Content Strategy for the Masses

Lately, I’ve needed to look to Google to get some information about vitamins. It’s been a frustrating experience. The first two pages of findings were uselessly filled with links to content farms. What’s the problem?

Content farms aren’t necessarily great sources of solid information. Rather, much of what they produce is inaccurate, low quality, or sometimes mirrored (aka, stolen) all to secure a high number of visitors to collect income from advertising dollars. Additionally, they pay their writers (if they hire them at all) next to nothing to create articles. Go onto any freelance writing job site, and you’ll see loads of offers to write 300 articles for $20, where the only stipulation is to rewrite preexisting articles. The journalist in me weeps…

Content farms pose a huge problem for Google as the engine is producing increasingly poor search results due to the proliferation of these content farms and their ability to “work” the system to ensure their sites appear on the first two pages.

How is this happening? Some experts believe there are serious issues in their SEO algorhythms, as is explained in this great blog post from StackOverflow.com. It’s a great read as it takes personal experience with Google, and includes some great links to articles explaining this issue and why it might be the downfall of Google search if they don’t nip it in the bud soon.

Here’s what I do now – Around midnight, I check my Groupon app on my iPhone for the latest deal, then move over to WagJag.com to see what they have to offer. In the morning, I move to DealFind, LivingSocial and finally a new site called from Red Flag Deals called DealoftheDay.

I’m sure there is a slew of other sites offering deals upon deals.  And why not? Rumour has it Groupon turned down Google’s $6 billion buy-out offer. Of course, that news would trigger other entrepreneurs and eager businesses to launch their own daily deal sites while envisioning what they would do with a few billion.

But I might be suffering from coupon fatigue. The issue I find is many of these sites are offering the same thing over and over again. How many days of the week are dedicated to specials on botox injections, laser hair removal, photograph enlargements and 3-month gym memberships? A lot.

I recently used a Groupon for a local salon and asked the owner why she went with a deal-of-the-day site. She said her main goal was to attract new clientele to the salon, but when pressed if she’s experiencing a surge of new business from the promotion, she said it’s 90% current clients who discovered the deal so far.  When Gap famously offered $25 for $50 worth of merch in August, some analysts claimed the retailer may have made $6 to $11 million, but since it’s a half price coupon, that it essentially also lost $6 to $11 million (a kind of glass-half-empty response). A recent Rice University study indicates 66% of Groupon promotions were profitable, but more than 40% of businesses wouldn’t use it again.

Many social couponing sites have a few kinks to work out before appealing to the Googles and the Facebooks. Some deal of the day sites didn’t update their deals over the December holidays (there’s too much competition to not be a daily offer in this business). Other sites have angered potential customers by offering cheap iPads that were never actually in stock for the masses. Recently, WagJag CEO, when responding in an interview to complaints from customers about poor customer service, narrowed it down to a small handful of users who didn’t know to check their junkmail. Groupon has its share of complaints as well – similarly with communication issues.

Rumour has it Four Square will be looking to partner with Groupon this year – which makes sense – check-in, get a coupon. More partnerships should happen this year as well – maybe not from Google, but maybe large-scale retailers. Think about it – Last week, Sears and Kmart in the States announced plans to launch an online Netflix competitor -which boggles my mind as it would seem the retailer went after the wrong competition – merging coupon sites with large retailers seems like a no-brainer.

Have we reached the max on coupon sites, or will there be a crash soon? How many vials of Botox must each city buy to keep these sites alive?

I ordered my first huge item from the sales website Beyond the Rack a few weeks ago: a really great looking table and set of chairs plus an ultra-cool black lamp for a very decent price. I’ve ordered from this website before, clothing mostly, so I felt confident this delivery would be smooth. Beyond the Rack delivers to Canada, which is a fantastic bonus, and they’ve got amazing communication. Every week, I was emailed with updates on the delivery of these items.

Three weeks after ordering, the package came on Friday (two weeks ahead of schedule!). However, we received the lamp in the wrong colour and most importantly, the table and chairs were delivered damaged. Despite the “fragile” warnings on the box, the corners were smashed in – resulting in chipped and damaged furniture. It’s not Beyond the Rack’s fault the delivery method failed, and it’s unfortunate they seemingly weren’t aware the manufacturer of said furniture decided to protect the goods with just cardboard and tape (nary a piece of padding in sight).

So, on to returning the item. With past deliveries from BTR, I’d get an invoice along with clear instructions on returns. This time, however, nothing – I looked in each box for my invoice, but nothing could be found. I emailed the company to receive a form letter, instructing me to use the Fed Ex return documents. This package, however, was delivered by UPS – which I assume is the company’s Canadian courier.

Getting this response meant I was prepared for the worst – the last thing I wanted was a hassle. But maybe I’m too cynical.

When I reply to tell them I don’t have the return documents, I receive an email the next morning with the documents for me to print out and put on all of the boxes. All I need to do is call up Fed Ex and done. Super easy!

Remember when getting a delivery meant waiting forever for the delivery person to return? Or even when you get home from a shop and notice a defect, you still have to go all the way back out to the store to make a return? While it’s annoying the packages were delivered in bad shape and without necessary paperwork, BTR turned the situation that was honestly beyond their control around and made it easy on me, the customer.* I’d still take shopping online over mall shopping any day.

*Of course, if I don’t get a refund, I’ll be spewing vitriol. Stay tuned!

Google TV launched a website today to explain how it will work for Americans. Your television set will have a landing page, you’ll be able to access apps and website content simultaneously with your TV watching. Not to be a negative nelly, but I’m not sure how this is different than watching televison with a laptop, other than now your entire family gets to be annoyed while you keep minimizing the TV programming to look up that actress’ name and movie credits on IMDB.  I’m not clear why the personal experience of ‘surfing’ should now be an event shared with the entire family.

Sony seems to think it’ll work – they’re creating TV sets to accomodate GoogleTV’s business model- but I wonder if this attempt to bring the computer experience to the television screen is misguided because, well, the computer works already. If I’m watching a TV show and want some more information, I go onto my laptop to get it. Mobile phones, iPads and other tablet devices make this task even easier.

What am I missing? Are you excited by Google TV?

While it’s not yet a phenom in Canada, a number of apps are popping up for mobile to merge television watching with a social experience. Think of it as a Foursquare or Gowalla for the couch potato – you check-in, you let people know what you’re watching and you have the opportunity to earn badges as a reward. Additionally, these apps can recommend similar content to users based on the content that’s being viewed. Here are three that are getting some attention:

Get Glue is a social app that allows a user to let others know what arts and entertainment they’re consuming. Log in to this service, and you can let strangers and friends alike know what book you’re reading, TV show you’re watching, video game you’re playing, etc. There’s also a wine ‘check-in.’ Based on your check-ins, you get recommendations for other content you might enjoy. 

Miso is a similar app, but focusses on television consumption.  The TV show “Bridezillas” partnered with Miso to provide a unique badge and an opportunity to win a book to those users who checked in while watching an episode of the program.

Clicker is getting a lot of press – (ed note: I’m impressed they managed to get a .com account that’s a real word – not clickr.) The app works pretty much the same way – check-in, favourite shows, follow your fave shows, get recommendations on other shows and movies to watch. This app is getting particular attention because:

• It shows you how to access episodes online by free or pay (in the U.S.)
• It was used as an example of the applications that could be used when Google TV launches

These apps make it very simple to see what early tech adopters are watching, liking and recommending. Also to note - they’re great for people like me who don’t have cable to know what’s popular and trending.

If you love television, keep an eye on these apps. If you create television, these apps might end up on your marketing plan.

Better yet – sign in – become a part of the experience of turning your passive TV watching into a activity. Let me know what you think.