Internet Marketing: Assuming the Mindset of a Media Company

“Every company is a media company,” says Tom Foremski, the former Financial Times journalist.

Foremski is the force behind The Silicon Valley Watcher, which follows the business of technology and media. He also has a new website called, suitably enough, Every Company is a Media Company.  Foremski writes regularly about how the Internet, social networks and other types of digital media have radically changed the way we communicate – consumer to consumer, business to consumer, business to business.

Regardless of an organization’s size and structure – e.g., S-Corp., local service provider, or a multi-divisional international corporation – having a credible web presence has become essential to marketing and sales.   As I recently told a group of small business owners at the Mount Vernon Business Expo, a company’s strategy need not be extravagant.  In developing a strategy, however, businesses can benefit by assuming a mindset that is similar to that of a media company:  How can I be of use to my visitors?  What kind of information do they want and need?   By acting as a media company would, brands can build credibility and good will with target audiences and increase the frequency with which it engages prospects and customers.  Behaving like a media company means also abandoning the hard-sell and offering one’s expert advice without the expectation of a reciprocal sale.  The paradox, of course, is that the goal of such selflessness will lead to more sales in the future.

The financial barriers to web marketing are typically pretty low.  The time barriers – the amount of time that must be continually invested for a successful program – can be high.   Posts in the weeks to come will be written for the online marketing novice – the business owner or organization director seeking to understand the basics of creating a web presence and what type of investments, monetary and otherwise, are required.  I hope others who have already initiated Internet marketing programs will share their thoughts as well.

Subscribe to Media Hub

Enter your email address to subscribe and receive new article notifications by email.

Join 2 other subscribers

3GAardvarkadvertisingAOLAssociation of National Advertisersaudience engagementbaby boomersBaristanet.combaseballbloggingblogsBoonedog Videobrand engagementbrand relationshipbrandingbroadband adoptionbusiness marketingChris AndersonCiti FieldcommunicationscontentcrowdsourcingCWeducationFacebookFinancial TimesForbesForrester ResearchFoxfree contentfreedom of expressionfreemiumfundraisingGary VaynerchukGatoradeGSMAHAROHuluhyper-local newsIndiaInternetInternet MarketingjournalismJournalism OnlinejournalistsKickstarterliteracyLong TailMalcolm GladwellmarketingMarshall McLuhanMatt LagleMayor Michael BloombergMedia NYC 2020media relationsMeetup.commessagingMichael WolffMiddle Eastmobilemonetizationmovie attendanceMySpaceNBCNetflixNew York MetsNew York TimesnewsNews Corporationnews sourcesNewsBasisnewspaper business modelnewspapersNielsenpaid contentPatchPewphishingpitching reportersProfNetprogrammingpublic relationspublic relations best practicesQuoraRupert MurdochscamsSellaBandSilicon AlleySilicon Alley InsiderSmall Businesssmall business marketingsmall businessesSMBsocial mediasocial networkingspamsports franchisesSpot.usSteve Berlin Johnsonstreaming mediaSumner RedstoneTBStelevision audiencetelevision networksThe New YorkerTipping PointTwitterTwitter for BusinessUSA TodayVideo 2.0video contentvideo entrepreneursvideo producersWall Street Journalweb browsersweb sitesweb strategyweb videowebsitesWestchester Web PresenceWine Library TVWiredWordPressWorld Wide WebYaron Samidyouth demographicYouTubeAudience EngagementBrandingInternetMarketingPublic Relations