Facebook Ad Retargeting: A Possibility for the Near Future

A new advertising method appears to be on the horizon for Facebook.

I have a feeling advertisers will get very excited about this…

Facebook Exchange is their first cookie-based ad retargeting solution. Josh Constine of Techcrunch explains, “A Facebook user visits a third-party website, such as a travel site where they view prices for a hotel in Hawaii. That website drops a cookie on the user’s browser, and then hands a demand side platform (DSP) the complementary cookie. The DSP identifies the user to Facebook and tells it it wants to advertise to them the next time they visit Facebook.

The user visits Facebook, which pings the DSP asking for a real-time bid for how much they’d pay per impression to show that user a Facebook sidebar ad. If the bid is high enough, the ad gets shown, Facebook charges the DSP, and the DSP charges the website owner.”

This retargeting solution could potentially be a huge opportunity for advertisers. If it yields similar returns to what our experience has been with Google Retargeting, then this could be the ad revenue stream Facebook is in need of.

Facebook continues to test new ad methods with questionable success (from the users’ perspective). This could be a winner though. Would users feel the ads are more relevant therefore potentially more useful?

Is Facebook retargeting the ad type that may draw the clicks at the cost advertisers are looking for?

Like this post? Connect with Erika Barbosa on Google+.

Image credit: oparrish

Should You Hire Based on Klout Scores?

If you haven't heard of Klout, it's the latest in metrics on the social engagement levels of a brand or person. Klout claims to measure social impact and provides a scoring system that can be used to identify heavy hitters on social media. While some argue that Klout's formula is a relatively useless measure of social engagement (see Klouchebag.com), others are proposing that not only is it accurate enough to really measure a level of engagement, but that it should be a factor in the hiring process. Marketing execs at top agencies tend to have higher Klout scores than those at less well-known agencies, argues Mashable. Hiring those with high Klout scores may mean that you get someone who understands social media well and is prepared to make an impact with it. Here's a question, though - are the do the top agencies' execs have high Klout scores because they are affiliated with top ad agencies, or because their own merits got them there? What about agencies that aren't on the list? Until a few more questions have been answered about the validity of the Klout score, there's no need to be too worried about your own.

Would you use a Klout score to help you determine an ideal candidate for a position at your company?

InternetMarketingClub.org Presents: Instagram for Brands, Part 1

By now, we've all gotten a little more familiar with Instagram, especially since social media powerhouse Facebook took over. With recent updates and a surge in member usage, Instagram is slowly climbing the networking ladder as one of the most important services to use. But how well does it work for brands trying to promote their image? Social media guru and traveled writer Matt Wooddy presents this webinar on how businesses can use Instagram to their advantage. It's not just for food pics, anymore!

Click here to register:
http://bit.ly/instaregister

About Matt Wooddy:

For the last five years, Matt Wooddy has used his social wizardry to completely turn around the presence of over 200 Twitter, Facebook and Google+ accounts. Understanding that social media is more than just a place to promote your brand, he uses personal interaction and entertaining messages to improve the branding and interest of any given company.
Click here to register:
http://bit.ly/instaregister

How Does Social Media Affect Political Campaigns?

Just four short years ago, Barack Obama’s marketing team changed the landscape for political campaigns by rallying the public through social media. During the 2008 election campaign, Obama raised over half a billion dollars online, with 6 million of the 6.5 million donations made equaling just $100 or less. Talk about the power of the people.

Now, in the 2012 presidential election, social media is a crucial element to any political campaign, where an online marketing strategy has the potential to make or break a candidate. One major reason why social media is so important is not even the candidates’ messages, but what is called “amplification,” or what people are saying about them online. The more engagement a campaign receives from its posts, the more amplification the messages receive.

Another important factor is the media. Duh, but not just the political ads, debates and commentaries; the media is closely monitoring social media platforms to see what the public is saying and using the “buzz” to focus on certain topics or events. This could be really good for a candidate who is doing well, and really bad when he or she makes a public gaffe. In addition, shortcuts like buying Twitter users can be enticing, but is a very slippery slope. Faking social media followers can make a candidate’s campaign look bigger and healthier than it might be in reality, but the backlash from these below-board efforts can seriously undermine a politician’s credibility (wait, is that an oxymoron?) 

Do you follow any politicians online? How much of your news feeds have been taken over by political messages? Do you engage in politics online or steer clear? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

InternetMarketingClub.org Presents: Don Draper's 3 Rules of Content Marketing

A lot has changed since the Mad Men days of the 1960s, but some things remain the same. John Mancini, author of the #OccupyIT Manifesto, presents this fun albeit informative presentation on how Don Draper, fictional icon of the advertising industry, can help you really align your content marketing campaigns. If you're following the same patterns as all the other online marketers out there, you may be missing some big opportunities. Is your marketing developed for 2013 or 1963? This webinar is perfect for you if content marketing seems to be a routine rather than a creative outlet.

Click here to register (8/22/12 at 12:30PM):
http://bit.ly/draperreg

About John Mancini:

John Mancini is an author, speaker and respected leader of the AIIM global community of information professionals. He is a catalyst in social, mobile, cloud and big data technology adoption and an advocate for the new generation of experts who are driving the future of information management. John predicts that the next three years will generate more change in the way we deploy enterprise technologies and whom we trust with this task than in the previous two decades.

Click here to register (8/22/12 at 12:30PM):
http://bit.ly/draperreg

InternetMarketingClub.org Presents: Don Draper's 3 Rules of Content Marketing

A lot has changed since the Mad Men days of the 1960s, but some things remain the same. John Mancini, author of the #OccupyIT Manifesto, presents this fun albeit informative presentation on how Don Draper, fictional icon of the advertising industry, can help you really align your content marketing campaigns. If you're following the same patterns as all the other online marketers out there, you may be missing some big opportunities. Is your marketing developed for 2013 or 1963? This webinar is perfect for you if content marketing seems to be a routine rather than a creative outlet.

Click here to register (8/22/12 at 12:30PM):
http://bit.ly/draperreg

About John Mancini:

John Mancini is an author, speaker and respected leader of the AIIM global community of information professionals. He is a catalyst in social, mobile, cloud and big data technology adoption and an advocate for the new generation of experts who are driving the future of information management. John predicts that the next three years will generate more change in the way we deploy enterprise technologies and whom we trust with this task than in the previous two decades.

Click here to register (8/22/12 at 12:30PM):
http://bit.ly/draperreg

5 Tips for Reputation Management

Whether or not you’ll admit it, chances are you’ve Googled yourself in the past year or two. Maybe you did it out of vanity, or maybe you were just curious to see what’s being said on the web about you. No matter the reason, it’s a good idea to know how your personal brand shows up online to others – especially for active job seekers. By the same token, it’s just as important, if not more, to know where your corporate brand ranks online. This is called reputation management.

Sure, there was a similar service offered back in the golden olden days (actually not so long ago) where public relations firms would provide clippings from publications that ran stories, features and advertising about your brand. In the digital age, getting started with reputation management can be done simply by entering your company name or variations into your favorite search engine and seeing what comes up.  

Reputation Management can help you identify issues you may not have known about otherwise, such as complaints on customer review sites like Yelp.com and forum discussions on consumer watchdog sites. While you can’t necessarily remove these types of negative posts, you can address the issues that sparked them, and take proactive steps to push down the negative results and ensure that you control the first two pages of Google.

      Here are five tips for online reputation management:

1. Determine what keywords resonate with consumers and focus on those terms.
2. Decide if you are going to address the negative reviews and how to respond.
3. Create great web content, such as active social media networks, informative websites and popular blogs.
4. Take steps to improve the problems that sparked the negativity in the first place and ask customers to leave a review when they’ve had a positive experience.
5. Measure the results against a baseline and work toward a goal.   

Don’t let this short list fool you – reputation management can be challenging, especially when someone high up in your company also has a reputation management issue, which can happen all too often. The key is to be proactive and monitor the search engines regularly. If you do have a problem with reputation management, you may even want to consider hiring a professional or agency to help you with a strategy and execution. Consorte Marketing recently put together this infographic on reputation management that includes additional tips.  

Consorte Marketing Infographic on Reputation Management

Has your company experienced backlash from negative reviews online? How did you deal with it?

Facebook Tests Even More Intrusive Ads

Facebook has announced that it is starting a very small test for promoted news feed posts. These ads will allow brands to advertise to “non-fans” in their news feed. This may apply to both the desktop and mobile.

The ads will be elegantly masked as typical page post ads with a small “sponsored” label in the bottom right corner. The recipient of the ad will also have the option to “like” the brand’s Facebook page directly from the ad.

Mashable provides the following example of what the news feed ads will look like:

As an advertiser, this could be an awesome advantage for your brand to reach a larger audience. You will no longer be limited to advertising to just your fans, but your entire target market in Facebook.

For the user, it’s a completely different story. This could be even more intrusive than all of the ads you are currently bombarded with. It will just be another addition to the already cluttered news feed.

But, we must keep in mind that Facebook is a free service and at the end of the day, it’s still a business.

Tell us your initial thoughts about news feed ads in the comments below.

Like this post? Connect with Erika Barbosa on Google+.

Image credit: Horia Varlan

InternetMarketingClub.org Presents: Mobile Search Ranking Factors

Bryson Meunier is a mobile marketing expert at Chicago-based Resolution Media. There seems to be some discrepancy among search engine experts regarding common mobile SEO practices. Well, you're in luck, because Bryson's presentation Mobile Search Ranking Factors details all of the factors you need to know for mobile optimization. If you're looking to re-strategize your mobile marketing efforts, then this webinar is perfect for you. 

Click here to learn more and register:
http://bit.ly/mobilereg
About Bryson Meunier:

Bryson Meunier is an Associate Director of SEO at Resolution Media and the primary architect of their natural search product. He writes regularly on advanced SEO topics at his Natural Search and Mobile SEO Blog. 

Click here to learn more and register:
http://bit.ly/mobilereg

Free Google Resources to Grow Your Business Online

“Learn with Google Beta” is a free online resource that allows you to watch videos and download worksheets all about tips for promoting your business’s online presence. It is an informative tool for small business owners with online marketing knowledge from beginner to intermediate.

The site includes a variety of how-to guides covering topics such as:

• Why does being online matter?
• Online marketing vocabulary
• Google apps for business
• Local marketing: the what, the why, the how
• Building your online marketing plan

The website also includes a consolidated section for Google tools such as the “Google Keyword Tool”.

From Google’s free webinar series to “Learn with Google Beta”, it’s worth carving out some time to gain a better understanding of the steps you can take to promote your business on Google – direct from Google itself.

What tips did you find the most helpful for your business?

Like this post? Connect with Erika Barbosa on Google+.

Are You on Instagram?

If your company isn't on Instagram yet, research shows that you're behind - 40% of top US brands are already on this up-and-coming platform, according to Mashable. While this pales in comparison to the 98% of companies on Facebook, Instagram is a fast-growing platform that allows companies to connect with their consumer base in a completely different way. Brands can create Instagram accounts and share photos with their fans, so it's great for the retail industry, but Instagram could also have applications for tourism (photos of the destinations), event planners (event photos), arts (gallery opening photos), and more. Plus, Instagram released hashtags to better allow companies and people to find photos and topics they love. Brisk Iced Tea ran a campaign that allowed users who tagged #briskpic to compete for a chance to have their photos showcased on limited edition iced tea cans at the SXSW conference. Other companies, like Charity Water, are getting in on the Instagram campaign craze, too, now that it's an ideal platform for running unique photo competitions.

 How can you utilize Instagram for your company?

83 Million Facebook Profiles Not Real

Facebook recently admitted that more than 8.7% of its 955 million Facebook accounts worldwide are fakes. That equals roughly 83 million profiles that are not real. Facebook broke the numbers down even further stating that the largest portion of the faux pie comes from 46 million duplicate accounts, or 4.8% of all accounts. Duplicate accounts are defined by Facebook as “an account that a user maintains in addition to his or her principal account.”

The next biggest portion includes user-misclassified profiles, which are personal profiles that have been created for companies, instead of pages, or for a non-human entity, such as a pet. Yes, people have Facebook profiles for their pets. (Teaching the pet to maintain his own account would be a great trick)! These make up 2.4% or 23 million of the fake accounts. The remainder is made up of undesirable profiles, which are considered to be in breach of Facebook’s terms & conditions, and these number about 14 million.

The biggest issue here for Facebook is the effect this news will have on its advertisers and, subsequently, its stock price. It doesn’t help that earlier this month, software startup Limited Run claimed that 80% of the clicks on their Facebook ads were coming from bots. Tech Crunch did some of its own investigating and was skeptical about the timing of the announcement. Limited Run’s co-founder, Tom Mango, said the research was done earlier this year, but the company waited to post the results of their own testing until just after the launch of their new website. At any rate, Mango made it clear that they are not saying Facebook is behind the bots that are inflating the number of clicks – other factors, such as a vicious competitor could also be behind it.

Limited Run has certainly gotten Facebook’s attention and the social networking company says it’s investigating the claims. In the meantime, Facebook CFO David Ebersman said that Facebook is doing everything it can to ensure that Facebook is populated by real people. Does this change the way you use Facebook advertising? 

Image credit: davedehetre

Google Mobile Search via Handwriting Recognition

It is known that Google offers a few different ways to search including voice command to auto-complete.

The search giant is now introducing another search method – handwriting recognition. Still in the experimental stage, Google Handwrite will support 27 languages and will run on Android phones and tablets, and on iOS devices running iOS 5. Since it’s still in the testing phase, users will have to enable it within their settings to enjoy this new feature.

Searching via this method will allow you to scribble on nearly all of your phone’s screen space. The autocomplete suggestions will appear below the search box after a few letters, just as the typical search does.

Google Handwrite is intended to supplement the traditional keyboard. You can watch Mashable’s brief video about this feature to learn more.

It’s highly unlikely “handwriting” searches will consist of more than one or two words due to screen space. How do you see this form of query impacting a business’s website visibility in search?

Like this post? Connect with Erika Barbosa on Google+.

Image credit: photosteve101

Twitter Gets Political

With the election coming up in November, social media has been welling up with politics. Romney and Obama are both running Facebook ads along with traditional TV segments, and users of social media are throwing down their opinions like MMA fighters at a UFC tournament. Twitter is the latest to get in on the game, rolling out their new Twitter Political Index, a slightly less scientific Gallup poll that relies on tracking the millions of tweets of its users for candidate names. While Twitter is so far predicting an Obama win, it must also be taken into account that Twitter users tend to be younger with democratic leanings, which doesn't accurately reflect those who actually do the voting. If Twitter predicts the presidential election's outcome correctly, do you think this will change the way that social media influences polls and statistics? Do you approve of this political leap taken by Twitter, or do you think Twitter should keep its nose out of national elections?

Visit Mashable to see the fun graphs that Twitter has come out with.