The brain is constantly making connections in order to better understand the world. And sometimes hobbies and work spill into each other… like when a musician friend makes up a song to memorize terms for a college exam or when a psychologist uses their favorite movies to exemplify different psychosis.
In this case, a heart full of love for Greek mythology has taken root in my digital marketing nerdery. Turns out, there’s a lot we can learn by connecting the two. Whether you’re a hardcore myth-fit or your passions lie in other directions, grab a seat in the amphitheater. You don’t need to be an expert in either to learn the lessons they teach us.
Achilles = Google Paid Search
Myth
Achilles is the fearless warrior acclaimed for his mercilessness in the Trojan battlefield. He is swift and well-respected in warcraft, but a diva in his own sense. Things have to be carried out his way, or nothing will get done.
And as many of us know, Achilles had one heel of a weakness (*bud-dum-bist 🥁*). That weakness that led to the Greek hero’s destruction.
Reality
When we think of Google Paid Search, we think of fast results. It’s one of the most well-known search engines. In fact, other search engines can’t even come close to messing with Google’s status.
Google is picky in the way things should be done. Paid search is straight to the point. No foofy creativity. Just hardened, character-constricted words (maybe a super simple image extension). You, also, have to be careful how you play your advertising content. Rules need to be carefully followed or your ads get flagged.
There is a seemingly apparent flaw with our search engine celebrity: privacy. With privacy concerns rising and laws strengthening, Google has definitely been shot with an arrow. Right in the heel. Especially in Europe.
What this means:
Stringent attention needs to be paid to Google. The company is changing so quickly, and it is easy to be left in the dust. While policy changes, we need to think ahead of how Google will, too.
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Cassandra’s Prophecies = the Metaverse
Myth
Cassandra was a Trojan princess and priestess of Apollo, the god of the sun, music, plague, all that fun stuff. She was granted the power of prophetic visions, but no one would ever believe her. So, she is forced to watch the future unfold and is unable to convince anyone else of what’s to come.
Reality
Meta. Meta. Meta. We see you, but do we believe you completely yet? A completely immersive Metaverse like Ready Player One and Snow Crash seem a little too far ahead sometimes.
Are we really ready to push into the future and acknowledge what seems to be coming next?
Companies like Gucci are already on board, but it will be a while before everyone wants a part in the metaverse show. I’m imagining we’re going to see a Facebook-like growth wave. All the kids and hip brands do it first, then, we’ll get the adapters in a second wave.
What this means:
The future is coming whether we like it or not. We can either hold on or fall in full-force. Taking the pioneering leap into the metaverse may be the perfect opportunity for some, while watching on the sidelines may be the only option for others.
What we really need to do is keep our minds open and ready for the changes that lie ahead. (And freaking listen to Cassandra!)
Odysseus’ Journey = LinkedIn
Myth
Odysseus’ 10-year journey across the seas from the Trojan war is faced with predicaments that were solved by sheer cleverness and bravery. While he and his men are known for getting around (in more ways than one), they are constantly being distracted and delayed, straying from the true mission of getting back to Ithaca.
Reality
LinkedIn is all about the journey. The job journey. Much of the content is, honestly, comparable to Homer’s epic. It tells stories of trials, judgements, and achievements on people’s career journeys.
Just like Odysseus’s journey and the poem itself, the stories are l…..e…..n…..g……t…..h…..y…..
What this means:
We all view ourselves as the hero of our own tales, while predicaments tend to distract us from our true intentions. LinkedIn is a platform made for epic career adventures and thought leadership. When marketing on these platforms, we need to remember that people are on there for opportunity (just like Odysseus… come on, a year on Circe’s island, Aeaea…. He was definitely basking in the adventure). So, give your audience a solid enough opportunity to distract them on their LinkedIn journey.
Sing Muses of TikTok, Pinterest, & Instagram
Myth
The muses are the inspirational goddesses of science, literature, and the arts. Artists would call on them for creativity and innovation in their craft.
Reality
Cooking, books, crafts, dancing, photography, music, painting, and every artistic medium in between live in the land of TikTok, Pinterest, and Instagram.These forms of art are shared in virality, like the ancient word of mouth (except a heck of a lot faster).
How many baby shower ideas are stolen from Pinterest? How many dances are recreated from TikTok? How many photographers share their artwork on Instagram? These platforms are made for artistic communication.
What this means:
An overabundance of inspiration is available within seconds. While we might have looked to the skies for muses to spark our imaginations in the past. Today, we can draw it up simply with the press of a button.
Word to the wise: Convenience is pretty sweet, but it also makes us lazy. Inspiration can come from anywhere. You just have to be observant enough to find it.
SEO = Daedalus’ Labyrinth
Myth
Daedalus was tasked with creating an impossible labyrinth to trap the man-eating Minotaur (top half hungry bull; bottom half man; 100% scary). Anyone who entered the maze lost their way and never came out again… until Theseus who was given a life-changing hint from princess Ariadne of marking his path with string.
Reality
SEO is not a quick process. It’s filled with so many twists and turns. Once you think you figure it out, another update is upon us.
Strategizing requires thoughtful and intelligent planning to make sure you don’t slip down in the rankings. And we all know what happens on page 2 of Google…. The Minotaur might just be waiting around that page turn.
What this means
Before we sink into the ground and give up all hope, let’s remember where we were and where we are. Keep that string trailing behind you as your SEO strategy evolves.
Hopefully, you will find a way to stay 1 page ahead of the “algorithmic Minotaur”.
Wrapping It all Up
Ancient mythology symbolized the essence of communication and connection. Marketing, when done right, can be a modern-day vessel for storytelling, gleaming with lessons to be learned. Some of those lesson including:
- Be swift and think ahead.
- Keep your mind open.
- Know your audience’s intention.
- Inspiration is everywhere
- Know where you’ve been.
With all that in mind, let’s return back to our daily lives with a sense of wonder and awe. Our days may not be full of literal chimeras and a cast of soap-opera-worthy gods and goddesses, but the trials we face daily reveal the same lessons of myth.
