The 2012 Community Manager Report

Community Manager is an essential, yet still uncharted territory for many companies that are expanding their presence on the social web.  What should you know about the current state of this position?

• 67% of Community Managers work for a brand
• The most popular city for Community Managers is New York
• 65% of Community Managers are Female

Be sure to check out the rest of this report presented by Social Fresh.

Google & FBI: All Your Social Data Are Belong to Us

For non-geeks, here’s the reference (Zero Wing video)

“Google Privacy Changes: What Do They Mean To You?” Google announced this week that it is rolling out a new, main privacy policy that covers the majority of its products. The company is consolidating over 60 privacy notices into the main privacy policy. User activities across Google web properties from Gmail to YouTube will be used to deliver customized ads. Via WebProNews.

“The FBI Wants to Monitor Social Media” The FBI is looking to develop a web application that can monitor social networks, including Facebook and Twitter, in order to gain better real-time intelligence about current or potential future security threats or situations. As with the Google combined service data collection, many people are thinking, “Weren’t they already doing this?” Via Mashable.

“McDonald’s Twitter Campaign Goes Horribly Wrong #McDStories” From McDonald’s PR: While #meetthefarmers was used for the majority of the day and successful in raising awareness of the Supplier Stories campaign, #mcdstories did not go as planned. We quickly pulled #mcdstories and it was promoted for less than two hours. Via Business Insider.

“Twitter Now Able To Censor Tweets, If Required By Law, On A Country-By-Country Basis” From Twitter: Starting today, we give ourselves the ability to reactively withhold content from users in a specific country — while keeping it up in the rest of the world. Danny Sullivan compares Twitter’s approach towards censorship to Google, which you might find interesting. Via Marketing Land.

The Online Marketplace is Competitive: Tips to Help You Meet the Challenge:

“The Top 51 stats for Generation Y marketers” How can marketers tap into this gadget-savvy, brand-aware demographic? The following statistics, taken from four recent reports listed below, provide an insight into the complex world of 13-24 year-olds. Via The Next Web.

“5 marketing Tips for Putting Customers First” The digital world of today offers many choices to customers, which means that marketing professionals have a tough job ahead of them.  We must not only ensure that our messaging is on target, but also work with our internal team to make sure that our promises can be delivered.  Via i Media Connection.

“10 Essential YouTube Tips and Tricks”  YouTube is currently getting over 3 billion views each day.  This article provides some great tips for getting more out of your YouTube experience including, improved search and better viewing options.  Via Mashable.

“10 Ways to Impress Your Industry’s Influencers” Often times your press releases are in the hands of influencers within the industry.  This article provides some great tips on identifying who these people are, buttering them up, and following their lead.  Via Ragan.

The TopRank Team Knows News

Brian Larson – “MarketingSherpa Research Shows the Avg B2B Deal on the Decline”
We know that B2B sales cycles are longer. The rebuttal from B2B’s has always been ‘the size of our sales are far greater’.  What if that changed? With B2B deal sizes diminishing, do B2B’s need to focus on increasing sales volume or developing new ways to demonstrate value and win back larger sales? Or both? The answers to these questions are sure to influence online marketing strategies.  Via Marketing Sherpa.

Ken Horst – “Social media for the complex sale: Where should you start?”
While most B2B companies are heavily invested in their social channels today; many are finding that for at least Facebook and Twitter, these may not be the best channels for companies with a longer sales cycle.  The good news is that in this post, the author lists 10 other social media outlets that B2B marketers could use to help prime the pump for those longer sales cycle products and services. Via SmartBlog.

Emily Conley – “Google Announces Privacy Changes Across Products; Users Can’t Opt Out”
Google released an announcement on Jan. 24th stating that the company plans to follow users’ activities across the majority of its sites, including YouTube, Gmail and Google search. With no opt-out option, as of March 1st all logged in Google users will be sharing data that will enable Google to create more complete user portraits.  The change opens new debate around privacy and competitive practices.  Via Washington Post.

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© Online Marketing Blog, 2012. | Online Marketing News: Women Dominate Community Management, Google Privacy, FBI Social, Twitter Censorship, McD Hashtag Gone Wrong | http://www.toprankblog.com

As this new social platform continues to evolve it may be difficult to keep up with the latest trends, changes, and tactics for creating an optimized and influential Google+ profile for you and your business.  With recent events and the release of Chris Brogan’s new book “Google+ for Business: How Google’s Social Network Changes Everything” Lee and I thought it seemed a good time to compile some helpful tips of our own and some from Chris’s new book to help professionals take some of the fear and uncertainty out of using Google+.

Author Information in Search Results

I’m sure over the last couple of months you’ve noticed author information included in Google search results.  This feature displays a photo of the author as well as an opportunity to add them to your Google+ circles.  Getting Author information to appear in the search results next to content that you create can be accomplished a few ways.

Google suggests adding your name and your email address to each article or blog post and then verifying that same email address within your Google+ profile.  The other option is a good old fashioned link exchange between the content you create and your Google+ profile. Add a Google Profile button to your site or manually add the link using: <a href=”[profile_url]?rel=author”>Google</a> and replace the [profile_url] with the long id in your Google+ profile web address. Then make sure you link to the sites that you contribute to from your Google+ Profile in the area called “Contribute to”. Once you do that, there’s a form you need to fill out.

Google Plus for Search

Many SEO professionals and Marketers were up in arms after last weeks release of Google+ search functionality.  It appears that Google is favoring it’s own content over others.  Google does include information from some networks such as Quora or Flickr, but at this point is excluding popular social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter.  What does this mean for marketers?

Take full advantage of these changes and post useufl information on your Google+ profile or company page that are relevant to your business and the business problems of your customers. Engage with others and be useful and interesting so that as many other relevant users of Google+ add you to their circles as possible. The larger your network on Google+, the more likely your content will appear prominently in their search results.

“Where Google+ Fits in the Business Ecosystem”

Outside of the obvious need to have a presence in Google+ for search visibility, there are other good reasons for professionals to leverage the social network. In his book, Chris Brogan expresses that how a company uses Google+ for business is up to them, and that there are many opportunities to consider when building a Google+ strategy.  The suggestions in the book are pretty much best practices for any kind of social network involvement and with all the attention being paid to Google+ the past few months it’s a good time to review. Some of the ways you may want to consider using Google+ for your business or professional online presence include:

• Collaboration
• Learning
• Discovery
• Community Building
• Contests & Promotions
• Customer Service
• Engagement
• Listening
• Referrals
• Sharing

“The Most Important Part of Your Profile: The Introduction”

Building out your Google+ profile is essential for how people perceive your brand. Google+ for Business puts special emphasis on creating a stellar introduction for Google+ profiles.  The introduction field in you Google+ profile should include:

• Professional Experience:  give your potential customers an idea of what it might look like to work with them.
• Personal Information: this will inform prospects what matters most to you outside of business.
• Linking: do not stuff your profile with links but be sure to link to outside resources where appropriate.

“Posting to Build Connections”

If part of your marketing strategy is to connect with interesting or influential people, Google+ this is a good way to inspire creativity in your own content.  Some helpful tips for creating content to drive connections would include:

• Source information from websites that are not always sources.  Posting interesting information from a more obscure sight is likely to catch the attention of new followers.
• Original content that takes a different stance from the majority of users is likely to get you some attention.
• Curiosity drives traffic, share some interesting knowledge that you have about something you care about such as music or film.

There is a wealth of information being created each day on optimizing, creating content, and socializing using Google+.  Over the next few months Google will only continue to roll out changes to their Google+ platform and either by incentive or usefulness, Google+ will grow.

What are your most pressing questions about Google+? Has your business created a page yet? How are you getting your staff on board with Google+ profiles or are you focusing more on your brand page?

Be sure to connect with TopRank Online Marketing on Google+ here.

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© Online Marketing Blog, 2012. | Google+ for Business: 5 Things Marketing Professionals Should Know About Google+ | http://www.toprankblog.com

Search, plus Your World

The big news this week centers around the changes that Google has rolled out related to Google+ integration with search, which as the tech press buzzing.  Google is aiming to bring users additional search functionality that is incorporated with their Google+ profiles.   The official Google blog states that “you should be able to find your own stuff on the web, the people you know and things they’ve shared with you, as well as the people you don’t know but might want to… all from one search box.” Industry observers are saying it’s too much Google+, all the time.

Regardless, it’s a new dimension on the face of search and that spells opportunity (for those optimists among us) to Optimize. Here are a few tips on Google+ optimization. Be sure to add TopRank to your Google+ circles!

It’s an Oh So Social Web

“Facebook projected to hit 1 billion active users by August”  There are about 6.9 billion people currently living in the world, and Facebook is projected to capture close to 14% of that number by the end of this summer. According to a new study, the Facebook user count will hit 1 billion by the month of August. Via Digital Trends.

“Anywhere in the world, foursquare Explore can find you something interesting (now on your computer!)”  How do you search for personalized recommendations in the real world? This is a huge and difficult problem. Most real-world searches are one-size fits all. The new web version of Explore is powered by 1,500,000,000 check-ins, tens of millions of Tips, and over half million Lists. Explore is powered by check-ins and foursquare Tips, it’s not just personalized, it’s specific. Via Foursquare.

“Some Advertisers Are Paying Up To $10 Per Follow On Twitter” Marketers spent an estimated $100- to $150-million on Twitter advertising to reach its 100 million users last year, compared with forecasts of nearly $4-billion for Facebook and its 800 million users. So far, Twitter’s advertisers have been prepared to pay $1 to $4 for each new follower through “promoted accounts”, though some – such as car makers – are bidding more than $10. Via Financial Times.

“YouTube accounts for 25% of visits to social sites in December” Market research analyst James Murray shares that there were record levels of Internet traffic at Christmas, with 2.18 billion visits going to online retailers in December.  Murry also shares that the right blend of traffic from social media, affiliates, and other sources is essential.  But, that it is more important than ever for marketers to optimize both paid and organic campaigns.  Via Econsultancy.

“71% More Likely to Purchase Based on Social Media Referrals [INFOGRAPHIC]”  Consumers are currently connecting, rating, discussing, and consumer more product information and review then ever before.  The infographic in this article illustrates the importance of ecommerce inbound marketing.  Via Hubspot.

We’re With the Brand – Tips

“5 Tips for Making Your Brand More Social”   As social media only continues to increase in value companies cannot afford to shamelessly self promote or opt out from the conversation all together.  Requests are being made that companies respond in real time, across multiple channels. Via Social Media Examiner.

“How to Build Recognition for Your Unkown Brand” In the marketing and advertising world the word “frequency” refers to the number of times a consumer must see or an ad before they purchase the product.  According to this article frequency works because it is all about building trust.  As consumers we tend to be weary of anything new.  However, if we are shown a product or brand repeatedly we begin trust what that company has to offer. Via Wall Street Journal.

TopRank(ing) News From Our Team

Emily Conley – “Real-Life Examples of How Google’s “Search Plus” Pushes Google+ Over Relevancy”
Google’s recent implementation of the “Search Plus Your World” feature has everybody talking about whether the new feature benefits Google users, or just the company.  This article dives into the initial impact of the change through a user perspective.  The “Search Plus” feature has huge implications in terms of search and social…this is only the beginning of what is sure to be a long debate!  Via Search Engine Land.

Ken Horst – “Pinterest: 13 Tips and Tricks for Cutting Edge Users”
As we’ve seen in previous weeks, Pinterest traffic and interest is growing like crazy, recently breaking into the top ten social media websites.  In addition to the 13 tips in this post, I’ve also found it useful to create pin boards of images from my blog or web site.   Each image is a link back top the originating web property and if the images are cool, users can also see some nice referring traffic as well.  Via Mashable.

Alexis Hall – “SoLoMo Revolution Picks Up Where Hyperlocal Search Left Off”
I thought this post on Social Local Mobile Search or the “SoLoMo Revolution” was interesting. It discusses how  companies like Shopkick have been successful using new mobile technology to offer shoppers a highly personalized experience.  Via Mashable.

Discussion: What do you think about the new Google+ integration with search? Do you think it’s too much?  What about $10 per Twitter user? Or $1? Do you think Foursquare can compete as a local search engine? We’d love your feedback on these stories and feel free to suggest other top stories we missed.

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© Online Marketing Blog, 2012. | Online Marketing News: Google+ Search, $10 per Twitter Follower, Facebook 1 Billion Users, Foursquare Search Engine, Social ROI: No, Really! | http://www.toprankblog.com

Optimize Your Images for Better Digital Asset Optimization

From Marketing to PR, digital assets are an essential part of the content used to tell stories and communicate brand messages.  For publishers and public relations professionals, optimizing the images used in news stories and press releases can have an important impact on visibility in search engines.  Images not only add flavor to news content, but they are also an opportunity to extend the reach of your message through image specific search.

Images are essential for both search and social media marketing with growing popularity as a social media asset. Long time image hosting and social network Flickr hosts well over 50 billion images and social media image sharing services like Instagram and Pintrest have exploded in popularity:

• Pinterest has grown 4,000% in the past 6 months
• Instagram added over 2 million users in November

Optimize Images for Search

To improve rankings of your images, here are 6 tips to make sure images are search engine ready:

File Name. Keywords used in image file names provide very specific information to people and search engines on the topic of the image.  img05.jpg isn’t nearly as useful as image-optimization.jpg

Text Surrounding Image. The text used to describe your image like a caption can help search engines associate the image with keywords used in the surrounding text.

Image Linking.  Links from other pages to your image or the page your image is embedded on can help search engines find the image for crawling and also pass PageRank.

Alt Text.  Adding descriptive text to the image alt attribute is helpful for search engines as well as a usability best practice in situations where images are not shown in a browser such as when a visually impaired person uses a screen reader. However, do not stuff a long string of keywords in the alt text, that will simply dilute the meaning and usefulness.

Image Sitemaps. If you are having difficulty getting your images into a search engine like Google, or you want to show that some images are less important, you can add image specific tags to a sitemap and provide that information to Google.

Focus Keyword Usage. For example, if you are writing a piece on flowers and have an image of a particular type of flower then your keywords should reflect the name of that specific flower.

Optimize Images for Social Sharing

Inspiring social shares is important to extend the reach and visibility of image content.  A basic first step is make it as easy as possible for your audience to consume and share your images.

Use Inspiring Images.  I am a strong believer that your content and your images should first be relevant to your audience, and then optimized for search engines.  A good example of news images that have received a lot of social sharing are collections of compelling photos. This group of the most powerful photos of 2011 on BuzzFeed has receive over 45,000 Tweets and 862,000 likes on Facebook.

Use Standard Formats.  While there are many types of images formats to choose from .jpg, .gif, and .png are the most common.  Use images that will be easy to display on any device and you’ll avoid any barriers to sharing or viewing.

Post Images on Multiple Social Media Sharing Sites.  The more relevant places you make your images available the better the chances are that they will be shared.  In addition to social networks like Facebook, Google+ and Twitter, popular image hosting and sharing sites include:

• Flickr
• Photobucket
• Pinterest
• Picassa
• Instagram
• TwitPic

Optimize Images for User Experience

The human eye can see things that search engines can’t.  Humans can also associate emotion or take action based on the images used in news stories, press releases and web pages.

High Quality.  People will be more likely to spend additional time on an image that is high quality in terms of composition and image resolution.

Maintain Relevancy.  It is even more essential that your imagery is relevant for your audience.  An image that is disconnected from the text will put people off and they will be discouraged to visit again.  An example would be a photo of a cute dog sleeping when your article is about your clients love for cats, or their rocky relationship with their boyfriend.

Don’t Make Them Work Too Hard. While some journalists or PR representatives may lean toward using abstract images, it is important to always keep the end user in mind. An abstract image may be interesting to look at but does it really help you sell your story? Use your web analytics to determine whether abstract or more literal images result in more pageviews and traffic.

Bonus Tip: Inspire User Generated Content

An interesting way to gain access to new images is to get your network involved.  Try running a contest on your website or social media network page encouraging potential vendors, clients, or those interested in your brand to create an image for an event or as a promotion. The images used in such a promotion can provide content on your site, inspire sharing and links amongst participants as well as a way to recognize your community.

I would recommend that going forward you try to optimize more of your image content and other digital assets.  Many press release distribution services such as PRWeb (a TopRank SEO client) allow users to upload images to their press releases.  If you are a journalist be sure to include optimized images in your column. If you’re a retailer, make sure your product images are easy for Google to access and consider supplying an image sitemap. The next time you upload an image to a social media site, think about using relevant keywords in the file name, in the description and alt text.

The possibilities for image asset optimization are endless and I hope that the tips I have provided show you that some small adjustments to your image optimization can improve search visibility, social sharing and a better user experience for your community.

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© Online Marketing Blog, 2012. | 3 Ways to Optimize Images: Search, Social Media & User Experience | http://www.toprankblog.com

Is your reputation management strategy a turn off to your customers and critics?

Should we respond, get angry, fire back, ignore the situation, censor comments, or just see what happens?  Those are some of the many questions that marketers are faced with today.  With more and more consumers and customers turning online to share what they think of a particular brand or company it has become increasingly difficult to capture everything that is being shared.

In April of this year Yelp.com reached 50 million users with over 17 million reviews on their database.  If you are a professional responsible for online reputation management it makes you wonder how many other means are there for your customers and critics to share their opinion about your company.

According to a recent infographic created by Digimind 47% of American companies’ net worth is tied up in intangible assets like brand equity and reputation.  That being said there are two questions that I would like you to ask yourselves:

• Do you know what your customers,competitors, and critics are saying online about your brand?
• Do you have a plan in place to respond to negative feedback?

If you answered no or maybe to either of these questions then there are some things that you should know.

You Gotta Cover Your Assets.

Step one is knowing where you are present online. Step two is devising a plan for using those assets to your advantage.  The state of online reputation management today calls for more than a company website.  Try leveraging your social media channels as a way to attract, engage, and inspire positive feedback about your organization.

[It] is Not Just About Control.  It’s Also About Letting Go.

You are in control of what you post, where you’re present, and how you react to questions or comments.  Make sure that your online approach is aligned and consistent for each platform.  It is impossible to censor every negative comment and piece of information you have online.  Instead respond consistently and appropriately when you do find negative information.

The Rules of Engagement.

Should an issue arise I recommend you have influencers in your corner.  If you take the time to properly build and cultivate relationships online you will be prepared with an army behind you to approach the subject when and if it happens.

The First Rule of Fight Club is: You Do Not Talk About Fight Club.

If your approach to reputation management involves not talking about or planning for negative press then perhaps it’s time to rethink your strategy.  Managing your personal or company reputation head on will show that you have listened and that most subjects are not off limits.

Please Don’t Take a Turn to Negative Town.

Counteracting negativity with negativity is a recipe for disaster.  If you can, try to take a positive approach and do your best to present your case online if you deem necessary.  If you believe that a formal response is in order, maintain a positive outlook and show that you are open to feedback and will address comments head on.

There Are No Mistakes, There’s Things we do, and Don’t Do.

Learning from the mistakes we have made is key in improving a reputation management strategy.  Perhaps you responded poorly to negative feedback.  To avoid making the same mistake twice devise a plan for addressing issues and shedding a positive light on your organization.

Well, I Guess We Can Close the File on That One.

False.  Ongoing monitoring of your online reputation is key in protecting your assets online.  Consider implementing some cost effective solutions that enable you to monitor issues in real time for quick response. It is important to not only monitor your brand name but also products, the company, and key executives.

Not Sure How You Rate?

If you have a few moments I recommend completing the survey below.  I am curious to know how our readers would rate themselves or their companies when it comes to addressing online reputation management.  I would like to share the results on the TopRank Blog in a future post to see how our readers are addressing issues currently and provide additional tips on reputation management for the future.

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© Online Marketing Blog, 2011. | 7 Ways to Improve Your Online Reputation Management Strategy | http://www.toprankblog.com

Is your internet marketing strategy putting customers to sleep?

Compared to B2B companies, businesses that serve consumer audiences are typically focused on a much shorter sales cycle due to the cost and nature of the purchase.  They are searching for a one stop sale.  B2C companies typically target a single decision maker or customer segment instead of multiple decision makers and influencers.  As a result, the approach and internet marketing tactics mix needs to be more relevant to the consumer vs. the business buying experience.

The Holiday season gives B2C marketers plenty of reasons to improve their focus on best practices in internet marketing. Competition is tough for online buyers, so what should B2C marketers keep in mind with their Internet marketing strategy? Here are 5 essential tips for B2C marketers to get more sales online:

Understand Your Audience

Social media serves as a great focus group because you can see in real time how they interact and share.  By engaging with your target market via social media you will continue to learn things about them that you may have not been privy to before.  This will continue to allow you to target consumers in a personalized way to increase brand awareness and encourage engagement.

Own Your Brand

When a Minnesota based international restaurant chain had an interest in creating a Facebook and social media presence they discovered that there were already hundreds of pages created by fans on behalf of their brand.  The organization was able to analyze what their fans were already doing and strategically establish their corporate Facebook presence alongside the fan pages.  The page currently has 3.7 million fans and quickly became a major hub for the brand.  They continue to have a very high user interaction rate and have created customized landing pages to drawn additional fans into their page.

Capitalize on User Generated Content

According to SEO specialist Michael Dehaven 80-90% of total content on many major e-commerce sites is user generated.  This statistic alone should encourage B2C marketers to research what consumers are currently saying about their brand as well as their competitors.  This research will lay the foundation for strong keyword and social media strategies.  Often times as marketers we can get caught up in creating a catchy or attractive way to describe our offering instead of finding out how our consumers would describe the product or services.

React Appropriately To Negative Feedback

ChapStick has been in the media over the past few months due to their strange advertisements that generated a lot of negative feedback.  More important and detrimental to the brand was the way that ChapStick poorly handled the feedback.   Instead of listening and responding to feedback from consumers ChapStick decided to simply delete negative comments and refused to respond to the feedback. This only added fuel to the fire.  On top of this ChapStick began defending their choice for the advertising campaign instead of listening to what consumers were saying.  While I believe ChapStick did eventually release an apology it was too little too late.  If you would like to read more about the campaign and ChapStick’s response be sure to check out this article released by AdWeek.

How do you think ChapStick could have handled this situation better?  Perhaps some real time research and crowdsourcing could have helped create a more consumer friendly campaign in the first place.  If ChapStick had run a promotion or campaign for consumers to help put together the campaign they would have not only had a better product but consumers would have been more excited to share the information with their networks therefore increasing ChapSticks visibility even more.  However, a realistic solution would have been very simple.  Listening and responding to negative press will help manage the relationship with the consumers that are unhappy as well as anyone else they share information with.

Build Brand Loyalty

If you have effectively researched and interacted with your audience then you will have a better understanding of what sort of information they like to consume and share.  Providing top notch customer service  via social media and other web properties can also be a great means of building brand awareness and encouraging loyalty.  Some other tactics might include creating number of promotions or discounts to encourage repeat businesses, or providing your consumers with “insider information” that has not been made available to the general public.

Effective online marketing often requires massive amounts of research, creation, measurement, and adaptability.  However, the benefits can far outweigh the costs.   If you are a B2C marketer I am curious to know what mishaps you have faced and how you have (or haven’t) overcome them?

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© Online Marketing Blog, 2011. | 5 Tips For More Effective B2C Internet Marketing | http://www.toprankblog.com

Believe it or not, competitive pursuit after a Thanksgiving turkey’s wishbone is a perfect metaphor for understanding better customer centric content marketing.  Prepare yourself for a Thanksgiving themed post without the tryptophan side effects.

5 Steps of A Wishbone Strategy Applied to Content Marketing
Here’s how the wishbone strategy works and how you can apply it to your content marketing strategy.

Step 1: Lobby Mom to ensure turkey is on the Thanksgiving menu. Every year, there are Moms across the country who set their sights on trying some new tradition without any input from the people who will be eating the meal. To avoid a holiday dining catastrophe, kids start begging said Moms to get a Thanksgiving turkey as soon as Halloween is over. Content marketers need to listen to and understand prospect and customer interests to ensure they provide the information that matters most. To this end, consider the content your target audience needs at every point in the purchase cycle from awareness through post purchase support.

Depending on your product or services, this can translate to a variety of different types of content. Here’s an extensive list to choose from, and don’t forget to serve seasonally appropriate content which resonates with your audience. To carry on with our Thanksgiving theme, an example could be links to cool Turkey carving apps, Thanksgiving recipes or instructions for how to make paper decorations look like turkeys.

Photo Credit: carbonated via Flickr

Step 2: Beg Dad to carve the turkey. While this seems like pandering, in our house, Dad was a surgeon when it came to carving the bird and, unlike Mom, he carefully preserved the wishbone for a fair battle. As a marketer, it’s important to go beyond just defining your target audience to understanding what various segments want and need to attract and maintain their attention. Just as many of us play up to Dad’s carving skills, our content must also tightly synch with the needs of prospective readers.

Photo Credit: lapstrake via Flickr

Step 3: Be chosen a wishbone contender. Again, this requires advance planning. It helps to go that extra step with regard to chores and homework as well as positioning yourself nearest to the turkey when it appears fresh from the kitchen. Depending on your family, getting the wishbone can be a situation where, if you snooze, you loose. Similarly, content marketing must be available where prospects are searching for it. We all know there is a dizzying array of apps, ads, channels, widgets (and so on…) vying for our prospects’ attention.

Think strategically in terms of your communication channels such as campaign-oriented website landing pages and emails, seasonally appropriate blog posts from your CEO and instructional videos from product development. Of course don’t just duplicate, rather integrate the appropriate versions of your content on social media networks such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+. Depending on your audience, consider third party media placement such as providing articles for other media or sponsored content. Make it easy and compelling for your prospects to choose you through relevant content.

Photo Credit: Roger Smith via Flickr

Step 4: Assess your wishbone stance. When you’re ready to wrestle for wishbone bragging rights, it’s essential to realize that an effective strategy is all about positioning. You must get your thumb as close as possible to the tip of the wishbone. Further, it helps to let your competitor take a first try since this weakens the bone on his side. In terms of content marketing, asses your messaging stance and ensure your tailored content is integrated with the rest of your marketing. This includes linking to the appropriate products in your blog posts, providing commerce on channels like Facebook where your prospects are engaging with you, or sending a post-purchase emails with helpful product usage tips. To help inspire you, check out this Clutter Control Freak post that links to the specific product, a holiday card keeper.

Step 5: Make a good wish. Of course, all of this work is for naught if you don’t have a really good wish. In marketing terms, (I know this is a reach, but bear with me) this means having a contextually relevant call-to-action for your prospect to take the next step in the purchase process. A problem for many marketers is that once you’ve primed your prospect and they leave without buying, they still have an unmet need. Therefore they’ll probably purchase from another firm and, as long as they’re somewhat satisfied, they may not return to your firm – ever.

The one content marketing element missing from this wishbone list is ensuring you’ve got great information that, like the smell of your mother’s fresh cooked turkey, will lure people in. Without quality content, it’s difficult to get your prospects, customers and the public to return for seconds and thirds. You may get them once, but after that you’ll find yourself searching for new customers. Therefore, pack your content with real protein and nutrition to engage your readers over and over again.

What else would you add to this wishbone strategy? How are you ensuring your content marketing remains focused on your target audience’s needs while working to get them to close the deal?

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© Online Marketing Blog, 2011. | Thanksgiving Wishbone Competitiveness & Content Marketing Tips – Who Knew? | http://www.toprankblog.com

After seeing the nice write up by Adam Sherk on Ragan on how to write press releases Google will love, I decided to curate a list of our own Press Release Optimization tips and share them with you. Plus Lee’s added a few more at the end of this post.

Essential Press Release Optimization Tips
Multiple studies have concluded that both consumers and journalists search for and read press releases.  By optimizing your press release for a specific audience the content will be easier to find and therefore attract new traffic and brand recognition .  This post provides a useful checklist and process for creating a better optimized press release.

4 Tips for Getting PR Approval on Optimized Press Releases
Integration of approved news and SEO keywords can be a daunting task.  Including Public Relations in early in the process can help alleviate problems related to SEO approval.  This post includes 4 essential tips to ensure that your optimization recommendations can be approved and impact your SEO program.

Lowdown on Press Release Optimization
Clever copywriting may not always be a best practice approach for optimizing press releases.  Why?  The objective of a press release should be to present a well written article which contains relevant keywords pertaining to the audience that you are trying to reach.

Press Release Optimization and Blogger Relations
The hardest part of news optimization is not always the optimization, it is the measurement.  Traditional PR is becoming more and more difficult as major organizations are shutting their doors or laying off employees.  An online PR strategy encourages sharing and creates a larger audience base for your news releases.

3 Reasons PR & Communications Need to Know SEO
An understanding of the needs of their “customer’s customer” has always been a very essential piece for PR agencies to remain relevant and productive.  Now with the added element of an online strategy it becomes even trickier.  This post dives into 3 ways that PR professionals can continue to provide value through a better understanding of optimizing press releases and news.

Takeaways from Lee:

[Note from Lee: Thanks to Ashley for curating some of our advice on Press Release SEO that we've given over the years. The SEO tips in these posts are pretty much timeless but the increasing influences of Social Media must also be factored in to create news release content that matters to intended audiences and that inspires them to share and link.  In addition to the tips for optimizing press releases above, here are a few things worth considering:]

1. Research Google News specific keywords using Ubersuggest. Other keyword research tools like WordTracker and Wordstream focus on general search engines, but why not find out what’s popular on Google News as well?

2. Focus on a single keyword phrase and 1-3 variations per release. Most important keywords should be first in the title, but not at the expense of a compelling title. Optimize for customers first.

3. Always include an image and attach other useful images using keywords in the file names and annotations.

4. Include video as an embedded element of the release if you can. More engaging content means more shares and reach to attract links.

5. Promote your press release through a distribution service like our client PRWeb, which is very SEO friendly and effective not just because TopRank provides them with SEO advice, but because they are committed to being a great resource for small business marketers and PR professionals.

6. Syndicate and promote the RSS feed of your newsroom (assuming you publish a RSS feed) as well as the RSS feed provided by the press release distribution service. Example tools for this include: Pingomatic, Twitter Feed and posting short form or summary versions of the release with a link to it via Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn and other relevant social channels. Monitor social shares of the release and respond accordingly.

7. Write your news as an article. Try experimenting with creating a timely and newsworthy article format for your news release vs. traditional press release style. It might inspire more editorial pickups and links.

8. Create a series of press releases. Don’t treat your release like a one night stand. Build awareness and momentum with news distribution by creating a series of press releases or at least coordinating releases with other content marketing and online PR efforts over time. One press release is NOT a silver bullet.

9. Archive press releases on your site using keyword categories. Chronological organization of past press releases is only useful for a short period of time.  But if releases can be tagged with keywords and associated with topical categories relevant to your business and the interests of the media and your customers, then they also become useful to search engines that can surface those releases where people are looking.

10. Link to press releases from other media and content. When you publish case studies, white papers, reports and ebooks, consider linking to a relevant press release. Many of those types of documents are MS Word or PDF format and you can embed links within that can be found by search engines. White papers and ebooks are often shared socially and re-published on other websites and blogs. Your document hosted on another domain name that includes links back to relevant press releases can provide a strong signal to search engines for better rankings.

What press release optimization tips have you found useful? Are you including press release SEO as part of Online PR or Content Marketing?

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© Online Marketing Blog, 2011. | 5 Press Release SEO Posts & 10 Bonus Tips for Better Google Rankings | http://www.toprankblog.com

• Aaron Kahlow, Chairman & Founder, Online Marketing Summit & SES Advisory Board (@omconnect)
• Arnie Kuenn, President, Vertical Measures (@arniek)
• Lee Odden, SES Advisory Board & CEO, TopRank Online Marketing & SES Advisory Board (@leeodden)

Kahlow Presents the What, Why, How, and Who of Search, Social, and Content

Aaron Kahlow focused on some very basic but essential areas that all marketers should focus on when creating a campaign either online or offline. In regards to search, social, and content he had this to share:

What is Convergence?
According to Kahlow what convergence really means is that it’ is important to understand how these disciplines work together and how they impact each other.

Why is it Important?
If marketers are able to figure out how to leverage search, social, and content efforts the return on investment can be so much greater.

How Does Convergence Make A Difference?
By incorporating search, social, and content in multiple locations you are able to set next steps for prospects. An example would be leading users to a landing page that also allows them to like your Facebook page, follow you on twitter, get a link to a free white paper or fulfillment piece.

Who Should Be Participating?
Each and every one of us as marketers has an opportunity to participate and should take the next steps necessary to get involved.

Research & Idea Generation for Content with Arnie Kuen

One of the biggest stumbling blocks for clients is trying to come up with ideas for content that will engage customers. If a prospect is searching online one of two things will happen. They will find you, or they will find your competitors.

Why Should You Focus On Content?
A study conducted by GroupM Search found the following:

• 93% of all buyers online or in stores use search prior to making a purchase
• 86% of searchers conduct non-branded queries.
• 94% of buyers click on organic links versus 6% on paid links for branded queries.

What is the Path to Success?
Kuen provided a series of steps that will not only build foundational success but allow for killer implementation. Included were:

• Start with keyword research
• Do online research
• Determine types of content to create
• List the possibilities
• Put together a calendar

If Peanut Butter & Jelly Could Talk with Lee Odden

Marketers often get in the habit of optimizing strictly for keywords. What marketers should focus on is optimizing for customers and optimizing for outcomes. Odden went on to compare search, social, and content to a PB&J sandwich. It simply wouldn’t be the same without all of the ingredients. According to Odden Peanut Butter is the SEO, Jelly is the social media, and Bread is the content.

Optimized State of Mind
The evolution of SEO will continue to keep marketers on their toes. It is important that marketers understand that anything that can be displayed in search results can be optimized. By making sure that your content is optimized for keywords related to the audience you are trying to reach will put you on the path towards success.

Optimize For Consumer Behavior & Engagement
Knowing what it is that influences your customers is key in determining an content marketing strategy. Some examples of optimizing for consumer consumption would include determining the following:

• What devices do your consumers use?
• What format of information do they prefer?
• What different types of media can be used?
• What types of information would be useful?
• What time of day and frequency would they prefer?
• What topics and keywords are important to them?

Search, Social, and Content Takeaways

• Always know what, why, how, and who of creating a search, social, and content strategy.
• Research is essential in creating an educated marketing plan.
• Build the foundation for success.
• Take a customer centric approach
• Practice proactive optimization

Trying to find the forest through the trees can prove very difficult as it relates to marketing search, social, and content planning. However, what we learned from the speakers today was that doing your homework and building your plan the right way can produce enormous return on investment. I’m curious to know what process you as marketers have found works for creating an integrated online marketing strategy?

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© Online Marketing Blog, 2011. | Search, Social, & Content Work Together at SES Chicago 2011 | http://www.toprankblog.com

For many years search has been the backbone of internet marketing. While effective on its own for a range of marketing objectives, namely product sales and lead generation, it’s the integration with other digital marketing tactics that can really elevate marketing program effectiveness.

It’s important for marketers to think more holistically about their search marketing programs because with brands and consumers empowered to publish 24/7 via mobile, tablet or computer, we live in an age of information overload. Increased competition for consumer attention, interest and engagement means marketing messages must do more to stand out and focus not only on transactional outcomes, but influence and branding.

For consumers, Google has been an effective filter for the billions of documents in its index handling over 11 billion searches per month on Google.com alone. But search isn’t enough to carry the day in most internet marketing programs.

There are challenges for marketers and for Google in anticipating changing consumer interests and the language used with search activity. Of the daily queries on Google, 16% have never been seen before. How can you keyword optimize and advertise for what’s never been searched on? How can advertisers tap into the ebb and flow of relevant topics that represent consumer interest, word of mouth and influence?

A bit part of that solution is the shift towards optimizing for customers and outcomes vs. a sole focus on keywords.  Search terms are often seen as an objective when they are really a manifestation of what buyers care about relevant to the brand’s offering. Understanding customer needs, pain points and interests is the gateway to mining keyword data effectively. Of course determining keyword performance with organic search (with Google) is becoming much more difficult. However, Google AdWords advertisers won’t have that problem since keyword referrer data is not being masked on PPC traffic.

Search ads are highly effective and according to Google, search advertisers realize a 7:1 ROI on investments in search-based internet marketing.  But search is changing even faster than in the past with continuous improvements in infrastructure and technology, changing online consumer behaviors and of course the growing influence of social media and mobile. Companies have not necessarily been quick to adapt to such changes as evidenced (for example) by the fact that only 33% of advertisers have a mobile optimized website.

Social media has been capturing the biggest share of media attention in the internet marketing world and it’s often warranted. Social networks have facilitated major changes from revolutionizing online gaming to facilitating revolutions in countries.  However, social media investment is a kitten’s meow compared to the lion’s roar of search marketing budgets.

According to Forrester’s most recent Interactive Marketing Forecasts (2011 – 2016) for the U.S., interactive spend is to reach $76.6 billion by 2016. While social media spending will increase about 6% in that time, 43% of the overall interactive forecast by 2016 will be search marketing.

That said, the combination of social and search may be even more powerful and as marketers realize the benefit of integration, many will see significant returns. This is something we’ve been proponents of for many years at TopRank Online Marketing whether it’s optimizing social media content for better visibility in search results to incorporating social sharing features in online advertising and media.

The combination of social media with search is more than compelling. GroupM and comScore published a report called “The Virtuous Circle: The Role of Search and Social Media in the Purchase Pathway” which revealed that only 1% of respondents were led to purchase by social media alone. More than half (51%) arrived at purchase by search alone and 48% by a combination of search and social media. For even casual observers of the internet marketing space, it’s easy to see that the effect of that combined interaction will only increase in the future.

In response to the massive competition for online attention and changes in both consumer behaviors and expectations, I believe there are 3 areas marketers can optimize for a more strategic and holistic approach to successful internet marketing:

1. Optimize for Discovery – How does your target audience prefer to find information? Search, Social, Email, Advertising, Word of Mouth. What devices do they use? When are they most likley to search, socialize or purchase?

2. Optimize for Consumption – What content formats and media types does your community prefer? Do they like long or short form? Text, images, audio or video?

3. Optimize for Engagement – What messages, topics and contexts motivate your community to interact, share and convert?

There’s a diversity of influences for consumers as they discover, consume and engage with content and advertising messages online. An integrated approach that empathizes with consumer needs, pain points and position in the buying cycle will help marketers improve their relevance and effectiveness while providing for a better user experience with their target audience.

Within the universe of customer influences and experiences there’s a constellation of opportunities for online marketers to attract, inspire and engage their target audiences.  A holistic mix of paid, owned, earned and social media provides marketers a much better platform for attracting, engaging and activating customers. The question for marketers to answer is, “Do you know enough about your customers, where they spend time online, what they’re influenced by and what key messages and experiences with motivate them to action?”

How are you integrating paid search or even organic search with social media, content, email and other forms of online marketing?  Have you had any obstacles in getting integrated search programs budgeted? Implemented?

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© Online Marketing Blog, 2011. | The Power of Integrated Search Marketing in a Social Media World | http://www.toprankblog.com

Marketers must prioritize what will work best and in the mix of online marketing tactics. According to eMarketer, SEO and PPC have been rated the most effective for conversions and ROI and while some companies are using software like PPC management tools to make things easier, there’s a lot more to consider for better segmentation.

With any type of marketing, relevance is essential for achieving a profitable program.  When it comes to search marketing, understanding customers, the keyword searches they use and the offers they’re most likely to respond to are essential.

In order to move your online marketing from fragmented to prioritized and more relevant through search, here are 3 key concepts search marketers should master.

1. Understand searcher personas

It’s fundamental marketing to anticipate and understand customer needs.

To really make a difference with more targeted online marketing, search marketers need to become more sophisticated in their understanding of customer profiles and developing personas to represent who they’re trying to attract via search. Delivering generic content to a searcher looking for a specific product is a common mistake that creates a disconnect for search engines and customers.

“Searcher personas and search acquisition workflows are integral to the way I approach search strategy. Before you can start attracting visitors to your web site, you need to know who you are attracting and why.” Vanessa Fox

Knowing what kind of content and types of digital assets your customers will respond to can improve effectiveness at driving “organic” search  traffic.  The same goes for designing Pay Per Click ads and landing pages that are relevant to the needs of customers you really want to reach.

2. Develop an ideal keyword mix

Many companies start with a list of keywords they think are best for SEO and implement them with on-page optimization and link building.  According to MarketingSherpa’s 2011 Search Marketing Benchmark Report (SEO Edition), 67% of small businesses place more value on on-page optimization over keyword research. Don’t make the mistake of thinking your ideas about keywords are more important than those of your customers.

Developing a keyword glossary is essential and starts by collecting a raw list of concepts, topics and phrases from sources like website content, interviews with front line employees and actual customers, competitor web sites and good old fashioned brainstorming.  That raw list is brought into a keyword research tool that will output provide a list of actual search phrases plus variations sorted by popularity.

Understanding keywords from the perspective of the searcher and where they are in the buying process allows the search marketer to properly optimize content, landing pages and ads accordingly. Same goes for making the ads and landing pages more relevant because it leads to better performance with click through rates and conversions.

From an organic perspective, specifically optimized pages that have attracted relevant links from other related web sites will result in higher rankings for keywords that are being targeted. Customers will self-segment themselves with the search terms they use. By developing an ideal keyword mix that is focused on customer needs and the solutions offered by your products and services, your search marketing efforts will better target customers in a relevant way and increase sales.

3. Optimize content for specifics

Content can mean web pages, digital assets and any other documents that can be optimized for organic search.  Optimization also applies to landing pages used with pay per click advertising to improve quality score. If you read Online Marketing Blog with any frequency, you know my mantra: “If it can be searched, it can be optimized.”

If you don’t have enough content to accommodate all the keywords you’re targeting, then you have an opportunity to create more content.  A common misconception is that updated content is important, when the reality is that adding new content that reflects the search needs of customers is what’s important. The addition of every new web page means another potential entry point to your web site via a link or search.

Being focused helps search engines understand and rank pages so that customers get what they’re actually looking for. Delivering on the promise of a compelling search result is priceless for conversions.

Wrap-up

Fragmented marketing with search helps no one. Marketers would do well for themselves and the customers they’re tying to reach by paying attention to the development of searcher personas, developing quality keyword research and optimizing specific pages and digital assets for specific phrases according the searcher needs in the buying cycle. As a result, you’ll deliver a more relevant experience for both search engines and customers.

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© Online Marketing Blog, 2010. | Moving from Fragmented to Segmented Online Marketing | http://www.toprankblog.com

Even though Search Marketing presents an attractive opportunity to grow online sales, many businesses are too busy running their companies to stay on top of future trends. To that end, here are three search marketing trends worth paying attention to:

1.  Online & Offline Marketing Integration - Forrester Research estimates $917 billion worth of retail sales in 2009 were “Web-influenced” in contrast to $155 billion of consumer goods sold online in the same year.  Small businesses must pay attention to customer search online influencing offline purchases as well as the influence of the in-store experience on searching and purchasing online.

2.  Mobile Device and Local Search – Companies must recognize consumer trends towards mobile search with the proliferation of smart phones. The web experience has definitively extended beyond the personal computer to mobile devices such as iPhones, Blackberries and iPads.  Marketers must understand their customers’ use of mobile search and what the marketing opportunities are.

Companies that serve customers in specific regions or with geographically specific needs must be present in local search results, map results and specific geo-location queries. Segmenting potential customers through geo targeting with paid search advertisements will help focus the right ads on the right customers.

3.  Social Media Advertising – Savvy small business marketers are increasingly realizing that the opportunity to reach customers extends beyond traditional paid search into the booming social media space. Having surpassed Google as the most visited website for the week ending March 13, 2010 and with over 400 million registered users, Facebook offers a significant audience that shouldn’t be ignored.  Social networks like Facebook can provide online marketers hyper-targeted advertising opportunities that can tap into new customer segments and serve as a complement to other paid search programs.

Whether it’s incorporating online and offline influences with search marketing, diversifying PPC advertising networks, leveraging local and mobile search marketing or extending advertising programs to include social media, small business marketers that capitalize on these trends will gain a competitive advantage. Of course, if they hire an online marketing agency like TopRank Marketing, that advantage may come even faster.

This post was excerpted from my article that was originally published on American Express OPEN Forum. Be sure to visit 5 Search Engine Marketing Trends That Impact Your Business for the other 2 trends.

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© Online Marketing Blog, 2010. | 3 Essential Small Business Search Marketing Trends | http://www.toprankblog.com

One of the most insightful voices in the online marketing industry when it comes to advertising is Max Kalehoff of Clickable. I was introduced to Max at a Search Insider Summit conference several years ago with very high regard by David Berkowitz, another intelligent voice in the industry, so I knew immediately he was someone to pay attention to.

Max’s company recently announced the addition of Facebook Advertising to their PPC management platform and he was very kind to take the time to answer several detailed questions about social media advertising on the Clickable platform, the future of the online advertising industry, slimy SEO middlemen, how he stays current and blogging about his Weber grill.

1. You have impressive credentials in the interactive marketing industry with your experience working at Jupiter, comScore and Nielsen. How did you come to work with Clickable?

It’s mostly luck. I’ve been fortunate to work with a series of successful startup teams and entrepreneurs that played a key role in shaping the Internet. I came to Clickable from Nielsen, which bought our last startup, BuzzMetrics, the pioneer in social media measurement and research. I admire Nielsen and have many close friends there, but I wanted to build things and innovate again in a startup environment. Fred Wilson from Union Square Ventures, a Clickable investor, introduced me to David Kidder and Munish Gandhi, Clickable’s co-founders. I shared their vision for helping businesses succeed by simplifying online advertising. We quickly became friends and colleagues and the rest is history.

What’s behind your passion for building early stage companies?

Ever since I was a little kid, I’ve been passionate about building things, solving creative problems and exploring new territory. I’ve always tried to live out those passions through education, work, hobbies and family life. With work, entrepreneurial ventures are the best outlets for those passions.

When I was in college, I started two summer businesses. The first was sailboat charter business, and the second was a Web development consultancy. Post college, I spent a few years in the marketing agency business but soon threw myself into technology and Web startup life. There’s nothing more invigorating than working closely with a group of like-minded, passionate people trying to change the world. Big companies have their purpose, but nimble upstarts attract smart people who crave abstract problems, peer-to-peer learning, mastery, self-imposed discipline and persistence. Upstarts also require a lot of risk-taking, serendipity and authentic discovery.

To me, that’s the only way to live. And given the mess our world is in, we need more of these minds and ventures to invent our way to a better future.

For the uninitiated, what is Clickable and what types of companies should be using it?

Clickable is a software-as-a-service platform that makes online advertising simple, instant and profitable. Our tools empower beginners to professionals, and companies of all sizes, to maximize their advertising investment. We have three core products: Our flagship Pro tool is a simple dashboard that empowers marketers to manage online advertising with transformational return on investment. Clickable Pro activates instantly with an intuitive experience that makes it easy to manage performance across all major advertising networks, like Google, Yahoo, Microsoft and, now, Facebook.

Clickable Pro is complemented by Clickable Assist, a managed service that delivers agile assistance to maximize online advertising success. Finally, Clickable Platform is a white-label solution for big services companies to rapidly deploy large-scale online advertising programs to their local business customers under their own brands.

We have a simple purpose that ties everything together: to help businesses survive and thrive by simplifying online advertising success. We pursue that purpose by living up to three core values that comprise our DNA:

• 7:1 – The 7:1 ratio of good to bad acknowledges we’re not perfect. This is a powerful admission that enables us to listen better and constantly improve. This underlies transparency, trust and collaboration with each other and our customers.
• Simplicity – Our complex world is desperate for simplicity. Simplicity is difficult, yet it creates value, differentiation and opportunity. That’s why we make everything simple and beautiful.
• And – We are multidimensional. We innovate constantly to perfect our product-to-market fit … And we are a competitive sales culture that closes business. We celebrate both.

Recently the Clickable ad management platform announced the incorporation of Facebook ads.  Being able to track Facebook and search marketing PPC programs side by side seems a significant opportunity for all.  What should advertisers, especially small and medium sized businesses that you serve, expect from social media advertising? What kind of advice do you give to temper expectations? Or do you even need to?

We first removed the complexity that prevented marketers from expanding into search networks besides Google AdWords, by introducing a simple interface that marketers could use to manage all of their search marketing campaigns. It’s become clear that the next place where marketers want a simple, effective solution is on the world’s largest social network: Facebook.

With over 400 million members, Facebook introduces a new way to advertise that complements search marketing. Using extensive demographic targeting criteria, advertisers on Facebook can get out ahead of their customers and create demand that they can later capture with their search campaigns. Marketers can also use Facebook to promote their brands and drive direct sales. Indeed, this is new territory for everyone. We look forward to experimenting with our advertisers to surface best practices and customer profiles that achieve success.

In the course of doing business with many SMBs in conjunction with TopRankSMB, a surprising number of marketers mention having “tried PPC and it didn’t work”.  In most cases it’s due to a lack of knowledge, tools and time to gain the knowledge to run a successful search marketing ad campaign. What advice do you find yourself or your company giving SMBs most often in regard to online advertising? What tips can you give to those just starting out?

Indeed, we found that up to 50% of SMBs that try online advertising don’t succeed, primarily because of complexity. Similarly, a recent study we conducted on SMBs indicated that roughly half don’t properly track conversions. Knowing conversions is the first step in how an advertiser defines success, whether it’s generating a lead, having someone fill in a form or making a sale. Tracking conversions is important in directing your ad investment to the keywords that will drive the greatest return on investment. There’s a lot of talk about efficiency of click-throughs and cost-per-click, but in the end what really matters is the return on your ad spend, and the profitability of your business.

Our most common advice? First, make sure you are tracking your results, and don’t do anything until your analytics are effectively in place. Second, embrace “goal-based advertising” — that is, make investments only toward very specific and realistic business goals. That requires determining the monetary value of your goals, and figuring out which of your services and products have enough potential to justify spend. Finally, invest the time to get educated in PPC and do it right, or hire sometime to do it for you. Otherwise, you will quickly become another statistic in the “tried PPC and it didn’t work” category. That’s a disadvantageous outcome for most businesses.

You really hit a nerve with, Brands: Beware Of Slimy SEO Middlemen Meddling Through Social Media.  The behavior of the SEO account exec you interacted with is strikingly similar to how many media relations people and start-up business owners behave when they pitch us to write about them on Online Marketing Blog. It’s often a bucket of fake suck-uppiness wrapped around a pitch for a single, short term outcome. It’s sad because something far more significant could be achieved if they looked past the one “placement”. Client demands drive a lot of this behavior and agencies of all types (SEO and PR) often comply. What’s your advice on creating a more meaningful connection with bloggers?

My advice for creating a more meaningful connection with bloggers is the same as my advice for success in life: Give more value than you take. If you provide unselfish value, then people will  become attracted to you and they will advocate you. Advocacy may result in links, testimonials, business referrals, constructive feedback, partnership, loyalty and friendship. But calculating relationships purely based on SEO objectives can quickly become a risk to your brand. It’s that simple.

I like that you can switch from “My New Weber Grill” to “Social and Search Advertising“.  As an accomplished and long time blogger, what advice do you have for other interactive and marketing types for blogging over the long haul? How has your own blog affected your career and work?  How satisfied are you with your corporate blogging efforts?

It’s important to acknowledge that despite all the experts and gurus, the Social Media and Interactive bible is far from completion. We’re only in the beginning of the first chapter, and we’re all students. With that in mind, I think more successful blogging and social media efforts have a defined purpose, goals and room for lots of experimentation.

My personal blog is very much me, reflecting the perpetual blur between my professional and home life. They are impossible to separate, and the tension between the two is what makes life interesting. My blog has created an online presence that’s delivered myriad opportunities. It’s led to new business, new friendships, introspection and (in some cases) breaktrhough ideas. I also believe a personal blog is the best laboratory to become fluent and personally vested in interactive technologies. The learning I gained from my personal blogging endeavors directly contributed to some of our more successful interactive marketing strategies at Clickable.

I know we’re already into Q2 but what predictions can you offer on the future of paid search for the rest of 2010?  What are your thoughts on: Microsoft and Yahoo, Mobile PPC, sponsored social content or what’s next for Google and it’s array of advertising opportunities?

Our Q1 2010 analysis of search spending among advertisers on the Clickable Platform reveals that budgets are significantly higher in Q1 versus year-ago, suggesting an economic and advertising rebound. We have seen 75% of our advertisers increase their budgets versus year-ago, while 25% maintained flat or slightly decreased budgets. Based on Q1, we forecast that 2010 full-year search budgets will increase anywhere between 10% and 30% versus 2009. Meanwhile, search budgets are diversifying in terms of network distribution. Microsoft/Bing seems to be gaining ground on Yahoo and Google. Last year, only 5% of customers were using Microsoft/Bing, while currently this percentage is at 9%.

We believe one of the big stories in 2010 will be gains in social-network advertising, particularly Facebook. Inefficiencies and behavioral friction have prevented serious experimental dollars to shift, especially among PPC marketers.  Social advertising will grow dramatically in 2010 as the major social networks surface in third-party management tools, as well as improve their own self-serve dashboards. A lot of advertisers are highly interested in seizing new opportunities to connect with customers. Mobile advertising is picking up speed, but won’t be terribly relevant for most advertisers in 2010.

You blog and write for MediaPost which I recommend people read. How do you stay current yourself? Do you have a short list of industry conferences, blogs, newsletters, Twitter handles or books that you’d recommend?

I read a mix of news aggregators and thinkers in strategy, venture capital, tech and media, including: TechMeme, John Hagel, Fred Wilson, Umaire Haque, Jeff Jarvis, All Things Digital, TechCrunch, BusinessInsider, NYTimes Bits and (of course) TopRank’s Online Marketing Blog. While I write a weekly opinion column for MediaPost, I believe it’s one of the most thorough and ubiquitous sources of hard news in the interactive advertising industry.

I’m also blessed with a quirky list of friends whom I pay close attention to on Twitter, and they reward me with serendipity, personal tips and reading recommendations. I’ve not read any good business books in years, so I’ve abandoned them for fiction, history and poetry. The market is saturated with conferences and good ones are becoming rare; the best ones tend to be grass roots, niche and local, like many Meetups. We co-founded the New York SEMPO Search Meetup, which now has a passionate following of more than 1,000 members. We also founded and run Interesting Cafe, a discussion series that features some of the greatest living innovators in tech, media, culture and science. Small, passionate gatherings like these have the most profound and positive impact.

Thanks Max!

Max Kalehoff is vice president of marketing for Clickable, a platform that makes online advertising simple, instant and profitable. He also authors AttentionMax.

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© Online Marketing Blog, 2010. | Max Kalehoff on Social Media Advertising, Blogging & the Future of Paid Search | http://www.toprankblog.com

Resolve to give your online marketing efforts a boost this year by recognizing areas for improvement and putting in place a plan to make positive changes.

To help you get started, TopRank Online Marketing has come up with New Year’s resolutions for 5 different online marketing channels: Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Social Media, Email Marketing, Pay-Per-Click and Mobile Marketing.

1. SEO:

I resolve to focus more on maximizing visits and conversions from organic searches.
With SEO efforts, it’s easy to get caught up in one goal: getting found via the search engines. But ranking in the search results is only half the story. If potential customers aren’t clicking through to your web page – or other piece of digital content – the ranking doesn’t mean much. Plus, due to variances in what each of us sees in the search results for the same query, rankings as metric are no longer as useful. Personalized search results according to location and web history means your site might rank high for one person, but not another.

Maximize the success of your online marketing efforts by analyzing your metrics report to determine which pieces of digital content are highly visible but producing less than ideal traffic results. Then take some time to ask yourself these questions:

• What competitive search results are your potential customers seeing? Assess the title tags and meta descriptions of competitive search results. Are competitors offering customers a free case study or a complimentary product sample? Then consider ways to make your own title tags and meta descriptions out-entice the competition.
• Does your content live up to the promise put forth in your title tags and meta descriptions? Put yourself in your customers’ shoes: When you first visit your web page or other digital content from an organic search, is the content you find relevant? Potential customers don’t want surprises; they want a solution to the problem that caused them to search in the first place. And they want it as promised.

Not only will searchers respond more favorably to customer optimized titles and meta descriptions, but the increase in clickthroughs will, no doubt, be noticed by search engines and may influence subsequent rankings.

2. Social Media:

I resolve to set goals and track the results of my social media efforts.
There’s no denying that social media is more difficult to justify in terms of ROI compared to other online marketing strategies.  But that’s not to say it’s impossible – or that tracking results should be placed on the back burner. And without goals, it’s pretty difficult to measure success. In 2010, put forth even more effort to set goals for social media participation and tie results back to specific tactics.

There are a host of free or near-free tools available to gauge brand mentions and traffic from social media channels. In December, we highlighted 5 of these social media monitoring tools.

Tracking results via social media monitoring tools is just a start. Those results must be tied back to business goals. Potential goals might be:

• Develop better customer relationships
• Reputation management
• Identify and energize brand evangelists
• Increase brand awareness
• Increase relevant visitor traffic
• Improve standard and social search engine visibility
• Build up a list for email marketing
• Increase leads or sales

Without setting specific goals upfront, social media efforts can’t be definitively quantified so be sure to implement a Social Media Roadmap and all or social bases will be covered.

3. Email Marketing:

I resolve to integrate my email marketing with other online marketing channels.
Regardless of what the naysayers may say, email marketing isn’t going to disappear as a result of social media in 2010. In fact, email will continue to play a significant role in most online marketing mixes this year. A study from Silverpop found nearly half of marketers surveyed plan to increase email marketing budgets in 2010.

That’s not to say email marketing efforts shouldn’t evolve with the times. Integrating email with social media is on par to be a popular resolution for 2010: A recent eMarketer report found 40% of executives surveyed will make integrating the two tactics their top marketing initiative this year. Another 25% of respondents have already implemented an integrated strategy.

Pledge to take email marketing to the next level by encouraging email subscribers to not only forward content via email, but also to get social with email and share it via Facebook, Twitter, Digg and other sites. Conversely, conduct a poll on Twitter or your blog, and encourage followers and readers to subscribe to your e-newsletter for the results.

4. PPC:

I resolve to maximize conversion rates by testing different versions of my ads and landing pages.
Most companies using self-serve pay per click programs fall victim to “set it and forget it” habits. They’re busy with numerous other marketing activities or don’t have the time to really get to know the native bid management platforms and test/refine campaigns. Even if PPC efforts are reaching set goals in terms of conversion rates, there’s always room for improvement. You’ll never know until you try.

Consider these three ideas for testing different elements of your PPC campaigns:

• Test multiple ad versions that highlight different benefits of your product, service or company. For example, one could tout cost-savings benefits, while another emphasizes a convenience aspect.
• Use A/B testing to try out two different headlines on your landing page. Again, each could speak to a different benefit (i.e., cost savings vs. convenience). Google Optimizer is a great tool for this.
• If you’re targeting a competitive search term with many competing ads, consider launching two different campaigns simultaneously. Each could offer a distinct piece of fulfillment – a free case study and a product coupon, for example.

A few tools for testing include:

• A/B Testing resources: (Google Website Optimizer, 7 Free Resources)
• Multivariate Testing service: (Omniture)
• Heatmap & User Testing tools: (CrazyEgg, Clickdensity, Clicktale, userfly andEyetools)

5. Mobile:

I resolve to rethink my website design for mobile users.
If your site isn’t already optimized for handheld devices such as cell phones, now is the perfect time to re-assess your site design and how users find your site through mobile search – particularly for B2C companies.

In October, ABI Research forecast that mobile sales of physical goods in North America would reach $750 million by the end of 2009, a 117% annual growth rate. Consumers are doing a lot more than purchasing downloadable cell phone ringtones and games from their mobile devices. These days, clothing, electronics, books and a host of other items are being purchased through mobile commerce. Additionally, social network participation through services like foursquare, Facebook and Twitter are growing dramatically, creating additional opportunities for promotion and traffic to the mobile version of your company web site.

When optimizing web pages for the mobile web, consider a few tips:

• Keep fonts in their most basic format
• Eliminate advertising to conserve screen space
• Take out images unless they are absolutely necessary
• Remove Flash, Java or any plug-in content unless absolutely necessary

Online Marketing Efforts in 2010
As you make your own personal New Year’s resolutions to drop a few pounds, start a savings account or join a gym, don’t forget your online marketing efforts. Each year provides a fresh start and endless possibilities, so take advantage.

What resolutions do you plan to make in 2010 to improve your online marketing efforts?

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© Online Marketing Blog, 2010. | 5 Online Marketing Resolutions for 2010 | http://www.toprankblog.com

TopRank BIGLIST of Search Marketing Resources

How do new marketers learn SEO and Pay Per Click? How do professionals stay current with search marketing tactics considering the sheer volume of social media distraction?  Last month we ran a poll of Online Marketing Blog readers to discover preferences for learning and staying up to date with current search engine marketing strategies and tactics.  Below are the top categories selected by readers. However, we’ve taken it a step further and listed over 100 different resources for marketers to start, maintain or advance their level of SEO, PPC and any other type of search based marketing. Enjoy!

Search Engine Marketing Blogs

• TopRank’s BIGLIST of over 400 Search Marketing Blogs (updated weekly/monthly since Jan 2007)
• invesp Ranked List of Top SEO Blogs
• Daily Blog Tips Top 25 SEO Blogs
• HuoMah Big Ass List of SEO Blogs
• FutureBuzz Essential List of Marketing & SEO Blogs
• SEOmoz Ranking 50 Top Blogs in the Search Space (2006)
• SEOBook SEO Blogs and Search Engine Blogs (2006)
• Fantomas SEO / SEM Blogs (2005)

SEO/SEM Blog Aggregators:

• SEOmash
• SocialBRoll
• SEOalltop
• Original Signal SEO Blogs
• SearchBrains

Testing Tactics on Your Own Web Sites

• A/B Testing resources: (Google Website Optimizer, 7 Free Resources)
• Multivariate Testing service: (Omniture)
• Heatmap & User Testing tools: (CrazyEgg, Clickdensity, Clicktale, userfly and Eyetools)
• Web Analytics tools: (Google, WebTrends, Omniture SiteCatalyst, Unica NetInsight, Lyris HQ,  Clicky, Yahoo, BLVD Status)
• Ranking Software: (Advanced Web Rankings, WebPosition, Web CEO)

Search Engine Marketing Forums

• WebmasterWorld
• Google Webmaster Help
• Sphinn
• Bing Webmaster Community
• Search Engine Watch
• High Rankings
• SitePoint
• SEOChat
• Search Engine Roundtable
• Cre8asite Forums
• Search Engine Forums
• WebProWorld
• Digital Point
• syndk8

Paid Subscription SEM Communities

• SEOmoz
• SEOBook
• WebmasterWorld Supporters
• SEO Dojo

Search Engine Marketing Webinars

• Search Marketing Now
• Search Engine Watch Free Webcasts/Webinars
• SEMPO Webinars
• Hubspot Marketing Webinars
• MarketingProfs Online SEM Seminars
• Marketing Experiments Web Clinics
• Inbound Marketing University

Search Marketing White Papers, Research, Special Reports

• Marketing Sherpa Search Marketing Benchmark Report 2009-10
• Econsultancy SEO Best Practices Guide 2009
• Google SEO Starter Guide (pdf)
• Bing SEO Guide for Webmasters
• DMNews Essential Guide to Search Marketing 2009
• Internet Retailer 2010 Search Marketing Guide
• Shop.org Research & Reports

SEO & SEM Email Newsletters

• Search Engine Land Search Cap
• WebProNews
• Search Engine Watch SearchDay
• Bruce Clay
• High Rankings Advisor
• Around the Net in Search Marketing – MediaPost
• SEO Geeks
• Search Insider – MediaPost
• BtoB Hands On Search
• Chief Marketer
• SearchLine – Direct
• Masters of eCommerce – eTail

Online Groups for Search Marketers (Facebook, LinkedIn, Ning)

• Facebook: SEO
• Facebook: PPC
• LinkedIn: SEO
• LinkedIn: PPC
• Ning: SEO
• Ning: PPC

The Big SEM Conferences

• Search Engine Strategies
• WebmasterWorld Pubcon
• Search Marketing Expo
• Affiliate Summit

SEM Consultant/Agency Advice

• TopRank Online Marketing – That’s right, we put our own agency  - The reality is, your current SEO/SEM agency or consultant should offer some kind of ongoing education and/or training on top of ongoing consulting services. If not, call us!

Print Magazines

• Website Magazine
• Search Marketing Standard
• SES Magazine
• OMMA
• Internet Retailer
• BtoB Search
• DM News: Search Marketing
• Target Marketing: Search & Social

Offline Networking Groups or Meetups

• SEO Meetups
• PPC Meetups

Books on SEM

• SEO Warrior – John I. Jerkovic
• Art of SEO – Eric Enge, Stephan Spencer, Rand Fishkin, Jessie C. Stricchiola
• Search Engine Marketing Inc, 2nd Edition – Mike Moran & Bill Hunt
• Search Engine Optimization: An Hour a Day – Jennifer Grappone & Gradiva Couzin
• The Truth about Search Engine Optimization – Rebecca Lieb
• Search Engine Visibility, 2nd Edition – Shari Thurow
• SEO: Search Engine Optimization Bible – Jerri L. Ledford
• SEO Made Simple - Michael H. Fleischner
• Search Engine Optimization: Your Visual Blueprint for Effective Internet Marketing – Kristopher B. Jones
• Don’t Make Me Think: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability, 2nd Edition – Steve Krug
• Building Findable Websites: Web Standards SEO and Beyond – Aarron Walter
• The Findability Formula: Easy, Non-Technical Approach to SEM -
• Ultimate Guide to Google AdWords – Perry Marshall & Bryan Todd
• Winning Results with Google AdWords, 2nd Edition – Andrew Goodman
• Google Advertising Tools – Harold Davis
• Landing Page Optimization – Tim Ash
• Website Optimization: Speed, Search Engine & Conversion Rate Secrets – Andrew King
• Inbound Marketing - Brian Halligan & Dharmesh Shah
• Best Selling “SEO” books on Amazon
• No, SEOBook is no longer available
• Coming 2010: Search Engine Optimization Secrets – Danny Dover
• Coming 2010: Marketing in the Age of Google – Vanessa Fox

Niche or Regional SEO/SEM Conferences and Workshops

• International Search Summit
• PPC Summit
• IM Springbreak
• Online Marketing Summit
• Scary SEO
• SearchFest
• thinkvisibility
• SEM Training London (Incisive)
• SMX Advanced
• SEO Events on Upcoming
• Google AdWords Seminars for Success
• Search Exchange
• SEOktoberfest

Search Marketing Industry Web Sites

• Search Engine Land
• Search Engine Watch
• Pandia
• SEOBook
• SEOMoz
• Practical Ecommerce
• SEO Chat
• Search Engine Guide
• iMedia Connection: Search

SEM Workshops, Training & Certifications

• Web Analytics Association Courses
• Bruce Clay Training
• High Rankings SEO Classes
• DMA Search Marketing Certification
• SEMPO Institute
• Market Motive
• Online Marketing Institute
• Search Engine College

Search Marketers on Twitter

• 30 Must Follow SEO Twitter Users
• 200+ Internet Marketing Gurus on Twitter
• Follow the Top 40 SEO Experts on Twitter in One Click
• UK  Based SEOs on Twitter
• SEO Tips
• @LeeOdden Twitter List of Search Marketers
• @Danny Sullivan Twitter List of Search Marketers

SEO & PPC Focused Podcasts

• SEO Rockstars – Daron Babin
• Office Hours – Vanessa Fox
• Webcology – Jim Hedger & Dave Davies
• PPC Rockstars – David Szetela
• SEM Synergy – Bruce Clay

What did we miss? Please share in the comments.

I took a quick poll on Twitter for some of the resources and want to thank those that made suggestions: @chrisgarrett, @scottclark, @danperry, @katemorris, @jonnytee, @Phil_EH, @steveplunkett, @chiropractic, @pratt, @kennyhyder, @kalena, @goglobalwebs, @scottdeto, @thashow.

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© Online Marketing Blog, 2009. | TopRank BIGLIST of 100+ Search Marketing Resources | http://www.toprankblog.com

TopRank has continuously evolved over the past 8+ years to become a well known and authoritative brand in the Search, Social and Online Public Relations space.  Our clients include an engaging mix of companies ranging from start-ups like Marketo, a marketing automation software company, to the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), to the Fortune 20 such as McKesson, a $100 billion healthcare services company.

As one of the leading internet marketing agencies in the Midwest, TopRank Online Marketing has a fantastic opportunity for an experienced Search Marketing Account Manager to join our team of dedicated, client-focused internet marketing professionals.  While plenty of advertising, public relations and interactive agencies are downsizing, TopRank is growing smarter with new team members. Could you be our next Superstar?

Don’t just take my word on it, read what Adam Singer, our newest Account Manager at TopRank has to say:

“Working with TopRank is challenging, exciting and inspirational from my perspective as someone new to the team, but not new to the Internet marketing industry.  If you enjoy a fast-paced environment working with a knowledgeable team and have the drive to succeed, TopRank is second-to-none.”

The ideal person for this career is passionate about internet marketing, ongoing learning and making a difference for clients.  Leadership, marketing creativity and problem solving skills combine to provide both strategic direction and the development of tactical marketing plans for clients and the TopRank teams that support them.  Success in this position means being comfortable providing guidance and consulting to the companies we serve as well as TopRank team members. Excellent communications skills and the ability to effectively work with multiple clients are essential.

Skills We’re Looking for

Prior experience with:

• Client/Account management with internet marketing programs
• Digital marketing project management
• Developing client internet marketing strategy
• Search engine optimization
• Pay per click
• Social media marketing
• Directing team execution of tactics

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© Online Marketing Blog, 2009. | Careers at TopRank: SEM Account Manager | http://www.toprankblog.com

Publishers of online news and media use Pay Per Click to create instant search visibility for hot and trending news stories. Here’s an example of the NY Times using AdWords to promote a story about Twitter.  You can also see from this screenshot via Spyfu, some of the topical and time sensitive keyword phrases they’ve bid on to drive traffic to news stories.

PR professionals can do the same with brand names, company names or executive names that often get searched on. PPC can be used to attract attention to specific news items, stories and content that is likely to be passed along once people get a chance to see it.  

Deciding when PPC vs SEO is appropriate has to do with the situation and goals. Use of PPC advertisements are more of an on-demand and often times a reaction to other content displayed in the left side of the search results page. An example would be running ads on brand names that have negative information in the organic search results in order to tell the other side of the story. This can be useful to attract consumer attention away from negative listings.

As an example, here is a Search Results Page for “paypal sucks” where PayPal is bidding on and displaying an ad for its brand name.

SEO for public and media relations is a long term effort and should be viewed as an ongoing investment in time and resources. SEO is most effective when it’s built into the processes of creating and promoting news content. Using the right keywords in the right places as well as making sure the PR content is crawlable by search engine spiders compliments the need to attract inbound links. 

The effect of ongoing SEO efforts (continued content creation, promotion and link building) is cumulative. The more news content on web pages and incoming links from other web sites, the wider the net that’s cast on the web from which to attract searchers. Results from SEO efforts are not often immediate so the decision to use SEO tactics should be appropriate to an ongoing commitment to see results. 

The decision is not so much whether PR professionals should use SEO or PPC, but more likely how to use both together to achieve specific goals whether they are  on-demand and reactive, or long term and proactive.

Do you know of some good PPC examples for public relations purposes? Please share in the comments.  If your company is in need of professional search engine marketing services, be sure to visit the TopRank site for case studies and resources.

This is post #3 in a series of ten, “Top Ten SEO Tips for Public Relations Professionals“.  For post #4 we’ll focus on “How to Choose the Best Keywords for Optimized Public Relations“.

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© Online Marketing Blog, 2009. | When is PPC Better Than SEO for Public Relations? | http://www.toprankblog.com

[Note from Lee: I edited some of these so any of these that are bad would be my fault. The good Haikus are all Dana and Ashley.]

Search Engine Optimization

Social Media

Blog Marketing

Online PR

Email Marketing

Feel free to share your own Haiku or any other search-inspired poetry, and keep the creative juices flowing!

[Photo credits go to: shapeshift, TahoeSunsets, Juliana S. ]

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© Online Marketing Blog, 2009. | 5 Internet Marketing Haikus from TopRank | http://www.toprankblog.com

Using real-life examples, this session promises to teach attendees the secrets top online marketers are using to beat the competition and squeeze the greatest results possible from their SEM efforts.   Topics include: PPC, SEO, landing page optimization and social media. 

Speakers are Michael Mothner, Founder & CEO and Michael Stone, Vice President, Sales & Strategy – both from Wpromote.  Some tips you may know and some you may not, but there is definitely something for everyone.

1. Always. Test. Everything
Assume that everything is broken. Ask your self by how much is it broken and how do we reduce the delta between where we are and where we want to be? Always be improving.

Make sure your ads are fresh. Tailor copy to seasonal or world events to give the sense of freshness and relevancy.

Using Google to test messages, headlines and landing page copy is more cost effective and real-time than a focus group. Understand what messages resonate prior to creating entire campaigns.

What’s hot to test right now:
a. discounts and deals
b. sense of urgency

2. Tell the Right Story to the Right Person
Know your product, know your audience and be consistent to avoid frustrating your audience.

Connect the dots between the search query, your ad and the headline/copy on the landing page.

Understand the specific keywords your target is using and deliver specific content to them.

3. Don’t be Fooled by Google Broad Match
Google broad match allows you to match 1000′s of queries to a single keyword. While it’s easy and quick, it’s not always the best option. It can match to bad keywords, just as easy as it can match to good keywords.

The problem with Google Broad Match is that the keyword phrase you see in your dashboard, isn’t necessarily the word that your ad was shown for.

How do you get the good without the bad?
Track, Learn and Adjust.
a. use search query reports. Be careful though, the bad keywords are hidden in a line item ‘all other keywords’
b. Google Analytics Raw Query Hack
Use the good keywords for AdGroups, to bid higher and customize ad text
Use the bad keywords to update negative keywords
c. server log analysis (doable, but hard)

4. Blogging & SEO
If you launch a blog, blog 3-5x per week and on average 300 words per post. Make sure you interact with the blogosphere including linking, commenting and guest blogging.

Use keyword hyperlinks and refrain from hyperlinking ‘read more’ and ‘click here’.

5. Usability Testing. Do it!
Perform user testing. It doesn’t have to be expensive or intimidating and shouldn’t only align to the HIPPOs (highest paid person’s opinion).

Put on your client hat because what’s easy to you, may be hard for others.

Use tools like crazyegg to track user actions on pages.

Make sure your site is 100% compatible with Firefox, Safari, Internet Explorer (and its different versions).

6. Forms, Funnels and Fun!
Limit navigation to make sure users don’t get lost and to minimize distractions. Make sure that you are pointing the user toward the offer so they can take an action.

Get smart with forms. Capture the information even if the form or cart is abandoned and then follow up with abandoned leads.

7. Analytics is Your Friend
HITS – how idiots track stuff. (j/k ) Think about analytics as a way to study online behavior to answer questions.

What can analytics answer?
a. how do people get to my site
b. which version of my email campaign worked better
c. where are people dropping off in the buying process

Get granular with analytics.
a. segment the total number of visitors to identify who came from where and who did what
b. document changes and compare the before-and-after to see if the change had an impact
c. create funnels and see visually where failure occurs

Goals give analytics more value.  With goals you move beyond bounce rate, exit rate and time on site and dig into questions like:
a. does my blog lead to sales
b. what is the traffic source with the highest ROI

8. Social Media
Do you tweet? Look at examples like Zappos (twitter.zappos.com).
Share your company culture and build relationships with new and existing customers.

Promote video content on YouTube to drive additional targeted users through engaging media.

Feel free to share other tips below on how to improve SEM success.

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© Online Marketing Blog, 2009. | SES NY: 8 Tips to Boost SEM Results | http://www.toprankblog.com

“Quality over quantity” applies to almost everything we encounter, from the foods we eat to the people we interact with. It certainly applies to pay-per-click ads, in which the quality of your campaigns, from keywords to ads to landing pages, takes precedence over the quantity of money you bid. Your keyword quality scores can be either a barrier of entry to ad rankings or your free pass to the head of the line. This session explores everything quality score, from what affects your score to how to improve it.

Dana Todd, CMO of Newsforce, directed a panel of four industry leaders in quality score, who take the discussion from the basics to detailed, actionable advice.

The Basics of Quality Score

Ron Jones, Search Engine Watch Expert and President/CEO of Symetri, gave a basic overview of quality score to those in need of a quick tutorial. He defined quality score as a dynamic value assigned to each keyword in your campaign which measures the quality and relevance of your ads. The higher your quality score, the lower your minimum bids.

Ron also outlined which factors influence your quality score in terms of minimum bid, ad position and placement on content sites.

• Historical click-through-rate (CTR) of each keyword, ad and display URL
• Relevance of each keyword to ad and search query or content site
• Your AdWords account history (CTR of all ads and keywords in your account)
• Ad performance on content site

The relevancy of your landing pages applies to minimum bids and content sites but does not affect keyword quality scores.

Ron also points out that other factors beyond marketer control can impact all of these things as well. As a key takeaway of his presentation, Ron recommended allocating 10-15 percent of a pay per click budget purely to testing, as testing will help you uncover which ads and landing pages result in better quality scores.

Brian Geddes, founder of bgTheory.com, continued the discussion of quality score basics with a look at why quality scores matter.

“Every time your ad could potentially show, quality score matters,” Brian said. He pointed out that a high quality score can ensure your ad is ranking higher than your competitors, even when you are paying less in your bids.

He also recommends looking at minimum bids as an indicator of quality score. By organizing your keywords from highest minimum bid to lowest, you can begin to diagnose quality score issues. Brian advised marketers to focus on keywords with a minimum bid between 0.25 and 0.50 cents, as small changes can have a big impact on quality scores in this range.

Relevancy and Quality Score

Digital Marketing and Convergence Media Consultant Kendall Allen moved the discussion beyond the basics with a look at relevancy. She gave a brief overview of the history of quality score and how ‘relevancy’ became a major player.

“With the onset of quality score, the bar has been raised and relevancy has become much more scientific if you want to approach it correctly,” Kendall advised.

Kendall focused particularly on landing page relevancy, and gave recommendations on how to improve your landing page’s relevancy in five main areas.

• Content Content should be descriptive, clear and unique to your site.
• Usability Your landing page should be useful, relevant and a direct response to the user’s search query.
• Navigation Your site should ease a user’s passage and give direct connections to what they seek.
• Transparency Landing pages should be upfront about the nature of your business and the use of a user’s personal information
• Load time Minimize any landing page redirects and create synergy between content and design.

Kendall finished her segment by suggesting marketers collaborate with all involved parties, be they the client, webmaster or whomever, to ensure all interests are aligned in creating a relevant, high quality landing page.

Improving Quality Score

“Quality score takes search back to the basics, back to the fundamentals…providing the users the direct access to finding the content they want at the time they want it,” Misty Locke, president and co-founder of Range Online Media, said.

Misty outlined a detailed plan for creating a high quality score ad campaign, from keyword selection to creative.

• Keyword building Build out all variations on trademark keywords, non-brand terms, and all product-specific long tail terms using keyword research tools, product feeds, etc.
• Keyword structure and organization All four experts agree that organization is key, and that keywords should be sorted into extremely granular groups that match up closely with corresponding ad copy.
• Keyword match types In the beginning of a campaign, include all match types for all keywords. As your campaign evolves, it should be moving towards the goal of all keywords being exact matches.
• Creative Use of dynamic keyword insertion should be limited. In an ideal situation, your ad copy and keyword groups should be so specific to one another that dynamic keyword insertion isn’t needed.
• Landing Pages Misty reminded the audience that unlike Google, MSN and Yahoo will disapprove landing pages that aren’t specific enough. Ad copy and landing page content should relate very closely to one another.

While this session was listed in the track for advanced advertisers, defined by moderator Dana Todd as those involved with pay per click for three or more years, I felt the information was comprehensive enough to apply to advertisers at all stages of the pay per click process. From learning the basics of quality score and what it impacts to how to achieve high quality scores, the four speakers in this session covered all levels of quality score understanding.

Stay current with the SES San Jose conference by checking in regularly with the TopRank Online Marketing Blog, and view more photos from the TopRank Team at TopRank on Flickr.

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© Online Marketing Blog, 2008. | SES San Jose: Ads in a Quality Score World | http://www.toprankblog.com