Dave Morse

Sorry … I need to get this off my chest …

I hate the term “social media”.  There, I said it.

Ok, ok … let me be clear, I love the use of permission-based online techniques that are used to engage with people and raise awareness about (and draw people to) a business.  So perhaps it’s not the term I hate as much as the perception and preconceived notions that people – marketing geeks and business folk alike – hold about it.

Here are my troubles with the term “social media”:

1. Nebulous – People have widely diverse thoughts and definitions about this emerging field – the proverbial alphabet soup.  Facebook?  Blog?  Twitter?  MySpace?
2. Overly focused on tools – Mention “social media” and people will tell you about a tool they either love or hate, unfortunately without any mention of strategies, objectives, metrics, or people.
3. Disconnected from business – Even if people think they understand the tools, objectives, people they’re attempting to influence and so on, “social media” still seems so separate, in its own silo, from existing/traditional marketing plans.  How to integrate the new with the old?
4. Cannot stand alone – Social media is just another channel in a larger mix, not an island.

What’s the better way to view social media?

In the context of “inbound marketing” …

Outbound Marketing vs. Inbound Marketing

From 30,000 feet, marketing can be viewed in two buckets – inbound and outbound:

• Outbound marketing – Interruption-based offline techniques like TV, radio, newspaper, yellow pages, direct mail, cold-calling, spam email “blasts”, etc., that are quickly losing their effectiveness to influence (think: megaphone)
• Inbound marketing – Permission-based online techniques like blogs, e-books, webinars, videos, tweets of information, etc. that are used to draw people to you (think: magnet)

The advancement of technologies like TiVo, satellite radio, RSS, privacy rights, caller ID, and spam filters are a driving factor in the decreasing effectiveness of outbound techniques.  People are so well conditioned to these techniques that they simply don’t have the same impact (and, hence, ROI) that they once did.

It’s time to rethink marketing.

Three Pillars of Inbound Marketing

Here are the components of inbound marketing, as well as how they work in tandem with one another:

(1) Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Refers to the “organic” or natural rankings within search engine results (not the paid/sponsored links).  Aside from the Google, Yahoo and Bing engineers, nobody really knows the true secret sauce that determines ranking.  However, at a high-level, we do know this much …

• 25% is “on-page” and within our control.  Keywords, keywords, keywords in our page titles, URLs, and copy.  (Note:  Not keyword stuffing)
• 75% is “off-page” and outside of our control!  Inbound links, links, links to our website from other relevant and authoritative websites.  Search engines view these as recommendations, which operate much like the real world.  For example, consider that you (like me) are really into house music and (a) you meet an 80-year-old man on a plane who recommends George Gershwin vs. (b) your best friend who recommends the new Deep Dish album.  Which opinion has more relevancy and authority?  Another interesting thing to note … yes, it’s great if someone links to your website from their website using a format like www.davemorse.net or Click Here.  But, it’s most ideal for them to format the hyperlink using descriptive keywords like Online Marketing Genius.

I realize this might seem like minutia-level detail … but don’t forget about the George Bush “miserable failure” incident!

Google bomb anyone?

(2) Content Marketing

It seems obvious to state that one of the primary motivations of web browsers is information.  Collecting it, reading it, sharing it and consuming it.  What kind of information?  Well, of course, that all depends.  But I can tell you the type of information people are NOT seeking:  self-serving, self-promoting and self-indulgent corporate gibberish.  The bottom line is that people don’t care as much about your company/products/services as you do!

I spend a little time each/every day trolling Twitter, following mostly online marketing geeks.  The stuff that gets spread like wildfire is information that helps or enhances our worldview in some way.  Being an interactive/online marketing kind-of-guy, information like “Six ways to prepare your website for new new markets“, “Twitter’s hidden marketing superpowers” and “Seven ways to avoid humiliating email blunders” will get my attention and get passed around like a hot potato.  Trust me, I see it every day.

Therefore, when companies/brands engage with consumers, it’s critical that they understand this point:  Marketing = Publishing.  This is a VERY tough hurdle for traditional marketers – it requires a shift in thinking for those who are accustomed to interrupting people with self-centered product/service promotions.  “We have a new product!” or “Our company supports the XYZ Charity”. Blah, who cares!

Wikipedia has a nice definition of “content marketing”:

“Content marketing is a marketing technique of creating and distributing relevant and valuable content to attract, acquire, and engage a clearly defined and understood target audience – with the objective of driving profitable customer action.“

What is considered content?

• Website copy
• Blogs, Tweets
• Facebook fan pages
• Videos
• News & trends
• Webinars
• Podcasts
• Tools
• Photos
• Presentations,
• eBooks & white papers

Content is really anything of interest to your buyer personas that persuade them to take profitable action.

A few quotes that drive home this point:

“The best websites are designed by those who think like publishers … who start with a content strategy, and then focus on delivery” ~ David Meerman Scott

“By empowering customers with genuine news and information, a company becomes ½ of a trusted relationship” ~ Joe Pulizzi

“You shouldn’t be thinking so much about what to say, but rather what your audience needs to hear” ~ Joe Pulizzi

“Content marketing works to create a relationship between an organization and a stakeholder that is profitable for both sides” ~ Joe Pulizzi

Here are some must-read content marketing resources:

• “Social Media Experts Don’t Understand Social Media” by Tipping Point Labs (http://blog.tippingpointlabs.com/2009/07/social-media-experts-dont-understand-social-media/)
• “Five Reasons Why Content Strategy Comes Before Social Media” by Joe Pulizzi (http://blog.junta42.com/content_marketing_blog/2009/06/five-reasons-why-content-strategy-comes-before-social-media.html)
• “Authority Rules: The 10 Rock-Solid Elements of Effective Online Marketing” by Brian Clark (http://authorityrules.com/authority-rules.pdf)
• “The New Rules of Viral Marketing – Free E-Book” by David Meerman Scott (http://www.webinknow.com/2008/01/the-new-rules-o.html)

(3) Social Media

“Dave, I’m 48.  I know nothing about this ‘social media’ stuff.  I don’t tweeter or tweet, or whatever it’s called, and I hate Facebook.  Plus, I don’t even know how I’d incorporate that stuff into my business – who has the time?!”

I’ll cut to the chase:  social media is about content and conversation.  Period.

As I mentioned, I have a pet peeve with the term “social media” because (upon mention) people are drawn to thinking/talking about a specific tool, like Twitter or Facebook.  Social media is not about the tools – they may come and go!  Rather, it is about the connections that you make and the value exchanged.

A cocktail party is a great analogy …

Let’s say that you own and operate a neighborhood pet store, and know nothing about marketing or the Internet.  You’re invited to a networking event and meet two people:

First, you meet a guy named Joe, who (for the next 45 minutes immediately after shaking your hand) does nothing but go on and on and on and on about himself, his travels, his car, and his business.  Mundane details.  At a couple points, you attempt to interject some commentary, but no to avail.  Spew, spew, spew.  “Hey, what’d you say you name was again?” at the end of his rant. “Nice to meet you Doug!”  Ugh.  Where’s the hand sanitizer?!

Next, you meet a guy named Mike, who shakes your hand and compliments you on the bird seed in your hair.  :-)  After a chuckle, he inquires about your line of work and listens as you begin to confess that you’re struggling with your marketing and would like to leverage the Internet, but have no idea where to start.  He responds that he, too, owns his own business and has recently made some big improvements by doing some simple things using the Internet.  He offers to email you the name of his friend who is an expert in the field and helped him get started.  He also recommends three fundamental things to do immediately, which are easy and don’t cost much.  Finally, he turns and introduces you to his accountant, who helped to reduce his taxes and restructure his business.

Which of these connections added value?

Social media is no different – meet people, start conversations, ask questions, and add value.

Working Together

The way in which these three play together is compelling and cool.  Here’s an overly simplistic example:

• You develop a content strategy and begin cranking out compelling information, like (if you’re like Dr. Helaine Smith, DMD) a free e-book on “Healthy Mouth, Healthy Sex: ” (http://helainesmithdmd.blogspot.com/2008/03/healthy-mouth-healthy-sex-free-e-book.html).
• You begin sharing this content with the personas you wish to influence (not to mention creating valuable connections, with whom you discuss other things aside from business, like kids, cars, etc).
• These connections consume and begin sharing your content, posting to their blogs, saving to Del.icio.us and Reddit, voting it up on Digg, sharing on Facebook and Twitter.
• Relevant and authoritative websites begin linking to your website and content.
• As a result, your Google PageRank begins to increase and your website appears on page 1 for a majority of the phrases you’re hoping to win.

Summary

Remember, social media is all about content and conversation.  Tipping Point Labs put it best when they said, “Conversation without content is mere networking; content without conversation is just dead content”.  I couldn’t agree more.

This is a big adjustment for marketers who, for years, have used traditional interruption-based tactics to push their product/service.  Inbound marketing represents a radical (and required) shift in thinking—people don’t care about your products/services like YOU care about your products/services.  Instead, learn about the stuff that makes people (who want and need your products/services) tick.  Document these buyer personas and orient your content strategy around them!  Create and share content that they’ll love and want to share, and engage with them and add value.

The ultimate goal is to become the authority in the minds of those you are attempting to influence.  Make this your long-term, high-level focus, instead of merely focusing on creating awareness, persuading preference and driving sales.  Yes, those elements are a necessary part of your strategy.  I assert that focusing on becoming an authority is the preferred approach because it (a) places emphasis on creating and nurturing long-term relationships, (b) forces you to think about adding value through information (vs. short-lived, ineffective tactics designed to interrupt you with a self-serving message), and as a result (c) drives awareness, preference and sales.

I subscribe to a newsletter from iMedia Connection.  The other day, while reading a recent issue and glancing at the sidebar ads, I noticed a job posting for a Product Marketing Manager (PMM) at a software company (which will remain nameless) based in the Bay Area.  

Being a former PMM in high-tech in the Bay Area — as well as having a keen interest in how companies define their PMM positions — I decided to take a peek.  

Here’s what I read:

—————-

Product Marketing Manager
San Francisco

Founded in April 2006 by experienced search marketers and software experts, [our company] provides an enterprise-class paid search management application for advertisers and agencies. Combining power and ease-of-use, [our company's product] addresses the workflow, analysis and optimization needs of search marketers, saving time and improving financial performance. [We have] over 100 clients, including the Gap companies, and ZipRealty. [Our] clients manage over $250 MM of annualized paid search spend. In October 2008, [we] won Clickz’s Marketing Excellence Award for Best Search Management Application. [We are] backed by Benchmark Capital and Amicus Capital. [We are] seeking to add an outstanding individual with strong prior product marketing experience to our marketing team. This position reports to the Director of Product Marketing. 

Responsibilities:

Monitor and document entire competitive landscape including
– Competitor products and features
– Competitor positioning
– Industry and product trends

Use competitive products to gain first-hand knowledge of strengths and weaknesses
– Compile info and recommendations for Product Management
– Use info to assist sales in forming pitches and rebuttals

Express product message through creation and execution of engaging and innovative collateral, print, Web content, and presentations 
– Gain consensus and manage creation of collateral plan
– Write case studies
– Update product sheets
– Maintain product info on website
– Continually update and refine product marketing materials

Support Sales Department with
– Factual rebuttals to prospect objections
– Displays and collateral used in prospect presentations
– Product and competitive training 
– Ongoing updates on new product features
– Represent the company at trade shows (periodically) and interact directly with prospects
– Product demonstrations 
– Represent the company at trade shows (periodically) and interact directly with prospects
– Assist launching database marketing initiative

Requirements
– 3+ years of prior Product Marketing experience at a B2B software company
– Excellent writing skills
– Excellent speaking and presentation skills
– Strong skills in understanding and assimilating technical product info
– Extremely detail-oriented
– Able to manage multiple assignments concurrently
– Prior sales training and intuitive grasp of consultative selling techniques
– Strong computer skills, including Salesforce.com, Microsoft Word, Power Point, and Excel
– Ability to work in a fast paced, team environment

Desired Background: 
– In-depth knowledge of the paid search, online advertising, e-commerce, or web analytics
– 1+ years experience at a company in the paid search or online advertising ecosystem 
– Existing network of contacts in the Paid Search industry 
– MBA preferred

—————-

After reading this, I searched Google for the CMO and Director of Product Marketing at this company and sent the following message:

—————-

“Dear [insert names here],

I reviewed the description of the PMM position and would like to provide feedback on your approach for the role.  (Disclaimer:  I’m not interested in the position.  I’m currently employed and no longer live in the Bay Area.)

I have extensive experience as a Product Marketing Manager, specifically within the software space.  From that experience, I’ve learned a few things, namely that the position tends to be misunderstood, misguided, and misaligned.  As a result, the role becomes tactical in nature … nothing more than sales support and “Check List Marketing” (e.g. Website?  Check!  Sell sheets?  Check!)  

—————-

I never heard a peep from them … although I’m not the least bit surprised.  :-)  I’m sure their response was, “Uhh, whatever Mr. Know-It-All!  I have no time for you”.  With the economy being in the crapper, they may  have no trouble filling this position.  However, if my hunch about their approach is correct, I already feel bad for the unsuspecting person who fills this position.  

What do you think?  Was my approach inappropriate?  Is my assessment incorrect?  Am I just idiotic?

I’ve become a big fan of a relatively new high-tech company called Hubspot, specializing in “inbound marketing” software to help companies attract more visitors using SEO, social media and blogs as well as capture more leads with landing pages, lead intelligence and analytics.  

I discovered Hubspot through a Facebook advertisement about 1 year ago.  Since that time, I continue to be more and more impressed with their collective passion for all things related to inbound marketing — specifically, their ability to publish content, content, and more valuable content.  

One such example is an article that appeared on Hubspot’s blog entitled, “Are the Four Ps of Marketing Dead?“, which makes a convincing case that the traditional marketing four Ps, while still relevant, are becoming overshadowed by the new four Ps: 

• Personas – According to Adele Revella, Pragmatic Marketing instructor and expert on Buyer Personas, a persona is “a detailed profile of an example buyer that represents the real audience – an archetype of the target buyer.  Marketers can use buyer personas to clarify the goals, concerns, preferences and decision process that are most relevant to their customers.  Imagine how effective marketers could be if we would all stop making stuff up and start aligning our messages and programs with the way real people think“.  In my opinion, documented personas are the cornerstone of all outbound and inbound marketing tasks. 
• Participation – Businesses must be active participants in today’s social web by monitoring RSS feeds, commenting on blogs, using social networking, connecting and sharing ideas through Twitter.  This active and genuine participation can yield fantastic things, such as increased brand transparency (wow, real people like me work for that company!) and a stethoscope on the pulse of what’s being said about your company (good, bad and indifferent).  
• Publishing – Content is the new currency of the web – videos, blogs, microblogs, news releases (optimized for buyers), eBooks, etc.  All businesses should create a content publishing strategy that is focused on what their buyers like/value.  David Meerman Scott, in his poignant article entitled, “Don’t Trust An Ad Agency to Build Your Website“, said it best:  ”The best Web sites are designed by marketers who have learned to think more like successful publishers:  It is important to make a book or magazine readable, but not at the expense of providing something good to read.  One of the most important things that publishers do is start with a content strategy and then focus on the mechanics and design of delivering that content.  Publishers carefully identify and define target audiences and consider what content is required in order to meet their needs.  Publishers consider questions like: Who are my readers? How do I reach them? What are their motivations?  What are the problems I can help them solve? How can I entertain them and inform them at the same time? What content will compel them to purchase what I have to offer?“
• PageRank – Google’s secret sauce.  As they put it, “PageRank relies on the uniquely democratic nature of the web by using its vast link structure as an indicator of an individual page’s value. In essence, Google interprets a link from page A to page B as a vote, by page A, for page B. But, Google looks at more than the sheer volume of votes, or links a page receives; it also analyzes the page that casts the vote. Votes cast by pages that are themselves “important” weigh more heavily and help to make other pages ‘important’“

David Meerman Scott, in his excellent book “The New Rules of Marketing & PR“, states that standard marketing education still talks about the traditional four Ps, but “[is] nonsense”.  ”In order to succeed on the Web under the new rules of marketing and PR, you need to consider your organizational goals and then focus on your buyer first” (p.114).

In the end, I don’t believe that the traditional four Ps is dead.  However, I do believe that businesses are risking their very livelihood if they do not adopt the new four Ps of inbound marketing.