Online Marketing for Marketers

Last week at OMS in San Diego I spoke about some of the challenges of measuring results from online campaigns.  In last week’s post, I wrote about the shortcomings of cookie-based tracking. This week, I’ll address the issue of measuring engagment through multiple touchpoints.  I call it the Wingman effect. Read more

What Is an RSS Feed?

• An RSS feed stands for a “Really Simple Syndication” (RSS) and it’s a way for content/Web publishers to make content and updates available automatically as downloads to subscribers. RSS Feeds typically consist of headlines or short summaries of content with a link provided to the original source. Other names for RSS Feeds are Web feeds, XML feeds, RSS channels, and syndicated content. Today, news service, database and blog- type sites are typically RSS-enabled. 

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When I talk to people at OMS and other events, one of the most frequently cited needs I hear about is the ability to measure (and make sense of) results from online campaigns. More specifically, the gap is most organizations is their ability to trace results (e.g. engagement, leads or sales) back those individual ads, email blasts or search phrases that drove the desired results. They have data but it often doesn’t make sense. While many have figured out how to use tools such as Google Analytics for measuring conversions and attributing those to the ad unit (e.g. search phrase) that preceded the conversion, the results often do not make sense, or are contradictory to what their media plan said should happen.  Read more

Monday, I had a chance to speak on a panel about “New Technology and the Digital Changes” affecting all of us at the Electronic Retailer Associations Convention at the Paris Hotel in Vegas. And after my, of course, riveting session, I bumped into my old pals John and Barack. It was a rare instance to have them together in the same room.

So I took the opportunity to interview them (can see on FB page at http://www.new.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=32714841463) … moreover we discussed the future of digital marketing and how it will effect the economy, our government and business in general.  Read more

My recent poll results were very similar to the recent surveys on the topic “what people do with the promotional inserts which accompany your bills and statements in the mail”. My poll indicated that 56% of the respondents did not read any of the promotions (inserts or flyers) which accompanied their bills while 39% said they “sometimes” they read the flyers and only 6% said that they read the inserts.

Further supporting our poll, a recent Zoomerang study stated:

A staggering 86 percent of consumers said they have never purchased a product or service after receiving a separate promotional document with their monthly statements, with 40 percent of respondents mentioning that the inserts that accompany their monthly statements are always impersonal and irrelevant.  Read more

For most, a trip to Indiana is not on the top of their cool spots traveling list.  But, with Tony Dungy, a tour of Lukoil Field and a great education for me and 1200 other marketers, Exacttarget has changed my opinion of Indy.   

Case & Point:  Dinner, Drinks and Tony Dungy at the new Lukoil Stadium.  Last night we had a chance to hear from the legendary and life-inspiring coach Tony Dungy.     With beer, cheese steaks and good company (as you can see by photo) at hand, the night capped off a day of impressive online marketing education…
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How do you create an effective email campaign?

E-mail plays an increasingly important role in today’s Web marketing.  Because customers aren’t always logged into their online communities or near a computer, they rely on e-mail to keep them informed of relevant updates, news and promotions. This e-mail notification process not only keeps users engaged in their communities, it’s also helping to drive the site visits and page views that make the Web 2.0 business model so successful.  But… in order for a subscriber to open the email, our messages must be relevant to break through the clutter. Read my summary below for tips on how you can create an effective email campaign. Read more

This Saturday morning I met Dana Todd (if you don’t know the name, she is the most recognized woman in the Search industry) to take a tour of the new Georgia O’Keefe exhibit and talk a little Online PR and some great insights came about that had to share. 

Whether it’s Yellow House, Jack in the Pulpit portrait or Purple Mountains landscape, Georgia O’Keeffe is known for the simplicity of her works.   And as I was chatting quietly with Dana while observing such works of art, I thought what if we could make Online Marketing as simple as Georgia makes her paintings.  A few lines, a few colors, and capturing the essence of what is in front of her.   Read more

Last night at our OMC Happy Hour in Chicago, we had a few household brand names talking about their boss and his/her pure incompetence in the online space.  Will protect the innocent here, but the important thing here, is EVERYONE had the same problem… my boss, my CMO, just doesn’t get it… so got me thinking about how to help and after reading about AIG this morning I could not help myself in correlating it to the  bailing out of  the biggest, greediest folks on earth (yes, that means the bankers and insurers)…  

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One of the most interesting stories unfolding behind the financial turmoil is the stable and strong growth of the Online Marketing space.   Frequently, I have the opportunity to chat with peers and executives of the major players in the industry and to a person, everyone is dealing with major scale and growth issues and almost embarrassingly says ‘we are not really feeling this recession’.  So the question is why?  After yesterday’s news, I thought I’d address the fundamentals which may help all of us in our budgeting efforts for ‘09.  Read more