Benefits and pitfalls of World Wide Web addressed for Rotarians
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula News
Published: March 12, 2010
What goes on the Internet stays on the Internet, Santa Paula Rotarians learned at a recent meeting where a leading marketing consultant outlined the benefits and pitfalls of the World Wide Web.
Karl Keller of the Camarillo-based Keller Gregg Group presented a program on “Social Networking for Fun and Profit” that examined the various means of networking and their target audiences. “Part of the fun” of social networking, said Keller, is the instant communications it offers that can be spun off into a business relationship.
Communications, whether for profit or nonprofit, start with strangers: “They become a prospect, then a client and then a repeat client,” the natural evolution from when such calls were often door-to-door product demonstrations that moved into the print media then to radio and television. Now, said Keller, “One quarter of the earth’s total population is on the Internet,” and there are a whopping five billion websites.
Although the Internet is now in its 40th year, social networking took hold about five years ago. A social network is a “structure, individual or organization tied by friendship, prestige or financial” entities. Such networking is recipient driven, said Keller, meaning “Your strangers or prospects decide which messages they want to receive and from whom.”
Facebook now has 350 million users worldwide, and the formerly popular My Space, an older site, “fell out of favor” and is now focusing more on entertainment. The LinkedIn business site is much smaller and centered on companies, professions, employment and education and, Keller said, is a prime source for recommendations. When it comes to “real-time networking,” 60 percent of Twitter users abandon the use of the “very event oriented” site in one-month.
A blog is used for posting, but Keller said to be aware as the poster is “someone who may or may not be a guru” offering advice or information. Nevertheless, 350 million people read 100 million new blogs a day and also can post their own comments.
A good example of one-way social media is Wikipedia, which has 10 million articles posted. And although it’s a “wonderful” site, Keller cautioned, “There is no governance of truth on the Internet... they all won’t pass the 4-Way Test,” the Rotary benchmark of interaction with others.
“The web is a numbers game,” with sites such as search master Google generating $6 billion in quarterly income and steady annual increases of about seven percent. “It’s all about views and clicks” that visitors apply to ads that generate income to the hosting website.
“All your promotion should emanate from yourself,” utilizing branding and identity as, Keller said, “Your corporate or personal website is your most important online presence,” with social networking secondary. The objectives of having a corporate or personal website is to assist in developing relationships and social networking is just one newest methods of online communications.
“It’s a numbers game,” said Keller, and “hits, clicks and views determine your value,” and honesty and humor are great assets. “What’s on the Internet stays on the Internet; comments are in full view” and everything is searchable, so “watch what you kid about.”
Keller told Rotarians that overall the Internet is a great deal: Procter & Gamble found that every $1 spent on Internet advertising is worth four times more than $1 spent on television ads.
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