David Meerman Scott's Blog, page 33

Use the data you collect from customers to help customers

I was poking around a clothing company site this morning, checking out a few cool looking items, but I didn’t buy anything. Soon after, I received an email “Exclusive 10% off for you” with an image of one of the products I looked at and a coupon to get that item at a special discount. Retargeting once felt creepy, but now we’re used to the companies we do business with knowing a ton about us and using that information to market to us.

Lil Dicky’s Star-Studded "Earth" Music Video

Music artist Lil Dicky released a music video on Friday featuring Leonardo DiCaprio together with 30 music artists including Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, Halsey, Bad Bunny, PSY, Zac Brown, Miley Cyrus, Sia, Ed Sheeran, Snoop Dogg and more, all to send a message about saving the earth. It’s a remarkable effort at bringing young music fans together to support a cause, just in time for Earth Day tomorrow.

The Voice of Authority? When the Salesperson Was the Expert

In the old days, salespeople were the experts we relied on to educate us about products and services. In a world where we didn’t have the ability to go online to conduct independent research, buyers were at the mercy of sellers. Of course, that’s not true anymore. Yet many sales managers still run their teams as if it is.

Blurring Lines Between Fiction and Reality: “The Chef” by James Patterson On Facebook Messenger and Instagram

James Patterson, one of the most successful authors ever, has always been clever with the way he markets his works. And that makes sense because early in his career he worked in advertising. For his new thriller The Chef Patterson cast actor Cory Tucker in the lead role of Detective Caleb Rooney for a social media reality experience available on Facebook Messenger and Instagram, blurring the lines between fiction and reality.

RIP Google Plus: The Highs and Lows of the Once Popular Social Network

Google Plus launched in mid-2011 to great excitement. Initially by invitation only, a clever ploy to get early adopters to sign on, Google Plus became the fastest growing social network in history when it opened to everybody in September 2011. Now, less than a decade after launch, the service is shutting down today. We can learn two lessons from this saga: 1) “Me too” social networks never succeed and 2) never tie the majority of your personal brand to a social network.

When the News Media Wants Your Content Right Now!

Yesterday, I was flying on the American Airlines shuttle from Boston to New York when soon after takeoff we hit a flock of geese. The pilot declared an emergency and we landed 11 minutes later back at Boston Logan airport. When I deplaned, I shot a photo of the blood and feathers on the nose and windscreen of the plane and posted it on Twitter and Instagram. I never imagined that the photo would be one that dozens of media outlets were eager to run.

Write Your Biography In First Person

In my work, I frequently have an opportunity to read biographies on company websites, in LinkedIn  and other social profiles, and on professional services firm 'About' pages. Most are written in the detached third person. However, the ones that come alive are almost always written in the first person.

Here’s what you need to know

Over the past decade, clickbait headlines have proliferated on all sorts of Web content. They have shown up on blogs with increasing frequency “The 5 social media marketing secrets to drive your business now” and they appear on sponsored content on media sites all the time “7 heart-warming photos of babies that you won’t believe”. Now I’m seeing clickbait headlines on the websites of mainstream media sites including the Washington Post and New York Times, frequently including a phrase similar to “Here’s what you need to know”.

Amazing Content Marketing History: My Apollo 11 Press Kits Now Digitized

It's taken me fifteen years of collecting to amass what I believe to be the most complete collection of Apollo 11 press kits in the world. Now, in honor of the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission in July 2019, I've digitized my collection and made it available to scholars, marketers, Apollo buffs, and fans of graphic design. It's my gift to the world.

The 5 Essential Skills Required for Building an Effective Website

Over the past decade I’ve analyzed and advised on hundreds of Websites, many as part of the coaching services I offer to participants in the Tony Robbins Business Mastery events I speak at where I offer my New Marketing Mastery online learning program. I’ve found that the best websites are built by a team of people who collectively have these skills: Graphic Design, Content Creation, Platform-Specific Developmental, and Search Engine Optimization. I’ve also learned almost nobody has all four of these skills, so a team approach is the best way to build an effective website.