Online Marketing Made Easy May 5, 2010
Posted by maryannek in Online marketing, Uncategorized.add a comment
It’s a game of twos.
Two platforms (Search Engines & Social Media) and two methods (Marketing & Optimising).
Search Engines (SE) + Marketing (M) = Search Engine Marketing (SEM)
Search Engines (SE) + Optimising (O) = Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
Social Media (SM) + Marketing (M) = Social Media Marketing (SMM)
Social Media (SM) + Optimisation (O) = Social Media Optimisation (SMO)
When creating an online identity for your company, it’s advisable to have a base/home. This could be a website, blog, lens or a wiki page or anything that will have a enough information about the company. For companies that have loads of information, it’s advisable to have a website and then profile the company on the social profilers.
Now market, what I would call, getting people home. That is when you have to mix and match the different options (SEM, SEO, SMM, SMO).
My mix and match I recommend:
SEO + SMM
or
SEM + SMO
Information Architecture (IA) December 21, 2009
Posted by maryannek in Uncategorized.Tags: content management, Information Arcitecture, website architecture
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from the eyes of an IA newbie.
Definition from wiki
Information architecture (IA) is the art of expressing a model or concept of information used in activities that require explicit details of complex system
As an IA newbie my definition if Information Architecture is pretty basic. I define Information Architecture as
the organising and structuring of information to be used on a digital landscape. The process of Information Architecture should provide an efficient and functioning virtual site at the end of it all
An IA is usually hired to:
- Define the scope of the project
- Plot a path to meet the project objectives
- Strike a balance between form and function
Depending on the type of project, the deliverables will vary. These however are the basic deliverables for IA
- Stakeholder map
- Site or navigational map
- Content matrix
- Semi functional prototypes
Note: The main focus of an IA should always be navigation and link use.
And there was Guidespot… December 21, 2009
Posted by maryannek in Uncategorized.add a comment
Guidespot… It’s your spot in the universe
I know I’m not the first or last to blog about Guidespot because it’s simply amazing…
This is a basic explanation of Guidespot got from their facebook page:
What is a Guide?
Think of a guide as your own visual list and multi-media story. Now think of Guidespot as an online platform where this creative knowledge-sharing converge and form communities around your interests.Building a guide offers you the opportunity to combine text, links, photos, videos, addresses and maps all in one place without having to use the techy stuff to get it done. Organize the layout of your guide by dragging and dropping the contents to your desired locations.
In my own words, it is ‘a guide to help you get answers faster!’
Honestly, I used to read blogs, ALOT, but now I just go to Guidespot.
The change was smooth for me because many of the bloggers that I’m interested in are on Guidespot, so reading their guides is like reading summarised blogs with many contributors. This makes everything more interesting and in most cases hilarious!
Go have fun, go start your on guide… Love the simplicity
5 steps to choosing the right CRM technology tool October 18, 2009
Posted by maryannek in CRM.Tags: CRM tools
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I’m doing some basic research on Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tools and this is what I have selected as basic necessities.
The best approach to selecting a CRM tool is top-down requirements driven approach. Where as bottom-up is fast, it’s not recommended because you end up with a tool that has not been requested for and involves subjective interpretation of the importance of the tool.
Steps taken are as follows:
- Structure your CRM strategy. Will the tool be cross-functional (across many departments) or a point solution (in one department)
- Know your business requirements and functional requirements. The business requirements sources out the functional requirements which will be the functions the CRM tool you need should have.
- To make spotting the functionality easier, map out the business process and identify functions within it. Each function should always map back to a requirement.
- After listing the functionalities, short list any tool that can perform each of these functions. Depending on your functions, many of the tools might need customization to fulfill your needs.
- Short list CRM vendors and get the IT department involved.
Requirements = Functionality = CRM Product
The business requirement is the what (problem of the CRM must solve) and the functional requirement is the how (describes how to solve the problem)
Requirements + processes = CRM functionality
Evaluate the different tools and map strengths and weaknesses back to the most crucial functionality needs.
The main question here is whether you will change the CRM tool to work with your processes or change your processes to work with the CRM tool?
The IT perspectives of CRM tools should come last in the CRM process. Making it the first may cause failure of the tool and company system as a whole. The IT perspective of CRM tools is meant to fit in with the general marketing/company strategy. This means all other processes first, IT CRM tools last.
How online Social Networks can help your business July 29, 2009
Posted by maryannek in Uncategorized.add a comment
You must be wondering how social networks can help your business?
For starters, you must understand that user-generated information, also known as Web 2.0, is what drives the social networks.
Gone are the days when to get a network you had to go to any gathering and meeting anyone and everyone, these days, we have what you call online social networking (OSN). You get to meet potential clients and partners online; the best part of it all is that you can get advice from others without having to pay for consultation fees.
Getting started is really easy. All you need to do is get to know all the OSN tools available and understand what specific role they play and relate that to your business. Many people say that everyone should be on twitter, others say facebook, linked, myspace and many others. We join different social networks for different reasons, there are two main things you must consider when choosing the OSN:
- You must be really comfortable with the OSN, you will use it better.
- Choose the OSN where your target group, audience or market is hanging out.
I advise you to join networks that you can manage to juggle around, do not join many networks at once, join few or one OSN and maximise that one platform, remember the 80/20 rule.
Once you have settled on the OSN to use, have the following check list ticked:
- Are you willing to learn. The simple rule for learning how to find your way around the OSN is ‘practise make perfect’.
- Are you willing to be consistent online. This entails a strong online visual identity, that is, the naming, personality, expertise, branding…
- Are you willing to watch what you say. Bare I mind that what you say online stays online so avoid personal opinions and remarks because they could damage your online reputation; you do not want that to happen.
Online, your profile page is you. People meet you on your profile page so the first imperession of you is got from your profile. Personally, before I get to know someone I do not know, I check the profile or about us pages. On your profile page you introduce yourself and what you do, always be brief and precise, add links to what other people say about you or link to your about me page.
Remember to always keep your personal accounts separate from your professional accounts. Do not worry about paying more attention to one or the other, just know that when at work, give your professional account 100% attention and after work, give the personal account 100% attention.
With that said, do not get too official online otherwise the online social network looses its essence. The trick is actually to be informal but keep personal opinions to yourself, just incase your supposed client has a different point of view. Always avoid sensitive topics, you never know how your target group will react.
Some advantages you have when you use online social networks are:
- It is another form of marketing. If your company is strictly an online company, social networks will take most of your time but it is worth it besides, that is your working environment.
- Online social networks are a less expensive way of networking. you do not have to wear fancy suits and dresses in order to network, you do not even have to leave the house or office to network.
- You cast a wider net when looking for clients or partners. You reach so many people and so many people reach you without much sweat.
- Have you ever consulted someone and not paid the consultant? Well your online presence makes it possible, you can ask questions and be asked questions without having to pay for an answer. Just so you know, by the time someone asks you a question, it means they trust you to have the solution; this means that the social network effect has happened.
Go see how your business can fit in with the new online trends.
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