Social Marketing

• Seth Stevenson Extracts Marketing Advice from the Shamwow Guy

December 31, 2008 - This is totally my favorite infomercial, hands down. Sucks me in every time, you gotta watch it.

• Seth Stevenson Extracts Marketing Advice from the Shamwow Guy

December 31, 2008 - This is totally my favorite infomercial, hands down. Sucks me in every time, you gotta watch it.

• 12 Things to Stop Doing in 2009

December 31, 2008 - Let’s get on Oprah!

• 10 Irrational Human Behaviors and How to Leverage Them to Improve Web Marketing

December 31, 2008 - More on “Predictably Irrational” - first brought to marketer’s attention by @RichSchefren

• Top Social Media Sites of 2008 (Facebook Still Rising)

December 31, 2008 - Top trafficked social media sites of 2008 - which are relevant to your niche?

• 30 DC PLUS…COOLEST.CONTENT.CREATION.EVER.

December 31, 2008 - What a neat LiveScribe demo - now it’s on my wish-list too!

• How To Write a Sales Letter

December 31, 2008 - Brent really went to town here - a must read!

• A Peek At Our Goals for 2009

December 30, 2008

• DanRaine: But only to those on the waiting list… Make sure you are on by visiting: http://www.ImmediateEdge.com/ …

December 30, 2008

• Ed_Dale: Have you listens to episode 8 of Internet Marketing This Week?? It's fantastic- if I do say so myself - facebook stuff is a must listen

December 29, 2008 - I loved this episode too - lots of fun predictions and Facebook secrets spilled!

• HOW TO 2008: How To Do Almost Anything With Social Media

December 27, 2008

All of these items are published as I find them to my Twitter feed. For real time notification of trends and resources, follow me on Twitter!

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It’s the end 2008 and we’ve got a brand new year ahead of us - a clean slate! Before you start conquering 2009, take a look at the most popular posts of 2008 and make sure you’re caught up!

MOST COMMENTED POSTS

1. Do Nofollow Links Count - Redux: A study of the “nofollow” tag and evidence that Google actually will rank a page that only has “nofollow” links pointing to it.

2. Master List of Coaches on Twitter: Fun list of life, personal * business coaches that are also on Twitter.  If you’re a coach, I encourage you to add your details here.

3. Build a Business, Not a Product: Where product creation and business building intersect & the type of sales funnel that’ll rake in the most dough.

4. Top Ranking Social Media Websites: These social media websites consistently rank highly in the search engines and therefore should be a target for your social marketing campaign.

5. YouTube Sponsored Video How To: A look at YouTube’s new “Sponsored Video” pay per click advertising product.

6. Slimy Internet Marketing Salesletters: This post elicited the most passionate responses of any post I’ve ever published, I highly recommend you take a look and join the discussion.

7. How to Get Traffic From A-List Bloggers: This is still a great technique both for link building and generating organic traffic from the A-listers.

8. #?? In Google in 3 Days!: How to get a top Google rank in 3 days.

9. Building Links Too Fast = Blacklisting?: People are often told that if you build links to your site too quickly, it’ll be blacklisted.  Get the truth here.

10. I Was Terrified: Overcoming fear/self doubt in your internet marketing business - this post was very personal.

HIGH TRAFFIC POSTS

These posts made the “Top 10″ list in terms of traffic received but did not make the top commented list:

1. Alejandro Reyes On Social Networking - Video Replay Available: Probably my favorite call of 2008.  Alejandro is so much fun to talk to and his passion and enthusiasm is infectious!

2. Jeff Walker & YouTube PPC On a New IMTW: A great episode of “Internet Marketing This Week” that deserved the attention it got.

3. 30 Minute Backlinks: A look at the 30 Minute Backlinks link building program.

4. Social Wordpress Plugins: Some of the more “social” Wordpress plugins I was using at the time, this is outdated now and needs an update.

Thank you to everyone who has read and commented here over the past year - your thoughts and participation make this blog what it is!

You’ll see more great, free content in 2009 from yours truly!

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(This is a guest post by Steven Cravis.  Steven Cravis is a composer, producer and web marketer. Follow him on Twitter @StevenCravis!)

One tool that I think is great, and is overlooked by many myspace users with lots of myspace friends, is the Status/Mood update.

On your Home page of being logged into your myspace account, every time you click ‘Update’ (to the right of the Mood link right under Status), you can change what it says, and you will appear to many (depending on their settings) of your myspace friends on their myspace Home page. It’s kind of like a game of leap frog where whichever users have clicked and updated ‘Status’ the most recently will show up on top. You can do this as many times as you want while you’re logged in. Therefore, frequently clicking ‘Update’ status, such as every few minutes, can be an effective way to get out a message to lots of people, and a good habit for social marketers.

I sometimes post sentences like “has 13 free legal music downloads at download.com/stevencravis” because CNET’s download.com is a really helpful place for exposure of my original music and people have thanked me and told me that they’ve really highlighted the link (since myspace doesn’t let you make it a hyperlink within the status/mood message) and gone to the site to download the songs.

Keep in mind it has your myspace name there so if I write a status like ‘wishes you a great weekend’ it will display something like “Steven Cravis wishes you a great weekend” but without the quotes.

My only recommendation to Myspace to improve the status functionality would be to allow hyperlinks like twitter allows, which should not cause any problems now that myspace has such strict anti-phishing protections for external links.

(Note from Michelle: All these points apply to Facebooks status update as well, if that’s your preferred social network.  You should be on both for maximum visability!)

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(This is a guest post by Yisel Guajardo (another awesome Twitter peep - follow her here! Yisel Guajardo is an entrepreneur and blogger who writes about internet marketing, social media, and blogging.)

If only acquiring a social media fan base were as easy as walking up to the deli counter and saying, “Excuse me sir, I’ll take two thousand followers and can you throw in a personality and some influence for good measure”.

If it did work that way we might be spared the “Mine’s bigger than yours” competition of social marketing where your status in the tribe is measured by the sheer number of your friends or followers.

But as you know, quantity doesn’t necessarily mean quality. Yes, it’s an assumption easily made since the numbers of your followers are easily visible by everyone as a sort of social validation badge of honor.

However, the real measure and power of social media, doesn’t just come from the numbers (although they do play an important part), but more so in the influence you have over them and the perception they have of you and/or your products or services.

It has been commonly said after all, “People buy from people they know, like, and trust.”

But, how do you become someone people like?

It certainly isn’t as easy as saying go buy some software and add 100 friends a day.

The good news however is there are things you can do that you intuitively already know.

Here are five:

1. Smile.

Smiling is the simplest way to make a good first impression. And in the new media world we leave in, it’s no longer limited to only face to face meetings.

Yes, it’s a good idea to have a smiling mug of yourself on social media profiles, but it goes beyond that. It’s about how you make people feel. Show humor, be vulnerable, and yes even share embarrassing and revealing parts of your personality and life. This is what makes you authentic and relatable.

Remember, have a good time meeting people if you expect them to have a good time meeting you.

2. Be genuinely interested in others.

A few years ago I heard a phrase that illustrated to me this quality perfectly. “Be interested, not interesting.” When you are trying to be interesting, you talk about yourself and what you like. People don’t care about what’s important to you. They care about what’s important to them.

Think about it, when you see a group photograph you’re in, whose picture do you look for first? Exactly, yourself. So it is with others. Talk about the things they care about. The Roman poet Publilius Syrus said it best, “We are interested in others when they are interested in us.”

For example, let’s say you are a women’s fitness trainer. What is most important to the women you train? What body parts do they most want to see improve? What are their most important concerns? If you really care about people and how your products and/or services can help them, they will sense that, and it will be demonstrated in how you communicate with them. That’s when they will be drawn to you.

3. Be a good listener.

People love to talk about themselves. I really believe it’s one of the reasons social media has revolutionized the internet. It’s given people a voice to talk about themselves. Through social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, blogs, etc., people can expand their egos by talking about what’s important to them - themselves.

One of the best ways to listen, is to ask questions that people will enjoy answering. Twitter is a great place to do this. If you have a decent amount of followers, ask anything and you’re bound to get a slew of responses. People naturally want to help. So, encourage them to talk about themselves and their accomplishments, listen, and respond.

4. Give sincere appreciation.

Charles Schwab, who was one of the first people in American business to be paid a salary of over a million dollars a year, said his biggest secret was his ability to deal with people and “the way to develop the best in a person is by appreciation and encouragement.”

How do you show appreciation online? Well, when you get an answer to a question on Twitter, read a great article or blog post, get a meaningful comment or question on your blog, you can show appreciation by replying to them, re-tweeting a good tweet, or leaving an intelligent comment on their blog.

5. Make others feel important.

We’ve all experienced calling the customer service line wanting to speak to another human and having to go through a myriad of push button options or worse yet, a voice recognition system not friendly to kid noises in the background. An excellent example of making someone feel unimportant.

But what about automated messages, canned friend requests, or leaving the exact same wall comment on everyone’s profile? Isn’t that the same? I’m all for using automation, software and tools to save time, but you need to know how to use them so they help to brand and differentiate you from others, not alienate them.

Take Nordstrom. They earned a reputation for service that spawned tall tales about just how far employees are willing to go to please the customer much before web 2.0. You might have heard the one about a gentleman who returned a set of tires even though Nordstrom doesn’t carry tires. The Nordstrom employee gave the customer a refund, and then returned the tires to the store they actually came from herself.

What’s interesting to note is that although the story might be doubtful, that isn’t as important as the fact that people think they offer excellent customer service.

And in a world where social media is the new word of mouth, what people think and whether they like and trust you is more important.

So, what do you think?

Who do you like the most in social media and why?

Share away in the comments below…

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• One Juicer

December 20, 2008

• 2009, The Year of Social Aggregation & Syndication: Scrapplet Paves the Way

December 23, 2008 - More on data portability in 2009… First site I’ve seen that actually pulls your friends from one network into their network. Cool.

• The Long Tail Theory Gets Challenged, Just Not in Search Query Demand

December 22, 2008 - Long tail still valid as it pertains to your SEO efforts… Top level keywords are not always where your gold rush is.

• Five Things that Probably Won't Happen in Social Media in 2009

December 22, 2008 - More 2009 predictions, although I disagree (see my predictions post & the latest http://www.internetmarketingthisweek.com broadcast) re: data portability.

All of these items are published as I find them to my Twitter feed. For real time notification of trends and resources, follow me on Twitter!

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(This is a guest post by Maria Andros, aka the Video Marketing Queen.  I found her on Twitter (follow Maria @MariaAndros) and know she has incredible passion for teaching others.  Watch for her blog to debut in January - it’ll be in my RSS reader as soon as it’s up!  Also, take her advice *very* seriously, video is only getting stronger and you’ll need to be using it for your business in 2009.)

It’s so awesome of Michelle to have invited me to be a guest on her blog while she’s away on her holiday. I’m honored to be able to share some really cool information with you on how video can make a real difference for you in your business and make you money.

I want to cover what equipment is best, and how to get started, but most importantly why video is so powerful and where the trends are heading.

My intention is for you to really see what most people online are missing when it comes to making videos that convert.

There’s a difference between just uploading a video like most people think, to really creating videos that powerfully move your audience.

The cool thing is that people can feel like they know, like and trust you through your videos.

They say that 90% of communication is non-verbal and that’s why video is almost hypnotic. People can hear you, they can see you and they can feel right away if they connect with you or not.

You can also position yourself as an expert and authority in your niche & market a lot faster than “old school” marketing methods.

You’ve heard that saying a picture is worth a thousand words…

Then imagine what a video’s worth?

What is your video worth?

More and more people are leaving television and coming to get their “quick fix” on places like Youtube. I don’t want you to get left behind and I see way too many people leaving money on the table by not using video in their marketing campaigns.

Consider that according to the Interactive Advertising Bureau more than 50% of the US population will watch video online in 2009. That’s 155 Million people and we’re only talking the US!

Youtube is also the #3 most searched website in the world as per Alexa.com.

Not to mention how you are able to build a highly qualified list and have SEO benefits as well since the search engines absolutely LOVE video.

But before I get into all the good stuff you maybe thinking to yourself…

* What do I say in my videos?
* How can I get my videos viewed and drive traffic to my website?
* Or maybe you feel a bit nervous and don’t know where to start.

Well the good news is that a little over a year and a half ago I was a complete beginner online with no technical knowledge or background.

I only had 2 visitors coming to my website on average per day and I knew I was in serious trouble if I didn’t do something and fast so that people would actually see my website.

Because you can have the best product or service in the world but if no one SEES that amazing product or service it doesn’t make a difference.

I personally did not want to go into pay per click advertising as I had no clue what I was doing at that time and did not want to lose any money in the process.

If you currently have an Adwords campaign that’s great, I’m not knocking it as lots of people do make lots of money with it.  What you want to do is add video to your existing sales funnel to make it even stronger.

Its just that pay per click advertising is not for everyone, especially if you are not seeing profits in your business or are on a budget.

When I was first starting out I was really scared to make videos.

I can remember doing 10-12 takes and my message would start getting diluted. I felt nervous and didn’t know if anyone would take me seriously.

Despite the nerves I kept making videos and learning, testing, tweaking and tracking.

In 2 short months of being a complete beginner online I made $12,987 profit into my business. I couldn’t believe it!

It’s been quite the journey and I still can’t believe how dramatically my life has changed. I now live right on the beach and generate a six figure income from my videos with no advertising costs whatsoever.

Almost 500,000 people have watched my videos and counting and I have helped  many of my students  some who were beginners to make their first $1000 + sales online.

One of my clients had 5 people call her from her videos saying “I love your videos, how do I get started working with you and how much?”

Imagine having people already pre-qualified and ready to go because of your positioning with video.

I am not saying all this to you to brag, I’m humbled by my success and am very thankful to all my loyal viewers and clients. I just want to show you what is possible for you and if this girl originally from Canada could do it then you can too!

It takes passion and seeing the big picture that’s all…

With the speed of technology growing as fast as it is you can’t ignore where video is heading. Just look at how you’re able to now stream live video even from your cellphone.

The mistake I see a lot of people making is not getting started with video because of a fear of rejection or what people might think.

The real truth about video is it’s actually one of the most rejection free marketing methods around as you don’t have to pick up the phone and try to convince someone to buy your product.

It does get easier as you go, I promise you, and you start to feel more confident especially when you develop a bunch of loyal fans that love you and support you.

I also want you to remember that you can never say the wrong thing to the right person.

There are lots of top video sharing sites such as Google video, Myspace video, Vimeo, Daily Motion, and Viddler, to name a few…

When you are creating your videos you want to build a background of relatedness first with your prospects so they don’t have their guard up.

You don’t want to start by talking about your product or service - that comes later…

People are sick and tired of being sold. Remember a time when you knew someone was trying to “sell” you something?

You feel turned off right?

Even if you just do this one thing you will be able to let people get to know you and build that trust factor.

Remember people aren’t buying products, people are buying people and like to buy from people they already like.

My Video Marketing 5 Step Success Formula:

1.      The Welcome

Everyone loves to be welcomed and the more you can smile and be authentic the better. Let them know that you are happy they stopped by and say something like “Hello and welcome to this video.”

(A great tip when you’re filming is to make sure you smile and pretend like you are talking to your best friend or family member).

The more you talk to one person instead of lots of people the more powerful your videos will be.

After you film a really good idea (especially when you’re just starting with video), watch your video with the volume muted and see how many times you smile.  Do you look stressed and uptight or friendly and relaxed?

2.   Share Your Story

Before you get into your opportunity you first need to build a background of relatedness.

Share something about you, where you’re from perhaps, you want to establish credibility here by sharing anything that will make you sound like an authority and why I should listen to you.

3.   What’s in it for Me?

In your videos you also want to make it all about your viewers.

It’s important to build a sense of relatedness first and once you do you want to provide value.

You can teach your viewers something; a how to video usually converts really well.

In this part of the formula you also want to really bring out the problem that your prospect is facing and to offer a solution:

For example if you are a dating coach you can say, “I know what it’s like to not be confident with women. I used to be like that, I was shy, I was awkward and I would just avoid women period to not risk getting rejected …  Until I discovered…”

Marketing is simply being able to explain someone’s problem better than they can explain it themselves and then offering a “solution.”

Here you can share the solution that you found and then go into your product more in detail.

4.Your Irresistible Offer or “Hook”

This is where you can offer your prospect something for free whether it’s a free report, a free audio class, a free video report and share with them what you are going to teach them if they come visit your website.

5. Call to Action

This is often what is missing in most videos that I see online, there is no call to action. As kids we are taught to follow the leader almost like Simon says so you want to let your prospects know what to do next.

This can be simply telling them to go to your website, to give you a phonecall, to add you on twitter, it’s completely up to you.

Video Equipment

Now that we have covered how to create powerful videos let’s look at equipment.

I want to show you what options you have for video cameras and the great thing is they’re all pretty affordable.

I have used everything from a digital camera (Canon Sd 850) to a web cam, video camcorder to a flip camera. If you choose a digital camera, I like to buy a few extra 2-4 gb memory card  just in case as it can be really inconvenient if you are out and about filming and then your card runs out.

I also love the new HD Mino Flip video camera. Its great because you don’t need a memory card , it’s really light and small and you can record for up to 60 minutes. Another cool feature is you can upload directly to Youtube from the camera and many other video sharing sites as well.

If you want your video to look really high quality for a website then you will want to find a professional HD video camcorder and you can set up some bright lights around you to get a nice effect.

I like to teach that you don’t have to have the perfect lighting or cameras to make money with videos.

People love reality shows so it’s not how your video looks so much but your message that’s important! They want to see that you are a real person and if you can show that your viewers will love you!

YouTube Specs

Youtube just changed over to HD so it’s a good idea to convert your videos into a minimum file size of 360 x 640 or for a higher quality 720 X 1280.  It used to be 320 x240 and I feel the videos turn out quite grainy without uploading to the new higher quality size.  You can also now upload videos that are up to 1 GB in size. You used to be only be able to upload videos up to 100 MB before.

Video Editing & Uploading

To edit your video if you have a PC I recommend Windows Movie Maker.

If you have a Mac I like to personally use Imovie to edit & compress my videos.

When uploading  your videos make sure you add some keywords and tags in your description so you can optimize your video and have more views.

I also recommend using a compelling title that is keyword rich.

You can find a list of keywords for your specific niche and use this free tool.

I look forward to you creating your videos and to you taking your business to the next level!

So have fun, and relax making your videos and remember you don’t have to get it right you just have to get it going.

To your video marketing success! Its your time to shine in 2009!

Maria Andros

“The Video Marketing Queen”

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Google Friend Connect launched recently, I discussed it in my “2009 Internet Marketing Predictions” post as well as on the most recent episode of “Internet Marketing This Week.”

So it’s only fair to actually test it out, right?

I’ve installed the “Members” widget right here on the site - if you scroll down to the footer you can see it.  Hit the “Join” button to see how it works.

If you click on an individuals avatar, you get some basic info about them:

This info is pulled from the person’s Google profile.  You HAVE set yours up, right?

There’s also a commenting widget, you can see that right below.  What’s interesting about this is the potential of the Google Friend Connect comments actually taking the place of one’s Wordpress comments form eventually.  One login for all websites that use it, everything in one place.  Join and unjoin sites, connect with folks based on interests.

The nice thing about Google Friend Connect? It’s REALLY easy to install - just copy and paste the code they give you on to your website.  The bad?  Right now, it’s doesn’t go much farther then MyBlogLog did.  You have friends, you join sites, and you can leave comments.  I *do* anticipate that changing over the course of the coming year.

Should you be using it on YOUR site?  If you’re in a tech savvy niche, it might be worthwhile. Early adopters will know you’re on the cutting edge when you implement new tech like this.  That being said, it’s NOT a standard yet and could just add “noise” to your pages.  Never do this on a salespage, a blog or community site would be the most appropriate.

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We’ve been talking a bunch lately about what’s coming in 2009; your goals for the coming year and predictions in the internet marketing and social media world.

Goals are fantastic.  Looking forward to where the market is going helps you stay ahead of the curve.

But none of that matters if you’re not putting out content…  Content is the currency of the web.  Your web page is simply a placeholder for your content - audio, video, text, images.  People visit your website to consume the content you’ve placed there.  Oftentimes, he who has the most content wins; it simply gives browsers more chances to interact with you.

That’s a simple concept.  But why is it so hard to execute?

Having provided individual, one on one internet marketing coaching (no longer available) as well as receiving thousands of replies and questions from my subscribers from email broadcasts, I know what holds you back from creating content.

It’s fear.

Fear of looking dumb in front of the HUGE audience that is the web.

I get it.  I’ve been there.

I’ll even tell you a little secret.  I became known in the internet marketing world because of a software program I sold.  I didn’t code the software.  Sure, I gave the specs to the programmer, but it was him that implemented it.  And when I released 30 Minute Backlinks, I was terrified.  I was AFRAID that what *I* had to teach wasn’t going to be seen as valuable to the marketplace, that I was a “one hit wonder” with my software (that I didn’t even program)!

But I also knew that I HAD to produce 30 Minute Backlinks because it is so effective and a technique that had never been taught to internet marketers.  And I HAD to do it to get over my own fear.  I HAD to prove to myself that I did know my stuff, that people would benefit from my teaching.

As I opened the site up and orders started pouring in, I was happy.  But when a few weeks passed and I started getting emails from people who’d implemented the techniques I was ecstatic - #1 rankings, growth in businesses, success stories all around.  And then I, well, got over myself.

Creating content - and selling it - can be scary.  It’s putting a bit of you out there for people to judge.  So if you feel like your writing, your videos, your audios aren’t “good enough” you absolutely need to know that you are not alone with that fear!

I wrote about the release of the Thirty Day Challenge Plus program, but Ed has gone above and beyond this week by actually releasing one of the lessons inside to the public, for free.

This lesson is about content creation, but it goes even deeper than that into the fears we all have about putting ourselves out there.  It’s motivating, inspiring and is THE audio you must listen to to get your head stuck on right for the new year.

Read the email Ed sent out here, and then download the audio and accompanying PDF file.  Absorb it.  Live it.

Now I’ve bared my soul… Would love to hear in the comments what your experience has been with fear in your business and how things worked out once you forced your way past it.

(Remember, if you’re an Immediate Edge member you’re getting all the 30 Day Challenge Plus content inside your Edge membership at no extra charge).

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It’s 41% uploaded.

There’s something new inside 30 Minute Backlinks that transforms the product from a “how to” to an almost hands free “do it for you” service.

The video the explains it is 41% uploaded as I type this post.

30 Minute Backlinks shows you:

1. How to create software that is relevent to your niche (ANY niche) without programming, coding or other techno nonsense
2. How to leverage that software you created by listing it in multiple software directories
3. How to literally force those software directories to link back to your site with the anchor text of your choice, thus bringing your link popularity and search engine rankings UP

With the video that’s currently uploading, step #2 is done for you.  I’ve just released a website to 30 Minute Backlinks members that automates the process.  It’s faster, easier and more effective than ever with this addition.

If you’ve been hemming and hawing, trying to decide if 30 Minute Backlinks is the right product for you, today’s addition changes the game completely.  There’s no question anymore.

Do you have a website?

Would you like to see your website get higher rankings in the search engines?

Go get 30 Minute Backlinks.

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While I can hardly believe it’s nearly 2009, I’m prepping for a fabulous year - and I hope you are too!

My plans have much to do with a few trends that I see as becoming even more prevalent in the coming year, and I wanted to share them with you.  So, with no further delay - my 2009 Internet Marketing Predictions!

MAKE MONEY ONLINE GETS BIGGER

The idea of making money online or earning some extra money from the internet will only become more appealing to the masses in 2009.  The economy is down - whether you believe it is or not is irrelevant, that’s what’s being reported on the news and that’s the belief system with which people are living their lives.  They might be afraid, they might want a leg up “just in case” they experience the financial problems their neighbors and friends have.

All this uncertainty and fear will only bring MORE folks online looking to learn how to create a side income.  If you’re in the business of teaching internet marketing, 2009 will present many opportunities for you.  If you’ve not yet started a blog focused on your IM efforts or a Twitter account for the same, you’re missing out!

(Sidenote: You don’t have to be an expert or a “guru” to talk about your own experiences in internet marketing and/or recommend a product as an affiliate that really worked for you.  Integrity is important; I’m not suggesting you lie!  But there is already and will be even more people who will appreciate learning from someone who’s just like them, learning the ropes and sharing their trials. I started my first blog when I was about 2 months in!)

DATA PORTABILITY

Data portability is the idea that the information you give to social sites belongs to YOU, not the site, and you should be able to move it from one site to another simply, without having to fill out all the “Profile” forms again and again for every site you join. Leaving MySpace for Facebook?  With advances in data portability you’ll be able to move not only your profile, but your friends, comments, pictures, etc. with just a click or two.

We’re starting to see this with the introduction of services like Google Friend Connect (which was added here recently, check the footer and join to see how it works) and Facebook Connect.  One “bucket” in which you can put all your comments, friends, favorite sites, etc.

The OpenID standard is also a part of Data Portability - one common login for all the sites you visit.

Like any new technology, data portability requires both websites and users to adopt the standards for it to work.  In 2009, we’ll see more and more of this.

VIDEO NO LONGER AN OPTION

Within internet marketing and more tech savvy niches, video as part of your sales process will no longer be an option.  Whether it’s a product demo or a straight pitch from you, face to face with your visitor, video will become a necessity.

If you took a look at Frank Kern’s most recent launch (Infomillionaire) you may have noticed there was no written sales copy.  The pre-launch was all video, which has become common in product launches these days. But when the site went live, the salespage was actually just Frank in video again, talking about the offer and encouraging folks to buy.  Expect to see more of this.

If you’re a marketer who thinks video won’t work in your niche, check out these YouTube videos.  They’re excellent examples of selling with video online, both as a product owner and as an affiliate.

FOCUS IN SOCIAL MEDIA

In 2009, the most popular social media and Web 2.0 applications will do one thing and do it well, rather then trying to be a “one size fits all” destination.  Twitter is the current prime example of this strategy and we’ll see more sites approach their apps this way.

Similarly, more people will tone down the time spent on social networking and will devote what time they have to 2-3 sites that they truly get value from rather then hopping from network to network.

IMMEDIACY & BEING LIVE

Being available immediately will become the norm rather than the exception.  We’ve watched Ryan Deiss and Ed Dale launch products live on Ustream, while Frank Kern and Trey Smith twittered their way through the recent Infomillionaire launch.  Customers are turning to Twitter for support.

Why?

Because they want immediate, live responses.

In 2009, as a product owner or a niche leader you’ll be expected to be available, responding and engaging with your “tribe” more often than not.  Those that can keep up the pace will thrive.

OTHER 2009 PREDICTIONS

Paul Colligan, Ed Dale, Lynn Terry and I discussed our 2009 Internet Marketing predictions on the most recent “Internet Marketing This Week” broadcast.  Download it now to hear the discussion (and take notes as Ed inadvertently spills his Facebook PPC secrets too!)

What do you think 2009 will bring to internet marketing, and the web as a whole?  Contribute your thoughts in the comments.

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