Presentation to the Irish Chapter of the Professional Marketing Forum, September 2009 Aileen O’Toole, Managing Director, AMAS www.amas.ie eMarketing for professional services firms

Presentation overview The Internet’s relevance to professional services firms Designing, building and managing an effective website Achieving good search engine visibility Using social media and other so-called Web 2.0 tools Case study: the Ideas Campaign Managing your firm’s reputation online Questions and answers

The Internet’s relevance to professional services firms

Designing, building and managing an effective website

Achieving good search engine visibility

Using social media and other so-called Web 2.0 tools

Case study: the Ideas Campaign

Managing your firm’s reputation online

Questions and answers

Internet trends

State of the Net: the publication Available on www.amas.ie

Broadband use

Broadband use

Business use Source: IAPI Business Media Survey

Ad spend: traditional v. online

Top websites

Why the Internet is important Fact: a corporate website is a firm’s most important calling card Fact: how you communicate with your audiences online will result in action (lead generation, new business development etc) Fact: it’s not only about the website, it’s your online footprint Fact: online marketing and communications enable you to reach decision-makers more cost- effectively than traditional means

Fact: a corporate website is a firm’s most important calling card

Fact: how you communicate with your audiences online will result in action (lead generation, new business development etc)

Fact: it’s not only about the website, it’s your online footprint

Fact: online marketing and communications enable you to reach decision-makers more cost- effectively than traditional means

B2B sites: the facts More than half B2B buyers start research process through search engine search Less than half go beyond the first results page on Google 90% of buyers say website content influenced their purchasing decision Third party validation (clients, awards) important factor in decision-making process

More than half B2B buyers start research process through search engine search

Less than half go beyond the first results page on Google

90% of buyers say website content influenced their purchasing decision

Third party validation (clients, awards) important factor in decision-making process

Designing, building, managing a website

Web project elements

Free stuff Open source software or free tools

Share content Social bookmarking: powerful engines for viral and word-of-mouth referrals Video sharing sites help raise profile

Achieving good search visibility

The power of Google...

Web 2.0 and what it means to you

Web 2.0 Social networks Video Syndication Podcasts Mobile Customer service Social bookmarks Blogs User-generated content

Social networks Not just for the Bebo generation

Twitter

Case study: the Ideas Campaign

14 January, 2009 How it all started.... RTÉ, Prime Time special on the economy

Campaign ethos and objectives Campaign by citizens for citizens, independent and non-political designed to: Seek citizens’ ideas for Irish economic recovery and renewal Help stimulate a debate about solutions to our economic problems Set a challenge to people in Ireland to be innovative and creative and to play their part in planning this country’s economic recovery

Campaign by citizens for citizens,

independent and non-political designed to:

Seek citizens’ ideas for Irish economic

recovery and renewal

Help stimulate a debate about solutions to our economic problems

Set a challenge to people in Ireland to be innovative and creative and to play their part in planning this country’s economic recovery

Campaign countdown February 14 : decided to launch campaign, commit €10,000 budget February 16 : registered domain, logo designed February 17 : message to LinkedIn contacts February 24 : Campaign Manager joins February 27: first approaches made to Advisory Group March 3 : site built within four days March 5 : campaign launched on RTÉ’s Prime Time

February 14 : decided to launch campaign, commit €10,000 budget

February 16 : registered domain, logo designed

February 17 : message to LinkedIn contacts

February 24 : Campaign Manager joins

February 27: first approaches made to

Advisory Group

March 3 : site built within four days

March 5 : campaign launched on RTÉ’s Prime Time

Social media

The campaign in numbers By March 31 deadline: 5,300 ideas logged 48,000 site visits Average visitor spent 4.5 minutes on site 17% of traffic international – visitors from 117 countries Two out of three ideas from overseas came from Irish-born people Significant presence on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn

By March 31 deadline:

5,300 ideas logged

48,000 site visits

Average visitor spent 4.5 minutes on site

17% of traffic international – visitors from 117

countries

Two out of three ideas from overseas came from Irish-born people

Significant presence on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn

Managing your firm’s reputation online

Monitor your brand

Light touch moderation

Monitor and respond

What to do? Don’t ignore the Internet Start with the basics Communicate what you do well on your own website Make it easier for your audiences to find your firm’s website Adopt proven online marketing tactics Integrate, integrate, integrate Consider Web 2.0 but .... Not every firm needs a blog or to be on Twitter Only use the platforms and the techniques that add value Monitor, measure and respond

Don’t ignore the Internet

Start with the basics

Communicate what you do well on your own website

Make it easier for your audiences to find your firm’s website

Adopt proven online marketing tactics

Integrate, integrate, integrate

Consider Web 2.0 but ....

Not every firm needs a blog or to be on Twitter

Only use the platforms and the techniques that add value

Monitor, measure and respond

Questions?