Startup: Vanilla Digital Marketing

1. What is the startup about?

We’re all about social! For the past 10 years we’ve been involved in growing online communities in the UK, combining traditional online channels like forums and websites with social media. 3 years and several projects after, we figured out how unique we are and how we can help grow the digital marketing industry in the Philippines.

We have massive aspirations for our startup, not only in terms of providing genuinely good service but in offering decent, rewarding, and enjoyable employment for our team. If after reading this interview, you’ve grown some interest in joining our team - do get in touch!

Currently we are in the process of developing a platform where social media managers, businesses, bloggers, and influencers can share their knowledge, thoughts, and debate about digital marketing strategies, news, and hypotheses. More on that soon.

2. What specific need or problem does it address? 

Several brands are on Facebook, Twitter, etc. but lack of time, focus, and expertise becomes a blocker to nurturing an organic and meaningful community around a brand, product or service. We exist to help businesses and partners obtain real and meaningful value from social media. This is beyond mediocre social media presence, activity, and follower statistics.

In terms of skills, we exist to inspire digital marketers especially social media managers to become more organic and strategic in their practice. Hence, our aspiration to continuously grow our team, provide training, and truly rewarding roles in our organization.

3. How did it start?

My fellow co-founder and I, Anthony Trollope have been working together for 3 years on growing an online community in the UK called TWF which Anthony founded. We’ve managed to grow the community to over a 150,000 members and it is the largest trade market community in Europe.

Social media is a growing market in the Philippines and we spotted an opportunity to offer a unique service centered around our passion for community. We think we can offer something different to brands and small businesses already using marketing agencies or digital agencies for social media consultancy.

Startup: AllFamous Digital

1. What is the startup about?

My company is a digital agency, we provide search engine optimization and social media services to brands.

2. What specific need or problem does it address?

With so many new social networks and a constantly evolving online landscape (e.g. Google algorithms changing constantly), brands have difficulty keeping up, and maintaining a full digital team that are skilled and up to date with best practice. We maintain a team of specialists, so that companies don't have to.

3. How did it start?

We initially started as an integrated marketing agency doing full service from events to social media to websites, but we quickly realized this was too broad and we would not be competitive as a jack of all trades and master of none. Somewhat painfully we shed half of our business to focus on our core competency which is SEO and Social Media.

4. How does it work?

Brands engage us primarily to gain more value from their online and social presences. They realize their customers and competitors are active there, so they seek help from an agency. Very quickly we perform a digital healthcheck to ascertain their current state, then recommend a tailored strategy on how to achieve ROI. This typically involves:

-Social Media Optimization
-Web Analytics and Landing Page Optimization
-Social Listening and Lead Generation
-Community Management and Social CRM
-Blogging / Guest Blogging
-High Quality Backlinking
-Paid Advertising

Startup: 199Jobs

1. What is the startup about?

199Jobs is a marketplace for simple services and small jobs, starting at an affordable 199 Philippine Pesos.

More: http://199jobs.com/about/

2. What specific need or problem does it address?

For managers and entrepreneurs, it's a great place to outsource and buy services to save money & time, and remove the stresses of hiring.
For freelancers, students and many others, it's a great place to offer and sell your services to earn extra income on your spare time.

3. How did it start?

The idea to put up 199Jobs came from the realization that there is a need to provide individuals, particularly freelancers and managers, an easy and convenient way to connect and work together.

The marketplace was born from that goal, and we have been working since early this year to help people make money and get things done.

4. How does it work?

It works like your regular classified ads website, but instead of products, all the listings are services with the basic price of P199.

If you want to make money from your skills, all you have to do is post a job, upload some sample works, market your page and wait for people to buy your jobs.

If you're looking to outsource some work, then you can navigate or search through the site until you find someone who can do the task you need. After that, it's as straightforward as ordering the job and then communicating with the seller on how to accomplish the job needed.

More: http://199jobs.com/how-does-it-work/

Startup: How to Get Featured?

Thank you for your interest in getting featured in Mediactiv8. Our goal is to promote digital marketing education and entrepreneurship in the Philippines.

Below are the questions for your perusal. All you need to do is to answer them as comprehensively as you can and then send it via message to https://www.facebook.com/Mediactiv8.

Once the post is done, we'll send you a link to it which you can share to your social networks.

We are excited to learn from you. Have a great day!

QUESTIONS
1. What is the startup about?
2. What specific need/problem does it address?
3. How did it start?
4. How does it work?
5. How to avail of this product/service?
6. How does it use social media in its marketing and operations?
7. Who are the founders and what do they do?
8. What is your advice/message to aspiring startupreneurs?

Startup: GrabTaxi Philippines

"The idea of GrabTaxi stemmed from the taxi industry around the world
and the pains it has brought to its society for both passengers and drivers."

1. What is the startup all about?

GrabTaxi aims to improve the taxi industry by introducing the GrabTaxi taxi application to both supply (taxi fleet and drivers) and demand (passenger) that will optimize the matching process between both. The vision is to revamp the taxi industry and to provide public transportation mobility for all by developing a sustainable solution for a very real social pain. By combining top talent and disruptive technologies and innovation, GrabTaxi wishes to create a high potential, self-sustainable social enterprise that will help bring Philippines to the forefront of the technological development wave.

2. What specific need or problem does it address?

The society constantly faces the many challenges that the local taxi industry has caused. Passengers face the same difficulties in getting a decent taxi driver especially during rush hours. The Philippine society sees the taxi industry as corrupt because of how fragmented taxis are. Passengers get confused as to which taxi operator to rely on and which phone number to call for taxi bookings, and therefore solidifying the lack of trust that is already prominent. There is, of course, the alarming safety issue that everyone hears about in news and tabloids about theft and robbery, and even worse, rape. Drivers are also victims of this industry as they consistently struggle to earn a living because of idle time in waiting in line or driving around looking out for passengers. The system that they are used to is no longer efficient as it burdens them with more expenses and diminishes their hope in a better living.