Category: Google

As seen on (TV) Google

Posted on by Steve Sammartino

As seen on TV Google… 

Back in the halcyon days of the TV industrial complex, an oft used selling point was the fact that something was actually on TV.

The thinking went something like this: 

  1. TV advertising is expensive
  2. They (brand X) are advertising on TV
  3. They have the money to make this investment
  4. So people must be buying this product
  5. This product must be good
  6. I will buy this product

as-seen-on-tv.jpg 

It built a sense of trust. Trust that evolved from assumed scale.  

Guess what? It’s back! Only this time it’s ‘as seen on front page of Google’. 

The new thinking isn’t too different:

  1. Google knows everything on the web
  2. It’s on the front page of Google
  3. Google has done the sorting for me
  4. Lots of people must be using this site
  5. Lots of sites must be linked to it
  6. I can buy from (trust) this website

The cool thing about this for start ups, is that it really only takes an investment in time and thinking to get there. Not a big media buy.

Quote – Larry Page

Posted on by Steve Sammartino

larry-page.pnglarry-page.pngLarry Page said:

 

There is a phrase I learned in College called ‘having a healthy disregard for the impossible’. That is a really good phrase. You should try and do things that most people would not.

larry-page.png          ….squint to see Larry….

     

Chances are we’ll still fail to do the impossible most times.

If we don’t try we are certain to fail every time.

Google Alerts are rad !

Posted on by Steve Sammartino

As a courtesy if I ever blog about anyone (good or bad) I let them know it’s there. I did this recently about Neighborhoodies.

  

The founder Michael sent me an email back saying – “I already know… Google Alerts baby! Thanks”.

  

I’ve since set up on things which are of interest to me. It saves me a great deal of time, which at present is my most scarce resource.

  

The really cool thing is it’s better than an RSS feed, because it’s the google bot doing all the hard work crawling the entire web for you. Every nook and cranny.

  

All start ups should set some up on topics of interest; themselves, their startup, their industry, their competitors, their whatever….

google-alerts.jpg

Click on the image above and go straight there…

Do it. Go now. Bye.

Top 10 viral marketing campaigns ever

Posted on by Steve Sammartino

The factors we’ve considered:

There needs to be an actual business or brand behind it

Not just something funny

The idea or product was primarily spread by others.

Not ‘driven’ by paid media.

Based on effectiveness only, (ignores insensitivities / political / religious views)

A little explanation is next to each

 In order. 

  1. The story of Jesus Christ (before digital technology or even the printing press, this ‘story’ crossed borders and oceans)
  2. 911 ‘Al Queda’ launch (3 weeks free media coverage on every media channel in every country)
  3. Polaroid Instamatic Cameras (product usage = product demonstration)
  4. Hotmail (the first viral product of the internet age)
  5. In Rainbows album by Radiohead. (true brand handover to passionate users, fan chooses price – even free, resulting in massive free media & blogosphere coverage, then goes to number 1 on US charts on physical album release)
  6. Google (usability & effectiveness which led to absolute domination)
  7. Youtube (was the ultimate user experience and so won the game. There were 240 other video sharing sites when it launched!)
  8. OK Go – Ok Here it goes film clip. (first to leverage youtube commercially. 27 million views and counting. No 2 on the charts to boot)
  9. Blair Witch Project (set a new paradigm for movie promotion & brand hijacking)
  10. Mini Cooper S Campaign (first ‘real’ personalized campaign message)

Add to, agree, disagree, complain and disdain in comments below!

 

Shop Front

Posted on by Steve Sammartino

Would you know what this shop is selling?

 storefront.jpg 

I wouldn’t.

Sometimes our shop front, work car, uniform, office, church or website is where the decision is made on whether or not our service is for them.

The good news is, just like a shop window we can:

  • change it if we’ve got it wrong (all of us at some point)
  • use for promotional purposes (Ebay)
  • rotate the message (fashion outlets)
  • keep it clean, defined and single minded (Google)

If our business is in the digital world we have the advantage of a low cost change over.

 

Start up lesson – make sure people know what you offer the instant they arrive.

Number 1 tip for web entrepreneurs

Posted on by Steve Sammartino

 

GO OUTSIDE !

 crowded-city.jpg  

Sounds ironic or even slightly crazy. But here’s what we must consider.

We are not really in the ‘online’ business. We have a business which just so happens to have an ‘online’ presence.

Itunes is in the music business

Ebay is in the second hand (new) goods business

Google is in the advertising business

McDonalds is in the real estate business

Wikipedia is in the democracy business

Everything is not what it seems. The best opportunities are out in the world where our people are living their lives. The best ideas come from conversations we have, not spreadsheets we do. The best way to engage business associates and customers is to meet and interact with them…

…The best way to market to our world is by being in it, not isolated from it.

In the words of marketing polymaths Reis & Trout: “An office is a very dangerous place to watch the world from”