Is It Evil?
For those who come looking for a short, thoughtful read, a blogging life discussion, or a way to gradually ease back into the week. I offer this bloggy life question. . . .
You’re a social media consultant. You’ve just established a working relationship with an event planning bureau. Your client provides a service — they match clients who want to sponsor international conferences and trade shows with experienced, local event planners. Your task is to develop a strategy to reach new potential sponsors and to establish a strong and visible online presence for the client company.
Two weeks into your relationship, the Chief Marketing Officer contacts sends you a link to the first page of Google Search. The search is on “Google Event Planning Center.” You read a few of the listed results — all contain the same basic information. Google has announced intentions to establish an international meeting place for event planners and sponsors to do business. . . . not much more. Some industry leaders offer speculation on Google’s strategy. No date for launch or further information is given.
How do you advice your client to respond to the announcement?
–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!
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My initial reaction would be to feel like I had just consumed stones for breakfast. But after a bit of reflection, I’m not sure it’s so terrible.
Your client connects with “established local vendors”. That sounds like it is very much related to reputation and trust. As much as Google excels at scourging the internet, reputation based services take a long time to build. Will Google be a challenge in the future? Probably.
But most of Google’s non-search ventures haven’t even performed terribly well. I think about all of their rating systems on Google Maps. Those systems have been around for quite some time, but I’m always hard-pressed to find the restaurants I’m looking at with more than 5 reviews. Google is very helpful when I’m trying to find something, but not always helpful when I’m trying to decide which “something” to use.
If your client has been around awhile and establishes a presence before Google’s reputation system builds, then I don’t think Google can simply sweep it off the map. Google can connect people, but it CAN’T magically create relationships between those people. On the flip side, I’m assuming that your client has forged some relationships with local event planners. That gives the client a strong advantage that is difficult to overturn, no matter who you are.
Maybe I misinterpreted the problem, but that’s the way I see things =)
Hi Evan,
There’s no misinterpretation and I hear your expertise through everything you say. I particularly like your description of Google’s strengths. Here . . .
Google is very helpful when Iââ¬â¢m trying to find something, but not always helpful when Iââ¬â¢m trying to decide which ââ¬Åsomethingââ¬Â to use.
and here
Google can connect people, but it CANââ¬â¢T magically create relationships between those people.
Those are key points that a client needs to keep in focus. I agree.
I see it as a tool that can be used to generate leads and more business for your client. I think that if they are looking at it as a bad thing, that they need to step back and really look at how this can be leveraged to their benefit, brainstorm, and plan on how to hits this so that they can reap the most rewards.
Hi Kris!
Great point, if the consultant gets to know what’s happening and understands thrust and function of the Google platform, he or she can help the client continue to fit the opportunities that Google doesn’t address well.
Hi Liz. Google doesn’t capture the nuances but rather, provides an important overview of the bigger picture. Like Kris,I believe that Google can be leveraged to define opportunities that can then be honed and further shaped by your client. When I think Google I think “impersonal.” Your client has the ability to bring the person back into the relationship, a benefit that Google is too large to achieve.
Hi MizLiz,
I read somewhere that every disadvantage has it’s advantages. It’s sure proved true in my life and I think situation is another example.
As you point out, Google is only good at certain things. 🙂
Great prompt! I loved working on problems like this in college.
The first thing I would do is call Google’s PR department and see if I could learn more about this project.
I would work with my client to evaluate our current strategies. Who within the industry are we targeting? Are we secure in these areas?
As others have mentioned, Google does a fantastic job connecting users with and bringing attention to various companies, but it does not ensure a relationship history. I would remind my client once more that they have the benefit of working histories with their clients, and that they can promise quality over quantity.
At the same time, I would advise my client to keep an eye on the project and learn from Google’s more successful strategies. In fact, I may use this as an opportunity to suggest creating a client-only, web-based networking tool if our company does not already have one in place. We can initiate a pre-launch to our “VIP” clients, followed by a press announcement several weeks later. (However, I would strongly advise my clients to have the tool in at least a beta version with concrete release dates available before making an announcement to the press.)
I am looking forward to reading other responses. 😀