It’s been an interesting month in the world of internet marketing, and these are the Stukent top news picks. It’s a fast-moving world. You either have to keep up with changes or get left behind in the dust.
Let’s stay in the forefront. The view is much better from there.
1. Goodbye Cookies … Hello Atlas
Topic: [highlight type=”dark”]Social Marketing[/highlight]
Facebook is developing their psychographic targeting ability in a big way
That’s the song Facebook is singing about their redesigned and re-launched third-party ad system purchased from Microsoft last year. In a stroke of copywriting genius, the focus is on a concept they are calling “People-based marketing.” The announcement may sound considerably hyped, but Facebook has reason to crow about Atlas. They’ve signed Instagram, a bevy of other clients, and they’re now ready to ramp consumer intel-gathering up a few notches.
Key Point: Facebook has collected an incredible amount of information about its users and their preferences. Atlas is a hyper-focused way to turn that data into marketing savvy. Are there any ethical considerations pertaining to “People-based marketing”?
Action Step: Research “psychographic targeting.” How can it help you become a more effective marketer? Be sure to read the final article in this month’s suggestions.
[line]2. Buy Now
Topic: [highlight type=”dark”]Twitter[/highlight]
Coming soon to a Tweet near you: Order what you need directly from Twitter. Who needs a catalog?
Why make prospective customers follow a link to get to a site where they can buy your goods? People are busy, and that’s way too much clicking. Twitter is testing a button that can take would-be purchasers straight to the shopping cart. Seamas Egan calls Twitter’s BUY button “The ultimate one-stop social media shop.” Read all about it: Buy Now
Key Point: The line between social sites and commercial sites is getting mighty thin. It may be about to evaporate completely.
Action Step: If the Buy button works well on Twitter, where else might it show up? Can you think of sites where Buy buttons are already integrated?
[line]3. Poor Facebook. Here’s how to help Mark out
Topic: [highlight type=”dark”]Facebook[/highlight]
Turned down as suitors to Snapchat, Facebook shoots back with a new service for iOS: Rooms
Facebook has taken some heat for its fascination with Snapchat. Reports say a $3 billion offer couldn’t get the property for them, and they weren’t successful at duplicating Snapchat’s success with their Slingshot network, so they’ve now launched Rooms for iPhone. It’s sort of a private boarding house for ideas – and the best thing may be it isn’t hooked to your Facebook activity at all. Just when you thought you had heard it all … check it out: Rooms
Key Point: Facebook is making waves – and their new Rooms app is an excellent example of how far they will go to stay vital in the online battle for customers.
Action Step: Compare Slingshot to Snapchat. Now check out Rooms. Which do you like best? Why is that? What do you think Facebook will shoot for next?
[line]4. Yahoo’s Loss is Google’s Gain
Topic: [highlight type=”dark”]Online Patents[/highlight]
Patent-watching can be a wise and lucrative pursuit. Here are 55 more for Google.
55 Yahoo patents were moved to the Google side of the ledger this month, following a Yahoo announcement that the Yahoo Directory is closing down. For a fun look at ideas that could someday be activated– from a podcast search engine to maps with keyword clouds, take a look at the list: New Google-owned Patents
Key Point: Often, keeping a watch on patents acquired and filed for can provide early insight to what may be coming next or additional insight into what already is.
Action Step: Go over the list of patents acquired. Do you see any that could help you come up with ideas for your own work? How can you stay updated on patent activity?
[line]5. That Pesky Penguin is at It Again
Topics: [highlight type=”dark”]SEO[/highlight] | [highlight type=”dark”]Penguin 3.0[/highlight]
Another iteration of the animal feared (and loved) around the world – Penguin 3.0 is out!
Penguin 3.0 joined Google’s team of spam fighters on October 17th, lighting up the SEO boards and making many site owners a bit anxious. Google says the rollout will keep impacting sites for a few weeks and that about 1% of search queries will see changes. Those who were previously penalized by Penguin for shoddy link profiles are hoping their clean-up work will be rewarded this time around. Others are holding their breath, hoping it’s not their turn to get hit. Read all about it via Search Engine Land.
Key Point: A primary job of the SEO is to pay attention to developments in the search engine algorithms. A best practice today could turn into a worst practice in the future. SEO is a dynamic and rigorous endeavor.
Action Step: Look back at the previous five Penguin releases, then compare them to this one. Are there common threads? What is Google looking for? How can you and your clients stay out of trouble, maybe even become more competitive by paying attention to updates?
[line]6. An Enhanced Way to Pinpoint Ad Performance
Topic: [highlight type=”dark”]PPC[/highlight]
“Estimated Cross-Device Conversions for Display Ads” – it’s a mouthful … but a helpful mouthful …
Adwords is rolling out a tool aimed at helping advertisers better assess conversions attributed to display ads. Last year, search ads were tapped for the honor. Look for the new “Estimated Cross-Device Conversions for Display Ads” option in your AdWords Campaign tab. A live HOA (Hangout on Air) to discuss how to use insights gleaned from the parent function, Estimated Total Conversions, is planned for November. Here’s the announcement: Inside AdWords
Key Point: There’s a new tool available for the AdWords arsenal. It is part of Estimated Total Conversions (Campaigns tab), and it is aimed at a more fine-tuned assessment of results from display ads.
Action Step: Check out the new tool. How can it help your work? How might it help you tally cross-device conversions? For a companion study, check this Search Engine Watch article: Cross-Channel Attribution
[line]7. You Don’t Want to Be on This List
Topic: [highlight type=”dark”]Email Marketing[/highlight]
Get blacklisted during the Christmas season and you may be looking for a job … ouch!
Can it be true that 49% of all mail server blacklisting occurs during November and December? That’s what a Return Path study says. This Marketing Land article provides tips on how to stay off the blacklist and maintain contact with the most important people on Earth – your customers. Check it out here: No Blacklists, Please
Key Point: Getting on an email blacklist for Christmas could severely affect your paycheck. Don’t risk it.
Action Step: Read the article and take a look at your own mailing list, in light of the steps recommended there.
[line]8. A Technique so Accurate It Can Be Scary
Topic: [highlight type=”dark”]Analytics[/highlight]
More about psychographics – a word you will most surely hear more about soon
It has always been important in marketing to identify your customer personas and speak directly those who fit the criteria, but customer identification and targeting has now become a ninja art augmented by blow-your-mind analytics. Marketers are used to speaking of demographics, but psychographics is the new buzz word. That’s how a retailer can know who is pregnant (often before the spouse does) and begin serving up suggestions for the items that new addition to the family will require. Check out the basics of predictive analytics here: Smart Software
Key Point: Smart marketers are honing in for a closer look at customers than ever before. The current push is to not only identify the customer, but to predict what he or she will soon need or want to buy.
Action Step: What tools do you need for better customer targeting? How can you implement predictive analytics in your own marketing efforts?
[line]*BONUS*
It’s Election Time
Your one-stop election shop brought to you by Bing
Yea I know elections run through November and this is our October NYCU, but this is just too good to sit on. Plus, what good would this new local/national elections tool be to you after the fact? Bing has created this amazing resource to catch up, follow, predict, whatever you want to call it for one of the most heatedly contested political seasons in years! Watch the quick intro video below, and check the election tools out here.
Those are the Stukent news picks for October. If you’ve found value here, why not share the link to this article with others?
Be a Stukent field observer: When you find a news tip, send it in. Let’s help one another stay current. The internet won’t slow down for us … we have to keep up!
