Cowbell

It's a simple device with the serious sound. It's at once a signal of where the herd is and an indicator of where it is going. And it happens to be the first remarkable skit from SNL since 1973.

By: Stephanie Critchfield at 8:04 am

Accepting Social Marketing

Jul
21

Sometimes I feel like agencies still treat social marketing like it’s a new trend. There’s this childlike excitement about it. Slowly, it’s easing, but not quickly enough. Because with this childlike wonder comes the tendency to covet the social marketing, to carve it out and put it into a little box in our office and … ultimately … to limit its potential.

We even argue about who “owns” it. Is it the PR firm or the digital agency? Even when we know that for years we’ve shared duties (such as traditional agencies taking on PR practices for clients, or PR firms designing websites). While we bicker, specialty shops are springing up, intently focused on securing the business we fight over.

In fact, a recent article in WSJ.com quoted a Domino’s Pizza spokesperson as saying “A lot of companies right now that specialize in PR or advertising are trying to do this on the side….”

“On the side?” Yeah. That’s what she said. The kind of firm Domino’s chose? A specialty shop. A sign? You betcha. It’s time to buckle down and get this right. Social marketing may be exciting, and perhaps a little intimidating, but it’s still marketing. And it’s attached to digital. At WhittmanHart, social (in some form) is a part of many of our client relationships; the two aren’t easily separated.

Agencies Need to Be Leaders

Unbelievably, I still hear “What should I do with Facebook?” Why is that? With most other initiatives, the need begets the channel. Yet for some reason, giddiness and maybe even fear of missing out on an opportunity prompts brands to think about moving into Social without really understanding why.  It’s our job to hit the reset button and ask the right questions.

And let’s remember why social marketing has become so important so quickly. The fabric of the consumer-marketer relationship has been altered. Social marketing has become a way to infuse a brand into a buyers life – to channel desire, to add value, to add convenience. These relationships have the potential to improve the longevity and lifetime value of a customer, to evolve products and services and to extend awareness through community. 

Now, I’m not saying that everyone is doing this wrong. What I’m saying is that collectively, we have some work to do. Agencies exist to be expert at our craft. We make educated and strategic recommendations, execute creatively and prove our strength through measurement. Most importantly, our recommendations are typically based on how they fit into a total brand strategy – we compile an understanding of what programs are already running and why. This means that our executions ladder up to the brand’s overarching attributes in order to best meet objectives. Social marketing shouldn’t be treated any differently.

That being said, there is certainly a place for “playing around.” In fact, I’d go so far as to say that I encourage it, particularly with new trends – sampling the waters, having test budgets, etc. But, broadly, the time has come for agencies to get serious about how we use the many pieces that make up Social Marketing.

0
Continue Reading
By: Stephanie Critchfield at 10:20 am

Socializing Ecommerce

Jul
15

The past few years have come fast and furious for marketers. With an economic whirlwind came a shift in the way consumers not only spend their money, but the way they interact with brands. Seemingly overnight, new priorities for marketers (and the marketed) surfaced. Only a few years ago, we didn’t care about being friendly with our breakfast cereal. But today, we pursue more meaningful, reciprocal relationships with our brand choices. “Brand experience” has become increasingly important. All of this being true, one group in particular could see significant change in the coming years – online retailing. 

Retailers have made big strides in improving experience – mostly in the area of functionality and enabling purchase. And this is completely appropriate, since people rate User Experience elements higher than most when it comes to ecommerce site expectations. (eMarketer.com) 

But, what I’m talking about isn’t so much about function. It’s socializing ecommerce. We’re seeing glimmers of this idea with social marketing becoming a common extension of back-to-school programs and in day-to-day brand marketing. And also with efforts to indentify and speak directly to online influencers.  However, what I’m talking about takes this a step further. 

Note: This might not apply in every way to all retailers, but it certainly does for categories like home improvement and fashion.

While our buying patterns have shifted – perhaps we are more contemplative about our purchases and more loyal to transparent brands – human behavior, in general, remains intact. So, just as online reviews and Googling have become an imperative part of making prudent final decisions on a product, we are still guided by our behavior. And for many, shopping is social. This is at least part of why the Shopping Mall was created. It’s the experience. We share. We ask our friends for opinions. And, we take joy in our purchases (and the result of those purchases). For example, we complete a landscaping project in our back yard and post the pictures on Facebook. Or, get the perfect dress for an event with the help of a consultant and friends and get loads of compliments.

How can brands exploit these intrinsic behaviors?

Use Customer Service

Companies like Zappos (yes, another person gushing about Zappos) understand the important role customer service plays in the experience. In fact, as we all know, it is their guiding principle. The spirit of their thinking is brick-and-mortar, not click-and-buy. What will the customer want to see (various angles, videos, how the shoe looks on the foot)? What will make them feel good about their purchase (shipping and return policy, access to friendly representatives)? How do they embrace you as a friend (review the product, give the company feedback)? Most important, they’ve made shopping with them feel good because they’re likeable and they’ve paid attention to what you want.

Determine Social Factors for Your Product

For instance, what makes your customers excited about your products? Turn that excitement into a way to guide the buying process. For example, SwimOutlet.com knows their products are very personal. They also know that people get excited when they find something that improves their performance. So, they make on-site reviews a giant part of their effort. Yes, reviews. Around forever, they play a big role in satisfying the human need to make an informed purchase. I’m a SwimOutlet.com customer. With each purchase, I’ve used their on-site reviews to guide my decision. After a few weeks, I’m always asked to come back to the site and review the product; and again if I haven’t done it after the first request. It’s not pushy. Rather, it’s done in the spirit of giving back to the community; a smart and very profitable gesture.

Leverage Community

Sure, this means initiatives like Facebook and Twitter. But it also means using your site experience (where people purchase). Lowes understands that in their business, people thrive on inspiration and community as a confidence builder to purchase. So, they developed LowesCreativeIdeas.com, where people can get “How-Tos” and share projects. Now, it’s on the right track, but it does have a disconnected feeling from the buying experience. In my mind, the evolution of this concept would integrate experiences with shopping. And this is certainly where it gets tricky.

Engage with Your Audience

While not a retailer themselves, ShopStyle.com has a concept that retailers could learn from. They call themselves “the online equivalent of browsing the aisles of the world’s most fabulous store.” And they embody the notion of bringing the physical shopping experience online. ShopStyle.com is highlighted by their community – a group of people who assemble “stylebooks” that are shared with users. With each assembled outfit, the user can click an item to navigate to purchase options. And these community members can be “followed.” It’s not unusual for a single member to have hundreds of followers. Fashion, in fact, tends to be the most evolved of categories since, fundamentally, it’s such a social thing. I would imagine a lot of idea sharing could happen between fashion and seemingly disconnected categories like electronics and house wares. 

Of course, these ideas are nothing particularly new. But it does capture how important is to be thinking about the impact of the Web combined with our social expectations. Smart retailers will do more than react to immediate demands, they will evolve.

0
Continue Reading
By: Stephanie Critchfield at 10:40 am

Twitterers Get the Worm? Advertisers to Give Community Exclusive Offers.

Jul
7

Yesterday, Twitter announced its newest play for makin some bank – “Early Bird.” It’s simple – follow @earlybird on Twitter and you get updates on limited-time, exclusive offers from Twitter advertisers.

It’s a smart play. And, it’s a sensible opportunity for advertisers; one that rewards the community. In fact, in my opinion, this makes a heck of a lot more sense than sponsored tweets and trends.

As an active Twitterer, I’m actually excited about this. It’s a little “Woot-ish.” And that’s a good thing. If they do this the way users are likely expecting (at the time of this post, they already have well over 15,000 followers – with just ONE tweet), then it has all the right pieces and parts. It’s community driven. It’s exclusive. It’s limited- time. And, on the advertiser side, they have control over the deals and access to a passionate community. 

At least at first thought, the only way I see this flopping is if Twitter takes on crappy offers. But, they are asking for ideas for how they decide on offers.

Read more: 

As of today, I’m one of the thousands of followers looking forward to seeing where this goes …

0
Continue Reading
By: Stephanie Critchfield at 7:51 am

Summer Reading

Jul
7

Something about the warm sunshine (and kids at their grandparents) makes me read more. Perhaps you too. So, in tribute the glowing orb in the sky and the greatness that is working in the digital space, I have assembled a Summer Reading list. It’s compiled by recommendations from the some of the great minds in our agency – and covers everything from customer service to creativity.

Enjoy! (Links take you to Amazon). And, if you’ve read any of these books – or plan to – please report back; I’d love to here your thoughts.

Carol Setter

I just recently read How Brands Become Icons: The Principles of Cultural Branding by Douglas B. Holt. Now I’m reading a very interesting book,  The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains by Nicholas Carr

Chip Weinstein

It’s old school, but Where the Suckers Moon: The Life and Death of an Advertising Campaign by Randall Rothenberg is still the greatest look at a pitch from the inside. And the author now runs the IAB. 

Sheree Hill

Zac Rybacki

A few months ago, I read The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right by Atul Gawande. While it deals mainly the complex nature of modern medicine he makes great analogies to other very complex environments like high rise construction. Very easy to relate back to our business and in my opinion a great read for all project managers. 

Todd Levy

I would definitely recommend Rework by Jason Fried, and David Heinemeier Hansson from (Chicago’s own) 37signals.  Here’s a quick review from Seth Godin…

“This book will make you uncomfortable.
Depending on what you do all day, it might make you extremely uncomfortable.
That’s a very good thing, because you deserve it. We all do.”

 Also, a great customer service book is Zingerman’s Guide to Giving Great Service by Ari Weinzweig.

Kevin French

I can vouch for Rework.  Very good read.  I also just read Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose from the CEO of Zappos, Tony Hsieh.  It’s all about being in the business of customer service and gives a good perspective on business in general and client services.

Paul Murray

I’ll second Rework, still relevant and a fantastic book. Also, I think Seth Godin’s Linchpin: Are You Indispensable? is well worth mentioning.

Joe Mastrangelo

Check out these books:

Brian Addison

A few I like are …

0
Continue Reading
By: Stephanie Critchfield at 9:21 am

Google Me Once, Shame on You …

Jul
6

The rumors continue to swirl about Google Me, a Google-blended competitor to Facebook. At this point, it’s speculation if this undertaking is real – the rumor was began by a single tweet from Digg co-founder Kevin Rose, which was promptly deleted; but lived long enough to send the tech community into a frenzy. There have been no denials from Google at this point and –  let’s be real -  it is a logical business move if they can nail it.

It’s a rumor hard to dispel when Google themself has publically “declared war” on their collective social efforts. Google’s Joseph Smarr, who was tapped to lead this effort said “Google’s decided that social is one of its big focuses for 2010, and it’s very natural, as the Web is going social.”

Wait, doesn’t Google already have a social network? Uh, yeah. Okurt. This was their attempt back in 2004. It never really took off in the US, but Brazil loves it.  If Google Me is for real, then it will have to outdo that attempt.  

All of this said, if Google Me does surface as reality, I’m skeptical. Perhaps it was the sizzle and fizzle of Google Buzz, but I’m not holding my breath. It isn’t the privacy debacle that put me off; it just didn’t work for me. And it took no time at all to discover it wasn’t going to. It was too closely tied to Google itself, requiring a Google email address or ID.

To boot, one can’t ignore the obvious and continued success of Facebook.com. Despite their own privacy issues, they are thriving. There are few people I interact with on a daily basis that don’t have an account – which they use with frequency. (well, not my mom who, regrettably, cannot even find the address bar in a browser window)

Wired.com has a great article on this topic.  

A Google Facebook clone that runs on open standards including XMPP and the portable OpenID system — which lets people use one trusted password on multiple sites (including Gmail) — might be enough, over time, to steal users from Facebook. It would let you bring all of your personal data with you when you leave a network with just a few clicks, porting it to a new service in minutes without losing anything and let you maintain one profile for multiple services. Both of these are impossible with Facebook.

“The only way Google could put a dent into Facebook is to go after it the same way it’s gone after Microsoft — open and free with no centralized data collection and a decision that it doesn’t have to own your data,” suggested Wired.com staff writer Ryan Singel as we discussed this issue. “Sure, Google will closely tie in a bunch of its own products, but it can’t go the Buzz way and require you to have a Google ID or Gmail address.”

 Openness of the platform may in fact determine its success. And so, we wait.

0
Continue Reading
By: adam.huse at 8:12 am

Not Invented Here Vol. 2: Fat Footers

Mar
1

Welcome to Vol.2 of Not Invented Here, a new semi-regular series on trends and innovations in interaction design (IxD).

For much of the life of the web, the footer has largely been an afterthought, usually containing only a small number of simple elements: a copyright statement, security and privacy statements, and maybe some utility links. That’s about it.

Traditional style footer on www.ford.com (as of Feb. 04, 2010)

Designers have generally given little attention to this seemingly insignificant element. And why would they? The prevailing assumption was that users don’t scroll, so let’s keep everything important at the top of the page. The footer could be an afterthought because no one would look at it anyway.

But based on some compelling research, users’ true habits have proven to the contrary – people are in fact scrolling and the myth of the fold is finally coming undone. Armed with this knowledge, the footer has been undergoing an evolution and designers are giving the lowest page element some love.

Over the last couple of years we’ve seen the rise of the Fat Footer, or as I prefer to call them, “Super Footers,” a name that’s not just less insulting, but downright impressive.

Fat footers, as their name implies, are just larger footers that make room for an increased and varied array of elements. These have come to include, among others: redundant navigation, site maps, searches, featured content, social sharing elements, and contact info and forms.

Examples of Fat Footers

Fat footer on www.comedycentral.com (as of Feb. 04, 2010)

Fat footer on www.ea.com (as of Feb. 04, 2010)

Benefits of Fat Footers

So what is the big deal?

We reached out to user experience specialist Kara McCain of Nielsen Norman Group to get her take, and this is what she had to say:

“It’s basically about predicting a user’s next need(s), keeping them moving throughout the site by helping them find the most relevant information and completing their tasks when they get down to that part of the page (rather than just slapping your copyright information and privacy policy down there and calling it a day). ”

— Kara McCain, User Experience Specialist at Nielsen Norman Group

Fat footers provide added utility and usability in a somewhat surprising place by keeping users moving through a site with two main benefits: second chances and additional considerations.

Second Chances: By providing redundant navigational links or a shallow site map, fat footers can give users a second chance to find the content they’re looking for.

A couple levels of navigation can be listed out in a fat footer without the same restrictions of vertical space that designers must adhere to in the header. This allows users a quick scan of the site without having to scroll back to the top to poke around the global navigation in a trial and error manner.

But, however useful they may be, fat footers should not be relied upon to make up for shortcomings in site architecture or navigation design.

Site navigation in the Fat footer on www.whitehouse.gov (as of Feb. 04, 2010)

Additional Considerations: The fat footer can be a great place to globally highlight featured content and additional resources (social networking, subscriptions, affiliate sites, etc…).

This can take the pressure off of more valuable page real-estate in the header or page body by either providing an alternate or redundant location for the this kind of content. For blogs, news, and e-commerce site, this can be particularly useful where users are scrolling down the page while scanning listings, reading an article, or exploring product details.

Featured content in the fat footer on www.h-d.com/darkcustom (as of Feb. 04, 2010)

Fat But Not Bloated

The footer may be getting fatter, but just like with mega-dropdowns, caution should be given so that it doesn’t also get bloated with too many unnecessary elements and links.  Basic design rules of clarity and scanability still apply. Keep enough breathing room between content and provide clear headers. If users have to work too hard to figure out what’s going on in the footer, it will likely be ignored just like most standard footers.

The example below from the (otherwise fantastic) Food Network site may be getting to the point of being too cluttered. The number of links are distracting, the headers are easily lost, and the carousel of affiliate sites is poorly integrated into the design.

Fat footer on www.foodnetwork.com (as of Feb. 04, 2010)

By cutting back on some of the links and cleaning up the design with a clear visual hierarchy, it’s possible these same elements could be reworked into a more coherent and useful presentation.

Creamycss.com on the other hand, has quite a lot going on in their fat footer: recent posts, an about paragraph, a list of links, and a carousel of recommended reading, but unlike the Food Network example, these elements have clear headers, good spacing, and use a harmonious color palette.

Fat footer on http://www.creamycss.com (as of Feb. 04, 2010)

Some Parting Thoughts on Fat Footers

A well-designed fat footer is great way to provide added utility to a site without cluttering the header or body.  Just be careful not to overdo it.

Beyond added utility; a fat footer can be a space for creative outlet as well. I’ll end this article with a few of the more creative ones out there.

Fat footer on www.vimeo.com (as of Feb. 04, 2010)

Fat footer on http://www.northern-classics.de (as of Feb. 04, 2010)

Fat footer on http://www.bristolarchiverecords.com (as of Feb. 04, 2010)

Fat footer on http://www.neatorama.com (as of Feb. 04, 2010)

1
Continue Reading
By: alexander.ouvaroff at 12:55 pm

Power To The People

Jan
12

Today, the latest innovations in mobile, social networking, and video have really put the power to the people in ways we’re all trying to capture. There are so many options available that digital has become decentralized with endless access. In fact, the next evolution of the web, “Web 3.0” promises to fragment or decentralize digital communications even more.  How to leverage that is key for brands to be successful with this medium moving forward.   People are constantly on the go and can access a brand, its products and its message without having to sit in front of a computer.  If they are inspired by an ad they see on a billboard, they can tap into a mobile app or visit a mobile website to learn more and even make a purchase. Most importantly, the consumers are the drivers of this space. They create, upload and share the content. They write the reviews and decide what’s meaningful. Brands now have to engage in a collaborative process online if they are to be successful.

As marketers we face an increasingly fractionalized frontier of audiences. However, with every new challenge there are tremendous opportunities to be realized. Here are some of the top digital trends we are experiencing that will only magnify in 2010.

1.     Mainstream Mobile Adoption: With the launch of the Google phone (Nexus One) and the increasing penetration of the Android mobile operating system, smart phones are increasingly becoming the majority handset device. This will enable even more Internet integration with location-aware and social-aware mobile apps. This should provide a richer platform for advertisers to conduct mobile digital marketing campaigns, which has been somewhat sporadic to this point.

For AM/PM this trend will enable increasingly relevant connections between the digital world and the physical world – between the digital campaign and the actual store. Examples already in the works include a 7/11 test of a new mobile couponing and survey mobile campaign being conducted in Sweden. Also, a third party has launched a “Find a 7/11” locator app for the iPhone platform here in the US.

2.     De-centralized Digital Campaigning: The US online spending universe decreased slightly during 2009 (-4.6% vs. YAG) but is expected to grow 5.5% in 2010. These numbers are based on marketers’ investments in more traditional online venues like search, display and classified (which saw the single largest decrease). What is not reflected in these numbers, and demonstrates how rapidly the online environment is evolving, are the significant investments marketers made in social media sites.

Increasingly marketers are moving away from single platform e-marketing (brand website and microsites) and including a number of e-marketing venues. Sites like YouTube, Flickr, Facebook and Twitter along with mobile phone apps now provide functionality like real-time reviews, discussions, content creation and sharing, events, promotions and the latest news. What is different is the attitude and tone required on the part of the marketer. These spaces demand transparency, energy and engagement. Consumer involvement has to be earned, not purchased. But if done right, they can result in tremendous consumer engagement.

Successful involvement in the social media space is still an unrealized opportunity for AM/PM. Other C-store retailers have begun their initial forays into social media (for example the WaWa Facebook fanpage and app) but so far none have achieved a defining success.

3.     Overcoming Online Overload: Consumers are dealing with such an influx of digital marketing messages that two trends are continuing. First, consumers are becoming more discerning about which subscriptions, friends and connections they are willing to maintain with people or companies. The second trend is that marketers are under increased pressure to provide real innovation, value or novelty in order to break through the morass of digital messages. One way consumers are determining value is by relying on popularity of other digital viewers to decide if something is valuable. For example, if a story has received a high number of electronic bookmarks on sites like Digg or if an app on iTunes has a high number of positive reviews. There are simply too many pieces of content to consume.

4.     Real-time Reviews: The ease at which reviews can be posted and read on sites like Yelp! and Twitter, which include pictures and maps, has meant that almost every dimension of the real world has an accompanying opinion. Recently Google has announced that it will launch a window sticker campaign that identifies popular retailers. Consumers can use their smart phone camera and a reader application to see what others have to say.

This is another demonstration of how the physical and digital worlds are starting to converge. And while campaigns like this are still relatively nascent, they will become increasingly common.

5 .     Ubiquitous Wi-Fi: It seemed like the presence of local wi-fi was going to be held under the control of cellular carriers requiring pretty stiff connection fees. But the high consumer demand and appreciation for free wi-fi has led many retailers, service companies and destinations offer wi-fi as a competitive way to attract and retain customers. For example, Google recently agreed to sponsor all wi-fi on Virgin America flights during the November and December holidays. Increasingly, mobile consumers plan their trips around free hot-spots including bookstores, airports, trains, airlines and common roadside stops. An example of this implementation is The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf chain which provides digital info signage that features a code for free logins on their in-store broadband network.

6.     The Great Recession Reconsideration: The digital realm, like everything else, has changed with the current economic climate. As consumers have had to decide what expenses they can keep and others they can do without, online access and the cellular phone have risen to the top of the “must have” list. Essentially these two items equate to access to the larger world. If one is to find a new place to live, another job, a mate, a cheaper car it is most likely to be found online. And as Americans have had to relocate to stay afloat, social networks have provided the tethers that keep friends and colleagues connected.

What we are seeing is an escalation of adoption in digital habits fueled by the recession’s change in priorities. As Americans eventually recover economically, these habits will be entrenched as an even greater reliance on digital access and services.

7.    The Great Recession Re-investment: Marketers have also had to reconcile marketing needs with decreasing budgets and digital is still one of the few measurable marketing investments that reach a broad audience. As such it has become one of the chief survivors of the recession and continues to be a venue of choice when other options are deemed to expensive or inconclusive.

8. Video victorious: The advances in compression and bandwidth have made video increasingly the most popular and fastest growing piece of content on the web. YouTube continues to be the most popular source for consumer generated content but now the professionals have gotten involved with free viewing sites of popular TV shows on Hulu and Crackle. Also expanding is the use of video in digital advertising. Streaming, full motion interactive placements are increasing. These are more than simple TV spots compressed down but unique video creations designed for interactive engagement.

This offers AM/PM a chance to engage on a whole other level with its consumers. Especially to the degree that many AM/PM consumers are probably equipped with their own mobile video devices. Which leads us to the next trend.

9. Collaborative branding: Now that consumers have been empowered with their own platforms the broadcast and share their own self-created content, we increasingly find them involved in brand communications. This has taken on the form of consumer reviews, praise or criticism. It involves remixes or original ad creation. Wisely some brands have chosen the get ahead of the curve and become collaborators with consumers rather than ignore or disdain this type of content.

A great example is Coke, which got the entire worldwide social web involved in defining what is happiness, this years Coke brand initiative.

9.     Whatever was before is not what will be

The most important element of any company’s digital marketing approach is flexibility. The degree of change in the digital world has meant that opportunities are available to the brand best positioned to realize them quickly. The best investments are in original content that can be shared and redistributed. The most effective strategy is understanding what is the secret truth that your most ardent supporters understand about your brand, product or service.

This is exactly the kind of bold thinking that led the Charmin team to develop the “Sit or Squat” mobile/social campaign that allows anyone anywhere to find a clean, public restroom (http://www.sitorsquat.com/sitorsquat/home/map).

0
Continue Reading
By: Carol Setter at 12:54 pm

A Marketer’s Journey into i-Investing in People

Jan
12

For Christmas this year, I received a most unusual gift from my children. It was a single sheet of paper with a link to a microfinance site, Kiva.com. This site lends funds to individuals in developing countries and within the United States. My children had set up an account in my name to loan money to entrepreneurs throughout the world.

What fun. What responsibility…

Kiva provides loans to low-income entrepreneurs.

Being in online marketing, I am well versed in cause marketing and donate to a variety of charities and follow them online. I often read the stories of sick children, of families that have been able to afford animals or of individuals’ efforts to preserve the planet. I view my money at work through these national and international organizations. I’ve also spent some time on other microfinance lending sites, but always as an observer, never has an investor.

Perhaps that is why this experience has been so different for me. The call to action to invest has deepened my interest and shifted my perspective. I need to read each applicant’s story and determine if I’m going to invest in that individual, realizing that if I choose correctly and I’m repaid, I will be able to recycle the funds to invest in others. If I choose poorly, then I’ve reduced my ability to spread opportunity to others.

I have read and reread stories, examined photos and created lists of individuals who I think have the business savvy to produce profit. Do I prioritize the section of Africa where we have “adopted” two orphans, or a section of Asia that was hit with environmental disasters, or a village that is struggling to survive in South America?

A number of options can be used to narrow choices.

In reading the stories, the one intangible I always find myself “calculating” is whether the individuals have the heart for capitalism as well as the quest for improving their own station in life and passing it on to others. Do they have the staying power to leverage the money not as a “gift” but truly as a “loan” to springboard themselves and their community forward?

Hours I have spent on this site, separating desperate stories from those with potential to bring about change. I struggle with trying to justify supporting the arts over contributing to someone who is trying to increase food supply for a tiny village.

Choosing based upon need can be daunting.

So beyond the fascinating content of the site lies the framework of the user experience. Does it support my needs to be a viable contributor?

As a marketer, I soon found myself craving tools that would simplify my decision-making. The charm of “search and explore” led to the inconvenience of “decide and invest.” So what advice can help cause marketers better relate to their audiences? How is it possible to increase engagement and satisfaction in the microfinance arena?

1)       Allow me to reliably find individuals again that are profiled. That means being able to save searches as well as save individuals’ profiles that interest me.

2)       Give me tools to prioritize my list of possible entrepreneurs and allow me to comment on each so I don’t need to rethink the reasons I was attracted to a story (when I manage to find it again).

3)       Provide comparison tools. Let me further group my choices by continent or save and sort by type of investment opportunity.

4)       Let me see the investors with the top rates of return so I can learn from them by analyzing their choices.

5)       Promote new investment by allowing me to create a profile of what I want to invest in and create alerts for opportunities that match my profile.

6)       Give me more than a picture. You are sending individuals out to gather information for the featured stories. Show me video of the environment that expresses the need. Help me understand in more depth and give me the emotional back story for context.

As a novice investor, I found that it was as useful to learn about other investors as much as those they invest in. I analyzed the funds certain investors chose to determine how they built their “people portfolios.” I looked to see if these individuals accepted email contact so I could ask a question.

I really missed though not being able to identify other small investors in my local community so I could contact them and learn from them. Maybe if we knew each other, we could even pool our money together for greater resource funding.

Give me ways to connect to and learn from others.

In this stressful economic time, it’s comforting to be able to reach out and help others. I think if cause marketing sites had more tools that allowed sorting and comparing, it would make it easier for consumers to interact. And, if sites not only allowed me to give, but to gain knowledge for myself as an investor and create a social community I could become part of, the organization would make me into dedicated,  life-long donor.

0
Continue Reading
By: jill.skocir at 9:53 am

Some Leftover Local Celebrating for OG&E

Jan
4

A web site is never finished. You tweak, you research, you launch, you test, you re-tweak — its an ongoing process. We’re so often looking at what’s wrong and what can be better that we forget to celebrate what’s right and what’s wonderful about the sites we create.

OGE_homeThe Oklahoma City Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America awarded our OGE.com site (Oklahoma Gas and Electric) first place in the Electronic Media/Web Sites category. Now I know a local PRSA award is far from a Cannes Lion, but it reminded me and my team that in the days of economic stress, fewer employees with larger workloads and pressure to prove that every dollar spent online is working hard, it’s important to take a step back and celebrate the little victories.

Although in looking back, I realize the OGE site is more than a little victory. WhittmanHart had been tasked with a full-site redesign—rebranding the OGE website utilizing all areas of the agency’s areas expertise: strategy and personas, information architecture, design, development, full integration with CMS (Sharepoint), copywriting and QA.OGE_interior

OGE’s previous URL had housed all three of OGE’s business lines—OG&E, an electric company; Enogex, a natural gas pipeline business; and OERI, the marketing arm for the natural gas business—in one site. With a strategy centered around personas, the information architecture streamlined the web site content to speak to the multiple persona groups that the site needed to address. The design then brought the OGE brand position to life speaking directly to each of the various persona groups.

We then developed CMS templates to allow OGE to fully manage every area of every page in the site. With over 125 web pages across the three sites, this was a major milestone for OGE.

We’re excited about the site and thank OGE for their partnership with us on this major brand/site initiative.

0
Continue Reading
By: tara.deville at 9:35 am

Government agencies weigh in on social media, but should they?

Jan
4

Near the close of 2009, two regulatory bodies, the FTC and FDA, took steps to revise existing guidelines governing advertising to consumers. The issue: the internet and social media.

As most of us know on a personal, if not professional level, social media holds inherent value as a channel through which we can quickly find information, credibly share experiences and intimately connect with others. With the growth in UGC and social conversations, individuals and advertisers alike have discovered means to monetize this content to provide additional benefits to themselves or other stakeholders. As a result, the concern over loss of information authenticity and public safety given the commercialism of social media has come in the cross hairs of the government.

In November, the FDA held hearings inviting speakers and presenters to demonstrate how drug companies use the web and other social media to promote pharmaceuticals as well as how consumers are influenced by social tools. On December 1, the FTC’s new guidelines for bloggers went into effect, requiring them to disclose any products or relationships they have with companies or advertisers.

So, why all the fuss? With more and more “sponsored” content, the question is in how credible the sources of information can truly be. There are protective rules in place to safeguard consumers and patients in the everyday sales transactions and consumption behaviors in which we all participate. The FTC works for consumers to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices and to provide information to help spot, stop, and avoid them. FDA ensures that food, drugs, biological products and medical devices are safe, and honestly, accurately and informatively represented to the public.

However, the new guidelines (or lack thereof in certain circumstances) from these organizations have come under intense scrutiny and debate ranging from is the internet being unfairly targeted as a medium, or how can the government possibly police and enforce these rules, to should an advertiser be responsible for monitoring the content outside of something they created?

My recommendation: Be transparent. Disclose, disclose, disclose.

It’s the right thing to do.

Based on the responsibilities of these agencies, it is not surprising that the internet and social media become part of their guidelines. I argue that by providing guidelines, advertisers can better leverage these new tools, as opposed to feeling uncertain whether or not something is against the rules. As advertisers, we have to be knowledgeable about these rules and regulations to conduct business in a fair and legal way. To summarize the outcomes of the two recent events, I will use two words, which I endorse as best practice for all advertisers: disclosure and transparency.

Disclosure: FTC Guides Governing Endorsements, Testimonials

The revised FTC guidelines as part of the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising specify that while decisions will be reached on a case-by-case basis, the post of a blogger who receives cash or in-kind payment to review a product is considered an endorsement. Thus, bloggers or spokespeople who make an endorsement must disclose the material connections they share with the seller of the product or service. I recommend to advertisers that proper disclosure of endorsements and sponsorship is in their best interest.

Transparency: FDA Hearings on Internet and Social Media

The hearings were successful in demonstrating the uniqueness and importance of the Internet and social media in informing and educating the public about health issues, including communicating risk and benefits of drugs.

As my colleague and I presented during the BDI Social Communications & Healthcare Conference in July, social media requires five basic tenets, of which transparency is imperative. The five basic tenets should guide companies as they being to leverage social media:

  1. Reciprocity
  2. Relevancy
  3. Transparency
  4. Authenticity
  5. Commitment

Transparency was the primary theme at the hearings and a number of best practices were presented to the FDA to provide responsible solutions to social tactics, such as space-limited messaging or paid search ads. I am currently working with clients and partners using these best practices in an effort to be more transparent to the public. For instance, beta Google search ads are being developed on behalf of our biotech/pharma clients to be shared with DDMAC. Likewise, I advocate the one-click rule for sharing ISI and PI, as well as rich media fair balance. These guides will continue to evolve as more feedback is provided by FDA.

In closing, I argue that any online strategy initiated by an advertiser, be it CPG, retail, B2B, or healthcare, must keep consistent with seeking outcomes that are legal, substantiated, and ethically responsible, regardless of the current state of any regulatory guidance. It’s the right thing to do.

0
Continue Reading
« Older Posts