Internet Marketing Blog

Metrics: Creativity: Kryptonite?

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In a recent article from Advertising Age, Patrick Sarkissian of Sarkissian Mason, makes an argument that metrics are killing creativity in advertising.  He feels that many shops have been overly reliant on improving their data technology rather than trusting their instincts.  To quote Shakespeare, I feel that this is much ado about nothing.  In our era right now, with so many shifts, metrics offer agencies a chance to deliver a more concise campaign.  We here at Blueliner specialize in SEO methodology for this very reason.  Our objective is to deliver a thorough ROI-driven campaign with a reasonable price point.

As a creative writer, I have been drawn to products and stories that connect with my life story on an emotional level.  Thus, I understand his rationale for creative directors to ensure this does not go by the wayside.  However, emotions fade after an initial reaction, then consistency becomes important in measuring the success of a campaign. Focus groups and metrics ensure that human behavior is captured on a balanced scale. Quality storytelling, then, drives the campaign home as icing on the cake.

To conclude, metrics and creativity are like dance partners who need to reach a serendipitous point where chemistry takes over. In a business environment with declining revenue, agencies need to be more fiscally responsible yet connect on an emotional level with their clients.  A difficult task, but far from impossible.

Posted by Abdul Fattah Ismail
Posted in Online Advertising | No Comments »

Not Another Google Dance, It’s Google’s More Personalized Search

(2 votes, average: 5 out of 5)

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Google’s personalized search has been around for some time. But, it was mostly in experimental stage. Google recently updated their Personalized Search for good. Their personalized search is based on “log in” as well as cookies (when you are not logged in). Recently, they made it a permanent feature.

When you are not logged in, you are identified through anonymous cookies. The problem is,  these two (logged in & no logged in) are treated as different identities with different search behaviors. Therefore, you might see different results in different log in situations, different places, and with different search behaviors. So, if you think that the shuffling of the Search Engine Result Pages (SERPs) is another Google Dance, then you are wrong. Have a look at the video from the Google guys to verify.

To turn off Personalized Google Search

Google has given an opt out option for you to turn off the personalized Google search. However, there is another way by using “&pws=0″ parameter after the search query URL. e.g. http://www.google.com/search?q=blueliner+interactive+marketing&pws=0. In some cases, it was found that, this parameter doesn’t work. But, I guess Google is still working on it.

How Personalized Search is Changing SERPs?

Once your are doing a personalized search, you may see some biased results. For one of our clients, here in Bangladesh, I was seeing the URL in 55th position for one of their important keyword. i.e. the site is pushed to 6th page. The 6th page phenomenon also worked for countries like: Germany, UK, Italy when I started to use some free proxys to search.

Since, the site is hosted from Culver City in California, I  guess it will rank closer in USA. Here is what I found using a handful of online free proxys:

• From a Brea, California server, I found it in 45th position
• From a Chicago server, found in 41st position
• From a Woodstock (Near Chicago), found in 42nd
• From a Huston Proxy Server, found it in 46th position
• From a Pennsylvania Proxy server, found it in 45th

So, the site is actually jumping in the 5th page in USA. This means that, there is not much difference when you are in the same country. But, it matters when you are in different country and showing different search behavior.

Except for the first proxy, you can observe that, the ranks are steadily moving down when go from the east coast to the west coast. So, can the distance also be a great factor in personalized search?

Posted by Asif Anwar
Posted in 7 Pillars of Internet Marketing, Search Engine Optimization | No Comments »
Tags: google, Google Dance, Personalized Search, Search Engine Optimization, Search Engine Result Pages, SEO, SERP, serps

Liveblogging the AdVision Panel - Going Viral, Going Global: Harnessing Social Media

(2 votes, average: 5 out of 5)

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As part of the AdVision awards, Global Advertising Strategies organized today’s panel, Going Viral, Going Global: Harnessing Social Media. Blueliner CEO Arman Rousta is joined on the panel by moderator Craig Kanalley from Huffington Post, Ed Spiegel of RentMineOnline.com, Scott Cherkin of Travel Ad Network, Daniel Luxemburg from SnapDragon Consultants, and Toby Daniels of the Paley Center for Media.

As the panelists introduce themselves and their backgrounds, we see a wide range of digital professionals, all talking about how businesses can not only be involved in social media, but make money as well.

Social Media landscape: Where should you be?

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by Abdul Fattah Ismail
Posted in Business News, Interactive Marketing, Interactive PR, Marketing, Marketing Agencies, Mobile Applications, Mobile Marketing, Online Advertising, Search Engine Optimization, Social Media Marketing, Website Analytics, World, search engine marketing | 1 Comment »
Tags: abdul fattah ismail, arman rousta, Blueliner, Blueliner Marketing, Global Advertising Strategies, Going Global, Going Viral, Huffington Post, Paley Center for Media, RentMineOnline.com, SnapDragon Consultants, social media, Travel Ad Network

Near to Here Becomes the #1 Travel iPhone App without Advertising!

(7 votes, average: 4.43 out of 5)

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Near to Here - The #1 Travel iPhone App!

I’m happy to report that a recent Blueliner collaboration has lead to an incredible result. Within 80 days of its launch, the iPhone travel application “Near to Here” has risen to the #1 spot simply with a word-of-mouth marketing strategy!

Harvard graduate, Near to Here creator, and De La Plata Enterprises founder, Zak Tanjeloff (age 23!!) is smiling. “We are both surprised and thrilled at Near to Here’s recent jump in ratings! Normally, ratings for any app peak soon after the app’s release and then slowly taper off. However, Near to Here’s popularity seems to be growing as people begin to realize its usefulness and pass the word along to friends.”

Here’s the offical Press Release from near to Here…

NEAR TO HERE iPHONE APP LAUNCHES TO #1
Travel App Jumps From 100+ Rating to #1 in One Day

March 3, 2010 – New York – Near To Here, the iPhone travel app by De La Plata has made an incredible jump in ratings at the Apple App download store. The app was not on the rating charts as of Tuesday morning, but jumped to become the #1 Travel App in the Apple App store in just a matter of hours.

Only the Top 100 apps are rated in the Apple App store. Near to Here debuted in December and peaked shortly after with a rating of #23, but soon fell off the charts. Tuesday afternoon the Near to Here app reappeared in the Top 100 list, swiftly climbing to #1. It has maintained its spot in the Top 5 apps ever since, beating out Travel App heavyweights such as ZAGAT TO GO and Kayak. The previous #1 Travel App had held the #1 spot for 188 consecutive days.

The Near To Here iPhone application became available on December 18th, 2009 in all Apple App stores for just 99 cents, and uses reverse geolocation to provide users with information about interesting landmarks around them. Users do not have to enter their city, country, or location—just simply turn the app on while wandering around a familiar city or touring a foreign location. The app automatically sends Wikipedia information to the user’s phone as the phone’s GPS tells the app that the user is near a place of interest.

About Near To Here:

Using reverse geolocation look-up technology, Near to Here knows exactly where you are and what interesting stuff is around you. As you pass by landmarks - both renowned and obscure, you will be alerted with the Wikipedia entry of whatever is near - allowing you to discover and learn as you wander through new or old places. Brought to you by De La Plata Enterprises.

Posted by Matteen Terrany
Posted in Mobile Applications, Mobile Marketing | 1 Comment »
Tags: blueiner, iphone, iphone app, near to here

Content Is Human, But Distribution….Divine

(1 votes, average: 5 out of 5)

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I started with the Blueliner family back in late October of 2009.  I had a strong desire to enter the world of digital media, but little experience.  Over time, I have learned some about the peripatetic nature of this industry.  The frenetic pace of digital media can be dizzying to the naked eye.  One thing has remained constant.  In a world where attention spans are short and information is endless, distribution and marketing trumps the quality of content.  Hands down.

In the 20th century, distribution was more of an art form.  Trailers, posters, stickers, and samples were used to elicit certain emotions in consumers to purchase a product or service.  Google, with its revolutionary search algorithm, takes marketing strategy to a new level.  Nowadays, your website must be optimized for search keywords.  Otherwise, your content will not make an eye blink.  Social media and mobile marketing also are rising factors in strategy, along with good web design.  Through the 7 Pillars of Marketing, Blueliner delivers all these elements at a high quality with a reasonable price point.

The internet, as we know, is a thrifty way to distribute content to the masses.  We also know that the internet has a lot of content to keep minds busy.  How do you get through the clutter? I believe that segmenting your demographic with steady content is a good start.  You don’t always become an overnight sensation, but you build a client base.  Advertisers like client bases since they increase the chance of realized revenue gain.  Small firms should have a budget for technical upgrades.  It doesn’t make sense to start up a business without reserve capital for technological improvements that catapult revenue gains. Before anything else, though, you need a staff with energy and imagination.  They collaborate to produce the content for a mass demographic.  If a firm can deliver high quality distribution at a good price and quality, then they shine above all.

Posted by Abdul Fattah Ismail
Posted in Interactive Marketing, Interactive PR, Marketing, Marketing Agencies, Mobile Applications, Mobile Marketing, Online Advertising, Search Engine Optimization, Small Business, Social Media Marketing, web development | No Comments »
Tags: abdul fattah ismail, Advertising Age, Blueliner, Blueliner Marketing, google, google analytics, keith richman, Mobile Marketing, SEO, SEO company, web design

Live! Tonight! The AdVision Awards!

(3 votes, average: 5 out of 5)

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Tonight, Blueliner will join Global Advertising Strategies at The AdVision Awards in Times Square at the legendary B.B. King Blues Club.  In its fourth year, the ceremony is an international competition that honors the best advertising in the Russian language. The union is a meeting of the minds seeking to build cultural and business bridges between Eastern Europe and the United States. The event has been well received by local sponsorship over the past four years and many have signed on again to contribute their resources. For more details on the ceremony, click here.

Tomorrow, CEO Arman Rousta will speak at a panel discussion at the Andaz Hotel on Wall Street. It’s a nice week of promotion for the firm.  Stay tuned here for updates.

Posted by Abdul Fattah Ismail
Posted in Interactive Marketing, Marketing, Marketing Agencies, World, search engine marketing | No Comments »
Tags: 2010 AdVision Awards, abdul fattah ismail, Blueliner, Blueliner Marketing, emerging markets, Global Advertising Strategies, Interactive Media, russian advertising, seo agencies

How To Become The Roger Ebert of Web Design

(2 votes, average: 3.5 out of 5)

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Web Design is a field in which many enter with little experience.  Innovations are made daily by any graphic head with a MacBook Pro, but it takes training to design a website for businesses who need an accessible website for their products and services.

Websites need to be critiqued on a formal basis with strong templates.  Then, and only then, can the design be evaluated.  Professionals use this template.  Space, line, color, texture, form, shape, value, and style all make up the basic elements of design, with color taking a precedence.

Color’s stimulating properties are dependent on its relationship with light, form, and space, The spectrum of shades and hues must be integrated properly in order to display a symmetrical portrait. Many designers often miss these facts when created a web page, and as a result, web browsers will move on from a website if their gut reaction is not stimulated.  For marketers, it is hard to quantify gut reaction, so creating a unified design template is tantamount.

The holy grail of quality website design often takes time to reach, through constructive criticism.  For example, several users of Facebook were critically negative of the website’s new layout at first.  Reactions were explored.  With time, users have respected the new design for its improved efficiency, especially with posting links and accessing applications from the home page.

Web designers must also be prepared to articulate their process for discussion, which leads to insightful tips.  This is easier said than done, but not impossible.  D. Keith Robinson of Smashing Magazine goes into more depth.

Posted by Abdul Fattah Ismail
Posted in Marketing, Marketing Agencies, Mobile Applications, Mobile Marketing, Online Advertising, Website Analytics, Website Design, web development | No Comments »
Tags: abdul fattah ismail, Blueliner, Blueliner Marketing, D. Keith Robinson, roger ebert, web design agency, web design critiquing

The Era Of The Millennial

(1 votes, average: 5 out of 5)

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The Pew Research Center recently examined a new generation termed the Millennials. Their population is approximately 50 million the US, and they have a lot of positive attributes. Confident, self-expressive, liberal, and flexible, Millenials are also history’s ‘connected’ generation, steeped in digital technology and social media.  They depend on tweets, status updates, texting, and webcam access. According to the Pew Research Center,  3/4 of the Millennials have created a profile on the social networking site. Here are some other intriguing statistics:

• One in five have posted a video of themselves online
• Nearly four in ten have a tattoo
• Many of them have privacy boundaries online for cyber predators and other dangerous agents
• Nearly one-in-four have a piercing in some place other than an earlobe, about six times the share of older adults who’ve done this

Posted by Abdul Fattah Ismail
Posted in Marketing, Marketing Agencies, Mobile Applications, Mobile Marketing, Online Advertising | 1 Comment »
Tags: abdul fattah ismail, Blueliner, blueliner marketinhg, global advertising services, jack loechner, media post, millennials, mobile marketing agency, social media agency

More Mobile Campaigns Including Commerce

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Mobile ad network Millenial Media released a report yesterday detailing the mobile advertising activity on their network in the month of January. One of the most interesting facts was that 20% of all campaigns in January drove people to buy a product via their mobile device, also known as m-commerce.

The prevalence of smartphones, coupled with our growing comfort with mobile devices, is helping to grow
m-commerce. This is big news for companies involved in
e-commerce as it gives them a new channel to reach potential customers. As the general public continues to adopt m-commerce, watch for many more companies to shift dollars to mobile advertising.

Mediapost offered further analysis of the report from Millenial Media.

Posted by Chris Walbert
Posted in Mobile Marketing, eCommerce | No Comments »
Tags: Chris Walbert, commerce, e-commerce, m-commerce, mediapost, millenial media, mobile advertising, mobile advertising agency, Mobile Marketing, mobile marketing agency

Searching With Social Media

(1 votes, average: 5 out of 5)

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The rise of social media has allowed for our society to connect in more ways than ever.  Connections from the past resurface and develop new identities, and connections from the present bring future promise.  Nevertheless, it can be difficult to manage the several profiles that float in cyberspace.  The minds of Google are working to make it simple yet again by experimenting with an engine called Google Social Search.  Google Social Search aims to find relevant public content from your network and highlight your results on the bottom of the screen.  You will also have options to filter certain content to your page.  Here’s a video demonstrating the experiment:

If the search engine does take off, it will be a revolutionary tool for businesses. They can conduct searches for job applicants, then analyze their consumer bases for more nuanced segmentation, which leads to greater market efficiency. SEO media agencies stand to benefit the most, as traffic reach will expand like never before, integrating merchants and communities. The Google blog takes you into the philosophy and methods of this intriguing enterprise.

Posted by Abdul Fattah Ismail
Posted in Business News, Online Advertising, Search Engine Optimization, Social Media Marketing, search engine marketing | 1 Comment »
Tags: abdul fattah ismail, Blueliner, Blueliner Marketing, google, google social search, seo media agency, social media agency