• Shift to Mobile Web Means Marketing OpportunitiesWeb Sites
  As mobile devices mature, consumers are shifting their online search habits away from the desktop toward mobile, and so changing the game for online advertisers and search marketers more
• Asia/Pacific Search Volume Hits Record in SeptemberWeb Sites
  Asia/Pacific Internet users conducted 38.6 billion search queries in September 2009, a 33% increase over the previous year, according to comScore data. more
• Newspaper Sites Attract 38% of Internet UsersWeb Sites
  Newspaper websites attracted more than 74 million unique visitors in the third quarter of 2009, accounting for 38% of all Internet users, according to a study conducted by Nielsen Online for the Newspaper Association of America (NAA). more
• Enjoy Some Good Holiday CheeseWeb Sites
  As the goblins and ghouls out there munch away on their Halloween bounty, fond memories arise of one apparition we saw a lot of this season—the Monster Mash JibJab "sendable." The e-card uses facial-recognition technology to seamlessly attach the faces of your friends or family to the body of a monster. ... more
• Is He a Searcher or a Sleaze?Web Sites
  As B2B companies boost their search-marketing efforts, SEO experts are in greater demand. And why not? With search one of the few bright spots in advertising these days, it stands to reason that optimizers who know how to get the job done are a precious commodity. But in a recent ... more
• SMBs to Boost Twitter Use for MarketingWeb Sites
  Some 9% of small and midsize businesses (SMBs) use Twitter to market their business, and 32% of SMBs say they plan to include social media in their marketing mix over the next year. more
• So, the Recession Is a Good Thing?Web Sites
  While acknowledging the damage this recession has done to the personal and professional lives of so many people, Freddie Laker also argues that our dark economic cloud has brought with it a significant silver lining for marketers. "I think this might be the best thing that has happened to our industry ... more
• Polish Your Brand With Co-CreationWeb Sites
  "A revolution in both marketing thought and practice is at hand," say three researchers in an interesting new report on brand marketing. In their research, these authors examined "consumer co-creation in an empirical context"—specifically, creative consumer behavior in nine brand communities across a wide array of products, including Apple Newton (a ... more
• Fall TV Drives Record Online Video ViewingWeb Sites
  The fall TV season premieres attracted record online viewership in September, with nearly 26 billion videos delivered to 168 million US Internet users during the month. more
• Oh, so That's How It WorksWeb Sites
  It's happening less often these days, but you probably still encounter executives or colleagues who have trouble wrapping their heads around newer technology—how something works, for instance, and what it can do for them. So if you find yourself trying to explain the ins and outs of Google Analytics to ... more
• I Prefer a Smooth BlendWeb Sites
  To be free or not to be free? That is the question many content providers are asking these days. Says SEO Book author Aaron Wall in a Search Engine Land article: "Free content can spread far and get many links, but it won't produce any revenue directly. If it is paid, ... more
• You Lie!Web Sites
  A recent viral video opens on a pretty blonde, who sits at her desk while cradling an infant son. "Hi, my name is Karen and I'm from Denmark," she says. "And this here is my baby boy. His name is August. I'm doing this video because I'm trying to find ... more
• Yes, It's Viral, but I'm not AfraidWeb Sites
  This time of year, the word "viral" strikes fear in the best of us. Images of flu viruses ready to attack spring to mind. (Shudder.) But that word holds a scary connotation for B2B marketers just about any time of year. After all, once an online B2B campaign goes viral, it ... more
• No Escapin' ThisWeb Sites
  Ask 100 people for their opinion of social-media tools like Twitter and you'll likely get 100 different responses—ranging from extreme enthusiasm to extreme derision. However you feel about social media, here is one simple fact: Even if you're a naysayer who considers these tools inane and a waste of time, ... more
• Yeah, but What Does It Mean?Web Sites
  "With free programs like Google Analytics," says Corte Swearingen in a post at the SmallBiz Marketing Tips blog, "acquiring data is not the issue—the challenge is finding a way to improve your bottom line using that data." Swearingen discussed the issue with Jason Burby, author of Actionable Web Analytics, and here ... more
• Don't Rev the Search Engines YetWeb Sites
  As more and more customers use the Internet to research purchases, you might assume that any online marketing strategy requires a significant level of search engine optimization (SEO). But if your target market is local, argues Kenton Newby in an article at MarketingProfs, that assumption may not necessarily apply. ... more
• Good Design Doesn't Just HappenWeb Sites
  Ever wonder how great search results end up that way? Well, in a recent post at the User Interface Engineering blog, Jared Spool says there are no shortcuts to search-result success. According to Spool, "There is no way you can produce a great search-results page [on your website] without spending ... more
• What Would We Do Without You?Web Sites
  You've probably heard a lot that the days of "push" messaging—a mythical golden age when marketers could feed passive viewers whatever rigmarole the ad department pleased—are dead. So true. But for you, it's not a bad thing; it's a chance to develop long-term, even downright codependent relationships with users. And there ... more
• Cheer-in the Holidays!Web Sites
  "The pumpkins come out, the days grow shorter, the weather cools, and there's no mistaking that the holiday season is upon us," says Karen Talavera in an article at MarketingProfs. And though marketers face the challenge of lingering recession worries, you can still add holiday sparkle to a subscriber's inbox, ... more
• Top 10 Online Retailers, September 2009Web Sites
  September's top online retailer—based on conversion rate—was food home-delivery and mail-order service Schwan's, followed by florist ProFlowers, according to Nielsen. more
• Prepare to Face a Brave New WorldWeb Sites
  When dealing with the fallout from an economic downturn, we may try to find comfort in the idea that everything will go back to normal come the upturn. But what if we get there and realize "normal" isn't what it used to be? That may indeed be the case for brand ... more
• Stay Tough, Stay TrendyWeb Sites
  Want to boost search results? Try benchmarking based on the latest trends, says Performics' Michael Kahn in a Chief Marketer article. An analysis by Performics of data from more than 200 paid-search programs uncovered some important shifts this past spring within many actively managed search campaigns; they could signal the ... more
• Just Show Me What You WantWeb Sites
  When you have products or services that customers don't buy on a regular basis—for instance, big-screen televisions or luxury excursions on the Orient Express—targeted email offers based on previous purchases may not be the best way to determine what they want next. That's why Sean Duffy of the UK-based EmailCenter ... more
• Online Video Streaming Up 25% YOYWeb Sites
  Two key indicators of online video usage are up 24.8% year over year, according to Nielsen's September US Online Video report. YouTube remains the leading source of online video, delivering almost 6.7 billion streams in September. more
• Must We Really Move Up to Three?Web Sites
  Just when B2B marketers felt they had mastered Web 2.0, along comes talk of Web 3.0. Yikes. So what's the talk all about? And must you listen to it? In a recent post at the B2B Insights Blog, J. Leigh Brown offers a brief overview of Web 1, 2 and 3 ... more

Web Sites: See all 345 items

Web Sites articles by the best and brightest in the field

• Four Case Studies: How These (Very Different) B2B Organizations Are Succeeding With Social Media by Christina "CK" Kerley
  Even though B2C companies get the lion's share of coverage about the benefits of social media, B2B organizations of vastly different sizes and industries are making striking gains in employing these technologies to increase their market share and solve revenue challenges. more
• The Three Most Popular Social Networks for Business (and Why You Should Use Them) by Paul Chaney
  An ancient proverb states that a "cord of three strands is not easily broken." By way of analogy, I hypothesize that the more individual connections to a particular person you have, the stronger your overall relationship with that person will be. In constructing my social graph (i.e., my network of connections), ... more
• Blogging From Scratch: Four Elements Your New Business Blog Must Have by Mack Collier
  You've decided to launch a blog for your business and you're busy laying the groundwork. You've selected a name for it, and you know what you want to blog about and who your bloggers will be. But do you have the right elements and information on your blog? What information should ... more
• Transforming Customers Into a Community by Adam Boyden
  When your customers feel that they are part of a community, they visit your website more often, provide feedback, and recommend your products and services to people they know. They do so because they now have a significant relationship with your company that surpasses brand awareness; they are now your ... more
• Measuring What's Meaningful in Social Media by Mack Collier
  How do you measure the effectiveness of your social media efforts? Many companies are not properly tracking the right metrics. Or they are tracking the right metrics but aren't applying those metrics to their full effect. Here's a look at four metrics that companies use to assess their social-media efforts ... more
• 22 Cheap or Free Web Usability Tools, Part 1: An Introduction by Craig Tomlin
  Usability testing can increase your website's conversion rates and improve sales. Here are some cool tools to help you do just that. more
• Ten Steps for Creating a FANtastic Facebook Fan Page by Mari Smith
  Facebook offers many features for strategic networking and generating visibility for your company. Among them, Facebook fan pages are (currently) the only feature fully indexed by Google. By inserting keyword-rich text throughout your fan page and updating regularly, you can create tremendous search engine optimization. The following 10 elements of dynamic Facebook ... more
• Your Website's Missing Ingredient by Jerry Bader
  When websites fail, most often it's because they do not function effectively as your primary communication tool. The Web is overcrowded with options, and unless you're prepared to deliver a compelling, differentiating presentation you will be quickly dismissed as irrelevant. Let's face it: Business is tough, probably tougher than it's ... more
• 18 Favorite Tools of Twitter Rock Stars by Kimberly Smith
  You can immensely improve your Twitter experience and micro-blogging effectiveness with Twitter-related tools, apps, and services. But which among the more than 1,300 (and counting!) are the best tools to use? Here, we cover the "tried and true" favorites of some of the industry's most expert users. more
• The Five Levels of Online Privacy and Tracking by Jim Sterne
  Marketers must improve the transparency of their data-collection practices if they are to help calm their customers' fears. Giving website visitors control is always the right move. You acknowledge that they have the control anyway and accept the responsibility of offering sufficiently significant value to entice the customer to exchange ... more
• Five Tools for Tracking, Measuring, and Evaluating Your Personal Brand Online by William Arruda
  The best kind of personal branding combines real-world communications with virtual visibility and community-building via social media. Online brand-building enables you to reach beyond the people you can connect with in person and allows you to measure the impact of your actions. Since online personal-branding efforts are easier to track and measure, ... more
• Seven Questions Local Businesses Should Answer Before Investing in SEO by Kenton Newby
  In the current economic climate, many local businesses are seeking more-effective ways to market. Since their potential customers are increasingly using the Web as a way (and sometimes the first and only way) to find products and services, local businesses realize that their marketing efforts should include at least some aspects ... more
• Online Lead Generation: A Good Way to Sell a Lead—but No Way to Sell a Car by Scott Painter
  The Internet was expected to dramatically change the way we buy and sell new cars by offering consumers better information and the opportunity to be in control of the process, and, by extension, giving dealers a more effective, targeted channel for finding buyers. But what's emerged instead is quite different. It's ... more
• Put Crowdsourcing to Work for You: Five Tips for Getting Started by Kimberly Smith
  Some companies are finding that their customers have a truer understanding of their own motivators and needs than even the most-qualified Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), and (what's more) that an outsider perspective may be just what their organizations need. It's called crowdsourcing, and within are some real-world examples and tips for ... more
• Social Media: Three Essentials Your Business Needs Before You Engage by Elaine Fogel
  It's true that social media has become the most popular marketing channel since the advent of the Internet, but marketers need to develop a solid strategy first before testing the new waters. Whether yours is a small or midsize company, nonprofit, or public institution, if it's not yet in the social-media ... more
• Is Your Website Impeding Your SEO? by Jonathan Fashbaugh
  As the Web has evolved, websites have become diverse, particularly in how they are constructed. A wide variety of programming languages and design techniques are now used to build websites. Some of those coding and design techniques are detrimental to search-engine positioning. And if your website uses any of them, it's ... more
• Take off Your Twitter Goggles: Why Marketers Still Need a Blogging Strategy by Clay McDaniel
  Twitter may be the all the rage, but it's not yet time to pull the plug on your corporate blog and stop monitoring all the blogs where people talk about your brand. The emergence of Twitter as a hyper-popular social-media tool for marketing is not the death knell of the ... more
• Eliminate Fear: Use Your Click-Through Data! by Josh Nason
  In every email campaign, you should have direct links to specific pages on your website, helping you gauge and track what's moving the meter in your emails. If you're using a proper email service provider (ESP), you should be able to easily see in real time who clicked on those ... more
• How to Develop a Successful Facebook Page by Mark Ivey
  Facebook Pages are good for building your brand and creating conversations, allowing users to get more deeply connected with your business. Recent changes have improved their functionality. Check out the following strategies for leveraging some of the key features. more
• What Banner Ads Can Learn From Billboards by Kim Stearns
  Banner ads are tried-and-true forms of advertising that can deliver great results while driving a return on investment. So why are advertisers so hesitant to use them? Maybe it's because they have been overrun with cheesy, annoying, misleading, and downright dumb content, creating an aversion to this otherwise effective form ... more
• Put Your Site Search to Work, Part 2: Add Rich Content to the Search Experience by Shaun Ryan
  In Part 1 of this series, we discussed leveraging site-search data about the terms your customers use on your site and the items they click on most in your search engine optimization and paid-search efforts, email marketing, and other promotional campaigns. Here, in Part 2, we'll talk about how to put ... more
• Getting Buy-in for Social Media: Six Tips for Convincing a Skeptical Boss by Mack Collier
  Convinced that social media will further your marketing goals but having trouble getting the message across to your skeptical boss? Try speaking in terms that he or she will understand. more
• Three Ways Healthcare Brands Can Leverage Social Media by Maryann Kuzel
  Marketing professional in the healthcare industry may be missing a golden opportunity to meet the sometimes-desperate needs of patients, to become more relevant and supportive in the long arc of their journey to better health. If they do, they will win their respect and loyalty, their adherence and behaviors will ... more
• Achieving Relevance in Direct Digital Marketing: An Introduction by Bryce Marshall
  There are five keys to making a relevance-centered approach a reality in your direct digital marketing programs(such as email, websites, mobile, and so on). more
• Boost Your Business With Seven Easy Digital Marketing Techniques for Lead Generation by Yael K. Penn
  Growing your in-house database should be at the top of every marketers list. Why? When done correctly, it will house your most-qualified and responsive prospects. Though organic list growth may take time and effort, you will love the rewards. Consider the following techniques to acquire new leads and grow your ... more

See all Marketing Articles

Web Sites case studies, deconstructing real life examples and illustrating lessons learned

• How a B2C Website's Landing-Page Tests Increased Conversions 67%BabyCenter
  CASE STUDY: What do you do when the landing page for your most popular search term converts some 30 percent less frequently than your general landing page? more
• How a Small Company Went Global (Without Breaking the Bank)Lingo24.com
  CASE STUDY: In the age of globalization and the Internet, extending your reach beyond you home market is easier than ever... if you put some strategic thinking behind it. more
• How Domino's Managed a Viral Video NightmareDomino's Pizza
  CASE STUDY: What do you do when potentially devastating information about your company goes hyper-viral online, reaching millions of people essentially overnight? more
• How One Website Doubled Its Ad RevenuePlanningFamily.com
  CASE STUDY: Even in the midst of a recession, when advertising spend has been drying up, this website doubled its ad revenue. How, exactly? Take a gander... more
• How Low-Cost Conversation Starters Built Community, Generated LeadsOpen Kernel Labs
  CASE STUDY: How do you build a thousand-strong online community when your entire global audience is just 20,000 people? Easy! (Not really, but it's possible.) more
• How a User-Focused Website Boosted Sales at Jelly BellyJelly Belly Candy Company
  CASE STUDY: How Jelly Belly earned double-digit growth in Web traffic, conversions, and sales. (And you can, too.) more
• How to Spark Fanatical Engagement and Advocacy by Heroically Tapping Into User InterestsCisco Systems
  CASE STUDY: Forget the norms. For Cisco Systems, reinvigorating its security line and authenticating its leadership spot meant something truly heroic. more
• A Fresh Way to Use Email as an Interactive ToolGarden Fresh Restaurant Corp.
  CASE STUDY: Garden Fresh had more than half a million customers on its email list. But it wanted customers to do more than print out coupons. It sought to build customer loyalty by using email as an interactive tool. more
• How an Interactive Game Stimulated Product Awareness and SalesSony United
  CASE STUDY: To differentiate itself in a crowded consumer-electronics market, Sony Electronics leveraged a bond—James Bond—with sister company Sony Pictures. A Bond-themed interactive game and sweepstakes resulted in 45,000 clickthroughs to product pages—and a 12-15% increase in sales of those products. more
• How a Single Modification to a Web Site's Functionality Significantly Upped Natural Search Traffic, SalesDiapers.com
  CASE STUDY: Customer reviews are powerful, held in high regard by consumers—and search engines, which love keyword-rich content. But the technology that serves up reviews on a product page makes them all but invisible to those engines. By getting around that conundrum, Diapers.com scored big. more
• How a Little Sweet Talkin' on a Company Blog Led to Increased Search Engine Rankings, SalesFairytale Brownies
  CASE STUDY: Fairytale Brownies cooked up a win-win strategy to satisfy both its bottom line and its costumers' preferences. It created magic with a brownie blog optimized for search and attuned to customers' deepest dessert desires. The result? Some very happy endings. more
• How One Company's Content Marketing Improved Qualified Lead Generation, Boosted Revenue 38%Intellitactics, Inc.
  CASE STUDY: Good content can position your company as an expert in its field, delivering more and better-qualified traffic to your door. Here's how one company leveraged its vendor-neutral whitepapers, podcasts, and more to increase leads, conversion, and (ultimately) revenue. more
• How Intuit Used Viral Marketing and an Interactive Web Site to Generate Small-Business Leads, Engage CustomersIntuit, Inc.
  CASE STUDY: Inspired by the viral success of Office Max's "Elf Yourself," QuickBooks-maker Intuit set out to creatively engage small businesses with its "Jingle Generator." The effort exceeded targeted metrics, earning viral a spot in the marketing mix. more
• How Branded Social Communities Help Sony Increase Consumer Engagement, Loyalty... and Sales!Sony Electronics
  CASE STUDY: Sony Electronics rolled out a series of online, community-focused features aimed at providing value for (and connecting with) personal electronics users. The effort is paying off with high usage, increased customer insight, loyalty... and sales growth. more
• How a Viral Campaign Gave OfficeMax Brand Recognition, Drove ShoppersOfficeMax, Inc.
  CASE STUDY: Office supply chain OfficeMax also sells digital cameras and other products popular as holiday gifts—but its customers didn't think of it as a holiday-shopping destination. What's more, it was often confused with its chief rival. A wildly popularly web-based viral marketing campaign helped OfficeMax distinguish itself and encourage shoppers. more
• How NHL.com's Online Campaign Helped Dodge Launch a New Vehicle, Exceed Sales ForecastsNHL.com
  CASE STUDY: Before any talk of bailouts, Chrysler called on 15 Web sites to help improve consumers' perception of the Dodge brand and launch its first crossover vehicle, the Journey. NHL.com cut through the clutter and delivered the brand message. Here's how. more
• How a Nonprofit's Web Site Redesign Increased Functionality, Public Interest, and DonationsAcumen Fund
  CASE STUDY: For nonprofits like the Acumen Fund, which uses philanthropic capital to help finance foreign entrepreneurs, the human story is key for capturing the attention of would-be volunteers and investors. Here's how a site redesign helped in a big way. more
• How a Diving Equipment Retailer Leveraged Targeted Web Site Promotions to Lift Revenue, ConversionsDivers Direct
  CASE STUDY: Senior management at scuba-supply outfit Divers Direct weren't convinced they needed to run promotions or offer discounts to increase Web sales. A test using Sitebrand's personalization platform quickly changed that perception. more
• How New Media Helped Auction Direct USA Boost Sales 40%Auction Direct USA
  CASE STUDY: While auto dealerships across the nation struggle to survive in the new economy, Auction Direct USA's business is expanding. In fact, its fresh approach to online marketing has transformed the brand of this "used car dealer" to drive up sales. more
• How a Nonprofit Used New Banner-Ad Technology and Market Insight to Create an Effective Viral CampaignThe Blue Cross
  CASE STUDY: Founded in 1897, the Blue Cross is one of the UK's oldest animal welfare charities. It built an online community of pet owners - then launched a viral campaign, including rich media, that had people flocking to the social network. more

Web Sites: See all 73 case studies

Web Sites online seminar broadcasts from the best minds in marketing

• Word Perfect: Rewrite Your Website to Engage Customers and Inspire Their TrustAttendee rating:  - Oct 29, 2009
• Create Once, Deliver Twice: Spreading Content Across Social NetworksAttendee rating:  - Sep 3, 2009
• Cracking the Code: Web Analytics for Paid Search AdvertisingAttendee rating:  - Jun 25, 2009
• Behind the Online Curtain: Secrets for Building a Successful Webinar ProgramAttendee rating:  - Apr 23, 2009
• Next Steps with Your Blog: Building Excitement, Readership and CommunityAttendee rating:  - Mar 27, 2009
• Not Blogging Yet? What Marketers Need to Know to Get StartedAttendee rating:  - Mar 26, 2009
• How to Make Your B-to-B Website a Lead Generation MachineAttendee rating:  - Feb 26, 2009
• Content Marketing: How to Position Your Company as a Trusted Expert ResourceAttendee rating:  - Dec 4, 2008
• How to Motivate Online Action: Compelling Incentives for B2B Lead GenerationAttendee rating:  - Nov 6, 2008
• Actionable Web Analytics: Unleash the Marketing Power of Your Web DataAttendee rating:  - Aug 28, 2008
• Proven Ways to Create Engaging Online Customer ExperiencesAttendee rating:  - Aug 21, 2008
• Advanced Tactics in SEO: Part Art, Part Science Attendee rating:  - Mar 27, 2008
• Social Media for Marketers: A 15-Step Process to Engage with Your Customers OnlineAttendee rating:  - Mar 13, 2008
• Going Global on the Web: Avoid the Pitfalls and Seize the OpportunitiesAttendee rating:  - Feb 28, 2008
• Generating Leads With Compelling White PapersAttendee rating:  - Feb 8, 2008
• Strategy First on Facebook: Opportunities of a Ready-Made Marketing PlatformAttendee rating:  - Jan 10, 2008
• Seth Godin: How to Avoid The Meatball SundaeAttendee rating:  - Jan 3, 2008
• Customer Carewords: Words on the Web that Make the SaleAttendee rating:  - Dec 13, 2007
• Publicity Power Tool: Building a Great Online Press KitAttendee rating:  - Nov 15, 2007
• Post-Click Marketing: How to Make Your Landing Pages Hit, Not MissAttendee rating:  - Sep 13, 2007

Web Sites: See all 47 seminars

Web Sites marketing downloads for the busy professional

• Social Media ROI Success Stories
  Learn how social media is changing the way we market to consumers and businesses, and how 11 companies are measuring and monitoring the success of their social media campaigns.
• The Obama Playbook: How Digital Marketing and Social Media Won the Election
  Want to create a veritable army of customer-advocates to champion your brand? The Obama Playbook: How Digital Marketing and Social Media Won the Election shows you how the Obama campaign masterfully used new media to build awareness, engage prospects, and start a movement. It takes you step-by-step through the new media strategies of the campaign and provides actionable guidance on how you can modify each to benefit your business. Both entertaining and useful, it's an invaluable resource for the savvy marketer who wants to take full advantage of the amazing powers of new media.
• Web 2.0 Marketing Guide
  Here's a straight shooting guide on how Web 2.0 can help you grow your business
• Small Biz How-To Guide: Avoiding Key Pitfalls
  Let's face it, more small businesses fail than succeed. Make sure yours is one of the winners with this guide to getting your small business off the ground and solidly on the road to success.
• Marketing Metrics How-To Guide
  Metrics is the guiding light of your marketing efforts. Without measurements, you're operating in the dark. Make sure you are tracking the right metrics, and get tips on interpreting the data with this comprehensive guide.
• Online Research How-To Guide
  Set clear objectives and a realistic scope to online research projects. These are just two of the steps that this comprehensive, step-by-step planning guide will help you to accomplish to insure your online research results in the most relevant and useful information possible.
• Lead Generation How-To Guide
  Great product, great sales team, great marketing collateral - now what? People to sell to, of course. Put your lead generation tactics under the microscope with this enlightening how-to guide. Get more and better qualified leads, faster today.
• Blogging Summit 2005 - MP3 Recording
  Blogging Summit 2005 - MP3 Recording
• Blogging Summit 2005 - Transcript
  Blogging Summit 2005 - Transcript

Web Sites: See all 9 downloads