Are you in New Media Denial?

From Anthony Burke at WSI Digital Marketing

Old Media Marketing and New Media Marketing - How to Blend Old and New

New Media Marketing is a new phrase in the marketing world and it can mean many things to different people. There are many phrases that are being used by different people at different times to describe what they mean.  Some of the most widely used phrases are:

• Inbound marketing
• Internet marketing
• Web marketing
• Social media marketing
• Online marketing
• Digital marketing 
• E-marketing
• Interactive marketing
• Digital Marketing

Here at WSI, we prefer to use the term "digital marketing" to describe what we mean.  So now one question:

Is a marketing strategy that includes blogging, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter still new?  

We are at the end of 2010 not 2008 and things are moving at a truly amazing pace and new media is not so new anymore!  The world economy is being digitised and so are your clients and prospects! However, there are many businesses that are still in new mediadenial. There are still some businesses who think they can ignore new media and believe that old media is still the way to market their products and services.  The result is that they focus all their efforts and budget on the offline advertising techniques that they are familiar with and still use the telephone, print advertising, tradeshows and direct mail as the sole way of marketing their business. It is unlikely that these businesses will continue to trade and posper.  Some weeks ago, I wrote a blog post about a prospect who questioned the need to go online for her new business and is focussing only on offline marketing. Well her business is now open but not doing very well.  She puts it down to the holiday period!

The old media techniques are not useless and they can still be effective but they need to be blended with the new media opportunities and be adapted to the new media experiences of your clients and prospects.  The economy is becoming digitised and so are your customers and prospects.  Let’s look at each of these old media formats and how they can be converted to new media marketing.

Telephone 

Telemarketing is a much maligned marketing technique.  This is usually because it is conducted in very poor manner. The telephone can be used in different ways. So instead of only cold calling for sales prospects, think of some more innovative ways to use the telephone.  For example, call people to conduct a survey on a relevant industry topic.  Invite them to take a survey on the phone or online. If they prefer the online survey get their email address and send them a link to your online survey. Be sure to offer them a free copy of the survey results. Keep them informed by email in the future. Don’t always try to sell anything in this phone call. The person will remember the content experience about your brand and possibly buy from you when he or she is ready. Of course, the best use of the telephone is to call all the leads you develop through your inbound marketing strategy.

Print Advertising

Many businesses advertise in print but have no idea if the ad is working for them.  If you are advertising in a relevant publication, put a clear call to action on the ad and  make this call to action accessible online via a  unique landing page that you can link back to the ad.  This way you can measure it and work out if it is working for you.  Obviously, it is very difficult to manage what you can't measure.   If you have a phone number in the ad, be sure it’s unique so you can measure the results of the ad.  For many businesses, print advertising serves to build or strengthen your brand and sometimes the best result is brand awareness.  However, make sure that the reader can engage your brand online in a way that can be traced back to your ad.

Tradeshows

Tradeshows are still a great way to get your products and services in front of your customers and prospects and they usually offer up a great networking and learning experience.  Some industries work better than others.  There is a great opportunity to blend and integrate your tradeshow marketing with your online strategy in several ways.  For example, if you are exhibiting or even just attending a tradeshow you should always talk about the event online before, during and after the event.  If you use LinkedIn, you can communicate to your connections that you are attending a particular Tradeshow. Make sure that you use your online PR, your blog, Facebook and Twitter channels to discuss your contribution to the event as well as the contribution of others. You can share photos and videos from the event via Flickr and YouTube.  When you meet people at the tradeshow, then make sure that you connect online to keep the relationships going after the event.

Direct Mail

Direct mail is often an overused old media technique but still has value in an integrated marketing plan. Similar to print advertising be sure to have a measurable call to action. Consider linking the call to action to personalized URLs landing pages. This will allow you to measure the results of your direct mail campaigns very clearly with online interaction attributable to your direct mail campaigns.

New Media Transitions

There are many businesses that continue to use old media marketing strategies very well by integrating them with new media channels. In order to get some great sales results you need to integrate your old media and new media plans by connecting and engaging people the way they want to be engaged.  Don't use using old media strategies in a vacuum. Also, avoid using new media tools in a similiar vacuum especially as a megaphone to blast your sales message.  Rather integrate your old media and new media channels into the marketing 2.0 mindset

So your clients and prospects will want to connect with you and your brand to explore what you can do for them via the channels that they want to so it is important to integrate all your marketing efforts - both online and offline.  It is the businesses who adopt the mindset of a content publisher and a relationship collaborator which are the ones whose content marketing strategy delivers the best results. Even old media marketing can convert to new media marketing using an integrated approach.

So are you an old media traditionalist? How are your integrating your old and newmarketing ? Tell your story below.

 

Writing Great Content for the Web - Top 10 Tips

From Anthony Burke - WSI Digital Marketing

Top 10 Tips on How to Write for the Web

Writing for the Web is very different from other forms of writing and when writing for the web, you should always keep the following comparison in mind - the Internet is like a jungle and web users are information hunter gatherers who are foraging in the information jungle. Typically, the majority of web users only scan websites when they are looking for useful information. So it is important to write in a way that promotes conciseness, scan-ability and objectivity. I have worked with John Bancroft at Incognate and learned a lot. John is a great copywriter and taught me how to write better copy for the web.  John Bancroft at Incognate runs a great copy writing service and we have worked together on several projects. So what have I learned and what are the best guidelines to follow to make sure you are a successful writer on the web?

1. Be Clear and Concise

The majority of Internet users have a low attention span really only scan websites for the information they are looking for so good website writing must be clear, concise and to the point. A general rule of thumb is that the word count for websites should be about half that of traditional writing. You want your visitors to get the main point of each paragraph as quickly as possible. Long and complex sentences or abstract language will not work well on the web and will drive users away from your pages.

2. Divide into your text into manageable chunks

As a good web copywriter you have to break the text into chunks and make them easy to read  for readers who are glancing through your pages.  Dividing these chunks of text up with clear subheadings and telling the reader what the next paragraph is about is a good way of engaging your web visitors. Readers can then quickly decide whether your site is right for them without even having to read any of the “finer print.” One great tip is to use bulleted lists because they are a great way to provide the most important information in a quick and easily understandable format.

3. Check your copy with different browsers

Make sure you understand how your website looks in each different browsers and with different screen sizes so that you know what visitors see when they come to your site. Make sure you know how much of your home page is seen before having to scroll down, and make sure that the most important and eye-catching information is placed at the top of the page before the scroll. Google has a useful tool to show you how much of your web page is visible to most users.  You can see it here xxx

4. Try to Draw Readers In

Often, website homepages are organised so that users can click and navigate to other pages on the site via several options. Three things are important to make sure that your pages grab attention:

• headlines
• deks
• related photos or multimedia

Printed materials like magazines and newspapers rely on their headlines to attract passing news buyers at newsstands. Website copywriters need to make sure that the headlines work in a similar way because headlines and deks on the homepage are the only chance a writer has to “sell” that story to a visitor, The web writer needs to make sure that they are simple, clear and attractive to readers. Headlines should emphasize action verbs and highlight items that will inform or entertain readers. It is important that they reflect what the article is about as there is nothing more annoying for an Internet reader than clicking on a link expecting to get one type of information and finding something quite different.

5. Keep Your Most Important Information at the Front

Once users have clicked on an article or a page, website copywriters should follow the tried and tested inverted pyramid style of newspaper writing. This way of writing means you put the most important information first, then expanded throughout the rest of the article. In other words, the “who,” “what,” “when,” “where,” “why” need to be answered first. The “how” will make up the rest of the article. Most web readers will not click through to a second page so this is another reason for using the inverted pyramid style. Place the most important information to readers before the page break.

6. Make sure you think of SEO

All the main search engines have been working hard and evolving their engine algorithms and will trap keyword stuffing so this is no longer a way to achieve recognition for your website.  However, SEO literacy is just as important as ever. Consider the keywords most relevant to your page, and think of ways to include them in the title and body of your article. Today’s web copywriter will use applications such as Google’s Keyword Tool to add a scientific dimension to their intuition.

7. Hyperlinking for best effect

Hyperlinking is very important and web writers should understand the function of hyperlinking. Hyperlinks provide relevance and more information to readers without bogging them down in reading through detail. For example, if you refer to a specific topic, but you don’t want to go into all the details, then it is best to link to the other article or site that contains that information.  You can highlight one specific word, which will give your readers an idea of what information that link will provide.  So for example, you can write something like "go here for more information on copywriting in Spanish,” and link on the words "copywriting in Spanish".  Another reason to hyperlink is for attribution especially if you are quoting another source.  It is always best to provide the reader with that information.  Sites that hyperlink to other well-written and helpful sources are move valuable for readers.  Web visitors will return to your site if they know you will provide more sources and information they can use at their own discretion.

8. Keep Your Readers on Your Site

Most webusers know how to open a link in a new window or tab but I prefer to set the link to open in a new tab or window so the reader will be able to get back to your website easier. Otherwise, readers will be taken away to another site and may forget they ever began on one of your pages.

9. Use Multimedia

One of the great advantages of the internet is that it can mix all forms of information and entertainment. So make sure you use photos, graphics, videos and flash to grab readers’ attention. Be careful and don't overdo use of attention grabbers because you don't want to distract the reader by relying on these things too heavily. Make sure you are always thinking about how to best illustrate your text with multimedia.

10. Last but not Least - Style!

Finally, the style that you use should be personal and will make your website stand out while engaging and drawing your readers in. For most websites, an informal yet lively style works well and keeps your style simple and makes your copy easy to read. Typically, most internet readers prefer sites that are written in a conversational and informal style. Make sure you write in the active rather than the passive voice. Writing in the active voice will also force you to be concise.

Twitter Marketing can drive International Business

From WSI Digital Marketing - Twitter has international marketing appeal

All types of businesses and general human interactions and activities are going global.  The use of Social Media and Social Networking platforms is growing exponentially. Twitter is a runaway success story and the success of this social networking phenomena called Twitter can be attributed to its global appeal. Twitter recently announced that its 20 billionth message or tweet had been posted.

The interesting fact is that the 20 billionth tweet was not written in English and shows that Twitter is now benefitting from a worldwide following. When you consider that the 20 billionth tweet is not in English, this fact help us to understand Twitter's growth.

Twitter really has taken off in the non English speaking countries and if you want just one example, look at how Twitter was hugely important during the disputed Iranian elections. It is the speed of Twitter and the ease of access to Twitter that is so important. According to Twitter, the landmark tweet was sent by a Japanese graphic designer in Tokyo. The firm said that around 12 per cent of worldwide tweets are now posted in Japan, which is the second largest national proportion behind the US.

So Twitter is an extremely powerful digital marketing tool because it has location based services and also Twitter has gone global so it is the perfect networking platform for small, medium or large companies who want to reach out  and engage with customers and prospects - locally or internationally.

You can use this song to keep you happy when you are tweeting

Writing for the Web - Top 10 Tips http://goo.gl/Nk0E

Is Google is polluting the internet? http://goo.gl/1c5B

the top 10 consumer mobile applications for 2012, as predicted by Gartner (November 2009) http://goo.gl/O7Ae

Twitter Added 30 Million Users In The Past Two Months http://goo.gl/aGMf

Inside Google's Anti-Malware Operation http://goo.gl/0yKn

Check out my blog post: The top 10 consumer mobile applications for 2012 http://goo.gl/zc3B

Ferraris for all: Superfast broadband comes to Britain http://goo.gl/QcYq

insurance Big issue for large corporations - The amazing folly of large corporations not being on Facebook http://bit.ly/b8aFSU

Social Media Increases Small-Business Exposure http://goo.gl/9yfs

The top 10 consumer mobile applications for 2012 http://goo.gl/fzJ8

Facebook, Twitter, YouTube: But where's the social CIO? http://goo.gl/006Y

mobile Intro into what Mobile Marketing and Mobile Technology can do for your business http://goo.gl/F2vK

mobile The top 10 consumer mobile applications for 2012 http://goo.gl/oGEH

Over half of all Google searches are in languages other than English.

SEO Every few months, somebody declares SEO dead. Its latest funeral was held yesterday. http://goo.gl/Vclm

Australia: Schools prepare networks for two devices per child http://bit.ly/9I9ERQ

Corporate news has gone mainstream - Reforming company reputation http://goo.gl/o8YF

'Real' tablet battle will be fought by non-iPad models http://goo.gl/h8Lc

My blog: Mobile Marketing revolution will be driven by huge advances in mobile technology and mobile infrastructure. http://goo.gl/Fqut

PR.com: WSI Digital Marketing Launches New Video Production Service to Enable Business to Advertise to New Export Markets http://goo.gl/sMc3

My blogpost: Mobile Marketing is likely to be the next big thing for online marketing http://goo.gl/IZju

The Importance of Focusing on Actionable Social Media Metrics http://goo.gl/d1Uw

Liking:The Beginning of the End of Business As Usual http://goo.gl/DzFS

Report: 2012 London Olympics Will Spur Mobile Advertising in Europe http://goo.gl/e3ti

Top 10 Social Networking Sites by Market Share of Visits http://goo.gl/ZxvY

WSI the #1 Leader in Providing Digital Marketing Brings Online Video Production to new levels for your business http://goo.gl/4vs9

Here at WSI we've been discussing if Mobile Marketing is where Social Media was 4 years ago and where SEO was in 2000. Do u agree?

If you think you can speak Spanish, try this...its called Bable from Asturies http://goo.gl/KXOX

Complimentary Whitepaper! Blogging to Build a Reputation Online http://goo.gl/HBSg

Why Social Media Should be a Part of SEO Packages http://goo.gl/y1NN

Industry Trends Spur Big Mobile Ad Spending http://goo.gl/euVN

Departing Microsoft visionary sees "post-PC" world http://goo.gl/4bgT

Mobile Ad Spending Up Nearly 80% in 2010 http://goo.gl/HgYu

Mobile Marketing is where Social Media was 4 years ago and where SEO was in 2000. Do you agree?

Asia is home to 40% of the Earth’s internet users - How To Craft Your Video For International Audiences, talk to WSI http://bit.ly/9oKoZg

Reading (Brian Solis) Facebook is, at the moment, the most important social network in the world http://goo.gl/mnPw

Here at WSI in Sussex, we've just launched our new fb welcome page http://goo.gl/hO4C

Google TV or Apple TV? Which one for you based on these facts? http://goo.gl/EyrP

70-year-olds smarter than they used to be - as we are all living longer this is good news :) http://goo.gl/KmiW

Social Media 101 Slides on Slideshare http://goo.gl/4Ltv

WSI NEW Video Production service to enable business to advertise to new export Markets http://goo.gl/IkP6

This is what WSI Digital Marketing in Sussex can do for your business - video intro by Anthony Burke http://goo.gl/zv0f

The CMO's Guide To The Social Media Landscape http://goo.gl/AM70

Learning Spanish?..this is a great tool - you can get a daily email http://bit.ly/9O4q0P

Step by Step guide to Google Wonder Wheel..have you used it? http://goo.gl/qzQD

Social Media and Literature? Reading: The Shakespearean Guide To Small Business Networks http://goo.gl/Scu6

First we digitalized, then we socialized now we mobilize..Users ditch computers, TVs for smartphones http://goo.gl/vuf2

At WS we've been slowly building up our fb business page. Please "Like us" if you like what you see http://bit.ly/bvEgC9

If you still think Social Media is not for your business - Look here - Facebook, Amazon and Zynga bet on social web http://goo.gl/lPxN

Check out the new Facebook page http://ping.fm/fS10s

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

How long before its 3 billion? Internet users to exceed 2 billion this year - U.N. agency http://bit.ly/bgdQ6Q

CIOs in tr5ansition..the Shift From Cost Saver To Value Provider http://bit.ly/buPFV0

Is the mobile app-pocalypse coming? http://goo.gl/ODZq

IT execs write "code of conduct" for software vendors http://goo.gl/Z7pT

10 Tips for Giving an Important Speech http://goo.gl/kzdA

Video: WSI Digital Marketing in Sussex http://bit.ly/bmfHFX

Pic of the Day: Solar eclipse witnessed from space http://bit.ly/cU0XQW

Future of Gen Ins 3 & 4 Nov 2010 – Lancaster London Ho - JMR Consulting UK Ltd Launches IDIT General Insurance Solution http://bit.ly/aLoK5J

Mobile Ad Spending Up Nearly 80% in 2010 http://goo.gl/HgYu

Google adds "visual context" to Analytics http://goo.gl/GyCp

JMR Consulting UK Ltd Launches IDIT General Insurance Solution | SourceWire

JMR Consulting UK Ltd Launches IDIT General Insurance Solution | SourceWire

Steve Jobs Speaks Candidly About the State of Apple and Its Competitors http://goo.gl/UIe2

Reading and Liking: How I finally, and permanently, cleaned my inbox http://goo.gl/GOd3

Solvency 2 solution - JMR Consulting UK Ltd partnering with Magellan Consulting Services to deliver Solvency II solution http://goo.gl/obNo

JMR Consulting UK Ltd Launches IDIT General Insurance Solution http://goo.gl/PzIT

Brand Campaigns Drive Most Social Media Following http://goo.gl/soXO

Data theft overtakes physical losses http://goo.gl/zn0Q

Resolution May Also Buy Smaller Insurers, Marking Strategy Tweak http://goo.gl/gCkw

Police hail "bobby on the tweet" experiment http://goo.gl/5r67

Reading: How to Write a Marketing Plan with 5 Questions http://goo.gl/fVpi

Pirates and clouds were much more fun when I was five http://goo.gl/yCFL

Solvency II Information Sharing & Networking Evening http://goo.gl/DWHT

Not on Facebook? Facebook still knows you...education...education...http://goo.gl/2kGw

UK critical infrastructure operators are facing a real cyber threat, GCHQ's director says. http://goo.gl/C4Ec

Microsoft deepens Facebook ties in Web search battle http://goo.gl/mdL0

Getting Your Resumé Ready for Google http://goo.gl/oOVb

Is Capgemini’s Merlin the most sustainable datacentre in the world? http://goo.gl/klQw

Reading: 9 Steps to Gain Leads and Loyalty with Content Marketing http://goo.gl/JovY

John Lewis launches mobile commerce site http://goo.gl/9p61

Reading:Research Note: Integrate Social Networks with your Corporate Website with ‘Social Sign On’ http://goo.gl/d3hd

Thinking digital: how has the internet revolutionised business? http://goo.gl/O5EJ

How to Open a Business in Miami..from my experience Spanish helps...http://goo.gl/8AG2

Reading: Google Instant has changed the way we search http://goo.gl/z5SO

The Insurance Carrier Latest Twitter Activity – USAA maintain top spot, Farmers and AMFAM key movers in US http://goo.gl/eTFm

Ha..ha the actuarial profession with a catchy theme song on YouTube..OMG whatever next? http://goo.gl/361p

Changing the face of PR http://goo.gl/PAcm

Video and Social Drive Online Display Advertising's Growth in U.K. http://goo.gl/XPbo

Reading: The Great Brand Dilution (Brian Solis) http://goo.gl/16oT

Use Twitter to Inspire Action http://goo.gl/GEzz

Reading: What Seth Godin Did on His Summer Vacation http://goo.gl/Sa8o

Sex! Hackers! Embellishment! The Inside Story of the Facebook Movie http://goo.gl/2X3U

'Pre-crime' Comes to the HR Dept. http://goo.gl/HuLJ

UK's Internet advertising spend up 10 percent - IAB http://goo.gl/WLwA

New LinkedIn Tool Helps College Students Visualize Their Career Paths http://goo.gl/q51g

Reading: Physicians Spend More Time Online http://bit.ly/bbvQtt

Reading:Take a Trial Run in the Cloud http://goo.gl/y3bZ

How Facebook Can Become Bigger In Five Years Than Google Is Today http://goo.gl/ALAX

Start-Ups 2010: How to Launch Your Dream Company

What are you passionate about?  Do you have a great hobby that you could turn into a business?  Let us know at WSI Digital Marketing as we are very interested in your story.

If you do read on. Here is another great article from Inc which describes how some start-up entrepreneurs are learning to profit from their passion. Here’s how you can, too.

Gourmet Ice Cream, Served From a Truck

The recipe was simple and pure. The first ingredient: three summers spent driving a Good Humor truck in college. "I realized that a truck is less risky than a storefront and costs less to start," says Ben Van Leeuwen, who traveled the world on what he made while passing out King Cones and Strawberry Shortcake bars. Here's how he launched an ice cream business that is now nearing $1 million in annual sales. Read More

Finding an Audience Online

Greg Stallkamp was always a fitness freak. An avid triathlete, he trained at least five times a week and was always sharing advice on workout routines with friends. So he decided to turn his passion into a business, when he founded Holos Fitness, a social networking site that offers tips on yoga, weightlifting, and more. Read More

How to Launch a Co-Working Facility

When Tony Bacigalupo's boss announced his company was going virtual, Bacigalupo was thrilled to ditch the office. "I'd always dreaded the idea of dragging myself to a 9-to-5 job," he says. "This seemed like the perfect way out." A few years later, however, the freelancer found himself feeling lonely during the day—and an idea for a new business was born. Read More

A Dog Lover Builds a $5 Million Business

Marie Moody knew her dog wasn't well, but it was still a shock to hear the vet say that Chewy, the mutt she had recently adopted, wouldn't live long unless she started giving him some extraordinary care. Most important, she needed to pay meticulous attention to the dog's diet. Unable to find good organic and antibiotic-free meat for dogs, she decided to create her own products. Read More

Why It's Tough to Start a Fashion Line

In 2001, Leslie Singer was a creative director at a successful branding and marketing agency and had a teaching post at New York City's School of Visual Arts. But she had been trained as a graphic designer and always dreamed of developing a fashion brand based on her own designs. The deeper she got into the business, however, the more Singer struggled to keep up with demand. Read More

Publishing Children's Books for the iPhone

It took an English literature major and mother of three named Lynette Mattke to prove that the iPhone is an ideal medium for reading old-fashioned children's books. Today, her innovative publishing company, PicPocket Books is responsible for between 50 and 100 App Store downloads a day. Read More

Turning a Passion for the Slopes Into a Business

The first few rips didn't bother Dan Abrams. In fact, the flaws in his backcountry skiwear could feel downright rewarding: the sound of a crotch seam tearing while taking that final step atop an 11,000-foot peak; the worn out Cordura knees that proved how hard he was lunging back down the mountain. Eventually, however, he decided he wanted gear that was as tough as he was. Read More

A Company Cashes in on the Gluten-Free Trend

In 2007, Seth Mendelsohn quit his job as an IT consultant. "I figured I love cooking, so why not just make a career out of it?" he says. The product he decided to bring to market was decidely unfussy: Barbecue sauce. But, as Mendelsohn learned, a food start-up is not for the faint of heart. Read More

Building a Market for Art

Ashley Goldberg loved to draw from an early age, and like many such children, dreamed she would grow up to be an artist. By the age of 15, however, a realization had set in: Sure, she could have fun with her doodling, but hardly anyone -- especially in St. Louis, where Goldberg was growing up -- actually makes a living that way. Read More

7 Easy Steps to Bootstrapping Success

In this economy, you can pretty much forget about financing. And it's probably just as well, says marketing guru Seth Godin, author of The Bootstrapper's Bible. People often ask him for advice on raising venture capital for their start-ups, and "nine times out of 10, I advise them they shouldn't," he says. Instead, take these seven steps to self-funded stardom. Read More

Never Stop Learning Video | You Have 100 Billion Neurons http://goo.gl/9qtP

Check out my latest post on Savvy Citizens re the impact of the internet on how we communicate http://goo.gl/Wj0R

Companies Struggle to Keep Social Media Content On-Message http://goo.gl/m4mO