, “Twitter is the mobile microphone for sports fans around the world when they have something to say. We have consistently worked to bring more for the cricket fan and our partnership with ESPNCricinfo, who have built one of the largest audiences in the world for cricket on the platform, is another step in that direction . With this innovation to bring #CricIQ to Twitter, we’re delighted that ESPNCricinfo is giving cricket fans another fun reason to Tweet.”

    ESPNCricinfo director – business development Gaurav Thakur added, “ESPNcricinfo CricIQ has evolved to become one of the finest cricketing quiz destinations for ardent cricket fans and quizzers across the country. With the on-going India v SriLanka Test series, we decided to take the quiz social. This partnership with Twitter for #CricIQ gives fans a chance to play the quiz, and have fun with the uniquely real-time and interactive nature of the experience.”

  • Twitter rebrands Publisher Network; to launch new creative format

    Twitter rebrands Publisher Network; to launch new creative format

    MUMBAI: Twitter, which launched the Twitter Publisher Network (TPN) to help advertisers connect with audiences beyond its social network last year, is now set to revamp the product. TPN has been renamed as Twitter Audience Platform in order to reflect the evolution of the product. 

      

    The Twitter Audience Platform, which helps advertisers reach over 700 million people on and off Twitter, is expanding beyond mobile app installs and re-engagements, by offering advertisers the ability to drive two additional objectives: tweet engagements and video views, which are now available for the first time in beta to all managed clients globally. Secondly, the platform is launching new creative formats to help advertisers better engage with their in-app audience.

     

    Drive video views and tweet engagements

     

    Advertisers can now easily extend their promoted video and tweet engagement campaigns to the Twitter Audience Platform with a single click. Many of the targeting signals used on Twitter such as interest, username, and keyword can be applied to the campaigns across mobile apps. As on Twitter, promoted videos on the Twitter Audience Platform can play automatically on a device with all video being 100 per cent in-view.

     

    New creative features

     

    On the Twitter Audience Platform, promoted tweets are transformed into one of the platforms’ immersive ad formats including video, native ads, banners, and interstitials. For example:

     

    • Tweet engagement campaigns on Twitter become interstitial and native ads
    • Promoted video campaigns are turned into in-app video ads
    • App install or re-engagement campaigns become interstitial or banner ads

     

    The platform has also added creative features to interstitials to help advertisers extend their best content beyond Twitter. Users can now retweet and favourite directly from their Twitter Audience Platform ad. Twitter has also added customizable call to action buttons to help advertisers more efficiently drive their desired user action.

     

    Advertiser success

     

    According to Twitter, advertisers who run campaigns across both Twitter and the Twitter Audience Platform can double their reach and lower CPEs by as much as 30 per cent. Additionally, a June 2015 study that the platform commissioned from MediaScience shows that consumers — both on and off Twitter users — spent about 123 per cent more time with Twitter Audience Platform ads compared to traditional mobile interstitial ads. The research also showed that non-Twitter users who saw a Twitter Audience Platform ad expressed about 11 per cent more positive sentiment towards the brand advertiser.

     

    Availability

     

    The Twitter Audience Platform is now available globally to all managed clients driving Tweet engagements and video views. It is also being tested by select clients driving mobile app installs and re-engagements. Over the next few months, the platform has plans to expand the programme to other objectives, including website clicks and conversions.

  • Viacom launches new ad sales division to lead GenX products

    Viacom launches new ad sales division to lead GenX products

    MUMBAI: In a move to tap new social and data products for ad sales, Viacom has launched a new division within Viacom Ad Sales called Velocity Products Group, which is designed to bring multi-platform social partnerships, products, and services to clients.

     

    In addition to offering a specialized set of Velocity Product experts that are aligned with each Ad Sales team, the group harnesses the collective power of Ad Sales’ social and data products to super-serve clients. The Velocity Products Group will also drive partnerships with key external social media platforms, including Snapchat, Twitter, and Tumblr.

     

    “Intense demand for our innovative products during this Upfront season made it a strategic necessity to create a group singularly dedicated to evolving and developing our industry-leading offerings. As the industry’s largest sales distribution network, Viacom’s Ad Sales organization and the new Velocity Product Group bring our ad partners unrivalled creativity, cutting edge possibilities, and expertise to connect them with our highly-engaged millennial audience,” said Viacom head of sales Jeff Lucas.

     

    Year-over-year, Ad Sales has doubled the number of advertisers utilizing the suite of product offerings from the Velocity Product Group, totaling more than 100 blue chip clients after this year’s Upfront.

     

    Elizabeth Herbst-Brady, who reports to Lucas, oversees the team in her expanded role as executive vice president of Ad Sales Strategy and Products. Reporting to Herbst-Brady are SVP Strategy Kalina Nikolova as well as Sarah Iooss, who steps into the newly created role of SVP, Velocity Product Group. Deborah Brett has been named VP of Velocity Products Group reporting to Iooss.

     

    This new team of nearly two dozen Velocity Product experts is charged with growing strategic partnerships, spearheading product development, and augmenting sales efforts across the entire Viacom network portfolio.

     

    The group will also be the bridge between advertising partners and 645 million socially engaged fans across Viacom’s brands.

     

    Velocity Product Group’s offerings consist of a comprehensive slate of solutions, including:

     

    • Viacom Vantage – Using a combination of Viacom’s proprietary data and third party data from multiple sources, Vantage offers advertisers precise consumer targeting and unmatched predictive capabilities

    • Echo – A strategic approach to harnessing Viacom’s unparalleled social reach with customized programs for ad partners. The groundbreaking analytics tool, Echo Social Graph, measures engagement deeply and holistically by tapping multiple social platforms, including those outside of Viacom’s own portfolio.

    • The Social Talent Platform – Velocity makes talent engagement turnkey by giving advertisers direct access to a growing roster of social superstars for custom campaigns.

    • Integration+ – This offering gives advertisers added flexibility and choice when customizing their branded entertainment opportunities.

    • Pulse Real-Time Marketing – An exclusive multi-platform functionality that puts partners into the cultural conversation with sharable content in their authentic voice.

    • Social Media Advertising Partnerships – Key social media partnerships with Twitter, Snapchat, and Tumblr bolster the reach and impact of social-by-design campaigns.

  • Star Plus uses Periscope to reach out to viewers on Twitter

    Star Plus uses Periscope to reach out to viewers on Twitter

    MUMBAI: Hindi general entertainment channels (GEC) have realized the importance of digital. In keeping with this, Star Plus, last week drove conversations on Twitter, by making use of Periscope, a live video streaming platform. 

     

    In a first of its kind, the channel used the technology to promote the finalists of Nach Baliye 7 and also to popularize the title track ‘Mere Nishan’ of recently launched fiction show Badtameez Dil. 

     

    In the week leading up to the grand finale of the dance reality show, Nach Baliye 7, all the finalist jodis of the show engaged in a conversation on Periscope. They answered questions from the fans live and promoted their respective voting numbers.

     

    In a bid to promote the launch of Badtameez Dil, Star Plus used the Periscope tool to ask users their favourite lines from the title track, ‘Mere Nishan.’ To cap off a new experience, singer Darshan sang those particular lines live for them on Periscope.

     

    “By using Periscope in such an interactive and real time manner, Star Plus has shown they truly understand the potential of the live streaming platform. We believe that such partners will help us also expand the possibilities. We would really like to appreciate the foresight behind including Periscope in two popular shows like Nach Baliye and Badtameez Dil, and we hope to see many such engagements, which truly enhance the experience for the viewers,” said a Twitter India representative.

     

    Star Plus has constantly set newer trends in the social media space whether it was the use of Twitter’s Flock to Unlock tool for the Satyamev Jayate promo, or the use of Periscope for real time interaction with the audience.

  • Q2-2015: Twitter sees 61% revenue growth, ad revenue up 63.2%

    Q2-2015: Twitter sees 61% revenue growth, ad revenue up 63.2%

    BENGALURU: Twitter, Inc. reported 60.9 per cent growth in revenue for the quarter ended 30 June, 2015 (Q2-2015) at $502.38 million as compared to the $312.17 million in the corresponding year ago quarter. Excluding the impact of year-over-year changes in foreign exchange rates, revenue would have increased 68 per cent says Twitter.Advertising revenue increased 63.2 per cent to $452 million as compared to $277 million in Q2-2014.

     

    GAAP net loss of $136.66 million in Q2-2015 was lower than the net loss of $144.64 million in Q2-2014, while non-GAAP income in the current quarter was $48.52 million as compared to the $14.60 million in the corresponding year ago quarter. Adjusted EBIDTA for Q2-2015 at $120.19 million more than doubled (up 2.2 times) as compared to the $54.13 million in Q2-2014.

     

    “Our Q2 results show good progress in monetization, but we are not satisfied with our growth in audience. However, product initiatives we’ve mentioned in previous earnings calls, like instant timelines and logged-out experiences, have not yet had meaningful impact on growing our audience or participation. This is unacceptable and we’re not happy about it. In order to realize Twitter’s full potential, we must improve in three key areas: ensure more disciplined execution, simplify our service to deliver Twitter’s value faster, and better communicate that value,” said Twitter interim CEO Jack Dorsey.

     

    YTD, Twitter’s revenue increased 66.6 per cent to $938 million in Q2-2015 from $563 million in the six month period ended 30 June, 2014 (6M-2014). Ad revenue in 6M-2015 increased 67 per cent to $840 million as compared to the $503 million in 6M-2014. GAAP Net loss in 6M-2015 increased to $299.10 million as compared to the net loss of $277 million in the corresponding period of last year. Non GAAP net income in 6M-2015 increased to $95.03 million as compared to the $14.80 million in 6M-2014. YTD EBIDTA increased to $224.21 million as compared to the $91.08 million in 6M-2014.

     

    Twitter says that Monthly Active Users – Average Monthly Active Users (MAUs) were 316 million for Q2-2015, up 15 per cent y-o-y, and compared to 308 million in Q1-2015. The vast majority of MAUs added in the quarter on a sequential basis came from SMS Fast Followers. Excluding SMS Fast Followers, MAUs were 304 million for Q2-2015, up 12 per cent y-o-y, and compared to 302 million in Q1-2015. Mobile MAUs represented approximately 80 per cent of total MAUs.

     

    In Q2-2015, Twitter launched a new autoplay feature for native videos, Vines and GIFs, as well as Periscope live video streaming on Android.

  • CNN-IBN to rebrand ‘Citizen Journalist’ as ‘CJ+’

    CNN-IBN to rebrand ‘Citizen Journalist’ as ‘CJ+’

    MUMBAI: Acknowledging the digital boost, CNN-IBN is all set to rebrand The Citizen Journalist Show as CJ+ to digitally empower the concept. 

     

    Starting 1 August, 2015, CJ+ will hit screens in an all new-avatar, and will connect its viewers digitally. With this new format, CNN-IBN will expand its platform for the common man to voice his thoughts and concerns, through easily accessible digital tools.

     

    Although, the story ideas and storytelling that builds on The CJ Show’s rich legacy and authenticity in the reportage world remain intact, this time the show will push boundaries, and will use social media platforms like video blogs, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Hangouts and Skype to enhance its storytelling techniques. To complement the show, a refreshed website will also be launched.

     

    CNN-IBN managing editor Radhakrishnan Nair said, “The whole objective behind CJ+ is to empower the audience and give them a bigger stage to participate in the whole news gathering system and fight for their rights. We are grateful to work on such an innovative program and hope that we continue receiving an overwhelming response from the audience.”

  • Epic Channel launches India’s first Twitter alarm to drive viewership

    Epic Channel launches India’s first Twitter alarm to drive viewership

    MUMBAI: TV channels are leaving no stone unturned to engage with the Twitter world. Now, Epic channel has executed a unique innovation for its new campaign – #EPICat10. 

     

    The channel is the first broadcaster to use the Twitter Alarm that lets followers set a reminder for the 10 pm shows. The Twitter alarm was conceptualised by Grey Group India and executed in collaboration with Twitter. 

     

    The Twitter application was created as part of Epic Channel’s ongoing campaign. The objective of the campaign is to drive viewing to the 10 pm slot.

     

    The mechanism is simple. After following the Epic Channel on Twitter, a follower can set the reminder from a specially created tweet. Once the reminder is set, the Twitter application sends the follower a reminder tweet at 9.45 pm to watch the 10 pm shows. The activity was launched on 6 July, 2015. 

     

    Epic MD Mahesh Samat said, “When Grey suggested the idea as part of the ‘Epic at 10’ campaign, we were instantly sold and excited to get it activated. We are proud to announce ‘The Epic Channel Twitter Alarm’ for the first time in India. Twitter has been excellent in facilitating the innovation. The core idea of our campaign is to drive tune-ins to the 10 pm time slot on the channel. The Twitter Alarm fits in perfectly with the campaign.”

     

    Grey Group India chairman and MD Sunil Lulla added, “At Grey Group, we are constantly looking at creating, ‘Famous & Effective’ campaigns for our clients. This makes it imperative to step beyond the boundaries and create – even if it is something as simple as a ‘Twitter Alarm’. We hope that soon enough, India will need no reminder to tune into The Epic Channel at 10 pm.”

  • IIFA 2015 takes world by storm on social media

    IIFA 2015 takes world by storm on social media

    MUMBAI: Social media is being used extensively to popularise shows these days and an example of this was the recently aired IIFA 2015. While #IIFA2015 trended at number one in India, on the day of its telecast on Colors, it also was among the top 10 trends internationally.

     

    This year’s campaign saw a plethora of innovative mediums that kept consumers engaged and enthralled by the excitement and glamour of the IIFA Weekend. On twitter, fans and stars tweeted constantly about their favourite moments of the show.

     

    Fans got a chance to be part of the Green Carpet at IIFA with Facebook video lounge where they could ask their favourite stars a question. With the ingenious use of Facebook API, a touch screen experience was created for celebrities to answer the questions. Each celebrity picked a question by tapping on one of the five profile photos of their fans. Not just this, #Fame beamed close to 200 hours of live content spanning three days. Celebrities lost their hold on gravity with Instagrams Gravity Booth.

     

    Wizcraft International director Sabbas Joseph said, “Social media is a revolution in technology that allows us to interface with events across the world as an almost first-hand experience. It is this pinnacle of interaction that we have tried to achieve through our social media campaign this year and I think we have successfully achieved this goal.”

  • Chef Sanjeev Kapoor talks food with fans on Twitter with #SanjeevKapoorsRecipes

    Chef Sanjeev Kapoor talks food with fans on Twitter with #SanjeevKapoorsRecipes

    MUMBAI: On 8 July, 2015, between 11 am and 12 noon, celebrated chef Sanjeev Kapoor will reach out to fans on Twitter, powered by Hungama, India’s largest digital service. The celebrity chef will chat with fans while using #SanjeevKapoorsRecipes. With this, Chef Sanjeev Kapoor becomes the first Indian chef to do a Twitter activity to answer all his fans’ questions on food, cooking, tricks to preserve various ingredients and insight into recipes of various cuisines and regions. 

     

    Chef Sanjeev Kapoor has over 100,000 followers on Twitter from across the globe, he will not only chat about food but also his official recipes app called SANJEEV KAPOOR’s RECIPES available on Android, iOS and Windows. With this activity, the Master Chef judge aims to help his fans to resolve any issues they may have with cooking.

     

    The Sanjeev Kapoor’s Recipes App offers a wide range of features developed by Hungama Digital Media Entertainmen. Users can access detailed recipes with pictures, there are special, personal notes by Sanjeev Kapoor along with some awesome features like ‘In Your Fridge’ which offers a brilliant solution to everyday dilemma of what to cook? All you need to do is enter ingredients in your fridge and see the magical search results. There’s another feature called ‘Shopping List’ that helps keep a check on marking the missing items in your kitchen as you read a recipe on the app; pull out the list when one is at the supermarket or mail it to yourself. The app can also help locate the nearest Sanjeev Kapoor restaurant with the ‘Restaurant Locator’ feature.

     

    Sanjeev Kapoor said, “I have always believed that food brings us close, helps build communities and strengthen families. A discussion about food is as exciting and enjoyable as having food. Let’s catch up and talk about something that we all love – FOOD. I am looking forward to interacting with foodies from across the world.”

     

    Speaking on the occasion Neeraj Roy, MD & CEO of Hungama Digital Media Entertainment, said, “We are happy to associate with renowned chef Sanjeev Kapoor and his endeavors to promote the Sanjeev Kapoor Recipes app. His chat over Twitter with fans will circulate around the recipes he has created and re-created over the span of his entire career. We hope that with this activity Sanjeev Kapoor’s fans from across the globe will get a chance to interact with him.”