It’s All Marketing

Well, thankfully it's a lot like writing for the web in 2009. That said, if you have a website and don't have a clue what SEO is or how it works, then this seminar is actually worth a listen. In particular you'll gain a better understanding on how search engines work and how you can optimize your website to better reach your target market. You do want to reach your target market, don't you?

http://service.prweb.com/learning/writing-for-web-2010-webinar.html

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I don't think I've even sat through a webinar that has actually helped me in a measurable way. That said, I still attend them with the hopes that I can learn something useful (does that make me an optimist?). With that said, for those interested, Vocus.com is putting on a free webinar about that "Trends in Media for 2010" on January 27, from 2-3 EST. More details here: http://www.vocus.com/resources/state-of-media/index.asp

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At lunch I grabbed a local real estate book to look for houses. I found it interesting that of the 65 pages in the book, more than 10% of the pages were devoted entirely to houses that were already sold.

I assume the logic is that realtor want to prove to prospective sellers that they can actually move houses in this market. What I wonder, however, is how many people selling thier house are picking up the real estate magazine to find a realtor. That doesn't seem like it would be the norm. That said, is this really a good use of advertising dollars to show off what you sold if the main readers of the publication are looking to "buy" houses?

I could be wrong on the readership. Any realtors out there want to weigh in?

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At what point do you or your brand become so big that you need your own social network?
Is this reinventing the wheel?
I wonder how successful micro social networks really are?
Any Ning users want to weigh in?

http://community.maxlucado.com/

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This is a brief discussion from our drive to church this morning. Note - my son is 5 years old.

Son: Hey, look. That sign says Bud Light. There are lots of commercials on TV about Bud Light... What is Bud Light?
Wife: It is a yucky beer.
Son: The guy on the commercial says it's not too light, not too heavy.
Wife (to me): Watch football much?

Yes, I watch football. More importantly, my son watches it with me. Since he's 5, football is probably the only time that he is exposed to non-age-appropriate TV commercials. Despite my best efforts to mute or fast forward through commercials, some have apparently slipped though the cracks. The result? At the young age of 5, he is now brand-aware of Bud Light.

While I'm not thrilled that Bud Light has infiltrated my son's head, I'm thankful that brand awareness alone isn't the magic bullet of marketing.

For one, there is product experience. In about 16 years, should he want, we'll crack open a Bud Light together and he'll discover for himself that it is not too light, not too heavy, and not too good! Brand awareness will never trump actual customer experience. Gross beer will always be gross beer.

Which leads to my second point, reputable testimony. As you can guess, I don't like Bud Light. I'm not anti-beer, I just think that Bud Light tastes... well, like bad yellow water. Over the years, it is undoubtedly that my son will hear me say anti-Bud Light comments (like my wife's "It is yucky beer" statement). Should he chose, at the legal age of 21, to responsibly drink beer, the odds are he'll be far more likely to have one of "dad's beers" than he is to drink the beer with the catchy commercial.

Granted, I could blow it and be a horrible dad that loses reputable authority in his life, but I'm aiming to not do that. So, Bud Light and other marketers after my kids, know that I'm after them too... and I'm in marketing.

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The other day I was doing some research on how to get my company featured on Food Network (if you have a connection, let me know). As I was looking around the Food Network website for contact information, I noticed something odd in their footer. Looking at the screenshot, you'll see they have a bunch of "odd" text links.

Apparently, one of three things is going on here.

1. Either Food Network is pimping out their footer to the highest bidder looking for some keyword links and google juice.
2. Food Network is trying to bring in some money though being affiliates at Bizrate, Shopzilla, uSwitch, and Yoahorro.
2. The company that owns the Food Network site also owns Bizrate, Shopzilla, uSwitch, and Yoahorro and are, like #1, looking for keyword links and google juice.

Whatever the case may be, I was both impressed and repulsed at the same time. Is this brilliant monitization of a mostly useless part of their website or simply shady (grey-hat at best) SEO tactics? I still can't decide. What do you think?

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What the crap have I been wasting my time on the last 32 years?

What do you think, oversell?

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Rite-Aid is running a promotion based on the "Game of Life." You remember that good ole fashioned family game, right? Well, apparently you can get an extra game piece when you buy the good ole' fashioned family "arousal gel."

I find this funny on two levels. First, arousal gel is not something that comes to mind when I think of the "Game of Life." Second, should I acutally be in the market for some arousal gel, do I really want to think about a kids game when I'm buying it?

So, what do you think? Game of Life and arousal gel... Good idea?

Note: Pretty sure that is the most times I've ever said or written "arousal gel."

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