Jeremiah Owyang

Traditional Web Marketing in recent years maintains the practice that the scope of a program is often on two domains only. This would include the domain of the corporation (example: company.com) and that search engine we all use (google.com)

Domain One: “www.anycompany.com”
Web Marketing departments often focus on building out product and solution pages, industry accolades, and a pumping of news from press releases or other timely information.

Of course, on all pages does the content paint a shiny rosy image of the products and it’s users. I’m sure there are nods to analyst sites or ecommerce where one’s product is discussed, but it often links back to your company domain or those sites use much of the content from your own domain.

Domain Two: “www.google.com”
Web Marketers often have budget for Search Engine Marketing (SEM). These monies are often given to firms (or purchased themselves) to enable Google users to easier find your website.

There is extensive resources, firms, and research done to find the best SEM marketing firm that will give you highest return for the least amount of money. I would wonder why the choice would be hard, anyone that would ever want to hire a SEM firm should just do a Google Search on “Search Engine Marketing” and pick the vendor at the top of the natural results.

The New Web Marketing Domains:

Domain Three: Now, consumers and prospects are sharing information using web tools that allow nearly all non-technical users with internet access to communicate. The usual suspects of forums, blogs, podcasts, are gaining speed.

Domain Four: Even Analyst sites like Techcrunch are a good example of a hybrid voice with community interaction. Users can leave comments, or visit the forums to discuss products, people, and industries.

Domain Five: New types of systems are emerging, user voted sites (first pioneered by companies like cnet) are helping to drive bottom up ranking. Sites like Chowhound, Yelp, Digg, allow mass user voting to champion what products really work, and those that are fluff.

Domain Six: Don’t forget that mobile devices will access the web, web gaming like second life, and IPTV will intersect one’s Web Marketing strategy.

Web Strategy: Integrate all Domains into your Programs
These battles are being fought about your company and it’s offerings outside of those two domains. (Yes both domains one and two are intricately woven with the others). I ask you, what are you doing in 2007 to make sure you’re in those battles.

These tools give people a voice, the ability to share, and business decisions about your company and your competition are being made there.