Oprah, the Ultimate Community Leader

Oprah Winfrey is a name that people know all over the world. Her reach is so pervasive that even people who have never watched her show know her name and who she is. I say, she is the ultimate community leader. If you're curious about how to cultivate an online community for your brand, networking group or linking like-minded people together- look no further then the queen of daytime.

I started watching Oprah back in the days of Donohue (the original Phil). In the 80's, The Oprah Winfrey Show was young and the content was pretty different then current trips to Australia (partnership with Telstra), dresses for worthy brides and houses for single mum's who've sacrificed everything to improve the lives of their children.

Back in the early days, Oprah was talking to people about their lives - just like she does now, but it was a different type of sensationalism. In order for people to trust Oprah and set her show apart from all of the other daytime talk shows Ms. Winfrey did something very different- she talked about herself and her personal challenges. Most notably her battle to find peace with her mind and body was a hot topic for a very long time for Oprah and her audience. She admitted having experienced physical abuse and explored her body image issues.

An energy sprang out of these omissions and sometime in the 90's the show shifted format focusing on forging commonalities. Oprah wasn't the interviewer standing with a mic in the audience any more she was centre square talking directly to her audience from the stage.

The lesson for community development is that it's not just about entertainment. It takes time to form relationships and all relationships begin with questions being answered. The Oprah show of today would not be the same if it hadn't gone through the evolution of asking questions and listening BEFORE the gifts and book club. Without the personal connections Oprah has forged between herself and her audience any recommendation or endorsement she made would fall on deaf ears. The audience goes out and buys an Oprah book club selection because they trust her- NOT because she commands them to read it. The 'Oprah Effect' is not something that just happens.

The Oprah audience can relate to the host as a human and because she doesn't come across like a perfect, untouchable celebrity. Empathy is powerful, and it's the human experience that makes us care about each other. As a fan who has invited Oprah into my living room for over 20 years I don't believe she is a gimmick. I have witnesses her evolve in front of my eyes. I've seen her struggle and learned from her journey.

This is what community is all about- sharing, acceptance and support. The subject matter is irrelevant- communities are formed by commonalities not force. Do not cut corners and don't try to fake it. Using tricks like auto-follow on Twitter or too many automated emails is unappreciated and won't get you very far. Know your audience inside and out and celebrate them through relevant content. Show them they matter by singling out the best examples of community participation. Celebrate your community and they will show their appreciation by supporting you in return.

Oprah has used every type of media to allow her fans to connect with her on their own terms- she does not push her own products, but rather; maximises the freedom of choice. She stands for her own set of values that are inline with her audience. I am very excited to see how she manages her network Own in the new year.

GGD Tech Discussion: 2010 Review, 2011 Predictions

Girl Geek Dinners Melbourne is attempting an extremely challenging feat this month. Since I started organising events in September I wanted to choose themes and topics that bring women together from each different area of tech.

October was about Crowdsourcing and how the wisdom of the crowds can shape a business and technology. I couldn't have hoped for a better result in terms of a balanced view from the perspectives of a those who facilitate collaboration and those who see it as a form of outsourcing.

Anyway, for November I wanted to go even further and ask women from all over the world to participate in a global discussion about tech. I even created a video which is unheard of because I am probably one of the most camera shy people you'll ever meet. But I did it because I think it'd be really cool to see and hear from a wide range of women in different disciplines and different industries. I think it's also interesting, having moved to Australia form Canada, to discover that there are small differences in what is trendy in tech from one country to another.

My 2010 tech review has to do with social media (because it's my area) and I think the fact that location software has become mainstream is the biggest trend. Being able to broadcast your location and receive friend's (and strangers) locations is very interesting.

My 2011 tech prediction is that privacy is going to become more important then ever as we become less and less autonomous. I like the idea of sharing where I am at any given time, but only with those who might need to know- or those I select.

It has been interesting to observe some of the reactions to Facebook's connect feature - a few friends use it a lot and one in particular was asked why he feels the need to "spam" everyone with his every move. I think this is case in point that not everyone needs to know that I just walked into Nando's in Richmond, but friends who live and work in the neighbourhood might like to know.

Digital media and web technology has always battled with relevance and semantics. Getting the right message to the right audience is the selling feature, but when things don't go according to plan the results are extremely costly. It's been recorded that marketers are ready and waiting to bombs us with ads the minute we start checking in more often. That could be the reason there remains to be only 4% of adults are using location software services.

*If you're a female working in tech GGDMelb wants to hear from you! Please create any type of content with your review and predictions and use the title GGD Tech Discussion: 2010 Review, 2011 Predictions. Find out more about our global discussion here.

How Not to Manage Your Facebook Fan Page

Things are going pretty well with organising events for Girl Geek Dinners Melbourne. The first discussion we had at Honey Bar was a success and I'm really excited about our next event on November 24th.

A challenge is finding people and organisations to help me spread the word about the group and events. I understand that most people don't want to feel like a broadcaster- I'm only interested to connect with individuals and organisations that are passionate about supporting women in tech, and opt in.

That said, when I go onto Facebook and post a mention of an event on a fan page or group that aims to attract the types of women who would likely be interested to participate I don't expect for my post to be removed. I understand spam, and I understand that we don't want irrelevance diluting the dialogue.

The point is- participating on Facebook means inviting a dialogue. Having a fan page should be about your fans and not yourself. Social media is not a print campaign. It's a way to share and connect. If you are interested in having a one-way dialogue or only allowing wall posts by paid advertisers you are bastardising the very foundation of community.

Please don't EVER do this:

Facebook is not a magazine. The wall should not be limited to paid posts.

Now I can appreciate that Women's Network Australia might not be interested to support GGD, or perhaps they would have preferred that I email them a request to post information about our next event on their wall, but that isn't how Facebook works.

Yes, an organisation can set guidelines and block people from posting inappropriate material, but this is something entirely different. This is paid inclusion, and in my opinion; abuse of a free service. If WNA wants to only allow paid wall posts then they should build that feature on their own website. If an organisation is not open to facilitating networking amongst fans then they should hide the wall or only allow admins to post.

The message I've received is that WNA is only interested in those who pay to be included. Or maybe the only networking they support is their own.

I believe this walled garden approach to community management is old fashioned, and out of touch. (I especially like that a man is acting as a representative of a women's organisation. How very progressive.)

To help illustrate the difference of a fan page and a website, I'd like to quote a recent Mashable article entitled, 5 Big Brands That Are Rocking the Social Media Space:

Starbucks has proven it’s social media savvy. It has continued to launch new campaigns and engage followers along the way. And it continues to source ideas from its custom social network, My Starbucks Idea.

The Seattle-based caffeine king wants to know what you want from Starbucks, and the company is listening. The site enables consumers to share their ideas and critique others’ ideas as well. Discussions are encouraged, and the community votes to see which ideas become reality. The “Give a Gift” idea was suggested back in 2008, and drew more than 42,000 votes. It may have taken some time for the idea to become a reality, but it shows that Starbucks is listening to its customers.

Although this example is a digression it does illustrate the importance of encouraging outsiders (fans) to share and give their opinion. The post I created was contextual to the demographic, it didn't require that fans move to a different location or vacate the WNA fan page, video contributions for the GGD Tech 2010 Review 2011 Predictions can be done through any type of online community which allows video uploads, and it would help fans of WNA get noticed for their opinions. It was a post about empowerment on a fan page claiming to be dedicated to female enterpreneurs.

I believe that if the aim is to control the media -then social media is not for you. If instead, you want to engage an audience and encourage feedback to improve your services and offering then social media is exactly the right medium for that message.

Here's a quick video about the nature of the GGD discussion:

Digital Marketing, Design and Development – Who Trumps Who?

The other day, someone in my network on Twitter tweeted a link to a very interesting article on Business Week titled The Value of Design to Startups. “Design and marketing are way more important than engineering for consumer Internet companies, argues angel investor Dave McClure”

I really enjoyed the article because since my career has shifted into the online marketing side of things from the user experience side I’ve realised that many people within the digital media industry consider online marketing the weaker element of the online product.

I can’t even count how many times I’ve been in a meeting where a web developer has lectured me on how it’s impossible for someone in marketing to understand the complexity of the software or platform. No matter how many times the idea has been presented to me that I’m thick because I can’t write code I’ve never backed down or felt my contribution was insignificant. I might not code, but I am capable of understanding limitations as well as ways to exploit existing digital technologies. The idea that online marketing isn’t really tech is repugnant and ignorant.

Truth be told, there are a lot of bad marketers out there- especially within online because it’s so new and typically marketers tend to have a very rigid approach. Many marketers look at a project with assumptions based on proven strategies –which would be fine, but most new projects are entirely unique and there is no history for the marketer to use as a control.

I’ve worked on projects where the online marketing team has been invited into planning meetings in order to brainstorm requirements, and the best thing they could come up with was space for banner ads. I would argue that anyone who can’t come up with interactive and engaging elements is not an online marketer- they are an offline marketer that wasn’t able to get what they would consider a “real” job.

Anyway, back to Dave’s article and the point of this post.

Last night I was listening to Robin Goldberg speak at the Hive about Blurb. The technology on Blurb is not unique. Not even close to original. But the marketing is exceptional and the strategy to bring people together based on a passion, cause, creative spark or self promotion is genius. Walmart provides the same types of tools and there are lots of other places online to create your own photo book.

What makes Blurb different is the marketing and the brand positioning. Blurb is about community and expands into new territories as the community expands. When enough Australian’s started using Blurb, Robin got on a plane to make contacts and build up the community. The community on Blurb is the key to its success- not the technology.


I’m not entirely sure why there is snobbery amongst the digital media community regarding marketing. I’ve seen plenty of jokes about the hyper promotion of marketing and how we’re all being accosted by spam and badly run promotions, but I could equally throw stones in the other direction. I am so over badly organised websites. My pet hate is sites that are all style and no substance. The worst is landing on a page and thinking “how the hell do I find what I’m looking for and why the f*ck is every component riddled with bugs?”

There is good and bad in either side of the spectrum, but I will argue that we are all marketers. We market ourselves. We market our professions. We market our brands. Without marketing there would be no online business, and I would even venture as far to say that the Internet would not be half as significant in our daily lives.

Everything you need to know to start blogging

Here's a new page I just composed for the iQuantum website- very appropriate to post a link form here.

Online blogging allows you to communicate with your audience in a more personal way

I'm not the best at keeping up with my blog- but I usually manage to post a few things each month, and I think it's important to share where I'm at- you never know who might find your perspective a fresh idea to inspire their own thinking. I believe that digital media breeds connectedness, and the more you give back the more rewards to enjoy.

Don't be greedy and keep all of your ideas to yourself!

Shoes of Prey- how have I only just heard of this website?!

This is the most ingenious idea since Threadless!

in reference to: Design your own bespoke women's shoes - Shoes of Prey (view on Google Sidewiki)

Girl Geek Dinners Melbourne: Panelists Needed!

This October Girl Geek Dinners Melbourne will be holding a panel discussion on the topic of Crowdsourcing: Wisdom of the Crowds. This is a very exciting topic and one that is increasingly prevalent in tech articles and University experiments.

We are interested to engage to any Melbourne-based women working in tech or sciences that apply the principals of crowdsourcing to their work. This doesn't need to be on a grand scale- the basic prinicipal of crowdsourcing is that solicits tasks performed by a large group of people or community (a crowd), through an open call.

Essentially surveys are a form of crowdsourcing. The facinating impact of current social software technology is that it is even easier to connect people to a cause or task.

If you are interested to be a part of our panel discussion and are located in the Melbourne area, please contact me: jessica.lowry@gmail.com

Facebook Tips for Brand Managers

I just came accross this on Facebook's Marketing Fan Page. It is one of several reference papers published by Facebook to help marketers and business owners use Facebook effectively.

Check it out:
Using Facebook to move your business forward

Find Facebook on Scribd

How to get started in Social Media Marketing: Start Listening

The following is a list of activities I've learned from personal experience, as well as, reading books such as Web Marketing for Dummies

Unlike other forms of advertising and promotions, social media marketing is not interruption based, but permission based. We have been social creatures since the days of cavemen and one of our earliest inventions was language development. Knowing how to effectively communicate begins with active listening.

In order for your strategy to make an impact it needs to follow trends, know where your target audience spends their time online, and how to communicate about your products and services without spamming people or getting blocked from networking platforms.

Step 1: Become open-minded.

Understand that assumptions are not facts. Most businesses end up speaking to their existing partners and co-workers online. This is great if your goal is peer-building, but it’s not going to increase your online presence. Do not use offline data to market your brand online. Do not assume that everyone is like you. Do not treat your online activities as a waste of time or insignificant. (Most people can pick up on negative or passive-aggressive attitudes and it is not a good first impression.)

Begin your research understanding that you know nothing- that way your current opinions can’t cloud your judgement and lead you down the wrong path.

Step 2: Put your ear to the ground.

The easiest way to start listening is to create a listening desktop. I recommend that you use iGoogle to manage all of the blogs and RSS feeds you follow in relation to your company and category. If you don’t have a gmail account it’s easy and free to set one up. Once you’ve logged into your iGoogle homepage you can start adding blogs and RSS feeds to keep track of on a daily basis. You can also add keyword searches to iGoogle.

Other examples include: competitor names, individuals in your company, product names, etc.

Other things to track include:

• Twitter feeds or search results
• News search results
• YouTube
• Flickr
• Yahoo Answers

Step 3: Keep a log

Using Excel, create a worksheet that tracks audience data and social media sites where your brand and category is being discussed or commented on.

Audience data:
What kind of people are in your audience?

• Age
• Gender
• Income
• Children
• Regions
• Ethnicity

Other notes to log: Why are they participating in the community or group? What communities or sites do they most often use? How big is this audience? How often do they participate? Who is most influential? Who has the most followers and participants?

Keyword data:

• Phrase
• Age
• Male/Female

Examples of online communities to research:

• Google Groups
• Yahoo Groups
• Facebook
• Digg
• Blogger
• Wordpress

Other resources for free research:
adCenter Labs http://adlab.msn.com
Quantcast www.quantcast.com

Other resources for paid research:
Nielsen Online www.nielsen-online.com
Hitwise www.hitwise.com
Compete http://compete.com
Comscore www.comscore.com
Forester www.forrester.com

Step 4: Start asking questions

There are many free tools to help you ask questions. Yahoo Answers allows anyone to ask and answer, but they don’t necessarily reflect your target audience. LinkedIn allows you to specify the category of your question and narrow down whom you’d like answers from within the LinkedIn community.

Another great resource for creating a free online survey is Google documents. If you’d prefer to have a more professional service conduct a survey on your behalf is to use something like www.surveymonkey.com.

Step 5: Review Google Analytics

Look at how visitors are behaving on your site. Note which pages are popular and visitors spend time on. Begin to think about how the topics of these pages can be incorporated into your social media marketing plan.

Step 6: Compile findings

Take all of the data and research collected and decide how to start engaging in social media to extend your brand presence online.

Step 7: Design a Digital Social Media Policy

Your social media policy serves, in its simplest form, as a guide to how a business, its employees, and anyone else speaking on behalf of the business should share opinions, beliefs, and recommendations with customers online. It is important to have this in place before you engage your staff to represent your brand. Learn more from WOMMA (Word of Mouth Marketing Association).

Girl Geek Dinners Melbourne

I'm a HUGE fan of Girl Geek Dinners- for those who haven't heard of the group before it started in London. The original founder of the London Girl Geek Dinners and Girl Geek Dinners concept was Sarah Blow and she ran the events in London up until August 2009 where she handed over the events to the team that run them today. The reason for the handover was due to the increasing demand for Girl Geek Dinners globally and this needed central co-ordination. Sarah, not being based in London decided it was about time to hand over the events to the Londoners!

Nearly every city around the globe has their own chapter and I'm really excited to be involved with the group here in Melbourne.

All our events are run as not for profit and any funds left over are ploughed back into the group to provide the website, labels etc and sponsorship covers the cost of food and drinks as well as the venue hire where applicable. We are always happy to hear from potential new sponsors and you can contact me
jessica.lowry@gmail.com

What story are you telling online?

I had the great privilege of attending Film Xtended organised by X Media Lab at the ACMI in Melbourne yesterday. It was highly inspirational and enlightening. I didn't take a ton of notes, but I did write down a few that I'll share with you now.

Promoting a film is not dissimilar to promoting any brand or product. A tip is to spend time thinking about the platform you're using to promote the brand- because, "the medium is the message". It's important to remember that online is all about interactivity, real-time communication, and customisation.

Re-purposing offline content does not a website make (love your inner Yoda).

Other notes I scribbled down were:

"snack media"
"measure everything"
"The shortest distance between two people is a story."
"radical media"
"personal cinema"
"psychographic"
"your network is your greatest asset"
"focus on the hooks"

Transmedia Storytelling

A CMO's Guide To The Social Media Landscape

via cmo.com

Women in Tech Rule

OK, so it's not quite that women are dominating, but we are adding our own little 'touches'. It's no huge surprise to me that women are of the higher participants of social media - it's in our DNA to be more social then men. I've read from biological researchers that our socialisation is linked to our survival instincts.

Anyway, I'm glad that more women are finding their niche within digital technologies and I predict that once more women realise there's something in it for them we'll see a massive influx of women working in digital media.

A change that will improve things significantly because we can hear from both voices in equal volume. Publications such as Wired, are heavily male-centric - the articles are mostly gender-neutral, but the ads are assuming that only men are reading the mag; which is not the case.

I reckon women will be leading in the new roles associated with social media; which is very exciting. Roles such as: Online PR, Online Community Manager, etc.

in reference to: For Women, Social Media is More Than "Girl Talk" (view on Google Sidewiki)

Are you thinking of buying an iPad?

I'm a HUGE fan of Apple - my Mac Book is the best laptop I've ever owned and I can't live without my 2 iPods. I would own an iPhone if I weren't living out of country - being a foreigner means most phone plans are totally unreasonable (i.e. minimum 2 year contract when my visa is only for a year, etc.).

Anyway, I think most people are gaga for Apple, but I wonder if the iPad is really a necessary device. Is this a case of product for the sake of a new product, or is this a technological revolution?

As a marketer I have to make a choice about the work I produce. If a potential client comes to me and wants help selling a product I need to be 100% behind the value of that product. Because I need to believe that there are people who will benefit from it.

I believe that we live in an overly populated world of gadgets and junk. A trip to a local garage sale will give you a taste of it or a journey across the vast garbage dumps of the world with little to no ability to cope with Western society's obsession with over consumption. We buy too many things we don't need, and there is a very real price to pay for it.

Reading this article by Eliot Van Buskirk from Wired Magazine I'm still not 100% convinced about the value of the iPad. I think music LPs is a very interesting concept and digital magazines have always intrigued me, but do we need yet another device for these types of digital possibilities?

What if instead of an iPad we had a macbook air with a twistable display? You could turn it into a template or use it as a notebook- I'm holding out for the hybrid that does both.

in reference to:

"By Eliot Van Buskirk"
- Can Apple’s iPad Save the Media After All? | Epicenter | Wired.com (view on Google Sidewiki)

Other articles on the environment implications of our techology:
The Story of Apple's Environmental Footprint
The Ecological Footprint of eBooks
Knowmore.org

How to Create an Online Network, part 2

It is always vital to conduct extensive market research prior to getting started. Within the early planning stage internal research and analysis needs to occur in conjunction with external research - all users including: moderators, admins and members will need to be thought through in terms of their unique perspective. Then decisions can be made as to the appropriate objectives to pursue, whether to keep membership restricted or open, and whether to recruit customers or prospects as moderators or external staff.

The community manager is the host of the community. This role requires a person who is able to rally online members to take action, complete their profile information, create their own content, and comment on other members’ content. The goal is not for the community manager to control member behaviour, but to teach them how to use the networks functionality.

Collecting feedback and observing how the members interact is vital for future enhancements and improvements to the functionality. The majority of testing should occur during a soft launch in order to trial the platform using a wide range of members in real-world scenarios.

Another aspect of the community manager’s role is to conduct real-time surveys by asking members questions about their experience. The aim is for members to take initiative in submitting feedback, but because the need for feedback is so high during the early stages the community manager will solicit feedback on a regular basis. Surveys should also be conducted using SurveyMonkey and Google Documents.

Recognise & Reward

Upon first arrival to the network a new user should become instantly aware that this is no ordinary network, but a community with a pulse. Before registering, a user will be presented to a barrage of positive examples for registering- most of these examples will be seen through a reward system; this could be both a financial incentive and a recognition incentive.

Each new member should receive a personalised email from the community manager welcoming them to network. Receiving some form of acknowledgement is the single most important factor in determining if someone returns or not. During the soft launch, the community manager never stops being the host for new members uncertain about how to participate.

The goal for every network is to be a vibrant and highly active community of content creators and content consumers. During the early stages, all of the rewards will likely be appointed by the community manager. These rewards are to recognise preferred behaviour and encourage members to participate on a regular basis.

Other benefits to encouraging members to take a personal interest in their fellow members is building brand advocacy. Members should develop a sense of ownership by submitting their opinions and sharing their time. This emotional investment translates into self-moderation. Self organisation will reduce the pressure on the Community Manager to be as highly active and visibly involved.

Online activities should always be transparent to the whole community; the rewards given for those activities need to be similarly transparent as well. Never act like Big Brother.

Letter to a Client: eCommerce Design Tips

The following is an extract from an email I sent to a client today - I seem to share the same advise over and over, so why not post it with my readers?

...definitely bad etiquette having any sort of media start automatically. A glittery animation makes sense and will draw the eye to the rich content.

In terms of having a tag cloud- I do recommend these. Not only can you optimise more keywords, but most people don't perform searches in search boxes (unless they're conducting a search on Google or Yahoo) because most people lack trust in the internal search to propagate the content they're after (mostly because of semantics- you say tomato I say tamato). A tag cloud negates semantics and helps a user by serving up more ideas for items to look for.

If it comes down to needing to eliminate elements - the main rule of thumb is the bottom line "will this end in a sale?" - content for the sake of content is not more important then merchandise.

Also, in 4-6 months you'll likely want to make a few changes and modify certain elements. The canvas is never complete- there will be plenty of opportunities to make adjustments and refinements. The best way to determine what to keep and what to get rid of is the analytics from user behaviour- we can make all kinds of assumptions about what will have the most impact now, but the best director is consumer behaviour.

Metrics, Analytics & Goals

"You can’t improve what you don’t understand.” – Avinash Kaushik

I've been reading a fantastic book this week that I highly recommend to anyone working within digital media analysis. Web Analytics 2.0, by Avinash Kaushik is a must-read for all online marketing professionals and business analysts.

Here's what I've taken away from my reading thus far:

Data is the anatomy of digital media. Within the structure of web platforms and online content is a wealth of information. It provides everything necessary to evaluate the sustainability of an online product. The challenge is not collecting data; but rather, in its evaluation and analysis. How and when decisions are made requires the right data at the right time. Timing is critical for proactive enhancements. By understanding the structure of digital media it is possible to improve the life of the product and the duration of its effectiveness.

The test and measure philosophy for success provides the awareness that no project is ever complete. It is crucial to acquire data that is actionable, and to discard data that is unhelpful or irrelevant. This principle seems simple, but assessing ‘good’ data from ‘bad’ data is unique to every web application, platform, and piece of content. Determining the KPIs (key performance indicators) requires trial and error.

Each individual within an organisation will have their own expectation for reporting based on their role and responsibilities. The role of the individual distributing these reports and evaluating them is determined by the company's corporate culture.

An administrator produces reports and distributes them to the individuals responsible for decision making. These managers evaluate the data and implement strategies based on the insights they extract. This causes delays and is not ideal for a start-up. A reporting system is better suited to a micro-management style of checks and balances, which slows down the decision making process.

The alternative is to employ an analyst who extracts insights based on their experience and industry knowledge. An analyst cuts down the time required for multiple individuals to reach a conclusion from the data. An analyst is suited to an agile development team that is trying to launch a new product. The difference is the speed in which decisions take place within the organisation. This report outlines the role of the analyst while detailing the necessary metrics to be collected and analysed.

Step 1: Customer Intent

This form of reporting is simple and standard with most analytics software. Essentially a few lines of code are added to each page; which is automatically generated by the analytics tool. This code will produce reports on general site-wide information, such as: page views and bounce rate. The core metrics listed above will be the basis for assessing the customer intent.


Step 2: Configure Settings

In order to asses “good” data from “bad” data the various conversion funnels will need to be stored within the analytics tool. These goals will allow us to determine how often a user performs specific actions that lead to positive outcomes; such as: completed registrations, subscribing to the newsletter, creating an ad, placing a bid, and even performing an internal search.
We need to capture the specific actions performed by each user in order to enhance and improve the sales funnel. Only through test and measurement of the online flows can processes be improved. If the majority of users are performing the same searches there may need to be a quick link provided upon point of entry to enhance the experience and serve relevant information directly.

Another important consideration is that not all actions will occur on the website. Thanks to open API's most users will be able to take action through external webpages and devices. Essentially, what the report needs to determine is how users are interacting with the platform (*think platform not website).

Step 3: Campaign Tracking

In order to accurately assess the ROI for online advertising and promotion it is critical that each and every Ad has a unique code associated with it. This includes emails, banners, referral links, and directory listings. The tag needs to include the location, source, and any other parameters surrounding the online marketing strategy for that particular promotion.

This requires time and a designated body assessing that the code is accurate and reports are verified. There are tools to help with the manual entry associated with campaign tracking, but it will require a person to manage and perform data entry.

It is very important to know where traffic is coming from and which referring websites are producing regular flows of traffic. The more relevant a promotion the higher the conversion rate which means a good return on investment. It’s important to determine which websites refer traffic based on internal search terms and top tags.

Step 4: Tracking Revenue & Intelligence

Additional JavaScript code will need to be embedded onto each page in order to extract data out of the page. The code will provide instructions for the script to know what data needs to be collected. Due to the fact that this data is personal and user generated it is important that all privacy measures have been taken into consideration. Legal evaluation of the data being collected is required; not only because of the user’s right to privacy, but because company data will be exported into an external tool and then processed into a report.

The value of this data is high and crucial for assessing gaps and accuracy of online forms, the payment gateway, and internal processes for user management. It is also required for measuring the payments being processed through your web platform.

Metrics to be collected include:

• Daily Payments
• Daily Fees Collected

Step 5: Event Tracking

Evaluating the effectiveness of rich media is paramount for any web 2.0 platform. Monitoring user interactions with content such as: videos, widgets, apps, audio, and any other user generated content. Developers will need to create and embed code into each piece of rich media content in order to track behaviour.

Reporting can include:

• How often a video is played.
• Viral distribution of content (sent via which aggregator)
• How often a user opens an app
• How often a user interacts via mobile device
• Action via Widgets and Gadgets

Analytics Resources:
Google Analytics Glossary
Occam’s Razor by Avinah Kaushik
Hitwise
comScore

“Let data, not opinions, drive decisions.” – Avinash Kaushik

How to Create an Online Network

“A great city is that which has the greatest men and women.” – Walt Whitman

Experts in social media warn against creating a community with no purpose or specific intent. A thriving community needs a purpose and a positive, encouraging leader to evoke a sense of pride in participation. The greatest asset of a community is its members.


Community input offers marketers an intimate — and continuous — understanding of information important to consumers, but only if they’re willing to listen closely to what members have to say. You can use feedback to uncover what consumers really want or to design new enhancements, products and marketing programs. The key is to get the entire team to focus on what's important in a sea of open-ended responses: insights that matter to the business and marketing plans.

Listen, Don’t Control

It will be vital to conduct extensive market research prior to the launch of the community. Within the initial stage internal research and analysis will occur in conjunction with external research. Then decisions will be made as to the appropriate objectives to pursue, whether to keep membership restricted or open, and whether to recruit customers or prospects as moderators or external staff.

The community manager will be the host of the community. This role will require a person who is able to rally online members to take action, complete their profile information, create their own content, and review other members’ content. The goal is not for the community manager to control member behaviour, but to teach them how to use the platforms functionality.

Collecting feedback and observing how the members interact is vital for future enhancements and improvements to the functionality. The majority of testing will occur during the testing stage in order to trial the platform using a wide range of members in real-world scenarios.


Another aspect of the community manager’s role is to conduct real-time surveys by asking members questions about their experience using Meemeep. The aim is for members to take initiative in submitting feedback, but because the need for feedback is so high during the pilot the community manager will solicit feedback on a regular basis. Surveys will also be conducted using SurveyMonkey and Google Documents.

Selling Stuff Online

Recently a client came to us and asked how she could sell yoga DVDs online. We reviewed the category and looked at the competition and told our client that we could help her create a network in order to talk to people online about her style of yoga and the DVDs she produced.

The client wasn’t too thrilled initially, in fact, she downright hated the idea, but we held our ground. The thing of it is there is millions of yoga DVDs and differentiating one yoga DVD from the next is a hard nut to crack. I’ve tried a few yoga DVDs in my time, and I usually try the ones with the highest ratings on Amazon or whatever is being endorsed by celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow or Madonna. Years ago I bought the NYC Ballet Company fitness DVD because Sarah Jessica Parker swore by it.

Lame as it might be, word of mouth is how most consumers make their buying decisions. Even if the recommendation comes from a total stranger it’s better than nothing. At least a rating and review provides some form of context. I also like being able to try before I buy. Video samples and video podcasts are a brilliant way to give potential customers a digital taste.

Anyway, during this time I was browsing through Mashable, and noticed a banner for a CMS platform called SocialGo. On the SocialGo website I found a case study for a site called Earthlings.

When the owners of Earthlings started their SocialGO network, they weren’t yet ready to sell their baby clothing products. Even so, they persevered and built a healthy, online community so that when they were ready to sell, they had constant access to a specifically targeted consumer base. “We thought, why not start a community? We can have the ball rolling even before we get our products online,” says Hannah Shone, Co-Owner of Earthlings.

There are a lot of online communities out there, and I think it’s a mistake for any company to think their online community is going to rival Facebook or Twitter – I can guarantee you that a corporate or brand community will never, ever surpass a community based on real-life connections.

Anyway, the goal is to integrate into existing communities and start a dialogue about something you’re passionate about. For my client, it was yoga and living a healthy, balanced lifestyle. This is the perfect kind of conversational fodder, and I imagined she’d take to it like a yogi to a mat. But I was wrong. My client followed my directions and created her own network on SocialGo, and created profiles on Facebook and Twitter. We had custom backgrounds made and showed her how to communicate with people. As a few months passed she arrived at my house looking glum and defeated. When I asked her what was going on she told me that she felt disappointed that no one had bought a DVD and no one on her SocialGo network was interacting.

I was shocked. It never occurred to me that I needed to explain that setting everything up was only the first step. The web is not a field of dreams – there is no “build it and they will come” mantra happening in the background.

First you need to interrupt someone, get their attention by offering them something they’re interested in or looking for, and then provide them that ‘thing’. Once you’ve got the ability to communicate with them and they feel satisfied that you delivered what they were looking for you can then start communicating with them about the next thing they want. Then you deliver that next thing, and so on. This goes on for awhile, and then one day you tell them about something new you’ve got before they even have to ask- why do you do this? Because you’ve developed a relationship, and you aren’t offering them something random- but something relevant and right up their alley.

I'll be blogging about this client adventure more over the next few weeks. Please add a comment or send an email if you have any questions or want to share your own experience with selling products online.

A Giggle of Amusement

Reading through Wired's cutting story of Facebook's business direction to create a public community out of it's private community is a funny little twist.

Beside the scathing critic of Facebook's choice to sell information to third party businesses is a Wired Fan Page - 91, 712 fans and counting (I just added myself).

I personally believe that the inclusion of brands and advertising are a natural addition to Facebook. I really never thought it was THAT special and intimate. I kinda always felt it was the opposite of private- if I needed to be private I would not be using Facebook. Let's get real here, most people have about 200+ friends on Facebook- raise of hands how many actually communicate with the majority of their 'friends' on a regular basis.

As much as everyone wants to be too cool for advertising, the reality is that we are living in a consumer culture. Buying stuff is what we do. Last time I looked everyone wasn't turning their own crops or making thier own clothes (aside from the community selling their gear on Etsy). Wired wants to sell magazines -just like every other business wants to make a deal with an interested buyer. Businesses use Facebook is engage with people and find out more about them. I'd rather Facebook sell data then carry on with the Company Fan Page mania- truly, Fan Pages are rarely fun or interesting.

If Facebook is able to figure out a way for brands and advertising to become personalised and relevant to me - I say bring it on. Right now the best they're able to pull off is celebrity weight loss and underwear ads.

What evil will come from a local merchant letting me know that the boots I crave are in my price range and down the street from my pilates class?

I might be a loner on this one, but I really don't think my random, lame, witty funny, stupid remarks on Facebook is going to lead anyone anywhere close to harming me. I don't think my 'cultural norms' are disrupted at all by the new privacy position. I just don't think I'm special enough to be watched all that closely.

If anything, I don't think Facebook is going far enough. I'd like to be able to be paid for my interactions with businesses. I'd like to be rewarded more often and given discounts at local stores. Instead of every shop having its own rewards program- I'd like to have one massive rewards program that allows me to manage all of the brands and brands I choose to engage with.

in reference to: Facebook’s Gone Rogue; It’s Time for an Open Alternative | Epicenter | Wired.com (view on Google Sidewiki)

Social Media For Communicators

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Social Media For Communicators

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Steps for Implementing an Online Marketing Strategy

I’m very organized most of the time- not always, but my partner calls me the ‘keeper of all things’. I like knowing where all my stuff is and how to get at the small things at the back of the cupboard.

At work, I’m positive that I annoy most of my co-workers with my need to know everything. It’s not that I want to control everything or everyone- it’s just that I feel lost not knowing the bigger picture and it’s through the organization of the smaller things that I’m able to stay focused.

At home, if I want to try a new recipe from my favourite cookbook I don’t want to spend 20 minutes hunting for all the ingredients. I have a designated place for everything. All of my baking tools are in one drawer with all of the ingredients I use to bake.

Professionally, I apply the same principles to organizing strategies for my clients.

Here’s my list of actions and steps to keep a new project on-time and orderly. I strongly encourage you to leave a comment if you think I’ve missed anything or failed to explain something. I also encourage you to share this with anyone who might find it helpful.


Interview the client to obtain:

• What are the business objectives?
• What is the USP (unique selling proposition)?
• What is the marketing budget (on-going and current)?

Research category to define:

• Who are the direct competitors (online and offline)?
• Are there any gaps in the market?
• Are there any potential partners? (Cross promotions, affiliates, add-on services)
• What is the best brand positioning strategy?
• What are the top 40 search terms?
• What available digital technology compliments the product/service?

Outline a project strategy to define:

• Best method to achieve business goals.
• Online brand positioning tactics.
• Cost of acquisition via online promotion(s). (On-going, seasonal, special offers)

Content inventory assessment to define:

• Is there enough call to action messages?
• Are the calls to action messages strong enough and clear?
• Are Images rotated and updated on a regular basis?
• Is there a unique message for returning site visitors?
• Can the sitemap be improved to increase traffic (SEO)?
• Do people know what to do on the site? (Are the conversion paths smoothly transitioning the user through the flow?)

Work allocation to ensure:

• Developer(s) understand what needs to be built and /or improved.
• Designer is clear about the direction of the brand positioning.
• Promotions are scheduled and prepared well in advance.
• Copy is given a “fresh coat of paint” by a professional copy-writer.

On-going Analysis to obtain:

• Report on performance translated into action (are people doing what we expected, is the number of conversions increasing?)
• Explain the trends (annotate data with the wisdom that explains the results).

Another great idea when developing an online marketing strategy is to look at previous examples, 6 Lessons We Can Learn From Barack Obama’s Online Marketing Strategy.