We have become so engaged with blogging that we might have lost the sense of meaning along the way. So here is a little recap:
According to Wikipedia, a blog is a short form of the term “web log”.
“A blog is a type of website, usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Many blogs provide commentary or news on a particular subject; others function as more personal online diaries. A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other blogs, Web pages, and other media related to its topic. The ability of readers to leave comments in an interactive format is an important part of many blogs. Most blogs are primarily textual, although some focus on art (Art blog), photographs (photoblog), videos (Video blogging), music (MP3 blog), and audio (podcasting). Microblogging is another type of blogging, featuring very short posts.”
But does blogging live up to be all this? The answer is no. Blogging has become much more than a few sentences and short descriptions! It has almost become a way of life!
From writing your opinions, to commentaries, to bad or good services or experiences, to even a single parent asking how to raise his baby daughter! It is mind-blowing when you think about all the topics that people blog about. And when you let your mind go, you will realize the possibilities that lie in all these blogs.
In December 2007, Technorati tracked more than 112,000,000 blogs! Imagine one of these blogs is written about your company, whether it is negative or positive, the impact is amazing. Of course not every blog owner has a long list of readers, but someone might end up on that blog one day and it might just be that they are impacted by what that blogger has said.
A very good example is a well-known estate in the Western Cape. Someone came to visit the farm and had a bad experience at the restaurant and blogged about it. This quickly came to the attention of the person in charge of the social media of the estate. He contacted the blogger, apologized for the inconvenience and handled the situation in a positive manner. This lead to a blog about the quick response of the estate. What a way to turn things around! It’s like a new way of doing PR!
If you have not yet realized the impact that blogs have on the business environment, the time is now! Otherwise you may loose valuable customers. It is not about keeping the consumer in the shop happy anymore; the cyberspace community also needs to be considered.
That is the main thing traditional ways of communication tend to neglect. If you neglect online, you neglect your company’s future!
Hi there everyone, I just finished my 2nd year of Public Relations Management at CPUT and started my internship at Interactive Concepts this week.
I always thought that my love for my computer and trying to figure stuff out on it, was never going to mean much. From sneaking around on my brother’s computer and finding stuff that should rather not have been found, to now – feeling one with my “lappie”.
The thing is, we are all new to something, and this week, I was new to this whole new world that the internet has opened up – a world of possibilities! I never realised that there are so many opportunities, and not only for businesses that relies on advertising, but on every single product or service. Really, the internet is AMAZING!
I feel sorry for the people who has not yet realised this, ‘coz they, as we say it in Afrikaans: “suig aan die agterste speen”.
Starting this week with my internship, I walked in and was immediately faced with PPC, CPM, ROI, SEO, banners, mailers, skyscrapers, etc. most of which I have never ever heard before! I found myself almost drowning in this pit of online acronyms and strange phrases. Luckily, Japie’s office was not too far and I could easily knock on his door, feeling really stupid and dumb, asking him what PPC stands for, because surely you do not work with cement on the internet??
But as the week progressed, I quickly learned, or found out for myself, how most of this internet and online marketing systems work. I can proudly say that I am better, more equipped and more prepared for whatever obstacle the World Wide Web throws at me, and come what may; I will improve on everything in the coming year!
I am constantly amazed at the global fascination with Google. Sure they’re a well known brand ( #1? ) and sure they guys there are internet pioneers.
Surely the blog is getting recognised (by some) as a valuable eMarketing tool. I do know that many still dispute this or haven’t quite figured out how exactly to make the blog work for business.
For those that have, the question that still begs to be answered is how to market your blog, that will in turn market your business.
In the early days we were told that web surfers will find your blog via search or hearing about it from others and that it ain’t cool to market your blog.
How has that changed and how can you market your blog?
Surely with the often quoted figure of 80 000 new blogs being launched daily, you can’t expect some-one to just “find” your blog.
So, does this mean that you have to put a marketing plan together to tell people about your blog, the non-profit generating part of your business?
I certainly won’t consider going that route if I had a business blog.
Some things I would consider doing however include:
- adding a blog url to your email signature
- linking your blog from your web site
- posting comments on other blogs with links back to your blog
- attempting to get permanent links on other similar blogs
- link baiting: writing an article or post that would make other bloggers want to link to your blog
- adding your blog url to your skype or msn profile
- entering the SA Blog awards
- telling friends, family and associates about your blog.
There must be plenty other ideas of how to market a blog short of taking out newspaper ads or TV commercials.
Ideas…?
Okay, so he isn’t quite the Messiah or Immanuel, but business, individuals and parties at both ends of the political spectrum seem to have liked his budget speech yesterday.
What does it mean for IT, the internet and eMarketing specifically though? Well, reading through the entire report in Business Day, I can safely say that the word eMarketing was not mentioned once…ai!
However, technology was mentioned plenty times.
In the allocations for Home Affairs, Education, Science and Technology ( no less..) and police, telecoms, etc.
What was mentioned many times over though was the lack of skills in that field and how it is impacting on our great nation’s development. Even where funding for projects have been made available, there ain’t no-one to do the job!
IT colleges, universities and recruitment companies: take note.
The only reference to the internet is the allocation of R 622m towards InfraCo to improve the roll out of their national broadband backbone. This company is built on the infrastructure of Eskom and Transnet and entrenches government’s involvement in telecoms, something we were hoping to see the end of.
Interesting is the fact that InfraCo is 26% owned by VSNL, the largest shareholder of Neotel. They will of course use this network for their own broadband.
ISP’s were keen to hear how they can benefit from using Neotel in order to escape Telkom’s stranglehold but there does not seem to be news on that yet.
Interesting also to note ( on AllAfrica.com ) yesterday that Telkom is buying Kenya’s Africa Online.
The other government broadband provider Sentech says that it is launching new business and consumer services next week. They also have their job cut out for them to convert local TV channels to digital by 2010.
Let the games begin!
Photo of TM courtesy of BD
What on earth can the national budget, to be announced tomorrow, have in common with the internet, online business or even eMarketing?
The answer: I just dont know.
The fact is however that the budget affects every individual and business in some way, so surely it must have an impact on those doing business via the internet as well as those making their living from the internet.
We have all heard the facts:
- a R 30 Billion budget over run
- Money allocated to major infrastructure projects has not been spent: shortage of skills and natural resources
- Increases in housing, education, policing, etc.
So, where does it leave us: the people that make our living from the internet or use the internet as a marketing or sales tool or as a major sales channel?
One thing that is true is that the government is taking e-learning, e-government and collecting taxes via the internet seriously.
That could mean more work for internet companies, a greater understanding of the medium by all and maybe a greater commitment of the government to roll out internet to those people is small towns, rural areas, schools and generally less privileged people.
Let’s hope…!
One of my biggest concerns about emarketing in South Africa is the lack of exposure it gets in the academic institutions in South Africa. I know emarketing is an elective in some MBA programmes but I have yet to hear of a university that even has a semester course in emarketing.
Judging by the lack of understanding of the field in the business world, one can only assume that this topic will become more and more important and that including it in any marketing / business course will be essential and not just a nice-to-have.
One of my personal goals this year is to get the institutions to wake-up to emarketing.
Great was my joy when I saw an ad for Electronic Marketing Officer in last week’s Sunday Times for UNISA no less.
The requirements, besides the normal web and graphic design experience, also calls for some-one with experience in:
- “search engine registration”
- “electronic communication”
- “creative writing ability
The duties include:
- “…advertising campaigns using the internet”
- ” strategic planning”
- “…online electronic branding”
So, I thought, if they understand the need for such an individual to assist with the marketing of UNISA as a brand, it can not be too long now (hopefully years and not decades ) before they and other institutions realise that their students need to know about it too.
In fact, what an irony: a university wanting to employ some-one with a skill / qualification that they themselves don’t offer.
Is there hope for Africa when it comes to the internet? How can we talk about eMarketing when so many millions don’t even have access to the internet? Every day we read how the big European and American countries look toward Africa to grow their market share. We know that China, Korea and the like all want a slice of the African market.
Maybe it is time that we put some pressure on those countries to put more effort into improving the telecoms infrastructure in Africa.
According to the The African Media Development Initiative (AMDI) who released their Media report yesterday, 15 January, radio is the dominant mass media channel while television is less widely available, especially in rural areas.
Newspapers remain focused on urban areas while the uptake of mobile phones has been spectacular, far exceeding uptake of the Internet. In 10 of the countries surveyed, less than 2% of the national population is estimated to use the Internet.
Combined, South Africa and Nigeria comprise two-thirds of the Internet population within the surveyed countries.
( read the full article on BizCommunity )
So, is there hope?
Not only do I believe there is hope, but from an entrepreneur’s point of view there is SCOPE and LOTS of it.
Let’s all make an effort to get Africa connected in order for the internet to really be the life changing tool we all know it can be.
Yes, this call has been made often but it still isn’t enough and somehow we mere mortals have to find a way that we can contribute to this.