07/23/09 Marty Smith [email_address] Content Marketing Network

Content Marketing Network Google Traffic Arbitrage Culture Information and Brands Reputation and Algorithms API’s Perfect Storm Idea: Create Content Marketing Network Content Marketing Network Network Benefits 07/23/09 Martin’s Marketing Blog http://scentTrail.blogspot.com

Google

Traffic Arbitrage

Culture

Information and Brands

Reputation and Algorithms

API’s

Perfect Storm

Idea: Create Content Marketing Network

Content Marketing Network Network Benefits

Google Google’s dominance is reshaping online commerce and marketing: Google share of search traffic > 70%. Google’s stress on content flooding web with keyword dense content: Bruce Clay et al. teaching same lessons to anyone with tuition. Keyword density tools such as WordVision = sophisticated and ubiquitous. Google’s algorithm changes favor nimble, flexible platforms with regularly changing keyword dense content. Google looks for authority and measures it by: Inbound Links and reputation of those links. Keyword Content and “On Page” factors. Traffic and user metrics (how long, what do). 07/23/09 Martin’s Marketing Blog http://scentTrail.blogspot.com

Google’s dominance is reshaping online commerce and marketing:

Google share of search traffic > 70%.

Google’s stress on content flooding web with keyword dense content:

Bruce Clay et al. teaching same lessons to anyone with tuition.

Keyword density tools such as WordVision = sophisticated and ubiquitous.

Google’s algorithm changes favor nimble, flexible platforms with regularly changing keyword dense content.

Google looks for authority and measures it by:

Inbound Links and reputation of those links.

Keyword Content and “On Page” factors.

Traffic and user metrics (how long, what do).

Traffic Arbitrage Traffic arbitrage sites such as About.com and AskMen.com add thousands of words of content from multiple authors every day. Site architecture and Content designed to gain search listings. Search traffic sold to advertisers. Traffic arbitrage is high margin after initial costs because: Platform is largest investment. Use of platform lowers investment cost per content created. Content becomes self fulfilling and beneficial More traffic truly leads to more traffic, more listings, more revenue and lower costs. Ability to create new “products” (articles or content) is infinite and inexpensive compared to manufacturing or distributing hard goods. 07/23/09 Martin’s Marketing Blog http://scentTrail.blogspot.com

Traffic arbitrage sites such as About.com and AskMen.com add thousands of words of content from multiple authors every day.

Site architecture and Content designed to gain search listings.

Search traffic sold to advertisers.

Traffic arbitrage is high margin after initial costs because:

Platform is largest investment.

Use of platform lowers investment cost per content created.

Content becomes self fulfilling and beneficial

More traffic truly leads to more traffic, more listings, more revenue and lower costs.

Ability to create new “products” (articles or content) is infinite and inexpensive compared to manufacturing or distributing hard goods.

Culture 07/23/09 Martin’s Marketing Blog http://scentTrail.blogspot.com Culture is also shifting (chicken or egg who knows): DIY (do-it-yourself) = reality with “free” tools. Word-of-mouth and social networks = key. Consumers difficult to reach with traditional marketing (tv, print). DIY Trend super fueled by new tools: Free Social network sites such as Facebook . Free Word Processor software (Google Docs). Free Blogging software. Web’s ubiquity and morphing delivery systems (phones, tv) changing marketing: CraigsList = destroys classified ads destroying newspapers. Hulu’s free TV = one of web’s fastest growing sites. SKYPE = free long distance using voice over internet. Apple iPhone goes to 10MM units sold in months inspiring other handheld manufacturers to emulate “always on” connection to web.

Culture is also shifting (chicken or egg who knows):

DIY (do-it-yourself) = reality with “free” tools.

Word-of-mouth and social networks = key.

Consumers difficult to reach with traditional marketing (tv, print).

DIY Trend super fueled by new tools:

Free Social network sites such as Facebook .

Free Word Processor software (Google Docs).

Free Blogging software.

Web’s ubiquity and morphing delivery systems (phones, tv) changing marketing:

CraigsList = destroys classified ads destroying newspapers.

Hulu’s free TV = one of web’s fastest growing sites.

SKYPE = free long distance using voice over internet.

Apple iPhone goes to 10MM units sold in months inspiring other handheld manufacturers to emulate “always on” connection to web.

Information and Brands Steven Johhson’s book Everything Bad Is Good For You argues: Complexity is new baseline. New Tools (Google and video games) increase capacity to handle large amounts of information. Capacity to manage more information is greater, time is not. The Attention Economy = time is new currency: 3,000 to 5,000 commercial messages seen by every adult every day, millions of ad messages by 30. People must shut out advertising messages: Reviews more important than Feature / Benefit copy. Word-of-mouth = best and hardest to get advertising. All marketing battle for hearts and minds Ability to buy no longer special Able to buy anything at anytime from a number of sources. 07/23/09 Martin’s Marketing Blog http://scentTrail.blogspot.com

Steven Johhson’s book Everything Bad Is Good For You argues:

Complexity is new baseline.

New Tools (Google and video games) increase capacity to handle large amounts of information.

Capacity to manage more information is greater, time is not.

The Attention Economy = time is new currency:

3,000 to 5,000 commercial messages seen by every adult every day, millions of ad messages by 30.

People must shut out advertising messages:

Reviews more important than Feature / Benefit copy.

Word-of-mouth = best and hardest to get advertising.

All marketing battle for hearts and minds

Ability to buy no longer special

Able to buy anything at anytime from a number of sources.

Reputation and Algorithms Brands provide short hand to parse mountains of consumer information In some ways brands are weaker: Become vulnerable to price snipping thanks to free review, reputation and ranking tools. Easy to find ( Amazon.com , BizRate, Epinions ) reputation algorithms mean everyone knows everything simultaneously. One effect of DIY culture may be reduction in brand loyalty. Recent CMO Study shows consumers less loyal to many consumer packaged brands during recession. Reputation as expressed in algorithms = key to long term marketing success. Law of large numbers (more information, more reviews) creates a higher baseline (one negative review can’t sink the boat or brand). 07/23/09 Martin’s Marketing Blog http://scentTrail.blogspot.com

Brands provide short hand to parse mountains of consumer information

In some ways brands are weaker:

Become vulnerable to price snipping thanks to free review, reputation and ranking tools.

Easy to find ( Amazon.com , BizRate, Epinions ) reputation algorithms mean everyone knows everything simultaneously.

One effect of DIY culture may be reduction in brand loyalty.

Recent CMO Study shows consumers less loyal to many consumer packaged brands during recession.

Reputation as expressed in algorithms = key to long term marketing success.

Law of large numbers (more information, more reviews) creates a higher baseline (one negative review can’t sink the boat or brand).

API’s Software development too is changing: More “open source” applications. Application Program Interfaces (API’s) allow building with other people’s tools (OPT). New software provide API’s for survival: Can’t create enough variety fast enough on their own. More Applications = more scale = survival. Use of API transfers familiarity and legitimacy. Free and open source are move viable than ever before. Free = philosophical shift. 07/23/09 Martin’s Marketing Blog http://scentTrail.blogspot.com

Software development too is changing:

More “open source” applications.

Application Program Interfaces (API’s) allow building with other people’s tools (OPT).

New software provide API’s for survival:

Can’t create enough variety fast enough on their own.

More Applications = more scale = survival.

Use of API transfers familiarity and legitimacy.

Free and open source are move viable than ever before.

Free = philosophical shift.

Perfect Storm Marketing is in a perfect storm: Traditional tools costing more, delivering less. New tools (Facebook) launched, but not scaled. Winners uncertain. Some marketing rules do not change: Do marketing first. Purple is important. Exclusive is a currency. Customer service = very important. Cash register for other marketing not sustainable (Google doesn’t care). Online marketing strategy must change. 07/23/09 Martin’s Marketing Blog http://scentTrail.blogspot.com

Marketing is in a perfect storm:

Traditional tools costing more, delivering less.

New tools (Facebook) launched, but not scaled.

Winners uncertain.

Some marketing rules do not change:

Do marketing first.

Purple is important.

Exclusive is a currency.

Customer service = very important.

Cash register for other marketing not sustainable (Google doesn’t care).

Online marketing strategy must change.

Idea: Create A Content Marketing Network A Content Marketing Network is… Loose affiliation of content creators using flexible web-based tools to create and edit content. An emergent system with little centralized control over what content is created or how it is edited. A community ruled, for the most part, by social stigma and wisdom of crowds. Formed around a particular topic or issues shared by commercial (e-commerce web sites or companies) and noncommercial (nonprofits, colleges, university) stakeholders. A shared resource possibly created by a “sponsoring” agent or company but dedicated to advancement of human issues and ideas not a single company’s profits or standing. Not traditional marketing using some other means. Managed for greater good as judged by community leaders. 07/23/09 Martin’s Marketing Blog http://scentTrail.blogspot.com

A Content Marketing Network is…

Loose affiliation of content creators using flexible web-based tools to create and edit content.

An emergent system with little centralized control over what content is created or how it is edited.

A community ruled, for the most part, by social stigma and wisdom of crowds.

Formed around a particular topic or issues shared by commercial (e-commerce web sites or companies) and noncommercial (nonprofits, colleges, university) stakeholders.

A shared resource possibly created by a “sponsoring” agent or company but dedicated to advancement of human issues and ideas not a single company’s profits or standing.

Not traditional marketing using some other means.

Managed for greater good as judged by community leaders.

07/23/09 Martin’s Marketing Blog http://scentTrail.blogspot.com E-Commerce Content Marketing Evolution of the Web Time Now Content Marketing Networks

Idea: Create Content Marketing Network 07/23/09 Martin’s Marketing Blog http://scentTrail.blogspot.com - Dictionary / Wiki - Forum - Professionals & Experts - Magazines (monthly editorial feature) STORE - Other Sites - Wholesale & Other Web sites (SI, RX) - Buzz Team Profiles and Reviews - Blogs SUPER PARTNERS STORES Colleges & Universities - Seminars - Mash Up Content - Contests& Games - Local Search (city & state) - Lifestyle - Social Networks - Content Marketing Network Personals -

Content Marketing Network Benefits Reduced content creation costs. Users create content in an emergent system. Costs distributed across a network. Increased organic listings and traffic they bring. Flexible, responsive, constantly changing “content world”. Hard for competitors to duplicate quickly. Important source of market intelligence. Increased brand awareness as “sponsoring agent” and Network backbone. 07/23/09 Martin’s Marketing Blog http://scentTrail.blogspot.com

Reduced content creation costs.

Users create content in an emergent system.

Costs distributed across a network.

Increased organic listings and traffic they bring.

Flexible, responsive, constantly changing “content world”.

Hard for competitors to duplicate quickly.

Important source of market intelligence.

Increased brand awareness as “sponsoring agent” and Network backbone.