Ted Talks are an enjoyable medium to gain information from. Topics normally range all over the board, but there are some out there that focus specifically on digital marketing. These digital marketing Ted Talks are especially beneficial if you’re just starting out in digital marketing, SEO, or other online marketing endeavors.
Chris Anderson: How Web Video Powers Global Innovation
TED’s Chris Anderson says the rise of web video is driving a worldwide phenomenon he calls Crowd Accelerated Innovation — a self-fueling cycle of learning that could be as significant as the invention of print. But to tap into its power, organizations will need to embrace radical openness. This is another older Ted Talk (2010) by the then head of YouTube that talks about online video and the importance of “crowd accelerated innovation.” What this means is that video is actually going to launch an entirely new cycle of people innovating and then sharing their talents through video, or “a self-fueling cycle of learning that could be as significant as the invention of print,” which makes sharing ideas in this format crucial for small businesses. He discusses how you can take advantage and embrace this inevitable change.
Derek Sivers: How to start a movement
With help from some surprising footage, Derek Sivers explains how movements really get started. This is a Ted Talk you see on a lot of lists when researching this topic, but it’s one of our favorites. It’s less than 4 minutes long so it’s easy to watch, yet it manages to go into detail about the importance of creating a community and how to make it happen. In the video, Sivers uses an example of someone dancing alone at a festival (so yes, this isn’t a digital marketing example), and then goes into the importance of that second follower to create momentum. It was risky, but it was public, and ultimately a movement and community were created at that festival. The same can occur online with your own community.
Johanna Blakley: Social media and the end of gender
Media and advertising companies still use the same old demographics to understand audiences, but they’re becoming increasingly harder to track online, says media researcher Johanna Blakley. As social media outgrows traditional media, and women users outnumber men, Blakley explains what changes are in store for the future of media. This Ted Talk isn’t quite as popular as the last one and may not seem overly important for online marketers just by the title, but it makes some incredibly important points. For example, it’s important that online marketers change the demographics they may have been focusing on before (and not just gender) because social media will change our stereotypes and more and more people begin to research online. Social media is all about making connections, so who you make connections with will change when using social media. It’s not something too many marketers focus on when thinking about posting on social media, so this talk could change the way you publish on your accounts.
David Carson: Design and discovery
Great design is a never-ending journey of discovery — for which it helps to pack a healthy sense of humor. Sociologist and surfer-turned-designer David Carson walks through a gorgeous (and often quite funny) slide deck of his work and found images. Even if you’re an online marketer and not a designer, many of the lessons that Carson teaches in this talk will apply (and will still apply even though the talk is from 2003!). Design is connected to online marketing if you focus on how to communicate ideas, understand your audience, and worry about navigation. Designs need to be unique and get your message across in a clear way and not just a way that looks clear to you. It’s all about creating that communication in design despite all of the ways that design and technology are changing and evolving. If you’re looking to create a more personal touch with your brand, this is the Ted Talk for you.
Rory Sutherland: Life Lessons from an Ad Man
Advertising adds value to a product by changing our perception, rather than the product itself. Rory Sutherland makes the daring assertion that a change in perceived value can be just as satisfying as what we consider “real” value — and his conclusion has interesting consequences for how we look at life. Even though this Ted Talk is from 2009, it still holds a lot of ideas that have never been more relevant-especially for online marketing. Sutherland’s talk is a refreshing reminder of why perception, intrinsic value, and impressions are so important for branding. The talk is full of funny examples and anecdotal tidbits that will leave you feeling creative and inspired.
Kevin Allocca: Why Videos Go Viral
Kevin Allocca is YouTube’s trends manager, and he has deep thoughts about silly web video. In this talk from TEDYouth, he shares the 4 reasons a video goes viral. Even if the basis of your marketing strategy doesn’t entail the use of videos, this entertaining Ted Talk still has a lot to offer. It’s short and full of Allocca’s favorite examples from his work as Youtube’s Trends Manager, but it does a good job of making the case for truly creative content. From Allocca, you’ll hear about creative participating communities online, how an audience determines popularity, and where the media fits into all of it.
So there they all are!
There are many other Ted Talks that the Worldwide Agency likes and we’ll be sure to post more of our favorites soon. Be sure to check out our digital marketing services we offer on the site and start growing your business today!
