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”Since fake news has emerged, people rely on trustworthy journalism to consume their news”

February 7, 2023February 7, 2023TwinglyLeave a comment

Interview with Johannes Burk, Director Content Solutions at PressReader, an on-demand media platform in Canada

Pleased to meet you, Johannes. Can you tell us about your background and your current position?

While our mission at PressReader is to enrich and empower curious minds by providing access to quality journalism, we see a sustainable future for creators of quality content – in part by partnering with PressReader.

As Director of Content Solutions, my scope of work entails developing new strategic partnerships that open up new revenue opportunities for our publishing partners in areas they do not specialize in. Especially, the licensing and copyright situation in the global market remains very complex and is an area of improvement, where publishers and business partners can benefit from our expertise and extensive network.

Among my favorite facets of my daily work are building and growing global relationships with licensing and media intelligence C-Suite executives and communication professionals, supporting new and existing deals with B2B partners, and developing new strategic revenue opportunities.

What makes PressReader different from other companies in this field?

PressReader’s proprietary technology makes it possible to process thousands of newspapers every single day, extracting text and images and making articles instantly translatable, searchable, and easy to read on mobile devices. Our all-you-can-read service is popular with individual subscribers and business partners alike and we’re a global leader among Hospitality, Library and other B2B channels.

Recently The Economist and PressReader announced an expansion of their strategic partnership, making PressReader the exclusive digital distributor of the weekly magazine globally in public libraries, hotels, aviation, marine and healthcare.

What are the greatest challenges ahead for you and your team?

Publishers need to utilize the available information regarding their reader’s preferences. Supporting them by providing insightful analytics and creating additional reach and readership through the PressReader platform and extensive B2B network will be an ongoing priority.

Another challenge is adding to the product lines (ebooks will soon be on PressReader) in a time of content abundance, while staying connected with the needs of our customers.

Can you give an example of an excellent client case of yours that create real impact?

The Arkansas Democratic Gazette (ADG) ‘iPad Initiative’. This was a bold experiment that won the 2020 Mega-Innovation Award. Back in 2018, the publisher of the ADG realized that his newspaper was going to lose money. Instead of cutting circulation in remote areas and decimating its newsroom as many US newspaper publishers did, ADG analyzed subscribers’ reading behaviors and discovered that thousands of them had already switched from the print edition of the paper to the Digital Replica. Hence, ADG initiated an experiment in Blytheville where subscribers were encouraged to switch from print to the Digital Replica.

70% of print readers converted to the Digital Replica, motivating ADG to launch a full-scale rollout across the state. In January 2020, ADG completed the digital conversion, transitioning just shy of 36,000 home delivery subscribers (79%) to the Digital Replica powered by PressReader’s Branded Edition 2.0 technology.

Print is not dead, but online is king. In your opinion, will both still be relevant in 5 years?

The publishing industry has been facing enormous challenges in the age of digitalization. Publishers must adapt quickly to react to different consumption habits, and many will have to offer online and print products to cater different needs and increase retention.

Print will become more and more of a luxury, but the format itself provides a complete ‘news’ to secure advertisers offering for a set period of time, something that is still valued today, and is expected to be valuable for many years to come.

Premium print sources will remain a key factor for publishers, although the format may change over the next few years. As the example of ADG shows, PressReader’s Branded Editions partners with renowned publishers, providing white-label digital publishing solution, including The New York Times, The Guardian, and El País. Readers can enjoy the feeling of the print product enhanced by digital reader-first features, offering a dynamic, unparalleled reading experience.

The market is having a shake-up. First covid, now economic instability and inflations. How did you see your market respond and do you expect a long-lasting effect?

During the pandemic, PressReader has supported its partners in the struggling Hospitality & Tourism industries. We also experienced a significant increase in new B2C subscribers, which demonstrates that Print remains among the most trusted sources. Especially since fake news has emerged, people rely on trustworthy journalism to consume their news.

While we remain cautious with our outlook in uncertain economic times, I am optimistic that the publishing and communication industry will bounce back and recover even stronger.

How do you see the industry develop in the next 5 years?

Retaining readership for publishers is a key factor to success. Major publishers are remodeling their subscription plans and digital offerings to meet the changing demands of readers. Offering new ways of accessing news and constant development is necessary to keep abreast. Data analytics and AI are going to play a huge role in analyzing reader behavior, which will help publishers offer customized content to its consumers. Finally, remote work is changing media professionals’ schedules. Being flexible to retain the talented people will be one of the biggest challenges for the communications industry.

By Anna Roos van Wijngaarden

Twingly is a leading supplier of global news data, supplying over 3 million news articles per day from 150,000 active news sources. Read more…

“Fake news is the biggest problem of our day”

March 29, 2018June 22, 2021TwinglyLeave a comment

Interview with Halef Remzi Vayıs, General Manager at MTM, Medya Takip Merkezi, a media intelligence company in Turkey.

Hi Halef, what is your background and what is included in your current role at MTM?

Our company was founded about 20 years ago. I am a founding partner and a general manager of MTM. We have opened 6 branches in various cities in Turkey, and have set up a local company in Azerbaijan. We currently service 1000 customers with 120 employees. Turkey’s most important companies work with us.

Our company consists of 8 main sections, where I serve as president and the directors of the sections forming our governing body. The establishment operates dynamically and keeps the pulse of the industry in the world. It responds to the renewed needs of our customers and ensures that the developing technology is included in our business. We follow trends, respond to new demands and develop products that will lead to new demands. We work to spend our money rationally by making the right investments. We organize events to educate and improve our human resources, and we participate in events organized outside. I also undertake all these tasks and responsibilities together with them as part of the team.

What differs MTM from other media intelligence companies in Turkey?

Our most important difference is our innovative construction; our vision is always fresh and up-to-date. This enables our customers to quickly integrate with changing and evolving services around the world. Our sector’s customers are naturally a group that stands out from all sorts of social developments. In other words, if there is a development in the country and in the world, this sector is seen first, it tries, it lives. So, they like to work with an innovative and dynamic company.

What are your greatest challenges ahead at MTM when it comes to serving your customer analysis and developing your offer?

The biggest paradox is the “quality service and low price” equation. I think this does not affect just our country, but many countries, especially sectors with high competition where the customer wants high quality, complete and fast services, while paying less for it. When you have to upgrade the service quality, but that can’t affect the price, this causes your profit margins to fall. You can reduce your margins up to some extent, of course, but sometimes you come to a point where the customer is stuck between choosing a quality service or a low price.

If any, what specific needs are there in the Turkish market for media intelligence that you think differs from the rest of the world?

I do not think there is a big difference in expectations from the media monitoring service. They want us to use every possible opportunity as a resource, and quickly provide the analysis to them. One of our mottos is “to deliver the most intelligent information in the fastest way.”

According to your clients, what are the most important sources of information to monitor about their company and brand?

It depends on the product and the company. As the transition between traditional media and social media continues, understanding is shaped accordingly. According to some, social media is a balloon, and it is more valuable to follow traditional media. Some customers pay more attention to the impact of digital and social media. In short, we can say that the counterpart, supposed to be under the influence of the brand or the target volume of the product, is accepted as the source by the customer.

Which social platforms or sources do you see as having the most potential in the future when it comes to gathering relevant information for your customers?

Obviously, I do not think it would be very realistic to give a specific name because in today’s world everything can happen. Facebook’s “Cambridge Analytica” issue is an example for this. However, digital and social platforms have a high potential as a source of information and will continue to be.

Have you recently, or are you about to, release any new technology-based solutions that will add to or improve services you offer clients? If so, what solutions and how will your customers benefit from them?

Of course we always want to do new things 🙂 We develop our own systems with our 18-person software and technical team. We have a research and development department. We do our own hosting with 30 servers and storage.

We also collaborate with international companies such as PerVoice, Talkwalker and Twingly, who provide technical and information support. This kind of support eliminates our shortcomings and provides new perspectives and facilities to our customers.

Is “fake news” a big issue in your region? If so, what are the challenges media intelligence and monitoring companies face and how do you cope with it?

Fake news is the biggest problem of our day, but I think this is not the current issue of media monitoring companies. Our task is to find and bring what is published. I repeat: Find out what is published, even if it is fake. Because this fake news can be a result that needs to be dealt with.

On the other hand, solutions for news that are not true can be developed by companies like us as a new product. This product can capture and report fake news. However, we have not encountered such a demand until now. We do not have any systems yet to identify fake news.

Some media intelligence companies have recently moved up the value chain, providing their clients with content within PR and Advertising. Have you been moving in that direction recently, or would it be interesting to do so?

Our business mostly focuses on reporting and measuring PR practices. We don’t focus on content support.

How do you think the media intelligence industry will change in the next 5 years, and what are the greatest challenges ahead?

As we all know, the media is changing shell every day and will continue to change. As various platforms and publishing equipment enter our lives, the media increases, so media monitoring has already turned into big data. The biggest problems of our day are the fake news and the privacy of private life. The steps and arrangements of the authorities of the countries will also determine the direction of our work. But I anticipate that our work will become more important in every situation as long as we can do more precise and attentive works.

How do you see that MTM will have changed and developed over the next 5 years?

MTM has always been ambitious since its founding, and will continue to be so. Five years from now, it will be easier for us to reach both current and archive intelligent knowledge. At that time, we will want to be called a “smart data company” rather than a “technology company” like now.

By Renata Ilitsky

The Grace of Latin Beauty Blogs

December 5, 2016TwinglyLeave a comment

Beauty is important in every culture, especially in the Latin one. Latinas go out of their way to make themselves muylindas (very beautiful), taking their time to do their hair, nails and makeup. Here are three popular Latin beauty bloggers from around the world to give you a glimpse into how each one perceives beauty, and the advice they give to readers.

Beauty Airlines

Susana Chavez has worked as a beauty editor for the last 20 years. Her blog, Beauty Airlines, is part of Vogue Portugal, where she has worked for the last 12 years, writing about cosmetics and perfume.

In her posts, Susana shares the behind-the-scenes daily life of a beauty editor who travels the world to interview experts and review the latest products.

In an exclusive interview with Twingly, Susana shared with us her thoughts on blogging.

What was your motivation for starting the blog?
As a Beauty Editor for Vogue, I live surrounded by new beauty products, attend press-launches and travel extensively for beauty events. Not all of this fits in my Vogue Beauty pages, so I started Beauty Airlines to share a bit of the journey in my Beauty Editor life. I love traveling and airplanes, so it’s also a good place to share my geekiness.

What are the biggest advantage/disadvantage of being a blog writer?
Advantage, I’d say are to be able to share the backstage daily life of my work. Disadvantage is that it takes up much more time than anyone imagined!

Have you collaborated with any brands for this blog, and what was the purpose?
No, I haven’t. The blog is not monetized. I’ve done a few giveaways just to share good things with my readers, but no commercial associations.

Mami’s Time Out

Many beauty bloggers focus on the latest makeup brands and secrets, the problem is that makeup can be expensive, and not all the readers can afford to purchase it. Jai Correa, a Dominican blogger, realizes that, and addresses it in her blog Mami’s Time Out. Writing primarily for moms, she offers her advice for ways to look hermosa (beautiful) without breaking the bank. As she writes on her blog, “I love a bargain as much as I love a good lipstick.”

Mami’s Time Out is a one-stop-shop for everything having to do with beauty. She gives tips on how her readers can get the look of their favorite celebrities, like when she gave advice on achieving an ombre hairstyle, like her favorite telenovela star, Maite Perroni.

She works with makeup and beauty brands, such as Love & Glamour (Jennifer Lopez’s fragrance), Neutrogena, Covergirl and Pop Sugar.

RisasRizos

Twenty-eight year old Rocio Isabel Mora started sharing hair beauty secrets on her YouTube channel in 2014, which has now reached over 40,000 subscribers, whom she calls “Curlfriends and Rizadas,” all over the world. In her videos, Rocio shares her knowledge about managing curly hair.

However, as hair is not her only passion, she started the blog RisasRizos. Living in New Orleans in the US, Rocio’s parents are from Mexico and Honduras, which is why you can find some Spanglish (Spanish and English) in her blog. In writing her posts, Rocio works with brands such as Caress, Aveeno and Bioré.

Rocio started her career as a local television show host on the Spanish channel Telemundo. She is a regular contributor for NaturallyCurly and Being Latino.

If you need access to beauty blogs and global blog data, you can find everything you need at Twingly.com

By Renata Ilitsky

The Rich Taste of US Food Blogs

October 3, 2016TwinglyLeave a comment

Most countries are known for their regional cuisines; Italians love their pasta, France is known for escargots and India is famous for curry. However, there is no real consensus on what American food is. Is it hot dogs, apple pie or hamburgers? We interviewed three American food bloggers so you can decide for yourself.

Food-verse

Tesia Kuh’s blog Food-verse is the perfect example of what Americans eat, a smorgasbord of food from around the world. Her blog may scare some newbie cooks away with fancy titles, such as ghormeh sabzi, dan bing, and garlic soy soba noodles, but the names are just representatives of their host regions, which are the Middle East, Taiwan, and Japan.

In an exclusive interview, she Tesia, who works for Wolfgang Puck Worldwide, shared her motivation for starting the blog: “I started blogging first through photos on Instagram. I wanted to show what I made at home and when I got such a positive response, eventually I wanted to tell others how they can make it for themselves.”

What’s special about this blog is that Tesia shares a little bit about herself in each recipe, such as where she got the idea, how she came to make the dish, etc. Regarding dan bing (Taiwanese egg roles), she wrote, “It reminded me of a Korean rolled omelet side dish I grew up eating but with an added crepe! Egg, crepe, Asian street food that you can eat with your hands! Whenever utensils are optional I can hardly contain my excitement.” Regarding the garlic soy soba noodles, she shared: ‘This was my I’m too lazy to cook, too lazy to go out and get food but hungry for something delicious – meal experiment that turned out so well I made it again the very next day.”

Grillocracy

Americans are known for their love of meat, particularly barbeque. Grillocrazy serves to meat-lovers around the country, with practical tips, recipes and advice on grilling and barbecuing.

Written by Clint Cantwell, called the “backyard griller on steroids” this grillmaster wears many hats! He is the Editor of Grillocracy and Kingsford, video content director of AmazingRibs.com, pitmaster of Smoke in da Eye competition barbecue and grilling team, and winner of Travel Channel’s “American Grilled.” He has recurring grilling segments on both CNN’s HLN and WREG-TV. It’s safe to say that Clint knows his meat!

Why does he blog?

“Being a blogger allows me to scratch my creative itch, creating countless out-of-the-box recipes for a global audience of grilling fans. The only disadvantage is the time involved in creating new content on a consistent basis.”

His recipes are carefully categorized in easy to find sections, such as grilling beef, grilling poultry, grilling fruits and vegetables, and grilling dessert (yes, you read that correctly). What’s unique about Clint’s food blog is that he doesn’t just share recipes, but provides advice on the entire grilling and barbecuing experience. For example, he has a “How To” section where he shares tips on using spices, adjusting smoking times and smoking turkeys. He even has a link to reviews on different grills and smokers.

Aluminum Foiled Kitchen

Many Americans are on the health trend diet, as evidenced by this young blogger, Judith Rontal. At just 20-years-old, she lost 60 pounds by changing her diet and lifestyle, which she shares on her blog Aluminum Foiled Kitchen. Living in Washington, D.C., Judith blogs about local cooking as well as cooking when she travels.

Her blog is fun and original; she doesn’t title her blog posts simply by the name of the dish, but uses titles such as: “When You Have 20 Pounds of Peaches…”, “What I should Eat for Breakfast Today,” and “Not My Mom’s Apple Cake.”

What was your motivation for starting the blog?

“I started the blog as a way to share what I was making with friends and family (beyond texts and Snapchat). I’ve always loved baking and cooking and discovered the world of food blogging when I started expanding my knowledge in the kitchen and wanted to get some inspiration. I’m an avid reader of Smitten Kitchen and one of my favorite parts of her site is the comment section under her recipes – she responds to so many questions! I’ve learned from her and want to be able to help others out in the same way she has helped me.”

“My blog was started as something for me, so I like that its message is intimate and very personal. I hope to keep that as I share it with people who I don’t know – hopefully it’ll be a way for them to feel like they get a sense of who I am as a person without meeting me!”

From ethnic dishes to barbecue and healthy options, Americans love a variety of food.

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If you need access to food blogs and global blog data, you can find everything you need at Twingly.com

By Renata Ilitsky

Three Fashion Blogs From Around the World

September 8, 2016TwinglyLeave a comment

NY Fashion Week opens today and fashion means many things to different people. To some, dressing fashionably means following the latest styles from world-known brands, such as Chanel, Dior and Gucci. To others, fashion means expressing their individuality and personal sense of style. Although fashion varies from person to person, there are specific fashion trends that permeate entire countries. Here we take a look at three fashion blogs from around the world – China, Sweden and Canada.

catsbrothers_pmq_hongkong_elleiconlee_2016_05 — Elle is not afraid to be bold in her outfit selections. Just take a look at this colorful outfit from Cats Brothers. Wearing this in many parts of the world would likely result in curious looks from strangers, but it may be just right for the daring and often whimsical Asian fashion, which always pushes the edge!

China – Elle Lee

ElleIconLee is a blog by Elle Lee, who lives in Hong Kong. An ex-model herself, she writes about fashion and lifestyle, as well as vlogging on YouTube and writing for fashion columns on several websites.

Elle’s unique angles is that she writes in English and Chinese, and shares looks with both international and regional inspirations with her readers. In an interview with Sassy Hong Kong, Elle describes her style as “less is more,” stating that she likes “designs that are clean, well-made and stand the test of time.”

“Imagine a mash-up between the craftsmanship of Oscar de la Renta, the feminine subtlety of Lanvin, the uniqueness of Maison Martin Margiela and the creativity of Nicholas Kirkwood – mix those with my East meets West background and you get an idea of my personal style,” Elle explained.

We got an exclusive interview with Elle about her blogging:

What was your motivation for starting the blog?

I started my first blog when I was 10-years-old, but it was more of a digital platform to record my life for my family and friends as I was living away from home. Then social media started and I was getting a lot of questions regarding what I was wearing, using etc. So I thought I should start a blog and point everyone there for a more detailed answer.

laboron_SHFW_2016_mickeymouse_tokyo_disneyland_02 — For a great example of how Elle mixes high fashion with everyday trends from around the world, check out this photo, where she paired a LABORON evening gown with a Mickey Mouse-shaped popcorn case she used as a clutch at Shanghai Fashion Week!

What are the biggest advantages/disadvantages of being a blogger?

A lot of influencers now only work on social media platforms with few words and strong images, that’s the trend. Writing a blog is very time consuming, especially since I still take care of my social platforms in both Chinese and English. However, I still feel like keeping the blog running as it’s more like a core of what I keep everything on, and people could search and look up content even after 10 or 20 years, which might not be easy to do on social media platforms.

How does it work with the different languages on your blog?

My blog is in both Chinese and English, but I don’t translate them, I write them differently as no language can be expressed in the same way. It’s very time consuming, but I believe it gives readers in Chinese and English a better reading experience. Some readers even use my blog as a way to learn English and Chinese, which I feel is pretty awesome!

FannyLyckman-YachtWeek-swimsuitandshorts-3-980x654 — Fanny shares the outfits she wears in her daily life, such as this high-waisted swimsuit from H&M and jean shorts from Melrose market in LA she wore in Greece. She doesn’t only focus on high couture, but shares inspirational ideas for urban, sporty and everyday looks just perfect for active Swedes.

Sweden – Fanny Lyckman

Fanny Lyckman is a Swedish fashion expert. At just 25-years-old, Fanny has created a name for herself in the fashion world. She is not only an award-nominated fashion blogger, but has created a nail polish line in collaboration with NCLA, and designed two collections with the brand Nelly. She is currently working on a fashion line, which she hopes to release this fall.

Although Fanny is a Swedish blogger, thousands of people around the world follow her website and Instagram account. In an interview with Cosmopolitan, Fanny says that she gets her style inspiration from following different people on Tumblr. Online, Fanny likes to shop on Asos; as far as physical stores, she prefers Zara, Urban Outfitters, Beyond Retro, Topshop, H&M and River Island. She shares that she can’t live without her jean shorts, and would never be caught in tax-me heels.

Canada – Jen Tam

27506550460_d65f38dcfa_h — Jen not only posts photos of outfits and names of the designers, but also highlights how the clothes can alter the way the body appears. “The off-the-shoulder crop top from Giulietta and wide-legged, high-waisted Vionnet pants are definitely works of art on their own, but the combined proportions did wonders to flatter my shape and made me seem about six feet tall,” she wrote about this outfit.

Her Waise Choice is a blog by Canadian writer, Jen Tam. Her blog’s motto is that everyone can be stylish without looking down on others or being a slave to fashion. Canadians are known for being friendly and approachable, an attitude Jen strongly believes should be incorporated into fashion, which should be “accessible and not intimidating.” Since 2010, Jen has tried to inspire her readers, everyday women, to dress with approachable style that fits in with Canadian culture.

Jen is not afraid to be brutally honest, which undoubtedly appeals to her readers. For example, in a recent post, she shared: “I’m often still not totally happy with the way a certain piece fits, or I’ll wish I could change a detail or two about an overall look. It’s quite rare for an outfit to be executed in a way where I feel like all the elements really work.”

In a recent interview with Top 100 Style, Jen shares her style rules.

What’s one go-to piece every woman should own?

The perfect pair of black jeans.

Dress up or dress down?

I’ve always been a believer of being a little more dressed up but lately I’ve been more inclined to be comfortable. I think this has something to do with the fact that my style has been evolving into a slightly edgier vibe in the last year or two.

What’s one fashion rule you’re proud of breaking?

No white after Labor day—white is a great tone to wear year round and I especially love white on white winter wear!

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If you need access to fashion blogs and global blog data, you can find everything you need at Twingly.com

By Renata Ilitsky

How Leonardo helps us shape the future of social data

August 25, 2016TwinglyLeave a comment

For every sprint we fight with the priorities to improve our services and products as much as possible for a greater value. Sometimes however you might get stuck in priorities that limit creativity and you might lose track of where you are heading.

So, we introduced Leonardo.

Inspired by Google’s “20% time” we launched Leonardo, for the developers to spend 20% of their work time on future projects that are not included in regular planning. However, they could only choose among a certain number of projects in social data, that all were on our future road map. It could be features, new products, improvements to our systems etc.

They were free to approach the project in any way they liked as long as they constantly logged what they did, so everyone could follow the work, give input or continue the work if needed further on. They could go at it alone or together with someone else.

The purpose is to give the developers more creative freedom, full responsibility at the start of a project that they have selected and a picture of the different parts of our distant future. At the same time it gives us all a better detailed idea of our challenges ahead which helps us prioritize among new projects.

After the team was presented to Leonardo and the projects to choose from (four times more projects than team members), they got three days to choose their first project. Some chose project almost unwillingly and we even had to schedule time in our regular planning for everyone to get started.

Now after 6 months, we are still not fully embracing Leonardo. The big challenge for probably any team is to really set aside 20% of the work time on regular basis. Daily and weekly priorities are made for a reason and that knowledge in relation to available hours sometimes dims the view.

A few projects have come as far as it is possible under Leonardo and waiting to be included in the regular planning, while some have temporarily been abandoned for the choice of other projects. Projects with longer runways to get off the ground have seemed a bit more difficult to get attention, probably because they clash even harder with the short-term of daily priorities.

In our struggle for a more improved effect, the picture of the future painted by our Leonardo is still important every week to keep us on the right track and to see future synergies. We will continue to evaluate and develop Leonardo to generate more value in the future of social data.

If you are running similar projects, please share your experiences and don’t hesitate to let us know if you have any questions or thoughts about ours.

Why the name Leonardo? Well, Leonardo da Vinci was a genius ahead of his time…

By Pontus Edenberg

If you need access to local or global blog data, you can find everything you need at Twingly.com

“In the next 5 years there will be more dependence on social media intelligence, which means that the accuracy and speed of analysis will increase”

August 12, 2016TwinglyLeave a comment

Mohamed Abdel-Mottaleb - original — Mohamed Abdel-Mottaleb

Interview with Mohamed Abdel-Mottaleb, CEO of Trendak, a social media intelligence company in Egypt

Hi Mohamed, what is your background and what is included in your current role at Trendak?

My background is in nanotechnology; the idea of big data and collecting information regarding nanotechnology in the Middle East is what started me in this field. That eventually got me working with a team to conduct Arabic text analysis and collecting information. We moved from there step by step into social media in the end of 2011.

I am responsible for the day-to-day operations and working with the team to set the strategy for the company and for the products that we sell. I help with sales when the size of the deal allows for me to move around. In addition, I am responsible for looking at the competition and doing business development as well.

What differs Trendak from other social media intelligence companies in Egypt and the MENA-region?

I believe our technology is better than that of many of the competitors we have. Our accuracy in analysis and range of channels that we monitor and analyze is bigger than better than our competitors.

How does your set-up of employees look like and do you work with partners in different parts of the world?

We have 31 employees, 40 percent of which are female. We have a young workforce, with the average age being 31; in fact, the majority of our staff are under 30. Most of the team has a technology background either in software engineering or in data science. The business team has a lot of experience in sales and in running companies. Collectively, we have 120 years of experience between the top management and the sales and the business development team.

We have technology partners in other parts of the world. We use DataSift, and have partnered with Gnip for the last two years. We also have resellers in Europe and in other parts of the Middle East.

Which type of companies benefit from your services?

Marketing companies, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCGs) and media channels. When Ramadan finished recently we did a lot of analysis on the viewership, the actors and television shows that happened during that time, and what the response of the people during the month of Ramadan, a high season for us, was.

What are your greatest challenges ahead at Trendak when it comes to developing your offer?

A lot of analysis is required to understand the clientele of our clients. FMCGs or brands need to understand their clientele more, but there are restrictions on understanding that, even in aggregate form. We are happy with the PYLON offering from Facebook to segment the audience we are looking at, yet many other channels aren’t that easy due to restrictions on access to data.

What other challenges do you face in your market?

The biggest challenge we sometimes have with clients in the Middle East, especially international brands, is that they come with a set of specific providers for analysis that would work in Europe or in the United States or Canada, but they don’t have the capabilities to understand the Arabic market. Unfortunately, international brands have worldwide contracts with these companies, so the competition for us with international is quite strong. Many local companies face the problem in the region that they cannot have deep insights, but they are tied into long-term contracts with their providers, which is a big challenge for an area like ours.

Do you have any specific plans to expand your business in the near future, like new markets or products?

Yes we are working very aggressively to enter the worldwide market, specifically Europe. Our biggest advantage is the Arabic language; our accuracy is quite high, and that is where we excel. We want to offer this to countries with a high Arabic speaking audience.

We want to develop, and started developing, offerings in languages that have not gotten enough attention from other companies, such as languages in Africa and the Far East.

How did the Arab Spring change the conception of social media in Egypt and the MENA-region?

I think the effect of the Arab Spring was not only on Africa and the Middle East region, but worldwide. It was one of first times that social media enabled and concretely demonstrated its influence on real life and on the public. Until that point, most of the world was talking about it as a virtual world, and a small sample of the real life audience. The Arab Spring showed that not to be true, that it’s more penetrated, and is a powerful tool to communicate. One of social media’s most important features is being able to provide alternative news sources in almost near real time. This is a tremendous power, and the Arab Spring made everyone understand the importance and effect of social media.

Which social platforms are currently most important for your customers?

This depends on the region of the country you’re talking about; Twitter and Instagram in the Gulf area, Facebook in Africa. We believe that Snapchat and Telegram are also becoming much more important, especially in the regions where the young population is a significant part of the entire population, like in Egypt, where 40 percent of the population is under 25.

Which social platform do you see having the most potential in the future?

That’s not a simple question, but I believe Instagram has a bright future. I believe that one of the two, Snapchat or Telegram, will grow more and more.

Are there any social platforms that are closed today that you would be interested in tapping into for monitoring that would benefit your customers?

Snapchat, as the amount of information that we can access is not that available.

What kind of data or media that you do not have monitoring on today, can be interesting in the future?

Photos, especially photos on Facebook, as the amount of information provided with the photos is not enough. Having access to more of that information would be very interesting for us.

Are there specific or typical needs in the Arabic market for social media monitoring that you think differs from rest of the world in general?

Understanding of the Arabic language and the level of detail you need to be able to understand the text is different from other parts of the world, and it’s not that simple to automate the understanding of this language. Meta data on that information is not sufficient on its own to provide deep insights that clients would like to see.

How do you think the media monitoring and social intelligence industry will change in the next five years?

I think there will be more dependence on it, which means that the accuracy and speed of analysis will increase. The depth of analysis will also increase and insights drawn from it will be instrumental for industries. Again, in an area where the population is quite young, social media will play a more important role than in other parts of the world.

By Renata Ilitsky

“Other global social media monitoring services failed in Brazil because they didn’t understand what kind of customer service our clients require”

July 20, 2016June 22, 2021TwinglyLeave a comment

Interview with Mauricio Brentano, COO of Seekr, a social journey company in Brazil

Hi Mauricio, what is your background and what is included in your current role at Seekr?

My degree is in the area of information systems, so I have a background in technology. My current role at Seekr is COO, and I am responsible for everything having to do with operations in the company, such as technology and customer success. Essentially, the tech team develops and maintains the product, and the customer success team is responsible for contacting and training the clients who will use our platform, as well as helping to fix the technological issues that come up when they use our product.

What differs Seekr from other social media intelligence companies in Brazil?

Seekr is much more than just a social media intelligence company. We believe in a process that we call “Social Journey,” which means that we understand that engagement in social media involves four steps, which are:
1. Listening/Monitoring – We have to find/identify data that provides insights and helps our clients solve problems.
2. Solving the Problem – We offer applications that are useful for customer service on social media. Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, as well as email and chat, all have their problems; customers have questions and complaints in these channels and Seekr helps our clients to solve them.
3. Engaging – After solving problems, the company has to make the clients happy. We offer features like publications, which enable our clients to communicate with their clients better and we have social CRM so our clients can see a 360- degree field of their customers.
4. Analyzing – After completing the previous steps, it is important to understand what worked and what has to be improved. For this purpose, we have more than 100 reports, which help them to analyze this entire process.

We are not just a social media intelligence company, it’s just the first step, but we are more complete than that. We have an entire strategy process about how we engage the clients and solve their problems, making them happy.

Which type of companies benefit from your services?

We don’t have a specific type of company that benefits from our services; our clients are in different kinds of industries, such as telecommunications, insurance, television, drink/food, as well as politicians. Everyone wants to make decisions driven by data, and everyone wants to improve their customer care. Any company can use our monitoring platform to get insights on what’s happening in their market and improve their customer care.

What are your greatest challenges ahead at Seekr when it comes to developing your offer?

The biggest challenge is the dynamics of the market, and the fact that it constantly changes as people need more information. It’s really hard keeping up to date with what happens in the market and technology. We have to follow the evolution of the market and social media, and what people want to do with social media.

Do you have any specific plans to expand your business in the near future, like new markets or products?

Next year we are planning to release Spanish and English versions, which we are developing for the global market.

In our products, we want to bring more intelligence about analyzed data and more information to help our clients make informed decisions; as well, we aim to increase our channels of providing customer service.

Can you give specific examples where one or more of your clients have made changes in their communication, organization or similar, based on the information or analysis you provided?

We helped a Brazilian telecommunication company implement a strategy that allowed all stakeholders and responsible parties to receive an email alert when a relevant person with a lot of followers and social presence said something negative about their brand. By alerting these individuals, the company was able to manage crises better and faster.

You have recently moved more from collecting data yourself to relying on external suppliers. What have you found most challenging in this transition and why?

We realize that it’s a great effort to collect data ourselves, and some of that data isn’t part of our core service; therefore, we hired an external supplier to provide reliable data. The most challenging aspect of working with a supplier is understanding what kind of data they bring, what the quality of the data is, how it will help us, and how much it costs. Then, we have to make the decision if it is better to keep the data here or to have a supplier that we pay.

Which social platforms are the most important for your Brazilian customers?

Facebook is important, and Twitter sees a lot of interaction between people and brands. Instagram, YouTube and ReclameAqui, which is specific to Brazil, and means “complain here” in Portuguese, are also highly used.

Which social platform do you see having the most potential in the future?

That’s a hard question; I think Facebook will lose users because it’s too global. I think that social media platforms will become more specific, like TripAdvisor for traveling, YouTube for videos, Instagram for photos, etc.

Three years ago, we didn’t have all the platforms we have now; that is why it’s so hard to have any forecast for the future in this market.

Are there any social platforms that are closed today that you would be interested in tapping into for monitoring that would benefit your customers?

I would be interested in Facebook opening their API about public data, which they closed in April of 2015. A lot of customers that made data decisions based on this platform couldn’t do that anymore. Even using companies that sell Facebook data is not sufficient because it’s not in raw mode, but in aggregate mode. We can’t give reports that so and so posted this, just anonymous identifying data, such as the location and gender of the person.

Are there specific or typical needs in the Brazilian market for social media monitoring that you think differs from rest of South America or the world in general?

Other global social media monitoring services, such as Hootsuite, failed in Brazil because they didn’t understand what kind of customer service our clients require. Our Brazilian clients like us to treat them with a “warm” feeling. We prioritize keeping our clients happy by getting in touch with them and becoming close with them, which they like. This limits other companies from coming into Brazil, as they don’t know how to provide this type of customer care.

How do you think the media monitoring and social intelligence industry will change in the next five years?

It’s really hard to forecast, but social intelligence will change greatly. Artificial intelligence (AI) will have many consequences and provide more information to make decisions. Image recognition, personality insights, relationship extraction, and things that take massive data sets, analyze them and convert raw data into good information to make decisions will benefit from AI.

By Renata Ilitsky

“It would be amazing to get access to Snapchat data and analyze the behaviors”

June 1, 2016Twingly1 Comment

Jonathan Israelsson_edit — Jonathan Israelsson

Interview with Jonathan Israelsson, CEO of Lissly, a social media monitoring company in Sweden

Hi Jonathan, what is your background and what is included in your current role at Lissly?

During the course of my education, I always felt ambivalent between a career in sports and a more traditional path. While I wrote my master thesis in marketing and communication at Stockholm University, I also worked as a soccer coach for teams ranging from youth groups to the premier league for female players. After a couple of years, I realized that I found it more fulfilling to work in the communication and events field. I was responsible for a meeting facility before joining Lissly, but the choice was easy because I could clearly identify another level of customer value.

In my role as partner and CEO at Lissly, my main responsibility is to motivate and support our six employees in succeeding and reaching their full potential. I also engage in customer care, and I regularly attend meetings with our existing customer base. All members of the Lissly team are involved in sales, which means some of my time is devoted to coordination and support.

What differs Lissly from other media monitoring and social intelligence companies in Scandinavia?

That is a difficult question! When meeting with customers and industry colleagues, it seems apparent that all players have the same type of monitoring sources, which makes the competition fierce. Lissly has chosen to focus on the Nordic market, specifically Sweden and Norway. We consider ourselves a strong brand because we understand how social media works in Sweden. We always strive to provide statistics as a basis for our offerings, and a lot of variables in social media mentions allow us to generate interesting insights using a mix of statistical frameworks and a slight touch of finesse. We always try to adapt to the new demands and changing landscape of the market, which means implementing new channels in our analysis and comparing with existing customer data to maximize the customer’s value.

Which type of companies benefit from your services?

Lissly has a wide range of customers, but we are particularly strong with the Swedish trade unions and employers’ associations. A growing number of them use our analysis to create opinion and measure the effects of their campaigns. Furthermore, we have experience working with customers from all markets, from local daycare for dogs to the largest agencies in Sweden.

You have recently moved more into analysis than just being a media-monitoring platform. Why is that?

Our customers demanded more information and insights than any tool can provide with automated methods. Therefore, we began to develop our analysis offering together with our key customers to provide answers to what they really need to know from their endeavors in social media. We also invented new types of KPIs, which simply were not possible in the platform environment. The feedback from our customers was overwhelmingly positive, and now we are proud to deliver the greatest possible customer value based on the information available in social media.

Can you give specific examples where one or more of your clients have made changes in their communication, organization or similar, based on the information or analysis you provided?

We created an analysis for one of Sweden’s largest coffee producers, and one of the key insights was the identified behaviors of the different demographics. For example, females between the ages of 25 to 45 were prone to share, late at night between 9 and 10PM, what they are baking for the coffee break the next day. This meant that the coffee producer could adjust the marketing and commercials accordingly.

What are your greatest challenges ahead at Lissly, when it comes to serving your customers analysis and develop your offer?

The main challenge is rebranding and creating awareness of our new focus on manual analysis. We are working on communicating these changes and the fact that “Lissly 2.0” is not an update of our tool but rather our core business model. This process is going well, but there are always some potential customers who should realize this sooner rather than later.

All clients have different levels of understanding how social media can be analyzed. Which is the most common misconception that your clients have?

That it’s possible to monitor everything by yourself. It’s possible to get a basic understanding of the situation, but do you really have the time and energy to read everything and understand what the aggregate means? When Lissly applies its expertise and KPIs, it really provides a level of understanding, which is impossible to attain with the traditional tools on the market.

Which social platform do you see has the most potential in the future?

I believe everything related to picture and video will grow. It would be amazing to get access to Snapchat data and analyze the behaviors of one of the largest social media platforms.

Are there any social platforms that are closed today that you would be interested in tapping into for monitoring that would benefit your customers?

There has always been a great demand to monitor the activity on LinkedIn, especially for the B2B customers, which are particularly interested in potential leads and decision makers. This has been impossible with the automated methods available for the monitoring tools, but we have come up with a way to incorporate LinkedIn data in our analysis offering.

What kind of data or media that you do not have monitoring on today, can be interesting in the future?

If I could pick a source to compare to our existing data, it would be Snapchat. The insights would be really interesting for certain markets. We have begun to test the possibilities, but unfortunately only the data from your own account is available, which greatly limits the potential. We are eagerly waiting for the official API, and if it provides a way to collect data, Lissly will be the first in line to implement it in our analysis.

How do you think the media monitoring and social intelligence industry will change in the next five years?

My intuition tells me that everything will be focused on insights. The main focus will be to use all available information to identify the optimal market conditions and key individuals to generate more business. Today, the market is focused on what is being said, but it will shift to what it really means.

By Renata Ilitsky