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#121 2008-06-25 09:13:07
Re: Marketing TXP
Destry wrote:
If you just call it what it is, a content publishing system, then there’s no distinction and no snipe-hunt marketing angles to pursue.
Then perhaps that’s our “angle” right there? In terms of SEO / marketing spin / whatever, why not associate TXP with the term “content publishing system” and hammer its flexibility at being whatever you want. But at the same time, highlight its specifity (is that even a word?)
So — on the main page or somewhere where the obligatory “screenshots” section resides — show examples of it being used in a wide variety of applications. Have something like (insert your own markup) :
See examples of TXP used as a...
Blog CPS Photoblog
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Putting my Marketing 101 head on, the message is: “It can be what you want.” The trouble with that is the initial human reaction is “I don’t quite know what I want, so I’ll ignore it”; sad yet true.
If we follow up immediately with the sucker-punch: “But it can be used like this…” the chances are the human psyche then says “Hey, perhaps I can use this thing after all”.
A real-life example is scanning ads in a local paper for a plumber ‘coz your sink’s broken. You see two ads: one for Andy that says “All work considered. No job too small.” and one for Bill that says “Got a leak? Call Bill, the specialist plumber.”
Who do you go for? Andy appears more flexible but I could almost guarantee that 8 or 9 times out of 10 Bill would get the job simply because the person scanning the ads isn’t looking for “any job” to be done, they’re looking for “a plumber”. It’s the rule of association.
Of course, when Bill comes round to do the work, during casual conversation it turns out that the person’s bathroom needs re-tiling and Bill says “Oh, I can do that as well if you like…”
Any way to leverage this? What say y’all?
</ marketing-tedium>
Last edited by Bloke (2008-06-25 09:13:41)
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#122 2008-06-25 11:05:54
Re: Marketing TXP
Bloke wrote:
Then perhaps that’s our “angle” right there? In terms of SEO / marketing spin / whatever, why not associate TXP with the term “content publishing system” and hammer its flexibility at being whatever you want.
Harumph – I said pretty much exactly that in post three..!
Or you embrace Txp’s sophistication and “sell” it on its real strength, which (IMHO) is that unlike pretty much any other blog/CMS out there, you can do anything with Txp: pretty much any combination of look, feel and functionality is achievable in Txp with a bit of work and the right tags and plugins, and personally I love it for that.
Keith
Blyth, Northumberland, England
Capture The Moment
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#123 2008-06-25 11:32:21
Re: Marketing TXP
keith wrote:
Harumph – I said pretty much exactly that in post three..!
Oops, sorry, short memory syndrome.
The smd plugin menagerie — for when you need one more gribble of power from Textpattern. Bleeding-edge code available on GitHub.
Hire Txp Builders – finely-crafted code, design and Txp
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#124 2008-06-25 11:45:57
- uli
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- From: Cologne
- Registered: 2006-08-15
- Posts: 4,319
Re: Marketing TXP
Emphasizes Stef’s plumber example/theory: Give it a name if you want it to be chosen. Destry came up with the term “content publishing system”, and Stef instantly could say “Yup!” :)
In bad weather I never leave home without wet_plugout, smd_where_used and adi_form_links
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#125 2008-06-25 11:59:39
Re: Marketing TXP
Bloke wrote:
Then perhaps that’s our “angle” right there? In terms of SEO / marketing spin / whatever, why not associate TXP with the term “content publishing system” and hammer its flexibility at being whatever you want. But at the same time, highlight its specifity (is that even a word?)
Yup! :)
(specificity)
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#126 2008-06-25 13:38:40
Re: Marketing TXP
Now seeing that fez is a happy surprise. Welcome back man.
Shoving is the answer – pusher robot
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#127 2008-06-25 15:01:48
Re: Marketing TXP
The morocco mole is back. Welcome back!
If you want to know more about the term “content publishing system”, the man with the red hat has already written about it here: Understanding Textpattern building blocks
If I got it right, a CPS is like a subset of a CMS. A CMS would be something more complex than a CPS, so more complex than TXP (and probably, more complex than EE, ModX, Drupal, and, of course, WP).
If we take that a approach (TXP is a CPS, and a CPS is less than a CMS), it may be “harmful” (sorry, my 20 words english dictionary lacks of other words) for the way TXP is perceived.
People (web developers, web designers or the one in charge for buy/find a CMS for her business corporative site) are currently looking for CMSs, not CPS.
They will arrive to TXP.com, read it is a CPS and may think: “mmm, no, I’m looking for a CMS”.
If we take the contrary approach (TXP is a CPS, and a CPS is more than a CMS, even if we take the approach “less is more”), the same thinking may arise for newcomers (“no, I don’t need that much, I just need a CMS, nor a CPS”).
A better approach could be: “TXP is a CMS specialized in publishing content to the web, thus, it’s a CPS”.
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#128 2008-06-25 15:41:32
Re: Marketing TXP
Thanks guys!
My poor site….sadly needs some love.
Maniqui – I didn’t mean to suggest to use my words, which aren’t really important at this point, and any debates about blog vs. cms are should be avoided. What is important is the concept of a single system and multiple capabilities. The words will come later. But if the “Director” in charge (who is that?) wants to get going on the words, then some marketing writers need to be identified up front.
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#129 2008-06-25 16:02:01
Re: Marketing TXP
Destry wrote:
But if the “Director” in charge (who is that?)
Same feeling here too. If we don’t have leader, then eventually this all makes the usual “Lets make better TXP home page / Wiki / Plugin page”-story. Word, fail.
maniqui wrote:
sorry, my 20 words english dictionary lacks of other words
Do like I do. Open up your dictionary book, choose random page (eyes closed) and select some exordinady word. Word, omnivorous. :D
But actually TXP is omnivorous, isn’t it? It’s empty canvas, it can take anything. We can call it CMS and (or) we can invent new word for it. “Textpattern is a great hipponaut…” — er what? Yep, you will think “what”? :D But we will need search engine hits, so we might need some common words there, hmm cms etc. How? You can just but them somewhere in the content – not to too notable place but yet to a good spot. Hint: CSS.
Last edited by Gocom (2008-06-25 16:13:08)
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#130 2008-06-25 16:27:53
Re: Marketing TXP
Gocom wrote:
hipponaut…
Oooo…I like it. “Textpattern, the content publishing hipponaut.”
Sounds like juggernaut, which is a word that means “unstoppable.” We could use that instead, though the competition might just laugh and say “my ass.” :)
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#131 2008-06-25 16:40:24
Re: Marketing TXP
Seriously, though, I agree with Gocom; if all this fresh face of Txp is going to happen right, there needs to be direction, not just quasi toss it into the http://team.textpattern.com camp (does that even exist anymore?) and hope for the best… what comes out of the long, dark night.
You know, Dean Allen is no longer with Joyent, if I’m not mistaken, and he has been making quite a stir again at Textism in grand Dean form (loving FAVRD). I’m sure if he could be coaxed into putting his wing over Txp again, not only would it flourish in glowing light, but a lot of community would return who have since left. Shall we push <txp: Dean/>? I’d join his Resistance in a scimitar-slice minute.
Last edited by Destry (2008-06-25 16:41:45)
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#132 2008-06-25 16:59:55
Re: Marketing TXP
I agree with Keith, Bloke, Destry and others about marketing Textpattern on its flexibility, functionality, friendliness etc. However, “one publishing engine; does whatever you want it to” or similar phrases will still be interpreted, by many floaters and all detractors, to mean “software that can do many things but none of them very competently”, imho. But although the wording is important, I don’t think it will make much difference if the whole target audience is not found. ‘Consolidation’ in the sense of slimlining or reducing rather than expanding txp sites only reduces the target audience, imho, or keeps it the same. I don’t see how it will expand it. How can marketing aimed at ‘cms’ alone reach more people than marketing aimed at ‘blog’ as well? 1+0 = 1. 1+1 = 2, given that marketing is equally optimised for both targets, of course.
Many people don’t know what a cms is and that it includes blogging. If they want a blog, they will look for ‘blog’ and not ‘cms’. As the figures at the start of this article suggested, poeple are more likely to see txp as a blog tool than a cms. So why try and reverse this when there is no need to? It is a blog tool on steroids. And it is a flexible cms too. So target both of them!
If you all want txp to remain a hobby, to gradually become more exclusive as it becomes more sophisticated, and to continue dwindling in numbers of devs, plugin writers and active users, then go along the route that has emerged from this discussion, because that’s where it will take you. It will not drag textpattern from >100 to <10 in search results. Is that OK by you? That’s not a rhetorical question but a real one because that’s the situation as I see it.
Active devs, plugin writers and moderators – you are all doing a great job. Without you Textpattern would be dead. Amateur and professional designers – our contributions are less tangible. I don’t mean to say we are doing nothing because we tell our clients and maybe blog about it, but I believe we could all do more simply by coming together as a marketing team. There’s a lot of talking being done but how about some commitment? How about volunteering to join the Textpattern Marketing Team?
I challenge you to do it! I don’t think you will do, will you? I asked before and got no response. Kevin Potts hinted as much in his interview but there were no comments. TXPQ is about promoting Textpattern – but where are all the authors? I’ve said we need to make web designers an integral part of Textpattern but nobody picked up on that. I’ve said that ‘textpattern’ is missing from many directories or comparison sites, either from ‘blog’ or from ‘cms’, but nobody has come up with an alternative solution to my proposal. All indications point to marketing txp to be an interesting topic of discussion but not something many people want to actually do something about. But as I often walk the opposite way to most of you, perhaps you’ll surprise me?
-1 for Dean from me.
Dozy P My attempt at music
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#133 2008-06-25 18:10:48
Re: Marketing TXP
I clearly said a couple posts up that the words (meaning marketing words) are irrelevant at this point, so no one should quote me and make assumptions to my meaning. In fact, all I was saying is you don’t need more websites than what already exist. Period. After that you can use the terms “blog”, “cms” whatever, but that’s not my concern or interest right now because I’m not on any Txp marketing team.
Zero: your enthusiasm is great, really, but there’s something in your words that seems a bit expecting, or rushed. Your not the first person to say the things you are saying. Sorry. What you are realizing, however, is how hard it is to get anything done in this community. Others besides myself can probably list a few big “volunteer projects” of one kind or another that have failed even after people stepped up to participate.
I’m hesitant to believe that marketing Txp out of the quicksand will get done effectively by a handful of volunteers with subjective opinions. Leadership, if ever before, is needed in this area if you want results anytime in the near future, and I’m not the first one to say it. But I know that’s not existing, and I know the only thing this community can do is make initiatives to fill in the blank, so bon…have at it.
Oh, I was kind of kidding about Dean. I’m sure he has better sense than to get caught up in this mess again. But, if…IF…he did want to. Like I said, scimitar-slice minute. You listening, Dean? Then I’ll give my writing services, button services, newsletter services…whatever needs done.
Where’s this thread of Kevin Potts, by the way?
EDIT: Listen, I did not mean to get in here and stir up any bees nest. Not at all. Forgive me if I’m rubbing anyone the wrong way about volunteer spirit and all that. Like zero suggests, surprises do happen. :)
Last edited by Destry (2008-06-25 18:15:57)
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#134 2008-06-25 18:37:07
Re: Marketing TXP
A leader would be great if he or she was a great leader. But till someone emerges, a team would be a big help. Unfortunately, like you say, it has been tried before and failed. I know that. A couple of years ago when all this stuff happened before, I wasn’t interested enough to read all the long threads. Interest and individual enthusiasm waxes and wanes but facts are facts and txp is less popular and visible than it used to be. When EE gets its new interface more people will leave txp behind. It all seems to be slipping away imho, and that’s why I do expect people to do something about it, that’s why I am trying to introduce some urgency before it is too late. The end is nigh! OK, OK, I’m joking now and I am the world’s worst predictor but if nobody volunteers to do anything about it…
I fundamentally disagree with your opinion about needing more websites. I appear to be on my own on that one but have seen no alternative yet. If you or anyone can convince me otherwise, at the same time providing a definite way to greatly improve visibility and popularity, then I am all ears. BTW, I don’t see you here as some kind of stirring it up. Thanks for your interesting comments and the one re Textbook too.
Dozy P My attempt at music
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#135 2008-06-25 18:40:23
Re: Marketing TXP
Destry wrote:
Oh, I was kind of kidding about Dean.
Though I joined the Textpattern community at the end of 2005, I followed it from the start. I was always interested in it, mostly cause of the template tags, it reminded me of pMachine. Since it was not stable at first, I went on to use Nucleus CMS.
Since Dean left, the face of Textpattern has pretty much stayed the same. You ask a question about why this or that was done, and you usually get the canned answer, “Dean did it that way”. No developer has come in and been a disruptive force, it’s almost like nobody wants to screw around with the status quo, it’s like Dean never left.
We Love TXP . TXP Themes . TXP Tags . TXP Planet . TXP Make
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