eMail Click-Through Rates 2/10 - Courtesy of Constant Contact

Accountant 14.5%
Art Gallery 10.6%
Association 11.0%
Communications 8.9%
Consultant 12.0%
Crafts 22.1%
Education and Services 15.1%
Entertainment 10.8%
Event Planning 12.2%
Franchise 12.5%
Government Agency 14.7%
Hotel, Inn, B&B 13.9%
Legal Services 13.0%
Manufacturing & Distribution13.1%
Marketing/PR 13.5%
Medical Services 13.3%
Non-profit 12.3%
Office Supplies 9.4%
Personal Services 12.6%
Products & Services 12.2%
Professional Services 13.0%
Publishing 27.6%
Real Estate 10.4%
Religious Organization 9.8%
Restaurant/Bar/Catering 6.6%
Retail 15.7%
Salon/Spa 7.0%
Sports & Recreation 12.3%
Technology 10.9%
Transportation 13.8%
Travel & Tourism 11.6%
Web Developer 16.4%
Other* 17.8%

Wishing you the best of success.

Cheers,
Robert

Robert Fleming
President/CEO

eMarketing Association
www.eMarketingAssociation.com

Tags: Marketing by admin
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Available on newsstands, not on the web

Basically, you download software, use a camera to scan the codes strategically placed throughout the magazine and it initiates an online experience.

Newspapers and magazines are struggling.  Murdoch is in the news with his intent to sell news content and maybe even remove his listings from Google.  Neither tactic is new, neither has yet proven successful.

Online advertising is not as profitable as the newsstand sales lost is the issue, more or less.  The old established industry has too much capital and intellectual property invested in the old ways.  The innovators are capitalising on the opportunities.  Change is the order of the day.

So, instead of trying to raise revenue (i.e. value) from its online content, Esquire is leveraging the technology and adding online value to its newsstand publication, with the hope of increasing sales.

How is this an improvement on the CD stuck to the cover with industrial snot?

1. Web interface means content can be changed, regularly updated to maintain a customer’s interest.
2. Unlike a cd with web links, there is no alternative, its is an engagement, and all the metrics that go with it.
3. It’s customisable, configurable and personalisable.  It brings all the good things about web accountablity and measurement to analogue publication.

The promo will pass or fail based upon the quality of the content, user experience and marketing sensitivity.  There are a few mechanical hurdles to overcome to participate, and that is the greatest weakness.
It also makes me think of different models where you might be able to sell “tickets”, or pass out secret “pass keys” as part of a promotion…
Jump to the Esquire video demo of the magazine:

Video - Esquire

Tags: Strategy, Marketing by admin
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An interesting perspective, separating viral marketing from Social Media.  To my mind, the two are symbiotically bound.

Organized Chaos: Viral Marketing, Meet Social Media | Epicenter | Wired.com

Tags: Marketing by admin
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In the ever evolving cat and mouse game of marketing, the spring loaded marketing message, popping out at you from the noise of everyday life has been one of the great constants.  Interruption marketing.

Now, with the evolution of search, and our constant old friend, need satisfaction, relevancy becomes the key.

With Google facing a ‘relevancy’ war with Bing in the results trenches, look forward to fallout on your own website. Both sides will be evolving their algorithms, and your rankings may be likewise evolving.  Some of the more well known tricks that raise ranking, but hurt relevancy may come under threat, including link farms, domain nurturing sites, hijacked keyword strategies, etc.  Would that be such a bad thing?

This takes me back to one of my previous posts, “SEO Tips and Tricks - Practical Advice“.

Digital Ministry - Are you relevant?

Tags: Marketing, SEO by admin
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I love great examples.  Even better when they demonstrate a good concept, that could have been so much greater.

The Good

Honda have taken a stance in the Social Interactive Media forum by creating an identity on Facebook, and opening some groups to promote their gear, lifestyle, financial services, etc.  Do a quick search for Honda on Facebook, and its one of the 500 or so groups dedicated to the Brand.  Fanboys and girls, dealerships, and people named Honda all orbit in that same universe.  In a nutshell, its not like they have total domination of their keyword, nevertheless …Kudos for joining the game.  Obviously, there’s a lot of love for Honda out there.

The case in point is the launch of their Accord Crosstour, a new crossover (CUV) car, as in, NOT SUV gas guzzling behemoth, but large family sedan with commanding driving position and luxury feel…  We can talk about rebranding later.  Launch is set for Fall 09 in the US.  About now.

The Bad

The unexpected result of this effort is that the car is getting ravaged on the facebook page. Comments are overwhelmingly negative about the look of the beast.  Shock Horror!  The vehicle and the brand are being ravaged on their own turf!  This is the nightmare of practically every marketing suit when it comes to this kind of effort.  But, this is also the great value of the effort - customer feedback!

The Butt Ugly

Yes, the car, er, rather ‘CUV’ is as ugly as a pan of fried butt.  Don’t take my word for it, have a look yourself.  When people accuse Honda of being as bad as GM when it comes to design, that’s some tough love. Apparently some rather timely tough love…perhaps a wake-up call.

OOPS!  Back to the Good!

What makes this so good is that this is what its all about on Social Interactive Media.  Feedback.  How valuable is this kind of feedback to the Honda Motor Corp US?  How will this impact production?  How will it impact advertising?  Next model year’s cosmetic update?  Not to mention Honda being in the news, on this blog, and in you brain as we speak.  This negative feedback will save them money.  What they do with the opportunity is something to follow, I reckon.

Oh no, back to the Bad…

One can only help but wonder how much more effective this effort would have been, if the facebook strategy had been applied in the design stage, if Honda had asked for input as opposed to approval of a finished product.

The lesson:  Social interactive media feedback is good, but better when you integrate it in the process so you can act upon it before everything is a done deal.  There is no such thing as bad feedback if you understand how to work with it.

Facebook | Honda Accord Crosstour

Tags: Strategy, Marketing by admin
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Still on the social media topic, the title says it all!

Has google page rank and Alexa ratings next to them…

Social Bookmarking Sites – All Of Them

Tags: Marketing, Trends by admin
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Social Networking is the buzz, and twitter is flavour of the (month, year, ???).  Regardless of your opinion, it certainly is a happening place, and considering the success and evolution of instant messaging one to one, this instant messaging, one to many certainly should catch your attention.

Here’s a great post on corporate tools to twitter.

Corporate Twitter Toolbox: Twitter Tools for the Enterprise

Tags: Marketing, Trends by admin
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Following my current theme of social networking, here’s a great list, with links, to 26 social networking sites, most of which are special interest, for all you niche marketers out there.

Social networking from A to Z

Tags: Marketing by admin
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100 voices blogging, tweeting and facebooking about the marvels of their free (for 6 months) Ford Fiesta.

A great test of Social Interactive Marketing.  My bet is that it will work.

Ford Bets the Fiesta on Social Networking | Autopia from Wired.com

Tags: Marketing by admin
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Back in the day, the issue was to humanise the cold world of cyberspace.

The social question of cocooning with your computer as opposed to socialising with “real” people and the basking in the warmth of human interaction.

Well, as the saying goes, sex sells.  Maybe images and allusions, maybe the real thing.  One particular segment of the Web2.0 world, interactive social networking and its cousin, Online Dating, seems to be selling well enough.  People are reaching out - profiling, polling their peers and publishing themselves.

The bills are paid by an advertising financed model, supplemented by subscription and/or fees for services where possible.

According to this article, interactive social networking and online dating is going to outperform Porno, a long time internet cash cow.  Make of that what you will - having visited some of the online dating sites, the boundary is certainly blurred.

So, what’s in if for me?

Every web strategy session these days begins with, “How can we make the site more Web2.0?”

In keeping with my theme, ’show don’t tell’ here is an article listing 50 examples that might provide some inspiration. Keep in mind my three pillars of web2.0 - Community, Celebrity and Creativity.

Top 50 Innovations in Social Networking and Online Dating

Tags: Marketing by admin
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