A Marketing Mix

If there’s one mortal sin content marketers commit way too often, it’s obsessing over tools or tactics instead of customers. When we talk marketing, we love to jump right into a discussion about a given social network, a new tactic hitting the blogosphere, or some other content format we “have to” learn. Instead of asking customers how we can help them, we ask other marketers how many words make up an ideal blog post or which marketing automation tool they use. Important? Sure. Good place to start? Nope.


It’s understandable that we do this. We’re experiencing such rapid change all the time, and the new technology now at our disposal is staggering. We’re like a group of kids furiously attacking an ice cream sundae bar: We gorge ourselves on toppings in a wild rush to get the most or best of it all. (“How about some customers with that bowl of marketing tech, kiddo?”) It’s all so damn irresistible and addicting.

According to findings of a new study by the Webby Awards, Social Media platforms really do allow people to influence the purchasing activities of their connections. The strategic question remains, however: who actually gets people to buy? Some social media experts say you must win the “influencers” to your cause and make them your advocates....