Marketing Pilgrim

Maybe 2012 will be the Year of Online Security? There seems to be some talk about it these days and that is a good thing. We like to get excited talking about all the latest ways to communicate and the gadgets that enable that communication. We are all about getting the message across and finding out who did what and why online.

As marketers that is perfectly acceptable and good. It’s our job. An increasing part of that job, however, is the responsibility of ensuring the relative safety of our businesses in the online space. That seems to be more precarious than ever especially with the extensive movement into the mobile space.

One of the attractive feature of Apple products in general is the relative insignificance of viruses, malware and overall mischievous behavior by those who like to mess things up for folks in the Internet age. Most of the wrath and venom of hackers and others has been pointed at Microsoft based products because Microsoft is cast as the villain of the tech world, whether it is deserved or not.

Marketers need to pay attention to systems that they tie their success to as well. Stability and safety are two things that corporations like. Apple’s iOS usually provides that. A story from the Apple Insider, however, made me wonder if Apple will continue to be more of a tech safe house if more headlines like this occur.

Online security and privacy will always be an issue. There is nothing that will put an end to the need for paying attention to the state of your personal or corporate online security. Nothing.

It’s a cat and mouse game that is simply between the good guys and the bad guys. There are bad guys online just like there are in every walk of life. I have seen anyone or any organization who has been able to eradicate bad guys anywhere so the expectation that it is “under control” in the Wild West world of the Internet is dangerous.

While we may roll our eyes at yet more tips regarding online privacy, it’s that very attitude that will ultimately ensure more victims. So if you don’t pay attention and you get hit don’t cry about it. You know better.

We think that most people understand the fact that once you do something online it can be very difficult to make it go away. Just ask Bruce Clay about his issues recently around trying to take a site down in time for people to not tear it apart. The “magic” of the Internet has created numerous ways to still bring that site up even though it is no longer in existence. Ooooops.

The reality is that most people (those outside of the Internet over-saturated, Silicon Valley types whose level of disconnect from reality can be startling) don’t understand what they are doing when they post things online. And apparently, at least with Facebook, “deleting” a picture isn’t what it might seem either.

According to Ars Technica

There is a lot talk about Facebook. The billionaires, the millionaires, the speculation, the complaining, the changes. You name it, the list goes on.

Of everything I have read, one quote summarizes it all from Wall Street Journal article. It comes from Veronica Stecker the media manager for Omaha, NE based retailer Gordmans. Simply put in just 44 words (or 255 characters including spaces according to Word’s word count function).

We still don’t have a huge correlation between Facebook fans and return on investment in an actual sales in store. Until that metric becomes a lot more solid, I don’t think our company or other brands are going to be full-fledged into Facebook advertising.

Agree? Disagree? Have an opinion? How will this observation impact Facebook as it tries to own the world?

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With the Super Bowl being this weekend and the fact that two major metro teams, the New York Giants and the New England Patriots, are participating there is A LOT of press coverage. Usually the Super Bowl hype is overbearing but even to this sports fan (and New York Giants fan) this one is getting a bit ridiculous.

One reason is social media. I decided to follow a few athletes just to see what they might say. I usually don’t do this for two reasons:

1. I like the games. The rest of the “stuff” that goes with it I can live without.
2. I don’t want to know too much about the players

I’m a Giants fan so I’ll let Pats fans win this one. It’s Sunday that matters .

The IAB (Interactive Advertising Bureau) put together this infographic (click through to see the full image) and a whitepaper taking a look at the mobile life of Giants v. Patriots fans. It was a close contest for sure and has no bearing on the result for this Sunday but it is fun to consider.

Sports is changing and mobile capabilities are helping to lead that charge. How do you intend to get involved in the game this weekend from an online point of view?

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