Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Monday, August 6, 2012
Inbound Links Improve Search Results
While optimizing the pages of your web site is important, you will improve your search results even more by having links from other sites to yours. Inbound links are a great source of referral traffic and they will influence your site's rankings as well.
Google was the first search engine to include inbound links as a ranking factor. They view a link from one site to another as a "vote" for the destination site. The more "votes' you have the more your site is considered authoritative. Researching your competitors' links can reveal identifying link opportunities that be useful for you SEO.
Google was the first search engine to include inbound links as a ranking factor. They view a link from one site to another as a "vote" for the destination site. The more "votes' you have the more your site is considered authoritative. Researching your competitors' links can reveal identifying link opportunities that be useful for you SEO.
Friday, August 3, 2012
Interactive Media Spending Approaches Television Spending
Advertisers will spend as much on interactive marketing as they do on television advertising by 2016.
In the next couple of years, spending in search marketing, display advertising, email advertising, mobile marketing and social media will approach $77 million and represent over one-third of all advertising. Growth in interactive marketing can be attributed to:
Larger interactive teams. Marketers have much larger interactive staffs than they did three years ago.
Endorsement of emerging media. Marketers are utilizing mobile, social and search marketing tools, transforming these technologies into mainstream market options.
Effectiveness of interactive marketing. Marketers are investing more in interactive channels because they believe that they will generate better results over time.
Connecting with customers. Businesses are looking to create customized experiences across their customers' preferred touchpoints. Forrester Research projects that by 2015, smartphone use will grow 150% and 82 million people will own a tablet.
In the next couple of years, spending in search marketing, display advertising, email advertising, mobile marketing and social media will approach $77 million and represent over one-third of all advertising. Growth in interactive marketing can be attributed to:
Larger interactive teams. Marketers have much larger interactive staffs than they did three years ago.
Endorsement of emerging media. Marketers are utilizing mobile, social and search marketing tools, transforming these technologies into mainstream market options.
Effectiveness of interactive marketing. Marketers are investing more in interactive channels because they believe that they will generate better results over time.
Connecting with customers. Businesses are looking to create customized experiences across their customers' preferred touchpoints. Forrester Research projects that by 2015, smartphone use will grow 150% and 82 million people will own a tablet.
Monday, July 30, 2012
Online Data Collection Efforts Expand
Despite increased concerns over privacy issues, online data collection efforts have expanded. Online tracking has risen sharply on 50 of the most popular web sites according to a new study by Krux Digital Inc. An average visit to one of these web sites triggered 56 data collection instances, up from 10 instances two years ago.
The increase in data collection can be attributed to online auctions, known as real-time bidding exchanges, where advertisers purchase data about users' Web browsing. When a user visits a Web page, the visit is auctioned to the highest bidder, based on the type of pages visited or previous browsing by the user. The bidding is automatic using computer algorithms. According to Forrester Research, real-time bidding will constitute 18% of the online display market this year.
The increase in data collection can be attributed to online auctions, known as real-time bidding exchanges, where advertisers purchase data about users' Web browsing. When a user visits a Web page, the visit is auctioned to the highest bidder, based on the type of pages visited or previous browsing by the user. The bidding is automatic using computer algorithms. According to Forrester Research, real-time bidding will constitute 18% of the online display market this year.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Drive Engagement with Paid, Earned & Owned Media
Paid, Earned, Owned (PEO) Media
Consumers are increasing relying on their own judgement about the validity of content they read on the web, as a result, many businesses are creating their own content so that they can provide value to their customers while maintaining control over their marketing message. Many businesses have found success by creating their own content, through microsites, Facebook pages, whitepapers, and press releases.
The reason PEO is so important, is that the roles of each media type, and their relationships to one another, are radically changing as we speak, and few brand marketers yet understand how it will all shake out. Meanwhile, a growing number of marketing professionals believe that synchronized PEO media strategies are necessary in today's complex marketing landscape.
Understanding PEO Roles
Paid is media you buy – you get total control over messaging, reach and frequency, as much as your budget allows; earned is what others say about your brand – you get no control but you can influence outcomes; and owned is content that you create. While with owned media you control the message, you cannot control not who reads it.
Many marketing professionals believe that you must stop thinking of earned, paid and owned as separate initiatives, and begin to think creatively about how you might integrate them together to produce results.
Consumers are increasing relying on their own judgement about the validity of content they read on the web, as a result, many businesses are creating their own content so that they can provide value to their customers while maintaining control over their marketing message. Many businesses have found success by creating their own content, through microsites, Facebook pages, whitepapers, and press releases.
The reason PEO is so important, is that the roles of each media type, and their relationships to one another, are radically changing as we speak, and few brand marketers yet understand how it will all shake out. Meanwhile, a growing number of marketing professionals believe that synchronized PEO media strategies are necessary in today's complex marketing landscape.
Understanding PEO Roles
Paid is media you buy – you get total control over messaging, reach and frequency, as much as your budget allows; earned is what others say about your brand – you get no control but you can influence outcomes; and owned is content that you create. While with owned media you control the message, you cannot control not who reads it.
Many marketing professionals believe that you must stop thinking of earned, paid and owned as separate initiatives, and begin to think creatively about how you might integrate them together to produce results.
Monday, September 19, 2011
The Benefits Of Social Media
“Facebook, Twitter, blogs….my company has no business in social media,” declared one client whose business is a b-to-b involved equipment sales. “None of my customers will follow my Facebook status or what I might tweet.”
This isn’t the first time we’ve encountered “anti”-social media objections. But the truth is, social media doesn’t live in a vacuum; its roots extend through the web and are a key strategy in enhancing search engine optimization (SEO) – how well a site ranks in search engine results. For many businesses, social media isn’t about “keeping in touch” – social media adds to Internet chatter, increases inbound links, and in general, improves the likelihood that websites will achieve more favorable search engine results.
The Basics of “Socializing”
Think of social media links as Internet currency: more of it is better, and the more authority it has, the higher the value (think Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and more….).
However, it’s wise to consider that embarking on a social media campaign without optimizing one’s website content is like filling a water jug that you know leaks. So, shore up the “leaks” on your website by optimizing keywords and adding tags where possible.
First, make sure you have an understanding of the best keywords to use on your site – the ones your customers or prospects will use to find your services or products, not the ones you use to refer to your product or service. Add the keywords into your content as appropriate – especially on your home page. (If you’re not sure about which keywords are best for your industry, input a few keywords into the Google Adwords Keyword Tool and see how your selections fare.)
Next, make sure your keywords on your pages coordinate well with your source code tags (title, meta and alt).
Lastly, use those keywords in your social media posts, and include links back to your site on the pages where those terms are used.
Say Something
Even for businesses that have limited current news, there’s always something to say. Comment on industry trends, discuss allied industries, mention company events, share recent client stories – the list goes on.
If your content is shared from somewhere else, you can make a comment on your Facebook page and add it there; or even interview your in-house “experts” and give the story your own spin so it can be added to your website. Tweet a comment or two just so that it gets out there.
Linked In is another social networking site that can yield ample contacts and content for a website. The site allows participants to “meet” one another through “connections” - people with whom they may share a direct or indirect relationship. Although Linked In is often a conduit for employment opportunities, it also functions as a member news site, offering updates as details are posted.
If you have videos to share - "how-to" style, seminar clips, commercials, and the like - establish your own channel and add them to a You Tube account that ties back to your company name and website.
Blog All About It
Don't forget about the value of a web log – or a “blog”, for short. A blog may function as an online diary or commentary about news, events, or other topics. (Such as the Visionary blog you're reading at this moment.)
Blogs help increase relevance for websites, and also can be a good source of information, depending upon the content.
Social Awareness
In short, social networking is often not just about adding compelling content. Social networking is another opportunity to list your company, promote your website, and prove the relevance of your business to the Internet Gods, the search engines.
Don't wait for your company's “big news” to get social – create a news story and join the social revolution.
This isn’t the first time we’ve encountered “anti”-social media objections. But the truth is, social media doesn’t live in a vacuum; its roots extend through the web and are a key strategy in enhancing search engine optimization (SEO) – how well a site ranks in search engine results. For many businesses, social media isn’t about “keeping in touch” – social media adds to Internet chatter, increases inbound links, and in general, improves the likelihood that websites will achieve more favorable search engine results.
The Basics of “Socializing”
Think of social media links as Internet currency: more of it is better, and the more authority it has, the higher the value (think Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and more….).
However, it’s wise to consider that embarking on a social media campaign without optimizing one’s website content is like filling a water jug that you know leaks. So, shore up the “leaks” on your website by optimizing keywords and adding tags where possible.
First, make sure you have an understanding of the best keywords to use on your site – the ones your customers or prospects will use to find your services or products, not the ones you use to refer to your product or service. Add the keywords into your content as appropriate – especially on your home page. (If you’re not sure about which keywords are best for your industry, input a few keywords into the Google Adwords Keyword Tool and see how your selections fare.)
Next, make sure your keywords on your pages coordinate well with your source code tags (title, meta and alt).
Lastly, use those keywords in your social media posts, and include links back to your site on the pages where those terms are used.
Say Something
Even for businesses that have limited current news, there’s always something to say. Comment on industry trends, discuss allied industries, mention company events, share recent client stories – the list goes on.
If your content is shared from somewhere else, you can make a comment on your Facebook page and add it there; or even interview your in-house “experts” and give the story your own spin so it can be added to your website. Tweet a comment or two just so that it gets out there.
Linked In is another social networking site that can yield ample contacts and content for a website. The site allows participants to “meet” one another through “connections” - people with whom they may share a direct or indirect relationship. Although Linked In is often a conduit for employment opportunities, it also functions as a member news site, offering updates as details are posted.
If you have videos to share - "how-to" style, seminar clips, commercials, and the like - establish your own channel and add them to a You Tube account that ties back to your company name and website.
Blog All About It
Don't forget about the value of a web log – or a “blog”, for short. A blog may function as an online diary or commentary about news, events, or other topics. (Such as the Visionary blog you're reading at this moment.)
Blogs help increase relevance for websites, and also can be a good source of information, depending upon the content.
Social Awareness
In short, social networking is often not just about adding compelling content. Social networking is another opportunity to list your company, promote your website, and prove the relevance of your business to the Internet Gods, the search engines.
Don't wait for your company's “big news” to get social – create a news story and join the social revolution.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Google Analytics - What It's All About
Congratulations, you’ve launched your website!
Now that all the legwork is done and the website is functioning, you can sit back and assume the site is working for you, right?
Well, not exactly. You’re halfway there.
At this stage, the intuitive client will look to adjust website content – and perhaps even product offering – based on the evaluation of website metrics. Website metrics is the measurement of traffic patterns within a specific site.
One of the most comprehensive ways to measure website metrics is to install an easy-to-use program called Google Analytics (GA). This is a task we routinely perform for our clients.
Google Analytics is a tool that enables website administrators to track traffic as visitors enter, view, and exit a specific site. This tool allows site owners to assess the best referral sources (search engines, display advertising, referring URLS, e-mail marketing, even links within PDFs). In addition, GA tracks keywords used, page visitation (number of pages per visit, most popular page, pages most often visited, duration on each page), geolocations of visitors (by countries), browser used, connection speed and more.
Once these reports are distilled and traffic patterns are evaluated, site owners can see what improvements may be made to enhance visitor retention.
If this seems like a lot of information, it is; but not all of the data will have relevance to your marketing. One of our clients had no interest in learning that several visitors were based in Canada and Sweden. The clients were, however, intrigued by the keywords that visitors had used to find specific details on the products. That tidbit helped them adjust their online product mix to address a new market.
There’s a great deal of information that can be gleaned from website analytics. The examination of website traffic patterns help marketers determine what visitors find most important, and adjustments in products and services can be made based on that data.
In everyday life, marketers don’t have the unique opportunity to peak over the shoulder of web-browsing customers. But using Google Analytics, they do.
Now that all the legwork is done and the website is functioning, you can sit back and assume the site is working for you, right?
Well, not exactly. You’re halfway there.
At this stage, the intuitive client will look to adjust website content – and perhaps even product offering – based on the evaluation of website metrics. Website metrics is the measurement of traffic patterns within a specific site.
One of the most comprehensive ways to measure website metrics is to install an easy-to-use program called Google Analytics (GA). This is a task we routinely perform for our clients.
Google Analytics is a tool that enables website administrators to track traffic as visitors enter, view, and exit a specific site. This tool allows site owners to assess the best referral sources (search engines, display advertising, referring URLS, e-mail marketing, even links within PDFs). In addition, GA tracks keywords used, page visitation (number of pages per visit, most popular page, pages most often visited, duration on each page), geolocations of visitors (by countries), browser used, connection speed and more.
Once these reports are distilled and traffic patterns are evaluated, site owners can see what improvements may be made to enhance visitor retention.
If this seems like a lot of information, it is; but not all of the data will have relevance to your marketing. One of our clients had no interest in learning that several visitors were based in Canada and Sweden. The clients were, however, intrigued by the keywords that visitors had used to find specific details on the products. That tidbit helped them adjust their online product mix to address a new market.
There’s a great deal of information that can be gleaned from website analytics. The examination of website traffic patterns help marketers determine what visitors find most important, and adjustments in products and services can be made based on that data.
In everyday life, marketers don’t have the unique opportunity to peak over the shoulder of web-browsing customers. But using Google Analytics, they do.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)