Web Content Conferences - Tampa Bay, Fla

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When the Economy Gets Tough, the Tough Get Content

When the tough get content, it’s not con-tent’ as in contentment. In a depressed economy, discontent is the mood of the day. No, the tough get con’-tent, as in “content is king”.

Robert Rose, the VP of Strategic Planning for CrownPeak, gives his prescription for online marketing success in a tough economy in a video presentation, available from the CrownPeak site.

First, figure out who is visiting. The website remains the key, and using it as an online marketing platform is the goal. To do this, you need to figure out who is coming to your site. After all, visitors are just visitors unless they convert into customers.

Then, feed high-quality content into your site frequently, on a regular basis. Spend money on creating quality content, not just on cool technologies. You want to be sure that your content is optimized, targeted toward the right market, and measured for effectiveness. Rose cautions against personalization, noting that unless you are amongst the publishing giants, hiding your content behind a firewall will work against you.

Finally, Rose warns that you need to keep a look-out for the next big thing; if you don’t experiment and fail occasionally, you’re not pushing yourself.

Rose presents at Web Content Tampa Bay about some of the The New “No Rules” Of Online Marketing: How Social Media and Content Marketing Changes Everything You Know - And Nothing You Do.

Three Magic Words of Web Marketing: Search Engine Optimization

In a world where the elevator pitch is considered the maximum attention span of the average listener, entrepreneur and marketing strategist Sonny Cohen thinks you should be able to explain your business in three words or less. That’s a pretty fast elevator, and it’s called keyword search. When your prospects enter their three magic words into the search engine, then praise their search engine for delivering up just what they needed on the first page, you want to be there.

With more than 25 years experience, Chief Marketing Officer for Duo Consulting, Cohen, educates web professionals about ways to drive business results, with his presentations such as Content is Marketing, So Market Your Content and the Content Matters workshops. Read the white paper: Getting Noticed by Search Engines to learn about the new paradigm in positive attention-getting.

Don’t miss Cohen’s presentation, Drive Website Traffic with Effective Keywords, at Web Content 2009 Tampa Bay.

Training to Create Creative Jocks

Anyone who has seen the YouTube video of the Diet Coke and Mentos science experiment, which creates an effect that imitates the Bellagio Hotel Fountain display in Las Vegas, must marvel at the creativity of the chemists who thought to use this combination of ordinary materials in an unusual way. The creativity aspect isn’t necessarily in using the multiple nucleation sites of a Mentos, combined with a fizzy soda, to explode, but rather the idea of orchestrating the experiment and adding music. It’s no wonder, then, that the Mentos experiment shows up in performances by the Blue Man Group.

Gary Unger, author of How to Be a Creative Genius, says that creativity is a marathon, and just as marathon runners can participate in a sprint, sprinters can’t reciprocate. He advocates training to bring out your creative side, much as an athlete trains for a competition. Creativity may begin with aptitude, but doesn’t need to be limited to those who were born with that gift. Creativity, particularly in one’s area of expertise, can be developed and put to use in the workplace.

Hear Gary Unger talk about Using Social Networks To Promote A Book, the story behind his own experience, at Web Content 2009 Tampa Bay.

Visual Literacy Affects Site Usability

In the content management world, the difference between data and content is often described as the human factor: is it read by humans or is it read by the system for “housekeeping” purposes? Human-readable data is usually described as content. Bits of data that lack context without the surrounding content - a price, for example, that lacks meaning without knowing what item the price is attached to - is usually described as data.

In the “content is king” pursuit for good content, visual content often gets overlooked. Every visual cue has a meaning, whether it be a color combination (when does red and green not indicate Christmas?) or shading (we’ve all experienced the frustration of the option we want being “greyed out”) or a strategically-placed line (how many of us stopped scrolling when we hit a “false bottom” of a web page?). Visual literacy may have become commonplace for the generation we call digital natives, but reading visual content doesn’t come naturally to the older generations of online users. The need for a design to create a conversation with site users is critical to helping them navigate through the site.

Ken Walters discusses aspects of visual communication in Design Is Content, Too at Web Content 2009 Tampa Bay.

Head In The Clouds? Put Data There Instead

To cloud or not to cloud, that is the question. There is a fair amount of debate about cloud computing these days, as organizations try to decide whether to take advantage of online tools and move their data to remote servers, or to keep control by using traditional software on dedicated internal servers. There is likely no definitive answer, as business requirements vary wildly from organization to organization.

In an article for smallbiztechnology.com, Jonathan Sapir discusses the pros and cons of cloud computing and helps organizations understand the advantages and mechanics, using metaphors that any business owner can relate to. At Web Content 2009 Tampa Bay, Sapir presents Situational Applications: Cost Effective Solutions to Immediate Business Challenges, which describes ways to capitalize on the new technologies available to all sizes of business.

The Tension In A Tug-of-War Needs Two Players

The Request for Proposal (RFP) process, once meant to ensure that corporate and government purchasing was done fairly and efficiently, has developed, over the decades, into an exercise that is often counter-productive to the original intent. Instead of ensuring that a corporation gets the best possible product for the best possible price, the RFP often becomes a powerful tool that serves to source complex technologies ill-suited to being sourced that way. While the RFP may work to purchase light standards, it’s disconcerting when an RFP for light standards is sent out, still bearing the “Track Changes” marks on a few paragraphs, to source a Web content management system. Yet though the issuer has subverted the process, the respondent is required to respond, because not to play the game is to automatically lose.

Tony White has a lot of experience with RFPs, educating clients in how to fashion one and educating vendors in how to respond to one. The result is meant to create an effective way of setting out the requirements, and eliciting responses that are meaningful toward a beneficial decision-making process.

Before getting to the RFP stage, it’s important to understand what a content management system can do, and how to use it towards your marketing campaigns. His session at Web Content Tampa Bay, Marketing Campaign Management on the Web: The Current State of Marketing Tools within WCM Systems, is a must-attend for anyone thinking of acquiring a Web CMS.

The Many Faces of Library Architecture

When we think of libraries, we think of books: row upon row of hard-cover books organized into the predictable order of the Dewey Decimal system. It might be surprising to know that only about one-third of public library space is used for books. The other two thirds are used for other activities, such as meeting rooms and, of course, computers.

Whether it be the modern and controversial Seattle Central Library by Rem Koolhaas, Moshe Safdie‘s Roman Colosseum-like Vancouver Public Library, or the classical architecture of the Chicago Public Library, designed by Solon Beman - known for his Christian Science churches, digital information has gained prominence both within the physical spaces and in the online presence. The need for a well-designed and functional website is as important as the building itself. It’s not only for those who patrons who want to look online for books and other materials on hand in the library, but also for patrons wanting to do online research from remote locations.

Making the online experience the friendliest possible was a challenge faced by Chicago Public Library’s Kelly Wheeler and the Duo Consulting team, including Fred Salchli. They discuss their challenges and triumphs in the case study, ChicagoPublicLibrary.org - Rebuilding a Website One Book at a Time, at Web Content 2009 Tampa Bay.

Great Design Supports Great Brands

Building a brand goes way beyond a logo, which is simply the visual icon that customers come to associate with a brand. The Nike swoosh, the colors of Google, McDonald’s M, the colorful quadrants of Microsoft - none of these symbols actually indicate what the corporation behind the logo does, but each icon elicits an emotional response that can articulate brand values. Trustworthy? Customer-focused? Borg-like? Cheap but cheerful? All of these manifestations of brand are the result of multiple stories that have infused the public sphere.

The effect of brand on a site, or more accurately, of a site on brand, plays out slightly differently. An online presence can detract from a strong bricks-and-mortar brand if the organization’s site screams out lack of functionality. A “cute-but-dumb” site deters users from engaging with not only the site but often the company itself.

Matthew Schwartz of MSDS discusses form, function, and fashion - web design fashion - in his presentation, Functionality Matters: Why Great Design Can Be Bad for Business, at Web Content 2009 Tampa Bay.

Traffic Is Just Traffic Unless Clicks Turn To Leads

Ask what organizations are trying to achieve with the marketing content, and they’ll likely say it’s search engine optimization. Ask smart organizations what they are trying to achieve, and they’ll tell you their aim is to generate qualified leads. They understand that search engine optimization is only an interim step towards the real goal: making sales. While the end of the rainbow seems to be search engine optimization, success can take on a very different look. Generating quality custom content is one way to convert leads to customers. Infosurv, a marketing research firm, has shown that measures such as distributing high-value white papers can increase web conversions - sometimes by as much as 200%.

Lisa Calhoun, founder of Write2Market, demonstrates other strategies for promoting brand and getting users to click. Some of these techniques can be found in the white papers on the Write2Market site, or you can hear her speak on Instant Brand Messaging: Writing To Be Clicked at Web Content 2009 in Tampa Bay.

Getting Viewers To Ask For Your Marketing Material

In a world of marketing noise, the key is to cut through the cacophony with some wanted melodies. Among the ironies of marketing is that while users claim to dislike ads, in reality, they only dislike ads for things they don’t want. When the product or service is relevant, users can become quite engaged. With the advent of social marketing, there are more opportunities to keep users engaged.

Vibes Media, a company delivering mobile technologies, has demonstrated how interactive marketing creates engaged users. They have published case studies involving, among others, some of the hottest properties in Hollywood. Alex Campbell, cofounder of Vibes Media, shows how the mobile platform has become the new marketing frontier in his presentation The Mobile Marketing Truth at Web Content 2009 in Tampa Bay.

Operations Handling of the Political Layer in the Stack

When a Web redesign or content management project gets announced, there is much excitement from all areas of the organization. The possibilities for a newer, better system holds out the promise of more functionality, better workflow, increased ease of use, and other great things. IT loves picking the tools; Marketing loves the chance for a make-over, and content contributors love the idea of automated management of the rote tasks that go with content management.
Where the plan breaks down is usually somewhere around the political layer of the project. Many times, change management means “change scheduling”, and there is little or no attention paid to the aspects of user behavior, process control, and setting up a governance model. Because operations strategy hasn’t been handled as an explicit part of the project, the long-term strategic vision doesn’t get carried through to the tactical level. As a result, once the implementation has been completed and staff engages as part of their day-to-day work, the operations of the site start to develop its unique set of problems.

David Hobbs, a technology consultant, discusses some of tensions in handling the political layer of a technology project, on the Welchman Pierpoint blog. To learn how early architectural decisions can affect long-term capabilities, mark David’s session, Deep or Shallow Multilingual? at Web Content 2009 Tampa Bay.

Multiple Degrees of Communication

Wiki evangelist Stewart Mader may love the technology, but what he really loves is the productivity that the technology can bring about when properly implemented. The idea that wikis help organizations share information may be the primary reason that they want to adopt a wiki, but the side benefits—reduction in email and meetings, development of planned and spontaneous communities, and idea hatcheries - can be teased out when the implementation is done with due thought and care.

In addition to Mader’s wiki consulting blog, where he provides a wealth of information on the topic of enterprise wikis, check out these resources:

Mader presents the keynote, Six Degrees of Collaboration, at Web Content 2009 Tampa Bay, where he talks about collaborative technologies beyond the wiki.

Getting Your Message Across in a World of Instant Communication

Social networking tools have created an entire new way of communicating with stakeholders. Gone are the days of hiding a PDF white paper behind a firewall and hoping that potential customers will register to get access. The multitude of instant communications channels grab the attention of consumers, from blogs to micro-blogs, from YouTube to games, from widgets to gadgets, from micro-applications to mash-ups. White papers continue to be a great source of information about information that can’t be captured in 140 characters or less, but getting people to the people is a much greater challenge with each day.

An interesting application of some of the newer technologies is the way that politicians have effectively used these challenges to get voters to pay attention to their messages. Jean Fleming dissects the techniques of political marketing to show how their successes can translate into the business world. Jean furthers the discussion with B2B 2.0 – Content Strategy for a YouTube World: White Papers, Widgets and Beyond at Web Content 2009 Tampa Bay.

How the Economic Recession Affects Your Content Mix

Hard economic times make for strange bedfellows and, as the US finds itself in an economic situation said to rival the depression almost a century ago, content publishers find themselves facing some interesting challenges. The cuts of the 1990s to create “lean and mean” organizations has created companies that are positively anorexic, and some bulimic, as they gorge and purge according to the economic changes. In this time of economic belt-tightening, there is often no more fat to cut, so media companies are in a position to do something different: get more creative.
Joe Pulizzi, Chief Content Officer for Junta 42, understands the value of content, that it is an asset that serves as the “good stuff” of marketing campaigns. Without content, the technology has nothing of interest to deliver. Customers and prospects will be drawn in by the quality and usefulness of content, in all its different forms. He recently blogged about this phenomenon and trends in content marketing. As marketers move money to areas where it can be more effective, the role of content is facing a significant increase.

Hear more about this trend, particularly about the dos and don’ts of content marketing, in Joe’s presentation, Please Stop Talking about Yourself: Is Your Web Content Killing Your Brand and What to Do about It, at Web Content 2009 Tampa Bay.

Using Social Media to Promote Personal Brand

The age of social media is no longer “nearing” or “about to descend” - it is upon us. The new ways of using the Internet aren’t reserved for whatever arbitrary age we deem to be the “younger” generations. The new great divide is between those who are sharing, and those who don’t know what it’s about. Whatever generational gap may have existed has narrowed, and John Eckman embodies the executive who has embraced social media. It makes perfect sense, considering that this is his core practice area.

A prolific blogger, Eckman avails himself of an array of social media tools to amass information and disseminate information about himself and his whereabouts. The related shift from living separate public and private spheres now merge, allowing for information to span both spheres with more fluidity. Eckman is del.icio.us-ly open-Facebook-ed, a Twitter-ing Ma.gnolia, an Upcoming, Goatless Open Parenthesis, the Last Dopplr Flickr of his kind - and if that previous sentence didn’t make sense, visit www.johneckman.com to experience social media in full bloom.

John’s presentation, Kill the Corporate Voice: Your Company’s Website on Web 2.0, takes the idea of authentic voice to building the corporate brand, at Web Content 2009.

Call for Presentations Extended: Submit Your Speaking Proposal By August 28

We’ve had so many requests from would be presenters, we’ve decided to extend the Call for Presentations for Web Content 2009 Tampa Bay until August 28, 2008. And, if we really like your presentation idea, we may even ask you to present at our other events: Web Content 2009 Chicago (June 15-16, 2009) and Web Content 2009 Austin (dates to be announced soon).

We’re looking for great presentations from outstanding speakers on topics that address the needs of our audience and that align nicely with the theme of the conference—“The Impact of Social Media on Web Marketing Strategy”. Specifically, we’re looking for sessions that teach attendees something useful—something they can use when they return to the office. To be considered, follow the guidance provided below and use our online submission form to submit your presentation abstract, professional biography and photograph before the August 28, 2008 deadline.

What you’ll need to submit
Before you start the submission process, make sure you have everything required. Incomplete submissions WILL NOT be considered.

Complete contact information for the presenter
150 word or fewer professional biography
Color headshot photograph (1MB or less; no smaller than 150 pixels x 150 pixels and no larger than 800 pixels x 600 pixels)
Relevant and descriptive presentation title (and subtitle, if applicable)
100 word or fewer brief session abstract designed that summarizes what the session is about and what attendees can expect to learn (to be used in print program)
300-500 word detailed session abstract that describes in detail what the session is about and specifically what attendees will learn (to be used on the event website and in email marketing campaigns)
Indicate whether is laptop computer is required of the attendees and what level of knowledge the audience is expected to have (is the session appropriate for all audiences, intermediate or advanced?)

What we’re looking for

Presentations should focus on teaching something very granular (e.g. Writing Marketing Content for the Web, Understanding Social Networks, Delivering Dynamic Personalized Content on Demand) and involve some audience interaction
Case Studies should focus on how an organization solved a particular problem and should be presented by individuals that work for the organization, not for software vendors; they should also provide guidance (good practices, lessons learned, strategies for success) to those attendees who may be interested in exploring a similar solution in the future
Workshops should explore subjects in more detail (Building an Online Community, Creating a Video Blog, Developing a Wiki) and involve various types of audience interaction (sharing stories, working in teams, creating a deliverable, using software)

What we’re NOT looking for
We’re not looking for product pitches disguised as presentations, nor are we looking for PowerPoint preachers who read their slides. We don’t mind if a presentation has a marketing component to it, but we do not want this to be the focus of any presentation, case study, or workshop.

Questions?
If you’ve got questions not answered here, let us know.

Web Content 2009 Tampa Bay Comes To Clearwater Beach, Florida

White sand beaches and the azure waters of the Gulf of Mexico greet you at the Sheraton Sand Key Resort in beautiful Clearwater, Florida, home of Web Content 2009 Tampa Bay. Set on Clearwater Beach and surrounded by gorgeous views, you’ll feel miles away from everything, yet never more connected. The event is part of the Web Content Conference Series expanded three conference 2009 season, brings together nationally-recognized technology, design, content, and marketing authorities to explore this year’s theme: “The Impact of Social Media on Web Marketing Strategy”. Presenters will demystify social media technologies, and examine standards, methods, tools, and best practices that impact web content professionals.

Our last event sold out weeks in advance. Don’t miss out on this outstanding event. Space is limited. Register today!

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