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Posts Tagged ‘online marketing’

It all starts - or stops - at the top Tuesday, January 6th, 2009

I’ve come across an interesting blog-versation about CEOs who just don’t ‘get it’ when it comes to digital marketing. Mayra Ruiz started the conversation on her Marketing Misfit blog when she asked for some advice about how to deal with a client who wants to turn his website back into a brochureware site, supported by offline-only marketing, because his company’s sales are down and he believes his website isn’t helping. As Mayra explains, the sales problem could have something to do with a change in his sales team. Anyway, she asked for advice via her blog and Twitter, and she’s received plenty of good advice about convincing a CEO to stick with digital. Here are some highlights:

Kari Rippetoe at the Caffeinated Blog writes: “It seems to me that the CEO has the mindset that his product in all its feature-laden glory should be valuable enough for his visitors.  Now, I haven’t seen the website myself, so I don’t know how the product is described; but none of his prospective customers are going to care enough about his product to visit the site more than a couple of times…. Why doesn’t the CEO want his website to be one of those go-to places for research and data related to his product?  Why doesn’t he want his company to be an authority in its industry?  They have an incredible opportunity to build trust and authority around their product through content - they just have to create an effective content marketing strategy and stick with it…. Prospects have to go through the research phase of the buying funnel - they’re looking for the what, when, where, why, and how and gathering as much information as they can (all that “extra stuff”) in order to draw up a well-researched short-list of options…. Prospects expect a website … Offline marketing efforts won’t be nearly as effective on their own without a tandem online strategy to help keep your sales leads warm.  Kill your website, and I guarantee you’ll be killing your new business.”

Jonathon Betts at the Bettsonian Blog writes: “For a company that is marketing software it would seem a tragedy to discard the opportunity offered by web 2.0 tools. They could be used to support a company’s positioning as dynamic, innovative, tech-savvy and responsive…. This also demonstrates the importance of being able to demonstrate return on investment…. Does the CEO really understand what web 2.0 is really about? …the social media “market” has been characterised by hype and fragmentation. This doesn’t present a clear picture to your average business person. A ‘3 minute guide to social media’ to give non-marketing execs a snapshot of what’s going on would be worthwhile….Implement new channels incrementally rather than going for a big bang/all-or-nothing approach. Starting with a blog requires little or no cash outlay. The results from this will then support further investment decisions.”

My own 2 cents: take a look at the company’s marketing strategy and provide simple illustrations as to how a digital strategy can help achieve marketing/sales goals. If the CEO can’t articulate the marketing strategy, then heaven help the business.


Online content strategy - in a nutshell Tuesday, December 30th, 2008

Heidi Cohen has written a terrific piece on ClickZ explaining why an integrated content strategy is a must in 2009 for companies looking for effective marketing spend. The article is well worth reading in total and saving/printing, but here are some highlights:

When creating a communications strategy, “your content must address consumers as people. You should supply them with relevant and engaging information without sounding like sanitized marketing-speak.” If you get it right, you will 1) extend your brand; 2) drive traffic to your site; 3) diversify the ways you engage with potential customers; 4) make it easier for people to find your site via search engines; 5) provide product support; and 6) build community.

Heidi outlines nine content formats to consider, including online video, podcasts, webinars and Twitter. She also discusses three ways to stretch your marketing resources online and five metrics to track (hint: page views are not on the list).

Attention potential clients: this is a preview of what we’ll be talking to you about next year. Thanks, Heidi!


More 2009 predictions Monday, December 29th, 2008

Here are some more predictions posted about online growth/trends for next year. Social media manager Roger Harris predicts that Twitter will go through consolidation and integration phases in 2009 (BTW, I found this link via a Twitter connection), use of viral video will increase, and social media will be used internally by large companies for ‘management efficiency gains’.

Meanwhile, BusinessWeek says that accountability and compelling user experiences are two reasons why online advertising will be the only sector of the advertising industry to experience growth next year (albeit only 6-10% growth, less than half of pre-GFC predictions).

The power of word of mouth marketing is another reason why online will be the shining spot in a dark year. Jeffrey Rayport writes that, “It’s not that online advertising will supplant traditional media. It won’t. But a new and different ad equilibrium will emerge from the coming economic recovery - and it will represent a radical shift from anything we’ve known before. “


Repeat after me, part II: ROI bad, VRM good Monday, December 8th, 2008

Following on from my post the other day about the problems of using traditional return on investment (ROI) measurements for web activities, I’ve discovered another useful acronym - VRM, or Value Reference Measurement. Lewis Green, writing in the bizsolutionsplus blog, has produced a concise definition of this measurement, developed by the US Federal Chief Information Officers Council in 2002. He quite properly distinguishes it from ROI and suggests VRM, which is measured over a lifetime of sales and relationships, may be more valuable for measuring the impact of social media and social networking than ROI, which is strictly how much money was returned against an investment.

“Don’t say ROI unless you mean it,” he writes. “Instead, use metrics that measure both ROI and Value, and help decision makers understand how they differ and how each grows a business. ROI hits the bottom line; Value hits the top line.”

“Keep in mind that ROI might be either positive or negative, so to avoid what at first glance appears to have been a bad decision, it is smart to also measure Value through intangible benefits such as customer experiences, customer loyalty, and word of mouth to justify any expense. ROI is an important metric, but it needs to be balanced with a rigorous analysis of all the value factors.”

“….When discussing marketing and communications with C-level executives, do not say ROI unless you mean it in dollars and cents. Instead, offer up both ROI and VRM and then you will be speaking your client’s language. Be patient and know what you are talking about.

“Finally, don’t sell tools, sell goals and  strategies to achieve a company’s objectives. Do it in concert with the Marketing, Communications, Sales, and Customer Service departments. Executives and business owners don’t want to buy a tool; they want to buy a plan for success, and they want both ROI and VRM. Some of the tactics (e.g., SM [social media] and SN [social networking]) likely will drive Value more than ROI. Others (e.g., advertising and direct marketing) likely will drive ROI more than Value. Together they will produce dynamic results.”

Social media blogger Peter Kim agrees with Lewis’ assessment, but argues that you need to present ROI measures as well as VRM measures to C-suite executives, writing that “If ROI doesn’t apply to social media marketing, then social media should not be used for marketing.” His views sparked a flurry of comments both supporting and rejecting his position - check out his posting to see them.


OK, you’re right, it’s boring Saturday, November 1st, 2008

One of the main reasons online advertising and marketing has taken as long as they have to gain traction in the contemporary media mix is that putting together an online campaign isn’t as sexy as creating a TV commercial. No big production budgets (and accompanying commissions), no hob-nobbing on the sets while eating ridiculously elaborate food from over-priced caterers, no award ceremonies in the south of France, no ‘did you see my ad on 60 Minutes last night - along with 2 million other people?’ Instead, online offers practical, measurable messages aimed at meeting customers at their point of need - effective, but yes, boring.

Kevin Lee wrote a piece in ClickZ this week about creativity in search engine marketing and I started out thinking, “Great, here are some examples of how creativity is used in online marketing!” Unfortunately, Kevin’s message was the same as mine: effective, but boring.

“A creative strategy often includes thinking differently about your product, service, offer, pricing, or buy-flow. If you’re selling a product, do you offer alternative payment options? If a service, do you offer different subscription lengths?” he writes.

“What about your offline business? Is there a way to make your online search and offline shopping behavior sync up better? Consider using offer codes and coupons.”

Consider offer codes and coupons - woo hoo! I’m passionate about the potential of online, but I can see where the agency creatives are coming from - there needs to be some sizzle with this steak. Viral campaigns and some uses of YouTube are the exception (see one of my favourites, the “Will it Blend?” campaign, here) - but this is very hit and miss at present.

Kevin Lee has asked ClickZ readers to send him examples of creativity in search. I’ll keep my eye out for them and share them with you - as long as they’re not about offer codes and coupons…


Get a clue - now in PowerPoint format Tuesday, October 28th, 2008

Quotes from it are plastered all over our site - it’s The Cluetrain Manifesto, the revolutionary (this word is vastly over-used, but appropriate in this case) tome about how the new media have changed the way companies do business. Now, for those of you who are too busy to pick up a book and are chained to your computer, Australian blogger Michael Specht has summarised the books 95 theses in an online PowerPoint presentation. Go and save this in your favourites! Good on you, Michael.


Don’t interrupt; instead, facilitate Monday, September 22nd, 2008

As we say on the home page: “Markets are conversations”. Irish web content expert Gerry McGovern writes in his blog this week that, “Marketing used to say: ‘Don’t go down that road, go down this road. My destination is much more interesting.’ On the Web, we choose our destination and will not change it. Marketing must now say: ‘I can help you get to your destination faster and easier.’”

In the information-rich 21st century, McGovern says, the Internet succeeds because “it helps us make better decisions. We go to the Web to get more details. We go to the Web on a mission. When was the last time you went to Google and said, ‘I wonder what should I search for today?’ You go to the Web wanting to buy a lawnmower. The chances of your attention being caught by some clever ad for a vacation in Greece is very, very small. ”

“The Web is the land of the skeptic, the cynic, the impatient, time-starved, information-overloaded consumer who is on a mission. The mission is to solve a problem, answer a question, get a good deal. The Web is the land of the comparison shopper, the person who wants to read reviews to see if the product is actually any good.

“Trying to grab the attention and tug the sleeve of this information-rich consumer is much more likely to irritate than to interest them. Presenting them, on your homepage, with the big, smiling face of some actor who has never used your product, is a good way of getting them to sneer at you.”


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