It is forecast over 90% of future Internet traffic will be video - covering everything from entertainment and advertising to health and education.
Australians now spend more time online than watching television and as we know media is increasingly fragmented. Today customer attention is scarce - you have an average 12.5 seconds on a website to capture attention and generate a call to action.
This group discusses developing effective digital media communications - from clients all the way to vendor solutions.
Each month commencing at 5PM sharp and running for an hour we'll hold an informative but social meetup group bringing together a wide mix of people covering film and video professionals; actors, presenters, sales, advertising and marketing people, Internet technologists, investors and clients.
Each month we'll have short presentations/ interview followed by short Q&A, drinks and offline social networking. This month
We've all suffered "death by Powerpoint". This months CLIVE-ALIVE event will focus on "effective online communication" and creating engaging content.
Our special guest speakers this month will be -
* Rose Fulete, National Advertising Sales Manager, CMPMedica (www.mydr.com.au) * Scott Maxworthy, CEO Max Media and Entertainment & Chris Schwager, Creative Director RidgeFilms * Jo Wilton - Professional Presenter * Andrew Brain, General Manager, Virtual Communications - a clients perspective
I was heading across town the other day and saw a local plumbers mobile phone number on the back of his truck and an old "Find Me in Yellow" sticker , I called, left a message and three days later still not reply.
What's the point of advertising if you can't get the next part right?
In hindsight I suppose it's just supply and demand and that some plumbers don't need to advertise - a good reputation and word of mouth is most important.
Anyway, in other industries that's not quite the case, there's a battle for customers and advertising is critical to the mix. Even in a 50% downturn there's still 50% to be spent!
Yesterday small business advertising landscape was dominated by the Yellow Pages. Today advertising dollars are migrating to where customers now find out and talk about your products and services - that's online - whether Google, Facebook or the other billion or so websites and services out there.
Australian online advertising spend was around $1.7B last year and growing while conventional media is decreasing. The current economic climate is only going to increase online marketing's share of the advertising dollar.
The majority of those online advertising dollars are going to Google Adwords - the paid, auction type classifieds listing in the right hand column of search.
It's sort of funny how a majority of businesses have just transferred the old Yellow Pages, dominant market share "Not happy Jan" if you're not in, belief across to Adwords.
Don't get me wrong, Adwords is important but IMHO it's not as important as good content and design, SEO (Search Engine Optiminisation) and a good business to start with.
For example spend money on advertising and web only to take ten rings to answer the phone or three days to reply to an inquiry email. Not good.
I'm amazed how much is thrown at all these advertising options to drive people to a website only to deliver an ordinary experience. That first 15 seconds on a website is the most important - it has to quickly build trust and transform a web site browser into an inquiry.
The better your website qualifies the visitor the less physical resources required to manage the leads.
As a student of marketing and advertising we were always taught to create a Sustainable Competitive Advantage - whether that is brand, a unique selling point (USP), service, distribution, your company culture, staff, partners and systems.
Whatever it is, it has to be something that is important to the customer.
With the today's Connected Net - Internet advertising delivers online word of mouth marketing and reputation building.
Created this blog entry - this will automatically feed into Twitter, then into my Facebook; RSS feeds etc.
What to do next?
Fire these links off to a few friends and start to get a bit of traction. Note to self: This is not a short term project so it is going to take a year or two to really evolve.
Short-list my own influencers and contact them (this will enable me to work through the next part of the process).
This is Part 1 in a new creative project I'm working on looking at Australian Digital Media Strategy.
As every business owner knows the economic landscape has been rapidly altered after the stock market crash of last year - it's a bit like looking out the window after the Pearl Harbor attack - most of the destruction done, the full reverberating impact still too early to tell.
The old supply demand ratio and attitudes (including the much maligned Y-Gens) of the last twenty years has changed, as a result, new thought-models, approaches, attitudes and opportunities will surface and prosper.
In today's market Buyers are now back in full control - cash is scarce and surviving companies must actively compete. As a supplier you are either a commodity or added higher value - the middle ground will be flattened.
A contracting marketplace offers smart expanding companies the ability to increase market share as their competitors retreat and defend - head in sand, reactive.
From the laggard industrial manufacturing complex through the Information Economy we will move towards an Innovation/ Creative Economy
One of the biggest impacts will be on the media, advertising and the entertainment/ Internet video space (think how Ipods changed the music industry and how faster broadband wil impact video, film and television).
There will be an accelerated shift towards online video advertising and marketing away from conventional television, newspapers and magazines.
A great little video from PRBlogger
How PR works online
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This then raises the question of who are Australia's most influential Internet users?
How would you create a list? Some initial thoughts...
Top 100 Australian Bloggers - how many subscribers? How many comments? (any list needs to be contextual and relevant)
Facebook and Linkedin - how many friends/ associates - engagement and influence?
Google - number of articles and links etc
Corporations/ Government - The Telstra's, News Ltd's, Seven Sunrise, politicians and celebrities
Twitter/ Flickr/ Youtube and so on
Engagement
Once you have your list how do you engage?
In sales, the best customer is through a trusted third party referral.
For example, hey Scott, you're in marketing do you know a good event management company? Absolutely - Monique at Creative Stars.
Most people begin any new purchase with a search (see How PR works online above).
The question is how do you engage influencers without trying to sell them, ie jamm a message down their throat like historial repeat and interupt advertising?
WIIFM - What's In It For Me?
What is your product or service? (keywords and message)
What does it mean to your customers (wants and needs)?
Inspire
In the online world original, quality "content is King".
Find a creative approach, create something new and share. [Goes for swim and walks to coffee shop]
At coffee this morning the idea crystallizes. I've been looking to incorporate more of my photography interests (particularly portraits) within my work.
