Internet Strategy; The MMA of Online Marketing
Most of you already know that I am a huge Mixed Martial Arts fan. If you don’t know what MMA is, then check out Sherdog.com. There’s a ton of cool stuff there about the sport.
Now, in order for one to be a truly great MMA fighter, one must be versed in a variety of different skill sets. You not only have to be great at fighting on your feet, but on the ground and everywhere in between as well. Usually the best fighters are the ones that are the most well-rounded in every art form. Sure, there are some guys who are so incredibly talented in one art that they can always rely on their specialty to carry them along. But, if they really wish to be a challenge to their opponent, they will make the effort to master, or at least learn, another discipline.
I think as online business owners and web marketers, we must have that same mentality. Specializing in one area is still a sure fire way to succeed online, but it’s not the only way. Things are changing, and the company or individual who can take SEO, PPC, Analytics, Usability, etc… and throw it all together as part of a strategic plan, is going to be very hard to compete with.
The other day I was reading Website Magazine and in the back, there was a small article about the Internet Strategy Forum. In a nutshell, the ISF provides a venue for a certain type of professional that is emerging in today’s market; The Internet Strategist. These individuals are the ones formulating and putting into action the plans behind their company’s online presence.
In a fight, the right game plan can mean the difference between a win and a loss. The same goes for websites, so it’s no surprise that many businesses are realizing the need for these types of specialists. You can think of them much like the trainers in MMA. If the fighter is the one doing the “dirty” work, then the trainer is the one who put together the whole pre-fight strategy.
Mixed Martial Arts has seen tremendous growth in the past few years, and with that popularity we’ve seen a new breed of fighter coming into the picture. These are the guys who know how dangerous they can be if only they make the effort to learn and use multiple disciplines instead of just one. The same exact thing is happening on the web today.
As the industry matures, we’ll see more and more well-rounded fighters (marketers) graduate to trainers (internet strategists), and the cycle will repeat itself becoming much more efficient and effective.
There are some exciting times ahead both in the octagon and on the WWW.
