Properly executed thought leadership programs effectively build recognition and credibility. At PReturn, we’ve found that successful thought leadership programs spring from insightful bylined articles and thought-provoking presentations. Helping a particularly original and resourceful expert build a reputation as a thought leader through writing and involvement in industry events and activities can create a snowball effect, leading to that spokesperson being sought out as a panelist or speaker, often on a recurring basis. Highlighting expertise through regular contributed articles and proactive participation in events maximizes visibility and credibility and, if a thought leader has done his/her job well, people will eventually come to him/her.

To build a reputation for clients as thought leaders, try leaving a trail of credibility through intelligent, insightful and fresh content in the form of bylined articles, speaking opportunities and serving as an expert source. It won’t happen overnight, but people who commit to this can reap big rewards in the long run. Knowledgeable, visible experts stay on top of the latest trends and connect with other informed industry leaders. Displaying expertise through strong content demonstrates authority and commands attention from industry peers, as well as positioning experts well on the search engines, creating that reliable trail of credibility.

Building the profile of an executive spokesperson through credible and proactive media relations also helps the media. As long as experts consistently provide valuable information to interested parties, they can form trusted relationships with influential journalists, build recognition and increase their value as thought leaders.

A few of the many interesting findings as outlined in the press release include:

• More than three-quarters of respondents search to learn more about a product or service after seeing an ad elsewhere.
• Searchers are tenacious – if at first they don’t succeed, they will modify their search and try again (89 percent), try a different search engine (89 percent), and go through multiple search results pages if necessary (79 percent).
• Fifty-six percent at least occasionally click on real-time results.
• Forty-three percent at least occasionally view or click on sponsored video ads.
• Nearly two-thirds know the difference between natural and sponsored search results, with those age 18-29 most likely to be aware of the difference.

Several marketing outlets have already covered the recent study, including:

• “Study: Internet users search based on previous ad views,” BtoB, October 4, 2010
• “Web Searchers Are Tenacious,” MediaPost, October 4, 2010
• “E-retailers should serve up plenty of product information to attract shoppers via search engines,” Internet Retailer, September 30, 2010

That’s right, S-Net (a brand new study from Performics and ROI Research) found among other eye opening findings that 51 percent of social networkers consider social sites to be the best way to connect with friends and family. So instead of calling friends and family, we’d apparently all rather poke them.

The findings of this study were quite enlightening. Check out the official S-Net press release or email Addie Reed at areed@preturn.com if you’d like a copy of the summary of findings deck.

Most small businesses, unfortunately, have had none of the same access. Even freelance consultants commonly ask for $10K/year. So the market has long needed a solution like the one launched recently by DIYSEO. The company offers a do it yourself SEO solution to small businesses, and they just recently unveiled the service in April.

Here’s the official news release: Industry Veterans Unveil DIYSEO, the Industry’s First Low Cost, All-Inclusive Search Engine Optimization Service for Small Businesses

Now go get your site indexed!

• AdGooroo Research Report
• Coverage from Adotas

Super Bowl ads have long been a marketer’s most high profile and most expensive option for grabbing national attention in a unique situation where many viewers are actually more interested in the ads than the programming. After the advent of search marketing ten or so years ago, industry leading interactive/performance marketing agencies like Performics began to help marketers understand that search provided an effective and efficient net in which to capture the demand generated through offline channels, particularly with high profile ad buys like the Super Bowl.

Even recently, some leading marketers had still not caught onto this opportunity. Pepsi’s recent Super Bowl Pepsuber promotion provides an excellent example. The brand coined the term Pepsuber in the ad and so could’ve had paid search ads setup for very low cost bids, but they didn’t capitalize.

Today, as the NY Times reports, this type of cost effective, performance marketing support for Super Bowl ads isn’t enough. Brands that invest in the Super Bowl today are leveraging social media to hype the ads in advance and blanketing online channels to get more bang for their couple of million bucks.

Maybe they’ll even luck out and get a rare good game out of the Super Bowl to boost the odds of those fourth quarter ads actually being seen …

This has serious implications for marketers of all types – advertisers, PR pros … you name it. Many marketers still haven’t effectively transitioned their offline marketing efforts online, and now they need to be thinking about moving those same efforts to the mobile Web.

Thankfully, PCs aren’t going away anytime soon, but we should all start preparing for a new Internet that’s free of not just cords and cables but desktops and laptops too. The world wide web at your fingertips and in your pocket.

Personally, I like the convenience of accessing the Web while on the move, but I just can’t imagine trading in my life-sized keyboard and processing power for that which fits in my pocket.

Check out the story, “Failing Economy Shutters 525 Magazines in 2008“

HARO – Help A Reporter Out (helpareporter.com) is an ad supported alternative to Profnet where reporters, editors and other members of the media can post their need for expert sources. HARO subscribers (did I mention it’s free) receive three emails from HARO most days, and they can follow up with the reporters with helpful tips, experts, resources, or fees. Just don’t pitch off topic or Chief HARO Peter Shankman will boot you from the community … and he’s like Santa Claus in that he’ll know when you’re bad (aka when you break the rules) … in fact, I don’t ever remember Santa Claus publicly humiliating me in front of my peers … so maybe he’s really one upping Old Saint Nick. Plain and simple – if you pitch off topic, he’ll boot you and then call you out in the next newsletter to 40,000 or so subscribers (probably significantly more than that by now).

Peter created a simple offering that keeps him gainfully employed, helps the media and PR pros, and is founded on a common sense approach to doing something better than the industry standard. Way to go, Peter … but I wish I had thought of it first

Presently, PReturn subscribes to both HARO and Profnet leads, but if Peter maintains the impressive contacts and queries he’s built up to thus far, I have a feeling we won’t be the only firm transitioning completely to the HARO family. Peter has also eluded to improvements in the year ahead.

Did I mention it’s a free service?

Give it a try at www.helpareporter.com.

Some helpful tips to consider:

- Body language counts

- Use bold action words

- Have your messages in mind

For your amusement and education, view this “Pundit School” clip for more media training insights: http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=215338&title=Pundit-School.