Internet Marketing @ Harvard Extension

Deep Wikipedia Links Buttress Yahoo Search Results

2009-01-16T23:17:59-05:00

Yahoo is working on adding links to the first 4 sections of Wikipedia in help of analyzing moroe of the word that is looked up. Yahoo will focus on History," "Variations," "See Also" and "References".

http://www.marketingvox.com/deep-wikipedia-links-buttress-yahoo-search-results-042816/

Nine TIPS FOR USING YOUTUBE FOR VIRAL MARKETING

2009-01-15T18:35:18-05:00

1- Shoot the video using a digital video camera and copy it to your computer. You can then either upload the video to YouTube as is or edit it with software such as iMovie or Windows Movie Maker to add titles and special effects. You might shoot from different angles with one or more cameras and then piece together the footage to create a unified final product. But remember, less is usually more when it comes to special effects. When you’re ready to upload the video, you just need to create a free YouTube account and follow the directions to add the video.

2-You don’t need to hire a professional. A homemade-quality video can work well and is sometimes preferable. We’re bombarded with overproduced TV commercials all the time so often that we usually just turn off our minds when they come on. An authentic and interesting video rather than a slick and polished one in which your personality shines through can make people notice. But plan ahead and shoot several takes to get it right.

3- Think very short. When people watch video, they have extremely short attention spans. There are millions of videos on YouTube, and it’s very easy to click away from yours. Although YouTube will accept videos shorter than 10 minutes; try to make yours between thirty seconds and two minutes. If you have more to say, consider creating a series of videos rather than making one too long.

4- A critical component of your video will be its title the name the world will associate with your work so think carefully about it. Make it descriptive and unique. To best promote your video, create an accurate and interesting text blurb. Use descriptive keywords and language that people will use when they search for videos like yours. And use the correct categorizations on YouTube so people can find it.

5- Some companies attempt sneaky stealth insertions of corporate-sponsored videos made to appear consumer-generated. A typical case might feature happy twenty-something at a party having fun while using products of a certain brand. The YouTube community is remarkably skilled at ratting out inauthentic video, so this approach is likely to backfire and cause harm to a brand. Remember, if your video is worth watching, viewers won’t care that it was submitted by a company.

6- One of the most effective ways to use video to drive viral marketing is for companies to develop a contest in which users submit their own video, which then is made available for others to see. The best video creators are given prizes, and their videos are usually showcased on the company site. In some cases, the winning videos are also played on TV as “real” commercials. For example, more than 100 people submitted videos for a Mentos contest seeking the best customer-created videos of geysers made by combining the popular mints with Diet Coke.

7- Sometimes a series of videos, such as those from Blendtec, a small company that makes household blenders, works well. Blendtec created a huge hit with their series of YouTube videos called "Will It Blend?" The following videos have each been viewed more than a million times.

8- When you upload your first few videos, you are likely to hear a deafening silence. You’ll be waiting for comments, but none will come. You’ll check your video statistics and be disappointed by the tiny number of viewers. Don’t get discouraged that’s normal! It takes time to build an audience. When you’re just getting started, make sure people know it’s there and can find it. Create links to your video from your home page, product pages, or online media room. Mention your video in your email or off-line newsletters, and create links to your video as part of your email signature and those of other people in your organization.

9- Sending bloggers a link to the video or commenting on other people’s blogs and including a link to your video is a good way to build an audience. If you comment on blogs in the same space as yours, you might be surprised at how quickly you will get viewers to your video. However, when commenting on someone else’s blog real estate, make sure you’re on topic and genuinely contributing to the conversation in addition to linking to your video.

Reference: Scott, M. D. (2008). The New Ways of Viral Marketing. Retrieved January 15, 2009 from http://www.davidmeermanscott.com/documents/Viral_Marketing.pdf

Another list for 2009

2009-01-15T17:49:58-05:00

I found an additional list for this years internet possibilities. A recently published (and speculative) report details the top ten changes that internet will encounter in 2009.

10. Many companies will have to rethink their choice of keywords for search engines. Companies may have changed their focus or positioning to remain competitive in today’s market.

9. RSS subscriptions will increase as consumers become more savvy and particular about the information they receive from the web

8. Entertainment websites will remain very popular. During tough economic times, entertainers have always expanded their influence and thrived.

7. Corporate spending on internet marketing and advertising will increase. Geographical targeting will take precedence as corporation try to get more bang for their buck

6. User-controlled advertising will become a practical marketing tool as advertisers to provide only ads that are relevant to their interests and hobbies.

5. Blogs will become increasingly popular and relied upon for valued insight and information.

4. Look for new online startups. This sound crazy in a downward economy, but as skilled technicians get laid off or asked to take a pay-cut they may become entrepreneurs

3. Large companies will focus on the use of social media. Companies will be making friends and sustaining relationships to increase its competitive edge.

2. Video Marketing will become more important. Seeing marketing on Youtube will become the norm for many companies

1. Google will begin to incorporate user's actual preferences into their search algorithm to provide personalization and customization of search.

2009 will bring incredible growth to the internet marketing industry. Companies want to become more personalized in the consumer’s life and the internet will foster this personalization

Kevin May

SOURCE: PRWeb [http://website-marketing.pro/articles.html]

Proposed E-Commerce Tax

2009-01-14T17:37:04-05:00

This morning I read an article that seemed to fly under the radar of most of the marketing blogs/news sources I subscribe to, but that has potentially HUGE implications for the Internet marketing/ e-commerce world. Amazon.com's stock took a 10% dive on Monday, presumably prompted by the proposed legislation that would begin taxing e-commerce. Currently, Amazon.com does not pay a sales tax to ship to address in states where they do not currently have a physical location. The current economic situation has forced many state governments to look for creative ways to raise crucial funds. If this legislation passes, the resulting sales tax will significantly diminish one of the largest competitive advantages currently held by Amazon (and all online retailers for that matter), particularly influencing the shopping/purchasing habits of consumers who buy big ticket items where the state sales tax (7% here in Arizona) can and does make a big difference in the out-the-door (or on line checkout) price.

Jocelyn

http://seekingalpha.com/article/114562-amazon-com-possibility-of-e-commerce-sales-tax-makes-it-a-short?source=bnet

How to measure Social Media

2009-01-14T17:05:19-05:00

Recently I read one article that explained that there are several e-marketing measurement platform and method that you can use to create comprehensive report to analyze what are the driving factor for a customer to visit your web site. But things get complicated when you try to analyze driving force for cosumer-generated web sites. For social-media measurement, the traditional measurement tools do not work. For social content measurement front, you can use Nielsen BuzzMetrics, TNS Cymfony etc. but these tools use sample data which is not a good srouce for social content measurement. For social media measurement we need to use Techrigy's SM2, Radian6, and the DIY Dashboard from KD Paine are effective solutions.

http://www.clickz.com/3632031

Brazil - Regulatory and Privacy Issues

2009-01-14T15:36:07-05:00

First of all I would like to wish a happy 2009 to you all and say that it's been a great semester with Professor Mary Lou Roberts and all the posts and comments from distance students as well as on campus students! I would like to meet you all to always exchange experiences and knowledge. My email address for the future is felipe@tamegao.net

Brazil is well known as one of the countries that has one of the fastest internet growing communities in the world. Computer inclusion in brazilian lives is one of the commitments of the government. However Brazil is also known as a place where piracy and counterfeit items aare easy to find and cyber crimes often happen.

Now the local government has a new law project about to be approved by Senate. This law is more concerned in protecting the interest of entertainment companies than the citizens themselves. It will be a federal crime to download, forward or use, songs, videos and even text files from a non official source.

Amongst one of the weired points of this law is that ISP are supposed to let authorities and the entertainment company aware of every single download of a song or a protected file, even if it is a legal download (with or without the consent of the user) They are also supposed to keep in files for at least 3 years all the profiles and behaviors of all users within their network. What creates a humongous ammount of data to be stored and processed. Virtually all the data available on the internet will be ilegal for Brazilian users. Unless otherwise specified, most of the local internet marketing actions will be ilegal too. No demos, no webcasts, no videocasts, no social networking.

What could be the impact of a law like this in this info exchanging internet world? At internet marketing? Exchange of files, information, samples, demos, are always part of a good marketing strategy and word of mouth. Any comments?

This is how things are happening in some developing countries. Let's all remember this when planning our strategies, in order to avoid hasle and law problems.

Kind regards to all

Felipe A. Tamegao Barros

Less Frequent Internet Users Closing The Gap

2009-01-14T11:05:42-05:00

According to the Center for Media Research, a recent Gallop Poll article states that Americans' frequent use of the Internet has almost doubled over the last five years; 48% now report using the Internet more than one hour per day compared to 26% in 2002. Post-graduates, those making more than $75,000 per year, and those under age 30 are the most frequent users of the Internet, with more than 6 out of 10 in each group saying they use the Internet more than one hour per day.

The least educated, least affluent, and oldest Americans are those who least often use the Internet, with about one-third or fewer in each group saying they use the Internet more than one hour per day. Smaller gaps exist between men and women, and the employed versus the non-working.

Among these demographic groups, several posted gains in frequent Internet use in the past year (more than one hour per day) significantly greater than the five percentage point gain measured among adults nationwide. The five groups posting double-digit gains are:

Those making less than $30,000 per year
Those who are not working
Those who are unmarried
Those who are under age 30
Those with post graduate educations

Men and those 65 and older round out the groups posting gains greater than the national average. The gains among men are particularly interesting when compared to the negligible change among women. Further, college graduates, those aged 30-49 years, and those making $75,000 or more per year were actually slightly less likely than one year ago to report using the Internet more than one hour per day.

The report concludes that Americans are using the Internet more frequently than ever. While the most educated, most affluent, and youngest Americans are those more likely to say they use the Internet more than one hour per day, the less affluent, non-working, and unmarried are increasing their usage at noteworthy rates.

And the author suggests that "... business leaders -- and advertisers in particular -- will be well-served to keep these burgeoning trends in mind. While targeting content toward the most educated, most affluent, and youngest Americans may be an effective strategy today, the growth evident among their counterparts at the other end of the spectrum suggests new strategies may be needed to cater to the frequent Internet users of tomorrow."

The full article can be found at http://www.gallup.com/poll/113638/Nearly-Half-Americans-Frequent-Internet-Users.aspx

Effect of the recession on CPM pricing

2009-01-13T20:00:50-05:00

Although not necessarily the measure of the entire industry, Pubmatic just released it's data on it's approximately 5,000 websites that it covers.

The AdPrice Index for the fourth quarter shows a sharp decline with some interesting charts that you might want to have a look at.

http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/01/13/pubmatic-remnant-ad-prices-are-half-what-they-were-a-year-ago/

If you "Twitter", does that make you a twit?

2009-01-13T13:15:35-05:00

I find it interesting that it is usually a concern that a product /service name has positive connotations, yet, if you consider the definition of twit (either meaning a fool or the act of ridiculing) this negative word has not seemingly affected the success of Twitter.

My marketing plan report brought me to set up a twitter account, and "twitter" the corporation (Whole Foods) about a question I had regarding product packaging. The interesting part is that I "twittered" on the weekend, and the company apparently doesn't respond to this "real time service" on weekends! From a consumer's viewpoint, this is not a satisfactory communication tool. It is now Tuesday afternoon, and still no response. A review of Whole Foods twitter account reveals the weekends are not considered "twitter-time". Also, Twitter 's homepage states that users "are not expected to respond to any updates unless they want to" -- fine for friends, etc., not good for customer relations and marketing.

Am I missing something here, or does Twitter seem like it might aggravate more customers than generate positive user content? I realize Twitter uses the term "tweet" rather than "twit", and I can see why. Does anyone want to consider their conversations as bird-like chatter?

Thanks for any input.

Dori

The Paid Search Ad Gap is shrinking between Microsoft and Yahoo

2009-01-12T20:04:50-05:00

I read an interesting article today that says that Microsoft is gaining ground on Yahoo as of the most recent statistics. That news comes from a combination of a perfect storm of Yahoo's share tumbling and a significant quarterly gain by Microsoft at the same time.

Microsoft had a strategy of increasing their average price per ad by trying to increase the valuable "first-page" customers.

Google of course, dominates is paid search ads and is likely to do so for the foreseeable future.

http://www.dmnews.com/Paid-search-ad-gap-shrinks-between-Yahoo-Microsoft-in-Q4-AdGooroo/article/123904/