Paul Walsh, the Irish Opportunist

I’m motivated to write this post because I don’t think the main message behind my previous Facebook post was understood by a few people. This is probably because my marketing oriented posts are sometimes being read by techies who assume I’m talking about technology. It’s very possible that I’m not great at expressing my opinion well enough for people to understand my madness. I’m certainly not saying that everyone with a different opinion to me didn’t get the point!
Whilst I referred to technology, I was in fact (in this instance anyway), talking about a discrete form of marketing using technology called Facebook.

One size doesn’t fit all

I’ll be more direct this time. Facebook can be used effectively as part of an integrated digital marketing campaign. That is, you can use it to talk about (promote) products, services or events alongside other more traditional tools such as email, newsletters, print, radio, TV, Web site and blogs. You may even use twitter if you’re an early adopter of new tools and techniques. This of course will only work when it’s contextual, done discretely and it’s un-intrusive. In fact, I’d say Facebook usage requires an even more delicate touch than blogs. In this context, Hugh MacLeod’s reference to people as ‘human social objects‘ is nothing short of brilliant. [Hugh has kindly accepted my invitation to speak at a future BIMA event, so watch this space.]

When running an integrated marketing campaign you tend to use more than one tool, hence the word ‘integrated’. So, it’s not a question of whether you use Facebook or the other more traditional marketing tools. For me, it’s not even a case of ‘what’s the next best thing’. Robert Scoble amongst others have the time to review and commentate on this and they have the ability to do a better job than me anyway. My conversations are more about the evolution of the Web and how it’s used, not the short-term revolution of specific fads.

Building connections with people who trust you and your opinion, enables you to have conversations surrounding your interests (aka products, services and events). Notice I didn’t say community, as you can build multiple communities with the same people.

Walled garden or fenced meadow?

I noticed on twitter over the weekend that a number of people are only now, talking about Facebook as if it’s a ‘walled garden’. How did it take them so long?!

So, what do I mean by a walled garden? Well, Jemima Kiss wrote a neat post which explains it well. In short, but not as articulate, when using Facebook, you can set your preferences to automatically import information from sources such as flickr, blogs and twitter. These are also Web sites where you may already have one or more community. However, it’s not possible to enable Web sites or social networks to automatically import any of your stuff from Facebook (today). That is, everything is held within the confines of Facebook’s ‘walled garden’.

I’d like Facebook to enable users to export information such as contacts, to their email client or other Web sites. This is something that LinkedIn does well. That said, I’ve sent messages via Facebook recently due to not having contacts added to my new email client. I didn’t feel restricted and I didn’t feel obliged to kick my blog gimp in frustration. I was thankful for having their details on Facebook with the ability to send them a message seamlessly with what I deem, a personal touch.

It’s a fenced meadow

Personally, I wouldn’t call Facebook a walled garden. I’d call it a ‘fenced meadow‘ with a stream of people with whom I like to connect. If they’re not in there, I’m constantly opening the gate and inviting them in. If they don’t come in, I’ll continue to talk with them via blog, email, twitter, phone and smoke signals. I will never have one method of communication that replaces all others. Facebook not only allows you to create content, it aggregates most of the aforementioned in a friendly environment.

It doesn’t bother me that I can’t export RSS feeds. You’ll be amazed by the number of people who don’t use that technology. If I want to solicited opinion, ask for help, promote events, or communicate what I’m thinking or doing, I’ll use Facebook, either directly or indirectly via other tools.

I ended up having a conversation with a few people via Facebook status today. Mike Butcher noticed this and asked ‘Sad or sophisticated?’ via his own status. The fact that Mike picked up on the conversation and got involved answered the question. My answer is, ‘it depends’. It depends on who I’m talking to and what comes out of the conversation.

Is Facebook a black hole?

Robert Scoble and others think it is. The answer is ‘yes’ if you ‘replace’ everything with Facebook, in which case you’re just following the next fad. Scoble actually stated that he no longer uses his email client in favour of Facebook messages. So, it’s hardly surprising that he thinks it’s a black hole. I’ve previously stated that I checked Facebook messages before opening my email client but that’s not the same thing.

For the same reasons mentioned above, I will continue to blog and twitter. They reach a wider and sometimes different audience anyway. I’ve previously written blog posts and received many responses via Facebook with few to no comments on the blog. Is this a bad thing? Some will say yes. Personally, I don’t care ‘how’ I have a conversation with people/companies, as long as it’s happening. I’m quite happy to twitter the fact that I’ve written this blog post, attract your attention and for you to respond by writing on my Facebook wall. The fact that it has happened demonstrates my point. We’re having a conversation and building a better understanding and appreciation for one another.

I’m amazed by the number of Facebook invites I received after one of my previous posts. I was flattered, but it did make me feel guilty because I only connect with people I know, or people who are known to people I know/trust.

Naturally I’ll connect with BIMA members because if I don’t know them, I should. I go out of my way to better understand what benefits members look for and if talking about it on Facebook instead of email works, then so what. There’s another plug for something I believe in (BIMA), all in a post about Facebook! As far as I’m concerned that’s perfectly fine because I did say that I use Facebook to discuss stuff that I’m interested in as well as parade myself in an informal environment where people can see that the Chair of the longest established association (est 1985) for the UK interactive industry doesn’t have to be an old git that doesn’t get Web 2.0.

If you’re a BIMA member and would like to connect, please let me know you’re a member in your message, thanks.

Use cases to demonstrate my point

I’ve promoted events on Facebook, Upcoming, email, my blog and twitter. The winner for registrations was Facebook with people signing up within minutes. However, I used my email, blog and twitter to generate the conversation, which is where many of my registrations originated. I linked from one to the other. Do I care that most signed up on Facebook where I’m unable to extract their email addresses? In short, no. If they prefer to communicate on Facebook and more likely to attend and event if invited by that means, who am I to start emailing them anyway?!

How about we call Facebook the new “widget for integrated marketing campaigns“, used to converse with “human social objects” (people)? It’s no longer just about direct marketing with dead in the water statements such as ‘use our product because we’re a leader in our field’. It’s about the conversation that will take place anyway and making sure you’re taking part.

The Sunday Tribune dedicated a full page to the “Irish who’ve made it into London’s marketing elite”. I was one of 5 people featured alongside Lorraine Twohill, Head of Google EMEA and 3 others.

Last week I learned that Revolution Magazine mentioned me (in August 2006) as one of 4 people to watch in 2007.

The clincher

Last week I received my personal copy of Digital Marketing for DUMMIES from one of its editors, Gregory Brooks. Thanks Gregory, what exactly are you trying to tell me? Should I study more carefully, the section on blogs?

Perhaps this is why New Media Age (NMA) rarely asks me to comment on subjects that I’m particularly qualified in and which they write a lot about regularly – namely Web accessibility, mobile web and Web 2.0 (because they think I’m a dummy). However, I look forward to their piece on the Semantic Web, as Greg did ask me to comment on it last week (for tomorrow’s publication).

So, am I amongst the elite, or am I just a dummy? Ahem, feel free not to comment

Greg, seriously, congratulations on the book and thank you very much for sending me a copy. I’ve been told a number of times by journalists that I should write a book, but I wouldn’t know where to start, wouldn’t have the time and certainly wouldn’t have the skill to write properly. Suggestions welcome!