The 7 Pillars of Digital Marketing Blog

Free Webinar: Social Media, SEO, and Online Advertising This Thursday February 1, 2011 – 7:06 pm				Abdul Fattah Ismail

To our beloved readers, we continue this Thursday with the Winter Webinar Series.  Social Media, Search Engine Optimization, and Online Advertising are three of the “7 Pillars of Digital Strategy”.  Companies of all sizes need to maximize their capabilities in these pillars in order to achieve financial goals.

Search Engine Optimization is crucial to gain visibility from queries to Google.  The technical strategy of your business must be unified in order to reach the first page of your results index. Otherwise, your good services and mission may not get discovered as rapidly.  A website that has strong keywords will help you get noticed faster than any guerilla campaign.

Social Media, as well, is another important digital strategy because it works across so many channels.  CEO Arman Rousta will talk about the development of social media and cover key tips and strategies for this evolving industry.

Online advertising is the last, but not least of all these strategies.  The webinar will explain how to establish a concise marketing plan using email databases.  Emerging forms of online advertising, including geolocation and link, will also be discussed in a relaxed conversational tone.  Register below today!

Posted by Abdul Fattah Ismail
Posted in 7 Pillars of Digital Marketing, blog, Business News, Digital Media, Interactive Marketing, Marketing, search engine marketing, Search Engine Optimization, Social Media Marketing | No Comments »

Write A Good Meta Title For SEO Indexes January 31, 2011 – 3:56 pm				Abdul Fattah Ismail

The term meta title sounds daunting to the uninitiated web reader.  One could think of it as the keyword to another dimension of technology.  To some extent, it is another dimension.  The idea behind the meta title is to link the vastness of cyberspace into a common, short bond of terms.  In order for search indexes to pull up the results we want, a good meta title is imperative.  

The Web definition of a meta title is a short set of characters that can be viewed at the top of your web page.  The magic of SEO comes in the next step.  The engines crawl across the web page and index it with similar results.  Writers too often fall into the trap of writing a meta title that has good keywords but does not fluidly express your campaign.  Sometimes you say too much in the title, leaving the reader little more discovery than to click onto the second page and glance.

Creative Boom of the UK has some other tips on writing metatitles for search engines.  Enjoy.

Posted by Abdul Fattah Ismail
Posted in 7 Pillars of Digital Marketing, blog, search engine marketing, Search Engine Optimization | No Comments »
Tags: 7 pillars of digital strategy, Blueliner Marketing, digital marketing agency nyc, internet marketing ny, meta titles, new york interactive marketing agency, seo media agency

Give Google Goggles A Second Look January 12, 2011 – 4:22 pm				Abdul Fattah Ismail

The web developers of Google, according to a piece on Ad Age, are looking to elevate multiple facets of advertising for the mobile user.  If you have not experienced Google Goggles as an iPhone or Android user, the time is now.  Google Goggles is an application that lifts printed digital text to create a correlating visual object.  This level of object recognition could go a long way towards the vision of translating text lines into measured revenue stream.    

Many of you notice the nondescript advertising links that appear on the right side of the page.  With Google Goggles, your scanner will not only flash an image, but give search index results so that you can gage the viability of your query, whether it be a pair of shoes or movie listing.  I just tipped the iceberg for e-commerce possibilities with this application.  Film executives can create a mobile campaign with advertising and content for customers who enter the relevant keywords.  A notable, rather than nominal, presentation can spread through the cyberspace quickly.

As the piece mentions, the application could be entering another frontier for SEO methodology, especially with visual gaining a presence.  Clients as we  know, need more than to optimize their websites with proper keywords.  They also must link images that correlate with the vision of their brand.  Out of my basic search experience for images, after the first ten or fifteen, the relevancy drops like an anvil.  If advertisers can find the right balance, it will also benefit web analytics who can quantify the value of those images tied to their services.

The application also allegedly offers to solve Su Doku puzzles when your brain is tired of scrambling itself.  The digital world remains democratic in spirit.  Those who have iPhones or Androids and have used the application, feel free to come back and post thoughts. You can click on the goggles to download instantly.

Posted by Abdul Fattah Ismail
Posted in 7 Pillars of Digital Marketing, blog, Business News, Digital Media, Interactive Marketing, Marketing, search engine marketing, Search Engine Optimization | No Comments »
Tags: digital marketing agency nyc, new york interactive marketing agency

Weekly Blueliner Newsminer December 10, 2010 – 6:57 pm				Abdul Fattah Ismail

1.  The WikiLeaks Continue

With the saga still unfolding, Julian Assange has become the caped crusader of autumn.  WikiLeaks have become a referendum on censorship in the digital age.  It holds much more clout than traditional security issues because of the  classified information pushed into the open forum.  Paul Carr of TechCrunch reveals the irony in Assange’s run from the civic lam.

2.  S&P 500 Streams In Netflix, Throws Out The Gray Lady

I found this bit of news interesting as it confirms the reality of today.  The New York Times, nicknamed The Gray Lady, is getting frail as a source of news information.  The media scion has been hemorrhaged by budget cuts despite efforts at incorporating a diverse mix of interactive content along with excellent mobile applications.  Netflix moving into the large-cap index is massive for their brand equity.  Their affiliate marketing plan was the backbone of their earlier success. Today, they are morphing into the new media scion, streaming into several channels. Hulu and Amazon are huge, but Netflix is built to last. Just ask Mickey Mouse.

3.  Google Launches Online Bookstore

Our favorite search engine now wants to improve your literacy rate.  The online bookstore has support from the six premiere publishing houses, including Random House. As the lead article mentions, Random House has refused to list their titles with Apple’s iBookstore.  I’m sure Steve Jobs is loving this movement.  Independent retailers will also have access to the large stack of classics and nonfiction titles.  Google is still in court from publishers who sued for copyright infringement. One must wonder whether Google will move beyond its safe haven of text advertising and embrace true interactive displays in its e-books.

4.  Youku Makes Auspicious IPO Debut, then a slight drop on NYSE

Youku, the Chinese online video streamer, made a splash onto the stock exchange this Wednesday.  The shares surged over 100% when they first hit the market, but have ridden a coaster since then for several reasons.  Chinese online video streamers do not seem as a profitable stock buy.  As the article mentions, security is not particularly strong and because of that, online advertisers are skeptical to get involved.

5.  Zuckerberg Joins Giving Pledge With Other Luminaries

Zuckerberg surprises few by his philanthropic motives.  He donated to Newark Public Schools earlier this fall.  But a pledge for a young man who has not reached thirty-five years of age is a bold statement.  Time will tell about Zuckerberg’s future impact on technology.  He is becoming more of a public figure these days, and that can only help Facebook solve some of the negative clouds on personal privacy.  South Korea is yet another friend who unlikes the Facebook settings.  If Zuckerberg can convince users that the privacy settings are nothing to be concerned of, then the social network has vast potential for the digital era.

Posted by Abdul Fattah Ismail
Posted in 7 Pillars of Digital Marketing, blog, Business News, Interactive Marketing, Marketing, Mobile Marketing, search engine marketing, Search Engine Optimization, Social Media Marketing | 1 Comment »
Tags: Blueliner, Blueliner Marketing, digital marketing agency nyc, new york interactive marketing agency, weekly blueliner newsminer

Writing Under The SEO Influence November 23, 2010 – 2:59 pm				Abdul Fattah Ismail

I’ll admit that when I began with Blueliner Marketing last fall, I knew little about digital marketing.  I enjoy the lively art of writing. At that time, though, I did not understand the differences of writing for a blog.  Blogs were initially created to update events on a personal scale in a live format. On a corporate scale, blogs are necessary to communicate new products and services.  They also make management more accessible to their customers via personal messages.  Blogs also need to be searchable with mainstream engines.  Crawlers settle on certain words that are key to elevating a website’s ranking on an index list.  Many know them as keywords.  They have more than meets the keystroke.

As a writer with SEO methodology in mind, it has trained me to zone in on a concept for a piece.  Highly ranked keywords are an outline for that process, and arguably allow the writer greater creative latitude when discussing market strategy amongst other internet strategies. Some have declared that SEO is dead and gone with the rise of social search.  Others like myself scoff at this idea. The truth is a mystery.  

One must be careful to not allow the necessity of climbing an index to get in the way of a written concept.  SEO writing is a technical process.  Ideas may not link immediately to your noted keywords, which frustrates many traditional writers of journalism and literature.  If your concept is lacking a unified insight that differentiates itself from the blogosphere, then the goal is not achieved. Your company not only loses the visibility in search indexes, but also in your industry. It’s difficult to close a transaction if you don’t exist.

The value of SEO is promoting your services online at a uniformed scale in the highest level.  Web browsers have an endless array of options to find content that fits their personal tastes and preferences. Blog content must contain a wicked stew of insight, knowledge, and searchable phrases that siphon into the nerves of a search engine.  Social media‘s rise as an online universe demands this level of fluency to share and debate until the wee hours.  I am still learning how to execute the concept flawlessly.  Nevertheless, I am writing under the influence and focused daily.  Copyblogger draws even greater insight into the science of web copywriting.  Click here to see their take.

Posted by Abdul Fattah Ismail
Posted in 7 Pillars of Digital Marketing, blog, Blog Marketing, Content Marketing, Interactive Marketing, search engine marketing, Search Engine Optimization | No Comments »
Tags: 7 Pillars of Marketing, Blueliner, Blueliner Marketing, copyblogger, digital marketing agency nyc, econsultancy.com, new york seo media agency, paidcontent.org, SEO company, seo copywriting, web copywriting

Blueliner Webinars 2010 September 30, 2010 – 6:41 pm				Riyaad

Blueliner Marketing, LLC is proud to reintroduce its successful webinar series on Internet Marketing. For years, various members of the Blueliner team have lead webinar discussions on Internet Marketing, SEO Best Practices, Web Development, and Marketing Strategy for companies worldwide.

This fall, Blueliner CEO and visionary Arman Rousta will lead a series of webinars, giving audiences insight into Blueliner’s award-winning strategy. These hour-long, informative sessions will take place twice a month from the comfort of your home or office, with different members of Blueliner’s team providing insight and lending their expertise.

The first of these webinars is set to take place on Tuesday October 12^th, 2010 at 2 PM EST.  Blueliner CEO Arman Rousta will lead you through the top Web Design Trends of 2010, where you will discover the difference between a good website and a great website. Your website’s navigation, graphics, and layout could be the difference in hundreds of thousands of dollars of potential revenue. Learn where your company stands and what you can do to improve. Rousta will also lead audiences through the 7 Pillars Approach to web design and provide insight to social media trends and the importance of mobile integration.

Blueliner will follow the October 12^th webinar with Arman Rousta’s renowned “7 Pillars of Internet Marketing” on Wednesday October 27^th. Rousta’s “7 Pillars” outlines the basic principles of Blueliner Marketing and has led us to be one of the most successful Internet Marketing companies.

Blueliner’s success is partly credited to their “World is Flat” business model. This model provides 24/7 implementation and ROI-centric Internet marketing methodologies. With offices already in New York, India, Bangladesh, and an office opening in Macedonia (2011), Blueliner has become a world-wide success and a model for all businesses looking to expand overseas. A webinar scheduled for November 11^th, 2010 will discuss expanding into Asia and making your business more efficient and cost-effective.

Information on upcoming webinars can be found in the Events Section of BluelinerNY.com. Join Blueliner for a webinar and let their successful business strategies work for you!

Reservations for the Web Design Trends 2010 webinar are being taken now. Registration is free!

Posted by Riyaad
Posted in 7 Pillars of Digital Marketing, blog, CRM, eCommerce, Email Marketing, Interactive Marketing, Marketing, search engine marketing, Search Engine Optimization, Small Business, web development, Website Analytics, Website Design | No Comments »
Tags: arman rousta, Blueliner Marketing, blueliner webinars 2010, digital marketing nyc, riyaad edoo, web development agency nyc, website design agency nyc

Visa Launches Small Business Network September 20, 2010 – 5:17 pm				Abdul Fattah Ismail

Small business owners are the generators of our national economy. In today’s interconnected society, access to network along with the tools to distribute content is paramount for long-term success. Standing by their tested campaign slogan of being everywhere you are, Visa has launched the Visa Small Business Network.  The Visa Small Business Network is a free website aimed to connect small business owners everywhere with one another through a viral portal rich with presentation and content. The owners can use the website to not only develop network channels for sales opportunities, but also seek advice on a plethora of topics. Here are some examples:

1.  Business Goal Toolkits – unique step-by-step “how to” guides that lead small business owners through the process of setting and achieving business goals. The interactive toolkits correlate with goals which small business owners have identified as being the most relevant to the challenges they face in growing their business – from best practices for promoting their business on Facebook and other social networks, to developing and delivering email newsletters to reach new and existing customers.

2.  Small Business Mentor Program – small businesses get personalized help and guidance from other successful small business owners. Having faced similar business challenges, these seasoned mentors offer advice and perspective to help Visa Business Network participants achieve their goals.

3.  Question & Answer Forum – members are able to collaborate by asking questions related to their goals and receive personalized advice and responses from small business peers and mentors with experience across a wide range of industries.

4.  Content Ranking – this feature provides small businesses with quick access to the resources and articles fellow small business owners have declared most useful.

As mentioned, the website offers a voluminous depth of interactive marketing, ranging from social media connection, podcasts, video from small business owners, and a library section with written content from luminaries such as Richard Branson. I also like the simple navigability through subsections and the flash content is fluid, rather than intrusive on comparable portals.  For small business owners who want to find resources to manage their business, Visa is everywhere for you as promised. Read more here:

Tweet

Posted by Abdul Fattah Ismail
Posted in 7 Pillars of Digital Marketing, blog, Blog Marketing, Business News, Digital Media, Email Marketing, Flash, Interactive Marketing, Marketing, search engine marketing, Search Engine Optimization, Small Business, Social Media Marketing | No Comments »
Tags: Blueliner Marketing, digital marketing nyc, interactive marketing ny, michael lee, visa business credit, visa small business network

The New Twitter Site Launches September 15, 2010 – 3:05 pm				Abdul Fattah Ismail

Today, the Twitterati will rejoice as the fast-growing social media network releases a new website layout that is geared for greater interactive marketing. For some reason, I have yet to receive the new layout with my account, but will give an addendum to this piece once I test drive it.  For a video explanation of Twitter’s new layout scheme, click on the Tweetbird.

First off, you will find an enlargened search box to incorporate more online advertising through the hashtags. The layout is also easier to navigate, with simple click access between mentions, retweets, searches, and lists. The right panel is much larger and holds more content, including who you follow, who follows you, recommendations, and more. Users can also post, view photos and stream video, which will attract use of the parent website more than third-party applications such as TweetDeck and HootSuite.

An increased profile presentation will allow the user to develop more of a personal connection with fellow tweeters, although I feel personally, this takes away the website’s charm. Many individuals use the site for live media streams or seeking a tweetup.  I feel that it aims to spread the word, then see where the leaves settle, rather than Facebook’s initiative, which demands connection regardless of your desires, instantaneous or broad.  The company has been slow to optimize their website for user interactivity but this layout is a first step for advertisers to manage their social media campaigns. The partnership with Flickr, YouTube, and YFrog also increases the search optimization potential for tweets and hashtags, as images correlate on the same panel. The Huffington Post has a slideshow of other features, which can be viewed here.

Tweet

Posted by Abdul Fattah Ismail
Posted in blog, Digital Media, Interactive Marketing, Marketing, Mobile Applications, Mobile Marketing, Pay Per Click (PPC), search engine marketing, Search Engine Optimization | 2 Comments »
Tags: Blueliner Marketing, digital marketing nyc, Interactive Marketing, new twitter layout, pay per click advertising agency, seo media agency ny, Social Media Marketing, web advertising agency

Weekly Blueliner Newsminer August 6, 2010 – 5:38 pm				Abdul Fattah Ismail

Welcome to the first edition of the Weekly Blueliner Newsminer.  We aim to bring a collective viewpoint on the recent news in digital media, putting it into accessible terms.  Across different angles, we can understand the present and future of internet marketing over a period of time.

We will look at the top five news stories, then discuss their impact.

1.  Google and Verizon Discussing Net Neutrality.  The latest on this story is that both firms are denying that a deal is in the works, but when there’s smoke, there’s fire.  This would be a huge determent on the business front.  It would really monopolize website optimization in terms of e-commerce and keyword search.  Larger firms would receive the bulk of advertising since they would be able to afford the delivery fees that Google and Verizon propose to regulate traffic.  Venture capitalists would struggle to research for innovative technologies.  The internet, on principle, would be undermined as an depot of information.

2.  UAE Set To Ban Blackberry Use In October.  Speaking of information depots, this story continues to build up steam, as the U.S. government looks to defend RIM’s data monitoring practices.  Earlier this week, the United Arab Emirates announced that it would ban Blackberry use in its borders starting this October due to security concerns.  The Canadian firm has superior encryption standards and routes data services through its proxy hubs in Canada.  The Middle Eastern government wants Hillary Clinton has went on public record, describing the behavior of UAE’s government as a threat the innate right of free internet access.  Undeniably, the potential for hegemony of content exists, especially in such a volatile region.  RIM is also in dialogue with India about similar concerns, so monitoring continues.  As of this syllable, Blackberry phones are still in use for all the aggravated investors in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

3.  Twitter Launches Suggestions Feed.  The Suggestions feed was rolled out this Monday by Twitter, and it looks to segment Twitterati into similar tastes and preferences not unlike social media rival Facebook.  So far, few people are in love with it, including myself.  The service, in my mind, is unique with its minimalist website design and character limits.  The suggestions feed uses an algorithm based on people you follow, their followers, and unconnected followers who you may find interested. Kinks are still being worked out, as the feed has crashed several times.  I feel that the suggestions feed suggest a desire to engage in a personalized relationship, which is the antithesis of a follower.  Nobody wants to be seen in this context.  One writer of the blog TechCrunch thinks this is just the beginning for Twitter’s social extension.

4.  Facebook vs. Google.  The battle for web advertising supremacy is going unnoticed by the general public, but digital media executives are watching really closely.  The search-advertising giant has made several efforts to enter the social media industry with applications like Wave and Buzz, only to watch them peter out due to privacy issues.  YouTube is one obvious success, but it was purchased by Google rather than developed from within the lab.  Facebook, on the other hand, has aligned with Microsoft Bing to leverage its superior depth of interpersonal connections.  It also acquired some patents from Friendster, which has been Apple’s strategy with mobile applications.  Google’s open source platform has been better received, with Android as a shining example.

Google is fighting different battles with China (firewall proxies), Apple (content syncing, television programming), Microsoft (office software, search), and the federal government (antitrust issues).  That is the reality of life when you gain accolades.  I feel like Google should place focus on development of certain programs, especially Analytics.  We use it as part of our SEO methodology, and the emergence of web and mobile advertising only intensifies the necessity for keyword tracking.  Google Reader is another program used by academia to conduct internet research for rare library content. A recent antitrust case concerning the application was closed, foreshadowing an opportunity.

5.  RIM releases the Blackberry Torch on AT&T.  Alongside the tiff with the UAE, RIM releases the Blackberry Torch on the AT&T network. The AT&T partnership is peculiar for several reasons.  Their inept coverage and network capacity has kept me from reaching for the iPhone, and the aforementioned device is included in their phone portfolio which could siphon revenue for each party.  Overall, the mobile platform has been rated as an improvement by tech reviewers.  I have yet to see the phone personally, so I can’t make a thorough judgement.  At first glance, it looked like a parody of the fallen Palm Pre, which this author views as a foreshadowing.  The smartphone race gets even more intense.

This is a wrap for the news.  Log in next week.

Posted by Abdul Fattah Ismail
Posted in blog, Blog Marketing, Business News, Interactive Marketing, Marketing, Mobile Marketing, search engine marketing, Video Sharing | No Comments »
Tags: Blueliner, Blueliner Marketing, digital media, internet marketing ny, new york interactive marketing agency, seo media agency, weekly blueliner newsminer

Bing and Google Look For The Perfect Tunes July 7, 2010 – 3:28 pm				Abdul Fattah Ismail

Google are a certified giant in the tech industry. They are reaching into digital media content at an accelerated pace.  Microsoft is another behemoth, but is a neophyte in the search world, with Bing.  The engine has gained some acclaim for it’s travel algorithms, but its durability against Priceline, Kayak, and Travelocity is in question. Everyone today uses SEO methodology to find and download our favorite artists online, especially through Google. A secret battle is lining up for the future of entertainment search inquiries.

Not unlike their Farecast technology on the travel page, Bing has unique twists to segment themselves from Google.  They have expanded their entertainment menu to aggregate streaming from Zune, tour details, and links to buy music from a large database. Currently, Bing only has 9% of the search market. It could be all for naught, when facing Google’s capital prowess.

Google purchased Simplify Media in May to counter with a music download service that synchronizes the Android mobile OS and search engine.  Along with the planned upgrade of its video services, Google is really stretching its media boundaries.  We’ll discuss these implications in the future, as many could arise for the music and television industries.  One issue for the music industry is the regulation of infringing material on search results. Google and Bing could offer subscription services to access illegal content through sites like MegaUpload and Rapidshare. The sentence itself sounds unjust.  Chess pieces have only begun to align on this battleground.

Posted by Abdul Fattah Ismail
Posted in blog, Business News, Digital Media, search engine marketing, Search Engine Optimization | No Comments »
Tags: Blueliner Marketing, google android, google tv, microsoft bing, Mobile Marketing, new york seo media agency, seo methodology, simplify media