Be Where Users Are: Online Marketing

for LibrariesSarah Houghton-Jan, MA, MLIS

Digital Futures Manager for the San Jose Public Library

Author of LibrarianInBlack.netThis presentation will be available at

LibrarianInBlack.net

Everything in today’s presentation is free unless you see a ($)

Sarah's Twenty Steps to Magical Marketing on the

tubes known as the Interwebs!

#1: Get Listed in General Directories

Where do people look

for directory

information today?

Make sure you’re listed at least in: Yahoo! Local Google Maps Bing Maps YellowPages.com WhitePages.com

Not Just a Map...

#2: Get Listed in Library Directories

#3: Search Engine Findability

Everyone uses search engines to find things.

How does your library fare?

#4: Have A Good Web Address

Target.com/kids

vs.

http://www.TheTargetStore/index/cgi?bin_238003kdff304-ooxr/

home.htm

Good URL practices

Short, easy to say, easy to remember.

SpringfieldLibrary.orgSPL.orgTownOfSpringfield.ci.ca.us/Depts/Library/

Main.cfmSpringfieldPublicLibraryIllinois/cgi?_bin&%lkdf64ll9_e56+s31

Register multiple domain names ($)

SpringfieldLibrary.orgSpringfieldPublicLibrary.orgSpringfieldLib.orgSPL.orgSPLBookClubs.orgSPLStorytimes.org+ the (.com, .net, .info, etc.)

counterparts

#5: Use Events Calendars

List library events and services in local community

websites and calendars.

As much or as little as you want.

Popular Event Calendars

Upcoming.org Eventful Craigslist (maybe $) LibraryThing Local AmericanTowns.com BookSaleFindercom Artsopolis.com

YourEventHub.com ImThere.com Going.com Down2Night.com BusyTonight.com Zvents

#6: Link Love

Ensure that your library

has a presence on

local websites.

Who are your partners?

Are you linked to in the right places?

schools adult education centers community groups local book stores

Find out! In Google & Yahoo: link:http://MyLibraryURL.org

#7: Wikipedia

Wikipedia is not just for college students who want to

flunk English 101.

How to List Yourself In Wikipedia

List your library in Wikipedia on your town, county, and university entries.

Add link to External Links Add description to Main Text

Add your own entryTalk yourself UP!

#8: Gadget & App Yourself

Create a search gadget for your catalog that people can

add to their iGoogle page, etc.

Create apps for mobile devices.

Gadgets & Apps

#9: Blog Search Engines

Make sure library blogs (and other feeds)

are listed in blog search engines.

#10: Blog and Twitter Geo Search

Local matters.

GeoSearch Engines

City-based Metroblogging Sites

Blogs by City

FeedMap

Blogdigger Local

+

allow Twitter to

geotag your posts

#11: Social Reviews

Image from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/aaronschmidt/217887378 7/#comment72157603674521448

LOVE, BABY, LOVE!

176!

#12: Social Networking Sites

Facebook Flyer image by Steve Lawson: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tuttlibrary/15465

77200

$10 = 5000 Facebook Flyers

to targeted audiences

Tutt Library

Social Network Tools

Namechk: check many networks

Open ID & ClaimID: claim & log into multiple sites

Ping.fm or Hellotxt.com: simultaneous updates

Twitter/Facebook: settings/apps to update both

Hootsuite: update, monitor, & get stats

#13: WiFi Directories

WiFiFreeSpot WiFiHotSpotList WiFi411 WiFinder JiWire

#14: Use Instant Messaging

For many, IM is a primary method of communication.

Why NOT be there?

Take Meebo a Step Further

Screenshot courtesy of David Lee King, Topeka Shawnee County Public Library:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/davidking/2076505032/sizes/

o/

#15: Text Messaging

AIM or Google Voice hacks Services / Co-ops (My InfoQuest) ($)

#16: Participate on Expert Sites

List your staff as experts in various free expert-finding tools (maybe

you’ll earn $!)

Experts AllExperts.com JustAnswer MosioQnA NowNow Uclue

Non-Experts AnswerBag WikiAnswers ChaCha Amazon Askville Yahoo Answers

#17: Email and RSS Subscriptions

Push out as much information as possible via

e-mail and RSS.

Push to them; don't make them come to

you.

#18: Virtual Reality Connections

Consider being present in Second Life and other online games and environments.

Second Life Info Archipelago World of Warcraft

http://htgg2.stanford.edu/archives/2007/09/teaching_in_wor.html

http://libraryplayground.wordpress.com/

2007/02/11/hamilton-city-of-the-future/

#19: Le Twitter

What are you going to send? How often? Who? What tools are you going to use?

#20: Make audio and video findable

Upload or list video with:

YouTube

Google Video

BlipTV

Blinkx

Upload or list audio with:

Podcast Alley

iTunes

Podscope

Odeo

For more sites see: http://www.podcast411.com/page2.

html

Tips for Success

Develop an online marketing plan with a budget and staff needs.

Register for everything with the same email.

Duplicate content to save time.

Start with the easy one-time things.

Move on to the harder stuff.

Keep your eyes open for new

opportunities.

Questions?

Sarah Houghton-Jan on Twitter: TheLiBeverywhere else:LibrarianInBlack