Is Vine, Twitter’s Video App, Useful for Social Media Marketing? Expert Reviews & Luscious Links

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The face of online video, or what I like to call The Video Web, has just grown a new “nose.” In other words, there is now a new dimension to the online video world. In case you haven’t heard yet, the latest mobile and social video sensation is called Vine and it’s a free download app for all major mobile smartphone platforms.

Like Twitter, Vine uses #Hashtags as a way to find things and connect to stuff

Like Twitter, Vine uses #Hashtags as a way to find things and connect to stuff

Vine videos take the form of some pretty neat (and of course sometimes boring) little six-second video clips that are tightly integrated with Twitter, who recently bought the company. (FYI, Vine videos are also post-able to Facebook.)

While Vine is getting some mixed reviews—ranging from raves that it’s “the next big thing” to distain that there’s too much porn—I think the truth is that it’s got potential. While we wait to see if its buzz will last, in my opinion, Vine is fun and worth checking out.

As you will see from the aggregated “luscious links” below—all of which are from what I consider to be a solid selection of social media authorities—many major brands as well as smaller businesses are already experimenting with Vine videos. Even Sir Paul McCartney of the Beatles (or a member of his team?) is starting to run contests via Vine (see below). So, as Dylan sang, “Something is happening here…” even if we don’t know exactly what it is…

 

(FYI, Sir Paul’s next tweet said that the answer was ‘Mamunia’ from ‘Band On The Run.’)

On a more personal note—beyond my own app-aholic fascination—my litmus test proving Vine’s viability was sharing the app with a couple of 21 year old women who I met at a party. We had already established that these extremely charming social-media-active individuals were way into Instagram. But Facebook, not so much. Even as a very active Facebook user, I could appreciate their point of view, “There are too many people on Facebook posting opinions that we don’t care about.” I found this point of view to be refreshing! 🙂

When I showed them Vine and how easy it is to create multi-scene six-second mini-movie clips, they literally took to it like fish to water. Fun! Here’s one of my first Vine videos, shot (which in this case is the same as produced) at that party:

Reinforcing the “mixed reviews” theme, MarketingProfs’ Ann Handley says, “Vine: Stupid, Simple and Brilliant.” In fact, it was also Handley who tweeted the first clearly commercial Vine video that I saw. Specifically, this little ditty by the LA Dodgers in support of a new baseball star bobble-head promotion:

More Luscious Links

And last but not least, one of my favorite “social media gurus,” Jay Baer not only offers valuable insights with The 2 Ways Most People Are Misusing Vine but in this 4-minute video interview (embedded below), he tells us the bottom line of all the hype, i.e. Vine will not usher in a “new era of content marketing,” but it is an interesting new tool for serious social media marketers who are being strategic about their use of content marketing:

Bottom line, as Jay says, content marketing without a coherent strategy is not going to have a bottom line impact, no matter how nifty a tool Vine may be. And it is nifty, IMHO. After all, making video this easy to create and post is not a no-brainer.

Any comments?

“It’s a Wonderful Web” 2013!

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cb-ipadThe first edition of our “It’s a Wonderful Web” e-newsletter for 2013 is out. It includes the following articles:

  • 2013: The Year of Anything is Possible
  • Special Offers!
  • Free 1-Hour Audio: Web Radio Interview
  • Luscious Links

If you’re not already a subscriber, click here to read it online.

New Internet Radio Interview: What’s So New About New Marketing?

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One of the fun things about having written a book about Internet marketing is getting to do interviews. Thanks to Susan Scher of the BlogTalkRadio show, “In Other Words” for the opportunity to take a full hour to discuss why I think that understanding the new dimensions of online communications is so important. Among other things, the interview (linked below) covered topics like “what’s so different about New Marketing,” authenticity, the rise of online video, the empowered consumer, social media marketing, my Attract/Engage/Relate approach to sales funnels, content marketing, and much more. Please enjoy and let me know what think.

Listen to internet radio with Perfect World Network Radio on Blog Talk Radio

Holidays “Wonderful Web” ENews!

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The holiday edition of our “It’s a Wonderful Web” enewsletter is out. It includes the following:

  • 12 Five-Star Amazon Reviews!
  • NewMarU Will Be Reignited
  • Luscious Links:
    • MarketingProfs’ provocative, informative, free white paper
    • Video views of some of the coolest “video cribs” anywhere
    • Get a grip on how fast things are changing

If you’re not already a subscriber, click here to read it online.

 

Just Announced: My New Online Course on Internet Marketing

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I’m thrilled to announce a brand new online course as part of our NewMarU.com start up:

Start with a Solid Foundation: 
Building on the 8 Key Concepts of Sustainable Online Marketing

There will be four one-hour state-of-the-art online sessions, all within a two week period. Here’s the dates

  • Tuesday Nov. 6th
  • Thursday Nov. 8th
  • Tuesday, Nov. 13th
  • Friday, Nov. 16th

All at Noon PT, 3pm ET (9am next day in NZ)

Helping people to do Internet marketing right is why I wrote my new book, Internet Marketing: 8 Key Concepts Every Business MUST Know.

NOTE: This will be a small group. There will be time for you to get your questions answered personally, and I will also give you direct feedback on your progress and step-by-step accomplishments as you grow your own online presence.

Each one-hour sessions will have a specific area of focus:

  • Session 1: Know Your Fundamentals
  • Session 2: Choose Your Building Blocks
  • Session 3: Be Your Best By Using Best Practices
  • Session 4: Marketing Fueled by Your Own Sustainable Energy

Please click here to learn more! And please let me know if you have any questions whatsoever. I’d love to see you there.

Wishing you every success,

Jon

Latest Review of Our New Internet Marketing Book is Awesome

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We are thrilled with this new review on BlogCritic.org of Jon’s new book, “Internet Marketing: 8 Key Concepts Every Business MUST Know.” Among other clear and articulate nuggets, Tara Hornor says:

“The author, Jon Leland lays out a systematic approach to marketing that both encompasses a strategic vision for authenticity married with practical, functional tactics.”

“Internet Marketing is a short read at about 85 pages, but you’ll find that every page is packed with powerful information. It’s a distilled version that could be hundreds of pages if Leland wanted to fill the book with fluff. Instead, he provides a very refined and focused piece that is brimming with uniquely centered and balanced approaches to both big picture strategy and down-to-earth tactics for Internet marketing.”

We are grateful. She got it! 🙂

Read the full book review

Learn more about the book

Order Now from Amazon in Paperback or Kindle Edition

Radio Interview: Listen Now to Better Understand the New Marketing Landscape

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I was delighted to be interviewed by my friends at the Hoffman Institute Foundation on their Hoffman Connection Internet radio program hosted by VoiceAmerica. It was fortuitous and synchronistic that the interview was scheduled (as it turns out) on September 11th, just one day after my new book, “Internet Marketing: 8 Key Concepts Every Business MUST Know” went live on Amazon (and on what would have been my mother’s 99th birthday.)

The energy was sparkling, it seemed to me, over the course of this hour-long program. With interviewers Hoffman Institute co-founder, Raz Ingrasci, and Hoffman teacher and psychotherapist, Ed McClune, we explored some of the main ideas in my “8 Concepts” including the role of authenticity in marketing (not an oxymoron), the different types of Internet marketing (SEO, PPC and social media), what makes New Marketing different from Old Marketing, how I decided to self-publish the book, and much more.

I hope you enjoy this free audio program and I sincerely look forward to your feedback. Thanks for listening!

Just click below to listen now, and feel free to use the share link as well! 😉

New Internet Marketing Book is Out + Radio Interview Tomorrow/Tuesday

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New Book: Your Primer on Internet Marketing
This is a special day. My new book, “Internet Marketing: 8 Key Concepts Every Business MUST Know,” which has been in the works literally for years, is available as of TODAY on Amazon.com, in both a Kindle and a full-color print editions:

Kindle   +   Full-Color Print
 

The back cover reads:

Welcome to the most practical and concise introduction to Internet marketing available.

This book’s top-level conceptual overview opens a whole new world of online opportunities for both those who are just getting started as well as those who may be struggling to find traction. After clarifying the inefficiencies of Old Marketing, “Internet Marketing: 8 Key Concepts Every Business MUST Know” illuminates the fundamentals of New Marketing with clarity, the author’s palpable enthusiasm and even a bit of humor.

Enjoy the ride. The toothpaste is not going back into the tube. New Marketing is here to stay and because it will continue to evolve rapidly, the sooner you get involved the better.

Internet Radio Interview on Tuesday (and On-Demand)
To kick off the book launch, I’m psyched about being on the Hoffman Institute’s Internet radio show this Tuesday at 4pm PT. We’ll talk about my new book, “Internet Marketing: 8 Key Concepts Every Business MUST Know,” authenticity in marketing (not an oxymoron), and give away free copies of the book.

What Everyone Should Know About Their Online Presence Radio Webcast
Date & Time: September 11, 2012, 4:00pm PT
Where: via webcast at http://www.hoffmaninstitute.org/radio-show/ (click this link to listen anytime via their archives)
Guest: Jon Leland
Interviewers: Raz Ingrasci & Ed McClune
Program Description: In this age of social media and connectivity, you may be wondering just what exactly your image looks like in cyberspace. And if you are, it is a critical question to ask. This week on the Hoffman Connection find out everything you’ve ever wanted to know and SHOULD know about your online presence. Jon Leland, Social Media and Marketing guru joins us to share tips, facts and the latest need-to-know information on how to put yourself out there!

Hope you can join us.

If you have a blog and would like a guest post excerpt from the book, or would like to do your own interview, please let me know!

Modern Word-of-Mouth Marketing: Advantages and Techniques

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This Guest Post is by Tara Hornor of Creative Content Experts

There was a time when word of mouth marketing could only move at the speed of human speech. Business owners handed out stacks of business cards to customers for their referral program. Neighbors leaned over fences to discuss the finer points of various products and services. Life was about keeping up with the Joneses. Oh, how times have changed.

Radio and television sped up this marketing technique significantly. Word of mouth marketing grew exponentially as use of the Internet became more popular. Now word of mouth marketing moves at the speed of social media, which sometimes seems faster than the speed of light.

Consumers are more likely to make a purchase or use a service if the product or service has positive reviews from family members, friends, acquaintances, even fellow consumers who are otherwise strangers. While word-of-mouth marketing sometimes just happens, there are a few techniques you can employ to help encourage and speed up the process.

Here are a few of the advantages of Web and social media powered word-of-mouth marketing follow by some useful tips to help you get the most out of your efforts.

Can’t Avoid Word of Mouth Marketing

Studies confirm that word of mouth marketing drives 20-50 percent of purchase decisions. First time purchases are especially affected. Purchases that offer a higher risk benefit the most from word of mouth exposure because consumers have much more at stake. For example, if your company is new, try to get some reviews of your products. This acts as a word of mouth reference for peers.

Consumers trust friends more than ad campaigns. Of course, circles of trust now include virtual friends as well as real friends. Word of mouth marketing offers businesses a host of tangible benefits, including:

Stand Out in the Crowd

Consumers are faced with abundant choices. Everyone is competing to be heard. Word of mouth marketing silences the competitors more easily by using trusted recommendations. This is where reviews, Twitter tweets, and Facebook posts about your products and services are priceless.

Leverage Authorities

Savvy business owners who cultivate and nurture relationships with influential bloggers and commenters can leverage their authority. With the right tools and incentives, businesses can turn influencers into brand advocates. Having an influencer who authentically puts their weight behind your products and services can easily be the difference between a sale and a click away from your site.

Speed Up Sales

Word of mouth marketing enables consumers to decide faster. Input from trusted sources allows consumers to put aside any reservations and take a chance on a new product or service. Instead of “thinking about it” and maybe coming back to your site, with some word of mouth support an immediate sale is far more likely.

Modern Word of Mouth Advertising 101

The Internet offers an almost infinite number of hubs for virtual meetings to occur. Today’s version of the “fence out back” encompasses the entire world. Businesses can create virtual storefronts and communities for visitors to socialize in. The corner store has now housed itself in social media. Businesses can easily build brands by following a few simple word of mouth marketing techniques:

  • Put audience interests in the forefront by engaging them with interesting posts and updates.
  • Use photos and videos to show audiences, instead of telling.
  • Design all content around the interests of the target market, focus on their agenda, nor yours.
  • Show people using products, not just product still life images.
  • Integrate reviews, likes, shares, and tweets from various social media resources.
  • Encourage customers to write reviews on your site as well as via review sites such as Yelp.
  • Provide incentives for reviews, both negative and positive, such as a discount or free gift.
  • Make sure to include negative reviews with the positive, as this validates reviews.

Bonus resource: If you want more info on how to engage “influential talkers,” here’s a useful educational video via WordofMouth.org -> Ant’s Eye View’s Jake McKee on how to work with influential talkers

The typical social media user has an average audience of 100 or more. For the average person, that’s 4 times the immediate influence than in days gone by. Word travels much faster than it used to. Therefore, get customers excited about and involved in your company by engaging them on social media sites, your website, and blogs with interesting and helpful information.

Social media tools provide an excellent vehicle for businesses to connect with more consumers more efficiently. The modern water cooler conversation now takes place on social media sites and through product reviews. So get involved with your customers on these sites and be a part of the conversation. As the buzz around your business grows, keep an eye out for an increase in sales to increase alongside of your success with word of mouth marketing.

Tara Hornor has found her niche writing about marketing, advertising, branding, web and graphic design. She writes for PrintPlace.com, a company that offers online full color printing for business cards, catalogs, posters, brochures, and promotional postcards. Connect with @TaraHornor on Twitter.

Roger McNamee Sees a Future that Empowers Content Creators

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Thanks to a tweet by thought-leader, publisher, Tim O’Reilly, I was drawn to a video interview and then a TEDx talk from last summer, both by the very successful Silicon Valley venture capital investor and real life touring rock star, Roger McNamee. Both videos (and soon my concise video commentary via TheTVNews.tv) are embedded below for your viewing convenience.

Bottom line, McNamee illuminates, among other things, why HTML5 is so important and how Microsoft, social media, and I say traditional network TV, are all on the decline. In their place there will be a wave of “highly differentiated content,” and the thusly-empowered creators of this new breed of content will quite literally own their own stores—and, just to be clear, those are media “stores.”

In other words, as if we couldn’t already, HTML5, iPads and mobile distribution will enable those of us with our own “bands” (teams & other creative resources) will be able to seize the controls of our own destiny, in the web sense at least. (And, along these lines, I love McNamee’s concept of “full contact investing” where he uses his rock band’s marketing as an experiential testing ground.)

Obviously, content marketing has laid some of the ground work here, and so has blogging. But his vision is bigger than that.

Content creators with the hutzpah and the resources to develop real destination websites can include new, highly integrated forms monetization to produce extraordinary opportunities in the very near future. The time is now to act on these phenomenally potent changes. Please watch the videos below to understand more.

I’ll certainly be doing my best to do so as well as to educate you how to take advantage of these changes via NewMarU.com. So please STAY TUNED! 😉

If you prefer to read a text summary of some of McNamee’s key points, check out Facebook Investor Roger McNamee Explains Why Social Is Over

Here are the videos:

The first is via Sarah Lacy’s PandoDaily blog and this post:
Roger McNamee on the New Web: “Everything That Mattered Over the Last Eight Years Won’t Matter Anymore”

And the other video is Roger’s TEDx Santa Cruz talk (where he even paces like a rock star)
entitled, “Disruption and Engagement”

Please let me know what you think, via the comments below or any other channel. Are these insights useful to you?