Bing takes the high ground

  Bing. It has a nice ring to it. If Microsoft wanted a name that captured the sound of search, they got pretty close.

 

Speaking of smart marketing, I will say this: When it comes to content, Bing captured the high ground with its position: Bing is touted as a decision engine, not a mere search engine. Don’t we all need a decision engine in our lives? Just the sound of it promises relevant content, and Bing delivers by featuring travel, shopping, health and local categories. Right off the bat, that makes decision-making feel more organized--and relevant.

 

On the Tour Bing page, they spell it out: When it comes to decisions that matter, Bing and decide. Not sure why they didn’t put it on the home page to help users understand how Bing is supposed to be different than Google or Yahoo.

 

Supposed to be different.

 

That’s what will eventually determine Bing’s success, even it’s just the perception of being different. I’m just getting to know Bing, but I found the image Porto, Portugal, on the home page beautiful and compelling. I love traveling and wanted to know more, and you know what? As I moused over the image, a few content gems popped out: “The city is known for its wine, its cuisine and its architecture. Find out what the fuss is all about.” I’m easily persuaded so I decided then and there that Porto was on our short list of must-see places.

Ok, score one for the decision engine, but score two for the power of content. Let me know if you think Bing is living up to its promise and I’ll do the same.

 

By the way, as I’m posting this, Bing’s home page changed to feature a stunning photo of the Great Barrier Reefcomplete with content pop ups. I have to admit, Bing and I are getting a little closer every day. But a couple of experiences do not a relationship make.

Sweet Nothings

When we think “content,” we may envision weighty discourse on important subjects. Sometimes, though, it’s how we say the little things that makes the biggest difference.

 

Just this week, for example, I received a communication from my credit card company. The letter stated that “due to significant changes challenging the economy,” the interest rate on my card would double effective immediately. As it happens, I’ve never been late with a payment, I carry minimal balances, and I have excellent credit. Since the cost of borrowing has actually gone down due to the state of the economy, the only conclusion I could reach is that the bank is trying to recoup the cost of their bad credit decisions at the expense of their good customers.

 

What really irked me, though, is the disingenuous way they communicated their action. Instead of being transparent and telling me that they’re increasing my rate because my account isn’t generating breakeven interest payments, or whatever the real rationale is, they chose to blame generic economic conditions. As a result, they forfeited my trust and lost a customer.

 

As I struggle on behalf of our clients over wording for seemingly mundane communications, I put myself in the recipient’s shoes. How do I convey the message, especially if it’s bad news, in a way that respects a customer’s right to honesty while reflecting necessary brand and legal requirements? It’s not glamorous as content goes, but it is essential. The customer relationship depends on it.

Quiz Your Audience with Content

As a fan of trivia games in general, I'm obsessed with the TV quiz show Jeopardy. On the road, when settling into a hotel room, if I come across an episode I'll drop everything and focus. Once I've sized up the categories and the competition, people in adjacent rooms might hear a series of staccato ehhh! sounds as I "ring in" and blurt answers (in question form, of course) before the real contestants beat me to the buzzer.

I'm pretty sure I'm not alone in this affinity for the test-your-knowledge format. In fact, trivia games and quiz shows might have something to teach us about content marketing. Consider:

• Simply being approached to participate in a test of knowledge gets some people's emotions, intellect, even adrenaline revved up. 
• There's an inherent promise of value and possibility in a quiz -- you're either going to learn (education), or have multiple opportunities to showcase and be affirmed in your knowledge (validation).
• Information, interaction, calls to action, feedback, measurement -- all occur in a steady stream of small increments, so there's a natural continuity and engagement to a Q&A "touch stream."
• Conceptually, the organization delivering the content is automatically coming at the audience in a value-add way. This is about information-sharing, learning, fun -- it's not a hard sell.

When deciding on a content marketing approach, perhaps as a change of pace or one engaging touch point within a broader campaign, consider the quiz format.

Identify subject matter around which the audience and the brand have shared interest. Then, parcel out relevant information in the form of test-your-knowledge quizzes, questions of the day or week, longer-form continuing ed courses, or your own, unique "did-you-know" execution.

Here's my current favorite example:

When parents register their high schoolers for the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), a key step toward college admission, the folks at SAT invite student and parent alike to receive The Official SAT Question of the Day via e-mail. 

This feature gives students a chance to practice (and parents the opportunity to feel humbled), thanks to a daily stream of multiple-choice math and language/grammar questions of the type students face on the SAT.

I registered my high school junior months ago. She tested weeks ago. Yet here I am, still eagerly awaiting and answering daily questions (all the while confirming what a smart move it was to choose journalism over math as my college major).

In other words, SAT has me engaged. And, when it comes to additional reseach and planning around college admissions, I'm likely to return to their Web site as a resource. No question about it.