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Marketing

Is Web 2.0 Getting Out of Hand? Get Back to Marketing Basics

By Anthony Green

Why you need to lay the foundations of Web 1.0 before Web 2.0 can be effective in marketing your practice.

Let’s run through a scenario of what is happening in a number of typical professional services firms today: The marketing staff reads yet another article about how social media can benefit the firm, so they speak with the powers-that-be and explain their idea to launch a full-blown social media strategy to encourage open conversations with the firm’s clients and prospects. The partners or executives have also heard a lot about this “social media,” and they like the sound of “open conversations” so they sign off on the idea.

A Twitter account is launched, a LinkedIn profile goes live, the lawyers spend valuable work time blogging wildly. But, much to the marketing staff’s distress, the campaign doesn’t meet any business goals or generate inbound leads, no new business opportunities emerge and there is no increase in traffic to the firm’s Web site. The partners are left scratching their heads and wondering, “Why did this happen?”

What went wrong here? In most cases, the reason a Web 2.0 strategy is ineffective is because the Web 1.0 foundations are not in place. Before you launch a social media campaign, you need to get the basics right first—the old adage “keep it simple” applies here, too!

Once the basics are in place, it’s likely the Web 2.0 strategy will be complemented and enhanced by a solid Web 1.0 platform. The two working in unison can yield the kind of results a law firm might hope to see. Here are some simple steps for getting the basics right.

Know What the Basics Are First

In the third edition of his book New Media: An Introduction, Terry Lew describes what he believes characterizes the differences between Web 1.0 and Web 2.0 as " the move from personal websites to blogs and blog site aggregation, from publishing to participation, from web content as the outcome of large up-front investment to an ongoing and interactive process, and from content management systems to links based on tagging.”

For argument’s sake, let’s say that Web 1.0 is anything outbound, such as your firm’s site, RSS feeds or search engine marketing. These are the foundations upon which your firm’s digital strategy rests and the main tools by which you define yourself in the digital world, which is what differentiates Web 1.0 and Web 2.0.

The key to Web 1.0 is to define yourself in your own words. The key to Web 2.0 is that your audience is defining you, talking about the information you present and interacting with your brand in multiple ways. Instead of search terms you blog the information, post it on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook or YouTube, all with the expectation that your audience will get involved in the conversation.

The Power of Number Crunching

The words “data analysis” and “procrastination” usually go hand in hand. Who wants to sit down and analyze spreadsheets for hours? Unfortunately, analyzing the data from your Web site and e-mail newsletters is the most critical step of launching an effective Web 1.0 strategy.

Marketing executives get stuck in the habit of sending the information they think people want to receive. However, if you take the time to look at the data from your Web site and e-mail newsletters, you can see who you are connecting with and how they like to receive information.

More importantly, the data will show you who you are not connecting with. Take this opportunity to work out what type of information your target audience reacts to and then format the information in the appropriate channel, for example an e-newsletter or your Web site.

Lastly, you need to present the firm’s sales and business development people with the data. They can use this information to up-sell and cross-sell the firm’s services.

Where Are Your Clients?

You need to find out where the big decision makers are interacting before you get carried away on Web 2.0. Sure, there is a place for Twitter and Facebook in the corporate and professional services world, but if your biggest decision makers are not using these channels then it’s not the best place to focus your efforts.

In all likelihood, the big decision makers still prefer face-to-face communication, so don’t overlook the power of personal relationships and a chat over lunch or coffee. Digital channels, either 1.0 or 2.0, are increasingly important slices of the marketing pie, but keep in mind that most business in the professional services world is still done face-to-face.

What Has Your Web Site Done for You Lately?

“What is the objective of my Web site?” This is something every marketer needs to ask before launching a Web 1.0 strategy, let alone a Web 2.0 strategy. Will it be an information-sharing tool or a sales tool? Will it be an online brochure or will your browsers be able to subscribe to an RSS feed or a newsletter?

Today, a quick look at several professional services firms’ sites will show you that the content merely boasts about all the firms’ wonderful attributes. However, most potential clients want to know about solutions and how a firm can respond to their particular issue or problem. To achieve this, the goal of a Web site should be to focus on sharing information rather than just being an online brochure with pretty pictures.

Similarly, you need to ensure that the right technology is in place for good reporting on your site. You should be able to track the user’s journey, see what search terms they use, which corporation or other entity the users are from and when they leave your site. This is Web Analytics 101.

Lastly, here are a few questions to ask yourself before you get carried away on a Web 2.0 campaign:

• Is your Web site engaging?

• Do you know the search terms of every visitor?

• Are you continually updating your search terms?

• Do you know every touch point of the user?

If you answered yes to all of these questions, then you can start to think about strategic blogging, tweeting, connecting on Facebook and building both your business and individual LinkedIn profiles.

More Screen Time Equals Less Face Time

The bottom line is that the more time you spend in front of your computer screen, the less time you spend in front of your clients and prospects. The end goal of your marketing efforts should be to foster face-to-face conversations. You should have a robust Web 1.0 strategy upon which to build your digital presence and to kick-start Web 2.0 conversations, but keep the end goal in mind.

So, does all of this mean we should ignore social media altogether? Certainly not! But, as Jonathan Baskin, columnist for Advertising Age recently stated, “we’ve allowed this (social media) nonsense to get out of hand.”

The jury is in: Social media isn’t enough to help you build high-value relationships. Let’s get the basics right first and we might just see the results that we were hoping for all along.

About the Author

Anthony Green is the president and co-founder of Concep www.concepglobal.com, a digital marketing and communications agency that devises strategies for professional services firms.