Spreading Your Message: Rx for Success in Viral & Online Marketing - August 22, 2008
Online Marketing and the New Age.
Marketing is defined as the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large. The modern day has brought about new opportunities for marketers to reach their target audience, but with these opportunities come new challenges. The internet has become a place where any and all products can reach the shopper, but only if those products are easy to find, and easy to acquire.
In “Customer Decision Making in a Wired Global World”, Alexander Fedorikhin, Kelley School of Business, Professor of Marketing presented a look inside his current research in the field of Consumer Behavior and how the new online market place affects individual buying behavior. In his analysis, Professor Fedorikhin detailed the processes by which consumers purchase items, and the way marketers can utilize these behaviors to better position their products and services in the minds of consumers.
“Search Engine Marketing” presented by Jeremy Dearringer CMO, Slingshot SEO, and Kevin Bailey President, Slingshot SEO, provided attendees a snapshot look into the business of search engine marketing, how its changed over the last ten years and what marketer’s can look forward to in the near future. Emphasis was spent on ways to improve search results and improve the rates of conversion from visitors into leads. In their presentation, both Kevin and Jeremy detailed the importance of improving search rankings, and the means to retain the consumer’s attention while on a site. According to Dearringer search engine marketing is not only cost effective, but is one of the most track able forms of advertising, is available 24/7, and builds brand equity.
“Viral Marketing” was presented by Nicole Halper, Producer, INNOVATIVE. What is viral marketing and what can it do for you? During the session it was explained that this form of marketing seeks to use preexisting networks in order to spread information about a particular product or service. Using everyday behaviors such as word-of mouth, texting and networking individuals become marketers by spreading the word. Used in a number of ways, viral marketing attempts to break through the marketing clutter to attract attention and interest. But is this “Common Sense” marketing just a fad? Ms. Halper sought to answer such questions, and in doing so she was able to create a clear picture of the potential importance of viral marketing.
