Business
€20,000 prize fund for Galway’s first Online Marketing Awards
The not-for-profit organisation, Online Marketing in Galway, will host Galway’s first ever Online Marketing Awards on April 22 at the Town Hall Theatre.
Celebrating the best in digital in Galway city and county, there are five main categories; Best Website, Best Social Media Campaign, Best Email Campaign, Online Marketing Leadership Award and Best Blog.
There are two bonus awards, The People’s Choice Award and one additional award to be announced at a later date. There is currently over €20,000 in the prize fund up for grabs.
The idea for the Awards was initially conceived by City Bin Company’s Oisin Browne, along with OMIG’s founder Maricka Burke Keogh and fellow volunteer Gary Mullin.
The event is sponsored by the Connacht Tribune and The Galway City Enterprise Board and is in aid of the Galway Hospice. Tickets for the event are €5 and can be purchased at www.galwaymarketing.ie/awards. All proceeds go to the Galway Hospice.
A company or individual can register their own business or nominate someone else’s business. Registrations are free and can be accessed on www.galwaymarketing.ie/awards-registration-form/.
Over 40 businesses have registered in the city over the past few days. Registration closes on March 7 at 5pm.
The prize fund includes:
• Connacht Tribune – €5,000 worth of Advertising (Print/Radio/Online);
• GCCEB – €2,500 Cash Prize+ €1,100 with of mentoring;
• Galway Technology Centre – €2,500 (Virtual/HotDesk/Conference Room Facilities for a year);
• Tree Light Pictures – €2,500 Video Production Package;
• IMS Marketing – €1,500 Brand Audit/Brand Design;
• Cantec – €1,000 Print pack;
• Digital Marketing Institute – €2,990 2 x Postgraduate Diploma;
• Cityweb – €2,000;
• iONConnect – €950 worth of consultancy;
• Julia Dunin – €750 worth of photography);
• Plus remaining OMiG Volunteers Prize Package over €5,000.
In the run up to the Awards, OMiG will continue their free monthly seminars in the Harbour Hotel. The next meeting takes place on Tuesday next, February 25, sponsored by the Marketing Institute of Ireland. The two key speakers on the night are Declan Flemming (NUIG) of the Marketing Institute of Ireland and Orla Carroll, Head of Digital, Failte Ireland.
The topic on the night will be the latest impact Online Marketing is having on the day to day roles within organisations. Beforehand, there will be plenty of opportunity to network as the evening kicks off with ‘Networking with a Twist’ at 6.15pm which is being held in conjunction with the Galway County and City Enterprise Board. People will be randomly selected to introduce themselves to other people.
The new President of Local Ireland, the association representing local news publishers around the country, is Head of Irish Times Regionals Dan Linehan.
Mr Linehan takes over the presidency from Declan McGuire of the Connacht Tribune. His appointment was confirmed at the recent Annual General Meeting of Local Ireland at Bloomfield House Hotel near Mullingar, Westmeath.
Mr Linehan, who has served as Vice President of the organisation for the last two years, said: “The coming years are a very important time for local publishers with many important issues to be addressed, including the implementation of the Future of Media Commission recommendations, defamation reform, the role and support for local publishers in public service reporting and helping publishers develop commercial digital offerings.”
Speaking at the AGM, Mr McGuire acknowledged the work done by the Executive in the past two years under the direction of Executive Director, Bob Hughes, on several projects related to the publishing industry but most especially the successful conclusion of the long-running campaign for the abolition of VAT on newspapers.
He also wished Mr Linehan the very best in his new role as President of the association for the next two years.
Mr Hughes thanked Mr McGuire for his leadership and support during his term of office and said he looked forward to working with Mr Linehan on the key policy priorities for the association, including Government supports, Government advertising, fair remuneration for content from the tech platforms and the reform of the legislation for defamation.
Local Ireland members also elected Seán Mahon, Managing Director of the Southern Star, as Vice President for the next two years.
The shortage of affordable housing is the single biggest impediment in attracting and retaining workers in the West, according to business group Ibec.
At a ‘Regional Insights Series’ meeting in the Galmont Hotel in Galway last week, employers were told that capacity constraints and labour supply are the key challenges facing business growth in the region.
Ibec Head of Regional Policy Helen Leahy said: “There must be greater focus by government on enhancing quality of life issues such as housing and infrastructure which are driving labour shortages in the region.
“Ibec’s vision for the West is to realise its potential to become a globally competitive location. An inadequate supply of affordable housing is now the single largest impediment to attracting and retaining talented workers, without whom business investment and expansions are not possible.
“Labour shortages are a real concern for businesses in the region. People decide where to live and work based on quality of life and access to high quality services and amenities. Industry tends to follow talent, and in this regard, the region needs to have all the building blocks in place as the attraction and retention of world-class talent becomes increasingly competitive on a global level,” said Ms Leahy.
Amongst Ibec’s priorities for the West are:
- Addressing housing and infrastructure challenges
- Transitioning towards a new growth model with Net Zero energy powered by Atlantic offshore wind resources
- Adapting businesses to the new economic realities
- Enhancing capacity and skillsets to achieve sustainable development objectives
- Investment in people and skills
- Creating competitive advantage through digitalisation
- Innovation as a key driver of productivity growth
One in five Galway businesses want to go fully cashless, as the move towards card payments and tapping continues unabated post-Covid.
In all, 22% of Galway businesses would like to be fully cashless, according to a survey carried out by BOI Payment Acceptance (BOIPA), a provider of payment technology solutions, which asked Irish businesses about the current payment landscape as well as business confidence and concerns.
Over one-third (36%) of Galway businesses were unaware there is no contactless limit on mobile wallets – just below the national average – while 54% believe the increase in card over cash transactions has helped them run their business.
Six out of ten Galway businesses expect to grow this year despite the cost-of-living crisis and running costs dominating as key concerns; 62% believe their business will grow over the next twelve months despite global economic uncertainty.
Unsurprisingly cost-of-living increases and running costs were the main concerns the majority of businesses had.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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