Co-written by Jeff Ficker and Angie Thompson
Share, care and wear. This year’s SXSW Interactive Festival reflected the current mobile and social revolution—and previewed the coming wave of “wearables.”
We were there, and here are our eight “Oh, wow!” takeaways.
1. Content marketing is bringing back Mad Men creativity to advertising
When was the last time you clicked on a banner ad? Exactly.
The big shift to social content is coming to advertising. Increasingly, websites like BuzzFeed and Gawker are incorporating content marketing alongside editorial. “Why not try to make the advertising something that adds to the site?” BuzzFeed CEO Jonah Peretti posited in his keynote address at SXSW. BuzzFeed works with brand partners to make engaging content that people actually want to click on and share, like 10 Movie Plots That Would’ve Completely Changed If They Had Cellphones for Virgin Mobile and The 20 Coolest Hybrid Animals for Toyota Prius. “Social can make ads great again,” Peretti said. “Banners don’t give you space to tell a story.”
2. Creators vs. audience: The walls are tumbling down
Social media tools are driving “creativity through curation.”
Thanks to social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Tumblr, it seems like everyone is in the content creation game. Users are expressing themselves through their own words and photos—as well as with the creative work of others, sharing photography, art, ideas, DIY how-to’s, Internet memes, etc. Even the 50 Shades of Grey phenomenon spun out of online Twilight fan fiction.
Content marketers need to harness the power and reach of curators with easily shareable content.
Also, the “Maker Movement” is in full swing, according to the SXSW panel Backyard to Brand:
- Backyard inventors and DIY-ers are creating new products that are full of inspiration unmatched by the assembly line (think Etsy).
- The 3-D printer is bringing big technology to small businesses.
- Mass production is missing connection, trust and surprise.
3. People love the Paris café
Embrace the lessons and joys of sitting at a street-side café.
Our online spaces, such as the Facebook newsfeed, are like the great public spaces of big cities: places where we can gather to talk, argue, espouse or simply observe.
BuzzFeed’s Peretti advised content creators at SXSW “to stay close to what makes us human.” We want our content to run the gamut from serious to fun to cute, just like an afternoon at a Paris café. You may want to read Sartre, skim a copy of Le Monde, flirt with a stranger, talk to friends or pet a dog next you.
4. The “bored at work” network has been replaced by the “bored in line” network
Content needs to be easily accessed in a variety of formats.
What’s happening on Facebook? Find out in line or while drinking wine … in a car or at a bar. Thanks to quick and easy smartphone access to the web, online users are accessing information all the time from anywhere.
Content should be easily accessed through apps or via websites that forge into the brave, bold world of responsive design, according to Adobe.
5. A picture’s worth a thousand words—and 10,000 impressions
Move over words. Imagery wants a seat at the social media table.
A dramatic shift has occurred in social media, with content moving from text-based posts to imagery, whether photos, infographics or the hypnotic animated GIF.
And creative folks, don’t limit your use of imagery to social media; make it a part of your daily routine. Visual note-taking helps jog the memory more than just text-based notes.
Sure, our industry is digitally driven, but ideas are best developed in analog form. Indulge in the lost art of thumb nailing; sketching allows for easy exploration of visual concepts in a short amount of time.
6. Learn from the Mormons
It’s one thing to have a message—it’s quite another to get people to embrace it.
How did Mormonism become one of the world’s fastest-growing religions? Missionaries. It’s not just enough to have a message; you’ve got to spread the word. Too often, content marketers spend 90 percent of time developing content, and only 10 percent thinking about how to disseminate it. Both are equally important.
7. The one social media channel every business should be on: YouTube
Social media is evolving, especially in B2B, so invest wisely.
Large companies, like Wells Fargo, Xerox and Cisco, are now employing social media execs to steer these important channels. Jamie Grenney, VP of Social and Online Video at Salesforce, says a quality YouTube video can be just as powerful as a sales person (though we still need people!). YouTube offers great search and a format people feel comfortable using and sharing.
Another smart tip: embed clickable CTAs quickly—within the first 15 seconds. Don’t make users wait until the end to take action.
8. The “wearables” are coming
The technology of the future is all about accessories.
The technology of the future is all about accessories. Google showcased its glasses and shoes. Buzz of the iWatch from Apple had some developers talking about health and wellness apps. And a Japanese tech firm debuted furry ears that sit on your head and reflect your mood. Get ready—the mobile revolution is coming to your body.
What was your ah-ha moment from SXSW 2013?
[Image: wilbertbaan]
