Content Curation Pros and Cons

Content curation is the process of sorting through a large amount of content on the web and presenting it in a meaningful and organized way around a specific theme (Lilach, 2012).  It involves sifting, sorting, arranging, content with a fine tooth comb and then publishing that information on a website or blog.  A content curator cherry picks the best content that is important and relevant to share with their community.  A curator’s job is to identify a theme, and then provide the information so that it makes every piece of content you come across seem that it was made specifically for you.  Getting people to see the connections between things that they didn’t necessarily see before is a key role in being a curator.    Because we are living in an era of content abundance, content curation has its pros, but it also has its cons. 

            

Some of the pros beyond content abundance include giving readers what they demand, boost your traffic, build social media networks, and creating content is not time consuming.  Sites that are able to effectively engage and share content have become popular go-to sites for relevant information.  MLBTradeRumors.com is a curated blog around sports and it is now the “go-to” site for fans and players.  RD.com is a site offering readers digest and is a good site for “general topics” on what readers are looking for.  These are just some examples of sites that have been extremely successful in content curation.

            

Some of the cons of content curation involve having to also create your own data, can become too automated, and it can be hard to keep up with the demand for relevant and valuable content (Lilach, 2012).  Having to create your own data is much more time consuming than sourcing and sharing data, however, if you site your sources accurately, you should be able to continuously give content that is integrated with your own, therefore creating more validity to your readers and subjects.  This also helps in keeping up with the demand when you have no relevant content, you create your own!  Developing your own content can also assist with not being overly automated.  Since you have to go in and create your own content, you can still give that live person feel to your site.

            

Communication mediums are evolving to be extremely and readily available online.  This is why I would recommend this type of advertising medium for my clients because it is cost effective and allows you to hone in precisely on your target market.  For example, MLBRumors.com has ads that are similar to major league sports such as Snickers.  Where many of their advertisements are targeted toward men as is the website. Content curated sites offer a very niche audience for advertisers and thus, are a great way to reach your target audience.

            

All in all, mastering the art of content curation is still a work in progress.  There are still cons of sourcing, creating, and referencing valuable and accurate information because it take a lot of time to anticipate the type of content that your readers are looking for.  Sometimes that means getting your readers to see the connections that they wouldn't necessarily have seen themselves.

References

Dave Chaffey, F. E.-C. (2009). Internet Marketing Strategy, Implementation, and Practice. Harlow: Prentice Hall.

Lilach. (2012, January 30). What is Content Curation. Retrieved November 18, 2012, from Socialable: http://www.socialable.co.uk/the-best-content-curation-tools-online/

Search Engine Optimization

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the process of improving the visibility of a website or a web page in search engines like Google.com by the use of organic or paid placements. An organic search consists of augmenting HTML code, web page copy editing, and site navigation (Roberts, 2008). A paid search involves pay-per-click (PPC) and cost-per-click (CPC) advertising. The idea is, the higher you rank in a search engine, the more customer traffic you will have on your website. In return, your website receives more sales and more business than if they were to much lower in the search. Search engine optimization is an internet marketing strategy that takes into consideration multiple pieces of an internet search including how search engines like Google works and common keywords and phrases used to find and specify certain items, topics, and products. Other search engine examples are Bing, and Yahoo.

The key to being successful in search engine optimization is to ensure that your business is utilizing both facets in regards to organic and paid placements. Optimizing your business's organic search is a way to naturally reach your audiences by the use of keywords and key phrases. For example, when I type in wedding dresses into Google, the first site that shows up in the list is DavidsBridal.com. This means that David's Bridal optimized Google's search engine the best.

Optimizing your business's paid search is done by placing a paid ad on a website. This is actually the easier than an organic search because it doesn't require a lot of technical knowledge to place a paid ad. In addition, businesses can also bid on keywords in order to enhance their chances of coming up first in searches. This involves placing the highest bid for your desired keyword which basically puts you at the top of the search results. However, because companies are constantly bidding, this is something that needs to be maintained on a regular basis. Keep in mind that this is a pay-per-click, which means that the more clicks you get based on your bidded keyword, the more you will have to pay. However, you can set a maximum of charges per month to avoid any unexpected, or higher than expected traffic (Roberts, 2008). Thus, pay-per-click is a controllable expense that is easy to set up and easy to maintain.

It is important to note as a consumer that this type of advertising is happening. While I find it helpful that search engines put the most popular and most relevant content in a search result list, I now make an effort to peruse the sites that come up lower on the list. I do this because I know that some companies may not be utilizing SEO and I want to ensure that I have a chance to preview sites that I would have otherwise ignored.

In addition to being aware of SEO as a consumer, there are also statistical online tools that SEO specialists can use to evaluate and expand websites' search engine rankings (Tumber 2011). These tools determine how the customer got to the website in the first place and tracks what the customer does, how many times they visit, etc. This data can then be used to tweak your website and marketing efforts (Tumber, 2011).

In sum, search engine optimization is important to develop in order to have a successful website. Furthermore, the use of paid as well as natural placements is necessary in order to optimize your search results standings. There are ways for businesses to utilize web templates in order to increase their search engine optimization, this is a great option for those who are not tech savvy.

While search engine optimization is important to the success of your business's website, it should be used in conjunction with other advertising efforts. A great marketing strategy is going to include well rounded advertising efforts that touch the different ways to reach your target audience. Search engine optimization, natural/organic searches, and pay per click searches are necessary to look into if you want to increase the traffic to your business and your website because it will enable your business to get the traffic it needs to produce sales.

References

Tumber, R. (2011). Search engine optimization explained: Tips to boost your rank and traffic. Las Vegas Business Press, ebscohost.com (10712186), 28(13), P25.

Roberts, M. L. (2008). Internet Marketing. Mason: Southwest Cengage Learning.

Pervasive Computing

Pervasive computing is defined by how a single person has access to numerous computing devices that assist in performing a variety of daily tasks (Roberts, 2008).  The idea is to enhance everyday activities by the use of embedded devices that perform without human intervention (Roberts, 2008).  For example, walking into a room and the temperature and lighting automatically changing to match your preferences.

The history of pervasive computing was due much in part to Mark D. Weiser, who was a chief scientist at Xerox PARC.  Weiser is commonly considered to be the father of ubiquitous computing, a term he created in 1988.  He was quoted in saying, “Ultimately, computers would vanish into the background, weaving themselves into the fabric of everyday life until they are indistinguishable from it."

Pervasive computing is a post-desktop model of human-computer interaction in which information processing has been carefully integrated into everyday objects and activities (Roberts, 2009).  What I love about this concept is that I can see it happening, and I see that technology is rapidly evolving and further enabling use to have computers work for us, without even knowing it.  Furthermore, wireless networks are becoming more and more easily available, especially through mobile devices.

Ubiquitous computing has created real applications in the world; one example would be ExxonMobil’s Speedpass system.  The Speedpass system is described as a wand, in the fact that the customer waves it in front of the Speedpass symbol to initiate a transaction (Roberts, 2008).  The “wand” is an RFID transporter which holds the customer’s information which enables the store to verify the customer’s information, process the transaction, and print a receipt.

Types of technology such as these are evolving to do just more than what they were originally intended.  For instance, with the Speedpass, customers can not only pay for their gas with a wave of their card, they can also purchase car washes (Roberts, 2008).  This is a great example of how companies are continuously evolving their technologies in order to continuously satisfy the customer’s needs.

Another example of pervasive computing is Continental Airlines who uses RFID tags to track passenger bags, while Delta Airlines is tagging customer bags with RFID technology to reduce the number of lost bags and make it easier to route bags if customers change their flight plans.

One of my favorite retail stores, Maurices, recently exchanged my paper customer loyalty punch card for an e-card.  The difference between the punch card and the e-card is that now, all my information is saved electronically, and even if I were to lose my card, they would still have my total punches saved in the system.  Thus, they are making it even easier for customers to take advantage of the company’s punch card program.  Furthermore, since the card is able to track all of my purchases, there is no need to have to keep track of my receipts.  Since all my purchases are stored in the system, the employees are able to look back and confirm the original purchase and purchase price.

A school that I used to attend used RFID tags as the student IDs.  But these IDs were so much more than just a photo of me.  The card actually held my student information and loan and grant funds.  From there, I was able to use the card to purchase items from the book store, rent books from the library, login to the school computers, and pay for prints in the computer lab.  It was just one card, but it did so much.  The convenience factor of not having to carry around cash was a great way for a student like me to keep track of their expenses every quarter.

Furthermore, the mobile world is ever changing and evolving in ways that make pervasive computing more and more present.  For instance, companies like Wells Fargo are realizing the importance of mobile apps that enable their customers to do things that they would normally do in store.  Transferring funds, checking balances, and paying bills has never been easier since the adaption of mobile apps.  Companies like Wells Fargo are recognizing the need for the ability to have instant gratification when it comes to their customer’s needs.

With the evolvement of mobile devices, wireless internet, and RFID tags, society is getting used to instant gratification when it comes to making purchases.  RFID tags can usually be read automatically by static wireless readers which cut costs.  Generation Z is being brought up in a world of instant satisfaction.  Whereas Generation X is still getting used to the concept.  I think that there is still a bit of a digital divide when it comes to the adaption of mobile apps, RFID tags, and wireless.  However, as companies make technology easier to use and adapt to, the more each generation will be able to adapt and utilize the technology to its fullest.

In sum, wireless networks, mobile devices, and RFID tags are enabling consumers to shop use services with ease and convenience.  Society will continue to evolve and adapt to this instant gratification piece, which will forever change the way us as consumers do business.

References

Milburn., R. (n.d.). RFID tags commodity to end-user Wireless technology provides a unique number for each item and a powerful means of tracking and tracing products. Ebscohost, Retrieved March 18, 2012, from http://ehis.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=3&hid=101&sid=0b3c9192-747b-42b8-8e00-6a0321b7bb2d%40sessionmgr111&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=ffd3a5fb&AN=

Roberts, M. L. (2008). Internet Marketing. Mason: Southwest Cengage Learning.

Tanner, H. E. (2009). Sales Management. Upper Saddle River: Pearson Education, Inc.

Drivers of the Internet Economy

There are many varying drivers of the internet economy. Some of them being: information produces the greatest value, distance does not matter, speed is of the essence, people are the key assets, network growth increases value, marketers deal on a one-on-one basis, demand can more accurately be predicted, cost patterns change, consumers now have the power, and an information economy is characterized by choice and abundance (Roberts, 2008). I have found that internet drivers have a lot of a lot to do with consumer behavior because it is the consumer who now has the control over marketing efforts as the bar is constantly being raised by competing businesses.

Information produces the greatest value has proven to be a huge driver in the internet economy. For example, a website like CarsDirect.com not only provides multiple options on where the customer can purchase their car, but also provides researched information on the vehicle that the customer is considering. This enables the customer to make a more well-rounded decision for such a large purchase.

Additionally, distance does not matter anymore! Consumers are now able to find the products and services they need, from the comfort of their own home. One great example is distance learning. For me, being able to pursue my degree online enables me to work full-time while supporting my family. If I did not have the option to do what I am doing, I don't believe that I would be able to find the time to go to classes on campus every week.

Instant gratification is something that us a as consumers are being spoiled with. With options like iTunes that allow us to almost instantly access music, books, movies, and TV shows, or Comcast's On Demand which allows us to instantly rent a movie without having to leave the house, are just a few examples of how speed is of the essence.

I am a firm believer in happy employees make happy customers. The fourth internet driver, people are the key assets, rings true in this context. Skilled and knowledgeable employees are the only assets that employers know could leave them and not return (Roberts, 2008). Thus, if you treat your employees right, they will treat your customers right. Strong and knowledgeable workers are key assets to any company.

Network growth increases value and shows how fast the internet enables businesses to decrease costs and increase productivity. This allows businesses to increase their value with the use of internet. Pretty soon, all of our appliances are going to be connected digitally and will further increase value. For instance, OnStar, which connects vehicles to an online security system that will notify the police if you are in an accident. It's these types of ideas that will continue to change how we live and do things and will further increase our productivity not only for businesses, but also for consumers.

Furthermore, Marketers can now deal with customers on a one-to-one basis. Similar to OnStar being able to connect directly with the consumer through the vehicle, FedEx also offers the consumer to schedule shipments and track packages. Because this information is all done over the internet, FedEx is able to store the information in a more cost effective way, versus calling which would cost time and money (Roberts, 2008).

Not only can marketers deal with the consumer on a one-to-one basis, but demand can now be predicted with greater accuracy. Demand is the desire of customers for goods or services for which they wish to purchase or use. A great example of a company that is able to predict demand is Wal-Mart as they utilize radio-frequency IDs to track inventory digitally, which they automatically orders more when stock begins to get low. This is just one way that companies are predicating demand with greater accuracy.

Cost patterns are also drivers of the internet economy. To illustrate, Amazon.com offers ebooks at a lower price than the physical copies. Ebooks enable the consumer to not only access their purchase instantly, but there are decreased transaction costs both for the customer and Amazon. The consumer doesn't have to pay for shipping, and Amazon doesn't have to use any resources to process the purchase and ship the book. More and more businesses and customers are recognizing the benefits of these types of cost patterns.

I feel that the most important driver is consumers having the power in an information rich channel. Since consumers have applications to assist them in making purchases online, for example Google Shopper, they have the power to find the best price online for the item that they are looking to purchase. I use Google Shopper all the time to price compare; this type of application gives all the power to us as consumers because it creates more instances of competition.

The last driver, information economy is characterized by choice and abundance, illustrates that the consumer is looking for businesses that give them options in regards to price and quality. As stated earlier, the internet enables the consumer to price compare in many different sites.

In sum, the opportunity the internet provides us as both a consumer or entrepreneur an endless array of options for the future.


References

Roberts, M. L. (2008). Internet Marketing. Mason: Southwest Cengage Learning.
Khalifa, Mohamed; Limayem, Moez. Ebscohost, Retrieved January 2th, 2012 Communications of the ACM, Dec2003, Vol. 46 Issue 12, p233-239, 7p