25Aug 2019 by Bob Cargill

Anybody Can Write About Anything

Marketing, Social Media
Anybody can write about anything almost anywhere online. That’s what the proliferation and prevalence of social media has made possible. Anybody can position themselves as an authority if they are knowledgeable, talented and prolific. With that authority, though, comes a great deal of responsibility. If you have a blog, you need to know what you’re talking about or you risk being exposed as an amateur. If you have a YouTube channel, you need to be able to enlighten, educate and entertain viewers. Whatever social media channel you are active on – from LinkedIn to Twitter, Facebook to Instagram – if you try to fake it till you make it, chances are you’ll be ignored or worse yet, called out eventually for mediocrity. And you’ll give social media a bad rap.…
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12Aug 2019 by Bob Cargill

Ephemeral Content

Content, Marketing, Social Media
Do you have a fear of missing out? Lots of people do. Otherwise known as FOMO, a fear of missing out is when you are afraid that something is not going to be available when the time comes for you to experience it. Ephemeral content preys on that fear. Ephemeral content – the focus of attention on Facebook Stories, Instagram Stories and Snapchat – is content that disappears after being available for consumption for only a short period of time. Like the limited-time offer used by traditional direct marketers for years, ephemeral content creates a sense of urgency among its audience which leads to greater interest, desire and engagement. Because it comes and goes so quickly, people tend to react more quickly to it when they see it, not wanting…
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09Jul 2019 by Bob Cargill

Personalities as Publishers

Branding, Marketing, Social Media
Thanks to social media, every brand and business today is a publisher. The people within those organizations are usually the ones who are responsible for those publishing efforts, though. They are the rock stars, the lead magnets, the only way – in many cases – their employers would have any worthwhile content to share with their constituents in the first place. I listened to a ridiculously awesome podcast recently, the Digiday Podcast hosted by Brian Morrissey, in which the host spoke to Barstool Sports’ CEO, Erika Nardini. You can listen to this episode here. Among other things, Nardini talked about the success of her company’s many podcasts, monetizing content and building a subscription business that isn’t necessarily dependent on advertising. “Personalities are the new publishers,” she said at one point…
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21Jun 2019 by Bob Cargill

Social Media Can Change the World

Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Marketing, Social Media, Twitter
Far too many brands and businesses are trying to fit a square peg into a round hole on social media. They’re using LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and the like as broadcast channels, places to promote themselves instead of to share and engage with others. They're not posting nearly enough, either. They're still not getting it. Marketing, advertising, sales, PR, heck, whatever line of business you're in…it’s all changing rapidly before our very eyes. Consumers don’t believe anything anymore. So, transparency wins. You want to have your audience’s attention? You want to earn their trust and loyalty? Stop manipulating them and start listening to them. Put yourself out there on a frequent basis and let them get to know you as a human being, not a corporate logo or a company…
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12May 2019 by Bob Cargill

Marketing is Supporting

Marketing
Marketing today is as much about supporting people as it is about changing their minds. In a blog post recently (which you can read here), Mark Schaefer “politely” disagrees with something from Seth Godin's latest book, This Is Marketing: You Can't Be Seen Until You Learn To See. I previewed some of Seth’s book online, but I haven’t read it in its entirety. According to Mark, though, Seth writes, “Marketers make change.” Yet Mark feels differently. He feels that marketers should be “coming alongside” customers, not changing them. I think they’re both right. I think that by supporting our customers, clients and constituents, we have a better chance of wining them over and earning their business. Frankly, I have always agreed with anything either of these iconic, grandmasters of marketing…
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01May 2019 by Bob Cargill
Age Doesn’t Matter on Social Media

Age Doesn’t Matter on Social Media

Branding, Marketing, Social Media
Age doesn’t matter on social media. In a recent issue of AARP The Magazine, there’s a series of profiles on “older Americans” who are crushing it on social media. People like Lili Hayes, Scott Wadsworth, Herbie Russ, Irvin Randle, Judith Boyd, Angie Schmitt and others. These people are looked up to like rock stars and celebrities on YouTube, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. They’re influencers and authorities, thought leaders and entertainers, gurus and trendsetters. And yes, they’re all over 50 – like me. Age doesn’t matter on social media. Age shouldn’t matter anywhere. Nobody should be looked at differently because they are older than you. No one should be judged, stereotyped, underestimated or treated unfairly because of their age, young or old. There are no boundaries to talent and ability. There…
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09Apr 2019 by Bob Cargill

My Renamed, Redesigned and Reimagined Blog

Blogging, Marketing, Social Media
I wrote the first post on my blog more than 15 years ago...on February 17, 2004. And...it’s still here. Yup, that very same blog. I started my blog - yup, this blog, in a somewhat different incarnation - about marketing thanks to David Hazeltine, who was my boss at the time. He placed his trust and confidence in me, and for that I will be grateful forever. I was writing my blog long before most businesses and brands had one. I was speaking about blogs and social media to audiences who knew very little about these newfangled means of communicating online. I think everyone in business today should have a blog, certainly anyone in a leadership position. A blog is an extension of who you are as a professional. It’s…
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27Mar 2019 by Bob Cargill

Your Brand Is Not What You Say You Are

Branding, Marketing
If you think you define your own brand, think again. Your customers, clients and connections define your brand. They say what your brand is, not you. Do you practice what you preach? Do your actions match your words? Do you not just talk the talk, but walk the walk, too? The best brands among us live, breathe, work and play what they say they are day in and day out, time and time again. They don’t rest on their laurels. They don’t ever stop evolving. They listen to their audience’s feedback and don’t just meet but exceed their expectations. Whatever they have to offer – products, services, advice, support, you name it – is always more than appreciated by those on the receiving end.
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