Advertising For Success

Memorial Day

2012-05-26T14:00:00.001-05:00

Moment of Remembrance is 3 PM (local time) Monday.

Stop and remember those who keep us free.

HubSpot Free Download

2012-05-23T02:08:00.000-05:00

This collection has been completely refreshed for 2012. Get your copy today.

HubSpot has compiled a brand new collection of 120 Awesome Marketing Stats, Charts & Graphs based on original research and data from a variety of sources, including analysis of our 6,500 business customers, surveys with hundreds of small and medium-sized businesses, and dozens of top-notch publications like MarketingSherpa, eMarketer, Pew Research, McKinsey, and more.

Have a Wonderful Day

2012-05-13T09:46:00.003-05:00

Eye Glasses for Every Mood, Season or Day of the Week

2012-05-06T16:02:00.000-05:00

Do you remember that ZZ Top song, "Cheap Sunglasses"? I think about that song whenever I hear about ZENNI. The folks at ZENNI bring cheap eyeglasses direct to you from the manufacturer. No intermediaries, no markups, no limited selected of frames on sale. ZENNI brand does not carry the cachet (or price tag) of Gloria Vanderbilt, Calvin Kline or any of the names licensed to the highest bidder. In other words, ZENNI means quality without cost.

The only brand sold is ZENNI, so you will not pay for expensive or even inexpensive brand names. ZENNI eyeglasses are stylish and fashionable. Better yet, the prescription will be correct, the lenses safe and the frames comfortable. Best of all, the ZENNI eyeglasses will be fashionable and just what you wanted.

Visit the website to select from 20+ colors of frames in small, medium or large size with regular, bifocal or progressive lenses. Choose from full rim, half rim, rimless, sunshade or goggles! View frames sorted by shape: oval, aviator, square or round. Select frames by material, such as plastic, stainless steel, memory titanium or aluminum alloy.

Buy a pair of eyeglasses for each day of the week, to match your wardrobe or for the season. The eyeglasses are inexpensive and you will be an eyeglasses fashionista!

Mobile Media Revenues

2012-05-05T20:33:00.000-05:00

Consumers are expected increase spending on mobile media by 13.4 percent, from $121.8 billion in 2011 to $138.2 billion in 2012.

Advertisers are expected to increase spending on mobile media, from $6.3 billion to $11.6 billion.

The revenue of the mobile media economy appears to be reaching $149.8 billion in 2012, a 17 percent increase from 2011.

Get more information on the Media Post blog, Research Brief.

The following caught my eye:

Global Mobil Media Revenues ($ in Millions)
*Venue*	*Advertiser Spend*	*Consumer Spend*
Data plans / web browsing	$7,311	$82,895
Applications and Games	2,898	26,121
Music	321	16.026
Video	726	2,837
Source: Strategy Analytics, Global Media Forecast, April 2012

Incredible profits in all areas of mobile media except for music, which provides over 11 percent to the total revenue, but spending has remained fairly flat.

Do you have a mobile media marketing plan?

Get On The Cloud for Free

2012-04-26T00:49:00.000-05:00

Six years after the beginning of discussion about the service, Google Drive is a reality. Google offers 5-gigabytes (Gb) of free storage. Use Google Drive on PC and Mac as well as iPhone and iPad. Android devices will be supported soon.

Dropbox.com offers 2-gigabytes and 500-megabytes per referral (accrue up to 18 gigabytes) for free. Choose an individual Pro plan starting at 50 or 100 Gb. Team accounts start at 1 Terrabyte (Tb). Show your photos and videos anywhere you have access. Share easily with friends, family and teammates. Free for Windows, Mac, Linux and Mobile.

Microsoft's Sky Drive offers 7-gigabytes for free. Use the SkyDrive application available for Windows Phone and iPhone. Look up your Windows Live ID, with which your sign you into Hotmail, Messenger, Xbox LIVE—and other Microsoft services.

Box.com is another site with 5 gigabytes for free. With Box, you can access, manage and share your on line content from anywhere, even mobile devices.

Apple iCloud gives you 5-gigabytes free. iCloud stores your music, photos and documents. When you need the content, the cloud will transfer them to all your devices. Works with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch and is free with IOS 5.

Yet Another Google Update

2012-04-11T20:16:00.004-05:00

2012 Updates

Have you ever wondered how SEO experts keep up with the changes to the Google search algorithm? I found this helpful breakdown of Google updates at SEOMOZ. The changes listed below took place during approximately a two-month period. It makes me wonder if the Google has the worst or the best product in the world . . .

Search algorithm has taken search engine optimization (SEO) out of the hands of mere mortals. I remember when page names and meta tags were the new thing. Until someone comes out with Cliff's Notes to search engine marketing (SEM), I think I will have to pass.

March 50-Pack - April 3, 2012 Google posted another batch of update highlights, covering 50 changes in March.

Panda 3.4 - March 23, 2012 Google announced another Panda update.

Search Quality Video - March 12, 2012 Google published a rare peek into a search quality meeting.

Panda 3.3 - February 27, 2012 Google rolled out another Panda update.

February 40-Pack (2) - February 27, 2012 Google published a second set of search quality highlights at the end of the month, claiming more than 40 changes in February.

Confused, yet?

Venice - February 27, 2012 This local update appeared to more aggressively localize organic results and more tightly integrate local.

February 17-Pack - February 3, 2012 Google released 17 search quality highlights.

Ads Above The Fold - January 19, 2012 Google devalued sites with too much ad-space above the fold.

Panda 3.2 - January 18, 2012 Google confirmed a Panda data update.

Search + Your World - January 10, 2012 Google announced a radical shift in personalization - aggressively pushing Google+ social data and user profiles into SERPs.

January 30-Pack - January 5, 2012 Google announced 30 changes over the previous month.

Have a Blessed Easter

2012-04-07T01:36:00.003-05:00

Small Business News : New 1099-K

2012-03-21T17:43:00.000-05:00

Must be my day for finding interesting infographics. Below is an infographic about the 1099-K, an new IRS form for reporting certain income, like sales on eBay, Etsy and Amazon of over $20,000. IRS is hoping to collect taxes on rebates, class settlement payments, refunds and other sources of income that may be forgotten when tax time is here.

The IRS says the form will not be compared to returns, but hopes it will improve voluntary tax compliance.

I may fudge on deductions, but I claim every penny of income. I made up this rhyme to remember why: "inflate deductions, pay taxes and fine; under report income, serve federal time."

Brought To By Outright.com

Content: Who Wrote It First?

2012-03-21T17:08:00.000-05:00

A Code of Conduct for Content Aggregators By David Carr (March 11, 2011),

So where is the line between promoting the good work of others and simply lifting it? Naughty aggregation is analogous to pornography: You know it when you see it.

Readers of Advertising for Success blog know that I had a problem with another of my blogs being scraped (both posts and photographs). Through following steps, I was able to have the other site taken down. After that incident, I added a copyright page to my blog.

The article referenced above talked about content aggregation and the problem of which story came first. We all know big name blogs that rush to post a story as soon as it breaks. Their source is seldom referenced.

The author suggests two symbols be used to let the search engines and the public know if the content is original, borrowed from another source or inspired by another source.

I think this is a great idea. I have a little hat tip smiley or I use via and sources to cite references. What do you?

Support Social Good Without Donating $$$

2012-03-21T16:24:00.002-05:00

Via: Wpromote

There have been many complaints about Facebook advertising and how the how social media marketing is just a way to market brands.

The infographic above shows how some brands are using social media marketing and then donating a portion of income for social good:

One millions shoes for children,
13,000 trees planted,
78 improved playgrounds,
123 improved schools,
21 foster homes and housing facilities, and
$100,150,000 cash.

These donations add up. Five brands have made a real difference. The social good has surpassed the irritation of advertising on social networks. Curious if the brands would make the same donations if they were unable to engage directly with their subscribers and followers through social media.

So when you see a "click here" or "like" for a cause, take a moment to see if the action leads to a social good you support. If it does, take another moment to complete the action. This is one way that you may support social good without donating money.

Not thinking about utilities

2012-03-15T01:49:00.000-05:00

Contributed by Milford Woods

I did not realize how glad I would be to come across this website, wildbluedeals.com, for satellite Internet deals. I was just looking at different companies and what services they offer. Then I was looking at jobs in the area and saw an advertisement that led me to the page. It was pretty good timing considering I was ready to move to a new house in a week and still did not have many things set up like Internet. I am not sure when people typically set those sorts of things up when they are moving, but I felt like I was so behind! I do not think I had even packed a single box. Honestly, I did not even think about setting all the services and utilities up in depth until I came across that link. Then I started to panic a bit. My husband helped calm me down. He went through the page with me to make sure it was worth getting into. Then he took off the rest of the week from work to help me. That was really the highlight about moving.

Copyright

2012-03-12T20:59:00.000-05:00

All content on Advertising-for-Success blog is considered the intellectual property of Eileen F Trainor.

For purposes of determining fair use, please refer to http://fairuse.stanford.edu/Copyright_and_Fair_Use_Overview/chapter9/9-c.html#3, specifically:

Internet Cases

Not a fair use. Entire publications of the Church of Scientology were posted on the Internet by several individuals without Church permission. Important factors: Fair use is intended to permit the borrowing of portions of a work, not complete works. (Religious Technology Center v. Lerma, 40 U.S.P.Q. 2d 1569 (E.D. Va. 1996).)

Electric Frontier Foundation has written a Legal Guide for Bloggers.

If you would like to use the content on this blog, please use contact button or comments to request permission. Excessive use is an infringement of copyright.

Second Best Commercial of 2011

2012-02-22T08:38:00.001-06:00

Back to the Start

Second Best Commercial of 2011

This is a great commercial about sustainable animal husbandry. Willie Nelson sings a Coldplay song, The Scientist. I found the ad refreshing and it renewed my hope that we may yet become a gentler society.

. . . the spot is a marvel of craft, visually and musically. And it answers its own call, with all proceeds from the sale of Nelson's song on iTunes going to the Chipotle Cultivate Foundation (Tim Nudd, AdWeek, Ten Best Commercials of 2011 : The year's most impeccable craft and storytelling in advertising).

The Chipotle Cultivate Foundation is dedicated to creating a sustainable, healthful and equitable food future. The foundation has contributed $2+ million in to help fund sustainable agriculture, family farming and culinary education initiatives. If you wish to learn more about the foundation, visit their website here.

Credits

CHIPOTLE • Back to the Start
Agency: Chipotle and CAA
Production Company: Nexus
Nexus Director: Johnny Kelly
Nexus Exec Producers: Cedric Gairard, Chris O'Reilly, Charlotte Bavasso
Nexus Producer: Liz Chan
Nexus Production Managers: Claire Thompson, Alistair Pratten
Director of Photography: Matt Day
Camera Assistant: Max Halstead
Model Assistant: Joe James
Electrician: Aldo Camileri
Model Rigger: Gary Faulkner
Character Animator: Gary Cureton
Set Animator: Matthew Cooper
Compositors: Alasdair Brotherston, John Taylor
Production Designer: Graham Staughton
3D Previs Lead: Mark Davies
3D Modeling: Wayne Kresil
Art Department: Gordon Allen, Ben Côté, Joe Kirton
Studio Manager: Elizabeth Day
Models: Bob @ Artem
Music Supervision: David Leinheardt at Duotone Audio
Music Producers: Justin Stanley and Doyle Bramhall
Content Manager: Liz Graves
Artist: Willie Nelson
Sound Design: Barnaby Templer @ Fonic

Hey, Those Are My Posts and My Photographs!!

2012-02-01T12:35:00.000-06:00

I had a serious problem with someone taking my posts from Texas RV Travel blog and copying them to their blog, word-for-word, including the title and photographs. At the end of the post there would be a small link back to Texas RV Travel blog.

This webmaster did not contact me and ask permission and s/he even hot-linked the photographs, using my bandwidth, not to mention violating copyright. There was NO contact information on the blog. When I did a WHOIS, I was given servers by proxy, which is just a way to hide who owns the site.

Luckily, I happened to send an email to GoDaddy copyright infringement department and my questions were answered by a helpful man named Brian.

He explained:

Although a domain name is registered through a specific company, the website (which is separate from the domain name registration) may be hosted elsewhere.

To determine who the web hosting provider is, you can use a publicly-available tool like http://www.selfseo.com/find ip_address_of_a_website.php. This tool will give you the resolving IP address and tell you where the website is based.

Then you may compare this information on ARIN.net. ARIN handles the IP allocation database. This may give you the relevant information for the true hosting provider.

With this information, I was able to contact the hosting provider. Good email addresses to use are abuse@hosting company.com, copyright infringement@hosting company.com, support@hosting company.com.

Normally, I would start by trying to contact the website owner. However, there was NO contact information and no history on this blog To leave a comment you had to register for this blog. This blog was locked up tight.

All Voices.com

Once I studied the blog, I realized this person had been stealing my posts since early last year. The name of this blog is similar to an environmental blog about Texas. When I saw the name under uncommon uses of my blog feed, I just thought that my friend was linking back or tracking back and I just forgot it.

Well, I wanted to share with you how I was able to find out who actually hosts a blog. Through a hosting provider, you usually get immediate response as to who is the owner of the blog or website.

I have asked for the posts, all of them, to be deleted and an apology posted on the blog and a link to my blog. If the owner of the blog takes no action, I have asked the hosting company to take the blog down. The offending blog has been taken down, so I guess the problem is solved--for now.

What I Learned

Look carefully at your Feedburner or other RSS stats.
Check all uncommon uses of your feed.
Post copyright statement on your blog
Make image that will inform and not humiliate
Check out all trackbacks.

Still to Do

Learn how to add unobtrusive watermark to all pictures.
Discover how to change permission on photograph folder.
Disable right-click and view source on my blog.
Am I forgetting anything?

This is upsetting to me. I am a blogger, not an investigator or a policeman. Whenever someone asks, I almost always allow excerpts from my articles to be posted.

During my treatment, I let things go. I am paying for it now. Learn from my mistake and protect your website. If you have had a similar experience, please share.

SSOR - Stop Stealing Our Rights!

2012-01-17T18:18:00.000-06:00

If tyranny and oppression come to this land,

it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy.

James Madison

Losing the Freedom of the Internet

The Congress and the House of Representatives have come up two separate bills to further curtail our freedoms. I guess it is just too hard for the poor peeps to tackle something important, like sending jobs overseas, corruption on capitol hill, the environmental dangers posed by fracking and the XL pipeline, climate change, the disappearing middle class, etc.

Oh, but they have time to write the bills that will take away the few pleasures left to the public that is struggling to work, live and pay taxes.

Congress is about to pass Internet censorship, even though the vast majority of Americans are opposed to it. We need to kill the bills - PIPA in the Senate and SOPA in the House - to protect our rights to free speech, privacy, and prosperity.

S.968 - PROTECT IP Act of 2011

PIPA - Establishes process by which a website is taken down because the Justice Department (DoJ) says the site is conducting infringing activities. The DoJ or the copyright owner would begin legal action and the DoJ could demand that search engines, social networking sites and domain name services block access to the targeted site.This could all be done without anyone being heard by a judge.

Stop Protect IP Adresses (PIPA) - Read the bill here.

H.R.3261 - Stop Online Piracy Act

SOPA - Basically the same as PIPA, with some additions: . . . against any site they deem to have "only limited purpose or use other than infringement," . . . It would also make unauthorized web streaming of copyrighted content a felony with a possible penalty up to five years in prison. This bill combines two separate Senate bills -- S.968 and S.978.

Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) - Read the bill here.

People are saying these bills will break the Internet. In protest many of the large websites, like Wikipedia are "blacking out" their websites tomorrow 1/18. I have decided I will add this post to all my blogs as a public service announcement,

Click the infographic below to take action.

Do it today.

MLK: We are Approaching Social Doom

2012-01-15T18:31:00.000-06:00

Over 40 years ago, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated and this nation lost one of the greatest leaders for peace and non-violence since Gandhi. We do not celebrate his death today, but rather his life.

Reverend King's words still resonate with reason decades later; they still inspire new generations of folks to action.

~~~~~~~~~~ Words to Live By ~~~~~~~~~~~~

"The time is always right to do what is right."

"A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom."

"I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood c an never become a reality... I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

God bless you, Reverend King. I am glad you lived, even for such a short time during my lifetime. I wish your journey could have lasted much longer. I wish you were alive today to guide our nation and our people. We need you and your wisdom, especially your thoughts on war.

Most Useful Posts of 2011

2012-01-06T17:53:00.000-06:00

Who's Blogging What has put together a list of posts from 2011 that their readers found to be the most useful. There are posts for Social Media, Search Marketing, User Experience, Email Marketing and Web Analytics.

Here are a few random choices of mine, sort of a preview of the posts on the Social Media tab.

To see the complete lists of posts and bookmark the page for future reference, click this link: The most useful posts of 2011 (Who's Blogging What).

Free eBook on Driving Traffic, Leads and Sales

2012-01-02T22:20:00.002-06:00

44 percent of marketers say engaging visitors and capturing leads is their biggest challenge. One major component of marketing is the website.

Learn the top principles for increasing quality traffic and leads by downloading a guide from HubSpot, 25 Website Must-Haves for Driving Traffic, Leads & Sales.

This 52-page ebook gives you access to:

Essential SEO advice to increase traffic
Important design tips to reduce bounce rates
Content creation ideas for engaging visitors
Best practices for converting traffic into leads

Free and useful information for marketers. Add it to your library.

Have it All or Get What You Need

2011-12-02T18:10:00.001-06:00

I read The Working Woman’s GPS, When the Plan to Have It All Has Led You Astray, by JJ DiGeronimo. GPS in this instance is short for Goals with a Sense of Purpose and Self (GPS).

JJ lived in the generation that developed the Have it All mindset. The battles for equal pay, equal treatment under the law, being valued as employee versus a “girl” had been waged and won.

Ms. DiGeronimo learned through cultural experiences, advertising, society, as well as through interacting with other women and men, that she could have it all. She could have a challenging career, flawless husband, picture-perfect life; quality spare time for self, friends, community, philanthropy, hobbies and, of course, children. Whew!

Like most women, JJ did everything perfectly, for a while. Then she realized she was exhausted, over-committed and her life had become a tangled web of strings, with each string becoming a drain on her energy and time. In short, there was no joy in JJ’s life.

The path she followed on her journey from have it all to get what you need is detailed in her book. JJ DiGeronimo developed a personal inventory that facilitates placing your friends, family, coworkers and neighbors into categories. For each person, answer how they make you feel, if the person gives you energy or drains you. More importantly, does this person support you? At the end of the inventory, you know who is behind you 100% and who is a good time friend. Next, JJ looked at assets and resources. Assets are what you bring to the table and resources are whom you know. One more inventory clarified feelings, commitments and risks that are present in everyday life.

JJwent to other woman and listened to their stories. The inclusion of these women and their lives changed the book from a tangled web of strings to a tapestry of great beauty and utility. Find the support you need and add your threads to the tapestry at PurposefulWoman.com.

Build Mobile : Resources You Can Use

2011-11-29T22:22:00.000-06:00

I received the first edition of the BuildMobile newsletter today. This newsletter is from the SitePoint Network of sites, which includes PHPMaster.com, DesignFestival.com, RubySource.com and Cloudspring.com.

If you are trying to build a mobile website or convert an existing website to a moblog, you should subscribe to BuildModile. From tutorials to events, this will be a good resource for you. You may read the first BuildMobile newsletter on the web as well as sign up for the newsletter.

Remember . . .

2011-11-11T06:05:00.001-06:00

Veteran’s Day was set aside to thank and honor living veterans who serve or have served honorably in the military, in peace or in war. We also remember the fallen.

On Veterans Day, special services take place at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers in Arlington National Cemetery.

Today, November 11, 2011, remember all veterans of all conflicts, whether standing proudly in your community, serving overseas in the Middle East, lying in Section 60 of Arlington National Cemetery, in the Fields of Flanders or inscribed in the Wall in Washington.

God Bless You. Thank You.
We Will Remember …

Veteran's Day - A Reason I Blog for Peace - Dona Nobis Pacem

Dona Nobis Pacem (Grant Us Peace)

2011-11-03T04:54:00.001-05:00

November 4, 2011 is Blog Blast for Peace

You will see many peace globes (below) on many blogs today. Stop and read what your fellow bloggers are saying. Leave a comment or share the post with friends. Join us if you want PEACE in your lifetime.

Peace is thoroughly dominant, it becomes an inner experience with unlimited possibilities. Only when this really happens – when the spirit of peace awakens and takes possession of men’s hearts, can humanity be saved from perishing. ~Albert Schweitzer (1875-1965), Alsatian physician and 1952 Nobel Peace Laureate

BlogBlast For Peace 2011 ~ What It Is - click this link to find out

November 4, 2011
Bloggers from all across the globe
will blog for peace.

We will speak with one voice.
on one subject
on one day

Please visit with peacebloggers on FaceBook, Twitter, Mimi Writes and many of sites around the world. See all my peace globes on 11/4/11..

In The Market for Premium Websites?

2011-11-02T00:55:00.001-05:00

This post brought to you by Rouper. All opinions are 100% mine.

Marketing Your Website

I have a website that has been in operation since 2003. I have thought about selling it, but it is hard to determine market value and I do not know exactly how to handle the transaction. I also received offers for another website that I did not take seriously. I have seen websites for sale on auction and classified ad sites, so I know it must be difficult to sell your website.

Buying Websites

Looking around for help in selling a premium websites, I found Rouper.com. It is easy to use their website. You may search websites for sale by listing attributes, such as listing type (direct sale, auction) or price ("buy it now" option, reserve price) or by website attributes (traffic, ranking, age of domain, website age, net profit, gross sales, monetization methods and top level domain).

Selling Websites

Selling a website is almost as easy. First, you create a detailed description of your property, including the attributes discussed under Buying Websites. Next, you set a beginning price for private offers and a reserve price or a "buy it now" price for public bids. Of course, you are also responsible for keeping the website online during the auction

Fees

The basic fee for listing your website is $49. You may add listing embellishments if you wish to make your listing stand out. When the website sells, you will pay five percent of the sales price, sans taxes, as a success fee. The minimum success fee is $100. Alternately, you may pay a $499 success fee when you list your website. This is helpful if you think your website will sell for over $2000.

Coupon

If you want to sell your website, list the site before November 9, 2011 and use coupon FX7O0NP8. With the coupon, you may list your premium website for $1 and Rouper will also waive the success fee on any listings created using this coupon.

Which is Your Watch?

2011-10-31T03:17:00.002-05:00

Do you use a watch or your cell phone to get the time? I use a watch; my husband uses his cell phone. I happen to like watches. A watch was the first gadget I disassembled as a child. I think I was six; I did not get another watch until I was a teenager.

Usually, I buy a watch in the jewelry department of a discount store. The watches last about three months before the battery dies. If I want a laugh, I take that watch back to the discount store and ask for the replacement battery. The salesperson looks at me, dumbfounded, "you want to replace the battery in your $10 watch?" I quit doing this, as it is cruel.

So my stopped watches lie abandoned. As an eco-minded consumer, a drawer full of broken watches bothers me. I have heard that there are ladies watches that do not require batteries. So, I decided to do some research and see if I could find the watch for the rest of my life.

I found bluedial.com and spent an hour looking at watches and reading about different drives: quartz, atomic, automatic, hand-winding, kinetic, solar and eco-drive. Then I saw the skeleton display and I was six years old again. These watches show the movements on the face and back of case.

This will be the first watch in my life that I picked out because I wanted it and not because it was under $20. Now, I just have to convince my husband that this is an ideal gift for me this Christmas.

If you are looking for the perfect gift for a special someone this holiday, take a look at bluedial.com. They have 1000s of watches, many payment options, manufacturer warranty and free two-day shipping.