Monday, October 29, 2007
Test Blog
Ok, so I have no idea what I am doing or what I am actually supposed to do here. This is the very first blog I have ever written, read, thought about, looked at or attempted. Let me know your thoughts on blogging in general and how you use blogs in your life. I am curious to see where this goes!
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2 comments:
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Tracy,
FYI, from my CT Business Magazine Dec ’07 article:
How a Blog and Podcast can Build Your Business.
If you’re involved with a business you know how challenging it is to stay on top of a competitive marketplace. You may also know how challenging it is to stay on top of a constantly evolving Internet. With that in mind, few things in recent months have generated more buzz than blogs and podcasts. And, maybe you know all about them. But, if you don’t or aren’t sure how they can help your business, this article’s for you.
What Are They?
For the uninitiated, a blog (short for ‘web log’) is a website formatted as an on-going log or diary of text entries posted by the creator or “blogger”. Unlike traditional websites, blog technology allows users to easily create a web site and then easily add content (text, mostly) without knowing html coding. There are literally millions of blogs on virtually every topic, from a teenager’s social diary to a CEO’s cutting edge industry insights.
Though more complex to create, a podcast is essentially an audio or video version of that. The podcast (.mp3 file) can be played on your computer or downloaded to your iPod (or similar mobile mp3 player). About 90% of podcasts are audio, talk-show-type formats. The ability to download a podcast on any topic, and listen to it any where, any time, is what makes podcasting so cool. To find a podcast, simply Google the desired subject matter followed by the word “podcast.” Or, if you have iTunes you can visit the podcast directory. So, having a podcast is like having your own radio show. How fun is that. With my podcast, The Marketing Show, (www.themarketingshow.net) I get to interview the most interesting, successful business owners while building my brand as a marketing expert.
Contrary to what you may assume podcasts aren’t just created by young, geeky, small business owners. (I’m 53 and have never worn a pocket protector.) Here’s what ADWEEK had to say about podcasts in March ’06:
“Once solely the domain of smalltime content producers, podcasts are increasingly being embraced by traditional media players. Brands like Volvo, Toyota and Honda are sponsoring podcasts. And since podcasting is positioned to deliver highly specialized content to niche groups, all sorts of advertisers are likely to tap into the medium. Podcasting is poised to grow exponentially through the end of the current decade.”
For more on podcasting, you can read: “10 Ways a Podcast can Build Your Business” from my blog, The Follis Marketing Report (www.thefollisreport.com)
One thing that applies to both blogs and podcasts is something called “RSS” feeds. If you find a blog or podcast you like, the feed enables you to receive new postings automatically via your email. It’s like subscribing for free with a mouse click. It’s also a way that blogs and podcasts can generate a community of followers in a way that traditional websites can’t. As Bill Gates put it in a speech at the 2004 Microsoft Summit:
“…if you just put information on a Web site, and then people don't know to come visit that Web site, it's very painful to keep visiting somebody's Web site. [Blogs & RSS] is about solving that.”
The key factors in having an effective blog and podcast are writing skills, speaking and interviewing skills (for podcasts), and production and editing skill (again for podcasts). Keep in mind that a blog or podcast that sounds unprofessional can do as much to hurt your image as help. In both cases something created with a little professional marketing perspective can also make the difference between one that helps your business, or doesn’t.
But done well, there has never been an easier, faster, cheaper, broader, or cooler way to create and share information about your business, product, service, institution, organization or cause. If you appreciate “word-of-mouth”, then blogs and podcasts are word-of-mouth on steroids.
History and Explosive Growth.
Blogging began in the late ‘90’s but started building steam in the last presidential election via pundits and independent reporters. Podcasting found its way to the mainstream about the same time through former MTV VJ Adam Curry (“The Podfather). Since then businesses have jumped on the blog/podcast bandwagon in a big way. Technorati, the online index to over 94 million blogs, estimates that over 100,000 blogs are created daily.
Podcast growth is exploding also. Researchers at the Diffusion Group predict that the U.S. podcast audience will climb from 840,000 in July ‘05 to 56 million by 2010. And, where there’s new media, there’s new advertising. According to MarketingVOX, “Combined blog, podcast and RSS ad spending, by the end of 2005, totaled $20.4 million…a 198.4 percent increase over the 2004 levels ...” It adds that, “Total spending on user-generated online media is forecast to grow at a compound annual rate of 106.1 percent from 2005 to 2010, reaching $757.0 million in 2010.”
Cost.
Most blog creation sites (blogger.com, typepad.com, etc) are inexpensive or free and offer set-up tutorials. Same with podcast sites like audioblog.com. So, if you’re ambitious -- and willing to invest the time -- you can try setting up a blog or podcast yourself. If so, start with a blog which takes much less effort. However, since your time is money (and it does get a tad techie) it may make more sense to invest in outside expertise. Regarding the cost of use, 99% are free.
The New Credibilty.
In this what-to-believe, how-do-we-grow-our-business-world more than ever it comes down to credibility. How do we create it? Is there a Good Housekeeping Seal of the 21st century? To an expanding web-savvy business world blogging and podcasting are the answers.
To truly appreciate the blogging/podcasting phenomenon and how it relates to your business you must appreciate the evolving Internet and how it continues to dramatically reshape the business world. This “Web 2.0” evolution is reflected in the annual reporting by ADWEEK regarding where advertisers spend their dollars. What ADWEEK reported was that, while traditional media (TV, radio, newspapers, etc) has been relatively stagnant, online spending is up 35 percent. And it’s showing no signs of slowing.
From a broader perspective this exploding culture-changing web migration is not unlike the exploding culture-changing immigration that took place in America 100 years ago, and 400 years ago. If you picture the Internet the way ancient explorers pictured The New World 400 years ago, then blogs and podcasts are like Web colonies. They are way for any business, regardless of size, to claim cyber-real estate and build their online brand. And, in so doing, they grow their influence and credibility. As the Internet continues to mature, online visibility will continue to equate to credibility on every level -- whatever your business.
Got G-Cred?
Unless you’re a senior citizen still relying on the phone book or Encyclopedia for answers, you’re using Google. Conversely, if you’re selling something you’ll want to be as Google-friendly as possible. Businesses can pay for that Google-friendly visibility, and many do. However, through blogs and podcasts you can increase your Google visibility without paying for it. Because the more online content you create (blog posts, etc), the more naturally Google-friendly you’ll be. By being inherently word-heavy, blogs provide a natural home for the all-important “key words” that Google, and all search engines, seek. And, the more regularly you post, the more you’ll alert the search engines.
In 2005, I coined a word for this “Google-visibility” concept. It’s called “G-Cred” and here’s how it’s defined in the online encyclopedia Wikipedia:
G-cred (n.): Google credibility. What someone sees when they Google your name, business, product, organization or whatever. It's an increasingly important measure of legitimacy and how seriously someone will take you.
If “Street Cred” was the cred of the last few years, “G-Cred” is the cred of the next decade. In her new book, The Credibility Factor, communication strategist Jennifer McLean explains it this way:
"While there are multiple forms of credibility found within a company or product, Google is playing an increasingly important role in the perception puzzle. The bottom line is that credibility fosters trust and Google is here to stay as a measure of that credibility."
Are You Serious About Your Business?
Having just said all this good stuff about blogs and podcasts, I must also say what they won’t do. They won’t act as a magic bullet. A successful marketing effort for your business involves a customized integrated marketing plan that takes into consideration all the factors that relate to your specific business and industry. If you’re serious about growing your business you’ll want to read that sentence again.
If you don’t know, an Integrated Marketing Plan is an interconnected combination of your:
• Corporate ID (logo, tagline, stationary, packaging, signage, etc)
• Website (that you’re actually proud of)
• SEO (Search Engine Optimization) which get people to your website.
• Advertising (if, where and when it makes sense)
• PR (if, where and when it makes sense)
• Direct marketing (if and when needed)
• Collateral (brochures, flyers, annual reports, sales kits, etc)
• Sales initiatives (meetings, trade shows, talks, presentations, special events, etc)
• Internet marketing (email initiatives, banners, hot links, blogs, podcasts, etc)
If you have an internal marketing department hopefully they’ve put together an effective working plan possibly with the help of an outside marketing firm or ad agency. If not, I suggest therapy.
Marketing TherapyTM is the name for a special program we offer any business that realizes the need for outside marketing help but doesn’t have a huge marketing budget. We offer various MT plans and, over the years, have helped businesses in all industries from around the country. For more info, visit: www.follisinc.com/therapy
The bottom line is that it’s important to know about, and take advantage of, anything that can help inform your prospects and get them excited. So, rather than ask “Why have a blog or podcast?”, the better question is, “Why not?”
© 2007 John Follis. All rights reserved.
John Follis heads up a marketing and advertising agency follisinc.com, authors a blog: TheFollisReport.com,
and hosts a podcast: TheMarketingShow.net. He is also a nationally published writer and nationally requested speaker. He can be reached at john@follisinc.com
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