Marketing Virgin

In other words, marketing via text messages. I’m doing research into the topic right now.

I understand its purpose in B2C marketing, but what are the possibilities for B2B?

Thoughts?

Stating the obvious, eh?

Adam Singer of The Future Buzz wrote a good article today about the desperate attempts some companies take to protect their information. The fact is, with the introduction of services such as YouTube, Hulu, Boxee, and in the past, Napster, users continue to find new ways to receive content over the Internet. Times are changing and companies need to adapt to these trends rather than trying to stop them.

An emerging trend in more interactive websites is the integration of Facebook Connect. This application allows Facebook users to sign in to their profiles on websites outside of Facebook, and records their history while on the separate site. Tired of creating an account for each webpage you visit? Just use your Facebook account for each one.

If this seems a bit confusing, check out how some companies are integrating Facebook Connect into their websites by clicking here.

Steve Taylor and Larry Hettick wrote an article for NetworkWorld titled “2009 will be the year of IP Video”. You can view it here. This piece is relevant to two areas of my life: the first being my career in marketing and the second, the network performance management company that I work for.

While the adoption of voice over IP has been wide-spread, the arrival of video over public and private IP networks has been slower due to the strain is causes on the network, resulting in delay and poor video quality. While streaming video is often used in business to business communication, many marketers are using it to reach prospects in a more personal manner. At NetQoS, we use on-demand, streaming video. As technology changes and the networking industry becomes more advanced, we will see an exponential increase in the use of video for marketing programs. Stay tuned…

I received a really great video this morning and I thought I’d share it with you. It’s about globalization and the technology shifts we’re seeing today. Just think about the endless implications and opportunities this presents for a person in marketing… Click here to view it now.

Who uses social technology? Josh Bernoff of Forrester Research has the answers.

Inactives (those undtouched by social media): 25% of the US population
Spectators (view video, read blogs): 69%
Joiners (Facebook, LinkedIn): 35%
Collectors (RSS, Digg): 19%
Critics (reviews, blog comments): 37%
Creators (write blogs, upload video): 21%

I may be biased, but our PR Manager, Chandra, does a great job writing press releases. She has really incorporated the latest in social media into her work.

Whenever you write press releases, consider adding a link at the bottom that directs readers to your RSS feed and encourages them to follow you on Twitter. Place these links above your contact information.

For a good example, click here: http://eon.businesswire.com/portal/site/eon/permalink/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20080918005752&newsLang=en.

Word of the Day:

Widget = Embeddable chunks of code, reusable code. Also known as a module or plug-in.

Widgets are used on many social networking sites - wikis, blogs, etc. They make it easy for less-technical folks to work on sites without having to be an HTML expert. WordPress and MovableType provide widget management.

What is Web 2.0 anyway?
According to “experts”, Web 2.0 is the second generation of the Internet. When you go online, it’s much more interactive. Social networking sites allow you to connect with other users and create online communities. Blogs provide a platform for which you can voice your own opinions, give insight, share information, etc. RSS feeds allow you to suscribe to free content - providing you with the content you deem newsworthy as it is updated. Websites are no longer stagnant, they rely on connectivity, linking to other sites.

Think: Facebook,  MySpace, del.icio.us, Technorati, LinkedIn, Flickr, Slashdot

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