January 19, 2012
It’s raining flashlights, hallelujah!
So if Boston is due for a blizzard, The Weather Channel might give a heads up to a flashlight or backup generator manufacturer that they should snap up some air time to advertise.
The Weather Channel hired a meteorologist for a particular role—vice president of weather analytics. What does he do in this role, you ask? He will sell highly targeted weather predictions to the channel’s advertisers.
It’s a pretty smart idea, and it makes a lot of sense, but it definitely has the potential to have that whole benefitting-from-other-people’s-misery vibe about it. The meteorologist says, “Hey Miami, you’re going to get pounded by yet another brutal hurricane.” The next spot you see is for a roofing company. Purely hypothetical example, of course, but you get the idea.
Hopefully The Weather Channel will exercise good taste and use their powers to sell us nothing but sunglasses.
January 18, 2012
The Wikipedia website is down, and it’s totally on purpose
If you woke up this morning and were wondering what the formula for Bernoulli’s Principle is, you’re SOL. That’s because you’d probably use Wikipedia to find your answer online, but today, there is no Wikipedia.
Wikipedia has blacked out their domain name today in protest of the SOPA and PIPA legislation that is currently under discussion in congress. The SOPA and PIPA acts, if passed, allow the government to block certain domain addresses (i.e. www.captainsofindustry.com) to prevent Internet piracy. In plain speak, that means if a website is hosting a pirated version of Pirates of the Caribbean, the government can block that website from United States users by imprisoning their domain name. To still access that site you’d have to type the IP address in your browser—very hard to remember if you know it at all.
This is a good example of serious “brand issue awareness,” if you will. While lots of people who use Wikipedia know about SOPA, my guess is that there are millions of others who have no idea what the law is. When they wonder today why Wikipedia is down, they’ll all discover SOPA, and the negative effect it’s had on their ability to gather information from the Internet. That’s some serious issue awareness.
Well Wikipedia has never taken a stance on an issue before this, but here’s why their taking action, just FYI:
When Wikipedia shuts down on January 18, people will understand that we’re doing it for our readers. We support everyone’s right to freedom of thought and freedom of expression. We think everyone should have access to educational material on a wide range of subjects, even if they can’t pay for it. We believe in a free and open Internet where information can be shared without impediment.
AWESOME TIP: The IP address for Wikipedia is “91.198.174.225″. Now you can still use it all day!
January 17, 2012
TVs are now websites too
One of the long-held ideas and manifesto proclamations here at Captains of Industry is “websites are now TV channels.”
As of late, it has occurred to me the inverse is also true: “TV channels are now websites,” or a more specific corollary, “TV shows are now websites.”
One of my idols, Joss Whedon, writer of Toy Story, producer-writer-director of Buffy, Firefly, and writer-director of the new Avengers movie was recently quoted saying that making internet videos or web shorts are “the punk rock of filmmaking.”
In 2008 when the Writer’s Guild of America went on strike, Whedon and his merry band of collaborators created a low budget web series called “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog,” starring Neil Patrick Harris and Nathan Fillion among others. It was wicked awesome! And for the time and for an internet series, it was huge.
More storytellers embraced the medium to tell episodic narratives, from the wonderful Felicia Day’s The Guild (www.watchtheguild.com) to local funny dude Rob Corddry’s “Children’s Hospital.” Others followed like www.thecastingoffice.tv and www.watchtheleague.com.
Once upon a time, TV shows were brought to you by and sponsored by singular products. In the early internet age, TV show-related web sites were treated like ads for the TV shows, just additional marketing to push people to watch the program with interspersed product commercials. Later, shows like “The Office” and “Parks and Recreation” used their online offerings to further expand the world of its characters through original web shorts.
Will the future bring us a traditional broadcast TV show that is merely a vehicle to push eyeballs to a website? The online series itself is becoming the product.
Regarding this punk rock DIY digital story-telling evolution, Joss Whedon said “I want to be a part of that.” As content creators, how can you be part of that? As an avid TV follower, if the stories are well-told and the characters are compelling to watch, I will tune in. As long as I can relax on my couch while clicking, surfing, and viewing.
January 13, 2012
It’s Friday the 13th!
And what better way to celebrate than with a lightsaber battle – between Freddy and Jason?
January 12, 2012
SEO – Not a one-and-done project
This week Jean, Captains’ Lead Digital Producer, is bringing us a series of blog posts about digital campaigns. This is the fourth in the series.
Today I want to talk a bit about one of the least understood, but most talked about pieces of online marketing – SEO. Everyone knows they need to do it, but no one really understands how. Often people think that writing good, keyword-based content and including meta-tags is all there is to SEO. Great content is the most important piece of SEO, but there are many other elements as well. Here are a few that I’ve seen overlooked.
Based on time
When you launch a new site, no matter how much SEO work you put in, you probably won’t see any dividends for months. Why? Because site age is something that Google* takes into consideration. All things being equal, a URL that’s six years old will rank better than a URL that was just launched.
Based on backlinks
Google also puts a lot of stock into the types of websites that link to your site. If you get links to your site from other sites on the same topic, that will help you rise in the rankings. Without those links, Google won’t think that your site is a credible source, no matter how good your on-page SEO is.
URL Matters
A website whose URL has a keyword built into it will rank higher for that keyword than a site unrelated to the keyword. Google does consider the URL in rankings, so do some SEO research both before purchasing your domain and when determining URL structure for the rest of your site.
New Content Matters
Google likes sites that regularly update or add content. That’s why blogs, newsfeeds, media centers, etc are such good investments. The more you can update your site with engaging, relevant (and yes, keyword-filled) content, the better.
Do you have other questions about SEO? Let me know – I always need fodder for more blog posts so we can keep increasing our SEO.
In the meantime, check out Search Engine Land – they can be a great resource for all things search.
*Google is obviously not the only search engine, but is the most used, and the one most people talk about.
January 11, 2012
How to use QR Codes – Only the devil if used poorly
This week Jean, Captains’ Lead Digital Producer, is bringing us a series of blog posts about digital campaigns. This is the third in the series.
I’ve gotten a reputation around the office as the guy who hates QR codes. I’d like to step forward and clarify that position. I don’t hate QR codes – I hate QR codes that are used poorly. And instead of leaving it at that, here’s a list of dos and don’ts that I think will make QR code use better, based on actual QR code destinations I’ve seen.
Don’t
Just link to your homepage. If you’re going to do that, just put the URL. It’s easier to remember.
Do
Link to a specific piece of content that is interesting, and I might not have found otherwise. The more specific to the mobile experience, the better.
Don’t
Link to a site that isn’t optimized for a mobile device. There’s nothing worse than showing up a site on your phone and not being able to figure out how to use it, because I’m on a 2×4” screen, but the navigation is at the far right of a 980 pixel design.
Do
Optimize your site for mobile! If you’re going to force people to look at your site on a mobile device, then at least make sure to deliver the best user experience possible.
Don’t
Send me to a download page for an app that I don’t know anything about. I don’t download things that are mysterious – I crave information.
Do
Tell me about the app you want me to download in the ad, or better yet, send me to a mobile optimized page that describes what the app is for, and then offers to let me download it.
Don’t
Use QR codes on places where it’s hard to hold a phone steady enough to capture a picture. This includes trains, buses, or above my head.
Do
Include a link near every QR code you use. Because sometimes I just can’t hold my hands steady no matter how stable the subject is.
January 10, 2012
The Difference Between a Mobile Website and an App
This week Jean, Captains’ Lead Digital Producer, is bringing us a series of blog posts about digital campaigns. This is the second in the series.
As internet usage on mobile devices has come more and more to the forefront of the web design world, I wanted to clarify something that some of our clients, and others in the industry, don’t have quite right. 
There are two ways to design for a mobile device. The first is to create a website that is optimized to display on your mobile phone’s browser. The second is to create an app that you can download from the appropriate market, and then interact with. These two are similar in that they both happen on a phone, but that’s really all they have in common. In order to get the results you want, both you and your design agency need to understand which one you’re talking about.
Mobile Website
A mobile website is something that you view from your phone’s internet browser – it’s a different-looking version of your website. It’s just laid out so that the content fits well on your phone’s much-smaller screen. When you visit this site from your phone, the web servers recognize that you’re on a phone, and serve up this other version of the website. Something important to note is that for the most part, a mobile website doesn’t interact with your phone’s operating system at all.
Typical things that you have to do to optimize a website for a mobile device are:
• changing the way the navigation works
• shrinking or eliminating pictures
• stripping out flash elements
• making all of the important links large enough to be tapped with your clunky finger as opposed to a much more precise mouse
Mobile App
A mobile app is something that you download from your version of the App Store and install on your phone’s operating system, so it’s always there. It then allows you to open the app on your phone and interact with the app’s content in some way. Many apps interact with websites to pull in content like news stories or blog posts, but an app is NOT a website. It’s like a program that you would install on your computer at home that servers a specific function. Some apps look and function like websites, but they are not websites.
There are two reasons that this distinction is important. First, a mobile site and an app have very different things that they can and cannot do. If you want iPhone users to be able to read your blog posts without using their web browser, then you need to create an app that pulls in those blog posts. The second reason the distinction is important is because any good web developer will be able to make a mobile version of a site – it’s common practice. However, a web developer more than likely will not be able to create a custom app. They use two different programming languages. So you need to make sure you’re talking to the right person, and if you’re talking to an agency, that they know what your expectations are.
January 9, 2012
Setting good goals makes determining ROI on a new website easier
This week Jean, Captains’ Lead Digital Producer, is bringing us a series of blog posts about digital campaigns. This is the first in the series.
With every website we do, clients and potential clients ask us how we are going to help them determine the ROI they’ve received from a website project. This is, of course, a perfectly reasonable request, and something we are happy to help with. The first step is to determine specific goals that the website is being measured against.
So often, clients keep their goals fairly high-level and superficial—we (and our colleagues at other agencies) often hear: “increase web traffic.” Unfortunately, that’s not a goal that be translated into direct ROI. Traffic is great to have, and is a key component of reaching most goals, but traffic alone isn’t enough. You need to make sure that the traffic is the right kind of traffic, and that people are doing what you need them to do once they arrive at your site.
We also have clients come in and request an increase in time spent on site. In most cases, sure, this is generally a good thing. However, it’s not something that can translate into ROI. What if by making it easier for people to find your contact form, you increased the number of leads, but decreased the time on site? Wouldn’t that be better for your business than increasing time on site but decreasing the number of leads you capture?
Before you can determine ROI, spend some time considering what business result you’re looking to accomplish. Then, match those to website goals. You’ll have a much easier time convincing your boss to green light your next effort if you can document sound ROI.
January 5, 2012
Searching for a Sound That Doesn’t Exist
By Ted Page, Captains of Industry
I really enjoyed this short film by Tom Wigglesworth about a shop in Paris that sells very hard to find parts for old pianos – or, as it’s described in the film – a kind of organ bank for pianos.
The thing that really stood out for me was the idea of searching for a sound that doesn’t exist. I relate to that concept a lot because every time we at Captains make something, whether it’s a new brand or a video, we’re also searching for something elusive: a feeling, an emotion, a great story. That moment when we find it is not unlike hearing music played on an instrument that never existed before, or had been forgotten, that piano tucked away in the corner of an old house that just needed a few strings – and someone wanting to play it.
January 4, 2012
Avoiding the “Buzz Platforms” in your online marketing
By Jean Levassuer, Captains of Industry
With so many options available under the umbrella of “online marketing,” it’s hard to know where to start. There’s a tendency I’ve noticed for people to use what I think of as “buzz platforms.” These include the big social networks like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, but also include the random new network you just read about in AdWeek. If you ever find yourself asking “How could we use this platform,” pause for a moment. Why do you want to use that platform? Is your target audience on that platform? Facebook ≠Twitter ≠LinkedIn ≠ Jumo. They all have their own uses, audiences, benefits, and drawbacks. You need to pick the platform that’s right for you.
Here are a few examples of what I mean.
1. Are you trying to reach early adopters of online technologies? Then Twitter probably isn’t a good place for your marketing investment. Why not? Because early adopters left Twitter behind years ago in favor of more niche, less populated networks. Rule of thumb: if your parents are starting to use a social network, chances are that early adopters have already moved on.
2. Are you a B2B company trying to reach managers at large manufacturing plants? Overworked 40-50 year old men? I’d suggest avoiding Facebook. If they’re on social networks at all, they’re more likely on LinkedIn.
3. Are you a US-based manufacturer of transformers, trying to break into the Chinese energy market? If so, you might want to avoid a content marketing/blogging focus on your campaign. People in China, and many other countries for that matter, don’t use the internet in the same way that we do in the US, and blogging isn’t nearly as prevalent.
Social networks and other online marketing tools can have a huge impact on your marketing efforts, but only if used properly. Don’t ask, “How can I use Facebook?” Instead ask, “Where can I reach my audience online?”
January 3, 2012
It’s all in the details
By Alex McKee, Captains of Industry
Here’s an interesting commercial for Cuties—the miniature oranges that you buy in bulk at the grocery store.
It’s true, or so it would seem, that Cuties are made for kids. And as this commercial clearly points out, one of the most compelling benefits of Cuties oranges is that they are seedless, why, because ³”kids hate seeds.” Cuties are also small and bite sized thus, perfectly fitting into the hands and mouths of children looking for a healthy snack. Take a look at this spot and you will see a perfect scene in which a child softly falls onto the couch eagerly devouring a colorful, vitamin packed, Cutie orange. Advertising at its best right?
So what’s wrong with this commercial? Well, around 8 seconds into the spot a warning message stamps the image of a child on her back reading “eating while lying down may be a choking hazard.” Huh? Did someone miss that subtle detail? What genius shot this thing? And who actually gave it the green light for airtime? Maybe I misunderstand this whole advertising thing, but it seems to me that showing a situation in which a child can potentially die from using your product is NOT a good idea. And, pointing that act out during the money shot is an even worse idea. Products can have laws but advertising cannot. Communication is all about the details and this commercial missed the memo. Here’s a piece of free advice for Cuties: stick to the sandboxes and school lunches!
Watch it here:
http://youtu.be/sY8i5ulFz7I
December 23, 2011
Friday Candy: Have a Funky Funky Christmas
Have a great holiday weekend! Stay merry with The New Kids on the Block.