It always happens.
You make a presentation.
And as soon as you've made it, you realize what was the presentation you should have made.
So, here's the presentation I should have made.
Forget about the internet as a medium.
Think about the internet as a place that people visit.
A place they spend time.
A place that changes the way they see the world.
A place that changes the way they consume traditional media.
A place that changes the way they view your brand.
When marketers think of the internet as a medium, they think of Facebook as a great place to advertise. And they are right. As the world's second most popular site after Google, Facebook assembles a huge audience.
But the real power of Facebook lies elsewhere.
Facebook, for most people, is their first "read/write" experience on the web.
Everyone who has a Facebook page is participating in what the web has really become. A place where people contribute AND consume content.
Facebook is immensely popular.
20% of the Greek population has a Facebook account.
Almost 25% of the Cypriot population.
And it's growing in leaps and bounds.
By 25% since July in Greece.
Facebook is educating the internet user.
It's a lesson in web 2.0, in the interactive web.
Facebook gives rise t0 bloggers and twitters and ... to truly connected consumers.
Consumers who create and consume media on the internet.
It's NOT about advertising on the internet.
This consumer takes his or her read/write attitude everywhere.
To television. To newspapers. To outdoor. And yes, to the internet.
IT'S NOT ABOUT THE INTERNET.
IT'S ABOUT THE CONSUMER.
A common theme during Friday's panel discussions was the distance Cyprus has to catch up.
With who?
With the US?
With the UK?
Forget about it.
The whole world is playing catch up.
And the person we are all trying to catch up with is the consumer.
There is no step by step learning process.
It's all about thinking amazing thoughts and doing amazing things.
There is no need.
Indeed, there is no time, to move forward step by step.
The web demands a giant leap.
Don't think about the internet as a medium.
Think of it as an opportunity.
Don't apply traditional media metrics.
Have insanely great expectations.
Do insanely great things.
Experiment.
Try to get the viral loop happening.
Reach high.
The internet payoff is not measured in terms of cpm.
It is measured by breakthrough.
By doing amazing things.
Put some money aside.
Not as an internet media buy.
Think of it as R&D.
Experiment.
Make mistakes.
Make breakthroughs.
bzzz.bz is a digital consultancy belonging to Felix BNI, a global branding and communications consultancy. Visit Felix BNI at www.felixbni.com
Inspiration comes in chunks. And while we all know that we are inspired by great moments, sometimes having a small bit on a page reinforces our power. Yes, experiment; make mistakes; make breakthroughs. Keep on writing and inspiring please...and keep on doing insanely crazy things. I love them!
ReplyDeleteTruly agree with everything you've said at the seminar, and all of the above. I'll comment at your point to experiment. The truth is that unfortunately most companies avoid that. They prefer the traditional ways even though some of them are not measurable. You can not see the real outcome of your ad. But again some insist on going through these ways. I'm not suggesting to drop them, but to try something else, something new, somethnig that is growing by the hour. Risk is unavoidable towards the road to success. I hope your comments will be heard!
ReplyDeleteStephanos - www.supermpala.com
Peter, your comments on the presentation were more than helpful to all of us.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I believe that the Internet (online marketing) in Cyprus is like a "baby". Companies and Organizations that they invest on the Internet now they will get the desired results of online marketing after couple of years.
So, now is the time to start making "noise"!
What are your thoughts on this?
Peter, I truly enjoyed your presence at the conference and the general direction you provided. It was by far the most useful and relevant note of the day.
ReplyDeleteDear Poupis, I will have to disagree with your evaluation of the timing of the rewards from online marketing. I don't see how an effective marketing activity online will bring slower results than an effective marketing activity delivered in any other way. The keyword here is "effective."
We may still be lacking in options for local websites to advertise on, but there are countless ways to create buzz (no pun intended Peter) by leveraging the Internet. It does take being in a certain frame of mind, something that can be achieved by exposing oneself to what is being done in more advanced markets and having the vision (and courage) to apply it over here. That and a little thing called creativity :)
Spend a couple of weekends reading books on web usability, SEO and PPC and you'll know more about online marketing than 90% of marketing professionals out there (yes, in the US too). But do dedicate an hour every day reading the tech blogs. It's not only about getting up to speed, but about keeping up.
Doing it slowly isn't really an option - things in this field change week after week. By the time you learn how to do SEO, Google moves the goalposts and you have to learn it all over again (as it happened this week with personalized search).
Google this: "Location Based Services", "Augmented Reality", "Real Time Web", to see what is coming to a website or smartphone near you.
It will certainly be an interesting year. I'm already aware of several websites and online services waiting to launch that will quickly start filling the gap in the online environment of Cyprus, but it is certainly not a reason to wait. The most successful online campaigns were not ad campaigns on popular websites. They were a result of thinking outside the box.
Dear akitsios,
ReplyDeleteWith regards to your comment above and specifically to the quote below.
"Spend a couple of weekends reading books on web usability, SEO and PPC and you'll know more about online marketing than 90% of marketing professionals out there"
You have greatly underestimated the power online marketing. I suggest that you take your own advice and read some of these "web usability, SEO and PPC" books as you put it.