Search Marketing Blogger

This is why your company MUST use social media!

noreply@blogger.com (Search Marketing Blogger) — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:22:00 +0000

Great new social media video doing the rounds which really lay's out the potent power of social media - in less that 2 minutes!

Twitter plans to introduce search ads

noreply@blogger.com (Search Marketing Blogger) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 17:10:00 +0000

With the inevitable introduction of ads on Twitter, I wanted to get your thoughts on how this would effect your usage.

It is widely expected that ads on Twitter will be text based and relevant to searches, very much like Google AdWords and could become quite useful.

So, what are your thoughts on having to consume ads on Twitter? How will it effect your usage?

Overwhelmed by Social Media Marketing?

noreply@blogger.com (Search Marketing Blogger) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 14:58:00 +0000

It's pretty much human nature to become confused and overwhelmed by something which is new, huge and vital to your survival. Social Media Marketing is exactly that.

So, for those of you looking for some clear, concise, yet thorough pointers on the do's & don't of Social Media Marketing, this could be your lucky day.

Today, Search Engine Journal have published an excellant article that goes into great depth on the subject of how businesses should (and shouldn't) social social to grow their business.

Read on...

Okay, I admit that at first light, social media marketing (SMM) may appear like child’s play. After all, what is there to it? Create a bunch of profiles, Digg a little, Stumble a bit and you are set, right? Wrong! That is the exact attitude that can kill your social media campaign (and dreams) before it can begin.

I don’t mean to suggest that it is beyond a social media novice to successfully carry out a marketing campaign. Armed with enough knowledge, I am fairly certain, even a novice will be able to pull it off. Nor am I making it out to be more complex than rocket science. However, approaching it with a complacent attitude definitely won’t be helpful. Social media, as much ‘fun’ as it is, is not without rules. And successful social media marketing is possible only if one, pro or novice, follows these rules.

1. Build a strong social network. So, you have a profile on Twitter, so, it has over thousands followers. You pat yourself on your back for building such a strong social network. Boy, are you ever so wrong? Have you taken care to ascertain how many of these thousands of followers are legit? And how often do you interact with your followers, respond to the tweets you receive? Less than positive answers to either of these questions mean that despite the impressive number of followers, your social network is as weak as it can get. Interact with your network, only that can ensure your network is as true to you as you want it to be and that your message is conveyed successfully.

2. Expend your effort building the trust quotient of your site. If yours is not a trusted site, set about working on improving the areas it is found lacking in. When you engage in SMM, you are inviting the entire world to scrutinize your site, if you think it won’t be able to stand up it, wait until you are ready to launch you campaign. You can start by ensuring your site is clean of harmful viruses and spammy links.

For full article, click here http://www.searchenginejournal.com/do’s-don’ts-of-social-media-marketing/18292/

Seven Steps to Building a New PPC Campaign

noreply@blogger.com (Search Marketing Blogger) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 14:28:00 +0000

A really fantastic article published on ClickZ today by Julie Batten, Vice President of Media Strategy at Klick Communications. The article is targeted primarily targeted to small businesses looking to start a new PPC campaign....

Many of you may have already developed a PPC (define) campaign from scratch, but for those of you who are new to search, it can sometimes be daunting to know where to start. With that in mind, today's column will focus on the seven key steps to building a PPC campaign.

Step "zero" - which you should have already done if you've decided to develop a PPC campaign - is to do your research. My last column talked about the various intelligence tools you can use to understand the search marketplace and competitive environment. All of this should feed into your overarching search strategy.

However, even more important than understanding the landscape is to have an in-depth knowledge of your company's or clients' products and services and their Web site content. And naturally, that's where the PPC campaign creation process starts!

To read the rest of the article, go to http://www.clickz.com/3636299

Digital Mission New York 2009 - Digital Clarity Selected for the UK

noreply@blogger.com (Search Marketing Blogger) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:08:00 +0000

Digital Clarity, a leading Search and Digital Marketing agency, has been selected to attend the prestigious Digital Mission to New York between November 15th – 20th, 2009. Organised by Chinwag and UK Trade & Investment, it is designed to create a platform for UK based companies to engage, pitch and develop relationship with advisers and business in New York.

From an initial group of almost 100 applicants, Digital Clarity was chosen as one of 20 delegates by an advisory board comprised of industry venture capitalists, lawyers and notable digital entrepreneurs. During the visit, Digital Mission companies will participate in a variety of events and initiatives including a digital networking reception at the British Consulate in New York, an investor roundtable networking event and seminars at the prestigious Web2.0 Expo

“We see this as an excellent opportunity to showcase our capabilities, and ultimately to build our presence in the US,” explained Reggie James, CEO of Digital Clarity. “Our recently opened New York office is an important commitment and offers an ideal base from which to outline Digital Clarity to the business community in NY.”

About Digital Clarity

Digital Clarity is a leading Search and Digital Marketing agency that has been at the forefront of online advertising for the last six years. With offices, in London & Guildford, Surrey in the UK as well as Sydney, Australia, and now New York – Digital Clarity look after major brands and niche advertisers across Europe and the Asia Pacific sector.

For further information please contact:
Reggie James (reggie.james@digital-clarity.com) on Tel: +44 (0)845 388 4072 (UK)
Darren Hughes (darren.hughes@digital-clarity.com) on Tel : +1 (212)710-1338 (US)

Would You Outsource Your Search Marketing Activity to a Third Party?

noreply@blogger.com (Search Marketing Blogger) — Tue, 05 May 2009 14:36:00 +0000

This seems to be a topic for debate at the moment. Julie Batten of Klick Communications wrote a pretty convincing article on ClickZ last month, in which she talked about the integrated structure that an agency could offer, bringing to the table expertise that could only be replicated by hiring an entire team in-house, which for 99.9% of businesses is not an option. She also talked about the increased return on investment (ROI) that could be achieved by outsourcing, along with the fostering innovation, reserving capital and time saving that can be invested in focusing on your core.

Despite the overwhelming argument outlined in the article and multiple other articles out there, there is still much resistance from business owners to let go of their PPC and SEO efforts for reasons that don't necessarily make sense to me. Okay, I can understand that some company's may have had their fingers burned by hiring a shady company, however, there are plenty of legitimate Search Marketing specialists and PPC shops, with a great reputation of delivering upon their clients objectives. So, given a little bit of research this issue can be avoided and the argument should not stand.

The bottom line is this: If you have a tooth ache, you go and see a dentist. If you need your can fixed, you go to a mechanic. This should not be any different with marketing.

Search Marketing is important and the difference between success or failure in this area could make or break a company. With that said, I can not understand why this is even a debate.

I would love to hear from you with your outsources experiences, good or bad.

Google Facing Lawsuit Over 'Android' Platform

noreply@blogger.com (Search Marketing Blogger) — Sat, 02 May 2009 21:17:00 +0000

Illinois based software development company, Android Data, has filed a lawsuit against Google and other company's for what it say's is an act of "steeling first and asking questions later".

Google is among 48 international corporations being sued for infringing on the use of Android Data's trademarked name, for which it has owned for over 6 years. The company is seeking a total of $96 million or $2 million for "each use of the trademarked term by each defendant." in compensation.

Along with Google, well-known international organizations such as, Vodafone, T-Mobile, Motorola and Texas Instuments are accused of the trademark violation.

According to sources, Google left themselves exposed to potential legal problems in October of 2007 when it's original application to trademark Android was denied. Since then, it has filed objections and asked the Trademark office to suspend the trademark until further clarification of its use could be determined. The reason for the denial was because "consumers are likely to conclude that the goods are related and originate from a single source." But in Google's rebuttal, the Register reported that Google said that the "Android Data" trademark hadn't been used for more than three years, that the company has been dissolved for more than four years, and that there couldn't be any confusion between the two names.

Despite the suspension, which was granted by the US Patent and Trademark Office, Android Data has decided to pursue the case.

We will keep you posted of developments.

Bigmouth Strikes Again

noreply@blogger.com (Search Marketing Blogger) — Fri, 01 May 2009 14:31:00 +0000

Bigmouthmedia has been named the UK’s number 1 SEO and PPC agency in the New Media Age Marketing Services Guide 2009.

Widely regarded as the definitive guide to Britain’s digital marketing landscape, the NMA league table is ranked on income, with bigmouthmedia’s range of big brand client wins, cross-channel expertise and experienced management team cited as being key to the company’s industry-leading status.

Highlighting the international expertise offered by bigmouthmedia’s offices in the UK, US, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sweden, France and Spain, New Media Age attributed the company’s success to an unequivocal impact on clients’ bottom lines: "The increased investment in search during the recession reflects the drum beaten by specialists and search pioneers over the past decade: that it’s an incredibly effective, cost-efficient and wholly trackable marketing discipline"

Citing the latest available research, the guide’s editors expect to see further growth in the year ahead. According to the recently published 2009 UK Search Engine Marketing Benchmark Report, half of Britain’s senior marketers are set to increase their online budgets over the next 12 months.

The 2009 guide pointed to bigmouthmedia’s retention of British Airways’ combined PPC and SEO campaign - together with winning both the Sky and Europcar accounts - as the highlights of another successful year for the UK business. Editors also noted the launch of the agency’s Online PR division and a raft of high profile executive appointments.

Google gets the Flu!

noreply@blogger.com (Search Marketing Blogger) — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 21:41:00 +0000

With the number one subject being on everyone's lips and minds over the past few days, being Swine Flu, Google, Wikipedia and other web properties are really benefiting from the curiosity and morbid fascination surrounding the fast-moving epidemic.

"As the number of swine flu cases continues to climb, so does public interest in the (flu) outbreak. Americans are looking for more information on the outbreak and specifically for symptoms to look out for," said Heather Hopkins, analyst for Hitwise, which tracks Internet usage.

Online searches for the phrase "swine flu" during the past week have sent millions of Internet users to Wikipedia, Google and other websites according to online tracking experts.

Although Barack Obama and other senior government officials are suggesting that this is not a time to panic, it is clear that the heightened sense of alert being driven by the extensive coverage of the mass media and school closures across the United States is turning people to search engines to find out all they can regarding symptoms, vaccines, number of cases and the effect on their communities.

Meanwhile, has released an experimental version of Google Flu Trends to track the spread of the swine flu in Mexico. Google on Monday said flu activity remained low, as seen by its flu-tracking system, but the country-specific version published Wednesday shows a spike in flu activity.

Google says it is able to track swine flu levels in Mexico bylooking at how many people search terms such as "aches and chills."

Google is cautioning they haven't yet been able to verify the data.

An expansion to their existing flu trends tool for the U.S., Google says its data showed a small increase in many parts of Mexico before swine flu hit the news last week.

Jeremy Ginsberg, the lead engineer for Flu Trends, says his team is looking at the potential to use the approach in a number of other countries.

Ginsberg says Flu Trends is able to distinguish people just searching for information on swine flu from people who think they may have the flu.

Some of the search terms they look for include stomach problems, aches and chills and searches on where to buy a thermometer.

"For Flu Trends US we found a set of terms that, going back a number of years in different places across the U.S., really matched," Ginsberg said in a conference call Wednesday.

"The popularity of these terms increased exactly when official surveillance data said more people were experiencing flu-like symptoms."

Although this technology is very young and unproven, it really does show that by capturing and analyzing certain search data, it is possible for Google, working with government and the World Health Organizations to better equip themselves in the prevention or limitation of epidemics like Swine Flu

Tips on Social Media Optimization (SMO) – Engaging with customers through the social networks, By Digital Clarity

noreply@blogger.com (Search Marketing Blogger) — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 16:30:00 +0000

Great article from the our good friends at Digital Clarity, answering the question on the lips of so many digital marketers today. Can Social Media compliment my marketing strategy? Now you can find out...

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Around half of all online advertising spend goes on paid search and Amanda Watlington discussed at SES New York on what these means for hands on executives and entrepreneurs not accustomed to online marketing.

Managing Search Marketing has never been easy and Amanda spent time this year running courses for those with little to no understanding of the process, highlighting not just what the requirements are for a successful campaign but how to manage it correctly.

One of the areas she covered was the use of Social Media as part of the marketing process and that’s a point I wanted to touch upon in this post. Unlike Paid Search it’s a long term strategy that requires forethought and effort – hopefully this article will help you understand it a bit more.

While services like Twitter and Facebook fan pages have taken off in the US many companies still see no value in them or simply aren’t aware they exist. Europe and the rest of the world are further behind, only just starting to incorporate Social Media Optimisation (SMO) into their marketing strategy - engaging with customers on their level by becoming part of their community.

If you consider yourself as a product, you carry out SMO each time you post a message on facebook, make friends on myspace or tweet from your mobile - this I feel is a point marketing managers and entrepreneurs need to keep in mind when engaging in SMO. If you can do it everyday with no trouble there’s no reason why your company can’t.

To read full article, CLICK HERE

Welcome Back, Jeeves: Jeeves Rejoins Search Fray With a New Look - PC World

noreply@blogger.com (Search Marketing Blogger) — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 15:51:00 +0000

Britain's favorite animated Butler, Jeeves, returns after a 3-year absence, wearing fetching new threads hoping to gain some much needed market share. Article by PC World

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After a three-year absence, earlier this week saw the return of Ask Jeeves with the Jeeves butler returning as Ask.com's brand icon. The butler is again the face of popular search engine, which will be returning to its original name, Ask Jeeves, in the UK.

In keeping with the times, Jeeves has changed his appearance a little -- not least in becoming a fully 3D character. The ever-helpful butler's new look required a little shopping expedition. Top Savile Row tailors, Gieves & Hawkes, crafted a suit for him, while design and animation were made to measure by Framestore.

A multimedia campaign has been launched to promote Jeeves' return, including six 10-second TV spots, Homepage takeovers on key websites, as well as print ads and associated events. Framestore says the project provided an opportunity to show off two sides of its business that it's currently expanding: the active creative role it can play in the development of digital characters and animation, and its ability to deliver a full media campaign from inception to delivery. These are designed to allow Framestore to offer a 'one-stop shop; for all associated digital peripherals tied to a TV campaign.

The return of Jeeves complements an extensive program of improvements and enhancements to the search engine, and is in response to research that showed that the butler was widely liked and felt to be approachable, trustworthy and, above all, helpful, according to the company.

To Read the full article, CLICK HERE

New Ask Jeeves ad

Is The Hype Over Google AdWords Quality Score Justified? - By Craig Danuloff at Search Engine Land

noreply@blogger.com (Search Marketing Blogger) — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 14:31:00 +0000

Really fantastic article offering an insight to the 'big black box' and Search Marketers major headache - AdWords Quality Score.

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The focus of the paid search world, if you measure it by tweets, blog posts and conference sessions, has turned squarely to Google’s AdWords Quality Score over the past few months.

Google first introduced Quality Score years ago, but changes they rolled out in August of 2008 recently increased visibility of the score in the AdWords interface and via their API, and a great new video by Google Chief Economist Hal Varian has pushed the discussion to a fever pitch.

Part of the appeal clearly is the fact that it’s a numeric value judgement Google is making about our keywords and account configuration. Like PageRank before it, as a search community we’ve proven the ability to go slightly bonkers about Google numbers that indicate and/or drive our success.

But just how important is Quality Score, and how significantly should it factor into the way PPC campaigns are managed?

It turns out Quality Score actually is a big deal, one that you ignore at your own risk and expense. The reason boils down to its inclusion in two formulas that Google uses to determine where (and if) your ads appear and how much you pay for clicks.

To read the full article, CLICK HERE