These days, I definitely have baby on the brain. And my Web logs would prove it. With approximately 12 weeks to go before my third-born makes his or her arrival, I’m kicking into early nesting mode, scouring the Web for all the gidgets and gadgets our newborn will need (okay, more like stuff I want, since we already have everything we’d need…but that’s beside the point).
Along with cyber-shopping, I’ve spent time online tracking the development of my unborn child, catching up on some pregnancy-focused health and wellness topics (but still eating whatever I crave, because what the heck!), and reading about what I can expect from my two older children once baby arrives.
And though I’ve done all of this before, there is one major difference between my Web interactions during this pregnancy versus my last, nearly four years ago. The difference is called the “social Web”, and it’s completely changed the way that I, and many others, are finding, sharing and creating information online. What was once a one-way quest for information has become a multi-dimensional cyber-conversation.
These days, my online shopping choices are based more on reviews from other mommies than on product descriptions from manufacturers. And when I need parenting insights, I rely more heavily on “real life” blogs and bulletin boards than advertiser-driven content engines. And I’m not alone in my online preferences.
According to the 2009 Women and Social Media Study from iVillage, BlogHer and Compass Partners, “Millenials” (women ages 18-26) and “Generation X” (women ages 27-43) are the largest segments of social media users, representing a powerful audience of moms and other women with major purchasing power. (Article by MediaPost here.)
And among the women surveyed, topics that rank high include parenting (70%), pregnancy/ baby (71%) and health/wellness (71%) as key message board topics. It turns out that some of the richest content on the Web centers around my key personal interests. Lucky for me!
The good news is, you don’t have to be pregnant, or even female, to enjoy the bounty of information and conversation that is available online. The social Web is creating targeted, relevant content for virtually any person, with any interest, in any walk of life. So go ahead and use it to your advantage, and contribute new content for others’ benefit. (Especially if you have any insight into free-standing baby jumpers, as I’m looking for reviews and deals!)
For more on the topic of Women and social media, check out the full article, titled “Women Look To Online Peers For Product Reviews” by MediaPost here.
Cloud services beat economical odds
Monday, August 17th, 2009In economical conditions like these, no company goes untouched. And though Reside has certainly felt the impact of the changing marketplace, it’s been interesting - and affirming - to see our business sustained and growing during a challenging economy. In fact, we’ve just closed on two of our top sales months in the 8+ year history of our firm. Is it just a matter of luck? A fluke? I’ve been watching carefully from my “marketing” vantage point, and I truly don’t think so.
As a provider of Web services, Reside has seen consistent year-over-year sales growth since our start in 2001. But in this especially unique economy, Reside’s expertise in cloud services (Cloud Computing) seems to have secured for us a unique competitive edge. [Learn more about Cloud Computing here.] We didn’t plan our strategy around the economy. In fact, our strategy has always centered on bringing maximum value to our clients, using the Web. And with the maturation of cloud offerings, it only makes sense for our services to focus in this area.
Growing demand from our clients and prospects points to the validity of the cloud model and its ability to truly deliver value to businesses. And considering some of the following statistics and predictions on the topic, it’s not surprising that we should be experiencing a boom in sales at this time when companies are seeking more value for less spend. Take a look:
Gartner predicts that cloud services will vault from $46.4 Billion in 2008 to $150.1 billion by 2013. CIO Magazine tells us that 47% of CIO’s surveyed are using the cloud or researching it. And Nucleus Research has established that “Speed to ‘go live’ is five times faster in the cloud,” and also states that “Cloud development offers more rapid time to value, lower cost and greater ongoing flexibility [compared to traditional software or Web solutions].”
So, is our business strategy economy-proof? Certainly none of us can predict the future. But judging from the recent past, and looking toward the emerging offerings in the cloud, it seems clear that experienced service providers in this niche can expect to grow. It’s a good time to have your head - and business - in the clouds.
Posted in Business Strategies, Cloud Computing, Cloud Integration, Marketing, Opinion / Commentary, SaaS, Trends / Statistics, Web / Internet | 2 Comments »