Online Marketing Blog from metrocafe311

It is great to see UCD taking the initiative and arranging these digital events to promote the need to invest in new media.

As a very recent alumnus, I was delighted to attend the O’Reilly Hall to hear the likes of John Herlihy, Eamon Fallon, Colm Long and Martin Murphy.

Professor Damien McLoughlin chaired the event and having spent endless hours debating the importance of digital marketing with him, it was refreshing to see that he is using his position, as a leading marketer in Ireland, to raise awareness of digital media. I am also of the view that the digital marketing industry will benefit from having skilled individuals such as Damien acknowledge and understand digital media.

However, the event didn’t exceed all expectations. Entering the stunning O’Reilly hall, I found no wireless connection and the opening address of the event was the ‘Social Media Revolution’ YouTube clip which is almost a year old and only contains American figures. It must be highlighted that over half of the audience admitted to knowing very little about digital, so this video was somewhat justified.

John Herlihy was the most impressive speaker and succeeded in scaring the digitally ignorant marketers in the audience. His does have a tendency to make Michael O’Leary-type points that are not true, but succeed in startling those who need it. The best of which was his claim that “In three years desktops will be irrelevant”.

Here are some of the key points Google’s Director of Online Operations made:

• Scarcity breeds clarity. You should half your investment and half it again in order to reduce all overheads.

• Celebrate Failure.

• Pilot and test, kill it, adjust it or go for it quickly after test. If it is wrong, kill it straight away don’t wait to loose investment.

• Traditional model of revenue is wrong. Now you get customers, and then figure out how to charge them.

• We have to benchmark internationally and be the best in that market.

• Be transparent, measure people in a 360 degree feedback system.

• Digital equals data. Marketing is a new science to leverage this data, mostly by testing and experimenting.

• Service is important; it is not the customer’s problem when you have a problem in work.

• Japan has more searches on smart phone then on laptops.

• Google only 3% along the way with search income.

These are interesting points, but what is he saying and how does it affect you?

First, the laptop will not be dead in three years. That is false. The growth of mobile smart phones and pads will explode internationally over the coming years. We have been saying this for months and truly believe in it. Our concern lies in marketing director’s of Ireland who will refrain from investing where it is required.

Finally John makes some very strong organisational points. These are relevant to us all, as a country, company and individual particularly during these challenging times.

Lets celebrate failure, lets be the best internationally and lets be transparent, three things that have been very scarce throughout Ireland for a long time.