Google changes highlight color for AdWords (again)

As if their stock price alone isn’t enough to impress you, you have to admire Google’s sense of adventure.  Through the years Google has proven time and time again that they are willing to “tinker” with their product in an effort to make it better.

Sometimes the changes work out for the better, but other times there is a revolt and they quickly put things back as they were.  Do you remember the Bing inspired background image fiasco a few months ago???

In the last week, we noticed that Google has switched their highlighting for AdWords from yellow over to pink.  My guess is that part of the reason is that on many computer monitors – the yellow was somewhat washed out and hard to see and this new pink color has higher contrast and is definitely more noticeable.  We’ll see how long they keep it!

May 2010 – Sample Google AdWords Screen

July 2010 – Sample Google AdWords Screen

Why does Google highlight AdWords?

Google has traditionally highlighting their ads or “paid” listings in order to separate them from their natural, or organic listings.  This is for 2 primary reasons:

1. Let the user know the results are different – we have come to trust the natural or organic listings and Google wants us to know that the highlighted listings are not included.
2. Highlight the advertisers – The Google AdWords program is one of the main reasons Google has done so well financially.  So it’s no mistake that Google wants you to see the ads their advertisers put up and click on them.

If you would like to learn more about Google’s AdWords programs or get help managing your online campaigns, contact WSI today.  We are certified in the AdWords programs and can help you get the most out of your PPC budget.

In a move that should please those who love ironic situations and watching others “eat crow”, the New York Times is successfully using online ad sales to gain a better financial footing.

For years the newspapers have been trying to figure out how to deal with the change in our appetite for media consumption.  As more and more people get their news in some digital fashion, newspaper circulations have declined along with ad revenues.  This trend has led many of these organizations to the brink of failure as the new mediums pushed their way through.

In a nutshell, these organizations have tried to fight the trend toward digitization rather than embracing it and they have paid a heavy price.

Finally, A Shift to Digital

It’s no secret the New York Times has been struggling financially over the last few years.  However they finally have a bit of good news.  In their 2^nd quarter results which were announced this week, showed a 21% jump in digital ad sales to accompany their 6% decline in print ad sales.  Overall they showed a net gain of 1% and this was the company’s first revenue gain since 2007.

What’s to Come in the Future?

The news this week marks a rare success story for traditional newspapers trying to survive in today’s web-oriented world.   And as much as those of us in the web world would like to see our competition fall away – the world is undoubtedly a better place with organizations like the Times contributing at full capacity.

However, with that said, the struggle that the newspapers have gone through is a telling one.  The lesson to be learned here is that the digital age is NOT going away.  And instead of fighting the trends, look for ways to embrace them and make internet marketing a part of your business.

2010: The end of 2D for kids

Well we just sat through yet another summer 3D kids movie – this one was Despicable Me with Steve Carrel.  My short review of this move is that it is pretty forgettable, and that they made it just because they could.  It wasn’t particularly funny or heartfelt, but it was cool to look at and had lots of funny side characters to keep you occupied.  And yes they had the obligatory dance scene at the end.

If you kids don’t have ADD yet – they will

And as we sat in the theater for the previews, it’s apparent that Hollywood is going to give us lots more nice to look at but otherwise loud and soulless 3D movies – again just because they can.  It’s as though they’ve become hooked on the extra $4 it cost to get me into the movies now.

The really sad part about this to me is that these movies look nice but they seem to rely on that instead of actually making a good movie.  At this risk of sounding older than I am…give me the first Toy Story or Cinderella where movie makers actually tell a compelling story and use subtle tactics to get the point across.  Now everything is just loud and flashy as though that was somehow interesting for 90 minutes.

Spinal Tap for 2010

Some friends of mine who will remain nameless think all this 3D stuff is just great.  And I’m reminded of the classic movie Spinal Tap when the guy says “Why didn’t you just make 10 louder” and the answer is “Because it goes to 11!”

So the Hollywood discussions must be going this same way – “Why don’t we make this one in 2D?”  The answer – “Because there’s 3D.”

Disney embraces digital media

This past week we finally got back to Disney World (Orlando) after an 8 year absence and I was struck by the changes in the “happiest place in the world.”  Yes of course many things had remained the same – international employees from all over the world, waiting in line to meet Mickey and most of the nostalgic rides are all still there.

But one of the things that I noticed is so much different is the way Disney is allowing people to interact and get more out of their visits. In addition to the usual stuff, Facebook pages, You Tube Channels and one Twitter account with nearly 70k or so followers, Disney has gone above and beyond in their digital marketing efforts.

A few things I noticed about how Disney is using digital marketing to improve the customer experience:

1.  Mobile applications - Mobile apps are now the rage everywhere and Disney is no different.  Now you can find out in real time what the wait times are for various attractions, check on the show times and find out where your characters are throughout the park – all from your mobile device.  So no more running across the park to find out what the wait time is for your favorite ride.

Not only is Disney sporting it’s own mobile app, but there are tons of third part apps out there too (for a small fee of course).  And it seems just about the only thing the new mobile apps can’t do yet is secure a Fast Pass for you -but I’m sure that’s coming soon too.

2.  Book everything and anything online - I have to give credit to the Disney web guys as they have done a bang up job on the park websites.  They are colorful, have a clean layout, and offer you the opportunity to book anything you can think of online.   We booked several activities at the last minute in the hotel room right from websites and saved our receipts on our mobile devices – now that’s 2010!

Hat’s off to you  Mickey

So as a fellow “digital marketer”, my hat’s off to the Disney folks for embracing new digital technology and making it a seamless part of visiting the parks.

In previous posts, we have encouraged businesses with Facebook pages to link their Facebook page to other social sites such as Twitter, YouTube, or even blogs. These sites can be connected to the business’s page in a way that allows Facebook to automatically extract the information from them and post it on Facebook. There, it will show up as status update with a brief summary of the blog, video, or the entire Twitter posting and a link to the outside site.

3 Good reasons to integrate your social activities:

1. It allows users who follow your business on one site an easy way to follow it on another site. Facebook users can follow you on Twitter, and Twitter users can easily read your latest blog post.
2. It saves time and money by getting the most out of each post on any of the sites. If you created a great video on YouTube, getting your Facebook fans and Twitter followers to view it is much more advantageous than simply hoping that the same number of people find it on YouTube.
3. Improves optimization. The more times that a given post, video, or status update is published online, the more likely it will be that it shows up in search results. This increases the amount of exposure your company will have for given search terms, bring more people to you as opposed to your competitors.

By linking your social media accounts, you are getting the most out of the time, money, and effort you spend on each of them to promote your business.

These days everyone is looking to save money any way they can. And if saving money – or do it yourself are some of your favorite topics than don’t miss our free July Webinar – “PR on a Dime”

In this webinar, we will uncover how with simple PR and social media strategies you can generate publicity for your company on a “shoe string” budget. As you may already know, social media is a conversation starter across all channels and all industries. At this session, we will show you how to combine traditional PR and social media for higher ROI.

The missing link in website success

More and more businesses are online, but some seem to be much more successful than others at reaching customers and turning that customer contact into sales. Understanding why one business outperforms another online, especially when both businesses are in the same sector or field, is not always a simple or straightforward process.

The factors that lead to higher conversion rates are manifold in nature which is why it is important to test them often so that you can be aware of subtle changes that may create big results for your company.

What does conversion rate mean?

For internet marketing, the conversion rate is the number of visitors to your website that go on to complete a specific, desired action. That can mean completing a sale or it can be something else such as starting a shopping cart, signing up for regular email updates, or any other of a number of actions. The conversion rate is a way of measuring how effective your website and marketing campaign is at turning visitors into customers.

Why should I test conversion?

Understanding who is visiting your site and what they are doing on the site is important to designing a site that can promote your business effectively, getting the most value out of the money spent marketing your business online. The more often you test conversion, the better idea you will have of what is working and what is not in your current campaign. This will help you make changes and set a smarter course for future marketing efforts, producing a greater profitability overall.

Facebook events: An overlooked tool

Once businesses are on Facebook, they may not have time to learn the intricacies of the site and how the many features can be used to generate business. Posting status updates, adding pictures, and even sending messages to all fans are commonly used by businesses, but one often overlooked feature is that of the Facebook event.

The usefulness of Facebook events are a good indicator of how the digital world continues to find ways to model the real world.

A Logical Extension of Social Networking

Facebook was initially started as a social tool to connect friends. They could set up an event to tell their friends on the site that they were having a party or taking part in a charity event, and Facebook would announce their attendance to a specific function or event to the rest of their social media.

For young college students, the original Facebook audience, it was a simple way to find out what was going on around campus. However, now that Facebook has seen dramatic growth in both their over 35 and over 55 demographics, this feature is more than a way to find the best party – it is a great way to let the social network of each of your fans know about your latest promotion or event.

Benefits of Using Events

By inviting your fans or friends to a given event, you are including them on a list of individuals to whom you can send specific messages such as encouraging them to RSVP or including details about a promotion. You are also potentially exposing each of their extended networks to the event, as each time one of them indicates that they will attend the event, a message is posted that all of their friends can see. You can reach a whole new audience by using Facebook events!

Learn more about using social media networking in your business.