Media Messages Australia Blog - Page 2 of 11 - Professional On Hold Specialists!

Streaming your Audio Advertisements

Posted on March 29, 2014 by mediagro

Online Streamining and your audio advertisements

Radio streaming has become extremely popular in recent years. And with iTunes joining the bag wagon, it is now more popular than ever. Spotify and Pandora are also excessively popular among Australians. In fact, it seems our country is becoming computer savvy, and many our now resorting to getting their music fix directly from the online streams. And why not, they can access these streams on their PCs, tablets and smartphones. Audio streaming is larger than ever, so is it worth streaming your audio advertisements?

Many companies are now incorporating live stream into their marketing mix, and the spend in this arena is huge. Why? Because it works! According to Jemm Group, advertisers have recorded response rates at an increase of three and half times that of your traditional audio outlets (statistics from the states).

While streaming does allow customers the option to upgrade to premium accounts with no advertisements, statistics from Spotify show that most users stick with the free registration and are quite happy to listen to advertising.

Audio advertising may soon be at the forefront of every businesses marketing plans. Whilst its traditional form is still going strong, audio advertising is also breaking into new areas and new technologies – potentially giving advertisers more bang for their buck.

Is digital streaming a consideration when it comes to your next audio advertising campaign?

Media Messages provides high quality audio productions for all channels, and we can certainly help you devise a compelling audio production for your online audio streaming campaign. Call us today for more information.

Posted in Audio Productions, Creative, Marketing, Media Messages, Online Marketing | Leave a comment

Google Places Listings

Posted on March 18, 2014 by mediagro

Updating your Google Places Listing

What many businesses may not be aware about is that recently Google updated their Google Places listings and it is now all integrated with Google Plus. Businesses, who didn’t have all the correct information such as categories, profile pictures and opening hours, will now have lost their Google Places listings and will have to go through the process of re-verifying their listings again.

NEW FEATURES

Dashboard
Google’s new dashboard can be a little daunting at first, but seriously, it is a great new contribution to Google Places. There is a range of new features and you can now easily:

View your listing
Read reviews about your business
Set up an express Google Adwords campaign
Click through to your Google Plus page
And look at the insights of your Google Places listings (great for those that love stats)

LISTING DETAILS REQUIRED FOR YOUR BUSINESS LISTING

Profile Picture
Google wants you to upload photographs, and select one to be your profile picture; ideally this will be your logo if you are a business. Pictures need to be bigger than 256 x 256 pixels but smaller than 1024 pixels.

There a big pros for including pictures on your Google Places listings – such as they add to your overall listing, and give potential customers more insight into your business; and your pictures are more likely to get picked up and ranked in the Google image search – so make sure you use keywords explaining what your pics are – and remember to save them with those titles.

Categories
In the categories section, you will need to make sure you select at least one category that Google understands. Simply start typing your services or products, and Google will bring up a range of categories – select from the list.

Hours
Google wants you to let your customers know your opening hours. And you will see in the Google Search, that when a business’ Google Placing listing comes up, it will now tell you if that business is opened or closed depending on the time you have conducted your search.

Google is becoming so much more advanced and smarter and it keeps every day businesses on their feet. Google Places is a free listing for all businesses, and to stand out in the local searches, it is really important that your business is featured on Google Places.

If your business was not up to date, then you will need to re-verify your listing. To do this, you must first update your listing and make sure it says that it is complete, once you have done this – there will be a red box at the top with text stating “Changes to your business information require verification.” – you will need to click on the “Verify Now’ button and check the address is correct and then select ‘Send Postcard”.

Your postcard from Google should be at your office within 3-weeks. It does look like junk mail, so please keep an eye out for the Google logo. Once you receive your postcard, log-in to your Google Places account and enter the 5-digit PIN to verify your account. It’s as simple as that!

If you are new to Google Places, check out our blog on Submitting your Business on Google Places.

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Media Messages Saves Businesses on APRA and PPCA

Posted on March 11, 2014 by mediagro

Messages on hold

Public Performance Tariff

Did you know that if you are a small business with only up to 5 phone lines playing the radio or commercial music to callers on hold, you are expected to pay an annual fee of $185.27 to the Australiasian Performing Rights Association (APRA). And on top of that, you are expected to pay a further $147.62 to the Phonographic Performance Company of Australia. That’s a total of $332.89 per year – and you don’t even have any control of the content.

Medium and larger businesses will be expected to pay:

Number of Lines	APRA	PPCA	TOTAL
1 – 5 lines	$148.21	$73.59 – $147.62	$221.80 – $295.83
6 – 10 lines	$234.05	$221.65	$455.70
11 – 20 lines	$405.70	$414.81	$820.51
20 – 50 lines	$405.70 – $819.18	$814.99	$1,220.69 – $1,634.17
51 – 100 lines	$1,404.33	$1,482.25	$2886.58
101 – 200 lines	$2,496.57	$2,668.49	$5,165.06
200+	$4,368.99+	$4,447.96	At least $8,816.95

View APRA and PPCA's full pricing schedules by clicking on the links at the bottom.

These fees go up annually, and if you are caught playing protected sound recordings such as the radio or music tracks without paying these annual fees, then you could be slapped with a massive fine.

Media Messages: Music and Messages On Hold

As a Telephone Message On Hold Company, we are registered with APRA and PPCA – and we supply first-class audio productions, combined with royalty free music to be played to your callers on hold. Our yearly packages, start from only $14.95/week and incorporate these fees, so you don’t have to worry about being hit with them in the future. Nor will you have to pay for a reproduction fee, should you change your message on hold program (APRA has fees for reproduction also).

Furthermore, unlike with the radio, you have full control of your telephone on hold marketing. You supply us with the information you would like to promote, and our very creative copywriters will prepare a script ready for our voice artists to record and our audio engineers to manipulate and mix into a compelling audio production to educate and entertain your callers.

You won’t have to worry about your competitors’ advertisements or inappropriate music playing to your callers, and you certainly won’t have to worry about receiving a rather large bill for simply playing music on your phone lines.

Why pay through the roof for simply music, when you can have a full professionally production audio production promoting your products and services to your callers. Get the most out of your marketing dollars,

APRA’s 2014 Licence Fees | PPCA’s 2014 Licence Fees

Posted in Advice, Audio Productions, Media Messages, On Hold Messages | Leave a comment

Social Media Love the Statistics

Posted on February 15, 2014 by mediagro

On the day after Valentine’s Day, we thought we would share an article about love, social love that is. And according to Mashable.com, based on the way you interact on your Facebook timeline, Google can usually predict when you are able to change your social relationship status.

That’s right, us humans are so God damn predictable it is not funny. According to the site, Facebook has released statistics on how couples tend to behave just prior to announcing to the world that they are officially ‘in a relationship’.

Apparently, there is roughly a three-month period where we are engaging with our new love, but before it becomes official. Facebook statistics show that during this period, there is a steady increase in the number of posts, pics and comments shared between the two loves – and then when it is officially announced, the lovebirds tend to back off on the posts (presumably spending real time with each other).

And while the post sharing and commenting may decline, the nature of what is shared is generally much sweeter and lovey-dovey than those beforehand.

And we’re pretty sure that Facebook also has some insight as to when a couple may call it quits or when it becomes a “a little more complicated’.

It’s quite crazy when you think about it, how much we do actually share on social media, so much so, that one of the big operators can even use their statistics to socially analyse how we interact in a romantic relationship. Imagine all the other information Facebook is privy to, based on what we share online.

Facebook for Business
It goes to show, that there is a community on Facebook, and love it or hate it, there is substantial value in having some sort of presence online – at the very least, it is a way for businesses to engage with their customers and get to know their wants, needs and desires.

If you already have a business Facebook page, and want your customers to fall in love with you, then get the romance started with some professional audio advertising. Media Messages can devise a professional and entertaining audio production specifically for you to share on Facebook. Call us today for more information.

Posted in Audio Productions, Marketing, Media Messages, Online Marketing, Social Media | Leave a comment

A Career in Audio Production

Posted on January 8, 2014 by mediagro

If you are looking for a remarkably exciting career, then audio production could be just what you are looking for. As an audio engineer in Australia, you will be expected to wear a number of hats, have great attention to detail and be prepared to meet all types of people within this fast paced industry. However, it is a very competitive industry, and if you want to succeed, then you need to put in the hard yards.

There are a number of Australian institutions that offer training courses and programs to get you the right qualifications, as too, many audio production companies offer work based apprenticeships. And as we mentioned before, audio engineers are often required to wear a number of hats, so it is important that you learn a couple of aspect to the industry, so getting further training in voice artistry or copywriting may also be advantageous.

This demanding, yet hugely rewarding role requires an indepth knowledge on everything to do with audio, from sound proofing standards, room acoustics, editing software, audio sweetening and sound mixing, voice technique … and the list goes on. (However, all of this would be covered in your training.)

There are three main areas of audio engineering, they are:

Sound
A sound engineer is the master of a number of crafts, and the person in this role is responsible for the directing and recording of the voice artists, editing of sound clips and mixing and manipulation of music and sound effects. To do this effectively, the sound engineer will need a thorough understanding about all the equipment involved and know how to set it all up, plus be a people person who can be assertive and not be afraid to offer direction.

Live Sound
A Live Sound Engineers are the guys who usually work with live bands and live broadcasts. These guys are responsible for making sure all sound is consistent and balanced. These guys need to have a great knowledge of electronics and acoustics.

Mastering
The Mastering Engineer is the master of everything and is a key member of a production team. This guy needs to know everything the sound engineer does, plus he is responsible for the entire product, and is heavily involved in the final edit.

There never is a dull moment in the fast paced world that is audio production. And whilst it may seem overwhelming, a career in audio production is a hugely rewarding role that introduces you to a whole new world of creativity. So if audio is your passion, get on the bandwagon and start working toward your career today.

Posted in Audio Productions, Media Messages | Leave a comment

Uploading your Videos Online

Posted on December 30, 2013 by mediagro

Whilst the team here at Media Messages are the audio experts, we have also had our fair share of dealings with video production. In fact, we do a lot of audio for corporate videos, training videos, pitch videos and even Australian film, not to mention, we produce many of our own video productions. That’s right, we like to showcase our work to the masses online, and in many cases, we upload our audio productions as a multimedia package and upload it as a video.

Why go to all that extra hassle we hear you say? Visuals make any presentation just that little more interesting, just like professional audio productions make visual presentations that little bit more exciting. Using two sense is more likely to grab your audiences attention, and to be honest, video in many cases is easier to distribute online, thanks mainly to YouTube.

YouTube has redefined how we view our videos, and how we share what we like. And sharing is extremely easy. Here are the simple steps you need to take in order to get your videos online using YouTube.

Sign up for a YouTube Channel
Simply head over to YouTube and create your very own channel. Make sure to set up your branding – with your logo and company details.

Audio and Visual Production
Remember this is going to be a representation on your company, so make sure you only upload professional productions. Media Messages can gladly help with everything and anything audio you need done.

Upload your Video to your Channel
You can do this on your smartphone, Ipad or PC, providing your video production is a decent size, just click on the upload videos, make sure it is set to searchable, put in a description (use appropriate keywords) and wait for your production to be uploaded.

Share or Embed
YouTube gives you the option to either Share or Embed your videos online. The “Share” function is great for your social media channels and Embed is a great way to embed your video clip on your website or in a blog post. You can even determine what size you would like your video to be. YouTube makes it extremely easy to spread your messages.

Professional video and audio productions can really make an impact on your bottom line, and now with the Internet, businesses have the means to reach a much larger audience than ever before at a fraction of the price it used to cost.

For more information on how you can get your audio productions online as part of a video clip, call one of Media Messages audio engineers today and they will be happy to discuss your options.

Posted in Audio Productions, Media Messages, Online Marketing, YouTube | Leave a comment

YouTube’s Top 5 Trending Videos for 2013

Posted on December 13, 2013 by mediagro

Can you believe we’re into our last month of the year? Christmas is in less than two weeks and we’re soon to open the doors to 2014. So as we say goodbye to the fabulous year that was 2013, YouTube leaves behind it’s 2013 mark with their top 10 trending videos for the year.

Taking number one spot is a song about animal noises, or more specifically about not knowing about a noise an animal makes. Congratulations to Ylvis with “The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?)”

In second place is a Norwegian army doing their rendition of the Harlem Shake (not quite sure how this made it), but here you have it. Harlem Shake (original army edition).

Third Place is a rather amusing video clip featuring two guys demonstrating how animals eat. “How Animals Eat their Food.”

Fourth place was awarded to a parody of Miley Cirus’ Wrecking Ball Miley Cyrus – Wrecking Ball (Chatroulette Version) – with a male impersonating the infamous performance.

And finally, in fifth position, is a rather creative, cute, yet slightly freaky video from Evian featuring adults seeing themselves as babies. baby&me / the new evian film.

when you cosnider that 80% of Youtube views come from outside the US, you can see the huge potential there is to go viral through this video sharing site.

YouTube is a phenomenon and continues to be a source of great content, and a platform for businesses to share their messages. What have you shared about your business on YouTube?

At Media Messages we share our message on YouTube on a weekly basis – it is after all, the third largest search engine.

Enterprise Search – Receive free exposure on the search engines simply by placing your business information in our free online business directory.

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Messages On Hold for Real Estate Agents

Posted on November 29, 2013 by mediagro

If you are in the business of real estate, then we have no doubt you understand the importance of marketing your service and your clients’ products. A telephone message on hold program will effectively help you to continue to promote these services and products when you place a caller on hold.

And place caller on hold we’re a 100% positive you do throughout the day. So why not utilise this time to promote your other services. Below are a couple of ideas on how you can continue to reinforce your brand and market your business to callers on hold.

Promote other services
Your customers may be well aware you sell and manage property, but what about your lesser known services – such as holiday accommodation, appraisals, past sales reports, suburb profiles and so forth.

Tips and Advice
You are the experts when it comes to property, so why not share your wisdom with some tips and advice for your customers. Marketing tips to help them increase the chances of selling their property, information about the surrounding area and selling tips.

By offering advice and tips to your callers on hold, you will be showing them that you really do know what you are talking about, and will help built the trust in your professional relationship with them.

Newsletters and Property Updates
Don’t forget to advise your callers about property newsletters and updates you may offer. Quickly explain to them how they can receive these messages.

Property Listings
Why not promote a couple of your properties on your message on hold program. Let our voice artists sell your properties by creating a vision for your callers?

Best of all, Media Messages offer a selection of telephone message on hold programs with your choice of yearly updates. So depending on how busy your real estate is, you can update and freshen up your program as often as you need / like.

Call us today for more information. 1300 796 694.

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Is Online Article Marketing Dead?

Posted on November 27, 2013 by mediagro

Google’s new Penguin and Panda updates have seen a dramatic decrease in the value of distributing your articles online, however is online article marketing really dead?

In our view, the answer is yes. In terms of helping with your Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), it most certainly will, however not in the same way as what was previously acceptable. However, and this is a BIG HOWEVER, if you are producing quality content that people will likely want to read and share with their networks, then it is an extremely effective online marketing tool.

Take for instance our business: Media Messages specialise in the production of broadcast quality audio for a number of applications, including radio commercials, television commercials, messages on hold and in-store music and messaging.

It is up to us to produce interesting and compelling copy that shows us to be an authority in our field and adds value to our offering. This value being the content those potential customers will hopefully share with other potential customers. Furthermore, if our customers value the content we write, then it is more likely they are going to share the link, share your content with their friends, and hopefully their friends will follow suit.

Google has changed the way they rank pages dramatically; as they obviously want their searches to return valuable information that meet their customers’ search enquiries. And Google now rely on social media to help determine the importance of a website. So if you offer good content, this content should theoretically be promoted through social media.

Providing you have promoted your content. And this is where it gets interesting. Old school public relations is back. You obviously have to help your potential customers to find your content, so they can like it and share it – so you will therefore need to market your content online to get the word out there. This is where it gets tricky; Google doesn’t like duplicate content, so article submission in the old form is no longer acceptable, but through social networks it is.

As complicated as it may sound, it really is quite straightforward and easy. Quality content is most certainly key, you then need to get this content out to the masses and hope they consider your content quality also.

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