5 nuggets for a post-digital web 'strategy'
Conveying five ideas in five minutes is one of those good little excercises in getting on-point in your communications.
I have to do one of those presentations in the next couple of days.
Here's my working 5 nuggets for a web 'strategy'.
Nit-picking and heckling welcome.
POLARISE
Trying to appeal to everyone means it will appeal to no-one.
KNOW which side of the bed you are lying on.
Decide what we are FOR and AGAINST.
Getting messages out is easy, getting people to care is the hard bit.
Without a polarising opinion, you can’t find who’s in and who’s out.
COMMUNITY
‘How do we build a community around the brand?’
Wrong question.
But we can find existing communities that are aligned with the brand’s worldview and help them get to where they want to go.
If an existing community exists that supports the brand, who have formed and operate under their own steam, this is pure gold. This should be encouraged, empowered and loved.
Not shut down (seriously, this happens)
DISTRIBUTION NOT DESTINATION
Every piece of content online has ‘viral’ potential built in.
If it is interesting, of course.
To lock interesting content behind walled gardens or convoluted sign-in procedures is missing the point.
An idea can’t catch on or attract new customers if it doesn’t spread.
This is what the web was built to do.
If it doesn’t spread it’s dead.
ADVERTISE IDEAS NOT ADVERTISING IDEAS
So, when is the best time to advertise?
When you have something interesting to talk about.
Product features and benefits are not that interesting.
Stories about how you are making a difference to the world, however, are.
THERE IS NO AUDIENCE
Over 70% of the stuff on the internet was created by people.
Not by brands or even publishers.
No one is sitting around waiting to spectate on your stuff, they are busy making their own.
Remember what Confucious says:
‘ Tell me and I’ll forget, show me and I might remember, but INVOLVE ME and I’ll understand’
Give the people a platform to do things together to create their own value.
