What is the Role of Blogging vs. Newer Social Media

There is no doubt that business blogging is an essential part of content media strategy whether the target is B2B or B2C.  The immediacy and ability of blogging to communicate detailed information and to provide deep links to website content or other calls to action can’t be matched. However, new platforms like Pinterest and Instagram and even tools like infographics cause some to question the value of blogging, even in B2B.

As an individual I started blogging “early days.” Candidly I was afraid my brain would atrophy when I retired from full-time teaching and blogging seemed a way to keep it alive. It turned out to be even more—a way to learn about the emerging discipline of social media marketing. I kept the diy-Marketing blog going for several years, until it was so content heavy that its response was unacceptable. I started another strategy blog and found an interesting response to a series of Social Media for Good posts. However, by that time my primary professional activity was the Internet Marketing textbook, providing updates for adopters of the text and thinking about a 4^th edition. Blogging proved to have less value in that context.

I have a new Google+ page each year so Internet marketing instructors can search current material for their courses. Debra has a Google+ community and a Facebook page for the book, and I contribute to both. I have 3 Pinterest boards and Debra and I share another. I have been amazed at the way people pick up on my Pinterest postings even though I have done nothing to promote them beyond the users of our text. I try to see most of the posts from all the platforms are fed through to my Twitter account.

So what? In doing all of this I’ve come to have strong opinions about where content curation fits in and the role of content creation.

Content curation specifically keyed to our textbook has the potential to fill an important role for the users. Since personal brand development is no longer a huge objective for me, curation doesn’t do a great deal for me personally.

Creation of original content, as Debra has often pointed out, contributes to visibility on the web in a way that mere curation does not. Even more important to me personally is that my blog is my voice on the Internet. It is my creative opportunity to say what I believe and to try to make a contribution to the discipline. Consequently, I have started a new blog with a limited focus. “SocialTechnology for Good, or for Mischief” allows me to continue the postings which received favorable attention in the earlier blog. There is plenty of mischief around but it is the personal privacy implications that particularly interest me. I’m working on visibility because I want people to find it. My rule is only to write a post when I can make a contribution, even if the contribution is only careful research.

That brings me to infographics. I like them and have a Pinterest board for infographics. However, they are so numerous that they litter the Internet landscape. Many have no lasting value. They represent visual curation, not the creation of original content. Consequently, I do not agree with those who regard them as a substitute for blogging. If the blogger has a point of view and a message, that requires a verbal argument, not statistics with pictures.

Even with careful attention to distributing and optimizing content, there is only so much any one individual can do. That is the point of the graphic. Some platforms lend themselves to original content—websites and blog postings because they do not have length restrictions, videos (short or long form) because they are inherently informative and engaging. Many of the platforms that have become popular recently are really “announcement platforms” They are invaluable for distributing content but for business use they usually need to link to more detailed content like a blog post or a web page.

Likewise there is only so much any given brand should do. The old rule is still just as true—the choice of communications platforms depends on objectives. As you choose just factor in an additional consideration—curation vs. original content! 

Please consider this an invitation to visit the new blog!

Is Social Commerce the Next Big Thing?

There have been high hopes for e-commerce on social platforms almost since the beginning. For instance, I wrote about pop-up stores on Facebook a couple of years ago. There are current uses of the pop-up store, but they all seem to be classified as retail events.

What is the state of actual social commerce? One prediction, captured in an infographic, seems to extrapolate the reach of social platforms to an estimate “50% of Web Sales to Occur Via Social Media by 2015.” Given what we can see in mid-2013 that seems to be a wildly over-optimistic prediction.

Here are some recent developments and announcements:
• In January Facebook announced that Stipple technology would be available to create interactive images on posts and in ads. Stipple technology is similar to Thinglink, which I tried out in a post a few months ago. I repeat my warning that you must own the image in order to lawfully use it for this purpose. (Note: Thinglink was added to the mix in April).
• Pinterest continues its rapid growth. I read one article that called it a “virtual shopping mall.” Since it is easy to use it is especially attractive to small business. Much evidence suggests it is very effective in driving traffic to retail sites.
• Perhaps piggy-backing on the success of Pinterest are other visual sites.  Some that are drawing considerable investor interest are:
  - Polyvore is touted as a “social discovery” site where fashion shoppers create and share sets of images. It is experiencing rapid growth and is reported to have a higher conversion rate from referrals than Pinterest.
  - The Hunt which allows members to post images of items they like and ask other members to help them locate the items at retail. Its current revenue model is not clear.
  - Wanelo “Want, Need, Love” is another visual site in which users create their own feed based on products they like. The site appears to be driving traffic to retail sites. Whether affiliate revenue is sufficient to sustain the site or whether it can develop as an actual e-commerce site is still an open question.

These sites have one thing in common. They are currently being used to drive traffic to retail sites, not as e-commerce platforms. That is probably positive for ad revenue; e-commerce is still arguable.

 A newcomer that is clearly a social e-commerce platform is Chirpify. It describes itself as the only in-stream social commerce site.  According to Chirpify, users can buy, sell, or fundraise on the site. They accept PayPal as well as a variety of credit cards, but I wonder if others will be concerned about the security of transactions.

It is clearly a hot space! Existing and new platforms are likely to continue driving a growing amount of traffic to e-commerce retail sites. However, actual e-commerce on social platforms doesn’t appear to be anywhere close to 50% of web sales, nor does it appear that it will approach that by 2015!

SoLo--The Importance of Google+ Local

http://bit.ly/Rv2F2z

SoLoMo has become a familiar acronym to all marketers. This post isn’t to discount the importance of mobile. It is to point out that in order for mobile to work for the local retail business those businesses have to get their local strategy in order. Google, Google+ and local search are key to that local strategy. Hence, SoLo.

After the holiday shopping season just past there should be no doubt about the importance of local search, much of which was mobile. This chart breaks down local search and it shows the importance to local retailers and restaurateurs and to others as well. I am surprised every time I get a heavy, expensive set of paper yellow pages. They are outdated before they get to my door! Who does anything except search???

I’ve been writing about Google’s evolving efforts in local for several years now, and it has evolved again. Obviously Google is not the only player in this field but no one else integrates various platforms/tools as well, especially since the purchase of Zagat. If you have any doubts about the power of the union, when I looked up Zagat I found a feed from their G+ page on the SERP page. An interesting way to get followers!

Google morphed Google Places into Google+ Local in May 2012. At that time PR Web identified the changes as the integration of Zagat reviews into the business page, integration across other relevant Google properties, and a circles filter to feed reviews from friends/family/colleagues circles. Last week Google announced the ability for business pages to interact with anyone on G+ whether members of their circles or not. It’s clearly pushing G+ pages by increasing their usefulness.

The integration is an interesting issue. The NYTimes had a useful article on the new SERP pages. It took me awhile to figure it out.  I searched for “snowblowers Cape Cod” but I didn’t see maps. What I discovered is that you have to hover over the paid listing and then click on the little arrows you see on the page capture. Ok, it works, but it takes some effort.  When I clicked on the link above the map, I got the company’s web site. When I switch to Maps view, I get a map and the ability to write a review. There don’t seem to be any reviews at present, nor does the firm appear to have claimed its business page and provided the information it wants customers to see. I can’t find a G+ page for it.

Here’s the  process for integrating a G+ brand page with the Google local listing. In case you wonder, a business doesn’t have to ask for a local listing. Google uses various databases of its own and commercial ones like yellow pages to create the listings. That’s the reason they may be inaccurate and that it’s essential for businesses to claim their listing and provide accurate information.  Here’s a post with detailed instructions and example that will be useful if you need to need to claim and verify your page, starting from your Google+ brand page. Of course, the business does have to set up its own brand page to create this integration.

I find the semantics confusing. There’s the G+ brand page and the G+ local business listing.  Here’s Google’s own explanation of how the new local listings are going to work: no mention of Google+ brand pages. However, it appears to me that Google+ is an important brand in the Google portfolio. I expect to see more integration in the future. That makes it important for local businesses to keep up with developments, starting by verifying the business listings or reviewing ones they haven’t checked on for awhile. Business owners need to be sure that their listings are correct and up to date and that they are taking advantage of all the social options that bring their customers into the process.

Is Content Marketing Becoming the Dominant Digital Marketing Tool?

Is content marketing becoming the key digital marketing tool, eclipsing SEO? A post from B2B content marketing firm Reputation Capital argues that content marketing is increasingly dominant. They point to various changes by Google in 2012 including the Panda updates and its decision to cut ties with marketing services firms that don’t use Google-sanctioned data in Google-related products. They argue that these changes make it harder to track SEO results, making SEO less attractive to marketers. Read their post and decide for yourself.


It is axiomatic that customers, both consumer and business, want informative content when and where they choose. But in a world with a growing number of channels and platforms for reaching the customer, content marketing is not easy. Creating and disseminating it can chew up a lot of resources. A strategy that is both efficient and effective is needed. Kapost has an infographic that identifies a set of steps. One glance tells the marketer that none are easy but that all are, in fact, standard parts of the marketing repertoire. The accompanying post is full of good tips and contains an example of an editorial calendar to keep the team in sync.

According to Marketing Profs, both B2B and B2C marketers agree on the top 3 content marketing challenges, although not in the same order. They see issues in producing enough content, producing content that engages users, and adequate budget. A study quoted in Marketing Charts points out that whether the content is print or electronic, a large portion of the budget is for personnel costs. That’s undoubtedly true even if the marketer is good at repurposing content for various channels—it all takes time. Marketing Profs has good slideshows on their 2013 content marketing benchmarks and trends reports for both B2B and B2C.

One of the more interesting recent takes on the subject can be seen in this video from David Edelman of McKinsey who links great content to great customer experience. One of his most provocative recommendations is to ensure that good content (dare I say “talking points”?) is disseminated internally. That way your employees who are active in social media will have the information they need to push that content out to their followers.
I recently wrote about the social media team for the Mars Curiosity Rover which is a prime example of disparate groups working together to create a brand personality that can weave a great story over time. Discipline as well as strategy are necessary to execute a complex content marketing plan.

Some of the studies of marketing tools seem to position content marketing and search marketing as “either or.” That’s not the case. Getting found in search is essential. Good content—written, images, video and more—has to be search friendly. It’s not one or the other; it’s making sure your content is visible in the channels where customers look for it. That’s not all there is to audience development, but it’s one critical element.

Content marketing may not be easy. However, it’s doable and it’s measurable. That should seal the deal!

Holiday Shopping is Apps Enabled!

Originally published Nov. 16, 2012.
Web sites and email notifications are now a staple of hoilday shopping. Specialized mobile apps aren’t new, but they become more sophisticated each year. This year is no exception.

There are a couple of basic kinds of apps for holiday shopping. There are the aggregator sites like Black Friday.com (specializes in ads) or Coupon Deals (specializes in coupons and offers) and about a zillion others. There are also the apps from individual retailers like Macy’s.

The new Macy’s app for iPhone and Android has gotten a lot of buzz. You can download it from a link on the Macy’s site by texting to their short code number. I tried it and it worked like a charm, much easier than having to locate it on iTunes. I was also able to sign up for updates at the same time. Warning; it only works on the iPhone5 or equivalent operating system. I tried it out, and it does everything advertised (pun intended; it is full of promotions!).

As you can see from the menu, the Macy’s app will do pretty much anything the shopper needs, either while planning a shopping trip or while in the store. I think the coolest thing is the instore navigation map, now only available for the Herald Square store. It will not only tell you where you are and the location of items you are looking for, it has the capability of offering or highlighting specials. The software site gives examples for not only retail, but also other large and often confusing venues like hospitals and airports. The Museum of Natural History has had its app since 2010 and its usefulness is obvious.


I like the idea that retailers are trying to improve the shopping experience. Any improvement is welcome. The importance to retailers is made obvious by WSJ data. It shows that over $100 of the per customer $400 spent during the Black Friday weekend was spent online. That means almost $300 was still spent in stores. I can’t tell whether “weekend” includes Cyber Monday or not. However, it’s clear that the apps are set up to guide shoppers through the holidays and the instore navigation systems have a potential far beyond that.


On the questionnable gift front, at least to me, is the sweater Macy's is offering that has a personal video viewer on the sleeve.

According to Recom Group, the developer of the technology, The fashion video tag slides into a pocket on the sleeve, which makes it waterproof, and comes with software that allows users to convert any YouTube or personal video. It holds up to two hours of content. The organic LED plays continuous video nonstop for 8 to 10 hours from a single charge.

Oh, well. At least it's a conversation piece. Happy shopping!

Promote Your Product, Become a Thought Leader on Pinterest

http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2012/Online-Pictures/Main-Findings.aspx

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Originally posted Nov. 1, 2012
Buzz about Pinterest peaked early this year when data about the explosive growth of the photo-sharing site indicated it was a leading source of referral traffic to websites. It has major impact for its relatively small size, partly because of its demographic skew toward women, as demographics from a recent Pew study indicate. It doesn’t have the greatest number of users by a long shot. However, it beats out other sites like Facebook on purchasing impact, according to studies like the one from BizRate.

http://bizrateinsights.com/blog/2012/10/15/online-consumer-pulse-pinterest-vs-facebook-which-social-sharing-site-wins-at-shopping-engagement/

What should marketers do to take advantage of Pinterest’s popularity and impact? There are two key things:

1. Promote your products. This can work in both B2C and B2B markets, but the predominance of female users makes it increasingly relevant in the B2C environment.
2. Become a though leader. This is especially relevant to B2B marketers.

The same general principles for use of Pinterest apply to both. Social Media Examiner summarizes advice that all B2C marketers can follow. They are the starting point for new B2B users also. The advice includes: 

• Create customer profiles and personas to help you understand their interests and motivations.
• Give your pinboards meaningful, interesting names.
• Give your images compelling, keyword-rich descriptions, but make them concise.
• Work to build your follower base.
• Use Pinterest to portray your brand personality.
• and more.

HubSpot has an excellent ebook on How to Use Pinterest for Business. Here are some of their recommendations:

• Use your own visuals and generate customer visuals by creating pinboards and holding contests.
• Use the PinIt button on your site to encourage visitors to add the image to their own pinboard. Note that you can only use the PinIt button if you have access to the code for your site. You can also add a "Follow me on Pinterest" badge like the one on the right sidebar.
• Track the leads that Pinterest refers to your site and understand who these customers are and infer what their intent is. They may be significantly different from your overall customer base.
• Use hashtags, perhaps creating a pinboard with the hashtag as its name. Integrate the use of hashtags with your Twitter and Google+ usage.
• and more.
Read the report (download here) for case studies of how businesses have used Pinterest successfully to generate more leads.

If you don’t have a visual product, the though leader issue becomes paramount. That means careful, strategic curating of visual content, yours and others. Check out what content site Mashable does on Pinterest—you ought to get some ideas!

Social Media Examiner quotes Beth Hayden, author of Pininfluence: For any business using Pinterest, the goal is simple—drive traffic back to your site, add people to your mailing list and convert those visitors into buyers.

Like any social media platform, you can’t just talk about it. You have to set up your own account, use it, think about how it works, and strategize about how you can use it in your business. Give it a try, whether you start as an individual or whether you start a page for your brand. As the BizRate data shows it’s fun and engaging. A Washington Post columnist called it “digital crack!” Find out why at Pinterest.com!