The Web Strategies Podcast

I don’t normally include the entire script as an episodes of The Web Strategies Podcast – but this is the first program I’ve produced in a while – and it’s a monologue – no guests. In a “normal” episode there would be no way to include a script – it would have to be a transcription since it’s really a live dialogue.

It is a good time to redefine the mission of the web strategies podcast.  This program is dedicated to the business of the Internet

My original posting on March 18, 2008 said this:

Welcome to the Web Strategies Podcast program web site featuring program notes and links for each show. You may subscribe to our program here or through iTunes. The Web Strategies Podcast is a program dedicated to the technology and techniques of marketing your business on the internet.  I am the site administrator and podcast moderator Tom Anthony.

How did we pick the name?  Well, first the program is a podcast, and it is specifically about web strategies.  That is where I live my professional life. In my day job I am the Vice President, Client Services for our program sponsor Web Teks, a Virginia based Consulting and eBusiness Solutions Firm.

Second – this is true so help me – while sitting in the waiting room at a routine doctor’s appointment I looked up this domain name on my Palm Treo phone. When I found it was available I actually purchased the domain through the browser on my cell phone. Seemed like a good sign.

Shortly we will post a series of programs with a focus on the strategic internet.  We welcome your feedback and hope you will review our podcast on iTunes.  Thanks for your interest.

Has the mission changed? No. It may be refined a little bit more but our goal is still to discuss strategy for marketing business on the internet.  What clearly has evolved is the tactics to do that.

Literally speaking, strategy is to leverage a carefully devised plan of action to achieve a goal, or the art of developing or carrying out such a plan. The tactic is the art of finding and implementing means to achieve immediate or short-term goals.

So the strategy of keeping up with current technological trends is unchanged – but the technology surely has. New in this landscape are a number of factors to be aware of.

1.       The continued growth of broadband usage is creating a paradigm shift in the concept of media delivery systems.

2.       Mobile is the next big thing

3.       Social Networking is not just for kids anymore

Each individual topic could be the source for discussion across many programs – and indeed books are written everyday about each respective subject.  For this program let’s just engage in a high level description for each of these items.

First… The continued growth of broadband usage is creating a paradigm shift in the concept of media delivery systems.

Across the life span of all media or all technology for that matter is an arc of adoption and abandonment. I’ve covered this concept before and it may be better known as the Diffusion of innovation

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diffusion_of_Innovations

Wikipedia has a really concise definition and the link can be found in the show notes on the program blog at http://webstrategiespodcast.com

“Diffusion of innovation is a theory of how, why, and at what rate new ideas and technology spread through cultures. Everett Rogers introduced it in his 1962 book, Diffusion of Innovations, writing that “Diffusion is the process by which an innovation is communicated through certain channels over time among the members of a social system.”

That book describes some specific behaviors which may be used to define how any technology is introduced into society…  this seems to have been true across history – but quoting from the book – well paraphrasing from the book:

innovators - had larger farms, were more educated, more prosperous and more risk-oriented

early adopters – younger, more educated, tended to be community leaders

early majority – more conservative but open to new ideas, active in community and influence to neighbors

late majority – older, less educated, fairly conservative and less socially active

laggards – very conservative, had small farms and capital, oldest and least educated

So in the case of my second point for example, “Mobile is the next big thing”

That’s actually already to the “early majority” stage of adoption.  Over a year ago I purchased the web domain “webstrategiespodcast” on my Palm Treo phone. Today I can download these episodes on my Blackberry Curve. As of this podcast the new iPhone-like blackberry Touch is all the rage… and so it goes.

You decide where in that curve newspapers fall.  If you want to know where television is headed check out http://www.hulu.com/.  Full episodes of TV shows from 24, Battlestar Galactica, and Heroes – to 30 Rock, The Office, and Family Guy.  Did I mention free?

And that third concept of Social networking being not for kids anymore… when this podcast started just last year to web site Facebook was frequently dismissed as a kid’s site like MySpace. Not so much now.  Facebook is regarded by many – including me – to be one of the best options for marketing exposure – and for many reasons.  But that topic deserves its own show – which will be on Social Networking. Next time.

Thanks for listening to this web strategies … well update. I’m Tom Anthony.

The surge of you tube is not just a phenomenon; it is a fundamental change in how ordinary folks use the internet. Just about everybody I know across all age groups have at least watched a you tube video, a lot have posted video. The other day my stepdaughter posted one of the grandbaby doing sign language. Not only is that particular video truly amazing — the fact that grandmothers and great grandmothers all over the world are experiencing the best side of people — using technology — has put the technology in a whole new light. It is easy, it is fun, and it is not just limited to unsavory traffic.

If you accept this premise then the next logical conclusion is that business will follow suit.

There is an adoption acceptance curve for all technology. Everett M. Rogers in his 1962 book, Diffusion of Innovations, theorized that innovations would spread through society in an S curve, as the early adopters select the technology first, followed by the majority, until a technology or innovation is common. And while there are lots of exceptions, generally that theory holds up today.

• Innovators
• Early Adopters
• Early Majority
• Late Majority
• Laggards

I would like to think I fall into the first bucket. This is not a brag – just letting you have the context here. Video on the internet – more or less – was invented by Real Networks in February 1997. In 1997 I produced for the internet a video clip of Joe Cipriano doing a commercial for the Simpsons on Fox TV. As far as I know – and I truly believe – that was the first use of Video as a promotional vehicle for TV announcers on the internet. Back in 1997, I was using a low bandwidth version optimized for 14.4 modem that was essentially a slide show.

Joe still has video on his web site – but it’s now a much better quality. He also has plenty of video on You Tube. Here is one I edited from the off air recording for him.

Now come full circle and compare that with the home video of our granddaughter doing sign language on you tube for grandmother and great grandmother. The point is – that if Rogers theory on the Diffusion of Innovations has any validly, if you are not using video on the internet for your business you will soon become a minority. It is tough to catch up.

Another Example

Here is an industrial video I produced a little over a year ago for Landmark Communications. They are the company that owns the weather channel and weather dot com – although this video was for a much smaller division of the company, Continental Broadband. It is a product demonstration for geeks. Enjoy.

From time to time Tom Anthony, the host of the Web Strategies Podcast, uses video or discusses technology like You Tube. This is where that video generally lives.