When I heard about Google Wave, the digital marketer in me was keen to understand how I could exploit the pants off it. Obvious uses came to mind, such as the ability to target Google Search Advertising to live conversations via the content network. I could also see how brands could promote themselves to consumers through personal and direct conversations. Take the car market as an example, you could set up a ‘Ford Wave’, where Ford lovers could share experiences and, perhaps, Ford could offer exclusive invitations to Wave riders to test-drive new models. However, I was still struggling to understand how marketers could really make brands famous using Google Wave. Or let’s cut to the important stuff... how us ad-folk could commercialise it. So, I decided to embark on the task of analysing some of the industries that I felt would benefit most from greater collaboration. One of the first areas that sprung to mind was Education. All over the world there must be teachers, university lecturers and students who are keen to share learning experiences. This could take classrooms and lecture theatres global. Unbounded by classroom walls, children could have live Waves with kids across the globe, and teachers could share and develop learning ideas with like-minded people. Students could get their exam results delivered by the Wave, so they no longer have to loiter around the letterbox waiting nervously. Assignments could also be marked and commented on via the Wave. Journalists, reporters and producers could all use Google Wave to develop and share story ideas. Sporting clubs could use it to organise team games, training and via forum to get to know their teammates better. Government agencies and departments could use it to spread important messages. For example, they could set up a Wave for people living in areas at risk of bushfire that would allow them to collaborate with each other and, importantly, get access to real time updates. The Wave will also be a powerful tool for cause-related activities, as proven by the ‘My Oath Campaign’ promoting White Ribbon Day. The possibilities for collaboration really are endless. Perhaps, rather than being a money spinner, it will simply be the tool that modernises communications in industries and organisations that are crying out for new and more effective ways to collaborate. Google’s approach to this launch has also been quite clever by opening it up to the developer community first on an exclusive ‘invite only’ basis (which, on further investigation, can really be anyone who poses as a developer or gets an invite from one). I think that the real meat of this tool will be uncovered by the development community through the API. In this sense, it is a blank canvas. One of the first things I think we will see from the external developer community is the creation of a tool that allows it to work with other email clients, while at ‘Camp Google’ I think we will see a commercial variant of the software that sits in their business applications portfolio. Internal corporate collaboration through the Wave is inevitable, but the big players will only leave their safe Microsoft havens if developers can create some safety nets between the discussion and the clouds. In 2010, consumers will be smarter and more security conscious about their social interactions. If they are marketed to via social networks it will only be accepted if it’s secure, relevant and engaging, and businesses will only use the Wave if they have ownership of the conversations. The other big question I have is how does Google plan to make money from the Wave? At a recent seminar, one of the creators, Lars Rasmussen, said he had a romantic notion that people might actually pay for it. However, he also mentioned recently there are a number of ways it could generate revenue. One idea was to set up a Google Wave Apps Store for all the robots, embeds and gadgets being developed. My tip? Watch the space and make friends with a geek. Claire is a Senior Client Services Manager with Bullseye’s Digital Marketing business unit. She is responsible for managing a diverse portfolio of accounts, including the Australian Sports Commission and Goodman Fielder. Claire guides Bullseye’s clients on how to get ROI from social media campaigns and how to engage and respond using social media monitoring. You can email Claire at claire.cooper@bullseye.com.au or follow her on Twitter @ccoops.

Websites, like our own gardens, need constant nurturing. It can be too easy to put off the inevitable maintenance and, when we do, getting it back to looking great becomes a big job. Many of my clients ask me, “Why does it cost so much to maintain my website?". Problem is they’re asking the wrong question, they’re missing the point.  Let’s get one thing clear. If you think of your website as a project that you need to tick off a list, then don’t invest the money. If you have worked out how to define the value of your web activities, you will know what to spend and where to spend it. So let me give you what I believe should represent some of your key priorities for 2010. While you may be tackling some of these already, I bet there’s some room for improvement. For anyone out there who has a handle on all of these, I’d love to hear from you and learn about the success you’re experiencing!

1.       Social media awareness

Did you know that a recent American study identified that more than 3 in 5 people go online to influence others’ opinions or express contrasting or oppositional views?(1) If you care about what is being said about your product or service, then you cannot ignore monitoring the conversations about you that are happening on the web. Where in the past you may have relied on someone calling you with feedback, we now know that this represented only a small minority of the potential feedback you could’ve received. Your customers are talking about you and some of it is impacting future sales... Maybe even the future of your business. Task #1 – get a social media strategy

2.       Integrated marketing communications

I bet over 80% of you are still not integrating your broader customer communications with your digital channel. Why not? Integration gives you the benefit of comparing channels and the success within each channel. Integration ensures consistent messaging and an improved customer experience. Lack of integration confuses your customers. Task #2 – integrate your offline and online communications

3.       Deliver customer relevance

It doesn’t take too much grey matter to discern that your customers would prefer a digital experience that is specific to their needs and interests. However, very few have taken a true customer-centric approach. Give some control back to your users and learn about what they need, then deliver it! You’ll be amazed at the improved engagement you’ll achieve. By the way, a good content management system will go a long way in making this step much simpler. Task #3 – focus on delivering relevant content and services to your customer

4.       Focus on return on investment

Any good marketer will tell you the financial value of a qualified lead and customer. But how many of you are actively using ROI models to support your digital program? In other words, do you know what the value of your digital programme is to your business? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. If you’re passionate about what digital can do, and continually struggle for funding, focus on getting clear on ROI. Task #4 – focus on establishing good ROI measurement

5.       Leverage the commercial opportunities of your web assets

While this is not a resolution for all readers, it will be particularly important for some of you. While you may have a great website, do you feel that you’re not exploiting the true value of your online assets? If you have been toying with online advertising and how to commercialise your website, get started in 2010. The answers and benefits may not be as far away as you may think. Task #5 – understand the commercial value within your current web assets

6.       Get into CRM

I mentioned above about integrating your marketing communications and delivering relevance to your customers. To support these goals, your ability to be able to both capture and manage customer data is a critical element in this picture. A database that will allow you to build a picture of your customer’s history of engagement with you will provide the ‘tools’ to offer a richer experience and more targeted messaging. Task #6 – ensure your digital programme is underpinned by a strong CRM capability

7.       Share your content and get found

Your users love telling their mates about something they’ve seen and read. The ability to create user generated content and publish this through your own Twitter or Facebook account is effortless, however many don’t make it easy for customers to share your content. Make sure you add ‘share’ tools to your site and don’t forget to create a following on your own via online social media tools. Use the exponential power of online networks to get your message out.  Also, don’t forget that Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is still important as part of your strategy. Google remains to be the most popular website and dominant search engine (2), so make sure your site and key messages rank well. Task #7 – make it easy for your customers to share your content and find you I trust that some of these priorities will resonate with you and provide a good starting point. Good luck for a successful 2010 and don’t forget to let me know how you go! Greg Muller, Managing Director – Digital Technology greg.muller@bullseye.com.au Twitter: @gmull 1.       Ruder Finn Intent Index, http://www.ruderfinn.com/rfrelate/intent/intent-index.html 2.       Hitwise Top 20 Sites & Engines, http://www.hitwise.com/us/datacenter/main/dashboard-10133.html

As the National Broadband Network (NBN) moves ahead over the next 12 months, more focus on how it will impact business and communities will come to the fore. Business leaders must look at their corporate objectives in terms of digital delivery, and consider the game changing benefits of doing business in a high-speed broadband environment. It is imperative that they have a clear digital strategy in place that leverages these opportunities, and takes a whole-of-business approach. Those that don’t risk being left behind. Digital presents opportunities for technological improvements that can revolutionise the capability of organisations to improve their responsiveness, enhance customer service, control costs and standardise procedures. This can be achieved through the development of informative and engaging websites that improve your competitiveness; content management systems that manage and publish organisational information; applications that manage your supply chain; systems that promote personalised and effective customer management, and leveraging the increase in the take up of the mobile web to speak to customers anywhere, anytime. Accordingly, here are some key points for consideration to assist you in devising your digital strategy:

1. Having a digital roadmap. It is crucial to develop a digital roadmap. One of the first steps is to consider how digital can play a role in harnessing your offerings and competitive differences by engaging your customers, potential customers, stakeholders, suppliers, buyers and employees when you work through your strategic business objectives. This will require clarity on what you offer, who buys it and why.
2. What is the purpose of your digital mediums? Clearly identify your purpose and objectives when engaging with your different audience groups (B2C, B2B/B2b/B2P, and B2E/B2S) to help you determine which digital mediums will deliver the highest value. For example, should you focus on your website or internal intranet? Developing criteria to help define priorities will assist in providing a balanced score card for each initiative.
3. Governance and a publishing model are critical. Ensure a strong governance framework and publishing model is in place to support ownership, roles and approval definition. This requires a dedicated team to manage your digital mediums. Since 2001, we have seen an increase in the investment in digital teams by 133%.(1)
4. Need to consider mobility. With advancements in the speed of access to information, comes increased expectations of mobility. The functionality available in phones allows for 24/7 engagement between people and businesses. 77% of mobile users use their phone for more than text and voice.(2)  Organisations need to embrace this and provide ways to make access to information through mobile devices easier.
5. Content is still king. Define the ownership and supply of content and digital assets. It is important to understand what needs to be created, versus what needs to be sourced. This allows you to place a value on the content and define the space it will exist in.
6. Social media – if you are not yet ready to engage then at least listen. Start monitoring the conversations taking place about your brand and/or products. This will provide some great insights into real or perceived positives and negatives that you may want to address in the conversation, or use as part of customer service and product improvements. From there, you may wish to engage and nurture relationships through the creation of an online community of advocates.
7. Information and marketing relevant to the user. Targeted content and marketing are critical in ensuring that you can engage in a relevant way with your audience. Consistency of your brand messages, whilst providing relevance, is key. This does not only require technology and digital experience, but strong management of your content online. Digital is no longer seen as simply an effective tool for dealing with transactional activities. It is a way to connect to people in our work and play.
8. Digital changes the way we do business. The traditional value chain of the manufacturer controlling production is changing. Consumers have a greater influence over what they want and increased customisation options available to them. Through digital, feedback can travel directly to the wholesaler and manufacturer, meaning the conversation bypasses the retailer. Information about the product can be sought on many different sites; independent product/service comparison sites (e.g. www.choice.com.au ), demonstrations on YouTube (Open the box ….) and social media feedback.
9. Real time information will allow for more responsive and accurate decisions. Delivery of real time information that is relevant to the audience will increase the efficiency of decision-making. Systemisation of processes to provide information in real time leads to improvements in quality, better business operations and, hence, improved business performance. High-speed broadband will be key to facilitating this exchange of information.
10. Metrics and analysis. Employing effective tools to monitor feedback, and generate metrics and analysis is important to evaluating the performance of your digital mediums. This will feed into ongoing improvements, whether you want to know how a marketing campaign has had an effect on a targeted audience, or where your site traffic is coming from. This information also feeds in to your digital roadmap so that you can measure against the key indicators, and identify what is important and what is not, allowing for refinements.

Digital is all-pervasive. We know all about it. It touches many of us in our daily lives in one way or another. Most of us are using it more and more, and it is becoming central to how we all live, work and play. To stay ahead of the game, businesses must think of ways to leverage digital technology, particularly the opportunities available to them with the imminent roll out of high-speed broadband. There is little doubt that the firm of the future will be heavily reliant on digital, and, with that in mind, developing a whole-of-business digital strategy has never been more crucial. Mark Nicklin, Managing Director - Digital Strategy mark.nicklin@bullseye.com.au For more insights in to the impact of high-speed broadband on business and the business environment, please download our discussion paper, ‘business@100Mbps – A View of the Firm of the Future’ at www.bullseyereports.com.au.

---

1. Intranet Design Annual 2009 - The Year's Best Intranets (Jakob Nielsen)
2. Changing Australian Mobile Phone Habits Revealed In New Report 29 September 2009 http://www.aimia.com.au/i-cms?page=6289

By Phil Kolimar

No, I’m not talking about the ‘90s epic starring Sigourney Weaver... I’m referring to the website thief. Hard to believe, but yep it’s happening. Surprisingly too, a website is not as secure or guarded as you might’ve thought.

In Australia, copyright property legislations protect businesses with registered trademarks. Growth and innovation in the digital space forces government to review its legislation, with the Personal Properties Securities Bill amended only two weeks ago.

And it seems these protection legislations are difficult to police.

One of our clients experienced this copycat act of burglary first hand (for not the first, but SECOND time in 12-18 months). In both cases, their greatest pain came from clearing up all the mess; getting in contact with internationally-based registrars, seeking legal representation, and requesting the action of local authorities.

In simple terms, to steal a site all one needs to do is 'save file' and there you have it; the building blocks needed to replicate and/or modify the very same front end look of another’s website. Some sites prove harder to pinch than others, but currently vulnerabilities exist nonetheless.

In our client’s case the plagiarising sites were eventually taken down, but the situation highlighted the current lack of security on the web. Traditionally, you’ll find the majority of websites have not and do not employ high levels of security of their code, but this episode might cause you to rethink.

In most cases, budgets for website projects are spent on design and the development work that goes into bringing a website to life. Consequently, little consideration is given to security protection, unless the website has an e-commerce element.

Preventative software options are currently available for Flash-based sites through ‘encryption’. What the software does is ‘encrypt’ the Flash scripting language, making it near impossible to discern when reopened; its purpose is to ultimately discourage the cheating copycat from doing anything with it. Although preventative security measures are available, it’s important to note that they may not be 100% foolproof. The Flash encryption method will help to protect the code, but may not do anything to protect the images and content found within the Flash.

Nonetheless, encryption methods should be seriously considered as part of a Flash design project on the web. This way, as a website owner, you can rest easy in the knowledge that the design remains your own.

Just a thought...

An AIMIA event last week, Getting Inside Gen Y, tackled how marketers can connect with Generation Y in this age of rapid change and information. It raised some interesting viewpoints and also sparked an interesting debate. Here’s a little food for thought from Emily Birch - Client Services Director, Digital Marketing.

Who are Gen Y?

According to OzTam, people born between 1976 and 1990 are officially ‘Gen Y’. This opens up a conundrum for brands trying to connect to these folks, as a 19 and 32 year old are likely to have different lifestyles, interests and desires. One approach offered was to segment Gen Y into the life stages of high school, university and blue collar, however from my perspective this seems a little too broad and out of date - Gen Y have grown up and left high school!

Do we really need to segment or categorise Gen Y? The beauty of social media is that it provides an opportunity for marketers to observe people's behaviour to gain insights. Does it then matter if a person who loves Burton snowboards is 19 or 40 years old?

Future of Facebook

Facebook's phenomenal success (currently over 6.9 million members in Australia and growing daily) has allowed marketers to reinvent their digital marketing strategies. With the Facebook Connect API, brands can engage with niche audiences who pass messages by word of mouth via functionally like automatic wall posts when they become a brand fan, or interact with pages or applications. In addition, the competitive CPCs on advertising make Facebook an attractive channel for brands wanting to target specific audiences.

There is some evidence out there to suggest that Gen Y are starting to lose interest in Facebook due to information overload and, let’s face it, when mum 'pokes' you it’s game over! Inside Facebook has reported that over 30% of members are over 35 years old and this demographic has the highest growth rate.

Gen Y Consumes 36 Hours of Media Each Day

This statistic is extreme (although the source was not revealed!). Assuming the younger generation still has to sleep to stay alive and the world still operates based on 24 hrs in day, Gen Ys are seriously multi-tasking and consuming media from multiple channels concurrently.

As I almost qualify as a Gen Y, I measured by own media consumption on Friday last week and calculated a total of 19.5 hrs (combination of iTunes, radio, Internet, TV and mobile phone). I work in the digital industry and still don’t make it close to your average Gen Y.

Is 36 hours a day of media consumption sustainable? Fast forward 10 years and I think there is going to be a shift in behaviour, with Gen Ys starting to seek a more simplistic lifestyle. Brands will need to be ready for a shift from generation ‘wired’ to generation ‘chilled’.

In summary, to understand Gen Y (or any generation) we need to observe people’s behaviour in social spaces, listen to what they are saying and develop insights that brands can use to provide relevant content or tools that truly add value to people – whether to entertain, simplify life or to educate. People are cramming their waking hours with information from multiple media sources, so brands need to focus on cutting through all this noise to build engaging, on-going and trusted relationships.

How many hours a day do you spend consuming media – are you 'Gen Wired'?

Follow Emily on Twitter: @toadstuff

by Greg Muller, Managing Director, Digital Technology

By the time a child in Australia is between 12 and 14 years old, he or she will be spending an average of an hour and a half a day on the computer or Internet[1]. Our 'Digital Youth' are playing games, socialising and extending friendships, and engaging in self-directed learning online everyday. Undoubtedly, there are many more information and entertainment options available to kids. In this article, I'm going to focus on the impact this trend is having on traditional storytelling, and focus on a few sites that are successfully leveraging the benefits of the digital medium to add a new dimension to traditional storytelling. There is little doubt that storytelling is crucial to early childhood education, in fact, studies show that activities like reading and sharing stories within the first few years of life are crucial in stimulating early brain development[2]. Children love to be told tales; of that there is little doubt. They make them up, they listen to them and they share them with their friends. As an art form however, storytelling is transforming. In her book, 'Stories, Pictures and Realities', Dr Virginia Lowe, a lecturer of  children's literature and literary critic, journals the interactions and relationships children have with books from as young as one week old, right through to adolescence. She says, "By sitting on a parent's lap listening to a story, the child is getting the adults full attention. This is one very major difference with television and the internet. Parents do not have to be involved. Because of this, the media have to try harder to keep the attention of the child, so they do quick changes, (they) don't stay on one scene or idea for long. This has made for a generation of kids that have to be multi-tasking, or changing rapidly from idea to idea..."

In this hypermedia environment, content is presented in chunks; divided into small bites and short messages, and a lot of these messages are delivered through rich media - video, sound, animation. So, how can stories be told effectively in this new media landscape? Marketers who are focusing on delivering engaging content, safety and guidance within a gaming or exploration-based framework, are those that are currently winning the kids' hearts. Current players in the market that are achieving this success are like 'The39Clues.com'. This is the latest craze that has 'Tweens' flinging their Nintendo DS behind the couch. It is the story of Amy and Dan Cahill, and the secret of their strange family's power. The publisher and website owner is the Scholastic Corporation (interestingly, they were also the publishers of the Harry Potter series. These guys seem to know how to spot a good story!). Their approach to digital storytelling has been to integrate the series of books with a website that enhances the entertainment experience. Visitors to the site can collect clues, play an online game and compete to win prizes.

Another engaging site is Disney's 'Club Penguin', a secure, virtual 'snow-covered' island where children from 6 to 14 years old can create avatars (penguins), play games and engage in fun activities like colouring in, while also meeting new friends. The site contains comics about the penguins and a blog that keeps the community informed about what is happening on the island. Club Penguin also hosts stage plays and parties that members can participate in. The result is a living and evolving story based on the characters the children create. The digital platform gives them the opportunity to interactively play out their story in the online world. These sites achieve success because they stimulate the mind by providing challenges that develop discovery skills, comprehension, numeracy and literacy, whilst also providing much needed structure and security for the child (and the parent). The Internet can be a wonderful place to tell stories; as well as a place to discover and learn core skills, hone and extend existing capabilities, and develop interpersonal skills. Marketers who find new and exciting ways to work with traditional concepts of childhood education and communication by leveraging the capabilities of the online medium will be the ones that have a real impact on today's youth. They will be giving kids the best of both worlds.

---

[1] CCCH 2008a; Ravi 2007 (cited from pg 56 research paper http://aihw.gov.au/publications/phe/phe-112-10704/phe-112-10704.pdf) [2] Australian Communications and Media Authority: Use of electronic media and communications: Early childhood to teenage years June 2009 Related links Stories, Pictures and Realities by Dr Virginia Lowe

by Jason Davey, Managing Director, Digital Marketing Marketing to kids online is a sensitive subject. In large part, this is because unscrupulous operators have been known to engage in the exploitation of personal details and privacy; preying on the unsuspecting, including kids. This article doesn't deal with that subject, but it does deal with what is required to build a successful following on a website aimed at kids, including how to handle disclosure. Having built successful kids websites for Cartoon Network, Sydney Aquarium and ENERGEX in the past 10 years; I can tell you that one strategy always works: GAMES. Kids love games, and they don't have to be some amazing 3D production to hold their attention, they simply need great playability. Throw in a high-scorer's ladder and you will find out just how competitive kids can be, as they challenge their mates to beat their high score. Kids are great viral promoters of websites they like, as they are large users of Instant Messenger and share links frequently. Simple and playable web games work very effectively. Use your brand mascot as a game character or select a game theme that ties closely with your brand, and you can involve kids with your brand in an environment that they enjoy and share with their friends. But don't forget mum and dad. Parents need to be comfortable with the topic of your game and to endorse the play. They are an important part of the marketing cycle. Below are some key tips to ensure a responsible approach to producing websites for kids:

• Identify yourself: make your brand very clear on the site.
• Make sure the difference is clear between website content and advertising.
• State clearly in your privacy policy that any information collected from children will not be sold to a third party, and ensure the policy is written in language that kids can understand.
• Avoid including chat rooms on your site unless you're prepared to appropriately monitor them with qualified and trained staff.
• Require parental consent to be obtained before any child under 13 releases any personal information. The consent should include a request for a parent's email address and sending a notification email to the parent requiring their authorisation.
• Don't display any personal information on the website other than screen names, and avoid too much personalisation within your email communication.
• Only email newsletters and notifications that are in line with your policy, and do not send too many promotional emails.

If you take the steps above and include some eye-catching graphics, playable web games and allow kids to unleash their creativity, you are bound to achieve success in building a following. Last tip: Make sure you keep adding new and exciting content regularly if you want to keep kids coming back!

Jason's recent presentation at the Public Sector Marketing conference (29/06/09) rated an average of 9.5/10 from delegates. See his presentation here on Public Sector Digital Marketing: now and in the Future.

Jason Davey and Jim McKerlie hit the speaking circuit at the end of the month with a couple of plum gigs. Bullseye's Digital Government team will be busier than usual after Jason presents at the Public Sector Marketing conference in Canberra on June 29. The event aims to bring together numerous government employees and their expertise, focusing on communicating with the public. Various case study based sessions will provide crucial insight into the processes of developing and evaluating government campaigns and initiatives. Jason's topic will cover Public sector digital marketing now and in the future

• A Digital Government social marketing showcase (case studies)
• Government@100mpbs - the future of public sector social marketing
• What you can do now to prepare for high-speed broadband

Jim will also be preparing organisations for the future, when he joins the likes of Senator Stephen Conroy at the Australian Financial Review Broadband Conference 2009. The key focus of the conference is on business users ranging from finance to consumer services, health, education and marketing and media. What business models will work and what services can be delivered via the new high speed network? The conference will be held at the Westin in Sydney on Tuesday 7 July, 2009 http://www.afr.com/home/events.aspx

Our Director of Digital Marketing, Jason Davey will be imparting his insights on 'Latest Twitter Tips', when he joins the founder and publisher of Smartcompany, Amanda Gome for a webinar on August 4,  at 2.00pm. To join this webinar and/or to forward along details,  click on the following link to register. Smartcompany webinar: Latest Twitter Tips