Tuesday, January 20, 2015
Thursday, June 19, 2014
Apple Store Changes Signal the Next Era of Retail
Apple Store Changes Signal the Next Era of Retail
by Chris "The Brain" Hoyt
If you go to an Apple Store on a slower day, you may notice there is still a pretty large amount of “blue shirts.” A second look, and it is easy to discover the reason for this: they aren’t just selling anymore. Just about any other retail store in the mall will have a ratio of about one employee to five customer. Apple is running almost one-to-one on non-peak days. This isn’t just because of Apple’s popularity. No, it is a sign of the next era of retail: selling expertise and ecosystems.
When Supply and Demand Switch Places
Supply and demand has been the pillar of economic development for centuries. Innovations have largely been centered around delivering more “in demand” products at lower cost and with greater efficiency. Demand came first, and then businesses would respond by producing supply. The iPhone is, however, a great example of a new phenomenon beginning to emerge: supply coming before demand. More specifically, the ability to create something no one was asking for, and suddenly everyone wants.
Not that Apple is the only company to do this, inventions have been creating demand from Thomas Edison's light bulb to Sony’s Walkman in the 80s. However, there is something unique about Apple’s revolution, creating demand for a product people don’t know how to use. For that one, I can only think of Henry Ford’s Model-T as a possible parallel. Even today, we all still have to learn to drive a car before we can buy one. But in all, there haven’t been a lot of world-changing products that weren't pretty easy to just pick up and use.
Because We Aren't Smart Enough to Know What We Want
Modern emerging products, such as cloud based solutions, software as a service, and integrated technologies are all being developed PAST the demand curve. Meaning that we have more supplied products and solution that most of us even know how to use or integrate into our daily lives. So where are these companies coming from if we aren’t demanding their products and services? Well, investors have come to realize that the marketing doesn’t really know what it wants next. Everyone is betting on the next Bill Gates and Steve Jobs to tell us what we want.
Selling a Lifestyle
In order to get the most from your shiny new Apple products: MacBook, iPhone, and iPad (the holy tech trilogy), you have to have a certain amount of base knowledge for using them. Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Amazon (sorta) are all now competing on lifestyle solutions more than the actual products. Each company providing a whole range of integrated software and tech to handle our lifestyle needs. In other words, we no longer buy products to match our daily needs and habits. We are beginning to model our lives around the systems created for us.
Education and Accessibility: The New Battleground
So this comes back to the INVASION OF THE BLUE SHIRTS at Apple retail stores. Apple is still showing they are ahead of the curve by throwing their resources at helping as many people as possible adapt to the Apple/iCloud lifestyle. Microsoft is learning to follow suit, and Google is still hoping their loyal geeks will be enough to bring their immediate families up to date (*guilty*). Samsung has also been proving their obsession with copying Apple by trying to do the same thing at Best Buy stores (but not very well.)
In-store training, access to advice and experts, classes on how to maximize products and software tools, large support communities; these are the new ways retail is going to have to grow their competition. And as we keep growing this competition, switching from one ecosystem to another is going to become harder and harder, meaning that converting a customer is worth more than ever before.
Tech Retail is Only the Start!
Furniture retail has learned that you can’t just sell furniture, you have to sell rooms and designs. Kitchen retailers are starting to teach customers how to cook. There are even new online clothing retailers coaching their customers on how to dress! (http://www.trunkclub.com/) Everyone thinks the Internet is killing retail, but really it is just changing its core purpose.
Before the Internet we needed retail to SHOW us what we could buy, something the Internet does a hundred times better. However, a physical retail store can still have an advantage with showing us how to USE products, especially when we need to use multiple products together. Retail stores that innovate ways to be a gateway for customers to better their life or enter a lifestyle are the ones that will last through the next couple decades.
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
Monday, June 9, 2014
What’s the Right Frequency of Email Marketing?
http://www.websitemagazine.com/content/blogs/posts/pages/what-s-the-frequency.aspx?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter
Email is the virtual workhorse of digital marketing and every Web worker knows it.
According to the Experian Marketing Services’ “2013 Email Market Study,” 99 percent of those surveyed say that their company currently uses email. While marketers consider email a highly effective practice, many don’t consider customers’ email preferences – and that’s a significant problem. For instance, 60 percent of marketers don’t offer customers the opportunity to select the types of emails (text or HTML) they want to receive. What’s more (and potentially more damaging) is that just over one third of respondents (35 percent) let customers determine how frequently they want to be mailed. Too much email from a sender, of course, could negatively impact their performance.
So, what determines when you should hit send? What is the “right” frequency?
Unfortunately, there is no “right” answer when it comes to the optimal delivery rate, as there are too many variables. Ask the following questions to find out, however, and your email campaigns (and your broader digital marketing strategy in general) will be more effective.
Why is this email being sent? Many digital marketers send email because they believe it’s the right thing to do - and it is - but it is essential that each individual distribution and each broader multi-send campaign or ongoing distribution have a clear aim and objective.
The aim of a single-send, for example, might be to raise awareness of a technical issue or a new feature; it might also be to sell an individual product. A campaign with multiple sends, however, is much different. For instance, those that engage in a more prolonged distribution strategy are those whose objectives are typically to offer ongoing education or support. The reason to ask “why is this email being sent” is so that marketers don’t lose sight of the original objectives; knowing the “why” helps prepare and prioritize the content.
The Inbox is a Battlefield
Everyone who sends email is a brand’s competitor. See just how crowded recipients’ inboxes are in this infographic at wsm.co/inboxbattle.
How long is the sales cycle? Another reason that there is no one answer to the optimal frequency for email is that sales cycles vary by industry, company and even product. If the sales cycle is short, the frequency should be more compact, while a longer sales cycle allows for a slower and more regular schedule. Knowing the average time it takes for a user to enter and exit the sales funnel can help determine the optimal frequency. There is, of course, a learning curve that comes with figuring out the distribution frequency, but once a standard has been set, marketers can turn their attention to other concerns like deliverability or the many available optimization opportunities.
One such opportunity comes from a free software solution called ROEmails (developed by WebNova). It can help improve campaign performance by adding “scarcity” information to emails by including an email countdown timer that appears in a recipient’s inbox. Say for example a retailer is running a 24-hour special. When the recipient opens the email 20 hours after being sent, he will see that he has just four hours remaining to take advantage of the offer. Leveraging “scarcity” can increase open rates, traffic and conversions and deepen engagement.
When are users most active? Of all the advice given to email marketers about the optimal day and time to send, taking advantage of users’ activity levels on a website is often the most actionable (although not the most sophisticated). A quick examination of a website’s analytics will reveal not just the day that customers are visiting the most but also the general time of day. While most activity can be attributed to the goings-on of marketers themselves (e.g. social media posts, advertising, etc.), activity is a rather obvious opportunity to increase performance - at least incrementally. While many will go round-and-round about whether Thursday at 10 a.m. or Tuesday at 4 p.m. works best, optimal send times (particularly for regular distributions) do provide a testable moment.
Email marketing, despite the attention that Internet advertising, SEO and social media receive, is here to stay. Understanding users and maintaining a regular schedule will be useful for every digital enterprise.
- See more at: http://www.websitemagazine.com/content/blogs/posts/pages/what-s-the-frequency.aspx?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter#sthash.ARPbl40c.dpuf
What’s the Frequency?
By Peter Prestipino, Editor-In-ChiefEmail is the virtual workhorse of digital marketing and every Web worker knows it.
According to the Experian Marketing Services’ “2013 Email Market Study,” 99 percent of those surveyed say that their company currently uses email. While marketers consider email a highly effective practice, many don’t consider customers’ email preferences – and that’s a significant problem. For instance, 60 percent of marketers don’t offer customers the opportunity to select the types of emails (text or HTML) they want to receive. What’s more (and potentially more damaging) is that just over one third of respondents (35 percent) let customers determine how frequently they want to be mailed. Too much email from a sender, of course, could negatively impact their performance.
So, what determines when you should hit send? What is the “right” frequency?
Unfortunately, there is no “right” answer when it comes to the optimal delivery rate, as there are too many variables. Ask the following questions to find out, however, and your email campaigns (and your broader digital marketing strategy in general) will be more effective.
Why is this email being sent? Many digital marketers send email because they believe it’s the right thing to do - and it is - but it is essential that each individual distribution and each broader multi-send campaign or ongoing distribution have a clear aim and objective.
The aim of a single-send, for example, might be to raise awareness of a technical issue or a new feature; it might also be to sell an individual product. A campaign with multiple sends, however, is much different. For instance, those that engage in a more prolonged distribution strategy are those whose objectives are typically to offer ongoing education or support. The reason to ask “why is this email being sent” is so that marketers don’t lose sight of the original objectives; knowing the “why” helps prepare and prioritize the content.
The Inbox is a Battlefield
Everyone who sends email is a brand’s competitor. See just how crowded recipients’ inboxes are in this infographic at wsm.co/inboxbattle.
How long is the sales cycle? Another reason that there is no one answer to the optimal frequency for email is that sales cycles vary by industry, company and even product. If the sales cycle is short, the frequency should be more compact, while a longer sales cycle allows for a slower and more regular schedule. Knowing the average time it takes for a user to enter and exit the sales funnel can help determine the optimal frequency. There is, of course, a learning curve that comes with figuring out the distribution frequency, but once a standard has been set, marketers can turn their attention to other concerns like deliverability or the many available optimization opportunities.
One such opportunity comes from a free software solution called ROEmails (developed by WebNova). It can help improve campaign performance by adding “scarcity” information to emails by including an email countdown timer that appears in a recipient’s inbox. Say for example a retailer is running a 24-hour special. When the recipient opens the email 20 hours after being sent, he will see that he has just four hours remaining to take advantage of the offer. Leveraging “scarcity” can increase open rates, traffic and conversions and deepen engagement.
When are users most active? Of all the advice given to email marketers about the optimal day and time to send, taking advantage of users’ activity levels on a website is often the most actionable (although not the most sophisticated). A quick examination of a website’s analytics will reveal not just the day that customers are visiting the most but also the general time of day. While most activity can be attributed to the goings-on of marketers themselves (e.g. social media posts, advertising, etc.), activity is a rather obvious opportunity to increase performance - at least incrementally. While many will go round-and-round about whether Thursday at 10 a.m. or Tuesday at 4 p.m. works best, optimal send times (particularly for regular distributions) do provide a testable moment.
Email marketing, despite the attention that Internet advertising, SEO and social media receive, is here to stay. Understanding users and maintaining a regular schedule will be useful for every digital enterprise.
- See more at: http://www.websitemagazine.com/content/blogs/posts/pages/what-s-the-frequency.aspx?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter#sthash.ARPbl40c.dpuf
By Peter Prestipino, Editor-In-Chief
- See more at: http://www.websitemagazine.com/content/blogs/posts/pages/what-s-the-frequency.aspx?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter#sthash.ARPbl40c.dpuf
Email is the virtual workhorse of digital marketing and every Web worker knows it.
According to the Experian Marketing Services’ “2013 Email Market Study,” 99 percent of those surveyed say that their company currently uses email. While marketers consider email a highly effective practice, many don’t consider customers’ email preferences – and that’s a significant problem. For instance, 60 percent of marketers don’t offer customers the opportunity to select the types of emails (text or HTML) they want to receive. What’s more (and potentially more damaging) is that just over one third of respondents (35 percent) let customers determine how frequently they want to be mailed. Too much email from a sender, of course, could negatively impact their performance.- See more at: http://www.websitemagazine.com/content/blogs/posts/pages/what-s-the-frequency.aspx?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter#sthash.ARPbl40c.dpuf
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
SEO in 2014, Fact, Fiction and Sensationalism
http://www.websitemagazine.com/content/blogs/posts/archive/2014/02/11/seo-in-2014-fact-fiction-and-sensationalism.aspx?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter
:: By Travis Bliffen
Working in the SEO industry, it makes me almost cringe to see the day’s long list of “the sky is falling” articles. People do not want the same old boring news; but does it have to be so misleading? No, and instead of ranting about it, here are 11 actionable SEO tips that still work in 2014 and that dispel just a few of the many sensationalized claims making the headlines today.
#1 Let’s face it, SEO will never die. So long as Google relies upon any type of algorithm to generate search results SEO will live. As we move into the future, SEO will evolve to include other traffic generation methods and for some niches it already has, but again, it will not die!
#2 Guest posting is not dead! Google has found a way to crack down on many link schemes over the years, the reason guest posting will survive is the fact that it takes two to make that link. You submit it and someone vouches for you with a link, which is the perfect strategy. Those being said, stay away from sites that auto-approve or are junk filled as spam is detectable by search spiders. Write something of value and you will have no problems.
#3 User experience is crucial. Most of you realize that a great mobile and desktop user experience is critical as the percentage of mobile users continues to climb. Some businesses have failed to update their sites to be mobile friendly, if you fall into this category; the time to update is now, unless of course search traffic is not important to you. Don’t forget to pay close attention to page load speed as well.
#4 Content creation- If you do nothing else, create content for your business and share it with others. So many companies blog non-stop on their own site gaining minimal traffic. Instead of updating your blog all the time, try reaching out to other related sites and creating some content for their site. To get the most from the link, write a follow up or more advanced article on your own site to link back to it. This will help you capture the right audience and drive higher engagement stats.
#5 Self-promotion is key. One day your company may be a huge brand that people cannot stop talking about, until then you need to promote yourself proudly. If you are an expert, share your knowledge with others through social channels, speaking events and even controversial guest posts. Remember, at the end of the day traffic and conversions should be your goal, not just rankings.
#6 You can live without social. Everyone is touting the benefits of social media and claiming it is the only way to gain top rankings….WRONG! Social media is a great way to get more traffic, but you can still rank without it. To further clarify, in 2013 SearchMetrics conducted a study of over 10,000 keywords and associated data. The results indicated that Google +1s and Facebook shares were the two primary ranking factors followed by backlinks at number three. Even if you do not have any social profiles of your own, adding share buttons on your website can help boost your rankings. To make a long story short, social sharing buttons are more important that being active on social sites.
#7 Local SEO is golden. Except for the fact that it is sometimes harder, it's tough to figure out why some SEO companies are avoiding local SEO for their clients. If you have a business serving a local area and are not using local SEO the time to start is yesterday!
#8 Closely monitor keyword data. Google has done its best to be a pain through the creation of secure search. However you can still get a ton of data about what keywords are working for your business. Using data from Bing can be helpful. You can also gather data from Webmaster tools and historic data. Including a search feature on your site will also allow you to see what users are looking for. Google has made it harder to get data but it is still available when you get creative.
#9 Don’t be afraid of change. Google averages more than 500 updates per year. Most are small and go unnoticed and a few rock the SEO practitioners to the core. Since the very inception of SEO change has been required and moving into the future we can expect it to happen even more rapidly. Those who are not willing to adapt will fail, however making changes based upon inaccurate data and you can also fail. Read and consider your changes carefully and do not be afraid to ask for advice from others in the industry or from SEO professionals if you are a business owner.
#10 Tiered link building still works! Tiered link building is often considered a black or gray hat method of ranking sites, but it does not have to be. While you should avoid using tiered linking as your only method, it makes a great addition to other quality link building practices. The key to effectively using this method is to create quality content and links on each level. Whether working in tier 1 or 3, spam links will hurt your main site in 2014 and beyond. Remember though, links are only one of the 200-plus ranking criteria Google uses so cover all your bases.
#11 Matt Cutts is not on your side. Face it folks, Matt Cutts gets paid handsomely to help prevent the manipulation of search rankings. Doing so helps Google earn more money on Adwords and “improves” the organic results they offer. A recent post on SEOBOOK covers the link building methods Google has labeled “spam” and as you will see, it doesn’t leave many options. The bottom line, take what Matt says with a grain of salt.
As the industry continues to evolve at a more rapid pace we can expect the mountains of misinformation to follow the curve. Regardless of what you may hear remember the following: would I build this link if SEO did not exist? If you answer “no” then take some time to learn more before acting and you will save yourself time and money.
Travis Bliffen is the founder and senior SEO consultant of Stellar SEO, a St. Louis based search marketing and design firm. Travis has worked with several national and international clients to date and enjoys researching and writing in the search marketing field. He has been featured at speaking events and on industry leading websites such as Website Magazine and Search Engine Journal. Connect on Twitter or Facebook for updates and actionable tips. -
See more at: http://www.websitemagazine.com/content/blogs/posts/archive/2014/02/11/seo-in-2014-fact-fiction-and-sensationalism.aspx?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter#sthash.ZW9dtjd0.dpuf
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Monday, June 3, 2013
4 free Instagram measurement tools
http://www.prdaily.com/socialmedia/Articles/14354.aspx
For the past few months, my friend Ryan has been managing a boutique called Apricot Lane
in a nearby shopping center. I
know 80 to 90 percent of the stores in this area are out of my price
range and, because they are so expensive, their typical customers are
more likely to
be women in my mom's age group.
I assumed Apricot Lane was another boutique for women older than me. That is, until my friend started an Instagram account for the boutique. She posted photos of the clothes, jewelry and new items. She even posted photos of people I knew modeling the clothes.
I fell in love with the different styles and fun items. I realized my preconceived notions were wrong, and was quickly convinced I needed to visit the boutique. Not only did I visit, I brought my mom and sister with me, who also loved it.
My wedding photographer and wedding planner are also on Instagram. I hired them both before I started following them on Instagram, but every time I see their photos I am even happier both of them will be part of my wedding day.
They post fun photos of their office construction, clients, DIY projects and everyday life. By giving me a peek into their lives, I feel closer and more comfortable with them as people and professionals. As my trust for them grows, I am inspired by their creativity and love for their professions.
By building identities on Instagram, Ryan changed my perception of her boutique, and my wedding planner and photographer continue to grow my loyalty as a client.
Perhaps this was their goal when they began their Instagram accounts, perhaps it wasn't. Either way, I'm proof that their time spent on Instagram is reaping benefits. But how else can they measure their Instagram success?
Here are four free tools small businesses can use to do so:
1. SumAll
I just started exploring this tool, and it looks perfect for small businesses looking to track their social media success, find out which network reaps the most benefits, and determine how social media affects the bottom line. I have to explore it some more, but it's worth trying for Instagram and more.
2. Statigram
This tool is solely for Instagram. It provides statistics, such as the amount of photos you have, likes received, comments, followers and more.
I like how it shows you the photos with the highest engagement, the day and time your users are most engaged, your most engaged followers, and your growth and loss in followers. You can even manage contests with this tool.
3. SimplyMeasured
This tool allows users to download analytics on different profiles for free as long as you agree to share a tweet to promote the company. You can download a detailed—and I mean detailed—Excel document that even shows you the engagement your photos had outside of Instagram. The free analytics report is definitely worth sharing a tweet.
4. Nitrogram
This tool shows engagement rates, statistics per photo, follower count and the number of photos shared.
Regardless of which tool you choose, it's important to measure and track your brand's Instagram success. Tracking your account's metrics and the engagement of your community can help you learn more about your audience, grow your existing followers, understand what your audience values and convert your followers into loyal customers.
Do you use Instagram for your business? Are there any other tools you'd recommended? Please share!
Rachael Seda is an account executive at CRT/tanaka. A version of this article originally appeared on WaxingUnlyrical.com.
4 free Instagram measurement tools
I assumed Apricot Lane was another boutique for women older than me. That is, until my friend started an Instagram account for the boutique. She posted photos of the clothes, jewelry and new items. She even posted photos of people I knew modeling the clothes.
I fell in love with the different styles and fun items. I realized my preconceived notions were wrong, and was quickly convinced I needed to visit the boutique. Not only did I visit, I brought my mom and sister with me, who also loved it.
My wedding photographer and wedding planner are also on Instagram. I hired them both before I started following them on Instagram, but every time I see their photos I am even happier both of them will be part of my wedding day.
They post fun photos of their office construction, clients, DIY projects and everyday life. By giving me a peek into their lives, I feel closer and more comfortable with them as people and professionals. As my trust for them grows, I am inspired by their creativity and love for their professions.
By building identities on Instagram, Ryan changed my perception of her boutique, and my wedding planner and photographer continue to grow my loyalty as a client.
Perhaps this was their goal when they began their Instagram accounts, perhaps it wasn't. Either way, I'm proof that their time spent on Instagram is reaping benefits. But how else can they measure their Instagram success?
Here are four free tools small businesses can use to do so:
1. SumAll
I just started exploring this tool, and it looks perfect for small businesses looking to track their social media success, find out which network reaps the most benefits, and determine how social media affects the bottom line. I have to explore it some more, but it's worth trying for Instagram and more.
2. Statigram
This tool is solely for Instagram. It provides statistics, such as the amount of photos you have, likes received, comments, followers and more.
I like how it shows you the photos with the highest engagement, the day and time your users are most engaged, your most engaged followers, and your growth and loss in followers. You can even manage contests with this tool.
3. SimplyMeasured
This tool allows users to download analytics on different profiles for free as long as you agree to share a tweet to promote the company. You can download a detailed—and I mean detailed—Excel document that even shows you the engagement your photos had outside of Instagram. The free analytics report is definitely worth sharing a tweet.
4. Nitrogram
This tool shows engagement rates, statistics per photo, follower count and the number of photos shared.
Regardless of which tool you choose, it's important to measure and track your brand's Instagram success. Tracking your account's metrics and the engagement of your community can help you learn more about your audience, grow your existing followers, understand what your audience values and convert your followers into loyal customers.
Do you use Instagram for your business? Are there any other tools you'd recommended? Please share!
Rachael Seda is an account executive at CRT/tanaka. A version of this article originally appeared on WaxingUnlyrical.com.
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
10 Social Sites You're (Probably) Not Using But Should Be
http://www.websitemagazine.com/content/blogs/posts/archive/2013/05/28/10-social-sites-you-re-not-using.aspx?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter
The Web is full of social destinations where people come together to answer questions, discuss news and share interesting information with each other.
In fact, aside from the ’Net’s most popular social sites, like Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn and Pinterest, there are myriad smaller, alternative networks where people participate in conversations every day. Most businesses are missing these conversations (a.k.a. engagement opportunities), because they focus their resources on the larger, aforementioned social networks. And while it is important to maintain an active presence on popular sites like Facebook and Twitter, reaching out to audiences on smaller social networks can help a brand foster new relationships, generate traffic, and build authority and recognition within its niche.
However, in order to participate with smaller social networks, you must first find them, which is why Website Magazine has compiled a list of 10 social sites that you probably aren’t using but should be. Check them out below:
Quora
This question-and-answer platform recently released a video on its blog that reveals that in just a year, Quora has grown by more than three times across all metrics. Brands can take advantage of this growth by participating with the Quora service, via answering questions, asking questions and creating blogs on this platform.
StumbleUpon
Many people use StumbleUpon to kill time and discover new and interesting things, however, businesses can also leverage this platform to reach new prospects. The social network offers a Paid Discovery option, which allows businesses to deliver content to relevant traffic. Companies simply need to submit a URL and select targeting preferences in order to get their content put in front of a new audience that is actively seeking interesting content.
Keek
This video-based social network allows users to create, share and watch short video updates. The site has grown its audience with the help of celebrity users like the Kardashians. And even though there isn’t currently a specific place for business users yet, individuals can sign up for the service and create brand-related videos, which can also be shared via email, Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr.
Flickr
Businesses can find success on this photo-sharing site by posting share-worthy images and videos, as these will be more captivating than standard product images. For example, brands can show off behind-the-scenes images of their staffs or products being made as a way to better relate with customers.
Sulia
This platform describes itself as “the subject-based social network.” It connects users with the top social sources on subjects they care about. Brands can contact the company to request to have their content featured on Sulia or to advertise within specific channels.
Klout
You may be using Klout already, however, it is important to know that this platform can be used for more than to just monitor your social influence. In fact, Klout recently launched Klout Experts, which is Q&A feature that allows users who are influential in a specific area to answer a frequently asked topic-related question. Then, when someone searches that question on Bing, the Klout Expert insights are displayed, which helps boost the expert’s visibility and authority.
Tribe
Tribe is a social network that connects people with like-interests. While this platform shouldn’t be used to spam other users or push your brand/product, individuals can participate in conversations with this online community, as well as post information listings and events.
HARO
HARO, which stands for help a reporter out, is a service that helps reporters connect with sources. This social service is particularly useful for B2B businesses, who can sign up to be a source and answer relevant questions in the hopes of making it into a popular blogger’s next article.
CafeMom
Many marketers target moms, as this customer segment is typically a household's decision-maker. Luckily, there are many digital destinations to find moms chatting on the Web, including CafeMom. This momma-based social network is full of ladies discussing everyday events. So even if you don’t feel like participating in these mommy discussions (because you don’t want to come off as a spammer), this site is an inspiring place to come up with content ideas for blog posts and email newsletters based on the subjects moms care about.
Foursquare
Although Foursquare has been around for a while, many businesses have neglected this location-based social network for more popular platforms, like Facebook and Yelp. However, this social network’s business tools make it a valuable way to connect with customers and entice them into brick-and-mortar stores. In addition, Foursquare recently launched a business-specific mobile application that allows brand managers to post updates and monitor activity on the social network.
10 Social Sites You're (Probably) Not Using But Should Be
Posted on 05.29.2013
The Web is full of social destinations where people come together to answer questions, discuss news and share interesting information with each other.
In fact, aside from the ’Net’s most popular social sites, like Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn and Pinterest, there are myriad smaller, alternative networks where people participate in conversations every day. Most businesses are missing these conversations (a.k.a. engagement opportunities), because they focus their resources on the larger, aforementioned social networks. And while it is important to maintain an active presence on popular sites like Facebook and Twitter, reaching out to audiences on smaller social networks can help a brand foster new relationships, generate traffic, and build authority and recognition within its niche.
However, in order to participate with smaller social networks, you must first find them, which is why Website Magazine has compiled a list of 10 social sites that you probably aren’t using but should be. Check them out below:
Quora
This question-and-answer platform recently released a video on its blog that reveals that in just a year, Quora has grown by more than three times across all metrics. Brands can take advantage of this growth by participating with the Quora service, via answering questions, asking questions and creating blogs on this platform.
StumbleUpon
Many people use StumbleUpon to kill time and discover new and interesting things, however, businesses can also leverage this platform to reach new prospects. The social network offers a Paid Discovery option, which allows businesses to deliver content to relevant traffic. Companies simply need to submit a URL and select targeting preferences in order to get their content put in front of a new audience that is actively seeking interesting content.
Keek
This video-based social network allows users to create, share and watch short video updates. The site has grown its audience with the help of celebrity users like the Kardashians. And even though there isn’t currently a specific place for business users yet, individuals can sign up for the service and create brand-related videos, which can also be shared via email, Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr.
Flickr
Businesses can find success on this photo-sharing site by posting share-worthy images and videos, as these will be more captivating than standard product images. For example, brands can show off behind-the-scenes images of their staffs or products being made as a way to better relate with customers.
Sulia
This platform describes itself as “the subject-based social network.” It connects users with the top social sources on subjects they care about. Brands can contact the company to request to have their content featured on Sulia or to advertise within specific channels.
Klout
You may be using Klout already, however, it is important to know that this platform can be used for more than to just monitor your social influence. In fact, Klout recently launched Klout Experts, which is Q&A feature that allows users who are influential in a specific area to answer a frequently asked topic-related question. Then, when someone searches that question on Bing, the Klout Expert insights are displayed, which helps boost the expert’s visibility and authority.
Tribe
Tribe is a social network that connects people with like-interests. While this platform shouldn’t be used to spam other users or push your brand/product, individuals can participate in conversations with this online community, as well as post information listings and events.
HARO
HARO, which stands for help a reporter out, is a service that helps reporters connect with sources. This social service is particularly useful for B2B businesses, who can sign up to be a source and answer relevant questions in the hopes of making it into a popular blogger’s next article.
CafeMom
Many marketers target moms, as this customer segment is typically a household's decision-maker. Luckily, there are many digital destinations to find moms chatting on the Web, including CafeMom. This momma-based social network is full of ladies discussing everyday events. So even if you don’t feel like participating in these mommy discussions (because you don’t want to come off as a spammer), this site is an inspiring place to come up with content ideas for blog posts and email newsletters based on the subjects moms care about.
Foursquare
Although Foursquare has been around for a while, many businesses have neglected this location-based social network for more popular platforms, like Facebook and Yelp. However, this social network’s business tools make it a valuable way to connect with customers and entice them into brick-and-mortar stores. In addition, Foursquare recently launched a business-specific mobile application that allows brand managers to post updates and monitor activity on the social network.
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
The Truth about Facebook Promotions
http://thesherwoodgroup.com/business-education/the-truth-about-facebook-promotions/#.UZLuVYJAuAE
One of the best features of Facebook Promotions isn’t a single feature per se but rather the option to put a wide range of apps on your page. With the right third-party software and a little creativity, you can easily create an attractive, enticing promotion to increase your fan base and to boost your brand’s profile.
But there are some factors you should be aware of before creating a promotion. Unless your Internet marketing game is great all around, able to attract a large base, then even the best promotions aren’t going to have the effect you’re hoping for. It’s a numbers game in part that you should privy to.
Understanding the Numbers Game
The brands on Facebook that do the best with their promotions usually already have established fan bases and have an ample number of followers. The more fans a brand has, the more likely it is that a great coupon from a promotion will be shared with members of their network. So to that end, the numbers do play a large role. However, even smaller brands can have ample success as long as they put the time and effort into actually getting things right.
A proper promotion is a process. You can’t simply throw an app together sloppily offering a few percentage points off and hope to attract business. And that’s not even dealing with the fact that Facebook has a lot of rules out there that need to be adhered to.
Running a winning promotion requires:
You just cannot expect a promotion to be that miracle conversion-inducing step. You have to remain realistic; and realistically speaking, you should be able to see a spike in conversions if you’re offering an enticing promotion that meets the needs of your fan base. You should also see your numbers grow slowly as more people start to share your promotions with others. It will help build trust and engagement with your brand.
Why Brands Should Choose Facebook
So out of every social network you could choose from, why choose Facebook? Is it only because of the promotions you’ll be able to host from the site? Well, that’s certainly one of the reasons, but it’s far from the only reason to focus on this social networking giant.
You have to understand that Facebook is far and away the biggest and most popular social media site out there: a billion users, and they’re growing more every single day. The site also offers a mobile version of Facebook, which is great for your marketing efforts.
Facebook can act as the hub for all social media for your brand. By advertising on Facebook, you can post a wide range of promotional material, you can interweave your entire Internet presence, and compared to traditional advertising methods, social media marketing is a very low-cost way to get your message out there.
Even if you only wanted to use Facebook to hold promotions, it would still be worth it. But with so many great features on the site, you can build up a thorough following and leverage promotions in order to up your conversion rates significantly.
Author’s bio:
Eric Taylor works as a freelance writer and business developer for a Facebook ad tool – Qwaya. The company’s goal it to provide extensive information, tools and up-to-date news about social media marketing strategies, most specifically in Facebook.
The Truth about Facebook Promotions
It should go without saying that, if you’re a company competing in social media, offering your audience incentives is the way to go. However, it’s surprising that so few brands using social media actually take full advantage of a site’s features. Facebook Promotions, for example, offers a wide range of options one can use in order to bring in the business, but many companies simply overlook them.
One of the best features of Facebook Promotions isn’t a single feature per se but rather the option to put a wide range of apps on your page. With the right third-party software and a little creativity, you can easily create an attractive, enticing promotion to increase your fan base and to boost your brand’s profile.
But there are some factors you should be aware of before creating a promotion. Unless your Internet marketing game is great all around, able to attract a large base, then even the best promotions aren’t going to have the effect you’re hoping for. It’s a numbers game in part that you should privy to.
Understanding the Numbers Game
The brands on Facebook that do the best with their promotions usually already have established fan bases and have an ample number of followers. The more fans a brand has, the more likely it is that a great coupon from a promotion will be shared with members of their network. So to that end, the numbers do play a large role. However, even smaller brands can have ample success as long as they put the time and effort into actually getting things right.
A proper promotion is a process. You can’t simply throw an app together sloppily offering a few percentage points off and hope to attract business. And that’s not even dealing with the fact that Facebook has a lot of rules out there that need to be adhered to.
Running a winning promotion requires:
- Reading, understanding and following Facebook’s promotional guidelines
- Selecting the right third-party software to create the application
- Targeting customers through a promotion with the same detail they’re targeted for products; i.e. catering to a niche’s need with a solution
- Creating an offer that’s enticing enough to not only get those likely to be interested to click-through and participate in the promotion, but also making it enticing enough to share
- Keeping your promotions sporadic and exclusive in order to give a true “sale” feeling to your company
- Ensuring that the promotion you’re running is very representative of your brand
You just cannot expect a promotion to be that miracle conversion-inducing step. You have to remain realistic; and realistically speaking, you should be able to see a spike in conversions if you’re offering an enticing promotion that meets the needs of your fan base. You should also see your numbers grow slowly as more people start to share your promotions with others. It will help build trust and engagement with your brand.
Why Brands Should Choose Facebook
So out of every social network you could choose from, why choose Facebook? Is it only because of the promotions you’ll be able to host from the site? Well, that’s certainly one of the reasons, but it’s far from the only reason to focus on this social networking giant.
You have to understand that Facebook is far and away the biggest and most popular social media site out there: a billion users, and they’re growing more every single day. The site also offers a mobile version of Facebook, which is great for your marketing efforts.
Facebook can act as the hub for all social media for your brand. By advertising on Facebook, you can post a wide range of promotional material, you can interweave your entire Internet presence, and compared to traditional advertising methods, social media marketing is a very low-cost way to get your message out there.
Even if you only wanted to use Facebook to hold promotions, it would still be worth it. But with so many great features on the site, you can build up a thorough following and leverage promotions in order to up your conversion rates significantly.
Author’s bio:
Eric Taylor works as a freelance writer and business developer for a Facebook ad tool – Qwaya. The company’s goal it to provide extensive information, tools and up-to-date news about social media marketing strategies, most specifically in Facebook.
Friday, April 12, 2013
Kmart will go viral with this commercial
I saw this today and predict a big viral hit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCGfgnU18yk
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Viral's Secret Formula
Viral's Secret Formula
April 09, 2013
Participants in a flashmob dance an improvised version of the Harlem Shake in front of the Berlin cathedral February 20, 2013Want to know why things go viral? Why some products get more word of mouth? Let me tell you a secret. It’s not luck.
Viral has become marketing’s Holy Grail. From the Harlem Shake to the Rutgers basketball coach abusing his players, hardly a week goes by without some video or news story going viral. And word of mouth and virality have a huge impact on businesses, large and small. Blender company Blendtec’s sales shot up more than 700% a few years ago after videos of the CEO blending things like iPhones spread like wildfire. But what makes something go viral?
If you ask most social media “gurus,” they’ll tell you it’s all about getting lucky. Viral isn’t a strategy, it’s like buying a lottery ticket. Or they’ll talk about cats. Lots of people share videos of funny kitties, so cats must be the reason things go viral.
All these theories are great, except, well, they’re not really backed up by anything. No data. No analytics. Just old fashioned guesses based on looking at a couple particularly noteworthy successes. It’s like the idea that the Earth was flat. It seemed right until someone actually looked deeper and showed, well…it wasn’t.
Virality isn’t luck. It’s not magic. And it’s not random. There’s a science behind why people talk and share. A recipe. A formula, even.
My colleagues and I have analyzed thousands of news articles and hundreds of brands, all to understand why some make the most emailed list or get more word of mouth. Again and again we found the same principles at work. Six key drivers that shape what people talk about and share.Those six principles are the basis of my new book, Contagious: Why Things Catch On, and the first principle is Social Currency.
New York City is a tough place to open a bar. Competition is fierce and it’s hard to cut through the clutter. There are dozens of options around every corner. But a few years ago Brian Shebairo launched a place that’s been packed since the day it opened. In fact, it’s one of the most sought after drink reservations in the city. Bookings are only available day-of and people frantically hit redial again and again hoping to snag a spot. Yet he’s never advertised the bar. Never spent a dollar on marketing.
How did Shebairo do it?
He hid his bar inside a hot dog restaurant.
Walk into Crif Dogs in the East Village, and you’ll find the most amazing hot dog menu you’ve ever seen. A Tsunami dog with pineapple and green onions, a Chihuahua dog with avocado and sour cream, and a Good Morning dog wrapped in bacon, smothered with cheese, and topped with a fried egg.
In one corner, off to the side, is an old-school phone booth. One of those rectangular numbers that Clark Kent used to morph into Superman. Walk inside and you’ll see a rotary dial phone on the wall. Pick up the phone, and just for fun, dial the number 1. Someone will pick-up the other line and ask you if you have a reservation. And if you do, the back of the phone booth will open and you’ll be let into a secret bar called, of all things, Please Don’t Tell.
Has Please Don’t Tell violated traditional “laws of marketing?” Sure. There is no sign on the street and no mention of it in the hot dog place. In fact, they’ve worked hard to make themselves a secret.
But there’s a funny thing about secrets. Think about the last time someone told you a secret. Told you not to tell another soul. What’s the first thing you did with that information?
You probably told someone else.
And the reason is something called Social Currency. People talk about things that make them look good. Sharp and in-the-know. Smart and funny rather than behind the times. If people go to a place like Please Don’t Tell, or even if they just hear about it, they tell others because it gives them status.
Social Currency isn’t just about hidden bars. It’s why people brag about their thousands of Twitter followers or their kids’ SAT scores. Why golfers boast about their handicaps and frequent fliers tell others when they get upgraded. McDonald’s used social currency to help the McRib sandwich take-off and RueLaLa used it to turn a struggling website into a $500M business.
Want to generate word of mouth? Get people talking about you? One way is to give them a way to look good. Make people feel special, or like insiders, and they’ll tell others—and spread word of mouth about you along the way.
Along with five other key principles (STEPPS: Social Currency, Triggers, Emotion, Public, Practical Value, and Stories), Social Currency is a sure fire way to generate buzz.
Will following these six principles guarantee that 10 million people spread your message? No. But it will increase the number of people who pass it on. Encourage people to tell two friends instead of just one. It’s like a batting average in baseball. No one hits a home run every time, but by understanding the science of hitting you can boost your average.
The next time someone tells you that going viral is about luck, politely tell them that there is a better way. Science. Word of mouth isn’t random and it’s not magic. By understanding why people talk and share, we can craft contagious content. And use it to get our own products and ideas to catch on.
Photo: John MacDougall/AFP/Getty Images
Jonah Berger is a Marketing professor at the Wharton School. Want to learn more about why things go viral? Check out his New York Times bestseller Contagious: Why Things Catch On. Follow Jonah below to stay up-to-date with his articles and updates!
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Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Nasty Gal Clothing Retailer
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/naughty-name-only-015034664.html
By NICOLE PERLROTH | New York Times – 12 hours ago
Naughty in Name Only
By NICOLE PERLROTH | New York Times – 12 hours ago- Monica Almeida/The New York Times - Nasty Gal is “the fastest-growing retailer in the country,” its founder, Sophia Amoruso, says.
LOS ANGELES — If ever there were a Cinderella of tech, Sophia Amoruso might be it.
In 2006, Ms. Amoruso was a 22-year-old community college dropout, living in her step-aunt’s cottage, working at an art school checking student IDs for $13 an hour. Then she started a side project, Nasty Gal, an eBay page that sold vintage women’s clothing.
Last year, Nasty Gal sold nearly $100 million of clothing and accessories — profitably.
For the last seven years, Ms. Amoruso has been courting a cult following of 20-something women. Nasty Gal has more than half a million followers on Facebook and more than 600,000 on Instagram. But it is not yet well known beyond that base. At fashion trade shows, the company’s name still gets strange looks.
“People say: ‘Nasty Gal? What’s that?’ ” Ms. Amoruso, now 28, said in an interview at her new headquarters in downtown Los Angeles. “I tell them, ‘It’s the fastest-growing retailer in the country.’ ”
Back in 2006, she toyed with the idea of going to photography school, but couldn’t stomach the debt. Instead, she quit her job and started an eBay page to sell some of the vintage designer items she found rummaging through Goodwill bins. She bought a Chanel jacket at a Salvation Army store for $8 and sold it for $1,000. She found Yves Saint Laurent clothing online on the cheap by Googling misspellings of the designer’s name, reasoning that anyone who didn’t know how to spell Yves Saint Laurent probably didn’t realize his value.
She styled, photographed, captioned and shipped each product herself and sold about 25 items a week. She named the eBay page “Nasty Gal” after the 1975 album by Betty Davis — not the smoky-eyed film star Bette Davis, but the unabashedly sexy funk singer and style icon Betty, whose brief marriage to the jazz legend Miles Davis inspired the song “Back Seat Betty.”
Ms. Amoruso curated her eBay page to match her own style, which on a recent rainy Friday included a floor-length trench coat, vintage rock T-shirt, no-nonsense bob and blood-red lipstick. Her look and attitude resonated with the type of young, body-confident women who would not be caught dead in Tory Burch.
She created a Myspace page to market Nasty Gal and garnered 60,000 “friends” by reaching out to fans of brands like Nylon, the music and fashion magazine, who she thought might appreciate Nasty Gal’s fierce aesthetic. Every week, her new finds ignited bidding wars among shoppers from Australia to Britain.
She began enlisting friends to model and photograph her products, which quickly outgrew her step-aunt’s cottage. She moved Nasty Gal’s headquarters to a 1,700-square-foot studio in Berkeley, Calif., in 2007, and eight months later moved again — this time to a 7,500-square-foot warehouse space in Emeryville.
Ms. Amoruso also outgrew eBay, which she said was a terrible platform to start a business. Competitors started flagging Nasty Gal for breaking the site’s rules by, for example, linking to Ms. Amoruso’s Myspace page. Fed up, she decided it was time to start ShopNastyGal.com. (At the time, NastyGal.com belonged to a pornography site. Nasty Gal now owns the domain.)
She recruited a friend from junior high school to build a Web site and taught herself to use Photoshop. She eventually abandoned Myspace for Facebook, where she tantalized fans with coming inventory, from cheap shrunken motorcycle jackets to high-end vintage Versace clothing.
She challenged her Facebook fans to come up with the best titles for vintage products and gave gift cards to the winners. She used models who were approachable and “looked like nice people, not dead people,” she said, and had to fire some when customers complained that they looked too skinny or annoyed.
That constant conversation with customers created a loyal following. Nasty Gal has no marketing team, but fans comment on its every Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr and Pinterest post and regularly post pictures of themselves in their Nasty Gal finds. A quarter of Nasty Gal’s 550,000 customers visit the site daily for six minutes; the top 10 percent return more than 100 times a month.
With Nasty Gal having made just shy of $100 million in revenue last year, analysts say they would expect a bigger audience.
“I would expect them to have a few million visitors a month,” said Sucharita Mulpuru, a Forrester analyst. On the flip side, Ms. Mulpuru said Nasty Gal’s conversion rate must be significantly higher than the industry standard of 3 percent. “It speaks to an engaged audience,” she said. “They’ve figured out the marketing tool. That’s the real story.”
Ms. Amoruso knew Nasty Gal couldn’t grow by selling one-off vintage items forever; customers were asking why she didn’t have more sizes. So in 2008, she posted an ad on Craigslist for a buying assistant and hired Christina Ferrucci, the first person who answered.
The two experimented with buying vintage-inspired clothes from vendors in Los Angeles’s fashion district. Soon, the items were selling so quickly that Ms. Amoruso and Ms. Ferrucci were making the six-hour drive to Los Angeles every other week.
They ventured to the Project trade show in Las Vegas, where fashion brands and buyers convene every August, but higher-end brands weren’t exactly thrilled at the idea of having their products sold by a brand called Nasty Gal. Many dismissed it as an online sex shop. The fact that the NastyGal.com domain was at that time still owned by a pornography site didn’t help matters.
Sam Edelman, the shoe brand, initially gave Ms. Amoruso the cold shoulder. She charged back an hour later, showed them Nasty Gal’s Web site on her iPhone and promised to deliver the brand some street cred. Sam Edelman acquiesced. That opened the door for a deal with Jeffrey Campbell, another shoemaker, which has become one of the most recognizable brands on the site. Nasty Gal fans will tell you Sophia Amoruso “made” Jeffrey Campbell, not the other way around.
A Jeffrey Campbell spokeswoman, Sharon Blackburn, said that the brand was well established before partnering with Ms. Amoruso, but that Nasty Gal created a new channel for its more provocative styles, like the “Lita,” a towering lace-up platform boot with a five-inch heel. “Not a lot of people got it, but Sophia loved it,” Ms. Blackburn said. “She bought it in every color and fabric, wore it herself and opened the door for other styles in our collection.”
By 2010, Nasty Gal started generating buzz among unlikely fans in Silicon Valley. Venture capital firms were pouring millions into e-commerce sites like ShoeDazzle.com, Kim Kardashian’s shoe subscription site, and BeachMint.
But the company had been making money from Day 1. “They would say, ‘We want to invest in a woman-owned business — it’s part of our investment thesis,’ ” Ms. Amoruso recalled of her discussions with several venture capitalists. Her retort: She didn’t want to be part of their “investment thesis” and didn’t need their money.
“I don’t think they got it,” she said. “It’s this bunch of guys sitting around saying, ‘Oh, yeah, let’s start a Web site and put Kim Kardashian’s face on it.’ ”
Ms. Amoruso moved Nasty Gal to Los Angeles in 2011, to be closer to her merchants and models. She shunned office space in Santa Monica, where ShoeDazzle and BeachMint are based, for less glamorous space downtown, where 20-something Nasty Gal employees in mesh crop tops, leggings and platform shoes stand out from the paralegals. (Shortly after the move, one employee was berated by a lawyer in the building who saw “Nasty Gal Creative Studio” and assumed it was a pornography studio.)
Last year, Ms. Amoruso, who had held on to 100 percent of her business, decided she was ready to hear what Sand Hill Road had to offer. She met with several venture capitalists but ultimately clicked with Danny Rimer, a partner at Index Ventures, who had invested in e-commerce sites like Net-a-Porter, Etsy and Asos.
In March, Ms. Amoruso agreed to give Index a slice of equity for $9 million. But by August, things were moving so quickly — Nasty Gal was on track to quadruple its 2011 sales to $128 million — that she raised an additional $40 million from Index and used some of it to build a 500,000-square-foot fulfillment center in Shepherdsville, Ky. Nasty Gal now attracts more than six million visits a month, while e-commerce start-ups like ShoeDazzle and BeachMint are losing customers and executives.
Bigger competitors are taking notes. Urban Outfitters recently contacted Ms. Amoruso about a potential acquisition, according to people briefed on the discussions. Asked about that, Ms. Amoruso said only, “We’re talking.”
Naysayers in Silicon Valley think she should consider the acquisition. Some venture capitalists who would not speak on the record — perhaps because they did not have the chance to invest — say Nasty Gal is playing on a short-term fashion trend that will be difficult to sustain on the public market.
“They’re the hot new thing, but I do think it’s risky,” said Ms. Mulpuru, the Forrester analyst. “With this type of hype, either they are looking for a big fat acquisition or a blockbuster I.P.O.”
Ms. Amoruso is hardly ignorant of the possibility that it could all fall apart. Nasty Gal’s motto is, “Nasty Gals do it better.” But her personal motto is, “Only the paranoid survive.”
At 16, Ms. Amoruso tattooed the Virgin Records logo on her arm. Last year, she enjoyed a small Cinderella moment when she got to show it to Richard Branson. She recently bought a Porsche — with cash — and is remodeling her dream home.
But, she said, the Cinderella story ends here. “It’s been very charmed, but I’m not willing to rest on my laurels,” she said. “It’s only going to get harder to keep building from here.”
In 2006, Ms. Amoruso was a 22-year-old community college dropout, living in her step-aunt’s cottage, working at an art school checking student IDs for $13 an hour. Then she started a side project, Nasty Gal, an eBay page that sold vintage women’s clothing.
Last year, Nasty Gal sold nearly $100 million of clothing and accessories — profitably.
For the last seven years, Ms. Amoruso has been courting a cult following of 20-something women. Nasty Gal has more than half a million followers on Facebook and more than 600,000 on Instagram. But it is not yet well known beyond that base. At fashion trade shows, the company’s name still gets strange looks.
“People say: ‘Nasty Gal? What’s that?’ ” Ms. Amoruso, now 28, said in an interview at her new headquarters in downtown Los Angeles. “I tell them, ‘It’s the fastest-growing retailer in the country.’ ”
Back in 2006, she toyed with the idea of going to photography school, but couldn’t stomach the debt. Instead, she quit her job and started an eBay page to sell some of the vintage designer items she found rummaging through Goodwill bins. She bought a Chanel jacket at a Salvation Army store for $8 and sold it for $1,000. She found Yves Saint Laurent clothing online on the cheap by Googling misspellings of the designer’s name, reasoning that anyone who didn’t know how to spell Yves Saint Laurent probably didn’t realize his value.
She styled, photographed, captioned and shipped each product herself and sold about 25 items a week. She named the eBay page “Nasty Gal” after the 1975 album by Betty Davis — not the smoky-eyed film star Bette Davis, but the unabashedly sexy funk singer and style icon Betty, whose brief marriage to the jazz legend Miles Davis inspired the song “Back Seat Betty.”
Ms. Amoruso curated her eBay page to match her own style, which on a recent rainy Friday included a floor-length trench coat, vintage rock T-shirt, no-nonsense bob and blood-red lipstick. Her look and attitude resonated with the type of young, body-confident women who would not be caught dead in Tory Burch.
She created a Myspace page to market Nasty Gal and garnered 60,000 “friends” by reaching out to fans of brands like Nylon, the music and fashion magazine, who she thought might appreciate Nasty Gal’s fierce aesthetic. Every week, her new finds ignited bidding wars among shoppers from Australia to Britain.
She began enlisting friends to model and photograph her products, which quickly outgrew her step-aunt’s cottage. She moved Nasty Gal’s headquarters to a 1,700-square-foot studio in Berkeley, Calif., in 2007, and eight months later moved again — this time to a 7,500-square-foot warehouse space in Emeryville.
Ms. Amoruso also outgrew eBay, which she said was a terrible platform to start a business. Competitors started flagging Nasty Gal for breaking the site’s rules by, for example, linking to Ms. Amoruso’s Myspace page. Fed up, she decided it was time to start ShopNastyGal.com. (At the time, NastyGal.com belonged to a pornography site. Nasty Gal now owns the domain.)
She recruited a friend from junior high school to build a Web site and taught herself to use Photoshop. She eventually abandoned Myspace for Facebook, where she tantalized fans with coming inventory, from cheap shrunken motorcycle jackets to high-end vintage Versace clothing.
She challenged her Facebook fans to come up with the best titles for vintage products and gave gift cards to the winners. She used models who were approachable and “looked like nice people, not dead people,” she said, and had to fire some when customers complained that they looked too skinny or annoyed.
That constant conversation with customers created a loyal following. Nasty Gal has no marketing team, but fans comment on its every Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr and Pinterest post and regularly post pictures of themselves in their Nasty Gal finds. A quarter of Nasty Gal’s 550,000 customers visit the site daily for six minutes; the top 10 percent return more than 100 times a month.
With Nasty Gal having made just shy of $100 million in revenue last year, analysts say they would expect a bigger audience.
“I would expect them to have a few million visitors a month,” said Sucharita Mulpuru, a Forrester analyst. On the flip side, Ms. Mulpuru said Nasty Gal’s conversion rate must be significantly higher than the industry standard of 3 percent. “It speaks to an engaged audience,” she said. “They’ve figured out the marketing tool. That’s the real story.”
Ms. Amoruso knew Nasty Gal couldn’t grow by selling one-off vintage items forever; customers were asking why she didn’t have more sizes. So in 2008, she posted an ad on Craigslist for a buying assistant and hired Christina Ferrucci, the first person who answered.
The two experimented with buying vintage-inspired clothes from vendors in Los Angeles’s fashion district. Soon, the items were selling so quickly that Ms. Amoruso and Ms. Ferrucci were making the six-hour drive to Los Angeles every other week.
They ventured to the Project trade show in Las Vegas, where fashion brands and buyers convene every August, but higher-end brands weren’t exactly thrilled at the idea of having their products sold by a brand called Nasty Gal. Many dismissed it as an online sex shop. The fact that the NastyGal.com domain was at that time still owned by a pornography site didn’t help matters.
Sam Edelman, the shoe brand, initially gave Ms. Amoruso the cold shoulder. She charged back an hour later, showed them Nasty Gal’s Web site on her iPhone and promised to deliver the brand some street cred. Sam Edelman acquiesced. That opened the door for a deal with Jeffrey Campbell, another shoemaker, which has become one of the most recognizable brands on the site. Nasty Gal fans will tell you Sophia Amoruso “made” Jeffrey Campbell, not the other way around.
A Jeffrey Campbell spokeswoman, Sharon Blackburn, said that the brand was well established before partnering with Ms. Amoruso, but that Nasty Gal created a new channel for its more provocative styles, like the “Lita,” a towering lace-up platform boot with a five-inch heel. “Not a lot of people got it, but Sophia loved it,” Ms. Blackburn said. “She bought it in every color and fabric, wore it herself and opened the door for other styles in our collection.”
By 2010, Nasty Gal started generating buzz among unlikely fans in Silicon Valley. Venture capital firms were pouring millions into e-commerce sites like ShoeDazzle.com, Kim Kardashian’s shoe subscription site, and BeachMint.
But the company had been making money from Day 1. “They would say, ‘We want to invest in a woman-owned business — it’s part of our investment thesis,’ ” Ms. Amoruso recalled of her discussions with several venture capitalists. Her retort: She didn’t want to be part of their “investment thesis” and didn’t need their money.
“I don’t think they got it,” she said. “It’s this bunch of guys sitting around saying, ‘Oh, yeah, let’s start a Web site and put Kim Kardashian’s face on it.’ ”
Ms. Amoruso moved Nasty Gal to Los Angeles in 2011, to be closer to her merchants and models. She shunned office space in Santa Monica, where ShoeDazzle and BeachMint are based, for less glamorous space downtown, where 20-something Nasty Gal employees in mesh crop tops, leggings and platform shoes stand out from the paralegals. (Shortly after the move, one employee was berated by a lawyer in the building who saw “Nasty Gal Creative Studio” and assumed it was a pornography studio.)
Last year, Ms. Amoruso, who had held on to 100 percent of her business, decided she was ready to hear what Sand Hill Road had to offer. She met with several venture capitalists but ultimately clicked with Danny Rimer, a partner at Index Ventures, who had invested in e-commerce sites like Net-a-Porter, Etsy and Asos.
In March, Ms. Amoruso agreed to give Index a slice of equity for $9 million. But by August, things were moving so quickly — Nasty Gal was on track to quadruple its 2011 sales to $128 million — that she raised an additional $40 million from Index and used some of it to build a 500,000-square-foot fulfillment center in Shepherdsville, Ky. Nasty Gal now attracts more than six million visits a month, while e-commerce start-ups like ShoeDazzle and BeachMint are losing customers and executives.
Bigger competitors are taking notes. Urban Outfitters recently contacted Ms. Amoruso about a potential acquisition, according to people briefed on the discussions. Asked about that, Ms. Amoruso said only, “We’re talking.”
Naysayers in Silicon Valley think she should consider the acquisition. Some venture capitalists who would not speak on the record — perhaps because they did not have the chance to invest — say Nasty Gal is playing on a short-term fashion trend that will be difficult to sustain on the public market.
“They’re the hot new thing, but I do think it’s risky,” said Ms. Mulpuru, the Forrester analyst. “With this type of hype, either they are looking for a big fat acquisition or a blockbuster I.P.O.”
Ms. Amoruso is hardly ignorant of the possibility that it could all fall apart. Nasty Gal’s motto is, “Nasty Gals do it better.” But her personal motto is, “Only the paranoid survive.”
At 16, Ms. Amoruso tattooed the Virgin Records logo on her arm. Last year, she enjoyed a small Cinderella moment when she got to show it to Richard Branson. She recently bought a Porsche — with cash — and is remodeling her dream home.
But, she said, the Cinderella story ends here. “It’s been very charmed, but I’m not willing to rest on my laurels,” she said. “It’s only going to get harder to keep building from here.”
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
5 Questions to Ask Your Social Media Consultant
5 Questions to Ask Your Social Media Consultant
Posted on 03.13.2013
A brand’s social media presence is only as effective as the person managing it.
This is why it is important for social media consultants to not only be well versed in content posting strategies, but also familiar with important metrics that can be used to measure a brand’s social success.
That being said, every social media consultant is different. One person may measure success by the number of followers a brand has, while another might measure success based on fan interactions. This is why it is important for business owners and social consultants to be on the same page with their social media strategies. In fact, by having the same goals and expectations, teams can work together to optimize social strategies in order to obtain better metrics and a better overall ROI.
So whether you already employ a social media consultant or are looking to hire one in the near feature, consider asking the following questions so that you can be assured that you are both working toward the same goals:
1. How do we measure engagement?
Every business wants to post “engaging” content, but how your social consultant measures the engagement of that content is what really matters. For example, do they weigh certain interactions, like “shares”, more heavily than an interaction such as a “like"? Knowing the answer to this question will help you get a better understanding of what your engagement score means and how your content is resonating with your audience.2. Are we measuring conversions?
Measuring conversions on social media can be tricky, which is why it is important to know if and how your social media consultant is tracking this metric. Moreover, this metric can show brands which social network contains the majority of customers that are likely to convert. By knowing this, brands can increase conversions by launching exclusive promotions on that network.3. What type of content receives the most interactions?
While the answer to this question may vary by network, this is an important question to ask because it can help teams optimize their content production strategies. For example, if videos receive more shares than other content types, then the brand’s social media consultant should relay that information to the content production team. By doing this, the content team can focus more of their time on producing videos and not as much time on producing less influential types of content.4. How do our follower numbers compare to our competition’s follower numbers?
A social media consultant’s job is not to only manage and monitor your social accounts, but also to monitor the social accounts of your brand’s competitors. By doing this, the consultant can gain insights into the content and promotion strategies of these brands and collaborate with your team for ways to stay ahead of the competition.5. What tools do we use to measure our social success?
Most social networks have some type of analytics offering, however, the ’Net is full of robust tools that can provide even further insights into your brand's social success. By discussing which tools are being leveraged, you will be able to make sure that none of your brand's valuable metrics is going to waste.Thursday, February 21, 2013
Tennis Player Quits over Cyber-Bullying
Rebecca Marino quits tennis because of bullying on social media
By Shane Bacon | Busted Racquet – 7 hours ago
Rebecca Marino — Getty ImagesThink
back to those days as kids when you were standing on a basketball court
or a putting green or a tennis court day-dreaming about what it would
be like to one day be a professional. A kid's mind wonders to Fenway or
Augusta or Wimbledon, creating a fantasy world where you are the person
everyone is watching and rooting for and that shot you take or that putt
you hit is somehow superimposed on that huge stage.Meet Rebecca Marino, a 22-year-old Canadian tennis player who has been ranked as high as 38th in the world in women's professional tennis. Marino has a 150-107 record in her WTA career, with no wins and one runner-up back in 2011. This week, Marino announced that she would be retiring from professional tennis because she was struggling with all the online abuse she was getting from "fans" that berated her on social media.
[Also: Andy Roddick rises in tennis rankings despite retirement]
Marino admitted during a conference call this week announcing her retirement that she has been battling depression for over six years and all the negative energy from the social media outlets just pushed her into a darker place instead of improving her outlook on life.
“Social media has also taken its toll on me," Marino said, saying that she would receive numerous tweets that tell her to "go die" and "go burn in hell" and even scold her for costing her money if people had bet on her during certain matches.
Basically Marino admitted that tennis wasn't fun for her anymore, and there is no point to continue something, even at such a high level, if it isn't fun.
I feel for people like Marino. Anyone in any public position is going to get flak from random people on the Internet (heck, even us writers get hundreds of comments on certain stories calling us out for being "idiots") and while some people can just brush it off, there is a large group of people that see that stuff and have a hard time looking past it. Imagine if you just lost some big match and the first thing you see is people scolding you and telling you to die? That wouldn't exactly be the warming blanket you were hoping for.
Sadly, this is the world we live in. It's almost too easy to get after someone on the Internet these days without any repercussions, and while a lot of people wish there was something that could change this, there simply isn't. Marino is making a life change for the better, and whatever she decides to do I hope it makes her life easier and less stressful and maybe she will find that love for tennis again somewhere down the road.
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Exploring White Label SEO Solutions
Exploring White Label SEO Solutions
Posted on 02.19.2013
A business typically uses a white label software solution to offer its customers a service (or services) it may not have the internal resources to provide on its own. These solutions allow the company to provide additional functionality or resources while using its own unique branding, rather than the name and logo of the company that developed the software.
For Internet marketers and SEO professionals, using white label software can free them up to shift their focus toward other important business aspects. In other words, this software does the vast majority of the SEO work. Thus, these solutions level the playing field for marketers, because despite how much experience they may or may not have with professional search engine optimization, they'll be able to find a solution that will fit their needs. And since this software is white label, it ensures that the results appear, to the marketer's clients, to be coming from an in-house team.
So, if you’re in the market for while label SEO software, check out the following round-up of some of the best solutions available today.
Raven Tools
Technically, Raven Tools is a “marketing platform” that offers a variety of white label SEO tools. These include SEO management, research and keyword targeting, competitor analysis and the ability to research, organize and monitor link-building efforts with ease.
6Qube
The private label SEO software from 6Qube was designed specifically for companies using platforms like WordPress, Drupal, Joomla or manual development to offer their marketing services. It comes with source code-level white labeling capabilities, call tracking and recording, lead tracking and management and detailed analytics reporting.
SheerSEO
SEO pros can use SheerSEO to track their rankings on Google, Yahoo and Bing, track the Google PageRank of multiple pages over time, estimate potential traffic, use Google Analytics, check keyword density on select Web pages, submit sites to multiple Web directories and much more. The solution will even gather a list of a site’s main referring links, including page URL, page rank and link text.
WebCEO
WebCEO's white label SEO software comes with a full suite of SEO tools, including a rank checker, backlink checker, website auditor and an online keyword tool, in addition to a number of DIY features for keyword research, SEO and link building.
My SEO Tool
There’s no confusion in the name of this 100 percent white label SEO client management platform, which comes complete with SEO ranking, Google Analytics integration, social media tools and AdWords API integration. It also offers the ability to work with 10 to an unlimited number of websites (based on the package you select), 500-5000 keywords and 10,000-300,000 monitored backlinks.
BrightLocal
BrightLocal enables its white label partners to create a profile, add their logos, colors and unique text to their SEO solution, and customize all of their SEO reports. This means they can take advantage of BrightLocal’s suite of local SEO tools that help companies audit and track their search engine ranking performance, utilize the Google+ Local Wizard tool and stay tuned into the needs and concerns of their clients’ customers with the ReviewBiz feature.
Agency Platform
Professional marketers can take advantage of Agency Platform’s white label SEO solutions, which include SEO, SEO reseller, local SEO and PPC services, which offer a user dashboard, SEO KPI reports, SEO and PPC audits, reputation monitoring, social media management, weekly SEO alerts and the ability to manage unlimited accounts.
Friday, February 15, 2013
Black Hat vs. White Hat Social Media Marketing
Black Hat vs. White Hat Social Media Marketing
Posted on 02.13.2013
When it comes to social media marketing, there is a long list of best practices and worst practices that brand managers should be aware of.
Sometimes the lines of good and bad get blurry, and even though a brand might simply be trying to improve its follower or engagement metrics, it could be crossing over to the slippery slope of using black hat tactics.
Black hat tactics go against both the written and unwritten rules of social media. These tactics game the system in order to achieve better results. While some black hat tactics are clearly underhanded and easy to identify, other tactics are better disguised and are leveraged by thousands of brands on a daily basis, many times unintentionally. Read below to discover more about five black hat strategies, along with ways to clean up these tactics.
Black Hat: Buying your Audience
This is an obvious black hat practice, and it really makes no sense. While there are many available services that make it simple for someone to purchase fans or followers, this tactic has little-to-no value. Sure popularity is nice, but you shouldn’t have to pay for it. Not only can this practice damage your brand’s reputation with real fans and followers (if they find out), but chances are that these mysterious new audience members probably don’t care much about what your brand has to say. Moreover, purchased fans and followers could contain spammers and hackers, which have the potential to cause a whole lot of problems for your brand and its real audience.White Hat: Growing your Audience
The best way to grow your audience is with a variety of engaging content. This includes informative posts, images, videos, promotions, polls and any other type of interactive status update that grabs audience attention. Once this type of content is being created on a regular basis, social media managers should also consider either advertising on social networks or promoting their content so that more people can see it, which can be done on both Facebook and Twitter. These strategies spread the word about a brand’s social profiles, which helps increase real fan and follower numbers.Black Hat: Running Facebook Promotions Directly on a Page
This is an example of where the lines between black hat and white hat get blurry. Although many brands run promotions on Facebook on a regular basis, only the brands who are running these promotions within Apps on Facebook.com are actually complying with the Facebook Pages Terms.White Hat: Running Legit Promotions
The Facebook Pages Terms make it clear that promotions must be administered within Apps, either on a Canvas Page or a Page App. However, social managers should also note some of the social network’s other promotion rules, such as acknowledging that promotions are not endorsed or sponsored by Facebook, disclosing who is collecting each participants’ information, as well as not using Facebook functions (such as likes, comments or check-ins) as valid actions for entries into a contest or promotion.Black Hat: Spamming for Traffic
Another obvious black hat tactic is spamming for traffic. Most of us have witnessed social spammers, who tend to comment on popular posts and tweets with a random message in addition to a strange link. While most of you reading this article know better than to click on these spammy links, others don’t, which is why this shady tactic continues.White Hat: Posting for Traffic
The best way to fight against spammers is to report them, but this doesn’t solve the dilemma of how brands can obtain more traffic to their sites via the social Web. Aside from posting intriguing content, another way brands can boost their visibility (and therefore direct traffic to their sites) is by participating in conversations on trending topics, which is most easily done on Twitter. By using a relevant hashtag in your post, Twitter users who are also using that hashtag to tweet will be more likely to see and interact with your brand and its updates.Black Hat: Corrupt Cover Photos
Facebook cover photos are meant to be a representation of your brand, but some brands leverage this area to promote sales or encourage engagement. The Facebook Page Terms, however, clearly labels these tactics as prohibited. In fact, covers images cannot be made up of more than 20 percent text, include price or purchase information, contain website, email or mailing addresses, have references to Facebook actions or other call-to-actions.White Hat: Innovative Cover Photos
If you are determined to use your cover photo to promote a new service or product, try to use a little imagination in order to not breach the Facebook Pages Terms. Taco Bell is an example of one brand that has successfully accomplished this task. The popular fast food restaurant updated its cover photo this morning to promote the company’s new Cool Ranch Doritos Locos Tacos. While the cover photo definitely gets to the point, it also complies with cover photo guidelines by not including too much text, a call-to-action or pricing information.
Black Hat: Sneaky Automation
Using automated services for social media campaigns is another place where the lines between black and white hat get blurry. While these services can make life much easier for social media managers, they can also be major annoyances when used in the wrong way. An example of a bad use of automation is when brands send out generic messages to new followers and fans thanking them for becoming an audience member. While this practice isn’t necessarily “bad” when used as stated above, some brands take the thank you message a step further by asking their new fans to take an immediate action in engaging with the brand by adding a link to their website, a product or additional social profile within the message. While this might not bother some audience members, it can come off as pushy and turn others away.White Hat: Automation to Help Save Time
Automation tools should be used to help brands make the posting process less time consuming. Although service like IFTTT can make some social media management tasks easier, brands should remember that interactions with fans and followers should come off as authentic, and not from a robot.Thursday, February 14, 2013
Pin it to Win it!
Pin It to Win It
Brands Discover Pinterest
by Sam McMillan
Hit the Pinterest homepage at Pinterest.com and it’s hard to see what all the fuss is about. At first glance it looks like a highly-caffeinated editorial meeting for Us magazine. Images of cupcakes, beefcake, celebrities and inspirational sayings abound. And recipes. Lots of recipes. Call it food porn.
So why are brands as diverse as Whole Foods’ Whole Planet Foundation and fashion forward shopping site Rue La La clamoring to get their boards on Pinterest?
Well, the numbers don’t lie. In a few short months Pinterest has climbed the ranks of the top-trafficked sites, joining Facebook, Amazon and Wikipedia, to become a search engine that rivals Google—and drawn over 20 million unique visitors in the US, who looked at 1.5 billion page views in one month. Stats like that get the attention of brands who want to reach customers, build loyalty, and foster engagement. But it’s Pinterest’s ability to drive sales by enabling a visitor to click through an image, and go directly to an e-commerce website, that has marketers stampeding.
SHOW DON’T SHOUT
Lisa Weser, senior director of brand communications at Anheuser-Busch, discovered Pinterest two years ago, “When you had to request an invitation to join,” she says. “I knew it was going to be big when I spent two hours on the site in a single visit.” Since that time, Weser has become a passionate advocate for the site. Pinterest users are an ideal brand demographic Weser explains. “They are overwhelmingly affluent, educated and female. They represent a desirable demographic when it comes to purchasing power and influence.”
To speak to their audience on Pinterest, brands must learn to lower the volume. “Audiences are exhausted from the non-stop chatter of Twitter and Facebook postings,” Weser believes. Pinterest represents a societal shift toward a preference for visual storytelling that enables brands to show without shouting.
It’s a more quiet medium Weser thinks, and it facilitates an experience that’s akin to leisurely flipping through a magazine. In addition to the enviable demographics Pinterest delivers, a recent report from Digital Trends indicates that the average time pinners spend on Pinterest is over an hour. Combine that with the organic pin and share mechanism built into Pinterest boards that connects consumers to brands (and their e-commerce sites) and it’s no wonder that, in Weser’s words, “Every brand wants to reach them.”
http://www.commarts.com/columns/pin-win-it.html
Brands Discover Pinterest
by Sam McMillan
Hit the Pinterest homepage at Pinterest.com and it’s hard to see what all the fuss is about. At first glance it looks like a highly-caffeinated editorial meeting for Us magazine. Images of cupcakes, beefcake, celebrities and inspirational sayings abound. And recipes. Lots of recipes. Call it food porn.
So why are brands as diverse as Whole Foods’ Whole Planet Foundation and fashion forward shopping site Rue La La clamoring to get their boards on Pinterest?
Well, the numbers don’t lie. In a few short months Pinterest has climbed the ranks of the top-trafficked sites, joining Facebook, Amazon and Wikipedia, to become a search engine that rivals Google—and drawn over 20 million unique visitors in the US, who looked at 1.5 billion page views in one month. Stats like that get the attention of brands who want to reach customers, build loyalty, and foster engagement. But it’s Pinterest’s ability to drive sales by enabling a visitor to click through an image, and go directly to an e-commerce website, that has marketers stampeding.
SHOW DON’T SHOUT
Lisa Weser, senior director of brand communications at Anheuser-Busch, discovered Pinterest two years ago, “When you had to request an invitation to join,” she says. “I knew it was going to be big when I spent two hours on the site in a single visit.” Since that time, Weser has become a passionate advocate for the site. Pinterest users are an ideal brand demographic Weser explains. “They are overwhelmingly affluent, educated and female. They represent a desirable demographic when it comes to purchasing power and influence.”
To speak to their audience on Pinterest, brands must learn to lower the volume. “Audiences are exhausted from the non-stop chatter of Twitter and Facebook postings,” Weser believes. Pinterest represents a societal shift toward a preference for visual storytelling that enables brands to show without shouting.
It’s a more quiet medium Weser thinks, and it facilitates an experience that’s akin to leisurely flipping through a magazine. In addition to the enviable demographics Pinterest delivers, a recent report from Digital Trends indicates that the average time pinners spend on Pinterest is over an hour. Combine that with the organic pin and share mechanism built into Pinterest boards that connects consumers to brands (and their e-commerce sites) and it’s no wonder that, in Weser’s words, “Every brand wants to reach them.”
http://www.commarts.com/columns/pin-win-it.html
Friday, February 8, 2013
Content Marketing Without a Blog
It’s no secret that content marketing has a phenomenal ROI (the statistics only seem to get better with each passing year). In fact, Kapost and Eloqua recently produced an eBook on the ROI of content marketing in which they stated that per dollar content marketing produces three times the number of leads as compared to traditional marketing.
Unfortunately, many businesses have shied away from content marketing, mistaking the term for a synonym of “blogging,” which is not the end-all-be-all of content marketing. In fact, I can think of seven ways you can do content marketing without a blog…
Vlog
Not much for writing, but love talking? Share your experience and knowledge through a vlog series on YouTube, and promote it through your Twitter and Facebook page. Trust me, this works. If you need any evidence, allow me to point you to the wildly successful "Will It Blend?" campaign by Blendetc.
Podcast
You aren’t much for appearing on camera either. That’s fine – go the route of the podcast. Interview experts in your industry, or just take 10 minutes to address your customers’ frequently asked questions. The podcast is still a viable form of content marketing. Plus, it’s the only non-visual form on this list.
Facebook & Twitter
It almost goes without saying that Facebook and Twitter are great ways to drive a content marketing strategy, but don’t take my word for it. 76 percent of businesses are using social networking for business objectives.
Infographics
Are you in an industry that loves statistics and facts? (Hint – the answer is a resolute ‘yes’.) Put the right amount of creativity and effort into it, and you can have an infographic that goes viral. Seriously, any business can leverage an infographic to their advantage. As an example, take Brilliance, a jeweler whose “Kardashian Wedding vs. Average Wedding” infographic went viral in 2011. The infographic brought in thousands of visitors to the company’s website because it was well done and interesting.
Whitepapers
So, I said I have seven strategies that avoid blogging, but not writing. If you’re a B2B company, then a white paper could be just the thing you need to widen your reach and generate hundreds of new leads. If there’s no one in your company capable of writing a rock-solid white paper, then it’s worth budgeting some cash to pay a professional to do the job. A half-baked white paper receives the same critical acclaim that a half-baked research paper earned you in high school. Back then, it was a C+. Today, it’s money down the drain.
Knowledge Bank
You can approach the Knowledge Bank strategy in one of these two ways (or both): your bank could be an organized index to all of the resources on your website, and/or it could serve as a roundup of the web’s “Best of the Best.” Either way, the point is to make valuable information organized and easy to find.
Pinterest & Instagram
At the end of Aug. 2012, the Los Angeles Times described Pinterest and Instagram’s growth as “meteoric,” citing a 2,183 percent growth over the course of one year for Pinterest. Instagram has performed remarkably well, too. From July 2011 to July 2012, monthly traffic increased from 56,360 to 12 million. On Thanksgiving Day 2012, Instagram users shared a jaw-dropping 10 million photos. If your product or service has a visual draw, then sign up with these sites today.
The Bonus
There are many benefits of doing content marketing with a blog. According to the 2012 Digital Content Marketing Survey, blogging is the second-most utilized form of Web content (75 percent), right behind social media (90 percent). Also, the best results come from social media content, e-newsletters and blogs.
Though we’re still waiting on the 2013 Survey, I’d be surprised if the blog isn’t holding steady.
About the Author
Amie Marse, is the founder and managing partner of Content Equals Money, a content writing service for agencies and Web-based clients.
http://www.websitemagazine.com/content/blogs/posts/archive/2013/02/08/Content-Marketing-Without-a-Blog.aspx?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter
Saturday, February 2, 2013
Search, Social, or Both?
Search, Social, or Both?
Posted on 02.01.2013
WM: What role does the real-time Web play in digital success today? What “basics” of a real-time strategy can you share with WM readers?
RG: A real-time marketing presence is the new optimization, and the crux of social customer relationship management. Over the last 3 years, consumers have become almost totally networked in the United States and Europe, and these individual Internet users are comfortable interacting fluidly, and “highly addressable” by businesses. When they act fluidly and in-the-moment, they expect businesses to do the same. Real-time marketing is not a new concept, and was first written about by Regis McKenna back in 1995, and touted by many other brilliant marketers at the time. The Internet has always been real-time, but the difference between now in then is that real-time is now a daily reality for marketers. Real-time requires a human presence – an ubiquitous digital existence, if you will – in addition to a technical presence. Being present in real-time doesn’t mean that marketers should go about in a harried manner, but rather that they are prepared and simply present. Being present is the new optimization, and will guarantee more visibility in search and social spaces than a passive approach.WM: If you were to advise WM readers on one metric/measurement to determine a combined search/social success, what would it be?
RG: If a robust content, SEO, and social strategies are in place, I would recommend looking at the network reach of your efforts. This is found in a variety of ways in different social networks (Ripples in G+, network reach in Facebook, retweets in Twitter, etc.). The core of this philosophy is to get out of the “one-to-many” approach to communication, and extending it to “many-to-many.” Network reach metrics help you gain a sense of how your efforts are working.Read more:
http://www.websitemagazine.com/content/blogs/posts/archive/2013/02/01/search-social-or-both.aspx?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter
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