Social Media, the new big brother?

After contributing to the downfall of former Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi, social media appears to have infiltrated the trial of George Zimmerman, a former neighbourhood watch captain accused of murdering unarmed black teenager, Trayvon Martin.

Waseem Saddique states: “This case is high profile in the USA as it has sparked racial tensions all across the nation. It would now appear that social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Skype and Instagram are being used as platforms to discuss the case and fuelling ever increasing tension as social media posts come under close observation and scrutiny.”

Initially, people took to social media to voice their outrage that Trayvon’s killer remained free from arrest for four weeks despite being identified as the killer. However, social media appears to have ‘gate-crashed’ the entire trial within and beyond the confines of the courtroom.

Social media has established ‘eyes everywhere’ and it all began as a result of a witness in the Zimmerman trial that gave a testimony via Skype. That particular witness was later overwhelmed with calls from fellow Skype users. 

A lawyer for the defence also had his private affairs exposed as a result of an image posted on Instagram by his daughter, whilst countless members of the jury and other witnesses have had their social networking accounts monitored in order to keep track of comments and keep tabs on the people they’re following.

A social media analyst, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “Social media has effectively become a worldwide surveillance system, particularly when high profile legal cases are in process. Social media has the power to incriminate people and leave them open to abuse and obviously that is not the desired intention of social networking.”

The analyst added: “Privacy seems to be a thing of the past particularly where social media is concerned as people, often unwittingly, will expose their whole life on social media sites. The recent case of Edward Snowden revealing the US government using ‘manipulative’ measures to acquire information through spying on social media accounts highlights the big brother status of social media.”

In respect to the Zimmerman trial Twitter has its very own hashtag (#Zimmermantrial), where people gather to comment on trial proceedings. The case has become so high profile on social media it has made it easier for Lawyers involved in the case to monitor jurors and witnesses and look out for any signs of a slip up which may compromise evidence.

Worse still, social media has also connected perpetrator and victim throughout this trial with members of Zimmerman’s family and Martin’s family involved in heated exchanges across Facebook and Twitter.

In a statement from Orlando defence lawyer, David Hill, he said: “Lawyers in routine cases typically don't have time to scour the social media sites of potential jurors, though it has become more commonplace in highly publicised cases. It has become more common practice to vet the accounts of witnesses, as their posts may expose particular biases, motives or contradictions in their testimony.”

He added: “Like it or not, when it comes to Facebook and social media, it may not just be Big Brother watching you, but your friendly neighbourhood criminal defence lawyer.”

Waseem Saddique concludes: “There’s no doubt that social media has its advantages, but when it comes to legal matters should social media be allowed to infiltrate and potentially influence the outcome of highly sensitive legal cases? Only time will tell.” 

How to Use Skype to Enhance Business Profitability | A Waseem Saddique Marketing Guide

Skype has recently announced that its users spend 2 billion minutes per day connecting, this equates to enough time to view approximately 16 million videos or journey to the moon and back at least 225,000 times.

This represents a massive global audience for businesses to tap into and Waseem Saddique Marketing Services has issued some essential information for business owners on how to use Skype to enhance business profitability.

Vital Information

•     Use Skype to cut costs
•     Use Skype to grow consumer audiences
•     Use Skype to do business with other businesses
•     Use Skype to host seminars and charge a fee

Waseem Saddique asserts: “Skype is free and enables businesses to call and conference anyone, immediately eliminating the cost of calling mobile phones and landlines. This already represents a significant decrease in financial outgoings for the majority of companies.”

Companies can also utilise ‘Skype Numbers’, which allow potential consumers, current clients  and other callers to contact one centralised ‘Skype Number’ from anywhere in the world. This allows for significant financial savings to be made as it eradicates the need for numerous telephone lines and purchasing mobile phones excessively.

However, should telephones be an integral part of a business, Skype calls can be routed through current phone systems without disruption and tying up telephone lines.

Waseem Saddique comments: “Skype not only improves productivity, but it eliminates so many costs involved with running a business. The money saved can be put to better use in areas such as advertising, improving customer service and building business prominence.”

As Skype is a widely free service, companies have been encouraged to engage audiences using the system. It allows business users to conduct on-line presentations, in real time, should they be unable to represent themselves ‘in the flesh’.

Statistics show that consumers are more likely to purchase goods or services if they can ‘see them in action’, a solution that Skype offers, resulting in more sales and therefore increasing profit margins.

The Skype free service is compatible from PC-to-PC and represents the most cost effective way of using Skype to reduce financial outgoings.

Waseem Saddique states: “Skype is a simple application to install and the possibilities for its use are endless. The most notable impact that it has on increasing business profitability is that is reduces costs and effectively pays for itself because it opens up a massive consumer audience and can be utilised as an effective marketing tool.”

Simply initiating Skype as the primary communication tool within a business reduces company outgoings instantly and a number of marketing experts, according to Mashable.com, have implored business owners to seriously consider using Skype on a frequent basis for online marketing and advertising purposes.”

In a statement issued on Mashable’s website it’s stated that: “Skype is immensely versatile, in addition to video chat and instant messaging, it offers voice calling from desktops and mobile devices, as well as file sharing. Companies will certainly witness some, if not substantial, growth in terms of profit margins when using it.”     

Exposed, Skype Secrets: Tips for Marketing via Skype from Waseem Saddique Marketing Services

Tired of traditional marketing methods? Waseem Saddique Marketing Services provides essential tips on using Skype as a fresh approach for online marketing campaigns.

Skype’s ‘Conversation Ads’ are a fresh, forward thinking approach to marketing says Waseem Saddique Marketing Services, offering businesses an opportunity to market themselves online, away from saturated sources such as Facebook, Twitter and websites.

Waseem Saddique comments: “The way that Conversation Ads work is that users will see ads during their 1:1 audio calls. Skype designed the system to work through personalization of ads in order to have a greater chance of sparking conversation topics between users.”

Waseem Saddique Marketing Services offers a few tips for utilising Skype for online marketing purposes:

Skype has revealed that Conversational Ads can be purchased by marketers in the 55 markets where Skype is currently available. This allows for online marketing to be very target specific and provides a new channel of interaction between business and business and business and client.

For online marketing purposes, the introduction of Skype’s conversational adverts provides a unique and innovative way of gathering essential marketing information such as consumer location, age and gender. Online market campaigns can be far more target specific and bespoke in order to reach the required target audience.

As a business, conversational ads also provide a fabulous opportunity for online marketing in an advertising capacity. Waseem Saddique states: “Companies can produce a provocative advert that is funny or will create debate. In many respects Skype will then provide the platform 

to discuss such adverts and therefore generating online attention.”

Online Marketing through Skype looks to offer an alternative option for businesses with the unique selling point being the amount of essential marketing data that organisations, with access to Skype, can obtain.

The most essential tip is that businesses should adapt their current online marketing strategy to incorporate the use of Skype and take online marketing to a new stage of interaction and consumer engagement.

Waseem Saddique Marketing Services concludes that: “Conversation Ads are being touted as an opportunity for online marketing campaigns to reach out to millions of Skype users by creating a talking point for users. Apparently, Skype and its army of marketers are hoping that 

Skype users will discuss the ads during various online calls.”

The top tip for marketing via Skype is to personalize the online marketing campaign, to avoid adverts becoming ‘intrusive’ whilst consumers make calls.