---
title: Web marketing and The New York Public Library
image: https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/file-1077834826-jpg/blog-files/nypl.jpg
---

[Skip to main content](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/2006/10/web_marketing_a.html#maincontent)

[ «  View All Posts ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog)

# Web marketing and The New York Public Library

 October 27th, 2006

 1 min read

 By [David Meerman Scott](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/author/david-meerman-scott)

![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/file-1077834826-jpg/blog-files/nypl.jpg?width=150&height=33&name=nypl.jpg)

Yesterday I gave a presentation to senior staff and marketing people who work at The New York Public Library (NYPL). My presentation was called "Marketing in a Micro-Segmented Online World."

[Most of the groups that I present to](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/engagements.htm) are for profit corporations, so it was really exciting for me to see what NYPL was up to on the Web.

[![Nypl](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/file-1077834826-jpg/blog-files/nypl.jpg?width=150&height=33&name=nypl.jpg "Nypl")](http://freshspot.typepad.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/nypl.jpg)

NYPL is a huge institution and so is its [Web site](http://www.nypl.org/). The physical library has 50.6 million items in its collections housed at 89 locations and overseen by 3,200 staff. NYPL is one of the great knowledge institutions of the world, with its collections ranking with those of the British Library, the Library of Congress, and the Bibliothèque nationale de France. With virtually all of the Library's many collections and services are freely available to all comers, the marketing challenge on the Web for NYPL is different than corporations looking for revenue.

But what's the same is that targeting different [buyer personas](https://www.webinknow.com/2006/06/the_importance_.html) is the most important thing for the NYPL site (or any site). That's the cool thing about marketing on the Web and why I love it so much—it doesn't matter if you are an independent consultant, a Fortune 500 company, a rock band, a candidate for US Congress, or the New York Public Library—what matters is targeting your buyers with a content especially for them.

For example, here are three utterly different buyer personas that the Library must reach with its Web site:

For people who live in the Bronx and speak Spanish as a first language, the library offers introductory classes on how to use a computer [conducted in Spanish at the NYPL Bronx location](http://www.nypl.org/classes/branchclasses.cfm?location=147&audience=&type=Computer+Basics&struct=&classtime=).

Tourists who want to take a tour of the famous main library building on Fifth Avenue while in NYC on vacation can take a [guided tour](http://www.nypl.org/research/calendar/tourschedule.cfm).

The New York Public Library targets film studios and TV producers because [NYPL is a featured setting in many of Hollywood's most famous productions](http://www.nypl.org/spacerental/?Trg=20) and is a sought after locale for fashion and editorial photography shoots. Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Ghostbusters, and Spiderman are just a few movies filmed there.

Thanks to the NYPL staff for inviting me to speak and also for the memorable private tour I was taken on before the library opened for the general public.

<https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/author/david-meerman-scott>

[ David Meerman Scott ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/author/david-meerman-scott)

David Meerman Scott is a business growth strategist, advisor to clever entrepreneurs who are building emerging companies, and the international bestselling author of a dozen books published in 30 languages. David’s high-energy keynote presentations, masterclasses, and virtual events educate, energize, and inspire.

 Connect: 

<https://www.facebook.com/dmscott> <https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmeermanscott/> <https://twitter.com/dmscott> [mailto:david@freshspot.com](mailto:david@freshspot.com)

 Topics:

[ Public Relations ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/topic/public-relations)

[ Case Studies ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/topic/case-studies)

[ Marketing ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/topic/marketing)

[ Non Profits ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/topic/non-profits)

 Don't forget to share this post:

<https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/2006/10/web_marketing_a.html> <https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?url=https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/2006/10/web_marketing_a.html&title=Web+marketing+and+The+New+York+Public+Library&summary=+> <https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Web+marketing+and+The+New+York+Public+Library&url=https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/2006/10/web_marketing_a.html> <https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/2006/10/web_marketing_a.html&media=http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hub/413105/file-1077834826-jpg/blog-files/nypl.jpg&description=+>

## Related Articles

[![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/DMS%20speaking%20BM%20LAS.jpg?width=2048&height=1060&name=DMS%20speaking%20BM%20LAS.jpg)

### Book Me to Speak for Free! (Plus... Some Upcoming In-Person Events)

 April 29th, 2026|1 min read 

](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/book-me-to-speak-for-free-plus-here-are-some-of-my-upcoming-events)

[![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Modern%20marketing%20team.png?width=1774&height=887&name=Modern%20marketing%20team.png)

### RIP Middle Management in Marketing & PR

 April 23rd, 2026|1 min read 

](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/rip-middle-management-in-marketing-pr)

[![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Artemis%20earthset.jpg?width=5568&height=3712&name=Artemis%20earthset.jpg)

### Nasa’s Artemis II Lunar Mission: A PR Triumph for the USA

 April 11th, 2026|1 min read 

](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/nasas-artemis-ii-lunar-mission-a-pr-triumph-for-the-usa)

[![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/DMS%202025.jpg?width=1435&height=972&name=DMS%202025.jpg)

### My Focus for 2026 and a Prediction

 December 19th, 2025|1 min read 

](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/my-focus-for-2026-and-a-prediction)

[![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Real%20Time%20PR.png?width=1536&height=1024&name=Real%20Time%20PR.png)

### Why Real-Time PR Matters in the Age of AI Search

 September 17th, 2025|1 min read 

](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/why-real-time-pr-matters-in-the-age-of-ai-search)

[![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/NYT%20Amazon%20AI%20deal.jpg?width=1536&height=1024&name=NYT%20Amazon%20AI%20deal.jpg)

### The New York Times signs AI licensing deal with Amazon

 May 30th, 2025|1 min read 

](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/the-new-york-times-signs-ai-licensing-deal-with-amazon)

[![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/HBO%20Max.png?width=720&height=480&name=HBO%20Max.png)

### Max, Once Named HBO Max, Rebranded as… HBO Max

 May 23rd, 2025|1 min read 

](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/max-once-named-hbo-max-rebranded-as-hbo-max)

[![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/British%20arrive.jpg?width=1252&height=848&name=British%20arrive.jpg)

### 250 Years After The Shot Heard ‘Round The World, Americans Battle Government Again

 April 21st, 2025|1 min read 

](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/250-years-after-the-shot-heard-round-the-world-americans-battle-government-again)

[![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/9e%20post.jpg?width=1500&height=1145&name=9e%20post.jpg)

### 9th Edition of The New Rules of Marketing & PR Publishes Today

 August 20th, 2024|1 min read 

](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/9th-edition-of-the-new-rules-of-marketing-pr-publishes-today)

[![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Fly%20me%20to%20the%20Moon.jpg?width=1500&height=1005&name=Fly%20me%20to%20the%20Moon.jpg)

### Fiction and Fact! New Movie “Fly Me To The Moon” Partly Based On My Book

 July 17th, 2024|1 min read 

](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/fiction-and-fact-new-movie-fly-me-to-the-moon-partly-based-on-my-book)

[![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/4%20NRMPR%209e%203D%20blog.jpg?width=1259&height=843&name=4%20NRMPR%209e%203D%20blog.jpg)

### New 9th Edition of The New Rules of Marketing & PR Coming in August!

 June 20th, 2024|1 min read 

](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/new-9th-edition-of-the-new-rules-of-marketing-pr-coming-in-august)

[![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Creativity%20Cannot%20be%20Crushed.jpg?width=569&height=327&name=Creativity%20Cannot%20be%20Crushed.jpg)

### Samsung’s “UnCrush” Video Newsjacking of Apple Fail

 May 16th, 2024|1 min read 

](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/samsungs-uncrush-video-newsjacking-of-apple-fail)

[![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Apple%20Crush.jpg?width=1012&height=556&name=Apple%20Crush.jpg)

### Apple Apologizes for CRUSH Video Misstep

 May 12th, 2024|1 min read 

](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/apple-apologizes-for-crush-video-misstep)

[![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/shutterstock_1054684892.jpg?width=1500&height=999&name=shutterstock_1054684892.jpg)

### In Conclusion: The Growing AI Content Pollution Problem

 April 4th, 2024|1 min read 

](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/in-conclusion-the-growing-ai-content-pollution-problem)

[![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Apple%20Vision%20Pro.jpg?width=2000&height=1517&name=Apple%20Vision%20Pro.jpg)

### Apple Vision Pro: Is This Really “The Era Of Spatial Computing”?

 February 5th, 2024|1 min read 

](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/apple-vision-pro-is-this-really-the-era-of-spatial-computing)

[![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/hq720.jpg?width=686&height=386&name=hq720.jpg)

### KOREAZ YouTube Channel Delivers Digital Public Diplomacy as Entertainment

 January 3rd, 2024|1 min read 

](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/koreaz-youtube-channel-delivers-digital-public-diplomacy-as-entertainment)

[![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/shutterstock_272153462%20copy.jpg?width=1000&height=628&name=shutterstock_272153462%20copy.jpg)

### Legal Caution vs. PR Clarity: University Presidents' Legal Advisors Muddled Congressional Testimonies

 December 19th, 2023|1 min read 

](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/legal-caution-vs.-pr-clarity-university-presidents-legal-advisors-muddled-congressional-testimonies-on-antisemitism)

[![Doritos Silent image](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Doritos%20Silent.jpg?width=1246&height=806&name=Doritos%20Silent.jpg)

### Doritos Silent “Crunch Cancelling” Plug-In for Gamers

 November 8th, 2023|1 min read 

](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/doritos-silent-crunch-cancelling-plug-in-for-gamers)

[![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Apple-WWCD23-Vision-Pro-with-battery-230605.jpg?width=1960&height=1102&name=Apple-WWCD23-Vision-Pro-with-battery-230605.jpg)

### Apple Vision Pro Spatial Computer Launch Is PR Done Right

 June 6th, 2023|1 min read 

](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/apple-vision-pro-spatial-computer-launch-is-pr-done-right)

[![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Screenshot%202022-12-15%20at%207.17.45%20AM.png?width=940&height=585&name=Screenshot%202022-12-15%20at%207.17.45%20AM.png)

### Apollo 17 Was 50 Years Ago. What Can We Achieve Today?

 December 15th, 2022|1 min read 

](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/apollo-17-gave-us-something-to-cheer)

[![View of the Harry Howard Hook & Ladder Company in Port Chester, NY ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Harry%20Howard%20hook%20and%20ladder%20truck.jpg?width=1500&height=934&name=Harry%20Howard%20hook%20and%20ladder%20truck.jpg)

### Port Chester Fire Department: Passionate About the Grateful Dead and the Community

 November 1st, 2022|1 min read 

](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/port-chester-fire-department-passionate-about-the-grateful-dead-and-the-community)

[![Photo of newspapers on display at a newsstand with the Twitter logo overlayed on top.](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Twitter%20newsstand%20alt.jpg?width=1126&height=682&name=Twitter%20newsstand%20alt.jpg)

### Using Twitter For Media Relations

 June 8th, 2022|1 min read 

](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/using-twitter-for-media-relations)

[![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Russell%20Alexander%20YouTube.jpg?width=728&height=408&name=Russell%20Alexander%20YouTube.jpg)

### Law Firm Grows Fourfold Using Ideas In The New Rules of Marketing & PR

 May 9th, 2022|1 min read 

](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/law-firm-grows-fourfold-using-ideas-in-the-new-rules-of-marketing-pr)

[![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Krispy%20Kreme%20Newsjacking.jpg?width=480&height=275&name=Krispy%20Kreme%20Newsjacking.jpg)

### Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Priced to Gallon of Gas Newsjacking

 April 13th, 2022|1 min read 

](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/krispy-kreme-strategic-doughnut-reserve-gasoline-price-newsjacking)

```json
{
  "@context" : "https://schema.org",
  "@type" : "BlogPosting",
  "author" : {
    "@type" : "Person",
    "name" : "David Meerman Scott",
    "url" : "https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/author/david-meerman-scott"
  },
  "datePublished" : "2006-10-27T13:16:20.000Z",
  "headline" : "Web marketing and The New York Public Library",
  "image" : [ "https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/file-1077834826-jpg/blog-files/nypl.jpg" ],
  "mainEntityOfPage" : {
    "@id" : "https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/2006/10/web_marketing_a.html",
    "@type" : "WebPage"
  },
  "publisher" : {
    "@type" : "Organization",
    "logo" : {
      "@type" : "ImageObject",
      "url" : "https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hubfs/_Assets/Logo/david-meerman-scott.png"
    },
    "name" : "David Meerman Scott"
  }
}
```

```json
{
  "@context" : "https://schema.org",
  "@id" : "https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/#person",
  "@type" : "Person",
  "description" : "Marketing and sales visionary, international bestselling author of 12 books, keynote speaker in 47 countries, and advisor to emerging companies.",
  "email" : "mailto:David@DavidMeermanScott.com",
  "image" : "https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hubfs/DMS-Homepage-Featured.jpg",
  "jobTitle" : [ "Keynote Speaker", "Author", "Business Growth Strategist", "Marketing Advisor" ],
  "knowsAbout" : [ "Content Marketing", "Fandom Marketing", "Newsjacking", "Real-Time Marketing", "Public Relations", "Sales Strategy", "Business Growth" ],
  "name" : "David Meerman Scott",
  "sameAs" : [ "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Meerman_Scott", "https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmeermanscott", "https://x.com/dmscott", "https://www.instagram.com/dmscott/" ],
  "url" : "https://www.davidmeermanscott.com"
}
```

```json
{
  "@context" : "https://schema.org",
  "@id" : "https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/#website",
  "@type" : "WebSite",
  "author" : {
    "@id" : "https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/#person"
  },
  "name" : "David Meerman Scott",
  "potentialAction" : {
    "@type" : "SearchAction",
    "query-input" : "required name=search_term_string",
    "target" : {
      "@type" : "EntryPoint",
      "urlTemplate" : "https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/search?q={search_term_string}"
    }
  },
  "url" : "https://www.davidmeermanscott.com"
}
```

```json
{
  "@context" : "https://schema.org",
  "@type" : "BlogPosting",
  "author" : {
    "@type" : "Person",
    "name" : "David Meerman Scott",
    "url" : "https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/author/david-meerman-scott"
  },
  "dateCreated" : "2014-09-10T21:41:36",
  "datePublished" : "2006-10-27T09:16:20-0400",
  "description" : "",
  "headline" : "Web marketing and The New York Public Library",
  "image" : [ "http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hub/413105/file-1077834826-jpg/blog-files/nypl.jpg" ],
  "inLanguage" : "en-us",
  "keywords" : [ "Public Relations", "Case Studies", "Marketing", "Non Profits" ],
  "learningResourceType" : "article",
  "name" : "Web marketing and The New York Public Library",
  "publisher" : {
    "@type" : "Organization",
    "logo" : {
      "@type" : "ImageObject",
      "url" : "https://413105.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/413105/_Assets/Logo/david-meerman-scott.png"
    },
    "name" : "Freshspot Marketing LLC"
  },
  "timeRequired" : "1 minutes",
  "url" : "https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/2006/10/web_marketing_a.html"
}
```