When setting up the advertising in the Google Display Network, you are given a set of options such as where you would like to target geographically, what your budget is, and what kind of topics or interests you would like to match your advertising to. In most cases, the person setting up the ads is an individual at your company on the marketing team, a media buyer, or a digital marketing agency. Often, the targeting that they choose is too broad, and the advertising runs with little monitoring or review to ensure the ads are not appearing on irrelevant or explicit websites.

Every month, reports should be run to identify which websites you are advertising on to make sure that your ads are appearing where you think they should be, without any surprises. Also, conversion rates on each of the sites that you are advertising on should be measured and sites should be eliminated that are not converting. These reports will indicate which sites that you should not be advertising on and will help lower your advertising costs and/or improve the performance of your advertising. If your ads are showing on websites that are irrelevant to your organization, the ad is not going to generate the number of leads and revenue you are hoping to achieve. This ultimately degrades the value of advertising online and does not take full advantage of the extremely targeted advertising capabilities of the Google Display Network.

CBC News, The National, ran a story last night (May 14^th, 2012) about large corporations such as the Bank of Montreal, Tim Hortons, and Home Depot having their ads show on a video chat themed website called Stickam. Stickam is a webcam community that is designed to allow people to live stream their content, but was discovered by CBC to have been used by under aged girls who broadcast themselves engaging in sexual acts via video chatting. The story posed the question as to why these large corporations have their ads appearing on such a controversial website.  I was interviewed and asked my opinion on who the responsibility falls upon to ensure large corporations are not monetizing off of this type of online activity.

Do you know where your display advertising is appearing? Here is a five step checklist you can run through:

1. Use the DoubleClick Ad Planner

This tool is extremely useful for determining where your ads will show on a display network. Plug in your target market’s demographic and geographic information and a list of sites your target audience visits will appear.

2. Create a Placement Report Weekly

Regardless of which display network you advertise on, it should provide a report to you that you can pull as frequently as necessarily to see where your ads are showing. Do this weekly to ensure you catch any sites you do not want your ad showing on early.

3. Use the Placement Tool

When adding new Google Display Network campaigns use the placement tool to determine the sites your ad can possibly appear upon.  Go through the list and visit each site suggested.

4. Exclude Placements

After letting your ads run on a display network for a few weeks check frequently to identify any sites that you do not want your ads showing on. Then, exclude it from the campaign using the “Exclusions” tool.

How to Exclude Ad Placements from Explicit Websites

5. Contextual Targeting Tool

With this tool, you can build keyword lists for campaigns running on the Google Content Network. This helps you target your ads so they appear on websites that your customers visit, based on contextual targeting (keywords that match content on a site where there is advertising available).

Read the article on CBC news.

How are you managing your display network advertising? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below.

This year the conference attracted 142 AMA collegiate chapters from all across North America with over 1100 students in attendance. The theme of the conference was ‘Marketing: Always Evolving’, focusing on the shift to online marketing and social media. During the annual 3-day conference, collegiate chapters aspire to prove their skills in a variety of sales and marketing related competitions, and highlight their extra-curricular activities for the year. These three were chosen by the BCITMA members to represent the club in the main competitions at the conference; the Pearson Case Study Competition and the Exhibit Booth Competition.

The BCITMA had their most successful year to date, being named an Overall Gold Chapter, and one of the top five collegiate chapters in the AMA.  The BCITMA Case Study team, including 6S Intern Jill Purse, placed first in the Pearson Case Study Competition where teams were challenged to write and present an integrated marketing communications plan for Pearson Learning Solution’s upcoming product launch.  A major component of the team’s success included a comprehensive digital marketing strategy developed for Pearson which the organization has decided to use for their upcoming North American campaign.

BCITMA Case Study Team

Another major competition at the conference was the Exhibit Booth Competition, which was led by Navi Mand and presented by April Yau.  In this competition, the chapters are given the challenge to use the conference theme, “Marketing, Always Evolving”, to create a booth showcasing their chapter’s activities. The booth was created around the various judging categories including best educational value, best display of chapter activities, best use of conference theme and level of interactiveness. The BCITMA’s booth was entitled, “Cheers to Marketing, Always evolving”, demonstrating the evolution of beer marketing by Molson Canadian – a sponsorship acquired by Navi. The exhibit team’s hard work and creativity definitely shined as they received the top prize for “Best Overall Exhibit” second year in a row.

BCITMA Exhibit Team

BCITMA Tradshow Booth

View all Awards here

Time Spent in New Orleans

While not at the conference, the attendees were able to soak in the culture and lifestyle of New Orleans– the air was certainly full of character and stories! The city is the birthplace of Jazz and offered up a different live band around nearly every corner. It is also known for its unique French heritage and its long-standing buildings, providing a beautiful backdrop to an array of annual festivals. From Mardi Gras to the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage festival, this city of soul hosts it all.

Also commonly referred to as “NOLA” and “The Big Easy” – the city is famous for its southern cuisine. Po-boys, jambalaya, gumbo and crawfish are all celebrated NOLA specialties. New Orleans is also home to world famous Café du Monde, which is the city’s original. If are you not feeling the laid back jazz that is played throughout the local bars in the French Quarter, you can walk a few blocks down to the notoriously upbeat and vibrant Bourbon Street. The city gives new meaning to the expression “southern hospitality” and should be on everyone’s bucket list to visit.

Navi, April, and Jill gained insight and knowledge into upcoming trends while experiencing all New Orleans has to offer.  They can’t wait to discover even more about digital marketing from industry experts during their internships at 6S Marketing.

Meet our Award Winning Interns!

April Yau

April Yau

April is currently interning as an Internet Marketing Coordinator. She will be graduating from the Marketing Management Communications program this May at BCIT. April is currently the VP of Integrated Marketing of the BCIT Marketing Association with experience in project management, event coordination, campaign leadership, and online marketing strategies.

Her love of digital began after leaving pharmacy school in Australia, discovering the power of online. The analytical and creative balance of this medium quenches both left and right sides of the brain. When there is the rare occasion of free time between 6S and school, she enjoys a good dodgeball match or ultimate Frisbee game.

Navi Mand

Navi Mand

While working at a successful e-commerce company, Navi developed a love for sales. From there she decided to pursue a career in sales and in 2010 she enrolled in the BCIT Marketing Management program with a focus in Professional Sales. During her time at BCIT, Navi has been an active member of the BCIT Marketing Association (BCITMA) and in 2011 was elected as Director of Events. Beginning 2012, Navi was chosen to lead the BCITMA “Exhibit Team” at the 34th Annual Collegiate Conference in New Orleans and her team returned with the top prize in the competition. Navi is now looking forward to graduation and to make her mark in the Professional Sales industry.

Jill Purse

Jill Purse

Jill is currently interning as an Internet Marketing Coordinator at 6S. With a background in operations management, she crossed over into marketing to foster her creative side, while complementing her existing skill set. She is currently enrolled in the BCIT Marketing Management Communications Diploma Program, where she developed a love for advertising.  Realizing the shift to digital, Jill makes an effort to fully absorb as much online marketing knowledge as possible.

Jill is a member of the BCIT Marketing Association, and recently competed in the AMA International Collegiate Case Study Competition, achieving 1^st place. The rare times when she isn’t studying or working, Jill enjoys getting outdoors, travelling, going to concerts, and trying new food.

Taken a step further, employing a Social CRM marketing strategy will allow your organization to engage with prospective customers and use social media within a sales capacity to nurture leads – an activity which may be the deciding factor in a customer’s purchase decision.

The use of Social CRM

View the article in the April issue of the Canadian Business Journal.

Social CRM is a new and emerging marketing strategy with many interpretations of what it is and how it should be used. The majority of the time Social CRM is being used in marketing, customer service and:

• Peer-to-peer customer support
• Idea management / thought leadership
• Market research
• Product launches
• Brand reputation management

The majority of brand Twitter accounts use a “drive to web” strategy, pushing content out that ultimately drives traffic back to the organization’s website. This is the wrong strategy to use if you are looking to generate ROI from your social media marketing efforts.

CRM Considerations

If you are already using a CRM to track client information you are in the perfect spot to employ a Social CRM strategy. Most CRMs are customizable and will allow fields to be added to track account information such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn of clients and prospective customers. However,  if you are in the process of getting a CRM for your organization for the first time, be sure to confirm you can customize it to your specifications.

If you’re not using a CRM, here are a few that come with social media integration:

• Salesforce.com (our favorite at 6S!) – Salesforce for Social Media integrates Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn information of contacts and leads.
• Sugar CRM – Also integrates Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter into the CRM so you can monitor what prospective clients are talking about.
• SproutSocial –Combines powerful social media reporting with CRM capabilities; however, is much more focused on being a “complete social media management” tool than a CRM tool.

Things to consider when creating a Social CRM Strategy

Now that you are ready to move forward with a CRM tool, here are a few key items to keep in mind when developing a Social CRM strategy

1. Technology is not the focus.

The focus should be placed on learning the concept of Social CRM and how it will apply to your organization. Technology is not the focus!

2. Social CRM means something different to me than it does to you.

Social CRM will mean something completely different to a B2B company than it does to a B2C company or from one Marketing Manager to another. Define what it is your organization wants you to achieve and then create the processes that will help your organization reach its goals.

3. At the end of the day, Social CRM is just another “Buzz” word.

You’re already using social media; it’s nothing new to you. And even if using a CRM is a new thing for you, it’s not the end-all or be-all of your Social CRM strategy. Understand how Social CRM works, the concept behind it, and how it will ultimately apply to your organization. At the end of the day, it’s all about how you execute on the concept and not about the tools or literal definition.

4. Define a process using tools that will help you reach your end goals.

How will you determine who to engage with and how to engage with them? How will you figure out who is saying what about your brand or related products and services? Although tools are not the focus of Social CRM, it will be easier to execute on if you have some tools in place to help you identify these points. Make sure your tools will identify customer engagement, allow you to analyze the conversations, identify ways to engage in the conversation, and then allow you to act. Remember, it’s all about the execution. If you don’t have the ability to execute on your strategy, what good will it be?

5. You will not get a quick sale.

Be cautious about developing your Social CRM strategy and hyping it up too much to your higher-ups. With social media it has been a challenge to obtain a return-on-investment for many brands – and of course – your higher-ups always want to know the ROI you will get from your marketing objectives. That being said, Social CRM is a strategy where you ultimately will be able to track ROI from any leads and sales that result from executing on the strategy. Just remember to get everyone in your organization on the same page – it’s not about the hard sell, it’s about the soft sell and that takes time.

This article was originally written for the April 2012 issue of the Canadian business Journal. Read the article on the CBJ website here.

Have questions about Social CRM? Write them in the comments below or contact 6S Marketing regarding our CRM and Marketing Integration services.

6S Marketing’s Vancouver office (Yaletown) offers a unique work environment that is casual, and fun, yet fast paced and challenging. As a small company we all work together as a single team and have fun doing it. 6S offers an attractive compensation package including benefits. As 6S grows and becomes more successful – that success is shared throughout the company. We expect all employees to go the extra mile, take the initiative, and work with little supervision.

While we like to have fun, our number one goal is to ensure exceptional customer service. Our mission is to “Deliver success through innovative online marketing strategies.”

6S was named the #1 company to work for in the communications and professional service category in 2011 by BC Business Magazine.

Lead Digital Marketing Strategist

This position is all about creating and executing on innovative digital marketing strategies and campaigns for clients such as 7-11, De-Dutch Restaurants, Air New-Zealand and more. You will lead digital marketing initiatives at 6S and lead a team of strategists in order to blow our clients minds with amazing campaigns. This is an opportunity to flex your creative muscle and develop cutting edge strategies. You have at least two years experience creating and executing on digital strategies for clients in an agency setting. You have excellent writing skills and are able to write and present digital marketing strategies. You are skilled at managing resources and people to complete on projects, as well as managing multiple clients. You have an excellent knowledge of social media marketing, digital marketing and integrated campaigns. You are passionate about digital marketing, and are passionate about providing exceptional customer service. This is an amazing chance for the right person to become a true leader in the digital strategy space.

Qualifications

• 2 Years of creating and executing on digital marketing strategies in an agency environment
• Degree or diploma or equivalent work experience

Compensation: Competitive salaries are offered depending on experience.

If this position is of interest to you please email your resume and cover letter to careers@6smarketing.com with the subject – “Lead Digital Marketing Strategist (Vancouver)”. No phone calls please. Must be Vancouver based.

6S Marketing’s Vancouver office (Yaletown), offers a unique work environment that is casual, and fun, yet fast paced and challenging. As a small company we all work together as a single team and have fun doing it. 6S offers an attractive compensation package including benefits. As 6S grows and becomes more successful – that success is shared throughout the company. We expect all employees to go the extra mile, take the initiative, and work with little supervision.

While we like to have fun, our number one goal is to ensure exceptional customer service. Our mission is to “Deliver success through innovative online marketing strategies.”

6S was named the #1 company to work for in the communications and professional service category in 2011 by BC Business Magazine.

Project Manager (Vancouver)

This position is all about executing killer Internet marketing campaigns for a portfolio of world-class clients. You will be creating and executing on digital campaigns that include search engine optimization, Google Adwords, Google Analytics, email marketing, social media marketing, link development, and more. You will be managing internal resources to complete on campaigns as well as working with the client to ensure that they are blown away with the results. You are passionate about Internet marketing, and are passionate about providing exceptional customer service to a portfolio of clients.

Qualifications

• 2 Years of Internet Marketing Experience in an agency environment
• Detailed knowledge of Search Engine Optimization, Paid Search, Email Marketing, and Social Media Marketing
• Experience or certification in Google Analytics
• Degree or Diploma or equivalent work experience

Compensation: Competitive salaries are offered depending on experience.

If this position is of interest to you please email your resume and cover letter to careers@6smarketing.com with the subject – “Project Manager (Vancouver)”. No phone calls please. Must be Vancouver based.

Alfredo will reveal some of Facebook’s statistics and demonstrate how Canadian marketers are using the social media giant to build brand loyalty, create a community of social influencers and develop new market segments. Last year, 6S Marketing developed an infographic to illustrate Canadian Facebook usage stats Alfredo provided to us after the event. Stay tuned for this year’s infographic with some updated stats!

As a SMEI sponsor, 6S has a promo code (6s30) for 30% off tickets to the Facebook Marketing Secrets event. You can register and purchase tickets here: https://m360.smei.org/event.aspx?eventID=45851&instance=0.

If your company is embarking on rolling out its first social media strategy there are a few guidelines to keep in mind to ensure you are utilizing social media to its full potential…Read full article in the Canadian Business Journal.

Team 6S Marketing 2009

Every year since it’s inception in 2007, 6S Marketing has been participating in the annual fun run “Harry’s Spring Run Off” sponsored by Harry Rosen. The run is taking place in Vancouver’s Stanley Park on March 25th starting at 10am. The course is only 8km (5 miles) and there are usually under 1000 participants making it fun and not too crowded.

We are currently looking for team mates to join us, so if you are interested in participating in the run, please sign up online and select “6S Marketing” from the list of teams.

Late last year, former 6S Marketing colleague, Peter Breikss  was diagnosed with prostate cancer. While we have entered a team for Harry’s Spring Run Off every year for the past 5 years, we had not been focussed on the cause that it supports. This year is different. Peter has decided to join our team (6S Marketing) and complete the 8km race. He is currently undergoing treatment so he will not be running the whole race, but will walk the course and help raise awareness for the cause.

We are also participating in the fundraising element of the event and are raising money for prostate cancer awareness.

This spring, I will be teaching the Mobile Strategy and Marketing course at the University of British Columbia (UBC). The course is part of the continuing education program with credit applicable to the UBC Certificate in Multimedia and Web Development. The course is 4 weeks long and will take place Wednesday evenings March 21 – April 11, 2012 from 6:30-9:30pm at the UBC Robson Square Campus.

By the end of this course, students will be expected to have done the following:

• Be able to evaluate consumer mobile marketing campaigns and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each.
• Understand how to identify the mobile marketing needs for multiple types of businesses and be able to identify the most appropriate mobile marketing tactics to help fulfill the business objectives.
• Understand the mobile marketing opportunities with social media and have a clear idea on how to implement and measure campaigns.
• Understand current mobile marketing and advertising trends and have an opinion on the future capabilities of the medium.

The class size will be relatively small with approximately 10-15 students expected and the cost is $425. Register online here.

Pinterest For Business: A Battle of the Sexes