« Small Businesses Shirk Marketing to Their Own Peril | Home | Help Your Health Online: The 6 Coolest Free Web 2.0 Health Tools »
Online PR And ‘Wayne’s World’ Wisdom
By Matt Keough | October 18, 2007
I don’t watch many movies; so forgive me if my pop culture references are a tad dated. Recently I was having a conversation with a search engine marketing colleague and we were really struggling to find a unique angle to differentiate a client’s website in a crowded niche. The conversation went from “I’ve heard it before.” to “Most people have heard it before.” to “Everybody’s heard it before.” I suddenly had a virtual video playing in my mind of the scene in “Wayne’s World”. The one in the guitar shop. Wayne starts playing “Stairway to Heaven” and the bored guitar shop guy points to the sign that says “No Stairway to Heaven!”
Now think of your audience as the guitar shop guy. He probably really loved that song at one time. He listened to it closely enough that he decided to commit it to memory. It was special. He might have even played it when he was trying to impress the ladies. But then he stopped listening to it closely. Soon thereafter, he realized that it really was not all that impressive a feat to play it. He finally hit rock bottom, and the first riff was enough to drive him away.
In this analogy, your website’s content (or your story pitch) can’t be the same old tune, like the last twenty guys picking up the guitar and playing “Stairway to Heaven”. Try “What’s the Frequency, Kenneth?” It will cut through the clutter and stop the boredom. My pop culture references are a bit dated. But my taste in music is impeccable.
Want to know more about search?Visit our search engine marketing forum.
Want to know more about online videos?
Stop by our Internet video marketing forum.
October 22nd, 2007 at 12:41 pm
I completely agree. As a user I think that there should be something that sets you apart from your competition. If not why would I want to go to your site or purchase your product or service? Make it different not just so you think it is great, but so your consumer does too.
October 31st, 2007 at 3:44 pm
I agree with Colleen, that websites need to be different or they will all blend together.