12/18/08 by seobrien | Blogs & Blogging, Comparison Shopping, Display Advertising, Fun, Natural Search / SEO, Paid Search, Search, Social Media | 3 Comments »
On the radio today, I heard some laughter over the Jesse Jackson Jr. / Rod Blagojevich “scandal” (?); primarily, that Jackson’s handlers have taken offense at CNN’s labeling Jackson an ‘informant.’ The amusement stems from, with few exceptions, the fact that for all intents and purposes, that’s exactly what he is. Spokesman Kenneth Edmonds described Jackson’s interaction with federal authorities this way:
“As a responsible citizen and elected official, Congressman Jackson has in the past provided information to federal authorities regarding his personal knowledge of perceived corruption and governmental misconduct.”
um…..
This is not meant as political commentary so… moving on…
What struck me was how stark an example we have of our predilection for renaming things as terms fall out of favor. We aren’t considering economic “bailouts” but “rescues.” During this economic challenge, many haven’t been “laid off” but are victims of a “reduction in force.” (should we throw one more on the political debate?) Are they “illegal immigrants” or “undocumented workers?”
As we practice SEO, we’re burdened with misunderstanding and confusion about what it is that we do; and more importantly, how.
Is search engine optimization more than the optimization of a site for search engines? It is to me and if you are enabling and communicating SEO properly, it is to you. Through SEO you are designing URLs that are intuitive and easy to recall. Your optimization favors not just third party engines but your own site search functions, making it easier for your audience to find what they want. Most importantly, if you are smart, you aren’t optimizing specific pages but all of them; attracting as many customers as possible to the point at which they are more likely to convert = $$.
If you are merely assisting in the design of your website on behalf of search engines, you aren’t doing your job. Better put, you are an engineer and designer, working with (or better IN) marketing with all the experience and obligations as such. Your are architecting a better site.
SEO is Performance Architecture
As I mulled the idea, more came to mind. First, the infectious entertainment that invades your mind with subliminal messages; Viral Marketing. Is it really Viral? It is Community Commercialization.
Search Engine Marketing? Link Bait.
Think about it for a minute… just a link in search results, a hook to attract your fish.
Bloggers? Fishers (edit the site is 404 so I’ve nofollowed)
(see previous supposition)
(it just occurred to me that my attribution to Kimberly Bock’s article might come across as my using her as an example of a blogger fishing for links and traffic. I mean just the opposite with her article a great explanation, give her article a read, and this follow up from Bill Slawski – then watch your blogging!)
Comparison Shopping? Price Comparison or…. things that make you miss Magnum P.I.
Banner Ads? Conversion Commercials
okay okay! Firefox Favors might be more accurate.
Widgets or Gaskets?
And of course, Social Networking is really a Face Book
12/05/08 by seobrien | Comparison Shopping, Insights / Research | 3 Comments »
So what of the holiday shopping season? Sure, I’m late to the game with my assessment of Black Friday and Cyber Monday; what can I say? I wanted to do my due diligence and add some perspective to what’s going on.
Key take away is that the season seems to off to a steady start; up roughly 2%-3% from the same period last year. There were reports of Dell, Amazon, Victoria’s Secret…. all having issues with their sites as online traffic increased nearly 50% from last year. The two numbers seem to suggest consumer sentiment – I am shopping but we aren’t spending more than 2007. If ever there was an opportunity to study how online behavior influences offline demand, it was this.
How can I possibly infer such a thing? Did you notice that purchases using Paypal were up 26% with purchases made using Paypal up 34%? When online sales were only up 2%??? I don’t have the data available to back it up but it has been my experience that Paypal is used, primarily, for lower ticket purchases – “I am shopping but we aren’t spending more than 2007″
Report after report tells the same story – traffic WAY up / sales… so-so.
The question is whether or not this trend will continue and how online merchants can continue to improve conversion and cart size to capitalize on that traffic. Performics discovered while trending online store sales that overwhelmingly, sales still occur offline, “Tweens were most likely to purchase apparel and electronics, but despite the notion that Tweens often “live†online, most make and recommend purchases offline.” While the data suggests sales will continue to climb with each consecutive Monday, we must be cognizant of the fact that they are still largely offline.
“Consumers turn to search for different reasons,†said Michael Kahn, VP, account management and marketing for Performics. “Online strategies from one marketer to the next can look like night and day depending on the verticals and target segments each needs to navigate. In some cases, consumers use search to buy; in others, it’s a research tool, often used to find offline retail locations.â€
One thing is clear, this is the time of year (rather, it is probably too late isn’t it?) to focus on cart size and conversion. Take a hint from “those brits,” pay attention to landing pages and the conversion funnel or heck, use your mind.
Of course, I share these optimistic tidings as many are looking for jobs. Make sure to give Indeed a try as you search and stay LinkedIn (which I shouldn’t have to explain – Come say hello) I suppose we could take a hint and revert to offline!?
10/24/08 by seobrien | Comparison Shopping, Google, Insights / Research, Natural Search / SEO, Search, Social Media | 2 Comments »
Standing in the shower this morning I had one of those epiphanies (yes, I know, perhaps TMI but I like to paint a picture in your mind so you can follow along with my logic 
). This was an epiphany while contemplating why people stay with a website. As I considered all of the marketing tools we use to retain a customer (email, coupons, etc.) it dawned on me that the single most important consideration, that with which you, the marketer, should play a MUCH more significant role, is the user experience. Can we simplify “the user experience” to a few simple concepts that are easy to evaluate? Are there only a few user experience considerations that matter?
As I lathered up with our Target brand, Bath & Body Works, apple scented soap and wept tears as my eye lids expunged the Head and Shoulders from my eyes, I pondered that, from a user experience standpoint, there are only 4, fundamental, methods of retention.
I beg of you to point out if I’m missing one but I also challenge you to consider all of the sites that you visit and the experience therein that keeps you around. The 4 fundamental web technologies for user retention are:
- Personalization – This may be the most self-explanatory but what do you consider personalization? More importantly, how much of a role do you play? Often, personalization is handled by your website engineers or product design organization, building what they think makes the most sense; perhaps, evaluating user expectations through focus groups or an analysis of competitor sites. Almost certainly missing an opportunity. The product in this case can range from personal photos and profile information to limiting categories of content to recommendations and a truly unique experience based on a user’s activity. Ask yourself, what makes the personalization on Amazon so much more engaging than Facebook? First ask, is the personalization of Amazon more engaging than Facebook? I think so. On one hand (Facebook) you personalize with your identity and social network (to the extent that your network uses Facebook). Amazon however, truly redesigns the experience, based on your preferred products and purchases. I always turn to Amazon for product recommendations, whether I buy or not. Amazon treats personalization as a Marketing opportunity and therein succeeds in indefinitely retaining me as a customer.
- Social Networking – While Facebook isn’t best-in-class personalization, they’ve addressed this question of retention through connectivity with friends and updates on their interests and activities. I will continue to use Facebook because my friends and peers keep drawing me back. We rediscover long lost friends and keep in touch with large social groups in ways never before possible. Consider though, that I’m not addressing social networking as a form of valuable engagement. Social networking comes with a question regarding intrinsic value – In the context of a business model, do you really care what your friends are up to? More so than what you yourself desire?? If you still answer yes, what would you pay for that?
- eCommerce – I almost overlooked this facet of retention but all considered, it is true that a form of engagement that drives the user to buy something from you, almost assuredly keeps that customer coming back for more. Let go of the preconceived notion that when I say eCommerce, I’m talking about shopping. I’m not referring to online shopping (though the point is just as valid in that context), we’re talking about the ability for your audience to buy something from you be that a report, a study, a book, a service, or products. Once a financial commitment to your site is made, I’ve noticed that at least I, personally, am more likely to continue to use the site than one in which I can merely consume content.
- Search – In many ways, an effective search experience is tied to personalization as the experience derived from a true search experience is one in which the user gets exactly what they want from your site. It is important to recognize that an effective search experience is much more complicated than a search box that returns a set of results for your site. A true search engine spins popularity, relevance, timeliness, and other factors into the results so you are more likely to get what you expect. How do I know Search makes this list? The popularity of Google is based almost solely on this opportunity to personalize. That is, on a Search experience alone, a search experience that was more comprehensive, relevant, and user friendly, Google dominated the search industry in only a few short years and effectively defended itself from Yahoo and MSN who, arguably, should have (or have had) many more resources at their disposal to create an engaging search engine.
Is it that simple? Can the list be distilled to so simple a consideration set? What does your site offer its users?
Do you have a case which defies this premise?
I do. Perhaps. Then again….
What of a successful blog? A site that delivers neither eCommerce, Personalization, Social Networking, nor true Search? You deliver engaging, entertaining content that users continue to visit for updates and insights. This blog, perhaps.
Here’s where I get giddy thinking about this (embarrassing that this is what I think about, I know). Recall that I suggested that these forms of website development/design are those in which you, the marketer, must participate. If your site does no more than deliver fresh, unique content, you rely on Search, not on-site but off; almost certainly, the majority of your traffic in this case comes from Google. Your form of user retention IS a true search engine; not your own but that of the big red elephant in the room, the gateway to all things online, the engine that keeps most of us gainfully employed. How many visits to your site a result of a search for your brand, domain, or related identity? You retain customers through Search, whether you like it or not, which is why we bid on brand terms and optimize our sites.
Though our own sites may not deliver one of these forms of retention, big daddy Google takes care of one for you – as long as you get involved. So wash the Bath & Body Works out of your eyes and get to work.
09/26/08 by seobrien | Analytics, Brand Marketing, Comparison Shopping, Display Advertising, Insights / Research, Local, Paid Search, Search, Social Media, Web 2.0 | 1 Comment »
eMarketer has a great jump on the holiday shopping season (it isn’t even Halloween yet!) with brilliant perspective on the increasing demands made by online consumers.
They expect retail Websites to provide powerful search and navigation, quality product information, simple checkout and cross-channel shopping options—at a minimum.
Surprisingly, according to a survey by Retail Systems Research, 56% of online merchants can’t figure out how their customers use their sites!? Troubling, as today’s site should be designed by metrics and performance, not focus groups and theories. In this day and age when everything can be tested and optimized, you have no excuse. (funny, I wrote that last sentence before reaching the end of the eMarketer article; that is, the point where it highlights that “customer behavior tracking” – no explanation of what that is by the way – is both the most effective and most disappointing priority. At least, I think that’s what the chart is meant to say – please comment if I’ve misread it).
Worse, the study suggest that nearly half, haven’t figured out how to coordinate channels to create a shopping experience that creates synergy rather than conflict. I don’t want to get into this topic now other than to say look to your friendly neighborhood search engines and social media to effectively promote both.
Now, how’s this for a challenge:
While you are busy meeting increasing customer engagement and performance online, the DMA finds that your old fashioned print catalog still accounts for, on average, 50% of sales. Dealing with channel conflict with a catalog is certainly much more of a challenge, but not impossible. The real question is where you put those resources. Significant development work to support performance based online marketing and conversion improvements as well as rich and social media solutions to increase online engagement OR attention on maintaining half of your revenue stream? The answer is again, “effectively both.”
I’ve seen tremendous success in using online insights and performance to drive catalog optimization. How? Search behavior is perhaps the best leading indicator of consumer demand and trends while a catalog can easily blend product promotions with online resources, promoting the opportunities you create for customers to socially interact with your brand.
What else has your attention? I’m not aware of too many other priorities that can have as significant an impact on your holiday season but I’d love to hear from you.
09/17/08 by seobrien | Comparison Shopping, Conferences / Events | No Comments »
Monday’s post about the best online marketing conferences brought to my inbox a few questions about which of those are really worth attending. While, unfortunately, there is no short answer, there is one upon us worth your attention.
“Etailers of all sizes are trying to eliminate risk, improve sales volumes, and increase profitability. Online Market World will address such issues in a forward-looking manner so attendees can understand how their online ventures will evolve over time.” – Jen Cano; Hammertap
Online Market World brings leading marketers and leaders primarily focused on online sales, conversions, and retail, to San Francisco’s Moscone Center, October 1-3. Register now as they are putting together a tremendous line up of speakers including Kathy Ireland (yes, that Kathy Ireland; CEO of perhaps the largest design and marketing firms focused on moms and families) surrounded by a series of events and promotions to really make your experience exceptional.
This event is quickly going to become one of the “Must Attend” annual events for online marketing. There was a huge amount of content, with something for everyone no matter your level of marketing knowledge. It was a very interactive environment, quite different from many conferences.” – Mary O’Brien; PPC Summits
Expect great sessions on free marketing tips, killer viral marketing campaigns, leveraging ebay and local search, as well as a series of networking opportunities which I always find most valuable. I’m looking forward to this event in particular as the audience, topics, and speakers tend to favor the unique; giving us a chance to really learn something more than how to optimize for Google, allocate SEM budgets, or get our business listed in all the local search engines.
“We require cutting edge and market specific information for our clients. Online Market World brings together an excellent grouping of up-to-date and relevant industry providers. I recommend this event to gain market, product and solution intelligence.” – Richard Bernhardt; Bernhardt Communications and Strategies Co.
Google & Yahoo are there, eBay and Lucasfilm (yes, that Lucasfilm!), Neilsen and comScore, Adbrite and Mercado while a sizable exhibitor floor brings a remarkably diverse set of businesses to talk with at your leisure.
“The number and quality of interested prospects (attendees) surpassed my expectations (re: 2007). If you have a related business to promote, this is the place to be.” – Bob Jeffery; HelloWorld/FirstStream
We’re only a couple weeks away so sign up now. I’ll be there!
09/15/08 by seobrien | Affiliate Marketing, Analytics, Blogs & Blogging, Brand Marketing, Comparison Shopping, Conferences / Events, Display Advertising, Insights / Research, Local, Natural Search / SEO, Paid Search, Search, Social Media, Vendors / Agencies, Vertical Search, Web 2.0 | 5 Comments »
One of the advantages of working for a local search engine that uses event listings to promote the business listings, is that I have, at my finger tips, a rich index of seminars, summits, and conferences all rank ordered by demand (popularity), based on the search query volume for each. It is amazing what a search engine can tell you.
Where do you need to be? (in no particular order)
- Search Engine Strategies (SES)
- Pubcon (WebmasterWorld)
- ad:tech
- eTail
- Search Insider Summit
- Affiliate Summit
- Shop.org
- Online Market World
- Direct Marketing Association
- eMetrics Summit
- Search Marketing Expo (SMX)
- OMMA Expo
- Internet Marketing Conference
- SXSW – which you should attend just because
- iMedia Agency Summit & iMedia Summits
- PPC Summit
- MarketingProfs
- American Marketing Association (AMA)
- Online Marketing Summit
- MIXX Expo
- Media Relations Summit
- ACCM (DMA)
- DM Days (DMA)
- Searchnomics
- ClickZ Specifics
- Internet Retailer
- Web Analytics Association Base Camp
- Next Generation Marketing
- eRetailer Summit
- New Marketing Summit
- IAB Events
- MarketingSherpa’s Email Summit
- Apartment Internet Marketing – really!
- Frost & Sullivan Marketing World
- T.R.A.F.F.I.C.
- Catalog & ECommerce Club
- Blog World Expo
- eComXpo
Missing anything? Let me know in the comments and be sure to add it here
09/08/08 by seobrien | Affiliate Marketing, Analytics, Blogs & Blogging, Brand Marketing, Comparison Shopping, Display Advertising, Fun, Insights / Research, Local, Natural Search / SEO, Paid Search, Search, Social Media, Vertical Search, Web 2.0 | 2 Comments »
Book your calendar, next Wednesday morning (11 CST) to, effectively, hear from 25 of the most successful online marketing gurus in the business. Put this link on your calendar. No, we won’t all be on the air but Online Marketing Heroes author Michael Miller will be and it is a unique opportunity to talk with a man who’s talked with the rest of us. In one show catch up on what PR people, copywriters, search engine specialists, direct marketing gurus and consultants are doing best.
Miller has written almost 100 best-selling books including Making a Living from Your eBay Business; Is It Safe?: Protecting Your Computer, Your Business, and Yourself Online; Absolute Beginner’s Guide to Computer Basics; and The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Music History (a personal favorite… god I need to find time to work on that site! Anyone know a good designer?).
The show gives you a unique opportunity to hear a bit about each topic while throwing questions his direction during their on air chat with listeners. Have questions for Michael? Be one of the first 5 callers with a question (877.474.3302) and receive a complimentary book!
If you aren’t able to dial in the day of the broadcast, please email questions to radio@ama.org prior to the show. Read more about the show here and I hope to catch you calling in!
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