Data Driven: How we spend our daze?

It appears we spend a lot of our time online. And, for better or worse, the data suggests this is not going to change anytime soon. We see online replacing are traditional information and entertainment sources such as TV, newspapers and other print publications. We also see that while we surf the net we also seem to have lots of time for other activities as well. Who exactly came up with the concept of multitasking? And why? Lastly, on a down note, like Yin and Yang with good comes evil. A recent study by Cisco suggests that 90% of all emails are SPAM! The real question is why do these people not use all that effort and resources for good instead of evil!?

Web Overtakes All Media Except TV as News Source via kwout

What’s Competing for Internet Users’ Attention? - eMarketer via kwout

Spam Doubles, Personalized Spam Quadruples in 2008 via kwout

VBlog: 7 Critical concepts every business must know

Straight from my spare room, this is the first in a series of vblogs that define the fundamental change in communication between business and consumers brought about by social spaces on the internet I refer to as the "paradigm shift". There are 7 easy to understand, but critical concepts every business owner must know and understand before taking their brand online or managing their brand online. In this vlog we will work our way through how to successfully integrate your brand into social spaces online, based on some simple rules.

I look forward to your feedback,

Feel young again! Twitter away!

It is with age that some deterioration in functioning comes without question. I remember my great grandfathers, grandfathers my father and sadly me being afflicted with the most common of age related maladies; "what were we talking about again, or "What was her name again?" syndrome. Yes, I am referring to the complete inability to remember things from one moment to the next or follow a line of discussion for more than several seconds. Denial is comforting in this time of subtle decay. It is reassuring to think that the reason I have such difficulty is because I have amassed so much wisdom and knowledge over the years that my brain just can't be bother stuffing anymore in. Well, what ever embarrassment I may feel over being what appears to be slightly senile no loner matters. You see I have discovered Twitter! Twitter is the most amazing micro blogging tool. The whole premise is to write in as smallest bites as possible send them off and move onto the next. I am having a field day sending off little missives and receiving a blizzard of disconnected, compact and easily forgettable messages back. Who would have thought, just as I was starting to feel my middle age, some 20 something would put me back in the game stronger than ever. Twitter away!

Data Driven: People don't like advertisting??!!

Like those crazy government funded studies to prove that death is the result of dying or eating makes you full, here is another study which provides overwhelming evidence to the obvious; people don't like advertising. However, in the author's defense, despite this ubiquitous truth, businesses continue to advertise and so maybe it is still necessary to reinforce the fact that "People Don't Like Advertising”. This study goes one step further in its pursuit of seeking the obvious. It is now scientifically proven that people are especially averse to aggressive advertising. Another revelation???

So what can be done? Prosperity Research has been for years pioneering an alternative approach to promoting brands online. We believe it is just as easy to be interesting as be advertising. And, if you believe this study . . . well then people will like you.

Ad Clutter Reduces Effectiveness, Degrades Brands via kwout

Ad Clutter Reduces Effectiveness, Degrades Brands via kwout

Facebook: Old and dear friends

The other day I opened facebook. Lately I find myself opening facebook even before my e-mail. On that day I can not remember which I opened first. What I did notice that in my Facebook inbox was a note from someone I had not heard from in almost 8 years, perhaps longer.

The note put a smile on my face and I moved the cursor to open it. The note was much less pleasant than seeing the name and face of an old friend. This person had found me after all these years through one of the few applications that allow this level of connection; facebook. They had used this tool to tell me that a mutual friend had died. This friend had been long troubled. Never seeming to find the support and connection with others that he desperately needed. I found this to be an odd paradox. Here we live in the most connected time in our history. We are able to chat, share and meet people most anywhere and anytime. We can have single purpose friends and carry on deep relationships just by tapping away at our keyboard. On one level none of us ever needs to be alone. And yet, with all this virtual connection we are above all physical beings. We need that level of connection that we can only get from the close proximity of another. I recently heard that as much as 90% of our communication is body language. If this is true then we can type away at our keybords all day long and still never be fully satisfied since what we miss is the unwritten message between two people. The quick unexpected smile and raise of an eyebrow can not be really represented in an emoticon.

Data Driven: Everything in its place!

There is a place for everything and the place for retail is online! And the place of advertising is not social networks. I have reported in previous blogs the power of social networks as the fastest growing and most compelling place for consumers to get brand information and make buying decisions. I have also noted that in this consumer driven space conventional advertising is not only ineffective, but unwanted.

Research continues to confirm this. We see more and more persons of all socio-economic backgrounds moving online to find their information and entertainment. It is necessary to understand the unique dynamics of this space before launching in. This is a space driven by communication at a peer to peer level. This is engagement marketing, not distraction marketing. Businesses that understand this will be successful. Those that don't may find themselves without clear understanding why their most brilliant advertising strategies fail to garner attention.


Points to take away:

1. The place for business to be is social networks
2. The place for advertising is NOT social networks
   

Hitwise Intelligence - Heather Dougherty - US: Traffic to Web-only retailers increases on Thanksgiving and Black Friday via kwout

Social Networkers Aren’t There for Ads - eMarketer via kwout

Social Network Marketing...SO, what is it you actually do, then?

This is Kris again, Prosperity Research CIO. Doug is taking the week off from blogging (mostly because he has been working about 18 hours a day...).

Which actually brings me to this week's topic. "So what is it that we actually do here at Prosperity Research"? Social Network Marketing, Social Media Marketing, it's all new. To some of our customers marketing on the Internet itself is relatively new.

I'm a Technology guy, not a Marketing person, so I'm used to people who don't quite understand the technology I work with - in fact I, myself, often find my 13 year old daughter showing me something on her new laptop that I didn't know existed!

OK, OK. So, what do we do? Easy. We develop and deploy On Line, Video Based, Social Network Marketing Campaigns that achieve proven and affordable results for our clients.

1. On Line - where the audience is already looking
2. Video based - because it is more interesting if it moves
3. Marketing – we help our clients be interesting, not disposable advertising
4. Proven – repeatable process never fails to achieve top search engine results
5. Affordable - we are low overhead, clever, and innovative

How do we do all that? I'll never tell!

Numbers you must know; 93, 33 and 3

If you have not understood the importance of establishing a digital presences read along and you will.

93% of persons who use social media believe business should have a presence. This is NOT banner ads, but appropriate content that finds itself naturally lending to the ongoing dialog in social spaces.

Cone Finds That Americans Expect Companies to Have a Presence in Social Media via kwout

Less that 33% of business have any presence in social spaces. Without a presences there is no opportunity for brand promotion or protection. A consumer can not start a rumour in a printed magazine article but they surely can online. Managing a brand online is as much about protection as it is about promotion.

Retailers Turning to Facebook — Social Media Optimization via kwout

The 3rd most trusted source of brand information. Following behind family and friends and newspapers the 3rd most trusted source is information online from our "virtual" friends. This is very telling about the level of trust and comfort persons have for the digital world.

Global Survey: Word-of-Mouth the Most Powerful Selling Tool via kwout

Aspirational Marketing: Naughty or Nice

We all have hopes, dreams and wish lists. What separates us is the items on the list and how far away from them we are. Welcome to the world of Aspirational Marketing. This type of marketing could be thought of as either the most nice or the most naughty. Let me paint a picture with a few examples.

Nice:

Aspirational marketing is the action of promoting brands, messages or services through a mentoring and emulation approach. There is not pressure or hard sell. The effectiveness of aspirational marketing is the innocuous approach it uses. We identify with things that are positive symbols to us and respond to them through our following.

Naughty:

Aspirational marketing plays on our most base instincts. Going back to our very survival instincts. Humans have an inherent need to be the best "survival of the fittest". We identify the fittest through comparisons against what our culture deems desirable; beauty, wealth, success, big houses, private jets, etc. Aspirational marketing plays on these desires by creating the strongest incentive to purchase of any; biology.

Regardless of which thought you are, there is clear and compelling that aspirational marketing is effective. It can be used for purposes of pure altruism such as civic responsibility or for less benevolent ends.

We love to follow the leader, because most of us aspire to be the leader regardless of our motivations.

Social Media Marketing is hard!

I was at a dinner last night with a couple of persons I have only recently met. Some were clients that had engaged my company in their first social media campaign and others were social media entrepreneurs I had invited to share thoughts and ideas.

The dinner was wonderful, the people lovely, and the conversation stimulating. The discussion centred around how different marketing in the social network spaces was from traditional marketing. Of course, there are those taking the short cut with display advertising, but that is not social marketing, it is just old school advertising and is not appropriate for social networks. It is like having an insurance salesman at your wedding reception - just not a good fit.

As we went around the table, there was a chorus of agreement on the 3 tenants of TRUE social marketing:

1. It is hard work. Yes it is, there are no shortcuts to social marketing. It is about making friends the old fashioned like in the real world. Engage in meaningful conversations, be interested in the ideas of others, be consistent and available.


2. Honesty not advertising. Any attempt to pass off advertising or to come across as insincere will result in immediate and long term repercussions


3. It takes time. Like in the real world, building up a network of friends takes time and commitment. There are no short cuts to building long term relationships

So in the long run the lesson is simple. To truly participate in Social Spaces you must remember that you are engaging people on the individual level not on mass.

Data Driven: Customers on line, but where is business??

A slew of studies have come out just in time for the holidays with predictions about our shopping behaviour. In lieu of the financial crisis, it is not surprsingly many are turning to the internet to save money. What is surprising is that, despite the fact that customers are flooding the internet, business still has a very small foot print there. Additionally, the figures show that those online are increasingly older and monied! Business had better get its game on!

Less than a third of business have a social media presence even though this is the #3 choice for consumers to make brand decisions.

Retailers Turning to Facebook — Social Media Optimization via kwout

Customers turn to online channels to save money on gifts. The value ads up in many ways, from better comparison shopping to saving on gas for driving. And think of your poor nerves, stay home and quietly shop with a glass of holiday cheer.

Pinching Pennies Online for the Holidays - eMarketer via kwout

Video is becoming the clear choice for information and entertainment. But the myth that it is an exclusive domain of the very young continues to get debunked. The fastest growing segment on online video viewers is the choice 35 - 54 age bracket. These are the people with the real money! Well, except me that is.

Online Video Streaming Reels in Women, Older Adults via kwout

What your online media seller doesn't want you to know

Prosperity Research has launched many campaigns for customer utilising the editorial spaces on social networks. We have proven that we can reach a vast demographic, capture the front page of search engines and do it in an honest and meaningful way without the use of ppc or display ads. Read on to learn what your media seller does not want you to know.

Social Networks are the fastest growing space on the Internet and arguably the fastest growing space for information and entertainment. With this has come an avalanche of advertisers and marketers (online media sellers) to take advantage of its popularity. Unfortunately they came with the same old bag of tricks. What they don't want you to know is that the old bag of tricks is . . . well, old. To tap into Social Networks it is critical to understand the dynamics of why they are the corner stone of the the greatest communications revolution since movable type. It is simply, people talking to people on a one to one level. It is this dialogue between individuals, not business to customer that is the difference.

Knowing that it is the conversations BETWEEN people in social spaces is what drives both the generation of content and the explosive growth rate of these spaces. This dynamic defines how it is possible to get vastly better results without relying on ppc or Display advertising.

What to do? Become part of the conversation!

• Create interesting and engaging content that is relevant to your customers
• Establish conversations with your customers
• Be interested in their opinions and respond to them
• Establish a presence for the long term to build relationships, trust and loyalty
  Keep your content current and evolving. Like in real life relationships it is about continuously growing

Using these techniques will not guarantee results, but it will provide you an effective and more cost efficient means of reaching your customers. It will also allow you to establish loyalty with your customers that can not be attained with ppc and banner ads.

It is time to become part of the conversation before you get left out.

Data Driven: Social Media A Must Do!

A continuous show of force for the value of digital marketing and especially Social Media. This is NOT ppc or banner ads! This is true social network marketing. That is, interacting at a peer to peer level with content sharing and interaction between business and customers that looks, feels and is the same as when two customers interact in social spaces. The audience of one is now! Being able to understand what this means is critical to business' success in the digital space.

Social Media Presence - Why You Need One — Social Media Optimization via kwout

I now spend more time watching videos on my tv than watching terestrial tv on my tv.

Google Trounces Web Video Competitors With 5 Billion Views via kwout

Even brick and mortar stores are finding a space in the digital frontier.

Social Media and Retail — Social Media Optimization via kwout

Financial Crisis: Your loss my gain!

The current financial crisis has sent the weak of heart into a tail spin. However, the strong of spirit have done what they always do; Get smart, flexible, fast and make money!



There are a few tips to know when looking at the financial crisis and how to exploit it for your own gain:

• Everyone is more scared than you


• Most businesses over react


• Customers are desperate for confidence and reassurance

So how can you turn this to your advantage? The solution is surprisingly simple and can strengthen your short and long term position.

Everyone is more scared than you

It is true. Remember your survival is based on your ability to keep your cool and think and act smart. Don’t cut off your arm to save your finger. Make decisions that continue to keep the most profitable segments of your business vital. Additionally, you must not neglect any area of your business. Provide a strong showing of confidence for your customers.

Most businesses over react

Businesses in difficult time usually have one response or actually three that look very similar; freeze, cut and fire. Because pulling away when all your competitors are doing likewise only creates a greater gap of opportunity to be filled, and since bigger businesses are often less capable of manoeuvring deftly, smaller more flexible companies often have an advantage in filling this opportunity gap.

This is the time to strategically review your marketing approach and utilise channels that reach your consumers at the level that most touches them and provides verifiable metrics of success. That is why we have seen an immense surge in Social Network Marketing amongst smart companies recently. It touches consumers at their level, is cost effective and provides measurements of success.

Customers are desperate for confidence and reassurance

In troubled times we need reassurance. This is evident in the amount of activity of CGC in social sites. Average people are talking to each other, sharing thoughts, ideas, solutions and comfort. What is also noticeable, is that business is not sharing in these conversations. Instead, in a display of ignorance or insensitivity they continue to advertise, thereby missing the opportunity to connect in a meaningful way with consumers about issues that are relevant to them.

In summary, it is quite simple on how to gain reward in the financial crisis. You must simply ask yourself what support you would want in difficult times and that is probably what your customers want too.

Data Driven: What Men, Rich Women and China Love

Men love sex . . . and the Internet

Rich women love to shop online

China's loves the Internet

Men, Sex and the Internet
Unremarkably, Break Media reported that men prefer sex to most anything else. That is not terribly remarkable, but they also reported that for the first time men spend more time online than watching TV -- that is remarkable!

breakmedia-men-time-spent-internet-september-2008.jpg via kwout

Women love shopping . . . online
Another unremarkable set of data reported by the New York Times shows that women love to shop. Wow, that is a show stopper. What is remarkable is that affluent women love to shop online. The urban myth has always been that ladies who lunch prefer to do their shopping in person. Whereas it is very important to see and be seen, who wants to be seen squeezing your size 8 bum into a size 6 pair of jeans? Some secrets are better left to the privacy of home I guess.

Affluent Women Dramatically ‘Multiply’ Major Purchases with Word-of-Mouth via kwout

China loves the Internet
Unremarkable is that online ad/ marketing budgets are gaining an increasingly larger percentage of total spend. Even in these uncertain economic times, digital budgets are increasing because they have a a more accurately measured ROI. What is remarkable is that China is exploding!!! A 40% year on year increase in online budget spend tops anything imaginable. Go China go!!!

China's digital ad spend to rocket to $5.2bn Media guardian.co.uk via kwout

Social Network Marketing: Catch More Flies With Honey

Web 2.0, rich media, social media, social networks what ever you want to call it, IT IS DIFFERENT. In this blog I write tirelessly about the need to largely abandon much of the traditional advertising methods that have been in place for eons and embrace the wonder that is the new medium.

Since the beginning of time advertisers have been positioning their messages "next to" interesting content:

• Read the newspaper for the news, the ads are little boxes next to the news


• Watch TV for the shows, the advertisements are for snacks and toilet breaks


• Surf the web, the advertisements are the banners around the interesting content, and banner ads served all around them


• Videos on the internet now have advertisements tagged to the front and back of them

After all this time you would think that someone could have come up with something a bit more clever. But the reality is, since the beginning of time the same method of serving up advertising has changed very little. And not surprising people's views on advertising have changed even less.

If people don't like advertising and people do like engaging content (e.g. news, tv shows, web pages, and videos) why is it an impossible leap for advertisers to just start creating interesting content and say "forget it" to advertising.

Well the truth is most likely of three sources.

1. With an industry as large as the advertising business, it is unlikely that even if it wanted too, it would or could change quickly


2. Old habits are hard to break, and consumers support the old model, even if they don’t consciously want to


3. Well, I can't think of anymore

Thank goodness for Social Networks. With the creation of Social Networks each individual now has the same ability to influence as big business has traditionally had. Collectively, individuals on the internet can now make or break a brand by their input. Now content created by individuals is viewed more often than professionally produced content making the internet a truely democratic forum.

So, like in any true democracy, you need to vote for what you like and against what you don't. Therefore, if you like content vote by clicking on it. And if you don't like advertising -- don't click on it!!!

Data Driven: Social Networks Saves Business Big Money

Finances are tough for everyone. In lieu of this there are additional drivers for business to move to digital advertising solutions. Additionally, something we all knew is that Mom's are on the go all the time to take care of the rest of us and they are using the internet to make their, an our, lives better.

Thanks mom,

Saving $100,000 A Month With Social Media — Social Media Optimization via kwout

Marketing to Moms - eMarketer via kwout

Always a Bridesmaid, Never a Bride

There is a significant industry built around the idea that if you stand next too, wear the same clothes, drive the same car etc. you will be as magnificent and glamorous as the people in the advertisements. We all know that this acquisition of fabulous attributes through proximity is absurd. So why is it that advertisers continue to push on businesses the concept of placing their advertisement next to interesting content is the preferred, if not only, method available? After all, it is still advertising and no matter how engaging the content is it is placed next too; it is will always be advertising. Would it be better if the advertising was really the interesting bit?In the digital age it is now easy for anyone to develop content and distribute on the internet. So why should businesses settle for "being next to" when they can be the "centre of attention". That is right, everyone can now be a bride and all of us are the better for it. Imagine if all the money that was spent trying to attract your gaze away from the interesting content was spent on making interesting content in the first place.

All of us are sophisticated enough consumers that we would certainly "get it". After all we know that if we want to be a star athlete like our heroes we will need to buy the kit. And if we want to catch the babe we need the car, clothes and cologne.

Prosperity Research is working hard to educate small and medium business' that it is O.K. for them to be the centre of attention. They do not have to be a 2 inch square advertisement at the bottom of the weekly paper. They can create rich media to WOW their customers,

So if you had your choice, would you be advertising or interesting?

Data Driven: Stocks down, video up, online ad spend up, social sites up

As the financial crisis worsens more and more businesses are turning to online advertising for better ROI. They are especially finding the use of video and social networks to be the most beneficial. Print media is taking a hit and TVC is losing ground. The budget tightening requires more precise targeting, higher conversion and visible metrics that traditional marketing channels do not provide.

Online Video Ads Are a Good Bet in a Recession - ClickZ via kwout

Internet Ad Revenue Up 15.2% in First Half of 2008 via kwout

Consumers Await on Social Networks - eMarketer via kwout

7 Things You Must Know about Social Marketing

Paradigm shift is how I have referred to the unparalleled increase in influence of Social Network spaces on most all aspects of our lives. In this blog I have written about the 7 required shifts that businesses need to make to survive the move from real world to digital. I will continue to articulate and refine these shifts because they are at the core to business’ success in the digital world. To survive business must move from:

1. Advertising to Interesting
2. Me to You
3. Side to Centre
4. Viral to Social
5. Video to Burst
6. Push to Pull
7. Print to Pixel

Taking these on board is not as easy as reading this blog. Steering clear of the many pitfalls that line the path to change is not easy. Very few "Social Marketing" companies actually do social marketing. What they do is attempt to cut and paste old school methods into the new world and we all suffer badly for their ignorance. Good luck on your journey.

Older, Affluent and Online! Marketing dollars fast behind

It is of little surprise that older and affluent individuals are taking full advantage of the ease and convenience of online everything. They tend to be better educated, well informed and value comfort and convenience a premium. It ain't just for teenagers anymore. Marketers are having to radically review their perception of how the the rich get their information. Thick glossy magazines maybe a "past" time rather than a "pass" time.

Affluent Americans Spend Most on Home, Apparel, Travel via kwout

npd-boomers-social-networking-visits-friends-september-2008.jpg via kwout

Video Ad Spend: Building to Steep Growth - eMarketer via kwout

From Print to Pixels or How Facebook Saved the Rainforest

How did Facebook save the rain forest?

Remember the idea of the paperless office? The technology that was supposed to transform the modern office into a ecologically friendly “green” office actually increased paper consumption by 40%, ouch! And like the office, print media continues to be the mainstay for most marketing campaigns, thereby creating a vast amount of waste that is difficult at times to justify. It appears our addiction to print is insatiable; or is it? A revolution is taking place that seems to be doing what no government, corporate or ecological initiatives could accomplish: Make our world paperless and green! What is driving this revolution? Simply, it is Social Networks.

“Facebook Saves the World”

The introduction of Social Networks has created unprecedented numbers of interpersonal connections and communications. People chat around the globe with strangers they now call friends. Social Networks are not a digitized form of old paper processes. Social Networks are not a virtual extension of their real world counterparts. They are their own creation and exist unto themselves. The methods of communicating, sharing and saving information are not based on paper driven models. This is the key to their success. Since Social Networks were created in the virtual world they do not have real world requirements to survive and flourish. It is this distinction that is bringing the printer to a stand still!

So what to do without paper?

Not surprisingly people seem to get on just fine without a big trail of paper. And not surprisingly, most businesses don’t seem to make the transition well. This is especially evident in their approach to advertising and marketing. The biggest mistake that businesses make, often under the advisement of advertising agencies, is to cut and paste their traditional “paper” model of advertising into Social Networks. It usually is about as subtle as a stripper in church and about as welcome. So what to do?

Suggestions:

• Recognise the new space and design your content accordingly
• Create content that people want to engage, share and interact with
• Remember that what you have to say is probably the least important part of the conversation
• Social Networks have very fluid boundaries. Create your content to evolve, move and change

Well, maybe Facebook did not save the rainforest. At least not yet, but in my humble opinion Social Networks are the first real progress made towards cutting back on paper consumption for communication. And that is undeniably a good thing.

CIO Guest Blog: Disappearing Technology

At Prosperity Research and SO-U.TV, we believe it is all about YOU! Whether you own or represent a business or agency we provide services to, or are a viewer and consumer of our content, we want YOU to find US interesting.

To that goal, we have developed a simple Technology Strategy: we want to make your computer disappear!Well, not exactly disappear, but our goal is to place our content and deploy our products in a manner that is so interesting to our audience that our technology solutions virtually fade into the background.

Likewise, for our clients, our goal is to provide near term results with long term value. We do this by developing and placing interesting content where consumers are already looking for information. Our model is all about the consumer and what they find interesting.

How do we do this? Without divulging too many secrets :-] I can tell you we have integrated a combination of proprietary technology with open source and licensed tools, and by using many free consumer spaces on the internet. In addition, our multilingual and highly talented back office staff can do things on the internet I never imagined possible!

Although we are happy if you join in the tens of thousands of video views we serve per month at our recently upgraded website, http://www.so-u.tv/, we are equally happy if you were one of the 50,000+ viewers who watched us on YouTube last month. Because, “It’s not me, it’s you”, to paraphrase an old saying.

In closing, although my wife often threatens to make my computer “disappear”, it is unlikely our computers will go away any time soon. They may get lost in a sea of blackberries, ipod’s, 3G phones and some other yet to be invented apparatus but disappear? Not likely. Wherever you are, however, you can bet SO-U.TV will be there too.

Now, where are my glasses?

Marketing going digital, content more interesting than ads, people like themselves, Duh!

In this installment of my data focused blog I again get to point out the obvious. I do this because despite an overwhelming amount of data that never varies in its direction, many are still in denial. And so I continue to beat the drum until everyone gets the beat.

Marketers #1 wish for 2009 is for agencies to get better at digital! Marketers believe that 50% of all budgets will be spent on digital media. Agencies are ill prepared to fill the gap. Prosperity Research has been the thought leader in this area for several years and we continue to marvel at how large agencies continue to stumble. What is worse is the attempt to cut and paste traditional marketing strategies into the digital realm as if it is as easy as that. Digital marketing has a whole different set of rules and the old rules do not apply.

Marketers’ Top 10 Wish List for Agencies of the Future via kwout

Paul Brienza, SVP Laughlin Constable, gets serious brownie points for stating the obvious and completely missing the point altogether. Mr. Brienza first points out that advertisers want to put their ads in the content area of web pages because content is more interesting than advertising and people look at content and avoid advertisements, duh! Secondly, has Mr. Brienza ever thought that maybe instead of making advertising that people don’t enjoy looking at a business could invest in creating content that people do want to look at? Duh again! Prosperity Research has been doing this for years. We never create advertising because we have always known that nobody likes it! Be interesting not advertising!

Social Networking for Baby Boomers - eMarketer via kwout

I will not rail much on this one. I wrote about this in last weeks blog and simply put, people are interested in themselves and their own issues. Products and services are only interesting to individuals if they meet their needs. So if you want to reach your customer base you need to switch your communcation style from ME to YOU.

Web Ink Now: Nobody cares about your products and services (except you) via kwout

Push to Pull: the Art of Attraction

If the 80's and 90's were the ME generation then the 21st century definitely welcomed in the YOU generation. The Internet brought interaction and individual participation into the advertising mix in ways never before imagined. And with this came a change in the way businesses needed to communicate to their consumers.

Traditional advertising centered around a one way dialog expounding the virtues and benefits of a product. The mechanics of traditional advertising did not allow for consumer content and response. The explosion of the Internet and Social Networks made consumer comments ubiquitous and instant and the age of Engagement Marketing was born. With this came a new set of communication dynamics that turned marketing on its head.

The carrot or the stick?

It used to be said that you “drove” consumers to your website. With over 15 billion web pages published and more every day it is unlikely that a consumer spoiled for choice will be “driven” anywhere they don’t want to go. Pull then becomes the necessary action. By creating content that is engaging and relevant to the consumer a relationship of mutual benefit is created.

So what is the new formula for success?

Simply put, make sure it is all about your consumers. As a business you are only relevant if you add value to their lives. It is necessary for you to clearly communicate your understanding of their needs and lifestyle.

Follow these simple guidelines:

- Don't start with what you want to say, think about what people want to hear.
- Place the emphasis on your customers, they already know you are selling something.
- Listen! When your customers ask a question take note and respond.
- Sell the lifestyle not the product.

In any relationship each person needs to give 50%. However, when you are trying to reach and retain customers you need to give more. Every one knows basic party etiquette. Talking only about yourself is a bore.

Internet in Asia Population Statistics and B2B goes Social

This weeks data blog highlights the immense opportunity in Asia for Internet anything. Asia has approximately 56% of the worlds population and 39% of the Internet users. It is the fast growing rate of Internet usage and the hottest and most promising economy. Hong Kong has the highest penetration rate in Asia matching South Korea at about 70%. Hong Kong is not on this chart because its total population is less than 8 million.

Asia Internet Usage Stats and Population Statistics via kwout

B2B is the big spend. Social Networks are not just for consumers. Businesses are flocking to this format as a flexible way to engage in commerce. Without the same constraints as traditional vertical business sites, exchanging information becomes easier and more engaging.

B2B International Marketing Budgets Growing via kwout

Businesses are pouring on the spend. Below are the biggest corporate spenders of online ad dollars. This spend represents old school type online advertising of banner and paid search. This is a gold mine for Social Media proponents as the advantages of Interesting over Advertising creates a overwhelming argument for business to radically change the way they position themselves online.

comscore-online-display-advertisers-june-2008.jpg via kwout

From Viral to Social

In this blog I discuss the difference between viral and Social Network Marketing and why, depending on your goals, viral is still something best left to your doctor and not your Advertising agency.

"Viral -- not a living organism, it can only reproduce by infecting its hosts and contaminating its genetic code"

The term viral has been useful in describing a type of marketing effect that results from personal sharing of social media. The process is simple; one person shares it with two people, those two shared it with two more and so forth thereby creating an explosive rate of growth in a short time frame. Pre-Internet this effect would not have been easy or even possible. Can you imagine trying to throw magazine ads at 20 of your closest friends and then have them throw them 20 more at their friends and so on? Limitations of non-digital media prevented this "viral" phenomena from occurring.

Viral was a great boom for marketing gurus for a number of reasons:

1. Lower production value seems to work best translating into lower cost
2. Customers provided the momentum further reducing costs
3. Placement of content on consumer generated spaces or Social Networks greatly reduced costs normally associated with media buys.

Despite these strong upsides, as one might expect from a virus it is not all good. Translated into marketing terms the negatives of Viral marketing can be largely described as:

1. Low brand control
2. Brand message limited
3. Customer relationship loyalty low

Viral has become a very popular tool in the modern marketeers arsenal and an occasion benefit to brands. So what are the options to preserve the good and minimise the downsides. The recommended is Social Marketing.

"Social -- pertaining to, devoted to, or characterized by friendly companionship or relations"

Social marketing uses the same forces that Viral marketing uses; word of mouth and grass roots energy. However unlike its viral counterpart the focus is more on connecting with consumers and less upon eyeballs.

Social Network Marketing, at its core, is about creating interesting content that incorporates a strong message and exercises strong brand control. Strong brand control does not mean "advertising" it only means that the content should reflect the brands personality or DNA so that consumers can see a clear link between the two (content and brand) and benefit from the association.

Social Network Marketing is usually more targeted in its content so as to appeal to particular demographic as opposed to the more risky alternative of trying to appeal to every ones taste. This could result in fewer views but it significantly increases the likelihood that the people watching are appreciating, understanding and developing loyalty. One of the significant standout features of Social media done well is that it engenders ownership and connectedness to the content. Whereas viral tends to be expendable and transitory.

Social

1. Exercises strong brand control
2. Is interesting and relevant
3. Designed for a targeted population but maybe interesting to many
4. Develops audience and loyalty through relevance
5. Utilises word of mouth to gain momentum
6. Benefits from lower production cost which provide a grass roots look and feel


Everything evolves and it is time to move past the concept of viral as the optimal achievement. More sophisticated analysis shows that it is better to have 100,000 views by potential customers and 1,000,000 views by random persons unlikely to benefit. A move away from a pure viral approach is a benefit for both consumers and brands.

Consumers benefit from receiving quality, relevant content that enhances their lives and brands benefit by being able to stay true to their core message.

As more and more content is generated, consumers will become increasingly selective in their viewing habits. Occasionally choosing the frivolous, but more often selecting the familiar.

More Money More Ideas More Communication

The latest data just in. Not surprising the statistics continue to show an overwhelming level of confidence in the internet as the surest way to reach an audience as measured by ad spend. But what is most interesting is that businesses originally reluctant to move into social media are not finding an expanded way to utilise them. B2B on the social network scene is hotting up. The last bit of data is the line up of highest volume blog sites. Blogs are an important and flexible way to get your message out.

Web Video Ad Spend to Grow Worldwide - eMarketer via kwout

Social Networks Get Down to Business - eMarketer via kwout

Top 10 Blog and Personal Websites - July 2008 via kwout