Plexus foresees well over 2,000 attendees

The interest in on-line marketing is approaching its crest i.e. it is as high as it can get. Especially here in Canada. The solutions, platforms and services now available to reach customers are unprecedented  in lowering acquisition and maintenance costs. And becoming more relevant and resonant to each customer.

We are negotiating so many outstanding exhibitors for our Demoplex (who will also present on stage) in all facets of on-line marketing that I am confident no visitor will leave Plexus 2007 without feeling on top of the game. Here are just a few of the category players which we will reveal soon:

1. web analytics,
2. search engines,
3. ad networks,
4. email platforms,
5. marketing survey platforms,
6. sales generation platforms,
7. tons of digital media options,
8. mobile advertising,
9. mobile in all of the above,
10. rich media solutions, platforms, services,
11. social media
12. marketing project management
13. CRM

We will be starting a massive attendance campaign soon which will last 3.5 months using all methods available. That should not be too difficult with the investment we are making in top-rated keynote speakers and authors.

Yes, we are trying to set a record for attendance in Canada for an on-line marketing event. After all, AdTech which is well established in USA pulls in a reported 3,000+ in Chicago and 12,000 in New York. Our numbers are bang on; but, we are aiming higher. 

WordPress commits big faux-pas

Last night the guys at WP decided to retire their feed stats! Yes can you believe it? The vitriol that has flown into their comments (which are now closed) is exponential. Feed stats matter–people who subscribe to your feeds are higher in importance than views! Scratching my head on this one.

If that isn’t enough to grate me, the feed stats button was buttressed to another called “Blog Surfer” that took me to a line-up of posts by Robert Scoble. Arrrrrgh! While I may have visited his blog a couple of times in the past I’ll decide want I want on my dashboard not WP. I am not the least bit interested in Mrs. Scoble’s trip to the spa and the like. WP thinks this may force views to other WP bloggers–but it is really a form of advertising. I thought WP was dead set against this! The dashboard entry point and forums provide enough here.

Please WP, you are excellent thinkers and doers but this one is a thumbs down of stellar proportion.

First results: what our marketing customers want

We conducted an on-line survey of our customers and viewers, marketing execs and agencies, in reference to web marketing and the results were somewhat in line with other larger scale surveys with a few surprises. The question was, “how do you feel about the following subjects scoring 1 as not important and up to 5 as most important”. In order of importance here are the topics ranked from highest to lowest:

Ranked 1st: web analytics

Ranked 2nd:

• Social media marketing

• Search engine marketing

• Advertising on the web

Ranked 3rd: Improving web site content

Ranked 4th:  eMail marketing

Ranked 5th: Rich media in on-line advertising

Ranked 6th: mobile marketing

The disparity between analytics and mobile marketing surprised us but this is still directional data. We are continuing the surveys and will adjust the results as we advance. Bear in mind these are Canadian executives and their vision and needs likely differ from their US counterparts.

As results come, they confirm that our growing line-up of keynote speakers at Plexus 2007: the Web Marketing Conference & Demo is bang-on.

Two more heavy-hitters join Plexus stage!

I am tickled pink that Larry Weber, Chairman, W2Group, Boston. (founder of Weber Shandwick and early player in establishing the web with Tim Berners-Lee) is our keynote on Marketing with Social Media at Plexus 2007. And if that’s not enough, John Vincent, founder and CEO of Eyewonder, Altanta, had quite a chat yesterday when he accepted our keynote spot on Rich Media in digital advertising and publishing. Our line-up of four keynotes cover the four most sought topics by marketing execs and agencies: email marketing, search engine marketing, social media marketing and rich media. We will add a few more headliners on mobile marketing and web analytics. The rest of our stage time will be delegated to the top founders and leaders from emerging, growing and leading marketing/advertising platforms and services who will also be exhibiting at in our Demoplex.

Corporate blogs: powerful marketing tool

Many corporations are reluctant to enter the world of social media fearing a loss of control over their relationships with customers. Funny thing is the consumer has always been in control.

The key precedent to entering the world of blogging is transparency. Currently, consumer trust is at an all time low and transparency is the antidote. Someone recently posted that a corporation that does not offer a blog from its CEO or executive team is suspect. There is truth in this statement. The web is about interactivity; marketers have always wanted a relationship with their customers and the web is the simplest, most accessible tool.

Remember blogs can and must be moderated. Where my blogs have received thousands of spam messages over the last six months, these spammers are now posting “nice blog” and other short saccharine statements with minimum links to get through our filters. But moderation saves the day. Expletives, hateful comments (under the guise of freedom of expression)–all can be deleted. I compare much of stealth hateful comments to “road rage”. The blogosphere has too many hateful participants and frankly the more we moderate, the more it will be taken over by social decorum. There is no more honesty in freedom to hate than there is in freedom to be kind. Even Tim O’Reilly is trying to start a new higher standard for blogging; I blogged about this earlier. I applaud this worthy cause and his courage.

Blogs put a face, a voice and a heart behind a corporation and its brands. It adds vital meaning to the brand. And builds community around it. And furthermore, it also provides a zero cost, authentic tool to learn how your customers feel. In a panoply of marketing tools, this is probably the most effective.

The truly fearful can turn off comments as a starting point—it’s not interactive but it does provide a sincere voice. I’t s a good start.

Blogging is an indispensible tool for marketers. Some say, “I don’t have time to blog”; truly, they are postponing the inevitable. Blogging should be on every marketer’s daily To Do list.

War of Words Waging in the Valley

Tim O’Reilly launched a call for Bloggers’ Code of Conduct (COC) to end the vitriol that pervades the blogosphere. For those of you who do not know O’Reilly he is rumored to have launched the term Web 2.0; he also manages substantial interests in technology events and publishing in the Valley.

Many take this COC as censorship but Tim is clear to state that it is to offer the Freedom of Civility. The usual suspects are weighing in, including Danny Sullivan (search engine star), Mike Arrington (tech review star), Robert Scoble (blog star) and Doc Searls (of Cluetrain Manifesto fame). The New York Times has also joined the frey.

My take: It’s about time this conversation begins.

The blogosphere does not have the respect of the big business community and many other web users thanks to its limited lexicon, explitives and often baseless posting and commenting. O’Reilly seeks to make blogs more transparent i.e. no stealth journalism. This should keep the web more honest. In a seven step initial proposal, he also exhorts blog owners to be more vigilant with abusers–and to cease their own abuse. O’Reilly’s idea has been mocked by many; this is symptomatic of the fact that these are the voices usually heard. There are many who support him. It will be very interesting to see this play out. Movies always end in good conquers evil.

Plexusity makes Top 10 growing WP blogs

Yes! this blog made top 10 twice and made “fastest growing blogs” again, a third time at WP. Thanks readers. I really appreciate your loyalty and your tripping over Plexusity from the bottom of my heart. Perhaps it’s because I enjoy posting. Something to be said for passion!