5.6 Marketing Platforms

Websites and blogs are the best known marketing platforms, but there exist many other ways for companies to get their message across, particularly with Social Media, where content is designed to be disseminated through social interaction via highly accessible and scalable publishing techniques.

Examples

1. Blogs: Blogger, LiveJournal, Open Diary, TypePad, WordPress, Vox, ExpressionEngine, Xanga.
2. Micro-blogging / Presence applications: FMyLife, Jaiku, Plurk, Twitter, Tumblr, Posterous, Yammer, Qaiku.
3. Social networking: Facebook, Geni.com, Hi5, LinkedIn, MySpace, Ning, Orkut, Skyrock, Qzone, Vkontakte, RenRen, Kaixin, ASmallWorld, studivz, Xing, RunAlong.se, Bebo, BigTent, Elgg.
4. Business networking: LoopDesk, Ziggs, Xing, Biznik, Fast Pitch, Entrepreneur Connect, EFactor, Meettheboss, PartnerUp, PerfectBusiness.
5. Social network aggregation: NutshellMail, FriendFeed.
6. Events: Upcoming, Eventful, Meetup.
7. Wikis: Wikimedia, PBworks, Wetpaint.
8. Social bookmarking/ tagging: Delicious, StumbleUpon, Google Reader, CiteULike.
9. Social news: Digg, Mixx, Reddit, NowPublic Multimedia.
10. Photography and art sharing: deviantArt, Flickr, Photobucket, Picasa, SmugMug, Zooomr.
11. Video sharing: YouTube, Viddler, Vimeo, sevenload, Zideo.
12. Livecasting: Ustream.tv, Justin.tv, Stickam, Skype, OpenCU.
13. Music and audio sharing: MySpace Music, The Hype Machine, Last.fm, ccMixter, ShareTheMusic.
14. Presentation sharing: slideshare, scribd.
15. Product reviews: epinions, MouthShut.
16. Business reviews: Customer Lobby, yelp.
17. Community Q&A: Yahoo! Answers, WikiAnswers, Askville, Google Answers Entertainment.
18. Media and entertainment platforms: Cisco Eos.
19. Virtual worlds: Second Life, The Sims Online.
20. Game sharing: Miniclip, Kongregate.
21. Social media monitoring: Attensity, Sysomos.
22. Social media analytics: Sysomos MAP.
23. Information Aggregators: Netvibes.

Not all allow blatant advertising, and companies need to:

1. Study the terms and conditions,
2. Learn from current advertisers,
3. Go cautiously, and
4. Ensure they're providing real content by meeting user's needs.

Creating Sound Tracks and Videos

1. Convert HTML/Word/Text files to MP3 format :
      a. Use Verbose and then convert WAV file to MP3, or use Text Aloud.
      b. Speak into an MP3 encoder: DailyMP3, MP3 Machine, Hitsquad, NCH, MP3-Converter, Winamp, Musicmatch or Blaze Media Pro.

2. Convert audio files to MP3 format for web download:
      a. Convert to MP3 format and then link to RSS feeds.

3. Create videos use the free/cheap CamStudio program, or do an Internet search for others.

Software

1. Content Buzz. Submits videos and gets backlinks for them.
2. XGenSEO. Automated social marketing software.
3. Brand Monitoring. Mash article listing 10 free tools.

Services

1. Awareness. Publishes, manages, and measures your effort across social media channels.
2. Andiamo Systems. 'Word of Mouth Measurement'.
3. Dolphin Social Network Hosting. Hosts your own social website.
4. JitterJam. Manages your output from a single site.
5. Sentiment Metrics. Blog and social media measurement.
6. SocialGo. Creates and hosts your own social website.
7. Top 15 Free SEO Tools. Provides for free many versions of otherwise expensive seo software.
8. Xtract. Analyses behavior, interactions and demographic data from your subscriber network.
9. YourMembership. Creates and hosts your own social website: $1495 setup plus $5995/year.

Questions

1. What are the three most commonly used marketing platforms on the Internet?
2. Name the platforms available for marketing
a. software,
b. music and videos,
c. community services,
d. games and virtual worlds.
3. What advantages do such platforms offer?

Sources and Further Reading