Be Careful with Using Fear in Ads

I got this ad in an email just now and didn't particularly like the use of fear, especially since it alludes to a child drowning. Of course a call to action (download our app or else!) is the goal, but I just can't imagine that app would be able to save her life in an instant (unless it turns your phone into a swimming robot).

Content Strategy

Simply put, content can be thought of as words and images, something (say a video) that must be expressed through a medium (say a website). The internet, for example, is filled with an abundance of content – sometimes meaningful and relevant, often times not. Content Strategy then can be understood as the action plan for giving content overall direction; making it useful, relevant and usable for those seeking to consume it.

In the context of designing websites, let’s think about content strategy as our home. We have walls and support beams, doors and steps; all necessary components to the structure of our home. All of this must make sense though, and there is no simple formula because this structure may be different for you than for me. Just like with website content, we all seek something different from our home which reflects our personal tastes. So when building a website we must first think about the necessary architecture or structure – the website layout, the colors, the fonts, the location of the context, all the way down to the  tools that exist behind the website that analyzes our actions and key strokes.

Now strategic content is more than just the framework of the home. Your home reflects who you are; your design and personal touch. You may like to have a vase on your living room table; I might not even want a table at all. You organize details within your home so that it works for you. If you didn’t have a refrigerator in your kitchen, the walls in that kitchen really wouldn’t matter – your kitchen is useless without it and a website is useless without the information you are seeking. Just like a home reflects our personal needs beyond four walls and a roof, a website must contain more than just words and images. A website must be comprised of messages, ideas, and topics that have purpose, and that purpose must align with the goals of the business providing the content.

Sounds simple when you put it like that right? But of course not, because the objectives of each website or business is different, and the relevant content to each consumer (or potential consumer) varies widely.

So now what? I think the biggest challenge comes with understanding who wants to consume what. Content curators must first develop a strategic action plan. I feel that developing a deep understanding of the user is at the forefront of that plan. Then the curators must align the challenges and objectives of the company with the desires of their target market.

So here is the winning formula. Know business challenges and objectives. Understand the target market. Create COMPELLING content (with purpose) relevant to their needs. Test it. Implement it. Probably test it again. Tweak it along the way as more information is gathered or the desires of the consumers change (OR the business objectives change). And voila!

Why is this important? Without strategic content consumers will fail to find what is useful and relevant, and in turn the business providing the content will crumble, just like an old home.

10 Surefire Ways to Piss Off Your Facebook Friends

1. Include a hastag (#) in your status updates #justkidding
2. Constantly update your facebook status every few minutes (according to twitter users this is actually okay to do on twitter)
3. Accept your parents or others close relatives as your friends
4. Share really personal information about your point-of-view on important matters
5. Tag your friends in photos when they are not actually in them
6. "Like" your own posts (status updates, pictures, etc.)... it's like giving yourself a high-five in public
7. Piggybacking on #6... ask your friends to like your posts (shameless self promoting)
7. Send your friends game requests, calendar requests, app requests, etc.
8. Share everything you can about your newborn child because if it's cute to you, it MUST be cute to everybody else
9. Definitely take photos of yourself looking cute at strange angles where you can see down your shirt... typically the bathroom is a great place to do this
10. Write passive aggressive status updates about things your friends and family have done in hopes that they will read it and know you're talking about them

I created this list as a result of an article trending on twitter via Mashable called "10 Facebook Tips for Power Users". It focused on tips and tricks for navigating the platform, viewing photos, hiding personal information, and improving the overall experience by understanding how to fully utilize your account settings. It was rather technical and what was the result???.... an endless amount of twitter chatter about what people hate on facebook. So after reading through Facebook-hating tweets I decided to compile a list of surefire ways to piss off your Facebook friends. While I agree with the majority, these are not my personal opinion, just a collection of reoccurring annoyances by twitter users. Perhaps we can all learn from this.... or alternately continue to do these things to piss off our friends.

What is missing from this list? What just drives you absolutely crazy which people do on Facebook?

God is like... a brand

I’ll begin this blab by saying that I am not religious and I believe in science. I accept and appreciate that others may believe in whatever makes them happy and whatever they feel to be the truth. I also believe in comparing God to brands, so this seems like a good place to do that. This is from an email I received…

God is like BAYER ASPIRIN. He works miracles.
God is like A FORD. He's got a better idea.

God is like COKE. He's the real thing. 

God is like HALLMARK CARDS. He cares enough to send His very best.
God is like TIDE. He gets the stains out others leave behind.
God is like GENERAL ELECTRIC. He brings good things to life.

God is like WAL-MART. He has everything.

God is like ALKA-SELTZER. Try Him, you'll like Him.

God is like SCOTCH TAPE. You can't see Him, but you know He's there.

God is like DELTA. He's ready when you are.

God is like ALLSTATE. You're in good hands with Him.
God is like VO-5 HAIR SPRAY. He holds through all kinds of weather.
God is like The U.S. POST OFFICE. Neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet nor ice will keep Him from His appointed destination.

God is like CHEVROLET. The heart beat of America.

God is like MAXWELL HOUSE. Good to the very last drop

God is like BOUNTY. He is the quicker picker upper, can handle the tough jobs, and He won't fall apart on you.
God is like THE ENERGIZER BUNNY. He Keeps Going, Going, and Going.

So basically if you buy all these brands, you won’t need to search for God any longer (joke). Thankfully you won’t have to spend much money either since “he” is like all the big generic brands (another joke, don’t get mad God lovers). Apparently God is also a He! I thought this was interesting as it provides insight into the key truths and values behind each of these big brands (and God).