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Outbound Stickiness
ack in the late 1990s, authority site. Many a client of
"stickiness" was the mine back then created a "lounge"
big term; how to get web or "portal" type of section on
visitors to return to your site - their site hoping to be the
hopefully, again and again. center of their respective
Today, the strategy has evolved universe. But web surfers soon
into "Outbound Stickiness" preferred to get their
- going out and pulling that informational direction from a
visitor back in. Yahoo search.
Going back in time, there were Site stickiness never lost its
many sticky techniques including allure. And now, new
the hosting of tools, techniques have come into play in
calculators, forums/bulletin order to gain that coveted repeat
boards, and of course - my visit. This time it's an outbound
favorite - "favorites". effort. Content is created that
travels out from the website to
"Favorites" pre-dated good seek out users. It's driven by
search engine results. Back RSS (Really Simple Syndication),
then, you as a site owner would and it's used to distribute all
proffer your favorite links. kinds of information including
Typically, they related to your news, blogs, and podcasts. We
industry and gave web visitors have evolved to Outbound
the opportunity to explore other Stickiness.
related sites. Well, as the
search engines of the day Currently, most blogs and
improved their results, the podcasts revolve around
favorites section lost its favor. time-sensitive events and writer
opinion. However, they are just
It became very hard to become an too darned valuable to be left to
those noble endeavors. educate through these mediums as
Businesses, big and small see (or opposed to simply advertising or
will soon see), RSS and its branding. If they want to keep
related content as an opportunity you as a subscriber of their
to reach out and touch someone - feed, value is going to need to
again and again. be continually delivered.
Something easier said than done.
This trend doesn't bother me in
the least. I've always gotten This all presents
educated or stayed current on my opportunities and
industry by subscribing to challenges on a variety of
informative newsletters, levels. First, there is creation
magazines, etc., be they of the of the content. Someone is going
printed or electronic variety. I to have to acquire and
even appreciate advertising as an consolidate the content. To get
information source in its own good traction with and grow a
right. The difference is that now subscriber base, recycling
I have the convenience of having someone else's content will not
all of my sources being dropped do the trick for long (sorry, you
into a central place for pickup. can't just steal it from the
It's on demand and I like many net).
others are demanding it.
Next, not all of us are writers
Outbound stickiness is going or recording artists. Internal or
to include not only news of the outsourced resources will need to
day, but education on the tried be hired to actually deliver the
and true. information in an effective style
and format (e.g. blog writers,
In order to be credible, podcasters, video podcasters,
businesses are going to need to etc.).
publish by series. If you
You'll need information marketers sell paint, do a series of 5 blog
to continually review the entries, podcasts, etc., on
information that has been color. Next, do a series on prep
previously published for accuracy and application. Next, on design
and relevancy. Because trends. You get the idea.
information created and
distributed to the Internet is By publishing to a series you
difficult to eradicate, it won't escape the pressure of
be a matter of just deleting old continually coming up with and
files. New information will need extending your subject. Also, if
to be created to supersede the you need a break, take it between
old. And the whole cycle will series'. Then you won't look like
begin again. you just jumped on the bandwagon,
ran out of ideas, and fell off.
A credence of mine (that I
obtained from somewhere now Additionally, mix time-specific
unknown), is "if you can't information and opinion with
get out of it - get into it". tried and true educational
Let me tell you - you can't get content.
out of this one.
Good luck with it all! For some
If you don't already have a of you it will be liberating, for
strategy to deliver some Outbound others it's fingers on a
Stickiness, get it going now. chalkboard (by the way, we're
It's just not for going to need to come up with a
news-junkie/conservative/liberal/ new idiom for that one - who uses
techie/egocentrics anymore. chalk boards anymore. Any
suggestions - email me).
My recommendation is to
If you want some advice or have web marketing firm located in
any comments - email me at Southern California and are happy
jboulter@bastioninternet.com or to help.
visit us at
www.bastioninternet.com. We're a
About the Author:
John Boulter, President, Bastion Internet, Inc.
Bastion Internet is an Internet Marketing Firm helping clients drive and convert more website traffic.
Read more articles by: John Boulter
Article Source: www.iSnare.com
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