Signing Off!

Throughout this semester I have tried to keep you informed as to relevant topics relating to IMC and new media through this blog.  What I have learned through the blog is that just because you build it, does not mean that they will come.  In order to generate traffic for your blog, you need to employ buzz building techniques to make your existence known to the public.  Wishful thinking of millions of people randomly stumbling upon your blog is not a reality.  You must work hard to get people to see your thoughts and posts. 

 

I have learned a lot throughout this semester through my new media class.  We covered topics anywhere from banner ads to crowdsouring to streaming and podcasts.  All of these terms have new meaning to me now that the semester has come to a close.  It has become clear to me that when it comes to new media and emerging technology, the sky is the limit for IMC practitioners.  IMC professionals can use anywhere from one to all of these tactics together with some traditional forms of advertising to build a strong campaign reaching the once unreachable markets and can successfully build their brand. 

 

There have been ups and downs throughout the semester for me.  Sometimes I got it right, other times I was far from the beaten path.  No matter which road I was on, I learned a plethora of information that I will be able to take with me and put to good use in real life situations.  Hopefully this is not the end of my blog and perhaps with some more work and persistence, I will be able to get my message out there for many eyes to see!   

Google me this

In my last post, I made the comment that paid placement and paid inclusion are okay as long as they disclose what they truly are.  I also believe (as I have stressed in previous posts and discussion boards) that these advertisements need to remain relevant to keyword searches.  This thought led me to Google’s About page to see how they defined themselves and what their company mission entailed.  What I found was quite interesting and relevant to my search. 

Google defines themselves as “an easy-to-use free service that usually returns relevant results in a fraction of a second.  Let’s focus on usually. It is interesting that Google does not just say “free service that returns results in a fractiono of a second.”  In my opinion, Google adds the usually because of the fact that the Internet, and its content, is always changing.  How can a company like Google guarantee that its service can 100% of the time provide accurate results?  When it comes down to it, this is the ultimate in disclosures.  Not only does Google disclose that although it tries, sometimes non-relevant content can turn up in results, it makes a full-on effort to disclose that it is in fact a business that profits by advertisers paying-per-click on their site.  Their site reads as follows:

        ”As a business, Google generates revenue by providing advertisers with the opportunity to deliver measurable, cost-effective online advertising that is relevant to the information displayed on any given page. This makes the advertising useful to you as well as to the advertiser placing it. We believe you should know when someone has paid to put a message in front of you, so we always distinguish ads from the search results or other content on a page. We don’t sell placement in the search results themselves, or allow people to pay for a higher ranking there.”

This solidifies, in my opinion, that Google is making every effort to make their tactics known and provide its users with information about their tactics and how users can capitalize from the use of these tactics.  Google also helps users search more efficiently and provides advertisers easy, affordable ways to get their Web sites seen.  With these services, tactics and disclosures, how can Google’s method of paid advertising not be ethical?  Perhaps other sites need to employ these methods in an effort to keep the watch dogs off their tail and allow users to continue to search for free – like Google blatently states – their company is one that provides a service to the users and also runs itself as a business that needs to make a profit in order to provide that service.  Without the ads, there is no Google.  Be straight with your users and they will come!

You say tomato, I say tomoto; Is there a concrete definition of search engine?

An interesting question arose in one classmate’s post this week.  What is the Internet’s intended purpose?  This question was posed in correlation with the topic of ethics in search engine advertising through paid placement and inclusion.  I found this interesting because who is to say what a search engine can and can’t be used for.  With new media changing everyday, it is hard to say what should and shouldn’t be.  But the Internet is a place for everybody.  And as my classmate stated so eloquently, anyone can alter the Internet’s content.  With that being said, it seems that there can be no definite definition as to what a search engine is and what its ultimate mission should be.

According to our readings and other content this week, search engines have been defined as a tool meant to return a list of informational links on topic.  Wikopedia defines a search engine as “a tool designed to search for information on the World Wide Web.  May consist of Web pages, images, information, and other types of files.”  Wordnet.princeton.edu defines it as “a computer program that retrieves documents and files or data from a data base or from a computer network (especially from the internet).”  Wictionary.ord say it is “an application that searches for, retrieves, data basesd on some criteria, especially one that searches the internet for documents.”  Webopedia goes on to define it as “a program that searches documets for specified keywords and returns a list of the documents where the keywords were found.”  What all of these “definitions” have in common is that they are defined as what they are perceived to be at the time of the definition.  With the ability to ever-alter the Internet’s content, nothing is absolute.  It is ever-changing and therefore cannot be defined eternally.  With this said, it is not for any of us to say that a search engine is not a place for advertised information.  This advertised information may actually be, and in most cases is, relevant to a search topic.  If the Internet is a place for everybody, then that must include advertisers.   

The question of whether it is ethical or not to advertise on search engines will not go away anytime soon.  After doing some “Web searches” on the topic, it has become clear to me that advertisers do have a place on search sites and are an integral part of keeping search engines alive.  As I have stressed before, I see no problem with these advertisements (paid placements and inclusion) as long as it is made readily known to those searching.

Squeaky wheel gets the grease: Search Engine Advertising

In my last post, I sympathized with my father’s struggle with online advertising through search engine sites.  After reading some of my classmate’s postings, I have come to the realization that there are options out there for businesses like my father’s.  Although they do not have an immense marketing budget, there are relatively inexpensive ways for he and his business partner to get their name out there.  Someone pointed out that they are more inclined to click on a Web site which paid to be placed higher on the results page because she feels that a company willing to spend time and money for top placement, is a company which is serious about earning her business.  Perhaps because the topic at hand is so close to me, I have been blinded from seeing this point of view.  In comparison, those who advertise on television are most likely going to see better results than those who don’t.  Again, spend the time and money to get your name out there and you are most likely going to see results. 

This week has opened my eyes to services such as Google Ad Words.  I went to the site to see what it is all about and the concept is easy.  Go to the site, determine the key words you want to be associated with your site, choose payment and see results.  This service allows you to deside whether advertising locally will do or will let you go national if you like.  Something like this would definitely benefit a small business like my dad’s.  So, I believe I have jumped the gun yet again by saying there is little hope for the little guy.  In actuality, the little guy needs to take a crash course in online advertising and search engine tactics and options in order to get his name out there!

Throw me a bone: Paid placement and inclusion on search sites

A few months ago I used my dad’s company for a class assignment involving designing an ad campaign.  What I learned through this assignment is that my father has no chance when it comes to on-line advertising through search engines such as Google, Yahoo, MSN Live Search and more.  Because his business cannot afford to pay for top spots on these search engines, the Web site is not seen.  I did a little research today and Googled relevant ques for my dad’s business providing the city in the search.  He owns a business to business restaurant equipment supply company and my search led me to anything from child care to casinos, yet no business of my father.  How is it that a company that has a Web site, does not appear when searched by specific area and relevancy?

This week we studied just this.  It has been brought to my attention that companies bid big bucks to get the top spots on these search engines.  This is how my search for restaurant equipment turned into child care and casinos.  Is this ethical?  More importantly, how does this serve the consumer?  In my opinion, it doesn’t.  In my experience with Internet searches, I have found that usually when I am searching for something, I have a need or at least a reason for my search.  When I search restaraunt equipment, I am probably not looking for a casino, right?  I am an advocate of Google, and in my research tonight Google won the prize — even though it did not lead me directly to his company Web site, it provided his company information and Web address in the “Local Business” section, which can be found at the top of the “results.”  What does this mean for the little guy?  Is there no hope for small businesses and nonprofits?  I would like to think there is, but if the lack of following recommended guidelines continues by search sites, the little guy will no longer be able to compete with the big dogs on the Internet circuit.

A Quiet Market

A couple weeks ago, the subject of marketing to minorities came up in my class.  The lesson discussed the hype of the Hispanic market and also touched on the importance of targeting such groups as African-Americans, Asian Americans, Native Americans, Asian-Indian Americans and Arab Americans.  The week’s lesson for our study of minorities and how to market to them, defined minorities as “groups whose members share unique behaviors based on a common racial, language, or nationality background.”  The focus remained on the growing Hispanic population; however, I began to think about other minority groups that could be better marketed to – the minorities defined as the smaller portion of a group as opposed to a majority – perhaps the deaf or blind. 

 

From what I have read, most focus when it comes to this category of minority group (the disabled) remains on the blind.  How do you make primarily visual network accessible to those who can’t see.  This is a constant challenge for marketers and Web design creators who would like to provide equal opportunity for all; however, who is helping the deaf.  Although it may seem that the Web is the perfect place for those with hearing disabilities, the Web creates a challenge for many who cannot hear.  Say for example, a person is born with no hearing.  That person perhaps may not know how to read English.  Many born with this disability learn sign language as their first language which creates a problem in a virtual world which revolves around text.  I can’t help but think that as hard as it may be for a person who is deaf to communicate effectively through the Internet, it is even harder for a marketer or designer to create and maintain a hearing disabled-friendly site.  The constant upkeep of translators through streaming would be costly and a major upkeep.  My first inclination is to want to look at percentage of the population who are hearing impaired and compare the stats to establish a need.  But then, I felt ashamed that I would think such a thing.  Just because this minority may not come in huge numbers does not mean that their consumer behavior and needs need not be addressed and accommodated.  I plan to take the look further into this discussion and keep you posted as to my findings!

New trends = New tactics

Since the invent of the television and the explosion of utilizing it for advertising purposes, it has been a hot topic of debate whether it is ethical to market to children or not.  Some child advocacy groups advocate strict regulations while others are screaming for a ban of all marketing efforts targeting children.  I agree that some things are probably not the best product choices for children, but in many cases, companies are going out of their way to promote their products and their brand around a positive message. 

 

Recently, I was in a hot conversation with a colleague regarding this issue.  It was his opinion that ultimately it is the parent’s responsibility to teach their children self-control and how to make proper choices.  This may be true.  But let’s look back to the days when this topic became a hot one.  A family unit in the 30′s, 40′s, etc. usually consisted of dad bringing home the bacon and mom maintaining the home and children.  If you look up daycares which were established in past eras, you will come up short.  Children spent a majority of their time with their parents and especially their mother making it easier for the parents to monitor what their children were exposed to. 

Today’s family unit often consists of a dad and a mom both working full time to bring home the bacon, which often leaves little Janie and Jonny in the care of others, limiting the time in which the parent can monitor their child.

Because of this trend in the new family unit, someone needs to take the initiative to set a good example.  For this reason, I believe that marketing to children can be ethical if marketers realize their potential influence on children and market to them ethically and appropriately.  Mom and dad may be okay with Janie and Jonny’s nagging if it is to get outside and play, engage in something with educational value, or pick out a nutritional snack. 

How the Web Stole Christmas: Web site design and function a must for holiday shopping

Tis the season to be jolly, fa la la la la, la la la la… This holiday season I have found myself glued to my computer for a majority of my shopping.  I have been quite impressed in the quality of most of the Web sites that I have surfed and purchased from.  Sites like Wal-Mart, Target, Best Buy, etc. provide such ease of navigation and easy checkout, that it just doesn’t seem to make sense to wander into the retail location and fight the crowds and lines.  To my delight, Wal-mart even provides site-to-store shipping on many of their products.  This not only means I save on the shipping cost, but I save time by quick in-and-out pick-up at my local store.  Although for the most part, my online shopping has been successful and enjoyable, I have hit some bumps in the road which made me want to pull my hair out and throw in the Christmas towel (enter Grinch). 

 

My sister-in-law, who lives in Phoenix, Arizona was in town recently so we headed to the outlet malls for a day of holiday shopping bliss.  In one store she found a shirt that she was just dying to have but they didn’t have it in her size.  Fortunately it was my size and I purchased the shirt for myself (she was a little bitter, but wasn’t aware of my ultimate genius plan).  Shortly after her departure, I began my Web-search for the shirt so I could surprise her for Christmas.  My search led me to Rue 21′s homepage.  The site took forever to load.  Once it was fully loaded, I had such a terrible time trying to get to the tops that I nearly threw my computer out of the window.  An hour later, there it was on Page 10: Black lace neck short sleeve top.  Now elated, and no longer regretting my lost time (1 hour), I looked for the shopping cart to purchase the shirt.  To my amazement THERE WAS NO SHOPPING CART.  After all the turmoil I went through to find the one shirt my sister-in-law wanted for Christmas, the best the site could offer me was a store location nearest me.  They didn’t offer whether the store had the shirt in stock or even a item number to give a representative if I called a local store – infuriating!

 

Finally, I will get to my point.  As the weeks go by in my IMC studies, I am slowly beginning to associate my studies of IMC to real-life situations and experiences.  As such, I could not let this experience go by unheard.  One of the most important features of a successful Web-site is that it be functional.  This week I have learned that a high percentage of online shoppers will not buy from a poorly designed Web-site and better yet, some people in a higher salary bracket have admitted that in some cases, they would stop purchasing from the retail location also.  Although I will probably continue to shop at the retail location of Rue 21, I have to admit if I were in the same salary bracket as those mentioned earlier, I probably would never step foot in the store again out of spite.  Although this site may pass on esthetics, it fails on so many other levels.  First, it is not functional and second, it is not easy to navigate.  It definitely doesn’t help build brand relationships and is shaping the company’s image in a negative manner, and is also accomplishing just the opposite when it comes to creating loyal customers. 

 

This is not an attempt to deter others from shopping at this particular store.  My goal here is to stress the importance of a company Web site.  Rue 21 may have every intention to build their site and provide an online retail store, but in the meantime, they should take down their site.  Putting a poorly designed site on the Web can sometimes be more detrimental to a company than not having one at all.  Since they continue to keep their site up, it may be beneficial to note on the site that it is not an online store and that the site is under construction and to bear with them.  Perhaps a warning could have saved me from my rage and now my future carpal tunnel. 

Keeping it Short: Marketing Short Films and Ethics

This week I have been introduced to marketing short films.  These films lasting less than 45 minutes have become a popular medium for advertising to the ever growing Internet user population.  The idea behind this tactic is to engage the viewer and gain brand recognition through short films that subtly advertise their brand.  I found a short film that I actually was attacked with at the movie theatre developed by Coca Cola.  I use the word “attacked” because of my lack of knowledge of in-cinema advertising, but when it comes down to it, this short film made me smile.  The film can be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBOh0FFJikQ.  It features Underdog and Stewie fighting for a Coke only to loose to Charlie Brown.

I think that short films of this nature are an effective marketing tool that captivate audiences and indeed create brand recognition and consumer ties with the brand.  Although the ad is meant to be just that, an ad, it doesn’t blatantly push the product on the viewer in the way that some traditional commercials do.  For this reason, ethical concerns often follow this format.  When it comes to Coca Cola, I think that there is a need to address the ethical concerns regarding how this and other short films will translate to the underage audience. As an adult, I realize that I am being marketed to, but I do not believe that children understand this and there needs to be care taken to make sure children aren’t being targeted by the wrong products.

Although I am a loyal Coca Cola drinker, I believe that children should not be the target of their advertisements.  In this film, it seems that Coke is trying to market to adults by using cartoon characters that adults have grown up or are adult geared, such as Stewie from Family Guy, but they still have appeal to children.  I’m not saying that Coke should start making racy ads that can’t be viewed by children, but I can’t help but think that Coca Cola knows what they are doing by hookin em when their young.  Every company knows that children are a viable market and I believe marketers need to take into consideration what they are pushing on children and how it could affect them in the long run.  With childhood obesity being a national epidemic in this country, I think it is time for someone to step up and do the right thing. 

With that said, I also believe that marketers in the practice of integrated marketing communications are hitting the nail on the head by short film advertising.  Although I think ethics should play a major role in campaign decisions, engaging audiences through film is an excellent tool to gain consumer loyalty.  After watching some of the films like Coca Cola Happiness Factory: The Movie, I can’t help but love Coca Cola even more.  The way the movie makes me feel and the creativity behind the production only makes me want to be a part of such a complex, family friendly brand (although I wish they would sell tasty juice or something). 

A company in which I feel is making leaps and bounds in the area of self-identification and image is Dove.  When it comes to ethics, Dove is playing within the unwritten rule book.  Their Dove Evolution short films show from start to finish all of the air brushing and touch-ups their model’s photos go through before hitting news stands and television screens.  Dove’s Pro-age campaign depicted women of all different ages and sizes as beautiful and Dove’s True Colors aims at showing young girls that beauty is only skin deep.  These short films do more than promote a brand, they promote self-esteem through capturing the reality that is often misconstrued in magazines and television who depict unrealistic perfection in through Photoshop and airbrushing. Follow the links below to watch these short films.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUsKIApTewQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYhCn0jf46U

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vilUhBhNnQc 

As you can see, marketing short films have a place in new media.  They offer subtly, entertainment value, and in the best case scenario, a message that promotes a good.  Perhaps other companies can take Dove’s lead in offering hope and assurance for a healthy future. 

Branding: It’s All in a Name

In an attempt to gain traffic to my blog, I figure I have to explore the importance of a domain name as a brand.  How does Newmedianovice affect the credibility or readability of my blog?  An important step in any business plan lies in a name.  A name can set your business apart from your competition and also help expand or limit your brand. 

Let’s examine Newmedianovice as an example.  I titled my site this because I am very new to all things new media.  I wanted to use this site as a platform for my ever expanding knowledge of new media.  In the beginning I thought my name was genius, however, now I realize that if I want to continue the blog and build loyal blogger traffic, my name is quite constricting.  I cannot ride out my novice status forever.  Eventually, I will be able to contribute more knowledge and understanding toward the topic and have more of an “expertise” of new media.  If this occurs, I have misled my viewers by claiming I am a novice.  For this reason it is important that any person interested in building a brand, whether it be a business, a blog, etc. remember the importance of keeping the name simple and broad so that it does not become a barrier in expanding your brand. 

Think of Coca Cola.  What started out as a simple cola has become this nation’s most recognizable brand.  This may have been a fluke, but the names behind many brands today have been strategically thought out in order to expand.  A good example of this is the Apple iPod.  The “i” has now expanded to associated products such as the iHome, the iDog, the iPhone, and the list could go on and on.  Apple named the iPod with the intention of expanding the brand.  The “i” community is expanding rapidly and Apple has secured itself a leader in the market with a band of loyal consumers who not only associate themselves with the brand, but also voluntarily promote the brand through social networks, reviews and also just by sporting those trademark white ear buds.  Genius! 

A name is just the beginning of a brand.  What follows should be quality products and service and most importantly building relationships with consumers.  Creating a catchy name that is simple, positive and broad will open doors to expand your brand.  The sky is the limit when building your brand and positive name recognition can always help boost sales!  I will have to give Newmedianovice some thought.  I will keep you posted!