People are watching “TV” everywhere! On their smartphones, tablets, computers and yes, even on their televisions! But, the big question for even the wealthiest, most savvy marketers today is “now that we can reach everyone, how do we reach anyone?” Despite the demise of so many “Internet” companies, I still regularly encounter clients that embrace the misperception that “all you need to do is "put it on the Internet” and you’ll have millions of views, followers, fans, friends and yep, even sales by tomorrow!” I call this the “Head in the Cloud” mentality. Of course there’s no denying that being heavily “liked” on Facebook and accruing millions of “views” on YouTube is a major component to building any successful brand in today’s “new media” marketplace. However, the difficult job of achieving critical mass still requires a unique cocktail of skill, relationships and of course cash. As a result, nurturing any brand to the “tipping point” remains a daunting task and one that is not for the fainthearted.
Yes, the opportunity to reach consumers and build brand-awareness online is significant. And, thanks to our friends Google, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, etc. there are credible and easily accessible digital marketing tools that can produce real results, even for the novice marketer. However, just because there’s actually “a needle in the haystack,” doesn’t mean people will find it. One fact that can’t be ignored is the fact that these same tools are also being used by millions of users worldwide all competing for “our” attention. While today’s worldwide web is undoubtedly an ocean of opportunity, it is equally a sea of clutter. Even the most savvy of advertisers are struggling to understand the nuances between the value of “web traffic” vs. the value of “user engagement” and its relationship to both on their bottom lines.
There’s an old proverb, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” At the end of the day, the only thing that has changed about advertising and marketing is NOTHING. I'm pretty sure the younger generation of “digital marketing experts” will disagree with this sentiment, but that’s okay because my nearly three decades of experience has taught me that the best way to get people to look for the needle in the haystack, is to get them to know it exists and convince them that the needle has value to them. It has always been our job to provide consumers (or potential consumers) with the information they need to peek their interest and drive them to some type of call to action. We have always sought to enlist their peers to help us spread our message buy recommending, referring or simply by using a particular product, service or brand. We call this process “word-of-mouth” and it’s the only thing we need to ensure we catalyze as marketers. Yes, social media now allows each individual the ability to engage their own personal broadcast system to disseminate messages to hundred, even thousands in seconds. Amazing!! However, because there are now SO MANY messages being disseminated, the content of the message is paramount to the distribution method. In today's social media-centric world "content" must be increasingly intriguing, informative and even entertaining. Whether you consider "content" to be a smoke signal from a teepee or the coolest YouTube video in the world, people not only have to see it, but they need to engage with it, and I mean REALLY engage with it. They need to relate to it, take ownership in it and most of all evangelize its message with vigor and passion. This is what makes an advertising message or piece of content viral and what makes your “needle” have value!
Generally the things that go viral are things that are outside the limits of what "we" consider to be “normal.” The more unique, outrageous, unpredictable or downright shocking, typically the more viral (remember the social media impact of Miley Cyrus's stunt at the VMA's?). Of course the issue of “subjectivity” plays a role here too and depending on the demographic of the viewer, the same exact message or piece of content (e.g. YouTube video) can either be perceived as “amazing” or “absurd”.
How a message or piece of content is received can significantly influence the way people feel about the product, brand or talent associated with it. This “consumer impression” will ultimately have a significant impact on the long-term success of that product, brand or talent. Rebecca Black, was an Internet sensation with her bubble-gum original song “Friday.” Yes, Rebecca got to laugh all the way to the bank, at least for a little while, but her follow-up songs did not fare as well, probably because her original viral success had more to do with the fact that the majority of the people loved to hate her and were viewing her video for all the wrong reasons, and therefore soured her brand. Be careful Miley!!
I’m a firm believer that “a picture paints a thousand words.” And, at 30 frames per second, video can paint millions of pictures in just minutes. So, if you’re planning on “going viral” you’ll likely want a good video to take advantage of consumer’s newly adopted, “TV Everywhere” lifestyle. Evan Greenberg, President of the Manhattan-based Allscope Media, an independent media and communications company said: “Content that is relevant to the reader is still the central success metric in my book”. I agree with Mr. Greenberg’s position and urge my clients to make sure the content they’re putting out there is quality and “accurately” depicts their brand’s message and values. And while your own social network is a great place to start the ball rolling, you’ll likely need some savvy digital marketers to help negotiate the “new media” world, build critical, viral momentum and find you the right audience. The fact is, securing the most productive advertising opportunities on the web still costs money, in many cases, a lot of money. This is reminiscent of buying media based on “GRPs” in broadcast or “circulation” in print. Mmm, still need money to predictably advertise? Again, nothing's changed!
So in summary, put out great, engaging content that's consistent with your brand message. Have a reasonable creative development and media budget. Hire smart people to guide you. And finally, don’t go viral just for the sake of going viral, because disseminating the wrong message on the Internet can ruin one’s brand as fast as “the right” message can build one. Tweet that!
To Contact Cory Rosenberg and CRee8 Consulting:
Phone: 631-608-4545
Twitter:@BeCRee8tive
LinkedIn:linkedin.com/in/coryrosenberg/
email:[email protected]
website:CRee8Consulting.com
Yes, the opportunity to reach consumers and build brand-awareness online is significant. And, thanks to our friends Google, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, etc. there are credible and easily accessible digital marketing tools that can produce real results, even for the novice marketer. However, just because there’s actually “a needle in the haystack,” doesn’t mean people will find it. One fact that can’t be ignored is the fact that these same tools are also being used by millions of users worldwide all competing for “our” attention. While today’s worldwide web is undoubtedly an ocean of opportunity, it is equally a sea of clutter. Even the most savvy of advertisers are struggling to understand the nuances between the value of “web traffic” vs. the value of “user engagement” and its relationship to both on their bottom lines.
There’s an old proverb, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” At the end of the day, the only thing that has changed about advertising and marketing is NOTHING. I'm pretty sure the younger generation of “digital marketing experts” will disagree with this sentiment, but that’s okay because my nearly three decades of experience has taught me that the best way to get people to look for the needle in the haystack, is to get them to know it exists and convince them that the needle has value to them. It has always been our job to provide consumers (or potential consumers) with the information they need to peek their interest and drive them to some type of call to action. We have always sought to enlist their peers to help us spread our message buy recommending, referring or simply by using a particular product, service or brand. We call this process “word-of-mouth” and it’s the only thing we need to ensure we catalyze as marketers. Yes, social media now allows each individual the ability to engage their own personal broadcast system to disseminate messages to hundred, even thousands in seconds. Amazing!! However, because there are now SO MANY messages being disseminated, the content of the message is paramount to the distribution method. In today's social media-centric world "content" must be increasingly intriguing, informative and even entertaining. Whether you consider "content" to be a smoke signal from a teepee or the coolest YouTube video in the world, people not only have to see it, but they need to engage with it, and I mean REALLY engage with it. They need to relate to it, take ownership in it and most of all evangelize its message with vigor and passion. This is what makes an advertising message or piece of content viral and what makes your “needle” have value!
Generally the things that go viral are things that are outside the limits of what "we" consider to be “normal.” The more unique, outrageous, unpredictable or downright shocking, typically the more viral (remember the social media impact of Miley Cyrus's stunt at the VMA's?). Of course the issue of “subjectivity” plays a role here too and depending on the demographic of the viewer, the same exact message or piece of content (e.g. YouTube video) can either be perceived as “amazing” or “absurd”.
How a message or piece of content is received can significantly influence the way people feel about the product, brand or talent associated with it. This “consumer impression” will ultimately have a significant impact on the long-term success of that product, brand or talent. Rebecca Black, was an Internet sensation with her bubble-gum original song “Friday.” Yes, Rebecca got to laugh all the way to the bank, at least for a little while, but her follow-up songs did not fare as well, probably because her original viral success had more to do with the fact that the majority of the people loved to hate her and were viewing her video for all the wrong reasons, and therefore soured her brand. Be careful Miley!!
I’m a firm believer that “a picture paints a thousand words.” And, at 30 frames per second, video can paint millions of pictures in just minutes. So, if you’re planning on “going viral” you’ll likely want a good video to take advantage of consumer’s newly adopted, “TV Everywhere” lifestyle. Evan Greenberg, President of the Manhattan-based Allscope Media, an independent media and communications company said: “Content that is relevant to the reader is still the central success metric in my book”. I agree with Mr. Greenberg’s position and urge my clients to make sure the content they’re putting out there is quality and “accurately” depicts their brand’s message and values. And while your own social network is a great place to start the ball rolling, you’ll likely need some savvy digital marketers to help negotiate the “new media” world, build critical, viral momentum and find you the right audience. The fact is, securing the most productive advertising opportunities on the web still costs money, in many cases, a lot of money. This is reminiscent of buying media based on “GRPs” in broadcast or “circulation” in print. Mmm, still need money to predictably advertise? Again, nothing's changed!
So in summary, put out great, engaging content that's consistent with your brand message. Have a reasonable creative development and media budget. Hire smart people to guide you. And finally, don’t go viral just for the sake of going viral, because disseminating the wrong message on the Internet can ruin one’s brand as fast as “the right” message can build one. Tweet that!
To Contact Cory Rosenberg and CRee8 Consulting:
Phone: 631-608-4545
Twitter:@BeCRee8tive
LinkedIn:linkedin.com/in/coryrosenberg/
email:[email protected]
website:CRee8Consulting.com
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