Internet Marketing and Digital Media Strategy Sydney Australia

This is a Digital Media Strategy Beginners Article.

Local Search Results

One of the biggest failures of the web to date has been the generally poor results you get from a local search - particularly here in Australia where only around 30% of small businesses have a website.  The poor performance is understandable when it's only logical that if your business doesn't have a website, then it's hard for Google to know you exist and for people to link to your site.  

There have been many attempts over the years to address this gap, from the old, once dominant, Yellow Pages type paper advertising directories (which have finally migrated to online directories); Government and commercial initiatives like Google and MYOB (leading Australian Small Business accounting software); consumer comparison and ranking website portals; through to customer generated content - forums, bloggers; Facebook Places; Fourquare; Twitter; new Google+ and my new favourite service www.quora.com (founded last year by the ex CTO of Facebook).

From a business owners perspective it's a Catch 22 situation - if your immediate sales are not generated from the web then why as business do you need to invest the time, energy and money to develop new skills; keep information up to date; maintain the website; and also communicate through these online channels - "I sell coffee I'm not some computer nerd!" they cry.   

The answer to that question is very simple - depending on what report you're reading then 50-90% of new customers will search online before purchasing - Online Retailing's SOBO "Search Online Buy Offline". 

If you're not actively marketing and communicating online then there's a very high probability your competitors are or will be.

Opportunity and Competition Drives Innovation  

Ten months ago, I wrote about a new coffee shop which opened in the local neighbourhood "Foodies Deli Cafe" which brought a refreshing new competitor to the local coffee drinking marketplace - back then as a test I asked how long would it be before they commented on my blog post.

Today, that moment arrived, Matt - one of the owners told me they'd launched a website a couple of months ago; that it wasn't ranking in Google and if I could take a quick look (contra coffee).

Sensing a potential mutual win relationship (and also content for my blog) once back in the office the first thing I did was a test search in Google - 

As Matt said the website http://www.foodiesdelicafe.com.au/ doesn't rank at all, so we take a look at source code.  If you right-click on your website from your browser there is usually a "source code" option - it's gobbly gook stuff Google sees.  Without going into finer details the website is not search engine optimised (SEO) and in its current form I doubt it will never rank in the top three search results.  Yes, the web developers didn't mention that!

As mentioned there are many elements which influence search engine ranking but the most important is the "Search Engine Term" your potential customers will use.

Search Engine Term and Inbound Links

The key point to note is that most people will NOT search for the name of the coffee shop, they will search for "coffee shop Dolls Point" or "coffee shop Sans Souci" or maybe "best coffee shop in St George area".  The most important element to SEO is the title of any external websites inbound link to your site.  

The higher the Pagerank of the external website "referring" the more influence that will have on your page ranking and your subsequent search results listing. For example, A Sydney Morning Herald food guide review will have a greater link importance than my website blog (except when it is published in my Istrategy blog post).

Example - The top three results "Best Coffee Shop Sydney City" includes one of my favourites Vivo Cafe - Vivo has a SEO website plus Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare accounts - all roads lead to a destination. 

Social Media is the New Search 

We are increasingly using social media channels such as Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, Youtube etc and applications like Trip Advisor to ask friends or other web users for their feedback.  On top of the social media layer, services like Google+; Linkedin Q&A (think corporate Facebook) and the previously mentioned http://www.quora.com/ are facilitating question and answer and developing expert status.

Google is already indexing this high quality content (except where it has very recently been precluded - ie Twitter real time results and public Facebook Status) and you are beginning to see this data influence rankings. 

Social Media Pureplay

Another local coffee shop I must mention is social media marketing pure play Montgomery St Cafe, headed up by the highly talented Internet Chef and Electrolux brand ambassador Bridget Davis and Twitterati Iconic88.  They did an exceptional job at building awareness prior to opening through Facebook status updates, #mostreet and regular Youtube videos.  

Increasing Competition

Last week another new local coffee shop opened - "Kiss the Barista" at Georges River 16ft Sailing Club; and another around the corner couple of weeks. 

There are now three new coffee shops that have opened within a short (less than 500m) distance within the last 10 months making a total six.

As you can see even at the local coffee shop level it's a highly competitive online marketing but you know the most important thing?  The customer experience they then share.

How do you rank on Google and what are your customers saying about you on social media?

CLIVE ALIVE MEETUP

Funny how sometimes ideas come together so quickly it's like it was just meant to happen, one element the piece that makes the puzzle come together.

We had Gerry Gannon, one of Australia's leading MC's in the studio the other day and the conversation over lunch moved to CLIVE marketing strategy - how we are going to develop demonstrations around vertical market applications and start holding events.

Less than ten minutes later we had a video focused on event registrations.

Event Management 101

Event management is considered one of the strategic marketing and communication tools by companies of all sizes.

From product launches to press conferences, companies create promotional events to help them communicate with clients and potential clients

BUT getting people to know about your event and register can be hard work.  Customer Attention is scarce.  You need to create something that they must attend - that's in their interest.  That your audience leaves with something special and then tells their friends.  In a lot of ways it's no different than a band, a film or any other product.

This article(s) are my personal notes in putting together our first CLIVE ALIVE event and the process we go through.

Intro/ Background

On the 29th July our CLIVE will be one year old - that's given us time to get familiar the latest edition to the family - from a strategy point of view it's now time to go offline and get face to face.

Purpose

Bring together a mix of film and video, technology, media people around our solutions and case studies - create social interaction and foundation for Australian Internet Video Production.

The idea here is that people who come to events are

1. Interested and
2. Likely to talk and share their experience

Putting an event together

Any event is essentially a combination of project management and creative concepts. Elements to consider.

• Purpose of event?
• Target Audience - number, reaching, engaging, registering, servicing.
• Format - date, time, style (theater, boardroom etc)
• Speakers
• Venue
• Logistics
• Marketing - target engagement, registrations.

Purpose

From a business strategy and time management point of view it makes sense to try and talk to effectively to 20 or more people at once then many 1:1's.

Prior we'd experimented with just developing videos online BUT that only goes so far. The fact is people buy from people and everything is about trust and building relationships.

Also, it's socially important to get out from behind our computer screens.

Target Audience

Film, television, media, advertising, marketing, corporates, technologists.

Content

I already know our subject matter "Internet Video" is a hot topic. Most important, what does the audience leave with? The call to action, the message.

Speakers

The first gig I'd like to get Chris in to talk from a Video Directors creative perspective and Nathan in from a client results. I'd like to add one other senior presenter to take a helicopter view and offer their perspective

We have a wide network of potential guests in the pipeline. I love to get Naomi Simson, Trevor Sykes, Holly Kramer, Len Rust, Paul Budde, Iggy Pintado and others to hear their experience of digital media convergence.

Chris to get his film mates, Martin to talk about the Red camera, Hugh, etc the list of potential speakers is endless.

Other elements

One of the key pieces I'm going to use is the number "5" - "CLIVE, ALIVE, FIVE" through everything we do - 5PM, 5 minute presentations, 5th day etc. People remember patterns.

Timing - after work before dinner- 5PM (for 5.30PM) - 7PM

The Format - theatre and network layout. People are time poor, adopt the same process we're using with all our communications, short and sharp, from the broad down to specific (inverted pyramid). Tight time schedule. Intro, 5 min presentation, 5 min Q&A, next guest. 6.00/6.30 Netowrk, 7.00 End.

From a continuity point of view make it once a month, either the 5th Day or the 1st Tuesday.

Marketing the event

Usual approach is to target audience by using the news media, hoping to generate media coverage which will reach thousands or millions of people. Also invite their audience to their events and reach them at the actual event.

For our marketing - the check list

• Create the event details online
• Create this web blog (search engine optimised)
• Develop database of potential partners, influencers, clients
• Prepare a press release and distribute through online PR and other online distribution.
• Promote through Twitter through Facebook.
• Email marketing to existing subscriber database.

Til later.

I walk into the bras and lingerie section of the shop - yep, I'm already beyond my typical blokes purchasing knowledge and experience.

Sure I know some things but that's doesn't include what makes a good bra for a woman.  My first guess is that it needs to feel comfortable, look goods and supportive.  In a lot of ways much like your bloke or partner.

I move up and down the isle - what an assortment of riches - materials, colours, styles and sizes.

Right now I'm sure the security cameras are zoomed in on me and the people watching the monitors upstairs in their little room are laughing very loud as they see me trying to work out the size with my hands cupped

Or maybe not - they see it all the time and the joke's no longer funny.

I scan for a shop assistant - none to be found .  Yep, I'm sure they're up there in the security room laughing at the bamboozled bloke in the lingerie lane.

I don't care if the shop assistant is young, old, male or female - just as long as they know what's important and make my purchasing decision easier.

I begin to wonder if maybe "bra buying" is secret women's business, that I just shouldn't be here but I know those days of sexual discrimination are long gone.  Maybe a gift card would be a better present?

Still no service - I wonder if I try and put on the biggest bra I can find they'll immediately arrive to help  BUT then maybe I'll end up on funniest home video,  some bloke wins a 4WD at my inconvenience and I still don't get service!

In my journey of discovery I realise that a 12D brand A is a totally different from brand B and C.  Why is that?  Is it to make sure you have to come into the shop so you buy other stuff as well?  That the pain of finding the right bra means your locked in for a lifetime to avoid further shopping decision making.   No, that can't be it - most women love to shop - it's all part of the experience - the fabrics, the materials, the style etc.

The reality is I'm here on official research - we've a new prospective client and I've been asked to put together a Digital Marketing Strategy for them.   They sell bras, lingerie, nightwear etc online but their online sales conversion is quite low.

Yes our CLIVE videos will bring the website alive and humanise the site but it doesn't get to the core reason why.

Like all our projects I need go through the personal customer experience - it doesn't matter if it's buying a house or selling soft drinks - I need to understand the process - what factors influence purchasing behavior.

Some Twittering gives me great instant market feedback to help build the proposal.  I'm sure this blog and replies will also give me a few more insights.

If it's too hard in a shop then what hope of delivering the service online?

What's important for buying a bra online?

Will keep you abreast of updates (sorry!)

Maxy

The A-List (or Aussie J List)

An Aussie online marketers dream list - Australian journalists Twitter list.

Last night a much more updated and comprehensive list of Australian journalists on Twitter appeared on the web - certainly more interesting and valuable then the content of the Governments website censor list.

What is interesting is how the relationship between your PR department (for most small businesses themselves) has now moved even more into cyberspace.

The Good Old Days of the Long Lunch

In the good old days you or your PR company would write a press release and then send it out to journalists you knew or wanted to know.

Better still you go out to lunch (still my much more preferred approach) or have a beer at the pubs around Surry Hills or Park St (if in Sydney).

Your Press Release would have a great header to get attention, the opening paragraph written to quickly summarise the key statement. The content all written in a way that would be easy to quickly cut and paste if your journo had an urgent deadline and needed 100, 200, 800 words to fill.

As you may know Twitter is limited to just 140 characters - not a lot you can say.

In the same breath - we are getting better at quickly shortening and filtering information.

Creating Brands Online

For a long time conventional media has been a long way behind online's speed of communication - there are a number of reasons - production values and media economics.

In digital marketing to create brand you'd focus at identifying early innovators and influencers who spread the word through to early adopters and so on.

Twitter, Facebook and other online social networking applications have been great tools for being able to rapidly communicate to your followers, create discussion and interest.

The idea being your readers then blog and share your product, news, video or article.

Eventually this groundswell of "interest" hopefully touches an investigative journalist from the mainstream media who then produces an article, a radio or television interview and broadcasts your story to the masses.

Remember, TV is still the 800 pound video guerrilla, radio feels more personal and the lines between online and offline newspapers and magazines are rapidly blurring.

So what happens when the mainstream media moves onto Twitter en masse - The Oprah's , a list of Australia's Top 100 journalists (below).

There have been a few lists of Australian journalists on Twitter (see end of post), but this one is a little different, and much larger.M, Australia’s top 100 Journalists and news media people on Twitter, Apr 2009

I suppose the first thing you do is follow them with the aim of the journalist following you back and the beginning of a relationship.

Stepping in the journos shoes I can imagine their email Twitter alerts as this list becomes popular. It'd be like walking into online equivalent of a high speed desperate and dateless dating service or the only "sheila" at a poorly organised B&S Ball.

Fact is - we are all already bombarded with emails and information. What makes you and your Tweet something that will get cut through and be of interest?

As always, its the first 12 seconds of attention that counts.

Entertain to Inform, get Creative, Personalise the Experience.