June 15th, 2010 - Posted in General by Tim Freestone
The surge in video publication and viewing has obvious implications for B2B internet marketing. Though it provides another channel for communicating with (and engaging) the marketplace, the subtler implication is likely to involve the web as a whole.
Cisco recently predicted that total internet networking traffic is posed to surge in through 2014 — quadrupling in only five years. The driver behind this spike: video. According to the report, 767 exabytes of data will be pushed in 2014 (for reference: 1 exabyte = 1 billion gigabytes), and 91 percent of consumer web traffic will consist of online video — from both traditional online video and television-provided video on demand.
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February 10th, 2010 - Posted in Social Media Marketing by Tim Freestone
Multimedia is becoming increasingly common on marketing blogs, but it’s still early. IT manufacturers and resellers are still figuring out how to use this type of content effectively. Among the sticking points is when to use audio rather than video. The latter is generally assumed to be “better.” After all, it has a visual element. But, the added dimension brings with it an obligation – you need to make both the spoken and visual components compelling.
Video can be powerful when you have a panel of speakers, high-impact visuals (e.g., charts or slides) or a demo. If you’re only communicating straightforward information, such as tips or news, audio is probably the better alternative.
Remember: video is, by nature, intrusive. You have to watch it actively, which means you can’t really do much else at the same time. With audio, you can listen while reading, driving or doing any number of other tasks. By not requiring someone’s undivided attention, you’ll be able to expand the reach of your marketing blog – and the information you hope to convey.
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February 8th, 2010 - Posted in Social Media Marketing by Tim Freestone
The hardest part of maintaining a marketing blog is coming up with content … and producing it. Many attempts are abandoned simply because tier advocates didn’t realize just how much work it would involve. Doubtless, blogging is labor-intensive, but there are ways to make it much, much easier to keep your blog fresh without turning it into your full-time job. You have content all over the place and just need to put it to work for you.
1. Original content
This is the tough stuff, which you’ll need to write from scratch. But, you don’t need an original post every day. Limit the original content to once a week, but try to make it substantial (400 to 500 words).
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February 3rd, 2010 - Posted in Social Media Marketing, Solution Provider Services by Tim Freestone
IT manufacturers are producing lots of multimedia content. Those with robust channel programs are investing heavily in video content, and they are making it easy to access and use. All you have to do is embed it in your blog. The method will depend on the video player chosen by the IT manufacturer and the blog platform that you have implemented, but the process is usually straightforward.
Use these free videos as a way to increase the amount of content you publish on your blog, and give your clients and prospects a reason to keep coming back. Every visit will reinforce your brand and demonstrate your value as a solution provider. When it is time to make a purchase, you’ll be at the top of the list.
Interested in learning more about how to increase the effectiveness of your blog – or how to get started in social media marketing? Give me a shout at tf@entermarketing.com. We’ve developed a suite of blogging and social media marketing practices designed to strengthen your brand and make client outreach an information-rich process. Prospects who learn from you will become clients who buy from you.
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October 15th, 2009 - Posted in Manufacturer Services, Social Media Marketing, Solution Provider Services by Tim Freestone
Doing video for the sake of doing video is a losing proposition. You’ll spend a lot of time and marketing dollars on content …yea, that’s it. Content. For most companies, videos are just moving visuals of what they’d normally express with words. Treat video as a different animal, though, and the opportunities open up. To make your videos valuable marketing assets, think of them as a cog in a four-part marketing machine that includes your blog, YouTube and webinars.
1. Webinars: This marketing tool is a known winner in IT marketing, but it has untapped value. Record your webinars, and they live forever.
2. YouTube: This environment is good for more than hosting. It will also send traffic to your blog and put you in touch with a wider audience.
3. Blog: Post your video to your blog – pulling it in from YouTube is very easy. Now, your blog is a multimedia platform!
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Is Video the Future of Internet Marketing?
