LFI University - Brand Management and Web 2.0
This is the second of a three part series on the impact of Web 2.0 for businesses who have an online presence. “Web 2.0″ is a term coined for the next generation of development in interactive design and development. Originally published in LFI University. In our last issue, we discussed the latest trends in interactive development, collectively referred to as “web 2.0.” This issue, we’ll be discussing the potential implications to your brand management strategy when you begin opening up to user-generated content.
The old advertising adage of “control the message” is quickly being exposed as an impossible task. With the advent of social media and the explosion of user-generated content on the web in recent years, “the message” has become a hydra of mythic proportions. The answer for the savvy marketer is not trying to cut off more heads.
A better strategy might be, look into buying some Hydra Treats, and make friends with as many heads as possible.
In many ways, user-generated content is the oldest form of advertising known to man: word of mouth. It may lack the professional polish of your intentional messaging, but it often has a passion and a sense of legitimacy that those messages lack, particularly with the less-trusting younger generations. Learning to cultivate your most passionate users and customers into volunteer brand cheerleaders is what will set smart businesses apart in coming years.
User-generated content can’t be controlled; and in some ways, that’s what makes it so effective. However, it can be managed by someone with the resources and understanding to do their homework. Managed effectively, user-generated content can push your brand into a grassroots phenomenon.
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Adobe CS 3: The Wait Is Over (sort of)
Adobe has announced they will be holding an event to announce the release of the much anticipated Creative Suite 3 on March 27th, though the actual release won’t be till late spring. During this event, Adobe will reveal the features and suite configurations that will make what Adobe is calling the largest software release in their 25 year history.
Although Adobe has not released the list of features for each program, they did release a beta version for Photoshop and the word on the street is that it has some pretty fancy new features, one of them being the Smart Filters. This feature allows you to apply filters and turn them on/off, etc. without hurting the integrity of the graphic. Very nice.
Here’s a short list of some additional features that could be seen on the new release:
Quick Selection Tool
The new Quick Selection Tool creates selections by painting the general area of interest. Photoshop CS3 analyzes the image to complete the selection automatically.
Refine Edge
The new Refine Edge feature offers a simple, flexible way to modify the edge of any selection. Available via the Options bar or via the Select menu, the Refine Edge dialog lets you smooth, feather, contract or expand the current selection by using simple slider controls. Experiment with the Radius slider to select irregular or fuzzy edges.
Automatic layer alignment and blending
Using automatic layer alignment and blending, easily combine the best parts of multiple images of the same scene into one “best” image. Simply place multiple, related images on separate layers in one document, and let Photoshop CS3 analyze the contents, moving and rotating the layers so they overlap as precisely as possible.
Black and White conversion
Advanced black-and-white conversion is now simpler and faster. With the new Black and White adjustment, one button analyzes the image and offers conversion settings.
For all you nerds out there that can’t wait till the full list of features are available on Adobe’s website, Adobe will be webcasting this event live from New York City on March 27, 2007 at 3:30 p.m. EDT at http://www.adobe.com/go/cs3launch. Enjoy!
LeapCast: 3.20.07 - Google Changes: SEO Impact
Recent changes to the Google algorithm have made for some frantic moments in the SEO world. Ryan and Mike discuss recent changes and other news from the Interactive realm.
A complaint about spam
Marketing people are horrible. Well, not all marketing people… spammers are though. I fight on a weekly and sometimes daily basis to reduce the amount of spam that we receive through our contact forms. We block IPs, catch certain words, and do various things to reduce the spam coming through the form — it’s an ongoing battle that has no end.
You know what’s worse than spammers? The people that click on the links in spam. Those are the people that keep the spammers coming back — if no one ever responded to spam, the spammers would surely stop spamming. but people keep clicking, and buying, and falling for scams. Why on earth would someone send thousands of dollars to some guy in Nigeria that they have never met? Those people apparently have too much disposable income.
So I have a new idea to combat spam. If everyone participates, we can rid spam from the world forever. Really. Here’s the idea: anytime you receive spam, and are feeling like you might click on the link and purchase something, come fill out our contact form and we’ll sell you a website, or some SEO. If you feel like you’re about to go to the bank and get a cashiers check and postmark it for Nigeria, just send it to me. I won’t mind. If we all follow this simple plan, the spammers will stop spamming, and I’ll we’ll all be happy.
And we thank you for your support.
LeapCast: 3.16.07 - A Talk With Daniel Knapp
Daniel Knapp, President of LeapFrog Interactive, visits with Mike on the LeapCast today. Discussions include recent interactive news from newspaper advertising to the monetization of the Internet.