The Business Blog: It’s Viable

by | Oct 23, 2014 | Communications, Latest, Social Media

How necessary is a business blog in today’s marketing arsenal? The “blog” is now a viable platform for communication and is becoming a significant part of the social media channel that is merging with what we now coin as content marketing. Couple that very real concept with the ever-changing Google search optimization criteria and you can’t help but acknowledge from any business perspective, the strength and necessity of content creation and its proper distribution.

The blog, which started out as the writing of random thoughts or musings in the hopes of connecting with like minded individuals and even became the focal part in the movie Julie Julia, is now being touted as the next “thing” for marketing to embrace. This forum of self expression has now become an important part of business marketing and communications. Like it or not, the business blog is here to stay.

There’s much ado about blogging and how business can utilize it as part of their marketing initiatives. Business professionals at the corporate level and entrepreneurs alike are all talking about it. Google is making blogging increasingly important criteria for business to ‘get found’. Even with the termination of Google authorship, Google still allocates considerable weight to content, its validity and its credibility when scoring for SEO ranking.

There exists a level of apprehension about the business blog.

Perhaps the essence of the word “blog” may be responsible for this way of thinking. Merriam-Webster dictionary defines it as follows: Blog – a Web site on which someone writes about personal opinions, activities, and experiences. I think a better way of looking at blogging and what it can mean to business and brand is that it can provide “a group of like-minded individuals” content that is relevant to them and for them. This content can be in the form of photos, video or just copy and  can cover a wide array of information such as tips and hints, how-tos, DIY endeavours and recipes, just to name a few. This isn’t anything new. In fact, the strategy of providing information that is not directly associated with brand or business is a marketing strategy that has been around for many years – decades actually.

Blogging isn’t just about musings any more. The business blog has come along and has evolved this type of communications into something very viable. To take a well coined quote Jean Luc Picard from Star Trek and modify it a tad… “The blog: To resist is futile”.

Have you taken to creating your business blog? If so, how have you utilized this marketing tool and what have been the results? Please share them here.

Developing Brand Friendships

by | Oct 20, 2014 | Branding, Latest, Social Media

What are Brand friendships?

Okay, I admit it, I’ve coined that term. But if you think about all that is being talked about in Social Media, brand friendship is really where it’s at. All the articles and blogs speak to the elements of engagement and ultimately it all adds up to viewers becoming friends with their brands. So what are the elements that brands need to implement in social media that make viewers want to become their friends? Here are a few basics in the development of brand friendships:

1) No one wants to be friends with someone who always wants something from you… the same applies for a brand friendship. Building a relationship with niche audiences isn’t going to go very well, if all your content speaks to brand only. You need to be helpful and a brand needs to speak to the concerns of it niche market, and yes sometimes it has to go “off” scope to provide some context. No one wants to be friends with someone who always wants something from you….the same applies toward brand friendships.

2) Not many people appreciate unpredictability in their friends, or at least someone they can’t really read… so why would they want to have that with their brand friendships? Develop a tone. Be engaging. Be social. Keep your voice to your content, whether it’s a Facebook post, a video on YouTube, an Instagram picture, tweet of a blog post, your message  must be carried in the same way. Think of the brand as a person. A person may have many ways of expressing themselves…sometimes happy, upbeat or at times serious or sad…regardless of tone the content should remain consistent.

3) Being a good friend takes effort… from both parties. The premise here is that brand lives within a market, an environment. It shares that environment with its niche market and therefore, must be sensitive to their values, attitudes and viewpoints. So if there is a concern or a public outcry that has relevancy to the niche market, the brand must participate. Communication must be authentic, engaging and ring true. No one wants to be friends with someone that doesn’t evolve and makes no effort to take the relationship to a new level.

4) Don’t be a wallflower. If you’re only going to show up at the party and not engage…well then you provide no value… and really you aren’t working on developing friendships. Whether it’s enjoyment, knowledge or just simply inspiration, make sure that there is value in what you are bringing up. Brands need to offer up entertainment, information and value. There are many ways to do this, so just don’t pick one way, always. Variety is necessary to keep your friendships constantly growing.

5) No shows… are a no-no! You know how some friends are there and then they are not. Well that’s not cool. From a person or from a brand. Being present, being timely and being mindful is a must. Viewers that have decided to let you in their circle must be respected in kind.

These are only a few tips on developing brand relationships. I’d like to hear on how you’ve cultivated brand relationships here.

Social Respect: Achieving it. Earning it.

by | Oct 6, 2014 | Latest, Marketing, Social Media

What is social respect?

Social respect is about gaining credibility and earning trust from others through the use of social media. Social Media – so much hoopla (excuse the pun)! Businesses and those who manage brands and products are now are realizing that social media isn’t just a fad or phase. Accordingly, there is a new sense of urgency to ‘get in on the action‘. Often this leads to reactionary tactics without clear objectives, having no long term vision or strategy.

Understanding the premise of social media is the first step in achieving social respect.

The basic premise of social media is to inform, to start a dialogue and to engage. The scope of the engagement is based on the objectives put forth. Regardless of how broad or how niche your target audience is, the premise of earning social respect remains the same. Here are 3 key “must dos” to be well on your way to earning social respect.

1) Be relevant and add value.
It’s important to provide useful information that will aid your audience. Be helpful. Don’t create content just for the sake of creating content.

2) Don’t sell.
Social Media isn’t about selling, it’s about informing, assisting and educating. If someone is reading your content it’s because they landed there looking for information or an answer to a question about that topic. They don’t want to be sold to. They want to be informed. Social Media isn’t about your brand or business.

3) Be authentic.
Social Media isn’t a one-way conversation. It’s not the same as placing an ad somewhere to get the message out. It’s about creating a dialogue. It requires authenticity in order to do that. You need to not only put out relevant content, but you also need to contribute in the Social Media arena. Businesses need to listen and embrace the new way of developing relationships and connecting with their target audience.

Lastly, social respect can only be achieved if the content and the way you engage with your intended audience is respectful for the social media channel. Hopefully, I have provided you with some relevant information that might earn your trust.

Online Security: Is it a myth?

by | Sep 11, 2014 | Interactive, Latest, Social Media

Is our expectation for Online Security unrealistic?

Considering the speed of technology and information, by the time you read this it may already be old news. After Jennifer Lawrence and other celebrity iCloud accounts were hacked resulting in leaked nude photos, I had to wonder if our expectation for online security on the cloud or any other digital “residence” is just not realistic.

When I first heard about the “celebrity hack” my initial comment was, “Really?” and “Why would you put nude pictures of yourself out there?”. I’m not a prude, but common sense dictates that if you don’t want anyone to see certain photos, don’t put them online. Of course, I am no celebrity, so maybe the way I see the world is quite different. Maybe I’m wrong to assume that if online security is so tenuous, it would be foolish of me to think that online privacy would be any different. I equate online security to online privacy.

Hacking is nothing new. Hackers have been around from the inception of the internet. Through the evolution of transactional online stores, online banking and websites, the number one fear online has become security. With all these digital sites, the increased threat of identity theft has become an everyday concern. Information and online commentary about protecting yourself from identity theft is now quite common. Haven’t we heard and seen time and time again that technology providers and law enforcement seem to be behind the eight ball when it comes to trying to prevent or at least curtail “digital” crimes? If there’s already so much hype about the high risk of identity theft, wouldn’t the logical assumption be that photos on iCloud are subject to the same risk? To my surprise, based on all the hoopla surrounding this recent celebrity hack, perhaps not.

So how can we realistically expect online security or online privacy? Do you think that the two are one and the same? What are your views about the celebrity hack?

Retro Advertising: Nostalgic Value

by | Feb 3, 2014 | Advertising, Branding, Business Success, Communications, Creative, Design, Latest, Marketing, Social Media

We’ve been noticing a trend recently that lends a hand to the celebrities and shows that a lot of us grew up watching. What is the purpose of using these particular stars or shows to appeal to viewers? We think it has something to do with nostalgic value. Retro advertising has been done before but ever since Oikos used the stars from Full House to market their products during the Super Bowl, we’ve seen other brands follow suit. Before we share some of these ads with you, let’s discuss why nostalgic value has any value when it comes to retro advertising:

Much like emotive advertising, retro advertising is successful because we associate certain memories and feelings with that time period in our lives. I don’t know about you, but I associate only good things with the TV shows that I grew up watching. I remember coming home from (what seemed like) a never-ending day at school, plopping myself down on the couch with a tall glass of milk, and watching after-school specials until my mother came home. That small window of alone time never went unappreciated. It was an adolescent’s time to reflect on the lessons being taught through these programs. So, when a legacy brand uses a legacy show to simulate certain emotive associations — it’s actually quite a brilliant strategy; especially if that brand is formerly associated with negative feelings.

Retro Advertising at its finest:

This is Delta’s ’80s-themed safety video: a fun and light-hearted take on a video that so many of us choose to ignore before taking off on a flight. Bet you won’t be able to ignore it now!

This is some of the cast from Full House appearing on Jimmy Fallon — this may not be directly advertising a product or service, but it was the top trending viral video on Facebook on January 20, 2014.

What examples of retro advertising can you share with us?