5 Practical Online Marketing Tips for 2013
November 29, 2012
In 2012, we saw Google, the dominant search engine; make some radical changes to its indexing and ranking policies. The focus has shifted, once and for all, from quantity to quality. What event marketers say about a given brand has become less important than how consumers respond to that brand’s presence online. This emphasis on target audience driven social engagement will further strengthen in 2013.
How often users share your content on social media sites, comment on it, review it and return to it will carry more weight than it has ever before. The number of times a link is tweeted or posted on Facebook, the number of people who like or follow your organization, or the number of people in your Google+ circle, these and similar parameters will become critical to the ranking and visibility of your online content. To succeed in this changed environment, event managers will need to research their audiences’ digital and social media behavior, and then engage them in spaces where they spend most of their time.
Here are some practical tips for aligning your content with your audiences’ expectations in 2013.
Tie content to entertainment and reward.
Entertainment content helps excite fans and followers, and keeps them motivated to check-in regularly. Build social games, surveys and interactive contests to engage your audience. Reward participants for playing and endorsing your content. Organizations like Coca Cola, Starbucks and Disney are popular on Facebook because they incentivize people to interact with their bands through promotional offers, viral storytelling and open engagement.
Customize content for shorter attention spans.
In a study conducted in 2009, Google found that slowing search results by just 4/10ths of a second would reduce the number of searches by eight million a day! As more and more online content competes for our attention, customizing content for shorter attention spans and smaller screens will be the key to a successful e-marketing strategy. Chunk copy and edit ruthlessly to drop the non-essential details and make skimming easier. Use storytelling as a content marketing device to make your content relevant to the reader. Add short videos, slideshows, charts, infographics and pictures to add depth and interest to the content.
Make your content SoLoMo – Social, Local and Mobile.
Tune into breaking news and issues that are close to your followers’ hearts and tie in your story with these. Reward event participants for downloading and using the official mobile app for your event. Enable your exhibitors to connect with attendees by sharing their content, brands and press releases on your online assets. Enable attendees to personalize content based on their location and preferences. Implement marketing automation techniques to analyze user behavior and implement highly targeted, context-rich marketing campaigns accordingly.
Curate content from partners, industry leaders and loyal customers.
Follow key organizations and social media influencers in your industry, and work with them to curate content of interest to your event participants. Reach out to thought leaders in your space to endorse your event, survey results, research studies and user generated content in their blog posts. Encourage regular event participants to respond to online surveys, ask questions, and share your content with their friends on social media sites.
Publish content in multiple places.
Create content once, and post it in multiple places, that’s the new mantra. Utilize tools that facilitate the creation of highly adaptable modular content, that can be tweaked and posted in different places automatically, or with very little effort.
Partner Voices
MGM Resorts is committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse culture, not just among employees and guests but also within its supply chain. The company prioritizes procuring goods and services from businesses owned by minorities, women, veterans, people with disabilities, LGBTQ individuals and those facing economic disadvantages. This commitment is integral to MGM Resorts' global procurement strategy.
Through its voluntary supplier diversity program, MGM Resorts actively identifies and connects certified diverse-owned suppliers to opportunities within its supply chain. The company is on track to spend at least 15% of its biddable procurement with diverse-owned businesses by 2025, demonstrating that supplier diversity is not only a social responsibility but also a strategic business imperative.
Supplier diversity isn’t just the right thing to do – it’s good for business. A diverse supply chain allows access to a broader range of perspectives and experience, helping to drive innovation, entrepreneurship and resilience, while strengthening communities. At MGM Resorts, engaging diverse suppliers ensures best-in-class experiences for guests and clients. Supplier diversity ensures a more resilient supply chain while supporting economic development in the communities in which it operates.
The impact of MGM Resorts' supplier diversity initiatives is significant. In 2023, these efforts supported over 3,500 jobs across more than 30 states, contributed over $214 million in income for diverse-owned businesses and generated more than $62 million in tax revenue. The story extends beyond the numbers – it reflects the tangible benefits brought to small and diverse-owned businesses, fostering economic empowerment in their communities.
MGM Resorts also supports the development and business skills of diverse-owned businesses through investment, mentorship and education. Through the MGM Resorts Supplier Diversity Mentorship Program, the company identifies, mentors and develops diverse-owned businesses to fill its future pipeline, while providing businesses with tools and resources to empower and uplift. Since 2017, the program has successfully graduated 105 diverse-owned businesses and is on track to achieve its goal of 150 graduates by 2025.
MGM Resorts’ commitment to supplier diversity not only enhances its business operations but also plays a crucial role in uplifting communities and fostering economic development. This approach reinforces the idea that diversity is a powerful driver of innovation and resilience, benefiting both the company and the wider community.
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