Jul 04 2008
It’s been a couple of weeks since the last post. As you know, we’ve moved to Atlanta, Georgia, for a new beginning and new adventures. We’re looking forward to it.
Today is the 4th of July, and I thought it would be appropriate to show some patriotism. We’ll be up and publishing again on Monday. Have a great holiday weekend.
Jun 09 2008
Social Media and Marketing
Millions of us have them. You probably have one, or at least know of them. Maybe your kids have them. Actually, I’ll bet your kids have them. I’m talking about accounts/profiles on social networking sites like MySpace, Facebook, Friendster, and networking sites like them–LinkedIn anyone? I have to admit, I have accounts on all of these, but I don’t use them as often as I should. Truth is I am a little social networked (read overloaded). The only time I even go on them is when I receive an email from one of them informing me that one of my friends or connections has invited me to take some test (which I’m not going to do), or (and i’ve had this one a few times), someone has thrown something at me (I can’t remember if it was a ham, or an animal of some sort, but definitely not worth the few seconds it took me to sign in and see that I was virtually assaulted).
Like any popular and cool new fad, social networking sites have exploded and made tons of money. Advertising on them has been successful, to a point. Actually, I think they’ve returned a good deal in terms of revenue, but things seem to be slowing down. I’m not implying that they are not a Must Have on marketers list of To Dos, only that like any new medium, you eventually start heading towards the maturity phase, and with that things start to slow down.
Traffic in social networking sites may be a bit better than typical websites, such as ecommerce websites, news websites, dating websites, etc.–partially because they’re more like hangouts than information portals where you go in, get what you need, and get out. From a branding perspective, I’d bet it’s a pretty important tool to continue using. Really, it’s hard to try to ignore such sites, because the buzz is still in the air. As a grown up (and unfortunately I’ve been one for a while now, even though I still ‘feel’ young), I don’t enjoy social networking sites. But I can see the appeal, and I can see their worth. And, apparently, so do the marketers out there targeting these websites. How long these sites will last, who knows. But right now, if you’re a marketer, it probably pays to play the game.
Wikipedia’s definition of Social Media: “Social media is an umbrella term that defines the various activities that integrate technology, social interaction, and the construction of words, pictures, videos and audio. This interaction, and the manner in which information is presented, depends on the varied perspectives and “building” of shared meaning, as people share their stories, and understandings.”
If you’re reading this blog entry, guess what? You’re involved in social media. My ability to write, and hopefully influence my readers, is all part of the phenomenon that is social media. While traditional media may be a one-way street, i.e., I write an article for, say, the New York Times, and you, the good newspaper reader, consume what I’ve written, including my point of view (hopefully not included in real journalism), and you read it alongside my advertisements (hopefully I’m not selling anything immoral or unethical or that hurts small animals). Social media, however, turns the corporate world on its head, because now the consumers of products and services are able to influence other consumers of products and services–which, my friends, may not be exactly what corporate entities want happening. Why, you ask? Well, because now the control has been wrestled from the giants of industry and they no longer are the Goliath, because David is wielding far more influential weapons.
So what sites fall under social media (note, some of the below sites are for communication (MySpace, Facebook, etc.), and some are for collaboration or multimedia, or entertainment, etc)?
Facebook
Friendster
MySpace
Twitter
LinkedIn
Flickr
Zooomr
imeem
World of Warcraft
Miniclip
And the list goes on and on. Advertisers and marketers have been able to buy placements within the sites, as banner ads, content, and in games, even as virtual billboards advertising their wares in a less intrusive manner (if you play certain games and drive by a realistic 7-UP sign or Coke sign, it’s likely not just for the realism.
Because social media sites involve the user, and because the user is creating much of the content, social media sites are win-win for all involved; the user feels that they are part of the media process, and the site owners have built-in content generators for them, which obviously helps in many different ways.
Social media is not going away any time soon, and will likely just get more and more complex. What social media sites are you on? Let me know–please comment the sites you’re on, and where you see social media going in the next few years. Happy social media-ing!
May 05 2008
What’s Your Market Specialization?
Marketing is the same everywhere. Um, well, ok, I take that back. Marketing is different everywhere. Well, no, that’s not right either. Marketing means different things to different people–some companies are Direct Mail machines, others are strictly digital marketing companies, creating banner ads and performing Search Engine Marketing (SEM) for their clients. There’s about as many strategies out there as there are marketers, and even more marketing tactics employed by those marketers following the strategy they have decided on as a company. But no matter how many different ways marketers will try to skin a cat, there are definitely a few things that need to remain relatively consistent, no matter what product or service the marketer is trying to market.
One of the most important–if not the most important–thing a marketer must do is have a target market. A target market, loosely defined, is the set of folks plucked or ‘targeted’ out of the full set of people that could or would likely purchase a product or service. Dividing the larger group into these ’segments’ is called market segmentation, and it is a process that is based on demographics (age, gender, socio-economic groupings, geography, etc.).
Breaking down the larger population down into workable segments helps target marketing activities so that you get the best bang for your marketing buck. If you know who you’re going after, you know what their needs and wants are, and you’ll know how to cater your marketing messages towards meeting those needs.
Here are some Target Marketing Resources:
May 01 2008
Courage in Marketing
I use LinkedIn for professional purposes, and someone posted a question on there the other day that was about courage–something to the effect of “What would the effect be if decision makers had more courage.” I related to the question, so I answered it on the site–from my own perspective.
At Level2wo, we are free to make our own decisions–courageous sometimes, safe sometimes, crazy and perhaps stupid other times. But we make the decisions, because we’re the bosses (after our clients, anyway). But the courage question resonates even now. Why?
It resonates because, I believe, I am a risk-taker, not only in marketing but in life. I am a narcissist, tried and true. Because it gets results. I like making a bang–even when it seems like I am not trying to. In marketing, I think the goal is to get attention–good attention, and sometimes that means being courageous and taking chances–chances that, perhaps, may not be as calculated as they could be. It’s what makes me happy to be my own boss, or to work for bosses–that ‘courage’ or ‘risk’ thing that makes marketing exciting.
Do we put that racy pic on the ad? What about that sexual tension DM piece? How about that in-your-face banner ad? Is that too much? I don’t think so.
I can’t live my life being scared of outcomes, and I can’t do my work scared of outcomes either. It stifles my creativity, and it stifles the highs and lows that drive me to my self-happiness. It’s exciting, and I love excitement. Cubicles, in my opinion, are for knocking down.