Eco-Friendly Digital Marketing Internship

Not in a million years would I have fathomed receiving digital marketing advice from David Plouffe, President elect Barack Obama’s campaign manager, let alone be able to ask him questions.  Thanks to the incredible Digital Maketing World conference held by Marketing Profs on April 1st, 2009 I can actually say I have. 

A week ago if I was asked to attend a conference where David Plouffe was to be the guest speaker, despite my interest in it, I would have declined thinking it would be out of my budget to travel to the conference, pay for a hotel, and actually pay the fees to attend the varied events and seminars.  Today, my answer would be different. 

Marketing Profs Digital Marketing World virtual conference allowed everyone and anyone with an interest in digital marketing to attend a conference with some of the leaders in the Digital Marketing industry from the comfort of their own home at no cost.  Platform provider InXpo in conglomeration with Marketing Profs created an online conference that was far beyond any I have been to in person.  The conference included everything from an image of a beautiful convention centre where the conference was being held, to an auditorium where the speakers would present, an exhibit hall where companies could hold their booths, a resource center where you could download information provided by vendors and the event schedule, to a lounge where you could mix and mingle with others attending.

The conference also eliminated the need for vendors and participants to travel to the site.  It eliminated the need for vendors to create elaborate exhibits, print stacks of pamphlets and informational packages, as well as spend money on chotchkies and doodads to give away.  Making it one of the greenest conferences I have attended.

Other benefits to the online aspect included the fact that there was no line up in front of a booth for a chance to have a conversation with a vendor, there was no rush to get a seat at a seminar, or even the awkward conversation about the weather whilst trying to mingle with others around you. 

When you arrived at each booth a chat window would open where you could see all the conversations going on and join in, or ask for a one on one conversation.  There were several representatives at most booths so there was no waitin in line necessary.  Each booth also had ample information for you to look at with links to their websites, blogs, and so on.  Some vendors even went as far as to provide an opportunity to win prizes like an I-Pod or a book to those stopping by.

The auditorium held a scheduled set of speakers who provided visuals to go along with their live podcast as well as a question and answer session to which you could submit your questions via the live chat window, or via e-mail. 

It was an easy to use, entertaining, intriguing event with so much to offer.  Thankfully all the content and resources from the Marketing Profs Digital Marketing World virtual conference are still available for 90 days for anyone that missed out.

Deepti Dewan Chowdhry

David Meerman Scott’s “The New Rules of Marketing and PR: How to Use News Releases, Blogs, Podcasting, Viral Marketing and Online Media to Reach Buyers Directly” is being used as the lead text for Michigan State University’s New Media Drivers License course offered to Communication Arts and Science graduate students.

The New Media Drivers License (sm) is a graduate level course designed to provide its students with the tools and techniques to best use new media and digital communication tools which include: Facebook, Linkedin, Blogging, Podcasting, New Marketing, Digital Public Relations, Google Tools, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Search Engine Marketing (SEM) including Google Adwords, and Presentation Zen techniques.

More information on David Meerman Scott and “The New Rules of Marketing and PR: How to Use News Releases, Blogs, Podcasting, Viral Marketing and Online Media to Reach Buyers Directly” can be found on Scott’s website.

Deepti Dewan Chowdhry

In recent new, Jerry Yang, CEO of Yahoo,has just announced that he is stepping down. Yang said he would continue his duties until the board announced his successor. He also agreed to assist in the process for finding his replaceent. Finally, Yang said he would continue to work for Yahoo and return to his previous job as “chief Yahoo,” a corporate strategy role in addition to remaining on the board. Yang was in control of Yahoo for about a year and a half.

The decision is said to have been mutual between Yang and the board. Although the board was grateful to Jerry’s contributions over the past year and half, they are looking for someone to take the company to the next level.

Ross Sandler, analyst at RBS Capital Markets, saw this change as a positive decision from what he calls a “shareholders perspective.” He said Yang did little to restore confidence in any of Yahoo’s shareholders, employees or customers after botching the Microsoft deal. In February, Yang refused to accept Microsoft’s bid of $31 a share. He attempted to show some willingness to sell the company but at a much higher price Microsoft was not willing to pay. Due to this, Microsoft rescinded its offer in May.

Yang attempted to develop a plan to help Yahoo compete against Google. He made several cuts in the staff and planned to lay off at least 10% of its 15,000 employees. During the time that this was stated, Yahoo’s net income fell 64% and lowered its revenue projections for the year. Yang made an advertising deal with its rival Google. The deal was supposed to bring Yahoo $250-$450 million in additional cash flow for the first year. Under pressure from regulators over antitrust concersn Google backed out of the deal. Since this deal fell through, many analysts have stated that yahoo might be forced to consider a deal with Microsoft or a merger with AOL. Who know’s what is in store for Yahoo in the near future.

Althouh Jerry Yang seemed very dedicated to the Yahoo corporation, his ability to take Yahoo to the next level did not go as expected. Although he dissapointed the board, he is at least sticking to his company and continuing to support it despite his job situation. As Yang most recently stated, “i have always, and will always bleed purple(in reference to Yahoo’s corporate color).”

The popular social networking site Facebook Inc. is trying out new tactics to churn out steady revenue from its advertisers.  New ads called “engagement ads” appear on the main screen when a person first logs into Facebook. Then the user is prompted to do something with the ad i.e. commenting on a movie trailer or RSVP for the finale of a TV show, etc. If the person goes through with the action, Facebook then sends a notice about what the person has done with the ad to their friends.

Facebook has been testing this new ad format since August and just this month has started making it available to advertisers. According to Facebook, 70 of the U.S.’s 100 largest advertisers have advertised on its site since 2007. Despite Facbook’s attempted efforts, competitor MySpace.com is still the market leader with 15.9% of display-ad spending.

It has been said that buying ads on Facebook and MySpace usually cost less than buying ads on sites such as Yahoo or AOL.  Facebook has hired top ad sales executives from top companies and has also sent teams into agencies to pitch products and generate awareness about its research tools.

The only problem Facebook may have is people getting frustrated with a ton of new ads popping up. Something that used to make Facebook unique from MySpace was that it was not flooded with a bunch of different ads.  Within the next few months, we will see how users react to the new and more prevalent ad usage on Facebook. Since most of Facebook’s targeted users are college students and young adults it could be seen as a downside; however, for marketers it could be seen as a great aspect.

Our Human brains tend to operate in dichotomies: good and bad, man and woman, Obama and McCain and… nature and technology?! Humanity, or more specifically our advances in technology, have largely been responsible for the degradation of ecosystems, exhaustion of resources and extinction of species. Technology is therefore intrinsically in opposition to nature… or is it?

Ok, so our societal advancements have not always treaded lightly on our Mother Earth. It cannot be denied that we have done some irreversible damage. That being said, we are still a part of these integral ecosystems and what is done has been done. It is then, perhaps the most beneficial to utilize our technological advancements to help preserve, conserve and reduce what damage has been done (when possible). Yes, this is a rather large task, and one may ask simply how can you even begin to approach this? Well…

With the advent and ubiquity (literally) of the internet, solutions may be as simple as running a Google search. I recently stumbled upon a website boasting the ‘30 Best Eco Sites.’ As is turns out I hit the green goldmine of eco-sites! This site features a list of some of the best green internet resources. These top 30 sites include everything from environmental blogging, eco-clothing and products and day-to-day living tips. Each and every site serves as an excellent educational green resource, and I highly recommend that you check it out.

On site on this list that caught my eye in particular was EcoGeek. EcoGeek focuses on the connection between nature and technology and aims to prove that green gadgets can be good. Ah ha! Just what I was looking for- people are actually synthesizing these two concepts that until recently (and I mean recently) were definitively at odds. Maybe, just maybe, we can use this internet thing as a platform for a universal green movement…? Sure, technology has been bad for our planet. But it’s time to realize that technology may also have the power to begin to heal the environment. Shunning or ignoring the omnipresence of modern day technology will do nothing to save the planet. We must accept the reality of this situation and begin to use the tools we have at hand to begin to work towards a more sustainable future.

As we press forward into the future, mobile marketing is increasingly evolving. Billions of people all around the world own and use a cell phone on a daily basis. Among the evolution of mobile marketing, QR codes have recently come about. Now, for those of you who are unfamiliar with what these are let me explain. QR stands for “quick response” code where the code allows its contents to be decoded at high speed.  QR codes were created by the Japanese corporation Denso-Wave in 1994. Since then, they have emerged into the Japanese market and have become extremely popular. QR codes are still working their way into the U.S. market and are said to become more prevalent in the future.

Recently, popular designer and fashion icon Ralph Lauren has introduced QR codes into their print ads, mailers and store windows. When scanned with a mobile phone, the code directs the phone’s browser to a website where you can shop for RL products.  For those of you that are impulse buyers this could be heaven on earth. You now have the opportunity to see an item of clothing in a store window, scan the QR code with your phone and purchase the item on the spot without even stepping into the store.  Ralph Lauren hopes that QR codes will become mainstream sometime in the near future.

While researching this topic, I found that most people are extremely skeptical about purchasing items using QR codes. Although it has become extremely popular in Asia, Americans are much more hesitant to put stock in QR codes. Many people felt that since the amount of information they had heard about QR codes was minimal, they questioned the safety of it. Also, others were hesitant about impulse buying and having to potentially whip out their credit cards on a street corner to buy a sweater.

For those of you interested in testing out QR codes here is how you would go about doing that. First, download QR reader software on your phone. (All phones aren’t supported yet so visit m.ralphlauren.com to check if your phone is compatible to download the reader).  Once you’ve downloaded the reader on your phone you can use it to scan any QR codes you see, i.e. the Rugby Ralph Lauren Store in Manhattan, New York.  Your phone will then be directed to that item’s website and you can buy it right there on the spot.

Innovative, yet skeptical this technological advancement is definitely something to be excited about. Keep a lookout for QR codes as they work their way into the U.S. market.  This breakthrough has taken the future of mobile phones to the new level. Ponder the thought, sometime in the near future, if this isn’t already the case, almost all of our personal and business transactions will have the capability to be taken care of over our mobile phones, thus, almost making it like a mini-computer. Oh the possibilities!

I bet if someone told you ten years ago that in the future there would become a way for you to keep in touch with old friends, advertise personal and business events, create groups related to anything from your personal to professional interests and express yourself in various other ways all while having the option to be search engine optimized you would have looked at them like they were from another planet.  Most of you are probably already familiar with the continuously growing website, Facebook. What makes this website so unique is that it is geared toward almost everyone. Whether you are a young adult, college student or business professional Facebook can benefit you in an uncountable amount of ways.

It takes about five minutes to create an account on Facebook and then you are opened up to a world of communication. Once you create an account you have the option to find friends and family members and request to see their profiles, you can upload pictures, send messages to others, post upcoming events, create a description of yourself for others to see, and add various applications for fun or for a cause. 

Facebook for young adults usually has more of a social aspect to it. Young adults usually are more concerned with chatting with friends, finding new ones, uploading pictures, posting events or making groups. Facebook for business professionals or adults is more involved in connecting with old friends, establishing networking connections or posting upcoming business events.

Facebook is a communication tool for the future. Throughout the years it has gradually gained more and more interest in all age groups. Facebook is an extremely useful form of digital media that simplifies keeping in touch with people. There are few downsides to Facebook, however privacy is always a concern. Although you do have the option to keep your profile private someone always has the opportunity to check up on you through someone you are friends with. Many times business professionals will find ways to go in and view your facebook profile before they decide whether they are going to hire you. This is why you should protect yourself. I would suggest this old fashioned rule of thumb: don’t post anything you wouldn’t want your grandma to see or read. Most of the time if you follow this rule whatever you post or upload to your Facebook will not be incriminating (note: there are always exceptions to the rule).

Organizations such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Greenpeace International, PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), RSPCA ( Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals), Unicef, Rock the Vote, Green, PBS, The Campaign for Breast Cancer Research and various others all have created public groups on Facebook. Not only organizations, but almost every college has hundreds of groups associated with their school such as clubs, organizations, academic programs, academic departments and more.

Facebook is an extremely popular form of digital media and is universal to anyone with an internet connection. No matter where in the world you are or what you are doing you have the ability to keep in touch with others. This beneficial form of social media will only continue to evolve and attract more people as time progresses.

Digital media is becoming more and more prevalent as we venture forward into the future. As a college student, I find myself utilizing digital media more frequently every day. Most people do not realize how useful digital media is. Not only can it help you post your resume, network, and contact potential employers it can also help you find anything from an apartment, to a television, even a roommate.

College students, especially those who are graduating or have just graduated can use websites like Linkedin, Naymz, AboutUs and other various websites to create an online profile and post their resume. Vast amounts of employers then have the ability to view your resume and learn whatever you want them to know about you. It’s simple, fast, easy and expands you job and networking opportunities.

Not only college students, but advanced professionals as well can utilize digital media. Whether your company is new or matured, getting your name out there can greatly advance your business and networking options. Now I can understand that there are a lot of business professionals out there who do not have an adequate amount of time to spend on the computer on a daily basis. So why not safe yourself the time and tedious work and have someone else take care of everything? This is where Social Harbor comes in. Social Harbor is a professional profile management company. For a small fee, they will create an online profile that is current, SEO optimized and completely safe and secure.  It’s as easy as that.

Although digital media is something that is usually a positive thing, it does, like anything else, have its negative aspects. A concern of digital media is always privacy issues. Getting your name and information posted all over the internet can possibly turn into a negative thing; however, I can’t help but think about all the times I’ve used the internet to search for jobs, internships, people or other various sources of information. Throughout the years I have been informed of jobs and even my current internship because of the internet. I have also come into contact with old friends, searched for an apartment and have known people who even found their roommate using digital media. Even websites such as www.ratemystudentrental.com allow you to research housing throughout your campus, review ratings and pick which one suits your best interest. Although privacy will always be a concern, I can vouch from personal experience that as long as you are cautious with what you are doing the risks can be slim to none.  Just remember to be aware of what you are getting yourself into and what you are posting for others to view.

In this day and age digital media is almost impossible to not take advantage.  College students especially can utilize it to their advantage in addition to business professionals. Digital media can be used as a business tool or a source of information. Its possibilities and opportunities are endless. So  for all you up-and-coming graduates, current students and even business professionals, go ahead and explore the world of digital marketing if you already haven’t. It is what you make of it, and that could possibly result in something extremely valuable.