A content strategy has many benefits that stem from defining purpose that create guidelines and quality measures. Having a content strategy as part of the planning process of any marketing initiative is critical to a successful end result and this is particularly true with websites. The most important part of any marketing website is content [...]

Think about this for a minute: a person, for the first time in history, has instant access to communicate to millions of people, at little cost, with the click of a mouse. This digital soapbox (aka social media, networks, technologies) is powerful and has the ability to erode the effectiveness of the most well-planned (and funded) [...]

Almost gone are the days of pure person-to-person communication in the blogsphere and in online communities. Business always finds a way to invade and monetize any new communication media or platform. From FTC disclosures to self-promoting blog and forum comments,  what once was no-mans land for commerce is now the next frontier. The hot topic, at [...]

The 2009 Forrester Groundswell Awards were divided into several categories which I thought were very appropriate. They were listening, talking, energizing, embracing, supporting, managing, spreading and social impact for both B2B and B2C companies. These action words are what businesses do every day and are great ways to think about online strategy. The days of [...]

It seems all I hear about nowadays is Twitter. “We need to be using Twitter.” “How many followers do you have?” “What app are you using to read your tweets?” I not a user, but I’m not a hater (not any more) either. Admittedly, at first I didn’t understand Twitter’s appeal and called it content [...]

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is important any company’s web site and I’m frequently asked how to improve it. There are a number of factors involved in SEO.  A big part of my efforts to improve a site’s SEO is by crafting new content and reorganizing it so it is readily accessible by users and spiders [...]

I help companies and organizations create, acquire, collect, edit and organize content for their web sites. Many projects begin with a web site that has grown into a giant, organic mess over the course of several years – adding content here and there like weeds enveloping a garden. This happens for many reasons, but the [...]

Transparency is the new buzz word describing new marketing practices. It’s one of the quintessential aspects of successful brand building today and is the mantra of modern culture. Transparency, honesty, sincerity or whatever you call it should govern the decision making process when creating any campaign or marketing exercise. Companies like Southwest Airlines, Apple and [...]

Josh Spear of Undercurrent gives a good 20 minute talk on digital youth culture. He notes several IMPORTANT aspects of communicating with people and creating value on the web. Notice the nice presentation visuals. Not your Daddy’s PPT.

It’s what “now” marketing is all about: consumers talking to consumers about products and services. The web is the medium to facilitate this conversation and the importance of C2C, as the last un-abused channel, has never been more prominent. C2C has always been a bonus or by-product of good B2B or B2C advertising, but it wasn’t [...]

One of my favorite new marketing gurus is Joseph Jaffe. He recently published the Manifesto for Experimentation on ChangeThis. This paper reinforces the concept of “now media” and stresses the importance of changing how advertising is approached and looking forward not backward.

A colleague of mine, Jeff Stein, has coined a new term, “now media”. The web is often referred to as new media and I guess it’s new compared to how long print and broadcast have been in use, but it’s over ten years old and it ain’t that new anymore. As with any new medium, [...]

It’s difficult to be creative. Every agency is trying to reach their client’s audience in a new way. One way is tapping into the organic communication that evolves from web communities and Zipatoni is no different. Zipatoni tried and failed with their latest “viral” escapade, “All I want for Xmas is a PSP.” I credit [...]

“I believe that the Internet is the one true integrator because it links all brand and messaging touch points. Using the analogy of an atom, the Internet is both the nucleus (the core) of integrated marketing programs and an orbiting electron. To employ a different image, the Internet is like Grand Central station, where consumers [...]