flowers

So, what exactly is SEO? Like, basically?

/ Editrix Steph / 2 Comments

Storytelling for Success

If you’re already an SEO badass, the cat that won’t cop out when there’s danger all about, then this blog post isn’t for you.

But if you’re new-to or on-the-margins-of or just-curious-about online marketing? Well, my friend, you are about to enter the land of the TLA — the Three Letter Acronym. You can’t swing a cat (not that you would, you’re not a monster) without hitting a B2B or a CTR or a PPC. And they’re all important. But they’re not equally important. The 800 pound gorilla, in my humble opinion, is good ol’ SEO.  Continue reading →

So, here’s Thought Experiment #5

/ Editrix Steph / Leave a comment
Time for a Thought Experiment

There’s always time for lateral thinking.

One of the great and abiding tragedies of the modern world is the cancellation of a show called Firefly. This brilliant study in character and world building, helmed by Avengers director Joss Whedon, lasted a paltry eleven episodes, though fourteen were filmed.

Y’all, it was good. So good. “Best BBQ you’ve ever had washed down with an icy cold beer” kind of good.

One of the best things about the show was how it took genre expectations and tweaked them. Sure, there were spaceships and far-flung worlds and a galactic empire. But it wasn’t Science Fiction. At its heart, it was a Western.

Which brings me to my thought experiment: What genre is your business? And should you subvert it?

To return to the imaginary flower shop we’ve discussed, it would be easy to define them as a Romance (in the modern, not classical sense). But could they twist that around, set themselves apart from the competition? What about a Science Fiction approach? Easy enough to establish with imagery. Beakers. Clipboards. Very Serious People in Very Serious Lab Coats. All of that would stand out against a background of pastels and petals.

Why would I ask this?

Because you, buddy, should start thinking about intelligently subverting expectations.

Give it a think. See what occurs to you.

So, here’s Thought Experiment #4

/ Editrix Steph / Leave a comment
Time for a Thought Experiment

There’s always time for lateral thinking.

Storytelling is my obsession and my life, sure, but not all stories need to be on the list of the longest novels in the English language. Ernest Hemingway famously was issued a challenge to tell a story in just six words. Here’s his reply:

“For sale: baby shoes, never worn.”

Heartbreaking, mm? All that pathos crammed into six words. Extraordinary economy.

And that’s exactly what you need in social media storytelling. Can you do it for your brand? Let’s say, for example, you have flower shop.

“You’re in trouble. We can help.”

That’s a little too easy, isn’t it? Plays to negative stereotypes about how men and women interact. Can we do better?

“Rainy days need color. Send flowers.”

That’s a little better. Reminds folks to use your service for Just Because, not just Special Events. But maybe we can do better than that.

“She’s wondering. Answer her with flowers.”

There we go. Nice. Concise. Worth the price.

Why would I ask this?

Because you, buddy, should start thinking about making your message fit the medium.

Give it a shot. See what you get.