It has been a long and hard road getting through this semester, but the end is near! And so with that I would like to create a post in memory of my eMarketing class.
Alright, so this is actually an assignment, but either way, here we go!
First off there are many tools that we learned to utilize in my eMarketing class that can be directly applicable if I were to ever go into electronic marketing as a career.
Speaking of websites, there were more than a few things regarding those in our class as well.
Bored yet? Because now we move onto a topic that for years, I avoided: Social media! Yes, yes, I know I briefly mentioned them earlier but it was more in passing than an actual topic, so let’s get going!
So has anyone else wondered why social media is still around and not likely to go away like most other trends? I suspect most anyone reading this is giving your computer screens funny looks right now. And now checking to see if you actually are. The truth is, is that people like to talk. They like to talk a lot. The thing we in eMarketing need to wonder is: what are they talking about?
To use social media in your eMarketing campaign, as stated before, you’ll want to first establish what each platforms assets are, then find ways to utilize those assets.
For example, Pintrest is less of a chatting or interacting social media, and more of a photo-sharing place. Or so it seems. If you are in a company that does hiking and camping, you could use Pintrest to show off the amazing areas that your company hikes through, and have those photos link back to your website with a big old ‘Call to Action’ (refer to my AIDA- the last ‘A’ in my first post please) front and center.
For other social media sites, what you use, and how you use it will determine how well your emarketing campaign fairs. With all of the communication on social media, domestically, internationally, in private groups, and amongst individuals, you will want to have them talking about you, while still giving calls to action.
Overall there is so much more to eMarketing, and to my course than I can explain- or explain well, in a short blog post. For now I will leave you with this thought in mind:
What will happen when you take this action? What will that cause? And then what will that cause again?
Like in chess, when in marketing, know and understand what your actions will create, both good and bad.
Alright, so this is actually an assignment, but either way, here we go!
First off there are many tools that we learned to utilize in my eMarketing class that can be directly applicable if I were to ever go into electronic marketing as a career.
- For example, Photoshop is a program I had never had the chance to use before, and yet photo-editing software is all over the place in the marketing, and emarketing world. It is fun, an ethical dilemma, and useful for creating unique and creative advertizing.
- Social Media. Yes I mean facebook, twitter, pintrest, LinkedIn, and so on. Each platform has a unique purpose and perspective with different types of audiences. In order for a company to have an effective eMarketing campaign they must understand each platform’s strengths, weaknesses, as well as their consumers’ needs.
- Adobe Flash. We did not work on this as much as the others, but the idea is similar. Creating interactive features, such as a photo gallery, or making a short little video for your emarketing campaign can become a great asset. It is my experience that simple text on a webpage can become quite boring, and your customers will think so too.
Speaking of websites, there were more than a few things regarding those in our class as well.
- Usability. The ability to use a website right? Sounds simple, but between links to nowhere, viruses, and simply not having a point to your website, it is far from ‘simple’. Creating a website that is usable, via using the AIDA principles that we went over in my first blog post, is key to most marketing campaigns.
- Searchability. Well now that you can use your website, can anyone even find it? Think about what people are wanting from your website, and use that as a guide for when creating keywords for search engines. Also be aware of the potential to have links to pages of your site come up in partnering sites, for networking (whether for hospitality, entertainment, or research, etc) will get your name or brand out there.
- Readability. Did you know that a light font on a dark background is often harder to read for older people or those with eyesight problems (like me)? Learn who your market is, and what they are looking for in your website to create easier ways for them to read the info they want.
- Accessibility. So going off of the eyesight problems in the last bullet, do you have the ability to cater to a user who is blind or has dyslexia? No? Might want to think on that one a bit. There are ways to keep your website up to ADA standards, but it might take a bit of creativity for some.
Bored yet? Because now we move onto a topic that for years, I avoided: Social media! Yes, yes, I know I briefly mentioned them earlier but it was more in passing than an actual topic, so let’s get going!
So has anyone else wondered why social media is still around and not likely to go away like most other trends? I suspect most anyone reading this is giving your computer screens funny looks right now. And now checking to see if you actually are. The truth is, is that people like to talk. They like to talk a lot. The thing we in eMarketing need to wonder is: what are they talking about?
To use social media in your eMarketing campaign, as stated before, you’ll want to first establish what each platforms assets are, then find ways to utilize those assets.
For example, Pintrest is less of a chatting or interacting social media, and more of a photo-sharing place. Or so it seems. If you are in a company that does hiking and camping, you could use Pintrest to show off the amazing areas that your company hikes through, and have those photos link back to your website with a big old ‘Call to Action’ (refer to my AIDA- the last ‘A’ in my first post please) front and center.
For other social media sites, what you use, and how you use it will determine how well your emarketing campaign fairs. With all of the communication on social media, domestically, internationally, in private groups, and amongst individuals, you will want to have them talking about you, while still giving calls to action.
Overall there is so much more to eMarketing, and to my course than I can explain- or explain well, in a short blog post. For now I will leave you with this thought in mind:
What will happen when you take this action? What will that cause? And then what will that cause again?
Like in chess, when in marketing, know and understand what your actions will create, both good and bad.