1) Why are YouTube and iTunes major tools for companies attempting to educate, promote, and communicate relevant information about who they are?
The migration of audio and video from online backwaters to the forefront with valuable content happened because of sites like YouTube and iTunes, with easy ways for people to view and listen. In addition, high-speed Internet connections became the norm, and the technology to create and upload audio and video became simple enough that anybody can do it
The migration of audio and video from online backwaters to the forefront with valuable content happened because of sites like YouTube and iTunes, with easy ways for people to view and listen. In addition, high-speed Internet connections became the norm, and the technology to create and upload audio and video became simple enough that anybody can do it
2) In this web age, outline a contemporary way in which people make product and service decisions.
3) Provide an example of how a service provider can assist its customers’ understanding of what the provider does.
Many organizations encourage their customers or fans to produce videos for them. These customer-generated video efforts often take the form of contests and can be highly successful, especially for a product or service that has a visual impact. For example, Nalgene bottles are virtually indestructible. If you go to YouTube, you'll find hundreds of videos where people try to break them in creative ways, such as running them over with a lawnmower, throwing them out of buildings, and freezing water in them and then hitting them with a hammer. For the makers of the Nalgene bottle, this is a valuable phenomenon, since the company does not have any part in the videos.
Many organizations encourage their customers or fans to produce videos for them. These customer-generated video efforts often take the form of contests and can be highly successful, especially for a product or service that has a visual impact. For example, Nalgene bottles are virtually indestructible. If you go to YouTube, you'll find hundreds of videos where people try to break them in creative ways, such as running them over with a lawnmower, throwing them out of buildings, and freezing water in them and then hitting them with a hammer. For the makers of the Nalgene bottle, this is a valuable phenomenon, since the company does not have any part in the videos.
4) How did the efforts of Queensland tourism, while soliciting applications for “The Best Job in the World,” have a positive impact on tourism in the Great Barrier Reef area?
Recently Tourism Queensland created a fantastic video contest called The Best Job in the World. The winner was chosen as Caretaker of the Islands of the Great Barrier Reef. The position had a few minor tasks, but the main thing was to use social media to talk up the islands. The job of blogging and posting videos paid 150,000 Australian dollars for a six-month gig. The contest required each applicant to post a one-minute video explaining why he or she should be chosen as caretaker of Hamilton Island on the Great Barrier Reef. More than 30,000 people applied, and the videos were seen by millions. In addition, thousands of bloggers and media outlets (magazines, radio, television, and newspapers) wrote and broadcast about The Best Job in the World, producing even more buzz about not only the contest but also the location as a tourist destination.
Recently Tourism Queensland created a fantastic video contest called The Best Job in the World. The winner was chosen as Caretaker of the Islands of the Great Barrier Reef. The position had a few minor tasks, but the main thing was to use social media to talk up the islands. The job of blogging and posting videos paid 150,000 Australian dollars for a six-month gig. The contest required each applicant to post a one-minute video explaining why he or she should be chosen as caretaker of Hamilton Island on the Great Barrier Reef. More than 30,000 people applied, and the videos were seen by millions. In addition, thousands of bloggers and media outlets (magazines, radio, television, and newspapers) wrote and broadcast about The Best Job in the World, producing even more buzz about not only the contest but also the location as a tourist destination.
5) Provide an example of how a company marketing a serious product or service can strategically use humor to make its social media communications interesting.
In the video, the players, coaches, and commentators of the New Zealand All Blacks rugby team serve as actors, along with Air New Zealand staff. The plane is full of fans in crazy getups. There are even credits at the end. I watched it a bunch of times because I kept missing bits and pieces of the hilarious but often subtle humor. Air New Zealand also posted a companion behind-the-scenes video showing how they created the piece.The timing of the video's release was significant. The All Blacks had just beaten the South Africa Springboks, 29–22. In the riveting final five minutes, they scored two tries to claim the Tri Nations crown. So the entire country was thinking about rugby!
In the video, the players, coaches, and commentators of the New Zealand All Blacks rugby team serve as actors, along with Air New Zealand staff. The plane is full of fans in crazy getups. There are even credits at the end. I watched it a bunch of times because I kept missing bits and pieces of the hilarious but often subtle humor. Air New Zealand also posted a companion behind-the-scenes video showing how they created the piece.The timing of the video's release was significant. The All Blacks had just beaten the South Africa Springboks, 29–22. In the riveting final five minutes, they scored two tries to claim the Tri Nations crown. So the entire country was thinking about rugby!
6) Compare the range capabilities of broadcast radio and Internet audio podcasting. Include ways in which podcasting is superior to traditional broadcast radio.
The first was the ability to add audio feeds and notifications to RSS. This enables listeners who subscribe to an audio feed to download new updates soon after they are released. When audio content was liberated from the need for one large download and went instead to being offered as a series of continuous audio clips, the concept of shows took off. Hosts modeled their shows on radio, producing content on specific subjects catering to distinct audiences. But the podcasting business model is very different from broadcast radio. Radio spectrums can support only a finite number of stations, and radio signals have limited geographic range. To support the technical infrastructure of radio, broadcasters need large audiences and lots of advertising to pay the bills (or donors, in the case of public radio). Contrast that with Internet audio podcasting, which is essentially free (except for minimal hosting fees and some cheap equipment). A podcast show reaches a potentially worldwide audience, allowing anyone to create shows and listen to them.
The first was the ability to add audio feeds and notifications to RSS. This enables listeners who subscribe to an audio feed to download new updates soon after they are released. When audio content was liberated from the need for one large download and went instead to being offered as a series of continuous audio clips, the concept of shows took off. Hosts modeled their shows on radio, producing content on specific subjects catering to distinct audiences. But the podcasting business model is very different from broadcast radio. Radio spectrums can support only a finite number of stations, and radio signals have limited geographic range. To support the technical infrastructure of radio, broadcasters need large audiences and lots of advertising to pay the bills (or donors, in the case of public radio). Contrast that with Internet audio podcasting, which is essentially free (except for minimal hosting fees and some cheap equipment). A podcast show reaches a potentially worldwide audience, allowing anyone to create shows and listen to them.
7) How has podcasting helped musicians who can’t afford national exposure to “get their music out”?
Now marketers have a tool to efficiently create and deliver audio content to people who want to listen. Marketers can easily develop a show that targets their buyer personas and can thus regularly deliver updated content that is welcome and useful to the audience. By appealing to a niche market and delivering audio that people have chosen to hear, an organization is seen as a thought leader and is first choice for listeners looking to make a purchase.
Now marketers have a tool to efficiently create and deliver audio content to people who want to listen. Marketers can easily develop a show that targets their buyer personas and can thus regularly deliver updated content that is welcome and useful to the audience. By appealing to a niche market and delivering audio that people have chosen to hear, an organization is seen as a thought leader and is first choice for listeners looking to make a purchase.
8) Why has podcasting become part of the “social networking thing”?
While podcasting music is perhaps an obvious choice, given the medium's similarity to radio, all marketers can learn from what the music business has been doing with podcasts. “Podcasting is almost exactly mirroring the Internet of a decade ago,” Smyth says. “Ten years ago, I was telling people about the web and building example sites. But then some larger companies jumped into the web. I see the same thing with the evolution of podcasting, with some big organizations jumping in, like NPR.”
While podcasting music is perhaps an obvious choice, given the medium's similarity to radio, all marketers can learn from what the music business has been doing with podcasts. “Podcasting is almost exactly mirroring the Internet of a decade ago,” Smyth says. “Ten years ago, I was telling people about the web and building example sites. But then some larger companies jumped into the web. I see the same thing with the evolution of podcasting, with some big organizations jumping in, like NPR.”
9) Can podcasting become part of the marketing mix and coexist with other social networking tools such as blogging, websites, e-books, and so on?
As a component of a larger content-marketing strategy, podcasting is also an increasingly important part of the marketing mix. For example, customer service departments increasingly deliver how-to podcast series to keep users of their products informed. Companies that market to people who are on the road often (such as traveling salespeople) and have downtime in cars or on airplanes have had success reaching people with entertaining podcasts. For many organizations, podcasting for marketing purposes is not an either-or decision. Instead, podcasting coexists with blogging, a great website, e-books, and other online marketing tools and programs in a cohesive marketing strategy.
As a component of a larger content-marketing strategy, podcasting is also an increasingly important part of the marketing mix. For example, customer service departments increasingly deliver how-to podcast series to keep users of their products informed. Companies that market to people who are on the road often (such as traveling salespeople) and have downtime in cars or on airplanes have had success reaching people with entertaining podcasts. For many organizations, podcasting for marketing purposes is not an either-or decision. Instead, podcasting coexists with blogging, a great website, e-books, and other online marketing tools and programs in a cohesive marketing strategy.
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