Integrated Marcom Minute Blog

Planning Your 2009 Marketing Communications Budget...

2008-07-21T14:56:00.004-04:00

Whether you're deep in the throes of budgeting or just starting, a recent New Jersey Marcom Council survey may help.

Not surprising, most companies are shifing their integrated marketing communications budgets toward online programs. In fact one survey (I think it was from Strategy-Business.com) suggests 50% of marketing budgets will go to online marketing.

Tell us what you're marcom budget looks like for 2009.

Does this title suck?...

2008-04-03T07:58:00.005-04:00

Whether you're a copywriter, author, or anyone who's ever written anything, you know the importance of a good title. It's what draws readers in. But somehow the importance of the title doesn't translate to web pages.

If you wrote 5 books, would you give them all the same title?

Or if you wrote 5 white papers, would you just use your company name as the title?

Of course not! Yet this happens all the time on websites. I'm talking about the title tag--the part of a website that appears in the blue box at the top of your browser.

(sorry so small... copywriter in a hurry)
It say's Tips and Techniques to Get Better Response from Integrated Marketing.

The title tag tells search engines what the page is about. So your title tag should be relevant to the page content. And you have about 65 characters to work with. That means if you use your company name, you could be sacrificing characters and visitors if you don't get to the point and include a few keywords. What about branding?

It depends on the page. If it's the home page or an upper level page, then it may be appropriate to include the company or brand name. However if the page is designed for conversion or selling, then the more relevant the title the more likely you'll drive qualified traffic... provided the rest of the meta data and page include relevant keyword-rich content.

There's a good article on title tags at MarketingProfs. And when you arrive on the article page, check out the title tag as it appears at the top blue box on your browser.

That's Integrated Marcom!

B2B Lead Generation on a Shoestring Budget...

2008-03-24T09:03:00.004-04:00

It never seems like there’s enough marcom budget to accomplish your objectives. But when your marcom budget is really contstrained, syndicating your content through vertical search sites can be an effective way to meet your objectives… even on a shoestring budget. Here’s how it works.

You pay a fee, which can range from a monthly fee, cost per download, or 6 months to one year contract for space on the vertical site. By posting your content on sites such as GlobalSpec, KnowledgeStorm VerticalMarkets and others, you’ll drive highly targeted traffic to your website. In most cases the traffic is not only highly targeted, but also highly intent on buying, giving you a higher conversion rate and lower cost per lead.

The secret to generating high quality leads on vertical search sites is, of course, relevant content. If you’re like most B2B marketers, you probably have lots of good white papers, cases studies and information rich content that’s of value to those searching for your products and services. Vertical sites offer another venue for leveraging your valuable content to drive more leads and sales. (If you don’t have lots of white papers and case studies, then let's talk. I can help you write effective white papers.)

So for B2B marketers who don’t have the media budget for ad space in numerous trade publications common in the B2B technology and industrial markets, vertical sites offer the biggest bang for the buck. In many cases, for the cost of one or two full-page, 4-color print ads, you can reach an online audience that’s every bit as targeted as a trade pub, but since it’s online, has far greater reach, more longevity and is more likely to turn up in search results.

Check with trade publications and media partners too. Some have vertical site or are affiliated with vertical sites such as United Business Media.

As always, do the math. Most of these sites provide metrics on leads generated, conversions, etc. Use the metrics and determine your ROI.

That's integrated marcom...

Top Five Embarrassing Copywriting Mistakes... r u guilty?

2008-02-25T08:56:00.002-05:00

I hate when that happens--those silly copywriting mistakes that you know are wrong, but somehow fall through the cracks and get published. Here's a quick reminder from Copyblogger:
"Five Common Mistakes that Make You Look Dumb"

Six Big Mistakes Green Copywriters & Marketers Should Avoid...

2008-02-21T11:49:00.006-05:00

Green marketing is becoming increasingly more popular, now that it's generally believed that we're past the tipping point on global warming. Plus, companies including Wal-Mart are pushing sustainable packaging throughout the entire supply chain with their packaging scorecard, which takes effect this month. And with socially responsible investors (SRIs) carrying trillions of dollars of clout these days, green initiatives--or lack thereof--could affect your company's stock valuation.

Environmental marketer, terrachoice, has a list of six sins that B2B copywriters and marcom pros should avoid if they want to appear credible and genuinely green. Here's the short list, but read the terrachoice full text version, Six Sins of Greenwashing.

The Hidden Trade-off
Good copywriters always emphasize the positive, but be careful when it comes to green. If the one positive is really overshadowed by numerous negatives, then you could be opening yourself up for a challenge later. Green is more than a single environmental benefit.
No Proof
Whether you're writing for green or not, good copywriters back up what they write about with proof. Otherwise it's nothing more than puffery, which won't get a response.
Vagueness
This is a favorite of copywriters who lack sufficient source material or have neglected to do the research. Clear, concise copywriting works for green and general marketing communications.
Irrelevance
Clever copy that may trick someone into believing something is a good thing eventhough it has no relevance to the product or service is misleading. A phone company does this when they talk about their upload speeds being 20% faster than cable. How much uploading do you really do? Helloooo... most people are downloading...
Fibbing
I think this one's pretty self-explanatory...
The Lesser of Two Evils
Making green claims about known environmental pollutants. That's not to say that copywriters shouldn't emphasize, for example, a product has been reformulated to be more environmentally-friendly, you can't make "green" claims if somethings not truely green.

That's integrated marcom!

Online Video Boosts White Paper Conversions by 76%!

2008-01-28T15:46:00.000-05:00

Accela Communications' client, Biomni saw a 76% increase in a white paper download using video versus the typical downloadable pdf file. It's no surprise that video is more engaging. What's important about engagment is that engaged visitors tend toward becoming buyers.

I spoke with Accela rep Kevin Flatley who told me that Accela now offers a video white paper service. "It's a great way to generate leads for clients who don't have the time or resources to hire a production crew and film the video, themselves" said Flatley. He says all you have to do is send them your white paper and Accela will do the rest.

For about $11K, your white paper will be professionally produced--including script, acting talent and video production--into a 5-7 minute executive summary. It's a completely turnkey solution. Accela can also create engaging video banner ads from your white paper.

Check out online video white papers here.
That's integrated marcom!

Five Things SEO Copywriters Should Never Do...

2008-01-28T13:24:00.000-05:00

Five Things SEO Copywriters Should Never Do

Don’t place too many keywords too close together—search engines will punish you for it. i.e. Workforce automation from ABC company makes workforce automation easier to implement.
Don’t use more than one theme on a single page. i.e. business process optimization and workforce automation. Break down categories and products into separately themed pages.
Don’t use less than 200 words or more than 500 words on a page. Too few won’t be seen as relevant and too many dilutes your keywords and relevance.
Don’t write large chucks of information separated by commas. Instead use bulleted lists—search engines prefer bulleted lists (especially when they include keywords).
Don’t overuse header tags. More than two or excessive use of keywords within a single header will count against you.
(OK, I lied... 5 sounds better) Don’t optimize for more than 3-5 keywords/phrases per page.

Tom Pick's WebMarketCentral Blog has a terrific "Best Of 2007" list for SEO copywriting, including The Art of SEO by search expert Jill Whalen, founder of one of the oldest search firms High Rankings.

That's integrated marcom!

Online Video (Webcasting) Seven Tips to Engage Your Audience

2008-01-10T10:14:00.000-05:00

If your 2008 integrated marketing communications plan includes online video (a.k.a. webcasts), here are seven great online video tips to make your webcasts more engaging. And if you're a copywriter, check out tip number one.

Personally, I like the "lean forward 20 degrees"--tip #6.

Read all seven tips from Business Week columnist and former television journalist, Carmine Gallo.

How to Choose Search Terms that Convert

2008-01-04T16:38:00.000-05:00

B2B high tech and industrial buyers are using longer, more specific keyword search strings to find just what they need--especially if they're further along in the buying cycle. When your copywriters use these same or similar search strings, you'll have a greater chance of engaging more qualified buyers. Easier said than done.

What often happens when B2B technology and industrial marketers get together in the "let's meet to discuss our keywords" meeting is this. Branding usually comes up and statements like "we should get our name in the keywords" and "this is a good opportunity to build the brand" rear their ugly heads.

While any opportunity can be a branding opportunity, is search the best place to do it? If you have a strong brand then why would someone Google it when they could just go to your website. And if you don't have a strong brand, then chances are, no one is searching for it. So why not integrate keywords that convey the problems, solutions, and benefits your prospects are likely to search on.

If you're a copywriter or marcom manager, talk to your product maketing managers, sales mangers and field sales people to understand what prospects are looking for. If you need a guide, download my Integrated Marcom Planner (page 4) for a good framework for selecting keyword search terms that convert.

That's integrated marcom!

Marcom Manager's Dream: Low or No Cost Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

2007-12-20T13:43:00.000-05:00

Check out GlobalSpec's Marketing Maven blog post to learn a few low or no cost ways to optimize your website for search engines.

Don't wait for a New Year's resolution... these are things that every B2B marcom manager can to today including:

Copywriting techniques for integrating keywords,
How to improve your meta data to improve organic search ranking
How to use specialty pages to boost search results

That's integrated marcom!

Connection Between B2B Copywriting and Your Image...

2007-11-28T12:38:00.000-05:00

Many B2B copywriters and marcom pros leave the images up to the art department. That makes sense except when including images on your website. B2B copywriters, or any copywriter for that matter, should write an alternate description for the image--a.k.a. alt img tag. (That's the copy that appears when you mouse over the image) Why?...

For search engine optimization (SEO)... Search engines crawl the alt img text as part of the ranking process. So include lots of good keywords to boost relevance and you'll also help boost natural search ranking.

That's integrated marcom!

Targeting senior execs? Here's something your marcom mix should have...

2007-11-08T12:34:00.000-05:00

If your marketing communications mix doesn't include online video, then you may be missing a good opportunity to enage senior execs. An IPSOS study shows that 49% of senior executives watch online video.

Integrating Social Media: Transparency Equals Trust

2007-11-05T10:22:00.000-05:00

Well, I didn't come up with the line, "transparency equals trust." Geoff Ramsey, CEO - eMarketer coined it at a recent B2B Magazine Netmarketing Breakfast. He was referring to social sites, blogs, etc. that allow visitors to provide feedback.

Sometimes feedback isn't always positive. However, sites which offer transparency into the opinions of visitor's, customers, etc., tend to garner more trust because they're perceived as "real" and not marketing speak.

So what's the message for integrated marketing communications?

If you're considering a blog or social component to your next marcom campaign, be prepared for some negative feedback, and also be prepared to respond to it. When you allow it and respond to it in a timely fashion, it can help build trust in your brand.

That's integrated marcom.

Landing Page Copywriting... the long and short of it.Learn whether long or short copy is better for conversion...

2007-10-30T10:42:00.001-04:00

In general the least amount of copy you can use to get your message across is best--no surprise there. However, you should also consider the following variables according to Dr. Flint McGlaughlin, Director, MarketingExperiments.com:

Cost: lower=less copy; higher=more copy

Perceived risk: low=less copy; higher=more copy

Level of Commitment: low=less copy; high=more copy

Motivation: emotional/impulse=less copy; rational/analytical=more copy

So what does that tell us about copy length on landing pages?
The more complex and costly the product and the greater the committment and consideration process, the more copy you may need on your landing page
and vice versa.

For example, if you're running lead generation campaign for a complex machine that costs a few million dollars. A committment of such magnitude will have a longer consideration process than deciding to commit to a $50 magazine subscription.
Hint: There should be far less copy on the magazine subsrciption landing page.

Here are a few landing page copywriting techniques to help boost conversion on lengthy landing pages...

Get to the point above the fold

Place at least one call to action above the fold

Repeat the call to action below the fold or further down the landing page.

Make the number of form fields commensurate with the perceived value of the offer.
i.e. don't ask for name, email, title, company, phone number and physical address for a simple 2- or 3-page white paper, unless the paper is of high value such as exclusive research.

Buttons tend to get better conversions than hyperlinked text, so make the call to action obvious... especially when it's surrounded by copy.

Remember to test everything first. Click here to read Dr. McLaughlin's landing page critiques and a synopsis of his recent landing page webinar.

That's integrated marcom!

More next time...

Link this... the truth about linking strategies

2007-09-25T13:03:00.000-04:00

If you think your site needs to link to everyone and their mothers, think again. I attended a workshop at the recent OMMA Conference and one of the panelists (I think it was Craig Hordlow of Red Brick Media) said to work on your internal links first. Here's why...

First, some background. In an attempt to prove to Google that their sites are "relevant," many online marketers have been scrambling to build as many external links as possible. The philosophy being that external links are more desirable because they lend more credibility to relevance.

While that may still be the case, it takes a lot of time to contact potential link partners and ask for reciprocal links. In the meantime, any good linking strategy should include links within your own site. A good linking strategy includes internal links as well as external links. Plus, you can implement an internal linking strategy right now.

When I think of the integrated marketing campaigns that I've written for B2B clients, most of them involved a white paper or case study. After the marketing campaign runs its course, the white papers get uploaded to a generic "resources" or "white paper" link.

Why not, in addition to the generic link, include a within the context of another page. It not only makes that page more engaging, but can also boost search ranking.

That's integrated marcom!

Super Keyword-Rich Technique to Boost Results...

2007-09-20T10:19:00.000-04:00

One of the toughest things about optimizing copywriting for search engines is working in the keywords as frequently as possible and still making sense of the copy... not to mention making the copy compelling and engaging.

Well, here's a copywriter's holy grail of keywords--a glossary. It's a terrific place for keyword content. And if you're like me and work with industries that have a lot of specialized words, abbreviations and acronyms, a glossary is not only helpful to visitors, but also an easy way to work in your keywords.

That's integrated marcom!

Integrated Marcom that Boosts SEO...

2007-09-20T08:32:00.000-04:00

Integrated marcom is more than integrating your online content and marketing campaigns with your offline versions.

In fact, for some B2B technology marketers, 80% of their marcom is strictly online. And integrated marketing communications works exceptionally well here too--especially when it comes to search.

SEO and the 1-2-3 punch:

Here's an example that B2B marketer and blogger Tom Pick used to boost organic search. I call it the 1-2-3 punch.

First, Tom wrote a thought leadership article for an online newsletter.

Second, he repurposed the article as a stand-alone page on his website.

Third, he blogged about the article.

Everything was linked, to further boost relevancy and ultimately search ranking.

That's integrated marcom!

Check out Tom's WebMarketCentral blog.

Learn more about successful B2B blogging. Listen to a Buzz Marketing for Technology Podcast featuring Tom Pick.

Does your copywriting pass the "so what" or "BFD" test?...

2007-09-05T12:59:00.000-04:00

If there's anything worse than reading brochure copy or website copy that's all fluff about the company and not about what customers want, it's reading a bunch of features that don't mean anything to the readers. That's why I recommend the "so what" or "BFD" (I think you can figure that one out...) test.

It works like this. Read the copy (read it out loud for optimum effect). If you find yourself saying, "so what" or "BFD" then you just read a feature not a benefit.

For example:
"Our website copy is compelling and to the point." ... so what! or BFD!

Here's a benefits-oriented approach to the same copy:
"You'll boost natural search rankings and conversions with our website copy." Now that's what I'm talkin' about! (not to mention that fact that it's focused on the customer's needs and not telling you what we want you to hear.)

So what's this have to do with integrated marcom?

Whether you're producing a brochure, website, microsite or direct and interactive campaign, your benefits should be consistent. The challenge for marketing communications pros is when campaign elements are developed by different vendors. A creative brief that specifies the key "benefits" (not features) is a good way to ensure a tightly integrated campaign that will deliver maximum results.

How many times does your website copy say "I?"

2007-08-27T08:48:00.000-04:00

Count the number of times the words "I" "our" "we" appear on your web pages.
If these words are used too frequently, you could have a "self-centered" website--one that may not speak to the needs of your prospects and customers. Worse yet, copy that fails to answer the visitors' question--"What's in it for me?"--will kill engagement.

Good website copywriters focus on the needs of the customers.

Far too many B2B websites tell you what they think you ought to know.
For example,

"We know copywriting and we can help your website attract and retain more visitors. Our proven copywriting method has helped numerous B2B companies build web traffic."

It's all about me and not the least bit engaging. Instead, the copy should talk about you and what you're looking for. Like this...

"An easy, low cost way to create a more engaging website is with your copy. Your current website copy may actually be turning away potential business. Learn how you can..."

See the difference?

Have a better alternative? Post it here.

80% of B2B Tech Buyers are Using Podcasting... Are you?

2007-07-19T13:59:00.000-04:00

If you're a B2B marketer of technology products and services, it's a good idea to integrate podcasts into your marketing communications mix. Here's why...

A recent MarketingSherpa 2007 Benchmark Guide suggests that nearly 80% of B2B tech buyers (decision-makers) surveyed listen to podcasts.

That same sentiment was echoed in a collaborative eMarketer & WebTrends report indicating that podcasting is "here to stay." The report suggests using podcasts to reach "highly targeted niche markets."

As if that's not enough to sway you, check out my last post, 3 Web 2.0 Technologies that Every B2B Marketer Should Consider... that references another survey of B2B marketers, which also puts podcasting in the top three of all Web 2.0 tools.

And speaking of podcasting...
I'm also getting a sense that my initial research on podcast pricing of $3,000-$5,000/podcast is a little high for many of the internally produced podcasts that many B2B marketers are using. Anyone out there have good data to share?

3 Web 2.0 Technologies that Every B2B Marketer Should Consider...

2007-07-12T15:44:00.000-04:00

Unless you've been living under a rock, you've probably heard of Web 2.0. For some B2B marketers, Web 2.0 immediately conjures up thoughts of flashy videos, consumer-oriented sites that offer games and communities like MySpace- anything to hawk another can of soda or the promise of thin thighs in 2-weeks!

Thanks to a recent survey, Web 2.0 tools have as much or more to offer B2B marketers-especially B2B marketers involved with complex and lengthy selling cycles. B2B Web 2.0 pioneers, Robert Lesser of LeadGenTools .com and Paul Dunay of Buzz Marketing for Technology Blog surveyed a group of B2B marketers and here's what they found...

The top three Web 2.0 tools used by B2B marketers:

Blogs--a great way to create a dialog with your prospects and customers
RSS--lets you add your website or blog content to a newsreader, which does the work of visiting the sites and checking for updates so you only have to go to one place to get your updates. And since you're using a news reader, nothing is crammed into your email in-box.
Podcasts--an excellent way to add more personality to your marketing communications including white paper abstracts, presentations, interviews with subject matter experts and more. The beauty is that listeners can tune in via their computers or download to an MP3 player and listen later.

How can you integrate these popular Web 2.0 technologies into your marcom mix?

The next step is to learn what specific applications B2B marketers are using to integrate web 2.0 tools into their marcom mix. You can learn about the specific applications plus other up-and-coming Web 2.0 tools. Click here to learn more.

And while you're there, take the 5-minute survey and get your free copy of the latest results.

Integrate Content into Video Ads and Boost Conversion...

2007-06-28T13:39:00.000-04:00

Dave Morgan, Media Post's Online Spin blogger, summed up video advertising best when he said, "Certainly video is a mainstay for the entertainment industry. Research has proven that the more folks engage with excerpts of movies or music, the more likely they are to buy it later. Thus, the content itself becomes advertising. In fact, it becomes advertising that people want, not just advertising that they are willing to tolerate."
(Click here to see the whole online video post.)

Not all online video ads have to be annoying and intrusive...

Although Dave was referring to B2C, I think Dave's idea of "content as advertising" has merit for B2B integrated marketing communications. Perhaps we've lost site of the goal of online advertising... to engage, inform and ultimately convert. The entertaining YouTube-type spots with their heavy viral influence have had such a powerful influence on video advertising that we may have forgotten that online video, with relevant content, can be just as powerful to the right audience.

Think about it... a brief product demo, an easy how to spot, or a thought leadership interview could be potential online video ads that your prospects and clients would want to see.

What do Sustainability Initiatives and B2B Marketing Have in Common?

2007-06-22T16:16:00.000-04:00

Both have the potential to do good--good for B2B companies and good for the environment. In fact, I'm surprised that more B2B marketers haven't hopped on the "green marketing" bandwagon by now. But I do believe it's coming.

GE's Ecomagination campaign was probably at the forefront, and Wal-Mart is getting a lot of press about its "sustainability scorecard" that basically rates vendors and suppliers based on their environmental awareness as it relates to packaging. Keeping packaging to a minimum to avoid wasting natural resources or burning fossil fuels to make it.

Here's how sustainability works...
Let's say you have a paper package and you use wind energy to make the package. You'll have a more favorable score than a supplier who's burning fossil fuels to make the package. It gets a lot more complicated. That's a simple example.

OK, you're probably wondering what sustainability is all about. Well, in a nutshell, it's an environmental initiative that impacts companies and their supply chains all for the purpose of reducing CO2 emissions--one of the leading culprits of global warming--and is emitted when we burn fossil fuels. So driving your car, heating and cooling homes and office buildings, etc. all contribute to CO2 emissions and lots of it. It'a also referred to as a company's "carbon footprint" and the smaller your footprint, the better.

So what's "green" have to do with B2B marketing?

Well, carbon emission mandates for businesses, similar to EPA emissions targets for cars, are likely to happen in the next few years. And many larger companies who've already taken leadership roles in carbon reduction programs will do just what Wal-Mart is doing to its suppliers--leverage environmental stewardship as part of doing business. Hey, Kermit says it best, "It's not easy being "green."

Smart marketers should be looking at their own environmental initiatives and and using them as a competitive advantage in their marketing.

At the end of the day, everyone wins--especially planet Earth.

Not Generating Enough Good Leads? Integrate Online Video...

2007-06-11T08:43:00.000-04:00

I'm not sure if its novelty or effectiveness, but two recent studies have confirmed that online video is getting action.

A recent Online Publishers Association (OPA) study indicated that 80% of respondents had seen video ads and 52% of that group took action.

15% went to a store to learn more
1% actually purchased

A similar study from the Kelsey Group had similar results with around 55% of online viewers taking some action.

43% visited a website
18% visited a store
15% actually purchased

The study didn't mention if the respondents were B2B or B2C marketers, but one thing is clear--online video is cutting through the clutter.

What online video content works best?
The OPA study says news and humor.

Read the entire Just an Online Minute blog post including comments.

Integrated Marcom Minute Blog

Planning Your 2009 Marketing Communications Budget...

Top 3 Content Buys... Does Your Integrated Marcom Program Have Them?

Does this title suck?...

B2B Lead Generation on a Shoestring Budget...

Top Five Embarrassing Copywriting Mistakes... r u guilty?

Six Big Mistakes Green Copywriters & Marketers Should Avoid...

Online Video Boosts White Paper Conversions by 76%!

Five Things SEO Copywriters Should Never Do...

Five Things SEO Copywriters Should Never Do

Online Video (Webcasting) Seven Tips to Engage Your Audience

How to Choose Search Terms that Convert

Marcom Manager's Dream: Low or No Cost Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Connection Between B2B Copywriting and Your Image...

Targeting senior execs? Here's something your marcom mix should have...

Integrating Social Media: Transparency Equals Trust

So what's the message for integrated marketing communications?

Landing Page Copywriting... the long and short of it.Learn whether long or short copy is better for conversion...

Link this... the truth about linking strategies

Super Keyword-Rich Technique to Boost Results...

Integrated Marcom that Boosts SEO...

SEO and the 1-2-3 punch:

Does your copywriting pass the "so what" or "BFD" test?...

So what's this have to do with integrated marcom?

How many times does your website copy say "I?"

Good website copywriters focus on the needs of the customers.

80% of B2B Tech Buyers are Using Podcasting... Are you?

3 Web 2.0 Technologies that Every B2B Marketer Should Consider...

Integrate Content into Video Ads and Boost Conversion...

Not all online video ads have to be annoying and intrusive...

What do Sustainability Initiatives and B2B Marketing Have in Common?

So what's "green" have to do with B2B marketing?

Not Generating Enough Good Leads? Integrate Online Video...