Try Blogging, Video-blogging or Social Media in 2011!

A recent article posted on StumbleUpon.com – gives 4 tips on “How to Market Really Boring Products” by James Adams. To me, this article was of great interest as it heavily relies on a user’s online marketing strategy (Echidna's expertise!).

The 4 tips given were:

1. Create Emotional Connections (okay – this one may not be online)
2. Make Use of Internet Video Marketing
3. Utilize Social Media
4. Blog

Your online marketing strategy can be one of the most beneficial and cost effective ways to promote your product or brand, but the concern for most clients is, “how time consuming is my online marketing strategy going to be for me and my staff?”. The answer, not that time consuming if you’re using the right resources and managing your time.

Social Media

• Try setting aside half an hour a day to participate in online discussions happening on Blogs, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Social media does not need to take up your entire day, although it very much could if you allowed it to. Use social media to network, give advice or tips, and promote your products and/or services to potential customers.

Blogging

• A blog can be as simple as writing 250 words a week (or bi-weekly) that states your opinion on something happening in your industry or something new going on at your company. A blog can help set you apart from the competition (since not everyone is blogging) and can take you less than an hour per week to produce. Give professional advice through your blog and stand out as a leader in your industry.

Online Videos

• Out of the three suggestions by James Adams, this could be the most time consuming. But, with such advances in technology these days (like HD video in the iPhone 4), creating an online video can be cost effective and fun. Consider video blogging as an alternative to the average online blog. Set up a video camera in your office and have your CEO or Business Development Manager talk about something new and innovative happening at your company or in your industry. The video does not need to be edited and is much more interesting for users to view.

So, don't be nervous to try new things, take advantage of your online resources and try something new in 2011!