YouTube has over 3 billion views every 24 hours.

Think of the influence YouTube has had on musicians, brands and reputations – Justin Bieber, Orabrush and Domino’s Pizza have gone viral via video marketing. As marketers, we need to understand that not everyone is going to be influenced by traditional media alone. With the increase of fan and follower participation through social media, consumers are clearly interested in interacting with brands and businesses.

Video marketing can help enhance your SEO campaigns and maintain a strong social profile. An important aspect of videos is that they can be picked up by both social media and search engines. They can even rank higher than your brand’s website in search engines. “You Tube is actually the biggest social media site […] it’s bigger than Facebook or Twitter” (Scott Imbrie, “6 Best Practices For Small Business YouTube Marketing”, 11.6.2011).

When it comes to video marketing, I say go big or go home. Marketers need to constantly experiment and test ideas. We don’t know what really works until we try. Test and tweak ideas as much as needed to get your consumers excited and involved.  After all, the use of videos is a great way to boost visibility and drive engagement.

When you get a chance, check out this really cool interactive film by Chris Milk ft. the Arcade Fire (built in HTML5) – The Wilderness Downtown

Google+ Devotee

Call me a brand evangelist, an ambassador, a hired goon but I am a proud Google Plusser and here’s why.

1. Conversation – I can actually have an engaging conversation in Google+ about issues that are meaningful to me.
2. Circles – I can curate to whom I listen. I can mute posts I have no interest in reading or block them completely. I can follow whom I wish and they don’t have to follow me back. I can unclutter my stream from the get-go and throughout my span of time on G+.
3. Content – I can restrict who sees and shares my content. I can edit my content once published. And all within my stream, with a handy drop-down menu to the right of my share. I can link to a website, attach a picture/video/location, all within the share window.
4. Privacy – I don’t have to look over my shoulder every time Google updates its platforms. I don’t worry that my information is owned and controlled by them as I do with Facebook who decreases my privacy with every upgrade. I have the control – which makes me more willing to share, follow people, and engage with others in a public and digital social space.

Social Media As It Should Be

For me, G+ blows every other social media platform out of the water. It is my blog, Twitter, Facebook, FourSquare and almost LinkedIn all within one incredibly clean and intuitive user interface. Within the G+ community, users have likened Facebook to high school where you mostly talk about yourself and Google+ to college/university where you talk about ideas. Perhaps here is where I diverge a little from other Plussers: I believe there is room for both Facebook and Google+ in both personal and business pages. Facebook can remain your ad space but meaningful engagement can be framed in Google+.

After attending The Google+ Project presentation during Chicago’s Social Media Week, I learned that business pages on G+ would be rolled out from October through early 2012. This was something I’d been thinking about since August when G+ first started testing their beta version with invite only users.

Google+ Business Pages

The possibilities in G+ are incredible for business pages. Companies can keep their Facebook pages which are more ad-focused, talk about themselves, and test out G+ to connect with their peers and customers. I believe this is the platform dedicated to thought leadership. It offers curation and segmentation of targeted audiences with its “Circles” feature. Within G+ you can target your most relevant content to those whom it would be most relevant.

If we look at this from an end user standpoint, how many times have we received emails that mean nothing to us? It’s no wonder click through rates are plummeting given the amount of emails I am subscribed to that deliver irrelevant content. Here is where G+ business pages will distinguish themselves with highly relevant and highly targeted messaging, and conversations.

The Almighty +1

Remember when Facebook and Bing collaborated and showed how searching on Bing enabled you to see what your friends “Liked”? Well Google+’s +1 makes that thumbs up look like child’s play. Google is the largest search engine out there and now whatever you “+1″ shows up in Google searches, including for display ads. Think of the boon this is to advertisers and how this ratchets up peer recommended products. Now with the advent of Google Ripples, you can see in real time the reach of any publically shared or “+1″ posts.

I could wax rhapsodic about Google+ for hours, and many who know me can attest to this, but for now I’ll leave you with a simple question … what’s your Google+ strategy?

Happy Halloween!

Are you ready for the big Halloween scare? Facebook and Twitter do not define social media.

Social media refers to a core strategy in which we create content to engage consumers. The idea is that marketers should use social media (Facebook, Twitter and the like) to leverage their content strategies.

Top performers use social media for customization – segmentation based on both behavioral patterns and demographics. Your consumers deserve personalization because they are loyal and rely on your relationships with them. Not only will this increase customer involvement, but it will keep the customer up to date on what your brand is doing in relation to their specific wants and needs.

Chicago’s Best TV produces episodes with relevant content through the use of social media. The hosts go to restaurants in or around Chicago to find the best eats based on fan and follower suggestions. At the end of each segment the hosts say something along the lines of “if you know a place where we should go to find the best [insert food here] hit us up on Twitter, Facebook, ChicagosBestTv.com, you know the drill.” This encourages customers to get in on the action and support their favorite Chicago bites. Chicago’s Best TV’s integration of website and social engagement encourages their fan base to scope out their personal local favorites.

The most important thing marketers can do is keep content relevant. Send the right message at the right place and time and use the right platform. Don’t just jump on the social media bandwagon because everyone else is. Strategies still need a content marketing blueprint.

Dancing hamsters + the top summer song of 2011= awesome!

KIA®’s Share Some Soul campaign encourages dancing…lots of dancing. To enter, consumers can submit videos of themselves getting down to Party Rock Anthem via KIA®’s YouTube channel and Facebook page. What’s at stake? The winner earns his/herself a $10,000 cash prize and a chance to dance with LMFAO on stage. And who better to decide the winner than consumers.

Contest marketing is a social, interactive strategy that grabs user attention and increases brand awareness. “We really see the world shifting from a world focused around information to one focused on people” (Ethan Beard, 9.20.11, AdAge). Consumer power continues to rise as the influence of social media amplifies. Marketers are able to control the level of consumer involvement, build their brands and take advantage of some great exposure to both target and under-served markets through the use of contest marketing.

But contest marketing should not be your only strategy to create brand buzz. Social media is a tool used for communication and should not be the objective of your marketing strategy. To remain engaged in the communication process across all channels, B2B marketers need to expand their online footprints. Thought leaders and lead generation marketers need to merge their once-siloed strategies with traditional and online marketing – align social, mobile and email initiatives to enhance your B2B strategies and secure brand loyalty.

Content marketing is more important than ever before. To ensure that you are getting the most out of your marketing efforts, you must develop a content marketing strategy that is unique, relevant and measurable.

“The goal of delivering exceptional content & stories to engage audiences in a company’s brand and value proposition is not new — but with the growing importance of online marketing and social media to deliver these messages, it has become essential to consider content development (and storytelling) a primary lever within today’s marketing strategy (particularly in B2B)” (Lydia Vogtner, 9.15.11, www.business2community.com).

Take a risk

In this day and age, it is extremely important to be experimental. The goal of content marketing is to be at the top of SEO rankings. Marketers have an obligation to find out what works and what doesn’t for consumers. We will not always be able to sell our ideas to consumers, but we must be able to create deliverable solutions for what they want. To be successful, B2B marketers have to develop a content marketing strategy because it is not a onetime deal – it is an ongoing, reoccurring process that will boost mobile and online media efforts.

Develop unique content

Search marketing is an essential medium for B2B marketers. Organic searches determine what content is original, relevant and engaging. Well-written content also builds the relationships you create with consumers. You do not want your content to be overly messaged – but it is a good idea to develop themes. For example if you host webinars, create a series of topics based around a theme such as mobile marketing. If you develop a popular video series for your website, make sure those videos feed off each other’s content – again as long as it is relevant and engaging.

Promote your social content

In this economy, some marketers are on a tight budget. Here’s the good news – the most popular analytic tools are either relatively cheap like Raven or free – like Google Analytics and AddThis. SEO tools determine the top keywords in searches, but they also have the ability to identify the social media content that people are buzzing about. In addition to tracking the top content, landing pages, referrals, and search engines these SEO tools can provide traffic analytics for the amount of clicks, shares, posts, etc.  Marketers should incorporate social metrics into their content marketing to generate measurable results.

Marketers need to take the plunge and build a relevant marketing strategy that integrates original and engaging content. Think analytically – monitor your content strategy because it is an interactive process that promotes social content and puts your brand at the top of SEO rankings.

Don’t assume that social media replaces email as a form of communication. (We all know what happens when you assume.)

As B2B marketers, we need to coordinate our interactive marketing initiatives to maintain consistency throughout several different channels. Social media enhances the value of email and in return, email maximizes social media efforts. For example, if a brand has a certain promotion that is offered via email, make sure that message is advertised the same way across the mix (your website, blogs, Facebook, etc.)

Email campaigns give marketers the opportunity to expose their brands as much as possible. It is the most cost effective interactive tool and increasing in its effectiveness. Email allows marketers to deliver a valuable visualization of their message through the user experience.

Here are a few best practices:

• Cross-promote across all channels: Include links to share content via Facebook, Twitter, email etc. at the top of the page
• User-friendly for all platforms: Design content that is mobile friendly – users are online and socially engaged
• Segment consumers: Ensures that the right people are receiving relevant information
• Leverage conversation: Encourage more social interactions to drive sales

Just remember the K.I.S.S. method – Keep It Simple and Shareable.

In last week’s issue of BtoB Magazine, Christopher Hosford notes that “[w]hile digital increasingly dominates marketing tactics, the rate of adoption for Web analytics solutions has been comparatively slow, according to new study by BtoB.”

B2B Meet Analytics

Despite the slow adoption rate in the B2B community, the use of web analytics is becoming increasingly important as marketers come to understand the impact of analytics on ROI. Google Analytics (a free service) gives B2B marketers the ability to track and analyze web traffic data for their clients. An important feature of the Google Analytics dashboard is that users are able to view statistics about online visitors from mobile devices – which is a great way to monitor and build mobile marketing campaigns.

Keyword Search

Keyword search is extremely important when it comes to leveraging SEO. By building links and creating searchable content, marketers are able to improve their websites and rankings in search engines. Research your keywords – try using the keyword tool from Google AdWords and see which searches are already ranked at the top. When researching keywords keep in mind the following:

• Relevance
• Volume
• Competition

By optimizing high volume and low competition keywords, marketers can maximize results for their efforts.

Social Media Segmentation

Through Google Analytics, marketers can see web traffic data based on sources like Search Engines, Direct Traffic, and Referring Sites. By creating custom segments we can review detailed data and see traffic based on specific social media websites and projects. The top social networks contribute to SEO because of their high rankings in search engines.

Now is the time to start using analytical tools to develop, define, and drive SEO solutions. Continuously share and link your content so that it is distributed beyond your standard demographic.  As Chris Abraham says “[…] if you cannot target your dream customer directly, you can target everyone around him.” …and her…

Communication, responsibility and openness are the keys to being transparent. To cultivate a global audience and maintain an edge in marketing we need to create transparent experiences. We must go from meeting to exceeding customer needs and push our creative boundaries. Marketers build their reputations by creating content that is useful and staying connected to the consumer.

Breaking Through

Through thought leadership initiatives and focusing on delivering value, marketers need to create a different way of telling a story. For example, the fantastic idea of “Angry Birds” broke through the cluttered world of mobile apps and is now downloaded more than 1 million times a day. By engaging the consumers and empowering them to contribute their innovative ideas, marketers give customers the opportunity to be problem-solvers.

Communication & Branding

Communication, both internal and external, drives a brand.  “Employees are your most significant branding effort.” (Roy Vallee, BtoB, 06.20.11, P. 24) Customer service makes information available to consumers and invites them to the decision-making process. When consumers are more knowledgeable about your company, they trust your judgment.

The essential idea is that by sustaining consumer loyalty and upholding transparency, we continuously build trust.

And we all know – “If you build it, [they] will come.”

Mobile marketing gives consumers the ability to access content anywhere at any time. It is essential for marketers to continuously create content that delivers the type of value consumers are looking for. Marketers have to be able to give up some control of their brand in order to fully engage consumers.

Mobile marketing focuses on real-time data collection and analysis while simultaneously retaining constant contact with a customer base. The use of mobile marketing and social media allows businesses to embrace customer service, market responsiveness, and maintain their brand’s voice in a technology-driven market.

Take for example Pandora who launched its first mobile app in 2008. Pandora’s competitive advantage is their unique ability to personalize music and give consumers the ultimate music experience. Not only are consumers able to listen to music whenever and wherever they are, but Pandora introduces us to similar artists further developing our experiences as music listeners.

Pandora cultivates the consumer experience through artist suggestions and encourages consumers to explore related “products”.  Their connection with Facebook lets users see what type of music our friends “like” expanding its reach to its target market. Pandora embraces the power of the people and maintains its status at the top of music recommendation services because of their mobile accessibility.

Through mobile and online marketing, advertisers can target consumers by using certain demographics and traits (such as gender, ZIP code location, and type of music) increasing their local-market penetration. This is where analytics come into play – giving hard numbers for traffic, click through rates, time visitors spend on pages and how they like to share information.

Mobile marketing optimizes consumer engagement and produces real-time results for advertisers making it one of the most prevalent and powerful marketing tools in the “social” world. By delivering content in multiple ways, mobile marketing supports consumer power and embraces customer engagement.

Being responsive is at the core of interactive marketing.

Consumer empowerment has taken over marketer power for what seems like the past decade. With the tremendous growth of social media, consumers expect marketers to know everything about their buying habits and patterns. Social media has enabled consumer loyalty, but not necessarily the consumer experience. A company may have a massive brand presence on Facebook, but having one million fans does not mean they are giving the consumer the desired brand experience.

Interactive Marketing Plus

Social media provides the opportunity for market researchers to listen to and mine consumer insights, but this is not the only opportunity presented. Social media allows consumers to directly respond to the changing marketing conditions. Social networking has created a virtual space for people to be advocates for their fellow brand ambassadors. However, interactive marketing involves more than just internet marketing.

Crowdsourcing & Measurable Results

Consumers are more likely to talk about a brand via social media rather than through surveys. Although social networks use analytical software to produce measureable results, they are slow to make the data, analysis, and insights available to marketers. Marketers need to reconnect with consumers to optimize the consumer promise and the brand promise.

The mission and challenge for marketers is to be responsive to consumers’ concerns and behaviors with a more measureable, data driven approach by customizing the marketing experience.

It is time for marketers to engage with consumers and effectively meet their expectations. The question remains: when it comes to interactive marketing, who is really in control?