JeffMolander.com

There is no such thing as ’social media’

by Jeff Molander

The sooner marketers realize this the sooner they'll stop looking foolish: All the Web is a social media.  Always has been, always will be.  How have we used digital media -- since the beginning? ICQ and instant messaging? E-mail?  Mobile SMS/texting?  SOCIALLY!  Yes, the Web is vastly easier for people to use today but the resulting hysteria finds marketers handcuffing themselves in faux "newness" rather than integrating digital strategies in meaningful ways.  Marketers claim ownership of social media and measurement are the problem -- they can't settle on either.  Here's why: all media is social -- all media is customer service, marketing, human resources, finance, product development, etc.  How to fix it?  Read on.   It's not as difficult as you might think.

Are merchant selling networks the birth of ‘Social eCommerce?’

by Jeff Molander

There's an endless amount of silly and illogical hype around Facebook and Twitter -- their ability to create a new form of advertising.  Forget advertising for a moment: When will e-commerce become socialized?  Which companies will actually enable it?   eBay's unbridled success gave birth to an ecosystem of  companies that "help sellers sell"... and eBay brings buyers and sellers together around shared interests to gab, blog, review products, etc.  But there aren't any companies out there helping sellers connect with other sellers to create "merchant networks" -- with one exception.  Not until today have sellers been able to instantly connect with other sellers to expand their own inventory (find new stuff to sell) AND create new sales channels (recruit other sellers as distributors).  Check out this short video for the basics and here's a link to the media release http://pitch.pe/16159 What do you think?

Online’s Top Marketing Strategy (Search) is Broken, Failing

by Jeff Molander

How does your digital marketing team invest today -- and why?  How will this change given the failings of search engines?  Yes, failings.  Search marketing is broken and failing most businesses... yet it is the #1 way digital marketers spend budget dollars on the Web.  More alarming, research proves search engines are increasingly less trusted and less useful to consumers... and this will continue.  Bottom line: search engines are increasingly unable to deliver results against the strategic interests of most companies.   True.  Now what?

Can Affiliate Marketing Work Better for Brands?

by Jeff Molander

I sat down with John Ardis, Valueclick's VP of Corporate Strategy (who's company owns affiliate network Commission Junction) to talk turkey about the current state of the market.  I challenged John by making statements like, "there's very little if any innovation in affiliate marketing" and "affiliate marketing budgets are being cut -- consistently."  John admits that some advertisers build a sense of resentment with affiliates over time -- based on customer ownership issues and strong desire for incremental sales.  John speaks plainly and boldly to the issue.  That's why I love the guy :)

How to Qualify a Social Marketing ‘Expert’ or Agency

by Jeff Molander

In a digital advertising world filled with hype, spin and flat out lies it's hard to make reliable, strategic decisions about investing in social technologies or strategies.  What people or agencies should you say yes and no to?  What's the qualification process in an evolving, "standards-less" industry?  Realizing that everyone's got a good reference or two lying around... how do you qualify social media/marketing experts and agencies in particular?  Here's my quick tip on how to find and qualify professionals who are focused on real, tangible social marketing outcomes.

The Bad Habit that is Display Ad Spending

by Jeff Molander

For over a decade now we digital marketers have been suckin' down that cool, refreshing, painfully outdated advertising strategy -- display ads.  We're investing billions in a scatter-shot tactic running on a precision-focused platform (ie. the Web).  Why?  Cause that's what our daddy does and that's what "research" tells us to do.  But the illogical and dangerous habit doesn't stop there.   The argument to invest in digital display advertising has degenerated to shocking levels.  Everything we read (mainly faux research) and hear (at conferences) is insane.  We're not told to invest because "display ads work" but "because they feed what everyone knows DOES work."  That is, search marketing!  That alone appears to be why we must continue to spend on yesterday's tired media model of chasing eyeballs and calling it a day.

I’m Calling Bull on Twittermania

by Jeff Molander

Twitter.  The world cannot stop talking about it -- so it must be important right?  It's been a fun ride but I say it's mostly bull.  You don't need to be using Twitter.  Large or small brand, you don't need to be THAT worried about the social influence of customers on your brand.  Fact: none of this social marketing stuff is new, complex or urgent because the outputs, so far, are rarely (if ever) meaningful to businesses.  The experts are not only wrong but most of Twitter's "big success stories" are mostly overblown, illogical or actually symptoms of a broken customer service system.

How do You Make Social Media Decisions?

by Jeff Molander

When it comes to making decisions about your business and the Internet nothing is easy especially when it comes to "social media."  How many blog posts are needed to make the exercise effective? How much effort must be invested in Facebook to see a return? How much Twitter ‘engagement’ is needed to realize positive effect? Do you rely on outside experts and if so is this a wise strategy?  I think it's a terrible strategy.  Here's a better way to make social / Web 2.0 marketing investment decisions:  Start with asking WHY...

Deciding if Affiliate Marketing is for Your Brand

by Jeff Molander

There are 2 approaches to managing affiliate programs these days:  affiliates as high-maintenance assets or as low-maintenance "let them wither on vine" liabilities.  Case in point Amazon's decision this week to stop allowing affiliates to compete for the same customers using search engine ads.  Amazon knows better and has always changed-up the rules over time to manage risk.  Let's look at which approach is best for your brand.

Shopping Comparison: Working Profitably with a Necessary Evil

by Jeff Molander

Comparison shopping is a "necessary evil" for retailers. Now... with that as our backdrop Brian Smith gives you the straight dope on how to improve results from comparison shopping engines though "data feed optimization."  Think of Web site SEO for your product data feeds. Brian is founder of Simplefeed and a leading comparison search analyst (www.comparisonengines.com).  He provides his candid advice on how retailers can drive more sales at reduced cost and simplify otherwise complex processes.