Tag: content marketing

From old to new

FabrizioLeave a comment

When you hear about something new, make sure it is actually new by relating it to what is already known, done, accepted in your field.

It happens quite often, in marketing for example, that a new concept is a mere rebranding of old tactics. This is done, more or less unconsciously, in part to ensure tactics stay relevant, in part to appeal to a new wave of workers, in part to protect the work of marketers (who are by definition creative and innovative).

The basics of marketing have not changed much in the past decades. The best way for you to be in marketing these days is to start from them and build your way to what is new, not the other way around.

Would you?

FabrizioLeave a comment

Would you buy your own product?

It’s not a difficult question to answer for most founders and executives, but there is a lot more to it that is worth asking.

Would you spend money regularly over a period of time to use your product?

Would you do that after having visited your website?

Would you move away from your main competitor?

Would you click, read and act on any one of the automated emails in your nurture flow?

Would you be engaged by your blog and social media posts?

Would you be ok with being automatically charged once the trial period is over?

Would you accept the LinkedIn invite from one of your sales rep?

Would you work for your company if Google, Apple or Tesla would come knocking?

Would you accept a job offer even knowing how things work at your company?

We should stop dissociating. We are customers and buyers in the first place, we do know what we enjoy to consume and what we spend money on.

It is a very good place to start from.

Hiding

FabrizioLeave a comment

If there is a feature or a characteristic of your product that consistently keeps your audience from buying, you have one of two options: change the feature, or change the audience.

Hiding the feature, on the other hand, is but a shortsighted and counterproductive trick. You actually want people to know about it as soon as possible, so that you do not end up wasting time with those who consider that a roadblock.

This is something marketing departments often get wrong.

A new wave

FabrizioLeave a comment

Three opportunities for a new wave of social media.

Subscription based – As they say, there is no such thing as a free lunch. Social media is no exception. For years, we have thought it was free (or very cheap, if you are an advertiser), but the costs we have all been paying are actually higher than most can appreciate. Asking the audience to pay a subscription fee would force social media to actually narrow their scope and become niche products that need to innovate to thrive.

Verified identity – The past few years have proven that anonymity online is not going to work. Opening a social media account should not be as easy as getting a new e-mail address, and the part of audience that should not be allowed to use them (kids) need to be forbidden access right from the get go. People are not as toxic when their name and reputation is on the line, and that would go a great length to make social media a more pleasant arena.

No second guessing – Algorithms behind timelines and promoted content are hugely unsatisfactory for the audience. What if instead their task would be to ask? Interruption is always annoying, and banner blindness has been discussed and studied for at least twenty years now. Putting people back in charge of what they are offered (also in terms of ads) can only increase engagement and make for a better user experience.

Weak signal

FabrizioLeave a comment

Companies are about to send a signal to Facebook. But a signal, as strong as it can be, is stuck in a single moment in time. What about when July is over? Losing 1% of ad revenue for one month is not going to change the way Facebook carries out its business.

So, what is next?