Marketing and content trends, tools, and tips that are always one step ahead of leading edge

1. Capability vs. strategy
Just because you CAN deploy a certain Web 2.0 technology doesn’t mean you SHOULD. Use of Web 2.0 techniques should be driven by the larger communications strategy for the customers. Web 2.0 is a MEANS to achieving your communications objectives, not a strategy in and of itself.

2. Web 2.0 content is about giving up control
Most Web 2.0 techniques “democratize” access to the Web and give more control to your users. When implementing any Web 2.0 techniques, it’s important to make sure that the company is ready and willing to cede some control to the users BEFORE it engages 2.0 tactics. (To pull back after the fact will expose the company to charges of censorship, which you want to avoid.)

3. If you build it, they may or may not come
Just because you create something doesn’t mean anybody is going to use it. (And if an element is not used, it may send a negative message to your users—that nobody is using your site.) The launch of a new Web 2.0 element must be supported by its own marketing effort, it must be supported broadly and over time, and it will require extra “care and feeding” in its first six months if you want it to take root.

4. Content creates value and builds the community
If Web 2.0 techniques are about building community, you have to create something that will draw that community. The Holy Grail is a self-sustaining community with user generated content—a true dialogue among users. But that won’t happen overnight and in the beginning, you need to supply content that “seeds” the turf and makes it attractive to other users. Blogs and Wikis in particular require a concentrated content development effort in the early stages.

5. How is YOUR company unique?
How can you use Web 2.0 in ways that no other site can? What is the unique value you can offer to a community of users? It is better to create a highly targeted pilot program that utilizes 2.0 techniques, generates a small, committed group of users, and delivers great value rather than try to mimic a large, existing Web 2.0 site. (Somebody is already doing THAT, but only you can do THIS.) ―John Kovacevich, VP, marketing services

Lots of websites use so many acronyms and “inside” language that you need your own special glossary to decipher what’s being said. Sure, you can create a sense of community by developing a common language, but don’t just assume that your users know what you’re talking about.

One of my favorite recent examples is RSS feeds. Many websites refer to RSS feeds as if everybody understands and uses them, but LOTS of people still have no idea what RSS feeds are, how to use them, and how helpful they can be in sorting through Web content.

That’s why I love this video by commoncraft.com—a good, simple explanation of RSS that even my mother could understand. (And a great example of video explaining a concept and delivering value; it’s the perfect medium in this case.) We’ve included a link to it on our site next to our “Get the Tendo RSS Feed” button so that readers can figure out what it is before clicking. ―John Kovacevich, VP, marketing services

Google is in hot water this week because an employee voiced a political opinion on a corporate blog.

Obviously, it’s important for companies to have policies about the scope of their blog postings. But it would be a mistake to think that the lesson here is that all corporate blogs should have a Big Brother corporate reviewer who vets every piece of content before posting.

What makes blogging and other Web 2.0 strategies so engaging is that it democratizes communication. It means that you can communicate quickly and engage your customers directly. And it may mean that you get yourself into some sticky situations.

While Google may have wanted to avoid this controversy (although, maybe not…it is being covered widely in the press and they are getting lots of publicity), the fact is that the blog posting did exactly what it was supposed to do: It engaged the audience. People were able to respond to the post and Google clarified its position. That’s a conversation and that’s good.

It may be messier than the old way of communicating with customers, but we might as well get used to it. We’ll be seeing more and more of it. (Full disclosure: My brother works for Google, although I haven’t talked to him about this particular case.) ―John Kovacevich, VP, marketing services

Six years ago on this very website, I wrote an article called “Making the Move to a Content Management System.” Today, many of the ideas contained in the article are quaint. In 2007 content management systems are standard for large sites, and off-the-shelf software like Adobe’s Contribute make content management accessible for even the smallest organizations. Blogs and wikis and community forums are an extension of the CMS infrastructure, which democratized Web publishing.

But like I said back in 2001, a delivery system is not a content strategy. And just because it’s easier to post to the Web doesn’t necessarily mean that you should.

While the stats are fluid (and hotly debated based on methodology), we’re in the neighborhood of 30 billion Web pages now. That’s a big neighborhood. Before you add your content or blog or video to your corporate website, you should put it through a rigorous vetting process. Why are you adding it? What are you hoping to accomplish? Is it providing value to your readers? Will it move you closer to your business objectives? If you can’t answer those questions, don’t post…even if the CMS makes it simple to do so. ―John Kovacevich, VP, marketing services

This week, I returned to work at Tendo after a five-year hiatus.

For the last several years, I served as executive director of an improvisational theatre company. Like any field, “improvisational theatre” is rich and complex and I could talk about the nuances for hours … but at cocktail parties, I usually just explain it as, “It’s like that show ‘Whose Line is it Anyway?’”

Improv is creating theatre without a script. And while I wouldn’t recommend improvising your company’s marketing strategy, there are some lessons from the improv stage that can help you connect with your customers.

SAY YES – One of the cardinal rules in improv is to “say yes” to the offers made by your fellow performers. By accepting what has been suggested and building on it, you are able to create something new together. If you say “no” to an offer, you stop the scene and are unable to move forward.

Is your website “saying yes” to your visitors and potential customers? Are you building on their interest to lead them to new information? Do you engage them in a way that allows you to create something collaboratively?

LISTEN – Lots of people think improv is about being funny. But good improv is less about being clever and more about listening to what’s said and building the story with your partners. And since you are creating something from scratch with no script or roadmap, the only way forward is to listen to the contributions of others and use them as building blocks for your scene.

Do your marketing communication efforts provide an opportunity to listen to your customers? Does your website approach your partners with a pre-conceived idea or do you provide a venue where clients can engage in a two-way conversation?

BE FLEXIBLE – An improv actor may be required to play many different types of roles without preparation and must be able to construct a character on the spot. For example, if the scene calls for 80-year old grandmother from South Dakota who lost her arm in an alligator accident, you transform yourself into that character and step on stage.

Are your communication strategies nimble enough to respond to different needs? Do you have a “one size fits all” approach or do you tailor you tactics as required?

HAVE FUN – If you’ve seen the show “Whose Line is it Anyway?” you know that the players look like they are having a good time. In fact, many people don’t believe the show is unscripted because they look so loose and relaxed. Aren’t they worried about making a mistake?

No, they’re not. There is no script, so how can anything anybody says be wrong? They know that if everybody is working together, “a mistake” is just a new offer—an opportunity to go in a new direction.

Few businesses believe that mistakes are gifts, and I’m not suggesting that you instruct your marketing staff to screw up on purpose. But does your marketing communication work have a sense of fun? Are you willing to try new tactics and techniques, or is your fear of a mistake limiting your reach? Do your customers enjoy their engagement with you?

Another improv lesson: Know when to end the scene. I think I’ll end this one here. ―John Kovacevich, VP, Marketing Services