Blog Marketing and Social Media Optimization - Essentials
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Know everything there is to know about your target audience. Research them heavily, buy the studies (wherever they can be found), find out about what they do and what avenues you can use to reach them, and especially, figure out the blogs to which they go and subscribe. The value of market research and knowing your consumer cannot be over emphasized. According to Julie Woods of
Cymfony, "It can reveal pain points, consumer language around your product, market changes, and competitive actions."
In turn, these findings can direct your marketing and creative approach. They may also reveal other terms you should be tracking. Study trends online to know what the blogosphere is doing, react honestly and do not talk down to your users (future or present). As an example of what not to do, let's look at Nikon's handling of some poor reviews concerning one of their cameras.
Nikon D2X versus Influencer
Nikon was accused of encrypting the electronic format for their digital camera, rendering the pictures taken on it unfit for editing on Photoshop (now which genius came up with that bright idea?). The influencers, in this case, were in Adobe user forums, www.boingboing.com and www.slashdot.org. Nikon responded several times, with the most concise comment here. Nikon's responses were said to be incomplete and, in some cases, meaningless. The ensuing tangle resulted in many users commenting that they would rather buy a Canon camera (albeit one that supports open standards). Nikon has been shown first hand what a few influential technology sites can do to a giant company in a competitive area. And not all of us have Nikon's deep pockets (at least not yet).
Track what the web is saying about you and search where bloggers search (www.technorati.com); pay your way in if all else fails (if you have the money). Buy advertising space and become an integral part of the site, and as sure as the sun rises in the east, you probably will not have any negative reviews written about you on that blog. If that sounds too negative for you, you can call it "creating a conflict of interest." And above all else, remain a source of interesting news and rumors.
Next: How To Spread Rumors >>
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