The Revolution will not be Televised

Posted by Larry Garfield on 13 April 2009 | 0 Comments

Tags: social media

(With apologies to Gil Scott Heron.)
 

The Revolution will not be corporate-controlled, or disruption-based. It will not appear in a print magazine or a newspaper. It will be customer-controlled. It will be inbound, driven by a search engine. It will give prospects what they want, when they want it. It will be more influenced by their peers than by you.

Yes, marketing has changed forever. And the Revolution will not be Televised.

You will not be able to plug in, turn on and cop out.

Consumers are now spending 8+ hours per day in front of screens. Mostly computer screens (including time at the office), followed by mobile devices like phones, iPods and GPS, and television. Print isn’t quite dead, but with the economic downturn, mainstream newspapers and trade magazines are downsizing at a more rapid pace than before.

OK, you already knew that was happening. Then why haven’t you done a full remix on your tactics?  It’s not that easy making the transition. But today, it’s an imperative — for both B2C and B2B brands.

How can you join the revolution?

1.  Profile your audiences’ digital life. What are they doing online? What online magazines do they read?  Which blogs, and LinkedIn groups do they subscribe to?  If you’re a B2B brand, your customers are likely to be spending time in B2B Social Networks — communities organized around their professional interests. Often the most trusted source of information is their peers.

2.  Get your SEO game on. What phrases do your customers use to search?   They often go well beyond the ones you think they use. Today, Search Engine Optimization is the most common way that B2B prospects will find you. In a recent survey, 85.3% answered “yes” when asked if they would do online research before making a purchase decision. It all starts by profiling the right search terms and keywords (volume of searches, relevance, difficulty and competition), then optimizing your on-page and off-page (link building, links from other sites) SEO.

3.  Become engaging. What tools are you using to engage — and convert — prospects online?  If you think that means an email registration page and downloadable fact sheets and white papers, you’re just scratching the surface.

Today, there are huge opportunities to utilize social networks, blogs and video to spread the word and establish your brand’s credibility and authority. As well as utilize these tools to improve your search engine traffic. This is, perhaps, even more relevant for B2B brands, as the channels of influence are more narrow and therefore more relevant.

Consider this a warning shot across your bow.
The revolution is here. Join us — or prepare to be boarded.