The class I completed in December 2007 was an independent study on “Marketing Your Media On the Web.” It looks like this material will be used to teach a Media Studies in the Fall 2008 semester at the New School, which makes me very happy.
You can see the majority of the material I posted, in the form of a class syllabus, on the social media project wiki set up by my advisor.
After examining the ways various media makers used the web and social media for marketing, I also came to several overall conclusions:
The basics are still important. A web page that is attractive and easily navigable is still important, although a blog can be used as an effective home page. In addition, search engine optimization (SEO) is still a priority to ensure that search engine requests find your site or organization. A frequently updated blog adds to one’s search engine rank as well as providing new content, both reasons why a blog is an extremely useful tool. As a supplement for those who can afford it, some Search Engine Marketing (SEM) ads can also be helpful, but are not necessary. Marketing that’s not web-related, like attractive and complete press kits, are still also important (although the web helps with distribution).
Social media is not just a trend and must be utilized. Especially for the independent media creator or small business, getting the word out through social media channels is required. As more and more sites add social components – from comments to user profiles to user reviewing features – learning how to navigate through these types of systems is increasingly important.
Cut out the middleman. Digital distribution and social media for promotion allow independent media creators to deal with the world on their terms.While record labels, book publishers, movie distributors and art galleries still have value, it’s now possible to build a reputation and a career without dealing with them. While social media marketing takes time (although not much money), the rewards for artists who value their independence (or don’t want to sign away any rights to their work) are available. Having the option to succeed independently increases the negotiating power of artists who choose to work with the more traditional model, especially those who can bring a significant audience of loyal fans with them.
Fans and enthusiasts have never been more important. Fans’ word of mouth have always been an important component of marketing, especially for independent media creators. With the power of the web, fans can form more extensive communities, spread the word more efficiently, and be more creative in their support of the artist they admire. Whether it was musician Matthew Ebel’s (http://matthewebel.com/) fans creating a collection of his live shows for purchase (with money going to Ebel’s PayPal account, http://virtualhotwings.com/), writer Scott Sigler’s (http://www.scottsigler.com/) fans bumping his book to the top of the Amazon horror charts by all buying a copy on the same day, or painter Duane Keiser’s (http://duanekeiser.blogspot.com/) fans who bid on his small “Painting a Day” paintings and supply him with a steady income, I was continuously surprised by the dedication of the fans. One of the core features of social media is putting power back into the consumers’ hands, and these media consumers have used that power to give the artists they admire a reputation and an ability to make a living.
Not money, but time, required. Most social media tools are accessible at low to no cost. However, building up the connections with fans and creating online community around an artist’s work takes a great deal of time. Many forms of social media are still new, and the early adaptors, especially those with a creative idea, are able to stand out. The tools and platforms available are still in flux, producing more opportunities for creativity, but requiring time spent keeping up with trends (and learning tools). While very little technical skill is required, time and persistence are resources that some artists may not want to use to devote to marketing rather than their craft. (However, depending on the medium, signing with a professional middleman doesn’t guarantee that they will spend sufficient funds or time in promotional efforts, either. For example, most authors are advised to hire their own publicist to supplement the small amount of marketing a publisher will provide.)
What do you think? Anything to add?