Google, serendipity and marketing that money can't buy

I received a call today from a journalist from BBC Radio Wiltshire asking if I was available to participate in a programme about the European coffee culture. He had found me using Google. In Meet Peter Hawtin on my web marketing website, I mentioned that many years ago (before I became a marketer), I was trained as a coffee taster and had worked in coffee research.

I declined the offer as too many years had passed since I was actively involved in coffee and I didn't believe that it would serve the best interests of the audience for me to pontificate based on my experience from over 20 years ago. However, we then talked about marketing and in particular my specialist area of web marketing which hopefully might lead to opportunities to speak with passion in the future.

Key learning:-

• although 'coffee taster' is not a keyword I am promoting on my web marketing website as part of my web marketing strategy, Google picked it up and gave me a high ranking which led to interest from the BBC. Although it is important to focus most of your effort in enhancing keywords critical to your business, it is helpful to include some other information about you which may be serendipitous. In addition to coffee tasting, I mention (on my website) that I learned to ride a motorbike aged 4 and started racing aged 10. Clients and prospects often notice this and ask me about it and it gives them another dimension of who I am.

• getting exposure from a world class organisation like the BBC would be brilliant and it is something that money couldn't buy but it's important to understand that they are not there to promote your brand. They are there to inform and entertain their audience and therefore your contribution needs to help them achieve this if you want to be asked back a 2nd time. 'Winging it' would be a high risk strategy and could do more harm than good. 

• ideally, speak with passion about a subject you are expert in. Approach it from the audiences perspective not yours. What would they find helpful, informative and entertaining? 

By the way, if anyone out there is an expert on European coffee culture, please send me an email & I will put you in touch with BBC Radio Wiltshire.

Remember...web marketing is about solving customers' problems profitably.

Peter Hawtin is an internet marketing specialist with Brand New Way, a UK web marketing agency which helps companies to attract and retain valuable customers online.