In the two years that whatdrivesonline.blogspot.com (blog.conversion.co.za) has been around, I haven't found a good answer to the question. Until today that is, I found an article by Stafford Masie, ex Google South Africa head entitled "What happens offline drives online".
Stafford says in the article: "Understanding that offline events drive online search, and being able to either predict or react quickly to offline events, is one of the key skills required to boost the results of your online search marketing efforts and capture new market share at astounding rates."
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Cheapest channel to world’s most valuable commodity
Information is the world's most valuable commodity. The Internet is free and funded by advertising rather than levies and taxes. It's the cheapest channel to the world’s most valuable commodity. I dream of South African business using Internet like US and UK businesses, to save money.
The British government have changed their entire service delivery model. Service delivery is often extremely information intensive. It is also quite costly when inefficient. Think about the process of getting a driver's licence; before you start these are the questions: where, how, when, how much, what and why. Each of these things requires an individual touch point, an employee of the state. Ask any UK resident about engaging with a government department. Their answer will be, "it's all done online, it’s great, no standing in line or swine flu". Traditionalists may say, "what about personal engagement?” well, I have never woken up saying, "great I'm going to engage with a home affairs official face-to-face today, fantastic!" Excuse my bad attitude towards our government but I'm sure many people share my frustration. Getting things done at a government office is generally slow and onerous. Much of the time I stand in line simply to be told I haven't followed the correct procedure. This means that, not only have I've wasted my own time, but I'll be costing the taxpayer twice what it should have cost. Someone has to be employed to serve me and the inefficiencies of the system. Have a look at these sites:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/index.htm
http://blogs.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/digitalengagement/
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk
The British government have changed their entire service delivery model. Service delivery is often extremely information intensive. It is also quite costly when inefficient. Think about the process of getting a driver's licence; before you start these are the questions: where, how, when, how much, what and why. Each of these things requires an individual touch point, an employee of the state. Ask any UK resident about engaging with a government department. Their answer will be, "it's all done online, it’s great, no standing in line or swine flu". Traditionalists may say, "what about personal engagement?” well, I have never woken up saying, "great I'm going to engage with a home affairs official face-to-face today, fantastic!" Excuse my bad attitude towards our government but I'm sure many people share my frustration. Getting things done at a government office is generally slow and onerous. Much of the time I stand in line simply to be told I haven't followed the correct procedure. This means that, not only have I've wasted my own time, but I'll be costing the taxpayer twice what it should have cost. Someone has to be employed to serve me and the inefficiencies of the system. Have a look at these sites:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/index.htm
http://blogs.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/digitalengagement/
http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk
Friday, September 11, 2009
Social Networks and the Conversation
Trends shows that Facebook is still the most searched for network. It may well be that Twitter users know to go directly to the URL without searching through Google. Alexa.com ranks (globally); Facebook 2nd, Youtube 4th, MySpace 11th and Twitter 13th. The current search rankings below are therefore quite accurate it seems.
Social Networking technology enables business to speak to and hear from their customers. The word "conversation" is less intimidating than "marketing" or "sales". As the author correctly mentions; business speaks to clients and prospects with the objective of converting them to paying customers or retaining them as paying customers. Any prospect that has conversations with a business should know this in 2009. Marketing is evolving into a more honest and communicative discipline where people want to hear business speak. We all make purchases on a daily basis if not individually, on behalf of a company. It makes sense in that case, for advertisers and marketers to be more direct and frank about their offering. As a buyer, want to be converted by the best product and service offerings in the world. I want to be a client of Apple although I am not yet. I want them to convince me that my money is being wisely spent, they haven't succeeded yet. I don't own an apple but I'm quite certain I will because they have already converted me through the strength of their brand. I'm just waiting for the conversation to happen.
Social Networking technology enables business to speak to and hear from their customers. The word "conversation" is less intimidating than "marketing" or "sales". As the author correctly mentions; business speaks to clients and prospects with the objective of converting them to paying customers or retaining them as paying customers. Any prospect that has conversations with a business should know this in 2009. Marketing is evolving into a more honest and communicative discipline where people want to hear business speak. We all make purchases on a daily basis if not individually, on behalf of a company. It makes sense in that case, for advertisers and marketers to be more direct and frank about their offering. As a buyer, want to be converted by the best product and service offerings in the world. I want to be a client of Apple although I am not yet. I want them to convince me that my money is being wisely spent, they haven't succeeded yet. I don't own an apple but I'm quite certain I will because they have already converted me through the strength of their brand. I'm just waiting for the conversation to happen.
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