Saturday, May 23, 2009

The analysts are wrong - Get used it it.

It takes a lot more to get people to your website (and returning) than it did 6 months ago.

I read a lot of stuff, almost daily, from a variety of sources.  Solid online marketing requires a keen knowledge of today's trends and where things seem to be going.


Just as 'hot media' and cable news changed the world as we knew it, the Internet and rapid technology advances are changing at an absolutely unprecedented pace.

Last year, I did a couple of pieces on how Google was 'hyper-indexing' some blogs and websites.  That was, for all intents and purposes, a BIG deal.  Within seconds of a post here (when I was writing daily), it would be indexed by Google (as well as many, many other blogs and websites).

TechMeMe's bot was also indexing within minutes and there were other examples.

The landscape has changed again.

Where is it going?

Global log-ins, hyper-fast import and export from services such as Friendfeed, breaking news from 'citizens journalists' with Twitter and trends now monitored on services such as TwitScoop (lower right) and TweetMeme, plus the ultra-huge and still growing community we know as Facebook opening up for importing and exporting as well .... and in real-time.

Yes, the real-time web is here.  It takes 'hot media' and global communications to a whole new level.

Networks are connecting with each other.  Digg to Facebook.  57 services (You read that right) to Friendfeed. Thousands of apps being written for Twitter and hundreds of millions of users with access from Facebook.  There are MANY more examples including startups that many of us haven't even heard of yet.

Not only does this effect Internet Marketing in a huge way but it is, in fact, part of the 'worldwide economic shift' continuing. Media, whether it be TV, Radio, Newspapers etc. will never be the same.

More than ever, those marketing on the Internet (large and small) need to be tuned to everything that is happening.  They need to be engaged daily, or have advisors that are.

We've reached yet another turning point, and we, as an industry, need to continue not only using the tools, our past knowledge and our relationships .... but we need to be testing different vehicles.

Why the headline?  The Internet Marketing space is now what I'll call 'hyper-dynamic'.  While subscribing and absorbing published information is still healthy and useful, it's a 50 / 50 proposition at this juncture.  In-person networking at the analysts' seminars is probably a lot more important for most.

As I write this piece and keep an eye on the marketing vehicles being used by a variety of Fortune 500 companies, I can say, in my humble opinion, that about 20 per cent of them 'get it'.

As the economies of the world begin to turn around, there's no doubt, that if they stay 'tuned and flexible', they'll win.

Good Weekend my friends, and,
Take a few moments to thank a vet or someone in the military on Monday...
Charlie

Update:  It appears 'hyper-indexing' by Google is alive and well :)
staff edit 5/23/2009 10 PM ET