SXC Digital News, April 2nd, 2012
Posted by: Sean X on: April 2, 2012
Every Monday at 6am PST Sexy Digital News brings you 5 of the most useful stories I have read (out of probably 50 to a 100 each week) designed to help you get the most from digital marketing. From best business practices and technologies, to Social Media and Search techniques designed to improve your chances of marketing success.
This weeks installment brings you a wide selection; from the habits of true strategic thinkers, and search strategies for both Social Media and Google, to essential tips to manage your new Facebook Timeline business page.
6 Habits of True Strategic Thinkers
inc.com – You’re the boss, but you still spend too much time on the day-to-day. Here’s how to become the strategic leader your company needs.
CEOs Who Tweet Held in High Regard
emarketer.com – There may be new reasons for CEOs and CMOs to join the Twittersphere. According to a study by social media branding firm BRANDfog consumers and employees regard company leaders who engage on social media platforms positively.
Social SEO Strategies to Start Using Right Now
searchengineland.com – Google’s searchbots have long relied on humans to endorse relevant and useful links. Recently, however, Google upped the human ante by introducing Google Social Search. Google recognizes that one personal endorsement from…
Google Research: Even If You Rank #1 Organically, You Can Double Your Clicks With Paid Search
searchengineland.com – When marketers have scrutinized Google’s research on how organic and paid search results work together the search giant concluded that nixing the paid ads would result in a 89% drop in clicks.
15 Must Know Tips to Rock Your New Facebook Timeline Business Page
socialmediatoday.com – Yup, Facebook did it to us again. This time they have added the new timeline to business pages. With it come both good and bad changes. As I wrote in this earlier post “ Quit Blaming Facebook and Fix Your Own Marketing…
SXC Digital News, March 29th, 2012
Posted by: Sean X on: March 29, 2012
Every Monday at 6am PST Sexy Digital News brings you 5 of the most useful stories I have read (out of probably 50 to a 100 each week) designed to help you get the most from digital marketing. From best business practices and technologies, to Social Media and Search techniques designed to improve your chances of marketing success.
This weeks installment brings you a wide selection; from the magic of doing one thing at a time, and social SEO strategies, to the death of pay-per-click advertising.
The Magic of Doing One Thing at a Time
blogs.hbr.org – Why is it that between 25 and 50 per cent of people report feeling overwhelmed or burned out at work? It’s less about the number of hours we’re working, than it is about working too many continuous hours.
The 6 Habits of Strategic Thinkers
inc.com – You’re the boss, but you still spend too much time on the day-to-day. Here’s how to become the strategic leader your company needs.
Happy 6th Birthday, Twitter!
mashable.com – Jack Dorsey tweeted the first ever tweet on Twitter. The sheer fact that you can understand that sentence shows you how far Twitter has gone since then. It has become the de facto short message system of the…
Social SEO Strategies to Start Using Right Now
searchengineland.com – Google’s searchbots have long relied on humans to endorse relevant and useful links. Recently, however, Google upped the human ante by introducing Google Social Search. Google recognizes that one personal endorsement from…
The Death of Pay-Per-Click Advertising
socialmediatoday.com – For something that’s been around for just a few years, PayPer Click advertising, or PPC has become an established part of online marketing for many companies.
SXC Digital News, March 19th, 2012
Posted by: Sean X on: March 19, 2012
Every Monday at 6am PST Sexy Digital News brings you 5 of the most useful stories I have read (out of probably 50 to a 100 each week) designed to help you get the most from digital marketing. From best business practices and technologies, to Social Media and Search techniques designed to improve your chances of marketing success.
This weeks installment brings you a wide selection; from the Facebook changes that will impact your business, and how Google search should influence your marketing, to new features on Pinterest and how to track it via Google Analytics.
7 New Facebook Changes Impacting Businesses
socialmediaexaminer.com – Facebook pages are changing. And that means your business strategy will need to change.In fact, Facebook has made many new changes…
3 Ways Google Social Search Should Change Your Marketing
socialmediaexaminer.com – Since the introduction of Google+, Google has been redefining how it can provide more relevant search results.Recently Google…
Pinterest to Release New Profile Pages This Week
mashable.com – Pinterest is planning to release redesigned profiles this week, according to CEO and cofounder Ben Silbermann. “I’m so excited about it,” said Silbermann (pictured, left), who spoke at the South By Southwest conference in Austin, Texas, on Tuesday.
How to Track Traffic From Pinterest in Google Analytics
mashable.com – How many referrals does Pinterest generate? Are those visits valuable? Try these four ways to measure Pinterest using Google Analytics.
Google Research: Yes, You Still Need To Keep Buying Search Ads
searchengineland.com – Though most marketers likely think of their SEO activities and their paid search advertising as complementary, you’ve probably wondered, at one time or another, what would happen if you paused your CPC ads entirely or just cut them back dramatically.
How to teach a client about Pinterest… and help yourself while doing it
Posted by: Sean X on: February 20, 2012
Like nailing Jello to a wall, Pinterest is a bit hard to “get.” It’s fairly easy to define the concept, “scrapbooking with high viral potential,” however many people, including many of my clients, struggle to figure out if it has any worth to them.
Instead of just telling them about it, which loses some of the impact of what Pinterest actually is or can do, I decided to make a tangible example for them to see how someone like me could engage with it, and therefore spur ideation with them as to how they could use it. I have always found that “show” works better than “tell.”
For those who do not know, Pinterest is a visual curating site. If you are on the internet and see images that you just like, you can “Pin” them to a “Board” you create on Pinterest. Say you love cars, you can keep a record of car pictures you like in a place you can always go back to. And… other people can follow your love of cars that way.
For individuals the uses are easy to understand. It’s basically a place for you to keep track of stuff you like that you see online. But brands? The key here, that I continually drill into my clients heads… Read the rest of this entry »
Google Ad Sitelinks
Posted by: Sean X on: February 15, 2012
Not every page on your site is important. Ad Sitelinks
Think of this as multiplying your existing ads’ effectiveness; all thanks to the Ad Innovations team at Google
Ad Sitelinks offers a way for you to make your ads more useful and relevant to users searching for information on Google. While the standard text ad format can often provide enough information for users to find what they’re looking for, sometimes additional information is necessary to help provide the best response.
What if you’re a company that has multiple divisions or multiple pages, and you would like someone to be able to visit them from a single keyword? Just use the Ad Sitelinks extension and voilà, you can highlight the important pages on your site right up front.
Branded terms are often the most efficient keywords you can buy, but they are often the most clicked-on words adding to the cost, and brands often question what additional value they add. With the combination of Search Funnels and Ad Sites links, these debates should finally be laid to rest.
So what is the added benefit advertisers are seeing using Ad Sitelinks? According to Google a 30 percent increase in click-through rates when they are used. Combine that with the fact that a brand gets deeper site penetration to the pages they want to drive consumers to, and this is a no-brainer.
The “illusion” of efficiency in Search Engine Marketing
Posted by: Sean X on: February 13, 2012
Beware of ”Soft” costs; the cost of employee time and effort is often one of the most overlooked aspects of paid search marketing, and something I consistently bump up against.
I have often seen clients chasing the long tail in search, getting better yields, and throwing it all away in employee and agency costs. One client in particular showed me how they increased their efficiency by $200,000 a year. They were very proud Read the rest of this entry »
What does an “X” cost? Apparently $537 and counting…
Posted by: Sean X on: February 9, 2012
I have being going by the name “Sean X” for so long that I sometimes forget I have a last name. But for those who are so inclined to know, my full legal name is “Sean X Cummings.” I often get asked where the “X” came from, as if to indicate that its presence in my name was Read the rest of this entry »
Google’s “Search Funnels”
Posted by: Sean X on: February 8, 2012
Google’s Ad Innovations team doesn’t just help advertisers, it helps consumers make navigating the internet more efficient, enabling us to find what we’re looking for in the fewest possible clicks.
Paid search has long been the hallmark of simplicity, and much of it is thanks to the Ad Innovations team at Google. ”Useful, measurable, and efficient” is the mantra for this group.
Which keywords help other keywords? “Search Funnels”
First off, this is something that has profound implications for solving one of the most vexing problems in online advertising: the last cookie problem. Read the rest of this entry »
Search
Sean X on The Huffington Post
- The Mobile Signature: 'Please excsue typoo's' May 9, 2012NOTE This is an iPhone email. The iPhone keyboard is, to say the least, persnickety. Since I have neither the thumbs of a newborn, nor the texting prowess of a 13-year-old, please excuse the occasional spelling mistake. And so reads my iPhone signature line. Why should this offend anyone? And what harm is it alerting someone of this possibility? Ah, therein […]
- Top 11 Responses to 'Can We Have Your Facebook Password?' in an Interview March 27, 2012I have been embroiled in debate over employers asking potential interview candidates for their Facebook password. It is such a fundamental breach of privacy that I almost become apoplectic when I think about it. Unfortunately people applying for jobs are not in power positions, and often feel pressured to comply. As seductive as the potential job may be, do […]
- How to Teach a Client About Pinterest... and Help Yourself While Doing It March 8, 2012Like nailing Jello to a wall, Pinterest is a bit hard to "get." It's fairly easy to define the concept, "scrapbooking with high viral potential," however many people, including many of my clients, struggle to figure out if it has any worth to them. Instead of just telling them about it, which loses some of the impact of what Pinteres […]
Make your own Infographics
Sean X on iMedia
- 20 ways to use QR codes correctly May 10, 2012
- How Siri is going to completely change your job April 25, 2012If you think you can ignore something as big as Siri from a company as big as Apple, think again. Here's how to prepare for the coming revolution.
- 11 agency buzzwords you need to know March 28, 2012The endless supply of agency jargon can leave clients dizzy and disoriented. Here are the most confusing agency buzzwords defined to steady your advertising aim.
- How your agency is ripping you off December 9, 2011Intentional or not, there are countless ways your agency is ripping you off, and almost all of them can be avoided. Here are a few pointers that will help you restructure your account and save massive amounts of money.
- Why the QR code is failing October 14, 2011
I support Moo.com
Sean X on iMedia Blog
- I could write a book on the information at the sessions I attended today.I attended multiple sessions, all valuable, and was actually upset that I could not attend more. How rare is that? I could probably write a book on just the information that was available today at AdTech in the sessions I was in. So if you are in the marketing industry and you are not here, a piece of advice. Get to an AdTech! One of the most interesting ses […]
- This is the Year of… "Everything"From the activity on the floor, to the bravado of its attendees, the marketing industry, and more specifically the digital marketing business is thriving. The floor is packed with new exhibitors, new faces, and new energy. Of course the big boys are here... Bing and Yahoo (Right Media,) ComScore, and Amazon (Web Services,) but a surprise was more traditional […]
Drop off your laundry and go!
Sean X on SXC Marketing
- SXC Digital News, May 28th, 2012
- SXC Digital News, May 21st, 2012
- SXC Digital News, May 14th, 2012
- SXC Digital News, May 7th, 2012
- The QR Code Anti-Stupid Usage Pledge
- SXC Digital News, April 30th, 2012
- 20/20 QR Code Vision
- SXC Digital News, April 23rd, 2012
- SXC Digital News, April 16th, 2012
- SXC Digital News, April 9th, 2012
I believe in Kiva.org
I support RelayRides. Rent my car!
Internet Marketing Answers
- What is the best way for a B2B organization to position itself as a thought leader online? May 31, 2012
- Would you suggest buying Facebook Fan Page Likes/Friends for a business new to using Social Media? May 31, 2012
- What are your favourite 2 sources of information on the internet business world? May 31, 2012Mine are Mashable, The Followers and ReelSEO.
- How are you using Pinterest to turn customers into ambassadors? May 31, 2012
- How can brands produce video content that entertains and appeals to their market? Any tips? May 31, 2012
- web and social media for trainer/speake May 31, 2012I am re-entering the freelance training arena. What presence do you believe works best for expert trainers/consultants/speakers? I see many cluttered websites and others seem to lack key info. Do enquiry forms work? Should I publish prices?
- Use of Images on Web Site May 30, 2012I would like to add images to my web site. Would it be a problem to take photographs that I find online of people, resize or crop them, and add them to my site? Is a copyright violation--even if I modify them? Thanks!
- I manage Facebook pages for my clients and am discouraged by the lack of likes, comments, etc. since I've been posting ahead of time with HootSuite. I don't have time to live post all posts, nor the budget for whitelisted tools. Any recommendations? May 30, 2012
- what is your biggest pain point connected to using online survey tools? May 30, 2012Tell me your biggest pain point connected to using online survey tools.
- How do you add Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn Sharing icons to a Powerpoint presentation? May 30, 2012I'm not a coder, but looking for simple instructions to embed icons and have people share my ebooks via Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn? Anyone know of a guide or can supply basic information on steps?
- Upgrading a Website to WordPress May 30, 2012I have a directory - using MS Access / ASP. I am wanting to get that updated finally. There will also be a news section in it. With the directory - I am looking for the URLs to be something like: www.example.com/directory ie: www.example.com/social-media and the links like: www.example.com/directoryname/linktitle ie www.example.com/social-media/linkedin And […]
- SEO question : Using Keywords In Navigation May 30, 2012Which is better for your secondary navigation items using generic words or the keywords that you are targeting. Targeted keyword (Defence Conference). Should I use Defence or Defence Conference I don’t want sacrifice usability, for the sake of placing keywords. see screen shot below left navigation under Conferences, http://www.informa.com.au/keywords-in-nav […]
- SEO question : Using Keywords In Navigation May 30, 2012Which is better for your secondary navigation items using generic words or the keywords that you are targeting. Targeted keyword (Defence Conference). Should I use Defence or Defence Conference in the navigation. I don’t want to sacrifice usability, for the sake of placing keywords. See screen shot below left navigation under Conferences, http://www.informa. […]
- Which social sharing analytics would you recommend and why? May 29, 2012I'm currently using AddThis and ShareThis for a variety of Wordpress based sites that I manage. Frankly, neither of them particularly excite me in terms of insight but then I have no clear idea what kind of analytics I am looking for. There are also various things I find annoying about some of the widgets. So I want to know if you are excited about a so […]
- Is a Facebook business page useful to a B2B company? May 29, 2012We are a business advisory firm that markets to top executives in midsize organizations. Is there a use for a business Facebook page for this type of business? It seems to me that there is more use of a B2C business that can market retail sales, advertise specials, that kind of thing. What do you think?
- What would stop you from having a video on your website? May 29, 2012
- Is getting links from irrelevant Forums harmful? May 29, 2012Is it beneficial to get links from irrelevant websites ? Example : We are doing SEO for Real Estate Services, and making links on Internet Marketing Forums like http://www.seo-news.com/.
- I've created a Facebook page for my company using my personal account. Problem: once it is published I will be asking other staff to use the account to post. Is there a way around them logging into my personal account to access the company's page? May 29, 2012
- Facebook/Social media marketers ...What are your daily challenges in engaging customers ? May 29, 2012We all have heard a lot about customer engagements on social media. Experts believe, building relationships, and getting people to talk about you, or like you, or engage with you in some way is a key to successful marketing via this channel. What are some of the challenges you face in doing this ?? Would love to hear your opinions. Thanks in advance for your […]
- Are the upsides of trial periods defeated by the increase in declined orders? May 28, 2012We have always offered a one penny 15-day trial and customers like it. However, after the trial period, the credit cards of some customers are declined. We call and email them, but usually we never hear back. I realize that offering a trial period gets more prospects "off the fence", because there's no risk for them. However, I imagine that if […]
