Paul Gillin's Posterous

There's an old adage that if your only tool is a hammer, then every problem is a nail. I often think of that proverb when I hear the statement, "We need a social media strategy."

Marketers say that a lot these days, often channeling orders from their boss. My response surprises some of them, given that I call myself a "social marketing strategist."

You probably don't have a copier strategy, I say. You don't have a stapler strategy either. You don't have a food or a furniture strategy, yet you buy all those things and use them every day. Social media should be the same.

The problem with treating social media as some kind of an island is that it focuses attention on the tools instead of the productive use of the tools. The most common consequence of this is actually overuse. Smaller companies in particular have Facebook pages, LinkedIn company profiles, and Twitter accounts but are too strapped to use any of them very well. In the meantime, they fail to attend to the stuff that really works, like search engine optimization (SEO) and email. Bad SEO is still the most common problem I find at companies I work with.

Every company today should have a working familiarity with blogs, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube. But they should also know how those tools fit into an overall business strategy. When you define your objectives in business terms, identify strategies to get you there, create meaningful metrics, and only then select tools, you'll often find that social is only a small part of the equation.

Starting with the tool can take you in the wrong direction and waste time and money. Recently, I spoke to a company that sells high-end software to hospitals. Its Facebook page is tanking, and that's no surprise. The people they want to reach aren't on Facebook.

Like copiers, computers, and calendars, social media should work in a context that makes business sense. Usually the greatest opportunity is combining these new platforms with more traditional marketing tools. For example, a Facebook page is a good place to gather email addresses for a newsletter. YouTube can get you some bonus viewers for a TV campaign or an executive presentation. SlideShare delivers an audience long after the conference has ended. In all these examples, social media is complementary to other tried-and-true channels, but it doesn't replace them.

At some point, we'll stop using the term "social" media and simply think of every form of communications as media. I look forward to that day because it will mean that the concepts of engagement and conversation have simply become part of the way organizations communicate with their constituencies. All media is now potentially social, but a lot of organizations have yet to figure out what that means.

The answer is largely the Bush-era tax cuts, war spending in Iraq and Afghanistan, and recessions.

Sites for the QR-enabled Tourist

By Paul Gillin / July 25, 2011 4:30 AM / 2 Comments

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Visit the Qwest resource center for relevant briefs and reports to help you better manage your enterprise. Learn how smart businesses harness the power of customer data to improve satisfaction and sales: Unleashing the Power of Customer Data.

If  geocaching isn't geeky enough for you, here's a new tech trend that gets you out of your chair and pounding the streets: guided tours powered by QR (quick response) codes. Some travel and tourism organizations are now using QR codes to replicate the self-guided audio tours that have long been a staple of museums or landmarks. Enterprises looking to deploy these tags in their own marketing collateral might want to take a closer look at some of these examples.

Paul Gillin is a writer, speaker and marketing strategist specializing in business-to-business uses of social media. His latest book is Social Marketing to the Business Customer.

Gotham Guide claims to be the first QR tour of New York City, covering areas as far south as the Brooklyn Bridge and as far north as Central Park. Did you know that some of New York's wealthiest citizens live in converted horse stables? You can find out at the Washington Mews stop on the six-hour tour.

Tourism organizations are beginning to pile on. The Long Beach (WA) Peninsula Visitors Bureau has stashed 19 QR codes along the 8.5-mile coastal Discovery Trail. The codes point out areas of interest and deliver background on the many pieces of art that dot the way.

Fort Smith (AR) National Park partnered with the city of Fort Smith to link QR codes posted around the park to brief informational videos hosted by the city. The park is the first National Historic Site to use the technology and the results have been encouraging enough that the cities of Van Buren and Fort Smith are now incorporating QR into their marketing programs. BeeTagg.com helps track results.

Other parks are likely to jump on the bandwagon. The town of Crested Butte (CO), the Crested Butte Mountain Heritage Museum and the local tourism association are now developing a similar program for historic buildings in the Colorado town.

San Antonio's famous River Walk has recently been embellished with a tour that places a dozen QR codes along a 1.7 mile stretch. The codes of link back to an audio narration by a local historian and author.

The City of Grand Rapids (MI) has 13 stops on its QR tour along with a printable map that gathers all the codes in one convenient place. Visitors are encouraged to snap photos and upload them to Flickr as well as to check in on Foursquare. Now the whole state of Michigan may be joining the craze. The Michigan Department Of Transportation this began printing QR codes on the maps it distributes to tourists.

Napa Valley's ARTwalk is adding an interactive dimension to its tour. Visitors can learn about sculptures via audio narrations. Once the exhibit comes to and, they can login and vote for their favorite artwork.

Glasgow's Mackintosh Heritage Group experimented last summer with three architectural tours to guide visitors to some of the great structures in the city. Each tour lasted about 90 minutes. Cards were distributed to visitors with a starter code and instructions on how to use the technology. No word on whether the experiment was repeated this year.

With virtual tours, codes don't necessarily have to be on-site. The Canadian Tourism Commission used them in a national newspaper campaign last year to link readers to pictures and videos of places they might like to explore how their summer vacations.

Attendees at the Rochester Jazz Festival last year could snap pictures of giant codes on posters placed throughout the grounds to access the festival guide.

Sometimes, QR means never having to say you were there. VisualTour.com lets real estate agents and home sellers embed codes into ads, flyers and even outdoor signs. Potential buyers can snap a picture of the code and get a video walk-through. Monterey County (CA) Virtual Tours provides a similar service. Search QR real estate on Google and you'll find dozens of other examples.

And if you're worried about your legacy, well, here's another way to leave something behind. Quiring Monuments has introduced the QR-enabled "Living Headstone." Visitors to a grave site can link to an archive of information about the deceased. Price for a five year subscription: $65.

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The Real Advantage To Join Google+

Posted on 25 July 2011

Tags: adage google+, Advantage To Join Google+, are you using google+, autor ownership, Google, google+ author ownership, google+ for business

The Real Advantage To Join Google+

While the throngs (over 10 Million) have jumped all over Google+, I’m on the record as not being all that hot on it. You see I just don’t personally need or want another social network to deal with. I don’t even use Facebook or Twitter all that much personally. My friends and family know how to get in touch with me and if I want to get a hold of them, I know how to as well.

That’s not at all to say that I don’t utilize the large networks for business purposes. Both my own business interactivity and that of my clientele’s online presence is driven to a great extent by social media. I guess I could be called a business social media junkie.

Story continues below...

So while I am compelled to play around with Google+ and make sure I am up to speed on the platform, the big advantage I’ve found thus far seems to be somewhat obscured by the masses. You see Google+ isn’t much of a business tool yet as they hope to roll that out in a few months or so. However, as Google has owned search there is one very intriguing aspect to Google+ that will change “search”.

So much so that it might just turn out to be the biggest advancement of search…ever.Of course ever being defined as in the last year or so and soon to be overshadowed tomorrow. But for right now…this is huge.

As AdAge and others have reported:

Google unveiled a new way for authors to claim ownership of their content around the web. This allows a writer to embed verified HTML code tied to their Google+ profile in all his content, no matter where it appears (e.g. my blog or AdAge.com). Once inserted, Google then automatically includes the author’s profile image whenever these works show up in searches.

This is a significant announcement because it creates an easy way for companies to insert a mug shot into relevant search results, which arguably can drive clicks. It will put pressure on businesses to identify thought leaders who can pen bylines not only for their own sites, but for the media.

Here’s what it looks like in action:

So if you do a Google search for the term “XML Sitemap PHP script“  you will see the search results that you normally would see with one notable difference. The inclusion of the author’s image. Obviously you can see how this could impact the traffic coming to your site as search results with images have been shown to have higher click through rates.

You can also imagine the type of authority this could place in the searcher’s mind if they are constantly seeing your smiling face wherever they search. You see as you begin searching for terms, the way it works is if you’ve penned an article that shows in the results, your smiling face could be right there…over and over on search after search. See how much of an impact this could make.

As stated in a recent Search Engine Land article, Google+ will most assuredly change the web in a way that Facebook and Twitter could not.

Certainly Google’s G+ Project will eventually change the web marketing world. Since this is Google’s own product, they will prefer social tick marks through the +1 Button over those coming from Twitter, Facebook and social bookmarking. You cannot help but see that this will impact organic search results. Web pages that generate many +1′s will probably populate earlier on Google search results than those websites that do not.

Now, here’s the kicker. Google, as usual, isn’t telling the information on how this is being rolled out and for whom it’s being rolled out or for that matter if it’s going to be implemented on a widespread basis. But for the time it takes to implement this feature, it is definitely worth the 10 minutes or so it takes to make sure that you are ready if this feature becomes standard for all.

While Google + obviously will have great business value moving forward, this one aspect of the platform could be the “game changer” in search…for the time being that is.

As a marketer and social media agency, the overall impact of Google+ is way to big to ignore. I guess there are more all-nighters ahead for me!

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This could be a huge boost in author visibility and recognition within social networks. Smart thinking on Google's part.

Nice Great Geocaching Books

Like many other high-tech hobbies, Geocaching is something you get better at the more you do it. Buried under three feet of snow in Wisconsin this winter, I curled up in front of our gas fireplace with these nine books on geocaching. Unique in their own way, some are basic, others are advanced, some emphasize the social aspect of the sport, while others stay focused on technology. Worth a hold at your local library or place in your home collection, here’s my abbreviated review:

The Joy of Geocaching: How to find Health, Happiness and Creative Energy through a Worldwide Treasure Hunt
Paul and Dana Gillin, Quill Driver Books

Authored by a husband and wife geocaching team, Paul and Dana Gillin write about why a person should take up geocaching (with some where, what, when, and how mixed in for good measure). Featuring photos and stories from around the world, the Gillins have captured the human aspect of geocaching (a personal friend of mine has a travel bug tattoo like the one featured on page two). From geocacher profiles, social encounters, to memorable finds, flip to the last page and read about the authors. Who among us can’t relate to this last sentence in the book, “They’ve made the most mistakes geocacher can make but still love the game.” Avoid hindsight and check out this book.

 

10 terms to banish from B2B content

February 1, 2011

Are you writing a press release, white paper, webcast script or some other content aimed at a business-to-business (B2B) audience? You should know what you're getting into before starting the writing process. B2B buyers are accustomed to making big decisions based upon a lot of research and market knowledge. The tactics that you’d use to sell diet soda or laundry detergent won’t work here. In fact, they can make people angry.

I’ve combed through thousands of documents aimed at B2B buyers during the last 25 years. And I still see the same overworked clichés repeated by marketers who apparently believe that this is the way B2B marketers are supposed to talk. Not any more.

Today’s buyers are far better informed than those of just five years ago. Not only is there now bountiful information available online, but buyers can also easily vet your claims with other people just like them. If you don't stand up to that scrutiny, then you look disingenuous.

It’s time to stop obfuscating and start explaining. Here are 10 terms to banish from your B2B content:

1. Superlatives (“best,” “finest,” “most,” “greatest,” etc.) — These words are meaningless without context. Who says you’re the best? Cite research, sources or benchmarks. If you can’t, then discard these empty terms.

2. “Solution” — It’s pretty presumptuous to assume you have the solution to the customer’s problem when you don't even know what the problem is. This tired old buzzword is long overdue for a proper burial.

3. “Customer-focused” — Umm, as opposed to what?

4. “Intuitive,” “User-friendly,” “Easy-to-use,” etc. — These are subjective terms that don’t mean anything without proof. If your product is easy to use, then put 50 people in front of it, measure how long it takes them to become productive and then detail the results. Or guarantee the results. Not nearly enough companies do this.

5.  “Leading” — Any product or company can be a leader if it defines its scope narrowly enough. Industry-leading according to whom? Third-party validation is so much more powerful than your own claims. Be specific or strike this one from your vocabulary. Try a synonym like “best-in-class” instead of leading.

6. “Performance” — This overworked term means different things to different people. Performance can be a measure of speed, defect rate, value for the dollar of any number of other factors. If you have benchmark numbers, then use them. In any case, don’t use this word.

7. “Standard” — People have said that the beauty of standards is that there are so many of them. There are formal ANSI-like standards and informal market-leader standards. Which do you conform to? And if you don’t conform 100 percent, then you aren’t truly standards-compliant. Buyers will quickly figure this out.

8. “Free” — Yeah, right. You’re talking to B2B buyers, not supermarket shoppers. Dump this word. No one believes it.

9. “Innovative” — This is perhaps the most overused marketing term of the last decade. Innovation is in the mind of the beholder. Provide a list of your achievements or link to a website detailing your awards. Otherwise, this buzzword just takes up space.
 
10. “First” — The technology graveyards are filled with the bones of companies that were first to market and then done in by competitors with superior market share or account influence. For B2B buyers, being first is synonymous with isolation and risk-taking. Less than 20 percent of B2B buyers define themselves as early adopters. Why limit your prospect base like that? Try a synonym for first such as “revolutionary” or “unprecedented.”

Let’s hear your nominations. What marketing buzzwords would you really like to wish into the cornfield?
 

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Reuters asked for an op-ed on the handover at Google. Here it is:

The miracle of Google was that it could accomplish anything—let alone become the fastest growing company in the history of the world and the greatest disruptive force in business and society today—while being run by a committee, a junta, a council of the gods.

In management, as in every other arena of business, technology, and media, Google broke every rule and made new ones.

It should not be a shock that Eric Schmidt has stepped aside as CEO and made room for Larry Page. Schmidt was the prince regent who ruled until the boy king could take the throne while training him to do so. We knew that this would happen. We just forgot that it would.

When I interviewed Schmidt a few weeks ago and asked about pressure over privacy, China, and lobbying, he said, “This is not the No. 1 crisis at Google.” What is? “Growth,” he said, “just growth.”

Scale is Google’s greatest skill and greatest challenge. It scaled search (vs. quaint Yahoo, which thought it could catalogue this web thing). It scaled advertising (vs. the media companies that today don’t know how to grow, only shrink). It is scaling mobile (by giving away Android). It has tried to scale innovation (with its 20 percent rule)—but that’s the toughest.

How does Google stay ahead of Facebook strategically? The war between the two of them isn’t over social. The next, great scalable opportunity and challenge is mobile, which in the end will translate into local advertising revenue. Mobile will give Google (or Facebook or Groupon or Twitter or Foursquare … we shall see) the signals needed to target content, services, search, and advertising with greater relevance, efficiency, and value than ever. As Schmidt told broadcasters in Berlin last year: “We know where you are. We know what you like.” Local is a huge, unclaimed prize. The question is how to scale sales.

I have no special insight into the Googleplex. But I have to imagine that when the company’s three musketeers sat down and asked themselves what impediments could restrain their innovation and growth, they were smart enough and honest enough to finally answer, “us.”

As well as their holy trinity worked setting strategy and reaching consensus—the one thing I did hear from inside Google was that nothing happened if they did not agree—it has become apparent that Google became less nimble and more clumsily uncoordinated.

Google is working on two conflicting and competing operating system strategies, Android and Chrome. It bungled the launches of Buzz and Wave, not to mention Google TV. It is losing talent to Facebook. It needs clearer vision and strategy and more decisive communication and execution of it.

If it’s obvious to us it had to be obvious to them that that couldn’t come from Largey-plus-Eric. Google, like its founders, is growing up. It needs singular management. So let’s hope that Schmidt did his most important job well—not managing but teaching.

Now we will watch to see who Larry Page really is and where his own vision will take Google. Will he give the company innovative leadership and can Sergey Brin give it leadership in innovation?

I imagine we will see a new support structure for Page built from below now rather than from the side. I’m most eager to see how he will cope with speaking publicly for the company. Schmidt’s geeky sense of humor was not grokked by media. (When he set off a tempest in the news teapot saying we should all be able to change our names at age 21 and start over with youthful indiscretions left behind us, he was joking, folks. Really, he was.) Page is even less show-bizzy.

As for Schmidt: I have gained tremendous respect for him as a manager, thinker, leader. His next act will likely surprise us more than this latest act.

* * *

And here’s my appearance on The Takeaway this morning:

This entry was posted on Friday, January 21st, 2011 at 7:06 am and was tagged google, twig, wwgd.