Have you been paying attention to me? May 18, 2009

If you haven’t noticed, this blog is about emerging media and the evolution of new marketing avenues. This post is basically to see if you’ve been paying attention.

As marketing and communication practitioners, we are facing a rapidly changing world of technology and the way we send information to our audiences.  Thanks to the ability to immediately provide updates with many forms of interactive media, we are not only finding the use of new media convenient, but easy as well. While some types of new media are familiar, others are relatively new, but quickly making a mark in our marketing and communication practices.  To recap what I’ve blogged about for the past few weeks, the forms of new media are:

• Web sites
• Video ads
• Widgets
• RSS feeds
• Podcasting
• Banner ads
• Short films
• Blogs & vlogs
• Chat rooms
• Blue tooth
• In-game advertising
• Social networking

While not all of these marketing avenues are necessary (choose what best suits your company), it is important to note that using at least one of these options to help build your brand can be worthwhile. Simply placing your company on social networking sites liked Facebook or LinkedIn will help supplement your marketing plan. Enabling your site for RSS feeds will let others know when you’ve added information. Starting a blog will keep you in the loop about what your audience thinks about your products.

This really isn’t rocket science, people. It’s simply a matter of accepting that it’s time to change and start thinking about other avenues of interacting with your audiences.

So, what have you learned from me? Anything? Have I encouraged you through any of my posts to start a blog, log onto Facebook, create a Web site? Let me know how effective I’ve been, or not. Thanks for reading.

iPhone phenomenon May 18, 2009

Apple's iPhone

I got an iPhone. This is probably one of the most advanced pieces of technology I have ever experienced. It’s one thing to be able to read your e-mail and connect to the Internet, but it’s another thing to have a piece of equipment that let’s you rock out with your favorite tunes, watch that show you’ve been wanting to catch up on or find your way to the nearest Italian restaurant.

 

The beauty of this thing is that I can look up what I want, whenever I want. Companies like eBay, YouTube and Google have jumped on the iPhone phenomenon by offering customers quick links to their sites, called “apps”. Because I just got the phone I don’t know who else has taken advantage of this new marketing tool. But for the ones who have, it’s a perfect example of how companies are embracing the changing world of technology and marketing.

Don’t ignore it, embrace it May 18, 2009

When I first heard the word blog I ignored it; I thought the person misspoke. After I realized that a blog was a real thing, I got worried. For someone who wanted to be a marketing and communications superstar I sure wasn’t keeping up with the evolution of new media.  

Even after I got input from valued communication and marketing experts, I still had my doubts about this blog thing. And while I’ve seen some people refer to it as a Big Load Of Gossip, I have learned over the years that it is much more than that.

For individuals who have nothing better to do with their time, yes, blogging can be a form of gossip. But for businesses and companies that want to interact with their employees, shareholders and clients, blogging is an incredible tool. Blogging, in my opinion, is a personal form of marketing. The authenticity a blogger can bring to a company and its products and services can be more compelling to the audience as opposed to traditional marketing practices.

Want to know the best part about blogging? It’s a cheap way to talk about your company and build relationships with others. Blog hosts such as WordPress and Blogger offer free blogs that are easy to set-up and maintain.

Even though this class is coming to a close (the reason for this blog) and I have struggled finding the time to keep it up-to-date, which is essential when blogging, I have found it beneficial and educational. And thanks to some of my readers, from a list of a very few, I had fun with it. And that’s what it should be, fun.

For more about blogging, visit http://sbinfocanada.about.com/cs/blogarticles/f/whyblog.htm.

Do you know where that came from? May 16, 2009

This week’s class discussion centered on paid inclusion and paid placement on search engines and the ethical responsibility that SEO’s had in informing the online user of such practices. For those of you who have no idea what paid inclusion and placement are, it is basically a practice where companies pay to have their links appear at the top of the results page when you search for a topic on search engines like Yahoo, for example.

 

Blinking multi-colored ads often pollute the displayed search pages. And since search engines are in the business of making money, and because they don’t charge us the user a fee to use the engine, they sell prime “results” to those companies that want their links to appear at the top of the page (or sometimes down the side).

 

Even though this is a common practice in the Internet world, many consumers and Internet users don’t have a clue about it.

 

A study found at www.venturereporter.net reveals that very few studies have been conducted on the subject of paid inclusion and placement. A Consumers Union national survey found that 60 percent of U.S. Internet users had not heard or read that certain search engines were paid fees to list some sites more prominently than others in their search results. After being told that some search engines take these fees, 80 percent said it is important (including 44% who said it is very important) for a search engine to disclose, in its search results or in an easy-to-find page on its site, that it is being paid to list certain sites more prominently. If clearly told in the search results that some sites are displayed prominently because they paid, 30 percent said they would be less likely to use that search engine, 10 percent said more likely, and 4 percent said don’t know/refused.

 

Consumers Union also reported that “given the complicated situation, 56 percent say it would make no difference to them.” It stated that the “combination of users’ low level of knowledge of search engine practices and their strong demand that search engines should come clean leaves users splintered about how to react.”

The consumer has the idea that a search engine results are based solely on the relevance of the query and not influenced by paid inclusion. Even though paid inclusion has no guarantee with placing someone in the top of that search it undermines the credibility of that search engine in supplying consistent and unbiased searches (www.wired.com).

 

From a personal standpoint, I think both of these practices can be somewhat and equally harmful to consumers. Paid placement is an effective marketing tool, but it can be deceptive for novice search engine users who see the paid placement ads as part of the query. In addition, the over abundance of the paid placement ads tend to complicate simply queries and may inhibit at risk students or children in there ability to process information online.

 

Paid placement has been framed as only a search engine enhancement tool and not a silver bullet for site indexing. However, companies are paying large sums of money to search engines and paid inclusion consultants to ensure their companies and products are at the top of search engine lists. Consumers have a natural sense of trust when it comes to search engines and often equate them to the old Encyclopedia Britannica. However, if consumers lose this trust and it is displayed to them that paid inclusion can influence there searches in a far reaching way this trust will be lost. Consumers will then demand other products that they can be assured of in the future.

Excuse me, but I can’t find you May 12, 2009

Hello?!

 

Why can’t I find your Web site. I have searched all over the Internet for your products, services, locations, contact information, everything! Instead, I keep clicking on to your competitor’s Web sites. Man, they sure have a lot of the same stuff you do. This one company had just what I was looking for; think I may go back and explore it some more. Sorry you missed getting my business.

 

This scenario happens everyday because you fail to recognize that your company needs a Web site.

 

Why do you need your own Web site? Because. Because your customers want one. Because you need to do two things with your business – communicate and advertise! Sure, you can talk all you want and buy pricey print ads, but what you really need to do is…GET WITH THE TIMES!

 

I know, some of you feel Web sites are too expensive and time consuming to maintain. Others think your business is too small or that you just aren’t techy enough.  These aren’t reasons not to have a site, they are only excuses.

 

Having a Web site helps to:

• Create awareness
• Generate interest
• Distribute information
• Create and maintain a strong brand/image

When an interested party wants more information about your company, they usually want it quick and with as much information as possible.  Look at your competition. What are they doing? Be better than them!

 

It is important to understand that the outline of present business commerce has changed and these days the victory of any business is not dependent on any nice-looking prominent print advertising or any promotion activities. Today we are living in a techno-savvy world and in order to survive, it is compulsory to have comprehensive online marketing mantras. Website or in other terms online presence has become the critical element that can assist you in winning every battle in this business race. Online presence is now becoming more reasonably priced in comparison to broadcast marketing to reach directly to the people (www.articlesbase.com).

 

Quit making the excuses! Start building your online presence today. I’ll be looking for you!

 

To get started, visit this link for a Web host.

Food gaming May 8, 2009

My eight-year-old son is hooked on video games. (Find me one his age who isn’t.) He has every game console available and if that isn’t enough, he’s always looking for Web-based games to play as well. Some of his favorites are the ones he can find on the cereal boxes in our kitchen cabinet. At any given time we can have up to 10 boxes of cereal in the house (we live on cereal). While I try to get him to eat bran flakes and shredded wheat, he’s more interested in the kid-approved Honeycomb, Frootloops, Lucky Charms and Cocoa Pebbles, just to name a few.

When I was a kid the most exciting thing about cereal was digging out the toy before my sister even had a chance. Now, as my son inhales his bowl of sugar, the most exciting thing for him is to find the Web address that directs him to the fun and games section of the company’s site.  I have to admit, playing online games does sound more exciting than mining for a cheap plastic toy, but why the push to get kids to the Web site.

Companies like General Mills, Post and Kellogg’s not only target the parental market, but they have also learned to tap into the younger market as well when promoting their brands.

Young children are increasingly the target of advertising and marketing because of the amount of money they spend themselves, the influence they have on their parents spending (the nag factor) and because of the money they will spend when they grow up (Good Housekeeping, 1996).

Facts about Marketing to Children

• Advertising directed at children is estimated at over $15 billion annually – about 2.5 times more than what it was in 1992.
•  Over the past two decades, the degree to which marketers have scaled up efforts to reach children is staggering. In 1983, they spent $100 million on television advertising to kids. Today, they pour roughly 150 times that amount into a variety of mediums that seek to infiltrate every corner of children’s worlds.
• According to a leading expert on branding, 80 percent of all global brands now deploy a “tween strategy.”

For more on these and other facts, visit http://www.newdream.org/kids/facts.php.

Now to justify this marketing initiative, many of these companies focus on fitness, civic involvement and health. While marketing to the younger generations is a touchy subject, I personally do not have any heartburn with companies who use this practice (in this case anyway). Many times my son has brought to my attention something new or given me ideas about recipes or snacks. It’s helpful also in that it teaches him about the nutritional value (whether it’s there or not) of foods.

Some people and experts find these strategies unethical and unhealthy. Take a look at this USA Today article for more on why others think there is a problem with this practice.

What are your thoughts? Is this marketing method unethical? Do you think it leads to unhealthy habits?

My husband tweets May 6, 2009

My husband is hitting a milestone this month – he’s turning 40 (I’m only 33). My husband is still young, but he’ll tell you he’s not young enough to understand the evolution of new media. He likes to refer to himself as a “tweener.”

When I talk about social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, he usually just looks at me confused. So imagine my surprise when I learned that the organization he’s the CEO of is using Twitter. Granted, his younger staff members are the ones tweeting, but the fact that they even got him to agree to Twitter is a feat in itself.

 I still don’t think he fully understands the purpose of Twitter, but since he’s trying, I’ll contain my laughter.

 Follow the Central West Virginia Chapter of the American Red Cross on Twitter.

I don’t like the looks of that May 6, 2009

How many times have you been searching the Web for something and came across a Web site or two that was just horrifying? And by horrifying I mean in its looks. Too much copy, too many pictures, not enough whitespace…you get the idea. Our impressions of Web sites generally evolve in that first glance. If it isn’t easy to look at then it’s not worth our time.

For some reason people think they must use all the available space on their Web pages. Why waste the space if you’ve got something to say, right? Wrong! As noted in an article written by Mark Boulton, using whitespace is important and beneficial in design and layout of Web sites. It’s important to also note that you shouldn’t leave your Web site bare and without the information your visitor’s are seeking. Fortunately, there’s a happy medium.

Boulton’s article focuses on balancing the use of copy, photos, logos, etc. and understanding how to visually create a welcoming, pleasant site that is easy to read and navigate.

Let’s take a look at two illustrations from Boulton’s article; one without whitespace and the other with. 

 

Figure 4. Text before whitespace is added

 

Figure 5. Text with passive whitespace added

Which do you prefer? Which one do you think your Web site visitors prefer?

By allowing some whitespace in your Web design visitors will be visually drawn to your site. Your job from that point is to make sure you have interesting enough information to keep them interested. Now about that…

To read Boulton’s article at A List Apart, click here.

Which Web 2.0 is right for you? May 5, 2009

Definition: Web 2.0 – refers to a perceived second generation of web development and design, that facilitates communication, secure information sharing, interoperability, and collaboration on the World Wide Web (wikipedia.com - a Web 2.0 concept).

This week I learned that there is more to know about emerging media. My employer uses a group, Vocus Inc., to interact with the media, publish our news online where it can be found by millions, monitor news and social media conversations from virtually any source and track our results.

As a subscriber to this plan, we are treated to many frequent online trainings and seminars on everything from the company’s own products to emerging media topics to talking with the media. I recently took advantage of a training called Monitoring the Social Media Conversation: From Twitter to Facebook. The webinar basically discussed the value (not just the fun) in social media and how one can effectively mine the online conversations. While the presentation was more than an hour long and covered varying social media topics, one thing did stand out – the number of online conversation groups. Man! I had no idea there were so many social media conversations taking place. I so need to catch up!

The following list is a incomplete breakdown (courtesy of Vocus, Inc.) of the varying forms of Web 2.0 concepts that are currently taking the Internet by storm.

Microblogs: Twitter , tumblr (which I haven’t heard of mind you)

Social networking: Facebook, Myspace

Social media news aggregators: digg, Y! buzz (again, not familiar)

Blogs: WordPress, Blogger

Photo sharing: Flickr, photobucket

Wikis: Wikipedia, pbwiki and wikihow

Video sharing: YouTube, matacafe

Forums/newsgroups: WebMD, iVillage

I know we are living and working in an emerging world of technology and other advancements. That is why, as IMC practitioners, it’s important to familiarize ourselves with these  kind of social communication groups; even if we’re not going to use them. The value of at least knowing the difference will help us make better marketing decisions in the future.

So what about you? Which method of online communication have you used and what do you like about it? Which groups have you not heard of? Do you have a favorite social media site to add to the list? If so, tell us about it!

Facebook 101 May 3, 2009

In today’s advancing world of social media, West Virginia University is offering a class on Facebook that will allow students to explore the psychology, advertising and technology the social medium has to offer.

West Virginia University is one of a growing number of universities to offer classes on Facebook and other social networking sites. This summer, the university will offer “Facebook: Friend or Foe?” – a class that will, of course, be taught online – Charleston Daily Mail

Click here for the full article that was published in the Charleston Daily Mail on April 30.