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Books Business Culture Media Music Technology Video

Renting vs. owning: A shift in content consumption

From the HB Blog

A recent Google+ post from Jeremiah Owyang read:

“You for rent: I can rent your HOUSE with AirBnB. I can rent your CAR with GetAround. I can rent your TIME and EXPERTISE with taskrabbit, crowdflower. What else can we rent in the future? What’s left?”

Owyang focuses on a shift in user behavior over the past couple of years: people no longer require ownership of their content – just access to it.

That’s a long cry from Steve Jobs’s discussion surrounding the iTunes Music Store in 2007:

“People want to own their music.”

Only six years later, Apple now offers iTunes Match which allows users to stream their music from any device, assuming it’s purchased through iTunes or resides on a home machine. Similarly, Spotify offers a seemingly-endless supply of music to its customers for a monthly subscription fee.

On the tube

Likewise, the television and movie models are shifting their business model from ownership to rental. Companies like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon provide content consumption without taking up precious space on your hard drive.

Even production companies are joining the fun. Without “ownership” of a cable box, folks can watch many of their favorite shows via a web site or app. The episodes no longer reside on a machine; rather, users stream content over the internet with relatively little setup.

On the horizon

Back to Owyang. What’s next? Magazines have slowly joined the movement, offering digital subscriptions – but mainly when the customer already receives a print version of the publication.

Instead of content, it’s commodities and services that are sure to see an uptick in “rentals.” Could there be a subscription-fee model for airfare? Or how about automobile maintenance? Will the book industry move to this model to service the millions of Kindles, Nooks, and iPads across the globe?

What do you think will come next in this world of renting?

Categories
Content Marketing Design Facebook Social Media Strategy

The power of the comment

 

From the HB Blog

Chances are you left a comment on Facebook or retweeted on Twitter today. If you’re fancy, you may have done the same on newer social sites Pinterest and Path.

Are we leaving blogs out in the cold?

Home base

Your business calls its web site and blog its home. Branded messages and campaigns may live on several (or several thousand, through AdWords) other web sites.

But your home page – and your blog – houses your customer community. A comment left on a blog comes from a true “subscriber,” someone who chooses to read your work or receive the latest updates through a news feed.

Design and media

Even better, the visual experience of a blog post far surpasses that of Facebook, Twitter, or other social offerings. As an author, you can work with your creative team to include video, photo galleries, infographics, or type treatments to call out specific parts of your post.

The main course

Sure – your Facebook page and Twitter might offer your customers the “sweets.” Giveaways, campaigns, and discussion can take on a life of their own.

But your blog – rich of nutrients and vitamins – is the main course. Treat it well and it will do the same for your community.

Categories
Content Marketing Measurement Media Social Media Strategy

Control vs. continuation: a shift in marketing strategy

From the HB Blog

Last week, I overheard a conversation between our PR team and a representative from a prominent wire service.

“When I started, we concentrated solely on media. We differentiated ourselves from our competitors through speed – as soon as you faxed something to us, we had two people proof it as soon as possible.”

That was only 10 or so years ago.

Then, media strategy stressed control. An agency suggested key messages – and that would be the only thing you heard from a business.

Lack of control

And then the internet happened. Through the birth – and rapid explosion – of social networks, companies soon learned a then-awful truth: they no longer controlled their messages and stories.

The customers had a new playground to express their opinions. Gasp!

Embrace uncontrollability

As companies learned to harness their networks over the last few years, the power of the customer grew exponentially. Companies now interacted directly with customers… and often, the customers drove business decisions. What a novel concept!

The shift to continuation

More recently, companies’ social strategies matured into something Gary Varynerchuk called “continuing the story.” Instead of fearing the uncontrollable, businesses began crafting their own story… and extending it online with a microsite, hashtag, or Facebook URL.

Customers are now characters, taking the beginning of an idea and crafting it into a story of their own, providing ample opportunities for brands to re-engage.

Now that’s continuing the story.

Categories
Business Culture Strategy

How we work

From the HB Blog

We recently celebrated one year in our new office in Newton, a space strategically designed to draw people into one, central meeting space for planned discussions, and to several other collaborative spaces where impromptu meetings occur.

Despite our efforts, we are constantly reminded by folks like Jason Fried that meetings and discussions may not lead to optimal productivity. He argues the opposite is true – developing an environment where folks can work without interruption may be better.

The power of conversation

Is he right? At HB, we often say that “nothing beats a conversation.” We believe that issues can be efficiently solved with candid talk.

Similarly (as shared in the his biography), Steve Jobs believed the best work occurs when all parties sit together and hash out a problem – even if this results in screaming matches.

Less or more?

There are certainly times where some “alone time” can allow for incredibly efficient development. However, at HB, we pride ourselves on solving problems together with the client’s best intentions in mind. It’s that flexibility that offers a strong working environment.

So, how do you work?

Categories
Apple Books Business Content Marketing Strategy

The new publishing

From the HB Blog

Gone are the days where writers and content creators needed a publishing house to help them distribute their latest work. Today, a piece of content can be shared effortlessly through a company’s web site or social media channel(s).

Where does that leave books?

Going digital

eBooks exploded over the past couple of years – first, with the development of Amazon’s Kindle and Barnes n Noble’s Nook. Now, the iPad has taken the market to new heights. In fact, the move has destroyed some businesses – most notably, Borders.

Publishers and authors can decide to release a book… without printing. Via Amazon, Barnes n Noble, or the iTunes Store, users can purchase directly from a publishing house.

The self-author

More recently, authors are foregoing the business model all together. Rather than work with a publisher to determine cost, shipments, and logistics, forward-thinking creators can work with Amazon’s Domino Project to offer free, short-form books. A good example: Julien Smith, who previously wrote (and distributed in the traditional fashion) “Trust Agents,” released a book through Amazon with a free digital download.

Beyond reading

Apple’s latest investment goes beyond the printed word. Their iBooks Author program provides content creators another distribution stream… but with interactive content.

Authors can create books that feature animations, photos, and videos for use on the iPad. And they can be sold for as little as $0.

Opportunities abound

So we’ve gone from the printed word, to eBooks, to interactive offerings (all within a few years). Needless to say, the creation of free eBooks or iBooks should be a part of many companies’ future content marketing plans.