Leverage Blog: How to Exploit the Web.

I'm back

Yes, I'm back.

From vacation?  Well yes, but that's not important.  Wheel Media, the web design and marketing agency that is my j-o-b has been flying high, leaving no time for writing.  But I'm managing the growth by finding really amazing people to join us, and that will bring me back to Leverage.

I was pointed to some great ideas from Paul Gillin in BtoB magazine (thanks to David Baker,) and without a lot of commentary I'll throw them out here:

"We hear a lot about blogs, but blogs aren't important. What's important is personal publishing, or the ability to communicate a message to a global audience almost instantaneously. Personal publishing will permeate electronic media, providing counterpoint to mainstream sources and adding depth and color to the conversation.

"We hear a lot about podcasts, but podcasts aren't important. What's important is time-shifted media. The phenomenon that started with TiVo has spread to digital audio and will soon capture portable video. Information consumers will no longer be beholden to program schedules or even their living rooms. Our TV shows will travel with us.

"We hear a lot about RSS, but RSS isn't important. What's important is the ability to subscribe to information that really interests us. RSS is mainly used to subscribe to blog posts and podcasts. But in the future, they will use it to subscribe to ideas."

Simple and smart food for thought.

...yet with all the talk about new Internet technologies I still find it odd that many small businesses don't understand the importance (i.e., the potential) of a website.  Most entrepreneurs know everyone goes online to check us out before they call.  It's a no-brainer.  Yes blogs and podcasts and RSS are valuable communication and marketing tools, but often forward-thinking ideas like Gillin's make me look backward at the foundation-- a plain website with a 1980 design makes a poor first impression.

Anyway, I'm back.  More news soon.

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Sacramento Web Design

Web 2.0: I believe in its future

I've got a theory on the Web 2.0 technology boom, and I brought a visual aid.  Refer to the chart at left, and let's begin.

OK, right now the number of "Web 2.0" companies is growing like crazy. (See the top line, the thin one.)  What's a Web 2.0 company?  To keep it simple, let's say Web 2.0 products and services involve social-networks and user involvement on the web. MySpace is one, where the users are creating the online content-- personal web pages-- and connecting with one another.

Flickr is another.  Users, like me, upload photos to share, and we label them for others on the site to find and enjoy.  (Go here for an expanded definition of Web 2.0.)

These companies and their online "products" are (mostly) amazing, creative and very, very useful.

On my chart thick line is the number of people who understand these new tools and are using them.  I'm not talking about being hip and in the know; and I'm not making a value-judgment.  I'm talking about people who have chosen to invest the time to learn about and use tools like Flickr, RSS or del.icio.us.

After all, it takes time to integrate this stuff into your life, right?  What if you enjoy Triathlons more than technology, like my brother Eric?  He's not listening to podcasts, he's running his business...and training for the next race.  He's no slouch when it comes to technology, but we all make choices about how to spend our time.  Choosing the web over a Triathlon-- one isn't 'better' than the other.

My point is there are tens-of-millions of Americans like my brother, slowly integrating the new technology into their lives.  It will take time.

OK, back to the graph.  The two lines intersect, and that's good because with adoption we get profitability, which leads to more innovation and more creative, useful products.  BUT before they intersect I see this...gulp...downturn.  (The cross-hatched area.)  I'm a startup veteran, and I helped burn-through venture capital and watched the business turn-out the lights; I've been there, it's heartbreaking.  But here's my point about this downturn (and I hesitate to call it that:) It's going to be different this time.

That cross-hatched area on the very scientific graph up there?  Not fallout or crash.  Not YIKES but more...YOWZA! Why?  The people.  The people starting these companies are collaborative, open-source thinkers and this will help the consolidation (which will happen) to occur more gradually and with less fallout.  These innovators are more patient, less enamored with wealth, more often self-funded and stable, and the VC's funding them are more prudent too.  They will merge with one another and will survive.

I'm optimistic. I'm excited. I say YOWZA.

What do you say?

LeverageBlog Interview: AttentionTrust

Where are you focusing your attention on the web?  A non-profit startup called AttentionTrust wants to help you protect (and profit from) your web surfing history.  I'm glad they're on our side.

I recently interviewed Ed Batista, the Executive Director of AttentionTrust, a non-profit in San Francisco, CA researching the implications of our online attention, and their work is worth a minute of your time.  While still in a research and information-gathering phase, the future implications of this work will be huge.

What we're talking about

Think of the value of online attention in the same way that Nielsen Ratings affect TV:  When a 'Nielsen Family' focuses more of it's attention on a particular television program that programming becomes more valuable because advertisers will pay more for it; the same holds true for the web.

The exciting thing about the web however, is that we can collect much more detailed information.  What you clicked-on, how long you visited a website, what you purchased.  The ability to gather countless hours of information on our preferences is a fantastic opportunity, Ed says, if we can protect it and share it voluntarily.

The opportunity for us, as consumers, is to gather and store our online data-- our attention-- in a private way, and then to identify places we feel safe sharing it.  Take Amazon.com, for example.  AttentionTrust envisions a world where Amazon might be certified "trustworthy" because they will not misuse our privacy data.

If we voluntarily share our attention data-- our web surfing behavior-- with a trusted enterprise like Amazon they can recommend products we might really enjoy.  (And more importantly, NOT send us the "special offers" that we don't care about.)

Less spam, fewer ridiculous popup-ads, and more relevance.

More than just eCommerce

AttentionTrust is not just concerned about smart recommendations for books and CD's.  They and the growing community of "Attention Theorists" realize that social networks are built around attention.  Imagine being able to find, for example, fathers in San Francisco with kids between the ages of 8 and 11 who play baseball.  (Do you know anyone?  Let's go to the Giants game this weekend!)

By saving my attention data and making it available (anonymously, of course) within a social context we can use the web to find others that share our interests.  Yes,the internet can help create real, personal connections. Imagine that.

Implications for your business

The near-term implication for your business is this:  Personal relationships with your customers are critical, and the web is the easiest way to collect and save the information.  Help clients to register online and tell you what they like and what they want changed.  AttentionTrust reminds us that this type of personalization is what your customer will come to expect from you.

Thanks to Ed and AttentionTrust for sharing their time and, er, Attention with Leverage.

Wiki's: What are they?

A Wiki is another form of website where users create the content. The most well-known wiki is Wikipedia, essentially an online encyclopedia created by, well, all of us.  Use it like you would use an encyclopedia (not a search engine.)

Is there a marketing opportunity in wiki's?  Yes, but for most businesses I would say there are other online tactics that will drive more revenue, including email marketing,  blogging and word-of-mouth marketing to name a few.

Wiki's and blogs sound similar, and they are.  The main difference is that a wiki will read more like an encyclopedia, and a blog more like an ongoing conversation.  You can now create a "Product Wiki" on Amazon.com, as dozens have done for the book Freakonomics  (scroll down to the bottom.)

Why does Amazon have forums, customer reviews and a wiki?  Does it sound like overkill?  Yes, there's lots of overlap, but a huge online brand like Amazon understands that they need to give their customers different ways to get involved. Some prefer a wiki, while others would rather write a review. More on how this will shake-out later; things are moving fast.  Wiki's are undoubteldy one more way to leverage the internet.

wiki wiki+marketing small+business smb sme leverage+the+internet

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Return to Leverage Blog homepage:  small business blog  >>

Where are news and advertising and, well, *media* headed?

A brilliant article in The Economist discusses the future of media, and they do it in a way that busy entrepreneurs will appreciate:  Clear, objective and brief.

The era of mass media is giving way to one of personal and participatory media [...] that will profoundly change both the media industry and society as a whole.

What's the bottom-line for your business?

1. All media is moving online.
2. The Internet (and later, all media) is becoming a place where the user is creating the content-- be it your business, your customer or your kids.
3. By opening your business up to your customers in this way they won't want to buy from anyone else.  You'll be more than a product, but a destination.  More than a service, but an activity.

Old way:  We have magazines, TV, newspapers and radio that send information to us.  We read.  We watch.

New way:  Blogs. Comments. Photo sharing online.  Social networking websites (i.e. MySpace) where the user creates their experience.

Full article-- highly recommended-- here, and thanks to Erik @ Business 2.0 Blog for the find.

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Do your customers want you blogging?

One key to growth is anticipating the needs of your customers.  While it can be a challenge to figure out exactly what new service or product they might need, we can safely say everyone likes information.

The business that educates and informs is often the most trusted, and trust wins clients.  Blogs are a pretty easy way to provide that information and build trust.  To see if your customers want you blogging, think about the questions they ask...

...and then answer them, in your blog, one post at a time.

Still not sure how a blog can grow your business?  Email me.  Let's dive-in.

Good times: We just launched a blog for this small business

Four cheers for Cyd Kmeto, a counselor, personal-coach and guru (no exaggeration) in Sacramento, CA.  A long-time client of Wheel Media, Cyd approached me looking for a new website.  The conversation went thusly:

Michael:  A new site is a great idea.  Have you thought about creating a blog?

Cyd:  A what?

Michael:  A blog.  A blog is a new kind of website that enables the author to add new content as often as they like without fancy hi-tech skills.  Visitors can post comments to your ideas, and you become the hub of a conversation (online)centered on your work.  The world needs to know what you do...and of course many of those people will become clients.  Exciting stuff, no?

Cyd:  [puzzled look]

Michael:  [optimistic, encouraging look]

Cyd:  OK, this sounds interesting.  Give it to me one more time...

The rest is history.  Well, the future.  The future of small business.  The website and blog compliment each other, cross-market and encourage visitors to come back.  The website is richer in design, the blog in content.

Our blog marketing strategy is one part planning, one part execution, and one part maintenance. I've trained Cyd on the art of blogging and she's running the show now.  Read her at Move Inside and learn more about her counseling practice at www.cydkmeto.com.

Hats-off to Cyd for her vision and willingness to lead.

The death of the yellow pages

A quick thought on the yellow pages:  Even a hot-air balloon won't save them.

I know it's hard to imagine a world without that big book in your drawer, and I know that sometimes it's more effective than a search engine at finding a local service, like a plumber.  Or a roofer.  Or a jumpy-house for your daughter's birthday.  (You didn't forget, did you...?)

But Local Search from Google, Yahoo and MSN will replace the yellow pages, because it's getting better.  Better at presenting all the plumbers in your area, instead of a random few.  In the past local search has fallen-short because we're not getting the results we want...so we turn to the big yellow book.

But the advertising revenue is too great for the search industry to ignore, so local results are becoming more relevant, more useful, and the search-method of choice.

Where is the local-search opportunity for your business?  If you deliver a product or service within a specific regional area you still have time to beat the competition.  How?

1. Build a clear, smart, professional website.
2. Optimize it (i.e., search engine optimization, or SEO) for specific, local keyword searches.

Just showing up in Google's "Local Results" is not enough to win the business.  A one-page website created by a friend is not going differentiate you from the other guys.

I still believe local search is the biggest opportunity for small business on the web.

 

Bitty Browser: (Another) new way to spread your message online

I came across the Bitty Browser today, a small browser that you can add to a website or, in this case, a blog.  It can be configured to display any site or blog you choose or organize a blogroll, and access to search.

Cool and interesting?  Of course.  But more importantly, what's the marketing value of the tool to your business?  Here are my top-of-mind ideas:

• Cross-promote blogs and websites.
• Add "Portal" features (search, news, etc.) to retain visitors and encourage repeat visits.
• Keep your site (and your brand) fresh *

* This is the big one.  Let's talk about how this tool can help communicate to your customer that you're a leader in your industry.  Are you providing your visitors with easy access to information that will position you as a thought leader?  Can this tool reinforce the message that innovation is standard at your business, and that your competitors are standing still?  Get creative, think about your customer and what they want to see, to know.

Also to note:  Non-technical staff can configure (and update) the Bitty Browser in no time flat.  The marketing strategy requires some thought, but the moving-forward execution is easy.

Oh, for this post I've set the BB to Wheel Media, my web design shop for small-business.  Surf away.

Blog Marketing Best Practice: Contributors

Guy Kawasaki has a great example of one my favorite blog marketing tactics, one I'm calling Contributors.

On the 4th guy did an interview on his blog of Adam Lashinsky from Fortune Magazine.  It's super-successful in the blog medium for at least two reasons:

1. Smart questions, smart answers, smart people.  As with blogs, websites and all marketing messages, good content is key.
2. Sort-and-sweet.  Blog readers don't want a white-paper  (although they would appreciate a link to one.)  They want news that's current and on-topic, small nuggets of information, and/or sources of research.

Who do you know that can provide a sharp idea or observation for your blog?  A thought your readers would value?

Ask your peers to contribute by telling you something wise.  The interview format is great, but a brief quote will work well also, and your contributor will appreciate the visibility.

The rising tide lifts all boats, no?

Blogging: Will it catch on?

This just seen on a bus in Sacramento:

Blogs being advertised on the side of a bus?  With the marketing budget of AT&T (and others, I'm sure) building awareness about blogs the medium will get a head-of-steam in no time.  AT&T has so much faith in blogs they're spending big bucks just to promote the category.

Wow.

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Return to Leverage Blog homepage:  business strategy blog  >>

New in Search Engine Marketing: Pay-Per-Call

When I discuss search engine marketing (SEM) strategy with clients we evaluate the opportunity/impact/expense of two core tactics:

• Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
• Pay-Per-Click (PPC)

A new tool called Pay-Per-Call is being rolled out by Google and Yahoo! and I've added it to the list.

Pay Per Call adds a phone number to paid search results.  Calls to a toll-free number are forwarded to the advertiser's business and are tracked and billed by the search engine (or their partner.)

The service is very new so listings are hard to find...so far.  The opportunity is great for simple services, like a florist. This searcher/customer is less interested in comparing flower shops and more interested in ordering a bunch.  For most B2B firms however-- an example might be aircraft sales-- the visitor is going to be clicking-on website links to evaluate the business; they'll be less-likely to just pick up the phone and say I'd like to buy a plane.

Pay-Per-Call is now on my radar.  Learn more here.

Clean design sells the product

Seth Godin drew my attention to a great side-by-side comparison of effective design.  And for those of you short on time (all of us,) it's a short online flash movie.  Take 120 seconds out of your day:

If Microsoft packaged the iPod.

Note that in 2005 an iPod sold every second, so we know the design is on target (as well as the product and merchandising.)

 

When I think about web design, I think about how I can clean up the page.  How I can include fewer images, lists and features?  Can I shorten the headline?  Our goals is to help the visitor focus on one clear, compelling idea and be inspired. Once inspired, they will dig deeper and find that feature list and detailed description, and call us.

The Long Tail

Simply put, the Long Tail is a look at the company of tomorrow.  Maybe.

It's a theory advanced by Chris Anderson, the Editor-in-Chief of Wired Magazine, that makes a strong case for specialized business-models. Niche-companies with focused, highly-targeted services can compete with giant companies...and win.  So what does this look like from a 20,000 foot view?

1.  The internet makes it possible to target a very specific customer. (Example:  Pay-per-click advertising on search engines enables a niche business to target the specific words that describe their services...and not spend a dime on the rest.)

2.  And the search engines now make it easy for customers to find a very specialized company. (Example:  A Google search for "Environmental consulting company in Oakland, CA." This person knows just what they are looking for-- in this case a certain-type of company in a specific location.)

3.  The website behaves like a salesforce. (Example: An online tour introduces the firm's service, FAQ's anticipate objections and respond, quote-request form set expectations about pricing,  live-chat makes an instant conversation easy for the prospect...more.)

4.  If product inventory is online, you don't need a warehouse.  And you don't need shelf-space.  The Long Tail theory doesn't suggest that brick and mortar businesses will disappear, only that niche-businesses will spring up-- and do very, very well.

5.  You can listen to your customer like never before.  (Example:  Blogs.  The enable you to demonstrate your expertise, ask questions, gather feedback and refine your offering.)

Keep Long Tail on your radar.  Read more at The Long Tail.

We're not living in the Information Age

Paul Saffo, a Forecaster at The Institute for the Future (IFTF), Stanford professor and all-around guru recently declared we're not living in the Information Age. He calls it Media:

"...In the old media, all we could do was press our noses against the Glass and watch.  This new world of personal media- the web, the internet etc. - not only delivers the world to [our] living rooms, but everywhere.  And we get to answer back.  And we're expected to answer back.."

Media more accurately describes the exchange aspect of today's information.  The interactivity.  And this is impacting every business out there,.  You can sell tires or manufacture parts or design buildings--  regardless of industry, your customer expects to interact with you pre- and post -sale..and they expect you to answer back.

How will your customer expect to interact with you tomorrow?

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Of note:  The web design agency I created for small business three years ago is called Wheel Media.  Was I prescient, or just lucky?

 

Web 2.0

Why should the small-medium business exec. care about web 2.0?

Because the venture capital firm Draper Fisher will be funding the web 2.0 startup TagWorld?  (Props to Michael Arrington for the news.) Not exactly.  Web 2.0 is important because it will impact the way your customers work with you.

Web 2.0 describes a new generation of websites that are more dynamic. Rather than a solitary experience, like reading a newspaper online or browsing through a catalog, these sites enable visitors to interact with each other.

For example, think about a photo-sharing site where visitors can upload vacation images.  A web 2.0 site enables other visitors to post a comment on each photo.  And each photo can have keywords associated with it (called tags) to make it easy for people to find the photo (i.e., paris, eiffel tower...) And visitors can group together their favorite photos for everyone to see.  And the site will show everyone what is most popular at that moment.

Wow. Visit Flickr.com to experience it.

The more users that add their opinion the more visibility the information will garner.  Communities are forming around special interests, and the trend will continue.

What will the online communities that develop around your companies product or service say about you?

del.ico.us, Blink, and smart thinking

Ari Paparo, the creator of a website tagging solution called blink.com (1999) shares his thoughts on how del.ico.us succeeded where Blink did not.  It's insightful.

Tagging (simply stated) is a new website surfing technology focused around communities of individuals sharing bookmarks. I'll add a 'brief overview' on it soon...

When I was with a startup called CampusEngine I met with Backflip, a competitor of Blink. We developed a publishing technology for college newspapers (and gave it away for free. Don't ask) and were interested in integrating anything that would bring and keep students online. After a meet-and-greet and demo I liked the tool. Simply put, it helped you organize (tag) information on the web. As it relates to networks of people sharing their opinions and ideas however, I remember backflip as something I would use as an individual, not necessarily share with friends and colleagues.

This is not to say there wasn't a social or sharing component to Backflip, but the pitch didn't draw my attention to that aspect. I probably would have responded to a "social glue" message; my job was building social networks of students on college campuses around the online campus newspaper. Students like ‘social’ almost as much as (ahem) ‘sharing,’ and I was after pageviews, so that would have been a fit. Perhaps Backflip was guessing (or getting feedback from the market) that the most valuable aspect of their tool was personal organization. Great people at Backflip, by the way.