FPRA - Florida Public Relations Association Blog

Did you know that Web sites are going to have scents that you can smell? Did you know there is a new online currency in a virtual world called Secondlife? Discover what it takes to be on the cutting edge of marketing’s next generation of internet marketing. This knowledge-packed presentation provides tactics and strategies that you can apply immediately and successfully. About 80 attendees were at this session.

New technology is moving so quickly is it difficult for even the experts to keep up with. Sometimes you just have to try something and see if it works for you, your company.

Today
- Social networks
- consumer-generated media
- mobile marketing
- click-and-know
- virtual worlds
- scented CD-ROMs and Web sites
- video e-mail
- blog marketing

Mosquito ringtone – a ringtone teachers and parents can’t hear. – nothing to do with biz, but a ringtone kids can download and people over age of 30 can’t hear.

Web 2.0
A phrase coined in 2004 refers to a supposed second-generation of internet-based services. – has it’s own look, clean web sites, primary colors, etc.

Online Social Networks
MySpace-young adults
FaceBook-in college
LinkedIn-business
Flickr-photo sharing, also considered social site

Hillary predicts MySpace won’t be around much longer because of outdated technology and that some other social network will take its place

Social networking refers to a category of internet applications to help connect friends, biz partners, or others together using a variety of interactive tools.

User-generated content and word of mouth are two big buzzwords right now in online marketing.

Hard to find many doing it well, Sheraton is a good example of one who does. Sheraton.com – visitors can share stories, photos, travel tips and favorite destinations, etc.

Trip advisor, sharing, word of mouth, people are taking their own photos and sharing what it’s really like to stay at hotels, both good and bad things (leaky pipes, roaches, etc.)

MyBalitmore.com (CVB) really good site upload your own video about what you like about Baltimore – one of first CVBs to do this. Theme parks using, etc, becoming very successful.

Blog Marketing
Utilize a network of consumer generated content to promote client, company, etc.
- creates brand awareness
- word of mouth
- traffic generation
- Increased SEO – search engine optimization

Advertiser wants to promote product, posts opportunities on specific blogging networks, asks bloggers to post info about product, etc., but they must say on site that they accept payment from company to write about them, and in this example the room rate offer of hotel, pay them, post must remain up 30 days, results, the hotel dominated Google.

- can find bloggers online who accept pay-for-posts (this is definitely more of marketing rather than PR thing, Hillary not a PR firm) This is considered controversial and not fully accepted yet, since it's almost like paying a reporter. Depends on client, etc.

Making press releases search engine friendly
- Gets more coverage, wider distribution
- can use anchor text, hyperlink, to something
- massage copy and research key words that client can come up on easily and integrate these key words into release (hopefully naturally and easily and not a stretch and can be achieved) and then anchor text these words in release.
- SEO normally takes about 90 days, had example of dehydrated foods go to No. 1 on Google in 24-36 hours.

Vlogs - a vlog or videoblog is a blog that uses video as the primary content
http://drivetime.ravijan.org

This can be very economical and also get you great exposure.

Shoshmosis – clickable video ad
- new ad format – one of Hillary’s favorites new things
- allows online advertisers to combine interactive ads with streaming video
- users can actually click on objects within a running video ad to trigger an associated message (ad) on screen. Very cool technology, example she showed of “Friends” episode. It’s very expensive to implement, however. Web 2.0 at it’s finest but in its beginning stages.

Click-and-Know
Very simple but effective. Online how-to manuals. Driving traffic to advertiser’s site.

- world’s largest how-to manual, www.wikihow.com/Main-Page
- how to use your digital camera, www.nikonschoool.com
- Apple workshops, www.apple.com.retail.workshops
- how to play with Lego, in Japanese, www.legoeducation.jp
- how to make a “how to film” www.videojug.com/film/how-to-make-a-how-to-film
- Seat guru – how to pick best seat on flight.

Barcode Scanning for cell phones and mobile coupons.
- enables capturing the image of a bar code by the camera device on a web-enabled cell phone
- will be opt-in
- can take a picture of barcode or logo on product and enter contests, get ringtones, etc. almost like an electronic wallet, (a debit-phone almost) ie, scan code on machine and gives you a Coke and then charges your account for $1. There are about 70,000 Coke machines in US with this technology, Hillary says.

Mobile Coupons
- stored on phone, but may not be compatible with your phone so may not be growing as quickly as it could be. Show code on your phone to cashier, they input and you get discount.
- case study, Luxor Hotel, deal with Sprint, can log you in when you land before you reach hotel. (April 2006)
- uses phone’s GPS capabilities, targeted to biz travelers

Second Life
- 3-D virtual world, website, built entirely and owned by its residents
- virtual hotel, Starwood Hotels is premiering its new hotel brand, aloft, in Second Life via a virtual construction of the hotel before the actual hotels are built. Not a game, but life. Can earn money, fake currency, (lindons) but then can then be converted to real money.
- process documented on virtualloft.com
GM has island where they are testing new cars. Many corps going in and using almost as a virtual focus group. PR value for Starwood is great. Cost about $1,500-$2K to buy island. Cost $20K-30K to build something on island. But this is getting a lot of exposure.

Scented CDs
Uses xhtml 2.5 markup to drive pheromone emmitters on USB sticks or embedded in SD cards for mobile phones. Becoming more of a feeling type thing. Can print out flavors that can be tasted. One of newest, latest things out there.

Behavioral advertising/targeting
- provides advertisers with ability to reach desired segments outside of contextually relevant areas. Makes you online user experience better, not seeing ads that have nothing to do with you. New mother might start seeing ads for diapers, baby clothes, etc. While single guy might see ads for golf clubs, or golf vacation, etc. Taking banner ads to next level.

Video e-mail
Breakthrough Video e-mail
- video begins immediately with no buffering time
- can be accessed even if you’re not online
- works with all major e-mail progs, Outlook, Eudora, etc.
- for more info on this, contact Hillary

For more info:
Hillary Bressler
CEO/Founder
bressler@commarketing.com
866-COM MKTG