In what was reportedly the biggest search marketing story last year, the launch of Google+ had much written about it: Will it overtake Facebook? Will Google use the data in their algorithm? What’s the deal with the Google+ button? The jury may still be out on its true impact, but one thing is for sure, Google is working hard to make sure Google+ doesn’t end up being just another 2011 trivia question. Read more…
By most accounts, Black Friday was a huge success. Despite the shaky economy and the threat of occupy Black Friday protests, sales were the strongest since 2007 as national revenue increased 6.6% to a record $11.4 billion according to ShopperTrak.
But customers reported mixed feelings about the various deals and many retailers reported thinning crowds after the midnight surge. And as the now infamous “pepper spray” incident at Walmart proved, once again, Black Friday shopping is not for the faint of heart.
Needless to say, Cyber Monday presents a better experience for many and experts are predicting that Cyber Monday 2011 will be the biggest online shopping day in history, with online sales expected to exceed $1 billion dollars. Read more…
A recent blog post in the New York Times Small Business section touches on an issue that comes up often in our space: Can SEO succeed on a site that does not compel you to buy? The blog features a local dermatology service provider who was unhappy with their SEO program because it didn’t generate enough consultation requests. The company ultimately deemed the effort ‘not worth the cost’. The writer does not get into whether site traffic increased as a result of optimization, but we all know those metrics don’t mean a thing if it doesn’t translate into conversions – so that means SEO failed, right? Maybe, maybe not.
Over the years, I’ve spent countless meetings in various jobs discussing how to win ‘recession-proof’ accounts. These are clients whose businesses are so valuable to the consumer that they are impervious to a down economy. As the bad news of our economic situation looms larger by the day, I imagine more and more agencies are having these types of meetings. And what I’ve found is that there is such a thing as a recession-proof client. They are alive and well, but it has little to do with what vertical they’re in and more to do with the attitude they have. Read more…
