Unraveling ‘X’: Elon Musk’s New Super App and its Path to Revolutionize Digital Ecosystems

The global tech community is buzzing with apprehension following the announcement of Elon Musk’s rebranding of Twitter to now as X. This bold move pulls the curtain back a bit further on Musk’s master plan of a super app that fuses multiple facets of digital living under one platform. Much like how WeChat revolutionized the digital landscape in China, ‘X’ is expected to bring about a similar sea change in the West.

With approximately 350 to 400 million monthly active users, Twitter, now ‘X,’ presents a substantial base to launch a digital revolution. Musk’s ambitious plan to integrate banking and payments into the ‘X’ app may see the $44 billion dollar acquisition of Twitter as a bargain deal, given that the cost per user equates to around $125. It’s a comparative steal when considering the valuation of banking apps, which often surpasses $900 per user.

The integration of banking and payment systems into ‘X’ could transform the digital ecosystem, allowing users to perform a variety of functions, from tweeting to making transactions, all within a single app. It’s the ‘X’ factor in the equation that could propel the app into a league of its own.
A significant part of this grand design involves the rumored Tesla phone. Given the app’s existing user base, marketing a new phone with encrypted chat and a digital wallet (crypto-inclusive) to 400 million active users seems like a strategic masterstroke. Assuming a 7% of the Monthly Active Users (MAUs), plus Tesla drivers, and wannabe drivers, purchase the new phone, that equates to an impressive initial sales figure of around 30 million units at first year launch. To put that into perspective, Apple sold approximately the same number of iPhones in the first three years following its launch.

The potential synergies of this grand vision are mind-boggling. The Tesla phone, expected to come with ‘X’ pre-installed, will harness connectivity from Musk’s Starlink internet project, as has T-Mobile in a recent integration announcement earlier this year. This unique satellite-link could sidestep traditional telecom networks, further augmenting Musk’s quest for vertical integration.

Add to this equation the prospect of Tesla cars becoming mobile cell towers, and the Boring Company laying the groundwork for an underground data cable network. One can’t help but marvel at the comprehensive tech ecosystem that Musk envisions.

The software that will power the Tesla phone is another topic of much speculation. While Android is the typical choice, Musk’s experience with Tesla’s proprietary OS (built on a Linux base) suggests the possibility of a unique, Musk-engineered operating system.

The ‘X’ factor extends to Musk’s answer to OpenAI’s ChatGPT. This AI, rumored to be integrated into ‘X,’ will further enhance the app’s interaction capabilities and user engagement.
The renaming of Twitter to ‘X’ signifies more than a change in nomenclature. It symbolizes the onset of a transformative journey into a future where tech ecosystems are seamlessly interlinked – from apps to devices to internet connectivity.

With Elon Musk at the helm, this odyssey is bound to be an exhilarating ride. As we eagerly await the next updates of Twitter, X, the big question remains: Are we dealing with Dr. Evil and his desire for world dominance? Or, is this guy genuinely trying to bring humanity into a better, more cohesive digital world?

Author Ziad Nassar Co-founder & CEO of AddBloom.com

How important is it to find the right words?

Understand what your audience wants to find, search like they would!

What is the perfect SEO strategy without a keen understanding of what your audience actually needs? And what is good targeting without knowing the right words for your audience to find you? In this blog, we will take you through the full keyword research process, its importance and its fascinating results – when done right.

The formula is easy: you get the right words on screen (on your website, in your links and in your content) you get more visibility on search engines, hence more traffic to the destinations you want your audience to go to.

As we all know, search engines are the first go-to for any person surfing the web to find anything they need, therefore you should be able to grab attention right from the start with the right words!

First off, what is Keyword Research?

It is the bread and butter of digital marketing, the network that enables you to find the words your audience is searching for, leading them directly to you. The process comes in four phases:

1- Identify potential keywords: What would you search for if you’re looking for your product, service or brand?
2- Verify the keywords: Are they used and verified words?
3- Narrow down the keywords: Prioritize and shorten that list!
4- Incorporate keywords in the content: Set up certain terms and phrases for the blog posts, videos, and landing pages of your website.

After following the above steps, you will find yourself with a concise list of wording essentials!

Why is it important? To get the ultimate ranking on search engines and a super effective SEO process, you need to invest in the preparation phase. Keyword research enables you to understand the competitive landscape, know what’s popular in searches and what words are the most used to drive the right audience to your website. Hence, your content marketing strategy would be directed properly to boost visibility, reach, traffic and rankings.

Keyword research is crucial for SEO, it supports your strategy and plays a major role in reaching customers and generating more leads. It then goes on to save a spot for you on search engine results pages, improving the ranking of your content.

Now that we have everything aligned and in place, take a look below at some tips to ace that keyword research and get results!


Start Local

Search for the words that include your location, then broaden the research to nearby regions and locations, this way you will be micro-targeting your closest prospects.

Learn the search engine’s “suggested” phrases

Start typing a word in the search bar and check what words the search engine suggests for you. The drop down list will contain synonyms, similar phrases and other wording options that will help in narrowing your search.

Look into trends on social media
Understand what’s buzzing, the trendings words and hashtags and find out what online users are talking about.

Study the competition
Get an insight on how other businesses are working on digital and find the key differentiators for your business. This way, you will be able to highlight your USPs in keywords and phrases that separate you from competitors.

Now that you know how important keywords and the research around them are for your business’s SEO strategy and how they help in driving traffic to your content pieces, drop us a message here and we will help you find the right words.

What Are the E-Commerce Trends That Will Shape 2022?

Invest in the latest e-commerce trends and effectively grow your business.

If we take a moment and look back at 2020, what do we see? A drastic series of events that hit the world, especially the pandemic that changed everything, especially for businesses and from all sectors. During the Covid-19 pandemic, many companies were forced to move their business online which led to an immense growth in the e-commerce industry that grew even bigger in 2021. That in addition to technological developments, and of course, the natural process of business evolution.

The important thing is, many businesses are moving online and are planning on staying, so let’s take a look at the major e-commerce trends that are going to shape 2022.

Types of ecommerce trends to watch for in 2022

Mobile commerce

This type of ecommerce is very essential to look at first, since smartphone users are the most active on the internet right now. Various trends fall under the M-Commerce category from the use of augmented reality for shopping to chatbots and basic online shops. For example, the consumer’s experience while purchasing clothes online can be improved with an AR clothes fitting feature or trying on glasses before making a purchase.

Social Commerce

This trend refers to the process of consumers purchasing directly from the social media platform – finding the product, making the decision and check-out in one place. The most interesting part here is what is coming to social commerce in 2022 : Live Shopping, which is based on the interaction between the consumer and the seller/influencer on a live stream, and directly purchasing the product.

Voice Search and Chatbots 

E-commerce businesses should consider integrating voice-search optimization strategies in the upcoming year, since it is expected that voice shopping will hit $40 billion by 2022; so it is completely safe to assume this will be a trend. Adding to that the reliance on chatbots and assistants to answer queries and questions and helping in the purchase decision from the comfort of the consumer’s home.

Omnichannel Commerce 

The key to effectively reaching prospects and potential buyers is to properly communicate on all the platforms and channels that they might use, whether on mobile, on a laptop or in a store. The goal is to focus on the entire customer experience, giving them the chance to compare prices and dig deeper into the product, paving the way for a complete research before purchase. This is one of the trends that are going to grow in 2022, focusing on the customer journey from planning to decision-making to execution. For instance, a clothing brand might sell its products on its website, app, Instagram shop, Amazon as well as in stores, giving customers a seamless experience.

Subscriptions and Loyalty Programs

Since customer retention is very important and is a priority to many businesses, subscription-based products and loyalty programs will continue to grow in 2022, elevating the business by providing exclusivity and convenience to customers. Many interesting trends are coming in this upcoming year such as giving customers options on the type of relationship they want with the brand and getting rewards accordingly. Another trend is introducing gamification marketing into the loyalty program, where customers play a game using VR and collect rewards correspondingly.

Start planning on what Ecommerce trends fit your business, and what to invest in this upcoming year to build a seamless, convenient, and memorable shopping experience for your customers!

Keep an eye on our blog for all the upcoming trends and drop us a message for a little extra AddBloom boost in 2022

Are You Ready for Christmas… Digitally?

Move your festivities online and get your audience shopping for the holidays.

Can you hear the bells jingling, the shoppers coming in and Christmas getting near? It’s that time of the year where everything around us sounds, looks and feels cheerful. If your website and social platforms are not reflective of our surroundings, you better get moving!

Website & E-commerce 

If you went over our Cyber Monday blog you might recall that all consumer shopping habits have moved online and are now spread out over larger periods of time. Christmas shopping is no exception, as we can expect shopping to have started before Black Friday and to go on until January. Prepare yourself for the massive influx of shoppers by optimizing your online shopping.

  • Go over the user experience: If visitors cannot navigate through your website smoothly, they are less likely to complete any purchase. Detect and fix the issues that interrupt an efficient shopping experience for optimal outcomes.
  • Make your website responsive and mobile-friendly: With around 40% of e-commerce revenues coming from mobile devices last year, it is important to have a mobile optimized website with easy navigation. If they can’t see it or buy it on their phones, visitors will forget your website exists.
  • Examine your inventory: Shortages and supply chain issues are not uncommon, especially after the pandemic. Make sure you check your stock and supply before the holidays to find replacements and substitutes when necessary.
  • Add some Holiday cheer: Your website should scream Christmas through design, copy and offers all together. Bundles, reduced shipping fees and gift guides are crucial for consumers, and if they can’t find it on your website, they will move their shopping elsewhere.

Social Media

If you’re looking to find Christmas cheer any time of year, this is where you go. If it’s not Christmas countdowns in September, it’s throwbacks in June, there are always social media users spreading the festive spirit in one way or the other.

  • Set the mood: If you haven’t already, start spreading the joy of the season with a new design theme, a countdown, gift guides and festive content all around. Red, green and white are the colors to embrace throughout the holidays.
  • Cross-promote whenever possible: Redirect your followers to your website, invite them for in-store activations and share all your events on social media. This is the exposure you need for online and offline goals to be achieved.
  • Get conversational: Holiday shopping is difficult and your customers need your help to find the perfect gifts. Publishing content regularly is important, but really talking to your audience is the only way to get them hooked.

Allow the cheer to come through on all your platforms and communications before, during and after the holidays for your business to have a jolly season!  For extra cheer and an in depth consultancy, drop us a hello here.

Cyber Monday 2021: $10.7 Billion in Sales | Here is what you need to know to plan for 2022

How the Monday after Thanksgiving hit $10.7 Billion in sales in 2021

While we seem to believe that Cyber Monday has become the biggest online shopping day of the year because of sales and offers, it isn’t the case. Shopping habits have moved online, and shopping traditions like Black Friday paved the way for more convenient holiday shopping after the long weekend in the United States.

The origins of Cyber Monday

After a recurring peak in online purchases on the Mondays following Black Friday, the National Retail Federation issued a press release in 2005 discussing their findings and started it with the term “Cyber Monday”. The group had believed that the increase in sales was because people decided to skip the mobs shopping during the weekend and wait to purchase online from their office where they had faster internet connections. This provided families with more bonding time as they got their hands on the best deals without spoiling all the surprise gifts.

Cyber Monday today

Throughout the years, the day increased in popularity with designated offers and discounts reaching $2 Billion in sales in 2014. Since that year, Cyber Monday has become the biggest online shopping day of the year in the US with sales growing to hit $10.8 Billion in 2020. That exceeded the $9 Billion digital spend on Black Friday of the pandemic year where more consumers were shopping online. This year sales have dropped by 1.4% resulting in $10.7 Billion in sales on Cyber Monday 2021. This decrease is a result of the change in online shopping habits due to the pandemic. Afraid of facing shortages if they wait for the big sales, consumers have spread out their spending throughout October and November.

Both Black Friday and Cyber Monday have gone beyond the United States even reaching the GCC. In fact, studies have shown that the UAE has the 5th highest average spend per person on Black Friday globally.

Boost your holiday sales with Cyber Monday deals 

If you’re wondering whether or not having Cyber Monday deals is still worth it, it really is. Here’s a couple of tips on how you can make the most out of Cyber Monday with online offers. 

  • FLASH SALE! LIMITED TIME! EXCLUSIVE!

Get creative with how you can grab your online customers by the hook. Customers expect to get the best deals for Cyber Monday and Black Friday so make sure all your bundles, discounts and offers are valuable and impressive. 

  • MAKE YOUR BUZZ 

Create your plan ahead of time and start promoting early. Try throwing teasers, hints, and maybe have a countdown to get your customers talking. Collaborate with influencers or loyal customers, giving them exclusive details that they can share with their communities. Word of mouth is crucial to get enough traffic for your limited time offer.

  • GIVE YOUR WEBSITE A GLOW UP

All your leads will be redirected to your website for their online purchases. Make sure it is functional and optimized, to keep them surfing long enough to get to know you. Add banners with detailed info on deals to grab your customers’ attention as soon as they’re in, and make sure your offers stand out.

Now that you have your guide and more than enough time make sure you plan out your next Cyber monday early on.

AddBloom - Blog - E-Commerce Re-Imagined

Reimagining eCommerce Post Covid-19

Reimagining eCommerce Post Covid-19 | A Middle East Webinar Geared for Growth Strategies 

Crises are often a catalyst for innovation, especially for those geared to embrace challenges.

In these times, consumer behavior across the world as well as in the UAE and Saudi Arabia has shifted rapidly to online buying, which gave way for an immediate focus on the digital commerce industry and upheld the importance of implementing technology-driven solutions to ensure sustainability, growth and stability.

Yes, e-commerce is now one of the hottest topics today, one that presents businesses with many questions.

  • Will the e-commerce boom remain?
  • How can businesses prepare for the future?
  • What are the top strategies to ensure growth and provide a relevant and valuable user experience?
  • What are the effective channels to improve performance?
  • Is it necessary to restructure existing e-commerce functionalities with new-age solutions for continuous growth and profitability?

To answer these questions and many more, UniCommerce is organizing the Middle East’s largest Webinar on “eCommerce Reimagined: Strategies and Growth Levers Post COVID-19” on Saturday June 27, 2020 starting 11 AM Gulf Standard Time

The webinar is open to all GCC Business and will bring together 10 industry experts from across the MENA region who will be sharing insights and top-level e-commerce strategies to help businesses gear up for conducting businesses amid and post the pandemic

Register here:  https://lnkd.in/dy4BdG7  

AddBloom - Blog - E-Commerce Re-Imagined

Webinar Agenda

Session 1:

“E-commerce strategies in post Covid-19 era” | 11 AM – 12:15 PM GST

Speakers

 

Session 2:

Driving eCommerce growth | 12:20 PM – 1:30 PM GST

Speakers:

  • Mohamed Bahaa –  Co-Founder, Wimo
  • Samar Layoun – Co-Founder, AddBloom
  • Ravi Kant – Head Strategic Partnerships, Noon
  • Vikas Panchal – Business Head, Tally
  • Rajiv Ramanan, Director- Startups, Freshworks

 

Register here:  https://lnkd.in/dy4BdG7

 

 

Online Learning, Art, Music and Books | Quarantine Time made easier

Quarantine during the pandemic means different things to different people. For some, it is (remote) work as usual, for others, it is remote work + juggling family and e-schooling for children, and for many, it is simply time off, time that could be spent actively learning or exploring.

 

This is why we put together a series of resources to help you get started. However, no matter what you decide, remember to focus on what makes you feel good.

 

Universities worldwide like Harvard, Yale, MIT, UC Berkeley or Standford University are offering free open courses or specific webinars during certain dates. IE University in Spain has also prepared a series of webinars, in English and others in Spanish, for the upcoming days as well. For a full list of universities providing online courses, click here. Companies like Google, Microsoft or Linux are also offering online courses on digital marketing, business or coding. For the full list of institutions, click here.

 

Coursera includes courses from those prestigious universities for free as well, some of which are certified upon completion and that you can take at your own pace. Domestika is a similar platform for courses on illustration, digital editing or crafts. Students can find open courses or purchase others for a reduced price. Other platforms that offer open online courses from different universities are edX, Udacity or Alison. For platforms including resources in Arabic, refer to Doroob, Rwaq, Tadarab, Coursaty and Edraak.

 

For those who wish to financially invest in more online lectures, Udemy has one of the largest selection of courses. Masterclass, is another platform to consider where students can access courses on photography, fashion and even sports, taught by icons such as Anna Wintour, Gordon Ramsay, Serena Williams and others.

 

For the avid readers, The Library of Alexandria, the oldest in history, offers all its acquisitions for free. It contains, among others, a large collection of Arabic digital books and photo albums. However, if you prefer to read about different themes, Bookbon is offering free access to thousands of e-books. For those Harry Potter fans, J.K.Rowling has improved the platform Wizarding World by adding Harry Potter at home, where different videos, puzzles and quizzes will be added to make our time at home better.

 

For the art aficionados, the MoMa, Musée d’Orsay and other 12 museums can now be visited virtually for free. To access the full list, click here. As in the case of these museums, NASA has also opened its entire library for you to explore for free as well and added a series of resources for kids, adults on topics as wide as History, Technology or Earth Science.

 

Signing off for now, we hope you enjoy our listing.

Coronavirus X Social Media | Steps to combat the “infodemic”

Coronavirus (Covid-19) is taking the world by storm.  Entire Countries are on Lockdown, others on the way and prospects of a global economic meltdown are looming. Amidst this social media played a major role. On the one hand, promoting awareness, prevention and social distancing, on the other, fostering fear, panic, bogus remedies, conspiracy theories

For the World Health Organization, the key to battle this virus starts with battling misinformation, or “infodemic”, coming from everyone’s smartphone.

This blog sheds light on measures taken by social media platforms to help set the record straight and try to minimize the impact of fake news and hoaxes trying to profit.

Facebook decided to implement a ban on ads for all companies trying to make a commercial gain out of the virus, whether related to cures or prevention products that are not linked to scientific facts. By implementing this new policy, Facebook is trying to restrain those ads that create a sense of urgency while working on removing content with false claims or conspiracy theories that might harm people who believe them.

The Deputy Executive Director for Partnerships of UNICEF, Charlotte Petri Gornitzka, stated that misinformation during times of a health crisis can spread paranoia, fear and stigmatization. On top of that, it can result in people being left unprotected or more vulnerable to the virus as well. UNICEF, as well as Facebook, is actively taking steps to inform the public when inaccurate information, involving WHO or other government authorities, is published on social media platforms.

TikTok recently partnered with the WHO in an effort to spread veritable information, together with the best public health practices.

Respectively, Twitter also partnered with WHO and published a plan to protect the public from hoaxes on the platform as well. Their goal is to publish credible, authoritative content.

This “infodemic”, or over-abundance of information, makes it harder for people to find trustworthy sources and reliable guidance when needed.  There are simple steps users can take themselves to combat mis- and disinformation. Consider the following questions before sharing dubious content:

  • Is this the original account, article or piece of content?
  • Who shared this or created it?
  • When was this created?
  • What account is sharing this? When was the account created? Do they share things from all over the world at all times during the day and night? Could this be a bot?
  • Why was this shared?

For reliable information always fact check with:

https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019

https://www.unicef.org/coronavirus/covid-19

Hello Facebook, the new star of Blockchain! 

On June 18, Facebook announced the launch of Libra, a cryptocurrency meant to make cross border transactions seamless and available to everyone with a smartphone. The Digital Dollar, as many have called it, is meant to transform the global economy. 

How will it affect the social giant? Well it simply won’t. As you might know by now, Facebook is not the only tech company governing the Libra Foundation. Effectively 29 other companies, including Uber, MasterCard, Visa, Lyft and Spotify, have invested at least 10 million dollars in the foundation.

Facebook will manage all its crypto dealings through its subsidiary Calibra. The company will be overseeing all the crypto transactions of Libra and making sure that the users’ information remains untangled with those of the Social Media Giant. What does that mean? Put simply, Facebook, or any other founding member, will not be able to track the user’s transactions using the Libra nor use the data for ad targeting purposes. All public transactions of users will not be directly linked to their real identity. 

But how sure can we be that this will be the case? After Cambridge Analytica Data scandal, Facebook has lost a lot of credibility when it comes to data access and sharing policy. Add to that the fact that Libra does not have decentralized operations as bitcoin does, but is rather controlled by its founding members, then many concerns might arise. After social media and the tech industry, will this oligopoly prevail in all other sectors? It sure looks like it is setting foot in blockchain realm. 

5 Tips to Enhance Your Social and Digital Strategy

Whether you have an in-house team managing your brand’s digital channels or are outsourcing the process, there are key elements that make or break your social media presence. More than 2.5 billion people are on social media, and you might be missing out on a lot of opportunities of growing your fair share of the pie if you do not abide by these essential/rudimental tips.

1- Aim for an Omni-Channel Strategy

Although it may look like one social media platform resonates better with your brand and its target audience, being on multiple platforms is always beneficial for your brand’s online presence and continuity. Just a few years ago, Twitter was the star platform of all social media networks, then came Facebook, and nowadays, Instagram is marketers’ favorite channel to reach users. Social media managers’ next big hit can soon be another platform, it is hence dangerous to focus only on one social network.

When developing an omni-channel strategy for your brand, it is imperative to use the best practices for each platform in order to reach the right audience and resonate with it. Each platform has its forte that marketers must leverage and keep users entertained and livid to keep up with it across all channels.

2- Engage with the Community as Often and as Quickly as Possible

Build a unique connection with your brand’s audience. Timely monitoring of your brand’s social media pages is crucial as it has the ability to tighten its relation with its community and improve brand sentiments within its target audience.

Doing so can also defy the algorithms set by social media platforms to determine what content is displayed and what content is buried. The more engagement a post receives, the higher its chances are at being prominently displayed. Hence, the reason why it is very important to answer comments, and entice your audience to engage with your posts.

3- Delight Your Audience with your Ideal Content Mix

Although your brand should be at the center of all your communication, no one likes a friend who only talks about himself. Do not focus on one content direction, and only communicate about your brand, but try to integrate different forms of communication within your strategy. At AddBloom, we always start with the rule of thirds in the communication of the brands we manage and grow from there to define the perfect content mix for each.

What’s the rule of thirds? As per Hootsuite it is very simple:

  • ⅓ of your social content promotes your business, converts readers, and generates profit.
  • ⅓ of your social content should surface and share ideas and stories from thought leaders in your industry or like-minded businesses.
  • ⅓ of your social content should be based on personal interactions and build your personal brand.

4- Invest in Influencer Marketing

The exponential growth of influencer marketing over the years has made it an essential part of every brand’s social media communication strategy. Effectively, as we have detailed in a previous blog post about influencer marketing, this form of content has many benefits. On one hand, influencer marketing allows brands to pierce consumers’ self developed “ad blindness” and reach their targeted audience, as niche as it may be, in a seamingly organic way that resonates with today’s consumer mindset.

On the other hand, brands who decide to work with influential bloggers can benefit beyond social media. Indeed, brands can benefit from blogs mentions and reviews to enhance their SEO positioning and ranking.

5- Track and Measure

Use the right tool to track how your audience interacts with your brand online. Pixels, remarketing codes, tracking codes are all part of a bigger equation that makes your digital marketing strategy more comprehensive. The data collected through these snippets will allow you to reach the audience you’re after and enhance the results of your digital campaigns at each stage of the funnel.

The best aspect of digital marketing is that it allows you to numerically measure your marketing investment. While on-platform metrics will measure growth, engagement and distribution, it is also interesting to observe on-site metrics. On-site analytics allows you to know more about consumer behavior, which content attracts consumers and which is the most converting social platform among other metrics. Combined, on-platform and on-site analytics will give marketers a great idea on customers’ sales funnel.

Sources:

Number of Social Media Users Worldwide from 2010 to 2010 (in billions)

7 Creative Ways to Boost Your Social Media Strategy

Are You Following the Social Media Rule of Thirds?