7 Easy Steps For Creating Buzzworthy Content
Posted by AKZMeDesigns in 
From: www.openforum.com by Erica Swallow Associate Editor, Partner Content, Mashable
7 Easy Steps For Creating Buzzworthy Content
We’ve heard for years now that “content is king”—yet so few marketers seem to understand how to create useful content that isn’t overly promotional for the brands supporting it.
Even for those who understand the importance of rich content, though, it can be costly to get a content strategy up and running. Michael Durwin, director of user experience at Boston Technologies, has nailed down a simple step-by-step process for creating buzzworthy content on a shoestring budget. Durwin spoke about the importance of creating shareable content during his presentation at Geekend Roadshow, a technology-focused portion of the DMA2011 conference, presented by BFG Communications.
Here are his seven essential steps for creating buzzworthy content.
1. Leverage your resources
Leverage your resources on your staff, coworkers, customers and fans,” says Durwin. “If you can find the people in your company that love to do things like tweet, update Facebook and take pictures around the office, grab those people and deputize them. Empower them to publish more content about your brand.”
2. Assign tasks around existing interests
Once you’ve found the individuals within your organization that are already participating in or are very excited about creating content, assign tasks to those people based on what they are interested in and would like to contribute.
Common tasks could including taking pictures, shooting video, tweeting, updating Facebook, blogging and updating the company’s website.
Durwin offered up an example of a woman at his company who loves to take candid photos around the office. He talked to her about being the official office photographer, and every now and then she sends him entertaining photos to post to the company’s social sites. He also identified a Twitter-loving co-worker and put him in charge of tweeting on behalf of the company.
How Flash can kill the traffic to your Website
I always warn new clients who say they want Flash intros and Flash site, and just this weekend I went to 3 small business and local candidate sites on my Ipad2 and got NOTHING!!!!!!
This made me wonder are web designers out there letting their clients know that Flash is not compatible with a host of mobile devices including Apple and Blackberry products? Or are clients ignoring or just not sure on how this could impact the amount of visitors to their websites. If your website is Flash or even if just your intro page is flash, when visitors attempt go on to your site from a mobile device they will see nothing but a download Flash link. This devices include all Apple mobile product, IPad, Iphone, Itouch, most Blackberry phones (including the new OS7 devices), other smart phones. On the bright side flash does work pretty well on Droid phones and tablets, although I had some issues scrolling down using the Droid X
So now I’m sure you are wondering how many people really use these mobile devices? Is it that bad if I only miss a few users? Well, in 2010 TechCrunch.com reported in that US Mobile users grew 110% from the year before, and 65% of that growth Apple devices (IPad, IPhone, ITouch). And GeekWire recently reported by 2015 about 40% of the world population will be accessing the web on a mobile device. So if your site is all flash or has flash components you are losing a much larger share of your web traffic than you though, simply because they can’t view your site.
To further prove the point I did a little test on my I Pad2 and Blackberry Storm 2
Flash site on Blackberry Storm 2
Flash site on IPad2
Flash site after clicking the “Click the Download” link
The Flash error up close
Now don’t get me wrong I love Flash and 4-5 years ago I was all all for developing the best and brightest Flash sites, but after seeing these pictures it further stressed to me why in today’s day and age sites should not use Flash, until it is compatible with more mobile platforms.
But all is not a lost there are some cases where Flash can still be utilized; such as small areas on pages (banner, video clip,etc.) On these pages visitors will not be able to see the Flash video but at least they can still access the page. And you can still use flash in cases where your business has enough capital to get both a regular www. site and a m. mobile site (separate site the automatically loads on mobile devices instead of your regular website). For example, I visited www.Wix.com (the leading provider of free Flash websites) on my Ipdad and found that even they have a non-Flash site specifically for mobile devises m.wix.com. That tells you something when even a sites who’s business is Flash are giving into the non-Flash movement.
Related articles:
http://www.apple.com/hotnews/thoughts-on-flash/
http://www.bnet.com….8-simple-tips-to-make-your-website-mobile-friendly