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Interesting Marketing Sherpa chart: “Marketers Want More Interactivity in Video Ads”

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“Marketers Want More Interactivity in Video Ads” Free access expires July 2.

“On the positive end of the scale, 73% of video marketers agree that
adding interactivity to a video ad will increase the effectiveness of
the ad. Ads have incorporated 800 numbers and websites for a long time
as methods for provoking consumer engagement, but newer ad formats take
advantage of non-linear and time-shifted TV viewing to allow for a
consumer to interact directly with deeper advertiser content.”
— Marketing Sherpa: http://www.marketingsherpa.com/article.php?ident=31244


This is the overall orientation of today’s consumer. Not only do we want what we want, we want to be able to ask questions and probe further.

For companies and organizations who either lack funding for such campaigns, or — like Designated Editor — don’t have a visual component, blogging can provide similar benefits. Blogs also perform well as a platform for quirky or homebrew video, since users aren’t expecting glitz; they’re expecting reality.

Love ’em or hate ’em, Real World has been on-air for 20-something seasons; reality garners attention.

Your thoughts are welcome, as always!

Effective e-Books step-by-step by Jonathan Kranz “Writing Copy for Dummies” at New England EXPO for Business

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Effective e-Books step-by-step by Jonathan Kranz at  New England EXPO for Business
Sponsored by Boston Chapter of the American Marketing Association

Research what’s out there, and ID experts from within your own organization

Do an annotated outline: share with marketing team for feedback, way before you write a first draft

Intro, main body, conclusion
Intro: why this report, what’s here, what’s the context, what’s at stake

Avoid gray text, help skimmers, make easy to read

Body: break up visually with

  • Headlines: explicitly say what about, start with active verb
  • Body: Fill that idea
  • Callout box & sidebars: Then & Now, Charts & graphs, quotes from customers, Old & new, real life examples


Each point gets its own page

Connect content to action

  1. Summarize the value of the info
  2. Move from abstract to specific: get them to apply those tools to own orgs
  3. Encourage a next step. Now what? Invite them to a blog, offer a demo, webinar attend


Apply superior screening practices: Offer a quiz, if you haven’t answered 3 positively, go to the web, consult an expert

Remind value, make it personal, encourage next step

Flip the perspective: Make the quiz all “YOU” questions, make it personal!!

Don’t sell: the company, product, service, vision, mission
You’re setting yourself up as an expert; stick to value of the content, the value is the info!

Journalists’ new outlet: Repurposing our skills to meet today’s demand

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By Suzanne McDonald
Designated Editor

Purists will cross their eyes at the notion of journalists becoming corporate advocates. Hey, we gotta eat, right? There’s a place for us, it’s just unfamiliar.

Never before has written communication played a greater role in everyday decision-making. Few decisions, especially major ones, are made without research. Journalists should pay heed.

Companies, meanwhile, should also listen up. Research does not constitute poring through mass infusions of blatant self-promotion.

Here we have: Peanut butter and jelly. Throw in a high regard for ethics, and everyone wins:

  • Journalists, after retiring that title, will get to eat;
  • Organizations/Corporations will be heard, and most importantly will have the opportunity to listen;
  • Best of all, buyers win overall: They’re heard; they buy; they get what they want.


Isn’t that the mission of journalists: to educate in an unbiased manner?

Blogging and community-building, hosted by corporations and nonprofits, is our new medium.

Corporate blogging “This is the way the world works today” — John Cass from ideaLaunch at New England Expo for Business, part 1

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“Marketing with Corp blogs: Customers are willing to talk if you’re willing to listen” at the New England Expo for Business
Speaker: John Cass Director of Marketing at ideaLaunch

Gen Y = Digital natives: grown up with phones, etc.

Transparency: People don’t like hidden messages, reveal who you are and reveal connections

Dialog: Key to building trust through authenticity

Use to connect w Gen Y, also works for other generations. “This is the way the world works today”

Content mktg strategy that combines marketing and SEO

Blogs perfect for SEO, in terms of keywords, indexability, and links
Have an engagement strategy.

Compelling content and engagement

3 types of corp blogs

1.    Columnist: really good stuff that you write, don’t answer comments, don’t do outreach to blogging community
2.    Host write content, write back about comment
3.    Most successful: Social engager: writes content, has strategy for reading what’s going on in blogging community and build relationships

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