The Edgy Entrepreneur

New FTC Guidelines for Garden Bloggers (Yes, You!)

Hey Garden Writers...if you have a blog (or other website) and do any type of product review, this post is particularly important for you. The Federal Trade Commission has issued a set of guidelines that require you to disclose any relationships you have with products/companies you are reviewing. Now, for many of us, this has been standard operating procedure for a long time.

Here's what they have to say:

"if you have received any products, samples, benefits, or other incentives from a company whose products or services you discuss in your blog, you must disclose that. Similarly, if you are an employee of, or have any other connection to, a company whose products or services you discuss in your blog, you must disclose that, as well."

These regulations have been in place for a very long time in traditional advertising. The truth in advertising/backing up your claims language is something that we have all heard before. It makes a lot of sense that the FTC would broaden these regulations to apply to online marketing. Really, it is strange to me that it has taken this long. 

So for those of you who returned from the Garden Writer's Symposium with a suitcase of books and products, it is now a requirement that you disclose that those products and books were given to you for free. You must also disclose if you connected to the manufacturer in any way.

As a writer, and now as a new employee for Cool Springs Press, I am going to make sure I am very clear in identifying my publisher/employer, as well as any sponsor relationships. Note: I don't have any sponsor relationships, but I am accepting applications! :) This is a small but important change in regulation that could have a major impact on your writing...make sure you understand and follow the regulations to avoid any future drama.

*photo by smlp.co.uk

Marketing and Telling the Truth

I've been thinking quite a bit about branding strategies of late and I have a question...why can't marketing be about telling the truth? I mean, you know, the plain old truth...the "this is a great product, give it a try, if you like it, buy it again", kind of truth? Some sort of "here's the real value to you, here's how your life will actually benefit from giving this a go"...kind of message?

Because that is not what I usually experience...I usually read things that tell me my clothes will shine with radiance like the sun or smell as fresh as the ocean. I am conditioned to look for things that say "extra strength' or "super" or whatever the current moniker is that tells me I have the really, really good stuff...not just the plain old good stuff. I mean, how clean can you get something? If you scrub it with the extra, super, duper cleaner instead of say, vinegar and water with a little dish washing detergent, is it a billion times cleaner?

Consumers have been fed and led by this kind of advertising for so long that we have become jaded to the very adjectives that have been used to motivate us. And this approach might very well have continued had social media and the interactive web not come along. There are many things that happen within the culture of social networks, but one consistent message rises to the top. "We want truth in messaging. We want to know the people who work at the companies that make the products we buy. We want to know why we should care."

Still, there are precious few who are able to respond to this call, online or otherwise. Because this requires an openness, an eagerness to communicate, a willingness to tell the truth...and above all, a desire to understand your audience well enough to know if the product you are trying to sell them will actually be of benefit to them. This means a deeper understanding of your customers and potential customers, less (instead of more) advertising, highly target messages that reflect your knowledge and interest in the communities you serve, and lots of relationship building. Did I mention truth telling? Yeah, there's that, too...

And aside from yours truly, who has embraced this concept to the point of naming my gardening podcast "Good Enough Gardening", there are very few people out there who do a great job applying these concepts...David Meerman Scott is one of my faves. But I know that there are a whole lot of people out there grapling with these concepts, struggling to pave a new marketing road. What about you, what are you doing? Who do you follow or admire?

Social Media Marketing Training

Recently, I decided to offer social media marketing training classes as sort of a way to lift the veil, so to speak. I had two primary motivators. The first was that it seemed to me that the companies that were really benefiting from online marketing campaigns were the big guys who could afford to outsource it. The second was that I was just so tired of the secretive bull crap that seems to be inherent in conversations about the cost and effectiveness of social media marketing that I decided to be as transparent as possible.

And while it isn't possible to quantify the cost and exact services of each and every thing I could offer, I decided to put forth some packages to give people an idea of the cost of my services. Even if you choose not to use me, these will give you an idea of what these services should cost with someone else...though I will tell you, I am on the affordable side. It is also important to note that the complexity of a campaign makes the cost more difficult to predict. So, without further ado:

We offer three social media training packages, a research option, and a project-based bidding option.

• Just Getting Started: This training package is a 1 month introduction to social media marketing. Over the course of 4, 2 hour sessions (with assigned homework) we will teach you the basic information about top social media platforms, engagement and basic monitoring. The sessions will be taught virtually. If you are in need of in person training outside of the Portland, OR area, please contact me for more information. The cost of this package is $1000.
• SEO/SMO: This is not your mother's SEO...if your mother had SEO, that is. This is the new, social media friendly version of search engine optimization. We build out a language to use on your home site, as well as any social media platforms where you establish a presence. The cost of this service is affected by the size of the job, the fee can range from $400-$750.
• Online Campaign Research and Recommendations: We work with your company to create a research and recommendations package that can include online competitive analysis, market research, target market identification, identification of "best fit" social media platforms, effective engagement strategies, and strategies for measuring results. The length of time for these sessions will vary. Generally, these will be taught virtually. If you are in need of in person training outside of the Portland area, please contact me for more information. This is a project-based fee.
• We Want More: This training package is fully loaded with information online brand research, identifying target markets, basic SEO and SMO, campaign development, identification and utilization of social media platforms, engagement strategies, metrics, analysis and implementation of feedback. These sessions are taught over the course of 3 months in 2 hour blocks, once a week. Generally, these will be taught virtually. If you are in need of in person training outside of the Portland area, please contact me for more information. The cost of this package is $6,000.

And that's the scoop...I hope it is helpful in setting your own expectations when looking for a social media consultant. If you happen to be Florida and are looking for an amazing social media consultant who offers services and prices very similar to mine, check out my colleague, Lauren Candito.

I would love to hear of any experiences you have had with contracting social media consultants or finding training programs for reasonable fees.

*Photo found by M_Napper on Flickr: Creative Commons License

Top 3 Business Marketing Tools for Adding Value

I don't know what has gotten in to me of late...I am madly exploring and adding things to my sites to boost the value for my readers, while simultaneously using them to market my businesses online. And believe it or not, you CAN market to people and have them enjoy and find value in it.

Case in point: I am mad about a new site called Chi.mp. They just rolled out Chi.mp 2.0 today and man, what a huge difference! These guys are still in beta, but the functionality that already exists is mad...Chi.mp is a "content hub and identity management platform". Essentially, that means that all of the things that are important to you can be a part of a platform you own.

Hang with me here, the creators of Chi.mp want you to have your own domain and the flexibility to add information and design features the way YOU want to...not the way THEY want. This is heresy in the social media realm...a site where you own your own information and create your own platform? Stop!

I recently built out my profile page for the Edgy Entrepreneur. It contains all the feeds for my social media writing, a social media news mashup (which I will get to in a bit) and miscellaneous social media accounts I think are beneficial. Go and check it out, see what you think. I have 4 invitations left for the beta, let me know if you want one.

Another thing I added to my site is a social media feed mashup. I have written quite a bit about my fondness for Yahoo Pipes, so I cloned a copy of an existing pipe and spiffed it up a bit. This contains some of my favorite social media blogs, a Yahoo web search for "social media" and a Digg Top Tech Feed. You can subscribe to this in an RSS reader, add it to igoogle or add it as a widget to your blog. If you have a social media blog and would like to add this widget to your profile, let me know and I will add your feed.

Finally, I added a customized Google Search to each of my blogs. I just decided that the amount of content on my blogs had reached critical mass. I mean, if people can't find it, they can't read it, right? It was a really easy process to set up. What's great about customized search is that you control the sites that you are searching. If you just want to search yours, that's fine...if you want to create a topical search, that's A-OK too.

And of course, all of these things are beneficial to both me and my readers. I am able to generate content that is informative and engaging, add other related content, and create a search that will save them from clicking on a hundred categories to find it all.

And, the overarching search engine benefit is insane. First, Chi.mp is designed to show up well in search results...and you can add Google Analytics, which ensures it will be indexed. The Yahoo Social Media Mashup is obviously indexed by Yahoo, and Google too...all of those gorgeous keywords attached to your site. Last, a customized Google Search? Hello? Can you feed Google more relevant information about your site than to have your readers search for things they EXPECT to find there?

It was a lot to complete, but I was on a mission...think about adding one or two of these items to your website...it could make a huge difference for you and your readers!

OneRiot: Social Search and Online Marketing Tool

Recently, I was followed on Twitter by a new social media application, OneRiot (@oneriot). And while Google is still working out its social search function, OneRiot has it in place. In fact, that's all they do. These guys are not only providing a cool service, they also have built a platform that doubles as an online marketing tool.

OneRiot is a search engine whose results are completely based on the preferences of its users. By installing their toolbar and agreeing to share your browsing habits, you are automatically influencing search results. And it is the aggregated browsing behavior of the 2 million+ users that prioritizes and generates results. These rankings are subject to change on a regular basis, dependant upon what's hot and what's not.

Not long ago, Google added user controls to search results. We could now add, remove and vote on the relevancy of the rankings. And though we knew we could affect our own results, it wasn't really clear how much our choices would impact the overall results. Frankly, the who's who in the SEO community ignored the new features, seemingly nonplussed by the potential for reducing the effectiveness of SEO keyword and linking strategies.

And, I can't say that I thought it was much of a threat either. Google is a behemoth and instituting that kind of change would take a huge effort and quite a lot of time. But OneRiot's whole framework is built on the concept of social search. There rankings are not at all based on linking structures and keywords. Which means there is no place for SEO in their world.

This is what makes their search system great for market research. In addition to checking the search page results for trending topics and user interest, you can also install their tool bar which shows at the bottom of your screen.

Here it is in action on the home page of Edgy Entrepreneur. You will see there is a pulse rating and an average visit duration graph. These two bits of information tell you how often OneRiot users are visiting the site and how long they are staying. Clicking on the pink square takes you to their search page. You can also install OneRiot as a search option in your browser bar.

There are a couple of ways to use this social search platform to boost your marketing efforts. The most obvious way is for market research. You can:

• use the search function to find trends in your topic area
• use the tool bar for a quick and dirty assessment of the popularity of a site

Another way to use this information to promote your business is to take advantage of the real time search rankings to find trending topics. This can be done by going to the home page or by subscribing via RSS. And here's where SEO folks like me might actually be able to evolve to meet the needs of this new era of search.

One of the great tactics of building web traffic is to identify keyword or topic trends and use that information to drive readers to your site. Though Google offers some trending topics options, OneRiot is better able to provide specific trends in real time. By searching with your keywords, you can find out:

• the focus of the conversation
• the hottest sites with the most hits
• sub topics/current events within your field that are generating interest

Collecting this information, then using it to compile and promote a post is a great way to keep your content relevant. It also gives you the benefit of snagging surging topical traffic. And while some of that traffic won't be sticky, some of it will. Not to mention, you will be a cutting edge content provider.

OneRiot is a great ancillary search tool with online marketing benefits. And while I definitely won't be giving up Google any time soon, OneRiot will now become a regular part of my website marketing and brand development efforts.

Rebel Against Twitter Rules: Do What Works for You!

We Tweeple are overly fascinated with Twitter...not that Twitter isn't a good online marketing tool, it is. But we tend to talk about it like there are clearly defined rules for its use and that there is only one effective brand building strategy. There are multiple ways to use Twitter, at least as many ways as there are micro-cultures on this micro-blog.

I agree that understanding a site's etiquette will help you build networks and generate quite a lot of good will. But to limit our usage strategy to a relationship-intensive model of engagement is to reserve Twitter only for the people who have an abundance of time on their hands or specialize in online marketing. Deciding what role Twitter, or other time-intensive platforms, plays in your online marketing strategy is your first step to developing a workable plan.

Let's take a look at few different uses for Twitter, all of which I have seen used successfully to market a product or service.

• Traditional Twitter: This user builds out a solid profile, consciously searches out like-minded people, and is a somewhat finicky follower. Each tweet is informative, meaningful or funny. This user spends time connecting via online or in person tweet ups and reaches out through genuine responses. This person has no idea when someone stops following...nor do they care.
• Marketing Twitter: This user builds a highly searchable profile bio, then checks their search results on Twitter Grader to find out if they are visible to their target audience.  This tweeter uses auto-follow, auto-thanks and auto-notify when someone stops following. Messaging is more traditional "push" content with high repetitive volume.
• Link Builder Twitter:  This user connects Twitter to an automated updating platform and posts multiple links to various posts, pictures and video about their product or service. By also connecting Twitter to FriendFeed, they are able to get double the link building bang for the buck. They may or may not have a lot of followers. If they do, chances are high that they have a pre-arrangement that allows them to automatically post updates to their followers accounts or they have agreed to RT (retweet) all pertinent tweets.
• SEO Twitter: This user has the latest version of Tweetdeck and has maxed out its global search function. Their bio contains keywords, their posts contain the same keywords and their search is based on those keywords. The result is a highly topical network or multiple topical groups with one network that can also be monitored through Tweetdeck. They also have a blog and/or website built around the same keywords, using the same messages.

  None of these Tweeters are following the same strategy, yet each of them has found a way to utilize this marketing channel to their advantage. Most of us move back and forth between all of these functions at some point.  The critical issue is to do so intentionally and because you feel it is a good fit for your resources and your overall marketing strategy.

  If you want to know which strategies I use, you will have to follow me ( @JeanAnnVK ) on Twitter to find out!

Using the Internet to Market Your Business

Let me start by saying that there are few topics that have created as much buzz, both positive and negative, as internet marketing. So, let's get to the truth about what internet marketing can, and can't, do for your business.

It is absolutely possible to build your brand and customer base on the web. That said, it is not as easy as opening a FaceBook account and hoping for the best. And while there are multiple channels for messaging, if you don't have a solid marketing plan, you will end up spending hours online doing a whole lot of nothing.

If you don't have a marketing plan, do you have a business plan? The foundation of any good business plan quickly lends itself to the build out of effective marketing strategy. Gathering information about your target market, finding out where they "live" online, and crafting effective, engaging messages...these steps create a foundation for a marketing message that brings value. And believe me, if you aren't bringing value, your online constituents will let you know in a hurry.

And that is the biggest difference between online marketing and other marketing channels. When you put out a message, you can get an immediate response...and of course you want that to be positive. The old methodology of push marketing, or crafting a message and then pasting it everywhere, hoping a certain percentage of readers respond, is a no no online.

Your messages need to be tailored to the audience, bring value and only be delivered AFTER you have become a contributing member of the community. Anything else will bring catty comments and lots of murmuring...

Invest in learning one or two internet networking platforms, then start building community. Online marketing is not a panacea...but it does have great potential.