I’ve been building and running commercial websites and email campaigns since 1996.  The techniques, and to some extent the possibilities, change, but the aims remain the same.  Marketing online is about building relationships with people – finding them, getting to know them, nudging them to become customers, keeping them in the ‘family’ and persuading them to become ambassadors for your brand or product.  Online, your best sales team are your happy customers.

Of course, brands are encouraged to have ‘conversations’ online now – through blogs, social networks and similar tools.  But knowing when and how these tools will be effective – and when they won’t – is key to getting this right.  I’ve run social media campaigns in a variety of contexts, and my mixed experiences can help you learn how to ‘listen’ and how (and when) to join in.

Examples of  recent websites:

• The Lab – Public Services Innovation Laboratory
• Innovation Index
• Social Innovator (in progress)
• Big Green Challenge
• NESTA

Features of these websites: content management systems (CMS), application forms, blogs, facebook / linkedin campaigns, social network moderation, email campaigns, live webstreams, podcasts etc.

Other websites I have been responsible for at various points:

• TheLawyer.com
• RSPB
• Cambridge University Press

Features of these include – weekly integration with print workflows, live webcams, e-commerce, massive engagement projects (100,000 + participants).