It has been reported by AllThingsD that Yahoo plans to buy blogging site Tumblr for approximately $1.1 billion. Social network and industry experts believe the deal represents a true opportunity for Yahoo to be “cool” again for the first time in years. Those in favor of the deal will quickly point to Yahoo immediately gaining access to more than 100 million bloggers using Tumblr’s service, particularly since the demographic is largely in the under-35 crowd, a significant target for search and digital companies. However, Yahoo making a newsworthy acquisition comes with questions, particularly since the company has been struggling over the last several years.
Additionally, its CEO, Marissa Mayer, has often made headlines that are focused elsewhere besides its products and technology. But Yahoo and Tumblr could be big news for the two companies and the entire digital community that always has a big appetite for the next big thing. First and foremost, however, Mayer needs to make a big splash that comes with substance. A lot of it. Namely, she needs to lead her press conference with strong messaging that clearly communicates how Tumblr will be used, why it’s important to Yahoo, and why web surfers will be compelled to choose Yahoo over its rivals. Beyond the messaging, Mayer and Yahoo need to aggressively market these attributes to persuade and remind people why Yahoo will be better as a result of Tumblr. After the press announcement comes and goes, the news cycle will again turn to other newsmakers, and Yahoo will need to rely on this marketing to be a constant reminder of why it will be cool again.
These marketing and advertising strategies will need to embrace current consumer and business users, as well as new users that leverage search and news elsewhere. Is your company planning to make a big product announcement in the coming months? How will you roll out your messaging through the press, social networks and marketing channels? Most importantly, how will you measure everything to know what worked and what didn’t?
Contact a Merit Mile campaign strategist to discuss your upcoming announcement and messaging concerns. You only get once chance to make a first impression, but there are several ways to create business momentum.