Sweetmantra: Domain Name Strategy

Podcast Idol, Anyone?

In a response to Joseph Jaffe's recent Most Valuable Blogs (MVB) contest, Kevin Behringer over at the Fly-Over Marketing blog has kicked off a Most Valuable Podcasts (MVP) contest.

But wait, it gets better...

I am pleased (if somewhat bewildered) to announce that my Marketing Martini podcast is one of the "Sweet 16" finalists for Most Valuable Podcast. And I'm truly flattered that the Martini shares the virtual limelight with some great podcasts like Joseph Jaffe's Across the Sound, Mitch Joel's Six Pixels of Separation, C.C. Chapman's Managing the Gray, any many more. Congratulations to all my fellow podcasters on the shortlist.

If you'd like to vote for the Marketing Martini and/or any of the other fine podcast nominees, follow this link.

Thanks, Kevin! Let the fun and games begin...

Eight Tips I Picked Up at PodCamp Toronto 2007

I am still coming down from PodCamp Toronto 2007. It was just that good.

Nearly 300 podcasters, podcast listeners (podfans?) and students of all ages descended on Ryerson University for this free, two-day event.

The one thing everyone had in common seemed to be their passion for this new medium. The excitement and enthusiasm of the whole affair fondly reminded me of my first Internet World Conference, which I attended in - oh my God - 1996 in San Jose, California.

Here are a few choice excerpts from the notes I took during the many informative educational sessions at PodCamp Toronto 2007:

1. Podcast listeners are older than you probably realize; the average podcast listener is in their mid-thirties. (Tipster: Leesa Barnes)
2. Since the word "podcast" continues to confuse people, sometimes you are better off using a different term like "Internet radio show." (Tipster: Christopher Penn)
3. Speaking of lingo, some people are confused by the word "subscribe" because they think this means they will have to pay to receive your podcast. Consider using the term "add" instead, especially if dealing with a younger demographic. (Tipster: Christopher Penn)
4. If you are planning a business-to-employee podcast and want to ensure as many of your employees listen to the podcast, give each of them an iPod. (Tipster: Sabita Singh)
5. Creating a Facebook and MySpace profile for your podcast can be very cost-effective way to get new subscribers. (Tipster: Christopher Penn)
6. StumbleUpon is not only a great tool to discover quality Websites, it can drive a lot of traffic to your podcast's Website. (Tipster: Julien Smith)
7. The "itpc" link to subscribe to a podcast in iTunes is more reliable than the "phobos" link. (Don't be concerned if you have no idea what I am talking about. If you're a podcaster, you will.) (Tipster: Christopher Penn)
8. If you ever find yourself, or a client, asking "why should we be podcasting?" try asking instead, "why shouldn't we be podcasting?" (Tipster: Michael Seaton)

I don't know if there will be a PodCamp Toronto 2008, but if there is, you can bet I'll be there!

PodCamp Toronto 2007

I will be speaking at, and attending, PodCamp Toronto 2007, February 24-25, 2007 in Toronto, Canada.

PodCamp Toronto (www.podcamptoronto.org) bills itself as "a 2-day 'unconference' that will teach people how to plan, produce and publish a podcast."

Attendance is free. Yes, free!

According to its organizers, "this volunteer-driven, sponsor-supported event focuses primarily on allowing people to share ideas, interact with each other and learn in an open environment." Attendees will learn about podcasting from hands-on practitioners from Canada and the United States.

I will be one of the panelists on a session entitled "Will Podcasting Kill Radio?" that will be moderated by the awesome Leesa Barnes. You'll have to attend the session to find out what my answer is.

If you are interested in learning more about podcasting, I highly recommend you attend this event.

Visit www.podcamptoronto.org for more information or to register for free. I hope to see you there!

My Marketing Martini Podcast is Now Being Served

In my final blog post of 2006, Will 2007 be the Year of the Podcast?, I predicted that we're going to see a lot of growth in the podcasting space this year. While it's too early to know if my prediction will come true, I'm certainly going to do my part to add to the podcast momentum.

Today I am pleased to announce the launch of my first podcast, Marketing Martini, and its tagline, "Internet Marketing Advice Served Straight Up".

Marketing Martini is a free weekly business podcast for busy professionals that serves up a condensed shot of practical Internet marketing advice from yours truly, Bill Sweetman.

Listeners to the Marketing Martini podcast will learn how to market their products and services on the Internet using Internet marketing solutions that are practical, measurable, and effective.

Because I know everyone's time is precious, each weekly episode will be kept to less than 10 minutes in length and will honour what I am calling The Marketing Martini Promise.

I invite you to take a sip of the Marketing Martini, served straight up every week at www.marketingmartini.com.

Marketing Martini would not have been possible without the inspirational musings of Mitch Joel and C.C. Chapman as well as the expert advice of Leesa Barnes. Special thanks to Miss Yvonne for her voiceover work, Mouth Media for the logo design, and Eugene, Oregon's Mofessor for the use of their music.

Will 2007 be the Year of the Podcast?

As 2006 comes to a close, and with a little nudging from my buddy Ken Schafer over at One Degree, I thought I'd share some of my thoughts on how the Internet marketing landscape might evolve in 2007.

Here's what I see when I peek into my crystal ball:

• The Internet marketing talent shortage (at the mid-to-senior level) is going to get worse, which will slow the growth of Internet marketing service companies that don't have their HR act together.
• So-called "mass media" marketing professionals are going to realize that Google is moving into their turf much faster than they realize ... if they even realize this at all.
• We're going to see a lot of movement in the podcasting space. I predict that podcasting will start to emerge from relative obscurity and begin to appear on the corporate radar screens as a potentially viable option.
• I expect several large media companies will try to acquire the leading independent podcast directories (like Podcast Pickle).
• Finally, if I were a large software company based in Redmond, Washington, I would be seriously considering buying one of the more popular podcast creation software programs (and/or the company that created it).

Whatever really happens, 2007 is already shaping up to be a doozy. Bring it on!

A note to readers: This will be my last blog post of 2006. I will return, with a few surprises, in early January, 2007. Have a safe and happy holiday!

Seven Things I Learned at the 2006 Digital Marketing Conference

Last week's CMA 2006 Digital Marketing Conference was information-packed and very inspirational, and I'm not just saying that because I am a member of the Conference Committee!

While I learned a lot more than just seven things at the Conference (I took 15 pages of notes), there were a number of key points made by various speakers that really struck me:

1. The Internet marketing talent shortage is now a reality the world over. Get used to it.
2. The number one thing that is holding clients back from investing more in Internet marketing is lack of knowledge. As Steve Levy of Ipsos-Reid so succinctly put it, "clients need to be educated before they are sold."
3. Marketing in the age of the Internet is all about conversations.
4. It's not about the Web page, it's about the clicks.
5. Podcasting is in its infancy like the Web was a decade ago. Now's the time to get in.
6. It's not about people coming to the content, but content coming to the people.
7. RSS readers will become the new portals.

For an excellent summary of the presentations given at the Digital Marketing Conference, and to continue the conversation, be sure to check out the Canadian Marketing Blog.

Seven Tips for Creating Better Internet Video

Long before I became an Internet marketer, I studied filmmaking and worked in the feature film and television industry. With the increasing interest in shooting original video content for the Internet, either for streaming or downloading, I thought it would be beneficial to share a few production pointers.

If you're planning on shooting video for the Internet, here are seven tips that will help improve the end product.

1. Start with the best possible image quality.
   Garbage in, garbage out, right? Use the best quality video camera you can get. Ensure your shots are properly lit and avoid low light and high contrast lighting situations.
2. Capture clean audio.
   Use a good quality microphone. Do not use the one on the camera. Shoot in a environment where you can eliminate or at least minimize background noise (such as traffic).
3. Minimize movement.
   Any extraneous movement within the frame is problematic as it only makes your footage harder to compress. Keep your subjects fairly static and always use a tripod. Where possible, try to avoid zooms, pans, tilts, and other camera movement. If you must introduce movement into a shot, keep it slow and steady.
4. Beware of detail.
   Avoid overly detailed or complex shots. Crowd scenes are particularly problematic. Make sure your backgrounds are not cluttered - a solid colour is best - and that the clothing performers wear does not have intricate patterns. Eliminate movement in the background. If you can't, use a shallow depth of field to minimize the problem.
5. Think big.
   Your footage will likely be viewed in a tiny display window, not on an IMAX-sized screen. So shoot and use lots of close-ups and make your titles large and simple.
6. Keep the editing simple.
   In post-production, avoid rapid editing. Quick cuts and shots of less than one second in length may get lost or mangled during compression. Stick to straight cuts. Dissolves and elaborate shot-to-shot transition effects can cause problems during compression. When in doubt, use a good old straight cut, although fade ins and fade outs are OK.
7. 'Dumb down' the audio mix.
   Subtle, densely layered audio tracks don't respond well to compression. Keep your audio mix simple and clear. In fact, pretend you are mixing the soundtrack so that it will be legible on the world's crappiest AM radio. (Remember those?) If you can make it sound good on that, it will sound good on the Internet.

Good luck, and happy shooting!

Is Podcasting the New "Plastics"?

In the seminal 1967 film "The Graduate,'' college student Benjamin Braddock (played by Dustin Hoffman), is offered some career advice by an older businessman:

Mr. McGuire: Are you listening?
Benjamin: Yes, I am.
Mr. McGuire: Plastics.

It is my personal opinion that were this conversation to take place today, Mr. McGuire would be tipping Benjamin off to podcasting. I know I would.

As many readers will agree, we are now in the midst of an Internet marketing talent shortage (which, ahem, I predicted a year ago) and the situation is only going to get worse.

Yes, it's fantastic that our industry is finally growing by leaps and bounds. It's not so fantastic that it's increasingly difficult to find and retain mid-to-senior level Internet marketing folks.

If a young man or woman who was close to entering the workforce were to ask me today* what specific area of Internet marketing they should specialize in to guarantee they'd be in top demand in the near future, the number one thing I would recommend would be podcasting. Of the shallow pool of Internet marketing talent that is available for hire today, very few people have any hands-on experience with podcasting.

The signs are all there; we are at the beginning of a podcasting boom, and anyone with demonstrated experience in this area is going to be in high demand over the next 12-24 months.

Are you listening?

* Note: a year ago I would have said Search Engine Advertising

Integrating Alternative Media – Marketing Roundtables

I will be leading a discussion on blogging and podcasting at the 3rd annual Marketing Roundtables. The event is hosted by the Canadian Marketing Association and takes place on Thursday, June 8, 2006 in Toronto, Canada.

This year's roundtables focus is on integrating alternative media into the traditional mix. Sounds like the stage is set for a lively discussion.

Should Video Play a Role in Your Internet Marketing Plans?

If a picture is worth a thousand words, what is a video clip worth?

I recently purchased my third Webcam - a gift for a friend - and it really got me thinking about the power of video on the Internet, both as a communication and a marketing tool.

Regardless of whether or not the video is live or pre-recorded, downloaded, streamed, or podcast, it's impossible to deny the power and impact of full-motion moving images served up online.

There's an inherent immediacy to video that static images and words usually can't capture, and I'm of the belief that video can, and usually does, engage people on a more emotional (even primal) level.

Now I'm not saying this because I used to work in film and television and want to return to that world, nor am I proposing that you run out and start adding video clips to your Website just because you can.

I do recommend, however, that you seriously evaluate what it is you are trying to communicate and ask yourself if, perhaps, video can and should be used to convey, or at least support, your message. Don't do this to be 'cool' (whatever that means these days) or because the competition is doing it, but do ask yourself if your customers would be better served by a 30-second video clip versus a 30-paragraph Web page. (This is a good question to ask, anyway, because the answer might be neither!)

Keep in mind, too, that with the high rate of broadband penetration in North America, any video elements that you incorporate into your Internet marketing plans will be accessible to the majority of surfers.

Finally, if you are going to produce video for professional use, please have it created by people who know what they are doing. One of the downsides of the invention of the camcorder is that anyone who can find the "record" button thinks they know how to produce high quality video. Now that I *am* saying because I used to work in film and television!