TangledMESH - Marketing Unwound

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Endavo Speaks at PDMA Brand Marketing Conference

With a little help from my friend KelvinG, I spoke at the Product Development & Management Association's(PDMA) Brand Marketing Conference. Hot off the set from filming "Zombie Truckers 3," KelvinG took time to share his insights with the group -- including a nod to pitchman Tony Little and his hit product the Gazelle. Check it out:

What KelvinG gets, that a lot of product managers and brand marketing types don't, is that social media marketing is all about content. That's right. Social media = participation. Participation = content. Content, specifically relevant and engaging content, has become the currency of social media. The more of it you produce, deliver and promote, the more influence you can create for your brand.

One of the points I made during my presentation was the disconnect many in business seem to have when it comes to video. I mean, almost everyone has a video camera at home; posts movies online for their familyy to share, and in some cases does some basic editing to clean up the finished product. But that same person never thinks to bring their camera on a client visit to get a video testimonial, or to the trade show booth or to the product manager's office to get product tips and tricks to share with clients.It's weird... like a mental block or something.

And before you ask: Yes, I did shoot video from the event. You can see it here:

The reality is, your business, products and colleagues are creating content opportunities everyday. This is content your clients and prospects want to see, as evidenced by an April 2009 Nielsen report. They don't care as much about how slick it is or its production value. They want to engage with your brand, so create a content plan with that in mind.

I believe the next big wave in online video is Business Generated Content (BGC). We've all heard about Consumer Generated Content (UGC); well BGC is poised to be even bigger. Companies that have invested in hiring content strategy experts, and basic in-house video production capabilities will be poised for success. They will be able to communicate faster and with more engagement than their competitors. Those waiting to "figure it out," or dismiss online video as a fad, will be sadly left behind. Video content will be a key component for any successful multichannel marketing campaign.

Some examples of companies doing it right include:

• MarketLeverage Video Channel:Using video to communicate with members of it's referral marketing network, promoting premium merchants to special promotions to affiliates.

• TurfNet: Creating original video content and delivering it regularly online to increase membership engagement and promote key association sponsors.

• Numara Software: Using video to educate clients and prospects on product features and benefits. Extensive collection of client testimonials that bring instant credibility to their brand.

The writing is on the wall. Don't be the brand manager or product marketing director that gets the importance of online video too late. Don't sit back, now is the time to build a video strategy that's inline with your overall branding goals. Think of new, creative and cost-effective ways to gather and distribute video content. Become a video "rock star." Your customers will love you for it, and your CEO and CFO will eventually come around, too.

Follow me on Twitter @ShaunPope, or connect with me on LinkedIn.

YouTube or MyTube? Video Content Strategy

Social media marketing expert, Bernie Borges, interviews Shaun Pope of Endavo Media for the Find and Convert Podcast. Shaun is a contributor to the video chapter of Bernie's forthcoming book, "Marketing 2.0: Bridging the Gap Between Buyer and Seller Through Social Media Marketing.

Sports Teams/Leagues: Huge Opportunity to Use Online Video

The great thing about sports is that people get so passionate about it. So, if you’re a sports marketer, team/league promoter or just a hardcore fan, building an online community around sports is a no-brainer.

The first step is to create a place where fans, players and supporters can meet online. You can always start with a blog. But sport is about action and nothing does this better than video. So, using online video is a great way to attract fans to your site. Not to mention the sponsors that want to reach them.

The good news is that you don’t even have to worry about production. Most fans, parents and coaches are already capturing video and pictures. What you need is a centralized place where community members can share their user-gen content and interact with one another. The most cost- and time-efficient way to get your video community up and running is to select a fully-hosted online video platform that lets you create a branded video community and gives you total control over your media, audience and monetization options. As your community expands, you may decide to stream live video from key athletic events or to invest into additional video production like interviews with players and weekly team reports.  Your Internet TV platform should have the capability to supports your community’s changing needs.

You can then monetize you online video community by attracting sponsors and advertisers who want to reach your audience.  Advertisers will be able to become active community members by supporting team segments, including their own videos, sponsoring live events or displaying ads on your website and within your online video player. Need an example? Take a look at what American Powerboat TV has done with its sponsors. You can also monetize your community through fee-based subscriptions or by selling access to live streaming events.

What’s great about online video is that it’s a great equalizer. It’s now possible for USA Water Ski to have the same powerful marketing and promotion tools as the National Football League. And if you’re wondering, yes, Endavo Media can help.

Digital Media - Content, Advertisers and Technology Trends

Social Media Marketing: Consumers Weigh In

A new study by Cone (view press release here) provides a glimpse into how social media marketing is perceived by consumers. The results bode well for those of us who've spent the last several years trying to convince brand marketers, agencies and C-level execs on the potential of social media focused initiatives.

The report revealed nearly "60 percent of Americans interact with companies on a social media Web site, and one in four interact more than once per week." When asked about specific types of interactions, Americans believe:

• Companies should use social networks to solve my problems (43%)
• Companies should solicit feedback on their products and services (41%)
• Companies should develop new ways for consumers to interact with their brand (37%)
• Companies should market to consumers (25%)

The Cone study went on to explain the effectiveness social media marketing programs seem to have in connecting marketers with hard to reach groups like online males and the highly sought after (18-24) youth market. Additional insight is provided on what consumers feel the role of companies should be within online communities.

It is worth noting the drop from nearly 50% to 25% when the question is "solve problems/solicit feedback" vs. "marketing to." This is important. It means marketers have to understand this is a different medium with a different set of "engagement rules." It's not a static banner ad or a passive tv spot, it's interactive. In these environments it's critical that marketers approach online communities with transparency and a commitment to building relationships beyond the sale. Otherwise you risk alienating a good portion of your potential audience from the start.

Download the full report summary here.

You Too Can Be a Photoshop Pro

As the National Association of Photoshop Professionals (NAPP) gets ready to kick of its annual Photoshop World Conference & Expo this week, I thought it would be a good time to talk about just how easy it is to improve your creative design skills.

The NAPP is a great organization, run by the folks at Kelby Media Group. Founder Scott Kelby is one of the most well respected Photoshop authorities there is. I've been familiar with the NAPP for a while, but only recently discovered they're headquartered right in my backyard, here in Tampa, Florida. So, I thought I'd give my neighbors a little plug and tell everyone how easy Kelby has made it to learn Photoshop and Adobe CS3 applications.

Kelby Media Group publishes two magazines devoted to every aspect of the creative design process: Photoshop Users (comes free with your annual NAPP membership) and Layers. Additionally, Kelby Training offers instructional DVDs, Seminar Tours and provides live training sessions during the Photoshop World Conf. & Expo. If you're looking for more immediate and FREE gratification, visit PhotshopUserTV.com to get tips and tricks straight from Scott Kelby himself during his weekly podcast.

Picking up just a few Photoshop skills can help you become a better blogger. It will allow you to augment your blog with custom graphics and build interactive multimedia pieces your readers will love. Not to mention how much fun Photoshop is once you get the hang of it. So get over to PhotoshopUserTV.com and find out for yourself.