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The wheel has been re-invented
By J. David Barron, dbarron@starlocalnews.com
Without a doubt, the most life-altering change for the entire world in the past 20 years has been the advent of the Internet. Not only is it no longer your parents' world, it's not even the same world that your older brother or sister navigated. The Internet is so revolutionary that it is changing everyone's entire way of life on what is practically a monthly basis.
Cyberspace is deeply affecting the manner in which the world disseminates knowledge. Even five years ago, the chief vehicles for dispensing information were still in the hands of traditional brokers, such as the few big media corporations and well-known publishing giants.
Now we find ourselves in the age of social media. One result of this shift is that the marketing and publishing industries have become highly fragmented. News has become social, which has created opportunities for practically anyone and everyone to get published. The middle man is being cut out, and smart companies are able to better control their marketing messages. “Digital Marketing” represents a dizzyingly vast umbrella of new business opportunities.
The forte for fresh.ink is in the real estate field. President Naomi Masdon touted some recent success with the city of Prosper, though her company's expertise is primarily with builders and developers. The city wanted to get the word about some new facets it was proud of and thought maybe email was the avenue to pursue its market. Masdon offered her savvy, pointing out how much of that type of email is now considered nothing more than spam. She provided an alternative option through the use of video.
Masdon explained how her company subsequently interviewed key city officials via video, edited and did the normal revisions, then placed the video prominently on the city's web site. The result was extraordinary.
“We got 3,000 views in one week,” Masdon proudly noted. “We bring strategies to our clients. We come up with a campaign that we feel will be more effective, then help implement it.
“I'd say that's it teaching our clients how social media can be used to start and maintain conversations on the Internet that can lead to business through increased interaction.”
For Canonball Creative President Jon Simpson, the niche in this new online commercial universe for his company is building and maintaining company web sites.
Simpson described the process in lay terms for the digitally challenged.
“When a web site is built but gets no traffic, that's when in comes search engine optimization (SEO). Once you have a web site, you are part of an enormous world-wide convention, for instance, yet no one is coming up to you and asking you who you are and what you do,” Simpson said. “You're just sitting at a table by yourself with no one showing any interest. SEO is like you are spreading your business cards out to everyone at the convention. SEO begins generating exposure through blogs and online directories like the yellow pages. This all basically begins directing traffic to you.
“Still, it could be much better,” Simpson continued. “That's where PPC (Paid Per Click) advertising comes in. That's where we become the business sponsors helping to get your name up more prominently. The web site is no longer an online brochure. It's an avenue that the business needs to utilize as a lead-generation tool.
“We basically help conceive the strategy, help set it up, and help maintain it,” he concluded. “Your web site is a long-term investment. It shouldn't be paid for then left to collect dust.”
DOXAZI Thought Leadership Marketing is just as it sounds, taking digital marketing to the most personal level. DOXAZI (Doke-SAW-Zee) president John Backes describes his company's thrust as one that helps brand its clients by helping people who are experts in their field - such as attorneys, CPAs, physicians, CEOs and other high-level executives – become digital thought leaders within their industry niche. This is done for both individuals and companies.
Backes described one instance where he helped the high-profile CEO of a private equity firm.
“His goal was to increase his access to entrepreneurs,” Backes recalled. “So we got him published in three digital media publications that are followed by the entrepreneurial community. It was his writing; we asked the right questions then worked with the publications to determine what their topics of interest were as they pertained to our client - because every publication has its own current topics that it is trying to bring coverage to - so we helped align the client's expertise with the topics of interest with each of those publications. We bridged that gap.
“A PR firm would have gotten their client inserted into a story that one of their media members was writing a feature about,” Backes explained. “With us, the client is the reporter.
“We help people get their own content out there so people will not only read about them, but also be able to read things written by them,” Backes continued. “We help our client write their article and then get it published in the appropriate publication. So the client controls their own message where they are able to personally demonstrate their expertise.
"It's building a brand around your own persona, such as what Steve Jobs successfully accomplished.”
Doxazi is a Greek word which means “persuasion and recognition.” What DOXAZI does specifically can be termed “thought leadership marketing,” Backes said. “But what I prefer to call it is 'talent marketing.' We've developed and are developing the media relationships to bridge the gap between the expert and the publication, because now there's a unique opportunity for experts to gain credibility through being published and winning awards and then reaching their audience through social web tools like LinkedIn.
“Because the publishing industry has become so fragmented, there are better opportunities to get published if you have the right company to guide you.”
Digital marketing as it looks with DOXAZI is social media mixed with a touch of PR, add a spice of publicity, and throw in marketing with tech savvy. The result enables highly talented individuals who are experts in their fields to line up their online presence with their public perception. This enables them to build a following around their expertise and stay engaged in their respective industry's conversations.
Backes counseled anyone interested in breaking into digital marketing to approach companies like his for internships. Digital marketing is a broad field that entails writing, designing, software development, business development, marketing strategy, web site development and design, along with video, and other aspects.
“Then find your niche and get really, really good at one thing,” Backes said.
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